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| Volume 2 | Issue 32 |
August 19, 2022 |
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Dear Neighbor:
Yet another busy week focused on our coast, our skies, our water here in sunny Orange County!
We started the week in multiple meetings about the airport, Dana Point Harbor improvements, our hospital providers to discuss access to quality healthcare for all, budget briefings, and listening sessions with our care and coordination office to address concerns by local residents, businesses, and Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Bacerra about solutions to encampments and trash in the flood channels.
On Tuesday morning, I attended a press conference in Newport Beach on the Balboa Pier related to the federal sand replenishment project.
Coastal erosion is real in Orange County. This project represents an important change in the way we approach the maintenance and protection of our local beaches, and it is long overdue.
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 Among the attendees were U.S. Rep Michelle Steel, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Commander Julie A. Balten, Newport Beach Mayor Kevin Muldoon,
Huntington Beach Mayor Barbara Delgleize, Seal Beach Mayor Joe Kalmick, President of the Surfside Storm Water Protection District John Kriss
Climate change’s impacts continue to affect our beaches, and this $15 million in funding to replenish our sand seeks to combat those issues. I eagerly await the results of this project and, in the meantime, plan to continue making the necessary progress to protect our community from the effects of climate change.
 Here I am with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District Commander Julie A. Balten!
Later in the day, I attended the commencement ceremony for the Veteran’s Treatment Court. The Veteran’s Treatment Court acts as a collaborative treatment strategy for Veterans in the criminal justice system. It combines efforts from numerous agencies and seeks to establish a viable alternative option for a select group of offenders whose needs are better met through intervention and treatment, as opposed to incarceration. I thank them for their commitment to assisting our veterans and look forward to seeing their impact on our community.
 Wednesday represented a very exciting day for our County, as we can finally share the results of our efforts that began in March of last year, when I joined the Board. We announced our Fly Friendly program! This project represents an important step towards greening up and quieting down John Wayne Airport.
 Our press conference at John Wayne Airport with Airport Director Charlene Reynolds, Airport Commissioner Sue Dvorak, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, and other members of the airport commission!
Fly Friendly aims to educate and encourage our private pilots and operators to adopt best practices for cleaner, quieter flights. This initiative is the first in the country, and I hope it sets a precedent for other airports nationwide.
Not only does this initiative aim to combat noise issues in our community, but it also works to decrease pollution by adding an environmental stewardship and sustainability category to Fly Friendly.
To represent the efforts towards sustainability and pollution reduction this program seeks, I planted a Coast Live Oak tree on Wednesday afternoon, a native tree to Orange County that will help provide shade and combat heat waves. We must invest significant time and effort into protecting our community and our environment and Fly Friendly aims to do just that.
 (L-R) Newport Beach Councilmember Joy Brenner, Lisa Swanson with Surfrider Foundation, Airport Commissioner Sue Dvorak and I planted a Coast Live Oak tree. Photo by Lily Fassnacht
Yesterday morning, I had the exciting opportunity of joining Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Rep. Katie Porter for a roundtable on water issues in Orange County!
 All the participants of the roundtable with Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Congresswoman Katie Porter
It was a fantastic discussion about Orange County’s leadership in water recycling and the challenges we still face amid a statewide megadrought. A key takeaway: partnerships with our federal, state, and fellow local governments are crucial to tackling the impacts of climate change on our water supply. As Supervisor, I look forward to continued efforts to secure clean, affordable water for all.
 One-on-one chat with Secretary Haaland!
Afterwards, I was happy to support WISEPlace by donating $16,000 in grocery gift cards to the unaccompanied women they serve during a check presentation.
Many of the women who benefit from WISEPlace’s services are either experiencing food insecurity, on the brink of homelessness, or survivors of domestic abuse. My office and I look forward to exploring other opportunities to support WISEPlace’s great work.
 That’s a wrap on this green week! Make sure you check out the Back to School Resource Fair tomorrow, and stay tuned for what's to come!
Be Well,
 Katrina Foley
Supervisor
County of Orange
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In This Edition
Read more about local events, community and health news, District and County initiatives, and other important updates!
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Upcoming Board of Supervisors Meeting On August 23, 2022
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Alex Rounaghi
Legislative Policy Advisor
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We were thrilled this week to finally launch our Fly Friendly program. This program is the product of hundreds of hours of work by JWA staff, our internal advisory team, our amazing Airport Commissioner Sue Dvorak, and so many others. Without a doubt, there is much work to do to address airport noise and environmental impacts, but this program will help us move forward and make progress on these issues that are so critical to our community. |
Manuel Chavez
Constituent Services Manager – Representing Garden Grove and Santa Ana
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Wednesday, our office held an information pop up at the Muth Center at the Newport Beach Back Bay. Our team passed our resources regarding the new John Wayne Airport Fly Friendly Program. We are excited to see this program finally launching and optimistic it will help lower the noise from the private airport operators.
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Aviva Meyers
Sustainability Policy Advisor
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It was a jam-packed week for Supervisor Foley’s office–and for sustainability in Orange County! The week started off with great news: the Orange County Transportation Authority has received $2.5 million in federal funding to electrify its paratransit vehicle fleet. That means providing clean, accessible transit to our county’s disabled residents. It’s a win for equity and for our climate!
And the news just got better. On Thursday, I accompanied Supervisor Foley to a roundtable hosted by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Congresswoman Katie Porter on water security in Orange County. Supervisor Foley and other local leaders discussed Orange County’s leadership in water recycling and the challenges we face amid a statewide megadrought. Secretary Haaland and Congresswoman Porter then announced the allocation of $300 million in federal funding for water reuse and drought resilience projects! We’re so grateful to our federal legislators and President Biden for passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides the funding for these water projects and for OCTA’s paratransit fleet electrification. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act this week, we have a lot more to look forward to when it comes to federal funding for local climate resilience. I’m incredibly excited for this continued intergovernmental collaboration.
Today I’m at the Disneyland Hotel for the Mobility 21 Summit. I’m excited to meet with Southern California’s mobility leaders and get the latest ideas for creating an equitable, accessible, zero-emissions transportation system in Orange County.
Finally, I’ve started working on a Sustainability Analysis for the County of Orange. I’ll be working to identify current sources of greenhouse emissions in County operations and develop strategies to reduce those emissions. You’ll hear more soon!
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Cindy Tran-Chang
Policy Advisor
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This was another exciting week of searching creatively for opportunities to support non-profit organizations, while also addressing the six priorities set by Supervisor Katrina Foley – public health and safety, supporting small businesses, offsetting cost of living, addressing homelessness, combatting climate change and sustainability issues and promotion of transparency and accountability.
Recently, we sponsored events in the area of “Community Arts” at Lyric Opera of Orange County (OC), Chance Theater and Discovery Cube OC. This week, Supervisor Foley issued $16,000 in grocery gift cards to WISEPlace Shelter, with a vision to help fight food insecurity and support the organization’s efforts in promoting self-sufficiency for its residents.
We’re thrilled to be able to fulfill the other priorities in the coming months, like helping to preserve our greatest treasures at the Santa Ana Zoo and other notable organizations including Make A Wish, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and organizations helping to reduce homelessness and address climate control and sustainability issues! More to come...
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Stephanie Wade
Veterans Policy Advisor
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The Supervisor and I were able to attend a 'Graduation' Ceremony on Tuesday at the OC Veterans Court. It was an emotional experience and validated the Supervisor's work promoting the benefits of alternative sentencing and peer-to-peer, veteran-to-veteran services.
Veterans Courts started in the early 2000s when judges, prosecutors, veterans' advocates, and public defenders began to see a wave of veterans who were becoming "system involved" for offenses rooted in service-related trauma. CalVet reports that 70% of the veterans who enter veterans court complete their program, which takes a minimum of 18 months but often take veterans, like the ones we met, more than two years to complete. And that of those who do complete treatment only 25% are rearrested within two years. This is a far better treatment model that we should encourage not only for veterans but more broadly across the criminal justice system. We need justice systems that reform and heal criminal offenders rather than just punishing them.
One final thought on the PACT ACT, sometimes it’s called the ‘Burn Pit Bill’ but it covers a wide swath of toxic exposures that millions of veterans have suffered. So if you are a veteran or close to one, please read this informative primer on what the PACT ACT does: https://tinyurl.com/yx8x8nrt written by OC's Lt. Col. John Cho, US Army.
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 Judge Delany presenting a certificate commemorating a veterans graduation from the Treatment Court Program.
Veterans Service Officer position is open!
The County of Orange is looking for qualified applicants to fill the Veteran Service Officer position! The application will remain open on a continuous basis. This position seeks a dynamic leader who will act as a liaison between military installations, veterans’ service organizations, and community organizations. If you are interested, apply now!
Health News
Michele Mullen
Public Health Policy Advisor
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As of August 19, 2022, there are 101 confirmed or probable cases of monkeypox in Orange County. Although monkeypox vaccines are limited in availability, the County is working to secure more doses. To register for the vaccine, eligible individuals can visit Othena.com.
To prevent the spread of monkeypox and keep yourself and others safe, folks should:
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Talk to your sexual partner/s about any recent illness and being aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner's body, including on the genitals and anus
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Avoid close contact, including skin to skin hugging, kissing, cuddling and sexual activity with people with symptoms like sores or rashes
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Avoid sharing materials (e.g., utensils, cups, clothing, towels, bedding) with someone who has symptoms
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Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
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Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (like a mask, gown and gloves) when caring for others with symptoms
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Avoid contact with infected animals
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OC Health Update
Ocean Water Warning removed from:
Visit OCBeachInfo.com to check on the quality of Orange County’s beaches and bays. #ocbeachinfo
As the summer comes into full swing, it is increasingly important to remain safe and healthy and it is a top priority of mine to keep community members updated with the most recent guidelines. To find more information on the latest guidelines issued by the HCA, visit occovid19.ochealthinfo.com.
Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or any variants? Review the Quarantine Calculator: Here
As you celebrate summer activities and plan vacations, protect yourself and loved ones from COVID-19 by following safe travel guidelines issued by the CDPH.
See the latest guidance: Here
COVID-19 Data
As of August 16, 2022, 2,341,615 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated. The 7-day average positivity rate (08/19/22) in our County is 14.8% This equals out to 23.5 daily positive COVID cases per 100k residents.
OC Animal Care:
The OCAC is holding a Clear the Shelters event for the month of August! All cat/kitten adoption fees are 2-for-1, and all dog adoption fees are waived.
There have also been many questions regarding OC Animal Care’s appointment and walk-in’s policy. There are 400 appointments available per week, and walk-ins are welcome on a first come, first served basis. The appointment system aims to ensure potential adopters have the opportunity to visit and adopt animals in a practical way while also maintaining animal health and wellbeing.
  Orange County Fair
OC Alert
Sign up for AlertOC to get notified in case of emergency in Orange County. The mass notification system is designed to keep Orange County residents and businesses informed in the event of a time-sensitive emergency. YOU MUST OPT IN TO RECEIVE ALERTS. Register today at AlertOC.org.
Appointments for Veterans Services
WIC Families + Farmers' Markets
Orange County Microbusiness Grants Re-Launch
Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank is hosting their first-ever Walk to Feed OC on September 11th at Tanaka Farms in Irvine. This event is presented by Albertsons and will help raise awareness about food insecurity in Orange County. To join in the fundraising and walking efforts, sign up here: feedoc.org/walk
OC Workforce Solutions
Ready Set OC offers no-cost employment training for Orange County youth ages 14-24, including those with disabilities or IEP plans, former or current foster children, pregnant or parenting, offender/ex-offender, and those experiencing homelessness, including couch-surfing or at risk of homelessness.
To find out more information, call the OC Business and Economic Recovery Call Center at (714) 480-6500 or text (657) 210-1295. Email info@readysetoc.com
Orange County Public Library
Equity in OC
Are you in charge of a grassroots organization? the Equity in OC initiative is releasing a POWER BUILDING FUND toprovide smaller, grassroots organizations with the opportunity to build their infrastructure and/or capacity
Learn More: Here
Sunset Cinema Series & Concerts in the Park
Committee Appointments
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
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Team Foley
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