Wednesday Weekly: Events & Community Announcements - October 28, 2020

Alameda County, California sent this bulletin at 10/28/2020 09:30 AM PDT

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Wednesday Weekly

Your weekly source for upcoming events and community announcements in and around District 5

District 5 of Alameda County includes Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and parts of Oakland.

October 28, 2020

Shelter in Place Order for Alameda County

On October 13, 2020. the State announced that Alameda County entered the Orange Tier of the color-coded four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The decreased case and positivity rates required to move tiers is the direct result of Alameda County’s residents and businesses following the Health Officer Orders and safety guidance.

To make further progress through the tiers, we all must continue to take actions to limit the spread of COVID-19: wear face coverings when you leave home, limit mixing with people outside of your household and stay six feet away from each other when you do, wash hands frequently, and stay home when sick.

Case rates, testing positivity and hospitalizations are stable, allowing Alameda County to continue moving at a measured pace to open or expand activities permitted under the Red Tier and some activities that are permitted under the Orange Tier. The following activities may start as soon as Friday, October 23:

Indoor family entertainment centers may open activities that are naturally socially distanced, like bowling alleys and climbing walls, up to 25% capacity
Indoor dining up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less
Indoor worship services up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less
Indoor movie theaters up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people per screen, whichever is less
Expansion of indoor retail and malls up to 50% of capacity and permitting limited food courts
Expansion of indoor gyms and fitness centers up to 25% of capacity, but indoor pools are not permitted to open
Expansion of outdoor non-contact fitness classes up to 20 people including the instructor
Expansion of wedding and funeral services up to 25% of venue capacity or 100 people, whichever is less

Businesses must implement and residents must comply with important COVID-19 safety measures. COVID-19 protocols and guidance are available at https://covid-19.acgov.org/recovery.page. For technical assistance, please contact COVIDRecovery@acgov.org.

For the full list of activities that are currently open and not open in Alameda County, visit https://covid-19.acgov.org/sip.page.

Alameda County will also align with the State’s recently released guidance on gatherings. Gatherings of a stable group of no more than three households replaces the County’s Social Bubble and includes a limit of no more than 20 people. Face coverings must be worn except when eating or drinking, gatherings should occur outdoors, and people who do not live in the same home should keep at least 6 feet of distance from each other. While singing or playing instruments is permitted, the singer or musician must be a member of one of the three households.

As more activities are permitted locally, there may be added risk of increased COVID-19 transmission.

Alameda County moves at a more measured pace than the State in order to avoid a sharp rise in cases. Case rates are rising across the country and we continue to monitor the impact of activities that were previously permitted locally. With flu season nearly here, we must be vigilant and not move so quickly as to initiate a surge in cases that could result in hospitalizations and deaths.

READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE
READ THE UPDATED ORDER

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Please check back on the Alameda County Public Health Department's dedicated COVID-10 website for updates and clarifications: acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx

For general inquiries, please email ncov@acgov.org or call (510) 268-2101.

If you would like to report a "non-essential" business operating during the Shelter-in-Place Order, please email COVID19compliance@acgov.org.

Click here for downloadable flyers and posters, available in multiple languages.

Alameda County Launches

Free COVID-19 Testing in Oakland

Alameda County and Alameda Health System have launched a new COVID-19 testing site at the Henry J. Kaiser Center (10 10th Street), in Oakland. You do not need a doctor’s note or insurance and you will not be asked about immigration status.

Any adult can receive a test on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM.
Essential workers will be prioritized for appointments from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Children, two and older, can be tested on Saturdays.

Appointments can be made at ac.fulgentgenetics.com

Read the full announcement HERE.

District 5 COVID-19 Resource Guide

Supervisor Carson's office has put together a COVID-19 Resource Guide for District to help centralize the information and resources you need to know about the COVID-19 Pandemic. It will be updated regularly, so be sure to check back often.

https://covid19district5.wordpress.com/

The site is organized into categories so you can get connected to resources specific to you (i.e.: Testing, Financial Help, Food Assistance, Faith Community, Seniors, etc)

COVID-safe Halloween &

Día de Los Muertos Celebrations

Bay Area health officials remind residents that many commonly celebrated Halloween and Día de Los Muertos activities carry high risk for spreading COVID-19. Focusing on decorations, limiting activities to the people you live with, and virtual costume parties or contests will help keep our communities safe this season, especially our children.

Together, we all need to do as much as we can to protect ourselves and those around us.

Read on for tips and suggested COVID-safe activities HERE.

Face Coverings Required at All Times

Face coverings must be worn at all times by all members of the public, including outdoors while engaged in physical activities (walking, running, biking, etc.) and within 30 feet of people outside of their household.

Children aged 12 and younger are not required to wear a face covering, and any child two years old or younger should not wear a face covering. The County Order does not apply if a person is only with members of their own household and does not expect to come into contact with a member of the public. A person engaged in walking, hiking, bicycling, running, and other physical activities is not required to wear a face covering during the entire duration of their activity, but that person must carry a face covering that is easy to access so they can wear it once they are within 30 feet of other people.

Click here to read the Order.

Fight the Flu - Get Vaccinated Now!

Health officials from across the Bay Area are asking the public to fight the flu by getting the annual vaccination for influenza right now.

Each winter, people sick with flu crowd hospitals and urgent care clinics, resources that may be strained due to COVID-19. Early and timely flu shots can prevent a disease that hospitalizes 200,000 Americans every year.

It is important to get a new flu vaccine each year. The flu vaccine offers protection for man months, but not forever. Also, the strains of influenza circulating in the community change over time, and the current vaccine offers protection against those strains.

To keep yourself and your family out of the hospital, doctors recommend an annual flu shot for everyone age 6 months or older. The flu shot is a safe, effective way to reduce your chance of missing work or ending up in the hospital due to severe flu. Symptoms of the flu can be similar to early symptoms of COVID-19, meaning that this year, people with flu symptoms may require a COVID-19 test and may need to stay home from work and isolate away from their families
while awaiting results.

Read the Joint Statement of Bay Area Health Officers

For more information about flu, visit https://acphd.org/flu/.

Find more locations near you that offer flu vaccine using the Vaccine Finder.

Great Plates Delivered Extended!

The Alameda County Social Services Agency is excited about the opportunity to support our community through the Great Plates Delivered program. This food delivery program is designed to provide meals to Alameda County adults* age 65 and older and adults age 60-64 who are at high-risk, as defined by the CDC and who are unable to access meals while staying at home and are ineligible for other nutrition programs.

APPLY HERE

Program Extended: The Great Plates Delivered program has been approved for extension through November 8, 2020. Any extensions of the program beyond that date are handled by the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

*Individuals residing in Oakland will be referred to the City of Oakland Great Plates Program.

COVID-19 Food Distribution & Services Map

The Alameda County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Care & Shelter Branch, in close coordination with Alameda County Community Food Bank, 211, and individual cities, have developed a countywide interactive map that includes food distribution sites and other essential services which are currently open under the COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place Order.

The map will be updated regularly and remain active for the duration of the Shelter-In-Place Order.

Click here to view the map.

California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

The State of California has created a dedicated website for COVID-19. Here, you can learn about the Statewide Order to Shelter-at-Home, the latest virus statistics, state resources available for impacted individuals and businesses (including how to apply for Unemployment and State Disability), and how you can best protect yourself and your community. You can also find an extensive social media toolkit to help share vital information with your local networks.

Visit:
https://covid19.ca.gov/

Dedicated COVID-19 Websites for District 5 Cities

District 5 cities have set up their own websites with relevant information, resources, and updates regarding COVID-19. Whether you want to know about what essential services will remain open, if parking rules will be enforced, or how you can help support your neighbors and local businesses in need of assistance, be sure to check back regularly on these websites for the most up-to-date information:

City of Albany
https://bit.ly/2wDbofF

City of Berkeley
https://bit.ly/2xptQsk

City of Emeryville
https://bit.ly/2UdCDpY

City of Oakland
https://bit.ly/2JernUc

City of Piedmont
https://bit.ly/2QYmLWD

The next regular Board of Supervisors meeting is on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 beginning at 11:00 AM.

Visit the Board of Supervisors' website to access the agenda: http://acgov.org/board/

While in-person participation is limited to essential personnel, the Board of Supervisors is committed to providing the public with live broadcast and remote opportunities to participate in public comment during the Shelter in Place order.

Click here for public participation guidelines.

Procedures for Board of Supervisors meetings are subject to change. Please check back on the the Board of Supervisors' website for the most up-to-date guidelines.

Ways to Vote in the 2020 General Election

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of California has ordered the November 3, 2020, General Election to be conducted as an all-mail ballot election. All registered voters in California will receive a vote-by-mail ballot in the mail before the election. Here are the options available to cast your vote:

U.S. Mail: Send your completed, sealed, and signed ballot in the mail. As always, It is easy, safe, and secure. Your ballot must be postmarked by November 3, 2020. However, the sooner you can mail it back, the better.

Don't want to send your ballot through the mail? The Registrar of Voters is expanding 24-Hour Drop Box locations to 66 to support the General Election. You can drop your ballot anytime between now and Election Day. Click here for locations.

Ballot Drop Stop: Drive through and drop off your completed ballot at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612.

Hours

Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
October 5, 2020 - October 30, 2020

Weekend before the Election
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 31 & Sunday, November 1, 2020

Election Day
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The Ballot Drop Stop will also be making stops in cities throughout Alameda County up through Election Day. Find the schedule here.

Vote in Person: Although traditional polling places will not be available this year, if you prefer to vote in person, you sill have options.

Early Voting: October 5 - November 3, 2020: Available at the Registrar of Voters office, Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612. Click here for hours.

Accessible Voting Locations: In-person voting locations will be available throughout Alameda County October 31, 2020 - November 3, 2020.

Visit acgov.org/rovapps/maps/avl/ to find a site closest to you.

If you do vote in person, be sure to bring the ballot you received in the mail with you. If you don't, you can still vote, but you will have to cast a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots don't get counted right away, because they have to go through an additional review.

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MISSED THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE?

Same Day Voter Registration, known as Conditional Voter Registration in state law, is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for an election.

Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process to register and vote at their county elections office or accessible voting location. Their ballots will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.

Visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov for a list of early voting locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration Process.

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Everyone who is eligible to vote should be able to free of intimidation or suppression, and should not be denied access due to language or disability.

Access the California Voter Bill of Rights in multiple languages HERE..

If you believe you have been denied your rights, or you are aware of any election fraud or misconduct, please call the California Secretary of State's confidential toll-free Voter Hotline:

(800) 345-VOTE (8683)

Where is My Ballot?

Now more than ever, it is important to make sure every vote is received and counted in the 2020 General Election. You can check the status of your ballot anytime - from the time it is mailed to you until your completed ballot is received by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

Track your ballot at california.ballottrax.net/voter

No More Tears - "Outside the Walls"

Virtual Conversation Series

No More Tears (NMT) is a violence and crime-prevention program co-founded by Lonnie Morris and Mick Gardner that has been operating inside San Quentin State Prison for over 18 years. Our workshops have taken place entirely on prison grounds facilitated by incarcerated men and outside volunteers—until now.

Join No More Tears for the third event in our “Outside the Walls” virtual conversation series!

Thursday, October 29, 2020
6:00 - 7:30 PM

TOPIC
Intergenerational Trauma: Rippling Effects of
Substance Abuse on Relationships

This panel will be moderated by NMT’s own Ricky Gaines. Ricky is a recently returned citizen, entrepreneur, author, publisher, and case manager.

Our Panelists will include:

Donald Frazier - Frazier has worked in the non-profit management sector for 27 years, with considerable experience in strategic business and program development. He has forged collaborative and collegial working relationships in the innovative development of projects in health care, reentry, and workforce development

Joe Mason - Returning Citizen and NMT Alum, Mason has been clean and sober for over 22 years after a history of substance abuse. He is currently working full time for Alameda County Probation as a community outreach worker.

Karen Saura, M.Ed. - founder of Mindful Rhythms, a trauma-informed training program developed in response to her work with justice-impacted and at-risk populations.

REGISTER HERE

Día de los Muertos Virtual Festival

For 25 years, the annual Fruitvale Día de los Muertos Festival has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors to the vibrant, culturally-rich Fruitvale neighborhood for a free, outdoor, family-friendly event taking place to commemorate the Mexican traditions around the Día de los Muertos. Festival attendees enjoy world-class live music, family-friendly games, rides and activities, traditional Latin American artisans, and the stunning altares created by community members paying homage to los Muertos.

2020 is a year like no other. While we are devastated that we cannot come together in person, we are excited to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of this incredible cultural event together online.

Explore the DiaOakland.com to learn about the history of this event. Watch a powerful video series, the Real Fruitvale, where we tell the story of Fruitvale as a place of creativity, resilience, and Black & Latinx unity. Shop at our Muertos Mercadito, where you can support small vendors and pick up your favorite Dìa de los Muertos artesania; learn how to bring the traditional arts and crafts of Día into your home through our social media #DIYDia video series; and order your 25th Anniversary yard sign featuring the art of Favianna Rodriguez to bring the festival home, wherever you live.

Safe and Affordable Banking

Join First 5 Alameda County for an online training on Safe and Affordable Banking.

Friday, November 6, 2020
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

PRESENTER
Joe Jaramillo, Sr. Attorney
Housing and Economic Rights Advocates

This online training will focus on basic budgeting techniques, the legal consequences of missing or delaying payments to creditors, important considerations when opening a bank account, and legal rights around overdraft fees. We will also discuss how to avoid common debt traps, how to identify predatory lending “red flags," how to evaluate loans/credit offers, how to build credit and correct errors on a credit report, and options to deal with debt and credit options in the face of pandemic-related financial hardships

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Providers from diverse disciplines serving children 0-5 and their families, parents, caregivers, and anyone who would like to know more about banking, debt, and credit.

REGISTER HERE

Tempo Line 1T Fares Start November 9

AC Transit launched Tempo Line 1T service on August 9, with free rides for the first 90 days after the start of service through the first week of November. On November 9, Tempo Line 1T will start collecting fares.

Here is what you need to know:

The cost to ride Tempo is the same as AC Transit local fares
Tempo riders must pay before boarding
Proof of payment is required to ride
Riders who fail to show proof of payment may receive a citation

There are several ways to pay fares on Tempo. Riders can tag their Clipper card or purchase a paper ticket at the station before boarding. Riders can also use any active AC Transit pass as a form of payment for Line 1T.

Line 1T riders are required to have proof of payment while on board. Be prepared to show a valid ticket, pass, or Clipper card to fare inspectors if asked. Failure to show proof of payment may result in a citation.

For more information about Tempo fares, using the ticket vending machine, and fare compliance, visit actransit.org/Tempo or call (510) 891-4777.

African American Alzheimer’s Forum -

Caregiving From The Heart

African Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s than other population groups. The Alzheimer’s Association will host the annual African American Alzheimer’s Forum online with dial in options available.

Saturday November 14, 2020
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Registrants will listen to three dynamic speakers discussing topics that are most relevant to African American caregivers and families impacted by a loved one’s Alzheimer’s or other dementia diagnosis.

Topics:

Diversity: An Important Frontier for Alzheimer's and All Dementia Research
Caregiving and Community: Let's Work Together
Five Things Every Black Family Needs To Know

In partnership with AARP, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Alameda County Area Agency on Aging, Center for Elders’ Independence, Solano Public Health, and Alpha Nu Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

For more information, call (925) 444-0474.

REGISTER HERE