Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

More reopening expected this week in Contra Costa: business, social activities being considered

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But no churches until June 15 and only outdoor events

By Dr. Chris Farnitano, Contra Costa County Health Officer & Anna Roth, Contra Costa County Health Director

May 30, 2020 – If we continue to make progress in our fight to contain COVID-19, Contra Costa County will be relaxing more restrictions on businesses and social activities in the coming days and weeks. Details will be announced on June 2. Below are some of the most significant changes being considered:   Effective Wednesday, June 3

Businesses

  • Office-based businesses (telework remains strongly encouraged)
  • Services that don’t require close customer contact, such as housekeeping, car washes, pet grooming and plumbing
  • Outdoor museums, and open gallery spaces and other public spaces with modifications
  • Indoor retail stores, including shopping malls and swap meets

Activities

  • Childcare, including child and youth educational activities and camps for all children, not just essential and allowed workers
  • Small outdoor social gatherings with social distancing (household support bubbles and child extracurricular activities)

Effective Monday, June 15

These are higher risk activities and thus restrictions would be relaxed at a later date.

  • Limited-capacity religious services and cultural ceremonies up to 100 people. These would be limited to outdoor events only.
  • Protests up to 100 people; limited to outdoor events only

The state has a timeline for opening higher risk activities like swimming and salons, which can be found at covid19.ca.gov.

Drive-thru food distribution event by St. Vincent de Paul in Pittsburg Friday morning

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In partnership with the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano

By Brit Hotaling, Communications and Development Associate, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County

St Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County (SVdP) will hold a major drive-thru food distribution event in partnership with the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano on Friday, May 22.

WHAT: St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County will hold a food distribution of 500 boxes of food and fresh produce to the Pittsburg community while observing social distancing. Food will be available on a drive-thru and walk-up basis. SVdP has ramped up their regular emergency food services in recent months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The food distribution will take place at SVdP’s Family Resource Center in Pittsburg, with volunteers directing traffic and handing out food supplies.

WHO: St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County

WHEN: Friday, May 22, 2020 from 9 am – 10:30 am, or until supplies last

WHERE: 2210 Gladstone Drive, Pittsburg

WHY: Many neighbors right here in Pittsburg, who have never needed help before, are reaching out for help with food, rental assistance and other bills they are not be able to meet due to loss of income. SVdPCCC is open and serving neighbors-in-need. The SVdPCCC Family Resource Center in Pittsburg remains open to serve via our Free Dining Room (operated in partnership with Loaves & Fishes of Contra Costa), Emergency Food Pantry, Daytime Homeless Shelter for Winter Nights clients, and referral to additional social services.

For additional information: Barb Hunt, b.hunt@svdp-cc.org, (925) 330-6732 or Steven Krank, 925-439-5060 ext 28, s.krank@svdp-cc.org

Amid California shelter in place, White Pony Express continues to deliver rescued food to those in need

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By Steven Spraitzar, Public Relations, White Pony Express

White Pony Express (WPE), the Pleasant Hill food rescue group, announces that its programs are continuing to operate under Contra Costa County’s stringent requirements to contain the spread of COVID-19.   Specifically, WPE wishes to let the public know that:

  • White Pony Express remains OPEN for business. It continues to rescue nutritious fresh food from supermarkets and restaurants and deliver it free to those in need in our communities.
  • WPE’s School Food Pantry Program is continuing to deliver food to free-lunch schools in the county. However, because the schools have closed, this food is now being taken to alternative distribution sites where the food is being made available to the school families.
  • Volunteers are urgently needed as some volunteers wish to self-isolate.
  • Those who wish to volunteer can sign up at https://www.whiteponyexpress.org/covid-19-response-volunteer
  • Financial donations are also needed so WPE can continue providing nutritious food to hungry people. If you’d like to contribute, you can do so by visiting WPE’s website at https://www.whiteponyexpress.org/donate-funds.
  • WPE will make limited deliveries of needed clothing for the foreseeable future.
  • No donations of clothing will be accepted while the shelter-in-place order is in effect.
  • WPE has implemented stringent health guidelines in place to protect its volunteers. These protocols (hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, gloves, social distancing, etc.) are now a part of all WPE’s food and clothing operations.

ABOUT WPE:  WPE is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Pleasant Hill, CA, which helps people move from the margins to the mainstream by providing free food and clothing in a loving and respectful manner.

Dr. Carol Weyland Conner founded WPE in September 2013 when she was troubled that in an area with such an abundance of food, many thousands were going hungry, while at the same time food retailers were throwing out huge quantities of healthy, fresh food. From this insight, the Food Rescue program was born. In a little over 6 years, WPE has rescued and delivered more than 10.5 million pounds of fresh, nutritious food, free of charge, that would otherwise go to waste. This is equivalent to 8,750,000 meals.

In 2014 the White Pony General Store was added to provide high quality clothing, toys, and books to the underserved in our communities—all free of charge. Since that time, the General Store has given away over 512,000 items to those in need.

For more on WPE, visit www.whiteponyexpress.org.

Concord woman to celebrate her 100th birthday with family Saturday

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Ruth Virginia Ferrell turns 100 on Jan. 12, 2020.

Ruth Virginia Ferrell will be celebrating her 100th birthday with family, this Saturday.

Born January 12, 1920 in Memphis, Tennessee, she came to California in 1948, and lives with her grandson and family in Concord.

Ruth is blessed with three children, several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

She’s doing very well and is very spry for her age.

Labor union members to protest Monday at Martinez Walmart for being open on Thanksgiving

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Asking for “Freedom to Spend Time with our Families”

By Margaret Hanlon-Gradie

Forget Black Friday! The Contra Costa Central Labor Council with Making Change will stage a protest on Monday Nov. 20 to tell Walmart to observe the spirit of Thanksgiving and allow workers time to spend with their families.

Action will be held Monday, November 20th between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm at 1021 Arnold Drive in Martinez.

According to the Making Change website, their “vision for American workers – in grocery, retail, and in our communities – is respect and dignity at jobs that pay fairly and guarantee workers a voice.

Working together with Walmart Associates, local UFCW members, and leaders in communities across the country, the Making Change at Walmart campaign is challenging Walmart to share our vision for a new way forward—a way that lifts all of us up.”

According to their website, the Labor Council represents 80,000 working families standing together for good jobs, healthy communities, educational opportunity, and a brighter future for people in all industries and kinds of work.

Hanlon-Gradie is Executive Director of the Contra Costa Central Labor Council.

Love is in the air at County Clerk’s office

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Appointments now available for couples to get married on Valentine’s Day

The Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder Division is taking appointments for couples who wish to exchange wedding vows on Valentine’s Day.  Because of the popularity of this day, the division is also extending ceremony hours and accommodating additional appointments.

There are 47 appointment times available from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

“Valentine’s Day is the most popular day at our office for marriage ceremonies,” said Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Joseph E. Canciamilla. “Additional appointments give more couples the opportunity to get married on what many consider is the most romantic day of the year.”

Interested couples are encouraged to make an appointment online at www.contracostacore.us  using our new appointment system.  Walk-in couples are welcome and will be accommodated based on availability of ceremony rooms.

One of two wedding rooms available at the County Clerk’s office.

A civil marriage ceremony is $60.  Couples can obtain a public marriage license for $86 or a confidential license for $90.  To save time, marriage license applications are available for completion online at  www.contracostacore.us prior to visiting the office and may also be purchased before the ceremony date.

The Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder Division features two beautifully appointed ceremony rooms adorned with handcrafted stained glass windows.  The largest ceremony room accommodates up to 24 guests. The smaller ceremony room seats 17 guests. Learn more at www.ccclerkrec.us/clerk/marriage/wedding-ceremonies.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Gutierrez, Clerk-Recorder Services Manager at (925) 335-7920.

 

West County families “Shop with a Cop” for Christmas

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Deserving children from the west Contra Costa County area were paired up with Deputy Sheriffs who took them out for some holiday fun and on a shopping spree for them and their families.

It was all part of the annual Shop with a Cop, which is a national program established to build positive relationships between law enforcement officers and the children of the community. It is also our way of recognizing deserving children.

Thank you to the YMCA in Rodeo and the many community partners that helped make this event a success.

To view the video of this year’s Shop with a Cop, click here.

Breast cancer community comes together at the Cow Palace during annual Grand National Rodeo

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Stacey Freitas of Galt, CA placed 2nd in the barrel racing competition during the 2016 Grand National Rodeo. photo by Allen Payton

Stacey Freitas of Galt, CA placed 2nd in the barrel racing competition during the 2015 Grand National Rodeo. photo by Allen Payton

‘Tough Enough To Wear Pink’ Day, Friday October 21st

Free tickets for breast cancer survivors and their families from the Contra Costa Herald!

Pink Plate founders, including co-founder Chere Rush (second from right) of Discovery Bay.

Pink Plate co-founders, Carla Kimball (center) and Survivor Sisters of Contra Costa County (L-R) Deborah Bordeau, Heather McCullough, Chere Rush and Heather Solari. photo courtesy of pinkplate.org.

For the first time ever the 70th Annual Grand National Livestock Expo, Horse Show, and Rodeo announces Friday, October 21, 2016 as “Tough Enough To Wear Pink” Day, and plans to bring together the Breast Cancer community in a day of solidarity and awareness. As a national campaign, Tough Enough to Wear Pink Programs in rodeos across the nation have raised almost $10 Million dollars. But the biggest asset of the program is that the money stays in local communities.

The Grand National Rodeo has partnered with Bay Area Cancer Connections, and California Pink Plate. To get involved attendees can stop by booths in the Western Marketplace to learn about early detection and other resources for cancer patients and survivors. Bay Area Cancer Connections is a nonprofit that provides free programs and services that address survivorship needs of all those facing breast and ovarian cancer in the Bay Area, including early breast cancer detection services for low-income uninsured young women and men.

By partnering with the California Pink Plate organization, the Grand National hopes to help the organization reach the DMV requirement of 7,500 paid orders which will then move the Pink Ribbon license plate into production. The Pink Plate is almost halfway to their goal, with nine months left until the deadline, the Grand National can play a big part in helping to make the plate a reality. All proceeds from the pink license plates goes to the ‘Every Woman Counts’ initiative, which provides underserved women all over California the opportunity to get free screenings, something that the founder of the pink plate feels is the key to beating the disease.

pinkplatecar“I am a nine-year stage IV breast cancer survivor and I ignored my lump for several months. I don’t want that to happen to another woman/man. What better way to remind people everyday about early detection than on the California roadways. Pink Plate can become a part of the solution. This is an opportunity to save countless lives and remind people daily about the importance of early detection. We are all in this together, and excited to partner up with Tough Enough to Wear Pink and the Grand National Rodeo this year! I don’t think about myself as a breast cancer SURVIVOR, I think of myself as a breast cancer FIGHTER! I know we’ll meet our goal and encourage Rodeo fans to purchase or gift a Pink Plate through our website www.pinkplate.org, so we can reach our goal of 7,500!” – Chere Rush, California Pink Plate Co-founder

For 70 years the iconic Cow Palace Arena & Event Center has been celebrating the old west and inspiring youth to take part in the agriculture industry through their annual Grand National Livestock Exposition, Horse Show and Rodeo event. From top to bottom, the Cow Palace is filled with the ultimate western experience including an agriculture exhibition, a professional Rodeo in partnership with the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), and a classic western marketplace – including mechanical bull rides, live music, BBQ, shopping, and more.

The family-friendly event takes place all day over two, action-packed weekends on Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 21-22, 2016. Although tickets must be purchased for the Grand National Rodeo in the main arena, the Livestock Exposition, Horse Show, Interactive Agricultural Area, and Marketplace are FREE to the public.

Use coupon code ‘PINK’ to receive $6.00 off reserve Dress Circle tickets or $11.00 off reserved Box Seat tickets to the Oct. 14-15 & 21-22 rodeo performances. Tickets can be purchased on the Cow Palace website (cowpalace.com). For more details contact info@cowpalace.com or call 415-414-4100.

Event Schedule, Friday Oct. 21 – ‘Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day’

NCA Dog Trials

PRCA Rodeo

About California Pink Plate:

Pink Plate’s mission is to educate, promote and raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness in California. Early detection saves lives. We can think of no better way to spread this message than through the California Pink Ribbon License Plate. All funds generated from sales of the California Pink Ribbon License Plate will be deposited into the Breast Cancer Control Account, which funds the Every Woman Counts (EWC) program (click here). EWC is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and provides free clinical breast exams and mammograms to California’s underserved women.

About Bay Area Cancer Connections

Bay Area Cancer Connections is a nonprofit organization that supports people touched by breast and ovarian cancer by providing comprehensive, personalized services in an atmosphere of warmth and compassion. The nonprofit provides free programs and services that address survivorship needs of all those facing breast and ovarian cancer in the Bay Area, including early breast cancer detection services for low-income uninsured young women and men. Learn more at www.bcconnections.org.

Free Tickets

If you know a breast cancer survivor who would like to attend the Grand National Rodeo with their family on Friday, September 21st for free, contact the Contra Costa Herald at info@contracostaherald.com and we’ll reserve a ticket good for them and four guests. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In addition, we also have a free General Admission ticket good for any of the four days, available to each of the first four readers who contact us.

See the full schedule of the 2016 Grand National Rodeo, by clicking here: www.cowpalace.com/p/grandnational