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| Volume 2 | Issue 9 |
March 4, 2022 |
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Lessons From Our important Fentanyl Hearing
Dear Neighbor:
At our public fentanyl hearing on Thursday, we took testimony from County officials and members of the public about the dangers of fentanyl. It’s important to me that we raise awareness about our Countywide fentanyl crisis, as too many Orange County families are losing their teens and young adults to drugs laced with fentanyl.
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 This crisis extends to our streets, where fentanyl endangers law enforcement, which is why we need more tools like Naloxone to effectively treat fentanyl poisoning and overdose. Below, learn about our important hearing and why we must target drug traffickers and hold them accountable.
 On Wednesday, I spoke with local mayors for our monthly meeting. We started our day, perfectly, with a meeting with local officials and non profit representatives of disadvantaged youth programs on a tour of Crystal Cove. I meet with public officials each month to share about County resources, partnership opportunities, and to learn the history of Orange County.
We also learned about all of the STEM programming for students offered by Crystal Cove Conservancy, as well as their work to restore the cottages and Japanese Language School House. Great to introduce this resource to our non-coastal city officials from City of Santa Ana - Municipal Government.
 Earlier in the week, I joined Chairman Doug Chaffee as a moderator for “The OC” Press Conference. We spoke with Marshall Moncrief, the CEO of Be Well, Luitenant Hines from Fullerton Police Department, and Dr. Veronica Kelly, Mental Health & Recovery Services for the Orange County Health Care Agency, about the services ... especially related to the sobering center at the Be Well campus. To learn more about their community-based, cross-sector strategy to create a County coordinated mental health ecosystem, go here: Link
For those who missed the news at the close of last week, I announced $3.6 Million from the State of California to remove encampments from Talbert Park in Costa Mesa and transition residents into shelters or other housing. More details are found, below, along with a link to our press release.
 This week, I also participated in the recognition and official designation of a stretch of the California 55 Highway as the “Costa Mesa Fire Captain Michael Kreza Memorial Highway.” While the loss of Fire Captain Kreza still hurts, I hope this signage permanently reminds the community of his love, respect, integrity, and compassion for service.
 March is Woman's History Month – celebrate the contributions of women in our community and make your "Women Making A Difference" nomination by March 18, 2022: Here
Be well,
 Katrina Foley
Supervisor
County of Orange
Ps. Interested in volunteering to help with our District initiatives? Send me an email at Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com
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In This Edition
Read more about our Transparency in Governance,
Team Updates,
Health News, and
Community News.
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Fentanyl Hearing in Review
On March 3, 2022, we held our public Fentanyl Hearing to address the crisis in Orange County. I intend to hold those responsible for Fentanyl-related deaths accountable. We took testimony from a panel of experts and the public, along with generating recommendations for law enforcement, public health, and safety changes. 1 pill can kill and this has devastated Orange County families. Look for my ongoing work this year and read coverage of the event by the OC Register (link) or CBS Local News (link).
“For years, as Mayor of Costa Mesa and - now - as County Supervisor, I’ve advocated for and voiced my concern about Fentanyl overdose, poisoning, and abuse in Orange County. Fentanyl kills indiscriminately and dealers target our youth with counterfeit prescription drugs like Xanax and other opioids.” – Supervisor Katrina Foley
“As a mayor, I’ve mourned with mothers whose children were victims of this sinister and illicit drug practice. This informational public hearing allows us to gather the most current information from a panel of health experts, local officials, and law enforcement and hold drug traffickers accountable." – Supervisor Katrina Foley
Supervisor Foley hosted the Fentanyl Hearing alongside Chairman Chaffee. Other panelists in attendance included:
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Orange County Sheriff, Don Barnes
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Costa Mesa Police Chief, Ronald Lawrence
- Dr. Clayton Chau, Director of the Orange County Health Care Agency & County Health Office
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Dr. Veronica Kelley, Chief, Mental Health and Recovery Services Orange County Health Care Agency
- Matt Holtzman, Chair of the County of Orange Behavioral Health Advisory Board, Chair of Government Relations for the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Orange County
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State Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, 74th District
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California State Senator Patricia Bates, 36th District
- Mina Said, Deputy District Attorney at the Orange County District Attorneys’ Office.
FACTS ABOUT FENTANYL:
Fentanyl is a leading cause of death for kids 17-years-and-under.
53% – Fentanyl is a factor in more than half of Overdose deaths (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics)
2MG – Less than 0.07 ounces of fentanyl causes certain death (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics).
Board of Supervisors Meeting
Please attend our next Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 at 9:30 a.m.
Watch live: Here
View the agenda: Here
View a list of all 2022 Orange County #BOS meetings: Here
Helping the Homeless and Eliminating Encampments
Alex Rounaghi, Policy Analyst
We are happy to announce that our efforts to eliminate the encampments that have plagued Orange County as public safety hazards are working. Unhoused residents need supportive and permanent housing, and it’s critical that we mitigate the public safety & quality of life threats that come from encampments. Our office is excited about this progress!
"According to early estimates from our 2022 Point in Time Count, I believe that there will be fewer unhoused residents in Orange County than during out last countywide survey in 2019. Those remaining on the streets often struggle with more serious issues, including severe mental health disorders and drug addiction, which we are also addressing at a city and County level." – Supervisor Katrina Foley
As the former Mayor of Costa Mesa and, now, as Orange County Supervisor, Supervisor Foley works hard to address the housing needs of Orange County residents.
One of our main policy victories over the last year includes making significant strides with Project Homekey to create permanent and supportive housing. We are currently working to incentivize landlords to accept Emergency Housing Vouchers. Stay tuned for more information on these efforts. The $3.6 million dollar award that our office initiated through to the County of Orange will provide shelter and housing for 60 individuals currently experiencing homelessness in local encampments.
This sum is part of $60 million dollars in funding from the state of California, provided to 19 counties across the state. We applied for these funds on December 30, 2021, for the Encampment Resolutions Notice of Funding Opportunity. The Supervisor looks forward to these additional resources cleaning up the Talbert Park encampment in Costa Mesa, California.
Learn more about the $3.6 million in funding to clean up Talbert Park: Here
More public hearings to be announced soon!
Commissioner Report
Contributed by Armando De La Libertad – OC HIstorical Commissioner
 The OC Historical Commission met on March 1, 2022 at Irvine Ranch Historic Park. Among the various topics discussed, the Commission spoke about efforts to preserve and reimagine the Chet Holifield Federal Building in Laguna Niguel.
 The building, designed by William Pereira who also designed the Transamerica Pyramid, was constructed from 1968-1970 and includes over one million square feet of floor space. It is one of the few remaining examples of brutalist architecture and is emblematic of the Cold War era in American history. The building has been nominated for consideration with the National Register of Historic Places. The possibility of a historic covenant may impact any redesign or use(s) of the building and surrounding acreage in the not-too-distant future.
Another topic of discussion was the Preserve Orange County online map of historic places. The map can be viewed: Here To embed the map on a website, historical societies or others are invited to use the following URL: https://preserveoc.org/historic-sites-map/.
If there are places that readers would like to see added to the map, please submit this form to Preserve OC: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYANtkdspTVJnP--z4ZCGOt4xMEx-kYJSHhKT-PxHzdODytg/viewform?usp=sf_link.
For more information on the Commission and its ongoing work, please visit the following: https://www.ocparks.com/about-us/commissions-and-committees/oc-historical-commission. Thank you.
Volunteer Feature
 Orange Coast College: Susan Meyer
Meet Susan Meyer, an Orange County resident for 61-years, and a volunteer for our District.
Like many Orange County natives, Susan appreciates how clean and well-maintained our County and roadways are, and that parking is, largely, free. In January 2022, Susan began volunteering at our Orange Coast College COVID vaccine clinic and passing out free test kits to local Orange County residents.
Susan shares, "I knew that being of service during the COVID-19 Omicron variant surge helps my community. Supervisor Katrina Foley’s Community Outreach Director, Michele Mullen, suggested passing out COVID-19 test kits at the Orange Coast College Vaccine Clinic ... and that was just what I was looking for. So, I gladly said yes!"
Susan continues to volunteer at the vaccine clinic and in her community, as part of her efforts to improve other's lives. She began volunteering when she was very young, through faith-based organizations and the Girl Scouts. At the age of 16, she volunteered for the Red Cross Special Olympics, which was lifechanging as the joy was so heartfelt, and she's been volunteering ever since.
When she's not volunteering, she loves to cook and explore different types of food from around the world. She also believes that adoption is one of the greatest gifts to give to another person and one's own life experience. At the age of 50, Susan adopted her 3-year-old son, who is now 21-years-old.
Thank you to our amazing volunteer, Susan, and our other volunteers. katrina.foley@ocgov.com
El Modena High School Measure S STEM Complex
At the end of last month, we attended the El Modena High School Measure S STEM Complex VIP Preview Tour and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. This STEM Complex science center building is one of several built for the cities of Villa Park, Orange, Canyon and El Modena High School, from an approved $288 million.
When we invest in improvements for our youth, we create a better tomorrow and a skilled future workforce.
Pathways to Apprenticeship – Informational Fair
Our District priorities include workforce development and economic recovery. There is still time to register for our Pathways to Apprenticeship Internation Fair.
Click: Here
 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXQEhU5krW0WCM0T6aINsOhEPzCDcihqqYkzbh3_0p2OEzjA/viewform
Team Foley In the News This Week
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Countering The Deadly Scourge of Fentanyl in Orange County
OC Register
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Orange County Leaders Hold Special Hearing on Fentanyl Overdoses and Deaths
CBS Local
- A New Approach to the Homeless Crisis Could Be Coming to Orange County
Voice of OC
- OC Teases Other Addiction and Mental Health Facilities
Tifton Is On
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Volunteers Fan Out Across Orange County to Count Homeless People After COVID-19 Upended Biannual Census
Daily Pilot
- Procession for Huntington Beach Operator Killed in Helicopter Crash Brings Out Hundreds of Volunteers
OC Register
- Poll: Orange County Residents on Homelessness
Spectrum News
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OCTA And Coach Operators’ Union Reach Tentative Agreement, OC Bus Service Continues As Usual
OC Breeze
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Orange County Takes Free Public Transit Leap With ‘Permanent’ Youth Bus Passes
Voice of OC
OCTA board directors like Katrina Foley, also an elected Orange County Supervisor, at the Feb. 14 meeting said the “ultimate goal” is “creating a public transit-going culture” where “people can be confident in the public transit system taking them to school, work, etc.”
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Orange County Awarded $3.9M to Help Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
Laguna Beach Independent
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Constituent Services Manager
Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns: Manuel.Chavez@ocgov.com
Representing Garden Grove and Santa Ana.
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Doing Good in Our County
My week at the office was busy and fulfilling. On Wednesday, I joined Supervisor Foley, Santa Ana City Manager Ridge, Costa Mesa Mayor Stephens, and Save our Youth Board President Cappellini in touring the Crystal Cove Conservancy. The state-ran facilities have numerous education programs that work with Title I schools to allow students to tour conduct scientific research. We look forward in promoting these programs and hope that more school districts will partner with the Crystal Cove Conservancy!
Thursday, I joined the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce for their Business connection Luncheon: The Topic was “What Labor Shortage?” which was regarding the state invectives companies receive for hiring rehabilitated formerly incarcerated employees. Josh Nowack, Co-Founder of Breaking Free Industries, spoke about how his company is thriving by giving their employees second chances.
Friday, I had the pleasure of recognizing Bri Harb as a Top Teachers of Orange County finalist for Parenting OC. Bri is the Owner and CEO of Sounds of Color Studio which provides its students with high quality educational classes including art, dance, and language courses. If you have children interested in the arts, I highly recommend that you visit Sounds of Color Studio!
As a reminder, tomorrow is the FREE vision screening at Columbus Tustin Middle School. Details on the flyer below!
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Constituent Services Manager
Please reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns: Kalvin.Alvarez@ocgov.com
Representing Anaheim, Orange, Tustin, North Tustin (unincorporate), Animal Services.
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Serving Orange County
We received several emails, this week, about OC Animal Care. Learn about the services they offer, including pet adoption, in a virtual tour of their facilities: Here
We have so many upstanding citizens in our communities and Orange County's 2022 Red Cross Awards gives us the opportunity to honor our County's true heroes. This week, our office nominated a local resident ... and (whether our nominee wins one of the categories or not) we know that each Red Cross winner is deserving of the honor!
Please let your friends and family know that OCTA has approved free bus passes for youth ages 6 to 18 years old.
Supervisor Foley is on the Board of Directors for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and you can read her statement about the Youth Ride Free Pass becoming permanent: Here
Also, great news: OCTA is the first large transit agency in the region to offer free bus rides to all youth ages 6 to 18 on an ongoing basis.
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Stephanie Wade, Deputy Director, Policy Advisor
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This week, I visited the County’s military history museum, Heroes Hall, and walked through the “Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II” exhibition. It’s filled with great artifacts, short films, and oral histories. African American history can’t be limited to just one month and this event is amazing. Best of all, there is still time to see it through September 18th.
Heroes Hall is located at the Costa Mesa OC Fairgrounds and is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Wednesday through Sunday.
Another field event we worked on this week was a tabling event for businesses in Santa Ana’s 4th Street neighborhood. We are helping to promote the County’s Microbusiness Grants. These grants supply small business owners with $2,500 that can be awarded to businesses making less than $50,000 in 2019, for businesses impacted by the pandemic. Reach out to our office to see if your business qualifies. The paperwork may be easy, but the deadline is approaching quickly (March 15th), so don’t wait!
Apply: Here
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New Mask Recommendations
As of March 1, masks are no longer required for unvaccinated individuals, but are strongly recommended for all individuals in most indoor settings. For K-12 schools and childcare facilities, after March 11, masks will no longer be required but will be strongly recommended.
With masks no longer required, it's a great time to get #boosted or #vaccinated!
*For children 5 years through 17 years of age, a primary series consists of 2 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. For persons 18 and older, a primary series consists of:
A 2-dose series of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or
A single-dose COVID-19 vaccine (Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine)
As of now, we have 2,437,965 fully vaccinated residents and 1,207,236 have received their booster shot or additional doses. The 7-day average positivity rate (3/4/22) in our County is 4% and down .1% from a week ago. This equals out to about 9.8 daily COVID positive cases per 100k residents.
Volunteers Make A Difference
This week, you learned about one of our volunteers, Susan Meyer. If you'd like to help our County with upcoming hearings or assist us at our event booths, please contact me at: Michele.Mullen@ocgov.com.
Many residents prefer the cheek swab COVID tests we are passing out for free at Orange Coast College COVID Vaccine Clinic on Mondays from 8:30 - 4:30 p.m.(excluding holidays) and Thursdays from 12:00 - 8:00 p.m. You can stop by just to pick one up and/or get vaccinated or boosted.
If you prefer to have a test delivered and picked up at your home, by vehicle, check out Sick.org for innovative (and convenient) new testing options!
Find District 2 clinics: Here
**Please note, the St. Anthony Claret Catholic Church Vaccine POD (below) is cancelled on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.
 Did you pick up a N95 mask yet? Find out more: Here
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Microbusiness Grants
 Pet of the Week: Gotti Animal ID#: A1740163
Gotti is a 2-year-old Pit Bull who came to the OC Animal Care back in October when a good Samaritan found him wandering around the streets alone. Gotti quickly made friends through how much he loves to play! This sweet boy is a master fetch player and will chase a tennis ball anytime you let him. He's even good at bringing the ball back to you…well, most of the time!
Gotti loves to go on walks and run around in the yard, but he has infinitely more fun if his human friends are with him! Gotti is a true gentleman and knows how to sit and lay down on cue, so he'd be the perfect candidate to learn fun, new behaviors and tricks with his furr-ever family. His motivator is a treat, as he loves them so much! He's also incredibly handsome and, if you look closely, you might be able to see the beautiful tiger stripe coloring of his fur. Due to Gotti’s bubbly personality, he will do best in an active home with children over the age of 16.
Interested in giving Gotti a loving home? Call (714) 935-6848 to set up an adoption appointment today! Animal ID#: A1740163
If you find a kitten, please follow these steps: Here
National Women's History Month
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Supervisor Foley's Committee Appointments
I am committed to innovative solutions and will work hard alongside my colleagues throughout the coming year. If you have questions or comments that you'd like to share in relation to the committees below, please email me at Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com
- CalOptima
- Emergency Management Council
- First 5 Orange County, Children & Families Commission
- Law Library Board of Trustees
- Newport Bay Watershed Executive Committee
- One Water, One Watershed
- Orange County Community Corrections Partnership
- Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council
- Orange County Transportation Authority
- Santa Ana River Flood Control Protection Agency
- South Orange County Watershed Management Area Executive Committee
- Southern California Association of Governments
My office is also recruiting commissioners to appoint to our Orange County Historical Commission and Waste and Recycling Commission. You can find more information: Here To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com.
Thank you for being an active member in your community.
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