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| Volume 2 | Issue 33 |
August 26, 2022 |
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We had a full week of events and outreach with various communities.
School is back in session across Orange County! I want to give a shoutout to the many volunteers and community organizations that helped kick off the school year for our Orange County community this past weekend. Our team helped pass out backpacks, school supplies, and other resources this past weekend, and we all enjoyed seeing the community join together to get ready for the upcoming school year.
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 Saturday evening, I attended the Starry, Starry, Zoofari event hosted by the Santa Ana Zoo. The event helps the zoo fundraise for important improvements, such as the botanical gardens and to upgrade the primate habitats, as well as enhancing zoo support. The Santa Ana Zoo serves as such a fun family resource and wonderful part of the community.
 I joined Santa Ana city council members and Senator Tom Umberg to attend.
This past weekend was also Fentanyl Awareness Day, and we participated in an awareness event in Newport Beach. This event was hosted by the Alexander Neville Foundation Opioid and Fentanyl Education. I want to say a thank you to the mothers who shared their stories, and who turned their pain into helping raise awareness about the dangers of street drugs. I spoke this week to a judge who shared tragic statistics of nearly 10 cases a week where kids were accidentally harmed or killed by fentanyl exposure at their homes. We must address this crisis with more urgency.
During Monday’s OC Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board meeting, we approved the use of Federal Transit Administration funding for various projects, including $2.5 million for the purchase of 10 battery-electric buses that will replace 10 gasoline buses in the OC ACCESS program, which serves bus riders with physical or cognitive disabilities.
This funding is a great step towards reaching Orange County’s goal of creating a zero-emissions transit fleet by 2040. Common-sense projects like this demonstrate how we can mitigate the environmental impacts of our transportation system while still providing equitable transit access to Orange County residents.
At Tuesday’s Board Meeting, we voted on healthcare initiatives, clean energy, support for transitional youth to prevent homelessness, and responding to the 2021-22 Grand Jury reports. It was our last meeting in the building which will soon be demolished. I am honored to have been a part of the last Board of Supervisors in the current Hall of Administration. We are moving today to the new greener, cleaner County Administration North (CAN) building.
On Tuesday, the California Coastal Commission weighed in on the privatization of public land in the Upper Newport Bay and the County’s response to the Grand Jury. This letter follows a comprehensive report by the Orange County Grand Jury that investigates the history of this property and the fence prohibiting the public from accessing public land.
The Coastal Commission’s letter confirms that public land must remain for the public use — not private interests. At my first Board of Supervisors meeting in April 2021, the board considered the sale of public land for a mere $13,000. I immediately stopped the sale from moving forward in order to review the details and legalities. Then, more than 1,000 residents presented signatures opposing the sale and I removed the item.
After the property owner sent a letter threatening litigation, the County refused to require him to take down his fence. I’ve consistently stood with the community in disagreement with this inaction, and I’m glad the Coastal Commission finally weighed in to confirm the unlawfulness of allowing his fence on public land. I look forward to the day when we see the fence removed and allow the community and wildlife to enjoy this beautiful land once again.
The Olive Crest organization transforms the lives of the children and families they encounter, and this past Wednesday I stepped in to help by presenting them with grocery store gift cards totaling $10,000 so they can continue to support foster youth and struggling families. Food insecurity is an important issue in Orange County, and organizations like Olive Crest are doing essential work to help combat it. Their work reminds us that in order to stop the cycle of abuse (~4500 cases annually), we must work together as a community to support the children and families in our county.
 On Thursday, I attended a ceremony for the dedication of a new Irvine Post Office to African American Hero Lt. Col. Robert Friend, a Tuskegee Airmen who later lived in and raised his family in Irvine.
 I attended the dedication ceremony with Congresswoman Katie Porter, Supervisor Don Wagner, Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan with Lt. Col. Friend’s family
Today, August 26th, marks Women’s Equality Day, a day which commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment. This amendment granted women the right to vote and represents a culmination of efforts from women throughout history. Today reminds us to thank those who came before us for what they achieved, and to not forget there is still work to be done.
We just wrapped up moving out of our office, and we said goodbye to our office by having Team Foley sign our wall!
 This week we saw more settlements and a criminal plea agreement related to the OC Oil Spill. I’m grateful that the system worked to clean up the spill quickly, hold the responsible parties accountable, reimburse the County and Feds for expenses, and compensate those businesses and individuals who were damaged. The agreements must be approved by Judge Carter, but once confirmed, the conditions also help replace, repair and address infrastructure and operational deficiencies as well as training for detection. Other operators are now on notice that the Department of Justice means business in protecting our coast and enforcing the Clean Water Act. You can read more here.
In the midst of moving, we drilled down on concerns raised about the OC Animal Care Shelter. After numerous meetings, visits, tours, friend adoptions and secret shopper walk ins, we know we must act with urgency to clear the shelter and find forever homes for our fury friends. Watch for details about our upcoming September adoption waiver program to help move animals out of our shelter into homes. Please help us by adopting a pet today. Click here for more info.
 We have an exciting weekend ahead – tonight I’ll meet with local mayors and city council members to hear their concerns and share support. I finish the weekend by appearing on Angel Radio with Bruce Cook on Sunday evening at 6 p.m. so make sure you tune in!
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 September 13, 2022
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Alex Rounaghi
Legislative Policy Advisor
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On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the official response to the Grand Jury’s Report on Orange County’s Approach to Homelessness. Supervisor Foley successfully advocated for more specific commitments to address youth homelessness, collaborate with community colleges on student housing, and promote Project Homekey. However, Supervisor Foley and the County have a fundamental disagreement on Finding 3:
F3. The County of Orange and cities within Orange County have been inconsistent in collaboration for support of shelters and services, which has resulted in missed opportunities to end homelessness.
While the County disagrees with this finding, Supervisor Foley strongly agrees and believes that we need a comprehensive regional strategy that defines specific roles for county and city collaboration. Supervisor Foley wrote a letter to the Grand Jury expressing her views on this finding as an individual.
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Manuel Chavez
Constituent Services Manager – Representing Garden Grove and Santa Ana
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Another busy week serving Orange County residents. On Wednesday I represented Supervisor Katrina Foley at the Mercer Advisors Grand Opening. Mercer Advisor’s office is based in Newport Beach and has been providing wealth management for over 35 years. We are excited to welcome such a prestigious group into our Orange County Community.
Thursday, Supervisor Foley and I joined Congresswoman Katie Porter in renaming an Irvine Post Office for Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Friend. Let. Col. Friend served our country for over 28 years which spanned WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Our office wants to thank Congresswoman Porter for inviting us to attend and for recognizing an American Hero.
Friday, I joined Habitat for Humanity & The City of Santa Ana for a groundbreaking of two workforce housing builds in the Historic French Park community. The new homes architecture will reflect traditional French Park community and will be an amazing addition to the community. These two homes will be available for ownership providing pathways to middle class living.
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Aviva Meyers
Sustainability Policy Advisor
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This week, the Board of Supervisors voted on whether to withdraw the County from the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA). OCPA is a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) that is supposed to give residents and businesses access to greener power, beneficial energy programs, and potential electricity bill savings. Unfortunately, OCPA has been mired in controversy over its leadership, finances, and operations, leading to concern over the County’s membership in the CCA.
Supervisor Foley fully supports the concept of CCA as a tool to fight climate change and benefit local communities, but she refuses to expose our unincorporated areas to potential risks if the allegations against OCPA turn out to be true. That’s why she led the Board of Supervisors in voting to wait to withdraw from OCPA until an independent, County-administered, open-book audit is conducted on the organization. That way, the Board will have the information it needs to make a decision. And in the meantime, residents and businesses in unincorporated areas will be protected. If OCPA does not agree to the audit, then the County will withdraw.
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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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Today, is the one year anniversary of the Kabul Airport Bombing that killed 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members. Please take a moment to kindly remember the sailor, the soldier and the eleven US Marines killed that day and their families. But please also remember the suffering of the Afghan people, especially post-9-11. As a veteran and active participant in the veterans community, I know that the anniversary of the bombing and the ignominious withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan has been extremely hard on those who served there. Many of our combat veterans feel they owe their lives to Afghan nationals, often interpreters who risked their lives for the promise of Special Immigrant Visas that few actually received. For Afghan and many Iraq War veterans, the trauma of watching their allies left behind is a terrible moral injury that they will carry for the rest of their lives. If you know someone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, ask them a thoughtful question or two. Show you care about what they did and the people they fought with side-by-side. That might make a very big difference to them, about how they feel about their service and themselves. |
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
Community Outreach Director
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As of August 25, 2022, there are 128 cases of Monkeypox in Orange County. There has also been the first case of Monkeypox in a youth (<18 years). Although case rates have increased, the OC Health Care Agency has reported that most cases have been resolved with therapeutics and monitored at home, with no additional patients requiring hospitalization this week.
To register for the vaccine, eligible individuals can visit Othena.com.
Testing is readily available across the County and beyond as many commercial laboratories now have the capacity to test for monkeypox.
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 hugging, kissing, cuddling and sexual activity with people with symptoms like sores or rashes
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Not share 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 · 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
To learn more about monkeypox and vaccinations, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/monkeypox
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OC Health Update
In need of mental health resources, but not sure where to start? Answer a few simple questions on the OC Navigator to get matched to resources most helpful for you. Visit www.OCNavigator.org.
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 26, 2022, 2,343,538 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated. The 7-day average positivity rate (08/19/22) in our County is 14.2%. This equals out to 20.6 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.
  
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
Thank you for being an active member of our County.
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