CONCORD
Democratic U.S. Reps. Mark DeSaulnier, Harmony; Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington, D.C.; and Jamie Raskin, Maryland; on Friday reintroduced two items of laws geared toward supporting and preserving native journalism to maintain communities knowledgeable, preserve authorities accountability and shield American democracy.
The Saving Native Information Act (H.R. 7306) would make changing into nonprofits simpler for print and on-line information retailers, letting them focus extra on producing high quality content material somewhat than maximizing income.
The native information decision (H.Res. 1005) acknowledges the significance of native media retailers to society and expresses the pressing want for Congress to take motion to assist forestall their decline. Reintroduction of this laws comes as newsrooms throughout the nation from the Los Angeles Occasions to the Wall Avenue Journal are being decimated.
“From informing the voters to holding energy to account, with out a flourishing free press there is no such thing as a American democracy,” mentioned DeSaulnier. “If retailers as massive because the L.A. Occasions are struggling, it’s no marvel that native papers throughout the nation are being purchased up and brought over by massive companies and dismantled in report numbers.
“I’m proud to once more introduce this laws that may acknowledge and shield native journalism as the general public good it’s so People in each group throughout the nation have entry to the information they want.”
Based on the Pew Analysis Middle, weekday print newspaper circulation fell 13% in 2022 from the earlier yr, and in line with Northwestern College, the nation has misplaced nearly 2,900 newspapers since 2005, together with greater than 130 confirmed closings or mergers over the previous yr.
To reply to this disturbing pattern, DeSaulnier established a working group of devoted Congressmembers from areas notably affected by a drought of high-quality journalism. Collectively they’ve labored to deliver consciousness to this disaster and the necessity to promote native journalism.
DeSaulnier’s invoice and backbone are supported by Free Press Motion, Native Impartial On-line Information (LION) Publishers, PEN America, the Middle for Journalism and Liberty on the Open Markets Institute, NewsGuild-CWA, the Affiliation of Various Newsmedia and the Nationwide Newspaper Affiliation. For extra particulars on-line, go to bit.ly/3IfiWGN.
— U.S. Rep. DeSaulnier’s workplace
BRENTWOOD
Financial institution basis donates Chromebooks to highschool district
College students within the Brentwood Union Faculty District will enhance their probabilities to find extra instructional experiences via use of their new Google Chromebooks, due to the Fremont Financial institution Basis.
“College students be taught via all completely different pathways, and the Chromebooks provide eventualities for better journey via training,” mentioned Brian Hughes, the Fremont Financial institution Basis’s president and government director and Fremont Financial institution’s government vp.
The district has about 10,000 college students, and youth in grades two via eight are supplied with a Chromebook. Regular put on and tear on the units proved difficult for the district to maintain up with their substitute prices. Fremont Financial institution Basis’s $50,000 donation let the district purchase 150 extra Chromebooks.
“The training alternatives for college kids have been super,” mentioned Dana Eaton, Ed.D., the Brentwood Union Faculty District’s superintendent. “Entry to the Chromebooks has expanded pc science choices district-wide, and now we see college students coding at a lot youthful ages.”
— Fremont Financial institution Basis
CLAYTON
Development begins on metropolis’s new infrastructure program
Officers with town of Clayton are blissful to announce launching of the development section of town’s new Complete Infrastructure Renewal and Normal Fund Financial savings Program.
Confronted with growing old infrastructure and restricted staffing, town developed this program to advance conservation efforts, fight PG&E price will increase and supply employees help through know-how enhancements.
“Our vitality program is actually shifting the needle on our fiscal and environmental priorities. Clayton’s infrastructure is within the technique of changing into smarter, safer and extra environment friendly, and that affect has a ripple impact throughout our group,” mentioned Metropolis Supervisor Bret Prebula.
Funding for the initiative comes primarily from a $1.9 million California Power Fee 1% mortgage via the Power Conservation Help Act, in addition to lower than $150,000 in federal COVID-19 pandemic American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The enhancements goal core areas of Clayton’s infrastructure wants: lighting; water; HVAC and constructing automation programs; electrical automobile charging and solar energy. All modernizations are anticipated to drastically cut back vitality consumption and upkeep and operations wants, leading to financial savings for years to return.
New LED lights are deliberate to quickly substitute avenue, pathway and constructing lighting, enhancing public security across the metropolis after hours. The LED system plugs into a contemporary dashboard that enables metropolis employees to observe the lights remotely, making it sooner than ever to determine and restore outages. The town’s new good irrigation system will function an identical dashboard, monitoring on main leaks and lowering water waste within the occasion of a break.
The town’s incoming HVAC modernizations enhance air high quality and occupancy consolation, whereas complementary constructing automation programs make sure the HVAC system maintains the identical temperature in amenities. Occupancy sensors robotically flip off indoor lighting when amenities aren’t getting used.
“We imagine that actions converse louder than phrases,” mentioned Mayor Jim Diaz. “By progressing with this infrastructure renewal program, we reaffirm our dedication to constructing a future for generations of Claytonians.”
— Tripepi Smith
WALNUT CREEK
Neighborhood Arts Basis seeks new board members
Are you keen about fostering creativity and guaranteeing that everybody, no matter monetary constraints, has entry to the enriching world of arts training?
Take into account changing into a board member for the Neighborhood Arts Basis (CAF) in Walnut Creek, and assist the group increase funds to offer scholarships to college students of all ages on the Middle for Neighborhood Arts in Contra Costa County.
Most of the CAF’s recipients are designated on the “extraordinarily low earnings stage.” As a board member, you’ll actively assist the group meet the necessity for arts scholarship funding, however your affect will lengthen past elevating funds to the extra advantages of bringing arts consciousness, advocacy and humanities accessibility to your complete county.
The CAF is searching for people with expertise in fundraising, in addition to these with advertising and marketing and social media expertise. Above all, they welcome voices and views from all backgrounds.
For extra info and to use, contact Cole Portocarrero, the CAF’s the event director, at [email protected] or go to commartsfoundation.org on-line.
— CAF
PITTSBURG
Touch upon renewable hydrogen challenge till March 6
HC (Contra Costa) LLC, is proposing the development and operation of a renewable hydrogen facility in Pittsburg that may use sorted waste supplies as feedstock in a noncombustion thermal conversion course of.
The challenge web site is on a 20-acre portion of the property at 901 Loveridge Highway in Pittsburg, a couple of mile northeast of the Pittsburg-Antioch Freeway’s intersection with Loveridge Highway. Written public feedback on the draft environmental affect report (EIR) for the H Cycle Pittsburg Renewable Hydrogen Challenge are being accepted now via 5 p.m. March 6.
The town of Pittsburg, appearing because the lead company for the proposed challenge, will maintain two public conferences Feb. 15 to just accept feedback on the report, one on-line through Zoom at 11 a.m. and one in-person at 6 p.m. in Pittsburg Metropolis Corridor. For extra particulars on-line, go to bit.ly/4blljFb.
— The East Bay 100
ANTIOCH
$60K raised for furnishings, know-how upgrades at library
The board of administrators of the group Buddies of the Antioch Library (FOAL) offered a $60,000 donation for Antioch Library furnishings and know-how upgrades throughout the metropolis’s Jan. 23 council assembly.
Since its inception, FOAL has raised some $700,000 for library enhancements via Amazon uncommon e-book choices, used e-book gross sales, foyer journal purchases, property presents and membership dues.
— Walter Ruehlig
CONCORD
Volunteers sought to show English as a second language
The Harmony-based Diablo Valley Literacy Council is in search of volunteer tutors to show English as a second language, and the group’s subsequent tutor orientations are March 2 and 9. English needn’t be tutors’ first language, and no educating expertise is required.
The March 2 orientation will likely be on-line from 10 a.m. to midday through Zoom, and the March 9 orientation will likely be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m in-person in Harmony’s Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 4000 Clayton Highway. Volunteer tutors should attend each classes, and $20 covers coaching supplies together with 2024 membership dues and ongoing help.
Grownup volunteers sometimes give one or two hours per week. Register on-line at dvlc4esl.org. For extra info, depart a message at 925-685-3881 or [email protected].
— DVLC
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Free earnings tax preparation accessible to eligible residents
The AARP Basis Tax-Aide program is once more providing free earnings tax preparation this yr, offering IRS-certified tax counselors for native Contra Costa County residents. The service is obtainable to folks of all ages with restricted to reasonable earnings, with particular consideration given to these age 50 or older.
For normal info, name 925-726-3199. The tax preparation service will likely be accessible on the areas listed beneath, the place these can name the site-specific telephone numbers listed to make an appointment.
Listed below are the areas: Harmony Library, 925-471-5686; Harmony Senior Middle, 925-671-3320; the Danville Veterans Memorial Constructing of San Ramon Valley, 925-272-0902; Lafayette Library, 925-385-2280; Martinez Senior Middle, 925-370-8770; Pacheco Neighborhood Middle, 925-276-2590; Nice Hill Hillcrest Congregational Church, 925-289-9790; San Ramon Senior Middle, 925-973-3250; Walnut Creek — Rossmoor, Hillside Clubhouse, Vista Room (appointments made on-site at this location.)
— AARP Basis Tax-Aide
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