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Google gets into sleep surveillance with new Nest Hub screen
By Michael Liedtke
AP Technology Writer
SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP), May 23 – Google’s next internet-connected home device will test whether consumers trust the company enough to let it snoop on their sleep.
New sleep-sensing technology will be a key feature on Google’s latest version of its Nest Hub, a 7-inch smart screen unveiled Tuesday. Like the previous generation, the $100 Nest Hub can display pictures and video in addition to fielding questions and handling household tasks through Google’s voice-activated assistant. It also doesn’t feature a camera.
But the latest Nest Hub’s new trick may help differentiate it from similar devices, such as Amazon’s Echo Show, while also providing a springboard for Google to get more involved in helping people manage their health.
If you allow it, the device will also monitor your sleeping patterns from your bedside, negating the need to wear a fitness device or any other potentially bothersome gadget in bed. The feature, which Google intends to offer for free through at least this year, relies on a new chip Google calls Soli, which uses radar to detect motion, including the depth of a person’s breathing.
The Nest Hub is supposed to generate weekly sleep reports with easy-to-understand breakdowns on the length and quality of sleep, how frequently the user gets up at night and snoring and coughing frequency, along with tips developed in consultation with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Google says it honed the technology by studying 15,000 sleeping people over a combined 110,000 nights.
That kind of help may sound appealing to the millions of people who have trouble sleeping. But the feature may also raise privacy concerns – especially given Google’s long history of online surveillance to collect personal details such as interests, habits and whereabouts to help sell the digital ads that generate most of its revenue.
It also underscores Google’s obvious intent to extend its tentacles into new areas of people’s lives in its relentless quest to make more money, said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a consumer and privacy rights group.
“Google’s goal is to monetize every cell of your body,” Chester said.
The sleep sensing feature will remain free through the rest of this year, but Google could eventually sell it as a subscription service, acknowledged Ashton Udall, Google Nest’s senior product manager.
The company may also eventually tweak the feature to work with its FitBit line of fitness devices, which Google took over in January. That $2.1 billion purchase has raised concerns that Google could use those gadgets to peer more deeply into people’s personal health.
Google is emphasizing the privacy protections built into the sleep sensing feature. For starters, users will have to turn it on themselves. The Nest Hub will also have controls that Google says will make it clear when sleep tracking is on and to make it easy to delete data from the device.
All audio will be kept on the device, meaning it won’t be sent to Google’s data centers, although other sleep information will be provided to generate the analysis and reports. None of the information collected through the sleep sensing feature will be used to sell ads, Udall said.
But Chester is skeptical about that pledge. Knowing an individual’s sleeping patterns, for instance, could help Google know when a person is feeling anxious or sick, Chester said, and those insights could influence which ads to show.
Milkweed planted in California to help monarch butterflies
AP Wire Service
May 31
SAN FRANCISCO (AP), May 31 – A conservation group is planting more than 30,000 milkweed plants in California in the hope of giving Western monarch butterflies new places to breed.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday that the River Partners group has joined with others and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on the plantings along the Sacramento, Feather and Kern rivers.
The plants are seen as critical because the orange-and-black butterflies lay their eggs on them. Their caterpillars also eat them.
The butterflies head south from the Pacific Northwest to California each winter. Earlier this year, researchers said an annual winter count recorded fewer than 2,000 of the butterflies – a massive decline.
“There couldn’t be a more critical time to be doing this,” said restoration biologist Francis Ulep of River Partners.
Scientists have said the butterflies are at critically low levels in western states because of destruction to their milkweed habitat along their migratory route as housing expands and use of pesticides and herbicides increases.
2022 Volkswagen Taos: New kid in town
By Michael Coates
I recently had the chance to test drive the new 2022 Volkswagen Taos, a compact five-passenger SUV due to arrive in local VW dealers this month. In the VW lineup it is slotted physically below the Tiguan and will go up against the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, and others in the marketplace. It is a worthy competitor that has some stylish flare and promises more than 30 mpg in some modes.
Basics
The Taos comes in three common VW trim levels (S, SE and SEL) with ascending levels of equipment and luxury. It offers the choice of front-wheel drive (FWD) or 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD) in each level with AWD coming at a premium of between $1,355 and $2,045 depending on the trim level.
Only one engine is available, a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, which I found more than adequate to tackle Bay Area highways and mountain roads for the 3,175-pound vehicle. Two gearboxes are offered—an eight-speed automotive for the FWD models or a seven-speed automatic dual-clutch for the AWD. Fuel economy is excellent; it is EPA rated at 38 mpg city/36 highway/31 combined for the FWD and 25/32/28 for the AWD. My observations in my test drive were that those numbers were accurate.
Base prices begin at $24,190 for the FWD S trim and range up to $34,240 for the 4Motion SEL. All prices include a $1,195 destination fee. Volkswagen has priced the Taos on par with the competitive set of models.
Outside/Inside
VW emphasizes the styling of the Taos, and it has a fresh, upscale look that should appeal in the market. It has the distinctive VW look with hints of the larger Tiguan and Atlas models. The LED lighting and chromed faux exhaust ports give the whole package an upscale look that helps make the price feel like a bargain.
As soon as I jumped into the driver’s seat, I noticed that it was designed to hold me in place, a nod that this car had a driver in mind as opposed to a pilot simply pointing the compact SUV toward a destination. Driver controls were good and the display screen on par with most in this class. All the electronic bells and whistles expected in this class are available, although some require a trim upgrade.
The back seat was spacious for this class, a plus for those looking for a little more room than is found in some smaller competitors. With the back seat folded, the Taos gives you about 66 cubic feet of space. My tester had a panoramic sunroof that enhanced the feel of spaciousness in the car.
Bottom Line
If you are familiar with the Volkswagen lineup, you should see a little Jetta in the Taos. Both are based on VW’s versatile MQB platform and will be produced for the U.S. in the same Mexican assembly plant.
The Taos is the poster child for what you can observe in every supermarket parking lot in America (and elsewhere around the world). Compact SUVs are the family sedan of the 2020s and Volkswagen finally has an entry-level model in that market.
VW is late to a market already stuffed with able competitors. As tempting as the Taos is, you owe it to yourself to take another look at some of the top competitors, whether they be the Mazda CX-30, Subaru Crosstrek, Kia Sportage or Seltos, Chevrolet Trailblazer, or one of the segment leaders like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or Ford Escape (or their smaller siblings—the Taos is a “tweener”).
What the Taos does not offer is anything beyond an internal combustion engine. Competitors have hybrids and plug-in hybrids that offer superior economy. VW may have an option since the Chinese-built predecessor of Taos is offered in a full electric version.
From my brief experience in the Volkswagen Taos, I would say it is a solid competitor, but the challenge will be keeping up with some embedded players. Plus, it may even be cross-shopped with the new all-electric VW ID4 that it will join on the lot.
Swimming in Regional Parks
By Dennis Waespi, Board of Directors
Summer is here, and with the hot weather comes the desire to take a cooling plunge. The East Bay Regional Park District has plenty of opportunities for a swim. The park district also offers a whole spectrum of swim lessons, designed for all ability levels. In a region with so much water access, swimming skills are vital for personal safety.
Swim lessons are offered at two locations: Roberts Pool in the Oakland hills and Contra Loma swim lagoon in Antioch. Roberts Pool has evening weekday lessons, while Contra Loma offers morning weekday lessons. Classes for beginners, more advanced swimmers, parents with tots, and teens/adults are available. Three two-week sessions will be offered at Roberts Pool, and two two-week sessions will be offered at Contra Loma. Roberts Pool and Contra Loma are now open to the public by reservation only.
Another option is Junior Lifeguards. This program teaches youngsters swimming and lifesaving skills. It will be offered at Crown Beach in Alameda, Cull Canyon in Castro Valley, and Contra Loma.
A Junior Cadet program for ages 14 through 17 is also available. Junior Cadets train as lifeguards in each two-week session. They engage in long distance swims and paddles, train with the lifeguard staff, and learn about how to become a park district lifeguard. If a Junior Cadet is 15 years or older, they can even receive a Lifeguarding/CPR certification.
For general swimming, the beaches at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore are open at reduced capacity. The beach at Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton is closed for the season, due to low water levels.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, scheduling of all these programs is subject to change. For up-to-date information on program descriptions, dates, fees and how to register, visit the park district lifeguard website, www.eblifeguard.org.
Back on dry land, the Rocky Ridge Visitor Center at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore has been remodeled and expanded with great new interactive exhibits in English and Spanish, highlighting the lake’s water management functions and the park’s natural history. The renovation project received federal, state, and private funding, including $272,000 from the Regional Parks Foundation.
Del Valle Regional Park’s main entrance is at the end of Del Valle Road, off Mines Road about 9 miles south of Livermore. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch has a new Coal Mine Experience Tour. It is a replica coal mine that illustrates the dangers the miners faced while working deep underground.
Thirty-minute tours are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays. Tour groups are limited to 10 people, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The park also offers one-hour tours of the Hazel-Atlas sand mine on Saturdays and Sundays.
Reservations in advance are required for either tour, and participants must be age 7 or older for safety reasons. For information and reservations on either tour, call (888) 327-2757, option 2. Black Diamond Mines’ underground Greathouse Visitor Center is also open on weekends, and all ages are welcome. The park is at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4.
Park It
By Ned MacKay
“Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50” is now the name of the new East Bay Regional Park at the site of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. The naming was approved unanimously by the park district board of directors at its June 1 meeting.
It honors the young African American sailors who served the United States military during World War II and stood up to the military’s racially discriminatory policies of the day. It also recognizes Thurgood Marshall, who was an attorney for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) at the time and supported the Black sailors during court martial proceedings. He later became the first Black member of the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the first regional park in Contra Costa County to be named after an African American.
By way of history: The American military was segregated during World War II, and Black sailors who enlisted were often relegated to especially dangerous assignments such as loading munitions onto ships by hand. One such loading point was the Port Chicago Naval Magazine. Work was around the clock, often rushed, with few if any safety precautions.
On July 17, 1944, two vessels at Port Chicago, loaded with ammunition, exploded with a force felt as far away as San Francisco, killing 320 men, mostly teenagers, and wounding 390 others. The explosion accounted for a quarter of all African American deaths during the war.
Surviving Black sailors were ordered to return to work loading munitions not long after the explosion. Many refused. Fifty of them (known as The Port Chicago 50) were charged with mutiny and ultimately dishonorably discharged.
The Port Chicago 50 wrote to Thurgood Marshall, as he was lead counsel for the NAACP, requesting that he attend their trial. Marshall did so. Afterwards he wrote articles and gave public speeches, charging that the Navy was “on trial for its whole vicious policy toward Negroes.”
His campaign to expose racism in the trial of the Port Chicago 50 ultimately led to the desegregation of the military and was a precursor to the broader civil rights movement.
President Harry Truman issued an executive order on July 26, 1948, desegregating the U.S. Armed Forces. But despite years of advocacy by elected officials and community organizations, the Port Chicago 50 have never been exonerated.
The U.S. Navy and National Park Service officially transferred 2,500 acres of open space to the park district in 2019 after a two-decade process brought about by the decommissioning of the Concord Naval Weapons Station in the 1990s. After road improvements and other upgrades, the district plans to open a portion of the expansive park south of Bailey Road within the next two to three years.
In commemoration of Juneteenth, East Bay Regional Park District is partnering with Outdoor Afro and local business leaders by waiving regional park entry fees on Saturday, June 19.
Juneteenth is an annual recognition of the 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Texas who learned of their freedom two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, outlawing slavery in Texas and the other Confederate states.
According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, enforcement of the proclamation depended on the arrival of Union Army troops. At the end of the Civil War there were few Union troops in Texas.
On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, proclaiming freedom from slavery in Texas. Juneteenth is now either a state or ceremonial holiday in all states except Hawaii and North and South Dakota.
Outdoor Afro is a national nonprofit organization that encourages Black connections and leadership in nature. For Juneteenth, Outdoor Afro is encouraging 50,000 people nationwide to reflect what freedom means in America by spending two and a half hours in nature – in a nearby park, forest or beach – to recognize the two and a half years of freedom denied to so many.
“We are thrilled that many local business leaders have joined this commemoration by providing their employees a day off work to reflect on what freedom means to them, and we are grateful for the Park District offering this free day in the parks,” said Rue Mapp, founder and CEO, Outdoor Afro.
“The park district is honored to commemorate Juneteenth with this day in nature to remember those who lost two and a half years of their freedom, by eliminating park entry fees so that all who choose to may participate by spending a day in the East Bay Regional Parks,” said Dee Rosario, president, park district board of directors.
The Regional Parks Foundation, the district’s nonprofit partner, is also partnering with Outdoor Afro by providing free family memberships to eliminate barriers to those in need, so they may enjoy the full benefits of nature and their regional parks all year long. You can learn more about Juneteenth and Outdoor Afro at OutdoorAfro.com/Juneteenth2021.
History Matters
By John Grimaldi and David Bruce Smith
On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation put an end to slavery in the United States, but it took time for the news to advance. The state of Texas, for example, did not know anything about it until two years later, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865–after the War–and announced the news to the enslaved people there.
According to History.com, “The day instantly became an important one to the African American citizens of Texas, who held annual celebrations and even made pilgrimages to Galveston each Juneteenth.”
In no time, festivities proliferated throughout the nation; now, forty-seven states and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth as a holiday, but Texas was the first to decree annual observance of June 19 in 1979.
For more information about Juneteenth, the Grateful American Book Prize recommends books such as The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.
Benjamin Franklin, Continental Congress’s envoy to France, was not enthusiastic about having the 19-year-old Marquis de Lafayette volunteer his military expertise to the colonial revolutionary forces two years into the War. Nevertheless, Lafayette, whose full name was Marie-Joseph Paul Roch Yves Gilbert du Motier, made the difficult journey, and arrived in South Carolina on June 13, 1777. He hoped to be General George Washington’s second in command. Though his youth might have been an issue when he made his case to Congress, the Marquis’ offer of service was accepted by Washington, and he was commissioned as a Major-General.
Lafayette served with distinction in numerous battles, but in February 1778 when France and the American Revolutionary forces signed a formal treaty of alliance, it set off a declaration of war between France and Britain. By the time Lafayette returned to France, he had proven himself in battle, and his loyalty to the American cause. Benjamin Franklin admitted the Marquis had demonstrated his worth.
The Grateful American Book Prize recommends is Sarah Vowell’s Lafayette in the Somewhat United States.
“Henry Flipper did all his country asked him to do,” President Bill Clinton said of Henry Ossian Flipper, the first African American graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Life was not easy for him. He was born into slavery in Thomasville, Georgia, in 1856. After he completed his studies on June 14, 1877, he wrote his autobiography, which revealed the cruel treatment he had received at West Point. According to History.com, Flipper recalled how “he was socially ostracized by white peers and professors.”
After commencement, Flipper served as a second lieutenant in the African American 10th Cavalry Regiment, known as the Buffalo Soldiers of Fort Sill, Oklahoma. There, he distinguished himself with his engineering prowess; as a matter of fact, a drainage system designed by him is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is known as “Flipper’s Ditch.”
His career was halted when he was brought up on charges of stealing government money, and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. A court martial acknowledged his innocence of the embezzlement charge but found him guilty of the conduct accusations for which he was dishonorably discharged. Although Flipper had a “distinguished career” as a civilian engineer, he never became reconciled to the humiliating event.
The Army overturned his “dishonorable” status in 1976—36 years after his death, and in 1999, President Clinton granted Flipper a full posthumous pardon.
The Grateful American Book Prize recommends Henry Ossian Flipper’s West Point autobiography, The Colored Cadet at West Point and Jane Eppinga’s Henry Ossian Flipper: West Point’s First Black Graduate.
The feature is courtesy of The Grateful American Book Prize, which is an annual award given to authors who have created outstanding works of historical fiction or nonfiction for seventh to ninth graders.
Watermelon wow!
By Pat Kite
There are over 1200 watermelon types. I was not aware. Usually I go to the grocery, thump a few, pretending I know what I am doing (Not so). Local watermelons have pink innards. But watermelons may have orange, yellow, white, or red flesh.
A scam took place years ago when people began seeing photos of purple watermelon innards. Purple melon seeds were available for a price. People rushed to buy. Unfortunately, all grown innards were pink. The watermelons had been photoshopped. As a note, the “purple” watermelon seeds are still available, online, so I am told. I tried to grow watermelons once. I got a toddler melon on a huge vine. It looked at me, said “Hah,” and waved goodbye. But worth a try.
Watermelon history dates back about 5000 years. Their ancestors came from the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, dry and hot. The melons were small, about 8 inches, and tasteless or bitter. But they were drought-tolerant. Especially important was their water storage. Watermelons can remain edible for many weeks if kept in a cool, shaded area. On long-ago ship journeys, they were the clean water supply. As a folk meandered, seeds went with them. People experimented. Watermelons became bigger and tastier. By 2000 B.C. watermelon remnants were in ancient Egyptian tombs. Why? Pharaohs needed water on their long journey to the afterlife.
Today, China grows the most watermelons, followed by Turkey, Iran, and Brazil. But the prizewinning largest one comes from Tennessee, circa 2013. It weighed 350 pounds. If you are competitive, the Carolina Cross variety is the parent of all big offspring. If you want the sweetest, go for Sultan and Sweet Bradford. Perhaps you would like a square melon? Specialty Japanese farmers grow melons in containers to create shapes. Pricier, the Densuke variety is about $250 per melon. And the winner? A black melon shell with no stripes grown only on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. One went at auction for $6,300. It is supposed to have a “unique sweet flavor.”
A story. Once upon a time, in Vietnam, there was a man named Mai An Tiem. He worked extremely hard and was successful. He was devoted to the king. But liars told the king that Mai An Tiem was plotting to take his throne. So, the king sent him and his family to a desert island. They scavenged for food.
One day, Mai An Tiem saw a batch of birds eating some black seeds. He thought, if birds can eat these seeds, people can too. He planted the seeds, and they grew. One day a storm-blown ship landed at the island. The crew ate the melons. They took some home. The king had several melon slices. Delicious. He welcomed Mai An Tiem home. And so, watermelons came to Vietnam. Watermelon is a symbol of luck, and Vietnamese often offer it to relatives and friends as a New Year’s present.
Oh, I almost forgot. If you knock on a watermelon and it sounds hollow, it is ripe.
Music At The Mission: 352 Keys
Submitted by Vickilyn Hussey
“This is the biggest virtual concert program we have done, by far. Filming it was challenging, but a lot of fun!” Music at the Mission Director Aileen Chanco said, describing Saturday’s “352 Keys” Happy Hour Concert, which will be streamed online Saturday, June 12. The program showcases four grand pianos and five strings in the hands of exceptional artists in an outstanding program of Mozart, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Milhaud and Bach.
“While we can’t wait to get back to a live audience, we decided to make lemonade out of lemons and find unique things we could do in a virtual concert program, such as the concept of a four-piano program. But that presented a problem: finding a venue with four quality grand pianos,” explained Chanco. “A piano store was one of the few places that could make it happen. We are grateful to Steinway Pianos, Walnut Creek for donating the use of its pianos and the gallery itself to record this concert!”
When it comes to emotional and artistic investment, performing artists are the gold standard, and Katherine Lee, Raja Rahman, Aileen Chanco, and Alison Lee shine in the Bach Concerto for Four Pianos. Each of them are equally stellar in the works for two pianos. The virtuosic strings of the Music at the Mission Chamber Players for this concert are Christina Mok, violin; Genie Wie, violin; Ivo Bokulic, viola; Michael Graham, cello; and Bill Everett, double bass.
“The Bach Concerto is actually Bach’s reworking of the concerto for four violins by Vivaldi. It’s a unique piece, and not performed often enough. And on the technical side, it was equally demanding,” said Artistic Director Bill Everett, “because we used nine cameras to capture all the nuances of the piece.” It was a considerable investment in time, trial and error, and professional consultation.
“We also have a smorgasbord of pieces for two pianos: Mozart, Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Milhaud,” Everett added. “Milhaud’s ‘Scaramouche’ reflects on his time in Brazil. The last movement places the listener in the middle of a Rio street festival.” What a delightful scenario! According to Everett, “The Mozart Sonata in D Major is a mature work. I can’t help but think he was reflecting back on his childhood, traveling Europe playing duos with his sister Nannerl.”
“Brahms is usually viewed as a serious composer, but when he went to the lighter side of popular music, he often wrote for two pianists. The most famous example is his Hungarian Dances. The waltzes were very much an homage to his adopted home of Vienna,” said Everett. “For me personally, when it comes to works for two pianos, I’m always drawn to Rachmaninoff. The Rachmaninoff Suite no. 2 is the perfect example of his combination of virtuosity and passion.”
While focusing on the piano, the program takes a little detour with a new work, Justin Levitt’s “Trauer” String Quartet in memory of those lost to the pandemic. “And although there was significant loss and pain, strength and hope were not forgotten,” noted Levitt. “This piece is a reflection of that initial sorrow and fear that enveloped us and the renewed hope and fortitude that is inevitably taking its place.” Everett agrees that it is important to close the virtual season with a reflection on the past year, but “We also believe it is important to look forward! We can’t wait to welcome back our live audience again.”
The joie de vivre imbued in this program will linger long after the Happy Hour Concert is over! If you don’t want the evening to end at 5:00 p.m., be sure to livestream the Zoom AfterParty immediately following the concert to meet the pianists and composer Justin Levitt, and discuss the performances with host David Bonaccorsi.
The ticket price also includes on-demand access through midnight of June 14, 2021. Music at the Mission thanks “352 Keys” Concert Sponsors Fremont Bank, Alameda County Arts Commission, Tri-City Voice, and Steinway Society for making this concert possible.
Music at the Mission: 352 Keys
Saturday, Jun 12
Happy Hour Concert: 4 p.m. – 5p.m.
After Party: 5 p.m.
Streaming Online
musicatmsj.org/tickets
Single Ticket: $25
The Coder School Milpitas
By Jessica Yu
Located in the Bay Area, The Coder School Milpitas, owned by Milpitas resident Paul Dosanjh, is part of a larger franchise with over 50 locations, 4,500 students, 750 staff, and six years of experience in the running.
Dosanjh, a coder himself with over 30 years in the industry, wanted to spend part of his career giving back to the community. “I wanted to share my knowledge, and The Coder School is a perfect environment for me to introduce technology to the next generation of kids,” he says. When he started college, Dosanjh wasn’t sure what to major in, but after taking a course in “logical thinking,” he was hooked. “The act of analyzing a problem objectively and coming up with a solution was intriguing. The thing I loved most about being a software engineer was the creativity involved, knowing that my software design and code actually solved a real world problem.”
Dosanjh graduated with a BSc in Computer Science from California State University Chico, and spent his career working at high tech companies such as Bell Northern Research, Nortel, and Cisco Systems. One day, when he happened to drive past a Coder School in his area, something inside clicked and he knew that he wanted to open his own school. “This was a couple of years back, and right away I knew this is exactly what I wanted to do.”
The school offers both virtual and in-person classes. Their semi-private flagship program is “Code Coaching,” which uses a 2-1 student to coach ratio that allows students to grow and learn at their own pace, while their more traditional “Code Class” features larger class sizes. “One size does not fit all students, you know, everyone learns differently, everyone is at different speeds. Every kid has a different interest, so the unique thing about the Coder School is we recognize that,” said Dosanjh, “We have other fun activities to engage students as well such as career fairs and tech talks, and that’s what really impressed me about the Coder School environment.”
The Coder School encourages kids to start coding early, around age seven or eight, in order for them to start developing the basic ability for logic and critical thinking that will ultimately benefit them in the future. “Coding is setting up very unique skills at an early age, where they will ultimately use the skills they acquire, no matter what career kids eventually decide to pursue,” said Dosanjh. This is especially critical during the pandemic, where students aren’t getting the same mental stimulation they would be at in-person school. “I think it’s very important, especially since I have kids of my own, and at home, we have to make sure we keep them engaged so they continue their education and learning process,” said Dosanjh.
At the Coder School, kids keep track of their progress using a “coder tree” built around different branches of technology. For example, the “roots” of the tree are fundamental skills such as if/then, loop logic, sequential coding, basic math, and website building, paired with programs such as Snap!, Scratch, and CodeCombat. At the “trunk” of core coding concepts, the program highlights math logic, python, algorithms, and data structures. At the “branches” of advanced technology, students’ progress to topics such as artificial intelligence, network coding, and data manipulation, using platforms like Unity, iOS, blender, Kotlin, and Construct 3.
Though these are suggested concepts, the Coder School program allows students to develop at their own pace and shape their own tree as they go. Students eventually create apps such as “Help Make Food Decisions for Health,” “Social Distance Detection,” and more. Some even compete in app challenges like the Congressional App Challenge.
Parents are emailed notes from each session with a link to the Coder Progress page, which shows a summary of the student’s progress over time, giving parents an easy way to track progression, concepts learned, and languages used.
To find out more about The Coder School, email
pa**@th************.com
, or visit their website at https://www.thecoderschool.com/locations/milpitas/.
Handwaves and hurrah for a good school year
By Rob Klindt
Photos courtesy of California School for the Deaf
Raise your hands high in the air and twist your wrists in applause for a job well done. That’s what many students, faculty and staff at the California School for the Deaf (CSD) might have been feeling as the recent school year came to a close.
Despite COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that prompted distance learning for most students, CSD officials said students at the Fremont-based school continued to perform well. They embraced new technology, boosted communication skills using American Sign Language (ASL) and even won several national awards.
“We have reading specialists and bilingual language arts instructors,” explained JAC Cook, School and Community Outreach Liaison with the school’s Curriculum Outreach Resource and Education (CORE) department. “We were able to create a lot of resources to support our teachers with educational technology including MacBooks and iPads and were able to transition a lot of those resources for use at home.” Cook said the school also partnered with Zoom for online accounts to link students and teachers.
While much of that technology wasn’t new to many students, using it from home was. “In some ways it was easier because you could see the teacher and get resources,” said student Chang-May Tan, 15. “Things were already online and you could just focus on the learning. The big negative was not being able to hang out with my classmates or my teachers.”
Student Gabriella Bibb, 13, cited flexibility as one of the positive things about distance learning: “I had friends who felt it was a lot harder, but for me it was easier because I could determine my schedule, when I would get my school work done and when I could do other things.”
Chang-May’s mother, Rachel Chong, acknowledged, “We were pretty lucky to have CSD close by; they did a good job in keeping the family informed about different standards and changes going on.” The school also provided ASL instruction to Chong to better communicate with her daughter. “With her being at home more I think the bonding is stronger between both of us and our communication is flowing,” Chong said.
“I didn’t expect that it (COVID) would go on so long and that I would really treasure my time with friends,” Chang-May said. “I realize now not to take it for granted and how important it is, each moment with my friends, my teachers, my family. It’s precious time.”
U.S. News and World Report recently ranked CSD among the top national public schools in the nation. Cook said the school provides a fully accredited curriculum to between 390 and 400 students in pre-school through high school, and offers a work readiness program for students up to age 22.
Laura Petersen, Early Intervention Educational Consultant at the school, said CSD was founded in San Francisco in 1860 and a short time later moved to Berkeley where it operated for more than a century. In 1979 it relocated to a 90-acre campus in Fremont near Walnut Avenue and Gallaudet Drive. It serves students from San Luis Obispo County north to the Oregon border.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about the School for the Deaf; often people think it’s only if your kid can’t hear at all,” explained Petersen. “The reality is we have kids who listen to music, we have kids with cochlear implants and hearing aids. They don’t realize we are a state public school that is free to all deaf students in Northern California.”
During 2021 CSD garnered wins in several online regional and national competitions, including a first-place finish in the Academic Bowl National Championship which attracted 80 teams from schools across the nation. The Academic Bowl was founded by Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., a federally chartered private university for deaf and hard of hearing students. The goal of the event is to promote and recognize academic excellence and teamwork while providing social opportunities for deaf high school students.
Sophomore Chang-May is one of four CSD high school winners in in this year’s event. Other team members included Naomi Brock, Courtney Bronson and Donovan Holmes. The whole team was recognized with the Sportsmanship Award, with Chang-May also receiving the All-Star award and Donovan getting the nod as Most Outstanding Player in the Nationals.
In April, CSD middle school students triumphed in the 2021 Battle of the Books National Championship. The goal of the event, also sponsored by Gallaudet University, is to promote strong literacy skills among students. Team members Gabriella Bibb, Sevan Ikeda and Lelan Gonzales studied four books in various genres including fiction, non-fiction and biographical. Working with Coach Charlene Kuyrkendall, the team developed presentations and content question challenges on each book. In addition, Gabriella was recognized as the Most Outstanding Reader.
Finally, 23 CSD students participated in the 2021 National Spelling Bee Championship with Talia Boren taking the top spot with the other four students after 18 rounds. This year’s competition, led by Coach Joann Ikeda, marked CSD’s second consecutive year as co-champions.
Because of easing pandemic restrictions, CSD was able to have in-person high school graduation ceremonies on the school’s football field on Friday, June 4. Graduates from 2020 and 2021 were honored in two separate ceremonies with families segregated into six-person pods for social distancing safety.
“Our kids don’t go away after graduation, they are part of our community,” Petersen said. “A lot of them come back and end up becoming teachers; it is much more than a student-teacher relationship, it really is a family.”
Old Mission San Jose celebrates its 224th anniversary
Submitted by Gary Dorighi
Painting courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History
On the weekend of June 12, Fremont will celebrate its very own “La Mision del Gloriosisimo Patriarca San Jose,” founded on June 11, 1797, the 14th of 21 Missions established by Spain in Alta California from 1769 to 1823.
Special docent-led tours will be offered at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday by advance reservation. Space is limited, so sign up early at www.missionsanjose.org. Nothing compares with walking in the footsteps of our founder, Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen, seeing the structure built by Christian Native Californians, enjoying the beautiful garden, or relishing artwork and artifacts from over 200 years ago.
In the patio garden, you will see a large collection of models of Old Mission San Jose on display throughout the weekend—created by 4th Graders (with the apparent help of Mom and Dad) as a part of their school curriculum. You will be impressed by the quality of these models from kids around California. These treasures were donated to us after fulfilling their role as school assignments.
On Saturday evening, June 12 at 5:30 p.m., a special celebration of Mass will be held in the Mission Church. The 200-year-old Mission Bells will ring, and Spanish music from the early days of the Mission will be played by Ronald McKean on our historic Rosales Opus 14 Spanish Organ. Arrive early for limited seating and wear a mask for COVID-19 compliance if you wish to attend Mass. The ceremony will also be streamed live via the St. Joseph Parish website at www.saintjosephmsj.org.
For those who relish history, visit the website for an inspiring account of this day in 1797. And while you’re there, view videos and photographs in the gallery or consider a purchase from our online gift shop.
Saturday, Jun 12 – Sunday, Jun 13
Tours at: 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. both days
Mass: Saturday @ 5:30 p.m.
Mission San Jose and Museum
43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont
www.missionsanjose.org
June 15 Reopening
By David R. Newman
Photos via Pixabay
On June 15, the State of California will be lifting nearly all public health restrictions in a major step towards returning to pre-COVID times. Counties will not need to follow the color-coded tier system of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, which Governor Newsom first unveiled in August 2020. This is assumes sufficient vaccine supply and hospitalizations remain stable and low.
California is one of the last states to officially “reopen” as the nation continues to see a dramatic drop in COVID-19 cases and deaths. As of June 1, according to Johns Hopkins University, the 7-day positivity rate for California was 0.7%, an all-time low. (Positivity rate is the percentage of all COVID tests performed that are positive for the virus.) And with over half the population of the nation, and the state, vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outlook appears hopeful.
Beginning June 15, all capacity limits and social distancing requirements will be removed. This means restaurants, bars, grocery stores, churches, movie theaters, concert venues, etc. can all operate as they did before the pandemic.
The exception will be for “mega events.” For outdoor live events of 10,000 people or more, the state is recommending that proof of vaccination or a negative test result be shown in order to enter without a mask. Otherwise, you must wear a mask. For indoor venues of 5,000 or more, you must show proof of vaccination/negative test result or you will not be allowed in. Currently, California is the only state apart from Hawaii where masks are required indoors even for vaccinated individuals.
So what does all of this mean for folks in Alameda County? While there has not been an official press release as of this writing, the County website states: “Alameda County is fully aligned with the California State Reopening Plan, California State Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People, and California State Mask Guidance.” That means the county will follow the state’s lead come June 15.
That means that fully vaccinated people will be able to shout and cheer without having to wear a mask. They will also be able to buy groceries, eat a meal, have a drink, work out, pray, see a movie, get a massage, ride a bike, go to a concert, etc. – all sans mask. The few exceptions will be when visiting hospitals, prisons, and homeless shelters, and during travel (including air travel and mass transit). Of course, if you haven’t had the vaccine yet, or are just partially vaccinated, you still need to wear a mask in public.
Questions still remain regarding enforcement of these rules. How will businesses know who is vaccinated and who isn’t? Some may require proof of vaccination. Some businesses may err on the side of caution and still operate with health restrictions in place, whether that’s keeping tables separated or requiring face masks. The main change come June 15 will be that each business will be responsible for upholding and enforcing its own health guidelines, provided they don’t contradict the CDC.
Several national chains – including Target, Costco and Trader Joe’s – have said they won’t require vaccinated customers to wear masks in states that drop mandates. And California employers will still be subject to guidelines set forth by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CalOSHA), specifically under the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which mainly addresses workplace restrictions for those exhibiting signs of COVID-19.
This coming fall will see the return of thousands of children to public school as in-person teaching resumes. And more recommendations by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) may be coming for families with young children who can’t be vaccinated yet. Pfizer released a statement on its website stating, “If safety and immunogenicity is confirmed, and pending agreement with an endorsement from regulators, we hope to receive authorization for vaccination of these younger kids by early 2022.”
In a recent news conference, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly was asked about what might trigger the state to potentially lock back down. He said the state would be keeping a close eye on case numbers and COVID-19 variants, but didn’t get into what a worst-case scenario might be.
While health and government experts continue to evaluate and assess the data and relax restrictions, the outcome now seems to come down to us as individuals. If everyone gets vaccinated and remains cautious, then perhaps there is hope. Only time will tell.
Resources:
https://www.acgov.org/
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
https://covid19.ca.gov/
Fremont offers preapproval of accessory dwelling plans
Submitted by City of Fremont
The City of Fremont is accepting applications from qualifying design professionals to have their plans for detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) preapproved for use throughout Fremont. If you are a design professional, please read the following information to find out how participating in the city’s new Preapproved ADU Program can help connect you with new ADU clients in the city.
What does it mean to have my plans preapproved?
• A preapproved set of plans has already been reviewed by City staff for conformance with applicable codes and regulations. Once a set of plans is preapproved, you can use that same design on any lot within Fremont where a detached ADU is permitted by going through an expedited staff review with lower permitting costs. You will retain your copyright to the preapproved design so that any homeowner who wishes to use the design must contract with you to do so. You will still need to prepare a limited set of site-specific drawings (site plan, foundation design, etc.) for each project.
What are the benefits?
• The Preapproved ADU Program aims to connect designers of preapproved plans with Fremont homeowners. Fremont has already received a lot of interest from homeowners who want the simplicity and certainty of using preapproved ADU plans.
How do I get plans pre-approved?
There are two ways:
• Concurrent Processing: The city offers a “Concurrent Preapproval” application so you can get ADU plans preapproved while you are going through a site-specific plan check. Simply fill out a Request for Concurrent ADU Plan Preapproval form. Concurrent preapproval does not add any time or additional cost to your plan check.
• Independent Application: The city also accepts applications for ADU preapproval independent of a site-specific plan check. ADU plans that were submitted after January 1, 2020 and already reviewed and/or approved by the city may also be considered for preapproval upon request.
Who can I contact with questions?
• First, visit www.fremont.gov/preapprovedADU. Links to all forms are also available on this page. For questions, email City Planner Courtney Pal at
cp**@fr*****.gov
or call (510) 494-4532.
New state recycling bill targets beverage industry
Submitted by Jeff Barbosa
At its June 3 meeting, the California State Senate passed landmark legislation to reform California’s antiquated Bottle Bill and to hold beverage distributors responsible for increasing the number of containers that are recycled.
Senate Bill 38 will transform the current system that has resulted in plummeting recycling rates, more containers in state landfills and consumers unable to find convenient locations to redeem their bottles and cans. The bill now goes to the state Assembly.
“This is a great day for California consumers because the state Senate went on record in support of bringing our outdated recycling system into the 21st century,” said California State Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont), who is a member of the Senate’s Environmental Quality Committee.
“If we are serious about creating a circular economy, we must support SB 38. Putting more Band-Aids on the status quo might make the special interests who support it and prosper from it feel good, but it will not make it more convenient for consumers to find redemption sites,” Wieckowski said. “SB 38 builds on the best practices of other states and nations that have achieved higher redemption rates and greater access to sites than California. Consumers will no longer be nickel-and-dimed to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars by a failed system.”
SB 38 transitions California to a stewardship model to be created by the beverage industry under the oversight of Cal Recycle. The bill requires distributors to form a Beverage Container Stewardship Organization by October 2022 and to submit a redemption and recycling plan to Cal Recycle by the following April. After regulations are adopted by Cal Recycle, the new beverage container stewardship program would begin no later than July 2024.
California now ranks third to last in redemption rates among bottle deposit states, because of the insufficient number of redemption locations and consumers’ inability to redeem their deposits. Oregon, which has a stewardship model similar to the one SB 38 proposes, has a redemption rate of 86 percent and more locations to recycle, despite having just one/tenth the population of California.
Wieckowski represents the 10th District in the State Senate, which includes southern Alameda County and parts of Santa Clara County. Constituents who need information or assistance on state issues can call the senator’s district office at (510) 794-3900 or fill out the contact form at https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/contact/email.
In-person services returning to City Hall
Submitted by City of Union City
As the June 15 date for California’s statewide reopening approaches, Union City officials have announced that City Hall will again be open for in-person services. Front counter service will be available Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visitors must wear a face covering and follow social distancing. Services available in-person at City Hall include:
• Building Division: The Building Division counter is open Mondays through Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for over-the-counter permits, plan submittals and resubmittals. To ensure a smooth process, please coordinate with staff. Submittals can be accepted at the counter, through their drop-box, or by mail. For assistance, (510) 675-5313 or email
bu******@un*******.org
.
• Planning Division: Planning Division staff is available to answer zoning and property information questions and take in application submittals by appointment only Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Application submittals can also be placed in the City Hall lobby drop box if coordinated with the Planning Division in advance. Applications, forms, and answers to zoning and property questions can be found on the Planning Division page at www.unioncity.org/208/Planning. For further assistance, call (510) 675-5379 or email
pl******@un*******.org
.
• Housing and Community Development: Staff are available to answer housing and public services questions by appointment only. Information for services, COVID-19 response, and other housing related issues can be found on the Union City Resources webpage at www.unioncity.org/472/Housing-Resources. For further assistance email
un**********@gm***.com
or call (510) 675.5392.
• Finance Services: All services that were available in-person prior to the pandemic — such as bill pay — have been restored, with the exception of Clipper transactions. Clipper transactions will resume on June 14.
Members of the public who are still cautious are encouraged to utilize online services, or reach out to the city by email or phone. Visit www.unioncity.org to locate a host of online services.
Fremont City Council
June 1, 2021
Consent Calendar:
• Approve annual investment policy PASSED 6-1 (Nay, Kassan)
• Authorize service agreement with Buildingeye, Inc. for in interactive, online permit mapping service for 5-year term in an amount not-to-exceed $500,000.
• Approve list of projects for funding authorized by Road Repair and Accountability Act.
• Approve partial release of Faithful Performance Bonds in the amount of $4,434,000 posted by Robson Homes, LLC for Tract 8330.
• Authorize two Memoranda of Understanding with Alameda County Health Care Services Agency for FY 2021/22 Medi-Cal services.
• Introduce an ordinance amending Master Fee Schedule to add and amend fees for Vending and Soliciting Permits.
Ceremonial Items:
• Proclaim June 2021 as Pride Month. Human Relations Commissioner Martin Kludjian, Jr., Tejinder Dhami and Dharminder Dewan accepted the proclamation.
Public Communications:
• 290 units of affordable housing in Warm Springs district needs Final Certificate of Occupancy to open on-site amenities.
Scheduled Items:
• Public Hearing to authorize adjustments to development fees.
• Public Hearing to introduce ordinance to allow Safe Parking sites. PASSED 6-1 (Nay, Cox)
Council Communications:
• Mayor Mei referral of appointments to advisory bodies:
Anna Wang Human Relations Commission
Sundar Sankaran Recreation Commission
• Councilmember Kassan noted SB1383 regarding organic recycling.
Mayor Lily Mei Aye
Vice Mayor Yang Shao, District 4 Aye
Teresa Keng, District 1 Aye
Rick Jones, District 2 Aye
Jenny Kassan, District 3 Aye, 1 Nay
Raj Salwan, District 5 Aye
Teresa Cox, District 6 Aye, 1 Nay
Fremont mayor announces bid for state senate seat
Submitted by Mei for Senate Campaign
In a statement released June 1, Fremont Mayor Lily Mei announced her candidacy for California State Senate District 10 in the 2022 election. The seat is currently held by State Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) whose current term ends December 4, 2022.
Mei was first elected to the Fremont City Council in 2014 and became the city’s first elected woman and Asian-American mayor in 2016. She already has endorsements for her Senate campaign from other elected officials including Congressman Ro Khanna who represents California’s 17th district, which includes southern Alameda and northern Santa Clara counties.
“As Senator, I’ll take my bold innovations and proven results in addressing our homeless crisis and creating jobs and affordable housing while maintaining safe and healthy schools to all Californians,” Mei said.
Prior to joining Fremont government, Mei served two terms as a School Board Trustee to the Fremont Unified School District. She also is a board member for Citizens for Better Community, board advisor to Music for Minors II, a former board member and lifetime member of the South Bay Chinese Service Club, and was active in organizations such as the Silicon Valley Leadership Group — Minority Women Leadership Day/Education Summit and American Association of University Women.
Milpitas City Council
June 1, 2021
Proclamations:
• June was proclaimed as LGBTQ+ Pride Month
• June 12 was proclaimed as Philippines Independence Day
Consent Calendar:
• Approved Budget Amendment to reallocate unused funds from the Creighton Park Project to the Pedestrian Trail Replacement Project connecting Sinnott, Browne and Murphy Parks.
• Authorized a Master Funding Agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) for the 2016 Measure B Bike and Pedestrian Education and Encouragement Program.
• Authorized amendment to the Cost Sharing Agreement among West Valley Sanitation District, Cupertino Sanitary District, County Sanitation District of Santa Clara County, Burbank Sanitary District, and the City of Milpitas.
Public Hearings:
• Following a public hearing approved the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Operating Budget for the City of Milpitas and the Milpitas Housing Authority. The budget focused on fiscal belt tightening, and eliminated or defunded several projected positions in the City Hall management. There were extensive discussions on the prudence of not filling all the positions in the first responder categories such as Police, and Fire Prevention.
• Following a public hearing amended the Title V (Public Health, Safety and Welfare), of the Milpitas Municipal Code relating to prohibiting smoking in Multi-Unit Housing and Certain Outdoor Areas.
Community Services and Sustainable Infrastructure:
• Received update on the Beautify Milpitas program.
Public Safety:
• Received presentation on Police Department’s response to mental health related calls.
Rich Tran (Mayor) Aye
Carmen Montano (Vice Mayor) Aye
Anthony Phan Aye
Karina Dominguez Aye
Evelyn Chua Aye
County crisis response program to expand
Submitted by Santa Clara County
Officials from the County of Santa Clara have approved investing nearly $28 million to expand a Community Mobile Response (CMR) program to address mental health and crisis response services to residents.
The CMR program is operated by the County Behavioral Health Services Department (CBHSD). Funding for the program was initially approved April 20 by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors using Mental Health Services Act funds. The state of California granted its approval for the funding of the program May 27.
The expanded CMR program uses a model where community residents, mental health workers, and emergency medical services providers respond to needs and crises in the community, ensuring more individuals and families have access to mental health and crisis services.
Expanded services for the program were developed in collaboration with the local Mental Health Service Act stakeholder leadership committee, which is comprised of a diverse group of community leaders. Also helping in the development of the program were community-based organizations and behavioral health service providers working directly with those who will be served.
Working with partners, the CBHSD has been exploring expansion of services to address community needs and expand alternatives to calls to law enforcement. The new CMR teams will respond to calls for service without law enforcement, and as part of their initial assessment will determine if there is a need for law enforcement involvement. The program will address community needs through a race equity and social justice lens.
The CMR program will help individuals experiencing a mental health event or crisis by conducting on-site assessments for medical and/or behavioral health needs to minimize and prevent further escalation of the crisis. The CMR program will also work in close partnership with other teams and programs, such as the County Emergency Medical Services, the existing Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT), and the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team.
Key components of the program include:
• Family involvement: encouraging client’s family or a client’s support person in all aspects of the process, based on a client’s preference.
• A focus on prevention.
• A new 3-digit community phoneline that is not 911 or 311.
• Trauma-informed mobile response vehicles.
• Community Collaborators to obtain feedback from the community and build a mechanism to receive continuous feedback to improve the project.
The program will operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year and will be launched in three general areas (San Jose, Gilroy, and North County) on January 1, 2022. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the social vulnerability index for Santa Clara County shows the highest level of vulnerability is concentrated in San Jose and in Gilroy. If the initial pilot program is successful, services will be expanded to other areas in the future.
Cool and Refreshing Cucumbers
By Melinda Myers
Photos Courtesy of MelindaMyers.com
Add a cool refreshing twist to your meals, beverages, appetizers, and snacks with cucumbers. These popular vegetables are grown worldwide, adding anti-inflammatory vitamin K, vitamins C, B-5, and more to your meals. Take it a step further by using your own fresh-from-the-garden cucumbers.
Grow cucumbers sprawled on the ground or in a container on your patio, balcony, or deck. Save space and train them up a decorative support. They make great vertical accents in containers as well as edible and ornamental gardens. Going vertical not only saves space, it improves productivity by reducing disease problems while also making harvesting easier.
You will find a wide variety of cucumbers available from seed company catalogs and on the seed racks of your favorite garden center. Check with your local Extension service website for their recommendations for your location.
Select the best cucumber for your garden space, meals, and snacks. Bush types like Salad bush produce 8-inch slicing cucumbers on a small plant. Spacemaster is a compact plant, spreading 24 inches and suitable for containers and hanging baskets. All-America Selections winner Saladmore Bush is another semi-bush plant that starts producing cucumbers in 55 days from planting.
Green Light is a 2020 All-America Selections winner that produces an abundance of great tasting mini cucumbers. Grow to the other extreme with burpless-type cucumbers that can be harvested when much larger. They have been bred to contain little or no cucurbitacin that causes bitterness and can lead to burping when consumed.
Wait for soil to warm and the danger of frost to pass for planting seeds one half to one inch deep in properly prepared soil. Plant several cucumber seeds in a large container or in rows or hills in the garden. Space seeds 12 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, or plant several seeds in hills (small mounds of soil) spaced 36 inches apart.
Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil slightly moist. Apply a 1- to 2-inch layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or other organic matter over the soil surface to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and reduce the risk of soil borne diseases.
Watch for the first flush of flowers 50 to 70 days after planting. The first set of flowers are all male flowers, so no fruit can form. Soon male and female flowers will appear for bees to pollinate and fruit to develop – www.melindamyers.com/articles/poor-fruiting-on-cucumber-plants.
Harvest your cucumbers based on how you plan to use them. Pick when 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches long for making sweet pickles and 3 to 4 inches for dills. Harvest slicing cucumbers when the fruit is firm, green, crisp, and 6 to 8 inches long. Burpless-type cucumbers will maintain their flavor at even larger sizes. Check the seed packet for harvesting directions.
With proper selection, planting, and care you will be rewarded with an abundant harvest. So be prepared to enjoy, preserve, and share your fresh homegrown cucumbers.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is also a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
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:
in**@ch************.org
Tuesdays
Practice Your Spoken English
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Talk with native English speakers about everyday topics in a friendly, welcoming setting
Via Zoom
https://aclibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/search/index/event/60b010eed768a44500b2ade2
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:
br***@ne*********.org
for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Fridays
Castro Valley Street Eats
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Food trucks and live music – support The Chabot Theater
Parking lot behind Trader Joe’s
2490 Grove Way, Castro Valley
https://www.thefoodtruckmafia.com/upcoming
Saturdays
Virtual Telescope Viewing R
9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Free on Facebook Live
Join resident astronomers live from Chabot’s observation deck
https://chabotspace.org/calendar/
Saturdays
Online Comedy Shows R$
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Made Up Theatre’s interactive comedy has gone to YouTube!
Sundays
Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church Family Service
10 a.m.
Via ZOOM
For link, call (510) 471-2581
Sundays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Worship Services
9:30 a.m.; Worship Service In-Person or Online
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9NxtyzVaehQJHwLlpwPWlw
35450 Newark Blvd., Newark
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:
nj*****@fr*****.gov
Last Thursday of the Month, March – June
Mini MBA in Entrepreneurship
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Self-paced virtual program for early-stage entrepreneurs
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
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 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
Tuesday, June 8
COVID-19: International Business Guidance
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn about Import/Export regulations – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48402
Tuesday, June 8
Caregiving and Happiness
11 a.m.
Learn about small changes you can make to live a more joyful life
http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
nj*****@fr*****.gov
(510) 790-6602
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
Thursday, June 10
How To Be An Ally 101
12 noon
Learn how to support the LGBTQ+ community
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3cj3mtZ
Thursday, June 10
Cyrano de Bergerac $
5:30 p.m.
Screening of the National Theatre’s Live Production starring James McAvoy
Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center
2400 First St., Livermore
LivermoreArts.org
(925) 373-6800
Friday, June 11
Courtyard Concert Series $
5:30 p.m.
Local jazz trumpeter Jeff Bordes and Panthelion
Show held in courtyard adjacent to theater
Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center
2400 First St., Livermore
LivermoreArts.org
(925) 373-6800
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
Saturday, June 12
Social Write-In
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Write and meet others in a fun, nonjudgmental environment
Via Zoom
Request link from Scott Davidson:
sc**************@ya***.com
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
Tuesday, June 8
4 Steps to Emergency Preparedness (Mandarin)
11 a.m. – 12 noon
Learn what to do when disaster strikes
http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
nj*****@fr*****.gov
(510) 790-6602
Sunday, June 13
Free Photo Day R
1 p.m.
Get a free professional photo of your family
Reserve your time at www.picktime.com/rainbow
Shinn Park
1251 Peralta Blvd., Fremont
Questions? Contact Adam Modzeleski at 510-791-792
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$5
Wednesday, June 16
COVID-19 Crowdfunding
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn about the different ways the community can support your business – free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48418
Thursday, June 17
Rising Sun’s Lunch & Learn Series
12 noon – 12:30 p.m.
Learn more about how Rising Sun operates
https://bit.ly/3oWZ5l8
Thursday, June 17
Hayward Nonprofit Alliance
10 a.m.
Ya You, Assistant Professor of Marketing at CSU East Bay, will discuss digital marketing issues for nonprofits
Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/join
Meeting ID: 823 8148 0428
Passcode: 147350
Friday, June 18
Latino Business Roundtable
9 a.m.
Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle
Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/join
Meeting ID: 827 9395 8686
Passcode: 121713
Saturday, June 19
League of Women Voters
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Virtual annual meeting. Keynote address by Judge LaDoris Cordell
Via Zoom
http://lwvfnuc.org/zoom
Saturday, June 19
Juneteenth Freedom Celebration
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Jobs and Wellness Vendors, entertainment. Hosted by the Black Business Roundtable
City Hall Plaza
777 B St., Hayward
Monday, June 21
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
Valley Water District, CEO Rick Callender, Director Dick Santos
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Wednesday, June 23
Getting to Know USCIS – An Agency Overview
4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3vFpDJW
Meeting number (access code): 199 158 8619
Meeting password: Presentation1!
Wednesday, June 23
Medicare Virtual Fair
12 noon – 4 p.m.
Guidance with enrollment decisions for people turning 65
www.shiphelp.org
Wednesday, June 23 – Thursday, June 24
Android Phone Training
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn how to make your phone work better for you
http://bit.ly/AgeWellClasses
nj*****@fr*****.gov
(510) 790-6602
Friday, June 25
Coco R$
Outdoor family movie night—popcorn will be delivered to your space!
8:30 p.m.
Pinewood Park, Milpitas
https://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/milpitas/departments/recreation-services/
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/
Saturday, June 26
“La Bella Vita” – An Evening With Cathy Chow
6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Meet artist Cathy Chow and her creations. Music by the Michael Udelson Trio
William D. Hayward Amphitheater
24591 Fairview Ave., Hayward
https://edenmusicandarts.com/calendar/premier-event-cathy-chow
Monday, June 28
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon
Rob’s Project Proposal for our club – 2021-22
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/364zWgd
Meeting ID: 830 1305 6992
Passcode: 113524
Letter to the Editor
Action Needed Now to Protect Our Communities
As the Alameda County Consumer Affairs Commission, one of our jobs is to study and assess emerging policies for impact on our residents where consumer protection is warranted. We have a circumstance presently with CA state bills AB537 and SB556 that should compel our citizens to take action to ensure the safety and integrity of our community environment.
AB537 and SB556 as written will accelerate the placement of cell tower transceivers in communities throughout California, without proper deference to the future technological realities of information and communications systems, and without proper procedures to ensure environmental and consumer protection.
AB537, introduced by Assembly Member Bill Quirk of Hayward and SB556, introduced by State Senator Bill Dodd of Napa, are being fast-tracked through the CA state legislature without the checks and balances required to serve the public interest
Of particular concern are provisions that provide default variances to accelerate the distribution of cell tower transceivers without proper due diligence. One such acceleration provision is that, by definition, cell towers should be “deemed approved, all necessary permits shall be deemed issued, and the applicant may begin construction” if short-term time parameters are not met. Given the plethora of known economic, environmental and safety risks associated with the buildout of this technology, this type of acceleration is short-sighted and dangerous.
There is a better way than the unbridled rush presented in AB537 and SB556.
Telecommunications experience over the past three decades, bolstered most recently by Congressional testimony from telecommunications industry executives and luminaries, make clear that to achieve maximum speed, capacity, sustainability, and otherwise optimal performance, a fiber-optic based broadband infrastructure will be required all the way to building premises. Federal legislation is moving in this direction and it is imperative that California follows an approach that is compatible. Further, the carbon footprint of wireless infrastructure is estimated to be 15 to 20 times greater than the preferred fiber to the premises, creating an ongoing and significant impact on climate change. The arbitrary buildout contemplated in these bills that incorporates soon to be obsolete technology, is not only environmentally dangerous but also a waste of taxpayer dollars.
These bills, under the noble cause of growing broadband access, contain ill-advised provisions that will defeat their ascribed purpose. We are asking citizens to call on our own Alameda County Assembly Member Quirk to withdraw AB537 and to encourage his Senate counterpart to do the same, in favor of more effective, efficient and sustainable Fiber To The Premises for Internet Connectivity.
Finally, there are authority provisions in AB537 and SB556 that are an affront to local control. As most local governments have limited resources to rigorously consider this expansion, in addition to further strain brought about by the response demands associated with the pandemic, added pressures mean mistakes will be made that will undoubtedly have long-term ramifications across communities.
The elected officials promoting these acceleration bills believe they are doing the right thing. But, in this case, they are wrong. We need internet connectivity but we need to move forward with the proper due diligence to ensure that all the risks associated, short and long-term, are assessed and managed in the process.
Our ask here to Assemblymember Quirk is simple: slow down, complete proper due diligence, and deliver to the people of Alameda County and the State of California the best telecommunications future possible by withdrawing AB537 and instead begin championing our Fiber To The Premises Future.
Marlene C. Hurd, B. A. NCC
Vice Chair Commissioner, 3rd District
Alameda County Consumer Affairs Commission
Afro American Cultural & Historical Society honors scholarship graduates
Submitted by Ric Ricard of AACHS
The Afro American Cultural & Historical Society, Tri City & Hayward (AACHS), will be honoring African American high school graduates at its 45th Annual Scholarship Awards Program on Sunday, June 13, 2021, at 3 p.m. We’ll be going virtual for the 2nd year! This year’s theme is, “Black Youth Matter: ‘Surviving is important (but) thriving is elegant.’” (Maya Angelou).
This year’s honorees are:
Jordan Robinson, Mt. Eden High School
Casaun Wright, Leadership Public Schools in Hayward
Sierra Sutton, Logan High School in Union City
Makaila Hilburn, Newark Memorial High School
Chloe Williams, Washington High School
Semira Embaye, John F. Kennedy High School in Fremont
Two of them will receive the Doris Rutland Memorial Scholarship and the Herman L. Ficklin Memorial Scholarship, honoring two of our past Society members who played a significant role in the Society’s success.
With this year’s awards, the AACHS will have reached nearly the $200,000 mark in scholarships to Black high school youth in southern Alameda County! Visit our website, aachstricity.org, for more information.
East Bay students shine at research competition
Submitted by Cal State East Bay
Four students from California State University East Bay (CSUEB) took first and second place awards at the 35th annual California State University Student Research competition held recently in Southern California.
The CSU competition is held each year to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity. Students work with faculty mentors on their research. This year’s virtual event was hosted April 30 – May 1 at Cal Poly Pomona.
A total of 12 CSUEB students shared their research projects, summarizing their work in an eight-minute video in one of 21 categories and answered questions from jurors and the audience. This competition was Cal State’s most successful year ever.
Top CSEUB winners:
• Graduate student Andrés González took first place in his category — Humanities & Letters; Education (Mixed) — for the second year in a row for his project titled “Utilizing Reflexivity: Strategic Self-Disclosure and Insider Perspective in Qualitative Research with Transgender and Non-Binary People.”
• Co-presenters Lisa Ouyang and Taylor Quintana took first place in Behavioral & Social Sciences; Interdisciplinary (Mixed) for the project “Early treatment of inflammatory pain prevents the transition from acute to chronic pain in rats.” It was the second straight successful year for Ouyang, who earned a second-place finish last year as a freshman and sole presenter.
• Aerin Riegelsberger was Cal State East Bay’s third top winner for the project “Putting The Ball In The Patient’s Court: Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy In U.S. Family Planning Clinics” in the category Behavioral, Social Sciences, and Public Administration (Graduate).
Second place winners:
• Graduate student Aarohi Shah for the project “Can Ion Exchange Resins Be Used to Remove Boron from Produced Waters and Increase Water Sustainability?”
• Undergraduate Andrew Stanciulescu for the project “Investigating the Effects of Visualization Media in the Classroom.”
“The success we had in this year’s CSU Student Research Competition represented a true team effort among the student competitors, their faculty mentors, and the Center for Student Research (CSR),” said Jenno O, Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Director of CSUEB’s Center for Student Research.
Honor Roll
University of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Spring 2021 Dean’s List
• Aundria Vargas of Hayward
Ohio Wesleyan University
Spring 2021 Theory to Practice Grant
• Jasmine Lew of Fremont
California State University, Stanislaus
Spring 2021 graduates
• Hope Pintos of Fremont
• Pushpinder Sroa of Fremont
• Kaleigh Taylor of Fremont
• Yifei Shi of Fremont
• Tori Roberts of Hayward
• Prabhdeep Beesla of Hayward
• Jose Miranda of Hayward
• Julio Sandoval of Union City
• Natalie Ruiz Tijero of Hayward
• Rubi Lucatero Molina of Hayward
• Yolanda Verduzco of Castro Valley
• Tajee Carey-Robinson of Hayward
Fremont teen awarded scholarship to attend international high school
Submitted by Gwen Albers
Kavi Ullal of Fremont, California has received a scholarship to continue his high school education at United World College-USA (UWC) in Montezuma, New Mexico.
The son of Aniket Ullal and Sonali Aulakh, Kavi recently completed his sophomore year at Rishi Valley School, a boarding school in Andhra Pradesh, India. His experiences at the school inspired him to create WaterSphere, an initiative focused on using science to address water and natural resource conservation. Kavi raised more than $4,000 to fund the construction of an eco-friendly toilet and a learning center for children in a nearby village.
Kavi was motivated to join UWC because of its focus on environmental conservation, wilderness exploration and multicultural exposure. UWC is an international high school for 16- to 19-year-olds with 18 campuses worldwide whose mission is to unite cultures through education and create a peaceful, sustainable world. UWC students represent up to 90 countries at some campuses; many come from conflict regions. Due to his hard work and innovation, Kavi was among 60 U.S. students selected for the merit-based Davis Scholarships.
To learn more about UWC-USA, visit www.uwc-usa.org.
Poetry Slam Winner
Submitted by Debbie Rodriguez
Montana Moresi, age 10, great-granddaughter of Viola Blythe, was the recent first place winner of the CBO Poetry Slam held by Alameda County District 2 Supervisor, Richard Valle. Her winning poem is titled “If Flowers Could Talk.” Montana immediately donated the first-place award of $5,000 to the Viola Blythe Center.
The Viola Blythe Center has been providing food and clothing to families in need in the Tri-Cities for over 65 years. Debbie Rodriguez, daughter of founder Viola Blythe and Executive Director, was ecstatic at Montana’s generosity. She said the heartfelt donation is extremely welcome as so many families are in need due to the pandemic. For information about the Viola Blythe Center, visit www.violablythe.org.
If Flowers Could Talk
By Montana Moresi
Yesterday my plants spoke to me,
Do you know what they said?
They said “Water me now! I’m dying!
Don’t just leave me here lying!”
The next day my plants spoke again,
They said “Listen to what I have to say!
Don’t stop to play! Listen to me! Water me!
You have time! You are nowhere as busy as a bee!”
But I still didn’t listen.
2 days later the plant said
“You should have listened to me!
This isn’t how it should be! There’s no time left!
This should count as being a theft!”
The next day they died so I got new plants.
A place for you and me – all abilities playgrounds
Submitted by Twesha Ghosh
As summer is approaching, kids will be out of school. Corona cases have also reduced significantly. Vaccinations have started for ages 12 and up. Parks and recreation areas are reopening.
Visiting different parks is always a wheelchair-friendly activity for my family. This time we decided to explore some of the parks around the East Bay area that have an all-abilities playground. These play areas are specially designed for kids with varying abilities to develop physically and mentally through different types of activities. These playgrounds have special equipment that enables every kid to play freely, and all of them are completely wheelchair accessible.
Always Dream PlayPark, Fremont
This play park is a very colorful park in Lake Elizabeth central park between the soccer fields on Stevenson Boulevard. This is a very nice playground for kids of all age groups and different abilities with a scenic view of Mission Hills. The place has lots of greenery around, and kids can also engage in kite flying. There are colorful umbrellas for shade, which add a happy look to the park. Climbing the colorful rocks and all-accessible slides are very doable activities for a wheelchair user. The swings also have features that make them all-inclusive. There are special components for sound play and brail panels, texture, and fragrances for the visually impaired. There are nice shaded wheelchair-accessible picnic areas where you can relax and grab a bite.
Mia’s Dream Come True Playground, Hayward
Mia’s Dream come true Playground is an amazing all-abilities playground. This park is constructed by Hayward Area Recreation District. The initiative was taken by the Valdez family, who wanted to make an all-abilities playground where their daughter Mia can play with friends of all ages and abilities. This park is completely wheelchair accessible. Specially-designed structures help develop cognitive, physical, social, sensory, and communication skills. The park layout replicates the layout of the Hayward area. The main landmarks of Hayward like the San Mateo bridge, 880 Freeway, water tower, Fire Station No 7, and the Hayward Loop are recreated. This park also has a music therapy zone, sensory wall, and kindness arches. There are all-inclusive swings, spinners, slides, and rollers that add extra fun.
Imagine Playground, Dublin
Imagine Playground is an all-abilities playground in the sports ground of Dublin. This play area has many types of equipment that are completely wheelchair accessible. The entrance has a very special art piece named “Conversation”—a structure of two oversize heads signifying that every person is unique and can communicate with others. Slides and swings are completely wheelchair accessible. There are many gadgets for music-making, which helps children with sensory needs, and there are also features that help with memory. The thing I found most interesting is the display of Sign language, which is very helpful. The ground of the play area is made of soft rubber to protect kids if they fall.
Wheelchair Accessibility
• The surface in these playparks is smooth everywhere, which makes it wheelchair friendly and cushions falls.
• Platforms of the play structures are low so that wheelchair users can lift themselves.
• Slides have a proper ramp for wheelchair users.
• Swings have a high back chair and harness for wheelchair users and special-needs kids.
• There are ADA restrooms and picnic tables
• The ADA Parking is right in front of the entrance of the park.
Webinar series in support of AAPI community
Submitted by Sandhya Padmanabhan
Aram Sei is a volunteer driven non-profit organization with a vision to support grassroots charities worldwide. During Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage month, Aram Sei worked closely with community leaders to put together a series of webinars in support of the AAPI Community. The series will discuss challenges members of the AAPI community face, what we can do to help, and more.
The webinar on June 12 will focus on learnings from BLM, civil rights movement, laws and legislation on Affirmative Action and what is involved in a truly multicultural U.S. This panel will have the following speakers:
• Manjusha P. Kulkarni is the Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), a coalition of over forty community-based organizations that serves and represents the 1.5 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County. Manju also serves as a Lecturer in the Asian American Studies Department of UCLA.
• Supervisor Otto Lee, Santa Clara County District 3. Lee served on the Sunnyvale Planning Commission and was then elected to serve on the Sunnyvale City Council from 2003 to 2011, including one term as Mayor.
• Louis Chicoine, Chief Executive Officer Abode Services has helped the organization become the leading provider of housing and services to residents experiencing homelessness in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Napa counties.
• Beckie Masaki has worked in the field to end gender-based violence for over 30 years. She co- founded Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) in San Francisco, and served as the founding executive director for over twenty-one years. She is also a movement maker in the Move to End Violence (MEV).
The final session, scheduled for June 26, is designed as an interactive workshop for today’s youth. It aims to increase awareness about AAPI issues among teens. The workshop will be led by Dr. Joanna Thompson, Director of Office for Multicultural Learning at Santa Clara University, with the help of three Aram Sei Youth volunteers. Dr. Thompson has helped create workshops at SCU that are a mix of information sharing, audience participation and a “Call to Action” at the end.
The sessions are free and intended for ages 12 and up. Go to https://www.aramsei.org/fundraisers/asian-unity/ to sign up and learn more.
AAPI Webinars
Saturday, Jun 12 & Saturday, Jun 26
3 p.m.
Register online
https://www.aramsei.org/fundraisers/asian-unity/
Calling All Writers… Beginner to Advanced
Submitted by Tish Davidson
Put on your writing hat, explore your creativity, and meet other writers in a fun, nonjudgmental Zoom Social Write-In sponsored by Fremont Area Writers on Saturday, June 12 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. This event is for everyone from complete beginners to already published writers. It is not a writing critique session. Your writing will not be judged, just enjoyed by your fellow writers.
How the Write-In works: After you sign in, the computer will randomly assign you to a virtual room with several other writers. Once everyone is gathered, you will get three writing prompts. Choose one and free write for eight minutes. You can write memoir, fiction, or poetry, but the writing prompts have been chosen to encourage you to write about yourself so that participants can get to know each other.
After you write, there is time for everyone in the room to read their response to the prompt and exchange ideas and experiences in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. The computer will then reassign everyone to a different room, the prompts will change, and the process will repeat.
Example prompts from past sessions:
I never thought I would meet…
Whenever I hear that song…
A teacher that changed my life
To participate in the Write-In, please request the Zoom meeting link from Scott Davidson at
sc**************@ya***.com
.
Zoom Social Write-In
Saturday, Jun 12
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Request Zoom link:
sc**************@ya***.com
Smile for the camera!
Submitted by Evan Roeser
Professional photographer Shawna Johnson has been tapped to take photos of local community members and families at a free photo day event sponsored by Weichert, Realtors® — Rainbow Properties in Newark.
“Providing a free photo day for our community is a great way to say thank you for all the support they have shown us throughout the years,” said Adam Modzeleski, broker/owner of Weichert, Realtors® — Rainbow Properties. “This is a great opportunity for families to get free professional photos and enjoy a day at the park.”
The event is set for 1:00 p.m. Sunday, June 13 at Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum in Fremont. Reservations are required for a photo session and limited time slots are available. To make a reservation online, visit www.picktime.com/rainbow and select a time slot.
Photo day
Sunday, Jun 13
1 p.m.
Shinn Historical Park and Arboretum
1251 Peralta Blvd., Fremont
Reservations required: www.picktime.com/rainbow
Details: Adam Modzeleski, (510) 791-7923
Local teacher writes children’s book about protesting injustice
By Andrew Cavette
Photo provided by Marissa McGee
Illustration by Shiela Marie Alejandro
Marissa McGee has written a book called Free The Curls about what kids can do if they encounter injustice… even if they encounter injustice on wash day.
An East Bay resident, McGee grew up in Union City and currently teaches in Oakland. In 2019, she ran a quick errand to buy hair care products. That errand turned into a multi-store, multi-city quest to understand what she had witnessed.
When McGee went into a major chain store, all the hair products for her hair type were locked behind security glass. Products for other hair types were on open shelves. She visited other big-box stores, where an employee had to be with her, handing her one product at a time while she looked for what she wanted. McGee wanted to be able to shop at her own speed, to read the product labels without a staff member waiting for her to finish.
The hair products McGee wanted to buy were not more expensive than those out on the shelves. “If the products are the same price, why isn’t everything locked up?” McGee said. The message she walked away with was: The people who use these products are the people who steal.
“When the model on the box looks like you… that’s extremely problematic.” McGee said.
Years before McGee’s experience, people on Twitter had started pointing out this race-based discrepancy between hair products. One Twitter photo shows a 49-cent jar of hair styling cream behind security glass. A foot away, a $30 bottle of shampoo was out on the shelves. The 49-cent jar was clearly marketed toward black women; the $30 shampoo toward white women.
Walmart and CVS claim these hair products are stolen more often than similar products, but these claims have not been corroborated by store inventory data. A CBS News report from Rivershead, NY featured a Walmart locking up black hair products. Afterwards, Riverhead town council member, Catherine Kent, asked to see the data. Rather than supply the requested data, the manager of that Walmart directed Kent to call the main corporate office number.
News Channel 7 in Spartanburg, SC aired a similar story about a local CVS. That news team was told the store’s inventory data indicated higher theft rates. When News Channel 7 checked with Spartanburg County sheriff’s office, hair products were not among the items reported stolen.
The issue of equal access to all the goods sold in stores has been taken to court. In 2018, California resident, Essie Grundy, filed a lawsuit against Walmart for race-based discrimination. Grundy’s shopping experience was similar to McGee’s, with both finding their hair products locked behind glass. Grundy’s lawsuit references California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, a law that prohibits businesses from discriminating against customers based on race.
While Grundy’s lawsuit was in the press, but still unresolved, Walmart and CVS released separate statements. Both said their companies would no longer lock up any hair care products. After those statements were released, some Twitter users documented that hair products in those stores had been taken out of the security displays, only to be put behind the counter, requiring staff assistance.
In her book, Free The Curls, McGee weaves a narrative around this issue. She introduces readers to Maliyah, an inquisitive six-year-old with type 4C hair. While shopping with her mom, Maliyah sees hair products locked up. “I really wanted Maliyah to be the one who came up with what to do,” McGee said. “I wanted to give her agency.”
Maliyah suggests making signs and doing a peaceful protest. Mother and daughter end up getting other people to join. “While kids don’t have as much agency as adults, I think there’s still a way for them to make change,” McGee said. “Ask kids what they notice, open that dialogue.”
In the book, Maliyah’s experience mirrors McGee’s trouble with buying hair products, but McGee did not write a book just about shampoo. “My hope is that we can say, ‘Maybe it’s not about hair products this time, but something else has happened… and what can we do?’”
McGee is self-publishing her book and has already reached her initial funding goal on Kickstarter. That means Free The Curls will be published, and backers will receive their copies, but McGee wants to reach more kids with her message. Because she is a teacher, she wants to be able to give away copies to schools and libraries. To do that, she needs to reach her secondary funding goals. Many of her Kickstater reward levels include a book donation.
Find out more at: https://www.freethecurlsftc.com
Shiela Marie Alejandro will illustrate the book: https://www.bucketsofwhimsies.com/gallery/
How to be an ally 101
Submitted by SAVE
Join us June 10th for “Lunch ‘n Learn” to expand your knowledge in honor of Pride Month. SAVE (Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments) invites you to learn how to support the LGBTQ+ community and make a positive impact. We will explore the difference between gender and sexuality, discuss definitions, statistics and resources.
For zoom link, call or (510) 574-2250 or visit: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Triple threat in music on the rise
By Fatema Bhaiji
Photos Courtesy of Kai Neal
Recently, 14-year-old musical producer, DJ, and rapper Kai Neal, commonly known as Kai the MC, released his first single titled “B.O.O.G” after being signed to Big D Records. Kai, a Fremont resident, grew up surrounded by many types of music ranging from 80s and hip-hop from his dad’s side to pop music such as Karma Chameleon from his mom’s side. He’s been around music forever but didn’t think of it as an actual career until junior high when he started writing lyrics.
Kai started informally writing early on as he loved to make up stories and adventures. While writing came to him naturally, learning how to produce beats was definitely more of a process. When COVID-19 hit, it gave him a lot of time to experiment with producing beats and to fill whole notebooks with lyrics that he could use in his songs.
He specializes in the production and writing of mainly hip-hop and 90s music, with a touch of R&B (rhythm and blues), but “throughout sampling, [he’s] gone through soul, folk, and jazz which led him into those genres as well,” showing his keen exploration for genres outside of hip-hop. Kai describes his focus on the hip-hop in his music as a “product of [his] environment” as “[he] was always around [hip-hop]…the people around him doing it looked just like [him],” which allowed him to form a strong connection with the genre early on.
At the start of his music career, he independently released his music on the music sharing platform Soundcloud just for his close friends and family to hear. When he signed with Big D Records, he knew that this was the first step to obtaining a serious career in music. When he used to independently publish, however, there was no pressure for “the next big song,” whereas he now has a more scheduled musical life due to signing with a record label.
One thing that distinguishes Kai from many mainstream hip-hop artists is his age. He emphasizes how “[he’s] young…yet [he] can DJ, rap, and produce.” Being very young yet signing at a record label, Kai “didn’t find himself worrying, he found himself more excited than anything [to record]”. Kai believes that his age helps him as a musical artist, and he wants to set a precedent for other young artists; he doesn’t yearn to be the next Biggie Smalls, a famous American rapper and songwriter, because he has the hunger to be the first Kai the MC.
The topics of his songs vary widely, but the events that occur in his life sometimes influence certain verses or lines. Kai describes, “Music is a really good way to express myself…not every song I have is about social justice…but I still work it in there because it would be hard of me not to because of how much that is on my mind.” Although social justice and awareness is not the main focus, he definitely tries to include aspects of it in his music because “all it takes is that one line to make someone think and go ‘oh snap, I never thought about it like that.’” Being thought-provoking is an important part of the process and a big reason why Kai produces and writes music in the first place.
Although he just released his single B.O.O.G, he already has plans to release another single very soon, so be on the lookout for his new music. To stream his music, search Kai the MC or “B.O.O.G.” on popular platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, and iTunes.
LIFE ElderCare resumes assisted rides
Submitted by Deepa Chordiya
LIFE ElderCare is restarting its door-through-door assisted rides program for seniors in Alameda County. Funded in part by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), this program is for ambulatory people with disabilities or who are age 60+ and meet eligibility requirements. If sight, mobility, or health issues make it difficult to get to the doctor or go grocery shopping, LIFE ElderCare may be able to help.
Longtime client Mary Galvez, who is 95 years old, was excited to hear that assisted rides would be resuming soon. “I am glad to hear that LIFE will be able to take me to my appointments again,” Galvez shared. “Their drivers are always so friendly and patient, and they make sure I’m able to get my errands done. It’s really a wonderful program for seniors like me who need some help to get around.”
Are you looking for a volunteer activity that not only gives joy, but is also joyful to do? LIFE ElderCare is looking for vaccinated volunteer drivers who are willing to provide seniors with a steady arm, visual guidance and support, and basic assistance at the destination. We also need volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels and visit with isolated seniors. To learn more, sign up for LIFE ElderCare services, or become a volunteer, call (510) 894-0370 or email
in**@Li***********.org
.
LIFE ElderCare Assisted Rides
(510) 894-0370
https://lifeeldercare.org/
in**@Li***********.org
Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell to address League of Women Voters
Submitted by Shirley Gilbert
She’s been a Superior Court Judge, an East Palo Alto lawyer, an Independent Police Auditor for the city of San Jose, a member of the Palo Alto City Council, a vice provost of Stanford University. She is a trailblazer, an activist and a fierce fighter for human rights.
Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell will be the keynote speaker at the League of Women Voters Fremont-Newark-Union City (LWVFNUC) virtual annual meeting on Saturday, June 19. Her 9:30 a.m. presentation will be held via Zoom and is open to the public free of charge.
During her speech, Cordell will talk about her years on the bench, the American legal system, her life as an American jurist and her personal journey which are all part of her recent memoir, “Her Honor: My Life on the Bench… What Works, What’s Broken and How to Change It.” It will be released October 5. Cordell earned her B.A. in drama from Antioch College in 1971 and her law degree from Stanford University in 1974.
“My social activism journey began when I was born,” she said. “It began with my great, great grandmother and great grandmother, both slaves in the deep south. I take it back this far because I come from a line of people who survived being enslaved. They were resilient and resisted oppression, so I know it is in my blood.”
Cordell has fought oppression and removed barriers her whole career. She was the first African American judge in Northern California and the first female African American Superior Court judge in Santa Clara County. She was also the first lawyer to open a practice in East Palo Alto and proved that it was possible to have a thriving law practice in an area of color.
As a Palo Alto City Council member, Cordell brought an independent police auditor to investigate citizen complaints against the Palo Alto Police Department. And she fought the exclusion of non-residents from Palo Alto’s Foothills Park so that the park could be open to everyone. “It’s all about being persistent,” Cordell explained. “If you know something is wrong, just don’t let it go. It’s not always going to be easy to make things right, but it can happen.”
Over the years, Cordell has won many awards and accolades for her social activism and community involvement; she also has been a supporter of drama, music and the arts. In January 1996 Cordell displayed her own artwork in a public exhibition to favorable reviews.
The meeting will be held online and is open to the public at no charge. Registrations can be made by visiting the LWVFNUC website at https://my.lwv.org/california/fremont-newark-union-city and following the links.
League of Women Voters Fremont-Newark-Union City
Keynote speaker: Judge LaDoris Cordell
Saturday, Jun 19
9:30 a.m.
Via Zoom
Register: https://my.lwv.org/california/fremont-newark-union-city
For questions, email
pr*****@lw*****.org
SONIC Drive-In donates to local area teachers
Submitted by Sonic Drive-In
To honor the efforts teachers have made to keep students engaged this past year, SONIC® Drive-In donated $1.5 million to teacher requests on national education nonprofit site DonorsChoose on Teacher Appreciation Day, May 4. As part of SONIC’s ongoing Limeades for Learning initiative, the $1.5 million donation helped fund more than 7,000 teacher requests across the country.
On Teacher Appreciation Day, the brand matched 50 percent of each donation made to all teacher requests on DonorsChoose.
In Milpitas, California, two teachers from one school received a combined donation of $212.00:
• Mrs. Espitia and Mrs. Garcia at Anthony Spangler Elementary School for the project Diverse Books for Diverse Learners.
In Fremont, California, 10 teachers from nine schools received a combined donation of $1,697.00:
• Mrs. Ebadi at Blacow Elementary School for the projects Connecting Devices to Hybrid Learning and Educational Resources for Hybrid Learning.
• Mrs. Ynzunza at Brookvale Elementary School for What Does a Scientist Look Like? Pt. 3, Representation Matters: Seeing Ourselves Making a Difference, and Cookie Monster Needs Books Too!
• Mrs. Taylor at Cabrillo Elementary School for You are Invited! Learn and Create this Summer.
• Ms. Nefdt at Cabrillo Elementary School for You’ve Got Mail!
• Mrs. Reddy at Irvington High School for Diverse & Contemporary Dystopian Lit.
• Mrs. Dohm at John F Kennedy High School for Mobile Workshop For Backstage.
• Mr. Tsai at John M Gomes Elementary School for Digital Enrichment.
• Mrs. Brown at Mission San Jose Elementary School for Updated Chromebooks for Online Learning.
• Mrs. Phillips at Parkmont Elementary School for Small Hands Do Big Things.
• Mrs. Cuturrufo at Warwick Elementary School for Making Learning Fun and Engaging.
In Newark, California, one teacher received a combined donation of $378.00:
• Mr. Ewing at Newark Memorial High School for the project Technician Tablet Multi-Tool and Organized Creative Chaos
Through Limeades for Learning, SONIC has donated more than $19 million to public school teachers, helping more than 36,000 teachers and impacting nearly 7.4 million students in public schools nationwide since 2009. Visit LimeadesforLearning.com to learn about future funding opportunities and explore public school teacher requests in your community.
https://www.sonicdrivein.com/
Planned Traffic Signal Outage
Submitted by City of Fremont
City of Fremont is conducting road improvement projects at two major intersections the week of June 7. Traffic signals will be unavailable on the following dates and locations below:
• Wednesday, June 9, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Mowry Avenue
• Friday, June 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Intersection of Fremont Boulevard and Stevenson Boulevard
Expect delays and plan accordingly. Proceed with caution if driving and always treat a signal outage as a 4-way stop.
Governor Draws first winners in Vax for the Win Giveaway
Submitted by Governor’s Press Office
On June 4, Governor Gavin Newsom selected the first 15 lucky Californians to be awarded $50,000 for doing their part in getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The $750,000 awarded in the randomized drawing is part of California’s new $116.5 million Vax for the Win program – the largest vaccine incentive program in the nation – which includes $50 incentive cards to newly vaccinated residents and cash prize drawings for all who have received at least one dose. This historic program is designed to motivate Californians to get vaccinated leading up to the state’s reopening on June 15th.
“California has made incredible progress in the fight against COVID-19, with the lowest case rates in the entire country and millions more vaccines administered 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 safely reopen and bring the state roaring back,” said Governor Newsom.
More than 21 million Californians aged 12+ are at least partially vaccinated and automatically entered to win in the cash prize drawings. The second $50,000 drawing will take place next Friday, June 11, when an additional 15 Californians will be selected. On June 15, when California safely reopens, 10 winners will be selected to receive $1.5 million each – adding up to a total of $15 million in cash prizes. On top of that, the 2 million newly-vaccinated Californians who get their dose since Vax for the Win launched will be eligible to receive $50 prepaid and grocery cards.
Winners from the June 4th drawing live throughout the state in the following counties: Mendocino, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Alameda, San Diego, San Francisco, Orange, San Luis Obispo. They start being notified directly by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) within hours of the drawing and over the next four days by telephone, text, email or other contact information associated with the person’s record in the state’s vaccine registry. To protect their privacy, all winners will have the option to accept their cash prize while remaining anonymous or decline it altogether.
Winners must complete their vaccination in order to claim their prize. If someone under 18 wins, the cash will be put in a savings account for them until they turn 18. For more information about Vax for the Win, please visit https://covid19.ca.gov/vax-for-the-win.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Saturday, May 29
• At 7:43 a.m. a man identified by police as Fontana Collins, 48, of Oakland was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and probation violation. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 8:31 a.m. a man identified by police as Joao Fortes, 38, of Vacaville was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia and three outstanding warrants. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
• At 2:18 p.m. a man identified by police as Charles Bartender, 34, of Oakland was detained at Fremont station after a patron reported that Bartender had a weapon. He was arrested on suspicion of providing false information to a police officer and resisting arrest. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Sunday, May 30
• At 6:21 a.m. a man identified by police as Alin Patania, 32, of Oakland was detained at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of fare evasion. A record check showed he had a stay away order from BART. He was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• A man identified by police as Jose Hernandez, 33, of San Leandro was arrested at Hayward station on suspicion of grand theft, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Tuesday, June 1
• At 7:03 a.m. a man identified by police as James Parker, 26, of Hayward was arrested at Hayward station on suspicion of assault. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Wednesday, June 2
• At 11:42 a.m. a man identified by police as Dennis Secrease, 51, of Berkeley was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on two warrants issued by Oakland Police Department and another warrant issued by Alameda Police Department. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Thursday, June 3
• At 6:52 p.m. a person identified by police as Leah Constantino, 44, of San Francisco was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of fare evasion and possession of drug paraphernalia. Constantino was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 6:05 a.m. a man identified by police as Anthony Jones Jr., 28, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of robbery, making criminal threats, brandishing a weapon and vandalism. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail and issued a prohibition order.
Fremont Police Log
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
Tuesday, May 25
• Several items were stolen from the inside of an unoccupied vehicle when someone shattered its rear window while it was parked at the Hyatt Place Fremont/Silicon Valley hotel, at 3101 West Warren Avenue.
Wednesday, May 26
• Several trays of mail and some packages were stolen when a U.S. Postal truck was broken into in the area of Spady Street in central Fremont.
Friday, May 28
• At about 4:28 a.m. someone backed a vehicle up to the front door of 00 Liquors, 34460-G Fremont Boulevard and attached a chain to the door to force entry. The vehicle, which police later determined was stolen, was still there when officers arrived, but it was immediately driven away and not located.
Saturday, May 29
• At about 4:00 a.m. officers located a stolen vehicle at the Quick Stop store, 38995 Farwell Drive. A man, later identified by police as Bryan Wu, 31, a transient from Oakland, was detained near the vehicle. A record check showed he was on parole and had a felony warrant. Inside the vehicle, officers found numerous shaved keys, a controlled substance and a stun gun. Wu was arrested.
• Store security at Raley’s supermarket, 39200 Paseo Padre Parkway, stopped a man who had previously been banned from the store and asked him to leave. Outside the store, the man took a fighting stance with security personnel and pulled out a knife. While continuing to verbally antagonize security, he picked up a four-foot- long piece of metal and swung it toward them. When the man heard approaching police sirens he fled, but was quickly located nearby by officers. The man, identified by police as Rayvon Taylor, 25, a transient from Fremont, was arrested.
Hayward Police Log
Submitted by Hayward PD
Sunday, May 23
• At 11:30 a.m. a victim near the 1900 block of Florida Street was approached by an unknown suspect who fired a handgun at the victim, before fleeing the area in a vehicle. The victim was not injured.
Monday, May 24
• At 12:00 a.m. officers located an occupied stolen vehicle near the 400 block of Winton Avenue. The occupant of the vehicle was taken into custody and the vehicle was recovered.
Tuesday, May 25
At 4:37 p.m. officers located an occupied stolen vehicle near the 24000 block of Mission Boulevard. The occupant was taken into custody and the vehicle was recovered.
Wednesday, May 26
• At 1:41 a.m. a suspect approached a victim near the 27000 block of Belvedere Court and fired a handgun, which caused damage to property at the scene. No injuries were reported. The suspect fled in a vehicle.
Thursday, May 27
• At 7:46 p.m. officers responded to the report of gunshots near the 22000 block of Mission Boulevard. Evidence of a shooting was found at the scene; no injuries were reported.
Police urge caution after jewelry snatch robberies
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
During the last few weeks, the Fremont Police Department (FPD) has responded to four jewelry snatch robberies. In three of these four robberies suspects have targeted elderly people walking alone. In most incidents, the suspect asks for directions or says it’s their birthday and they would like to donate or give the victims a gift. The suspect will place costume jewelry on the victim while simultaneously taking the victim’s real jewelry.
To help protect community members, FPD would like to stress the importance of personal safety and share these tips:
• When walking outdoors, don’t carry large quantities of money or wear expensive jewelry. Even if your necklace is concealed, it may still be possible for a suspect to see the shimmer from your neckline.
• Don’t be distracted while talking on your cell phone or listening to music on your headphones.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention and take notice of people following behind you, watching you from their vehicle as you walk or bumping shoulders with you at a bank or retail establishment.
• Avoid walking alone if possible.
• Always be alert in your neighborhood and report unknown people and vehicles that appear suspicious. If you notice a suspicious vehicle, try to get the license plate and a good description of the car and driver. Always call the police before sharing the information with your neighbors.
Anyone with information about these jewelry snatch crimes is asked to contact Crimes Against Persons Detective Jared Madsen by email at
jm*****@fr*****.gov
or call (510) 790-6900. Anonymous tips can be sent by texting Tip FremontPD followed by a short message to 888777. Non-urgent tips can also be submitted on the FPD website at https://fremontpolice.gov/TIP.
Newark Police Log
Submitted by Captain Jonathan Arguello
Saturday, May 8
• At 7:52 p.m. Officer Swadener investigated a report of a battery that occurred in the 200 block of NewPark Mall Road. Upon arrival Swadener located the suspect, a 28-year-old Hayward woman, and arrested her on suspicion of battery and on an outstanding warrant. She was booked at Fremont City Jail.
Sunday, May 9
• At 11:01 p.m. officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a prowler jumping fences in the 37000 block of Walnut Street. Officers quickly set up containment on the residence; when the suspect jumped another fence, officers were waiting for him. A record check showed the suspect, a 39-year-old Newark man, had an outstanding warrant. He was arrested, cited and released.
Thursday, May 13
• At 6:47 p.m. Officer Damewood made a traffic enforcement stop in the 7000 block of Thornton Avenue. The driver, a 45-year-old Newark man, was arrested on suspicion of possessing burglary tools, a controlled substance, and identity theft materials to obtain credit. He was cited and released.
Friday, May 14
• At 12:00 midnight Officer Riddles responded to a report of possible illegal garbage dumping in the area of Stevenson Boulevard and the railroad tracks. Riddles arrested a 38-year-old Fremont man on suspicion of possessing burglary tools, carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, and an outstanding warrant. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Saturday, May 15
• At 8:49 a.m. officers responded to a report of a person with a gun in the 5000 block of Stevenson Boulevard. A high-risk pedestrian stop was made and the suspect, a 29-year-old woman, was safely taken into custody without incident. Upon further inspection, the handgun was determined to be a squirt gun that had been spray painted black. It was taken for safekeeping.
Monday, May 31
• At 2:58 a.m. officers, joined by members of the Alameda County Fire Department, responded to a report of a solo vehicle collision into a tree in the 35000 block of Cedar Blvd. Emergency personnel rendered aid to the driver, but he died at the scene. An investigation into the collision is continuing.
Police launch LGBTQ Liaison Team
Submitted by San Leandro PD
Officials from the San Leandro Police Department (SLPD) recently announced the launch of a new LGBTQ Liaison Team as part of its network of community programs. This group of both sworn and non-sworn police personnel is comprised not only of allies of the LGBTQ community but LGBTQ staff as well.
The program, announced on June 1, was developed to reflect the San Leandro community’s rich LGBTQ history and to celebrate diversity in the city. The program will embody several pillars of engagement, bringing awareness and assistance to a community that often feels without a voice.
The LGBTQ Liaison Team will assist the community and city staff numerous ways, including:
• The development and implementation of training on LGBTQ issues to sworn and non-sworn members of the police department, ensuring equality and professionalism.
• Attending community events and meetings focused on the LGBTQ community to provide essential resources.
• In partnership with the LGBTQ community, identifying and addressing issues within the city, related to both crime and quality of life.
• Assisting officers and investigators during their initial contact or follow-up interactions with members of the LGBTQ community, and aiding in those investigations.
• Acting as a point of contact between the LGBTQ community and the police department
• Assisting other members in coming out and transitioning in the agency, fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment within the department.
SLPD officials acknowledged that historically, interactions between law enforcement and the LGBTQ community have not always been positive. Crimes often go unreported as a result, causing victimization to continue and cases to go unsolved, which can broaden the gap between law enforcement and the LGBTQ community. Police department officials stress that they are committed to developing a partnership within the LGBTQ community that will foster trust and positive relationships within SLPD and the City of San Leandro.
Members of the LGBTQ Liaison Team include:
• Sergeant Ryan Gill: He transferred to San Leandro from the Oakland Police Department in 2007. Gill is currently assigned to the Traffic Division and has experience as a Hostage Negotiator, Detective, Field Training Officer, and department instructor.
• Sergeant Emiliano Rincon: He transferred to San Leandro from the Stockton Police Department in 2019. Rincon is currently assigned to the Patrol Division and has experience as a Hostage Negotiator, Field Training Officer, and department instructor.
• Officer Jenene James: She has been a member of the San Leandro Police Department since 2016. James is currently assigned to the Bicycle Patrol Unit within the Patrol Division and has experience as a Hostage Negotiator, Mental Health Liaison, and with homeless outreach.
An introductory video about the LGBTQ Liaison Team is posted on the SLPD Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SanLeandroPD. For questions, concerns, or information requests email the LGBTQ Liaison Team at:
te*******@sa********.org
or call (510) 577-6017.
Baseball
Eagles score early for the win
By Mike Heightchew
Building blocks for success were evident as the American Eagles (Fremont) put on an impressive performance in a May 28th meeting with the Newark Memorial Cougars. Although the Cougars threatened with runners in scoring position, the Eagles pitching and fielding defense held; a three-run fourth inning gave them all the cushion necessary. Final score: Eagles 3, Cougars 0.
Girls to hoop it up at basketball camp
Article and photo submitted by Darryl Reina
With summer rapidly approaching and pandemic restrictions easing, the 2021 Cougars Girls Basketball Camp is accepting registrations for its next session.
The camp is aimed at girls ages 7 to 14, with players divided into age and ability groups to ensure an appropriate level of instruction. Camp direction will be by Coach Darryl Reina, Newark Memorial High School Girls Varsity Basketball Coach, along with other staff and players. The camper-to-coach ratio will be about 6 to 1.
Instruction will emphasize shooting, passing, ball-handling, footwork, agility, changing speeds, moving with and without the ball, spacing, and individual and team defensive principles. Players will have an opportunity to improve their skills while developing an increased enjoyment of the game. Campers will also have a chance to win daily prizes and awards.
The camp will meet 9 a.m. to 12 noon July 12-16 at the Silliman Activity Center in Newark. The registration fee is $99 for Newark residents and $108 for non-residents. For registration information, call the City of Newark Recreation Department at (510) 578-4620.
2021 Cougars Girls Basketball Camp
Monday, Jul 12 – Friday, Jul 16
9 a.m. to 12 noon
Silliman Activity Center
6800 Mowry Ave., Newark
$99 residents, $108 non-residents
(510) 578-4620
Get kicking with youth soccer
Submitted by Milpitas Police Department
Children and teenagers ages 4 to 17 are invited to sign up for the Milpitas Police Activities League (PAL) fall soccer season. The co-ed soccer league is open to players of all skill levels. The 2021 season starts in August and ends in November.
Early bird registration fee is $100 per player through June 15; the regular fee is $110 June 16 through July 24. A $10 discount is available for each additional child at the same address with early and regular registration fees. Late registration fee is $130 after July 24 with no discount available for other children at the same address. Players new to PAL soccer must submit a scanned or photo copy of a birth certificate or other official document showing their birth date.
League details and online registration help is available on the Milpitas PAL Soccer webpage at milpitas-pal-soccer.sportngin.com/register/form/510988648. Fees are payable with most major credit cards. For questions, call Christie Tumacder at (702) 372-7833.
Baseball
Warriors win tight contest
By Mike Heightchew
June 4 was an auspicious day for the Mission San Jose Warriors (Fremont) in their meeting with the always strong James Logan Colts (Union City). The signs were good when the Warriors were able to convert hitting and baserunning in the first inning for a run but the Colts served notice that they came to play and win, scoring two runs in the second inning for the lead.
Both teams were impressive in the fourth inning as each brought three runs home and the Colts held on to a slim one-run lead. The battle continued as two Warrior runs in the bottom of the fifth inning gave them the lead but a top of the seventh inning run by the Colts tied the game, leaving the Warriors one chance in the bottom of the final frame to bring home a victory. In a dramatic rally, that is just what they did as joyous pandemonium consumed Warrior fans in the stands. Final score: Warriors 7, Colts 6.
Baseball
Cougars blank Huskies with defense
By Mike Heightchew
The Newark Memorial Cougars set a winning tone early as they quickly put runners on base and brought them in for two-run lead over the Washington Huskies on June 2nd. Although the Huskies were able to answer with baserunners, good defense at home plate and the basepaths by the Cougars stifled the opportunities and kept Washington off the scoreboard. Throughout the game, Huskies batters and runners continued to threaten, but were unable to score. Final score: Cougars 2, Huskies 0.
Editorial
D-Day
In today’s fractured environment, extraordinary historical events can be overlooked due to a narrow focus and concentration on present difficulties. To add perspective, it is often a good idea to consider historical precedents and outcomes. On June 6, 1944, one of the most closely-guarded secrets of the 20th century, a massive invasion of Nazi-occupied France during World War II signaled the beginning of the end for that reprehensible and immoral regime.
A united Allied armed force of over 160,000 troops, more than 5,000 ships and landing craft, augmented by over 11,000 aircraft and paratroops, crossed the English Channel to challenge Hitler’s “Atlantic Wall.” Codenamed “Operation Overlord,” the invasion, on that date known as D-Day, was an international response to an advancing tide of brutal authoritarianism and hyper nationalism that elevated political party, phony patriotism and ideologues over freedom and respect for humanity throughout the world.
June 6, 2021 was the 77th anniversary of this momentous event that altered the tide of the war, signaling the resolve and resistance to indifference, deference and mass hysteria stoked by emotional tirades blaming “others” for domestic problems and financial woes. Celebrated on the heels of Memorial Day, the anniversary of D-Day is also a time for deep reflection of the cost of immersion in self-righteous pity and what it should mean to those who inherit the mantle of democracy from what was called “The Greatest Generation.” They fought – many severely injured or killed – to halt the madness of a world torn apart by selfishness, distrust, fear and hate. Allied countries were united in their response, concentrating on the singular goal of reversing the insidious lure of populist nationalism.
Similar patterns emerge in cycles over time. A well-known quote of philosopher George Santayana (1863-1952), “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, is once again emblematic of our current circumstance. Mass hysteria over nationalism, combined with fear of others, simmering for decades, has emerged to engulf countries around the globe including our own. Propaganda and warfare have evolved to distort and shape perceptions without overt military tactics. As a result, influence is often subtle, yet potent and effective.
A corollary to Santayana’s quote could be that those who aspire to succeed in politics without due attention to prior fascist dictators are doomed to repeat the patterns that bred them. In their quest for status and power, many politicians, who begin a career with the best of intentions and a righteous cause, are corrupted by a system that rewards adherence or studied ignorance of misdeeds and bad behavior.
Escalation through the political ranks is isolating as sycophantic staff and broadening constituent boundaries remove the elected from those being represented and reality. As internal ethical controls are tested by this process, decisions without clear moral definitions further alienate the elected from electors and egotistical factors multiply to exaggerate and engulf personality. From this point, it is a short journey to entitlement and self-aggrandizement. In short… dictatorial behavior. The emperor may have lost his/her clothes, but few will say a word!
As demonstrated through historical accounts, behavior of this sort has been repeated endlessly and threatens each generation. It is through appreciation of this process and constant vigilance of those malignantly-inclined to vigorously pursue fame, fortune and power that a modicum of control can be exerted. D-Day was a defining moment in a long, arduous campaign that ultimately damped the fires of nationalistic fervor. Was the insurrection of January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol our internal D-Day?
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