🌱Muir Health Class Action Suit + Walnut Creek Nobel Prize Winner

Hello, again, everybody. It's Wednesday in Concord and I'm back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening locally, including updates on:

• Ygnacio Valley Road was shut down for a time on Monday night due to a fire that eventually consumed at least 2 acres.
• Contra Costa Health has received a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Justice to combat community violence.
• Free tacos at Puesto (with a $20 purchase)!

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But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and warm. High: 87 Low: 57.

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Here are the top stories today in Concord:

1. A class action lawsuit is being brought against John Muir Health for overcharging Bay Area patients. Per Business Wire, the healthcare system is being sued for "'unconscionable' billing practices after it charged a Contra Costa County patient $6,095.70 for a routine drug screening at an emergency department visit.... "The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of California for the County of Contra Costa alleges that John Muir charges roughly 10,000% of the Medicare rate for the simple urine drug screening, a service which has a corresponding Medicare reimbursement amount of $62.14." The firms bringing the suit are looking for other patients who received exorbitant bills for laboratory services. (Business Wire)
2. Cal Fire responded to what eventually became at least a 2-acre fire on Ygnacio Valley Road on Monday. The fire closed down Ygnacio Valley Road for a time. The fire department called for a water tender to respond to the scene, Code 3. The effort eventually brought the fire to full containment at 11:20 p.m. Per Claycord.com, "The first 911 call regarding this incident, was from a citizen watching from a distance, who wasn't sure what they were seeing. They then used binoculars to confirm their suspicions and then called it in, right away. This is a great example of being alert, aware and taking action." (Claycord.com)
3. Walnut Creek's own John F. Clauser, along with two other colleagues, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics! And... that's about all I understand from this article... But if you're a physics phenom, here's something to whet your appetite to read all about it: "In 1972 [Clauser] and Stuart Freedman built a setup that sent two entangled photons in opposite directions toward fixed polarization filters. Depending on the angles of the filters and the polarization of the photons, the photons either were blocked or passed through and pinged a detector. The measured coincidence rate for two given polarizer angles agreed with the predictions of quantum mechanics but not with any classical formulation: It violated Bell's inequality." If you got that, read on, my friend! (News 24/680)
4. In a press release, Contra Costa Health announced that "The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded a $1.5 million grant to Contra Costa Health (CCH) to assist in a countywide effort to develop evidence-based, public health strategies for reducing community violence." A team, including community stakeholders, will be convened to assess causes of violent crime in the communities most affected by it. They will work together with local resources to create a strategic plan to reduce violent crime and increase behavioral health and safety in the communities. (East County Today)
5. Are you interested in learning more about the two candidates vying to replace retiring Contra Costa Board of Supervisors member Karen Mitchoff? The Walnut Creek, Concord and Pleasant Hill Chambers of Commerce will host an October Civic Affairs Forum on October 11, featuring BART Director Debora Allen and Pleasant Hill City Councilmember Ken Carlson, who will discuss their views on the issues. This will be a moderated event. (Walnut Creek Magazine)

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Today in Concord:

• Head over to the City Hall Offices in Pleasant Hill for Food Truck Nights! Find some of the Bay Area's favorite food trucks. (5:00 PM)
• Namorados Da Lua will be at The Veranda Unplugged on their Pavilion Fountain Park Lawn. (6:30 PM)
• "Come feel like a rock star singing Karaoke on a professional stage at Vinnie's Bar in Concord." (8:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Puesto is offering a free taco of your choice with any $20 purchase. "Visit for authentic Mexican food featuring innovative flavors and check them off your passport!" (Visit Concord via Instagram)
• "The 15th Annual Taste of Concord was a blast! Thank you to all of the restaurants, breweries, and wineries that provided samples for our community to taste! Did you attend?" The Kiwanis Club of Concord wants you to tag them in your photos! (Kiwanis Club of Concord via Facebook)
• Watch the recorded version of the Candidates' Forum for participating candidates in Districts 1 and 5, along with City Treasurer, on The Greater Concord Chamber YouTube channel. (Greater Concord CA Chamber of Commerce via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow for another 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 Daily? Contact me at Concord-Ca@Patch.com