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Redwood City E-News
Building a Great Community Together
February, 2010
IN THIS ISSUE:
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City Seeking Community Preservation Volunteers
In early 2009, Redwood City started a new program of community volunteers assisting in Code Enforcement and Community Preservation activities. The Community Preservation Volunteer program has been a great success, with seven trained volunteers dedicating a total of over 500 hours serving as “ambassadors” for Redwood City’s Building & Inspection division.
The City is now seeking additional interested and committed community members to help beautify and improve neighborhoods and business areas. Volunteers assist Code Enforcement staff by helping with community preservation projects, code enforcement research, and visual assessments of neighborhoods and business areas. Any community member interested in this very helpful volunteer opportunity is encouraged to contact Michel Wayne at (650) 780-7357 or mwayne@redwoodcity.org.
Volunteer training includes riding along with Building and Inspection staff, and developing an understanding of the policy and procedure manuals for the department. After training, volunteers help Code Enforcement officers with specific case work and participate in outreach to the community. Their volunteer duties include responding to inquiries regarding abandoned cars and rubbish clean up, participating with an officer on sign ordinance enforcement for business owners, or perform important clerical and office related duties.
These valued volunteers can also assist at the front counter at City Hall, provide follow-up to code enforcement cases and complaints, assist officers with preliminary investigations of non-health and safety code violations, and handle graffiti reporting, shopping cart reporting, and special community projects.
Please contact Michel Wayne at (650) 780-7357 or mwayne@redwoodcity.org for more informatoin about how to become a Community Preservation Volunteer.
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Register Now for PACT!
The next session of Redwood City's Partnership Academy for Community Teamwork (PACT) starts in April, 2010 - and you can get all the info and register now by going to www.redwoodcity.org/pact!
PACT is a nine-week community academy that provides participants with a hands-on overview of the management and governance of Redwood City, while helping to build relationships that will strengthen our entire community.
The 2010 program takes place each Thursday evening from 6 - 9 pm, April 1 through May 27 and engages in dynamic and interesting activities illustrating how the City functions. The sessions cover subjects from Public Works to the Police Department, from the City Council to Finance, from the Fire Department to the Library, and more. This is a great opportunity for interested community members to get an insider’s view of where the City is going, become experts on how the City operates, and help to build a great community together.
Read about PACT at www.redwoodcity.org/pact, and then register - only 40 spots are available, so be sure to reserve yours right away.
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Spanish Language Book Fair at Downtown Library
Bibliotecas Para la Gente and Redwood City Public Library invite you to join the Spanish Language Book Fair on February 5th!
Teachers, community members, school, and academic librarians…here is your opportunity to select Spanish-language books, DVD’s and CD’s for adults, teens, and children.
You'll also have the opportunity to network with library colleagues and other interested community members, enter a free prize drawing, and become a member of Bibliotecas Para La Gente, a chapter of REFORMA, The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking and an affiliate of ALA.
Friday, February 5, 2010 from 9 am - 4 pm in the Community Room of the Redwood City Downtown Library, 1044 Middlefield Road, in Redwood City.
Visit www.redwoodcity.org/library for info.
Bibliotecas Para la Gente y la Biblioteca Pública de Redwood City le invitan a: La Feria del Libro en español!
Maestros, bibliotecarios de bibliotecas escolares, públicas, y académicas…esta es su oportunidad para seleccionar materials en español como libros, DVD’s y CD’s para niños, jóvenes, y adultos!
También tendrá la oportunidad de socializar con colegas bibliotecarios, maestros, y otros profesionales de la comunidad. Podrá participar en sorteos y podrá hacerse miembro de Bibliotecas Para La Gente, una sucursal de REFORMA, Asociacion Nacional que promueve información y servicios bibliotecarios a Latinos y a los de habla Hispana. REFORMA esta afiliada a La Asociacion de Bibliotecarios Americanos.
El viernes 5 de febrero, 2010, 9 am - 4 pm; Biblioteca publica de Redwood City, Sala comunitaria, 1044 Middlefield Rd., Redwood City.
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8th Annual Orion School Author and Illustrator Festival
Kids and adults alike will love the Orion School 8th Annual FREE Author & Illustrator Festival!
At this great event you'll meet some of the Bay Area's (and the nation's) favorite authors and illustrators. This is a wonderful, magical event that celebrates a love of reading and the power of pictures and the written word.
Orion School's Author and Illustrator Festival takes place on Saturday February 6, 2010, from 10 am - 3:30 pm at Orion School, 815 Allerton Street (between Whipple & Brewster).
Here is the schedule of featured authors/illustrators:
10:15 am Rachel Rodriguez (Room 130)
10:55 am Alexandra Boiger (Room 100)
11:35 am Elisa Kleven (Room 130)
1 pm LeUyen Pham (Room 130)
1:40 pm Joyce Carol Thomas (Room 130)
2:20 pm Tim Myers (Room 100)
Come hear their presentations throughout the day and get your books autographed. Food and books available for purchase. Spanish language translation and American Sign Language interpretation onsite. For more information call 650-363-0611 or visit Orion School online.
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"Romancing the Creek" Cleanup Day at Redwood Creek
Just in time for Valentines Day, it's ROMANCING THE CREEK!
Show your love for your environment and help us clean up Redwood Creek on Saturday February 13th.Last year we pulled out 6,000 pounds of trash that would have flowed into the bay. Every year it washes down the creek from city streets and storm drains.
Meet at 9 am, Saturday, February 13th, at Peninsula Yacht Club, 1536 Maple Street in Redwood City (map it here).
You'll enjoy a continental breakfast, and after that it's clean up time, followed by lunch. Gloves and tools will be provided - be sure to wear boots and dress to stay dry.
The Romancing the Creek Cleanup of Redwood Creek is sponsored by the Redwood Creek Floating Community Association. Other participating sponsors are Peninsula Yacht Club • City of Redwood City • Port of Redwood City • Grocery Outlet • General Hardware • Granite Rock Building Materials • Marine Science Institute•
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Free Tree Pruning Workshop
The City of Redwood City, in partnership with local non-profit CityTrees, presents the 7th Annual FREE Tree Pruning Workshop! This great hands-on seminar includes classroom training on proper tree care, pruning, and tree maintenance, as well as hands-on pruning practice on live trees in the field.
The workshop takes place on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 from 9 am to noon at Redwood City’s Veterans Memorial Senior Center, Goldstar Room, located at 1455 Madison Avenue. Reservations and more information are available by calling Dan Beeder at 650-465-6586. You can also sign up online to reserve your spot.
Participants will learn basic tree biology and how it influences taking care of young trees. A demonstration of safe tree pruning work practices and handling of tools is also part of the workshop. After the “classroom” time, the group will then be able to practice their newly-learned tree pruning techniques in the field. Coffee and bagels will be served.
The 7th Annual FREE Tree Pruning Workshop is sponsored by CityTrees in collaboration with the Redwood City Public Works Services Department. Graduates of this very popular tree pruning seminar are also encouraged to volunteer to become part of CityTrees’ pruning brigade, and participate in pruning events to help maintain the many trees that CityTrees has planted over the last nine years.
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Gardening Workshop Will Help You Start a Garden
This new Redwood City workskhop is designed to provide you with the tips, techniques, and tools you'll need to start (and maintain) your own vegetable garden!
You'll have the chance to meet and form connections with other residents who are also enthusiastic about starting gardens. This will be the beginning of an invaluable support network as you and others proceed with your gardening process.
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
7 - 8:30 pm
City Hall, 1017 Middlefield Road.
Presentations will be given by Master Gardeners and Susan Stansbury from Conexions. You'llll also be the among the first to view Redwood City’s new Garden Support Webpage and will have the chance to enter free drawings for fun, gardening-related prizes. The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers.
We hope you will join us and nurture your green thumb!
This is presented by Redwood City Verde and the Redwood City Neighborhood Liaison Program. For more information call Beth Ross at 780-5917.
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Your Comments Needed on Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
"Hazard Mitigation” means taking action before a disaster strikes to prevent the occurrence of the disaster, or to reduce the effects of the disaster when it does occur. Typically a Hazard Mitigation Plan focuses on long-term improvements and protection of roadways, hospitals, public safety buildings, and other critical infrastructure and communication facilities that are at risk of failure during a disaster. The Plan is used to make a community more resilient to inevitable hazards, and to maintain critical functions on which the community depends.
Redwood City has such a Plan, in draft form, and you’re invited to take a look and offer comments and suggestions.
We’ve identified and analyzed potential hazards to the community – including earthquake, flood, fire, and terrorism - developed appropriate hazard mitigation strategies to address the potential for those hazards occurring, and created the draft plan. We held a community info meeting on January 7 to gather initial public comment.
Now, it’s online so you can take a look at all or part of it - your review, input, and ideas are very welcome in the process of developing the Hazard Mitigation Plan The cutoff date for comments is February 7.
Please go to www.redwoodcity.org/fire/disaster/LHMP.html where you can view the plan. That page also has an automated form for you to provide any comments.
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Verde Teams Save Energy, Water, and Help Other Programs
As part of the City’s environmental program, Redwood City Verde, we’re recruiting people to help put together groups of neighbors to form Verde Teams. These teams will join together, sign up for a free Green@Home energy audit house call by Acterra, and implement other tools to save energy and water (and money) in their households. We’re inviting anyone interested from neighborhoods, community groups, congregations, clubs, or other associations to form or join a Verde Team!
Beyond the environmental and utility bill benefits, there’s even more of a reward - Verde Teams that successfully complete the program will receive a contribution of up to $300 that can be used to support a nearby school’s environmental club or garden program, toward purchase of an energy-efficient appliance for their congregation, or support local non-profit CityTrees and its urban forest volunteer program.
More information about how to start or join a Verde Team is available from Beth Ross, Redwood City Environmental Initiatives Manager, at (650) 780-5917 or bross@redwoodcity.org. Visit Redwood City’s Verde website at www.redwoodcity.org/verde.
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WaterWise Spring Gardening Workshops Scheduled for March/April
Redwood City invites the community to attend FREE spring gardening workshops! For anyone with a garden, landscaping, or sprinkler systems, and an interest in saving water and money, these “WaterWise” workshops are invaluable!
Pre-registration is required - to register call 650-349-3000, or email landscape@bawsca.org. Space is imited and registration is on a first come - first served basis so reserve your place now!
At these free workshops you'll also receive a WaterWise gardening CD-ROM, and other water conservation tools. Light refreshments will be served.
Choose one class or attend them all!
Session 1 - Designing California Native Gardens for the Bay Area; Saturday, March 13th - 10 am - 1 pm - This is a home gardener’s introduction to designing a sustainable, low-maintenance, and water conserving garden. You’ll learn how to start visualizing your native garden, how to incorporate native plants, and which native plants are right for your yard.
Session 2 - How to Replace Lawns with California Meadow & Natives; Saturday, March 20th - 10 am - 1 pm - You’ll gain great insight from this introduction on how to replace lawns with a California meadow and natives. A meadow is a softer look that gives a more interesting transition between hardscape and house. It can also save you water, fertilizer, and work.
Session 3 - Making Every Drop Count; Saturday, April 17th - 10 am - 1 pm - Tips and Techniques to conserve water in the landscape! Join us for an introduction to innovative water-saving. This class will teach you how to plan, retrofit and maintain your own efficient irrigation system. Topics include drip irrigation, rain water harvesting and grey water.
Session 4 - Five Alternatives to the Lawn Culture; Saturday, April 24th - 10 am - 1 pm - A fascinating session including how to remove your lawn, how to eliminate invasive plant species, and how to return your soils to a healthy state.
To register call 650-349-3000, or email landscape@bawsca.org.
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