Domestic Violence Shelter Funding Extensions Signed by Brown
The Governor signed two bills strongly supported by the Chairwoman of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) Fiona Ma, CPA, to help victims of domestic violence and businesses devastated by natural disasters.
AB 1559 (Baker) will create a checkoff box on California personal income tax return forms which will allow Californian’s to donate to the newly created Domestic Violence Victims Fund. Domestic violence shelters will be able to apply for a grant from the new fund, administered by the California Office of Emergency Services, to help provide much-needed assistance to victims.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), nearly one-third of all women murdered in the United States in recent years were murdered by a current or former intimate partner. In 2010, 1,017 women, more than three a day, were killed by their intimate partners. A survivor's safety and well-being is most at risk during episodes of violence and when attempting to leave an abuser. Domestic violence shelters are a key part of safety planning to prepare ahead of time and be as protected as possible.
“Women and children who have endured physical, mental, and emotional abuse need our help putting their lives back on track. AB 1599 (Baker) will help keep the shelter doors open and provide a place where women and children can sleep soundly, without fear,” said Chairwoman Ma.
During her six-year tenure in the Legislature, Chairwoman Ma served as Chair of the Domestic Violence Select Committee and witnessed how many California domestic violence shelters were forced to turn away women and children because of a lack of funding. In 2013 NNEDV conducted a 24-hour survey of domestic violence programs across the nation and reported 66,581 adults and children had found refuge and assistance, while an additional 9,641 requests for services were unmet because of a lack of resources. Each one of those unmet requests is another lost opportunity to break the cycle of violence. Now that Governor Brown has signed AB 1399 (Baker), shelters will receive greatly needed financial resources.
“California business owners who have been severely impacted by natural disasters are focusing on the recovery of their business, which will affect their ability to file and pay their taxes,” said Chairwoman Ma.
“The Board of Equalization can now grant tax relief to countless businesses across the state that have been impacted by natural disasters. I’d like to thank Governor Jerry Brown for recognizing the urgency of this bill and acknowledging that California needs to do more to assist victims in the recovery process,” said Assemblymember Bill Dodd.
Orion Jettison Motor, the Journey to Mars
Aerojet Rocketdyne successfully tested its third development jettison motor for NASA’s Orion spacecraft at its facility in Rancho Cordova, California. Orion is being built to take humans farther into space than ever before, and the jettison motor is a critical element for ensuring astronaut safety. Leaders from NASA and Lockheed Martin, the agency’s prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft, visited Aerojet Rocketdyne to witness this key test.
“The first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft is just around the corner,” said Roger McNamara, Lockheed Martin Launch Abort System director. “The Launch Abort System is such an important safety feature; it’s great to see progress happening across the country and right here in Sacramento.”
In the event of an emergency during launch or ascent, Orion is outfitted with a Launch Abort System (LAS) that can activate within milliseconds to propel the capsule away from danger and position the crew module for a safe ocean landing. The LAS consists of three solid rocket motors: the abort motor that pulls the crew module away from the launch vehicle; the attitude control motor that is used to steer the crew module following an abort; and Aerojet Rocketdyne’s jettison motor, which separates the launch abort system from the crew module so that parachutes can be deployed for a safe splashdown.
Aerojet Rocketdyne’s jettison motor is the only LAS motor that will be activated on Orion’s next test flight, Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), which is scheduled for 2018. During the three-week EM-1 mission, Orion will travel about 40,000 miles beyond the moon and return to Earth.
“Reliability of the jettison motor is critical to the safety and execution of the mission. Unlike other launch abort system motors, the jettison motor operates every time,” said Jim Paulsen, vice president of NASA programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne. “Astronaut safety and reliability of our exploration systems is paramount at Aerojet Rocketdyne. EM-1 is the first integrated flight of Orion and the new heavy lift Space Launch System rocket, and Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion systems will be supporting the mission from liftoff to splashdown.”
Grand Opening of Alta Arden Goodwill Store
Goodwill Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada is excited to announce the opening of its newest store and community training center in Sacramento. The store, located at 2040 Alta Arden Expressway in Sacramento, celebrated with a Grand Opening extravaganza Wednesday, September 21. The first 200 customers received free Goodwill recyclable tote bags, free coffee and cookies.
Goodwill’s newest “Signature Store” on Alta Arden (consolidating the Fulton & Arden stores), in the heart of Sacramento’s shopping region, will employ 100, and features a 23,000 square foot building with over 16,000 sf of retail space, a convenient donation drop-off, ample parking spaces and the same high-quality, low-cost items for the family and home that Goodwill customers have come to love.
The Alta Arden Signature Store, the largest Goodwill store in the region, will also feature Goodwill’s well-known selection of new and donated Halloween costumes, shoes, makeup and accessories from the Grand Opening through the end of October. Regular store hours will be Mon-Sat 9am-9pm; Sun 10am-7pm.
“Successful stores are critical to Goodwill’s mission, as retail revenue helps support the agency’s many human services, providing support for five area non-profits” states Karen McClaflin, Chief Development Officer for Goodwill. “We provide critical back-office functions as well as fundraising and grant writing to our partner organizations – Next Move/Francis House Center, People of Progress, Wind Youth Services and Community Link Capital Region – who offer coordinating support services to disadvantaged people.”
For a complete listing of job training and employment programs, stores and donation sites in the Sacramento Valley see www.goodwillsacto.org
Established in 1902 in Boston and 1933 in Sacramento, Goodwill is a community based non-profit that offers diverse job training and placement programs to help people with disadvantages achieve self-sufficiency. Goodwill puts people to work in their own communities, helping to build self-sufficiency and human dignity. More than 93% of total revenues are dedicated to job training, mission-related activities and mission-related payroll. For more information, visit www.goodwillsacto.org.
Team Eskaton Hits the Football Field to Help Prevent Seniors from Falling
Eskaton’s No Falls League recently got out on the football field and recorded a video for National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, coming September 22, 2016. The video, “Ready Steady Balance,” was named after the National Council on Aging’s 2016 initiative. Eskaton developed the video to highlight efforts in providing resources and programs to transform the aging experience while supporting larger efforts to reduce the number of falls. In the video, Eskaton’s Fall Prevention Team shows their peers how to have fun while exercising and prevent falls.
“We take a fun and new approach to teaching fall prevention, which can help reduce the number of falls each year,” said Eskaton Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Christy Barry. “The specially designed fall prevention exercises help strengthen muscles, improve coordination, and build faster reaction times, just in case you do lose your balance.”
The No Falls League, comprised of Eskaton’s independent living residents, are seniors aged 67 to 95, wearing football jerseys reflecting their age. Led by Barry, the seniors in the video demonstrate several exercises showing how easy it is to improve balance and strength, helping to reduce fall risk. Low-impact exercises include knee lifts, weight shifting, shoulder rolls, overhead arm reach, arm reach across the chest and more. To watch the video and download a checklist, please visit http://www.eskaton.org/fall.
In addition to the fall-prevention video, Eskaton is offering fall-prevention assessments and classes. Between September 15-23, Eskaton communities will provide an exercise class, such as Tai Chi or yoga, that is open to the public and will focus on better balance, strength and flexibly. “We want people to be aware that most falls are preventable, and we provide resources to seniors and their families,” said Barry. For a list of classes, visit http://blog.eskaton.org/class-schedule-fall-prevention.
According to the National Council on Aging, every 11 seconds an older American is seen in the emergency room for a fall, and every 19 seconds a senior dies from a fall, which is the leading cause of death for an older adult. Eskaton continues to provide education and training for seniors year-round to reduce the injury and fatality rate and improve quality of life.
The vision of Eskaton is to transform the aging experience. Its dedicated team members provide services and support for nearly 12,000 individuals annually who live in Eskaton communities or participate in its comprehensive home-support services. Eskaton is also pet-friendly. For more information, please call (916) 334-0810, or visit http://www.eskaton.org.
Eskaton, a nonprofit community-based organization serving seniors throughout Northern California, releases innovative fall-prevention video just in time for the NFL season.
Women’s Empowerment Receives $45K Grant from Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company recently granted $45,000 to Sacramento nonprofit Women’s Empowerment for job training for formerly homeless women through the group’s Get A Job Kit Training, which provides paid stipends to participants. Funds also will support Women’s Empowerment’s on-the-job training in customer service and office administration, as well as transportation in partnership with Paratransit.
“The Get A Job Kit Training provides formerly homeless women with a unique opportunity to begin immediately building a financially stable home – something most other organizations serving homeless women are not able to offer,” said Lisa Culp, executive director, Women’s Empowerment. “We are grateful to Wells Fargo for its steadfast support as we empower women once homeless to find a steady job and a stable home for their families.”
Women’s Empowerment launched The Get A Job Kit Training with the help of Wells Fargo in 2014 to train women in the production, customer service, shipping and receiving industries. The program includes four-week paid training sessions with education and training in the field, assembly instruction and work with employment specialists. Trainees assemble the Get A Job Kits and send to customers, and receive training on safety in the workplace, conflict resolution, quality assurance and inventory management. Forty graduates have completed the training, with 70% now employed with local businesses. In the first year, 24 graduates sold and shipped 5,000+ Get A Job Kits across the country. For more information: www.getajobkit.com.
“I’m 44 and I felt like I missed out on life until I came to Women’s Empowerment,” said Lisa Costabile, one of the first Get A Job Kit Training graduates. “Now I feel like my life is just starting. And with the training we’ve received, We can walk into any employer and be more of an asset. Now I’m ready to start a career. Whatever I need to do, I’ll do it.”
The award is part of Wells Fargo’s targeted commitment to strengthen communities challenged by the highest levels of unemployment. Wells Fargo awarded $2.3 million to 59 nonprofits across California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. The organizations offer people advancement opportunities by providing services focused on small- and micro-business development, workforce development and job creation. For more information: www.wellsfargo.com/about/csr.
“By directing $2.3 million to communities that are challenged by the highest levels of unemployment, it is our hope that we can change the economic prosperity of communities – one person at a time,” said Kevin Barri, community foothills area president of Wells Fargo. “Hearing the success stories from formerly homeless women now gainfully employed and stable confirms our investment in their future is paying off.”
The 2014 Organization of the Year has graduated 1,349 homeless women and their 3,500 children. Last year, 93 percent of graduates found homes and 83 percent found jobs or enrolled in school or training. The program combines self-esteem courses, job training, health classes and support services to help homeless women across diverse ages, races and cultures. Women’s Empowerment is funded through private donations from the community and receives no government funding except for in-kind rent from the County of Sacramento. To make a donation, visit: www.womens-empowerment.org.
Ready for Takeoff!
The California Capital Airshow (CCA), presented by Sacramento County, in partnership with the City of Rancho Cordova, is ready to paint the town Blue and Gold with the arrival of the world famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels! The Airshow will open its gates the weekend of October 1st and 2nd at Mather Airport with a heart-pounding lineup of performances and entertainment for the whole family. A variety of pre-sale ticket options are available online now at californiacapitalairshow.com/buy-tickets.
To kick-off the fun filled weekend, the Airshow will host a Performer Meet and Greet on Friday, September 30th, with a FREE ‘Paint the Town Blue and Gold’ block party from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come meet the Blue Angels, hangout with their favorite Airshow performer and the Kings Dancers, win door prizes, listen to music, take selfies and so much more. The block party will be located in midtown in front of LowBrau at 1050 20th Street in Sacramento between J and K Streets. Tell your friends as this is going to be a party to remember!
In addition to the awe-inspiring Blue Angels performances on Saturday and Sunday - October 1st and 2nd - the skies over Sacramento will be screaming with the likes of the US Army Golden Knights, Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet Demo, US Air Force F-16 Viper, ‘FIFI’, the iconic B-29 Superfortress and more. Fans won’t want to miss our nod to honoring the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor with an emotional tribute that will showcase the service, sacrifice and heroism demonstrated during the activities throughout the Pacific theater during WWII. This theatrical production will be emotionally narrated and beautifully choreographed to music with thundering pyrotechnics. For a complete list of performers visit californiacapitalairshow.com/lineup/the-performers/.
But the fun certainly doesn’t stop here! While entertainment in the sky is endless, it continues on the ground:
- Blast-off at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Space and Aviation LaunchPad or explore, play and learn at one of the other interactive kid’s activity zones for fun, hands-on science and engineering activities including flight simulators, robots and more!
- Star in your very own video! Grab your friends and family and race to SMUD’s Powering Forward exhibit for a cool photo project to take home your own Action Flipbook.
- Stop by Lasher’s Elk Grove Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Autograph Tent to meet your favorite Airshow performer and take a photo. You can even command the ramp at the Dodge Ride-n-Drive in a new top-of-the-line Ram Truck!
- Experience the sights, smells and sounds of historic World War II aircraft in Warbird Alley. Get up close and touch the airplanes, talk to the crews, teach the kids and then watch these planes FLY! You can also re-live history by purchasing a ride in the world’s most famous flying B-29 Superfortress. A limited number of seats are available each day.
“The whole family can enjoy a weekend filled with thrilling performances while exploring aircraft displays, attractions and interactive exhibits designed to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),” said Darcy Brewer, executive director of the California Capital Airshow. “At CCA we use the power and magic of flight to inspire young people. Our unique environment provides rare opportunities to meet pilots, crew, engineers and cutting-edge innovators who have used their STEM education to literally change the world!”
Bring your sunscreen, hats, and comfortable shoes, because the Airshow is ready for takeoff! Gates open Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. each day – flying will begin around noon. The much-anticipated show features tons of jet noise, jaw-dropping aerobatics, stomach-churning aerial jumps, and gravity defying routines that will leave you speechless and wanting more!
“The Airshow is a fantastic value for a full day of fun and the memories made will last a lifetime. Once inside the gates, you’ll be amazed at the abundance of entertainment on the ground and in the sky!” added Brewer.
Airshow tickets are on sale now at californiacapitalairshow.com/buy-tickets/. Pre-sale discount pricing expires at midnight on September 30th.
The following sponsors and community partners have generously contributed to the 2016 California Capital Airshow: Sacramento County, City of Rancho Cordova, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Sacramento Jet Center, Lasher Auto Group, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Budweiser, Fox 40 and iHeart Media.
Visit the California Capital Airshow website for news and attractions. Want to get the inside scoop on the Airshow? Become an Airshow Insider via the home page on the CCA website. Fans can follow the Airshow on Facebook and Twitter (@calcapairshow) and Instagram (capitalairshow).
Established in 2004, the California Capital Airshow 501(c)(3) is an exciting, family-friendly annual event designed to honor the Sacramento region’s rich aviation heritage and veterans while using the power and magic of flight to inspire young people. CCA gives back to the community through scholarships, charitable group donations and exciting educational youth programming throughout the year. For more information, please visit www.californiacapitalairshow.com.
Agriculture Overtime Law Will Hurt Family Farms and Farm Workers
Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 1066 (D-Gonzalez), on September 12th, 2016, a measure that will require farmers to pay overtime after eight hours or 40 hours per week. Vice Chair of the Senate Budget Committee Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber), a life-long farmer and advocate, issued the following statement: “Last year’s agriculture production was down from the previous year*. Farmers continue to suffer from the historic drought and ongoing burdens of the state’s regulations.
“It is inarguable that this new mandate will have significant negative impacts on farmers and farm workers.
“Farmers, ranchers and growers cannot afford this mandate. To keep their family farms in operation, they will hire one crew for eight hours or less; and a second crew for another.
“Farm workers will end up working for one farm in the morning, getting back in their cars to drive to another farm to work the afternoon shift.
“I am disappointed at the insensitivity to this vital industry. And sadly I say, stay tuned for loss in salary for workers and higher prices for consumers.”
*This first set of data indicates that production value fell by $9.5 billion, or nearly 17 percent compared to 2014, to a total of $47,071,513,000 as stated in an August 30 report by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Senator Nielsen represents the Fourth Senate District, which includes the counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba. To contact Senator Jim Nielsen, please call him at 916-651-4004.
Learn to Create a Beautiful, Water-Wise Landscape
Fall is upon us, and it’s the perfect time of the year to #RethinkYourYard and to create a beautiful, water-wise landscape at your home.
Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD) and EcoLandscape California are hosting a special workshop series beginning September 20, 2016 to provide the knowledge and tools needed to get started.
The five-session River-Friendly, Green Gardening series, taught by the sustainable landscaping experts at EcoLandscape California, includes three classroom workshops and two hands-on training days that will cover: Landscape design, Putting the right plant in the right place, Water-wise irrigation, Integrated pest management, How to care for your landscape and much, much more.
Classroom workshops will take place at SSWD’s Antelope Gardens at 7800 Antelope North Road in Antelope as follows: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - Tuesday, September 27, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.- Tuesday, October 4, 2016 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Attendees can then practice what they’ve learned at two special hands-on workshops on Saturdays, September 24, 2016 and October 15, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at a landscape installation in the Arden area of Carmichael (exact location to be announced to participants). Lunch will be provided.
Total cost for all five workshops is $35. Complete details are available at www.SSWD.org or by calling SSWD at (916) 679-2890.
DWR Seeks Proposals for Habitat Restoration Projects
First-of-Its-Kind Request for Proposal Invites Non-Governmental Participation
In an effort to quicken the pace of habitat restoration in California’s biggest estuary, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) recently invited private companies, non-profit groups and individuals to submit proposals to create wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Through a first-of-its-kind Request for Proposal (RFP), DWR seeks partners to help fulfill its obligations under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. At the direction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, DWR must restore or create 8,000 acres of tidal habitat to benefit Delta smelt and another 800 acres for longfin smelt, plus 17,000 acres to 20,000 acres of seasonal floodplain to benefit juvenile winter-run chinook salmon, spring-run salmon and Central Valley steelhead. Projects to fulfill these obligations also could help meet DWR's restoration responsibilities under the California Endangered Species Act.
These projects will advance California EcoRestore, a program to fulfill Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s direction to State agencies to begin restoration of at least 30,000 acres in the Delta over the next five years. In addition, the Brown Administration’s five-year Water Action Plan calls for restoration of important ecosystems.
DWR will weigh proposals received through the RFP process and enter into agreements with the proponents of acceptable projects. These may be private companies, non-profit groups, individuals, or a combination of such. Respondents to the RFP must demonstrate control of property desirable for habitat restoration. Proposals will be judged competitively based on factors that include location, cost, site quality, site design, property characteristics and project schedule and readiness. Projects must be completed within five years.
"Our new Request for Proposal will help us harness the power of partnerships in a straightforward, transparent, efficient way," said Dean Messer, Chief of the DWR Division of Environmental Services and the Fish Restoration Program. "We want to maximize results and get large-scale tidal marsh wetland habitat restoration under way for the sake of native fishes."
The department is prepared to award contracts worth a total of $42.5 million over the next five years for acceptable proposals. Proposals must be received by November 30, 2016. Find out more at www.SaveOurWater.com.
Head-On Collision Kills Both Drivers on Watt Ave
On September 11, 2016, at 9:55 p.m., a 50-year-old male from Sacramento, was driving a, black Chevrolet pick-up s/b on Watt Ave., north of Marconi Ave., at a high rate of speed in the #1 lane. A white Ford Explore driven by a 47-year-old male from Sacramento, was in the #1 lane northbound on Watt Ave. The Explorer had two other passengers in the vehicle all from the Sacramento area. The pick-up, per a witness, had a right rear tire go flat and the driver of the pick-up was unable to maintain control of his vehicle. The driver of the pick-up allowed the vehicle to cross over the raised median into the northbound lane of Watt Ave. The pick-up collided head on into the Explorer. The impact killed both drivers. The passengers of the Explorer suffered moderate to minor injuries and were transported for medical treatment.
