Photo courtesy of NELP.org.

Success Stories and Training for Contra Costa Employers at Fair Chance Employer Summit

The Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County’s Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD), in partnership with the Office of Reentry and Justice, presents the Fair Chance Employer Summit in Antioch on Wednesday, May 16.  Employers will learn about strengthening their hiring processes, minimizing risk, and maximizing value by hiring formerly incarcerated workers who struggle to find employment.  They will gain understanding about the California Fair Chance Act which took effect on Jan. 1, 2018 and how to take advantage of government incentives such as tax credits, fidelity bonding, and wage reimbursements.

WHO             

• Formerly-incarcerated speakers with their stories of struggle and success
• Current employers and trainers who have hired/trained these workers
• Prospective Fair Chance employers, HR professionals, corporate counselors, workforce development professionals, and other California business leaders who want to learn more

WHEN            Wednesday, May 16, 2018, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

WHERE          Antioch Community Center

4703 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA

INFO &                       CC County Workforce Development Board at (925) 602-6800

REGISTRATION       https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fair-chance-employer-summit-tickets-44411504004

PARTNERS                City of Antioch, City of Brentwood, City of Oakley, City of Pittsburg, HealthRight 360, Soutwest Airlines, Checkr

MORE INFO              The Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Contra Costa County is a unique public/private partnership providing oversight for federally funded workforce programs in Contra Costa County. The WDB’s primary goal is to support a strong workforce system that is flexible and customer-focused.

VIDEO LINK              https://youtu.be/ys9zTNqj2bE

Narrative: John Krause, formerly incarcerated and owner of Big House Beans; Nilton Serva, formerly incarcerated and college student; Barry Hathaway, The Stride Center, Executive Director describe their stories and successes.

Attend and enter for a chance to win a pair of roundtrip tickets anywhere Southwest Airlines flies in the U.S.  (Must Be present to win.)

For more information about Fair Chance Employment, visit http://www.nelp.org/campaign/ensuring-fair-chance-to-work/.

Keller Canyon Landfill. Photo courtesy of Comanco.

Matter to be heard at next Tuesday’s Board meeting

Supervisor Federal Glover has directed Contra Costa County Staff at next Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting to provide the Board with an update concerning the allegations of malfeasance by Tetra Tech EC Inc. at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The allegations concern possible radioactive materials being deposited at landfills across the state including possible contaminated material that might have been sent to the Keller Canyon Landfill.
“I am very concerned about these allegations and want a full report from staff on this issue,” Glover stated.  Healso said that he expects County staff to follow up with further review of the issue after the Board meeting next Tuesday.

“I want staff to thoroughly investigate these allegations and determine whether or not the Keller Landfill was sent contaminated material,” Glover continued. “I want to make sure the residents of Contra Costa County are protected and that this matter is fully addressed.”

He said that the matter will be heard in front of the Board of Supervisors during its regularly scheduled session starting at 9:30 AM on May 1, 2018 in the Board Chambers at 651 Pine St., Martinez.

Antioch High School will host the vital Every 15 Minutes program on Thursday and Friday, April 26 and 27. The program challenges students to think about drinking, driving, personal safety and the responsibility of making mature decisions when lives are involved. There are 40 students participating in the event – angels, living dead and pall bearers.

About 900 juniors and seniors will see the presentation, which includes car crash victims, a variety of actual first-responders, including the Antioch Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa Fire, paramedics and EMTs and even the county coroner.

National statistics show there is a fatality every 15 minutes due to driving under the influence; thus, the name of the national program.

Principal Louie Rocha feels strongly about what is offered in this program, which is timed to coincide right before prom and graduation are held.

The two-day event starts with “the crash” at 10 a.m. Thursday the 26th at the Contra Costa County fairgrounds. The student participants who play the “living dead” actually stay the night in Beede Auditorium with no contact with anyone outside the area. They’re reunited with their families at the assembly at 10 a.m. Friday the 27th in the AHS auditorium.

During this emotionally charged “memorial,” AHS grad Marcella Gomez will share her experience as a survivor of a major crash, which took the lives of her parents when she was just nine-years-old.

By Sergeant/Interim Lieutenant John Fortner #3264, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 3:05 pm, Antioch officers responded with medical personnel on the report of a vehicle accident located on James Donlon Boulevard near Silverado Drive. Witnesses in the area reported that three vehicles were involved with one vehicle sustaining major collision damage. Upon arrival, it was determined that a Buick Regal sedan travelling northbound on Silverado Drive pulled out onto James Donlon Boulevard. A Ford F-150 pick-up truck was travelling eastbound on James Donlon Boulevard approaching the intersection. The Ford truck collided with the driver’s side of the Buick sedan pushing it into another vehicle on the roadway.

The Buick sedan was occupied by a 93-year-old elderly driver. The Contra Costa Coroner’s Office identified the driver as Clayton resident Betty James. The driver of the Buick had to be extricated from the vehicle and was taken to an area hospital for injuries sustained in the collision. The elderly driver was admitted into the hospital and subsequently succumbed to their injuries today.

The other involved parties were not seriously injured and remained at the scene until police and emergency personnel arrived. Alcohol and/or drugs did not appear to be a factor in this collision.

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Division. Any further inquiries into the status of this case should be done via the Media Access Telephone Line (925) 779-6874. Any further information or additional press releases will be provided by the Antioch Police Department’s Traffic Unit.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department’s non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

East Bay Regional Park District Ward 7 Director Colin Coffey, Park Supervisor Rex Caufield, and East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Board Member Keith Haydon visit the Roddy Ranch Golf Course on April 5th, 2018.

Purchase brings future Deer Valley Regional Park to 3,254 total acres

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, EBRPD

Oakland, CA – On April 3, 2018, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors unanimously approved acquisition of the Roddy Ranch Golf Course. The 230-acre property is being acquired in partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, which is providing funding for the majority of the purchase price. The total acquisition cost is $1,955,000 with the Conservancy providing $1,935,000 and the District $20,000, which covers the original purchase option. The District is also providing $205,000 for the purchase of on-site, non-land property. All District funds are coming from Measure WW, approved by voters in 2008.

The 230-acre golf course property, along with the previously acquired Roddy Ranch properties, are part of the envisioned Deer Valley Regional Park. Deer Valley Regional Park was included in the District’s 2013 master plan to protect habitat and expand recreational opportunities in East Contra Costa County. The purchase brings the future Deer Valley Regional Park to 3,254 total acres.

“The golf course property is the final step in acquiring Roddy Ranch, previously planned for development, and securing it as permanent open space for the community’s enjoyment,” said East Bay Regional Park District Director Colin Coffey. “Acquisition of the former golf course property is a unique opportunity to enhance public access in East Contra Costa County.”

“The property also includes existing infrastructure and utility services which will help accelerate development of the future Deer Valley Regional Park,” added Coffey.

The total purchase includes a 140-space parking area, three vault toilets, three retention ponds, and existing water and electrical service.

“Assembling the Roddy Ranch properties and bringing them to public use was a decades-long effort,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “Thank you to the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, which is such an important and valuable partner in protecting and preserving open space in East Contra Costa County.”

“Thank you also to Donna and Jack Roddy for preserving this beautiful area and being good stewards of their property for so long,” added Doyle.

The 18-hole golf course announced its closing on August 11, 2016 after 16 years of operation. Many of the golf course greens and fairways have reverted to a more natural state. The golf course property and surrounding former Roddy Ranch properties, will continue to be grazed to manage vegetation and reduce fire risks.

Park planning is expected to take several years and requires substantial environmental evaluation and community engagement. However, assembling a majority of the Roddy Ranch and other recently acquired properties as one new contiguous Park District property represents a giant leap forward toward bringing Deer Valley Regional Park to fruition.

The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 121,000 acres in 73 parks including over1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature learning.