|
Volume 1 | Issue 30 |
November 12, 2021 |
|
|
Celebrating Veterans
Photo Credit: OC Fair & Event Center
Dear Neighbors,
Happy Veterans Day to the many Veterans and their families in our District.
It was an honor to recognize the bravery and commitment of our 3 distinguished District 2 "Veterans of the Year" at the Heroes Hall Veterans Foundation "Celebrating Veterans at Heroes Hall" event. You can view images from the event here.
While all of our nominees had notable merit, the 3 veterans that received this distinguished Veterans Day acknowledgment represent the freedoms that we enjoy from being united in service nearly 100 years ago to more recent times.
For myself, our staff, and our District, the Heroes Hall event - and each of the Veterans Day events that we attended - allowed us to connect with individuals that are a force for good, demonstrating exemplary service to our country and county, and contributing a positive, lasting impact on our District.
I continue to prioritize issues that help Veterans and their families, including workforce development, housing, mental health services and suicide prevention, and (finally!) bringing an official Veterans cemetery to Orange County.
Please congratulate our 3 Veterans of the Year on our social media page (Link) and learn more about them:
-
Irwin Galter: A resident of Costa Mesa, Galter was a Navigator in the United States Army Air Corp during World War II. He served in the South Pacific, after training at the Santa Ana Army Air Base.
-
William John Thomas: A resident of Stanton, Thomas served in the United States Army during World War II and is a Purple Heart recipient. He served as Post Commander of the VFW and Lt. Post Commander of the American Legion, for many years after his service.
-
Tamantha Bowman: A resident of Huntington Beach, Bowman was the Chief Warrant Officer for the United States Coast Guard for 23 years, out of San Pedro, and served with distinction to protect our coastline.
If you are a Veteran or the family of a Veteran, please check out our Orange County Veterans Services Office programs. We are here to help!
Next week, the Board will continue to work on the redistricting maps with our initial vote for a final map on November 16, 2021 at 10 AM. This week we listened to and read all of the comments submitted, to date, and tried to incorporate them into our revised maps. Our prospective map keeps cities united and follows all legal provisions.
My office believes in a redistricting map that is inclusive and offers fair representation to benefit all communities of interest in Orange County. You can view the most recent maps proposed here and provide input to the Board at redistricting@ocgov.com. You can also tune into the board meeting to watch & listen live here.
|
Be well,
Supervisor Foley with World War II Veterans at American Legions Newport Harbor Post 291
|
In This Edition
Did you know?
Our District proudly encompasses the majority of the county’s military bases and Veterans service organizations!
Heroes Hall: Veterans of the Year
Supervisor Foley District 2 Update: American Legions, Newport Harbor Post 291
Irwin Galter: World War II Veteran
William John Thomas: World War II Veteran
Tamantha Bowman: U.S. Coast Guard Veteran
Thank you to the many Veterans and supporters we connected with this week!
|
|
As many of you know, on October 1, an oil slick was reported off the coast of Huntington Beach. By taking swift action, we were able to reverse or halt many of the ill effects of the oil spill. However, despite the improvements, there was a large cost for wildlife, boat owners, businesses, community members, and ocean enthusiasts.
Current Update: All public beaches and harbors are open and booms are removed.Fisheries remain closed but are expected to be open by month's end.
Here are the stats, to date!
-
24,696 gallons of oil released
-
13.6 barrels of tar balls recovered (approximately 57 gallons!)
-
532,522 pounds of oily debris and sand collected
- There are vessel decontamination sites operating in coastal cities (Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Long Beach). 248 vessel claims were submitted and 32 are still being decontaminated.
-
7 mammals, 1 reptile, and 99 birds were collected--- of the birds, 82 were dead; 34 were survived and 22 were released.
Was your business impacted by the oil spill? Be sure to contact the Business Impact Recovery Claims line at (866) 985-8365 or fil out the Economic Injury Worksheet and return to eocliaison@ocsheriff.gov
|
|
It is important that the constituents of District 2 have easy access to the latest health information and community updates. Be sure to check back weekly for current news from OC Health and more!
Find out the COVID-19 Vaccination Stats for Your City
**One important item to note, if the vaccination rate in your city appears dramatically decreased, this is because the graph now shows the expanded eligible population (ages 5 and up).
Also this week, I met with the Orange County Deputy Health Director, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong.
I learned more about the success of children receiving the vaccine, the current positivity rate in our County, and what we can do to stay safe as the holiday season (and accompanying travel) approaches.
Please watch the full video or read excerpts below!
As of today, we are continuing to see the number of cases and hospitalized patients going up. Continue to take common sense safety precautions, such as thorough hand washing, using hand sanitizer, or wearing a mask (when recommended).
There are 57 patients currently in the ICU compared to 49 last week (and 39 two weeks ago).
As of 11/8/21:
12+ population: 74% fully vaccinated, 80% at least one dose 65+ population: 85% fully vaccinated, 93% at least one dose
Case rate: 7.3 Case positivity rate: 2.8
As you prepare to make your holiday plans, OC Health Care Agency has released the following recommendations:
-
If you are vaccinated, you may travel throughout the United States without being required to test or quarantine. For international travel, you must verify the destination country’s entry and exit requirements. For reentry into the U.S., you must show proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test (taken no more than 3 days prior to your travels).
-
If you are not vaccinated, you are encouraged to become fully vaccinated before traveling. If you must travel, get tested 1-3 days before travel and 3-5 days after travel. As an added step of protection, you should self-quarantine for 7 days after travel .. even if you’ve tested negative for COVID-19. For international travel, you must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 1 day prior to traveling back to the U.S.
For more information and recommendations for traveling during the holidays please visit this link.
Helpful Links:
Have a question about the vaccine or need help getting an appointment? Click here to get your questions answered!
Reminder: It is important for everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccination, as it will help to protect you and your loved one. View the dates and times of our upcoming Vaccine Clinics here.
Feel even better about your vaccine! Our complimentary gift cards support local restaurants. To check out the Orange County COVID-19 vaccine dashboard for the most current stats, go here.
|
|
Redistricting: Board of Supervisors (11/9/21) Meeting Recap
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing to consider input on proposed 2021 Redistricting Maps. Prior to the public hearing, I submitted a Memorandum that provides written commentary on the proposed maps and the importance of complying with all elements of the Federal Voting Rights Act.
The public shared their perspective on selecting a Redistricting Map that complies with those Federal provisions, with many constituents sharing personal stories about why a fair and balanced map matters within our County.
You can view the Agenda Bill with the proposed maps here. Or watch the public hearing in its entirety here.
Preview into the next (11/16/21) Board of Supervisors Meeting
On Tuesday, November 16, the Board will hold another public hearing on Redistricting. During this hearing, the Board is expected to select a map. As if today, Board offices had the opportunity to submit one map revision.
Everything That You Need to Know About Redistricting!
|
|
Alex Rounaghi
Policy Analyst
|
On Wednesday, Supervisor Foley and I attended the OCTA Finance and Administration Committee.
Supervisor Foley and her colleagues voted to approve an early payment to the Orange County Employees Early Retirement System (OCERS). If the full OCTA board approves prepaying the agency’s contributions, it will save approximately 1.6 million in taxpayer dollars. The Committee also received a report on grant application and a comprehensive update on the status of the 91 Express Lanes.
Supervisor Foley also attended the Local Agency Formation Commission of Orange County (LAFCO). Orange County LAFCO oversees geographic boundaries of public service providers, evaluates the delivery of public services, and engages and collaborates with local governments and service providers.
2 members of the Board of Supervisors have a seat on LAFCO, with Supervisor Foley serving as an alternate. During Wednesday’s meeting, LAFCO considered important items, including the 2020-2021 Audited Financial Statements and 2021 Strategic Plan.
To learn more about LAFCO, check out their website.
|
|
District 2 continues to serve Orange County residents by:
1). Delivering our Senior Nutritional Resource Guide alerting them to local food distribution drives, food pantries, and free meals throughout t he holiday season.
2).Distributing $1,832,600 in Second District Nutrition Gap Program funds (as of 11/12/21).
3). Appointing 2 residents (Charlene Ashendorf and Joni Nichols) to the Senior Citizen Advisory Council,
4). Presenting a $20,000 Second District Arts Grant to the Balboa Island Museum in Newport Beach.
5). Completing our survey of the most chronically homeless, to help improve services and access to housing & shelter. Stay tuned for an update on our results!
6). Providing 822 gift cards to residents that receive the COVID-19 vaccine at one of our local clinics.
|
|
Constituent Services Manager
Costa Mesa, Cypress, Huntington Beach (Oak View Neighborhood), Stanton, Rossmoor
Supervisor Foley at Heroes Hall
Supervisor Foley at OCTA with Proud Veteran Mothers
Supervisor Foley and Chairman Do with OCTA Marines
|
OCTA Procurement Policies, Veterans Day, and CR&R Clean Up Event in Rossmoor!
Hello District Two,
On Monday, on behalf of the Supervisor, I attended an Overview of OCTA Procurement Policies meeting with Darrel Johnson, Director Harper, and Director Goodell.
OCTA has high standards on ethics and consistently strive to provide the OC Taxpayers with the best quality service.
On Wednesday, our office attended Golden West College’s Veterans Day Celebration on their campus Quad. Later that day, we joined the Melinda Hoag Center for Healthy Living for their Diaper and Baby Wipes Distribution, which helps families get the supplies they need.
Veterans Day was packed with fun and celebrating our Veterans! In the morning we joined Mayor Shawver and the City of Stanton for their Veterans Day Message at Veterans Park. Later, the Supervisor spoke at the Heroes Hall Museum to announce our 3 Veterans of the Year. We then attended the OCTA’s Veterans Day Event, alongside Chairman Do and Director Shaw.
I ended the day at the Cypress College Foundation's Veterans Day Reception for their new Veterans Community Center.
Finally, a help event for the residents of Rossmoor: the Rossmoor Community Service District is teaming up with CR&R (on Saturday, November 13, 2021) to host a Bulky Item Clean Up Event. It will be held at Rush Park from 9 AM-12 PM. Residents will need to show proof of residency and either a photo identification and/or a utility bill.
Find a list of Accepted & Not Accepted Bulky Items here.
City of Stanton
|
|
Constituent Services Manager
Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, and Animal Services
Heroes Hall, Costa Mesa
|
Collaboration with the Community
This week was extremely busy, but every second was well spent!
I started the week by attending an event in Huntington Beach where we presented certificates to 25 outstanding Veterans! I'm grateful for our office's collaboration with Cottonwood Veterans Outreach & American Veterans Assistance Group, as they continue to assist us in demonstrating our support to veterans throughout the county! On Wednesday, I also went to our Animal Care Shelter, where we shot more footage for our upcoming Animal Care Town Hall.
I finished the week by attending a number of Veterans Day events, starting with our office's event at Heroes Hall at the OC Fair & Event Center where I really enjoyed hearing the accomplishments of our 2021 District 2 Veterans of the Year. Sonora Elementary School also celebrated Veterans Day during their Flag Deck ceremony. It was great to see the children's patriotism and excitement.
Sonora Elementary School
|
|
Michele Mullen
Community Outreach Director
"Another great week helping to distribute restaurant gift cards as a 'Thank you' for getting vaccinated at the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics."
|
As the Community Outreach Director, my goal is to visit as many of our clinics as possible. This week, it was great to see so many children getting vaccinated. I want to thank the nursing staff and pharmacists at our clinics for making sure that every child felt so safe and comfortable. Whether you or your family need a first or second shot, or a booster shot, please come to one of our Clinics and be sure to introduce yourself and say "Hello!"
Click here to see an expanded version of our COVID-10 Clinic dates!
|
|
Does Star sound like the purrrfect fit for you? Call (714) 935-6848 to set up an adoption appointment today!
Animal ID: A1735654
|
"Fall In Love Twice" Promotion
Is this the week that you bring a new animal friend into your life? Meet Star, a 1 year and 9-month-old Japanese Bobtail that was rescued last August, along with several other cats found in less than ideal living conditions.
Star loves nothing more than to lay around all day, sleeping in the sun. A little shy at first, a caring presence and scratches behind the ear or under the chin have allowed her to blossom and come out of her shell. Give this sweet girl a comfy blanket, and she’ll snooze next to you all day long!
Star would love to be adopted with one of her feline friends ... and what better time to adopt two cats at once than during OC Animal Care's “Fall in Love Twice” promotion.
Thanks to a generous donation, all kittens and cats have a special 2-for-1 adoption fee through November 30th! Don't delay, as this promotion ends on November 30th!
|
|
Thank you for being an active member in your community.
Please share this newsletter with family and friends.
Follow us on social media today!
| Facebook | Instagram | Twitter |
|
|
|
|
|