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Volume 2 | Issue 47 |
December 10, 2022 |
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Dear neighbor:
I love the holidays and the spirit of giving. Orange County Hosts Holiday Spirit Galore this year!
I kicked off this week at the Corona del Mar Christmas Walk on Sunday! What a fun event from the Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce to bring the local community together for so many activities and support their local businesses. If you stopped by for a bag, dog bowl or some yummy cotton candy, we appreciated getting to meet you.
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Then, I enjoyed visiting Dana Point and the Sleigh the Holidays Market & Festival! This new holiday event featured 100 small business vendors, as well as entertainment, food trucks, a pet parade & costume contest, a visit from Santa, and much more!
They even had a pet parade and costume contest! What a great first event! Congrats to all the volunteers, especially Maria Elena, who worked to make it happen.
I’m pleased to report we are embarking on a new phase at our Orange County Juvenile Hall. Incorporating trades and skill development, as well as health and wellness so that we are prioritizing rehabilitation. This new approach will help our youth leave ready for better citizenship and a job. Read more about it here.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors voted on agenda items addressing the certification of election results, the promotion of county health services, the Motel 6 Project Homekey project, the grant for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health program, the transfer of beach stewardship Laguna Beach, and the traffic and safety needs of Coto de Caza.
We also recognized December as "Operation Christmas for our Troops & Their Families Month." Our troops and our military families sacrifice so much for our country, and now we have the opportunity to give back. Visit https://wp.yellowribbonamerica.org/ to donate and help them spread cheer to reach more military families this holiday season.
It was a busy Board meeting because we highlighted Employee Learning Week! During Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, we emphasized the importance of investing in our county employees. I'm happy to support opportunities for employees to grow their education and develop professionally so that the County can continue to run efficiently in service of all Orange County residents.
Finally, we recognized the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico! Our countries are connected through geography, history, the arts, and culture. Today, we have Mexican American leaders in every sector, including government, health care, business, the arts, education, and nonprofit work. Additionally, Mexican Americans represent us at all levels of government from the halls of Congress to the Senate Floor to city councils and school districts across the nation. The community's culture, spirit, and pride are a big part of what makes Orange County a great place to live.
Later in the day, all across the county new city council members swore their oath to the United States and California Constitutions and promised to serve.
I’m still feeling the good vibes from the installation ceremonies I attended. I loved watching my friend Ashleigh Aitken take the oath and immediately take the lead as the first woman Mayor of City of Anaheim! It’s a new day for Anaheim with a majority council of lifelong residents who will lead with integrity and with a purpose to improve the quality of life for their community. Congrats also to Carlos Leon, Natalie Rubacalva, and Natalie Meeks.
Then we traveled south to Laguna Niguel where I swore in my friend Stephanie Oddo and presented certificates to her and new councilmember Ray Gennaway. Stephanie is the first Armenian American woman to serve in Orange County. It was great to see the community out to support her. She has a strong work ethic, ability to listen, learn and meaningfully engage with the community.
Finally, I’d like to wish a congratulations to the first woman mayor of Santa Ana, Valerie Amezcua! I look forward to partnering with these amazing women and their city council’s to move Orange County forward.
My Chief of Staff presented certs in City of Costa Mesa to our colleagues who all won their re-elections, including our team member Manuel Chavez - Costa Mesa City Council Member, District 4! And Team Foley also recognized outgoing MPT Barry Cooper for his service in Tustin.
On Wednesday, I joined the holiday breakfast for Newport Beach Association of Realtors. One of my top priorities starting next year is to pull together a group of housing experts, corporate executives, and leaders in the housing industry to really look at Orange County countywide and how do we put it all together into one regional plan for housing.
Then, I made my way over to the new Young's Beach Shack in Dana Point. I’m pinching myself that I now represent this beautiful district with so many local family-owned small businesses. I loved meeting some locals who documented the surf and sea history of the area. We also love the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. I’m looking forward to partnering in so many ways!
I also met with Dana Point Harbor partners to learn more about the plans to revitalize our harbor and ensure public access.
I ended my day at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Mixing Glass & Market with Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens! Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and I am happy to see them continue to flourish in Orange County.
Here I am with Costa Mesa Mayor John Stephens at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Mixing Glass & Market!
On Thursday, I attended the Law Library Board and Staff Meeting and Holiday lunch. The Board recognized long-serving employees for their exceptional service to the organization. I also gave the group a tour of our new building and invited them to share our meeting rooms if needed. Finally, I attended the OC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and OC Business Council holiday reception.
To wrap up this week, Congresswoman Katie Porter and I went on a tour of John Wayne Airport yesterday! As Supervisor, working on improving the airport is one of my top priorities. John Wayne Airport’s flight path covers 8 schools and thousands of residents and ensuring that the airport is a good neighbor has led to creative problem-solving tactics from my office. I look forward to working with Congresswoman Porter on continuing to explore innovative solutions for the airport.
A fun way to end the day is going to support our local small businesses! Team Foley and I visited Confetti in Costa Mesa, a fantastic Italian ice, custard, and ice cream shop. I encourage you to stop by and give it a try! My favorite flavor combination is peanut butter, coconut, and chocolate.
Today, my team and I had a fantastic morning at the Laguna Niguel Holiday Parade! It's one of the many ways families and friends in the community come together to ring in the holidays.
As we close our 2022 and transition to District 5, watch for news about our final American Rescue Plan funded projects. This week I’m thrilled to support two community projects in Costa Mesa waiting their turn for many years. An expansion of the skate park at Tewinkle park and a new café at Lions Park to help fund maintenance and programming for Mesa Verde and Donald Dungan libraries. These projects were on my list when I was Mayor of Costa Mesa, and the city still had them unfunded. I saw this as an opportunity to create places for people to come together in the community.
Now, before I end my message, I’d like to take a moment to remember a local community legend: Evelyn Hart. Evelyn poured her heart and soul into bettering her community for more than 70 years. We are grateful for her leadership and the legacy she leaves behind.
My team and I are attending a full slate of holiday community events in the coming days, including today’s Dana Point Harbor 47th Annual Boat Parade of Lights and the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Boat Parade next week.
We will also host our board offices holiday open house from 2-4 PM on Wednesday, December 14. We hope to see you there!
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 December 20, 2022
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Alex Rounaghi
Legislative Policy Advisor
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Yesterday, I joined Supervisor Foley for a tour of John Wayne Airport with Congresswoman Katie Porter. Airport Director Charlene Reynolds and her team did a great job leading the tour of the airport and highlighting issues of federal concern. As you may know, the County controls the Airport but the Federal Aviation Administration controls the skies—and many regulations as it relates to the operation of the Airport—so it’s critical that we work with our federal partners on solutions that advance the interest of our communities and passengers. We also briefed Congresswoman Porter on federal grants for which the Airport is applying. Finally, we shared the existing work to promote sustainability at the airport, including our exciting new Fly Friendly program. |
Manuel Chavez
Constituent Services Manager
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Our 14th Annual Holiday New Coat Drive is still going on! We have drop off locations at the County Administration Building, Costa Mesa City Hall, Costa Mesa Police Department, Orange County Employee’s Association and at the Costa Mesa, Orange and Tustin Miguel Jr’s. We will be collecting the coats on Thursday December 15th. I hope you are able to make a donation! |
Cindy Tran-Chang
Policy Advisor
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On Sunday, we hosted a booth at the Corona Del Mar Christmas Walk. It was my first time attending and wow, this event draws in large crowds ready to ring in the Christmas cheer! We gave out red and green cotton candy, collapsible doggy bowls, grocery totes and sunscreen. It was a great event to connect with the community and support local businesses. I can't wait to come back again next year!
Back at the office, we are gearing up for two events on December 14th - our annual Board of Supervisors Holiday Open House from 2-4PM at the County Administration North building and the Newport Beach Boat parade opening day at 4:30PM.
Finally, our new children's coat drive closes December 15thand you can drop them off at several locations noted on our flyer. Thank you for sharing the love!
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Annie Mitchell
Policy Analyst
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On Tuesday, after the Board of Supervisors meeting, Adam and I attended the San Clemente City Council meeting where recently elected Mark Enmeier and Victor Cabral were being installed. It was a lovely ceremony and a great opportunity to meet new council members and let them know that we are here to support them in their new roles! After that it was off to the Dana Point City Council Meeting where Jamey Federico, Matthew Pagano, and John Gabbard were all being sworn in.
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Stephanie Wade
Veterans Policy Advisor
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This was a busy week for the county’s veterans’ advocates, and the Supervisor was well represented at four important events. On Monday, Richard Owens—an Iraq & Afghan War Veteran, a Regional Manager for Jamboree Housing, the Director of the Working Group on Veterans Housing and an Advisor to Supervisor Foley—led a Housing Symposium at the Tierney Center for Veterans. I attended along with Alexander Gonzalez and Chase Wickersham who also serve on Supervisor Foley’s Veterans Advisory Committee. The meeting built a consensus around specific funding sources for a new interim veterans housing option in Orange County, a step we believe will get us to functional zero homelessness.
The very next day at their regular meeting, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a county collaboration with the state, the city of Costa Mesa and the housing provider Mercy House for a $7.9 million Project Homekey conversion of a distressed property at 2274 Newport Boulevard. The renovation of the former Motel 6 will dramatically improve the feel of the neighborhood, and provide 70 units of permanent supportive housing, 30 of which will be set aside for disabled veterans.
On Wednesday, I had the privilege of leading my first meeting as Chair of the County’s Veterans Advisory Council Meeting. I also attended the General Meeting of the OC Veterans and Military Families Collaborative (OCVMFC) where we continued long range planning on several critical initiatives including housing.
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Adam Tallabas
District Representative
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December 2, 2022 was my first day with the Office of Supervisor Foley! Over the weekend, Supervisor Foley & I attended the Grand Opening of the Marshallese Youth of Orange County’s new office as well as their celebratory reception. The Marshallese Youth of Orange County provides educational, cultural/linguistic and health resources to the greater Pacific Islander community here in Orange County. Last year, Supervisor Foley partnered with the organization to distribute grocery gift cards to those in need! On Tuesday, I joined Annie in presenting the newly elected members of the city councils of San Clemente and Dana Point with certificates of recognition! I am so excited for the opportunity to do so much good in this office! |
Board Meeting Updates
As County Supervisor, my votes during this Board meeting reflect my commitment of protecting democracy and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. The Board meeting resulted in the certification of our fair election process, increased funding for affordable housing opportunities, grants to improve health care for pregnant, postpartum, and parenting women, giving Laguna Beach control over their local beaches, and traffic investments in Coto de Caza to keep pedestrians in the community safe. Orange County must continue this progress to ensure the best quality of life for our residents.
Health News
Michele Mullen
Community Outreach Director
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As of December 5, 2022, 2,360,871 of Orange County residents are fully vaccinated, 219,228 are partially vaccinated, and 1,425,506 received their shot or booster dose. That is great news as we reopen and get back to living our best lives.
From Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA): Orange County has moved from a Low COVID-19 Community Level to a Medium Community Level. Due to an increase in respiratory viruses, the flu, and COVID-19, the OC HCA wants to remind residents the important of getting their COVID-19 boosters and the flu shot.
In addition to COVID-19, both Orange County and the United States are seeing sharp increases in flu cases, well beyond the numbers at this point in previous years. Young children and older adults are both at higher risk of severe outcomes like hospitalization and death from influenza and should be vaccinated to reduce the risk of such outcomes. The HCA recommends residents take preventative actions to minimize risk of severe illness.
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OC Animal Care
OC Animal Care is waiving adoption fees for dogs 25 pounds and over throughout the month of December!
With the goal of helping furry friends find a home for the holidays, those adopting dogs 25 pounds and over will have their adoption fee waived, which includes microchipping, vaccinations, spaying or neutering and an anti-parasite treatment. Waived adoption fees do not include licensing fees or puppies six months of age or younger.
Adopting a dog over 25 pounds may not be possible for every person. Beginning December 10 through December 24, Supervisor Bartlett will sponsor adoption fees for cats, birds, bunnies, hamsters, and guinea pigs.
For more information on ways the community can support the animals at the shelter, visit ocpetinfo.com/get-involved. Those interested in providing assistance to the shelter’s efforts in caring for pets in need can easily do so by viewing OC Animal Care’s Amazon Wishlist.
Pet of the Week
Meet Jack, Pet of the week! Jack is a warm-hearted, one-year-old, Pit Bull. His hobbies include lounging on his cozy bed and getting back scratches from his best human friends! This sweet soul may be a little shy at first, but don’t let that fool you! Once he gets to know you, you’ve made a best friend for life! Jack is incredibly strong and intelligent. He knows sit, stay, shake, down and is looking for the perfect candidate to further improve his fetching!
Think Jack might be a great fit for your family? Call (714) 935-6848 to schedule an adoption appointment today! Walk-ins are welcome! *
Animal ID#: A1788476
*Walk-ins are on a first-come, first-served basis as staffing allows.
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
Orange County Microbusiness Grants Re-Launch
OC Waste and Recycling:
Before purchasing a new item or tossing out an old item, consider reducing, reusing and recycling. Check out OCRecycleGuide.com for info on what and where to recycle. Used batteries from toys and holiday décor can be taken to any Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center for free disposal during operating hours. For more information on Collection Centers visit OCLandfills/hazardous-waste.
The holidays often produce increased amounts of food waste. Consider donating edible food to a local food pantry and place unwanted food scraps in the organics cart. For more info: OCLandfills.com/organics.
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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Thank you for being an active member of our County.
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