Weekly Update - June 3, 2022 |
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Tuesday June 7th is Election Day |
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Voting by mail gives you flexibility in casting and returning your ballot. You have choices when returning your ballot. You can return your vote-by-mail ballot by:
- Mailing it prior to Election Day. The ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received within 7 days of the election.
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Delivering it to any of the ballot drop off locations.
- Dropping it off at any polling place within the county on Election Day.
Contra Costa County has Regional Early Voting sites that give you flexibility in casting your ballot. These locations are open the Friday, Saturday, and Monday prior to Election Day.
Just like Election Day, it helps to come prepared. Bring your sample ballot or Voter Information Guide to help you make your selections. When you arrive, give your full name to the staff at the sign in table. No matter where you are in the county, you will receive an official ballot for your residence address.
Proceed to a voting booth and mark your ballot. Each Early Voting site has an accessible ballot-marking device. When you finish, place your ballot in the ballot box.
Make sure to take your “I Voted” sticker and wear it proudly.
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Highly Contagious Subvariants Fuel a Surge in Cases in Contra Costa - Masking encouraged but not Required |
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We are experiencing one of the largest surges in cases of the pandemic, although hospitalizations remain relatively stable. While case data is incomplete because of widespread home testing, wastewater data suggests community infection rates are similar to the January 2021 wave (the second largest of the pandemic) when vaccines were not widely available.
Although Alameda County’s health officer is reinstating the indoor-masking mandate in that county, at this point, we continue to align with the state and Contra Costa’s health officer is not planning to issue a new masking mandate.
As of Tuesday, Contra Costa County had the highest testing positivity rate in the Bay Area (12.3%). There could be many reasons why this is the case. One could that fewer people in Contra Costa are getting PCR tests than in other areas. Generally speaking, fewer tests result in higher positivity rates.
Hospitalizations remain relatively stable in Contra Costa (74 as Wednesday, June 1, and well below the peaks seen during prior surges. At our peak on January 20, 2022, there were 333 people in hospital in Contra Costa County. Alameda currently has 98 in hospital and San Francisco has 96.
Staying up to date on vaccinations is the best protection against severe disease from COVID. The relatively low number of hospitalizations during this wave is likely a credit to the area’s high vaccination rate.
Although there is no mask mandate in place in Contra Costa County, health officials strongly recommend everyone wear a high-quality mask (N95/KN95 or snug-fitting surgical mask) in public indoor settings.
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Free Covid-19 Home Test Kits
Available for Pickup at our Danville Office
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We still have Covid-19 home test kits. If you have a need for tests, please come to our Danville office, 309 Diablo Road, Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to pick up test kits. We are able to provide two test kits per family (four tests). They will be available as long as our supply lasts.
More reliable PCR testing continues to be available for free by appointment only at various County sites. More information about where to get tested can be found here: coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-tested.
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If you test positive for COVID-19 and are age 12 or older, free treatment may be available. Contact your healthcare provider right away to talk about treatment, or visit a test to treat location.
To improve local access to treatment, Contra Costa Health Plan recently opened its free advice nurse line (877-661-6230) to any county resident who tests positive for COVID regardless of insurance.
Advice nurses screen callers and schedule free telehealth appointments with a doctor who can prescribe medication (Paxlovid or Molnupiravir). From April 29 through May 31, 748 people with COVID calling the advice nurse line have been connected to a telehealth doctor for a medication consultation.
Don’t delay, even if your symptoms are mild right now – treatment must be started within the first few days to be effective.
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Recognizing and Honoring Juneteenth |
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Juneteenth is Sunday, June 19. Many cities around the county will be honoring Juneteenth on Monday, June 20 by making it a holiday.
Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, specifically honoring the day the last enslaved people were freed in Galveston, Texas — two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863 during the Civil War.
Last June, President Joe Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday — the first new holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was declared in 1983.
On June 27th, Costa Health Services and NAMI will be holding an event to celebrate and commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. To learn more about it, go to Juneteenth event
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Contra Costa Sheriff Junior Women's Academy |
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Applications are now being accepted for the first Contra Costa Sheriff Junior Women’s Academy!
Contra Costa Sheriff Junior Women’s Academy is a two-day camp designed for young women, ages 14-18, to discover career pathways in Law Enforcement. This camp will include multiple activities to educate and allow young women to experience the day-to-day duties of women in Law Enforcement.
Instruction and Activities include:
Self-Defense Instruction, SWAT, Marine Patrol, Helicopter, K-9 demonstrations, Crime Scene Investigation and Forensics, Dispatching, Patrol, Hostage Negotiation demonstrations and scenarios, and Social Media for Law Enforcement.
The camp will be held June 29-30, 2022 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Law Enforcement Training Center Range. Lunch will be provided for participants.
The Contra Costa Sheriff Junior Women’s Academy is Free to attend.
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New Pleasant Hill Library Set to Open July 30 |
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Pleasant Hill will officially unveil its new library July 30.
The $24 million project sits on 5 acres donated by Contra Costa County at 1700 Oak Park Blvd. It was paid for by public funds approved by voters in 2016 via Measure K.
The 25,000 square feet of library will have an activity yard for children with play sculptures and a magnetic play wall, a “messy maker” space designed to keep sound in and a retreat room to keep sound out.
There will be an early literacy area for youngsters and their parents, a Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library store to buy books and merchandise, study rooms and an outdoor hangout area for kids.
Next to Pleasant Hill Middle School, the new library will have a tech zone space, with a kiosk dedicated to checking out laptops and a dedicated area for printing. The east side of the building will feature big windows with views of Grayson Creek and a path near the Contra Costa Canal Trail.
The library will be powered by state-of-the-art Tesla solar panels as a Net Zero Energy building.
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It's Swell at the Library |
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Family and Children's Trust Committee - Looking for
New Members
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In 1985, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors established The Family and Children’s Trust Committee (FACT). The FACT works to make funding recommendations on the allocation of specific funds for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. The group also works to provide supportive services for families and children.
Funding for FACT supported projects comes from federal and state program legislation, as well as donations to the County’s Family and Children’s Trust Fund. Every three years, FACT committee members establish a series of county priorities for their funding. To do this, the group reviews data and holds public hearings throughout the county. The Committee then develops a competitive bidding process to select non-profit and/or community-based agencies to best provide the services determined to be the most important.
Currently, FACT is seeking applicants for seven committee seats including:
- Three At-Large Community Representative Seats
- Three Discipline Specific Seats – Education/School Representative, Child Development/Early Childhood Education and Mental Health
- One District Seat – District I
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New Tools for Water Conservation |
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It seems like drought is now the rule rather than the exception in California. As we move into another parched summer, make every drop of water count.
Water conservation is essential. At the end of December, EBMUD measured 150 percent of average precipitation, thanks to a few substantial atmospheric rivers. But that was followed by the driest first three months of the year in EBMUD history, and our rain and snow season is over. Mother Nature will not refill our reservoirs this year. Instead, we are looking at next steps to preserve water supplies.
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Wildfire Preparedness and Safety |
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Keep an eye out for wildfires and possible power interruptions. Knowing how to open your garage door manually, parking your car in the direction you wish to depart in, and evacuating when a safety order is issued are all helpful tips.
During the wildfire threat season, fire officials advise vigilance and prevention. Contra Costa County citizens can use a guide provided by Con Fire and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office to assist prepare themselves, their families, and their neighbors in the event of a wildfire.
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Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, API Coalition and Discovery Counseling Center are pleased to announce their joint effort to put together a public information campaign to promote the national initiative to direct mental health emergency calls to 988. 988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
When people call 988, they will be connected to trained counselors who are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. 988 will go live in California on July 16, 2022.
Students are invited to create art that will inform and inspire young people to reach out for mental health resources and support by calling 988.
The contest winners will be announced on September 8th at 8:00AM (988)!
- First Prize: $500
- Second Prize: $200 (2 awards)
- Third Prize: $100 (3 awards)
Students can submit photographs of their art to us using the Online Submission Form by August 14, 2022.
Students! Submit Your Artwork
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Fun Run to Benefit Affordable Housing and Programs for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities |
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The Alameda County Fair presents the Sun’s OUT Fun’s OUT Fun Run on June 18 at 9AM in Pleasanton. The Fun Run is open to athletes of all abilities and benefits Sunflower Hill, a local non-profit dedicated to co-developing affordable housing and creating vibrant programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Choose either the 5K or 1-Mile obstacle course and run or walk around the historic horse racing track and through the Fair with fun stops along the way! Register by June 15 and Fair admission is included for June 18! Click here to register.
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Contra Costa County is Conducting a Feasibility Study |
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As part of our climate action work, Contra Costa County is conducting a feasibility study – Healthy Lands, Healthy People – to identify strategies we can use to store carbon dioxide throughout our county. Here’s how you can help:
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Give us feedback on climate-smart agriculture practices in our community by taking a survey. We want to learn from crop producers, rangeland managers, urban farmers, land stewards, and gardeners about your current practices, practices that you wish to adopt, and the obstacles that are limiting you from reaching those goals. You can fill out the survey using this link.
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Come to a focus group! You can register here.
Wednesday June 15, 6:30-8:00 pm
Our Savior Lutheran Church
Oakview 1 Room in Creekside Commons
1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette, CA 94549
Focus: Faith-based farms & landscapes
Wednesday, June 22, 6-7:30 pm
Online Zoom Meeting
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Veterans Career Pathway Event |
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511 Contra Costa Summertime Programs |
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Summer Bike Challenge
Looking for FREE summertime fun? Explore your hometown on two wheels with 511 Contra Costa’s Summer Bike Challenge. Simply bike to each destination on your city’s gameboard, and cross off the squares as you go. Pick up free prizes on select dates, take weekly Bonus Challenges, and enter the iPad Grand Prize drawing just by signing up. All ages are welcome to play! Ready to roll? Visit 511cc.org/sbc to get started.
Summer Youth Pass
The Summer Youth Pass is a three-month bus pass that gives kids a great way to get around town, all summer long. For just $30, passholders ages 6-18 can take unlimited bus rides on County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, and WestCAT from June through August. On sale now at 511cc.org/youthpass
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District 2 Volunteer Opportunities |
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Now is a great time to consider ways you might want to give back to your community. If you are interested in participating in government, then perhaps one of these volunteer opportunities is of interest to you:
Alamo Police Services Advisory Committee (CSA P-2B/APSAC)
To advise the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff's Department on the needs of the Alamo/Danville community for police services.
2 Alternate Seats
Closing Date: Open Until Filled
To advise the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff's Department on the needs of the Alamo community for police services.
Alamo Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC)
Alternate Seat & Youth Representative Seat
To advise on issues and concerns related to services provided by the County or other local agencies located within Alamo, which includes parks & recreation, lighting & landscaping, land use, code enforcement, public safety, and transportation.
The Youth Representative should be a student interested in their community, who wants to learn about government and how it works. The youth will also be encouraged to contribute to conversations and decisions being made by the Alamo MAC.
County Service Area P-5 Citizen Advisory Committee (Roundhill Residents only. One alternate seat available)
The P-5 Committee advises the Board of Supervisors on the needs of the Alamo community for extended police services for Roundhill.
The primary purpose of the Commission is to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Supervisors and to the Mental Health Division and its staff. Mission Statement: To influence the County's Mental Health System to ensure the delivery of quality services which are effective, efficient, culturally relevant and responsive to the needs and desires of the clients it serves with dignity and respect; and to be the advocate with the Board of Supervisors, the Mental Health Division, and the community on behalf of all Contra Costa County residents who are in need of mental health services.
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