District 2 Newsletter - March 8, 2012

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Release date:
March 8, 2012

In This Issue

  • A Friendly Reminder 
  • African-American History Month
  • Free Citizenship Workshop
  • Military Family Egg Hunt  
  • Sustainable Communities Strategy Workshop
  • Bemis Closure
  • Going Green Business Assistance Program
  • Youth Enrichment Services
  • Youth Corner
  • Voter Profile
  • Road Closure

 
 
County Office
1221 Oak Street, Suite 536
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 272-6692
District Office
24301 Southland Dr, Suite 101
Hayward, CA 94545
Phone: (510) 259-1097
Using public transit. Click here for the 511.org Trip Planner.
For more information, visit the District 2 website at acgov.org/board/district2/.

Don't forget...

This Sunday, Daylight Savings begins. So, be sure to set your clock one hour forward before going to bed on Saturday night.
  Spring Forward
 
-A friendly reminder from the District 2 office-
 

African-American History Month

Family Bible Fellowship  
 
Throughout the month of February there were numerous events to recognize and highlight the contributions of African-Americans throughout United States history.  The Alameda County Board of Supervisors proclaimed February Black History Month and school districts across the county promoted and utilized curriculum that focused on this history.
   
In Newark, the Family Bible Fellowship helped highlight the accomplishments, struggles, and history of African-Americans.  For the entire month the church opened its doors every Sunday for the all in the community to participate in interactive exhibits, games, and discussions.  This African-American History Month program, “A Walking Tour – From Slave Ships to the White House,” was truly inspiring.   Over 500 participants were treated to many insightful exhibits and a visit from 93 year old Captain Leslie Williams, one of the few surviving Tuskegee Airmen.  
 
 

Free Citizenship Workshop

In an effort to help through the process of becoming a citizen of the United States, the East Bay Naturalization Collaborative will host a free citizenship workshop.
  API & Centro Legal
Date: Saturday, March 17, 2012
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Chabot Community College
25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward
Building 700 South (Parking Lot G)
 
Attorneys will help eligible applicants complete the application form.  To attend this workshop you must call one of the numbers below to register.  For more information or to register, contact:
 
  • API Legal Outreach 510-251-2846 (for Chinese and other Asian Pacific Islander Languages)
  • Centro Legal 510-437-1554 (for Spanish)
 
For more information on the FREE Citizenship Workshop CLICK HERE 
Para obtener más información sobre el Taller Gratituito De La Ciudadania HAGA CLIC AQUÍ 
  

Military Family Egg Hunt

Alameda County Blue Star Moms  
   
Join Alameda County Blue Star Moms for a Military Family Day Eggs-travaganza!
   
Location: Irvington Park, 41885 Blacow Road, Fremont
Date: Saturday, March 31, 2012
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Egg hunt for military dependents aged 0-12 years
 
Come for food, games, face painting, family information, baked goods and lots of fun!
 
Register online at www.alamedacountybluestarmoms.org on the events page. Registration is required and due by March 25.
   
For event & booth information call Julie at (510) 938-5695 or Charlene at (510) 818-0344
 

Sustainable Communities Strategy Workshop

Since early last year District 2, along with District 1 and regional agencies, hosted workshops to discuss the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS).   California Senate Bill 375 established the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through development of a regional SCS, which integrates transportation and land-use planning. 
  Sustainable Communities Strategy
 
This state mandate will have far-reaching effects on local and regional land-use planning.  The past workshops highlighted the need to engage local elected officials and other stakeholders in the planning effort for Alameda County and the 9-county Bay Area region. 
  
 On Saturday, March 31, 2012, please join us from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Niles Veteran’s Hall for a Districts 1 and 2 SCS Workshop. The hall is located at 37154 Second Street in Fremont.  This workshop is an opportunity for you to become familiar with these new policies as well as the next steps in this regional planning process. 
  
For more information on the development of these policies, visit: http://www.acgov.org/board/district2/sustainstrategy.htm 
 

Bemis Closure

ACWIB  
On January 3, 2012, Alameda County Workforce Investment Board (ACWIB) received a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) from Bemis Flexible Packaging notifying ACWIB of a
plant closure in Newark.  The plant closure is expected to be complete on, or about, May 31, 2012.  In response to the notification, the ACWIB Rapid Response Team immediately contacted and met with the plant’s Human Resource Manager.
 
ACWIB is coordinating with Bemis and Teamsters, District Council No.2 to provide career transition services, stress counseling support, COBRA, unemployment information and other resources to a total of 123 workers at the plant.  Due to the terminations expected to occur between March 3 and May 31, 2012, the Rapid Response will hold 5 orientations over the next couple weeks with about 78 employees attending.   
 
ACWIB staff assisted in filing a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) petition.  The plant closure is a result of foreign trade.  Loss of other customers to foreign competitors resulted in redistribution of business within the organization, which ultimately impacted the Newark facility.  TAA petition has been filed with the Department of Labor and is under review and if it is approved it will provide expanded services and training resources for the impacted employees.  ACWIB staff will continue to follow the transition, TAA petition, and provide assistance where needed.
 
For further information, contact Huong Tran, Rapid Response Coordinator at (510) 259-3828, hutran@acogov.org or Roy Bertuccelli, Program Financial Specialist at (510) 259-3833, rbertuccelli@acgov.org.
 

Going Green Business Assistance Program

Cash & Assistance for Going Green on your Building Upgrade 
 
Businesses that own or occupy small commercial facilities in Alameda County are eligible to participate in a ‘green’ materials rebate program for building upgrades. Administered by StopWaste.Org, the Small Commercial Green Materials Rebate Program offers cash incentives for purchasing recycled content products in conjunction with other green building upgrades.
  Green Businesses
 
Eligibility Checklist:  
 
To be eligible, project must have the following characteristics:
 
  • Be a tenant/owner who occupies commercial space in Alameda County
  • The upgrade scope of work is 10,000 square feet or less
  • In addition to new finishes, upgrades include energy efficiency, water conservation, or other comprehensive green upgrades
  • Work associated with the materials rebate has not been completed prior to enrollment
    
Rebates are available for the following recycled-content materials: 
 
  • Carpet
  • Ceiling tiles
  • Ceramic tile
  • Recycled paint for exteriors
  • Building insulation
  • Salvaged materials
  • Recycled content aggregate
 
 

Youth Enrichment Services

Hayward Adult School  
The Employment Plus Program II/Youth Enrichment Services program is operated by the Transition-to-Work Department at HUSD/Hayward Adult School. The
EPP II/YES program provides a system of training, education, career development, and employment services to eligible youth between the ages of 16-21 in the Eden Area and Eden Unincorporated Areas of Alameda County. 
 
The communities served include Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Fairview, Ashland and Cherryland.
 
The EPP II/YES program is now accepting applications.  Visit the EPP II/YES website for more information or call (510) 293-8595 x5430.
 

Youth Corner

 
This section of our newsletter is dedicated to highlighting youth and programs that help youth thrive in District Two.  This editions newsletter features the efforts of Martin Medina.
  Martin Medina
 
Martin began his journey with Employment Plus II Program in June 2009, while in high school.  He participated in a summer internship at Mad Science of the Bay Area, assembling miniature robots for the amusement of elementary school youngsters.  Graduating and earning his high school diploma in June 2010, Martin stood on the cusp of realizing his potential and ability to succeed-something that was never taught nor encouraged in his family.
    
He began preparing for another summer internship, this time working at the Eden Computer Clubhouse in Hayward in 2010.  Martin worked with elementary and middle school children, teaching computer skills and introducing basic personal computer technology.
  
Utilizing his experience with the two summer internships, Martin chose to enroll at the Hayward Construction Craft Training Center (CCTC) in January 2011.  He worked through this 6 month intensive electrical apprenticeship program and earned his certificate of completion in July.  Having completed the CCTC apprenticeship program he found employment working for the Hayward Electric Company. 
   
Congratulations Martin, for your achievements and perseverance!
 

Voter Profile

Rock the Vote  
The Alameda County Registrar of Voters has launched a new online Voter Profile  feature that allows registered voters in the county to review many aspects of their voter registration.  This feature is believed to be the first of its kind in the state. 
 
You can review which districts you are eligible to vote in, sample ballots, and other voter information.  To view your profile CLICK HERE and begin by selecting a language
 

Road Closure

   
Construction Advisory from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s Calaveras Dam Replacement Project:
  Road Closure
 
Calaveras Road, in unincorporated county areas in the Sunol Valley -- south of Highway 680 and north of Milpitas -- will be CLOSED to vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic between Geary Road to the Alameda / Santa Clara County boundary beginning April 9, 2012 through June 8, 2012, Monday through Friday.
 
Calaveras Road will be open on weekends, Saturday at 6:00 a.m. through midnight on Sunday.  Access to the East Bay Regional Park District’s Sunol Regional Wilderness will remain open from the north at all times and from the south on weekends.
 
Questions call (866) 973-1476 mle@sfwater.org
 
To stay in touch with the construction project please visit www.sfwater.org/sunolvalley.