Education board approves academy expansion
Submitted by Laura Forrest
At its April 27 meeting, the Alameda County Board of Education (ACOE) approved the expansion of the Alameda County Office of Education Opportunity Academy through the establishment of a classroom at Civicorps Job Training Center in Oakland, and an increase to student enrollment capacity.
“The board…voted to provide more opportunities for youth and adults in Alameda County who desire a high school diploma and need support with employment readiness to pursue that diploma, a career and a better future through Opportunity Academy,” said Aisha Knowles, President of ACOE. “We look forward to creating increased access for over 1,500 Alameda County students who are estimated to drop out of high school annually, and helping facilitate their stories of success and accomplishment.”
As soon as July, students from the Civicorps Corpsmember Academy will be welcomed to enroll in Opportunity Academy, which serves students 16 and older who are seeking a high school diploma. The program currently offers five locations throughout Alameda County and offers job training, internship opportunities, and apprenticeships.
In January 2021, the Civicorps Board of Directors partnered with ACOE’s Opportunity Academy to provide a high school diploma program at its Oakland facility. Civicorps will continue to help young adults ages 18-26 gain job skills, pursue college, and embark on careers, including with Civicorps partners Waste Management, East Bay Regional Park District and East Bay Municipal Utility District.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to add Civicorps to the group of community-based organizations, colleges, and workforce development agencies who are working together to provide a stronger network of educational and career opportunities for all Alameda County residents,” said ACOE Chief of Schools Monica Vaughan.
“There are an estimated 20,000 adults in Alameda County who do not have a high school diploma,” Vaughan said. “Opportunity Academy is designed to meet the needs of returning students who are seeking a diploma and an accessible on-ramp to higher education and career paths.”
Opportunity Academy partners with programs such as Youth Employment Partnership (YEP) in Oakland, La Familia in Hayward, Next Step Learning Center in Oakland, and REACH Ashland Youth Center in San Leandro.
The Addams Family
Submitted by StarStruck Theatre
Celebrate the wackiness in every family with the best-selling Broadway musical, The Addams Family! StarStruck Theatre has been working for months rehearsing and filming this virtual experience, which will be streaming for one weekend only from Saturday, May 15 to Sunday, May 16, 2021.
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family whom her parents have never met. She confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before—keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.
The Addams Family was safely rehearsed and recorded from January to early April. The musical numbers have been masterfully edited together by Anthony Wickizer and the scenes were recorded on Zoom! While the performance itself will not be live, we are streaming it “live” at set times. This way, you can make plans with friends and family to tune in and watch the same performance together, just like you would if you were going to the theatre.
The Addams Family will be streamed with special permission from Theatrical Rights Worldwide and BookTix Live. Streaming on BookTix Live is browser based (no apps). Once you have purchased your ticket, be on the lookout for your confirmation email. Simply click on the StreamPass Code in the email you received to take you straight to BookTix Live and your show! A “waiting room” will be open 30 minutes prior to showtime. Each performance has a unique link, so if you have purchased tickets to both showings, be sure to use the correct link for each performance!
To watch the stream on a television, you can try using Airplay, Chromecast, or accessing a browser like Firefox on your Amazon Fire Stick or Smart TV to connect. Whichever method you choose, we suggest joining the stream early if possible on your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop before you start Airplaying or Casting it to your TV. Not all TV’s support modern full digital encryption, and the stream might work perfectly on your device and not work when it reaches your TV. You can always watch from your original device.
The Addams Family
Saturday, May 15 – Sunday, May 16
Sat: 7:30 p.m.
Sun: 3:00 p.m.
Online streaming event; purchase tickets in advance
https://starstrucktheatre.org/pages/now-playing
Tickets: $15
Juror selects entries for online show, ‘For Art’s Sake’
Submitted by A.R.T., Inc
A.RT, Inc.’s first juried show since the beginning of COVID is up and running online; all 76 entries were selected. Of course, we won’t know who won awards until the reception at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 8.
Our team of volunteers has worked diligently to showcase the wide variety of entries. Many thanks to our Judge Paul Kratter who will award cash prizes and offer critiques of artwork. Cash prizes will also be given in honor of Eupha Thompson and Margaret Robbins.
Four artists who entered the show became members of A.R.T., Inc.: Tervina Moy, Norma Robinson, Jill Kneeter, and Chandana Srinath.
To attend the reception, go to artinc.org and subscribe. Webmaster Ruey Syrop will send you an invitation link.
A.R.T., INC Members Juried Show
Thursday, Apr 28 – Saturday, July 31
Reception and awards
Saturday, May 8
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Subscribe for invitation link
https://www.artinc.org/
Visitor Centers Reopening
By Ayn Wieskamp
East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors
East Bay Regional Park District’s visitor centers, closed for about the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have reopened on a limited basis. Reservations are required at some centers.
Among those reopening is Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. Open hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Other centers that are open with limited hours include those at Coyote Hills in Fremont, Sunol Regional Wilderness near Sunol, and Crab Cove in Alameda. And of course, the parks have been open all along for hiking, cycling. and nature study.
Most regional park swim facilities are now scheduled to reopen on Saturday, May 29 of Memorial Day Weekend. This includes the swim beach at Quarry Lakes in Fremont. Unfortunately, the swim beach at Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton will remain closed until further notice, due to low water levels.
Because of health department COVID-19 rules, regional park swim facilities will limit capacity, and reservations will be required. Visitors will have to make reservations before arrival at the swim facility. Payment will not be accepted at the gate. Safety protocols also will be enforced. Visitors will have to wear a mask, bring hand sanitizers, and maintain distance from other groups.
For detailed information on both visitor center and swim area hours and reservations, visit the park district website, www.ebparks.org, before you go to the park.
It has not been a spectacular spring for wildflowers, but the blossoms may still be lingering in the regional parks.
Sunol Regional Wilderness is always a good bet, though it is best to visit on weekdays if possible. Weekends can be very crowded. The park is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about 5 miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol. When you go, walk up the Camp Ohlone Road to Little Yosemite and back to the start on the Canyon View Trail for good wildflower displays.
Another good regional park for wildflowers is Vargas Plateau. To get there, take the Vargas Road exit from I-680 near Fremont and drive to the top of the hill. A word of caution, though. There are only 23 non-disabled and two disabled parking spots at the trailhead, and there is no parking at all on Vargas Road. So, try to visit at off-peak times.
Once you get to either park, even if the spring wildflowers have faded, the parks are still beautiful. From Vargas Plateau there are panoramic views of the tri-cities, South San Francisco Bay, and the Peninsula across the water.
Coyote Hills is another great park for hiking, biking, and bird watching. It is on Patterson Ranch Road, off Paseo Padre Parkway in Fremont. Circle the hills on the Bayview Trail or take a stroll on the marsh boardwalk. The visitor center has exhibits relating to the Ohlone Indians, who thrived in a village at what is now the park for 2,000 years before the arrival of Europeans.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Friday, April 23
• At 4:44 p.m. a man identified by police as Brandon Smith, 28, of Union City was arrested at South Hayward station on an outstanding felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance for sale. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Saturday, April 24
• At 10:28 a.m. a man identified by police as Jmas Soto, 51, of San Francisco was arrested at Union City station on a $20,000 warrant issued in Alameda County for violating a restraining court order. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 10:10 p.m. a man identified by police as Jonathan Linares, 28, of Hayward was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on two outstanding warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Sunday, April 25
• At 8:43 p.m. a person identified by police as Demetrice Thompson, 24, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair station on an outstanding felony warrant and booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 9:55 p.m. a person identified by police as Aubrey Crowder, 20, of Berkeley was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of violating a court order and trespassing on transit property. Crowder was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Monday, April 26
• At 11:06 p.m. a 66-year-old man was the victim of an assault with a deadly weapon at San Leandro station. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Transit security was notified.
Tuesday, April 27
• At 11:45 a.m. a man identified by police as Timothy Knockum, 54, of Oakland was arrested at South Hayward station on suspicion of violating a court order to stay from BART. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Wednesday, April 28
• At 6:42 p.m. a man identified by police as Patrick Bingman, 49, of San Francisco was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and theft. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Friday, April 30
• At 6:23 a.m. a man identified by police as Jamal Mohammed, 32, of Fremont was detained at Fremont station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed he had an outstanding arrest warrant. He was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Call for artists
Submitted by Olive Hyde Art Guild
The Olive Hyde Art Guild is soliciting artists for its Members Juried Show that will run July 8 through October 3. This show takes place every other year at the Olive Hyde Gallery in Fremont and combines two and three-dimensional art. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s show will be a three-month virtual exhibit.
Membership in Olive Hyde Art Guild is required to participate in the show, and new members are welcome to join. The deadline to submit show entries is Tuesday, June 8.
Entry rules:
• Artists must complete an online entry form and upload a digital image of each art piece.
• Artwork must be original and current, within the last four years.
• Works may be in painting (oil, watercolor, acrylic), mixed media, photography, digital media (no video), ceramics, glass, sculpture, jewelry, fiber art or works on paper.
• A non-refundable entry fee of $25 entitles an artist to submit up to four works.
• Two-dimensional artwork may not to exceed four feet in any direction; three-dimensional artwork may not exceed 3 feet in any direction.
Judging and awards
• Judging for selection into the show will be done by the juror from digital images only.
• Awards will be decided by the juror and announced at the show opening.
• There will be three monetary awards: Best of Show, $250; Second Place, $200; Third Place, $150.
• Up to three Merit Award winners will receive ribbons, and a People’s Choice ribbon will be voted on via an online form.
The juror for this year’s show is Marianne McGrath, who is an independent curator. After a decade with New Museum Los Gatos and The Museums of Los Gatos curating exhibits and presenting art and education programs, McGrath founded MKM Art Consulting. She holds a BA degree in art and an MA degree in Art History.
More information about the show and how to enter is posted on the Olive Hyde Art Guild website at https://olivehydeartguild.org/members-juried-show/.
Cocktails and Conservation
Submitted by Oakland Zoo
Image taken from Pangolin Crisis Fund Instagram
On Wednesday, May 12 Cocktails and Conservation will focus on pangolins in crisis.
This virtual happy hour series features some of the world’s most incredible conservationists. These heroes are working on the ground every day to save endangered species and their habitats. Guests join on Facebook or YouTube Live to learn, ask questions, and be a part of the solution to preserve our planet’s rich and diverse wildlife.
Each episode will feature a custom cocktail, so we can toast to a safe world for wildlife. Look out for the recipe, mix your cocktail, and join us live!
Our May 12 guest is Paul Thomson, co-founder of Save Pangolins and the Pangolin Crisis Fund. Pangolins are unique, mysterious mammals that are covered in tough, overlapping scales. Pangolins gained exposure when research showed that COVID-19 may have originated from pangolins being sold in a Chinese wet market. Though still widely unknown, pangolins have become the most illegally trafficked wild mammals in the world, being poached for their meat and scales. Now, all eight species of pangolins are threatened with extinction. Learn how the Pangolin Crisis Fund is combatting illegal trafficking of these unique mammals by investing in projects that stop poaching and the demand for pangolin and pangolin products.
We are pleased to feature a signature cocktail from Hopscotch in Oakland (www.hopscotchoakland.com). Join us as we imbibe while being inspired!
Cocktails and Conservation: Pangolins in Crisis
Wednesday, May 12
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Via Facebook and YouTube Live
https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/cocktails-conservation
https://www.pangolincrisisfund.org/
COVID Update: ‘At last, there are reasons for cautious optimism’
Submitted by Association of Mature American Citizens
It has been a year and change since the COVID pandemic distorted the way we live and, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, if the end is not in sight, perhaps the beginning of the end is approaching, says Rebecca Weber, CEO, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). “At last, there are reasons for cautious optimism.”
“Vaccinations have begun to make progress in containing the disease, thanks to the efforts of former President Trump who convinced pharmaceutical companies to make haste in developing a serum. Booster shots will be coming soon as are new, easier ways of delivering protective doses.”
Deborah Fuller, PhD, an expert in the field of vaccines and antivirals, says that we can look forward to “an amazing toolbox to use to combat infectious disease for a long time to come.” For example, Fuller, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says that progress is being made in the development of non-injectable vaccines that, for example, might be delivered through the nose or swallowed in pill form.
Meanwhile, the vaccines currently available are doing their job. Natalie Dean, an assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Florida, says they “have really exceeded expectations in so many ways, and it’s just an enormous value that they can keep you from getting sick but also keep you from transmitting to others. Nothing is 100 percent, but I think people can understand the big reduction and the value of that. It changes how I think about what I want to do in a big way.”
The latest positive development in the race to conquer the COVID virus was reported just days ago when Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla announced that a pill that treats symptoms of the disease could be available to the public by the end of the year. It means that you would not have to go to a hospital for treatment, unlike current injectable medications. As he put it, “you could get it at home, and that could be a game-changer.”
Oravax Medical, a medical technology developer, is poised to begin clinical trials for an oral COVID vaccine sometime as early as this summer.
Weber says “The happy side-effect of all this medical progress, particularly for seniors, is that we can see a light at the end of the tunnel as problematic protective restrictions begin to ease. Most states across the country have fully reopened or have reopened to some degree since vaccinations became available. A goodly number of states are eliminating the need to wear masks out of doors.”
In fact, earlier this week the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued new guidelines easing up on the need for masks for fully vaccinated individuals in outdoor spaces although the CDC recommends wearing masks in outdoor spaces that are densely populated. These venues include, for example, sporting events, concerts, and parades.
In addition, the CDC has issued new travel regulations. In a nutshell, interstate travel for those who are fully vaccinated no longer require testing before and after a trip unless the authorities at your destination require it nor will vaccinated travelers in the U.S. need to self-quarantine upon their return.
As for international travel, if you are fully vaccinated you will no longer need to be tested before your trip unless authorities at your destination require it. Also, you will not have to self-quarantine when you come home, although you are urged to have a test before returning.
You are considered as fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving your second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Photos in 1 new Sharon
High school sophmore wins first place in speech contest
Submitted by Marguerite Padovani
Rotary District 5170 recently held its Annual Richard D. King Speech Contest and is pleased to announce the First Place, $1,000 prize winner Mehreen Rosmon, a sophomore at Washington High School, in Fremont. She was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Niles Fremont (www.nilesrotary.org).
Mehreen enjoys working to improve her school environment through her leadership class and exploring various subjects. She hopes to continue pursuing higher roles in Interact while giving back to the community. Once the pandemic is over, she is looking forward to being able to meet in person and build stronger connections.
“We are pleased to host this event each year as Rotary District 5170 takes pride in the youth services activites and opportunites we provide,” said Gregg Giusiana, District Governor 2020-21.
Rotary Clubs of District 5170 sponsors the Richard D. King Annual Youth Speech Contest with three goals in mind for club members and each speech contest participant:
• To increase personal knowledge and awareness of the importance of being able to speak effectively before a group.
• To increase public knowledge of what Rotary is and does throughout the world, especially among young people. Through this knowledge, we hope that youth will learn, as we have in the past, “He who serves best profits most.”
• To increase participation in the contest and to provide all high school contestants an opportunity to win prizes as top speaker, or runners-up, in District 5170.
Second place, $600 prize winner
Kaylyn Phan is a senior at Evergreen Valley High School in San Jose. She is the co-president of her Interact club and will be studying computer science at UCLA. The San Jose East Evergreen Rotary Club sponsored Kaylyn.
Finalists, each receiving $300
Dessy Bonev is a junior at Leigh High School in San Jose. She is president of the Interact club at her school and enjoys filming, directing, and editing her own films. The Los Gatos Rotary Club sponsored Dessy.
Shreya Anand is currently a sophomore at Los Altos High School. The Mountain View Rotary Club sponsored Shreya.
Learn more about District 5170 at: www.rotarydistrict5170.org
EARTHTALK
Hydrogen powered fuel cells are scarce
From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: What’s the latest on hydrogen powered fuel cells? Not long ago they were touted as the energy source of the future, but news has been scant of late.
— J. Gorman, Columbia, South Carolina
Indeed, around the turn of the millennium, the development of hydrogen fuel cells to power our transportation sector with renewable, non-polluting power was all the rage among environmentalists and techies alike. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen via an electrochemical reaction to make electricity, with water as the only “exhaust.” The first crude fuel cells were invented in England in the 1830s, but the technology really gained momentum in the 1960s when NASA developed them for the space program.
Unlike traditional batteries, which need to be regularly recharged, fuel cells operate continuously as long as they have a steady supply of oxygen and hydrogen. Oxygen is available anywhere and anytime from the air around us. Hydrogen, though also one of the planet’s most common elements, isn’t easily separated from the compound molecules it is usually part of. So, either gasification or electrolysis is used to separate the hydrogen out. But this requires copious amounts of energy, which is most often derived from fossil fuel sources, calling into question just how sustainable fuel cells actually may be.
Start-ups working on fuel cells for the auto industry (Ballard Power, Plug Power) became the darlings of investors in the 1990s and 2000s, but in the intervening two decades hybrids and EVs started to take over the auto sector instead of cars powered by hydrogen, and fuel cell makers shifted most of their attention to the aviation industry. So, what happened? Why aren’t we all driving around in fuel cell cars today?
One major hurdle was the lack of a refueling infrastructure. Internal combustion cars and trucks (and hybrids) can get gasoline at just about every other corner and highway exit across the country. Meanwhile, EV drivers just need an electrical outlet, one of the most ubiquitous pieces of “infrastructure” in our world, to recharge their cars’ batteries for the next 80-200 miles.
But if you do happen to drive one of the 300 fuel cell vehicles sold (or leased) in the U.S. in recent years — Toyota Mirai or Honda Clarity, to name a few, you’ll have to find a hydrogen refueling station to keep the road trip alive. And if you don’t live in California, home to 43 of the nation’s 48 hydrogen refueling stations thanks to the forward-looking state’s Clean Transportation Program, a fuel cell vehicle probably doesn’t make a lot of sense.
While fuel cells may not have lived up to their initial hype as the future of the automotive transportation sector, they are playing an increasingly larger role in powering various aspects of the aviation and aerospace industries, where hydrogen production and refueling operations can be relatively centralized.
Another growth area for fuel cells is stationary applications. Our existing natural gas distribution system could be modified to pipe hydrogen into our buildings to feed fuel cells to take care of our energy needs. While fuel cells alone may not be the answer to our environmental problems, they are proving to be one of the arrows in the quiver of those trying to be part of the solution.
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.
Editorial
Honoring protective services
National Police Week will be officially celebrated May 9-15, 2021. In our newspaper, we use the term “protective services” to designate people, articles and events that involve professionals whose primary mission is to defend, guard and shelter the general population from harm. This includes, among others, police services, fire departments, first responders and health professionals. Police constitute a major part of that societal segment.
As a highly visible civil department often associated with negative aspects of society, this group has the unenviable task of spending inordinate amounts of time dealing with the worst moments in many people’s lives and interacting with unpleasant and dangerous situations. The effect on even the best of these men and women can be overwhelming, disturbing and psychologically devastating. This is evidenced by constant current reporting of deviant behavior by some who either should never have been put in a position of trust and responsibility or have been crushed by the pressure and obligation of law enforcement. A complicating factor is the inherent danger of confronting volatile, extreme and unsafe scenarios at a moment’s notice, sometimes resulting in serious injury and fatality.
The result is public uproar and an examination of the role of police in contemporary society. Police are not immune from many of the same negative societal views as the community at large: prejudice and poor behavior. Proposed solutions to systemic issues vary including extremes of dissolution on one end of a spectrum to staunch defense and militarization on the other. A confusing, often antithetical, set of directives from the public have clouded arguments amid emotional tirades, obscuring the primary need and mission of a police force.
In the early years of the United States, Americans mimicked England’s system of watchmen, often privately paid enforcers. Frontier regions developed a vigilante system, separate from formal justice. The first organized public police force was established in New York City in 1844. Quickly followed by other major cities, the police were modeled on a quasi-military command to deter crime and disorder. Initially police were closely tied personally and politically to their communities and patrolled without uniforms. As departments grew in sophistication, budget and size, they became more bureaucratic and less community centric.
Over decades, the shining star of a policeman as an accessible, helpful, kind and courteous public official has been tarnished by reaction to an increasingly violent segment of citizenry, mostly living in congested conditions. Sometimes a militaristic and authoritarian reply is authorized, appearing to be the necessary for a fast and effective response. This, however, is a short-term solution that may neutralize an immediate threat, but not solve an environmental, long-term issue that spawns repeated similar incidents. The question arises of the core mission for police and alternatives for a myriad of psychological, social and unrelated departmental responsibilities. In Fremont, one glaring aberration is police administration of the animal shelter. Why?
Currently our local police are facing the challenges of a fast-paced, mobile society that has access to a plethora of information – true or false – that can quickly change the tenor of their immediate environment. During this time, it is important for those of us outside the “blue wall” to give respect to those who deserve it without the prejudice and blanket assumptions of guilt that often accompany horrific actions and circumstances. Accountability and justice within the police ranks should be the end goal of both community and police department. Institutional issues need to be addressed through open and honest dialogue. However, with all of the current problems, it is still appropriate to observe National Police Week, envisioned by President John F. Kennedy in his 1962 proclamation to honor law enforcement officers, especially those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Calling All Writers!
Submitted by Tish Davidson
Put on your writing hat, explore your creativity, and meet other writers in a fun, nonjudgmental Zoom Social Write-In sponsored by Fremont Area Writers on Saturday, May 8 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. This event is for everyone from complete beginners to already published writers. It is not a writing critique session. Your writing will not be judged, just enjoyed by your fellow writers.
How the Write-In works:
After you sign in, the computer will randomly assign you to a virtual room with several other writers. Once everyone is gathered, you will get three writing prompts. Choose one prompt and free write for eight minutes. You can write memoir, fiction, or poetry, but the writing prompts have been chosen to encourage you to write about yourself so that participants can get to know each other.
After you write, there is time for everyone in the room to read their response to the prompt and exchange ideas and experiences in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. The computer will then reassign everyone to a different room, the prompts will change, and the process will repeat.
Example prompts from past sessions:
A teacher who changed my life
The best place I ever lived
Whenever I hear that song…
To participate in the Write-In, please request the Zoom meeting link from Scott Davidson at scottfrombayside@yahoo.com.
Zoom Social Write-In
Saturday, May 8
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
Request link from Scott Davidson: scottfrombayside@yahoo.com
Passenger survives being hit in the head by flying turtle
AP Wire Service
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP), Apr 22 – It is not unusual for rocks and other debris to crash through a windshield and injure a driver or passenger – but a turtle?
A 71-year-old woman riding with her daughter on Florida's Interstate 95 suffered a gashed forehead Wednesday when a turtle smashed through the windshield of their car, striking her, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
The daughter pulled over and got help from another motorist. According to a 911 recording, both were surprised by what they found.
“There is a turtle in there,” the man can be overheard saying.
“A turtle!” the daughter exclaimed. “An actual turtle?”
The gash drew a lot of blood, but the woman was not seriously hurt. The turtle was likely crossing the interstate and got knocked into the air by another vehicle.
“I swear to God this lady has the worst luck of anything,” the daughter told the 911 operator as she tended to her injured mother.
The turtle, on the other hand, had the best luck of anything – it just had a few scratches on its shell and was released back into the nearby woods, Port Orange police officer Andre Fleming said.
Police offer a virtual look into department operations
Submitted by Fremont Police Department
Community members will have a chance to learn about the inner workings of the Fremont Police Department (FPD) during a series of six FPD 360 Virtual Community Education meetings during May and June.
While some components in the FPD 360 series are similar to the department’s Community Academy, FPD officials said the content in these six sessions was designed based on direct community feedback received during the Engage Fremont dialogues that took place last summer.
Each two-hour session will focus on department services, policing roles and responsibilities, policies, and police training. All sessions will provide community members with an opportunity to ask questions and to have an open dialogue with FPD staff.
Sessions will meet 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, May 4 through June 8 using Zoom and will be hosted by a moderator. Participants are welcome to join for one session or all six sessions; no registration is required. Each session will have a maximum attendance of 50 participants and admittance will be taken on a first come, first serve basis.
Here is the proposed curriculum:
May 4
Session 1:
• FPD Philosophy and Mission Values
• Command Structure
• Budget
• Community Engagement
• Internal Affairs
Zoom login information:
Meeting ID: 979 9853 5133
Passcode: 918094
May 11
Session 2, Special Operations:
• Personnel and Training
• De-Escalation, Use of Force and Scenario-Based Training
Zoom login information:
Meeting ID: 931 6925 3382
Passcode: 216222
May 18
Session 3, Special Operations:
• Investigations
• City/Community Cameras
• Armory/Range
• Drivers Training
Zoom login information:
Meeting ID: 959 8501 8713
Passcode: 334356
May 25
Session 4, Professional Support Services:
• Communications-Dispatch
• Records
• Property
Zoom login information:
Meeting ID: 926 0787 3041
Passcode: 865048
June 1
Session 5, Patrol Division/Patrol Structure:
• Traffic Unit
• Mobile Evaluation Team
• K-9 Team
• UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle)
Zoom login information:
Meeting ID: 927 4524 9258
Passcode: 014773
June 8
Session 6, Virtual Coffee with a Cop:
• Join us for a virtual casual conversation
For details about the program, visit the FPD 360 webpage at Fremontpolice.gov/FPD360.
Fremont Unified Board Highlights
Submitted by Brian Killgore
At its April 21 meeting, Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) Board of Education:
• Discussed Future Return to In-Person Instruction – Staff presented information to the board of education regarding plans for the 2021-2022 school year, outlining a full return to in-person instruction in the fall, COVID-19 mitigation measures aligned with state and local guidance, as well as plans for virtual academies for students (distance learning programs).
These plans are predicated on the guidance that recommends 3 feet of physical distancing in schools, in conjunction with appropriate COVD-19 mitigation measures as outlined by state and local health departments (face coverings, physical distancing, improved air filtration, symptom screening, asymptotic testing, as examples).
Staff also presented information related to anticipated developments at the state level, guidance on in-person graduations, and updated guidance on extracurricular activities and spectators. Staff recommended that unless otherwise prohibited by a state or local mandate, FUSD should return to full-time in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year as the default model of instruction and provide virtual learning academies for students who may require remote instruction, while ensuring local and state COVID-19 mitigations are in place.
• Adopted resolution in support of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Staff has prepared a formal resolution condemning harassment, violence, and hatred toward our AAPI community for the board’s review stating “The Fremont Unified School District believes that its students and staff deserve to learn and work in a community that celebrates all identities and is free of discriminatory policies. With a student population that is over 70 percent AAPI, it is critical that Fremont community members, students, parents, educators, staff, and district leadership show solidarity against acts of anti-Asian violence.”
• Authorized Staff to Purchase Chromebooks – FUSD has approximately 25,000 Chromebook devices. At the end of September, approximately 10,000 of those devices will be coming to “end of life.”
This will affect the functionality of devices in that they will no longer receive updates required for educational applications and district and state assessments. On March 29, the Local Control and Accountability Advisory Committee (LCAAC) met and approved $810,000 for the purchase of Chromebooks to help address this need. IT recommended the purchase of 2,874 Chromebooks. At the April 2021, meeting of the Technology Advisory Committee (TAC), the committee voted in support of the purchase.
Fremont Police Log
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
Tuesday, April 20
• At about 12:00 a.m. officers responded to reports about a structure fire at Walgreens, 2600 Mowry Avenue. The fire appeared to have started inside a trash can near the front of the store and spread, causing damage to an exterior wall. A man, identified by police as Germayne Hill, 39, an unsheltered Fremont resident, was standing next to the fire and recording it on a cell phone. He was arrested on suspicion of arson.
Wednesday, April 21
• At about 3:20 a.m. a commercial burglary occurred at Marshalls, 39281 Fremont Hub. Someone entered through a glass window and removed items.
Friday, April 23
• At about 2:00 p.m. a robbery occurred at the East West Bank at 34420 Fremont Boulevard when a female left the bank and returned to her vehicle, and then put her purse on the front passenger seat. An unknown suspect broke the passenger window, grabbed the purse and fled the scene.
• At 6:13 p.m. officers responded to a report about a stabbing in the Tesla Factory parking lot at 45500 Fremont Boulevard. The victim was stabbed in the leg by a known associate and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Charges of assault with a deadly weapon are being recommended to the District Attorney.
Sunday, April 25
• At 9:24 a.m. patrol officers located a stolen vehicle in the area of Fremont Boulevard and Cushing Parkway and made a high-risk vehicle stop. Two suspects, identified by police as Omar Arellano, 46 and Edgar Villapando, 28, both of San Jose, were arrested.
Hayward Police Log
Submitted by Hayward PD
Monday, April 19
• At 12:56 a.m. a male was sitting in a vehicle in the 900 block of Clearbrook Circle when suspects approached him, brandished a handgun and took the vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Tuesday, April 20
• At 10:02 a.m. a person in the 27000 block of Patrick Avenue was assaulted and robbed by unknown suspects. Responding officers located the suspects, made positive identifications and took them into custody.
Friday, April 23
• At 1:34 a.m. a shooting occurred in the 2000 block of American Avenue. Officers responded and located casings in the area. No injuries were reported.
Saturday, April 24
• At 2:33 a.m. officers located an occupied stolen vehicle in the 400 block of West A St. Officers took the suspect into custody and recovered the vehicle.
• At 5:38 p.m. a shooting occurred in the 24000 block of Silva Avenue. Officers responded, located a male suspect and took him into custody. No injuries were reported.
History: Higher Education in Washington Township
By Phillip Holmes
Originally published April 2, 2013
Reverend William Wallace Brier was a pioneer pastor and founder of Alameda Presbyterian Church (now Centerville Presbyterian Church). He wrote a letter to his friend, Reverend Horace Bushnell, a famous minister and college professor, inviting him to come to California to discuss founding a university. Bushnell responded saying he would visit Brier at Centerville. Bushnell arrived in 1856, stayed with the Brier family and preached sermons at Centerville.
Reverend Bushnell was also a friend of the Elias Beard family, and he stayed with them at their home in Mission San Jose. He believed that California needed a school of higher education like they had back East and spent much of his time while here seeking a site for the University of California. Bushnell referred to his search as “a most pleasant and refreshing one.” He wanted to explore Alameda Creek Canyon, which he called “a fearfully wild place” so he got Mr. Beard to take him fishing. His hike was interrupted by a noise he thought was made by a grizzly, but he continued up to “Sunole Valley.”
The next day Bushnell drove a pair of mules 10 miles and walked 12 miles to a spot he called his “College Paradise.” He was joined by an engineer with tools to measure the flow of water to this favored spot. Bushnell continued his search, but alas Berkeley was chosen for the site of the university.
The first institution of higher learning in Washington Township was the Washington College of Science and Industry, established at Washington Corners (now Irvington) in 1872 by local farmers and educators including W. F. Lynch, Albert Lyser, William Horner, Origin Mowry, Henry Curtner, S. I. Marston, Heman Crowell and H. W. Dixon. The site was donated by E. L. Beard and the first building erected at a cost of $80,000.
Opened by Reverend and Mrs. Harmon as a coeducational college, several residents including graduates of Washington Public School at Irvington received their advanced education here. Courses included bookkeeping, calligraphy, commercial letter writing, Latin, Greek and advanced English. Live-in quarters were provided for girls on the first floor and boys on the second. There was also a gymnasium for exercise. In 1883 it was operated under the auspices of the Christian Church and then converted into a girl’s seminary in 1896, called Curtner Seminary.
The main building burned in 1899 and the school was closed. W. W. Anderson of Hopkins Academy in Oakland, assisted by residents, erected a new building on the site in 1900 and opened a Military Academy that prepared students for leading colleges. It operated until World War I and was described in 1904 as a “first class accredited school.”
Archbishop Joseph Alemany erected a building at Mission San Jose for a seminary to educate priests. Classes began in January 1883, but the seminary was forced to close two years later. Mother Pia Backes purchased the property for the Dominican Sisters of San Francisco. The convent and school were dedicated to Saint Joseph and the name changed to the Josephinum in 1892. The Sisters opened a two-year Normal School in 1908. Queen of the Holy Rosary College was established in 1930 and the School of Music in 1947.
The Sisters of the Holy Family purchased the Palmdale property in 1948 and moved the Novitiate there from San Francisco. The new Novitiate was dedicated by Archbishop John J. Mitty in 1949 with special blessings from the Vatican. The College of the Sisters of the Holy Family moved here from San Francisco in 1971 to join the Novitiate and Motherhouse. The college had 143 students, and a total of about 300 in the religious community in 1975. The college provided a major in theology for the sisters and training for lay teachers.
Residents of Newark and Fremont joined together to start their own local college. Voters approved the Fremont-Newark Junior College District on December 5, 1965. Dr. Stephen E. Epler was selected to be the first superintendent, and Wesley Sears the first president of the Board of Trustees. They hired administrators and faculty, leased some of the buildings at Serra Center for Girls on Washington Boulevard and prepared to open in September. The school, officially named Ohlone College in June 1967, opened with 20 full-time instructors and over 1900 students. The first class of 20 students graduated in June 1968.
A citizens committee studied sites for a campus and four were recommended. After prolonged debate, trustees purchased the Huddleson Ranch, passed a bond issue, and designed a campus. Portable classrooms were not quite ready when school opened in September, so chemistry classes were held at Our Savior Lutheran Church for a while. Six classes met in the old Mission San Jose School from 1969 to 1974. Evening classes met at Newark High School. The new campus opened in September 1974.
Several private colleges have been established in the Washington Township in recent years; some are technical or business schools and others designed to serve special educational needs. It is apparent that schools will change as needs and resources demand different types of educational institutions.
Home Match Program
Submitted by City of Fremont
Looking for housing or a housemate in the Tri-City Area?
There are many benefits that come with home sharing. As a community-based approach to affordable housing, Home Match builds resilient connections between home mates, thereby increasing housing stability for all.
Home Match is a free nonprofit home sharing program offered throughout the Tri-City Area in partnership with Covia, an affiliate of Front Porch, and the City of Fremont. Home Match introduces compatible matches based on lifestyle, budget, and interests, and individually guides people through the home-sharing process, up through and after move-in day.
If you are interested in home sharing, visit www.fremont.gov/2375/Home-Sharing-Program, https://covia.org/programs/home-match/, or call (510) 574-2173.
Home Match
(510) 574-2173
www.fremont.gov/2375/Home-Sharing-Program
Honor Roll
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Pennsylvania
Participant, Asians in the Diaspora Planning Committee
• Xinyu Li of Fremont
Knox College, Illinois
Winter 2021 Dean’s List
• Thao Luong of Fremont
• Tanay Singh of Fremont
The Citadel, South Carolina
Fall 2020 Gold Star award
• Austin Miles-Curtsinger of Newark
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
New inductee
• Frieda Alessi of Hayward, Samford University, Alabama
It’s a Date
CONTINUING EVENTS:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Parenting During COVID R
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Virtual support group to help families cope with challenges encountered during COVID
To register: www.fremont.gov/3060/Caregiver-Support
(510) 574-2100
Tuesdays
Free Virtual Sing-Along
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Zoom choir meeting hosted by Mission Peak Chamber Singers
https://www.chambersingers.org/
Contact: info@chambersingers.org
Wednesdays
Niles Street Eats
5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Food trucks
Niles Town Plaza
37592 Niles Blvd., Fremont
Wednesdays and Sundays
McNevin at The Mudpuddle
6 p.m.
Dinner time tunes, oddservations, and bad jokes
Via Facebook Live: www.facebook.com/mudpuddlemusic
Thursdays
San Lorenzo Street Eats
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Food trucks
500 Via Mercado, San Lorenzo
Thursdays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Virtual Youth Group
6:30 p.m.
Youth and young adults, students welcome
Contact: brian@newarkpress.org for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Fridays
Castro Valley Street Eats
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Food trucks and live music – support The Chabot Theater
Parking lot behind Trader Joe’s
2490 Grove Way, Castro Valley
https://www.thefoodtruckmafia.com/upcoming
Saturdays
Virtual Telescope Viewing R
9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Free on Facebook Live
Join resident astronomers live from Chabot’s observation deck
https://chabotspace.org/calendar/
Saturdays
Online Comedy Shows R$
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Made Up Theatre’s interactive comedy has gone to YouTube!
Sundays
Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church Family Service
10 a.m.
Via ZOOM
For link, call (510) 471-2581
https://sacbc.org/
Sundays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Worship Services
8:30 a.m.; Worship Service
12 noon: Sunday School, Ages K – 6th grade
Contact: office@newarkpres.org for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Sundays
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church Service
10 a.m.
Socially distant outdoor seating
2791 Driscoll Road, Fremont
www.stanneschurch.org
Tuesdays in May
7 o’clock rocks!
7 p.m.
Tune in and rock with Groovy Judy
http://facebook.com/groovyjudyrocks
Every 3rd Thursday and Friday, March – May
Property Transfer Clinic
Free 30-minute legal consultation
Third Thursday each month
Chronic Pain Support Group
12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m.
Request link: njordan@fremont.gov
Last Thursday of the Month, March – June
Mini MBA in Entrepreneurship
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Self-paced virtual program for early-stage entrepreneurs
Thursday, March 18 – Monday September 6
Immersive Van Gogh
9 a.m. – 11 p.m. (times vary)
Walk-in exhibit with digital projections and music
SVN West San Francisco
10 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
Tickets: $24.99 – $39.99
www.vangoghsf.com
Monday, April 5 – Sunday, June 27
Shifting Tides: Convergence in Cloth
Virtual exhibit to shine light on issues faced by the Pacific Ocean
www.olivehydeartguild.org
Wednesdays, April 14 – May 12
Tools For Change R
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Virtual workshop for parents and caregivers of adolescents (ages 12-18)
www.fremont.gov/3060/Caregiver-Support
(510) 574-2100
Friday, April 16 – Sunday, May 9
Almost, Maine $
Love is lost, found, and confounded in this comedy from Chanticleers Theatre.
Online Streaming event
(Video available 48 hours starting from time of purchase)
https://chanticleers.org/almost-main/
Thursday, April 22 – Monday, May 31
LEAF Spring Plant Sale
Online plant sale with curbside pickup
https://www.fremontleaf.org/
Wednesdays, April 28 – June 2
Meri Awaz/My Voice: South Asian support group for survivors
Support for survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence in the South Asian community
Via Zoom
Contact Shaila Dixit at shailajad@save-dv.org or (510) 578-8680
Select Wednesdays & Saturdays
Distinguished Author series R
Saturday, May 8 – Joyce Carol Oates, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 22 – Jhumpa Lahiri, 3 p.m.
Delve into the minds of authors who spark new thoughts and deep discussion
Online; advance registration required
Tuesdays, May 4 – June 8
Fremont Police Department Community Education
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Learn about the inner workings of the Fremont PD and ask questions
Session #1 – Meeting ID: 979 9853 5133; Passcode: 918094
Session #2 – Meeting ID: 931 6925 3382; Passcode: 216222
Session #3 – Meeting ID: 959 8501 8713; Passcode: 334356
Session #4 – Meeting ID: 926 0787 3041; Passcode: 865048
Session #5 – Meeting ID: 927 4524 9258; Passcode: 014773
Session #6 – Virtual Coffee With A Cop
Saturdays & Sundays in June & July
Niles Canyon Railway
10:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
6/12, 6/13: Steam Trains
6/19, 6/20, 7/10, 7/11, 7/17, 7/18: Diesel Trains
Sunol Depot
6 Kilkare Road, Sunol
www.ncry.org
UPCOMING
Tuesday, May 4
Digital Currency and Crypto Currency
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Learn about the different forms of digital currencies – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48195
Wednesday, May 5
Fremont Art Association General Meeting with guest artist
Summer Ellis demonstrates the art of hot wax painting
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register Link: https://www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo
Wednesday, May 5
BACH Talks!
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
COVID-19 questions answered by professionals
Via Zoom
Wednesday, May 5
Immigration 101 – Entry to Naturalization
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3sMSNF1
Meeting number (access code): 199 528 7181
Meeting password: R6XjPN8JTk8*
Thursday, May 6 – Saturday, May 8
TiEcon 2021
Entrepreneurship conference focusing on trending technologies
www.tiecon.org/register
Friday, May 7
Sing for Spring R
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Free virtual concert featuring the MFMII kids choir
Register for Zoom code: https://tinyurl.com/4z88hfp4
www.musicforminors2.org
Friday, May 7
Show Your Love Spring 2021
6 p.m.
Virtual cooking and wine event
Spectrumcs.org
Saturday, May 8
Rancho Higuera Historical Park tours
10 a.m. – 12 noon
47300 Rancho Higuera Rd., Fremont
(510) 623-7907
info@museumoflocalhistory.org
Suggested donation $2-5
Saturday, May 8
A Pink Pajama Party R
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Celebration of our People with Purpose Honorees – HERS Breast Cancer Foundation
https://hersbcf.ejoinme.org/PWP2021
(510) 790-1911
Saturday, May 8
Celebrating Mother’s Day
6 p.m.
Celebrating all the mothers! Surprise wine pairing from Occasio Winery
Via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LivermoreValleyOpera
www.livermorevalleyopera.com
Saturday, May 8
Social Write-In
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Fremont Area Writers hosts virtual writing exercise
Via Zoom
Request meeting link from Scott Davidson: scottfrombayside@yahoo.com
Monday, May 10
League of Women Voters
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Get acquainted with Supervisor David Haubert
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3eFvo3l
lwvfnuc@lwvfnuc.org
Monday, May 10
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
Larry Stone, Santa Clara County Assessor
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Tuesday, May 11
How to Manage and Forecast Cash Flow
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Proven strategies to help small business owners manage cash flow – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48076
Tuesday, May 11
Owning and Investing in Real Estate for Small Businesses
10:30 a.m. – 12 noon
Information for anyone interested in buying real estate – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://zoom.asksbdc.com/FinancingRealEstate-May
Wednesday, May 12
Fitness Walk at Lake Elizabeth
Group 1: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Group 2: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Take a brisk walk around Lake Elizabeth!
Via Zoom: http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
(510) 574-2035
Wednesday, May 12
How to Become a U.S. Citizen
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3nfDF1z
Meeting number (access code): 199 631 3068
Meeting password: FjxbCi4Pi@47
Wednesday, May 12
Cocktails and Conservation: Pangolins in Crisis
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Learn how to stop the trafficking of these unique and endangered mammals
Via Facebook and YouTube Live
https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/cocktails-conservation
https://www.pangolincrisisfund.org/
Thursday, May 13
Effective Marketing Strategies to Manage Customer Pitfalls and Boost Loyalty
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn how to increase customer loyalty by promoting events – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47437
Thursday, May 13
Waterwise Gardening 101
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Free webinar on efficient irrigation techniques, soil types, and more
https://bit.ly/3ucYFc4
www.cleanwaterprogram.org
Friday, May 14
BACH Talks!
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
COVID-19 questions answered by professionals
Via Zoom
Friday, May 14 & Saturday, May 15
Ohlone College Playwrights Festival
7 p.m.
Thought-provoking, humorous, and entertaining 10-minute plays and musicals
https://www.ohlone.edu/theatredance/playwrightsfestival
www.ohlone.edu/playwrights
Saturday, May 15
Free Booster Seat Giveaway
10 a.m. – 12 noon
250 free new booster seats will be distributed to Alameda County families
Oakland Arena/RingCentral Coliseum
Parking Lot C
7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland
https://tinyurl.com/ywhan4pu
Saturday, May 15
Building Futures 2021 ‘Jazz It Up!’ Gala R
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Watch videos of Building Futures’ 2020 accomplishments and listen to music from The Gold Souls
Online: RSVP for link
Free, but donations encouraged (links online)
Saturday, May 15 – Sunday, May 16
The Addams Family $
Sat: 7:30 p.m., Sun: 3:00 p.m.
StarStruck Theatre presents a streaming musical production
https://starstrucktheatre.org/pages/now-playing
Monday, May 17
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
JP Sahi, CEO of Rotocare Bay Area
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Tuesday, May 18
COVID-19: How to Make Your Business Virtual
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Strategies to create your ideal virtual business – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48119
Wednesday, May 19
USCIS Online Resources and Customer Service Tools
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3tKJvKQ
Meeting number (access code): 199 882 6188
Meeting password: Kuj32SRyQX3@
Wednesday, May 19
Caregiving 101
10 a.m.
Learn about resources to help with family caregiving
Via Zoom: http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
(510) 574-2035
Friday, May 21
Tiny Tot/Age Well Center Art
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Fun intergenerational art project on Zoom
http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
(510) 574-2035
Friday, May 21
Virtual Cooking Class
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Learn to cook a delicious recipe with Chef David
http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
(510) 574-2035
Saturday, May 22
Bon Jovi Drive-In Concert $
8:30 p.m.
Never-before-seen show recorded live and broadcast on the big screen
Alameda County Fairgrounds
Gate 12, Valley Ave, Pleasanton
https://bit.ly/3xCApSY
Saturday, May 22
How to Stop Anti-Asian Violence
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Join the Union City Police Department and other leaders in conversation
Marina Food parking lot
1791 Decoto Rd., Union City
Monday, May 24
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
Special Event with John Agg
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Monday, May 24
Non-Pharmacologic Interventions for Dementia with Behavioral Disturbances
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Explore alternative treatments to medication
Via Zoom: http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
(510) 574-2035
Tuesday, May 25
COVID-19: Mind Mapping For Your Small Business
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Increase creativity and productivity – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48214
Tuesday, May 25 – Wednesday, May 26
Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences
2-Day Symposium
Register at bach.health/ACEs
Wednesday, May 26
Stress Management for Caregivers
10 a.m.
Strategies for dealing with caregiving stress
Via Zoom: http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
(510) 574-2035
Wednesday, May 26
Petitioning for Relatives & The Permanent Resident Process
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3etRHsn
Meeting number (access code): 199 092 2356
Meeting password: VArwyYfu@438
‘Jazz It Up’ this year for worthwhile cause
By Hugo Vera
In a year in which mass-gatherings have either been postponed or cancelled entirely, one nonprofit is taking a creative and accessible approach to their yearly fundraiser. Building Futures, a local organization that serves survivors of domestic violence, homelessness and financial instability throughout Alameda County, will be hosting the first-ever virtual version of their “Jazz It Up!” gala.
Founded in 1986 as the San Leandro Refuge for Women and Children, Building Futures has become a certified 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization connecting survivors of domestic violence and homelessness to shelter, educational resources, career opportunities, and crisis intervention. It also provides essential hygienic and survival gear to unhoused individuals.
“The ‘Jazz It Up!’ gala is our annual event where we [normally] gather, listen to fantastic music, eat food and talk about the last year of work that Building Futures has accomplished,” says Building Futures Development and Communications Manager Emma Falley. “Though gathering in person might be off the table, we are still excited to set aside this time to talk about our work and premiere our three-part mini-docuseries of client videos.”
During this 45-minute virtual “brunch-themed” gala, guests will be able to stream videos that chronicle the challenges and triumphs of Building Futures during 2020. “We wanted to create a video to show the work that Building Futures is doing as well as its impact on the community for quite a while,” says Falley. The videos are the product of three months’ worth of brainstorming and planning, and will be posted on the Building Futures website for public access after the gala.
The gala will also feature live music by Northern California-based alternative music band “The Gold Souls.” While the event is free to join, donations are highly encouraged given the severe impact that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had on already-dire social issues in the Bay Area.
“A lot more people are experiencing domestic violence during the pandemic and so many people have lost jobs, resulting in losing homes,” adds Falley. “Keeping everyone healthy and safe has been a priority. We are grateful for the generosity of others to keep everyone in appropriate PPE and make sure masks, hand sanitizer, water and other must-have items are distributed not only to our residents in shelter but to our outreach-team as well.”
In addition to acquiring PPE for staff and residents, Building Futures has received aid from Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless to provide COVID-19 testing and vaccines. This was a huge relief to Building Futures as they feared “congregate settings” would pose a serious health risk to residents. Building Futures has also increased the number of computers available in shelters to expedite the process of getting residents proper identification, access to job applications and make COVID-related healthcare appointments.
Though pre-pandemic variations of the gala included person-to-person interaction and fun dress-up themes, Falley and the other event coordinators at Building Futures are embracing this year’s change. “The virtual aspect is exciting because people can log on from anywhere,” says Falley. “People who are not within driving distance and those too busy can join from their laptop or phone, wherever they may be!”
As Building Futures continues to get shelter residents vaccinated, the organization is asking for donations. For a complete list of requested items and to learn how you can help underserved families in the East Bay, visit https://bfwc.org.
Building Futures 2021 ‘Jazz It Up!’ Gala
Saturday, May 15
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Online: RSVP for link
Free, but donations encouraged (links online)
Fremont City Attorney, Harvey Levine Announces Retirement
Submitted by Geneva Bosques
On Monday, May 3, 2021, Fremont’s longtime City Attorney Harvey Levine officially announced his plans to retire from the City. He has been working with the City Council and City staff since early March on the transition. The City is preparing to honor Levine at the May 11th City Council meeting.
Appointed by the City Council in 1995, Levine served as legal counsel to the City Council and City staff for 26 years, during some of the City’s most rapid growth and change. With prior experience as the City Attorney of Pleasanton and Assistant City Attorney in San Jose, as well as a decade in private sector law, Levine was known as a strategic facilitator and negotiator for highly complex development and land use opportunities for the City, as well as a team player and creative problem solver for City staff.
The City of Fremont has only had three City Attorneys since incorporation in 1956. Levine has served twenty-one Councilmembers and four Mayors. Mayor Lily Mei remarked, “We, at the City of Fremont, are going to miss Harvey’s strategic and wise counsel. We appreciate all the ways he consistently kept the community’s best interests in focus, the background he so willingly shared on complex issues, and his strategic problem-solving skills. The Council and I thank him for his many years of dedicated service and wish him all the best in the exciting chapters ahead for him.”
City Manager Mark Danaj commented, “I was lucky to have served with Harvey for the last two and a half years. His background on the issues that arose helped me navigate the newly Districted structure. The City’s prompt responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have been facilitated by his problem-solving leadership style.”
Levine reflected, “My 26 years in Fremont have been an honor. For me, public service means being trusted to solve problems for and with the community and to work in partnership with stakeholders in finding the best and lasting solutions.”
Levine will continue to practice law and is “excited about future opportunities, both professionally and with my family.”
Interim Assistant City Attorney Debra Margolis will serve as the City Attorney until the City Council appoints a permanent replacement. Levine will retire May 14.
Theatre is ‘live’ again
By Ish Amitoj Kaur, CEO and Founder, The Theatre Factory
The Theater Factory’s presentation of Disney’s Lion King Jr., performed April 25, 2021, will be remembered as one of the first in-person productions, happening after a long year of virtual creativity. Congratulations to the team of parents, students and wonderful coaches and mentors. Your resilience and perseverance made it happen! Thank you, team: Barry Bailey (Music Director), Katie Traynor (Assistant Director), Vidya Narayan (Choreographer), Lena (Asst. Music Director), Ria Bansel (Production Manager) and Bryan Cobb (Recreation Coordinator, City of Newark) for your leadership and vision.
Little League Roundup
By Mike Heightchew
Fremont Centerville teams had their first official games of the Little League season on April 27th. Emotion was high as umpires opened the contests with the welcome shout, “play ball!” Scores: Angels 9, Cubs 2; Blue Jays 16, Athletics 5.
Welcome back Little Leaguers!
Man fleeing police crashes, wedges Maserati under freeway
AP Wire Service
OAKLAND, Calif. — A man fleeing the California Highway Patrol totaled his girlfriend's Maserati SUV after he careened up an embankment and slammed into the underside of an overpass, wedging the vehicle under a freeway in Oakland, authorities said on Tuesday, April 13.
“The driver is lucky to be alive. The owner of the Maserati, not so lucky,” the CHP said in a social media post that included photos of the mangled luxury vehicle.
Police said the 32-year-old man was speeding on a highway April 12 when a CHP officer tried to stop him. He accelerated to more than 100 mph and then exited the freeway, veering over a curve, up the embankment and ending up just beneath the freeway, Officer David Arias, a spokesman for the CHP in Oakland, said.
The man, who was alone, complained of pain and was taken to a hospital, Arias said. “It was a miracle he didn't get more injuries because the whole area where his head would have been caved in. He must have ducked or something.” Arias said the man faces charges for reckless evading.
Mother’s Day: origin and history
By Ashley Tosh
Photo Courtesy of Pixabay
Mother’s Day is commonly seen as a day to honor our mothers with flowers and gifts, taking them to brunch, and doing their chores for a day. But how did the holiday start, and what was its original intention?
Celebrations of motherhood trace back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, as well as the early Christian Festival “Mothering Sunday.” This event took place on the fourth Sunday of Lent and was celebrated by returning to one’s “mother church,” for a special service.
It is generally agreed that the creators of the contemporary Mother’s Day holiday were Ann Reeves Jarvis and her daughter Anna Jarvis. Ann gave birth to 13 children throughout her life, but only four of them lived to see adulthood. Tragically, this was a common occurrence during that time. To try to prevent this from happening to mothers everywhere, she asked her brother, a physician, to lead “Mother’s Day Work Clubs.” At these meetings, the latest hygiene practices were shared with mothers to teach them how to properly care for their children. The idea of Mother’s Day really took off, though, in 1868, just a couple years after the Civil War ended. Jarvis organized a day called “Mothers’ Friendship Day” during which former Union and Confederate Soldiers could gather and reconcile.
After Ann Jarvis passed in 1905, her daughter, Anna Jarvis, made it her life’s mission to continue in her mother’s footsteps. She remembered this prayer her mother recited when teaching a Sunday School lesson in 1876:
“I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial Mother’s Day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life.”
Anna said that this prayer and the memory of her mother was the inspiration for a movement to make Mother’s Day a national holiday.
Interestingly, what the elder Jarvis had in mind was not the same as what her daughter brought to life. Ann Jarvis originally wanted a “Mothers’ Day” (plural) where mothers would gather for a day of service to help and teach less fortunate mothers. It is unclear why Anna Jarvis decided to leave out the education and volunteer aspects of the holiday, but it could be because she was not a mother herself, and thus did not feel qualified.
Nevertheless, Anna quit her job in advertising and started the Mother’s Day International Association. She partnered with florists, started a letter-writing campaign, and, in 1908, organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a church in West Virginia; thousands of people attended. Eventually, Anna was recognized at both the state and federal levels. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May to be a national holiday… Mother’s Day.
Sorrowfully, Anna’s life was not as happy as the holiday she created. She spent the rest of her life battling people in court who claimed they had been the one to invent Mother’s Day, and she soon grew to resent the florists and card-making companies who, according to her, were using the holiday as “a means of profiteering.” She was troubled by the materialistic focus of a holiday she created.
Read more about Mother’s Day at:
https://time.com/4771354/mothers-day-history-origins/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/150507-mothers-day-history-holidays-anna-jarvis
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day
Virgo’s Galactic Harvest
By David Prosper
May is a good month for fans of galaxies, since the constellation Virgo is up after sunset and for most of the night, following Leo across the night sky. Featured in some ancient societies as a goddess of agriculture and fertility, Virgo offers a bounty of galaxies as its celestial harvest for curious stargazers and professional astronomers alike.
Virgo is the second-largest constellation and largest in the Zodiac, and easily spotted once you know how to spot Spica, its brightest star. How can you find it? Look to the North and start with the Big Dipper. Follow the general curve of the Dipper’s handle away from its “ladle” and towards the bright orange-red star Arcturus, in Boötes – and from there continue straight until you meet the next bright star, Spica! This star-hopping trick is summed up by the famous phrase, “arc to Arcturus, and spike to Spica.”
This large constellation is home to the Virgo Cluster, a massive group of galaxies. While the individual stars in Virgo are a part of our own galaxy, known as the Milky Way, the Virgo Cluster’s members exist far beyond our own galaxy’s borders. Teeming with around 2,000 known members, this massive group of galaxies are all gravitationally bound to each other and are themselves members of the even larger Virgo Supercluster of galaxies, a sort of “super-group” made up of groups of galaxies.
Our own Milky Way is a member of the “Local Group” of galaxies, which in turn is also a member of the Virgo Supercluster. In a sense, when we gaze upon the galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, we are looking at some of our most distant cosmic neighbors. At an average distance of over 65 million light years away, the light from these galaxies first started towards our planet when the dinosaurs were enjoying their last moments as Earth’s dominant land animals! Dark clear skies and a telescope with a mirror of six inches or more will reveal many of the cluster’s brightest and largest members, and it lends itself well to stunning astrophotos.
Virgo is naturally host to numerous studies of galaxies and cosmological research, which have revealed much about the structure of our universe and the evolution of stars and galaxies. The “Universe of Galaxies” activity can help you visualize the scale of the universe, starting with our home in the Milky Way Galaxy before heading out to the Local Group, Virgo Cluster and well beyond! You can find it at bit.ly/universeofgalaxies. You can further explore the science of galaxies across the Universe, along with the latest discoveries and mission news, at www.nasa.gov.
This article is distributed by NASA Night Sky Network. The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm to find local clubs, events, and more.
Longtime Newark landmark disappears
By Rob Klindt
In a video posted online April 27 by the City of Newark, demolition crews are shown preparing to take down the iconic Newark City Hall tower which has been a Newark landmark for more than a half century.
Construction officials expect the 8-story building, which opened in 1966 on Newark Boulevard, to be demolished by the first week in May. The video, by RockView Video, can be seen on YouTube at https://youtu.be/cFvM9C22amI.
City Hall tower is being replaced by a new Civic Center campus that includes three separate low-rise buildings housing a new City Hall, library and state-of-the-art police station. The campus will also include a new public plaza and multi-function community event space.
At roughly 10,000 square feet larger than the old library, the new Alan L. Nagy Library is almost finished and will include areas for teens and kids and a large community meeting space. Meanwhile, the David W. Smith City Hall is largely finished and provides residents and employees with a safe, efficient and customer-friendly place to take care of city business. The police department, which opened to employees several weeks ago, consolidates all station operations into a single facility and includes an emergency dispatch center and training facility. Construction of the new Civic Center project started September 2019.
Because of COVID-19 regulations, the new City Hall is closed to the public, but services are available online, via telephone or by appointment. Information is available on the City of Newark website at www.newark.org. The police department building is open for limited services. Information is available at the police non-emergency line at (510) 578-4237; for emergencies people should call 911. For library service information, visit the Newark Library Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NewarkLibrary/ or the Alameda County website at https://aclibrary.org.
Popular shredding event returning to Newark
Submitted by Newark Police Department
The Newark Police Department (NPD) is offering residents and business owners a chance to safely and securely shred sensitive papers at a Document Shredding Event set for Friday, May 14.
The 9 a.m. to 12 noon event will be at Newark Service Center, 37440 Filbert Street. Appointments are required; no walk-up service will be available. Only Newark residents and businesses are eligible to participate; identification (drivers license, utility bill, etc.) and verification of residency will be required. Businesses will need to show a copy of their current City of Newark business license.
Participants can provide up to two banker boxes worth of paper material to discard and shred. A banker box is approximately 10-12 inches high by 12-14 inches wide and 15-18 inches deep. Boxes of documents submitted for shredding must be free of large binder clips, trash, light bulbs, batteries, metal containers or scrap metal and food waste. Paper clips and staples are OK.
To make a document shredding appointment, email mainreq@newark.org. The deadline is Wednesday, May 12. For questions, call the Community Engagement Manager at (510) 578-4929 or email jada.chiu@newark.org.
Document Shredding Event
Friday, May 14
9 a.m. – 12 noon
Newark Service Center
37440 Filbert St., Newark
Free; open only to Newark residents and business
Appointments required by email: mainreq@newark.org
Cougars look good on the diamond
By Mike Heightchew
The Newark Memorial Cougars put on an offensive clinic in a meeting with the Irvington Vikings (Fremont) on April 28th. With production from their bats, consistent pitching and good defense, the Cougars were able to score in almost every inning while holding the Vikings scoreless. Final score: Newark Memorial 10; Irvington 0.
Newsom pushes school reopening as many districts resist
AP Wire Service
SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Apr 14 – Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration said Wednesday that all California schools should reopen when the new academic year begins next fall, though his guidelines remain merely an expectation rather than a mandate.
Facing political pressure and a recall effort, Newsom has said he plans to lift most of California's coronavirus restrictions June 15 as part of reopening the state to business-as-usual. Earlier this month, he made a similar pronouncement, but many districts and teachers remain reluctant.
Newsom has repeatedly said he sees no barriers to getting kids back into classrooms now, as California's COVID-19 infections continue to drop, and more residents get vaccinated. His administration reiterated that push on Wednesday, ahead of a visit to an elementary school in Santa Rosa.
“If current trends and best practices continue, the next school year can begin with offering full in-person instruction to all students,” the California Department of Health said in a presentation Wednesday that focused on school reopening. It specified that schools should plan to offer full days of instruction, five days a week.
That's a far cry from the current situation in California, where many schools have reopened classrooms part-time with a mix of in-person and at-home learning. Many district officials and teachers are reluctant to return. And it remains unclear if all 6.2 million public school students will be back in classrooms this year or at the start of the next school year.
Newsom's new recommendations include no requirement for schools to reopen – as in some other states, including the Democratic-led states of Oregon and Washington – in part because of the outsized political power of the state's teachers unions. Newsom has made it clear he will not order classrooms to open but has dangled financial incentives and prioritized getting vaccines for educators.
Some of California's largest school districts are welcoming students back for in-person learning this week, including the two biggest, Los Angeles and San Diego. But even with schools able to open, only 62% of elementary school students and not quite 40% of older students have the option to return, according to a tracker maintained by the Los Angeles Times.
Even in districts with in-class options, parents have complained of inadequate time as some offer just a few hours of instruction per week, primarily for younger students.
School officials say parents in communities hardest hit by the pandemic are opting to keep their children in distance learning, citing health and safety concerns.
Ohlone Playwrights Festival is coming to a screen near you!
Submitted by Tina Vossugh
The Student Repertory Theatre Company presents the 7th annual Ohlone College Playwrights Festival, comprised of 10-minute plays and musicals. The aim of the festival is to cultivate plays from professional and emerging playwrights that speak to college students and contribute to fostering the next generation of theatre artists. This year’s festival will be broadcast for free on May 14 and 15, via a weblink you can access on your phone or computer. It will be closed captioned.
Ohlone Playwrights Festival
Friday, May 14 – Saturday, May 15
7 p.m.
Free; available online
www.ohlone.edu/playwrights
Ohlone College Saves Taxpayers $8 Million
Submitted by Tina Vossugh
The Ohlone Community College District recently locked in savings of $8 million for local taxpayers by refinancing existing general obligation bonds. The District had similarly refinanced prior bonds from 2010 through 2019, which saved taxpayers over $29.1 million. The combined savings from refinancing now totals over $37.1 million, which will be realized by District taxpayers in the form of lower property tax bills.
“This bond refinancing reaffirms Ohlone’s continued commitment to be good stewards of public funds and to take every opportunity possible to reduce interest payments by the taxpayers,” says Superintendent/President Dr. Eric Bishop. “The Ohlone Community College District and the Board of Trustees is very appreciative of the support we receive from taxpayers and it’s great to have the opportunity to pass back savings.”
The District took advantage of historically low interest rates and replaced bonds with an average interest rate of 4.08% with new bonds at all-inclusive interest rate of 2.87%. This interest rate reduction of 1.21% was achieved without any extension of the original repayment term.
Prior to the bond sale, the District received an affirmation of its strong “Aa1” Moody’s credit rating (one notch from the highest possible rating of “Aaa”). In its credit report, Moody’s noted the District for its large and growing tax base, strong wealth and income indicators, stable financial position, and management’s strong forecasting and budgetary practices. This high-grade credit rating helped attract a broad investor base which included insurance companies, money managers, banks, and bond funds.
“We are thrilled to have significant investor interest in Ohlone College and to again save taxpayer dollars,” said Dr. Chris Dela Rosa, Vice President of Administrative and Technology Services.
Little League officially opens 2021 Season
By Mike Heightchew
May 1st was Opening Day for Fremont’s Little League. Four schools – Marshall Park, Vallejo Mills, Gomes and Glenmore – hosted the event for ballplayers and their friends and families. Although a bit rusty from an extended absence from the diamond, ballplayer enthusiasm and excited fans were a great replacement for skills to be learned during the season. Beginning to emerge from months of pandemic isolation, the chance to experience a day of fun competition, hear the chatter of players and cheers of the crowd was a welcome change. Welcome back Little League!
Letter to the editor
Paratransit cleanliness need an overhaul
On April 19th, my 94-year-old dad and I rode on paratransit. We were subjected to filthy seats in order for my disabled dad to ride to his destination. I have already complained to the city of Fremont a while back, and I share this with my friends and family in hopes that someone has compassion toward the elderly and disabled in this city and does something about it. Clearly, my raising this issue to city employees has reached deaf ears.
Herminia D. Arroyo
Fremont
Student selected as Presidential Scholars semifinalist
Submitted by Hong Liu
Brian Fu, a graduating senior at American High School in Fremont, has been selected as one of 625 semifinalists in the 2021 Presidential Scholars Program. Semifinalists were selected from nearly 6,500 candidates from U.S. high schools.
The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by Executive Order of the President to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. Students are selected based on three paths of accomplishment: broad academic achievement, artistic scholarship, and accomplishment in technical fields.
Pretty pricey sneakers
Submitted by Association of Mature American Citizens
Would you buy someone else’s used sneakers?
Well, someone did just that recently and paid $1.8 million for the privilege, says the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). But these were not some run-of-the-mill “kicks,” as your kids might call them; they once belonged to Kanye West.
Who is Kanye West? He is a rapper — a performer who kind of chants rather than sings. Sotheby’s, the auction house, says the buyer was an outfit called RARES, an investment company that invests in sneakers. West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototypes broke the record for the most valuable sneakers on record and the first pair of sneakers to fetch more than a million dollars.
Public Library reopens
Submitted by City of Hayward
Hayward Library Director Jayanti Addleman has announced the downtown branch of Hayward Public Library (HPL) is open to the public for limited walk-in services as of Monday, May 3.
Through the new HPL Express walk-in service, library users will be able to enter the downtown branch during two-hour, limited-capacity sessions. Safety procedures including social distancing and mask protocols will be required.
Available HPL Express services include self-service check-out of materials and hold pick-ups; new library cards and payment of charges; computer use for a maximum of one hour per day; browsing the collection; reference assistance; self-service copying, scanning and printing; and Wi-Fi access.
HPL Express hours at the downtown branch are:
• Monday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. & 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. & 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saturday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
•
Up to 125 patrons will be allowed in the building during each session. For the safety of the public and library staff, the following additional steps are being taken:
• Seating for reading and studying will be limited
• Study rooms will remain closed
• Meeting rooms will not be available to rent
• Story-times and homework help will remain virtual
• Toys, puzzles and games in the Children’s Library will not be available
•
Library visitors also must follow all current COVID-19 safety rules issued by the Alameda County Public Health Department, as well as all posted signage and verbal instructions from staff, including:
• Entering and exiting the building through the garage side entrance
• Wearing appropriately fitting protective face covering/mask required for all visitors two years of age and older
• Observing of social-distancing guidelines within the library or while waiting to enter
• Sanitizing hands upon entering the building
• Staying home if you are feeling unwell or experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms
• No eating or drinking within the library
•
For more information, including all contactless, online and virtual services to continue through and outside of the downtown and Weekes branches of HPL, visit the website.
Hayward Public Library downtown branch
Monday & Tuesday: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. & 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Wednesday, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
888 C St., Hayward
(510) 293-8685
https://www.hayward-ca.gov/public-library
Online Residential Express Permits
Submitted by City of Fremont
City of Fremont has announced that Residential Express Permits are now available in Citizen Access, the city’s online permitting portal. Residential Express Permits are building permits for projects within single-family homes and multi-family residential buildings. The process for obtaining these types of permits can now be performed entirely online.
If applicants submit all the required information at Fremont.gov/CitizenAccess and pay the permit fees, their Residential Express Permit will be automatically issued. This new process saves time and money and reduces paper clutter.
Residential Express Permits are available for the following projects:
• Residential Electrical Upgrades: This includes repair, replacement, or new installation of electrical panels, electrical fixtures, and receptacles.
• Residential Furnace and Air Conditioning Replacement: This includes repair and installation of furnaces/heaters, air conditioning units, and ducts.
• Residential Plumbing: This includes the installation or repair of water heaters, gas lines, and water lines.
• Residential Reroof projects.
This summer, all remaining construction and development permit types will become available for submittal in Citizen Access. These include:
• Building Permits: building, fire, solar, and temporary permits
• Engineering Permits: encroachment, grading, small cell, subdivision, and technical peer review
• Planning Permits: homeless shelter, historic evaluation, home occupation permit, master sign program, preliminary review procedure, project, sidewalk dining, and transportation demand management (TDM)
For additional information and updates, visit the city’s Online Permits webpage at www.fremont.gov/3619/Online-Permits.
Police release update in Hayward robbery spree
Submitted by Hayward PD
Over the past several months Hayward Police Department (HPD) investigators have been probing a series of smash and grab robberies occurring in Hayward and in surrounding Bay Area communities.
In most of these cases, the suspects watched victims after they made a bank transaction or purchased items in different shopping centers. Once the victims got into their vehicles, the suspects smashed the windows of the cars, stole the victim’s property, and fled the area. On several occasions, these suspects approached the victims before they reached their cars and forcibly took their property. Most of the victims have been female and members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. As of late April, police said there have been 37 different robberies of this type in Hayward.
Detectives assigned to these cases conducted extensive follow-up investigations. As a result, it was determined several other law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area also had similarly reported robberies. Some of the other jurisdictions include the San Jose Police Department, Union City Police Department, Newark Police Department, Oakland Police Department, and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
On Wednesday April 28, the HPD’s Robbery Unit collaborated with the San Jose Police Department’s Robbery Unit and Covert Response Unit, who arrested one of the suspects in these robberies. The suspect, identified by police as Hassani Burleson-Ramsey, of Oakland was taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on multiple counts of felony robbery and misdemeanor vandalism. Burleson-Ramsey has been connected to at least five robberies in the city of Hayward.
HPD officials said there is at least one suspect still outstanding who has not been identified. The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released when it is available. Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to contact Detective Niedenthal at (510)-293-7167.
THE ROBOT REPORT
Lyft sells self-driving unit to Toyota
By Steve Crowe
The consolidation of the capital-intensive autonomous vehicle industry is continuing as evidenced by the April 27 announcement that Lyft has sold its self-driving unit. While Lyft is the latest company to abandon the development of autonomous vehicles, it won’t be the last.
Lyft sold its self-driving unit, Level 5, to Toyota subsidiary Woven Planet Holdings for $550 million in cash. Lyft will receive $200 million upfront and $350 million of payments over a five-year period. Lyft, one of the world’s largest ride-hailing companies, said the sale better positions it to make a profit. It will see an annual savings of $100 million of non-GAAP expenses. Lyft’s business was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, revenue declined 61% to $339 million for the quarter that ended in June 2020.
The sale of Level 5 also allows Lyft to focus on partnerships with self-driving companies that want to deploy their technology on its platform, rather than develop costly technology itself. Uber made the same move when it sold its self-driving unit to Aurora in December 2020.
Woven Planet, which Toyota set up in January, will take over all of the more than 300 employees of Level 5. The combined company will have approximately 1,200 employees.
“This acquisition advances our mission to develop the safest mobility in the world at scale. The Woven Planet team, alongside the team of researchers at [Toyota Research Institute], have already established a center of excellence for software development and technology in the Toyota Group,” said James Kuffner, CEO, Woven Planet. “Bringing Level 5’s world-class engineers and experts into the fold — as well as additional technology resources — will allow us to have even greater speed and impact. This deal will be key in weaving together the people, resources, and infrastructure that will help us to transform the world we live in through mobility technologies that can bring about a happier, safer future for us all.”
Lyft already allows consumers to book rides in self-driving vehicles in select cities in partnerships with Waymo and Motional. Lyft co-founder and president John Zimmer said the company fielded interest from “a number” of autonomous vehicle companies before selecting Toyota’s Woven Planet. He said a key in deciding to sell the unit was recognizing Lyft no longer needed to develop its own autonomous vehicle technology. “It’s important, at this point, not to get into an exclusive relationship,” Zimmer said.
Lyft launched Level 5 in 2017 and said that by 2021 “a majority” of its rides would take place in autonomous vehicles. Like predictions made by other autonomous vehicle companies, Lyft’s never came to fruition.
The deal marks Toyota’s latest foray into ride-hailing. It already owns a stake in China’s top ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing and Southeast Asia’s Grab.
Toyota also recently invested $400 million in Pony.ai, a self-driving startup based in the U.S. and China. But much of Toyota’s autonomous vehicle work has been kept quiet. Toyota Research Institute has been conducting tests at its Ottawa Lake, Michigan, closed-course facility for a number of years. It also invested $500 million into Uber’s self-driving unit, but transferred the stake when Uber sold the unit to Aurora. Aurora is developing a fleet of autonomous Toyota Sienna minivans that could be deployed by the end of 2021. The vehicles will then “sometime after that” be deployed in ride-hailing fleets for Uber and other companies.
Developing autonomous vehicles, in particular self-driving cars, has taken more time and more money than originally thought. This has caused many companies to hop off the bandwagon, and Lyft is just the latest.
Steve Crowe is Editorial Director, Robotics, WTWH Media, and co-chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo. He can be reached at scrowe@wtwhmedia.com.
Wieckowski pulls SB 651 bill from Senate Health Committee
Submitted by Jeff Barbosa
Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) issued the following statement after deciding to pull SB 651 from the Senate Health Committee and make it a two-year bill:
“Due to the very recent release of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) report and legislative deadlines, I decided to pull SB 651 from the Senate Health Committee to take additional time to brief other senators and make sure they understand the science in the OEHHA report. OEHHA’s is the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art assessment ever conducted examining the relationship between synthetic food dyes and neurobehavioral effects. Such an exhaustive review requires time to fully digest and understand. I am hopeful that with the additional time and outreach among supporters, committee members will be ready to join me next January to move this important legislation forward.
“SB 651 requires a warning label on products that contain synthetic dyes to enable parents to make informed decisions when purchasing food and drinks for their children. The OEHHA report demonstrates that FD&C synthetic food dyes cause or worsen neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and inattentiveness, in children.
“OEHHA’s detailed scientific analysis shows we must do more to raise awareness to protect children’s health and that federal oversight on synthetic food dye levels is likely outdated and insufficient based on more recent research.
“I thank all the supporters of SB 651 and look forward to continuing our work to improve children’s health in California.”
Letter to the editor
The time, the place, the players, the game.
Even the worst days were the best days on the soccer field on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
Rain, cold, heat didn’t matter. Shoulder pains, back pains, knee pains—ointment and bandages made it work. There was something special about the Irvington Community Park turf field that made you feel like a player again, if only for 90 minutes.
Men and women all over 60 years of age, some players well into their 80s, played on this field. Transplanted players from over 18 countries around the world along with many of us, U.S. born, made up the teams.
After the game we looked forward to coffee. We’d meet at Sujus coffee shop on Stevenson Blvd and replay the games, these versions almost always much better than the real game.
Once a quarter many of us would meet at the “New Yong Kang” restaurant on Fremont Boulevard to celebrate birthdays. This event, organized by one of our players, Lock Han, often included cakes baked by his wife Barbara, a skilled baker.
We miss all of this as I suppose you miss many of the things you did before this pandemic happened.
Thirteen months have passed; hoping that we can all return to a relatively safe normal soon.
Frank Arevalo
Fremont
Social Security Matters
Ask Rusty – Will My Widow’s Benefit Replace My Own SS?
By Russell Gloor, National Social Security Advisor, AMAC Foundation
Dear Rusty: My husband is 76 years old, retired for four years, and receiving Social Security. I am only 59 and still working. We are both in good health and I would like to think we still have many years to enjoy retirement. My question: Is it true that if I start SS at age 62, I can switch to my husband’s SS when he passes? If this is true (and his amount is slightly higher than my FRA amount), wouldn’t it make sense for me to begin collecting at 62? Signed: Younger Spouse
Dear Younger Spouse: Yes, it is true that if you start your reduced personal SS benefit at age 62, and your husband (collecting a benefit higher than your own) predeceases you, you can switch to his higher benefit amount. But there are some other factors which come into play when dealing with survivor benefits, especially with an age difference:
• You must be at least 60 years old to claim your survivor benefit (or 50 if you are disabled).
• Your survivor benefit will be reduced if you have not yet reached your own full retirement age (FRA) when you claim it. The reduction is 4.75 percent for each full year earlier than your FRA that you claim the survivor benefit.
• You do not need to take your survivor benefit immediately upon your husband’s death. Your survivor benefit as your husband’s widow reaches maximum at your FRA, and you can choose to delay claiming your widow’s benefit until you reach your FRA (to get the maximum amount).
• If you claim any SS benefit before your FRA (your own or your survivor benefit), and you are working, you will be subject to Social Security’s “earnings test” which limits how much you can earn before SS takes back some of your benefits.
Considering the above, if your eventual benefit as your husband’s widow will be the highest benefit you will be entitled to, then claiming your personal SS benefit at age 62 may be a prudent strategy. It allows you to collect your own benefit earlier (albeit reduced) until your higher survivor benefit kicks in to replace the smaller amount. However, your plans for working prior to your full retirement age are key to deciding if you should claim benefits earlier. If you exceed the earnings limit ($18,960 for 2021), SS will take away some of your benefits, which could mean you go without benefits until they recover what you owe. Indeed, if your earnings are high enough, you may find that you would get no SS benefits because the amount you owe for exceeding the earnings limit would completely offset your Social Security benefit.
So, as you can see, if you are working with a high income, the earnings limit might imply that waiting until your FRA to claim any SS benefit is the smartest move. But if you don’t work after you claim SS then taking your own benefit early and later switching to your higher widow’s benefit at or after your FRA would be a sound choice.
This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.
Stabbing incident in Fremont
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
On Sunday, May 2, 2021, at approximately 10:30 p.m., patrol officers responded to the 4900 block of Stevenson on a report of a stabbing involving eight people. We have identified and arrested two male juvenile suspects and two adult male suspects. All involved parties have been identified and are either in-custody or at a hospital under police observation. We do not believe that there is a public safety threat as this incident involved parties that are all known to each other. This incident is not believed to be gang-related.
Photos in 1 new Sharon
Volunteer at LOV’s Summer Camp
Submitted by Shirley Sisk
Volunteers like you helped get our Summer Camp voted Best of Newark 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019!
LOV, the League of Volunteers, is a multi-service non-profit agency that has been operating in the Fremont, Newark and Union City communities for 40 years. What makes our programs so great? It’s our incredible families and our amazing volunteers! LOV Summer Rec Volunteers are people ages 13 plus who want more out of their summer. Sign up now for a summer filled with fun, activities, events, games, prizes, laughter and a little hard work.
* Have fun, meet new friends, and earn community service hours.
* Help lead 5-12-year-old children and have a positive impact on their lives!
* There are lots of activities to assist with! Art, sports, games, and lots of Summer Camp fun!
* Volunteer for the full program, or just a single day, a week, or one of our Thursday events.
Register now and find out more about volunteering with LOV for our 2021 Summer Recreation in the Parks. (Over 18 must pass a background check; under 18 require parental permission.)
LOV Summer Camps
Monday – Thursday, Jun 21 – Jul 29
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Register now at www.LOV.org
League of Volunteers
8440 Central Ave., Suites A/B, Newark
(510) 793-5683.
Contact sherrie@lov.org
Bear with me
Submitted by John Grimaldi
A 33-year-old teddy bear, Bearsun, got stopped by the cops recently while out for a walk in sunny California. The police only wanted to make sure that Jesse Lasios, the man in the bear suit, was okay, reports the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC).
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office put out this explanation via social media: “This was a bear-y unique situation. You may have seen a large teddy bear walking through town. One of our deputies got to meet the individual inside the bear & learned his goal is to complete a walk from Los Angeles to San Francisco. We wish him the best of luck on his adventure.”
Letter to the Editor
Trails a top priority, parking a barrier
Fremont was recently ranked the seventh-greenest city in the nation. A city spokesperson commented, “Part of that is we have a very high percentage of parkland compared to other cities. We have a population that’s supportive of making Fremont a green and healthy place to live.”
The city surveyed residents, who say that lack of parking is the biggest obstacle to visiting parks. Residents rate multi-use trails as their highest priority. Mission Peak Conservancy wants to expand access to multi-use trails, also known as “linear parks.”
Proposed trails and trail extensions in Fremont include the Greenway Trail, Niles Canyon Trail, Bay Ridge Trail, and Bay Trail. The city owns 2,000 acres on the west face of Mission Peak, capable of hosting a 2-mile trail from Ohlone College to Rancho Higuera.
A planned trail through Niles Canyon will connect Niles and Sunol, and the first of three phases will connect Niles to Palomares Canyon. The proposed East Bay Greenway will link eight BART stations, from Lake Merritt to Union City. The Greenway Trail may run another 1.7 miles along a UPRR easement from Vallejo Mill near Niles to Paseo Padre Parkway. Meanwhile, Morrison Canyon boasts Fremont’s newest multi-use trail, which links Mission Boulevard to the upper reaches of Vargas Plateau Regional Park.
In other park news, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is negotiating with the city to extend the lease for 900 acres at Mission Peak Regional Preserve. We believe the negotiations should be transparent and accountable to the public. A local gated community settled a lawsuit in 2018, allowing EBRPD to expand the staging area, run water and sewer lines to new sanitary restrooms and reduce conflict with the local neighborhood. Finally, Coyote Hills Regional Park will cut the ribbon on a new campground in late summer, one of very few campgrounds on San Francisco Bay.
Parks connect people to the outdoors and foster transformational experiences that inspire protection of natural spaces. All communities need to connect with nature to support their mental and physical health.
We support EBRPD and the City of Fremont’s efforts to build more interconnected trail systems and to provide better access for visitors. Let’s not allow parking to continue to be an access barrier to our local and regional parks.
wm. yragui
co-founder
Mission Peak Conservancy
Trash Talk
Submitted by The Pickup Artist
This is the fourth edition of Trash Talk, a column devoted to cleaning up our neighborhoods – and our planet!
On my trash walks, I focus on picking up items that have the potential for floating out to the bay, ending up in our oceans. Cigarette butts are made from cellulose acetate fibers that don’t disintegrate for 18 months to 10 years.
Bread wrapper clips are quite common, and they float, so they are more likely to make their way out to the ocean. They are also a potential choking hazard for hungry birds and animals. Other pieces of plastic, from broken toys to credit/debit cards (yes, you’d be surprised how many I have found) are another target.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is in the North Pacific Ocean, and visible from space. It is a floating man-made trash heap that covers an area twice the size of Texas! Discovered in 1997, it contains an estimated 3.6 trillion pieces of plastic and is still growing. As plastic deteriorates, particles will be eaten by marine life and will work their way into our food chain. Something to ponder long and hard before you enjoy your next shrimp cocktail.
As the saying goes, think globally and act locally. We are all aware of our deteriorating atmosphere, but feel helpless to do anything about it. Climate change, carbon footprint, and methane gas are global issues. But we can all do our part in our communities to prevent trash from being washed into the bay and from there to the ocean. Recycle what you can.
When you shop for products, look for things made from recycled materials that will help reduce the amount of plastics and other non-deteriorating materials that will eventually go into landfill or oceans. For example, we were recently given some great hand sanitizer dispensers from Sanikind.com. Their refillable dispensers are made from recycled plastic! Some interesting facts from Sanikind: 91% of plastic is never recycled, and 1.5 billion new plastic bottles are made every day! Eight million tons of waste enter the oceans every year. This equals one garbage truck worth of plastic dumped into our oceans every MINUTE!
Quote for today: “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” –William Arthur Ward
Answer to the last Trash Question: What was the most unusual item found in a park? Someone dumped a garage door opener, complete with motor and 10’ long track. As it was too large to fit in a trash bag, Access Hayward picked it up without it being “gift wrapped.”
Another unusual item found more recently was the top to a toilet tank! Not the rest of the toilet, just the top. It was in the parking strip of a park!
The Trash Talk Question for today: What was the most unidentifiable item I found? Answer in the next edition.
Send comments or questions to ThePickupArtist-KHCG@outlook.com
Life for a Life: memorial tree planting
Submitted by Greenkeepers USA
Photos by Aneri Sheth, Anika Wadhera, and Shivani Gunasekar
The impacts of COVID-19 and raging wildfires have hit our local communities hard this past year. As a project to give back to the community and recognize lives lost from COVID-19, we at Greenkeepers are determined to commemorate the lives no longer with us today. Our goal is to plant 750 trees around the city of Fremont in fond memory of those who have passed away.
We kicked off the Life for A Life COVID-19 memorial tree planting on Saturday, April 3, 2021 and have had successful plantings on April 17 and April 24 as well at the Paseo Padre entrance of Sabercat Creek Trail. Our volunteers were trained by TUFA (Tri-City Urban Forestry Alliance). We were privileged to have a special appearance of the City of Fremont mayor Lily Mei, as well as the chair of the city’s planning commission, Benjamin Yee. Through this initiative, we were able to plant a total of 47 trees.
For a donation of $60, you can adopt your own tree! We will provide you with a certificate dedicating the tree to you, and offer information about the type of tree we have planted and where the tree is located, as well as a tree tag on your tree at the site of the planting.
100% of the proceeds will go towards buying trees and tools for our project. All donations are tax deductible. If the company you work at offers a gift matching program, you can request a company matching of your financial donation which will help us get closer to our fundraising goal.
With your support, we hope to make our project goals a reality. For questions, contact us at greenkeepers.usa@gmail.com
https://www.greenkeepersusa.org/tree-planting
Tri-City History Queries No. 4
By Kelsey Camello, for the Washington Township Museum of Local History
Q: What was happening in Alvarado 100 years ago?
A: Here's a hint: Gun violence is a perennial problem in American history.
100 Years ago – April 1921. The search for an interesting bit of Alvarado (now part of Union City) history commences in the well-known newspaper, The Oakland Tribune. Fast fact: The first issue date for the Tribune was in 1874.
The headline from April 25th, 1921 catches my attention: “30-Strong Gang Now Destroyed, Officials Say—Two Missing Accused Alvarado Bank Robbers Caught in the East.” The ensuing story tells of the gunning down of then president of the Bank of Alameda County, August May, in October of the previous year, as well as the subsequent robbing of said bank of a sum of $23,000. The paper goes on to note that six months after the crime was committed, the guilty parties have been apprehended, with five sentenced to San Quentin State Prison.
The search for information continues (back in time), this time in October 1920. Wednesday evening, October 13th, 1920, the headline reads, “Woman Bank Cashier with Customer, is Locked Up in Vault – President May Shot, Seriously Hurt by Gangsters Who Sack Vault Then Flee in Auto No. 160, 934.” The events of the robbery are laid out, but the incident is too recent to be clearly detailed.
The next day’s paper gives a more accurate picture. On Thursday evening, October 14th, 1920, the paper tells of what occurred in Alvarado the day prior. The story goes that four men drove into town. Three entered a tavern across the street from the Bank, while one remained in a getaway vehicle. Inside the bar, two played cards, while one stood lookout at the window. At a signal, the three men crossed the street and entered the bank. Inside, they assaulted a man and woman at gunpoint, forced them into the vault and ordered them to open the safe. The bandits stole the contents of the safe and made a run for it.
At this point, President May, unaware of the events happening, exited his office and walked outside for…fresh air? A drink at the bar? Lunch? We’ll never know, as he was immediately threatened by the robbers. May resisted, pushing the gun out of his attacker’s hands and punching the man in the face. The man fell, but his comrades were still in action. May was shot twice and dragged into the vault with the others. He was later taken to a hospital in Hayward, then to Merritt Hospital in Oakland. May’s brother-in-law, Ezra Decoto, then Alameda County District Attorney, worked on the investigation himself, along with California State authorities and local deputies. Thanks to their efforts, the case was solved six months later, in April 1921.
How about some more fast facts? August May began his career with the Bank of Alameda County as a cashier, but rose to the top as president of the Bank beginning in 1908. The 1947 Sesquicentennial Edition of the Washington News (a newspaper out of Centerville) reports that, “[August May] was the equal of the best San Francisco bankers. Alvarado should always be proud of him and commemorate his achievements.” The Bank of Alameda County was originally named Bank of Alvarado. It opened in 1902 as the first bank in southern Alameda County. The Bank went on to open branches in Irvington and Niles before selling all three branches to Central Bank of Oakland in 1938.
Have a local history question of your own? Email us at info@museumoflocalhistory.org. Be sure to include ‘Tri-City History Queries’ in the subject line.
Union City City Council
April 27, 2021
Proclamations and presentations:
• Presentation from New Haven School District, Dr. John Thompson, Superintendent.
• Presentation on upcoming BART track improvements, Kerry Hillis, Government and Community Relations, BART.
Consent Calendar
• Execute a second amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with Michael Baker International, Inc. to increase the agreement amount by $91,080 for a total not to exceed $204,080 for CDBG support including management of grant programs and related administration and to extend the expiration date of the agreement to January 21, 2023.
• Appropriate $110,000 to the Ruggieri Senior Center shower repairs.
• Resolution naming Mark Green Sports Center Aerobics Room the Bill Boylan Aerobics Room.
Action Items
• Schedule a public hearing on proposed increase of solid waste, organics and recycling service rates for Fiscal Year 2021-2022.
• Accept progress report of Policing and Community Engagement Committee work teams that provided recommendations for reimagining policing in Union City.
Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci Absent
Vice Mayor Pat D. Gacoscos Aye
Emily Duncan Aye
Jaime Patiño Aye
Gary Singh Aye
Union City Police Log
Submitted by Union City PD
Wednesday, April 28
• During the evening shift Officer Noyd made an investigative vehicle stop in the area of Dyer Street and Alvarado Boulevard. A record check on the driver, identified by police as John Delosreyes, showed he was on probation for narcotics sales. When asked to step out of his vehicle, Delosreyes attempted to run from officers, but was quickly apprehended. A search showed Delosreyes was in possession of packaged narcotics for sale including cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, ecstasy, mushrooms, and Adderall, along with $2,100 in cash. Delosreyes was arrested and booked on narcotics charges and attempting to flee from officers.
Vaccination Stations
According to California State guidelines, all residents ages 16+ are now eligible to receive a vaccine.
Pfizer is the only vaccine currently approved for ages 16-17. Those under 18 require parental consent, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and must bring identifying information with a birth date.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been unpaused by the CDC, after research was done into a rare side-effect. Those who want to research this vaccine further should check the CDC website.
The COVID-19 vaccine is being administered by many organizations in our readership area. Guidelines are being updated as more vaccine becomes available; some sites may have different restrictions. Please check the relevant websites for details when you schedule your appointment.
As vaccines become more available, some locations are accepting walkups at mobile and pop-up clinics on a limited-time basis. Check the websites and social media of local clinics to stay informed.
State
https://covid19.ca.gov/
Alameda County
https://covid-19.acgov.org/vaccines
Santa Clara County
https://covid19.sccgov.org/covid-19-vaccine-information
Check your eligibility and schedule a vaccine at: https://myturn.ca.gov/
Alameda County Fairgrounds
Stanford Health Care – Valley Care, and Sutter Health
Stanford Health Care – Valley Care patients
Web: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/
Phone: (650) 498-9000
Sutter Health patients
Web: https://www.sutterhealth.org/for-patients
Phone: (844) 987-6115
Alameda County Health Department
Link provided on Alameda County Fair vaccines main page.
Bay Area Community Health
Providing to both Alameda and Santa Clara; you must live in the county where you sign up to receive the vaccine. Those ages 16-18 must go to the MVROP site and be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Alameda County
MVCOP Parking Lot
5019 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont
(510) 770-8040
Santa Clara County
Santa Teresa VTA
Enter @ Santa Teresa Blvd @ San Ignacio Ave.
San Jose, CA 95119
(408) 729-9700
Costco
Request an appointment online.
https://www.costco.com/covid-vaccine.html
CVS
Make an appointment online; all three vaccines available.
https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine
Davis Street Community Center
Fill out registration/consent form online and print.
El Camino Health
For Santa Clara County residents 16+, and El Camino Health patients; location provided with appointment.
https://www.elcaminohealth.org/covid-19-resource-center/vaccine-information
Fremont Fire Department & Haller’s Pharmacy
Offering the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. Weekend appointments; Friday appointments available for a limited time.
https://www.primarybio.com/l/fremontfd1
Fremont Fire Tactical Training Center
7200 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont
Kaiser Permanente
Vaccinating Kaiser members according to State guidelines.
https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/
Lucky Supermarket
Request an appointment online.
https://www.luckysupermarkets.com/covid-19-vaccine
Oakland Coliseum
Vaccine supplied directly from the federal government.
Register via the California government site: https://myturn.ca.gov/
Rite Aid
Request an appointment online.
https://www.riteaid.com/covid-19
Safeway
Request an appointment online.
https://www.safeway.com/vaccinations/home
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
For Santa Clara County residents 16+, and patients of County of Santa Clara Health System.
https://vax.sccgov.org/home
Stanford Health Care
Make an appointment: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/
East and South Bay locations: (Peninsula locations listed on the website)
Alameda County Fairgrounds
4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton
Mon-Sat: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(Drive-thru only)
Cisco Garage (SJC Parking Structure 2)
350 E. Tasman Dr., San Jose
Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
(Drive-thru only)
2585 Samaritan Drive, Suite 303, San Jose
Mon-Fri: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Eastridge Mall (For Santa Clara County residents/workers)
2190 Eastridge Loop #1402, San Jose
Mon-Fri: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sat-Sun: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center
For TVHC patients and community members 18+. Offering Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Join the waitlist at the link.
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
Vaccinations available for veterans in the Palo Alto Health Care System, their caregivers and spouses, and recipients of CHAMPVA benefits. Check your eligibility on the website.
Sign up via the website and you will be contacted by your local VA facility.
https://www.paloalto.va.gov/services/covid-19-vaccines.asp
Walgreens
Request an appointment online.
https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp
Walmart
Request an appointment online.
https://www.goodrx.com/covid-19/walmart
Washington Hospital
Vaccinating those who live or work in Fremont, Newark, Union City, South Hayward, or Sunol.
https://www.whhs.com/COVID-19-Coronavirus-.aspx