Help the East Bay Leadership Council promote and honor good works in Contra Costa County and the Tri-Valley by submitting your nominations to the Third Annual Contra Costa/Tri-Valley Philanthropy Awards program by Thursday, August 15. The annual program recognizes outstanding contributions of time, leadership and financial support by businesses, individuals, families and nonprofit organizations throughout the region. Nominations are sought in communities throughout Contra Costa County and the Tri-Valley, including Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin.

The annual awards breakfast honoring nominees and award recipients will be held Thursday, November 7, from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the Hilton Concord. The event is a project of the Council’s Social Responsibility Task Force.

Each nomination must come from a nonprofit or have a letter of support from a nonprofit. Organizations may make multiple nominations. Award categories include Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist (small, medium and large companies), Outstanding Philanthropist, Outstanding Foundation or Community Grant Maker, Outstanding Collaborative Project, Volunteer of the Year, Next Generation Philanthropist (new) and Lifetime Achievement. A prestigious panel representing all sectors of the community and government is formed each year to make the award selections.

“The awards program is dedicated to the generosity of the many great people and organizations that offer a richness in our region,” says Mark Hughes, who chairs the awards committee and will emcee the breakfast celebration in November. “Through it, we are working to build awareness and inspire many more organizations to get more involved in this work, which can transform companies and make a true difference in our communities.”

To access the Philanthropy Awards nomination form and eligibility details, see the nomination form on the Council website. For other questions, contact Terry Shoaff at 925.246.1880.

Presenting the keynote at the November 7 breakfast celebration is Sid Espinosa, Microsoft’s champion for philanthropy and citizenship in Silicon Valley. He is the former director of global philanthropy for HP, a Palo Alto City Council member and former mayor of Palo Alto. Espinosa has served on numerous boards of directors for business, nonprofit and educational organizations around the world, including the board of trustees at his undergraduate alma mater, Wesleyan University. He worked at the Democratic National Committee during the 1994 congressional campaigns, joined the Clinton Administration to work at the White House and as an advisor to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Philanthropy Award recipients in 2012 were:

• Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist (over 500 employees): Wells Fargo

• Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist (100 to 500 employees): Neiman Marcus, Walnut Creek

• Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist (1 to 99 employees): InVision Communications

• Outstanding Philanthropist: Mary Garaventa

• Outstanding Foundation or Community Grant Maker: East Bay Community Foundation

• Outstanding Collaborative Project: SparkPoint Contra Costa

• Volunteer of the Year: Kay Aaker

• Lifetime Achievement: Judy Lazarus

Title sponsor of the event is Wells Fargo, and presenting sponsor is Chevron. Other sponsorships are available.

About the East Bay Leadership Council (formerly the Contra Costa Council): The Council, also referred to as the EBLC, is a private sector, public policy organization with a membership that includes business, nonprofit organizations, government, education and labor. The mission of the Council is to provide advocacy on public policy issues affecting the economic vitality and quality of life in the Greater East Bay region. For more information, see www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com and follow us on twitter (@EBLConline) and Facebook.

OAKLAND, CA…With the possibility of BART trains once again coming to a halt as early as August 5, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) urges Bay Area commuters and other travelers to review their contingency plans, and especially to form carpools before hitting the road. Comprehensive information about traditional carpooling, casual carpooling (including maps of casual carpool pickup locations) and dynamic ridesharing is available on a special BART strike information page at alert.511.org.

Thousands more vehicles than usual are expected to crowd onto streets, highways and bridges if there is a work stoppage at BART. Carpools can save both time and money by taking advantage of designated high-occupancy vehicle lanes on Bay Area freeways — and the Sterling Street priority on-ramp to the eastbound Bay Bridge in San Francisco — and discounted tolls on the region’s toll bridges.

Casual carpool pickup locations already are established near several BART stations, including El Cerrito del Norte, Lafayette, North Berkeley and Orinda. At other stations, passenger pick-up/drop-off locations (marked by a white curb) can be used as casual carpool sites. These sites will be especially convenient because BART will make its parking lots and garages available free of charge as park-and-ride locations in the event of a work stoppage. Travelers also can use #casualcarpool on Twitter to find out where there are drivers needed or to tweet out where riders are needed. 511.org offers a RideMatch Service to help commuters instantly find a short-term or long-term carpool match.

To encourage casual carpooling for the evening commute out of San Francisco, a team of MTC contractors will distribute $5 gift cards (redeemable at Peet’s Coffee & Tea) to drivers who pick up passengers at casual carpool locations on Beale Street between Howard and Folsom Streets, and on Spear Street between Howard and Folsom. In addition to urging travelers to carpool, MTC advises commuters to avoid peak driving periods by working at home if possible, or traveling earlier or later than usual.

The popular 511 Transit Trip Planner on the 511.org website offers the ability to plan door-to-door transit trips that include or exclude BART. In the event of a disruption to BART service, other transit providers such as AC Transit, San Francisco Bay Ferry, Solano County’s Soltrans and the Western Contra Costa Transit Authority, will adjust their services to accommodate more San Francisco-bound commuters. Detailed information about these services also is available at alert.511.org.

BART will provide limited charter bus service from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. from seven East Bay BART stations: Concord, Dublin/Pleasanton, El Cerrito del Norte, Fremont, San Leandro, Walnut Creek and West Oakland. Buses from outlying stations will stop first at the West Oakland BART station, where passengers can transfer to San Francisco-bound buses. Because space on these buses is severely limited, riders are strongly encouraged to arrive early. Morning passengers will be issued a round-trip ticket, and must present this ticket to board an afternoon bus for the return trip to the East Bay.

MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, and operates the region’s 511 traveler information system.

By Lieutenant Robin Kelley, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Wednesday, July 31st Antioch Police Officers responded to Delta Fair Blvd and Buchanan Road on a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers located numerous shell casings in the street and quickly located the victim’s vehicle on Somersville Road just north of Buchanan Road.

Officers located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Victim #1, an adult male Richmond resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. Victim #2, an adult male Vallejo resident, was transported to an area hospital where he is listed in critical condition with serious injuries.

The suspect’s vehicle was described as a gold, 4-door, possibly Honda or Chevy, unknown model.

This investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Detective Meads at (925) 779-6884. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH