'Big Bang Theory' Actress Adopts Pets from County Shelter

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Lt. Kathy Cleveland, Department of Animal Services, stands with actress Kaley Cuoco, who adopted two bunnies.Actress Kaley Cuoco of TV’s “The Big Bang Theory” paid a surprise visit to a County animal shelter on Sunday and adopted two white rabbits. 

According to an Instagram post by her fiancé, Karl Cook, Cuoco woke up to say she wanted to adopt some rabbits. Cook lives in the North County. He and Cuoco were out and about when they decided to visit the shelter on Gaines Street.

Once inside the rabbit area, Cook took video of Cuoco as she was picking out one of her new pets. He then posted it on Instagram.

Don’t worry, DAS staff says Cuoco was crying happy tears as she said, “This is the one!” They said she was fine by the time she filled out the paperwork to adopt the animals. The two female rabbits had been at the shelter since Jan. 16. 

Click to view the Instagram post.Cuoco said she was so glad she came.    

Employees recognized Cuoco right away. They said the actress, who plays the character Penny on “The Big Bang Theory,” was very nice and agreed to take photos with the staff. She, in turn, thanked them for being fans.

Department of Animal Services employee Yesenia English poses with Kaley Cuoco.

Department of Animal Services employee Marina Daniels poses with Kaley Cuoco.

Security Trainings and Resources Available

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While the Florida school shooting Wednesday was an unspeakable tragedy, it is a reminder that we all need to be prepared for any type of emergency or threat.

Find training and resources by visiting the Employee Security page. And, if you see something, say something.

Also remember that free, confidential counseling is available through the Employee Assistance Program.

Joining Your Retirement Family

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Saying hello to retirement does not mean saying goodbye to workplace family and friends. It means a chance to join another community—the Retired Employees of San Diego County.

RESDC is dedicated to being an advocate for retirees and providing pertinent retiree information and services to its 6,700+ members, said RESDC Executive Director Mark Nanzer.

“We’re focused on our connection to the County,” said Nanzer. “And on protecting the interests of all County employees and retirees.”

Plus, the nonprofit knows how to have fun! RESDC’s annual summer Flag Day celebration, autumn health fair and picnic, and festival holiday luncheon are some of its most popular social events. Last year, they held an outing to a Padres’ game and an evening at the theater. And, they are an active Live Well San Diego partner.

Because some retirees are more active than ever, RESDC also helps connect members with volunteer opportunities such as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program and AARP Experience Corps.

Start daydreaming of your retirement now. Read up on what RESDC offers members:

Keeping You Informed

The organization holds three annual general meetings highlighting relevant retiree issues through professional speakers including representatives from Aging and Independence Services. In addition, RESDC produces a monthly newsletter to keep members up to date on actions of the SDCERA Board of Retirement, pertinent legislation, upcoming meetings and activities. The newsletter—The NETWORK—is available in print and online. Plus, the organization is on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Providing Benefits and Discounts

RESDC offers group benefits including dental and vision programs, travel insurance, pet insurance and discounted home and vehicle insurance. Plus, a variety of discounts are available to members including tickets to movie theaters and amusement parks. Members also get a sweet deal on See’s Candies.

Advocating for You

The RESDC Board of Directors works closely with the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA) Board of Retirement, the Board of Supervisors and statewide county retiree associations on behalf of retirees.

Membership is open to all County retirees for $5 per month or $60 per year. Non-voting active employee memberships are available for $12 per year.

For more information on becoming a member or the benefits that RESDC provides, visit resdc.net or call 866-688-9229.

County Construction Fence Turned Art Gallery

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Something new is celebrating something old at Cedar and Kettner. Large murals depicting Little Italy’s cultural history have been installed along a construction fence on the east side of some County property. You might be familiar with it. The property lies just outside the Cedar-Kettner employee parking garage.

The County and the Little Italy Association agreed to set up an art walk of sorts until the property is developed. Passersby can’t miss the colorful four-by-eight-foot-long murals. Each one features a caption describing the historic scene. Artist Elisabeth Sullivan prepared the drawings and made the art panels.

The art will remain on display until the site is turned over to a developer. The Little Italy Association will then relocate the panels to another part of the community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ll Love These PerkSpot Deals

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Have an extra sweet Valentine’s Day! Save on chocolates, flowers or even sparkly jewelry for your significant other. Through PerkSpot, you could save up to 50 percent off at Ghiradelli, Godiva, Shari’s Berries and find bountiful deals at 1-800-Flowers, FTD and other flower retailers

PerkSpot offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers, from movie theaters to florists and jewelers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register.

Each month, one of the most popular PerkSpot deals will be highlighted on InSite. 

Probation Leadership Really 'Serves' Their Clients

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Probation leaders on the kitchen assembly line from left to right: Nikki Horton, operations support manager, Acting Division Chief Karna Lau, Division Chief Mindy MacCartney, and a St. Vincent de Paul volunteer on right. As part of the Probation Department’s recent Executive Leadership training, the team donned hair nets, aprons and plastic gloves and headed into two kitchens at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village to help serve hundreds of homeless and less fortunate people.

The outreach addressed part of the leadership branding initiative of service, commitment, and compassion, said Zory Rosario, Probation leadership trainer. To honor the slogan, the Probation Department looked into the community to find examples of service and decided to hold the training at St. Vincent de Paul Village because it is truly an inspiration of service and transforming lives, she said.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation leaders worked to prepare and serve lunch and drinks in the kitchen and also approached homeless people waiting at tables and offered to bring them their food.

Probation Chief Adolfo Gonzales and Marc Regier, policy advisor, carry lunch trays to people sitting in the cafeteria. In the background (L to R) Deputy Chief Scott Huizar, Division Chief Denise Huffhines, Nikki Horton, support manager, and Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez help serve food.Probation Chief Adolfo Gonzales said some of them had mobility issues and couldn’t stand long and others had dogs with them and were not permitted to approach the kitchen. So, he took their “orders,” got in line behind other people waiting, and returned with trays of food and drinks.

By 12:30 p.m., the group of about 25 Probation leaders had served more than 1,000 people --from families involved in the village programs to people off the street who lined up for a meal.

Gonzales said his staff were at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village as part of a planning workshop and took a break to help out.

“We wanted to give back to the community as part of an overall community engagement initiative that we’re doing. And we volunteered today to feed the homeless here at Father Joe’s Village. Some of the homeless people, veterans and others, some of them are our clients. So we want to make sure they understand that we support them and that we care about our community,” said Gonzales.

Other leaders, including Geoff Twitchell, director of treatment and clinical services, said, “The experience today is great, but it really is humbling. It brings you back to why you really do this work: to help people, and it’s nice to be able to connect with that again. It’s amazing how many people you can help when it’s coordinated.”

Helping out on the cafeteria line, Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez agreed with the sentiment.

Gonzales said his staff were at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village as part of a planning workshop and took a break to help out.

“We wanted to give back to the community as part of an overall community engagement initiative that we’re doing. And we volunteered today to feed the homeless here at Father Joe’s Village. Some of the homeless people, veterans and others, some of them are our clients. So we want to make sure they understand that we support them and that we care about our community,” said Gonzales.

Other leaders, including Geoff Twitchell, director of treatment and clinical services, said, “The experience today is great, but it really is humbling. It brings you back to why you really do this work: to help people, and it’s nice to be able to connect with that again. It’s amazing how many people you can help when it’s coordinated.”

Helping out on the cafeteria line, Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez agreed with the sentiment.

Gonzales said his staff were at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village as part of a planning workshop and took a break to help out.

“We wanted to give back to the community as part of an overall community engagement initiative that we’re doing. And we volunteered today to feed the homeless here at Father Joe’s Village. Some of the homeless people, veterans and others, some of them are our clients. So we want to make sure they understand that we support them and that we care about our community,” said Gonzales.

Other leaders, including Geoff Twitchell, director of treatment and clinical services, said, “The experience today is great, but it really is humbling. It brings you back to why you really do this work: to help people, and it’s nice to be able to connect with that again. It’s amazing how many people you can help when it’s coordinated.”

Helping out on the cafeteria line, Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez agreed with the sentiment.

Gonzales said his staff were at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village as part of a planning workshop and took a break to help out.

“We wanted to give back to the community as part of an overall community engagement initiative that we’re doing. And we volunteered today to feed the homeless here at Father Joe’s Village. Some of the homeless people, veterans and others, some of them are our clients. So we want to make sure they understand that we support them and that we care about our community,” said Gonzales.

Other leaders, including Geoff Twitchell, director of treatment and clinical services, said, “The experience today is great, but it really is humbling. It brings you back to why you really do this work: to help people, and it’s nice to be able to connect with that again. It’s amazing how many people you can help when it’s coordinated.”

Helping out on the cafeteria line, Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez agreed with the sentiment.

Gonzales said his staff were at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village as part of a planning workshop and took a break to help out.

“We wanted to give back to the community as part of an overall community engagement initiative that we’re doing. And we volunteered today to feed the homeless here at Father Joe’s Village. Some of the homeless people, veterans and others, some of them are our clients. So we want to make sure they understand that we support them and that we care about our community,” said Gonzales.

Other leaders, including Geoff Twitchell, director of treatment and clinical services, said, “The experience today is great, but it really is humbling. It brings you back to why you really do this work: to help people, and it’s nice to be able to connect with that again. It’s amazing how many people you can help when it’s coordinated.”

Helping out on the cafeteria line, Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez agreed with the sentiment.

Gonzales said his staff were at St. Vincent de Paul’s Village as part of a planning workshop and took a break to help out.

“We wanted to give back to the community as part of an overall community engagement initiative that we’re doing. And we volunteered today to feed the homeless here at Father Joe’s Village. Some of the homeless people, veterans and others, some of them are our clients. So we want to make sure they understand that we support them and that we care about our community,” said Gonzales.

Other leaders, including Geoff Twitchell, director of treatment and clinical services, said, “The experience today is great, but it really is humbling. It brings you back to why you really do this work: to help people, and it’s nice to be able to connect with that again. It’s amazing how many people you can help when it’s coordinated.”

Helping out on the cafeteria line, Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez agreed with the sentiment.

Division Chief Noel Susi and Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez filled up trays for homeless people at St. Vincent de Paul Village. Nikki Horton, support manager looks out from behind the counter in the background.“I’ve volunteered before but never serving the homeless, and it’s a very humbling experience. It really helps us to understand our homeless population as a lot of our clients are homeless,” she said. “Just to see that there are all walks of life and services like these and volunteers are critical to helping our community.”

Three Who've Won Our HEART

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Helen_Official.jpg

It’s that month when we give special attention to matters of the heart. So it seems a good time for me to turn to matters of HEART.

When we launched our Customer Experience Initiative a few years ago, one of the key elements was making sure we prominently recognize exceptional customer service. InSite features kudos in the Positive Experiences section. Departments have a variety of ways they celebrate customer service achievements. Executives recognize employees in their quarterly updates with me.     

I also wanted once a year to note a few exemplary cases of customer service. We came up with what we called the HEART of Service Award. We recently announced three winners for last year. There are numerous instances to choose from, but here are the ones that really struck me.

Probation Youth Running Club

For some juveniles in detention, the path to a better future is a running path.

They’ve joined an innovative program called the Probation Youth Running Club. They train at their detention facilities, but some have gotten so into it they take part in local half-marathons and other competitions. Families come on race day to greet the runners at the finish line, and they all celebrate together with Probation officers, teachers, and others supporting the juveniles. 

The club gives these young people not just physical activity, but a sense of achievement and a positive connection with the community. It’s so heartwarming to meet these young people and see how their enthusiasm for the sport feeds a desire to get their lives headed in the right direction. 

The program is part of a dramatic shift in Probation’s approach to juvenile justice. The staff has come up with a variety of creative ways to get those under their supervision focused on opportunities for self-improvement. A big part of that is using the same HEART principles we’d use for other customers, like Respect. The youths benefit, and when they stay out of trouble, we all benefit. Read more about the Running Club

Animal Services Volunteer Program

We couldn’t do what we do without the incredible network of volunteers offering their time in support of numerous County services. Remember that while volunteers are helping us, they are also our customers, and we want them to have a rewarding experience.

Animal Services set out on an ambitious plan to revamp its volunteer program. The goals overall included better communication, tighter procedures and improved training for the volunteers. A team at the department came up with – and implemented – a long list of activities and changes to reach those goals.

The result: a program that better serves those participating, the people they serve, and of course, the animals. (They’re our customers, too!)

Public Defender Specialty Collaborative Courts

Many of the Public Defender’s clients suffer from addiction or mental illness, and sometimes both. The department has come up with a variety of programs, called “courts,” to steer clients to treatment plans so they can move out of the criminal justice system.

The programs are run by the Specialty Collaborative Courts division, whose members work closely with the District Attorney’s Office, Probation and the Courts. (See stories about two of the courts here and here.)   

The attorneys in this unit strike a balance between traditional defense – trying to get the least penalty possible – and encouraging the clients to embrace and accept the help they are being offered. It’s all about looking beyond the requirements of their jobs to what the client really needs. That’s the essence of exceptional customer service.

One thing all three of these recipients have in common is that the people they’re serving may not be who you’d traditionally consider customers. We’ve emphasized with our Customer Experience Initiative the need to think as broadly as possible about who our customers are. For example, they include our colleagues at the County.

In the same way we’ve stretched the definition, we also need to keep stretching our level of service. These three award winners have done that, and I hope by highlighting their achievements, everyone is inspired to take the customer experience to new heights.  

♥ ♥ ♥

On another heart note, I encourage everyone to take part in this year’s Love Your Heart blood pressure screening event. It takes place Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, and dozens of County worksites will offer the screenings. Take a few minutes to know your numbers and help us make this year’s event the biggest ever. 

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