Celebrating 38 Years of Fun in the Sun!
Submitted by Jenifer Bonior
Photos by Victor Carvellas
The 38th annual Fremont Festival of the Arts returns to Downtown Fremont on August 6 and 7—The largest free art, wine and music festival west of the Mississippi with activities and entertainment for all ages.
This year’s festival will have hundreds of top-quality artisan booths, gourmet food trucks, beer and wine in branded cups, and continuous live music on two stages. A festive combination of street performers includes face painters and henna tattoos, plus the fabulous Kid City will amuse the youngest festivalgoers with lively rides, games and shows.
The Fremont Festival of the Arts is sponsored by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce. Hundreds of Artists Booths will showcase handmade works of art crafted by talented artists from all over. From paintings and drawings, to jewelry and clothing, to household decorations and furnishing, every piece of beautiful art sold at the Fremont Festival of the Arts is a unique or rare find with many being one-of-a-kind pieces.
Gourmet Marketplace will be selling ingredients and condiments such as unique rubs, spice blends and marinades, designer oils and vinegars, and flavorful chutneys and relishes. The ultimate foodie will also appreciate perusing the handmade jerkies, varietal honeys, seasoned and candied nuts, and a wide variety of delectable desserts. Wine and beer are $10 and come with a festival-branded cup.
In addition, the Festival will offer a variety of food for sale, including porchetta sandwiches, shoyu pork buns, empanadas, seafood gumbo and handspun cotton candy. Food Trucks will be on hand selling the hottest in street food and food-truck cult favorites. Many of the food partners for the Festival are run by non-profit organizations that use this opportunity as one of their major fundraising sources each year. Over the past three decades, an estimated $11 million has been raised at the Festival for the local communities.
A special Business Marketplace is not to be missed! Festivalgoers can benefit from special deals and promos offered by participants, as well as some free prizes and giveaways! Businesses include retails shops, health and wellness facilities, schools, and professional services.
The youngest Festival attendees will get to experience the fabulous Kid City with activities and performers just for kids. Kid City will feature magicians, jugglers, balloon animals, carnival rides, arts & crafts and so much more.
Admission is free. For more information and an updated list of vendors and entertainment, visit the Festival website: http://www.fremontfestival.net.
38th annual Fremont Festival of the Arts
Saturday, Aug 6 – Sunday, Aug 7
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Downtown Fremont
Paseo Padre Parkway & Walnut Avenues
http://www.fremontfestival.net
Larry O Car Show
Submitted by Chris Valuckas
City of Union City’s Recreation Services Department invites the community to the 9th annual Larry O Car Show on Saturday, August 13 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Those who want to register a car or truck can call (510) 675-5495, or stop by Ruggieri Senior Center at 33997 Alvarado-Niles Road.
As in years past, local senior citizens will be proudly displaying cars and trucks, antique, custom, hot rods, to originals from the 30s – 70s. This auto show is intergenerational and brings together young and old.
This event will also include a food truck, live music by DJ Jose & Mr. Extremo, a 50/50 raffle drawing, and special prizes. Hosting will be Union City Mayor Carol Dutra Vernaci!
Larry O Car Show
Saturday, Aug 13
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Ruggieri Senior Center parking lot
33997 Alvarado-Niles Rd, Union City
(510) 675-5495
Unioncity.org
Ohana Health Fair is back!
Submitted by Linda Goldsmith
Photo credit: Bay Area Community Health
Bay Area Community Health (BACH) is excited to bring families together again at the informative, entertaining, and free Ohana Health Fair. Ohana means “family” in Hawaiian.
The Fairs will be hosted from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on consecutive Saturdays in two locations: in Gilroy on August 6 and in Newark on August 13.
Community members will learn about BACH’s services at resource booths staffed by service providers and health experts. They will be joined by a diverse group of community partners, representing the needs of communities served by BACH. In addition to nutrition and physical fitness, BACH’s community partners will address immigration law, domestic violence prevention, food insecurity, child abuse prevention, and LBGTQ+ issues. BACH will provide free health screenings and COVID vaccinations to people of all ages.
According to BACH's Chief Executive Officer, Zettie D. Page, III, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, MSW, MS, “Health education is central to our partnership with the communities we serve in Alameda and Santa Clara counties. This year's Ohana Health Fair focuses on connecting people to needed services provided by Bay Area Community Health and our diverse community partners. We encourage community members to actively participate in their health and wellness through these connections.”
Fairs will offer activities for all ages, including engaging guest speakers, fun fitness coaching, live music, and dance performances during the day. There also will be numerous raffle prizes, including iPads, gas and grocery coupons, San Jose Sharks memorabilia, bicycles, and Disney on Ice tickets.
For more information about the Ohana Health Fair or volunteering at these events, please contact BACH's Community Engagement Manager, Carolina Arroyo-Solveson, at csolveson@bach.health or (408) 609-1618.
Ohana Health Fair
Saturday, Aug 13
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Newark Community Center
35501 Cedar Blvd., Newark
Alameda County launches 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Submitted by City of Fremont
A new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) is now available to offer 24/7 call, text, and chat access to trained crisis counselors who can confidentially help people experiencing suicidal, substance use, and/or mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that have helped thousands of struggling people overcome suicidal crisis or mental-health related distress every day.
People can call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. Meanwhile, anyone who is experience an immediate life-threatening situation should call 911.
A ‘Mission San Jose Village’
Submitted by Glauco Romeo
Most people who live in Fremont’s Mission San Jose district would like to preserve the area’s village charm to create a similar old-timey vibe to that found in downtown Niles. Artwork would grace the streets where specialty stores, restaurants and coffee bars would mix with historic architecture. What residents do not want is the invasion of large residential buildings that have proliferated all over Fremont.
One structure in particular should be preserved: What used to be McIvor’s Hardware store on Ellsworth Street. There are historical and practical reasons to keep the now-empty building where it stands. Bob McIvor, the “Mayor of Mission San Jose,” was a prominent member of our community. His legacy goes back at least one more generation, to that of his father, who operated a blacksmith shop and a small version of the hardware store from 1922 to the mid-1950’s. (The building is now Firestone Photography.) The adjacent premises, now used by the Mission Coffee Roasting Company, was a larger hardware store from mid-1950’s to 1989. The hardware store was finally moved to the building on Ellsworth Street from 1989, where it operated until it closed in March of 2018. The Ellsworth location was the completion of Bob’s vision for the hardware store.
From a practical standpoint, instead of tearing it down and replacing it with a residential structure, the building can be converted into a “Creativity Center” where people can pursue activities ranging from art to computer projects. Funds for the establishment of such a center could be provided by the State of California, by the City of Fremont and by donations from businesses and private citizens.
The idea of this project is only in embryo. Readers of this article interested in this project can email Maria G. Romeo, a local artist, at mgr.art@aurim.com.
Astronomy classes at Ohlone
Submitted by Eric Wegryn
In-person astronomy classes are returning to Ohlone College Newark campus this fall, after being offered exclusively online for spring and summer.
Dr. Eric Wegryn will teach two courses, geared toward non-science majors: Astronomy 101A, a lecture course focusing on the Solar System; and Astronomy 102, a lab course that includes telescope training and usage. Units are transferable to the UC and Cal State Universities.
“ASTR 102 has not been taught in-person in three years, and I am greatly looking forward to getting our telescopes out of storage and teaching students how to use them. Jupiter's moons and Saturn's rings will head the list of targets that students can see this fall,” said Wegryn.
These fall classes are a unique opportunity for students, as Dr. Wegryn has been selected as one of NASA’s Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors, through the SETI Institute. He will miss one week of classes to fly onboard NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infradred Astronomy (SOFIA), a mobile observatory inside a 747 aircraft. When he returns from his mission, Dr. Wegryn will be able to incorporate his experience into his teaching.
NASA and the SETI Institute have provided Dr. Wegryn with curriculum to use in his class, covering SOFIA and infrared astronomy. They even provided equipment for classroom demos, including an infrared camera that students can plug into their smartphones.
Says Wegryn, “There’s no doubt that the experience will make Astronomy at Ohlone College this fall very inspirational and memorable.”
Registration for fall term is underway. Learn more at: www.ohlone.edu/newark
Celebrating the Fruits of the Tri-Valley in New Gallery Exhibit
Submitted by Ruth Egherman
A new, delightful exhibit “Ferment” will be on display at the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery from August 4 through October 2, 2022. This fermented and distilled-themed juried art exhibition will celebrate the beauty of vines, hops, and fermented drinks, all fruits of this lush and bountiful Tri-Valley. Viewers of this exhibition can relish in vineyard vistas, still lifes, expressive art, and figurative works that will tell the story of human interaction and our love of fermented products. The public is invited to experience this lavish exhibit at the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead Theater in Downtown Livermore.
Ferment
Thursday, Aug 4 – Sunday, Oct 2
Thurs – Sun: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery
2400 First St, Livermore
livermorearts.org
Get ready to party in the street
Submitted by the Hayward Chamber of Commerce
Summer will be heating up August 18 when the annual Downtown Hayward Street Party returns to B Street. The three-hour event starts at 5:30 p.m. and will include a vintage and hot rod car show, live music, scrumptious food and unique street vendors.
If that’s not enough, there also will be a beer and wine garden for adults, arts and crafts, games for kids and family activities. Everything will be held outdoors under the cool shade of trees lining B and Main streets and at nearby Newman Park in downtown Hayward.
Music will be provided by The Flow (Jazz, R&B), Patron (Latin Jazz, Mambo), Third Sol (Funk, Latin, R&B) and visitors are encouraged to bring their best dance moves. And the best part? Everyone is invited and admission is free.
The event is a partnership between the Hayward Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Hayward Improvement Association and the City of Hayward.
Downtown Hayward Street Party
Thursday, Aug 18
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Live music, classic car show, food, family fun
B and Main Streets, Newman Park, downtown Hayward
(510) 537-2424
www.hayward.org
Admission: Free
Music & Art in Hayward Memorial Park!
Submitted by Julie Machado
“Plunge” into music for Summer Sundays in the Park! Hayward Odd Fellows Sycamore Lodge #129 is partnering with H.A.R.D. and local non-profits for the 12th Annual Summer Concert Series on a series of Sundays from August to September at Hayward Memorial Park. Concerts are held in the outdoor amphitheater behind the Hayward Plunge indoor swim center.
Enjoy a variety of music such as Blues, Big Band & Jazz, Original “Feel Good Music,” and Rock ‘n' Roll! Bring a blanket or lawn chairs, a picnic (no alcohol), and enjoy an afternoon in the park with music, art, & dance! Kids of all ages are welcome to come create chalk art! Refreshments will be available for purchase with donations (cash only).
The program runs from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. on most Sundays from August 7 through September 25. Admission is free. A tot lot is nearby, as is a lovely hiking trail, tennis courts and plenty of free parking. This magnificent local park is managed by Hayward Area Parks and Recreation District.
Each event will showcase and benefit one of our area’s 501c3 nonprofit groups, which do much of the heavy lifting in the community. All donations received go to the featured 501c3 non-profit of the day and are tax deductible.
Sunday, August 7: Swing with the 3 O'Clock Jump big band, and rock out with The Carisbrook Complex. Enjoy refreshments by celebrity chef Hayward City Council Member Francisco Zermeno. All proceeds benefit the Sun Gallery www.sungallery.org
Sunday, August 14: Uncle Rico’s with the Hypnotones, Mike Meagher’s Music Machine, Brown & Lee and Spirit Flute. All proceeds benefit the Young Murialist Program
Sunday, August 21: Sandi and the Rockerfellers, Gravity+4, and Karen Soo Hoo. All proceeds benefit the HARD Foundation with celebrity chefs Paul Hodges, Dennis Waespi and Jim Wheeler www.haywardrec.org/191
Sunday, August 28: Joe Kady, Dee Smith & Friends, and Kari & the SweetspOts, with celebrity chef Hayward City Council Member Mark Salinas. All proceeds benefit South Hayward Parish http://southhaywardparish.org
Sunday, September 11: The La Honda All Stars perform, alumni from many years of music camp. All proceeds benefit Hayward-La Honda Music Camp www.lahondamusiccamp.org
Sunday, September 18: Giant Garage Spiders, Chris Marquis and Sycamore 129 Blues Band. All proceeds benefit the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO) http://fescofamilyshelter.org
Sunday, September 25: East Bay Youth Orchestra, East Bay Symphonic Band, and Flute Choir benefiting the East Bay Youth Orchestra www.ebyo.org
These concerts are sponsored by H.A.R.D. and Hayward Odd Fellows Sycamore Lodge #129 www.HaywardLodge.org . Thank you also to co-sponsors Berkeley Lodge #270 and Pacheco Lodge #117.
12th Annual Summer Concert Series
Sundays, Aug 7 – Sept 25
1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Hayward Memorial Park
24176 Mission Blvd, Hayward
www.haywardlodge.org
Free Admission
Kaiser Permanente hospitals lauded for stroke and pneumonia care
Submitted by Antonia Ehlers
Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s hospitals are recognized for delivering high-quality care to stroke and pneumonia patients among other common adult conditions, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-23 Best Hospitals ratings and rankings, released July 26.
U.S. News & World Report’s 33rd annual study analyzes 15 specialties and 20 procedures and common adult conditions to assess hospital performance. According to the report:
- All Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are “high performing” for stroke and pneumonia care. High performers are based on the evaluations of more than 4,500 U.S. medical centers and represent the top 20% of hospitals in the nation.
- Seven Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals are ranked among the top 50 hospitals in California: Oakland, Richmond, Roseville, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Leandro and South Sacramento are all rated among the state’s best hospitals.
- Kaiser Permanente Vallejo hospital is among the top 30 hospitals in the nation for rehabilitation out of more than 4,500 hospitals evaluated.
In its hospital analysis, U.S. News & World Report uses publicly available data such as volume, mortality rates, infection rates, staffing levels, and patient satisfaction rates, among other factors. More information and complete rankings are posted online at health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings.
Roaring 20’s murder mystery at TwiningVine Winery in Castro Valley
Submitted by Karin Richey
You are cordially invited to attend the wedding reception between William Ray and Betty Miller. But when marriage turns to mayhem and someone drops dead, will you help crack the case?
Plethos Productions presents “The Nuptials,” an immersive theatre experience where the audience is a big part of the action. Guests will interrogate the actors to discover whodunnit all while enjoying wine and food pairings from TwiningVine Winery and M.A.D. Creationz.
Prizes will be awarded for winning audience detectives, as well as for 1920’s costume contest winners. This event will take place entirely outdoors at TwiningVine Winery in Castro Valley on Friday and Saturday, August 5 & 6 at 7 p.m. Tickets include six wine tastings with six small plate pairings. Tickets are selling fast at plethos.org. Last day to purchase is Tuesday, August 2. Don’t miss it!
The Nuptials: Murder Mystery
Friday & Saturday, Aug 5 – 6
7 p.m.
TwiningVine Winery
16851 Cull Canyon Rd., Castro Valley
Rose gardens around the bay…wheelchair accessibility and more
Submitted by Twesha Ghosh
The summer months are filled with the glow and fragrance of roses all around us. Nature is covered with multi-colored roses and fresh green leaves. There are many well-known flower fields around the world that bloom around this time of the year. Even our little backyard seems to have woken up and dressed with multicolored roses.
Our family has a tradition to visit rose gardens during the spring and summer as it is a doable activity for wheelchair users. Recently we visited some of them around the Bay Area. Municipal Rose Garden, San Jose and Shinn Park, Fremont are our favorites.
Municipal Rose Garden, San Jose
This is a wheelchair-accessible neighborhood rose garden in San Jose with hundreds of varieties of multicolored roses. The bloom is at its peak from early May to August. This is one of the most beautiful rose gardens in the world. Every bloom is breathtaking and one of a kind. There are different varieties of rose plants like clusters, climbers, hybrids, miniature rises, and single-bloom stems. A beautiful diversity of color and style. You can just walk around and enjoy the scent and sights. There is a fountain in the middle of the garden with some benches where you can sit and relax. There are a few rose arches which are a great spot for a picture. Twilight is the perfect time to visit, as the colors of the roses look very beautiful. This is a very pleasant place to visit in the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY
There is plenty of parking around the park and slopes for wheelchair access.
Not all the entrances to the park are wheelchair accessible. The one from Emory Street is accessible.
The ground is a little uneven. The ride might be a little bumpy in some places.
There are wheelchair-accessible restrooms
Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum, Fremont
This is a historical hidden gem in Fremont away from the hustle and bustle. The historic house is normally closed but the Japanese garden is very beautiful and completely wheelchair accessible. There are beautiful rose plants blooming in the spring and summer months. Apart from roses, the garden has many other varieties of old trees and bushes. There is a very old magnolia tree and many other exotic fruit trees. Ideal for a family picnic, a stroll, or just to get away from it all. There is a tiny gazebo tucked away in the foliage which makes it a perfect place for photography. This park has a lot of shade because of the big trees, which also makes it a pleasant place to hang out on a hot summer day.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY
They have wheelchair-accessible parking in front of the building.
Restrooms are only open during event rentals for the renters. There are no public restrooms.
There are some picnic tables which can be used.
Some of the paths in between rose bushes might be bumpy for a wheelchair user.
Fremont non-profit receives STEM grant
Submitted by Kevin Easterly
Junior Medical Academy (JMA), a community-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) organization in Fremont recently received a $5,000 STEM Action Grant from the Society for Science.
JMA is an international nonprofit that works with vulnerable populations to ensure they have access to a quality education. With chapters throughout the United States and more than 25 countries, the organization is dedicated to enriching the lives of children with various backgrounds by giving them exposure to the biological sciences. JMA partners with schools, homeless/low-income shelters, Foster Care, and Tier I schools to provide education to students. More information is available on its website at www.jma.education.
The grant to the Fremont JMA chapter is part of a $176,000 in grants program offered to 45 grassroots organizations by Society for Science, a nationwide nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. More information is available on its website at www.societyforscience.org.
Local student deepens community involvement with Bank of America internship
By Anushka Vasudev
Photos Courtesy of Janet Haney and Esther Lau
Coming from a Cantonese and Taiwanese background; having proficiency in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish; and being a first generation immigrant to the United States, Esther Lau, a rising senior at Mission San Jose High School, uses her diverse background to bring a fresh perspective and voice of change to those around her. Lau is involved in her community through political advocacy, but by participating in Bank of America’s Student Leaders Program this summer, she was able to expand her community service horizon.
After striving through the program’s demanding application process, which involved writing essays, submitting teacher recommendations, and attending an interview, Lau became one of 300 high school juniors and seniors nationwide to be selected for the Bank of America Internship. Although she initially did not expect to be accepted, Lau still took a chance and applied because she “really liked their emphasis on serving the community and helping the local area.” As a part of this eight-week program, each student leader gets randomly paired with a non-profit in their area and works with a group of four other students. Lau was paired with Junior Achievement in Walnut Creek, California, a nonprofit focused on expanding education access, specifically in finance literacy.
“I think my biggest fear going into the program was how well I would bond with the other four student leaders,” Lau shares. Having to work with an unfamiliar group of people for long hours pushes people out of their comfort zone. “All five of us didn’t know each other,” Lau says “but that wasn’t an issue at all; we all became friends super fast.”
During this program, the team worked together to create a solution for the Social Innovation Challenge. This year’s challenge presented student leaders with the prompt of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Lau and her team’s plan, titled DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Verse, aims to use the metaverse to transform how DEI trainings, which are used to target any biases rooted in workforces, are conducted. Lau notes that their project focused on this topic because currently employees are not motivated to pay attention to DEI trainings, and they miss important information, leading to worsened workplace harassment and discrimination.
With their DEI Verse, Lau and her team wanted to tackle this problem at its roots. All members of Lau’s group were people of color and three of them were girls. Lau comments, “We’ve all experienced it [discrimination] to some extent, whether it’s being a direct victim or witness, and it [the topic] hits super close to home.”
Lau and her group’s plan involves a gamified metaverse, in which there are different goals and objectives for employees to accomplish. Similar to playing a video game, in this gamified metaverse, people can choose their simulated pathways, decide whom to interact with and what to say, and select different avatars as they go through the training. This makes people immersed in this program and motivated to pay attention and complete it. Lau adds, “We realized that at the root of workplace discrimination, racism, or sexism is people not being able to really experience what it’s like to be in the shoes of the minority.” With the metaverse, Lau and her team wanted to give people the chance to do just that.
Although the metaverse is a new technology to be dabbling in, with help from other student leaders familiar with this topic and CNBC to help with content phrasing and marketing, Lau and her group were able to grasp their hands around this foreign virtual space. Lau says that as cool and exciting as technology is, “If we can’t put it into an easily understandable way, it completely flies over [people’s] heads.” This project helped Lau understand that “when we want someone to relearn something, especially if it’s a bias that they’ve held on to for, probably 20 years or more, it’s important to give them a safe space to relearn and an opportunity to step into minorities' shoes.”
Lau reminds us that being involved in community service can look different for everyone, but the most important thing is knowing how to apply our strengths to help the place around us. She shares, “All of us have something really valuable to give and something really valuable that can make our community a better place.”
EARTHTALK
Sure, cars are greener, but what about trains and planes?
By Juliana Schifferes
Dear EarthTalk: You hear a lot about electric cars and trucks these days, but has there been any carbon-saving innovation lately in trains and even planes?
— Michael C., Summit, New Jersey
Many environmentalists consider travel an environmental “sin” given the carbon emissions generated by the cars, buses, trains and planes we use to get from Point A to B, but it’s up to each of us to determine how much travel is enough. In the meantime, airplane and train manufacturers and the industries that serve them are doing a lot to green their operations and products.
As for airplanes, manufacturers are working hard to replace toxic materials with greener ones. One example is chrome, a carcinogen heavy metal that is used extensively within passenger cabins and elsewhere in many airplanes. Manufacturers have developed 3D printing using carbon fiber compounds to replace chrome and many other metals used throughout a plane’s body. This also cuts down significantly on weight, which in turn saves fuel and emissions.
Fuel substitution is another sustainability fix that airlines are starting to take seriously. One particularly green substitute fuel comes from Fulcrum BioEnergy, which converts garbage into jet fuel that can augment regular carbon-intensive jet fuel and thus save on emissions. The company’s technology utilizes chemical breakdowns of waste to produce fuels that mix with normal jet fuel, cutting emissions by as much as 20%.
Not surprisingly, electric drive planes are also on the horizon. Israel’s Eviation has a zero-emission prototype plane that can fly up to an hour after charging for 30 minutes.
Rail companies are pursuing similar strategies, such as electric powered trains. Gravity powered trains use gravitational force — generated by braking (like hybrid electric cars) — to power their batteries. Train builders are also starting to embrace electric drive systems to save on fossil fuel consumption. These newer hybrid systems can cut emissions and fuel usage by up to 11%, which amounts to an average fuel savings of some 6,000 gallons of diesel per trip.
Of course, it is important to understand that travel is often a luxury. And while it can be an essential — such as seeing far-flung relatives or participating in work trips — it can often be minimized. To minimize your carbon footprint and — more important — minimize damage to our imperiled planet, consider reducing your plane travel. While both forms of transit are problematic, trains are a better choice for the planet.
The growth of the transit industry and a globalized economy mean that travel is inevitable as a habit, necessity and pastime. Nevertheless, it’s important not to take plane and train travel for granted. The less you travel, the lower your carbon footprint will remain, so it’s up to you to find the right balance between maintaining your quality of life and helping fight global warming. Maybe in the future we can travel great distances without any environmental guilt. But until then, it’s better to think twice about taking any trips that aren’t absolutely necessary.
ONLINE CONTACTS:
- Five Rail Sustainability Trends for 2021:
freightwaves.com/news/5-rail-sustainability-trends-for-2021
- Airlines want to make flight more sustainable. How will they do it?
cen.acs.org/environment/sustainability/Airlines-want-make-flight-sustainable/99/i32#the-search-for-greener-airplane-materials.
EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.
EARTHTALK
How are reptiles faring these days?
By Rhea Joshi
Dear EarthTalk: How are reptiles faring these days in the face of climate change and other environmental threats?
— L.M. Smith, Boston, Massachusetts
Reptiles, like other animals and plants, face growing threats as human influence on the environment increases. Certain reptiles are especially threatened; some 61% of turtles are threatened or extinct. Tracking the exact consequences of human activity on reptiles, however, has been difficult as research has primarily focused on mammals and birds, which draw more public attention, although evaluations have found reptiles to be more threatened than birds.
A recent study that observed 10,196 species determined that 21.1% of reptiles are at risk of extinction. These species contain an estimated 15.6 billion years of phylogenetic diversity. This science uses a phylogenetic tree, which shows how closely related species are, to describe the amount of biodiversity in an ecosystem and obtain a more useful measurement than just counting numbers of species. In addition, the adaptations of reptiles to ecological conditions perform help sustain ecosystems, including supporting food chains. Threats to reptiles include habitat loss and environmental damage, invasive species, diseases, pollution, exploitation, poaching and global climate change.
Habitat destruction is the largest threat. As urban sprawl, overgrazing and desertification — which in turn prompt expansion of logging and agricultural operations — put greater pressures on land, reptile habitats have been overtaken by humans, creating increasingly stressful conditions for reptiles. Shrinking habitats increase edge effects — which are the effects of separating habitats (like with a road) such that animals cannot reach resources or mates in other parts of the habitat. Now climate change is exacerbating these pressures. Since many reptiles are ectothermic — they cannot generate internal heat and instead rely on external conditions (e.g., sunlight) to warm themselves — temperature increases due to climate change affect them significantly. Many arid-climate reptiles (e.g., lizards and geckos) are already experiencing extremely high temperatures, and minor increases could make their already limited habitats unlivable.
Furthermore, reptiles are particularly prevalent in regions of Southeast Asia, where disruptions to monsoon cycles can obstruct development of reptiles in embryo. Many species — turtles, crocodiles and alligators, for example — lay eggs in wet conditions. Newly-dry and disrupted regions threaten their abilities to survive, cause slow development or growth and skew the natural selection of sex ratios.
Some good news is that methods implemented to protect other types of animals — reducing tropical deforestation, controlling illegal trade and improving productivity in agriculture such that agricultural lands do not need to be expanded — benefit reptiles similarly. However, the current crisis behooves more action to improve conditions for reptiles in particular.
Readers should encourage their representatives to take action. Reptiles play a crucial role in the Earth’s ecosystems, and concerted solutions have the potential to make all the difference.
ONLINE CONTACTS
The Amphibian and Reptile Extinction Crisis:
biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/amphibian_conservation/index.html
A global reptile assessment highlights shared conservation needs of tetrapods:
nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04664-7
Climate Change Impacts on Tropical Reptiles: Likely Effects and Future Research Needs Based on Sri Lankan Perspectives:
frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.688723/full
EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.
HISTORY MATTERS
By John Grimaldi and David Bruce Smith
August 1 through 15
Civil War strategy
On August 1, 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant appointed General Philip Sheridan to command the Army of the Shenandoah, just as Jubal Early’s Confederate troops were nearing the U.S. capital for a likely capture.
According to History.com, Grant was “frustrated by the inability of Generals Franz Sigel and David Hunter to effectively deal with Early’s force in the Shenandoah [so he] turned to General Philip Sheridan, a skilled general who served with him in the west before Grant became the overall commander of Union forces in early 1864.” Sheridan decimated Early’s Confederate army, “nearly all possible sources of Rebel supplies,” and hastened the finish of the War.
Nine months later Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate troops to Grant in Appomattox, Virginia, and the war was ended.
For more information, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends “Sheridan’s Lieutenants: Phil Sheridan, His Generals, and the Final Year of the Civil War” by David Coffey.
Income tax facts
Abraham Lincoln was the first president to levy an income tax, and on August 5, 1861, the Revenue Act was signed into law.
According to History.com., the country “was [s]trapped for cash [because of the Civil War, so] Lincoln and Congress agreed to [a] 3 percent tariff on annual incomes over $800…Congress repealed Lincoln’s tax law in 1871, but the 16th Amendment…passed in 1909, which set in place the income-tax system used today. Congress ratified the Amendment in 1913.”
But William Howard Taft, president from 1909-1913, converted the tariff into permanence. He also popularized golf, satiated himself with the first presidential limousine, and — in his post White House years — was appointed Chief Justice of the United States.
The Grateful American Book Prize recommends “The Interesting History of Income Tax” by William J. Federer.
Social Security protection
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt ascended to the presidency in 1933, America was in the third year of the Great Depression, which History.com described as “the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world.” It started with the stock market crash of October 1929; then, Wall Street was tossed into a frenzy, and millions of people were pitched into unemployment and poverty.
On August 14, 1935, the president signed the Social Security Act into law: This “measure gives at least some protection to thirty millions of our citizens who will reap direct benefits through unemployment compensation, through old-age pensions and through increased services for the protection of children and the prevention of ill health.”
The law was intended to assist the towering amount of people who could not find employment, but it evolved into a powerful safety net for retirees, the disabled, and recipients of death benefits.
For more information, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends “The Struggle for Social Security, 1900–1935” by Roy Lubove.
–This feature is courtesy of The Grateful American Book Prize, which is an annual award given to authors who have created outstanding works of historical fiction or nonfiction for seventh to ninth graders. Visit them at gratefulamericanbookprize.com.
News and notes from around the world
Submitted by The Association of Mature American Citizens
Impossible?
Changing a tire on your car in one-minute-17-seconds is a challenging feat in itself but Gianluca Folco did it while his pal, Manuel Zoldan, was driving their car, reports the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). Sounds like it would be impossible. Not for these daredevils. Zoldan simply drove up a ramp and flipped their BMW onto two wheels while Folco, hanging out of the car, changed a tire. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized their achievement, noting that it took the previous record holders a relatively slow minute and a half to change their tire. See video of the quick tire change on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAd_PZOSB2k.
Odoriferous, with a capital ‘O’
The Amorphophallus Titanum stinks. Better known as the “corpse flower,” the rare plant emits a noxious odor when it blooms, explains AMAC. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden was expecting their corpse flower to bloom recently and prepared for the crowds it would attract. Resident horticulturist Jerome Stenger told reporters, “We've all heard how bad the smell is, but it's just one of those things that you want to experience in order to describe it in your own words. And the fact that the occurrence is so rare, sometimes just blooming once in a decade, makes everyone want to see it.” See video of the rare corpse flower on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-PcySlm0UE.
Another fish story
Quite a bit of excitement at this year’s Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, reports AMAC. April Jones and her family of Saraland, Alabama were startled when a five-foot, 400-pound eagle ray suddenly jumped out of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and landed in their boat, glancing off of April’s shoulder. According to her husband, Jeremy, “She starts screaming, I hear stuff breaking and flopping, my grandpa falls into me, I look back, this ray is laying in the back of the boat.” Once things settled down, they headed for the Dauphin Island Sea Lab to get help returning the creature back into the water. Their son, 8-year-old Gunner, described the incident as “kind of cool.” See video of the giant eagle ray on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhlu5_Ap3pI.
— The Association of Mature American Citizens is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization representing membership in Washington, D.C. and in local congressional districts nationwide. More information is available on its website at www.amac.us.
Artemis 1: A Trip Around the Moon – and Back!
By David Prosper
We are returning to the Moon – and beyond! Later this summer, NASA’s Artemis 1 mission will launch the first uncrewed flight test of both the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft on a multi-week mission. Orion will journey thousands of miles beyond the Moon, briefly entering a retrograde lunar orbit before heading back to a splashdown on Earth.
The massive rocket will launch from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The location’s technical capabilities, along with its storied history, mark it as a perfect spot to launch our return to the Moon. The complex’s first mission was Apollo 10 in 1968, which appropriately also served as a test for a heavy-lift launch vehicle (the Saturn V rocket) and lunar spacecraft: the Apollo Command and Service Modules joined with the Lunar Module. The Apollo 10 mission profile included testing the Lunar Module while in orbit around the Moon before returning to the Earth. In its “Block-1” configuration, Artemis 1’s SLS rocket will take off with 8.8 million pounds of maximum thrust, even greater than the 7.6 million pounds of thrust generated by the legendary Saturn V, making it the most powerful rocket in the world!
Artemis 1 will serve not only as a test of the SLS and the Orion hardware, but also as a test of the integration of ground systems and support personnel that will ensure the success of this and future Artemis missions. While uncrewed, Artemis-1 will still have passengers of a sort: two human torso models designed to test radiation levels during the mission, and “Commander Moonikin Campos,” a mannequin named by the public. The specialized mannequin will also monitor radiation levels, along with vibration and acceleration data from inside its mission uniform: the Orion Crew Survival Suit, the spacesuit that future Artemis astronauts will wear. The “Moonikin” is named after Arturo Campos, a NASA electrical engineer who played an essential role in bringing Apollo 13’s crew back to Earth after a near-fatal disaster in space.
The mission also contains other valuable cargo for its journey around the Moon and back, including CubeSats, several space science badges from the Girl Scouts, and microchips etched with 30,000 names of workers who made the Artemis-1 mission possible. A total of 10 CubeSats will be deployed from the Orion Stage Adapter, the ring that connects the Orion spacecraft to the SLS, at several segments along the mission’s path to the Moon. The power of SLS allows engineers to attach many secondary “ride-along” mission hardware like these CubeSats, whose various missions will study plasma propulsion, radiation effects on microorganisms, solar sails, Earth’s radiation environment, space weather, and of course, missions to study the Moon and even the Orion spacecraft and its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS)!
If you want to explore more of the science and stories behind both our Moon and our history of lunar exploration, the Night Sky Network’s Apollo 11 at 50 Toolkit covers a ton of regolith: bit.ly/nsnmoon! NASA also works with people and organizations around the world coordinating International Observe the Moon Night, with 2022’s edition scheduled for Saturday, October 1: moon.nasa.gov/observe. Of course, you can follow the latest news and updates on Artemis 1 and our return to the Moon at nasa.gov/artemis-1
This article is distributed by NASA’s Night Sky Network (NSN). The NSN program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov to find local clubs, events, and more!
THE ROBOT REPORT
Researchers use dead spiders as robotic grippers
By Steve Crowe
Well, here’s something you don’t see every day. Engineers at Rice University are turning dead spiders into mechanical grippers. The dead wolf spiders are being tested to show they can reliably lift more than 130% of their own body weight. The researchers said this is the first step toward a novel area of research they call “necrobotics.”
According to the researchers, unlike people and other mammals that move their limbs by synchronizing opposing muscles, spiders use hydraulics. A chamber near their heads contracts to send blood to limbs, forcing them to extend. When the pressure is relieved, the legs contract. Internal valves in the spiders’ hydraulic chamber, or prosoma, allow them to control each leg individually. See a video demonstration the technology at work on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1JOS6hMHIUM.
“The dead spider isn’t controlling these valves,” said Daniel Preston, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering. “They’re all open. That worked out in our favor in this study, because it allowed us to control all the legs at the same time.”
To control the legs of a dead spider, the researchers tap into the prosoma chamber with a needle, attaching it with a dab of superglue. The other end of the needle is connected to one of the lab’s test rigs or a handheld syringe, which delivers a minute amount of air to activate the legs almost instantly.
The lab ran one dead spider through 1,000 open-close cycles to see how well its limbs held up, and found it to be fairly robust.
“It starts to experience some wear and tear as we get close to 1,000 cycles,” Preston said. “We think that’s related to issues with dehydration of the joints. We think we can overcome that by applying polymeric coatings.”
This lab at Rice University specializes in soft robotic systems that often use non-traditional materials, like dead wolf spiders, as opposed to hard plastics, metals and electronics. “This area of soft robotics is a lot of fun because we get to use previously untapped types of actuation and materials,” Preston said. “The spider falls into this line of inquiry. It’s something that hasn’t been used before but has a lot of potential.”
Read the lab’s peer-reviewed research online at onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.20220117.
Steve Crowe is Editorial Director, Robotics, WTWH Media, and co-chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo. He can be reached at scrowe@wtwhmedia.com
Butt Out – Update
By The Pickup Artist
Recently, the FDA called for Juul to stop selling their vaping devices, a step toward preventing the habit among our youth. Juul has appealed the decision, contending that vaping is a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes. But it still contains nicotine, and can still hook kids who will later migrate to tobacco. So I’m not sure this is productive; it may be just changing what is inhaled, but not addressing the core addiction. Tobacco is the bigger hazard, but I don’t think you can effectively ban either one. Remember the consequences of prohibition? We’ll have to wait and see how this pans out.
A new way to promote litter clean-up
At the KHCG clean-up event held on July 23, we introduced The Garbage Games to publicize the fun you can have with cleaning up the neighborhoods. We played Pick-Up Clips, a speed round to collect bread clips in 30 seconds. Recycle Relay involved dexterity, passing a can around in a group, being careful not to drop it. Chuck Horner, Hayward’s godfather of litter removal, was the winner. Practice, Practice!!! Then Waste Basket Ball which involved carrying a beach ball down to the basket – held between two partner’s grabbers.
Time out for good behavior
My wonderful audience has been following for quite a while now, and you deserve a break. With this article, I offer a Trash Talk-related word search puzzle. Find the words in the list and circle or use a highlighter on them. The letters left over, in that sequence, will answer the question, “How do you make trash soup?” Enjoy!
The quote for today:
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” – Desmond Tutu
Answer to the last Trash Talk Question:
The suggestion of an article about cigarette butts led me to research – enough to cover four issues! Remember, if you have any feedback or requests for topics to research, share your thoughts with me.
Incredible People
Chris Downey is an architect who had gone completely blind, but didn’t let that keep him from his job! He says he’s actually gotten better at his job, and now specializes in designing environments for the visually-challenged. Truly a story that emphasizes, ‘if life gives you lemons, open a lemonade stand’. 60 Minutes covered this inspiring story, and you can watch a 13-minute video of him on YouTube.
Contact Information:
If you have ideas for future Garbage Games, feel free to share them. Send comments or questions to ThePickupArtist-KHCG@outlook.com
Park It: Ardenwood Trains
By Ned MacKay
One of the signature attractions at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont is its train, a reminder of a time when narrow gauge railroads transported crops and passengers between farms and towns around South San Francisco Bay.
You can see what it takes to pull and stop a train in either of two programs at Ardenwood railroad crews at work at Ardenwood at 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6. The morning and afternoon presentations replace a previously announced day-long track maintenance demonstration.
David Waterman will be the presenter. He’s chief mechanical officer with the Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources, which maintains and operates the railroad at Ardenwood. He’ll talk about the evolution of locomotive technology from horse-drawn through steam to diesel.
This is a drop-in program; reservations are not required. Ardenwood is located at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of Highway 84. Entrance fees apply; parking is free. For information, call (510) 544-2797.
Birds and their behavior are the focus of a program from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 6 at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton. Naturalist Kristina Parkison will lead the way as the group looks for migratory birds and bird habitat within the park.
The program is free of charge; all children must be accompanied by an adult. Shadow Cliffs is on Stanley Boulevard a bit east of the intersection with Valley Avenue. Meet at the Lakeside picnic area. For information, call Sunol Wilderness at (510) 544-3249.
There’s also a bird-watching program scheduled at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in San Ramon. It’s from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 6 in the parking lot at the north end of Bollinger Canyon Road off Crow Canyon Road. Naturalist Erica Stephens will have a table set up with lots of information about the birds of prey that live in the park. You may be able to spot some raptors soaring overhead.
The program is free; no registration is necessary. Parental participation is required. Best to arrive early; parking is limited at the trailhead.
During Contra Costa’s 19th Century coal mining boom, Somersville was one of the county’s most populous towns. Little remains of the town now, but the naturalists at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve will reveal its secrets during a short walk through the town site from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 6. The program is open to all, no reservations needed.
And on Sunday, August 7, naturalist Kevin Dixon will lead a short, steep trek from 8:30 a.m.to 10:30 a.m. through Black Diamond Mines’ chaparral community while talking about what it takes for plants to survive in summer heat. The hike is for ages seven and older. Parents must accompany kids.
For either program, meet at the uppermost parking lot on Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4 in Antioch. Black Diamond Mines has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is staffed.
Stargazers will enjoy a program from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 6 at the Arroyo Road staging area of Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore, with naturalist Alex Collins. The Tri-Valley Stargazers club will be there with telescopes to help visitors see star clusters, nebulae, constellations and more. Bring flashlights and dress in layers.
Arroyo Road staging area is on the left at the end of Arroyo Road, which is a continuation of South L Street in Livermore. For information, call (510) 544-3146.
The dog days of summer can be no fun for Fido.
Dogs suffer greatly in heat, because they wear permanent fur coats. We humans regulate our temperatures by perspiring; dogs do it mostly by panting. So watch your dog’s behavior and be sure he or she gets plenty of water. If you don’t want to carry a drinking bowl, bring along a one-gallon plastic bag. It works well and doesn’t weigh much.
Another concern is trail surface temperature. In direct sunlight, paved trails can become hot enough to scorch your dog’s paw pads. This is especially true of trails that are blacktop.
Check the conditions by testing the trail surface with the palm of your hand. If it’s too hot for you, it will be too hot for Rover as well. Pet stores carry products that are essentially protective covers for your dog’s paws. If your dog hates the paw boots, consider going for the walk early in the day before things heat up.
Remember leash laws, too. In the regional parks, dogs must be leashed on paved trails and in developed areas such as picnic grounds and paved trails. Dogs can be off leash in the backcountry, as long as they are under their owner’s control, which means that they will come when called. However if grazing cattle are near, or if the dog starts chasing wildlife or having uninvited interactions with other park visitors, then Fido must be put on leash.
For more information about dog rules in the regional parks, visit the website, www.ebparks.org. At the top of the home page, place the cursor on “Visit a Park.” Then on the drop-down menu, click on “Visitor Safety” and select “Dogs.”
Extend your cilantro harvest and enjoyment
By Melinda Myers
Photos Courtesy of MelindaMyers.com
Cilantro is a favorite ingredient in guacamole, tacos, rice dishes and of course salsa. But as summer temperatures climb, the cilantro quickly goes to seed. This can be frustrating but using all parts of the plant or growing a heat tolerant cilantro-flavored substitute can help.
Gardeners in cooler climates can sow seeds every three to four weeks throughout the summer for continual harvests. Those with hotter summers will have the best results growing cilantro in the cooler temperatures of spring, fall and even winter. Grow cilantro in full sun or light shade as temperatures climb, and in moist well-drained soil for best results. Mulching soil to keep the roots cool and moist will help delay flowering. Avoid overwatering that can lead to root rot.
Harvest leaves when they are four to six inches tall and before plants flower for the best flavor. Harvest as needed a third of the plant at one time to allow it to keep producing, or cut the whole plant back to an inch above the ground and wait for it to regrow.
Store freshly-cut leaves like a bouquet of flowers in a glass of fresh water. Place in the refrigerator to use for the upcoming week. Hang leaves upside down to dry or freeze. Just wash the leaves, pat dry and place in a freezer bag or air-tight container in the freezer. Or chop up rinsed cilantro into smaller pieces, place in ice cube trays and top with a splash of water before placing in the freezer.
As temperatures rise, the plant will flower and set seed. Do not discard it but rather look at utilizing other parts of this plant. Enjoy the beauty and flavor of the lacy white flowers that also attract beneficial insects to the garden. After the white flowers fade, green seeds appear. Wait for plants and seeds to turn brown when using them as coriander. Cut off the seed heads, place in a paper bag, and allow seeds to drop to the bottom.
The seeds are ground and used in breads, cakes, pickling spices, and Asian food. Store in sealed containers until ready to use. Otherwise allow seeds to drop to the ground in the garden and grow new cilantro plants to harvest and enjoy. Cilantro seeds sprout readily when soil temperatures are 55 º to 68º F and the plants can withstand a light frost.
Don’t forget to harvest the roots and use them for seasoning Thai and Vietnamese food. These taste best when harvested in fall. In the future, consider buying seeds of slow bolting cilantro varieties like Slow-Bolt, Leisure and the 2006 All-America Selections award winner Delfino Cilantro.
Or try growing Papalo, also known as summer cilantro, in next year’s garden. It has a similar but stronger flavor than cilantro with a hint of citrus and mint and thrives in hot weather. You will only need one or two plants as this annual grows up to five feet tall and several feet wide. Harvest young leaves for the best flavor and use only 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of cilantro called for in recipes.
You may need to start your own plants from seeds if none of the garden centers in your area sell plants. Start seeds indoors or directly in the garden once the danger of frost has passed and the soil is warm. Extend your cilantro harvest and enjoyment by utilizing every part of the plant. Adjust your cilantro growing techniques as well as plant selection to help beat the heat.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD instant video series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
Wieskamp retires
Submitted by Cherie Patenaude
Ayn Wieskamp is retiring from the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors at the end of 2022. She has served as the Ward 5 board member since 1999. She represents special districts on the Alameda County Special District Association and the Local Agency Formation Commission. Ward 5 includes part of Fremont, Newark, Sunol, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Livermore. Prior to serving this board her elected and community service includes: LARPD, the Livermore City Council, the Alameda Co Waste Management Authority and the Alameda Co Source Reduction and Recycling Board, and LAVTA.
Ayn wishes to thank all members of EBRPD workforce for their excellent support of the public in this difficult pandemic period. As always, she thanks the public for their support of the district and its mission.
Palmer College of Chiropractic, San Jose
Spring 2022 Dean’s List
- Kevin Magro of Milpitas
- Neal Surani of Milpitas
- Matthew Teigen of Milpitas
- Kirby Edmund Olidan of Milpitas
California outlines plan for scaled back giant water tunnel
By Kathleen Ronayne
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), July 27 — A new plan to reroute how water moves from wetter Northern California to drier Southern California would ferry some of it through a single, 45-mile underground tunnel, wrapping around the state's existing water delivery system and dumping it into the main aqueduct that flows south to vast swaths of farmland and millions of people.
The proposal released July 27 would build one tunnel to take water from the Sacramento River, the state's largest, to the California Aqueduct for delivery farther south. It's scaled back from the two-tunnel plan championed by former Gov. Jerry Brown and the latest iteration of a project that has been talked about and planned in some form, but never constructed, for about half a century.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom took office in 2019, he ordered water officials to scrap the existing plan and start over. With one tunnel, the new proposal moves less water and aims to reduce harms to the environment. But most critics say the new route will still harm endangered species like salmon and people who rely on the water in the north.
The two sides have become so entrenched that the project's fate will ultimately depend on whether Newsom or a future governor can muster the political will to push it through, said Jeffrey Mount, a senior fellow with the Water Policy Center at the Public Policy Institute of California. “This project is unlikely to be decided on its technical merits,” Mount said.
State water officials say a tunnel is badly needed to modernize the state's water infrastructure in the face of climate change, which scientists say is likely to cause both prolonged droughts and major deluges of rain and snow. It would also better shield the state's water supply from the risk of an earthquake that could cause levees to crumble and ocean salt water to flood into the system.
Though California is in the third year of a punishing drought, it saw record rainfall last October and another major dump of rain and snow in December, some of which the state was unable to capture. “Our water infrastructure was not built for that,” said Wade Crowfoot, secretary of California's Natural Resources Agency.
The Department of Water Resources plan analyzes the effects of the project on the environment, residents, fish and farmland. Critics say it will harm communities in the fragile Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which rely on water that could instead be diverted to the tunnel.
Officials did not release a price tag. A prior estimate for a different single-tunnel route put it at about $16 billion. It would be paid for by water agencies that contract with the state to use it. Still, even if the political support to build it is there, construction likely wouldn't break ground until at least 2028 and would take more than a decade, said Carrie Buckman, environmental program manager for the project.
The preferred route would build two stations to pull water from the Sacramento River just south of the capital city, then carry that water south alongside Interstate 5 before breaking off toward Bethany Reservoir at the top of the California Aqueduct, the state's main channel for moving water south, built in the 1960s.
Two in three Californians, or about 27 million people, rely on water that comes from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a vital estuary where the two rivers mingle with tidal flows from the Pacific Ocean before it is conveyed south through the State Water Project.
At the southern end of the Delta, state and federally run pumping plants suck up the water and send it south. The proposed tunnel project would take the water from the Sacramento River before it reaches the Delta.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is the state's largest water contractor, using water from the Delta to supply 19 million people, including the city of Los Angeles. The district is working to expand its supply from other sources, but the tunnel project is critical to provide flexibility and ensure the state is capturing all of the water that it can, said Adel Hagekhalil, the district's general manager.
The Delta region is home to millions of people, more than 625 square miles of farmland and critical species like endangered salmon and Delta smelt. Advocates worry the tunnel will divert that fresh water before it reaches them. The state already lacks enough water to keep the Delta flourishing and to fulfill its existing water delivery contracts.
State officials say the tunnel would only be used when there is a lot of water flowing through the river, like after a major rainstorm. Environmental restrictions already limit how much water the Delta pumps can move at certain times of year, regardless of supply, to avoid harming fish.
Water officials say the chosen path would have the least negative consequences of the various options. Still, the 10-year construction would require removing 71 buildings, including 15 homes, as well as overtaking 2,340 acres of farmland and running through cultural resources and sites significant to tribal communities, the report said.
As for fish, the project could hurt both the Delta smelt and the endangered winter-run Chinook salmon. The report says fewer juvenile salmon would survive and less food would be available for Delta smelt, which state officials say would be mitigated by habitat restoration. The project could harm water quality by increasing the amount of bromide and chloride and increasing the salt content.
Doug Obegi, senior attorney in the water program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, called the report “deeply disappointing” and said it fails to consider alternatives that would truly protect salmon and other wildlife. “The science is clear that we're going to have to reduce diversions from the Delta to protect salmon and other species,” Obegi said.
The state's current management of the Delta is not sustainable amid drought, sea level rise and other effects of climate change, said Mount, the PPIC water expert. In simple terms, he said the fight over the tunnels centers on a policy choice: “Either you come up with a structural fix that allows you to maintain the reliability, or you learn to live with less water from the Delta.”
As drought deepens, Hayward takes action
Submitted by City of Hayward
In response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s call for a state-wide reduction in water use and reduced available water from wholesale suppliers, the Hayward City Council on June 28 implemented Level 2 Water Shortage measures.
With a focus on limiting outdoor water use, the new requirements include:
- Limiting landscape irrigation to three days per week, between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Prohibiting use of non-essential water for commercial and industrial use
- Fixing irrigation leaks and faulty sprinklers
- Using covers on pools and spas
The measures are aimed at residents and businesses throughout Hayward. More information about the measure, along with water-saving tips, and a link to Hayward’s new Water Customer Portal where residents can track their water use, are posted online at hayward-ca.ac-page.com/drought.
State denies funding for Homekey project
Submitted by City of Fremont
While state Homekey funding to convert a former Motel 6 in south Fremont into an affordable housing apartment complex for low-income people has been denied, officials from the City of Fremont aren’t giving up.
The city applied for a $40.2 million grant in January 2022 from a $1.4 billion Homekey project administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to remodel the motel at 46101 Research Ave. into 156 units of permanent support housing.
On July 18, HCD notified the city that the financial information submitted as part of the application by the city’s co-applicant, Shangri-La Industries, did not meet their requirements. City staff said that many of HCD’s reasons for denying the project were technical in nature, but they remain confident that Motel 6 was a good project to put forth.
Although an appeal process is available, the city has decided not to pursue it. Instead, the city plans to apply for a future round of Homekey funding which is expected to occur in the next several months. The new application will clearly show financial capacity and commitments from the city and its co-applicants.
Launched in 2020, the Homekey program is designed to provide funding for state, regional, and local public entities to convert commercial properties and other existing buildings to permanent or interim housing for low-income people. Examples include hotels, motels, hostels, single- family homes and multifamily apartments, adult residential facilities, and manufactured housing.
More information about the program is available the state Homekey webpage at homekey.hcd.ca.gov. For information on Fremont’s Homekey efforts, visit the City of Fremont website at www.fremont.gov, then enter “Homekey Project” into the search field and follow the prompts.
Swalwell to host hike meeting for constituents
Submitted by Josh Richman
Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15) will host his annual “Hike with Your Rep” event for 15th Congressional District residents on Saturday, August 6.
During the easy two mile-walk through Castro Valley, Swalwell will chat with participants and will pause along the way to give Congressional updates and answer questions.
The event is free and open to all residents of California's 15th Congressional District, which includes Sunol, Hayward, Union City, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Ashland, Fairview, Pleasanton and parts of Fremont and Danville.
Participants are asked to bring their own water, sunscreen, a hat and should wear comfortable shoes. The 90-minute walk will start at 8:30 a.m. at a location to be published 72 hours prior to the event. To register online, visit ericswalwell.eventbrite.com.
For details, call Swalwell’s district office in Castro Valley at (510) 370-3322.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Monday, July 25
- At 9:48 p.m. a person identified by police as Alexis Fournier, 27, of Arroyo Grande was detained at Milpitas station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed at $10,000 warrant charging identity theft held by San Mateo County. Fournier was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail.
Thursday, July 28
- At 12:57 p.m. a man identified by police as Melvin Monk, 41, was detained at San Leandro station on suspicion of causing a disturbance in front of the station. A record check showed a $5,000 warrant charging DUI issued by Oakland Police Department and a $25,000 warrant charging vandalism issued by Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. Monk was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail.
- At 10:35 p.m. a man identified by police as Danny Lacey, 30, of Hayward was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of carrying a concealed dirk or dagger and probation violation. He was placed on an emergency psychiatric detention with a criminal hold for the charges.
Fremont Fire Department Log
Submitted by Fremont Fire Department
Saturday, July 23
- At about 5:45 p.m. firefighters responded to a report about a fire at an abandoned restaurant (Casa Robles) at 3839 Washington Blvd. in the Irvington area. The blaze was contained to the building and extinguished within 90 minutes. There were no reports of injuries. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Fremont Police Log
Submitted by Monica Leon, Fremont PD
Tuesday, July 19
- Officers responded to a report about a robbery near Deep Creek Road and Crandallwood Drive. A victim was walking with two children when two suspects approached and demanded the victim’s jewelry. One of the suspects displayed a handgun as the second suspect ripped a necklace from the victim's neck. The two suspects appeared to be juveniles and were last seen running on Deep Creek Road toward Paseo Padre Parkway. Officers at the scene were unable to locate the suspects. The case is under investigation.
Wednesday, July 20
- Officers responded to a report about a mail carrier being robbed near Dusterberry Way and Hansen Avenue in the Centerville area. The suspect pushed the victim several times and demanded a mailbox key, which the victim provided. The suspect then fled in a passenger vehicle. Officers were able to locate and stop the vehicle, and arrested three adult suspects inside the vehicle. Inside the vehicle they found unrelated stolen property, and police investigators determined the suspects, all Fremont residents, were involved in robberies in nearby cities.
- Officers responded to a grocery store where an employee saw a male suspect filling a backpack with liquor. When the employee approached the suspect, the suspect started yelling and claimed he had a gun and a knife. The suspect then left the store. Arriving officers detained a suspect based on the description provided by the employee. The suspect, later identified as a Fremont resident, was arrested.
Friday, July 22
- Officers responded to a call from a retirement home on Fremont Boulevard near Thornton Avenue about a person causing a disturbance and breaking several exterior lights at the facility with a metal pipe. When officers arrived, they saw the suspect standing in the middle of the road and made an arrest. Police said the suspect was an adult from Fremont.
Sunday, July 24
- Officers responded to a call from a security company about unknown people walking inside a gated area of an auto auction company parking lot. Upon arrival, officers saw a suspicious vehicle leaving the area and made an enforcement stop. A record check showed the driver had two felony warrants. An adult from Newark was arrested.
- Officers responded to a call about a theft suspect who fought with security and fled from a discount department store on Osgood Road. Upon arrival, officers spotted the suspect fleeing to the rear of the store. The suspect then climbed onto nearby BART tracks and ran into a commercial area on Old Warm Springs Boulevard. Officers eventually caught up with the suspect and made an arrest. A record check showed the Oxnard resident was also wanted on a felony no-bail warrant charging robbery.
Monday, July 25
- During a traffic stop on Alvarado Boulevard near I-880 the driver gave officers false identification to conceal his identity and multiple warrants. Officers recognized the vehicle from a recent hit and run collision that was being investigated. The Fremont resident was arrested on the warrants, providing false identification and may face additional charges.
Hayward Police Log
Submitted by Hayward PD
Sunday, July 10
- At 4:05 p.m. a male was sitting inside his vehicle near the 24000 block of Silva Ave. when he was approached by two unknown suspects. One suspect brandished a knife while the other brandished a handgun, then property was taken from the male by force. Both suspects fled the scene. The incident is being investigated as a robbery.
Tuesday, July 12
- At 9:00 a.m. officers patrolling near the 400 block of West A St. spotted an occupied vehicle which had been reported stolen. The occupant exited the vehicle and attempted to hide from officers, but was soon taken into custody. During a search of the vehicle a firearm was recovered.
Wednesday, July 13
- At 8:10 p.m. officers responded to a report about an assault with a deadly weapon on the 2000 block of Aldengate Way. At the scene, officers found a victim who had been struck with an object which caused non-life-threatening injuries. A suspect was found at the scene and taken into custody.
Friday, July 15
- At 12:09 a.m. officers responded to a report about an armed robbery at the intersection of Tennyson Road and Huntwood Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located a suspect and took him into custody. A replica handgun was recovered during the investigation.
Saturday, July 23
- At about 7:57 a.m. officers responded to a report about a person down on the 24000 block of Amador St. Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive man with injuries consistent with being stabbed. Emergency medical responders pronounced the man dead. He was later identified as Thomas Boyd, 67, of Hayward. A suspect, identified by police investigators as Chad Williams, 24, of Hayward later turned himself in to police custody. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail and faces murder charges. An investigation is continuing and anyone with information is asked to call Detective Green at (510) 293-7176.
- At 9:27 p.m. officers responded to a report about an injury collision involving a pedestrian and a sedan near the intersection of Tennyson Road and Dickens Avenue. The driver was not injured and remained at the scene and cooperated with investigating officers. Emergency medical responders arrived and pronounced the 45-year-old male pedestrian dead at the scene. The pedestrian’s identification was not immediately released. An investigation is continuing; police said it is not believed alcohol was a factor in the collision. Anyone with information is asked to call Sergeant Tasha DeCosta at (510) 293-7169.
Newark Police Log
Submitted by Newark PD
Tuesday, July 5
- At 2:06 p.m. Officer Torres investigated a theft in the 8000 block of Enterprise Dr. Approximately $40,000 worth of tools and equipment was taken.
Wednesday, July 6
- At 5:23 a.m. Officer Pacheco responded to a report about an interrupted burglary in the 5000 block of John Muir Drive. While responding, the incident was upgraded to an assault with a deadly weapon case with one suspect leaving in a vehicle. Additional officers stopped the vehicle and arrested a 58-year-old Fremont man on suspicion of burglary and on an outstanding warrant charging trespassing. Another man, a 48-year-old Fremont resident, was located nearby and arrested on suspicion of burglary. Both men were booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Sunday, July 10
- At 9:17 a.m. Officer Jackman investigated a vehicle theft that occurred overnight in the 38000 block of Rockrose Court. The vehicle was recovered in Oakland on July 12.
- At 9:30 a.m. Officer Rivera located a stolen vehicle in the 35000 block of Bettencourt St. The registered owner was notified and came to pick up the vehicle.
Tuesday, July 12
- At 10:44 a.m. Officers responded to a report about suspicious activity in the 5000 block of Central Ave. Officers contacted a 40-year-old woman at the scene. A record check showed two outstanding warrants. While she was being taken into custody, the woman battered NPD personnel. She was arrested on the warrants and on suspicion of battery on a peace officer, then booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Wednesday, July 13
- At 2:52 a.m. Officer Riddles recovered two stolen vehicles in the area of Noel Avenue and Bonnie Street.
Friday, July 29
• At approximately 7:47 pm, Newark Police Officers responded to a report of a fight in-progress in the area of Wells Ave and Ash St. Officers arrived within 2-minutes of the call, but were unable to locate any victims at that time.
At approximately 10:57 pm, Newark Police was made aware of an involved victim, a 24-year-old male out of Newark, being treated at a local hospital for life-threatening injuries believed to be sustained during the earlier incident. Detectives were called out to assume the investigation and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Detectives have been actively working to identify involved parties.
The victim succumbed to his injuries.
Newark Police Detectives will be continuing their efforts and handling this case as a homicide investigation. The incident is not believed to be a random act. There is no belief of any on-going danger to the general public as a result of this incident.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation, please contact Newark Police Detective Andrew Musantry at Andrew.Musantry@newark.org or 510.578.4956.
Information can also be left anonymously on the “Anonymous Tip” hotline at 510.578.4965.
San Leandro Police Log
Submitted by San Leandro PD
Friday, July 22
- At about 11:40 p.m. a patrol officer made a traffic enforcement stop in the area around E. 14th Street and Dolores Avenue. While talking with the driver, the officer spotted an extended magazine protruding from the vehicle’s center console. The officer recovered the firearm and arrested the driver, who now faces several firearm-related charges.
Letter to the Editor
Should an eviction moratorium continue?
On July 19th, the Board of Supervisors discussed whether to publicly agendize a discussion and possible review of its eviction moratorium. The moratorium had not been discussed in over a year and the request would have simply allowed the public an opportunity to be heard and to ask questions.
The Board voted 3-2, declining a public discussion of this matter. While the decision was ultimately made by a majority of the board to not discuss this item, we feel it is important to explain why we supported doing so.
In 2020, the majority of the Board approved a moratorium on evictions for renters beginning March 24, 2020 until 60 days after the expiration of the local health emergency. Many things have changed since early 2020. We are no longer under shelter in place; people are vaccinated and back to work. California and almost every other county has long since completely rescinded their eviction moratoriums. Despite these facts, the County’s local health emergency — and by default its ban on residential evictions — remains in place.
Everyone recognizes and acknowledges this and public testimony has more than confirmed this.
We’ve heard about individuals capable of paying rent who refuse to do so. Pandemic protections were enacted to support vulnerable and struggling individuals. Make no mistake, some industries will never recover, and some continue to struggle to find work. However, some tenants refuse to sign paperwork which would allow landlords to apply for rental assistance.
Tenants who CAN pay rent and are withholding it are taking advantage of — and putting — at risk these very protections.
Continuing the moratorium in its current form may ultimately at a minimum be found to be an illegal taking of private property. If so, this would expose the county’s taxpayers to huge financial damages, limiting resources for our most vulnerable populations. Making prudent changes at this time may limit this liability. Nobody wants to see anyone evicted from their home because of Covid-19. But after over two years it’s time to consider changes to stop tenants who refuse to pay rent for reasons unrelated to Covid-19.
Sincerely,
Nate Miley
Vice President
Alameda County Board of Supervisors
David Haubert
Supervisor, District 1
Alameda County Board of Supervisors
LETTER TO EDITOR
COVID-19 and live animal food markets
Two more independent studies have just re-affirmed that this godawful pandemic most likely originated in the Wuhan, China markets; we have scores of such markets throughout California with animals housed in horrendous conditions, and routinely butchered while fully-conscious. Not acceptable!
COVID-19 notwithstanding, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to issue import permits for TWO MILLION non-native American bullfrogs (commercially-raised), plus some 300,000 non-native freshwater turtles, all taken from the wild. Some three dozen necropsies have documented that ALL these animals are diseased and/or parasitized, though it is ILLEGAL to sell such products for human consumption. Yet this dangerous and brutal commerce continues unabated. Follow the money.
Worse, the majority of the market frogs carry a chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), cause of the extinctions of some 200 amphibian species worldwide in recent years. The market frogs and turtles are routinely bought en masse and released into local waters by well-meaning “do-gooders,” where they prey upon and displace our native species, while spreading all sorts of diseases and parasites.
EASY FIX: STOP THE PERMITS!
WRITE: Chuck Bonham, Director, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento, CA 95814; email – director@wildlife.ca.gov. Failing that, legislation is in order, perhaps a few lawsuits.
Eric Mills,
Action for Animals
Letter to the Editor
A “Mission San Jose Village”
Most people who live in Fremont’s Mission San Jose district would like to preserve the area’s village charm similar to that found in Niles. Art work would grace the streets where specialty stores, restaurants and coffee bars would mix with historic architecture. What residents do not want is the invasion of large residential buildings that have proliferated all over Fremont.
One structure in particular should be preserved: what used to be McIvor’s Hardware store on Ellsworth Street. There are historical and practical reasons to keep the building where it stands, now empty. Bob McIvor, the “Mayor of Mission San Jose,” was a prominent member of our community. His legacy goes back at least one generation, that of his father, who operated a blacksmith shop and a small version of the hardware store from 1922 to the mid-50’s where now is Firestone Photography. The adjacent premises, now used by the Mission Coffee Roasting Company, was a larger hardware store from mid-50’s to 1989. The hardware store was finally moved to the building on Ellsworth Street from 1989 until it was closed in March of 2018. The Ellsworth location was the completion of Bob’s vision for the hardware store.
From a practical standpoint, instead of tearing it down and replacing it with a residential structure, the building can be converted into a “Creativity Center” where people can pursue activities ranging from art to computer projects. Funds for the establishment of such a center could be provided by the State of California, the City of Fremont and donations from businesses and private citizens.
The idea of this project is only in embryo. Readers of this article interested in this project can email Maria G. Romeo, a local artist, at mgr.art@aurim.com.
Glauco Romeo
Fremont
Scholarship program gives Latino heritage students a path to college
By Alfred Hu
Photos by Alfred Hu and Jose Cruz
In Newark on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 24 students were awarded the Avanzando Scholarship to pursue a college education. The students represent a broad spectrum of academic disciplines, according to Sucy Collazo, Newark City Council member since 2011 and one of the founders of the Avanzando scholarship program. One student was awarded $3,000, two students were awarded $2,000 and the rest were awarded $1,500 each.
To be eligible for the awards, students must not only possess a strong academic record but be of Latino heritage, display pride in Latino culture, live or attend school in Newark, be active in the community and write an essay describing their challenges, hopes and dreams. Some of the students are high school graduates about to enter college, while others are already in college. “We want them to achieve the American Dream,” says Collazo of the scholarship recipients. She spoke of her immigrant parents from Mexico who came to America, settled down, started a tortilla business and raised a family.
Collazo added that the scholarship would help students get to “wherever their dreams would take them.” One scholarship recipient, a student at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo with dreams of a future in construction management, mentioned that the scholarship helps in keeping off financial pressure and thus allows more time to focus on school and academics.
The Avanzando scholarship program was started in 2008 by a dedicated team of Latino community members whose mission is for the advancement and empowerment of Latino youth, their families and community through education, leadership and networking opportunities. The program’s goal is to increase the number of Latino students pursuing a college degree by providing much-needed financial support.
When Avanzando was created, scholarships worth $500 each were funded by pancake breakfasts, proceeds from selling raffle tickets, and member donations. Then the members of Avanzando created a partnership with another non-profit organization, Latinos Unidos de Newark Avanzando (LUNA), to sell July 4th fireworks. Proceeds from fireworks sales went directly to the scholarship program. From that point on, funding for Avanzando greatly increased and the first scholarship event took place in 2010. Since then, scholarship amounts increased, and currently donations to the program also come from Arteaga’s Food Center, Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle, Mexico Tortilla Factory and Rotary Club of Newark.
As a member of Avanzando, Collazo is a strong supporter of education and believes that while hard work gets us where we want to go, education makes getting there easier. She and other members of Avanzando (there currently are five) hope the scholarship program continues well into the future. “We hope to continue it as long as we’re alive, and we’re always looking for new members,” says Collazo.
Learn more about the program at www.avanzandonewark.com.
Recipients:
Amber Nolazco-Torres, Araceli Amaton Lozano, Christyna Torres, David Garcia, Elena Victoria Suarez, Emilia Serrano, Erica Riuz-Guillen, Estaina Resendiz Ortiz, Fario Abdel Martinez, Guadalupe Lizbeth Alvarez, Jesus Garcia, Jesus Iván Gómez, Kevin Gallegos, Leticia Rosas Gonzalez, Mariela Vera, Osvaldo Granados, Rio Francisco Huerta, Sarah Prieto Martinez, Sebastian Lopez, Soledad Fajardo Gomez, Sulema Ojeda, Carlos Madrigal, Mayah Arteaga, Karla Amaton
First Fridays: Far Out
Submitted by Chabot Space and Science Center
Look into deep space as we learn about NASA’s James Webb Telescope!
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is the most advanced and complex instrument ever in space. How does Webb compare with other space telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope, and how will the mission extend our understanding of the Universe? Bring your curiosity for an evening of astronomical exploration.
Chabot’s First Fridays open the doors for discovery with planetarium shows, telescope viewings, hands-on activities, speakers, and after-hours access to exhibits. Our Café will be open for dinner and we will have beer and wine available for visitors 21+.
Schedule
Mobile climate science lab, Classroom 1 & 2
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Galaxy Explorers partner with Jim Callaghan and Climate Change.org on a suite of short-wave infrared mind-bending demonstrations which go beyond what the human eye can see.
Nasa Genelab, Studio 1
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The main objective of Space Biology research is to build a better understanding of how spaceflight affects living systems in spacecraft such as the International Space Station (ISS).
Nasa Ames, “Exploring infrared light”, Studio 1
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
See the universe in a different light and without pressure, challenge your perception with a NASA spin.
Spectra demonstrations, Classroom 2, Studio 3, Deck
Learn how astronomers determine what stars are made of using the spectrum of light produced by gases and how new insights may be gained by the James Webb Space Telescope.
Alex Filippenko, “The first exciting results from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope,” Theater
7 p.m.
The James Webb Space Telescope is now at its final destination one million miles from Earth. On July 11 and 12 its first full-color images were released! Learn from UC Berkeley Professor Alex Filippenko about what they reveal.
Franck Marchis, “Astronomy for all: Becoming a citizen astronomer,” Studio 3
7:30 p.m.
Senior Astronomer Franck Marchis will present the Unistellar & SETI Institute network of small, portable, and easy to use telescopes.
Eastbay Astronomical Society telescope makers workshop, Lab 2
7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Open to all ages, the Telescope Makers’ Workshop is an all-volunteer group committed to helping people build their own telescopes.
Telescope viewings, Observatory Deck
7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Join Chabot astronomers on the Observatory Deck for a free telescope viewing!
Unistellar Citizen Science Initiative, Observation Deck
8 p.m.
Citizen science is collaborative research between amateur and professional scientists.
Natasha Batalha, “Unveiling the nature of terrestrial worlds with next-generation space missions,” Theater
8 p.m.
Batalha will give insights into the first objects James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will look at, including one planet which could be potentially habitable.
Nasa Genelab, “Discovering biological responses and adaptation to the space environment” Chabot Café
8 p.m.
NASA interns at Ames Research Center will present findings from their summer projects involving space biology, bioinformatics, and space mission experiments.
Simon Steele, “Secrets in starlight: How rainbows unlock the mysteries of the universe,” Studio 3
8:30 p.m.
Although beautiful images of galaxies and nebulae get all the attention, the true secrets of the universe are revealed through the science of spectroscopy.
PBS Nova, “Ultimate space telescope film,” Theater
9 p.m.
Follow the dramatic story of the James Webb Space Telescope—the most complex machine ever launched into space.
First Fridays: Far Out
Friday, Aug 5
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland
(510) 336-7300
chabotspace.org
$15 adults, $10 kids/seniors, $5 members
Riding BART? Don’t forget your mask
Submitted by BART
At its July 28th meeting, members of the BART Board of Directors voted to reinstitute a face mask requirement effective immediately in all paid areas of the transit system. The mandate is effective through October 22, unless further extended by the board.
The temporary amendment to the BART District’s Code of Conduct requires riders to wear face masks that fully cover a person's nose and mouth in paid areas of the system with limited exceptions. This requirement applies to trains and all portions of stations beyond the fare gates. Children ages 2 and younger and people with medical conditions that prevent them from wearing masks are exempt from the mandate.
The Board of Directors will place an action item on the agenda at its September 22, 2022, meeting to determine if the mandate should be extended.
Free face masks are available at station agent booths and from all safety staff for those who need one. BART Police will continue its education-based enforcement of the mask requirement by offering free masks to anyone who needs one before taking any enforcement action which could include a citation up to $75 or being ejected from the paid area.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic BART has prioritized the safety of riders. BART has installed MERV 14 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) air filters on all train cars. These filters are dense enough to trap the virus and provide an extra layer of protection to riders. Air is replaced every 70 seconds onboard cars mixing filtered air with fresh air. That means the circulation on BART train cars is better than most offices. For details, call (510) 464-6000.
Get ready to cruise in Castro Valley
Staff report
Fans of classic and unique cars, hot rods and trucks should mark Saturday, August 27 on their calendar. That’s the date the popular Castro Valley Cruise Night returns with a parade of vehicles rolling along Castro Valley Boulevard between Stanton and Forest avenues.
The five-hour event starts at 6:00 p.m. and is sponsored by Castro Valley News with support from numerous local business owners and Castro Valley residents. Many merchants along the route will keep their doors open during the event and visitors are encouraged to stop in and spend some money to support them.
No streets will be closed during the event and law enforcement will be provided by Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and California Highway Patrol. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. For details, send an email to James Reed at castrovalleytelevision@gmail.com or call (510) 331-9112.
Castro Valley Cruise Night
Saturday, Aug 27
6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
See classic and exotic cars and support local merchants
Castro Valley Boulevard between Stanton and Forest avenues
Free
(510) 331-9112
Heads up! Road closures ahead in Fremont
Submitted by Fremont Police Department
The annual Fremont Festival of the Arts returns this weekend and is expected to draw thousands of people and result in several temporary road closures. Here is what you need to know:
Festival of the Arts
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. August 6-7 in central Fremont.
Streets impacted include:
- Paseo Padre Parkway between Capitol Avenue and Stevenson Boulevard
- Liberty Street between Beacon and Sundale avenues
- Walnut Avenue between Civic Center Drive and California Street
- Hastings Street between Capitol and Mowry Avenues
Additionally, the following parking lots will be closed:
- City Hall
- City of Fremont Family Resources Center
- City of Fremont Development Services Center
Road closures and parking lot closures will start at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 5 and continue until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 7. Event information is posted at https://www.fremontfestival.net
Aerospace company's test balloons prompt calls of concern
Associated Press
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP), July 13 — Citizens who called the National Weather Service concerned about some “silvery objects” in the sky around Sioux Falls prompted the agency to tweet that the objects were not aliens, but rather test balloons launched by a South Dakota aerospace subsidiary. “Sorry, not aliens,” the NWS tweeted in response to the calls it received.
The high-altitude balloons were launched by Raven Aerostar, a subsidiary of Raven Industries. “As a South Dakota company and the world leader in stratospheric balloon technology, our team conducts stratospheric balloon flights throughout the year, and many of them are launched from our dedicated hangar near Baltic, SD,” said Aerostar president Jim Nelson. “Two of our Thunderhead Balloon Systems are currently over Sioux Falls.”
The balloons, which look like hot air balloons, operate miles above the surface of the earth. Once the balloon reaches the stratosphere, it changes from a teardrop to a pumpkin shape, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported.
Aerostar said the balloons have a variety of uses, including monitoring wildfires, expanding cellular networks and military reconnaissance. They navigate by autonomously changing altitude to take advantage of wind currents in the atmosphere.
“Research and development flights help us test the accuracy of our wind models, monitor the durability and functionality of the balloon components in the harsh conditions, and improve our ability to navigate to an area and then stay over that area for an extended period of time,” Nelson said.
Aerostar provides high-altitude balloons to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company said the balloons are cheaper than satellites and can operate for months at a time.
California beachfront taken from Black couple given to heirs
Associated Press
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. (AP), July 20 — Los Angeles County officials on July 20 presented the deed to prime California oceanfront property to the heirs of a Black couple who built a beach resort for African Americans but were harassed and finally stripped of the land nearly a century ago.
The event marked the final step in a complex effort to address the long-ago wrong suffered by Charles and Willa Bruce, entrepreneurs whose resort on the shore of the now-upscale city of Manhattan Beach was known as Bruce's Beach.
Against the backdrop of waves washing onto the sunny Manhattan Beach shoreline, county Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan handed a certified copy of the land transfer to Anthony Bruce, a great-great-grandson of the Bruces.
State Sen. Steven Bradford, who authored a state bill that was necessary to enable the county to transfer the land to the heirs, said it will not reverse the injustice. “But it represents a bold step in the right direction,” he said. “It represents a template for other states to follow.”
The land was purchased by the Bruces in 1912. They suffered racist harassment from white neighbors, and in the 1920s, the Manhattan Beach City Council condemned the property and took the land through eminent domain. The city, however, did nothing with the property, and it was transferred to the state of California in 1948.
In 1995, the state transferred it to Los Angeles County, with restrictions against further transfers. The county built its lifeguard training headquarters on the property, which also includes a small parking lot.
Janice Hahn, a member of the county Board of Supervisors, learned about the property's history and launched the complex process of returning the property to the heirs of the Bruces after consulting county attorneys. “They told me nothing like this had ever been done before,” she told the gathering, adding that such a move is now no longer unprecedented.
In addition to the state legislation, the transfer required votes by the board as well as a process of identifying who should get the land. The county ultimately determined that Marcus and Derrick Bruce, the great-grandsons of Charles and Willa Bruce, are their legal heirs.
The great-grandsons formed a company to hold the property, and LA County announced an agreement for the property to be leased back to the county for 24 months, with an annual rent of $413,000 plus all operation and maintenance costs, and the county's right to purchase the land for up to $20 million.
Buzz Aldrin flight-to-moon jacket sells at auction for $2.8M
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP), July 26 — Buzz Aldrin's jacket worn on his historic first mission to the moon's surface in 1969 has been auctioned off to a bidder for nearly $2.8 million.
The $2,772,500 paid for the Apollo 11 Inflight Coverall Jacket is the highest for any American space-flown artifact sold at auction, according to Sotheby's, which handled the sale. The unidentified winning bidder, who participated by phone, outlasted several others in a bidding that spanned almost 10 minutes.
The jacket displays Aldrin's name tag on the left breast above the Apollo 11 mission emblem, and the American flag on the left shoulder. It is made of a fire-resistant material known as Beta cloth that was incorporated in spacesuits in response to the fire that killed three astronauts aboard Apollo 1 in 1967, according to Sotheby's.
Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first astronauts to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.
Pet boa constrictor strangles owner; police investigate
Associated Press
FOGELSVILLE, Pa. (AP), July 25 — A man's pet boa constrictor wrapped itself around his neck, sending him to a hospital, where he died several days later, authorities in Pennsylvania said.
Elliot Senseman, 27, died July 24 at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest, the Lehigh County coroner's office said. The cause of death was listed as anoxic brain injury due to asphyxiation by constriction, and the manner of death was ruled accidental.
“A boa constrictor-type snake approximately 18 feet in length constricted around the neck of Mr. Senseman, thus causing the anoxic brain injury (complete lack of oxygen to the brain),” the coroner's office said July 25.
Police were called to a home in Fogelsville, in eastern Pennsylvania, shortly after 2 p.m. July 20 on a report of a man in cardiac arrest with a snake wrapped around his neck. An officer was able to shoot the snake's head without hurting the man, who was given medical aid and taken to the hospital.
Upper Macungie Township police and the coroner's office are investigating. Police told WTXF-TV that the snake was the man's pet and that several other snake enclosures were found in the home.
Investigators don't know the circumstances of the attack because “the dire situation” precluded “extended interviews … about the snake, its origin, or anything along those lines” Lt. Peter Nickischer said.
Van Gogh self-portrait found hidden behind another painting
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) Jul 14, 2022 — A previously unknown self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh has been discovered behind another of the artist's paintings, the National Galleries of Scotland said Thursday.
The self-portrait was found on the back of Van Gogh's “Head of a Peasant Woman” when experts at the Edinburgh gallery took an X-ray of the canvas ahead of an upcoming exhibition. The work is believed to have been hidden for over a century, covered by layers of glue and cardboard when it was framed in the early 20th century.
Van Gogh was known for turning canvases around and painting on the other side to save money.
The portrait shows a bearded sitter in a brimmed hat. Experts said the subject was instantly recognizable as the artist himself, and is thought to be from his early work. The left ear is clearly visible and Van Gogh famously cut his off in 1888.
Frances Fowle, a senior curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said the discovery was “thrilling.”
“Moments like this are incredibly rare,” she said. “We have discovered an unknown work by Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most important and popular artists in the world.”
The gallery said experts are evaluating how to remove the glue and cardboard without harming “Head of a Peasant Woman.”
Visitors to an upcoming Impressionist exhibit at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh can see an X-ray image of the self-portrait through a lightbox.
“A Taste for Impressionism” runs from July 30 to Nov. 13.
IAD080222
CONTINUING EVENTS:
Monday – Friday, July 5 August 11
Climate Change: Endangered Planet
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Artists reflect on our climate emergency
John O’Lague Galleria
Hayward City Hall
777 B St., Hayward
(510) 581-4050
Wednesdays
San Lorenzo Street Eats
5 p.m. – 9 pm.
1062 Grant Ave., San Lorenzo
Thursdays
Newark Street Eats
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
6430 Thornton Ave., Newark
First Thursdays
Plethos Comedy Lab $
8 p.m.
Ever-changing lineup of Bay Area comics (18+)
Tickets: $10
Castro Valley Marketplace Lab 200
3295 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley
Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays
Patterson House Tours
11:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m.
Tour the beautiful Patterson House Museum
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays
Animal Feeding
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Check for eggs and feed livestock
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays
Ride the Rails
10:20 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.
Travel back in time on the train through the eucalyptus groves
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Thursdays – Sundays, August 4 – October 2
Ferment
1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Exhibit celebrating beauty of vines, hops, and fermented drinks
Opening reception, August 6, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Tastings from local area wineries and breweries
Bankhead Theater
2400 First St., Livermore
LivermoreArts.org
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, July 16 – Aug 14
San Leandro Players Present: Harvey $
Saturday: 8 p.m.
Sunday: 2 p.m.
Fridays 8/5 and 8/12: 8 p.m.
San Leandro Museum/Auditorium
320 West Estudillo Ave, San Leandro
(510) 895-2573
Tickets:$20 general; $15 seniors & under 12
Friday July 29 – Sunday, August 6
Les Miserables: School Edition $
8 p.m.
Epic story of adversity, love, and redemption
Outdoor Amphitheater at Ohlone College
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont
StarStruckTheatre.org
(510) 659-1319
Fridays
Fremont Street Eats
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
3500 Capitol Ave., Fremont
www.thefoodtruckmafia.com
First Fridays at Chabot Space $
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Hands-on activities, workshops, and performances from community partners
$15 adults, $10 seniors/kids, $5 members
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland
Third Saturdays
Investigating Space $
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Discuss big topics in exploring space with researchers and scientists
(Included with admission)
Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland
Saturdays
Laugh Track City
8 p.m.
Improvised games and scenes based on audience suggestions (please show proof of vaccination)
Made Up Theatre
4000 Bay St., Ste B, Fremont
(510) 573-3633
Tickets: $15
Saturdays, July 2 – August 27
Bubbleworks
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Upbeat pop music and bubble machines
Courtyard near Old Navy
39281 Fremont Hub
Saturdays – Sundays
Discovery on Demand
10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Hands-on activities, live animal feeding, learn about habitats
Coyote Hills Visitors Center
8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont
(510) 544-3220
Saturdays – Sundays
Nectar Garden Exploration
11 a.m. – 12 noon
Discover native pollinators and plants
Coyote Hills Visitors Center
8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont
(510) 544-3220
UPCOMING
Wednesday, August 3
Ikebana Workshop R
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Japanese flower arranging, bring hand pruners and frog (flower holder)
Fremont Main Library
2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont
Wednesday, August 3
Talkin’ Dirt
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Great conversation and gardening tips
Fremontleaf.org/talkindirt
Thursday, August 4
The Quitters
5:30 p.m.
Acoustic celebration of flatpick and fingerstyle mastery in an outdoor setting
Cannery Kitchen & Tap
3295 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley
www/quittersduo.com
Thursday, August 4
Brain Health Talk Series: What is Dementia? R
4 p.m.
Latest research on healthy aging
Family Resource Center – Pacific Room
39115 Liberty St., Fremont
city.fremont.gov/awcclasses
Friday, August 5
Virtual Fair Housing Training R
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tenants, landlords, and service providers welcome
https://wwwechofairhousing.org/event.html
Friday and Saturday, August 5 – August 6
Roaring 20’s Murder Mystery $
7 p.m.
Interrogate actors to find out whodunnit
Twining Vine Winery
16851 Cull Canyon Rd., Castro Valley
Plethos.org
Saturday, August 6
Victorian Fun & Games
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Try out some stilts, play a game of graces
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Saturday, August 6
Farmyard Story Time
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Listen to a classic barnyard tale before visiting the main character
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Saturday, August 6
Train Track Construction Demo
10 :00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Railroad crew will be working on the train track
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Saturday, August 6
Meek Estate Open House
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Self -guided tours
Meek Mansion
17365 Boston Rd., Hayward
info@haywardareahistory.org
Saturday, August 6
Swiss National Day $
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Music, food, family activities, Swiss train display
Swiss Park
5911 Mowry Ave., Newark
https://swissparknewark.com/staff@swissparknewark.com
Saturday, August 6
Davis Street Health Fair
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
COVID-19 vaccines & boosters, farmers market, face painting, games
Davis Street Family Resource Center
3081 Teagarden St., San Leandro
Davisstreet.org
(510) 347-4620
Saturday, August 6
Hike with Your Rep
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Annual hike with Congressman Eric Swalwell
Castro Valley (to be announced 72 hrs. prior to date)
Ericswalwell.eventbrite.com
(510) 370-3322
Saturday – Sunday, August 6 – August 7
Festival of the Arts
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Arts & crafts booths, food booths, Kid City, wine & beer
Downtown district, Paseo Padre, Liberty St., Walnut Ave.
www.fremontbusiness .com
Sunday, August 7
Berry Picking
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Bring your basket and gather a bunch of blackberries
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Sunday, August 7
Stilt Walkers
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Learn why farmers used these fun tools in the past
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont
(888) 327-2757
Sunday, August 7
Snake Talk $
2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Meet the animal ambassador gopher snake. Ages 2+
Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center
1895 Geary Rd., Sunol
Parking $5
Sunday, August 7
Compelling Cattails
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Discover importance of cattails in wetland ecosystems
Coyote Hills Visitors Center
8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont
(510) 544-3220
Sunday, August 7
Union City Sister City Festival $
2 p.m.
Dinner with entertainers, dancers, musicians, representing culture of each city
Mark Green Sports Center
31224 Union City Blvd., Union City
Monday, August 8
Outdoor Discoveries! Meteor Power R
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Story and activity about meteors. Ages 4-12
Sunol Regional Wilderness Visitor Center
1895 Geary Rd., Sunol
Parking $5
Summer Outdoor Movie Nights & Concerts
Free Outdoor Movies
8 pm.
Bring picnic dinner, low-back chairs or blankets, flashlights
Friday, August 19
Luca
Castro Valley Community Park
18988 Lake Chabot Rd., Castro Valley
Friday, September 10
Addams Family 2
Meek Estate Park
240 Hampton Rd., Hayward
HaywardRec.org
Classic Movies Under the Stars
Reserve tickets at www.milpitas.gov
$5 per person
Some Like It Hot
Friday, August 12
8 p.m.
Civic Center Plaza, Milpitas
Milpitas Summer Concert Series
Jordan T
Friday, August 5
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Hall Park
La Honda Dr., Milpitas
Groovin’ at the Grove Free Summer Concerts
Fridays: June 24, July 8, July 22, August 5
Gates open: 4 p.m.
Concert: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
August 5 – Servants
Shirley Sisk Grove
NewPark Mall, Newark
Bring a blanket or low-back chair
Info at: www.newark.org
Fremont Summer Concert Series
Thursdays, July 7 – August 11
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
August 4 – Jukebox Heroes
August 11 – Aja Vu
Central Park Performance Pavilion
40204 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont
More info: (510) 494-4300 or RegeRec@fremont.gov
Pacific Commons Summer Concert Series
Fourth Fridays, June 24 – September 23
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
August 26 – TinMan (classic rock)
September 23 – Last One Picked (rock, blues, country)
Pacific Commons Shopping Center
Auto Mall Parkway at I-880, Fremont
(510) 770-9798
3 O’Clock Jump
Third Saturdays: July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Big Band music in outdoor patio (no cover fee)
World Famous Turf Club
22519, Main St., Hayward
(510) 244-3449
www.worldfamousturfclubca.com
Hayward Oddfellows Summer Concerts
Sundays; 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
August 7 – 3 O’Clock Jump
August 14 – Uncle Rico’s with The Hypnotones, Mike Meagher’s Music Machine, Brown & Lee, Alrighty Then, and Spirit Flute
August 21 – Gravity
August 28 – SweetSp0ts
September 11 – Hayward La Honda Music Camp
September 18 – Giant Spiders and 129
September 25 – East Bay Youth Orchestras and East Bay Symphonic Band
Hayward Memorial Park Outdoor Amphitheater
24176 Mission Blvd., Hayward
150 Minutes of Music and Light
Thursday, August 11
Food trucks: 5:30 p.m.
Band begins: 6:30 p.m.
Hella Fitzgerald concert, food trucks, light show sponsored by Pinnacle. Bring a lawn chair.
Marina Park
14001 Monarch Bay Dr., San Leandro
SanLeandro.org/150
The NowhereMen
Saturday, Aug 13
7 p.m.
Jack’s Brewing Company
39176 Argonaut Way, Fremont
(510) 796-2036
www.jacksbrewing.com