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3.8 earthquake rattles I-680 corridor
A 3.8-magnitude earthquake centered below Concord’s west side shook communities along the Interstate 680 corridor Thursday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The earthquake, recorded at 11:18 a.m., was approximately 6 kilometers deep, the USGS said. It rumbled for several seconds, and could be felt in communities such as Concord, Martinez, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
— Bay City News Service
Input on park renovations
The city of Pleasanton is holding a series of input sessions via Zoom next weekend to gather feedback from residents about three upcoming park renovation projects.
“The city is planning to renovate the existing playgrounds at Vintage Hills Park, Tawny Park and two of the playgrounds (the eastern and central playgrounds) at Ken Mercer Sports Park in spring/summer 2021. Please join the public outreach meetings that will be held to discuss the proposed renovations to provide your input,” city officials said.
All three Zoom sessions will be held next Saturday (Jan. 23): 9:30-10:30 a.m. Ken Mercer, 11 a.m. to noon Vintage Hills and 1-2 p.m. Tawny. Visit cityofpleasantonca.gov.
Haven volunteer training
Local nonprofit Tri-Valley Haven is recruiting volunteers who are interested in training to be domestic violence, sexual assault or legal clinic advocates.
The 70-hour training course, which will begin on Jan. 26, will be held every Tuesday and Thursday evening, 6:30-10 p.m. over Zoom for approximately 10 weeks.
People who successfully complete the training will be certified to volunteer and assist clients that need help and resources. Training topics will include active listening, domestic violence and sexual assault overview, cultural competency and legal advocacy. Contact Shadab at 925-667-2711 or shadab@trivalleyhaven.org.
Deadline extended
The city of Pleasanton recently extended the application period through next Tuesday (Jan. 19) for people interested in trying to become the next member of the city’s Planning Commission.
The four-year appointment will fill the position formerly held by new City Councilman Jack Balch.
Interviewing the Planning Commission applicants and making a recommendation to the full council will be one of the first major tasks as mayor for Karla Brown.
The city website describes the duties and responsibilities of the Planning Commission as to “prepare, adopt and administer the City’s General Plan and specific plans; prepare recommendations to the City Council regarding amendments to the City’s zoning ordinance; review and advise the City Council regarding subdivision maps; and investigate, hear and determine use permits, specified variances, permits and zoning ordinances, disputes and controversies.”
Applications can be accessed on the city website, by selecting the Planning Commission information page via http://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/clerk/boards/default.asp.
The commission term will run until January 2025. To learn more, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 925-931-5027.
MTC survey
Livermore Amador Valley Transit Agency riders can play a part in shaping Bay Area public transportation by taking a survey recently issued by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).
MTC and other Bay Area transit agencies “are investigating ways to make the region’s transit network better coordinated, more affordable and more attractive through the Fare Coordination and Integration Study,” officials said.
The survey was released last month to “invite you to share stories about your transit journey to help us better understand the diverse experiences of transit in the Bay Area.” To take the survey, visit https://tinyurl.com/MTCFareSurvey.
New board chair
Pleasanton animal support nonprofit Valley Humane Society has announced that Sandra “Sandy” Gardiner has been named the new chair of the organization’s Board of Directors, succeeding Gina Piper.
A longtime Pleasanton resident and lifelong animal lover, Gardiner has served as executive committee officer on the Valley Humane board since January 2019. She works as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Pulse Biosciences, Inc. a bioelectric medicine company located in Hayward. Her career experience includes work in the fields of medical devices, biotechnology, diagnostics and specialty pharmaceuticals.
“It has been a great honor serving as Chair of Valley Humane Society,” said Piper, who served as board chair since 2018. “I am incredibly proud of our accomplishments over the past four years. Adoptions have increased by nearly 30%, and the creation of a veterinary medical team allows us to now spay and neuter Valley Humane’s adoptable animals ourselves. I am confident in Sandy’s leadership and the future of the organization as we continue to grow and serve our community.”
Scholarship app
The Tri-Valley Retired Educators’ Scholarship Fund is offering up to five $2,500 scholarships for students planning a career in education.
The application period is now underway and continues until March 19. For more information or to access application documents, visit https://div85.calrta.org.