Pacific Progressive

$1.2 Billion in Stimulus Spending in Orange County

This information is published by ProPublica.

OC has received over $1.2 billion in stimulus spending.  Even though  many local electeds needed to grandstand that they wouldn't take stimulus money, they did. The money kept OCTA busses running, students going to college, built roads, and created jobs.

Here is the Top 10 OC Stimulus Projects

1. $76.8 million to OCTA including $7.6 million for operations 
2. $60.7 million to Hensel Phelps Construction for building Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at Coronado Naval Base
3. $50 M to Sapphire Energy for renewable energy research and development of Sapphire Integrated Algal Biorefinery (IABR)
4. $47.8 million to CalTrans for highway planning and constructino
5. $32.9 million in Cash for Clunkers - $2 billion of stimulus money was used to extend the program.  Tom's Truck Center - South County received $1.3 million, Oremor of Tustin - $1.2 million, DWW III Co - $1.1 million.  An complete list of dealers is here.  The names listed are the corporate names, not the dealer names on the signs, so a little digging will turn up which car dealers benefited.
6. $19.3 million to Santa Ana Unified School District
7. $17.6 million to Capistrano Unified School District
8. $17.5 million to Garden Grove Unified School District
9. $15.2 million to Anaheim Union High School District
10. $13.2 million to the County of Orange

The full list of Orange County recipients is here.  

Loretta Sanchez Campaign Kick Off - Feb 28

 "Serving the people of California’s 47th district in Congress is a great honor and a privilege, and I am so grateful that my constituents have elected me to represent their values and priorities for the past fourteen years, "  said Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who  is officially kicking off her re-election campaign on Sunday, February 28,2010.

Rep. Sanchez added, "I approach each and every decision I make by putting the families of my district first. Our country may be on the road to recovery, but there is much more work that needs to be done to jumpstart our economy. And with my seniority in Congress, I am well positioned to continue our critical efforts to put people back to work, improve education, and reform our health care system. 

I truly believe that I have the best job in the world, which is why I am proudly running again to continue to represent the great people of California’s 47th Congressional District." 

Sanchez, volunteers, and supporters will be door knocking in the Garden Grove area after meeting at Woodbury Park, 12800 Rosita Place, Garden Grove from 1-3 PM.

Health Care Rally at Loretta Sanchez's Office - Jan 26

Move On is sponsoring an emergency rally for health care reform.  If you have a health insurance horror story, be ready to share your story with the crowd.  Meet at the offices of Rep. Loretta Sanchez at noon.  The address is 12397 Lewis St, Garden Grove, CA.  

Garden Grove Resident Nominated to Serve on National Council on Disability

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-47) today issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s nomination of Garden Grove resident Joseph “Joe” Pak to the National Council on Disability:

“I would like to congratulate my dear friend Joe Pak on his recent nomination to the National Council on Disability.  I have known Mr. Pak for many years and cannot think of a more qualified, deserving individual for this appointment. I am proud to support his nomination.

“Mr. Pak is a well known and well-respected advocate for Orange County’s disabled community, and is well-suited to represent our nation on the National Council on Disability. I personally recommended him for this position, and I commend the President for nominating Mr. Pak to this prestigious and important Council.

“Mr. Pak understands firsthand what it’s like to be disabled, as he is paralyzed in his left arm. He has greatly contributed to Orange County’s community by serving on the Special Needs Advisory Board for the Orange County Transit Authority and on the California State Rehabilitation Council, where he focused on increasing the low employment rate among people with disabilities.  He is also a former Board Member and Program Chair for the Korean Health Education, Information, and Research Center.  

“I have no doubt that Mr. Pak will continue to be an effective advocate in his new role on the National Council on Disability. I look forward to working with Mr. Pak and his colleagues on the Council to ensure that all individuals with disabilities are provided equal opportunities in their personal and professional lives.”

250% Working Disabled Medi-Cal Eligibilty Workshop - Nov 18

Learn about the 250% Working Disabled Medi-Cal program at a free workshop at the Dayle McIntosh Center. Find out how to qualify, income limitations, and about premiums. Also find out if you can receive personal assistance where you work and how to keep Medi-Cal if you no longer qualify for SSI. The 250% program is underutilized and not well known - this workshop will help you find out if this program will help you.

The program is on November 18, 2009, from 1-3 PM at the Dayle McIntosh Center, 13272 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843. Cross street is Fairview. You can take bus routs 47 and 56 to get to the Dayle McIntosh Center.

The program will be presented by Teddie-Joy Remhild and Michael Van Essen. To register, call the Dayle McIntosh Center 714-621-3300 ext 303 or 800-972-8285 ext 303 or email chopper@daylemc.org

Auxiliary aids and services upon request to individuals with disabilities.

This program is being presented by California Health Incentives Improvement Project (CHIIP), Dayle McIntosh Center (DMC), and AIDS Project LA (APLA).

Orange County Sanitation District to Address Cost Recovery and Potential Chemical Shortages

The Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) treats the wastewater from the cities of La Habra, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, La Palma, Buena Park, Los Alamitos, Stanton, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Westminster, Garden Grove, Cypress, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Orange, Villa Park, Tustin Placentia, Yorba Linda and Irvine.  OCSD is the agency responsible for maintaing the outfall pipes offshore. and is the third largest wastewater agency west of the Mississippi River.

OCSD is working on an update to the strategic plan to address the potential shortage of chemicals and getting better cost recovery from other agencies.  Both of these issues are key to the successful future operation of the District.

A reliable supply of quality chemicals is a requirement of operating a wastewater treatment facility.  Chemicals are used to mitigate odors, enhance settling of solids, reduce bacteria formation, and disinfect then dechlorinate the effluent prior to discharge.  

Direct Election of Mayors the Right Move

The role of city government is becoming increasingly complicated as Mayors and City Council people spend more of their time meeting the County Supervisors, State Legislators, and other local elected officials to get what their cities need.  In these meetings, the Mayor can take on a higher role as some one who speaks for the city as a whole, some one who can obligate the city to action.

In Orange County, some mayors are directly elected by the citizens and others are appointed.  The mayors of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana and Westminster directly elect their mayors. Mayors in the other 28 cities of Orange County are appointed by their respective city councils.

An open election for mayor allows residents to decide who is best for the job. The mayor is the leader of the city, and allowing direct election of the mayor allows candidates to discuss local issues and their proposed solutions. Mayoral candidates would compete based on the direction they would move the city in.  

Directly electing a mayor allows the people to have a voice in deciding the direction of their city.  The 34 cities of Orange County have become too large and complex to allow appointed mayors.  We're not small, scattered downtowns buried in orange groves, but vibrant growing cities. It's time for all cities to move to direct elected mayors.

OCTA Looking to Eliminate Routes - Give OCTA Feedback on These Proposals

OCTA is looking to restructure bus service to fit the available budget. Staff has prepared several proposals for bus service reductions and have taken the presentations to public meetings to get input.  OCTA has also bought ads and put comment cards on buses to get feedback on proposals.  

If you use one of these buses, please tell OCTA what will happen if the bus is no longer available to you. These routes are targeted for possible elimination.  When you buy a bus pass, drop off a comment card or a letter.  Attend the public meeting on October 26 at 9 AM at OCTA headquarters in Orange. Fill out a comment card and drop it in the mail. But, please, for your sake, let OCTA know if these bus service cuts will impact you.  If your school is impacted, have your teachers, professors, principals and deans call.  If your business is impacted, have the managers and human resources department call OCTA to let them know this is a problem.

The routes listed for elimination are given below, along with the major landmarks along the route.  If implemented, the routes will be eliminated starting in March 2010.

Route 20 - La Habra to Yorba Linda via Imperial Highway - Yorba Linda Middle School, Yorba Linda Community Center, Downtown Yorba Linda, Brea Gateway Center, Brea Promenade, Brea Mall, Imperial Middle School, La Habra Marketplace

Route 21 - Fullerton to Huntington Beach via Valley View St/Bolsa Chica Rd - Buena Park High School, John F. Kennedy High School, Centerpointe, Cypress High School, Cypress College, Hilton D. Bell Intermediate School, Marina High School, Boeing, Huntington Beach Industrial Area, Sunset Beach

Fire Departments Have Open Houses This Weekend

National Fire Prevention Week is during October 5 thru October 10.  Visit a firehouse near you during this weekend during an Open House. These events are always a favorite with the kids because they get to meet firefighters, see the firetrucks close up, and learn what an important job firefighting is.  The firefighters also teach families and business owners how to protect themselves and their loved ones in the case of emergency.

All events are on Saturday, October 10, 2009 unless noted.

Aliso Viejo OCFA Station #57, 57 Journey from 9 AM to 2 PM.

Anaheim from 10 AM to 2 PM at:

Euclid Fire Station #6 - 1330 S Euclid

Stadium Fire Station #7 - 2222 E Ball Rd

Weir Canyon Fire Station - 8270 E Monte Vista

Twila Reid Fire Station - 3078 W Orange

Brea from 10 AM - 2 PM at Fire Station #2, park in downtown parking structure and walk across Brea Blvd using the signal at Ash St

Buena Park OCFA Station #61, 8081 Western Ave from 9 AM - 2 PM

Costa Mesa  from 10 AM to 2 PM at:

Station #1 - 2803 Royal Palm Drive

Station #2 - 800 Baker St

Station #3 - 1865 Park St

Station #4 - 2300 Placentia Ave

Station #5 - 2450 Vanguard Way

Station #6 - 3350 Sakioka Dr

Cypress OCFA Station #17 - 4991 Cerritos Ave from 9 AM - 2 PM

Dana Point OCFA Fire Station #30 - 23831 Stonehill Dr from 9 AM - 2 PM

Do You Ride the OCTA Night OWL? Your Bus Could be Eliminated

OCTA is facing a very tough budget situation because transit funds from the State have been cut, leaving OCTA without a large chunk of money needed to fund the actual day to day operation of buses. OCTA staff is studying how to make cuts in the bus system and has held a series of public meetings, bought ads, and put service change info on buses.  OCTA really needs to hear from more riders about what the specific service needs are so the cuts cause the least harm.

The Night OWL service is targeted for complete elimination because, it is argued, ridership is very low and the money spent on Night OWL service would be better spent on service at other times of the day.  What many people don't realize is that Night OWL riders have fewer choices for transportation than riders at other times of the day.  For these folks, it's the Night OWL or nothing in many cases.

The four Night OWL routes targeted to be eliminated are the 43 La Habra to Costa Mesa via Whittier Blvd/Harbor Blvd, 50 Long Beach to Orange via Katella Ave, 57 Brea to Newport Beach via State College Blvd/Bristol St, and 60 Long Beach to Tustin via Westminster Ave/17th St.  The service reductions would start in March 2010.

What You Need to Do

You need to talk with OCTA to tell them what will work for you. Staff is trying to figure this out and plans are not set yet.  If your workplace is effected, have your manager or HR department contact OCTA to tell them about the problems losing the Night OWL will cause.  You can drop off a comment card or letter when you buy a bus pass at OCTA, attend the public hearing on Monday, October 26, 2009 at OCTA Headquarters at 9 AM, or send a letter to Wendy Knowles, Clerk of the Board, OCTA, 555 S Main St, PO Box 14184, Orange, CA 92863-1584.  If you let OCTA know what you need, they can try to help you.  Now is the time for input.

Info About Proposed March 2010 Service Reductions

43 La Habra to Costa Mesa via Whittier Blvd/Harbor Blvd

La Habra - Whittier Christian High School, La Habra Square, La Habra High School, Washington Middle School, Sonora High School

Fullerton - St. Jude Hospital, North Court, Fullerton College, Fullerton Union High School, Fullerton Transportation Center, Metro Center of Fullerton, Orangefair Mall

Anaheim - Anaheim Cultural Arts Center, Anaheim Library, Anaheim Resort Area, Anaheim Convention Center, Disneyland, Anaheim High School

Jose Solorio is Turning 39

Join friends and supporters at a cocktail reception for Jose Solorio on Wednesday, September 30 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Garden Room of First American Corporation, One First American Way, Santa Ana, CA.  Contributions start at $39.  For more information and to RSVP, contact Denise Peralta at 714-673-0005 or Denise@JoseSolorio.com.

Arab American Festival in Garden Grove - Sept 25-27

The 14th Annual Arab American Day Festival will be held at Village Green Park, Garden Grove, on Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27.  The festival is sponsored by the Arab American Council.  

The weekend festival features food, music and merchandise to buy.  Over 650,000 people have attended the festival over the last 14 years. This year, the Arab American Council expects over 100,000 people to attend the festival.

OC Register 2nd Worst Person in the World for Sports Column Mocking Jaycee Dugard's Captivity and Rape

Here is the original post by Mark Whicker. This never should have been printed, never. Baseball is more important than the kidnap, rape and years long captivity of a child. Whicker should resign or be fired.  And the Hoile family wonders why people don't want to read their paper?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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OFA Delivers Letters to Rep. Sanchez Asking for Health Care Reform

A rally team from Organizing for America met at Rep. Loretta Sanchez's office during lunchtime on September 1 to show support for health care reform. The team of over 50 people lined Lewis Street and were met with honks of support from passing cars.  Rally members included grandparents, small business owners, Obama supporters, and families with children.  

The rally team members walked to Rep. Sanchez's office and were graciously met by Paula Negrete, District Director.  Paula received the letters from district members supporting health care reform and chatted with rally members.  

"The History of Health Care in Orange County has been a Series of Crises"

Curtis Crocker, a patient of Lestonnac Free Clinic, talk about his problems getting health care in Orange County.  Ninh Nguyen, client of VNCOC Asian Health, and Alondra Campos, client of Latino Health Access, are on either side of Curtis.

Felix Schwarz, Executive Director of the Health Care Council of Orange County summed up health care in Orange County at the Coalition of Orange County Community Clinics forum on August 22, 2009.  The forum, Community Health Centers on the Frontlines:  Orange County Health in a Growing Crisis, discussed the growing problems community clinics face having to serve more clients which severely reduced budgets. 

The Coalition is asking for the public to support keeping the clinics funded.  The Coalition is collecting names and stories of people hurt by the cutbacks in clinic funding as part of The List Project.  Additionally, the Coalition is asking people to send postcards to Gov. Schwarzenegger with details about how clinic cuts will hurt them, their children, and their neighbors. The postcards are available thru the Coalition offices. 

Orange County is the second most populous county in the state and one of the largest counties in the United States without a public hospital or a primary care public health system.  The Coalition of Orange County Community Clinics is a group of 19 clinics which provide a primary care safety net for the over 600,000 uninsured residents of Orange County.  

 Clinic clients, clinic staff and advocates were on the panel. Three clients, Curtis Crock, helped by Letsonnac Free Clinic in Orange, Alondra Campos helped by Latino Health Access and Ninh Nguyen helped by VNCOC Asian Health Center, told how they were not able to get health care before finding the clinics.

•  Curtis Crock, who has worked all his life for employers who sponsored health insurance, found himself out of work and uninsured.  His wife was recovering from cancer and needed continuing treatments.  Curtis has a cardiac condition which requires regular care.  Curtis went to Lestonnac Free Clinic in Orange, which is able to offer specialty care.  His wife was able to obtain care from Share Our Selves in Costa Mesa.  Curtis felt frustrated by the system because he had always been employed, at a good job, with medical benefits until recently.  "People find themselves without the resources to receive health care," is how Curtis summed it up.  He added, "It's startling to see the number of people at the Inglewood clinic", referring to the recent clinic in Inglewood by Remote Area Medical (RAM).
• Alondra Campos, a client of Latino Health Access, is a young vibrant woman who is slowly going blind from complications of juvenile diabetes.  If Alondra had been born into a family living in an Orange County gated community, losing her sight due to diabetes would never be an issue.  Alondra has not been able to get reliable and consistent care for her diabetes because she does not have insurance.  Her history of getting what care she could get has been heart breaking.  At a time when she was able to pull together enough money for a doctor visit, that doctor gave her hormones and steroids instead of actually treating her diabetes.  When a telemarketer called and promised her insurance that would cover her condition, she sent in the money and never received the promised level of coverage, only more statements for premiums.  Finally, Alondra went to Latino Health Access, who is working with her on managing her diabetes and saving her sight.  Alondra has been diagnosed with a detached retina and cataracts, something that is rarely seen in a young woman like her.  Latino Health Access has her scheduled for eye surgeries.  She describes her remaining vision as being only as far as her arms can reach.  "Eight months without seeing my mother, eight months without seeing my family, eight months without seeing anything," is how Alondra describes her life now.  She added, "Are we going to let some one else lose their vision because they don't qualify for insurance, because they're too high risk?"
• Ninh Nguyen, a client of VCNOC Asian Health Center, and a recent immigrant from VietNam, spoke of his frustrations in getting care.  Ninh first lived in Nevada after he immigrated and said, "Health care in Nevada is very hard,"  in describing the language, access and affordability problems he faced.  He then moved to Orange County to join the large Vietnamese community.  Once in Orange County, Ninh still had trouble getting care because he did not know how to find the right doctors or find ways to pay for care.  VCNOC Asian Health Center helped Ninh access MediCal and find doctors who can care for his needs.