Our friend in blogging, Julia, runs a site we’ve mentioned before called “The Frugal Find”, and she’s uncovered a way to shop at Costco without having to pay for a yearly membership.

Click HERE to read all the details from TheFrugalFind.com!

This photo was taken at St. Vincent De Paul in Pleasant Hill. Thanks to MarineMom for sending it to us!

For more funny signs in CLAYCORD, please click HERE.

The five semi-finalists, which includes one from the Mount Diablo Unified School District, were chosen by using a three stage selection process, one of which is classroom observation.

Below are the semi-finalists….

Daniel Reynolds
Mt. Diablo USD
Mt. Diablo High

Kasey Graham
Antioch USD
Dozier-Libbey Medical High

John Korzick
San Ramon Valley USD
California High

Michele Lamons
West Contra Costa USD
Pinole Valley High

Lori Leach
Brentwood USD
R. Paul Krey Elementary

Good luck to all the teachers, especially Daniel Reynolds from Mt. Diablo High School!

The winner will be announced on September 23rd of this year.

Thanks to “MissMelyssa” and “Ian” for the photos!

In comments to a California State Senate panel on April 26, 2010, PG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Helen Burt outlined findings of the company’s review of its SmartMeter technology, and assured customers the technology is performing up to industry standards.

The complete text of her prepared remarks appears below.

Good morning. I’m Helen Burt, PG&E’s senior vice president and chief customer officer.

Several years ago, PG&E became the nation’s first major utility to adopt smart meters. Since then, dozens of other utilities have joined us. And in fact, today there are approximately 76 million smart meter devices in use worldwide. This is critical because SmartMeter™ technology is essential to creating a cleaner, more efficient, low-carbon energy future.

Looking back, I want to acknowledge that PG&E missed important opportunities to do some things better as we introduced this groundbreaking technology.

As with the deployment of any new technology, similar to the iPhone or Windows, there will be great successes and need for changes. We have had a similar experience with our SmartMeter™ program. Even though the meters have been a huge improvement over our legacy meters, increasing accuracy and reducing the need for billing estimates, they have not been perfect. We have learned a lot from our rollout about the need for better communication with our customers.

Customers should know that we’ve taken these important lessons to heart. First, this experience has reminded us how important it is to communicate with our customers about new technologies.

Second, it’s reminded us that it is vital to anticipate—and to help others anticipate—the reality that some growing pains are inevitable when introducing a new technology on such a large scale.

And third, it’s reminded us that we need to do more to help customers understand their rates. In fact, it turns out that rate-related issues account for a very large number of customers’ inquiries about their meters.

Today, we’re putting these lessons to work to do a better job.

_____

Regrettably, some have mischaracterized PG&E as claiming smart meters are “infallible.”

It’s critical to set the record straight.

No technology is infallible. No technology is completely immune to human error. And, to my knowledge, no one at PG&E has made such a claim. Last fall, when we said “the meters work,” we meant it. They do. But that doesn’t mean that every single one of them works 100 percent of the time.

Even technologies as critical as some medical devices—which patients literally depend upon for survival—are not infallible. For instance, of the millions of pacemakers in use, studies show that about 0.14 percent will malfunction.

Yet, the overwhelming majority perform exactly as they should, and they provide enormous value.

While no one would equate the benefits of SmartMeter™ technology with those of a life-saving medical treatment, they are substantial nonetheless. We should think about technologies like SmartMeter™ devices in a similar way.

_____

Now let me quickly and candidly summarize the facts we have found about our SmartMeter™ program and put them into perspective.

Most significantly, we have found that more than 99 percent of SmartMeter™ devices are performing exactly as they should—a success rate that is well within accepted standards.

That compares with about 97 percent for traditional meters.

The total number of instances where we’ve found a customer’s SmartMeter™ device is not measuring usage in line with accepted standards is just eight meters, out of 5.5 million. Context here is important—just eight meters out of 5.5 million.

As a result, we can say with confidence the technology at the heart of the SmartMeter™ program is not only sound – it is a substantial improvement over previous meters.

_____

Let me now address three other items—all of which are separate and distinct from the meter’s ability to accurately measure usage: the meter’s wireless communications, data storage on the device and human error.

_____

We’ll start with the wireless connection.

We have seen some examples of meters that have trouble connecting with the network. This is essentially the same as a cell phone having a bad signal. We’ve seen this in about one-tenth of 1 percent of the 5.5 million meters installed.

Even more important, it has no impact on meter accuracy.

When this happens, we fix it. In the meantime, we issue a bill using an estimate based on the customer’s routine energy usage, until we can manually retrieve the actual usage data from the meter. Then we reconcile the two amounts to ensure customers only pay for the energy they’ve actually used.

Even with traditional meters, utilities have to estimate bills when they can’t access a meter. In fact, SmartMeter™ technology is significantly lowering the number of estimated bills.

In March, the percentage of SmartMeter™ customers who received an estimated bill was eight times lower than the percentage of customers with traditional meters who received an estimated bill.

And finally, we want customers to know that the CPUC enforces stringent regulations for all utilities on estimated bills.

_____

Let me now discuss the second item—data storage.

In two-tenths of 1 percent of the meters, we found the need to upgrade the software, or replace the meter, when the meter measured usage data correctly, but didn’t retain it.

When this occurs, we fix the problem. This meant the customer was actually billed for less energy than they used, and we do not go back and charge retroactively.

_____

The third item relates to installation complications.

Among the 5.5 million meters, in less than one-half of 1 percent of cases, perfectly functioning meters haven’t been connected properly and calibrated as they should.

To be clear, this is not a technology issue. When it occurs, it is our mistake, and we apologize to the customer, and we correct it. That includes working to improve training for installers.

All of these items that I mentioned represent less than 1 percent of our meters installed to date. Again, all of these issues have been, and are being, corrected as we find them and make up less than 1 percent of our meters installed to date.

_____

More than 99 percent of SmartMeter™ devices are working properly, and perform better than traditional meters we are replacing. They have fewer problems, and are helping to us to reduce the number estimated bills each month. And, they are helping our customers to save energy and money.

SmartMeter™ technology is the indispensable cornerstone of the smart grid—which will empower customers and utilities to manage energy use more intelligently. It will allow customers to increase their control over their energy costs, and it will allow for even greater integration of electric vehicles.

_____

Let me close by reiterating my opening point.

We have learned a lot from this experience.

It’s helping us do a better job for customers today.

And they have our clear and firm commitment that we will continue taking steps so they can share our confidence in SmartMeter™ technology, and can take full advantage of its many benefits.

Thank you.

What’s your opinion on this subject, do you believe them, or not?

The property in question is Concord Redevelopment property, which, if approved at tonight’s City Council meeting, will be demolished in the next few months.

The following is from the City of Concord.

The City Council allocated $476,000 to Project No. 2159, RDA Properties Demolition, when it adopted the FY 2009-10 Capital Improvement Program 10-Year Plan. On January 26, 2010, as part of the mid-year budget adjustment, the City Council allocated $120,000 to the project, increasing the budget to $596,000.

The project will demolish two commercial buildings (1899 Clayton Road & 1795 Galindo Street) and two single family residences (1855 and 1875 Clayton Road). See Attachment 1 for Vicinity Map.

The occupants of the two single-family residences and one commercial building have vacated. The Redevelopment Agency is working with the occupants of 1899 Clayton Road to relocate in early June 2010. Staff will work with the contractor to coordinate the construction schedule accordingly.

In the end, the buildings will be destroyed, just like the signs!

Thanks to Chaz for the two photos pictured above!

Watch the video above, then click HERE to learn more about this event in downtown Walnut Creek on May 4th.

I’m hearing both Walnut Creek and Concord Police will be at the event, so go help them out if you get a chance.

About 5 engines and 17 firefighters were on scene to battle the blaze, which apparently started near the basement.

An 80-year-old man and his dog escaped the home, which suffered major damage from the flames, smoke and water.

Martinez Police Sgt. Steve Gaul says ConFIRE will be conducting an investigation to determine if it was arson.

Here’s more information, from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

As you may know, Air Quality Awareness Week is from May 3rd to May 7th. Aside from urging Americans to “Be Air Aware” during the week, we would also like to encourage people to spare the air every day all year round.

Here’s an outline of our tips:

Monday: Taking public transportation and carpooling
Primary message: Everyone needs to get around, but there are choices we can make that will help protect our climate. People can be a part of the solution by driving less and choosing alternative modes of travel.

Tuesday: Biking to work
Primary message: A great way to lessen your carbon footprint and stay in shape is by riding your bike to work. Bicycles are solely human-powered and use no fossil fuels. Bicycles currently displace over 238 million gallons of gasoline per year, by replacing car trips with bicycle trips.

Wednesday: Properly maintaining your vehicle
Primary message: Properly maintaining your vehicle (changing your air filter, checking tire pressure, etc), especially when the “check engine” light comes on, is one of the most important ways you can help improve air quality.

Thursday: Air Quality and Your health
Primary message: Air quality affects your health. Ozone and particulate matter are two pollutants of significant concern in the Bay Area. Ozone is primarily a health problem in the summertime, and particulate matter in the winter.

Friday: Things you can do at home to spare the air
Primary message: The choices you make at home affect the amount of pollution outside your home as well as inside.

We’ll also be posting daily tips to Facebook and Twitter that you can retweet at the very least. Our Twitter handle is @SpareTheAir and our Facebook page is Spare the Air, Bay Area.

For more information, please visit BAAQMD.gov.

Wanted to let you know about something that happened this morning. I live off Landana in Dana Estates and after buying my house with overgrown shrubs and bushes in the front yard, I decided last weekend to change the landscape.

I ripped out all of the old stuff and replanted flowers, bushes, and some fruit trees.

Everything was really coming together. While working out in the front yard over the weekend, several people driving by even stopped to yell “good job” because we all recognize that landscaping certainty helps make the neighborhood a nicer place to live.

This morning as I was pulling out of my driveway on my way to work, I noticed that two of my new citrus trees were gone!

On Sunday I planted two calamondin dwarf citrus trees. There were still out there last night because I spent some time in the evening putting some bark down around them. This morning I see two holes in the ground where the trees used to be. Who steals fruit trees?? It is extremely frustrating because not only did I spent money on the trees, it means that some jerks went onto my front yard during the middle of the night and dug up these trees.

I’m likely not going to repurchase and replant them for fear that they’ll just be stolen again. If there was a creative way to secure them in the ground, perhaps, but I realize it is rather impossible to stay up all night watching the front of the house. Homeowners shouldn’t have to worry about people coming onto their property and stealing plants from their front yard.

I hope that maybe you’d help inform residents of CLAYCORD to keep a watchful eye out for any stort of suspicious activities in the neighborhood.

I’m amazed, I guess this just goes to show that people will steal anything from anybody, even fruit trees!

It’s sad to see a good person get ripped off like this, just horrible.