"Advancing greener, cleaner energy initiatives remains a top priority for my office. Encouraging a public transit going culture is key, especially as we transition our fleet to electric and add rapid bus routes. Our OCTA team works hard to improve transit ridership throughout Orange County,” said Supervisor Foley. “Residents can enjoy safe, reliable transportation to school, work, appointments, and to recreate through our County’s Youth Ride Free Program that offers free bus passes for ages 6-18. The new BRAVO! route will provide rapid limited stop transit which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Funding projects like these, that encourage use of our public transit system, helps reduce our carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions now and into the future.”

Just a reminder to join us for Homelessness Action Plan Listening Session 2 

Date: Thursday, April 7, 2022 

Time: 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  

Registration Link: Here 

Who should attend? 

Key stakeholders within the homeless response system including direct service providers, leadership and administrative supervisors, community and faith leaders, funders, local government leaders, community members with lived experience of homelessness, and others interested in developing goals and strategies to address homelessness in Orange County. 

If you have any questions about the Homelessness Action Plan Listening Sessions, please reach out to the Office of Care Coordination at CareCoordination@ochca.com.

• Commentary: Transitioning to Cleaner Energy to Reduce the Impact of Rising Gas Prices
  
  "While suspending the gas tax or offering an equivalent rebate will not completely solve the scourge of ever-increasing gas prices, it’s vital that we provide respite for Orange County families struggling to pay for gas during this challenging time." – Supervisor Foley
  
  LA Times - Daily Pilot
  OC Breeze - Press Release
• Orange County College Dedicates New Student Union
  
  Daily Pilot
• Orange County Receives More Funding to Convert Motels Into Housing for Homeless
  
  “It’s a win because it’s cleaning up a community area that had been a cause for concern by residents for many years,” Foley said. “And it’s a win because the county gets permanent supportive housing ... It’s also a win for people who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of homelessness, because now we have more units in the community where people can live.”  – Supervisor Foley
  
  LA Times - Daily Pilot 
  OC Breeze - Supervisor Foley Attends Veterans Housing Summit
• Fighting for a Middle-Class Harbor in Orange County 
  
  Voice of OC
• Safe Zones for O.C. Families in Child Custody Cases Created and Release of Sex Offenders Opposed  
  
  New Santa Ana 
• Federal Dollars to Help Replenish OC Beaches   
  
  “Our coastal communities and local businesses were impacted last year by flooding, the oil spill and the COVID-19 pandemic. This long overdue funding to replenish the sand in our coastal community is critical to protect our local residents and tourism economy.” – Supervisor Foley
  
  Spectrum News

 Our 2022 Awardees: 

• Arts – Diana Farrell    
  
  As the Founder, President, and Artistic Director of Lyric Opera of Orange County, Diana brought opera back to our county after a 12-year hiatus with plans to put our county on the national opera map. In a few short years, her opera company has produced 7 operas and dozens of educational events and competitions, inspiring staff and musicians to perform joyfully and at their peak level.     
• Business – Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks    
  
  President and CEO of ECOS, Kelley Vlahakis-Hanks has transformed her family’s 55-year-old green cleaning products company started by her father, a Greek Immigrant, into a leader in sustainable manufacturing and safer communities throughout the world.  Kelly has created a corporate culture of diversity and empowerment with a leadership team that is 58% female and 41% BIPOC. Kelly’s leadership demonstrates how successful businesses can prioritize employees, customers, and the planet. ECOS is headquartered in Cypress, California.      
• Community Service – Claudia Keller    
  
  Claudia Keller serves as the second female and first Latina CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and, under her leadership last year, Second Harvest distributed nearly 60 million pounds of food through its partner network, serving more than 489,000 residents per month. Today, nearly 300,000 Orange County residents do not know where their next meal will come from. The work of our food banks remains more important than ever.    
• Education –Hon. Carol Crane    
  
  An immigrant who left Lebanon due to war, Newport Mesa Trustee Carol Crane gives back to this great country that's provided her with so much. She has tirelessly supported our schools through children’s education in the Newport Mesa Unified School District since the late 1990’s and as a trustee. Carol is also a leader of the PTA for fundraising and general school support. She is active in her community, at all levels, and strives to make decisions that benefit children’s health academically, socially, and mentally.   

• Health Services – Karin Reed MD    
  
  Dr. Karen Reed is an Emergency Medicine Physician serving as the Director for the Hoag Hospital Presbyterian Emergency Department who specializes in improving Emergency Department efficiency while overseeing a team of Doctors, Physician Advocates, Nurses, and more. Dr. Reed’s work literally saves lives—and that was especially true during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.      
• Judicial – Judge Maria Hernandez   
  
  Judge Maria Hernandez served as the Assistant Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court. In 2009 she was appointed as a Superior Court Judge presiding over adult criminal matters until being assigned to Juvenile Court in 2010, where she developed a program called GRACE, which focuses on separating teens from a life of forced prostitution. Over her career, Judge Hernandez has empowered victims and supported our most vulnerable children and has demonstrated the power the legal system can have to change lives and make social change.      
• Labor – Gloria Alvarado    
  
  As Executive Director of the Orange County Labor Federation, Gloria has led 95 different unions consisting of over 200,000 essential workers through the pandemic. While many workers remained at home and under quarantine, grocery store workers, nurses, sanitation workers, bus drivers, and so many more risked their own health to protect all of us. Under her leadership, the federation spent the pandemic providing resources, food, and unemployment support services to the workers and the wider community.      
• Military Service – Alexis Federico  
  
  Alexis Federico served as an attack helicopter pilot in the US Marine Corps from 2003-2013, completing multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is the recipient of numerous military awards including the Order of Daedalians Marine Corps Exceptional Pilot Award. She left the Corps as a Major and now devotes herself to the law and private philanthropy. A summa cum laude graduate of UCI law school, she was a co-founder of its Veterans Legal Clinic. She sits on the County’s Veterans Advisory Council and the Board of the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group which assists active-duty Marines and their families. More recently, she and her husband, retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. and Dana Point Councilmember Jamie Federico, have been leading an effort to help former Afghan interpreters to escape through Pakistan and resettle here in Orange County.      

• Philanthropy – Janet Ray    
  
  Janet Ray devotes her life to creating and supporting philanthropic institutions in Orange County. Janet is the driving force behind the establishment of the Discovery Science Center and a benefactor for Orange County School of the Arts, MIND Research Institute, the Pacific Symphony Youth Ensemble, and so many more critical institutions in our community. Orange County is better because of the many contributions of Janet Ray.      
• Public Safety, Fire – Brenda Emrick    
  
  A proud member of the Costa Mesa Fire Department, Brenda Emrick is a tireless advocate for public safety and works as the lead trainer for the CERT Program (Community Emergency Response Team) and works with the Police Department and American Red Cross. She adapted and condensed the CERT Program into a Business Preparedness Academy and supports NMUSD with a School Preparedness Academy and piloted Church Preparedness Academy.      
• Public Safety, Police – Christina Strunk    
  
  Investigator Christina Strunk is a 10-year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, having worked at the Intake and Release Center and Central Women’s Jail, as a patrol and field training officer, and as a drug recognition expert and investigator. Since August 2017, Christina worked as an expert to fight human trafficking Crimes and was named the 2021 Investigator of the Year.      
• Services Industry – Angie Nguyen    
  
  Born in Vietnam, Angie Nguyen is a 13-year In-Home Supportive Services provider. As a member of UDW, she participates in union activities aimed at improving the lives of others. Through the TEO program and her own home visits as a provider, she understands the challenges providers face and strives to be a voice for those who cannot speak out. Over the course of her career, Angie has improved the lives of countless individuals through her compassion and dedication to her work. Find more photos of the event here: https://d2.ocgov.com/women-making-difference 

After months of planning, our Women Making a Difference event finally took place at the Bowers Museum, where we were able to honor the exceptional women who make our County thrive. I also went on a tour of the California State University, Fullerton's Santa Ana Grand Central Art Station, where the Supervisor and I learned about the facility's innovative exhibits. If you want to learn more about the Grand Central Art Center, go  here.

I had the privilege of attending the American Legion Post 132's "Evening of Honor" event in Orange where we commemorated the anniversary of the Vietnam War. More than 3 million Americans left their families during the war and put their lives in danger to make the world a better place for all. It's never too late to remember the brave men and women who answered the call to duty with courage and valor, and no words can express how grateful we are for their sacrifice. 

Say hello to our Pet of the Week, Angel!

This handsome 6-year-old boy came to OC Animal Care in need of some extra love and attention. While we don’t know his complete history, we know Angel’s life hasn’t been easy ... so, the staff at OC Animal Care helped Angel feel safe and comfortable. Angel is a White German Shepherd/Cattle Dog mix who loves treats and will let you know when it’s dinner time! Angel has a few skin irritants that cause him not to grow hair in some places, but he doesn’t let that stop him from loving life! With the help of the Veterinary Team, Angel has enjoyed personalized baths with special shampoo to make his skin feel extra comfortable…and he’s always up for the attention he gets during his sPAW time! Angel is a simple and fairly calm boy who enjoys a quiet afternoon of relaxing walks and quality time with all of his human friends. Our favorite thing about this handsome man is the adorable grunts he makes while he’s sniffing the ground!

Interested in adopting Angel! Call (714) 935-6848 to schedule an adoption appointment today! Angel is looking for an adult-only home where he will be the only pet. Animal ID#: A1728044

Earth Day Events

Earth Month @ OC Public Libraries   

Earth Day events are gettin’ wiggly! Celebrate Earth Day throughout the month of April with @OCWaste, @OCPublicLibraries and @TheDiscoveryCube. These free community events will be held at libraries throughout the County. You'll also enjoy take-home Earth Day kits, and storytimes, along with learning more about worms with the new presentation, “Gettin’ Wiggly with Composting.” Learn More: Here

OC Public Library Events    

➡ April 19, 5-6:30 p.m.; Fountain Valley Branch  

➡ April 20, 5-6:30 p.m.; Laguna Hills Technology Branch  

➡ April 21, 5-6:30 p.m.; Westminster Branch