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Written by: Editor

Published: 14 January 2009

Effective immediately, Holdenried Road at Hill Creek is closed to all traffic due to bridge failure, the department reported Wednesday.

Signs are in place to alert the traveling public of the need to use alternative routes.

For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 263-2341.

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Details

Written by: Editor

Published: 14 January 2009

This month’s speaker for Redbud Audubon is Ron LeValley, a wildlife biologist and photographer who will present a program on the Farallon Islands, home to the largest colony of breeding seabirds in the continental United States – sometimes up to 250,000 birds comprising 12 species.

Three kinds of whales ply the nearby waters and five species of seals and sea lions come ashore on the islands, in some cases to breed. The large population of seals and sea lions is no doubt responsible for the great white shark population in the vicinity.

LeValley has been photographing nature for over 40 years. He is a founding member of the Mendocino Coast Photographer Guild and Gallery in Fort Bragg where his work can be seen.

As a professional photographer, LeValley has compiled an impressive collection (over 70,000 images) of wildlife photographs that he uses for presentations and publications.

Forty years ago when Point Reyes bird Observatory established the Farallon Island Research Station, LeValley was a young biologist who had volunteered as a bird bander for a number of years. In August of 1968 he spent a month on the islands, a month that was instrumental in focusing his career.

This past summer, 29 years after his last visit, he returned to the beginning of his career and participated in current research activities.

LeValley will share some of his experiences, both old and new, on the islands, providing an interesting perspective on the changes on the islands and in the ecosystems that the Farallones are a part of. His outstanding photographs will illustrate his talk.

The public is invited to enjoy this excellent program. For information, go the Audubon Web site at www.redbudaudubon.org.

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Details

Written by: Editor

Published: 13 January 2009

NORTH COAST – According to recent data released by the Census Bureau, times are tough all over the country. However, job prospects are bright at the Santa Rosa Early Local Census Office (ELCO), where staffs are preparing for 2010 Census operations.

The Santa Rosa ELCO is gearing up for its first major 2010 Census operation — address canvassing.

Starting in early 2009, hundreds of census workers will check and verify addresses for the Census Bureau’s Master Address File, which will be used to mail out the census questionnaires in 2010.

Santa Rosa ELCO manager Ford Carlberg pointed out that, in an economic downturn, many people are looking for work, either to pay their bills and keep food on the table, or just for some extra family income.

“We offer great pay, flexible hours, paid training and a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the community,” Carlberg said. “We also want to hire local people to work right in their own neighborhoods, especially in Northern California counties, where the number of applicants has been low.”

For Northern California, the Santa Rosa ELCO manages 2010 Census operations in the counties of Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba.

The U.S. Constitution mandates that, every 10 years, we count every man, woman and child living in the United States on April 1, 2010, Census Day. To do that, the government needs to mobilize the largest nonmilitary workforce in U.S. History.

The Santa Rosa ELCO will need to hire approximately 1,100 workers required to carry out census operations between now and 2010.

Priority is given to U.S. citizens and employees must be at least 18 years old. They need to take a brief basic skills test as well as clear an FBI background check.

Residents of Northern California counties, as well as bilingual applicants, are strongly encouraged to apply.

All 2010 Census jobs are temporary, from field jobs lasting a few weeks to office jobs extending to 2010.

“Right now we need to hire people for these positions,” added Carlberg.

Salaries range from $11.50 per hour for address listers, crew leader assistants at $11.50 per hour, crew leaders at $13 per hour and $14.50 per hour for field operations supervisors.

Interested applicants can get more information by calling toll-free 1-866-861-2010 or online at www.2010censusjobs.gov.

Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution mandates an actual enumeration of the U.S. population for the purpose of the apportionment of congressional seats. Each year, more than $300 billion in federal funds are disbursed to communities based solely on census population figures.

In addition, state and local government agencies, tribal governments, businesses, academia, nonprofit organizations and members of the general public rely on census data to make informed decisions.

As with all 2010 Census information, the address information collected by the Census Bureau is confidential by law (Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 9).

All Census Bureau employees, including the census workers who collect the address information, have taken an oath to protect confidentiality and are subject to jail term, a fine — or both — for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.

For more information on the 2010 Census, visit http://www.census.gov/2010census/.

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