04-11-23 Articles

Earth Day Events

By StaffAre you ready for Earth Day? (Since we only have one planet, isn’t every day kind of Earth Day?) Whether you are celebrating the beauty of the planet, learning more about its diversity, or discovering new ways to care for it, there are events to choose from.

Earth Month at Oakland Zoo

Celebrate Earth Month at Oakland Zoo! This year, we have expanded our Earth Day Celebration to four Saturdays in April, with a different conservation-based theme each Saturday:

April 8 – What to do with Waste

April 15 – Air Quality & the Environment

April 22 – Taking Action for Wildlife

April 29 – Planting for Pollinators

Meet with our conservation partners and local environmental organizations, enjoy crafts, art, face painting, musical entertainment, and more! Participate in our chalk drawing and receive a biodegradable planter containing butterfly garden seeds for pollinators. Earth Day events are included with admission and are appropriate for all ages.

Saturdays in April: 8, 15, 22, 29

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Oakland Zoo

9777 Golf Links Rd., Oakland

(510) 632-9525

www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/earth-month 

2nd Annual Downtown Family Earth Day Festival

Families are invited to Downtown San Leandro for a fun, family-friendly Earth Day celebration featuring hands-on activities like “seed bomb” making, reusable tote decorating, mural painting, and more. Learn about our local watershed, urban reforestation, native gardening, and how families can reduce their carbon footprint. In addition, children are encouraged to bring a used toy for the “Buy Nothing Toy Swap” and their bikes for a bike skills rodeo! ASL interpretation will be provided.

Saturday, Apr 15

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Casa Peralta

384 W Estudillo Ave., San Leandro

www.downtownsanleandro.com

www.sanleandro.org

Free Movie Night: The Lorax

Showing The Lorax, in honor of Earth Day! The movie shows us the importance of the sustainable management of natural resources. We all need trees.

Friday, Apr 21

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Studio 11

3426 11th St., Union City

(510) 675-5495

www.unioncity.org

Citywide Community Cleanup and Community Fair

The Hayward Citywide Clean-Up and Community Fair is a litter pick-up event hosted at Weekes Park where volunteers come together to collect litter and debris in neighborhoods throughout the city. In an effort to make this event zero waste, we encourage participants to bring their own water bottles.

After the pick-up, community members meet back at Weekes Park, where lunch will be provided for those who register via Eventbrite. There also will be a Community Fair with sustainability-themed booths with fun activities hosted by community organizations.

Saturday, Apr 22

8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Weekes Park

27182 Patrick Ave., Hayward

https://www.hayward-ca.gov/

Register on Eventbrite.com

Hayward Shoreline Cleanup

Help us beautify our East Bay Parks! Register online and check in with staff near the trail head at the end of West Winton Road. (Look for signs.)

Saturday, Apr 22

9 a.m. – 12 noon

Hayward Shoreline

3050 West Winton Ave., Hayward

www.ebparks.org

Community Park Clean Up Day

Help keep Union City parks clean and beautiful! We are encouraging families to come out and volunteer a few hours of their time in cleaning up our public parks. Open to all. Anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. All equipment and supplies will be provided; pre-registration is encouraged.

Saturday, Apr 22

9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Contempo Park

32300 Meteor Dr., Union City

www.unioncity.org

Earth Day Milpitas

Join us to help celebrate Earth Day at Selwyn Park in Milpitas.

Saturday, Apr 22

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Selwyn Park

Selwyn Dr. off Dempsey Rd., Milpitas

Earth Day for the Bees

Join us in our Nectar Garden for the Global Earth Challenge Bee Campaign this Earth Day. We will monitor pollinator populations, learn the importance of bees and other pollinators, and take home a native bee-friendly plant to continue this community science project at home or school. All ages. Parent participation required. Parking fees apply where charged. Disabled accessible. This is a drop-in program; no registration is required.

Saturday, Apr 22

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Coyote Hills

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

(510) 544-3220

www.ebparks.org

Pop Up on the Promenade

Join the next Pop Up on the Promenade for handmade goods, art sustainable fashion, plants, kids’ activities, and more!

Saturday, Apr 22

11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Studio 11

3426 11th St., Union City

www.unioncity.org

Fremont Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day and increase environmental awareness in your community. Learn about recycling and waste reduction, saving energy at home, eco-friendly gardening, and composting. Bring your bike for a tune up or to fix a flat. Drop off difficult to recycle items such as syringes and needles, mercury thermometers, eyeglasses, medications, and condiments and plastic utensils. And in general – enjoy food trucks, games and activities, Earth Day art, and eco-tainment!

Saturday, Apr 22

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Fremont Downtown Event Center

3500 Capitol Ave., Fremont

(510) 742-7510

www.fremont.gov/earthday

ASL Earth Day Walk

Celebrate Earth Day as we welcome Deaf communities of the Bay Area to jo
in a guided hike with professional American Sign Language interpreters! Discover the beauty of Sunol in Spring during this stroll. This program is for ages 4+; registration is not required.

Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(888) 327-2757

www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol

Olive Hyde Art Guild Members Juried Show 2023

Submitted by Seema Gupta

Olive Hyde Art Guild is excited to present its 12th Members Juried Show at the Olive Hyde Art Gallery, and doubly excited that it will be part of “April is Arts, Culture and Creativity Month” in Fremont, and all over California!

We are honored to have Zoë Latzer as our juror this year. She is Associate Curator and Director of Public Programs at the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. When seeking an impartial juror, we look for someone who is knowledgeable about contemporary art in its various forms, is not affiliated with Olive Hyde Art Guild, and understands that the Members Show is about showcasing the best works of the Guild members.

Latzer judged 122 artworks from the Guild’s online image gallery, resulting in about 60 accepted works. Most generously, she wrote individual comments for each artist about their artwork, offering insights and encouragement. Her selection of awards will be presented at the Opening Reception on April 14. Guests that night will be grabbing a ballot to vote their personal favorite for the People’s Choice Award.

Congratulations to the 40 artists exhibiting in OHAG’s Members Juried Show: Vimal Advani, Hetal Anjaria, Simone Archer, Karen Barry, Sister Brigid Bray, Scott Capen, Edie Christensen, Thomas Cory, Abhijit Datta, Adriane Dedic, Joan Di Stefano, Dmitry Grudsky, Seema Gupta, Scott Hart, Susan Helmer, P. Kay Hille-Hatten, Mi-Young Jo, Priscilla La Rocca, Maureen Langenbach, Peter Langenbach, Robyn Leimer, Lina Melkonian, Denise Oyama Miller, Patricia Moran, Farshid Namei, Mitchell Neto, Gail Noeth, Parul Parekh, Norma Robinson, Emelie Rogers, Maria Grazia Romeo, Deepti Saraswat, Arathi Satish, Barbara Schlein, Durba Sen, Lynne Shephard, Lynne Sparling, Lisa Stambaugh, Mary Sullivan, Kevin Tschaen.

As both a committee member and participating artist, Lisa Stambaugh eagerly anticipates this show: “I love celebrating the diverse art of our Guild members in a single gallery experience…On what other local stage can we witness simultaneous exuberant performances in oil, acrylic, and watercolor painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, mosaic, clay, fused glass, dye-painted silk, quilting, crochet, linocut, macrame, and wood carving?”

Photography artist Scott Capen is inspired by nature: “There are so many beautiful places and things in the world that I feel like I’m lucky to be able to capture a single moment in time that may never be experienced in the same way again.”

For Thomas Cory, the grace and beauty discovered in nature is inspiring: “I try to seek simplicity and precious, distinctiveness of the ordinary. My OHAG show paintings began as simple observations – Opus 3.2 from a tree in Monterey, and Rust Hummer from a barbed-wire fence… in a style I first used while in Graduate School: “Trompe O’leil,” literally meaning ‘trick of the eye,’ a technique of using realistic imagery to create an optical illusion of depth.”

By contrast, Scott Hart gets his ideas and inspiration from science fiction, mythology and folklore. He is “very intrigued by the idea of an explorer finding an object on another planet, made by some non-human intelligence, and what that might look like.” That’s part of the inspiration behind his piece Bound Object.

A mosaic artwork by Arathi Satish is influenced by Indian temple art and classical paintings. About her mosaic, The Universe of Puri, Arathi says, “The colors, geometrical shapes and proportions used have sacred meanings. The sphere symbolizes the expression of love, unity, brotherhood and non-violence that should always exist in this world.”

Local artist Robyn Leimer states that her paintings reflect life’s simple pleasures evoking a reminder of people, places or a moment in time, capturing the transitional beauty that winter brings, “like a brilliant sunset reflecting on the melting snow, or mysteriously cast shadows falling on the sun-lit snowy landscape near Half Dome.”

For those wishing to learn more, Olive Hyde Art Guild will host a public Meet & Greet Social in the Olive Hyde courtyard from 10 a.m. – 12 noon on Thursday, April 20. Docent-led tours of the Members Juried Show will be conducted by Leah Andrews, Curator of the Olive Hyde Art Gallery, beginning at 12 noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Olive Hyde Art Guild Members Juried Show 2023

At the COF Olive Hyde Art Gallery

Virtual Exhibit:

Thursday, Mar 30 – Saturday, May 27

Gallery Exhibition:

Thursday, Apr 6 – Saturday, May 27

Opening Reception:

Friday, Apr 14

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 791-4357

http://olivehydeartguild.org

Niles Canyon Railway ‘relays’ awareness and support for cancer patients

By Charlene Dizon

Photos Courtesy of Cathy Norvell

On April 23, Niles Canyon Railway will be holding its twelfth annual “Ride the Rails for Relay” event for Relay for Life, a movement created by the American Cancer Society. Since its in-person return in 2022, this special round-trip diesel train ride occasion is especially anticipated by community members of all ages.

 Relay for Life was created by Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt in 1985 when he circled around a track in Tacoma, Washington for 24 hours in order to raise money and awareness around cancer. From there, Relay for Life was born. Today, members of the movement all across California form their own teams and hold numerous fundraising events. East Bay local Cathy Norvell has been the primary organizer of Ride the Rails for Relay for the past eleven years, as well as an active partaker alongside her own team, the Cure Crusaders. “Everybody is welcome, not just Relay for Life members,” Norvell states. “Many people volunteer and donate. Money is raised specifically for cancer research and advocacy.”

Niles Canyon Railway will be taking passengers around Sunol Valley through Niles Canyon in both indoor and open-air cars. Trains will be departing from Sunol Depot at various times: 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Rides last one hour and 20 minutes. During the ride, volunteers roleplaying friendly “train robbers” will approach the cars, during which time participants can offer their donations. “People are always excited for the train robbers,” Norvell says. “Our v
olunteers play them so well that one year, a person in the car thought it was real!”

The Niles Canyon Railway Museum will also be open during the event, along with the Sunol Gift Shop and booths featuring local organizations such as the Niles Canyon Artisan, who will be displaying handmade jewelry, paintings, and other goods for sale. In addition to food and beverages, a free wine tasting will be available for those 21 and older. Outside picnic areas are available for use. Per the recently updated COVID-19 mandates, masks are no longer required at the event. Norvell hopes to have another large turnout, as she explains, “Last year, we sold over 500 tickets and raised close to $12K.” Overall, participants will be able to take in the sights and interact with fellow Relay for Life members and general locals as well.

The success behind Ride the Rails for Relay has been made possible in large part by the Niles Canyon Railway, who have generously volunteered their time and resources year after year. Such events like these not only bring awareness to cancer but allow the community to bond with others who may be experiencing the same overwhelming circumstances. “In my eleven years of organizing this event, I’ve witnessed so much appreciation and kindness from people,” Norvell states. “Last year we celebrated the Gift Shop Director, who suffers from brain cancer, by putting special banners up for her on the car.” This moment is merely one of many uplifting reasons why the movement matters: to continue working toward improved cancer research and treatments, as well as reminding others that they are not alone in their battle.

Ride the Rails for Relay

Sunday, Apr 23

Train rides: 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

Niles Canyon Railway Sunol Depot

6 Kilkare Rd., Sunol

(510) 701-9005

cn******@gm***.com

Tickets: $25 adults, $15 children ages two – 12, free for children under age two

Note: if you sell 5 adult tickets, you get a free Survivor ticket

 

Use rain barrels to capture rainwater

By Melinda Myers

Photos courtesy of melindamyers.com

Put rainwater to use in your landscape with the help of rain barrels. This centuries-old technique allows you to capture rainfall to use for watering ornamental gardens and containers. Always start with a call to your local municipality. Some have restrictions on water harvesting, but most encourage this practice, and some even offer rebates or rain barrels at a discounted rate.

Purchase a rain barrel or make your own from a large, recycled food-grade container. In either case, there are some features to consider when purchasing, creating, and adding a rain barrel to your landscape.

Make sure the top is covered to keep out bugs and debris. Some come equipped with a solid lid with an opening just big enough to accommodate the downspout. Others use a screen to keep out debris, while letting in the rain.

With minor precautions, you will be able to prevent mosquitoes from breeding inside your rain barrel. Just use an organic mosquito control like Mosquito Dunks and Mosquito Bits (SummitResponsibleSolutions.com) in rain barrels and other water features. Mosquito Bits quickly knock down the mosquito larval population, while Mosquito Dunks provide 30 days of control. They are both safe for people, pets, fish, wildlife and beneficial insects.

Look for a barrel with the spigot near the base so water does not stagnate in the bottom. Use the spigot to fill watering cans or attach a hose for watering.

Include an overflow outlet near the top of the barrel to direct excess water away from the house or toward connecting adjacent barrels. A downspout diverter is another way to manage rain barrel overflows. When the rain barrels are full, this device diverts the water back to the downspout where it is carried away from your home’s foundation.

Elevate your rain barrel on cement blocks, decorative stands, or similar supports. This provides easier access to the spigot for filling containers and speeds water flow with the help of gravity. A water pump will boost water pressure for a nice steady flow of water.

Dress up your container with a bit of paint suited for outdoor use on plastic surfaces. And don’t worry if you are not an artist; you can also hide your rain barrels with some decorative screens or plantings or upright shrubs, perennials or ornamental grasses. Just make sure you have easy access to the spout for retrieving water.

Start your conversion to rain barrels one downspout at a time. You can capture as much as 623 gallons of water from 1,000 square feet of roof in a one-inch rainfall. This can be a lot to manage when first adjusting to this change of habit. Disconnecting one downspout at a time allows you to successfully match the use of rain barrels and other rain harvesting techniques to your gardening style and schedule.

The choices are many, making it easy for you to conserve water and grow a beautiful landscape.

 

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Editionand Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Betts Stroh Races!

Submitted by MaryAnn Cowenoven

In January, Tri-Cities Women’s Club member Betts Stroh participated in the Brazen Razen Coyote Hills 5K Race and took first place in her age group and time. Sprinting in Track and Field is her first choice in this “athletic adventure” which she began at age 80 years old. Her next event is USA Track and Field, Masters National Outdoor Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina in July. She is just shy of her 90th birthday, and going strong!

San Leandro response to pedestrian bridge collapse

Submitted by City of San Leandro

San Leandro Unified School District and City of San Leandro announce a joint partnership to address the damage caused to the Cary Drive/Haas Ave. Pedestrian Bridge during the recent storms. San Leandro Unified School District and City of San Leandro have joined forces to explore potential solutions for pedestrian traffic in the impacted area.

“We are committed to working with the City of San Leandro to look into a solution that ensures our students and the community have safe and reliable access to this area of San Leandro,” said Dr. Mike McLaughlin, Superintendent of San Leandro Unified School District.

City Manager Fran Robustelli stated, “We understand the importance of this bridge to the community, and we will do everything in our power to ensure a safe solution to this issue.”

According to San Leandro Mayor Juan González, “Residents expect an effective collaboration between City Hall and the school districts serving our residents. I am grateful to see this joint effort to address damage caused by the storms that battered our city.” The agencies will continue working closely to explore potential solutions for pedestrian traffic in this area.

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Features Showcase

Submitted by Kathy Kramer

Photos by Stefanie Pruegel

Registration for the free, Nineteenth Annual “Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Features Showcase” is now open! This year there will be four days of inspiration: two days online in April, and two days in person in May. And, for the second time, the tour will also showcase green home features.

What’s special about California native plants? They are adapted to our soil and climate, naturally water conserving, and easy to care for. California native plants are better than non-native plants when it comes to attracting native birds, butterflies, and other forms of wildlife. And, as the gardens on the Tour show, these lovely gardens display a sense of place that is uniquely Californian.

Online Tour

The online portion of the event will take place on the weekend of April 15 and 16. Inspirational best-selling author Doug Tallamy will kick off the event with a keynote presentation. The online tour will feature beautiful native plant gardens that attract birds, bees, and butterflies, as well as visits to homes with solar panels and backup batteries, heat pumps for heating and cooling the house and heating water, induction ranges, and more.

In-Person Tour

On May 6 and 7, registrants will get the chance to visit more than fifty beautiful, water-conserving native plant gardens. All of the homes have gardens; twenty will be sharing their green home features, such as solar panels and batteries, induction ranges, heat pumps, and more.

Registrants will learn how design a native plant garden for color and interest throughout the year, garden to support local wildlife, lower their water bills, protect their family’s health and the environment by gardening without using pesticides. People will also have the chance to ask questions about electrification.

For more information, about the garden tour contact Ka***@Ka*******************.net or call (510) 236-9558 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour

Online Garden Tour

Saturday & Sunday, Apr 15 & 16

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Via Zoom, livestreamed on YouTube

In-Person Garden Tour

Saturday & Sunday, May 6 and 7

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Various Locations

Registration: https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/

Cohousing—Naturally

Submitted by Evelyn LaTorre and Jane Mueller

Fremont has done it again. For the second year in a row, it has been recognized as the “Happiest City in America” by Wallet Hub. Among the three main findings was that Fremont scored highest in the nation in the category of Community and Environment. Ideal weather and number of acres of parkland per 1,000 residents are key aspects of the environmental evaluation, along with “liking where you live, feeling safe, and having pride in your community.”

Measuring aspects of the quality of life has come about as more and more people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of employment, higher wages, and better educational and health care facilities. City dwellers are now more than 80 percent of the U.S. population. The members of Mission Peak Village, Fremont’s first cohousing development, also wished to have a close connection with nature’s landscape in their suburban environment.

Being connected to the natural environment is associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and poor mental health. Members of Mission Peak Village made attractive outdoor open spaces their number one priority. The future inhabitants desired the quality of life that so many studies say is beneficial.

“There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well-being,” says Lisa Nisbet, PhD, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature.

In the April 1, 2020 publication of the American Psychological Association, in the article “Nurtured by Nature,” researcher Kirsten Weir writes that nature enhances memory, restores focused attention, relieves fear and stress, and produces reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol.

The Mission Peak cohousers wanted a design that would surround them with natural beauty. They got it. Not only will they have a view of the surrounding hills from the rooftop terrace and many of the homes, they’ll also have nearly a quarter acre of outdoor shared space that is a wonderland of blue, pink, and yellow plants among a forest of shade and fruit trees. Professional landscape architect Karin Kaufman has produced a plan that will include meandering footpaths and a natural playground where children can learn to ride bikes or roller skate in areas away from cars and traffic. Dining tables shaded by trees will fill the large patio adjacent to the “common house” (clubhouse). Green and flowering trees will tower above a myriad of proposed plants. In the sunniest spot on the High Street property, resident gardeners will raise vegetables for their common meals.

As Mission Peak Village takes shape, its future residents look forward to a real connection with nature. The community’s large common yard filled with plants is certain to delight both children and adults and provide a healthy and nature-filled atmosphere where all living things can grow and thrive.

This article is part of an ongoing series on cohousing. To learn more about Mission Peak Village, visit www.missionpeakcohousing.org.

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

Go green with Earth Day

Every April, citizens and communities around the world give some well-deserved attention to the environment. Established in 1970 by U.S. senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day is an annual event to raise environmental awareness, calling everyone to learn about our precious Earth and take hands-on action to prot
ect and nurture it.

Earth Day is celebrated by over one billion people each April 22, making it the largest secular event in the world. 2023 marks the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day, which the Earth Day Network has themed “Invest in Our Planet.”

This year’s goal calls on governments and businesses to invest in a green economy, because the responsibility of building an equitable Green future cannot be on individual citizens alone. Learn more, sign a petition, or download action toolkits at www.earthday.org/earth-day-2023.

This is an update of an article from April 16, 2019.

Fishing in the City

Submitted by City of Fremont

Join the Community Services Department on Saturday, April 15 at Central Park for Fishing in the City. Children (ages 5-14) will be taught the fundamentals of fishing and practice catching fish in a controlled environment. Adventurous young anglers participate at hands-on learning stations to earn a free starter tackle box!

Participants will learn about lake ecosystem, rigging, knot tying, fishing safety, and casting. Co-sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This is a free program. Two timeslots are available to choose from, 9:00 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. Registration is limited and required to participate. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Register online at bit.ly/FishingintheCity2023. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Fishing in the City

Saturday, Apr 15

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

11:30am – 1:30 p.m.

Central Park Lions Picnic Area

40000 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont

Register bit.ly/FishingintheCity2023

Free

Fremont Creates – April Events

Submitted by Susan Longini

Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month is in full swing, and Fremont Creates, an umbrella organization for many groups within the Fremont Arts Community, has coordinated a host of activities throughout the month. Below is a sampling of the variety that you can attend and participate in during the last half of April.

Music

• Live Rhythm & Blues and more with Barry & Friends at Das Brew, and food trucks, 4/13 & 4/27
• Kids Music & Movement with Music for Minors II at the Fremont Main Library, 4/21
• Carnatic Music Festival (South Indian Music) with Shruthi Swara Laya, at Fremont Adult School and Fremont Teen Center, 4/22-23 

Wordsmithing

• For Teens – “How to write a great novel and how to get it published!” at Centerville Library, 4/15
• The Journaling Hour at Centerville Library, 4/26
• Flash Fiction Contest with Fremont Cultural Arts Council and Half Price Books, 4/29

Film

• “Telling Lost Stories,” documentary film & discussion, with Temple Beth Torah and Tri-City Interfaith Council, at Temple Beth Torah, 4/23 

Participatory Arts events

• Plein Air at the Rancho – FOR KIDS! with Washington Township Museum of Local History at Rancho Higuera Historical Park, 4/15
• Paint & Afternoon Tea, with Durba Sen and Mission Coffee Roasting Company, at Mission Coffee, 4/16
• City of Fremont Kids Crafts Day, at Olive Hyde Art Center, 4/16
• Earth Day Art Making, at Janine Pitta Art Studio, 4/22
• Earth Day Arts, Music, and More with City of Fremont, Downtown Event Center, 4/22
• Recycle Art Earth Day Activity, with Fremont Art Association, 4/22
• Zentangle – meditative artmaking, with Neera Dave at Fremont Main Library, 4/25
• Mini-Art Mosaic Workshop, with Michael Sunzeri, at Olive Hyde Art Center, 4/27
• Adult Art Night at Janine Pitta Art Studio, 4/29

 Arts Receptions, Docent tours, etc.

• Olive Hyde Members Juried Show Reception at Olive Hyde Art Center, 4/14
• Olive Hyde Meet & Greet Reception and Docent Gallery tours at Olive Hyde Art Center, 4/20
• Arts Mosaic, with Fremont area artisans and Mission San Jose Chamber of Commerce, 4/29
• “Spring, Gentle Spring” – crafting, mansion tours, and plein air painting, at Ardenwood Historic Farm, 4/29

Many of these events are free. Some have nominal charges for materials. For details, hours, and locations, please check FremontCreates.com or scan the QR code. See you there!

Fremont Leadership Prayer Breakfast: Community & Faith Based Leaders Connect through Service

Submitted by Kathy Kimberlin

Connect, engage and network at the annual Fremont Leadership Prayer Breakfast on Friday, April 28. The event will feature live music, a breakfast catered by Skilletz, conversation with Fremont leaders, and a message from keynote speaker Steve Craig

Steve Craig was born in Japan and grew up in California. He and his wife, Kathi, have had the privilege of spending many years working with faith-based organizations around the world in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Switzerland, Turkey, Iran and India. His life’s motto and mission is “Trusting Others, Releasing Creativity,” and his calling is to help marginalized people and those with disabilities lead powerful and productive lives in their community.

This event will connect and engage business and faith-based leaders with the common denominator of “service.” Learn more about two featured local nonprofits. We already serve our community, let’s serve stronger by working together!

Watch for Fremont Leadership Prayer Breakfast posts & updates on Facebook https://bit.ly/4199QTj and on Eventbrite. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, contact chair Kathy Kimberlin at ki*******@co*****.net.

Fremont Leadership Prayer Breakfast

Friday, April 28

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Fremont Downtown Event Center

3500 Capitol Ave., Fremont

Eventbrite Ticket Link: https://bit.ly/3MhbTQP

$40 per person; $280 for a table of eight

Scholarships available for Summer Day Camp and Recreation Programs

Submitted by City of Hayward

The Hay
ward Area Park and Recreation District (H.A.R.D.) that manages parks and offers summer day camps, sports and recreation programs year-round in the city has scholarships to help cover registration fees.

If you are looking for what’s available or to plan summer activities, check out what H.A.R.D. has to offer at haywardrec.org/291/Programs-Offered. The District’s Summer Camps Guide can be viewed at haywardrec.org/DocumentCenter/View/9614/HARD2023SummerCampGuide.

If you need help paying registration fees, H.A.R.D. partners with the H.A.R.D. Foundation to offer financial aid for qualifying district residents. Qualifying households can receive up to 75 percent off class and program fees—and in some cases free admission through the district’s Health Equity Program.

For more information on these forms of support and an application—available in English or Spanish—visit the scholarship page: haywardrec.org/432/Apply-For-A-Scholarship on the H.A.R.D. website.

Las Positas College Theater Arts auditions for summer production

Submitted by Las Positas College

Las Positas College’s (LPC) Theater Arts program is excited to announce auditions for its upcoming summer production of “Footloose.” The iconic musical, based on the hit 1984 film, tells the story of a young man who works to bring back the joy of dance when he moves to a small community where dancing has been banned. The production team is looking for talented actors, singers, and dancers to bring this classic story to life. Auditions are open to anyone over the age of 15. No prior experience is necessary, and students from all majors and backgrounds are encouraged to audition.

“Theater arts is such an important part of the Las Positas College community, and we’re thrilled to be bringing ‘Footloose’ to the stage this summer,” said LPC Theater and Performing Arts Coordinator Titian Lish. “We strongly believe that diversity of all kinds contributes to a broader theatrical perspective, and we warmly encourage applicants from the many diverse communities to audition!”

Auditions for “Footloose” will be held on April 24 and 26 at the Mertes Center for the Arts, Building 4000 on the LPC campus. Rehearsals will begin in early June and performances will take place in late July.

Audition dates:

April 24, 3-6 p.m. – Music and vocal auditions open to all

April 26, 6 p.m. – Dance auditions by invitation only

For more information about the Theater Arts program and how to audition, visit laspositascollege.edu/theater/auditions.php or contact LPC Theater and Performing Arts Coordinator Titian Lish at tl***@la***************.edu

Footloose auditions

3 p.m.- 6 p.m.

Monday, Apr 24: 3p.m. – 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Apr 26: 6 p.m.

Mertes Center for the Arts

3000 Campus Hill Dr., Livermore

Spring at Patterson House

Submitted by City of Fremont

It is the season of rebirth, joy and love. Spring, for many, is a symbol of new beginnings. People the world over celebrate life’s triumph over death whether it is a tree growing new foliage after shedding all its leaves a few months earlier or buds peeking out of the hard ground or animal babies making their first appearances after a cold, wet winter.

Come join us on Saturday, April 29 for a spring day filled with a tour of a vintage historic house, art and craft – through painting and quilts on display. The Patterson House at Ardenwood Historic Farm is creating a Celebration of Arts, Culture & History in the season of renewal. Activities include a tour of the 19th century farmyard mansion, vintage quilts on display, docents in vintage clothing presentations, a chance to create your own springtime craft and more.

Advanced registration is recommended as space is limited for the workshops and presentations. Register at www.RegRec.com; activity #11001. Event fee includes farm winter rate admission, house tour and one art & craft kit.

On the day of the event pay at Arden Station – next to parking lot. Credit cards accepted for entry. Questions? Email rk****@fr*****.gov or call (510) 494-4365.

Spring, Gentle Spring

Saturday, Apr 29

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

Admission fee: Youth (4-17) $5; seniors (62 & older) $7; adults (18+) $9

Pint for a Pass

Submitted by Alameda County Fairgrounds

Alameda County Fair is partnering with the American Red Cross to help fulfill an urgent need for blood. Give blood and receive a free General Admission Ticket to use any single day of the 2023 Fair from June 16 – June 30, while supplies last.

To learn more, sign up, or find a mobile location near you, go to https://annual.alamedacountyfair.com/pint-for-a-pass/.Thank you for helping our community!

You may donate blood at a total of 40 mobile locations in the cities of: Oakland, Pleasanton, San Lorenzo, Fremont, Newark, Union City, Alameda, Albany, and Emeryville. This drive runs through May 31, 2023

Pint for A Pass

Donate by May 31

https://annual.alamedacountyfair.com/pint-for-a-pass/

Shinn House ARPA Grant

Submitted by Janet Barton

Shinn House docents and volunteers were on hand on March 19 to receive a COVID-19 relief check from the office of David Haubert, Alameda County Supervisor. Kathy Kimberlin, assistant to the Supervisor, personally came to Shinn Park to present the check to Mission Peak Heritage Foundation (MPHF) which manages the Shinn House tours, teas, and several yearly events at Shinn Historical Park & Arboretum. We appreciate the aid that will help us recover from losses during the pandemic. The support will help us continue to preserve and present the history of the Shinn family.

ARPA Cash Aid Grants are available for local non-profit and business organizations that experienced the negative economic, health, and safety impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are available from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Supervisorial District Community Needs Cash Aid Grants program. Learn more at https://district1.acgov.org/.

Tours of the Shinn House are back on schedule – generally the first Wednesday and Third Sunday of each month from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Special events and holiday hours may vary. Find us on Facebook @ShinnHistoricPark and at missionpeakreporter.org. Cherry blossom time is going on now in the historic gardens. D
on’t miss them!

Shinn House Tours

First Wednesdays & Third Sundays

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Shinn House Historic Park

1251 Peralta Blvd., Fremont

missionpeakreporter.org

San Leandro Family Aquatic Center to close for summer 2023

Submitted by City of San Leandro

The City of San Leandro announced today the San Leandro Family Aquatic Center (SLFAC) will be closed and unavailable for public use during the upcoming 2023 summer season in order to accommodate necessary repairs. Subject to the availability of needed supplies, the city currently expects the pool will be available again for public use in summer 2024.

Following a thorough inspection of the facility, the city has determined the pool is no longer safe for public use. Current challenges include damage to the concrete deck, existing pool surface, play structures, splash pad, and sections of the big slide stairs. Ultimately, nationwide supply-chain shortages and challenges scheduling a pool resurfacing contractor made it impossible to open SLFAC in time for the 2023 summer season.

Mayor Juan González noted, “While the Family Aquatic Center’s unavailability is disappointing, thanks to recent and significant investments authorized by the City Council at both Farrelly Pool and the Boys & Girls Club, San Leandrans have a number of alternative options for swimming this summer at wonderfully renovated facilities.”

Farrelly Pool and the Boys & Girls Club Pool will be offering additional programs this 2023 summer season to offset the impact of closing SLFAC. Expanded swim times for lap swim, adult recreational swim, family recreational swim, and swim lessons will also be available at both facilities.

In addition to the expanded swim times and programs, the city is also bringing back Summer Family Swim Passes. This option provides a great way for individuals and families to maximize their opportunities to swim at city facilities this summer.

For more information, visit sanleandro.org/411/Aquatics or contact Scott Koll, at sk***@sa********.org or (510) 577-3293.

Stronger Than You Think presents youth-centered healthy relationship summit

Submitted by Jessica Kim

Team Stronger Than You Think (STYT) is a youth-led empowerment group that seeks to educate fellow youth across the Bay Area about healthy relationships and healthy communities. The group acts under the Youth Services Project (YSP) led by Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments (SAVE). Annually, Team STYT organizes and hosts a youth-centered summit, Symbiosis, which helps youth build the skills to foster healthy relationships and recognize signs of unhealthy relationships.

This year’s summit is called Symbiosis: Out of Bounds which focuses on boundaries, including information about how to set, maintain, and respect them. The summit is for folks ages 12-18 and will feature a combination of interactive and informative workshops and boundaries-based projects. Currently, we have a diverse group of speakers and presenters, including two-time world champion boxer Eliza Olson, SAVE preventionists, and STYT youth members themselves.

This FREE event will be hosted from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at Ohlone College in Fremont. In addition to the fantastic workshops and activities offered, we will be hosting a Community Resource and Art Fair. Partners from the Tri-Cities are also invited and encouraged to table and promote resources and programs for youth throughout the event.

To register for this event, visit ysp.save-dv.org/symbiosis. To ensure that Symbiosis is accessible and enjoyable for all, there is no cost, and we cater food and drinks! We do, however, welcome donations, which will go directly toward improving and continuing the work that we do to end intergenerational cycles of violence.

Symbiosis: Out of Bounds

Saturday, Apr 29

9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Ohlone College

43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont

(510) 574-2250

ysp.save-dv.org/symbiosis

History Presentation: The Making of The Apology

Submitted by Hayward Area Historical Society

On April 22, join a talk with filmmaker Mimi Chakarova and producer Aisha Knowles as they discuss the making of The Apology.

In 1963, officials in Alameda County began hearings to discuss the forced removal of Russell City, an unincorporated area, home to predominantly Black and Latino residents. Sixty years later, the City of Hayward formally recognized the impact of the forced removal and issued a formal apology to Russell City residents.

Award-winning filmmaker Mimi Chakarova’s feature-length documentary The Apology follows the stories of two dozen Russell City residents and their descendants while exploring the significance of making amends for a past that shouldn’t be forgotten.

To receive a Zoom link to the presentation, register at: www.haywardareahistory.org/calendar/2023/4/22/the-making-of-the-apology

The Making of The Apology

Saturday, Apr 22

11 a.m. – 12 noon

Online via Zoom

www.haywardareahistory.org

2023 Jaguar F-Type Convertible: Spring Fling Sunshine & Drop Tops

By Michael Coates

Finally, we seem to have turned the page on a winter for the ages. What better way to put that rainy, windy, miserable season of storms behind you than spending a week in a powerful, sexy British sports car. The 2023 Jaguar F-Type convertible is the antidote to gray days. It was made for a sunny spring day, even if the temperatures are still huddling around 50 degrees.

Another element was at work with this Jag. This past January the company announced that the 2024 F-Type would be the last internal combustion engine vehicle in its line. Jaguar will go all-electric starting with the 2025 model. This rumbling V8 with its great sound is at the end of its line. If the next generation F-Type has any sound, it will have to be artificially generated.

A Pricey Piece of History

Holding onto a piece of history like the F-Type P450 R-Dynamic AWD Convertible does not come cheap. The model we drove had a base price of $87,200, but with options and the destination and delivery fee it came to $91,770.You can find a perfectly respectable rear-wheel drive convertible F-Type for $76,700 or splurge for the 575-horsepower “R” version for $111,200. The faster F-Type coupe is slightly more expensive than the
convertible, but for a spring day I’ll take the drop top.

That rumbling anachronism of a V8 doesn’t deliver much relief at the pump, offering only 16 mpg in the city, 24 on the highway and 18 combined. In my driving I couldn’t best those numbers from the supercharged engine. That will all be in the rearview mirror when the electric F-Type hits the market, but the memories of a top-down afternoon drive along Skyline Drive, 440 horsepower growling from the quadruple tailpipes and the paddle shifters for the 8-speed Quickshift automatic transmission emulating a manual will remain.

The F-Type offers several driver-selectable drive modes, but why would you select anything other than “Sport?” Maybe if you’re stuck in bridge traffic, but then why would you even want to be in this car in that situation—except for the tan?

The Luxury Equation

Jaguar has always been a luxury brand and the F-Type, as the brand’s halo car, fairly reeks of it. The two seats, which offer reasonable support for the kind of driving the car encourages, are Windsor leather with suedecloth inserts, which is also found throughout the tight quarters of the interior. As with more and more models, you can initiate a variety of different mood lighting colors. For those of us used to living in the SUV age, that confined space envelopes you and makes it a home you want to live in. The 380-watt Meridian sound system is up to the task of cranking out tunes should you want to add to your drive.

Technology is an integral part of the luxury experience and, once again, Jaguar has filled the tank, particularly in tech that aids the car’s performance. The wide sports car has an adaptive suspension that interprets the terrain and responds to keep maximum traction on the ground. The electronic active differential adds torque vectoring for smoother cornering. The F-Type convertible rides on 20-inch alloy wheels and has staggered tires with wider, lower-profile rear tires aiding its aggressive look.

Jaguar has a full complement of safety equipment included. We noted a rollover protection system as one critical addition for a convertible.

We’ll withhold judgement until we see what comes next, but the experience in the now lame duck F-Type was exhilarating. It sets a pretty high bar for the EV that will follow.

News and notes from around the world

Submitted by The Association of Mature American Citizens

A dog-eat-dog case

The question is what compelled the VIP Products company to make a dog toy resembling the iconic bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee sour mash. Whatever the connection is between a pooch and a bottle of booze, it riled the folks at Jack Daniel’s who took their case to the highest court in the land where U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito posed the question, “Could any reasonable person think that Jack Daniel’s had approved this use of the mark?” On the other hand, Justice Elena Kagan seemed to be leaning in favor of the plaintiff and against the toy maker when she commented, “Maybe I just have no sense of humor.” Hear more about the dog fight on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnOwjJSphuc

Trendy astronauts

American astronauts will soon get a newer, more chic look in their new spacesuits in time for NASA’s much anticipated Artemis 3 moon mission in 2025. More important, the suits will be more comfortable and will allow astronauts to dress themselves. “This is going to be a much more flexible suit. The range of motion is really going to improve the astronauts’ ability to do all the tasks they’re going to do when out exploring on the lunar surface,” said Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut who is part of the Axiom Space, Inc. team. Prototypes of the spacesuits — the first new suits in more than 50 years — were recently displayed bearing black, blue and orange “to conceal the suit’s proprietary design.” The actual suits will be all white to reflect heat and keep modern day moonwalkers cool. Take a look at the new suits on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Q7CQVPJ4Q

Some like it hot

New Mexico officially is the first state in the nation to have an official aroma, namely the “sweet smell of green chili peppers roasting in the fall.” The state is a major producer of chili peppers and, in the most recent growing season, produced a record 53,000 tons of the spicy treats. In fact, the Rio Grande town of Hatch, NM, is known as the “Chili Capital of the World.” See the peppers in production on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZwUkdPAUt8

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

Park It: Briones Pilot Project

By Ned MacKay

A two-year pilot project relating to trail use at the northeast corner of Briones Regional Park near Martinez will begin on Friday, April 21.

The Briones Pilot Project will test a variety of trail management strategies to improve the parkland experience for everyone, reduce conflicts between trail users, and protect habitat, wildlife and watersheds. The project zone is generally east of the Toyon Canyon, Briones Crest, Table Top and Sunrise Trails.

One impetus for the project was the rising number of parkland visitors in recent years, with the resulting need to find ways to share trails. Another was the growing number of illegal “bootleg” trails at Briones and other regional parks. These illegally built trails are not up to sustainable design standards and can adversely impact watersheds and harm wildlife.

Within the zone, equestrians and bicycle riders will alternate trail use on weekends. Horses will be allowed in the zone on even-numbered weekend days; bikes will be allowed on odd-numbered weekend days.

On even-numbered weekend days, horses will be allowed on all trails open to equestrian use. On odd-numbered weekend days, bikes will be allowed on all trails open to bike use. No horses will be allowed in the zone at all on weekend bicycle days, even on trails normally open to equestrians. No bikes will be allowed in the zone at all on weekend equestrian days, even on trails normally open to bikes.

Some trails within the zone will be designated for bike use only, limited to a downhill direction of travel. There will be signs at the top and bottom. These trails are recommended for expert riders only. On even-numbered weekend days, bikes will be prohibited from using any trails in the zone, including bike-only trails. Some other user-built trails in the zone will be closed for restoration.

The odd-even day restrictions in the zone apply only to bicycle and horse use during weekends. Hikers can use trails in the zone seven days per week during normal park hours. But for their safety, hikers should never use the bikes-only trails.

In the rest of the park, equestrians and cyclists will not need to alternate weekend days. Standard trail regulations will apply seven days per week, as set forth in the Park District’s Ordinance 38. Visitors should stay on official trails. Hikers and bicycles are
supposed to yield the right of way to equestrians; bicycles yield to hikers.

The Briones Pilot Project is described in detail on the pilot project webpage, www.ebparks.org/briones-pilot-project. I’d advise reading it before you set out. The description includes a trail map of the zone with a user key, a chart of the pilot zone trail use schedule, and a list of answers to frequently asked questions. You can also sign up to receive updates or volunteer to help with the project.

A flower walk is on the agenda during Family Nature Fun Hour, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, at the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove in Alameda. The program is free of charge and registration is not necessary. It repeats at the same time on Sunday, April 16. Crab Cove is at 1252 McKay Ave. off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For information, call (510) 544-3187.

With the arrival of warmer weather, snakes are beginning to venture out above ground at parks and open space including Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. During a program from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, April 16, naturalist Jessica Kauzer will talk about snake activity in the springtime, and what to do if you see them on the trails. Weather permitting, a live snake will be part of the program.

Meet Kauzer at Black Diamond Mines’ uppermost parking lot, 3½ miles south of Highway 4 and a mile past the park’s entrance kiosk. The program is free and registration is not necessary. Heavy rain may cancel. Black Diamond Mines has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is attended. For information, call (510) 544-2750.

A Delta-themed puppet show with naturalist Miriam Klingler will be the featured attraction from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 16, at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. Bring a blanket and a snack: Meet at the visitor center. Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street. For information, call (510) 544-3050.

For a full list of programs and activities available in the regional parks, visit www.ebparks.org/things-to-do. And be sure to check at the website before visiting a parkland, to be sure that adverse weather or other factors have not resulted in a program cancellation or limited park use.

Tomato Tidbits

By Pat Kite

My tomato seeds seemed to have drowned. Every morning I look out for tiny green sprigs. Sigh. Everybody I know grows gallons of tomatoes. Most years I get five

Tomatoes are a good luck plant. While they now come in a variety of colors, the favorite is still red. Red is a good luck color. This may be yet another superstition, but it’s true tomatoes are indeed clinically high in magnesium, iron, folate, tryptophan and vitamin B6, all needed for mood-regulating brain thingies.

The only tomatoes I can grow are the tiny red ones. I sometimes can even grow them in my one sunny house window. But there are oodles of alternatives, such as Black Beauty, Wagner Blue Green, Cream Sausage, Blue Gold Berries, Aunt Ruby’s German Green, Beam’s Yellow Pear, Ivory Egg, Violet Jasper, Raspberry Lyanna, Cherokee Chocolate, Orange Icicle, etc. Of course, you must search the Internet for the intense seed variety, but that is part of the fun of tomato growing.

The first tiny yellow tomatoes seem to have originated in Peru and thereabouts (the original form was called pomo d’oro), and had a love/hate relationship throughout Europe. They didn’t show up in North America until Thomas Jefferson grew some in his private garden in the early 1800s. Nobody is quite sure of where he got his seeds, but by about 1850 cook book tomato recipes were standard. Per author T.S. Gold “We raised our first tomatoes about 1832 as a curiosity, made no use of them though we had heard that the French ate them. They were called love apples.” However, World War I changed the picture. The varying Southern Farm Clubs for Children encouraged tomato growing, saying a healthy diet should include 55 pounds per person per year.

Nowadays tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable. Botanically, a tomato is a fruit, but since it is used as a vegetable for trade purposes it is a vegetable. This is according to a 19th century Supreme Court case. Gardeners are always adding something to the soil to encourage their growing tomatoes. Here are some of the items used (and no, I haven’t tried them): chopped banana peels, coffee grounds, egg shells, aspirin, baking soda, and epsom salt.

Tomato plants do not like being dried out, but don’t drown them. A little moist is usually just fine, but remember that plants in pots can get hot fast. Enjoy. And have a lovely spring-summer harvest.

THE ROBOT REPORT

Cruise robotaxi, SF bus involved in accident

By Brianna Wessling

Thursday, March 23 a Cruise robotaxi, operating autonomously and with no driver or passengers in the vehicle, was involved in a minor accident with a San Francisco Muni bus. No one was injured in the incident. Both the Cruise vehicle and Muni bus received some damages, with the robotaxi seeming to take the brunt of the impact, according to Forbes Magazine.

While there aren’t many details about the accident, Cruise tweeted the following brief statement after the incident: “Yesterday, one of our vehicles made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No injuries were reported, and there were no passengers present in the Cruise AV. We are investigating the incident and will take follow-up actions if appropriate.”

Robotaxi companies are typically quick to clear things up if their vehicles aren’t at fault in incidents. So many are assuming the Cruise robotaxi rear-ended the bus, based partly on Cruise saying in the statement one of its vehicles “made contact with the rear of a Muni bus.”

“This afternoon, one of our vehicles made contact with the rear of a Muni bus. No injuries were reported, there were no passengers present in the Cruise AV, and it has been cleared from the scene,” Cruise stated March 24.

This incident happened just days after another Cruise robotaxi drove through caution tape that closed off a road where overhead trolley wires had fallen during a major high-wind storm. The vehicle hit the wires which were powered off at the time. Had the power lines been live when the vehicle hit them, the incident could have been much worse.

In December, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it was opening an investigation into the company’s automated driving system. In a filing, NHSTA said it was interested in two different issues that had been reported to the administration that both result in the robotaxis becoming hazards for others on the road.

NHSTA’s first concern is with the company’s robotaxis reportedly braking too hard in certain circumstances. The administration received three reports of a Cruise vehicle braking too hard in response to a car approaching them quickly from the rear, resulting in the Cruise vehicle being rear-ended in all three incidents.

The administration’s second concern is with the robotaxis becoming immobilized on the road. NHSTA has received several reports of Cruise vehicles stalling on the road, with no human operators present. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary investigation to determine the scope and severity of both issues.

Last week, Cruise filed an application with the California DMV to test its robotaxis statewide. The company has been working to expand its services in several areas, including in Austin and in the suburbs of Phoenix. It’s also working to roll out its purpose-built Origin vehicle on public roads in San Francisco.

Last month, Cruise announced its fully driverless vehicles have traveled over one million miles. A majority of Cruise’s fully driverless miles were driven in San Francisco, where the company first rolled out its robotaxis in November 2021.

The Robot Report reached out to Cruise for details on both incidents but hasn’t heard back as of press time. If we do get any more information, this story will be updated.

Brianna Wessling is an Associate Editor, Robotics, WTWH Media. She joined WTWH Media in November 2021, and is a recent graduate from the University of Kansas. She can be reached at bw*******@wt*******.com

Alameda County Board of Supervisors

April 4, 2023

Set Matters

• Formal appointment and swearing-in of new Supervisor for District 2 Elisa Marquez.

Regular Calendar Items

• Supervisor Carson – Approve the use of Year 2022-2023 District 5 Fiscal Management Reward funds to support the following organizations: Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame ($1,500); National Coalition of 100 Black Women/Oakland Bay Area Chapter ($10,000); Meals on Wheels of Alameda County ($5,000). Approved unanimously.
• Supervisor Haubert – Approve the use of District 1 Fiscal Management Reward funds to support the following organizations: Innovation Tri-Valley ($5,000); Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance ($5,000). Approved unanimously.
• Supervisor Tam – Approve the use of District 3 Fiscal Management Reward funds to support the following organizations: Lincoln Recreation Center ($3,000); San Leandro Scholarship Foundation ($490); Building Futures ($1,000); Alameda Boys and Girls Club ($2,500). Approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Retroactively approve the out-of-state travel request for conference registration fees and personal expense claim reimbursement for Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, Finance Director, who attended the 2023 Center for Asian Pacific American Women, Women of Color Conference in Houston, Texas from 3/9/23 – 3/11/23.
• Authorize the Auditor-Controller’s Agency to issue payment to Bay Central Printing for the procurement of shirts to honor our Emergency Medical Services First Responders for National Emergency Medical Services Week 2023.
• Approve revised Hayward Unified School District Conflict of Interest Code.
• Appoint Sally Miskelly to the Public Health Commission, term ending 1/27/25.
• Appoint Dr. Jim Meyers to the Public Health Commission, term ending 2/11/24.

President Nate Miley (District 4)        Aye

David Haubert (District 1)                  Aye

Keith Carson (District 5)                     Aye

Lena Tam (District 3)                          Aye

Elisa Marquez (District 2)                   Aye

Fremont Unified School District

March 22, 2023

Community Leadership

• Rachel Brown, Mission San Jose Elementary School 4th grade Teacher, named Teacher of the Year.

Consent Calendar

• Approve study trips.
• Approve additional funding for non-public schools / non-public agencies for the 2022-2023 school year.
• Approve purchase orders.
• Approve the Quarterly Investment Report.
• Quarterly Financial Report for the Measure E Bond Program.
• Approval of new positions (Special Education).
• Approve the agreement with the Nutrition Policy Institute, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, for research on the transition to freshly prepared school meals.
• Accept the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) grant.
• Ratify the allowance expenditure for the modernization project at Kennedy High School.
• Ratify the change orders with Lathrop Construction Associates for the new construction and modernization project at Hopkins Middle School.
• Authorize furniture procurement quote with One Workplace for the new construction and modernization project at Thornton Middle School.
• Approval of contracts and purchases over $25,360.
• Approve athletic coaches – Spring 2023.

President Vivek Prasad           Aye

Yajing Zhang                          Aye

Larry Sweeney                        Aye

Dianne Jones                           Aye

Sharon Coco                           Aye

California city to provide services to homeless encampment

Associated Press

April 1, 2023

A Northern California city said it will let a homeless encampment stay on some public land, agreeing to provide trailers and other services for up to four months.

A group of homeless people, mostly women, have been living on a lot owned by the city of Sacramento, California, for more than a year, the Sacramento Bee reported.

On Friday, city officials announced they had leased the land for free to Safe Ground Sacramento, a nonprofit group, for up to four months. People can park their cars or RVs on the property, and the city will provide up to 33 trailers for people to live in.

The city said the site will be self-governed by what it calls a “resident council,” along with an operations plan that must be approved by the City Council in the next 30 days.

“I am incredibly proud that through months of hard work and open communication we found an innovative solution for this site that benefits our entire community,” Councilmember Sean Loloee, whose district includes the land, said in a city blog post.

For decades, major cities across California have been grappling with homelessness, a problem that has only worsened in recent years as a housing shortage has increased rents and made it difficult to find an affordable place to live. California now has nearly a third of the nation’s homeless population, according to federal data.

Cities have tried lots of different approaches to address the issue. In San Jose, a city of nearly 1 million people at the south end of the San Francisco Bay, officials installed about 500 small homes for homeless people to live in. The program reduced the rate of the city’s homeless people who were unsheltered for the first time in years, Mayor Matt Mahan said.

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state would build 1,200 of these small homes across the state – homes that are as small as 120 square feet (11 square meters) that have electricity but no running water. Sacramento is scheduled to get 350 of those homes, most of which will likely be at the state fairgrounds, according to Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

Across California, local governments have plans for a 15% reduction in homelessness by 2025. Those plans originally called for a 2% reduction in homelessness, a goal that angered Newsom because he thought it was too low. Local governments revised those plans after Newsom threatened to withhold state funding.

The homeless encampment in Sacramento, known as “Camp Resolution,” is not meant to be permanent. The city said the initial lease will run for four months. But the lease can be renewed until “all the residents obtain permanent housing.”

“We are anxious to assist Camp Resolution residents to demonstrate that homeless people can self-govern and assist each other to obtain permanent housing,” said Mark Merin, executive director for Safe Ground Sacramento.

Idaho governor signs ‘abortion trafficking’ bill into law

Associated Press

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a bill into law Wednesday that makes it illegal for an adult to help a minor get an abortion without parental consent.

The law is the first of its kind in the U.S. and creates a new crime of “abortion trafficking,” barring adults from obtaining abortion pills for a minor or “recruiting, harboring or transporting the pregnant minor” without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian.

Anyone convicted of breaking the law will face two to five years in prison and could also be sued by the minor’s parent or guardian. Parents who raped their child will not be able to sue, though the criminal penalties for anyone who helped the minor obtain an abortion will remain in effect.

To sidestep violating a constitutional right to travel between states, Idaho’s law makes illegal only the in-state segment of a trip to an out-of-state abortion provider.

Opponents have promised a legal battle.

Newark Unified School District

April 6, 2023

Consent Agenda

• Personnel Report
• Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators (61 positions)
• Field Trip: Newark Memorial HS to Anaheim, CA
• Williams Uniform Complaint Quarterly Report January 1, 2023 – March 31, 2023
• Quarterly Report on Contracts – FY 2022-23
• Monthly Purchase Order Report
• Purchase: AMS.net for the Wifi Improvement Project
• Contract amendment: Pappas Energy
• Declaring Surplus Equipment

President Nancy Thomas        Aye

Bowen Zhang                          Absent

Katherine Jones                       Aye

Aiden Hill                               Aye

Phuong Nguyen                      Aye

San Leandro City Council

April 3, 2023

Report On Closed Session Actions Taken

• Cikes v. City of San Leandro, et al., (Civil Rights lawsuit filed against San Leandro Police Department): $201,000 offer. Approved unanimously.

Council Reports

• Mayor Juan Gonzalez will deliver State of the City address April 25 at San Leandro Senior Community Center.

Consent Calendar

• Award a construction contract to Redgwick Construction Company for the Washington Avenue Reconstruction Project.
• Submit grant applications for 1. Bay Fair Precise Plan in the amount of $1,200,000 and 2. Bay Fair Specific Plan in the amount of $600,000 in response to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Priority Development Area grant.
• Accept grant funds for $49,847 from the California Board of State and Community Corrections Officer Wellness and Mental Health Grant Program to improve officer wellness and expand mental health resources.

Mayor Juan Gonzalez             Aye

Bryan Azevedo                       Aye

Celina Reynes                         Aye

Victor Aguilar                         Aye

Fred Simon                             Aye

Xouhoa Bowen                       Aye

Pete Ballew                             Aye

Hayward City Council member joins Alameda County Board of Supervisors

By Staff

On April 4, Elisa Marques was appointed to fill the Alameda County District 2 Supervisor seat left vacant by the recent death of Richard Valle. A lifelong resident of Hayward, Ms. Marquez brings more than 14 years of public service experience to the board. Her leadership roles have included contributions to Alameda County Transportation Commission, East Bay Community Energy and Hayward Library Commission.

Supervisor Marquez holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Cal State East Bay. Marquez sees herself as a “connector”, sharing information and resources with those who need them the most.

“I advocate every day to ensure that individuals’ rights are protected and upheld,” said Marquez. “…I am a consensus builder who takes pride in crafting public policy solutions that solve real problems and improve lives.”

Her stated priorities include:

Housing affordability

Safety as a right for all

Pr
otecting the County’s financial future

Supervisor Marquez leaves a current vacancy on Hayward’s City Council, where she served three terms. The council is working to determine a new candidate appointment process in the next 30 days.

Alameda County Fire Department recruitment

Submitted by Alameda Fire Department

The Alameda County Fire Department has open recruitment for Firefighter Recruit-EMT and Recruit Firefighter Recruit-Paramedic positions. Some top reasons to for ACFD are the endless opportunities, including promotions, pay and benefits, being a part of an organized and union leading the next decade and vested retiree medical benefits for your entire family through age 65.

For more information, please visit www.jobapscloud.com/Alameda and click “Current Employment Opportunities.” The filing deadline for both positions is May 5, 2023, by 5 p.m.

BART Log

Submitted by BART PD and Les Mensinger

Saturday, April 1

• At 4:01 p.m. a man identified by police as Ronald Harris, 21, of Hayward was arrested at Bay Fair Station for assault with a deadly weapon and was booked into the Santa Rita Jail.

Sunday, April 2

• At 7:58 p.m. a man identified by police as Ronnie Mitchell, 43, of Riverbank was contacted at Bay Fair Station regarding a report that he was touching himself on a train. A record check revealed that Mitchell had an outstanding no bail CDC warrant. Mitchell was arrested and booked into the Santa Rita Jail.

Monday, April 3

• At 12:37 a.m. a man identified by police as Malik Cross, 27, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair Station and booked into Santa Rita Jail for sexual battery and lewd and lascivious acts against a minor age 14 or 15.
• At 7:34 a.m. a man identified by police as Trenton Valderrama, 29, of San Francisco was taken into custody at Castro Valley Station and booked into the Santa Rita Jail for an arrest warrant.

Tuesday, April 4

• At 10:17 a.m. a man identified by police at San Leandro Station as Elijah Rios, 28, of San Francisco was found to have multiple misdemeanor warrants for narcotics totaling $20,000 and a No Bail warrant. He was also in violation of the proof of payment ordinance. He was booked into the Santa Rita Jail.
• At 5:39 p.m. a man identified by police as Robert Brown, 29, of San Francisco was contacted for fare evasion at Milpitas Station. Brown was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail.

Wednesday, April 5

• At 7:22 a.m. Michael Moore, 50, of Oakland was contacted at Hayward Station. Moore was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Rita Jail for a resisting arrest warrant. Moore was not in possession of valid fare media.

CERT training academy

Submitted by ACFD

Are you ready to help your neighborhood when a disaster happens?

The Alameda County Fire Department offers an opportunity to participate in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training academy! Participants will complete 20 hours of CERT training on Friday evening and two consecutive Saturdays. CERT training will include both classroom instruction and hands-on training. Participants will learn emergency preparedness, fire safety and utility controls, disaster medical operations and light search and rescue.

Class registration is free and open to community members who are 18 years or older. Teenagers between 14-17 year sold may participate in the training of accompanied by a parent/guardian. To register visit www.acfdcert.everbrite.com, call (510) 632-3473 ext.1721 or (925) 833-3473 ext. 1721, or email ce**@ac***.org.

CERT training academy

Friday, May 5

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, May 6

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 13

8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Surlene Grant Community Room

999 E. 14th St., San Leandro

Coffee with a cop

Submitted by Fremont Police Department

Even if they’re not coffee drinkers, Fremont residents are welcome to attend a Coffee with a Cop meeting on Wednesday, April 26 to ask questions, voice concerns or even offer compliments to local police officers.

This event is set for 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Mission Coffee on Washington Blvd. The meeting offers an informal and friendly setting for community members to chat with our officers and command staff.

Coffee with a Cop

Wednesday, April 26

11 a.m. – 12 noon

Mission Coffee

151 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 623-6920

Coffee with a cop

Submitted by Newark Police Department

Join us for a caffeine-fueled conversation with local law enforcement! Coffee with a Cop returns on Wednesday, April 19, providing an opportunity to get to know the men and women who keep our community safe. This is an opportunity for Newark residents to ask questions, voice concerns and even offer compliments to local police officers.

This event is set for 1 p.m. to 3 p. m. on Cedar Blvd. in Newark. No formal presentation is planned so visitors can stop by anytime during the meeting to meet and greet officers.

Coffee with a Cop

Wednesday, April 19

1 p.m. – 3 p. m.

Starbucks

39201 Cedar Blvd., Newark

(510) 602-8273

Fire Chief gets sworn in

Submitted by Fremont Fire Department

At a promotional swearing-in celebration on Friday, April 7, Deputy Fire Chief Zoraida Diaz officially began her new role as Fire Chief. She serves as the highest-ranking woman in the history of the Fremont Fire Department.

A formal badge pinning ceremony will take place Friday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at the Downtown Event Center & Plaza in Fremont.

Fremont Police Log

Submitted by Amy Gee

Wednesday, March 29

• Officers responded to an in-progress residential burglary at Lake Barlee Ln. The victim hid in their garage after hearing subjects smash a rear sliding glass door at the residence. As officers responded, they observed a vehicle driving away. Officers attempted to follow the vehicle, and it immediately fled. Several officers pursued the vehicle while others checked the victim’s welfare and cleared the residence. The pursuit traveled northbound on I880 in heavy rain, and officers terminated the pursuit for public safety. The victim was unharmed, and the residence was clear. This case remains under investigation.
• Officers responded to a robbery on Galindo Dr. The victim had just returned home from a bank and parked her vehicle inside the garage. Upon exiting the vehicle, a subject stood near the victim and grabbed the victim’s bag. The subject then fled in a nearby vehicle. This case remains under investigation.

Saturday, April 1

• Officers responded to a local hospital to a report of assault. A couple (victims) arrived for treatment at a local hospital emergency room. Upon arrival, an unprovoked subject walked up behind them, grabbed a pole, and struck one of the victims in the back of the head, causing significant lacerations. After the assault, the subject sat down and waited for police arrival. The subject, an adult out of Fremont, was arrested.

Sunday, April 2

• Officers responded to a call at an apartment complex on San Pedro Dr. to the report of a possible attempted residential burglary. As officers arrived on the scene, they learned that four subjects ran southbound through the complex after they were interrupted by a homeowner. Officers reviewed surveillance cameras and obtained a description of all four subjects. Based on the footage, it appears that the subjects were kicking the doors of the apartment. Officers began searching the area and located two subjects, who were juveniles. Officers released the two juvenile subjects to their parents. This case remains under investigation.

Hayward Chamber of Commerce Officer of the Year

Submitted by Hayward Police Department

Some may recall us highlighting Officer Emilio Gonzalez’s hard work late last year after arresting two different people for gun possession at different traffic stops on the same night. Well, it turns out, that was just the tip of the iceberg of Emilio’s work accomplishments.

In fact, because of Emilio’s consistent hard work, humility, sense of humor, and positive attitude, he was recently honored as Hayward Chamber of Commerce Officer of the Year for 2022! Acting Chief Matthews said, “Emilio has made incredibly positive contributions to this community through his proactive, professional, and dedicated approach to his work. He is compassionate and respectful when he interacts with community members and is described as a ‘go to person’ by those who work with him.”

Emilio made over 100 arrests last year, including 65 proactive arrests, and 20 proactive firearm seizures. Even while assigned to the patrol division, Emilio authored several search and arrest warrants, and received his “10851 pin,” which is awarded to those who have recovered a number of stolen vehicles, many of which resulted in arrests.

As if this was not impressive enough, Emilio has done all of this while continuing to serve our country in the United States Marine Corps, not to mention while balancing family and social commitments as well. To say Emilio is worthy of this award is an understatement. Please join us in celebrating and congratulating Officer Emilio Gonzalez for this well-deserved recognition.

San Leandro police department community meeting

Submitted by San Leandro Police Department

How should San Leandro Police Department (SLPD) be staffed today and into the future? San Leandro residents are welcome to attend a community meeting to give their opinions for police department staffing. Matrix Consulting is conducting this staffing analysis and wants to know!

The event is set for 10 a.m. to 11:30am at Marina Community Center on Wicks Blvd. Your voice matters – this meeting offers a friendly setting to share your thoughts and ideas about the future of the SLPD.

Community Meeting on SLPD Staffing

Saturday, April 29

10 a.m. -11:30 a.m.

Marina Community Center

15302 Wicks Blvd., San Leandro

For questions contact:

(510) 577-3252

cr*************@sa********.org

Few details in SF stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee

Associated Press

Details of how tech executive Bob Lee came to be fatally stabbed in downtown San Francisco early on April 4 were scarce as friends and family continued to mourn the man they called brilliant, kind and unlike others in the industry. San Francisco police found Lee, 43, on the sidewalk in front of a condominium building with stab wounds shortly after 2:35 a.m. on April 4. He was taken to a hospital where he died. The neighborhood where the stabbing occurred is near the Embarcadero waterfront and full of tech offices, towering condominium buildings and not much else late at night.

Lee created the mobile payment service Cash App and was the chief product officer for cryptocurrency MobileCoin at the time of his death. He was previously the chief technology officer of the payment company Square, which became Block in late 2021. Lee was apparently in San Francisco for a visit after moving to Miami in October, his father, Rick Lee, said on social media. The two had been living in the San Francisco suburb of Mill Valley. “Bob would give you the shirt off his back,” Rick Lee wrote. “He would never look down on anyone and adhered to a strict no-judgment philosophy. Bobby worked harder than anyone and was the smartest person I have ever known.”

San Francisco police have provided little information, saying the investigation is still early. “Because of this we are not commenting on evidence, nor will we speculate on the circumstances surrounding this horrific crime,” Police Chief Bill Scott said in a statement on April 5. Lee’s death further enflamed debate over public safety in San Francisco and its moribund downtown, which has not yet bounced back from the pandemic. Twitter’s owner Elon Musk took to the social media site to post that “violent crime in SF is horrific and even if attackers are caught, they are often released immediately.” Musk tagged the city’s district attorney in the post. San Francisco suffers from property crime more than violent crime such as murder, rape, robbery and assault. In a statement, San Francisco Mayor London Breed called the homicide “a horrible tragedy” and said that the city is prioritizing public safety. “I’m confident that when the police make an arrest in cases like this, our district attorney will do what’s necessary to hold any individuals accountable for their actions,” she said.

MobileCoin CEO Josh Goldbar
d said in a string of tweets on April 5 that Lee’s energy was infectious and his mind kaleidoscopic. “He had so much deep heartfelt love,” Goldbard wrote. “Traveling with Bob was like seeing the world for the first time.” Lee came to MobileCoin as an early-stage investor and advisor, then became chief product officer and helped launch the Moby app, Goldbard said. Lee was the chief technology officer at digital payments company Square in 2013 when it launched a money transfer application now known as Cash App. Among the tech leaders to share their devastation about Lee’s death was venture capitalist Wesley Chan, co-founder of FPV Ventures. Chan said he befriended Lee more than a decade ago when they both worked at Google, at a time when software engineers like Lee were helping to build the Android smartphone operating system before its 2008 release. “He was an incredibly iconic founder in the tech world,” Chan said by phone on April 5. “He wrote large parts of Android when he was at Google. He became the CTO of Square and helped build Cash App. His resume reads something like a Fortune cover article.” But Chan said Lee was also generous in helping to coach and champion other engineers and tech entrepreneurs who’d call on him for advice. And he was modest about his key role in developing successful products, such as the widely used Cash App. “With everything that Bob worked on, it was always a pleasant surprise,” Chan said. “That’s one of the things I loved about him. He was always humble about it, he’d say, ‘Oh, I don’t know if it’s going to work or not, but we’ll try.”

Cougars Report

Submitted by Rachel Kahoalii

Champions of Character

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

Baseball

Junior Varsity Freshman Tyler Canen has been working hard through his injury. He inspires others and is a really good friend.

Varsity Sophomore Noah Hanohano always puts in extra work and picks players up when they are down. He puts 100% in everything he does.

Cal State East Bay Women’s Golf finishes season with tournament win

Submitted by CSUEB Athletic Communications

The final tournament of the 2022-23 regular season for the Cal State East Bay (CSUEB) women’s golf team came to a finish on Tuesday, April 4 at The Lodge at Ventana Canyon. The regular season ended in victorious fashion for the Pioneers, who placed first in the team competition at the West Texas Desert Invite.

The Pioneers won their third tournament of the spring season, and first with all scheduled rounds completed. They finished seven strokes ahead of the second place team, tournament host West Texas A&M.

The lowest score for CSUEB was from Drishti Karumbaya, who was tied for fourth on the leaderboard at 11-over-par 155. She made even par on 23 of the 36 holes played and also had two birdies.

Additional individual highlights for the Pioneers include:

• A ninth-place tie for Mandi Granato at 14-over-par 158. Granato had one eagle and three birdies.
• Top-20 finishes for Julika Grosspietsch (tied for 14th) and Jasmin Krishna (tied for 16th).
• Grosspietsch with CSUEB’s only other eagle in the tournament.
• Three birdies for Arrianna Custodio in the tournament.

During the 2023 spring season, CSUEB also was the team champion in the Bay Area Invitational and Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout.

CSUEB head coach Alan Sue following Tuesday’s tournament win, “I’m very proud of the ladies and the way that we stayed in the moment on a very difficult golf course. Our mental games were the best they have been all year and not coincidentally, we performed well enough to beat a strong field. We also controlled potential damage on these tough holes only days after struggling with that very issue at Palm Valley.

The individual medalist at 5-over-par 149 was Minna Archer from Colorado State-Pueblo.

With the 2022-23 regular season concluded for Cal State East Bay, next for the Pioneers is the CCAA Championships. The three-round championship tournament takes place April 17-19 from Victoria Club in Riverside.

Ohlone College men’s basketball future looks bright

Submitted by Ohlone College Athletics

Ohlone College men’s basketball finishes its first season under first year head Coach Jordan Lee and his staff, making the state playoffs with the #15 seed and finishing with an impressive 18-11 overall record. The Renegades’ success was the biggest turnaround story in NorCal hoops and Coach Lee was named Signal the Light NorCal Coach of the Year.

In the state rankings out of 100 colleges, the Renegades were #11 in overall defense, #9 in steals, and #8 in 3 point makes. They also improved from #76 to #7 in state rankings for home attendance, with huge support this year from the community. Ohlone was ranked in the CCCMBCA State top 25 throughout the season.

The performance on the court resulted in four coast-north all conference individual awards. Sophomore guard Jayelen Jones was awarded first team all-conference. Freshman guard Matt Villanueva was awarded honorable mention all-conference. Sophomore wing Josh Niusulu was awarded first team all-conference as well as first team all defense.

“These young men earned it,” says Coach Lee. “They poured so much into this program and built a palpable culture that resonated with the community. I’ve never been around a group that cared so deeply about their team; this journey together was absolutely precious to them, and for me.”

The Renegades have already begun preparation for the 2023-2024 season. For all news and updates please follow @ohlonembb on twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and continue to check the Ohlone athletics webpage.

Castro Valley falls to Pittsburg in extra innings

By Andrew Joseph

The Castro Valley Trojans varsity baseball team lost 3-2 to the Pittsburg Pirates on Thursday, April 6 when the non-league home game went into extra innings in a rematch to last season’s 10-0 defeat.

“The game plan
coming into today was to outplay Pittsburg because we knew we had to really go in after last season’s bad loss against them,” said Castro Valley head coach David Perry. In the first inning the Trojans went scoreless as the Pirates scored one single run. During the second inning, Castro Valley was still unable to get onto the board, but their starting pitcher held his ground not allowing any runs to be scored until the fifth inning.

Castro Valley’s Zach Gardner had base hit in the fourth inning followed by Matthew Cormier’s deep drive to left field. With runners at first and second base, Owen Roura was thrown a pass ball which allowed the runners to advance to second and third base. Then Roura hit a double to left field and two runners scored to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth inning. “They thought they were going to trample us again like last year, but we came out and really competed,” said Roura. “I saw a fastball a little outside the box on my big hit and I tried to drive it up the middle in the spaces and I was able to drive in two runs so we could get the 2-1 lead.”

When senior, Halen Guerrero, hit his first home run of his high school career in the fifth inning the game became tied at 2-2. Castro Valley retook the league at 3-2, but the game was again tied at 3-3 at the end of seven innings to force overtime to decide the winner.

“I knew their hitters were struggling on my curve ball, so I knew all I had to do was go out there and try to throw strikes,” said closing pitcher Gardner. Gardner threw a pitch for a fly ball to get the first out in the eighth inning. Pittsburg’s second batter Octavio Lopez hit a ground ball and was tagged out at first base. Vic Valle was walked to first base for the Pirates with two outs left and the winning run on base. Gardner then committed an error throwing a pass ball at Guerrero that allowed Valle to score making a 4-3 deficit for the Trojans heading into the bottom of the eighth.

The tying run for Castro Valley was Cormier who hit a base hit to left field with two outs already. Roura had the final at-bat of the game as he hit a fly ball that was caught out ending the Trojans’ hope of redemption for last season’s scoreless outing against Pittsburg.

“Positives from today were that we had great pitching, our batters put the ball in play a lot, and we made a lot of great defensive plays,” added coach Perry. “The goal is for us to win league this year and I think we can do it.”

The future is bright for Castro Valley, who has already two more wins than last season’s total record of 4-14 as they are now 6-8 and undefeated in league play at 2-0. The goal for this season’s team is to do everything they can to win league and go to the NCS playoffs. The Trojans’ last eight games this season are Western Alameda County Conference (WACC) league matchups that will be an important factor to win when deciding a league playoff run. They currently stand in first place among the WACC Foothill League.

Chabot College hosts Invitational Swim

By Eric Donato

The much-deserved reprieve from rainy days delivered a fantastic sunny day of swimming competition in Hayward this easter weekend. This past Saturday, April 8, Chabot College (Hayward) hosted an exciting invitational swimming event attended by ten Bay Area community colleges, including another local area school, Ohlone College (Fremont). The other participating colleges at the swim meet were De Anza (Cupertino), Foothill (Los Altos Hills), Laney (Oakland), Marin (Kentfield), City College of San Francisco, College of San Mateo, Santa Rosa Junior College, Solano (Fairfield), and West Valley (Saratoga).

The busy all-day invitational had a total of sixty-one action-packed preliminary heats across thirty-four individual and team swimming events, with a total of one-hundred twenty-eight men and women collegiate swimmers. Among the notable local area wins include Riley Pearson of Chabot College, placing first in the coed 1650-yard freestyle event with a time of 18:24.99 as well as finishing second in the men’s 500-yard freestyle. Teammate Tomiko Godoy placed second in the women’s 200-yard individual medley. Gwen Manalsala placed third in the women’s 400-yd individual medley, as did Lorenzo Nario in the men’s 100-yd backstroke.

Ohlone also exhibited a strong presence in the invitational. Fabian Taplin won first place in the men’s 200 butterfly with a time of 2:06.63 and placed second in the individual medley for the same distance. Cole Johnson placed second in the men’s 100 backstroke, while teammate Brenda Pham placed third in the same event for women. Ohlone also did well in the team events placing third in both the men’s 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay finals.

The collegiate swimming action continues to the 2023 Coast Conference Championships, hosted locally this time at Ohlone College in Fremont. The conference’s preliminaries and finals swimming events are scheduled for April 20 to April 22.

Letter to the Editor

Immigration Obstacles

I am writing about a concerning situation for all Americans, one that has affected my life intensely: The issue of immigration.

I am a 54-year-old Cuban American, holding a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in religious studies. In 2015, I converted to Sunni Islam since I had become more interested in having a closer relation to God as well as embracing sound family values and a hearty sense of social charity. In 2018, I met an Egyptian woman working in the government sector. We married in 2020, decided to apply for a spousal visa in 2021 then, on the advice of the lawyers of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), applied for a tourist visa several months later.

There is a mixed opinion in regard to applying for both visas at the same time, mostly against such a practice although there is the matter of the “adjustment” of status. Since then, our life has been beset by many difficulties, starting with the inhumane, disillusioning, and degrading attitude and treatment that cause many Egyptians to be denied their visa – although they might have met all of the requirements and submitted the proper paperwork. My wife, like others, has been severely traumatized by the verbal abuse she had to endure within the walls of the prison-like American embassy. In addition, she was rudely denied.

Despite the efforts of so many to immigrate legally under the USCIS process, the storm of people wanting to enter the U.S. in an undocumented manner is appalling and mind-numbing. Meanwhile, individuals such as my wife, whose only intention is to be with her husband, are given a hard time and made to jump through many hoops, after paying fees and submitting the proper paperwork.

In December 2022, I tried to contact the USCIS office in Oakland, the closest one to me. I was able to speak to a live representative who gave me a reference number linked to an agent that was going to contact me so that I could make an appointment to visit the office. Neither a text or a call arrived. After not hearing from them, I tried the same number only to listen to a menu of options that did not lead to a representative but to prerecorded answers to queries.

CAIR, a respected nonprofit organization with armies of lawyers and activists, has neglected to give us any
legitimate help. CAIR only concerns itself with high pay-off cases of discrimination and incendiary social justice causes related to specific political issues. In terms of helping everyday Muslims, they fail tremendously. For my wife and me, not only were we disappointed by CAIR’s apathy but their ignorance as to what really goes on in countries such as Egypt or in specific matters of immigration.

Then, there is the Immigration Institute of The Bay Area (IIBA), lawyers who work for little or no payment: advertising themselves as crusaders for impoverished individuals and families who are in need of advocacy and legal aid. When I interacted with them in 2023 for a second meeting (I paid $30 for each meeting), IIBA was still operating under Covid mode. My phone line was having problems (the first meeting in November 2022 was over Zoom) and, without hesitation, they cancelled my appointment, telling me that they did not hold Zoom meetings anymore and refused to meet in person.

If these are the only two institutes in the Bay Area that are supposed to help working class American immigrant families and they fail abysmally, who are we supposed to turn to? There are lawyers for Mexican immigrants and work visas for Indian immigrants. But what of someone from Africa or the Middle East?

Currently, our spousal visa has been at the National Visa Center for one year. I was in Egypt until December 2022 and was able to pay the affidavit of support (AOS) fee in order to submit my financial and tax records. In late February I was able to get rehired by Fremont Unified School District. However, there is the second part of the paperwork to submit, my wife’s civil documents. The obscure language makes it difficult for a petitioner (myself) to fill out the necessary paperwork. I have been told countless times by persons experienced in this process that a lawyer is needed to speed up the process. Personally, I don’t have the money, and finding lawyer who is familiar with Egypt and Muslim immigration has been difficult.

The war in Ukraine has severely affected food prices and resources in Egypt. Medication and adequately trained physicians are hard to come by. Crime has risen. Yet, it is still difficult for Egyptians to emigrate for humane and medical matters. My wife and I both have health issues. The US embassy in Cairo treats prospective candidates and their families inhumanely and offensively.

No one listens or seems to legitimately care about such predicaments, while those emigrating for economic matters or illegally are focused on. What is a couple to do?

Kind regards,

Dr. James M. Schmidt

Letter to the Editor

Safety at the Library

I have written before about concerning situations. I wanted to report that about 1:30 p.m. on Friday (03/31/2023), at the Fremont Main Library, there was a man in a dark blue hoodie in the men’s bathroom, casually rolling a marijuana joint, lighting it up, and taking a few puffs. He spent several minutes hiding in a corner by the door.

There are many fathers who take their children to the bathroom. This is unfair to all of us who do not partake of such a substance and find the practice and smell offensive. But especially, this is not a good environment for young ones.

At the same time, by the bathrooms, there was a tall lady with a very short dress. I am not sure if she was shaving or doing something else to her upper thighs. She did not seem to be well mentally. She took her time until she finished and walked out. These incidents were happening at the same time. It’s fortunate that the library was not busy.

When I inform the heads of the library about these incidents (using the contact information on the webpage), she replies that it is the responsibility of the patron to report such incidents in a “timely way” and to alert the staff. The library has to be proactive on such matters, especially when the marijuana smell was out in the hall where people were walking by! The library has a security guard.

The library has become unsafe due to the permissiveness and apathy of its staff. After two significant episodes of violence (one of them a murder) that have occurred so far this year, the management continues exhibiting a live-and-let-live attitude that is putting families at risk. To burden the patrons with this responsibility is simply unfair.

An example from just two weeks ago: A regular female computer user was walking around exclaiming vague profanity-laced threats. She did this for several minutes. Do the staff say or do anything? Again, no.

Too much.

Dr. James M. Schmidt

Fremont

HERS Gala – a celebration of 25 years of service

By Stephanie Gertsch

On Saturday, April 8, HERS Breast Cancer Foundation held their 2023 People with Purpose Gala. It was a warm evening in downtown Sunol, and Casa Bella Event Center with pink and silver for the event. The annual gala is a chance for the nonprofit to celebrate the difference they have made in the lives of patients and to fundraise so they can continue providing services – with fun and laughter along the way.

Elected officials from surrounding cities came out to show support, and Pleasanton Vice Mayor Jack Balch was MC. Balch shared his own grandmother’s breast cancer journey. “I remember the whispers, the crying, the closed doors, and the shame of it she didn’t want to share with her 18-year-old grandson. That impacted me significantly. It was difficult for her to share her story with me, and difficult for me to know how to support her. But after surgery, treatment, and remission, my grandmother, a true matriarch, would lighten the mood with her now young adult grandchildren by saying that anytime my grandfather got frisky, she knew what to hand him. She would provide him a prosthetic breast and walk out of the room.”

Auctioneer Zan Aufderheide facilitated the live auction and led guests through fundraising games such as heads or tails (where they tried to predict a coin toss by gesturing with a fan). In an especially popular game, the final person to raise their paddle to donate $100 got to take home an iPad. Many competed (some multiple times) for the real final spot.

HERS Chair Kirstin Litz shared the story of a client. “I’ve had many survivors come to me, thanking me for what HERS does. But it takes a lot of courage to stand up and tell your story. So we ask survivors if they will allow us to tell their stories.”

That night’s story was of Rita, who came to HERS after undergoing a unilateral mastectomy. “She thought she could deal with her transformed body, but she came to realize that everyone could see what she wanted no one to notice: that she had one breast. Rita grew increasingly self-conscious and began to avoid social situations. Over time she realized that the lack of her breast significantly affected her emotional and overall health. Determined to make a change, and despite her concern over health care coverage and cost, Rita found HERS online and called for an appointment.

“From the moment she walked in, she felt seen, she felt heard, and she felt understood. Our warm welcoming store helped Rita feel less fearful. And her friendly and patient breast care specialist Deborah put her at ease. Even one of Rit
a’s biggest fears, disrobing in front of a stranger, was more tolerable than she thought possible…After trying a variety of products, Rita found a breast prosthesis that matched her remaining breast in size, shape, weight, and skin tone.”

Rita was also able to replace her old, worn wig with a new style that made her feel gorgeous. Litz concludes, “Before leaving, Rita shared that she had never felt so supported following her surgery than she did during her afternoon at HERS. She was beyond surprised that just as important as the products she received was the opportunity to share, be heard, and feel seen.”

Every year HERS presents awards to people and organizations who have helped them do their work in the community. This year’s recipients are:

Hope Award – Washington Hospital Healthcare System

Empowerment Award – Fremont Firefighters Local IAFF 1689

Renewal Award – Mimi Poon, MD (HERS Breast Care Specialist 2018 – 2021)

Harriet Despeaux Award (formerly Support Award) – Doug Florence, Volunteer

In 2024, the gala will be back at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton on April 27.

HERS Breast Cancer Foundation

hersbreastcancerfoundation.org

Shooting Investigation

Submitted by Fremont PD

On April 8, 2023, at approximately 6:37 p.m., Fremont Police Department responded to and investigated a shooting that appeared on the 37000 block of Fremont Blvd. Preliminary investigation suggested that the shooting could be gang-related. The victim was not injured, and no community members were injured in the incident. The suspect vehicle fled the scene prior to police arrival. This case is still under investigation, and we appreciate any video surveillance or possible eyewitness statements from the community.

If you have information regarding this incident, please contact the Major Crimes Task Force at (510) 790-6660. You can also send us an anonymous tip by texting “Tip FREMONTPD” followed by your message, to 888-777.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) is also investigating a shooting on Interstate I-880 that occurred on the same evening on April 8, 2023. It is unknown at this time whether the shootings are related or involve the same subjects. Fremont Police is in contact with CHP investigators regarding the incidents. Please contact CHP for additional information about the I 880 shooting, as Fremont PD is not the lead agency.

California to keep paying Walgreens despite abortion dispute

Associated Press

California’s Medicaid program will continue to pay Walgreens about $1.5 billion each year despite Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom declaring last month the state was done doing business with the pharmacy giant after it indicated it would not sell abortion pills by mail in some states.

“California won’t be doing business with Walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk. We’re done,” Newsom tweeted March 6.

He then ordered his administration not to renew a $54 million contract with the company to provide prescription medication to the state’s prison system.

But cutting ties with Walgreens wasn’t as clear cut as the governor first indicated. Walgreens has a much more lucrative connection to California’s Medicaid program — the joint federal and state health insurance program for people who are disabled or have low incomes. Federal law says Medicaid patients have the right to fill prescriptions from any willing and qualified provider. That includes Walgreens.

Last year, California’s Medicaid program paid the company more than $1.5 billion. The California Department of Health Care Services said California will continue to comply with that law, Kaiser Health News reported.

California cuts short commercial Dungeness crab season

Associated Press

March 30, 2023

California will cut short the commercial Dungeness crab season to protect humpback whales from becoming entangled in trap and buoy lines, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Thursday.

Commercial fishing will end on April 15 from the Mendocino county line to the Mexican border, the agency said. It will still be allowed in the waters off Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Recreational crabbing also will be allowed.

The crab industry is one of California’s major fisheries and the shellfish is especially popular around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The season traditionally begins Nov. 15 and runs through late June but it already had been pushed back to New Year’s Eve after three earlier delays.

Fish and game officials are concerned that humpback whales can get caught in the vertical ropes connected to heavy commercial traps. They can drag the ropes around for months, leaving them injured, starved or so exhausted that they can drown.

Humpback whales migrate north annually from Mexico’s Baja California peninsula where they birth calves. In spring, summer and fall the humpbacks feed on anchovies, sardines and krill off the California coast before heading back south. The whales are expected to return to California in the next few weeks.

The fish and game department previously reported that at least 15 humpback whales were entangled in fishing gear off California last year.

Continuing Events:

 

Tuesdays

Practice Your English – Online Chat! R

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Improve your English by talking with native speakers

bit.ly/3jqnz86

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

Tuesdays

Bilingual (English/Spanish) Tiny Tot Story Time

9:30 am – 11:00 am

Kinder readiness class for 0-5 years old

Union City Family Center

725 Whipple Rd, Union City

(510) 476-2770

bit.ly/3vcTYRA, bit.ly/3GaTamI

Tuesdays

Poker Tournaments

6:00 pm

Weekly tournaments for beginners or seasoned players

The Clubhouse Bistro & Bar

4020 Technology Pl, Fremont

(510) 651-2500

fremontclubhouse.com, bit.ly/3GllRwI

 

First and third Tuesdays & Wednesdays

Trivia Night

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Gather your team, grab some beers, and compete to win prizes.

Drake’s Brewing Company

1933 Davis St #177, San Leandro

(510) 568-2739

bit.ly/42Wrtav, bit.ly/3U31xWD

Tuesdays – Sundays

Nature tour

10:30 am – 2:30 pm

Explore the beauty of the center

Saturdays & Sundays: 10:30 am – 3:00 pm

Sulphur Creek Nature Center

1801 D St, Hayward

(510) 881-6747

bit.ly/3JQ1me1

Wednesdays

Tropics Bingo

7:00 pm

Flash games

Tropics Mobile Home Park

33000 Almaden Blvd, Union City

(510) 471-8550

the-tropics.net

Wednesdays

Zumba Gold $

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Workout while dancing

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

 

Wednesdays

Trivia Night R$

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Play & win prizes

The Clubhouse Bistro & Bar

4020 Technology Pl, Fremont

(510) 651-2500

fremontclubhouse.com

Thursdays

Mahjong

1:15 pm – 3:00 pm

Chinese game of strategy, skill & good fortune.

Multipurpose Room

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

 

Thursdays

International Folk Dancing in Mandarin R$

11:30 am – 12:50 pm

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

Thursdays

Chronic Pain Support Group

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Group guidance from Stanford Pain Management Clinic

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

(510)790- 6600

Thursdays

Chair Yoga R

10:00 am – 11:00 am

Breathing and stretching techniques

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

Thursdays & Saturdays

Story Time

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Picture book story time

Banter Bookshop

3768 Capitol Ave Ste.F, Fremont

(510) 565-1004

banterbookshop.com

Fridays and Saturdays

Telescope Viewings

7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Experience the wonder of the universe

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland

(510) 336-7300

chabotspace.org

 

First and Third Saturdays

Pacific Bus Museum $

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Open house

Pacific Bus Museum

37974 Shinn St, Fremont

pacbus.org

in**@pa****.org

Saturdays

Laugh Track City $

8:00 pm

Series of improvised games and scenes

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

madeuptheatre.com

Saturdays & Sundays

Recreational Swim $

12:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Activity pool, waterslides, lazy river, and more

Silliman Activity and Family Aquatic Center

6800 Mowry Ave, Newark

(510) 578-4620

bit.ly/3rYybve, bit.ly/3nxo0is

 

Saturdays, Sundays, & Tuesdays

Free! 4-week meditation course

Sat/Sun: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Tues: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Get peace of mind and stress relief through meditation

Sahaja Yoga Meditation Center

37138 Niles Blvd, Fremont

SFBayMeditation.org, bit.ly/3LvWj3E

Mondays

Advanced Math + Science Tutoring

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Free high school and college-level tutoring

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

aclibrary.org

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

 

Mondays & Thursdays

Fruit Tree Gleaning

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Donate fresh fruits fro
m your garden

LEAF CR Stone Garden

55 Mowry Ave, Fremont

fremontleaf.org/glean

in**@fr*********.org.

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays

Showers for Adults 55+ R

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

One shower per day

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct, Fremont

(510) 742-7529

Tuesdays, April 18 – May 2

Volunteer Docent Training R

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Training includes leading fun activities & special events, including crafts, games demonstrations and more. Ages 16+

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(510) 544-3284

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

For registration: dc****@eb*****.org

 

Wednesdays, December 7- November 22

Qi Gong Meditation & Exercise Classes

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Relieve stress and anxiety by joining Falun Dafa classes

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Second Thursdays, December 8 – June 8

Cover to Cover Book Discussion

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/3DyAJaM

Thursdays, February 2 – April 27

CleanStart Mobile Hygiene Unit

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Access to a shower & laundry for people experiencing homelessness

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Saturdays, February 4 – April 15

Free Tax Assistance from VITA

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

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

Walk-in only

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Wednesdays, February 15 – June 7

Youth basketball clinic R

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Free basketball clinic for Hayward students ages 12 – 17

Matt Jimenez Community Center

28200 Russ Rd, Hayward

(510) 887-0400

hayward-ca.gov/pal

Tuesdays, February 21 – June 27

Erase Una Vez / Once Upon a Time

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Read & do an art project in Spanish Mask required for 2+

Cherryland Community Center

278 Hampton Road, Hayward

(510) 626-8522

haywardrec.org

Tuesdays, January 3 – May 30

Baby Bouncers Lapsit

11:30 am – 11:45 am

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

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org

Third Tuesdays, January 17 – May 16

Read to a Dog

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Come and read to the trained therapy dogs; Mask required for 2+

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Thursdays, January 19 – April 20

Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Get help with checkup, medications, appointments & food assistance

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Second and Third weekends, March 11 – October 29

Public weekend train ride $

9:30 am – 5:00 pm

1.5 hour round trip on steam and/or diesel operated trains

Departures: 10:30 am & 1:00 pm

Niles Canyon Railway

6 Kikare Rd, Sunol

(510) 996-8420

Online booking: ncry.org

Monday – Thursday, March 20 – May 31

Homework help center

3:45 pm – 5:45 pm

Homework help for students grades K – 8

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Tuesdays, March 21 – December 19

Chess Mix

12:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Drop in for some casual chess games

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

aclibrary.org/locations/SLZ

Tuesdays, March 21
– April 25

Stay and Play

1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

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

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

aclibrary.org/locations/SLZ

Tuesdays & Wednesdays, March 21 – May 24

Homework help center

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Homework assistance for primary & secondary student

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

aclibrary.org

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

Thursdays, March 23 – May 11

Preschool Storytime

11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Read book, sing songs, dance, and have fun

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Saturdays and Sundays, April 1 – May 6

Juried Photo Exhibit

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Images judged by professional judges

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

fremontculturalartscouncil.org

fc***************@gm***.com

Sunday – Saturday, April 2 – April 29

55th Annual Art Show

9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Fremont Art Association

37697 Niles Blvd, Fremont

(510) 792-0905

fremontartassociation.org

Tuesdays, April 4 – September 5

Lego Time

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Create your own design using your imagination and engineering skills. Duplo set is available for younger kids.

Centerville library

3801 Nicolet Ave, Fremont

(510) 795-2629

aclibrary.org/locations/CTV

Wednesdays, April 5 – September 6

Board Game Night

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Play board games with family, friends, or make new friends

Centerville library

3801 Nicolet Ave, Fremont

(510) 795-2629

aclibrary.org/locations/CTV

Thursday – Sunday, April 6 – May 27

Member Juried Show

12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Art reception: April 14, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd, Fremont

(510) 791-4357

olivehydeartguild.org

Fridays, April 7 – May 12

Tech Literacy for Seniors

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Email/Website Navigation/Internet searching/smart phone basics/safety online

Cherryland Community Center

278 Hampton Road, Hayward

(510) 626-8522

bit.ly/3TWpFKE

Tuesdays, April 11 – May 23

After-School Movie Time

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Enjoy popular movies for kids of all ages.

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

bit.ly/3UjDjYy

Thursdays, Fridays & Sundays, April 13 – June 30

Historic Days

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Ride a train, tour the museum and more

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Saturdays and Sundays, April 15 – April 30

Wildflower Walk

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Enjoy the beauty of spring during a guided wildflower exploration. Ages 4+

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

bit.ly/3Kg9pzx

First Wednesday& Third Sunday, April 16 – November 19

Shinn House tour

1:00 pm – 03:00 pm

Visit Shinn House on a docent led tour

Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum

1251 Peralta Blvd, Fremont

(510) 790-5541

bit.ly/3gNjuJj, bit.ly/3TWli28

Mondays & Thursdays, April 16 – May 1

Listening Session R

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Online listening session on “Developing an African American Wellness Hub in Alameda County”

Via Zoom: bit.ly/40KFtT7

Ja*********@ac***.org

Mondays, April 17 – December 8

Job Lab

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

One-on-one help for jobseekers

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

aclibrary.org, bit.ly/3mbW8Qz

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

Mondays, April 17 – May 22

STEM Building with LEGO for Grade K – 8th

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Build anything using your creativity & engineering skills

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org, bit.ly/3KgiM2j

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, April 11

Book reading and Author Meet

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Reading of Maddy and Mia: TriPaw Tales

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

aclibrary.org/locations/FRM

Tuesday, April 11

Spring Break Free Books to Feed Minds

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Book giveaway, ACSO patrol cars on display, games, & more

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

bit.ly/3nTSStO

Tuesday, April 11

Game Day for Kids & Teens R

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

If you are in elementary school, hang out & play games with teens

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

bit.ly/40IMILs

Tuesday, April 11

Personal Emergency Preparedness Workshop R

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Workshop on how to get prepared better for emergencies

Union City CERT Building

33555 Central Ave, Union City

bit.ly/3ZJ2Lrl

CE**@ac***.org

Behind ACFD Fire Station

Wednesday, April 12

Storytime & Craft

8:45 am – 10:00 am

Enjoy storytime & craft with free coffee for parent

Chick-fil-A Mowry Avenue

5245 Mowry Ave, Fremont

(510) 608-5771

bit.ly/3WpRmw2, bit.ly/3MoQFki

Wednesday, April 12

Spring Wreath Workshop $R

6:00 pm

Workshop using fresh eucalyptus, floral pods, dried oranges, and spring florals!

Drake’s Brewing Company

1933 Davis St #177, San Leandro

(510) 568-2739

bit.ly/43edb5m

Wednesday, April 12

Quintessence

7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Acoustic piano duo “Quintessence” perform covers

The Bistro

1001 B Street, Hayward

(510) 833-3470

the-bistro.com, bit.ly/439RNhH

Wednesday, April 12

Chinese Storytime

11:00 am – 11:30 am

Storytime with Miss Wenny in Mandarin Chinese for kids under 6

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

bit.ly/3nVWPOn

Thursday, April 13

DIY Paper Puzzle

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Come and make your own puzzle

Irvington Library

41825 Greenpark Drive, Fremont

(510) 795-2631

bit.ly/3UjJiwu

ir*******@ac*******.org

Thursday, April 13

Native Bee Habitat & Citizen Science

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Build a native bee nest to support native bee populations

Centerville library

3801 Nicolet Ave, Fremont

(510) 795-2629

bit.ly/3GoB6W1

Thursday, April 13

Connections Through Music (Special Needs Friendly)

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

An inclusive musical experience designed for children with special needs, open to children of all abilities, ages 5 – 14.

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/419ijpE

Thursday, April 13

Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) Workshop R

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Workshop on how to get prepared better for emergencies

Surlene Grant Community Room

999 east 14th Street, San Leandro

(925) 833-3473 ext. 1721

bit.ly/3GmNWnA

CE**@ac***.org

Thursday, April 13

Same Street Band

7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Concert performance

The Bistro

1001 B Street, Hayward

(510) 833-3470

bit.ly/3MmsuTz

Thursday – Thursday, April 13 – May 4

AP Senior Show

During school hours

Opening Reception April 13: 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Works from seniors in AP Drawing & 3D Design

Mt. Eden High School

2300 Panama S, Hayward

(510) 723-3180

mehs-haywardusd-ca.schoolloop.com

Open until 5 pm on Thursdays

Friday, April 14

Bingo Night $R

7:30 pm

A night of musical fun with 4 rounds of bingo

The Clubhouse Bistro & Bar

4020 Technology Pl, Fremont

(510) 651-2500

fremontclubhouse.com, bit.ly/3KDHxXu

Friday, April 14

Milpitas Chamber of Commerce 2023 Crab Feed $R

5:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Eat fresh crab, served alongside classic sides and refreshing drinks

Milpitas Community Center

457 Calaveras Blvd, Milpitas

bit.ly/3nFyoEQ

Friday, April 14

Karaoke Time R

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Come, sing your heart out, & dance with complimentary popcorn

Hayward Area Senior Center

22325 North 3rd Street, Hayward

(510) 881-6700

haywardrec.org, bit.ly/3ZLFc0X

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

Friday, April 14

Family Caregiver Education Film Series R

11:00 am

Enjoy the Screening of “Still Mine”

Fremont City Hall

3300 Capitol Ave, Fremont

(510) 574-2035

www.fremont.gov

fs******@fr*****.gov

Email or call to register

Friday April 14 – Saturday, April 15

Helping Parents Thrive Parenting Their D/HH Children R

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Build relationships with your home and community.

Sign up for Zoom link: bit.ly/3ZPQhyf

Saturday, April 15

Free e-waste drop-off

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Responsible recycling of unwanted electronic waste for Union City residents only

James Logan High School

1800 H St, Union City

(510) 471-3850

tri-ced.org

Saturday, April 15

Hayward Seed Lending Library’s Annual Plant Swap

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Bring extra starts, give what you have, take what you don’t, share tips & tricks with fellow gardeners

Heritage Plaza

835 C Street, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

bit.ly/3ZPrmuu

Saturday, April 15

17th Annual Crab Feed $R

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

A great night of food, prizes & fun

Mark Green Sports Center

31224 Union City Blvd, Union City

Un**********@gm***.com

Saturday, April 15

Dinosaur days at the depot

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Open house and model train show

San Leandro Historical Railway Society

1302 Orchard Ave, San Leandro

(510) 963-2985

Saturday, April 15

Cornhole Tournament R

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Double Matches/18 +. All proceeds will go towards teen Bike Workshop

Birdhaus Beer Garden

3821 Smith Street, Union City

unioncity.org/reg

Keyword for reg: Corn Hole

Saturday, April 15

Open Garden R

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Get to know process of obtaining year-long access to a planter from Community coordinator

Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont (LEAF) Center

36501 Niles Blvd, Fremont

bit.ly/3zCL5Ty

le********@fr*********.org

Saturday, April 15

Simple Machines $

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Discover how simple inventions make our work easier

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757, (510) 544-2797

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Saturday, April 15

Flower Stories $

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Learn about the flowers through stories & flower models

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

ebparks.org/parks/Sunol

Saturday, April 15

Powerful Pollinators Pop-up

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Discover more about the powerful pollinators

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

ebparks.org/parks/sunol

Saturday, April 15

Sonidos En La Naturaleza – Sounds in Nature $

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Listen to the most beautiful sounds in nature

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Saturday, April 15

Saturday at the library R

11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Kinesthetic Art Projects (kids and teens)

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

bit.ly/3UhaRGr

Saturday, April 15

Wooly Lambs $

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Make your own wooly lamb

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757, (510) 544-2797

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Saturday, April 15

Book Sale

10:30 am – 3:30 pm

Pop into the book store on the first floor for some great deals

Hayward Public Library

888 C St, Hayward

(510) 293-8685

bit.ly/3zAisGP

Saturday, April 15

Concert – The Alaya Project R

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

A musical celebration of innovation

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/419UIEW

Saturday, April 15

Rhythm Builders Interactive Storytelling R

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Sing, dance, and drum

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 284-0640

bit.ly/3nMzO0p

Saturday, April 15

The Dave Rocha Jazz Group

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Everyone is welcome to attend

Milpitas Public Library

160 N Main St, Milpitas

(408) 262-1171

sccld.org, bit.ly/3ZOQiTd

Sunday, April 16

Bayview Trail Hike $

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Hike the Bayview Trail & explore the many habitats of Coyote Hills

Coyote Hills Visitors Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

bit.ly/3UGfdGr

Sunday, April 16

Kids’ Craft Day

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

See kids creating masterpieces using cotton swabs as a brush

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd, Fremont

(510) 791-4357

olivehydeartguild.org, bit.ly/43eaPDC

ol**************@fr*****.gov

Sunday, April 16

Family wildflower walk $

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Learn about wildflowers & pollinators, as you take a family-friendly stroll

Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd, Sunol

(510) 544-3245

ebparks.org/parks/Sunol

Sunday, April 16

Pollinator Protectors $

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join to know how pollinators play a key role in our ecosystem

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(888) 327-2757

ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

Monday, April 17

Hayward Library Commission Meeting

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting

bit.ly/3ZP5eka

Zoom link: bit.ly/3nTp6Ft

Webinar ID: 863 3592 5492

Password: !Library8

Tuesday, April 18

Sunset Yoga session

7:00 pm – 8:15 pm

Enjoy moving & breathing on lawn with your loved ones

Drake’s Brewing Company

1933 Davis St #177, San Leandro

(510) 568-2739

bit.ly/42Wrtav, bit.ly/3zJw1DD

Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 18 – April 27

Lifeguard Training $R

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Course includes lifeguarding skills, first aid, CPR for infant, child, & adult, & identifying emergencies skills

Dan Oden Swim Complex

33901 Syracuse Ave, Union City

unioncity.org/reg

Register by April 12

Code: SP23AQ-123

Tuesday, April 18

Tamil/English Bilingual Storytime

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

Celebrate Tamil new year with a bilingual storytime. Ages 2- 5.

Newark Public Library

37055 Newark Blvd, Newark

(510) 284-0675

bit.ly/3DyAJaM

Tuesday, April 18

Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Learn fascinating and fun meanings and messages hidden in Chinese art

Register for zoom link: bit.ly/3moBmgF

ASL interpreter will be provided by Castro Valley Library

Tuesday, April 18

Hayward Green Team Meeting R

9:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Discussion on new environmental laws, resources, and how to get businesses Green Certified

Life Chiropractic College West

25001 Industrial Blvd, Hayward

(510) 780-4500

lifewest.edu, bit.ly/3KDPlsl