Alex Rounaghi
Legislative Policy Advisor
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Another busy week of important policy initiatives and community meetings. On Wednesday, Supervisor Foley organized an important meeting about the future of small planes at John Wayne Airport. We were pleased to be joined by Airport Director Charlene Reynolds, Commissioner Sue Dvorak, Councilmember Joy Brenner and representatives from Socal Pilots, SPON, the Airport Working Group, and other important community stakeholders. As you may know, small planes are being priced out of John Wayne Airport due to changes under the Board-approved General Aviation Improvement Program. While Supervisor Foley was not part of the Board when this decision was made, we are committed to finding solutions that preserve the mix of small and large General Aviation, as was promised during the GAIP discussions. This is not just about retaining small planes and flight schools at the airport—it’s about noise for community members. Having a greater mix of larger private jets will lead to more noise, and that’s not what community members want. |
 On Thursday, I attended a South Coast and Sandpointe neighborhood community meeting at Saddleback High School about addressing the challenges of crime and homelessness in the flood channels. We heard directly from the neighbors about their specific concerns. The status quo is totally unacceptable for the neighborhood, and especially for the school children in the area. Addressing these concerns is a top priority for Supervisor Foley, and I shared our work to add two budgeted full-time deputy sheriff positions to monitor the flood channels. I also discussed the need for an updated Memorandum of Understand that delineates the roles of the county and city to ensure that these concerns are addressed in a systemic way. Supervisor Foley and I are committed to implementing solutions that ensure the neighbors can live in peace. I will keep you updated on this important work.
Cindy Tran-Chang
Policy Advisor
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On Saturday, I volunteered with my daughter’s Boy Scout troop at Tustin Tiller Days. We sold boba drinks for the first time to raise funds for their troop activities. The drinks were a hit, so I think we’re adding it to our menu next year alongside our famous burgers and fries!
On Sunday, my coworker and I staffed the 60th annual Newport Beach Sandcastle Contest held at Corona Del Mar where our office was a Presenting sponsor. It was mine and Annie’s first time attending so we marveled at the uniqueness of this event! We had a good time interacting with the locals who visited our table and admired all the talent from the 19 competing teams. It’s a fun way to spend the day with the family, right on the beach waters!
Back at the office, I continue to manage our sponsorships and expenses. We sponsored the Orange County Business Council Community Indicators Report and Rollout event. This year’s report focused on how educators can best prepare students for careers in a remote and hybrid work environment, attracting and retaining young professionals and addressing mental health concerns in the schools.
We are also replenishing our supplies. We focus on supporting local businesses with a goal to touch on as many of Supervisor Katrina Foley’s priorities and causes, such as addressing homelessness, sustainability, helping small businesses, the arts, after school programs, food insecurity, public safety, mental health, support for veterans and animals, to name a few.
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Annie Mitchell
Policy Analyst
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There has been lots going on this past week here at Supervisor Katrina Foley’s office. This week we had a board meeting and we honored Breast Cancer Awareness month as well as National Disability Employment Awareness month. On this past Sunday, Cindy and I got to spend our day at the beach watching the 60th Annual Newport Beach Sandcastle Contest, it was a blast to see how competitive and creative all the teams were! The theme was “California Dreaming” so there were many California classic landmarks, such as the Disney Castle and one team even replicated the Hollywood sign!
Today I learned about the Newport Beach economic forecast for 2023–fun right!
It was indeed a great event, Christopher G. Schwarz who is the UCI Center for Investment and Wealth Management Faculty Director spoke about his predictions for 2023. What I found most interesting is he spoke about how our participation rate is consistent because people are not leaving the workforce but moving around within to higher paying jobs. Christopher also brought up that our unemployment is at 3.5% which means that nearly all the jobs that were lost due to the early months of the pandemic have now been replaced. Jordan Levine the Vice-President and Chief Economist at the California Association of Realtors also gave his predictions for 2023. Jordan chose to discuss the moderate recession that both professionals are predicting for 2023, he mentioned that it will not look like the 2008 recession because he predicts that the sales side of the housing market will bear the brunt of the recession. He mentioned some really great information about median home pricing and gave a break-down of how high interest rates affect people’s ability to buy houses. Overall it was a great and informative event and I was very thankful to be included!
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Rachel Carr
Policy Fellow
It’s been a fantastic week full of research and community involvement! I began by helping to recognize two community leaders for their contributions to art education for Orange County youth– Carol Wilken and Betty Huang as Segerstrom Center for the Arts Guild Inspiration Honorees. The supervisor helped to sponsor this event to ensure that a fantastic arts education is accessible to all who seek it, regardless of background and income. After supporting youth arts education, I analyzed some recent proposals for potential transportation project developments to make more efficient and green travel viable to all OC residents. We are currently looking at practical ways to reduce congestion, and bottlenecks, and promote accessible public transportation. To close off my week, I hosted a resource booth at the 13th annual Walk for Independence to promote civil rights for people with developmental disabilities in Costa Mesa. The team had a wonderful time hearing more about what we can do to help make Orange County a more inclusive space while talking to event participants. Looking forward to another great week ahead.
Stephanie Wade
Veterans Policy Advisor
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It’s been a busy week preparing for two big events. First, our veterans of the year awards which will be held on Veterans Day. We’ve gotten great nominations but keep them coming. You can nominate any Orange County veteran (including a veteran who may not reside in but works in Orange County). You may nominate a veteran using this form: tinyurl.com/KFVOTY.
Second, I would like to ask that any veteran who served in one of the uniformed branches of the military after 9-11-2001 to join Supervisor Foley for a special commemoration ceremony that she his hosting on Saturday, October 22, at Heroes Hall Museum (88 Fairview Drive, Costa Mesa, CA) from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Post-9-11 veterans who attend will be honored by the Supervisor with a short, patriotic program and a formal presentation of a commemorative lapel pin and an Orange County Proclamation to honor their commitment to service at a time of war. The event is open to the public but only those who self-identify using this form will be eligible for the pin and the proclamation: tinyurl.com/KFHero
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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!
Board of Supervisors Meeting Update
This week, the Board of Supervisors voted in support of public safety investments and relief for Ladera Ranch taxpayers.
Orange County is the sole recipient in California and only one of three prosecuting agencies in the United States to receive a competitive $1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant for the Office of Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer to invest in body camera technology. The grant will provide resources for law enforcement seeking to develop and establish the Body-Worn Camera program, digital discovery trials, and an efficient system for use of this important public safety technology.
Since day one, keeping Orange County families safe remains my top priority. Right now, residents see decreasing crime rates because we are doing our job as the Board of Supervisors to partner with law enforcement officials to explore and invest in new ways to uphold public safety while holding bad actors to account. I’m proud to support funding that allows law enforcement agencies to continue their work to uphold public safety for every member of our community.
In addition, the Board unanimously voted to consider reducing Mello Roos taxes by a potential $870 a year for Ladera Ranch homeowners through the refinancing of Community Facility District (CFD) Bonds issued to fund the development of the community.
Whenever we have an opportunity to cut taxes and give the taxpayers back their money we must do so. I support utilizing these CFD bonds to finance the development of essential community assets such as sheriff and fire stations, parks, street maintenance, and other essential infrastructure. Once we have paid those expenses, any extra money must go back to the homeowners -- not into government coffers.
The Board authorized Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates, a municipal advisory firm, to analyze and determine if refinancing the bonds in the current market will benefit taxpayers. According to preliminary estimates homeowners in Ladera Ranch could immediately save up to $870 a year if the market remains stable. After the refinanced bonds sunset in 2034, the Board of Supervisors would also have the ability to refund extra taxes collected that exceed the costs of the required infrastructure.
The County of Orange has issued Community Facility District Bonds since the 1980s to finance the development of unincorporated communities throughout Orange County. In 2021, the Supervisor Foley and the Board voted to refund $8 million in excess Mello Roos taxes collected to homeowners in Newport Coast, Coto de Caza, Foothill Ranch, and Rancho Santa Margarita.
Health News
Michele Mullen
Public Health Advisor
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As of September 30, 2022 there are 241 total cases of Monkeypox and 14 (6%) hospitalizations in Orange County. Testing is available across the County. According to the Health Care Agency, the virus is plateauing, and vaccination demand is lowered. People are behaving less risky, and thus there is a change in guidelines for who gets the vaccine. To register for the vaccine, eligible individuals can visit Othena.com.
To learn more about monkeypox and vaccinations, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/monkeypox.
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OC Health Update
Here is the latest from OC Health:
The OC Health Care Agency Announces the Launch of the Drug and Alcohol Misuse and Mortality Dashboard
The OC Health Care Agency (HCA), Mental Health and Recovery Services (MHRS) is announcing the launch of a data dashboard reporting Orange County Drug and Alcohol Misuse and Mortality trends for the purpose of informing mental health providers, researchers and policymakers in targeting services to specific demographic and geographic areas most at risk of drug and alcohol misuse.
This dashboard, along with other HCA data, can be found by visiting www.OCHealthinfo.com/data. Users can interact with the dashboard by filtering information by age, gender, race, city and/or ZIP Code. Data will be refreshed annually or more frequently, based on the availability of new data. The data is sourced through the California Comprehensive Death File (CCDF) and the opioid prescription information is from the California Department of Justice (CURES) Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System.
“Narcotics, fentanyl, and opioids have infiltrated every facet of our society – our communities, schools, most vulnerable populations,” stated Supervisor Katrina Foley, Second District. “Tools like this are necessary to keep track of the escalating opioid crisis in Orange County and inform education on administering lifesaving drugs such as NARCAN, preventing tragedies in the long term.”
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 October 3, 2022, 2,353,187 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated, 209,790 are partially vaccinated and 1,379,689 received their shot or booster dose. The 7-day average positivity rate October 6, 2022 in our County is 6.4%. The good news is that hospitalizations remain low because of increasing vaccination rates.
OC Animal Care:
Many concerned citizens reached out to my office about the state of OC Animal Care’s adoption system. In response, I sent an anonymous staffer unannounced to walk in to the shelter and report back what an everyday resident may experience as a walk in adopter. I’m pleased to report they were accommodated within minutes and were able to view multiple animals (& our office almost got a new fuzzy team member)!
There are some fundamental truths we must start with:
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Too many pets are living in our shelters who need a loving home.
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Our shelters are understaffed and we must vigorously recruit and retain new staff members.
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The OCAC shelter is open for walk ins. Appointments are recommended for a quicker adoption process, but not necessary. Every customer receives a fully personalized adoption experience.
To solve our most pressing concerns, my office sponsored adoptions through the month of September. I’m pleased to share we found homes for 182 dogs, 296 cats, 20 rabbits, 8 guinea pigs, and one tortoise!
To read my official response to frequently asked questions, please click here.
Pet of the Week
Cali is a 4-year-old Border Collie mix who arrived at OC Animal Care back in April. Though she was very nervous upon arrival, our Staff and Volunteers have had the absolute pleasure of watching her grow and open up! Cali loves her walks and has very nice leash manners. She is an active girl who would make the best walking, running, or hiking buddy in her new home! The only thing Cali loves more than walks is the pool! Cali is definitely a water dog and loves taking a splash in the pool every afternoon…only to be followed up by belly rubs, of course! Though Cali may come across as a little shy, don’t let that fool you! Once she labels you as her best friend, you’ll have a friend for life! Cali is looking for an adult-only home.
Interested in adopting Cali? Call (714) 935-6848 to schedule an adoption appointment today! Walk-ins are welcome! *
*Walk-ins are on a first-come, first-served basis as staffing allows.
Student Debt Relief
The application for student debt relief will be available by early October. Applicants can expect to see relief within 4-6 weeks of applying.
Apply before 11/15 to receive relief before payment pause expires on 12/31. Applications submitted after will still be processed. Click here for more info!
 
Orange County Museum of Art Grand Opening
Orange County Museum of Art opens soon! Saturday, October 8 the museum opens to the public for 24 hours! Starting at 5 PM, the museum will be open and full of activities for the next 24 hours. There will be music, dancing, food, films, yoga, and more! The event is open to the public and no advanced reservations or tickets are required, admission is free.
Prior to that, there will be a Members only preview week from October 4 to October 7. If interested, check out the following link for more information: https://ocma.art/support-ocma/
California Great ShakeOut!
On October 20, 2022, at 10:20 a.m., millions of people worldwide will practice how to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” during the California Great ShakeOut. You can take part in the Shakeout at home, work, school or through a video conference with your work or school colleagues. It’s important to practice how to be safe when the earth shakes. Please click here to learn more about the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF IN VARIOUS SETTINGS
Indoors: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Avoid exterior walls, windows, hanging objects, tall furniture, televisions, and cabinets with heavy objects or glass. Do not try to move more than 5-7 feet before getting on the ground. Do not go outside during shaking! (Exterior building materials and glass can fall and may hit you as you exit.) If seated and unable to drop to the floor: bend forward, cover your head with your arms, and Hold On to your neck with both hands.
In bed: Do not get out of bed. Lie face down to protect vital organs, and cover your head and neck with a pillow, keeping your arms as close to your head as possible, while you Hold On to your head and neck with both hands until the shaking stops. You are less likely to be injured by fallen and broken objects by staying where you are.
In a multiple-floor building: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Avoid windows and other hazards. Do not use elevators. Do not be surprised if sprinkler systems or fire alarms activate.
In a classroom: Laboratories or other settings may require special considerations to ensure safety. Students should also be taught what to do at home or in other locations. Students should drop to the ground and go under a desk then cover your head with your arms (as best as possible) and hold on to your neck with both hands until the shaking stops. After shaking subsides, come out from under the desk slowly, watching for anything that could fall during aftershocks.
In a stadium or theater: Drop to the ground in front of your seat or lean over as much as possible, then cover your head with your arms (as best as possible) and Hold On to your neck with both hands until the shaking stops. Then walk out slowly, watching for anything that could fall during aftershocks.
In a store: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Getting next to a shopping cart, beneath clothing racks, or onto the bottom shelf of a large multi-shelf unit to provide extra protection from falling objects.
Outdoors: Move to open space if you can safely do so; avoid power lines, trees, signs, buildings, vehicles, and other hazards. Then Drop, Cover, and Hold On. This protects you from any objects that may be thrown through the air, even if nothing is directly above you.
Driving: Pull over to the side of the road, stop, and set the parking brake. Avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs, trees, and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking stops, then proceed carefully by avoiding fallen debris, cracked, or shifted pavement, and emergency vehicles. If a power line falls on the car, stay inside until a trained person removes the wire.
A Message from the Orange County Registrar of Voters:
The November 8th General Election is quickly approaching, and we look forward to providing excellent service to voters at Vote Center locations throughout Orange County. To make this possible, we are currently hiring more than 600 Customer Service Representatives to staff Vote Centers.
Please consider helping your neighbors exercise their right to vote by applying to be a customer service representative at a Vote Center in your community. Apply today at the link below, or contact us for additional information at 714 567-7321 or by email at recruitment@ocvote.gov
Huntington Beach Pacific Airshow Cruise Tickets Are Now Available!
The Huntington Beach Pacific Airshow is back, and they are offering a unique on the water vantage point for viewing this spectacular event from one of our vessels, and we'll have a limited number of seats available. The Great Pacific Airshow will take place on Friday, Sept. 30th- Sunday, Oct. 2nd, 2022 from 10am-5:30pm over the ocean of Huntington Beach, California.
Our boats have tons of amenities including two levels, outdoor seating, indoor salon seating, full bars, sundecks, and more! Plus, this is a great way to avoid the large crowds and parking in Huntington Beach area during this busy annual event since our boats depart from the Newport Beach Harbor. For airshow performers, the Thunderbirds are expected to steal the show this year! Huntington Beach's 6th Annual Airshow lineup for 2022 is still being finalized. Don't delay, they sell out fast for this annual event, so be sure to book today before trips are SOLD OUT!
Mariangeles Soto-Diaz: Gentle Prowess Deliberations
Part of Mariangeles Soto-Diaz’s ongoing artist residency, Gentle Prowess Deliberations is the third project in a series in which the artist incorporate judo principles and elements into art objects, installations, performances and social practice with her judo community. This project focuses on ju, or gentle, one of the core concepts of judo. The work also grapples with the ongoing reality of violence, including the violence that has led to over six million people leaving the artists native country of Venezuela in recent years. How does one practice ju in a world shaped by oppressive violence?
While growing up in Venezuela, Soto-Diaz’s judo teachers were intent on transmitting judo’s international sensibility as intertwined with its pacifist ethos, a key principle articulated by judo founder Jigoro Kano. Through these early experiences, Mariangeles was able to begin the philosophical and rhetorical quest into what this might mean as one confronts a powerful opponent, institution, or system.
For this project the artist approaches ju in several ways. She asked judo colleagues and teachers from two different dojos, Bunasawakai and Sawtelle, to characterize ju in their own words, and then incorporated their answers into aspects of the performance and installation. She weaves into the performance movements from a choreographed judo form that centers around ju, called ju-no-kata, performed here by US National champions Lee Pasteris and Frederick Dagdagan. Soto-Diaz incorporates judo movements performed by two of her sensei, grand master Sensei Nori Bunasawa and Sensei Goya. In addition to these four highly ranked master judokas, the artist is collaborating in the performance with dancer, choreographer and UCI professor Charlotte Griffin and art performer Christina Segovia. The evening will include field recordings from judo competitions at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo as well as the US, with live and processed sound in collaboration with musician Michael Dessen.
Learn more.
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
Guo Pei: Art of Couture – NOVEMBER 12
Bowers Museum will once again welcome international couture powerhouse Guo Pei as she transforms the galleries into a world of fantasy this fall.
The exhibition Guo Pei: Art of Couture premiers with a fresh take on the artist’s finest and most personal pieces, including gowns hand selected by Guo Pei herself. Hot on the heels of her success at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Bowers’ entirely new exhibition opens to the public on November 12, 2022.
Guo Pei: Art of Couture will feature over 40 works of couture art curated for exhibit by the world-renowned designer. Among the bespoke selection is Guo Pei’s Chinese Bride collection, which makes its North American debut at the Bowers.
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
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
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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