Fwd: Berkeley Weekly Update - 6/18/24
Comcast
Begin forwarded message:
From: Mayor Jesse Arreguin <ma...@cityofberkeley.info>
Date: June 18, 2024 at 5:38:39 PM PDT
To: adg...@comcast.net
Subject: Berkeley Weekly Update - 6/18/24
South Berkeley Sculpture Unveiled
The sculpture honors Mable Howard and the South Berkeley African American community.
A new work of public art was unveiled during the Juneteenth Festival near Ashby BART. Located at the corner of Adeline Street and MLK Jr Way, the 10 foot diameter bronze sculpture which weighs nearly 1.5 tons, titled Delivered, Mable’s Promissory Note, honors Mable Howard. Howard, a community activist, is most recognized for being a key figure in the successful fight to underground the BART tracks in Berkeley during its construction in the 1960s. The artist, Mildred Howard, daughter of Mable Howard, was inspired by traditional West African metalwork historically used as currency and jewelry in coming up with the design of the sculpture. In addition to honoring her mother, the sculpture is dedicated to all African Americans who have helped shape the South Berkeley community.
Minimum Wage Increases on July 1
Starting on July 1, the Minimum Wage in the City of Berkeley will be $18.67 an hour. This is an increase of $0.60 from the current rate of $18.07 an hour. Tips and gratuities do not count towards covering the Minimum Wage. Every year, the Minimum Wage is updated to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index to ensure that the value of wages is not lost over time due to inflation.
While $18.67 may be the new Minimum Wage, certain jobs may have a higher rate. Also starting July 1, 2024, under the Living Wage Ordinance, certain City of Berkeley contractors are required to pay a living wage rate of $19.05, up from $18.38, if medical benefits valued at least $3.16 an hour are offered to the employee, or $22.22 if no medical benefits are offered. Under State Law, California’s Minimum Wage is $16.00 an hour. State Law provides a minimum wage of $20.00 an hour for fast food restaurant employees and efforts are underway to implement SB 525, which creates a path to increase the minimum wage for healthcare workers to $25 an hour.
For more information about Berkeley’s minimum wage and workforce standards, click here.
BART Maintenance to Impact Select Weekend Commutes
A bus bridge will connect Berkeley BART riders at MacArthur. There will be no red line service during closure days.
Starting the weekend of June 22, BART will be suspending service between Rockridge, MacArthur, and 19th Street stations to replace and upgrade track infrastructure through this vital thoroughfare. The six weekends where this will take place will be June 22-23, July 20-21, August 17-18, September 21-22, October 19-20, and November 2-3. During these days, there will be no red line service and the orange line will have 30-minute headways.
Orange line service will connect southbound riders to MacArthur station where they can take a free bus bridge to Rockridge or 19th Street to continue their journey. Riders can expect delays of up to 40 minutes. According to BART, these replacements are necessary to replace aging infrastructure that has outlived its design life, making service smoother, safer, more reliable, and quieter. For more details and tips to plan for this disruption, click here.
Celebrating Pride Month
June is Pride Month, and there are several upcoming events in Berkeley to celebrate and support our local LGBTQ+ community.
Berkeley Mental Health will be hosting a free resource fair in celebration of Pride Month on June 26 from 11:30am-2pm at the Adult Mental Health Clinic at 2640 MLK Jr Way. This will provide an opportunity to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and to provide advocacy and support for continued advancements. The event will have resources and information, along with games and food.
On June 28 from 4pm-7pm, the Downtown Berkeley Association will host the Pride on the Plaza at the Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza. The free event features a drag variety show to celebrate and uplift Berkeley’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.
On June 28 and 29 from 4pm-8pm, Berkeley Public Health will hold a free Mpox vaccine pop-up at Steamworks at 2107 Fourth St. In 2022, there was an international outbreak of Mpox, also known as Monkeypox, which disproportionately impacted men who identify as gay. This pop-up is free and available to all of the public. Click here to learn more about Mpox.
On June 30 from 12:30pm-3pm, Berkeley Humane will host a Doggy Pride Parade at 2700 Ninth Street. The parade around the block is free to participate and festive costumes for people and pets are encouraged. Drag performances will take place after the parade. All adoption fees will be waived on that day.
Upcoming City, Council, and Commission Meetings
Below is a list of City meetings over the next week. Check the City’s Events webpage for a full list of meetings and for any changes to meetings.
City Council
- Budget & Finance Committee: June 19, 12pm
- 4x4 Housing Committee: June 19, 3pm
- Special Meeting: June 25, 3:30pm
- Regular Meeting: June 25, 6pm
Commissions
- Commission on Aging: June 19, 1:30pm
- Commission on the Status of Women: June 19, 7pm
- Zero Waste Commission: June 20, 5:30pm
- Transportation and Infrastructure Commission: June 20, 6:15pm
- Design Review Committee: June 20, 6:30pm
Other Meetings
- Berkeley Rent Board: June 20, 7pm
City of Berkeley - Mayor's Office | 2180 Milvia St. Fifth Floor | Berkeley, CA 94704 US
