Last month, I presented the City of Seal Beach with $525,000 for the San Gabriel River Trash Mitigation Initiative.

Every year, nearly 400 tons of trash flow down the San Gabriel River and into Seal Beach. The City of Seal Beach partnered with Assemblywoman Diane Dixon’s office to convene a working group of other regional partners, including my office, Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal, Los Angeles Supervisor Janice Hahn, the City of Long Beach, and the Surf Rider Foundation to identify solutions.

One of the first items we discussed in our working group was the importance of finding a long-term mitigation strategy involving multiple phases to identify both a near- and long-term funding source and mitigation measures. In order to reach these mitigation measures, we must first complete a study to identify the sources of the trash, work with municipal partners, and determine the efficacy of trash intercepting technology that may be effective here.

To begin this important work, I allocated $525,000 to begin studying the cost of support services, procuring, and engaging public agencies who have jurisdictions over the San Gabriel River upstream and their potential contributions to the trash that may end up in Seal Beach, ultimately finding a way to stop it.

I would like to thank Assemblymember Diane Dixon and Joe Kalmick -Councilman City of Seal Beach District 1 for bringing to my attention the issues with trash ending up on the beach when I began representing the City of Seal Beach. Taking on this role at the County level, I see this as a very important issue for the preservation of our ocean and beaches, and I’m glad to help.

Last month, Chairman Don Wagner and I jointly authored a resolution recognizing March 29th each year as Vietnam War Veterans Day.

One of my earliest memories of living in Vietnam as a child was huddling with my sister and two brothers to calm them through the 1968 Tet Offensive, as the sounds of artillery filled the night with bullets falling through the roof of our home. Since the Fall of Saigon, the Vietnamese diaspora has given voice to the fight for democracy and human rights in Vietnam — a voice that wouldn’t have been possible without U.S. involvement.

It is important to understand the magnitude of the sacrifices made by the Vietnam veterans. Roughly 60% of U.S. casualties during the Vietnam War were younger than 21, with the average age of Killed in Action service members being 23.1 years. Vietnam War veterans account for almost 10% of their generation, with one out of every ten being a casualty; 75,000 were physically and untold mentally severely disabled, with 1,700 service members still listed as Missing in Action.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the brave Vietnam War veterans who, with unwavering commitment, fought gallantly against the spread of Communism and defended the freedom of the Vietnamese people, embodying the spirit of liberty and service to our great nation.

To celebrate Women’s History Month in March, we remember Harriett M. Wieder of Huntington Beach (1920-2010), the first woman to serve on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Harriet Wieder began her career in public service as the executive assistant for Los Angeles Mayor San Yorty (1963-1973) and then as a Huntington Beach City Councilmember (1974-1978) and Mayor (1976).

As Supervisor for the Second District (1979-1994), her accomplishments included brokering a compromise between environmentalists and developers over the Bolsa Chica wetlands, establishing the Southern California Water Committee, and laying the groundwork for the creation of CalOptima.

Photo and Information Credit: Orange County Archives & Assistant Archivist Chris Jepsen.

Our public health staff helped lead us through the COVID pandemic.

I am proud of our work to support public health professionals. Through the Testing and Vaccine Ad Hoc, O.C. Supervisor Doug Chaffee and I launched the Latino Health Equity Initiative and the Orange County API Taskforce, which focused on education, outreach, and access. We also directed our Health Care Agency to develop the OC Equity Map tool to provide actionable benchmarks for private and public partnerships to better allocate resources and reduce disparities in our communities.

All these initiatives could not have been carried out without the critical role of our public health officials. Thank you to all our incredible public health professionals who work tirelessly every day to keep our communities safe.

Career and technical education provide an important pathway for students by allowing them to personalize their education based on their learning styles.

In late February, the Los Alamitos Unified School District unveiled a realistic ambulance simulator for its emergency response career technical education pathway program, which provides students with hands-on training experiences. The simulator's features include interactive mannequins that mimic pulses, blood pressures, respiratory sounds, and simulated EKGs.

Check out OCDE’s video to see the simulator in action: https://newsroom.ocde.us/watch-los-alamitos-unified.../.

Earlier this year, the State Superintendent announced 293 middle and high schools under the California Distinguished Schools program. This distinction is considered the highest level of recognition for schools. With its latest additions, Orange County has won 874 awards since the program began in 1985.

These are the newly minted Distinguished Schools for 2024 from the First District:

 Masuda (Kazuo) Middle School, Fountain Valley Elementary School District

 Hilton D. Bell Intermediate School, Garden Grove Unified School District

 Sarah McGarvin Intermediate School, Garden Grove Unified School District

 Ethel Dwyer Middle School, Huntington Beach City Elementary School District

 Oak Middle School, Los Alamitos Unified School District

 Sharon Christa McAuliffe Middle School, Los Alamitos Unified School District

 Helen Stacey Middle School, Westminster School District

For more information, visit https://newsroom.ocde.us/38-orange-county-make-the-list.../.

By the early 20th century, spelling bees were common throughout the country. What started as a learning tool soon became an educational competition helping promote literacy and discipline. Earlier this year, the Orange County Department of Education welcomed 130 spellers at the annual OC Spelling Bee. Katelyn Nguyen, a seventh grader from Stacey Middle School in the Westminster School District, won first place and will represent Orange County in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Congratulations, Katelyn and all spellers!

First Place: Katelyn Nguyen from Stacey Middle School in the Westminster School District.

Second Place: Chaaya Springer from The Pegasus School, an independent campus in Huntington Beach.

Third Place: Lucia Yu from Rancho San Joaquin Middle School in the Irvine Unified School District.

Robotics education has transformed the learning landscape and the future of STEM. Here in Orange County, several schools have incorporated robotics engineering in their curriculum. In the First District, the robotics engineering pathway program at Fountain Valley High School recently played host to the SoCal First Tech Challenge, a premier robotics competition that drew participants from across Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Check out the video put together by the Orange County Department of Education: https://newsroom.ocde.us/student-innovators-collaborate.../.

I’m excited to welcome Monica Schmidt as the new director of OC Animal Care, the largest municipal animal shelter in Orange County. Monica’s leadership as Interim Director has demonstrated her commitment to the agency. Under her guidance in 2023, OC Animal Care had over 14,700 animal intakes, 55,679 field responses, 9,027 dogs and cats were reunited with their families, adopted, or transferred to rescue partners, 2,910 pets were fostered, and the shelter boasted a save rate for dogs of 93.85 percent. Congratulations and best wishes to you, Monica!

Are you a frequent visitor to one of the County of Orange parks? Consider purchasing an annual parking pass. Your parking pass will be valid for one vehicle at the following parks. For more information, visit www.ocparks.com/annualpass.

- Carbon Canyon Regional Park

- Clark Regional Park

- Craig Regional Park

- Irvine Regional Park

- Laguna Niguel Regional Park

- Heritage Hill Historical Park

- Mason Regional Park

- Mile Square Regional Park

- Peters Canyon Regional Park

- Santiago Oaks Regional Park

- Yorba Regional Park

Orange County Parks’ annual Summer Concert and Sunset Cinema series returns with 9 free concerts and 12 free movie nights beginning in June. Check out the exciting lineup:

 6/20: Sweet and Tender Hooligans at Craig Regional Park

 6/27: Mariachi Divas at Craig Regional Park

 7/11: Flashback Heart Attack at Mason Regional Park

 7/18: A Thousand Horses at Irvine Regional Park

 7/25: No Duh at Irvine Regional Park

 8/1: Ozomatli at Mile Square Regional Park

 8/8: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mile Square Regional Park

 8/15: The FABBA Show at Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach

 8/22: Jimmy's Buffet at Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach

 6/7: Wonka (PG, 2023) at Craig Regional Park

 6/14: The Little Rascals (PG, 1994) at Craig Regional Park

 6/21: Migration (PG, 2023) at Carbon Canyon Regional Park

 6/28: Men in Black (PG-13, 1997) at Carbon Canyon Regional Park

 7/12: Trolls Band Together (PG, 2023) at Mason Regional Park

 7/19: Barbie (PG-13, 2023) at Yorba Regional Park

 7/26: National Treasure (PG, 2004) at Yorba Regional Park

 8/2: Frozen II (PG, 2019) at Irvine Regional Park

 8/9: Napoleon Dynamite (PG, 2004) at Irvine Regional Park

 8/16: The Super Mario Bros. Movie (PG, 2023) at Laguna Niguel Regional Park

 8/23: 13 Going on 30 (PG-13, 2004) at Laguna Niguel Regional Park

8/30: The Goonies (PG, 1985) at Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach

Looking to sell your organic produce and goods at one of the many certified farmer's markets in Orange County? If so, make sure to complete your certified producer packet, which is available from OC Public Works.

For more information, including a list of farmers markets in Orange County, visit: https://ocerac.ocpublicworks.com/service-areas/oc-environmental-resources/oc-agricultural-commissionersealer-weights-measures-33

Are you a spouse or a child of a Veteran and applying for college? Then you may qualify for a college tuition fee waiver from the California Department of Veterans Affairs. As of February 5, 2024, the updated College Tuition/Fee Waiver form (DVS-40) dated 01/24 is the only form CalVet will allow the OCVSO to accept. The correct DVS-40 form will auto-populate with the appropriate student/veteran information when using the county’s online VSO College Fee Waiver Application.

For questions and to learn more about the eligibility requirements, visit:

https://www.veterans.ocgov.com/benefits/college-tuition-fee-waiver

When you support local businesses, you support your neighbors, friends, and fellow community members. With so many small businesses in the First District, you can be sure you will always find a new place every time. Coming up on its 5th anniversary, Petals Flowers & Orchids, a family-owned floral shop in Huntington Beach, is widely known as the neighborhood’s charm. On National Flower Day, March 21, the First District Team stopped by to present Jaime, the owner, with a certificate of recognition.

Attention job seekers and employers!

Orange County is helping job seekers find high-paying jobs and explore new career paths by hosting a free career fair on Wednesday, May 1, at the Garden Grove Community Center.

In today’s competitive job market, networking and making a strong impression in person can make all the difference. Whether you're eager to explore new career advancements, seeking fresh opportunities, or simply looking to expand your professional network, this event is for you.

In collaboration with the OC Workforce & Economic Development Division, this event offers a unique opportunity for job seekers to meet face-to-face with representatives from a wide range of industries. Participating companies will showcase their available positions, ranging from entry-level to senior roles, across various fields.

Attendees are highly encouraged to bring several copies of their resume and dress accordingly for a potential on-site interview. To RSVP, please visit www.ocworkforcesolutions.com/job-fairs.   

For more information, you can call my office at 714-834-3110. You may also contact the OC Business & Economic Development call center at 714-480-6500 or visit bit.ly/OCCareerFairs.