Romick in Oakley

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro, Isabel Lucas and Ramon Rodriguez
2 hr. 24 min.
Rated: Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material.

Sam Witwicky again joins with the Autobots against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons. – Yahoo! Movies

Mary’s Review – I will give this movie 2 nachos it was just o.k. not great but it was a fun Saturday afternoon, nothing else to do movie. With lots of great special effects this fast paced movie will fare well…..I actually liked the 1st one better but my daughter was all about this one.

The following links are just news items and opinions that pass my desk throughout the week. I don’t necessarily support or advocate any of the items they are just interesting reads.

California to Feds: Drop Dead

Mind Your BlackBerry or Mind Your Manners

6 Bright Ideas for the Future of Energy

New Drug Kills Cancer with Few Side Effects

Update: Governor Schwarzenegger has called a special election to replace Rep. Ellen Tauscher in the 10th Congressional District. There will be a blanket primary election on Sept. 1. Under a blanket primary all candidates from all parties would appear on the ballot. If someone receives a simple majority, 50% plus 1, than that candidate is declared the winner. If not, the top vote-getter in each party will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

If you live in the following Cities and unincorporated areas in the 10th Congressional District: Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Birds Landing, Canyon, Concord (portion), Dixon, El Cerrito, Elmira, Fairfield, Isleton, Kensington, Knightsen, Lafayette, Livermore, Locke, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon (portion), Suisun City, Travis AFB, Walnut Creek and Walnut Grove, you have a special election coming in the near future.

Yesterday, Thursday, June 25, the U.S. Senate confirmed our current Congresswoman, Ellen Tauscher, to a top State Department post. More specifically she is the new Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security. In this role she will serve as Senior Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State for Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament.

Once she resigns Governor Schwarzenegger has 14 days to call an election. The date for this special election must be set no less than 112 days and no more than 126 days from the Governor’s notification.

A number of candidates have already declared their intention to run for the open seat.

Democrats: Tiffany Attwood , Tony Bothwell, Joan Buchanan, John Garamendi, Adriel Hampton, Mark DeSaulnier and Anthony Woods;
Republicans: Nick Gerber, David Harmer and Catherine Moy;
Green: Jeremy Cloward;
Independent: Gino VanGundy

The winner will face re-election in 2010.

LUHSD released a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for 45‐day public review period regarding the 4th High School proposed on Delta Road and Sellers Avenue. The Draft EIR is posted on the District’s website. A public hearing is scheduled for July 15th at 5pm at the LUHSD at 20 Oak Street, Brentwood, (925) 634-2166

An EIR is the planning document which describes the environmental impacts associated with a project. Typical impacts may include: traffic, air quality, noise, city services, and land use, among others. The EIR discusses these impacts and determines which ones are significant. It also describes mitigation measures to reduce the impacts to an appropriate or acceptable level.

Site Concept Plan

The June 17th ribbon cutting ceremony for the Big Break Shoreline Park was a well‐attended and successful event. The ceremony, hosted by East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Delta Science Center, officially dedicated the bridge that connects the trail system along the shoreline, and initiated construction of Phase 3a of the regional park.

Phase 3a of the park was approved by the City Council on March 24, 2009, and depicts $2.5 million in park improvements. EBRPD currently has $1.5 million in grant funds from the River Parkway and Coastal Conservancy grants. As a result in the interim shortfall of funding, EBRPD has reduced the scope of the initial construction of Phase 3a. The initial improvements will include the trail system, kayak storage building, vault restroom structure (instead of permanent restroom building with sewer connection), fish bike rack, 7 of the 12 picnic tables, 1 of the 8 BBQ, 15‐gallon trees instead of 24‐inch box, a scaled‐back children’s play area with a dinosaur dig site. EBRPD plans to build out the remainder of the improvements when additional funding is secured. Remaining improvements include the future fish cleaning station, and additional picnic tables, benches, standard bike racks, and BBQs. The 3‐dimensional Delta Map feature is being funded by a separate grant and is on track for construction with Phase 3a.

EBRPD also informed City staff that the $2.6 million from Measure WW is still earmarked for the Delta Science Center building and interpretative and
educational features at the shoreline park.

A recent newspaper headline read “$2.9M maintenance tax approved”, implying that the Oakley City Council was raising taxes instead of performing a mandatory annual review of the City’s Landscaping and Lighting Districts.

In 1972 the State Legislature passed the Landscaping and Lighting Act (Streets and Highways Code §22500 through §22679) to provide local governments a tool to pay for landscaping, lighting and other improvements and services in public areas. This tool simply allows local governments the ability to form Landscape and Lighting Maintenance Districts for the purpose of financing the costs and expenses of landscaping and lighting public areas. The many approved uses include installation and maintenance of landscaping, statues, fountains, general lighting, traffic lights, recreational and playground courts and equipment, and public restrooms.

So, how is a new district formed? Generally, a developer comes to town and wants to build homes or commercial/industrial developments. The developer and the city will work together to determine what level of amenities, parks, street landscaping, traffic lights, medians, etc., are required for their particular development. City engineers then develop a report that proposes the formation of a district or annexation to an existing one and then levy assessments. Affected property owners are then notified, (in most cases it is only the developer) and a vote is taken. If approved by a majority of the property owners, assessments will be placed on property tax bills each year to pay for the maintenance and improvements.

Generally, these public improvements are constructed by developers as a part of the conditions permitting the developer to construct new housing or commercial/industrial developments. However, the ongoing operation and maintenance of these various improvements are financed through the District. The District is composed of Benefit Zones “Zones” to ensure the operation and maintenance of the improvements are specifically paid for by those property owners who directly benefit from the improvements.

By law (Prop. 13), benefit assessments cannot be based on the value of property. Instead, each district establishes a benefit formula and each parcel in the service area is assessed according to the benefit it receives from the services and improvements.

Proposition 218, called “The Right to Vote on Taxes Act”, was formed in part to counteract concerns surrounding 1972 Act Districts. Under Prop. 218, to increase an existing assessment, the City must give written notice to all affected property owners, hold a public hearing and an assessment ballot vote. A majority vote is required to approve the rate increase. If a majority vote is not received, the increase cannot be applied. Contrary to the implication of the newspaper article, the City Council did not propose any increases to the rates and could not approve an increase anyway – those must be voted in by the residents of the District.

When the City incorporated in 1999 it formed the Street Lighting and Landscaping District No. 1 and transferred the responsibility of the park and recreational, street lighting and landscaping improvements from the County to the City. The District is divided into 3 zones.

Benefit Zone 1 consists of all the parcels that benefit from community parks and recreational facilities. Zone 1 has two sub-zones. Zone 1-A includes parcels that benefit from new parks and facilities. Zone 1-B includes parcels benefiting from Summerlake Community Park. All three zones have different assessment values. Although the parks are open for use to everyone, the benefit derived from having a park in your neighborhood, i.e. the value added to your property, is greater than those neighborhoods without parks. People living in Zone 1-B are not subsiding Zone 1. The taxes collected in Zone 1-B are used for parks and facilities in Zone 1-B.

Benefit Zone 2 consists of all those parcels that benefit from street lighting facilities. Zone 2 also has a sub-zone; Zone 2-A includes all those parcels that benefit from new street lighting facilities.

Benefit Zone 3 consists of 26 sub-zones that provide landscaping maintenance with their development. As new properties are developed, they are required to annex into an existing sub-zone of form a new sub-zone. Those people living in the newer developments are paying higher assessment because they have more amenities than those living in the older areas of the City.

When we incorporated there was one City park, Crockett and a couple of joint-use facilities, O’Hara Park and Oakley Elementary. We now have over 30 parks and numerous landscaped streets and medians. Great strides have been taken to beautify Oakley and the formation of lighting and landscape districts has made this possible.

You’ve seen them at the County Fair with their animals on display. But, beyond that what do you know about 4-H?

The historical roots of 4-H are spread throughout the late 1800’s when there was a growing concern about educating the country’s youth and a need for advancing agricultural technology. In 1902, A. B. Graham, an Ohio school superintendent, organized a boys’ and girls’ club with a home project based on corn. This became the first “4-H” club.

Boys and Girls Crop Growing Contest became very popular and spread to farming communities across the nation. County, regional and statewide competitions evolved. The idea spread, applying the same principles, to animal care and growing, food preservation and preparation, sewing, etc.

The first 4-H emblem was a three-leaf clover, introduced sometime between 1907 and 1908. The three “H’s” represented head, heart and hands. In 1911, at a meeting of club leaders in Washington, a fourth “H” representing health was added and the current 4-H four-leaf clover emblem was approved. It is protected by the U.S. Congress.

• HEAD stands for clearer thinking and decision-making. Knowledge that is useful throughout life. 
• HEART stands for greater loyalty, strong personal values, positive self concept, and concern for others.
• HANDS stand for larger service, workforce preparedness, useful skills, science and technology literacy.
• HEALTH stands for better living, healthy lifestyles.

In 1914 Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act that created Cooperative Extension Services (CES) in connection with land-grant universities – those that received federal lands for the purpose of teaching agriculture and other subjects. The CES, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, administers funds to county extension services, which include agricultural, home demonstration, and 4-H programs.

The 4-H Youth Development program is the youth education component of the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension. 4-H is an organization for youth, ages 5-19, that promotes hands-on learning and is based on parent and volunteer participation. Nationally, the program serves more than six million young people each year. Locally the Delta-Diablo 4-H includes members from Oakley, Pittsburg and Antioch.

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is a cooperative venture between county, state, and federal partners. The UCCE provides $3.2 million to Contra Costa County to deliver Agriculture, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Nutrition, and Youth Development (including 4-H) programs. Contra Costa County provides $385,152 for these same programs. Although a little over 10% of the funding it’s a very important 10%. Without these matching funds from the County serving as a trigger, the $3.2 million is not provided by the UCCE.

Proposed budget cuts initially targeted the County’s matching dollars. But, through the work of Oakley Councilman Jim Frazier they have managed to keep the 4-H program funded through September 30, 2009. After that, the 4-H program must seek other funding mechanisms to continue.

For more information on 4-H check the website- http://groups.ucanr.org/ccc4h/

Starring: Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Hank Azaria
1 hr. 40 min.
Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual content throughout, brief strong language and comic violence.

When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through the ancient world. – Yahoo! Movies

Mary’s Review – I will give this movie 1 nacho and a jalapeño. I went to see this movie with a group of teens who really enjoyed this movie but as for me, not so much. Although there truly were some funny scenes I for the most part wanted it to end…I did see the light in Jack black’s eyes a few times that made me remember why I like him so much. I am also a fan of Michael Ciera and he always makes me laugh with his dry speech and weird sense of timing. If you want a mind numbingly dumb yet mildly amusing film then maybe you should go see it, otherwise wait for video…..If it is Jack Black or Michael Ciera you want to see catch” Nacho Libre” or “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Play List.”

The following links are just news items and opinions that pass my desk throughout the week. I don’t necessarily support or advocate any of the items they are just interesting reads.

Don’t Buy Computers This Month

Real ID opposition sparks revisions to national driver’s license standard

Legislators Framing Climate Bills Hold Energy Stock

Google grabs 1 million phone numbers for Google Voice

Hard times, but not in the House

Caltrans and the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) are proposing to retrofit the Antioch Bridge to meet current seismic safety design standards at a cost of $313 million.

The construction of the bridge was completed in 1978 and was designed to meet strengthened engineering criteria put in place after the 1971 San Fernando earthquake; so it wasn’t included in the initial retrofit evaluations after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. New information taken from Northridge of 1994 and later earthquakes led to new design standards. These new standards indicate that the bridge no longer meets current operational seismic safety design standards.

The Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project spans roughly 2 miles of State Route 160, from Contra Costa County Post Mile (PM) 0.8 to Sacramento PM 0.0 to PM 1.3 on Sherman Island. The proposed retrofit elements to the bridge include the following:

• Installation of steel cross bracing between columns to stiffen the superstructure cross frames (Pier 12 to Pier 31).
• Installation of bracing to existing cross frames at the bent caps (Pier 2 to Pier 40).
• Replacement of the existing elastomeric bearings with the isolation bearing (Abutment 1 to Pier 41).
• Removal of the existing curtain walls and retrofit of all columns within the slab span structure (Bent 42 to Abutment 71).

The Environmental Impact Report is currently out for public comment. The project should go to bid by April of 2010 and be completed in 2012.

The project will have temporary impacts upon the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline Park. Part of the west side of the park will be unavailable for use to protect safety of park users. A path and table-bench will be relocated until the completion of construction. Other features of the park within the construction zone will be covered and protected during construction.

In an ongoing effort to guide oversized trucks to proper routes, the City has installed signage and begun a more aggressive enforcement of truck routes. Many oversized trucks have been using Laurel Road instead of Lone Tree Way to access Highway 4 and have also been utilizing other streets that are not designed to handle them. The City’s mandated truck route is Main Street and Cypress East of Main Street out to Bethel Island. The City has installed signs at all of the entrances into the City, including Laurel Road, banning all trucks over seven tons. 

Starring: Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Kimberley Nixon, Katherine Parkinson, Kris Marshall, and Christian Brassington
1 hr. 33 min.
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, brief partial nudity, and smoking throughout

The twenties have roared… the thirties have yet to swing. John Whittaker, a young Englishman, falls madly in love with Larita, a sexy and glamorous American woman, and they marry impetuously. However when the couple returns to the family home, his mother Mrs Whittaker has an instant allergic reaction to her new daughter-in-law. Larita tries her best to fit in but fails to tiptoe through the minefield laid by her mother-in-law. Larita quickly realizes Mrs Whittaker’s game and sees that she must fight back if she’s not going to lose John. A battle of wits ensues and sparks soon fly. Mrs Whittaker manipulates every situation to undermine her, while Larita remains frustratingly calm and engineers sassy counter attacks. Before long, Mrs Whittaker’s manipulation starts to work on John and Larita feels their love is in danger of slipping away. In a grand finale, where the secrets from Larita’s past are revealed, she finally makes a break for freedom from the suffocating house..

Mary’s review - This movie didn’t fair so well. With a great cast I thought this would be a great movie. Wow was I wrong. This movie stunk like sardines on a hot sidewalk. Jessica Biel was the worst! The dialogue was so bad that Zulema and I couldn’t believe that these top rate actors would be in such a stinker. I will give this movie a small stinky jalapeno!

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Starring: Denzel Washington, John Travolta, James Gandolfini, John Turturro, Frank Wood
1 hr. 35 min.
Rated: R for violence and pervasive language.

New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber’s ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder, a criminal mastermind, leads a highly-armed gang of four, threatening to execute the train’s passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can’t solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape? – Yahoo! Movies

Mary’s review -  I am going to give this movie 3 Nachos. John Travolta kicked butt! What a great cast. This movie gave you non stop excitement! Girls bring your husbands they will really be glad you did. My husband really enjoyed the action!  

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The following links are just news items and opinions that pass my desk throughout the week. I don’t necessarily support or advocate any of the items they are just interesting reads.

Tax Man’s Target: The Mobile Phone

The Best And Worst Cities For Recession Recovery

S.F. OKs toughest recycling law in U.S.

Beware ‘Cellphone Elbow’

Welcome to California, Home of the Highest Taxes in the Nation

As reported in the Contra Costa Times, on Tuesday June 9, Oakley’s YMCA was has finally reached a critical mass in its funding for a new and improved facility to move forward. With help from Supervisor Federal Glover the Board of Supervisors approved a grant of $100,000 from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to top off the funding goal for construction of a permanent YMCA facility.

The CDBG Program is a federal program that provides funding to address a wide range of unique community development needs. The program was enacted in 1974 by President Gerald Ford through the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and took effect in January 1975. CDBG funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to states, counties and cities.

The YMCA has a history with and a commitment to the Oakley community long before Oakley became a city. The YMCA, realizing the need for community services and facilities in Oakley, established the Delta Branch of the YMCA and before and after school care programs at Oakley elementary schools in the mid 1980’s. In the early 1990’s the YMCA opened the Main Street gym. The facility served Oakley and East County residents until the YMCA opened its expanded but temporary facility at 1250 O’Hara Avenue in Oakley

The temporary facility was the formal beginning of a creative partnership between the YMCA and the City of Oakley. The City and the YMCA entered into a long-term ground lease in March, 2004. The lease called for the YMCA to construct a temporary facility and to ultimately develop a first class YMCA community center by 2011 on city owned parkland.

The brand-new 25,000 square-foot facility will include an aerobics/cardiovascular and strength-training facility, cutting-edge health and fitness center, aquatics center, technology center and community gathering place. The Oakley facility will also have on-site child care, to help meet the high demand for infant to toddler care in this area.

Chief of Police Chris Thorsen was recently a Guest columnist for the Contra Costa Times. If you missed his column here it is:

THE CITY OF OAKLEY continues to evolve. From the time I began my law enforcement career 22 years ago to today, things have changed drastically.

Some would argue things were better “back in the good old days” when our streets carried more farm equipment than passenger cars. Instead of homes and businesses, the roads were lined with orchards and crops.

With the growth, our roads have been improved to carry the additional traffic volume. The police department has grown to keep pace with the increase in population. Part of that growth has been the addition of a traffic safety unit. You will recognize this as the traffic enforcement motorcycles riding about town and making enforcement stops. Coupled with these motor officers, members of the Oakley Police Department have increased their efforts in the area of intoxicated driving enforcement. These two efforts combined have resulted in tangible results. Traffic accidents are declining; more importantly, injuries resulting from those accidents are declining as well. In a year-to-year comparison, collisions have declined approximately 25 percent. Injuries in those collisions have declined approximately 30 percent. Due to the increased enforcement efforts, overall speed is decreasing in many areas of town.

I often hear the comment “why aren’t you out arresting real criminals,” or “don’t you have anything better to do” when it comes to our efforts in traffic safety.

These folks will never understand the experience of removing a young person’s mangled body from a car, needlessly killed in a traffic accident. They will never deliver the horrible news to a parent letting him know his son or daughter will not be coming home.

Simply put, if our enforcement efforts eliminate these experiences, then my answer is “no, we have nothing better to do!”

When I see a group of 40 or 50 Oakley residents, I fully believe at least one of them is alive and well due to the efforts of your police department. There is no good day to get a ticket or arrested for DUI.

Those enforcement measures are performed in an effort to save lives and limit injuries.

As the years go on, we will continue to work with the community to reduce the incidents of injuries and fatalities on our roadways.

Please join us in these efforts, don’t drink and drive, slow down and drive safely.

Starring: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny R. McBride and Jorma Taccone
1 hr. 46 min.
Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and for language including a drug reference.

Space-time vortexes suck. Has been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, is sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world. Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly and a redneck survivalist named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally — a primate called Chaka to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they’ll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost. – Yahoo

Mary’s review – Gets a jalapeno. It was so mind numbingly dumb I would have walked out but the girls love Will Farrell.

Starring: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Harland Williams, Rachel Dratch, Caroline Goodall
1 hr. 38 min.
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content.

A Greek tour guide named Georgia attempts to recapture her kefi (Greek for “mojo”) by guiding a ragtag group of tourists around Greece and showing them the beauty of her native land. Along the way, she manages to open their eyes to the wonders of an exotic foreign land while beginning to see the world through a new set of eyes in the process. – Yahoo

Mary’s review – gets a jalapeño. I wanted to like it because I like the people in it but it was horrible. Don’t waste your time or money.

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha
1 hr. 39 min.
Rated: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.

Two days before his wedding, Doug and his three friends drive to Las Vegas for a blow-out bachelor party they’ll never forget. But, in fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can’t remember a thing. For some reason, they find a tiger in the bathroom and a six-month-old baby in the closet of their suite at Caesars Palace. The one thing they can’t find is Doug. – Yahoo

Mary review - ….2 nachos naughty but funny!

The following links are just news items and opinions that pass my desk throughout the week. I don’t necessarily support or advocate any of the items they are just interesting reads.

Cars go wireless by 2012

New Solar Cycle Prediction

Ethanol’s Grocery Bill

Xbox Motion Controller: Not Your Father’s Wii