Alyssa Napuri
Deputy Chief of Staff
Wednesday was a blast as I took our two newest interns out into the field to join in Friar Tux Ribbon Cutting in Laguna Niguel. It's so great to represent Supervisor Foley's office in our various business openings across Orange County.
Today I started the day back home in Laguna Niguel. It’s always great to see old friends (and new) at the Laguna Niguel Chamber’s Government and Community Affairs Meetings. After the meeting I swung over to the Laguna Niguel Regional Park’s Pickleball Courts to hear from concerned residents hoping to expand pickleball access at the park. It was valuable feedback, and I look forward to working with the Supervisor to identify possible solutions for our pickleball enthusiasts.
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Cindy Tran-Chang
Policy Advisor / Community Events Manager
On Saturday, one of our interns; Rachel and I staffed the Rancho Mission Viejo Farmer’s Market Spring event. We connected with the residents and checked out some of the local vendors. RMV Farmer’s Market runs the first Saturdays of the month and Ladera Ranch Farmer’s Market takes place every Sunday. We hope to see you at one of these two Farmer’s Markets!
Education, children and supporting families are top priorities for Supervisor Foley. On Monday, I joined Supervisor Foley in a meeting with First 5, an organization that helps California children receive the best possible start in life. First 5 partners with public and private entities to advocate, create and implement comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated systems of care for CA children up through age five. More details to come on the work being done to better understand the childcare landscape and support childcare program for working families.
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Adam Tallabas
Policy Analyst / District Representative
Good Afternoon, District 5! Over the weekend, I ran our booth at the Aliso Viejo Community Association’s Spring Festival at Grand Park. It was such a fun event, and it was great meeting so many Aliso Viejo residents & introducing our office to the community! This week marked the first days for our newest interns in the office: Christina, Kirby & Olivia – all local college students/graduates! Christina & Kirby will be working on Policy as well as supporting Nick & Alyssa as Special Assistants to the Chief & Deputy Chief. Olivia will be supporting Stefanie with all of our communications needs. I am so excited to work with all of them & help them grow. Over the rest of the week, I worked on preparing the Supervisor for next week’s OCTA Board Meeting on Monday & Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.
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Michele Mullen
District Representative
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The Corona Del Mar Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome CVS to the city. CVS is the only pharmacy and sundries store in Corona Del Mar. There were many elected officials and representatives from the legislative offices. Coffee and crepes were served, and the remodel of the store is beautiful. |
Dana Point Harbor News
From The Marina at Dana Point Harbor
With the busy boating season quickly approaching, we want to make sure you are familiar with the ParkWhiz guest pass system and Flash Parking app. Both are useful tools for you to have at your fingertips. The ParkWhiz guest pass is easy to reserve, use and share from an app on your cell phone. Click HERE for the start to finish guide on the ParkWhiz guest pass reservation system. The Flash Parking App works for boaters the same way your RFID tag works. If you come to the marina in a vehicle that is not yours such as a friend’s car or a rental, you can use your smart phone via the Flash Parking App to open the boater parking gate. Keep in mind that this only works if your primary vehicle connected to the assigned RFID tag is not already in the lot. The Flash Parking App is an access alternative to your RFID tag and not an additional means of access. Click HERE for instructions for downloading, activating and using the Flash Parking App.
Health News
COVID-19 Data
As of April 6, 2023, the good news is that the COVID-19 cases are trending downward. There are 2,370,374 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated. The 7-day average positivity rate in our County is 2.8%. This equals out to 5% daily positive COVID cases per 100k residents.
OC Health Care Agency Updates
From the Orange County Health Care Agency:
Local Health Officer Order and Recommendations Updated in Response to COVID-19 State of Emergency Ending With Request to Observe Masking Requirements in High-Risk Settings
As the California COVID-19 State of Emergency ends and the community returns to business as usual, County Health Officer, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong is asking Orange County residents to comply and observe requests to mask if asked in high-risk settings, such as medical provider offices and/or adult and senior care facilities. Staff or patient circumstances may indicate masking is necessary to stay safe from potential exposure in some settings. Preventing the risk of spread of COVID is still important, especially as increasing cases of Long COVID continue to be reported locally.
The updated Health Officer Order (HOO) has been published for Orange County on Friday, March 24, 2023 and includes a Strong Recommendation for the general population to wear a face mask, dependent upon personal risk, and if Orange County is categorized in the medium or high level within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assessment of COVID-19 Community Level (CCL).
Highlights of Change: The key areas of change include the following:
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COVID-19 Vaccinations – In alignment with the CDPH Order regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health care, corrections facility, and adult care facilities workers, the County of Orange HOO changes from Ordered to Strong Recommendation for all who are eligible. Some people who are providers and suppliers working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are still required to be vaccinated by CMS.
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Face Mask – In alignment with the CDPH Order, which takes effect on April 3, the HOO is updated to include a Strong Recommendation, versus Ordered, for certain high-risk settings such as health care settings, corrections facilities, long-term care settings, adult and senior care facilities, homeless shelters and emergency shelters. Additionally, the HOO includes a Strong Recommendation for universal masking of visitors/residents and staff in Skilled Nursing Facilities if evidence of facility outbreak exists (two plus cases in residents within a 7-day period). Employers should reference California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal/OSHA) regulations which took effect on February 3, 2023. Read details HERE.
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Isolation of Persons with COVID-19 – It is no longer Ordered but is now Strongly Recommended that individuals should isolate for five days and can end after day five provided symptoms are improving, and they are fever-free without fever reducing agents. Wearing a face mask when around others is strongly recommended for a period of 10 days from the onset of symptoms or infection.
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Seasonal Flu Vaccination – The HOO continues to state that Flu Vaccines are Ordered for providers of congregate settings, health care providers and emergency responders.
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Quarantine – No longer recommended. Anyone exposed to COVID-19 positive person(s) is strongly advised to test on day 3-5 after exposure and monitor for symptoms.
While cases of COVID-19 are declining, COVID-19 continues to adversely affect people in our community. Residents are encouraged to assess their personal health risks and of their loved ones and practice preventive measures to guard against severe illness. Additionally, it is important to know where to access resources as needed.
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COVID-19 Vaccines: Studies continue to show that bivalent booster vaccines protect against severe COVID-19 disease and reduce the risk of developing complications such as Long COVID. Vaccination appointments can be scheduled through myturn.ca.gov, www.vaccine.gov and www.ochealthinfo.com or by calling (800) 914-4887.
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COVID-19 Testing: Locations for free testing can be searched on No-Cost COVID-19 Testing locator and individuals can order at www.covidtests.gov or call (800) 232-0233 for support in multiple languages. Individuals with insurance can also order no-cost at home test kits from their service providers.
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COVID-19 Treatment: Individuals who do contract COVID-19 are encouraged to seek treatment such as Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir, ritonavir), which can reduce the risk of severe illness if started early. Test to treat locations can be searched HERE.
The OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Mental Health and Recovery Services (MHRS) has released its Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Three-Year Program and Expenditure plan. The plan is posted and ready for public review here. It will remain posted through April 18, 2023.
MHSA’s Three-Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2023-24 through 2025-26 (Three-Year Plan) is a layout of current and future programs and funding allocation. Mental health programs provided for Orange County under MHSA are consistent with local county-approved plans developed via broad-based community involvement, including input from both mental health service consumers and their family members.
To review the Draft MHSA Annual Update and Three-Year Expenditure Plan, please visit: https://ochealthinfo.com/mhsa
National Weather Service & CDC Update
The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecasted cold overnight temperatures throughout inland, coastal and south Orange County cities beginning Tuesday, April through Thursday, April 6.
Update from Providence Mission Hospital
As of May 10, 2023, we will relocate inpatient and outpatient GI (gastrointestinal) services from Providence Mission Hospital Laguna Beach to our Mission Viejo campus. Our Mission Viejo GI lab is located at 27799 Medical Center Road in the Mission Health Center/Leonard Cancer Institute. This transition will allow us to enhance our GI program by centralizing our specialists and technology in a single location.
All impacted caregivers who work at the Laguna Beach location will be relocated to the Mission Viejo campus and will continue to provide GI services. Patients who receive care at the Laguna Beach location will also be transferred to our Mission Viejo campus.
We are confident that the relocation of our GI services will be a smooth transition that allows us to continue proudly serving as South Orange County’s safety-net hospital.
Business Support
New Grant Funding for Restaurants in April 2023
$5,000 grants available for independent restaurants April 15 – May 7. Please sign up below to receive alerts and updates about this fund. Funding for grants made possible by SoCalGas, PG&E, and SDG&E
 OC Animal Care
In our ongoing efforts to keep the shelters clear, starting this year, OCAC will waive fees for adult dogs over 25 pounds adopted by residents across Orange County! The normal adoption fee for adult dogs ranges from $100 - $200. Help our furry friends at the shelter find loving homes.
Pet of the Week
Meet Asta, our Pet of the Week!If his floppy ears haven’t stolen your heart, then his charming personality will! Asta is a 2-year-old German Shepherd who's as sweet as honey. Asta has been featured at Pooches on the Patio and is nothing but a gentleman around his furry friends, large or small! Not only is he a social butterfly, he's incredibly smart. Asta knows how to sit and shake and he's excited to learn more tricks from his forever family!
Looking for a dog that will bring you sunshine on a cloudy day, Asta is your boy! To adopt Asta, call (714) 935-6848 and mention Animal ID# A1807763.
Please visit OC Animal Care’s Pet Adoptions page to see more adoptable pets.
Spring Events in the Fabulous Fifth District
 Costa Mesa Springfest
Update from County Treasurer Shari Freidenrich
As the Treasurer for the County, safety of the over $12 billion in public funds is my highest priority as these funds need to be available to meet County and Educational Districts expenditures. My goal is to fully invest public funds in securities, but we periodically may also have public funds in County bank accounts. All California public funds in banks are required by law to be daily collateralized by the bank with high quality securities at market values between 102% and 110% of the bank account balances, with the percentage of collateral required being based on the type of security. So, where non public funds are only insured per depositor at $250,000, the public funds are essentially 100% insured because of this collateralization. Therefore, if there was a liquidity issue with any bank used by the County that affected our funds, the County could receive the collateral, which is insuring the public funds. Also note that the collateral is held by a third party and monitored daily by a state government agency.
We regularly perform due diligence to ensure our banks (we do not use any regional banks) meet certain requirements required by State law, and we also do reviews of their financial condition. Due to market conditions, we have just updated this review. Based on our review, we note that the banks used by the County maintain a high level of quality liquidity assets and are well capitalized. Therefore, we do not anticipate any issues with their liquidity and ability to clear all checks as presented.
In addition, the Orange County Treasurer’s Pool, which holds public funds, has a low duration of .57, which has allowed us to more quickly reinvest maturing funds in higher interest bearing securities. Although our current net asset value for our public funds is still below 1.00 at .9858, we have significant current and excess liquidity to meet all expected disbursements for the County and Educational Districts without needing to sell any securities. In addition, our portfolio is invested in almost 100% of US Treasuries or Government Sponsored Enterprises that are either explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by the Federal Government and as evidenced by the net asset value of just under 1.00, there are not significant unrealized losses even with the significant increases in short-term interest rates by the FOMC. We have sufficient liquidity to meet our cash outflows. We report these statistics monthly in our monthly investment report in our Executive Summary. We also have only a small percentage of voluntary pool participants, less than 2%, that have the ability to withdraw 100% of their funds. The remaining funds are captive funds that can not be withdrawn and reinvested elsewhere.
Therefore, I wanted to report that as a fiduciary for the County and Educational Districts public funds, we are closely monitoring this situation, but expect no impact on public funds.
You can find more information at octreasurer.com and then clicking on the public funds tab.
Tax Filing Deadline Extended to October 16, 2023
The IRS announced an extension to change the filing and payment deadlines to October 16, 2023 for victims of severe winter storms, flooding, and mudslides in California. This extension applies to individuals and businesses in Orange County! Learn more here.
Register for Camp Newport
 Welcome to Newport Beach where your child can enjoy the best Southern California has to offer. With hundreds of camps to choose from you’re invited to explore our shores in a sailing, surf, and bodyboarding camp, enjoy the breeze in a range of outdoor sports and active camps. Or embrace the shade in one of the many science, music, technology, and art camps awaiting you.
For more information, visit campnewport.com. The website is live and registration open. Remember, sign up by May 4 and receive a 10% or more discount on most camps!
 
Substance Abuse Resource
 Detox.com’s mission is to provide the best free resources for people to find self-help with substance abuse through detox and other mental health strategies. Check out their website for more information!
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
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 to provide smaller, grassroots organizations with the opportunity to build their infrastructure and/or capacity
Learn More: Here
Team Foley is NOW HIRING!
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley seeks a Policy Advisor / District Representative with the ability to move forward the Supervisor’s priorities and initiatives with a passion for public service and changing the status quo.
Under the supervision of the Chief of Staff, the Policy Advisor / District Representative is responsible for preparing memos related to the Board of Supervisors and appointed committees and commissions, as well as briefing the Supervisor and staff on pending agenda items under consideration.
The ideal candidate will have an enthusiasm for public policy and have experience in professional writing, research, staffing, and working in a collaborative manner to deliver results for Orange County residents.
Policy/Legislative/Legal experience in the areas of homelessness, housing, public safety, the environment, local/state/federal governments, infrastructure, transportation and/or the courts are strongly preferred. Learn more.
Apply
Submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Chief of Staff Nick Anas at nick.anas@ocgov.com with the subject “District 5 Policy Advisor / District Representative Application."
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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