Click here for a one-webpage version of all the stories in this column, in their complete form. (Service Awards and Retirements are not included.)

Director's Corner

Make your voice heard with strategic-plan survey

Tony Tavares

As you might already be aware, we are initiating an extensive effort to refresh our Strategic Plan for the next four years. The Strategic Plan serves as our shared roadmap, establishing our priorities and guiding our decision-making. To ensure that it remains relevant and responsive to California’s evolving needs, Caltrans’ Executive Board is reviewing and amending the existing content in our Strategic Plan to simplify and align priorities. Your voice and participation are critical to the success of this endeavor.

News

Statewide Workers Memorial set for April 25

For workers memorial preview

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Caltrans Fallen Workers’ Memorial. It will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, on the west steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento. This annual event honors the 191 men and women who have lost their lives serving Caltrans and the state of California. This special remembrance is dedicated to their memories and to their family members left behind. The 2024 Theme is “Everyday Heroes. Remembered Every Day.”

National organization honors Caltrans’ Donna Berry

For News story

Donna Berry, Caltrans’ deputy director of Project Delivery and chief engineer, is among 10 women to be honored this spring by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) for their outstanding leadership and exemplary dedication to the transportation industry. The 13th annual Women Who Move the Nation (CWWMN) Awards Breakfast will be held on April 10 at the Smithsonian Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

Caltrans helps kids get drawn to cleanliness

District 7 Clean California coloring book

Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Central Library Children’s Division have partnered to give away free educational anti-litter “Clean California Activity/Coloring Books” for children with the objective of changing public behavior. The engaging and picturesque coloring books were created in support of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative.

Hats Off

Jamal Karim

“Big shout out for the upgrade to the Caltrans Road Information page. Being able to bookmark and get ‘one-touch’ access to where or if chain controls are in place on the one specific road is a big time-saver for locals and regular snow country travelers. Not just that, but how quickly this upgrade was completed was extremely impressive. I'll try to get the word out for you (you should too)! Thanks again!"

DOT Shots

State Route 39 at post mile 36.6. New retaining wall constructed.

Check out scenes of, about or at least related to our 21,000 Caltrans colleagues as we continue to go about our business serving all those who use or benefit from our state's transportation network.

Health and Safety

Help protect young people's mental health

For health and safety story

The pandemic, violence at school and social media toxicity have had an impact on young people. It has affected their mental well-being. Poor mental health can impact their school experience, their grades, decision-making, relationships and overall health and safety.

Who's New

Sam Amen, Director’s Office executive liaison

Sam Amen

Sam Amen is the Director’s Office new executive liaison, as of Jan. 2. Sam had been with District 11 for over 24 years and most recently served as the Caltrans District 11 design division chief, where he led the project delivery, made decisions on the feasibility, quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness of each project, and assessed its impacts on the state transportation system, the regional economy, and the environment.

Edward Barrera, Public Affairs division chief

Edward Barrera

Edward Barrera is the new division chief for Headquarters Public Affairs. Prior to coming to Caltrans, Edward was a communications director at the California State Senate, where he oversaw all public relations and media strategy for a state senator as well as staffed legislative and policy areas, including transportation.

Christopher Caputo, deputy district director in District 4’s Division of Environmental Planning and Engineering

Christopher Caputo

Christopher Caputo is the new deputy district director in District 4’s Division of Environmental Planning and Engineering. In his new role, Christopher will be responsible for the implementation and facilitation of all phases of environmental analyses necessary for delivery of Caltrans’ transportation and non-transportation projects across the district.

Tana Offenstein, DHR deputy division chief

Tana Offenstein

Caltrans’ Division of Human Resources is pleased to announce Tana Offenstein has been named as the new deputy division chief, overseeing the Office of Statewide Liaison Services, Examination & Executive Selection Services, Office of Resource & Project Management, and Staff Central.

Xiaolan “Lan” Zhou, District 12 director

Lan Zhou

Xiaolan “Lan” Zhou is the new director of District 12. Lan served as District 12 deputy director of planning and local assistance for the past eleven years. Prior to that, Lan was the District 12 corridor system management program manager and regional planning and local development review branch chief.

Service Awards

A list of Caltrans employees who celebrated 25 or 40 years of service, or who received superior accomplishment awards, in December and January.

Retirements

A list of Caltrans employees who retired in December and January.

Obituaries

Darrell Cardiff, District 1 archaeologist

Darrell Cardiff

Caltrans archaeologist Darrell Cardiff died Oct. 12. He was 58. Darrell was incredibly rich, in stories, camaraderie, in family and friends and in life. A person with wealth of knowledge of history and culture. A person that could make a new friend feel comfortable in a room full of strangers. He had so many friends that listing them here would not be possible.

This sign feels somewhat more like a small billboard than the traditional kind of brown-toned, majestic marker one often finds at national parks.

Road Trippin': Sacramento to Yosemite

One of the best aspects of residing in the Sacramento region, as so many Caltrans employees do, is that several of the state's most-celebrated attractions are but a day trip away. The Bay Area and Lake Tahoe are within a couple of hours, and only three hours away is a gem of the national parks system: Yosemite. The shortest and quickest path to driving there is via three Caltrans-overseen roadways: State Routes 99, 4 and 120. Fasten your seatbelts and ride along on this, the latest and likely last edition (for a while, anyway!) of CT News' Road Trippin'.


Do You Know Our ABCs?

Biz 80 for ABCs

All good things must come to an end. It's also the case that things such as CT News' video game "Do You Know Our ABCs" ultimately come to a screeching halt, too. Click on the image above to see the most-recent winners and past results. Thanks for playing!



Contacts

Reed Parsell, Editor, Caltrans News

Matt Rocco, Deputy Director, Public Affairs

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