September 10, 2020
California Department of Public Health

Contra Costa and most other counties are now in the purple (most restrictive) tier.

According to these new state rules,

  • Hair salons and barber shops can now operate indoors in Contra Costa County with safety guidelines in place.
  • Indoor shopping malls may also reopen at 25% maximum occupancy as long as public congregation points and food courts are closed and the mall has approved a COVID-19 safety plan from Contra Costa Health Services.
  • Gyms and fitness centers may begin operating outdoors in accordance with their own state guidelines and checklist.


Current information regarding all health orders is available at cchealth.org/coronavirus.
Contra Costa County Health Services Updates

For an updated list of opening guidelines, see the "Openings at a Glance" Document. (8/31/20)

For current COVID-19 updates, visit Contra Costa Health Services at https://cchealth.org/coronavirus.

Get Tested. Click to schedule an appointment or call 844-421-0804.

If you have questions about the Coronavirus, contact the Multilingual Call Center 1-844-729-8410, open daily from 8 am to 5 pm (available in English and Spanish). 

For assistance in multiple languages after hours, please call 211 or 800-833-2900 or text HOPE to 20121.
New Coronavirus Prevention Graphics to Share
(Click on images for printable pdf)
Need posters or flyers for your business?
Your EBT Card is welcome at Farmers Markets
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District - Virtual Town Halls
Fire Chief Helmick, Fire Marshal Aubert, ECCFPD Board Members and Community Leaders will be on hand to give you the latest updates on the state of the Fire District along with some potential solutions and most importantly.. we want to hear from you!

Bring your questions and get answers!

Byron and Knightsen
Virtual Town Hall Via ZOOM
Monday, September 14, 2020
7 PM to 8:30 PM

For more information about East Contra Costa Fire Protection District,

Note: You can find additional information about Zoom Meetings
at the bottom of this newsletter.
Mail Flight to Land at Buchanan Field on September 11, 2020
Contra Costa County Public Works’ Buchanan Field Airport in Concord is expecting an increase in air traffic on September 11, 2020, due to their participation in a historic event.

Starting on September 8, 2020, a light airplane will take off from Farmingdale, New York’s Republic Airport to begin a 2,560-mile relay across the United States, to retrace the original airmail route from Long Island to San Francisco.

More than a dozen private pilots, flying their own aircraft, will carry sacks filled with commemorative postcards and letters, destined for San Francisco. Like the airmail pilots in 1920, the volunteers will exchange mail sacks between planes, each flying one leg of the continent-spanning route.

Between September 8th and September 11th, the pilots will land at several airports across the nation to hand-off the mail sacks, ultimately landing at Buchanan Field Airport on the morning of September 11, 2020.

From there, the mail will be formally handed over to the Postmaster on Marina Green in San Francisco.

Airport staff is providing advance notice of this historic event as it may result in an increase in air traffic on or around September 11, 2020.
Help Contra Costa County Library's Project Second Chance
You can help a fellow community member improve their basic reading and writing skills. Learn more about becoming a volunteer tutor for an adult learner through Project Second Chance, Contra Costa County Library's adult literacy program. 

Tutors are 21 or older, comfortable with their own English reading and writing, and can commit to meeting twice per week with an adult learner. No teaching experience is required; good tutors are patient and passionate about helping a neighbor meet their goals. 

Prospective tutors who complete the orientation session are eligible to enroll in an upcoming training class. This class is required of all new tutors in order to be matched with an adult learner.

Project Second Chance is offering the following orientation sessions via Zoom in September:
Friday, September 11, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Tuesday, September 15, 4 p.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, September 22, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Please RSVP at ccclib.org/psc You'll receive an email with an invitation link to the meeting 24 hours before the event.
St. Anne’s Church and American Red Cross are teaming up for blood drives.

Wednesday, September 16, 2020
12:00 noon-6:00pm
St. Anne’s Church
2800 Camino Diablo Road
Byron, CA 94514

Donating is a safe process and people should not hesitate to give or receive blood or platelets. 

For a limited time, the American Red Cross will test all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies as an additional health service to our donors. 

To schedule an appointment Click Here or call 1-800-733-2767
For more information about the Red Cross visit redcross.org.
Rehabilitation Work on Kirker Pass Road
Pavement rehabilitation work is scheduled to begin on Kirker Pass Road as part of the Kirker Pass Road Northbound Truck Climbing Lane Project. Work will take place during the day and night beginning on September 7, 2020 at 9 p.m. through September 11, 2020 at 4 p.m., barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will occur on both the north and south bound lanes, between the City of Concord/County limits to approximately 4,200 feet north of the North Hess Road Intersection, a length of approximately 1.6 miles.

Work includes grinding and replacing the surface course of asphalt. Work will be scheduled to minimize impacts during commute hours. Electronic message boards will alert drivers of the scheduled work. Drivers should expect delays. Current social distancing protocol will be observed.

The Kirker Pass Road Northbound Truck Climbing Lane Project will improve safety and reduce congestion along Kirker Pass Road from the Concord Pavilion to the northern Hess Road intersection by constructing a truck climbing lane in the northbound direction.

Pavement widening will occur on the east side of the roadway to provide a 12-foot truck lane and 8-foot paved shoulder. Widening will require construction of six retaining walls adjacent to the roadway. The project also includes paving both the north and southbound lanes between the City of Concord/County limits to approximately 4,200 feet north of North Hess Road. The total project length is about 2 miles. 

Funding for this project is provided by Measure J, State Transportation Improvement Program, State Match, Local Streets and Road Program, and gas tax revenues provided by the SB1 Road Repair and Accountability Act. More information for this project can be found at http://www.cccounty.us/pwdmap. 
Evictions and Tenant Protections during Covid-19
Please visit cocofamilyjustice.org for information about the
Center's services and programs.
Friendship Line for Seniors
As many older and at-risk Californians continue to stay home to minimize exposure to COVID-19, feelings of isolation and loneliness may be increasing.

To offer support, Institute on Aging and the California Department of Aging want to share with you all additional resources to bring awareness to the toll-free warm line, Friendship Line California.

As you may know Friendship Line California is both a crisis intervention hotline and a warmline for non-emergency emotional support calls connecting individuals to a friendly conversation 24/7.

Call 1-888-670-1360 now for an ear ready to listen and warm voice. You don't have to feel alone.
Only Three Weeks left to get counted in the 2020 Census!
The deadline is through September 30, 2020 and
Census Takers are now in your neighborhood!

Here’s how to identify Census takers in your neighborhood. The link has information on what Census workers will NOT ask (see how to avoid scams).

If you have any questions about Census takers, you can call the Census Bureau at 800-923-8282.

Our goal together is a Census 2020 complete count.

Take the survey now at https://my2020census.gov/
For a dynamic map to check your area, and more, visit cococensus.org.
District 3 Committee Openings

County Service Area, P-6 Citizen Advisory Committee (Discovery Bay)
2 seats
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

The County Service Area P6 Citizens Advisory Committee advises the Board of Supervisors on the needs of the Discovery Bay community for extended police protection services which shall include, but not limited to, enforcement of the State Vehicle Code where authorized by law, crime prevention, and litter control.

You must reside within the Discovery Bay P-6 boundaries (Zone 501-505) to serve on this board.

The Committee meets quarterly on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 6:00p.m. located at the Discovery Bay Community Center, 1601 Discovery Bay Blvd. in Discovery Bay.

Mental Health Commission
1 Consumer seat
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

To review and assess the community’s mental health needs, services, facilities, and special problems, in order to advise the Board of Supervisors concerning local mental health services and programs.

The Commission meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. located at 550 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill.

Assessment Appeals Board
1 Alternate seat
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

The Assessment Appeals Board conducts impartial hearings on property assessment disputes between taxpayers and the county assessor. Based on the evidence presented at these hearings, the appeals board determined the value of the disputed property or determines other matters of property tax assessment within the board’s jurisdiction.

Qualifications:
Applicants should possess five or more years of professional experience in California as one of the following: licensed real estate broker, attorney, certified public accountant (CPA) or public accountant, property appraiser accredited by a nationally recognized professional organization, property appraiser certified by the Office of Real Estate Appraisers, or property appraiser certified by the State Board of Equalization.

Compensation:
This is a volunteer position. Assessment Appeals Board members are compensated for their time at hearings and reimbursed for their mileage to attend assessment appeals hearings.

The Assessment Appeals Board meets every Thursday at 9:00 a.m. located at 651 Pine Street, Room 107 in Martinez.

Library Commission
1 Alternate seat
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

The Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the Board of Supervisors and the County Librarian; provides a forum for the community to provide input concerning Library operations, and recommends proposals to the Board of Supervisors and the County Librarian which may improve the Library.

The Commission meets on the 4th Thursday of every other month at 7pm located at 777 Arnold Drive in Martinez.

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Background: The Board of Supervisors receives valuable input and community participation from numerous citizen advisory boards on a range of issues. Boards usually meet monthly on a regular basis.
 
Candidates for these positions must live in District 3 or any specified boundary area for special districts. District 3 is comprised of the cities of Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood, and the unincorporated communities of Blackhawk, Diablo, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen and Discovery Bay.
 
You may also download an application from the County’s website at http://contra.napanet.net/maddybook/ Applications should be submitted to the Clerk of the Board’s office (925-335-1900) located at 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553.
 
For more information, including on how to apply, you may contact Supervisor Burgis’ Deputy Chief of Staff, Lea Castleberry at 925-252-4500 or Lea.Castleberry@bos.cccounty.us  
Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee
The Contra Costa County Internal Operations Committee of the Board of Supervisors is now accepting applications from individuals to fill two (2) At-Large Member Seats and one (1) At-Large Alternate member seat on the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee.

Existing members seeking reappointment and individuals seeking a new appointment may apply.

Applications are due by October 2, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. 

The Fish and Wildlife Committee has ten members: Five District representatives nominated by individual members of the Board of Supervisors, four At-Large positions, and one At-Large Alternate position nominated by the Internal Operations Committee.

The Internal Operations Committee considers applications from all interested individuals and conducts interviews even when an existing At-Large member seeks reappointment. Read More...

Apply for the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants who may be interested in serving on its 19-member Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC).

The JJCC is a multi-agency advisory body charged with creating and maintaining the County’s comprehensive Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan and coordinating county-based juvenile delinquency prevention initiatives. The state-mandated Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan is designed to improve services for Contra Costa County’s juvenile justice population by assessing existing practices and resources, identifying system needs and gaps, and prioritizing and recommending solutions. Read more...

What is a Zoom Meeting?