Catching Up With Cottie - 06/18

Welcome to "Catching Up With Cottie" - a weekly update about what I am working on as your representative in the California State Assembly.

For over 40 years, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County has been a pillar of support in our community. This weekend, at Irvine's Harvest Solution Farm, I had the honor of recognizing Second Harvest as the 73rd Assembly District's "2024 Nonprofit of the Year" for its longstanding commitment to combatting local food and nutrition insecurity.

Each week, Second Harvest staff and volunteers pick 50,000-60,000 pounds of produce at Harvest Solutions Farm for distribution through the food bank. Since April 2023, I have hosted regular volunteer events at the Farm, and on Saturday, at least 120 volunteers joined me to harvest more than 20,000 pounds of cabbage. THANK YOU to all who volunteered with me this weekend, and stay tuned for future volunteer opportunities! Click here to read more about the weekend's success!

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I am committed to addressing the issues that are important to you. As always, if there is anything that my team or I can do to assist you with a local or state issue, if you have questions or concerns about what I am working on, or anything in between, please contact my office. My team and I are here to help!

Yours faithfully,


Cottie Petrie-Norris
California State Assemblywoman

This week at the Capitol, I stood in solidarity with domestic violence survivors alongside my Senate and Assembly colleagues. Domestic violence is an issue that affects countless Californians, and current laws are insufficient to fully address the problem. We are committed to strengthening our efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and ensure the safety of our families and communities.

The California Independent Systems Operator (CAISO) is the entity charged with overseeing California's wholesale electric grid, including transmission planning and demand modeling.

On Wednesday, I toured the facility's headquarters and discussed with President Elliot Mainzer CAISO's insights into the state's grid system, including real-time power usage, the share of renewables powering the grid, and day-ahead prices – which the public can access in real-time on their downloadable app, "ISO Today" (available here). Issues of grid reliability, regionalization, reforms to interconnection, and anticipated load growth in the state remain top of mind for me, and I look forward to continued partnership with CAISO on these matters.

I concluded a very busy week with a special celebration for my husband, Colin, alongside our boys. I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day, surrounded by the ones you love, and took the time to honor and celebrate the amazing fathers, husbands, brothers, and other father figures in your lives. Here's to appreciating the incredible men who make our families strong and our lives richer!

In the district, Team Cottie was thrilled to join the City of Irvine at the Wall of Recognition induction ceremony to recognize the honorees' incredible contributions to our communities. Your dedication and commitment to making our community a better place inspire us all. Thank you for your exceptional efforts!

Congratulations to Dina Hendrickson on your well-deserved retirement after many years of service in public education. Thank you for your dedication to improving the lives of students, families, and faculty in the Tustin Unified School District. You have set a true example for future employees to come!

Team Cottie joined the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network to celebrate FACECO's on the grand opening in Costa Mesa! Wishing you continued success and lasting connections within the Costa Mesa community.

If you are considering opening a small business, SBDC offer no-cost consulting, wide variety of workshops, training programs, and network-wide access to resources needed to succeed.

The team also joined another grand opening in Costa Mesa for Chicky Chicky Boutique. Wishing you immense success, growth, and prosperity in your new location!

RESOURCES

Struggling with your student loans? Get access to free counseling, legal aid, case management, and online support to relieve the stress of student loan debt through the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

Adults and children of all swimming abilities are invited to participate in Irvine's largest group swim lesson at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, in an effort to raise awareness for drowning prevention. Arrive at 5:30 p.m. for check-in with lessons starting at 6 p.m., then stay for recreation swim that includes a water slide, giant inflatable, diving boards, and activities. At dusk, Trolls Band Together plays on the big screen. Lifeguards will be on duty.

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 22 - Tustin Household Waste & Shredding Event

Do you have bulky household items you need to throw away or important documents to shred? Bring your household waste and documents to Columbus Tustin Park on Saturday, June 22, from 8-11 a.m.

June 21 to 32 - Irvine Greek Fest

The Irvine Greek Festival is taking place on June 21, 22, & 23, 2024 at Saint Paul's Greek Orthodox Church. The festival evokes the sights, sounds and tastes that define the traditional Greek way of life. Enjoy the hospitality of the St Paul's community and experience the simple pleasures of life in a Greek village.

June 24 to 25 - Car Seat Safety Check-Up

In partnership with the California Highway Patrol, we are hosting FREE car seat safety check-up events on Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Free Chapel in Irvine.

July 8 - August 2 - Eureka! Girls Summer Camp

Calling all Strong, Smart, and Bold students! Join Girls Inc. for a summer filled with STEM and life-skills activities, guest speakers, and weekly field trips! At Eureka! students gain the skills to fuel themselves today, tomorrow, and in the future. Be a part of a fun-filled summer!