SouthEast Family Resource Center dressed up for Comic-Con in 2015.
With Comic-Con in town, it’s hard not to tap into your own inner superhero. Whether you are celebrating the annual pop culture and comic book convention by attending the event or just wearing your favorite Superman t-shirt, share your photos.
Email pics to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov.
All trails lead to your success. Sign up for Employee Wellness’ next health challenge—HealthTrails. This exciting eight-week program encourages individual and team participants to commit to their wellness by tracking their healthy habits.
HealthTrails is the new and improved Thrive Across America program, which has been offered in years past. However, this year’s program is about more than just moving along a trail. HealthTrails now includes four goals: improved fitness, stress management through meditation, enough sleep and volunteering. And you select your path—there are several virtual trails to choose from across the world, including Denmark’s West Coast Trail, or trails in Dubai and Florence, Italy. The program is completely customizable making it perfect for your preferences!
Participants log their activities to move themselves along a virtual trail. As trekkers progress along a map, they’ll see photos and vivid descriptions of that location as if they’re right there.
HealthTrails has a social aspect, too. Participants can comment on message boards online or through the app available in iTunes and Google Play, make plans with trailmates, cheer on fellow employees, and review healthy recipes.
Plus, participants can sync their FitBit to automatically log activities.
For more information and to register, visit cosd.healthtrails.com. The program starts August 1.
Employees requiring accommodation should email DHRWellness.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Happy trails to you!
Several County departments participated in Saturday’s Pride Parade in Hillcrest. Many marched in their law enforcement uniforms and others dressed up in the colors of the pride flag. An estimated 100,000 people attended the annual event.
San Diego County Libraries
San Diego County Sheriff's Department
San Diego County Sheriff's Department
San Diego County Office of the Public Defender
San Diego County Office of the Public Defender
San Diego County Probation Department
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Allies Association
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Allies AssociationChief Deputy County Counsel George Brewster has some advice for any of you aspiring comic-strip creators out there: Don’t do it for the money – or fame!
If the advice seems a bit gratuitous coming from a lawyer, you should know that the 28-year County employee has some well-rounded experience to back it up. He was the editorial cartoonist for his college’s weekly paper for four years and later for the San Diego Daily Transcript for 10 years!
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“My creative side kicked in when I was young. I was an early subscriber to Mad Magazine, and remain so, and would copy anything Mort Drucker drew for Mad. In high school, I took art classes and started drawing posters and illustrating for different publications,” Brewster said.
In college, the artistic Brewster studied journalism, but a careful look at the job market for newspapers had him changing courses. He was interested in working in first amendment matters, possibly as in-house counsel for a large newspaper. He ended up finding something that could still incorporate his love for storytelling.
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“Cartooning is a passion that I have and always will enjoy, but it is very difficult for a cartoonist to make an actual living at it,” he said. “Both cartooning and the law involve storytelling—in both you have to convey a message very quickly to your audience, or you will lose them. So I ended up in tort litigation, telling stories for a living, while keeping cartooning as my hobby.”
Of course, that “hobby” was nearly like a second job. Brewster drew four strips a week (in a series dubbed “Cheetum & Howe”) for the Transcript – a bit demanding for a man with a full-time job and family.
“This became too much with young kids, trial demands, so I cut it back to three a week,” the cartoonist said. “I drew upon my legal practice—things would come up in depositions, or in trial, or just around the workplace. I am amazed I did 1,200-plus strips! It just shows you what you can do when you have a passion for something.”
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With Comic-Con about to make its way back to San Diego, Brewster will once again sit up on a panel for Law & Comics, an event held by the County Law Library for the past seven years.
“I have been the moderator in all but one of the panels. John Atkins (director of the County Law Library) is very innovative. He called upon two lawyer cartoonists that he knew of—me and Stu Rees—and from there we have brought in other members of the cartooning/publishing community to round out the panel.“
Brewster has been active with the Law Library for over 20 years and sits on its Board of Directors. He is also a member and past president of the Law Library Justice Foundation. He said he enjoys meeting other people who work in comics – artists, writers and even publishers. The most interesting part of the Law & Comics panel, he says, is the Q&A.
“A very diverse audience turns out for these programs. As moderator, I have the freedom to improvise – and I generally find a way to fit in a ridiculous gag,” Brewster said. “I used to worry about the future of publications, but the comics industry is flourishing.”
He may not be tirelessly producing cartoons for publications any more, but for this lawyer, his love of comics continues on. Here are Brewster’s three pieces of advice for cartoonists:
If you want to go see Brewster on the “Law & Comic: Rise of the Independent” panel, RSVP for the free event online. It takes place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 at the San Diego Central Library downtown.
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An HP presentation at a previous IT Innovation event.
Hey, what’s the big idea? Come out to the Information Technology Expo on Tuesday, July 19 to discover what new technologies and solutions may greatly enhance how your department runs.
The County Technology Office along with Hewlett Packard and AT&T are hosting the annual Information Technology Innovation Expo to showcase apps, e-forms, crowd sourcing applications, online mapping platforms and other solutions that may be used to improve work efficiency, customer service and public outreach for the County.
There will be numerous expo booths showcasing both concepts and available products you can get your hands on. Stop by from 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday at the County Operations Center to try out the tools and brainstorm ways these innovations could be applied to improve County business functions. The expo will be held in the Chambers next to the cafeteria at 5520 Overland Ave.
This year’s Innovation Day is themed around the Olympics. And in the Olympic spirit, presentation tables will be competing head-to-head for the “gold” innovation medal. However, attendees will be doing the judging for the best concepts through their mobile phones.
While it’s all about the tech, you don’t have to be a geek for it to spark good ideas for your business. Here are just some of the concepts being presented at the 2016 IT Innovation Expo.
Presiding Judge Jeffrey B. Barton (left) swore in Frank Birchak (right) on July 6
Deputy Public Defender Frank Birchak is on the move – to the other side of the bench. Birchak, 42, was appointed to a judgeship in the San Diego County Superior Court.
Birchak, whose final day at the County was last week, spent 12 years with the Public Defender’s Office. He was first assigned to the Alternate Public Defender’s in 2004 where he represented parents and minors in cases with child victims.
In 2008, he was transferred to the downtown section of the Alternate Public Defender’s Office and soon became the division’s large-scale financial crimes specialist. He handled cases involving multimillion dollar theft and fraud. And in 2010, his role expanded to include serious and violent felonies, and homicides with special circumstance.
Birchak was then appointed director of training for all divisions of the Public Defender’s Office in 2014. In addition, he worked on issues related to Prop. 47, police body camera evidence and Electronic Communications Privacy Act waivers.
“The hallmark of Frank’s tenure with this office has been his singular devotion to the causes of our clients and his unrelenting pursuit of excellence,” Public Defender Henry Coker said in an announcement email.
Birchak was sworn in on July 6 and started his new post Monday. He’s uncertain which court he will be assigned to—such as civil, criminal, family or juvenile court.
“It’s a new challenge and it’s really exciting,” Birchak said. “There are a lot of great judges that I’m proud to call colleagues now.”
Days after its release, Pokémon Go has already become a viral sensation—including at County facilities.
If you (or your child) have not already downloaded the app to your smartphone, here’s a rough idea of how the game works: Using your phone’s GPS, a game screen indicates the location of Pokémon fictional characters nearby. It switches your phone to camera mode and inserts images of the characters into the real-world scene you’re viewing through your camera. Then you can “catch” the Pokémon.
Already the creatures have been spotted at County libraries, Waterfront Park and at the County Operations Center.
Tag your Pokémon finds at County locations with #SanDiegoCounty. If you’re at a County park, don’t let your enthusiasm take you off the trail.
Probation Officer Barry Calabrese, center, is flanked by Probation officer Art Mejia and Brian Day.
Supervising Probation Officer Barry Calabrese is at work most days at East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility. Several co-workers take it upon themselves to check up on him several times during the day to make sure he is hydrated and getting some nutrition.
That’s because Calabrese has terminal kidney cancer.
“I go to work as much as I possibly can. I like my job and I like the people I work with. It’s a very supportive job. The people I work with make it a supportive place,” says Calabrese, 53, who has been with the department for 17 years. “Probation is a family and I truly mean it. I don’t just say this lightly.”
Calabrese says after receiving his diagnosis from his doctor in early 2015, he went to his supervisor and stepped down from his job as acting division chief for medical reasons. His doctor had given him just two to three months to live without treatment, he says. He has sought the best treatment available since that time, including a trial at the City of Hope in Los Angeles. At that time, many of his co-workers pledged they would take time off to drive him back and forth to Los Angeles, but recently his doctor told him the treatment was no longer working for him.
“It’s just kind of an emotional roller coaster for most of us here,” said Mindy McCartney, division chief for East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility, of Calabrese’s health. “But he’s amazing because he’s so strong and positive. He comes to work and he works every bit as hard even when he’s in pain or not feeling 100 percent. Nothing has changed as far as his work ethic.”
Early on, McCartney says she and a small group of Probation staff who are close to Calabrese got together after work and made a plan of what they wanted to do for him and his family. They have since held various barbecue lunch fundraisers, a “blueBarry” pancake breakfast fundraiser, and sold T-shirts, rubber bracelets, and window stickers in support of him.
Retired Senior Probation Officer Delmont McClain, officers Claudia Legorreta and Julie Abdala model the BC style T-shirts made for Calabrese at a recent bbq lunch.She says it has brought their department together in many ways because Probation offices are spread out throughout the County, but many from all around make it a point to come out to East Mesa to have lunch together and raise money for Calabrese.
Through the San Diego Probation Officers Association, they set up an account for Calabrese. They have also donated portions of sales for a Dodgers-Padres game. The POA helped sponsor the recent American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and formed a team of up to 50 Probation staff for the 24-hour walkathon, says Ernie Susi, POA president.
Part of the Relay for Life Probation team that walked in for Calabrese and other Probation family members.He notes that while Calabrese’s fight with cancer initially inspired the team, they learned that several other Probation staff are also going through similar battles, and they walked in their honor as well.
Ultimately, they raised approximately $5,800 for cancer research, Susi says.
The walkathon was held from 10 a.m. Saturday, June 25 through 10 a.m. Sunday, June 26 at a Chula Vista elementary school. This year’s theme was Star Wars, so the Probation team had T-shirts made up that said “Stop Cancer. May the Cure Be With You. Probation Strong,” said Susi. Others showed up in their “BC” T-shirts to support Calabrese.
Deputy Probation Officer Kelley Breman, who has been touched by cancer, designed this cardboard car for one of the legs of the walk-a-thon.Calabrese attended the event and says the amount of support is “tremendous” and he is overwhelmed by his co-workers’ generosity and kindness to him and his family.
“The department has helped me have a positive outlook,” he says.
Calabrese says he stays positive because he believes it helps him in his cancer fight, and he adds, his alternative is to be miserable and then no one would want to be around him.
Calabrese and his daughter Megan attended the Relay for Life event in support of the team.
Yet, he is also matter-of-fact about his health and says the last four months have been especially tough as the treatments are no longer helping to alleviate his symptoms and he has lost considerable weight.
“It is what it is,” he says of his diagnosis. “A lot of people are going through this. You can’t be afraid to die. I’m good with God and me and my family. The good thing with cancer is you have time to get things in order. The people in Orlando they didn’t have time.”
Another group shot of the Relay for Life team who walked to raise money for cancer research.He says he can’t imagine how other people who are battling cancer can cope without support from their family and friends.
“If I had a regular office job where no one was supportive of me, I’d probably be home on medical leave,” he says.
Mercedes Neder making her Watermelon Surprise
Ten employees participated in the Grand Summer Slam Salad Cook-Off at the County Operations Center Plaza last month in an effort to become the County’s top (salad) chef.
The contestants used fresh produce provided by the Farmers Market Stand and had 30 minutes to “shop” and prepare their delicious dishes in the live showdown. The scrumptious summer salads were judged on taste and presentation.
The top 5 finishers for the 2016 Summer Slam Salad Contest were:
Mercedes Neder, an administrative analyst, took first place with her mouthwatering Watermelon Surprise recipe. The flavorful salad is full of butter lettuce and juicy fruits, and then topped with a summery dressing and colorful garnishes. The dish is great for any picnic or summer dinner party. And if the summer heat is not enough for you, Neder offers a spicy option to bring more zest to the award-winning dish.
So do something sweet for your friends and family--bring this summery salad to your next get-together.
Virginia Exner making her Gondola Garden Delight recipe.
Mercedes’ Watermelon Surprise
Ingredients:
Directions:
Contestant Kevin Till makes a fruit-filled salad.
San Diego County Chief Probation Officer Adolfo Gonzales (left) congratulates Probation Officer David Pittman at the San Diego Police Officers Association award ceremony.
San Diego County Chief Probation Officer Adolfo Gonzales (left) congratulates Probation Officer David Pittman at the San Diego Police Officers Association award ceremony. No matter the hour or day, he can be counted on to answer his work cell phone when it comes to the 40 to 50 offenders in his caseload. It is also not uncommon for Officer David Pittman to be invited to and attend treatment program graduation ceremonies for offenders under his supervision.
Pittman, 54, works in the Post Release Offender Division as part of its community supervision unit in the North County region. He has been with Probation for nearly five years and is co-located with Oceanside and Carlsbad police departments, working closely with those officers and monitoring offenders with extensive and sophisticated criminal histories.
He was recently honored by the San Diego Police Officers Association at its Peace Officer of the Year ceremony in which they select and honor an officer from every law enforcement agency.
“Officer Pittman sets himself apart as a leader across units and divisions. Many of his peers recognize him as an authority for casework matters, as well as field work,” said Supervising Probation Officer Fernando Uribe. “He is a mentor and an inspiration to many, including his supervisor.”
He adds that officers often consult with Pittman for his field tactical knowledge which stems from an extensive professional career and training at the state level where he served as an instructor and in specialized field operation teams.
Pittman has provided training to other agencies’ sworn and non-sworn staff on general probation practices, as well as the intricacies of AB 109.
His professionalism and dedication is also noted by the offenders he works with and his approach to their rehabilitation plans.
“I have seen firsthand the pride and appreciation in the smiles displayed by the offenders when they see Officer Pittman present during those ceremonies. Simply put, perhaps in a life with not many achievements, they want to share their success with their PO,” said Uribe.
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