Rep. DeSaulnier to host telephone town hall on coronavirus, the classroom, and our community Thursday
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) will host a telephone town hall to discuss coronavirus, the classroom, our community, and what comes next when school resumes in Contra Costa on Thursday, July 23rd at noon.
Congressman DeSaulnier will be joined on the call by Dr. Bill Walker, former Director of Health Services and current Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs for Contra Costa Health Services, as well as Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey. During the event, Contra Costa residents will have an opportunity to ask questions about the upcoming school year and local districts’ plans for instruction.
Coronavirus, the Classroom, and our Community Telephone Town Hall
Thursday, July 23, 2020
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. PT
This event is open to the public.
To RSVP and submit a question, click here: https://tthm.wufoo.com/forms/teletownhall-with-congressman-mark-desaulnier/
Happy Independence Day from the Herald – enjoy over 20 minutes of past years’ fireworks
Another portion of the fantastic fireworks show in Antioch, tonight, at the Contra Costa Event Park (fairgrounds). Anything else you see or hear making our city sound like World War III, again this year, are illegal fireworks.
Posted by Antioch Herald on Thursday, July 4, 2019
A portion of the great Antioch fireworks show, tonight, sponsored in part by the Antioch Herald. This wasn’t even the finale!
Posted by Antioch Herald on Thursday, July 4, 2019
Watch the complete Antioch July 4th Independence Day fireworks show! Sponsored in part by the Antioch Herald. Good job, Celebrate Antioch Foundation.
Posted by Antioch Herald on Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Contra Costa County virtual Juneteenth celebration Saturday, June 27
Offered on Facebook Live at www.Facebook.com/NAMICONTRACOSTA and
on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/93389038251?pwd=TElVeXhsdmVVSm5Pc3Y2UURxZ0xEUT09
Learn more about the history and meaning of Juneteenth, here: http://juneteenth.com/history.htm.
Contra Costa County Library launching Front Door Service beginning Monday
Beginning Monday, June 15, the Library will offer Front Door Service at 23 community libraries. The service will allow patrons to pick-up books, DVDs and audiobooks placed on hold through the Library’s website at ccclib.org.
Those patrons with holds on the shelf from early March, before the Health Order began, will have the opportunity to make appointments first. This is necessary to clear the thousands of holds currently on library shelves and make room for new holds. Those patrons will be contacted with instructions explaining how to make an appointment to pick up their materials. Appointments are encouraged, but not required. Those coming to the library without appointments may experience a wait.
New holds can be placed beginning on Thursday, June 18, and appointments will be open to any patron who wishes to pick up available holds. Patrons will be notified when their holds are ready. They will make an appointment at the appropriate location and schedule a pick-up time. Once at the library location, the patron will call or text the number on the sign at the front of the building. Staff will confirm the library card number and collect the items. Materials will be placed in a bag with the patron’s name on it and put on a table at the front door. It is a safe, contactless process.
“We are eager to reconnect with library users and take this important step toward reopening,” said County Librarian Melinda Cervantes. “Staff are taking every precaution to provide visitors with a safe, library experience.”
Front Door Service is available during regularly scheduled hours at 23 locations. See the full list of locations and hours here. All libraries will be closed on Sundays. Front Door Service will not be available at the Pinole, Pleasant Hill or Prewett locations until further notice.
For the safety of our patrons and staff, Library items will be quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours in between each use. Staff will wash their hands frequently, wear masks and observe social distancing protocols. Patrons approaching the front door should also wear a mask and observe social distancing guidelines. All returns should be placed in the book drop.
Stay tuned to ccclib.org for more information about how to use Front Door Service.
For questions about library services, contact staff via Chat, Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or text questions to (925) 290-7627.
Brentwood Councilwoman issues statement on murder of George Floyd, violence and policing
From Karen Rarey – Brentwood City Council Facebook page, June 6, 2020
REVISED 6/10/20 – To honor the request of my daughter-in-law, a small portion of my statement has been edited to keep private matters private.
MY SINCEREST MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY:
As a White woman, I can tell you that I will never fully understand the pain, fear, anger and sadness that a Black person may encounter in their lifetime. Emotions as a human being, equal to all others, that NO PERSON should EVER have to go through.
What I can share with you is that along with the love I have for my son and his wife, a beautiful Black woman, and my two beautiful granddaughters, I also experience fear and worry for them. Why? Because there are people in the world who can’t look past the color of someone’s skin.
I’ve feared and worried for them when they’ve talk about moving to a new town, as not all towns are accepting of African Americans or of an interracial couple. They have been fortunate to find one that is, but that is not true for everyone.
I want the world, or at least I’d like to start with Brentwood and help to make it more inclusive, not just for my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren, but for every person, no matter the color of their skin.
On Friday, at my League of California Cities Public Safety Policy Committee, we all agreed it was vital for us, as the Public Safety Policy Committee, to make a statement relative to combating violence, condemning the murder of George Floyd and actionable measures for cities moving forward.
We spent several hours crafting a statement, which is being forwarded to the League Board for consideration at its next meeting.
Whether the League Board publicly issues this statement, or some form of it, as the person who seconded the motion on the original statement, I feel it is important to share the six main principles of our message:
- We condemn the murder of George Floyd as horrific, tragic and unacceptable, not only in Minneapolis, but in any community in this country.
- We denounce violence in all its forms; including against people and property, but recognize the urgency and significance of this moment, and call for special attention to be given to violence against black lives, and call on all cities and communities in California to create spaces dedicated to listening to and taking the action steps necessary to address the concerns raised by citizen-based movements, such as Black Lives Matter.
- Cities must lead by working toward structural reforms that build public trust for law enforcement by focusing on the action steps that will ensure black, brown, indigenous, and other communities of color are safe and equal members of society.
- Call on all cities to advance policies that promote the hiring of officers who reflect the communities they serve.
- Provide greater access, transparency, and community oversight to issues of police misconduct as a means of building trust and restoring justice to impacted communities.
- Ask all cities to adopt the pillars of 21st Century Policing and to support review of existing policies and practices to ensure the equitable protection of the freedoms and rights of all citizens.
Back between 2002-2012, Brentwood had a Diversity Committee, formed to foster racial harmony within our community. The co-chair of the committee has already reached out to our Police Chief to let him know that he has been reactivating members to help spur discussions as to what needs to change.
I spoke with our City Manager this week and told him that I too wanted to be part of that group.
I think it’s important to say that I believe the members of the Brentwood Police Department are professionals and they do a phenomenal job, something I’ve experienced firsthand during ride-a-longs, in the police station and out in public.
Does that mean that there aren’t changes that need to take place? The answer is no, there is ALWAYS room to improve the way we do things.
After the incident in Minneapolis, our PD’s Defensive Tactics Instructor Cadre viewed the incident as an opportunity to revisit relevant aspects of the department’s Use of Force policy and to review appropriate tactics for controlling a prone, handcuffed suspect.
Your voice is important to me – If you feel there is change that needs to take place here in Brentwood, I want to hear from you. I can be reached at krarey@brentwoodca.gov.
For now, I will pray for healing and acceptance in our nation, but especially for healing and acceptance in our community.
Yours Sincerely,
Karen Rarey
Council Member
City of Brentwood
#blacklivesmatter #wecandobetterinbrentwood
Contra Costa rescinds countywide curfew order effective as of 1:00 PM today, Thursday, June 4, 2020
By Susan Shiu, Director, Office of Communications and Media, Contra Costa County
(Martinez, CA) – County Administrator David J. Twa has signed the Order Rescinding a Countywide Curfew within Contra Costa County, effective as of 1:00 PM today, June 4, 2020.
The order states that “As Contra Costa County’s Administrator of Emergency Services, I have reviewed, on a daily basis, the conditions that necessitated the June 2, 2020, Countywide curfew. At this point, it appears that the public order and safety has generally been restored in Contra Costa County and it is therefore appropriate to lift the emergency Countywide curfew.”
The order further states that “This action does not affect any city curfews that remain in effect. Cities will make their own determination as to whether curfews continue to be needed within their commercial districts or other areas within those cities.”
“We all continue to want peaceful protests and encourage everyone to stay safe,” said Twa.
Read the Order Rescinding the Countywide Curfew.
Contra Costa’s progress in COVID-19 fight means retail businesses can reopen on Wednesday, June 3
Plus, small outdoor gatherings, childcare and camps for all children, and libraries with curbside pickup; protests of up to 100 people with social distancing and masks also allowed (LOL – no seriously. They’re “allowed” now)
By Kim McCarl, Communications Assistant, Contra Costa Health Services
Thanks to substantial progress being made in the fight against COVID-19, Contra Costa County residents can go back to work, shop at local retail stores, get childcare and hang out with small groups of loved ones starting June 3.
Indoor retail shopping, business offices, outdoor museums and pet grooming are among the businesses that will reopen in Contra Costa County under the latest shelter-in-place order released today. The order also permits services that don’t require close customer contact, such as housekeeping, car washes, plumbing and pet grooming.
The new health order also allows small outdoor social gatherings, as well as childcare and camps for all children, not just children of essential and allowed workers. Those childcare services and camps still can only have up to 12 children in stable cohorts.
Libraries can reopen for curbside pickup service and protests of up to 100 people will also be permitted. Religious services will be able to resume on June 15, although with some limitations. In the coming days, the County will be consulting with the state about reopening swimming pools and outdoor dining.
“This latest step toward reopening our county is a reflection of our successful collective effort as a community to limit the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, the county’s health officer. “I know there’s a lot of frustration out there, but it’s important to keep in mind that interventions like social distancing have saved lives.”
To date, 37 people have died from COVID-19 in Contra Costa, a county with a population of 1.15 million people. Dr. Farnitano said had the county had not acted early and aggressively, enacting the initial shelter-in-place order on mid-March, ten times as many people would have died from the virus.
Contra Costa has made significant headway in meeting its five indicators for reopening. Aside from new cases and hospitalizations not increasing, all eight hospitals have attested they now have a 30-day supply of personal protective equipment, one of the five reopening indictors. Hospitals also have sufficient capacity to handle more patients. While progress has been made in testing, the county still needs to triple the amount of tests being done to reach its goal.
The latest health order follows previous relaxations of the shelter in place that allowed construction, real estate transactions, curbside retail and manufacturing, recreational activities like golf and tennis and reopening of outdoor businesses like nurseries.
This Order supersedes the May 18, 2020, Order of the Health Officer directing all individuals to shelter in place (“Prior Order”). This Order continues to restrict most activity, travel, and governmental and business functions to essential needs and to the Outdoor Activities and Outdoor Businesses that the prior Order allowed to resume. But in light of progress achieved in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the County of Contra Costa (the “County”), the Order allows a limited number of Additional Businesses (as described in Section 15.n…and in Appendix C-1) and Additional Activities (as described in Section 15.o…and in Appendix C-2) to resume operating, subject to specified conditions and safety precautions to reduce associated risk of COVID-19 transmission.
What’s Allowed Now
Businesses include indoor retail, shopping malls, shopping centers and swap meets, manufacturing and logistics and warehouse facilities.
The additional activities now allowed include social gatherings of persons in a Social Bubble, as defined below, may take place if: the gathering takes place outside only, and the participants comply with all other applicable requirements under this Order. In addition, persons in social bubbles over 12 years of age are strongly encouraged to maintain social distancing from each other w ear face coverings
Finally, protests are also allowed now. Subject to requirements and restrictions of the local jurisdiction in which the protest takes place, persons may participate in protests if they wear Face Coverings and comply with Social Distancing Requirements, and attendance does not exceed 25 percent of the area’s maximum capacity or 100 persons, whichever is lower. (Editor’s Note: Seriously, that’s what the order includes. We will see if that part of the order is enforced).
As a condition of operating under this Order, the operators of all businesses must prepare or update, post, implement, and distribute to their personnel a Social Distancing Protocol for each of their facilities in the County frequented by personnel or members of the public.
An email asking if churches can reopen their administrative offices was sent to the spokesperson for the county health services. No response was received prior to publication. Please check back later for updates to this report.
To see the full order, click here. To see additional details on orders from the county health officer visit https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/health-orders. For more details on the new health order, visit cchealth.org/coronavirus.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Rapid Response Fund formed to bring emergency relief to county residents impacted by COVID-19
Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation’s first round of grants will go to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, the Contra Costa Crisis Center, Shelter, Inc., Catholic Charities East Bay and White Pony Express
By Kim McCarl, Assistant to the Director, Communications, Contra Costa Health Services
MARTINEZ — Beyond its devastating health implications, COVID-19 is undermining basic living conditions for tens of thousands of people living in the Bay Area, especially those that are most vulnerable. The Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation (CCRHF) has established a COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund and has been selected as a lead partner organization in the newly formed COVID-19 Regional Response Fund supported by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund is also supported by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative as well as individual donors.
The CCRHF Rapid Response Fund is moving quickly to help those individuals in desperate need. Locally, the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation will play an important role in identifying highest risk populations and funding organizations to provide needed assistance.
“The economic impact of COVID-19 in the Bay Area is immense, with the biggest impact on people who have been living on the margins. These are families that can’t wait for government assistance in a few weeks, they are suffering and in jeopardy now,” explains CCRHF Chair Bette Felton. “Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, as well as individual donors, we can now move rapidly, locate the organizations best suited to safeguard those people at high risk and make sure they have the funds and resources to help protect our communities.”
We understand this is a dynamic and changing situation. Based on our understanding of the greatest needs at this time, the Fund is supporting four key areas: food distribution, financial assistance, shelter and emergency housing, and support for essential workers.
“Grants will be made on a timely basis to organizations best equipped to address these needs among the county’s most vulnerable populations. Given the urgency of the crisis, our priority is to find organizations with the proven capacity that can move quickly,” says Felton.
In light of that urgency, in its first round of funding, the CCRHF is extending grants to five organizations: the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, the Contra Costa Crisis Center, Shelter, Inc., Catholic Charities East Bay and White Pony Express. These initial grants will quickly amplify the impact these organizations are positioned to make.
Additional organizations will be considered in future funding cycles, based on:
- the organization’s ability to reach populations most vulnerable to the economic or health risks posed by this public health crisis,
- its capacity to move expeditiously and
- the ability of the organization to deploy the funds expediently.
For additional information about the COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund and the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation visit www.ccrhfcovid-19.org/
About the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation
Established in 2003, the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that supports Contra Costa Health Services in its work to care for and improve the health of all the people in Contra Costa County with special attention to those who are the most vulnerable.
“Eye of Diablo” Beacon lighting Easter Sunday in response to global coronavirus pandemic
![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mount-Diablo-Beacon-Stephen-Joseph-1024x682.png)
Mount Diablo’s Beacon lights the nighttime sky on December 7. Copyright Stephen Joseph; used with permission.
By Laura Kindsvater, Communications Intern, Save Mount Diablo
WALNUT CREEK, CA—Mount Diablo State Park’s Beacon will be lit after sunset in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Easter Sunday, April 12. Thereafter, until the pandemic crisis is over, the Beacon will be lit every Sunday after sunset and shine brightly until sunrise the next day.
Ted Clement, Executive Director of Save Mount Diablo, stated, “Lighting the Beacon every Sunday is a way to honor our heroes in this global pandemic struggle, to pay our respects to the dead and those suffering, to lift our eyes to higher ground and the light and be reminded of the healing power of nature and our Mount Diablo, and to bring our communities together during this difficult time.”
Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers will be working on lighting the Beacon every Sunday, and turning it off every Monday after sunrise, in close coordination with their good partners at California State Parks. Physical distancing will be followed throughout. This effort has also been coordinated with the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, Chapter 5.
Save Mount Diablo; California State Parks; the Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, Chapter 5; California State University – East Bay (Concord); and others organize the annual lighting ceremony of the Beacon every December 7 in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Eduardo Guaracha, Diablo Range Superintendent of California State Parks, said, “As we look up in the sky, let this beacon remind us we are not alone. Our thoughts and support are with the heroes, healthcare and emergency workers, and all those affected by this worldwide pandemic. Let the light give us hope for a better future and remind us to keep our heads and spirits up.”
The Beacon on Mount Diablo was originally installed and illuminated in 1928 to aid in transcontinental aviation. It is one of the five guiding beacons installed along the West Coast by Standard Oil of California and is the only one known to still be operational.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Beacon’s light was extinguished during the West Coast blackout, for fear it might enable an attack on California. It stayed dark until Pearl Harbor Day, 1964, when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces during World War II, relit the Beacon in a commemorative ceremony and suggested it be illuminated every December 7 to honor those who served and sacrificed.
Since that day, Pearl Harbor veterans and their families have gathered every December 7 to see the Beacon light shine once again.
The Beacon now shines brighter than ever since it underwent an extensive restoration process in 2013 thanks to a campaign led by Save Mount Diablo to ensure it continues to shine for many more years.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- …
- 29
- Next Page »