June 7th was my third annual Orange County Hiring Fair at the OC Fairgrounds in the Coast Mesa room. Once again the event was a huge success and my goal of helping keep Orange County a vibrant place to work and live was met.

Thousands of job-seekers were able to meet over one hundred potential employers from all over Orange County and nearby communities. Our own OC Human Resources Department had a super-large booth where one could meet with multiple County Departments, interview, search online for job openings, and take a free class on how to sharpen your skills to gain a competitive advantage in obtaining the job you want.

 I had the pleasure of co-hosting the 4th Annual Life Options Expo at Leisure World Seal Beach with Assemblman Tyler Diep and Linda Stone, the President of Golden Rain Foundation.

The Expo provided the residents of Leisure World the ability to connect with resources and services to enhance their quality of life. Classes were also provided. I brought the OC Office on Aging and CalOptima to the event. Their staff did a great job connecting with the attendees.

A BIG thank you to all of the service providers and vendors who helped make this year’s event the best ever.

Sunday June 6th was the 26th Annual Balboa Island Parade. This year’s theme was ‘Our Treasured Island.’

This Island tradition treats locals and visitors alike to over 100 entries for a fun, jam-packed three block event. Even Captain Jack Sparrow came out to greet me!

Sponsored by the Balboa Island Improvement Association, Pat Nangle and the rest of the Parade volunteer staff do a fantastic job organizing and ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish.

Saturday, June 8th was the Balboa Yacht Club‘s 6th Annual Newport Beach Wooden Boat Festival. The event is open to the public and gives attendees the ability to board, or get up close and personal with over forty beautiful vessels.

After offering some brief remarks, I presented a resolution to the Commodore and the President of the BYC. Then, I was able to take in the sights and visit with members and guests.

The hard work and dedication of those preserving the history and culture of of wooden boats for all to enjoy is truly commendable. So much so, that since 2017, under my leadership, the County now officially recognizes the second weekend in June as the ‘Newport Beach Wooden Boat Festival’ weekend.

Have you ever been a Wishcycler?

Wishcycling is placing an item in the recycling bin without being certain it belongs there. Although well-intentioned, it can cause more harm than good. Items that do not belong in a recycling bin can potentially contaminate a good batch of recyclables or damage sorting machinery at collection facilities. According to OC Waste & Recycling, some common wishcycled items are:

• Wire hangers
• Cardboard pizza boxes with leftover grease
• Razor blades
• Batteries
• Laminated paper

Recycling the right way will benefit the environment. To stop wishcycling you can:

• Contact your hauler or local recycling coordinator for more information on what goes into your blue bin
• Learn what goes into your recycling bin versus what needs to be taken to a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
• Research recycling and upcycling online

For more information on waste and recycling, visit oclandfills.com and follow OCWR on social media @OCWaste.

Stay Informed: With the new 405 Project App, you will be able to stay up-to-date with project-related traffic closures and the latest photos and videos. Plus, OCTA has partnered with Waze. You’ll be able to find real-time traffic and road updates on the Waze app directly from OCTA and other drivers. You can also, visit OCTA.net/405map for an interactive live schedule of the improvement project as its happening. You’ll be able to check your travel routes for detours or construction-related impacts. Here are some other helpful resources:

Facebook.com/405improvement
Follow @405_Improvement on Twitter and Instagram
Email 405project@octa.net
Call 888-400-8994