Supervisor Andersen recruited her husband Phil to work in the driver safety themed booth with her at the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival on Saturday, September 19. The Supervisor shared a booth with Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, who staffed the booth on Sunday. The popular festival was well-attended, even in the 100 degree weather.  Many residents stopped by to visit with Candace and to peruse the free information being displayed, including "Safe Ride Home" coupons provide by mobile app car service company Uber. 

Funds from the California Pink Ribbon License Plate help provide free clinical breast exams and mammograms through the Department of Health Care Services' "Every Woman Counts" program - potentially saving the lives of countless California women.

Be one of the first to have a plate on your vehicle.  Or give the plates as a gift!  A portion of the cost is tax deductible. Find more information and how to order by  clicking here.

The California Nurses Association (CNA) notified Contra Costa County on September 24 of its intent to strike on October 6 and 7, 2015.  That action comes despite extensive and continuing negotiation sessions.  The members of CNA provide emergency and follow-up medical care for patients, many of whom are critically ill, at the County's public hospital and eleven clinics.

1. A three year contract with a cumulative total of 14% in wage increases over the term of the agreement.
2. No increase in contributions by nurses towards the cost of their health care premiums, and no reduction in health benefits.
3. Continued subsidy by the County of the employee's share of retirement costs.

Pictured with Candace are Steve Polcyn, RotaCare Pittsburg Advisory Council Chair and Alamo Rotary member, Angela Rivello, Volunteer Nurse Coordinator and Steve Krank, RotaCare Pittsburg Advisory Council

St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County works in partnership with RotaCare Bay Area, Inc. and more than 10 Rotary Clubs in the Bay Area to provide quality medical care to uninsured adults with acute or chronic medical conditions. Their team has provided more than 4,000 visits to poor and uninsured patients since opening in Pittsburg back in 2011.

 

In addition to the physician and nursing care that's provided on-site, the clinic gives patients up to 30 days of free medication after a personal consultation with a pharmacist. They also provide diabetes management and nutrition classes quarterly.

 

With a staff made up solely of volunteer physicians, nurses, translators, social worker and other professionals, the clinic relies heavily on support from the community.  It is becoming more and more difficult to get volunteer doctors, doctor's assistants and nurse practitioners. If you or someone you know is interested and able to volunteer, please join the team of medical specialists who provide free medical care. Click here to view the Clinic Volunteers Recruiting Brochure.

The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lafayette present the 23rd Annual Reservoir Run and 4th Annual Healthy Lifestyle Fair being held on Sunday, October 25 from 8:00am - 11:00am.  Beneficiaries of the event are the local schools and the services and programs of the Chamber. The Lafayette Reservoir Run is the city's most popular "family affair", involving kids, parents, grandparents, and hundreds of serious runners from throughout the Bay Area. 2200-2500 participants compete in a 10k or 5k Certified Run, and a 2 mile run/walk for fun through the heart of the downtown, around the reservoir and back. Sprinters, walkers, the "stroller brigade" and many of Lafayette's top four legged residents share the streets on that festive Sunday morning. Start Location: Mt. Diablo Blvd. between First Street. & Moraga Road. Registration Opens: 6:30am. For more information or to register  click here.

From October 5 - November 9, join residents of Danville and San Ramon for a five-week, book-sharing event to read one book together.  Borrow a copy of New York Times bestselling author, Garth Stein's, compelling novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, at the Danville and San Ramon Libraries.  Also available in audio CD and downloadable rebook copies from your local library.  A very limited number of copies will also be available at participating locations in Danville and San Ramon to read, discuss, and pass on to friend, family or neighbors.  Don't miss out on this exciting San Ramon Valley event.   For more CityRead events  click here .

On Tuesday, September 29th, Boy Scout Troop 208  met with Supervisor Andersen to learn about Contra Costa County and to work on their Citizenship and the Community merit badge. The boys asked questions about issues in the San Ramon Valley and how they could help with solutions.  

San Ramon is hosting a free workshop called "Sustainable Citizen."  The workshop is being held on October 22nd, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Dougherty Station Community Center, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Road, in the West Meeting Room.

  

This fun, exciting and informational class is designed to teach simple and effective ways to incorporate sustainable practices into your everyday life.  Topics covered include "Zero Waste", climate change, water conservation, and energy effluence.  

The instructor, Todd Sutton, aka "The Waste Sleuth", is an expert with over 20 years in the environmental field.  He has appeared on national television including the Discovery and History channels. Click here for more information about Todd.  The Sustainable Citizen class is free but registration is required and space is limited. To register, please click here  and search for barcode #97235.

Supervisor Andersen attended events in Danville and Lafayette to recognize and honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. In the picture on the right, Candace stands with Danville Mayor Mike Doyle , Bill Granados of the Contra Costa County  Fire  Protection District Advisory Commission,  and Mike Conklin from Sentinels of Freedom. The ceremony is hosted by The Exchange Club of the San Ramon Valley and held each year  at the Danville All Wars Memorial Park.

The Lafayette Flag Brigade held it's 14th Annual 9/11  Remembrance and Candlelight Vigil, the Largest Overpass Flag Display in the State. The Lafayette Flag Brigade is the name given to a grassroots association of patriotic individuals who came together on 9-11-01 to fly the stars and stripes. L ocal Blue Star Moms were on hand collecting donations for care packages and postcards to send to the troops abroad. 

Candace stands with Bobby Nelson from Lafayette Boy Scout Troop 243, which presented the colors to open the ceremony.

"Start Smart" is a two-hour driver safety education class given by the California Highway Patrol to new and future teenage drivers and their parents/legal guardians. During the event, Officer John Fransen will discuss collision factors associated with teen drivers, collision avoidance techniques, and driver/parent responsibilities. Warning: the presentation contains extremely graphic images.

Parents MUST attend with their teens. The event is open to the entire San Ramon Valley. For questions or more information, please contact Street Smarts at 925-314-3382 or e-mail by clicking here. Or click here to register for this free event. 

Supervisor Andersen, along with Supervisors Mitchoff and Piepho, and HomeAid Executive Director Cheryl O'Connor, present a Board of Supervisors resolution to Lori and Dave Sanson of DeNovo Homes

On Tuesday, September 15, HomeAid of Northern California along with STAND! For Families Free of Violence, recognized the completion of the upgrade to the Rollie Mullen Shelter.  HomeAid and DeNova Homes partnered with STAND! for Families Free of Violence for the $250,000 remodel of the exterior, call center and landscaping for the center in Central Contra Costa County, so the women and children can live in a healthier and more comfortable environment.  

The Rollie Mullen Shelter provides shelter for up to 40 women and children and includes on-site peer counseling, comprehensive case management, support groups, children's programming, and recreational activities for the family, as well as ongoing workshops on a range of topics relating to financial, parental, and life skills, for up to 2 years. For more information about these organizations who are improving lives in our community, click here for STAND!; and  click here for HomeAid.

• Thinking about hurting or killing yourself
• Looking for ways to kill yourself
• Talking about death, dying, or suicide
• Self-destructive behavior such as drug abuse, weapons, etc.

Gayle Israel, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Andersen, toured the Danville Police station on September 19 as part of the Department's Open House event. Access to all areas of the station is only available to the public at the biennial Open House event. Pictured above with Gayle are Nick Binzoni from the office of Assemblymember Catharine Baker and their tour guide for the event, Volunteer Office Barbara Hubinger.

On Wednesday, October 28 th from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. the Contra Costa Women's Commission in partnership with JFK University's Entrepreneurial Leadership Center will present a dynamic panel discussion on how to become a successful entrepreneur. Five women entrepreneur's from various fields will share their personal insights gained along the way and highlight how they became successful. Panelists include Dina Finta, Associate Director, IEL Programs, Mary Stoddard, President/ co-owner, Lincoln Insurance Services, Vaneese Johnson, Personal Brand Strategist/ Coach, Robin Wirthlin, Independent Business Consultant and Melissa Donald, LDI Growth Partners.  "This panel discussion is a must for any woman considering entrepreneurship because anyone can gain from these experts' advice", said Dr. Julianna Hynes, Commission Chair.

Candace enjoys the festival with Dick Olson  and Judge John Minney

The 17th Annual Moraga Pear & Wine Festival was held on Saturday, September 26th at the Moraga Commons Park. L ive performances were presented by the Lamorinda Arts Council, entertainment with DJ RyanO, wine tasting with the Lamorinda Wine Growers Association, pear pies, jumpies, food, local artist booths, and community booths. Candace enjoyed visiting with the attendees and tasting the Pear Pie!

Contra Costa County's coordinated approach to addressing the devastating impacts of domestic violence, family violence, elder abuse, and human trafficking has been given a financial boost and vote of confidence with the announcement today of two significant federal grants.

United States Attorney General, Loretta Lynch announced $44 million in grant funding for programs across the country that combat human trafficking and support survivors.

Contra Costa County, considered to be among the leaders nationwide in its efforts to end domestic violence and human trafficking, was awarded a $727,364 three year grant so it can build upon its efforts of identifying victims and providing services for children and adults trapped in labor and sex trafficking. Zero Tolerance Chair, Devorah Levine says, "This grant is an endorsement of our accomplishments. It's our responsibility to understand how modern day slavery exists in our community and how to best help victims."

Also announced this week, another $26 million dollars for programs nationwide dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Contra Costa County received a $900,000, three year grant for its programs working with victims and perpetrators. Says Levine, "We are making progress, and an opportunity like this grant, helps catapult our efforts to reach more people." The money will be used to advocate for victims, offer assistance with restraining orders and law enforcement training. Hiring a full time probation officer to monitor 35-40 high risk domestic violence probationers is among the strategies planned to deescalate violence.

"Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence", an initiative of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, is a public/private partnership designed to reduce domestic violence, family violence, elder abuse and human trafficking in Contra Costa County. Authorized by the California Legislature as the first Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence County in the State, the initiative is aligning policies, practices and protocols, coordinating services, and creating a climate where violence and abuse are not tolerated.  For more information about Contra Costa County Zero Tolerance Initiative, click here .

Chevron launched its Fuel Your School program on September 1 in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Eligible teachers have begun submitting requests for a chance to receive funding.  In total, up to $8.8 million will be generated to support local public school teachers and students in the U.S. this fall, with a similar program in Canada.  Check out the Fuel Your School website by clicking here .

Join the family fun on Saturday, October 24 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00p.m. at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, Community Hall. The Festival has five well known authors & illustrators. Michael Slack, a Lafayette resident, is an artist, illustrator and author, and the designer of the festival poster. Also attending will be Gennifer Choldenko, author of Chasing Secrets; authors and illustrators Elisa Kleven, Jordan Jacobs, and Thacher Hurd.  Books will be available courtesy of the Storyteller bookstore.  Space is limited, registration is recommended. Register now by  clicking here .

The Valley Children's Museum's mission is to spark the adventure of life-long learning for children and their grown-ups. The museum directly addresses the need for play-based educational programs in our region. 

The Dublin City Council voted in 2006 to include Valley Children's Museum in its Camp Parks development. The Museum is slated to be an integral part of a 46-acre parcel designated for recreational and civic facilities area within the 187-acre Camp Parks project, with frontage property running along Dublin Boulevard and easy access to the Dublin BART station and the 580/680 corridor. Up to 2 ½ acres is dedicated to the children's museum.

In the meantime, the Valley Children's Museum's mobile museum is available every third Saturday  from 11am 'til 3pm at Emerald Glen Park, and is open to the public in conjunction with Dublin's Farmers Market at Emerald Glen Park on Thursday evenings. The exhibit in the park is open for touring and hands-on activities for children.  If you are interested in supporting Valley Children's Museum to move closer to its vision of establishing a children's discovery facility and to continue to provide hands-on, play-based education opportunities for Bay Area Children, you can click here for more information.

If you are looking for an opportunity to share your time and talents or are looking for a way to participate in County Government, a list of available County volunteer opportunities follows.

District 2 vacancies available:

 

* 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

* Iron Horse Corridor Management Program 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:

• Aging, Advisory Council on
• Agricultural Task Force Committee
• Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Board
• Airport Land Use Commission
• Bicycle Committee, Countywide
• Developmental Disabilities Area Board
• Early Care & Education, CCC Local Planning Advisory Council 
• East Bay Regional Park District ­ Advisory Committee
• Economic Opportunity Council
• Equal Employment Opportunity, Advisory Council on 
• Homelessness Advisory Board
• Managed Care Commission
• Women,Contra Costa Commission for
• Workforce Development Board

To apply for any of these seats, click here.  Or you may contact Jill Ray, (925) 957-8860 or email by  clicking 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 September which impact the residents of District 2:    

Supported the Contra Costa Zero: 2016 Campaign to End Veteran and Chronic Homelessness.

 

Accepted a report on the Contra Costa Transportation Authority's development of a Transportation Expenditure Plan and potential sales tax ballot measure and agreed to bring back a discussion in October to determine whether a sales tax might be put on the ballot.

Considered claim for property tax refund filed on behalf of Lafayette Christian Church, with the hearing continued until October 13.

 

Adjourned in Memory of Nancy Cardinalli Fahden, former Contra Costa County Supervisor, District II and Ann Miller Denny,  Lafayette resident.

 

Approved the Las Trampas Creek Repair at Boulevard Way Bridge Project and related actions under the California Environmental Quality Act, Walnut Creek.

 

Terminated/Abandoned a portion of an Offer of Dedication for a Landscape Maintenance Easement over a portion of a parcel along Lilac Ridge Road in San Ramon-Dougherty Valley.

 

Accepted as complete the work performed by Hess Concrete Construction Co., Inc., for the Miranda Avenue Sidewalk Improvements Project.

 

Recognized the Month of September as National Recovery Month in Contra Costa County.

 

Declared September 2015 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Contra Costa County.

 

Recognized the partnership between DeNova Homes and HomeAid of Northern California, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen.

 

Approved/Authorized the District Attorney to submit an application and execute a grant award agreement with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Criminal Justice/Emergency Management Victim Services Branch, for funding of the Victim/Witness Assistance program.

 

Approved/Authorized application for and acceptance of funding from the California State Arts Council for the Veterans Initiative in the Arts program.

 

Approved/Authorized application for and execution of a grant award agreement with the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Program for the "Provide Immunization Services to the General Public".

 

Approved/Authorized a contract amendment with the City of Walnut Creek to extend the term from June 30, 2015 through June 30, 2016, for the administration of the Housing Rehabilitation Loan and Grant Program.

 

Approved/Authorized application and, if awarded, execution of a grant agreement with the State of California, California Arts Council to provide advocacy for the advancement of the arts in Contra Costa County.

 

Approved/Authorized a contract amendment with Circlepoint for the environmental review of the proposed Ball Estates Subdivision in Alamo.

 

Approved/Authorized a contract with Consumer Self-Help Center to provide a Patients' Rights Program.

 

Approved/Authorized a contract with SHELTER, Inc. to provide housing services for the AB 109 Reentry Program.

 

Approved the bid documents, including the contract General Conditions, Technical Specifications, and Construction Task Catalog for future repair and remodeling projects at various County facilities.

 

Approved amendments to the Conflict of Interest Code for Acalanes Union High School District.

 

Approved the list of providers recommended by the Contra Costa Health Plan's Peer Review and Credentialing Committee and by the Health Services Director, as required by the State Departments of Health Care Services and Managed Health Care, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

 

Recognized September 2015 as Suicide Prevention Month.

 

Considered approval of new and modified conditions of approval for the Keller Canyon Landfill land use permit, Made related California Environmental Quality Act findings, and Directed Department of Conservation and Development staff to schedule the next permit review before the County Planning Commission in one year.

 

On a 4-1 vote, Approved/Authorized the Health Services Director to establish a Contra Costa CARES program in cooperation with the Contra Costa Community Clinic Consortium and local hospitals for the purpose of providing primary health care services to adults not covered by the Affordable Care Act, and allocating $500,000 from the County General Fund for community clinic services contingent on final approval by local hospitals of their contribution of $500,000 to this program.  Although Supervisor Andersen recognizes the important role the County plays in providing care for the indigent and poor, she opposed this action because it relies upon one time money, it draws from the General Fund, it was not shown to her satisfaction how it could be funded in the future as a sustainable plan, and there was no plan to measure whether providing preventative care would keep these individuals out of more expensive emergency rooms. 

Approved/Authorized the Health Services Director to execute a contract with Medical Solutions, Inc. (dba Nurse Bridge Consultants), in an amount not to exceed $3,700,000, for the provision of replacement registered nurses should the County nurses go on strike.

 

Prohibited parking at all times on a portion of the north and south sides of Cervato Drive, west of the center line of Danville Boulevard, Alamo.

 

Approved the third extension of the Subdivision Agreement for a project by Shapell Homes, Danville.

 

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

 

Approved the third extension of the Road Improvement Agreement for a project by Shapell Homes, Danville.

 

Approved the Final Map and Subdivision Agreement for a project by Shapell Homes, Danville.

 

Congratulated the East Bay Economic Development Alliance for its 25 years of service to the East Bay region, as recommended by Supervisor Andersen.

 

Honored Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, Inc., on its 25th Anniversary.

 

Approved/Authorized a contract from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services for the County's Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Initiative Program.

 

Approved/Authorized a contract with the City of San Ramon to pay County to provide home-delivered and congregate meal services for County's Senior Nutrition Program.

 

Approved/Authorized a contract with Golden Rain Foundation of Walnut Creek to pay County to provide congregate meal services for County's Senior Nutrition Program.