Sweet puppy now available for adoption
An adorable 2-month-old puppy named Blake is now available for adoption at the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center. Sweet and cuddly, Blake is the cutest pup you’ll meet.
Folks interested in adopting him should submit an application ASAP to the center at 28095 Hillcrest. This little bundle of joy will surely go fast.
For more information, call 949-470-3045.
With extremely hot weather forecasted for the next few days, the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is urging animal owners to remember that heat affects our pets too. Animals have higher body temperatures than we do and less ability to cool down. Humans are covered with sweat glands, but our pets’ sweat glands are confined to their nose, mouth and pads of the feet. An over-heating dog, for example, can only regulate its own body temperature through panting, which is not terribly effective in extremely hot weather.
You can take precautions to keep your pet safe during this heat wave:
NEVER, under any circumstance, leave an animal in a parked car. This is very dangerous, as the temperatures inside a car increase greatly in hot weather.
Always ensure your pet is kept in a well-ventilated area. It is not appropriate to house a pet in a garage or on a patio. Ideally, during a heat wave, your pet should be kept indoors in a temperature-controlled environment.
Be careful when walking your dog on hot pavement. Dogs’ paw pads can easily burn if they are forced to walk on a hot surface. Test the temperature of the pavement by placing your palm on it for one minute. If you can’t take the heat, neither can your dog.
Exercise your dog in the early morning or cool evening hours. Be extra careful with dogs that are brachyalphalic, such as pugs, bulldogs and boxers. These breeds have a tougher time breathing, since their noses are short.
If you notice that your pet is panting excessively, is extremely thirsty, has glazed eyes, or has bright red gums or a tongue, the animal may be overheating. In any of these cases, contact a veterinarian immediately. For more information, or if you are concerned about an animal that may be in distress, call 949-470-3045.
Community members are invited to enjoy a “BBQ, Beer and Country” bash on Friday, August 28 that will benefit members of the City’s adopted Headquarters Battalion of the First Marine Division from Camp Pendleton.
Hosted by the Mission Viejo Marines & Sailors Adoption Committee, the event is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center at 24932 Veterans Way.
Guests will enjoy a barbecue buffet by Outback Steakhouse, country music, line dancing and camaraderie.
Proceeds will benefit the committee, which provides year-round support to Mission Viejo’s adopted Marines and Sailors and their families. The committee sends weekly care packages to deployed troops, offsets the cost for entry-level Marines to attend the annual Marine Corps Ball, coordinates an annual “Day at Lake Mission Viejo” event, provides emergency monetary assistance to Marines and their families, hosts baby showers and gives gift baskets to expecting mothers and more.
The $25 fee includes the buffet and a beverage. Tickets are available at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center or by contacting Elaine Baker at 949-770-9758 or elaineb4@cox.net.
Community members are invited to an eye-opening presentation on September 28 designed to protect Mission Viejo’s youth from human trafficking – the fastest-growing crime in America.
The nonprofit Action Force Network is hosting the presentation from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way.
Through education and awareness campaigns, Action Force Network teaches young people to understand and recognize how sexual predators profile their victims and how to protect themselves.
The need is certainly there. Human trafficking happens every day in Orange County and local youth are at risk of falling victim to this crime. The average age of a trafficked victim is 12 to 14. Worldwide, human trafficking is a $32 billion-a-year industry, and California has the highest reported human trafficking cases in the country. Orange County is a hotbed for this crime. In fact, it has become such a problem here that the District Attorney’s Office formed the Human Exploitation and Trafficking – or HEAT – unit in 2013 to combat it.
Through a host of experts and people impacted by this crime, the September 28 presentation will cover the victim profile, recruiting tactics used by perpetrators, warning signs of a dangerous relationship, local statistics, safety practices and resources.
For more information and to register, call 949-829-3248 or visit http://www.actionforcenetwork.org.
Mission Viejo business and community members are invited to a dynamic 2-day conference this fall hosted by the U.S. Commercial Service and District Export Council of Southern California.
The conference dubbed “Discover Global Markets: Pacific Rim” takes place October 29-30 in Costa Mesa. It will feature information about what consumers are buying and how to sell to products throughout Asia and the Pacific region.
More than 20 commercial officers and specialists from U.S. embassies and consulates across the Pacific Rim will be on hand.
The conference is designed to provide people with a better understanding of the sophisticated consumer markets throughout the Pacific Rim region from Seoul to Santiago. For more information, visitwww.export.gov/DiscoverGlobalMarkets/PacRimConsumers.
The City Council will resume normal business meetings after a summer hiatus beginning Tuesday, August 25.
The meeting dates have been changed from Monday evenings to the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.
Meeting agendas are available the Friday before the Tuesday meetings at http://cityofmissionviejo.org/mvtv.
Council meetings are broadcast in Mission Viejo on Cox Channel 30 and AT&T Channel 99. Meetings are also streamed live on the City’s website and archived for viewing 24/7.
For more information, visit http://www.cityofmissionviejo.org.
The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) provided more than 300 free swim lessons for Orange County children and adults this summer thanks to a grant from the Firemen’s Fund.
The lessons took place through the Australian Swim School in Santa Ana. A special graduation ceremony is set for Tuesday.
The swim lessons are part of OCFA’s ongoing drowning prevention and community outreach efforts. The City of Mission Viejo partners with OCFA to host drowning prevention events throughout the year including the recent Water Safety Day at the Sierra Recreation Center in June. In an effort to create awareness, the City Council proclaimed May through September as Drowning Prevention and Awareness months. The City has also produced compelling television programming to show that such tragedies are preventable.
“Nearly all drowning death is preventable,” said swim school owner Johnny Johnson, who is vice chair of the Orange County Task Force on Drowning Prevention. “And while young children are especially at risk, it’s important to understand that drowning impacts all age groups, including older adults.”
The need for community outreach and education is there. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental injury and death in children under the age of five and the second leading cause of death in children under 14. It also happens with adults 50 and older.
Drowning prevention and water safety should be practiced year-round. Learn essential tips through OCFA’s ABCs of Water Safety here.
And the winner of Parks Make Life Better Photo Contest is…
Drum roll please … Facebook friends and residents near and far have selected the winning photos in the City’s Parks Make Life Better Photo Contest.
Voting began last week on nearly 50 submitted photos of faces, places and fun in Mission Viejo.
The contest ran through July as part of the City’s celebration of “Parks Make Life Better” month. Residents were asked to submit photos of their favorite Mission Viejo park, program or facility.
The winners, which have been announced on the City’s Facebook andInstagram pages, will receive family passes to the Recreation and Fitness Centers along with a Parks Make Life Better prize pack.
The first-place entry was taken at Melinda Park, with the second-place photo captured along the Oso Creek Trail. Two photos – snapped at Granada Park and Sergeant Matt Davis Park – tied for third place.
Check out the winners and all of the entries here.
Kelly Tokarski
Public Information Specialist
City of Mission Viejo
