Strained food banks, delayed paychecks for cash-strapped military families and stalled funding for a long-awaited veterans cemetery.
These are just a few of the changes Orange County agencies and community leaders are bracing for after the U.S. government shut down for the first time in nearly seven years, as lawmakers failed late Tuesday to pass a spending bill.
With furloughs and program closures imminent, here’s what you need to know:
Camp Pendleton
With 150,000 active-duty military families living in Southern California, the groups with various missions to support them are concerned about the devastating effects a prolonged government shutdown could have.
“Our biggest concern is the Oct. 15 paychecks,” said Maggie Meza, executive director of the San Diego Chapter of the Blue Star Families, a national nonprofit that helps with services to address the challenges military families face. “They got the Oct. 1 paycheck, but the Oct. 15 one is the most uncertain.”
If the shutdown continues, she said it would create more financial strain for families, from concerns about how outstanding bills will be paid to where to get food if money runs out.
“Many are living paycheck to paycheck, and this is a really tough time to have this happen,” Meza said.
The nonprofit’s research has found that 1 in 3 military families has less than $3,000 in savings, and 1 in 4 families face food insecurity.
To help prepare for what could lie ahead, Meza said the group’s online platform, “The Neighborhood,” is gathering local and national resources for families to access immediately. It is also planning a virtual town hall on resources.
Locally, Meza encourages Blue Star families to reach out to the chapter for more help. Coincidentally, the group is currently hosting “Welcome Week,” which features local events in Southern California where families can enjoy free activities, such as food tours throughout the area and craft nights.
So far, Marine officials at Camp Pendleton have not reported any impacts to base facilities, such as the commissary or PXs. However, in past shutdowns or threatened shutdowns, thousands of civilians who help run operations at area bases and work in administrative and maintenance jobs have had to prepare for furloughs.
Nearly 80,000 retired veterans live within 50 miles of Camp Pendleton and use the base for grocery shopping and medical care.
In 2013, a 16-day shutdown resulted in a decrease in the number of days the Camp Pendleton commissary was open and in maintenance hours at area training fields.
Women, Infants & Children (WIC) food program
Current funds for WIC, the program that provides nutrition assistance to low-income families, are “nearly depleted” and could run dry within a week, according to Politico.
As long as the program has funding, WIC offices in Orange County will remain open and continue to enroll and service families. Government employees who are pregnant, were pregnant in the last six months, or have a child under age 5 may qualify for WIC if their income is affected by the shutdown.
John Wayne Airport
The airport does not currently anticipate noticeable travel disruptions but a spokesperson said it’s closely monitoring the shutdown’s potential impact on operations.
“TSA, FAA, and CBP employees are federal personnel who play a critical role in maintaining safety and security at airports nationwide,” an airport spokesperson said in a statement. “While staffing levels and resources are determined at the federal level, we remain in close communication with our federal partners to support their efforts and mitigate any potential impacts to travelers at John Wayne Airport.”
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers are expected to work through the shutdown without pay, according to the Transportation Department. Other critical functions, including the certification and oversight of commercial aircraft and engines, will also continue, as will limited air traffic safety.
Pacific Airshow
The shutdown halts non-essential federal operations, which include military demonstration teams. But the annual three-day event in Huntington Beach is expected to follow the planned schedule from Friday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 5, Kevin Elliott, the air show’s chief executive officer, said before the shutdown started.
“The Pacific Airshow has been advised by most of its U.S. Military lineup that, regardless of any potential for the Government to shutdown, they will still fly,” Elliott said in a statement. “While this is, as always, subject to change based on guidance from the Department of War, Pacific Airshow is currently planning to showcase our full lineup.”
Elliott could not be reached for an update Wednesday.
Nixon Presidential Library & Museum
The galleries and research archives of the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum will remain closed to the public during the government shutdown, but the Nixon Foundation, a private nonprofit, operates other features of the campus that will remain open for touring.
That includes President Richard Nixon’s birthplace and boyhood home, built by his father; the gravesite of Nixon and his wife, Pat; the replica room, the First Lady’s Rose Gardens, and the exterior of the presidential helicopter. The museum store will also still operate.
Carrie Anderson, spokesperson for the foundation, said Nixon’s childhood home is actually one of her favorite places at the presidential library to visit, with much of the furniture still original to when he lived there.
“It’s a reminder of the humble beginnings he came from,” she said.
And the garden is still looking beautiful even as the season changes, she said, adding she eats her lunch out there many days.
The foundation is offering a 50% discount on admission during the shutdown, making general admission $8.
The exhibits “The President and the Planet: Richard Nixon and the Environment” and “Evening the Odds: Women Leading the Way” remain open on display. And any foundation events – also any private events – will continue as scheduled.
There is a Red Cross blood drive Monday, Oct. 6 and former Navy SEAL sniper and author Jack Carr is set to speak Oct. 15.
Information: https://www.nixonfoundation.org/
Funding for county’s first veterans cemetery
Orange County finally landed on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ priority list for cemetery grants, a long-awaited milestone in the push to give Orange County’s veterans a final resting place close to home. But with the federal government shutdown underway, there’s no clear timeline on when funding decisions will be announced.
The funding is a final piece needed for the Southern California State Veterans Cemetery to be built in Anaheim Hills’ Gypsum Canyon. The county has already set aside more than $55 million in state and local funds, and the land is ready to go.
“We call on California’s commander-in-chief, Gov. Gavin Newsom, to immediately take possession of the Gypsum Canyon property. Doing so will allow California to honor its veterans and advance construction while federal funding efforts continue,” said Nick Berardino, president of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County and a Marine Corps veteran. “California’s veterans must not be caught in the crossfire of disputes between Sacramento and Washington. This project must move forward without delay.”
Orange County Cemetery District General Manager Tim Deutsch has said the aim is to break ground next year, with the public cemetery slated to open by 2027 or 2028.
Staff reporters Erika Ritchie and Hanna Kang contributed to this report