Pacific Progressive

Call Vector Control and Tell Them No Private Pest Control Companies

 The Orange County Vector Control District (OCVCD) helps to control little critters who carry diseases.  (These animals are called "disease vectors" because they move the disease around, hence the name.)  If you have a problem with a dead bird and there is West Nile Virus in the area, you call Vector Control.  Same thing for a neighbor who won't take care of their pool which is now a mosquito farm - call Vector Control and they will work with the neighbor so you don't have to.

A plan is being considered to privatize rat control services. Currently, if you see rats around, Vector Control will come out and give you (for free!) traps and bait and show you how to properly use them. They will also help you find the openings the rodents are using to get into your house and show you how to close them off.

These services are paid by an assessment of about $6.98 per year per residence in the County.  Taxpayers are able to get a lot for their $6.98.

Now, some members of the Vector Control board want to let private extermination companies (Terminix, Orkin, Truly Nolen are some common names) provide the rat control services. The plan is to send the companies out on calls to homes to provide the rat control services to the home owners.  Then, the pest control company can then sell the homeowner services to control pests on the inside of the home.

Smell a rat?  Does turning Vector Control into a marketing company for private pest control companies sound like a bad deal to you?  Call and write your representative on the Vector Control District. Each of the 34 incorporated cities has a representative. If you live in the unincorporated areas, your rep is Supervisor John Moorlach.

The representatives for each area are listed.  If you have a relationship with them, please use that to tell them "No to Private Pest Control Companies."  You can also call, fax and write them at the Vector Control Board.  Sending faxes works very well because it creates a paper trail of who objects and carries more weight than an email.

Orange County Vector Control District (OCVCD), 13001 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843

Phone 714-971-2421 949-654-2421  Fax 714-971-3940

Aliso Viejo - Mayor Phillip B. Tsunoda 

$350,000 to Be Used for Memorial Instead of Infrastructure

Updated on Jan 13, 2010

Chair of the Board of Supervisors Janet Nguyen has made her first request - $350,000 to be given to the Vietnamese Community Culture and Performance Arts Society for the construction of a memorial in Roger Stanton Park in Midway City. 

The money approved for Roger Stanton Park on October 16, 2008 is for park improvements including "replacement of landscaping, tree removal and replacement, structural improvements, equipment replacement, and sidewalk repair and replacement."  The proposed memorial is none of those.

In September 2009, Supervisor Nguyen spent $7000 of taxpayer money when the Orange County Parks department held a private party for her supporters in Irvine Regional Park.  The event was called "Family Adventure Day".  The first thing Supervisor Nguyen did at the podium was to thank the people who got her in office and her campaign staff for their hard work. 

At a time when hundreds have been laid off by the County, thousands furloughed and services cut to painful levels, why is the County paying for $350,000 for this project in Roger Stanton Park?  The money is supposed to be used for infrastructure.

The item is number 24 in the Consent Calendar, which means the item is supposed to be moved without discussion. Items for discussion are put later in the agenda.  

Contact your Supervisor and ask them to vote this  project down.  Tell them to use the money as originally intended.

Update:  On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 the vote was 4-1 to support with Moorlach voting against the item.

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

405 Improvement Project - Your Input Needed - 4 Public Meetings

The San Diego Freeway (I-405) is one of the most congested freeways in Orange County, carrying more than 300,000 vehicle trips each day. It is projected that this number will increase to 370,000 daily trips by 2035. To accommodate the transportation demands and Orange County’s population growth, significant improvements to the I-405 are needed.  

Five alternatives are being considered for the San Diego Freeway. 

Choice 1 - No additional lanes or interchange improvements.

Choice 2 - Add one general purpose lane in each direction from Euclid Street to 605 interchange.  There will be some interchange improvements in the project area.

Choice 3 - Add two general purpose lanes in each direction Euclid Street to 605 interchange.

Choice 4 -  Express Facility Alternative - Add one toll lane to the existing carpool lane that will be managed together.  One general purpose lane in each direction north of Euclid Street to 605 will be added.

Choice 5 - Localized improvements - Add one general purpose lane at various locations and improves several interchanges between Euclid Street and the 605 interchange.

September 19 is Coastal and Inner-Coastal Watershed Clean-Up Day

Saturday, September 19, is the statewide Coastal Cleanup and the 13th Annual Inner Coastal and Watershed Cleanup Day. Many cities, agencies and organizations participate in this yearly event to build awareness of how trash and debris clog our local creeks, beaches, ponds and watersheds.

Local organizers for the event include the Ocean Conservancy and Trails4All.  Trails4All has a list of clean-up activities on the website.  Sign up thru your city or the OC Parks and Recreation department.

Local cities and areas participating in include Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Black Star Canyon, Brea, Buena Park, Canyon View Park,  Costa Mesa, Dana Paoint, Fullerton, Glenwood/Glenbrook Park,  Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Hill, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, La Habra, Lake Forest, La Palma,Long Beach, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, O'Neill Regional Park, Orange, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Silverado-Modjeska Canyon, Trabuco Canyon, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Yorba Regional Park.  

Keeping trash and litter out of the water makes the areas more user friendly and saves the lives of animals. Many animals die each year after consuming trash which they think is food. Take a few hours on Saturday, September 19 and help clean up Orange County beaches, creeks, parks, and canyons.

Innovative Waste Diversion Projects Funded

Landfills can only hold so much and that is all the landfill does - hold the garbage.  Many types of "garbage" can actually be reused or recycled.  Over $2.5 million for waste diversion programs to create composting, recycling and other opportunities to avoid putting more garbage in the landfill were funded through a recent grant from the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

City of San Clemente - Commercial Food Waste Diversion Program. Restaurants will Receive Bins and Weekly Collection. $400,000 

Mission Viejo - Commercial Food Waste Diversion Program. Process Organic Materials (Food) in Dehydration System. On-site System will Reduce Carbon Footprint - $400,000 

City of Cypress - Multi-Family Commercial Recycling Program $378,245 

City of Anaheim -  Multi-Family Commercial Recycling Program $234,238 

Westminster Winehouse Quach Wants to "Educate" About DUI Dangers

Westminster's Amy Winehouse, Andy Quach, needs to educate himself, not others about the dangers of drunk driving.  In an Orange County Register article, Andy Quach said, "This in no way changes my abilities to make decisions as a council member.  In fact, it makes me a better person.  I have an opportunity to be an advocate and educate people about the dangers of drinking and driving." 

Does Councilman Quach understand that, as a result of Orange City Councilman Steve Ambriz being killed in 2006 by DUI driver Sara Lyn Ward, that law regarding deaths caused by DUI's has been changed?  A fatal crash caused by a DUI is now second degree murder.  Councilman Quach, with all due respect, it's only a matter of time before you kill some one.  This time, you knocked down a wall and a power pole and your car caught on fire.  But next time, an innocent life can be taken by your drunken actions.

Second degree murder charges bring 15 to life in the state penitentiary.  Todd Spitzer, who was an Assemblyman at the time Steve Ambriz was killed,  wrote the law that changed penalties for fatal DUI's to second degree murder.  Ambriz had been on Spitzer's staff when Spitzer was a supervisor.  Spitzer felt it was the least he could do to help out Bridget and Kaitlyn, Steve's now fatherless family.

So, Councilman Quach, why don't you educate now Assistant District Attorney Todd Spitzer about how being drunk, crashing your car and catching your car on fire made you a better person?  He's probably ready to listen.

What Andy Quach Had to Do to Get an 0.26 Blood Alcohol Level

Apparently, hitting a blood alcohol number of 0.26 is not easy.  But Westminster City Councilman Andy Quach was able to get there.  Andy Quach is on his way to becoming the Amy Winehouse of the Westminster City Council.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) shows that a 150 lb person needs 3 drinks in 1 hour to be over 0.08.  Over 4 hrs, the 150 lb person would need to consume 5 drinks to be over the legal limit.  But 0.08 is nowhere near 0.26!  

Wisconsin's Department of Transportation Safety and Consumer Protection section has an online blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) calculator.  The calculator says if a 150 lb man consumes 10 drinks in an hour (that's one drink every 6 minutes, on average), the BAC will be 0.245.  Still didn't get to that 0.26!

Now we know it takes at least 10 drinks, consumed very fast in a short period of time, to get that drunk. If you're partying for a longer time, it's going to take a few more drinks.  

Healthy Horns, the University Health Services site for the University of Texas at Austin, gives a little more insight into the situation.  The site describes the effects of a BAC of 0.25% as "All mental, physical, and sensory functions are severely impaired. You're emotionally numb. There's an increased risk of asphyxiation of choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself by falling or other accidents."  

And, for some reason, Westminster City Councilman Andy Quach thought he could drive?  Was he driving to the Amy Winehouse awards?  

For his own health, and the health of everyone in Orange County who drives, Councilman Quach needs to resign to have time to go to residential rehab to get his problems worked out.  It's just a matter of time before Quach kills some one. He needs to get off the road and into rehab.  

Photo: Orange City Councilman Steve Ambriz with Miss Orange, taken in January 2006, about 5 months before he was killed by Sara Lyn Ward on Santiago Canyon Road.

Westminster Councilman Andy Quach with Winehouse-Worthy 0.26 Blood Alcohol Level

On August 2, 2009, a few minutes past midnight, Westminster City Councilman Andy Quach crashed his S550 Mercedes into another car, lost control, struck a cement wall leading into the backyard of several homes, and knocked down an electrical pole which caused 300 homes to lose power.  Police at the scene described Quach as "showing objective signs of intoxication including blood shot eyes, slow and slurred speech,and emitting a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and body.  The defendant is also accused on having unstable balance and performing field sobriety tests given by the police officer poorly." And the collision caused the engine of Andy's Mercedes to burst into flames.

Is Andy Quach on his way to becoming the Amy Winehouse of the Westminster City Council?

Westminster Councilman Quach needs time to go into residential rehabilitation to work out his problems.  He should resign from Westminster City Council so he has enough time to devote to his rehab.  

This accident is a warning - next time an innocent person can be killed.  A wife can become a widow and a toddler can lose their father, just like what happened to Steve Ambriz.  In May 2006, Steven Ambriz was killed on Santiago Canyon Road by Sara Lyn Ward, a DUI driver who crossed into his lane and hit him head on. Steve died in the gravel of the roadside of Santiago Canyon Road, surrounded by rescue workers and the barely recognizable Toyota he was driving.  

On August 2, Quach demolished a wall and a power pole.  Next time, he could kill some one.  Rehab, please!

About the photo: Steve Ambriz with Miss Orange.  The photo was taken January 2006, about 5 months before he was killed by a drunk driver.  

OC Stimulus Money Accounting - See to Believe

Many Orange County politicians at all levels made a big deal about their not wanting to take Obama's stimulus money.  The dislike for a helping hand really hurt Orange County because many municipalities, including the County, did not do everything they could do to help their residents.

A recent item in Supervisor Janet Nguyen's "Janet's Journal" (July 24, 2009)  attempts to make it look like OC's electeds actually worked to bring money back for their constituents. The claim is that Orange County received $200 million in stimulus money.

$122.8 million is the reduction of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) on Private Activity Bonds for the John Wayne Airport Improvement Project - If some one can tell me how the County gets this money as cash to spend to create jobs, please post and explain in detail.  The money saved on bond interest would go out, piecemeal, to individuals as savings on April tax returns when the bonds no longer qualify as taxable under AMT.   The finance department will say exempting these bonds from the AMT saves the County money and lowers debt cost, but that is not creating jobs, putting paychecks in pockets.

Also included in the claimed Stimulus money is either $12 million (Janet's Journal) or $14.2 million (FY 2009-10 Budget Workshop) for the Social Services Agency.  Again, the Stimulus money replaced County money, so there is no real job creation here, just using a different color of money.

For the real money that creates paychecks in pockets:

• $50 million for the Army Corps of Engineers projects in Orange County

The $50 million Army Corps of Engineers projects include $26.5 million for river bank improvements and $5.2 million for Santa Ana River, Carbon Canyon, Prado Dam, and Fullerton Dam maintenance.  Also include $17.3 million for environmental restoration and dredging of Upper Newport Bay.

$35M Bonds for Westminster Schools Ready for Approval

Item 29 on the Orange County Supervisors Agenda for July 14, 2009 http://cams.ocgov.com/Web_Publisher/agenda07_14_2009.htm  is the approval of the Westminster School District issuing $35M in bonds for school upgrades. The bonds were approved in November 2008.

Westminster School District has issued a list of proposed projects.  http://www.wsd.k12.ca.us/MeasureO/ORPL.pdf Schools on the list for improvements include Anderson Elementary, DeMille Elementary, Eastwood Elementary, Finley Elementary, Fryberger Elementary, Hayden Elementary, Land School, Meairs Elementary, Schmitt Elementary, Schroeder Elementary, Sequoia Elementary, Webber Elementary, Wilmore Elementary, Johnson Middle, Warner Middle, and Stacey/Clegg School.  

Projects include asbestos abatement, repairing or upgrading heating and cooling systems, repairing or replacing windows, repairing or replacing roofs, and other projects.  On one hand, the passing of this bond issue shows that the residents of the Westminster School District care enough to want to improve their schools.  On the other hand, the number of projects which are maintenance (fixing windows, roofs, heating/cooling systems) and asbestos abatement shows the neglect our schools are suffering.  If our schools were properly funded, these items would have been taken care of as needed in the yearly maintenance budgets and not have to wait for a bond issue.