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Wed Jun 16 16:42:40 PDT 1999
Terry Amazed by New Tools
In an unexpected turn of events, the ABAG website is getting EASIER to update. Many thanks to Dave, our Webmaster.
Some News2
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Some News
Check out our website
Wed Jun 16 12:26:14 PDT 1999 Some News
Check out our website
New Online OSHA Training
The ABAG Training Center has launched the Bay Area's first totally online OSHA training course. The first course, in a planned series, is the annual 8-hr HAZWOPER Refresher for hazardous waste workers. Workers who are too busy to take a day off from work to attend class, or are located too far from an available classroom, can now fullfill their OSHA training requirements in their spare time at their personal computers. Only an Internet connection is required. Information about our first online course may be viewed at http://www.abag.ca.gov/abag/overview/training/AnnouncingOnline8hr.html . The ABAG Training Center is accredited to provide Continuing Education credits by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training.
New Grasscycling Campaign
ABAG was instrumental in helping the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, City of Napa, and Solano County obtain grant funds from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The grant, along with matching funds and labor from participants will be used to promote, demonstrate and implement the use of grasscycling (grass recycling) practices in Contra Costa, Napa and Solano counties. Grasscycling promises to diminish the volume of grass clippings being disposed of in California landfills and help local governments meet their solid waste reduction requirements. ABAG's grasscycling web site, http://grasscycle.abag.ca.gov provides information for the public and local government recycling coordinators.
Hometown Blues: Bay Area Housing and Growth Crisis
Frustrated with the rising price of housing? Tired of getting stuck in traffic? Anxious about how rapidly the region is growing? Watch "Hometown Blues," a 30-minute documentary on the Bay Area's housing and growth crisis-and what we could do about it-produced by the Association of Bay Area Government. Participate in the town hall meeting discussions that will follow each broadcast:
- Join us at Petaluma City Hall on Thursday, May 13 at 7 PM
- Tune in to Contra Costa Television (CCTV) on Wednesday, May 26 at 8 PM
- Tune in or join us in the San Jose studio of KTEH, channel 54 on Thursday, May 27 at 8 PM.
ABAG General Assembly on Sustainable Development
The Bay Area Alliance for Sustainable Development is a coalition of public and private sector leaders that envision a Bay Area where the natural environment is vibrant, where the economy is robust and globally competitive, and where all citizens have equitable opportunities to share in the benefits of a quality environment and a prosperous economy. The first public review of a strategy to address critical challenges and achieve mutual goals for the Bay Area will take place at the ABAG General Assembly, on April 23, 1999. Your input and ideas are needed now!
Winter 1999 Training Classes Announced
The ABAG Training Center has released the schedule of classes for January - March, 1999. The listing and details may be viewed at http://www.abag.ca.gov/abag/overview/training/training.html. ABAG member discounts are allways provided and you may register online.
Regional Economic Outlook Conference: 1999 & 2000
ABAG will be presenting it's annual short-term economic conference on Friday, January 29, 1999 at 8:30am in the MetroCenter Auditorium in Oakland. Registration is required. If you are concerned about the regional economy and would like to know whether bears or bulls are in our future, ABAG's short-term economic conference is your best bet. Each year ABAG's research department, along with guest experts, provides a status report on jobs, retail sales and economic growth for the next two years in the nine-county Bay Area. Featured speakers will include:
- Ted Gibson - Chief Economist, California Department of Finance
- Paul Fassinger - Research Director, Association of Bay Area Governments
- Brian Kirking - Senior Regional Planner, Association of Bay Area Governments
- Gerd-Ulf Krueger - Deputy Chief Economist, California Association of Realtors
Information on How to Fix Your Home AND Pay for It
ABAG is giving you holiday gifts to promote safety. We have added information on sources of money to help you retrofit your home, including the California Department of Insurance and the California Earthquake Authority. We have also brought all of the training materials and slide presentations we use to train contractors and building inspectors on proper retrofit techniques for homes "on line." This work was funded by FEMA through the State Office of Emergency Services. Enjoy and have a safe holiday season!
Subregional Planning Reports Posted on abagOnline
Subregional planning projects in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Solano counties are highlighted in the new Subregional Planning section of abagOnline.
Workshops Planned for Transportation Impact of Earthquakes
ABAG has scheduled a series of five all-day subregional workshops on transportation issues facing local governments, businesses and utilities in the event of a large earthquake in the Bay Area. The first three of these workshops were held during October in Martinez, Santa Rosa and Oakland. There are just two remaining workshops in this successful series:
1) Foster City - Nov. 17
2) San Jose - Nov. 20
Don't miss the opportunity for discussions on these issues. Sign up now. The workshops are supported with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the California Office of Emergency Services, ABAG, Pacific Bell, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company. For additional information, contact Ian O'Donnell at iano@abag.ca.gov. There is a $40 charge for workshop materials and lunch ($32 for members). Pre-registration is required. A copy of the workshop flier in Adobe Acrobat PDF format is available online. Please also visit the ABAG Earthquake area online at http://quake.abag.ca.gov.
Agencies Make Online Debut
As ABAG maintains the official website listings for local governments in the Bay Area, from time to time we like to welcome new agencies to the Web community. The following agencies have recently made their debut on the World Wide Web, offering information and resources to their consitutents and making government more accessible:
- The Community Preparedness Website Project http://www.preparenow.org
- The City of Burlingame http://www.ci.burlingame.ca.us
- The City of St. Helena http://www.ci.st-helena.ca.us
- The City of San Bruno http://www.ci.sanbruno.ca.us
Bigger Harm From Earthquake Predicted
ABAG has added two new earthquake scenarios to the list of scenario earthquakes where ground shaking information now exists. The report and information presents research based on recent scientific data and responds to inquiries raised by readers and users of the 1995 On Shaky Ground report. The new scenarios forecast significant additional risk for San Francisco and San Jose. The report and materials were funded, in part, by the U.S. Geological Survey and ABAG. Please visit abagOnline's Earthquake section for maps and information on obtaining a copy of the report.
ADS Publishes Online Year 2000 Compliance Information Database
Electronic Data Systems Corporation has created Vendor 2000, an online database of products compliant with year 2000 date functions. Vendor 2000 covers information technology assets such as hardware, software, network, operating systems, physical plant equipment, and more. Use it to jump start your Year 2000 program. ABAG has published a local government year 2000 resource page at http://www.abag.ca.gov/issues/y2k/Y2K.html.
Power Matters 98 Conference Program Available
ABAG Training Center announces the publication of the complete conference program for Power Matters 98. Power Matters 98 is a two-day conference on November 4-5 for public agencies and businesses on the opportunities made possible by utility de-regulation. Please see http://power.abag.ca.gov/for details.
San Francisco District Forecasts Released
Demographic and economic forecasts for the major districts in San Francisco City/County are now available from ABAG. Part of the Projections 98 by Census Tract series, the S.F. district projections were created by aggregating Tracts to approximate the districts. These valuable projections can help marketers and small businesses target customers in the various neighborhoods in San Francisco. The numbers are also highly useful for social service agencies. Please see the information online for details.
ABAG Posts Y2K Resource Page
In order to help local governments prepare for the coming year 2000 crisis in computer software, ABAG has posted a year 2000 resource page at http://www.abag.ca.gov/y2k/. This section will be updated as more information specific to Bay Area local governments becomes available.
Projections 98 by Census Tract Forecast Released
ABAG's Research Group has released its much anticipated demographic and economic forecast at the Census Tract-level. This set of forecasts allows users to gain insight into the future growth of small geographic areas (smaller than a city) and has a wide variety of applications. Secure online ordering is available for those wishing to order all the Tracts in a county or the S.F. Region. A new product, consisting of forecasts for San Francisco Districts, will be available later this month. For more information, please visit the Projections 98 portion of our website.
ABAG Posts VLF Repeal Resource Page for Local Governments
In response to increasing local government concerns about state efforts to repeal the Vehicle License Fee, a critical source of revenue to cities and counties, ABAG has created a local government resource/information page about the issues at http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/vlf/vlf.html. We have included pointers to state legislation, position papers of cities and counties, and news reports from the media. We will add new material as it becomes available.
New American Industrial Classification System to be Explained
On June 19th, ABAG is hosting a workshop on NAICS, a nationwide industrial classification system which is now being phased in. The new system will be explained by Census Bureau experts visiting from Washington, D.C. The NAICS system will replace SIC codes, a system of economic classification that has been in use since the 1930s. What is crutial to the Bay Area is that NAICS will add many new classifications for the High Tech Industry.
More information is available on the Web where a copy of the NAICS Conference Brochure has been posted. Or, you may call 510-464-7953 to register.
ABAG Announces POWER MATTERS ’98 Conference
POWER MATTERS ’98, a two-day conference and exposition on California’s deregulated energy market, will be held on November 4 & 5, 1998 at the Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland Convention Center. Sponsored by ABAG, one of the largest power aggregators in California, it is designed to help energy professionals understand and take advantage of the opportunities created by deregulation.
Conference sessions will cover topics such as financing and purchasing energy; energy service and infrastructure changes; metering and measurement; and energy trading. The event is geared toward public agencies and major corporations who are currently, or are considering, purchasing power on the open market. More information is available at http://power.abag.ca.gov
Unlocking Gridlock: Growing Smarter
Join a distinguished group of speakers and panelists as they probe the issues and the potential for solutions at a half-day seminar for the general public to be held June 6th in Walnut Creek. Learn about their ideas for how we can avoid hours of commuting on clogged freeways by developing communities and transportation systems that will maintain our quality of life, protect sensitive areas and resources, and move the region in the direction of a balance economy. Further information is available online.
Taxable Sales Data Available
Preparing a local government revenue estimate? Recent data on taxable sales in each of California's counties is now available online from the CA Board of Equalization. Historical data for 1966-1996 is available in an Excel file through the ABAG Data Center.
ABAG Announces El Niño Assessment Conference
The weekend of April 17 promises 5 DAYS of continuous sunshine. As we all reflect on what happened this winter, ABAG would like to take this opportunity to announce a post(we hope)-El Niño conference. Speakers from state and federal agencies will assess the accuracy of weather predictions and local government officials will present the lessons learned in dealing with flooding and landslides. A complete conference program with online registration is available at http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/enviro/ElNinoconf.html.
City of Santa Monica Draft Telecommunications Master Plan
abagOnline has added a pointer to the new City of Santa Monica Draft Telecommunications Master Plan as part of our Telecommunications issues page. Thanks to Brian Moura for this notice.
City of Pleasanton Junk Gun Ordinance proposed
abagOnline has published the City of Pleasanton's proposed Saturday Night Special ordinance at http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/junkguns/ordinances.htm as part of our Junk Gun issues page. This ordinance will not be effective unless ratified at the June 1998 election. We have also provided a copy of Pleasanton's zoning ordinance for firearm dealers.
