Contra Costa Herald

CHP Assistant Commissioner Robin Johnson presents Northern Division Officer Christopher Partlow with K-9 Judge the certificate of completion from POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training) meeting all the requirements, certifying the dog for law enforcement service during the recent graduation ceremony. Photo: CHP

Four K-9s have joined the ranks of the California Highway Patrol after completing rigorous training alongside their handlers and receiving official certification from the CHP

By Jaime Coffee, Director of Communications, Office of Media Relations, CHP

SACRAMENTO — The CHP has added four new K-9 teams to its ranks, furthering the Department’s mission to provide safety, service and security to the people of California.

The graduating class includes three Belgian Malinois and one Dutch Shepherd, each trained to apprehend offenders, detect illegal drugs and enhance officer and public safety.

“Police K-9s have proven their usefulness time and again in the situations officers face daily. They are hardworking, loyal partners who wake up each day ready to serve. Each of these specialized teams has dedicated time and effort to succeed on the streets, and we are excited to welcome them to our team,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.

Over the past 11 weeks, the four K-9 teams completed more than 400 hours of intensive training, meeting the standards set by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. The K-9s, trained in criminal apprehension and narcotics detection, also known as Patrol and Narcotics Detection Canines, received their official certification on November 7 during a graduation ceremony at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento.

Each K-9 handler is an experienced CHP officer with seven to 15 years of service. Handlers were carefully paired with their canine partners based on temperament, skill and personality. Throughout training, the teams built strong bonds of trust and communication that will support them throughout their careers.

Following this graduation, the new K-9 teams will report to their assigned CHP Area offices to assist with patrol duties and respond to calls for service in the Northern, Central and Inland Divisions.

BY THE NUMBERS

With this graduating class, the second of 2025, the CHP now deploys 53 K-9 teams statewide:

• 37 Patrol and Narcotics Detection Canine teams
• 9 Patrol and Explosives Detection Canine teams
• 5 Explosives Detection Canine teams
• 2 Narcotics Detection teams

From January through September 2025, CHP K-9 teams seized nearly 7,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 5,000 pounds of cocaine, 250 pounds of heroin, 750 pounds of fentanyl and 213 firearms, underscoring their critical role in combating drug trafficking and firearm-related crime.

To maintain peak performance, each team completes at least eight hours of ongoing training each week, ensuring readiness for the diverse situations they encounter in the field.

MEET THE CHP’S NEW K-9 TEAMS

Officer Christopher Partlow & K-9 Judge – Northern Division

Officer Christopher Keeler & K-9 Jag – Central Division

Officer Michael Galvez & K-9 Oso – Central Division

Officer Joshua Walker & K-9 Jury – Inland Division

Contra Costa County is located in the Golden Gate Division. Learn more about becoming a CHP K-9 handler or explore the many other rewarding career opportunities at www.CHPMadeForMore.com.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

News from the East Bay Regional Park District

Includes Green Friday Free Park Day the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28

By Dave Mason Public Information Supervisor, Public Affairs, East Bay Regional Park District

Fall Walks & Strolls. Late fall is the perfect season to get outside and explore East Bay Regional Parks. Whether you’re up for a challenging hike or a gentle stroll, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Embrace the cool weather, crisp air, changing plant colors, and abundant wildlife on these fall walks and strolls. Let the natural beauty of the East Bay rejuvenate your spirit on these unforgettable fall adventures.

• Wednesday Walk (3.5 miles), Nov. 12, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
• Wednesday Walk (3.75 miles), Nov. 26, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
• Saturday Stroll (4 miles), Nov. 29, 9:30 a.m.-noon at Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

For more information, visit ebparks.org/calendar and search for walks and strolls.

Anthony Chabot Regional Park (left). Credit: Kevin Fox. Tilden Regional Park Botanic Garden (right). Credit: Jacob Drueckhammer. Source: EBRPD.

Green Friday Free Park Day. Celebrate Green Friday — the day after Thanksgiving — with a free park day in East Bay Regional Parks! Fees are waived for parking, boat launching, and fishing — only state fishing licenses, watercraft inspections, and concession fees apply. Admission to Ardenwood Historic Farm is also waived for Green Friday! The East Bay Regional Park District celebrates Green Friday to encourage the public to spend time in nature. It’s a great way to spend time with family and friends the day after Thanksgiving.

Green Friday programs include:

• Green Friday Hike, 9 a.m. at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve (Drop-in)
• Green Friday Hike Amongst the Trees, 9 a.m. at Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park (Drop-in)
• Green Friday Gratitude Hike, 10 a.m. at Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve (Drop-in)
• Green Friday Hike, 10:30 a.m. at Coyote Hills Regional Park (Drop-in)
• Turkey Talk, 12:30 p.m. at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve (Drop-in)
• Green Friday Volunteer Opportunities, 9 a.m. at Contra Loma Regional Park and Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area (Registration required)

Contra Loma Regional Park. Source: EBRPD. Credit: I.P. Jones

The Park District is also facilitating cleanup projects on Green Friday. Instead of (or after!) spending the day searching for special savings on holiday gifts, use the day off to give back to nature through a service project. The Park District is facilitating two clean-up events for all to join: At both Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch and Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area in Fremont, volunteers will be removing invasive plants at designated worksites between 9 a.m. and noon. Registration required.

• Age Restrictions: Youth under the age of 18 must have a signed permission by parent or legal guardian. Youth under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
• What to Bring: Water bottle, gloves, and sun protection.
• What is Provided: Necessary tools.
• Weather Notes: Heavy rain or wildfire smoke cancels.

For more information, visit ebparks.org/we-celebrate/green-friday.

Native American Heritage Month. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by recognizing and honoring the Indigenous peoples who have inhabited this land since time immemorial. Indigenous peoples and tribal citizens in the East Bay continue to be closely connected to the land through distinct traditions, unique languages, and sophisticated knowledge systems.

Individuals from the Ohlone, Bay Miwok, Delta Yokut, and many others, continue to live on this land, practicing their culture and traditions to this day. Immense gratitude is extended to the many Native peoples who have contributed — and continue to contribute — their perspectives, voices, history, and culture to our programs.

Learn more about the Park District’s Native American Heritage Month activities, programs, and stories at ebparks.org/native-american-heritage-month.

Veterans Benefits:

In addition to honoring veterans, service members and retirees with free park entrance on Veterans Day, the Park District honors the Distinguished Veteran Pass, which is administered by California State Parks. Veterans with a Distinguished Veteran Pass receive free day-use parking and free entry to Ardenwood Historic Farm, not including special events.

Plus, the Regional Parks Foundation offers a discounted Special Access Membership for veterans.

Regional Park Membership — the Perfect Gift for Nature Lovers. This holiday season, give a gift that inspires adventure all year long — a Regional Parks Foundation Membership. Members enjoy a personalized Membership Card, free day-use parking, free swimming, camping discounts, free admission to Ardenwood Historic Farm on non-event days, free home delivery of the Park District’s Regional in Nature activity guide and the Foundation’s Compass magazine, and more. Consider the Angler level for free fishing and boat launch.

Purchase by Dec. 5. Visit RegionalParksFoundation.org/Join for details.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

La liberación de los beneficios de CalFresh en California para noviembre

All County offices will be closed for Veterans Day holiday, Tuesday, Nov. 11

By Tish Gallegos, PIO, Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services Department

(Martinez, Calif.) – California residents are seeing the restoration of their CalFresh benefits to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards as the federal government issues 100% of the funding following a court order. CalFresh, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Food Assistance Program (SNAP), provides critical food assistance to households and County residents.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has confirmed the loading of CalFresh benefits to EBT cards for November-eligible recipients who should have received them from Nov. 1-6. CDSS expects the loading to continue for those who were regularly scheduled to receive them Nov. 7-10.

CalFresh recipients can check on their CalFresh benefits by visiting BenefitsCal.com, calling 1(866) 663-3225, or visiting an EHSD office (find office locations at ehsd.org). Note that all County offices will be closed for the Veterans Day holiday on Tuesday, November 11.

With the release of funding to load EBT cards, Contra Costa County is pausing its recently announced plan to distribute debit cards to CalFresh participants eligible for the benefit in November. The distribution was expected to fill the gap from the lapse of federal funding that threatened the food security of 107,020 individuals in Contra Costa County, more than half children and older adults.  Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors’ unanimously approved up to $21 million from the County’s General Fund authorizing the Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD) to implement the debit card distribution plan.

“We are committed to supporting our community members and remain prepared to possibly distribute the debit cards at a later time if CalFresh (SNAP) funding is further disrupted,” said Board Chair Candace Andersen, District 2 Supervisor. “It is uncertain what will happen with CalFresh benefits for December, and we will hold the County funds in reserve as we watch for the federal government to reach a funding solution.”

The Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency this week due to the federal government shutdown disrupting CalFresh funding. The declaration stands for 60 days, and EHSD expects to report back to the Board about the need to continue the local emergency.

For residents who need food resources, the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano’s Find Food in My City page is available to search by city or zip code for food distribution sites. Community members can also call (855) 309-FOOD (3663).

Additional Resources

• Contra Costa Crisis Center- crisis-center.org; call 988 or (800) 273-8255; or text “HOPE” to 20121
• 211 Contra Costa Database – Contra Costa Crisis Center – comprehensive database of local health and social services for Contra Costa residents
• CAfoodbanks.org – California Food Banks’ website
• ehsd.org – CalFresh updates related to the federal government shutdown

En Español

(Martínez, California) – Los residentes de California están viendo la restauración de sus beneficios de CalFresh a las tarjetas de Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios (EBT) ya que el gobierno federal emite el 100% de los fondos luego de una orden judicial. CalFresh, conocido federalmente como el Programa de Asistencia Alimentaria de Nutrición Suplementaria (SNAP por sus siglas en Inglés), brinda asistencia alimentaria crítica a los hogares y residentes del condado.

El Departamento de Servicios Sociales de California (CDSS por sus siglas en Inglés) ha confirmado la carga de los beneficios de CalFresh a las tarjetas EBT para los beneficiarios elegibles para noviembre que deberían haberlos recibido del 1 al 6 de noviembre. CDSS espera que la carga continúe para aquellos que están programados regularmente para recibirlos del 7 al 10 de noviembre.

Los beneficiarios de CalFresh pueden verificar sus beneficios de CalFresh visitando BenefitsCal.com, llamando al 1(866) 663-3225 o visitando una oficina de EHSD (encuentre las ubicaciones de las oficinas en ehsd.org). Tenga en cuenta que todas las oficinas del condado estarán cerradas por el feriado del Día de los Veteranos el martes 11 de noviembre.

La Junta de Supervisores sigue comprometida a apoyar a los hogares que no reciben beneficios de CalFresh debido al cierre del gobierno. Cualquier hogar que no haya recibido sus beneficios antes del lunes, puede llamar o venir a una ubicación de EHSD para obtener ayuda. Consulte ehsd.org para conocer las ubicaciones.

A principios de esta semana, la Junta de Supervisores aprobó por unanimidad hasta $21 millones del Fondo General del Condado que autoriza al Departamento de Empleo y Servicios Humanos (EHSD) a implementar el plan de distribución de tarjetas de débito.

“Estamos comprometidos a apoyar a los miembros de nuestra comunidad y seguimos preparados para posiblemente distribuir las tarjetas de débito si los fondos de CalFresh (SNAP) se interrumpen aún más”, dijo la presidenta de la junta, Candace Andersen, supervisora del Distrito 2. “No está claro qué sucederá con los beneficios de CalFresh para diciembre, y mantendremos los fondos del condado en reserva mientras esperamos que el gobierno federal llegue a una solución de financiamiento”.

La Junta de Supervisores declaró una emergencia local esta semana debido al gobierno federal interrupción de la financiación de CalFresh. La declaración tiene una duración de 60 días, y EHSD espera informar a la Junta sobre la necesidad de continuar con la emergencia local.

Para los residentes que necesitan recursos alimentarios, la página Find Food in My City del Banco de Alimentos de Contra Costa y Solano está disponible para buscar por ciudad o código postal los sitios de distribución de alimentos. Los miembros de la comunidad también pueden llamar al (855) 309-FOOD (3663).

Recursos adicionales

• Centro de Crisis de Contra Costa: crisis-center.org; llame al 988 o al (800) 273-8255; o envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra “HOPE” al 20121
• Base de datos 211 de Contra Costa – Centro de crisis de Contra Costa – base de datos completa de servicios sociales y de salud locales para residentes de Contra Costa
• CAfoodbanks.org – Sitio web de los Bancos de Alimentos de California
• ehsd.org – Actualizaciones de CalFresh relacionadas con el cierre del gobierno federal

Former EBRPD General Manager Sabrina Landreth (Source: EBRPD) and Acting GM Max Korten. (Source: LinkedIn)

Sabrina Landreth leaves post after less than five years; Deputy General Manager Max Korten appointed Acting GM

By Kendra Strey, Communications Manager, EBRPD

OAKLAND, CA — Sabrina Landreth resigned from her position as General Manager of the East Bay Regional Park District on November 6, 2025. Following a closed session on Saturday, Nov. 8, the EBRPD Board of Directors voted unanimously to appoint current Deputy General Manager Max Korten as the Acting General Manager.

Landreth served as General Manager since March 2021, coming into the position during the pandemic and immediately working tirelessly to improve the Regional Parks, make key acquisitions including Pt. Molate in Richmond, and ensure parks are accessible and welcoming to all members of the community. Under Landreth, the Park District modernized and strengthened the agency’s leadership infrastructure, assembling talent across all Divisions to ensure the agency is well positioned for a bright future.

“The Board of Directors is incredibly thankful for Ms. Landreth’s service and her numerous substantial contributions to the operations of the Park District,” Board President John Mercurio said. Next steps on the hiring process are yet to be determined.

According to a Sept. 11, 2024, EBRPD press release, Korten joined the Executive Leadership Team after 10 years with Marin County Parks.

Beginning as a parks and open space superintendent in 2014, he served as director and general manager from 2016-24, responsible for 34 open space preserves, 45 parks, and 150 employees. Prior to that he worked as the natural resources program director for Conservation Corps North Bay and as a backcountry ranger and trail crew supervisor for the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Korten graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies, and went on to obtain a Master of Science in Natural Resources from Humboldt State University. He also enjoys volunteering as a coach for his son’s soccer team and as a board member for Together Bay Area.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Flyover of WWII aircraft by Valiant Effort Foundation

By Sean Gannon, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 75

The Beacon on Mount Diablo will be lit at sunset on Tuesday, November 11th, 2025, to honor the men and women who have served in the United States Military.

Join local veterans and the Mayor of Danville Renee Morgan at 4:40 pm by the Flagpole in front of the Veterans Memorial Building in Danville as they press the button at 5:00 pm to light the Beacon on Mount Diablo, followed by a flyover from WWII aircraft from Valiant Effort Foundation!

The Veterans Memorial Building will be open to the public from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. A proclamation was signed on February 25th, 2022, in the Veterans Memorial Building in Danville to light the Beacon on Mount Diablo not only on Pearl Harbor Day, but also on Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day.

The event is sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 75. Special Thanks to California State Parks, Save Mount Diablo and the Town of Danville for all their amazing support to honor veterans!

The new Chipotle Mexican Grill in Oakley that opened Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, includes a “Chipotlane” drive-thru. Photos by Allen D. Payton

Second in East County with feature; the restaurant is hiring

By Mohit Patel

Chipotle Mexican Grill opened its first location in Oakley today, Thursday, November 6, 2025. The restaurant features the brand’s signature Chipotlane, a drive-thru pick-up lane that allows guests to conveniently pick up digital orders without leaving their cars.

It’s the second location in East County with the feature. The first to have it is in Brentwood’s location on Brentwood Blvd.

Stop in today and meet Executive General Manager Ulises Montalban and his crew.

Patrons enjoy the new Chipotle Mexican Grill in Oakley on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.

Top things to know:

• Location: 990 Laurel Road 1E, Oakley, CA 94561
• Hours: Open every day 10:45 a.m. – 10 p.m.

• NEW MENU ITEM: Oakley guests can try the brand’s newest protein Carne Asada and newest sauce Red Chimichurri for a limited time.
• Chipotle U Rewards: College students will score 1,000 bonus points upon enrolling in Chipotle U Rewards and earn 20% more points on every purchase, resulting in free Chipotle fast. This new program is designed for college students, bringing more value to Gen Z than ever before. College students can enroll in Chipotle U Rewards starting today at chipotle.com/chipotle-u-rewards.
• Build-Your-Own Chipotle: Oakley guests can order this fast, easy, stress-free option to bring the customizable Chipotle experience to their homes. The new offering serves four to six people and guests can enjoy $10 off their first “Build-Your-Own Chipotle” order with code TRYBYOC* through the end of the year.

Is the restaurant hiring?

• Yes, Chipotle is hiring at the Oakley location and across the U.S.
• There are approximately 30 jobs per location, with competitive benefits, including:
  • A crew bonus with the opportunity to earn an extra month’s worth of pay each year
  • A debt-free college degree program; and English as a second language
  • Access to mental healthcare for employees and their families.
  • Find more at chipotle.com/careers.

Oakley residents can easily set up fundraisers through Chipotle to benefit local causes.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Salt Point State Park TREX TRAINING – A member of the California State Parks burn crew carefully sets fire during a prescribed burn operation at Salt Point State Park Oct. 31, 2025. Photo: ©2025, California State Parks by Brian Baer

By California State Parks, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Divisions of Boating and Waterways, Historic Preservation and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation

SACRAMENTO — On the heels of Governor Gavin Newsom’s latest executive order aimed at expanding the use of beneficial fire, California State Parks recently wrapped up prescribed burn operations at several parks statewide, continuing a significant expansion thanks to strategic investments under the Newsom administration’s wildfire packages.

With the help of historic investments under the Newsom administration, California State Parks has significantly expanded its use of prescribed fire to improve wildfire resiliency, reduce fuels and restore fire-adapted ecosystems at parks all over the state – a trend that will continue following a recent executive order.

Among the recent operations was a unique training at Salt Point State Park and Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve in Sonoma County, allowing park experts to showcase how prescribed burns are an important tool in the department’s ongoing efforts to reduce wildfire risk, improve the health of the local ecosystems by supporting native plants and wildlife, protect nearby communities and promote the long-term resilience of California’s public lands.

Source: CA State Parks

“Prescribed fires are not just a land management strategy but a time-tested tool to help increase biodiversity and reduce the risk of larger, more destructive wildfires,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “Thanks to Governor Newsom’s leadership and the help of our partners, we are expanding this essential work to make our state’s majestic landscapes healthier for generations to come.”

The burn at Salt Point State Park on Oct. 31 was conducted as part of State Parks’ Prescribed Fire Training Exchange, known as TREXs. Led by an experienced team including Statewide Burn Boss Sarah Gibson, the training helps facilitate information sharing and relationship building for personnel who work with fire. These exchanges provide certified fire practitioners with the opportunity to hone their skills and work toward or achieve more advanced qualifications with the support of fellow fire management professionals, some of whom came as far away as Canada to participate. View photos and a video from the training and burn here.

Governor Newsom has signed two executive orders to streamline the use of prescribed fire in California, including one on Oct. 29 aimed at expanding use of beneficial fire as a wildfire prevention strategy, which highlighted the benefits of training exchanges. These directives are helping State Parks increase the pace and scale of its burns by supplementing funding for this essential work, streamlining the permitting process and opening the door for more partners, including volunteer fire departments and Indigenous practitioners, to be part of the burns.

Source: CA State Parks

State Parks has a more than 50-year legacy of using prescribed fire to steward California’s public lands. Even during periods when prescribed burns fell out of favor, the department maintained the use of this critical tool, guided by science and early leaders such as UC Berkeley professor Harold Biswell, a pioneer in modern fire management. Today, State Parks continues that leadership, using science-backed planning to protect native plants and wildlife, preserve cultural resources and promote healthier, more resilient ecosystems.

“State Parks has been burning for 50-plus years, and we incorporate science into every prescribed burn to steward public lands,” said Burn Boss Gibson. “The incredible work our staff is doing is helping keep California’s forests and state parks healthy.”

Learn more about State Parks’ use of prescribed fire and the benefits on our website.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, and the programs supported by its Office of Historic Preservation and divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Learn more at parks.ca.gov.

Use it for trips on BART, County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, WestCAT, AC Transit and more

Multi-agency trip to Mount Tamalpais State Park Dec. 14 to celebrate

By Carter Lavin, Co-Founder, Transbay Coalition

The Bay Area transit advocacy group Transbay Coalition, along with Seamless Bay Area and Hiking By Transit has launched new calculator, created by Evan Tschuy, to help show Bay Area residents how much they will save with the new Clipper 2.0 set to launch in December. It will automatically provide discounts of up to $2.85 per trip to people when they transfer between transit agencies (e.g. AC Transit to WestCAT, Muni to BART, VTA to Caltrain, SolTrans to the Ferry, The Vine to the Ferry, Sonoma County Transit to SMART, etc).

You are about to be able to save a bunch of money when taking transit in the Bay Area. Right now, when you transfer between bus and rail services, you generally have to pay the full fare for both legs of the trip, or if you’re lucky you might get a small discount. But starting in December, when you transfer between agencies, your fare gets reduced by $2.85 — down to potentially free — with the new Clipper 2.0.

Plus, under Clipper 2.0 you will be able to tap on to transit with your credit or debit card – no Clipper Card needed. So next time you want to bring friends, family, and out-of-town visitors onto transit with you, they don’t need to get a new card, they can just use their credit or debit card to tap in.

Bay Area transit trips are about to get a lot more affordable, and to help folks understand how much they’ll save, Transbay Coalition launched The Clipper 2.0 Savings Calculator with our friends at Hiking By Transit and Seamless Bay Area. Go to the Calculator, enter in the information about a trip you want to take that would require switching between agencies and check out how much you’ll save.

For Clipper 2.0 fares, the following rules are applied:

• Each time you transfer to a new agency, your next fare is discounted up to:
  • Adult: $2.85
  • Youth & Senior/RTC: $1.40
  • Senior/RTC on BART: $1.10 (to reflect the further Senior/RTC fare discount on BART)
• The discount value does not depend on your previous fare, so AC Transit ($2.50) to BART will give a $2.85 discount off of your BART fare
• AC Transit is introducing a new transfer policy with Clipper 2.0, allowing one free transfer between local buses

Example of a trip from Antioch using Tri Delta Transit and BART to the Embarcadero Station in San Francisco. Source: Clipper 2.0 Calculator screenshot

For example:

• Take AC Transit to BART to Muni? A $9.85 trip will become just $4.65.
• Visiting a friend in Palo Alto from your home in the Inner Sunset? A $13.90 trip will become just $8.20.
• Taking Sonoma County Transit to SMART? Save an additional $1.35 per trip
• The Napa Vine to the Ferry? You’ll save $2.85 per trip
• Use the tool here: https://clipper2.hikingbytransit.com/.

Other agencies may have updated their transfer policies, but at this time this tool is not aware of any other changes. This tool does not take into account the transfer time limit; Clipper 2.0 interagency transfers have a 2-hour time limit from first tap, while Clipper 1.0 fares have various different time limits depending on the specific agency pairs.

Fares on the website are an estimation only, based on the current information provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. As some details have yet to be released, some assumptions have been made. This website will be updated as possible to reflect new information.

Multi-Agency Trip to Mt. Tamalpais State Park Dec. 14

To celebrate this big transit win, Hiking by Transit is hosting a multi-agency trip to Mount Tamalpais State Park on December 14th to celebrate. Come on out!

Plus, this Sunday, you’re invited to the garden party joint fundraiser for Transbay Coalition & Seamless Bay Area – get your tickets here.

Want to know more about what Clipper 2.0 means for you? Check out the Transbay Coalition blog.

About Transbay Coalition

The Transbay Coalition is a grassroots public transportation advocacy group championing bold near-term solutions to the Bay Area’s regional transportation crisis. Founded to campaign for dedicated bus-only lanes on the Bay Bridge and its approaches, we’re striving to create an equitable and efficient public transit system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about the Transbay Coalition

About Seamless Bay Area

Seamless Bay Area is a not-for-profit project whose mission is to transform the Bay Area’s fragmented and inconvenient public transit into a world-class, unified, equitable, and widely-used system by building a diverse movement for change and promoting policy reforms. Learn more about Seamless Bay Area

About Hiking by Transit

Hiking by Transit connects people in the Bay Area to our beautiful parks and preserves, car-free, by providing maps and hiking guides across the nine-county region and through advocacy for increased access and increased understanding. Visit Hiking by Transit

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Photo: CHP

By CHP – Contra Costa

We are proud to welcome six new officers who recently graduated from the CHP Academy in West Sacramento.

After 26 weeks of rigorous training at the Academy, they will now put their skills to the test as they begin field training for another three months.

Join us in welcoming these new officers as they embark on the next chapter of their new career.

Congratulations and welcome to the California Highway Patrol!

If you aspire to be a part of something greater, we encourage you to consider applying for a career with CHP. Discover the satisfaction of safeguarding your community and making a meaningful impact.

Join the CHP today!

Source: CCC Public Works

Walnut Boulevard to Frisk Creek Bridge

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works Department

November 6, 2025, Byron, CA- The Contra Costa County Public Works Department is continuing construction on the Vasco Road Safety Improvements Project – Walnut Boulevard to Frisk Creek Bridge. Work will continue through Friday, November 21, 2025, barring unforeseen circumstances and weather permitting. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Drivers should expect delays of up to 10 minutes through the construction zone and consider alternative routes during working hours.

The work will occur in multiple phases:

Phase 1 (continuing through Friday, November 14) work will occur between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday (excluding holidays) and consists of centerline rumble strip installation, centerline striping, and channelizer placement.

Phase 2 (Wednesday, November 19, through Friday, November 21) work will occur Wednesday through Friday nights, starting at 8:00 p.m. and lasting until 5:00 a.m. the following morning. The work includes improvements to the traffic signal lights for increased visibility at the intersections of Vasco Road and Walnut Boulevard, and Vasco Road and Camino Diablo.

Additional work on the signals may occur during the day, with minimal to no impacts to traffic expected.

Funding for this project is provided by State Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds and Local Road Funds.  For more information, visit: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/9962/Vasco-Road-Safety-Improvements-Project–.

For Construction Status contact at Carlos Melendez (510) 385-0506.

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage, and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution, and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org.