Candy, costumes, and trick-or-treating make Halloween a fun opportunity for families to spend time together and celebrate! Here are some tips from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to make sure your trick-or-treating experience is safe and successful:

• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Go with your children to the door of every home you visit. Never let your children enter a stranger’s home without permission. Only approach homes with lit porch lights, or ones that clearly are inviting trick-or-treaters.
• When driving, remember that costumes can limit children’s visibility and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and choose bright colored costumes to improve visibility.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights in order to see better, as well as to be seen by drivers.
• Avoid using Halloween decorations with real flames. Instead, use battery-operated lights to illuminate your jack-o-lanterns. If you must use actual candles, never leave them unattended and keep them away from curtains.

Keeping these tips in mind and using common sense when celebrating can help ensure your family has a great time while staying safe. Happy Halloween!

Last week, Chairman Andrew Do and OC Public Works unveiled the newly installed lights lining the Santa Ana Gardens Bikeway. These fixtures will provide added security to children and families who choose to utilize the trial after dark.

Two years ago, Chairman Do opened the bikeway along Jerome Park connecting McFadden and Monte Vista allowing a safe way for children and families to go to and from school and park; while also promoting active lifestyles for people to walk and bike.

The unveiling ceremony included the announcement of future planned improvements, which will extend the current trail all the way from McFadden to First Street. Families in attendance enjoyed Halloween giveaways and rode their bikes down the newly lit path.

For more information on this and other bike paths in Orange County, please visit the OC Public Works site here.

Are you and your loved ones ready for flu season?

Come out to our final flu shot clinic of the year this Friday, November 2 at the Orange County Community Service Center, 15496 Magnolia St. Ste. 111, Westminster, CA 92683. FREE flu shots will be administered from 9AM to 12PM.

The flu or influenza is a serious illness. It is more than just a runny nose and sore throat. The flu can make you very sick and cause you to go to the hospital or even lead to death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get the flu vaccine (flu shot). You can protect yourself and those around you by getting a flu shot.

Public health nurses from the OC Health Care Agency will be administering FREE flu shots on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last. If you or anyone you know has not received their flu shot yet this year, this is a convenient opportunity to get it done.

See the flyer for more details. For questions, please call Chairman Andrew Do’s office at (714) 834-3110.

Last week, Chairman Andrew Do recognized Robert Acker, a member of OC Public Works Custodial Services, for his 50 years of service to the County of Orange.

Robert was hired on October 23, 1968, and retired on October 25, 2018. When Robert was hired, the County had 7,000 employees, now there are over 18,000. It is safe to say Robert has witnessed plenty of change and growth in Orange County.

Robert has been a selfless public servant, never seeking recognition for himself while performing his work behind the scenes, and consistently demonstrating his devotion to the people of Orange County throughout his long-standing career.

The people of Orange County are fortunate to have been served by an individual of the caliber of Robert Acker. We wish Robert a happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement!

Are you an Anaheim Ducks fan and have some stuff you need to get rid of? If so, you can do your part for America Recycles Day at the OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) 2018 Eco Challenge Day Collection Event on Saturday, November 10, 2018, 8 to 11 a.m., in the Honda Center parking lot.

You are encouraged to take advantage of free, certified paper shredding, or donate e-waste, gently-used clothing and household goods. This year, patrons can also donate gently used pet items for OC Animal Care.

Stop by the Family Fun Zone for educational activity booths, a roller hockey zone, hang with the Ducks Street Team or get a chance to win Anaheim Ducks tickets, autographed Ducks memorabilia or tickets to Discovery Cube OC.

What You Can Bring:

E-Waste is any electronic equipment. Examples include computers, CPUs, laptops, home-use photocopiers and printers, cell phones, digital cameras, televisions (CRTs and flat screens), VCRs, video game consoles and associated devices. More information can be found here.

Documents for Shredding: Any document that has personal information such as name, address, phone number, social security number, family information and personal records should be shredded.  Please do not bring any non-classified or documents free of sensitive information to the collection event.

Gently-Used Clothing and Household Goods:  Any household items in good condition with all parts and pieces.  Any clothing that is free of rips and stains.

Gently-Used Animal Care Products: 

Small pet beds
Blankets
Towels
Pillow cases
Newspapers
Toilet paper tubes
*No pet toys please

Household Hazardous Waste will not be collected at this event.  Please visit oclandfills.com/hazardous for information on hazardous waste disposal.

For more information regarding the Eco Challenge Collection Event, visit oclandfills.com and follow @OCWaste and @OCEcoChallenge for updates.