Often over-the-counter pain medication is not enough to curb the pain of a migraine. People who suffer from these debilitating headaches have tried a change in diet, eye drops, yoga, meditations, Botox and even surgery to lessen the frequency and intensity of migraines.
Get help finding relief for your migraine—attend the County’s next lunch and learn session to know how to manage the pain. The Pain Management – Migraine information session will be held noon to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17 in Room 124 at 5530 Overland Dr. at the County Operations Center.
An estimated 28 million people in the U.S. experience migraine headaches each year. They are usually described as an intense, throbbing or pounding headache. The pain may be localized in one temple, the forehead, around the eyes or at the back of the head.
Wellness Coordinator William Erese said this lunch and learn presentation will provide information on the various triggers that cause migraines and offer suggestions on how to treat them.
The class will be taught by Tere Filer, MS, MPH, a fitness and wellness educator.
To register for the free lunch and learn, log into LMS and search for the class by title "Wellness 2014 Lunch and Learn: Pain Management - Migraine - COC."
We’re showing a fresh face to the world today. The County’s website has a new look and some new features to make it more useful to the people we serve.
First off – the address. We’re now using SanDiegoCounty.gov and have built that in as the title on the site. The address the County has long used, sdcounty.ca.gov, will still work, so there’s no immediate need to change any links or bookmarks out there. But the new name should be easier for the public to remember. And SanDiegoCounty.gov applies only to the website. Email addresses are staying as they are.
The biggest change is that the site was designed to display much better on smartphones. The sections of a page will resize and re-stack to fit the screen, with a lot less pinching and zooming. If you look at the site on your desktop then your phone, you’ll see the menu collapses into a single button. Getting everything on the site to adjust smoothly from desktop to phone will take continued effort, but we’re in much better shape to reach customers where they now expect to get things done: on their mobile devices.
One of the most important tools on any website is the search, and we've made a couple improvements to ours. If you start typing something in the search box, after a few letters you'll see it give a few suggestions of most common results. There’s also some work on the back end that will match specific pages to certain phrases, making much better search results. These features should also continue to get better with time.
From the County's home page, you'll see a new addition to the site, a section called SDCountyInFocus. It compiles in one location reports, maps, look-up tools, facts and figures on the gamut of County services and activities.
Those are a few of the highlights. There’s still a little work going on in the transition, so – pardon our dust, so to speak, if you come across any. But welcome to the new SanDiegoCounty.gov.
Linda Feeley with Agriculture, Weights and Measures
Seasonal flu vaccines are now available to County employees! County Operations Center employees were the first to line up for the free shot on Tuesday.
All employees are encouraged to take advantage of this benefit. Your appointing authority may approve reasonable County time for employees to receive their flu shots. To be eligible to receive your free flu shot, you will need to present your County ID.
The 2014 Flu Shot Schedule is available on the County Wellness website. No appointment is necessary.
Susan Esqueda, Jody Bumhoffer and Leah Samaniego with the Registrar of Voters
It’s back-to-school season! And if that has you thinking about lifelong learning or career advancement, know that there are tuition discounts available to you. National University and the University of Phoenix now offer tuition rate cuts to County employees.
National University
County employees are eligible for 15 percent off tuition and a waiver of the application fee at National University.
The San Diego-based university is a non-profit with five schools and one college: School of Business and Management, School of Education, School of Engineering, Technology and Media, School of Health and Human Services, School of Professional Studies and the College of Letters and Sciences.
National University offers classes online and at 45 locations, including in Carlsbad, La Mesa, Rancho Bernardo and Chula Vista. Enrollment is year-round. The school has more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degrees and 23 teacher credential programs.
University of Phoenix
County employees are eligible for a 10 percent tuition reduction when enrolling in any degree program, certificate program or individual course at the University of Phoenix. Prospective students can call (866) 354-1800 or visit phoenix.edu/countyofsd to learn more.
Existing students can also take advantage of the discount by logging into eCampus, selecting the Account tab and clicking on the Employer/Tribal Benefits Program link.
University of Phoenix offers more than 100 degree programs, associate’s, bachelor’s and post-graduate programs. Courses are offered online or at classroom locations, including in downtown San Diego, Kearny Mesa, Chula Vista and San Marcos.
Also remember that you may be eligible for the County’s tuition reimbursement program for courses at accredited colleges and universities.
San Diego’s beaches — they’re rad, awesome, epic and let’s face it, the envy of the rest of the world.
And you can help keep them that way by taking part in the 30th annual Coastal Cleanup Day Saturday morning, Sept. 20.
The event, which is put on locally each year by I Love a Clean San Diego, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at 100 different beaches, creeks, channels, lakes and other spots all around the county where trash and pollution can be swept by rain and irrigation to the ocean.
All you need to join thousands of your neighbors to work on a great cause is a little time, a plastic bucket, some work gloves, a reusable water bottle, and to register. (The site also has an interactive map showing all the cleanup locations and where volunteers are needed!)
If you do take part in the event, email us a photo and we may show it off on InSite!
Coastal Cleanup Day is sponsored by our County and has been supported financially by Supervisors Ron Roberts, Dave Roberts and Greg Cox — a longtime champion who will be one of a number of speakers at the event’s media kickoff.
“Our beaches and coastline define San Diego, and we need to protect them,” Cox said. “That’s why I encourage County employees to bring their families and join volunteers at cleanup sites throughout the region.”
Because Rubio’s is one of the sponsors for this year’s event, everyone who volunteers (while supplies last) will receive a Rubio’s meal card as a thank you. There will also be fun events for kids, including a photo contest, a “Bling Your Bucket Contest” — to see who can come up with the most creative decorations for their buckets.
I Love a Clean San Diego officials said that at last year’s event here in the county, nearly 8,000 volunteers came out and picked up more than 85 tons of trash and recyclables from 186 miles of shoreline!
California’s Coastal Cleanup Day is also part of an international coastal cleanup campaign which attracts volunteers from nearly 100 countries. This year, nearly 650,000 people collected 12.3 million pounds — more than 6,100 tons — of debris from shorelines around the world.
So volunteer! And keep San Diego County’s beaches rad!
The Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk’s office dares you to try the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Three members of the office took the chilly challenge this week at the County Administration Center to show support for a former colleague.
Lynda Messner was with the County for 13 years until she retired in February. She was recently diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease, which affects the brain and the spinal cord. She now uses a wheelchair and has difficulty speaking.
Messner and her husband, Mike, visited on Tuesday to watch assessment clerks Alex Anonas, Madelyn Murray and Rosendo Ortega bravely take buckets of cold water poured over their heads. The ARCC office also made a donation of $300.
“Her battle has really touched my heart,” said Murray. “I wanted to bring awareness to ALS.”
Murray also asked all other departments to take the Ice Bucket Challenge.
“Come on. It’s for a good cause,” said Murray.
Assessment Clerks Rosendo Ortega, Madelyn Murray and Alex Anonas with Lynda Messner.Assessment Clerk Madelyn Murray gets drenched in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge at the CAC.Assessment Clerk Rosendo Ortega does the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
Have you gone on vacation or enjoyed a staycation this summer? Share your photos of adventure, relaxation and quality family time with your colleagues. Send in a photo with a short description.
Yes, normally, that would be roses but in this case take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the County’s seven Orchid nominations for the annual Orchids and Onions contest this year. The awards call out the best and the worst of architecture and design projects in the county and are sponsored by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.
Overall, some 135 projects were nominated in five categories: architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, historic preservation and miscellaneous which can cover public artwork, statuary, exhibits, and this year, even streetlights.
While most everyone certainly has an opinion, a jury of seven professionals (designers, architects, planners, artists, educators, and one member of the public) will have the final word on which projects deserve to win an Orchid or an Onion.
“[Our awards are] all about civic engagement, all of the entries are publicly nominated,” said Orchids and Onions spokesman Craig Howard. “One award component is whether your project is doing something good for your community.”
Without further ado, here’s the list of the County’s Orchid nominations:
Landscape architecture:
Waterfront Park: The 12-acre park has redefined San Diego’s front porch. Since the grand opening on May 10, an average of 1,200 people a day visit the park. On Memorial Day, the number of visitors grew to 3,500 and on the Fourth of July, about 10,000 people were drawn to the park’s lush lawns, sparkling fountains and the sights and sounds of fireworks over the bay.
Architecture:
Rancho San Diego Sheriff Station: The 27,000-square-foot station opened in February and serves Rancho San Diego, Spring Valley, La Presa, Jamul, Casa de Oro, Mt. Helix and unincorporated areas in La Mesa and El Cajon. The station was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver standards and features recycled building materials, natural day lighting, energy-efficient mechanical systems, low-water use landscaping and two retention ponds to treat stormwater.
Pine Valley Sheriff’s Substation: The 4,500-square-foot substation features a distinctive gable at its entrance and gives Sheriff’s deputies more space to serve a 400-squaremile area in the East County. The building offers natural lighting, water-conserving fixtures and a roof-mounted photovoltaic system to reduce energy use.
Miscellaneous:
Public Art at the Waterfront Park: Two reproductions of large abstract paintings greet visitors to the Waterfront Park as they emerge from the underground parking garage. Local artists Harold Cohen and Allison Renshaw created the artworks and the originals can be seen inside the County Administration Center.
Harold Cohen's "Starting Over"Allison Renshaw's "Last Call"
Public Art at the County Registrar of Voters: Two giant ceramic heads flank the entrance to the new Registrar of Voters building in Kearny Mesa. Renowned artist Jun Kaneko created the sculptures over the course of a year. They measure six-feet-high and four-and-a-half feet in diameter and act as conversation pieces to voters and other visitors to the County Operations Center campus.
Artifact Display Project at County Registrar of Voters: Four displays by artist Jay Johnson offer visitors a glimpse into the past with County government memorabilia that dates back to the 1850s. The observation gallery draws visitors in with an expansive look at the evolution of the voting process.
Ramona Library Doors: The main entrance to the Ramona Library features stained glass panels surrounding the doors. Local artist James Hubbell created the brightly colored panels. The artwork is titled “Laurel Passage.”
Typically, the top five Orchid and Onion nominations with the most online chatter qualify for the “People’s Choice” award. The public can vote for their favorites starting Thursday, Aug. 28 and ending Sept. 18.
Fernando Uribe, who lost more than 100 pounds, participates in CrossFit.
Fernando Uribe, a Supervising Probation Officer at the NCRC in Vista, has the secret to lasting weight loss success.
The secret is not in a pill, fad diet or trendy workout routines. The secret is to acknowledge you need to make changes, to set aside your pride, and to commit to your own health and wellness by making time for it, Uribe said.
Uribe, who weighed more than 325 pounds in 2009, realized he had to change when his scale read “error.”
“I thought it was broken, but it was me that was broken,” he said.
His sedentary lifestyle led to health problems that included abnormally high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
“My physician told me ‘no one in America has your numbers and is alive,’” Uribe said in his CrossFit testimonial. “My case was actually submitted for an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association as a rarity, since there was no medical reason why I should be alive; because essentially, I had gravy running through my veins.”
The father of two realized he had to make a dramatic transformation. With assistance from his physician and the personal mantra of “just keep moving,” he began a workout regimen.
He made small, consistent changes to his daily life. He took the stairs. He parked in the furthest parking spot in the lot. He wore a pedometer to measure his movement. And the pounds were steadily coming off.
But even as the weight melted off his 5-foot, 7-inch frame, he still had medical issues. He continued to feel numbness in his feet and fingertips as a result of developing type II diabetes.
His next big step was to modify his diet. He limited sugars and carbohydrates. And he lost nearly 100 pounds over two years by working out and eating right, but that was not good enough for Uribe.
He really stepped up his efforts in 2012 when he joined CrossFit AEQUITAS, a non-profit law-enforcement affiliate for the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. The affiliate was born in a San Diego Sheriff’s basement gym in 2010 when Judge Daniel Goldstein started working out during his lunch break.
CrossFit incorporates strength and endurance training exercies. Daily workouts vary with intervals and include running, Olympic lifting and jumping rope.
Since joining this gym, he’s built muscle, lost weight and improved his overall health as a result of the diverse and challenging workouts.
A smarter diet, increased physical activity and new attitude are the trifecta for his success. He’s dedicated to a healthy lifestyle and enjoys the benefits: the numbness is gone, he’s stopped taking his blood pressure and cholesterol medications, he is sleeping well, and has the energy to play with his kids.
Uribe made the commitment to change for the better four years ago. And every day has been better than the last and that’s no secret.
Do you dig getting farm fresh fruits and veggies at dirt-cheap prices? Starting Aug. 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the County will host a farmers market with half-price produce for employees.
Daily Harvest Market will be selling locally grown produce at the County Operations Center through a partnership with the County and its wellness partner Kaiser Permanente. The partnership encourages employees to eat healthier, fresher foods and promotes local farmers, according to William Erese, the County’s Wellness Coordinator.
“Healthy eating is now both convenient and very affordable for County employees,” said Erese, who hopes employees visit the farmers market during their lunch breaks. “If this pilot program is successful, we are looking at expanding it to other County office locations.”
The monthly market will grow this fall, adding cooking demonstrations and home gardening workshops.
The farmers market will be held on the last Thursday of each month. In November, it will be held on Nov. 20 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Fill your fridge with healthy food choices. Shop the farm stand in the plaza near the cafeteria at 5520 Overland Ave. Go green: Don’t forget to bring your own reusable bag.
