Welcome to "Catching Up With Cottie" - a weekly update about what I am working on as your representative in the California State Assembly.
This week, I hosted a highly successful IgniteHer Girls Summit! With an incredible turnout of 150 enthusiastic girls, the event was a celebration of empowerment, inspiration, and growth. Attendees heard from inspiring speakers, including keynote speaker Sirisha Bandla, the Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations for Virgin Galactic and part of the Unity22 mission, Virgin Galactic's first fully crewed spaceflight.
The summit featured panel discussions and dynamic workshops designed to ignite the girls' passions and equip them with the tools to achieve their dreams.
The event was also a fantastic opportunity to express our gratitude to our event partner, Girls Inc. of Orange County, who are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year and to recognize their CEO, Lucy Santana, for her 25 years of dedicated leadership with Girls Inc.
A big thanks also goes out to Orange Coast College, all of our event sponsors, and everyone who joined us and made this summit an unforgettable experience! I look forward to hosting another Girls Summit next year!
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
I am thrilled to recognize Fill Up, Buttercup as the 73rd Assembly District's 2024 Small Business of the Year! From their shop in Costa Mesa, Fill Up Buttercup offers toxin-free home & self-care products. Just bring your containers and fill up! Thank you for your unwavering commitment to sustainability and for helping eliminate the use of plastics.
I met with the leadership team at Behr Paint, proudly headquartered here in Orange County. Behr Paint is renowned for providing quality paint globally and has been ranked as a top workplace for 16 years! It was a pleasure to tour their facility, observe their production process, and learn about their sustainability efforts.
I enjoyed meeting with the CEO and members of the board at Working Wardrobes. Since its inception in 1990, Working Wardrobes has served over 125,000 community members, including veterans and those experiencing vulnerability, by providing the resources, confidence, and skills needed to secure and sustain gainful employment and achieve lasting economic stability.
A big thank you to our partner, the Small Business Development Center, for co-hosting our informative Small Business Webinar! It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with small business owners, share the work I do to support our local businesses, and highlight the abundant resources and support available at the local, county, state, and federal levels.
COMMUNITY RECOGNITION
Congratulations to Handel's Ice Cream on opening a second location at The Market Place in Irvine! Perfect timing to celebrate National Ice Cream Month!
A huge congratulations to Sauced on your grand opening at The Market Place in Irvine! Wishing you continued success and many flavorful adventures ahead!
RESOURCES
The Original High School Musical, Straight from Rydell High is back! TACFA is thrilled to announce that ever-popular musical, Grease, will be presented in Peppertree Park. This show will be entertainment for the whole family with lots of surprises and pre-show activities for children. So get ready to relive memories from the 50's and introduce a whole new audience to the Hand Jive Era!
The Judicial Council of California has launched the "MyCitations" tool to allow people to look up their citation, answer a series of simple questions and submit a request to the court for a possible reduction in the amount owed. Users can also request a payment plan, more time to pay or community service. An important alternative to appearing in person, this new option saves both the public and the courts significant time and resources.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Aug 6 - Costa Mesa National Night Out
The Costa Mesa Police Department is cordially inviting you and your family to come out and enjoy National Night Out, a FREE fun-filled evening at Lions Park on Tuesday, August 6, from 5PM - 7:30PM.
Aug 6 - Irvine National Night Out
The community is invited to attend the Irvine Police Department's National Night Out on Tuesday, August 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Palm Court at Great Park.
Aug 7 - Protecting & Managing Your Online Data Webinar
In our increasingly digital world, your personal information can be scattered across countless websites and apps. In this webinar, learn the importance of data security, discover how you can minimize your digital footprint, find out who data brokers are and how they sell your data, and hear from the California Privacy Protection Agency about your data and privacy rights.
