Supervisor Andersen is joined at the ribbon cutting ceremony by Bev Lane, East Bay Regional Parks Director, Joe Calabrigo, Danville Town Manager, and Nick Binzoni from the Office of Assemblywoman Catharine Baker

The East Bay Regional Park District officially opened the Elworthy Staging Area on Wednesday, July 15, adding another access point in Danville to Las Trampas Regional Wilderness and its abundant hiking trails. The staging area, constructed by KB Homes, along with a trail easement and 232-acre open space dedication, were offered to the Park District by the developer and the Elworthy Family as part of the Quail Ridge subdivision. Keeping this land as permanent open space and providing access to another trail to Las Trampas were required by the Danville Town Council when the project was approved.  The land was owned by the Elworthy family, longtime ranchers in Contra Costa County. It not only provides this new trail access but also includes important habitat for native species, access to Las Trampas Regional Wilderness from the Danville area, and sweeping views of Mount Diablo and the Valley. From the staging area, hikers will pass through 1/2 mile of the private Elworthy property on the trail easement before reaching the new addition to Las Trampas. The area can be accessed from San Ramon Valley Boulevard, south of Sycamore Valley Road. At Elworthy Ranch Road, turn left; then turn right to continue on Elworthy Ranch Road. Turn left on Elworthy Ranch Circle. Road to staging area will be on the left side. Continue up the hill to the parking lot. For more information and trail maps for Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, click here. 

In May, President Debbie Roessler of the Rotary Club of Moraga was a guest at the 27th Annual Awards luncheon program of the Contra Costa County Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission, where she was presented a plaque for Outstanding Service by a Business or Non-Profit Organization for 2015.  The Club also received Certificates of Honor from County Supervisors Candace Andersen, Karen Mitchoff, and Mary Nejedly Piepho in recognition of the Juvenile Justice Award.

The award recognized the Christmas Stocking gift project conducted by the Rotary since the late 1990's, where most children held in custody over Christmas receive a decorated stocking filled with gifts such as socks, playing cards, candy, puzzles, etc.  Sometimes the gift stocking is the only gift a child receives.  This project is conducted in cooperation with the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary, where Janet Young is the current director.  About 300 stockings are sewn, decorated, filled with gifts, and distributed each year.

In recent years, the Rotary has expanded its service to the children by donating books to the various libraries, selected from an approved reading list.  Rotarian Barbara Bruner is currently the Chairwoman of these projects.

The Rotary Club of Moraga is a local service club within Rotary International, one of about 33,000 Rotary Clubs in about 207 countries.  Regular meetings are held on most Tuesdays at the Soda Center at St. Mary's College.  For further information, please call Frank May at 925-376-8195, or click here to visit their website. 

Last month the Board of Supervisors recognized Cancer Support Communities of the East Bay, located in Walnut Creek, for their 25 years of service to the community. Cancer Support Community provides comprehensive integrative care - including counseling, support groups, nutrition, exercise and patient education programs - for people with cancer and their families or caregivers.  Their services enable cancer patients to partner with their treatment team to manage their care and recovery most effectively, increase their chances for survival, reduce their chances of recurrence, and provide for the highest possible quality of life. They never turn anyone away, and all of their services are provided free of charge in order to be readily accessible to people facing cancer in their time of need.  They serve 2,000 cancer patients and their families each year. For more information, click here. 

The Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District confirmed on July 23 that the first two chickens have tested positive for West Nile virus this year in Contra Costa County. The chickens are located in Holland Tract near the marina. 

At this time last year, there was significantly more West Nile virus activity. The chickens are in a stationary location, which indicates that virus transmission is taking place at that location without migration, unlike the scenario with wild birds. However, everyone should take the necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Chickens serve as sentinels for West Nile virus. The chickens, unlike other birds, do not get sick or die from the disease but develop antibodies that are detected in their blood. District vector ecologists sample the chickens' blood bi-weekly to determine if there is West Nile virus in a given area. Five flocks of chickens are maintained in Contra Costa County for this purpose.

Residents are urged to help reduce their risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases by following these guidelines: 

• Dump or drain standing water. Mosquitoes can't begin their lives without water.
• Defend yourself against mosquitoes by using repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
• Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are present, typically dawn and dusk.
• Report neglected swimming pools by calling 925-771-6195 or visiting www.ContraCostaMosquito.com. Anonymous calls accepted. Just one neglected pool can produce more than 1 million mosquitoes and affect people up to five miles away. 
• Report dead birds to the state hotline: 1-877-968-2473. All reports are crucial, even if the bird does not meet criteria for testing.

Since 2005, 54 people in Contra Costa County have been diagnosed with West Nile virus. In 2006, two people died from the disease. Recent studies have shown that the majority of cases are not diagnosed and are grossly underreported. For 2015, a total of two groups of mosquitoes, one bird, and two chickens have tested positive for the virus.  Click here for more information or here to sign up for email updates. 

On July 7, 2015, the Board of Supervisors recognized the college and high school interns who are working in the District Attorney's office this summer. Internship applications will be accepted next March for the summer  2016 program.

Supervisor Andersen took part in two 4th of July parades, first joining the Danville parade, 

and following up with the Orinda Parade.

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley, 205 Railroad Avenue in Danville,  once again proudly presents, "Totally Trains - Models and Memorabilia". The exhibit runs through the Freight Room at the Depot until August 23. 

The main layout of the exhibit has two elevations with 4 running trains and includes scenery, bridges, a trestle, tunnel and a village with a replica of the Museum (the former Southern Pacific Depot). A secondary layout features a number of working accessories including items from two private train collections and accessories from the early to mid-1900s.

Totally Trains family passes are still available for purchase for $12. This family ticket allows for unlimited visits to the exhibit. Special Summer Hours; Tuesday through Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Sunday - 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Closed Mondays). To learn more about the exhibit and the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, click here To contact the Museum, call 925-837-3750.

Isabelle Yan began her summer internship at the office of Supervisor Candace Andersen in June. She will be a senior at Dougherty Valley High School in the fall. She has been provided with this internship by the Chinese American Political Association (CAPA), which aims to increase awareness of the importance of Asian American civic participation through better knowledge of the political process. Besides her academic pursuits, Isabelle plays the viola and is the section leader in her school orchestra and has played the piano for over ten years. She is a varsity member of the Dougherty Valley Speech and Debate team and she regularly volunteers for the organization Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN). She is excited to be working at the Supervisor's office and is very thankful to be provided with such an educational, eye-opening experience. During her time at the office, she has learned much more about the issues the County deals with on a daily basis and on how to help her local community. 

The City of San Ramon Parks and Community Services Department is pleased to announce the start of a new program that will benefit San Ramon neighborhoods. Starting this summer, residents can plan a party for their neighborhood in their neighborhood park and the City of San Ramon will supply the fun. The City has created simple five step directions to party success. This includes everything you will need from invitations templates, to timelines and even games for the kids. If  planned early, residents will have the opportunity to check out a "Party in the Park Fun Kit" which includes Frisbees, balls, jump ropes, and lots of other play equipment.

Interested in having a Neighborhood Party in the Park? Reserve the Neighborhood Party Fun Kit by sending the City of San Ramon an email by clicking here Provide them with your name, phone number, address, party date and what park the party will be at and they will reserve the Fun Kit for you. The week of your party, come by the San Ramon Community Center during open hours to check-out the Fun Kit. After you have had your party, drop the Fun Kit back off at the San Ramon Community Center and then start planning your next Neighborhood Party in the Park! For more information, toolkit, guides, and templates click here.

Click here to sign up for programs and for more information.  

The Veterans Memorial Building, in partnership with the Town of Danville, is seeking collections of military memorabilia for an open house featuring temporary exhibits honoring our nation's veterans in conjunction with Veterans Day. The focus for this year's exhibit will be "Women in the Military."  

The exhibits will be on display in the auditorium of the Veterans Memorial Building, 400 Hartz Avenue, and open to the public Saturday, November 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission is free.

For those with collections or memorabilia, send a brief description of the items and photos to Tim Sammons by clicking here.  Deadline for entries for the exhibit is 12:00 p.m. October 16, 2015. 

During the week of July 12th through the 18th, 2015, people across the United States and Canada joined together to recognize the work that probation, parole and community supervision professionals do for our public safety, and to celebrate the global effort to minimize incarceration while supporting re-entry of those who are supervised in the community. At the recommendation of County Probation Office Philip Kader, the Supervisors honored those who work to make our communities a safer place to live.

Today in America, there are over 5 million adults on community supervision and most of these individuals are monitored by pretrial, probation and parole officers. Monitoring may take the form of home contacts, drug testing, making sure the offender attends counseling sessions and helping offenders to find suitable housing and employment. Many officers also supervise offenders using electronic monitoring equipment, which requires expert knowledge of newer technologies. For more information about the County Probation Department and their programs, click here. 

Recently, the Contra Costa Agricultural Department has identified one male Gypsy Moth in Danville near the Las Trampas Regional Park.  The Ag Dept is in the process of placing 100 traps in four square miles around the initial find which they will monitor for the rest of the year. Gypsy Moths put our drought stressed trees at risk. Should you have any questions, please contact Chad Godoy, Contra Costa Agricultural Commissioner Director of Weights and Measures by  clicking here or (925) 646-5250. 

Description: The adult, European, female moth is a large white, flightless moth with a two inch wing span and dark saw-toothed patterns on the wings. The male is smaller (one and a half inch wingspan), has smaller markings on brown wings and is a strong fl ier. The larva stage is the most destructive. Later stages of the larvae develop a distinctive color pattern of fi ve pairs of blue dots followed by six pairs of red dots along their backs. The eggs are laid in masses of 100 to 1,000 and are covered with hair, forming a soft tan patch about the size of a quarter. The Asian gypsy moth is the same species as that from Europe. The biology of the Asian gypsy moth is similar to that from Europe with the following differences: 1) female Asian gypsy moth can fl y up to 20 miles and 2) the larvae do well on conifers.

European gypsy moth first became established in the United States in 1869, in Massachusetts. It spread rapidly throughout the Northeast and has become the destructive pest of hardwood forest and shade trees in the United States. When populations are high, the gypsy moth defoliates millions of acres of forest and urban trees. This defoliation not only kills and weakens trees, but also alters forest composition and destroys habitat for mammals and birds. Gypsy moth infestations affect recreational use of forests, parks and backyards. Swarms of caterpillars discourage tourism and many other outdoor activities. In urban areas, the economic impact includes clean-up costs, tree replacement costs and loss of property values. 

Distribution: Gypsy moth is a native to Europe, southern Asia and northern Africa. The current distribution in the United States includes the northeast states (i.e., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, etc.) expanding southward into West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, and westward into Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. Isolated infestations have been treated in the states of Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Oregon. 

Life Cycle: Adults emerge between June and August. The female emits a sex attractant that allows the male to find her. After mating, the female lays a single egg mass on any available surface including trees, rocks, fences and other manmade outdoor articles. Adults do not feed and die shortly after mating and egg-laying. Gypsy moth spends the winter in the egg stage. Eggs hatch in late February through April. Emerging larvae move to the tops of trees and are carried many miles on wind currents; wind-aided dispersal is the primary dispersal mechanism for the gypsy moth. 

Hosts and Damage: Gypsy moth has over 150 primary hosts, but can feed on over 500 plants. Both hardwoods and conifers are defoliated. Young larvae feed primarily on oaks, aspen, birch, willows and alder. Older larvae feed on a broader range of trees including cedar, pine, spruce and fi r. Recent tests on western plants have shown that native and common California species such as manzanita, western hemlock, Douglas fir and live oaks are also good hosts. 

Are you looking for a way to participate in County Government? To follow are available volunteer opportunities:

District 2 vacancies available:

* Arts & Culture Commission click here

* County Service Area P-5 Citizens Advisory Committee (Residents of: Roundhill, Regency Woods or Windsor Green)

* In-Home Support Services Public Authority Advisory Committee click here

In addition, Supervisor Andersen would like to draw your attention to the following list of countywide advisory bodies that currently have At Large Seats available:

Advisory Council on Aging

Agricultural Task Force Committee

Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Board

Bicycle Committee, Countywide

Countywide Bicycle Committee

CCC Local Planning Advisory Council for Early Care & Education

County Connection Citizen Advisory Committee

Developmental Disabilities Board

East Bay Regional Park District - Advisory Body

Economic Opportunity Council

Equal Opportunity Advisory Council

Homelessness Advisory Board

Managed Care Commission

Contra Costa Commission for Women

Workforce Development Board

To apply for any of these seats, click here. 

Ever wonder what your Supervisor does at that weekly Tuesday Board of Supervisors Meeting?  Here are some of the board actions from the month of July which impact the residents of District 2:     

Recognized the District Attorney's Office summer college and high school interns, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen.

Honored Mina Diaz for her efforts in the campaign to eliminate poverty in Contra Costa County.

Continued the hearing to consider the appeals of the Planning Commission's decision to approve a variance for a front yard setback and associated tree permit for construction of a new residence at 200 Sydney Drive, Alamo area.

Authorized use of County Service Area P-6 zone revenues to support a new Community Services Unit in the Office of the Sheriff to focus on crime prevention issues and provide extended law enforcement services to CSA P-6 zones; Added one Sergeant position and two Sheriff's Specialist positions to the Sheriff's Community Services Unit.

Received report and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Board of Supervisors Compensation regarding the Board of Supervisors' salary level and future salary setting process.

Adjourned in memory of Bob Pohl, Alamo resident and realtor.

Terminated/Abandoned an Offer of Dedication of a Public Utility Easement for public utility purposes, along Gritstone Street, Unincorporated Danville.

Approved/Authorized full closure of a portion of Crest Avenue, between Hillgrade Avenue and Danville Boulevard on 7/15/15, from 7am through 5pm, for crane work for the cage top extension of a Pacific Gas & Electric Company tower, Alamo.

Approved the second extension of the Right-of-Way Landscaping for a project by Shapell Homes, San Ramon-Dougherty Valley.

Accepted completion of private improvements for a project by Robert and Alexandra Ahaesy, Alamo.

Accepted completion of private improvements for a project by Jennifer Doherty, Alamo area.

Approved the Final Map and Subdivision Agreement for a project by Shapell Homes, San Ramon-Dougherty Valley.

Approved the seventh extension of the Drainage Improvement Agreement for a project by Shapell Homes, Unincorporated Danville.

Approved the third extension of the Right-of-Way Landscaping for a project by Shapell Homes, San Ramon-Dougherty Valley.

Established a streamlined permitting process for small residential solar energy systems.

Appointed Rand Swenson as the County Planning Commission representative to the Transportation Partnership and Cooperation Committee, the regional transportation planning committee for central Contra Costa County, as recommended by the County Planning Commission.

Reappointed William Nelson, Cesare Ciatti, David Dolter, Karen McPherson, Joe Rubay and Chris Bura to the Alamo Police Services Advisory Committee, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen.

Authorized a letter to the County's State legislative delegation expressing support for a solution to the problem of unmet maintenance and rehabilitation needs on the local and state transportation system.

Approved/Authorized application for and acceptance of grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Victims of Crime in an amount to provide comprehensive services for victims of human trafficking.

Approved/Authorized application for and acceptance of grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Victims of Crime and Bureau of Justice Assistance to enhance a collaborative model to combat human trafficking.

Approved/Authorized application for and acceptance of grant funding from the U. S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, for the encouragement of arrest policies and enforcement of protection orders.

Approved/Authorized application to the city of Walnut Creek, and acceptance of Community Development Block Grant funds to provide individualized business advice and group training to low-to-moderate income residents of Contra Costa County.

Approved/Authorized a contract with STAND! For Families Free of Violence to provide shelter services for battered women and their children.

Approved/Authorized a contract with Shelter, Inc. of Contra Costa County to provide supportive housing services for Contra Costa County homeless families.

Approved/Authorized a contract with First Place for Youth to provide transitional housing assistance for emancipated youth.

Accepted the report from the Employment and Human Services Department regarding Human Trafficking - Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children & Update on Family Justice Centers.

Approved the response to Grand Jury Report "Averting Bay Area Rapid Transit District Strikes"; Directed the Clerk of the Board to forward the response to the Superior Court.

Accepted a report from the Fire Chief on the status of finalizing an agreement between the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District pertaining to the construction, maintenance, operation, and staffing of proposed Fire Station 46 in western Lafayette.

Recognized Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week of July 12-18, 2015.

Honored the 25th Anniversary of Cancer Support Community, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen and Mitchoff.

Approved the tax-exempt financing and the issuance of bonds to be issued by the California Enterprise Development Authority to benefit The Athenian School, Danville.

Accepted a report on Policy Options to Protect Youth from Tobacco Influences in the Retail Environment; Directed staff to work with affected County Departments to evaluate modifications to the County's existing ordinances.

Approved/Authorized the First Amendment to the County/Allied Waste Systems, Inc. Franchise Agreement, effective August 1, 2015, to extend the term of the franchise through July 31, 2025, establish maximum collection rates, establish the franchise fee payable to the County, expand solid waste collection services.

Award a contract to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD) for the provision of emergency ambulance services; Authorized negotiation of a contract with CCCFPD, as sole bidder for emergency ambulance services, including sub-contracting by CCCFPD with American Medical Response, in accordance with rates and terms specified in Plan A, in response to the Emergency Ambulance Request for Proposals, for the period of January 1, 2016 through January 1, 2021 with an option to renew the contract for an additional five years; Directed staff to return to the Board of Supervisors with a negotiated contract for final approval no later than September 2015.

Accepted completion of the offsite improvements for a project being developed by Mark Scott, Inc., Alamo.

Approved the third extension of Right-of-Way Landscaping for a project by Shapell Homes, Unincorporated Danville.

Approved the third extension of Right-of-Way Landscaping for a project by Shapell Homes, San Ramon-Dougherty Valley.

Honored the 55th Annual Contra Costa Championship swim meet in Lafayette, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen.

Accepted the resignation of Chris Bura from the Alamo Police Services Advisory Committee effective immediately; Declared vacant the 2nd Alternate Seat on the Alamo Police Services Advisory Committee; Directed the Clerk of the Board to post the vacancy, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen.

Approved/Authorized the District Attorney to submit an application and execute a grant award agreement with the California Department of Insurance for funding of the Organized Automobile Fraud Activity Interdiction Program.

Authorized a warrant in the amount of $485,000 to the City of San Ramon from the County's Park Dedication Trust Account to help fund the rehabilitation of a 1,950 square foot barn at the Forest Home Farms Historic Park located at 19953 San Ramon Valley Boulevard in San Ramon.

Authorized a warrant in the amount of $105,000 to the City of San Ramon from the County's Park Dedication Trust Account to help fund a number of improvements to the Iron Horse Trail located within the City of San Ramon.

Confirmed Final Report for CSA EM-1 (Emergency Medical Services) and set assessments to be collected with the FY 2015-16 property taxes.

Acknowledged the withdrawal of an application for a variance and tree permit for construction of a new residence at 200 Sydney Drive, Alamo area, and the withdrawal of the appeals of the Planning Commission decision to approve the variance and tree permit.