Santa Ana, Calif. (May 25, 2022) –Yesterday the Board of Supervisors voted to appoint Charlene Reynolds as the Director of John Wayne Airport.

“After conducting a wide recruitment, we’re pleased to welcome Ms. Reynolds as the new director of the Orange County airport,” said Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “Her passion and commitment to aviation services will help us continue to elevate our passenger experience.”

An executive with over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors, Charlene Reynolds is currently the Chief Commercial Officer with the Houston Airport System.

“John Wayne Airport is vital to Orange County’s economic growth and development, and I look forward to seeing JWA prosper with Ms. Reynolds at the helm,” said Vice Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Third District. “Her extensive aviation experience, plus her years of work in the public sector, will be valuable for the future of our community airport.”

Previously Ms. Reynolds worked for the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, serving as the Assistant Aviation Director and as the Interim Aviation Services Director.

“Orange County residents understand the quality of service and optimum travel experience that John Wayne Airport provides its patrons,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, First District. “Ms. Reynolds’ expertise in the aviation industry is a great addition to the John Wayne Airport team. I wish her great success as she takes on her new role as Airport Director.”

Ms. Reynolds worked for the City of Phoenix for 15 years, holding the positions of Deputy Aviation Director, Deputy Street Transportation Director and Management Assistant II.

“For the last year, I’ve served as the district representative for the airport, and recently as a member of the hiring committee,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley. “Improving the quality of both internal and external community operations remain my priority. Ms. Reynolds impressed me with her earnest responses, hard work ethic, emphasis on collaborations with stakeholders, and breadth of knowledge on environmental and sustainable practices to clean up the airport and its impacts.” 

Ms. Reynolds earned a bachelor's degree in Management from the University of Phoenix and has a Master’s in Business Administration from the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University.

“Given Ms. Reynold’s many years of experience in the public and private sector, I am confident she will ensure our award-winning airport continues to be amongst the finest in nation,” said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, whose fifth district is home to John Wayne Airport.”

Ms. Reynolds previously served as the President of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators – Phoenix Chapter and was named a “Great 48” in 2020 by Phoenix Magazine. She was a Celebration of Women Honoree in 2018 and received the 2015 Jerome E. Miller Award from the City of Phoenix in 2015.

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LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. (May 20, 2022) – When we hear about senseless acts of violence such as the ones that took place in Dallas, Houston, and Buffalo, our hearts hurt and feel for the lives that were lost and affected. It is another thing entirely when we hear that it’s happened in our own backyard – it becomes more nuanced and real. On Sunday morning, the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods became a target of hate, and the impact of this shooting has reverberated throughout the County specifically in the senior Taiwanese American community. Hate activity in Orange County has steadily been on the rise nationally and locally. In Orange County, there has been an overall 42% increase in hate crimes since 2014. The Orange County 2020 Hate Crimes report indicated an 1800% increase in incidents motivated by anti-Asian hate. These increases span the racial/ethnic, religious, gender, sexual orientation, and other forms of violent hate.

“We all have a responsibility to stop hate in its tracks,” said Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District Supervisor. “When we witness hate, we must call it out and put an end to it.”

“Our places of worship are a sanctuary and should be free of hate,” said Vice Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Third District Supervisor. "The acts of heroism by innocent bystanders will always be remembered, especially hero Dr. John Cheng, who tragically lost his life while defending his fellows."

“Hate crimes and discrimination in any form cause long-lasting injuries on victims and the community at large,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, First District. “And we must denounce it loudly and stand resolutely against it at every turn. No less than our children’s future demands that we do this.”

“We will not tolerate hate in our places of worship, schools, or in our community spaces. We must root it out of Orange County and take bold stands against hate in every corner of this country,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley, Second District.

“I am thankful for our first responders who serve without hesitation to protect us during these violent acts,” said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District. “I am committed to working with the community and the Human Relations Commission to free us from these incidents of hate and fear.”

The Human Relations Commission (“Commission”) offers its condolences to the parishioners of the Geneva Presbyterian Church, the Taiwanese community, and all of those who have been impacted by this tragic hate crime. We remain steadfast in our mission to eliminate the causes of discrimination, intolerance, and hate. We are committed to bringing support to those in need, creating safe spaces for healing, and leading the conversations on reimagining the ways we fight hate as a community.

It is time that we show up in solidarity with our Taiwanese American neighbors and prove that Orange County will not tolerate hate. The Commission remains committed to the difficult work of promoting respect, diversity, and equity. If you have been a victim or know someone who has been a victim of a hate crime or hate incident, please call your local law enforcement agency. Additional ways to report, call our confidential hotline at 714-480-6580 or report via our online portal at https://www.ochumanrelations.org/hatecrime/report/.

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Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen is proud to announce the grand opening of the expanded South County Branch Office in Laguna Hills on May 25, 2022. The office of the Clerk-Recorder will be conducting a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. in the Laguna Hills Civic Center located at 24031 El Toro Road, Suite 160, in Laguna Hills. Several civic leaders plan to attend, and the public is invited.

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(Santa Ana, CA) – The Orange County (OC) Equity Map, a public-private partnership between AdvanceOC, the Orange County Board of Supervisors (Board), and the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is recognized by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) with a Sustainability Award in the category of Equity.

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ORANGE COUNTY, CA (May 11, 2022) – OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) receives $3 million from CalRecycle, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. The grant award will enable OCWR to expand composting operations at the Frank R. Bowerman (FRB) Landfill in Irvine.

"OCWR is developing composting operations co-located at each of the County's landfills to meet statewide organic materials recycling and climate change mandates,” said Tom Koutroulis, director, OC Waste & Recycling. “This funding will assist in the build out of current infrastructure providing regional organic waste management solutions that are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to recycle organic waste from disposal."

OCWR will utilize the funds, approved by Orange County Board of Supervisors on March 22, 2022, to enlarge the Bee Canyon Greenery (BCG) located at FRB from 18 acres to 30 acres, increasing the amount of processed green material and processed agricultural material to a maximum of 437 tons per day.

BCG creates quality compost from green waste collected from residential homes across Orange County, including yard trimmings and organic waste. By composting, residents help reduce greenhouse gasses and conserves landfill capacity. The use of compost creates healthy soils by providing nutrients for plant growth as well as improves water retention and quality.

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, 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. Learn more by visiting the OCWR website at www.OCLandfills.com.

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Santa Ana, Calif. (May 11, 2022) – Today the County of Orange released the results of the 2022 Point In Time Count.

“The data collected during this year’s Point in Time Count while comparing the data from the 2019 Point in Time Count provides valuable information that the County and our community stakeholders have used and will continue to use to ensure resources are distributed to best serve those experiencing homelessness,” said Chairman Doug Chaffee, Fourth District. “We are cautiously optimistic that data that we’re seeing throughout the County with this year’s Count is making a positive impact.”

A total of 5,718 persons experiencing homelessness where counted through the 2022 Point In Time Count effort. Of those, 2,661 persons were sheltered while 3,057 persons were unsheltered. The 2022 Point In Time Count effort as possible through the support of community partners and volunteers. Close to 1,000 volunteer shifts where filled to ensuring the thorough canvassing of Orange County.

“The County of Orange is forever grateful for the hard work of all the volunteers who helped provide a more accurate snapshot of where homeless individuals are in the County,” said Vice Chairman Donald P. Wagner, Second District. “While it is still too early to tell, we are encouraged by some positive trends we are seeing in this year’s numbers. We hope to see if these trends continue.”

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all Continuum of Care (CoC) jurisdictions across the nation complete a biennial unsheltered count and an annual sheltered count of all persons experiencing homelessness in the community on a single point in time during the last ten days of January. The Orange County CoC which covers the entire geographic area of Orange County is among several CoCs in California that were approved by HUD to reschedule the 2022 Point In Time to the last 10 days of February due to the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and in an effort to safeguard the health of volunteers and vulnerable persons experiencing homelessness.

“The increase in the number of homeless residents being sheltered, across all categories, including veterans, transitional aged youth, and seniors, is proof that the County’s regional SPA (Service Planning Areas) approach works,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, First District. “It creates a workable framework for cities to collaborate to address different needs within the homeless population in the region.”

The 2022 Point In Time Count collected participant-level information including sheltered and unsheltered, household compositions, subpopulations, and disabling conditions information, such as substance abuse issues, serious mental health issues and physical disability, amongst other demographic factors. The information collected through this process is self-reported and allows for a better understanding of the needs and challenges of people experiencing homelessness.

“Volunteering for the Point in Time Count was an incredibly rewarding experience and I’d like to thank all of those who took the time to volunteer for the Point in Time Count,” said Supervisor Katrina Foley, Second District. “The results confirm that we must prioritize permanent supportive housing, eliminate encampments, and more proactively address drug addiction. I’m committed to collaboration with my colleagues on the Board and at all levels of government to use this data to effectively prioritize resources to address the homelessness crisis.”

The County of Orange and Orange County CoC conducted the sheltered count the night of Monday, February 21, 2022. Over 100 Emergency Shelters and Transitional Housing Programs collected participant-level information for those staying the night in each program.

“My interest as a County Supervisor has always been on metrics and that’s why I am so interested in seeing the results from this year’s Point in Time Count,” said Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District. “It’s important for policy makers to take a snapshot in time to see how we’re doing and how we proceed moving forward. I am encouraged by the positive trends that are emerging and hope to see them continue.”

The 2022 Unsheltered Count process took place over three days, from Tuesday, February 22 through Thursday, February 24, to ensure the 800 square mile Orange County jurisdiction was canvassed effectively. The 2022 Point in Time Count replicated the methodology utilized during the 2019 Point In Time Count and incorporated the use of a unique identified formulated through various data points collected to deduplicate records for the three-day street count process. The 2022 Point in Time survey data was collected with Survey 123, a phone application, that captures GIS locations and provides vital information that guides the way the County responds to homelessness in Orange County. The 2022 Point In Time Counts provides opportunity for the County to compare the results to the 2019 Point In Time Count and provides the most accurate data comparison on the scope of homelessness in Orange County.

A link to the County’s press conference may be found by clicking here. To see the report referenced in the press conference, go to ​bit.ly/2022PITOC.

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(Santa Ana, CA) – In response to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalization trends throughout the U.S., combined with easing public health restrictions for travel and upcoming holidays leading to larger gatherings, the OC Health Care Agency strongly advises Orange County residents and visitors to take preventative measures to reduce their risk of getting sick or hospitalized from COVID-19, including testing, masking, and getting vaccinated.

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ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (May 3, 2022) – In celebration of libraries, comic books, cosplay, animation and more, OC Public Libraries will be hosting 2022 Comic Orange on May 7, 2022, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Tustin Library. The in-person event is free for all ages and will be filled with family-friendly activities including panels, cosplay, crafts, and games. The event will be highlighted by a keynote presentation on culture and comics by Javier Hernandez, writer and artist behind El Muerto, The Coma, and other titles. 

All month long in May, OC Public Libraries will host virtual author talks, Charlie Cart food literacy demonstrations, special storytimes, and activity kits available for download at ocpl.org/comicorange. Limited edition “Traveling Rita” library cards will also be available at all branches in May, while supplies last.

Virtual events throughout May include a boba and furikake snack mix food literacy demonstration for teens; virtual author talks with Kayla Miller (author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Click graphic novel series), Brian Kesinger (illustrator, author and animator who has worked at Walt Disney Studios), and Shannon Watters (co-creator and co-writer of the New York Times bestselling comic book series Lumberjanes); and more. 

Tustin Library is located at 345 E. Main Street, Tustin, CA 92780. 

OC Public Libraries Comic Orange Events: 

Date: May 5 at 4 p.m. 
Event: Virtual Boba and Furikake Food Literacy Demonstration with OCPL Teen Committee 

Date: May 7 at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 
Event: In-Person Comic Orange Event at the Tustin Library 

Date: May 14 at 1 p.m.
Event: Virtual Author Talk with Kayla Miller 

Date: May 19 at 4 p.m. 
Event: Virtual Teen Book Club 

Date: May 21 at 11 a.m. 
Event: Virtual Storytime 

Date: May 21 at 1 p.m. 
Event: Virtual Author Talk with Brian Kesinger 

Date: May 28 at 11 a.m. 
Event: Virtual Storytime 

Date: May 28 at 1 p.m. 
Event: Virtual Author Talk with Shannon Watters 

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About OC Public Libraries 

OC Public Libraries is a network of community libraries in your neighborhood or as near as your computer. With 32 branches as well as an outlet in the Orangewood Children's Home, OC Public Libraries provides a variety of services to residents throughout the County of Orange. Some of the branches are operated within the jurisdiction of the county's 33 cities and some within the county's unincorporated area. For more information, visit www.ocpl.org or follow OC Public Libraries on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube. 

EBT Cardholders Urged to Exercise Care if Asked for Personal Information

Orange County, Calif. (April 29, 2022) — The County of Orange Social Services Agency (SSA) is warning clients who possess an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to be on the lookout for potential scammers trying to obtain confidential client information in order to commit fraud through fake websites.

EBT cardholders should be aware their accounts can only be accessed and viewed at www.ebt.ca.gov/cardholder. Counterfeit websites that look similar to the state’s EBT website attempt to obtain personal information, including but not limited to an EBT card number and/or personal identification number (PIN), Social Security number, bank information and/or date of birth. Please be advised this information may be used to withdraw funds from recipient accounts.

Clients are advised NOT to give out their personal information. Please remember that SSA will never ask for your personal information in a text message or via email.

If you are unsure if a request for information is legitimate, please contact the SSA call center to confirm the request at (800) 281-9799 or contact your assigned case worker if you have one.

If you have provided your personal information through text message, email or other suspicious means, it is recommended you change your PIN and report your EBT card as lost or stolen by calling:

• The state’s EBT Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (877) 328-9677, or
• The SSA call center from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays.

You may also wish to file a report with your local police department.

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SANTA ANA, Calif. - Airline passenger traffic at John Wayne Airport increased in March 2022 as compared to March 2021. In March 2022, the Airport served 916,767 passengers, an increase of 137.9% when compared with the March 2021 passenger traffic count of 385,396.

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