Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced he will host an End of the Year town hall meeting in El Cerrito on Monday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m. Since taking office in 2015, Mark has hosted 53 town halls and mobile district office hours throughout Contra Costa County, interacting with over 17,500 constituents.
Following a busy year filled with controversial actions by the Trump Administration and Republican Leadership, Congressman DeSaulnier invites residents to attend his final town hall of 2017. During the town hall constituents will be provided with a legislative update, and have an opportunity to ask questions or share their thoughts on issues of importance.
El Cerrito Town Hall
Monday, December 4, 2017
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Harding Elementary
Auditorium
7230 Fairmont Avenue
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Please RSVP by visiting https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or calling (925) 933-2660. For more information or to request ADA accommodations, contact Congressman DeSaulnier’s office in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.
Read More
New DVC President Susan Lamb
MARTINEZ, CA – The Contra Costa Community College District (District) has selected Susan Lamb as the next president of Diablo Valley College (DVC).
The announcement was made following a nationwide search that began in May 2017. Potential candidates were reviewed and four finalists were selected to participate in public forums and final interviews last week.
“I was extremely impressed with all four finalists. They are all strong leaders with a unique skillset and experiences” said Chancellor Fred Wood. “In the end, I chose Susan Lamb because of her deep understanding of the California community colleges and her understanding of both DVC and the District, having worked at both Contra Costa College and DVC in progressively complex administrative roles. In addition, we will benefit from her leadership experience as interim chancellor/president at City College of San Francisco where she successfully led that college through financially challenging times, the restoration of accreditation, and developed strong partnerships with the community. Those are major accomplishments, and we welcome her back to DVC and the District.”
The District will begin negotiating the contract with Ms. Lamb with the goal of placing the item on the December 14, 2017, Governing Board meeting agenda for review and approval.
“I am so pleased and humbled to be selected as the next president of Diablo Valley College,” says Ms. Lamb. “My last four years at City College of San Francisco gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader, and I am now better prepared to lead DVC. I have deep respect and look forward to returning to this great college, and joining my colleagues to transform the lives of our students.”
Diablo Valley College (DVC) is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District. For nearly 70 years, Diablo Valley College has provided quality education to the community it serves. The larger of DVC’s two campuses is located in Pleasant Hill while the newer San Ramon Campus serves the south county in Dougherty Valley. Between its two campuses, DVC serves more than 22,000 students each semester with a wide variety of program options. DVC is not only recognized as one of California’s best community colleges, but it also leads the state in transfer to four-year institutions. For more about DVC, visit www.dvc.edu.
The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.
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The senior assisted living facility formerly known as Cypress Meadows is now TreVista Antioch.
Working to make every day “magical,” a pioneer in senior assisted living
By Allen Payton
Opening their 19th location with their acquisition of the former Cypress Meadows Assisted Living facility in Antioch, Agemark Senior Living Communities of Orinda has renamed it TreVista Antioch and is bringing a new approach of a Club Med-like experience for seniors to East County.
The 10-acre campus is “not a skilled nursing facility,” but offers “both assisted living and memory care to enhance the lives of our residents,” said Senior Care Consultant Amanda Stewart.
She mentioned “many changes are happening, including a new water feature, a new theater,” making the place “more resident friendly and focused.”
The entrance to TreVista Antioch.
They’re part of “a multimillion dollar renovation project that will truly establish TreVista Antioch as the Bay Area’s premier senior living community,” according to their website,
When asked why they chose Antioch, Agemark co-founder and CEO Richard Westin said, “There are a lot of people who need our services in town.”
The Orinda-based company is a pioneer in senior assisted living having introduced the type of facilities to the market.
“We’ve been doing this for 35 years,” Westin explained. “When we first began nobody knew what assisted living was. In the 1980’s it was educating the public.”
The only options were retirement homes of up to six beds or convalescent homes.
“The concept of vibrant, assisted living for people whose average age is 87 didn’t exist other than a convalescent home which was really no place that anyone wanted to go to,” he stated. “It gave senior housing a steep road to climb, because of the significantly, negative reputation that convalescent hospitals had. They (seniors) were just being stored, because people couldn’t take care of them at home.
“The world has changed,” Westin said. “We recognize every one of our residents has a story to tell and wisdom to provide the next generation. There are wonderful opportunities that assisted living provides that didn’t previously exist, that allows people to thrive.”
Agemark does things differently than other facilities. According to their website, their mission and the “Promise” includes the following: “It is our mission, privilege and responsibility to provide the kind of care we want for our own loved ones, fostering a healthy body, agile mind and joyful spirit. We promise to ‘Nurture and grow our communities and the people who work and live in them,’ ‘Actively listen, constantly innovate, and serve with pride and joy,’ and ‘Empower and encourage staff to respond to residents and their families with compassion and respect.’”
Richard Westin, Founder & CEO of Agemark
“My background is Club Med,” Westin (who said he is unrelated to the hotel chain of the same name) shared. “I used to teach sailing in the summer and skiing in the winter in Europe. I was the first American to ever work for Club Med. It started in 1954 and I started working for them in 1961 at age 20.”
“I didn’t realize at the time I wasn’t teaching people to sail and ski,” he continued. “I myself was learning the hospitality business and 55 years later I’m able to provide a Club Med-like experience for 87-year-olds.”
“First it was for 20-year-olds now it’s for 80-year-olds,” Westin said with a laugh. “Fun is fun. Dancing and going to the zoo, high school and semi-professional sporting events, depending on the location.”
“Engaging with kindergartners and older folks in meaningful activities is really a valuable thing,” he added.
Westin then shared his philosophy of how the facilities operate, with the goal of making every day magical for their residents
“Whenever you say ‘good-night’ to one of our residents it may in fact be ‘good-bye’. So, it is our responsibility to make sure that their previous day was magical,” he stated. “And if we can do that every day we will have made a difference in the lives of the people we take care of and will have accomplished our goal.”
“I’m passionate about what I do,” Westin continued. “At 76 I get up every day and I’m delighted to go to work because I care about the wellbeing of our residents and their families because I know they’re going through a difficult time. We don’t just get a resident we get a family. They never need to call because we’re always ready to show them a clean, happy environment.”
Westin shared about an experience one of their facilities offered to a resident who had never been to a game of her favorite major league baseball team. She got to throw out the first pitch, meet the players after the game and was greeted with a
“We try to do that all the time,” he shared
They’re going through the approval process for six additional locations all in California.
It’s a family run business.
“My son (Forrest) is my business partner and it’s great,” he added.
His partner Jesse Pittore is retired but his son Michael Pittore, a graduate of De La Salle High – who was part of the football team that kept their winning streak going to 101 games – is also part of the ownership team.
“So, we have the two younger generation and me,” Westin shared. “And if I’m healthy I plan to work another 20 years.”
TreVista is located at 3950 Lone Tree Way across the street from Sutter Delta Medical Center. For more information call (925) 329-6296 or visit www.trevista-antioch.com.
Read More
With the holiday season upon us, it is a good time to remember the only people we want visiting our homes are family and friends – not plumbers and wastewater professionals. Disposal of unwanted food waste and fats, oils and grease (FOG) down your kitchen drain, dishwasher and garbage disposal can lead to overflowing pipes, sewage spills, and emergency calls to plumbers.
Traditional holiday foods such as turkey, ham, meats, gravy, potatoes, sauces, vegetable or olive oils, salad dressings, baked goods and dairy products are sources of FOG. With family and friends celebrating together, it often means bigger meal preparation and cleanup with a lot of scraps incorrectly disposed of though pipes that may already be partially clogged and go unnoticed until guests overload the system.
People mistakenly believe their garbage disposal and dishwasher are effective methods of dealing with food and FOG; however, these devices only shred it into smaller pieces or wash it further down pipelines where it hardens in areas which require professional plumbers or wastewater professionals to remove safely.
Grease is one of the leading causes of residential sewer blockages. These blockages can cause costly, unpleasant sewage overflows that can damage our homes, and potentially find its way into our local waterways damaging local fish and wildlife habitat.
Delta Diablo reminds customers that prevention is the best way to tackle an unpleasant FOG experience in your home, and offers tips for this holiday season and throughout the year to reduce overflows, backups and clogs:
•Never pour FOG down kitchen sinks, garbage disposals or into toilets.
•Keep a heat-proof container in your kitchen to capture all FOG after cooking. When cooled, safely secure it and bring it for proper disposal at the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.
•Scrape grease and food scraps from plates, pots, pans, utensils and grills into a compost receptacle or the regular trash before washing.
•Wipe pots, pans and plates with paper towels to capture any leftover grease before handwashing or placing into dishwasher.
•Use a strainer or place paper towels over the kitchen drain to help keep grease and food scraps out of your plumbing system. Home garbage disposals and dishwashers do not help, not even with running hot water.
For more information about safely disposing of FOG, or services provided by the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, please visit www.DeltaDiablo.org or call 925-756-1990.
WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services to participate in a public forum Thursday, Dec. 7, in Brentwood.
The forum offers the opportunity to meet with service providers to discuss current issues relevant to providing mental health care in the community. These discussions will help inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.
WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including participants in mental health services, their family members and service providers.
RSVP to attend a forum by emailing mhsa@hsd.cccounty.us – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning 925-957-5150.
Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1340 Arnold Drive, Suite 200, Martinez, CA 94553.
WHEN: Thursday, December 7: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street in Brentwood.
WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides $51.6 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.
The forum will include an overview of how MHSA works and how funding is currently used in Contra Costa.
Visit www.cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to read the plan and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.
Read More
Entrance to the East Bay Regional Park District will be free on Black Friday (Nov. 24) to encourage people to visit parks, not malls.
The Park District will be waiving fees for parking, dogs, horses, boat launching and fishing permits at all 65 parks in the District. Entrance fees at Ardenwood Historic Farm will also be waived. This is the third year the Park District has been free on Black Friday.
“Getting out into nature the day after Thanksgiving is a great way to spend time with the family,” said General Manager Robert Doyle. “The East Bay Regional Park District is pleased to be part of the annual ‘Opt Outside’ event that encourages people nationally to connect with nature by visiting a park or going for a hike on Black Friday.”
Fee waiver does not apply to state fees, including fishing licenses and watercraft inspections, and does not apply to District concessions such as the Tilden Merry-Go-Round and train.
Opt Outside started in 2015 when REI closed it doors on Black Friday and encouraged its employees and the public to explore the outdoors instead of shopping. More than 1.4 million people and 170 organizations participate in Opt Outside each year.
To find a park or activity visit www.ebparks.org.
Read More
Some of the 600 marijuana plants growing in a Discovery Bay home seized by Sheriff’s Detectives on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017. Photo courtesy of CCCSheriff
By Jimmy Lee, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Wednesday morning, November 22, 2017 Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Special Investigation Unit served a search warrant at a home on the 2000 block of Wayfarer Court in Discovery Bay. This follows an investigation into a marijuana grow-ing operation at the residence.
Detectives seized approximately 600 marijuana plants worth an estimated $450,000. No one was at the residence. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on the case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip lines at (925) 313-1166 or (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.
Read MoreState grant to support concentrated efforts to reduce repeat offenses
Contra Costa County’s Probation Department will get a boost in its efforts to ensure that high-risk, felony and repeat DUI offenders are complying with court orders and keeping it safe on the roadways. The County has been awarded a $373,541 grant to help the Probation Department target potential repeat offenders. The grant comes from the state’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS.)
“We are grateful for the continued partnership with the Office of Traffic Safety, which now spans more than ten years,” said Chief Probation Officer Todd Billeci. “The oversight and assistance of OTS, coupled with strong working relationships with state and local law enforcement agencies, allows the Probation Department to closely monitor and rehabilitate offenders. The goal is to protect the public and reduce the traumatic impact impaired driving causes across our community.”
During 2014/2015, 21 people were killed and 449 injured in Contra Costa County alone because of collisions tied to alcohol and other drugs. The grant puts a special focus on high-risk repeat offenders. It will allow the Probation Department to intensely monitor drivers on probation for felony DUI or multiple misdemeanor DUI convictions. Tactics will include unannounced home searches, random alcohol and drug testing, and special monitoring to ensure compliance with court-ordered DUI education and treatment programs.
“Probation orders help ensure that these offenders are not a risk to themselves or others,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “By working on compliance, the Contra Costa County Probation Department, with the assistance from the Office of Traffic Safety, will be helping keep the streets across Contra Costa County safe for all.”
While alcohol remains the biggest factor in DUI crashes, the Contra Costa County Probation Department supports the new effort from OTS that aims to boost awareness that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” Prescription medications and marijuana can also be impairing on their own, as well as in combination with alcohol and other drugs, leading to a DUI arrest.
Funding for the California Office of Traffic Safety grant is through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Read More
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) announced he will host an End of the Year town hall meeting in El Cerrito on Monday, December 4th at 6:00 p.m. Since taking office in 2015, Mark has hosted 53 town halls and mobile district office hours throughout Contra Costa County, interacting with over 17,500 constituents.
Following a busy year filled with controversial actions by the Trump Administration and Republican Leadership, Congressman DeSaulnier invites residents to attend his final town hall of 2017. During the town hall constituents will be provided with a legislative update, and have an opportunity to ask questions or share their thoughts on issues of importance.
El Cerrito Town Hall
Monday, December 4, 2017
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Harding Elementary
Auditorium
7230 Fairmont Avenue
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Please RSVP by visiting https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or calling (925) 933-2660. For more information or to request ADA accommodations, contact Congressman DeSaulnier’s office in either Walnut Creek or Richmond.
Read MoreNew DVC President Susan Lamb
MARTINEZ, CA – The Contra Costa Community College District (District) has selected Susan Lamb as the next president of Diablo Valley College (DVC).
The announcement was made following a nationwide search that began in May 2017. Potential candidates were reviewed and four finalists were selected to participate in public forums and final interviews last week.
“I was extremely impressed with all four finalists. They are all strong leaders with a unique skillset and experiences” said Chancellor Fred Wood. “In the end, I chose Susan Lamb because of her deep understanding of the California community colleges and her understanding of both DVC and the District, having worked at both Contra Costa College and DVC in progressively complex administrative roles. In addition, we will benefit from her leadership experience as interim chancellor/president at City College of San Francisco where she successfully led that college through financially challenging times, the restoration of accreditation, and developed strong partnerships with the community. Those are major accomplishments, and we welcome her back to DVC and the District.”
The District will begin negotiating the contract with Ms. Lamb with the goal of placing the item on the December 14, 2017, Governing Board meeting agenda for review and approval.
“I am so pleased and humbled to be selected as the next president of Diablo Valley College,” says Ms. Lamb. “My last four years at City College of San Francisco gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader, and I am now better prepared to lead DVC. I have deep respect and look forward to returning to this great college, and joining my colleagues to transform the lives of our students.”
Diablo Valley College (DVC) is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District. For nearly 70 years, Diablo Valley College has provided quality education to the community it serves. The larger of DVC’s two campuses is located in Pleasant Hill while the newer San Ramon Campus serves the south county in Dougherty Valley. Between its two campuses, DVC serves more than 22,000 students each semester with a wide variety of program options. DVC is not only recognized as one of California’s best community colleges, but it also leads the state in transfer to four-year institutions. For more about DVC, visit www.dvc.edu.
The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.
Read MoreThe senior assisted living facility formerly known as Cypress Meadows is now TreVista Antioch.
Working to make every day “magical,” a pioneer in senior assisted living
By Allen Payton
Opening their 19th location with their acquisition of the former Cypress Meadows Assisted Living facility in Antioch, Agemark Senior Living Communities of Orinda has renamed it TreVista Antioch and is bringing a new approach of a Club Med-like experience for seniors to East County.
The 10-acre campus is “not a skilled nursing facility,” but offers “both assisted living and memory care to enhance the lives of our residents,” said Senior Care Consultant Amanda Stewart.
She mentioned “many changes are happening, including a new water feature, a new theater,” making the place “more resident friendly and focused.”
The entrance to TreVista Antioch.
They’re part of “a multimillion dollar renovation project that will truly establish TreVista Antioch as the Bay Area’s premier senior living community,” according to their website,
When asked why they chose Antioch, Agemark co-founder and CEO Richard Westin said, “There are a lot of people who need our services in town.”
The Orinda-based company is a pioneer in senior assisted living having introduced the type of facilities to the market.
“We’ve been doing this for 35 years,” Westin explained. “When we first began nobody knew what assisted living was. In the 1980’s it was educating the public.”
The only options were retirement homes of up to six beds or convalescent homes.
“The concept of vibrant, assisted living for people whose average age is 87 didn’t exist other than a convalescent home which was really no place that anyone wanted to go to,” he stated. “It gave senior housing a steep road to climb, because of the significantly, negative reputation that convalescent hospitals had. They (seniors) were just being stored, because people couldn’t take care of them at home.
“The world has changed,” Westin said. “We recognize every one of our residents has a story to tell and wisdom to provide the next generation. There are wonderful opportunities that assisted living provides that didn’t previously exist, that allows people to thrive.”
Agemark does things differently than other facilities. According to their website, their mission and the “Promise” includes the following: “It is our mission, privilege and responsibility to provide the kind of care we want for our own loved ones, fostering a healthy body, agile mind and joyful spirit. We promise to ‘Nurture and grow our communities and the people who work and live in them,’ ‘Actively listen, constantly innovate, and serve with pride and joy,’ and ‘Empower and encourage staff to respond to residents and their families with compassion and respect.’”
Richard Westin, Founder & CEO of Agemark
“My background is Club Med,” Westin (who said he is unrelated to the hotel chain of the same name) shared. “I used to teach sailing in the summer and skiing in the winter in Europe. I was the first American to ever work for Club Med. It started in 1954 and I started working for them in 1961 at age 20.”
“I didn’t realize at the time I wasn’t teaching people to sail and ski,” he continued. “I myself was learning the hospitality business and 55 years later I’m able to provide a Club Med-like experience for 87-year-olds.”
“First it was for 20-year-olds now it’s for 80-year-olds,” Westin said with a laugh. “Fun is fun. Dancing and going to the zoo, high school and semi-professional sporting events, depending on the location.”
“Engaging with kindergartners and older folks in meaningful activities is really a valuable thing,” he added.
Westin then shared his philosophy of how the facilities operate, with the goal of making every day magical for their residents
“Whenever you say ‘good-night’ to one of our residents it may in fact be ‘good-bye’. So, it is our responsibility to make sure that their previous day was magical,” he stated. “And if we can do that every day we will have made a difference in the lives of the people we take care of and will have accomplished our goal.”
“I’m passionate about what I do,” Westin continued. “At 76 I get up every day and I’m delighted to go to work because I care about the wellbeing of our residents and their families because I know they’re going through a difficult time. We don’t just get a resident we get a family. They never need to call because we’re always ready to show them a clean, happy environment.”
Westin shared about an experience one of their facilities offered to a resident who had never been to a game of her favorite major league baseball team. She got to throw out the first pitch, meet the players after the game and was greeted with a
“We try to do that all the time,” he shared
They’re going through the approval process for six additional locations all in California.
It’s a family run business.
“My son (Forrest) is my business partner and it’s great,” he added.
His partner Jesse Pittore is retired but his son Michael Pittore, a graduate of De La Salle High – who was part of the football team that kept their winning streak going to 101 games – is also part of the ownership team.
“So, we have the two younger generation and me,” Westin shared. “And if I’m healthy I plan to work another 20 years.”
TreVista is located at 3950 Lone Tree Way across the street from Sutter Delta Medical Center. For more information call (925) 329-6296 or visit www.trevista-antioch.com.
Read More
With the holiday season upon us, it is a good time to remember the only people we want visiting our homes are family and friends – not plumbers and wastewater professionals. Disposal of unwanted food waste and fats, oils and grease (FOG) down your kitchen drain, dishwasher and garbage disposal can lead to overflowing pipes, sewage spills, and emergency calls to plumbers.
Traditional holiday foods such as turkey, ham, meats, gravy, potatoes, sauces, vegetable or olive oils, salad dressings, baked goods and dairy products are sources of FOG. With family and friends celebrating together, it often means bigger meal preparation and cleanup with a lot of scraps incorrectly disposed of though pipes that may already be partially clogged and go unnoticed until guests overload the system.
People mistakenly believe their garbage disposal and dishwasher are effective methods of dealing with food and FOG; however, these devices only shred it into smaller pieces or wash it further down pipelines where it hardens in areas which require professional plumbers or wastewater professionals to remove safely.
Grease is one of the leading causes of residential sewer blockages. These blockages can cause costly, unpleasant sewage overflows that can damage our homes, and potentially find its way into our local waterways damaging local fish and wildlife habitat.
Delta Diablo reminds customers that prevention is the best way to tackle an unpleasant FOG experience in your home, and offers tips for this holiday season and throughout the year to reduce overflows, backups and clogs:
•Never pour FOG down kitchen sinks, garbage disposals or into toilets.
•Keep a heat-proof container in your kitchen to capture all FOG after cooking. When cooled, safely secure it and bring it for proper disposal at the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.
•Scrape grease and food scraps from plates, pots, pans, utensils and grills into a compost receptacle or the regular trash before washing.
•Wipe pots, pans and plates with paper towels to capture any leftover grease before handwashing or placing into dishwasher.
•Use a strainer or place paper towels over the kitchen drain to help keep grease and food scraps out of your plumbing system. Home garbage disposals and dishwashers do not help, not even with running hot water.
For more information about safely disposing of FOG, or services provided by the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, please visit www.DeltaDiablo.org or call 925-756-1990.
WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services to participate in a public forum Thursday, Dec. 7, in Brentwood.
The forum offers the opportunity to meet with service providers to discuss current issues relevant to providing mental health care in the community. These discussions will help inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.
WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including participants in mental health services, their family members and service providers.
RSVP to attend a forum by emailing mhsa@hsd.cccounty.us – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning 925-957-5150.
Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1340 Arnold Drive, Suite 200, Martinez, CA 94553.
WHEN: Thursday, December 7: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street in Brentwood.
WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides $51.6 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.
The forum will include an overview of how MHSA works and how funding is currently used in Contra Costa.
Visit www.cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to read the plan and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.
Read More
Entrance to the East Bay Regional Park District will be free on Black Friday (Nov. 24) to encourage people to visit parks, not malls.
The Park District will be waiving fees for parking, dogs, horses, boat launching and fishing permits at all 65 parks in the District. Entrance fees at Ardenwood Historic Farm will also be waived. This is the third year the Park District has been free on Black Friday.
“Getting out into nature the day after Thanksgiving is a great way to spend time with the family,” said General Manager Robert Doyle. “The East Bay Regional Park District is pleased to be part of the annual ‘Opt Outside’ event that encourages people nationally to connect with nature by visiting a park or going for a hike on Black Friday.”
Fee waiver does not apply to state fees, including fishing licenses and watercraft inspections, and does not apply to District concessions such as the Tilden Merry-Go-Round and train.
Opt Outside started in 2015 when REI closed it doors on Black Friday and encouraged its employees and the public to explore the outdoors instead of shopping. More than 1.4 million people and 170 organizations participate in Opt Outside each year.
To find a park or activity visit www.ebparks.org.
Read MoreSome of the 600 marijuana plants growing in a Discovery Bay home seized by Sheriff’s Detectives on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017. Photo courtesy of CCCSheriff
By Jimmy Lee, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Wednesday morning, November 22, 2017 Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Special Investigation Unit served a search warrant at a home on the 2000 block of Wayfarer Court in Discovery Bay. This follows an investigation into a marijuana grow-ing operation at the residence.
Detectives seized approximately 600 marijuana plants worth an estimated $450,000. No one was at the residence. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on the case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip lines at (925) 313-1166 or (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.
Read MoreState grant to support concentrated efforts to reduce repeat offenses
Contra Costa County’s Probation Department will get a boost in its efforts to ensure that high-risk, felony and repeat DUI offenders are complying with court orders and keeping it safe on the roadways. The County has been awarded a $373,541 grant to help the Probation Department target potential repeat offenders. The grant comes from the state’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS.)
“We are grateful for the continued partnership with the Office of Traffic Safety, which now spans more than ten years,” said Chief Probation Officer Todd Billeci. “The oversight and assistance of OTS, coupled with strong working relationships with state and local law enforcement agencies, allows the Probation Department to closely monitor and rehabilitate offenders. The goal is to protect the public and reduce the traumatic impact impaired driving causes across our community.”
During 2014/2015, 21 people were killed and 449 injured in Contra Costa County alone because of collisions tied to alcohol and other drugs. The grant puts a special focus on high-risk repeat offenders. It will allow the Probation Department to intensely monitor drivers on probation for felony DUI or multiple misdemeanor DUI convictions. Tactics will include unannounced home searches, random alcohol and drug testing, and special monitoring to ensure compliance with court-ordered DUI education and treatment programs.
“Probation orders help ensure that these offenders are not a risk to themselves or others,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft. “By working on compliance, the Contra Costa County Probation Department, with the assistance from the Office of Traffic Safety, will be helping keep the streets across Contra Costa County safe for all.”
While alcohol remains the biggest factor in DUI crashes, the Contra Costa County Probation Department supports the new effort from OTS that aims to boost awareness that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” Prescription medications and marijuana can also be impairing on their own, as well as in combination with alcohol and other drugs, leading to a DUI arrest.
Funding for the California Office of Traffic Safety grant is through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Read More