Can death bring us to really living?
This month we smack in the face death— 2,996 died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. They died at three sites, they were citizens of 73 countries, moms and dads, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fiends, partners, funny people, driven people, Democrats, Republicans, many races, and many religions. Most we have named on Main Street. They live on in our hearts, thoughts and hopefully actions. These angels have crossed. How are they affecting my life?
9/11, twenty years later
It has been
20 years since
We, as a people,
Were jolted
To our core
We, as a world,
Came together
Not even thinking about
Political party, race
Neighborhood, country
Truly we put
The survival of the
Community/country/world
Above self
First responders
Were valiantly responding
The rest of us
Rolled up our sleeves
What could we do?
What could we do?
Our eyes were open
Our hearts were overflowing
Our spirits resolved
As we move forward
In our lives
From this spot
Our spirits are resolved
Bless us for our differences
Bless us as
We listen to each other
Bless us as
We roll up our sleeves to save our world
Bless us as
We put the needs of our community
Above our personal wants
Bless us as
We fan the flames of love
Bless us as
We come together for justice
Bless us as
We strive
Praise to thee O God
For all creation
Give us thankful hearts
That we may see
All the gifts we share
And every blessing
All things come of thee
On Saturday, 9/11, there will be two community observances of the 20th anniversary of that day both at our Main Street spot to pause and reflect. At the 11:00am service I will give the benediction. (Which I include here) The Napa Interfaith Council will have a prayer service at starting at 5:30pm.
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Connecting You to the Latest COVID-19 News
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On June 15, Napa County aligned with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the State of California to fully reopen, removing capacity and distancing restrictions for most businesses and activities.
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September is Suicide Awareness Month
QPR Suicide Prevention Training
When teens look for help, they generally turn to their peers, making it all the more important to equip youth to support their fellow students. Question Persuade Refer (QPR) is an evidence-based curriculum that teaches youth and adults how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide or mental health crisis and how to Question, Persuade and Refer someone to help.
Learn more about QPR by visiting their website. You can also learn more about suicide prevention by following Mentis Napa on social media where they'll be sharing information and resources throughout the month of September.
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2021 Redistricting in Napa County
Every ten years, public agencies use new data from the United States Census to redraw the district lines of elected representatives to reflect how local populations have changed. The Napa County Election Division will be participating in this process in 2021 along with other local public agencies. The parameters for this process are set through California's Fair Maps Act.
District lines must be adjusted to make sure each district has as equal a population as possible. Other criteria for consideration include the cohesiveness, contiguity, and compactness of the district territory, and addressing communities of interest.
The Napa County Election Division is working with the Napa County Board of Education, the Napa Valley College, and the City of Napa to provide maximum opportunity for public engagement in this decennial process. Efforts at the state level by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) as well as the Napa Valley Unified School District will also be occurring simultaneously. All Californians are welcome to "draw the lines" to help define the future of their communities.
Workshops
Workshops allowing for community participation in this process will be scheduled and posted on this web page. We will be utilizing an online mapping tool, DistricR, which will allow interested members of the public to suggest possible district boundaries.
Resources
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Groundwater Sustainability Plan Workshops
As part of the Stakeholder Communication and Engagement Plan, the Groundwater Sustainability Agency is set to hold community workshops to provide a brief overview of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan process and will serve as an opportunity to gain public input regarding the draft Management Actions. Mark your calendar for one of the following dates:
Wednesday, September 22, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM
Location: Napa Valley College, NVC Little Theater (room 1231)
2277 Napa-Vallejo Highway, Napa 94558
Wednesday, September 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM
Location: Napa Valley College, Upper Valley Campus
1088 College Ave, St Helena, 94574
Multipurpose Room 9A & 9B
The Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency oversees Groundwater Sustainability in the County. The Agency is also in charge of creating and carrying out a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for the Napa Valley Subbasin. An advisory committee is helping the Agency create the GSP.
The GSP will include policies and recommendations for taking care of and protecting groundwater within the Subbasin for the long term. The committee will submit a draft GSP for the Agency to review by November 1, 2021.
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Drive & Bike Electric Napa
As part of National Drive Electric Week, Regeneration Napa County, the Sierra Club of Napa, and others are jointly hosting the third annual Drive & Bike Electric Napa event at Napa Valley College from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 26, 2021.
Current models of electric vehicles (EV) and electric bikes will be on display and their owners available to answer questions between 1pm. and 4pm. on Sunday, September 26, 2021 at Napa Valley College during National Drive Electric Week.
Learn from EV drivers and enthusiasts about the thrill of owning and driving an EV, charging it at home (The permitting process for installing EV charging stations has been streamlined throughout Napa County), never having to go to a gas station, savings vis-à-vis gas cars, etc. A variety of electric bikes (cargo bikes, long-johns, Bakfiets, etc.), in addition to traditional designs, will be available to view/ride.
For a chance to win a $250 Visa gift card, register to attend or participate and complete a short survey.
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Zonehaven, an evacuation mapping system rolled out in May by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office, divides the county into more than 250 numbered zones that can be individually targeted for alerts about wildfires, evacuations and other threats to life or property.
Napa County has added a Know Your Zone page to the Sheriff’s Office website, where users can type in addresses and find the zone number for their home or business. Emergency alerts made on social media and other platforms will mention which zones are under orders or advisories.
In addition to pushing out evacuation warnings to residents and first responders as they happen, the platform assists agencies in making decisions about when to evacuate areas.
Zonehaven monitors road traffic in real-time, assists in creating traffic control points, and marks potential evacuation centers based on the flow of people leaving various zones, the Community Foundation said in an announcement earlier this month. The software also allows incident commanders at a wildfire to help guide the modeling of its potential spread.
In the event we have another fire or another disaster where evacuations are necessary, Zonehaven will help dramatically improve emergency response and our resilience as a community.
What is your Zone? Find it here.
Where can I find more information on how to safely evacuate?
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Napa Sunrise Rotary will host the city’s remembrance of the 2001 attacks tomorrow, at the 9/11 Memorial Garden at 1075 Main St. The Memorial Garden includes a monument, dedicated in 2011, that incorporates steel beams from the collapsed World Trade Center in New York and glass panels etched with the names of those who died in the 2001 attacks.
The ceremony will begin at 11:00am and is expected to last about an hour.
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Napa County Historical Society is Seeking Volunteers
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Safe Routes to Schools: Walk to School Day
Recognizing that many schools are in session this fall in different ways, Walk to School Day 2021 registration is open for everyone to participate in a way that best fits their school and local public health guidance. You can choose to register your participation as an entire school, a neighborhood, or a family. Walk to School Day is an important opportunity to gather as a school or community, encourage physical activity, and promote safety in your neighborhoods and near schools.
The official date for Walk to School Day is October 6th, but participation is encouraged throughout October. Here are some ways to start planning your activity and to share the excitement for Walk to School Day this year:
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Register – this year, families, neighborhoods, and schools can all sign up!
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Check out the list of 20 ways to celebrate Walk to School Day with your family, neighborhood, or school.
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First time planning a school-based event? Check out the Getting Started Guide. Be sure to adapt your event to align with local public health guidance.
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Follow Walk and Bike to School Day on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest Walk to School Day news and event ideas.
- Share your event plans and photos on social media using the hashtag #WalktoSchoolDay.
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Cycling Past 50: Nationwide Survey of Older Cyclists Now Underway
Increased cycling rates among all ages has sparked the need to learn more about how to make cycling possible and safe. Learning about why and how older adults (50 and older) cycle is no exception, especially since remaining physically active and engaged supports overall wellness.
This year’s 4 survey is updated to provide better information about older cyclists, including how COVID impacts the lives of older adults. Survey results provide transportation planners and engineers, public health professionals, and journalists with better information about the needs of older adults who cycle, similar to what we know about kids that walk or bike to school.
Input from all 50+ cyclists, regular or occasional, is encouraged. Past year respondents are also encouraged to take the survey to share how COVID and being a year older may have affected cycling. The survey will remain open through March 31, 2022. A report on the 2020 survey is available here.
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Air District Launches new Program
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has recently announced its Clean Cars for All Program, and is now accepting applications for income-qualified Bay Area residents in the communities most impacted by air pollution. This program offers $5,000 - $9,500 to retire an older vehicle and replace it with a new or used hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery, or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, or to get a pre-paid card for public transit or an electric bicycle.
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Napa County seeks to uplift and support young writers in the community who are committed to the literary arts, poetry and performance; whose passion brings a voice to social justice and the power of civic engagement. Applications for Napa County's first annual Youth Poet Laureate, available in English & Spanish, are being accepted from 9/10/21 - 10/8/21.
Submission deadline is October 8, 2021 @ 11:00pm
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Apply Now for Mental Health Grants Focusing on “Healing Teen Mental Health Through Art”. Individuals, groups, and nonprofits are encouraged to apply. Proposals from teens are accepted with an adult mentor. Open to all artistic and cultural disciplines, including performing arts, visual arts, emerging fields, and literary arts. Visit the link below to view guidelines and apply.
Submission deadline is September 20, 2021 @ 5:00pm
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News from Napa County Regional Park & Open Space District |
Save the Date!
Coastal Cleanup Day
September 18, 2021
Napa RCD is excited to welcome back volunteers for what they are calling a "mostly normal" Coastal Cleanup Day 2021! Working closely with the California Coastal Commission, Napa RCD is ready to help coordinate safe and fun cleanup sites throughout Napa County.
This year they will have sites in Calistoga, St Helena, Napa, and American Canyon, and Solano RCD will be hosting volunteers at Lake Berryessa. They are also encouraging folks that can't make it to the September 18 gatherings to do what we all did last year- start at your own front door and do a neighborhood cleanup. Napa RCD has supplies to lend out any day except Sept 18, so contact us if you need trash grabbers or buckets.
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Board of Supervisors Meetings |
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Join the Board of Supervisors on September 14 , 21 & 28 at 9:00 a.m. on the third floor of the Napa County Administration Building — 1195 Third Street, Suite 310, Napa or via Zoom.
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Stay In Touch:
Office: (707) 253-4828
For meetings or other inquiries, please contact my Aide, Leah Doyle-Stevens.
Office: (707) 254-4154
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Brad graduated from a local high school in Napa and attended the University of California – Santa Cruz, where he earned a degree in Political Science and Elementary Education. He began his teaching career in 1977 and spent the first ten years teaching emotionally disturbed adolescents. By 1987, Brad began teaching social studies at Redwood Middle School and eventually Silverado Middle School. When elected to the Napa City Council in 1984 and as Mayor for the City of Napa, Brad split his time between his passion for teaching and public service. In 1998, he was elected to the Napa County Board of Supervisors and served as the representative for District 1 in 1999.
Brad enjoys gardening, playing basketball, running 300 days a year, and hiking with his grandson and kids. He is married to Kathy and together they have five children: Gretchen, Fritz, Max, Eric, and Alex. Gretchen is a property manager in Fremont and has a son, Xavier. Fritz lives in Santa Cruz where he manages a Sprouts store while Max is a social worker in Philadelphia. Eric is a student with an advanced degree and Alex is a newly minted doctor.
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