President's Message - The “I” Word
By Josue Vaglienty, P.E.
By Josue Vaglienty, P.E.
ASCE is joining over 250 other organizations and affiliates of Read More »
Secretary's Column - The Platinum Rule
By Elizabeth Ruedas, EIT
By Elizabeth Ruedas, EIT
THE PLATINUM RULE
"Treat others…
Read More »New Members - March/April 2017
By Mimi Luk
Please join the Board of Directors in welcoming the newest members to ASCE OC! We…
Read More »In This Issue
President's Message - The “I” Word
By Josue Vaglienty, P.E.
By Josue Vaglienty, P.E. ASCE is joining over 250 other organizations and affiliates of InfrastructureWeek.org this week in huge effort to reach out to legislators and the public at large to promote Infrastructure Week (May 15-19, 2017). The US Chamber of Commerce is also promoting Infrastructure Week (#TimeToBuild) and the importance of building and maintaining the country’s critical infrastructure. The emphasis is on the benefits of improved infrastructure: enhancing trade and a better business environment, safer means of transport, and providing more reliability for all users. There’s no question it is an important topic. The difficult part is finding the right solution to securing dedicated long-term funding for America.
Secretary's Column - The Platinum Rule
By Elizabeth Ruedas, EIT
By Elizabeth Ruedas, EIT THE PLATINUM RULE "Treat others the way they want to be treated." Although an effective way to get small children to behave, "treat others the way you want to be treated" sets us up to be ineffective communicators in the long run. We know that communication, or the lack thereof, is at the center of all good and bad relationships, whether it be at work or in our personal life. Similarly, we all like to receive information differently and perform best when those needs are met. Therefore, tailoring our message to meet the needs of others will not only help us become effective communicators, but strengthen relationships, improve performance, and minimize conflict.
New Members - March/April 2017
By Mimi Luk
Please join the Board of Directors in welcoming the newest members to ASCE OC! We look forward to getting to know you and hope to see you at an upcoming meeting.
K-12 Outreach: The Shake Table Challenge
By Steven Taylor and Jenny Mital
By Steven Taylor and Jenny Mital ASCE's K-12 Outreach committee has visited two Orange County elementary schools so far this spring to get the students excited about about Civil Engineering via a presentation and lego shake table activity.
ASCE OC YMF - Line Dancing Event
By Rachelle Habchi
By Rachelle Habchi Members of the ASCE OC YMF branch all went out together for a group bonding night of line dancing at the In Cahoots in Fullerton. The theme of the night was Got Country Fridays and we all were able to put our cowboy boots to get use!
EWRI Santa Ana River Parkway Extension Branch Lunch
By Portia Gonzalez
By Portia Gonzalez, P.E. The ASCE Orange County Branch March luncheon meeting presented on the Santa Ana River Parkway Extension Project. The key speakers include Mr. Jeff Dickman, Planner with the Orange County Public Works; Mr. Jerry Flores, Associate Principal with AECOM, and Mr. David Jaffe, Senior Project Manager with Psomas.
Mentorship Program - Mini-Golf Event
By Risa Abelgas, P.E.
By Risa Abelgas, P.E. Casual, informative, fun, and full of laughter are just a few words to describe the Mentorship Program Mini-Golf event at Boomers in Irvine on March 30th. Nearly half of the participants from the program and committee members were present on the green. This informal event allowed both mentors and protégés to showcase their talent or learn how to mini-golf while encouraging a little bit of friendly competition.
Community Service Rebuilding Together
By Cassie Moeller, PE, TE
By Cassie Moeller, P.E., T.E. On April 22, 2017, Rebuilding Together Long Beach, in partnership with volunteers from ASCE, completed various health- and safety-related tasks at several mobile homes located within Del Amo Mobile Home Park.
ASCE OC YMF Programs - Gerald Desmond Bridge Tour
By Josue Candelario
By Josue Candelario On Friday, March 3rd the OC YMF hosted a technical tour on one of Long Beach’s iconic bridges, the Gerald Desmond Bridge. Gerald Desmond Bridge opened in 1968 connecting Terminal Island and Long Beach. Due to the increase in traffic and safety hazards the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners moved to replace the outdated bridge. The new cable-stayed bridge will have two additional lanes with pedestrian and bicycle access. The project was awarded to a joint venture led by Shimmick Construction, FCC, and Impregilo. Construction began in 2013 and is scheduled to finish in 2018.
Law and CE News - SB-496 Signed Into Law Providing Indemnity Relief for Design Professionals
By
By: Collins Collins Muir + Stewart LLP Uncross Your Fingers – Governor Brown Signs SB-496 Providing Indemnity Relief for Design Professionals! Last week with optimism we reported that the California State Assembly passed Senate Bill 496 (“SB-496”) which sought to lessen the burden of indemnity provisions and the dreaded immediate duty to defend in public and private contracts involving design professionals. We are pleased to announce that on Friday April 28, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law! SB-496 modifies Civil Code section 2782.8, adding protections to private contracts entered into by design professionals after January 1, 2018. Importantly, SB-496 limits the “duty to defend” to the comparative fault of the professional in private and public contracts.
Branch News - In Memoriam Donald D. Talley
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Don will be most remembered by his surviving spouse, children, family members and friends as a loving, kind and generous man. His gentle spirit and quick wit made him easy to love. As some of his engineering friends put it, “Don was a great guy and lived his faith”; “he was one of the Good guys.” He was loved by many and will be greatly missed.
OCEC - Seeking Officer Nominations for Upcoming Term
By
OCEC will be conducting the annual election of its Executive Committee members during the first week of June, 2017, and each of the OCEC members are invited to consider serving on the committee. OCEC is fortunate to have a dedicated group of leaders which is committed to seeing the success of the organization. While nothing beats the in depth experience in getting things done, many of the current Executive Committee members have served multiple terms and are ready to incorporate fresh ideas and energy into the group. With the help of new members serving alongside the more experienced members, OCEC is looking forward to see its phenomenal growth in future.