03-29-22 Articles

Housing + Hope = Homekey

By David R. Newman

In January 2022, Fremont City Council voted unanimously to apply for $40.2 million in Homekey funding. If awarded, funding will be used to convert the Motel 6 on 46101 Research Avenue into 156 units of affordable housing. Construction would begin as soon as possible, with an anticipated completion date of March 2023, and the goal to fill all units by June 2023.

Fremont Mayor Lily Mei stated, “It’s crucial that we continue to advocate at the local level and beyond, for permanent stable affordable housing funding opportunities to help improve the homeless crisis that was declared in our city and provide the most basic necessity of shelter to our current unsheltered community members living in uninhabitable conditions.”

In 2019, the number of homeless people in Fremont was 608, as recorded by the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count, where volunteers go out to homeless camps. The 2022 data is still being analyzed, but most experts agree that numbers will be higher due to the pandemic and ever-increasing cost of living.

According to Bay Area Council Economic Institute, “By virtually every measure, the Bay Area’s homeless crisis ranks among the worst in the United States.” Their report cites several contributing factors, including past recessions and a severe shortage of shelters and permanent supportive housing. It estimates, “Given existing growth rates…the Bay Area will not be able to provide a bed to each of its homeless residents until 2037.”

Project Homekey is one of Governor Gavin Newsom’s strategies to stem the tide. It builds on the success of Project Roomkey, the State response to the Covid-19 pandemic which provided temporary, non-congregate shelter for homeless, funded by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The strategy is to repurpose existing housing, including hotels, motels and apartments.

“Project Roomkey was a great success, protecting thousands of lives during the pandemic,” said California Department of Social Services Director Kim Johnson in a press release. “Now, many of these individuals are transitioning to more stable and secure housing.” Project Roomkey helped house over 42,000 people across California, with approximately 20% moving on to permanent housing.

The first round of Homekey funding came in May 2020 ($800 million), with a second in September 2021 ($1.45 billion). The program has secured over 6,000 permanent units for over 8,000 unhoused individuals, including seniors, at-risk and LGTBQ+ youth, people with HIV, the disabled, families, and veterans. Bay Area sites include a Motel 6 in Pittsburg, an Extended Stay America in Milpitas, and projects in San Jose, Oakland, and Mountain View.

Each Homekey property is converted by an experienced housing developer and managed by a service provider, who is also responsible for enforcing house rules, managing disputes and maintaining cleanliness. For Fremont’s Motel 6, Santa Monica-based nonprofit “Step Up” has been chosen. The housing developer will be Shangri-La Industries. Says Fremont Human Services Director Suzanne Shenfil, “We vetted several outfits and talked to other jurisdictions…We have been very impressed with [Shangri-La’s] expertise.”

Dan Schoenholz, Community Development Director, elaborates, “These hotel conversions are so much less expensive than building housing from scratch. It opens up a lot of possibilities in terms of who we can serve.”

Affordable housing built from the ground up is usually targeted to those making 30% to 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), or about $30,000 to $50,000 per year per person. Homekey houses those making 15% of AMI ($13,000/year) or less. These are often chronically homeless, relying on disability or social security.

Fremont saw the benefits of Project Roomkey firsthand when 35 rooms of The Islander Motel were turned into affordable housing. Says Shenfil, “It gave us the ability to get people off the streets quickly and turn their lives around. It gave them a base of security from which they could then look for employment and integrate back into society. It’s an excellent model from a social services perspective.”

Homekey projects have often been met with resistance by nearby residents (Not-In-My-Backyard, or NIMBYs), who fear that their new neighbors may be dangerous. Louis Chicoine, CEO of Abode Services, has seen this reaction time and time again over the course of his 29 years working with the unhoused. “It’s based on pure fear, hatred, and racism,” he declares. “It’s everything that’s horrible about human beings.”

In practice, applicants are referred to Homekey through nonprofits or chosen from the county’s Coordinated Entry System (CES), a master list of unhoused ranked according to need. Says Chicoine, “The waitlist for affordable housing projects is over 4,000 in Alameda County. They know that if they mess up, it’s unlikely they will ever get a similar opportunity in their lifetime.”

Homekey residents pay a modest rent, are screened for violent/sexual crimes, and are given access to a variety of free services, including mental health counseling, medical care, life skills and job training, food programs, and substance abuse treatment. “We’re looking for people to be respectful of themselves and their neighbors,” explained Chicoine.

In the case of Fremont’s Motel 6, Police Chief Sean Washington thinks a Homekey project would be an improvement. “We get a lot of service calls to that location. Being right near the freeway, it attracts all sorts of individuals, many involved in criminal activity. The existing low-income housing projects throughout the city have not caused any public safety issues for us whatsoever, so I’m confident that turning that Motel 6 into Homekey housing will make the community safer for everyone.”

Following suit, Newark has also applied for funding to convert Townplace Suites on Cedar Boulevard into low-income housing; Hayward, Union City, Livermore, and Piedmont have applied jointly to convert a dozen houses scattered through their jurisdictions.

Learn more at: https://fremont.gov/4097/Homekey-Project.

Mind Tricks

Submitted by Mary Catherine Frantz

Celebrate April Fool’s Day with captivating, colorful and sometimes confusing mind tricks. It’s no joke; “Mind Tricks” will be the subject of Chabot Space and Science Center’s First Friday on April 1, which happens to coincide with April Fool’s Day (a rare event that occurs once every 176 years). Learn about how your senses work together to understand the world around us while enjoying whimsical perception-bending fun!

Rare Visitation from the Earth Tourism Association

Rotunda, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Welcome three-eyed friends from planet Chatalon, located 50,000 lightyears away. They’ll arrive with their guide J1M from the Earth Tourism Association (ETA) using advanced technology, like municipal space elevators, which our scientists are still trying to understand. Tours begin every 30 minutes.

Illusions in Space with NASA

Studio 1, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

See the universe in a different light and without pressure, challenge your perception with a NASA spin.

Asteroid or Potato?

Throughout the Center, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

In 2019 NASA’s New Horizon spacecraft imaged the asteroid Arrokoth located near Neptune and discovered that it looked like a potato! As you search throughout the Center can you find the hidden asteroids (or are they potatoes)?

Microgravity Misdirection with Galaxy Explorers

Studio 1, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

How can microgravity fool the body and mind? Visitors will explore the effects of microgravity on several human body systems through hands-on stations.

Robert Strong Presents an Evening of Powerful Magic & Comedy

Studio 3, 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

With over 75 years of combined experience, magicians Robert Strong, David Martinez, Tom Collett, and Satvik Balakrishnan will blow your mind with card tricks, escapes, science tricks and mind reading.

Flavor Tripping with Haley Thiltgen

Studio 3, 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.

Join Chabot’s Haley Thiltgen and trick your tongue with a sample of the miracle fruit. These red berries known as “miracle fruit” will turn any sour taste sweet. Discover the science of taste receptors in this one-night only experience.

First Friday: Mind Tricks

Friday, Apr 1

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland

(510) 336-7300

Home Page

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

Ramadan

Photos by Dhoha Bareche

One of the pillars of human strength, comfort and compassion is faith in a higher power that protects and brings order to our lives. Each faith ascribes rituals and procedures to acknowledge universal truths and values. Prophets and learned scholars help lead the way toward a limited understanding of an infinite and omniscient presence.

This year, the Islamic faith entered the month of Ramadan – beginning in the ninth month of an ancient Arabic lunar calendar – at sunset on Friday, April 1. A period of introspection, prayer and fasting, Ramadan is a remembrance of when an honorable man, Muhammad, received revelations and sacred scripture of Allah through archangel Gabriel around 610 A.D. These words are collected into a holy book called the Quran.

During Ramadan, observing Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. In addition to fasting, adherents of the faith use this time for self-reflection, restraint, charity and spiritual growth through concentration on words of the Quran.

Greetings during Ramadan with Muslim neighbors and friends can include the phrase “Ramadan Mubarak” (Happy or Blessed Ramadan).

At the end of Ramadan, this year on Sunday, May 1, the 3-day major celebration of Eid al-Fitr begins with special prayers, meals with friends and relatives and gifts.

Many COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in the Bay Area, but we should still be mindful of the vulnerable among us as we gather for prayer and communal meals.

EARTHTALK

Gravity may help bolster energy reserves

From the Editors of E — The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What exactly is gravity energy storage and why are some environmentalists so bullish on it?

— James McIntosh, New York, New York

Gravity energy storage, whereby engineers harness the energy in gravitational forces by connecting the momentum generated to the electric grid, is a relatively new technology that could serve to revolutionize energy storage given its low carbon footprint and engineering simplicity. Pilot programs to test the technology and bring it to scale are already underway in Switzerland, Scotland and the United States. Environmentalists are bullish about the technology as a way to bolster energy reserves beyond intermittent clean energy sources like solar and wind, and to have a better way to store energy than in costly and environmentally problematic lithium-ion batteries.

So far, researchers have isolated two different techniques for harvesting gravity energy. One employs a tower to drop weights from above, harnessing the momentum generated by the gravitational force during the fall. Another uses mineshafts filled with water to float and drop weights. Both types of processes extract energy from electrical sensors attached to the weights generating momentum and pass it directly to the power grid. Typically, about 20% of the energy created during a concrete block’s fall is needed to power the weights back up to the top.

Unlike solar and wind power, gravity energy storage isn’t dependent on the sun to shine or the wind to blow for the generation of electricity. Herein lies the great green promise of this new technology since energy can be generated steadily but without the inevitability of pollution from fossil fuels. Besides substituting for fossil fuels, gravity storage can also replace batteries as a way to supply electricity locally and/or back to the grid. This is good news for environmentalists who decry the uptick in lithium mining to supply precious metals for the lithium-ion battery makers. Likewise, the more energy we can derive from the constant renewable source of gravity energy means that much less fossil-fuel derived power we need.

While gravity energy may be green and cheap at scale, developers of the technology face great hurdles to making it publicly available. One major issue is policymakers’ fear of novelty: It’s hard to rewire a system built around fossil fuels. New plants would have to be built. Paying for both the plants and the infrastructure surrounding them would involve replacing existing systems and structures.

But in the end, fossil fuels will ultimately cost us more. Indeed, our addiction to fossil fuels has already resulted in air pollution, rising atmospheric temperatures, contaminated landscapes and even damaged human health.

It may seem strange at first glance that gravity alone can generate so much energy. Yet these simple mechanical operations generate a vast promise for new advancements in energy production that dwarf previous advancements. This innovative discovery may prove to be a sea change regarding the way we generate and store energy moving forward — if only we can build it out to scale.

ONLINE CONTACTS:

• Gravity Energy Storage Will Show Its Potential in 2021:

spectrum.ieee.org/gravity-energy-storage-will-show-its-potential-in-2021

• Gravity Could Solve Clean Energy’s One Major Drawback

wired.com/story/energy-vault-gravity-storage

EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: [email protected].

News and notes from around the world

Submitted by The Association of Mature American Citizens

It’s not easy being a secessionist

Thirteen lawmakers in the New Hampshire House of Representatives recently proposed that the state “peaceably” declare “independence” and become “a sovereign nation,” reports the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). If it sounds like a joke, AMAC says, it’s not the first time that elected officials in a state have sought to secede from the Union. Other states in the recent past have sought secession and, according to the legal website, FindLaw, there is a procedure that might allow secession, pointing out that in 1868 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a state can secede. All a state has to do is get an okay from both houses of Congress and get their petition ratified by 75% of the nation’s legislatures. Lots of luck. As the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia aptly put it, “If there was any constitutional issue resolved by the Civil War, it is that there is no right to secede.”

Eek!

Customs officers stopped a truck as it crossed into the U.S. from Mexico near San Diego for a routine inspection. It turned out that the inspection was anything but routine, reports AMAC. Apparently, the driver was trying to smuggle 52 slithery live reptiles into the country. They found his cache of lizards and snakes each neatly contained in plastic bags and hidden “in the man’s jacket, pants pockets, and groin area,” according to the officers.

The sheep that needed a haircut

Six years ago, a lamb strayed from its flock in the mountains of Australi
a. According to AMAC, a hiker found the now grown-up sheep on the slopes of Mount Alexander in Victoria. Without anyone to care for Alex, as the folks at the Edgar’s Mission animal sanctuary named it, its fleece weighed in at 88 pounds. Apparently, Alex had never been sheared and if it had not been found and shaved, it was not likely to have made it through the night, said Holly Kendall, who performed the shearing.

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

Park It

By Ned MacKay

Visitors to the Alhambra Creek Staging Area at Briones Regional Park near Martinez may notice a new experimental feature at the trailhead. It’s a panel full of bicycle bells. There’s also a bell panel at Crocket Hills Regional Park.

The bells are loaners. The idea is for bicycle riders to take a bell, mount it on the handlebars, then return it to the rack at the end of the ride so another cyclist can use it. It’s hoped that the sound of the bell will alert other trail users when a cyclist is approaching from behind, thus reducing the chance of an accident.

Of course, if you don’t use a bell, you can always call out “on your left” or “on your right.” And remember the rules of the road: Bicycles are supposed to yield to pedestrians, and both are supposed to give equestrians the right of way. The speed limit for bikes is 15 miles per hour.

The bicycle bell program is sponsored by the park district, Regional Parks Foundation, and Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).

The spring wildflower season appears to be at or near its peak right now. Here are some likely wildflower trails in the regional parks, based on recent hikes:

• Briones Crest Trail, starting near the Oak Grove picnic area at the Bear Creek entrance to Briones Regional Park near Orinda. It’s a steep climb, but worth the effort. In general, Briones has lots of hillside poppy displays.
• Black Diamond Trail and Manhattan Canyon Trail at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch, including the connecting trail between those two. The Chaparral Loop Trail is a good bet, too.
• Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve in El Sobrante, especially the Manzanita Loop Trail, with lots of Indian Warrior blooms.
• Sunol Regional Wilderness south of I-680: check out Camp Ohlone Road, the Canyon View Trail, and the Eagle View Trail. Lots of uphill at Sunol, but the views are rewarding.
• Vargas Plateau off I-680 in Fremont often has spectacular poppy displays, though I haven’t been there in recent weeks. Go early; parking is limited.

Speaking of Sunol wildflowers, there’s a “Flower Families” program at the park from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, led by naturalist Kevin Dixon. It’s a walk with moderate hills, for ages seven and older, to learn about the various interrelationships of different flowers. The program is free, but space is limited. Signup is first-come, first-served at the Sunol Visitor Center on program day.

The park is located 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) 44-3245.

And you can celebrate California Poppy Day on Wednesday, April 6 in a virtual program from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve Facebook page. It’s a pre-recorded program featuring the naturalist staff.

Bees and other pollinators are the stars of a free program from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3 at Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda. It’s all about the insects that are vital to plant propagation.

The program is drop-in; no registration is required. Crab Cove is at the end of McKay Avenue off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For information, call (510) 544-3187.

The creatures that live in the waters of Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley are the focus of a program from 11 a.m. to 12 noon on Sunday, April 3, led by naturalist Trent Pearce. Wear shoes that can get wet and muddy. Meet Trent at the Environmental Education Center, which is at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive.

The program is free and no registration is required. For information, call (510) 544-2233.

Naturalist Anthony Fisher will lead a bird-watching hike from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Monday, April 4 at Fernandez Ranch, a Muir Heritage Land Trust park located on Christie Road south of Highway 4 between Martinez and Hercules.

This is a free, drop-in program; no registration is required. For information and directions, call (510) 544-2233.

This is just a sample. For a full list of programs, visit the park district website, www.ebparks.org.

Tri-City History in Photographs #3: Bicycles

By Kelsey Camello, for the Washington Township Museum of Local History

Bicycle (noun): A vehicle composed of two wheels held in a frame one behind the other, propelled by pedals and steered with handlebars attached to the front wheel.

Centerville, 1902: First motor bike club in front of Bell’s Bicycle Shop.

Newark, year unknown: “Candy” Annie Fowler stands next to bicycle, with men and boys gathered around.

Irvington, year unknown: Ladies on bicycles at Curtner Seminary for Young Ladies.

Ardenwood (Centerville/Newark), 1880s: Clara Patterson with her lady’s safety bicycle.

Let’s learn local history through themes and photographs. Have a topic or idea you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected].

Farmers’ market gets new home

Submitted by City of San Leandro

With the arrival of spring, it’s no surprise that the popular Downtown San Leandro Farmers’ Market is also set to return — but with a few changes, including a new home.

The market will open its new season on Wednesday, April 6 at its new location: the parking lot of the San Leandro Main Library. The free event is open to the public and will operate Wednesdays through October 5.

To celebrate the market’s 15th year and San Leandro’s sesquicentennial (150th year) milestone, opening day festivities will kick off with a ceremony featuring remarks from San Leandro Mayor Pauline Cutter and City Manager Frances Robustelli. Live music by Hella Fitzgerald and a raffle for chances to win one of three Keeping It Local San Leandro virtual gift cards are also planned.

There will be up to 30 venders offering a variety of fresh seasonal and organic produce, fruits, baked goods and other foods. Among them:

• Hummus Heaven
• Jaden’s Kettle Corn
• Double R Honey Farms
• Stueve Organic Family Farms
• Lemus Farms
• Bunbao
• Roli Roti
• Sunrise Nursery
• J&M Farms
• The Fruit Tree

Free parking for the new location will be available on the first and fourth floors of the Downtown Parking Garage starting at 3 p.m. Wednesdays during the market season. The garage is located at 122 Estudillo Avenue and can be accessed from either Callan or Estudillo Avenues. There is also ample street parking on both Callan Street and Estudillo Avenue, adjacent to the library parking lot. Entry to the library parking lot will be closed on Callan Street, and partially closed on Santa Rosa Street. The entry on Estudillo Avenue will remain open.

The market is made possible by p
artnership between the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association and the City of San Leandro.

San Leandro Farmers’ Market

Wednesdays, Apr 6 – Oct 5

3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Apr 6

Opening day ceremony

5:30 p.m.

San Leandro Main Library parking lot

300 Estudillo Ave., San Leandro

(510) 577-3311

Admission: Free

Free parking starting at 3 p.m.

Annual Juried Photography Exhibit Winners

Submitted by Arathi Satish

The 27th Annual Juried Photography Exhibit reception was held on Saturday, March 19 at the Fremont Main Library. Photographs will be on display at the library through Saturday, April 23. Julie Gilson, President, Fremont Cultural Arts Council, said, “We couldn’t do this event without the Fremont Main Library and its staff, Fremont Photographic Society, as well as support from Alameda County Arts Commission ArtsFund Grant Program.”

Rajeev Shankar, Exhibit Chairman, pointed out, “Winning photographers came and talked about how they adapted to Covid and modified their photography. One example was a travel photographer who turned to nature and bird photography and won prizes with that.” Douglas Stinson who judged the photographs, particularly loved the work of students. “This is the second year that FCAC has had a separate category for [students] and it is an excellent idea. The work was of high quality, but more importantly, the students are thinking deeply about their work. This was particularly apparent when the winners talked about their photographs at the awards ceremony.”

In the Student Category, first prize went to Veda Jadaprolu for Light at the End of the Tunnel, second went to Aakarsh Gopisetty for Isolation, and third to Nivedita Shome for The Pollinator. Honorable Mentions were awarded to Aakarsh Gopisetty, Dishita Jhawar, Jean Milan Albarede, Rucha Kulkarni and Veda Jadaprolu.

In the Open Category, first prize went to Siddhartha Shome for The Benality of Evil: Freight Car at Auschwitz, second to Fred Carter for Reaching for the Light, and third to Carol Zhang for A Mountain with Love. Honorable Mentions were: Edward Wilson, Frederick Alim, Gregory Saxon, Jerry Hom and Paul Kessinger. The Alvin Docktor Nature Award was given to Jyeshern Cheng for Special Delivery-mid air handoff. The President’s Choice award went to Knuti VanHoven for Blue Mosque and People’s Choice went to Christine Wilson for Creek Love Birds. This year’s special category Best of Fremont went to Jyeshern Cheng for Mission Hills.

Veda Jadaprolu, who took a couple of winning photographs in the student category, said, “Ever since I was in elementary school, I would take pictures of almost everything I saw that caught my eye. We often overlook the most fascinating aspects of life by only concentrating on what others deem pretty and appealing.”

The title card with each photograph indicates whether it is available for purchase. All pictures are for sale unless the card on the pictures reads NSF in the bottom right corner. The reference has price and contact information on the photographers. Any photographs purchased must remain in the exhibit until the end of the show. Sales are between the photographer and buyer.

For more information, visit www.fremontculturalartscouncil.org or contact Exhibit Chairman Rajeev Shankar at (510) 399-3049 or [email protected].

Juried Photography Exhibit 2022

Through Saturday, April 23

During Library hours

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 745-1400

www.fremontculturalartscouncil.org

[email protected]

Evacuation of Lake Elizabeth homeless residents

By Veena Kommu

The COIVD-19 pandemic has caused the country’s homelessness situation to worsen. According to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report from the US Department of Housing and Development, there was a 2.2% increase in homelessness and a 7% increase in the number of unsheltered individuals between 2019 to 2020. Fremont also saw an increase in unsheltered individuals, and some of them camped near the Fremont Main Library, which was closed at the time. At this location, they could use the public wifi to browse the internet, make calls, and send and receive messages using tablets. Camping in the open spaces also reduced their likelihood of catching Covid.

However, as Covid restrictions eased, library facilities reopened to the public. As people started visiting the library, they complained about hygiene and other environmental factors caused by the encampment. On February 22, 2022, the City of Fremont’s Environmental Services Division & Code Enforcement Division issued a “notice to abate nuisance” to the homeless around the Fremont Public library. They were given until March 3 to move from the area. The City of Fremont would hold items (other than perishables, soiled/unsanitary items or safety hazards) for 90 days to be claimed, after which the city would destroy them.

I met Mr. Rigley and two other unhoused people who had been affected by the removal at the Fremont Public Library. Mr. Rigley has worked in the high-tech industry in Silicon Valley, including at companies like Quickturn. For the past seven years, he has lived in Fremont. Another person, Mr. Lani, was born and raised in Fremont. I recalled seeing him during my visits to the library during pre-covid days, reading or resting.

Mr. Rigley showed me the notices and other information that the city gave, which described municipal codes 8.60.040 (Nuisance defined), 8.60.110 (Specific abatement by city), and 12.20.060 (Prohibited conduct generally). Those interested in learning more about these codes can visit codepublishing.com. The city also gave a list of resources that could help the displaced people, such as Village of Love in Alameda, East Oakland Project Crossroads, etc.

In the list provided to Mr. Rigley, only one homeless shelter is in Fremont. Mr. Rigley said that none of the Fremont locations, such as the Transient Navigation Center, have vacancies. One of the homeless persons has been on the waiting list for the Transient Center for a while; however, he doesn’t know his place in the line. He acknowledges that women with kids may be the highest priority at these places, “as they should be.” When asked what would be helpful, Mr. Rigley and others replied that having one place where they can pitch up their tents, with wifi and garbage collection services, would be ideal. At this point, Mr. Rigley says that the City of Fremont has given them no viable choice for relocation within the Tri-City area.

The plight of homeless people is the same across the country. They get displaced from one location to another, one city to another. Just imagine if you had no choice but to move every few months. Assembly Bill 816, introduced in 2022, would require each state or local government to do as much as it can to reduce its own homelessness by ninety percent by 2029, rather than shifting vulnerable populations elsewhere. While it is evident that moving homeless people from one city to another is not a solution, cities also need adequate financial, legal and community support to help solve homelessness.

The City of Fremont has been addressing the homelessness problem for many years. In a recent event organized by the League of Women Voters, Human Services Director, Suzanne Shenfil, described programs designed to alleviate homelessness such as “Step Up in Fremont,” Safe Parking Program, and Hygiene and Meal services. Obviously, much remains to be done to accomplish this goal.

A Journey into Zentangle Art

Submitted by Lina Melkonian

Fremo
nt Art Association is pleased to have Neera Dave as the guest artist at its virtual General Meeting and Art Demo on Wednesday, April 6 at 1 p.m.

In her demo, “A Journey into Zentangle Art,” Dave will share with us how to tap into our creative flow in producing beautiful, patterned images one pen stroke at a time. For Dave, the Zentangle method is an immersive experience not only in spurring our creativity but also in strengthening our focus and enhancing our sense of well-being.

Dave is a certified Zentangle trainer and artist. Her love for drawing and sketching all that fascinates her began at a very early age. When she ultimately left behind her banking career to accompany her husband wherever his business travels took them, Dave felt the yearning for a more artful life and began to paint. It was not until 2012 that Dave discovered Zentangle and was drawn to its meditative power. She found that it provided her great solace and strength, especially during the challenging period of her 14-year-old daughter’s cancer treatment and eventual recovery.

In 2017, Dave turned her daily passion into a career and began her journey as a certified Zentangle teacher. Today she enjoys transferring her knowledge to learners of all ages. Dave is especially passionate about Zentangle as a fun and engaging avenue in helping children with their concentration, motor skills, self-confidence and creative expression. She has taught the Zentangle method to hundreds of students at San Jose Elementary School in Fremont.

You may view Dave’s work at: www.neeradave.com.

Participants must register in advance and will receive the Zoom link via email. All details may be found on: www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo.

Fremont Art Association general meeting/demo artist

Wednesday, April 6

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Via Zoom, link will be provided upon registration.

https://www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo

www.neeradave.com

Free

Primavera Addendum

Submitted by Julie Gilson

The March 15 article “Petals to Pedals: Family Fun Bike Ride” omitted the fact that the ride is not just for fun, but also benefits local nonprofits. Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club will donate a portion of event proceeds to various charities. Past recipients have included BORP Adaptive Cycling in Berkeley (borp.org), Bike East Bay, Good Karma Bikes, Sunol Glen School, Palomares Elementary School in Castro Valley, and Niles Canyon Railway. Also, unused food is donated to Fremont’s Abode Services Sunrise Village Emergency Shelter.

Alameda County Senior Meals Program milestone

Submitted by Helen Chang, Spectrum Community Services

Spectrum Community Services celebrated the 50th anniversary of Older Americans Act Nutrition Program with a week of volunteer service by elected officials and community leaders at some of its 12 congregate senior meal locations, and on some of its 90 weekly Meals on Wheels delivery routes in the Tri-Valley area.

On Monday, March 21, San Leandro Mayor Pauline Cutter joined appointed city leaders, friends and staffers in an intense hour of volunteer service plating and distributing 47 hot meals to-go. At a meeting later that day the City of San Leandro declared this month “March for Meals.” Of the nearly 8,000 take-away hot meals distributed each month at senior centers throughout Alameda County, more than 800 are served in San Leandro.

Similarly, on Tuesday, Castro Valley city and community leaders helped prepare and distribute healthy meals to seniors at Kenneth C. Aitken Senior Center. With this show of support, they were helping to raise awareness for the growing number of older adults in Alameda County facing hunger and isolation, both serious problems that have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also on Tuesday, Alameda County Board of Supervisors declared this month “March for Meals” with a proclamation honoring Spectrum Community Services and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the federal legislation that helps to partially fund community-based programs like Spectrum Community Services’ Meals on Wheels and Senior Meals.

Alameda County residents aged 60+ can register for Senior Meals or Meals on Wheels by visiting SpectrumCS.org or call (510) 881-0300. Spectrum is also seeking volunteers to help serve or deliver meals at various distribution sites.

Spring Forward

Submitted by Bruce Roberts

The first thought for this title is the tedious resetting of clocks all through the house. How else to remember which way to set them for Daylight Saving: Fall back; Spring Forward!

However, when local art group, A.R.T., INC. takes over the Castro Valley Adobe Art Center, and titles the show “SPRING FORWARD,” visions come to mind of leaving cold weather and hopefully covid behind, and surging ahead with a return to normalcy.

From Friday, April 1 to Saturday, April 16, this exhibit is a wonderful combination of gauzy, ethereal scenes, contrasted by a wide variety of precise and realistic detail. The soft, translucent flowers and butterflies of Maria Luisa Penanranda are rivaled by the colorful, impressionistic fall trees and reflective ponds of Barry Miller. This ambience carries over to joyful party-goers dancing to a very mellow guitarist by Doyle Wegner.

Yet vivid, realism abounds throughout the show. Holly Adamic’s dragonfly, Debra Collins’ “Brother Bill,” and Margaret Davis’s cat Penelope display brilliant adherence to detail. Paul Turner’s “Hallowed Halls” seem alive and walkable, and botanical painters Anna Nichandros, Kate Hardwig, and Pat Doyne make you want to stop and smell the flowers.

A welcome sign leads you down a long driveway to the Gallery. The reception for this show will be Friday, April 1. Although the show begins April Fool’s Day, art lovers will surely be delighted, not fooled!

Spring Forward

Friday, Apr 1 – Saturday, Apr 16

Thurs – Sat; 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Opening Reception

Friday, Apr 1

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

20395 San Miguel Ave., Castro Valley

Home

Stratford School celebrates

Submitted by Kristina Avena

Officials from Stratford School, an independent private school with 26 campuses throughout California, recently announced a remodeling and update of their school in Milpitas. Located at 25 Corning Avenue, the school serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Numerous school and City of Milpitas officials, including Vice Mayor Carmen Montano, attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 23 on the campus. The two-story building now boasts 18 classrooms, a multipurpose room, a library, and plenty of outdoor space including turf fields, playground structures, and a basketball court.

From its inception in 1999 the goal of Stratford Schools has been to provide students with a challenging and enriched curriculum that encourages and motivates students to learn.

For more information about their new Milpitas campus, and to schedule a tour, visit the Stratford School website at www.stratfordschools.com, then select the “Find Your Campus” link from the navigation bar and type “milpitas-corning” into the search field and follow the prompt. For details, call (408) 402-4353.

Tri-City Nonprofit Alliance April meeting

Submitted by Tina Fernandez

Tri-City Nonprofit Alliance invites local nonprofits and community-minded individuals to attend its free April Zoom Meeting featuring brand expert Fani
Nicheva. A dynamic and engaging marketing pro, Nicheva will present, “6 Myths That Keep You From Investing In Your Brand” on Wednesday, April 13 via Zoom.

 

She will cover:

What is branding, in plain English.

How branding is different for non-profits.

The 6 myths that prevent you from branding your business and what to do about it.

Fani Nicheva has been blessed to live and work in two cultures – American and Eastern European – and draw creative lessons from both experiences. She got her professional start as a creative director in a European ad agency where she focused on advertising. In 2006, she co-founded graphic design studio Bigfish Smallpond Design, and she started BRAVE Brand in 2018 with her husband.

This free one-hour Zoom presentation will also include networking and a five-minute highlight of a local nonprofit. Register today using TCNPC’s QR code or go to https://tinyurl.com/TCNPCaprilZoom2022. Registrants will receive a confirmation email.

Tri-City Nonprofit Alliance April meeting

Wednesday, Apr 13

6 p.m.

Via Zoom

https://tinyurl.com/TCNPCaprilZoom2022

Free

Free COVID vaccine and testing clinic

Submitted by Bay Area Community Health

Bay Area Community Health, in collaboration with Newark Unified School District and Newark Recreation and Community Services, will host a free COVID vaccination clinic to boost low vaccination rates, especially in Latino and African-American communities in southern Alameda County.

In Alameda County, 67.5 percent of African Americans and 68.8 percent of Latinos have been fully vaccinated compared to 74.8 percent of whites.

Dr. Victor Salazar, medical director, Bay Area Community Health, still encourages people to get the vaccine. He believes that continued hesitancy, particularly among Latinos, comes from misinformation spread mainly through social media, and a lack of access to medical services. The free COVID vaccination and testing clinics for people with and without insurance will expand healthcare access for the communities that Bay Area Community Health serves.

Dr. Salazar urges people to have open, honest conversations with doctors they trust about the risks and benefits of vaccines for themselves and their children. “When most of my patients know the facts, they decide to get the vaccine,” he added.

Vaccines will be available at Alameda County Fire Department Station 28 at 7550 Thornton Avenue in Newark on Saturday, April 2. Persons 12 years and older can receive first, second or booster doses of the vaccines. The low-dose Pfizer vaccine will be available for children aged 5-11. Minors under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Masks will be required and the first 100 people getting a vaccination or to be tested will receive a free at-home rapid COVID test kit. Registration is highly recommended, but drop-ins will be accepted until capacity is reached.

To register for an appointment in English, visit: https://tinyurl.com/2p8m6cy5

To register for an appointment in Spanish, visit: https://tinyurl.com/246n4834

For more information or help with registration, please call the Bay Area Community Health COVID hotline at (510) 252-6845.

COVID Vaccination Clinic

Saturday, April 2

10 a.m. – 2 p.m

To Register:

https://tinyurl.com/2p8m6cy5 (English)

https://tinyurl.com/246n4834 (Spanish)

Alameda County Fire Department Station 28

7550 Thornton Avenue, Newark

(510) 252-6845

Free

Vector Laboratories selects local city for corporate headquarters

By Asok Chatterjee, Business Reporter

Vector Laboratories is a globally known biotech company, whose market-tested product portfolio provides the critical tools researchers need to precisely visualize and study tissues and cells, and to ultimately tackle today’s biggest healthcare challenges. Their product catalog represents time tested tools and methods that are used by disease and therapeutic researchers globally to accelerate their lab processes and improve productivity. Vector Laboratories’ products have been referenced in more than 350 thousand scientific publications and are included in Standard Operating Procedures in laboratories worldwide.

Currently operating out of Burlingame, Vector Laboratories has a stellar record of achievements during their 45 years of operation. As other high-profile companies are leaving the Bay Area, Vector Laboratories has chosen to deepen its roots by investing in the new manufacturing facility in Newark. The company will grow to 80 employees in the Bay Area by the end of 2022.

“We are at the precipice of a bio-revolution, which we’ve seen coming since the company’s founding in 1976, and now accelerated by the pandemic. From academia to commercial businesses, our life science and diagnostics research technologies are being used for complex protein identification and characterization technology worldwide,” said Dr. Lisa Sellers, CEO of Vector Laboratories. “We are excited to join the vibrant community in Newark, and grow along with it.”

Newark life sciences companies have more than doubled in number since 2018 to a total of 35, including both early stage and established ventures. The city is committed to the business community from site selection to ongoing operations. It offers employees amenities and services, from a great fitness and aquatic center to the extensive Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, along with many restaurants and childcare programs.

“I am happy to welcome Vector Laboratories to Newark. Vector Laboratories is joining the growing number of life sciences ventures in Newark, where small companies of 3 people and large companies of over 1,000 people are finding the perfect place to expand and thrive,” said Newark Mayor Al Nagy in a statement. “Newark’s amenities and community continue to attract investment, and we are so pleased that Vector Laboratories selected Newark as its new home.”

In the absence of Mayor Nagy (health issues), the ceremonial ribbon cutting at the entrance of the new Vector Laboratories Headquarters premises was performed on March 16th by the City’s Vice Mayor Mike Hannon, with help from the Company’s CEO Dr. Sellers.

The Newark property, located at 6723-6737 Mowry Ave. has undergone an interior buildout to transform it into a 41,000-square-foot facility to enhance the company’s research and development capabilities, including new laboratory and office space. Key COVID-19 protection measures have also been considered in the construction, including a powerful HVAC system upgrade to provide single-pass air in manufacturing areas, and lab and office areas that are visible to each other but still allow space for physical distancing.

The move was planned and facilitated by the efforts of the City of Newark’s Anne Stedler, Economic Development Manager, and Matthew Farrell, Chief Building Official, and also by Andrew Lee, Deputy Fire Marshal of Alameda County.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by the local dignitaries and press. Representatives from the Ohlone College Newark Center for Health Sciences and Technology were also on hand.

This new addition to the Newark biotech business-scape is sure to become an all-round win for the local community.

Chamber honors Hayward heroes

Hayward Chamber of Commerce

During its 78th Annual Awards Celebration gala, held March 26, the Hayward Chamber of Commerce honored
four community heroes for their dedication and service to the community over the past year.

This year’s honorees were:

• Educator of the Year: Luis Garcia, principal of Longwood Elementary School
• Business Person of the Year: Aaron Ortiz, CEO of La Familia
• Firefighter of the Year: Anthony Conte
• Police Officer of the Years: Detective Nate Scinto

“They follow in a tradition of past recipients who have selflessly made contributions to Hayward that have made it such a great place to live and work.,” said Hayward Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Kim Huggett.

Cal State East Bay to welcome new advancement VP

Submitted by Kimberly Hawkins

Officials from California State University East Bay (CSUEB) recently named Evelyn Buchanan as Vice President for University Advancement. Buchanan will start her new job May 2 at the school’s Hayward campus.

Buchanan comes to CSUEB from Chico State University where she has served as Associate Vice President of Development and Campaign Manager since 2018. Prior to that she served as a vice president for advancement programs at Carthage College and Franklin Pierce University and had leadership roles at Colgate University, SUNY Empire State College, and Culinary Institute of America.

“Ms. Buchanan and I recognize that Cal State East Bay has a rare opportunity to align institutional priorities and regional needs with donor passions,” said President Cathy Sandeen. “Her expertise leveraging alumni and corporate relationships will enable her to play a critical role supporting the Future Directions initiative and upcoming comprehensive campaign as well as accelerating our visibility, engagement and fundraising efforts.”

In her new position, Buchanan will lead the offices of Alumni and Constituent Engagement, University Communications & Marketing and University Development. Additionally, as part of this role, Buchanan will serve as Cal State East Bay Educational Foundation Board president.

Buchanan received an undergraduate degree from SUNY Empire State College and a master’s degree in nonprofit management from New England College.

Ohlone announces new head coach

Submitted by Ohlone College

Jordan Lee has been named the new men’s basketball head coach at Ohlone College. Coach Lee is taking this position after spending two years at NCAA division I University of California, Riverside. While with the Highlanders, Lee helped lead UC Riverside to two marquee wins over PAC-12 opponents and their best record in school history in 2020-2021.

Prior to UC Riverside, Coach Lee spent three years as an assistant coach at Cal State East Bay in Hayward. Lee helped lead the Pioneers to a 49-39 three-year record, including a 2018-2019 campaign that marked a 22-8 record and a first-ever appearance in the CCAA tournament.

Lee also was assistant coach at College of Alameda for three years while also coaching with the Alameda Vipers Basketball Club. He played professionally in Hong Kong in the HKBA and ABL. He has partnered with Nike, Adidas and Harlem Globetrotters to run basketball camps and clinics worldwide.

Jordan Lee was born in Oakland and grew up in Alameda, graduating from Alameda High School in 2008. He went on to graduate form University of California, Riverside in 2013 with a degree in public policy and obtained his Master’s Degree in Physical Education and Exercise Science from Azusa Pacific University in 2019.

“It’s a rare and special honor to be able to coach at a school with such a prestigious academic and athletic background,” Lee said. “It’s a dream come true to have this opportunity, and I look forward to building a program that the community can be proud of.”

Letter to the Editor

In Support of Tick Tock.

I read with great interest your opinion/editorial in the last issue (March 22) and found, it to be a fact-filled write-up.

In fact, most Americans are divided on the Daylight Savings Time (DSL) when switching their clocks back/forward twice a year. They consider it ‘pain in the neck’ worth no impact on their routine fast pace lifestyle. And I take their side too!

I wish the US Senate would vote to extend Daylight Saving Time (DSL) permanently in order to make American lives more comfortable than global warming.

Zafar Yousufzai

Fremont.

Fourth Annual Robert J. Turbin Charity Basketball Game

By Angela Xiong

On Saturday, March 26, the fourth annual Robert J. Turbin Charity Basketball Game took place at Irvington High School (Fremont). The charity event is named after Robert Turbin, a star football player for the Seattle Seahawks, and an alumnus of Irvington High School where he played for the school’s basketball and football teams.

The event kicked off with a spirited pre-game festival consisting of games including Mini Golf, Ping Pong, and giant Jenga. Between 1-3 p.m., attendees participated in a variety of fun activities: shooting basketballs, playing football, a raffle, food from vendors, and more.

The game tipped off at around 4:30 p.m., when the Varsity Vikings team went head-to-head against the All-Star Alumni team for the game champions and trophy that accompanies it. From the start, the audience’s loud cheers quickly established the game’s lively atmosphere. The Alumni team immediately dominated the court, ending the first half with a score of 31-17. From fast passes to multiple half-court shots, the game was an intense competition with neither team backing down.

Half-time and time-outs were filled with entertaining activities including mascot musical chairs in which the Irvington Viking mascot, game-sponsor Chick fil a mascot, and Irvington students competed for a gift card prize. Other activities included a basketball shooting contest between two raffle winners, Turbin tournament trivia, and performances by the Irvington Cheerleading team.

Accompanied by musical performer Preston Pohl’s energetic songs, the game carried on with the same enthusiasm and high morale in the second half. As the third quarter started, the Alumni team continued to widen their lead with strong offense and harmonious teamwork. However, the Vikings relentless optimism and unwavering spirit allowed them to put up a tough fight against the team of seasoned basketball players and professional athletes. In the end, the Alumni team prevailed with a final score of 66-39. “[The game] means a lot. It gives us an opportunity to bring the community together in so many different ways. There are outside people coming in and enjoying the festival and coming to the game but there is [also] the aspect of the alumni team coming back and having the opportunity to give back to the same community that they were raised in as well, so it is really special and means a lot to everybody that is involved,” said Robert Turbin.

All proceeds will be donated to the Irvington Athletic Department and the Turbin’s Runnin4U Foundation committed to raising awareness for Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis.

The pursuit of garden trivia

By Daniel O’Donnell

Jeopardy! is arguably the most popular trivia gameshow, at least in the US and Canada, with an average of 9.2 million viewers per night. It may be hard to believe that a game based on trivia could be so popular. The definition of trivia according to Oxford Languages, the world’s leading publisher of dictionaries, is “details, considerations, or pieces of information of little importance or value.” So why does Jeopardy! have close to 10 million nightly viewers and a 38th season? If this question was asked on Jeopardy!, the answer could be “What is
Because trivia is interesting and therefore valuable?”

Trivial Pursuit, a trivia knowledge board game, has sold over 100 million copies in 26 different countries and been published in 17 different languages, refuting the dictionaries’ claim that trivia is of little value. Below is some garden trivia that does the same.

Garden History:

Archeological evidence points to figs in the Near East 11,400 years ago as being the oldest domesticated crop. However, some of the latest archeological evidence dates early agriculture back to 23,000 years ago in the Middle East. Regardless, ancient Egyptians were among the first peoples to practice agriculture on a large scale.

One of the largest economic crashes in history was due to inflated tulip prices in the Netherlands during the 1600s. Tulip bulbs were worth more than the value of gold at one point.

The first potatoes were cultivated in Peru about 7,000 years ago.

 

Plants and radiation:

Ginkgo trees are one of the oldest living tree species. They predate the time dinosaurs roamed the planet. They were thought to have gone extinct until a wild population was found in the Dalou mountains in China. Genetic evidence suggests that all Ginkgo trees alive today were established from only a few trees. They have not only survived ice ages and climate changing meteor impacts, but also the 1945 atom bomb explosion in Hiroshima that killed almost every living organism in the one-mile blast radius. Six severely damaged ginkgo trees between a half and 1½ mile radius survived and are still alive today.

A mushroom that grows near the radioactive Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant site was able to block some of the initial harmful radiation. The Chernobyl fungus, now identified as Cladosporium sphaerospermum, can also convert radiation into energy. NASA is experimenting with using this fungus to protect astronauts and space objects from harmful radiation in space.

600,000 tomato seeds returned to earth in 2013 after being exposed to space radiation for nine months aboard the International Space Station. The seeds have been distributed to classrooms to be grown and monitored across the US and Canada through the Tomatosphere program. Some were in space as long as six years and are still viable.

Researchers in California are using gene-editing to make smaller tomato plants for growing in space.

The first plants grown in space were flowers related to cabbage and mustard plants.

Tomato trivia:

2,000-year-old tomato seeds taken from an ancient tomb in China were sprouted into fruit-bearing plants.

Tomatoes are native to Peru but entered the US from Europe. Thomas Jefferson is largely credited with their acceptance.

The Guinness World Record for the most tomatoes harvested from a single plant over one year was 32,194 tomatoes. The plant weighed 1,151.84 pounds.

The heaviest tomato ever grown weighed 10 pounds, 12.7 ounces.

China is the world’s largest producer of tomatoes.

Tree statistics:

The tallest tree in the world is a 380-foot Coastal Redwood located in Northern California.

The largest single tree in the world by volume is a Giant Sequoia, known as General Sherman, coming in at 52,500 cubic feet.

The Arbol del Tule in Oaxaca, Mexico has the largest trunk diameter of 30.8 feet.

Thimmamma Marrimanu is a Banyan tree in Anantapur, Indian. It has the largest tree canopy in the world, covering more than 4.7 acres.

The largest single organism in the world, and heaviest tree, is an entire forest in Utah that sprouted from a single Quaking Aspen seed. Called Pando, it weighs over 13,227,735 pounds.

 

There is a wild fig tree in South Africa with roots that go 400 feet deep.

General plant trivia:

The first land plants appeared around 470 million years ago. Cooksonia is often regarded as the earliest known vascular land plant.

The tallest sunflower was just over 27 feet tall.

All teas, white, yellow, green, oolong, and black are from a single Camellia species, Camellia Sinensis. Leaves are simply processed differently.

Strawberry is the only fruit to bear seeds on its outside.

When the mother bamboo plant dies, so will all of her progeny regardless of where and when they were grown.

Today, there are more than 400,000 species of plants. Over half of those are edible. Humans only consume about 200 different plant species.

 

Garden wildlife:

Pill bugs or Rolly Pollies are crustaceans related to shrimp and lobsters.

Earwig or pincher bug mothers are deeply devoted and care for their young.

Crows remember human faces and communicate their opinions to other crows.

Trivial facts about the living world around us are not devoid of value. Anything that helps people appreciate the plants of the world is worth knowing.

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

American’s smashing badminton game

By Angela Xiong

On Tuesday, March 22, American High School Eagles (Fremont) went head-to-head against Mission San Jose High School Warriors (Fremont) in their fifth badminton game of the season. Mission San Jose Badminton, which holds a reputation of being one of the best high school badminton teams in the Bay Area after having won the Northern Coast Section Team Championships (NCS) seventeen times, quickly established fast-paced and challenging matches against American High School.

The badminton meet consisted of multiple matches being played at once including boys and girls singles, boys and girls doubles, and mixed doubles. While some matches were extremely fast-paced and physically demanding, others were nuanced, consisting of strategic drops and smashes.

Both teams played skillfully resulting in very balanced matches with close results. The Warriors dominated the boys and girls double categories with Warriors’ boys doubles winning three out of three matches and girls doubles winning two of three matches. On the other hand, the Eagles offset these results by winning three out of the four boys singles matches, and all four girls singles matches.

In the last girls singles match, both teams and the audience were on the edge of their seats awaiting the results of the final match that would determine the winning team. Every point resulted in roaring cheers from the teammates of each respective player. After multiple tense rallies and two ties, the third and final game broke the tie resulting in Americans’ victory with a final score of 9-8.

“Going into the game, I told my team that the game against Mission would be very tough because Mission has been at the top for a decade or so. We gave pep talks before the game, but I think the game today went very well and I hope my team will stay consistent with our performance throughout the season” said senior captain Akhilesh Nidamanuri.

Mission Valley Track and Field

Submitted by Lee Webb

Mission Valley Track and Field Club is now holding practices at James Logan High School. Anyone from ages five and above are welcome to join and explore the multiple events track and field has to offer. With trainers for distance, sprints, jumps and throws, athletes have the chance to discover their talents and abilities.

The club is a community based non-profit group ser
ving Union City and the surrounding areas. Its goal is to “Promote Life Skills Through the Sport of Track and Field.” Formed in 1983, it has had over 550 All-American Athletes, and multiple national records and champions come through the program.

Mission Valley Track and Field

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

James Logan High School

1800 H St, Union City

(510) 304-7172

missionvalleytrackandfield.com

California car owners could get up to an $800 rebate

Adam Beam

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), March 23 — Californians who own cars could get up to $800 from the state to help offset record high gas prices under a proposal announced March 23 by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Registered owners would get $400 per vehicle, capped at two vehicles. People who own electric vehicles or others that don’t use gasoline would qualify. But most businesses with fleets of vehicles would not be eligible.

Newsom says the rebates would cost the state about $9 billion. “That direct relief will address the issue that we are all struggling to address and that’s the issue of gas prices,” he said. Regular grade gas is a state record $5.88 per gallon in California, highest in the nation and about $2 more than a year ago, according to AAA.

For people who don’t have cars, Newsom wants the state to pay for their bus or train fare for three months. His proposal would give $750 million to transit and rail agencies, which Newsom said would be enough to give free rides to 3 million people per day. Another $600 million would pay for a “pause” for part of the state sales tax on diesel fuel for one year, plus another $523 million to halt a scheduled increase in the state’s gas tax this summer.

The state’s elected leaders have been debating for weeks what to do about the spiraling prices. Republicans, who are far outnumbered in the state Legislature, want to suspend the state’s gas tax, which at 51 cents per gallon is the second highest in the nation.

But Democrats said that would benefit oil companies. Instead, they favor giving rebates to taxpayers because they know it would go straight to the consumer. Newsom’s plan must be approved by the Legislature. Democratic leaders already have said they don’t support any proposal to temporarily halt an increase in the state’s gas tax. And many Democrats don’t like the idea of giving money to everyone, including millionaires and billionaires. They prefer targeting rebates to certain income levels.

California lawmakers propose extending eviction protections

By Adam Beam

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), March 24 — Hundreds of thousands of California renters facing eviction next week could get another three months of protection under a bill top legislative leaders endorsed on March 24.

The federal government sent billions of dollars to the states to help people who fell behind on their rent payments during the pandemic. California’s program will pay for 100% of people’s unpaid rent if they meet certain income requirements.

State law says tenants cannot be evicted as long as they have an application pending for rental assistance. But that law is set to expire on March 31. Meanwhile, so many people have applied for assistance that it is taking state officials longer than they thought to hand out the money.

As of March 22, just over 275,600 people had applications still pending, according to the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. That number doesn’t include assistance programs operated by local governments. State officials won’t be able to approve all of those applications by March 31. Starting April 1, anyone who has unpaid rent can be evicted.

At the last moment, state lawmakers have decided to intervene. On Marh 24, two lawmakers introduced a bill that would extend eviction protections for people with pending applications through the end of June. Lawmakers plan to have public hearings on the bill before voting to send it to Gov. Gavin Newsom on March 31.

It’s unclear if Newsom will sign it. The state has extended eviction protections multiple times during the pandemic, always over the objections of landlords who say they are being squeezed by, in some cases, going more than a year without receiving rent payments. Last year, Newsom said the chances of extending protections again were “very modest.” His office did respond to a request for comment on March 24.

The bill is expected to move quickly through the Legislature. On March 25, the Legislature’s top two leaders — Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, both Democrats — released a joint statement saying the bill “will receive quick action.”

“We made a commitment to those who are in line and they shouldn’t be harmed because of how long the process is taking,” Rendon and Atkins said in a joint statement.

The extension will benefit people like Jenise Dixon, whose application for rental assistance has been pending since October. Dixon says she has lived in the same rent-controlled Los Angeles apartment for 19 years. She said she worked in the entertainment industry, but hasn’t had steady work since the pandemic started and soon fell behind on her rent payments. “I’m one step away from homelessness,” she said.

But her application for rental assistance is stuck because neither she or her landlord can produce a lease. She said she’s submitted utility bills and other evidence to prove she lives in the apartment, but to no avail.

“Even if I’m approved, it’s not going to cover all the months that I’m behind,” she said during a news conference organized by housing advocates urging for an extension of eviction protections. “I’m just asking the people at the top, the lawmakers, to give the system a chance to catch up so that people like me don’t fall through the cracks.”

California’s eviction assistance program will stop taking new applications on April 1, so the proposed law would only protect people who have applied for assistance by that date.

“It would be cruel, wasteful, and unfair to subject these Californians to eviction or the loss of rental income now, when they have done everything asked of them, and distribution of their emergency rental assistance is imminent,” said Assemblymember Tim Grayson, a Democrat from Concord who co-authored the bill along with Democratic Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks.

So far, California paid out nearly $2.5 billion in rental assistance to just over 214,000 households, for an average assistance of $11,488. State officials say most of the money has gone to very low or extremely low-income households that earn less than 50% of their area’s median income. The program could soon run out of money. State officials had asked for an additional $1.9 billion from the federal government, but so far have only received an about $200 million.

But tenants shouldn’t have to worry. Last month, Newsom signed a law allowing state money to cover the costs of the program should the federal money not cover all of it.

NASA head: We have cooperation with our Russian colleagues

By Alex Sanz

Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP), March 18 — NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on March 18 played down recent comments by the head of Russia’s space agency that the United States would have to use broomsticks to fly to space after Russia said it would stop supplying rocket engines to U.S. companies.

“That’s just Dmitry Rogozin. He spouts off every now and then. But at the end of the day, he’s worked with us,” Nelson told The Associated Press. “The other people that work in the Russian civilian space program, they’re professional. The
y don’t miss a beat with us, American astronauts and American mission control.”

Nelson spoke with The Associated Press hours before three Russian cosmonauts launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station, the first crew launch since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.

The war has resulted in canceled spacecraft launches and broken contracts, and many worry Rogozin is putting decades of a peaceful off-planet partnership at risk, most notably at the International Space Station.

Besides threatening to pull out of the space station and drop it on the U.S., Europe or elsewhere, Rogozin had the flags of other countries covered on a Soyuz rocket awaiting liftoff with internet satellites. The launch was called off after the customer, London-based OneWeb, refused his demands that the satellites not be used for military purposes and the British government halt its financial backing.

On March 17, the European Space Agency confirmed that it is indefinitely suspending its ExoMars rover mission with Roscosmos because of Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Despite all of that, up in space, we can have a cooperation with our Russian friends, our colleagues. The professional relationship between astronauts and cosmonauts, it hasn’t missed a beat,” Nelson said. “This is the cooperation we have going on in the civilian space program.”

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei — who on March 15 broke the U.S. single spaceflight record of 340 days — is due to leave the International Space Station with two Russians aboard a Soyuz capsule for a touchdown in Kazakhstan on March 30. NASA has said Vande Hei’s homecoming plans remain unchanged.

Secondary housing bill moves forward

Submitted by Jeff Barbosa

Seeking to reduce obstacles to the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), one of the few bright spots in California’s struggle to provide more housing, the Senate Housing Committee on March 24 passed Senator Bob Wieckowski’s SB 897. The bill now heads to the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.

The measure would permanently eliminate owner occupancy requirements on ADUs and junior accessory dwelling units. It prohibits local agencies from denying a permit for an unpermitted ADU because of a building standard violation, unless it is a health and safety issue. The legislation also specifies that constructing an ADU does not necessarily trigger a requirement to install fire sprinklers in either the home or the new unit. Additionally, it would provide grant funding to construct more ADUs.

“In the six years since I first partnered with the Bay Area Council and other supporters to eliminate barriers to ADU construction and to help homeowners contribute to reducing our housing shortage, California has seen significant growth in accessory dwelling units,” Wieckowski said.

Wieckowski represents the 10th District in the State Senate, which includes southern Alameda County and parts of Santa Clara County. Constituents who need information or assistance on state issues can call the senator’s district office at (510) 794-3900 or send an email to https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/contact/email.

Newark City Council

March 24, 2022

Presentations:

• Proclaiming March as March for Meals Month.
• Introduction of Associate Planner Joseph Balabat and Community Preservation Manager Steve Willkomm.

Public Comment:

• Resident requested information of who was alerted of Homekey Project.

Consent Calendar:

• Approval of audited demands.
• Approval of March 10, 2022 special and regular meeting.
• Adopt an ordinance adding Fireworks Social Host Ordinance, to the Newark Municipal Code to increase penalties to illegal use of fireworks.
• Adopt a resolution confirming the continued existence of a local emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Adopt a resolution finding that there is a proclaimed state of emergency; authorizing continued remote teleconference meetings of the legislative bodies of the city of Newark for the 30-day period beginning March 24.
• Adopt a resolution to execute the first amendment to the contractual services agreement with 4Leaf Inc. to provide temporary professional planning services.
• Motion to accept the recommendation from the Community Development Advisory Committee for allocation of anticipated Community Development Block Grant Jurisdiction Improvement Project funds for fiscal year 2022-2023.
• Mid-year budget review and adopt a resolution approving an amendment of the 2020-2022 biennial budget and capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2022. Motion passed unanimously.

Other Business:

• Informal economic development report presented by Anne Stedler and Michael Cohen.
• Overview of the 2022-2024 capital improvement plan.

City Council Matters:

• Council member Collazo recognized the work of the women of Newark in honor of Women’s History Month.

Mayor Alan Nagy                   Aye

Vice Mayor Hannon               Aye

Luis Freitas                             Absent

Sucy Collazo                           Aye

Mike Bucci                              Aye

San Leandro City Council

March 21, 2022

Recognitions:

• Mayor’s Award for Kindness to Vanessa Galeana for serving year-round as a volunteer reader at James Madison Elementary School.
• Proclamation declaring March as March for Meals Month in San Leandro, recognizing Spectrum Community Services for providing hot meals to seniors for many years and partnering with Meals on Wheels to deliver more than 9,000 meals throughout the pandemic.
• Proclamation declaring March 31, 2022 as Cesar Chavez Day.

City Manager Update:

• Steven Taylor Sanctity of Life Park will be the next project.
• Recreation and Human Services will become separate departments.
• Welcome new Human Services Director Kurry Foley.

Public Comments:

• Request for purchase of 10 “smart BigBelly garbage cans” with recently awarded Amazon grant for more downtown trash receptacles.
• Unity in the Community inc. recognized for addressing needs of unhoused population.
• Council requested to set mask wearing example at public appearances.
• Public support voiced for Police Department Needs Assessment.
• 150th city birthday party appreciated by many residents.

Councilmember Announcements:

• Mayor Cutter announced that San Leandro is celebrating 150 years as an incorporated municipality. Public events to honor the city’s sesquicentennial anniversary will continue through Dec 22.
• Mayor Cutter announced that public on-site attendance at city council meetings will return in April.
• Councilmember Lopez advocated for the Tiny Homes program and supported Cesar Chavez Day.
• Councilmember Simon also advocated for the Tiny Homes program and supported Cesar Chavez Day.
• Councilmember Ballow recommended revisiting tobacco legislation.
• Councilmember Aguilar supported Cesar Chavez Day.

Consent Calendar:

• Minutes of the Disaster Council Meeting of November 18, 2021.
• Resolution to increase the contract cap to Consulting Services Agreement with CSG Consultants, Inc. for Design Services on the Washington Avenue Reconstruction Project.
• Resolution to increase the Contract Change Order Cap with Spencon Construction, Inc. for the Annual Sidewalk Repair Program.
• Resolution to accept the work performed by EIDIM Group for the Main Library and Marina Community Center Audio-V
  isual Equipment.
• Resolution to approve Parcel Map 11257 for 3081 & 3089 Teagarden Street.
• Resolution authorizing a contract with The Matrix Consulting Group to develop a San Leandro Police Department Needs Assessment.

Public Hearing:

• City of San Leandro U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Draft Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Annual Action Plan. Motion unanimously adopted.

Action Items:

• Adopt a Vision Zero Traffic Safety Policy (traffic safety standards improvement; morbidity reduction.). Motion unanimously adopted.
• Authorize Agreement for purchase of the Nimitz Motel Property Located at 555 Lewelling Boulevard for conversion to supportive housing for the homeless (33 residential units). Motion unanimously adopted.
• Adopt ordinance to amend San Leandro Municipal Codes to add Community Police Review Board. Motion tabled.

Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter                  Aye

Vice Mayor Pete Ballew            Aye

Victor Aguilar                                        Aye

Bryan Azevedo                                      Aye

Fred Simon                                            Aye

Deborah Cox                                          Aye

Corina Lopez                                          Aye

Public input sought in school trustee boundary changes

Submitted by John Mattos

In response to updated information from the 2020 Census, New Haven Unified School District (NHUSD) is revising its trustee area boundaries. It’s important to note that all schools will remain in their current areas and the trustees representing each area will not change.

In order to share information on this topic and solicit community input, NHUSD officials are hosting an in-person Community Information Meeting at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 29 at the Educational Services Center on Alvarado Niles Road in Union City. The meeting also will be streamed online via Zoom. To get the Zoom link visit the NHUSD website at www.mynhusd.org, then enter “community information meeting” into the search tool and follow the link to the March 29 meeting.

Feedback from the Community Information Meeting will be gathered and shared with the NHUSD Board of Trustees at a special board meeting on at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 12. During that meeting board members will review map options, consider community feedback, and hold a public hearing for additional community input. They may also take action at this meeting to approve recommendations to revised trustee areas that will be sent to the Alameda County Committee on School District Organization.

Community Information Meeting

Tuesday, Mar 29

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

School trustee boundary revisions

Educational Services Center

34200 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City

www.mynhusd.org

County tax measure coming to end

Submitted by Alameda County Transportation Commission

After helping raise billions of dollars in transportation funds in Alameda County since 2000, a half-cent transportation tax measure is coming to an end March 31.

In a statement released March 25, officials from The Alameda County Transportation Commission (CTC) announced the sunset of Measure B, which Alameda County voters overwhelmingly supported not once, but twice. Measure B was originally approved in 1986 and again in 2000, when 81.5 percent of Alameda County voters approved its renewal.

Over the course of the 20-year Measure B sales tax, Alameda CTC leveraged over $1.4 billion of local funds to deliver more than $4.1 billion in projects and programs to improve transportation, safety and mobility, and alleviate congestion in Alameda County. Several of the projects and programs included:

• BART to Warm Springs Extension and BART to Oakland Airport Connector
• Union City Intermodal Station and Fruitvale BART Intermodal Station improvements
• I-580/Isabel Avenue Interchange in Livermore and the Route 84 Expressway in Livermore and Pleasanton
• AC Transit Bus Rapid Transit, known as the TEMPO
• Transit operations and capital improvements for ACE Rail, Union City Transit, LAVTA and services for seniors and people with disabilities
• Countywide Discretionary Bicycle and Pedestrian Grant Program

Proceeds from 2000 Measure B are administered by Alameda CTC, distributed to jurisdictions that include 14 cities, local transit agencies and unincorporated Alameda County.

To honor Alameda CTC’s commitment to the financial stewardship of these funds, the commission formed the Independent Watchdog Committee (IWC), formerly the Citizens Watchdog Committee, in 2000. The IWC monitors how funds are spent and reports their findings directly to the public each year with the publication of the Independent Watchdog Committee’s Annual Report. Alameda CTC has maintained a clean record through every one of the 19 years of these independent reports.

Alameda County Fire Department Log

Submitted by ACFD

Monday, March 21

• At 3:03 a.m. firefighters responded to a structure fire at Garcia and Lexington avenues in San Leandro. They arrived to find a detached garaged engulfed in flames. They extinguished it in under 20 minutes. No injuries were reported.

BART Police Log

Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD

Saturday, March 19

• A man identified by police as Jose Taxcuxlic, 35, of Hayward was arrested at Fremont station on a $10,000 warrant charging theft. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

• At 9:07 p.m. a man identified by police as Andre Thomas, 61, of Oakland was arrested at Hayward station on outstanding warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Monday, March 21

• At 8:27 a.m. a man identified by police as Henry Johnson, 60, of San Francisco was arrested at Milpitas station on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia and resisting and battering an officer. A record check also showed a $2,500 warrant issued by San Francisco Police Department charging brandishing of a firearm. He was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Wednesday, March 23

• At 4:17 p.m. a man identified by police as Joe Finister Jr. 41, of Oakland was taken into custody at Fremont station on suspicion of trespassing on railroad property and resisting arrest. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

• At 11:09 p.m. a man identified by police as Stephen Finney, 43, of Oakland was taken into custody at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of brandishing a deadly weapon. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail and issued a prohibition order.

Unidentified person found dead after creek fire

Submitted by Union City Police Department

Investigators with the Union City Police Department are asking the public for help to identify an adult found dead March 23 after a fire at an encampment in a creek area that borders Union City and Fremont.

The investigation began at about 8:26 p.m. when officers from Fremont Police Department were dispatched to Isherwood Way and Quarry Lakes Drive after Alameda County Fire Department crews extinguished a vegetation fire in a nearby creek area and found a body. Eventually, it was determined the burned encampment was inside the Union City limits and Union City Police Department (UCPD) took over the investigation.

Officials from UCPD said they are working with Alameda County Co
roner’s Bureau to determine the person’s identity and cause of death. UCPD detectives said numerous people may have been in the area both before and after the fire.

Anyone who may have been in the area or witnessed anything is asked to contact Detective Fong at (510) 675-5259 or the Union City anonymous tip line at (510) 675-5207. Anonymous tips can also be sent online to [email protected].

Fremont Police Log

Submitted by Yanneth Contrada, Fremont PD

Wednesday, March 23

• At about 8:08 p.m. officers responded to a report about a large fire at Walmart, 40580 Albrae St. Upon arrival they saw a significant amount of smoke and worked with Fremont Fire Department crews to evacuate employees and customers from the store. No injuries were reported. A preliminary investigation indicated the incident was an arson associated with a burglary involving multiple suspects. Investigators are asking anyone who may have video surveillance from the store’s parking lot to contact Det. Travis MacDonald at (510) 790-6927 or via email at [email protected].

Latest COVID-19 facts from California

Submitted by California Department of Public Health

California state health officials have released up-to-date facts on the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The data, which is updated regularly, is posted on the state’s online COVID-19 data dashboard at covid19.ca.gov/state-dashboard and includes vaccination details, rates of cases, hospitalizations, deaths and more.

Here are the latest figures from Friday, March 25:

Vaccinations:

• 72,589,987 total vaccines administered.
• 83.8% of the eligible population (5+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.
• 26,947 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

Cases:

• California has 8,476,399 confirmed cases to date.
• Today’s average case count is 2,085 (average daily case count over 7 days).
• Unvaccinated people are 4.4 times more likely to get COVID-19 than boosted individuals (February 28, 2022 – March 6, 2022).

Testing:

• The testing positivity rate is 1.4% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations:

• There are 1,648 hospitalizations statewide.
• There are 290 ICU patients statewide.
• Unvaccinated people are 8.5 times more likely to be hospitalized than boosted individuals (February 28, 2022 – March 6, 2022).

Deaths:

• There have been 87,809 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
• COVID-19 claims the lives of 60 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).
• Unvaccinated people are 13.8 times more likely to die than boosted individuals (February 21, 2022 – February 27, 2022).

Health Care Workers:

As of March 24, local health departments have reported 153,387 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 576 deaths statewide.

For more information, visit the California Department of Health website at www.cdph.ca.gov.

Newark Police Log

Submitted by Newark PD

Wednesday, February 16

• At 1:16 p.m. officers responded to a report about someone breaking a car window in the area of Central Avenue and Filbert Street. When officers arrived, the suspect attempted to flee on foot, but was quickly detained by officers. The suspect, identified as a 36-year-old Newark man, was arrested on suspicion of vandalism, obstructing a peace officer and on multiple outstanding warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Saturday, February 19

• At 3:42 p.m. Officer Arroyo responded to a report about a shoplifter in custody in the 200 block of NewPark Mall Road. The 41-year-old Berkeley man was found to be in possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. A record check showed outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants. He was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Monday, February 21

• At 8:51 p.m. Officer Cervantes responded to a report about a burglary in progress in the 6400 block of Robertson Ave. The suspect, identified as a 29-year-old Newark, man initially fled the scene, but was located by officers nearby. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Tuesday, February 22

• At 12:14 a.m. Officer San Pedro arrested a 27-year-old Newark man in the area of Spruce Street and Mayhews Landing Road on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia and on an outstanding warrant. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Friday, February 25

• At 10:25 p.m. Officer Herrera spotted a vehicle being driven recklessly in the area of Filbert Street and the railroad tracks and made a traffic enforcement stop. The driver, a 21-year-old Newark man, was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail. The vehicle was impounded for 30 days.

Sunday, March 6

• At 12:07 a.m. officers responded to a report about a person with a firearm in the 38000 block of Larkspur St. Upon arrival, officers detained a 29-year-old Newark man and determined the weapon was an assault-style airsoft gun. The man was arrested on an outstanding warrant and for disregarding a court order. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail. The airsoft gun was turned over for destruction.

• At 12:35 a.m. Officer Kapu spotted a vehicle making an unlawful U-turn in the area of Gateway Boulevard and Jarvis Avenue and started to make a traffic enforcement stop. The driver sped away with Kapu in pursuit. Eventually, the driver stopped and additional officers arrived. When detained, the driver, a 33-year-old Oakland man, thrashed about and kicked officers. He was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, failure to obey an officer and battery on an officer. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail and the vehicle was impounded.

• At 11:42 p.m. Officer Herrera made a traffic enforcement stop in the area of Brittany Avenue and Madelaine Drive. A record check showed the driver, a 32-year-old Hayward woman, had an outstanding warrant. She initially refused commands to exit the vehicle but eventually complied and was arrested on suspicion of obstructing an officer, possession of a controlled substance with drug paraphernalia and misappropriating lost property. She was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Monday, March 7

• At 11:42 p.m. Officer Swadener contacted a 29-year-old San Jose woman in a vehicle on the 39000 block of Balentine Dr. A record check showed an active arrest warrant. During the investigation Swadener spotted numerous theft materials. The woman was arrested on the warrant and on suspicion of possessing identity theft materials, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. She was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Thursday, March 10

• At 3:02 a.m. Officer Riddles saw suspicious activity while conducting a security check on the 39000 block of Balentine Dr. Riddles detained a 42-year-old Fremont man and eventually arrested him on suspicion of possessing burglary tools and on a probation violation. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Local city formed mental health initiative

Submitted by City of San Leandro

In its continuing efforts to help provide mental health and homeless services to people who need them, the City of San Leandro has formed a new mental health initiative called San Leandro Safe.

During the March 21 City Council meeting, San Leandro City Manager Fran Robustelli shared details about the new cross-departmental initiative which splits the city’s Human Services Department from the Recreation program. The stand-a
lone Human Services Department will work collaboratively with Alameda County Fire Department and San Leandro Police Department on mental health and homeless services. San Leandro Safe was created after community feedback on how the city can better serve the most at-risk residents.

“The community’s voice has spoken and tirelessly advocated for effective front-line services when addressing the needs of our vulnerable unhoused population,” Robustelli said. “The police department is often stretched thin with daily field patrol responsibilities. They do not have the time or resources to ‘case manage’ complex personal needs and quality of life matters. Therefore, the three departments of Fire, Human Services, and Police will work as a unit on the daily human service needs of the community.”

Robustelli has appointed Kurry Foley as the acting director of the Human Services Department. She has worked for the city since 2014. “I’m honored and grateful to build on a solid foundation of programming and service delivery created by former director Jeanette Dong and past directors,” Foley said. “I will continue the commitment to amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable in our community.”

Study: SUVs, pickups more likely to hit walkers than cars

By Tom Krisher

Associated Press Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP), March 17 — Drivers of bigger vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs are more likely to hit pedestrians while making turns than drivers of cars, according to a new study.

The research released March 17 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points to the increasing popularity of larger vehicles as a possible factor in rising pedestrian deaths on U.S. roads. The authors also questioned whether wider pillars holding up roofs of the larger vehicles make it harder for drivers to spot people walking near the corners of vehicles.

“The link between these vehicle types and certain common pedestrian crashes points to another way that the increase in SUVs on the roads might be changing the crash picture,” said Jessica Cicchino, a study author and vice president of research for the institute.

Although the study mentioned previous research showing blind spots caused by the “A-pillars” between the windshield and the cabin, the authors said more study is needed to link the blind spots to the increased deaths.

In 2020, the last year for which complete statistics are available, 6,519 pedestrians were killed in the U.S., according to government data. That’s up 59% since 2009, and a 4% increase from 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

Over the same time period, SUV and pickup truck sales have skyrocketed. In 2009, pickup trucks, SUVs and vans accounted for 47% of all U.S. new vehicle sales, according to Motorintelligence.com. Last year, light trucks were more than three-quarters of new vehicle sales.

Not all SUVs and pickup trucks have the blind spots, though. Compact SUVs, for instance, are now the largest part of the U.S. market.

The study also found that the larger vehicles were more likely than cars to be involved in crashes where pedestrians were standing, walking or running near the edge of the road and away from intersections. Researchers studied federal crash statistics in which pedestrians were killed, as well as all pedestrian crashes reported to police in North Carolina from 2010 through 2018.

The North Carolina statistics showed that pickups were 42% more likely than cars to hit pedestrians while making left turns. SUVs were 23% more likely to hit people than cars. There was no significant difference in the odds of a right turn crash for the different types of vehicles, the study showed.

Outside of intersections, pickups were 80% more likely than cars to hit a pedestrian along the road. SUVs were 61% more likely, and minivans were 45% more likely to hit people than cars, IIHS said. Trucks, SUVs and vans typically have thicker “A-Pillars” than cars because of federal roof-strength standards to prevent collapse in rollover crashes, the IIHS said. The pillars typically are wider because they have to withstand the higher weights of the bigger vehicles.

And the pillars aren’t the only things creating blind spots in the bigger vehicles. Consumer Reports found last year that high hoods also obstructed driver views of pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicles. “To see over that high hood, you’re going to be looking further down the road,” said Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports’ auto test center.

The magazine and website found that pickup truck hood heights have risen 11% since 2000. The hood of a 2017 Ford F-250 heavy-duty pickup was 55 inches off the ground, as tall as the roofs of some cars, Stockburger said.

Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which sell the bulk of the large SUVs and pickups in the U.S., all declined comment on the study. Messages were left seeking comment from Auto Innovators, an industry trade group.

Automakers could use stronger metals to make the A-Pillars smaller and increase visibility, said Wen Hu, an IIHS senior transportation engineer and another study author. “These larger vehicles, they need stronger pillars, we all understand that,” she said. “Increasing the size of the A-Pillar is not the only way to increase the strength.” IIHS, which is funded by auto insurance companies, studies vehicle safety.

Stockburger said the industry could also examine sight lines on the bigger vehicles, as well as add automatic emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians. Most automakers have promised to make automatic emergency braking standard equipment on nearly all of their new models by September of this year. In addition, federal safety regulators are proposing to make the systems mandatory on all new vehicles.

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois’ wins book critics award

By Hillel Italie

AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) Mar 17, 2022 — Honoree Fanonne Jeffers’ “The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois,” her epic novel about racism, resilience and identity named for the influential Black scholar and activist, has received the fiction prize from the National Book Critics Circle.

The critics circle praised Jeffers for “weaving several centuries’ worth of ‘songs’ from the ancestors into her narrative of the coming of age and young adulthood of a brilliant Atlanta scholar.” Jeffers, a professor of English at the University of Oklahoma and author of five poetry collections, was among the winners announced Thursday during a ceremony held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the nonfiction category, the award was given to Clint Smith’s “How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America.” Rebecca Donner’s “All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days: The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler” won for biography, and Jeremy Atherton Lin’s “Gay Bar: Why We Went Out” was named the best autobiography. The poetry prize was given to Diane Seuss’ “frank: sonnets,” and the criticism award went to Melissa Febos’ “Girlhood.”

Antthony Veasna So, a highly regarded author who died suddenly in 2020 at age 28, received posthumous praise on Thursday. His story collection “Afterparties” was awarded the John Leonard Prize for best first book. Leonard, a founding member of the NBCC who died in 2008, was known for his support for emerging writers.

The inaugural Toni Morrison Achievement Award, established last year in honor of the late Nobel laureate and presented to “institutions that have made lasting and meaningful contributions to book culture,” was given to the Cave Canem Foundation. A self-defined “home for Black poetry” started in 1996 b
y Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady, the foundation has helped support such prize winning poets as Claudia Rankine and Tracy K. Smith.

Novelist Percival Everett, whose books include such meta-fiction as “Erasure” and “A History of the African-American People,” received the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, named for the critics circle’s first president. The Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing, named for the late critic and co-founder of the NBCC, was given to New Yorker contributor Merve Emre.

The NBCC was founded in 1974 and includes hundreds of “critics, authors, literary bloggers, book publishing professionals, student members, and friends.”

The Eiffel Tower grows higher, thanks to new antenna

Associated Press

PARIS (AP), March 15 — The Eiffel Tower grew by six meters (nearly 20 feet) on March 15 after engineers hoisted a new communications antenna at the very top of France’s most iconic landmark.

Tourists watched from the Trocadero esplanade as the new digital radio antenna was helicoptered up. With the new antenna, the Eiffel Tower grew from 324 meters (1,063 feet) tall to 330 meters (1,083 feet).

The Eiffel Tower company’s president, Jean-Francois Martins, told The Associated Press that scientific progress is an integral part of the Iron Lady’s 133-year history. “It’s a historical moment this morning, because the Eiffel Tower is getting higher, which is not so common,” he said.

“From the invention of the radio at the beginning of the 20th century to right now, decades after decades, the Eiffel Tower has been a partner for all the radio technology,” Martins said. The Eiffel Tower was 312 meters (1,024 feet) high when it was inaugurated on March 31, 1889.

Man touts electric unicycle as answer to high gas prices

Associated Press

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP), March 24 — A Massachusetts man says he has the answer for those singing the blues about stratospheric gas prices. Rick Madeira, of Fall River, has taken to riding his electric unicycle to work, saving on gas and cutting his commute time in the process. “It’s just more convenient and it’s obviously more fun,” he told The Herald News.

Madeira’s Gotway Nikola Plus, with no seat or handle bars, just places for his feet, can go 70 or 80 miles on one charge and reaches speeds of up to 40 mph, although he rarely goes that fast. “It literally takes me four minutes to get to work, versus about eight minutes in a vehicle,” he said.

He’s allowed to ride on the sidewalk, but usually sticks to the road, keeping to the shoulder when possible. He can also move to the front of the line at red lights, like cyclists, he said. His advice to those interested in buying an electric unicycle, which sell for more than $2,000: wear protective and reflective gear, and be respectful of pedestrians.

“It’s the future. In 10 or 20 years, I’m sure I won’t even have to bring it up,” Madeira said.

IAD032922

CONTINUING EVENTS:

Tuesday, February 8 – Monday, April 4

Climate Change Art

M – T: 12 noon – 8 p.m.

W-Th: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sa: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Su: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Gallery Wall (thru 4/4)

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

www.aclibrary.org

(510) 667-7900

Thursday, January 20 – Saturday, April 2

Journey of Color

Virtual Exhibit: 1/20 – 4/2

In-Person Exhibit: 1/27 – 4/2

Gallery Hours: Thurs – Sun, 12 noon – 5 p.m.

Traditional Asian techniques with contemporary processes

Olive Hyde Gallery

123 Washington Blvd, Fremont

(510) 791-4357

www.olivehydeartguild.org

https://fremont.gov/3065/Current-Exhibition

Thursday – Sundays, March 31 – May 29

Visions of Spring

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Open Reception: Saturday, April 2, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Exhibition of the National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW)

2400 First St, Livermore, CA 94551

Bankhead Theater Gallery

www.livermorearts.org

Free

Friday, March 4 – Saturday, April 16

Painting Through the Pandemic: Artwork as a Relief

Fri – Sat: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pandemic era art from Sun Gallery members and new artists

Sun Gallery

1015 E St., Hayward

(510) 581-4050

http://www.sungallery.org/

Friday, April 1 – Saturday, April 16

Spring Forward

Thursday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Reception: 4/1, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Exhibit showcasing floral artwork

Adobe Art Center

20395 San Miguel AvE. Castro Valley

https://www.artinc.org/

Saturdays & Sundays, February 12 – April 17

Niles Canyon Railway Train Rides $

Departures from Sunol Depot at 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

$25 for adults

$15 for seniors (62+) and children (3-12)

6 Kilkare Road, Sunol

https://www.ncry.org/

Saturday, March 12 – Sunday, April 10

Villainy in the Vineyard

Saturdays: 8 p.m.

Sundays: 2 p.m.

Fridays 4/1 & 4/8: 8 p.m.

Kaye Syrah tries to keep her family vineyard alive

San Leandro Museum/Auditorium

320 West Estudillo Ave., San Leandro

(510) 895-2573

www.slplayers.org

Tickets: $20 general; $15 seniors & under 12

Saturday, March 19 – Saturday, April 23

Fremont Cultural Art Council Juried Photo Exhibit

During library hours

Photos on the theme “Scenes of Fremont”

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 399-3049

[email protected]

https://fremontculturalartscouncil.org/

Saturdays and Sundays, March 26 – May 1

Wildflower Walk

10 a.m.

Enjoy the beauty of spring on this guided stroll

Sunol Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

www.ebparks.org

Sunday, February 13 – Sunday, April 17

Dove Gallery Annual Juried Art Exhibit

Gallery Open Sundays from 12 noon – 3 p.m.

Artworks of various media and style by 80 artists

Park Victoria Church back parking lot

875 S. Park Victoria Dr., Milpitas

[email protected]

UPCOMING

Wednesday, March 30 R

Healers Network on Clubhouse

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Free healing, self-care, and clarity session

https://bit.ly/36H700N

https://clubhouse.com/club/healers-network

 

Thursday, March 31 – Sunday, April 3

Animal Feeding

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Check for eggs and feed livestock

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Friday, April 1 & Sunday, April 3

Ride the Rails

10:20 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.

Travel back in time on the train

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwoo
d Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Friday, April 1

First Friday: Mind Tricks

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

A night where nothing is what it seems!

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland

(510) 336-7300

https://chabotspace.org/

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

Friday, April 1 – Sunday, April 3

Patterson House Tours

11:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.,2:30 p.m.

Tour the beautiful Patterson House Museum

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 2

Free Covid Vaccines and Home Test Giveaway R

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

BACH Health offering vaccines to kids and adults

First 100 get free home test kits

Fire Station

7550 Thornton Ave., Newark

https://tinyurl.com/2p8m6cy5

Saturday, April 2

Ecopoetry Workshop R

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Join Youth Poet Laureate Laura Ma and completed poem

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley

www.aclibrary.org

Saturday, April 2 – Sunday, April 3

Nectar Garden Exploration

11 a.m. – 12 noon

Discover native pollinators and plants

Coyote Hills Visitor Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 2

Chickens and Dinos

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Discover the connection between chickens and dinosaurs

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, April 2

Flower Families

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Learn about kinship ties with different plants. Ages 7+

Sunol Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 2

Bird Walk – Wildflowers and Birds

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Discover patterns of behavior, migration, and habitat

Sunol Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 2

Victorian Tabletop Games

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Play old-fashioned games of ball and cup, tops, or Jacob’s Ladder

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 2 – Sunday, April 3

Acorn Grinding

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Learn about this food source for the native Ohlone people

Mission San Jose

43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont

(510) 657-1797

https://missionsanjose.org/

Sunday, April 3 R

Free Information Session VEX Robotics Program

10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Discuss VEX Robotics Program for middle and high school students

India Community Center

525 Los Coches St., Milpitas

https://bit.ly/3qB4C2T

Sunday, April 3

Farmyard Story Time

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Join story circle for some classic barnyard tales

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Sunday, April 3

Fun with Felting

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Learn how felt is made from sheep’s wool

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Sunday, April 3

Learn the Ropes

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Make a rope using an antique machine

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, April 3

Let’s Get Outside Club

2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Beginning hike led by naturalist focused on wildflowers. Ages 5+

Sunol Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

www.ebparks.org

Tuesday, April 5

Fremont Redistricting Public Hearing

7:15 p.m.

Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3qyFytn

Webinar ID: 990 1131 0541

https://redistrictfremont.org/