A state worker cleans out an encampment under a freeway overpass. Gov. Gavin Newsom contributes to the effort following the announcement of his executive order on Thursday, July 25, 2024. Video screenshots. Source: Office of the CA Governor
Following U.S. Supreme Court ruling
Encourages local governments to adopt similar policies
“We’re done. It’s time we move with urgency at the local level to clean up these sites. This executive order is about…getting the sense of urgency that’s required of local government to do their job.” – Gov. Newsom
What you need to know: Governor Newsom today issued an executive order directing state agencies to urgently address homeless encampments while respecting the dignity and safety of Californians experiencing homelessness. The Governor’s order, which follows the Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass, also urges local governments to use substantial funding provided by the state to take similar action.
SACRAMENTO, CA — Building on California’s ongoing work and unprecedented investments to address the decades-long issue of homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today ordering state agencies and departments to adopt clear policies that urgently address homeless encampments while respecting the dignity and well-being of all Californians.
With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v Johnson, local governments now have the tools and authority to address dangerous encampments and help provide those residing in encampments with the resources they need.
“This executive order directs state agencies to move urgently to address dangerous encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them — and provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same. The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets. There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.” said Newsom. “We’re done. It’s time we move with urgency at the local level to clean up these sites. This executive order is about…getting the sense of urgency that’s required of local government to do their job.”
The governor’s executive order directs state agencies and departments to adopt humane and dignified policies to urgently address encampments on state property, including by taking necessary and deliberate steps to notify and support the people inhabiting the encampment prior to removal.
Governor Newsom has made record-level investments to address the housing crisis, investing over $24 billion across multiple state agencies and departments, including billions of dollars in funding to assist local jurisdictions in providing services and wrap-around support to people living in encampments. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, these investments helped lift more than 165,000 people out of homelessness and into interim or permanent housing.
California blueprint
Governor Newsom’s order directs state agencies and departments to adopt policies and plans consistent with the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) existing encampment policy. Since July 2021, California has resolved more than 11,000 encampments, and has removed 248,275 cubic yards of debris from encampments along the state right of way in preparation for Clean California projects. Prioritizing encampments that pose a threat to the life, health, and safety of the community, Caltrans provides advance notice of clearance and works with local service providers to support those experiencing homelessness at the encampment, and stores personal property collected at the site for at least 60 days.
The order encourages local governments to emulate the state’s successful model to adopt local policies and to use all available resources, including those provided by the state’s historic investments in housing and intervention programs, to address encampments within their jurisdictions.
Proposition 1 funding available for local governments
Governor Newsom also encourages local governments to apply for the newly available $3.3 billion in competitive grant funding from Proposition 1 to expand the behavioral health continuum and provide appropriate care to individuals experiencing mental health conditions and substance use disorders — with a particular focus on people who are most seriously ill, vulnerable, or homeless.
Proposition 1 includes two parts: a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Bond for treatment settings and housing with services, and historic reform of the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, substance disorders, and housing needs. The state also recently released the Proposition 1 Behavioral Health Services Act: Housing Supports Primer (July 2024) for counties, which explains how to spend the projected $950 million annual BHSA revenue on housing interventions.
Unprecedented investments to support communities
Governor Newsom is tackling California’s homelessness crisis head-on. Since he took office, the state has developed a Statewide Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness and the Governor has demanded unprecedented accountability from local governments to do their part to end the homelessness crisis through regionally coordinated action plans. The Governor has also pioneered nation-leading homeless and housing reforms and invested more than $24 billion to address this crisis with state and local support, including $4.85 billion for Homeless, Housing Assistance and Prevention Grants for local jurisdictions to prevent and reduce homelessness, $1 billion in Encampment Resolution Funding to assist local jurisdictions in providing services and supports to people living in encampments, and $3.3 billion for Homekey to rapidly expand housing for persons experiencing homelessness.
WHEREAS California is experiencing a homelessness crisis decades in the making, with over 180,000 people estimated to have experienced homelessness on any given night in 2023, including 123,000 people who experienced unsheltered homelessness, living in tents, trailers, and vehicles across the state; and WHEREAS within the first year of my Administration I fast-tracked the development of shelter through Executive Order N-23-20, which directed departments to assess and facilitate the use of available state land and resources for short-term emergency homeless shelters; and WHEREAS since the beginning of my Administration, the State has made unprecedented investments to address the homelessness crisis head on, investing more than $24 billion across multiple state agencies and departments, including $4.85 billion in flexible funding to local jurisdictions to prevent and reduce homelessness through Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention grants, $1 billion in Encampment Resolution Funding to assist local jurisdictions in providing services and supports to people living in encampments, and $3.3 billion to rapidly expand housing for persons experiencing homelessness through Homekey; and
WHEREAS the State has redoubled its commitment to holding local jurisdictions accountable to reduce homelessness, including by strengthening and enforcing requirements that local jurisdictions plan for their fair share of housing and by conditioning state homelessness funding on rigorous reporting and measurable performance metrics; and
WHEREAS it is imperative to act with urgency to address dangerous encampments, which subject unsheltered individuals living in them to extreme weather, fires, predatory and criminal activity, and widespread substance use, harming their health, safety, and well-being, and which also threaten the safety and viability of nearby businesses and neighborhoods and undermine the cleanliness and usability of parks, water supplies, and other public resources; and
WHEREAS while every jurisdiction must do more to address encampments, state and local agencies taking proactive steps to remove encampments have been stymied in those efforts by lawsuits and injunctions, leaving officials without the tools or guidance necessary to address the crisis on their streets; and
WHEREAS in September 2023, I called on the United States Supreme Court to grant review in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson to clarify that state and local officials can take reasonable actions to resolve encampments while respecting the humanity of all Californians; and
WHEREAS in June 2024 the Supreme Court overturned Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals precedent that restricted the government’s authority to enforce laws regulating encampments, recognizing that jurisdictions may tailor their enforcement practices to reflect policy-driven approaches to addressing homelessness; and
WHEREAS with the threat of these types of injunctions removed, there is no longer any barrier to local governments utilizing the substantial resources provided by the State, in tandem with federal and local resources, to address encampments with both urgency and humanity, or excuse for not doing so; and WHEREAS guidelines that prioritize offers of shelter and services as a first step to resolving any encampment best respect the dignity of every Californian and provide meaningful paths to ending homelessness; and
WHEREAS the California Interagency Council on Homelessness leads California’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness; and
WHEREAS the California Department of Transportation maintains a policy directive that prioritizes removal of encampments that pose threats to life, health, and safety, while partnering with local governments and nonprofit providers to facilitate offers of shelter and supportive services in advance of a removal; and WHEREAS the California Department of Transportation has, since July 2021, removed 11,188 encampments and 248,275 cubic yards of debris from these encampments along the state rights of way.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the State Constitution and statutes of the State of California, do hereby issue the following Order to become effective immediately:
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1) Agencies and departments subject to my authority shall adopt policies, generally consistent with California Department of Transportation’s Maintenance Policy Directive 1001-R1, to address encampments on state property, including through partnerships with other state and local agencies, and shall prioritize efforts to address encampments consistent with such policy. Such policies shall include the following:
a. Whenever feasible, site assessment in advance of removal operations to determine whether an encampment poses an imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure such that exigent circumstances require immediate removal of the encampment.
b. Where exigent circumstances exist, as much advance notice to vacate as reasonable under the circumstances.
c. Where no exigent circumstances exist, posting of a notice to vacate at the site at least 48 hours prior to initiating removal
d. Contacting of service providers to request outreach services for persons experiencing homelessness at the encampment.
e. Collection, labeling, and storage for at least 60 days of personal property collected at the removal site that is not a health or safety hazard.
2) All departments and agencies not under my authority are requested to adopt policies consistent with the guidelines in Paragraph 1.
3) Local governments are encouraged to adopt policies consistent with this Order and to use all available resources and infrastructure, including resources provided by the State’s historic investments in housing and intervention programs where appropriate and available, to take action with the urgency this crisis demands to humanely remove encampments from public spaces, prioritizing those encampments that most threaten the life, health, and safety of those in and around them.
4) The California Interagency Council on Homelessness shall develop guidance and provide technical assistance consistent with this Order for local governments to follow in implementing their local homelessness programs.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, as soon as hereafter possible, this Order be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given of this Order. This Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 25th day of July.
Registration is now open for the free youth 4th Annual Kendall Smith Basketball Camp on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
Improve your basketball skills this summer. Co-ed basketball camp for youth 7-17 years old athletes and non-athletes. Doors open at 8:30 am, the camp starts at 9:00 am and ends at 2:00 pm.
The event will be held in the gym at Smith’s alma mater, Deer Valley High School, 4700 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, where he played hoops before heading on to play for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, then into the pros, where he’s played for international teams and the Warriors G League team in Santa Cruz. (Learn more about his career).
Sponsored by Smith’s My Brothers Keeper 1K, to register visit Kendall Smith Basketball Camp. To be a sponsor, donate or volunteer email mybrotherskeepers925@gmail.com.
A thief can be seen on JCPenney store surveillance video smashing jewelry display cases on June 15, 2024. Video screenshot. Source: APD
Smash and grab robbery occurred June 15th, APD just learned of it
By Antioch Police Department
Community, take a good look at these videos and help us find the man behind this jewelry smash and grab that happened at JCPenney in the Slatten Ranch shopping center off Slatten Ranch Road and Empire Avenue.
We were just made aware of this theft that happened on June 15th. Antioch police officers responded to an alarm call just after 10:00 p.m. from the JCPenney on Slatten Ranch Road. Officers reviewed the store surveillance video which shows the suspect approaching the glass jewelry cases, taking a hammer or tool, smashing the glass and taking off with nearly half-a-million dollars in jewelry.
The suspect was also seen on video walking into the store at 8:25 p.m. and hiding in the store for a few hours before committing the crime. If you have any information about the identity of the suspect, please contact Detective Cole Shaffer cshaffer@antiochca.gov or (925) 481-8604.
Ncal-Olympics-02 – Denise and CJ Nickolas in 2009. (Left) 80Kg Gold Medalist Carl CJ Nickolas’ first flag run after he won the Taekwondo competition at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games October 22, 2023, in Santiago, Chile. Photo by Mark Reis, USOPC. (Center) Ncal-Olympics and Ncal-Olympics-01 CJ Nickolas at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile in October 2023. Photo credit by Mark Reis, USOPC (Right)
A nurse from Antioch has nurtured her 22-year-old son’s taekwondo ambitions since he was 3
Expected to compete for gold, CJ Nickolas, a former Heritage High student, was first trained by his father at Givans Taekwondo in Antioch
By Elizabeth Schainbaum, Manager, Regional Content, Corporation Communications, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Over the years, wound care nurse Denise Nickolas would talk with colleagues about her kids’ sports activities — just as others would talk about their own kids.
Most colleagues didn’t realize her kids were different. They didn’t know how seriously athletic they were after he won a medal in World Taekwondo Championship in May 2023 when her son, CJ, received publicity as he vied for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
CJ is competing in the Paris Olympics in taekwondo on August 9, 2024. The 22-year-old is ranked second in the world.
“She doesn’t go around telling just anyone how he ranked at tournaments,” said Daniella White, a colleague who has cheered Nickolas on through CJ’s injuries and other challenges. “If someone asks, she will humbly share how well he did. That’s not to say she wasn’t overly proud or excited for him, but she just continued to show humility in the process.”
Kaiser Permanente fan club
Nickolas is happy everyone knows now.
“Everyone is so excited, and they asked why I didn’t say anything,” said Nickolas, who was a gymnast in college and also achieved a taekwondo black belt during her son’s practices. “They’ve been so supportive and even started a Teams group to cheer us on and check the progress of his Olympic bid.”
Her boss, Darci Walker, is a big fan.
“I remember her sharing one of CJ’s competitions where he won first place, and he moved the entire crowd and audience by singing the national anthem. The whole stadium joined in and sang together,” Walker recalled. “This was a very proud moment that Denise shared with me. When I watched the video on her phone, it brought me to tears as well. We are all excited for CJ and their entire family.”
A ‘family-friendly’ organization
Nickolas has worked at Kaiser Permanente since 2001. Since then, as a single mom, she’s juggled full-time work with 2 kids who were competitive athletes.
Her older daughter, now 24, was an elite gymnast for a long time. She pivoted to diving, and that was the sport she did in college.
Her kids’ sports often required traveling to competitions. Nickolas said her managers and colleagues have been supportive and accommodating when she’s had to take time off, evenn last minute.
“Kaiser Permanente is absolutely a family-friendly organization,” she said. “I was able to have the life I wanted with my kids because of Kaiser Permanente.”
To make it work, she would essentially work two part-time jobs and lived just 10 minutes from the hospital.
She would start the morning at the Antioch Medical Center and then take the kids to their practices. Later, she would work another shift with Home Health Department.
“I was exhausted, but it was worth it, totally worth it,” Nickolas said. “I’m so grateful.”
Walker said Nickolas also worked hard to make it work. She coordinated well with colleagues before she would travel so there were no bumps with patient care. When she returned, she was ready to get back into the swing of work.
Going for gold
Nickolas followed this routine for years. She realized in 2007 that CJ, who had been doing taekwondo for three years at that point, had a future in competitive sports.
At the age of three, he said he wanted to do martial arts. She hesitated because she was against combat sports at the time.
She pushed that feeling aside because she could see how eager he was to do it. She steered him to taekwondo because it was included in Ivy League sports programs and was an Olympic sport.
When he was about six, she noticed he was intense and focused. She checked in with the coach.
“’Am I just proud or is he really good?’” she recalled saying. “The coach said, ‘No, he’s really as good as you think he is.’”
That coach, until CJ turned 18, was his father, Ed Givans, who previously owned and trained his son at Givans Taekwondo in Antioch which he relocated to Las Vegas in 2018.
Many injuries later, including a broken toe that she said Kaiser Permanente did an excellent job of repairing, he’s now going for Olympic gold.
Nickolas will be there watching, with her Kaiser Permanente colleagues rooting for her son.
“I can’t believe this day has come,” she said. “He’s worked so hard, but it still feels so surreal.”
U.S. News & World Report’s annual study rates Kaiser hospitals in the top 10 to 20% in U.S. for treating heart attacks, strokes, other challenging medical conditions
By Antonia Ehlers, PR & Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
OAKLAND, CA – Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s hospitals are rated among the best in the nation for treating heart attacks, strokes, and other medical conditions.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are recognized as “high-performing” in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 Best Hospitals annual report in part due to the evidence-based treatments and comprehensive care and support provided to patients.
Nearly 5,000 hospitals participated in the study, which analyzes hospital performance for 15 specialty care areas and 20 procedures and conditions. The “high performing” designation — defined as top 10% to 20% in the United States – honors those hospitals that consistently deliver high-quality care when treating complex medical conditions.
“Our Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are continually recognized as leaders in the nation for providing our members and patients with exceptional care leading to positive health outcomes,” said Carrie Owen Plietz, FACHE, president of Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. “Our dedicated clinicians and care teams always strive to meet our patients’ health care needs as we work to improve their overall health and well-being.”
Kaiser Permanente patients receive coordinated and evidence-based care through an integrated system designed to put their health care needs above all else.
18 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals rated high-performing for cardiac care
Nearly 700,000 people die of heart disease every year – or 1 in every 5 deaths – so the treatment provided is critical to saving lives. Kaiser Permanente cardiologists and heart surgeons have experience treating a broad range of heart conditions and performing life-saving procedures. And our connected system allows them to share knowledge across locations and specialties.
According to the U.S. News & World Report’s ratings, 18 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are recognized as “high performing” for the treatment of either congestive heart failure or heart attacks.
“Our physicians and care teams not only excel at the routine procedures, but also the more specialized complex medical needs of our patients and members,” said Maria Ansari, MD, FACC, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group. “We take pride in our ability to deliver innovative, nation-leading quality of care, helping our patients recover quickly so they can resume their normal activities and lead healthy lives.”
Ratings help inform decision-making about care
The annual ratings and rankings are designed to help patients and their health care providers make informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures.
Twenty Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are “high performing” in at least one of the 35 measures examined, including the treatment of stroke, congestive heart failure, and pneumonia.
In addition:
Six Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are ranked among the top 60 hospitals out of more than 400 considered in California: The Kaiser Permanente Oakland, Richmond, Roseville, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and South Sacramento hospitals are all ranked among the state’s best.
Kaiser Permanente Oakland and Richmond hospitals are among the top 10% in the metropolitan area of San Francisco and the state of California for delivering safe, high-quality care.
Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara and Roseville hospitals are among the top 10% of hospitals in Northern California for delivering safe, high-quality care.
Kaiser Permanente Vallejo hospital is ranked 28th in the nation for rehabilitation out of nearly 5,000 hospitals evaluated. It’s also the second-highest ranked rehabilitation hospital in Northern California and the 4th highest in the state.
Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento is rated among the Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access.
In its hospital analysis, U.S. News & World Report uses publicly available data such as volume, mortality rates, infection rates, staffing levels, and patient satisfaction rates, among other factors.
Donald Paul Byrns, 83 passed away peacefully on July 16, 2024, in Vacaville, CA.
Don was born on August 26, 1940, and was proceeded in death by his loving wife Gloria Jean of 50 years and Grandson Anthony DiGiovanni. Don was a carpenter by trade followed by a long career as a Building Inspector for the City of Antioch and Oakley, CA. For nearly 40 years Don and Jean made their home and raised their family in Antioch before retiring to Red Bluff, CA in 2004.
An avid outdoorsman, Don loved hunting, camping and firearms. He was a lifetime member of the National Rifleman’s Association. He had an amazing talent and passion for leather work. He tooled many beautiful items over the years. Those who possess these will cherish them forever. Don was a true Red, White and Blue American, and loved the USA only second to his family and friends.
Don is survived by his daughter Nancy (Frank) DiGiovanni, son Edward Byrns, daughter Paula (Mark) Toponce, 7 Grandchildren and 13 Great Grandchildren.
Funeral:
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Rockville Stone Church/Cemetery 4219 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield 94534
Viewing 10:00 am
Services 11:00 am
A luncheon will be served at the Bally Keel Estate 4286 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield 94534 following the services.
As Don was a life-long Cowboy, please feel free to wear your Western/Cowboy/SASS attire.
