Santa Ana, Calif. (August 26, 2025) – The County of Orange (County) has finalized the OC Cares: Master Plan for Aging (OC MPA), posted to the Board of Supervisors’ August 26, 2025 agenda. The OC MPA, is a comprehensive five-year plan, and represents the County’s collective commitment to ensuring that Orange County remains a vibrant, healthy, and fulfilling place for all residents to live, work, and thrive, especially as they age.

Statewide, the number of adults aged 60 and older is projected to increase from 16 percent in 2010 to 25 percent (10.8 million residents) by 2030. Orange County faces an even more pronounced demographic shift for adults 65 years and older. By 2060, its aging population is projected to be 36%, which will be higher than the projected state rate of 33%. 

The OC MPA was developed with collaboration among advisory committees, community partners and County staff. Additionally, as an awardee of a Local Aging and Disability Action Plan (LADAP) Grant. The funding supported the development process, including the Orange County Older Adults Needs Assessment which provides valuable insights from community members, caregivers and paid providers that informed the plan. 

Guided by California’s Master Plan for Aging and its Five Bold Goals, the OC MPA highlights current County programs and resources that service older adults and builds upon existing County infrastructure. The three priority initiatives designed to create meaningful, sustainable change at the local level are:

1. Housing Security: Expanding affordable, supportive, and accessible housing options to ensure older adults can age in place, while addressing financial instability and exploring innovative housing models.
2. Public Information & Resource Campaign: Creating a comprehensive information and resource campaign to connect older adults and caregivers with vital programs and services, leveraging tools such as OC Navigator and enhancing community resource fairs across all supervisorial districts.
3. Enhanced Care Coordination: Strengthening whole-person care by expanding Care Coordination data platforms, implementing data integration, reducing service barriers while ensuring efficient, tailored support for our vulnerable older adults.

The County will lead implementation of the OC MPA and is committed to ensuring coordination, progress monitoring, and sustained funding through our Strategic Financial Plan. This plan is more than a County initiative; it is a community-wide call to action, emphasizing the power of ongoing collaboration among public agencies, nonprofit partners, the private sector and the community at large

For more information, access to the plan and future updates, please visit: officeonaging.ocgov.com/master-plan-aging.

The Orange County Office on Aging provides a range of functions related to advocacy, planning, coordination, inter-agency linkages, information sharing, brokering, monitoring and evaluation to insure effective, comprehensive and coordinated community-based systems for older Americans. For more information about the Orange County Office on Aging, visit online at officeonaging.ocgov.com, call 714-480-6450, or email areaagencyonaging@occr.ocgov.com.

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Santa Ana, CA – The Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department has reached a major milestone by surpassing 11 million electronically recorded documents. This achievement highlights the department’s leadership in innovation and its commitment to providing secure, efficient, and convenient services for Orange County residents.

Orange County made history in 1997 by implementing the first electronic recording delivery system in the nation, forever changing how property documents are recorded. Today, 80% of all documents are recorded electronically in Orange County, making the process faster and more accessible for customers and industry partners.

“Reaching 11 million electronically recorded documents is a remarkable accomplishment,” said Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen. “Electronic recording not only saves time and resources but also provides enhanced security. Every authorized submitter must pass a Department of Justice background check and Live Scan fingerprinting before approval. This ensures that our system remains one of the most secure in the nation and plays an important role in protecting the public from fraud.”

Since 2008, Orange County has partnered with Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego Counties to operate the SECURE (Statewide Electronic Courier Universal Recording Environment) system, which allows title, escrow, financial, and government institutions to record property documents across multiple counties from a single screen. Today, SECURE has 3,444 authorized submitters, including Customers of Agents, Direct Submitters, Agents, and Government Submitters.

For more information about the services provided by the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department or its convenient locations, please visit OCRecorder.com or call (714) 834-2500.

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The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is aware of Associated Press, Wired and Los Angeles Times reporting that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may have direct access to Medicaid (Medi-Cal) data. We are still working with state authorities to confirm the extent, but based off the reporting, ICE may have access to a wide variety of personal data, from medical information to home addresses. Further, per multiple news outlets the purpose of this unprecedented access is to allow ICE to identify and locate non-U.S. citizens.

Our agency only uses client personal information to determine eligibility for benefits like Medi-Cal. That information is stored in a state-run database. Under federal oversight laws, California is required to provide some data to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The County of Orange was not involved in the decision to transfer any client data to the Department of Homeland Security or ICE. We caution clients that disenrolling from benefits will not retroactively remove their personal information from the state-run database.

We understand that this news may create fear or hesitation in seeking services, but our mission remains clear — to serve all members of our community with compassion, integrity and respect.

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(Santa Ana, CA) — The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is aware of recent reporting by multiple news outlets indicating that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may have direct access to Medicaid (Medi-Cal) data. This data could include a broad array of personally identifiable information. The HCA is actively engaging with state and federal partners to assess the scope of this issue and to understand any potential impact to patients under our care.

According to these reports, ICE’s access may extend to data such as personally identifiable information, medical information, and residential addresses. This access appears to be aimed at identifying and locating non-US citizens, which raises serious concerns about the privacy and security of protected health information entrusted to public health systems.

The HCA maintains a strong commitment to safeguarding protected health information and only accesses personal data to deliver essential medical, behavioral, and public health services. Under federal and state law, certain Medi-Cal data is submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The HCA and the County of Orange play no role in the federal government’s decisions regarding access by immigration enforcement agencies. Patients should be aware that disenrolling from Medi-Cal will not erase any previously submitted data from state or federal systems.

We recognize that this issue may cause fear or uncertainty among patients and families who are seeking care. We want to reassure our community that the HCA’s mission is rooted in providing equitable, respectful, and confidential care to all residents of Orange County. We remain firmly committed to protecting public trust and upholding the privacy rights of every person we serve.

 
ABOUT THE OC HEALTH CARE AGENCY
The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is a regional interdisciplinary health jurisdiction and an accredited health department, charged with protecting and promoting individual, family and community health through partnership and coordination of public and private sector resources. Visit www.ochealthinfo.com to learn more about services and resources.

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(SANTA ANA, CA) - Airline passenger traffic at John Wayne Airport increased in June 2025 as compared to June 2024. In June 2025, the Airport served 1,022,397 passengers, an increase of 6.1% when compared with the June 2024 passenger traffic count of 963,531.

Commercial aircraft operations in June 2025 of 8,230 increased 7.6% and commuter aircraft operations of 690 increased 56.8% when comparing with 2024 levels. 

Total aircraft operations increased in June 2025 as compared with the same month in 2024. In June 2025, there were 28,295 total aircraft operations (takeoffs and landings) a 13.7% increase compared to 24,878 total aircraft operations in June 2024.

General aviation activity of 19,364 accounted for 68.4% of the total aircraft operations during June 2025, and increased 15.5% compared with June 2024.

The top three airlines in June 2025 based on passenger count were Southwest Airlines (282,282), American Airlines (175,056), and United Airlines (162,407). 

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Ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction among Large Airports in the J.D. Power 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, John Wayne Airport (SNA) is owned by the County of Orange and is operated as a self-supporting enterprise that receives no general fund tax revenue. The Airport serves more than 11.3 million passengers annually and reaches more than 40 nonstop destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. More information can be found at www.ocair.com. Like us on facebook.com/johnwayneairport, or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @johnwayneair and Instagram @johnwayneair.

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The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) continues to monitor changes to how the federal government obtains our clients’ data. 

Per reports from CalMatters, NPR, KTLA and the LA Times, the state of California has sued to challenge the transfer of data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. SNAP — known as CalFresh in California — helps low-income families put food on their tables.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has demanded data be turned over by July 30, to include: 

• Social Security Numbers
• Dates of Birth
• Addresses
• Immigration statuses
• Purchase histories

While various outlets have reported that this unprecedent ask is another part of the federal government’s immigration enforcement efforts, regulations prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving CalFresh. Families with mixed immigration statuses, however, may receive benefits, e.g., an undocumented mother may apply for CalFresh on behalf of her child, who is an American citizen.

As with Medi-Cal, our agency only uses client personal information to determine eligibility for CalFresh, and that information is stored in a state-run database. Again, the County of Orange was not involved in the decision to transfer any client data and we caution clients that disenrolling from benefits will not retroactively remove their personal information from the state-run database.

We acknowledge that this new development could further discourage Orange County residents from applying for and using the benefits they are legally entitled to, which will not just affect our clients. Research shows that CalFresh/SNAP to be one of the most powerful anti-hunger programs, particularly benefiting young children, while injecting $1.54 into the economy for every $1 spent on benefits.

SSA remains committed to serving the most vulnerable in our community, creating a stronger Orange County through supports and services that develop self-sufficiency for our clients.

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One-Day, Drop-Off Helps Boaters Safely Dispose of Expired Marine Flares

Orange County, CA (July 30, 2025) – OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is hosting a one-day collection event for boaters and residents to dispose of marine flares free of charge. The drive-through event will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 16, at 24650 Dana Point Harbor in Dana Point. Unexploded, expired flares are considered explosives requiring special handling for disposal. Boat owners are encouraged to participate in this convenient public service event as part of their summer boating season checklist. 

Participants must transport expired flares in vehicle trunks. Upon arrival, staff will collect items directly from vehicles for safe disposal. A separate walk-up disposal area will be offered.

 “Responsible disposal of expired marine flares keeps hazardous waste out of our landfills and waterways, protecting sensitive coastal ecosystems,” said Tom Koutroulis, director, OC Waste & Recycling. “Marine flares are to be used in the case of an emergency, and we are proud to partner with our community to safeguard our coastlines to ensure proper disposal, so they don’t create an emergency,” he added. 

This is a marine flare disposal event only. Electronic flares, military flares, and any other hazardous waste such as paint, oil, e-waste, or batteries will not be accepted. For information on the proper disposal of household hazardous waste, visit OCLandfills.com/hazardous-waste. For general recycling questions, visit OCRecycleGuide.com. 

Event Details 

• Date: Saturday, August 16
• Time: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. 
• Location:  24650 Dana Point Harbor Dr. Dana Point, CA 
• Accepted items: Signal devices, including residential boater marine flares and smoke signals 
• Unaccepted items: No military grade flares or household waste will be accepted 

OC Healthcare Agency will be onsite, providing information on the free Bilge Pad Exchange program. Participants will receive a free boater kit coupon and a flare discount coupon courtesy of the Coastal Commission. For more information, including details on resource recovery and waste disposal, visit www.OCLandfills.com. 

About OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) 

OCWR serves the County’s solid waste disposal needs through resource recovery, operating public landfills, protecting the local environment, investing in renewable energy enterprises and promoting recycling to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. The department manages one of the nation's premier solid waste disposal systems and three composting greenery sites, all serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and its unincorporated areas. OCWR’s three active landfills reflect environmental engineering at its best. 

For more information on household hazardous waste disposal options and upcoming events, please visit our website at www.OCLandfill.com.

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SANTA ANA, Calif. (August 7, 2025) – The Orange County Veterans Service Office (VSO) is proud to share the early success of its mental health support program, funded by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Grant Program. Since launching on July 1, 2024, the VSO has connected more than 310 Veterans to mental health care, housing, legal aid, and other essential services. 

“We’re reaching people who might otherwise fall through the cracks, and it’s important we help guide them to care, services, and support.” said Chair Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor. 

The two-year, $300,000 grant funds a dedicated MHSA Case Manager/Navigator, who helps Veterans overcome barriers to access vital resources. 

“In just the first year, the Navigator referred 124 Veterans to mental health care, 51 to legal aid, and 21 to housing support,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley, Fifth District Supervisor. “We prioritize building trust with our Veterans and connecting them to the essential support they need. This kind of individualized care ensures no Orange County Veterans get left behind as they navigate life after service.”  

The program emphasizes outreach to underserved populations, including older adults, justice-involved Veterans, student Veterans, unhoused Veterans, at risk of homelessness, women Veterans, and Veterans who identify as LGBTQIA+. 

“By expanding access to legal and mental health referrals, we’re helping Veterans who may have felt overlooked or discouraged,” said First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen. “Outreach has also reached over 120 Veterans from communities that often face added stigma around mental health care, including Latino, African American, Asian, and Pacific Islander Veterans.”

In June 2025, the program earned national recognition with a National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award in the Human Services category. NACo honors counties demonstrating innovative public service strategies that addresses complex community challenges with efficiency, effectiveness, and engagement. 

“By working together with community partners, we’re providing services with dignity and respect, and helping more Veterans access the services they have earned, when they are needed most,” said Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento.

“This grant helps us break down barriers so Veterans can move forward with the support they need for a better quality of life,” added Third District Supervisor, Donald P. Wagner.

For more information about the MHSA Grant Program or services offered by the Orange County Veterans Service Office, visit veterans.ocgov.com or call (714) 480-6555. The VSO is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, and appointments are strongly encouraged at veterans.ocgov.com/schedule-an-appointment.

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OC Residents Safely Dispose of Expired Marine Flares – Free Drop-Off August 16

Do you have old or expired marine flares at home? Don’t toss them in the trash—dispose of them safely and legally at a free collection event hosted by OC Waste & Recycling on Saturday, August 16, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dana Point Harbor. This one-day, drive-through event offers all Orange County residents a convenient way to get rid of expired signal devices. Staff will collect items directly from your trunk—just load and go.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, August 16
Time: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Dana Point Harbor – 24650 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629
Drop-Off Details: Drive-through collection event – stay in your vehicle

✅ Accepted Items:

• Hand-held marine flares
• Aerial flares
• Smoke signals

🚫 Not Accepted:

• Military-grade or electronic flares
• Roadside emergency flares
• Household hazardous waste (paint, oil, e-waste)

Why It Matters

Marine flares contain hazardous materials and are considered explosives. They cannot be thrown away or recycled and must be handled with care. This event provides a safe, no-cost option to help protect your family, community, and the environment. Boat owners are encouraged to participate in this convenient public service event as part of their summer boating season checklist. 

OC Healthcare Agency will be onsite, providing information on the free Bilge Pad Exchange program.  US Coast Guard Auxiliary (Partner Dockwalkers) will hand out free CA Boater Kits, boating safety info, and E-flare discount coupons (while supplies last).

Santa Ana, Calif. (July 3, 2025) – National Association of Counties (NACo) awarded eight County of Orange departments with a collective total of 25 achievement awards on June 18, 2025 in recognition of various innovative county government programs.

NACO’s annual Achievement Awards spotlights counties that demonstrate forward-thinking approaches to complex challenges. This year, the County of Orange received recognition across 13 of NACo’s 18 program categories.

County of Orange department programs that received NACo Achievement Awards are as follows:

Children and Youth

• OC Waste & Recycling
  “How OCWR’s EcoChallenge Enhances Sustainability and Benefits Youth”

Civic Education and Public Information

• OC Child Support Services
  “Community Commitment: Summer Care Fair”
• OC Registrar of Voters
  “Pre-bunking Misinformation Through a Multifaceted Communications Approach”

Community and Economic Development

• OC Community Resources – OC Workforce and Economic Development Division
  “Pathways to Opportunity-Hiring Made Personal: Customized Employment Events”
• County Executive Office – Procurement
  “SoCal Procurement Alliance: Uniting Resources, Driving Results”

County Administration and Management

• OC Community Resources – OC Community Services
  “Automated Invoicing System”

County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy, and Sustainability

• OC Waste & Recycling
  “Driving Continual Safety Improvement Through Employee-Driven Safety Committees: Landfill Spotter Safety Training”
  “How OCWR's HHWCC Enhances Sustainability and Benefits Residents”
  “Transforming Waste into Resources: OCWR's Mattresses and Metal Recycling Program”

Health

• OC Health Care Agency
  “County of Orange (California) Behavioral Health Services Crisis Assessment Team”

Human Services

• OC Community Resources – OC Office on Aging
  “Intergenerational Activities Program – Connecting Older and Younger Generations”
• OC Community Resources – OC Veterans Service Office
  “Veteran Mental Health Outreach”

Information Technology

• OC Clerk-Recorder
  “CRBot: Orange County Clerk-Recorder’s Solution for 24/7 Instant Customer Support”
• County Executive Office – Information Technology
  “A Modernized Disposal Reporting System at Orange County Landfills”
  “Disaster Recovery Colocation”
  “Human Resource Services - Executive Dashboard”
• OC Health Care Agency – Orange County Emergency Medical Services
  “County of Orange (California) Emergency Medical Services Bi-Directional Data Exchange Project”
• OC Registrar of Voters
  “Tracking Vote Center Accessibility with GIS Tools”

Libraries

• OC Community Resources – OC Public Libraries
  “Nourishing Connections: How Food Literacy Fosters Stronger Communities”
  “Orange County Public Libraries Collection Redistribution Program”

Parks and Recreation

• OC Community Resources – OC Parks
  “Adventure Awaits at Saddleback, Gypsum Canyon and Red Rock Wilderness Areas”

Personnel Management, Employment and Training

• County Executive Office – Human Resource Services
  “OC Career Academy”

Risk and Emergency Management

• OC Registrar of Voters and OC Sheriff-Coroner
  “Law Enforcement Collaboration in Orange County’s Election Command Center”

Volunteers

• OC Community Resources – OC Parks
  “Volunteer Education and Engagement”
• OC Registrar of Voters
  “High School Student Volunteer Program - Engaging New & Emerging Voters in Elections”

Further descriptions of these award-winning programs are available on the NACo website: naco.org/page/achievement-awards.

About the County of Orange

The County of Orange is a regional service provider and planning agency whose core businesses include public safety, public health, environmental protection, regional planning, public assistance, social services and aviation. This includes 22 departments and over 17,000 employees serving with a commitment to make Orange County a safe, healthy, and fulfilling place to live, work, and play, today and for generations to come, by providing outstanding, cost-effective regional public services.

For more information about the County, visit ocgov.com.