Get Cooking with Employee Wellness

If you missed the recent cooking demonstration sponsored by Employee Wellness that focused on healthy eating, you can now watch it on LMS. The video features three delicious dishes: a simple Mediterranean olive pasta, a crostini with caramelized onions and mushrooms, and a berry mint salad.

Watch the video during your break. Search for it by name—2019 Employee Wellness Cooking Demo: plant based cooking for hypertension—on LMS.

Attending at least one cooking demonstration or watching it on LMS is one of the requirements to enter the 2019 Employee Wellness opportunity drawing.

For more information on wellness programs, visit the Employee Wellness site.

Register for the Live Well 5K and take the 5K Fitness Challenge

If you’ve been hesitating, it’s not too late to start getting in shape for this year’s Live Well San Diego 5K. In fact, starting today, there’s a month-long 5K Fitness Challenge that can help get you ready to run.

The 5K and Kids 1-Mile Fun Run takes place on Sunday, July 28, starting and ending at the Waterfront Park. Now in its sixth year, the race will celebrate “Everyday Heroes,” ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help San Diegans live well. The race kicks off at 7:30 a.m. and the fun run for kids begins at 8:30 a.m.

Registration prices are $20.00 for adults ages 18 and up, $15.00 for children and teens ages 8-17, and free for children ages 7 and under this year. Optional chip timing is available for an additional $5.00. All registered participants will receive a medal and event T-shirt.

After the race, check out the free expo featuring interactive activities, snacks and beverages, a First 5 sponsored kids fun zone and a variety of vendors.

Add more fun to your day by taking in the San Diego Padres game as they face the San Francisco Giants at 1:10 p.m. For more information and discounted tickets, visit padres.com/livewell using the password LIVEWELL5K when prompted.

The 5K Fitness Challenge can help motivate you. You can do it with friends, family and co-workers for extra support and encouragement to get you prepared to walk or run in the race. Challenge participants receive a daily fitness challenge and training tip via email or text. The challenge also features several free activities such as hikes and fitness classes throughout the month so you can enjoy a workout with others.

If you don’t want to run in the race, there are still plenty of ways to get involved in the event through volunteering. Volunteers are needed for such things as exhibitor check in, setting up, water stations and clean up the day of the event. Each volunteer will receive a Live Well San Diego 5K T-shirt.

InTouch – Free and Fun, Thanks to the County

Summer is here! Many County employees are taking days off, spending time with kids on break from school, hosting out of town guests, or simply enjoying all San Diego has to offer.

But keeping yourself and others entertained... well, the costs can add up. We know it’s a common concern because for the last few years, we’ve put a story called 31 Free Things to Do in July, or variations on that, on our County News Center, and it’s always one of the most popular pieces of the year.

We’ve brought it around again: a list of 100+ events and activities the County puts on at various venues. There really is something for everybody.

I thought I’d share a few things from this year’s list. One, because you’re like any members of the public, looking for fun and interesting things to do.

Two, I wanted to point out that this is one more example of the phenomenal variety of opportunities the County provides. This is a handful of activities from one month – a mere sliver of what we offer all over, all year round. Much of it is no cost, outside of modest parking fees in some cases. So, for starters:

We celebrate the Fourth of July in a few days. San Diego’s biggest fireworks show takes place over the bay, and one of the prime spots to watch is our Waterfront Park. For the more adventurous, that night the County is also hosting a combination of fireworks viewing and stargazing with a Star Party at Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve. 

Catch a performance of a Japanese storytelling tradition called kamishibai at the Lakeside Library on July 17 or the Vista Library July 18.

On July 18, you can picnic with goats at Los Penasquitos Ranch House. Wha-a-a-a-at? Yes, meet Nubian goats while learning about local ranch life in the 1800s.

Kids love stories. Kids love water. They can enjoy both at a Baby Splish Splash, an outdoor story time and water play activity at the Rancho Santa Fe Library July 10 and 24.

Time to get growing. Take Vegetable Gardening 101 at the La Mesa Library July 27, taught by a master gardener (that’s also a program the County sponsors).

The series goes well beyond July, but the month includes several showings from Summer Movies in the Park. We and local cities team up for this hugely popular event each year that hits every corner of the county. Families can enjoy entertainment for all ages, in beautiful outdoor settings, at no cost. 

How about a whole family-friendly expo with music and activities? That’s part of the County’s Live Well San Diego 5K and Kids 1-mile Fun Run, July 28 at the Waterfront Park. Don’t think you have to be a runner to come down and have a good time. I hope one way or another you’ll join this celebration that embodies our vision of a region that’s healthy, safe and thriving. 

If summer gives you a chance to take it easy, great, please enjoy it to the fullest. But all these activities – and again, this is just a tiny sample – should show you that for some of our County colleagues, this is a busy season. Each one of these takes multiple, many even, people to make it happen. I appreciate the hard work of everyone involved to offer San Diegans, our employees included, such a rich variety of opportunities for fun and growth. 

One other event this month to note: As part of Pride weekend in San Diego, we’ll be lighting the CAC in rainbow colors. On July 11, we’ll host a community celebration outside the building to kick it off. It will be a highly visible sign of our commitment to serving all our residents and providing a welcoming environment to all our employees.

Take a look at the Free Things article, and let that be a jumping off point to even more County events. Whether you’re taking advantage of what the County is offering, or busy helping offer it – and of course, you could be doing some of both – I wish you all a safe and enjoyable summer!

2020 Holiday and Payday Calendar

Plan for the New Year. Download or print the 2020 holiday and payday calendar.

DGS Electricians Wire Up Stand Down Event for Veterans

Mike Brass (left) with his team of DGS electricians

This weekend, hundreds of local homeless veterans will make their way to San Diego High School for a three-day intervention program that connects attendees to services and the community.

Known as Stand Down, a military term that refers to relaxing after a state of readiness, the annual event provides homeless veterans with an opportunity to take a break from life on the streets.

Organized by Veterans Village of San Diego, Stand Down brings in more than 150 service providers and 3,000 volunteers.

One County department plays an essential role in the event. The Department of General Services (DGS) provides temporary electrical power setup and removal services to the event site.

Senior Electrician Mike Brass is assisting with the event setup for the 20th time this year. Brass and his team of five DGS electricians coordinate with County inspection authorities and San Diego Gas & Electric to power up the event.

“When we get there on Monday morning, it’s an empty field,” said Brass. “Our team is basically in charge of wiring up the area so that the service providers can do their job once the event starts on Friday.”

Brass and his team kick off the setup efforts by laying out temporary service cables to wire a temporary kitchen, hair salon, as well as a health clinic and courtroom.

Around mid-morning on Monday, the Marine Corps starts setting up tents that are used as sleeping quarters for the veterans during the event. Once the tent city is established, Brass and his team wire up the event’s command center and set up the temporary lighting and electricity for the sleeping tents.

The DGS electricians are available throughout the week to finalize the setup and assist service providers with troubleshooting any potential issues. After the event concludes on Sunday, the team returns the next day to disassemble the electric setup.

It’s a job Brass really enjoys because it gets him away from his routine tasks at the workshop, but more importantly because he knows he is making a difference in people’s lives.

“Stand Down brings homeless veterans into a safe place, where they’re taken care of and I feel honored to participate in this event,” said Brass. “They watched over us and now it’s our time to look after them.”

While DGS helps with the set-up, several County departments provide services at Stand Down, including HHSA’s Office of Military & Veterans Affairs, Child Support Services, the Public Defender’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office.

For more information about Stand Down, visit http://www.vvsd.net/standdown.

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This story came to us from an employee’s suggestion. Suggest a Story.

How to Get Better Zzzzs

Have you ever struggled to start your day after a restless night? The County’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has the help you need to feel your best. It’s not a short-term solution like a cup of coffee, but guidance to improve your quality of sleep over time.

The sleep program can teach you how to quiet your overactive mind come bedtime, build healthier habits, and make sure your body associates your bed with sleeping.

To get started, visit our EAP and register for myStrength. (To sign up at home, visit anthemeap.com and enter signup code “County of San Diego”.) Once registered, search for “sleep” lessons.

The program is just one of the many EAP resources available to County employees, dependents and household members. The Department of Human Resources provides EAP as part of its commitment to promoting health and well-being. This benefit is confidential, free and provides valuable assistance during challenging times, as well as day-to-day concerns.

Professionally trained staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to offer a broad range of services in areas such as:      

·       Parenting: Adoption, developmental stages, childcare, well-being and education

·       Aging: Planning for the future, aging well, housing options, grief and loss, caregiving

·       Mental Health: Personal growth, communication, addiction and recovery, relationships

·       Wellness: Healthy eating, recipes, health specific to age and gender, medical care

·       Working: Effective managing, career transitions, workplace productivity and safety

·       Living: Consumer tips, fraud and theft, legal, immigration and relocation abroad

For free and confidential assistance, call EAP at 888-777-6665 or visit them online. (Please note Sheriff’s Department sworn staff has access to their EAP by contacting The Counseling Team International at 800-222-9691.)

Also read: EAP Now Offers Video Visits with Therapists

These Race Results Are Amazing

More than 900 County employees participated in the Amazing Race at the County Operations Center in April, and the results are in!

The first place finishers are:

Level 1

Team: Hakuna Masquata from the District Attorney’s Office

• Karl Peralta

• Anna Marie Francisco

• Elaine Bissett

• Connie Han

Level 2

Team: Can’t Wait for Lunch from California Children’s Services

• Susan Devencenzi

• Chris Chung

• Teresa Ciullo

• Brian Lambe

Level 3

Team: Watershed Warriors 4-Eva aka WWF from Public Works

• Reynaldo Pellos

• Christopher Lawrance

• Luke Campanella

• Ryan Jensen

Here are the results for all of the amazing racers in Level 1 (Move and Have Fun), Level 2 (Push Yourself), Level 3 (Bring It On!)

If you have any energy left in your tank, run the course again with highlight videos from level one, a livestream from levels two and three, and photo gallery of all levels.

It’s never too early to start your training for the Amazing Race next year. Take an on-site fitness class, stock up on healthy foods from the employee farmers market and participate in the quarterly wellness challenges. Learn more about Employee Wellness activities on InSite.

Gallery: Celebrating Philippine Independence Day

The County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees’ Association marked Philippine Independence Day with a celebration at the County Operations Center earlier this month. The annual holiday commemorates the Philippines independence from Spain in 1898.

The joyful event provides CSDFEA an opportunity to share the Filipino American culture with fellow employees. This year’s theme was “Paglalayag: Possibilities. Opportunities. Discoveries.” Paglalayag is the Filipino term for voyage or journey. To represent this concept, the employee resource group used the visual of a vinta, which is a traditional boat from the Philippine island of Mindanao.

See a photo gallery of all the fun, food and festivities.

Learn more about CSDFEA and County's employee resource groups on InSite.

Don’t Fall for Phone Scams

PHOTO COURTESY OF sAN DIEGO sHERIFF’S dEPARTMENT

They call it the “Warrant Scam” because often the swindler who calls you is informing you of an outstanding arrest warrant. The criminals may tell you he or she works for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department or perhaps another local law enforcement agency.  The caller may also claim to work for the IRS and is calling because you have a fine or debt.

In all these cases, you will be strongly urged to resolve it with a payment over the phone. And just for good measure, the criminals try scaring people with a threat of arrest or additional financial penalties if it is not taken care of immediately.

Never send anyone like this a payment by phone or provide your financial information. San Diego County Sheriff’s fraud investigators warn that nearly every kind of call like this is a scam.

Recently, these calls have been making the rounds, even catching some County employees at their desk phones.

In one recent call to Steve Jonas in Creative Services, the criminal identified himself as a lieutenant with the Sheriff’s Department, who coincidentally, or not, works in the Fraud Division. As the caller told Jonas that he had failed to appear for a Grand Jury trial and now had an active bench warrant out, Jonas did a search on the County’s InSite page for the name given to him and was surprised to find a lieutenant by that name working for the Sheriff. This made him think that perhaps it was a real call, but luckily he stayed alert for red flags.

Jonas asked the swindler what address the original grand jury notice had been sent to and was given a previous address as well as two incorrect ones. He was told he would need to take the payment to Sheriff’s Central Division, 9621 Ridgehaven Court in Kearny Mesa. Jonas checked that and saw that it was indeed the correct address for the Sheriff’s Department.

Then it really started getting odd: Jonas was instructed to buy a special money voucher at Ralphs Supermarket because they did not accept credit cards or checks or debit payments. The swindler also told him he needed to be in constant contact with him and asked him for his cell phone number. The swindler immediately called him on his cell phone and instructed him to hang up his work phone. He told Jonas he was now in the federal tracking system and would be subject to arrest if he hung up.

At this point, Jonas knew it did not seem real, so using his work phone, he called the number for the real sheriff’s lieutenant who promptly answered his phone.

“I held the phones close together and told the shyster, ‘Wow, you don’t sound anything like the real you!’ And he hung up,” Jonas said.

Sheriff’s Lt. David Gilmore, the lieutenant whose name is being used, said the criminals in these kind of scams “prey upon people, who are really good people” and want to do the right thing. He notes that San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and courts or IRS would not reach out to anyone by phone such as this and require payment by phone.

Criminals can easily do a search online to obtain some true information such as real names and addresses, so that alone can’t be a reason to trust someone, Gilmore said. Lately, the criminals have used his name, but there have been other lieutenants whose names were used in previous years. 

If you receive one of these calls, note the phone number where the call came in if possible, the date and time, then hang up and email the County Technology Office  service desk sdcounty@service-now.com.

To learn more about these scams and how to protect yourself from them, visit the San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s Financial Crimes page which includes how to protect yourself from scams and short videos on various scams.

County Employees: Please Respond to ShakeAlert Test

Your help is needed on June 27 to help local, state and federal emergency officials test ShakeAlert, the Earthquake Early Warning system.

At 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 27 a wireless emergency alert will send out the ShakeAlert test to all mobile phones in San Diego County. This will be the first countywide official test of this system.

Everyone, including County employees, is asked to go to ShakeAlertSD.org before 11 a.m. and be ready to note the exact time including seconds as seen on the web page’s clock. Then just answer a few short questions to help emergency officials improve the system.

It should only take a few minutes.

1. Go to ShakeAlertSD.org before 11 a.m. on June 27 and click on the link at the top of the survey to open the atomic clock.

2. Get the ShakeAlert WEA message on your phone. Note the exact time you got the alert down to the seconds (e.g. 11:00:04 a.m.).

3. Complete the short survey and submit. It will take less than five minutes.

Why is this important? Emergency officials are testing to see if earthquake early warning alerts could be sent over the Wireless Emergency Alert system and are trying to determine how long it takes before people receive the alerts. Seconds count in an emergency and the goal is to give people those seconds to quickly protect themselves from imminent shaking in an earthquake. The warning could prevent injuries. People may be able to drop, cover and hold on, or step away from glass windows or other potentially dangerous items that could fall on them during shaking.

The message will be sent in English, but it can be accessed in Spanish on the ShakeAlertSD.org website.

Please help make this a successful test of ShakeAlert by participating in this important collection of public feedback.