Santa Clara County voters, it's time to get ready, set and vote by Tuesday, Nov. 8. 

Vote-by-mail ballots come with a free, postage-paid return envelope. Voters may drop off their ballot at any of the 100 drop boxes at the County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters Office or at any vote center.

• 25 Vote Centers will open starting Saturday, Oct. 29 through Friday, Nov. 4.
• All 103 Vote Centers will open starting Saturday, Nov. 5 through Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 8). 
• No matter how you return it, track your ballot's status to be sure your vote is counted by using WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.

With Election Day just around the corner, here are some resources for voters to be ready and prepared to vote:

• rovservices.sccgov.org – general, online resources from the County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters Office 
• wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov – track when your ballot is received and counted
• votersedge.org – a comprehensive, nonpartisan online guide to elections at federal, state and local levels
• voterstatus.sos.ca.gov – a resource to check if you are registered to vote, where and registered party preference

The City of Mountain View is in the process of updating its Reach Code. The Reach Code sets building electrification and electric vehicle infrastructure requirements for all new buildings in our community. The current Reach Code was adopted in 2019, and the draft 2022 Reach Code language proposes minor updates regarding building electrification and a few changes regarding electric vehicle infrastructure. 

The City is hosting a community input session on Monday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. to share information about the draft 2022 Reach Code, answer questions and solicit feedback on these updates. All residents are welcome to attend this online event. Register online in advance.

This informational and community feedback event is in advance of the City Council's consideration of the draft Reach Code on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at their regular meeting.

The City is seeking suggestions for naming a new park to be constructed at 525 E. Evelyn Ave. Email your ideas with the subject line “Evelyn Ave Park Name” by Friday, Oct. 28 to [email protected].

City staff will present suggested names to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. and make a recommendation.

The following criteria shall be used in determining park names to be submitted to the City Council for consideration:

• A City park may be named for the school on which it is located or an adjacent street.
• City parks may be named for a historical figure or local landmark. The historical figure must be deceased for a minimum of five years.
• Other park names will be considered only if the naming criteria listed above do not provide a name suitable for a park or recreation facility.

The City Council policy on naming City parks and other City facilities may be found at MountainView.gov/Council.

What: Free Paper Shredding

When: Saturday, Nov. 5, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Where: SMaRT Station, 301 Carl Road, Sunnyvale

On Saturday, Nov. 5, the Sunnyvale SMaRT Station is hosting a free paper shredding event for Mountain View and Sunnyvale residents. Protect your privacy by shredding confidential papers such as bank statements, pay stubs, canceled checks and credit offers. 

• Proof of residency is required.
• No appointments are needed.
• Social distancing protocols in effect.
• Residents must unload their own documents.
• Masks are recommended.
• Limit of five bags or banker boxes per household.

All vehicles arriving by 3 p.m. will be served but the line cuts off at 3 p.m. sharp. Avoid peak wait times by arriving between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Learn more on the Environmental Events webpage.

Compassion Week is a community event that aims to build a strong, compassionate and empathetic community. Through volunteer and service opportunities, participants can expand their understanding of local and global needs. 

Spanning Oct. 15 – 23, Compassion Week is sponsored by the Los Altos-Mountain View Community Foundation, County of Santa Clara Supervisor Joe Simitian, and Los Altos United Methodist Church. All members of the Mountain View community are invited and encouraged to participate in local Compassion Week projects that serve the most vulnerable populations. There are a variety of free activities to choose from including learning how to convert a lawn to a drought-tolerant landscape, helping build a playhouse for local children and assembling hygiene kits for neighbors in need.

To get involved, view the full list of participating organizations and their activities.

Check out the grand opening celebration of Pyramid Park (held on Saturday, Sept. 24) and get a sneak peek of the park features online at YouTube.com/MountainViewGov.

Located at Infinity Way and Pyramid Way, Pyramid Park features a full basketball court, exercise equipment, children’s play areas, an off-leash dog park, public art, restrooms and more. Pyramid Park is the City’s newest park, as well as one of the largest. Community members are welcome to visit the park and use its many features. Before you go, please know that Pyramid Park has very limited parking. Walking, biking or public transit is highly encouraged. 

For updates on several other upcoming park projects, visit the City Project Highlight webpage.

Two bivalent boosters (additional protection against Omicromn variants BA.4 and BA.5) were recently authorized for younger children.

• A single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster has been approved for children ages 5 to 11.
• A single dose Moderna bivalent booster has been approved for children 6 to 11.

The bivalent boosters were previously authorized for use in anyone 12 or older by mid-September. 

To learn more about bivalent boosters and how to get them, go to sccFreeVax.org.

• Updated (bivalent) boosters became available on Sept. 2
• The boosters are called “bivalent” because they protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5. 
• Learn more about the CDC’s tracking of variants in the U.S. on their COVID Data Tracker webpage.
• CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group:
• Children and teens ages 6 months–17 years
• Adults ages 18 years and older
• Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against the disease.
• If you recently had COVID-19, you may consider delaying your next vaccine dose (primary dose or booster) by three months from when your symptoms started or, if you had no symptoms, when you first received a positive test.
• People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.

This month's County of Santa Clara COVID-19 testing dates at the Mountain View Community Center (Rengstorff Park) are:

• Oct. 24
• Nov. 14
• Nov. 28

Appointments are from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To get an appointment for this site or at a County-run testing location, go to sccFreeTest.org.