04-26-22 Articles

Blacksmithing on Ardenwood Farm

By Anushka Vasudev

Located in the center of Ardenwood Historic Farm, surrounded by bales of hay, vast expanse of pastures, and farm animals milling about, is a small blacksmith shop. Inside, are walls lined with tools, decorative iron pieces, the smell of earthy metals combined with burning fire, and many eager young children and curious adults crowded around the blacksmith to get a peek at his newest creations.

Robert “Bob” Jensen, of Fremont, spends his time as a blacksmith at Ardenwood Historic Farm during the spring months. He started blacksmithing about 15 years ago alongside his brother. Blacksmithing bonded them and helped them keep in contact with each other. This was Jensen’s main reason for taking up the hobby. Now, it allows him to educate kids and create special pieces. “For me, it’s a fun retirement job. I’ve done all that kind of stuff,” Jensen says, recalling his experiences working in the biotechnology industry. “Now I’m a blacksmith, and I like it much better because I get to approach my work with a hammer as opposed to having a spreadsheet or a database,” Jensen says.

Jensen’s enthusiasm is certainly matched by park guests who always stop by Jensen’s blacksmith shop. Guests get to see the step-by-step process of blacksmithing: heating up iron so it is malleable, changing its shape and then cooling it off. Guests are in awe of Jensen’s generosity, from when he involves spectators through hands-on demos or gives away little handcrafted souvenirs made right from his shop. “What I do here is promote blacksmithing and talk to kids about what’s happening in the blacksmithing process. And I love that aspect of it. I am always teaching the kids, enjoying it, and I get stuff done here,” Jensen shares.

Ardenwood Historic Farm has been around since the 1850s, and there has always been a blacksmith on the farm. “The difference,” Jensen explains, “is that there wouldn’t be someone here waiting in the shop. Usually [the blacksmith] would be out working until someone came with something to fix.” But for Jensen, this is a great way to meet new people and take on new blacksmithing projects. He shared that a few weeks ago a lady came over and asked him to make her some hinges. After successfully making them, Jensen said “this is the first time I made hinges, so it was kind of fun.”

Some of his favorite projects include a stunning and intricately designed chalice he made for his son’s church, and a fish, which he uses as the logo for the blacksmith shop. Jensen explains it is his logo “because it is a fish we find out on the coast here called the California Blacksmith fish.”

Jensen shares some unique skills and lessons he learned through blacksmithing: “[In] blacksmithing, you just have to keep at it. I mean, it’s patience and practice. You have to get the sense of getting in rhythm with the metal.”

Other than blacksmithing at the farm, Jensen also pursues this hobby in his backyard. In April, he attends the Spring Conference for the California Blacksmithing Association, and then he’s back doing demonstrations at Ardenwood. Jensen shares his love for blacksmithing with his two sons, as well as another student in the area.

Ardenwood Historic Farm has been Jensen’s platform for pursuing this interest for the past 15 years. However, it’s “not just [about] blacksmithing, the farm is education for everybody on a lot of different topics,” describes Jensen. As a part of this farm’s lively nature and educational culture, Jensen does his part by sharing his passion and educating others about the unique trade of blacksmithing.

Ardenwood Historical Farm

Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont

(510) 544-2797

https://www.ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood

The Rise and Fall of the Mall?

By David R. Newman

The shopping mall has undeniably played a big part in American culture, an experience that has been immortalized in popular films such as Mall Rats, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

Born out of a need to congregate and socialize by a growing suburban middle class in the 50’s, the mall was a place where many hung out, where some landed their first job, and where people-watching became a national pastime, all while eating pizza in the food court or sipping on an Orange Julius. And for parents, it was a place to bring their toddlers during a rainstorm, or to buy clothes for the upcoming school year.

According to Business Insider, a financial and business news website, by 1960 there were over 4,500 large shopping complexes in America, and by 1975, malls and shopping centers accounted for 33% of all retail sales in the United States. In 1986, Consumer Reports named the shopping mall, alongside the birth-control pill, antibiotics, and the personal computer, one of the top 50 wonders that has revolutionized the lives of consumers.

With the advent of the Internet and online shopping, however, all of this has changed. Brick-and-mortar stores have been going out of business en masse in what some have termed a “Retail Apocalypse,” leaving gaping holes in malls. These places that not too long ago were bustling with life are now empty and abandoned. In 2000, photos of these “ghost malls” began appearing on the website www.deadmalls.com. In 2008, Newsweek magazine declared the indoor mall format obsolete.

Then along came COVID-19, which only accelerated their demise. At the height of the pandemic, in April 2020, visitation to malls dropped by 91%, according to a study from transportation data company INRIX. In 2017, Credit Suisse, a major global financial services company, predicted that one in four of the nation’s approximately 1,100 remaining malls will have closed by 2022.

The retail conglomerate Westfield was bought in 2018 by Paris-based Unibail-Rodamco. They plan to sell all 24 malls (including the San Francisco and Santa Clara locations) by 2024 to focus on European holdings. Brookfield, the company that co-owns Westfield San Francisco Centre and owns NewPark Mall in Newark, could be a potential buyer.

With death, however, comes new life. It turns out the survivors in this post-apocalyptic landscape are the higher end stores that offer a unique in-person experience, unlike hundreds of generic chains that sell items easily procured through Amazon.com.

Today’s mall developers are creating highly customized, mixed-use outdoor hubs that focus on local user experience. Gone are traditional mall designs where two or more large “anchor” stores, like the extinct Montgomery Wards or bankrupt Sears, act as bookends to a strip of smaller retail chains.

Brookfield is banking on this trend as they move forward with more renovations to NewPark Mall in Newark, to include a Costco, 1,500 new housing units, additional retail and large open plazas. The mall, which opened in 1980, at one time boasted a collection of department stores which included Macy’s, Sears, Mervyn’s, JCPenney, and Emporium-Capwell. In 2017, NewPark Mall was given an extensive makeover. Macy’s remains as sole anchor, along with AMC Theaters.

Brookfield also owns Southland Mall in Hayward. A new Century Theaters was added in 2018, along with a Dick’s Sporting Goods and H&M. Having the right retail mix will be essential to mall developers moving forward. Including co-working spaces is another solution to help
draw in visitors, as has been proven at the Westgate Shopping Mall in San Leandro.

Last year, in another study by INRIX, national mall visitor numbers exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 5%, with the biggest spikes in Chicago, Atlanta and Austin. They attribute this rise to “pent-up demand” as people who had been stuck at home begin to get out again. Is this just a short-term effect as Covid cases begin to wind down, or a permanent trend?

In 20 years, will the shopping mall exist only as a fond memory, or will it live on, albeit in a different form? Perhaps developers will take their cues from the modern shopping destinations of today that have become so successful – places like Hudson Yards in New York, with its immense outdoor art sculpture called The Vessel and its nap pods, or City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, with its open floorplan and cozy grass field that has become a picnic haven.

Museums, living spaces, restaurants, theaters, plazas, and retail stores, all mixed together…is this the new model? Only time will tell. In the meantime, hand me that Auntie Anne’s pretzel, will ya’?

(Note: Brookfield Properties was contacted for this article but declined to comment)

Niles Stroll & Roll makes springtime return

By Rob Klindt

Thousands of hikers, bikers, walkers and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages are expected to join the fun as the popular “Niles Canyon Stroll & Roll” returns to Fremont and Sunol Sunday, May 1.

The free event, held biennially since 2015, offers participants a rare opportunity to travel along a portion of State Route 84 — also known as Niles Canyon Road — through the picturesque canyon unimpeded by automobile traffic. Because of COVID-19 pandemic concerns, the event was postponed last year, but returns this year in a first-ever springtime outing.

“Because of the pandemic we wanted to get it going and not make people wait,” said Kathy Kimberlin, a Field Director from the office of Alameda County District 1 Supervisor David Haubert. She added that organizers are expecting up to 10,000 participants for this year’s Stroll & Roll, which will be held rain or shine.

Participants in 2022 will have a more colorful view of the canyon than they did during previous fall outings. Because of recent rains, Alameda Creek waters will likely be flowing higher and the verdant hills will be dotted with a cascade of springtime wildflowers including yellow mustard, California poppy, periwinkle, dandelion and seasonal clover.

Launched seven years ago, Niles Stroll & Roll is a joint effort between Haubert’s office and the office of District 2 Supervisor Richard Valle. It was conceived as a way to publicly advocate for a Niles Canyon recreation trail to connect trail systems on either side of the canyon. The event offers the public a first-hand experience of what public walking and biking recreation would be like through the area. The first event proved so popular, it was repeated in September 2017 and 2019.

To make way for the event, automobiles will be barred from a stretch of Niles Canyon Road between Mission Boulevard in Fremont and Main Street in Sunol. During the first hour the road will be open to bicyclists only to give them a chance to traverse the winding thoroughfare unimpeded.

“What I love most about the event is [it’s] a car-free zone where you can bike or walk with your family and friends in nature,” said Shari Kellen, a Niles resident and biking enthusiast who participated in the 2019 event. “It’s really challenging to try to ride your bike through Niles Canyon with the cars so close to you. So, it is a real treat to just be out with the walkers and bikers.”

Over the years, bicyclists have called for a trail due to safety concerns related to sharing the narrow roadway through Niles Canyon — which includes no shoulder space in some sections — with automobiles. Meanwhile, recreation enthusiasts point out that pedestrian access to the canyon is prohibited on the state highway and that a trail would provide a vital link between trail networks in the Tri-Valley and Alameda County’s bay-front corridor.

Representatives from Alameda County and East Bay Regional Park District will be at this year’s event to discuss trail proposals with the public and share details about a recently updated draft environmental impact report for a proposed 10-foot-wide paved pathway running mostly along the north side of Niles Canyon Road for pedestrians, bicyclists, and possibly equestrians.

The event is open to children and adults for walking or bicycling. Bike helmets are required for riders younger than 18 and recommended for everyone. People also may also use wheelchairs. Pets are prohibited at the event.

Because of COVID-19 concerns, masks are strongly recommended, especially for unvaccinated participants. There will be rest and water stations along the 6.4-mile roadway between Fremont and Sunol. A limited number of shuttles for walkers who can’t make it back to their starting point will also be available. Portable restrooms will be available and food trucks offering a variety of fare for purchase will be set up at each end of the event.

On the Sunol side, parking will be provided in the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission lot at 11600 Pleasanton Sunol Road. On the Fremont side, parking will be provided at the Fremont BART Station, 2000 Bart Way and Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, 2100 Isherwood Way. Participants are encouraged to use public transportation to get to the event. Free shuttle service will be available at Quarry Lakes and Fremont BART station to transport participants to and from the event.

Niles Canyon Stroll & Roll

Sunday, May 1

7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Niles Canyon Rd

between Mission Blvd, Fremont and Main St, Sunol

(510) 272-6691

www.84strollroll.com

Free; no registration required

Lantern floating festival returns

Submitted by Water Lantern Festival

Water Lantern Festival, which has been named Best Cultural Festival by USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards, will return to the Bay Area on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1.

Water Lantern Festival illuminates the night with the launch of the personalized lanterns onto the water. Each unique lantern drifts out into the water as it joins other lanterns carrying messages of hope, love, happiness, healing, peace and connection. It’s a beautiful life experience and an uplifting night that attendees will never forget.

Experience a magical evening that includes tasty food trucks, games and activities, local vendors, great music and the beauty of thousands of lanterns adorned with messages of love, remembrances, hope and dreams as they reflect upon the water.

“We are ecstatic to be recognized by USA Today and 10Best.com for the awesome award as the nation’s Best Cultural Festival,” said Mike Schaefer, co-founder of Water Lantern Festival. “Our team works very hard to create an incredible experience for our guests, where people from all walks of life come together to share a uniquely emotional and memorable community experience. It’s fantastic to share this positive experience with everyone.”

Water Lantern Festival

Saturday, Apr 30 – Sunday, May 1

5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Almaden Lake Park

6099 Winfield Blvd., San Jose

https://www.waterlanternfestival.com/

Lantern kits: $50 – online until 4/29; $56 – day of

News and notes from around the world

Submitted by The Association of Mature American Citizens

A tall tale

M
eet the Trapp family and congratulate them for making it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Scott and Krissy Trapp, their two daughters, Savanna and Molly and their son, Adam, of Esko, Minnesota have been officially declared the world’s tallest family, according to the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). Collectively, the family has an average height a tad more than 6-feet, 8-inches. Mom measures 6-feet, 3-inches; Dad is 6-feet, 8-inches tall; 27-year-old daughter Savanna is also 6-feet-8-inches tall and her sister, 24-year-old Molly is 6-feet, 6-inches tall. But their brother, 22-year-old Adam, is the tallest member of the family standing a whopping 7-feet, 3-inches tall. See video of the Trapp family on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcubNoe4mhg.

The case of the driverless car

Imagine the looks on the faces of cops who pulled over a car one night recently that was traveling in downtown San Francisco in the dark without its headlights on and, more important, without a driver. Nor were there any passengers in the autonomous taxi, reports AMAC. The driverless cab belonged to Cruise, a licensed taxi service, that used social media to explain that “Our AV yielded to the police vehicle, then pulled over to the nearest safe location for the traffic stop, as intended. An officer contacted Cruise personnel and no citation was issued.” See video of the traffic stop on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFXzX53eql8.

Try, try again

One hundred and seven members of the SOS club, Skydivers Over Sixty, from all over the world tried seven times recently to wrest the world record for jumping out of planes in a freefall snowflake formation. The event took place in Riverside County, California. They almost succeeded but, as Dan Brodsky-Chenfield, president of the club, told reporters: “The formation built perfectly. It was just one person that was out. And that’s the trick of doing large formations, is that all 107 people have to have a perfect minute at the same minute.” Nevertheless, the sight of so many senior citizens was spectacular. As the saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again and that is exactly what Mr. Brodsky-Chenfield is going to do — next year. See video of the skydivers at: abc7.com/riverside-county-skydiving-senior-citizens-try-setting-world-record/11735936/.

The Association of Mature American Citizens is a nonprofit, nonpartisan conservative 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: Online Trivia Game

By Ned MacKay

Bees, butterflies, moths, wasps and other pollinators are the stars of an online trivia Kahoot at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, hosted by naturalist Ashley Adams and the East Bay Regional Park District.

Here’s how to play: visit the Black Diamond Mines Facebook page to meet the game host. Have handy an additional tech device, such as a cell phone, tablet or laptop. Use it to go to https://kahoot.it.com. Then wait for the host to give instructions and a PIN number. It’s free, of course, and any number can play.

On May Day (Sunday, May 1) at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, you can learn the language of animals during a program from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. with interpretive student aide Taylor Smith. Meet at the barnyard to watch how birds, rabbits, goats and other animals interact with each other and with us.

Then at 11 a.m. you can check out the chicken coop and feed chickens a snack. And from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., join naturalist Mindy Castle to learn how felt is made from sheep’s wool, then craft a felt toy to take home.

Ardenwood has lots of other attractions, too, including tours of the historic Patterson House and rides on the narrow-gauge railroad. The park is located at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of Highway 84. For admission fees and information, call (510) 544-2797. Parking is free.

They say that April showers bring May flowers. Appropriately, flowers are the focus of a program from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 at Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda. It’s free of charge and no registration is required.

Crab Cove is at 1252 McKay Avenue off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For information, call (510) 544-3187.

And at Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley, naturalist Anthony Fisher will lead a family nature walk from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 1. Meet at the Environmental Education Center for a stroll in search of birds, insects, flowers and fresh air. The program is free and no registration is necessary. The center is at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive, accessible via Canon Drive from Grizzly Peak Boulevard in Berkeley.

Fisher also will lead a birding walk from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, May 2 at Briones Regional Park. This is free too, with no registration needed. Meet Fisher at the top of Old Briones Road off Alhambra Valley Road near Martinez. For directions and information about either of Anthony Fisher’s programs, call (510) 544-2233.

Naturalist Claudia Munoz is hosting a series called “People of Color: Evening Walks & Talks,” which are evening hikes conducted bilingually in English and Spanish. One will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4 at Briones Regional Park. Meet at the Bear Creek Staging Area on Bear Creek Road about five miles east of San Pablo Dam Road near Orinda. It’s a three-mile challenge hike during which Munoz will talk about the local watershed.

Another hike is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 6 at Diablo Foothills Regional Park. Meet Munoz at the Orchard Staging Area at the end of Castle Rock Road past Northgate High School in Walnut Creek. This hike is four miles, in search of wildflowers. Both hikes are free of charge and registration is not necessary. For information, call (510) 544-3176.

This is just a sample. For full information on upcoming park district programs, visit the website, www.ebparks.org.

Tri-City History in Photographs #4: Schools

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

School (noun): An institution for education.

 

flood.jpeg:

Alvarado / Alviso, March 1907: The original Alviso School during a flood. These buildings were replaced by a new school in 1910, and then a third in 1940.

dd.jpeg:

Decoto, year unknown: The first Decoto school opened in 1869 on the May Ranch bordering Dry Creek. The second grammar school (this structure) was built in 1883 on H Street. The third school was built in 1929 on the same spot. That school was improved over the years, eventually becoming an adult school within the New Haven Unified School District.

 

100013158.jpeg:

Irvington, 1899: Curtner Ladies’ Seminary (this structure) opened in 1896 at the corner of Washington Boulevard (then known as Mission Road) and Driscoll Road. This was the second school on that site. The main Curtner building burned down July 4, 1899, and in 1900 reopened as Anderson’s Academy, a military school for boys that had relocated from nearby Alameda.

2015329363b.jpeg:

Newark, year unknown: Lincoln Public School, built in 1865, was Newark’s first school. It was a typical one-room school catering to grades K-8. The building remained open until 1945, but is now gone. Its legacy lives on in today’s Lincoln Elementary.

Let’s learn local history through themes and photographs. Have a topic or idea you’d l
ike us to explore? Email us at in**@mu******************.org.

Raise Your Voice!

Submitted by Alameda County Library

Are you a teen who wants to speak your truth, make friends and have fun? Alameda County is looking for its next Youth Poet Laureate. We’re looking for poets and spoken word artists from all over the county to show up and spit some fire.

To be eligible you must:

• Be an Alameda County resident, except if you reside in Oakland (for Oakland residents, contact Oakland Youth Poet Laureate Chapter)
• Be between the ages of 13-18
• Be available to serve as Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate for the program year August 2022-August 2023
• Live locally throughout the program year

Winner of the competition receives:

• A Macbook and computer accessories
• Community project support from Alameda County Library
• Assistance with cultivating public speaking rhetoric style
• Opportunity to compete in the regional, state and national Youth Poet Laureate and other poetry competitions

Youth Poet Laureate duties:

• Inspire civic engagement, social justice, cultural awareness and literary excellence
• Develop a community project to grow your writing craft and inspire our communities
• Perform at and attend public events
• Share your experiences, writing process and values on online platforms
• Write one poem for the library website. Submit three poems for the national anthology by Urban Word

Applications must include:

• Three original poems showing your content, craft and voice (10 pages or less)
• Artist statement that tells us who you are and what poetry means to you (250 words or less)
• Biography with a list of your awards, community service, work experience or activism
• Contact info of an adult sponsor who is familiar with your writing, school performance or community involvement
• Parent/guardian contact info unless you’re 18 by May 1, 2022

Application deadline: Saturday, April 30

Questions? Email: yp*@ac*******.org

For more details visit: aclibrary.org/youth-poet

Face masks optional and strongly encouraged

Submitted by BART

BART has confirmed there are no longer any federal, state or local level directives that enable a mask mandate on BART. Like other transit agencies, BART’s mandate was based on the now withdrawn TSA directive. In addition, on Wednesday, April 20, California Department of Public Health terminated their statewide order requiring masks on transit and is now strongly recommending people wear masks on transit.

Pending any future developments from the local, state or federal level, masks are now optional and strongly encouraged on BART.

BART Board President Rebecca Saltzman has announced the Board of Directors will consider a proposal to continue to require masks in the BART system at its next meeting on Thursday, April 28.

Free masks are still available from all station agent booths and from all safety staff for those who need a mask or forgot one. BART has 14 air filters on all train cars new and old. These filters are dense enough to trap the virus and provide an extra layer of protection to our riders. Air is replaced every 70 seconds on board cars mixing filtered air with fresh air.

All BART employees are fully vaccinated.

Cat Garden opens at Humane Society Silicon Valley

By Priyanka Shah

On Thursday, April 21, “Kona’s Spot in the Sun” was finally established thanks to the Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV). The quaint garden was built in order to provide a welcoming environment to homeless cats who are in need of a family. To kick off the grand opening, the team decided to bring in their newest member of the family, Izzy. When she was finally released into the garden, there was so much for her to explore from the abundance of hiding and perching areas to the water fountain and plants. It was a real treat.

What sparked such a creative idea? The main principle behind this garden was to create a safe space for cats that were not completely introverted, but also not too social. It was for cats that were just in the middle. These cats liked to interact with humans, but also enjoyed their independence and time to themselves. To foster these needs, the project leads worked closely with an architect to build a perfect nook that included ample hiding spots for when the cats were overwhelmed, as well as other play structures for when they were in a more playful mood.

The hope is that the number of cats enjoying the garden will increase as they become more comfortable. Cats go through a thorough safety check process when they first arrive at HSSV. They are most importantly checked for their health, and then they are spayed or neutered. Cats that will be staying in the garden go through a behavioral assessment. To help them ease into the transition. They are first put in transition cages to slowly be introduced to each other and the garden. Animal care and enrichment staff then watch and feed them through daily checks, waiting for the animals to be adopted.

A cat garden can be the ideal way to meet the perfect cat to adopt. HSSV is open seven days a week for people to come in and find their match. If someone is interested in adopting a pet, they are sent to an adoption counselor to steer them in the correct direction. The adoption team will then let you know which pets are available, depending on your preference. If you are specifically interested in adopting a cat, they will be in “Kona’s Spot in the Sun,” as well as the condos inside the shelter. You then have a chance to browse around and meet the bounty of different animals. President of HSSV, Kurt Krukenberg speaks from experience when he says “some people come in with a very specific idea, and people almost never leave with what they thought they want because it’s about the chemistry and connection.” After all, it’s the animal that chooses you, not the other way around.

Months of thought and labor paid off when the community was able to see “Kona’s Spot in the Sun” finally come into fruition. There’s no better way to find a partner for life than through a cat garden filled with the cutest and most loving animals. This is a sign to take the next big step and adopt a new family member.

Humane Society Silicon Valley

Mon – Wed: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Thurs: 12 noon – 7 p.m.

Fri: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sat – Sun: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

901 Ames Ave., Milpitas

(408) 262-2133

www.hssv.org

Cornhole Tournament

Submitted by Union City recreation

Get ready for the inaugural Union City Parks & Rec Commission’s Cornhole Tournament!

Enjoy a day of friendly outdoor competition at Birdhaus Beer Garden. Single and Double Matches are available for ages 16 and over, and all players are guaranteed two games for this tournament. Registration fees cover entry and one drink ticket per player. Proceeds from this tournament will benefit Union City’s Brickhouse Boxing program.

View Corn Hole rules online at www.americancornhole.com.

Cornhole Tournament

Saturday, Apr 30

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Birdhaus Beer Garden

3821 Smith Street, Union City

(510) 675-5805

https://www.unioncity.org/192/Community-Recreation-Services

ma******@un*******.org

Ages 16+

Singles $25; Doubles $50 ($30 non-residents)

National Day of Prayer set

Submitted by Kathy Kimberl
in

Numerous Alameda County civic leaders, church officials and community members will gather on Thursday, May 5 in Pleasanton to participate in the 2022 National Day of Prayer.

The event will be hosted by David Haubert, Alameda County District 1 Supervisor who represents the cities of Fremont, Dublin, Livermore and the unincorporated communities of Sunol and East Livermore. Fremont City Council member Rick Jones will deliver opening comments.

“The goal of this event is to highlight the cooperation and collaboration between church and state, recognizing that in America, freedom of religion allows us all to pray in our own way,” Haubert said. “This event is a great way to bring people of all different backgrounds together, especially during a time of international conflict.”

The in-person outdoor event will start at 9:00 a.m. in the Amphitheater at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton. Admission is free and reserved seating will be available. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP online by visiting www.eventbrite.com, then entering “National Day of Prayer” into the search box and following the Alameda County Fairgrounds link. Walk-in visitors will be welcome, too.

Additionally, the event will be streamed live via Zoom and on Facebook Live. Information and links will be posted on Supervisor Haubert’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DavidHaubertCA/.

“I am looking forward to emceeing the National Day of Prayer this year,” Jones said. “Though it was proclaimed as a National Day of Prayer by President Harry S. Truman 70 years ago in 1952, its roots date back to the Continental Congress of 1775 before we became the Nation that we are today. I am truly honored to be part of the celebration of the tradition.”

Church leaders from Cornerstone Fellowship, Harbor Light, Glad Tidings Church, Muslim Community Center — East Bay, Coptic Orthodox Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will be giving devotionals. Joining them will be leaders from Forerunner Christian Church, Hindu American Foundation, Palma Ceia Baptist, St. Michael, Fa Yun Chan Temple, Tri-Valley Sikh Center and Chabad of the Tri-Valley.

Empty The Shelters

Submitted by Hayward Animal Shelter

Hayward Animal Shelter is participating in Bissell Pet Foundation’s Empty The Shelters adoption event! $20 adoptions on all adoptable cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs.

Updates for the two upcoming adoption events at Hayward Animal Shelter. All good news!

We were able to get donated Bunny Kits for the April 30^th event so we will be able to send four lucky bunnies home with a weeks worth of supplies, treats, and toys AND Bissell announced that they have extended their adoption event so the new dates are the 3^rd – 14^th.

Saturday, April 30^th

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

FREE pocket pet adoptions to qualified homes!

AND the first lucky bunnies adopted will be sent home with a week’s worth of supplies (hay, water bowl, pellets, bedding, treats, toys)!

While adoptions are free, we ask adopters come prepared with proof of address, valid photo ID, and permission from landlord to have pets if renting. We will have information on keeping guinea pigs and rabbits as pets at the event, but we ask adopters to do some research of their own to prepare for pet ownership prior to event.

Hayward Animal Shelter has many rabbits and guinea pigs available for adoption. We need your help to find them loving homes! Remember to adopt, don’t shop, for your next pet!

Additional information on Rabbits as pets:

• https://www.thesprucepets.com/is-a-rabbit-the-right-pet-for-you-1239320
• https://myhouserabbit.com/new-to-rabbits/thinking-about-getting-a-pet-rabbit/
• https://www.petco.com/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/rabbit.htmlAdditional information on Guinea Pigs as pets:
• https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/guineapigs
• https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102922&id=4951552
• https://www.petco.com/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/guinea-pig.html

Empty the Shelters Adoption Event

May 3^rd – May 14^th

1:00 – 5:00 pm each day of event (Tuesdays – Saturdays)

Hayward Animal Shelter

16 Barnes Court, Hayward

$20 adoptions on all adoptable animals sponsored by Bissell Pet Foundation

Hayward Animal Shelter

16 Barnes Court Hayward

(510) 293-7200

www.Haywardanimals.org

Hayward to provide new business grants

Submitted by City of Hayward

The City of Hayward is now accepting applications for two new COVID-19 economic recovery grant programs to support the relaunch of local restaurants and refurbish local small business exteriors.

Hayward Restaurant Relaunch program will provide reimbursement grants of $10,000 to $15,000 to make physical improvements such as establishing permanent outdoor dining areas, improving interior dining spaces, painting, awnings, signage and other related improvements. To participate, restaurants must have been in business at least five years.

The Restore and Reopen Façade Improvement Program will provide reimbursement grants of $5,000 to $10,000 to aid businesses and commercial property owners with improving exterior appearance, including paint, awnings, signage and other related improvements.

Approved by City Council in June 2020, the programs are intended to assist local small businesses and commercial property owners negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To participate, businesses and property owners must have a valid City of Hayward Business License and no active code enforcement or building code violation matters.

The initial application period for both programs will remain open until May 5. Grants will be awarded after review of all qualifying applications based on business or property-owner need, proposed improvements, impact on surrounding properties and commercial district, and any matching funds offered toward the project to maximize the overall beneficial effect.

For both programs, the City also has developed and will maintain a list of approved architects available to assist businesses and commercial property owners with design, construction documents, permitting and project management – and whose fees will be paid for directly by the City in addition to the approved grant funds.

Grants under both Restaurant Relaunch and Façade Improvement programs will be available until combined total approved program funding of $500,000 has been exhausted.

If interested in applying for a Restaurant Relaunch or Façade Improvement grant, please contact City of Hayward Economic Development Division at Ec*****@ha********.gov or (510) 583-5545 to have an application form sent to you. Applications will only be sent to and accepted from businesses and commercial property owners who have been
prescreened for eligibility by the Economic Development Division.

Poetry alive in Hayward

Submitted by Winda Shimizu

When Amanda Gorman dazzled the country with her poetry at President Biden’s inauguration, the question came up—Why doesn’t Hayward have its own Youth Poet Laureate?

So this past February, a young Hayward resident—Germani Latchison—was named Hayward’s First Youth Poet Laureate. Her selection was the product of community organizations—Hayward Arts Council, Hayward Unified School District, Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle, and of course, the City of Hayward—coming together to provide city-wide information about the program, as well as funds to reward the winners. Local poets Carol Henrie, Jayanti Addelman, and Pat Doyne, along with Cal-State faculty members Aline Soules and Trinie Dalton, helped judge the 10 talented young poets who applied.

Second and third place went to Pabi Constantino and Ky’ree Taylor. Awards of Merit went to Ruchita Verma, Malaya Aroma, Hayden Orellana and Shreya Rathaur. An N. Nguyen, Joyce Sandiage and Armani Gomez received Honorable Mention.

Hear these young poets celebrate life with their poems at Hayward’s Heritage Plaza on April 30. Visit haywardartscouncil.org for art exhibitions and programs.

Hayward Youth Poet Laureate Readings

Saturday, Apr 30

Heritage Plaza

835 C. St., Hayward

haywardartscouncil.org

Jazz it Up! Gala honors mothers

Submitted by Ana Maria Mahiri

Building Futures will hold their annual “Jazz It Up! Gala” virtually on Saturday, May 7. This year’s theme is “Honoring Mothers,” and during the 45-minute program guests will meet three special moms whose stories of success were made possible with Building Futures’ programs and services providing shelter for women and children.

Emcee for the event is Nicole Hankton. Entertainment will be provided by La Mezcla, an all-female dance company rooted in Chicana, Latina and indigenous traditions. The group will bring tap dance, Son Jarocho and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to original choreography and compositions, created especially for Jazz it Up! 2022.

The event will honor Ginny Krutilek, founding member of Alameda Homeless Network, and will remember Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan who passed away in 2021.

Grab a mimosa or coffee and join us to raise a glass to celebrate mothers. It’s a great opportunity to see the progress made possible by Building Futures and our community supporters. Everyone is welcome!

Reserve tickets at www.bfwc.org/jazzitup2022 or scan the QR code.

Jazz it Up! 2022

Saturday, May 7

11 a.m. – 11:45 p.m.

Virtual event; link to be sent upon registration

www.bfwc.org/jazzitup2022

Tickets are free with pre-registration

City launches ‘Lit Hop’ to highlight local writers

By Stephanie Gertsch

Writers, readers, literature fans, and fans of Hayward in general are invited to the city’s first ever “Lit Hop” on Saturday, April 30 (also National Independent Bookstore Day). The event celebrates local creatives of all types with a lineup of readings and performances at iconic Hayward venues—starting with a reading from Hayward’s first Youth Poet Laureate and performance from Winton Middle School Ballet Folklorico at Heritage Plaza in front of Hayward Library.

Late in 2021, writer and literary publicist Cristina Deptula and Carl Gorringe of Hayward Library Commission got the idea to do their own version of San Francisco’s Litquake. Deptula remembers Gorringe saying, “Litquake is cool, but you know where we’ve never had something like this before is right here in Hayward.” The two began reaching out to their contacts, and the event grew from there.

 

“You ask a librarian, and the librarian will let you know about all the different writing groups that have been meeting at the library. And you ask the owner of a bookstore, she lets you know about every book club who has their book series at the bookstore,” says Deptula.

After the library kickoff, attendees can choose from a schedule of readings at various locations along B Street (with a few on C Street), winding along Hayward’s downtown toward Sun Gallery, which will wrap up the event with a pizza party. The entire route is walkable, and parking will be available at Sun Gallery and the free garage on B Street near the movie theater.

Groups range from Bay Area Queer Writers Association reading at the independent bookstore Books on B, Youth Storytellers from Hayward Unified School District reading at Aranea Craft Studio, to a Julia Vinograd-themed reading and documentary screening at Odd Fellows Lodge.

“I was telling my own parents about this Lit Hop, and they were like, ‘Oh that sounds really cool, but how many writers groups are you going to get in Hayward?’” Deptula recalls. The answer is A LOT. The event website lists 13 different groups.

Just one example is Afrosurreal Writers Workshop of Oakland, (reading at The Turf Club). Organizer Ellen McBarnette shares a bit about what Afrosurrealism means in the context of Afrofuturism (seen in popular science fiction like Marvel’s Black Panther): “If Afrofuturism is our vision of the future, Afrosurrealism is our dream of the past and our experience of the present.”

 

The group comprises speculative fiction and urban fantasy writers, poets, and even memoirists. “So much of Black history was suppressed, erased or denied. So a lot of the truths that one finds in the Black experience can only be really expressed in the surreal. Another way to think about it is, some of the stories that we’ve experienced in our lives and in our deep pasts do read surreal.”

Apart from highlighting the writers’ creativity, the goal for the event is to encourage people to explore downtown and get more in touch with their community. As they stop by readings of interest, they might also discover new places. Cristina Deptula explains, “And then they can go ‘Wow, I didn’t know Hayward had a craft studio!’ Then they can take a flyer and come back for clothes making or sewing at the studio.”

Deptula reflects on how even with residents who are active in the community, there is a disconnect between neighbors: “A lot of people are like ships passing in the night. You wake up early in the morning, you go to work before your neighbors are awake, or you’re all leaving for work in a hurry. And then you come back late at night and you’re with your family.”

McBarnette sees an immense potential for a diverse community in the Bay Area, not only among those exploring Black experiences in the AfroSurreal Writers Workshop, but among all the groups represented at Lit Hop. “The Bay has allowed so many people to embrace and explore [this idea of Blackness]. What is it about the Bay that allows this sort of freedom, this acceptance of different ways of experiencing reality? The same thing that drew the hippies and the folks who were coming here to try out new ways of living. The same thing that draws the amazing LGBTQ community here. There’s a freedom here from way back, long before the rest of the country has come on, that allows the Bay and the practitioners of the arts within the Bay, to expand.”

Let’s explore on April 30: explore our minds and imaginations, and explore beyond our daily bubble to embrace our local artistic community.

First Hayward Lit Hop

Saturday, Apr 30

3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Start at Hayward Library Heritage Plaza

835 C. St., Hayward

http://haywardlithop.com/

Music of th
e Americas

Submitted by Douglas Morrisson Theatre

The Douglas Morrisson Theatre Chorus, under the direction of Cesar Cancino, will be presenting two live concerts of, “Music of the Americas,” this month. The concert will feature several solos and small ensembles as well as numbers by the full chorus. You will want to hum along with favorites such as “Cielito Lindo” and “Route 66”, and enjoy other selections from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

For tickets go to Haywardrec.org or to the Hayward Recreation and Park District office at 1099 E St., Hayward. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Music of the Americas

Friday, Apr 29 & Saturday, Apr 30

Fri: 8 p.m./Sat: 2 p.m.

Douglas Morrisson Theatre

22311 N. Third St., Hayward

Haywardrec.org

Local teacher to participate in NASA observational mission

By Paul Mussack

Dr. Eric Wegryn has been selected as one of 24 NASA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors (AAA) for 2022.

Wegryn is an astronomy instructor at Ohlone College. Originally from Michigan, he came to the Bay Area to work as an aerospace engineer. While doing postdoctoral work at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Wegryn began teaching on the side and decided to make it his full-time job after receiving his PhD.

The AAA program’s highlight will be flying on a mission with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a mobile astronomical observatory inside a 747 airplane.

“I’m not going up as a scientist, even though I am formerly a professional astronomer,” says Wegryn. “I’m going up as an educator because they want us to bring this experience back to our classrooms to inspire the students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

The program is managed by the SETI Institute, a research and education nonprofit organization headquartered in Mountain View, but is funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The goal of AAA is to provide teachers around the country with NASA science, which they can pass on to students.

Before the pandemic, Wegryn would host “Astro Nights” for the public to use telescopes at the college and was faculty advisor for the astronomy club. He also would make sure his students had opportunities to observe the sky in person. Unfortunately, he hasn’t yet been able to reinstate the meetups. “We have fine telescopes that have been sitting in a storeroom for three years, untouched. And I really feel that’s not the way to teach astronomy,” Wegryn states.

In his career before teaching, Wegryn worked with the space shuttle program, Mars Pathfinder probe, and Cassini probe, which looked at Saturn’s frozen moon Iapetus. His team discovered that on the icy surface were complex hydrocarbons, which were not alive but are similar to biological molecules.

Wegryn is currently being trained in infrared astronomy, so he will be prepared for the onboard infrared telescope when he flies in the fall of 2022. While air appears transparent to the naked eye, light outside the visible range, such as infrared, can be blocked by water vapor, which interferes with imaging. SOFIA solves this problem by flying above the troposphere, the layer that contains most of the atmosphere’s water vapor.

A telescope on a plane has additional mobility that allows scientists to make longer observations. For example, a solar eclipse will quickly pass by a person standing in one place, but a plane can better catch up with Earth’s rotation.

In his spare time, Wegryn enjoys traveling and writing about his travels. He estimates he has been to 42 countries and has written ten books, with three more books coming soon. Two years ago he went to Chile to see a solar eclipse, but missed it due to rain. He is already telling people not to miss the eclipse that will be visible in the Midwest in 2024.

For more information on Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors Program, visit https://www.seti.org/aaa

Bits and Pieces—An Exploration of Mixed Media on Textile

Submitted by Lina Melkonian

Fremont Art Association is thrilled to have Rosine Ferber as the guest artist at its virtual General Meeting and Art Demo on Wednesday, May 4.

Born and raised in Paris, France, Ferber immigrated to the United States at age 15. She is a trained Registered Art Psychotherapist and holds a doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology. Ferber has been creating art using various media including paint, textile, and ceramics for the past 30 years, and has participated in numerous solo and group shows. Ferber’s extensive and captivating body of work imparts the sense that with each piece, she’s taken the plunge into creativity free of inhibitions, rules or limitations. Her works are explorations and expressions of the human experience and explode with seductive colors, lines, shapes and textures.

In her demo, Bits and Pieces—An Exploration of Mixed Media on Textile, Ferber will demonstrate how disparate pieces of fabrics, yarns, and the use of a variety of mixed media, can be pieced together to create an organized, esthetically pleasing whole. Attendees are invited to create their own work during the demo. Materials needed: scissors, needle, thread and/or yarn; a small white sheet or cut of muslin or other light fabric to use as a canvas; and leftover pieces of patterned colorful cloth, lace and/or ribbon.

For Ferber, working with textiles fosters psychotherapeutic elements including a sense of accomplishment and well-being, stress relief and relaxation. She is an ardent believer in the joyful and meditative act of creating beauty for oneself as well as for and with others as an effectual means for lessening loneliness, increasing connections and carving a path to positive mental health.

Ferber describes herself as a process-oriented mixed media artist who starts her projects from a blank slate, seldom with a predetermined destination for her creative journey. Instead, she allows herself to be transported into a blissful flow state where colors, lines and shapes begin to perfectly align in her imagination to ultimately reveal themselves in her final product. Ferber’s art is often informed by her deep-rooted multicultural identity and sensibilities. The cultural influence of her Egyptian parents, experiences growing up in France, and extensive world travels find expression in the depths of her works which encompass pages of books, handwritten documents, and other physical bits and pieces of collected memories.

Ferber’s most recent exhibition, “Emergence,” comprised of 28 large mixed media and textile pieces, was at the Caldwell Memorial Art Gallery in Redwood City.

View Ferber’s works or contact her at: rosineart.com

Artist Studio: Art Shack Silicon Valley: artshacksiliconvalley.com

Instagram: @Rosineferberart

Join Rosine Ferber’s demo as she takes us on a creative journey. Participants must register in advance and will receive the Zoom link via email. All details may be found on the Fremont Art Association webpage: www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo.

Fremont Art Association general meeting/demo artist

Wednesday, May 4

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Via Zoom, link will be provided upon registration.

https://www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo

Free

Symbiosis

Submitted by SAVE

Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments’
(SAVE) Youth Service Program is hosting their fifth annual “Symbiosis: everyBODY youth summit” on May 14 to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month. Symbiosis is SAVE’s annual daylong event, free for the community and created by and for youth. Symbiosis aims to uplift trans and queer youth, educate about healthy relationships and intersecting topics, and empower youth activists in their home communities.

For 2022, SAVE’s youth empowerment group — Team Stronger Than You Think — chose the theme of everyBODY to highlight the intersection between body image, self-esteem in the context of relationships, gender and mental health. And as part of their wellness portion, they will also be offering workshops on self-care and movement, among other exciting activities. Attendees can also look forward to free food and boba.

Symbiosis is for youth ages 12-24. For more information, follow @teamstyt on IG for updates.

Symbiosis: everyBODY youth summit

Saturday, May 14

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

5019 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

Register at: tinyurl.com/symbiosis2022

Volunteers needed at Castro Valley Center for the Arts

Submitted by Castro Valley Center for the Arts

“Ten shows at Castro Valley Center for the Arts in April and 23 in May, we are slammed at the end of the school calendar!” exclaimed new Volunteer Coordinator, Jean Marie French. “Because of Covid, many of our experienced volunteers have not come back and we are looking for new help.”

Most shows need seven volunteers to cover the Box Office and ushers. Each month volunteers receive a list of events they choose the ones that work for them. Some volunteers work once a month and others every week. They arrive about an hour before the show and stay at least through intermission. Volunteers can watch the show for free, although they are still “on duty.”

Volunteering is always a good deed, but it has many other benefits. Volunteer Queenie Young says, “I like supporting the theater and have made many new friends.” Castro Valley Theater Coordinator Sean Cooper calls the volunteers “the face of the Center for the

Arts. We could not open our doors without our wonderful volunteers.”

Anyone who is looking for a volunteer opportunity should call the Box Office at (510) 889-8961. Please leave your name, phone number and email. Jean Marie will contact you.

2022 Young Recitalists

Submitted by Fremont Symphony

After having two years of managing COVID restrictions, Fremont Symphony is excited to once again hold the Young Recitalist Competition and Recital! The 2022 competition took place on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at First United Methodist Church.

Competition finalist represented a variety of instruments and program of solos and ensembles on piano, violin, cello and flute.

Finalists in the 6th Young Recitalist Competition are: Candra Kou, Flute; Haidi Lim, Flute; Cara Wang, Cello; Mishikaa Bachawat, Piano; Hiroshi Corro, Piano; Sora Corro, Piano; Oliver Corro, Piano; Amelia Gvozdev, Piano; Navya Tyagi, Piano; and Hermione Lam, Violin.

The finalist recital will be held on Sunday May 1, also at First United Methodist Church, Fremont. The recital will feature solo and ensemble performances and works by J.S. Bach, Handel, Lavignac, Rameau, Saint-Saëns and de Sarasate.

2022 Young Recitalists finalists competition

Sunday, May 1

2 p.m.

First United Methodist Church

2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 381-2702

Questions? Email sh*******@gm***.com.

https://fremontsymphony.org/young-artist-competition

Tickets available at door: $25 adults; students $10

Free parking at church

PG&E’s Tesla Megapack battery in California now operational

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP), April 18 — A 182.5-megawatt energy storage system in Northern California that was designed and constructed in a partnership between Tesla and Pacific Gas and Electric Company is now operational, the utility announced on April 18.

The system includes 256 Tesla Megapack battery units on 33 concrete slabs and has the capacity to store and dispatch up to 730 megawatt hours of energy to the electrical grid at a maximum rate of 182.5 megawatts per hour during periods of high demand, PG&E said in a statement.

Known as the Elkhorn Battery because of its location in Monterey Bay’s Elkhorn Slough, the lithium-ion battery storage system was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2018 and by the Monterey County Planning commission in 2020, when construction began.

The system is one of nine projects that would bring PG&E’s total battery energy storage system capacity to more than 3,330 MW by 2024, the utility said. The massive batteries are charged when energy demand is low or when alternative energy produced by solar or wind is high, providing additional capacity by sending that reserved power to the grid when demand grows, it added.

“We are committed to safely delivering reliable and clean energy in a way that achieves the greatest value for our customers, but we can’t go it alone into this clean energy future. Projects like this require innovative partners, such as Tesla, and PG&E will continue to seek out and work with the best and brightest to provide breakthrough clean energy solutions for our customers,” said PG&E Corporation Chief Executive Officer Patti Poppe.

Garden gifts for Moms and Dads

By Daniel O’Donnell

Mother’s Day became a national holiday in the US in 1914 but the first unofficial Mother’s Day celebration was held in 1908. Similar festivals go back as far as ancient Greek times. However, it was not until the official Mother’s Day that cards, gifts, and flowers were given on the holiday.

Father’s Day became a US holiday in 1972, although the first unofficial Father’s Day festivity was held in 1910. The holiday does not have the history that Mother’s Day has. The inspiration for it can be traced back to a single person, Sonora Smart Dodd who wanted to honor her father and other dads. It took much longer to catch on, though, in part because many men felt that receiving flowers on the day was a threat to their “manliness.” It was not until it became an official holiday that cards, gifts, and even flowers were welcome gifts for fathers on the day.

Many people, even from the start, viewed these as commercialized holidays that stray from the intent of the observance. Although these celebrations are good for big business, giving a mom or dad a gift that they will enjoy does honor them. This is why flowers have always been associated with the two holidays. However, why stop at flowers? If a parent loves gardening, there are gifts that can make working in the garden more enjoyable.

Gardening can be dirty work, but that does not mean someone cannot look good doing it. A stylish, yet functional gift for any gardening mom is a pair of gardening coveralls from Rosies Workwear (rosiesworkwear.com). Their lines of overalls are specifically designed for women. These colorful yet tough coveralls have built-in knee pads, deep pockets, are easy to slip on and off, and are cut to “fit and flatter any woman’s proportions.”

“To prune or not to prune” is a question only asked by someone who does not have a decent pair of pruners. The Swiss-made FELCO-2 bypass pruners set the standard for the landscape industry. They are lightweight, have a small cushion shock absorber for hand protection, and a hardened steel blade that stays accurate and sharp. FELCO (felco.com) is committed to the highest performance for all gardeners and therefore off
ers lefthanded and compact versions of their pruners. FELCO pruners come with a lifetime warranty so mom and dad will never have to worry about not being able to trim the garden.

An old, stiff, and kinked hose can make watering difficult, and it is tricky to stow. It might not be the most exciting gift, but the Ultimate Water Hose might be the most appreciated. This ideal hose remains flexible, is kink resistant, and has crush-proof brass couplings. The company’s claim of being “the last hose you will ever need” is backed up by their lifetime warranty. Never again will your parents have to struggle to pull out or put back an unwieldly hose. The Ultimate Hose can be purchased at local garden shows or at the upcoming Alameda County Fair in the vendor’s market place.

Sometimes you might want to give a fun gift such as garden art or garden figures. The original pink flamingo might be the most iconic garden art piece and the most enjoyable to see in the garden. Invented by Don Featherstone in 1957, the bright pink plastic birds began to fly off the shelves immediately and quickly migrate throughout the U.S. Sales stalled in the 1960s, but the 1972 John Waters movie “Pink Flamingos” helped fuel a resurgence. The kitschy pink ornaments have become a pop garden icon even to this day. Originals can be found on eBay periodically.

Scrabble was invented by an out-of-work architect named Alfred Butts during the Great Depression in hopes of boosting the morale of the unemployed. The gift of Garden Scrabble could do the same for any parent that loves family game night and horticulture. Garden Scrabble is played the same as traditional Scrabble but the plant related words players dig up are scored higher. Playing seed packet cards can grow a player’s score even further.

Hands are possibly a gardener’s most important tool. Taking care of them after a day working in the garden is vital. Crabtree and Evelyn’s Gardeners Hand Recovery Cream makes a great Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift. Loaded with vitamin E, shea butter, and nourishing botanicals, this natural hand cream creates a soft barrier that keeps even the driest overworked hands hydrated.

In 2022, Mother’s Day is coming up on May 8, and Father’s Day is on June 19, a little over a month later. Now is the perfect time to start planning for both days. The two holidays are opportunities to show appreciation for all that a mother and father have done. If they love gardening, giving a gift to enhance their time doing it is a great way to pay them back for all the happiness they brought you.

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

Fish Ladder projects completed in Alameda Creek

Submitted by Alameda Creek Alliance

With construction on two fish ladders in lower Alameda Creek recently completed, officials from Alameda County Water District (ACWD) were ready to celebrate and hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, April 25. The ladders are critical infrastructure that will allow ocean-going steelhead trout and Chinook salmon to migrate into the watershed for the first time in half a century.

“This historic restoration project could be transformative for Alameda Creek and its fish and wildlife, help connect local residents to their watershed, and recover a piece of our natural heritage in the Bay Area,” said Jeff Miller, director of Alameda Creek Alliance (ACA), a community watershed group, dedicated to protecting and restoring the natural ecosystems of the Alameda Creek watershed.

“We hope that Alameda Creek, the largest local tributary to San Francisco Bay, can have an outsized impact on recovery of steelhead trout in the region,” Miller said. “It’s profoundly gratifying to see people and agencies taking our non-human neighbors into consideration, and implementing projects to help recover imperiled wildlife.”

According to ACA officials, Alameda Creek is becoming an urban stream success story after decades of restoration efforts. Since steelhead trout in the Bay Area were listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1997, a consortium of organizations and agencies has cooperated on restoration projects to allow migratory fish to reach spawning habitat in upper Alameda Creek.

Partners in Alameda Creek Fisheries Restoration Workgroup have completed nearly two dozen fish passage projects in the watershed since 2001, including removal of five small dams and four other fish passage barriers, construction of six fish ladders, replacement of three road culverts, and installation of fish screens at five water diversions. Water agencies are also working on projects to improve stream flows and restore stream and riparian habitat along Alameda Creek and its tributaries. These restoration projects will make up to 20 miles of potential spawning and rearing habitat in Alameda Creek and its tributaries accessible to ocean-run salmonids.

A project in Fremont between ACWD and Alameda County Flood Control District created a critical fish ladder at a former barrier to fish migration, a 12-foot cement drop structure known as the BART weir. The new fish ladder will allow steelhead and salmon to migrate under the BART tracks and past an adjacent inflatable rubber dam used for water supply operations.

In 2019 ACWD completed another fish ladder at a second inflatable rubber dam one mile upstream in the flood control channel. ACWD has spent $80 million on fish passage projects, with the cooperation of 24 partner agencies and stakeholders, and raised $33 million in grants so far to help pay for fish-friendly improvements in lower Alameda Creek.

Alameda Creek is a local water supply and accounts for roughly 40% of ACWD water serving 357,000 people in Fremont, Newark and Union City. These projects will allow ACWD to continue operations of its rubber dams and other facilities along the creek to recharge the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin sustainably.

There is now only one remaining major fish migration barrier on the mainstem of Alameda Creek, a cement apron across the creek in the Sunol Valley protecting a gas pipeline owned by PG&E. The Fisheries Workgroup is coordinating with PG&E to relocate the pipeline and remove the cement barrier. Multiple agencies are planning a project to restore former salt ponds near the mouth of Alameda Creek to tidal marsh as part of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration. This project will create estuary habitat near the outlet of Alameda Creek that could be critical to growth and survival of salmonids.

Alameda Creek is considered an ‘anchor watershed’ for steelhead trout, since it has regional significance for restoration of the threatened fish to the entire Bay Area. Steelhead, salmon and lamprey are anadromous fish, living out their adult lives in the ocean and migrating up freshwater streams and rivers to spawn. Suitable habitat for cold water fish has been blocked and reduced by construction of dams and other barriers, and habitat has been degraded by water diversions, urban development, stream channelization and other modifications to the Alameda Creek streambed. Steelhead are also impacted by pollution and runoff from roads, and introduced and invasive fish.

Fremont City Council

April 19, 2022

Consent Calendar:

• Award contract to American Pavement Systems, Inc. in the amount of $2,930,232 for 2022 Cape and Slurry Seal Project.
• Authorize purchase of two Type I Fire Engines and one aerial ladder truck.

Ceremonial Items:

• Proclaim April 23, 2022 as Arbor Day.

Public Communications:

• Vision Zero changes should be analyzed before instituting additional changes.

Scheduled Items:

• Introduce and wa
  ive first reading of ordinance for use of military equipment.

Other Business:

• Approve Option 2 for street design elements along Paseo Padre Parkway between Driscoll Road and Washington Boulevard. Retain two lanes in each direction with modifications to bike lanes and signal light modifications. PASSED 6-1 (Nay: Kassan)

Council Communications:

• Referral by Councilmember Kassan regarding engagement of Mobility Commission and Senior Commission for major transportation road projects. Staff to return with recommendations. PASSED 4-3 (Nay: Salwan, Shao, Cox)

Mayor Lili Mei                                                Aye

Vice Mayor Raj Salwan, District 5                 Aye, 1 Nay

Teresa Keng, District 1                                   Aye

Rick Jones, District 2                                      Aye, 1

Jenny Kassan, District 3                                 Aye, 1 Nay

Yang Shao, District 4                                      Aye, 1 Nay

Teresa Cox, District 6                                     Aye, 1 Nay

Milpitas City Council

April 19, 2022

Proclamations:

• April was proclaimed as National Autism Acceptance month.
• April was proclaimed as Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Special Agenda Items:

• Received a presentation on the Milpitas Metro Specific Plan and Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR), received public comments, provided direction to staff regarding the draft documents and timeline for adoption. The draft is now out for public review.
• Adopted the Innovation District Action Plan.
• Received a report on the Community Odor Monitoring Pilot Program Results and provided direction to staff.

Consent Calendar:

• Authorized a Stormwater Management Facilities Operation and Maintenance Agreement for BP Products North America Inc. for a gas station and convenience store at 1575 Landess Avenue.
• Authorized a Stormwater Management Facilities Operation and Maintenance Agreement for Robinson Oil Corporation for a gas station and convenience store at 1787 South Main Street.

Approved the purchase of a police vehicle.

• Approved an amendment of a Software License and Services Agreement with Mark43 by adding the Evidence Data Migration and Morpho Mugshot Interface.
• Received the 2021 General Plan Annual Progress Report and authorized the submittal of the report to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
• Authorized an agreement for specialized/supplemental legal services with Best Best & Krieger LLP.
• Adopted a resolution supporting the submission of projects for 2023 Community Project Funding.

Public Hearings:

• Following a public hearing adopted a Controlled Equipment Use Policy per California Assembly Bill 481.
• Following a public hearing adopted a resolution approving the issuance of the Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $47,000,000.00 by the California Municipal Finance Authority (CMFA) for the benefit of Milpitas Pacific Associates to provide for the financing of the 308 Sango Court project. The adoption was solely for the purposes of satisfying the requirements of TEFRA, the Code, and the California Government Code Section 6500 regarding Joint Exercise of Powers.
• Following a public hearing approved the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Master Fee Schedule.

Community Development:

• Received staff report related to the Homelessness Task Force recommendations and provided direction to staff on next steps. The most supported option was Tiny Home Village. Motion approved 4-0 (Montano: Abstain).
• Received report on recommended changes to the Municipal Code to remove and prohibit property in public and provided direction to staff. Motion approved 3-2 (Phan, Dominguez: Nay).

Leadership:

• Approved Employment Agreement with Michael Mutalipassi and appointed him to serve as City Attorney for the City of Milpitas. Motion approved 3-2 (Phan, Dominguez: Nay)

Rich Tran (Mayor)                              Aye

Carmen Montano (Vice Mayor)          Aye, Abstain 1

Anthony Phan                                     Aye, Nay 2

Karina Dominguez                              Aye, Nay 2

Evelyn Chua                                        Aye

Bill to ban single-use propane cylinders moves forward

Submitted by Jeff Barbosa

A bill from Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) to ban single-use, one-pound propane cylinders, and transition California to refillable canisters that are better for the environment passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 19. The measure now moves to the Senate floor.

If it becomes law, SB 1256 would take effect in January 2028 to give the industry ample time to move to refillable cylinders.

“We should move away from single-use products when there are better alternatives, especially when hazardous materials are involved and they are costly to safely dispose,” said Wieckowski, chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy.

“These cylinders are often left behind in our campgrounds and parks, polluting our environment and posing a safety threat to workers,” Wieckowski added. “SB 1256 will start the process to expand the use of refillable products that are safer for consumers and do not end up in our waste stream like these one-pound cylinders do today.”

Single-use propane cylinders are often used in lanterns, camping stoves and welding equipment. It is estimated that as high as 7.2 million one-pound cylinders are sold annually in California. They pose multiple challenges and safety concerns to local government solid waste and recycling operations

Santa Clara County estimates that only a million are recycled through the Household Hazardous Waste programs offered by local governments in the state. The county’s program has collected and disposed of about 14,000 pounds of single-use canisters in each of the last five years.

The measure is supported by various groups and organizations including the California Product Stewardship Council, Santa Clara County, Stop Waste, Sunnyvale, California Waste and Recycle Association, Rethink Waste, Californians Against Waste, Republic Services and many others.

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

San Leandro City Council Meeting

April 18, 2022

Recognitions:

• Recognition of Desiree Hoo, Senior Engineering Aide, as Employee of the Quarter.
• Mayor’s Award for Kindness given to Kelsey Krieger, student at James Madison Elementary School, for wanting to help when one of her peers was having a bad day.
• Proclaiming April 18 as Stephen Taylor Sanctity of Life Day.
• Proclaiming April 24 – 30 as Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
• Proclaiming April 22 as Earth Day.

 

Public Comments:

• Attorney Lee Merit spoke of mental health crisis and its impact on ri
  sing violence.
• Teacher Erica Viray Santos hoped Steven Taylor Day is a step forward for the City.
• Salena Ramos urged Council to pursue safety policies.
• Many residents thanked supporters who championed the Steven Taylor Day effort.
• San Leandro Chamber of Commerce President Emily Griego invited public to sanleandrochamber.com to explore free business development webinars and Small Business Week May 2-6.

 

City Council Calendar and Announcements:

• Councilmember Cox reminds everyone that the City of San Leandro 150^th anniversary art exhibit at the main library will remain for one month; Stop Waste has a one-day drop-off event for hazardous household waste May 1, 9am – 1pm at the San Leandro Public Works Service Center.
• Councilmember Lopez attended Farmers Market ribbon cutting ceremony and Marina Park event for future sight of Steven Taylor Park; looks forward to more restorative justice work.
• Councilmember Aguilar attended Farmers Market ribbon cutting ceremony; pleased that the Market accepts food stamps; supports resident tree planting.
• Councilmember Simon recognized student input, action and civic engagement for realization of Steven Taylor Day; appreciates City’s tree planting efforts.
• Councilmember Azavedo thanked community for supporting Addy Kitchen; thanked Mayor’s recognition recipients for their work; wished all a Happy Easter / Passover.
• Mayor Cutter thanked Laurel Park Place tour attendees.

 

Consent Calendar:

• Resolution to approve an agreement with Nichol Consulting Engineers for the design of the annual Street Paving Project.
• Resolution to award a construction contract to Columbia Electric Inc. for East 14th Street at Joaquin Avenue Traffic Signal Improvements.
• Resolution to add one full-time position for Deputy City Manager to the City Manager’s Office.
• Resolution to endorse Alameda County’s Home Together 2026 Implementation Plan.

Action Items:

• Resolution to approve an agreement with Building Futures With Women And Children for the purpose of mobile outreach activities to serve the unsheltered population of San Leandro.

Acting Human Services Department Director Kurry Foley presented an overview of the Mobile Outreach Program and unmet service needs of the homeless. Councilmembers Lopez, Aguilar and Azavedo voiced need for greater homeless services funding. Vice Mayor Ballew shared progress with innovative housing approaches. Several residents voiced support for the agreement and others expressed concern over salaries cited in the agreement. Motion unanimously adopted.

• Resolution of the City of San Leandro City Council authorizing a joint application to and participation in the Homekey Program. Project Homekey staff presented the proposed plan for the acquisition and rehabilitation of the Nimitz Motel at 555 Lewelling Blvd. Councilmember Lopez inquired about inclusion of workforce development services. Staff explained slated outsourcing and collaborative services. Mayor Cutter asked about inclusion of paid food services staff, staff confirmed that the primary kitchen position will be paid. Motion unanimously adopted.

City Council Reports:

• Councilmember Aguilar attended Alameda County Mosquito Abatement meeting.
• Councilmember Lopez attended East Bay Community Energy Board meetings.

Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter               Aye

Vice Mayor Pete Ballew                     Aye

Victor Aguilar                                     Aye

Bryan Azevedo                                   Aye

Fred Simon                                         Aye

Deborah Cox                                       Aye

Corina Lopez                                       Aye

New solar panel promises energy savings

Submitted by City of San Leandro

As part of the City of San Leandro’s quest to radically upgrade its energy infrastructure, a new one-megawatt solar panel will soon be unveiled at the city’s Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP).

City officials and others will gather at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, May 5 to show off the new solar panel system which is part of the city’s energy efficiency plan to cut costs, improve air quality and adapt to California’s increasing strain for electricity.

“There are no ifs, ands, or buts about the need for California cities to figure out where and how we can cut back on grid dependency for energy,” Mayor Pauline Cutter said. “The City of San Leandro has been on a mission to improve the way we operate for years, and what we’ve learned is that technologies of, and for, the future are required to accomplish it. This green energy project by Climatec meets future demands as it aligns with our sustainability efforts.”

The WPCP has been San Leandro’s largest consumer of energy among city facilities. The plant regulates, collects, treats, and disposes of wastewater, which are essential functions for protecting San Francisco Bay’s water quality and the broader ecosystem. It also supplements the local water supply with recycled water, cleaning about five million gallons of wastewater a day, with spikes of up to 14 million gallons.

The new solar panels make it possible for the plant to generate its own energy, reducing overall usage by at least 45% — that’s up to $247,500 in city general fund savings each year. Other new efficiency improvements include intelligent HVAC controls and LED lights that further optimize the WPCP’s energy use, as well as battery storage that turns the solar array and plant into a micro-grid capable of keeping critical services running during power outages.

The WPCP improvements are a part of Smart City San Leandro, a citywide effort to implement technologies and infrastructure that is creating a brighter future. Because of these improvements, San Leandro met its Climate Action Plan goal of reducing 2005 emission levels by 25% before 2020. More information about Smart City San Leandro projects is posted on its webpage at smartcitysl.com.

Alameda County Fire Department Log

Submitted by ACFD

Saturday, March 26

• At 6:57 a.m. crews responded to multiple 911 caller reports about smoke and fire coming from a residence on the 1600 block of Via Ventana in San Lorenzo. Firefighters contained the blaze in under 30 minutes. A person and a dog inside the residence evacuated safely; no injuries were reported.

BART Police Log

Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD

Sunday, April 17

• At 1:13 p.m. a man identified by police as Edward Gonzalez Jr. 32, of Hayward was arrested at Hayward station on an outstanding warrant. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 9:21 p.m. a man identified by police as Matthew Rollins, 39, of Newark was arrested at San Leandro station on outstanding warrants and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Monday, April 18

• At 8:55 a.m. a man identified by police as Martin Umanzor, 25, of Hayward was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on two outstanding warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Tuesday, April 19

• At 8:57 p.m. a man identified by police as Markus Strong, 33, of Oakland was arrested at San Leandro station on suspicion of disobeying a court order, possession of drug paraphernalia and vandalism. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Wednesday, April 20

• At 8:07 a.m. a man identified by police as Robert Vallejo, 32, of Hayward was detained at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed a $20,000 warrant and a $1,000 warrant both charging petty theft. He was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Thursday, April 21

• At 8:26 a.m. a man identified by police as James Green, 30, of San Francisco was detained at Milpitas station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed three outstanding warrants. He was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.
• At 7:30 p.m. a man identified by police as Eric Daniels, 31, of Newark was detained at Milpitas station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed an outstanding warrant. He was arrested on the warrant and additional charges of possessing tear gas and resisting arrest. He was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Robber enters restaurant through drive-thru window

Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP), April 18 — A knife-wielding woman robbed a Taco Bell restaurant in North Carolina by climbing through the drive-thru window and grabbing a cash drawer, police said.

Winston-Salem police said in a news release that the unidentified woman fled in a brown sport utility vehicle after robbing the fast-food restaurant on April 16. No injuries were reported.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported that the woman was swinging a large knife as she entered the restaurant through the window, then stole an undisclosed amount of money.

Dump those old prescription drugs, here’s how

By Rob Klindt

On Saturday, April 30, numerous police departments and other agencies in the greater East and South Bay areas will be partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on its 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The event is designed to give the public an opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

People are encouraged to bring their unneeded medications for disposal to their closest participating agency. Most prescription drugs, including pills and patches are eligible for the event, however needles, sharps and syringes cannot be accepted. The service is free and anonymous, with no questions asked.

In addition, e-cigarette and vaping devices will be collected for safe disposal. The DEA will accept these items from individual consumers only after the batteries are removed from them.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

More than 4,200 law enforcement agencies across the nation participated in the last Prescription Drug Take Back Day held in October 2021. For more information, visit the DEA National Take Back Day website at www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Drug Take Back Day

Saturday, Apr 30

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

Eden Township Substation

15001 Foothill Blvd. San Leandro

(510) 667-7721

Fremont Police Department

(In partnership with Fremont Elks Lodge)

Elks Lodge, 38991 Farwell Drive, Fremont

(510) 790-6800

Hayward Police Department

300 W. Winton Ave., Hayward

(510) 293-7000

Milpitas Police Department

1275 N. Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas

(408) 586-2400

Union City Police Department

34009 Alvarado-Niles Road, Union City

(510) 471-1365

Fremont Fire Department Log

Submitted by Fremont Fire Department

Sunday, April 17

• At 1:17 p.m. firefighters responded to a report about a fire outside a single-family residence on Klamath Street. The one-alarm exterior blaze spread to the home’s garage and caused minimal damage to the interior. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fremont Police Log

Submitted by Yanneth Contrada, Fremont PD

Thursday, April 14

• At 7:52 p.m. officers responded to a report about an assault with a deadly weapon in the 41000 block of Albrae St. A female reported that she had been stabbed while inside her motorhome. The injuries were determined to be non-life threatening. She was unable to provide officers with any investigative leads.

Friday, April 15

• At about 12:57 a.m. officers made a pedestrian stop in the area of Mowry Avenue and Fremont Boulevard. A record check showed the male suspect had a felony warrant charging burglary. The suspect, identified by police as Hayden Lozano, 33, a homeless resident from Fremont, was arrested.

• At about 4:37 p.m. an officer was flagged down about an in-progress petty theft at the Safeway grocery store, 39100 Argonaut Way. Safeway employees recognized the suspect from a theft that occurred the day prior at a Safeway in Dublin. Officers stopped the suspect as he left the store with almost $900 worth of meat and seafood. The suspect, identified by police as Deajuan Willard, 18, of Oakland was arrested.

• At 10:07 p.m. officers responded to a report about a weapon being brandished at The Huddle bar, 5152 Mowry Ave. It was reported that after a heavily intoxicated male brandished a knife, several bar patrons restrained him and took the knife from him. The suspect, identified by police as Thomas Kimmich, 54, of San Jose was arrested.

Saturday, April 16

• At about 12:25 p.m. a commercial burglary occurred at Windsor Country Drive Care Facility, 2500 Country Drive. A male pounded on a locked entry door, then threw a boulder into the glass causing it to shatter, then he entered the facility. The male, later identified by police as Lester Harris, 57, of Oakland, reportedly pushed a staff member and was found to be in possession of a controlled substance. He was arrested.

City pledges to defend itself in lawsuit

Submitted by City of San Leandro

After learning about a lawsuit filed April 15 by the estate of Steven Taylor, San Leandro city officials expressed resolve and understanding, but said the city will defend itself in court. Taylor died in a fatal shooting involving a former San Leandro Police Department (SLPD) officer in April 2020 at a Walmart store on Hesperian Boulevard.

In a statement released April 19 by the city, officials said that Taylor’s death has led to significant changes in the SLPD’s use of force policies and training and has spurred productive discussion throughout the community about racial justice and social equity.

“The death of Steven Taylor was a tragedy that has profoundly affected our department and those we serve,” noted Police Chief Abdul Pridgen, who took over as chief after the incident.  “I am committed to continuing the many changes we’ve already put in place to save the lives of those who need our help the most.”

After the city is served with the lawsuit, city officials said it will file an answer and commence with the legal process, while continuing to monitor the criminal case against former SLPD officer Jason Fletcher. In each of these legal matters, city officials said it must be a responsible steward of public funds, including defending itself against actions that it believes to be excessive or unwarranted.

“I continue to hear from residents about the great loss they feel in Mr. Taylor’s death, and the City Council has made it our priority to improve our
policing practices, eliminate systemic racism, and promote social justice for everyone who lives in this community,” said Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter. “We will defend against this lawsuit, but we have learned from this tragic death and will never forget Steven Taylor and his lasting impact on San Leandro.”

San Leandro Police Log

Submitted by San Leandro PD

Sunday, April 17

• At about 11:30 p.m. officers responded to a disturbance call in the 1100 block of Avon Avenue. Upon arrival, officers learned a 33-year-old Sacramento man fired several shots into the air from a handgun during an altercation with a resident, believed to be an ex-girlfriend. The man told officers he intended to kill both occupants of the home. He was arrested on several gun-related charges and taken to San Leandro Police Department Jail. At 2:00 a.m. the next day, jail personnel found the man unconscious and hanging inside his cell. With the assistance of paramedics, the man was revived and taken to a hospital. SLPD has asked an outside independent investigator to review the incident. The identity of the suspect has not been released.

Monday, April 18

• At about 4:15 p.m. officers responded to a report about a hit and run collision with injuries in the area of Fairway and Monarch Bay drives. Upon arrival, officers found a Monarch Bay Golf Course employee who had been riding a lawnmower unconscious on the ground and suffering significant injuries. Officers also located a stolen Dodge Ram pickup truck at the scene. Multiple witness reported seeing the vehicle driving recklessly in the area before colliding with the lawnmower. Witnesses also said they saw the occupants of the pickup truck flee the collision. About 90 minutes later, police located a passenger from the pickup truck several miles away and made an arrest based on an outstanding warrant. The driver was located and arrested the next day. The victim of the collision died from injuries on April 20. The driver of the pickup trick, identified by police as Jason McDermott, 43, of Oakland faces negligent vehicular manslaughter, hit and run with injuries and other charges from the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.

Lady Pioneers named to All-CCAA Team

Submitted by Cal State East Bay Athletics

California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) named its postseason honors for women’s golf. From Cal State East Bay, Drishti Karumbaya and Jasmin Krishna were named to the All-CCAA Team for the 2021-22 season. For Karumbaya, her CCAA postseason honor is the third of her career.

Notable highlights:

Drishti Karumbaya

• Two-time CCAA Golfer of the Week – Sept. 22-28 and Feb. 23-March 1
• Tied for first in the RJGA Shootout at Estrella.
• Tied for eighth place at CCAA Championships.
• Placed second at Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout.

Jasmin Krishna

• First place in Bay Area Invitational.
• Two-time CCAA Golfer of the Week – February 16-22 and March 30-April 5
• Tied for second place in back-to-back tournaments played in the same week RJGA Palm Valley Classic and Sonoma State Women’s Spring Invitational.

“Drishti and Jasmin have been the two best statistically this spring season and have led our team to great success. They are a major reason why we have an opportunity to earn a selection to the NCAA Regional Championships. This honor is well deserved for both of them!” says Head Coach Alan Sue.

The Pioneers are eagerly waiting to see if they are selected to the National Collegiate Athletic Association West Regional, which takes place in Stockton at Brookside Golf & Country Club.

Lady Colts’ Softball tough loss

By Angela Xiong

On Thursday, April 21, James Logan High School Colts (Union City) played an intense softball game against the Amador Valley High School Dons (Pleasanton). From the start, the junior varsity game was lively and dynamic with multiple successful runs and strong batting on both sides. Logan played aggressively in the bottom of the second inning, hitting the ball into the outfield and securing one home run after loading up runners on the second and third base. The Dons quickly matched the Colts combative rhythm with one home run and a swift slide to second base at the top of the third inning.

Coming into the bottom of the third inning, the Colts maintained their batting streak with the fifth batter making a hit far into the outfield that resulted in two runs. As the game continued, the Dons quickly established momentum and reversed the scores through multiple home runs and loaded bases. At the bottom of the sixth inning, all three of Logan’s batters struck out and Amador won 11-4.

Reflecting on the game and the remainder of the softball season, Amador Valley Softball Coach Casey said “Overall, the team did very good and had strong defensive plays towards the end of the game. [This season], I hope that the players continue to push themselves, grow and play competitively against the teams in the East Bay Athletic League.”

Letter to the Editor

Moral Obligations

To its ever-lasting shame, H.A.R.D.’s board of directors last year voted 4:1 not to make any changes in their rodeo animal welfare policy unless required to do so by either Alameda County Board of Supervisors or State Legislature, foregoing their moral responsibility to these abused animals.

The Board of Supes rightfully banned the children’s cruel “mutton busting” event in 2019. They should have banned “wild cow milking” at the same time, for it is far more problematic (sometimes fatal, and blatantly sexist), and has been our main focus from the beginning.

There is major professional and public support for the ban: Alameda County Veterinary Medical Association, State Humane Association, East Bay SPCA, Hayward Friends of Animals, Ohlone Humane Society, all Bay Area Humane Societies and the general public. An online petition has garnered more than 180,000 signatures.

One of these stressed-out cows jumped the fence at the 2014 Rowell rodeo and suffered a broken neck and prolapsed eyeball. She had to be euthanized, leaving an orphaned calf. And all in the name of “entertainment,” may God forgive us.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors needs to resolve this issue before the May 20-22 Rowell Ranch Rodeo. Board President Keith Carson sets the weekly agenda. He needs to hear from us:

1221 Oak Street

Oakland, CA 94612

ke**********@ag**.org

(510) 272-6695

As Supervisor Nate Miley wrote in his 2019 Spring Newsletter: “Any form of violence is repugnant.” Indeed. But talk is cheap. We need ACTION! Do it for the late Wilma Chan, an avowed animal lover.

Eric Mills

Coordinator, Action For Animals

Letter to the Editor

Hypocrisy In Action

The 25-year lease at Mission Peak Regional Preserve expired in 2020, and the park has operated month-to-month ever since. In November 2021, a member of Fremont city council made the following comments about the 42 free parking spaces at Mission Peak’s Stanford entrance:

“I really do think it is very irresponsible to have free parking at this time of where we are in the history of the planet. We cannot continue to offer free parking especially in an area where people are driving around and around looking for parking. It’s really bad for the environment. We claim to be a city that cares about climate change and that (free parking at the Stanford staging area) is not consistent with that. Mayor Mei said that there’s a cost to charging for parking but that isn’t necessarily the case because when we instituted the permit parking in the neighborho
od, apparently, from what we were told, that is actually not costing us anything, because the revenues from that are actually covering the cost so there doesn’t have to be a cost to having paid parking. And I think it is very irresponsible to have free parking especially when the Ohlone parking lot charges.”

https://fremontca.viebit.com/player.php?hash=ms9wwBYREuXe (03h 12m 59s)

The councilmember seems to have forgotten that in 2016 the council approved free parking permits, which gave away more than 1,000 free curb spaces to residents near the Stanford Avenue entrance. In 2021, the city cracked down on parking citywide, and hired three new enforcement employees. The new hires were billed as “revenue neutral,” at a total compensation of $360,000 per year. In 2021, the parking fines at Mission Peak amounted to around $100,000, not nearly enough to cover the salaries of the enforcement officers.

In mid-2021, the city council took another step towards the holy grail of revenue neutrality. The council hiked parking fines citywide by 19 percent to $75, while fines at Mission Peak were increased by 30 percent to $82. In 2021, police dispatchers received over 600 calls from Mission Peak residents, most complaining of cars parked on the public streets in front of their houses. Residents are provided free parking and they are provided enhanced city services when their neighborhood has the lowest crime rates in the city.

Pointing the finger of blame at East Bay Regional Parking District for having 42 free spaces is hypocrisy and demonstrates a bias towards entitled residents. Blocking access to park visitors is exclusionary by design and a stain on our city’s reputation. We should be promoting our city’s top attraction and working with EBRPD to make sure each visitor’s experience is welcoming.

 

William Yragui

co-founder, Mission Peak Conservancy

Santa Clara County appoints first ever female Fire Chief

Submitted by Santa Clara County Fire Department

On April 19, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors appointed Suwanna L. Kerdkaew as the tenth fire chief of SantaClara County Fire Department. Chief Kerdkaew will transition from her current role as Acting Assistant Chief on Wednesday, April 20.

Since being hired in 2002, Chief Kerdkaew has served in the capacity of firefighter, engineer, paramedic, captain, battalion chief, deputy chief and assistant chief. The Chief has helped lead and guide the department through complex situations, including multiple deployments to major wildfires statewide.

Chief Kerdkaew is the first female fire chief in County Fire’s 75-year history. “I am happy to appoint Suwanna Kerdkaew as the new Santa Clara County Fire Chief; her extensive experience within the Department made her an ideal candidate for the role,” said Mike Wasserman, President of Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. “I have no doubt that her seasoned decision-making ability and dedication to interagency cooperation will help keep Santa Clara County residents safe.”

“Chief Kerdkaew has been serving within County Fire in times of great challenges – such as the SCU Lightning Complex fires – while also adjusting to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wasserman added. “I wholeheartedly trust that she will continue the commendable legacy of chiefs before her.”

Chief Kerdkaew is committed to continuing County Fire’s tradition of courtesy and service. “I am honored and humbled to be appointed to this position. I am committed to excellence and progressive decision making as Santa Clara County Fire Department continues to address the evolving challenges that are faced by our county and state.”

Judge tosses Girl Scouts’ recruitment suit vs. Boy Scouts

By Larry Neumeister

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP), April 7 — A federal judge on April 7 tossed out a lawsuit in which the Girl Scouts claim that the Boy Scouts are creating marketplace confusion and damaging their recruitment efforts through their use of words such as “scouts” and “scouting.”

Manhattan Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein ruled that the Boy Scouts of America can describe their activities as “scouting” without referring to gender and that the matter does not need to be put to a jury. Hellerstein said his written decision caps a “serious, contentious and expensive” litigation and necessitates dismissal of the lawsuit brought by the Girls Scouts of the United States of America.

The lawsuit was filed in late 2018, a year after the Boy Scouts announced that boy scouting and cub scouting would be open to girls, leading the two organizations to compete for members after social trends and a rise in sports league participation drove down membership for decades. The pattern was worsened when the pandemic hit.

Hellerstein’s decision comes while the Boy Scouts are in bankruptcy proceedings in Delaware that began in February 2020. The Irving, Texas-based organization sought bankruptcy protection after it was named in hundreds of lawsuits brought by individuals claiming they were molested by scout leaders as minors. Messages seeking comment left with lawyers in the case were not immediately returned.

In his decision, Hellerstein wrote that he was siding with the Boy Scouts because the Girls Scouts cannot prove that a likelihood of confusion was caused by the Boy Scouts’ use of the “scout” terms.

Ohlone winning streak

By April Ramos

Photos by Don Jedlovec

After a close game against the De Anza Mountain Lions the previous day, Ohlone Renegades came onto the baseball diamond on Saturday, April 23^rd, determined to keep their 32 game winning streak alive.

Ohlone swiftly dominated the Mountain Lions with the first two batters grounding out and the third batter being struck out. With a great start defensively, the Renegades had an even better offensive game. Ohlone’s Damien Stone, Clay Facteau and Stevie Hom hit the first three home runs of the game. With poor pitching from the Mountain Lions, Ohlone ended the first inning at 7-0.

Ohlone continued their trend effortlessly throughout the game scoring six more runs by the end of the fifth inning with great batters and strategic pitching.

With the Mountain Lions struggling to score, DeAnza’s Aaron Marquez hit an impressive home run at the top of the sixth inning giving them their first run of the game. The Renegades reacted quickly to Marquez’s hit and brought in six more runs by the end of the sixth inning and nine at the end of the seventh, including home runs by Damien Stone and Youhyeon Choi.

DeAnza managed to get one more home run by Caleb Severson at the top of the eighth, but Ohlone ultimately prevailed with a 28-2 final score.

IAD042622

CONTINUING EVENTS:

Monday – Saturday, April 1 – 30

The Square Show

11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Group exhibition of 6×6” works

Portola Art Gallery

Allied Arts Guild

75 Arbor Rd., Menlo Park

www.portolaartgallery.com

 

Thursday – Sundays, March 31 – May 29

Visions of Spring

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

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

Bankhead Theater Gallery

2400 First St., Livermore

www.livermorearts.org

Free

Thursday – Sunday, April 21 – June 25

Hidden Treasures, Local Talent

12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Opening reception Friday, May 6 @ 7 p.m.

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 791-4357

Fremont.gov/OliveHyde

Saturdays and Sundays, March 26 – May 1

Wildflower Walk

10 a.m.

Enjoy the beauty of spring on this guided stroll

Sunol Visitor Center

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

www.ebparks.org

UPCOMING

Thursday, April 21 – Saturday, April 30

Bay Area Science Festival $R

Northern California’s largest education event

Various locations

www.bayareasciencefestival.org

Thursday, April 28 R

Ohlone College Tri-Cities Career Center Resume & Interviewing

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Key concepts in resume writing and job interviewing

Age Well Center at South Fremont

47111 Mission Falls Ct., Fremont

http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses

Thursday, Apr 28

Peace and Climate Justice Go Together

5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Rally for decreasing fossil fuels and living in peace

Walnut & Paseo Padre, Fremont

Facebook page: @tcicouncil

Thursday, April 28

Flower-arranging Demonstration with Maria Luna R

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Learn the basics of flower arranging

Olive Hyde Art Center Mission Room

123 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 791-4357

Register at https://olivehydeartguild.org/

Thursday, April 28

Westmont of Milpitas 1 Year Anniversary R

2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Snacks, drinks, entertainment – with Mayor Tran and Councilmember Chua

RSVP by 4/26

80 Cedar Way, Milpitas

(408) 228-4495

Thursday, April 28

Career Fair R

12 noon – 12:30 p.m.

Ohlone College Fremont Campus

43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont

Questions? Email Raj Rai @ rr**@oh***.edu

Register at https://bit.ly/3uNt8Ao

Thursday – Saturday, April 28-30

Animal Feeding

3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Check for eggs and feed livestock

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Thursday – Friday, April 28-29

Patterson House Tours

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

Tour the Patterson House Museum

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Thursday – Friday, April 28-29

Ride the Rails

10:20 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.

Travel on the train through the eucalyptus groves

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Friday – Saturday, April 29-30

Music of the Americas $

Fri: 8 p.m., Sat: 2 p.m.

Chorus sings favorites from South America and the Caribbean

Douglas Morrison Theatre

22311 N. Third Street, Hayward

Tickets available at 1099 E St., Hayward

or online at www.haywardrec.org

Friday, April 29

Shradhanjali $

7:30 p.m.

Musical tribute to legendary Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar

India Community Center

525 Los Coches St., Milpitas

(510) 378-7298

https://tinyurl.com/dabandd

Saturday, April 30

Chickens and Dinos

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Discover connection between chickens and dinosaurs

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 30

Victorian Table Top Games

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Play a game of ball and cup, tops, or Jacob’s Ladder

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 30

Storytime With Nancy Johnson James

11 a.m.

This week’s book: Black: The Many Wonders of My World

Books on B

1014 B St., Hayward

(510) 538-3943

https://www.booksonb.com/event/

Saturday, April 30

Native Land, Native Hands

2 p.m.

American Sign Language-choreography, dance, text, and original music

At the Bear Hunt Sculpture

California School for the Deaf

39350 Gallaudet Dr., Fremont

www.epihanydance.net

Saturday, April 30

Dance Day

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Celebrate International Day of Dance

Dumbarton Quarry on the Bay

9400 Quarry Rd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday, April 30

Pocket Pet Adoptions

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Rabbits and guinea pigs galore!

Free adoptions to qualified homes

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

www.HaywardAnimals.org

Saturday, April 30

Hayward Lit Hop

2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Hear poetry at various downtown venues

Starts at the Hayward Main Library

888 C St., Hayward

www.haywardlithop.com

Saturday, April 30

BikeMobile Free Bike Repair

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Fix flat tires, adjust brakes and gears

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley

www.aclibrary.org

Saturday, April 30

Corn Hole Tournament $R

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Single and double matches available for ages 16+

Birdhaus Beer Garden

3821 Smith St., Union City

(510) 675-5805

https://bit.ly/3rHNetT

Saturday, April 30

Flower Photography

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Photographer Don Jedlovec teaches tips and tricks

Via Facebook Live

https://www.facebook.com/sunolRW

Saturday, April 30

Prescription Drug Take Back Day

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Accepting any unused/expired drugs and e-cigarettes/vaping devices

Visit website for locations: www.dea.gov/takebackday

Saturday – Sunday, April 30 – May 1

Nectar Garden Exploration

11 a.m. – 12 noon

Discover native pollinators and plants

Coyote Hills Visitor Center

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Saturday – Sunday, April 30 – May 1

In-Person Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour R

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Locals show off native gardens and green home features

Various locations

https://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/registration

Suggested donation: $15

Saturday, Apr 30 – Sunday, May 1

Water Lantern Festival $

5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Almaden Lake Park

6099 Winfield Blvd., San Jose

https://www.waterlanternfestival.com/

Lantern kits: $
50

Sunday, May 1

Stroll & Roll

7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

7 a.m. – 8 a.m.: Cyclists only

Quarry Lakes Regional Recreational Area – 2100 Isherwood Way

Walk or ride along Niles Canyon Road.

Crafts, art, and food trucks! No pets.

Parking with free shuttle service:

SFPUC Lot – 11600 Pleasanton Sunol Rd.

Fremont BART – 2000 Bart Way

www.84strollroll.com

Sunday, May 1

Fun with Felting

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Learn how felt is made from sheep’s wool

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Sunday, May 1

Squiggles and Squawks

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Learn the language of birds, bunnies, goats and more

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Sunday, May 1

Meet the Chickens

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Check out a coop full of chickens

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

www.ebparks.org

Sunday, May 1

Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Service

7 p.m.

Second generation survivor discusses her mother’s journey and legacy

Temple Beth Torah Synagogue

42000 Paseo Padre pkwy, Fremont

Registration deadline: 4/29

https://bit.ly/YomHaShoah5782

Sunday, May 1

2022 Young Recitalists $

2 p.m.

Performance by young musicians

First United Methodist Church

2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 381-2702

Tickets available at the door: Adults $25, Students $10

Sunday, May 1

Woodworking Demonstration

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Turning logs into functional and beautiful objects

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

Monday, May 2

Picking Your College Major

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Discussion on choices for college students

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

Tuesday – Saturday, May 3 – 7

Empty the Shelter Event

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Adopt a cat, dog, rabbit or guinea pig for $20

Hayward Animal Shelter

16 Barnes Ct., Hayward

www.Haywardanimals.org

Wednesday, May 4

Fremont Art Association general meeting/demo artist

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Guest artist will demo her process for creating mixed media on textile.

Via Zoom

Link will be provided upon registration.

https://www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo