Elevation of one of the Pacifica Landing Project housing units.
SSI applications overwhelm county’s Employment & Human Services Department, hires 24 more employees
By Daniel Borsuk
A 29-unit affordable residential development planned for a Bay Point site donated to the Habitat for Humanity of the East Bay Silicon Valley got the green light from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to proceed with construction.
On a 4-0 vote supervisors approved Habitat for Humanity’s Pacifica Landing Project on a 2.42-acre site that was willed to the nonprofit organization with the intent to build affordable housing on the vacant Pacifica Avenue property next to the Rio Vista Elementary School. Board Chair John Gioia of Richmond was absent.
There was no public opposition aired at the Supervisors meeting, but at the County Planning Commission meeting there were concerns about the lack of off-street parking and the loss of 13 trees that the developer, Habitat for Humanity, has since addressed and mitigated.
The Bay Point affordable housing project will be the second Habitat for Humanity of the East Bay/Silicon Valley development in Contra Costa County. The nonprofit organization spearheaded the construction of a 45-unit affordable townhouse development at the Contra Costa Centre/Pleasant Hill BART Station.
Mike Keller of Habitat for Humanity of the East Bay/Silicon Valley expects construction of the Pacifica Avenue project to get underway by October or November.
“This is a good project,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes the development site. “Habitat for Humanity does good work. I’m in favor of it.”
The project will include a mix of two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom residences ranging in living area from 992 to 1,442 square feet. The townhomes will be two-story, single family residential units and will be developed in tri-plex and five-plex clusters throughout the property.
The proposed subdivision will provide 51 uncovered surface parking spaces for the residences and seven additional guest parking spaces.
Board Issues Bonds for Other Housing In Bay Point, Pittsburg
In related affordable housing board action, supervisors voted to approve as consent agenda items two resolutions authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds – one of not more than $19.2 million to finance the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of an 88-unit, multi-family housing rental development called Hidden Cove Apartments located at 2921-2931 Mary Ann Lane, also in Bay Point. A second bond issuance of $42.4 million will be for offering mortgage loans or otherwise providing funds to finance the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of multifamily rental housing, including units for lower income households and very low income households for a borrower of 200 units of multifamily rental housing units known as Marina Heights Apartments located at 2 Marina Blvd. in Pittsburg.
In the event the two bonds are issued, the county will be reimbursed for costs incurred in the issuance process. No county funds are pledged to secure the bonds. The Contra Costa County Conservation and Development Department oversees the program.
SSI Applications Overwhelms County Department
Supervisors learned expansion of the CalFresh program on June 1, has squeezed the county Employment & Human Services Department to hire 24 additional staff since July 7 because the department has received 3,562 Food Stamp applications, Kathy Gallagher, Employment and Human Services Director, reported.
Effective June 1, persons receiving Supplemental Security Income/Supplementary Payments through the Social Security Administration are eligible for CalFresh or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This development has triggered a surge of CalFresh applications that has partially hobbled the Employment and Human Services Department’s ability to promptly process applications.
Initially, the county department expected to receive 2,512 applications for CalFresh, but the rising number of submissions is forcing department officials to reconfigure personnel needs. “We can handle this,” Gallagher assured supervisors.
“I’m glad that the SSI Cal Fresh benefit for each recipient to live on is now $900 a month,” remarked Larry Sly of the Contra Costa Food Bank.
Environmental Health Chief Underwood Leaving
The Contra Costa Herald has learned that Contra Costa County Environmental Health Department Director Dr. Marilyn Underwood will be leaving her post. It was announced during the Board of Supervisors meeting, but supervisors were unavailable to comment about Dr. Underwood’s announcement.
Dr. Underwood has led the county environmental health department since March 2011.
The Herald has learned from one source that the environmental health chief, who has overseen or been involved in the Keller Canyon Landfill/Hunters Point Naval Shipyard radiation case, the countywide anti-litter program along with other environmental health duties, has decided to retire.
Neither Dr. Underwood nor her press contact were available for comment at Contra Costa Herald deadline.
Supervisors Approve New Ammunition Distributor for Sheriff
Supervisors approved Sheriff David O. Livingston’s request to change its new Winchester Ammunition Distributor from Adamson Police Products to Dooley Enterprises. Winchester has informed the Sheriff’s Office that they had to change distributors in Northern California from Adamson to Dooley. The supervisors’ consent action will permit a new purchase order with Dooley Enterprises as the new Winchester Ammunition Distributor for the Office of the Sheriff. The new purchase order with Dooley Enterprises, Inc. is in the amount of $450,000 for the purchase of ammunition for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021.
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De La Salle High School’s Ryan Iannaccone competes during a meet on April 14, 2019. Photo by Elizabeth Iannaccone.
By Allen Payton
The 2019 National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) High School All-America lists have been released and a long list of swimmers from Contra Costa County have made the top 100 in various events. Zoie Hartman, a senior this past year at Danville’s Monte Vista High School, was the nation’s top swimmer in the 200 Yard Individual Medley. She and many other swimmers made the list in more than one event.
BOYS
In the Boys 100 Yard Butterfly, Flanders, a senior this past year, ranked sixth with a time of 47.49 and Iannaccone, also a senior, ranked 94th with a time of 49.55. The top swimmer in the nation in the event was from Southern California and had a time of 46.63. The national record is 45.52 which was achieved by a swimmer in Florida in 2013.
In the 100 Yard Freestyle, senior Niklas Weigelt of Clayton Valley Charter High in Concord ranked 23rd with a time of 44.36. Junior Gavin Wright of San Ramon Valley High ranked 33rd with a time of 44.62. The top swimmer was from Ohio with a time of 43.27 and the record was set in 2011 in Pennsylvania with a time of 42.34.
In the 100 Yard Backstroke, junior Allen Dempster of San Ramon Valley High ranked 20th with a time of 48.44. Senior Andrew Rodriguez of Northgate High in Walnut Creek ranked 54th with a time of 49.16. Senior Mattias Blanco of Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon ranked 81st with a time of 49.66. The top swimmer in the event was from Ohio with a time of 46.28 and the national record of 45.34 was set in 2012 in Florida.
In the 100 Yard Breaststroke, sophomore Jacob Soderlund of Monte Vista High in Danville in Danville ranked 11th with a time of 54.24. Senior Mason Loyet of Campolindo High in Morage ranked 96th with a time of 56.51. The top swimmer in the nation was from Pennsylvania and had a time of 52.52, and the national record in the event of 51.16 was set also in Pennsylvania in 2018.
In the 200 Yard Freestyle, senior Sean Percin of Campolindo High in Moraga ranked 67th with a time of 1:38.80. The top swimmer in the event was from Ohio with a time of 1:32.99 and the nation record was set in 2018 with a time of 1:33.06.
In the 200 Yard Individual Medley, Flanders ranked 30th with a time of 1:48.61. Andrew Rodriguez a senior at Northgate High ranked 64th with a time of 1:49.89. The top swimmer had a time of 1:43.99 and the record was set by a team in Pennsylvania in 2011 with a time of 1:41.39.
In the 50 Yard Freestyle, junior Matthew Muaddi of San Ramon Valley High ranked 37th with a time of 20:37. His teammate, junior Gavin Wright ranked 98th with a time of 20.75. The top time in that event of 19.55 was by a swimmer in Pennsylvania and the national record of 19.29 was set in Florida in 2013.
Five teams in the county made the top 100 list in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay. The San Ramon Valley High team of Flanders, Muadi, Wright, and senior Jack Wilkerson ranked 2nd with a time of 1:22.13. Walnut Creek’s Northgate High team of Rodriguez, fellow senior Ledesma, and juniors Adrian Dulay and Kai Welsh ranked 30th with a time of 1:23.92. Close behind was Moraga’s Campolindo High all-senior team of Percin, Richard Zhang, Alec Baker and Jack Larsen ranked 33rd with a time of 1:23.95. De La Salle’s team of Dicks, Iannaoccone, fellow seniors Sean Iritani, and Joseph Grywczynski ranked 47th with a time of 1:24.54. Less than a second behind was the Clayton Valley Charter High team of seniors Cal Brown, Anthony Vizental and Niklas Weigelt, and junior John Parker, which ranked 50th with a time of 1:24.57. The top ranked team in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay from Kentucky had a time of 1:21.96 and the national record was set in 2012 in Florida with a time of 1:19.27.
Four of the five teams from the same schools also made the top 100 list in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. Flanders and his teammates, Muaddi and fellow junior Allen Dempster, and sophomore Grant Watson from San Ramon Valley High ranked 25th in the event, with a time of 1:31.69. The Northgate High team of Rodriguez, Ledesma, Dulay and Welsh ranked 51st in the same event, with a time of 1:33.16. San Ramon’s Dougherty Valley High School team of Blanco and fellow senior Chaitha Dasari, junior Clifford Yao and sophomore Bryson Huey ranked 82nd in the event, with a close time of 1:33.76. Close behind them was Moraga’s Campolindo High team of Loyet and fellow seniors Matteo Lanzara and Richard Zhang, and sophomore Zach Le-Nguyen with ranking of 87th and a time of 1:33.83. Just a fraction of a second behind was the De La Salle High team of Iannaccone, Iritani, Grywczynski, and Dicks which ranked 98th with a time of 1:34.04. The nation’s top team in the event was from Ohio, with a time of 1:28.48. The national record of 1:27.74 was set in 2014.
In the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, the San Ramon Valley High team of Wright, Dempster, senior Jack Wilkerson and sophomore Grant Watson ranked 11th with a time of 3:01.87. The Campolindo High team of seniors Baker, Zhang, Larsen and Percin placed 15th with a time of 3:03.18. The top team was from Indiana with a time of 2:58.75 and the national record of 2:53.81 was set in 2018 by a team in Pennsylvania.
GIRLS
In the Girls 100 Yard Freestyle, senior Sophia Kosturos of Miramonte High in Orinda ranked 4th with a time of 49.03. Senior Zoie Hartman of Danville’s Monte Vista High School ranked 15th with a time of 49.62. The top swimmer in the event was from Southern California with a time of 48.63 and the national record of 47.09 was set in 2015, also in Southern California.
In the 100 Yard Butterfly, Kosturos ranked 20th with a time of 53.56. Sophomore Alexis DePaco of San Ramon Valley High ranked 53rd with a time of 54.51. Junior Maddie Smith of Campolindo High ranked 91st with a time of 55.15. Senior Ashleen O’Brien, also of Campolindo, ranked 99th with a time of 55.22. The top swimmer in the event was from Virginia with a time of 51.29 and now holds the national record previously set at 51.53 in Southern California in 2015.
In the 100 Yard Backstroke, Kosturos ranked 9th with a time of 52.92. Sophomore Jessica Davis of Carondolet High School in Concord ranked 41st with a time of 54.53. Close behind with a time of 54.78 was Junior Margaux McDonald of Miramonte High, who ranked 50th. Sophomore Maile Andresen of Northgate High ranked 71st with a time of 55.11. The top swimmer in the event was from Tennessee with a time of 51.57 and the record of 51.43 was set in 2012 in Illinois.
In the 100 Yard Breaststroke, Hartman ranked 5th with a time of 59.92. Sophomore Shelby Suppiger, of Acalanes High in Lafayette, ranked 53rd with a time of 1:02.72. Sophomore Ana Jih Schiff of San Ramon Valley High ranked 63rd with a time of 1:02.87. Just 1/100th of a second behind was sophomore Channing Hanley of Campolindo who ranked 65th with a time of 1:02.88. The best swimmer in the event was from Indiana with a time of 58.91 who also holds the national record of 58.40 was set in 2018.
In the 200 Yard Individual Medley, Hartman ranked 1st with a time of 1:55.29. Smith ranked 49th with a time of 2:01.50 and Schiff was close behind ranked 50th with a time of 2:01.55. Suppiger ranked 66th with a time of 2:02.15, followed by McDonald who ranked 67th with a time of 2:02.20. The national record of 1:53.82 was set in North Dakota in 2009.
Hartman and Kosturos tied for 39th with the same time of 23:08 in the 50 Yard Freestyle. The top swimmer with a time of 21.95 was from Virginia and the record of 21.64 was set in Southern California in 2015.
Five teams from the county made the list in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay. Those include the Acalanes team of Suppiger, seniors Emily Gebhardt and Nicole Edwards, and junior Jewel Roemer ranked 43rd with a time of 1:35.13. The Northgate team of Andresen, seniors Caraline Levy and Toria Stahl, and freshman Alyssa Lund ranked 58th with a time of 1:35.48. Close behind was the San Ramon Valley High team of Schiff, DePaco, fellow sophomore Kailen O’Rell and freshman Caroline Wight ranked 63rd with a time of 1:35.57. They were followed by the Campolindo team of O’Brien, junior Lola Ciruli, and freshmen Amber Van Meines and Lexi Fok ranked 67th with a time of 1:35.63. Then came the Monte Vista team of Hartman, fellow senior Gillian Flath, junior Jenna Seaman and freshman Madeleine Kan who ranked 71st with a time of 1:35.70. The top team in the nation from Tennessee had a time of 1:31.29 and the record of 1:30.72 was set in 2015 in Indiana.
Four teams from three of those same schools made the list in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. The Monte Vista team of Hartman, Flath, sophomore Kendall Johansson and freshman Anna Ryan ranked 8th with a time of 1:41.90. The Campolindo team of Van Meines, O’Brien, Hanley, and fellow senior Elizabeth Follmer ranked 40th with a time of 1:43.74. They were followed by the Miramonte team of Kosturos, McDonald and seniors Katie Lyons and Eloise Engs which ranked 49th with a time of 1:44.03. The San Ramon Valley High team of Wight, Schiff, DePaco, and fellow sophomore Abby Muaddi ranked 83rd with a time of 1:45.24. The fastest time of 1:39.91 was by a team in Tennessee and the national record of 1:38.13 was set in Colorado in 2018.
Three teams made the list in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay. The Miramonte team of Kosturos, Engs, Lyons and McDonald ranked 17th with a time of 3:25.21. Close behind with a time of 3:25.54 and ranked 18th was the Monte Vista team of Hartman, junior Jenna Seaman, and freshmen Kyla Kelly and Taylor Christian. The Campolindo team of O’Brien, Smith, Van Meines and freshman Lexi Fok ranked 53rd with a time of 3:27.65. The top team with a time of 3:20.32 was from Southern California and the national record of 3:15.38 was set in 2015 by an Indiana team.
Many of the swimmers who graduated this year, will be attending Division I colleges as a member of the swim team. Hartman will be attending the University of Georgia on a full-ride scholarship.
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Park District Ward 6 Board Member Beverly Lane, who represents Concord, Principal Planner Neoma Lavalle and Chief of Planning/GIS Brian Holt at park overlook, with the map of the future, regional park. Photo by EBRPD.
Ceremony at planned Concord Hills Regional Park will also include 75th Anniversary of Port Chicago explosion
After more than 20 years of community support and involvement, the East Bay Regional Park District has accepted 2,216 acres of former Concord Naval Weapons Station land from the U.S. Navy for a future regional park currently known as the Concord Hills Regional Park. An additional 327 acres are set to transfer to the Park District at a later date.
“Conveyance of the property to the Park District is the culmination of a decades-long community effort,” said Beverly Lane, who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District board since 1994. “This is a proud moment for the Park District and shows the great power of persistence and working together with the community.
“The U.S. Navy, National Park Service, City of Concord, and Save Mount Diablo have been tremendous partners in this effort,” added Lane.
On July 2, 2019, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors unanimously approved accepting the land from the U.S. Navy. The board action authorizes the Park District to accept conveyance of the property and fee title ownership. Transfer of ownership to the Park District is expected to take six months.
“This is a great day for the Park District and East Bay residents,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “The public will have access to great future park amenities, including a visitor center, staging areas, access points, and miles of recreational trails for hiking, biking, and nature viewing.”
“Park development is expected to take several years and will require significant financial resources. There is no timetable on development,” added Doyle. “With this new land, we will have a regional park that is larger than Tilden Park, that is protected for future generations forever.”
A public celebration is scheduled for Saturday, July 13th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. The event will also commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Port Chicago Explosion. Click here for the Concord Hills Regional Park event details.
The celebration will include a panel discussion hosted by the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial and National Park Service, a conveyance ceremony, presentations, exhibit booths, lunch, and a music performance by the Acalanes High School Jazz Quartet. The event will also include walking and vehicle tours of the property, giving attendees a first look at the future regional park.
RSVP to Yulie Padmore at ypadmore@ebparks.org or call (510) 544-2002.
For more information about the July 13 event, visit www.ebparks.org/about/planning/cnws.htm.
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By Daniel Borsuk
In recognition of the East Bay Regional Park District’s 85th anniversary, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed a resolution acknowledging how the park district has served the residents of Contra Costa and Alameda counties since the district’s founding in 1934.
At the presentation were from left, District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, East Bay Region Park District Ward 7 Board Member Colin Coffey, EBRPD Legislative Assistant Lisa Baldinger, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis, EBRPD Governmental Affairs Manager Erich Pfuehler and Board Vice Chair Candace Andersen. Contra Costa voters approved a annexation to the EBRPD in 1964. Soon thereafter, Kennedy Grove and Briones were developed and opened as the first regional parks within Contra Costa County. In total, the park district consists of 122,278 acres, including more than 1,330 miles of trails, 235 family campsites, 40 fishing docks and 10 interpretative and education centers.
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Joel Levin
By Joel Levin
I am a local public schoolteacher working with special education students from elementary age through young adults, and I am a dialysis patient who has suffered kidney disease for decades.
I’ve dedicated my career to helping those less fortunate in need. That’s why I’m disappointed that insurance companies are behind legislation that would cut off the charitable financial assistance I need to pay for the dialysis that keeps me alive.
Legislators will soon be voting on Assembly Bill 290, which would eliminate financial assistance that the non-profit American Kidney Fund provides charitably to more than 3,700 qualifying California dialysis patients like me.
AB 290 requires AKF to disclose confidential patient information in violation of the federal regulations governing the program. Because of these unreasonable requirements, AB 290 would force AKF to stop helping California patients altogether.
The losers are patients like me who depend on the financial assistance AKF provides to pay for the dialysis that we need to stay alive. The winners are insurance companies whose profits would go up if it passes.
Even as a kidney patient who must undergo the rigorous dialysis treatment process to stay alive, I feel like one of the fortunate ones. Most people on dialysis can’t work because of the exhausting process of dialysis. Thankfully I can continue working as a teacher while still receiving this time-consuming treatment three times a week for three to four hours at a time, after my workday.
It is not easy, of course. And for dialysis patients who require between 9-12 hours a week of dialysis treatments, our health care coverage is expensive. Although I’m on Medicare, it only covers 80 percent of my health care costs and Medicare also requires monthly insurance premiums. I also have copays for doctor visits and copays for my numerous medications because of my kidney disease.
On top of that, I must get an additional insurance policy, with additional monthly premiums, to cover the 20 percent “gap” that isn’t paid for by Medicare.
As a public schoolteacher, I’m certainly not rich. I have a finite amount of funds. Without the AKF’s assistance program, I’m not sure how I’d be able to afford these payments.
Only a small number of Californians on dialysis, about 5 percent, use financial assistance from a third-party, non-profit charitable organization like the American Kidney Fund to help pay their health insurance premiums. AKF has made premium assistance available for more than 20 years.
I’m extremely thankful they’re in existence and grateful for the help they provide me. For me, the program offers peace of mind that I can pay my expenses and receive the healthcare that I need. I can’t even imagine what would happen to dialysis patients who can’t work. How will they survive?
At its core, AB 290 is about increasing insurance company profits.
Lawmakers who are aligning with insurance companies and supporting the measure are not seeing how it would impact the patients in the long run.
I urge legislators to reject this insurance company scheme and vote no on AB 290.
Joel Levin is a dialysis patient and resident of Danville.
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John LeBarre and his daughter, Denielle LeBarre Photos from their Facebook profiles.
From San Joaquin County Sheriff
Shortly after 4:00 A.M. on Friday, July 5, a 911 call was made by a boater, stating she found her fiancé and his daughter deceased on their boat. The boat was anchored near Ski Beach, east of Discovery Bay and west of Stockton in the Delta.
John LeBarre (57 years old) and his daughter, Denielle LeBarre (26 years old), both of Discovery Bay, were found unresponsive. This is potentially an accidental carbon monoxide death investigation, exact cause of death is not known at this time.
This is a very unfortunate case, please consider the following: Most newer models of houseboats have CO sensors and alarms to warn of CO buildup and pooling. Rerouted exhausts, emission control devices, and generator interlocks combined lead to a reduction of over 99 percent of CO buildup and pooling, according to the CDC.
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Rep. Eric Swalwell. Photo from his congressional website.
By Allen Payton
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D, CA-15) was the first candidate to drop out of the race for president, when he made an announcement during a press conference at the Swalwell for American headquarters in his hometown of Dublin, on Monday. He was one of over 20 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination.
Swalwell has represented San Ramon in Contra Costa County, as well as the Tri Valley and other portions of Alameda County, since he was first elected, after beating 20-term incumbent and fellow Democrat Pete Stark in the 2012 primary election.
A member of the House Intelligence Committee, Swalwell had been calling for President Trump’s impeachment for the past year, and his main presidential campaign issue was an assault weapons ban.
In a statement on his presidential campaign website, Swalwell wrote,
I ran for President to win and make a difference in our great country — a difference on issues of the future such as finding cures for our deadliest and most debilitating diseases, taking on the student loan debt crisis, and ending gun violence. I promised my family, constituents, and supporters that I would always be honest about our chances. After the first Democratic presidential debate, our polling and fundraising numbers weren’t what we had hoped for, and I no longer see a path forward to the nomination. My presidential campaign ends today, but this also is the start of a new passage for the issues on which our campaign ran.
I entered this race determined to elevate the issue of gun violence, and at the debate, three top-tier candidates embraced my idea to ban and buy back every single assault weapon in America. Putting this idea and this larger issue of gun violence front and center in the Democratic policy discussion is an accomplishment, dedicated to the students, moms, and other activists who tirelessly demand action to save American lives.
I thank my supporters and friends, my staff, and my family for making this journey possible. I’ll never forget the people I met and lessons I learned while travelling around our great nation – especially in the communities most affected by gun violence. Too many communities feel this pain. But in every community’s grief, I see people who love one another and have inside themselves the grit to get things done to end gun violence once and for all.
I will take those lessons back to Congress, serving my friends and neighbors in California’s 15th District while using my seats on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees to make our nation safer and uphold the rule of law for all Americans.
Thank you,
Eric
The 38-year-old Swalwell will instead seek a fifth term in Congress. Rumor has it that former State Assemblywoman Catharine Baker might run for the Republican nomination in the same district to face Swalwell, next year.
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Peggy Cabaniss. Photo courtesy of AAUW
Peggy Cabaniss, a financial planner and investment advisor form Moraga, California, has been named to the Board of Directors of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a nonprofit organization that promotes equity and economic security for women and girls through research, education and advocacy.
“We are honored to have Peggy’s experience and expertise on our Board,” said Kim Churches, AAUW’s chief executive officer. “This is an important moment in time when we need to innovate a new approach to advancing gender equity, and Peggy will help us be at the forefront of breaking down barriers and building new pathways for girls and women.”
Cabaniss was the owner and co-founder of HC Financial Advisors, Inc., a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm in Lafayette. She has held leadership positions in the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, including a stint as chair of its national board.
The American Association of University has more than 170,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local branches and more than 800 college and university members. Since its founding in 1881, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s fellowships and grants have helped scholars and activists overcome barriers to education and advancement for 130 years. Work Smart, its free online salary negotiation course, has trained countless women in negotiation skills. Learn more at www.aauw.org.
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WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services in relation to supportive housing to participate in a public forum on Thursday, July 18, in San Pablo.
The forum offers the community an opportunity to discuss its needs and meet with service providers to discuss current issues relevant to supportive housing. These discussions will help to inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.
California approved Proposition 63 in November 2004, and the Mental Health Services Act became law. The Act provides significant additional funding to the existing public mental health system and combines prevention services with a full range of integrated services to treat the whole person. With the goal of wellness, recovery and self-sufficiency, the intent of the law is to reach out and include those most in need and those who have been traditionally underserved. Services are to be consumer driven, family focused, based in the community, culturally and linguistically competent, and integrated with other appropriate health and social services. Funding is to be provided at sufficient levels to ensure that counties can provide each child, transition age youth, adult and senior with the necessary mental health services, medications and support set forth in their treatment plan. Finally, the Act requires this Three Year Plan be developed with the active participation of local stakeholders in a community program planning process.
WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including people that have or are receiving supportive housing services, their families or loved ones, and interested members of the community. RSVP online at cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa – click the “Supportive Housing Community Forum” button.
Other RVSP options include emailing mhsa@cchealth.org – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning (925) 957-2617. Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1220 Morello Avenue, Suite 100, Martinez, CA 94553.
WHEN: Thursday, July 18th at 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Contra Costa College, 2600 Mission Bell Drive, Room GE 225, San Pablo, CA 94806
WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides over $50 million to more than 80 mental health programs and services. Forum goals include identifying service needs, priorities and strategies to inform the county’s MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan for fiscal years 2020-2023.
The forum will include an overview of the MHSA and current funding use in Contra Costa County and will be livestreamed at: cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa.
Visit cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to access the MHSA Three Year Program and Expenditure Plan Update and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.
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By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District
The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail will be temporarily closed – south of the Glenside Bridge approximately 200 feet to Glenside Drive and north of the Glenside Bridge approximately 350 feet – for bridge replacement and safety improvements. Construction activities will begin on July 8. The bridge will be closed beginning July 15.
The existing 1976 wood-beam bridge will be replaced by a lighter and stronger corrosion-resistant steel bridge. The new bridge will be two feet wider, resulting in improved trail capacity and safety.
“The existing bridge is aging and deteriorating,” said East Bay Regional Park District spokesperson Dave Mason. “Bridge replacement is necessary for the health and safety of the community.”
The project is being implemented in the summer to minimize the impact to the public, especially students who use the trail to get to and from school.
“The Park District is proud to provide another improvement to Lafayette residents and appreciates the community’s support and patience during the temporary closure,” said Mason. “The Park District is making every effort to complete the project before the start of school on August 13.”
The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail covers 7.65 miles and is part of the Park District’s Regional Trail system. The Park District manages over 200 miles of regional trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties that serve as part of the region’s green transportation network.
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Elevation of one of the Pacifica Landing Project housing units.
SSI applications overwhelm county’s Employment & Human Services Department, hires 24 more employees
By Daniel Borsuk
A 29-unit affordable residential development planned for a Bay Point site donated to the Habitat for Humanity of the East Bay Silicon Valley got the green light from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to proceed with construction.
On a 4-0 vote supervisors approved Habitat for Humanity’s Pacifica Landing Project on a 2.42-acre site that was willed to the nonprofit organization with the intent to build affordable housing on the vacant Pacifica Avenue property next to the Rio Vista Elementary School. Board Chair John Gioia of Richmond was absent.
There was no public opposition aired at the Supervisors meeting, but at the County Planning Commission meeting there were concerns about the lack of off-street parking and the loss of 13 trees that the developer, Habitat for Humanity, has since addressed and mitigated.
The Bay Point affordable housing project will be the second Habitat for Humanity of the East Bay/Silicon Valley development in Contra Costa County. The nonprofit organization spearheaded the construction of a 45-unit affordable townhouse development at the Contra Costa Centre/Pleasant Hill BART Station.
Mike Keller of Habitat for Humanity of the East Bay/Silicon Valley expects construction of the Pacifica Avenue project to get underway by October or November.
“This is a good project,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, whose district includes the development site. “Habitat for Humanity does good work. I’m in favor of it.”
The project will include a mix of two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom residences ranging in living area from 992 to 1,442 square feet. The townhomes will be two-story, single family residential units and will be developed in tri-plex and five-plex clusters throughout the property.
The proposed subdivision will provide 51 uncovered surface parking spaces for the residences and seven additional guest parking spaces.
Board Issues Bonds for Other Housing In Bay Point, Pittsburg
In related affordable housing board action, supervisors voted to approve as consent agenda items two resolutions authorizing the issuance of revenue bonds – one of not more than $19.2 million to finance the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of an 88-unit, multi-family housing rental development called Hidden Cove Apartments located at 2921-2931 Mary Ann Lane, also in Bay Point. A second bond issuance of $42.4 million will be for offering mortgage loans or otherwise providing funds to finance the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of multifamily rental housing, including units for lower income households and very low income households for a borrower of 200 units of multifamily rental housing units known as Marina Heights Apartments located at 2 Marina Blvd. in Pittsburg.
In the event the two bonds are issued, the county will be reimbursed for costs incurred in the issuance process. No county funds are pledged to secure the bonds. The Contra Costa County Conservation and Development Department oversees the program.
SSI Applications Overwhelms County Department
Supervisors learned expansion of the CalFresh program on June 1, has squeezed the county Employment & Human Services Department to hire 24 additional staff since July 7 because the department has received 3,562 Food Stamp applications, Kathy Gallagher, Employment and Human Services Director, reported.
Effective June 1, persons receiving Supplemental Security Income/Supplementary Payments through the Social Security Administration are eligible for CalFresh or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This development has triggered a surge of CalFresh applications that has partially hobbled the Employment and Human Services Department’s ability to promptly process applications.
Initially, the county department expected to receive 2,512 applications for CalFresh, but the rising number of submissions is forcing department officials to reconfigure personnel needs. “We can handle this,” Gallagher assured supervisors.
“I’m glad that the SSI Cal Fresh benefit for each recipient to live on is now $900 a month,” remarked Larry Sly of the Contra Costa Food Bank.
Environmental Health Chief Underwood Leaving
The Contra Costa Herald has learned that Contra Costa County Environmental Health Department Director Dr. Marilyn Underwood will be leaving her post. It was announced during the Board of Supervisors meeting, but supervisors were unavailable to comment about Dr. Underwood’s announcement.
Dr. Underwood has led the county environmental health department since March 2011.
The Herald has learned from one source that the environmental health chief, who has overseen or been involved in the Keller Canyon Landfill/Hunters Point Naval Shipyard radiation case, the countywide anti-litter program along with other environmental health duties, has decided to retire.
Neither Dr. Underwood nor her press contact were available for comment at Contra Costa Herald deadline.
Supervisors Approve New Ammunition Distributor for Sheriff
Supervisors approved Sheriff David O. Livingston’s request to change its new Winchester Ammunition Distributor from Adamson Police Products to Dooley Enterprises. Winchester has informed the Sheriff’s Office that they had to change distributors in Northern California from Adamson to Dooley. The supervisors’ consent action will permit a new purchase order with Dooley Enterprises as the new Winchester Ammunition Distributor for the Office of the Sheriff. The new purchase order with Dooley Enterprises, Inc. is in the amount of $450,000 for the purchase of ammunition for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021.
Read MoreDe La Salle High School’s Ryan Iannaccone competes during a meet on April 14, 2019. Photo by Elizabeth Iannaccone.
By Allen Payton
The 2019 National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) High School All-America lists have been released and a long list of swimmers from Contra Costa County have made the top 100 in various events. Zoie Hartman, a senior this past year at Danville’s Monte Vista High School, was the nation’s top swimmer in the 200 Yard Individual Medley. She and many other swimmers made the list in more than one event.
BOYS
In the Boys 100 Yard Butterfly, Flanders, a senior this past year, ranked sixth with a time of 47.49 and Iannaccone, also a senior, ranked 94th with a time of 49.55. The top swimmer in the nation in the event was from Southern California and had a time of 46.63. The national record is 45.52 which was achieved by a swimmer in Florida in 2013.
In the 100 Yard Freestyle, senior Niklas Weigelt of Clayton Valley Charter High in Concord ranked 23rd with a time of 44.36. Junior Gavin Wright of San Ramon Valley High ranked 33rd with a time of 44.62. The top swimmer was from Ohio with a time of 43.27 and the record was set in 2011 in Pennsylvania with a time of 42.34.
In the 100 Yard Backstroke, junior Allen Dempster of San Ramon Valley High ranked 20th with a time of 48.44. Senior Andrew Rodriguez of Northgate High in Walnut Creek ranked 54th with a time of 49.16. Senior Mattias Blanco of Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon ranked 81st with a time of 49.66. The top swimmer in the event was from Ohio with a time of 46.28 and the national record of 45.34 was set in 2012 in Florida.
In the 100 Yard Breaststroke, sophomore Jacob Soderlund of Monte Vista High in Danville in Danville ranked 11th with a time of 54.24. Senior Mason Loyet of Campolindo High in Morage ranked 96th with a time of 56.51. The top swimmer in the nation was from Pennsylvania and had a time of 52.52, and the national record in the event of 51.16 was set also in Pennsylvania in 2018.
In the 200 Yard Freestyle, senior Sean Percin of Campolindo High in Moraga ranked 67th with a time of 1:38.80. The top swimmer in the event was from Ohio with a time of 1:32.99 and the nation record was set in 2018 with a time of 1:33.06.
In the 200 Yard Individual Medley, Flanders ranked 30th with a time of 1:48.61. Andrew Rodriguez a senior at Northgate High ranked 64th with a time of 1:49.89. The top swimmer had a time of 1:43.99 and the record was set by a team in Pennsylvania in 2011 with a time of 1:41.39.
In the 50 Yard Freestyle, junior Matthew Muaddi of San Ramon Valley High ranked 37th with a time of 20:37. His teammate, junior Gavin Wright ranked 98th with a time of 20.75. The top time in that event of 19.55 was by a swimmer in Pennsylvania and the national record of 19.29 was set in Florida in 2013.
Five teams in the county made the top 100 list in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay. The San Ramon Valley High team of Flanders, Muadi, Wright, and senior Jack Wilkerson ranked 2nd with a time of 1:22.13. Walnut Creek’s Northgate High team of Rodriguez, fellow senior Ledesma, and juniors Adrian Dulay and Kai Welsh ranked 30th with a time of 1:23.92. Close behind was Moraga’s Campolindo High all-senior team of Percin, Richard Zhang, Alec Baker and Jack Larsen ranked 33rd with a time of 1:23.95. De La Salle’s team of Dicks, Iannaoccone, fellow seniors Sean Iritani, and Joseph Grywczynski ranked 47th with a time of 1:24.54. Less than a second behind was the Clayton Valley Charter High team of seniors Cal Brown, Anthony Vizental and Niklas Weigelt, and junior John Parker, which ranked 50th with a time of 1:24.57. The top ranked team in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay from Kentucky had a time of 1:21.96 and the national record was set in 2012 in Florida with a time of 1:19.27.
Four of the five teams from the same schools also made the top 100 list in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. Flanders and his teammates, Muaddi and fellow junior Allen Dempster, and sophomore Grant Watson from San Ramon Valley High ranked 25th in the event, with a time of 1:31.69. The Northgate High team of Rodriguez, Ledesma, Dulay and Welsh ranked 51st in the same event, with a time of 1:33.16. San Ramon’s Dougherty Valley High School team of Blanco and fellow senior Chaitha Dasari, junior Clifford Yao and sophomore Bryson Huey ranked 82nd in the event, with a close time of 1:33.76. Close behind them was Moraga’s Campolindo High team of Loyet and fellow seniors Matteo Lanzara and Richard Zhang, and sophomore Zach Le-Nguyen with ranking of 87th and a time of 1:33.83. Just a fraction of a second behind was the De La Salle High team of Iannaccone, Iritani, Grywczynski, and Dicks which ranked 98th with a time of 1:34.04. The nation’s top team in the event was from Ohio, with a time of 1:28.48. The national record of 1:27.74 was set in 2014.
In the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, the San Ramon Valley High team of Wright, Dempster, senior Jack Wilkerson and sophomore Grant Watson ranked 11th with a time of 3:01.87. The Campolindo High team of seniors Baker, Zhang, Larsen and Percin placed 15th with a time of 3:03.18. The top team was from Indiana with a time of 2:58.75 and the national record of 2:53.81 was set in 2018 by a team in Pennsylvania.
GIRLS
In the Girls 100 Yard Freestyle, senior Sophia Kosturos of Miramonte High in Orinda ranked 4th with a time of 49.03. Senior Zoie Hartman of Danville’s Monte Vista High School ranked 15th with a time of 49.62. The top swimmer in the event was from Southern California with a time of 48.63 and the national record of 47.09 was set in 2015, also in Southern California.
In the 100 Yard Butterfly, Kosturos ranked 20th with a time of 53.56. Sophomore Alexis DePaco of San Ramon Valley High ranked 53rd with a time of 54.51. Junior Maddie Smith of Campolindo High ranked 91st with a time of 55.15. Senior Ashleen O’Brien, also of Campolindo, ranked 99th with a time of 55.22. The top swimmer in the event was from Virginia with a time of 51.29 and now holds the national record previously set at 51.53 in Southern California in 2015.
In the 100 Yard Backstroke, Kosturos ranked 9th with a time of 52.92. Sophomore Jessica Davis of Carondolet High School in Concord ranked 41st with a time of 54.53. Close behind with a time of 54.78 was Junior Margaux McDonald of Miramonte High, who ranked 50th. Sophomore Maile Andresen of Northgate High ranked 71st with a time of 55.11. The top swimmer in the event was from Tennessee with a time of 51.57 and the record of 51.43 was set in 2012 in Illinois.
In the 100 Yard Breaststroke, Hartman ranked 5th with a time of 59.92. Sophomore Shelby Suppiger, of Acalanes High in Lafayette, ranked 53rd with a time of 1:02.72. Sophomore Ana Jih Schiff of San Ramon Valley High ranked 63rd with a time of 1:02.87. Just 1/100th of a second behind was sophomore Channing Hanley of Campolindo who ranked 65th with a time of 1:02.88. The best swimmer in the event was from Indiana with a time of 58.91 who also holds the national record of 58.40 was set in 2018.
In the 200 Yard Individual Medley, Hartman ranked 1st with a time of 1:55.29. Smith ranked 49th with a time of 2:01.50 and Schiff was close behind ranked 50th with a time of 2:01.55. Suppiger ranked 66th with a time of 2:02.15, followed by McDonald who ranked 67th with a time of 2:02.20. The national record of 1:53.82 was set in North Dakota in 2009.
Hartman and Kosturos tied for 39th with the same time of 23:08 in the 50 Yard Freestyle. The top swimmer with a time of 21.95 was from Virginia and the record of 21.64 was set in Southern California in 2015.
Five teams from the county made the list in the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay. Those include the Acalanes team of Suppiger, seniors Emily Gebhardt and Nicole Edwards, and junior Jewel Roemer ranked 43rd with a time of 1:35.13. The Northgate team of Andresen, seniors Caraline Levy and Toria Stahl, and freshman Alyssa Lund ranked 58th with a time of 1:35.48. Close behind was the San Ramon Valley High team of Schiff, DePaco, fellow sophomore Kailen O’Rell and freshman Caroline Wight ranked 63rd with a time of 1:35.57. They were followed by the Campolindo team of O’Brien, junior Lola Ciruli, and freshmen Amber Van Meines and Lexi Fok ranked 67th with a time of 1:35.63. Then came the Monte Vista team of Hartman, fellow senior Gillian Flath, junior Jenna Seaman and freshman Madeleine Kan who ranked 71st with a time of 1:35.70. The top team in the nation from Tennessee had a time of 1:31.29 and the record of 1:30.72 was set in 2015 in Indiana.
Four teams from three of those same schools made the list in the 200 Yard Medley Relay. The Monte Vista team of Hartman, Flath, sophomore Kendall Johansson and freshman Anna Ryan ranked 8th with a time of 1:41.90. The Campolindo team of Van Meines, O’Brien, Hanley, and fellow senior Elizabeth Follmer ranked 40th with a time of 1:43.74. They were followed by the Miramonte team of Kosturos, McDonald and seniors Katie Lyons and Eloise Engs which ranked 49th with a time of 1:44.03. The San Ramon Valley High team of Wight, Schiff, DePaco, and fellow sophomore Abby Muaddi ranked 83rd with a time of 1:45.24. The fastest time of 1:39.91 was by a team in Tennessee and the national record of 1:38.13 was set in Colorado in 2018.
Three teams made the list in the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay. The Miramonte team of Kosturos, Engs, Lyons and McDonald ranked 17th with a time of 3:25.21. Close behind with a time of 3:25.54 and ranked 18th was the Monte Vista team of Hartman, junior Jenna Seaman, and freshmen Kyla Kelly and Taylor Christian. The Campolindo team of O’Brien, Smith, Van Meines and freshman Lexi Fok ranked 53rd with a time of 3:27.65. The top team with a time of 3:20.32 was from Southern California and the national record of 3:15.38 was set in 2015 by an Indiana team.
Many of the swimmers who graduated this year, will be attending Division I colleges as a member of the swim team. Hartman will be attending the University of Georgia on a full-ride scholarship.
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Park District Ward 6 Board Member Beverly Lane, who represents Concord, Principal Planner Neoma Lavalle and Chief of Planning/GIS Brian Holt at park overlook, with the map of the future, regional park. Photo by EBRPD.
Ceremony at planned Concord Hills Regional Park will also include 75th Anniversary of Port Chicago explosion
After more than 20 years of community support and involvement, the East Bay Regional Park District has accepted 2,216 acres of former Concord Naval Weapons Station land from the U.S. Navy for a future regional park currently known as the Concord Hills Regional Park. An additional 327 acres are set to transfer to the Park District at a later date.
“Conveyance of the property to the Park District is the culmination of a decades-long community effort,” said Beverly Lane, who has represented Concord on the East Bay Regional Park District board since 1994. “This is a proud moment for the Park District and shows the great power of persistence and working together with the community.
“The U.S. Navy, National Park Service, City of Concord, and Save Mount Diablo have been tremendous partners in this effort,” added Lane.
On July 2, 2019, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors unanimously approved accepting the land from the U.S. Navy. The board action authorizes the Park District to accept conveyance of the property and fee title ownership. Transfer of ownership to the Park District is expected to take six months.
“This is a great day for the Park District and East Bay residents,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “The public will have access to great future park amenities, including a visitor center, staging areas, access points, and miles of recreational trails for hiking, biking, and nature viewing.”
“Park development is expected to take several years and will require significant financial resources. There is no timetable on development,” added Doyle. “With this new land, we will have a regional park that is larger than Tilden Park, that is protected for future generations forever.”
A public celebration is scheduled for Saturday, July 13th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. The event will also commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Port Chicago Explosion. Click here for the Concord Hills Regional Park event details.
The celebration will include a panel discussion hosted by the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial and National Park Service, a conveyance ceremony, presentations, exhibit booths, lunch, and a music performance by the Acalanes High School Jazz Quartet. The event will also include walking and vehicle tours of the property, giving attendees a first look at the future regional park.
RSVP to Yulie Padmore at ypadmore@ebparks.org or call (510) 544-2002.
For more information about the July 13 event, visit www.ebparks.org/about/planning/cnws.htm.
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By Daniel Borsuk
In recognition of the East Bay Regional Park District’s 85th anniversary, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday passed a resolution acknowledging how the park district has served the residents of Contra Costa and Alameda counties since the district’s founding in 1934.
At the presentation were from left, District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, East Bay Region Park District Ward 7 Board Member Colin Coffey, EBRPD Legislative Assistant Lisa Baldinger, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis, EBRPD Governmental Affairs Manager Erich Pfuehler and Board Vice Chair Candace Andersen. Contra Costa voters approved a annexation to the EBRPD in 1964. Soon thereafter, Kennedy Grove and Briones were developed and opened as the first regional parks within Contra Costa County. In total, the park district consists of 122,278 acres, including more than 1,330 miles of trails, 235 family campsites, 40 fishing docks and 10 interpretative and education centers.
Read MoreJoel Levin
By Joel Levin
I am a local public schoolteacher working with special education students from elementary age through young adults, and I am a dialysis patient who has suffered kidney disease for decades.
I’ve dedicated my career to helping those less fortunate in need. That’s why I’m disappointed that insurance companies are behind legislation that would cut off the charitable financial assistance I need to pay for the dialysis that keeps me alive.
Legislators will soon be voting on Assembly Bill 290, which would eliminate financial assistance that the non-profit American Kidney Fund provides charitably to more than 3,700 qualifying California dialysis patients like me.
AB 290 requires AKF to disclose confidential patient information in violation of the federal regulations governing the program. Because of these unreasonable requirements, AB 290 would force AKF to stop helping California patients altogether.
The losers are patients like me who depend on the financial assistance AKF provides to pay for the dialysis that we need to stay alive. The winners are insurance companies whose profits would go up if it passes.
Even as a kidney patient who must undergo the rigorous dialysis treatment process to stay alive, I feel like one of the fortunate ones. Most people on dialysis can’t work because of the exhausting process of dialysis. Thankfully I can continue working as a teacher while still receiving this time-consuming treatment three times a week for three to four hours at a time, after my workday.
It is not easy, of course. And for dialysis patients who require between 9-12 hours a week of dialysis treatments, our health care coverage is expensive. Although I’m on Medicare, it only covers 80 percent of my health care costs and Medicare also requires monthly insurance premiums. I also have copays for doctor visits and copays for my numerous medications because of my kidney disease.
On top of that, I must get an additional insurance policy, with additional monthly premiums, to cover the 20 percent “gap” that isn’t paid for by Medicare.
As a public schoolteacher, I’m certainly not rich. I have a finite amount of funds. Without the AKF’s assistance program, I’m not sure how I’d be able to afford these payments.
Only a small number of Californians on dialysis, about 5 percent, use financial assistance from a third-party, non-profit charitable organization like the American Kidney Fund to help pay their health insurance premiums. AKF has made premium assistance available for more than 20 years.
I’m extremely thankful they’re in existence and grateful for the help they provide me. For me, the program offers peace of mind that I can pay my expenses and receive the healthcare that I need. I can’t even imagine what would happen to dialysis patients who can’t work. How will they survive?
At its core, AB 290 is about increasing insurance company profits.
Lawmakers who are aligning with insurance companies and supporting the measure are not seeing how it would impact the patients in the long run.
I urge legislators to reject this insurance company scheme and vote no on AB 290.
Joel Levin is a dialysis patient and resident of Danville.
Read MoreJohn LeBarre and his daughter, Denielle LeBarre Photos from their Facebook profiles.
From San Joaquin County Sheriff
Shortly after 4:00 A.M. on Friday, July 5, a 911 call was made by a boater, stating she found her fiancé and his daughter deceased on their boat. The boat was anchored near Ski Beach, east of Discovery Bay and west of Stockton in the Delta.
John LeBarre (57 years old) and his daughter, Denielle LeBarre (26 years old), both of Discovery Bay, were found unresponsive. This is potentially an accidental carbon monoxide death investigation, exact cause of death is not known at this time.
This is a very unfortunate case, please consider the following: Most newer models of houseboats have CO sensors and alarms to warn of CO buildup and pooling. Rerouted exhausts, emission control devices, and generator interlocks combined lead to a reduction of over 99 percent of CO buildup and pooling, according to the CDC.
Read MoreRep. Eric Swalwell. Photo from his congressional website.
By Allen Payton
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D, CA-15) was the first candidate to drop out of the race for president, when he made an announcement during a press conference at the Swalwell for American headquarters in his hometown of Dublin, on Monday. He was one of over 20 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination.
Swalwell has represented San Ramon in Contra Costa County, as well as the Tri Valley and other portions of Alameda County, since he was first elected, after beating 20-term incumbent and fellow Democrat Pete Stark in the 2012 primary election.
A member of the House Intelligence Committee, Swalwell had been calling for President Trump’s impeachment for the past year, and his main presidential campaign issue was an assault weapons ban.
In a statement on his presidential campaign website, Swalwell wrote,
I ran for President to win and make a difference in our great country — a difference on issues of the future such as finding cures for our deadliest and most debilitating diseases, taking on the student loan debt crisis, and ending gun violence. I promised my family, constituents, and supporters that I would always be honest about our chances. After the first Democratic presidential debate, our polling and fundraising numbers weren’t what we had hoped for, and I no longer see a path forward to the nomination. My presidential campaign ends today, but this also is the start of a new passage for the issues on which our campaign ran.
I entered this race determined to elevate the issue of gun violence, and at the debate, three top-tier candidates embraced my idea to ban and buy back every single assault weapon in America. Putting this idea and this larger issue of gun violence front and center in the Democratic policy discussion is an accomplishment, dedicated to the students, moms, and other activists who tirelessly demand action to save American lives.
I thank my supporters and friends, my staff, and my family for making this journey possible. I’ll never forget the people I met and lessons I learned while travelling around our great nation – especially in the communities most affected by gun violence. Too many communities feel this pain. But in every community’s grief, I see people who love one another and have inside themselves the grit to get things done to end gun violence once and for all.
I will take those lessons back to Congress, serving my friends and neighbors in California’s 15th District while using my seats on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees to make our nation safer and uphold the rule of law for all Americans.
Thank you,
Eric
The 38-year-old Swalwell will instead seek a fifth term in Congress. Rumor has it that former State Assemblywoman Catharine Baker might run for the Republican nomination in the same district to face Swalwell, next year.
Read MorePeggy Cabaniss. Photo courtesy of AAUW
Peggy Cabaniss, a financial planner and investment advisor form Moraga, California, has been named to the Board of Directors of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a nonprofit organization that promotes equity and economic security for women and girls through research, education and advocacy.
“We are honored to have Peggy’s experience and expertise on our Board,” said Kim Churches, AAUW’s chief executive officer. “This is an important moment in time when we need to innovate a new approach to advancing gender equity, and Peggy will help us be at the forefront of breaking down barriers and building new pathways for girls and women.”
Cabaniss was the owner and co-founder of HC Financial Advisors, Inc., a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm in Lafayette. She has held leadership positions in the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, including a stint as chair of its national board.
The American Association of University has more than 170,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local branches and more than 800 college and university members. Since its founding in 1881, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s fellowships and grants have helped scholars and activists overcome barriers to education and advancement for 130 years. Work Smart, its free online salary negotiation course, has trained countless women in negotiation skills. Learn more at www.aauw.org.
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WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services in relation to supportive housing to participate in a public forum on Thursday, July 18, in San Pablo.
The forum offers the community an opportunity to discuss its needs and meet with service providers to discuss current issues relevant to supportive housing. These discussions will help to inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.
California approved Proposition 63 in November 2004, and the Mental Health Services Act became law. The Act provides significant additional funding to the existing public mental health system and combines prevention services with a full range of integrated services to treat the whole person. With the goal of wellness, recovery and self-sufficiency, the intent of the law is to reach out and include those most in need and those who have been traditionally underserved. Services are to be consumer driven, family focused, based in the community, culturally and linguistically competent, and integrated with other appropriate health and social services. Funding is to be provided at sufficient levels to ensure that counties can provide each child, transition age youth, adult and senior with the necessary mental health services, medications and support set forth in their treatment plan. Finally, the Act requires this Three Year Plan be developed with the active participation of local stakeholders in a community program planning process.
WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including people that have or are receiving supportive housing services, their families or loved ones, and interested members of the community. RSVP online at cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa – click the “Supportive Housing Community Forum” button.
Other RVSP options include emailing mhsa@cchealth.org – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning (925) 957-2617. Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1220 Morello Avenue, Suite 100, Martinez, CA 94553.
WHEN: Thursday, July 18th at 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Contra Costa College, 2600 Mission Bell Drive, Room GE 225, San Pablo, CA 94806
WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides over $50 million to more than 80 mental health programs and services. Forum goals include identifying service needs, priorities and strategies to inform the county’s MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan for fiscal years 2020-2023.
The forum will include an overview of the MHSA and current funding use in Contra Costa County and will be livestreamed at: cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa.
Visit cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to access the MHSA Three Year Program and Expenditure Plan Update and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.
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By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Park District
The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail will be temporarily closed – south of the Glenside Bridge approximately 200 feet to Glenside Drive and north of the Glenside Bridge approximately 350 feet – for bridge replacement and safety improvements. Construction activities will begin on July 8. The bridge will be closed beginning July 15.
The existing 1976 wood-beam bridge will be replaced by a lighter and stronger corrosion-resistant steel bridge. The new bridge will be two feet wider, resulting in improved trail capacity and safety.
“The existing bridge is aging and deteriorating,” said East Bay Regional Park District spokesperson Dave Mason. “Bridge replacement is necessary for the health and safety of the community.”
The project is being implemented in the summer to minimize the impact to the public, especially students who use the trail to get to and from school.
“The Park District is proud to provide another improvement to Lafayette residents and appreciates the community’s support and patience during the temporary closure,” said Mason. “The Park District is making every effort to complete the project before the start of school on August 13.”
The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail covers 7.65 miles and is part of the Park District’s Regional Trail system. The Park District manages over 200 miles of regional trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties that serve as part of the region’s green transportation network.
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