Now accepting nominations for the 10th Annual Philanthropy Awards

We know the East Bay has heart and now is the season to celebrate it.

Nominate inspiring community leaders, philanthropists, employers, volunteers and youth who are stepping up for our community in a time of profound need.

Our region and society have been tested in unprecedented ways in just a few short months. There are countless stories to tell and we need your help to tell them.

In allyship with the movement for racial justice and a commitment to leading an equitable economic recovery amid COVID-19, we are asking for a different kind of nomination this year.

Instead of specific nomination categories, we have strengthened our award criteria to reflect the type of leader, philanthropist and community changemaker we want to honor. We hope these new criteria will serve as a helpful starting point for telling your nominees’ story.

Nominations are due by Friday, September 18.

If you have any questions, please email events@eblcmail.org.
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Kristin Connelly to co-chair statewide economic development coalition
We are proud to announce that our President and CEO, Kristin Connelly, has been asked to serve as the new Northern California Co-Chair of the R.E.A.L. Coalition.

“Kristin is an effective advocate and prudent policy leader in the East Bay and throughout the state,” said Lucy Dunn, President & CEO of the Orange County Business Council. “She has been a valued member of R.E.A.L. Coalition for years and will continue her good work as co-chair.”

The statewide group of California’s most influential business associations was founded in 2008 by Dunn and Carl Guardino, the Former President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership. Today, the Coalition collectively represents 15,000 employers and 3.9 million jobs in California.

“If we ever needed to come together as a statewide business community, now is the time,” said Kristin Connelly. “It is an honor to help lead our coalition which is committed to solving the state’s toughest issues and I look forward to learning from and advocating with my fellow regional leaders.”

In her role as co-chair Kristin will help facilitate regular meetings of the coalition’s CEOs and work collaboratively to advance statewide policies of regional significance to improve economic competitiveness.
Water Task Force talks reservoir expansion
Photo Credit: Word Ridden | Flikr

In a state prone to drought, water storage is a critical issue that our local water districts are working hard to address.

With that in mind, the EBLC Water Task Force received an update on three Bay Area reservoir projects in August.

Chris Hakes, from Valley Water updated the task force on the Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project. When completed, this project will use a dam to significantly increase storage at the Pacheco Reservoir while improving water quality and reducing flooding in neighboring communities.

The group also heard from Jerry Brown, former General Manager of the Contra Costa Water District and current Executive Director of Services for the Sites Reservoir Project, on the 1.5 million acre-foot reservoir in the Sacramento Valley. This project has been conditionally awarded the largest California Proposition 1 (the Water Bond) allocation.

Lastly, the task force welcomed Marguerite Patil from the Contra Costa Water District to present on the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project. The project will expand the capacity of Los Vaqueros and add a pipeline connecting the California aqueduct at Bethany Reservoir.

All of these projects will have a lasting impact on our water storage in California, as well as provide environmental benefits for the wildlife in and around the reservoirs.

If you’re interested in viewing the presentations, they are available in our Task Force Information Hub.
TASK FORCE RESOURCES
Must read //  What to know about California’s testing expansion
Story in The New York Times

Jill Cowan in The New York Times: California officials on Wednesday flexed the market muscle of the nation’s most populous state, announcing a deal they said would more than double the state’s coronavirus testing capacity, driving down costs significantly.

“We are moving forward in a different direction to disrupt the market,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said. “We’re advancing this partnership as only California can with our purchasing power and the number of people we have.”

Coming in addition to the more than 100,000 tests conducted across the state on average each day, the new lab and supply chain run by the diagnostics company PerkinElmer, based in Massachusetts, will allow for 150,000 more tests per day, with a required turnaround of no more than two days, allowing public health officials to move quickly to identify outbreaks.

That speed and capacity, officials said, will be critical for safely reopening schools and businesses. Mr. Newsom said that he would unveil updated reopening guidelines on Friday.
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