Up and at ’em, Concord! Let’s get you started this Monday with everything you need to know going on today in town.

Don’t forget to pay your Taxes!

First, today’s weather:

Mostly sunny and cool. High: 68 Low: 54.

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Here are the top four stories in Concord today:

1. Get ready to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the popular Clayton Art & Wine Festival on April 23-24! “The event will bring much-needed vitality to our downtown businesses and allow the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA) to raise funds to donate back into the local community,” said Vice Mayor Holly Tillman. Beyond the art and wine (and beer), festival visitors can enjoy Mexican, dim sum, barbecue and teriyaki options. There’s also a Kiddieland and live music. It takes more than 400 volunteers – students and adults – to pull off the event, which was launched in 1996 and they are hard at work! Visit claytoncbca.org for information on parking and shuttles. (Pioneer Publishers)
2. The Junior Giants baseball program will be back in Concord this year after missing two summers during the pandemic. Junior Giants in a noncompetitive, coed baseball and softball program for underserved communities. The free Concord program for youth 6-13 years expects to have about 150 players this summer, including a number of special needs children. This year’s program got a nice donation from the Mayor’s Cup golf tournament. Funding from the Giants Community Fund, sponsors and donations allows the Junior Giants to provide each player with a jersey, hat, pants and other baseball equipment. Concord is one of five Contra Costa Junior Giants programs along with Pittsburg, Antioch, Richmond and the newest this year in Brentwood. (Pioneer Publishers)
3. On Friday, the Antioch City Council announced it would hold a special meeting on Tuesday April 19 to discuss nine items. They include the creation of a beach park from Riverview Lodge to the marina, creation of a youth appreciation day, L Street renaming and administrative assistants for council members, among other topics. (East County Today)
4. Dublin celebrates Poetry Month with its inaugural Poetry Walk now through April 30. The program, curated by Dublin poet laureate and “Viewless Wings” podcast host James Morehead, features 28 poems covering personal journeys, love, loss, the beauty of nature and even a handful acknowledging the places and scenery that make Dublin special. Among the selected pieces is Morehead’s poem, “At the Crossroads,” which he wrote about Dublin in honor of the city’s 40th anniversary. You can find a map of the Poetry Walk at this link. (danvillesanramon.com)

Today in Concord:

• Join Sidegate Brewing for their new weekly Disc Golf Putting League playing every Monday night! (5:30 PM)
• Paint a Poison Apple at Painting with a Twist in Pleasant Hill. (21+) (6:30 PM)
• Come out for Live Comedy at Vinnie’s Bar hosted by Mean Dave. (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• From the City of Walnut Creek: The City of Walnut Creek provides the services that residents tell us they value most. To maintain our high quality of life, we are considering the possibility of placing a limited-term modest sales tax increase on the November ballot. No decisions have been made yet, and ultimately Walnut Creek voters would have the say as to whether or not to approve an increase. Take our survey to help the City Council and City leaders make vital decisions for the future of Walnut Creek.
• Creative Concord invites artists from Contra Costa County and surrounding Bay Area counties to participate in a two-day mural painting “jam” in Todos Santos Plaza on June 11 and 12. (Facebook)
• The City of Pittsburg Recreation Department in partnership with The Foreman Journal is offering a 3-day Youth Media and Journalism Workshop for youth ages 11 to 16 years during the PUSD Spring Break on Tuesday, April 19 through Thursday, April 21 from 9 am to 3 pm.

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You’re officially in the loop for today! I’ll see you around.

— Jeri Karges

About me: Jeri Karges has been living in and loving the Sacramento region for over 30 years. Her passion is finding new and unique ways to enjoy the city and surrounding areas. On weekends, you can find her pestering her friends to sample the restaurant that doesn’t have silverware, or try their hand at throwing an axe. Jeri also enjoys writing about retirement planning at https://rockinretirement.subst…