Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Recall Election Information
The California recall election takes place on September 14. To help inform voters in a nonpartisan fashion, the League of Women Voters of Napa County will be hosting a virtual event on Wednesday, September 8. At the event, titled “What You Need to Know About the California Recall Election,” LWV President Bernie Brooks and Registrar of Voters John Tuteur will answer questions about the ballot (for example: Did you know that even ballots that vote “no” to recall can still cast a vote for replacement governor should the “yes” votes carry the election?) and provide information on how to register and cast your vote. Sign up here. For nonpartisan information on the nearly 50 candidates running for governor, visit Voter’s Edge.
Veggie Menu
Join the City of Mountain View on Tuesday, September 7 for its first plant-based cooking demonstration. Chef Alex Bury, who serves as the Vice President of Development for the nonprofit Vegan Outreach, will bring her culinary expertise to your kitchen via zoom. Bury started the California restaurant Sparks in 2001, whose all-plant menu quickly became a foodie fixture, even among non-vegans. Tune in Tuesday at 6:30pm to bring a taste of Bury’s veggie menu into your own home.
Fire Preparedness
Residents of Contra Costa County concerned about wildfire and fire preparedness should tune into “Wildfires…Be Prepared!” on Tuesday September 16. This online event, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley and West Contra Costa County, will feature a panel of experts to both inform and take questions from the audience. Learn what a FireWise Council is and how the Community Emergency Response Team can provide communication in the event of a fire. Residents outside the County are welcome to attend. If you cannot make the 4pm start time, the Contra Costa library (who will also provide closed captioning for the hearing impaired) will host a recording of the event on their YouTube channel.
Clean Air Program Expands
In further fire-adjacent news, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has announced a significant expansion to their Clean Air Filtration Program. Launched earlier this month in partnership with Regional Asthma Management and Prevention, the program provides portable air filtration units for unhoused and low-income residents in impacted communities. This expansion will allow some 3,000 residents of every county of the Bay Area access to these filtration units. Information on how to apply can be found by emailing [email protected]. The Air District provides wildfire safety tips here.
Public Transit Discounts
In an effort to welcome riders back, BART and CalTrain are offering 50% discounts for the month of September. BART is offering their discount when paying with a Clipper card (which can be bought at any station vending machine for a one-time fee, or ordered online here), and CalTrain is offering theirs on all forms of fares, from one-way tickets to monthly passes. In the East Bay, AC Transit is offering free fares on Friday for the month of September, and the County Connection and Tri Delta Transit, which both serve Contra Costa County, are both offering free transit for the entire month. This offer coincides nicely with the peak of California’s wildfire season, and offers Bay Area residents additional incentive to help spare the air during what might be a grueling month.
Monitor Notes is produced by Michael Adamson. To receive it by email, scroll to the bottom of this page, enter your email address in the box under “RECEIVE EMAIL UPDATES,” and click the red “SIGN UP” button.