Social hour begins at 11:30 with Lunch and program beginning at noon Tickets are $22. Call (925) 254-8617 for reservations; RSVP by 2/18.

Guy Houston stated, Saturday night, at the Marine Corps League crab feed, held at the Brentwood Veterans Hall, that “our disabled veterans have already paid their taxes, in service to their nation, on battlefields around the world, and that it (introducing and working to see this legislation passed) was just the right thing to do.”

The announcement was met with a thunderous applause by veterans present from all branches, from WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the War Against Terrorism, as well as civilian supporters. Mr. Klug is active in the VFW, and is a veteran of Gulf War 1, and Operation Desert Storm.

The Keynote Speaker is David Kirp, Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy, UC-Berkeley and author of the recently-published book, The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics. Dr. Kirp will speak in conversation with local reporter Belva Davis about the larger economic forces at work in creating children’s policies.

Guest Speakers scheduled include: The Honorable Osby Davis, Mayor of Vallejo (Moderator); Ross Thompson, Professor of Psychology, UC-Davis. Neal Halfon, Director of the Center for Healthier Children, at UCLA; and Jean Ross, Executive Director, California Budget Project.

Register Here

Assemblyman Houston will talk about the Governor’s recent State of the State message and budget proposals as California faces a $14-billion current year budget deficit, as well as the State’s structural deficit where spending increase built into legislation far outstrip the State’s ability to pay.

Executive Director, Kris Hunt, will also discuss the Governor’s Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Commission Report just released. Meanwhile Contra Costa County has a $3 billion retiree health care liability that has yet to be adequately addressed. It is hoped that the Commission will offer some solid recommendations for dealing with both pensions and health care at the State and County levels.

The meeting is sponsored in part by Board Member Bill Baker (financial advisor, tax fighter, and former Congressman) and the firm of Baker, Welch and Mitsutome.

$15.00 Includes full breakfast and speaker. RSVP: Please make reservations by Thursday, January 24 by phone, e-mail or at www.cocotax.org. If you have questions, please call Kris Hunt at 925-228-5610 or e-mail her. Prepayment is greatly appreciated. Checks should be mailed to: P.O. Box 27, Martinez, CA 94553

Whether you walk or run, or go the distance at 5K or a full marathon, you can learn how you can get involved to get in shape to participate and help raise funds by downloading this flyer.

The Wellness Community will hold local informational meetings on January 15 and 29 at 6:00 p.m. For more information or to sign up, contact Amy Alanes, 925.933.0107 or e-mail aalanes@twc-bayarea.org.

This is a ridiculous suggestion.

The program is by all accounts disruptive and overrun by the detritus and anti-social behavior of the chronic homeless that the City of Concord and other enablers have foisted on homeowners and residents of downtown Concord for years beyond the acceptable use of the program. Now the consequences of this blind-eye policy have proliferated and spill into surrounding neighborhoods including squatters taking over vacant buildings in downtown Concord (2173 Mt Diablo Street), just steps away Todos Santos Park. First a free lunch…now free housing!

The City should stop pestering residents about RV parking and clean up the homeless mess in downtown Concord before it gets out of control. I don’t see the do-gooder neighbors around St. Bonnies or on St Francis across from Concord Park where Helen Allen used to live clamoring to have Loaves and Fishes move in so their neighborhoods can be trashed. Similarly, downtown can no longer afford to be Concord’s dumping ground.