The Weekly Roundup, May 26, 2023

Friday, May 25, 2023 | What's Doing in Lafayette?

Hear How Communities Can Join in the Fight Against Wildfires at Con Fire Town Hall Meeting

Con Fire is hosting a special fire safety Town Hall focusing on the unique concerns of Contra Costa County residents. Learn about protecting your home, family, and neighbors from wildfire danger ahead of a fire. This in-person event will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30 at the Lafayette Community Center (500 St. Mary's Road). If you can't attend, you can watch the Town Hall meeting on Con Fire's Facebook page.

Friday is Gun Violence Awareness Day in Lafayette

The City Council has proclaimed June 2 as Gun Violence Awareness Day in Lafayette to honor and remember all victims and survivors of gun violence and to affirm a commitment to reduce gun violence. Nationally on Gun Violence Awareness Day, people are encouraged to wear orange. You can pick up a free orange awareness ribbon sticker at the Main City Offices (3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd) or the Community Center Office (500 St. Mary's Road) on Thursday or Friday (while supplies last).

Safe firearm storage measures have a demonstrated protective effect in homes with children and teenagers where guns are kept:

• Keeping a firearm locked when it is not being carried ensures that it cannot be accessed and used by others without the owner's knowledge or permission.
• Applying trigger locks or using lock boxes when storing firearms in the home reduces the risk of unauthorized users, including children, from accessing and using firearms which can reduce unintentional discharges, firearm theft, gun-related homicides, and suicides.
• Since January of this year, residents in Lafayette with firearms are required to store them in a locked container or disable them with an appropriate safety device. Learn more about Lafayette's Safe Firearms Storage requirements.

Join Your Neighbors at Lafayette Community Day Next Saturday!

Make a difference in Lafayette! Join us as a volunteer at the second annual Lafayette Community Day on June 3. The day will start and end at Lafayette Plaza. After the kickoff rally, team leaders and volunteers will head out to work on projects throughout the community such as helping with creek restoration, weeding, gardening, picking up litter, painting, assembling donated items for unhoused community members, cleaning (indoor and exterior options), and helping with the lunch for all volunteers. Volunteers aged 12 to 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Register to join us at lafayettecommunityday.org.

Springtime Weed Abatement

Grasses and other vegetation are drying out, turning the hills golden and calling for property owners to manage the vegetation on their property. The deadline is June 4 for properties in Lafayette to meet the minimum standards for weed abatement set by Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. Read more about your weed abatement responsibilities and creating a defensible space to reduce the risk of wildfire on Con Fire's website.

Chamber Happenings

• Coffee with the Mayor: This morning, Mayor Carl Anduri provided a City Council update and answered questions from Lafayette Chamber business members as well as the community in the Chamber's "Coffee" with the Mayor online Zoom series. You can watch the recording at https://www.youtube.com/@lafayettechamberca. The next "Coffee" with the Mayor will be held on Friday, July 28. Register for the Zoom at https://lafayettechamber.org/coffee.

• Rock the Plaza Concert Series: This free music series returns to Lafayette Plaza on four Friday evenings in June from 6 to 8 p.m. Plan your picnic in the park by ordering takeout from Lafayette's restaurant row. Lawn chairs, blankets, and air guitars are welcome! Stop by vendor row for kids' activities, to meet local nonprofits, and see and buy local art. Learn more at https://lafayettechamber.org/rock. This year's lineup features:
  • Friday, June 2 - Sausalito
  • Friday, June 9 - The (925) Band
  • Friday, June 16 - Hot Dog Chicken
  • Friday, June 23 - Lamorinda Idol

• Early Bird Special to Register for the Annual Lafayette Res Run for Education: Through June 30, get $10 off your registration for the 10k, 5k or 2 mile fun run/walk! Race Day is Sunday, October 22, 2023. Race Day includes Healthy Lifestyles Health Fair with vendors, kids' activities and more! Reservoir Challenge (Virtual Race) will be offered October 12 to 21. Presented by the Lafayette Chamber, City of Lafayette and Oakwood Athletic Club. Learn more and get the link to register at https://lafayettechamber.org/resrun.

• Clothing Collection at the Lafayette Chamber Office: The Lafayette Chamber will be collecting much needed clothes for Trinity Center at the Lafayette Chamber office during regular business hours, at Lafayette Community Day and the June 2 Rock the Plaza Concert. Current needs are: Men's: pants, shorts, jackets, hooded sweatshirts, t-shirts, casual shoes. Women's: shorts, jeans, casual dresses, sweatshirts, summer hats, sandals and tennis shoes. Thank you!

Registration is now open for the Summer Bike Challenge

Explore Lafayette from the seat of a bike! The City of Lafayette and 511 Contra Costa, are offering a free, healthy, outdoor family fun activity with the Summer Bike Challenge. The Bike Challenge begins June 1 and runs through August 31. Lafayette residents are encouraged to participate and explore the City by biking, getting exercise, and collecting incentives in the process. It's free to register. Please visit 511contracosta.org/sbc for more detailed information on how to register and take part in the Summer Bike Challenge!

Police Department Statistics for April 2023

April 2023
Total Calls for Police Service	1020
Police Reports	94
Arrests	16
Traffic Citations	77
Traffic Collisions - With Only Property Damage	4
Traffic Collisions - With Injuries	4
Hit & Run - With Only Property Damage	0
Hit & Run - With Injuries	0
D.U.I. Arrests	6

City Meetings & Events

You can sign up for meeting notices. To view upcoming public meetings and their locations, please visit our calendar.

Memorial Day Holiday: City Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, May 29.

Community News & Events

Assistance League's Thrift Shop Celebrates 45th Anniversary: Start celebrating by saving money, as in 45% markdowns, on Saturday, May 29 at 10:00 a.m. Treat yourself while helping those in need.

Annual Memorial Day Vigil at Lafayette Hillside Memorial: On Monday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. Memorial Day is a national day of observance that honors the men and women who have died in military service. It is an opportunity to remember this ultimate sacrifice, reflect on the consequences of war, and to contemplate peace. There will be music, poetry, and remarks by area representatives. Parking is available in the BART parking lot; please use crosswalks when crossing the street. Since its inception in 2006, the Hillside (3600 Deer Hill Road) has been the site of public gatherings including annual Memorial Day and Veteran's Day vigils. For more information visit www.lafayettehillsidememorial.org.

One Week Left To Double Your Donation to the Community Foundation: By giving before June 1, you will double your impact and nurture the important programs that solve problems every day in our community. Because of the Community Foundation's generous donors, it has had an excellent response to its May Matching Campaign and is getting very close to its goal!

Your gift to the Community Foundation of Lafayette will be matched dollar for dollar up to $20,000 until June 1 and 100% of your matched donation will be designated for 2023 Excellence Grants distribution in June. If you would like to double your donation, please visit the Foundation's website or mail a check to Community Foundation of Lafayette, PO Box 221, Lafayette, CA 94549.

Upcoming Events and Programs at the Lafayette Library:

• Soil: The Universe Beneath Your Feet: On June 1 at 6:30 p.m. UC Master Gardener John Fike presents this introduction to the hidden world of soil... In the ground beneath your feet lies a complex ecosystem of organic matter, minerals, water, aeration, microorganisms, and invertebrates. Learn how to optimize soil and plant relationships to foster a healthy, sustainable garden. Register for this presentation at tinyurl.com/MG-June2023

• Summer Reading Kick-off Celebration: Celebrate the start of Summer Reading with the Lafayette Library and Learning Center on Saturday June 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Amphitheater with amazing performances by musician Andy Z and pirate Jack Spareribs, plus balloon artists, face painters, stormtroopers, and all the information you need to participate in Summer Reading with CCCLIB. You can skip the paper and sign up now for Summer Reading through Beanstack: https://ccclib.beanstack.com

• Summer SWELL is back! Starting June 5, the Lafayette Library SWELL Center will be open Monday through Friday from June 5 to July 28, excluding holidays, for teens (grades 6 to 12) to drop in to meet new friends, engage in creative activities and games, or just hang out. Teen are also welcome to sign-up to volunteer. Questions? Contact Sarvi Anderson at [email protected]

• Sweet Thursday Author Series Presents John Shea: On Tuesday, June 15 at 7 p.m. in the Don Tatzin Community Hall, John Shea will discuss his book #24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid. This book is about Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays and each chapter is based on a "life lesson" learned playing the game. This is a free event, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/sweet-june23. The Sweet Thursday Author Series is presented by the Friends of the Lafayette Library. Past recorded Friends talks can be viewed on their Youtube Channel

Meeting of the Lafayette Community Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee on June 5: Meeting will be held on Zoom starting at 5 p.m. Email [email protected] to RSVP.

Caltrans Bay Area Bike Plan Update Survey: Caltrans Bay Area wants your input on which features will make biking on Caltrans facilities comfortable, convenient and connected! Share your feedback by taking our short survey, which will ask about improvements you want on Caltrans facilities as well as your biking habits. Take the survey now. For additional background information, visit: https://dot.ca.gov/d4bikeplanupdate.

2023 Summer Youth Pass Offers Unlimited Bus Rides for Teens: Summer Youth Pass is the perfect way to get around Contra Costa County all summer long. Passholders can take unlimited rides on County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, and WestCAT local and express buses for an affordable, discounted price. Youth ages 6-18 who reside, work, or attend school in Contra Costa County are eligible for a discounted pass. Limit five (5) passes per household. Summer Youth Passes are valid on local and express routes operated by County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, and WestCAT from June 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023. Not valid on Paratransit, Tri MyRide and Transbay services. Visit 511contracosta.org/youthpass to purchase your Summer Youth Pass today.

Home Composting Workshop: Online on June 10, hosted by the Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development. All Contra Costa County residents are welcome. To register, sign up.

Moraga Rotary Shoe Collection Continues Through June 30: Moraga Rotary is encouraging everyone to donate to the Be the Star You Are! Shoe donation event. New and gently worn shoes (from baby shoes to work boots) accepted at Mark Hoogs State Farm Insurance, 629 Moraga Road in Moraga during business hours (Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) through June 30. More information at www.bethestaryouare.org

Reminders & Miscellaneous

Mount Diablo Education Center at Mitchell Canyon: On Monday night, the City Council heard a presentation from Gary Parkhurst with the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) about their efforts to build a new education center at the Mitchell Canyon entrance (near Clayton). The proposed 1,500-square-foot education center would incorporate a large outdoor pavilion and expanded indoor space to house permanent and rotating exhibits, as well as space for school bus turnarounds and parking to greatly increase access for local students. You can watch the presentation on the City's Youtube Channel.

Annual "Concert at the Res" this past Saturday was a huge success: Rotary Club of Lafayette honored the late Dick Holt, one of the founding organizers of this event. The participating bands included Acalanes High School, Stanley Middle School, The Rossmoor Big Band, and Edna Brewer Middle School and Roosevelt Middle School from Oakland. The event raised money to benefit the local public school music programs. For more info: www.rotarylafayette.org

Snapshots from Taste of Lafayette 2023: Another recent successful event was the Chamber's Taste of Lafayette restaurant stroll. See photos from the event at https://lafayettechamber.org/taste.

Lafayette Shop Local eCards Make a Great Gift! Wondering what to get the grad in your life? The Lafayette Shop Local eCard Program gift is perfect for graduations, birthdays and Father's Day, and any other celebration. Purchase a Lafayette Shop Local eCard and print it out or schedule it to be delivered via email on a certain date.

Lafayette Planning Applications and Major Development Projects: Want to know the planning applications that the City's Planning Department is processing? You can visit the Planning Applications Received page for the latest application information. Curious about construction taking place around town? Information on major developments that are underway can be found on the City of Lafayette Major Development Projects website.

Preparedness Tip: If your summer plans include camping and making a campfire, be sure to follow these campfire safety tips to prevent wildfires:

• Make sure you have a source of water, a bucket, and a shovel nearby at all times
• Always keep the fire small and under control
• Never leave your campfire unattended

City of Lafayette Notifications: Sign up for meeting agendas and Lafayette's publications here: bit.ly/LafayetteNotifications.

Cultural Observations and Celebrations

Celebrate our diversity by learning more about these upcoming cultural observations and celebrations:

The City Council has proclaimed June as LGBTQ Pride Month in Lafayette. June is also Caribbean American Heritage Month.

29 Memorial Day - City Administrative Offices closed

14 Flag Day

18 Father's Day

Photo for the Week

In observance of Memorial Day, scouts from Pack 220 (Lafayette Elementary, Springhill Elementary and St. Perpetua's) recently placed flags on the graves of U.S. military veterans at the Lafayette Cemetery. Elsewhere around town, the Lafayette Rotary Club works with businesses to display flags along Mt Diablo Blvd.

Quote for the Week

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.

- John F. Kennedy

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The Weekly Roundup is prepared for the Lafayette Community, City Council and Staff. If you have thoughts about this week's Roundup, a contribution for a future edition or a photo to be considered for the "Photo of the Week", please email the City of Lafayette's Communications Analyst/Public Information Officer, Suzanne Iarla.

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