Cindy Tran-Chang
Policy Advisor / Community Events Manager
Happy Cinco de Mayo! There are many neat things happening in the Fabulous Fifth District! Last Sunday, my colleague, Kimberlee and I staffed a booth at the Redo Vintage & Makers Market in Dana Point. The event was well-attended, with over 10,000 shoppers purchasing unique, vintage goods, supporting local businesses and enjoying live performances from local artists, groups and bands including Flashback Heart Attack! Sunday was also the last day of collections for our partnership with United Way's “Suit Up for Student Success Professional clothing drive. Thank you to our generous County staff who donated beautiful professional clothing pieces in support of this drive.
Tonight, we have a booth at the Dana Point Film Festival movie premier at Salt Creek Beach. Check it out here https://danapointfilmfestival.org/dana-point-film-festival/! Tomorrow night, we will be at Girls Inc of Orange County’s “The Time is Now” gala. Looking forward to sharing about our events in the next newsletter!
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Adam Tallabas
Policy Analyst / District Representative
Good afternoon, District 5! This past weekend, we had a booth at the San Juan Capistrano Rotary Van Expo in Rancho Mission Viejo where we were able to meet constituents from all over the District and beyond! As of Monday, it is officially Asian American & Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month! I am proud to be one of the only persons of Pacific Islander descent (my family is from American Samoa!) working in policy & proud to be working for greater representation for NHPI peoples in local government. This week, catch us at the Dana Point Film Festival where we will have a booth from 3 – 8 PM! This weekend, I will be attending the Harbor Mesa Lion’s Fashion Show & Luncheon in Costa Mesa & the SOKA University Arts, Music & Food Festival in Aliso Viejo! I hope to see you all out in District 5.
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Jonathan Davis
Policy Advisor
This was a great second week on Team Foley. I participated in several meetings with policy staff, including an introductory meeting with Orange County’s Director of Legislative Affairs. I previously had worked in Sacramento for several years, and it was fascinating hearing the other side of the process and how the county advocates for itself on state legislation, budget issues, and with state boards and commissions. Later in the week I met with staff from the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) to discuss the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee that Supervisor Foley is chairing. We discussed the work OCFA is doing to mitigate wildfires in Orange County and how this committee can help communicate that work to the public. I ended my week by preparing for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Board Meeting next Monday starting at 9:00 AM. Tune in to hear about the long-term plan for meeting our transportation needs and a workshop to discuss OCTA’s budget for the year.
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Michele Mullen
District Representative
Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce welcomed Restore Hyper Wellness in Westcliff Plaza at 1062 Irvine Ave, Newport Beach for their Grand Opening. Restore realizes the importance of treating the whole body on the understanding that physical health and mental health are connected and key to unlocking true wellness. For more information call 949 590-4931.
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 Laguna Beach celebrated Mercado Market’s First Anniversary with a ribbon cutting. The market offers organic “grab n go” meals, catering, and a gift shop with many unique kitchen items. This week, I also attended United Way’s State of the City.
  Here I am with Newport-Mesa Unified School District Trustee Michelle Murphy, United Way Government Affairs, and legislative representatives from Congressman Lou Correa and State Senator Tom Umberg’s offices.
Kimberlee Belli
Scheduler / Office Manager / District Representative
As the Representative for Laguna Woods, I attended their April 2023 City Council Meeting where a certificate for Donate to Life Month was presented to a Mom who lost her son due to an accident. Unknown to her, her son had a pink dot on his driver’s license which signifies “organ donor.” Since the demise of her son, she has been traveling and communicating the importance of organ donating and all the lives that have been saved. There are over 100,000 people in the United States awaiting an organ transplant. Of them, approximately 22 die a day while waiting. Interesting fact, it does not matter how old you are and there are very few medical conditions that disqualify your organs. One deceased person can save up to 8 lives. We should all rethink adding a pink dot to our driver’s license.
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Lorenzo Rubalcava
Senior Policy Advisor
Hi District 5! My name is Lorenzo, and I’m Supervisor Katrina Foley’s new Senior Policy Advisor covering OC’s health care agencies, the CEO Budget, and the OC Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (OCJJCC). I’m a Southern California native and attended Cal State University, Fullerton where I majored in Political Science and minored Law, Politics, and Society. This was my first week on the job, and I hit the ground running by attending the OCJJCC and touring the BeWell Orange North County campus, where I got to see first-hand how Orange County is addressing the country’s mental health crisis. I’m excited to work for Supervisor Foley and the Fabulous Fifth District!
Commission Update
Hallie Jones, OC Parks Commissioner
May, 4, 2023 OC Parks Commission Meeting Recap
Discussion Item A: Presentation on the Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) by Jennifer Naegle, OC Parks Natural Resources and Trails Manager.
In summary, three main conservation plans overlay OC Parks' open space. The main one, as focused on last night, is the NCCP/HCP. This is an agreement, or a permit, between CA Fish and Wildlife and Federal Fish and Wildlife, and 17 permittees, including the County of Orange overall (including Public Works, Waste and Recycling, and OC Parks). The plan is administered by a non-profit called the Natural Communities Coalition (I sit on the board of the NCC). The permit allows for the coordination of open space impacts (both positive and negative) across the 22,000 acres of OC Parks open space that are enrolled in the plan. The permit runs from 1996-2071.
Discussion Item B: OC Parks Trails Subcommittee Commissioner and Alternate Chair Appointment and Meeting Update
At the March 2 ’23 Parks Commission meeting, Mike Wellborn was nominated to serve on the OC Parks Trails Subcommittee as Alternate Chair. Unfortunately, with Mike’s departure from the OC Parks Commission, this seat was again vacant. I volunteered to serve in this role.
We received a report from the Q1 2023 OC Parks Trails Subcommittee meeting. At that meeting, two new members were seated—David Browning and Michael Shoeck. The Subcommittee reviewed and approved the upcoming meeting schedule (meetings are one Thursday per quarter at 6 pm). Next, the Subcommittee provided feedback to OC Parks staff on the placement of the new Trail Ambassador’s volunteers. This is a new role for OC Parks volunteers and provides Parks staff with trained volunteers at specific park entrances to answer questions, inform Parks staff of safety issues or rule violations, and generally act as an extra set of eyes and ears. The Subcommittee recommended placing these volunteers, in this initial stage, at 10 locations across 5 parks. Lastly, the Subcommittee received a report on the East Ridge View Trail Realignment Project and related habitat restoration work being done in Peters Canyon Regional Park.
OC Parks Director’s Report
- 17 new park rangers have been recruited, with 8 beginning in May, and 7 more in medical and psych screening. This recruitment opened in August, and according to Interim Director Pam Passow, is the quickest recruitment they’ve seen. Because rangers are peace officers, the screening and training are intensive. Less than 1% of initial applicants make it through the entire process, with many dropping out before background checks.
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Staff recognition: Interim Director Passow highlighted the actions of three park rangers at Mason Regional Park, who during a Persian New Year’s celebration responded to a cardiac emergency. The rangers performed CPR, provided breath support, and used an AED to re-establish a pulse in a visitor to the park. By the time OCFA arrived, the person did have a pulse and was breathing.
- OC Parks was awarded the Governor’s Historic Preservation Award for the restoration of the Old Orange County Courthouse (in the 2nd district).
- The Orange County Parks Foundation funded a new pilot program called Parks with Purpose. This is a 10-unit curriculum that was provided to 60 4th-grade students from Boys and Girls Clubs, supporting their California History state standards-based curriculum.
- Among the many upcoming events at OC Parks, Interim Director Pam Passow highlighted Rancho Days Fiesta at Heritage Hill Historical Park in Lake Forest this coming Saturday, May 6.
We adjourned in honor of Jean Watt, an environmental force and incredible leader in the South County environmental movement. Jean passed away on April 16th at the age of 96 and she is already missed.
Dana Point Harbor News
From Supervisor Katrina Foley
ICYMI- lots of residents, boaters, and business owners turned out for our Dana Point Harbor town hall, but in case you could not attend, you can watch the replay. We’ve broken it into segments so you can watch just a portion or the entire town hall. We tried to get answers to all submitted. Let us know if you still have questions at Katrina.Foley@ocgov.com.
 Following the Dana Point Harbor Town Hall, I announced the launch of my Dana Point Harbor Advisory committee, which will consist of a large and small merchant, a boater or boater representative, and 2 members of the public. Ad hoc committee members will include the Mayor of Dana Point, Dana Point Harbor Partners, CEO Real Estate, representatives from public safety & the Ocean Institute. Members of the public are encouraged to apply here by May 15, 2023.
Health News
From OC Health Care Agency
Older Americans and people with weak immune systems can get an extra COVID-19 booster dose this spring.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday signed off on a more flexible booster schedule for people who remain at the highest risk from COVID-19 — giving them the choice of a second “bivalent” Pfizer or Moderna booster, the most up-to-date formula.
“Many in the population are experiencing vaccine fatigue but there is a subset who are eager to receive additional doses,” CDC’s Dr. Sara Oliver told an agency advisory panel that expressed support for the change.
The move came a day after the Food and Drug Administration took steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone. From now on, anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna dose — whether it’s a booster or their first-ever vaccination — will get an updated version rather than the outdated original shots.
Eligible Californians will be able to schedule an appointment either directly through their healthcare provider or by using the states online platform, MyTurn.ca.gov.
COVID-19 Data
As of May 5, 2023, the good news is that the COVID-19 cases are trending downward. There are 2,371,353 Orange County residents are fully vaccinated. The 7-day average positivity rate in our County is 4%. This equals out to 2.2 daily positive COVID cases per 100k residents.
#OnePillCanKill: Fentanyl Awareness Campaign
Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can kill you, whether swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through skin. Fentanyl is unlike any substance we have seen, and dealers are intentionally making this poison look like candy. As County Supervisor, you have my word that I will continue to support efforts to address the fentanyl epidemic in our community and hold criminals accountable for murdering our kids. Watch the press conference to learn more.
E-Bike Safety
 
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 Pet of the Week, Lilly! Throughout her short time with us, Lilly has shown us that she is a friendly girl, extremely goofy, and always excited for what's to come. Her recent appearance at Pooches on the Patio left everyone feeling warm and fuzzy from her friendly and outgoing demeanor. Lilly is currently a little overweight, but she loves her walks and has already started working towards getting to her healthy weight goal.
Labrador retrievers make great pets! With their natural cleverness and cooperative behavior, they're perfect for first time pet owners and/or families with children.
If you think Lilly would be a great addition to your family, please call (714) 935-6848, and mention Animal ID#A1810785.
Congratulations to Alexandra Hernandez, OC Artist of the Year in Fine Arts!
 (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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.
May is Small Business Month!
May is “Small Business Month" in the state of California, but let’s support small businesses everyday. Did you know that 95% of businesses in Orange County are family owned? The many incredible small businesses here not only make our economy flourish, but contribute to the great sense of community in OC.
Caltrans Update
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) owns or controls 350,000 acres of Right of Way and maintains 15,133 centerline miles of highway and 13,063 state highway bridges. Caltrans also inspects over 12,200 local bridges. You can request customer service from Caltrans through this link!
OC Parks is Hiring!
Updates from the City of Newport Beach
Newport Beach Launches New Website to Help Homeowners Build Accessory Dwelling Units
The city launched a new website, at www.newportbeaca.gov/adu, to assist homeowners in constructing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their properties. The user-friendly interface is designed to guide homeowners through multiple phases of the ADU process, from getting started through construction to renting out the ADU.
The site is a comprehensive resource that includes planning exercises, testimonials, the benefits of ADU construction, city incentives, financing options and more. A guidebook that includes most of the content from the website is also available to download and print.
Save the Date: May 13 is Public Safety Day
Please join the city of Newport Beach for Public Safety Day, Saturday, May 18 from 12-3 p.m. at Fire Station 3 and the Police Station at 868 Santa Barbara Drive.
Meet and Greet with lifeguards, S.W.A.T., paramedics, C.S.I., C.E.R.T., the K9 unit, dispatch, the mounted unit, animal control and fire & crime prevention. Included will be live police and fire demonstrations, activities for the kids, station tours, food and much more.
For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 949.644.3005.
Be Well Mobile Crisis Response Update
The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to mental and behavioral health crises. The mobile unit is staffed with mental health specialists and EMTs, and works closely with the city’s police and fire departments.
To reach Be Well: The mobile crisis team is dispatched through the Newport Beach Police Department. To request service, dial 911, or call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 949.644.3717.
 
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!
Supervisor Katrina Foley seeks an experienced Executive Scheduler & Special Assistant
to manage the daily schedule for the Supervisor, including creating and maintaining systems to effectively manage a complex and active schedule.
Under the direct supervision of the Supervisor and in coordination with the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff, the Executive Scheduler will be responsible for working closely with senior staff to understand the priorities of the office and determine the appropriate level of participation by Supervisor Foley and/or staff at meetings, events, and tours.
Essential Job Duties and Requirements:
- Possess a very high level of organization, time management and confidentiality
- Address all scheduling requests in a timely manner and coordinate complex
scheduling arrangements for meetings.
- Have demonstrated ability to work well under pressure and handle stress.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule including night and weekends.
- Provide administrative support as necessary for the office.
- Coordinate and arrange meetings for the Supervisor and prepare materials as
required.
- Represent the office of the Supervisor in a professional manner in all interactions
with the public, city staff, dignitaries and others.
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 “Executive Scheduler 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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