26Oct 2021 by Kieryn Darkwater

Oct. News: Local Ordinance on ADUs (Backyard Cottages), Redistricting Maps & Community Mtgs

News, Newsletter
Dear Neighbor, I hope you're staying warm, dry, and safe during this heavy rainstorm! In the last 24 hours, our City personnel responded to 117 calls for emergency service and 66 locations of localized flooding. Crews have addressed almost all of the 44 tree calls and will be working throughout the week with expanded crews to address all of the downed trees, limbs, and tree debris. Last week, the CDC expanded its recommendation on Covid-19 booster shots for certain recipients of the Moderna vaccine and all recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This comes after booster shots were made available for certain recipients of the Pfizer vaccine last month. If you have questions about whether a booster shot is right for you, please talk to your doctor. Please SAVE…
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20Sep 2021 by Kieryn Darkwater

Sept. News: Homelessness Updates, Districts 1 & 2 Community Meeting & More

Homelessness, News, Newsletter
Dear Neighbor, As you may know, our Health Officer recently issued a health order requiring proof of vaccination for individuals age 12 and older to enter certain indoor businesses. Last Tuesday, the City Council unanimously voted to require City employees to be vaccinated. I have been an advocate for both of these measures and will continue to support steps to prioritize our community’s public health. Vaccines are our best defense against the pandemic. Please SAVE THE DATE for a Drop-In Community Meeting with Councilmember Terry Taplin (District 2) and myself:Districts 1 & 2 Drop-In Community MeetingSat., Sept. 25, 12-2 p.m.Meadow in front of Hidden CafeStrawberry Creek Park In this newsletter: - Outreach, Clean Up and Fencing of University/I-80 Freeway Areas- RV Safe Parking Site to Open in Two Weeks- Highlights…
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08Sep 2021 by Kieryn Darkwater

Health Order Requires Vaccination in Certain Businesses

COVID19, News, Newsletter
I wanted to make sure you were aware that our City of Berkeley Health Officer Lisa Hernandez issued a health order last week that requires employees of certain businesses to be vaccinated and also requires a portion of these businesses to verify proof of full vaccination for patrons who are at least 12 years-old. Please find below the City's press release about the health order. And stay tuned for my full September newsletter later this month. A City of Berkeley Health Officer Order issued Wed., Sept 1 will require employees of certain businesses to be vaccinated while also requiring a portion of those businesses to also verify proof of full vaccination for patrons who are at least 12 years-old. The requirement to verify vaccination of both employees and patrons focuses…
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07Aug 2021 by Kieryn Darkwater

August News: “The War Has Changed,” Rental Assistance & More

Newsletter
As our understanding of the Delta variant evolves, our Bay Area health officers are updating health and safety guidance. Last week, we learned from an internal CDC presentation that "the war has changed" because the Delta variant is different from previous strains of Covid-19. Please find below the new guidance on masking indoors in public settings released earlier this week. *** Eight Bay Area health officers have issued Health Orders requiring masks indoors in public places. The Orders require all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions, starting on Tues., Aug. 3. "We are deeply fortunate to have vaccines that so profoundly reduce the risk of severe illness and death from the newest, more dangerous variant," said Dr. Lisa B.…
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30Jul 2021 by Kieryn Darkwater

July News: Masks Indoors, State Budget Update, City Agreement with UC Berkeley & More

News, Newsletter
One thing many of us have grappled with over the course of this pandemic is the high level of uncertainty that we face. The Delta variant brings us to yet another inflection point in which experts are processing data in real-time and our public health officials are updating health and safety guidance.  Earlier this month, the City of Berkeley issued the following guidance related to face coverings: The City of Berkeley's Health Officer along with health officers around the region encourage vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike to wear face coverings in indoor public settings, an environment fueling spread of the Delta variant of the virus causing Covid-19 disease. Each of the three tested, safe, and effective vaccines provide high protection against serious illness and death while also reducing infections, including…
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23Jun 2021 by Kieryn Darkwater

June News: City Budget, Homelessness Updates, Safety on Sacramento St

Homelessness, Newsletter, Sidewalks and Streets
It’s hard to believe that a full 15 months have passed since we were first asked to shelter in place on a Tuesday last March. Over the course of weeks and months, we all faced uncertainty and isolation, and some of us faced economic devastation or the loss of a loved one. President Biden, who has experienced the loss of two children and his first spouse, recently said: “A day will come when the memory of the loved one you lost will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. That’s when you know you’re going to get through it. You will get through it. But it’s a long haul.” More than 600,000 people in the U.S.—and more than 3.8 million globally—who did not survive the past…
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