Vallejo W e e k ly Vo l u m e 9 I s s u e 4 7 November 25, 2021
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THANKSGIVING DINNER TOMORROW, NOVEMBER 25TH CHRIS’ CLUB FEED THE NEED THANKSGIVING DINNER Chris’ Club, partnered with Faith Food Fridays and Earl’s BBQ, will be serving a free Thanksgiving dinner to anyone who visits them, 656 Benicia Road, on November 25 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you would like to donate or volunteer, stop by Chris’ Club to sign up.
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE CITY OF VALLEJO! We hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday we are thankful for you! (As a reminder, City Offices are closed on November 25 and 26, and will reopen on Monday, November 29.)
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**Face masks are required
THE COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
More about the event organizer:
MARKETPLACE is not just an event;
Latasha Speech, a Vallejo artist and
it’s an experience! Typically held once
crafter, had difficulty
a month, the Pop-Up-Shop offers
finding outlets
everything from creative handcrafted
for selling and
items to food, plants, and special guest
showcasing her art;
speakers that include professionals in
out of necessity, she
the fields of finance and medicine. In
decided to create
addition, the marketplace has regular vendors and often hosts new vendors
Latasha Speech Founder of TCCM
her own venue, The Community Collective
with exciting, unique products, crafts,
Marketplace! Over time, Latasha found
and entertaining activities.
joy in helping other small business entrepreneurs by giving them a platform
Join TCCM for the last two Small
and space to share and sell their own
Business Holiday Pop-Up Shops of
products and art.
2021 on: Follow and Like The Community Saturday, November 27, 2021
Collective on Facebook by clicking here.
10 am to 3 pm or
Prefer Instagram? Check them out here!
Saturday, December 11, 2021 10 am to 3 pm 225 Amador Street (Vallejo Community Center) Vallejo, CA Interested in being a vendor at a Small Business Pop-Up-Shop? Email thecommunitycollective3@gmail.com
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FINANCE DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING Congratulations to the Finance Department for receiving Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal ended June 30th, 2020. The GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program (Certificate Program) in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare annual comprehensive financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure and then to recognize individual governments that succeed in achieving that goal. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. The City’s ACFR’s can be found on our website.
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JOIN YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ON SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 4TH, AND GIVE LITTER THE BOOT! WHAT Overland Alley Community Cleanup WHEN Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm WHERE Meet at Overland Alley and Sutter Street Vallejo, CA 94590 HOSTED BY Washington Park Neighborhood Association In cooperation with The City of Vallejo’s Adopt-A-Block Program ADDITIONAL DETAILS Please bring your own gloves and trash grabber tools (and buckets if you like - contractor-grade garbage bags will be provided) FACE MASKS ARE ENCOURAGED GET SOCIAL! Be sure to share this event with your friends, family, and neighbors, tag us in your social media photos, and use the hashtag, #GiveLitterTheBoot! 10
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TRAVELING FOR THANKSGIVING? Be sure to check the schedules and service alerts before you depart! SOLTRANS • Thursday, November 25, 2021 (Thanksgiving Day): No service. • Friday, November 26, 2021 (Day After Thanksgiving): Saturday schedule. • Saturday, November 27, 2021: Regular service resumes. To view their schedule on their website, click here. SOLANO EXPRESS • Thursday, November 25, 2021 (Thanksgiving Day): No service. • Friday, November 26, 2021 (Day After Thanksgiving): • Green Express/GX Line: No service. • Blue, Yellow, Red Lines: Saturday schedule. To view their schedule on their website, click here.
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The holiday season is one of the
inside with a safe or locked door.
most exciting times of the year, but
• Secure your vehicle - Park in a
becoming the victim of a crime can
well-lit space, keep your vehicle
quickly put a damper on the festivities.
secured – close all windows,
Thefts such as vehicle break-ins,
lock all doors, do not leave any
residential burglaries, smash-and-
valuables in plain sight, and hide
grabs, and purse-snatches are
shopping bags and gifts in the
generally elevated during this time of
trunk. Hide it, lock it, and take it.
year. The Vallejo Police Department would like to provide you several tips
BUSINESS SAFETY
to help protect your business and personal property this holiday season.
• Enhance Business Exterior Ensure that your business is well
PERSONAL, HOME, & VEHICLE
lit and that all landscaping, light
SAFETY
fixtures, windows and perimeters are in good condition and free from
• Stay alert - Be aware of your surroundings, walk confidently
debris. • Establish a strong security
when out and about, keep your
presence - Purchase or upgrade
items properly secured in your
your camera surveillance system
purse or bag and have your keys
and partner with your local
ready before entering your vehicle.
authorities to report suspicious
• Travel in pairs or groups - Avoid traveling alone and don’t be afraid
activity or share footage. • Reinforce doors and locks -
to ask someone you trust to walk
Invest into steel doors and bolt
you to your vehicle or home if you
locks if possible, and frequently
don’t feel safe.
check to ensure all doors are
• Keep your home secured - Invest
locked and secure when not in use.
into an alarm system that notifies authorities in the event of a break-
For additional safety tips, read the full
in. Keep your home well-lit when
press release, here.
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WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING (PB) PROCESS! Participatory Budgeting took a break when COVID-19 hit due to its reliance on in-person outreach. Now we’re looking to resume the program and have an opportunity to press the reset button and design a PB process that is accessible, engaging, and more meaningful. Help us get there. Please share your experiences, and let us know how we can improve the process to meet the program goals. Vallejo Participatory Budgeting’s goals include: • Improve our city • Engage our community • Open up government To provide feedback visit the Future of PB webpage at https://www.myvallejo.com/futureofpb to learn more and take a survey! Make a public comment during our Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee Regular Meeting on Wednesday, December 15 at 6:30 p.m. (Zoom & Inperson opportunities will be available) Email us at pbvallejo@cityofvallejo.net
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SMALL CHANGES MAKE LARGE IMPACTS IN VALLEJO AND BEYOND YOUR POWER IS VERY REAL! When we make small changes to reduce, reuse and recycle, together we make a greater impact on reducing the litter in our streets, plastic waste in our waterways, and making our communities more beautiful. Vallejo is now part of the Keep America Beautiful network where nearly 90,000 people across America have taken the Keep America Beautiful® #BeRecycled pledge and they are taking steps to make their Thanksgiving greener.
• Shop locally. Try shopping at a farmer’s market near you. Local foods require fewer greenhouse gases to get to you, and are usually grown on smaller farms using more sustainable practices. · Reduce food waste. Tons of food will be scraped into the garbage this Thanksgiving. Start with smaller portions to reduce this waste. • Repurpose. One of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers. Store in reusable containers with reusable lids, and try making a delicious stock for soups, chilis and stews with what is left of the turkey. • Recycle. The aluminum trays used for baking the turkey (if you use one) are recyclable. Cleaning these pans
Here are a few eco-friendly
can be a bit of a chore, but it’s a big
Thanksgiving tips to add sustainability
piece of aluminum worth recycling.
to your holiday: • Go natural. Decorate with nature. Bring pine branches, pinecones, acorns, and colorful leaves into your home. It will add fragrant beauty to your table. And after the holiday, these decorations can all be returned to nature. 18
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VALLEJO FIREFIGHTERS HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE The Vallejo Firefighters Holiday Toy Drive is underway once again! Each year, Vallejo Firefighters collect over 10,000 new toys that are distributed out by our charitable partners. You can assist with making this holiday season special for a local family by donating a new and unwrapped toy at any Vallejo Fire Station. Find your nearest Vallejo Fire station by clicking here.
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VALLEJO FIREFIGHTERS TURKEY DINNER DRIVE Members of the Vallejo Fire Department were hard at work this week doing a lot more than running 9-1-1 calls. For over 20 years, our Vallejo Firefighters have worked with the Vallejo City Unified School District to deliver full Thanksgiving dinners to local families needing a little assistance. This year, the school district identified 36 families. IAFF Local 1186 Firefighters happily funded the grocery shopping trip, and our local FoodMaxx store ensured that all the delicious Thanksgiving staples were included! The Vallejo Fire Department and the City of Vallejo wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!
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CAN WE HELP WITH YOUR WATER BILL? The City of Vallejo offers a Water Rate Assistance Program (WRAP) to incomeeligible customers. If you qualify, you could receive a monthly credit on your water bill, of up to $60 a year. Learn more at myvallejo.com/wrap. #CityOfVallejo #VallejoWater #VallejoWRAP
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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.