This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

🌱Blue Devils Founder Dies + Pleasant Hill Super Bloom + A's Park

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Concord.

Jeri Karges's profile picture
Jeri Karges, Neighbor
|
(Patch Media)

Rise and shine, Concord! Here's everything you need to know to get this Monday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Breezy in the afternoon. High: 58 Low: 39.

If you are reading this, so are your potential customers. Click here to learn how you can sponsor the Concord Daily.

Here are the top five stories today in Concord:

  1. The co-founder of the Concord Blue Devils, Ann Odello died Jan. 30 at the age of 93. She started the Blue Devils with her late husband Tony in 1957 after a meeting with two dozen interested youngsters and parents in the living room of their Concord home. Three generations of Odello's are still involved with the 19-time World Champion drum and bugle corps. This is the 65th year of the Blue Devils and hopes are high they will be able to train, travel and compete after two years interrupted by the pandemic. Those wishing to donate to the Blue Devils in Ann Odello's memory can do so by visiting bluedevils.org. (Pioneer Publishers)
  2. The springlike weather that the Bay Area and northern California have enjoyed for the last few weeks is about to end according to the National Weather Service, as an arctic cold front puts most of the country into a deep freeze. Lows on Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be 39 in San Francisco, 33 in San Jose and 30 in Concord. The region may experience a chance of showers by Tuesday morning with snow levels down to the 2,000-foot level. (Claycord.com)
  3. From the East Bay to San Francisco to the heart of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area's once-bustling transit network, BART, is a skeleton of its former self. The ridership downturn is most severe in its newest stations in the South Bay: Milpitas and Berryessa, which both opened in the summer of 2020, and Warm Springs in Fremont all have over 85% fewer riders than they saw or were projected to have before the pandemic. Milpitas station is supposed to be BART's "gateway to Silicon Valley" with a direct connection to tech-heavy job centers and hundreds of new apartment units surrounding the station. Kathy Tolentino, a manager at the nearby Edge Apartments, said her complex, which opened in October, is quickly filling with tenants but they are not using the station next door. The only thing keeping many of her residents in the Bay Area while they work from home are contracts with tech employers that require them to stay, she said. (mercurynews.com)
  4. There was an attempted robbery at Chase Bank on Salvio St. at Mt. Diablo St. in Downtown Concord at about 10:40 Saturday morning. The suspect passed a note to the bank teller and demanded money, police said. The robbery was not successful and the perpetrator did not get away with any money. A description of the suspect is not currently available. (Claycord.com)
  5. The recently announced Campaign to Save Harvey Ranch seeks to raise $4 million by the end of this year to acquire the 143-acre property, nestled above Saint Mary's College Moraga campus, securing it in perpetuity as open space. Harvey Ranch owner Charlene Harvey, whose family has spent summers and weekends on the ranch for decades, is at the center of this effort. A lifelong conservationist, Harvey began exploring ways to protect the ranch from development after her husband, Jim, died in 1996. (Pioneer Publishers)

From our sponsor:

Today's Concord Daily is brought to you in part by Newrez, a leading nationwide mortgage lender. Make a smart move for your future and refinance with Newrez today. Call 844-979-1707 to connect with a Newrez loan officer. Newrez, LLC (NMLS #3013)

Today in Concord:

  • Try Painting With A Twist open studio night! You can paint any painting you like. (6:30 PM)
  • Come to Standup Comedy Showcase at Vinnie's Bar & Grill in Concord hosted by Mean Dave! (7:30 PM)
  • Blacklight is playing at the Solano Drive-in (11:20 PM)

From my notebook:

  • With this month's unseasonably warm weather, Super Blooms of black mustard cover virtually all of California's golden hills. No where are these displays more stunning than right here in Contra Costa County. Check out the beautiful picture here.
  • On Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, the Oakland City Council voted to certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a waterfront ballpark project at Jack London Square that the A's will utilize. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a statement praising the council action in which she said, "Tonight's action is more than a milestone — it's a giant leap forward in our shared mission to create a regional destination that gives back our waterfront to the public, connects a new vibrant neighborhood to our downtown, and provides tens of thousands of good union jobs for our residents — and it does it all while keeping our beloved A's rooted in Oakland." (Antioch Herald)
  • If you watch Walnut Creek TV on Astound's broadcasting system, formerly known as WAVE, you will find that TV station now on Channel 1028. Astound recently moved the local cable channels for Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Concord, and Martinez to channels in the 1000 range. If you watch Walnut Creek TV on AT&T or Comcast, there is no change for you. (Walnut-creek.org)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

Events:

For sale:

Gigs & services:

Loving the Concord Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Monday. I'll see you around!

— Jeri Karges

About me: Jeri Karges has been living in and loving the Sacramento region for over 30 years. Her passion is finding new and unique ways to enjoy the city and surrounding areas. On weekends, you can find her pestering her friends to sample the restaurant that doesn't have silverware, or try their hand at throwing an axe. Jeri also enjoys writing about retirement planning at https://rockinretirement.subst...

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Concord