01-03-23 Articles

John McCutcheon Concert

Submitted by Bruce L. Roberts

After two years St. James’ parishioners have come to expect John McCutcheon to appear in concert on MLK Day, right? He did not appear on that Monday in 2021 and 2022 due to the evil Covid. But, Heeeee’s Baaaack! And we are so happy to have him play and sing at St. James’. We miss his musicianship, singing and enthusiasm.

Besides being the only folk singer/songwriter to have a website entitled www.folkmusic.com, he embodies the genre of folk music. His songs reflect real life, his tunes are his own, and his playing is masterful. Although he does perform songs penned by others, the best and most fun songs are his own. During the pandemic he wrote and wrote, producing two CDs, “Cabin Fever” and “Bucket List.” And just arriving – “Leap,” a brand-new CD, his 43rd.

At the concert’s intermission McCutcheon leaves a basket on stage for the audience to request favorite songs. Many requested fan favorites happen to be sing-alongs because the audience knows them almost as well as McCutcheon does. Be prepared for lots of new, original songs as well as old favorites. Those favorites he plays on a myriad of instruments, usually six or so that he brings with him: guitar, 12-string guitar, banjo, fiddle, hammer dulcimer, autoharp. He plays St. James’ piano as well.

His song introductions make them even more interesting. “Sermon on the Mound” is a whole album of baseball songs and stories. McCutcheon has recorded the story of an electrician meeting Paul Robeson at the Sydney Opera House. And then there is the story of when he was robbed, followed by the song “Forgive Us.”

For a music and fun-filled time just come over to St. James’ in Fremont, John’s only South Bay Concert, for a genuinely great evening. A portion of the proceeds will go to Abode Services, working to end homelessness in the Bay Area. Get your tickets now and get in the door early to get a good seat. Masks are required.

For more on John McCutcheon go to www.folkmusic.com.

John McCutcheon Concert

Monday, Jan 16

7:30 p.m.

Doors open 7 p.m.

St. James’ Episcopal Church

37051 Cabrillo Dr., Fremont

Suggested donation: $30 adults; $15 children

(510) 797-1492, ext. 203

ev****@sa****.com

http://saintj.com/mccutcheon

Monarchs soar into 2023

By Staff

According to preliminary numbers from the Western Monarch Count, more than 300,000 butterflies have been spotted at overwintering sites across California. The largest individual count, over 34,000, came from a site in Santa Barbara. Xerces Society, who runs the yearly Thanksgiving Count, won’t release the final data until the end of January, 2023.

In an article from December 14, 2022, Western Monarch Count shares: “Surpassing 300,000 monarch butterflies for the 2022 Thanksgiving Count is a meaningful benchmark. In fact, it’s something that hasn’t occurred since the fall of 2000! (That said, volunteers are counting significantly more sites since the early 2000s, and thus, possibly more butterflies, too.) After last year’s surprising news of a more than 100-fold increase from 2020’s record lows of ~2,000 butterflies, a second year of increasing numbers gives hope for the struggling western monarch population.”

Still, Western Monarch Count warns that we shouldn’t write off protecting monarchs as a cause worthy of our time and attention. The 2022 numbers are similar to those of the 2014 Monarch Count, when researchers sought protection for the species under the Endangered Species Act. Monarchs as a species have declined in numbers significantly since the 1980s, and they continue to need our protection.

There are several spots around the Bay Area where you can spot overwintering monarchs. On December 7, 2022, Ardenwood Historic Farm posted to their Instagram that around 500 monarchs are sheltering in the park’s eucalyptus grove. Guests are welcome to explore on their own or with a park guide, but staff warn visitors to watch for butterflies on the ground that are too cold to fly. Handling or collecting the butterflies is prohibited.

Monarchs have also been known to frequent the nectar garden at Coyote Hills and Monarch Bay Golf Course in San Leandro. Further afield, monarchs can be found in Monarch Grove in Santa Cruz and the Monarch Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, Monterey.

The increase in monarch sightings may be due to a variety of factors. Still, part of the credit goes to Bay Area garden clubs and individuals who have planted native plants, such as milkweed, that create a welcoming place for monarch butterflies and caterpillars. Let’s keep helping our beautiful butterfly friends so that they continue to pay us a visit.

Learn more about monarchs at:

www.monarchjointventure.org

www.westernmonarchcount.org

www.xerces.org

Explore the Animal Kingdom with SF Bay Area Chamber Choir

Submitted by Old Mission San Jose

On Friday, January 13, Old Mission San Jose will host the San Francisco Bay Area Chamber Choir (SFBACC) for their first concert of 2023. Founding in 1978, the Choir performs works from composers both traditional and modern, singing both a capella and with orchestral accompaniment. For the January concert, their theme is the animal kingdom, and the choir will perform a selection of delightful animal-themed madrigals in small ensembles.

The concert features music that is inspired by animals. Eric Whitacre’s whimsical Animal Crackers are six miniature works for choir and piano composed to the words of Ogden Nash. Rounding out the program will be several madrigals, both light-hearted and serious, sung by small groups within the Choir.

In 1936, Randall Thompson wrote The Peaceable Kingdom, a monumental unaccompanied work of eight choruses on texts from the book of Isaiah. Thompson was inspired by Edward Hicks’ paintings of the same name which represent a messianic prophecy in the book of Isaiah (11:6): “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with th
e kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” The work is often considered to be Thompson’s masterpiece and requires an expert choir to sing the demanding vocal passages and to handle the frequent writing for double-chorus.

Concert COVID protocols:

It is strongly recommended that audience members be fully vaccinated and boosted and that masks be worn at all times. All SFBACC singers and the director have been vaccinated and boosted and will self-test on performance day. However, the choir cannot guarantee that all patrons will be vaccinated; unvaccinated individuals may be present as a result of, for example, exemptions or exceptions. None of these precautions eliminate the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

SF Bay Area Chamber Choir Concert

Friday, Jan 13

6 p.m.

Mission San Jose

43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont

Tickets: $20 general admission, $10 for young audience (30 and under)

(510) 657-1797

www.missionsanjose.org

www.sfbaychoir.org

BART boosts evening, morning service

Submitted by BART

The new year is bringing new changes to BART starting with additional train service after 9 p.m. and the resumption of four morning trips that had been eliminated during the Transbay Tube earthquake retrofit project.

As part of the late evening service upgrade, there are more even wait times between trains rolling between Daly City and West Oakland with trains no longer running in pairs. Previously, when two trains arrived within a few minutes of each other there would be a long gap in service. Now, they run approximately every 15 minutes between Daly City and West Oakland, reducing wait times for many riders in San Francisco.

This improvement is possible because late-night single tracking for the Transbay Tube Seismic Retrofit Project, which closed half of the Tube each night is no longer needed. Full completion of the retrofit project is anticipated later in 2023.

Morning riders are benefiting from the resumption of four weekday trips along two lines that were also affected by retrofit construction:

Yellow Line weekday

• 4:40 a.m. train that started at Daly City
• 5:44 a.m. train that started at Antioch (6:01 a.m. started at Pittsburg/Bay Point)

Green Line weekday

• 4:30 a.m. train that started at South Hayward
• 5:29 a.m. train that started at Daly City

The updated schedules went into effect Monday, Jan. 2. For details, visit the BART website at www.bart.gov.

Seismic retrofit grant approved for Golden Gate Bridge

Submitted by Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Office

A $400 million grant toward a seismic retrofit project for the Golden Gate Bridge has been approved and will be funded through the Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program.

The grant was announced Dec. 29 by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla (both D-Calif.). When complete, the retrofit will ensure the bridge can withstand a “maximum credible event,” including a catastrophic earthquake, according to Feinstein’s office. The multi-year bridge retrofit is currently in its final phase. In April, both senators called on the Transportation Department to ensure that seismic retrofit projects were eligible for funding from the Bridge Investment Program.

“The Golden Gate Bridge is a critical transportation link in the Bay Area with more than 40 million vehicle crossings each year and an iconic landmark that represents San Francisco,” Feinstein said. “Modernizing our state’s transportation infrastructure — incentivizing electric vehicles, improving transit hubs, deploying zero-emission buses and safeguarding our roads and bridges — is a critical part of keeping our economy growing, and I’m proud to have worked with Senator Padilla to secure this vital grant.”

Padilla added: “This funding will protect one of California’s most iconic landmarks — which provides breathtaking views to tourists from around the world and helps thousands of commuters get to and from work each day. It’s not a matter of if but when the next big earthquake will happen, so it is critical to get ahead of seismic retrofitting to keep everyone who uses the Golden Gate Bridge safe.”

Bridge Investment Program funds are intended to “replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect” highway bridges and were included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bill passed by Congress and signed into law in 2021.

Farmers market shoppers attracted to cohousing booth

Submitted by Evelyn LaTorre

Vendors had already arranged their cabbages, cauliflower, strawberries, and green vegetables in artistic patterns, ready for early shoppers, when Caroline Harris and I arrived at the Irvington Farmers Market on the last Sunday in November. The 4- x 6-foot metal wagon we pulled behind us overflowed with items we needed for our information booth. In the cool early morning air, Caroline checked with the market manager, who motioned us to an open space between a strawberry vendor and a vegetable stand.

After ten minutes of wrestling with a pesky canopy frame that wouldn’t fully deploy, we stopped.

“Let’s just hang our banner on the thing,” I said shrugging.

“We can sit outside,” Caroline agreed, “and set up our table in front of it.”

She dug out two S-hooks from her bag of tools and hung our new bright-orange banner for all to read:

FREMONT’S FIRST COHOUSING COMMUNITY

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND LIVE YOUR VALUES

Over the next six hours, we spoke with more than 50 interested shoppers who were curious about the advantages of cohousing. Some were already knowledgeable about the growing movement in which groups form, purchase land, and recruit their own archi
tect to design 20-40 private residential units around shared spaces.

“Oh, I know all about cohousing,” said one of the first passersby, pointing to our sign. “It’s a great way to live where everyone knows their neighbors and watches out for them.”

“Do you live in cohousing?” I asked, surprised at his remark.

“Not yet. I’m considering it,” he said, “but I need to be closer to where my folks live.”

“I get that,” Caroline chimed in. “But if our group sounds like something you might consider, we found the perfect acre of land three blocks from here, and we have already begun submitting plans to the City for approval.”

“I know,” the gentleman said, heading towards the Bay Street exit. “Your cohousing information is all over the place!”

I figured the man might have heard radio announcements for Mission Peak Village on KQED-FM, seen the display at Fremont Main Library, or read articles about us in the San Jose Mercury News or Tri-City Voice. He left before I could ask whether he had ever toured any of the existing cohousing communities in Mountain View, Oakland, Berkeley or Pleasant Hill.

More than half of the curious people who stopped to chat began surmising that Mission Peak Village might be for seniors. Caroline was quick to explain that we are definitely not a seniors-only community but rather a group composed of families and people of all generations, ethnic traditions and interests. The Mission Peak Village families who have already committed to buy one of the 32 two- or three-bedroom condos reflect the age and ethnic mix of Southern Alameda County at large.”

“Of course,” I said shaking my grey hair out from under my hat, “some of us are wise elders who don’t want to age alone in our suburban homes.”

“One of the families joining us has school-aged children,” Caroline said. “They currently live in an apartment building and after many years say they still don’t know their neighbors.”

“When you’re busy working,” I explained, “it can be hard to find time enough to plan social things with your neighbors. The nice thing about a cohousing group is that you are already friends before you become members. Despite the pandemic, for example, Mission Peak Village has managed to have a couple of picnics, a Halloween potluck, and day-after-Thanksgiving ‘leftover meals.’”

“And we see each other in person at our monthly public tours of the property,” Caroline pointed out, “and on Zoom for our community meetings and our ‘Learn About’ information sessions.”

By the time the farmers market closed at 2 p.m., the vendor next to us had given me a pint of his freshly picked strawberries, and I had shopped for the vegetables I’d need for the following week. We gave out most of our postcards with contact information, educated scores of market attendees about the cohousing movement, and showed them renderings our proposed cohousing home. I’d been struck by the variety of accents I heard and the neighborliness of those who shared a few minutes with us. Irvington Farmers Market felt a bit like how our cohousing community will be. Caroline and I had a few laughs taking down our uncooperative canopy.

The information booth will make another appearance at Irvington Farmers Market on Sunday, January 8. We may or may not get the canopy to cooperate, but our bright orange banner will be prominently displayed.

This article is part of an ongoing series on cohousing. To learn more on the topic of cohousing, visit www.cohousing.org. Irvington Farmers Market is located in the city of Fremont at Bay Street and Trimboli Way on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mission Peak Village is a group of friends forming Fremont’s first cohousing community. Memberships are still available. Call Kelli at (510) 413-8446 or visit Mission Peak Village on Facebook, Instagram, or the www.missionpeakcohousing.org website, where you can register for a monthly walk to explore the neighborhood around the future site.

 

 

 

Invisible Astronomy

Submitted by Chabot Space and Science Center

Spend an exciting evening with music, activities and fun exploring light from Earth and Space. Human perception of visible light is our most important sense, but we are not capable of seeing certain types of light on the electromagnetic spectrum. Listen to scientists explain how they use telescopes and other instruments to see these invisible rays and what we can learn from what we see. Make nebula art and engage with hands-on activities that demonstrate UV rays and see how some animals view the world through ultraviolet or infrared light.

Invisible Astronomy

Friday, Jan 6

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland

(510) 336-7300

Tickets: $15 adults, $10 kids/seniors, $5 members

https://chabotspace.org

January 6 Remembrance and Action Sundown Vigil

Submitted by Syeda Reshma Inamdar

The League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville (LWVBAE) – and Leagues throughout Alameda County and the Bay Area – are hosting a “January 6th Remembrance and Action sundown vigil” to remember the insurrection on January 6, 2021 and take action.

“We can never forget the deadly insurrection at our nation’s capitol, and the attack on our constitutional democracy and freedoms it represents,” Syeda Inamdar, Chair of the Alameda County Council of the League of Women Voters said. “A healthy democracy requires us to advocate against voter suppression, and election subversion laws as they promulgate disinformation. We have to do everything in our power to shore up our political system of government in the months and years ahead.”

The League has strongly urged the Senate to address the discriminatory barriers to the ballot faced by voters of color who attempt to cast votes and have those votes fully counted as well as election subversion measures and other forms of interference with the electoral process. On the national level, the League has implored the Senate to promote and protect an inclusive multiracial democracy by passing federal votin
g rights protections to ensure everyone can participate and have equal access to the ballot.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) will share the work it has accomplished with its partners to defend our democracy, as it looks to prepare for the 2024 election. The event will feature LWV of the United States CEO, Virginia Kase Solomón, who is a tireless leader on the national stage fighting for our democratic freedoms using advocacy, coalition building, direct action, litigation and more.

For more information, contact Kandea Mosley Gandhi at pr*******@lw****.org or (510) 322-1354.

January 6 Remembrance and Action Sundown Vigil

Friday, Jan 6

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom

Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/4vw64nfe

Contact: Kandea Mosley Gandhi

pr*******@lw****.org

(510) 322-1354

Year of the Rabbit hops in on new stamp

Submitted by U.S. Postal Service

In recognition of the Lunar New Year — the Year of the Rabbit — the U.S. Postal Service has issued a colorful new postage stamp to celebrate one of the most important holidays of the year for many Asian communities around the world.

The rabbit is the fourth of the 12 zodiac animal signs associated with the Chinese lunar calendar. In 2023, the Year of the Rabbit starts January 22 and continues through February 9, 2024.

Postal Service officials will unveil the new Year of the Rabbit Forever stamp in San Francisco at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 12 at the Asian Art Museum. Attending the event will be Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer; London Breed, San Francisco Mayor; Jay Xu, Asian Art Museum Director and Derek Kan, governor, U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

Designed by art director Antonio Alcalá with original art by Camille Chew, the stamp is anchored by an elaborate three-dimensional mask depicting a rabbit as a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk arts crafts. The design incorporates lucky colors of red, blue, pink and purple associated with the Year of the Rabbit.

Known as Tet in Vietnam and the Spring Festival in China and elsewhere, Lunar New Year begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice and historically marks the arrival of spring. Filled with symbolic meaning, the colors red and gold appear everywhere during this time of year. Red is considered very lucky, while gold is supposed to bring wealth.

In 2020, the Postal Service introduced its third series of Lunar New Year stamps to honor the occasion. This new series will continue through 2031 with stamps for the Year of the Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar still to come.

The Year of the Rabbit stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp in sheets of 20 at post offices nationwide or by visiting the USPS online store at usps.com/shopstamps. Individual stamps are equal in value to First-Class mail rates, currently 60-cents, but slated to rise to 63-cents on January 22.

Year of the Rabbit Forever stamp dedication

Thursday, Jan 12

11 a.m. – 12 noon

Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St., San Francisco

Free; RSVP at USPS.com/lunarnewyearrabbit

46th Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Program

Submitted by Jean Ficklin

Afro American Cultural & Historical Society, Tri-City Area & Hayward, will hold their 46th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Program on Sunday, January 8. Their theme for 2023 is “It Starts with Me; Cultivate a Beloved Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems.” This is a call to churches, corporations, organizations, leaders and individuals to look within and commit to doing their part to work towards creating the Beloved Community.

Program participants are:

Reverend Garrett Yamada – Host Pastor and Keynote Speaker

Carolyn Hoskins of Domini Hoskins Black History Museum

Centerville Presbyterian Church Choir

Family Bible Fellowship Praise Dances

Havenscourt Community Church Choir

Pamela Page, Violinist

Jana Cole, Pianist

Mayors from the Tri-City Area and Hayward

In addition, art from local students will be displayed at the event.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration Program

Sunday, Jan 8

3 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Newark

35450 Newark Blvd., Newark

https://aachstricity.org/

My Care Labs provides crucial testing amid pandemic

By Madhvika Singh

Photos courtesy of MyCareLabs social media

Early detection through widely available and easily accessible testing seems to be one of the main public health tools we have for fighting infectious diseases like COVID-19. To help Tri-City and other communities in California combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvey Singh founded My Care Labs in November 2021.

As part of the California COVID-19 Testing Task Force, My Care Labs partners with California Department of Public Health (CDPH), California Reportable Disease Information Exchange (CalREDIE), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among other organizations. My Care Labs is a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified COVID-19 RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) testing facility with its own laboratory and pop-up locations in California with 24-hour turnaround times. In addition to their Fremont testing facility, they also have pop-up locations in Fremont and Union City. For more information and operating hours please see www.mycarelabs.com/testing-locations/.

The company offers managed in-person testing staffed by trained medical assistants as wel
l as self-service next-day testing. To make the process even more convenient for patients, My Care Labs locations provide services by appointment, drive-through and even on a same-day drop-in basis. The company also provides weekly group testing for residents, schools, nursing homes, businesses, and large organizations. “As a patient-first company, we provide convenient mobile testing on-demand as well as self-service and full-service testing solutions customized to patient and organizational needs,” shared My Care Labs. Organizations can schedule a call with My Care Labs during which their solutions team puts together a custom testing program tailored to the organization’s own requirements.

“We continue to take COVID-19 seriously as well as increase our surveillance testing offerings to address wider geographies and demographics of patients,” explained My Care Labs about their current approach to COVID-19. The company is currently testing an at-home test kit service as well. They are also offering comprehensive tests for infectious diseases other than COVID-19, which are seeing a rise in cases. “We are the first California laboratory to offer the all-in-one combo RSV, COVID-19, influenza A and B (flu) testing to all California schools, individuals, and businesses. Unfortunately, RSV hospitalizations are ramping up among children and elderly alongside COVID-19 and flu, with a surge of cases seen weeks earlier than the normal winter season,” the company shared.

My Care Labs is looking to expand its offerings to better serve the patients. They plan to begin offering toxicology and oncology testing soon. “We’re aware that cancer rates continue to increase and we are interested in continuing to serve our local community in new ways,” shared My Care Labs. They will have their own medical provider and trained medical staff, so anyone will be able to drop in for testing without the need for a referral as long as they have health insurance or are able to pay for services otherwise.

The nature of services offered by My Care Labs is evolving; please visit https://www.mycarelabs.com/ for latest information.

My Care Labs

Mon-Sat 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Walk-in or by appointment

5500 Stewart Ave, Suite 108, Fremont

(800) 790-4550

su*****@my********.com

www.mycarelabs.com/

Safe Parking Program: More stories of residents

Submitted by Shirley Gilbert

Photos by Dave Fishbaugh

Over the past few weeks, we have run coverage of Fremont’s Safe Parking Program, a collaboration between the city and four churches to provide a safe overnight location for residents who live in their cars. Below are the stories of several individuals who have made use of this program.

Judy Borden is the woman with the waggy-tailed chihuahua named Nickel—named in memory of a former dog, Penny. Borden has been unhoused since July. During Covid she was furloughed from her job and has been unemployed ever since. Unable to pay her rent, she resorted to living in her car. She believes her affectionate dog keeps her occupied and sane. “Oh, I wouldn’t know what to do without Nickel,” she enthused. One thing that makes Borden sad is the animosity directed toward people who live in cars. She was chatting with a woman in a car next to her in a very friendly way until the woman looked in her car and saw the bedding. Her friendliness turned to coldness, and she turned abruptly away. What keeps Borden positive is her volunteer work at the Wellness Center at Lake Elizabeth. Before she enrolled in the Safe Parking program she parked on the street, and that frightened her. But now thanks to the kindness of the churches, she’s in contact with volunteers and friends in cars, and Borden feels they are all family.

Mari-Lyn Harris lists some of the challenges of living in a car. She misses a kitchen and the ability to get hot water and make herself a cup of coffee. Therefore, she spends time at coffee shops. Groceries are also hard to keep in your car. And on these cold nights Harris finds it hard to get warm enough to sleep. She resorted to living in her car after finding her apartment building too noisy and unaffordable. Harris is very active in the community. She volunteers, which keeps her positive and gives her a support network. “Getting out and volunteering lifts you up,” she said with a laugh. Harris has a website and a blog in which she calls herself Chief Kindness Officer. She works as an End-of-Life Doula, guiding people through their last days, and is also a wellness expert. “What makes life bearable,” Harris says, “is working a lot and staying active and relevant in the community.” She is a great fan of the Safe Parking Program and promotes it wherever she can. She’s been in the program since July and thinks “it’s the best thing.” However, she feels more services for the unhoused are needed—such as a long-term place where folks living in cars can come and go. “That would make us feel more human,” she said.

David and Estefany Flores have been living in a car since January. David is considered quite a character and has a warm outgoing style. Estefany is disabled and suffers from a traumatic brain injury. She deals with chronic pain but tries her best not to let it get her down. She smiles a lot. Before David had a car, he had to get from Oakland to Fremont for a job possibility. According to Estefany, he wheeled her from Oakland to Fremont on foot. It took him two days. Estefany said she slept a great deal, but David trudged on. The couple admit that living in a car is tough, but they try to think of it as an adventure. David has barbecue equipment in storage, and he’s used it to make interesting meals. He also has a machine that makes cake pops and one for hot chocolate. The couple lives in a car because rent in the area is too expensive. David sees prices rising for big things and little things. For example, he bought a pie at Walmart for 50 cents not long ago, and it leaped to 74 cents in a short time. David works in restaurants whenever he gets a chance. The couple feel that Fremont’s Safe Parking Program has been very helpful. Getting a good night’s sleep is important to them and being with other caring people makes them feel part of a loving community.

Donate to the Safe Parking Program at: do****@fr*****.gov

Volunteer at: sp*************@ci*******.org

Age well, drive smart: Traffic safety seminar

Submitted by Nathan Silva

Stay safe…and save money! Registration has begun for the library’s popular senior driving program! Conducted by the California Highway Patrol, this seminar will include: Compensating for Age-Related Changes, Tune-Up Your Driving Skills, Rules of the Road, Safe Driving Tips; and more!

Participants will receive a certificate for completing this free course which may lead to an insurance discount. You must be 65 or older to qualify. Registration is required; to register, call the Library Information Desk at (510) 667-7900.

This program will be held in person at the Castro Valley library in the Chabot/Canyon room.

The library is wheelchair accessible. An ASL interpreter will be provided with ten days’ notice. For more information, call the library at (510) 667-7900, or see Events at www.aclibrary.org/branches/csv.

Senior Traffic Safety Seminar

Wednesday, Jan 18

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

www.aclibrary.org/branches/csv

Free

Expanding your perspective through Tarot

Submitted by Nathan Silva

 

Needing a change of perspective? You are invited to change your view of a nagging question or issue, by a taking a journey into tarot land. Join internationally known Qabalistic Tarot teacher and author Amber Jayanti, to “play” an insightful, fun-filled and educational tarot board game. Group size limited to 10, please preregister:

Amber Jayanti, is the founder of the International School for Tarot & Qabalah Study in 1975, and author of, “Living the Qabalistic Tarot,” “Tarot For Dummies,” and “Principles of Qabalah.” She has been living, studying, writing about, consulting with and teaching these subjects for 40+ years. Her spare time is dedicated to socio-political activism.

Castro Valley, and is wheelchair accessible. The library will provide an ASL interpreter for any event with at least seven working days’ notice. For more information or to register, call the library at (510) 667-7900 or visit our website at www.aclibrary.org.

Expanding your perspective through Tarot

Saturday, Jan 21

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

www.aclibrary.org/branches/csv

EARTHTALK

Surging human population numbers worry environmentalists

By Malina Barker

Dear EarthTalk: I hear that world population just topped eight billion. Is this growth wreaking havoc on the environment/climate and what is the prognosis for population growth globally over next few decades?

— Peter. W., Albuquerque, New Mexico

Global population has indeed reached eight billion, but it won’t remain there for long. Lower mortality rates and longer life expectancies have contributed to elevated population numbers. Although richer countries have lowered their birth rates in recent decades, poorer countries — specifically those in sub-Saharan Africa — continue to have high birth rates. Whether or not we will be able to support a continually growing population is still a hotly debated topic.

Many analysts still subscribe to philosopher Thomas Malthus’ hypothesis, first postulated in a 1798 essay, that humans’ ability to provide more and more resources will always be overwhelmed by ever-increasing population growth numbers. But others believe that growing population numbers can be supported with proper and effective resource allocation. Regardless, a growing population coupled with climate change will have an impact on resource availability and distribution.

Population projections are inherently tricky. It’s impossible to account for every scenario that could be a determinant over the course of a century. The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (UNPD) projects that human population will pass 10 billion by 2100. However, a convergence of population forecasts created by the Wittgenstein Centre projected a global population of 8.79 billion by 2100 after an initial peak of 9.73 billion in 2064. This projection is vastly lower than UNPD’s projections due to their different modeling approaches.

The Wittgenstein Centre’s models arrived at different population totals based on variables such as fertility, mortality and migration pattern changes. The models predicted a lower total fertility rate (TFR) as access to education and contraception for childbearing people increased. A low TFR will have long term impacts on the overall global population. A reduced global population would reduce carbon dioxide output and lower resource needs and stresses, but climate change will continue to have consequences that will affect resource availability for decades to come even if we are successful at reining in emissions.

Social programs and systems will need to adapt as populations age and access to contraception and education increases. Age gaps will expand in countries with low TFRs. Labor forces will decrease, social security and universal healthcare systems will become strained and economic growth will be lowered as a result. These factors create a daunting task to support a growing global population, but it is possible.

Global population numbers do put a large strain on the environment, so it is important to elect policymakers who support a sustainable future with commitments to reduce fossil fuel emissions and who uphold and encourage reproductive education and healthcare for everyone, especially childbearing people. Whether our future will be some sort of Malthusian hell or a global garden where most of us receive the nourishment and resources needed to survive is still anybody’s guess.

ONLINE CONTACTS

• The Global Population Will Soon Reach 8 Billion — Then What?

un.org/en/un-chronicle/global-population-will-soon-reach-8-billion-then-what

• Fertility, mortality, migration, and population scenarios for 195 countries and territories from 2017 to
  2100

thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30677-2/fulltext#seccestitle10.

EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: qu******@ea*******.org.

HISTORY MATTERS

By John Grimaldi and David Bruce Smith

January 1 through 15

A baseball legend

On January 5, 1920, George Herman Ruth – “The Babe” — was sold by the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees for $125,000 — or approximately $2 million in today’s currency. The announcement fevered up the baseball fans in Boston. Ruth was a legend, who had guided his home team through three World Series wins.

“The deal paid off — in spades — for New York, as Ruth went on to smash his own home run record in 1920, hitting 54 home runs,” according to History.com. “He connected for 59 homers in 1921, dominating the game and increasing Yankee revenues to the point that the team was able to leave the Polo Grounds (shared with the New York Giants baseball team) and build Yankee Stadium, which opened in 1923 and became known as “the house that Ruth built.”

The Grateful American Book Prize recommends “The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth” by Leigh Montville.

A major gusher

Wildcatters started drilling for Texas oil during the last of the 1800s, but the first major gusher wasn’t discovered until January 10, 1901, at Spindletop Hill near Beaumont, Texas. The crude soared high and wide, flowing at an initial rate of more than 100,000 barrels each day. It took nine days to cap the well.

“Following the discovery, petroleum, which until that time had been used in the U.S. primarily as a lubricant and in kerosene for lamps, would become the main fuel source for new inventions such as cars and airplanes; coal-powered forms of transportation including ships and trains would also convert to the liquid fuel,” says History.com. It was the beginning of the world’s first trillion-dollar industry.

The Grateful American Book Prize recommends “Giant Under the Hill: A History of the Spindletop Oil Discovery at Beaumont, Texas, in 1901” by Jo Stiles, Judith Walker Linsley and Ellen Walker Rienstra.

Civil rights leader

On January 15, the nation will celebrate the birth of Michael Luther King Jr. His father, Michael Senior, apparently got inspired by the German protestant reformer, Martin Luther, changed his name — and his son’s — to Martin Luther King. Each morphed into civil rights reformers.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a compassionate, intelligent person who skipped grades nine through 12, and in 1944 enrolled in Morehouse College, according to History.com. He earned his “divinity degree from Pennsylvania’s Crozer Theological Seminary [then] attended graduate school at Boston University, where he received his Ph.D. degree in 1955 … on May 17, 1957, before a crowd estimated at between 15,000 and 30,000, King delivered his first national address on the topic of voting rights. His speech, in which he urged America to ‘give us the ballot,’ drew strong reviews and positioned him at the forefront of the civil rights leadership.”

The night before King’s April 4, 1968, murder in Memphis, he addressed the congregation at the Mason Temple Church. “Like anybody,” he said, “I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not go there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

The Grateful American Book Prize recommends “The Trumpet of Conscience” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This feature is courtesy of The Grateful American Book Prize, which is an annual award given to authors who have created outstanding works of historical fiction or nonfiction for seventh to ninth graders. Visit them at gratefulamericanbookprize.com.

News and notes from around the world

Submitted by The Association of Mature American Citizens

A holiday record

Joel Strasser of Kuna, Idaho took Christmas decorations to a new level, earning himself a page in the Guinness Book of World Records, according to the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). He did it by decorating his beard with 710 Christmas baubles, knickknacks and ornaments. It is the fourth time in four successive years that he’s been honored by the Guinness judges. In 2019 he set the record with 302 baubles, in 2020 he did it again with 542 ornaments and last year he managed to adorn his whiskers using 686 festive knickknacks. His secret: “My technique has evolved and gotten a lot more specialized over the years that I’ve been breaking the record. I stuck them in a lot more haphazardly at first and that’s why those first beard bauble record numbers were so low … I found that if I take my time and really focus on the individual strands of beard hair and small groups of hair, I can manage to fit so many more in there.”

A Hanukkah menorah of biblical proportions

While Christians celebrated Christmas this year, the Jewish population of the U.S. observed the seven day festival of Hanukkah lighting the seven candles of their menorahs. AMAC reports that Rabbi Yonaton Nuszen and 425 Jewish teens in Denver, Colorado celebrated the festival by creating a potentially record-breaking menorah. They built it using 25,000 LEGO pieces. It stood 24 and a half feet tall. But Rabbi Yonaton said “It’s not about the height — it’s about the unity it created. Our entire Jewish community came together to build this mammoth of a LEGO menorah.” See video of the LEGO menorah on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff3yEMUVepw.

A Christmas story

And then there was the holiday home invasion that occurred in Waxhaw, North Carolina, the invader being a cute little squirrel, reports AMAC. The homeowner, Taylor Stading, suspects it found its way into the house via a loose roof shingle. The squirrel led Stading and her family on a merry chase as it sought to settle in the branches of the family Christmas tree. Eventually she used a dust mop to help the critter exit the premises via an open window. It was all caught on video, providing the family
with their own, very funny version of the classic Chevy Chase film “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” See video of the squirrel on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs56XiwWrro.

The Association of Mature American Citizens is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization representing membership in Washington, D.C. and in local congressional districts nationwide. More information is available on its website at www.amac.us.

Spot the Messenger: Observe Mercury

By David Prosper

Most planets are easy to spot in the night sky, but have you spotted Mercury? Nicknamed “the Messenger” for its speed across the sky, Mercury is also the closest planet to the Sun. Its swift movements close to our Sun accorded it special importance to ancient observers, while also making detailed study difficult. However, recent missions to Mercury have resulted in amazing discoveries, with more to come.

Mercury can be one of the brightest planets in the sky – but also easy to miss! Why is that? Since it orbits so close to the Sun, observing Mercury is trickier than the rest of the “bright planets” in our solar system: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Mercury always appears near our Sun from our Earth-bound point of view, making it easy to miss in the glare of the Sun or behind small obstructions along the horizon. That’s why prime Mercury viewing happens either right before sunrise or right after sunset: When the Sun is blocked by the horizon, Mercury’s shine can then briefly pierce the glow of twilight.

Mercury often appears similar to a “tiny Moon” in a telescope, since, like fellow inner planet Venus, it shows distinct phases when viewed from Earth! Mercury’s small size means a telescope is needed to observe its phases since they can’t be discerned with your unaided eye. Safety warning: If you want to observe Mercury with your telescope during daytime or before sunrise, be extremely careful. You don’t want the Sun to accidentally enter your telescope’s field of view. As you may already understand, this is extremely dangerous and can not only destroy your equipment, but permanently blind you as well. That risk is why NASA does not allow space telescopes like Hubble or the JWST to view Mercury or other objects close to the Sun, since even the tiniest error could destroy billions of dollars of irreplaceable equipment.

Despite being a small and seemingly barren world, Mercury is full of interesting features. It’s one of the four rocky (or terrestrial) planets in our solar system, along with Earth, Venus, and Mars. Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and also possesses the most eccentric, or non-circular, orbit of any planet as well: during a Mercurian year of 88 Earth days, the planet orbits between 29 million and 43 million miles from our Sun – a 14-million-mile difference! Surprisingly, Mercury is not the hottest planet in our solar system, despite being closest to the Sun. That honor goes to Venus, courtesy of its thick greenhouse shroud of carbon dioxide. Since Mercury lacks a substantial atmosphere and the insulating properties a layer of thick air brings to a planet, its temperature swings wildly between a daytime temperature of 800 degrees Fahrenheit (427 degrees Celsius) and -290 degrees Fahrenheit (-179 degrees Celsius) at night.

Similar to our Moon, evidence of water ice is present at Mercury’s poles, possibly hiding in the frigid permanent shadows cast inside a few craters. Evidence for ice on Mercury was first detected by radar observations from Earth, and followup observations from NASA’s MESSENGER mission added additional strong evidence for its presence. Mercury sports a comet-like tail made primarily of sodium, which has been photographed by skilled astrophotographers. The tail results from neutral atoms in its thin atmosphere being pushed away from Mercury by pressure from the nearby Sun’s radiation.

NASA’s Mariner 10 was Mercury’s first robotic explorer, flying by three times during 1974 and 1975. Decades later, NASA’s MESSENGER first visited Mercury in 2008, flying by three times before settling into an orbit in 2011. MESSENGER thoroughly studied and mapped the planet before smashing into Mercury at mission’s end in 2015. Since MESSENGER, Mercury was briefly visited by BepiColombo, a joint ESA/JAXA probe, which first flew by in 2021 and is expected to enter orbit in 2025 – after completing six flybys. Need more Mercury in your life? Check out NASA’s discoveries and science about Mercury at solarsystem.nasa.gov/mercury/, and visit the rest of the universe at nasa.gov.

 

 

This article is distributed by NASA’s Night Sky Network (NSN). The NSN program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more!

Park It: Sounds of the Woodlands

By Ned MacKay

Wildlife can be elusive – it’s a survival technique. But even if you can’t see the animals while visiting regional parklands, you can still identify them by the sounds they make. Find out more during “Sonidos En La Naturaleza – Sounds in Nature,” a program from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 7 at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont with naturalist Martha Cerda.

As the title implies, this is one of a series of bilingual programs in English and Spanish. The group will explore and appreciate some of the different and beautiful sounds that are made by wildlife throughout Coyote Hills. Meet at the visitor center.

The program is free and open to all ages. Parental participation is required; registration is not necessary. Coyote Hills Regional Park is located at the end of Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre Parkway. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For information, call (510) 544-3220.

Another recurring program in the park district is Saturday Strolls. The strollers will meet at Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline on Saturday, January 7 for an easy, three-mile walk from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with naturalist Susan Ramos. Participants will see how the former landfill site has been transformed into a park that is a stopover for migrating birds and overwintering butterflies. There are great views of the bay, too.

The hike is free of charge and registration is not necessary. To get to the trailhead from I-880 in San Leandro, exit at Marina Boulevard and drive west. Turn right onto Neptune Drive and park at the end of the street. For information, call (510) 544-3187.

From before the arrival of the bow and arrow, the First Peoples of the East Bay u
sed a device called an atlatl while hunting. You can try your hand at this ancestral skill during a program from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 7 at Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley, with naturalist Anthony Fisher. Personal note: I’ve tried using an atlatl myself during a similar program. I’ll say only that any potential food source would have been safe. Accuracy requires a lot of practice.

Anthony’s program is free of charge and registration is not necessary. Meet at the Environmental Education Center. It’s at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive, accessible via Canon Drive from Grizzly Peak Boulevard in Berkeley. For information, call (510) 544-2233.

Millions of years ago, a shallow sea covered the area that is now Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. To see evidence of this ancient seascape, in the form of sea creature fossils, join naturalist Jaclyn Caldwell on a short, leisurely stroll from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 7. No underground mine tour is included.

Meet Jaclyn in the parking lot at the park offices, on the left just past the park entrance kiosk. The park is on Somersville Road, about 3½ miles south of Highway 4. The program is free; no registration is required. Black Diamond Mines has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is staffed. For information, call (510) 544-2750.

You can help to track the health of the Delta during ongoing water quality testing programs at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. Learn how water quality changes affect the ecosystem. There’s a program from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sunday, January 8 with the Big Break naturalist staff. It’s free and registration is unnecessary.

Big Break Regional Shoreline is located at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street. For information, call (510) 544-3050.

Monarch butterflies have returned to Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont this year in respectable though not extensive numbers.

Monarch butterflies have a complicated life cycle. They undergo an annual migration for thousands of miles north and south; some populations migrate between Canada and Mexico. Individual butterflies complete only part of the full distance.

According to Ardenwood naturalists, the monarchs that overwinter there are part of a western population that doesn’t migrate to Mexico. They come from all over the northwest United States west of the Rockies. They settle in the park’s eucalyptus groves in winter, conserving warmth by overlapping like roof shingles, and occasionally launching into flight.

No formal butterfly programs are planned at Ardenwood this season. However, if you visit the park, stop by the farmyard and the park staff will be glad to direct you to where you may view some of the monarchs. Ardenwood is at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of Highway 84. For information, call (510) 544-2797.

These are just a few of the programs and activities available in the East Bay Regional Parks. For full information, visit www.ebparks.org/things-to-do.

THE ROBOT REPORT

MIT researchers build swarms of assembling robots

By Brianna Wessling

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) have created assembling robots that are made up of the same components they use to build structures, and that can move independently in large numbers to make those structures.

The latest research, published in Nature Communications Engineering, brings the researchers closer to creating a fully autonomous, self-replicating robot assembly system capable of assembling larger structures and planning its construction sequence.

MIT’s CBA has worked for years on similar research, like studies that have demonstrated that objects like a deformable plane wing and a functional racing car can be assembled from small, lightweight, identical pieces. This team’s research builds on that previous work and indicates that these small subunits of robots can be used to accomplish large-scale assemblies quickly.

The system developed by the team includes large, usable structures made from tiny, identical subunits called voxels, which are the volumetric equivalent of a 2D pixel. MIT’s voxels are more complex than the ones used in previous studies, as they can carry both power and data from one unit to the next. The structure is assembled by robots that are also made up of a string of voxels joined end-to-end.

The voxel-robot can grab individual voxels using attachment points on its end. It then travels using inchworm-like movements to a position where it can attach the voxel to the structure and release it. But the robot doesn’t just decide how to build the structure, it can also decide to build more robots to help it build more quickly, or to make itself bigger so that it can travel across the structure faster.

This is where things get complicated for the researchers. While many papers have been published on robot path planning, that research doesn’t take into consideration a robot that could decide to make more robots.

The MIT team working on the research plans to develop stronger connectors for the robots in the future. Right now, the subunits aren’t strong enough to bear heavy loads, something that will be necessary for the many potential use cases they see for the technology. Some of those use cases include building 3D-printed houses and structures for coastal protection against erosion and sea level rise, as well as in the automotive and aviation industries.

The research team included MIT-CBA doctoral student Amira Abdel, Rahman, professor and CBA Director Neil Gershenfeld, MIT-CBA student Benjamin Jenett and Christopher Cameron, a researcher at the U.S. Army Research Lab, among others.

This kind of technology could be particularly helpful in space travel, where they could be sent to other planets to build structures before humans ever arrive. This is the vision of the COLMENA Project, or “hive” in English. This project involves sending a swarm of five self-organized robots, each weighing less than 60 grams and measuring just 12 centimeters in diameter, each equipped with a small solar panel.

The robots will autonomously navigate themselves to achieve electrical connectivity by joining their panels together to make a larger solar panel. The project will demonstrate how feasible it may be to build structures on planetary surfaces with robot swarms. During the miss
ion, the robots will also take the first-ever lunar plasma temperature, electromagnetic and regolith particle size measurements.

The project, led by Dr. Gustavo Medina Tanco from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, is set to launch the five micro-robots to the moon on board the Peregrine Lunar Lander in early 2023.

Brianna Wessling is an Associate Editor, Robotics, WTWH Media. She can be reached at bw*******@wt*******.com

Social Security Matters

By Russell Gloor, National Social Security Advisor, AMAC Foundation

Ask Rusty – Should I Claim Social Security Now?

Dear Rusty: I am 68 years old, born in July 1954. I have the credits necessary to qualify for benefits. The Social Security website says that if I continue to work to age 70 with yearly earnings of $206,000, my monthly benefit would be $4,245. If I stop working now, and start taking benefits in January 2023, my benefit would be $3,778. The number of months between January 2023 and July 2024 is 19. Nineteen months of benefits for that period would be $71,782. It looks like it would take about 17 years to make up the difference between taking the money in January vs. waiting until age 70, which would put me at age 85. I don’t think that I would live much past that age, given my family history. Do you think it wise on my part to begin taking benefits in January 2023, and are my calculations correct? Signed: Trying to Decide

Dear Trying: Well, the difference between your monthly payment at age 70 vs. your benefit amount in January 2023 is $467, so it would take you about 154 months (just under 13 years) to recover that $71,782. But that doesn’t take future cost of living adjustments (COLA) into account. Average annual COLA over the last 20 years was about 2%, and if you factor average future COLA into the equation you would likely break even at about age 81 (if you wait until age 70 to claim). And this is where your life expectancy comes in.

According to Social Security, the average life expectancy for a man your age is 85, which means that if you claim at 70 and enjoy average longevity, you’ll collect that higher benefit for an extra four years. That would mean more than $22,000 in additional benefits over your lifetime. Of course, no one knows how long they will live, but if you’d like to get a more personal estimate of your life expectancy, I suggest you try this tool: www.socialsecurityreport.org/tools/life-expectancy-calculator/. This tool takes your lifestyle and current health status, as well as your family history, into account.

When to claim is always a personal choice, but in your specific circumstances – since you apparently don’t need the money right now and have a family history which suggests longevity – waiting until age 70 to claim could not only give you a substantially higher monthly benefit but also the most in cumulative lifetime benefits. And if you’re married, it will also mean the maximum possible survivor benefit for your wife if you predeceased her because, as your widow, your wife would get the benefit you are receiving at your death instead of her own smaller amount. Thus, when you claim your benefit will also affect your wife’s benefit as your surviving widow. In the end, it’s your personal decision to make, after considering all of the above factors, especially your life expectancy.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ss*******@am************.org.

This is the 24rd edition of Trash Talk, a column devoted to cleaning up our neighborhoods, our environment and our attitudes.

Happy New Year!

I have been addressing the need to clean neighborhoods and protect the environment by recycling and reducing trash for two years now, and feel very good about it. I walk the walk (several times a month), and talk the Trash Talk. The appearance of my neighborhood has improved, along with sanitation and property values. We ALL have to live here, let’s make it as good as we can. There is no Planet B.

It’s a New Year, time for a clean slate and a new start. Can you think of any aspects of your life you’d like to improve? If there is something you’d like to change, now is a great time to start. My current project is learning to play piano. My kids gifted me with an electronic keyboard, and I found some really good software that allows me to connect a laptop, so it can ‘watch’ and get tips as I progress. It’s difficult to set a specific goal, but I can see an improvement in sight-reading already.

Start by pondering what we take for granted. Clean water delivered via indoor plumbing. Reliable electricity at the touch of a switch. A wide variety of foods at nearby markets. Many people don’t even have that. Would you believe most of the world’s population does not even have flush toilets and squat over an open pit?

A 2013 study in Environmental Science & Technology estimates six out of 10 people on planet Earth don’t have access to flush toilets or adequate water-related sanitation.

As recently as the early 1900s, much of the American South was still pooping next to a favorite tree. In fact, it wasn’t until John D. Rockefeller set out to cure the “damned Southerners” of their laziness that outhouses were invented. (radiolab.org) The cause of that “malaise,” was hookworms—tiny, toothy parasitic larvae that hatch out of human feces and crawl around in search of another host’s bare feet. Researchers realized the little buggers could move about a foot a day for four days, so they prescribed outhouses with pits six feet deep. As this simple technology spread, it alleviated iron deficiency anemia, improved health, and boosted school attendance and literacy.

Which brings us back to the rest of the world—4.2 billion people without proper sanitation.
Aside from hookworms, do you know what happens when humans don’t have toilets? Dysentery. Typhoid. Cholera, Hepatitis A, and diarrhea.

This is why the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation held the Reinventing the Toilet Challenge in 2012. The foundation hopes to dramatically improve developing-world sanitation by leapfrogging old technology, similar to the way cellphones are now prevalent in places formerly without so much as a landline. The winning team, from Caltech, built a solar-powered electrochemical reactor toilet. (Caltech.edu) Water and waste gets broken down into fertilizer and hydrogen, the latter of which can be stored in fuel cells as energy. Treated water is recycled for further flushing or irrigation.

The bottom line (yes, pun intended) is that we don’t have it so bad. But couldn’t it also be better? Pick up a paper cup or beer bottle and dispose of it properly. It has to start somewhere, let’s all do our part.

Flavored Tobacco follow up

The Supreme Court has denied a challenge by the tobacco companies who wanted to override Prop. 31 and continue to sell flavored tobacco products in California. Looks like 63% of the voters will get their way. (eastbaytimes.com)

Earthquake Preparedness

As I write this, the radio is reporting on a 6.4 earthquake in Humboldt County. Some houses were shaken off their foundations, which can break gas lines and lead to a fire that does even more damage. Remember the 1906 earthquake and fire? I strongly urge you to add an automatic gas-line shutoff. A quake will cause it to shut off and prevent a fire. You can have a “California Valve” installed to prevent this disaster. Contact Pacific Seismic Products at PSPvalves.com. Some gas valves must be reset by a professional, but this one has a lever so you can do it yourself, a huge time-saver. They cost about $200-$300 – a one-time expense/investment. If your house was built before 1958, consider having it bolted to the foundation so it doesn’t slide off during a shaker.

Quote for today:

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Abraham Lincoln

You can contact me at the email address below, or scan this QR code to generate an email. Your comments and suggestions could be used in future Trash Talk columns. What’s on your mind?

Send comments or questions to Th******************@ou*****.com

Start the new year by joining a plant society

By Daniel O’Donnell

Ever since there were notions of secret societies, people outside of them have been intrigued as to whether they exist, what happens behind closed doors, and what the real goals are. There are books, movies and websites dedicated to exposing them and their nefarious goals. This is not a modern-day phenomenon. Early conspiracy theorists as far back as the early 1300s were spreading rumors about the Knights Templar Society. What secret societies exist and what they get up to may never be known. So, instead of spending time and energy on them, why not join a known society, such as one for individual plants?

Plant societies are organized clubs that promote, educate, and connect like-minded people based on a plant species, plants with a common theme, or a gardening technique. Most plant societies have local chapters, conduct monthly meetings, host events, or participate in county fairs or garden shows to highlight their particular emphasis. The benefit for members is that they can get firsthand knowledge and help from gardeners with the same passion, access expert monthly presentations, and enjoy the company of people with the same hobby.

January is a great time to join a plant society. There is still plenty of time to plant seeds, prune, or purchase a plant for its spring flowers. It is often a great time to re-pot a plant or transfer it into the garden. Early sunsets and cold weather keep people inside longer, giving them more time to work on and enjoy their interior plants. Below are some local plant societies worth investigating:

California Native Plant Society East Bay Chapter (CNPA.org). Membership grants access to local and statewide plant and book sales, participating retail nursery discounts, garden tours, classes and lectures, online articles, field trips, and a subscription to Flora and Artemisia magazine. The membership fee also helps support saving, monitoring, and establishing native plant habitats. The CNPA East Bay Chapter is an all-volunteer organization and sponsors many volunteer workdays for its members.

Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society (BACPS.org). BACPS has monthly meetings that are open and free to the public, as are the many articles on their website from other clubs throughout the world. Members can get access to the BACPS Library and invitations to special propagation programs for only $12 annually. Members can get free plants propagated by other members and guest speakers, raffle tickets for special prizes, and access to a member’s sale table at monthly meetings. Each year the chapter hosts a large carnivorous plant show. Although it’s free to the public, members get a free raffle ticket for show sponsored prizes, first access to club sale plants, and a discount for purchases.

 

Cactus and Succulent Society of San Jose (CSSSJ.org) CSSSJ encourages advanced, novice, and brand-new hobbyists to join. Their mission is to educate people about the benefits of succulents in the garden and their conservation in the wild. Members gain the monthly Cactus Courier newsletter, access to the Society’s extensive library of rare books and journals, entry into the Annual Show and Sale, field trips to local botanical gardens, monthly meetings with guest speakers, and an invitation to their Holiday Banquet and plant auction.

California Rare Fruit Growers Santa Clara Valley Chapter (scvcrfg.woodpress.com). The California Rare Fruit Growers Society, Inc., has 19 chapters in California, with three more in Arizona and Texas. Their mission is to grow delicious, rare, and historic fruit in an environmentally responsible manner. To become a member of the local Santa Clara Chapter, membership in the state Society is required. Both give members access to a plethora of articles on the website and an online question and answer form. Members in the Santa Clara Chapter are granted access to monthly meetings and early entry into an annual Scion Exchange in January.

East Bay Bonsai Society (eastbaybonsai.org). This local Bonsai Club is dedicated to teaching and displaying the living art of Bonsai. Membership privileges include a monthly newsletter, club meetings, workshops, club library, annual
exhibits where members can display their trees, and guidance from experienced Bonsai artists.

East Bay Rose Society (eastbayroses.org). Membership gives access to monthly meetings which include a wide range of rose topics such as pruning, organic disease control, grooming tips, and watering techniques. Training to become a rosarian or ask questions of a rosarian is also a perk of being a member. Seminars, lectures, training events, and rose shows are held in different East Bay locations throughout the year. A monthly newsletter is also included in the membership.

Bromeliad Society of San Francisco (sfbromeliad.org). Bromeliads are popular houseplants and learning how to take care of them at monthly meetings is a great reason to join the Society. Membership includes a monthly newsletter subscription, and online articles such as Hardy Bromeliads for Bay Area Gardens. Members also enjoy Society-sponsored sales at garden shows and Bay Area Bromeliad garden tours.

There are many more plant societies than the ones listed above; all offer great ways to deepen the enjoyment of gardening. The wealth of information gained from likeminded people is well worth the low price of joining!

Daniel O’Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. www.Chrysalis-Gardens.com

Castro Valley Unified School District

December 14, 2022

Consent Agenda:

• Accept donations to the district
• Approve facility use agreement – Alcohol use request for the Castro Valley Center for the Arts – Religious Use Form
• Accept notice of completion for Climatec, LLC for the districtwide Infrastructure Modernization Program.
• Solicit Request for Proposals (RFP) for construction services for the Canyon Middle School fields project.
• Accept California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) grant.
• Approve upcoming District-sponsored overnight field trips.
• Adopt new 2022-2023 course of study outline for Castro Valley High School.
• Approve California State Preschool Program Continued Funding Application for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
• Approve the revised job description for Craft & Operations Theater Technician.
• Adopt revised Board policies.

President Lavender Whitaker             Aye

Michael Kusiak                                   Aye

Dolly Adams                                       Aye

Gary C. Howard                                 Aye

Quentin Hanson                                  Aye

Fremont Unified School District

December 14, 2022

Consent Calendar:

• Approve study trips.
• Approve the 2023-2024 Middle School and High School Course Catalogs.
• Amend the adopted California World History graded 6-8 curriculum to translate the program assessments from English to Spanish.
• Authorize application for Carl Moyer Program school bus replacement grant.
• Amend the agreement with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects for the new construction and modernization project at Thornton Middle School.
• Amend the agreement with Fremont Millwork Company for the modernization project at Rix-Glankler Early Learning Center.
• Amend the agreement with Cal-Pacific General Contractor for construction services for the modernization of Rix-Glankler Early Learning Center Project.
• Authorize an agreement with Colorado Time Systems for the American High School Scoreboard.
• Authorize an agreement with Colbi Technologies, Inc. for Quality Bidders Software Services.
• Approve Middle School Transfer Timeline and priority MOU for Centerville, Hopkins and Thornton Middle School.
• Approve MOU between FUSD & FUDTA for Resource Specialist Program (RSP) teachers.
• Approve waiver to exceed caseload maximum for RSP teachers.

President Vivek Prasad           Aye

Dianne Jones                           Aye

Rachel Zhang                          Aye

Larry Sweeney                        Aye

Fremont City Council

December 20, 2022

Consent Calendar:

• Approve Amend the Military Equipment Use Policy for the purchase of additional UAS and PepperBall VKS launchers and clarifying the use of UAS in partnership with the Fire Department.
• Authorize a 3-year grant application with the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) for the After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program and authorize an additional agreement with FUSD for the Extended Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP).
• Authorize the Facilities Maintenance Agreement with California SkateParks.
• Authorize agreements to provide housing transition, navigation, tenancy and sustaining services.

Mayor Lily Mei                      Aye

Vice Mayor Teresa Keng       Nay

Teresa Cox                              Nay

Raj Salwan                              Aye

Yang Shao                              Aye

Jenny Kassan                          Nay

Desrie Campbell                     Aye

Jury duty travel bill goes into effect

Submitted by Charlsie Chang

People who serve as jurors and pay to use public transportation to attend court proceedings will be reimbursed under a bill by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-José) that went into effect Jan. 1.

AB 1981 allows jurors to be reimbursed for using public transportation and creates a two-year pilot program to study whether increases in juror compensation and travel reimbursement result in increases in juror diversity and overall participation. The pilot program includes six geographically diverse counties including Alameda County.

By allowing jurors to be reimbursed, jurors are given more options as well as an incentive to take public transit, which will encourage greener ways to travel, and expand access to Californians without cars to fulfill their civic duties.

Another bill by Lee that just went into effect — AB 2949 — exempts vehicles registered to a U.S. military veteran and displaying a specified veteran’s license plate from payment of a toll on a toll bridge, toll highway, or any other toll facility. AB 2949 provides this benefit to veterans who display one of the following license plates: Disabled Veteran, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Former Prisoner of War, Congressional Medal of Honor, or Purple Heart Recipient.

These toll bridges include the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay, San Mateo-Hayward, and Golden Gate bridges. The benefit does not apply to Express Lanes or High Occupancy Vehicles toll lanes.

Lee represents the 24th Assembly District which includes the cities of Fremont, Newark, Milpitas, San Jose, and the community of Sunol. More information is available on his website at https://a24.asmdc.org/.

Milpitas City Council

December 20, 2022

Municipal Election:

• November 8 election results were certified.
• Carmen Montano was elected the first woman Mayor of Milpitas.
• Gary Barbadillo and Hon Lien were elected as Councilmembers.
• Evelyn Chua was unanimously elected by the City Council to serve as Vice Mayor for a term of one year.

Public Forum:

• Many speakers asked the City Council to ensure Sunnyhills Apartments continues to remain an affordable housing complex.

Consent Calendar:

• Authorize an Encroachment and Maintenance Agreement with Milpitas – District 4 Owner, LLC, for the perpetual maintenance and operation of private sidewalk lighting improvements within the city right-of-way located at 150 Market Street.
• Accept the annual Development Impact Fee disclosure information for the Calaveras Blvd Widening Traffic Impact Fee, Transit Area Specific Plan Impact Fee and Storm Drain Fee for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022.
• Authorize a purchase order for five police vehicles from the National Auto Fleet Group through a Cooperative Procurement Contract with Sourcewell.
• Authorize the five-year agreement with SmartCovers Systems for alert system services related to the deployment of SmartLevel Sewer Monitoring System units.
• Accept a $224,543 California State Parks grant for Sunnyhills Albert Augustine Jr. Memorial Park.

Mayor Carmen Montano                    Aye

Evelyn Chua                                       Aye

Gary Barbadillo                                  Aye

Hon Lien                                             Aye

Anthony Phan                                     Aye

Ohlone College Board of Trustees

December 14, 2022

Consent Agenda:

• Approval of personnel actions.
• Approval of Ohlone Representative to the Southern Alameda County Adult Education Consortium.
• Trustee Compensation.
• CCCT Board Report
• Archival and Destruction of Records.
• New, revised and deactivated credit courses and programs for 2023-2024.
• Approval of Student Health fee increase.
• FY 2023-2024 Budget Planning Calendar.
• Building 5 renovation – D.L. Falk Construction, Inc.
• Ratification of contracts.
• Approval of New Bond Measure Oversight Committee member.
• Approval of side letter between California School Employees Association and Ohlone Community College District: clarifying language related to calculating longevity pay.
• Approval of side letter between Service Employees International Union and Ohlone Community College District clarifying language related to calculating longevity pay.

 

 

Chair Suzanne Chan   Aye

Lance Kwan                Aye

Rakesh Sharma           Aye

Greg Bonaccorsi         Aye

Richard Watters          Aye

Elisa Martinez             Aye

Betty Ho                     Aye

Santa Clara Valley Water District

Board of Directors Meeting

December 13, 2022

Consent Calendar:

• Approve the membership nomination for new two-year term committee re-appointment to the Agricultural Water Advisory Committee.
• Approve the Board of Directors’ Quarterly Expense Report for the

quarter ending September 30, 2022.

• Authorize a State of California grant application for up to $14.9 million for the Coyote Percolation Dam Replacement Project.
• Accept the CEO Bulletin for the Weeks of November 18 – December 8, 2022.

P
resident Richard Santos        Aye

John Varela                             Aye

Barbara Keegan                      Aye

Jim Beall                                 Aye

Nai Hsueh                               Aye

Tony Estremera                      Aye

Rebecca Eisenberg                 Aye

Union City City Council

December 13, 2022

 

Consent Calendar:

• Amend the consulting services agreement with Swinerton Management & Consulting for inspection services.
• Amend the consulting services agreement with Rail Surveyors and Engineers, Inc. (RSE) to provide engineering services for the Pedestrian At-Grade Crossing Project.
• Authorize an application for CalRecycle Beverage Container Recycling Payment Program.
• Authorize the transfer of $162,820 from the Kennedy Parking Lot Rehabilitation Project to the Old Alvarado/Cesar Chavez Parks Improvement Project.
• Extend the Union City Transit Fixed-Route and Demand Response operations and maintenance agreement with MV Transportation for an additional three months through March 31, 2023.
• Amend the Post-Retirement Employment Agreement with retired annuitant Lola Tapia.
• Amend the city’s Classification and Compensation Plan for multiple unrepresented seasonal and temporary positions.
• Authorize remote teleconferenced meetings of the legislative bodies of the city of Union City for the 30-day period beginning December 13.

Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci               Aye

Scott Sakakihara                                 Aye

Gary Singh                                          Aye

Jeff Wang                                           Aye

Jaime Patiño                                       Aye

Alameda County Fire Log

Submitted by AC Fire District

Tuesday, December 27

• Day shift firefighters responded to a call about a person trapped inside a commercial hopper in Newark. It took crews about an hour to safely get the person out of the four-story hopper that was filled with gypsum power.

• At 10:07 a.m. day shift crews from ACFD Engine 12 and FALCK responded to a report about a woman in labor in San Leandro. Crews assisted with delivering the girl at the scene. The baby and mother were healthy and were taken to a nearby hospital.

BART Police Log

Submitted by BART PD and Les Mensinger

Saturday, December 24

• At 9:44 p.m. a man identified by police as Dylan Dudevorie, 30, of San Francisco was arrested at South Hayward station on suspicion of robbery. He was issued a prohibition order and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Sunday, December 25

• At 7:36 p.m. officers and medical personnel responded to a report about an unresponsive male at a bus stop near South Hayward station. The male was given life-saving measures, but died at the scene. Police don’t believe there was foul play; an investigation is continuing.

Monday, December 26

• At 6:39 p.m. a man identified by police as Robert Freeman, 52, of Oakland, was arrested at Hayward station on suspicion of violating a court order and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• At 7:44 p.m. a man identified by police as Troy Rounsaville, 34, of Oakley, was stopped at Milpitas station on suspicion of fare evasion and possession of drug paraphernalia. A record check showed a warrant. He was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Tuesday, December 27

• At 8:17 p.m. a man identified by police as Daniel Alexander Martinez-Sanchez, 23, of San Francisco was arrested at Milpitas station on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Wednesday, December 28

• At 12:52 a.m. officers responded to a report about a male suffering from an apparent drug overdose at Bay Fair station in San Leandro. Officers gave him three doses of NARCAN and provided CPR until medical personnel arrived. The male died at the scene. No foul play was suspected; an investigation is continuing.

• At 10:10 p.m. officers took into custody two male juveniles, ages 16 and 15, at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of an assault weapon. Both were to be booked into Alameda County Juvenile Hall.

Thursday, December 29

• At 7:18 a.m. officers found an unresponsive male on a train as it arrived on the platform at Milpitas station. Four doses of NARCAN were given to the man, who was then taken by medics to Valley Regional Medical Center.

• At 5:06 p.m. a man identified by police as Kevin Adams, 48, of San Francisco was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Late night shooting leaves man dead in Castro Valley

Submitted by Lt. Ray Kelly, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

Detectives from Alameda County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the fatal shooting of a man on December 26 in Castro Valley.

The incident started about 10:15 p.m. when deputies responded to a report about an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wound in the area of Knox and N. Sixth streets. Life saving measures were attempted by emergency medical personnel, but the man died at the scene.

Detectives and crime lab personnel arrived and collected evidence, including several dozen expended shell casings. Sheriff’s Office officials said it appeared the man was the intended target of the shooting. Detectives are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or has video of it to call ACSO at (510) 667-7721.

Hayward Police Log

Submitted by Hayward PD

Sunday, December 18

• At 10:00 p.m. five unknown people entered a business near the 300 block of W. Tennyson Road and forcibly took property before fleeing the scene on foot. The case is being investigated as a robbery.

Monday, December 19

• At 2:00 a.m. officers made a traffic stop near the intersection of Jackson and Watkins streets for an equipment violation. A record check showed the vehicle registration was expired and it was towed. While searching the vehicle, officers found a loaded firearm, suspected narcotics, and other narcotics sales contraband. The driver was taken into custody.

• At 12:25 a.m. patrol officers near the area of Austin and Huntwood avenues spotted what appeared to be a man breaking into vehicles. They contacted the man and found he had a loaded firearm in his clothing. The man was taken into custody.

Thursday, December 22

• At 1:09 p.m. officers located an occupied stolen vehicle near the 24000 block of Groom St. and made a vehicle stop; the driver was taken into custody.

Looking for a job? Protective services might be a good fit

By Rob Klindt

For many people, a new year means setting new goals and searching for new opportunities. A new part-time job or full-time career in police or fire protection services could be just the right fit. Right now, numerous agencies in the Tri-City area and beyond are searching for new employees to join their ranks.

In addition to police officers and firefighters, agencies often have other jobs available including dispatchers, auto mechanics, investigators, school crossing guards, technicians, warehouse workers and even animal care attendants.

Here is a roundup up positions often available at area agencies. Call or visit their websites for specific openings:

• Alameda County Fire Department

Firefighters, fire department mechanic II, fire public affairs manager. Various locations.

https://fire.acgov.org

• Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

Division commander (promotional), accounting specialist, emergency services dispatchers, chief forensic pathologist, sheriff’s technicians, safety aide, deputy sheriff II (lateral) and deputy sheriff’s recruit. Various locations.

www.joinacso.com/home-recruiting

• BART Police Department

(510) 464-7681

Entry-level, lateral and academy graduate police officers, community services officer, crisis intervention specialist. Various locations.

www.bart.gov/about/police/employment

• California Highway Patrol

(707) 917-4530

Public safety dispatcher, public safety operator, officer, auto technician, warehouse worker. Various locations.

CHPbethevoice.com

• Fremont Fire Department

3300 Capitol Ave., Building A, Fremont

(510) 494-4200

Firefighters, hazardous materials inspector, fire prevention inspector.

https://www.fremont.gov/government/departments/fire/

www.fremont.gov/cityjobs

• Fremont Police Department

2000 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 790-6800

Police officers (entry-level, academy graduate, lateral), police communications dispatchers (entry-level and lateral), animal services officer, police records specialist.

Fremont.gov/cityjobs

Jobs.fremontpolice.gov

• Hayward Police Department

300 W. Winton Ave., Hayward

(510) 293-7000

Police officer trainees, lateral and reserve, animal care attendants, communications operators (dispatchers), community service officers.

Hayward-ca.gov/police-department

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/haywardca

• Milpitas Police Department

1275 N. Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas

(408) 586-2400

Police officers (entry-level, academy graduate, lateral), adult crossing guard (temporary/seasonal), communication dispatchers, crime analyst.

ci.milpitas.ca.gov/milpitas/departments/police

www.milpitas.gov/milpitas/departments/about-human-resources-2/38914-2/

• Newark Police Department

37077 Newark Blvd., Newark

(510) 578-4237

Police officers (trainees, academy graduate, lateral).

www.joinnpdca.com

www.calopps.org/city-of-newark

• San Leandro Police Department

901 E. 14th St., San Leandro

(510) 577-2740

Police officers (academy graduate, lateral), public safety dispatchers (entry-level, lateral), police recruit trainees.

www.WearOurBlue.org

www.sanleandro.org/157/Police

• Union City Police Department

34009 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City

(510) 471-1365

Police officers (trainee, recruit II, academy graduate, lateral).

www.joinunioncitypd.com

unioncity.org/197/Police

Additionally, there are opportunities in the Police Explorer Program for young people ages 14 to 19 in various police departments in the Tri-City area and beyond. For informat
ion, contact the agency in your city.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Legislation is needed

An open letter to California state legislators: As you know, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) allows the importation of live turtles (i.e., spiny softshell and red-eared sliders) and bullfrogs into California for the live food market. So far in 2022, CDFW has issued 17 Standard Importation permits for bullfrogs for a total of approximately 400,000 bullfrogs, and 37 Long-term Importation permits for turtles for approximately 32,000 turtles.

Standard Importation Permits are valid for one shipment. Long-term Importation permits are valid for 30 days with an unlimited number of shipments allowed during the 30-day permit period. As such, the number of live turtles imported into California in 2022 could range from 32,000 if each permittee imported only once during the permit period, to 128,000 if each permittee imported four times during the permit period. It is likely that the actual number of turtles imported annually lies somewhere in the middle.

As noted, the problems are three-fold: environmental protection, public health, animal cruelty. Animals — both wild and domestic — are crammed in with the human population, a recipe for disaster. These markets are found throughout California: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento and elsewhere. Local health departments should be all over this, as should all environmental groups. To my knowledge, only the Center for Biological Diversity has aggressively addressed this matter.

The CDFW (Chuck Bonham, Director) continues to issue the import permits for the frogs and turtles, despite major opposition, having received more than 3,000 letters and emails since the mid-1990s demanding that the permits cease: environmental and sporting organizations, the California Game Warden’s Association, various animal welfare organizations and the general public. The late S.F. Superior Court Judge William Newsom (the governor’s father) submitted a letter; former Resources Secretary Huey Johnson wrote twice. And our State Fish & Game Commission has twice voted unanimously (5:0) to stop the permits. It has all fallen on deaf ears in the CDFW, and this illicit, brutal and dangerous trade continues.

Legislation is clearly in order, and long overdue. And perhaps a lawsuit or two.

Some three dozen necropsies on the market frogs and turtles since the mid-1990s have documented that all are diseased and/or parasitized, with cases of E. coli, salmonella and Pasteurella (all potentially fatal in humans), plus cases of giardia, blood parasites, even one case of malaria. Again, it is illegal to import and/or sell such products for human consumption, yet this illicit and dangerous commerce continues.

The majority of the bullfrogs (62% in one study) test positive for a lethal chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd), responsible for the extinctions of more than 200 amphibian species worldwide in recent years. The bullfrogs do not succumb to the fungus, but they certainly do disperse it, endangering other species. The market animals are routinely bought en masse by “do-gooders” and certain religious sects, who illegally release the non-natives into local waters where they prey upon and displace our native species, while spreading all sorts of diseases and parasites, including Bd.

Again, an author is needed for legislation to stop this brutal and dangerous commerce. You? Any responses would be appreciated. Thank you for your consideration.

Eric Mills, coordinator

ACTION FOR ANIMALS

Oakland

Holiday sales up 7.6% despite the squeeze of inflation

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP), Dec. 26 — Holiday sales rose this year as American spending remained resilient during the critical shopping season despite surging prices on everything from food to rent, according to one measure.

Holiday sales rose 7.6%, a slower pace than the 8.5% increase from a year earlier when shoppers began spending the money they had saved during the early part of the pandemic, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards.

Mastercard SpendingPulse had expected a 7.1% increase. The data released Dec. 26 excludes the automotive industry and is not adjusted for inflation, which has eased somewhat but remains painfully high. U.S. sales between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, a period that is critical for retailers, were fueled by spending at restaurants and on clothing.

By category, clothing rose 4.4%, while jewelry and electronics dipped roughly 5%. Online sales jumped 10.6% from a year ago and in-person spending rose 6.8%. Department stores registered a modest 1% increase over 2021.

“This holiday retail season looked different than years past,” Steve Sadove, the former CEO and chairman at Saks and a senior advisor for Mastercard, said in a prepared statement. “Retailers discounted heavily, but consumers diversified their holiday spending to accommodate rising prices and an appetite for experiences and festive gatherings post-pandemic.”

Some of the increase reflected the impact of higher prices across the board. Consumer spending accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. economic activity, and Americans have remained resilient ever since inflation first spiked almost 18 months ago. Cracks have begun to show, however, as higher prices for basic necessities take up an increasingly large share of everyone’s take-home pay.

Inflation has retreated from the four-decade high it reached this summer, but it’s still sapping the spending power of consumers. Prices rose 7.1% in November from a year ago, down from a peak of 9.1% in June.

Overall spending has slowed from the pandemic-infused splurges and shifted increasingly toward necessities like food, while spending on electronics, furniture, new clothes and other non-necessities has faded. Many shoppers been trading down to private label goods, which are typically less expensive than national brands. They’ve been going to cheaper stores like dollar chains and big box stores like Walmart.

Consumers also waited for deals. Stores expected more procrastinators to hit stores in the last few days before Christmas compared with a year ago when people began shopping earlier due to a global disruption of the supply chain that created thousands of product shortages. “Consumers are trying to spread out their budget, and they are evaluating and shopping at different stores,” said Katie Thompson, the lead of consulta
ncy Kearney’s Consumer Institute.

In November, shoppers cut back sharply on retail spending compared with the previous month. Retail sales fell 0.6% from October to November after a sharp 1.3% rise the previous month, the government said in mid-December. Sales fell at furniture, electronics, and home and garden stores.

A broader picture of how Americans spent their money arrives in January when the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, comes out with its combined two-month results based on November-December sales figures from the Commerce Department.

The trade group expects holiday sales growth will slow to a range of 6% to 8%, compared with the blistering 13.5% growth of a year ago. Analysts will also be dissecting fourth-quarter financial results from major retailers in February.

Rocky ride: Tesla stock on pace for worst year ever

By Alex Veiga

Associated Press Business Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP), Dec. 28 — Owning Tesla stock this year has been anything but a smooth ride for investors.

Shares in the electric vehicle maker are down nearly 70% since the start of the year, on pace to finish in the bottom five biggest decliners among S&P 500 stocks. By comparison, the benchmark index is down about 20%.

While Tesla has continued to grow its profits, signs of softening demand and heightened competition have investors increasingly worried. And then there’s CEO Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. Some of Musk’s actions since taking over the social media company, including doing away with a content moderation structure created to address hate speech and other problems on the platform, have unnerved Twitter’s advertisers and turned off some users.

That’s stoked concerns on Wall Street that Twitter is taking too much of the billionaire’s attention, and possibly offending loyal Tesla customers.

Musk’s acquisition of Twitter opened up a political firestorm and has caused Musk and Tesla’s brand to deteriorate, leading to a “complete debacle for the stock,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a research note last week. Musk has said that he plans to remain as Twitter’s CEO until he can find someone willing to replace him in the job.

Despite Musk’s focus on Twitter, Tesla’s results have been solid this year. The Austin, Texas, company posted year-over-year profit and revenue growth through the first three quarters of 2022, including more than doubling its third-quarter profit from a year earlier.

Still, electric vehicle models from other automakers are starting to chip away at Tesla’s dominance of the U.S. EV market. From 2018 through 2020, Tesla had about 80% of the EV market. Its share dropped to 71% in 2021 and has continued to decline, according to data from S&P Global Mobility.

This month, in a rare move, Tesla began offering discounts through the end of the year on its two top-selling models, a sign that demand is slowing for its electric vehicles. Ives predicts that Tesla will likely miss Wall Street’s estimates when the company reports its fourth-quarter results, citing higher inventory levels, the recent price cuts and overall production slowdowns in China. He also expects a “softer trajectory for 2023.”

“The reality is that after a Cinderella story demand environment since 2018, Tesla is facing some serious macro and company specific EV competitive headwinds into 2023 that are starting to emerge both in the U.S. and China,” Ives wrote.

Still, Ives is optimistic that Tesla’s long-term prospects remain solid as the global market for electric vehicles grows — and Musk refocuses on Tesla. “However, any further Musk strategic missteps will be carefully scrutinized by the Street and further weigh on shares,” he wrote.

India Community Center Table Tennis sets record

Submitted by ICC Table Tennis

India Community Center (ICC) Table Tennis Center has made a new record. At the US Open Table Tennis Championship in Ontario, California the ICC Table Tennis team of Milpitas had 41 players earn a medal at the tournament. This included seven golds, 11 silvers and 23 bronze medals. The seven gold medalists include Ria Jain, Tian Ye, Kenneth Pinili, Dan Liu, Om Narvekar, U1900 and U1700, and Xin Li. ICC alumni also collected medals at the US Open. 10 gold, 10 silver and four bronze.

Silver Sticks Champions

Submitted by Robert Boucher

Congratulations to the Blackhawks 12U-BB team for their recent Championship win at Silver Sticks the Pacific Region tournament! The team went 4-0 in round-robin play, beating the Sharks, Blue Devils, Jr. Monsters and Black Stars with a combined score of 19-3.

In the final game, the Hawks faced off against the also-undefeated Oakland Bears, outshot them 24-15, and secured the championship when Esaiah Amezquita scored a power play goal with 3.6 seconds left in the game.

Keller Thurston racked up six goals and two assists in the tournament, and 13 other players had points. Goalie Bailey Watson earned three shutouts and finished with a .958 SV% after facing 71 shots.

Bats plunge to ground in cold; saved by incubators, fluids

Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP), Dec. 28 — Hundreds of bats lost their grip and plunged to the pavement underneath a bridge in Houston after going into hypothermic shock during the city’s recent cold snap, according to wildlife rescuers who saved them by administering fluids and keeping them warm in incubators.

The Mexican free-tailed bats that roost at Houston’s Waugh Bridge went into shock when temperatures plunged below freezing in mid-December, the Houston Humane Society said in a Facebook video.

The society’s Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center rescued hundreds of bats from beneath the bridge, along with another group of bats elsewhere in the Houston area that also went into hypothermic shock, said center director Mary Warwick. She said some were recuperating in dog kennels in the attic of her home. Nearly 700 of the estimated 1,500 rescued bats were set to be released back into the wild Dec. 28, she said.

The humane society is now working to raise money for facility upgrades that w
ould include a bat room, Warwick added. “That would really help in these situations where we continue to see these strange weather patterns come through,” she said. “We could really use more space to rehabilitate the bats.”

Christmas tree recycling is a good alternative to landfills

By John Raby

Associated Press

Taking down the Christmas tree is only one task after the holiday season. For those with a real tree, figuring out what to do with it can be as easy as placing it by the curb. In most states, it can be the gift that keeps on giving.

Discarded Christmas trees can be picked up curbside for recycling through regular trash-collection services in various cities. The trees are often shredded for use as compost or mulch that is offered back to residents and non-profit groups free of charge for gardening and landscaping.

In many states, natural resources workers collect whole trees at predetermined drop-off points to be placed in lakes and waterways as fish habitat. In parts of Louisiana, for example, Christmas trees are used to shore up coastal areas hit by erosion and to rebuild wetlands. In Jefferson Parish alone, about 5,000 trees are collected each year for such efforts.

Some zoos, including petting zoos, accept chemical and ornament-free Christmas trees to feed to some animals, such as goats, pigs and elephants, and for sensory and entertainment purposes for others, like kangaroos, lions, camels and rhinos.

Or, there’s no place like home. Discarded trees can get their final resting place in a corner of the backyard as a shelter and feeding area for birds. Be sure to remove the ornaments, lights and tinsel. Placing a tarp around the tree before taking it back outside will spare frustration in having to vacuum up the pine needles afterward.

Some websites offer a way to search for local tree recycling programs. Home Depot stores in select areas also hold tree collection events. But don’t wait too long after Christmas because dried-out trees can be fire hazards. It’s also dangerous to try to use a fireplace or wood stove to burn parts of the tree because the oils in them could cause chimney fires.

Perhaps the worst place to send discarded live Christmas trees is a landfill because materials buried there break down into the greenhouse gas methane, considered more harmful than carbon dioxide.

Staff gives governor flamethrower for Christmas

Associated Press

PIERRE, S.D. (AP), Dec. 27 — Gov. Kristi Noem got a hot Christmas gift from her staff — literally.

Noem’s staff gave her a Pulsefire LRT flamethrower with an engraved plate of the South Dakota state motto “Under God, the people rule,” the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported Dec. 27.

A video posted to Twitter shows Noem, decked out in camouflage, using the flamethrower to torch a pile of cardboard boxes on a snowy farm. She shoots a final spray of flames into the boxes, raises her arm with a flourish and says “Boom, perfect.”

According to Tennessee-based ammunitions company MidSouth Shooters, a Pulsefire LRT costs about $650. Noem spokesperson Ian Fury said no tax dollars went toward the purchase. The gift comes after a photo on Twitter showing Noem holding a flamethrower with the caption, “Is it too late to add something to my Christmas list?” went viral in 2020.

Some critics on social media have complained that while Noem was burning the boxes, media reports surfaced that thousands of American Indians on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations were trapped without heat during a fierce winter storm. Pine Ridge citizens had to burn clothes after propane deliveries stopped and there was no firewood. At least one person, a 12-year-old Rosebud Sioux girl, died, because she was unable to receive medical treatment.

Fury noted that the state Department of Public Safety cleared roads on both reservations, coordinated transport for dozens of dialysis patients to Rapid City, helped stranded drivers and delivered food, firewood and propane to communities. Noem also declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to deliver firewood to the Rosebud and Oglala Sioux tribes.

Bill forcing feds to fix prison cameras is signed into law

By Michael R. Sisak

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP), Dec. 27 — President Joe Biden signed into law Dec. 27 a bill requiring the federal Bureau of Prisons to overhaul outdated security systems and fix broken surveillance cameras after rampant staff sexual abuse, inmate escapes and high-profile deaths.

The bipartisan Prison Camera Reform Act, which passed the Senate last year and the House on Dec. 14, requires the Bureau of Prisons to evaluate and enhance security camera, radio and public address systems at its 122 facilities.

The agency must submit a report to Congress within three months detailing deficiencies and a plan to make needed upgrades. Those upgrades are required within three years and the bureau must submit annual progress reports to lawmakers.

Failing and inadequate security cameras have allowed inmates to escape from federal prisons and hampered investigations. They’ve been an issue in inmate deaths, including that of financier Jeffrey Epstein at a federal jail in New York City in 2019.

The Justice Department’s internal watchdog found that deficiencies with security cameras have compromised investigations into staff misconduct, the introduction of contraband, civil rights violations and inmate deaths. In March, The Associated Press reported that a lack of security cameras in critical areas contributed to widespread staff sexual abuse of inmates at a federal women’s prison in Dublin, California.

“Broken prison camera systems are enabling corruption, misconduct, and abuse,” said the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga. “That’s why I brought Republicans and Democrats together to pass my Prison Camera Reform Act, which is now law.”

Think those bags are recyclable? California says think again

By Don Thompson

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Dec. 29 — Since California adopted the nation’s first ban on single-use plastic shopping
bags in 2014, most grocery stores have turned to thicker, reusable plastic bags that are supposed to be recyclable.

But Attorney General Rob Bonta is now investigating whether the bags are truly recyclable as required by law. “We’ve all been to the store and forgotten to bring our reusable bags,” Bonta said recently. “At least the plastic bags we buy at the register for 10 cents have those ‘chasing arrows’ that say they are 100% recyclable, right? Perhaps wrong.”

Bonta asked six bag manufacturers to back up their claims that the bags can be recycled and threatened legal action that could include banning the bags temporarily or issuing multimillion-dollar fines. His office declined to say in late December how many of the companies responded, citing an ongoing investigation. The American Chemistry Council, a plastics industry group, said that manufacturers disagree with Bonta’s characterization.

Other states, including New York, New Jersey and Oregon, have followed California in banning single-use plastic bags. Beyond California, only a handful of states require that stores take back plastic bags for recycling, with Maine first adopting such a law in 1991, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Policy experts and advocates estimate that just 6% of plastics are recycled in the United States, with the remaining burned, trashed or littered. More plastic bags ended up in California landfills in 2021 compared with 2018, according to data from the state’s recycling department.

Californians Against Waste Executive Director Mark Murray in part blames pandemic policies. Consumers are supposed to be able to return their plastic bags to grocery stores and other retailers. But many removed their bag recycling bins during the early days of the pandemic, fearing contamination.

For the system to work, retailers must collect the bags and sell them back to manufacturers for use in making new bags that must include 40% recycled content and be reusable at least 125 times. Murray suspects that most are reused once to hold other trash. “That’s not meeting the standard and it may be time to phase these bags out,” he said.

The California Retailers Association declined comment because it said each retailer has its own policy, and the California Grocers Association did not respond to a request for comment.

As of now, makers of the bags get to self-certify to the state that their bags can be recycled. But Bonta said that requires a comprehensive system to collect, process and sell the used bags, none of which exist. Putting the bags in most curbside recycling bins interferes with recycling other products by clogging equipment and increasing the risk of worker injury, he said.

Plastic bags and similar products are “a top form of contamination in curbside recycling bins,” California’s Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling wrote in a 2021 report.

Bonta asked six manufacturers — Novolex, Revolution, Inteplast, Advance Polybag, Metro Polybag and Papier-Mettler — to prove their bags can be recycled in California. His office hasn’t said if they all responded, citing an “active and ongoing investigation.”

Revolution Chief Executive Sean Whiteley said the company has been recycling more than 300 million pounds of plastic material annually for decades and is “confident in our own sustainability and compliance record.” He noted lawmakers publicly introduced the single-use bag ban legislation in 2014 at one of the company’s Southern California subsidiaries. “At our core, we are an environmental recycling company that also makes sustainable plastic solutions,” Whiteley said in a statement.

Novolex said it is “committed to complying with all state laws and regulations.” The company responded to Bonta’s request but declined to share its full response with The Associated Press, a spokesman said. Novolex’s bags have been certified as eligible for recycling by an independent laboratory and, therefore, must be marked that way, the company said in a statement.

The other four companies did not respond to multiple emailed requests.

Manufacturers are “aggressively working so that all plastic packaging that is manufactured is remade into new plastics,” said Joshua Baca, vice president of plastics at the American Chemistry Council.

It’s not Bonta’s first plastics-related clash with industry. In 2022 he subpoenaed ExxonMobil as part of what he called a first-of-its-kind broader investigation into the petroleum industry and the proliferation of plastic waste.

Judge temporarily blocks California fast food wages law

AP Wire Service

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Dec 30 – A judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state of California from implementing a landmark new law aimed at raising wages and improving working conditions for fast food workers.

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Shelleyanne Chang’s order came in response to a lawsuit by restaurant industry groups that are seeking a referendum on the November 2024 ballot in a bid to overturn the law.

The law establishes a 10-member council empowered to set minimum wages as well as standards for hours and working conditions for California’s fast food workers.

State and county elections officials are still verifying whether the referendum proposal received enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, a determination expected by the end of January. If that happens, the law would be halted from taking effect until voters weigh in.

In the meantime, the state Department of Industrial Relations said it plans to begin implementing the law on Sunday. That could include clearing the way for appointments to the Fast Food Council. But any wage increases or other changes couldn’t take effect until at least October, meaning the law would have no immediate impact on worker pay.

The International Franchise Association and the National Restaurant Association said state law requires the state to sit tight until the status of the referendum is determined. The industry groups submitted more than 1 million signatures from voters in support of the referendum, well above the roughly 620,000 required by state law.

“California bureaucrats, at the behest of special interests, are taking an unprecedented step to violate their Constitution and the will of more than one million voters who asked for the Fast Food Council to be stopped via the referendum process,” Matt Haller, chief executive officer and president of the International Franchise Association, said in a stat
ement.

The Service Employees International Union, which drove support for the creation of the council, blasted the lawsuit and several companies by name, including McDonald’s, Chipotle and Starbucks.

“This cowardly tactic comes right out of the corporate playbook Californians have, unfortunately, come to know too well,“ said Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California, in a statement.

“When corporations fail to halt progressive legislation in the legislature, they pivot to bankrolling ballot measures in an attempt to circumvent democracy and the will of the people,“ she added.

If the signature drive doesn’t qualify for a referendum and the law moves forward, fast food wages could be raised as high as $22 an hour by the end of 2023. California’s minimum wage for all workers is set to rise to $15.50 an hour starting Sunday.

Chang, the judge, scheduled a hearing on the matter for Jan. 13. She also wrote that restaurant groups have failed to prove they properly served the state with the lawsuit, and she ordered them to do so.

About 100 people attended a Kwanzaa celebration Saturday, December 31, at NewPark Mall in Newark. Sponsored by the Afro-American Cultural & Historical Society Tri-City & Hayward, the celebration recognizes universal values of family, community and African culture. Kwanzaa is held annually from December 26 through January 1.

Rob Klindt

Newark Memorial Varsity takes Consolation Trophy, Cougars JVs finish third

Submitted by Darryl Reina

The 35th Annual Newark Optimist Club – Newark Memorial Girls Holiday Basketball Classic was a huge success as 16-teams from throughout the Bay Area participated in the three-day event at the Newark Memorial Event Center.

Congratulations to San Leandro High School on winning the Varsity Division Championship, and to Lowell High School of San Francisco taking home the Junior Varsity Division first-place trophy.

Senior point guard Tali Fa’i scored 20-points in the Cougars 52-34 win over Foothill High School of Pleasanton in the Varsity Division.  In the Third Place JV game, freshman Aaliyah Tai scored the game-winning free-throw with just 10-seconds left in the game, to give the Cougars an exciting 31-30 win over the Irvington JV Vikings.

Tali Fa’i was named to the Varsity All-Tournament Team, while Deysi Montiel was recognized for her outstanding play, and was selected to the JV All-Tournament Team.

Oakland Zoo Announces Extended Closure Due to Sinkhole Damage

Submitted by Erin Harrison

Oakland Zoo is closed and will be unable to reopen until January 17^th, or possibly later, due to a major sinkhole caused by a collapsed culvert located under the vehicle entrance to the Zoo at Golf Links Road. The culvert, overburdened by the historic and unprecedented amount of rainfall throughout the region over the past few days, serves as a connection for Arroyo Viejo Creek and runs beneath the entry road to the Zoo. The sinkhole,  approximately 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep, is impassable to vehicles, prohibiting guests from entering the Zoo.

Engineers called to the site yesterday say that with additional rain expected in the next several days, the sinkhole could worsen. Zoo officials are working with a local company specializing in engineering, design, and construction to repair the sinkhole as soon as possible, and advised it may take an estimated two weeks or more for materials to arrive and the work to be completed.

In other areas of the Zoo yesterday, the volume and velocity of the water flowing across the Zoo grounds caused incredible soil erosion, eucalyptus trees to fall, flooding in various buildings, and overwhelmed drainage systems. Electricity went out at times and affected our internet and ticketing systems.

All animals and staff are fine and remained safe during the extreme weather. While closed, Zoo staff will continue to be onsite to take care of the animals, provide maintenance needs, and conduct clean-ups from damage caused by the rain.

Guests with reservations, at any time until January 17th,  to visit the Zoo or attend Glowfari, will receive an email about a refund for their tickets.

Once reopened, the Zoo is looking into possibility of extending the popular Glowfari event into February.

San Leandro girls’ basketball claims tournament win

By April Ramos

Newark Memorial High School hosted the 35th Annual Newark Optimist Club Girls’ Holiday Basketball Classic. From December 28 to 30. The Holiday Basketball Classic brings 16 girls’ basketball teams from all over the Bay Area, both junior varsity and varsity, to compete in the three-day tournament.

Day one of the tournament Newark Memorial’s (NMHS) junior varsity team played Carlmont High School of Belmont. NMHS was victorious, 36-18, elevating them into the next round of the tournament. Unfortunately, that was where the host team stayed after a difficult defeat to Lowell High School, 49-19.

The San Leandro Pirates had a smooth first game beating Foothill High School of Pleasanton 68-34. This win propelled the team to the semifinal game on Thursday, December 29, against the Carlmont High School Scots.

From the moment of the tip-off, the Pirates came out with intensity creating numerous opportunities to score. The first quarter was a breeze as the Pirates collected an 11-point lead at 20-9. In the second quarter, errors allowed the Scots to inch closer. Coming back from half time at 33-19, Carlmont’s rigor and quick breaks made a difference on the scoreboard as they began to close the gap, ending the third quarter only 10 points behind San Leandro.

Despite the Scots’ best efforts, the Pirates’ defense blocked many of Carlmont’s shots and continued to hold a possession advantage, ending the game with a 54-42 win, and moving on to the championship game against the Santa Clara High School Bruins.

Both San Leandro and Santa Clara started the game with the same energy and hustle on the ball. San Leandro’s Lisette Lopez, made the first shot
of the game with a skilled three-pointer followed by two more from the Pirates. This set the pace for the game ending the first half 20-4, Pirates in the lead.

In the second quarter Santa Clara began to push back, but was ultimately forcing plays that had no follow through. The Pirates’ Chozen Horn-Young continued to drive the ball down the court making multiple two pointers with no pressure from the Bruins, holding the Pirates in the lead 35-15 at half time.

Santa Clara didn’t lose focus as they came back from half time making two back-to-back three point shots. Through this the Pirates never lost control of the ball, maintaining communication and clean passes, improving from their semifinal game. That paid off as Geriah Bradley of San Leandro made the last play of the game finishing with a 58-40 win. The San Leandro Pirates earned the 35th Annual Newark Optimist Club Girls’ Holiday Classic Championship.

Congratulations to all participants. Well done!

Police seek community assistance with shooting investigation

Submitted by Lt. Sergio Quintero, Union City PD

On Sunday, January 01, 2023, at approximately 03:49 a.m., Union City Police Department officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Whipple Road regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a 36-year-old female victim who sustained gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

UCPD Detectives responded and took over this investigation.

This appears to be an isolated incident and there are no known additional threats to the public.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Angela Fonseca at An*****@un*******.org or (510) 675-5227. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can leave information on the UCPD tip line at (510) 675-5207 or at ti**@un*******.org

Continuing Events:

 

Tuesdays

Practice Your English–Tuesday Chat! R

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Improve your English by talking with native speakers

bit.ly/3TH2keU

jl**@ac*******.org

Wednesdays

Tropics Bingo

7:00 pm

Flash games

Tropics Mobile Home Park

33000 Almaden Blvd, Union City

(510) 471-8550

the-tropics.net

First Wednesdays

Talkin’ Dirt

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Online gathering of gardeners

Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont (LEAF)

6501 Niles Blvd, Fremont

fremontleaf.org/talkindirt

First Thursdays

Plethos Comedy Lab $

8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Ever-changing lineup of Bay Area comics (18+)

Castro Valley Market Place

3295 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley

(510) 901-1001

castrovalleymarketplace.com

Second Thursdays

Diaper Distribution Program

11:00 am

Diaper and wipes for low-income household

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

hayward-ca.gov/public-library

Thursdays to Sundays

Animal Feeding

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Feed livestock and learn about their favorite food

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

 

First Fridays

First Friday: Invisible Astronomy $

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Explore light from earth and space

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland

(510) 336-7300

chabotspace.org

Fridays and Saturdays

Telescope Viewings

7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Experience the awe and wonder of the Universe

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland

(510) 336-7300

chabotspace.org

 

Saturdays

Laugh Track City $

8:00 pm

Improvised games & scenes

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

madeuptheatre.com

Please show proof of vaccination

First and Third Saturdays

Pacific Bus Museum $

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Open house

Pacific Bus Museum

37974 Shinn St, Fremont

pacbus.org

in**@pa****.org

Second Saturdays

Alviso Adobe Tours $

1:00 pm

Docent-led tours and video presentation

Alviso Adobe Park

2087 Alviso Adobe Ct, Milpitas

(408) 586-3210

bit.ly/3Wcmgau

Second Saturdays

Lazy Saturdays?

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Join members of LEAF and tackle various projects

Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont (LEAF)

6501 Niles Blvd, Fremont

fremontleaf.org/volunteer

vo*******@fr*********.org

Saturdays and Sundays

Nectar Garden Exploration

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Discover native pollinators and plants

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

 

Saturdays and Sundays

Discovery On Demand

10:30 am – 3:30 pm

Explore, investigate and craft to satisfy your natural curiosities

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

Showers for Adults 55+ R

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

One shower per day

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

bit.ly/3rAEdSC

Mondays

Advanced Math + Science Tutoring

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Free high school and college-level tutoring

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

aclibrary.org

Second Thursdays, September 8 – June 9

Café Dad

6:00 pm

Father and father figures to obtain resources

HUSD Parent Resource Center Hub

24823 Soto Rd, Hayward

(510) 723-3857

husd.us/hub

Saturdays, November 12 – February 5

13 Weekly (Grief Share) sessions R

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Prince of peace church

38451 Fremont Blvd, Fremont

(510) 793-3366

popfremont.org

Friday – Wednesday, November 18 – January 4

Travelling Exhibit “We Are Not Strangers Here”

During library hours

African American Histories in Rural Californian

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

 

First Thursday, December 1 – April 6

Bill Savings Assistance with Spectrum

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

In-person assistance on how to complete the 2022 LIHEAP and/or LIHWAP application forms

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

bit.ly/3gWSjfq

Wednesdays, December 7 – November 22

Qi Gong Meditation & Exercise Classes

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Relieve Stress and anxiety by joining Falun Dafa classes

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Thursdays, December 8 – June 8

Cover to Cover Book Discussion

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/3DyAJaM

Second Mondays, December 12 – May 8

ASL (American Sign Language) Story Signing

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Preschool – 2nd grade: 6:30 – 7:00 pm

3rd – 5th grade: 7:00 – 7:30 pm

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

First and third Friday, December 16 – Jun 16

Mobile Food Distribution

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Available for first 80 families, line up starts at 9:30

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Bring your own reusable bag

Saturdays & Sundays, December 20 – January 22

Winter Brick Show $

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Exhibit of various LEGO structures

Bay Area Family Church

2305 Washington Ave, San Leandro

(510) 483-4712

bafc.org

Wednesdays, December 28 – January 25

Folding Books R

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Used books makeover project

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/3DyAJaM

Tuesdays, January 3 – May 30

Baby Bouncers La
psit

11:30 am – 11:45 am

Nursery rhymes, lap bounce, songs, & picture books for 12 months & younger

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Wednesday, January 4 – January 25

Little Listeners Storytime

11:00 am – 11:45 am

In-person story time with, songs and other fun for preschooler

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

aclibrary.org/locations/SLZ

Wednesdays, January 4 – May 31

Pen Pal Club

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Create a card and write to your new pen pal friend from the Portola Branch Library in SFO

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Ticket will be distributed at children desk from 3:45 pm

First Saturdays, January 7 – March 4

Music Hour at the Library

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Perform, volunteer, share & enjoy music together

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/3WyERy6

 

 

Upcoming Events:

 

Tuesday, January 3

Storywalk along the Marsh

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Enjoy the stroll with stories, songs and movement

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Tuesday, January 3

Sticks & String Knitting Circle

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Knit, crochet, sew & more with sticks & string

Hayward Public Library

888 C St., Hayward

(510) 293-8685

hayward-ca.gov/public-library

Tuesday, January 3 – Thursday, January 5

Midwinter Matinees

1:30 pm

January 3- How to Train your Dragon

January 4 – The Bad Guys (2022)

January 5 – Lightyear

Centerville library

3801 Nicolet Ave, Fremont

(510) 795-2629

aclibrary.org/locations/CTV

Mask Required

Wednesday, January 4

Movie Wednesday

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Minions The Rise of Gru

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

bit.ly/3WNSjhc

aclibrary.org

Friday, January 6

Lookin’ for Lichen Walk

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Stroll around in search of Lichens and other common species

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

ebparks.org/parks/sunol

Friday, January 6

LGBTQ Older Adult Social Space

4:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Socialize with some board games, card games, snacks or group discussion

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

tk******@av******.org

Saturday, January 7

Learning Lichens: A Nature Journal Discovery

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Create nature journal pages using the different lichen spices and art supplies

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

bit.ly/3GvBOB4

Saturday, January 7

Relax & Color for Adults

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

De-stress yourself through art

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Saturday, January 7

Making Tracks R

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Identify the animal from their track, explore animal track mold & make your own

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Saturday, January 7

Sounds in Nature (English/Spanish)

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Explore unexpected sounds heard across Coyote Hills

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Sunday, January 8

Marsh Adventures

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Walk through the marsh and discover the plants & animals residing there

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Sunday, January 8

Make a seed ball

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Make seedball out of soil and clay

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Sunday, January 8

Rabbit Rendezvous

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Learn why rabbits are great hoppers & how they use their ears

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Monday, January 9

Pollinator puppet Show

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Discover the importance of pollinator through puppet

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Tuesday, January 10

Nature’s Stories: Neat Newts

11:00 am – 11:45 am

Nature themed story time, followed by activity or craft

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

eparks.org/parks/Sunol

Friday, January 13 – Sunday, January 15

Fremont Friend of the Library Book Sale

Friday: 2 pm – 6 pm

Saturday: 10 am – 3 pm ($1 per inch)

Sunday: 12 pm – 3 pm ($5 per bag)

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM