Welcome to the California connection for March 31.
Editor's Note
There will not be a connection on April 7 due to the CCB convention. The next connection will be on April 14.
CCB Office Hours
The CCB office will be closing early on Tuesday April 4 and will be closed the remainder of the week due to the CCB convention.
It will also be closed on Monday and Tuesday April 10 and 11.
Convention Credentials
It was previously announced that if credentials information did not change you did not need to send a representative to the credentials meeting at the convention. We are now asking that all chapters and affiliates make sure to send a representative to the meeting at 5:00 on Thursday afternoon.
Convention Streaming
The information for listening to the live stream of the CCB convention is below.
There is an option for you whether you are listening online, through ACB link on an iOS device, or over the phone.
- If listeners are tuning in through their computer they can go to
http://acbradio.org/live. - If they have an iOS device such as an iPhone or iPad they can download ACB Link from the app store and listen from there.
- They can also dial in from any phone by dialing 605-475-8130 and select option 6.
Conference Announcement
The Convention announcement is now online at:
http://www.ccbnet.org/con17_announce.htm
Look for the convention program online within the next few days.
You will thoroughly enjoy the 2017 CCB Conference and Convention speakers.
For those interested in advocacy, Anthony Stevens, ACB Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, will present both at Friday evening's general session and at Friday morning's Committee on Access and Transportation and California Citizens with Low Vision joint program.
Our international luncheon and banquet speaker will be former CEO of the American Foundation of the Blind, Carl Augusto. As a real treat, Carl will be leading a sing-along after the banquet and for all you lovers of 60's and 70's music, you don't want to miss it.
For those considering coming to the convention on Wednesday, CCB will be holding a fundraiser at a nearby BJ's Restaurant and Brew house from 4 to 10 PM.
Please share this information with chapters, statewide affiliates, and other interested parties.
We look forward to seeing you and making the 2017 CCB Conference and Convention the best ever!
Convention Transportation Options
The following presents information on transportation options for the 2017 Conference and Convention.
The Burbank Bob Hope Airport is the nearest (18 miles) airfield to the Hilton Woodland Hills/Los Angeles Hotel, the site of the April 6th - 9th Convention.
There are several transportation service options for traveling between the airport and hotel, which are: Shuttle services, taxicabs, Uber, Lyft, and Access Services.
Shuttle service and taxi cabs are located on the pedestrian islands immediately in front of the Burbank Airport terminal, and operate to and from the Airport.
Shuttle service operators are:
- SuperShuttle (1-800-660-6042),
- Road Runner Shuttle and Limousine Service (1-800-247-7919),
- and Prime Time Shuttle (1-800-733-8267).
The current round-trip Supershuttle price is $52. For those flying into LAX, the current Supershuttle price is $64, although you can save $3 from both airports by making Supershuttle reservations online at http://www.supershuttle.com.
Taxicab operators are:
- Yellow Cab and Checker Cab (1-800-750-4400),
- United Taxi (1-800-892-8294),
- and City Cab (1-800-848-1000).
Those who are Uber or Lyft users will need to contact directly both companies to learn about scheduling and fares, but quotes we received from Burbank were Uber $23 and Lyft $25-31.
For those folks traveling to either Los Angeles or Burbank airports, Amtrak or Greyhound for the 2017 CCB Conference and Convention, the following information may be helpful if you are a current ADA qualified Para transit rider in your local area and wish to use Para transit while at the Woodland Hills Hilton Hotel.
The Para transit group in the Los Angeles Area is called Access Services.
You can call (1800) 827-0829 and press option 1, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
You will then let them know that you have Para transit in your local city, and that you are requesting visitor status. They will give you all of the information along with a fax number to have your local Para transit provider send your current eligibility status.
Make sure that you check a day or so later (business days only) at the same number in order to be certain that your information was received and put into the system.
You will then be given instructions on how to use the service as a visitor.
The current fares are $2.75 per trip up to 19.9 miles, and $3.50 per trip from 20 miles and beyond.
At LAX, there is a blue Access sign outside each terminal. At the Burbank Airport, you must go out by the Taxi Stand.
Candidate Statements For The 2017 Officer And Board Of Directors Election
The California Council of the Blind 2017 Board candidate statements are now on the CCB website.
http://www.ccbnet.org/candidates_2017.htm
Get to know who is running and what their future plans are for CCB!
If you require an alternate format of this candidate information, please contact the CCB Office at 800-221-6359 with your request.
Remember that there will be additional opportunities to learn about the candidates at the Candidates Forum during the first general session on Friday afternoon, April 7, at the 2017 Conference and Convention.
2017 Convention Commemorative T-shirt Fundraiser
Just follow the link below to purchase your T-shirt to show your solidarity and commitment to the convention.
Regular size T-shirts are $20. Plus sized T-shirts run a little more. We need to sell at least 7 shirts to have them printed. We are hoping to sell 150 shirts.
Shirts will be shipped after the convention.
If you are at the convention and need assistance purchasing a t-shirt you will be able to get assistance at the CCB registration table throughout the convention.
Description:
The T-Shirt is Royal Blue with White Lettering. It includes the CCB logo and a convention 2017 banner held up by people across the chest. Underneath these images is our tag line in bold, white capital letters "Empowerment Through Advocacy"
https://www.booster.com/convention2017
If there are any accessibility issues with the web site please call the CCB office at 800-221-6359.
Amazon Smile
CCB is now on Amazon smile. Just follow the below link and sign in as you normally would and now when you shop CCB will get a portion of every dollar spent.
Please share this link widely.
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-1265032
East LA Chapter Event
Join The East LA CCB chapter for brunch on April 15, at The Garcia home at 1226 South McBride in east Los Angeles (cross street Olympic) and learn about the Southern California Resource Service for Independent Living (SCRS-IL).
Guest speaker Hector Ochoa will speak about programs and services at SCRS-IL.
Brunch will be served promptly at 10:00 AM and the cost is $5 per person. There will be Mimosa's for additional charge. Take-home will be breakfast burritos at the cost of $3 per burrito.
For more information or to RSVP call or text Stephanie Rood at 818.321.4205 or email: east.la.ccb.chapter@gmail.com or Marie Herrera at 818.894.3722 email marie.herrera2119@gmail.com or Lynn Coats at 818.298.1345 or email: lynn.coats1961@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing you for our Easter brunch.
Electricity Cost Increases
Most Californians will soon see a change in the way they are billed for electricity. The center for accessible technology wants to hear from you about what this will mean.
Over the next few years, the major utilities in California, PG & E, SCE and SDG&E, will be switching most customers from the tiered structure to a "time of use" or TOU rate structure, where rates for electricity are higher during the time of day where there is the most demand on the electric grid (likely to be late afternoon and through the evening) and lower during other times of day.
Do you want to find out more about these changes? And what can you do?
The Center for Accessible Technology is conducting short (20 minute) telephone interviews about household electricity use. We can also provide information on how to "opt out" of the TOU change if you prefer.
By providing your story about your electricity usage and how any change in rate structure may affect your quality of life, you will help us submit important information to the California Public Utilities Commission, which is considering whether to exempt groups of customers from the change.
If you are interested in being interviewed, please email Kate Woodford at kwoodford@cforat.org, or call 510-841-3224 x 2017 to schedule a telephone interview. Evening and weekend interviews are available.
If you prefer to take an online survey, the link is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RKHN793
Thank you for reading, Have a nice day
