THE VALLEJO WEEKLY VOLUME 8, ISSUE 26 | OCTOBER 1, 2020
MAYOR’S MESSAGE Dear Vallejo, I’ve been receiving calls and emails from residents about the trash and litter around our community. Yes, I see it, and I’m not ignoring it.
I am thankful to all the groups that have taken time out of their busy Saturdays to pick up trash around town. I know how frustrating it is to look at it and to see it accumulate. Unfortunately, we have only two groundskeepers that police our streets, picking up garbage. On homeless cleanup days, which is once a month, we have three more that help. Last quarter, the crews picked up close to 290,000 lbs. of refuse, that's nearly 145 tons. That’s all within a three month time period! It is amazing that so many people feel they are entitled to dump, throw out, or litter our streets. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Shelee Loughmiller has been coordinating volunteers for trash pickup. If you want to get involved, please contact Shelee via email at Shelee.Loughmiller@CityofVallejo.net. Thank you to all of you that care about Vallejo and our image. It’s heartbreaking to see what
inconsiderate and entitled people do to our beloved Vallejo. And it might be last in this message, but surely it's one of the first things on my mind, our neighbors to the Northwest who are suffering through yet another devastating fire. Our hearts go out to them during this very scary time. Five of Vallejo's firefighters have been deployed today to the Glass Fire burning in Napa and Sonoma Counties. Please pray or send good thoughts that everyone, residents, and firefighters alike, stay safe through this event.
MAYOR’S MESSAGE
Sincerely, Your Mayor, Bob Sampayan
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The City of Vallejo is pleased to offer the following employment opportunities: - Administrative Analyst I/II (Extra Help) - Engineering Technician I/II (Water) - Police Cadet - Police Officer (Entry - Academy Graduate) - Police Officer (Lateral) - Police Officer (Recruit)
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PERSONNEL
Visit governmentjobs.com/careers/vallejo for more information and to apply.
OCTOBER 1, 2020
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WELCOMES NEW PLANNING MANAGER Christina Ratcliffe joined the City of Vallejo as the new Planning Manger in the Planning and Development Services Department on September 21. Christina has over 25 years of experience in both the private and public sector, most recently for the City of Martinez. She has a BA in Urban Planning from San Francisco State University and did her Masters work in City Planning at UC Berkeley. Christina is excited to be a part of the Vallejo team and work on diverse and sustainable housing projects, as well as development that will create employment opportunities for Vallejo residents.
PERSONNEL
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT CONGRATULATES OFFICER RAILTON The Vallejo Police Department would like to congratulate Officer M. Railton who recently completed his Field Training Officer (FTO) program last month. Your hard work is valued & appreciated!
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Five Vallejo Firefighters have been deployed to the Glass Fire, burning in Napa & Sonoma counties. The fire has forced evacuations of over 60,000 residents. Vallejo E327 has teamed up to form Task Force XSO2351, along with two Menlo Park and two Monterey County fire engines.
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OCTOBER 1, 2020
DEPARTMENTS IN ACTION
VALLEJO FIRE DEPARTMENT DEPLOYS TO GLASS FIRE
DEPARTMENTS IN ACTION
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO TACKLE BLIGHT Recently, the Vallejo Police Department’s (VPD) Community Services Section (CSS) and Code Enforcement Division coordinated a major cleanup of the parking lot located on the 5000 block of Sonoma Boulevard. VPD Code Officers initiated the private property abatement to reduce blight in the City by removing a number of abandoned vehicles and debris. The abatement project follows a series of reports made by community members via social media, calling for an overhaul of the lot, known to some as the "old Walmart" parking lot. As the department continues to tackle blight in the City, we encourage community members to do their part in taking care of their neighborhoods and private property. On Friday, October 2, the VPD Traffic Division is expected to conduct another public property abatement operation to address more abandoned vehicles in the City. For more information, please contact VPD's Public Information Officer, Brittany K. Jackson by phone at 707651-7147 or via email at VallejoPolicePIO@CityofVallejo.net.
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VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT’S DUI CHECKPOINT RESULTS The Vallejo Police Department (VPD) has conducted two DUI/Driver's License Checkpoints this year and reminds drivers to drive safely and responsibly. DUI Checkpoints are established based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. During the checkpoints, officers look for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment and also check to ensure drivers have the proper licensing. The first DUI Checkpoint of the year was on September 26, and the results are in. - 1 arrested for DUI - 2 arrested for outstanding warrants - 14 vehicles impounded - 36 citations issued
- DUI Checkpoint #1 Results - DUI Checkpoint #2 Press Release Remember, please drive safely and responsibly or don't drive at all!
VALLEJO POLICE TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT
INTRODUCES
NEW
CRIME-FIGHTING
The Vallejo Police Department is pleased to announce its partnership with Flock Safety to bring new & innovative crime-fighting technology to the City of Vallejo! Recently, Flock Safety implemented neighborhood license plate reading (LPR) cameras in the City to help solve and reduce crime. The Atlanta-based company provides advanced and affordable security solutions for neighborhoods, small businesses, and law enforcement agencies alike. The LPRs have contributed to countless successes for departments across the country. This year alone, these cameras have helped solve over 700 crimes and counting. VPD is looking forward to adding to these results as a part of its 21st Century policing model. Read the full press release and visit flocksafety.com to learn more!
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OCTOBER 1, 2020
DEPARTMENTS IN ACTION
Click the links below to learn more about the DUI Checkpoints, how to stay safe and VPD's mission to keep our City safe.
COMMUNITY
PSPS PREPARATION Are you prepared for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)? Visit pge.com/pspsupdates, and learn what you can do today, to prepare for a future PSPS outage. Subscribe to alerts, lookup your address, view an outage map, apply for the PG&E Medical Baseline Program if you depend on power for a medical necessity, and more.
PG&E “WATCH” AND “WARNING” NOTIFICATIONS In response to direct customer feedback requesting more information as soon as possible, to ensure they have time to prepare and plan in advance of a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event, PG&E will provide Watch and Warning notifications this year. For more information, click here.
SUBSCRIBE TO ALERT SOLANO EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS In order to receive important messages during emergencies, the City of Vallejo urges local residents who live, work,
play,
or
travel
through
Solano
County
to
sign
up
for
its
emergency
alert
system.
Alert Solano efficiently delivers messages and information during incidents and emergencies as they occur via email, cell phone, and/or text messaging.
To register, click here. VOLUME 8, ISSUE 26
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Throughout California, wildfires will continue to be fueled by a build-up of seasonal dry vegetation driven by extreme dry conditions and local strong winds, making brush fuels extremely dangerous and challenging for firefighters. The Vallejo Fire Department stands ready to quickly respond and contain wildfires, but we can't do this without your cooperation. The "Ready! Set! Go!" brochure is intended to provide valuable information on being prepared in the event of an immediate evacuation order due to an emergency like a brush fire. The "Defensible Space" brochure provides critical information on proper protecting your family and property associated with the threat of wildland fires. Both brochures can be downloaded and referred to for preplanning and preparation. Please take the time to learn how to create and maintain a defensible space around your property and how to harden your home against flying embers. You play the most important role in protecting your family and home in the event of wildland fires evacuations and other significant emergencies. Prepare yourself by taking the necessary steps to give you, your family, and property the best chance of surviving a devastating wildfire. For additional information, please visit the Fire Department's website.
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OCTOBER 1, 2020
COMMUNITY
WILDLAND SAFETY
VISIONS OF THE WILD VIRTUAL FESTIVAL The Visions of the Wild Festival has gone virtual. This film and art festival is organized by the USDA Forest Service in collaboration with the Vallejo Community Arts Foundation and a wide range of local partners and sponsors. The in-person event was held annually each September in downtown Vallejo, and this year will instead feature monthly online events, and began on September 23. The series of free programs, which continue into the spring of 2021, is part of a project called 38°N. Because Vallejo sits on the 38th parallel north of the Equator, the festival organizers decided to explore art and the environment from the perspective of our latitude. The 38°N project aims to connect with people around the globe who share our passion for nature, culture, and community. The following events have already been announced:
October 1 at 7:00 p.m.: Global Recycled Plastic Art Challenge launch event
October 21 at 5:30 p.m.: Yale University historian Valerie Hansen explores the ancient Silk Road
November 18 at 6:00 p.m.: A panel discussion centered on the film Carvalho’s Journey, which will be available online to registrants a week before the event
VALLEJO NEWS
On October 1, the festival is launching the Global Recycled Plastic Art Challenge. The competition is open to youth around the world who live close to 38° north latitude (between the 37th and 39th parallels). For more information about the festival or to register for the free online events visit VisionsoftheWild.org.
TOURO UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH Hispanic Heritage Month is held from September 15 to October 15 to celebrate the various independence days and acknowledge the diverse cultures and contributions within the Hispanic and Latin diaspora. Touro University California (TUC) provides a learning experience that promotes the acceptance and appreciation of diversity to prepare professionals for rewarding lives in service to others both locally and around the globe. Touro University is continuing its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with its new Seeds for Social Change speaker series. join a diverse group of sociology and education leaders as they discuss the diverse cultures and contributions within the Hispanic and Latin diaspora. All are welcome to attend this free event.
October 7: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. – Don’t Lose Sight of Your Goal: Dream, Believe, Act with Dr. Judy Castro Register here
October 14: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. – Honoring Latinx Culture, Roots and Our Collective History with Dr. Cesar Cruz. Register here
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Cal Maritime held a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the acquisition of their new electric van on September 21. This electric shuttle van is the beginning of Cal Maritime’s transportation electrification program to switch all fossil fuel powered transportation to electric powered. Cal Maritime implements the California State University’s system-wide sustainability policy in operations, curriculum, and community; and is working towards becoming a carbon free campus by the year 2029. The shuttle will be used on campus for transporting students for various activities including routing cadets from residence halls to central campus, to off-campus shopping and student activities, as well as transportation for local athletic competitions.
COVID19 TESTING Help protect yourself and the people around you by getting tested for COVID-19. Public health officials globally are working together to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding access to reliable screening is critical to containment efforts. For more information about getting tested, visit the following sites: Project Baseline, CVS Pharmacy, OptumServe. For updated information on COVID-19, NorthBay Healthcare holds weekly Facebook Lives, Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. During Live Chat general questions will be answered from the public by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Seth Kaufman. To visit NorthBay Healthcare on Facebook, click here.
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OCTOBER 1, 2020
VALLEJO NEWS
CAL MARITIME’S ELECTRIC VAN RIBBON CUTTING EVENT
VALLEJO NEWS
CALIFORNIA MARITIME ACADEMY FOUNDATION PURCHASES 201 GEORGIA STREET The California Maritime Academy Foundation has purchased 201 Georgia Street, a two-story, 11,844 square foot property in downtown Vallejo. Once renovated, the building will become a permanent home for the University’s Anchor Center, which is currently housed in leased properties just steps away at 253 and 255 Georgia Street. The purchase, totaling $1.9 million dollars, was executed through the California Maritime Academy Foundation, the University’s philanthropic arm. It was funded in large part through a bequest by alumnus David Posch ‘69, who left the bulk of his estate to the Foundation in an unrestricted bequest. "This is an important purchase for Cal Maritime and wonderful way to honor the legacy of David Posch" says Robert Arp, vice president of advancement and executive director of the Cal Maritime Foundation. "Owning 201 Georgia Street strengthens our connection to downtown Vallejo and gives us an opportunity to grow Cal Maritime’s presence there, extending the mission of the University beyond the confines of the main campus." Like the current Anchor Center, the new building will feature flexible spaces, which may include classrooms or areas devoted to meetings, University and community events, offices, and continuing education programs. It will house also the University’s archives, which were moved from the main campus to the existing Anchor Center in 2019. Eventually, the campus could partner with the private sector to build a multi-floor mixed use complex; potentially housing faculty and married students. To read the full article, click here.
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VALLEJO NEWS
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OCTOBER 1, 2020
VALLEJO NEWS HUNDREDS SERVED AT FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano participated in a first for the organization, with a drive thru produce giveaway for students, staff and faculty at Vallejo’s Touro University California. Nearly a hundred vehicles passed through the giveaway station, set up in front of Lander Hall on the school’s Mare Island campus. Each vehicle received a collection of produce, including apples, citrus, potatoes, onions and more, as well as COVID-19 masks, guides on disaster planning, and packages of honey cakes in honor of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Volunteers, each clad with face masks and observing social distancing practices, tended to one specific aspect of the distribution event, leading to quick, efficient service. All told, volunteers distributed over 600 pounds of produce through the event. Paisley Rosengren, a learning specialist on campus, helped organize the event after surveying the student body and discovering that many students lived with food insecurity.
The event also served as an important social opportunity. Many of the students who came through haven’t been on campus for any reason for months, and some have never seen their instructors in person. “It’s great because they also get to see their deans, they get to see our Provost, they get to have that feeling of community,” Rosengren said. James Lande, Agency Relations Coordinator with Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, said the organization has hosted several drive thru distribution events but this was the first meant specifically for the university and its campus community. The event fit perfectly into the school’s mission, "To Serve, To Lead, To Teach."
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