Thanks to a reader for sending:
Within the last two weeks we’ve noticed that three telephone poles have been erected on both sides of Highway I-680 with some form of netting suspended from both sides. This is just before the turnoff for Rudgear Road.
There have been other emails asking what’s going on as well, anyone know?
Lafayette has followed Walnut Creek’s lead and banned plastic bags as of last week. Paper bags are available for purchase for 10 cents. Do you support the ban for environmental reasons? Are you against the ban, if so, why?
From the City of Lafayette informational page:
Are businesses required to charge?
Select businesses are required to charge a minimum charge of $0.10 per checkout bag (compostable bags, recycled paper bags, or reusable bags) that they provide to the customer. A business may choose to charge more for carryout bags they provide. Businesses that must impose the charge include:Grocery Stores & Markets (Chow, Diablo Foods, Open Sesame, Safeway, Trader Joes, Whole Foods)
Pharmacies (CVS, Walgreen’s Pharmacy)
Convenience Stores (7-11, Kwik Stop, Gas Stations)
Liquor Stores (Jackson’s Wines & Spirits, Wine Thieves)What are the requirements for public eating establishments?
Starting on July 1, 2015, all public eating establishments (such as restaurants, delicatessens, cafeterias and food trucks) cannot distribute single-use plastic checkout bags to customers for their take-out food for delivery or pick-up. Customers can opt for no bag, paper bags may be provided to customer at no charge, and reusable bags can be used at the discretion of customer and restaurant. Individual paper or plastic product bags without handles may be used around containers of soups or stews to prevent spilling. Additionally, eating establishments are prohibited from utilizing Styrofoam and are required to utilize food and beverage containers that are readily compostable or recyclable.
I don’t know if New York brings out the worst in people but two incidents got me wondering. The other day I decided to check out the movie Jurassic World on a giant IMAX screen in midtown Manhattan. I bought the tickets at an online kiosk inside the theater and then headed to a short line to get upstairs. While I was waiting in line, a woman and her pre-teen daughter (around 11 or 12 years old) tried to merge into the line right in front of me. So I spoke up and mentioned the line. The mother said that they were here first. As I looked at the woman in disbelief, the daughter said to her mom innocently, “mom, they were here before us”. I smiled and thanked the daughter for her honesty and her mom for raising such a great child, and then was directed around the corner outside where I waited in another line for an hour.
A few days later I headed upstairs to the M&M store in Times Square and waited in another short, informal line with my son at a special M&M “fortune telling” machine. Sure enough, a few minutes passed by when another woman and pre-teen daughter scooted in front of us. Again, I let them know that we were there before them. The mother then said they were there first. I smiled. Unbelievably, the girl told her mom that we were actually there first. Being as pushy as these mothers were, I assumed they were native New Yorkers but when I asked the girl where she was from she said, “San Francisco”.
Did New York push them over the edge or would they behave like that everywhere?
Sign spotted in downtown Walnut Creek in front of Cheesecake Factory:
Don’t flush your cat litter.
Throw it out!
Every time you flush your cat
litter at least one sea otter gets
infected with toxoplasma
bondaii
I believe this is referring to toxoplasma gondii, which is a “parasite [that] infects one-third of the world’s population”.
Last month I lamented the fountains being turned off in downtown Walnut Creek but they are back in action as you can see at both the Wowhaus Geologica fountain in front of Wells Fargo and the Fountain Head a block away on N. Main St.
When I first glanced at the sign I wondered why a French organization, Saveour H2O was involved with water conservation. Only later did I realize that it’s Save Our H2O!
Spotted at the now closed McCovey’s Restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek, this door handle may be replaced soon to make way for the burger and beer joint Slater’s 50/50 which will be opening in its place.
