Vallejo W e e k ly Vo l u m e 9 I s s u e 4 3 October 28, 2021
Photo Courtesy of: McKinley Photography
2
ALERT SOLANO Be sure you’re signed up to receive emergency alerts at AlertSolano.com, so you’re updated when events like the below occur in Vallejo: • Fires • Floods • Evacuations • Missing Persons
3
JOIN US AS WE GIVE LITTER THE BOOT! Saturday, October 30, 2021 501 Sonoma Boulevard (Walmart parking lot) 9 a.m. - noon
Just show up - the community cleanup tool trailer will be there with all the tools you’ll need! Masks are encouraged.
Interested in hosting a community cleanup? Send us an email at volunteers@cityofvallejo.net or (707) 648-8616 to get started.
4
5
6
FREE PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING IN THE TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS INDUSTRY Join our free, employer-driven 5-week training program in transportation, distribution, and logistics as an entryway in a long-term career with ongoing advancement. Meet employers while training! Training starts January 3, 2022, Monday thru Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Napa Valley College Registration Contact: Leticia Naranjo – Academic Affairs Specialist, Career Pathways & Economic Workforce Development Office: (707) 256-7255 Text: (707) 714-1351 Email: lnaranjo@napavalley.edu
7
FIREFIGHTER YOUTH ACADEMY EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRAINING TAKES TO THE AIR! Vallejo Fire Department requested a guest visit from REACH/Con Air 2 medical helicopter to provide a demonstration to our Firefighter Youth Academy. The demonstration included teaching the academy cadets how to direct a helicopter to a landing zone properly and safely load a patient into the helicopter. REACH/Con Air 2 is stationed in Concord and is Vallejo’s nearest air medical helicopter. The Vallejo Fire Department and Medic Ambulance both provide advanced medical services to Vallejo’s citizens. However, on occasion, a patient’s injuries may require more rapid transport to a specialty hospital than ground travel can allow. For these critical and timesensitive emergency calls, the Vallejo Fire Department will request and liaise with a medical helicopter such as REACH/Con Air 2.
8
9
10
NOVEMBER 1ST IS EXTRA MILE DAY! For the sixth year in a row Vallejo is commemorating Extra Mile Day. Mayor McConnell and the Vallejo City Council have proclaimed November 1, 2021 as Extra Mile day in Vallejo. This is a day to recognize people and organizations who are creating positive changes in our community through their extra mile efforts in volunteerism and service. We proudly salute those in Vallejo who share their time, talents, and expertise to bring positive change. We encourage you to thank the volunteers. For more information about Extra Mile cities go to ExtraMileAmerica.org.
11
VALLEJO FIRE DEPARTMENT REOPENS GLEN COVE FIRE STATION The Vallejo Fire Department is proud to announce the reopening of Glen Cove Fire Station 26 as of October 23, 2021. The fire station closed in July 2010 as part of the City’s financial cutbacks during bankruptcy. “The mission of the Vallejo Fire Department is to ensure a safe community through exceptional, professional fire service. Reopening this fire station honors that commitment,” stated Vallejo Fire Chief Kyle Long. “The reopening of Station 26 ensures Vallejo citizens continue to receive top tier fire and emergency services.” Vallejo City Council voted to reopen Station 26 in August 2021. The Vallejo Fire Department was awarded a FEMA grant that allows the department to hire nine firefighters, which will increase staffing levels through 2025. Vallejo City Council also voted to use a portion of the American Rescue Plan funds to purchase a fire engine and brush truck that will be assigned to Station 26. Like all stations in Vallejo, Station 26 will be staffed with a Fire Captain, Engineer, and Firefighter Paramedic, providing 24/7 service to the Glen Cove community and the city at large. Reopening of Station 26 will decrease response times in Glen Cove and surrounding neighborhoods for fires and medical emergencies. A public grand opening ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on November 6, 2021. 12
13
14
MASK MANDATE CONTINUES IN VALLEJO During the regular City Council meeting on October 26, 2021, Council voted unanimously on Action item 8D to continue the mask mandate in Vallejo. The mandate will remain in effect until circumstances regarding the contraction and transmission rates of Covid-19 in Solano County shift. At that time, Council will revisit the need for the mandate, and the item will be
You can download a Mask Mandate poster for your business in English, Filipino, and Spanish by clicking here. For more information on Covid-19 and the various variants, click the following links: • Centers for Disease Control • California Department of Public Health • Solano County Public Health Department
placed back on the Council agenda. Regardless of vaccination status, residents, workers, and visitors must continue to wear masks (face coverings) while indoors or in enclosed public spaces in the City of Vallejo. In recent months COVID-19 cases significantly increased in Solano County, prompting Council to take action by reinstituting a mask mandate in the City back on August 31. To read the full press release, click here.
15
Dear Residents and Business Owners,
beyond concern for their own eyes but the eyes of visitors, potential
Litter has become a pervasive
homeowners, and new business
problem in our City. I have received
owners alike. This unsightly waste
many complaints from residents
is negatively affecting our retail and
and business owners across
commercial areas and residential
Vallejo, especially in areas west
areas, including our splendid
of the freeway. Their grievances
waterfront.
about this public nuisance extend 16
I believe we can do a few things
volunteers@cityofvallejo.net to learn
together as a city and community to
more.
reduce this annoyance. First, we can work with public works on regular
Hopefully we have a City Manager who
enforcement of street-sweeping hours.
recognizes the importance of focusing
If a vehicle is parked in an area where
on the presentation of our City. Vallejo
a sweeper must pass, the sweeper will
has an abundance of offerings for
miss that section of the curb. Sweeping new residents and business owners. only the middle of the street doesn’t
Still, it becomes increasingly difficult
really help! Make sure your vehicle
to “sell” our City with the black eye of
is relocated on street-sweeping days
trash greeting these would-be investors
where it will not impede the activities of
of Vallejo at every intersection and
our Public Works Department staff.
residential street.
We could ban plastic bags and
If you have valid thoughts on how we
styrofoam. Many surrounding cities
can undertake this burgeoning litter
have gone to great lengths to reduce
problem together, please share your
their impact on the planet and reduce
approaches at https://www.myvallejo.
waste in their jurisdictions by instituting
com/litter-dumping.
such bans. Your Mayor, The City also co-hosts weekly clean-
Robert H. McConnell
ups where people organize in specific areas of Vallejo and remove litter and illegally dumped items. The City provides the tool clean-up trailer for these events and facilitates the removal of the gathered trash. If you have a keen interest in joining the efforts of these committed folks, please email 17
Today is National First Responder Day, and we want to give a BIG thank you to all of the firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, law enforcement officers and emergency dispatchers who serve our community.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR SERVICE!
18
19
NO TRICKS - JUST TREATS! Make sure you’re subscribed to receive important treats and information from us! Here’s how to get the sweet deets: FACEBOOK | facebook.com/cityofvallejo (Be sure to set us to your favorites so you never miss a post!) INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/cityofvallejo VALLEJO WEEKLY | vallejoweekly.com Read our free, digital, weekly newsletter and stay in the know! SUBSCRIBE | cityofvallejo.net/subscribe Get our weekly newsletter, city council agendas, important updates and information, press releases, and more delivered right to your inbox. EMERGENCY ALERTS | alertsolano.com
20
21
22
SOLTRANS RELEASES DECEMBER SERVICE CHANGES Solano County Transit (SolTrans) will implement a service change on Sunday, December 5. These changes are minimal and only affect a few routes. To help reduce traffic congestion and support the public returning to work the Route 82, service from Vallejo to the San Francisco Ferry Building and back, will reduce its fare by 40%. The new lower fare for the Route 82 will be $6 for adults, $5 for youth and $3 for Reduced (seniors
• Service to the stop at Magazine Street & Gary Circle will again be active. • Route 8 will no longer detour along Fulton Avenue and stay on Glen Cove Parkway. • Route 8 will still have minor delays due to the construction on the Benicia Road Bridge, due to complete in early 2022. SolTrans has lifted all capacity restrictions on all services, which has helped accommodate the increase in ridership. Face masks are still
and persons with disabilities) riders.
required by federal law on all planes,
“Our hope for this service change is
transportation.
that the service and new lower fares
buses, trains & all other forms of public
will set the stage for a great start to 2022. We’re looking forward to increased ridership and welcoming new riders and those we haven’t seen in a while back to transit,” said Senior Analyst in Scheduling and Marketing, Mandi Renshaw. • Route 3 Eastbound will no longer detour after Curtola Park and Ride Hub and will serve the Beverly Hills area again. 23
24
SPSV TRUNK OR TREAT Join St. Patrick St. Vincent High School (SPSV) for their first annual Trunk or Treat on October 31, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. All families and friends are invited to put on their costumes and come down to SPSV, 1500 Benicia Road, for some Halloween fun. If you are interested in participating with your trunk, email p.delgado@spsv.org; a prize is awarded to the most creative trunks voted on by the SPSV faculty, staff, and students.
25
THANK YOU, VALLEJO! That was quite the storm on Sunday, and we greatly appreciate EACH one of you that followed emergency orders, and shared our posts on social media to help get information out to our community. Be sure you are following us on Facebook (set us to your favorites so you never miss a post!), and are subscribed to Alert Solano, so you receive emergency alerts for future events when they occur. We also want to give a special shoutout and THANK YOU to all our staff and partners who worked yesterday, through the night, and continue today, including our Police Department officers and dispatchers responding to 911 calls for service, our Public Works and Fire Department personnel responding to downed trees, powerlines, debris, and flooding, our Water Department personnel who deployed generators and monitored water systems, and our communications team who communicated emergency information to you all. It truly takes a village.
27
28
WATER WISE TIP OF THE WEEK! Fix leaks. Fixing leaks can save ONE HUNDRED AND TEN gallons of water each month. Learn more at SaveOurWater.org.
29
Vallejo W e e k ly WWW.CITYOFVALLEJO.NET Subscribe to the Vallejo Weekly, and other City communications, here. View previous issues of the Vallejo Weekly, here. Submit your positive community story or event for consideration in the Vallejo News section, here.