Weekly roundup for July 19, 2024

Today's digest provides helpful and important updates on the following:

1. District Attorney settles consumer protection case against Home Depot
2. Help shape County land use policies at July 23 Board of Supervisors meeting
3. Registrar of Voters to host open house on Aug. 1
4. Other Sonoma County news of note

District Attorney settles consumer protection case against Home Depot

If you have a gift card with a balance of less than $10, you have the right to receive that money in cash. And in California, gift cards shall not contain an expiration date.

The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office teamed up with prosecutors in Los Angeles, Contra Costa and Ventura counties to enforce that consumer protection law. Earlier this month, they settled a civil enforcement action with Home Depot U.S.A. after an investigation revealed the home improvement retailer did not redeem gift cards under $10 when requested in numerous stores.

To settle the case, Home Depot will pay $750,000 in civil penalties, fees and restitution. It also agreed to program its cash registers to automatically cash out gift cards with outstanding balances of less than $10, put up notices to inform consumers of their rights, and train its employees about gift cards.

"Our office seeks to ensure that businesses comply with laws that are enacted to protect consumers. It is important the consumers understand that they have the right to receive cash payment of balances on gift cards under $10," District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said.

Check the balance of a Home Depot gift card at this website: https://www.homedepot.com/c/Gift_Cards

Help shape county land use policies at July 23 Board of Supervisors meeting

Members of the public are invited to comment next week on two key elements of the County's General Plan, a foundational planning document that shapes future growth, fosters healthy and resilient communities, guides the protection and management of natural resources, and promotes social and economic equity.

The Board of Supervisors will hold a 1:30 p.m. workshop on July 23 to focus on the Environmental Justice and Public Safety elements of the plan.

The Environmental Justice element will set goals and policies to advance health in low-income communities that are disproportionately burdened by environmental conditions. The Public Safety element will update goals and policies to protect people, property and systems from fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, climate change and other hazards.

More information is available here:
https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6784258&GUID=EAF66AF5-6DAA-4017-BCAD-DB6654091313

Registrar of Voters to host open house on August 1

Learn how elections are conducted in Sonoma County during an August 1 open house at the Registrar of Voters Office.

The public will have an opportunity to tour the office, practice voting at a mock vote center, and pose questions during two Q&A sessions with Deva Marie Proto, Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters.

The two-hour open house will be held at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Q&A sessions at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Registrar of Voters Office is located at 435 Fiscal Drive in north Santa Rosa. To RSVP, send an email to [email protected] or call (707) 565-6800. If possible, please state which session you plan to attend and the number of guests you will be bringing.

For those who are unable to attend in person, the Q&A sessions will be recorded and posted to the Registrar of Voters' YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/@CountyofSonomaROV

Other Sonoma County news of note

Evacuation exercise planned in Sea Ranch on July 21
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/evacuation-exercise-planned-in-sea-ranch-on-july-21

Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore named President of National Association of Counties
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/sonoma-county-supervisor-james-gore-named-president-of-national-association-of-counties

Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve links thousands of acres of public lands with key acquisition
https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/hood-mountain-regional-park-and-open-space-preserve-links-thousands-of-acres-of-public-lands-with-key-acquisition

Public invited to share input on Environmental Justice and Public Safety elements of Sonoma County General Plan
https://permitsonoma.org/publicinvitedtoshareinputonenvironmentaljusticeandpublicsafetyelementsofsonomacountygeneralplan

View a list of current and upcoming job opportunities with the County of Sonoma
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/job-opportunities

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https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Newsroom/SoCo-Correspondent/