Amazon now says remote work OK 2 days a week
AP Wire Service
SEATTLE (AP), Jun 10 – Corporate and tech employees at Amazon won't have to work in offices full time after coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
The Seattle Times reports the online retail giant said in a company blog post Thursday that those workers can work remotely two days a week. In addition, the employees can work remotely from a domestic location for four full weeks each year.
Amazon's work policy update follows backlash from some employees to what they interpreted as the expectation they would have to return to the office full time once states reopen.
Some tech companies had launched recruiting campaigns that seemed targeted in part at Amazon workers' dismay over an end to remote work.
Most Amazon employees will start heading back to offices as soon as local jurisdictions fully reopen – July 1 in Washington state – with the majority of workers in offices by autumn, the company said previously.
Amazon has about 75,000 employees in the greater Seattle area. The company's new remote-work plan is similar to other large tech companies.
Google said last month that it expected roughly 60% of its workforce to come into the office a few days a week, and for 20% to work from home full time. Google also gave all employees the option to work remotely full time four weeks per year. Facebook and Microsoft have both said most workers can choose to stay remote.
Amazon's new policy could add to the challenges faced by Seattle's traditional business core. In pre-pandemic times, tens of thousands of Amazon workers commuted into the South Lake Union neighborhood north of downtown every day. Most haven't returned.
More than 450 downtown retailers, restaurants and other street-level business locations have closed permanently in the 16 months since the pandemic sent office workers home, according to a Downtown Seattle Association survey.
Of the roughly 175,000 people who worked in downtown offices before the pandemic, 80% continue to work remotely, according to association data.
California urges EPA to let state set car-emissions standard
By Matthew Daly
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP), Jun 02 – Officials from California, New York and other states urged the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to allow California to set its own automobile tailpipe pollution standards, which would reverse a Trump administration policy and could help usher in stricter emissions standards for new passenger vehicles nationwide.
The Biden administration has said it will withdraw Trump-era restrictions on state tailpipe emission rules and has moved to grant California permission to set more stringent pollution standards for cars and SUVs. That would give California greater leverage in discussions with automakers as states and federal officials seek a climate-friendly agreement on emissions standards.
At least 13 states and the District of Columbia have signed on to California's vehicle standards, which were established decades ago under a special waiver that the Trump administration revoked in 2019. Collectively they represent 36 percent of the U.S. auto market.
Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board, said at a public hearing Wednesday that the Trump administration's withdrawal of California's long-standing waiver was “ill-advised and illegal.”
Addressing EPA officials at an online hearing, Randolph said, “Time has continued to prove the importance and good sense of our program” to restrict vehicle emissions. “We know the air quality in California is cleaner today than in decades. Californians can see mountains in the Los Angeles area, no longer shrouded by smog. And the air quality continues to improve because of our program.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the state's vehicle-emissions standards “critical to the fight against climate change” and crucial to improve air quality, protect public health and drive technological innovation.
“Despite decades of effort and significant improvements, the unfortunate reality is that too many Californians still breathe dirty air and suffer from the resulting health consequences,” Bonta said. According to the American Lung Association, seven of the 10 cities with worst ozone pollution are in California, along with six of the 10 most polluted cities measured by year-round particle pollution.
“Bad air quality means more premature deaths or respiratory ailments and more asthma cases,” Bonta said. “And as the dire realities of the climate crisis grow increasingly apparent, we're seeing the number of bad-air days in California go up, not down. From record heat waves to wildfire seasons that are increasingly long and severe, the existential threat of our time is less and less difficult to imagine.”
President Joe Biden has made slowing climate change a top priority, and his nearly $2 trillion infrastructure proposal includes 500,000 new charging stations for electric cars and trucks. Fully electric vehicles represent just 2% of new vehicle sales in the U.S., but analysts expect that to rise rapidly in coming years. Major automakers, including General Motors and Ford, are pledging billions to develop electric cars and trucks, and GM has gone so far as to announce a goal of ending gasoline-fueled passenger vehicles entirely by 2035.
The EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have proposed withdrawing Trump-era rules meant to stop states from setting their own requirements for greenhouse gases, zero emissions vehicles and fuel economy.
The changes, if approved after the agencies take public comments, would allow California and other states to set their own rules for vehicle emissions. Biden has said he will seek one national standard, as was the case under President Barack Obama.
Carmakers, autoworkers and environmental groups are eager for the federal government and California to reach a deal that creates a single nationwide standard for tailpipe emissions. EPA Administrator Michael Regan has said he expects to propose a tailpipe emissions rule in July.
“I am a firm believer in California's long-standing statutory authority to lead,” Regan said in April. “The federal government can indeed learn from states, and that's what we plan to continue to do.”
Gavin McCabe, a special assistant New York attorney general, said the 2019 rollback of California's emissions standards was “among the worst and most cynical actions by the Trump EPA.”
“Arbitrarily weakening federal standards … was bad enough,” he said, “but it was truly unconscionable for EPA to attempt to block states from doing what the law plainly allows them to do to protect their residents.” New York has followed California standards for more than 30 years.
Other states that follow California include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Several other states are moving to adopt the California standard.
Trump's move to revoke the state waivers split the industry, with most automakers behind him while Ford, Honda, BMW, Volkswagen, and Volvo decided to go with California standards. After Biden was inaugurated, automakers began withdrawing support for Trump's decision.
Trump also rolled back Obama-era fuel efficiency and emissions standards, and it's likely the Biden administration will reverse those as well, replacing them with more stringent requirements.
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AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report.
Own an Echo? Amazon may be helping itself to your bandwidth
By Joseph Pisani and Matt O'brien
AP Business Writers
NEW YORK (AP), Jun 10 – Do you own an Amazon smart device? If so, odds are good that the company is already sharing your internet connection with your neighbors unless you've specifically told it not to.
On Tuesday, the company launched a program that forces users of many Echo smart speakers and Ring security cameras to automatically share a small portion of their home wireless bandwidth with neighbors. The only way to stop it is to turn it off yourself.
Amazon says the program, called Amazon Sidewalk, is a way to make sure lights, smart locks, and other gadgets outside the home and out of reach of a Wi-Fi connection stay working.
But some experts warn that the technology is so new that privacy and security risks remain unclear. And almost no one seems happy that Amazon forced consumers into Amazon Sidewalk – or that many people may not know they can opt out of it.
DID AMAZON TELL CUSTOMERS THIS WAS HAPPENING?
Amazon says it sent emails to customers last month and in November that Sidewalk was coming. The company says you'll also get a notification when you set up gadgets that work with Sidewalk.
HOW CAN I STOP THIS?
Once you know about it, it's relatively straightforward, if not exactly simple, to opt out of Sidewalk. Echo users can go into the Alexa app, tap “More” in the lower right hand corner, then tap “Settings,” then “Account Settings,” where they'll find a section for Amazon Sidewalk and a button to disable it. In the Ring app, go to “Control Center” and then tap “Sidewalk.”
WHY IS AMAZON DOING THIS?
The idea behind Sidewalk is to integrate residential wireless connections into a “mesh network” that can extend coverage to areas home Wi-Fi can't reach. Amazon's Echo and Ring devices band together to create this network by grabbing a slice of bandwidth from each cooperative home network. That can extend the range of devices designed to work with Sidewalk so they'll stay connected even when away from your home network.
One example of such a device is Tile, a tracking device that can be placed on keys or a dog's collar. If your dog goes missing in a neighborhood where Sidewalk is working, it might turn up quickly via Tile.
Other products that work with Sidewalk include smart locks that can be controlled by phone and wearable devices that can track people with dementia who may wander. Amazon expects additional devices, including outdoor lights and motion detectors, will work with Sidewalk before long.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Amazon is tapping into a variety of radio technologies, including one called LoRa for its long range and better known for industrial and business applications such as keeping track of cattle roaming through pasturelands.
“The goal here is not to create coverage for a single home,” said Marc Pegulu of chipmaker Semtech, which is partnering with Amazon on the technology. “It's kind of a shared network, a community shared network.“
Among other things, devices connected to the shared network can supposedly search for the best signal in a way that can preserve their battery life.
Thomas Clausen, a computer science professor at France's Ecole Polytechnique, says that the network Amazon is creating could be a good thing provided that it's open and accessible, because it would make it easier and cheaper to use internet-connected devices and sensors and spark new innovations.
“But of course, when a behemoth like Amazon, or Apple or Google or Microsoft, create a platform, they also can end up controlling the platform and that can stifle innovation,” he says.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
Hackers could potentially infiltrate home networks via Sidewalk, said Eric Null, a policy manager at digital rights group Access Now. If that happens, Null said hackers could observe everything you do, take over your devices or access your files to steal information.
“It's only a matter of time before someone's network gets hacked and data gets breached,” said Null.
William Tong, Connecticut's attorney general, warned consumers this week that the program was “uncharted territory“ and that people should opt-out of Sidewalk unless they are sure their privacy and security will be protected.
“Wireless networks are already notoriously vulnerable to hacks and breaches,” Tong wrote in a statement. “Families need better information and more time before giving away a portion of their bandwidth to this new system.”
WHAT DOES AMAZON SAY?
When asked about privacy and security concerns, an Amazon spokesman said he couldn't respond to “hypothetical situations.” The company didn't respond to a request to make an executive available for an interview but said that data that flows through its network has three-layers of encryption that's meant to to keep hackers from seeing it.
Samir Jain, director of policy at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said Amazon's efforts to encrypt data was a good step. But Jain said that it's hard to identify security vulnerabilities until a new technology is deployed in the real world.
WHICH DEVICES WANT TO SHARE MY INTERNET?
Echo devices that share network bandwidth via Sidewalk include the third generation and newer versions of the Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Dot for Kids and the Echo Dot with Clock. The Echo Show 5, 8, 10; the second generation of the Echo Show; Echo Spot; Echo Plus; Echo Studio; Echo Input; Echo Flex.
Sidewalk-enabled Ring devices include the Ring Floodlight Cam; Ring Spotlight Cam Wired; and Ring Spotlight Cam Mount.
DOES AMAZON HAVE BIGGER AMBITIONS?
Amazon has explained Sidewalk in the context of consumer devices such as cameras and speakers. But it could also one day integrate the technology into its core business: delivering goods.
For example, the company could embed tiny internet-connected devices into cardboard packages to help track them, said Clausen of Ecole Polytechnique.
“Having integration of alarm systems, presence detection of whether people are there, will potentially allow Amazon to create more efficient delivery schedules and fewer re-deliveries,” he says. That could be one application Amazon is thinking about, he added.
Report: California encourages rebuilding in fire-prone areas
AP Wire Service
Olga R. Rodriguez
SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Jun 10 – California state and local officials are encouraging rebuilding in areas destroyed by wildfires at a time when people should be redirected away from those areas if the state wants to reduce the economic and human impact of increasingly destructive wildfires, according to a report published Thursday.
State and local policies emphasize retrofitting existing homes, ensuring homes have defensible space and communities have evacuation plans. This encourages wildfire victims to rebuild in fire-prone areas, found a study by the University of California, Berkeley Center for Community Innovation that was commissioned by Next 10, a nonpartisan think tank.
The researchers studied the recovery efforts after the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, the 2017 Thomas Fire in Ventura and the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise. They concluded that those massive and fatal wildfires highlight the urgency for policymakers to push for policies that make it easier to build housing in urban areas and promote the conservation of land, the researchers said.
The researchers said the state should offer a tax incentive to people who lose homes in a wildfire encouraging them to move to lower-risk areas. Officials should also make it hard for developers to build in the wildland-urban interface, they said.
The time to act is right after a devastating wildfire when people are trying to make decisions about whether to rebuild or relocate, said Robert Olshansky, one of the lead authors of the report and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
“The state is talking about more restrictions on building new homes in the wildland areas. But it's very hard to deal with the existing homes,” Olshansky said. “One time when you can deal with this is once a fire occurs.”
A proposal that would require developers to build in the least-risky areas and prepare evacuation plans is part of a 10-bill package that lawmakers are considering as the state prepares for what could be a repeat of last year's record wildfire season.
The bill by Sen. Henry Stern, a Democrat who represents parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, would require the state fire marshal to develop additional mandatory standards that local governments would have to meet before allowing new housing in the most vulnerable areas. The measure is opposed by builders and other business and real estate groups. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a different version last year.
Nick Cammarota, the California Building Industry Association's senior vice president and general counsel, did not immediately return a message Thursday seeking comment.
Other bills seek to beef up standards for new housing developments. Lawmakers are also seeking to promote more prescribed burns and increase efforts to protect individual homes from wildfires. Last year's fires scorched 4% of the state: 6,653 square miles (717,231 square kilometers), killed 33 people, and destroyed more than 10,000 homes and other structures.
The report estimates that 1.4 million California homes are in areas identified as having a high risk of burning in a wildfire event. But researchers said that number is likely much higher because the state has not updated its fire risk maps since 2007.
Researchers suggest levying a 0.25% fee on all new properties in fire-prone areas, which could generate more than $1.8 billion that could be spent on wildfire risk reduction planning and projects, including fuel breaks and prescribed burns.
Continuing to allow housing development near wildland will increase the cost of insurance and place significant burdens on local economies, the researchers said. From 1964 to 1990, the insurance industry paid out an average of $100 million per year in fire insurance claims in California, according to the report. Following the 2017 and 2018 fire seasons, insurers paid out approximately $26 billion.
“We discovered the very many negative impacts of fires on housing, on housing displacement, on people's finances, on insurance costs, on the fiscal health of municipalities, of the state as a whole,” said F. Noel Perry, founder of Next 10.
“A whole lot of positive things can happen by pulling back from having developments in the wildland; environmental, financial, fiscal, human, you name it,” he added.
Last week, Insurance Commissioner Roberto Lara released a draft of recommendations that aim to limit building in high wildfire risk areas, including having the state determine the areas where the risk is too high for state dollars to be used to support new development and infrastructure.
The recommendations also call for an expansion of tough building standards. If local officials still insist on building in places exposed to wildfires, the recommendations call for preventing those homes from getting insurance through the state's FAIR Plan, the last resort for insurance for homeowners who have been denied traditional coverage.
NASA picks Venus as hot spot for two new robotic missions
By Marcia Dunn
AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP), Jun 02 – NASA is returning to sizzling Venus, our closest yet perhaps most overlooked neighbor, after decades of exploring other worlds.
The space agency's new administrator, Bill Nelson, announced two new robotic missions to the solar system's hottest planet, during his first major address to employees Wednesday.
“These two sister missions both aim to understand how Venus became an inferno-like world capable of melting lead at the surface,“ Nelson said.
One mission named DaVinci Plus will analyze the thick, cloudy Venusian atmosphere in an attempt to determine whether the inferno planet ever had an ocean and was possibly habitable. A small craft will plunge through the atmosphere to measure the gases.
It will be the first U.S.-led mission to the Venusian atmosphere since 1978.
The other mission, called Veritas, will seek a geologic history by mapping the rocky planet's surface.
“It is astounding how little we know about Venus,“ but the new missions will give fresh views of the planet's atmosphere, made up mostly of carbon dioxide, down to the core, NASA scientist Tom Wagner said in a statement. “It will be as if we have rediscovered the planet.”
NASA's top science official, Thomas Zurbuchen, calls it “a new decade of Venus.” Each mission – launching sometime around 2028 to 2030 – will receive $500 million for development under NASA's Discovery program.
The missions beat out two other proposed projects, to Jupiter's moon Io and Neptune's icy moon Triton.
The U.S. and the former Soviet Union sent multiple spacecraft to Venus in the early days of space exploration. NASA's Mariner 2 performed the first successful flyby in 1962, and the Soviets' Venera 7 made the first successful landing in 1970.
In 1989, NASA used a space shuttle to send its Magellan spacecraft into orbit around Venus. The European Space Agency put a spacecraft around Venus in 2006.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
New challenger may join California recall race
By Michael R. Blood and Kathleen Ronayne
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP), June 8 — Six weeks after California officials announced that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom would face an almost certain recall election that could drive him from office, the contest continues to be roiled by uncertainty and questions — even the date when it might take place remains unclear.
The list of Republican challengers who have signaled an intention to enter the race is about to top 20, though no consensus front-runner has emerged. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley is the latest to announce he is considering stepping in.
Newsom, meanwhile, has regained his footing after seeing his popularity fall at the start of the year amid the worst of the pandemic and criticism over his COVID restrictions for the public and businesses. The first-term governor has since benefited from a sharp decline in cases during the spring and a record-breaking surplus that allows him to bestow billions on favored projects and issues.
Still, just recently, Newsom faced another round of criticism for saying he planned to keep an emergency declaration in place even after the state fully reopens its economy Tuesday, June 15. “There's uncertainty in the future,” he warned.
The declaration means California can be reimbursed from the federal government for many of its pandemic-related expenses. But it also gives Newsom the authority to suspend state laws and impose new rules. Since declaring this emergency, Newsom has issued at least 58 executive orders to alter or suspend hundreds of laws because of the virus.
Recent polling suggests Newsom would beat back the recall; a Republican hasn't won a statewide race in heavily Democratic California since 2006. But those same surveys reveal signs of an unsettled public: independent voters, for example, tend to view his job performance skeptically and most say the state is going in the wrong direction.
With Kiley's potential entry into the race, it signals that many Republicans remain underwhelmed with the field so far, which includes businessman John Cox, whom Newsom defeated in 2018, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and reality TV personality and 1976 Olympic decathlon champion Caitlyn Jenner.
Kiley, who is 36 and represents suburbs east of Sacramento, has been one of Newsom's chief critics in the state capital during the pandemic. Though little known to a broad swath of voters, he is a hero of sorts among the recall's most fervent organizers and volunteers.
He sued to stop Newsom's use of broad emergency powers during the pandemic. A state Superior Court ruled in favor of Kiley, but an appeals court overturned that ruling in May. Kiley and fellow Republican Assemblyman James Gallagher plan to appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Earlier this year he released a book called “Recall Newsom: The Case Against America's Most Corrupt Governor,” and he spoke at dozens of recall rallies and events during the signature-gathering process.
The recall's chief organizer, Orrin Heatlie, is informally advising Kiley as he ponders a candidacy and said he's hearing a lot of frustration about the current field, but declined to give specifics. Heatlie said his assistance to Kiley is being done outside of his role with the recall committee, which is barred from coordinating with a candidate. Heatlie said he reached out to Kiley after getting a slew of phone calls from recall volunteers asking if the assemblyman planned to run.
“With the lawsuit that he had against the governor, he's gained a lot of notoriety and he's gotten a lot of attention,” said Heatlie, a former sheriff's sergeant who filed the recall petition and led the volunteer signature-collection drive.
Kiley said he has no timeline for deciding when to run and declined to criticize any of the Republican candidates, saying they all share the goal of getting a majority of Californians to support recalling Newsom.
He said he sees opportunity to appeal to many voters by pointing out California's failures in dealing with the homeless crisis and poverty, high taxes and that under Newsom public school classrooms remained closed through most of the pandemic — all familiar themes for the leading GOP candidates.
Part of the unsettled landscape around the expected election is the result of the state's time-consuming rules for placing a recall on the ballot. State officials announced in late April that recall organizers had gathered more than the necessary 1.6 million petition signatures to place the election on the ballot, following a preliminary count. That kicked off a lengthy review process.
Even now, it's possible it could take another two months before the recall is certified for the ballot, following various required state financial reviews. Under that scenario, it would push the election into at least October. But given wiggle room in the law, and the potential for more quickly concluding those reviews, that date could come sooner.
Cost for California recall that could oust Newsom: $215M
By Michael R. Blood
AP Political Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP), Jun 10 – It will cost California counties an estimated $215 million to stage an expected recall election this year that could oust Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, state analysts said Thursday.
The preliminary projection from the state Finance Department comes about a month after a coalition of county officials urged the Legislature to provide funding to cover those costs, warning that they otherwise would strain local budgets already stretched thin by the coronavirus pandemic.
Without state financial help those costs “fall squarely on the shoulders of counties, creating a severe financial burden,” the counties warned.
The preliminary figures were provided by counties that estimated what it would cost for everything from printing and mailing ballots to providing face masks and gloves for election workers.
Legislative leaders and the governor's office continue to negotiate a deal on the new budget, which must be in place by July 1, the state of the new fiscal year.
Projected election costs varied widely from $49 million in Los Angeles County, home to about 10 million people, to about $36,000 in sparsely populated Modoc County, in the state's rural northeast corner.
In Los Angeles, its projection to stage the recall was roughly half of the $96 million the county spent to run the November presidential election.
An election date has not been set, but it's widely expected to be held in the fall.
The state is in the process of establishing and reviewing projected election costs, which is part of the lengthy, required process before an election is formally authorized.
State officials earlier announced a preliminary tally that found recall organizers had gathered more than enough petition signatures to qualify the recall for the ballot.
Democrats supporting Newsom have called the election a waste of taxpayer money, noting that he will stand for re-election in 2022 if he beats back a recall attempt in the fall.
Republicans who deride Newsom as a failure see the election costs as money well-spent in their effort to drive him from office.
“Given Newsom's track record, recalling him will save California billions,” said Gus Portela, a spokesman for former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, one of the leading GOP candidates hoping to replace the governor.
The recall took root last year, driven largely by public dismay with Newsom's long-running virus restrictions that shuttered schools and businesses.
Recent polling has found that Newsom would survive the recall at this juncture.
The list of Republican challengers who have signaled an intention to enter the race continues to grow, though no consensus front-runner has emerged. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley this week became the latest to announce he is considering stepping in.
Other Republicans in the race include businessman John Cox, who was defeated by Newsom in 2018, reality TV personality and 1976 Olympic decathlon champion Caitlyn Jenner and former congressman Doug Ose.
PG&E to sell SF headquarters; relocate to East Bay
Submitted by Tamar Sarkissian
PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (together, “PG&E” or the “company”) has agreed to sell the company’s San Francisco headquarters complex, which includes 77 Beale Street and 245 Market Street, to Hines Atlas US LP, a Delaware limited partnership, for $800 million. In keeping with commitments PG&E made in 2020, the company is seeking California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approval to return the net gain realized on the sale to PG&E customers.
The announcement was made May 24. PG&E expects a phased-in move into its new headquarters at 300 Lakeside Drive in Oakland, beginning in the first half of 2022. The move is part of the company’s commitment to implement changes for the long-term benefit of its customers and communities. PG&E expects the move to Oakland to result in substantially lower headquarters costs over a long-term period.
“We are working hard every day to make fundamental changes at PG&E and become the utility our customers expect and deserve,” said PG&E Corporation Chief Executive Officer Patti Poppe. “We’ve made a commitment to keep customer costs as low as possible, and one way we’re following through on that is by selling non-core assets including real estate. This sale and relocation will achieve cost savings that directly help reduce customer bills. At the same time, it will give us an efficient and effective Bay Area workspace as we focus on delivering for all of the communities we serve.”
Under the terms of the sale agreement, the transaction closing is contingent on CPUC approval of the sale. PG&E will be proposing to the CPUC to distribute approximately $390 million to $420 million to customers resulting from the gain on sale over a five-year period to offset future customer rates. This offset would help moderate rate growth as the company continues to make significant safety and operational investments.
The new Oakland headquarters uses space more efficiently for PG&E's workforce and provides greater flexibility in its layout and density. Its design can both promote workplace health and safety and accommodate potential new working arrangements in a post-COVID-19 environment. In addition, commutes for most PG&E headquarters-based coworkers should be shorter, with a majority living in the East Bay and with multiple transportation options serving the Lakeside Drive location.
“We’re so excited to deepen our ties to the wonderful Oakland community. As an economic and innovation hub for California, Oakland is the perfect place for PG&E to call our hometown,” Poppe said.
Study: California fire killed 10% of world's redwood trees
AP Wire Service
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP), Jun 02 – At least a tenth of the world's mature giant sequoias were destroyed by a single California wildfire that tore through the southern Sierra Nevada last year, according to a draft report prepared by scientists with the National Park Service.
The Visalia Times-Delta newspaper obtained a copy of the report that describes catastrophic destruction from the Castle Fire, which charred 273 square miles (707 square km) of timber in Sequoia National Park.
Researchers used satellite imagery and modeling from previous fires to determine that between 7,500 and 10,000 redwoods perished in the fire. That equates to 10% to 14% of the world's mature giant sequoia population, the newspaper said.
“I cannot overemphasize how mind-blowing this is for all of us. These trees have lived for thousands of years. They've survived dozens of wildfires already,” said Christy Brigham, chief of resources management and science at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
The consequences of losing large numbers of giant sequoias could be felt for decades, forest managers said. Redwood forests are among the world's most efficient at removing and storing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The groves also provide critical habitat for native wildlife and help protect the watershed that supplies farms and communities on the San Joaquin Valley floor.
Brigham, the study's lead author, cautioned that the numbers are preliminary and the research paper has yet to be peer-reviewed. Beginning next week, teams of scientists will hike to the groves that experienced the most fire damage for the first time since the ashes settled.
“I have a vain hope that once we get out on the ground the situation won't be as bad, but that's hope – that's not science,” she said.
The newspaper said the extent of the damage to one of the world's most treasured trees is noteworthy because the sequoias themselves are incredibly well-adapted to fire. The old-growth trees – some of which are more than 2,000 years old and 250 feet (76 meters) tall – require fire to burst their pine cones and reproduce.
“One-hundred years of fire suppression, combined with climate change-driven hotter droughts, have changed how fires burn in the southern Sierra and that change has been very bad for sequoia,” Brigham said.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon have conducted controlled burns since the 1960s, about a thousand acres a year on average. Brigham estimates that the park will need to burn around 30 times that number to get the forest back to a healthy state.
The Castle Fire erupted on Aug. 19 in the Golden Trout Wilderness amid a flurry of lightning strikes. The Shotgun Fire, a much smaller blaze burning nearby, was discovered shortly afterward, and the two were renamed the Sequoia Complex.
Four small-business innovations that will outlast the pandemic
AP Wire Service
Jun 10
By RANDA KRISS of NerdWallet
Small businesses that survived the COVID-19 pandemic still face a long road to recovery, but some of the innovations business owners adopted last year may outlast the pandemic itself.
“If you make it through this, you ask, you learn, you adapt, and I think it only makes you stronger,” says Keith Hall, president and CEO of the National Association for the Self-Employed.
Here are four ways small businesses adapted in response to the pandemic that may have long-lasting effects on future operations, according to industry experts and business owners themselves.
1. CREATIVE BUSINESS MODELS
The pandemic forced businesses to find new ways to serve their customers – and quickly, says Meghan Cruz, director of grassroots advocacy at the National Retail Federation.
Now, that small-business owners have built out new infrastructure, like curbside pickup and e-commerce operations, they can continue using the hybrid business models they adopted during the pandemic, she says.
Within a few weeks of the pandemic shutdowns, Keith Wallace, founder of the Wine School of Philadelphia, was facing possible bankruptcy. Unable to open the doors of his business's in-person-only classrooms, Wallace had to cancel wine classes for thousands of people.
“The only way to survive was to pivot,” he said via email. “I realized this was the time to try something audacious.”
Wallace repurposed his office into a recording studio, turned the main classroom into a video studio and taught himself how to produce and edit videos. By September 2020, the school launched its first online-only Level One Sommelier Course, an eight-week program.
By December, Wallace was able to recoup about 30% of the business's income through the online programs.
Now, he is working on launching three additional online programs nationally within the next year.
“This change is forever,” he said.
2. INVESTMENT IN DIGITAL TOOLS
Prior to the pandemic, many small-business owners used technology as a secondary approach to business, according to Hall – but that shifted in 2020.
A 2020 Salesforce report found that growing small businesses were more likely to accelerate the pace of investing in technology due to the pandemic.
“Previously, we were a company that welcomed guests at our front counters with a handshake and a smile,” Clark Twiddy, president of Twiddy & Company, a family-owned vacation rental company in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, said via email.
Twiddy said when the company closed its in-person counters due to COVID, investing in technology enabled them to “deliver Southern hospitality in a way never before imagined.”
Twiddy & Company started using Salesforce for customer relationship management, scaled up its phone technology to Genesys, a cloud-based system, and introduced an AI chatbot to help customers on its website.
3. RECONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
Small businesses have long been an integral part of the communities they inhabit. And during the pandemic, Cruz says, business owners stepped up to help those communities, even when they were in difficult positions themselves.
Cruz tells the story of Cardsmart Greetings, a small gift shop in Buffalo, New York, whose owner, Tracey Mangano, ran a hand sanitizer distribution event in her community, despite her business being closed. Cardsmart was recognized by the National Retail Federation and the Qurate Retail Group as part of their Small Business Spotlight series.
Small businesses, Cruz says, “were able to be there for their communities when the communities needed them the most. And I think that trend will stay.”
4. NEW OPPORTUNITIES
An April 2021 Federal Reserve report concludes that we're unlikely to understand exactly how many small businesses have closed their doors since the start of the pandemic until it's long behind us.
But on the other side of that coin: 4.3 million businesses were formed in 2020, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That represents a 24% increase in new businesses from 2019.
Not all the growth over the past year can be attributed to people finding their entrepreneurial spirit, Hall says.
Many employees who were laid off continued to work in their industry, such as real estate, marketing or accounting. But out of necessity, they became self-employed business owners, Hall says.
These self-employed professionals have found opportunities by connecting with other small-business owners looking to outsource back-office work they traditionally did themselves.
“There's a fundamental shift in opportunity,” Hall says. “A fundamental shift in the demand curve for new small businesses. And I think millions of people are going to benefit from that.“
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This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Randa Kriss is a writer at NerdWallet.
Zoom boom continues, raising post-pandemic hopes
By Michael Liedtke
Associated Press
SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP), June 1 — Zoom is still booming, raising prospects that the video-conferencing service will be able to sustain its momentum, even as the easing pandemic lessens the need for virtual meetings. Some signs for optimism emerged in the company's latest quarterly earnings report released June 1. That fueled a 3% gain in Zoom's recently slumping stock to $338 after the numbers came out.
Zoom CEO Eric Yuan sought to reassure Wall Street that the San Jose, California, company will still play a key role in an evolving environment that is expected to give workers more flexibility to split their time between the home and office. “Zoom is here to help each customer calibrate their future working model in their own way,” Yuan told analysts during a meeting hosted on the company's service. “Many companies are redesigning the workplace to enhance the hybrid work experience.”
Zoom's revenue and profit continued to grow at dizzying rates that surpassed analysts' projections. But other indicators depicted a company that may face more headwinds with the lifting of stay-at-home restrictions that have propelled the video-conferencing service's popularity during the past 15 months.
In one key measure, Zoom ended its February-April quarter with 497,000 customers that employed at least 10 workers and subscribed to the premium version of its service. That was a gain of 29,900 customers in that category from the November-January quarter, Zoom's smallest increase during a three-month period since before the pandemic started.
By comparison, Zoom added more than 183,000 customers with 10 or more employees during the same period last year when the pandemic clampdowns were still in an early stage. Those larger subscribers will be pivotal to Zoom's ongoing success because they typically commit to longer-term contracts than employers with just a few workers who tend to prefer month-to-month commitments.
In a show of confidence, Zoom management projected revenue above analysts' estimates for both the current May-July quarter and its entire fiscal year, according to FactSet Research. For its full year ending next January, Zoom now foresees annual revenue of nearly $4 billion. That would be a roughly 50% increase from last year, which saw revenue quadruple from the previous year.
The uncertainty surrounding Zoom's prospects in a post-pandemic economy already has caused its stock price to plunge by more than 40% from its peak of nearly $589 reached last October. Zoom's current market value of nearly $100 billion is still more than triple what it was before the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic in March 2020. What's more, Zoom is making far more money than it did before the pandemic.
Zoom Video Communications Inc. earned $227 million, or 74 cents per share, during its most recent quarter, up from a profit of $27 million at the same time last year. Revenue for the period nearly tripled from the same time last year to $956.2 million.
Look before you leap into a company’s work culture
By Anne Chan, PhD, MFT
If all workplaces were supportive and cooperative, and all bosses were kind and appreciative, I would have to close shop and choose a different career. Since so many of my clients are refugees of toxic work cultures, my customer base would be severely reduced if this were to happen. A shocking majority of my clients seek to change jobs not because of pay or because they dislike their work, but because their work environments and bosses are (in their words) dysfunctional, toxic, abusive, dishonest, hierarchical, cliquish, unappreciative, and lack integrity. According to a 2018 Jobvite survey, a third of the employees who left a job within three months of starting cited company culture as the reason for their departure.
Given that a company’s culture is an integral part of job satisfaction, it behooves job seekers to determine how well they align with a company’s culture and values before they sign on the dotted line. It can be tricky to figure out a company’s internal culture, but you can get valuable information if you do the research and ask a lot of questions.
Research
Before the interview, research the company’s website as well as any press they have received. See if you can spot any red flags like the CEO getting dismissed or a poorly articulated mission statement.
Websites such as Glassdoor can give you an inside scoop on the company. We all know that online reviews cannot all be trusted, but look for important clues like repeated themes and the level of detail in each review.
Reach out to employees of the company through LinkedIn. You may be able to garner an informational interview that will give you valuable insight into the company.
Before the interview
I always recommend that job candidates arrive early at an interview, so they will not be late. However, there is ulterior motive to my recommendation to arrive 15 or 20 minutes before the interview. Arriving early enables you to observe the people and get a feel for how the workplace runs.
Pay attention to how happy and relaxed the employees seem. Are they smiling and joking with each other? Or they are huddled in cubicles ignoring each other? Are their interactions relaxed or stressed? How each employee treats you can also provide important clues to the work culture. Do they seem welcoming and approachable or are they too harassed to even notice you?
During the interview
An interview is a two-way process. Make sure you get the following questions answered so you can get a good feel for the company’s work culture. When asking these questions, pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues. Sometimes, the latter are even more important than the former. For instance, if supervisors are momentarily caught off guard by a question about their supervisory styles, make a note to yourself. This is not an immediate deal breaker but may be a bad sign that they have not fully thought through their supervision practices. Be sure to ask more questions so you can get a fuller picture. These are my 10 favorite work culture questions to ask:
1. What kind of working style fits best in this company?
2. How would you describe the work environment and what kind of employee does best in this work environment?
3. What is a typical employee’s work/life balance?
4. Describe your management style.
5. How do you support your employees’ career growth?
6. If your child were in my position, would you recommend that he/she take this job? Why and why not?
7. How has psychological safety been addressed in this company?
8. What are your values and how are employees held accountable to these values?
9. Who was the most recent person recognized for his/her performance and how were they rewarded?
10. How do you hold underperformers accountable?
Many studies have shown a link between organizational culture and job satisfaction. It is essential that you know about a company’s work culture before you sign on to work for them. Do your homework and make the effort to learn about the company so you will not have any regrets later. Wishing you a leap into brighter job prospects!
Anne Chan is a career counselor and licensed psychotherapist in Union City. She specializes in helping people find happiness in their careers and lives. You can reach her at annechantcv@gmail.com
© Anne Chan, 2021
Park It
By Ned MacKay
Among the East Bay Regional Park District visitor centers offering programs as pandemic-related restrictions ease is the center at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. Located on Big Break Road off Main Street (Highway 4), Big Break is a window on the Delta’s rich cultural and natural history. Outside, there is a kayak launch, fishing pier, small amphitheater, scale model of the entire Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and shoreline trails leading to Brentwood and the Marsh Creek Regional Trail, which is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The shoreline trails at Big Break are open every day during daylight hours. The visitor center is now open from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays for information and walk-through exhibits. Starting June 17, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on those days.
The center also is offering free, 30-minute programs led by a naturalist at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12 noon Saturdays and Sundays on the patio outside the visitor center. The programs are geared toward children and their caretakers, but everyone is welcome.
Advance registration is required for the patio programs. You can register by calling (888) 327-2757, option 2. For information on the status of programs at all the park district visitor centers, visit www.ebparks.org.
A song written by Merle Travis advises that coal mines are “dark as a dungeon and damp as the dew, where the dangers are double, and the pleasures are few.” You can sense the truth of his words, without the danger, by experiencing a great new exhibit at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch.
Lands including the present park were the site of California’s most extensive coal mining industry from the 1850s through the early 20th century. Then from the 1920s through late 1940s, sand was mined there for glass and steel production. The park district later obtained the property and opened the park in 1976.
For many years, the district has offered underground tours in the former sand mine tunnels. Now, a replica of a coal mine section has been created in one of those tunnels, because the actual coal mine tunnels are too dangerous to enter. Mannequins represent the miners, and there’s sound track dialogue in English and Welsh since many of the miners came from Wales.
The coal seams were sloped and low in height, so you will see a miner on his side digging at the coalface, and a young boy called a knobber pushing coal downslope to be loaded onto a steel cart for transport to the surface. Knobbers were as young as 8 and worked long shifts underground.
Tours of the new exhibit are 30 minutes long and cost $3 per person. For safety reasons, only ages 7 and older are allowed. Reservations are required; call (888) 327-2757, option 2. At the same number you can book a tour of the sand mine. Also open to ages 7 and older, it is longer and costs $6 per person.
The park’s underground Greathouse Visitor Center is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with limited capacity. Admission is free. All ages are welcome. Black Diamond Mines is at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. A parking fee of $5 per vehicle is applicable when the kiosk is staffed.
No shirts, pants needed for bike ride, just a mask
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP), June 5 — Philadelphia bike riders won't need their shirts, pants, skirts or even underwear — just a mask. Organizers of the annual Philly Naked Bike Ride say this year's event will take place Aug. 28 and will require masks, based on the city's earlier coronavirus restrictions.
The city lifted most of its COVID-19 rules in early June, citing an increase in vaccinations and a decrease in cases. But ride organizers said they hadn't had a chance to chat since the city's guidelines changed so for the time being, they’re “going to stick with our initial mask guidance.” Lead organizer Wesley Noonan-Sessa said they'll keep an eye on what the city says in the next month or so.
Ride participants, sometimes in the thousands, usually gather in a park to strip off their clothes and paint each other's bodies before carefully hopping on their bikes. The naked ride is to promote positive body image, advocate for the safety of cyclists and protest dependence on fossil fuels.
Riders pedal a 10-mile course while taking in sights including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps, featured in the “Rocky” movies. The coronavirus pandemic slammed the brakes on the ride that had been planned for last year. Organizers said then that canceling the 2020 event was “the most responsible thing to do.”
You are never too old
Submitted by John Grimaldi
Like with many young men and women, Bill Gossett’s schooling was interrupted when World War II broke out, says the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC]. And when the war ended, he could not go back to school to get his college degree because he was obliged to go to work. Gossett explained that “There was always a void there, but I was busy learning to run a business. Time went by, and I finally decided to finish my degree. It was a goal of self-fulfillment.”
At last, 80 years later, he finally earned his degree from Lincoln College in Lincoln, IL but fate intruded once again. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of graduation and so he was unable to formally graduate in 2020—he had to wait until the 2021 ceremony to accept his degree. The wait was worth it, however. He received not only an Associate of Arts degree but also an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters as well. Not bad for a 97-year-old.
Middle Schooler inspired by pandemic wins at the CA State Science and Engineering Fair
By Ashley Tosh
Anika Bhat, 12 years old, is currently wrapping up 7th grade at Stratford School in Fremont. She, like many other students around the country, has experienced a very unorthodox school year, with all of her classes online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During quarantine, when it was all too easy to let the world knock you down and keep you there, Bhat rose to the challenge and decided to make something beautiful.
At the very beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, Bhat got sick and had to quarantine in her room by herself for several weeks. There wasn’t easy access to COVID testing yet, so her family wanted to be very cautious to make sure that if Bhat did have the virus, she couldn’t spread it to anyone else. She is asthmatic, and since her parents couldn’t come into her room while she was quarantined, she had to manage all of her medications on her own by setting alarms. “That’s when I thought that there should be a device that can manage your vital signs, and tell you whether you need to take your medication or not,” Bhat said.
Asthma is a chronic illness that makes it difficult to draw air into the lungs. Individuals experience asthma differently and have different triggers that may set off an asthma attack. In addition, medications work in various ways: Some relax the muscles around the airways, while others reduce inflammation in the airways. There are fast-acting medications that provide quick relief, and slower-acting ones that are effective for longer periods of time. Setting up a schedule and monitoring vital signs is important for continued health.
Bhat took all of her medications during the quarantine, without knowing for sure what she actually needed to take versus those that were optional depending on her circumstances. The summer, following her quarantine, she read about sensors that can track your vital signs and “got the idea that [she] could make a device to measure vital signs and environmental triggers and recommend [what medications to take] under certain conditions.”
Inspired by her own challenging situation, Bhat got to work on purchasing sensors and using them to build her own device. She coded the sensors to work with the rest of the device and created her own app that connected to the device as well. Her invention, which she called MEDeBuddy, includes a WiFi-enabled microcontroller and various sensors that track vital signs and environmental triggers. The device displays sensor readings on its screen, and alerts the user on the screen and through the app when readings are abnormal. It recommends the correct medication to use for each specific situation. One of the most important parts of her invention is remote monitoring of users by doctors and family members to assist the patient.
Bhat has a history of winning science competitions, winning First Prize in the Energy, Environmental, and Earth Sciences Category of the Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair in 2020 and being nominated for and winning a Top 300 Award for the Broadcom Masters Competition in the same year. This year, Bhat’s MEDeBuddy device won a collection of awards at the Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair, including: First Place in the Engineering Category, the Grand Award for the Middle School Life Sciences Category, the Broadcom Coding with Commitment Award, and the Office of Naval Research/Naval Science Award. She also earned a nomination to compete in the California State Science and Engineering Fair, where she won first place in the Junior Mathematical Science Category, Math Teacher’s Special Award ($1,750) and South Coast AQMD Air Quality Special Award ($1,500).
Her road to success was not an easy one. When she was building her device, the sensors didn’t display the data properly, so she had to check the hardware connections, run the code again, and check the code, line by line, to find any errors… a time-consuming process. However, when she was finally able to find solutions, Bhat says, “It kept me going to finish my project and made the whole journey so worth it.”
Throughout the pandemic and competitions, Anika stressed the importance of never giving up. “You just have to keep going and be patient and keep trying to figure out how to fix the problem,” she says. “Be open to trying new things.”
Bhat is currently competing with MEDeBuddy in the Broadcom Masters 2021 National Competition and the Coolest Project Online International Competition. She is looking forward to doing even more complex projects in STEM fields in the future.
Walk for Health and Ohana
Submitted by Bay Area Community Health
After last year’s success, we are continuing the tradition of an Ohana Health Walk, which will once again be held virtually. What that means is that we will again have plenty of fun and exciting festivities to share with the community.
Walk or run anytime during the week before leading up to Saturday, June 26. Track your steps or miles on the Bay Area Community Health (BACH) website. Walk where you are: We will not be gathering in-person due to COVID-19. Instead, we encourage you to walk in your neighborhood, local park, or wherever else you’re able to physically distance with your family, friends, and team members.
Then, on Saturday, tune in for a community livestream via YouTube. (The link will be sent the week before.)
There is no set registration fee to join: this is a donation-only event. Thank you to this year’s event sponsors Washington Hospital Healthcare System, Haller’s Pharmacy, Unitek College, and Alameda Alliance for Health.
Check out the website at https://bach.health/Walk21/ to register, donate or become a sponsor. You can also watch a video of last year’s festivities and vote in this year’s Iron Salad Contest. (Voting ends June 21!)
Join Bay Area Community Health & the Fremont Unified School District for some virtual summer fun!
Ohana Health Walk
Monday, Jun 21 – Saturday, Jun 27
Virtual Livestream
Saturday, Jun 26
11 a.m. – 12 noon
The Porch Parade is back!
Submitted by Fremont 4th of July Parade Committee
Last year, at this time, we were all just getting used to socially-distanced celebrations. With restrictions continuing into the summer, Fremont 4th of July Parade transitioned into the first ever “Porch Parade” during which residents around the city showed their patriotic spirit through red, white and blue decorations.
In 2021, COVID-19 cases are diminishing and reopening looks promising, but for now, the Porch Parade is back. From Sunday, June 20 to Sunday, July 4, homes and businesses are encouraged to decorate their porches, building exteriors, and front yards to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Step 1
Register for free online at https://fremont4th.org/welcome-to-the-fremont-porch-parade. Your location will be added to an interactive Porch Parade Map. The first 150 people to register will receive a Fremont 4th of July Porch Parade lawn sign.
Step 2
Decorate! Go patriotic, go inspirational, or go wild with your own ideas. Decorate your porch, lawn, front window, or anywhere visible from the street or sidewalk. Locations must be fully decorated by 12 noon on Saturday, June 19 and remain so until midnight July 4. (Please keep everything appropriate for a family-friendly audience!)
Step 3
Explore! Check out the map, go for a walk around your neighborhood, and take pictures of the porches you find. Post and tag us on social media with the hashtags @fremontstrong and @fremont4thporchparade.
Step 4
Fremont 4th of July VIP Porch Parade judges will individually drive through select Porch Parade neighborhoods to review the best and most creative porches. Residence and business displays will be judged in the following categories: Patriotic Spirit, Outstanding Decorations, People’s Choice Award, Spirit of Freedom – Inspiring Messages. There is also a “Neighborhood Spirit” category for the best-decorated neighborhood.
Unleash your decorating creativity, bring a smile to your friends, neighbors and colleagues, show your Red, White and Blue Spirit!
Fremont Porch Parade 2021
Sunday, Jun 20 – Sunday, Jul 4
Decorations must be completed by Saturday, Jun 19 at 12 noon
Various locations: map posted online
https://fremont4th.org/welcome-to-the-fremont-porch-parade
Drought Status for California
Submitted by City of Fremont
Drought has already arrived across the state, and California is now in a moderate-to-exceptional drought. Snowpack since the beginning of April has decreased faster than usual, and reservoir levels are low throughout the region. Drought leads to concerns for worsened wildfire seasons, especially given the back-to-back dry years. Water conservation is as important as ever this year.
Are your lawn and garden ready for warmer days and drought conditions? Discover how to convert your lawn to a Water Wise garden at https://fremont.gov/waterwisegardens. Fremont Green Challenge platform also has Water Wise action tips available, such as taking shorter showers, washing your clothes wisely, installing a greywater system, and more. For details, visit www.fremontgreenchallenge.org and click on “Water” under “Explore Actions.”
Fremont City Council
June 8, 2021
Consent Calendar:
• Award construction contract to Statewide Traffic Safety and Signs dba Statewide Safety Systems for citywide park regulatory sign improvements in the amount of $96,508.
• Authorize purchase and delivery of gasoline and renewable diesel fuel with fixed price adjustments for one-year term and three one-year options.
• Receive 2019/20 financial audit reports.
Ceremonial Items:
• Proclaim June 2021 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Alameda County Deputy District Attorney, Elder Protection Unit, Cheryl Poncini received the proclamation.
Public Communications:
• Concerns of zoning administration approval of affordable housing on Osgood Road with inadequate parking.
• Student housing at Ohlone and city housing policies.
• Smoking policy in high density development.
• SB178 requirements and budget.
• Lack of transparency on Capital Improvement projects.
• Neglect of Centerville area. Need for Quiet Zone.
Scheduled Items:
• First public hearing of FY 2021/22 proposed Operating Budget.
• First public hearing of proposed Capital Improvement Program for FY 2021/22 – FY 2025/26 and two-year Capital Budget.
Mayor Lily Mei, Mayor Aye
Vice Mayor Yang Shao, District 4 Aye
Teresa Keng, District 1 Aye
Rick Jones, District 2 Aye
Jenny Kassan, District 3 Aye
Raj Salwan, District 5 Aye
Teresa Cox, District 6 Aye
Fremont Unified Board Highlights
Submitted by Brian Killgore
At its June 2 meeting, Fremont Unified School district (FUSD) Board of Education:
• Approved Appointments – The Board unanimously approved four administrative appointments for the 2021-22 school year:
o Walters Middle School Principal – Dana Graham
o American High School Assistant Principal –Sandhya Sharma
o Glankler / Rix Early Learning Center Assistant Principal – Charlene Sim
o Associate Superintendent – Business Services – Nancy Torres Pfeiffer
• Approved Appointment of Associate Superintendent – The Board of Education appointed Nancy Torres Pfeiffer as associate superintendent and approved the contract agreement for a term of three years.
• Authorized Staff to Renew Child Care Joint-Use Agreement – The joint-use agreement renewal for Adventure Time, YMCA of the East Bay, Fremont Nursery School, and Kidango have been signed and executed by both parties and extended for another five years until June 30, 2026. Bay Area Child Care Center currently has five locations, and its joint-use agreement has the same terms as the other child care providers mentioned above. Staff recommends authorization to renew the joint-use agreement renewal of Bay Area Child Care Center for another five years until June 30, 2026.
Affordable housing units for sale
Submitted by City of Hayward
City of Hayward officials recently announced that new income-restricted homes priced exclusively for sale to low- to moderate-income buyers near the South Hayward BART station are available for purchase.
The residential development, called SoHay Line, includes 28 one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 429-square-foot “affordable” condominiums offered at below-market rate by Taylor Morrison, formerly William Lyon Homes. In all, the project, at 29362 Mission Blvd., calls for 472 for-sale and rental homes, and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space connected by trails and paseos across 25 acres.
To qualify, for the below-market homes, buyers must have an annual income at or less than 120% of the Area Median Income adjusted for household size. The units, produced and being offered for sale in accordance with the City of Hayward’s inclusionary housing ordinance, are priced at $371,148.
Interested applicants can start by signing up for a User Account and requesting an Application ID at www.HouseKeys.org. For more information on the buying process, go online to www.Housekeys8.com, call (877) 460-5397 or send an email to programs@housekeys.org.
Newark City Council
June 10, 2021
Special Meeting:
• Approve $10 million payment to reduce unfunded accrued liability and OPEB Reserve Fund.
Regular Meeting:
Presentations:
• Proclaim June as Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Cheryl Poncini and Charmaine Braziel-Brent of Ombudsman Services of Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda Counties accepted the proclamation.
• Proclaim June as LGBTQ Pride Month. Recreation Supervisor Nick Cuevas accepted the proclamation.
Consent Calendar:
• Approve Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 FY 2021/22 project list.
• Approve an agreement with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. for environmental services.
• Approve FY 2021/22 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) annual city/county agreement.
• Authorize contract renewals with City of Fremont animal shelter services.
Public Hearings:
• Adopt amendment to Master Fee Schedule for FY 2021/22. Request for staff to reexamine fees for CARES plan eligible families.
City Council Matters:
• Fireworks restrictions
• Congratulations to Newark Memorial High School graduates
• Need for volunteers
Mayor Alan Nagy Aye
Vice Mayor Mike Bucci Aye
Luis Freitas Aye
Sucy Collazo Aye
Michael Hannon Aye
Governor launches California Restaurant Comeback
Submitted by Governor's Press Office
As California's economy comes roaring back and the state prepares to fully reopen this month, Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced action to ensure that restaurants, bars, breweries, and wineries continue to benefit from pandemic regulatory relief – including expanded outdoor dining and the sale of to-go alcoholic drinks – to support the recovery of businesses and protect public health.
“California’s restaurants help create the vibrant and diverse communities that make California the envy of the world. As the state turns to post-pandemic life, we will continue to adapt best practices that have helped businesses transform customer experience for the better,” said Newsom. “With new opportunities and support for businesses large and small, and the California can-do spirit that has carried us through the past year, we will come roaring back from this pandemic.”
The administration has extended relief measures that permit restaurants and bars to continue to benefit from their investments to expand outdoor operations in areas such as sidewalks and parking lots, and to continue the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages with food deliveries, among other successful pandemic adaptations. In addition, the administration is urging local governments to facilitate outdoor dining through local zoning and programs that support and promote expanded open-air, take-out and delivery options.
While California has one of the highest vaccination rates and the lowest rate of community transmission in the nation, public health experts recognize that encouraging best practices, like outdoor activities and operations, remains a public health priority as regions across the nation and world experience surges, and variants continue to pose a threat.
Building on regulatory relief announced throughout the pandemic by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the recent action will also allow bars to continue to partner with food trucks, catering companies or restaurants to sell meals with their beverages, as required, and allow wineries and breweries to partner with restaurants to host virtual dinners with wine and beer pairings.
Swalwell to host hike meeting for constituents
Submitted by Josh Richman
Photo credit: Justin Buell
Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15) will host a “Hike With Your Rep” event for 15th Congressional District residents on Saturday, June 19.
“Our last pre-pandemic town hall meeting, back in January 2020, seems like a million years ago — we’ve all been through a lot since then,” Swalwell said. “But as we re-emerge from COVID restrictions, I’m eager to see my constituents in person again. “I’ll give a quick talk at the start, chat with as many of you as I can while we walk, and we’ll stop about halfway through for a group question-and-answer session.”
The group will gather with Swalwell at 8:30 a.m. at the Dublin/Pleasanton BART parking lot, 5801 Owens Drive, Pleasanton. From there, they will walk along the Iron Horse Regional Trail in Pleasanton and Dublin.
Participants are asked to bring their own water, and out of an abundance of caution while gathering in a large group, they will be required to wear masks. The event is free and open to all residents of California’s 15th Congressional District, which includes Sunol, Hayward, Union City, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Ashland, Fairview, Pleasanton and parts of Fremont and Danville.
Swalwell meeting and hike
Saturday, Jun 19
8:30 a.m.
Start at Dublin/Pleasanton BART parking lot
5801 Owens Dr., Pleasanton
(510) 370-3322
Union City City Council
June 8, 2021
Proclamations and presentations:
• Appointments of councilmember liaisons for boards and commissions: Pat Gacoscos, Human Relations Commission; Emily Duncan, Parks & Recreation Commission; Jaime Patiño, Senior Commission; Gary Singh, Youth Commission; Carol Dutra-Vernaci, Arts & Culture Commission.
• Presentation by the Public Works Department on illegal dumping in Union City.
Oral Communication:
• A citizen update on Contempo Homeowners Association issues.
Consent Calendar
• Approve Police Towing Rotation List and execute non-exclusive franchise agreements for towing services with Central Towing Company and Jack James Tow Services, Inc.
• Amend Master Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2021/22 to incorporate fee increase for California EPA Unified Program Oversight and updates to facility use fees for kitchen use and cleaning.
• Execute an agreement with Universal Building Services and Supplies for custodial services in an amount not to exceed $439,836.64 starting July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, authorizing up to two annual extensions, City Project No. 21-12.
• Appropriate funds in the amount of $155,000 to the FY 2020-21 Clean Water Program Contractual Services Budget.
• Approve Local Streets and Roads (LSR) Program List of projects for Fiscal Year 2021-22 Funded by SB1: The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
• Create the position of Human Resources Technician and amend to the City’s Compensation Plan and Salary Schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5.
• Adopt two resolutions approving side letters among the City of Union City, Union City Police Management Association, and Management Employees Group related to deferred compensation.
• Approve Master License Agreement for small cell pole attachment installations with GTE Mobilnet of California Limited Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless and enter similar agreements with other providers.
• Amend Classification Plan, adopt a side letter between the City of Union City and Service Employees International Union Local 1021 to create the position of Transit Assistant, and amend the city’s Compensation Plan and Salary Schedule in conformance with California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 570.5.
Public Hearing
• Station East Residential/Mixed Use Project. Presentation and public comment.
Action Item:
• Approve Station East Residential Mixed Use project plans. Unanimously adopted.
Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci Aye
Vice Mayor Pat Gacoscos Aye
Emily Duncan Aye
Jaime Patiño Aye
Gary Singh Aye
Water district declares emergency conditions
Submitted by Matt Keller
In a statement released June 9, Tony Estremera, Board Chair at Santa Clara Valley Water District, announced that the district has declared a water emergency condition in Santa Clara County.
Here is Estremera’s statement:
Santa Clara County is in extreme drought. We can’t afford to wait to act as our water supplies are being threatened locally and across California. We are in an emergency, and Valley Water must do everything we can to protect our groundwater resources and ensure we can provide safe, clean water to Santa Clara County residents and businesses.
To better deal with these threats and the emergency they are causing, today my fellow Board Members and I unanimously declared a water shortage emergency condition in Santa Clara County. This declaration, which is among the strongest actions we can take under law, allows Valley Water to work with our retailers, cities and the county to implement regulations and restrictions on the delivery and consumption of water. We also are urging the County of Santa Clara to proclaim a local emergency and join us in underscoring the seriousness of the threats posed by the extreme drought.
Increased conservation is also necessary to protect local water supplies and guard against groundwater overdraft, subsidence, and dry domestic wells, especially if the drought extends into next year. That’s why my fellow Board Members and I also are calling for a mandatory 15% reduction in water use compared to 2019.
These actions are necessary as we face further challenges to our local water supply. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ordered Anderson Reservoir to be drained for public safety as we strengthen the dam. This means the largest surface reservoir in Santa Clara County is out of service while performing this critical work.
Our imported water supplies are decreasing because of the historic dry season. About 50% of our water supply comes from outside our county, and the depleted Sierra Nevada snowpack caused a significant reduction in the amount of imported water we will receive this year.
Valley Water is addressing this by working to withdraw previously banked supplies and purchasing emergency water from our partners. We thank the many people who acted during the last drought and beyond to reduce their water use significantly. Water saved through the years is water we can use now. We urge the community to keep up that great work.
I ask our residents, businesses, and farmers to do your part to help us weather this extreme drought by taking part in our many rebate and conservation programs. Valley Water offers robust conservation programs that can help you save water and money, including an increase in our Landscape Rebate Program beginning July 1. Learn about all our rebate programs, conservation tips and how to get free water-saving tools at www.watersavings.org.
A reliable supply of safe, clean water is crucial for public health and the economy. We can’t predict how long this drought will last. But we know now is the time for action to protect our groundwater basins and make sure there is enough water for all our communities. Thank you for doing your part.
Roll into future with ‘green driveway’
By Daniel O'Donnell
Many things around the home have been improved by technological advances. Some are obvious such as smart refrigerators, LED lights, and large screen surround sound home theater systems. Others, such as cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing for durable home plumbing, double paned windows for better insulation, and tankless water heaters for energy efficiency, inconspicuously outperform their predecessors. However, what initially seems like a technological leap forward might not always be the best option. The use of concrete or asphalt that became popular in the mid-1900s for driveways may be one of those things.
The word driveway first appeared around the 1870s. When used by the public it referred to a dirt path for horses or carriages that led to the front door. A driveway for the elite was a more elaborate carriageway usually constructed of gravel or cobblestone. Advances in materials after the turn of the century increased the use of concrete and asphalt for home driveways. Although these driveways might seem to be technologically superior to using natural materials, they are inferior for a few reasons. “Green driveway” is a relatively new term that refers to a driveway that addresses these issues.
One of the main drawbacks of a conventional driveway is that storm water is washed from the property into storm drains and into the Bay. Green driveways are permeable, allowing the water to percolate into the ground below, which rejuvenates the ground water supply. They also keep chemicals and other pollutants that settle on the driveway from getting washed into the Bay. They are often easier and cheaper to install depending on the materials, and frequently look better.
Permeable concrete might be the easiest green driveway sell to someone who wants to be environmentally friendly but does not want their property to look different from others on the block. It has many of the same characteristics of conventional concrete such as strength and durability and looks similar. The difference is that a square meter of permeable concrete can absorb up to 1,000 liters of water per minute while regular concrete absorbs virtually none.
Concrete pavers are the most popular green driveways. Their popularity stems mainly from their attractiveness and the wide range of different shapes and color combinations that are available. Although they may all look the same, some capture more water than others. Solid concrete paver driveways absorb more rainwater than a concrete slab driveway, but permeable concrete pavers can absorb much more water without compromising aesthetics.
Cobblestone roads date to the Roman Empire era and can be seen in older historic districts in European and American cities. They are still used to make charming driveways today. Although they are packed closely together with sand, their natural rounded edges allow water and pollutants to drain into the ground below instead of running off into waterways.
Drivable grass pavers are a type of cinder block in which the middle gaps are filled with soil and vegetation is allowed to grow. Although short grasses are used in many areas, there are other more drought-tolerant and hardy groundcover choices that can be used in the Bay Area. A better option can be to use an annual ground cover that stays green in winter and spring from the rain but then dies back temporarily in summer and fall.
Decomposed granite is formed from the natural weathering and erosion of solid granite. It is used for paths, patios, and driveways by people who want a more permeable and natural looking material. Colors include brown, tan, black, gray, and a reddish-purple shade making it an easy match for any home or hardscape color scheme. Laying it on a drain rock base, watering it, and then tamping it down is all that is necessary to make a long-lasting green driveway.
Gravel has been used for centuries on large estate driveways but not so much for Bay Area suburban driveways. People often fear that the loose gravel will not stay within the perimeter of the driveway. Using a jagged rock, such as base rock, solves this problem as the uneven edges wedge together after being tamped down. A gravel driveway has all the same benefits as other green driveways as well as a nice soothing sound when being driven over.
Truegrid permeable pavers are a series of small, honeycombed shape modules that are placed over drain rock and a fiber filter that can be filled with gravel or soil to create an attractive driveway. A Truegrid driveway can handle the weight of any car or truck, is ADA compliant, and can easily absorb 100 percent of the normal rainfall for this area. Truegrid pavers have the added eco-benefit of being made from recycled plastics.
Nowadays, people look for more sustainable options. Choosing to replace a concrete or asphalt driveway with a greener one may need some deliberation, but if we want sustainability, it is not a hard choice.
Daniel O'Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. www.Chrysalis-Gardens.com
It’s A Date
CONTINUING EVENTS:
Tuesdays and Wednesdays (twice per month)
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
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
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Virtual Youth Group
7 p.m.
Youth and young adults, students welcome
Contact: brian@newarkpress.org for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Thursdays
San Lorenzo Street Eats
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Food trucks
500 Via Mercado, San Lorenzo
Fridays
Castro Valley Street Eats
5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Food trucks and live music – support The Chabot Theater
Parking lot behind Trader Joe’s
2490 Grove Way, Castro Valley
https://www.thefoodtruckmafia.com/upcoming
Saturdays
Virtual Telescope Viewing R
9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Free on Facebook Live
Join resident astronomers live from Chabot’s observation deck
https://chabotspace.org/calendar/
Saturdays
Online Comedy Shows R$
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Made Up Theatre’s interactive comedy has gone to YouTube!
Sundays
Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church Family Service
10 a.m.
Via ZOOM
For link, call (510) 471-2581
https://sacbc.org/
Sundays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Worship Services
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 Road, 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: njordan@fremont.gov
Last Thursday of the Month, March – June
Mini MBA in Entrepreneurship
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Self-paced virtual program for early-stage entrepreneurs
Thursday, March 18 – Monday September 6
Immersive Van Gogh
9 a.m. – 11 p.m. (times vary)
Walk-in exhibit with digital projections and music
SVN West San Francisco
10 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
Tickets: $24.99 – $39.99
www.vangoghsf.com
Monday, April 5 – Sunday, June 27
Shifting Tides: Convergence in Cloth
Virtual exhibit to shine light on issues facing the Pacific Ocean
www.olivehydeartguild.org
Saturdays & Sundays in June & July
Niles Canyon Railway
10:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
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 27: Botticelli: Florence and the Medici
July 11 : The Prado: A Collection of Wonders
July 25 : Frida: Viva la Vida
$15 regular/$10 students to age 21
Bankhead Theater
2400 First St., Livermore
lvpac.org
(925) 373-6800
Tuesday, June 1 – Friday, June 25
Pray Their Names
Outdoor art installation made up of 160 large wooden hearts
Niles Discovery Church
36600 Niles Blvd., Fremont
https://www.facebook.com/Pray-Their-Names-111352017313180
Tuesday, June 15 and July 13
Free drive-through COVID-19 vaccine
12 noon
For Ohlone College students, faculty, staff, and the community
Newark Center, Lot D
39399 Cherry St., Newark
Go to https://bach.health/vaccine/ to register
https://www.ohlone.edu/rtc/resources/vaccination
Friday – Sunday, June 18 – July 18
Live Horse Racing
2:45 p.m.
https://bit.ly/3yr6IEy
Alameda County Fairgrounds
Gates 8 & 12 off of Valley Ave., Pleasanton
Sundays, June 27 – August 15
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
12 noon – 1:30 p.m.
Afternoon discussion – change frustrating conversations into better ones!
In person or via Zoom
2791 Driscoll Rd., Fremont
(510) 490-0553
Tuesday, June 29 and July 27
Free drive-through COVID-19 vaccine
12 noon
For Ohlone College students, faculty, staff, and the community
Fremont Campus, Lot H
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont
Go to https://bach.health/vaccine/ to register
https://www.ohlone.edu/rtc/resources/vaccination
UPCOMING
Tuesday, June 15
‘In The Heights’ Virtual Book Launch R$
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Join Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegria Hudes, and Jeremy McCartertell as they talk about the show’s humble beginnings
Via Zoom
https://bit.ly/2TgiBNB
Tuesday, June 15
Town Hall
6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Representative Ro Khanna will discuss recent actions by Congress and answer questions
Via Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/RepRoKhanna/
https://khanna.house.gov/
Wednesday, June 16
BACH Talks R
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Learn about expected symptoms and benefits from getting the COVID-19 vaccine
Via Zoom
https://bit.ly/3vcxAFx
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 that allow the community to support your business – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48418
Wednesday, June 16
Breathe Easier with Pulmonary Rehab
3:30 p.m.
Virtual Seminar – Exercise training, education and breathing strategies
www.whhs.com
(800) 963-7070
Wednesday, June 16
Music and Movement for Kids
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Singing, rhythmic movement and dance, playing music
Via Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/rnphc2uj
www.musicforminors2.org
Wednesday, June 16
Mental Health Awareness Huddle
5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Tips and tricks on navigating through tough times
Via Zoom
https://apm.activecommunities.com/milpitasrec/Activity_Search/62156
(408) 586-3231
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
Friday, June 18
Harry Potter Movie Night R
7:30 p.m.
Watch The Prisoner of Azkaban from the comfort of your own car
Lone Tree Cemetery
24591 Fairview Ave., Hayward
RSVP to: (510) 582-1274
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 Street, Hayward
Saturday, June 19
Storytime with Jay Hartlove
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join fantasy author Jay Hartlove as he reads “How to Catch a Mermaid” and talks about his latest novel
Books On B
1014 B St., Hayward
(510) 538-3943
Saturday, June 19
Hike With Your Rep R
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Walk and talk with Congressman Eric Swalwell
Iron Horse Regional Trail
Meet in the Dublin/Pleasanton BART parking lot
5801 Owens Dr., Pleasanton
Josh.Richman@mail.house.gov
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
Tuesday, June 22
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 870 8866 1097
http://bit.ly/CastroValleyWalkBike
(916) 234-6212
Wednesday, June 23
How To Watch Out for Cyber Criminals in your Small Business
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Learn to recognize threats to your technology – a free ACSBDC webinar
https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/48388
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
njordan@fremont.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
Saturday, June 26
Ohana Virtual Health Walk
11 a.m. – 12 noon
Walk or run the week before, then join us for a livestream
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
Saturday, June 26
Storytime with The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Join Sisters Nova, Amor, and Sashay as they read books celebrating the LGBTQ+ community
Books On B
1014 B St., Hayward
(510) 538-3943
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
Visit Chicago at your own risk
Just a week before Memorial Day weekend, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot made a proud proclamation in a public address to the press that she would no longer do sit-down interviews with any journalist who is not Black or Brown.
Chicago, not too long ago, was a world-class city but now has obviously descended into a “no go zone,” if it is represented by such a hateful bigot. Lightfoot believes it is fine for an elected official (politician) to practice hate speech and unlawful discrimination against one-third of the multi-racial, multi-cultural populace in the city she is also supposed to protect and represent.
With Lightfoot’s racially abusive and inciting tone, she has set in motion an attitude that very sadly degrades any expectations of fun and hospitality in Chicago for tourism. I will not visit there any time soon. It does not project a very safe city, in my opinion.
Mary Gomez
Hayward
An open letter to Tri City Residents:
It may seem that you're seeing kittens everywhere. The local community cat population increased due to COVID shutdowns – veterinarians had stopped performing spay/neuter surgeries on feral cats for a few months in 2020. According to Cindy Potter, manager of the kitten foster program at Ohlone Humane Society, “It’s going to take everyone pulling together to address this very challenging situation.”
Ohlone Humane Society has a volunteer team of kitten foster parents. This year they’ve taken in almost 150 kittens already. Most rescues aren’t able to accept more kittens. Right now, they’re trying to manage what they have, and our local Tri-City Animal Shelter is also at maximum capacity.
If you have unfixed cats in your neighborhood, please consider teaming up with your neighbors to fix and return these kitties and break the cycle. Ohlone Humane Society provides vouchers to get feral cats spayed/neutered at our local For Paws clinic with a co-pay of $35. A person can also make an appointment at any of the following to get a cat spayed/neutered and pay for it themselves if they buy or rent a trap:
Humane Society of Silicon Valley
www.hssv.org
(408) 262-2133
9 Lives Foundation
www.ninelivesfoundation.org
(650) 368-1365
Fix our Ferals
www.fixourferals.org
(510) 215-9300
Ann Morrison
OHS Volunteer Director & President
Fremont
Cal State East Bay welcomes new dean
Submitted by Kimberly Hawkins
Officials from California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) recently announced that Robert Williams has been appointed to serve as the new dean of the College of Education and Allied Studies. Williams will start July 1.
Williams comes to the CSUEB Hayward campus from San Francisco State University where he is Associate Dean in the Graduate College of Education. “We are very excited to welcome Dr. Williams to Cal State East Bay,” said Provost Edward Inch. “His focus on student success, eliminating equity gaps, and strengthening outreach represent important initiatives for both the college and the university.”
Williams said he felt called to the university and the California State University (CSU) system and is fully committed to a shared governance model that will drive initiatives to reduce and, ultimately eliminate, the underrepresented minority equity gap, while implementing strategies that move the college graduation rate at or beyond the Graduation Initiative 2025 goal.
“The university and the CSU system have always been unapologetically committed to every student who qualifies to be admitted,” he said “Cal State East Bay itself welcomes its diverse student body with open arms and supports their success.”
During his tenure at San Francisco State University, Williams served as a professor, department chair, and eventually associate dean. In his role there, he supervised the university’s Credential and Graduate Services Center and the Student Resource Center, and was responsible for numerous projects related to teacher education training, with a particular focus on building a pipeline of future teachers who identify as people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities.
“One of the most impactful messages that my parents passed on to me was to ensure that I give back to my community,” Williams said. “Today, the intent of this message extends to the East Bay community, California, the nation, and the world. I take this message a step further, paraphrasing Langston Hughes in his poem ‘The Negro Mother,’ declaring that I, and all of us, are carrying the seed of the free. All of us at the College of Education and Allied Studies have a responsibility to educate and train a new generation of transformative, socially just and critical changemakers.”
Williams is a licensed clinical psychologist and was a visiting Fulbright Scholar from August 2001 to 2002 with the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in Barbados in the Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work.
Williams, who grew up in St. Louis, completed his bachelor’s degree at Howard University and his doctorate at the University of Missouri — Columbia. He completed his clinical psychology predoctoral internship at the University of Maryland at Baltimore and he was a NIDA fellow at the University of Miami, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Having studied under the top family therapy researchers in the nation, Williams led the Marriage and Family program at San Francisco State University for eight years.
Honor Roll
Colorado College, Colorado
Spring 2021 graduate
• Ankita Sharma of Fremont
Dickinson State University, North Dakota
Spring 2021 Recognition of Excellence
• Ashley Nash of Milpitas
University of the Cumberlands, Kentucky
Spring 2021 Dean’s List
• Radhakrishna Nakka of Milpitas
• Ariana Pereira of Newark
Georgia Institute of Technology
Spring 2021 graduates
• Anne Sylvia Amaladoss of Fremont
• William Bowers of Fremont
• Paul Deepakraj Retinraj of Fremont
• Ganesh Walavalkar of Fremont
• Nathan Chan of Fremont
• Tarunkumar Pasumarthi of Fremont
• Evier Tabora Robles of Hayward
• Manbir Randhawa of Hayward
• Olivia Hsieh of Milpitas
• Gaurav Puri of Milpitas
• Anthony Tong of Milpitas
• Yi Wang of Milpitas
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
New members – San Jose State University
• Rela Duncan of Castro Valley
• Alexis Evangelista of Castro Valley
• Derek Gao of Castro Valley
• Ferdinand Villarosa of Castro Valley
• Fajar Abbas of Fremont
• Yasmeen Abed of Fremont
• Tulaib Ahmed of Fremont
• Niyathi Annamaneni of Fremont
• Swarnangki Bardhan of Fremont
• Austen Bradford of Fremont
• Ryan Caravantes of Fremont
• Vaishnavi Chilkeshwaram
• Viet Dang of Fremont
• Ivan Garcia Jr. of Fremont
• Mariah Heimsoth of Fremont
• Stephanie Hernandez of Fremont
• Connor Hunt of Fremont
• Nathaniel Jaramillo of Fremont
• Jessica Kay of Fremont
• Dharak Koradia of Fremont
• Sharanya Kumar of Fremont
• Henry Lin of Fremont
• Somya Menghani of Fremont
• Aparna Menon of Fremont
• Madeline Olea of Fremont
• Shayal Patel of Fremont
• Nimra Shafqat of Fremont
• Aminah Sheikh of Fremont
• Zara Siddiqui of Fremont
• Anam Siddiqui of Fremont
• Amandeep Sidhu of Fremont
• Rohan Surana of Fremont
• Anjali Suthar of Fremont
• Cory Sweet of Fremont
• Vivian Zhao of Fremont
• Celena Foglia of Hayward
• Hoa Anh Thao Nigam of Hayward
• Erin Serrano of Hayward
• Taylor West of Hayward
• Emily Zepeda of Hayward
• Jericko Baltazar of Milpitas
• Natalie Camilleri of Milpitas
• Li-Chia Chen of Milpitas
• Thea Echevarria of Milpitas
• Samantha Kako of Milpitas
• Rahul Kc of Milpitas
• Michelle Nguyen of Milpitas
• Christine Nguyen of Milpitas
• Christian Emmanuel Santos of Milpitas
• Simon Tan of Milpitas
• Ryan Tran of Milpitas
• Jessica Wong of Milpitas
• Ena Arce of Newark
• Tatiana Baragan of Newark
• Heba Silmi of Newark
• Dominique Tarrant of Newark
• Erin Asilo of Union City
• Devon Devera of Union City
• Corina Enriquez of Union City
• Katrina Anne King of Union City
• Aidan Parisi of Union City
Varghese becomes Lions Club International governor-elect for California
The first Vice District Governor of California, James Varghese has been elected as governor for the district. A person with an extensive history of helping people in need, James Varghese aims to conceive even newer projects in his term. Lion James will lead 42 Lions Clubs in California. His office term is to start on July 1st, 2021.
On a mission to create a positive impact on the world, Lions Club is the largest service club in the world. With a century-long heritage, Lions Club promotes the well-being of people all over the world. James Varghese, who has recently been elected as the Governor for the term of 2021-2022 will be starting his office duties July 1st, 2020. He will be sworn in as part of the Virtual International Convention being held in Montreal, Canada.
Lion James has been Charter President of Silicon Valley Indian Lions Club, Zone Chair and Region Chair. James Varghese is a proud member and Melvins Jones Fellow of Lions Clubs International. Since its inception in 1917, this Lions clubs International has aided communities across the globe. Lions Club now spans across more than 200 countries with millions of members encompassing more than 48000 clubs. The mission of Lions Club is: “To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs.” Rooting from Lions Club is a charitable arm, Lions Club International Foundation. Founded in 1968, this foundation has provided free meals, vision screenings, diabetes screenings, advocacy for pediatric cancer and education to millions of people.
Fremont students win top academic scholarship award
Submitted by Brian Killgore
Officials from Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) recently announced that 10 district students are among more than 3,100 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities.
These awards provide between $500 and $2,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. These latest scholarship recipients join the 14 FUSD students previously announced as scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) on April 21 and May 12. The newest FUSD scholarship recipients are:
American High School:
• Aditya Kumar
Irvington High School:
• Chandralekha Garapaty
• Annie Wen
• Brandon Ye
Mission San Jose High School:
• Sabrina Cai
• Kathleen Luo
• Serena Mao
• Vigasini Rajaram
• Kyle Wong
• Eric Xu
This is the third National Merit Scholar release in 2021 by the NMSC. An additional group of college-sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners will be announced in July.
OHAG Art Scholarships 2021
Submitted by Radhika Sharma
The Olive Hyde Art Guild recently concluded the Olive Hyde Art Scholarships Virtual Reception 2021. The following is a list of student winners, their artist profiles, and the awards:
Ram Churun, Ohlone College
$250 art supplies gift certificate
Ram notes that when he was a young child, his mother would make images of dinosaurs and he would color them. Over time Ram was creating characters from favorite TV shows and still life work. Ram’s portfolio consists of observations from his life as a child of Indian immigrant parents. Post-college plans include freelance art, and he hopes to use his technical skills to produce pieces for commission. His favorite medium is charcoal, and he appreciates pencil sketching and the range of value of charcoal. Ram’s advice to budding artists is to try many media and ideas. “Never wait for inspiration! Push yourself and always keep working!”
Rinna Mae San Gabriel, Ohlone College
$2,000 scholarship for the pursuit of visual arts in higher education
Rinna has been drawing since she was little. She became passionate about art in high school and wanted to hone her craft. Most of Rinna’s current work deals with political issues as she feels it is important for an artist to use their platform to speak out. Rinna keeps up with the news and chooses to create what resonates with her. Her favorite media are oil paint and pastels, and her advice to young artists is: “Strive to be the best artist you can be. There is always room for improvement!”
Aathavan Senthilkumar, JKF High School
$250 art supplies gift certificate
Aathavan began drawing in preschool with markers and colors and then moved to graphite, charcoal and other media. A recipient of the PTA Reflections Award, Aathavan has never taken a lesson and is a completely self-taught artist. He likes to explore many different media including inking and acrylic painting. A rising freshman in mechanical engineering, Aathavan will incorporate his passion for design with art. His portfolio consists of his ruminations on man and technology. Aathavan practices whenever he has time and finds that art is very cathartic. His advice to young artists is, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Practice for every portrait and feel free to fail and learn from mistakes!”
Arpi Varonikyan, Ohlone College
$250 art supplies gift certificate
“Art has always been a part of my life since I was a child. I used to make dresses for my dolls!” says Arpi Varonikyan. This desire to be creative led to her working with different materials. Arpi finds inspiration through a variety of muses. Some influences include mythology, Greek goddesses, fantasy and lore. She particularly experiments with things outside reality in her artwork.
Christina Wang, Mission San Jose High School
$2,000 scholarship for the pursuit of visual arts in higher education
Christina started drawing at an early age and in 7th grade had the opportunity to take art classes. She has decided to pursue art as a career and likes to bring stories to life through pictures—with concept art, design and illustration. Referring to her self-portrait created in an AP class, Christina explored the imperfection of her own physical features. Christina’s advice to young students is: “Practice is so important! Practice every day and share your work and let other people see it and critique and improve.”
Amy Zhu, Mission San Jose High School
$250 art supplies gift certificate
Amy’s favorite art medium is oil paint and digital art because of the vibrancy and flexibility of the media. Her portfolio consisted of images offering tribute to her school wrestling competitions. Amy’s advice to budding artists is to appreciate the process of creation and avoid being too self-critical.
California Apprenticeship Council appointment
Submitted by Governor's Press Office
On June 10, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Sheri Learmonth, 47, of San Leandro, to the California Apprenticeship Council. Learmonth has been chief executive officer of Bay Point Control since 2018. She was West Coast Division controller for Sabah International from 2006 to 2018. She was controller of Bay Point Control from 2002 to 2006.
Learmonth is a member of the Bay Area SMACNA Women in Construction. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Learmonth is a Republican.
Call for Artists
Submitted by City of Fremont
City of Fremont is seeking artist qualifications for the commission of an innovative and permanent public art installation for a new outdoor plaza, Warm Springs Plaza, in Warm Springs Innovation District. The artist will design, fabricate, and install the artwork. Interested artists can apply through the CaFÉ website at https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=9014. The deadline to apply is Monday, June 28.
Art Installation
Deadline: Monday, Jun 28
https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=9014
Ballet Petit dances into summer
Submitted by Peggy Peabody
On Saturday, June 5, Ballet Petit (BP) dancers enjoyed the webinar performance of “Seasons to Celebrate,” BP’s 2021 Spring Concert. Leading up to the concert, dancers have been learning choreography in their Zoom ballet classes, at home, alone in their dancing space, following their teachers on the screen for many months. Graduating seniors, all fully vaccinated, were invited into the studio during May for coaching and filming sessions for their special variations. The once-familiar studios seemed so huge on those days, senior dancers shared.
Also last month, classes came together, each for less than an hour, to film their dances together, in person, masked, outdoors. Dancers were so excited to see one another, especially once they recognized their now-taller friends behind their masks.
It was delightful to see in person how well dancers had progressed in their ballet training, after 15 months on Zoom. The music started and they amazed an audience of parents and staff with choreography they had learned. One parent suddenly blurted out, “Wow! They learned all that on Zoom? Impressive!” Yes, indeed. Then Ballet Petit staff compiled the footage for the June 5 virtual presentation.
Back in Zoom classes this week, dancers were asked what was the best part of the webinar show last Saturday. Every class had the same touching comment. Younger dancers were so happy to see the older dancers perform. Older dancers were excited to see the little ones. Usually, they would have spent hours together in the theatre watching the show come together, but this has not been a possibility since March of 2020.
Best of all, everyone was happy to see dancers all dancing together, knowing we will soon shift back towards normal.
Ballet Petit is looking forward to reopening its Industrial Parkway West (Hayward) studio doors on Tuesday, July 6 for the Summer Session. Its beloved Nutcracker is scheduled for the first Saturday of December. And by this time, dancers will be performing all together again. It will be a touching moment, one that will bring smiles to many faces.
Ballet Petit
2501 Industrial Park West, Hayward
(510) 783-4958
https://www.balletpetit.com/
Bid, buy and donate
Submitted by Hayward Education Foundation
Officials from the Hayward Education Foundation (HEF) are busy putting together an online fundraising auction to help boost educational opportunities for students in Hayward public schools.
The goal of their “Soar into Excellence” event is to raise money to give teachers more tools and resources they can use to expand lessons, promote learning and capture students’ imaginations. The auction is set for June 17-22 and will include various items to bid on, including Disneyland tickets, a two-night stay at Lake Tahoe, Front Sight Firearms Training, gift baskets and gift certificates to local merchants and restaurants.
Items will be available for bidding from 6:00 a.m. Thursday, June 17 until 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 22. To register or view items up for auction, visit the Soar into Excellence auction website at www.32auctions.com/HEF2021.
Since 1983, the non-profit HEF has depended upon the community’s generosity to generate the funds necessary to support innovative and creative classroom projects. Over the years it has given more than $1 million to Hayward classrooms.
Hayward Education Foundation online auction
6 a.m. Thursday, Jun 17 – 10 p.m. Tuesday, Jun 22
Register online at: www.32auctions.com/HEF2021
June 14: Flag Day
Submitted by John Grimaldi
It is said that the flag of the United States was designed by Betsy Ross, a seamstress who lived in Philadelphia during the American Revolution. But, according to PBS, “some historians believe it was designed by New Jersey Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross.”
Whether it was Betsy Ross or Congressman Hopkins who designed the original Stars and Stripes, the Continental Congress, on June 14, 1777, adopted a resolution declaring that “the flag of the United States be 13 alternate stripes red and white…the Union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” And so, it came to be that our Grand Old Flag became the official emblem of the U.S.– based on the Continental Army’s banner. It was carried into battle for the first time September 11, 1777, in the Revolutionary War battle of Brandywine.
“Here’s another, somewhat obscure, piece of the Flag’s history,” says Rebecca Weber, CEO, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). “The first observance of June 14 as Flag Day was organized in 1885 by a 19-year-old schoolteacher from Waubeka, Wis., Bernard J. Cigrand. It was not an official celebration, but it was the first known ceremony in honor of our nation’s ensign, according to Cigrand’s biographer historian James L. Brown in his book, “The Real Bernard J. Cigrand: The Father of Flag Day.”
Cigrand was passionate about our Flag. He is said to have delivered more than 2,000 speeches during his quest for an official, national day for the observance of Flag Day. It took him three decades of effort and in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 for the observance. Likewise, President Calvin Coolidge issued his own proclamation in 1927. However, it would take Congress another 33 years to declare it a national day of remembrance, not quite a national holiday, which President Harry Truman signed into law on August 3, 1949.
“Today, more than ever, it is important for patriotic Americans to show appropriate reverence for the Flag. We live in an era of unheard of, unexpected disdain for the American way of life — particularly among the younger generations. There are those who would see our Democracy replaced by socialism — even communism among those who do not know of what they speak. Thus, it is important to show them the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ and the reasons we take the time to reflect on and respect Old Glory on June 14,” says Weber.
What better place to learn the dos and don’ts of the American Flag than at the American Legion Website – www.legion.org/flag/flagmyths? Here are a few interesting observations:
The Flag Code is The American Legion Flag Code.
On Flag Day, June 14, 1923, The American Legion and representatives of 68 other patriotic, fraternal, civic and military organizations met in Washington, DC for the purpose of drafting a code of flag etiquette. The 77th Congress adopted this codification of rules as public law on June 22, 1942. It is Title 4, United States Code Chapter 1.
A flag that has been used to cover a casket cannot be used for any other proper display purpose.
[Not so] A flag that has been used to cover a casket can be used for any proper display purpose to include displaying this flag from a staff or flagpole.
You must destroy the flag when it touches the ground.
[Not so] As long as the flag remains suitable for display, the flag may continue to be displayed as a symbol of our great country.
There has been a change to the Flag Code that no longer requires the flag to be properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.
[Not so] There has been no change to Flag Code section 6(a), which states: “It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flag staffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.”
The Flag Code states that when the flag is no longer a fitting emblem for display it is to be disposed of by burning in private.
[Not so] The Flag Code as revised and adopted by the Congress of the United States in 1942 has never included the word(s) “private” or “in privacy.” Section 8(k) of the Flag Code states: “The flag, when it is in such a condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” Since 1937, The American Legion has promoted the use of a public flag disposal ceremony. This ceremony is a fitting tribute and an overt expression of patriotism, which enhances the public's understanding of honor and respect due the American flag.
Celebrating freedom for all
By Stephanie Gertsch
“Every Juneteenth I get this question from somebody,” admits Dr. Nicholas Baham III, Professor and chair of Ethnic Studies at California State University East Bay, when asked about the day’s history. “I’ve got to be honest with you—I’m not actually tired of answering it. I’m not. I don’t think I ever will be.” For June 19, 2021, he has shared his perspective on this holiday that celebrates Black American emancipation.
Dr. Baham’s research encompasses gender and sexuality, music and religious expression in African American communities, with writings on The Coltrane Church and James Baldwin. What unites his work is the study of people who live and thrive on the margins, in “the face of both white majority ideals and also normative Black community ideas.”
Of Juneteenth, he says, “For me what’s important about June 19th is that we’re actually celebrating when the last known group of people—about 250,000 people—knew that they were free,” Baham says. “Which for me means that we’re celebrating when we were all free.”
On June 19, 1865, a Black community in Galveston Texas heard the news of emancipation—two months after Robert E. Lee’s surrender and two years after “Freedom’s Eve” when Emancipation was declared.
“The Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 really only freed slaves in territories where they had been liberated by the Union,” Baham explains. “Technically, Lincoln was kind of calling a shot… If you read it in its historical context, it’s like a baseball player before they come to the plate pointing to the left field wall and saying, ‘Imma hit it over the fence.’” While the Proclamation was cause for celebration, and Union soldiers read copies of the text across the South, Black communities in unliberated states were still suffering under forced labor, whippings, and other forms of mistreatment.
Being technically free isn’t enough when others are still suffering. Even before the Civil War, many Black Americans managed to secure their personal freedom, “But those free Blacks didn’t experience themselves as free,” notes Baham. “They understood that there were still their brothers and sisters who were enslaved.”
June 19th has always been celebrated, but recently it is seeing surge in popularity. “That has a lot to do with the same attitude being applied to what’s going on right now with police violence,” says Baham. “I didn’t get killed by Officer Derik Chauvin in Minnesota, but I could have been… My reading of it is that the spirit of June 19th is in the spirit of what has been happening around Black Lives Matter.”
He continues, “I’m a full professor with 21 years under my belt. But when I was eight years old, I was at San Francisco State with my mother, who was a graduate [there], and she was getting some records. And I was spread-eagled against a wall by a police officer who began to draw his revolver out of his holster. And he accused me of stealing radio equipment. I was a kid…and my pockets were full so he said I ‘fit the description.’ I had yo-yos in my pockets.”
June 19 is both a somber day to commemorate lives lost, recognizing how far we still have to come to be a truly free society, and a joyous day to celebrate freedom and community. Baham recalls, “I’m a native San Franciscan. And I remember that when I was a kid we observed it with a big parade and festivities and dancing and food in the Filmore…We’d go hang out with [my uncle] and be at the parade and watch the cars go by and people dancing. Eat some soul food. It was a party. And mostly that’s the kind of thing that happens throughout the country; it’s a celebration.”
In September of 2020, Santa Clara became the first California county to declare June 19 a paid holiday, partly in response to the June protests that year for the death of George Floyd. Hopefully, as more counties and states join in, this day will be recognized as an official Federal Holiday. Baham explains, “If we all recognize it the way we recognize the 4th of July, then maybe you can raise this consciousness about the fact that, we’ve got the 4th of July, but not everybody got free from the 4th of July!”
What are Baham’s plans this year? An outing that’s simple, yet quietly subversive: he and a group of fellow Black professionals are participating in a stereotypically white people sport—golf. “In a way it’s totally bourgeois,” he laughs. “But on another level, we’re going to take a group of Black men and go into a predominantly white and historically white space and we’re going to be present on the day of independence.”
Hayward June 19 Celebration
Jobs, Wellness & Resource Fair
Hosted by Hayward Black Business Roundtable
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
City Hall Plaza
777 B St., Hayward
https://www.hayward-ca.gov/
Baking to Benefit: How a teen’s pandemic project is impacting the community
Submitted by Nanki Kaur
The onset of the pandemic brought many restrictions to everyday activities and celebrations. When her mother’s birthday arrived, Prisha Lakhara decided that she wouldn’t let the pandemic spoil her mother’s special day. Lakhara’s Bakery was born when Lakhara, a freshman at American High School in Fremont, baked a cake for her mother and discovered a new passion. Shortly thereafter, she decided to turn her passion into profit, and start a business, using proceeds to help her community. “It motivates me because I’ve always been a person to donate to charity. So, helping others get yummy treats, plus all the profits going toward donations, that just makes me feel better overall!” she explains.
Lakhara’s Bakery has an array of sweet treats including special options for those with dietary restrictions. Customers contact the bakery through its Instagram and Facebook pages and work with Lakhara to ensure that their order is tailored to fit their needs. “[Customers] give me more details and according to that, I’ll help them plan, [such as] when they want [the order] by, and then I’ll give them ideas and they’ll decide.” Orders within a five-mile radius of Lakhara’s home are then delivered following all COVID-19 precautions. Fifty percent of Lakhara’s earnings are donated directly to charities and social change projects, “depending on [the] current situation.” Lakhara has donated to help alleviate India’s medical and oxygen supply shortage, support the Black Lives Matter movement, and assist COVID-19 relief funding.
Though it all began as a pandemic project, Lakhara aspires to further develop the business and hopes to run her own shop one day. Ideally, she’d like “to expand it a little more, maybe do some pop-up shops.” She adds,“I want to increase [my business] by websites, live tutorials and make it a full-on business.” Her message to teens hoping to build their own businesses is, “No matter what anyone wants to tell you in life about anything, I’m sure you can achieve it at some point, it’s just going to take a little effort and hard work, but you’ll get there.”
Find Prisha Lakhara on Instagram at @lakharasbakery.
Music for Minors II recognizes its volunteer docents
Submitted by Carol Zilli
Music for Minors II (MFMII) honored its volunteer docents, board members, and staff on June 4 at its annual Volunteer Recognition Event, held at Rancho Arroyo Park in Fremont. The event recognized the first year docents with pins and gifts, culminating in the presentation of the prestigious traditional In Harmony Service Award for excellence in “making the musical difference in children's lives.”
The 2021 Award recipients, Serena Huang and Cissy Chen, both volunteer MFMII docents at James Leitch Elementary School in Fremont for several years and MFMII part-time staff members, have joined the 22 other recipients since 2005 when the award was first created.
MFMII docents are supported by the MFMII staff and board members who oversee the program and help make the musical magic happen each year. Docents are key to the program's success as they have the direct contact with the children who shout for joy when the MFMII music class begins. Now more than ever, music is needed in children's classrooms and lives as well as their classroom teachers' given the past challenging year of COVID-19. For more information, visit www.musicforminors2.org.
Taking nap has health benefits for seniors
Submitted by John Grimaldi
“Getting a good night’s sleep comes highly recommended for the 50-plus population, particularly for the fastest growing segment of senior citizens, those over 65. In fact, it turns out that peaceful dozing overnight may not be enough for some seniors and that taking an afternoon nap may not only be good for toddlers, but can also be beneficial for seniors,” according to Rebecca Weber, CEO, Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC).
“Keep it short.” says Weber. “The longer you lie down to catch some midday Z’s, the fewer the benefits.” The experts at the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center report that too long of a catnap can interfere with your ability to think straight.
The medical director at the center, Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, recommends seniors take their naps between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. “Napping this time of day will provide you with the most bang for your buck.” But she says that do not doze for too long; 20 to 40 minutes will do the trick. Any longer than 30 to 90 minutes and you risk cognitive problems and insomnia at bedtime.
Dr. Gamaldo cites a study reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that concluded “moderate nappers had better overall cognition than non-nappers or extended nappers. Non-nappers also had significantly poorer cognition than short-term nappers. In multiple regression analysis, moderate napping was significantly associated with better cognition than non-, short and extended napping.”
The Sleep Foundation concurs and points out that there are different types of naps:
1. Recovery Nap: Sleep deprivation can leave you feeling tired the following day. If you are up late or have interrupted sleep one night, you might take a recovery nap the next day to compensate for sleep loss.
2. Prophylactic Nap: This type of nap is taken in preparation for sleep loss. For example, night shift workers may schedule naps before and during their shifts to prevent sleepiness and to stay alert while working.
3. Appetitive Nap: Appetitive naps are taken for the enjoyment of napping. Napping can be relaxing and can improve your mood and energy level upon waking.
4. Essential Nap: When you are sick, you have a greater need for sleep. This is because your immune system mounts a response to fight infection or promote healing, and that requires extra energy. Naps taken during illness are considered essential.
However, Weber says you do not want to overdo it, nor do you want to skimp. According to Dr. Gamaldo studies have shown that those who take a nap too long or too short may have poor health and even a shorter life span. On the other hand, well-timed afternoon naps for seniors can have positive impacts on memory and mood and can ease stress and make them more alert.
Interestingly, even though the caffeine in coffee can hinder sleep, Dr. Michael Breus at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, who is known as “The Sleep Doctor,” suggests that you might want to take a cup of coffee before taking a nap. He says it will help wake you in 25 minutes or so to make sure you do not nap for too long a time. He calls it a “Nap a Latte,” explaining that you should “Get a cup of black drip coffee, throw three [ice] cubes in it merely to cool it down, slug it as fast as you can, and take a nap immediately.”
3rd annual Oddities and Curiosities Market
Submitted by The Menagerie Alameda
We’re back, oddity seekers!! Join the San Francisco Bay Area's official Oddities & Curiosities Market, “The Menagerie,” on June 19, 2021.
Discover uniquely odd and obscure one-of-a-kind treasures in art, photography, clothing, taxidermy, medical & natural history, antiques, jewelry, memento mori, faux taxidermy, Victorian mourning jewelry, mysticism and the occult.
This year's market will be an open-air setting at the al Fresco Dining Park and along the sidewalks in the vibrant West End Arts & Entertainment District of Alameda on Webster Street between Taylor and Haight. Patrons can enjoy food from the many nearby restaurants with a full bar by the Fireside Lounge and music while they shop.
Masks and social distancing are required for everyone unless the mandate is eased in Alameda County. Sanitizing stations will be in place. Please follow CDC protocol and maintain proper distance at all times. We thank you in advance for your patience understanding and cooperation.
The Menagerie Oddities and Curiosities Market is proudly sponsored by: The West Alameda Business Association, The West End Arts District, Feathered Outlaw, and Fireside Lounge. Special thanks our dedicated patrons for their continued support to the many artists and vendors of our events.
Webster Street is accessible via the tube with nearby access to I-880 and public transportation. Street parking is available both metered and unmetered. There is a parking garage on Park Street with a direct bus line to Webster via Santa Clara as well (Bus 51A).
This year our events are FREE Admission. However, if you would like to make a donation to help absorb some of the unexpected costs we are experiencing with Covid-19 you can purchase a “donation” by clicking the registration button on Eventbrite.
The Menagerie Oddities and Curiosities Market
Saturday, Jun 19
11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Webster St., Alameda
Tickets: https://themenagerie.eventbrite.com
themenageriealameda@gmail.com
Arunay Pruthi’s family and friends keep his memory alive
Submitted by Maneesh Saxena
On June 5th, 250 students from Basis Independent in Fremont joined a walkathon to honor and remember their friend Arunay, who was tragically swept out to sea during a family beach outing on January 18, 2021. Teachers and students shared fond recollections about Arunay, and many tears were shed. From the little boy who had emptied his piggy bank into a ziplock bag and brought it for donation, to 8-year-old Siddhant, who walked 31 laps and covered 10 miles, one cause bound them all… beach safety awareness. Together these students walked over 1,000 miles!
Arunay’s tragedy, unfortunately, is not an isolated case. In the eight weeks preceding this tragedy, eight people were swept away from Northern California beaches. “We were unaware of what sneaker waves were, how to identify the risks of perilous beach conditions, and important life-saving techniques that when utilized could have saved our precious son,” said Sharmishta, Arunay’s mom, her voice breaking with grief.
But, even in her paralyzing grief, she knew that something needed to be done. “Never again should anyone lose their loved one to the sea like this,” she said, with steely determination in her tear-drenched eyes.
Out of the desire to direct their enormous sense of loss into education and actionable solutions, Arunay’s family and friends instituted the Arunay Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about beach safety. It plans to take a three-pronged approach in the effort to make our beaches safer: Educate, Equip, Inform.
“When we left Cowell Ranch Beach on January 18, 2021, exhausted and heartbroken, without Arunay, we knew that something was fundamentally wrong with what had transpired,” said Aarti Desai, the Pruthis’ family friend and a founding member of Arunay Foundation.
The beaches of Northern California, Oregon and Washington, with their steep and rugged tree-lined coasts and frigid ocean temperatures, are some of the most dangerous in the world. Over the course of month-long search operation for Arunay, funded by the support of thousands of people from around the world, Arunay’s family recognized many changes needed in existing beach safety measures, guidelines and awareness. They believe that with proper awareness and adequate warnings, these beach drownings can be avoided.
Arunay Foundation is a fiscal sponsorship project of SeaValor, an Emeryville-based non-profit that uses ocean activities to help improve the quality of life for those suffering from PTSD. SeaValor also worked alongside Arunay’s family and friends during the search and recovery operations. The family says they could not have asked for a better partner for this journey.
Learn more about Arunay Foundation at https://www.arunayfoundation.org/. If together we can prevent a beach drowning or help rescue someone’s child and give them a second chance at life, it would be nothing short of priceless.
Alameda County Fire Department Log
Submitted by ACFD
Tuesday, June 8
• At 1:33 p.m. crews responded to a report about a commercial fire at 30550 Union City Boulevard, Union City. Upon arrival they found a small outside fire that had started during maintenance on a wax machine. The fire did not go into the building. Crews extinguished the blaze; there were no injuries.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Friday, June 4
• At 8:09 a.m. a man identified by police as Lawrence Jackson, 46, of Oakland was arrested at Fremont station on three outside agency warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 3:25 p.m. a man identified by police as Rudy Aguilar, 40, of San Leandro was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on a no bail California Department of Corrections warrant. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Sunday, June 6
• At 6:20 p.m. a man identified by police as Errick Jones, 32, of Sausalito was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance, possession of a medication without a prescription, possession of a controlled substance for sale. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 6:53 p.m. a man identified by police as Zejon Washington, 24, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of violating a court order, violating a parole order and resisting arrest. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Monday, June 7
• At 10:46 p.m. a man identified by police as Stanley Young, 33, of San Francisco was arrested at Fremont station on suspicion of battery on a transit operator and two outstanding warrants. A prohibition order was issued.
Tuesday, June 8
• At 6:29 a.m. a man identified by police as Yosef Alemi, 42, of San Francisco was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on six outstanding warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
• At 8:34 p.m. a man identified by police as Kenneth Allen, of Oakland was arrested at Warm Springs/South Fremont station on suspicion of battery. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail and a prohibition order was issued.
• At 9:02 p.m. a man identified by police as Giovanni Redmon, 30, of Fairfield was arrested at Union City station on suspicion of exhibiting a deadly weapon and resisting arrest. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail and a prohibition order was issued.
Thursday, June 10
• At 5:52 p.m. a man identified by police as Angel Ramirez, 24, of Oakland was arrested at Hayward station on suspicion of carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Fremont Police Log
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
Saturday, June 5
• At 12:22 a.m. officers spotted a stolen vehicle in the area of Grimmer Boulevard and Auto Mall parkway and made a high-risk traffic stop. A search of the vehicle uncovered shaved keys, walkie talkies, a controlled substance and several tools. Two men, identified by police as David Paniagua, 31 and Dora Corderotolentin, 42, both homeless from Hayward were arrested.
Tuesday, June 1
• At about 12:40 p.m. a brandishing weapon incident occurred in the drive through at Jack in the Box, 46351 Mission Blvd. The victim was waiting in the drive through line when a male got out of a vehicle a few cars ahead of him and began yelling for him to back up. The male began approaching the victim's vehicle with a knife in his hand and then slashed one of the tires on victim's vehicle before leaving.
• At about 4:50 p.m. a robbery occurred in the area of Coleridge Terrace when a female returned to her home after visiting Chase Bank, 3906 Washington Blvd. and two suspects approached her and forcefully grabbed her purse, knocking her to the ground. The suspects fled the scene in a dark colored sedan.
Wednesday, June 2
• At about 5:46 a.m. a robbery occurred near 39450 Fremont Blvd. The victim was walking in the area when a male approached him and made a comment about a small speaker in his hand. The suspect then forcibly took the speaker from the victim and threatened to kill him. The victim said he saw an approximately 7-inch knife on the suspect's hip.
Monday, June 7
• At about 6:00 p.m. a residential burglary occurred in the area of Shovler Lake Court in north Fremont. The victims arrived home to find a suspect inside the residence, before leaving the suspect told the victims he thought nobody lived in the home. The residence had been trashed and items were missing.
Hayward Police Log
Submitted by Hayward PD
Sunday, May 30
• At 12:30 p.m. officers responded to a report about a commercial burglary in progress on the 31000 block of Hayman Avenue. The suspect was located at the scene and taken into custody.
Saturday, June 5
• At 3:00 a.m. officers responded to a report about a gunshot victim at Eden Hospital. The victim, identified by police as Rachelle Gouailhardou, 20, of Hayward died a short time later. Police determined the shooting took place in the 32000 block of Trevor Avenue. The case is being investigated as homicide and police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call Detective Purnell at (510) 293-7176.
• At 5:18 p.m. officers responded to a report of gunfire in the 2000 block of Depot Road. Officers found evidence of a shooting at the scene; no victims were located.
• At 5:49 p.m. a victim was walking near the 30000 block of Prestwick Avenue. and was approached by two suspects, one of which brandished a firearm and demanded property from the victim. The suspects took the victim’s property and fled the scene. The victim was not injured.
Milpitas Police Log
Submitted by Milpitas PD
Monday, May 24
• At 5:07 p.m. a robbery occurred near the 550 block of E. Calaveras Blvd. with the suspect fleeing before police arrived. Detectives investigated the robbery and identified a 28-year-old suspect from Milpitas. The suspect was located on May 28 in Milpitas and booked into jail on suspicion of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Friday, May 28
• At 10:13 p.m. an officer found a stolen Nissan Maxima from Milpitas near the 100 block of Dixon Road and arrested a 37-year-old-Milpitas transient associated with the vehicle. The suspect was booked into jail on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle and providing false identification to a police officer.
Newark Police Log
Submitted by Captain Jonathan Arguello
Friday, May 21
• At 3:53 p.m. Officer Damewood responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in the 39000 block of Cedar Blvd. Loss was a purse. An investigation is continuing.
• At 7:50 p.m. Officers Slavazza and Soto responded to a shoplifting report in the 200 block of NewPark Mall Road. Upon arrival they contacted a 54-year-old Emeryville woman who provided them with false identification. Eventually officers determined her identity and a record check showed an outstanding warrant. She was arrested on suspicion of theft of personal property, providing false identification to a police officer and for outstanding warrant. She was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Saturday, May 22
• During an 8:06 p.m. traffic enforcement stop Officers Slavazza and Soto made contacted a 53-year-old Stockton man in the area of Thornton Avenue and Sycamore Street. The vehicle was impounded because the driver had a suspended license and the vehicle registration was expired. A check inside the vehicle uncovered drug paraphernalia, controlled substances, and a firearm. The man was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, driving with a suspended license for DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and multiple outstanding warrants. He was booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Friday, May 28
• At 2:11 a.m. officers were dispatched to a report of a vehicle stopped in the area of Newark Boulevard and Jarvis Avenue with an unresponsive driver. Upon arrival, officers attempted contact the driver, identified as a 29-year-old Concord woman. She initially was incoherent, but then awoke and resisted and kicked the officers. After a brief struggle, she was arrested on suspicion of DUI, obstructing a police officer and battery on a peace officer. She was booked at Fremont City Jail.
• At 7:37 a.m. Officer Damewood responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 6000 block of Joaquin Murieta Ave. Upon arrival, he found and awakened a 31-year-old man from a heavy sleep. The man was arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of tear gas, identity theft materials, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked at Fremont City Jail.
Wednesday, June 9
• Evening shift officers looking for illegal fireworks spotted three males lighting fireworks in the area of Cherry Street and George Avenue. Officer Kapu contacted the suspects, an 18-year-old man and two juvenile teenagers, and recovered several mortar style illegal fireworks. A follow-up search made at one of the suspect’s homes, uncovered more illegal fireworks. The 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing dangerous illegal fireworks. The fireworks were seized and the man was issued a citation and released.
Milpitas couple arrested on human trafficking charges
Submitted by Lieutenant Tyler Jamison, Milpitas PD
A Milpitas husband and wife are in custody at Santa Clara County Jail and facing charges of human trafficking and conspiracy.
The arrest, announced June 9, capped a two-year joint pimping and pandering investigation by detectives from the Milpitas Police Department (MPD) and investigators from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. The couple, identified by MPD as David Davies, 57, and Larong Hu, 38, were arrested on the 100 block of Tiger Lily Drive in Milpitas. They are being held on $350,000 bail.
The investigation began in December 2019 when authorities identified a brothel in Milpitas. During the investigation, detectives located additional brothels elsewhere in Santa Clara County and served search warrants in Milpitas, San Jose and Palo Alto. The investigation resulted in the rescue of six female victims and the seizure of nearly $2 million.
The victims were provided services through Community Solutions, an organization that provides critical services for victims of human trafficking. Also contributing to the investigation were members of the U.S. Department of State — Diplomatic Security Services.
MPD officials are reminding the public that if they are a victim of human trafficking, or know someone who is, they should call 911 or call the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888. Callers can also reach the hotline by texting 233733 to initiate online chats. Human trafficking victims, whether U.S. Citizens or not, are eligible for services including immigration assistance.
Additional services are also available through community and county-based programs, such as: Community Solutions at https://communitysolutions.org.
Editorial
Statistics
“The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice.”
-Mark Twain
In the world of politics, problems and solutions are subject to those who create descriptions and definitions. The public is frequently told what is intended by use of a word or group of words. An often-cited example is “market rate” and “affordable” housing. Categories within the context of each further define their meaning, but fail to uncover micro-regional differences that may tell a completely different story and their impact on affected populations.
When housing developments are approved, a specific plan and cost analysis accompanies preparation. Contingencies are an acceptable provision since the unexpected can, and does, happen with regularity. In some cases, such changes are easily absorbed while in others, they can radically transform initial assumptions. Results typically depend on those defining the circumstance, offering either solutions or impediments to resolution.
A case in point of such a dilemma is the current impasse between the City of Fremont and BMCH California, LLC (dba Century). A portion of the “Parc 55 Project” in the Warm Springs district – approved for up to 81 detached homes and 151 condominium units – is in dispute. The initial Development Agreement between the city and East Warren Park, LLC defined the development as “senior housing.” Century purchased the rights for development of up to 81 detached homes and 151 condominium units. In theory, housing for age 55+ “seniors” could accommodate retired, older people with no school-age children, thereby relieving the surrounding area of additional commuters and increased school impacts. Downsizing from other highly appreciated homes would allow these seniors to purchase “market-rate” units, resulting in significant sales.
As often happens, the Law of Unintended Consequences intervened as the developer found the intended market severely limited, but another group of buyers ready and willing. The project, marketed under a new moniker, “Enclave Senior Housing,” appealed to a different group of buyers since many elderly “seniors” were actually part of multi-generational units, not separated from younger members of the family. As a consequence, the Development Agreement was scrutinized and found, in the developer’s opinion, to allow a change of CC&R (covenants, conditions, and restrictions), permitting younger residents occupancy if a senior – age 55 or older – is “included.”
The City of Fremont had a different opinion, asserting that the Development Agreement forbade any permanent resident except seniors and those over the age of 45. With some units already in the purchase process, retaliation in the form of permit and inspection holds was used as a weapon to delay and halt sale and occupancy.
On to court…
Although heavily debated in Alameda County Superior Court, a preliminary injunction was filed February 3, 2021, allowing occupancy for those who had completed or were in the process of purchasing homes at Enclave Senior Housing. The remainder of the project is currently in limbo as it proceeds though legal determination. A question remains of why a project, submitted to city council for approval, was presented and approved as a market-rate, seniors-only development when the market could not sustain it and language in the Development Agreement was debatable when applied to senior occupancy.
According to court documents, the developer has been successful in their arguments and, in the judge’s opinion, will ultimately prevail. Is this an instance of poor document construction, lack of adequate council oversight or simply happenstance?
Another factor to consider is the definition of “senior citizen.” In 1935, when Social Security began, average life expectancy was 61 years. Now, it is approximately 79 years of age. It’s a moving target; retirement, health and benefits can vary widely. So too can the definition of a family living unit. The median age in the U.S. is approximately 38 years old. Are you considered a senior (older) citizen at 39? So called “Senior Discounts” are available in some instances for those who are 50 years old. Are they “seniors”? Social Security retirement age that began at age 65 has now increased to age 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Maybe it is an appropriate time to investigate lifestyle trends and multi-generational living units when considering zoning and housing requests.
“Numbers never lie, after all: they simply tell different stories depending on the math of the tellers.”
-Luis Alberto Urrea