Have a Very Happy Halloween

There are several Halloween happenings at the County Friday: a costume contest, menu specials at the COC and CAC cafeterias, and a Hollywood-inspired party at the COC. Here are the details for having a howling good time.

Costume Contest

Rules and tips for entering the costume contest as an individual or group:

• Send one photo of yourself in costume to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov by 4 p.m., Oct. 30. Do not send multiple photos. Submitting just one photo promotes contest fairness.

• Include your full name, title, department and who (or what) you are dressed as in the body of the email. Please type the information in rather than use your signature block.

• One entry per employee. This means you can only enter the contest once. You can enter as an individual or as a group—but not both.

• If you enter as an individual, be the only person in the photo—we want to make sure we know who you are.

• If you enter as a group, have just one person submit the photo.

Come back to InSite on Monday to vote for your favorite among the five costume finalists selected by the Halloween party planning committee and to see highlights from the Hollyweird Halloween party at the COC.

Hollyweird Halloween Party

Join the spirited celebration at the COC from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This is not your average Halloween gathering. It is a Hollywood-themed bash with one wickedly weird twist—it’s a Hollyweird Halloween party. It’s where werewolves and vampires brush elbows with icons like Marilyn Monroe, modern day pirates like Johnny Depp, fictional favorites like Hans Solo and classic cartoon characters like Betty Boop.

Activities include:

• Walk the red carpet and snap a scary selfie—a “Scarefie.”

• Hunt for County stars along the “Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

• Attend an open “casting call” for scream queens. Let out a bloodcurdling shriek at the Scream-O-Rama contest.

• Cheer on the Lip Sync-Off performers. Talented teams will bewitch us with their style, lip sync ability and dramatic performance! The tournament-style event starts at 12:15 p.m. The top team will win the Best Performance Oscare.

• Have guts? Try your hand at Mystery Boxes. Participants will place their hand into a dark box filled with props to guess which one is braiiiiiins, eyeballs, ears, bones and other creepy crawlies.

• Shake your hips like Elvis, Shakira or Taylor Swift. In Shake It Off, contestants will attempt to remove ping pong balls from a box attached to their waists without the use of their hands.

• Employees will be asked Halloween trivia in Trick or Treat and rewarded with a sweet for a correct answer or tasked with a devilish challenge for the wrong.

• Try your arm at Pumpkin Bowling. For each strike, bowlers earn a raffle ticket in an opportunity drawing for Halloween movies. (Bowlers can earn up to five raffle tickets.)

Ins and Outs of the New CAC Parking Garage

The wait is over! The new Cedar-Kettner Parking Garage for County employees at the County Administration Center will open Monday, Nov. 2. This short video tells you what you need to know.

Halloween Trivia: How Well Do you Know this Spooky and Kooky Holiday?

Whether you are a frenzied fanatic of Halloween or are just into it for the candy, a thrilling and chilling celebration is coming to a workplace near you. And there are two wonderful ways to have a wickedly good time on Friday—we recommend both!

The County-wide costume contest will commence on Friday. Entering is as easy as pumpkin pie. Simply email a single photo of yourself dressed up. Full details on how to enter will be posted on InSite the day of the festival affair. Hold onto your hats until then!

In addition, the County will roll out the red carpet for a Hollyweird Halloween partyat the COC. Employees can stop by 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30 for a cornucopia of tricks and treats, including pumpkin bowling, a scream-o-rama contest and the highly anticipated Lip Sync-Off.

In the meantime, we have tantalizing trivia to tide you over to the big day! Take a piece of scrap paper and write down your answers. At the end, we’ll have an answer key. Find out how sweet you are on all things Halloween. Are you Smarties or Dum Dums? Tell us how well you did in the comment section below.

1. What is the fear of Halloween called?

a. Samhainophobia

b. Arachnophobia

c. Triskaidekaphobia

d. Nyctophobia

e. Hemophobia

2. From the base to the point, what is the color order on a piece of candy corn?

a. Orange, yellow, white

b. Yellow, orange, white

c. White, yellow, orange

d. Orange, white, yellow

3. The first Jack-o-Lanterns were made out of what?

a. Pumpkins

b. Watermelons

c. Turnips

d. Cantaloupe

e. Coconuts

4. Who wrote the spooky tale, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?

a. Edgar Allan Poe

b. Stephen King

c. Ichabod Crane

d. Mary Shelley

e. Washington Irving

5. Who is the deadliest horror movie villain?

a. Michael Myers

b. Leprechaun

c. Freddy Kreuger

d. Chucky

e. Leatherface

6. According to legend, how do you kill a werewolf?

a. Holy water

b. Silver bullet

c. Wooden stake

d. Lasers

e. Garlic

7. Which is not a real band?

a. Smashing Pumpkins

b. Jack Skellington

c. Vampire Weekend

d. Rocket from the Crypt

e. The Zombies

8. Why did the ancient Celts begin the tradition of wearing masks and costumes on Halloween?

a. To honor the dead

b. To trick the dead

c. To trick neighbors

d. For fun

9. According to superstition, a person born on Halloween has what particular ability?

a. They can predict the future

b. They can talk to spirits

c. They can talk to animals

d. They love all Halloween candy

e. They can fly

10. In "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," what does Charlie get while trick or treating?

a. Chocolate

b. Rocks

c. Toothbrush

d. Popcorn ball

e. Eraser

11. Which country celebratesDía de los Muertos?

a. Ireland

b. Turkey

c. Mexico

d. Japan

e. Haiti

12. Halloween the movie came out in what year?

a. 1968

b. 1973

c. 1978

d. 1980

e. 1982

13. To be safe while trick or treating after dark, you should carry which of the following item?

a. Coffee

b. Candy

c. A flashlight

d. A mask

e. A bucket

Answer Key:

1) A.  2) B.  3) C.  4) E.  5) A.  6) B.  7) B.  8) B.  9) B.  10) B.  11) C.  12) C.  13) C.

CSDFEA Celebrates Larry Itliong Day

Artistic rendition of Larry Itliong by Charmaine Encabo. Display courtesy of Herb Delute, son of a Delano Manong and guest speaker.

The County of San Diego's Filipino-American Employees Association (CSDFEA) celebrated the life and legacy of Larry Itliong, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015.  

Supervisor Greg Cox presented the CSDFEA with a County Proclamation; Herb Delute led the celebration presenting historical information of Filipino immigration to the U. S., leading up to Larry Itliong and the success of the grape farm workers labor movement; and Bea Barcelona, O'Farrell Charter Middle School 10th grader, was presented $500  for her award winning essay on Larry Itliong.   

Watch highlights from the event

Display and authentic grape farming tools used by Herb's father (Courtesy of Herb Delute).

Opening remarks with District 1 Supervisor Greg Cox.

County Proclamation acknowledging October 25 as Larry Itliong Day throughout the County.

Herb Delute preparing to discuss the Four Waves of Filipino Immigration to the U.S.

Bea Barcelona, O'Farrell Charter School 10th grader and winner of CSDFEA's Larry Itliong Essay Contest.

Get Pumped for SDSU Pep Rally

Calling all football fans! Don’t miss the SDSU pep rally at the County Operations Center on Wednesday. The Marching Aztecs, spirit squad and cheerleaders will drum up excitement for the upcoming special event for County employees—San Diego County Day. Look for the pep rally near the Commons from noon to 1 p.m.

San Diego County Day means discounted tickets and a free fair for County employees and their families at the Aztecs’ Nov. 14 game against the Wyoming Cowboys. This is also SDSU’s homecoming. Tickets are just $10 and can be purchased online with coupon code COUNTY. Parking will be $10.

The pregame activities at Qualcomm Stadium start at 5 p.m. in parking section C1/D1and include games and free rides. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

There will also be a free opportunity drawing at the pep rally for several sets of tickets to the game on Nov. 14. You must be present to win.

Read My Lips: Lip Sync Contestants Announced

via GIPHY

Several County Employees have gotten in sync for a creepily cool contest. Eight teams were selected to compete in a Lip Sync-Off at the Hollyweird Halloween party at the County Operations Center on Oct. 30.

The teams set to have a howling good time vying for the Best Performance “Oscare” are:

• Human Resources: Aaron Morgan, Miezelle Espinoza, Emily Fick

• Finance & General Government Group: Tracy Sandoval, Ebony Shelton, Joan Pan, Michelle Crichlow, Rachel Witt

• General Services: Angie Solom, Kimberly Martindale-Leal, Maria Smith, Khris Gimeno

• County of San Diego Filipino‐American Employees Association: Ardee Apostol, Mavette Sadile, Vanessa Cabiling, Rizza Rodriguez

• Registrar of Voters: Pamela Jordan, Laura Kelly, George Blessing, Shannon Bowman, Mireya Lara, Vicki Starke, Gabriela Gladswell, Monica Garcia

• Purchasing & Contracting: Shelly Castle, Vianney Aldana, Lucie Dela Cruz

The tournament will start at 12:15 p.m. near the Commons. Come out to cheer on your favorite group. Winners will be selected by audience applause.

The Lip Sync-Off is just one of the many Halloween activities planned for Oct. 30. See the spooktacular list of events here. And if you don’t have a costume planned out, here are tips for putting together a great look.

Battle of the Bands Acts Announced

Get ready to rock! Four bands and one solo act, each representing one County group, were selected to compete in the Battle of the Bands at the COC Nov. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The live showdown is a benefit for the March of Dimes. Awards will be presented to the act that raises the most money for the non-profit organization and to the crowd favorite. It could be one and the same.

The battle pits the County’s groups against each other for a good time and a good cause. Represent your group and donate now! Or listen to the clips below and contribute to MOD based on your favorite performer. Fundraising continues through the day of the epic battle.

Without further ado, the performers are:

Community Services Group

Dona & the Servicemen are a guitar-driven classic rock band formed exclusively for the 2015 Battle of the Bands. All members are veteran musicians with years of stage experience and also happen to be current Community Services Group employees.

They are:

• Jerry Benson, bass (DGS – Administrative Secretary IV)

• Dona Debniak, lead vocals (DAS – Department Payroll Specialist)

• Eric Nedelman, guitar/vocals (DPC – Administrative Analyst II)

• Michael Hoag, drums (DGS – Building Maintenance Engineer)

• Brian Hagerty, guitar/vocals (CSG Executive Office – Group Finance Director)

Watch Dona & the Servicemen perform Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”

Finance & General Government Group

Arnold De Guzman, Multimedia Designer for the County Communications Office, will be making his musical debut at this year’s Battle of the Bands. Arnold loves to play acoustic guitar and is a fan of different genres.  

Since the age of 8, he's fiddled around with the guitars left at his house by uncles. The past five years is when he's spent more time practicing guitar and has performed with his niece and BWAN (Band Without A Name) at family gatherings. His musical inspirations include Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Paramore.

Watch Arnold perform Lionel Richie’s “Stuck on You.”

Health & Human Services Agency

Posse Café is founded on the mutual love for music shared between County employees Ana Maria Echeverria and Rueben Rubio.

Ana Maria has been singing throughout HHSA for 10 years, from FRC to TKC (The Knowledge Center.) Her gift of music has always been a gift she’s loved to share.

When not lending his voice to the ACCESS call center, Rueben Rubio is the guitar-toting second half of Posse Café—providing rich rhythms and smooth harmonies to Ana Maria’s soulful sound.

Watch Posse Café perform Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” at the NAMI walk last year.

Land Use & Environment Group

For the past 14 years, Admin Analysts Jerry Schoen, from Parks and Recreation, has played drums and Phil Varela, from HHSA, bass in Steal Dawn—a rock & roll, dance band that has performed more than 750 shows.

The band, which has jammed at Park at the Park at Petco, Bahia Resort’s Harbor Cruise and the legendary Belly Up Tavern, prides itself on playing the “greatest Top 40 music from the last 40 years.” They perform everything from Aerosmith to ZZ Top, Bruno Mars to Usher, and Jason Aldean to Muse.

Watch Steal Dawn rock out to some of their favorite covers.

Public Safety Group

Three employees make up Unpaved Highway—a band said to play a “rock and road” style of folk grunge music. They draw on the sounds from John Mellencamp to Nirvana.

Eric Nedelman, an analyst with Purchasing and Contracting, played solo acoustic shows under the name Unpaved Highway for more than a year before connecting with Brent Livingston, an IT Engineer with the Sheriff Department, through a Craigslist ad for a bass player. Shortly after meeting they realized they both worked for the County. The band is now rounded out with Pablo Rodriquez, a senior IT engineer with the Sheriff’s Department, and a drummer.

Watch Unpaved Highway perform an original song.

5 Halloween Costume Tips and 1 Party Preview

The witching hour is almost upon us! Mark Oct. 30 on your calendar for thrilling and chilling festivities at the Hollyweird Halloween party and a creepy costume contest.

The best part – employees near and far can enter the contest, and we’ve got tips to help you put together your ghoulish garb. County employees can show off their costumes in person Oct. 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the COC. And you can enter the contest on the same day by emailing a photo of your cute, comical or creepy creation. (Details will be posted to InSite on the day of the big bash.) Employees will then vote for the “best in show” on Monday, Nov. 2.

With just one week to plan your outfit, where do you start? Luckily, one County employee has tips for creating wonderfully whimsical, startlingly scary or coolly clever costumes.

Roberta Hussey Nichols, office manager with the Multiple Conflicts Office, has an impressive resume as a costume creator. She’s a member of the San Diego Costume Guild and has donned her ornate outfits at events for the San Diego Symphony, San Diego History Center and the USS Midway. Some of her more memorable guises have been dressing as Cinderella at the San Diego Library and in a procession for Día de los Muertos in Old Town.

Roberta Hussey Nichols and her husband at a Día de los Muertos event in Old Town San Diego.

“It is fun to become that character. It is fun to come out of your own skin,” said Nichols, who claims Halloween is one of her favorite holidays.

Of course, the first step in fashioning a costume fit for a stunning superhero, marvelous mummy or wonderfully wicked witch is coming up with the idea. The creative process does not need to be a nightmarish feat. Nichols said employees can draw inspiration from anywhere – books, movies, comics, video games, historical figures, sports heroes and political figures are fair fodder.

Roberta dressed as Queen Regina from ABC's "Once Upon a Time."

The options for finding costume materials are also endless—from online to your local hardware store, swap meet and even your own closet. She said an idea can come from just one item, such as bell-bottom jeans to be a hippie or blue overalls to be a Minion.

Here are 5 tips so simple that they are almost spooky:

1. Start planning as early as you can. A week is plenty of time to make your costume fabulous.

2. Be comfortable. Wear comfy shoes if you can.

3. Try to act/be your character. What would they do or say? Do they have a certain walk or way of doing something? If it’s a character from a movie or TV, try to repeat something recognizable they said. Think of John Wayne’s walk, a zombie dragging one leg or Buzz Lightyear’s tag line, “To infinity and beyond!”

4. Props and accessories are key—what would Indiana Jones be without his hat? They also give you something to hold on to or pose with for photos.

5. Finally, have fun making and wearing your costume.

Now that you’ve picked the perfect costume, find out more about the other Halloween activities including a Lip Sync-Off, pumpkin bowling, scream-o-rama contest and other tricks and treats! Read more here. Don’t miss out on the fun – we’re dying to see you!

Going, Going, Gone! CECO Auction Is Success

The County Employees' Charitable Organization raised approximately $3,200 during its annual auction on Thursday. Employees took home original artwork, gift cards and sports memorabilia for a good cause. All of money raised benefits local non-profit agencies and employees in crisis.

You may have missed the auction, but there are still several ways to give. Read more.

Maintain, Don’t Gain

If you’re making a resolution to not overindulge this holiday season, one way to help keep it is by signing up for Maintain, Don’t Gain 2015. Register now through Oct. 23.

The annual Employee Wellness challenge helps participants keep their weight on target during the holiday season.

Maintain, Don’t Gain contestants will track their weight, calorie intake, water consumption and physical activity for eight weeks—Oct. 19 through Dec. 11.

Employee Wellness Coordinator William Erese said the best way to stay on top of your efforts is to log your food intake every day.

“These efforts will help ensure you meet your health goals, even during the holidays,” Erese said.

To receive any of the rewards, you must accrue points and log them on the Maintain Don’t Gain website.  You can earn up to 80 points a day.  Here's how:

• Log your weight each day: 20 points

• Log your water consumption each day: 20 points

• Log your steps each day: 15 points

• Meet the step goal (5000): 25 points.

• Plus there is a one-time bonus: Earn 40 points if you upload a photograph or image to your profile.

There are some great prizes for those who participate. Click for more program information.