May 4, 2010 |
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Welcome to this issue of Janet’s Journal, a First District Report designed to keep you updated on issues and events concerning our communities in Orange County especially in the First District.
I am proud and honored to represent over 600,000 people within the First District covering the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster and the unincorporated community of Midway City.
I hope you will find this journal informative. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully,
Supervisor Janet Nguyen
Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com
IN THIS ISSUE...
1. Board of Supervisors
2. OCTA
3. Health Bulletin
4. Youth Connection
5. Janet Around the First District
5. Local Issues
6. Requests for Proposals
7. Community Events
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| Board of Supervisors |
With the current state of the economy and its effect on the job market in Orange County, many people have had to grapple with either losing their health insurance completely or dealing with inadequate coverage for themselves and their families.
As a result of this crisis, I have been working with Garden Grove City Councilman Andrew Do, the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association and the Illumination Foundation to host a Central County Health Expo at Coastline Community College from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday, May 8, 2010. Please read below for more details on the free basic health services that are being offered.
In addition, there are many other events coming up this month throughout the First District so make sure to check out the calendar section of this newsletter.
If you have an event you would like us to include in our calendar section, please e-mail me at Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com so we can include it in an upcoming issue of Janet's Journal.
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| OCTA |
2010 Long-Range Transportation Plan
Every four years the OCTA updates its Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) to coincide with input into the Regional Transportation Plan of the Southern California Association of Governments. Goals for the 2010 plan revolve around three primary objectives; to expand transportation system choices, improve transportation system performance and ensure sustainability.
To expand transportation choices, OCTA will continue to focus on improving connectivity to and from destinations of employment and regional importance, as well as enhancing the versatility of the transportation system. Increasing driving, bicycling, walking and ridesharing opportunities will benefit the environment and relieve congestion.
Further, the protection and maintenance of Orange County's transportation network into the future will involve ensuring the sustainability of transportation, environmental and fiscal resources. OCTA feels that with all three goals and objectives in place, the 2010 LRTP will have the guidance needed to plan for a complete transportation system for Orange County.
Bids for Security Upgrade Construction in Anaheim, Garden Grove and Irvine
OCTA has approved the release of Invitation for Bids for construction of security upgrades at the Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine Construction Circle, and Irvine Sand Canyon bus bases.
A threat and vulnerability assessment study was conducted on OCTA's five maintenance and operation bus bases, and identified measures to increase security and avert future incidences. OCTA obtained funding from the Department of Homeland Security and executed an agreement with TRC Solutions, Inc. to provide design and construction support services for the enhancement of key card access and video surveillance at each of the bus bases.
Design is now complete and the project is ready for construction, with an estimate of $1.2 million in costs. The project was approved in OCTA's 2009-10 budget and will be funded by the Proposition 1B, Transit System Safety, Security and Disaster Response Account.
Transit Division Performance Measurements Report
According to a recent report by OCTA, preventable vehicle accidents per 100,000 miles decreased in three categories: Directly Operated Fixed Routes (DOFR), Contracted Fix Routes and ACCESS paratransit service.
DOFR showed a 23.5 percent decrease in accidents per 100,000 miles. CFR showed a 17.7 percent decrease in accidents per 100,000 miles. ACCESS service showed a 1.3 percent decrease in vehicle accidents per 100,000 miles as compared to last year. ACCESS accident reduction is attributed to the introduction of several training programs which focus on areas such as properly securing wheelchairs and defensive driving, along with the implementation of a new safe driver incentive program.
Continuing the Cooperative Agreement with Regional Center of Orange County
The Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) is responsible for assisting people with developmental disabilities and their families secure services and support for quality living and integration into the community. Part of this obligation is being responsible for arranging and purchasing transportation services, including OCTA fixed-route passes, ACCESS service and privately contracted paratransit services for its consumers.
A cost-sharing arrangement between OCTA and RCOC has been in place since 2003, with the initial term expiring June 30, 2010. An amendment has been approved to extend the agreement through June 30, 2011. Revenue associated with this cooperative agreement for fiscal year 2010-11 is estimated at more than $2.25 million.
Cooperative Agreements with Adult Day Care Agencies Amended and Approved
OCTA has implemented several cost sharing agreements with adult day care facilities to transition ACCESS riders to alternative transportation providers at a lower cost per trip. Five of these agreements-Acacia Adult Day Services, Alzheimer's Family Services Center, Community SeniorServ, Orange County ARC and South County Senior Services-require amendments to continue provision of service.
Under the amended cooperative agreements approved by the OCTA Board, the OCTA will continue to contribute an operating subsidy to the five agencies for ACCESS customers traveling to and from the adult day care programs.
Implementation of these transportation partnerships have been a benefit to OCTA, the agencies and their clients. Since July 2008, these alternative transportation programs have transitioned more than 208,000 trips off of ACCESS resulting in a cost savings of more than $3.25 million to OCTA. In addition, the agencies are receiving transportation services which more appropriately meet the needs of their clients.
Measure M2 Progress Report for January-March 2010
Despite current economic conditions, implementation of Measure M2 continues at a fast pace. Highlights of the M2 progress report in this quarter include:
- Freeway projects were progressing for the Santa Ana Freeway (I5), the Orange Freeway (SR57), the Riverside Freeway (SR91) and the San Diego Freeway (I405). Construction continues on the Riverside Freeway eastbound lane addition.
- Final design was initiated on the second phase of the Traffic Light Synchronization Program and traffic engineering services are being procured.
- Board-approved Go Local fixed-guideway projects in Anaheim and in Santa Ana/Garden Grove are in Step Two, completing alternatives analysis and environmental clearance.
- A total of 22 community circulators (Project V) concepts were incorporated into Step Two service planning.
- The M2 Environmental Cleanup Allocation/Water Quality Committee recommended approval of the draft funding guidelines and framework for the allocation of water quality funding to the Transportation 2020 (T2020) Committee and the Board.
- The M2 Freeway Mitigation Program Environmental Oversight Committee recommended acquisition property evaluation results were approved by T2020 and the Board.
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| Health Bulletin |
Central County Health Expo
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, is inviting community members to attend the Central Orange County Health Expo on Saturday, May 8, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Coastline Community College in Garden Grove.
The event will feature free medical care, vision exams and a limited number of eye glasses will be available, as well as blood pressure screenings, cholesterol testing, diabetes and stroke screenings, just to name a few of the services being provided.
A few of the participating agencies and organizations include the Illumination Foundation, Southern California Edison, the Garden Grove Downtown Business Association, OC Health Care Agency, CalOptima, the Orange County Medical Association, Kaiser Permanente, Abrazar, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center, OC Office on Aging, CHOC, Lestonnac Free Clinic the American Diabetes Association, UCI Medical Center, St. Jude Medical Center, OC Social Services Agency, OC Medical Association and Starbright.
Coastline Community College is located at:
12901 Euclid Street
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(Event will be held in the parking lot)
Summit on Autism at UCI
KiDA's 2nd annual Summit on Autism will take place at UCI's Bren Events Center on Saturday, May 15th from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Kids Institute for Development and Advancement (KiDA) is an integrated center of excellence for the treatment of ASD. For information on KiDA, visit www.kida.com.
The purpose of the Summit on Autism is to educate parents, professionals and community leaders about resources available in Orange County to address the various disorders of autism.
The event will also feature a book signing by actress Holly Robinson Peete. Tickets are $20 per person, and registration begins at 8 a.m. For the full agenda and directions to UCI's Bren Events Center, visit www.kida.com/autismsummit. Additional information can also be received by calling (949) 222-2214.
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| Youth Connection |
City Recruiting for 2010-2011 Youth Committee
The City of Westminster's Youth Committee is recruiting for the 2010-2011 term. The Youth Committee consists of nine regular members and four alternate members. Together they advise, recommend, assist and encourage activities and programs to be undertaken for and with the youth of the City of Westminster.
Members are selected through an interview process by two Council Members and approved by the City Council and the Community Services Manager. Members must be between the ages of 12 and 18, and must attend a school in a school district that serves the community of Westminster. Applications for membership are available here.
For additional information, please contact the Community Services and Recreation Department at (714) 895-2860.
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| JANET AROUND THE FIRST DISTRICT |
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, joins OC Parks Commission Chair Bert Ashland, Deputy Chief of Staff Nick Lecong, and Garden Grove Planning Commissioner Tom Bonikowski in restocking trout to the lake at Mile Square Park.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, presents a resolution to Wayne Buser, who volunteered with the Probation Department for more than 10,000 hours over an 11-year period.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, is joined by Colleen Preciado, Supervisor John Moorlach, Supervisor Pat Bates and County CEO Tom Mauk in acknowledging the retirement of Probation Chief Colleen Preciado after 34 years serving the County of Orange in the Probation Department.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, presents a resolution to OC Community Resource Direct Steve Franks and Public Defender Deborah Kwast in recognizing their work in the County's United Way Campaign.
Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, presents a resolution to Dr. Michael B. Hurwitz, President of the Orange County Medical Association, at the OCMA Volunteer Fair.
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| LOCAL ISSUES |
* The following articles are for informational purposes only and are not necessarily intended to imply endorsement or support.
Orange County
Census 2010
Spirit of Volunteerism
April 15th marked the Volunteer Center Orange County's Spirit of Volunteerism Awards. The celebration drew nearly 1000 guests and recognized 550 volunteers at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. The heartwarming luncheon honored volunteers in the categories of arts, education and health, along with several others.
Twelve members of the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra performed a tango and a movement from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. And of course, the affair would not be complete without Mickey Mouse presenting a one-night stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite to a lucky volunteer and her family. It is extremely moving to know that so many people give their time and effort in volunteering
"Cash For Appliances" Rebate
Do you want to save money and help the environment at the same time? Rebates are being offered by San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and the California's "Cash for Appliances" program when you purchase new appliances. By changing out your old inefficient appliances with new, more efficient appliances - you can save significantly on your utility bills.
Here are the requirements for participating in California's "Cash for Appliances" rebates:
- Only California's residents are eligible for the rebates.
- Appliance must be purchased at a participating California retailer.
- The old appliance must be recycled.
- Limit of one rebate per appliance type.
- Rebates are available for qualified purchases made from April 22-May 23, 2010, or until rebate funds are no longer available.
For more information, visit www.cash4appliances.org.
Orange County Workforce Investment Board Offers Free Green Training to Local Firms
The Orange County Workforce Investment Board (OCWIB) is offering Green Training to local firms in Orange County through June 2010. Workshops are offered in the areas of marketing a green company, green operations, starting a green project, owner education and more.
Design firms, contractors and construction managers, building owners, law firms, accounting firms, consultants, building maintenance companies, product manufacturers, brokers and lenders, and service companies are all encouraged to attend. Businesses are welcome to send multiple team members to the workshops. The program is free, but space is limited. For more information, contact Connie McKenney at (714) 567-7599. Registration can be made by calling (714) 978-4372, or emailing craig@e2gogreen.com.
Second Harvest and UPS
Thanks to a joint funding grant from Bank of America and Boeing, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County has been able to purchase UPS routing software, which increases the efficiency of its food pick-up and delivery. Due to this development, Second Harvest expects to collect and distribute up to an additional 150,000 pounds of food in Orange County this year.
The technology that Second harvest has purchased is the same technology used by UPS to move thousands of packages around the world every day. For information about Second Harvest and to learn how to donate, visit www.feedoc.org.
Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet
On Wednesday, May 26th, a job and resource fair tailored to our military veterans will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Costa Mesa. Businesses are invited to participate as exhibitors and/or sponsors. This is an excellent opportunity for businesses and our U.S. servicemen and women returning from active duty to connect by allowing job seekers the ability to show their skills and potential.
The partners in this fair are the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency, Employment Development Department, California Community Colleges, California Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Industrial Relations-Division of Apprenticeship Standards, Orange County Veterans Employment Committee, Orange County Workforce Investment Board, and Orange County-One-Stop Centers. Some resources available include resume critiquing, information on job opportunities, obtaining benefits, training, and career information.
Fair information:
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Costa Mesa Hilton Hotel
3050 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
For additional information, call (714) 687-4816.
Garden Grove
52nd Annual Strawberry Festival
Beginning Friday, May 28th, the 52nd Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival will be held at Village Green Park on the corner of Main and Euclid from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free and festivities include 4 days of music, games, carnival rides, a strawberry parade, food, craft vendors and more.
The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is one of the largest and oldest community festivals in the western U.S. The festival is a charitable event and has donated more than $5 million over the years to local organizations. For more information about the festival, visit http://strawberrfestival.org, or call (714) 638-0981.
Santa Ana
The Little Mermaid in Santa Ana
Did you like Disney's "The Little Mermaid?" Get ready; the musical has come to Santa Ana brought to you by Broadway on Tour! The first performance was May 1st, but additional performances will be held at 2 p.m. on May 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, and 23rd. An additional performance will take place May 22nd at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, and an optional tea party is available for an additional $5. For more information, visit www.broadwayontour.org. Shows are held at the Ebell Theatre at 625 French Street in Santa Ana.
Street Repairs
The City of Santa Ana began a campaign in 2008 to smooth out cracks and craters in the streets. The City plans to repair 250 miles of streets at $72 million by the end of this year, which is under budget and will be completed in a shorter time frame than originally expected. The primary reason for lower costs to the project comes from a fall in the price of asphalt due to the recession. Also, workers have taken much of the old asphalt, remixed it and spread it back down on the streets. This method is seen by the City as cheaper and greener.
Santa Ana College Wins for Newspaper Achievements
At the annual National College Media Convention in New York City, student journalists from Santa Ana College won nearly 70 awards for their newspaper, "el Don." Students and the college newspaper took home 23 first-place, 13 second-place and 10 third-place awards, along with 22 certificates of merit. To read the award winning el Don, visit www.eldononline.org.
Westminster
America's Best Dance Crew
Westminster's very own Poreotix took home the grand prize on MTV's fifth season of "America's Best Dance Crew," defeating Montreal-based Blueprint Cru. The group received the golden ABDC trophy and $100,000. They also recently performed with the winners of the previous four seasons for a special charity dance event.
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| REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS |
County of Orange
There are currently many new bids to contract with the County of Orange.
For more information, please click here.
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| Community Events |
City of Garden Grove
May 12, 2010 - Garden Grove Chamber Foundation/Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic
Join the Garden Grove Chamber Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, May 12th for their 6th Annual Golf Classic. Tee off for 18-holes of fun and test your skills in the long drive and putting contests at Willowick Golf Course in Santa Ana.
Registration begins at 10 a.m., and the $150 registration fee includes beverages, lunch and dinner. For more information, call the Office of Community Relations at (714) 741-5280.
Location: Willowick Golf Course, 3017 W. 5th Street, Santa Ana.
May 22, 2010 - Free Foreclosure Workshop
The City of Garden Grove Community Development Department and the Orange County Home Ownership Preservation Collaborative (OC HOPC) is sponsoring a workshop for homeowners to learn how to handle and/or avoid foreclosure. Representatives from the banking industry, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, non-profit and legal organizations will be available to provide one-on-one counseling, answer questions and offer advice. A Spanish language workshop will also be offered the same day.
The workshop takes place Saturday, May 22nd from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with registration at 9 a.m. The Spanish language workshop will be offered from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., with registration at 12:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are accepted. For more information visit http://oc.myhousingforall.org, and reservations can be made by sending an email with your name, address, phone number and lender information to myhousingforall@aol.com.
Location: Garden Grove Community Meeting Center, 11300 Stanford Avenue, Garden Grove.
City of Santa Ana
May 4, 2010 - Workshops for Nonprofits
Learn how to establish a nonprofit organization in California, and what you need to have a successful start.
The Public Law Center will be providing workshop entitled, "Starting A New Nonprofit: The Reality Checklist from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday, May 4th. For more information visit the community calendar on the City of Santa Ana's website at http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us, call (714) 953-5757, or email training@volunteercenter.org.
Location: Volunteer Center of Orange County, 1901 East 4th Street, Suite 100, Santa Ana.
May 8, 2010 - Santa Ana Nutrition and Fitness Fair
The City of Santa Ana will be hosting the 3rd Annual Nutrition and Fitness Fair Saturday, May 8th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come enjoy a basketball exhibition game, a nutrition awareness session and an active booth exploration session. Attendees can learn the importance of good nutrition and how to make healthy choices by eating smart and exercising daily.
Location: Godinez High School, 3002 Centennial Road, Santa Ana
May 15, 2010 - Scholastic Chess Tournament
Are you a chess champ? Chess players in Kindergarten through the 12th grades are invited to the Discovery Science Center's Scholastic Chess Tournament. Meet UCI Neurology grad students and learn how to enhance your memory, logic and analytical skills, while making new friends. For more information, visit www.discoverycube.org.
Location: Discovery Science Center, 2500 North Main Street, Santa Ana.
City of Westminster
May 8, 2010 - Homebuyer Seminar
If you want to take advantage of the City of Westminster's first-time homebuyer program, attend this workshop held on Saturday May 8th, at 9 a.m. For more information call (714) 548-3495.
Location: Westminster Council Chambers, 8200 Westminster Blvd, Westminster.
To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com. |
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