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Who can call themselves an astronaut?
By Marcia Dunn
Associated Press aerospace writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP), May 25 — As more companies start selling tickets to space, a question looms: Who gets to call themselves an astronaut? It’s already a complicated issue and about to get more so as the wealthy snap up spacecraft seats and even entire flights for themselves and their entourages.
Astronauts? Amateur astronauts? Space tourists? Space sightseers? Rocket riders? Or as the Russians have said for decades, spaceflight participants?
NASA’s new boss Bill Nelson doesn’t consider himself an astronaut even though he spent six days orbiting Earth in 1986 aboard space shuttle Columbia — as a congressman. “I reserve that term for my professional colleagues,” Nelson recently told The Associated Press.
Computer game developer Richard Garriott — who paid his way to the International Space Station in 2008 with the Russians — hates the space tourist label. “I am an astronaut,” he declared in an email, explaining that he trained for two years for the mission.
“If you go to space, you’re an astronaut,” said Axiom Space’s Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA astronaut who will accompany three businessmen to the space station in January, flying SpaceX. His $55 million-a-seat clients plan to conduct research up there, he stressed, and do not consider themselves space tourists.
There’s something enchanting about the word: Astronaut comes from the Greek word for star and sailor. And swashbuckling images of “The Right Stuff“ and NASA’s original Mercury 7 astronauts make for great marketing. Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, is already calling its future clients “astronauts.” It’s auctioning off one seat on its first spaceflight with people on board, targeted for July. NASA even has a new acronym: PAM for Private Astronaut Mission.
Retired NASA astronaut Mike Mullane didn’t consider himself an astronaut until his first space shuttle flight in 1984, six years after his selection by NASA. “It doesn’t matter if you buy a ride or you’re assigned to a ride,” said Mullane, whose 2006 autobiography is titled “Riding Rockets.” Until you strap into a rocket and reach a certain altitude, “you’re not an astronaut.”
It remains a coveted assignment. More than 12,000 applied for NASA’s upcoming class of astronauts; a lucky dozen or so will be selected in December.
But what about passengers who are along for the ride, like the Russian actress and movie director who will fly to the space station in October? Or Japan’s moonstruck billionaire who will follow them from Kazakhstan in December with his production assistant tagging along to document everything? In each case, a professional cosmonaut will be in charge of the Soyuz capsule.
SpaceX’s high-tech capsules are completely automated, as are Blue Origin’s. So, should rich riders and their guests be called astronauts even if they learn the ropes in case they need to intervene in an emergency? Perhaps even more important, where does space begin?
The Federal Aviation Administration limits its commercial astronaut wings to flight crews. The minimum altitude is 50 miles. It’s awarded seven so far; recipients include the two pilots for Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic who made another test flight of the company’s rocket ship Saturday. Others define space as beginning at an even 100 kilometers, or 62 miles above sea level.
Blue Origin’s capsules are designed to reach that threshold and provide a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth, by contrast, it takes 1.5 hours to circle the world. The Association of Space Explorers requires at least one orbit of Earth — in a spacecraft — for membership.
The Astronauts Memorial Foundation honors all those who sacrificed their lives for the U.S. space program even if they never reached space, like Challenger schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe and the test pilot killed in a 2014 Virgin Galactic crash. Also on the Space Mirror Memorial at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center: X-15 and F-104 Air Force pilots who were part of a military space program that never got off the ground.
The astronaut debate has been around since the 1960s, according to Garriott. His late father, Owen Garriott, was among the first so-called scientist-astronauts hired by NASA; the test pilots in the office resented sharing the job title.
It might be necessary to retire the term altogether once hundreds if not thousands reach space, noted Fordham University history professor Asif Siddiqi, the author of several space books. “Are we going to call each and every one of them astronauts?”
Mullane, the three-time space shuttle flier, suggests using astronaut first class, second class, third class, “depending on what your involvement is, whether you pull out a wallet and write a check.” While a military-style pecking order might work, former NASA historian Roger Launius warned: “This gets really complicated really quickly.”
In the end, Mullane noted, “Astronaut is not a copyrighted word. So, anybody who wants to call themselves an astronaut can call themselves an astronaut, whether they’ve been in space or not.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
California restaurants expect rebound that will take years
By Don Thompson
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), May 18 – Nearly a third of California’s restaurants permanently closed and two-thirds of workers at least temporarily lost their jobs as the pandemic set in more than a year ago and Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed the nation’s first statewide lockdown, a legislative committee reported Tuesday.
Few business sectors were more battered than the dining industry, which before the pandemic included more than 76,000 eating and drinking establishments employing 1.8 million people, according to the California Restaurant Association.
But with the shutdown, as many as a million of those workers were quickly furloughed or laid off, the association told the state Senate’s Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response.
“COVID-19 has upended all of our lives, but its impacts have been felt more acutely in the restaurant industry, said Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman, who heads the committee and led the hearing on the issue. “It is clear that recovery will take time.”
Restaurant employment is still down one-quarter from before the pandemic, according to the latest numbers from the state Employment Development Department. Industry leaders said they fear a lack of labor may shutter more establishments as the economy reopens.
The state initially closed nonessential businesses, though it allowed food-serving establishments to continue offering takeout meals. Its color-coded tier system for reopening the economy later allowed restaurants to offer outdoor seating or indoor dining at various levels of capacity as coronavirus cases eased.
With infections dwindling, vaccinations increasing and a positivity rate below 1%, officials say California is on track to lift most remaining restrictions on June 15. Yet many restaurants are struggling to serve the customers already allowed under current capacity limits because of a lack of staff, the committee said.
Potential employees may be able to make ends meet with unemployment and federal stimulus benefits instead of going back to work, it said in its report. Some may fear for their safety during the pandemic, while others may want “more stable career paths” after being repeatedly furloughed.
“Right now we’re just at the beginning of feeling this crunch,” said Matthew Sutton, California Restaurant Association senior vice president for government affairs and public policy.
Without providing specifics, he said lawmakers might want to use part of the state’s massive budget surplus to create an incentive program for employees to return to work. Other committee witnesses said they’re hoping for more direct aid either through stimulus or tax relief funding.
The industry is expected to eventually rebound, the restaurant association reported, creating another 160,000 jobs by 2029, for a total of nearly 2 million statewide.
“This is a two- to three-year recovery,” Kevin McCarney, founder and chief executive officer of Southern California’s Poquito Mas restaurant, told the committee. In the meantime, restauranteurs said they have to recover from the revenue they lost while their fixed costs like rent and insurance continued.
“It’s not a given that we’re going to survive,“ said Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and owner of two popular restaurants. “We’re all digging out from so much the past 15 months.”
With a lack of specifics from the state on the June 15 reopening, she fears restaurants will be allowed to return to full capacity only with vaccinated customers, leaving their staff to become “the new ID police” expected to check vaccination cards – a role she and others said they can’t handle.
Several witnesses expressed frustration with the state’s changing shutdown rules or lack of information on assistance programs, though Greg Dulan, owner of Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen in Los Angeles County, said the state-funded Great Plates food delivery program saved his business during the pandemic.
Health officials’ abrupt shutdown orders gave restaurant owners no time to ramp down employment or distribute food, beverages and other supplies they had just acquired, witnesses said at the hearing.
In hindsight, the state lacked evidence to back up its decision to close outdoor dining and that rationale “was not effectively communicated,” said Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis, though he said the evidence of virus transmissions during indoor dining was much clearer.
With no time to collect data on the risk of transmissions from open air contact, health officials had to use their best judgment at the time but now understand that the risk of outdoor transmission is low, said Willis and California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health executive director Justin Malan.
“We may not have had all the right answers … but remember, this was a novel coronavirus,“ said Malan. “We didn’t have a blueprint on how to respond to this.”
Restaurants said they adapted to a new business model on the fly during the pandemic.
They could offer curbside deliveries or deliveries off-site, or expand into outdoor areas like patios, sidewalks, parking lots and closed-off streets with local approval – innovations that may remain for some time.
Some adopted disposable menus or ones that customers could view on their smartphones. And Sutton said improvements restaurants made to their indoor airflow and filtering will remain long-term.
California cautious in lifting mask requirement
By Don Thompson
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), May 17 — California won’t lift its mask requirement until June 15 to give the public and businesses time to prepare and ensure coronavirus cases stay low, the state health director said, a decision that runs counter to many other states including Oregon and Washington that quickly aligned with last week’s new federal guidelines.
“This four-week period will give Californians time to prepare for this change, while we continue the relentless focus on delivering vaccines particularly to underserved communities and those that were hard hit throughout this pandemic,” Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said. The timing reflects California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s earlier announcement that if cases remain low, the state will drop nearly all COVID-19 restrictions on June 15.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention altered its mask guidelines earlier in May, saying it’s safe for fully vaccinated people to skip face coverings and social distancing in virtually all situations. The CDC guidelines say all people should still wear masks in crowded indoor locations such as airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons.
On May 3, California adopted the CDC’s earlier recommendation that people who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear a mask outdoors unless they are attending crowded gatherings. But the state says those people must wear masks indoors unless they are meeting with other vaccinated people.
For unvaccinated people, face coverings are required outdoors any time physical distancing can’t be maintained, including at such at things as parades, fairs, sports events and concerts. Businesses are expected to adhere to the state’s guidelines, Ghaly said. Both the CDC and state plan to keep the mask requirement in place for students for the rest of the calendar year.
California business leaders including state Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Allan Zaremberg feared the differing federal and state mask requirements will sow confusion. He urged regulators to follow state health officials’ lead, while his counterpart at the California Restaurant Association, Jot Condie, had hoped the state would follow the new CDC guidelines. Regardless, “Californians need to be aware that restaurants and other businesses must follow state and local guidelines, and we ask for the patience of our guests,” Condie said.
It is difficult already for business owners to play “mask cop,” said John Kabateck, director of the California chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses: “We hope that they will not be vulnerable to penalties and scrutiny by state regulators or plaintiffs’ attorneys because they’re trying to make sense of this labyrinth.”
Still, Kabateck he was generally supportive of the state’s decision. “If wearing masks for a little bit longer is an ounce of prevention that’s going to let mom-and-pops reopen their doors and get people back to work, that’s a step in the right direction,” he said.
Major retailers including Walmart, Costco and Trader Joe’s say they won’t require vaccinated shoppers to wear a mask unless state or local laws say otherwise.
After becoming the epicenter for the virus in the U.S. at the start of the year, California has seen a precipitous decline. The state positivity rate among those tested has fallen below 1%, officials said on May 17, and more than 34.5 million doses of vaccine have been administered as the state approaches the full reopening of its economy.
Newsom, like the Biden administration, has been under pressure to ease mask restrictions as coronavirus cases decline nationwide. But the governor is facing a recall election this fall driven largely by frustration with his handling of the pandemic.
Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, businessman John Cox and reality TV personality and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner, all Republicans seeking to replace Newsom, criticized the delay in removing mask requirements.
Cox, who lost in a landslide to Newsom in 2018, said it was notable that the governor had Ghaly deliver the news about the mask mandate but last week the Democratic governor traveled the state to announce a litany of initiatives to spend an unprecedented budget surplus. “He wants to take credit for spending billions of dollars, but then goes into hiding when he has something unpopular to announce,” Cox said. “There’s a reason he’s hiding: he’s wrong.”
Electricity product change coming to Hayward
Submitted by City of Hayward
Officials from the City of Hayward are asking for community input as the city prepares to select a new electricity product for local residents and businesses.
The change is coming because East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), Hayward’s electricity supplier since 2018, is in the process of updating its electricity product options. EBCE provides the electricity delivered to Hayward customers, while transmission and billing are handled by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
As of January 1, 2022, the city’s current electricity product through EBCE, called Brilliant 100, will no longer be available. Brilliant 100 power was 100 percent carbon free and available to customers at rates equal to PG&E rates. It also has been instrumental in helping Hayward meet and surpass its climate protection goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Due to the discontinuation of Brilliant 100, the city will have to choose between Bright Choice, a slightly cheaper electricity product that draws power from some carbon-emitting sources, and Renewable 100, a slightly more expensive option that is based on entirely carbon-free, renewable sources.
On May 10, the Hayward City Council Sustainability Committee voted to recommend to the full City Council the designation of EBCE’s 100-percent renewable and carbon free Renewable 100 as the primary energy source in the City of Hayward.
To learn more about the program and complete an online opinion survey, visit the City of Hayward website at https://hayward-ca.gov, then type “Community Energy” into the search field and follow the prompt. For questions, call the City of Hayward Environmental Services Division at (510) 583-4770 or email [email protected].
California agrees to allow offshore wind farms
By Brian Melley
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP), May 25 — California and the U.S. government have made an agreement to open up areas off the state’s central and northern coasts to massive wind energy farms.
The pact that would float hundreds of turbines off the coast of Morro Bay and Humboldt Bay was touted as a breakthrough to eventually power 1.6 million homes and help the state and federal government reach ambitious climate change goals through clean energy production.
“California, as we all know, has a world class offshore wind resource, and it can play a major role in helping to accelerate California’s and the nation’s transition to clean energy,” National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said.
The plan includes floating 380 windmills across a nearly 400-square-mile (1,035-square-kilometer) area that is 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Morro Bay. The site could be finalized next month and could be put up for lease next year. The announcement is part of President Joe Biden’s plan to create 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.
The scale of the California projects would dwarf wind farms planned or proposed on the East Coast. Two weeks ago, the Biden administration announced a $3 billion project off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts that would power 400,000 homes with 84 turbines.
The 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind project would be the first utility-scale wind power development in federal waters. Another proposed project, Ocean Wind, off New Jersey would create 1,100-megawatts of power. The California wind farms would produce a combined 4.6 gigawatts, with the Morro Bay operation providing two-thirds of that output.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he included $20 million in his revised budget proposal this month that would help expedite environmental review of the projects. California set a goal to produce all electricity by 2045 through renewable energy resources and zero-carbon generating facilities.
EARTHTALK
Keeping pets safe from chemicals
From the Editors of E — The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: What are some of the most common contaminants our pets are exposed to and how can we avoid them?
— Maria R., Chicago, Illinois
This issue grabbed headlines when it was revealed in May 2021 that domestic dogs and horses were suffering from health issues and premature death from exposure through drinking water to chemicals emitted by the Chemours Fayetteville Works chemical plant in Bladen County, North Carolina.
The offending chemicals — perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are added to everyday products to make them water, grease and stain-resistant — fall to the ground with rain. They then permeate soils and the water table for some 18 miles in every direction. Most residents of this rural area get their drinking water from private wells that do not benefit from community clean water filtration systems or standards. A court challenge by local clean water advocates prompted a local judge to order Chemours Fayetteville Works to provide local residents with water filtration systems to filter out offending chemicals. But many locals say they can’t rest easy until the factory closes altogether.
If you do live within the pollution radius of a factory, you’ll want to get your drinking water (and air quality) tested for contaminants on a regular basis to make sure you, your family members and pets aren’t getting poisoned. If the results aren’t good, it may be time to see if any neighbors are experiencing issues and start asking some questions to get to the bottom of where the pollution might be coming from.
There are of course many other threats to pets even if you don’t live near a pollution “point source.” In one study, researchers found that the brains of dogs exposed to the heavy and constant air pollution of Mexico City had significantly elevated inflammation and pathology profiles (including neurofibrillary tangles that cause Alzheimer’s in humans) compared to dogs from more rural, less polluted regions.
Since our pets spend lots of time walking and running through — not to mention rolling around in and even nibbling on — the grass, it’s not surprising that they are much more likely to pick up and ingest contaminants than their owners. If your dog or cat develops a skin rash, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, dilated pupils, lack of coordination, or respiratory difficulties, it may be related to chemical exposure. Regarding longer-term effects, one study in Massachusetts showed that dogs whose owners used pesticides in their own yards had a 70% higher chance of developing malignant lymphoma. Indeed, one-third of the 700 dogs in the study were diagnosed with this typically terminal canine cancer.
If your dog or cat wants to run free in a neighbor’s yard or at the park, wait 24-72 hours after the lawn in question has been treated with chemicals of any kind (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides) to minimize exposure to and ingestion of potentially hazardous substances. You can also lobby your neighbors and local officials to give up the harsh synthetic chemicals; some will be more open to the idea than others, so make sure you have a good way to protect your pets even if your requests aren’t complied with.
EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https//earthtalk.org. Send questions to: [email protected].
Park It
By Ned MacKay
Dig Deep Farms, a nonprofit program of the Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Activities League, has been granted a five-year lease to engage in organic heritage farming at East Bay Regional Park District’s Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. Dig Deep will continue a farming program at Ardenwood that had been operated by J.E. Perry Farms since the mid-1980s. Perry Farms’ tenure ended when the owner retired in 2020.
“The lease is an important step to continue the historical farming at Ardenwood, and provide the public, especially youngsters, an opportunity to learn about the history of science and agriculture, and what life was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s, said Ayn Wieskamp, who represents Fremont on the park district’s board of directors. “The farming operation provides the mechanical labor that produces all of the traditional heritage fruits and vegetables, all of which helps educate visitors about the history of agriculture in the region.”
Ardenwood is a 205-acre working farm owned by the city and operated by the park district. The original owner was George Patterson, a ‘49er who found wealth in the farm fields instead of the gold fields. The property includes a beautiful Victorian mansion and elaborate gardens. Interpretive staff and volunteers guide visitors through the mansion, demonstrate historical farming practices and chores, and bring to life the world of a prosperous, early 20th century farming estate. Ardenwood receives more than 120,000 visitors annually.
Dig Deep Farms uses traditional farming methods and has years of organic farming experience, according to Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle. Its methods minimize waste and maximize nutrient rich soil and produce. Dig Deep is expected to begin site preparations in June, with the first crop harvest in late summer or early fall.
Ardenwood Historic Farm is now open, but entry is permitted only with advance registration. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
You can obtain more information and register up to two weeks in advance by calling (888) 327-2757, option 2 (Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.), or you can register online at www.ebparks.org. Groups should be single household only, please.
While you are at the website, take the district’s 2021 Community Survey. Your responses help the park district to improve and expand its services. The survey is one of the series of displays at the top left of the website homepage. It is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Korean. To submit the survey, visit www.ebparks.org/Survey2021.
The swim beaches at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore are reopening, beginning with Memorial Day weekend. This is the first time since 2019 that the lake is offering swimming. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the park is operating at 50 percent capacity. Two caveats: Please bring your own drinking water as the park’s water system is undergoing construction. Since it is mosquito season, mosquito repellant is advisable.
It looks like we are in for another extremely hot, dry summer. So, here are five safety tips:
1. Be sure to carry plenty of water for both yourself and your dog if you have one along. Once you are away from the trailheads and picnic areas, there are no sources of potable water.
2. Protect yourself from the sun. Apply sunscreen and wear wide-brimmed headgear. Nothing ruins a pleasant outing faster than sunburn.
3. Take along a park map, which can be downloaded from the park district website, or obtained at trailhead information panels. Keep track of where you are. That way, if there is a problem, you can tell the rangers via cellphone where to find you.
4. Do not smoke as smoking, including vaping, is prohibited in the regional parks.
5. Be extremely careful with fire. Barbecuing is allowed in established barbecue stands. Be sure that coals are completely extinguished, then dispose of them only in the existing stand or pit, or concrete receptacles designed for that purpose. Do not dump coals in garbage cans or refuse bins. During extreme weather conditions, all open flames may be prohibited.
The emergency number in the regional parks is 911 or (510) 881-1121. For non-emergency business, call (510) 881-1833.
History: Residents of Centerville – Alvarado Road
By Philip Holmes
Originally ran April 14, 2015
John Horner and Elias Beard purchased a clouded title to the Mission San Jose lands. They farmed many acres and rented or negotiated arrangements with farmers and squatters.
The History of Washington Township notes that the Horner family had surveyed and laid out some of the main roads including the one from Irvington through Centerville to Union City and Alvarado. Beard fenced the north side of this road.
Charles Shinn wrote that “the first American settlers were nearly all squatters who were trying to hold land claims until the exact status of their titles could be ascertained.” Land claims of the region lapped over in all directions and were gradually surveyed and readjusted. United States patents were finally secured in 1867 and firm boundaries established.
The ladies who published the History of Washington Township in 1904 observed that homes and large orchards of Walter Walton, Benjamin Mickle, George and Fred Lowne were on the Alvarado Road. Walton was the fire chief when the Centerville Fire Department was organized in 1890. He was also a blacksmith, farmer and veterinarian and owned a race track where riders, horses and sulkies raced.
Benjamin Mickle came to Centerville to recover his health. He was one of the well-known Centerville attorneys recognized as counselors of men. He served as a Justice of the Peace from 1922 – 1926 along with his law practice. Records for 1901 show the property owned by Mary Mickle.
John Lowrie owned several farms along this road. He also had a race track which he sometimes sprinkled for races. After he drowned in 1882, the properties were transferred to family members including Georg and Fred.
Just beyond was the big ranch of Eugene Stevenson with its large farmhouses and huge sycamore trees. John T. Stevenson had purchased this original ranch house that E. L. Beard built in 1853. In 1904 it still retained its hewed rafters, bunks suspended by rawhide thongs, and even the flag pole on the roof that had been used to call men to their meals.
Pacheco Lane, which once marked the division between the Thomas Pacheco and Augustin Alviso grants, was now part of the road from Decoto to Jarvis Landing. The homestead of William W. Brier was now divided into a number of small properties with attractive cottages. George Machado and relatives had established their homes and businesses near the intersection of Jarvis and the Alvarado Road and formed the landmark recognized as Machado’s Corners. It was named after George Machado, who had a blacksmith shop on Decoto Road and his home nearby on Centerville-Alvarado Road.
The large farm of the late Senator John L. Beard was about a half mile farther down the road toward Alvarado. John had inherited the property from his grandfather, Jesse Beard, who came in 1854 and successfully farmed and raised fruit here. Pear trees, brought across the plains in pioneer days, were still bearing fruit. Walnut and elm trees, including one walnut tree that was probably the largest in the country, ornamented the grounds.
Opposite the Beard farm was the Hawley place where the family still lived in a house built by James Hawley in 1852. James and his wife Hetty came to California in 1848. James a carpenter, built houses in San Francisco, enlarged the Vallejo flour mill, erected and operated the Red Hotel in Mission San Jose and engaged in other enterprises besides operating his farm. Clara, daughter of James and Hettie, married George Patterson.
The Alviso School District was established in 1856 from part of the original three districts set up by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Manuel Feireira and John Beard each donated one half acre for the school. Later Ferreira took back his half acre to straighten out his property line, and Beard then donated a full acre. The original two buildings were separated from the road by a whitewashed fence. It was always a challenge to keep the buildings and fence painted and repaired.
The History of Washington Township notes that other early settlers of this locality were the Walker, Baker, Saunders, Whiddeus, Curtners Morrisons, McCormicks and Watsons. Walker Baker was one of the men raising fruit and almonds. His farm was next to that of W. W. Brier, who was also recognized as a pioneer fruit grower.
The Patterson estate, sometimes called “Ardenwood,” was a distance from the Alvarado road, but the extensive farm lands extended to the road. The estate was noted for both its native trees and specimens grown by George W. Patterson.
Astrophotography with your Smartphone
By David Prosper
Have you ever wanted to take nighttime photos like you have seen online, with the Milky Way stretched across the sky, a blood-red Moon during a total eclipse, or a colorful nebula? Many astrophotos take hours of time, expensive equipment, and travel, which can intimidate beginners to astrophotography. However, anyone with a camera can take astrophotos; even if you have a just smartphone, you can do astrophotography.
Do not expect Hubble-level images starting out. However, you can take surprisingly impressive shots by practicing several basic techniques: steadiness, locked focus, long exposure, and processing. First, steady your smartphone to keep your subjects sharp. This is especially important in low light conditions. A small tripod is ideal, but an improvised stand, such as a rock or block of wood, works in a pinch. Most camera apps offer timer options to delay taking a photo by a few seconds, which reduces the vibration of your fingers when taking a shot.
Next, lock your focus. Smartphones have an auto focus setting, which is not ideal for low-light photos, especially if the camera readjusts focus mid-session. Tap the phone’s screen to focus on a distant bright star or streetlight, then check for options to fine-tune and lock it. Adjusting your camera’s exposure time is also essential. The longer your camera is open, the better light it gathers – essential for low-light astrophotography. Start by setting your exposure time to a few seconds. With those options set, take a test photo of your target!
If your phone’s camera app does not offer these options, you can download apps that do. While some phones offer an “astrophotography” setting, this is still rare as of 2021. Finally, process your photos using an app on your phone or computer to bring out additional detail. Post-processing is the secret of all astrophotography.
You now have your own first astrophotos. Wondering what you can do next? Practice: take lots of photos using different settings, especially before deciding on any equipment upgrades. Luckily, amazing resources are available for budding astrophotographers.
NASA has a free e-book with extensive tips for smartphone astrophotography at bit.ly/smartastrophoto, and you can also join the Smartphone Astrophotography project at bit.ly/smartphoneastroproject. Members of astronomy clubs often offer tips or even lessons on astrophotography; you can find a club near you by searching the “Clubs and Events” map on the Night Sky Network’s website at nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov. May you have clear skies!
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.
THE ROBOT REPORT
Drone helps disinfect Kentucky Derby venue
By The Robot Report Staff
The race was on – safely — for more than 50,000 spectators on Saturday, May 1 at the 147th Kentucky Derby thanks in part to Pittsburgh-based AERAS. The company used its patented charged-electrostatic drone technology to sanitize Churchill Downs against COVID-19. This in part helped allow fans to return to the oldest sporting event in the United States.
“It’s awesome having a hand in bringing back massive in-person sporting events after a year of uncertainty,” said Eric Lloyd, CEO and co-founder of AERAS. “Seeing thousands of cheering fans enjoying the Kentucky Derby safely felt like a huge victory over COVID-19.”
The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes that electrostatic spray systems can create effective coverage when applying sanitization solutions. Powered by its AER-Force technology, AERAS drones release a uniform output of small droplets to create a disinfecting barrier along all grounded surfaces.
AERAS recently earned the Federal Aviation Administration’s (EPA) 137 certification to sanitize sports and entertainment sites with its drone technology.
“Like the rest of America, we’re hungry for live concerts and sports,” said Jim Abel, global director of business development. “It feels great to see our technology make this type of impact on live events and to be helping to return America back to normalcy.”
The Kentucky Derby was one of the largest sporting events to be held since COVID-19 shut the world down in March 2020. With 51,838 fans cheering on the run for the roses in person this year, safety was at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
In less than 90 minutes, Churchill Downs seating areas were sanitized by a AERAS’ 107-certified drone operator and AERAS backpack sprayers. “If sports franchises want to increase the number of people in seats, AERAS is the path,” said Jim Christiana, vice president of marketing and corporate communications for AERAS. “We’re excited for the opportunity to work with any sports and entertainment facility that wants to provide that peace of mind to fans returning to live entertainment.”
Established in Pittsburgh in 2020, AERAS specializes in using a patented charged-electrostatic spraying technology to safely sanitize arenas, stadiums, fields and buildings by dispersing any approved disinfectant as science and best practices dictate to sanitize against COVID-19 and other viral pathogens.
The Robot Report covers the full range of innovations in robotics and intelligent systems, including the latest research and breakthroughs coming from universities and research institutions. Visit their website at www.therobotreport.com.
Social Security Matters
Ask Rusty – Should My Wife Wait Until Age 70 to Claim?
By Russell Gloor, National Social Security Advisor, AMAC Foundation
Dear Rusty: I am age 74 and receiving my Social Security benefits. My wife is age 68, and we are delaying her benefits until she is age 70. But I read an article about a wife receiving half of her husband’s benefit, which makes me wonder if my wife waiting is smart. Please let me know your thoughts. Signed: Wondering
Dear Wondering: Your wife waiting until she is age 70 to claim her own SS retirement benefit may be a smart move, but only if her age 70 benefit will be more than the benefit she is already entitled to as your spouse. Her benefit as your spouse is 50 percent of the benefit you were entitled to at your full retirement age (66). She would get that 50 percent because she has already reached her own full retirement age (FRA), but your wife’s spousal benefit does not grow beyond what she is entitled to at her FRA. Her own SS retirement benefit, however, grows by 0.667 percent per month until she is 70, at which point it reaches maximum (32 percent more than her FRA benefit amount). So, the question is, which will be higher – her spouse benefit, or her age 70 benefit? If the answer is her spousal benefit, then she should claim that now. But if the answer is her age 70 benefit, waiting until she is 70 makes more sense.
There is, however, another option which would work even better if your wife’s own benefit at age 70 will be her highest. Since you are already collecting, and because your wife was born in 1953, she is eligible to file a “restricted application for spousal benefits only.” Doing so would allow her to collect her 50 percent spouse benefit from you now, while still allowing her own SS retirement benefit to grow to maximum at age 70. That would give your wife half of your FRA benefit amount each month, while she simultaneously maximizes her own SS retirement benefit. Then at age 70 when her personal benefit reaches maximum, she can switch to her own higher benefit. I suggest that your wife get a Statement of Estimated Benefits from Social Security to determine if her age 70 benefit will be higher than her spouse benefit. If so, she can file the “restricted application for spouse benefits only” and then simply wait until she is 70 to switch from her spouse benefit to her own higher benefit (32 percent more than her FRA amount).
Note that this “restricted application for spouse benefits only” option is no longer available to anyone born after January 1, 1954, but it is still available to your wife because she was born before that. Unless her spousal benefit will be her highest, I suggest that your wife file the “restricted application for spouse benefits only” which will give her 50 percent of your FRA benefit amount (including COLA awarded since then). She should also ask for 6 months’ retroactive spouse benefits since she was eligible to do this at her FRA.
The easiest way for your wife to get her Statement of Estimated Benefits is by using her personal “My Social Security” online account. If she does not yet have an online account with Social Security, it is easy to create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. She will need that account anyway to apply for her benefits online, which is by far the most efficient way to apply.
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 [email protected].
Trash Talk
Submitted by The Pickup Artist
This is the fifth edition of Trash Talk, a column devoted to cleaning up our neighborhoods.
So you’ve decided to become a “collector” like me? Here are some tips to make your efforts safer and more effective.
First, wear GLOVES. You don’t know where the trash has been, so better to be safe than sorry. Besides bacteria, etc., there are sticky and sharp objects. I don’t care for the thin rubber gloves; they wear out too soon. I use some that are closer to gardening gloves, with rubberized palms and fingers for gripping. They also enable use of a cell phone. This comes in handy if you use a reporting app like Access Hayward’s to report your findings for pickup by the city.
Good walking shoes will be appreciated by the end of your trek. And don’t forget your Fitbit—might as well get credit for your miles!
I’m not particularly into “bend and stretch,” so will use a grabber to avoid constant squatting and touching items I may prefer to keep at a distance. A grabber also helps keep you going longer, and may prevent some uncomfortable muscle cramps. It’s entirely your choice. Some prefer more exercise.
Large trash bags are great for clean-ups. I usually keep four to six with me. The bright orange ones I get through the Hayward program are more visible for the truck drivers to see, and are generally recognized as not containing someone’s laundry, for example.
Wear a Day-Glo vest. While you are doing your neighborhood a service, a distracted driver may not see you. We don’t want to lose any volunteers! Vests are provided to volunteers—for free!—during Hayward’s “Keep Hayward Clean and Green” events. If you want your own, they are they are available for around $5 at most hardware stores.
I prefer wearing sunglasses and a hat. You may also consider using sunscreen. Even though the CDC is loosening up the requirement of wearing a mask outside, I plan to continue doing so for a while.
I seem to find a lot of abandoned infant car seats. Thrift stores are not allowed to sell them due to the possibility of recalls or decreased safety if they have been in an accident. But much of these seats can be recycled! Remove the car seat cover and any padding underneath it. Discard the fabric, foam padding, straps and mixed metal-plastic pieces and small plastic pieces with your regular trash. Mark the plastic as expired or unsafe. Recycle the bulky plastic body and all-metal pieces. Both Target and Walmart have had annual car seat recycle events. When you take an old or expired car seat in, the store offers a perk related to that store. Check with them for this year’s dates.
The quote for today: “You’re alive, you might as well be glad.” –Neil Diamond in ‘Surviving the Life’
Answer to the last Trash Talk Question:
What was the most unidentifiable item I found?
Several four to five-foot-long cylinders, about 6” in diameter. They seemed to be made of some kind of dark, glass-like material, Very heavy, breakable, and with sharp edges. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of them; that was before I started using the Access Hayward app.
The Trash Talk Question for today: What were the most reusable items I’ve found? Answer in the next edition.
Send comments or questions to [email protected].
Bike-Friendly City Earns Silver-Level Recognition
Submitted by City of Fremont
During National Bike Week, the League of American Bicyclists honored the City of Fremont with a Silver-level certification as a Bicycle Friendly Community. Fremont moved up from its previous Bronze-level designation based on its recent engineering of new protected bikeways that “create safer streets and better bicycling for everyone.”
Of the 101 cities in the Bay Area, Fremont is now considered among the top-tier bike-friendly cities in the region. Fifteen cities are ranked as “Bronze.” Fremont now joins Emeryville, Mountain View, and Santa Rosa as “Silver.”
State Senate OKs SB 346 bill covering data collected from in-vehicle cameras
Submitted by Jeff Barbosa
On May 26, the state Senate passed a bill by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) to prohibit data collected from in-vehicle cameras from being sold to third parties or used for advertising purposes. The SB 346 bill also requires that consumers be notified at the time of purchase that a camera is installed inside the vehicle.
As more cars become equipped with in-vehicle cameras capable of recording the interior of the vehicle cabin and the actions of the driver, consumers face another threat to their privacy. SB 346 now heads to the state Assembly.
“We spend a great deal of time inside our car,” Wieckowski said. “What we do while driving to work, going to the store, or picking up our children, reveals a great deal about who we are and our daily habits. This is extremely valuable information that some estimate will be worth over $750 billion by 2030. SB 346 will address the potential erosion of privacy at its root before it can grow out of control. I’m pleased to see the strong show of bipartisanship on this important privacy issue.”
The use of in-vehicle cameras to record sensitive data allows private companies to build composites of consumers’ habits and likes that can be used for targeted advertising. Companies such as BMW, Hyundai, and Cadillac are among those with in-vehicle cameras installed in their models.
“The Consumer Federation of California (CFC) appreciates the Senate for standing with consumers in a such a strong bipartisan way by voting to protect driver and passenger privacy,” said Robert Herrell, executive director, CFC. “SB 346 will ensure that people can use and enjoy their cars without the threat of having private recordings of them and their families sold or distributed. An in-vehicle video should not be monetized by companies in their endless pursuit of more profit centers. As the use of in-vehicle cameras rapidly grows, SB 346 will stand as an important framework for consumer protections in this space.”
12th dead whale washes up on SF Bay Area beach this year
AP Wire Service
PACIFICA, Calif. (AP), May 23 – The carcass of a gray whale discovered on Pacifica State Beach on Friday was the 12th dead whale to wash up on a San Francisco Bay Area beach this year, authorities said.
Tissue samples collected on Saturday confirmed it was an approximately 47-foot (14-meter) adult male, said Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesman for The Marine Mammal Center. He said because the whale was in an advanced state of decomposition, scientists decided not to perform a necropsy to determine how it died.
Ten gray whales, one pygmy sperm whale and one fin whale have been reported dead on San Francisco Bay Area shores since the start of 2021, according to the California Academy of Sciences. Necropsies revealed that two died of a ship strike and two others were suspected to have died of ship strikes. Eight of the deaths were from undetermined causes.
Since 2019, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been investigating what it terms an unusual mortality event because of a higher rate of emaciated or injured gray whales stranded on beaches across the West Coast.
Malnutrition, entanglement, and trauma from ship strikes have been the most common causes of whale deaths in the Bay Area in recent years, according to the Mammal Center.
Gardening for Good Bugs
Submitted by City of Fremont
Did you know that 90 percent of the bugs we see in our gardens are good bugs? Encouraging beneficial insects is one of the best ways to effectively reduce the number of pests in your garden. Attend the webinar on gardening for the good bugs on Thursday, June 3 and learn about the most important beneficial insects in the garden and how to attract them, and why the plants near your garden can have a big impact.
This webinar is part of a series sponsored by the Alameda Countywide Clean Water Program. To register and for more details, visit www.cleanwaterprogram.org.
Free Gardening Webinar
Thursday, Jun 3
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
www.cleanwaterprogram.org
June 15 reopening: when tiers will disappear
Submitted by Hayward Chamber of Commerce
As Californians get vaccinated, the state is reopening and moving Beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
The purple, red, orange and yellow tiers that helped manage COVID-19 are on track to end June 15. While limited measures will remain, Californians will see life getting back to normal, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). All sectors listed in the current Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers Chart may return to usual operations (with the limited exceptions for “mega events”). Employers are subject to the current Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards, if applicable.
As the state continues to monitor the transmission and effects of COVID-19 and its variants, The California Department of Public Health encourages the following general recommendations:
• Everyone should get vaccinated when eligible.
• Indoor spaces should be well ventilated (i.e., open all windows and doors to increase natural air flow), following current CDPH and CalOSHA guidance.
• Everyone should sign up for CA Notify as an added layer of protection for themselves and the community to receive alerts when they have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19
Restrictions applying to indoor and outdoor settings are detailed at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Beyond-Blueprint-Framework.aspx
A Beyond the Blueprint Q&A is at: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Beyond-Blueprint-QA.aspx.
More BART trains rolling soon
Submitted by BART
Starting Monday, June 7, BART will double the number of 15-minute frequencies trains run on weekdays and offer more trips on Saturdays in preparation for California’s economy fully opening on June 15.
The transit system will add 26 additional trips to its Monday-Friday schedule and will serve the busiest lines: Yellow (Antioch-SFO), Green (Berryessa-Daly City), and Red (Richmond-Millbrae + SFO). Most added trips will be during morning and evening peak hours. The BART Trip Planner is being updated to add the additional trips, and new PDF timetables will be developed prior to June 7.
With these added trips, trains will run within Oakland and San Francisco four to 15 minutes apart during peak hours. Some reverse commute and non-peak trips will be added to better serve all types of riders. Seven new trips from SFO will be added on weekdays to support summer travel.
Saturdays will get more frequent service with the addition of more than a dozen trips added throughout the day. Added trips on the Yellow line will serve Pleasant Hill to Daly City only. Extra trips will also be added to the Orange (Richmond-Berryessa) and Blue (Dublin/Pleasanton-Daly City) lines as well. BART will continue to run all long trains during all hours. In addition, BART will reopen all entrances/exits that were closed at larger stations during the height of the pandemic by June 15.
The system’s next service expansion is slated for August 30 when weekday service will be 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight (currently 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) with 15-minute frequencies on all lines from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday service will be 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight (currently 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) with five routes until 8:00 p.m. and added trips during peak hours for 15-minute frequencies.
As a welcome back to riders, BART will offer a 50% discount on all Clipper fares during the month of September.
Honor Roll
University of Scranton, Pennsylvania
Spring 2021 graduate
• Amy Semple of Fremont
McDaniel College, Maryland
Spring 2021 graduate
• Marlowe Natasha Embry of Milpitas
Kansas State University
Spring Semester 2021 Honors
• Claire Stastka of Fremont
Colorado College
Spring 2021 graduate
• Ankita Sharma of Fremont
University of Utah
Spring 2021 Dean’s List
• Ethan Kaye of Fremont
• Kevin Mann of Fremont
• Rian Ta of Fremont
• Julianna Tran of Union City
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
New members
• Isaac Barsky-Ex of Fremont, University of California-Davis
• Yolanda Verduzco of Castro Valley, California State University, Stanislaus
• Tiana Cheung of Union, University of Southern California
• Cheyenne Donatello of Castro Valley, University of Southern California
PG&E appoints regional vice presidents
Submitted by Tamar Sarkissian
PG&E recently announced the appointment of five regional vice presidents, which includes one in the Bay Area region (San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda and Contra Costa counties) and one in the South Bay and Central Coast Region (Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties).
The announcement of the regional leaders marks a milestone in PG&E’s plan to move to a regional service model, as outlined in its Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization and its Updated Regionalization Proposal filed February 26 with the California Public Utilities Commission. PG&E had committed to appoint a regional leadership team by June 1.
“We have assembled a strong and experienced group of leaders who will live and work in the communities they serve. This will position them to better understand and address the challenges unique to their regions. In doing so, they will have the full support of PG&E’s executive leadership and the functional expertise of our 25,000 coworkers,” said PG&E Corporation Chief Executive Officer Patti Poppe.
The regional vice presidents are:
Aaron J. Johnson, Bay Area Region: Johnson has been with PG&E for 12 years, most recently as vice president, Wildfire Safety & Public Engagement, with responsibility for improving operational practices and situational awareness to mitigate wildfire risk and leading strategic planning for rebuilding infrastructure damaged by wildfires. Before joining PG&E, he served the California Public Utilities Commission as a consumer advocate, policy advisor, and regulatory analyst.
Teresa Alvarado, South Bay & Central Coast Region: Alvarado has 20 years of executive experience in the energy and water sectors and has held civic leadership roles focused on environmental justice and equity. She currently chairs the California Water Commission, which provides a public forum for discussing water issues, advises the director of the Department of Water Resources, and approves rules and regulations.
Project IceCube: Live at the South Pole
Submitted by Castro Valley Rotary Club & Castro Valley Science
Winter is here! On June 8, join an extraordinary virtual presentation by scientists at the South Pole who will describe what it is like to live and work where it is dark more than 23 hours every day and where the average temperature is -50⁰F.
Project IceCube uses a cubic kilometer of ice at the South Pole to measure neutrinos, mysterious subatomic particles that have an extremely small mass. Don’t miss this fascinating event, live from an alien world – Register on Eventbrite! (Zoom link will be made available after registration.)
Project IceCube: Live at the South Pole
Tuesday, Jun 8
12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Interactive Zoom presentation
www.eventbrite.com
Eagle Scouts honored
Submitted by Rick Bensco
On June 12, four Eagle Scouts will be honored at Newark Community Center Park. The ceremony will explain the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout, outline the four scouts’ accomplishments, and present Eagle Scout awards.
Changhao You
Positions of Responsibility: Patrol Leader, Scribe, Webmaster
23 Merit Badges Earned
Eagle Scout Project: Renovation of a garden for an elementary school, including pathways and garden beds
Wesley Hastings
Positions of Responsibility: Scribe, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader
21 Merit Badges Earned
Eagle Scout Project: construction of a raptor bait box, and mass-movement of mulch and cardboard to create a path at the Ohlone Regional Wildlife Refuge
Henry Bensco
Positions of Responsibility: Senior Patrol Leader, Quartermaster
31 Merit Badges Earned
Eagle Scout Project: Construction of a privacy screen around the Ohlone Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and removal of old wooden slats in the chain link fence in the front of the building
Noah Grushkin
Positions of Responsibility: Troop Guide, Historian, Librarian, Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader
32 Merit Badges Earned
Eagle Scout Project: Assemble and deliver toiletry kits to Viola Blythe Community Service Center in Newark during the pandemic
Union City City Council
May 25, 2021
Proclamations and Presentations:
• Resolution in support of designating Mushin Lagos, Nigeria as sister city to the City of Union City. Unanimously adopted.
Consent Calendar:
• Contract amendment to extend the Union City Transit Fixed-Route and Demand-Response Operations and Maintenance Agreement with MV Transportation for six months beyond the current contract termination date of June 30, 2021 to December 31, 2021.
• Execute implementation agreement with Midpen Housing Corporation and prepare related documentation, including a funding commitment letter, to facilitate the submittal of an application by Midpen Housing for an affordable housing sustainable community grant for the Lazuli Landing mixed-use project.
• Adopt a resolution receiving the Measure F Alameda County Vehicle Registration Free Fund report, Measure BB Alameda County Transportation Commission report and Measure B Alameda County Transportation Commission report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.
• Resolution approving an amendment to the Classification Plan; approving an amendment to the Compensation and Benefit Plan for non-represented management; creating the position of Supervising Construction Inspector; and approving an amendment to the city’s Compensation Plan and Salary Schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5; and modifying the title of the Compensation and Benefit Plan.
Public Hearings
• Presentation on the proposed Fiscal Year 2021-22 and Fiscal Year 2022-23 biennial budget and five-year Capital Improvement Plan.
Action Item
• Adopt a resolution of intent to renew the Citywide Landscape and Lighting District No. 3 and set a public hearing date for June 22, 2021. Unanimously adopted.
Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci Aye
Vice Mayor Pat D. Gacoscos Aye
Emily Duncan Aye
Jaime Patiño Aye
Gary Singh Aye
Kayaker wants to be 2nd to paddle solo California to Hawaii
AP Wire Service
HONOLULU (AP), Apr 22 – A man is trying to become the second person to kayak alone from California to Hawaii.
Cyril Derreumaux, 44, will attempt to become the first person since 1987 to pull off the feat, Hawaii News Now reported Wednesday.
“I’m an avid paddler, outrigger paddler, kayaker and surfski paddler,” Derreumaux said. “I love the water.“
Derreumaux is hoping to complete the roughly 2,400-mile (3,900-kilometer) journey in 70 days.
His kayak is equipped with solar panels to power a satellite phone, GPS and other gear and there is a cabin for sleeping.
Derreumaux had planned to complete the trip last year, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed delivery of his 23-foot (7-meter) long, 400-pound (181-kilogram) kayak that was custom built in Britain. When he finally received the kayak, he began to practice.
“I took three days at a time, sleeping in the kayak, and using all the equipment,” Derreumaux said.
Derreumaux in 2016 was a member of a four-person team that rowed across the Pacific and set a Guinness World Record. The 44-year-old owns a company that sells high-performance paddling gear.
Derreumaux will pack about 200 pounds (about 91 kilograms) of food for the trip. A device to desalinate water will provide him with drinking water and a land-based support team will help with navigation and other information.
He will start the journey May 30 from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.
Teen baker sweetens lives for those in need
By Luis Andres Henao and Emily Leshner
Associated Press
Vedika Jawa’s mission to sweeten the lives of those in need began when she was just 13, on a family trip to San Francisco. She could not help but see the multitudes living on the streets.
She returned home to Fremont, California, determined to help. Reaching out to homeless shelters, she offered to bake sweet treats. Some managers ignored her; others told her to come back when she was older. But she persisted.
Jawa organized a neighborhood bake sale, collected ingredients in her school and contacted a shelter’s CEO, who eventually allowed her to bake for residents. That was the start of Bake4Sake, her student-run nonprofit that distributes desserts to those in need.
During the pandemic, the project expanded from a handful of friends who helped her bake in her hometown to more than 100 volunteers who now work with 15 homeless shelters in 10 locations across the United States.
“Even though these people get access to meals from food banks and shelters, they often don’t have access to desserts,” said Jawa, now a 16-year-old high school junior. “We know that they’re going through a really difficult time at this moment. And so, we just want to add a little bit of joy in their lives and show them that they’re cared for and loved.”
At the onset of the pandemic, Jawa’s work seemed to come to a halt. Some shelters could no longer take the baked goods because they needed to follow regulations to curb the spread of COVID-19.
But she didn’t let it stop her. Through the local food bank South Hayward Parish, she eventually was allowed to deliver the desserts. She also created an Instagram Bake4Sake account, hoping to find more volunteers. “Instead of just getting responses from my classmates, I actually started getting responses from high schoolers in different states, in different cities, “ she said.
Now, Jawa hopes that even more people will be encouraged to join her project and open their own chapters of Bake4Sake at a time when illness, job loss and business closures across America have caused a food insecurity crisis.
“So many people have lost their loved ones due to this pandemic. So many people have lost their jobs,” Jawa said. “We think that a simple act of kindness can go a long way for someone who is facing such a difficult time.”
“One Good Thing” is a series that highlights individuals whose actions provide glimmers of joy in hard times — stories of people who find a way to make a difference, no matter how small. Read the collection of stories at https://apnews.com/hub/one-good-thing
Exotic Bird Mart and Expo comes to Alameda County Fairgrounds
Submitted by Exotic Bird Mart & Expo
Experience a market like no other and socialize with hundreds of bird enthusiasts! The Exotic Bird Mart and Expo aims to create a fresh and unique experience for long time pet lovers, while attracting the new interest of clientele through education, fun & pet therapy! Shop hundreds of accessories, get educated, and make friends.
We are dedicated to encouraging conservation, education, and research on avian behavior. Birds presented at our shows are companion pet birds. Our vendors consist of pet/bird store owners, bird product manufacturers, veterinarians, aviculturists, and more.
We rescue birds! If you have a bird you can no longer care for, feel free to contact us. We can help.
Tickets are sold at the door. Due to covid-19 this will be a covered outdoor market! You must wear a mask to enter. Thank you.
Exotic Bird Mart & Expo
Sunday, Jun 6
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Alameda County Fairgrounds (Gate:12)
2100 Valley Ave., Pleasanton
Tickets: $10 Adults, $5 Kids 6-12 (preschool age free)
Parking: $10
Local family serves up real ice cream
By Stephanie Gertsch
Crossing I-880 at the intersection of Stevenson and Albrae, you will find a shopping center that looks like it hasn’t changed much from the 60s. However, there’s more than the nearby Walmart to draw locals to this area, as new restaurants are popping up—including Northern California’s first Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, run by Fremont natives.
“I’m actually a retired teacher/administrator from Fremont Unified School District,” says Jan March, who co-owns the shop with her husband and two sons. “This is kind of like my post-retirement gig.” The family has lived in Fremont for the last 20 years.
The process of acquiring this location started four years ago when a former furniture store was subdivided into restaurants. “We got the best spot, we got the corner,” says March. “Because I contracted with them right when they did it. We have good visibility, we have Walmart right next door, and we’re right off the freeway so the location’s ideal.”
All Bruster’s locations have counter ordering and outdoor seating—a blessing during the pandemic restrictions to indoor dining. The chain started in Pennsylvania, but now has stores in many states including Georgia, Texas, Utah and Southern California.
Part of the attraction to Bruste’s is ice cream made on the premises. March explains, “When you make ice cream, a lot of manufacturers will go through a rapid pasteurization process so they can get the volume out. As a result, you can get ice in the milk. Bruster’s actually owns their own pasteurization process so they can control how they want to kettle-cook the milk. So that’s part of the creaminess secret.”
However, each location reflects its local area. “We have several Indian recipes that we’re going to try and see because we do have a large Indian population here,” says March. “We’re opening with a recipe called Paan [Betel Leaf]. And we’re also going to do Green Tea.” Summer flavors for June 2021 are Mango Dragon Fruit Sorbet and Key Lime Pie.
Some flavor themes remain consistent—chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, coffee, coconut—but new variations pop up week to week. You might see lemon one week and lemon meringue pie the next. There are always non-dairy and low fat options.
Ongoing promotions include complimentary “baby cones” for children 40 inches and under, and “doggy sundaes” made of a scoop of plain vanilla, crumbled waffle cone, and a doggy cookie. “My dog came last night and she would not get her face out of the cup,” March recalls. “It was hilarious.”
About 20 high school students and graduating seniors work at the location, in addition to adult staff. Says March, “Brusters is really big in mentoring kids, getting them ready for the work world and teaching them life skills and customer service.”
Customers were already stopping by ahead of the official opening on May 27. However, brisk business comes with its challenges. “Covid made me lazy,” March says with a laugh. “We’ve all been sitting at home, and now it’s like, ‘I’ve got to go back and I’ve got to work a 12-hour day?’ That’s hard! Especially when your body is not used to it.”
Download the Bruster’s loyalty app to collect points, and get a $3 discount for your first visit to the Fremont location.
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
Thursday – Sunday
11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
40524 Albrae St., Fremont
https://brusters.com/fremont/
(510) 573-0134
Meet the photographer behind HERS Breast Cancer events
By Stephanie Gertsch
Photos by Ramil Sumalpong
Ramil Sumalpong has been taking photos pro bono for events at HERS Breast Cancer Foundation for the last 10 years. “I’m a staple there,” he says. “I see kids grow. I see people fighting their battles and getting better…I only see them once a year—we still say ‘hi’ as if no time passed.”
He learned about the foundation while working as an assistant at Fremont Bank, a primary sponsor for HERS. “My manager at the time, Julie Zhu, was heavily involved in community events. And me, being the assistant, I just popped on in.” Soon he began participating in the annual Walk/Run, taking his own photos.
“I shared some of the photos, they were forwarded to the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, and they liked it and used some of them.” Now Sumalpong has been freelancing full time for about four years, doing primarily video with photography on the side.
HERS events have a special vibe. “Speaking with some of the survivors, the common thread that I’ve always found was feeling alone. Like no support… especially with the new people who attend that were just recently diagnosed… so just to be in the inner circle, the circle of hope, you can feel them feeding off each other’s energy and the energy of everyone else. And it usually brings them to tears their first couple times. When I’m taking photographs, I try to capture those moments.”
Those are moments he hopes people can look back on as they continue their fight against cancer.
With family members who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and having dealt with his own health issues, Sumalpong knows how valuable community is. “Fighting the battles alone, that’s where depression grows and it thrives. Being in those positions, I’ve noticed it myself that just by speaking it and not bottling it in, it really makes a difference. Your internal chemistry changes. You’re not worried about trying to keep a secret.”
At the walk/run he gets right in the middle of the action. “I’m known as the only guy that stands in the middle of the trail… I literally raise my arms up taking photos. Every time they come by, I say, ‘I’m here, don’t run me over, guys!’ and a lot of them know me so they will literally poke me or tickle me while they’re passing by. I’m like, ‘Ok guys I get it.’… The other photographers, even the newspaper guys, are just kind of laughing at me because they’re like, ‘That’s dangerous.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s cool, we’re all family. We’ll have fun.’”
With the pandemic putting a stop to large events, many freelancers lost work. Sumalpong was able to cover virtual corporate events, as well as HERS’ Pink PJ Party in May 2021. “The whole virtual thing, it’s a completely different format. We were all learning it along the way, poking fun at each other.”
When everything has gone to screens, what does a photographer capture? “I try to get what’s going on behind the scenes, to show the effort that these guys are doing to make this happen,” Sumalpong explains. “The setups of everyone getting ready. Like all the ladies were actually gathered around the dinner table… going over the scripts and making sure everything was tidy… Once the event started, I took photos of the ladies interacting, doing the introductions, snacking away as well because that’s part of the setup for the pajama party… they have the eye masks on and stuff like that.”
For the event, HERS staff gathered at a studio to watch presenters on the livestream, while also recording their reactions. In all, they raised nearly $97,000 of their $100K goal.
Sumalpong has been supporting the community in other ways during the pandemic. “I was trying to figure out what else I could do,” he remembers. “My friends are nurses, RNs, doctors, and they were literally front line of the whole COVID scare.” Lacking sewing skills, he got into 3D printing face shields. With two printers going, he’s made 1,500 so far.
“I’m that type where if I try something I jump in headfirst and I go all out,” Sumalpong says. “I’m 3D printing stuff for my business now.” Yes, it’s a little random. But sometimes randomness can lead to unique opportunities—like a 10-year collaboration.
“A lot of it doesn’t make sense but when I put it together it does.”
Ramil Sumalpong
www.iconic-lab.com
Niles – where REEL history was made
Submitted by Michael Bonham
The medium of silent film began over 125 years ago, starting with Thomas Edison’s “Black Maria” studio in Orange, New Jersey in 1894. More than a century later, the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is helping the public enjoy and appreciate the historical significance of this wonderful art form.
In 1995, film historian David Kiehn came to Niles gathering intel for a screenplay he was writing about the Essanay film company, where over 350 films were made from 1912 to 1916. Kiehn started gathering photographs and information and word got out. He was asked to speak at a Niles Main Street Association board meeting. Soon after, the idea of a festival showcasing silent films from Niles Essanay was mentioned. The Niles Essanay Preservation Committee was formed, and the first film festival happened in 1998. Committee members were able to contact one of the world’s leading film preservationists, David Shepard, who not only offered to loan film prints, but graciously offered to come with his own equipment and project the films himself!
By 2001, committee members decided to incorporate into their own 501c3 non-profit organization… Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Inc. was born!
The Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival was held at different venues in the historic Niles district of Fremont for the next six years. We were looking for a permanent home for the festival and a place to tell the Essanay story to the public. We found that place in 2004 when the first nickelodeon theater built in Niles became available. The theater operated from 1913 until 1924 when a new and larger theater was built next door (that second building burned down in 1959). After 1924, the first theater became a dance hall, storage warehouse, karate studio, and then a photographer’s studio.
In 2004, we leased the auditorium and began screening silent films every Saturday night in January of 2005, always with live musical accompaniment and using the original tin-lined projection booth! Over the next few years, we began to lease each of the three storefronts on the street-side of the building as they became available. Ultimately, they would house the museum store, increase our exhibition space and return the middle space back to its original use – as the lobby that leads to the theater auditorium.
After renting the facility all these years, our museum acquired the property in 2020 due to the generosity of our landlords, Victoria (Vickie) Lopez and her son Allen. Mrs. Lopez generously put the museum building and adjacent parking lot into a trust to be donated to our non-profit organization upon her death. She lived a good long life and passed at the age of 93 in late 2019. We were given the keys to the building just a few weeks before shelter-in-place was mandated.
Our volunteer-run, non-profit 501c3 organization did the “Covid pivot” and have produced monthly programs online since last June. Those programs will continue online for at least the next few months as we have a large project in front of us. We are now planning on renovating, restoring and upgrading the property and taking the building back to its roots as a real silent film theater.
We’re beginning a major fundraising campaign to complete foundation work, update the infrastructure – especially electrical and plumbing – refurbishing the building while maintaining its historic integrity. Some parts of the building will be restored to their original look, including the front façade. Restoring the auditorium will bring it back to its authentic heyday when it was a silent film theater from 1913 to 1924.
For the first time in well over a year, we’re hosting a live—yes, live—socially-distanced fundraising social for our museum in the parking lot. The highlight of the June 6 social will be the unveiling of an architectural model of the building as it will look when finished.
If you are interested in supporting the arts and historical preservation, please stop by! If you can’t make it on the day, we are also able to accept checks made out to NESFM and sent to: 37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536. You can also donate online at https://nilesfilmmuseum.org/. All online donations made between now and June 6 will go to the building renovation fund.
Your generosity will surely make our museum one of the crown jewels of the Bay Area. A promotional video for the social (produced by Zack Sutherland) is available on our YouTube channel.
Live open house to support film museum
Sunday, June 6
12 noon
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum
37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont
(510) 494-1411
https://nilesfilmmuseum.org/
Uncorked Comedy
Submitted by Plethos Productions
Live, in person standup comedy is back! After a long hiatus, Plethos Productions is proud to bring five Bay Area comics to the stage in a COVID-safe way on Saturday, June 12. Enjoy a lineup of five hilarious comedians, as seen on stages throughout the Bay, at TwiningVine Winery in Castro Valley!
The show will be hosted by Plethos favorite, Priya Guyadeen. It will feature comics Pam Benjamin, Jeff Morris, Joseph Nguyen and headliner Jacqui Pirl. Enjoy over an hour of laughs while you sip, munch and enjoy the show under the stars at this gem of a hangout. Seating will be COVID safe with all individual seats set six feet apart, but small group seating is available.
This show is recommended for ages 18+ due to hilariously mature content. Tickets are $10 until June 1 and $15 after that at Plethos.org.
Uncorked Comedy
Saturday, Jun 12
7 p.m.
TwiningVine Winery
16851 Cull Canyon Rd., Castro Valley
Plethos.org
Fremont Unified School District Board Meeting
May 26, 2021
• Received information on Expanded Learning Opportunity Grant (ELOG) addressing accelerating progress to close learning gaps, integrated pupil supports community learning hubs, supports for credit deficient pupils, additional academic services and training for school staff.
• Approved first reading of Board Policy to address student use of technology/web page development and review administrative regulation.
• Next regular meeting scheduled for June 2, 2021 at 6:30 p.m.
Larry Sweeny
Dianne Jones
Vivek Prasad
Yajing Zhang
Desrie Campbell
Newark City Council
May 27, 2021
Consent Calendar:
• Accept work with DeSilva Gates Construction LP for 2019 Asphalt Concrete Street Overlay Program.
• Approve bid and award contract to American Asphalt Repair and Resurfacing for ADA access.
• Accept Local Early Action Planning Grant Award to be used for preparation of 2023-2031 Housing Element.
Public Hearings:
• Consider property owners’ objections to 2021 Weed Abatement Program. None recorded.
Other Business:
• Accept Annual Engineer’s Reports and set public hearing on June 24, 2021 for Landscaping and Lighting Districts Nos. 1,2,4,6,7,10,11,13,15,16,17,18, 19 for fiscal year 2021-22. PASSED: 4-0-1 (Collazo, Recuse)
• Receive presentation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. This is a multi-disciplinary approach to promote safety, improve quality of life, discourage criminal behavior and reduce crime by changing the physical design of an environment.
City Council Matters:
• Recognize Memorial Day.
• Condemn racism and intolerance; influence change.
• Silliman Center pool is opening.
Mayor Alan Nagy Aye
Vice Mayor Mike Bucci Aye
Luis Freitas Aye
Sucy Collazo Aye, 1 recusal
Michael Hannon Aye
‘Vax for the Win’ kicks off in California
Submitted by California Governor’s Press Office
Governor Gavin Newsom has launched “Vax for the Win,” a new multi-faceted vaccine incentive program designed to motivate Californians to get their vaccination leading up to the state’s reopening on June 15. The incentives aim to give an extra nudge to those who still need to get vaccinated against COVID-19, especially those in hard-to-reach communities, while also thanking everyone who has already been vaccinated.
“Getting every eligible Californian vaccinated is how we bring our state roaring back from this pandemic,” said Newsom. “California has already made incredible progress in the fight against COVID-19, with the lowest case rates in the country, while administering millions more vaccines than any other state. But we aren’t stopping there; we’re doing everything it takes to get Californians vaccinated as we approach June 15 to help us fully reopen safely.”
More than 62.8 percent of Californians aged 12 and older are at least partially vaccinated, but an estimated 12 million people who are eligible still have not gotten a vaccine to protect their health and the wellbeing of their communities.
“Some Californians weren’t ready to get their COVID-19 vaccine on day one, and that’s okay. This program is designed to encourage those who need extra support to get vaccinated and help keep California safe,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer. “The state will work closely with our partners at local health departments and community-based organizations to ensure the program reaches families living in communities with the lowest vaccination rates, who might face language barriers and other obstacles.”
All Californians aged 12 and older who are at least partially vaccinated are automatically eligible for the cash prize drawings taking place in June. Thirty winners will be selected for the “$50,000 Fridays” cash prize drawings on Fridays, June 4 and June 11, totaling $1.5 million. On Tuesday, June 15, $1.5 million will be awarded to 10 lucky Californians — for a grand total of $15 million in cash prizes. Winners must complete their vaccination in order to claim their prize. If someone younger than 18 wins, the cash will be put into a savings account for them until they turn 18.
In another program started May 27, the next two million people who begin and complete their COVID-19 vaccination will automatically be eligible to receive a $50 card, for a total of $100 million. They will have the option of a $50 Virtual Prepaid Card (which can be spent online, in store where major debit cards are accepted, or added to a mobile wallet), or a $50 grocery gift card from Kroger (which includes Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co.) or Albertsons (which includes Safeway, Vons, Pavilions and Andronico’s Community Markets), while supplies last.
Californians will receive a text message with an electronic prepaid card redemption code sent to their mobile phone or email address seven to 10 days after their two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna, or single dose of Johnson & Johnson. Those who do not have a mobile phone or email address can receive a physical card by calling (833) 993-3873, seven to 10 days after receiving their final dose. Those without a permanent address can also call to coordinate delivery.
For more information, visit COVID19.ca.gov/vax-for-the-win. To schedule an appointment to be vaccinated, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call the CA COVID-19 Hotline at (833)-422-4255.
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: [email protected]
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: [email protected] 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
Sundays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Worship Services
8:30 a.m.; Worship Service
12 noon: Sunday School, Ages K – 6th grade
Contact: [email protected] for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Sundays
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church Service
10 a.m.
Socially distant outdoor seating
2791 Driscoll Rd., Fremont
Via Zoom link: www.stanneschurch.org
Third Thursday each month
Chronic Pain Support Group
12:30 p.m.- 2:30 p.m.
Request link: [email protected]
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
https://sv.tie.org/mini-mba-in-entrepreneurship/
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 facing the Pacific Ocean
www.olivehydeartguild.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 [email protected] or (510) 578-8680
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 Rd., Sunol
www.ncry.org
Sundays, May 30 – July 25
“Travel Without Leaving Town” Film Series
3 p.m.
June 13: Hermitage: The Power of Art
June 27: Botticelli: Florence and the Medici
July 11 : The Prado: A Collection of Wonders
July 25 : Frida: Viva la Vida
$15 regular/$10 students to age 21
Bankhead Theater
2400 First St., Livermore
lvpac.org
(925) 373-6800
Tuesday, June 1 – Friday, June 25
Pray Their Names
Outdoor art installation made up of 160 large wooden hearts
Niles Discovery Church
36600 Niles Blvd., Fremont
https://www.facebook.com/Pray-Their-Names-111352017313180
Friday – Sunday, June 18 – July 18
Live Horse Racing
2:45 p.m.
https://bit.ly/3yr6IEy
Alameda County Fairgrounds
Gates 8 & 12 off of Valley Ave., Pleasanton
Sundays, June 27 – August 15
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Afternoon discussion – change frustrating conversations into better ones!
In person or via Zoom
2791 Driscoll Rd., Fremont
(510) 490-0553
UPCOMING
Tuesday, June 1
Celebrate Pride Month
10 a.m.
Raising of the Progress Pride Flag at San Leandro City Hall
835 East 14th St., San Leandro
www.sanleandro.org
Wednesday, June 2
Fremont Art Association General Meeting with guest artist
1 – 3 p.m.
Learn how to make waves come alive with artist Tetiana Taganska
Via Zoom
Register Link:
https://www.fremontartassociation.org/monthlymeetinganddemo
Wednesday, June 2
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/2TnFmPP
Meeting number (access code): 199 408 6964
Meeting password: Presentation!1
Thursday, June 3
Gardening for the Good Bugs!
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Free webinar! Learn about the impact plants near your garden can have
Via Zoom
https://bit.ly/3u9t8qP
Thursday, June 3
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Virtual workshop on Bayview Hunters Point facilities
Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82179377472
Meeting ID: 814 7694 6686
Saturday, June 5
South Asians for Asian Unity
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
First in a 3-part webinar series. Learn about the history and cultural challenges that Asian communities face in America
https://www.aramsei.org/fundraisers/asian-unity/
Sunday, June 6
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum Open House
12 noon
See the theater renovation and expansion and consider donating
37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont
(510) 494-1411
www.nilesfilmmuseum.org
Monday, June 7
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
StoveTeam International – Club showing
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Tuesday, June 8
Project IceCube: Living, Working and Science from an Ice World
12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Virtual presentation by scientists at the South Pole
https://bit.ly/3um92tq
Wednesday, June 9
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/3bZLrbt
Meeting number (access code): 199 377 9782
Meeting password: PqcCpsfc@472
Wednesday, June 9
COVID-19: How to Protect Small Business Intellectual Property
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn how to protect your intellectual property – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48325
Wednesday, June 9
Hiring Right The First Time
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
How to hire and onboard employees properly
https://bit.ly/3v56OQc
Thursday, June 10
Libertarian Party of Alameda County
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Social meet and greet and discussion
32216 Dyer St., Union City
www.lpac.us
Saturday, June 12
Uncorked Comedy
7 p.m.
Enjoy 5 hilarious comedians with a glass of wine
TwiningVine Winery
16851 Cull Canyon Rd., Castro Valley
www.plethos.org
Monday, June 14
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
Superintendent Cheryl Jordan on the State of MUSD
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Wednesday, June 16
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/2ToyD8j
Meeting number (access code): 199 054 2623
Meeting password: y2PBivZn4S$5
Thursday, June 17
Rising Sun’s Lunch & Learn Series
12 noon – 12:30 p.m.
Learn more about how Rising Sun operates
https://bit.ly/3oWZ5l8
Saturday, June 19
League of Women Voters
9:30 a.m.
Virtual annual meeting. Keynote address by Judge LaDoris Cordell
Via Zoom
https://bit.ly/3fPYYnj
Monday, June 21
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
Valley Water District, CEO Rick Callender, Director Dick Santos
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Wednesday, June 23
Getting to Know USCIS – An Agency Overview
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3vFpDJW
Meeting number (access code): 199 158 8619
Meeting password: Presentation1!
Saturday, June 26
Ohana Virtual Health Walk
11 a.m. – 12 noon
Walk or run the week before, then join us for a livestream
https://bach.health/walk21/
Letter to the Editor
Rodeo Update
Thanks to COVID-19, both the May Rowell Ranch and June Livermore rodeos have again been cancelled. Back in February, Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously (15-0) to ban the use of flank straps, sharpened spurs, and electric prods at all rodeos within the city limits.
Two years ago, Alameda County Board of Supervisors outlawed the children’s “mutton busting” event, wherein thoughtless parents coerce very young children into riding terrified sheep, dangerous for all concerned. There’s also the risk of contracting E. Coli, since likely all rodeo arenas are so infected.
The board is currently being urged to add the brutal, sometimes fatal, and blatantly sexist “wild cow milking contest” to the prohibited list. One of these stressed-out cows suffered a broken neck at the 2014 Rowell Ranch rodeo and had to be euthanized, leaving an orphaned calf.
A glimmer of hope on the national level: President Joe Biden removed a Frederic Remington bronze statue of a cowboy on a bucking bronco from the Oval Office and replaced it with a bust of longtime rodeo critic, Cesar Chavez. Progress!
The U.K. outlawed rodeos back in 1934. Can the U.S. be far behind?
Eric Mills
Action For Animals
Oakland
Are you prepared for a disaster?
Submitted by Brittani Peterson, Cal OES
Disasters can happen in California at any moment. Living in a state with the potential for wildfires, earthquakes, mudslides, flooding, tsunamis and more, it’s important to consider which disaster could potentially affect your area. Making a plan and preparing before a disaster will help protect you and your loved ones during these times.
Officials from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) say there are many considerations to keep in mind when preparing for a disaster. Following the safety steps below will help prepare your family, household members, and friends for any disaster.
• If you haven’t already, go to CalAlerts.org and sign up for alerts through your county.
• Make a plan to protect you and your loved ones.
• Get to safety with the things you need.
• Stay safe at home when you can’t leave.
• Help friends and neighbors get ready.
Connect and protect
Think about who you want to connect with during an emergency. This may be family members, neighbors, friends, or caregivers. Write down their names and contact information. Include home, work, school, and other significant numbers. Share copies with everyone on your list. You should also pick one person, outside the area where you live, who won’t be affected by your local disaster.
Evacuation action
If you are not safe at home, work, or school due to a disaster, you will need to go to a safe place and meet up with people you care about. It’s hard to know ahead of time where these safe places might be. These places might change based on the kind of emergency you face.
• Follow the guidance of local authorities.
• Learn different ways to get out of your community fast.
• Be ready to go to your safe place.
• Keep your gas tank full.
Pack a go bag
Most disasters are unexpected and happen fast. You might not have time to shop, or even to pack. Pack up important items now, so you have what you need later. Pack things for each member of your household.
A go bag should include:
• Important documents
• Cash
• A local map
• A list of medications needed
• Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
• Food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food) and manual can opener
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
• Flashlight and whistle (to signal for help)
• First aid kit
• Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
• A wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
• A cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
Since you don’t know where you will be when a disaster occurs, it’s important to prepare supply kits for your home, car, and anywhere you frequently visit like work or school, to ensure you and your family are ready no matter where you are during a disaster.
Stay box
In some disasters, you may be safer staying at home. Damage from the disaster might make that uncomfortable. You might not have water to drink, to bathe or to flush the toilet. You might not have electricity to keep your food cold, turn on a light or charge your phone.
Add items to a stay box, for when you can’t leave home. Prepare for at least three days without water or electricity. Save up a little at a time, until you have enough for everyone in your household including pets, to get by.
Items in your stay box should include:
• Water: Save up to three gallons per person, for drinking and washing.
• Food: Set aside foods that won’t spoil and require no cooking.
• Trash Bags: Set aside extra plastic bags, with ties, to use in a bucket for a toilet
Once a kit is assembled it will need to be maintained by keeping any canned food in a cool and dry place and storing boxed food in a tightly closed plastic or metal container. Expired items should be replaced, and you should rethink your household’s needs yearly as your family’s needs may change.
Disasters are challenging for everyone. Each individual and household has different needs when preparing for a disaster. You or someone you care about can benefit from planning ahead.
For more information and guidance on how to plan for a disaster, visit the California Disaster Preparedness website at www.listoscalifornia.org/disaster-preparedness.
Teen’s non-profit helps foster care children
Submitted by Gracious Giving
Mahek Patel of Fremont has spent the past two years on a mission to make life better for foster children by providing items that make their lives a bit easier and more enjoyable.
At 16, Mahek is a sophomore at Notre Dame High School in San Jose and president of Gracious Giving, a non-profit organization that partners with agencies serving youth in the foster care system. She founded her organization after volunteering at a Christmas shopping event to benefit foster children and low-income families. Impressed by many of the children she met, Mahek was distressed to learn some of them lacked basic life necessities like toothbrushes and soap.
Over time, Mahek expanded Gracious Giving to include a website where people can make easy online donations. Through partnerships, they have helped more than 600 foster care children throughout the Bay Area, northern California, several other states, and Canada. Mahek has also recruited numerous other young volunteers to help grow the organization.
Gracious Giving has donated more than 125 backpacks with art supplies and protective face masks to several Bay Area foster care agencies including Rebekah Children’s Services, Alternative Family Services, and St. Andrew’s Residential Programs for Youth.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahek stepped up online fundraising by hosting informational classes such as Speech and Debate, a virtual walkathon, virtual cooking classes and virtual letter writing. Resources for foster children include art and school supplies, hygiene kits, socks and blankets, and Christmas gifts. Each donated item comes with a personalized handwritten note to help foster children know that they are not alone.
More information about Gracious Giving, along with links to make secure donations, is posted on their website at https://graciousgiving.org.
Firehouse Clinic COVID-19 vaccination available for 12-to-15-year-olds
Submitted by City of Hayward
On January 21, 2021, the Hayward Fire Department, in partnership with Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center and other organizations, established a COVID-19 vaccination site on the grounds of the Hayward Firehouse Clinic.
Since it opened, the clinic has made the COVID-19 vaccine more accessible to South Hayward and local communities who have been hardest hit by the coronavirus and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, under management of Tiburcio Vasquez, the Firehouse Clinic vaccination site is a source of COVID-19 vaccines for newly eligible youth between 12 and 15 years of age.
To make an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination at the Firehouse Clinic, go online or call Tiburcio Vasquez at (510) 471-5880.
For additional ways to have a child vaccinated, the Alameda County Department of Public Health recommends reaching out to your personal healthcare provider or visiting https://myturn.ca.gov/.
Other locations:
Alameda County Fairgrounds
Stanford Children’s Health
Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital
742 52nd St., Oakland
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(415) 514-1196
Hayward Adult School,
22100 Princeton St., Hayward
Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fremont High School of Oakland gym
4610 Foothill Blvd., Oakland
Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Decoto School for Independent Study
725 Whipple Rd., Union City
Fridays, 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
(510) 208-4829.
COVID-19 vaccines are available for free to everyone, 12 years of age and older, regardless of place of residence or immigration status.
Alameda County residences who have not received a vaccination are encouraged to call (510) 208-4829 or visit the Alameda County Health Department website: https://www.acgov.org/health/.
Can marijuana ease the pains of growing old?
Submitted by John Grimaldi
“More and more states are legalizing the use of cannabis [marijuana] and more and more seniors are using it to deal with the aches and pains of aging. Some have the consent of their physicians while others are tempted simply because ‘they hear it works.’ But, according to medical professionals, its use comes with risks,” warned Rebecca Weber, CEO, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC).
Weber cited a report in Medical News Today that lists those risks, not the least of which is using “unregulated” cannabis that might be contaminated. Meanwhile, there is the danger that its use can impair your judgment, affect your immune response, cause memory loss, and even cause testicular cancer and gum disease.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is an arm of the National Institutes of Health, “Marijuana is the most commonly used addictive drug after tobacco and alcohol.” In addition to the dangers listed in the Medical News report, it can make you grouchy, cause sleepless nights, impair your appetite, and cause anxiety.
Dr. Marc Agronin, chief medical officer, MIND Institute at Miami Jewish Health, recently wrote a “special report” on the growing use of marijuana-based products among the elderly. Agronin concluded, “The bottom line is that more rigorous scientific study using randomized controlled trials is needed to substantiate the proposed benefits of cannabis and more fully understand the range and impact of common adverse effects.”
Agronin noted that since the legalization of marijuana started spreading across the country, merchants and distributors have sought to increase sales by hyping benefits. The claims may have some basis in fact. He cited a study that found the use of a THC and CBD oral spray for peripheral nerve pain “was well tolerated [by users] and showed a trend toward improvement in pain and sleep.” [THC and CBD are two of the principal components of marijuana.]
But fact finding is underway to see if marijuana’s benefits outweigh its risks, and a new report published by the Gerontological Society of America agrees with Dr. Agronin that the jury is still out.
“It comes down to this,” said Weber. “If you are thinking about trying marijuana, whatever its form, ask your physician if it is a good idea.”
San Leandro to celebrate Pride Month
Submitted by Paul Sanftner
In recognition of June 2021 as Pride Month in San Leandro, numerous events are planned to celebrate the city’s diversity and its LGBTQ community.
Starting at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 1, the Progress Pride Flag will be raised in front of City Hall at 835 E. 14th St. The ceremony is free and open to the public, but because of public health orders that remain in effect, attendees are asked to maintain social distancing. The ceremony and flying flag will also be visible from East 14th street and to passing motorists. Photos will be shared on the city’s social media pages.
The City Council meeting agenda for June 7 will include a Mayoral proclamation declaring June 2021 as Pride Month in San Leandro. The proclamation will additionally recognize the 27th Anniversary of the Lavender Seniors of the East Bay for their many years of active work supporting the local LGBTQ community.
“As one of the most diverse cities in the United States, I believe is important to welcome and celebrate our spirit of inclusivity, and to embrace opportunities to recognize our rich diversity,” said Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter. “When I was first elected to public office over 20 years ago, I ran on a platform that included addressing LGBTQ issues in our schools. Since that time, it is encouraging to see the social progress that has been made, and our ability to celebrate together as a community of kindness.”
A link where people can view the reading and adoption of the proclamation will be posted on the City of San Leandro website. To access it, visit www.sanleandro.org, then select “About the City” from the navigation bar and choose “Agendas/Meeting Central” from the drop-down menu and follow the prompt to the June 7 City Council meeting.
Competitive youth soccer tryouts set in Fremont
Submitted by Rush Soccer
Fremont Rush, local chapter of Rush Soccer, the largest network of youth soccer clubs in the United States, is holding tryouts for players through June 12.
The goal of Rush Soccer is to create a professional pathway for young soccer players, with instruction from the organization’s extensive network of professional coaches and technical staff. Rush officials believe training with their current teams and coaches is the best way to evaluate outside players and for them to evaluate Rush. Once you’ve registered, a Rush coach will reach out to schedule your training day.
For tryout schedule, location and registration details, visit the Fremont Rush website at www.fremontrush.com.
Water-saving hacks focus of new campaign
Submitted by Sharene Gonzales
Drought conditions have spread across much of California, and officials from Alameda County Water District (ACWD) have launched a “One Saves Water” water conservation campaign which is being advertised in print, online and in social media. The campaign asks customers to make a difference by taking one simple action to conserve water during a second critically dry year — adding up to significant water savings for the community now and in the future.
“Our campaign complements careful dry year water supply planning putting ACWD in a position to meet this year’s demands despite a drought declaration in 41 California counties,” said ACWD Board President Aziz Akbari. “Customers are saving 15% since the last drought and we encourage their efforts by offering tips that can save more water by doing less — watering their lawn one less day, or reducing shower times by one minute, these things add up.”
Customers can take one action to reduce their water use by five gallons of water per day. The campaign supports water-use efficiency and expands its program promotions and messaging to encourage increased indoor and outdoor water conservation.
Actions that people can take right away to start saving water include:
• Finding and fixing leaks
• Taking shorter showers
• Reducing unnecessary toilet flushes
• Washing full loads of dishes and laundry
• Using a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks
• Adjusting outdoor sprinkler heads to reduce overspray and runoff
ACWD provides drinking water to more than 357,000 people living in the cities of Fremont, Newark and Union City. More water-saving tips and information about how to participate in ACWD’s rebate programs is posted on the ACWD drought resource webpage at acwd.org/drought.
Youth tutors sought for summer program
Submitted by FUSS
To help students recover from learning loss, Fremont Unified Student Store (FUSS) hopes to provide free online tutoring support for Fremont Unified School District students who need to catch up on various subjects this summer.
To accomplish that goal, FUSS is looking for volunteers who are currently in seventh through 12th grades to be youth tutors. For details, and to sign up, visit the FUSS website at www.fuss4schools.org.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Friday, May 21
• At 5:21 a.m. a man identified by police as Carlos Mendez Rivera, 44, of Oakland was arrested at Union City station on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.
• At 11:27 a.m. a male transient, identified by police as Spencer Clifton, 31, was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of being out of compliance with sex offender registration rules. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 9:09 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 trespassing on transit property, possession of drug paraphernalia and violating a court order. Crowser was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Sunday, May 23
• At 7:13 p.m. a man identified by police as Richard Bryson, 18 of San Francisco was arrested at South Hayward station on suspicion of domestic violence. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail and issued a prohibition order.
Sunday, May 23
• At 8:11 a.m. a man identified by police as Elijah Alfafara, 28, of San Francisco was arrested at Fremont station on two misdemeanor warrants totaling $15,000 issued by the San Francisco Police Department. He was booked into Fremont City Jail.
Monday, May 24
• A man identified by police as Ivan Robinson, 30, of Oakland was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of possessing and transporting a controlled substance, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail and issued a prohibition order.
Tuesday, May 25
• At 12:58 p.m. a man identified by police as Therren Carmical, 42, of Oakland was detained at Hayward station on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed four outstanding warrants. He was arrested and booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Wednesday, May 26
• At 8:05 a.m. a man identified by police as Jackson Smith, 24, of San Jose was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia, possessing a controlled substance and violating a court order. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
• At 8:40 a.m. a man identified by police as Marco Senegal, 32, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of being out of compliance with sex offender registration rules. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Thursday, May 27
• At 6:33 p.m. a man identified by police as Demallo Jackson, 28 of Berkeley was detained at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed a $50,000 felony warrant held by Contra Costa County. He was arrested and booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Friday, May 28
• At 4:50 a.m. a man identified by police as Semere Kidane, 29, of Los Angeles was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of fare evasion, probation violation and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Fremont Fire Department Log
Submitted by Fremont Fire Department
Wednesday, May 26
• At 6:06 a.m. firefighters responded to a report about a residential fire on Orangewood Drive. Upon arrival they found a smoldering mattress that had been extinguished by one of the home’s occupants. An unresponsive adult female suffering from smoke inhalation was found in a bedroom. Firefighters and paramedics tried to resuscitate her, but she passed away. The two other people at the home, identified as the woman’s parents, were uninjured. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, and damage was limited to the mattress and box spring.
Fremont Police Log
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
Friday, May 21
• At about 10:30 a.m. a robbery occurred in the area of Kansas Way and Ursa Drive. An elderly woman was walking in the area when a woman approached her, grabbed her arms, and forcibly removed her jewelry while replacing it with fake jewelry. The suspect fled the scene in a dark-colored vehicle.
Saturday, May 22
• At 9:57 p.m. officers located a parked stolen vehicle in the area of Target, 43950 Pacific Commons. Officers arrested a suspect, identified by police as Ernesto Salazar, 18, of Fremont as he returned to the vehicle.
Monday, May 24
• At about 8:45 a.m. officers located a stolen vehicle in the area of Farwell Court and made a high-risk traffic stop. A woman, identified by police as Caroline McDaniel, 32, a transient from Fremont, was arrested.
Youth Academy gives students a peek into how police work
Submitted by Hayward PD
Students from 8th through 12th grades who are looking for a fun and informative activity to do this summer are in luck. The Hayward Police Department’s Youth Academy Program is accepting applications now through June 18 for its four-day program set for mid-July.
The popular free program is offered each summer and gives students a unique opportunity to develop a greater understanding of the inner workings of a police department, as well as policies and procedures, taught by law enforcement professionals. The purpose of the academy is to educate youths in their integral roles as community members while strengthening their relationship with the police.
Classes will meet 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, July 12-15, at the Hayward Main Library on C Street and the Hayward Executive Airport Hangar on Skywest Drive. Topics and activities that may be covered include:
• Patrol structure/recruitment
• Alcohol/drug abuse and the consequences of underage tobacco use
• Special Victims Unit
• Forensics and crime scene presentations
• Investigations
• Vice/intelligence
• Traffic enforcement
• Gangs and graffiti
• SWAT/police-K9 demonstration
• Crisis negotiation/de-escalation
• Virtual police department tour
• Youth and Family Services bureau
Class size is limited because of COVID-19 restrictions, and applicants must pass a limited background check and have parent or guardian approval to participate. The course may also include exposure to simulated firearms and graphic subject matter.
The deadline to apply is June 18. Online registrations can be made by visiting the Hayward Police Department website at www.haywardpd.net, then choosing “Programs” from the navigation bar and selecting “Youth Academy Program” from the drop-down menu.
For questions about the program, call Community Service Officer Alicia Romero at (510) 293-7179 or email [email protected].
HPD Youth Academy Program
Monday, Jul 12 – Thursday, Jul 15
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Hayward Main Library
888 C St., Hayward
Hayward Executive Airport Hangar
Register online at www.haywardpd.net
Registration deadline: June 18 (or until class is full)
Contact Alicia Romero (510) 293-7179 or [email protected]
Union City Police Log
Submitted by Union City PD
Monday, May 3
• At about 11:30 p.m. officers responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle in the 35000 block of Peco Street. The caller said that a male was sitting in a car in front of his residence. A license plate check showed that the vehicle was stolen. A man identified by police as John Raynor, 33, was found in the vehicle driver seat. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle.
Thursday, May 6
• At about 7:00 p.m. officers responded to a vehicle collision in the 32900 block of Pulaski Drive. The caller reported that a car hit a parked vehicle then crashed into a house. A woman identified by police as Lucinda Nieves, 52, was contacted by arriving officers who determined she was showing signs of intoxication. She was arrested on suspicion of DUI. There were no injuries.
Soccer
Titans and Huskies deadlock
By Mike Heightchew
The John F. Kennedy Titans (Fremont) jumped out to a quick lead in their May 24th contest with the Washington Huskies (Fremont). However, the Huskies evened the score and at the half, both teams were tied at a goal apiece. As the second half got underway, the same scenario was repeated with a Titan goal followed by a Huskies answer. Each squad displayed good ball control skills and were unable to break through their opponent’s defense for a decisive victory. The result: John F. Kennedy 2, Washington 2
Mariners display power
By Mike Heightchew
In a May 26th contest, the Moreau Catholic Mariners (Hayward) and Washington Huskies (Fremont) were competitive for the first two innings but the third inning foretold the outcome. The Mariners were able to load the bases in their half of the third inning and build a sizeable lead with four runs. Although the Huskies answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the third, they were unable to close the gap. As the Mariners padded their advantage in the sixth inning with another two runs and a seventh inning barrage of nine more, the Huskies had to chalk the day up to a learning experience. Final score: Mariners 15, Huskies 2
Editorial
Revival
With the introduction of budgets at council meetings and a glimmer of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, government thoughts are turning toward recovery and possible modifications of pre-pandemic work patterns. Disruption of commerce, with its consequence on employment, tax collection and future growth have added new meaning and additional challenges for public service operations.
In the midst of the pandemic, questions of how and where people live and work, go to school and pay their bills escalated to crisis proportions. With the American Rescue Plan stimulus package, local jurisdictions received bailout funds to prop up sagging budgets, but those funds are limited in amount and duration. Relying too heavily on one-time funding with the anticipation of a rapid and successful economic rebound can lead to future problems if miscalculated. Will commuting return to pre-pandemic levels and what effect will the loss of businesses have on the long-term tax base? Already adjustments of fees and taxes is in the works and speculation about future bonds or other revenue enhancement measures are beginning to surface.
Subjects that have been pushed aside in the past and been dormant during the immediate health threat did not disappear. They will rise to the surface as a crisis mentality becomes muted. For example, the Fremont City Council has recently raised the question of government structure. What is the best organizational plan for a large city whose council and mayor serve – and are paid – as part-time officials, yet expected to work full-time? Professional city managers serve an important function as administrators of city personnel and policies, but have no direct connection to their constituents, rather answer only to the mayor and councilmembers.
Currently, and in the past, many who have served as councilmembers and mayor in our local cities have devoted exceptional amounts of time to carry out the business of governance. The nature of the work requires, as cities grow and encounter complex issues, a greater time commitment, limiting the candidate pool to those who are either retired or financially independent. As a consequence, many well-qualified individuals are removed from contention by practical considerations.
Even in smaller cities, the role of mayor and councilmembers involve a myriad set of responsibilities that demand an extensive amount of time. Recently, Fremont’s city council raised questions about this ranging from a “chief of staff” position to expansion of the mayor’s role. The city has, fortunately, been able to attract candidates who have given the necessary full-time effort even though inadequately compensated. It may be an opportune time to again explore the possibility of a charter city or hybrid model to replace the existing council/manager system. In the past, such proposals have been raised and rejected, but times have changed. Fremont has grown in size and importance to assume the role as a major influencer of the Bay Area.
Strengths and pitfalls of different organizational structures should be reexamined on a periodic basis to reaffirm or modify current practices. This is already done with a plethora of planning documents to determine whether prior decisions are aligned with current needs and conditions. The same can be accomplished through periodic consideration of the form of government chosen by past constituents. During this time of budget analysis, it may also be time for the City of Fremont to contemplate how elected officials are compensated and serve.
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