 Fall has arrived and Alameda County is hard at work enrolling folks for health coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act, implementing our Year 3 Plan for Public Safety Realignment, and among other items shoring up our safety-net services.
While our federal government may be entering the
third week of the government shutdown, Alameda County has been finding ways to
be innovative, save tax payers’ money, and improve services. Recently, my
colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and I, along with the Social Services
Agency, restored the mandatory federal sequester cuts to critical Older
American Act-funded services. These senior
services include senior nutrition which
provides meals on wheels and congregate meals, supportive services, disease prevention,
elder abuse prevention, family caregiver support, and senior employment.
Early last month our County, through our
Information and Technology Department (ITD), was named the first-place winner
in the annual rankings of the best state and local government websites.
The Center for Digital Government judges the contest, cited the County’s web
offerings as “a good example of how a significant amount of information can be
presented cleanly and intuitively within a main website, mobile website, and
mobile apps.” About a month later, our General Services Agency (GSA) was
recognized by Green Fleet Magazine as having one for the 20 greenest vehicle
fleets in North America and is the highest ranked out of all California counties.
The County’s fleet includes a strong mix of gas/electric, electric, and hybrid
vehicles helping fulfill some of our sustainability goals contained in the County’s Climate Action Plan. Congratulations
to ITD and GSA for their well deserved recognition for their hard work and dedication
to public service.
Unfortunately,
as the shutdown continues to be a dysfunctional form of governing, it seems
Washington will continue to place more burdens on state and local
governments. As California’s economy continues to recover, our County
will endeavor to be innovative and strengthen our health care system, social
services, and other safety-net services. We are here to work with and for
you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at (510) 272-6692.
Sincerely,
 My office has begun planning for the 2014 Science in
the Park. Science in the Park is a biennial event hosted to encourage kids of
all ages in STEM (Science, Technology, Energy and Mathematics) related
activities.
Science
in the Park will return to Alden E. Oliver Sports Park in Hayward in 2014 on Saturday, October 4, 2014. Be
sure to check the website for updates.
If you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring Science in the
Park, be sure to contact the District 2 office at (510) 272-6692.
 International Walk & Roll to School Day was celebrated on Wednesday,
October 9. Thousands of families in Alameda County took part
in this active journey by walking, biking, carpooling or rolling (using a
skateboard or scooter) to school. This event was a great way to reward families
that already engage in active transportation and to encourage new families to
try a different form of travel.
Supervisor Valle applauded
the participants of Niles Elementary School in Fremont for their commitment to
a healthier and greener way to get to school. For more information on
participating schools, or general tips on encouraging and educating students
about walking and bicycling, visit http://www.alamedacountysr2s.org/.
 Construction
advisory from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC):
Due
to the ongoing construction on the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project, there will
be transporting heavy equipment and expecting additional haul truck traffic on
weekdays from October 14 to October 25, 2013, just south of Interstate 680 to the
project site approximately 4 miles past Geary Road. Commuters on Calaveras Road
may encounter periodic delays. The SFPUC sincerely appreciates your patience
and support in keeping everyone safe on the road.
- Road
remains open to the public
-
Haul trucks are expected from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. on Monday through Friday only
-
Please drive and bike safely on the narrow
portions of Calaveras Road
-
Speed limit is 25 mph in construction zones
For More Information:
24 hour-Answer Line: (866) 973-1476
Email:
mle@sfwater.org or blauppe@sfwater.org
Follow online at: Sfwater.org/sunolvalley
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 The Hayward Chamber of Commerce will host the Hayward Restaurant
Walk on Thursday, October 17 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Enjoy pre-selected items from the following downtown Hayward
dining hot spots:
Bijou | Buffalo Bills | Buon Appetito | Century Theatres |
Julian’s BBQ | Kupe | Los Pericos | Shark Shack | Snappy’s Café | Something
Sweet | Swiss Delices | The Bistro | Turf Club | Yogurt Hill
Purchase Tickets at the Hayward Main
Library or the Hayward Chamber of Commerce for $20.
For more information contact the Hayward
Chamber of Commerce at (510) 537-2424 or visit www.hayward.org.
Net proceeds will benefit the Hayward Public
Library’s After School Homework Support Center and Leadership Hayward
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 Millions
of people worldwide will practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” at 10:17
a.m. on October 17 during the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills. Be sure to
check out The Great California ShakeOut website for more
information on local drills and how to be prepared.
The keys to
keeping safe during an earthquake:
-
DROP to the ground (before the
earthquake drops you!)
-
Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or
table
-
HOLD ON to it until the shaking
stops
Some
additional tips:
If there is not a table or desk near you, drop to
the ground in an inside corner of the building and cover your head and neck
with your hands and arms. Do not try to run to another room just to get under a
table.
The main point is to not try to move but to immediately protect yourself as best as
possible where you are. Earthquakes occur without any warning and may be so
violent that you cannot run or crawl. You will never know if the initial jolt
will turn out to be start of the big one. You should Drop, Cover, and Hold On immediately!
Drop, Cover, and Hold On offers the best overall level of
protection in most situations.
As with anything, practice
makes perfect. To be ready to protect yourself immediately when the ground
begins to shake, practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On as children do in school at
least once each year.
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 The
League of Women Voters Eden Area will be holding an informational meeting to
discuss the potential plans for constructing a new main Hayward library
building. This meeting will inform attendees about the project, funding possibilities,
results from a community survey and a discussion with community members.
Date & Time: Friday, October
25 at 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Hayward City Hall, 777 B
Street, Room 2A
Presenters
will include:
- Sean Reinhart, Hayward Library and Community Services
Director
- Kim Geron, California State University, East
Bay Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department
- Kari McAllister, Hayward Library Commissioner
and Board Member of the Friends of the Hayward Public Library
-
Frank Goulart, Attorney and long-time Hayward
community activist
Light
refreshments will be available and an RSVP is required. To confirm your
attendance please contact Evelyn Cormier at ev.cormier@comcast.net or (510) 471-0475
by Monday, October 21.
This informational
meeting is also co-sponsored by the Friends of the Hayward Library and American
Association of University Women Hayward/Castro Valley Chapter.
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 The
League of Volunteers (LOV) will host its 8th annual Halloween Quarter Auction on Sunday, October
27 at 5 p.m. at the Newark Community Center at 35501 Cedar Boulevard in Newark.
The Halloween celebration includes dinner, prizes,
games and costumes!
How
to Win:
- Each participant will
be given a bingo bucket with a number on it- if your number is called, you
win!
- Participate in the
silent and live auctions.
- Bid on the non-profit
auction site Bidding
for Good, which opens October 18 and closes November 8.
Please RSVP by Monday, October 21
Tickets are $39
Please visit LOV.org for more information.
All proceeds will benefit LOV’s holiday programs, including Thanksgiving
Day Meal, Toys for Tots and Adopt-a-Family.
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 The
California Nursery Historical Park is hosting a chocolate social at Vallejo
Adobe in the Niles District of Fremont. The chocolate social is sponsored by
Math Science Nucleus, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing science
and math curriculum for students of all ages.
The
chocolate social fundraiser will help fund historical tours of the California
Nursery and archive and save the agriculture and scientific history of one of
the oldest nurseries on the west coast.
Join the fun at the Vallejo Adobe in the
California Nursery Historical Park at 36500 Niles Boulevard in Fremont on
Saturday, November 2 from 1 to 4 p.m.
A $10 donation per person is requested, and chocolate will be available
for purchase. Visit http://msnucleus.org or call (510) 790-6284 for more
information.
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