🌱County Animals Need Homes + Wild Mushroom Warning

Good morning, everybody! Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening locally. Today we'll cover:

• An Oakley woman was sentenced for several crimes against minors.
• East Bay Regional Parks will get a grant to buy more land.
• Don't miss Visit Concord's list of the top five things to do this Valentine's Day!

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But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 64 Low: 38.

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Here are the top stories today in Concord:

1. Jennifer Decarlo, of Oakley, pleaded guilty to "two counts of lewd acts upon a minor, two counts of statutory rape, and one count of meeting with a minor for lewd purposes" on Friday, the Contra Costa County DA's office said. She was sentenced to seven years, eight months in State prison. She will also be required to register as a sex offender. Three victims were identified. (Concord Patch)
2. Do you have room in your heart and your home for a four-legged companion? Contra Costa Animal Services is looking for both permanent homes and foster homes for its animals, as the shelter is nearing capacity. All animals will be free to adopt during the month of February. "With an already crowded shelter and an average daily intake of nearly 20 animals each day, we're asking for the community's help in getting as many pets out of the shelter as we possibly can through adoption and foster," Chief of Shelter Medicine, Katherine Mills said. (Claycord.com)
3. East Bay Parks is getting a grant from the State of California for the purchase of approximately 767 acres of land. The land is "within the Finley Road Ranch property in East Bay Regional Park District north of the unincorporated community of Tassajara." (Contra Costa News)
4. Check out some dramatic pictures of two Orinda homes that were lost to landslides in the January storms! Both homes were "red tagged" and are no longer habitable. Originally, the homeowners were thought to be not eligible for federal aid, but Contra Costa County met the federal threshold, so individuals within the county can apply for FEMA aid. That's great news for these two homeowners! (lamorindaweekly.com)
5. East Bay Regional Parks issued its annual wild mushroom warning. "Mushrooms are an ecologically important part of our parklands and can look beautiful — but some of them contain dangerous toxins." Two of the most deadly mushrooms in the world can be found right here in the East Bay. The death cap (Amanita phalloides) and western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata) are both visible this time of year. In short, don't eat any mushroom in the wild unless you have prior education on mushroom identification and are certain it is not poisonous. (Martinez Tribune)

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Today in Concord:

• It's Wine Wednesday at Smith's Landing Seafood Grill in Antioch. Half off select bottles of wine. (All Day)
• Head over to Headlands Brewing Co. in Lafayette for Head Games Trivia. (6:30 PM)
• Comedy at The Greenery at Diablo Hills Golf Course is "another fun night of laughs hosted by comedian Pat McCoy and featuring the comedy of Jimmy Earll along with hilarious headliner Monique Marvez." (7:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Visit Concord published the top five things to do in Concord for Valentine's Day! (Visit Concord via Instagram)
• "Contra Costa County Library branches are featuring Black artists, musicians, artisans and more at all of the branches this month, in honor of Black History Month. All are welcome! https://ccclib.org/diversity/" (City of Concord, California via Facebook)
• "Contra Costa Health (CCH) seeks public participation in an online survey this month to help gather opinion and experience related to emergency ambulance service in the county. Check the Latest News section at cchealth.org/ems for a link to the survey, or follow this direct link." (News 24/680)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday off right! See you tomorrow for your next update.

— 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...

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Concord Patch newsletter? Contact me at Concord-Ca@Patch.com