District 3 Newsletter for April 26

Homes for Our Troops Presents New Custom Home in Byron to Marine Veteran Kyle Garcia

I had the honor Saturday to speak at the Key Ceremony for Marine Sergeant Kyle Garcia, who was severely injured by an IED while deployed in Afghanistan in 2011.

Kyle, his wife, Crystal, and their son, Louis, received the keys to their new home in Byron, thanks to Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit that builds and gifts custom homes built around an injured veteran's mobility needs.

Welcome to Byron, Kyle, and thank you for your service.

Watch a short video and read more of Kyle's story on the Homes for Our Troops website.

Roof Replacement will Close Antioch Library Starting April 30

The Antioch Library will be closed beginning on Tuesday, April 30 while the roof is replaced. The project is expected to take approximately six weeks and the library is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, June 11.

The last day to place new holds for pickup at the library was Sunday, April 21.

The book drop will be locked and holds will not be available for pickup during the closure. Library materials not picked up by the end of the day on Saturday, April 27, will remain on the hold shelf and be available for pickup when the library reopens. The hold period will be extended an extra week to June 18.

During the closure, patrons may place new holds online and pick them up at the Prewett Library in the Antioch Community Center, the Pittsburg Library, or any other Contra Costa County Library.

Funding for the project is provided by Measure X, a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020, and the California State Library's Building Forward grant program.

In February 2022, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors committed $4 million in Measure X funds to address deferred maintenance costs in county-owned library facilities. The roof replacement is one of several projects underway to improve county-owned library facilities.

The HVAC system at the Antioch Library was replaced in 2023 and future projects include upgrades to the electrical and lighting systems.

For account questions during the closure, please call (800) 984-4636.

Final Youth Center Listening Sessions Next Tuesday and Thursday

Have you spoken up yet about what you want in an East County Youth Center? Join one of the final two virtual listening sessions next week.

Register for the Tuesday, April 30th session at 5:30 pm

Register for the Thursday, May 2nd session at 5:30 pm

Board of Supervisors Appoints New Animal Services Director Ben Winkleblack

The Board of Supervisors has selected Ben Winkleblack as the next Animal Services Director. His formal appointment was approved Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors meeting. His start date is Monday, May 6.

Animal Services plays a crucial role in protecting the health and safety of all people and animals in Contra Costa County through enforcement of state and local laws, protecting the public from animal injury, and working to prevent animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect.

“I’m excited to carry on the department’s commitment to ensuring quality services and prioritizing the well-being and safety of the people and animals of Contra Costa County,” Winkleblack said. “I’m honored to serve our community in this role and to lead such an experienced team at Animal Services.”

Winkleblack’s appointment permanently fills the role held in the interim by Captain Jane De May Andreotti, who stepped in to lead the team following the retirement of former Director Beth Ward.

Winkleblack began his career with Santa Cruz County in 2006 as an animal health technician before being promoted to shelter manager in 2010 – a role he held for a decade. In 2020, Winkleblack served as Assistant Director for the City of Oakland Animal Services department helping to modernize field services by implementing best practices focused on promoting owner retention of animals, support of unsheltered populations caring for animals, and increasing low-cost spay neuter programming to residents in need. Most recently, Winkleblack consulted for the Humane Society of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Mr. Winkleblack’s commitment to serving our most vulnerable animal populations is clear through his extensive experience, and we are excited to have him leading our efforts to protect residents and animals,” said Board Chair Federal D. Glover, District 5 Supervisor. “While we welcome Ben, we also thank Jane for maintaining stability at Animal Services during this transition period.”

Prescribed Burning at Mount Diablo State Park Begins May 2024

California State Parks will be performing a series of prescribed burns on ten plots of land, totaling approximately 240 acres within the Mitchell Canyon area at Mount Diablo State Park. The burns will take place intermittently from May until December 2024. All burning depends on weather and air quality conditions. If weather or vegetation conditions are not favorable for burning and smoke dispersal, the department will reschedule the treatment.

These treatments aim to enhance grassland habitats by managing invasive species, reducing wildfire risk, reducing encroaching woody vegetation, improving wildlife habitat, promoting native plant diversity, and restoring the natural fire regime.

Below is more information on the planned prescribed burns at Mount Diablo State Park:

• Begins in May, specific timing dependent on life stages of target invasive plant species.
• During burn operations access points from the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center and Regency Drive entrance will be closed temporarily to visitor access.
• Some trails will be closed for short periods, but no long-term trail closures are anticipated.
• Smoke will be regulated and monitored.
• Burns will be monitored for several days after ignition.
• Ignitions will be dependent on favorable burning and air quality conditions.

All burns are coordinated and planned with the help of Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). Prescribed burns produce significantly less smoke than wildfire, and California State Parks will be in close coordination with BAAQMD to minimize smoke in surrounding communities.

Details are available at the California State Parks website.

FAA's Drone Safety Day is April 27th!

The FAA is excited to announce that this year's Drone Safety Day will take place on April 27, 2024. We invite you take part in this global campaign by either hosting an event, creating content, or participating in an event, whether in person or virtually. This day is intended to increase awareness on the importance of safe drone operations.

We encourage you to teach drone pilots how to FlyRIGHT:

Register your drone with Remote ID — Visit the FAADroneZone 

Interact with others — Connect with the drone flying community

Gain and share knowledge — Learn the rules at FAA.gov/uas

Have a safety plan — Use B4UFLY

TRUST and Train — Take the safety test and get flying. 

To learn more about what events may be happening near you or to register your event, explore our current list.

Additional information about Drone Safety Day is available on the FAA website, including STEM-focused resources and Drone@Home activities.  

Follow us on social media for updates at FAADroneZone on X and Facebook.

If you have questions, contact us at: DroneSafetyDay@faa.org, and please feel free to share this far and wide!

Become an Adult Literacy Tutor with Project Second Chance

Want a flexible, fun volunteer role? It only takes about 5 hours a week, meeting at your local library, to help a neighbor who wants to improve their reading, writing and spelling. Project Second Chance (PSC) Adult Literacy, based at Contra Costa County Library, will celebrate 40 years this year. PSC has helped nearly 6,000 Contra Costa County adults improve their lives by pairing them with patient, kind and flexible adult literacy volunteer tutors! Our adult learners work on goals such as voting, passing U.S. Citizenship, getting a GED or obtaining a better job. We are looking for East County residents who would find this role rewarding. The role involves meeting with a learner twice a week for 90 minutes, not including preparation.

Training for the next cohort of volunteer adult literacy tutors starts in May:

• Attend BOTH of our virtual sessions on Zoom: Tuesdays, May 14 AND 21, from 6-8 pm
• AND attend ONE of the following two hands-on, in-person sessions at the Project Second Chance office in Concord:
• Friday, May 17, from 9:30 am-1 pm OR
• Saturday, May 18, from 9:30 am-1 pm

East County has many deserving, hard working adults eager to learn. To test drive this volunteer role, please go to PSC Prospective Tutor Orientation Form | Contra Costa County Library (ccclib.org) Registration for May Training closes on Friday, April 26. 

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Event Scheduled for April 27 in Discovery Bay

The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office will host its National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27 from 10 am to 2 pm.

Find them at the Sandy Cove Shopping Center at 14840 Highway 4, Discovery Bay (between CVS and Safeway).

Tri Delta Transit Hosting Annual Community Shred-It Event

Tri Delta Transit is hosting a FREE community Shred-It event in partnership with the City of Oakley, City of Antioch, Mt. Diablo Resource and Recovery, and Republic Services.

For more details, including a map of the May 8 event, visit Tri Delta Transit's website.

Join Us For the 2024 Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration

The 2024 Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration will take place at the Board chambers, May 14th at 9:30 am. 



This year’s theme is Building on Our Legacies, so join us to honor and recognize the rich heritage of our AANHPI neighbors with live performances, lion dancing, and light refreshments! This free event is open to all.

Learn more and watch live: https://bit.ly/4ccbaLq

Join Cancer Support Community's Hope Walk

Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area hosts their annual Hope Walk and Community Fair on Saturday, May 18. Learn more and sign up at HopeWalkBayArea.net.

"How You Can Be Wildfire Ready!"

Pre-Season Wildfire Preparedness Town Hall in Brentwood on May 29

Please join us for a special fire safety Town Hall focusing on the unique concerns of Contra Costa County residents.

The in-person event, hosted by Con Fire, will feature fire service leaders giving a presentation on, “How You Can Be Wildfire Ready!”

In addition to allowing ample time for your questions, we'll address protecting your home, family, and neighbors from wildfire danger:

Preventing: It takes a community approach to prevent wildfires; learn how you can make a difference.

Planning: Planning for evacuation, signing up for Community Warning System alerts, using the new Zonehaven digital evacuation tool, and steps to take during and after a fire emergency.

Preparing: Learn about weed abatement deadlines, creating defensible space around your home, and the importance of having an emergency Go Bag ready.

Responding: Learn about our public safety resources that will be responding to wildfires within Contra Costa County.

When: Wednesday May 29, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Where: Brentwood Senior Center

193 Griffith Lane, Brentwood, CA 94513

Can’t Join Us?

Watch the Town Hall meeting the next day on the Con Fire Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/contracostafire

For additional Wild Fire Preparedness information please visit our website: https://www.cccfpd.org/wildfire-prep/

Apply Today for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Junior Women's Academy

This year, the Office of the Sheriff will host its third annual Junior Women’s Academy from June 11-13 at their range in Clayton. This 3-day camp is for young women aged 14-18 to create positive interactions with law enforcement while exposing them to various career opportunities. The theme of this year’s event is Dream. Believe. Achieve. It is free to all participants, and the Sheriff's Office offers transportation from pick-up locations throughout the county. 

Apply today at: www.JoinCoCoSheriff.org

2024–25 Grant Cycle for the Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund is Now Open

The Office of Supervisor Federal Glover is pleased to announce that the 2024–25 grant cycle for the Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund is now open. Grant applications ranging from $500 to $10,000 will be accepted via the online application portal beginning May 1, 2024, following a mandatory bidder’s conference. The link for the application portal will be accessible and publicly announced on May 1, 2024 following the Bidders Conference. Applications for services must fall within one of the broad categories previously approved by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors:

• Code Enforcement
• Community Beautification
• Community Services
• Public Safety/ Public Health
• Youth Services

Additionally, services funded by the Keller Canyon Mitigation Fund must be offered in the mitigation area, which includes the unincorporated community of Bay Point, the City of Pittsburg, and the City of Antioch. The target area is divided into a primary area (Bay Point and Pittsburg from its western border to Harbor Street) and a secondary area (Pittsburg from Harbor Street east to the entire City of Antioch). Services may also be provided to organizations outside the mitigation area only when the beneficiaries reside within the mitigation area.

To apply for Keller Canyon Mitigation grant funds, organizations must be designated either a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) corporation under the Internal Revenue Code or be a public agency (city, special district, county department, etc.).

MANDATORY IN-PERSON BIDDER’S CONFERENCE—WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024 FROM 9:00 AM TO 11:00 AM AT THE PITTSBURG CALIFORNIA THEATRE LOCATED AT 351 RAILROAD AVE. PITTSBURG, CA. 94565.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE MANDATORY BIDDER’S CONFERENCE

The Board of Supervisors receives valuable input and community participation from numerous citizen advisory boards on a range of issues. Boards usually meet monthly regularly.

Candidates for these positions must live in District 3 or any specified boundary area for special districts. 

District 3 is comprised of the cities of Antioch, Oakley, and Brentwood, and the unincorporated communities of Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen, and Discovery Bay.

Find out more by visiting the Board of Supervisors 

Appointed Bodies, Committees & Commissions 

webpage.

Download application here:

https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/6408/Boards-and-Commissions-Database

Applications should be submitted to the Clerk of the Board’s office located at 1025 Escobar Street, 1st Floor, Martinez, CA 94553

or by email to clerkoftheboard@cob.cccounty.us 



For more information, including on how to apply, contact District 3 Representative Alicia Nuchols at Alicia.Nuchols@bos.cccounty.us.

Board of Supervisors' meetings are held in person at the County Administration Building 1025 Escobar Street, 1st floor, Martinez. The public is encouraged to attend the meetings.

The Board meetings are also accessible via television, and via live-streaming to all members of the public. Board meetings are televised live on Comcast Cable 27, ATT/U-Verse Channel 99, Astound Channels 32 & 1027, and can be seen live online at www.contracosta.ca.gov or www.contracostatv.org.

Persons who wish to address the board during public comment or with respect to an item on the agenda may comment in person or may call in during the meeting by dialing 888-278-0254 followed by the access code 843298#. A caller should indicate they wish to speak on an agenda item, by pushing "#2" on their phone. Access via Zoom is also available using the following link: https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/87344719204. Those participating via Zoom should indicate they wish to speak on an agenda item by using the “raise your hand” feature in the Zoom app. To provide contact information, please contact Clerk of the Board at clerkoftheboard@cob.cccounty.us or call 925-655-2000.

Meetings of the Board are closed-captioned in real time. Public comment generally will be limited to two minutes. Your patience is appreciated. A Spanish language interpreter is available to assist Spanish-speaking callers.

See information about parking and access to the County Administration Building at 1025 Escobar Street, Martinez, CA 94553.

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."

– Ella Fitzgerald