03-21-23 Articles

Newark Symphonic Winds Concert

Submitted by Jim Carter

Enjoy an evening of absolutely wonderful symphonic music provided free of charge by the Tri-Cities’ own 50 musician symphony – Newark Symphonic Winds – directed by Richard Wong.

We’ll begin this performance with a composition by Rossano Galante, The Falls. While listening to this piece, you’ll have the feeling of resting and hearing a magnificent waterfall. After that relaxing moment, we’ll need you to put on your straw hat and tap your feet for Richard Saucedo’s American Barndance. We’ll next travel to a bygone era with a medley of tunes arranged by James Christensen, The Homefront: Musical Memories From World War II. We’ll end the first half of our performance with Eric Coates’ Oxford Street (March), arranged by Douglas E. Wagner. We certainly hope this will get you marching out to our luscious intermission treats!

After intermission, we are proud to present the music of the Newark Saxophone Quartet – Plus One. Their musicians include Peter Greef (baritone saxophone), Steve Leitner (tenor), Andy Ehling (alto), and Jim Carter (soprano) – and last but certainly not least – our “Plus One” – Glenn Wiegand on drum set. Their performance is a collage of Chicago. The quartet plus one is certain you’ll recognize each and every one of the tunes they’ll perform.

The symphony will then return to the stage and perform a medley of tunes arranged by Carl Strommen in Salute to the Cinema. We bet you’ll be singing each tune as they are performed. Next will be the haunting composition, Music From Gladiator by the great movie composer, Hans Zimmer (arranged by John Wasson). Although Leroy Anderson is known best for Sleigh Ride, he also composed our next piece, The Syncopated Clock. If you have ever watched game shows on TV, you’ll certainly recognize this composition. We’ll end the evening with the bounce and swing of Benny Goodman inBenny Goodman: The King of Swing, arranged by Paul Murtha.

This FREE performance (no tickets are necessary) is sponsored by the Fremont Bank Foundation.

Newark Symphonic Winds Concert

Saturday, Mar 25

7 p.m.

Newark Memorial High School Theatre

39375 Cedar Blvd., Newark

(510) 552-7186

https://newarksymphonic.org

HERS Celebrates 25 Years

By Stephanie Gertsch

“I hope that [the founders] would think that we have stayed true to the mission of meeting the unique needs of post-surgical breast cancer patients. That was the whole focus…Something could be done to better support them. And it’s blossomed into this.”

So remarks Tina Fernandez Steckler, Executive Director of HERS Breast Cancer Foundation.

For 25 years, HERS has been serving the community, offering prosthetics, properly fitted bras, wigs, and lymphedema compression garments. They take a range of insurances, and can provide financial help for under- or un-insured patients. Their Fremont, Livermore, and San Leandro locations are decorated like boho boutiques with private fitting rooms for patients to meet with specialists.

The need hasn’t changed. Fernandez Steckler says, “One in eight women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. There are so many of us that have either gone through breast cancer, know someone, or are supporting someone who is struggling with it.”

For the past three years, even cancer has felt almost banal next to the ever-pervasive risk of COVID-19. But previous health conditions don’t care that they aren’t newsworthy. Fernandez Steckler is proud that the HERS Fremont location stayed open. “We never shut down, which is a big deal, because even though surgery slowed and some patients had to postpone their mammograms, so there weren’t as many cases being detected, people were still being diagnosed during the pandemic and they still needed surgery. So, we were here for them. We’re really proud of that.”

To safely serve their often-immunocompromised patients, “We got creative; we started mailing products to patients so they wouldn’t have to come back in. If they didn’t have major changes to their body shape, we were able to fill the same size.”

Now HERS Fremont continues to follow precautions set by host location Washington Hospital. “We wear masks to protect ourselves and our patients. And they’re required here at the hospital…If it’s not Covid, it’s RSV or the flu. There’s lots going around still.” All staff members are vaccinated.

On April 8, 2023, HERS will celebrate their work not only over the past three challenging years, but all 25—a big milestone for a small nonprofit. The “People with Purpose Gala” honors the volunteers, donors, and grantors who sustain the organization. Among them is Washington Hospital, who has donated the Fremont space for 15 years. Other HERS Award Recipients are community partner Fremont Firefighters; breast care specialist Mimi Poon, MD; and volunteer Doug Florence. During the presentations, event co-chair Kirsten Litz, will share a patient story, leading into fund-a-need.

 

“I have set kind of a lofty fundraising goal,” says Fernandez Steckler. “It’s $200,000.” In addition to the ticket sales, the gala raises funds via silent auction baskets, live auction, and games throughout the evening. For example, guests can enter “heads or tails” with the purchase of a $20 fan: The person who calls a coin toss the most times in a row will win a pair of 2nd Gen Air Pods Pro. During the fund-a-need call for donations, there will be a special anniversary option. “Because it’s our 25th anniversary we’re going to encourage everybody to raise their paddle for at least $25.”

The dress code is “pink tie” because guests are encouraged to dress in the Breast Cancer Awareness color. In addition, “Because it’s our 25th anniversary, the traditional color is silver. So, folks are going to be wearing pink and silver. Our décor provided by the venue is going to be a lot of silver.”

 

There will be some guests who were there when HERS got started. “We have one of the founders coming. Her name is Tisha McMann. She’ll be attending with her wife; they’re coming down from Washington State, so that will be lovely.”

Hopefully the Gala will just be the prelude to a year of uplifting and successful events. HERS plans to have a booth at Fremont Street Eats during the summer, ahead of their second big
fundraiser, the Walk/Run/Yoga at Quarry Lakes on September 30. And Breast Cancer Awareness month in October is a time of fundraising with local organizations and making presentations on breast cancer prevention and the services HERS offers.

 

Breast cancer can be painted with a broad pink brush: too common to be interesting, but “only” afflicting “older” women. The associated rosy paraphernalia can make the disease seem oddly twee. But let’s rethink pink. Must medical care be stark and white? Is healing only about fixing our organs, or should it also be about our comfort, identity, and confidence?

 

Fernandez Steckler says, “We’ve had patients who have disrobed and they don’t want to look in the mirror. It’s too much for them. Our breast care specialists meet the patient where they are.”

She continues, “One of our biggest strengths and what helps attract patients and donors to us, and keeps past patients returning, is the emotional support that we are able to provide, which happens between breast care specialists and patients during the fitting process and the assessment. Whether it’s a patient coming to us for the first time, or their 10th visit…We have patients come in and say they wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

People with Purpose Gala

Saturday, Apr 8

6 p.m.: Check in and outdoor reception

7 p.m.: Dinner served

7:30 p.m.: Awards presentations, live auction, fund-a-need

Casa Bella Event Center

11984 Main St., Sunol

Tickets: $150 per person; $1,350 table of ten

(510) 790-1911

hersbreastcancerfoundation.org

Spring Bicycling Fun –sign up for Primavera!

Submitted by Julie Gilson

Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club’s (FFBC) annual “Primavera” event will be held on April 23, starting at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont. This is southern Alameda County’s pre-eminent organized cycling fundraiser. Recognizing this winter’s rainy weather is making getting in shape harder than usual, Primavera offers a choice of distances to accommodate a range of cycling fitness and experience levels:

• 100 Miles (century distance option 1)
• 100 Kilometers (65 miles) (century option 2)
• 90 Miles (option 1, minus Patterson Pass loop)
• 25-Mile Fun Ride

Cyclists on the longer routes will enjoy the verdant scenery as a result of this winter’s rains as they bike from Fremont, past Calaveras’ now-full reservoir, through verdant hills with abundant wildflowers, and for the 90 and 100-mile routes, to Livermore vineyards. What better way to re-invigorate your exercise plan than setting your sights on riding this beautiful bicycle route?

Volunteers are there to help you along the way with well-signed routes, food and drink at multiple rest stops along the route, professional bicycle mechanics, a post-ride meal and party at the end, medals for kids, and support vehicles that patrol the course during the event to help with mechanical or other issues. The volunteers can help you with most anything — except the actual pedaling!

Cyclists and families who prefer a more relaxed, shorter and flat ride can register for the Fun Ride, a 25-mile scenicride through Fremont’s Coyote Hills Park. “Bicycling the Primavera event is a family tradition” says Mike Kelly who has participated for many years with his son. “Last year we had three generations. The family hero was my teenage grandson. Although he bikes a lot, it’s normally not on a traditional road bicycle. With his father, the three of us rode all the way from Fremont to Sunol over the Calaveras hill summit! While it was a challenge for my grandson, both other riders and Primavera volunteers encouraged all of us through the ride and to the finish.”

Registration is open now; Advanced registration is required. To register and learn more, visit ffbc.org/primavera.

 

The Fun Ride is mostly flat, so most bicycles should suffice. Class 1 and 3 (pedal-assisted) e-bikes are welcome on the Century rides, but not on the Fun ride due to restrictions imposed by East Bay Regional Park District for Coyote Hills Park. FFBC encourages participants looking to purchase a bicycle for the first time to support local bike shops in Fremont and the tri-valley area who are sponsors for the event.

FFBC is also looking for volunteers to help out on the day of the event. Volunteers receive a free t-shirt with a commemorative 2023 design by a local artist and all the beverages and snacks they want! Go to the Volunteers link at ffbc.org/primavera to sign up.

Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club has been in existence for over 50 years as a non-profit organization dedicated to promote the enjoyment of safe cycling. The club has regularly scheduled rides in the tri-city area and often ventures outside of Alameda County to enjoy the entire bay area while getting exercise and being environmentally-friendly. The club’s adjunct competitive cycling organization, Team Fremont, races competitively throughout Northern California.

Proceeds from Primavera not only support FFBC’s operations, but also benefit local nonprofits. Past recipients have included Bike East Bay, Abode Services Sunrise Village Emergency Shelter, Sunol Glen School, Niles Canyon Railway, Good Karma Bikes and BORP Adaptive Cycling.

Primavera Century

Sunday, Apr 23

Century Start: 6:30 a.m.

Fun Ride Start: 10 a.m.

Start at Mission San Jose High School

41717 Palm Ave., Fremont

ffbc.org/primavera

Tickets: $100 Century, Fun Ride $40 adults / $20 kids under 16

Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Shri Mataji

Submitted by Kumar Kushal

Join Sahaja Yoga on for a Special Meditation & Music Livestream honoring the extraordinary life of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the founder of Sahaja Yoga, along with hundreds of thousands of people worldwide!

Shri Mataji dedicated her life to bringing spiritual awakening and inner peace to everyone she embraced. Experience the awakening of your own inner energy as we honor her life and legacy.

Agenda includes:

• Guided meditation session
• Overview of Shri Mataji’s life and the impact
• Music performance
• Testimonials sharing transformative experiences

More info at www.sfbaymeditation.org and www.centennialcelebrations.org

Special Meditation & Music Livestream

Tuesday, Mar 21

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Sahaja Yoga Meditation Center

37138 Niles Blvd., Fremont

www.sfbaymeditation.org

Mother Daughter STEM Discovery Day

Submitted by Judy Young, AAUW Fremont Branch

The 32nd annual “Discovery Day” was held at Cesar Chavez Middle School in Union City on Saturday, March 4. The event was hosted by the Fremont Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). A national nonprofit established in 1881, AAUW promotes its mission “to advance ‘equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy’, through scholarships, contests and events,” explained, Jo Szeto, Vice President of the Fremont Branch.

The intent of the program is to help spark an interest for STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in 3rd through 5th grade girls.

As the 50 mother- (or grandmother-) daughter teams waited to check in, they were provided with snacks and an opportunity to play math games hosted by MA+HNASIUM. The girls alongside their mothers participated in a half-day of four 40-minute hands-on STEM activities led by successful women working in these fields.

CODE for FUN introduced the girls to Scratch, a “block-based” programming language where they created a colorful screen of animated dots. They select a Sprite, a cartoon like image, and scripts (instructions) that control them.

The Tower Building project, led by Irvington High School’s Girls in STEM and Logan High School’s Science Club, guided the girls on what it was like to be a civil engineer for the day. Two mother/daughter teams were partnered together to build the strongest, tallest tower in 15 minutes out of dry spaghetti noodles, packing peanuts, and five pieces of scotch tape. The leaders then traveled to each group and gave a strong jolt to the table simulating an earthquake. The tower height was then measured.

Irvington High School Berbawy Makers were asked to design and launch a catapult using any number of the assorted items provided at their desks with no instructions. Two contests followed: One to see who could launch a plastic block the furthest (measured in inches) and a second to see who could hit the bullseye of a paper target. The girls learned it was okay if the catapult did not launch the first time. (Failure is ok!) You go back and tweak it until you succeed.

Lori Kahn from Lockheed Martin and Women’s Impact Network provided basic instructions to build a rocket. The girls were then asked to test their rockets and make modifications to ensure the rocket could fly five feet and consistently hit a target. At the end of the session, girls were asked to demonstrate their rockets as a group.

At the end of the morning sessions, the mother/daughter teams gathered in the gym. Jo Szeto informed the group about additional AAUW educational programs such as Tech Trek and Speech Trek designed for older girls. Last year’s Tech Trekstudents, Ella Cheung and Itzel Hernandez, related their experiences (a week-long STEM camp at UC Davis and a virtual camp too).

Door prizes were donated by AAUW members and MA+HNASIUM. All in all, it was a fun learning day for everyone!

If you would like more information about AAUW Fremont Branch, please visit us at our website: https://fremont-ca.aauw.net/ or contact us at: aa***************@gm***.com

Celebrating Art is Education

Submitted by Winda I. Shimizu, Hayward Arts Council Executive Director

Hayward Unified School District’s annual “Art is Education” exhibition showcases the work of seventy-five art students. For the last thirteen years during March, which is Arts Education Month, Hayward Arts Council has sponsored month-long exhibitions showcasing outstanding student work in the John O’Lague Galleria in Hayward City Hall.

Students have been selected for their exceptional achievement in the arts and their potential to continue in the arts in the future. The “Art is Education” Exhibition is a highly selective show and you will truly get to see the best that Hayward Schools have to offer in a variety of media including 3D and 2D works.

On Friday, March 24 exhibiting artists will be honored with a program including certificate presentations and performances at Hayward City Hall Rotunda.

The exhibition, sponsored by Hayward Arts Council, will run from March 20 through May 4 at the John O’Lague Galleria at Hayward City Hall.

Hayward Arts Council believes that all students deserve access to a quality arts education to help pursue their dreams. Providing skills and various forms of art education gives students a voice and improves critical thinking skills. March is Arts Education Month and thus the perfect time to reflect on the myriad of benefits that arts education can provide for our students.

Visit https://www.haywardartscouncil.org to learn more about exhibitions and programs.

Art is Education

Monday, Mar 20 – Thursday, May 4

John O’Lague Galleria

Hayward City Hall

777 B St., Hayward

Certificate presentations

Friday, Mar 24

5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

John O’Lague Galleria

Hayward City Hall

777 B St., Hayward

(510) 538-2787

ha*@ha****************.org

https://www.haywardartscouncil.org

Can living in cohousing slow aging?

By Evelyn LaTorre and Jane Mueller

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 National Population Projections, 20 percent of the population will be older than age 65 by 2030. As members of Mission Peak Village Cohousing, we wondered: Can aging be slowed by living in cohousing? Of course, cohousing is not just for seniors. It has something to offer every age group. But with the rapid greying of the US population, it is important to look at what recent research sees when studying the brains of those over 60, and how the stimulation found in cohousing communities can affect residents’ lives.

Victor Scurtu, the director of the George Washington University College of Medicine says that the brains of those over 60 are much more plastic than is commonly believed. Beginning at that age, the interaction of the right and left hemispheres becomes harmonious, he writes, which allows for solving more complex problems.

Although the risk of disease, dementia, and death rises faster with each passing decade, experts in geriatrics say that people in their 80s, who are active, engaged, and have a sense of purpose, can remain productive and healthy into their 100s. Those over 65, who live in the U.S.’s 200 Cohousing communities, fit the researchers’ description of the active, engaged elder with many interests.

Cohousers meet and socialize often with neighbors—who all live close by and aren’t separated by fences or garages. These seniors participate more in their communities’ activities than those in single-family homes or apartments, or in commercial group living arrangements. Eating together in the common house, working in the community garden, washing clothes in the laundromat, and relaxing or playing in the landscaped central area, promotes forming connections and provides many opportunities to volunteer.

“Sometimes cohousing is the grandest of grand pictures,” says Peg, one of the over-65 residents who three months ago moved to the new Skagit Commons in Anacortes, Washington. “By living our best lives together, we know we are not alone. Sometimes it’s about the smallest of the small—sharing a bag of onions, asking around for extra hangers, or finding that ride to the co-op.”

Experts in geriatrics cite the following facts about an elder’s brain.

• Connections between the neurons of the brain disappear if a person does not engage in mental work. They don’t die off but simply disappear if not used.
• Absent-mindedness appears due to an overabundance of information. You don’t need to focus your whole life on unnecessary trifles.
• With continuous mental activity, intellectual abilities do not decrease with age, but grow, reaching a peak around 80-90 years.

Conclusion: Living in Mission Peak Village, Fremont’s first cohousing community, could slow the aging of its older residents. The community will encourage a healthy lifestyle with lots of physical activity, socializing, and intellectual stimulation.

Catherine, an elderly cohouser says it best: “I think that living in cohousing makes me a better person, which gives me the oomph to do more, understand more, give more.”

This article is part of an ongoing series on cohousing. To learn more on the topic, visit www.cohousing.org.

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 in the Irvington district of Fremont.

 

 

 

Douglas Morrisson Chorus Concert

Submitted by Erma Smith

The Douglas Morrisson Theater Chorus, sponsored by Hayward Recreation & Park District (HARD), will be presenting their spring concert “Stage and Screen,” with music from Broadway and the Movies. Shows will take place on Friday, March 31 and Sunday, April 2 at the Douglas Morrisson Theater.

This popular chorus will have you tapping toes and snapping fingers while you listen to memorable songs. Performances by talented soloists also promise more of your favorites. Director Cesar Cancino always adds to the fun with his comments about the music and performers. Guests are sure to leave this rousing concert with smiles and happy feet.

Purchase tickets online at the links below. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

Friday performance: https://rb.gy/zkyfic

Sunday performance: https://rb.gy/gkzl7j

Tickets can also be purchased at the HARD District Offices at 1099 North 3rd St., Hayward.

Douglas Morrisson Chorus Concert: Stage and Screen

Friday, Mar 31: 8 p.m.

Sunday, Apr 2: 2 p.m.

Douglas Morrisson Theater

22311 North 3rd St., Hayward

(510) 881-6700

https://www.haywardrec.org/

Enovix Leadership Additions

Submitted by Amanda Martinez

Enovix Corporation (Nasdaq: ENVX), an advanced silicon battery company, recently announced multiple leadership additions in key functional roles to support the company’s scale-up.

Recent appointments include:

Samira Naraghi as Vice President of Product Management

Naraghi joins Enovix in a newly established role and will report to CEO Dr. Raj Talluri. She is responsible for planning and driving products and strategic programs across all organizations of the company.

Naraghi brings to Enovix over 19 years of experience leading product teams and go-to-market (“GTM”) strategies for technology leaders. Most recently, she served as global head of partnerships for Meta
Connectivity. Naraghi additionally has held product and business leadership roles at multiple semiconductor companies, including Atheros Communications, Qualcomm, Rambus, and Integrated Device Technology (IDT).

Milind Patil as Vice President of Global Procurement

Patil joins Enovix from semiconductor capital equipment leader Lam Research, where he most recently served as Managing Director of Global Supply Chain, Global Operations. Patil brings nearly 29 years of global supply management and operations management to Enovix, focused on the U.S. and Asia Pacific regions for companies spanning semiconductors, wafer fabrication equipment, printed circuit boards, lighting, optics, and electronics.

At Enovix, Patil will oversee a procurement process that spans the full stack of battery production, from raw materials to capital equipment. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Ajay Marathe.

 

Mani Balasubramanian as Vice President, Controller

Mani joins Enovix from Lumileds, where he has most recently served as Vice President of Finance for the Automotive Business Unit and Operations. Among his many roles, Mani led new product investment analysis, cost modeling, long-term cost reduction roadmaps and implemented processes to forecast revenue based on design wins with OEMs.

Mani has over 25 years of experience in strategy, finance, operations management, continuous improvement, and process engineering roles, primarily at Philips companies (Lumileds, Philips Lighting, Philips Broadband Networks). At Enovix, Mani will be focused on product costing, margin analysis, and directing financial planning and budgeting. He will report to Chief Financial Officer Steffen Pietzke.

Enovix

www.enovix.com

Fremont Students qualify for State History Day Competition

Submitted by Laura Forrest

Students representing four Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) schools were champions at the 2023 County History Day awards, with 11 projects earning a place in the State History Day competition.

“I’m incredibly proud that so many of our students took the time to explore a topic and develop a project for History Day,” said FUSD Superintendent CJ Cammack. “The success of our students in this competition is indicative of the high level of curiosity and academic achievement cultivated by our educators and supported by our families. I send my congratulations to each student who competed, and wish each of our champions well in the state competition to come.”

The projects on this year’s theme of “Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas” were part of the Alameda County History Day’s county-wide competition. This year the event returned to an in-person format, hosted at Mendenhall Middle School in Livermore on March 4.

Participating students created individual or group projects showing their findings, with analysis backed by extensive research. Students were interviewed by judges during the event, and their projects were judged based on historical quality, relation to theme, and clarity of presentation.

“I love the history day project because it not only teaches the students history, but also teaches them skills like teamwork, leadership, confidence, and relationship building,” said Lauren Denarola, an 8th Grade U.S. History and Leadership teacher at Centerville Junior High. “During the contest, it was great to see how confident and passionate the students were to speak about their topics.”

FUSD students took home awards across multiple categories:

Centerville Junior High

Jasdeesh Punia

Project: Shooting for the Moon: Frontiers in History with the Moon Landing

Aanya Gautam, Zoe Chiang

Project: Fighting for Miscegenation – How the Loving v. Virginia Case Changed Marriage Laws Across the US

Diya Chivukula, Moukthika Kuruva, Laasya Kyabaarsi

Project: Votes for Women

Harikrishna Vaidya

Project: The Fight for Equal Rights Remains…

Thornton Junior High

Ami Parikh, Ishan Parekh

Project: Making Money – Finance Through America’s History

Ananya Tayal

Project: Antiseptics: Frontiers in History

Adam Kasouit

Project: The Trieste’s Dive into Challenger Deep: Breaking Boundaries Under the Waves

American High School

Logan King, Bhargav Shriram

Project: “Hope Will Never Be Silent:” Harvey Milk’s Crusade for LGBTQ+ Rights

Karthik Subramanian

Project: Standing Up to Sit: Baton Rouge Boycott

Mission San Jose High School

Ryka Chopra

Project: Cryptography – A Frontier in Wartime Espionage and the Woman Who Breached It – The Life and the Legacy of Elizebeth Smith Friedman

Megan Nguyen

Project: The French Revolution: The Catalyst of Modern Democracy in Europe

Winning projects are eligible to compete in State History Day in April.

Tune in to a discussion with Tri-City Police Chiefs

Submitted by Shirley Gilbert

With the spotlight on policing taking place throughout the United States, League of Women Voters of Fremont, Newark, and Union City (LWVFNUC) has invited the Tri-City Police Chiefs to a community forum to discuss the state of policing in our area. It will be held via Zoom on Monday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m.

Police Chiefs Sean Washington of Fremont, Gina Anderson of Newark, and Jared Rinetti of Union City will join League moderator Pauline Weaver, retired Alameda County Public Defender, in what is sure to be a lively conversation.

Fremont’s Police Chief, Sean Washington, joined Fremont Police Department in 1
997 and has served in a variety of posts since then. He was sworn in as Fremont’s new Police Chief on October 1, 2021, succeeding Chief Kim Petersen. As Police Chief, he is responsible for all aspects of the department, including emergency services and personnel. Chief Washington says he is committed to fostering a diverse department.

Newark’s Police Chief, Gina Anderson, was sworn in on April 6, 2020, and is the city’s first woman appointed to lead Newark Police Department. She has over 28 years of experience in law enforcement. Chief Anderson started her career as a Community Services Officer with Davis Police Department and was promoted through the ranks to Police Officer and later to Police Sergeant. She later joined Citrus Heights Police Department as Police Lieutenant, and in 2013 became Police Commander. In 2018 she was promoted to Assistant Chief of Police before coming to Newark. Chief Anderson has formed community partnerships, creatively solved community problems, and developed innovative policing programs.

Union City’s Police Chief, Jared Rinetti, is a Fremont native. Since childhood he had dreams of becoming a police officer and realized that dream in 1998. He was hired by the town of Atherton and worked there for two years. In 2000, Chief Rinetti joined Union City Police Department and spent 12 years as an officer and supervisor in several operation and support service assignments. In 2018, he was promoted to Chief of Police. Chief Rinetti is focused on leading the police department in a progressive and contemporary manner.

The discussion with the three Police Chiefs will center around a variety of challenges that police departments in the U.S. and our area face today. For example: achieving diversity matching that in the community served, training of police officers, crime level in the three cities, police misconduct and discipline, and more.

Register in advance at www.lwvfnuc.org. You may submit questions for the Police Chiefs to Pr*****@lw*****.org. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to join the meeting.

League Community Forum on Policing with the Tri-City Police Chiefs

Monday, Mar 27

6:30 p.m.

Via Zoom

Register at: www.lwvfnuc.org.

Submit questions for the Police Chiefs at: Pr*****@lw*****.org

LOV Casino Night

Submitted by League of Volunteers

Get your tickets now for the Viva LOV Vegas Casino Night featuring Kabir “Kabeezy” Singh. Kabir has been featured on Amazon Prime, Family Guy on Fox and semi-finalist on Americas Got Talent. We will also have, straight from Newark’s City Council, MC Mike Bucci. Last but not least you’ve got to LOV our DJ, BigDog of MusiConnection! There will be a Silent Auction and Fun Drawings, items range from sports memorabilia to local restaurants and more. There’s something for everyone. Book your tickets today!

Viva LOV Vegas

Saturday, Apr 1

6 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Swiss Park

5911 Mowry Ave., Newark

lo*@lo*.org

Tickets: https://bit.ly/3FmIlgm

Children’s Showcase: ‘Making Music Memories’

Submitted by Carol Zilli

Music for Minors II (MFMII) is back!

After school and event closures, and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, our 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that has been keeping music in children’s classrooms and lives for 35 years, rises up with another Children’s Showcase! Taking place on March 25 at James Logan Center for the Performing Arts, the event will involve over 200 students from Fremont, Newark and Milpitas Unified School District elementary schools.

Excitement is in the air as students prepare for their unique performances learned in their classrooms during MFMII Docent-led music lessons. MFMII curriculum comprises singing/signing songs, rhythmic movement/dance, instrumentation and listening appreciation.

March is nationally recognized as “Music in the Schools Month.” Preparing for this event celebrates musical arts and raises awareness of the need for music in the schools. February feedback from teachers includes:

• “Music supports all areas of the curriculum. Getting the beat/rhythm in their heads helps with reading fluency and math!”
• “The students learn so much, and it expands their cultural/musical knowledge. They become excited and more upbeat when it’s a ‘music day.’”
• “Music is very good for my special ed class. They are really enjoying learning songs on the keyboard.”

Also featured at this Showcase will be our MFMII Kids Choir, consisting of 62 members. The choir meets virtually each week for their rehearsals and then performs two in-person concerts per year.

Kids Choir member Bella Dong will be co-MC at the Showcase with MFMII Executive Director and Founder, Carol Zilli. Bella performed in Starstruck’s production of Matilda, and runs her own YouTube channel “Sing With Bella.”

Tickets for the MFMII Showcase must be purchased online in advance at www.musicforminors2.org.

The MFMII Showcase is the primary fundraiser for the nonprofit. All proceeds benefit the MFMII annual fall Docent Training Class. In April, MFMII will also participate in “Fremont Creates,” which is part of Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month. Check the website for details on all upcoming MFMII activity.

Hope to see everyone at the theater on March 25 for an afternoon of musical fun and joy!

MFMII Spring Concert: ‘Making Music Memories’

Saturday, Mar 25

3 p.m.

James Logan Center for the Performing Arts

1800 H St., Union City

(510) 733-1189

www.musicforminors2.org

Tickets: $15

New Farmers Market Coming to Niles Fremont!

Submitted by Harv Singh

 

A new partnership between Foragers Market and Niles Main Street Association has been announced, which will transform the Saturday Niles Fremont Farmers Market. The event’s grand opening festivities will be held on Saturday, April 1 starting at 9 a.m.

Foragers Market, the operators of the highly successful Livermore Downtown Farmers Market and San Ramon Farmers Market at City Center Bishop Ranch, will introduce a new, robust farmers market that is community-driven and will showcase 30-40 of the Bay Area’s top growers and producers. Vendors will offer a variety of fresh and high-quality products such as fresh-cut flowers, Asian vegetables, gourmet mushrooms, microgreens, honey, pasture-raised meats, eggs, organic dairy products, artisan bakeries, specialty coffee, fresh-pressed juices, gourmet street food, and more. Additionally, the market will have weekly live entertainment.

The Niles Fremont Farmers Market will remain in the same location at 37592 Niles Boulevard and will operate year-round on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting on April 1, 2023.

For information on becoming a vendor or community partner, please visit www.nilesfarmersmarket.org

Foragers Market Grand Opening

Saturday, April 1

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Parking lot beside Niles Town Plaza

37592 Niles Blvd., Fremont

www.nilesfarmersmarket.org

Easter Celebration at Pacific Commons

Submitted by Deborah Blackford

 

On Sunday, April 2, Pacific Commons will host an Easter Celebration with a variety of family-friendly activities, including selfies with the Easter Bunny (bring your own camera), a children’s Easter craft (while supplies last), face painting, and balloon twisting. Goodie bags will also be available while supplies last.

This event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Block Plaza near Dick’s Sporting Goods. No pre-registration is required. To learn more, visit www.pacificcommons.com.

 

 

Easter Celebration

Sunday, April 2

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pacific Commons

Block Plaza Near Dick’s Sporting Goods

43440 Boscell Rd., Fremont

www.pacificcommons.com

Come for the poetry, stay for the jazz

Submitted by Hayward Library

What better way to enjoy an afternoon of live poetry than to cap it off with an energetic program of live jazz? And, admission to the program is free. Mark your calendars.

In recognition of National Poetry Month, Hayward Library is hosting An Afternoon of Poetry & Jazz program on Saturday, April 8 at its downtown branch on C Street. The program will feature readings by Hayward Poet Laureate Bruce Roberts and Hayward Youth Poet Laureate Germani Latchison, with Pat Doyne and Vecepia Robinson.

After the readings, music will be performed by Cal State East Bay Jazz Combo, directed by James Happ. The 90-minute program starts at 3 p.m. in the Fremont Bank Foundation Room on the library’s second floor. The program is supported by Friends of Hayward Library. For details, send an email to Ricardo Antoni at ri************@ha********.gov.

An Afternoon of Poetry & Jazz

Saturday, Apr 8

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Hayward Main Library

888 C St., Hayward

(510) 293-7173

Free

Spring Into STEAM

Submitted by Gloria Kim

The City of Fremont Community Services Department invites you to the “Spring into STEAM” event on Wednesday, March 29 at the Downtown Event Center. This is a FREE, family-friendly evening with fun STEAM activities, giveaways, Fremont Unified School District’s (FUSD) 5th Grade Science Fair Winner Showcase, food trucks, music, exhibitors, and more.

The Spring into STEAM event is sponsored by Seagate and hosted by the City of Fremont in partnership with FUSD and Food Truck Mafia; and endorsing educational programs that will lead to careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. For more details, visit https://bit.ly/SpringintoSTEAM.

Exhibitors at the event are the City of Fremont’s Recreation Division and Transportation Engineering Department, After School Academy, Play-Well TEKnologies, Mad Science of the Bay Area, Code for Fun, Bay Coding Club, Math Science Nucleus, Safe Moves City, Ohlone College’s BioTechnology Department, Fremont Library, Banter Bookshop, Bay Area Community Health, Martin and the Green Guitar, as well as Fremont high school robotics teams Ink and Metal, and Future.

Spring Into STEAM

Wednesday, Mar 29

4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Downtown Event Center

3500 Capitol Ave., Fremont

https://bit.ly/SpringintoSTEAM

Free

Yoga 4 Unity & Wellbeing

Submitted by Beena Shah

Yoga may be an exercise class at your gym or the Y. It may mean stretching to awaken y
our body, or to relax after a stressful day at the office. Yet, Yoga can gradually sink into your way of life. Yoga means union–bringing together the mind, body and spirit of an individual human being. It is an exploration of science and philosophy leading to skill in action. And it can be practiced at many levels depending on interest.

Members of the Fremont Center of the Heartfulness Institute are offering a day of yoga on Saturday, April 1. The event will be a collaboration of Bay Area certified yoga teachers, scientists and students of philosophy with whom you can explore yoga through the process of asana (physical poses), pranayama (beneficial breathing exercises) and meditation.

Did you know that yoga can be done in a chair as well as on a mat? That not only children and younger people can benefit from yoga asana practice but also seniors who may never have attempted yoga before? Yoga is not about learning how to be a pretzel; it is about finding the inner balance promoting stillness, relaxation and even meditation.

The event will take place at the Fremont Center of Heartfulness Institute and begin with an introduction to the spectrum of yoga possibilities. The keynote program will be presented by Jeannine Rashidi, a Doctor of Ayurveda and founder of Goodbye Tension. She recently authored the book, Abundance Beyond Trauma.

Each participant can choose to join two classes from among six experienced Bay Area Yoga teachers. A special class for children will also be available in both morning and afternoon. Purchase your ticket in advance online at https://heartfulness.us/yoga4unity/.

For those experienced in yoga practice, this event is an opportunity to gain exposure to broader horizons. And for anyone curious about the benefits yoga can provide, supported by a well-grounded teacher, good dietary guidance, and training in meditation Heartfulness Institute’s Yoga4Unity Day in Fremont would be an ideal event to attend.

Yoga 4 Unity and Wellbeing

Saturday, Apr 1

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

585 Mowry Ave., Fremont

Register at: heartfulness.us/yoga4unity

Tickets: $10 – $15

Ask the DMV

Don’t count on being lucky, get your REAL ID ahead of time.

If you haven’t already upgraded your driver’s license to a REAL ID, don’t count on being lucky. Save yourself the stress and get your REAL ID ahead of the enforcement date!

Q1: How is a REAL ID different from my driver’s license?

A1: Good question! Your driver’s license is issued by the DMV; it gives you the ability to operate a motor vehicle and acts as a form of identification. A REAL ID is a federally accepted form of identification that can be used to board domestic flights nationwide and enter secure federal facilities, such as military bases, federal courthouses, and other secure federal locations. If you already have your driver’s license, make sure to upgrade to a REAL ID before the May 2025 enforcement date.

Q2: I’m ready to upgrade my driver’s license to a REAL ID, can I apply online

A2: You can start the application process online to expedite your DMV office visit at dmv.ca.gov/realid.

Getting your REAL ID is as easy as 1,2,3!

1. Begin by gathering your documents, one (1) original or certified proof of identity, and two (2) different printed proofs of California residency are required. Check out the DMV’s interactive document checklist at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/real-id-checklist/ to see what qualifies.
2. Complete the online application and upload your documents.
3. Make an appointment online to visit your local DMV office and complete your application. Be sure to bring printed copies of any documents uploaded online and bring your confirmation code to your DMV appointment.

Q3: What happens if I don’t obtain my REAL ID by the May 2025 enforcement date?

A3: Starting May 7, 2025, if you don’t have a REAL ID, you will not be able to board domestic flights using your driver’s license or identification card within the U.S. or enter secure facilities, such as military bases, and federal courthouses. Make your REAL ID your lucky charm and upgrade your license before the rush.

For more information about the DMV’s online services, visit www.dmv.ca.gov/online. Note: DMV offices are closed on weekends.

The article is distributed by the California DMV. For more information or answers to questions not listed here, visit www.dmv.ca.gov.

How to Keep Working from Home

By Anne Chan, PhD, MFT

Working from home has been a boon for those of us who are glad to be rid of tiring commutes and noisy workplaces. But now there are more and more calls to return to work in person. What should you do if you want to keep working from home but management is sending out return mandates? This article will give you some concrete strategies to ask your boss about continuing to work from home.

Before you do anything, think carefully about the pros and cons of working remotely 100% while everyone else has gone back 100% in-person. Will being a remote worker impact your career advancement? If you are angling for a promotion right now, it might not be the best time be physically away from the team and your boss.

If the advantages of working remotely outweigh the disadvantages, prepare to have a thoughtful conversation with your boss. To make your request, it is generally best to have a face-to-face conversation with your boss. First, assess the timing of your ask. Is this a particularly stressful period at work? Are people being laid off right and left? If so, this might not be a good time to ask for a special privilege. On the other hand, if you sense that your boss is anxious about losing good people, this might be a fantastic time to make your request.

Before doing anything, spend at least an hour working on your pitch. Research the benefits of working from home for the organization and for your boss. Many employees want to work from home for good reasons, such as reduced commute time and a more focused environment. Your boss,
ultimately, doesn’t care if it makes it easier for you to pick up your child from daycare. But she does care that working from home has enabled you to be more productive. As you do your research, focus on what is important for your boss and for the organization, not for you.

Next, take the time to create a written proposal to present to your boss. Having a formal proposal shows that you are serious and professional about this request. These are some key components that should be included:

The exact nature of your request

Are you requesting to be a full-time remote worker or are you willing to have a hybrid schedule where you show up to the office a few days a week? Or perhaps you are looking for a flexible schedule where you clock in at non-standard times?

 

A communication plan

One of the main concerns for bosses is the impact on communication and work culture. Outline how you will be available to employees and customers and how you will keep communication channels open in a manner that is accessible and easy. If you are asking for flexible hours, address how you will ensure that this does not impact or inconvenience other employees and customers. For instance, you could say that you would be clocking in early at 6 a.m. and that this would actually enable you to attend to customer questions sooner rather than later.

A Work Plan

How will projects be handled? What will the workflow be like? Spell out how the work will be handled, now that some employees are in-person and you are requesting to work from home.

 

The Benefits of Remote Work for the Company

Here’s where your research comes in. Highlight work accomplishments that you achieved while you worked from home during the pandemic.

 

Concerns or Questions That Your Employer May Have

Don’t wait for your boss to express his concerns. Pre-empt any concerns and propose solutions to mitigate them. For example, your boss might be concerned about security, productivity, impact on work culture, and/or communication issues. Propose how you will work in a manner that will address these concerns. For instance, you could propose a metrics tracking system so that you can assure your boss of your productivity.

After writing your proposal, schedule a meeting with your boss to present it. Allocate enough time for this meeting. Ten minutes over the phone won’t suffice. During this meeting, present your proposal in a professional and flexible manner. Try to work out a sensible schedule that would work for both you and your boss. Flexibility is the key here. You might not get your way if you go into this negotiation with a take-no-prisoners stance. Try to negotiate in a collaborative manner so that both you and boss feel like it’s a win-win. If your boss balks, you can ask for a trial run of three months.

Don’t give up if your boss is firm about saying no to your request. You might want to start applying to companies that are friendly to remote workers. Luckily, in Silicon Valley, many companies have adopted remote-friendly work policies, such as Adobe, Citigroup, Intuit, IBM, Nvidia, Oracle, Salesforce, Splunk, Visa and Yelp. If you receive an attractive offer, you could leverage it with your boss to keep your current job with remote benefits.

I believe that remote work is here to stay, and the possibilities for remote work are expanding exponentially. You might never have to purchase work pants again!

Anne Chan is a career counselor and licensed psychotherapist in Fremont. She specializes in helping people find happiness in their careers and lives. You can reach her at an*********@gm***.com © Anne Chan, 2023

Park It: Wildflower Walks

By Ned MacKay

The wildflower season is starting, and one of the best places for viewing the blooms is Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve in southern Alameda County.

With that in mind, Sunol’s naturalist staff has scheduled a series of wildflower walks. The first one is from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 25. The next is at the same time on Sunday, March 26. The hikes are free of charge, intended for ages four and older, with adult participation required. To join in, sign up at the Sunol Visitor Center the morning of the hike. Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Trails and hike capacity will vary each day. Wear weather-appropriate clothing, sun protection, and closed-toe shoes. Bring drinking water. Sunol Wilderness is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road, about five miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For information, call (510) 544-3245.

Note that Geary Road has been closed periodically due to landslides. So, before you go, check ebparks.org/alerts-closures to be sure the park is open and the program is on. It’s a good idea to do this for every Regional Park you wish to visit or program you wish to join.

There will also be a naturalist-led wildflower walk from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 25 at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park in Concord. This program is free too, but requires advance registration. For registration and information, call (888) 327-2757 and select option 2.

There are few signs remaining that one of Contra Costa’s most populous mining communities once thrived in what is now Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. Through historic photos, maps and clues on the ground, naturalist Katie Garchar will bring the town of Somersville back to life during a program from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at Black Diamond Mines.

The program is drop-in and free of charge. Heavy rain may cancel the program. Meet Katie in the park’s uppermost parking lot at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. For information, call (510) 544-2750.

Birds of Briones Regional Park near Martinez are the focus of a walk from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Monday, March 27, with naturalist Anthony Fisher. The program is free and no registration is required. All levels of bird-watching skill are welcome.

Meet Fisher at the park’s Old Briones Road staging area. Old Briones Road leads up the hill from Alhambra Valley Road, about 100 yards west of the intersection with Reliez Valley Road. For information and directions, call Tilden Nature Area at (510) 544-2233.

“Duck, Duck, Goose!” is the theme of Family Nature Fun Hour from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove in Alameda. It’s all about fun with our feathered friends. The program repeats at the same time on Sunday, March 26.

And in celebration of Women’s History Month, naturalist Susan Ramos will host a program from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary at Crown Beach in Alameda. During a short walk along the edge of the bay, learn how Sylvia McLaughlin, Kay Kerr and Esther Gulick formed Save the Bay. Also find out who were Elsie Roemer and Junea Kelly. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair from Ramos.

Both programs are drop-in and free of charge. The visitor center is at 1252 McKay Ave. off Alameda’s Central Avenue. The marsh observation platform is at the intersection of Park Street and Shoreline Drive. For information on either program, call (510) 544-3187.

The Park District and Regional Parks Foundation have presented State Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan with the District’s 2022 Radke Championing Advocacy Award, in recognition of her years of support for the Park District in Sacramento. She was instrumental in securing $4 million in the 2019-20 state budget for restoration at McCosker Creek in Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in Orinda. She also secured $3.5 million in the 2021-22 state budget for wildfire protection equipment.

The award is named for late Park District Board member Ted Radke, the longest-serving board member in the District’s history.

Learn more about the Park District’s history of land preservation at the premier of the film documentary, “The Long Game: How Robert Doyle Shaped the East Bay.” The documentary will be premiered at a Save Mount Diablo program from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Center.

Doyle is a retired Park District general manager and a founding member of Save Mount Diablo. The program also honors two recently retired, long-term Park District elected board members: Beverly Lane and Ayn Wieskamp. All three have been active for many years in preserving East Bay open space for public enjoyment and wildlife habitat. To obtain tickets, visit bit.ly/ebrpd2.

These are just a few of the activities planned in coming days in the Regional Parks. For the complete calendar, visit www.ebparks.org/things-to-do.

THE ROBOT REPORT

Rapid Robotics and Universal Robots team up to accelerate cobot deployments

By Mike Oitzman

Rapid Robotics and Universal Robots (UR) recently announced a new partnership. UR, a Danish company that makes collaborative robots (cobots), will supply Rapid Robotics with collaborative robot arms so that it can set up cobot work cells all over North America. This means that Rapid Robotics will be able to serve more customers and keep the quick deployment times that customers have come to expect, even as Rapid Robotics continues to grow across the country.

“As the number of unfilled, critical manufacturing roles increases and global economic uncertainty continues to impact supply chains, more and more North American manufacturers are turning to automation,” said Jordan Kretchmer, CEO and Co-Founder of Rapid Robotics. “This collaboration with UR helps us deploy more cobots, with a wider variety of capabilities, at a faster rate, ultimately helping manufacturers of all shapes and sizes manage and even thrive through the adversity they are facing.”

Rapid Robotics is integrated with and can use any cobot from the UR product line. This makes it possible to add new functions like palletizing, box building and packing, and tasks that need a heavier payload or longer reach. Rapid Robotics will also be able to build work cells and choose peripheral equipment with more freedom.

Together, Rapid Robotics and UR also speed up cobot deployments in new ways. UR’s two-week ship program is one of the fastest in the industry, and Rapid Robotics’ powerful mix of state-of-the-art AI, advanced vision systems, and a unique software stack means robots can be up and running in customer facilities in a matter of weeks instead of the usual months to years.

“Universal Robots has spent the last decade in North America focused on freeing up more manpower by automating a wide range of human-scale tasks with easy-to-deploy cobots,” says Bryan Bird, Universal Robots’ Regional Sales President. “We’re excited to work with Rapid Robotics in a partnership that will enable us to break down more automation barriers, deploying a robotic workforce to address those jobs manufacturers simply can’t staff.”

In 2022, UR brought in $326 million, a 5% increase in annual revenue from 2021 and a 12% growth on a constant currency basis. UR is part of the robotics division at Teradyne and delivered $85 million in sales in Q4 2022, down from $97 million in Q4 2021.

A big change for both new and old Rapid Robotics customers is that there are now more ways and things that can be automated. Existing customers who want to grow their businesses or fill open positions for machine operators can automate even more of their lines with UR’s cobots, which have new features. Rapid Robotics’ expanded product line makes automation easier and faster to start for new customers than ever before.

Mike Oitzman is Editor of WTWH’s Robotics Group and founder of the Mobile Robot Guide. He can be reached at mo******@wt*******.com.

Elevate your garden’s beauty with jewel-tone plants

By Melinda Myers

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections

Bring the beauty of your favorite gemstones into the garden and your outdoor living space with the help of jewel-toned plants. Even a pot of these beauties placed on the balcony can provide bold color, vibrancy, and lushness to any space.

Select plants with leaves, flowers, or both in the saturated colors of gemstones like rubies, amethyst, topaz, sapphire, and turquoise. Select plants with colors that complement your home and landscape and will thrive in the growing conditions in your gardening space.

Look for opportunities to i
nclude these rich colors throughout the growing season. Jewel-toned pansies, ornamental cabbage and kale, and calendula are a few plants that thrive in cooler weather, providing welcome color before other plants appear or have faded in the summer heat.

As temperatures rise, include rich yellows and oranges of Rudbeckias and sunflowers. Add a showy and exotic look to the garden with Crocosmia. Plant Lucifer for bright red flowers, Prince of Orange for its red-orange blooms, and George Davidson for an added touch of yellow. Check out the many colorful varieties of dahlias and gladiolus that grow well in the garden and containers and make great additions to your garden bouquets. Canna’s bold and colorful foliage is impressive all season long and is sure to command attention when topped with flowers.

Add colorful zinnias for season-long color. You can start them from seed right in the garden or buy transplants for earlier bloom. Look for disease-resistant varieties and those with bold colors like Benary’s giant deep red, Profusion red, and Double Zahara Fire’s orange-red blooms. These sun-loving annuals are also heat and drought-tolerant, making them perfect for low-maintenance gardens.

Plant some tall Mexican sunflowers in the back of the garden. Consider Fiesta Del Sol, a more compact variety, if you want something shorter. No matter which you grow, you and the pollinators will enjoy the orange blooms.

Keep the color going with summer- to fall-blooming Helenium which is hardy in zones three to eight. Hot Lava is topped with fire engine red flowers while Butterpat has vibrant yellow blossoms.

Coral bells come in a wide variety of leaf colors, making it easy to include jewel tones all season long. Many shade-tolerant hostas have deep green foliage that provides the perfect backdrop for other flowers.

Combining complementary colors that appear opposite each other on the artist’s color wheel creates an eye-catching display. Dark colors can easily disappear in the background or shade. Teaming them with a complementary-colored plant or light background can help them pop. A combination of purple-leaved bugbane and the fine chartreuse foliage of Hakone grass, for example, allows both plants to shine while creating a splendid display.

Make sure the plants you combine are equally bold, so each adds to the overall design. Mix in some green foliage to provide a bit of color relief. Too much of a good thing, including vibrant colors, can overpower the landscape and create a somewhat chaotic feel.

Make notes on the plants and combinations you want to repeat next year. Note those that didn’t perform to your expectations and don’t need to be repeated. If you decide to expand upon this theme, be sure to add some jewel-toned, spring-flowering bulbs like tulips and hyacinths to the landscape this fall.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Alameda County Water District Board

March 9, 2023

General Manager’s Report

• Drought update: local and state reservoir conditions are improving; precipitation outlook is positive; water supply remains stable, but still awaiting final tabulation numbers. ACWD customers are continuing to meet 15% water conservation goals.
• As part of Groundwater Awareness Week, staff provided an educational program for 7th grade students in Newark Unified School District.

Public Comment

• Disappointment was voiced that the Board is not reviewing the drought surcharge following recent wet storms.

Action Items

• Resolution that repairs to groundwater recharge facilities damaged by winter storms are exempt from California Environmental Quality Act, and approving the project. Motion approved 3-1 (Gunther absent; Weed abstained)
• Resolution to award a contract for Alameda Reservoir Roof Replacement Project. Motion approved 4-1 (Sethy abstained)
• Authorize construction, management and inspection services for Alameda Reservoir Roof Replacement Project. Motioned approved 4-1 (Sethy abstained)
• Authorize an agreement to participate in the Regional Purified Water Pilot Project Phase 2, Public Outreach and Grant Funding Opportunities. Motion approved 4-1 (Weed nay)

Consent Calendar

• Resolution honoring Ramon Gonzalez upon his retirement from ACWD
• Amend the professional services agreement for engineering and environmental services for the Vallecitos Channel Maintenance Project and emergency repairs project damages caused by winter storms
• Authorize an agreement for supply and delivery of water conservation kits
• Adopt Alameda County Water District Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Nominate John H. Weed to Executive Committee of the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority
• Amendment the professional services agreement for engineering and environmental services for Alameda Reservoir Roof Replacement and Decoto Reservoir Improvements Projects
• Approve revised fire hydrant meter charges, updating the ACWD rate and fee schedule
• Award a contract for the Distribution Programmable Logic Controller Upgrade Project, Phase 3
• Designate an alternate director (Jonathan Wunderlich) to represent Alameda County Water District on the Delta Conveyance Finance Authority Board of Directors.

President Paul Sethy               Aye

John Weed                              Aye

Aziz Akbari                            Aye

James Gunther                        Aye

Judy Huang                             Aye

East Bay Municipal Utility District

March 14, 2023

Other Business

• Conduct a d
  iscussion regarding the district’s trench soils management program and receive a staff presentation on the district’s trench soils management program, including an update on the proposed Quarry Site Restoration Project on Lake Chabot Road in Alameda County: A vote to terminate the project failed.

Consent Calendar

• Authorize a lease with California State Lands Commission for a 20-year period with an effective date of March 1, 2023, to allow for the continued use of two district facilities in Lockeford, San Joaquin County, used to monitor and communicate stream flow data.
• Adopt the 2023 East Bay Municipal Utility District Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

President Andy Katz               Aye

Lesa Mcintosh                        Aye

John Coleman                         Aye

Marguerite Young                  Aye

Doug Linney                           Aye

William Patterson                   Aye

April Chan                              Aye

New County Ordinance allows food entrepreneurs to operate out of their homes

Submitted by County of Santa Clara

Under a new county ordinance approved and enacted March 7, food industry entrepreneurs can apply for a permit that allows them to legally prepare, cook, and sell food out of a private home kitchen.

County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to permit such mini restaurant businesses – called Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations, or MEHKOs – throughout the county. County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health is now accepting applications on their website at ehinfo.sccgov.org/home.

The cost of starting a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant or operating a food truck can be prohibitive, and this ordinance makes it more accessible to get into the food industry. Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who brought the idea of a legal path for such operations to the board last year, called it a potential boon for lower-income and marginalized communities.

“This helps eliminate limitations faced by small-scale food entrepreneurs – many of them women, immigrants, and people of color – allowing for the operation of a legitimate, legal and County-approved business from the convenience of their home,” said Supervisor Chavez.

A state law that took effect in 2019 gives California counties discretion to allow MEHKOs within their jurisdiction. In accordance with that state law, there are requirements for qualifying operations:

• Each home kitchen operation is limited to serving 30 meals per day or 60 meals per week.
• All food is required to be prepared, cooked, and served on the same day.
• Proprietors are allowed one full-time food employee other than family or household members.
• Each operation may not exceed $58,275 in verifiable gross annual sales.

Customers may dine in, pick up their food, or have it delivered. MEHKOs are exempt from many standard food facilities requirements but are still required to obtain a Health Permit and are subject to inspections by the County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health. In addition, all MEHKO participants will complete a food safety certification course.

“When people know an operation is permitted by the County, they know it has been inspected and they can expect their food to be safe for consumption” said Board President Susan Ellenberg.

County officials are urging food vendors who are currently operating out of their homes without a license to take advantage of the new opportunity. The County is waiving application fees for MEHKO and other small food business operations, following another recent board action.

The proposed fee to operate a MEHKO is $635, with an additional one-time $340 application fee. However, these fees may be waived for the first year of operation under a county program designed to assist small businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. MEHKO startups are specifically noted as being qualified for fee relief.

For more information, visit the Department of Environmental Health’s MEHKO webpage at cpd.sccgov.org/food/microenterprise-home-kitchen-operations-mehko.

Fremont City Council

March 7, 2023

Consent Calendar

• Second reading and adoption of an ordinance amending Fremont Municipal Code Title 6 Section 6.05.010, adding sections 6.10.140 and repealing section 6.40.040 (Animals Ordinance)
• Extend agreement between the City and Alameda County Fire Department for Regional Emergency Communication Center and fire dispatch services

Mayor Lily Mei          Aye

Raj Salwan                  Aye

Teresa Cox                  Aye

Yang Shao                  Aye

Teresa Keng                Aye

Jenny Kassan              Aye

Desrie Campbell         Aye

Wanted: Students with community spirit

Submitted by City of Hayward

Applications are being accepted from students who would like to serve on the Hayward Youth Commission.

Candidates should be students who are eager to represent the interests, needs and concerns of young people in the Hayward community. Youth Commission members also provide input about issues that affect youth to elected officials in the City of Hayward, Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, and Hayward Unified School District.

Youth Commissioner responsibilities include attending meetings at 6:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month from September to June at Hayward City Hall, 777 B St. Students also work on various special projects that address current issues in Hayward.

To qualify for the commission, students must meet several criteria:

• Be between 13 and 20 years old at
  the time of appointment.
• Live in the City of Hayward or within the boundaries of Hayward Unified School District.
• Applicants younger than 18 must have parent/legal guardian consent to participate and need to complete a Parent Agreement and Contact Information form.

The deadline to submit an application is Friday, May 19. Applicants will be notified by email when an interview time is confirmed. Applications and forms are available online at www.hayward-ca.gov/hyc. For questions, send an email to the City Clerk’s office at ci*******@ha********.gov or call (510) 583-4400.

Hayward Unified School District

March 8, 2023

Consent Calendar

• Appointments, changes of status, waivers, retirements, leaves of absence, and terminations
• January 2023 warrants and $10K summary
• Legal services agreement
• Approve Memorandums of Understanding: California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI) (Educational Services) and Silicon Valley Education Foundation (Student and Family Services)
• Approve contracts: First Alarm Health and Safety (Educational Services); McGrath RentCorp DBA Mobile Modular (Business Services) and Restorative Coaching Amendment (Educational Services)
• Measure H contracts: Landmark Construction; FE Controls Corp, and; Construction Testing Services

President Peter Bufete            Aye

April Oquenda                        Aye

Clerk Ramos                           Aye

Ken Rawdon                           Absent

Sara Prada                               Aye

Milpitas City Council

March 7, 2023

Community Services and Sustainable Infrastructure

• Received a presentation on the options for expanding the pilot Street Sweeping Program, and supported staff’s recommendation to perform additional survey work and return to the Mayor and City Council to discuss next steps following completion of the surveys.

Consent Calendar

• Authorize the license agreement between the City of Milpitas and Crown Castle Fiber LLC for the installation of Small Cell Facilities on municipal facilities
• Accept Alviso adobe renovation
• Initiate proceedings for the annual levy and collection of assessments and preparation of the annual Engineer’s Report for Landscaping and Lighting Maintenance Assessment District No. 95-1 (McCarthy Ranch), and District No. 98-1 (Sinclair Horizon)
• Accept the completed public improvements for the Lantana Apartments Residential Project
• Amend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program which will allow for a five year extension.
• Approve the addition of a second City Council Liaison to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Task Force, and approve the Mayor’s appointment of Vice Mayor Evelyn Chua as the second City Council Liaison to the CEDAW Task Force
• Adopt a resolution for termination of the proclamation of Local Emergency regarding COVID-19

Mayor Carmen Montano                    Aye

Evelyn Chua                                       Aye

Gary Barbadillo                                  Aye

Hon Lien                                             Aye

Anthony Phan                                     Aye

Newark Unified School District

March 2, 2023

Report On Closed Session

• The Board took action to not re-elect certificated employee ID#s 4417 4333 effective at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Passed 4-0.

Other Business

• The Board unanimously approved the purchase of 1,845 new Chromebooks

Consent Agenda

• Personnel report
• Field Trip: Curricular, overnight trip for Kennedy Elementary fifth grade class to travel to Alliance Redwoods
• Contracts and purchase orders authorized under Resolution 2020.21-025 (Delegate authority to procure necessary materials, equipment and services to provide distance and/or in-person learning for staff, teachers, and students to mitigate the effects of Covid-19)
• Member resignation (Richard Watters)
• Member reappointment (Cary Knoop)

President Nancy Thomas        Aye

Bowen Zhang                         Absent

Katherine Jones                      Aye

Aiden Hill                               Aye

Phuong Nguyen                      Aye

Union City accepting applications for Vacant Fireworks Sales Permit

Submitted By City of Union City

Photo courtesy of fireworksamerica.com

The City of Union City is accepting eligibility pre-applications from local nonprofit organizations to fill one vacant Fireworks Sales Permit. Pursuant to the Municipal Code, eligible nonprofit organizations must apply for and be issued a permit from the city for the sale of State-approved fireworks, also known as “Safe and Sane Fireworks”.

Vacant permits shall be filled by an impartial drawing supervised by the Permit Administrator if the number of new applicants exceeds the number of vacancies. Interested parties are required to submit a pre-application form to qualify for the drawing. The selected organization will be in first position to receive the permit and will need to complete and submit a full permit application by May 1, 2023, to secure the permit.

Before submitting a pre-application and full permit application, nonprofits will need to work with a fireworks distributor/vendor to secure a stand location, State fireworks sales permit, product, and satisfy other requirements that are specific to the vendor. Please contact a fireworks vendor prior to submitting a pre-application.

For eligibility requirements and the form please visit unioncity.org/fireworksapp. To qualify for the drawing, please submit the pre-application form with all requested documents to fi*******@un*******.org no later than Friday, March 31, 2023, 5 p.m.

Please contact the Permit Administrator at fi*******@un*******.org if you have any questions.

BART Police Log

Submitted by BART PD and Les Mensinger

Monday, March 13

• At 11:39 a.m. a woman identified by police as Jennifer Torres, 25, of Berkeley was arrested at Milpitas station on suspicion battery on an officer. She was booked at Santa Clara County Main Jail.

• At 7:52 p.m. a man identified by police as Osiris Rojas, 26, of Kensington was stopped at Milpitas station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed a warrant. He was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Tuesday, March 14

• At 12:35 p.m. a community service officer at Warm Springs/South Fremont station administered one dose of NARCAN to an unresponsive male who appeared to be suffering from an apparent drug overdose. Medical personnel responded, but the male declined further medical treatment.

Wednesday, March 15

• At 6:26 p.m. a man identified by police as Kevin Tobie, 37, of San Francisco was stopped at San Leandro station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed two warrants. He was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

CHP Log

Submitted by CHP Hayward

Monday, March 13

• Early morning heavy rains resulted in flooding on I-880 freeway near the Thornton Avenue exit in Fremont. Caltrans closed northbound and southbound lanes and CHP directed traffic to detours. The lanes opened that evening after mud and debris was removed.

DUI checkpoint nets three arrests

Submitted by Sgt. Tasha Decosta, Hayward PD

Three drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI during a March 3 checkpoint conducted by Hayward Police Department at Foothill Boulevard and City Center Drive in Hayward. Additionally, 44 drivers were cited for operating a vehicle while unlicensed or with a suspended license.

The checkpoint started at 8 p.m. and continued until 2 a.m. the next day with officers contacting 588 vehicles. HPD officials said checkpoint locations are determined based on a history of crashes and DUI arrests. They added that the primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers of the roads.

Another DUI checkpoint is planned for August 25 at an undisclosed location in Hayward. Funding for checkpoints is provided by a grant from California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tri-City police to showcase military equipment

Staff report

To comply with state legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to show or share information with the public about what military equipment they own, police in Fremont, Newark and Union City are inviting local residents to have a look and share their thoughts.

California Assembly Bill 481, enacted in 2022, requires law enforcement agencies to obtain approval of governing bodies (mayor and city council) for this equipment. It also requires adopting a military equipment use policy for funding, acquisition and use of the equipment and sharing information about it annually with the public.

Tri-City residents can learn more about military equipment used in the area at three public sessions:

• Fremont: Police will showcase their equipment from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 29 in the Fremont Police Department parking lot at 2000 Stevenson Blvd.
• Newark: Police will offer the public an up-close look at their equipment from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 4 in the Newark Police Department parking lot at 37077 Newark Blvd.
• Union City: Police will give a presentation and discussion about its use of military equipment during the regular Union City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 28 at City Hall, 34009 Alvarado-Niles Road.

In each case, local police and local government officials will be available to answer questions. Additionally, each Tri-City area police department has posted their military equipment use policy on their respective webpages.

The full text of AB 481 is posted online at: https://bit.ly/3yLr3px

Milpitas Fire Department

Submitted by Milpitas Fire Department

Milpitas Fire Department is proud to announce the appointment of Deputy Fire Chief Jason Schoonover to the position of Fire Chief. Chief Schoonover has over 20 years of experience in the fire service. We are happy to have him on board to lead the department and help grow the next generation of public safety teams that are essential to our community. Congratulations, Chief Schoonover!

Milpitas Police Log

Submitted by Milpitas PD

Tuesday, February 28

• At 7:46 p.m. officers responded to a report of an assault on the 1000 block of Hillview Court. Officers arrived and eventually arrested a 32-year-old Milpitas resident. During the arrest, the suspect kicked an officer several times, but did not injure the officer. The suspect was booked into jail and faces charges of battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, and assault and battery.

Saturday, March 4

• At 2:54 p.m. officers responded to a report about an assault with a knife on the 1600 block of Dennis Ave. Upon arrival, officers found the victim who was quickly taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, a 21-year-old Milpitas resident, initially refused to exit their residence. After numerous attempts to de-escalate the incident, and with the assistance of the Santa Clara County Mobile Crisis Unit, the suspect complied and was taken into custody. The suspect was arrested and booked into jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence.

Saturday, March 11

• At 11:26 a.m. officers responded to a disturbance report on the 1400 block of Falcon Dr. The suspect, a 42-year-old San Jose resident, stole merchandise from a store at the Great Mall and brandished a knife at loss prevention officers while trying to leave. No one was juried and the store officers detained the suspect until police arrived. The suspect was arrested and booked into jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and theft-related charges.

New fire chief appointed in Fremont

Submitted by City of Fremont

Zoraida Diaz, an experienced leader in the fire service field, has been appointed the next Chief of the Fremont Fire Department.

In a March 14 announcement, Fremont City Manager Karena Shackelford said Diaz will start her new role April 7. Diaz will be the ninth fire chief in Fremont’s history and the highest-ranking woman in the fire department’s history.

Diaz joined the department in February 2021 as a Deputy Chief, after serving with the City of Oakland for 18 years. While there, Diaz established her career in fire service and was promoted through the ranks to Assistant Fire Chief. Prior to that, she was a social worker for 15 years.

Currently, Diaz is Deputy Chief of Operations in Fremont where she has been responsible for a variety of complex work programs. She also has helped to create working relationships within the fire department, and with partnering organizations such as local law enforcement and private ambulance agencies.

“I am pleased to announce Zoraida Diaz as Fremont’s next Fire Chief,” Shackelford said. “Zoraida will be an integral part of our city’s executive management team and is committed to building upon a legacy of excellence and leadership and is aligned with the city’s highest priorities.”

Maintaining service to the community is important to Diaz. “I look forward to leading the Fremont Fire Department and its ongoing legacy as industry leaders regarding best practices, and we will continue to identify and implement innovative procedures to best serve the Fremont community.”

Diaz attended the State University of New York at Albany where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Spanish and a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. A badge-pinning ceremony will be scheduled at a later date.

Newark Police Log

Submitted by Captain Jonathan Arguello

Sunday, February 12

• At 1:29 a.m. officers stopped a 54-year-old Newark man in the 35000 block of Newark Blvd. The man was uncooperative with the officer’s investigation. He was ultimately arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale and obstructing a police officer. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Monday, February 13

• At 1:03 p.m. Officer Kapu investigated a report of a hit and run vehicle collision on the 39000 block of Cedar Blvd. A 33-year-old Newark man was found nearby and arrested on suspicion of hit and run. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

• At 12:00 midnight Officers Adami and Herrera made a traffic enforcement stop on the 7000 block of Thornton Ave. Inside was a 28-year-old woman and a 59-year-old man, both of Hayward. Both were arrested on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia and controlled substances. The woman was booked at Santa Rita Jail; the man was cited and released.

Friday, February 17

• At 3:00 p.m. Officer Nobbe investigated a report about an assault with a deadly weapon (not a firearm) in the 5000 block of Mowry Ave. Incident is under investigation.

Sunday, February 19

• At 4:19 p.m. Officer Frentescu investigated a grab and run theft worth $20,000 of merchandise in the 200 block of NewPark Mall Road.

Wednesday, February 22

• At 8:38 a.m. Officer Johnson located a stolen vehicle in the 5000 block of Cedar Court. While investigating, Johnson stopped and later arrested a 33-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, both from Fremont, on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle, burglary tools and drug paraphernalia. The woman was booked at Santa Rita Jail; the man was cited and released.

Friday, February 24

• At 9:23 p.m. Officer Slavazza responded to a report about threats being made in the area of Chapman Drive and Lake Boulevard. Upon arrival, Slavazza arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of making criminal threats. While enroute to Santa Rita Jail, the man started to thrash and kick about in the backseat. Additional officers responded to assist. The man was additionally charged with delaying the duties of a peace officer.

Saturday, February 25

• At 5:06 p.m. Officer Kapu responded to a report about suspicious activity in the 35000 block of Newark Blvd. Kapu arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.

San Leandro Police Log

Submitted by San Leandro PD

Thursday, March 16

• At about 10:35 p.m. officers responded to several 911 calls about a vehicle colliding into a house on the 15100 block of Edgemore St. Officers, along with the Alameda County Fire Department, arrived and found the driv
  er still inside the vehicle. The driver was taken to a trauma hospital for medical treatment. The house was unoccupied and there were no other injuries. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision to call Traffic Investigator Officer Daryl Pasut at (510) 577-3208 or send an email to DJ*****@sa********.org.

Share coffee with the cops

Submitted by San Leandro Police Department

Do you have questions for the San Leandro Police Department? Officers just might have the answers you’re looking for. They are inviting citizens to join them at a Coffee with the Cops gathering on Tuesday, March 28 in San Leandro.

The 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. event will be in the Surlene Grant Community Room on E. 14th St. The informal gathering is designed to let people ask questions, voice concerns or simply get to know members of the police department. No formal presentation is planned, so people can drop by anytime during the event. The event is open to the public.

Coffee with the Cops

Tuesday, Mar 28

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Surlene Grant Community Room

999 E. 14 St., San Leandro

(510) 577-3228

California ‘Teacher of the Year’ accused of child sex abuse

Associated Press

A onetime Teacher of the Year at a Southern California school pleaded not guilty March 13 to multiple child sex abuse charges involving a former student, prosecutors said.

Jacqueline Ma, a 34-year-old teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary in National City near San Diego, was arrested in early March.

Detectives began investigating after a mother reported suspicions that her 13- year-old was in an inappropriate relationship with a former teacher, according to the National City Police Department. Police did not release details of the investigation because the alleged victim is a minor.

Ma pleaded not guilty to 15 criminal counts, including lewd acts upon a child and contact of minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said.

The Los Angeles Times reported National School District Superintendent Leighangela Brady said at a school board meeting March 8 that the community was trying to process the “unthinkable situation.”

Ma taught in the district since 2013 and had a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in education, both from UC San Diego, according to her Teacher of the Year profile in the San Diego Union Tribune. The award was announced last year by the San Diego County Office of Education.

Ma was held without bail. A bail review hearing was scheduled for March 16.

Homicide Investigation

Submitted by Union City Police Department

On March13, at about 10:58 a.m., Union City PD officers were dispatched to the railroad tracks near the 33300 block of Central Avenue regarding a possible dead body. Upon arrival, Officers found an unconscious male, suffering from various injuries. He was later pronounced deceased. The identity of the male has not yet been determined, but appeared to be in his mid-30’s.

Union City PD Detectives have identified Brandon Kong, a white adult male as a person of interest. Brandon Kong is described to be 5’11”, 230 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. Brandon Kong is known to frequent the Union City/Hayward area. If you see him or have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Union City Police Department at (510) 471-1365.

This remains an active investigation and Union City Police Department is requesting that anyone who has information about this incident to please leave a voicemail at (510) 675-5207, or email ti**@un*******.org.

Union City Police Log

Submitted by Union City PD

Wednesday, March 15

• At about 7:41 a.m. officers responded to a disturbance report at Starbucks, 33115 Mission Blvd. Upon arrival, officers were approached by a male acting aggressively and showing erratic behavior. When the male walked away, officers confirmed with Starbucks staff members no crime had occurred. Later, at about 8:11 a.m., officers saw a collision between a motor vehicle and pedestrian on Mission Boulevard, south of Starbucks. The pedestrian was the same male officers encountered at Starbucks. He was in the roadway and suffering from significant injuries. He was taken to a hospital and later reported in critical, but stable condition. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators. An investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Traffic Officer Silva at (510) 675-5222. Information also can be left anonymously at (510) 675-5207 or online at Ti**@un*******.org.

Cougar Report

Submitted by Rachel Kahoalii

Champions of Character

The following Newark Memorial High School athletes were recognized as Champions of Character by their teammates this week:

JV Softball

Freshman, Jaslene Cortez, is someone who puts her team first. She is always cheering on her teammates and puts in 100% effort to improve each day.

Varsity Softball

Senior, Vanessa Buenrostro, is a model teammate. She consistently models commitment, a strong work ethic and shows up every day with a good attitude. She pushes herself to be the best she can be and makes others around her better.

JV Baseball

Sophomore, Max Segura, has made tremendous improvement in the classroom and on the baseball field since last season. He has taken on a new position with a great attitude and is willing to do whatever is best for the team.

Varsity Baseball

Sophomore, Fabian Guzman, is a silent leader who works hard even through adversity.

Register for Spring Lacrosse

Submitted by Spartans Lacrosse

If your child is interested in playing lacrosse, it’s the perfect time to join in on this sport with Fremont Spartans Lacrosse. Registration is now open for the 2023 Spring Season! Spartans Lacrosse is excited to offer the following teams/divisions:14U Boys & Girls; 12U Boys & Girls; 10U Boys & Girls

For each youth division, you must be under the maximum age prior to 9/1/2021 (i.e., for 14U, your fourteenth birthday must be after 8/31/2021).

14U — Turn 14 after 8/31/2022 $399

12U — Turn 12 after 8/31/2022 $399

10U — Turn 10 after 8/31/2022 $299

Freshman in high school who are fourteen, and do not attend a high school with a CIF team may be eligible to play in the 14U division.

Players may be granted an exception to play “up” based on size, experience, and athletic ability. They may not play down an age group unless there are special circumstances.

What to Expect: Teams should expect two practices per week. They will participate in the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association (NCJLA) and compete in an end of season playoff or Jamboree, depending on the age group.

Games: Games and game formats are still up in the air, but we are prepared to do smaller sized games as needed (7v7 or 8v8), up to full field if allowed (10v10).

Uniforms: All players to receive a custom sublimated uniform that will be theirs to keep.

Social Distancing: As we have established for our Fall/Winter programs, we will continue practicing proper Social Distancing Protocols as long as necessary, and in accordance with any/all state and county guidelines. The safety of our local players and families is always of utmost importance to us.

For more information visit www.fre-lax.com

Castro Valley Volleyball beats Arroyo

By Andrew Joseph

The Castro Valley Trojan boys’ volleyball team holds on to second place in West Alameda County Conference (WACC) beating Arroyo 3-1 on Friday, March 17 at home in a league matchup.

“We know that these are our league rivals so we were in for a tough game, but we’ve been preparing for this,” said Castro Valley head coach Eric Unti. “We beat Arroyo twice last year and both times it went to the fifth set.”

The Trojans began the game strong, winning their first two sets with great timing and solid defense on their blocks. They started the first set with a seven-point rally to be up with a 18-8 lead. Arroyo went on a 4-1 run at the end of the set, but Castro Valley’s effort prevailed 25-15.

In the second set the score was tied at seven, again at 10, and at 20. The Trojans made a comeback playing from behind most of the set, but scored the last four points to win 25-22 and go up 2-0 in the game.

“Other than Bishop O’Dowd this was probably our toughest match of the season, but we fought strong,” said Trojans junior Braden Lew. “Getting out to an early lead is always our goal so we can have a little bit of cushion heading into the next set.”

Arroyo came into the third set with a visibly different focus, leading the whole time and going on a 10-5 run to end the set and finishing with two good blocks. Castro Valley’s timing was off as they had three service faults and two out of bounds hits. The Trojans also had miscommunication on one play where no one was in the position to reach the ball at is destination. Arroyo won the set with authority 25-15. “Arroyo was blocking like crazy in the third set and neutralizing our hitters,” added coach Unti.

The Trojans began the fourth set up 7-2 with great serves and forcing Arroyo to call a timeout. Castro Valley never let down by going up by 10, leading 18-8 with a good hard serve. They won the set 25-19 and defeated their league opponent winning the game in four sets.

“I think we can make it to the state playoffs this year and make it far,” said Castro Valley’s Lukas Winn.

Castro Valley’s first of only two losses this season came on March 1 to Bishop O’Dowd, who currently holds first place in the WACC. Arroyo has lost its third straight game and is now 12-5 overall, but is 1-3 in league play as they fall to ninth place in the WACC. The Trojans’ next game is Tuesday, March 21 at San Leandro. Arroyo’s next game is Tuesday, March 21 at San Lorenzo.

Ohlone Softball Win

By April Ramos

Photos by Don Jedlovec

The Ohlone Renegade softball team played Reedley College Tigers in a home game on Friday, March 17. After postponing four games in the last month due to weather, Ohlone was eager to step out of the diamond and continue their season.

Reedley Tigers started the game on a good note with two runs, but the Renegades were able to stay close behind with their own run in the first inning of the game. The Tigers managed to keep their lead as they secured two more runs in the second inning where Ohlone feel short, making the score 1-4 at the end of the second inning. It was in the fourth inning where the Renegades were able to bounce back with three runs tying the game for the first time 4-4.

The tie held up until the eighth inning when, again, the Renegades gained one more run winning the game 5-4. Ohlone is now at 6-13 overall record. The team’s next game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 where they will face off San Jose City College.

For more information about the Ohlone Softball’s games and stats visit www.ohloneathletics.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

An additional traffic lane is needed on Grimmer Boulevard

For 20+ years I have driven through Paseo Padre Parkway onto Grimmer Boulevard five days a week. And once you make a right or left turn heading to Grimme
r Boulevard, it has two lanes, one for each direction, both with heavy traffic.

Just look at the unused land on the right-hand side being ignored presumably for years. I don’t know the reason. This small portion of unused land has enough space to construct an additional asphalt road in order to reduce peak-hour congestion and facilitate drivers.

I ask the mayor of Fremont and the City Council to inspect the location that I cited above and direct the city traffic/planning department to work on the feasibility of the project. And I guarantee with the construction of an additional lane, drivers would be benefitted.

Zafar Yousufzai

Fremont

Continuing Events:

Tuesdays

Practice Your English – Online Chat! R

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Improve your English by talking with native speakers

bit.ly/3jqnz86

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

 

Tuesdays

Bilingual (English/Spanish) Tiny Tot Story Time

9:30 am – 11:00 am

Kinder readiness class for 0-5 years old

Union City Family Center

725 Whipple Rd, Union City

(510) 476-2770

bit.ly/3GaTamI

Wednesdays

Tropics Bingo

7:00 pm

Flash games

Tropics Mobile Home Park

33000 Almaden Blvd, Union City

(510) 471-8550

the-tropics.net

Wednesdays

Zumba Gold $

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Workout while dancing

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

Thursdays

Chronic Pain Support Group

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Group guidance from Stanford Pain Management Clinic

(510) 790-6600

Email for zoom link: ag************@fr*****.gov

Thursdays

International Folk Dancing in Mandarin R$

11:30 am – 12:50 pm

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

Thursdays

Chair Yoga R

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Breathing and stretching techniques

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct., Fremont

(510) 742-7529

Thursdays & Saturdays

Story Time

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Picture book story time

Banter Bookshop

3768 Capitol Ave Ste.F, Fremont

(510) 565-1004

banterbookshop.com

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

Thursday -Sunday

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

Saturdays

Laugh Track City $

8:00 pm

Series of improvised games and scenes

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

madeuptheatre.com

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

Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays

Spectrum Fall Prevention presents “Enhance Fitness”

R

9:30 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm

Program to energize and empower 60+ adult

Cherryland Community Center

278 Hampton Road, Hayward

Register in person or call (510) 881-0300 x 270

bit.ly/3KzxIu8

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

ca**********@ac*******.org

Wednesdays, December 7 – November 22

Qi Gong Meditation & Exercise Classes

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Relieve stress and anxiety by joining falun dafa class

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

Tuesdays, January 3 – May 30

Baby Bouncers Lapsit

11:30 am – 11:45 am

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

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Thursdays, January 19 – April 20

Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Get help with checkup, medications, appointments & food assistance

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Fridays, January 20 – January 6

Knit & Crochet Circle

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Learn knitting and crocheting

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Saturdays, January 28 – March 25

Saturday English Conversation

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Open English conversation for all skill level

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/3DyAJaM

Thursdays, February 2 – April 27

CleanStart Mobile Hygiene Unit

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Access to a shower & laundry for people experiencing homelessness

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Saturdays, February 4 – April 15

Free Tax Assistance from VITA

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Trained volunteers will prepare & file taxes for households earning less than $66,000 in 2022

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

earnitkeepitsaveit.org

Sundays, February 12 – April 9

Dove Gallery Competition Exhibit

12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Eclectic showcase of local

Dove Gallery at Park Victoria Baptist Church

875 S Park Victoria Dr, Milpitas

(408) 464-5011

Do**@Pa**********.org

Wednesdays, February 15 – June 7

Youth basketball clinic R

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Free Basketball clinic for Hayward students ages 12 – 17

Matt Jimenez Community Center

28200 Russ Rd, Hayward

(510) 887-0400

hayward-ca.gov/pal

Tuesdays, February 21 – June 27

Erase Una Vez / Once Upon a Time

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Read & do an art project in Spanish

Cherryland Community Center

278 Hampton Road, Hayward

(510) 626-8522

haywardrec.org

Mask required for 2+

Tuesdays – Sundays

Nature tour

10:30 am – 2:30 pm

Stroll around and explore the center

Sulphur Creek Nature Center

1801 D St., Hayward

(510) 881-6747

bit.ly/3JQ1me1

 

Monday – Thursday, March 20 – May 31

Homework help center

3:45 pm – 5:45 pm

Homework help for students grades K – 8

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Mask required

 

Tuesdays, March 21 – December 19

Chess Mix

12:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Drop in for some casual chess games

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

Tuesdays, March 21 – April 25

Stay and Play

1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Variety of toys and activities with story, music, and snacks for 0 -5.

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

aclibrary.org/locations/SLZ

Tuesdays & Wednesdays, March 21 – May 24

Homework help center

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Homework assistance for primary & secondary student

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

ca**********@ac*******.org

Wednesdays, March 22 – April 26

Toddler Storytime + Stay N’ Play

11:15 am – 12:30 pm

Early literacy activities for toddlers ages 1-3

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Thursdays, March 23 – May 11

Preschool Storytime

11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Read book, sing songs, dance, and have fun

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Upcoming events:

Tuesday, March 21

Read to a Dog

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Come and read to the trained therapy dogs

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Tuesday, March 21

Bingo

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Win prizes and have fun

Chick-fil-A Auto Mall

5539 Auto Mall Parkway, Fremont

Wednesday, March 22

The Journaling Hour

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Create calendars, trackers, & other journaling basics

Centerville library

3801 Nicolet Ave, Fremont

(510) 795-2629

aclibrary.org/locations/CTV

Wednesday, March 22

Author talk with Kai Harris R

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Author talk followed by Q & A

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

bit.ly/42l4rtO

Thursday, March 23

Coffee with Cops

8:00 am – 10:00 am

Chat with cops from UCPD while enjoying coffee

Starbucks

33115 Mission Blvd, Union city

(510) 471-1365

Thursday, March 23

Book Signing $

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

“From Berkeley to Berlin: How the Rad Lab helped avert nuclear war” by Tom Ramos

Acacia Creek Retirement Community

34400 Mission Blvd, Union City

(925) 453-3805

acaciacreek.org

Free for atomic & DOE workers

Thursday, March 23 & Saturday, March 25

Pysanka workshop $R

Thurs: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Sat: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Ukrainian easter egg decoration technique & special dyes.

Ages 7& up

Imaginook

39675 Cedar Blvd, Newark

(214) 864-5133

bit.ly/3ToRs6j

Friday, March 24

Music & Movement

10:30 am – 11:00 am

A morning filled with song, dance & stickers

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

hayward-ca.gov/public-library

Friday, March 24

Candle Making (Soy wax) $R

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Oil candle making workshop

2196 American Ave, Hayward

bit.ly/3mOkKig

Le***@oi************.com

Saturday, March 25

Worldwide food web

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Discover who eat who/what and how animals & plants are connected

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Saturday, March 25

Spring Concert

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Wonderful symphonic music

Newark Memorial High School

39375 Cedar Blvd, Newark

(510) 818-4350

nmhs.newarkunified.org

Saturday, March 25 – Sunday, March 26

Wildflower Walk

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Stroll around and enjoy the guided wildflower exploration. Ages 4+

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

ebparks.org/parks/Sunol

Saturday, March 25

Budding Birders

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Playful activities for kids to learn basics of bird identification. Ages 7+

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

ebparks.org/parks/Sunol

Saturday, March 25

The Last Laugh $R

7:30 pm

Screening of The Last Laugh

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum

37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont

(510) 494-1411

nilesfilmmuseum.org

Saturday, March 25

Culture feast ’23

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Celebrate the city’s rich diversity of cultures with entertainment, food & art

Kennedy Park

1333 Decoto Road, Union City

(510) 675-5329

https://bit.ly/3mWdPDL

Saturday, March 25

Resume Building and Job Search Workshop R

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

In-person workshop on resume building and job search

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/40fZW1s

Saturday, March 25

Plant & Cutting Swap

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Bring house plant cuttings, extra plant or seed starts to swap with other gardeners

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

https://bit.ly/3FsYrFd

Saturday, March 25

MFMII Children’s Showcase Concert $R

3:00 pm

Performances by children in our community

James Logan High School

1800 H St., Union City

(510) 471-2520

bit.ly/42dKoxd

Saturday, March 25

Beginning Embroidery

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Learn basic embroidery stitches

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(510) 544-2797

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Saturday, March 25

Fun with felting

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Learn how felt is made from sheep’s wool & make your own felt toy

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Saturday, March 25

Saint Patrick’s Party $R

5:30 pm

Food & Dancing

Tropics Mobile Home Park

33000 Almaden Blvd, Union City

(510) 471-8550

the-tropics.net

Ticket deadline: March 22

Saturday, March 25

Girls Scout meet & greet

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Information session about Girl’s Scout (K – 3rd grade)

Always Dream Play Park

1110 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 790-5541

bit.ly/3ZUH4pe

jm*****@gs******.org

Saturday, March 25

Double thick crochet workshop

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Learn unique stitches that links two layers of single crochet together

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

bit.ly/3yMDQIy

Saturday, March 25

Live Music By Groovy Judy

8:00 pm – 11:00 pm

21+ only

Bosco’s Bones & Brew

11930 Main St, Sunol

(925) 862-0821

boscosbonesandbrews.com

Sunday, March 26

Busy Bees

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Check the beehive and get a peek at the life of a bee

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(510) 544-2797

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Sunday, March 26

Teen Figure Drawing

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Practice your drawing skills; ages13 – 18

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Sunday, March 26

Stilt walkers

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Give stilts a try & have fun

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Sunday, March 26

Milpitas Library Music Meetup

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Album discussion – Graceland by Paul Simon

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Sunday, March 26

Marsh Adventures

10:00 am – 1
1:30 am

Discover new facts about the marsh while strolling around.

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Monday, March 27

Domino Topping for grades K – 8

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Use your imagination to create your own designs

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org