In brief: Pittsburg’s Los Medanos College seeks Chávez Award nominees

PITTSBURG

Los Medanos College (LMC) is preparing to host its annual “César Chávez Celebration” from 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 27. LMC hosts this event each year to honor the life of Chávez and recognize East Contra Costa County community leaders who continue his great tradition of service and social activism. A true American hero, Chávez exemplifies service to community and nonviolent social change.

The College is seeking nominations for three recognition awards, which will be presented at the event. The LMC César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service is awarded to local residents who have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to service and who represent the core values established by Chávez. The East County Educator Award honors members of the educational community who demonstrate those values and a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for low-income students and students of color. The Chávez Spirit Award recognizes students and emerging leaders who are making an impact on East County in the areas of advocacy and social justice.

The public is welcome to attend this free event at LMC, located at 2700 E. Leland Road in Pittsburg. The deadline to submit nominations for the Chávez awards is Feb. 29; do so online at losmedanos.edu/chavez/nominate. Details about other LMC activities celebrating the life and legacy of Chávez can be viewed at losmedanos.edu/chavez/event. For more information, contact Jennifer Adams at jadams@losmedanos.edu or 925-473-7302.

— LMC

ANTIOCH

Museum hosts crab feed on March 7

Antioch Historical Society Museum hosts a crab feed fundraiser at 6 p.m. March 7 at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center, 213 F St.

The dinner will be served by the Antioch High School music and athletic departments. It will be catered by The Novero Brothers and is limited to 225 people. It will include marinated crab, clams, clam Fettucine, salad and dessert as well as wine or beer.

Cost is $65 all-inclusive.

For tickets, call Joanne Bilbo at 925-757-4169, Bob Martin at 925-628-1963, Eddie Beaudin at 925-383-4979 or Stan Davis at 925-754-0135.

— Judith Prieve, Staff

CONCORD

Apply by March 13 for class on city operations and issues

The city of Concord has opened applications for the spring 2020 session of the Concord Community Institute — an opportunity for people who live, work or own businesses in Concord to take part in lively discussions and activities, meet elected officials and learn about how the city operates.

Six classes will be held from April 18 to May 16 on two Saturdays and four Thursday evenings. Topics include public safety, economic development, community services, budgeting and finance and the development review process. The final session will include a tour of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. There is no fee to attend, but each applicant must be at least 18 and live, work or own a business in Concord. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. March 13. For more information or to apply, visit cityofconcord.org/CCI.

— city of Concord

Author Shapiro to address historical society on March 1

The Concord Historical Society (CHS) invites all to another free installment in its Speakers Series at 2 p.m. March 1 in the Concord Museum and Event Center, 1928 Clayton Road in Concord. The speaker will be Michael Shapiro, author of “The Creative Spark.”

His book focuses on how explorers, musicians, writers and other artists found their inner fire and followed their dream. For his book, which will be on sale at the event, Shapiro profiled and interviewed people such as Smokey Robinson, Jane Goodall, Amy Tan, Francis Ford Coppola and Judy Collins. Parking can be found just off Marina Court behind the event center and the historic Galindo Home, which is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays for those who wish to come early and take a tour of it.

— CHS

LAFAYETTE

Enter peace, justice center’s student art, writing contest

The Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center (MDPJC) is excited to announce their 22nd annual Dennis Thomas Art and Writing Challenge for students, which provides middle and high school students with a different topic or theme each year. Students are invited produce visual artwork, essays, and creative writing on the year’s topic, with scholarships and prizes for winners. At the conclusion of the contest, there is an awards dinner celebrating the students’ achievements. Contest winners, their parents, siblings and teachers, as well as sponsoring donors and the community, are invited to the dinner to honor peaceful creativity and thought. Their theme for 2020 is “Our Connected Planet,” and the submission deadline is April 24. For more information and submission guidelines, visit the MDPJC’s website at tinyurl.com/mdpjc-artandwriting2020.

— MDPJC

AAUW salary negotiation seminar Feb. 23 at library

Come learn about salary negotiation and how to better articulate your worth at work or as a volunteer. Attend the AAUW Work Smart seminar from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. This seminar, co-sponsored by the American Association of University Women-Orinda/Moraga/Lafayette (AAUW-OML) and the AAUW-Danville/Alamo/Walnut Creek branches, is free and open to the public. Work Smart, AAUW’s salary negotiation program, is designed to help close the gender wage gap by empowering women with the skills and confidence needed to negotiate their work salaries and benefits. For more information, visit oml-CA.aauw.net.

— AAUW-OML and AAUW-DAW

WALNUT CREEK

Kids advocacy group to honor Yamaguchi at Feb. 22 gala

Yours Humanly, an international organization in Walnut Creek that funds local and global efforts to provide underprivileged children in underserved communities with access to educational programs and resources, is holding its 2020 Gift of Schooling Gala fundraiser Feb. 22 at the Diablo Country Club, 1700 Club House Road in Danville. During the evening, Olympic figure skating gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi will be recognized as the Yours Humanly 2020 Honoree for her work with the Always Dream Foundation, the nonprofit she founded that, among other efforts, champions early childhood literacy in underserved communities. Yamaguchi is receiving the Yours Humanly Leading With the Heart Award for her vision and leadership on behalf of children.

Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktails-and-hors-d’oeuvres reception and include dinner, silent and live auctions, live entertainment and dancing. Funds from the gala will support Yours Humanly educational initiatives, which reach disadvantaged children in the United States as well as Cambodia, India, Nepal, the Philippines and Haiti. Tickets are $225 per person and are available online at GiftofSchoolingGala.org. For more information, visit YoursHumanly.org.

— Yours Humanly

CENTRAL/EAST CONTRA COSTA

Free preparation of 2019 taxes available for tax season

Free tax preparation for the 2020 tax season is available now through April 15 from AARP’s Tax-Aide and United Way Bay Area’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS) programs. Tax preparers are trained and certified by the IRS, both programs serve taxpayers of any age, and there is no income limit.

Tax-Aide and EKS volunteers help households receive the best possible refunds by assuring they claim all available deductions and tax credits. For example, the federal Earned Income Tax Credit can provide eligible families with three or more qualifying children a $6,557 credit. Families with multiple children also can claim the maximum California Earned Income Tax Credit of almost $3,000, plus a new $1,000 credit for families with children age 5 or younger.

For information, including what to bring, and to make an appointment for the Tax-Aide sites in Central Costa County call 925-726-3199; for sites in East Contra Costa County call 925-989-7492. For information on EKS sites call 2-1-1 or visit earnitkeepitsaveit.org.

— AARP Tax-Aide and EKS

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