First reader to call (925) 457-5324 wins two free tickets to one of the concerts listed above.
Courtesy of the Contra Costa Herald!
For more information visit www.davidarkenstone.com.
Read MoreEffort “to bring back a local voice in community planning” co-sponsored by Brentwood Councilwoman
By Daniel Payne, Our Neighborhood Voices
This past week the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative received a title and summary from the office of Attorney General Rob Bonta that is false, misleading and likely to create prejudice against the initiative.
The title and summary provided by Bonta’s office falsely claims that the measure “automatically” overrides the state’s affordable housing laws. It does no such thing. It gives communities the power to shape local growth in a way that better meets affordable housing requirements – and it restores the ability of local communities to negotiate even higher affordable housing rates, which one-size-fits-all laws passed in Sacramento have taken away.
In 2021, Bonta’s own office issued a title and summary for the first draft of this initiative that did not include this misleading language. It correctly stated that the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative would return land-use and zoning decisions back to local communities – instead of forcing top-down mandates on cities that damage neighborhoods and only benefit for-profit developers.
Brentwood District 1 Councilmember Jovita Mendoza is one of the three co-sponsors of the initiative which has been endorsed by the Contra Costa County city councils of Brentwood and Clayton, as well as Oakley Vice Mayor Randy Pope.
In fact, the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative will increase the chances of more affordable housing being built according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. In their report, the LAO states that the initiative “May enable additional flexibility for affordable housing development.” This is exactly the intent of the initiative – to help local cities choose which state housing laws work best for them and modify them in ways that will make them more successful.
The only substantial changes in the new version of the initiative submitted to Bonta’s office this year was the addition of a provision that exempts 100% affordable housing projects at 80% of AMI, and a repeal of Article 34 of the California Constitution that makes it more difficult to create affordable housing.
Yet Bonta’s office still added the argumentative and prejudicial language that the initiative would “automatically override” affordable housing laws.
“Bonta’s claim that our initiative would ‘automatically override’ affordable housing laws is clearly and provably false,” Brentwood City Councilmember and initiative proponent Jovita Mendoza said. “Our initiative would allow cities to choose where and how new housing projects get built, instead of forcing them to comply with blanket mandates from Sacramento that give for-profit developers a blank check to gentrify and destroy our communities.”
The laws that the Attorney General’s office is apparently referring to are not even correctly called “affordable housing” laws. Sacramento politicians have given developers the ability to override local communities and governments to build luxury housing with affordable requirements so low that these new projects contribute to displacement and gentrification.
A law like SB9, which eliminated single family zoning in California, is being challenged in court because it was passed on the premise that it WILL create affordable housing, but clearly will not. “There is nothing in laws like SB9 that would get us anywhere close to the number of new affordable units that the state says we need,” said Kalimah Priforce, an Emeryville City Councilmember and advocate for BIPOC homeownership. “Instead, we will continue to see projects that are largely unaffordable to most working families, communities of color, or other Californians who need housing most. ‘Trickle down housing’ doesn’t work – and we certainly shouldn’t be relying on debunked theories to guide important housing decisions in our state.”
“Without a fair and accurate title and summary, our initiative cannot go forward on the 2024 ballot,” explained Susan Candell, Lafayette City Councilmember and proponent of the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative. “We are weighing our options to sue, although such a delay will run out the clock for an initiative like ours – which relies on volunteer efforts to qualify. But our fight for local democracy will go forward – and we won’t stop until we restore our right to have a say in the future of our own communities.”
“In fact this politicized attack against our initiative is just further evidence that Sacramento will continue to put developer profits over the needs of our communities – unless we stand up and fight back. And while we focus our efforts on seeing that this misleading language is changed, we will continue to grow our grassroots coalition and fight back for our neighborhood voice,” said Redondo Beach City Councilmember and supporter of the initiative Nils Nehrenheim.
Learn more about the Our Neighborhood Voices coalition and
how you can get involved at www.OurNeighborhoodVoices.com
Read MoreWin $1,000 to launch or grow your business!
Introducing the first ever Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition! Win $1,000 to launch or grow your business. No idea is too small!
The Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition is a fun way to promote youth entrepreneurship which teaches important life skills including perseverance, self-confidence, and financial literacy. When young people succeed as entrepreneurs, they improve their own lives while also contributing to the economic development of their local communities. The competition is designed to encourage young people to consider themselves entrepreneurs and submit new business ideas or share existing business ventures that would benefit from additional funding. No idea is too small. Take a chance and share your entrepreneurial vision with us and what it would mean for you to win the first Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition!
Eligibility:
All students (Kindergarten – 12th grade) in Contra Costa County may apply.
Limit one application per business. If a team is applying, one team leader must be designated.
Competition Timeline and Details:
September 2023 – Application opens
November 15, 2023 – Application deadline
Nov. & Dec. 2023 – Finalist Selection Committee reviews applications
January 2024 – Finalists announced
February 6, 2024 – Finalist Pitch Event at the Lafayette Library.
Winners receive $1,000 (first place), $500 (second place), $250 (third place). Prizes distributed in the form of Visa cash cards.
Criteria:
Applications will be evaluated based on the applicant’s enthusiasm for entrepreneurship, how the business is presented, the viability of the business, and how the prize money will be used to launch a new business or grow an existing business.
Visit www.contracostasharktank.org to learn more and apply.
Winners will be selected by a panel of judges on February 6, 2024 at the Lafayette Library.
Deadline to apply is November 15th!
Read More
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking individuals interested in serving on the Measure X Community Fiscal Oversight Committee. Measure X is the countywide half-cent sales tax that passed by voters in Nov. 2020 “to keep Contra Costa’s regional hospital open and staffed; fund community health centers; provide timely fire and emergency response; support crucial safety-net services; invest in early childhood services; protect vulnerable populations; and for other essential county services, shall the Contra Costa County measure levying a ½ cent sales tax, exempting food sales, providing an estimated $81,000,000 annually for 20 years that the State cannot take, requiring fiscal accountability, with funds benefiting County residents.”
The committee was established by the Board of Supervisors on May 16, 2023 to advise the Board of Supervisors on financial audits of Measure X tax funds. There are currently five vacancies on the committee.
The Committee has the following duties:
- Review, on an annual fiscal year basis, the expenditure of tax revenue generated by Measure X, to ensure it conforms to (i) the stated intent of the ballot measure, and (ii) the Board’s direction for specific allocations.
- Oversee an annual audit of expenditures of tax revenue generated by Measure X.
- Prepare an annual report of expenditures of tax revenue generated by Measure X.
Requirements:
- Civic-minded
- Interested in volunteering for public service
- Experience with auditing principles and financial management best practices
If you have the skills and experience required, we want to hear from you!
How do I apply?
Submit an application online here: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/6408/Boards-and-Commissions-Database
For more information, contact Adam Nguyen at 925-655-2048 or Adam.Nguyen@cao.cccounty.us.
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Presented by Supervisor Diane Burgis, East Bay Senior Coalition & Bethel Island Municipal Advisory Council.
All are welcome to the Bethel Island Health & Safety Fair on Saturday, October 7. More than 30 service providers and agencies will be providing screenings, referrals and information for children, adults, veterans, people with disabilities and seniors.
Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Scout Hall & Community Park, 3090 Ranch Lane, Bethel Island
Refreshments & Free Raffle!
For more information contact: Mark Whitlock at 925-351-3759
Read MoreBy Supervisor Diane Burgis
Last Saturday, September 23, in our roles as co-chairs of the Contra Costa County Airport Committee, Supervisor Ken Carlson and I attended the East Bay’s first ever Girls in Aviation Day, hosted by Women in Aviation International and the Mount Diablo Pilots Association. More than 60 young women got to learn first-hand about aviation, aeronautics and aerospace, and the potential career paths available.
The event at Concord’s Buchanan Field featured planes, helicopters, drones, and flight simulators complete with VR goggles. Most importantly, it featured women working in the industry who provided inspiration and a day of mentorship to these young women.
Since the very first Women in Aviation International Girls in Aviation Day in 2015, the annual WAI event has grown every year since its first gathering of 32 events and 3,200 participants.
You can read more about the event in the Pioneer.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read More
From 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, EBRPD
Come explore nature at your own pace and in your own way at Big Break’s All Abilities Day on Tuesday, October 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Drop in anytime during the free event to join Big Break naturalists for nature exploration and activities. No registration is required.
Travel along paved trails to visit stations to touch fur, listen to birds, draw wildlife, sit on benches to scan the water, or paint the view. Visitors can enjoy walking, riding and rolling along the paved and relatively flat Big Break Regional Trail and learning about the plants, animals, birds, and fish that call the Delta home.
The program is inclusive for all abilities, offering something for everyone. American Sign Language and Spanish interpreters will be on site. There will be indoor and outdoor activity options. Wheelchair-accessible drinking fountains and a wheelchair-friendly restroom are located adjacent to the trail.
For more information, visit www.ebparks.org/we-celebrate/all-abilities-day or call the Visitor Center at (510) 544-3050.
EVENT DETAILS:
What: All Abilities Day at Big Break Regional Park
When: Tuesday, October 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Big Break Visitor Center – 69 Big Break Road, Oakley [map]
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Read MoreBy East Bay Leadership Council
During the East Bay Leadership Council’s Installation Awards dinner on August 9, 2023 Kaiser Permanente Diablo was presented with the East Bay Leadership Medal. It is the highest honor to an organization recognizing outstanding service in support of the Council and the broader East Bay community. Kaiser Permanente currently is the third East Bay employer to receive this honor twice since the award was founded in 1987.
Kaiser Permanente Diablo includes locations in Antioch, Dublin, Livermore, Martinez, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Walnut Creek.
The Council offered the following about the honorees and the evening: “Kaiser Permanente is not only a world-class health system and one of the East Bay’s largest employers, but a force for generosity spanning from affordable housing construction to gun violence prevention. On top of it all, Kaiser has supported the East Bay Leadership Council’s mission through sponsorships and staff volunteerism that continues to expand our impact and reach as an organization. We are honored to present Kaiser with our top organizational award.”
The sold-out event featured inspiring words from the honorees — Chadi Chazbek, Bielle Moore, and Kaiser Permanente — who have all been influential in fostering a thriving East Bay community.
In his opening remarks, EBLC’s President & CEO, Mark Orcutt, shared what is at the heart of the EBLC community, “You would not be here tonight if you were hopeless and disinterested in taking on the challenges we face as a region. You are here because you believe as I do that a group of well-informed and driven leaders can change the world.”
Past Chair Leo Scott passed the baton to Peggy White, who expressed why she is excited to take on the role of Chair of the Board, “The hallmark of my career has been putting my passion and energy into causes that I care deeply about. And I care deeply about the Council’s mission to make the region a better place to live and work.”
It was an inspiring and heartwarming evening, full of appreciation and recognition for the important work being done to make the East Bay a place where businesses and residents thrive.
Thank you to our sponsors for making this uplifting event possible and thank you to our board and community members for your ongoing commitment to EBLC. We are excited for the year ahead!
More information about the East Bay Leadership Council Awards night can be viewed here: https://eastbayleadershipcouncil.com/news/installation-awards-recap-photos-and-more
For more information about the EBLC visit East Bay Leadership Council.
Allen D. Payton and Antonia Ehlers of Kaiser Permanente contributed to this report.
Read MoreBeginning Sept. 30
“Oak Scars No. 3, Orinda, California, 2023,” a series of photographs of oak trees by East Bay photographer Jeff Heyman, was selected to hang in The de Young Open 2023, an exhibit showcasing Bay Area artists at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. The exhibit runs from September 30, 2023 to January 7, 2024. There is a free public opening on Saturday, September 30.
Heyman’s series of black and white photographs – presented together in a single 20-inch by 20-inch print – consists of nine closeup images of the “scars” on oak trees after their limbs have been removed. Each photograph captures the many unique scars left on these old growth oak trees from decades of serial delimbing.
“A tree endures many scars during its lifetime, and I have documented a number of the sometimes-strange markings on oak trees in Orinda where I live,” said Heyman. “These oak scars, in many ways, mirror the scars we acquire over the course of our own lives,” he added.
Heyman first took photography classes at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, CA during which time he learned Ansel Adams’s Zone System and met noted photographers, including Ruth Bernhard. He went on to earn a degree from San Francisco State University in Fine Art Photography, studying under photographers Catherine Wagner, Melanie Walker, Jack Welpott and Don Worth, as well as painters Paul Pratchenko and Robert Bechtle.
This is Heyman’s first piece to hang at the de Young Museum, a place he visited frequently with his parents while growing up in San Francisco. He has had his work exhibited in a number of solo and group shows. Heyman’s photographs are regularly featured in the Lamorinda Weekly, The Orinda News, and other publications. You can see his work, including “Oak Scars No. 3,” at https://heymanfoto.smugmug.com. More information about The de Young Open 2023, including exhibit hours, can be found at https://www.famsf.org/exhibitions/de-young-open-2023
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