![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Santiago-Jacobo-PHPRD-logo.jpg)
Santiago Jacobo was a facility maintenance employee for the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District. Photo source: GoFundMe.
“Santiago (Jacobo) was an all-around good guy and everyone on our team enjoyed working with him” – co-worker
By Jennifer Thoits, Marketing, Communications & Events Manager, City of Pleasant Hill
The Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District (PHRPD) mourns the tragic homicide of Santiago Jacobo, 37, a PHRPD employee who was found deceased on Saturday morning at approximately 4:50 a.m., February 10, 2024, in the main parking lot of Pleasant Hill Park. The park was closed temporarily while police conducted their initial investigation and cleared the area and surrounding buildings. Pleasant Hill Park re-opened Saturday at midday. (See related article)
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by Santiago Jacobo’s death,” said PHRPD General Manager, Michelle Lacy. “PHRPD has been in existence for over 70 years and nothing like this has ever happened before. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife, two children and extended family.”
Jacobo began working for PHRPD in October 2019 and was a dedicated member of PHRPD’s facilities maintenance custodial crew who cleaned and kept the buildings in top shape for the community. Santiago worked weekend and evening shifts as a secondary job to support his family.
“Santiago was an all-around good guy and everyone on our team enjoyed working with him,” said PHRPD Lead Custodian and co-worker, Jose Martinez. “He was dependable, a hard worker and had a great “can-do” attitude. He will be missed.”
Michelle Lacy, General Manager made the announcement to staff early Monday morning and provided therapy and mental health resources for all employees to help cope with sudden loss and traumatic events. Lacy will also meet with staff to identify additional safety protocols that may be necessary to mitigate future risk.
“Our number one priority is the health, safety and well-being of our staff and the public”, said Michelle Lacy. PHRPD is working closely with the Pleasant Hill Police Department on this active homicide investigation. The suspect in this case is currently unknown. If anyone has any information related to this case, please contact the Pleasant Hill Police Department at (925) 288-4630.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Jacobo’s sister-in-law to support his wife, Mikaela and their two children.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreEvery four years, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) must certify that each metropolitan planning organization (MPO) serving a transportation management area (TMA) — a designation by DOT of an urbanized area with a population over 200,000 as defined by the Bureau of the Census or smaller urbanized areas on request by the Governor and MPO — is carrying out the metropolitan planning process in adherence with federal statutes and regulations. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) conduct a review of the metropolitan planning process within each TMA and jointly issue this certification on behalf of the DOT Secretary, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5303(k).
The FHWA and the FTA are hosting a public meeting as part of MTC’s certification review. This public meeting is an opportunity for Bay Area residents to directly address FHWA and FTA officials concerning your views on the transportation planning process in the San Francisco–Oakland metropolitan area. Participants can attend in person or via Zoom or submit written comments.
The meeting is scheduled for:
Tuesday, February 27, 2024, from 4:30–5:30 p.m. Participate on Zoom Webinar ID: 863 1915 0671 iPhone One-Tap:
Bay Area Metro Center, Yerba Buena Conference Room, First Floor 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, CA 94105+13462487799,,86319150671# US (Houston)
+12532158782,,86319150671# US (Tacoma)Join by Telephone (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) 833 548 0282 US Toll Free 877 853 5247 US Toll FreeDetailed instructions on participating via Zoom are available at:mtc.ca.gov/how-provide-public-comment-board-meeting-zoom Members of the public participating by Zoom wishing to speak should use the “raise hand” feature or dial *9. When called upon, unmute yourself or dial *6. In order to get the full Zoom experience, please make sure your application is up to date.
This public meeting is part of a review that will assess compliance with federal regulations pertaining to the transportation planning process conducted by MTC, the California Department of Transportation, transit operators and local jurisdictions in the San Francisco–Oakland metropolitan area.
If you are unable to attend the meeting, written comments may be submitted via email to Cert.Review@dot.gov. Written comments also can be mailed to:
Federal Highway Administration, California Division
650 Capitol Mall, Suite 4-100 Sacramento, CA 95814-4708 Or Federal Transit Administration, Region IX 90 Seventh Street, Suite 15-300 San Francisco, CA 94103-6701請求幫助! | ¡Solicita Ayuda! | Request Assistance!
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我們可以爲您提供幫助! 請致電 (415) 778-6757和我們聯係。為確保爲您提供適當的安排,請提前三天通知我們。對於TDD或聽障人士,請致電711,加州轉接服務,或 (800) 735-2929(TTY),(800) 735-2922(語音),然後要求轉接至 (415) 778-6700。¿Necesita que alguno de nuestros documentos sea traducido? ¿Necesita nuestras comunicaciones escritas en letra grande o en Braille? ¿Necesita un intérprete del lenguaje de señas o un intérprete que hable su idiomapara poder participar?
¡Nosotros podemos ayudar! Comuníquese al (415) 778-6757. Necesitamos aviso con tres días de anticipación para proporcionar asistencia razonable. Para personas con discapacidad auditiva o TDD, llame al 711, California Relay Service, o al (800) 735-2929 (TTY) o al (800) 735-2922 (voz) y pida que lo comuniquen al (415) 778-6700. Do you need one of our documents translated? Do you need written materials in large type or in Braille? Do you need a sign language interpreter or an interpreter who speaks your language in order to participate? We can help! Please call us at (415) 778-6757. We require three days’ notice in order to provide reasonable accommodation. For TDD or hearing impaired, call 711, California Relay Service, or (800) 735-2929 (TTY) or (800) 735-2922 (voice) and ask to be relayed to (415) 778-6700.Read More
![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CC-Shark-Tank-2024-winners-1024x683.jpg)
Competition founder Maya Hammerman with second place winner Ronen Jain, third place winner Archit Kundu and first place winner Fatimah Hussain holding their ceremonial checks, as the other finalists look on following the Finalist Pitch Event on Tues., Feb. 6, 2024. Source: Contra Costa Shark Tank
Three winners receive $1,750 in prizes at Finalist Pitch Event
By Maya Hammerman, Founder, Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition
Three winners were declared in the first Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition. The competition, open to all Contra Costa County students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade, is a fun way to promote youth entrepreneurship.
“The Finalist Pitch Event was a wonderful culmination of over a year of planning to bring the competition to life,” explains high school junior Maya Hammerman, the competition founder and one of the judges. “The ten finalists did an incredible job presenting their businesses to the judges and community members at the sold-out event. They have inspired many young people in our county to explore entrepreneurship.”
First Place
The first-place prize of $1,000 was awarded to Fatimah Hussain, a senior at Dougherty Valley High School, for her business Workout Wizard. “From the moment I got the finalist letter to the day I presented on the Contra Costa Shark Tank’s stage, the entrepreneurship journey has been extremely rewarding,” said Hussain. “To win the first-place prize is a dream come true, and I hope to continue inspiring fellow youth entrepreneurs to follow their passions and never give up. The best time to build a business is now, so what are you waiting for?”
Second Place
The second-place prize of $500 was awarded to Ronen Jain, a sophomore at Monte Vista High School, for his business ElderSafe. “I’m beyond thrilled to be one of the winners of this competition after the countless hours I’ve spent perfecting my app,” said Jain. “It was super exciting to get direct feedback from the judges and attendees about my business and how they would use it.”
Third Place
The third-place prize of $250 was awarded to Archit Kundu, a 5th grade student at Bella Vista Elementary School, for his business Experimental Kids. “Contra Costa Shark Tank is a great opportunity and winning third place gives me the confidence to take this business to the next level and make STEM learning fun for all the kids (5- 12 years old),” said Kundu. “Also, it was a learning experience to present my views in front of such great judges and such a large audience.”
Learn more about all the finalists, here and here.
See video of the Finalist Pitch Event. For more video and photos from the event visit www.contracostasharktank.org.
Follow on Instagram to stay updated on future competitions.
Sponsors for the competition include Chevron, Visa, PG&E, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Girls Crushing It, and Campolindo Parents Club.
Read MoreBy CHP – Contra Costa
2/12/24 UPDATE: The Contra Costa Coroner’s office identified the two as Andres Hernandez, 22, and Christopher Cannedy, 35, both of Oakley.
Saturday morning, Feb. 10, 2024, at approximately 4:30am, CHP Contra Costa responded to a two-vehicle crash on eastbound Hwy 4, between Laurel Road and Lone Tree Way. Our preliminary investigation indicates a blue Scion TC, with one occupant, was traveling westbound (wrong way) in the eastbound lanes. At this time, a black Mazda 3, with one occupant, was traveling eastbound at the same location and the vehicles collided head on. Both drivers sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene.
This crash is still under investigation, it is unknown if drugs or alcohol were a cause at this time. If anyone witnessed it or the events leading up to it, please contact CHP Contra Costa in Martinez, (925) 646-4980 or email your contact information to mailto:320Investigations@chp.ca.gov to be contacted by the investigating officer.
Read More37-year-old Pittsburg man stabbed, discovered by his wife
By Captain Matt Kristic, Pleasant Hill Police Department
On Saturday, February 10, 2024, at approximately 4:50 a.m., Pleasant Hill Police dispatch received a report of an unconscious and unresponsive male found lying on the ground in the main parking lot of Pleasant Hill Park, 147 Gregory Lane. Officers and medical personnel responded to the scene and determined the man was deceased. Upon further examination, it was determined the man had sustained stab wounds.
The victim has been identified as 37-year-old Santiago Jacobo of Pittsburg. Jacobo was a member of the janitorial staff that had been working at the park late last night. Jacobo was discovered by his wife, who became concerned when he did not return home after his shift ended. She went to Pleasant Hill Park, where she found him unresponsive and called 9-1-1.
Pleasant Hill Police detectives are actively investigating this case. The suspect in this case is unknown at this time. Any person with information related to this crime is encouraged to contact the Pleasant Hill Police Investigations Bureau at (925) 288-4630.
Members of Jacobo’s family have been notified and are working with police investigators.
The Pleasant Hill Police Department, the City of Pleasant Hill, and the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District express our deep condolences to the family and friends of the victim.
Read More![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/WCCUSD-school-psychologists-2023-union-rally.jpeg)
A group of WCCUSD school psychologists at a union contract rally in 2023. Courtesy of John Zabala. Source: EdSource.org
By Cara Nixon, EdSource.org – Republished with permission
West Contra Costa Unified School District’s school psychologist internship program once flourished. The district recruited from substantial applicant pools from local universities and provided a strong start for beginning school psychologists entering the workforce, often retaining them after the internships ended.
Now, however, in the years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, WCCUSD is struggling to recruit interns and fill vacant school psychologist positions. This means psychologists, considered essential pieces of school environments, are carrying larger case loads and working longer hours, leading to burnout.
WCCUSD, like other districts across the state, is no stranger to staff shortages — the district started the 2023-24 academic year with more than 200 special education paraprofessional vacancies. The shortages have persisted, and on Jan. 31, Public Advocates, a nonprofit civil rights law firm, filed three complaints with the district, alleging some schools failed to provide students with qualified teachers because of problems related to staffing shortages.
School psychologists fill a critical role in school communities, collaborating with administration, teachers and parents to ensure students are succeeding academically, emotionally and behaviorally.
West Contra Costa has struggled with five to seven school psychologist vacancies for the past couple of years. Halfway through the current school year, the district is still dealing with three.
“We’re going to weather, this obviously, but we still have a couple of years in which we are going to have a really significant shortage, and we’re going to have a really significant increase in the demand for services, so we’re kind of in for a little bit of a scary period,” said John Zabala, a school psychologist in the district and the president of United Teachers of Richmond.
California is generally facing a critical shortage of school psychologists. According to the California Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of 1 school psychologist for 500 to 750 students. However, California schools on average have 1 per 1,000 students. Some schools have 1 per 3,000 students.
Although WCCUSD’s ratio falls into the recommended range at around 1 school psychologist per 500-550 students, school psychologists in the district still face large caseloads and longer work days, contributing to burnout.
Some districts compensate for shortages by hiring contractors or traveling school psychologists. Emily Springhart, department co-chair of psychology at West Contra Costa, however, said the district has preferred increasing the caseload of school psychologists and extending their work days to deal with the shortage.
“A lot of the report writing and the case management — those things just go home with people,” Springhart said. “I’m sure it’s not great for their own personal health.”
Schools have seen a substantial increase in the number of students requiring mental health and behavioral resources in recent years. In April 2022, 69% of public schools reported that the percentage of students seeking mental health services had increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Covid-19 disrupted early intervention for many students, leading to an increase in the number of students needing support, while the staff who would be able to support them, like school psychologists, have not.
Mary Campbell, a WCCUSD school psychologist and former department chair, said she worries about what the shortages and the resulting burnout could mean for the longevity of the profession.
Springhart said the school psychologist shortage seems to be caused by the same factors triggering shortages of other school staff: inevitable events like retirement, but also financial hardship, forcing people to move out of parts of California with high costs of living.
But another cause lies in the declining number of incoming applicants from universities that typically feed into districts like WCCUSD. Springhart said the number has steadily declined, despite the district having a long and strong history of hiring school psychologists from those programs.
“It seems like all of the districts are kind of fighting over everybody right now, just because there’s not enough people coming out of programs,” Springhart said.
Oanh Tran, school psychology program coordinator for California State University, East Bay, said she’s actually seen an increase of applicants to the program in recent years. But because the Bay Area is home to so many school districts, there aren’t enough school psychologists to go around.
“We have so many districts, so many schools, and just a handful of students are graduating with their PPS (Pupil Personnel Services) credential to service those schools and districts,” Tran said.
Tran said new school psychologists are also experiencing burnout earlier in their careers. Not only are they dealing with more assessment caseloads, but they’re also spending their days putting out fires likely caused by a lack of early intervention.
The best districts, Tran said, prioritize monitoring the needs of their school psychologists, ensuring they have access to helpful mentors, have a manageable caseload, and feel supported by their team. Students are being strategic about finding districts that provide these resources, Tran explained.
“In West Contra Costa, I do remember there was a time where they did have a lot of our practicum and interns,” Tran said. “But now, I think because there are so many districts that are recruiting our students, it’s competitive. It’s so competitive. We only have so many students in our cohort, but we have over 50 districts now participating in our recruitment fair for our students.”
Although West Contra Costa offers competitive pay, especially after salary increases last year, Springhart agreed the shortage has been a regional issue, extending beyond the district. She said more education and recruitment about the profession may be necessary to increase the number of applicants to school psychologist programs.
“I think there are ways that we know that we can attract and keep people in these jobs, which can be very rewarding jobs,” Campbell said, “but not when we’re so under-resourced.”
Read MoreHear from candidates for Supervisorial District 5, Assembly Districts 11 & 15 and Congressional District 10
Presented by Contra Costa TV, Elections Department and League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley
Contra Costa Television partners with the Contra Costa Elections Department and the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley to bring you unbiased voter education information.
Watch 2024 Primary Election forums moderated by KTVU Anchor Claudine Wong, from Monday, February 5, 2024 – 8:00am to Thursday, February 29, 2024 – 7:00pm on Contra Costa County cable TV or watch the videos on the LWVDV YouTube channel or on the Contra Costa TV website.
Forums are scheduled for the following races:
- Supervisor District 5 – watch on YouTube
All four candidates, Iztaccuahhtli Gonzalez, Jelani Killings, Shanelle Scales-Preston and Mike Barbanica participated.
- Assembly District 11 – watch on YouTube
Only incumbent Lori Wilson, Democrat and challenger David Ennis, Republican. Democrat Jeffrey Flack and Republican Wanda Wallis did not participate.
- Assembly District 15 – watch on YouTube
The three Democrats, Anamarie Avila Farias, Karen Mitchoff and Monica Wilson participated but Republican Sonia Ledo did not.
- Congressional District 10 – watch on YouTube
Only candidates Joe Sweeney and El Sherbini Mohamed, both independents, participated. Incumbent Mark DeSaulnier, Democrat, and Republicans Nolan Lee Chen and Katherine Piccinni, and independent Musa Jalis did not participate.
The City of Concord will cablecast Supervisor District 5, Assembly District 15, and U.S. Representative District 10 on their channel Concord TV. View schedules for these forums on the Concord TV website.
Click here to see the details, including broadcast times and channels.
Read More
Pointing to dismal test scores, veteran lawmaker and a coalition of advocacy groups introduce AB 2222
By John Fensterwald, EdSource.org – Republished with permission
A veteran legislator who taught elementary school for 16 years introduced comprehensive early-literacy legislation Wednesday that would impose requirements on reading instruction and add urgency to the state’s patchwork of reading reforms.
Evidence-based practices, collectively known as “the science of reading,” would become the mandated approach to reading instruction for TK-5, if Assembly Bill 2222, authored by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, becomes law.
The bill would shift the state’s decade-old policy of encouraging districts to incorporate fundamental reading skills in the early grades, including phonics, to demanding that they do so. This would depart from the state policy of giving school districts discretion to choose curriculums and teaching methods that meet state academic standards.
Between now and 2028, all TK to fifth-grade teachers, literacy coaches and specialists would be required to take a 30-hour-minium course in reading instruction from an approved list.
School districts and charter schools purchasing textbooks would select from approved materials endorsed by the State Board of Education in a new round of textbook adoption.
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing would receive money to add several experts for accreditation of teacher preparation programs in the science of reading. The bill would strengthen accountability for those programs that have not taught effective reading strategies, as required under recent state law.
Rubio and the advocacy nonprofits EdVoice, Decoding Dyslexia CA, and Families in Schools, the bill’s co-sponsors, argue that another generation of California children cannot wait for districts teaching ineffective techniques using inadequate materials to come around.
“California is facing a literacy crisis,” the first sentence of the bill states. “There are far too many children who are not reading on grade level by the end of third grade and who will not complete elementary school with the literacy skills and language development they need to be successful academically in middle school and high school.”
Only 43% of California third graders met the academic standards in the state’s standardized test in 2023. Only 27.2% of Black students, 32% of Hispanic students, and 35% of low-income children were proficient, compared with 57.5% of white, 69% of Asian and 66% of non-low-income students.
“There’s always this delicate balance between local control versus let’s move forward collectively,” said Marshall Tuck, CEO of EdVoice and former candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. “But when we have an issue that the vast majority of lower-income kids, who are disproportionately Black and Latino, are not reading at grade level, it requires urgency to do what we know works as fast as possible.”
Rubio, who recalled being handed coloring books instead of reading lessons in first grade as a non-English-speaking Mexican immigrant, said that data on the effectiveness of the science of reading convinced her to author the bill. However, her own experience as a fourth-grade teacher who previously taught kindergarten and first grade reinforced it.
“When I have fourth graders that are at first- or second-grade reading, something’s wrong. I can tell you right then and there, if a kid doesn’t know phonics in the fourth grade, we screwed them up somewhere. If they’re not reading in the third grade, they may never recover,” said Rubio, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2016.
A piecemeal approach to literacy changes
The science of reading refers to research from neurology, psychology, and the cognitive and developmental sciences about how children learn to read. In the last decade, 47 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted laws to incorporate elements of the science of reading strategies. Fewer — Mississippi, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Virginia among them — have adopted and funded policies that coordinate multiple key elements: preparing and training teachers, supplying them with aligned instructional materials, testing for learning difficulties like dyslexia and engaging parents.
California is among the 47 states. Within the past three years, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature enacted discrete pieces of a state policy.
They funded $25 million to the University of California San Francisco to create a screening test for the risk of dyslexia and other learning difficulties; universal screening of K-2 students will begin in 2026-27.
They passed legislation to create a teaching credential for TK-3 that includes new literacy standards grounded in the science of reading; teacher preparation programs must introduce them starting next fall, and teachers will take a performance assessment as part of their new credential.
Newsom included $500 million in the last two state budgets for hiring and training of literacy coaches in the 5% of schools with the most low-income students. The Sacramento and Napa county offices of education, strong advocates of the science of reading, are overseeing the effort.
At the encouragement of State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond, a professor emerita at the Stanford University School of Education, Newsom included $1 million in the current budget for a “literacy road map,” which will serve as a guide, with online resources, for districts to implement evidence-based reading strategies. Leading that effort are two respected literacy experts, Bonnie Garcia and Nancy Brynelson, whom State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond named the state’s first state literacy co-directors.
Tuck credits the steps taken by the Legislature and Newsom, “who has been an anchor on early education.” But guidelines won’t ensure that students in all districts will receive effective reading instruction —especially high-poverty schools that may be “slower to make adjustments when they’re dealing with so many challenges and so much complexity.”
Megan Potente, co-state director of Decoding Dyslexia CA, points to her 20 years as a teacher, who, as a new teacher frustrated by the ineffectiveness of her reading training, took a course on phonics and fundamental reading skills. “You feel like you’re not good at your job, and you weren’t equipped. And that’s a terrible feeling for new teachers,” she said. “So I went back to school, and I learned what I needed.”
Years later, she became a coach, supporting teachers in districts using balanced literacy that de-emphasizes evidence-based practices. She found it difficult to apply what she knew, she said, “because the curriculum materials didn’t follow the science; the teaching methods didn’t follow the science.”
A piecemeal approach to reading reforms inevitably leads to a game of “whack-a-mole,” former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, who is credited with implementing successful comprehensive policies in her state during the pandemic, told EdSource.
Newsom did not require nor explicitly encourage districts to use the $20-plus billion they received in federal and state Covid-relief funding on teaching training in the science of reading nor on updating reading texts and materials. Now that the state is heading into a lean budget year, a scarcity of funding, particularly for teacher training, could set back a timeline to implement the bill. Newsom’s proposed budget for 2024-25 includes no significant money for new TK-12 programs.
A spokesperson for the Newsom administration, which usually declines to discuss pending legislation, offered no further comment.
What’s in Assembly Bill 2222
AB 2222 would define evidence-based literacy instruction as “evidence-based explicit and systematic instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary and oral language development, fluency, comprehension, and writing … that adheres to the science of reading.” (Phonics are rules that relate letters in words to the sounds of spoken language. A phoneme is the smallest element of a sound within spoken language. Phonemic awareness reflects the ability to understand that words combine multiple phonemes when pronounced.)
The bill sets requirements for three principal elements of literacy instruction:
Teacher training
Starting in March 2026 and no later than June 30, 2028, all teachers in grades TK to 5 must complete an approved professional development and training program satisfactorily. The California Department of Education would appoint one or more county offices of education with expertise in the science of reading and evidence-based literacy instruction to serve as the state literacy expert lead that would select the list of eligible training programs. Districts would have to notify parents if fewer than 90% of the required teachers failed to complete the course.
Instructional materials
The last state textbook adoption for English language arts and English language development was 2015. The bill would require the State Board of Education to complete the next adoption cycle by Jan. 1, 2026, for TK through eighth grade. The materials would have to adhere to the science of reading. School districts would not be required to replace materials they’re currently using, but they would need a waiver to buy basic instructional materials that aren’t approved.
Textbooks like “Units of Study,” by noted literacy author Lucy Calkins, whose instruction relies on visual cues, including the three-cuing method of reading, would not be eligible for the approved list.
Teacher preparation
The bill would strengthen the accountability requirements of landmark Senate Bill 488, the 2023 law that requires instructing candidates for a TK-5 or elementary credential in evidence-based reading instruction.
It would require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish a probationary accreditation process for teacher prep programs that aren’t meeting the literacy instruction requirements. Faculty in those programs would have to complete professional development in the science of reading for the program to avoid a loss of accreditation.
The bill would provide funding for the credentialing commission to hire experts in the science of reading to help with program accreditation. One of the dozen members of the Committee of Accreditation would have to be an expert in the science of reading.
Read More
Just in time for Valentine’s Day! “Looking for love in all the wrong places?”
Many have turned to online dating and social media throughout the last couple of years. New apps have been developed, and some social media platforms have even created ways to find your better half online. Unfortunately, these platforms have not only made it easier than ever to meet new people and find dates but have also made it easier to be scammed as well. Con artists create compelling backstories and full-fledged identities, then trick you into falling for someone who doesn’t exist. This form of deception is known as “catfishing”. Better Business Bureau (BBB) has witnessed a growth in romance scams in recent years. With Valentine’s Day around the corner BBB encourages those looking for love to be wary of fraudsters. Don’t let your quest for love blind you to the realities of romance scams.
How the scam works:
Most romance scams start with fake profiles on online dating sites created by stealing photos and text from real accounts or elsewhere. Scammers often claim to be in the military or working overseas to explain why they can’t meet you in person. Over a short period of time, the scammer builds a fake relationship with you, exchanging photos and romantic messages, even talking on the phone or through a webcam.
Just when the relationship seems to be getting serious, your new sweetheart has a health issue or family emergency or wants to plan a visit. No matter the story, the request is the same: they need money. But after you send money, there’s another request, and then another. Or the scammer stops communicating altogether.
Tips to spot this scam:
- Too hot to be true.Scammers offer up good-looking photos and tales of financial success.
- In a hurry to get off the site.Catfishers will try very quickly to get you to move to communicate through email, messenger, or phone.
- Moving fast.A catfisher will begin speaking of a future together and tell you they love you quickly. They often say they’ve never felt this way before.
- Talk about trust.Catfishers will start manipulating you with talk about trust and its importance. This will often be the first step to asking you for money.
- Don’t want to meet.Be wary of someone who always has an excuse to postpone a meeting because they say they are traveling or live overseas or are in the military.
- Suspect language.If the person you are communicating with claims to be from your hometown but has poor spelling or grammar, uses overly flowery language or uses phrases that don’t make sense, that’s a red flag.
- Hard luck stories. Before moving on to asking you for money, the scammer may hint at financial troubles like heat being cut off or a stolen car, or a sick relative, or they may share a sad story from their past (death of parents or spouse, etc.).
Protect yourself from this scam:
- Never send money or personal information that can be used for identity theft to someone you’ve never met in person.
- Ask specific questions about details given in a profile.
- Do your research. Many scammers steal photos from the web to use in their profiles. You can do a reverse image lookup using a website like comor images.google.com to see if the photos on a profile are stolen from somewhere else.
To report a scam, go to BBB Scam Tracker.
Check out our romance scam resource page at BBB.org/romance.
ABOUT BBB: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for over 110 years. In 2022, people turned to BBB more than 250 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on about 12,000 charities, all available for free at BBB.org. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Voting in person and by mail has begun; public test of county’s Vote By Mail counting equipment Friday, Feb. 9
Across the Bay Area, elections officials have dropped ballots in the mail and those ballots will be arriving in mailboxes this week. Bay Area Elections Officials encourage you to vote early!
Bay Area Residents should note that if they do not receive the ballot they were expecting, they can contact their local Registrar’s office to find out more about receiving the ballot they wish to vote.
All eligible California voters will receive a ballot in the mail for the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election. Remember that Bay Area residents have many options to cast their ballot.
- You can vote in person from February 5th through March 5th.
- Mail your completed ballot to your Elections office in your postage paid return envelope.
- Drop your completed ballot in the return envelope in an official ballot drop box.
- You can even register and vote on the same day.
Don’t forget to sign your envelope!
Contra Costa County Registrar of Voters Kristen Connelly wants you to know, “we are here to help you understand the process and ensure that you cast your vote and that it is counted.”
Voters who vote by mail can track their VBM ballot to know when it is mailed, received, and processed by the county elections office. Sign up at the Secretary of State’s office (https://wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov). See the attached graphic to better understand what the vote by mail process looks like.
Information on this topic as well as direct links to local elections offices can be found on our website, BayAreaVotes.org, or our Facebook page, Bay Area Votes. For more local information, go to your local county election official, who is your trusted source of nonpartisan election information.
![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Elections-Office-ballots-equipment-2016.jpg)
Ballots lined up to be counted in the County Elections office on Tuesday, November 15, 2016. Herald file photo
Contra Costa Election Equipment Testing to Ensure Accuracy, Friday, Feb. 9
The March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election is underway. Ballots have been mailed and the elections office is ready to receive voted ballots sent by mail or dropped in drop boxes. The Contra Costa County Elections Division will perform the County’s official logic and accuracy testing on central ballot counting and processing equipment at 10:00 am Friday, February 9, 2024 at the Elections Office, located at 555 Escobar Street in Martinez and the public is invited to observe.
Logic and accuracy testing is a standard pre-election procedure. The test will confirm that all central count equipment is in working order and functioning properly. A set of test ballots will be run through each scanner to ensure they are properly programmed and operating as expected.
If you would like to observe this process, we encourage you to let us know in advance by contacting the Elections office at 925-335-7800. On the day of testing, visitors will be asked to check-in at the Elections lobby on the first floor.
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