4th of July Porch Parade

Submitted by Kathy Kimberlin

 

The Fremont 4th of July Parade has always been a celebration of people, non-profits, businesses, organizations, and patriotic traditions, bridging communities in Fremont and beyond. Due to COVID-19, the official 4th of July Parade in Downtown Fremont has been cancelled and replaced with a Porch Parade, inspired by the City of Portland, Oregon.

 

What is the Porch Parade?

 

This 4th of July, the Fremont 4th committee are asking members of the community to celebrate together safely, by decorating their front porches, yards, windows, store fronts. Show your patriotism with the best red, white and blue display; salute our first responders and essential workers; or go wild with your own ideas incorporating our 2020 Parade theme: “One People United.” The purpose of decorating is to unleash your creativity and bring a smile to your friends and neighbors.

 

The Committee will produce a virtual map with the locations of all our registered Porches, so folks can plan a walk, bike or drive around your neighborhood to see and share in the celebration. Remember to practice social distancing, wear a face mask, and avoid caravans. The first 100 entries/registrants will receive a patriotic Fremont 4th Yard Sign. 

 

From Saturday, June 20 until Saturday, July 4, the Fremont 4th of July VIP Judges will drive through select Porch Parade neighborhoods to review the best and most creative porches. There will also be online voting for the community in “The People’s Choice” category. The decorating contest is open to residents/businesses/neighborhoods.

 

Decorating Contest Categories:

• Most Patriotic– Residence/Business property showing the most patriotic spirit
• Most Outstanding Decorations– Best decorations
• People’s Choice Award– Online voting will be provided
• Spirit of Freedom– Inspiring messages
• Neighborhood Spirit– Best decorated property in a particular area of Fremont

 

Additional events throughout the day will include:

• National Anthem Virtual performance
• Flyover by the Beech Boys historic planes
• Facebook Live and pre-recorded segments of fun and entertainment throughout the day

 

Fremont 4th of July Committee Members are: Jesse Schaa, President; Greg Green, Treasurer; Kathy Kimberlin, Secretary; Yogi Chugh, Member, Sponsor Outreach; Steve Coulthard, Co-M.C., Graphic Designer; Brandon Sass, Co-M.C.; Ray Pulver, Event Coordinator.

 

The committee would like to give a shout-out to Fremont 4th Porch Parade Sponsors:

• Fremont Chevrolet, Title Sponsor
• NBC Bay Area and the Tri City Voice, Media Sponsors
• And to all previous sponsors who have helped create a vibrant annual event for everyone.

 

Please visit the Fremont 4th of July website www.fremont4th.org and Facebook page www.facebook.com/Fremont4th for updated information on sponsors and online 4th of July event activities.

 

Fremont 4th of July Porch Parade

Hosted by Fremont 4th of July Parade Committee

June 20 – July 4   

Learn More and Register: fremont4th.org/fremont-porch-parade

 

 

Alameda County Imposes a Countywide Curfew

Submitted by Newark PD

The Alameda County Sheriff proclaimed a Local Emergency and has issued a curfew starting tonight, June 1, 2020. Curfew falls within the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and will continue each night through 5:00 a.m. on June 5th. These acts come after civil unrest, violence, looting, and destruction of property in various cities within Alameda County. A copy of the curfew and declaration of emergency can be found on the Sheriff’s website at www.alamedacountysheriff.org/.

Grab-a-Bagged Lunch will end June 5

Submitted by Fremont Unified Student Store

 

We have finished our 11th week distributing bagged lunches to many impacted students, and we are very thankful for all the support from our community partners, donors, and volunteers. 

 

Our lunch program will be completed by June 5, 2020.

 

The total amount of donations is around $81,500! 
Expense as of this week is about $74,500.  Approx. 18,900 meals have been passed out. 

The schedule for our final week:

• TECO Tea & Coffee (39030 Paseo Padre Pkwy): M-F, 12pm – 2pm
• Subway(1980 Driscoll Road): M-F, 12pm – 1:30pm
• Milk and Honey Cafe(34265 Fremont Blvd): Tu-F, 12pm – 2pm
• Bombay Pizza(4922 Paseo Padre Pkwy): M-F, 12pm – 2pm 
• Curry Pizza(39070 Fremont Blvd): M-F, 12 – 2pm 
• Joe’s Corner(37713 Niles Blvd, #2946): W–F, 12pm – 2pm

 

 

BART expands to Santa Clara County

By Brittany Ung

Photos courtesy of BART

 

Bay Area Rapid Transit will open two new stations in Milpitas and San Jose starting June 13, the first stations to serve Santa Clara County. BART General Manager Robert Powers and Santa Clara Transportation Authority General Manager and CEO Nuria Fernandez announced the opening date at a press event on May 19.

 

“Expanding travel options in one of the Bay Area’s most congested corridors is key to an economic revival,” said BART General Manager Robert Powers. “Connecting Silicon Valley to the rest of the Bay Area will not only beef up our public transportation network but create new opportunities for much-needed housing near transit.”

 

The Milpitas Station will be located at 1755 South Milpitas Boulevard, across the street from the Great Mall. The Berryessa/North San Jose station is at 925 Berryessa Way.

 

After the opening of the two stations, BART will have 50 stations and serve five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara. Riders can go from Milpitas to the Embarcadero Station in San Francisco in 60 minutes, and from the Berryessa Station to Embarcadero in 65 minutes.

 

Because both are located in Santa Clara County, BART worked with the Santa Clara County VTA on the project. VTA owns the infrastructure, while BART operates and maintains the system.

 

The 10-mile, two-station extension to BART is part of a larger initiative to connect the Silicon Valley with the rest of the Bay Area via BART. In 2001, VTA and BART agreed on the 16-mile BART Silicon Valley Extension, with the goal of extending service further south and alleviating traffic on I-880 and I-680. A major investment study at the time looked at 11 transit alternatives and determined BART to be the best solution carrying the most people, said VTA spokeswoman Bernice Alaniz in an email.

 

“Santa Clara County is the heart of Silicon Valley and major employment centers are located in the County,” Alaniz said. “The 10-mile Berryessa Extension provides a transit alternative to the highly-congested I-880 and I-680 Commute Corridor.”

 

The Silicon Valley Extension is being completed in phases, the first of which included the Warm Springs/South Fremont station that opened in March 2017. VTA broke ground on the Berryessa and Milpitas extension in April 2012. The project was originally supposed to open in summer 2018, but was pushed back to December 2019, then to an unspecified date in 2020, before BART and VTA announced the June 13 opening date. Alaniz said the delays were caused by several factors, most related to communications equipment.

 

Now, the last step before the stations open on June 13 is approval from the California Public Utilities Commission. BART’s press release and Alaniz both said VTA and BART have been working closely with CPUC to prepare for certification.

 

VTA and BART now move on to the next phase of the Silicon Valley transit project: a six-mile extension with four stations that go from the Berryessa Station to the city of Santa Clara. The extension is in the design and engineering process, and is expected to begin construction in 2022, according to VTA’s website.

 

The Berryessa and Milpitas extension, $2.3 billion project, was funded by county, state and federal transit grants and taxes. In November 2000, Santa Clara County voters approved half-cent sales tax dedicated to specified public transit projects, which provided $1.07 billion, roughly half the cost of the project. California’s Traffic Congestion Relief Program, a state program created in 2000 to fund transportation projects that relieve congestion and improve traffic mobility, supplied an additional $363 million. The Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts Program for transit capital investments provided $900 million.

 

In May of 2020, BART has been experiencing ridership between 89% and 93% below its baseline expectations. The transit system has been reduced service due to the shelter-in-place order and decreased ridership, with trains running every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 20 minutes and every 24 minutes on weekends.

 

Prior to the COVID-19 virus, opening day ridership for the two newest stations was projected at 23,000, Alaniz said.

 

On weekdays, Berryessa Station’s first train heading north will depart at 4:48 a.m. and arrive at the Milpitas Station at 4:52 a.m. The last train heading south will depart Milpitas Station at 10:51 p.m. and arrive at Berryessa Station at 10:56 p.m. For full transit schedules, visit BART’s website at bart.gov/schedules.

Local health centers merge to form Bay Area Community Health

Submitted by Connor Ramey

 

On June 1, Foothill Community Health Center (FCHC) and Tri-City Health Center (TCHC) merged to create Bay Area Community Health, one of the largest federally qualified health centers in Northern California.

 

The merger comes from a management relationship between the two health center organizations, which started in late 2019. TCHC provides healthcare services in Southern Alameda County and FCHC provides healthcare services in Santa Clara County. Bay Area Community Health (BACH) will provide healthcare to residents from Union City to Gilroy.

 

Patients will not have any changes to their provider or care. Instead, they may notice subtle improvements to the clinic space and operations. All FCHC’s and TCHC’s existing relationships with local organizations and stakeholders will be maintained. The new organization will have a new website and logo (incorporating both Tri-City’s and Foothill’s history).

 

 

Census art contest accepting submissions

Submitted by City of Hayward

 

City of Hayward, Hayward Unified School District, and Chabot College are inviting residents to create and to submit artwork to help promote participation in the 2020 U.S. Census. The Hayward Counts Census Art Contest is a new way the community can work together to increase the response rate to the 2020 Census questionnaire—from the current approximately 60 percent of Hayward households to ideally 100 percent.

 

To participate in the contest, submit artwork that is visually fun and colorful, shows Hayward pride, and conveys the importance of completing the 2020 Census questionnaire. The theme is “Our Community Counts, Our Community Belongs.” Up to 12 winners will receive $100 each, and the winning art will be printed on lawn signs to be posted throughout the city. Winners will be selected across four age categories and three language categories.

 

Art submissions are due by Friday, June 12. To learn more about the contest and to submit art work, visit www.hayward-ca.gov/content/hayward-counts-census-art-contest.

 

Hayward Census Art Contest

Submission Deadline: Friday, Jun 12

www.hayward-ca.gov/content/hayward-counts-census-art-contest

Open to all ages

 

 

Salvage historic materials from former Centerville Fire Station

Submitted by City of Fremont

 

SiliconSage Builders, owner of the fire station building in the Centerville Community Plan Area, is offering salvageable materials in the fire house, including materials that may be deemed as historic, to the public at no cost through June 25. Parties who enter the fire house to remove materials must bring their own tools or equipment and proceed at their own risk.

 

The offer to donate salvageable materials is in fulfillment of a Mitigation Measure of SiliconSage Builder’s mixed-use project that was approved by the City Council on March 19.

 

Due to current “Shelter in Place” order, the public can’t visit the fire station at this time. Salvageable material will be given on the first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested, call Shaivali Desai of SiliconSage Builders at (408) 630-0923. For the link to see the pictures of salvageable materials, visit www.fremont.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1772.

 

Fire Station (Centerville Community Plan Area)

37412 Fremont Blvd

(408) 630-0923

www.fremont.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1772

 

 

June events light up Space and Science Center

Submitted by Chabot Space and Science Center

 

While the center is closed, Chabot Space is continuing their tradition of offering fun science-related events for the public. In June, they will be taking a closer look at the moon, and a trip back in time, among telescope viewings and a talk with Chabot astronomers.

 

Register for events on Chabot Space and Science Center’s Facebook page. (You can also see a complete event list at https://chabotspace.org/events/events-listing/.

 

Let’s party under the full moon!

Friday, Jun 5

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

 

Join us on Facebook Live for a mash-up of moon-themed activities! We’re bringing together our Moon rocks, one-of-a-kind lunar telescope images, astronomers and more. With a full, bright moon on Friday night, this is the perfect time for a lunar celebration.

 

Look forward to:

• A closer look at Chabot’s TWO real moon rocks
• Making your own moon rock at home
• Moon trivia
• Q&A with Chabot’s astronomers
• Stories about the lore of the moon
• Stunning lunar images from Chabot’s own telescopes

 

Take a look back through more than 135 years of Oakland history!
Friday, Jun 12
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Chabot Space & Science Center has very old roots in Oakland and the East Bay, and no fewer than three incarnations as a student/public observatory and science education center. Now celebrating the 20th anniversary at its present location on the skyline of the Oakland Hills, the institution as a whole turns 137 this year. This presentation will trace and illustrate the rich and interesting history of an observatory that was, from its inception, dedicated to educating the public about science and the universe.

 

What’s happening in the sky this month?
Friday, Jun 19
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Join Chabot’s astronomers, with Gerald McKeegan & Don Saito on Facebook Live for a short tour of the nighttime sky. Learn to recognize many of this month’s constellations and bright stars, and even learn a little about celestial navigation!

 

Free telescope viewings are back!
Every Saturday
9:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Join our resident astronomers on Facebook Live every Saturday evening live from Chabot’s Observation deck! Each week, astronomers will guide us through spectacular night sky viewing through Nellie, Chabot‘s most powerful telescope. Weather permitting, we will be able to view objects live through the telescopes and our astronomers will be available for an open forum for all of your most pressing astronomy questions.

 

While these events are free, please consider making a donation so we can continue to create engaging STEM programming while we’re closed. Our institution hosts and maintains the largest observatory complex free for public viewing in the Western United States. Any amount counts!

 

Special projects for kids are available on Chabot Space’s Learning Launchpad at https://chabotspace.org/education/learning-launchpad/.

 

www.chabotspace.org

 

 

 

Chanticleers Theatre postpones remainder of 2020 season until 2021

Submitted by Steve Wilner

 

Chanticleers Theatre (“Chanticleers”) announced May 27 that the remaining shows of the 2020 Season will be rescheduled to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Foreigner, The Bridges of Madison County, and Mamma Mia will now be presented in 2021 as follows:

 

Chanticleers Theatre 2021 Season:

 

1. The Bridges of Madison County, previously rescheduled to open in October 2020, will now be presented April 16, 2021 – May 16, 2021.
2. Mamma Mia, previously rescheduled to open in February 2021, will now be presented July 16, 2021 – August 15, 2021.
3. The Foreigner, previously scheduled to open in July 2020, will now be presented October 15. 2021 – November 7, 2021.

 

NOTE: This schedule is pending approval by the royalty houses and, of course, the situation with the virus.

 

Jacklyn L. Wilferd, Ph.D., President of the Chanticleers Board of Directors, released the following statement: “As we have throughout this pandemic, our first thoughts are for the health and wellbeing of you and yours. The health and safety of the entire Chanticleers’ family – audience members, staff, creative teams, performers, and volunteers – is of the utmost importance to us”

 

Wilfred went on to say, “If possible, we do plan to create some art for you during the remainder of 2020 and early 2021. We are exploring some options to present a small cast, one act show and/or a cabaret style show likely offered via online streaming. We are already in touch with the royalty houses and some groundwork is underway for these offerings. Please watch for further information and support us in these endeavors if at all possible.

 

All of us at Chanticleers want to thank you for your patience and please know how much we appreciate your support. And, when the situation allows, we hope that you will not only see our shows but also support the wide range of theatre available here in the Bay Area. All theatre companies are struggling to get back on our feet and we all need your support now more than ever.”

 

Season ticket (Flex Pass) holders and individual ticket holders are encouraged to visit the website, https://chanticleers.org/ , for details regarding our ticketing and refund policies.

 

 

City of Fremont Announces Local Citywide Curfew

Submitted by Alameda County Emergency Services

 

Fremont, Calif. –June 1, 2020–In response to civil unrest activities in Fremont and neighboring cities, the City of Fremont has instituted a curfew which will apply to all people within the City of Fremont from June 1, 2020 through June 8, 2020, from the hours of 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The curfew requires that people be indoors and not in the streets, parks, or other public places within the city of Fremont.

 

The following road closures are in effect during the dates and times of the curfew order:

 

Road Closures – Pacific Commons: • Christy Street, south of Auto Mall • Pacific Commons Blvd, from Auto Mall to Bunche Drive • Boscell Rd, from Auto Mall to Bunche Drive • Cushing Parkway, from Auto Mall to Bunche Drive (both directions) • Nobel Drive, from Auto Mall to Bunche Drive

 

Enforcement: The City of Fremont will not tolerate criminal activity or hazards to public safety. The Fremont Police Department along with other law enforcement authorities cooperating with the City will be enforcing this curfew. A violation of the curfew may be punishable as a misdemeanor in accordance with state law or pursuant to Fremont Municipal Code Chapter 1.15. The curfew may also be enforced through the issuance of administrative citations pursuant to Fremont Municipal Code Chapter 1.20.

 

The following are exempt from the curfew and this Order: • Law enforcement personnel, firefighters, first responders, emergency health care providers, civilians engaged in responding to the emergency • Individuals traveling to and from work • Persons impacted by homelessness • Authorized representatives of a news service, newspaper, radio or television station or network.

 

In order to keep Fremont’s emergency phone lines available for those in need please only dial 911 in an emergency or if you are witnessing a crime in progress. The non-emergency number 510-790-6800 x 3 is available to report non-urgent matters requiring police assistance, such as suspicious activity or to report a non-urgent crime that has already occurred. General questions regarding police services or to report tips, can be emailed to fremontpolice@fremont.gov.

 

The City of Fremont will provide updates utilizing multiple communication platforms: • Nixle will be the Fremont Police Department’s primary communication tool. Sign up at www.Nixle.com or text your zip code to 888-777.

 

 

California cities considering fall ballot measures to fund COVID-19, climate & health emergencies

Submitted by Carol Drake

 

Some cities in California are considering a November ballot measure to increase the utility user tax on large commercial natural gas users that would assist cities facing COVID-19 financial problems, and climate and health emergencies, according to the statewide climate coalition today.

 

Cities that include, but not limited to, Richmond, San Francisco, Oakland and Fremont are studying the coordinated placement of local city measures on the November 2020 ballot.

 

The coalition says it is urgent for cities to begin considering the measure by June 15 and to vote to place it on the ballot by no later than July 30 to make deadlines for the November elections.

 

For more information, visit: https://sfbaycrc.org/health-covid-19-climatetaxballot/

 

 

Curfew declared in San Leandro

Submitted by San Leandro PD

 

Due to civil unrest that has occurred in San Leandro and across the East Bay region, the City of San Leandro has declared a local State of Emergency.

Under the State of Emergency, the City has instituted a mandatory nightly curfew that remains in effect from Monday June 1st through Monday morning, June 8th, unless it is rescinded.  The curfew will be in effect each evening from 6:00 pm. through 5:00 a.m. the following morning. 

All residents are directed to stay home during the designated curfew hours except for emergency responders and health care providers, those seeking urgent medical care, those traveling to and from work, those who are unsheltered and credentialed representatives of the news media.

 

 

Local health center receives emergency grant

Submitted by Rose Padilla Johnson

 

Davis Street Community Center announced an infusion of $50,000 in emergency grant funding from the medical aid organization Direct Relief, in partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers. Davis Street will use the funds to help continue to run the essential safety-net services of the Primary Care Clinic to address and help those most vulnerable during these challenging times. The community center in San Leandro was among 518 federally qualified health centers to receive funding through Direct Relief’s $25 million COVID-19 Fund for Community Health.

 

Davis Street Community Center

3081 Teagarden St., San Leandro

(510) 347-4620

www.davisstreet.org

 

 

Regional Parks Update

By Dennis Waespi

East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors

 

In line with mandates from the state and the two counties that it serves, East Bay Regional Park District is taking a gradual approach to lifting restrictions that were imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond has reopened. The point was a favorite with dog owners, because dogs could run off-leash there, although they must normally be leashed in more developed parklands. However, at newly reopened Point Isabel, dogs must now be on leash. In fact, for the present, they are supposed to be on leash everywhere in all regional parks.

 

Closer to home, Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont remained closed at the start of June. Sunol/Ohlone Regional Wilderness south of I-680 is open, but the visitor center is closed. The Stanford Avenue staging area at Mission Peak Regional Preserve was closed at least through May 31 at the request of the City of Fremont. The peak can still be accessed from a parking lot and trailhead at nearby Ohlone College. Coyote Hills Regional Park is open, though the visitor center is closed. Alameda Creek Regional Trail is open from the hills to the bay.

 

For up-to-date information on the status of all the regional parks, visit www.ebparks.org, and click on “COVID-19 Park & Trail Updates” at the top of the home page.

 

Although park district visitor centers are closed, district naturalists have been busy producing a whole series of enjoyable videos about natural history topics. These videos are great for general information and can also supplement education that kids would normally experience at school. One series of videos, “Songs and Stories,” is especially designed for younger children. To access the videos, visit www.ebparks.org/digitallearning. You can learn how to play “Bat and Moth” with your kids, adapted from “Marco Polo.”

 

Below are few tips to make your visit more enjoyable, whether to Mission Peak or other parklands:

• Please abide by all parking restrictions. Citations are expensive.
• Be considerate of park neighbors and other park visitors. Hike or ride only with immediate family members and maintain at least a six-foot distance. Bring a mask.
• Carry plenty of water. At Mission Peak, it is a steep climb to the top, and there is not a lot of shade.
• Do not forget water for your dog. Dogs wear permanent fur coats and can become dangerously ill in hot weather.
• Pack out your trash. By the way, citrus peels do not biodegrade rapidly, so please do not scatter them around.

 

With only a few exceptions, almost all regional parks are open for hiking and riding because outdoor exercise is considered critical to physical and mental health, especially during this stressful time. So, take advantage of the nearby parklands while respecting the safety of other visitors. I will hope to see you out on the trails.

 

 

Business Pulse Check – DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment

By Madhvika Singh

Photos courtesy of DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment

 

Social distancing, shelter-in-place and quarantine used to be things we rarely heard of, and only in extreme emergencies, but now they seem to have become the norm. They have affected our social fabric and our livelihoods and have severely impacted the financial wellbeing of our local businesses and their employees. We at Tri-City Voice have featured many local businesses over time, and we reached out to some of them to share their perspective on how they have been affected and how they are coping with the new reality of COVID-19.

 

This is part of an ongoing series with a new business or businesses featured each week, including both those that have appeared in the paper before and those who are appearing for the first time.

 

 

DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment has been providing mobile DJ services all over the San Francisco bay area since 2001. Just like any other year, they had their schedule full in 2020, until COVID-19 and the associated shelter-in-place guidelines came into effect. Because of current social distancing requirements and restrictions on gatherings, DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment has ceased all operations. All their upcoming events for the next few months have either been cancelled or postponed indefinitely.

 

Alex Reyes, owner of DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment, shared how his small business has been coping with the COVID-19 situation. He has been in constant touch with his clients to help them reschedule their events to a later date at no additional cost. “We have been very flexible and understanding during this difficult time, because safety of our clients is our highest priority,” says Reyes. He is encouraging all his clients (or anyone else interested) to sign up for his newsletter at https://squareup.com/outreach/BQPat3/subscribe to stay updated.

 

Reyes started his business when he was just 14. His parents emigrated from Mexico and his father Manuel Reyes has been a radio personality since 1984 for the Spanish-speaking community in the Bay Area. Reyes credits his father for inspiring him to be what he is today, teaching him ins and outs of the industry, and business and legal skills critical to running a successful business. On why he chose this profession, Reyes shared, “I wanted to make a name for a living, and I wanted to be out there in the field. If I had not been an entertainer, I would have been a pilot or a doctor.”

 

While the audience at his events may only remember having a fun time, hosting an event can take months of hard work. Coordinating logistics, putting out promotions, working with organizers to understand the spirit behind the occasion, and creating the appropriate vibe require diligence and careful planning. “I keep myself engaged in learning new tricks of the trade and aspire to excel at what I do,” says Reyes. Among the marquee local events Reyes has hosted are the Fremont 4th of July Parade, Fremont Candlelight Ghost House, and Niles Festival of Lights Parade.

 

DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment has over 100,000 songs in their music library and specializes in many events including birthday parties, block parties, community events, school functions, fundraisers and corporate events. With music ranging from salsa to hip-hop and merengue to banda he can play it all. “I can keep the party going, and we never play music with profanity or racial slurs.” Reyes shared.

 

Reyes has cerebral palsy, and despite his disability he has been able to run a successful business. He feels truly proud of himself and his accomplishments. DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment was graced with an award in June 2017 from the Newark Chamber of Commerce for small business of the year and a certificate of appreciation from California State Assemblymember Fiona Ma & Senator Bob Wieckowski.

 

The current restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant impact on his business and his family. He and his two sisters, Emily & Ivana, have had to file for unemployment benefits to support the family. Looking to the future, Reyes’ says, “I love to travel and hang out with my friends and enjoy the outdoors and I hope we can get back to normal soon. We are all in this together for the long haul so we must adapt to the new normal until then.” In that community spirit, we at TCV wish DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment the very best as we all navigate the current environment, and may the coming time bring success and splendor to every beat he plays!

 

DJ Alex Reyes Entertainment

Phone (510) 754-5383

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djalexreyes/

Twitter: @djalexreyes

Instagram: @djalexreyes

 

Through the business pulse series our intent at TCV is to lend a platform to local businesses share their stories. In these trying times let's hope we can develop a shared bond and come out at the other end stronger as a community to deal with challenges that future might have in store for us.

 

 

EARTHTALK

 

By Michael Benedetto

 

Dear EarthTalk: A friend’s dad said it was such a shame that video gaming causes so much global warming, but I don’t see the connection.

— Jake, Windham, Vermont

 

The connection between video gaming and climate change is mostly about energy use. In short, the huge growth in gaming, and the inefficiency of the consoles from the major manufacturers like Microsoft and Sony, has led to a surge in electricity demand associated with kids’ enjoyment of Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox and other popular gaming platforms.

 

The first video games came out in the 1950s, but their popularity has increased exponentially since then with the advent of better computer graphics and processing. What’s more, when technology in recent years enabled mobile gaming to be set in motion, the industry’s potential skyrocketed. In 2018, the revenue for gaming products in the United States was $18.4 billion; industry analysts expect the figure to be closer to $230 billion a year by 2022.

 

But this popularity doesn’t come without an environmental price. For starters, the mass production of boxed video games — the kind that come on CDs or DVDs and which you load into your computer or console — generates tons and tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading greenhouse gas. Researchers have found that ~0.39 kilograms of carbon dioxide are released into surrounding airspace with the production of each single boxed game. While less than half a kilogram of pollution doesn’t seem like much, it adds up when you figure in how many individual games are produced. In the last year alone, the production of just one popular new Xbox and PlayStation game, FIFA 20, led to the emission of almost 600,000 kilograms of CO2, roughly equivalent to the energy needed to run 100 cars for a year.

 

The carbon emissions linked to video gaming don’t just end at production. Once the game is purchased, it requires a gaming console to actually play it; these consoles are especially energy-inefficient. Certain gaming devices such as the Xbox Series X produce 0.07 kilograms of CO2 for every hour played.

 

Another way that video gaming contributes to the climate crisis is that there are a multitude of ubiquitous games that have extensive “play times,” squandering substantial quantities of energy. Popular video games such as “Assassin’s Creed” and “Grand Theft Auto V” can take upwards of 35 hours to complete — and that’s just the main storyline, disregarding free play and extra “missions.” The average gamer will use more kilowatt hours of energy in a year than an energy-efficient washing machine. Meanwhile, heavy gamers consume almost three times as many kilowatt hours annually as typical moderate users.

 

But eco-conscious gamers (and parents) can be happy that Sony, Microsoft, and other console makers are streamlining production processes to align with wider efforts to curb CO2 emissions, and consumers can expect future iterations of Xbox and PlayStation to use less electricity compared to current models. Likewise, most new games are available for digital download these days which spares the packaging and shipping — and related greenhouse gas emissions — of individual CDs and their plastic-wrapped boxes.

 

EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

 

 

Take a hike! Oh, and bring the family…

by David R. Newman

 

Now is the perfect time to get out and explore the many outdoor gems the East Bay has to offer. Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, and with it, the official start of summer. To celebrate, here’s a list of family friendly hikes to help you fight those quarantine blues…

 

San Leandro

Heron Bay – This marshy strip of land makes up part of the San Leandro shoreline. It’s open and beautiful, with a wide paved trail that leads north all the way to the San Leandro Marina and southward gravel trails that meander through the marsh and eventually connect with the Hayward Regional Shoreline. Perfect for bikes, joggers, walkers, and dogs. As part of the Bay Trail, the views of the bay are amazing, especially during low tide when birds fan out along the wet sand to feast.

14010 Neptune Dr, San Leandro (take Lewelling Blvd west to Bayfront Drive)

 

Castro Valley

Fairmont Ridge – When you mention hiking in Castro Valley, most people think of Lake Chabot. But there is a lesser known area just above the lake to the west called the Fairmont Ridge Staging Area that dog lovers flock to. It’s a simple paved road that follows the ridge for a few miles, ending in a small grove of trees that embrace the Alameda County Children’s Memorial. Views are fantastic, with a sweeping vista of the bay to the west, and a bird’s eye view of Lake Chabot to the east. If you’re feeling adventurous, try one of the smaller dirt trails that break off from the main road and meander through the rolling terrain, sometimes past grazing cattle. Part of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRP).

2601 Fairmont Dr, San Leandro

 

Hayward

Garin Regional Park – A beautiful park in the Hayward Hills with several trails and some wonderful picnic spots. It’s right next to Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park, and in fact some of the trails connect. There’s something for everyone here, from ridge trails with jaw-dropping views of the bay, to winding creek trails, to serene flat pathways, to challenging slopes covered with wildflowers. (EBRP)

1320 Garin Ave, Hayward (access also available off of Ziele Creek Drive)

 

Sunol

Little Yosemite – The Sunol Regional Wilderness is a vast, well, wilderness, covering acres of land. It’s a little remote compared to the other hikes listed here. The Canyon View Trail leads from the visitor center to Little Yosemite, a scenic canyon with small waterfalls. It’s a nice hike, but a tad grueling. For an easier route, just follow Camp Ohlone Road from the parking lot. The star here is the Alameda Creek, at times wide and shallow, while at other times babbling and gushing. (EBRP)

1895 Geary Road, Sunol

 

Union City

Alameda Creek Regional Trail – Yes, it’s the Alameda Creek again, but this time in a tamer environment. Follow the channel behind rows of houses on a flat, paved road that’s perfect for a family escape. Go far enough and you’ll reach Coyote Hills to the west, or Quarry Lakes to the east. (EBRP)

There are several access points; parking is available behind the library at 34007 Alvarado-Niles Road, Union City

 

Fremont

Central Park/Lake Elizabeth – Located in the heart of Fremont, this is the perfect place to unwind. Whether you follow one of the paved paths by bike or simply want to stroll the grounds with your dog, now is a great time to enjoy this area when the crowds are away.

40000 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont – parking at Sailway Drive

 

Newark

Coyote Hills Regional Park – A few rolling hills surrounded on all sides by marshland, this is a wonderful place to explore. The trails are easy and most are paved. A trek up to the top does not take long at all and will give you a nice view of the bay. There are also interesting rock formations and an Ohlone village site out along the marsh. (EBRP)

8000 Patterson Ranch Road, Fremont

 

Milpitas

Ed R. Levin County Park – This is a huge family friendly park with many trails, a few ponds, and scenic views throughout. As it’s located in the hills behind Milpitas, many don’t realize it’s there, which may be why it never seems that crowded. A range of trail lengths allow you to take a pleasant ramble or challenge yourself to a more strenuous hike. Part of the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department.

3100 Calaveras Road, Milpitas

 

When visiting any of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRP), remember these guidelines:

• Wear cloth face coverings/masks as recommended by the CDC.
• Maintain 6 feet social distance from other park users.
• NO picnicking, gatherings, or meetups (stay with your own household)
• PACK OUT YOUR TRASH.
• Keep dogs ON LEASH at ALL times
• Bring water and hand sanitizer. Water fountains in parks are temporarily closed to stem the spread of virus.
• Park vehicles properly, safely, and respect park neighbors and park staff. Do not block driveways, roadways, emergency exits, or service access roads. Parking restrictions will be enforced.

 

Also, remember to wear sunscreen and a hat!

 

What are you waiting for? Get out and explore nature. As Yogi Berra once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!”

 

As of this writing, all restrooms near trail access are open. For more park info and COVID-19 updates, visit ebparks.org

 

 

Park It

By Ned MacKay

 

Although many regional park operational restrictions continue in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district reopened Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond as of June 1.

 

Reopening comes with the restriction that dogs must always be on leash, although previously Point Isabel has been an off-leash park. In fact, until further notice, dogs are supposed to be on leash everywhere in all the regional parks. This is because off-leash dogs tend to congregate, which means that the owners end up congregating as well, resulting in a social distance of less than six feet. Remember also that the maximum number of dogs allowed per person is three, unless you are a professional dog walker who has purchased a permit. In that case the maximum is six.

 

In other news, the park district swim program managers are working on a social distancing plan that would allow reopening of the swimming beaches and pools. That probably will not occur until early to mid-July, depending of course on the success of anti-coronavirus measures in general.

 

All park district visitor centers remain closed, and in-person and naturalist-led programs are cancelled. However, the naturalists have put together a whole series of informative and entertaining video programs on a variety of natural history topics. You can view them all at www.ebparks.org.

 

The website also has up-to-date information on which parks and trails are open or closed. You can download a map of the park you are planning to visit.

 

Besides the visitor centers, closures include Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Steam Train, and merry-go-round, all at Tilden Regional Park; Ardenwood Historic Farm; and some trailheads.

 

However, almost all trails are open for hiking, horseback riding, and bicycling (bicycles only on wider trails, please). The regional inter-park trails are open, such as Iron Horse, Contra Costa Canal, and Delta de Anza trails in Contra Costa County, and the Alameda Creek Regional Trail in Fremont. These are all popular, so everyone should practice courtesy and share the road. Masks are recommended, especially for trail users who are exercising vigorously. The bicycle speed limit is 15 miles per hour; you can always go slower when it’s crowded.

 

As of this writing, the weather is turning warmer. So here are some tips for summertime activities in the regional parks and elsewhere:

 

• It’s better to visit in the morning, before the heat of the day, or late afternoon when the air has cooled off a bit.
• Although many toilets have reopened, it’s best to “go before you go.”
• Bring an ample water supply. Drinking fountains may not be operating, and once you are away from the trailheads, there are no sources of potable water. Dogs need water, too. A one-gallon plastic bag makes a good, lightweight drinking bowl.
• Don’t forget sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. Nothing spoils a day in the great outdoors like sunburn. Make sure the kids are adequately sun-protected, too.
• As mentioned earlier, download a map of the park you plan to visit. If you forgot to do so, maps are available at information panels at the trailheads. Use the map to keep track of where you are.
• Hike with a companion — a family member during the coronavirus emergency. That way if there’s a problem, one of you can go for help. If you hike or ride alone, tell someone responsible where you are going and when you plan to return. When you return, let them know you are safely home.
• Cattle are not aggressive but can react if they feel threatened. If you encounter grazing cattle, be sure your dog is securely leashed. Don’t let your dog chase the animals. If they are blocking the trail, approach slowly, and allow them to move away. Don’t get between a cow and her calf.
• The emergency number for police and fire is 911.

 

 

Editorial

Stasis

 

For decades, we have danced on the precipice between peaceful coexistence and riotous rebellion. Sparks have continuously been struck resulting in sporadic and limited response, but major issues of race, education, gun safety and inequality briefly surface and then subside. Public outrage is swiftly replaced by regulatory complacency resulting in inaction and deferral to future generations and governments. This condition of limbo is a tenuous purgatory that cannot be sustained. At some point, the delicate balance is disrupted with severe consequences. Challenges of COVID-19, resulting in economic collapse and psychological trauma combined with continued judicial inequalities, have pushed many residents past the edge of tolerance. What we do now will have long term consequences for many generations to come.

 

The Gathering Storm (published in 1948), by Winston Churchill, spoke of the prelude to World War II. He writes about the period following World War I and events prior to the outbreak of subsequent hostilities between Britain and Germany leading to World War II. There were plenty of signs of an impending crisis, but many chose to disregard them. Confronting a series of economic challenges and xenophobic attitudes was considered alarmist and uncomfortable to contemplate. Instead, retreat to past practices and attitudes reigned until the reality of events could no longer be ignored. History can be a great teacher only if we pay attention.

 

Writers and filmmakers have also noted the relationship between those in power, inaction and condoned inequality, leading to disastrous results. In 1975, the film, Rollerball, written by William Harrison, James Caan stars as Jonathan E., team captain and veteran star of the Houston Rollerball team. The Rollerball games were designed to divert the masses from introspection and investigation of corporate greed and control. Jonathan, overwhelmingly popular, represents a threat to the suppression of individual thought and action. Is his subsequent victory a blow to the corporate/government power complex or popular fixation on a new powerful dictator?

 

A similar theme can be found in the subsequent 1987 film, The Running Man, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Based on a short story by Stephen King, the premise is that in 2017, following a worldwide economic collapse, a totalitarian United States retains control of the population using a reality show in which convicted criminals fight for their lives and a chance for a pardon (sound familiar?). Again, the protagonist, Ben Richards, fights against powerful elite who divert public attention from their misdeeds by providing macabre entertainment.

 

In today’s reality, the recent murder of George Floyd in Milwaukee in the midst of a pandemic is just one of a series of overreactions by a handful of law enforcement officers in an era of uncertainty, divisiveness and mixed signals from different levels of government. While not representative of many others in law enforcement, it is indicative of the deeply-rooted problem of racism in our country. Local officials and public safety officers find themselves in a difficult position when each level of government is operating independently and offering diverse – sometimes opposing – rules and guidelines. In such circumstances, the lure of retreat or stasis is compelling. The thought of turning away from cacophony toward strict control and perceived peace is an alluring but false promise. Security is not imposed by force of others, rather a contract between the governed and elected officials. If that bond is broken or frayed, the result is a chaotic attempt to regain control without consent. It doesn’t work!

 

Too often we have opted for the status quo when, in reality, it propels us backward toward continuation of an unsatisfactory. It’s time to move forward with a comprehensive and impartial strategy, using fair tactics that treat all with equal strength and compassion. Our local and regional officials know this and try to put it into practice. Will other levels of government follow their lead?

 

 

Ethos Prep offers summer classes in speech and debate

Submitted by Ethos Prep

 

In the tough times of COVID-19, we at Ethos Prep, realized a problem — summer programs would be cancelled and many students would be left without activities. So, we sought to rectify this with our online summer programs in speech and debate, taught by award-winning instructors.

 

Debate is a formative event, perfect for encouraging confidence, public speaking skills, and improvisation. Speech works to build a student’s creativity, encouraging them to think outside the box and consider problems from a different mindset. Together, they help students tackle life in a creative fashion.

 

We offer summer programs in all speech events, Public Forum debate, and Lincoln Douglas debate as well. With three different weeklong summer programs, you can pair whatever course option you would like with whichever days you are available. Classes start June 15 and continue through July 11. We also offer an “on-call” service where students may choose private coaching.

 

A college board is scheduled for June 13, where students from multiple prestigious colleges, including UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, UChicago, and UC Berkeley will speak about their experiences in college as well as the application process. Sign-ups for this event are available on our website at www.ethosprep.org under the registration tab for the college board.

 

All of our profits are to be donated to the organization Teaching for America. Please feel free to email us at ethospreparatory@gmail.com for any questions.

 

Online speech and debate camps

June 15 – June 20

June 22 – June 27

July 6 – July 11

Two-hour classes; times vary

www.ethosprep.org

Registration: $250

(Sibling and referral discounts available)

 

 

Facebook to pay moderators $52M for psychological damages

AP Wire Service

May 12

 

Facebook has agreed to pay $52 million to its content moderators whose job has them viewing graphic and disturbing posts and videos on its platforms.

 

In a 2018 lawsuit, third-party contractors for the company said that Facebook failed to properly protect them against severe psychological and other injuries that can result from repeated exposure to graphic material such as child sexual abuse, beheadings, terrorism, animal cruelty and other disturbing images.

 

The settlement grants U.S. moderators who were part of the class action lawsuit $1,000 each. Those who have been diagnosed with conditions related to their work will be able to get medical treatment and damages of up to $50,000, according to the preliminary settlement filed in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Mateo.

 

In a statement, Facebook said it is “grateful to the people who do this important work to make Facebook a safe environment for everyone. We're committed to providing them additional support through this settlement and in the future.”

 

 

Fremont graduates earn state recognition

Submitted by Brian Killgore

 

Officials from the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) are congratulating the special accomplishments of some of its students in the graduating Class of 2020. Among its high school seniors, 1,195 graduates will receive the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma. Of FUSD’s 2,455-member senior class, nearly one-half will receive this unique recognition.

 

Issued by the California Department of Education each spring, the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma was established in 1997 to provide recognition to public school graduates who have demonstrated a superior level of performance in English, mathematics, science, and U.S. History on Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments, course grades, and/or results from assessments produced by private providers.

 

In addition to the Golden State Seal Merit, 487 FUSD seniors qualified to receive the State Seal of Biliteracy. In 2012, California was the first state in the nation to create this program, and it has since been emulated across the country, recognizing high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in languages other than English. This year’s graduates earned the awards in American Sign Language, Chinese, French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Tamil.

 

Both the Golden State Seal and the Seal of Biliteracy are unique gold-embossed insignias affixed to each qualifying student’s diploma. Students earning these accolades will receive special recognition in the form of the official insignia on their high school diplomas as well as on their transcripts.

 

“Congratulations to all our students for these impressive accomplishments, and thanks to the State of California for creating these valuable programs helping to prepare graduates for a rapidly-changing world,” said FUSD Acting Superintendent, Dr. Raúl Zamora. “Our District and those around the state take great pride in seeing these students leave school ready to communicate with businesses, educators and leaders from around the world.

 

 

Mayor Touts Fremont’s Response

By Johnna M. Laird

Photo courtesy of City of Fremont Facebook page

 

Around the East Bay Area, local leaders are stepping up to take care of their city’s ongoing needs during the evolving pandemic. We’ve reached out to our mayors from Hayward, San Leandro, Union City, Newark, Fremont, and Milpitas to get updates on the state of their city and how the daily experience of performing their duties looks different under the normal.

 

This week we’re checking in with Lily Mei, Mayor of Fremont.

 

Being first in a category carries distinction, but also responsibility as success or failure has implications for those who follow. Doubly distinguished as Fremont’s first female and first Asian American mayor, Lily Mei has become Fremont’s first mayor to navigate sheltering in place during a pandemic with crushing implications for local, regional and national economies.

 

“As the first, you don’t want to crash the car!” she says, jokingly, but with more than a little truth. “You want to be super diligent.” Mei has worked through the pandemic without a day off since the Bay Area’s stay-at-home order began in mid-March. By late May, she had worked more than 70 days without a break.

 

Mother’s Day had promised a few hours of respite, but Tesla’s announcement that it would reopen its manufacturing plant, defying Alameda County Public Health Department’s order, removed that possibility. Tesla employs about 10,000 workers.

 

Instead, Mei stopped to wave and chat to her mother from outside. She then spent the next 12 hours at city hall. A member of the sandwich generation (which balances elder and child care), she had earlier dropped off food to her mother-in-law recovering from cancer. Amid Tesla telephone calls and discussions, there was a call from her mother, whose dementia prevented her from remembering that Mei had stopped by earlier.

 

For Mei there was no time to weigh priorities; city business took precedence, especially since manufacturing plays a key role in Fremont’s vitality, employing one of every four workers in the city. More than 40 clean tech manufacturing plants operate in Fremont, along with 115 biomedical facilities, for a total of about 900 manufacturing-related businesses and suppliers.

 

During sheltering in place, Tesla hasn’t been the only facility requiring attention. The city fast tracked permits for companies to help supply masks and ventilators, including Thermo Fisher, BioGenex and Evolve. Evolve, which produces ultrasound and DNA analysis equipment, began mass production of COVID-19 test kits and prepared to manufacture low-cost ventilators, never mass produced before.

 

“So many healthcare providers nationwide needed more test kits and ventilators. Fremont is part of that solution,” says Mei, proudly noting that Fremont has been ranked number one in the nation for technology start-ups per capita. Mei says Fremont both operates more electric vehicles than any other zip code in California, and spends more on coffee per household annually than elsewhere in the nation. “Not only are our cars supercharged, but so are our people,” Mei quips.

 

Supercharged residents have responded during the pandemic, donating masks and personal protective equipment (PPE). One resident manufactured 130 face shields using a 3-D printer. Mei, along with other council members, delivered masks to nursing homes. Having learned to manage two videoconferencing screens simultaneously, Mei attends countless meetings, participating in some and observing others to stay informed. These include town hall meetings, local service organizations and chambers, and a church’s National Day of Prayer.

 

Fremont City Council authorized the second COVID-19 testing site in Southern Alameda County, modeled after one by the City of Hayward; established a $400,000 Small Business Emergency Relief Grant Program with federal CARES Act funds, offering grants of $5,000 and $10,000 to businesses with 50 or fewer employees; and provided a $400,000 CARES Rent Relief Program for up to three months of assistance. Additionally, the city joined the statewide effort to provide three meals daily from local restaurants to seniors ages 65 and older and others at high risk for COVID-19.

 

Fremont was ahead of the county in requiring masks in public, and Mei pushed for more precise data on Alameda County Public Health’s dashboard to better identify any virus flash points. As a worldwide sales operations controller in 2003, Mei learned quickly to take pandemics seriously. In eight months, SARS spread to 26 countries, infecting 8,000 people, leading to 800 deaths. In January 2020, alarmed by reports emerging from China, Mei contacted county officials seeking information and urging actions to prepare for a pandemic.

 

Mei has experienced some criticism on social media, bordering on racial harassment; she was criticized for not being more visible. Fremont is the fourth largest city in the Bay Area, yet its governmental structure differs from Oakland and San Francisco where mayors are empowered to act more as corporate CEOs. In Fremont, Mei acts as a city council member. “I can’t supersede the council. I am one of seven, part of a team. We act collaboratively.”

 

As the city moves toward reopening, Mei says she is already seeing young people less than six feet apart without masks gathering in parking lots. “We don’t want to regress. Staying healthy only works if we work on this together.”

 

This article is the conclusion of our ongoing series of interviews with local mayors. Other interviews have run in previous issues.

 

 

Fremont Police Log

Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD

 

Sunday, May 24

• Fremont Police Department officials announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with a residential burglary and fire on Wednesday, May 20. The suspect, identified by police as Hector Molina, 32, a transient from Fremont, was spotted in surveillance video leaving a Brookvale neighborhood home’s driveway. The resident noticed the home’s side garage door had been kicked in and a box inside the garage had been set on fire. The fire burned out before it could spread. Molina was booked into Santa Rita Jail on May 21 and faces various felony charges. An investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. T. MacDonald at (510) 790-6900 or by email at Tmacdonald@fremont.gov.

 

Thursday, May 28

• Fremont Police and Fire were notified of a body located by East Bay Regional Parks Police in the marshlands near Coyote Hills. Both departments responded to the area to assist EBRP and Fish and Wildlife with the safe retrieval. Unfortunately, due to the location, Fremont Fire Department had to wait for the tide to come in enough to access the body. At around 1:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, the body was recovered and turned over to the Alameda County Coroner. Due to severe decomposition, it was impossible to determine any injuries, identity, or other information. Fremont Detectives will follow up with the Coroner.

 

 

Bagged lunches for students available

Submitted by FUSS

 

While the Shelter in Place order is in effect, Fremont Unified Student Store (FUSS) is continuing its free bagged lunch program for impacted students at various locations in Fremont through at least Friday, May 1.

 

Lunches are available at:

 

• Subway Sandwiches, 1980 Driscoll Road, 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday
• Milk and Honey Café, 34265 Fremont Blvd., 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday
• Joe’s Corner, 37713 Niles Blvd., No. 2946, 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday through Friday

 

To support this effort, visit the FUSS website at www.fuss4schools.org/ or email admin@fuss4schools.org.

 

 

Answer the call to help keep communities healthy

Submitted by Governor's Press Office

 

In the ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Governor Gavin Newsom has launched California Connected, the state’s comprehensive contact tracing program and public awareness campaign. As part of California Connected, public health workers from communities across the state will connect with individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and work with them, and people they have been in close contact with, to ensure they have access to confidential testing, as well as medical care and other services to help prevent the spread of the virus.

 

The state’s program is led by the Administration in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health, local public health departments, and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Los Angeles (UCLA), which have launched a robust online training academy to develop a culturally competent and skilled contact tracing workforce.

 

“We are all eager to get back to work and play, and that’s why we’re asking Californians to answer the call when they see their local public health department reaching out by phone, email or text,” said Newsom. “That simple action of answering the call could save lives and help keep our families and communities healthy.”

 

To prevent the spread of this virus, public health workers will connect Californians with confidential testing. They may also recommend medical care, and that individuals who could be infectious separate themselves from others in their home to protect those around them. Information provided to local public health departments is confidential under California law. Public health authorities will not share that information with outside entities. That information will be used for public health purposes only. Contact tracers will not ask for financial information, social security numbers or immigration status.

 

“A key step in stopping the spread of COVID-19 is quickly identifying and limiting new cases, across the diversity of our populations – and that’s exactly what this statewide program does,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, California Department of Public Health director and state health officer. “We are bringing together the best minds in public health, academia and private industry to design a program that can help lower the risk for COVID-19 in all of our communities and keep us on the path to reopening.”

 

Californians across the state will hear radio ads and see billboards, social media posts and videos in multiple languages encouraging them to answer the call to slow the spread of COVID-19. Public health workers across the state – identified on caller ID as the “CA COVID Team” – will call, text, and email individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and people they may have unknowingly exposed to the virus.

 

The state plans to launch 10,000 contact tracers statewide as part of its plan to reopen California. More than 500 individuals have been trained under the new contact tracing program, and more than 300 are being trained this week.

 

To streamline and coordinate these efforts, Accenture, a leading global professional services company, is launching a data management platform developed by Salesforce and contact capabilities (phone calls, texts, and emails) in collaboration with Amazon Web Service’s Amazon Connect. For more information, visit www.covid19.ca.gov/contact-tracing/.

 

 

Grading students amid a disrupted year

Submitted by Jui Sadekar

 

Much has changed for both students and schools in past few months as school districts switched from in-person instruction to remote learning due to the shelter-in-place order. As California’s K-12 students finish the year under distance learning, one of the toughest questions for schools has been how teachers should issue grades for kids stuck at home.

 

Some students lacked devices and internet access when schools began online classes, raising concerns that the usual system of letter grades would further disadvantage students who had greater difficulties staying engaged in schoolwork. Schools across the state have altered their grading parameters to give students some leeway as they adjust to the new virtual world of teaching, while still holding them accountable for the work they were assigned.

 

In Alameda and Santa Clara counties, public school districts are following the guidelines described by the California Department of Education. The biggest priority is to “hold students harmless” during this time of pandemic.

 

Middle and high schools will transition to Credit Earned/No Credit (CR/NC) grading for final reporting on student outcomes for spring 2020. “Credit Earned (CR)” is the equivalent of passing a course. GPAs will remain the same as earned before the schools shut down.

 

For graduating seniors, this change aligns with the California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), and California Community College systems that are accepting and recognizing CR/NC in response to the current learning conditions.

 

Cheryl Jordan, superintendent, Milpitas Unified School District, says that universities across the country are modifying admissions, issuing statements similar to Harvard’s to the effect that students whose schools implement CR/NC, “will not be disadvantaged as a result.”

 

At Milpitas Unified, students who are not on track to earn credit this semester will participate in the district’s Summer Bridge Program, according to Jordan. “Chances are we have a senior who has not passed all the classes and needs to have a makeup time in the summer. … The program is open to elementary and middle school students as well.”

 

Highlighting that student wellbeing remains the district’s top priority, Raúl M. Zamora, Ed.D., acting superintendent, Fremont Unified School District, states, “Students can still continue to work on streaming assignments. We believe this [grading] decision will help students and families adjust to this new way of learning in an equitable manner. This move will also lower the stress level for teachers allowing them to focus on lesson planning and activities for remote learning.”

 

Sharing a similar thought, Jordan says, “Because we’re in credit/no credit, we are not evaluating by the grade. We are assessing that the student has demonstrated competency and understands the standards in the student credit for the course.”

 

Elementary school grading varies slightly by school districts and grade levels. Primarily, teachers will not give grades to students for the remainder of the school year; instead, they will give comments to reflect the monitoring of student progress during distance learning.

 

Like secondary schools, the evaluation of students in elementary schools is driven by the goal of holding students harmless, according to Educational Services Staff, Hayward Unified School District. “Teachers are focused on whether students are able to participate or not. Teachers are not looking at any retention for next year. Instead, they will be focused on acceleration and intervention support in the coming year to help students that have fallen behind academically.”

 

John Thompson, Ed.D., superintendent, New Haven Unified School District, has a similar opinion, “At elementary level, grading will be evaluated based on the curriculum and instruction provided teachers. From an accountability standpoint, teachers will provide feedback on the report cards as students move forward to the next grade.”

 

Milpitas Unified follows a standards-based report card. Students have to demonstrate what they have learned through different assessments; teachers will then determine if the students are meeting the necessary standards in that particular grade. “Some of our teachers, for example,” says Jordan, “conducted small group instruction and asked students to submit creative writing and other assessments to identify their writing skills.”

 

“Comments about students’ performances during remote learning will provide insight for next year’s teacher,” says Leticia Salinas, acting superintendent, Newark Unified School District. “Teachers are evaluating student performance at the elementary level through participation in classes, submission of assignments, and whole class and small group work conducted on a weekly basis. Teachers have also provided regular feedback through google classrooms and district-approved online platforms.”

 

The end of 2019-2020 school year saw its own challenges. What now lies ahead for school districts is preparing for a new academic year. With the current health emergency, one wonders: Will kids be back at school? And if they are, will they be safe in the classroom? Will schools have a blended model – part distance learning and part in-classroom teaching? Or will there be another school year of complete remote learning? There are simply too many questions and too little time to find the answers.

 

What remains as the topmost priority among superintendents in deciding a final plan is the health and safety of students and staff. Local school districts continue to coordinate with county and state public health officials and await further guidelines about the conditions to re-open schools in the fall. Every school district has put in place a task force to come up with a strategy. With different scenarios to consider, only time will tell what the new school year will look like.

Different story than last week’s Hayward Council Pay, it’s an update.

 

 

Local council OKs additional city employee pay reductions

Submitted by City of Hayward

 

On May 26, Hayward City Council approved changes in compensation agreements with city executives, managers, and other employees who are not represented by collective bargaining units to save money. The compensation changes are the second set of COVID-19 reductions to have been approved by the council recently and will save the City $273,000 in the FY 2021 starting July 1.

 

The reductions approved include 80 hours of furlough for police captains and combinations of furloughs and deferrals or give-backs of scheduled July 1 pay increases for department heads and other unrepresented executives, managers, and employees.

 

City employee compensation reductions and concessions are being sought in response to the impact the public health emergency and shelter-in-place orders are having on key city revenue sources, most notably sales tax. This will require a significant use of the city’s General Fund operating reserve to maintain city operation through the end of this current fiscal year. The General Fund pays for basic municipal services, such as police, fire-fighting, 911 response, libraries, maintenance of public spaces, and administration of general governmental operations and programs.

 

 

Seeking community input

Submitted by City of Hayward

 

City of Hayward is seeking public input on future safety and connectivity improvements along Hayward Boulevard between Campus Drive and Fairview Avenue. In partnership with Kimley Horn and Gates + Associates, the city will be redesigning this 2.5-mile stretch to reduce auto speeding, improve bicycle and pedestrian safety, and increase bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and experience throughout the corridor.

 

This project’s emphasis on active transportation will aide in the city’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions community-wide. As of 2017, transportation was responsible for more than 55 percent of Hayward’s total emissions. Providing safer and better-connected active transit infrastructure will encourage residents, workers, and visitors to choose emission-free modes of movement, like walking or biking, over driving.

 

The project team is currently accepting input via the Hayward Blvd Project Survey. This survey provides an opportunity for stakeholders to share what they believe should be prioritized throughout the project design process. Concept plans based on this input will be presented at public workshops in Fall 2020 to garner additional feedback from the community.

 

To participate in the survey and for more information, visit www.hayward-ca.gov/hayward-blvd-feasibility.

 

 

COVID-19 testing center administers 10,000th test

Submitted by City of Hayward

 

Hayward’s COVID-19 testing center established by the fire department reached a new milestone on May 26, administering its 10,000th test for coronavirus infection. Launched on March 23, the center was created to take pressure off hospital emergency rooms, provide quicker answers for health-care workers and first responders who have been exposed to the virus, and to help control community spread of the disease.

 

Today, mobile teams of specifically trained Hayward firefighter-paramedics also provide COVID-19 testing of residents and employees of nursing homes, police departments, and people who are experiencing homelessness or otherwise in need.

 

Testing at the Center is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis to anyone with a fever over 100 degrees or other COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of income, place of residence or immigration status. No physician referral is required.

 

COVID-19 Testing Center

Monday – Friday

9 a.m. – 4 p.m. or until available tests for the day are exhausted

Cal State University East Bay

25800 Carlos Blvd., Hayward

 

Advance appointments hotline for health-care workers & first-responders

Monday – Saturday

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

(510) 583-4949

 

 

Hayward declares citywide curfew

Submitted by Alameda County Emergency Services

 

The City of Hayward has imposed a citywide curfew beginning June 1 at 8:00 pm. The curfew requires people to stay indoors between the hours of 8:00 pm and 5:00 am. This order will be in place through June 8th. Visit website for more details:  https://www.hayward-ca.gov/discover/news/jun20/hayward-imposes-8-pm-5-am-curfew-quell-looting-preserve-rights-civil or call 510-583-4949.

 

 

High School Students Perform COVID-19 At-Home Research

By Charlene Dizon

Photo courtesy of Edward Njoo

 

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Bay Area high school students have decided to conduct their own research under the supervision of four scientists at the Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP) from the Center for Advanced Study (CAS). Advisors Robert D., Peter L., Edward N., and Soumya S. conceived and developed plans for each research project. The students from this program executed four research areas focusing on the development of molecular solutions that can potentially stop the virus from forming.

 

Drug repurposing has been a focal point of COVID-19 research. Small molecule drugs such as remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and emodin are being analyzed due to their history with previous viruses. “Remdesevir was made for the Ebola virus. Emodin was researched in 2002 when the first Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak happened. We’re re-using what we already know to find something hopefully better,” 11th Grader Ishani states. This process requires computational molecular docking, in which a designed molecule binds to another through simulation. Spike glycoprotein, the novel coronavirus molecule that needs to be stopped, connects with Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE-2). The SARS-CoV2 virus enters host cells through this human receptor ACE-2. “We want to prevent this interaction from even happening, so we’re looking for molecules similar to the three mentioned to see if they work better,” Ishani explains. This is valuable because the best-screened candidate of a repurposed drug molecule can then be used to provide insight into treating COVID-19.

 

De novo design is another method for computer-aided drug design. The student researchers used a three-dimensional structure of a protein receptor from the coronavirus to design molecules with potential biological activity. 12th Grader Stephanie explains, “We worked on designing compounds that would fit into the open cavity of the spike glycoprotein and lock it in its closed state.” Achieving this could potentially obstruct viral interaction with the ACE2 receptor and virus’s ability to invade host cells. The group has also been working on covalent inhibitors of the coronavirus main protease. This protease is necessary for the replication of viral RNA (ribonucleic acid), which allows the virus to replicate inside a host cell. 11th Grader Ayush explains, “We use reactivity of the molecular design to come up with a concept of what our inhibitor should be. Then, we draw a model on our computer and go through DFT [density functional theory], which conforms to how it would be in real life. We use that DFT reactivity to move on to molecular docking and see which best inhibits COVID activity.” Over four hundred compounds were screened. This is remarkable because these results can be applied to future molecules and possibly lead to the discovery of small molecules that inhibit replication or entry of the virus.

 

Students are also working on a machine learning platform that can identify patterns among potential inhibitors of the virus. A library of compounds is first screened by studying the early 2004 case of SARS and comparing these proteins to the current coronavirus. 11th Grader Bhavesh explains, “We developed our own novel algorithm that uses vector mapping to detect the potential compounds.” Vector mapping involves identifying and using the 3-dimensional topology of the compounds studied and correlating the intersection of these compounds with the virus, then ranking these compounds to determine whether they might be viable candidates against the spike glycoprotein. “We’ve also created a 3-D map that will tell us what the most reactive part of the compound looks like in a 3-D space,” adds 11th Grader Andrew; this 3D map would allow them to see where COVID is present in the compound, giving more targeted results. Whether this machine learning platform can be mass produced has also been taken into account. “We’ve considered making sure these are green reactions and green reagents that can be safely developed in the future,” says 11th Grader Atri. This platform would reduce time in waiting for results from more computationally intensive processes, helping scientists find possible treatments more quickly.

 

The final method being observed is DNA-directed RNA interference (ddRNAi), a common gene-silencing method amongst infected patients. RNA holds viruses’ genetic information. The development of an RNA fragment through ddRNAi analysis could silence a gene within COVID-19, which would naturally inhibit the replication and spread of the virus. “ddRNAi can steadily reproduce itself, so it’s effective over a long period and can silence multiple genes in the same area by using DNA constructs to block the pathway entrance for COVID to enter,” explains 9th Grader Ishya. If a successful ddRNAi is tested and an approved algorithm for the best RNA fragment is found, it could then be distributed into infected patients with little to no toxic effect.

 

Though working from home has had its limitations, the students have persevered. “Having everything at home is a blessing in disguise because we’re able to focus wholeheartedly on our computational research,” says 11th Grader Kushal. The students’ appreciation of the technology made available to them has deepened to the point of considering possible careers in computational research. “Before, research and real-life felt separate to me. Now that we’re able to work on something so important to the scientific community and society, it shows us how much our work can affect what is going on around us,” 10th Grader Karthikha states. At-home research has proven that despite recent challenges, these students are resilient and ready to progress in the scientific field.

 

 

Honor Roll

 

Colorado College, Colorado

Crown-Goodman Presidential Scholarship

• Ankita Sharma of Fremont

 

Bucknell University, Pennsylvania

Spring 2020 Dean’s List

• Gwendolyn Hostetter of Hayward

 

University of the Sciences, Pennsylvania

Fall 2019 Dean’s List

• Krupa Patel of Fremont

 

Culver-Stockton College, Missouri

Spring 2020 Dean’s List

• Anthony Garcia of Union City

 

Northwestern University, Massachusetts

Spring 2020 Dean’s List

• Samantha Rhynard of Fremont
• Suzi Kwon of Fremont
• Erik Wong of Fremont
• Aneesha Sreerama of Fremont
• Rahul Toppur of Fremont
• Crystal Hsu of Fremont
• Sarah Chang of Fremont
• Annie Chiang of Fremont
• Divya Kopparapu of Fremont
• Allison Hastings of Newark
• Maxwell Abisia of Newark
• Alice Zhong of Newark

 

University of Utah

Spring 2020 Dean’s List

• Kunaal Kumar of Fremont
• Madasyn Mcglothlin
• Mingjun Xie of Union City

 

Marietta College, Ohio

Spring 2020 graduate

• Manica Doss of Castro Valley

 

Saint Francis University, Pennsylvania

Spring 2020 graduate

• Rachelle Dudero of Milpitas

 

Georgia Institute of Technology

Spring 2020 graduates

• Neel Mitragotri of Fremont
• Kuan-E Chao of Fremont
• Ankit Kuchhangi of Fremont
• Myong Oh of Fremont
• Robert Ikeoka of Fremont
• Kunal Sharma of Union City
• Satish Gupta of Milpitas
• Rajan Jethva of Milpitas
• Salil Wadnerkar of Fremont
• Jasmin Voigtlander of Hayward
• Neha Pasricha of Fremont

 

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

New members

• Liuhan Huang of Newark, University of Southern California
• Richard Delgado of Newark, San Jose State University
• Preetha Vellayapan of Fremont, University of California-Davis

 

 

Looting in San Leandro

Submitted by San Leandro PD

 

Monday, June 1:

Overnight, hundreds of criminals arrived in San Leandro and looted numerous shopping centers throughout the city. Several dozen businesses have been impacted as a result of the lootings. 

We want to reiterate,the San Leandro Police Department will not tolerate these criminal activities. SLPD has brought extra staff on-duty and additional resources from allied agencies to help during these critical events.

We encourage impacted businesses to call SLPD to report losses, or file a report online. In the meantime, prior to calling, please take inventory of losses. 

Call SLPD Dispatch at 510 577 2740, extension 1. Only call 911 if you have an emergency. We ask for everyone's understanding as there could be some delays for non-urgent matters. 

Online reporting can be accessed through http://sanleandro.org/depts/pd/fileapolicereport/start_report.asp

 

 

Scholarships awarded for the arts

Submitted by Shirley Sisk

 

The League of Volunteers (LOV) and the Newark Arts Council awarded scholarships to graduating high school seniors in music, fine art and photography:

 

This year the $500 Fred Jueneman Music Scholarship was awarded to Alicia Yu from American High. Alica will be attending the University of California, Santa Barbara to major in Food Science and continue to perform the piano.

 

The $250 Dan and Marie Archer Scholarship for photography was awarded to two recipients this year – Ryan Kosi from Newark Memorial High with his black and white entries from Newark Memorial High School; and Alicia, the piano winner, submitted three lovely color photos. Ryan will be going to Cal Art for a major in Graphic Design.

 

The Dan and Marie Scholarship for fine painting & drawing went to Jessica Nguy from Newark Memorial High. Her three pieces of art work were outstanding. She is planning to attend California Polytechnic State University and major in Architecture.

 

LOV and the Newark Arts Council wishes these very talented young people the very best in all their future endeavors.

 

 

Memorial Day Remembrance

Submitted by Les Mensinger

 

American Legion Post 837, Fremont

At Veterans Park, Union City

 

 

Milpitas Unified fills elementary school principal vacancies

Submitted by Scott Forstner

 

Assistant principals Stephanie Park and Deanna Sainten were announced as the new site leaders at Curtner and Weller elementary schools, respectively, at the May 26 Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) Board of Education meeting.

 

Park, an assistant principal at Spangler Elementary School in her second year with MUSD, returns to Curtner where she previously served as the primary school’s assistant principal. Before that, Park spent nearly 14 years as a teaching lead with Cupertino Union School District.

 

Sainten, the MUSD Educator of the Year in 2012, has spent her entire professional career at Pomeroy Elementary School spanning nearly 14 years as a student-teacher, teacher, and assistant principal.

 

 

Letter to the Editor

City has critical need for parking investment

 

A regional newspaper chain recently reported on the closure of Mission Peak in April 2020. Unfortunately, their coverage is inaccurate, unfair, and less-than-honest. The story photo is misleading, because it depicts the parking lot as full of cars. These days, the parking lot is empty, and the main entrance of the park is barricaded.

 

The newspaper report is one-sided and biased, as if targeting park visitors and ticketing motorists were A Good Thing. The story, is openly critical of visitors: “maybe they’ll get the message this time around.” The story supports the city, though the city spokesperson in 2016 assured the public that the goal was not to hand out a lot of parking tickets; in fact, “we don’t want to be heavy handed with citing people. The goal is that people don’t park in these areas, not that we cite.”

 

The program has fallen far short of its original goal, since police have issued more than 4,300 tickets since parking was restricted in 2016.

 

It seems that the city has still not gotten the message, that parking tickets are ineffective, and costly to enforce. Regardless of the city's recent freeze on hiring, the city now plans to expand its headcount with the addition of six employees in the next fiscal year. Three of the new hires would do non-essential parking enforcement. The only way to cover the high cost of their salaries and benefits would be to launch a heavy-handed campaign of parking tickets city-wide.

 

The city is asking visitors to park at Ohlone College, but they charge a stiff fee of $4 per day. Ohlone has the highest parking fee in the city, because BART and the Centerville train station charge $3 per day or less. The Mayor recently announced support for more investment in parking.

 

“Looking at this as an investment, this is a critical need that we see with the changes of our demands within our community. It allows us to be better able to adapt.” We agree with investing in our community, 100%.  We believe the city should invest constructively in parking, to meet the increased demand for access to our public parks during the pandemic crisis. The city needs to adapt and innovate, by cooperating with Ohlone College to fund a large-scale parking program on weekends and holidays. An investment in 125 spaces at $4 per day for 52 weekends and 10 holidays per year, would work out to $500 per day or $57,000 per year. That would cost less than hiring one additional parking enforcement officer ($100,000–$150,000 per year of salary and benefits).

 

Fremont residents need access to open space, regional parks and recreational trails. The investment in parking would support public health, and allow park visitors including families with young children to enjoy the benefits of outdoor activity.  The city needs to develop a fair parking policy, that is enforced equitably and does not target visitors to our city.

 

1. yragui

Mission Peak Conservancy

 

 

June celebrates the 223rd anniversary of Old Mission San Jose

Submitted by Gary Dorighi

 

Fremont’s very own “La Mision del Gloriosisimo Patriarca San Jose” was founded on June 11, 1797, the 14th of 21 California Missions established by the Spanish from 1769 to 1823. And while an anniversary Mass and Reception is the norm, shelter-in-place orders call for a more creative celebration of this important occasion.

 

On June 7 at 11 a.m., a special celebration of Mass will be streamed from the Old Mission that includes ringing the 200-year-old Mission Bells and a special musical selection featuring the historic Rosales Opus 14 Spanish Organ played by Ronald McKean. All this will be streamed live via the St. Joseph Parish website at www.saintjosephmsj.org.

 

Newly added to Old Mission San Jose’s website at www.missionsanjose.org is an account of this day in 1797 from the book The History of Mission San Jose by Francis Florence McCarthy, quoting passages from our Founder, Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. While on the website, visitors can also view amazing videos and photographs in the gallery or consider purchasing educational material online from our Gift Shop.

 

Mission San Jose and Museum has yet to reopen after shelter-in-place. But please come see us in person when we do reopen. Nothing compares with walking in the footsteps of Padre de Lasuen, seeing the structures built by Christian Native Californians, or relishing artwork and artifacts from over 200 years ago. For now, follow us on Facebook or visit us on our website at https://missionsanjose.org/ for the latest information.

 

Old Mission San Jose 223rd anniversary

Sunday, Jun 7

11 a.m.

Link will be posted at www.saintjosephmsj.org

 

 

Summer Triangle Corner: Vega

By David Prosper and Vivian White

 

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and look up during June evenings, you’ll see the brilliant star Vega shining overhead. Did you know that Vega is one of the most studied stars in our skies? As one of the brightest summer stars, Vega has fascinated astronomers for thousands of years.

 

Vega is the brightest star in the small Greek constellation of Lyra, the harp. It’s also one of the three points of the large “Summer Triangle” asterism, making Vega one of the easiest stars to find for novice stargazers. Ancient humans from 14,000 years ago likely knew Vega for another reason: it was the Earth’s northern pole star. Compare Vega’s current position with that of the current north star, Polaris, and you can see how much the Earth’s tilt changes over thousands of years. This slow movement is called precession, and in 12,000 years Vega will return to the northern pole star position.

 

Bright Vega has been observed closely since the beginning of modern astronomy and even helped to set the standard for the current magnitude scale used to categorize the brightness of stars. Polaris and Vega have something else in common, besides being once and future pole stars: their brightness varies over time, making them variable stars. Variable stars’ light can change for many different reasons. Dust, smaller stars, or even planets may block the light we see from the star. Or the star itself might be unstable with active sunspots, expansions, or eruptions changing its brightness. Most stars are so far away that we only record the change in light, and can’t see their surface.

 

NASA’s TESS satellite has ultra-sensitive light sensors primed to look for the tiny dimming of starlight caused by transits of extrasolar planets.Their sensitivity also allowed TESS to observe much smaller pulsations in a certain type of variable star’s light than previously observed. These observations of Delta Scuti variable stars will help astronomers model their complex interiors and make sense of their distinct, seemingly chaotic, pulsations. This is a major contribution towards the field of astroseismology: the study of stellar interiors via observations of how sound waves “sing” as they travel through stars. The findings may help settle the debate over what kind of variable star Vega is. Find more details on this research, including a sonification demo that lets you “hear” the heartbeat of one of these stars, at bit.ly/DeltaScutiTESS.

 

Interested in learning more about variable stars? Want to observe their changing brightness? Check out the website for the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) at www.aavso.org. You can also find the latest news about Vega and other fascinating stars at www.nasa.gov.

 

This article is distributed by NASA Night Sky Network. The Night Sky Network program supports astronomy clubs across the USA dedicated to astronomy outreach. Visit https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm to find local clubs, events, and more.

 

Officer involved shooting

Submitted by Ofc Claudia Mau, Hayward PD

 

At about 4 a.m. on June 1, officers responded to a call for service regarding looting at the CVS located on Harder Rd and Mission Blvd. During the contact, officers discharged their service weapons. We are still investigating all the factors to determine what led to this outcome.

 

A male was transported to the hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released from the hospital. He is currently in custody. We have three other people in custody in connection to this incident. No officers were injured during this incident. If anyone has any information that can assist this investigation, please call Detective Purnell at 510-293- 7176.

 

We want to thank the community for their patience while we continue to investigate. We are committed to providing additional information as soon as the investigation allows.

 

 

Stupski Foundation awards Ohlone College $150,000

Submitted by Tina Vossugh

 

The Ohlone College Foundation has received a one-time grant of $150,000 by the Stupski Foundation in support of the college’s efforts to provide emergency microgrants and technology to students amid COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Half of the funds will be used toward cash disbursements to Ohlone students who have financial needs directly resulting from the negative impact of the pandemic and the other $75,000 has been allocated for the purchase of 250 Chromebooks. The devices will be provided to students who do not have access to technology and need to continue their academic coursework remotely.

 

The Ohlone College Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Grant is a one-time $200 award intended to support Ohlone College students – including international students – impacted by the current crisis. Priority is given to first-generation and undocumented students.

 

To be eligible, students must be currently enrolled at Ohlone College with five or more units; must complete, sign, and submit the one-page COVID-19 Emergency Grant application; and provide a brief explanation of the negative impact COVID-19 has had on their lives (e.g. individual and/or family loss of income, job loss/furloughs, food and housing insecurities, lack of technology to succeed in a remote environment).

 

For more information on how to apply, visit: https://www.ohlone.edu/foundation.

Photos in 1 new Sharon

 

 

‘Parks to People’ brings the natural world to online audiences

Submitted by Jen Vanya

 

The East Bay Regional Park District’s interpretive and recreation programs and activities have traditionally been taught live at our visitor centers or out in the parks. The Shelter-in-Place order changed everything for Park District staff, with the sudden closure of all visitor centers and being restricted to working from home. Fortunately, there were projects in the works that would enable them to bring their live classes and activities to a larger audience through a digital platform.

 

Naturalists and outdoor recreation staff were already developing content for short educational videos. A collection of new videos called Creature Features, published daily on Facebook since the end of March, spotlights natural wonders found throughout the parks and was shot entirely by Park District staff working from home. A new Park District webpage, Parks to People, was launched soon after and is now home to the Digital Learning program, offering virtual reality park tours, nature and field study videos and downloadable activities and games.

 

“The digital offerings at the Park District expanded greatly during the crisis,” said Anne Kassebaum, Chief of Interpretive and Recreation Services. “The stay-at-home order elevated the importance of virtual learning, and our naturalists and outdoor recreation staff have risen to the challenge.

 

“The Park District's online interface may be some youths’ first introduction to nature, but we really hope these initial online experiences encourage people to go out and experience nature in person,” she added. In addition to the Creature Features videos on Facebook, the Park District’s YouTube channel now hosts the recently-produced Digital Learning videos.

 

The Park District is also delving into new, cutting-edge technology. One example is its collaboration with TimeLooper. By downloading the TimeLooper app to a smart phone or tablet, people can now explore Regional Parks through virtual reality. In addition, the Park District and Timelooper have launched a new East Bay Parks: Virtual Tour app, which allows people to interact with an augmented reality version of the East Bay.

 

“People can hop across a 3-D map appearing right in front of them to virtually visit some of the Regional Parks,” commented Supervising Naturalist Kevin Damstra, who worked closely on the project. “It’s one more way the Park District has used digital media to introduce nature and educate the community during the stay-at-home orders.”

 

To further expand its educational programs throughout COVID-19, the Park District has worked to provide digital interpretive media for schools and families and is now part of a partnership with Alameda County to develop curriculum-based digital content.

 

Digital learning and virtual reality technology have brought a new level of interpretive education to visitors on home computers or in classrooms. When the stay-at-home orders are lifted and programs begin again in the parks, the Digital Learning program will continue on as a major component of the Park District's interpretation and recreation services.

 

Find out more about Parks to People at https://www.ebparks.org/.

 

 

Counties can reopen places of worship and retail stores

Submitted by Governor’s Press Office

 

On May 25, California Department of Public Health announced the statewide reopening of places of worship for religious services and in-store retail shopping. Modifications are required to keep Californians safe and limit the spread of COVID-19. Subject to approval by county public health departments, all retail stores can reopen for in-store shopping under previously issued guidelines. Under new guidance, places of worship can hold religious services and funerals that limit attendance to 25 percent of a building’s capacity – or up to 100 attendees, whichever is lower – upon approval by the county department of public health.

 

While most large gatherings remain prohibited under the state’s stay-at-home order, the department of public health has released guidelines for in-person protests and events designed for political expression. The guidance limits attendance to 25 percent of an area’s maximum occupancy – or up to 100 attendees.

 

The new guidance for religious services and cultural ceremonies encourages organizations to continue online services and activities, including to protect individuals who are most at risk for more severe COVID-19, including older adults and people with specific medical conditions.

 

To reopen for religious services and funerals, places of worship must:

• Establish and implement a COVID-19 prevention plan for every location, train staff on the plan, and regularly evaluate workplaces for compliance.
• Train employees and volunteers on COVID-19, including how to prevent it from spreading and which underlying health conditions may make individuals more susceptible to contracting the virus.
• Implement cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
• Set physical distancing guidelines.
• Recommend that staff and guests wear cloth face coverings, and screen staff for temperature and symptoms at the beginning of their shifts.
• Set parameters around or consider eliminating singing and group recitations. These activities dramatically increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For this reason, congregants engaging in singing, particularly in the choir, and group recitation should always wear face coverings, and when possible, these activities should be conducted outside with greater than 6-foot distancing.

 

The existing guidance for retailers, previously allowed for counties approved to advance in the reopening process, now applies statewide. The guidelines help reduce the risk for workers and customers. Retail does not include personal services such as hair salons, nail salons and barbershops.

 

In 21 days, the department of public health, in consultation with local departments of public health, will review and assess the impact of the religious services guidelines and provide further direction as part of a phased-in restoration of activities. This 21-day interval accounts for seven days for religious communities to prepare and reopen in addition to a 14-day incubation period of COVID-19.

 

 

How to retool your retirement plan amid COVID-19?

Submitted by Ashley Pontius

 

Coronavirus pandemic has hit the economy hard, and people who are nearing retirement or already retired are feeling the stress.

 

“COVID-19 has caused a lot of retirees and those approaching retirement to rethink their plan for retirement,” says Dennis Notchick, certified financial planner, Stratos Wealth Advisors (www.dn.stratoswealthadvisors.com). “Falling interest rates, massive volatility in the stock market, and stifled economic growth are having a massive effect on psychology.”

 

“A plan created years ago may not be as efficient when interest rates were much higher, and the economy was in better shape. Stress testing your current retirement plan adapted to the post-COVID-19 world can show if you’re positioned to weather this storm or in need of an update.”

 

Notchick suggests the following tips to re-evaluate a retirement plan and perhaps retool it to withstand the effects of COVID-19:

 

• Take precise inventory of expenses. “Sometimes people don’t realize how much they are actually spending,” Notchick says. “When they lay it out, they’re shocked. For accurate retirement income planning you must have good data to understand where the money goes each month – everything it takes to live, plus discretionary expenses. A dollar saved is a dollar earned and is more important now that ever.”

 

• Check asset location and effects on taxes. “Tax planning in retirement is critical to understand,” Notchick says. “It’s about knowing how the different accounts are taxed in conjunction with other income streams like Social Security benefits, rental income, pensions, etc. A savings account will be taxed differently than a Roth IRA, which will be different than a 401(k), or SEP IRA. Another important point to remember is that dividends, interest, and capital gains may not be taxed equally, some can be taxed as high as your ordinary tax rate, and some may be completely tax free. Income tax planning in retirement will expose any tax-planning missteps.”

 

• Bridge the retirement income gap. Notchick points out the need to tailor retirement plans for the inevitable costs of aging, some health related as well. Income diversification ensures a strong, well-built plan. “If you have an income shortfall in retirement, where will that come from?” Notchick asks. “It may make sense to use a variety of income sources like dividends, capital gains and income from an annuity.”

 

• Re-assess your risk tolerance. “Some investors may have been complacent over the past year; markets kept going up and nobody worries about markets going up.” Notchick says. “COVID-19 changed that, not only is there more inherent risk in the stock market, but because of the zero interest-rate policy enacted by the Federal Reserve, interest-rate risk is high. When rates move back up, bond prices will go down. This has also caused more risk-taking because the interest rates are so low on bonds of all maturities and when you take inflation into account, you are actually going backwards.”

 

• Ask these questions. “Does fear of loss or stability keep you up at night? At this stage of your life, how much risk do you need to achieve your goals? Failing to plan is planning for failure,” Notchick says. “This applies to all aspects of life, including retirement.”

 

“Holistic financial planning for retirement ensures all parts of the financial plan are working together – investments, taxes, estate planning, etc.” Notchick says. “The pandemic has made the picture murky for some in retirement, but an updated retirement roadmap will allow you to get to your retirement destination with clarity.

 

 

THE ROBOT REPORT

By Steve Crowe

 

Many healthcare and infectious disease experts believe mass testing is the key to re-opening the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A new Danish robotics startup, co-founded by a familiar face, is looking to automate, scale, and improve COVID-19 testing, while also keeping healthcare workers out of harm’s way.

 

Lifeline Robotics, a spin-out of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) in Odense, has created an autonomous throat swabbing robot to test for the novel coronavirus. Esben Østergaard, co-founder of Universal Robots and REInvest Robotics, is one of the company’s co-founders. The company is owned jointly between the university, Norrsken Foundation, and REInvest Robotics.

 

Here’s how the robot prototype works: Using two Universal Robots UR3 cobot arms and a custom 3D-printed end effector, it picks up the swab after the patient has scanned an ID card. The robot then uses its vision system to identify the right points to swab in the patient’s throat. Once the swab is complete, the robot places the sample in a jar and screws on the lid. The jar is then sent to a lab for analysis.

 

We asked Østergaard to further explain some of the technical aspects of the system. Understandably, he told The Robot Report via email, “We can say what the robot is doing, but we can, unfortunately, not say much about how the robot is doing what it is doing.” Lifeline Robotics said the entire automated swabbing process takes about seven minutes, and the swab itself 25 seconds.

 

“Like so many others I was horrified to see the rapid development of the COVID-19 crisis, and I felt I had to do something,” Østergaard said. “With my background, the obvious choice was to automate the testing process. The current manual process is difficult and cumbersome. A machine will reduce the risk of infection among healthcare staff and patients, as well as give higher-quality test results.”

 

The throat swabbing robot has already received two million DKK ($290,000 U.S.) in funding from Vaekstfonden, which is the Danish state’s investment fund. Its future development is also supported by Odense University Hospital. Kim Brixen, medical director at the hospital, said the robot holds great potential in mass screening for COVID-19 and other virus infections. It could also be used at healthcare facilities, border control offices, or airports.

 

“Staffs are in great demand in other functions, especially during the current epidemic. The robot can work around the clock, and it provides a safe procedure for every citizen tested,” Brixen said. “The closing of our societies has halted the COVID-19 epidemic in many countries. Large scale testing is part of the strategy during the re-opening of our communities. This invention is a great example of the potential of robotics within the health care sector.”

 

Tsinghua University is also developing a throat swabbing robot that collects samples to test for COVID-19. But Lifeline Robotics claims its system is the “world’s first fully automatic throat swab robot.” It took the team of 10 researchers just four weeks to develop the Lifeline prototype. The company is developing a commercial version it hopes to release within the next couple of months.

 

“In Denmark, we are fortunate to have world-class knowledge on robotics, safety, and medical technology,” Østergaard said. “We also have a long-standing design tradition of taking the users seriously in the products we make. Leveraging on my experience from Universal Robots and the network of partners, we will develop and bring this product to market in record time.”

 

“Medical professionals should not work like robots all day long; their time is better spent on patients with special needs,” he said. “That is why we developed the world’s first automatic swabbing robot, specifically for COVID-19.”

 

 

Steve Crowe is Editor of The Robot Report and co-chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo. He can be reached at scrowe@wtwhmedia.com.

 

 

Most counties can reopen barbershops and hair salons with modifications

Submitted by Governor’s Press Office

 

On May 26, California Department of Public Health announced that counties that have attested to meeting the criteria for accelerated re-opening may re-open hair salons and barbershops. Permitted activities include services that can be provided with both the worker and customer wearing face coverings throughout the service. These include haircuts, hair coloring, blowouts, weaves and extensions, braiding, lock maintenance, wig maintenance and hair relaxing treatments.

 

Salon activities that cannot be done with face coverings on both the worker and client – or that require touching the client’s face – such as shaving, facial waxing, threading, eyelash services, and facials – remain prohibited at this time in all counties. Likewise, nail salons remain closed.

 

State public health leaders noted that Californians staying at home and exercising caution when out helped flatten the COVID-19 curve. Public health leaders also acknowledged that this announcement is also possible based on statewide indicators such as PPE, testing capacity, hospital surge capacity, and hospitalizations.

 

“Together, Californians have limited infections in our state, and because of that work, many counties may make a decision to restart modified hair and barber services,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, state public health officer and director of the California Department of Public Health. “However, COVID-19 is still present in our communities and we are still at risk. As we venture outside our homes, it is critically important to keep physical distance, wear face coverings in public, and wash hands frequently to help protect yourself and those around you.”

 

Under the new guidance to reopen, salons and barbers must:

• Implement measures to ensure physical distancing of at least six feet between and among workers and customers, except when providing haircutting and other close contact services.
• Provide temperature and/or symptom screenings for all workers at the beginning of their shift and any vendors, contractors, or other workers entering the establishment.
• Encourage workers and customers who are sick or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 to stay home.
• Screen customers upon arrival and be prepared to cancel or reschedule customers who indicate they have any signs of illness.
• Require workers and customers to use face coverings during the entire haircutting and other close contact hair services.

 

For details, visit www.covid19.ca.gov.

 

 

County of Santa Clara appoints chief procurement officer

Submitted by Santa Clara County Public Affairs

 

On May 26, Gene Clark joined County of Santa Clara as the new chief procurement officer. Clark brings over 25 years of procurement experience. He has more than 14 years of experience in county government; since February 2018, he has been with the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in Oakland, where he has served as the director of procurement and materials management.

 

The chief procurement officer works side by side with county leadership in managing the funds dedicated to human, health and social services contracting, and operations programming in support of 70 agencies.

 

“Gene brings a wealth of procurement knowledge to our organization,” said County of Santa Clara Chief Operating Officer, Miguel Márquez. “Along his career path, he has mastered the necessary skills to deal with government processes – be it at the county, state or federal level. He also has vast experience managing procurement needs through emergencies, including working with FEMA to secure reimbursement funds. All these skills will be vital to our county in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

 

 

County of Santa Clara appoints new librarian

Submitted by Santa Clara County Public Affairs

 

County of Santa Clara has appointed Jennifer Weeks as its new county librarian. Weeks’ appointment became effective on May 18. Her public service career with the county spans 20+ years and, as a professional librarian, she possesses 17 years of front-line customer service experience.

 

Weeks joined the County Library as a graduate intern in 2003, after working in advertising and development in the private sector. Her vision includes library experiences that build individual skills, community capacity, and global strength at all levels.

 

“It is a privilege to serve Santa Clara County as county librarian, and I look forward to leading the dedicated library team to further develop the county library as a thriving public organization,” said Weeks.

 

Weeks has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of San Diego and possesses master’s in library and information science from San Jose State University.

 

 

Interested in working for the city?

Submitted by City of Hayward

 

The City of Hayward is seeking individuals interested in serving the city. Current openings for the following bodies, which serve in a volunteer advisory capacity to the city council, are as follows:

 

Community Services Commission (2 vacancies)

Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force (12 vacancies)

Library Commission (1 vacancy)

Personnel Commission (1 vacancy)

Planning Commission (1 vacancy)

 

Prospective applicants must be registered voters residing within the Hayward city limits. Individuals appointed to the Community Services Commission and Planning Commission will need to file a California Fair Political Practices Commission—Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700).

 

Interested individuals can apply online at www.hayward-ca.gov/serve or obtain applications from the Office of the City Clerk by emailing cityclerk@hayward-ca.gov or calling (510) 583-4400. The application submission deadline is Tuesday, June 30. Interviews with the city council are scheduled for Tuesday, July 28. Qualified Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force applicants will be required to interview with the Task Force Subcommittee Panel on Friday, July 17.

 

City of Hayward Applications

Submission Deadline: Tuesday, June 30

(510) 583-4400

www.hayward-ca.gov/serve

 

 

Youth-Centered Climate Coalition to Host Annual Summit Virtually

Submitted by Tara Sreekrishnan

 

Student leaders and organizers with Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action will present a Virtual Climate Speakers Series, beginning May 30th. Sponsored by Silicon Valley Clean Energy and supported by local climate groups. The series will provide important information from professionals and experts about the latest in climate science, solutions to combat global warming, effective policy-making, careers in climate, and more.

 

Topics Include:

• Girish Balachandran: Clean Energy, the Green Grid of the Future, and Careers in Climate
• Peggy Brannigan: LinkedIn's Sustainability Initiatives, Corporate Responsibility, and Growth in Climate Careers.
• Congressman Ro Khanna: Winning the 21st century with New Opportunities in the Climate Sphere
• Richard Lowenthal, Co-Founder of Chargepoint, Former Mayor of Cupertino – Insight as a green technology pioneer,the technology behind Chargepoint, and advice for young people interested in approaching sustainability through business
• Dan Jacobson, State Director, Environment California – The good, the bad and the ugly of California climate policy; What we're doing right, what we're doing wrong, and how you can help
• Rod Diridon Sr., Emeritus, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute – The urgency and facts surrounding climate change, the past and present of our local public transportation system, and how to advocate for the future we need

 

The Virtual Climate Speakers Series will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on May 30, May 31, June 6 and June 7.  

 

To RSVP, visit: https://www.youthclimateaction.com/climate-speaker-series

 

For more information, contact Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action at 415-235-5249 or svyouthclimate@gmail.com. 

 

 

Social Security Matters

Ask Rusty – What will my wife’s survivor benefit be?

By Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor

Association of Mature American Citizens

 

Dear Rusty: I am a 68-year-old retired male and had planned on waiting to collect Social Security benefits beginning at age 70. My wife is currently 53 years old. When I die, would my wife’s spousal benefit at her full retirement age be equal to what I would be receiving at age 70 or be reduced? Also, if I were to die before 70 and before collecting social security, what would be my wife's survivor benefit at her full retirement age? Signed: Older Husband

 

Dear Older Husband: Your wife’s survivor benefit as your widow will depend upon two things – the amount you were receiving (or were eligible to receive) at your death, and the age at which she claims her survivor benefit as your widow.

 

If you were receiving an increased benefit because you waited until age 70, your wife’s benefit – if she has reached her full retirement age – will be 100 percent of the amount you were receiving at your death. If she hasn’t yet reached her full retirement age when she claims her survivor benefit (she could claim as early as age 60) the benefit will be actuarially reduced according to the number of months prior to her full retirement age (FRA) that she claims it. The amount of reduction for claiming her survivor benefit before her FRA is 0.396 percent for each full month earlier, which is 4.75 percent per year earlier than her FRA, to a maximum of 28.5 percent. And for clarity, your wife isn’t required to take the survivor benefit immediately upon your death; she can wait until the benefit reaches 100 percent at her full retirement age, if desired and if financially feasible.

 

If your wife is also eligible for a SS benefit on her own work record and you die before she reaches her FRA, she will have the choice to take either her own Social Security benefit or her survivor benefit from you. If her survivor benefit will be her highest possible benefit, she would have the option to take her own SS retirement benefit from her own work record first and delay taking the larger survivor benefit until it reaches maximum at her FRA. Or, if her own benefit at age 70 would be more than her survivor benefit from you, she could take the smaller survivor benefit first and delay taking her own SS benefit until it reaches maximum at age 70 and switch to her own benefit at that time. The goal is for her to get the highest possible benefit for the rest of her life.

 

Finally, if you were to die before you started collecting your increased Social Security benefit at age 70, your wife would still have the same options, but her survivor benefit amount would be based upon the amount you were eligible to receive at your death, even though you were not yet collecting. In other words, all those delayed retirement credits (DRCs) you are now earning (and will continue to earn until you are 70) will not be lost – the benefit you have earned up to the point you die will be what your wife’s survivor benefit is based upon.

 

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation's staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.