- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A news story published in the Contra Costa Times on July 8, and referred to in this blog the following day, didn't get all the facts right. The article, which appears to be no longer available on the Times Web site, was about the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors' proposal to cut its $325,383 funding for the UC Cooperative Extension program.
The director of UCCE for Contra Costa County, Shelley Murdock, said she and her staff greatly appreciate newspaper coverage of their work, but the piece in question contained some inaccuracies she wished to correct.
The article said the Contra Costa County 4-H program serves 150 youth
"In fact, last year we served 3,081 youth via clubs, afterschool, the Countywide Youth Commission, and our Farm to Fork programs," Murdock said. "Of these, 515 were club members."
The article quoted 4-H members and some adult volunteers as saying that if funding for the Contra Costa 4-H program is eliminated, they would join with Alameda County.
"This is incorrect. If funding for Contra Costa County Cooperative Extension is eliminated, then 4-H will not be offered to Contra Costa youth," Murdock said.
