  Season’s Greetings,
We’ve been through a lot this year. As we move forward to experience this holiday season in a safe way with family, let us be reminded of what we have to be thankful for. I’m thankful for my family, our health, the many frontline and essential workers who have continued to provide vital services to all of us, and every one of you who have sacrificed so much this year to help protect the most vulnerable among us.
As we approach the end of the year, I want to share with you a portion of the uplifting lyrics of You’ll Never Walk Alone – a song written by Rodgers and Hammerstein for their 1945 Broadway musical Carousel and popularized by a 1960s British band.
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of a storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
Although this year has been challenging and we face more challenges ahead, District 2 stands with you. We remain hopeful for brighter days ahead. We will walk with you on that journey to recover from this pandemic and build a brighter future. You’ll never walk alone. I wish you health, strength, peace, and absolute happiness this holiday season.
Sincerely,
Richard Valle
Mental Health awareness has been one of my top priorities as Supervisor. This year has been a tremendous burden on our mental health with the pandemic, elections, wildfires, and social justice movements happening throughout the year, I know we all have a lot on our minds.
For this reason, we decided to make this 3-part Mental Health video series to share information and resources that will help us all take care of our minds and mental health. While the series will be helpful for everyone, we wanted to focus on our youth, who may feel isolated from their peers during shelter in place.
Thank you to Maria Amaya, a Hayward youth who shared her poem, Dr. Nicholas Moss, Alameda County’s Health Officer, and Dr. Karyn Tribble, Director of Alameda County’s Behavioral Health Department for sharing your knowledge and resources. Please watch our first episode here and enjoy the show! |
 With news of vaccines receiving emergency authorization, shipping, and the first doses being delivered this week in the United States we want to update you on Alameda County's roll out of the vaccine as well as some of the science behind the two front-runner vaccines.
COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed per a framework determined by federal health agencies and adopted by the California Department of Public Health. The vaccine is VOLUNTARY for everyone and this initial framework uses a phased approach. The first shipment of vaccine will be received this month and will be the Pfizer vaccine. We expect to also receive the Moderna vaccine. That will follow by about a week.
PHASE 1a
COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to the following persons in California first:
- Populations that are Acute Hospital health care workers (including first responders) and Long Term Care Facility residents.
- Persons at risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through their work in any role in direct health care or long-term care settings, including:
- Persons at direct risk of exposure in their non-clinical roles, such as environmental services, patient transport or interpretation, etc.
- As of 12/2--federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) added for inclusion in Phase 1a, residents of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and similar settings for older or medically vulnerable individuals.
 The County has begun the COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution Planning. The Health Care Services Agency’s Multidisciplinary COVax Team has 3 focus areas:
-
Community Advisory Group
- Equity lens
- Stakeholder process to engage and inform residents and community partners
- Seeking input on vaccine prioritization within approved framework, trust building, messaging and managing misinformation
-
Health Care Delivery System
- Coordinating clinical providers (hospitals, community clinics, private practice) to ensure broad access
- Collaborative process to support countywide prioritization and equity strategies
-
Immunization Logistics
- Liaison to State’s Immunization team
- Monitoring cold chain and capacity
- Planning community-based Points of Dispensation (PODs) during mass vaccination phase
- Ongoing data and progress monitoring
Additionally, the Communications, Data, & Health Equity teams work in close partnership with COVax team. The COVax team will coordinate with each city in the County in all three focus areas. The Community Advisory Group meetings will be public meetings accessible through a webinar format. For more information on COVID-19 vaccine in Alameda County visit: https://covid-19.acgov.org/vaccines.
To learn more about the science behind the front runner vaccines consider checking out these useful resources:
 District 2 would like to recognize and thank the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce for their generous donation of 5,000 masks for distribution amongst our communities. Alongside social distancing, masks have been proven to be one of our best tools in preventing the spread of COVID-19. With this donation, we will be able to protect vulnerable members of our district and keep people safe and healthy through the holidays. Thank you, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, for your support during these challenging times.
If you are a CBO interested in helping distribute these masks within our district, please contact our office at district2@acgov.org for further information and instruction.
Caltrans is scheduled to begin construction in spring 2021 on the State Route 84 Expressway widening from South of Ruby Hill Drive to I-680 and SR-84/I-680 Interchange Improvements in Alameda County.
As identified in the approved Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) for the project, trees will need to be removed to accommodate the construction
of the project.
Early tree removal began in mid-November and is estimated to be completed by February 2021, barring weather and other unforeseen circumstances. At times during the work, one or more lanes of traffic may be closed. In such cases, signs and flaggers will be on hand to direct traffic. Motorists can expect 10 to 15 minute traffic delays during the tree removal operation.
You are invited to obtain more information on the project here.
|
The Alameda County Fire Prevention Office is pleased to announce the ability to accept and conduct fire protection system plan and DSA site reviews electronically. The building and planning departments are also able to route their reviews electronically to staff now.
For reviews that come directly to the Fire Department. Please note the process for submitting is as follows. For the fire department to receive, process, and conduct a fire protection system electronic plan review, submittals need be to be in one file. The file shall contain all necessary documentation including but not limited to; the Alameda County Fire plan submittal application (click here to download pdf), completed plans, all specification sheets, calculations, and any pertinent supporting documentation related to the plans. This file shall be in PDF form and not sent as a “Zip” file. Plans shall be scaled, and notation of the scale needs to be located on the submitted plans.
To submit fire protection system plans electronically please email the submittal package to CountyFPplanchecks@acgov.org, place the address of the project in the subject line. Again, this is only for fire protection systems and DSA site reviews. Maximum file size is 150Mb, for files larger than this please contact us for additional directions. If you have building or planning department submittals, they must be submitted to those agencies. Please contact the appropriate agency for information on how to submit and they will
route to ACFD.
Please be aware that submittals missing any of the required documentation/information or sent in multiple pages will not be processed. They will be deleted if contact information was not provided. An email will be sent to the applicant who have provided an address advising of the incomplete submittal.
Please feel free to contact Alameda County Fire Department staff at 925-833-3473 ext. 1162 if you have any questions. Staff will be happy to assist you.
|
 Notice of Availability
Valley Link Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
How to Submit Comments
The comment period for the Valley Link Project DEIR is December 2, 2020 to January 21, 2021. Comments on the DEIR must be received by January 21, 2021 at 5:00 PM. Please note that you do not need to attend one of the open houses to comment on the DEIR. Comments may be made by regular mail or email.
Please send comments submitted in writing to:
Email: drafteircomments@valleylinkrail.com
Mail: Tri-Valley San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority
Attn: Valley Link Draft EIR
1362 Rutan Court Ste 100
Livermore, CA 94551
About the Project
The Tri-Valley – San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority (Authority), acting as lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Valley Link project (Project). The Authority proposes to establish a new 7-station passenger rail service along a 42-mile corridor between the existing Dublin/Pleasanton Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Station and the approved Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) North Lathrop Station, which is included in the ACE Extension Lathrop to Ceres/Merced Project. The full Notice of Availability (NOA) and the DEIR provide a full description of the Project and can be viewed online at www.valleylinkrail.com/environmental-ceqa.
The Authority has prepared a DEIR that provides an environmental evaluation of potential impacts and mitigation measures. This DEIR will be available for a 50-day public review period from December 2, 2020 to January 21, 2021 at 5:00 PM. To view the NOA and the DEIR, please visit www.valleylinkrail.com/environmental-ceqa.
Open House
Please note that the Authority staff are continuing to monitor developments related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on a daily basis and participate in frequent updates from local, state, and federal public health agencies and local jurisdictions. Out of concern for public health and safety, the Authority will hold three online open house meetings to provide information about the DEIR and respond to general questions about the Project.
Please check the project website at www.valleylinkrail.com for the most up-to-date information regarding open houses for the Valley Link DEIR. Information about how to join the online open house meetings will be provided on the Authority’s website at this location: www.valleylinkrail.com/environmental-ceqa.
The three online open house meetings will be held on the following dates and times:
- Saturday, December 12, 2020, from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
- Wednesday, December 16, 2020, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
- Thursday, December 17, 2020, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Volunteer tax preparers are still needed for the Social Services Agency’s 2020-2021 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program! The Social Services Agency (SSA) participates in Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS), a coalition of Bay Area organizations that provide free tax preparation to households earning less than $56,000 a year.
The volunteer training sessions led by SSA are almost full, but it’s not too late to sign up for the training offered by EKS! The EKS-hosted training series for new volunteers takes place on three Saturdays (January 9, 16, and 23, 2021) from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm via webinar. Register here for the webinar training, and then contact SSA VITA program coordinator Jacqueline Jacobs at jacqueline.jacobs@acgov.org to let her know that you want to volunteer at a SSA location!
Tax preparation will be completed through a combination of customer document drop-off/pick-up and virtual appointments. Social distancing, face masks, and workspace sanitation will protect customers and volunteers alike!
For questions or to express your interest in volunteering, please contact: jacqueline.jacobs@acgov.org
For more information on the VITA Program visit: https://wwwstg.alamedasocialservices.org/our-services/Work-and-Money/Other-Support/tax-services
|
|
