FREE Admission to National Parks – Feb 20


NPS

The National Park Service just turned 100 years old! Celebrate the start of our second century by visiting a park in 2017. During ten days of the year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone.

Mark your calendar for these entrance fee–free dates in 2017:

  • February 20: Presidents’ Day
  • April 15-16 and 22-23: Weekends of National Park Week
  • August 25: National Park Service Birthday
  • September 30: National Public Lands Day
  • November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend

National parks are America’s Best Idea, and there are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The fee-free days provide a great opportunity to visit a new place or an old favorite, especially one of the 124 national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. The others are free all of the time. Plan your visit and enjoy our country’s history and nature.

The fee waiver includes entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

Fee-free days make parks accessible to more people. However, national parks are always economical, with entrance fees that range from $3 to $30. In addition, any fourth grade student can get a free annual pass through the Every Kid in a Park program, and active duty military and citizens with a permanent disability can also get free passes. For more information about the variety of discounted passes available, please visit the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass page.

Yosemite Great Falls, US

This includes some of the most stunning places on earth including:

  • FREE Admission to Denali National Park in Alaska
  • FREE Admission to Yellowstone National Park
  • FREE Admission to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
  • FREE Admission to Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona
  • FREE Admission to Yosemite National Park in California
  • FREE Admission to Olympic National Park in Washington
  • FREE Admission to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming
  • FREE Admission to Zion National Park in Utah
  • FREE Admission to Acadia National park in Maine
  • FREE Admission to Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado

View list of participating National Parks HERE

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.

Authentic New Orleans Hurricane Recipe


hurricane

With Fat Tuesday just around the corner, it wouldn’t be Mardi Gras without a Hurricane. Nobody in New Orleans enjoys a Hurricane – unless it’s the bright red variety served in a tall glass and garnished with orange slices and cherries.

The local favorite was created at Pat O’Brien’s bar – one of the greatest foundations of French Quarter libations. The name of the drink came from the shape of the glass it’s served in – the iconic curved glass resembles a hurricane lamp. The perfect place to have one is still at Pat O’s in the legendary courtyard overlooking the flaming fountain, but you’ll find them elsewhere around the city as well. But be sure to exercise caution – while these drinks are sugary-sweet, they pack a category-5 punch.

Traditional Hurricane Recipe:

  • 2 oz light rum
  • 2 oz dark rum
  • 2 oz passion fruit juice
  • 1 oz orange juice
  • ½ oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon simple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon grenadine
  • Garnish: orange slice and cherry

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a Hurricane glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

Pat O’ Brien’s Hurricane Recipe:

  • Mix 4 oz. of Pat O’Brien’s Rum or any good dark rum with 4 oz. Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Mix
  • Fill 26 oz. glass with crushed ice
  • Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry

ENJOY!!

Rainy Day FREE Movie Rentals From Redbox


Looking for something to do on a rainy day? Redbox is coming to the rescue.

Redbox Codes are the way to get free DVD rentals from Redbox. Redbox and their partners create these codes to get more people into their stores and use their services.

You simply need to enter the coupon code from the main screen or just before checkout at your local Redbox kiosk. When you do, you will receive a one-day free rental. Any additional days you keep the movie will be charged at the usual $1/day.

As you find new codes that work (or that don’t), report them here so that all users can benefit from them. Your help is what makes this community work. Also, our code tracking and movie tracking systems will help you know what codes you have used and what movies you have seen.

For more information on Redbox Codes and more, read the Inside Redbox FAQ here.

Use these codes for your free rental:

MPW32BK29DB7
DVDONME
DG835GCP
DVDATWAG – Walgreens only
CODE
NMSPER24
CHILL07
REDBOX – New customers
JXMZ4DZ3
HWP4L4M5
R97G8FEU
K4FU5S6L
SEDN6ZLE
GWNS439R
4QSDJUR3
PLKMP982
9GT87HT5
1994G387
TIPPIT
PTCJ16
KS7B62E9
BREAKROOM
7CAJV76H
7ZFD9GZX
KHVWYUVE
MOVIE
EH7U7Y4D
PUSH
WORKERROOM
MPW32BK29B7
XA82MFJ8
MPE33BK29DB7
GY6LE5DY
MFYNW3WP
4PMZ7LVQ
HARRIS217
0331223
JOSE396
FREEBIES
3VHJ2V3M
D5EC4NLK
34HTCNXM
N6KRTHFW
17366
RENTONME
APPNOW
PHX8CEWN
GXJ79KLR
93SUXL8Y

4SA4RFV3

Need Help Paying Your PG&E?


need-help

 Sometimes, especially in this economy, most of us will experience moments of economic hardship. Families who need help paying their PG&E bill may benefit from a variety of organizations and programs who offer assistance in paying for utilities such as electric and gas. These organizations and programs offers economic assistance that, unlike loans, do not require repayment. There are many programs to choose from and you can qualify for multiple assistance programs at the same time. This programs are only available to U.S. Citizens.

LIEAP Program                   

liheap

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Block Grant is funded by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and provides two basic types of services. Eligible low-income persons, via local governmental and nonprofit organizations, can receive financial help to offset the costs of heating and/or cooling dwellings, and/or have their dwellings weatherized to make them more energy-efficient. This is accomplished through these program components:

  • The Weatherization Program provides free weatherization services to improve the energy efficiency of homes, including attic insulation, weather-stripping, minor housing repairs, and related energy conservation measures.
  • The Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) provides payments for weather-related or energy-related emergencies (including PG&E bill payments).

In order to qualify for help through the LIHEAP program, applicants must meet basic guidelines. Interested applicants may apply directly through their local Department of Health and Human Services or click here for more information.

Salvation Army – REACH

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The Salvation Army, working in a direct partnership with PG&E, has established a program to help low-income families pay their electric bills. The program, Relief for Energy Assistance through Community Help (REACH) offers  help to people who are in danger of losing their gas or electric services as a result of non-payment. In order to qualify for help through the REACH program, applicants must have experienced an unforeseen and unavoidable hardship, such as a major illness or involuntary job loss, which has prevented them from being able to make their payment.

The Salvation Army determines if customers are eligible for REACH help. To qualify for REACH, an applicant’s must meet basic guidelines. Generally, recipients can receive REACH help only once within a 18-month period, but exceptions can be made for seniors, the physically challenged and the terminally ill.To apply for REACH assistance in your area contact the Salvation Army at 1 (800) 933-9677 or click here for more information.

CARE Program

PG&E offers help to low-income and medically needy people through a program that allows qualifying families to receive a discount on the costs of their electric bills. The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program gives economically qualifying families help in paying their electric bill through discounted rates and payment extension arrangements to help avoid disconnection of services due to inability to pay. To qualify for the CARE program, applicants must meet basic guidelines. Interested residents can apply for this program directly through PG&E. To learn more click here.

carereq

To apply, click here if you are a residential single family customer.

FERA – Family Electric Rate Assistance Program

Families whose household income slightly exceeds the low-income energy program allowances will qualify to receive FERA discounts, which bills some of their electricity usage at a lower rate. FERA is available for customers of Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Click here if you are a residential single family customer.

Energy Savings Assistance Program

pgebill

PG&E’s Energy Savings Assistance Program provides income-qualified renters and homeowners with easy, free solutions to help manage their energy use and save money on their monthly energy bills. To see the basic qualification guidelines, click here.

You may be eligible for the following services provided by PG&E:
  • Improvements to your house, apartment or mobile home including compact fluorescent lights, caulking, shower heads, minor home repair and much more.
  • Replacement of your old refrigerator, furnace and/or water heater1.
  • Energy savings tips.

Medical Allowance  – PG&E Program

If you or any full-time resident of your household requires the regular use of a medical life-support device that is essential to support the life of a full-time resident of the household, or if a full-time resident of the household is a paraplegic, hemiplegic, or quadriplegic person, and/or if a full-time resident of the household is a multiple sclerosis/scleroderma patient, you may be eligible for a special medical allowance that may lower your monthly electric bill. For more information, check PG&E’s website.

Bring Home Some Love – Free Pet Adoptions!


pet2

Bring someone special home for Valentine’s Day for FREE!

Contra Costa Animal Services are offering free adoptions for all animals at both shelters from February 8-14th. Let’s help free these fur babies by adopting or sharing this post!

pet

CLICK HERE FOR A SEARCHABLE DATABASE OF ALL ADOPTABLE ANIMALS!

For more information, visit Contra Costa County Animal Services website.

High Winds & Rains Coming To Contra Costa


There’s more rain coming to Contra Costa this week!

The Diablo Reporter has worked hard to bring you all the charts, graphs, maps, images and information on all weather data for the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond!

We have two extensive 7 day forecasts, local weather temperatures from various local weather stations, precipitation maps, weather maps, live bay area fog maps, weather radars, doppler radar, cloud temperature maps, wind directions and speeds, satellite weather images and up-to-date weather warnings.

For more Live Weather Information click here!

Don’t Drink & Drive – Uber Offers FREE Rides!


uber-free-first-ride

Stay safe this Superbowl Sunday! Want to drink and get around safe? Ride free with Uber tonight!