NEWS— 40 years of need
Nurturing Empowerment Worth and Safety (NEWS) started with domestic abuse. In the old days, that meant some guy was physically abusing his wife or girlfriend. In those old days (40 years ago) many were abused, but few were reported. It was just “men being men”. What choice did women have, but to just take it?
NEWS has been a constant in Napa. Bringing emergency shelter, emergency support and services. But, emergency work is only a band aid, and as we know, band aids only last a short time. NEWS has moved into the counseling and education for the abused, and they also are working with the abuser and the potential abuser. As we know, there is a much wider variety of domestic abuse situations today than 40 years ago. Today, 40 years after it was created, NEWS is more relevant than ever.
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The importance of NEWS
When I was a kid
Saturdays were for cleaning
Sheets off the bed
Blankets, pillows piled
I could disappear
Deep within the pile
How safe and secure
A warm womb
Everything on earth
Was good
There was
No violence, no bullets
No abuse, no trauma
Everything on earth
Was good
In my heart
I can find that spot
Even today
What goes into
Making that spot
Possible?
Many are born into
A sweet sweet world
Parents, family love us
Sight unseen
Want is not known
Need is quenched
Rare bumps and bruises
Are repaired
We are read to
Education is a birthright
Our hearts are wide open
We climb into the covers
Snuggle in and
Know we are safe
Breathe in
Breathe out
Love envelopes us
That is what we want for
All of our kids
Over the years I must have ridden
With our police better than
50 times
Close to 30 times
The ride along ends
In a 10pm call
A young woman
Hopefully at a friend’s house
Several kids
Hysterically run around
A hallow eyed young lady
Sits at a table with the friend
(If she is lucky)
She tells the officer
Her story
That’s one way into NEWS
NEWS has been there
40 years
With the band aids
With shelter, counseling
Love and support
Supporting violence free families
It is truly
Nurturing Empowerment Worth & Safety
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To support NEWS, click here.
Very Sincerely,
Brad
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Connecting You to the Latest COVID-19 News
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Napa County Issues Health Order Mandating Facial Coverings Indoors
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Napa County joined seven other Bay Area counties and the city of Berkeley this month in issuing a health order mandating indoor masking, regardless of vaccination status. The order by Dr. Karen Relucio, the County’s Health Officer, requires all individuals to wear face coverings when indoors in workplaces and public settings, with limited exemptions, and recommends that businesses make face coverings available to individuals entering their businesses.
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Vaccinations
With 75% of eligible Napa County residents being fully vaccinated, Napa County has consistently been among the top California Counties in administering vaccines. We are very proud of this! And, 80% of eligible Napa County residents have received at least 1 dose.
Not yet received your vaccine, but want to?
Appointments are still available for ALL Napa County residents. Click here to visit the appointment center.
Local data shows residents who are not vaccinated are more likely to end up in our health care system. Hospitalizations in our local hospitals validate that unvaccinated residents are being hospitalized significantly higher than vaccinated residents.
How can you help?
You can help inform, educate, and connect residents who are not yet vaccinated to local resources—learning more about the benefits of being vaccinated and opportunities to receive a vaccine.
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Or, If you need assistance or need to register a minor for testing, please call (707) 253-4540 to schedule your appointment (bilingual staff available).
Testing is a key data point for the State of California and general public participation is encouraged. Learn more about testing in Napa County here.
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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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News from PG&E: Wildfire Resiliency and Public Safety
With nearly all of California experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions and an early start to the traditional peak of wildfire season, PG&E today announced a… Read More
PG&E today announced a major new initiative to expand the undergrounding of electric distribution power lines in High Fire Threat Districts (HFTD) to further harden its system... Read More
As California enters the height of wildfire season, PG&E is continuing to offer information to help all Californians protect their homes and communities. In the fourth... Read More
As temperatures rise across the state, Californians continue to search for ways to prepare their homes before the height of wildfire season. PG&E's new digital video... Read More
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the risk of home structure fire fatalities was 55% lower in homes with working smoke alarms. In the sixth... Read More
Environment and Sustainability
PG&E today released its annual Corporate Sustainability Report, which reviews the company's performance through a "triple bottom line" lens on serving people, the planet, and California's... Read More
Resilient Communities
PG&E announced today that it will extend the moratorium on utility service disconnections through September 30, 2021. The moratorium was put in place in March 2020... Read More
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MCE Community Solar Discount Program
In late June, Marine Clean Energy announced their newest community program, Community Solar Connection and Green Access, furthering our leadership in energy equity and affordability. MCE will be offering qualifying customers living in a designated disadvantaged community access to 100% renewable energy and a 20% discount on their electricity bills for up to 20 years. Both programs will be supported by the development of an additional 5.92 megawatts of new local clean energy capacity. Visit their website for more information.
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News from Napa County Regional Park & Open Space District |
Summer Oak Day
Napa RCD has one last Summer Oak Day remaining this season for those interested in helping to care for Napa County's Oaks!
Join Napa RCD at Alston Park on Sunday, August 29 from 9-11am. They will be weeding and mulching oak trees that were planted by community members in November of 2019.
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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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Sierra Club: "The World’s Climate Is in Our Hands"
"In 30 years, history books will mention August 9, 2021 as a crucial date in the fight against the climate crisis.
That day, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a landmark science report that debunked once and for all any doubt or speculation about the severity or the origin of the existential crisis we all confront..." El Clima mundial en nuestras manos/World's climate in our hands by Javier Sierra. Read the full article here.
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Napa surveying artists and makers to ‘Make It In Napa’
The city of Napa’s Economic Development Division is partnering with PlaceMade and Artspace to support the creative and manufacturing industries in Napa through a new initiative, “Make It In Napa.”
It is asking artists and makers across the region to take a survey to identify space and infrastructure opportunities in Napa.
The survey seeks an overview of the needs and preferences for spaces that support creative people and their work and businesses. The city hopes to invest in affordable manufacturing and production space and creative work and studio space, as well as housing.
In 2019, the Bay Area Council Economic Institute delivered a study to the city that confirmed Napa was missing out on opportunities to grow its creative and manufacturing sectors and create a stronger and more diverse economy.
One of the study’s recommendations was to create spaces for innovation, which led to Napa’s partnership with Artspace, a nonprofit consultant and developer of affordable space for artists, and PlaceMade, a nonprofit industrial real estate consultancy. Artspace has more than 53 permanently affordable artist communities across the nation.
The survey is live until Sept. 19.
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Campaign Nonviolence Action Week
Campaign Nonviolence, which sponsors the Nonviolent Cities Project, is set to hold Campaign Nonviolence Action Week from September 18-26, 2021. Residents of Napa may choose to participate by gathering with signs for PEACE at the corner of Soscol & Third St. on September 26 from 2-4pm. Visit their website for more information, Campaign Nonviolence Action Week — Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service. |
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Board of Supervisors Meetings |
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Join the Board of Supervisors on August 17 & 24 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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