Concord’s DeSaulnier, others reintroduce ‘Saving Local News Act’
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, keep 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 reasonably 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 stop their decline. Reintroduction of this laws comes as newsrooms throughout the nation from the Los Angeles Occasions to the Wall Road Journal are being decimated.
“From informing the voters to holding energy to account, with no flourishing free press there isn’t a American democracy,” mentioned DeSaulnier. “If retailers as giant because the L.A. Occasions are struggling, it’s no surprise that native papers throughout the nation are being purchased up and brought over by giant companies and dismantled in document numbers.
“I’m proud to once more introduce this laws that might 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.”
In keeping with the Pew Analysis Middle, weekday print newspaper circulation fell 13% in 2022 from the earlier 12 months, and in line with Northwestern College, the nation has misplaced virtually 2,900 newspapers since 2005, together with greater than 130 confirmed closings or mergers over the previous 12 months.
To reply to this disturbing development, DeSaulnier established a working group of devoted Congressmembers from areas significantly affected by a drought of high-quality journalism. Collectively they’ve labored to carry consciousness to this disaster and the necessity to promote native journalism.
DeSaulnier’s invoice and determination are supported by Free Press Motion, Native Unbiased 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 high school district
College students within the Brentwood Union College District will enhance their possibilities to find extra academic experiences by way of use of their new Google Chromebooks, due to the Fremont Financial institution Basis.
“College students be taught by way of all totally different pathways, and the Chromebooks supply situations for higher journey by way of schooling,” 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 by way of 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 students have been large,” mentioned Dana Eaton, Ed.D., the Brentwood Union College 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
Building begins on metropolis’s new infrastructure program
Officers with the town of Clayton are blissful to announce launching of the development section of the town’s new Complete Infrastructure Renewal and Normal Fund Financial savings Program.
Confronted with growing older infrastructure and restricted staffing, the town developed this program to advance conservation efforts, fight PG&E charge will increase and supply employees assist by way of expertise enhancements.
“Our vitality program is basically shifting the needle on our fiscal and environmental priorities. Clayton’s infrastructure is within the means of changing into smarter, safer and extra environment friendly, and that influence has a ripple impact throughout our group,” mentioned Metropolis Supervisor Bret Prebula.
Funding for the initiative comes primarily from a $1.9 million California Vitality Fee 1% mortgage by way of the Vitality 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 techniques; electrical automobile charging and solar energy. All modernizations are anticipated to drastically scale back vitality consumption and upkeep and operations wants, leading to financial savings for years to come back.
New LED lights are deliberate to quickly change road, pathway and constructing lighting, enhancing public security across the metropolis after hours. The LED system plugs into a contemporary dashboard that permits metropolis employees to observe the lights remotely, making it sooner than ever to determine and restore outages. The town’s new sensible irrigation system will function an analogous dashboard, monitoring on main leaks and decreasing 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 techniques make sure the HVAC system maintains the identical temperature in services. Occupancy sensors routinely flip off indoor lighting when services aren’t getting used.
“We consider 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
Group Arts Basis seeks new board members
Are you enthusiastic about fostering creativity and making certain that everybody, no matter monetary constraints, has entry to the enriching world of arts schooling?
Take into account changing into a board member for the Group Arts Basis (CAF) in Walnut Creek, and assist the group elevate funds to offer scholarships to college students of all ages on the Middle for Group Arts in Contra Costa County.
Lots 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 influence will lengthen past elevating funds to the extra advantages of bringing arts consciousness, advocacy and humanities accessibility to the complete county.
The CAF is in search of people with expertise in fundraising, in addition to these with advertising and social media expertise. Above all, they welcome voices and views from all backgrounds.
For extra data 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 might 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 few mile northeast of the Pittsburg-Antioch Freeway’s intersection with Loveridge Highway. Written public feedback on the draft environmental influence report (EIR) for the H Cycle Pittsburg Renewable Hydrogen Venture are being accepted now by way of 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 simply accept feedback on the report, one on-line by way of 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, expertise 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 expertise upgrades through the metropolis’s Jan. 23 council assembly.
Since its inception, FOAL has raised some $700,000 for library enhancements by way of Amazon uncommon guide choices, used guide gross sales, foyer journal purchases, property items 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 might be on-line from 10 a.m. to midday by way of Zoom, and the March 9 orientation might 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 assist.
Grownup volunteers usually give one or two hours per week. Register on-line at dvlc4esl.org. For extra data, 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 12 months, offering IRS-certified tax counselors for native Contra Costa County residents. The service is obtainable to individuals of all ages with restricted to average earnings, with particular consideration given to these age 50 or older.
For common data, name 925-726-3199. The tax preparation service might be accessible on the areas listed beneath, the place these can name the site-specific cellphone 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 Group 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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