News

The Ladera Rancho Chamber of Commerce had the pleasure of following the marvelous journey water takes en route to Orange County – and what an amazing journey it is! The trip was hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County and Director Larry McKenney over the course of three days from November 15^th – 17^th. (Did you know you may be drinking water from Wyoming when you open your tap?).

We had the opportunity to view many of the infrastructure elements that have essentially enabled humans to settle, populate and grow the economic powerhouses of Las Vegas, San Diego, the IE and Orange County. None would be possible without the ability to store water and then to distribute that water in very complicated ways.

We picked up the journey at the Hoover Dam (did you know its name was changed?), a true engineering marvel, particularly when you consider it was built almost 100 years ago during the depression. But that’s only part of the story because water then travels through several other dams, including Parker Dam that provides half of the hydroelectricity necessary to lift the water to the aqueduct. From there, water snakes through another 242 miles and terminates at Lake Mathews, where it is purified and sent to our houses!

Places viewed: Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Gene Camp, Copper Basin, Parker Dam, Whitsett Pumping Plant, Lake Havasu, Palo Verde Irrigation District, HayDay Farms, Patton Museum

Thirty representatives from organizations all over the state participated, coming from as far away as Westlands Water District in Fresno – it was a great group and everyone was eager to learn and collaborate!

Some of our take-aways from the trip:

1. The storage of water is THE element that enables us all to live where we do.
   
2. Most people have no idea of the Herculean effort it takes to bring high quality drinking water to their taps - but it is important to have some understanding.
   
3. Population growth and climate change pose significant challenges to the continued sustainability of the system.
   
4. The way water is distributed to stake holders throughout the system is complex and requires more legalese than we have (did you know that the doctrine of Prior Appropriation regulates water rights in the West?).
   
5. Adding to water supplies in the future will be different than in the past and will have to include more conservation efforts, storage and greater water reclamation. 
   
6. The availability of water is directly tied to Economic Growth.
   
7. We only drink 1% of the water that is delivered to our homes. (did you know that tap water is higher regulated than bottled water and usually better quality?).

Caltrans Begins Environmental Review Phase of the South County Traffic Relief Effort

Caltrans, in coordination with the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), is initiating the formal environmental review phase for the South County Traffic Relief Effort (SCTRE).

The state transportation agency is seeking public engagement and input on developing mobility solutions in South Orange County by holding two public scoping meetings along with a 30-day public comment period beginning November 8 and concluding December 9 at 5:00 p.m.

“Public feedback will be an important element in the decision-making process as the alternatives are studied in more detail,” said Caltrans District 12 Director Ryan Chamberlain.

The public scoping meetings will be held Open House format with no formal presentation and attendees may arrive at any time during the event hours. Public comments will be accepted either verbally through a court-reporter or in writing.

The scoping meetings will be held as follows:

• November 20, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center located at 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, CA 92692.

• December 4, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Ocean Institute located at 24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629.

Public comments will be accepted at both meetings as well as online at: www.sctre.org and via email at scoping@sctre.org. 

Comments can also be mailed to the following address: Caltrans District 12, 1750 East 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705, Attn: Env/SCTRE Scoping. Click here to read Caltrans’ official Public Notice. Questions about the process can also be sent to Jeff Bott at TCA – jbott@thetollroads.com or 949-754-3458

Friday is Trick or Treat in Mercantile West! This is always a fun dress rehearsal event if your kids can't wait until the 31st to wear their costumes :-)

There will be a photo booth, a DJ to entertain families, live music, costumed Toy Story characters, a bounce house, face painters, balloon artists, special giveaways and more!

The event will offer a wide variety of awesome candy including chocolate candy bars and other sweet treats, as well as a plethora of non-candy items including toys and fun knick-knacks for kids of all ages in support of the Teal Pumpkin Project.

Sept 12, 2019 - In order to kick-off the Dana Point Harbor Revitalization Project, 5th District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett and the Dana Point Harbor Historical Society plan to bury a time capsule on Monday, October 28th in the staging area next to El Torito in the Harbor. 

As a sponsor, your business has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of history! 

For more information, contact Community Relations Advisor, Sergio Prince, at (714) 834-3550 or sergio.prince@ocgov.com.

Celebrate the the rich history of the Harbor and the surrounding areas!

National Night Out is going to be so FUN tomorrow in Ladera! As part of the event, The Red Cross is going to be on hand and is asking our community to help out since there is currently a shortage of blood. 

You can make an appointment through the end of Monday or just show up and walk-in tomorrow. 

Don't forget to eat well, drink plenty of water and bring your photo ID!

It's just a tiny bit of blood - you won't miss it! :-)

Ladera's own Sloth and Turtle will be on hand promoting the S.L.O.W. your Roll Ladera safety campaign at Night Out this coming Tuesday. It is always a fun event in Ladera!

Beginning this month, The Toll Roads of Orange County are mailing 15,000 new sticker transponders per weekday to FasTrak® accountholders to replace the hard-case transponders currently in use. The new transparent, bandage-size transponder is free and adheres to the inside of a windshield to collect tolls.

Communication began in April, notifying more than 650,000 FasTrak accountholders of the approaching introduction of sticker transponders by sending an informational postcard and issuing new license agreements. Customers will receive one sticker transponder for each vehicle listed on the account.

Equipped with state-mandated technology, the new sticker transponder works on all California’s toll bridges, lanes and roads and may eventually be used nationwide. The Toll Roads are the first tolling agency in the state to make the transition to sticker transponders and allows The Toll Roads to simplify payment options for its more than 1.5 million accountholders.

FasTrak customers continue to pay tolls automatically from a pre-established, prepaid account. And beginning in October 2019, FasTrak customers can choose to “Pay as You Go” and have tolls charged to a credit card as they are incurred. Starting July 1, The Toll Roads are also eliminating TCA’s monthly account maintenance fee for FasTrak accounts – a potential average savings of nearly $50 per year.