Lafayette Chamber of Commerce  April 13, 2015 News & Events
Today - Monday, April 13 - EBMUD Project Update 

The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce wants to make sure you are aware of the EBMUD project that began last Monday, April 6. The main water line that runs from Mt. Diablo Blvd. south to Brook St. along Lafayette Circle/Hough will be replaced. The project will run through June 2015. EBMUD will be excavating and installing a new water main and then transfer service to the businesses along Lafayette Circle.

Last week the "saw cuts" were completed and most of the supplies were dropped on Brook St. and Lafayette Circle. Today they began trenching and installing the new pipe, beginning at Wildwood, near Brook St. They will continue to move northbound. Please try to avoid travel on Brook St. and Hough as delays are expected.

Each Monday morning EBMUD manager will meet with the Chamber to discuss what to expect for the week. The Chamber will post a report in their weekly email blast. If you have questions or concerns about the project, you can contact Stan Polite - 510-774-6266 or George Wells 510-385-6688 from EBMUD. And feel free to call the Chamber as well - 284-7404.

Wednesday, April 15 - "Easy Steps to Claim & Optimize Your Google Plus Local Business Profile" Workshop

Join us for this free "easy Steps to Claim & Optimize Your Google Plus Local Business Profile" Workshop on Wednesday, April 15 at 8:00am. Lets put your local business on the Google Map for Local Search. In this workshop, we'll explain how to use the Google Your Business dashboard to claim & optimize your Google Plus Local business profile. If you've claimed a profile on "Google Maps" or "Google Local" in the past, it's time to review & update! Workshop location: Lafayette Library and Learning Center's Arts & Science Classroom, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette (Enter from Plaza, off First Street).

Free, but Limited Seating - Reservations Recommended
Online Registration: bit.ly/LafayetteChamber
Or Email: workshops@lafayettechamber.org
Questions? Call Robin @ (925) 451-3069
Thursday, April 16 - Entrepreneur's Club
E-Club Logo

On Thursday,  April 16 the Entrepreneur's Club will hold their monthly meeting at 8:30am in the Chamber Conference Room. This month's speaker is Leslie Ellis of Savvy Selling NOW! and her topic is "The Three Mistake Entrepreneurs Make When Selling Their Product or Service". Please park on the street.  Lafayette Chamber members - free; non-members - $10.

Thursday, April 16 - Second Community Conversation Meeting

City of Lafayette logo The City is convening a series of Community Conversations to find out what kinds of projects (if any) you'd like to see in Lafayette between now and 2034. You still have time to join the Community Conversation! 

1. Fill out the survey found in the Vista newsletter and mail it to the City.
2. Fill out the survey online.
3. Send a letter or email that reflects your priorities to cityhall@lovelafayette.org.
4. Attend a Community Conversation meeting in your neighborhood & make your voice know.

There are two more Community Conversation meetings both at 7pm - April 16 at the Lafayette Community Center and May 14 at Oakwood Athletic Club. Childcare will be provided - to reserve a spot email City Clerk Joanne Robbins at jrobbins@lovelafayette.org.


 

Friday, April 17 - Locally Recognized Women of the Year Honored

Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla and local community organizations will honor our locally recognized Women of the Year on Friday, April 17 from 5:00pm - 7:00pm. A reception will be held to bring women's organizations and their honorees from the District together for a culminating event to honor these accomplished women and name the 14th Assembly District Woman of the Year. The event will take place at The Courtyard of Salvio PachecoSquare, 2151 Salvio Street, Concord. For more information, contact Suzette Adkins at 521-1511 or email her at 

 

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In This Issue
Today - Monday, April 13 - EBMUD Pipeline Project Update
Wednesday, April 15 - "Easy Steps to Claim & Optimize Your Google Plus Local Business Profile" Workshop
Thursday, April 16 - Entrepreneur's Club
Thursday, April 16 - Second Community Conversation Meeting
Friday, April 17 - Locally Recognized Women of the Year Honored
Saturday, April 18 - Moraga Art Galley Re-opens
Tuesday, April 21 - Second Annual Residential Community & Homeowner Security Camera System Town Hall
Wednesday, April 22 - Monthly Mixer at Merrill Gardens at Lafayette
Wednesday, April 22 - 5th Annual Earth Day Cleanup at the Lafayette Reservoir
Thursday, April 23 - Town Hall Meeting for All Lafayette Residents
Sunday, April 26 - Lafayette's 10th Annual Earth Day Festival.
Wednesday, April 29 - Young Professional Group - Happy Hour @ Metro in Lafayette
Water Restrictions - How will your business be affected?
Project LPIE Needs Judges
What's Happening at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center
Upcoming Chamber Events

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Saturday, April 18 - Moraga Art Galley Re-opens

Having been temporarily closed by a February flood, the Moraga Art Gallery is delighted to announce its grand re-opening with new show entitled "Transitions" featuring the one-of-a-kind, Asia-accented jewelry of Lafayette's own master jeweler K. de Groot, and a collection of Raku and pit-fired pottery by guest artist Mary Leigh Miller of Moraga.  To celebrate the gallery's return, the public is invited to attend a re-opening reception on Saturday, April 18 from 5:00 until 7:00 pm. Come to see the exhibit, have some wine, meet the artists, and enjoy the company of other Lamorinda art lovers.

 

Tuesday, April 21 - Second Annual Residential Community & Homeowner Security Camera System Town Hall

The Lafayette Police Department and Crime Prevention Commission (CPC) will hold its second annual Residential Community and Homeowner Security Camera System Town Hall at 7:00pm on Tuesday, April 21 at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Center (3780 Mt. Diablo, Lafayette, CA). This is a public meeting and all interested community members are encouraged to attend.

Security cameras are an effective tool to deter and solve crimes. Over the past several years, Lafayette has benefited tangibly from these systems, with home and auto burglary rates falling and increasingly higher solve rates for those crimes that have occurred. The community has done an exceptional job embracing the use of this technology - both from a pooled, neighborhood residential area system approach and from individual homeowner camera use. Combined with the City's camera program, the integration of these strategies are making Lafayette a safer place to live and visit every day.

The goal of this Town Hall is to keep the momentum moving forward by Describing some real-life Lafayette stories of how our collective camera systems have caught the bad guys; Providing useful best practice advice, system options and technology updates; Connecting you with commercial vendors and your fellow community neighbors who lead pooled, residential area and homeowner camera systems; 
Answering questions involving any aspect of security camera use -- from privacy issues to working together with the police in the event of an incident.

Feel free to contact Chief Eric Christensen at echri@so.cccounty.us or CPC Chair Cam Burks at CPCCameron@gmail.com in advance if you have any questions.
 
Wednesday, April 22 - Monthly Mixer at Merrill Gardens at Lafayette

Join the Lafayette Chamber at Merrill Gardens! Meet at Merrill Gardens for the Chamber's monthly mixer on Wednesday, April 22 from 5:30pm-7:00pm!  Meet the Executive Chef and stellar staff as you explore Lafayette's newest senior community. There will be tasty treats and a bounty of beverages.  Join in for mixing, mingling and merriment with your fellow Chamber members! Merrill Gardens is located at 1010 Second Street.

 

Wednesday, April 22 - 5th Annual Earth Day Cleanup at the Lafayette Reservoir

Our 5th Annual Earth Day Cleanup at the Lafayette Reservoir will take place on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22 from 12-2:00 p.m.  As in the past, Byron Park will provide lunch for all volunteers.  Hope you can make it! Volunteers walk the trails and collect trash in and around the reservoir.  "Gloves, buckets and litter sticks provided." Spend an afternoon with friends or co-workers and make a difference. For more information and to sign up as a volunteer, please email Marie Montoya at mmontoya@hgnlaw.com.

 

Thursday, April 23 - Town Hall Meeting for All Lafayette Residents

The Lafayette Homeowners Council is hosting its annual Town Hall Meeting, featuring Mayor Andersson and State Assemblywoman Catharine Baker on Thursday, April 23 at 7:00pm at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center.  The program will open with short opening remarks from Andersson and Baker.  The balance of the program will an extensive Q & A with the audience.  Some of the topics will include regional vs. local control/planning, open space, keeping good schools, use of tax dollars, downtown traffic and the preservation of our semi-rural atmosphere.  Everyone is welcome.

 

Sunday, April 26 - Lafayette's 10th Annual Earth Day Festival

Earth Day
Sustainable Lafayette, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, the Lafayette Library & Learning Center, and the City of Lafayette are proud to present Lafayette's 10th annual Earth Day Festival! On
April 26 from 11am-3pm, the Lafayette Library & Learning Center will host a diverse collection of organizations and businesses, all coming together to celebrate and promote a more sustainable lifestyle. Join us as we explore this year's theme of Transportation. Great Food, Live Music, Kid's Activities, Green Awards, Veggie Starters, Bike Parking and more. For additional information visit Sustainable Lafayette's website.

Wednesday, April 29 - Young Professional Group - Happy Hour @ Metro in Lafayette

The Lafayette Chamber Young Professional Group will have their monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 20 at Metro Restaurant, 3524 Mt. Diablo Blvd. from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. We will be on the back patio. Meet other young professionals and have a great time doing it. 
We are not a formal "Networking" group, but are a place to build relationships and have a fun time with people that will still be in business for the next ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years.  This group was designed for young professionals, by young professionals, and we hope you will join us. 


 

Water Restrictions - How will your business be affected?

Governor Brown asked Californians for a 25% statewide reduction in water use last week. There will no doubt be multiple mandatory actions asked of you. EBMUD will be reviewing this and will present recommendations to their board shortly. What can you do now. Consider reviewing the materials at: http://www.ebmud.com/water-and-wastewater/water-conservation/commercial-conservation-rebates-and-services.

 

Project LPIE Needs Judges

Project LPIE is an opportunity to recognize the talented Acalanes High School students for their project-based learning with a unique community twist! The students compete in any of the 14 categories that showcase their skills both within and outside the curriculum. Project judging is done by professional business people with extensive expertise in the various categories. We are busy recruiting judges for Project LPIE (judging is done week of April 13 or 20). We need help with the following categories: Entrepreneu, Digital Design, and Video Production.

Interested? A description can be found on http://lpie.org/news_project_lpie.htm. Judges application can be found at http://lpie.org/ProjectLPIEJudge. For more information you can contact Myrna Kimmelman, Lafayette Partners in Education Executive Director, 925.299.1644 or email: myrna@lpie.org.
 
What's Happening at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center


 
Monday, April 13 - All Week - Library Open Space. Pick a Poem for your Pocket! April is Poetry Month and the Lafayette Library is celebrating this week with "Pick a Poem for your Pocket!" Pick a poem, Read a poem, Leave a poem for someone else's pocket! For more information click here.

Tuesday, April 14 - 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Community Hall. Teen Book Fest 2015
It's the Lafayette Library's first annual teen book fest! This exciting event will feature young adult authors Frank Portman, Yvonne Prinz, Betsy Streeter, Mitali Perkins and Veronica Rossi all of whom are local to the San Francisco Bay Area. It will be moderated by Andy Ross who owned the former Cody's Bookstore in Berkeley for 30 years. For more information click here.

Thursday, April 16 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Community Hall. Nature Journaling Workshop with Naturalist John Muir Laws. Do you want to keep a nature journal or bump your current practice to a higher orbit? Join us for the first of a monthly nature journaling workshop series. See the possibilities of what a journal can be and how to make journaling and drawing a life changing habit. If you already have a journal kit, bring it along plus any personal favorite sketching or nature study supplies. For more information click here.

Thursday, April 16 - 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM - Community Hall. Friends of the LLLC Presents: Sweet Thursday with Betsy Streeter. Join us for an evening with Betsy Streeter, author of Silverwood. In this science fiction, time traveling tale featuring shape-shifting human hunters, author Betsy Streeter introduces us to an intrepid heroine in fourteen year old Helen Silverwood. In addition to a discussion of her book, Streeter will also provide insight into the writer's process for science and speculative fiction.For more information click here.
 

 

Always check out the latest events at www.LLLCF.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Upcoming Chamber Events 

April 24 - Business Forum - 8:00am  - Chamber Conference Room - sponsored by PG&E

April 28 - Green Committee - 12:00pm - Chamber Conference Room

May 19 - 13th Annual Taste of Lafayette - 5:30pm - Plaza Park & Downtown Lafayette - Purchase tickets online.


Jay Lifson, Executive Director 

Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
100 Lafayette Circle, Suite 103
Lafayette, CA 94549