2 California schools to be renamed in response to BLM push
AP Wire Service
Jun 16
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) – Two San Francisco Bay Area schools named for founding fathers who were slaveholders will get new names following a push by Black Lives Matter activists, according to a newspaper report.
The Berkeley Unified School District board unanimously approved a “Resolution in Support of Black Lives Matter” during a meeting last week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday. The move started the process of renaming Jefferson and Washington elementary schools.
The current school names commemorate the first and third U.S. presidents, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who both owned slaves.
Berkeley community members tried in 2005 to rename Jefferson Elementary, but the motion was not passed. The current Black Lives Matter movement, following police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, inspired a renewed, successful effort to change the schools' names, the Chronicle said.
Also included in the resolution is a new, year-round “Black Joy Campaign,” described as resources and training for teachers to identify additional measures of racial inequity and collect data in schools, the newspaper reported.
Alameda County Fire Department
Submitted by ACFD
Sunday, June 28
• At 7:14 p.m. firefighters responded to a residential structure fire on Cumberland Avenue in San Leandro. The fire was contained, but two rooms in the structure were destroyed. There were no injuries and two dogs were put in the backyard for safety.
Tuesday, June 30
• At 2:00 p.m. firefighters responded to a vegetation fire near the train tracks at Hanford and Redlands streets on the border of Union City and Fremont. The blaze grew to about one acre but was soon contained and extinguished. Fremont Fire Department helped clear the debris. There were no injuries.
Citizen panel advises police chief
Submitted by Hayward Community Advisory Panel
The Hayward Community Advisory Panel to the Chief of Police was created to foster mutual understanding about the community’s perception of, expectation of, and vision for public safety and policing in Hayward with open communications between the Chief of Police, the Hayward Police Department, and the community and encourage the community to engage in every aspect of this work.
In the midst of a global pandemic, economic hardship, and both national and local protests and conversations about systemic racism, police brutality and misconduct, and our collective vision of public safety, this moment in Hayward’s history requires each of us to decide how we are going to engage to commit to change right here at home.
We also recognize that the national and local conversations we are having require us to hold space for the airing of complex and powerful emotions that we and others may experience. This means we all must commit to having conversations with each other that are uncomfortable, to discuss the pain, fear, and grief shared by so many in our Hayward community. Being uncomfortable in conversations with each other will allow us to create a Hayward where we all can thrive and foster real change.
The Community Advisory Panel to the Chief of Police and Hayward Police Department was established in 2019 as a result of the hard work of community members to create the “Commitment for an Inclusive, Equitable, and Compassionate Community.” We each applied and now volunteer our time and energy because we care deeply about the role of our community and the Hayward Police Department in creating a safer and healthier Hayward. And based on that, we were appointed with the understanding that we each bring different experiences and concerns when interacting with law enforcement and the justice system.
As set out in our original charter, this Panel’s purpose is to create a structured and intentional vehicle for dialogue between community members and the Chief of Police (who is ultimately responsible for the Hayward Police Department).
During the Panel’s Town Hall on Police Relations on June 8, 2020, community members publicly raised several questions about our purpose, power, and responsibilities. In this evolving political, social, and economic environment, we want to be explicit about how we are navigating the balance between our responsibility to acknowledge and uplift the diverse needs and demands of our community as they relate to a vision for public safety and the limits we face in our expertise and in our capacity as volunteers.
We listened intently to the comments, concerns, and demands of those who were able to participate. Two structural needs emerged from that Town Hall: a need for open lines of communication and a strategic plan for engaging the community to turn ideas into action, which is the ultimate goal of the Panel.
As to the need for a strategic plan for engaging the community, we recognize that many voices were not present in that forum, which means that we have a lot of work to do to extend the conversation to many more of our neighbors. Since the Town Hall, City staff has assured us that they will work with us to jointly prepare a community engagement strategy, so we can bring the conversations to the community in more ways than virtual town halls.
We want to emphasize that we all care deeply about creating a Hayward that will be safer and healthier, not only for us but also for our future generations. All members of the community are invited to reach out to us for any reason. Our contact information will be posted on the City’s website at: https://www.hayward-ca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/hpd-community-advisory-panel?mc_cid=97e14a0ad4&mc_eid=026f30cb02.
Despite green pledges, Amazon's carbon footprint grew 15%
By Joseph Pisani
AP Retail Writer
NEW YORK (AP), Jun 23 – Amazon said Tuesday that its carbon footprint rose 15% last year, even as it launched initiatives to reduce its harm on the environment.
The online shopping giant said it emitted 51.17 million metric tons of carbon dioxide last year, the equivalent of 13 coal burning power plants running for a year. That's up from 2018, when it emitted 44.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Amazon disclosed its carbon footprint for the first time last year after employees pressured the company to do more to combat climate change.
Amazon said that while its carbon footprint grew, the amount of carbon it emitted for every dollar spent on the site fell 5% between 2018 and 2019.
The Seattle-based company also said it's on track to have 100% of its energy use come from solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy by 2025, five years earlier than it had planned.
But the increase in its carbon foot shows how tricky it is for a rapidly-growing company like Amazon to cut down on pollution. Amazon depends on fuel-guzzling planes and trucks to ship billions of items a year around the world. Emissions from fossil fuels rose 18% last year, Amazon said Tuesday.
Orders have increased during the coronavirus pandemic, as more people are stuck at home and are shopping online. To keep up, and deliver on time, Amazon said earlier this month that it leased 12 additional Boeing 767s, bringing its fleet of jets to more than 80.
On Tuesday, Amazon announced it would start a $2 billion to invest in companies that make products and technology that help protect the Earth. Earlier this year, Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos said he would spend $10 billion of his personal fortune to fund scientists, activists and nonprofits working to help fight climate change.
Art Online in Fremont
Submitted by Susan Helmer
The Fremont Art Association gallery may be closed, but our artists are still creating. And so, we are announcing the new Online Gallery on our website. Nine artists present items from watercolors, to woodworking, and all items are available for curbside pick-up. Participating artists are: Carol Ramos (watercolors and cards), Donna Arrillaga (quilted purses), Gene and Mary Bobik (ceramics), Hazelwood Ink (wood crafted items such as cutting boards and boxes), Ninefingers Woodturning (Peppermills, pens), Helene Roylance (hand painted ceramics), Parul Parekh (Macrame), and Susan Helmer (masks and jewelry).
Shop local and support the artists! For more information, visit: https://www.fremontartassociation.org/.
Atlas Cafe Bar and Creperie
Submitted by Hayward Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Hayward can boast of having Moroccan-inspired Atlas Cafe Bar and Creperie at 1075 B St., adjacent the Cinemark theatre complex.
Owner/proprietor Lahcen Lhaoui acquired the former eko Coffe and Tea House location for his cafe, that features an exotic blend of coffees, teas, drips, espressos, lattes, bobas and more. The all-day food menu includes signature crepes and paninis (featuring the “Haywarder”), omelets, crepes, sandwiches, and bagels.
The cafe, named for the Atlas Mountains in Lhaoui’s native Morocco, has an open-air patio available for use by patrons under the existing health regulations and is generally open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To contact Atlas, call (510) 274-5360, hello@atlascafebarcreperie.com, or http://atlascafebarcreperie.com/.
Atlas Café Bar and Creperie
Open seven days a week
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
1075 B St., Hayward
Governor Newsom Announces Action to Close Bars in Certain Counties
Submitted by the California Department of Public Health
The California Department of Public Health and California Governor Gavin Newsom today released guidance on the closure of bars for counties on the County Monitoring List. The Department recommends that counties on the County Monitoring List for three or more consecutive days, but less than 14 days, close bars through local health officer order (or do not allow for the opening if bars have not yet been allowed to open in the county). Counties which have been on the list for 14 days or more are required to immediately close bars. The full county monitoring list is available at https://covid19.ca.gov/.
“Californians must remain vigilant against this virus,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. COVID-19 is still circulating in California, and in some parts of the state, growing stronger. That’s why it is critical we take this step to limit the spread of the virus in the counties that are seeing the biggest increases. Each of us has the power to limit the spread of this virus. Wear a face covering and keep physically distant outside the home. Don’t gather in groups, and if you are older or have a condition that puts you at higher risk of COVID-19, protect yourself by staying home.”
“We are actively monitoring COVID-19 across the state and working closely with counties where there are increased rates and concerning patterns of transmission. Closing bars in these counties is one of a number of targeted actions counties are implementing across our state to slow the virus’ spread and reduce risk,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health.
Bars are social environments where groups of people mix. In these environments alcohol consumption reduces inhibition and impairs judgment, leading to reduced compliance with recommended core personal protective measures, such as the mandatory use of face coverings and the practice of social and physical distancing. Bars are generally louder environments requiring raised voices leading to the greater projection of droplets. These factors present a higher likelihood of transmission of COVID-19 within groups, between groups, and among the workforce.
Public health professionals within California and throughout the nation have identified bars as the highest risk sector of non-essential business currently open. Beyond the higher risk of transmission in bar settings, contract tracing, a key measure needed to control spread, is also more challenging in bars because of the constant mixing among patrons and a lack of record-keeping of those in attendance.
For more information about reopening California and what individuals can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit www.cdph.ca.gov.
BART launches data driven passenger load charts
Submitted by BART
As more riders return to BART to avoid traffic, BART is launching weekly train car loading charts to provide a snapshot at what riders can expect on board trains during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commitment to share this data is part of BART’s 15-Step Welcome Back Plan as the region reopens.
Schedule-based passenger load data outlines the average number of riders on each car of a specific train. The charts will be shared weekly on the BART website and on its social media pages to give riders a tool to plan their return to work and have greater confidence that they're doing so in as safe a manner as possible.
The data is an estimation calculated from fare gate information and assumes passengers are evenly spread through all cars on a train. In practice, people will find more passengers on the middle cars, and fewer on the front and rear cars of a train. Overhead announcements are being made to remind riders to spread out.
“We know roughly how many people are on board a specific train based on when and where someone tags into the system and then tags out,” said BART’s Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost. “We are taking the tools we have available and presenting it in a way that is easy for riders to personalize. Not only does the information help riders find trains that have been less crowded, its keeps BART accountable to our commitment to return to 15-minute commute train frequencies as ridership returns.”
Color-coded charts are specific to line, station, and time of day on weekdays. The data represents the number of people on board the train as it departs a station, which is why the end of line stations show as zero.
Data is not available in real time and BART does not have the ability to track actual numbers of passengers on a given car. Therefore, the numbers on the charts may not be reflected on a car where riders have not spread out evenly to more open cars on the same train, or for trains that experience delays which result in more people boarding. Loading data is not available for BART to Antioch DMU trains or BART to OAK trains and will not be included in the chart.
Passenger load charts are provided in PDF formats. Each week, BART staff will select a day that represents average travel for the week and post the charts before Friday. They choose a single day per week to select a “typical” day without delays or similar events that would not be reliable for forecasting likely crowding. For someone with flexible work hours or in a high-risk category, they can plan their commute to ride a train that has shown day over day to be less crowded than other trains.
“Releasing this information will also be a helpful tool for the business community,” Trost said. “BART has been doing extensive outreach to employers about our COVID-19 response efforts and encouraging staggered shift times to spread out the commute. These charts can provide Bay Area companies with the data they need when developing re-entry office plans.”
BART has determined riders can maintain social distancing of 6 feet on board train cars with about 30 people per car. Social distancing of three feet can be achieved with about 60 people per car. To help maintain achievable social distancing for as long as possible, BART will plan to add extra commute time trains in the 15-minute headway interval to relieve crowding on trains where the average passenger load data is consistently above 30 passengers per car. It will take about 1-2 weeks to add trains back into the schedule.
The loading data charts are shared weekly online at www.bart.gov/crowding with links from BART social media sites.
BART launches online merchandise store
Submitted by BART
BART and Capitol Corridor have launched Rail Goods, an online merchandise store to connect riders to official branded products. Rail Goods will sell BART and Capitol Corridor-branded clothing, including t-shirts, jackets, beanies, caps, and socks. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, BART is also selling personal hand straps that can be used while standing on any train and taken home to disinfect. Clipper cards, EZ Rider parking hangtags and BART magstripe paper tickets are not for sale at Rail Goods.
Customers may create an account or check out as a guest to purchase from Rail Goods. All orders are from Rail Goods are processed within two business days. Orders received by 10 a.m. PST will be processed that same day and orders after 10 a.m. will be processed the next business day. Customers should expect up to 10 days for their order to arrive. For more information, visit www.railgoods.com.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Friday, June 26
• At 4:54 p.m. a man identified by police as Joseph Parker, 59, of Oakland was arrested at Hayward station on suspicion of domestic battery, false imprisonment and vandalism. He was issued a prohibition order and booked at Santa Rita Jail.
Monday, June 29
• At 7:25 a.m. a man identified by police as Davinder Kumar, 38, of Newark was arrested at Bay Fair station on suspicion of battery and disobeying a court order. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Bayfair Center reopens with new guidelines
Submitted by Carmen Herlihy
Following California Governor Newsom’s directive, Bayfair Shopping Center reopened the interior mall for business beginning July 3. While Bayfair Center will be open for in-person shopping and dining, some of the center’s restaurants will continue to provide curbside and delivery services as well.
“Now that Governor Newsom has given us the green light to reopen for business and reconnect with the community, we want everyone to know that we have taken significant precautions to safeguard the health of our visitors and employees, which is, of course, our number one priority as our stores and restaurants reopen for business,” says Tony Smith, general manager, Bayfair Center.
The center has implemented policies and procedures to safeguard the health and well-being of shoppers and employees, including:
• Visual Guidelines: Signage throughout the property will remind visitors to wear masks and practice social distancing, stay a minimum of six feet from others, and wash hands frequently.
• Deepening Disinfection Procedures: The center has instituted an increased schedule for frequent cleaning and disinfection of high-touch common areas, including entrance doors, door handles, handrails, restrooms, elevator buttons, escalator handrails, and more.
• Removal of Common Area Seating: These areas will be temporarily closed.
These and other policies and procedures have been implemented throughout the common areas of the shopping center. Individual retailers and restaurants are responsible for implementing their own policies and procedures but have been asked to follow similarly stringent protocols to ensure the safety of each guest and employee.
The center will temporarily operate on a modified schedule of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily to allow additional time for cleaning and disinfection. Each of the center’s retailers will individually determine their own re-opening dates and hours. For a regularly updated list of open retailers, including many still offering virtual shopping, shipping, and curbside pickup, visit www.shopbayfair.com.
Breakfast with County Supervisor Cortese
Submitted by Allysson McDonald
Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese will hold the next Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association breakfast zoom meeting on Saturday, July 11 at 8:30 a.m. Please RSVP to info@sunnyhillsneighborhood.org to join the discussion focused on answering your questions about COVID-19 and what the County is doing to help residents, house our homeless population in Milpitas, develop policies that address systematic inequities, and reopen our economy and schools safely. Bring your own breakfast! Show us your favorite mug.
Learn more about resources available to you and recommendations around the current public health emergency at www.supervisorcortese.org or by calling the Office of Supervisor Dave Cortese at 408 299 5030.
Breakfast with County Supervisor Cortese
Virtual Zoom meeting
Saturday, July 11
8:30 a.m.
RSVP to info@sunnyhillsneighborhood.org
California to remove Columbus statue from state Capitol
By Adam Beam
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jun 16 – A statue depicting Christopher Columbus that has been the centerpiece of the California Capitol rotunda since 1883 will be removed after legislative leaders decided it is out of place “given the deadly impact his arrival in this hemisphere had on indigenous populations.”
The decision, announced Tuesday by legislative leaders, has long been sought by groups and others who say it’s wrong to honor a man who ushered in an era of genocide to North America's indigenous peoples. But their effort gained momentum following the nationwide protests over racial injustice spurred by the death of George Floyd.
A statement from state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Assembly Rules Committee chair Ken Cooley called Columbus “a deeply polarizing historical figure” and said the statue's presence in the Capitol “is completely out of place today.”
It's unclear how or when the statue will be removed.
Statues have been coming down across the country as government leaders rethink their places of prominence. In Kentucky, officials removed a statue of Jefferson Davis, the only president of the Confederacy, from the state Capitol. And in Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy, Gov. Ralph Northam has announced plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Monday, Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento removed a statue of John Sutter, a 19th century European colonizer of California who enslaved Native Americans.
The statue in California's Capitol depicts Columbus appealing to Queen Isabella I, who financed his voyage to the New World in 1492 that began an era of colonialism in the Americas. The statue was a gift from Darius Ogden Mills, a banker who had advocated for California's Capitol to be built in Sacramento.
While Columbus never came to California, Mills wrote in a letter it was appropriate to display the statue in California's Capitol because it depicts “an event that had so great an influence on the destinies of the western world.”
Some Native American and Latino groups argued for the statue to stay gone for good in the 1970s when it was temporarily removed during a Capitol restoration project. But the statue returned and has stayed put ever since.
It was long a tradition on the last night of each year's legislative session for lobbyists and other onlookers to attempt to toss pennies into Queen Isabella's crown from the second floor of the ornate Rotunda. The practice was discouraged after a portion of a finger of a queen's attendant on the statue was snapped off in 2014, though it was never determined if the damage was caused by the coin toss.
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Associated Press reporter Don Thompson contributed.
Student gathers greeting cards for health care workers
Photos by Sindhu Raghava
By Marc Vicente
As the Bay Area steadily rolls back quarantine protocols enacted in response to COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, front line workers are more diligent than ever to both provide for their communities and contain the spread of the global pandemic. In response to these efforts, communities around the world have given back to these workers by providing food and supplies such as protective headgear and face masks. Some have also encouraged workers with moral support in the form of greeting cards. Presentation High School student and resident of Fremont, Sindhu Raghava, is one community member known for giving back to health care workers with her project, aptly titled “Covid Cards.”
Fifteen-year-old Sindhu Raghava has prior experience in volunteer hospital work, and hopes to go on to become a physician. She was inspired to start her project in May by the efforts of health care workers who have risked contracting Coronavirus in order to save their patients. The goal of the project is to create and gather 10,000 greeting cards from local volunteers to provide moral support for both patients and staff stationed in local hospitals. Raghava states that collecting these cards is important because it lets both patients and hospital employees know that they have support — no matter how small the contribution — in this tough time, battling COVID-19.
With Covid Cards, patients receive letters to get well soon, and hospital employees receive letters showing how much they are appreciated. Anyone who wants to support the project can contact Raghava a few days beforehand so that on a designated day, she can schedule when to pick up the cards at their mailbox. Each card should be made with a personal touch, so that whoever reads it will be greeted with meaningful and personalized messages, made with care.
“Children who make the cards truly enjoy the experience,” Raghava says. “While they are bored at home during quarantine, this gives them a sense of purpose, plus the joy of knowing they helped someone get through a tough time and stay encouraged. Even parents and family members have been moved to make cards and express their gratitude to healthcare staff and offer support to sick patients.”
Neighbors, friends and family members, especially her mother who works at Kaiser Permanente, have been touched by this effort and help Raghava with her project. On top of creating more cards for her to deliver, some have offered to help by posting on their social media pages; some also help her collect cards from various communities. Over 50 cards have currently been collected and delivered to patients, doctors and other hospital staff.
“Once the goal of 10,000 cards is fulfilled, I will still continue to look for ways to support the medical community and patients,” Raghava says. “Just as COVID-19 is a long-term issue, support must also be long term.”
If you would like to help Sindhu reach her goal, you can visit her website at https://sindhuraghava.wixsite.com/covidcards or send an email to sindhuraghava@gmail.com.
Color Guard comes out for social distancing parade
By Stephanie Gertsch
The Color Guard of American Legion Post 837 has been a part of the Fremont 4th of July Parade since the event began in 1998. This year, the parade moved online and to porches to avoid large crowds that could worsen the spread of COVID-19. Legion members wanted to make sure the Color Guard made an appearance as well, so they set up the American Flag, Legion Flag, and flags of the five branches of military service in front of Veterans Memorial Park in Fremont (intersection of Paseo Padre and Walnut).
Members present were Jon McLaren a veteran of the Army and Coast Guard, Bill Elliott and Byron Asberry of the Air Force, and Nathan Dietrich of the Navy.
“I realized there was going to be no actual 4th of July Parade, and got wind of the Fremont Porch Parade, so I contacted their leadership and told them that we would be posted here for a flag display in lieu of the parade,” said McLaren. “And I thought, What a great location: the Fremont Veterans Memorial.”
The Legion set up the flags at 10 a.m. and expected a visit from Gregory Green, organizer of the Fremont 4th of July Parade and this year’s Porch Parade, as this is one of his favorite parade elements. They planned to keep the display up until 1 p.m.
Online tool lets citizens track neighborhood crime
Submitted by Monica Leon
In an effort to keep citizens aware of crimes that occur in the city, officials from the Fremont Police Department (FPD) recently announced that an online tool, called CityProtect.com, previously known as CrimeReports.com is up and running.
CityProtect.com offers a mobile-friendly website which allows users to explore a crime map of their community with up to 180 days of data. The FPD participates in the public crime map feature which promotes transparency and advocates for crime prevention awareness. This tool provides automated mapping of incidents with frequent data updates.
City Protect is the only public portal the Fremont Police Department shares report information with. Police reports are generally updated within 72 hours, or less, but can sometimes take more time if the investigation is ongoing. Citizens are asked to understand that this is a representation of crime and is not all-inclusive.
It is important to note that some police report types change as the circumstances of an investigation become known, and that the time listed is the time of the report and not necessarily of the actual incident. This service does not reflect official crime index totals as reported to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program. However, that information is available on the FPD website at www.fremontpolice.gov/transparency.
The number of crimes in tables and reports may not be fully reflected in the map due to address data not geocoding. The goal in offering a community crime map option is to inspire a partnership and empower community members to help shape public safety and improve quality of life.
The Fremont Police Department is always looking for new ways to enhance their community engagement efforts and provide various ways for the community to connect with them. The department offers crime alerts in various forms including include NIXLE, Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, Neighbors by Ring app and Instagram. More information is available at https://www.fremontpolice.gov/CityProtect.
Proposal to designate Juneteenth as county holiday
Submitted by Janice Rombeck
Supervisor Dave Cortese has announced that he will bring to the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors a proposal for the county to declare that Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S., will be a countywide holiday beginning June 19, 2021.
In the wake of national and local protests over the killing of George Floyd and an outcry to rid the country of systemic racism, it is significant that this day be added to the county’s observances that include honoring Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, and Independence Day.
Supervisor Cortese was asked by local civil rights leaders to initiate the proposal for the county to designate June 19 as a county holiday. This would be a way to reflect on how far we have come but also realize how far we have to go. For more information, contact the Office of Supervisor Dave Cortese at (408) 299-5030.
County update
Submitted by Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese
New health order allows more activities
On July 1, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order that continued restrictions on indoor dining, bars, wineries and movie theaters for the next three weeks in 19 counties, including Santa Clara County, that are on a state monitoring list. Those activities already were not allowed in the County.
County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody announced July 2, 2020 that a new health order will allow more activities to resume. New activities allowed include hair and nail services, gyms and small gatherings, but only with strict social distancing protocols in place, consistent use of face coverings, and significant capacity limits. The order includes across-the-board requirements for other businesses, including density restrictions, face covering and physical distancing requirements, and indoor and outdoor gathering limits. A small set of businesses that are higher risk will not be allowed to open.
It also requires all employers to immediately report cases of COVID-19 tied to their workplaces to local public health officials. The order continues to stress that we are all safest when we stay home, and that people over age 70 and those with serious underlying medical conditions should continue to leave home only for essential needs.
The order will go into effect on July 13, or as soon as State approval is granted, whichever is later. For additional information, you can visit https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/public-health-orders.aspx
New Testing Site in Alviso
Stanford Medicine and Gardner Health Services will provide testing from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, at the Alviso Health Center, 1621 Gold Street, San Jose. Walk up or call for an appointment at 408-457-7100.
San Jose Extends Al Fresco Concept to Allow ‘Parklets’
The City of San Jose is making it easier for businesses to apply, at no cost, for a “parklet” in the parking spaces in front of their business. A parklet is a set of parking spaces blocked from traffic, often with outdoor dining.
The temporary permit applies only to businesses located on a street in a commercial area, where the posted speed limit is 25 mph or less. The City will provide and install the traffic barriers at no charge to the business. Businesses can apply as a group in commercial areas.
The temporary parklet permit will be valid through December 31, 2020, or until the Shelter-In-Place restrictions are removed.
Supervisor Dave Cortese
(408) 299-5030
dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org.
Supervisor’s Statement on Schools Reopening
Submitted by Janice Rombeck
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cortese recently released a statement on guidelines for the upcoming reopening of schools:
“Santa Clara County Office of Education’s partnership with the county’s Public Health Department has produced a school reopening guideline that recognizes the importance of children returning to campuses but with the health and protection of students and teachers as a top priority. The guidelines also remind school districts that distance learning will need to be provided to a percentage of students.
“The guidelines take into consideration county and state requirements but also acknowledge that schools need to develop plans that work for their communities. I applaud SCCOE for including the opinions and needs of parents in creating the guidelines.
“An estimated 15,000 students in schools across the county and 9,361 families were left out of distance learning during shelter-in-place because they did not have access to the Internet nor could their families afford laptops or tablets. My initiative recently approved by the board of supervisors, also in partnership with SCCOE, will help bridge this digital divide. Allowing these children to return to schools safely is vital to their education.”
Supervisor Scott Haggerty receives transportation foundation award
Submitted by office of Alameda County Supervisor, District 1
The California Transportation Foundation (CTF) has announced that Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty has been chosen to receive the Person of the Year Award for 2019. The prestigious award recognizes excellence demonstrated in his long career of leadership in advancing transportation infrastructure projects and the many contributions he has made to bettering the lives of all Californians. He received the award on July 6 at the 31st Annual Award ceremony, that this year was an online event.
“I am truly honored and humbled to receive this CTF Transportation Award for Person of the Year,” Haggerty remarked in hearing the news. Haggerty will be leaving public office at the end of the year following 24 years as the Alameda County Supervisor representing District 1.
“He always steps up,” said his long-time colleague Supervisor Nate Miley. “In the more than 20 years I have known him, he has not missed an opportunity to serve, not just his District, but the entire Bay Area region,” he continued.
This is reflected in the many varied boards and commissions on which he has served and taken a leading role. He is a two-time Chair of the 9-County Metropolitan Transportation Commission and has been Chair of the Alameda County Transportation Commission (and/or its predecessor agencies) eleven times over the last two decades. He also initiated a legislative proposal that resulted in the formation of the Tri-Valley – San Joaquin County Transportation Commission which is delivering the Valley Link Rail Project – and has been Chair of this Board since inception. He was a founding member of the ACE Board, the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) and the Tri-Valley Transportation Council. At the national level, he represents Alameda County at the National Association of Counties, where he previously served as Chairman of the Transportation Steering Committee.
Reflecting on the CTF award, Haggerty said, “Although I am credited for taking a leading role in improving transportation – and for dogged efforts in securing billions of dollars for roads, highways and public transit – I have by no means done it alone. I have worked together with many – far too many to count – who have shared my belief in the importance of collaboration.”
When asked about his greatest accomplishment, Haggerty remarked: “I’m not embarrassed at all to admit that the gold shovels in my office are some of my most prized possessions. But it’s not the roads, it is the people who travel these roads that have fueled my motivation. For many, transportation is more than getting from point A to B – but a vehicle to opportunity and a chance to have safe and affordable choices about where they can live and work.”
The California Transportation Foundation, established more than thirty years ago, is a leading charitable transportation organization in the state that supports scholarships, families of fallen transportation workers, and acknowledges projects and people in transportation. The annual awards event can be accessed on the CTF website starting July 6 at https://transportationfoundation.org/about-ctf/.
Park It
by Ned MacKay
Stay safe in the regional parks
Shelter in place, work at home, and other coronavirus related precautions have resulted in increased use of regional parks and trails, on weekdays as well as weekends. So, it’s a good idea to keep in mind some safety precautions and practice trail courtesy.
We all have to share the road, especially on paved, inter-park trails such as the Marsh Creek, Delta De Anza, Contra Costa Canal, Iron Horse, and Alameda Creek Trails. So if you are walking, leave enough room so that bicyclists or faster pedestrians can pass. Stay right if possible. If you’re bicycling, the speed limit is 15 miles per hour. And if you are overtaking another trail user, it’s helpful to ring a bicycle bell or call out “on your left (or right).” Skiers do it all the time, and it helps to prevent collisions.
Within the parks, hikers and bicyclists yield the right of way to horseback riders, cyclists yield to walkers. Of course, it’s nice to accommodate other park visitors if circumstances suggest it, regardless of who has the right of way.
In general, bicycles are supposed to stay on the wider-track fire roads and service roads, though a number of the parks have narrow gauge trails that are open to all. Most single-track trails are restricted to hikers and horseback riders, and some are exclusively for hikers. Check the key on each park map and look for signage on the ground to determine the status of a specific trail. And please stay on the official trails. Use of unofficial trails or cutting cross-country is disruptive to wildlife and causes erosion.
All the coronavirus-related safety measures are still in place in the regional parks. This means we are supposed to visit parks close to home, and only with small groups consisting of family and other household members. Please maintain a social distance of at least six feet from other visitors, and carry a mask for use on narrow trails or at gates where social distancing is difficult. Hand sanitizer is a good idea, too. Large group picnics are off the agenda for now.
Although some rest rooms are open, it’s best to “go before you go.” And bring your own drinking water, because water fountains have been shut off for the duration. Pack out your trash.
For the duration of the pandemic, dogs are supposed to be on leash at all times in the regional parks. The reasoning is that off-leash dogs tend to congregate, which makes it likelier that unrelated owners will congregate too.
Although the Fourth of July likely will have passed by the time this column appears, leftover fireworks may still present a problem. So for the record, any and all fireworks are prohibited in the regional parks. Moreover, all smoking, including vaping, is prohibited in the parklands. The weather has been hot recently, the vegetation is very dry, and the park district fire department is on high alert.
There is some good news, too. If health departments determine that the pandemic is subsiding at an acceptable rate, the park district may begin to open more facilities and resume normal operations with health safety protocols in place to protect the public. And look for the Park District’s July-August Activity Guide that is inserted in many local papers. This issue contains a ton of educational materials about the flora and fauna in the Regional Parks along with fun, self-directed activities that parents and children can engage in together.
Learn about the park district’s wildfire management plan with updates from Fire Chief Aileen Thiele. You can access the Activity Guide online at https://www.ebparks.org/activities/RIN
Overall, your best source of up-to-date information about the status of regional parks and programs is the district website, www.ebparks.org. Click on “COVID-19 Park & Trail Updates” at the top of the home page.
Editorial
Rules do not apply
Communities throughout our nation are currently grappling with disorganized responses to fundamental civic challenges that, although diverse in nature, require coordinated action. Whether related to equal justice under law, health or education, a common challenge is observance of societal norms. Even though recognition of a threatening condition may be near universal, solutions that usually require individual discomfort and sacrifice are difficult to enforce. Behavior modification is not an easy task, even if codified by rules and legal orders. Adherence depends on faith and trust, not easily given, especially in an atmosphere of fear and confusion. Defiance and self-centered attitudes can supplant reasonable discourse and action.
There is a streak of independence from rules and restrictions buried deeply in the fabric of the United States. Our country was founded by objection to a model of monarchies and aristocracies that ruled by right of birth and position. However, much discussion and debate preceded a formal dissolution with Great Britain; contentious issues were clearly defined. Rules imposed by the king were determined to be arbitrary and unjust. Principles of rights and the common good were expressed through extended debate and compromise. The result wasn’t a perfect country, rather a country dedicated to pursuit of a perfect idea.
Our current situation is much different. In this case, thoughtful consideration of rules and reforms have been relegated to a patchwork of states, counties and cities. The product has been confusion and anger, resulting in sporadic adherence to mitigation efforts. Instead of a common cause to confront a deadly virus and civic unrest over historical injustices, a political veil has settled over our communities, heightening a quest for independence without regard to the societal fabric of our lives. The perfect idea is, at times, thrown aside for personal gain or comfort.
Just as woven cloth relies on all threads to maintain its integrity, so too does an effective response to threats to our way of life – internal or external. When rules are imposed using rational thought, substance and meaning, they deserve our attention and consideration. Independence of thought and action must, to some degree, give way to communal responsibility and recognition of the power of synergy – the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The idea of joint action and performance is well recognized in sports, performing arts, fashion, business and almost every human endeavor. It should be recognized when facing a pandemic and fundamental change too. Since everyone is affected, the rules do apply to everyone.
Logically, when faced with a severe crisis of regional, national, even international proportions, coordinated action would be of paramount importance to all. However, the loose thread of independence, while valuable and critical for a free society, can also have a detrimental effect. An anarchistic attitude of total and unfettered free will with no restrictions or rules is antithetical to any civilization. When residents decide to exert their independence, at great cost to their neighbors, this is not an act of defiance, rather a fundamental repudiation of their own infrastructure. Encouraging such behavior in family units – spouse, children, relatives – is denying their potential and relegating them to outlier status that may be beneficial, but more often personally detrimental.
Before ignoring or challenging rules and regulations, it is best to understand them and consider the motives behind their existence. Our nation was formed to pursue an ideal system of governance, even while inhabited by imperfect human beings. Although we remain flawed, our attempts to improve, change and protect what we have should seek change, not destruction.
California city of Fort Bragg considers name change
AP Wire Service
FORT BRAGG, Calif. (AP), Jun 23 – A rugged Northern California coastal city named for a Confederate general may ask voters to change its name as people protesting racial inequality and police brutality tear down monuments honoring former Confederate leaders.
The city of Fort Bragg in Mendocino County is named for Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, who is accused of keeping more than 100 slaves.
The City Council heard Monday from people both supporting and opposing a name change. The council was to debate whether to put the renaming issue to voters through a ballot measure in November but decided at last against pressing forward with it.
Instead, Mayor Will Lee designated two council members to report on guidelines for creating a commission of residents to examine the issue of a name change. No deadline for the guidelines was given.
Fort Bragg was founded in 1857 before the U.S. Civil War by Lt. Horatio G. Gibson, who established a military post to keep control of the Mendocino Indian Reservation. He named it for Bragg, who was his former commanding officer.
The issue of renaming the city of 7,000 people, a popular tourist destination and former lumber town about 165 miles (264 kilometers) north of San Francisco, cropped up five years ago after a white supremacist killed nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. City leaders declined to do so at the time.
Supporters of a name change say the city should not honor a racist who fought for the South and had nothing to do with Northern California. Opponents say a name change would be costly, time-consuming and unnecessary. They say elected leaders should not succumb to political pressure at a tumultuous time.
“I don't go home and worship a statue of Braxton Bragg. This is home to me,“ said 34-year-old Ryan Bushnell. “It means more than a name to me, and I know it does to a lot of people.“
Protests have broken out across the country after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis last month. Monuments honoring Confederate leaders, former slave owners and other historic figures associated with colonization and brutalization of minorities have come down, either by force or government order.
In San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, protesters took down a statue of Catholic missionary Junipero Serra and a statue of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the “Star Spangled Banner“ and also owned slaves. San Francisco city workers removed a statue of Christopher Columbus from its pedestal at Coit Tower.
Bragg also has one of the largest military installations in the world named after him: Fort Bragg in North Carolina. There is support to rename military bases and equipment of Confederate names and other symbols.
Fort Bragg city staff said in a memo to the council that they could also choose to re-dedicate the city to different Braggs: Britain's William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg, a father-son team who won the 1915 Nobel Prize in physics.
Fremont Fire Department
Submitted by ACFD
Monday, June 29
• At 8:58 p.m. Fremont firefighters joined Cal Fire (Santa Clara Unit) firefighters to battle a vegetation fire near 40400 Vargas Road. The blaze was initially reported to be two-to-three acres and burning uphill on the east side of the road with a second, smaller fire on the west side of the road. A residence was initially threatened, but firefighters quickly extinguished that portion of the fire. As a precaution, Fremont Police Department officers assisted Vargas Road and Morrison Canyon residents with voluntary evacuations. In total, about five acres of dry grass was burned before firefighters put the blaze down. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation by Fremont Fire and Fremont Police departments. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fremont Police Department’s General Crimes Unit at (510) 790-6900 or email Detective Travis MacDonald at Tmacdonald@fremont.gov.
Letter to the editor
Students should have a choice
I am an incoming seventh grader at Thornton Junior High School. The FUSD school board had decided that elementary schools will have a credit/no credit grading system. I believe that giving the students the choice as to how they want their grades would be a better choice.
On April 9, I attended the FUSD school board meeting. This meeting addressed the issue of a new grading policy while students are working at home. After the FUSD board meeting, I’ve been thinking hard about this new policy, and I want to share my opinions.
I know that school may be online for next year as well and feel that it would not be fair for everyone in elementary school to have credit/no credit grades. I think that instead of having credit/no credit for everyone from kindergarten to sixth grade, kids should get to choose how they want their grades.
Some kids do have a lot of stress from personal losses or don’t have the same resources as other students. Others, however, are doing well and would like to be rewarded for their hard work. Not everyone is in the same situation, and trying to find one size that fits all just isn’t fair to the students. Giving an option would satisfy the most people and wouldn’t cause any harm.
I know that some people would think that that shouldn't happen because kindergartners shouldn't really be making that decision. But their parents can choose for them, while sixth graders can choose if they want their grades. I know that I would want my grades because I have been working hard to do all my work well. I’m sure that many other students also feel this way.
Neha Nagpal
Fremont
Want to create a spectacular garden?
Article and photos by Daniel O'Donnell
The proverb “It’s not what you know, but who you know” might have been true before COVID-19 for getting into a popular nightclub, reserving a table at a pub to watch a big game, or securing a reservation at a trendy restaurant. However, things have changed since many of these venues are still not open. ‘What you know’ might be more important now, especially when it comes to gardening, as many people are spending more time at home.
There are many people who think they have a black thumb, meaning that everything they attempt to grow dies. These people often compare themselves to people with beautiful gardens who are perceived to have a green thumb. Simply knowing a person with a green thumb is not going to elevate a garden. However, learning what the green thumb knows will change the perception of having a black thumb into one of enjoying a green thumb.
Below are tips that can help anyone create a successful garden.
Plant the right plant in the right place. Plants have maximum heights and widths that should be considered when being placed in the garden. There is a plant option for every space. A plant with a maximum height of three feet can be planted in front of windows without ever having to be trimmed. It will keep its natural form which can make the plant more attractive than one constantly being pruned.
A key concept, which some garden designers call the “golden rule,” is to place boulders or plants in clusters of odd numbers. Odd numbers create appeal and keep the eyes moving. It is not important whether three plants, for example, are set in a scalene, isosceles, or equilateral triangle, they just need to be close enough to each other for the eye to catch their similarity. Formal gardens are the exception as they rely on repetition by using even numbers in their plantings.
Planting in drifts or swathes and using large numbers of the same plant will add visual weight to the garden. The number of plants is determined by the space available. Smaller yards can get the same result from 10 plants that larger yards would get from 40 plants. Using two or three accompanying drifts of different plants can add color and interest without compromising the spectacular impact.
Plants, like all other living things, have a life expectancy. Marigolds and other annuals live for one year and then die. Biennial plants such as Geranium maderense take two years to complete their life cycle. Perennials such as Bamboo live for more than two years but still have a life expectancy of about 80 to 100 years for most varieties. Some perennials only live for five years. There are benefits to knowing the life span of a plant. Using longer lived plants can be more economical and create less work as they do not need to be replaced as often. Shorter lived plants give you the option to try new ones when they complete their lifecycle.
Plants will attract insects. A gardener can save a lot of work, aggravation, and worrisome nights with the ability to identify them. Roughly 97 percent of bugs are either beneficial or harmless to plants. Many plants are also predators to the five percent of insects that are destructive. It will be a lot easier to manage the harmful bugs with a targeted plan that does not harm the beneficial ones if they have been correctly identified. Mac’s Field Guide for garden bugs is a laminated two-sided sheet that has photographs and descriptions of insects common to California. It is one of the best ways to identify insects quickly and accurately in the garden.
Sheet mulching is one of the easiest and most effective organic ways to eradicate weeds from the garden. The process involves placing cardboard over weed infested areas and then covering the cardboard with compost and/or mulch. The lack of light kills the weeds and the cardboard degrades over time leaving the soil in a healthy and naturally weed-free state.
It can be a little disappointing after working in the garden only to have a pile of debris left sitting in the yard for the next week because the green bin was filled up. Why not order a second one? An additional green bin has a negligible cost per quarter. Filling that extra green bin might be the be the perfect motivation to get out into the garden every week.
Using these and other tips from avid gardeners will help you create a garden that will showcase what you know and that can be enjoyed by all the people who you know.
Daniel O'Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. www.Chrysalis-Gardens.com
Graffiti investigated as a hate crime
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
Patrol officers responded to The Mission San Jose on Saturday, July 4th, on the report of graffiti vandalism on the exterior of the building. Suspect(s) spray painted “Native Land” with splatters of paint to simulate blood on the church. We are in the process of collecting evidence at the scene and documenting this incident as a hate crime.
The Fremont Police Department takes these matters seriously and will dedicate appropriate resources to this investigation. Fremont does not tolerate hate and will ask the Alameda County District Attorney to fully prosecute those who are found responsible for this crime.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to please call the Fremont Police Investigative Unit at 510-790-6900 or email fremontpolice@fremont.gov.
Business Pulse Check – Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply
By Madhvika Singh
Photos courtesy of Madhvika Singh and Maira Ochoa
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.
Medical care has become synonymous with medications that maintain health and keep diseases at bay. Pharmacies fill in the crucial role of providing access to and delivering medicines for patients. Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply is a community pharmacy that has been serving the East Bay area since 1957. They currently have two locations in Fremont.
Their retail pharmacy offers services beyond prescription dispensing, like compounding, wound care, vaccinations, birth control, and travel immunizations. The full list of services can be found at https://www.hallerspharmacy.com.The medical supply store offers a variety of specialty equipment like walking aids, compression apparel, mobility scooters, and lift chairs. Visit https://www.hallersrx.net for a complete selection. They accept all insurances including Medi-Cal to serve as much of the community as possible.
“We’ve always been inspired at Haller’s by the sense of community and being a place trusted by our community. The saying is if you can’t find it at Haller’s you can’t find it anywhere,” shared Jasmine Basrai, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply. Haller’s has been a family owned business since its inception and takes pride in being a part of patients’ total healthcare.
When the first shelter-in-place orders were issued, Haller’s was deemed an essential business and allowed to operate. “When COVID-19 first hit in March, we closed the inside of the pharmacy and offered home delivery and parking lot service,” shared Joe Amspoker, Marketing Director for Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply. They had been one of the few pharmacies in the Tri-City area to offer prescription delivery services prior to COVID-19, and expanded to service the Hayward area as well.
To allow social distancing, Haller’s also offers curbside prescription drop-off and pick-up, secure text messaging and phone prescription consultations. Customers can order refills from smartphones or via the app – RX 2 GO. When it came to making Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available, Haller’s focused not only on pricing, but also on finding products that would meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. “We were trying to stay ahead in the game by making sure we have PPE including masks, hand sanitizers, gloves, face shields and thermometers available for the community we serve,” shared Sanjay Patel, Pharmacy Manager and the Pharmacist-in-Charge at Haller’s.
During the shelter-in-place restrictions, as patients cancelled and postponed their medical appointments and elective services and procedures, Haller’s revenue was also impacted negatively. However, they were able to retain all the employees and continued to provide services.
As we enter the next phase of reopening, Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply are back to regular hours with measures for social distancing and sanitization protocols. They are asking customers to wear masks when inside the store. “We also changed the flow by having separate entrance and exit,” shared Amspoker. “We’ve added safety barriers at the cashier and drop-off windows. Our medical supply store is still limiting people from entering, but we are open and helping our patients,” added Basrai.
Haller’s is also helping out their customers by offering regular preventive screenings such as blood pressure monitoring, temperature, and vitals checks at no cost. Customers can use this service for self-monitoring, or in preparation for a consult with their medical provider.
They also donated PPE to local organizations like Gurdwara Sahib of Fremont, Life Elder Care, Tri-City Health Center, and Tri-City Volunteers. In the true spirit of collaboration, Basrai shared, that they have stayed connected with their partners like HERS Breast Cancer Foundation and Drivers for Survivors and are there for each other. “We offer support and share information when needed,” she added further.
Our local businesses provide character and a unique vibe that strengthens our sense of community participation, and Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply is one such example. With the motto “Empathy, Accuracy, and Honesty,” Haller’s Pharmacy aspires to live up to high standards in everything they do. We at Tri-City Voice wish the very best to Haller’s Pharmacy and Medical Supply and hope that we as a community will come out stronger together in our fight to combat COVID-19.
Locations in Fremont:
Haller’s Pharmacy
37323 Fremont Blvd., Fremont
(510) 797-2772
Haller’s Medical Supply
4067 Peralta Blvd., Fremont
(510) 797-2221
https://www.hallersrx.net
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.
COVID-19 eviction moratorium extended to September 30
Submitted by City of Hayward
On July 1, Hayward City Council extended an emergency moratorium on residential and commercial evictions for failure to pay rent or make mortgage payments due to COVID-19 hardship.
The moratorium, which was extended to September 30, also temporarily bans the eviction of residential tenants for reasons other than nonpayment of rent that otherwise would be allowable under no-fault eviction provisions of the city’s rent-stabilization ordinance.
Initially adopted on March 24 and expanded on April 7 to cover commercial tenants and homeowners with foreclosed mortgage loans, the moratorium is intended to allow all Hayward residents to continue to safely shelter-in-place during the health emergency and help sustain local businesses during the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In tandem with the moratorium, the city has been providing rent relief assistance grants to landlords on behalf of tenants who have been unable to pay rent due economic hardship attributable to COVID-19 and associated shelter-in-place orders.
Nothing in the eviction moratorium ordinance relieves residential and commercial tenants or homeowners of their liability for unpaid rent or mortgage payments. Instead, under the extension the ordinance provides a 180-day repayment period for tenants to secure stable employment and income, and to enter into repayment agreements with their landlords.
While it is anticipated that tenants may need more than 180 days to pay past due rent, tenants can use city mediation services, available through the City Housing Division, to negotiate binding repayment agreements for longer time periods based on their ability pay.
Area library offers curbside pickup
Submitted by City of Hayward
Hayward Public Library is providing curbside pickup of library materials through a new “HPL to Go” program. Library users may request items online and pick up on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday outside of the library’s north entrance between the library and Watkins and Mission streets garage.
Materials ordered through HPL to Go will be available in two days unless the items are already checked out, and requestors will be notified in advance by email or phone that their items are ready. Requestors are asked to wait to receive notice that their materials are ready before coming to the library to collect them.
People picking up materials must wear a mask or other face covering and are asked to walk up to the service table, provide their name and the last four digits of the phone number associated with their library card account, and they will be handed their HPL to Go order.
For more information or to order materials, call (510) 881-7980 or visit https://bit.ly/hpltogo.
Curbside Pickup
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
Request Items / Details
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Monday – Saturday
(510) 881-7980
https://bit.ly/hpltogo
Hayward Police Log
Submitted by Hayward PD
Thursday, July 2
• At about 2:30 a.m. a CHP officer-involved shooting occurred in the area of W. Jackson Street and Tarman Avenue. Local media reported that CHP officers awakened a driver sleeping in a vehicle that was determined to be stolen. The driver drove toward one of the officers, possibly hitting him in the leg. The officer fired one shot while the vehicle sped away. No one was hit. No Hayward officers were involved, but the department’s Investigations Bureau is investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Mosby at (510) 293-7176.
Heartfulness Initiative helps students cope amid pandemic
By Miranda Jetter
Students have missed out this year. Proms and SAT tests, college campus tours and walks across stage at graduation—all were canceled in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Amidst these disruptions the Heartfulness Initiative has stepped up to provide youth with tools to help them combat stress and anxiety during this crisis.
The initiative is run by the global non-profit Heartfulness Institute. They use mindfulness and meditation practices to create “fulfillment and wellbeing,” according to their website. The workshops they offer in high schools are free and they claim a long list of benefits for those who participate. Some of these include a more nurturing classroom environment, teachers and students who are better equipped to deal with stressors in the classroom, and improvement in student decision making over time.
Beena Shah, a lead volunteer and meditation trainer with the initiative said that she was first drawn to the practice 12 years ago. She felt distraught after moving to America: “I was totally empty inside.” So she sought out something that would bring her inner fulfillment and peace. She found Heartfulness and “there was no turning back.” Now she helps bring that practice to highschoolers around the South Bay.
Last year the initiative came to Irvington High School to teach a Heartfulness series after the principal, Amanda Melsby, reached out to them. She heard about the project through the Parent/Teacher/Student Association (PTSA) and was interested because one of the school’s goals is to “promote mindfulness and resiliency.”
Melsby said that some of the freshmen who’ve taken part in the course say the methods are unexpected and hard to do at first but others have found it “extremely beneficial” and overall students seemed to enjoy it. Highlighting mindfulness in the classroom setting is crucial, she said, because it’s harder for students to engage with it for the first time on their own. It’s impossible to take away every stressor a student may experience, she said, but by giving them these tools they can respond well, becoming stronger and more resilient.
Mental health issues have become a growing concern for adolescents. Anxiety has become the most common reason college students seek counseling according to an article published in 2017 in The New York Times Magazine, and from 2007 to 2017 the rate of suicide among 10-24 year olds increased by 56% making it the second leading cause of death among that demographic. The pandemic has only intensified these issues. According to a New York Times article, two-thirds of those who texted the National Text Crisis Line in recent months have reported more intense feelings of anxiety and depression – nearly double the intensity before COVID-19.
Mindfulness may be a powerful tool to address this anxiety. In a study done on a program similar to the Heartfulness Initiative, teens reported a significant decrease in “anxiety, perceived stress, and depression” at the three month follow up after the program’s end, according to a paper published in Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience.
The Heartfulness Initiative’s most recent series keeps the effects of COVID-19 and its resultant anxieties at the forefront. At last month’s virtual series, open to any Fremont highschooler, Shah and other volunteers walked nearly 80 students through techniques like left nostril breathing and positive self-affirmations over Zoom video chat. She said one of the favorites among students was the total body relaxation exercise where they talk participants through methodically releasing and relaxing every body part.
One of the biggest challenges of last month’s course was trying to keep students engaged with the material. The lack of in-person contact made it easy for students to drop out of sessions if they grew bored so Shah and other volunteers used Zoom breakout rooms, interactive polls, and word clouds to keep them engaged.
Snehita Vallumchetla was one of the students in Shah’s course last month, yet she came to Heartfulness differently than many of her peers. The 16-year-old James Logan High School student got involved through her parents who have been taking her to the Heartfulness Institute’s Fremont center since she was little. In her day-to-day experience she said Heartfulness strategies have taught her to be less reactive in stressful situations and “to pause and just introspect.”
One technique for coping with COVID-19 that instructors offered was to bring attention to each day, she said. They suggested that every day should be special and that they should do things to take note of and remember this time. Vallumchetla took this advice to heart: daily diary entries and practicing her French horn is how she reminds herself that despite everything each day is still unique.
To learn more about upcoming Heartfulness workshops visit: www.heartfulnessinstitute.org
Roaming mountain lion caught in downtown San Francisco
AP Wire Service
By Olga R. Rodriguez
SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Jun 18 – A young mountain lion that had been spotted sleeping in a planter box along a normally busy street and looking at his reflection in the glass of an office tower in downtown San Francisco was safely captured Thursday and will be released into the wild, officials said.
The disoriented cougar roamed the streets for two days until he was spotted by a police officer near Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, said Officer Adam Lobsinger, a police spokesman.
Officers set up a perimeter and waited for animal control officials to arrive. They safely captured the 50-pound cat in an apartment building's green area with lots of shrubbery without the use of sedatives, Animal Care and Control spokeswoman Deb Campbell said.
“In 24 hours, it only moved a few blocks. The poor guy really needed some help,” she said.
Campbell said mountain lion sightings are not uncommon in San Francisco and officials get reports of cougars about once a year. The animals come up along the Pacific Coast from the hills south of the city but eventually find their way back to the wilderness.
“We never had a mountain lion right in the middle of downtown San Francisco,” Campbell said.
Officials had been eyeing his movements since Tuesday, when a motorist first reported seeing it in Russian Hill, a neighborhood known for the famously crooked Lombard Street.
Hours later, surveillance cameras recorded it crossing the parking lot of a television station in the Embarcadero and soon after, it was spotted again in an area of gleaming office towers.
Officials worried the animal wouldn't find its way south and asked residents in the area to send in any photos or video of the cat so they could monitor its movements.
Photo and video images show it crossing streets and walking among apartment building and office towers.
“It was looking in windows, looking at his reflection or something. Maybe he thought it was his mom or brother or sister,” Campbell said.
Police sent out a tweet urging people to stay vigilant.
“It is likely the mountain lion is confused and lost, and will soon find its way south and out of the city,” police officials said in a tweet Wednesday. “If approached by the mountain lion make yourself appear big and shout.“
Mountain lions leave their families after they are 2 years old, but this lion is under that age and it's unclear what led him to leave its family, Campbell said.
The big cat is in the custody of Fish and Wildlife officials who will evaluate his health and decide where to release him in the wild, she said.
Humane society launches online learning program for K-5 in humane education
Submitted by Karin Conn
Palo Alto Humane Society announces their newest educational program, Mow Wow Animals, a California Standards Compliant program created in English and Spanish for K-5 students. The bilingual lessons are infused with short animated videos, multicultural stories, and multiple hands-on enrichment activities about the animal world around them. Plus, a Telly Award-winning film for children, Dog’s Day.
Mow Wow Animals encourages children to become caring citizens and Ambassadors of Compassion in their own communities with a focus on teaching respect and responsibility for animals.
Carole Hyde, Executive Director of Palo Alto Humane Society, says, “It’s perfect for these days, as it is an online resource for parents and teachers. It’s bilingual too, with some world culture features. This exciting, interactive curriculum offers young people the opportunity to learn about animals in a way that engages their empathy, imagination, and sense of excitement. The children will learn the care and responsibility we have as citizens to animals, each other and our communities.”
Mow Wow Animals will:
• Provide youth with an ethical framework to create a more caring society
• Align with K–5 content standards in language arts, science, and social studies
• Support the California Code of Education’s Character Education requirement
• Encourage hands-on learning in digital research, peer learning, and community interaction
• Supply teachers with an easy-to-use, adaptable humane education curriculum
The Mow Wow Animals humane education curriculum is divided into two grade levels, K-2 and 3-5. Each level contains three distinct units. The unit lesson can be used as an independent teaching tool or used to enhance existing curriculum. Lessons can be taught in a single class period, over several days, or in five-to-10-minute increments.
Program Includes:
• Lessons with class reading or short animation including Animals in the Natural World, Who Lives in the Backyard?, and Animals We Call Pets
• Interactive class discussion prompts and enrichment activities, glossary, and online and print resources
• Short film It’s a Dog’s Day (K–2, 10 minutes) and audio book Trees Are Never Lonely
• Alignment with California teaching standards
www.mowwow.org
Mars’s Latest Visitor: NASA’s Perseverance Rover
By David Prosper
NASA’s latest Mars rover, Perseverance, is launching later in July. This amazing robot explorer will scout the surface of Mars for possible signs of ancient life and collect soil samples for return to Earth by future missions. It will even carry the first off-planet helicopter: Integrity. Not coincidentally, Perseverance will be on its way to the red planet just as Mars dramatically increases in brightness and visibility to eager stargazers as our planets race towards their closest approach in October.
Perseverance’s engineers built upon the success of its engineering cousin, Curiosity, and its design features many unique upgrades for a new science mission. In February 2021, Perseverance will land at the site of an ancient river delta inside of Jezero Crater and ready its suite of seven primary scientific instruments. The rover will search for traces of past life, including possible Martian fossils, with WATSON and SHERLOC, two advanced cameras capable of seeing tiny details. The rover also carries SuperCam, an amazing instrument to blast rocks and soil outside of the rover’s reach with lasers to determine their chemical makeup with its onboard suite of cameras and spectrometers.
Perseverance will also take core samples of some of the most promising rocks and soil, storing them for later study with its unique caching system. Future missions will retrieve these samples from the rover and return them for detailed study by scientists on Earth. Perseverance also carries two microphones so we can hear the sounds of Mars and the noises of its instruments at work. It will even launch a small helicopter – Ingenuity – into the Martian atmosphere as a trial for future aerial exploration.
Would you like to contribute to Mars mission science? You can help NASA’s rover drivers safely navigate the Martian surface by contributing to the AI4Mars project. Use this tool to label terrain features on photos taken of the Martian surface by NASA missions to help train an artificial intelligence algorithm to better read their surrounding landscape: bit.ly/AI4Mars
The launch of Mars Perseverance, as of this writing, is scheduled at 9:15 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) July 20. More details, updates, and livestreams of the event are available on NASA’s official launch page: bit.ly/Mars2020Launch
Dig deep into the science of Mars 2020 mission and Perseverance rover at mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/. Find out even more about past, present, and future Mars missions 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.
Popular Newark celebration goes virtual
Submitted by Shirley Sisk
Upon careful consideration, the Newark Days Committee has determined that because of the ongoing risks of COVID-19, there will be no in-person events for Newark Days this year. Based on the continued risks and the anticipated restrictions that will be in place in September, we consider it to be a prudent decision for the well-being of the community to prevent large groups of people gathering at Newark Days.
Newark Days is organized by a passionate committee of volunteers; the committee is currently putting together a slate of virtual events to ensure the community will still get a chance to celebrate Newark's birthday together.
Among events people can look forward to are a virtual Newark Mile 4k, a virtual car show, coloring contest, and more. Additional information about these events will be forthcoming on the Newark Days website at www.newarkdays.org, on its Facebook page and in Tri-City Voice.
Newark Days is grateful for the support from the community and organizers are looking forward to returning with all of their usual events in 2021.
Oakland Zoo releases foothill yellow-legged frogs
Submitted by Isabella Linares
During the longest zoo closure in the history of the organization, Oakland Zoo continues its efforts in “Taking Action for Wildlife” with its most recent foothill yellow-legged frogs (FYLF) released into the wild. This marks the first release of FYLF back into the wild.
On June 30, 115 foothill yellow-legged frogs were successfully released into Plumas National Forest in Cresta, California, after a year-long stay at Oakland Zoo. Last summer, Oakland Zoo was able to expand its conservation collaborations by treating and raising this group of FYLF at the zoo’s Biodiversity Lab. The zoo has had success in captive-breeding programs in the past with the mountain yellow-legged frog (MYLF) species programs.
Pandemic EBT – extra food benefits for children
Submitted by Fremont Family Resource Center
Due to COVID-19, children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals at school will get extra food benefits called Pandemic EBT or P-EBT. This will help California families buy food when schools are closed due to the pandemic, up to $365 per eligible child on their P-EBT card to use for groceries. Families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals who did not get a P-EBT card must apply online before July 15, 2020. The online application is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
P-EBT Benefits
Deadline: July 15
https://ca.p-ebt.org/en/
PG&E opens program for STEM scholarships
Submitted by Tamar Sarkissian
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and PG&E Corporation Foundation are inviting applications to the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program. The foundation will provide funding for a total of $250,000 to students pursuing a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) disciplines. The program will award 20 scholarships of $10,000 each and 20 scholarships of $2,500 each.
Application deadline is Friday, July 10; awards will be announced in August. Applications are open to graduating high school seniors, current college students, veterans and adults returning to school who are PG&E customers at the time of application. Applicants must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study for the entire 2020-2021 academic year and be seeking their first undergraduate degree at an accredited four-year institution in California. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, demonstrated participation, and leadership in school and community activities, and financial need.
Interested applicants can learn more and apply at https://www.pge.com/en_US/residential/in-your-community/education-programs/grants-and-scholarships/scholarship-opportunities/scholarship-opportunities.page.
PG&E STEM Scholarship
Deadline: Friday, Jul 10
https://www.pge.com/
Police join smartphone program to help reduce crime
Submitted by Monica Leon, Fremont PD
The Fremont Police Department (FPD) has joined the Neighbors by Ring app program. This is a free and private neighborhood social network that allows the sharing of real-time information to help reduce crime in the community.
By choosing to download this application on their smartphones, community members have the opportunity to know when and where things are happening in their area and the option to share updates.
Now, FPD can view what local residents have posted publicly to Neighbors and provide information with relevant updates or safety precautions. The police department never has direct access to any video which must be posted by a user publicly. Also, when users provide video, the content is provided anonymously with no identifiers or location.
A Ring device is not needed to use Neighbors; anyone with a smartphone can download the app to receive updates, and users have the option to share photos or videos from any device. A Ring user may receive information in the following categories: Crime, Safety, Lost & Found, and Public Safety. These filters can also be filtered to the users’ preferences. To download this free app simply text “staysafe” to 555888 or visit an app store.
FPD will not be taking police reports through this system and still want the community to call their-emergency number (510)790-6800 Ext 3 or 911 in case of an emergency. Here are some examples of information that users should report on the Neighbors app:
• Criminal activity involving, theft, damage, illegal entry, or violence
• Attempted criminal activity or unusual behavior that is cause for concern
• An unknown person with questionable intent who is on private property
• Discussion of potentially dangerous incidents or activity
FPD usually monitors activity and questions on Neighbors during regular weekday business hours. However, residents should still feel free to always report criminal activity such as theft or emergency situations directly to the Fremont Police Department emergency number or 911.
To learn more about the Ring Neighbors’ Community Guidelines visit their website at: https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004851266-Ring-Neighbors-Community-Guidelines.
Rotary district 5170 wraps up successful year
Submitted by Maggie Padovani
Rotary District 5170, comprised of 61 clubs in the Bay Area, was led by District Governor Ramesh Hariharan in the 2019-2020 Rotary year, which ended June 30, 2020. Despite the Covid-19 Pandemic challenges the district faced, many records were achieved in giving, donating, and supporting local communities during this period. World-leading donations to the Rotary Foundation and incredible membership growth were accomplished. Fundraisers and projects were conducted throughout the year.
“Our Rotary International theme Rotary Connects the World increased in relevance given the Shelter In Place that began in March 2020. Our theme captured how we, as a service organization with now 61 clubs in the Bay Area, had to adapt and adjust on how we meet and connect and continue our community service,” said Ramesh Hariharan, District Governor, Rotary District 5170.
Milestones achieved during Rotary year 2019-2020:
• Established a partnership with the American Red Cross
• Record-breaking Club Charter of over 200 new Rotarians at the Rotary Club of Silicon Andhra
• Launched new avenues of Grow Rotary with initiatives for Rotary @ Work and Rotary @ Community
• First ever Business Expo Event was a great success, bringing together businesses and community members from across the District
• Youth in our District Soared Beyond the Limits during the Interact Fall Leadership Conference
• First ever International Expo Event shared our club successes in service projects around the world, and included an International cultural extravaganza.
• Families were involved throughout the year with the theme Rotary Connects the World
• Launched climate change initiative to improve enviromental sustainablity
• Launched service projects to address issues surrounding COVID-19. Task Forces helped increase awareness in the areas of Health and Economic Impact.
• Formed new channels with four new clubs chartered bringing in 360 new members, the highest membership growth in North America.
For more information, visit Rotary District 5170 at www.rotarydistrict5170.org.
City donates computer equipment
Submitted by Paul Sanftner
In response to COVID-19 pandemic, City of San Leandro recently executed a public-private partnership to bridge the digital divide. The city worked together with the Oakland-based nonprofit Tech Exchange, which focuses on refurbishing corporate computers to “build a community of digitally proficient Bay Area residents who can access online education, employment, health, financial, and civic services.”
Through this innovative program, approximately 95 residents who were unable to access the Internet were provided at no cost with refurbished laptops and assistance in accessing free internet hotspots or reduced cost home internet services. In total, nearly $12,000 of computer equipment was secured and distributed to vulnerable community members.
The city provided maps of locations throughout San Leandro where free public Wi-Fi is available, including expanded outdoor access in front of the Main Library. Participants were also connected with opportunities for reduced-cost home internet service from local service providers. In addition, through the library’s Tech-to-Go lending program, dozens of Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots were lent out to library patrons.
Citing racial bias, San Francisco will end mug shots release
By Olga R. Rodriguez
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Jul 01 – San Francisco police will stop releasing the mug shots of people who have been arrested unless they pose a threat to the public, as part of an effort to stop perpetuating racial stereotypes, the city's police chief announced Wednesday.
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said the policy, which goes into effect immediately, means the department will no longer release booking photos of suspects to the media or allow officers to post them online.
Booking photos are taken when someone is arrested. They are often made public whether or not the person is prosecuted for the alleged crime, which undermines the presumption of innocence and helps perpetuate stereotypes.
Jack Glaser, a public policy professor at the University of California Berkeley who researches racial stereotyping and whose work Scott consulted, said data shows Black people who are arrested are more likely to have their cases dismissed by prosecutors.
“That may be just part and parcel of the same issue that police will stop and search Blacks at a lower threshold of suspicion in the first place and so, their arrests are more likely to be unsubstantiated,” Glaser said.
But the mug shots live on.
Numerous websites post photos of mug shots online, regardless of whether anyone was convicted of a crime, and then charge a fee to those who want their photo taken down. The phenomenon prompted California's attorney general to charge one of the biggest operators with extortion, money laundering, and identity theft.
That contributes to Americans making an unfair association between people of color and crime, Scott said.
“This is just one small step but we hope this will be something that others might consider doing as well,” he said.
Large cities like Los Angeles and New York already have policies against releasing booking photos but make exceptions. For example, the New York Police Department, the nation's largest, releases information on arrests but doesn't put out mug shots unless investigators believe that will prompt more witnesses to come forward or aid in finding a suspect. Georgia and New York stopped releasing booking photos in an effort to curtail websites that charge people to remove their picture and booking information.
But San Francisco will be the first to adopt the policy as part of an effort to stop spreading negative stereotypes of minorities, something Scott, who is Black, said he has experienced when not in uniform.
“You walk into a department store and you get followed around and the security is looking at you suspiciously, I've experienced that,” Scott said.
He said limiting the release of mug shots of people who have not been proven guilty of a crime will remove a key contributor to the perception the public has about race and crime that is often bolstered when the booking photos are published in the news media.
In San Francisco, the only exceptions will be if a crime suspect poses a threat or if officers need help locating a suspect or an at-risk person, Scott said. Under the policy, the release of photos or information on a person who is arrested will also require approval from the police department's public relations team.
“Sheltered with the Arts” student winners
Submitted by Hayward Foundation for the Arts
Students everywhere face a long-term future of online classes in most or all of their subjects, but due to lower motivation, some students rarely or never show up online to do their school work. How to lure them back?
Art educators know something about luring students to commit to academic work. When students are given a rich offering of art education programs, they thrive and improve in both their subjects and attendance. This is the case in Hayward, and according to major peer-reviewed studies, it occurs everywhere; the effects are most pronounced for students from low-income families (https://arts.gov/sites/default/files/Arts-At-Risk-Youth.pdf).
Art education teaches kids to express an idea of their own, attend to details, persist until a satisfactory work is completed, and think outside the box – the skills of professionals. Leaders in Hayward Unified School District’s (HUSD) program in Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) – in collaboration with their fundraising arm, Hayward Foundation for the Arts (HFA) – organized the “Sheltered with the Arts” contest in visual and performing arts for HUSD students in grades K-12.
Suddenly students were emailing their teachers, asking for help with getting online, uploading photographs of their visual art (drawings, paintings, ceramics, photography), and videos of their performing art (singing, playing instruments, dancing, dramatic presentations). On very short notice, 128 photos of visual art and 45 videos of performing art were received. Students produced exceptionally skillful and creative artistic productions. Judges were astounded at the quality and ingenuity of the work students produced: acrobatic dancing, a stunning piano sonata, drawings and paintings that are intriguing and profound. Students tapped into the depth of their feelings to give us meaningful artwork.
The judges included members of HFA and of the general community; voting was done online. If you would like to be a judge in a future contest, contact the President of HFA Joan Sieber at joan.sieber@sbcglobal.net.
Across all grade categories, there were over 60 winners of cash prizes; grand prize winners are below:
Performing:
• Adriel Balreath-Flores, Barry Galbreath-Flores, Huy Tran, Joseph Andal
• Jordan Robinson
• Barbara B. Guzman
Visual:
• Gina Hwang
• Alexia Barragan
• Samantha Lizbeth Pleitez Moreno
The entire array of submitted arts projects can be found at www.Haywardart.org.
This contest has created quite a buzz among students, teachers, and parents. Keep checking the HFA website for updates on our next contest!
Starbucks adds plant-based meat to U.S. menu
Jun 23
By Dee-Ann Durbin
AP Business Writer
Starbucks is adding plant-based meat to its U.S. menu for the first time.
The Seattle-based coffee chain said Tuesday that a breakfast sandwich made with imitation sausage from Redwood City, California-based Impossible Foods is now available at a majority of its U.S. restaurants. The sandwich comes with egg and cheese and is served on a ciabatta bun.
Starbucks said earlier this year that it would add fake meat to its menus worldwide as part of an effort to reduce its environmental impact. The company has sold plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy milk and oat milk, in the U.S. and elsewhere. But the sausage is its first plant-based food item in the U.S.
In April, it began selling lasagna, pasta and wraps made with Beyond Meat crumbles in China. It also introduced a Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich in Canada in February. Beyond Meat, which is based in El Segundo, California, is Impossible Foods' chief competitor.
Asked why it went with an Impossible Foods sausage for the U.S. over one from Beyond Meat, Starbucks said it works with a variety of suppliers around the globe.
$68 million tax breaks may go to put Tesla plant to Austin
AP Wire Service
Jun 18
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – An Austin-area school district is considering offering more than $60 million in tax incentives to attract a proposed Tesla “gigafactory” to Central Texas, Tesla revealed Thursday.
The Del Valle Independent School District proposal was made public in a Tesla tax application filed Thursday with the Texas comptroller's office. The proposal would offer Tesla $68 million in property tax breaks over 10 years to put its new plant on a 2,100-acre (85-hectare) site off Texas 130 just north of the Colorado River on the southeastern outskirts of Austin. Travis County commissioners are considering a separate tax incentive package.
The comptroller's documents state the real value of the property would average about $600 million per year. Without the Del Valle district incentives package, Tesla would have to pay almost $8 million in property taxes per year.
Austin is competing with Tulsa, Oklahoma, to become the city that hosts the plant that builds the Cybertruck, Tesla's planned electric pickup truck, and the Tesla Model Y sport utility vehicle. In its application with the Texas comptroller's officer, Tesla says it is considering the Travis County site and a site or sites in Oklahoma.
The proposed plant would have 4 million to 5 million square feet (370,000 to 465,000 square meters) of space and would be Tesla's biggest so far. Tesla's U.S. vehicle assembly factory in Fremont, California, employs 10,000 workers.
In its Thursday filing, Tesla said that if the Del Valle school board approves the incentive package and it proceeds with building on the Travis County site, construction could start in the third quarter of this year and take two to three years to complete.
Tesla has not said when it will announce its decision.
The Robot Report
By Eugene Demaitre
Designing and marketing a consumer robot has been difficult enough in the past few years. While the COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for ways to entertain and educate children, it has not made development or production easier. Roybi Inc. has relaunched its Roybi robot and launched the DOCBI model in the midst of current challenges.
“Robots will not be able to replace humans, but they will enhance the quality of our lives by assisting us in ways that were not possible in the past,” said Elnaz Sarraf, founder and CEO of Roybi. “One teacher in a classroom with over 20 to 30 students cannot divide enough attention to each child individually. At the same time, with a robot, a teacher can personalize lessons and exercises based on each student’s needs
Roybi was founded in 2017 and employs about 22 people. The Mountain View, California-based startup raised seed funding of $4.2 million in July 2019.
Roybi designed for interactivity
“There’s nothing like Roybi on the market,” claimed Sarraf, a serial entrepreneur and a board member on the Consumer Technology Association’s Small Business Council. “We wanted it to use voice recognition and a camera to initiate conversation, detect a child’s emotional state, and continue interaction.”
The educational robot was first launched last October, and Time magazine named Roybi one of the best inventions of 2019. The robot uses artificial intelligence and facial recognition to interact with up to three users, said the company.
Roybi also has more than 500 lessons that can be personalized based on an individual’s learning pace and interests, Sarraf told The Robot Report. It is intended to entertain and teach languages and basic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) concepts to children ages three and older.
“We’ve been working on content for the past two and a half years,” said Sarraf. “We worked with teachers and advisors from Finland, reportedly the world’s No. 1 educational system. They helped us define the features, and we engaged with customers on the next content for our robot. We’re building an international community, not just hardware or software.”
Content in the cloud
“Content is pushed out over the cloud, with a series of lessons to practice,” explained Sarraf. “They’re currently in English, and we’ll soon add Mandarin. Connecting to the cloud can be challenging, so in February, we acquired technology from KidSense.ai for edge AI and ASR [automatic speech recognition]. So even on an airplane, kids can play with Roybi,” she said. “We’ve added over five years of data from 150,000 children.”
What’s the difference between Roybi and a smartphone? “The difference is that right now, taking kids off of large displays is a pain point for parents,” Sarraf explained. “Our robot has true AI to understand what children say. Most phone apps are based on games. Roybi also has a face and emotion detection.”
“The robot can also provide reports on a child’s progress for parents and educators,” she said. “After more development, we relaunched the product with retailers in May, and it’s available for order with Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy Canada, among others.”
Roybi is also aware of the need to protect families’ privacy. “We hired companies and attorneys to help,” said Sarraf. “We do not record anything. That’s one reason we acquired KidSense.ai — it had gained permission from users to build their data for training.”
“We get parents’ consent before they even install Roybi. Its camera comes with a privacy cover — they can turn video on and off,” she added. “We store our information on Amazon Web Services, which is a powerful platform. We worked with Amazon’s team to help with security. Our privacy policy is completely transparent and is on our Web site.”
Roybi pushes down the price point to compete
Rather than be mobile, Roybi’s robots are designed to be portable, in part to keep its price under $200, much less than most other social robots, said Sarraf.
“We were tracking a lot of other companies, like Jibo, which made high-priced products that still lacked a lot of things,” she recalled. “We started out at a $500 price point. Our incredible team worked for two years to change components and bring the cost down as much as we could.”
Sarraf added that, “Roybi uses low-powered chipsets for AI, something that is not easy to do. “It’s a competitive market — there is a lot of great technology for motion detection and voice recognition. It took more than three months to finalize the design. The user experience is even more important than the technology, and it affects how you present the product and make it work.”
“Consumer response so far has been more positive than negative,” Sarraf said. “Constructive criticism has helped us improve our product. We’re working on improving voice recognition and content. There has been a big increase in demand for Roybi for homeschooling during the pandemic.”
DOCBI quickly prepared during the pandemic
In April, Roybi Robot launched DOCBI, a “scientist friend” companion robot developed in accordance with recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. The robot was built in just three weeks to address the stress and social needs of children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like Roybi’s other robots, DOCBI uses AI and various lessons and interactive games. It is intended to help young children learn about healthy eating and good hygiene practices such as hand washing while assisting their parents.
How did the novel coronavirus crisis affect Roybi’s supply chain? “We were lucky to have placed an order with our factory before the pandemic,” Sarraf explained. “We have enough inventory in China and the U.S., and the majority of problems have been with transport and logistics. Pallets got lost or damaged, shipping rates tripled, and we’re still dealing with delays in communications with partners, like some retailers.”
“Not everyone is set up with the right systems or Internet connections,” she said. “A lot of operations have slowed down — something that would take one week now takes a month.”
“We’re grateful to our community of experts and early customers for shaping the future of Roybi,” Sarraf said. “We expect to expand to different regions and schools and are looking for advisors in AI and machine learning, natural language processing, and ASR.”
— Eugene Demaitre is senior editor at The Robot Report.
Twitter gives workers day off to vote in national elections
By Barbara Ortutay
AP Technology Writer
Twitter says it will give its U.S. employees Election Day off going forward and employees around the world paid time off to vote in national elections.
The San Francisco company said that if employees don't have enough time to vote outside of working hours in their country, it will compensate them for the time it takes to do so.
Twitter Inc. stressed though that employees responsible for election-related work, including the security of its service, will continue to work on these days.
The move comes after Twitter announced that it will make June 19, or Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., a paid holiday.
The U.S. is a bit of an outlier among industrial democracies in holding elections on a weekday, according to the Pew Research Center, which said in 2018 that 27 of the 36 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development hold their national elections on the weekend so people have more time to vote.
Others, like Israel or South Korea, hold elections on weekdays but make them national holidays so people don't have to choose between working and voting. Pew also found that about two-thirds of Americans are in favor of making Election Day a national holiday.
So why are U.S. presidential elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November? The decision dates back to 1845, when the U.S. was still mainly a farming country and November was a convenient time for rural workers to get to the polls, according to a State Department explainer. The fall harvest was done, but winter was still a ways off. Tuesday, meanwhile, gave people ample time to travel if they left on Sunday to get to the polls. Lawmakers also wanted to avoid having election fall on Nov. 1, which is All Saints Day in the Catholic religion, an important holiday.
Sidewalk chalk messages offer thanks to officers
Submitted by Union City PD
In a June 30 posting on its Facebook page, the Union City Police Department (UCPD) expressed its surprise and gratitude to several anonymous citizens who left heartfelt messages for them written in chalk on the sidewalk near police headquarters.
The messages, in different colors, thanked police for a variety of activities including directing traffic when the signal was out, finding a stolen car, locating an elderly father who became lost and for just listening.
UCPD officials responded on their Facebook page: “What A Wonderful Surprise! The Union City Police Department would like to thank the incredible artists who left the kind words of encouragement on our sidewalks. We are blessed to have the continued community support!”
Teen seeks veterans to tell their stories & keep history alive
By Johnna Laird
A rising senior at Palo Alto High School, who lived with his family in Fremont until third grade and still has ties to the city, has found a way to remember and give voice to still-living but often-forgotten military veterans.
TheLostStories.org, a website that allows veterans to tell their experiences in their own words, was launched after Kalidev “Dev” Choudhury spent the summer before his sophomore year volunteering at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Palo Alto, wheeling patients from their wards to appointments in radiology.
“I needed a bit of an ice breaker,” Choudhury recalls, “so I started asking them to tell me about their time in the military.”
Choudhury says the stories he heard bore no resemblance to what he had read in history textbooks, and these stories left a lasting impression. He still remembers the words of the first veteran who told of tracer bullets lighting up the night sky like shooting stars, “except shooting stars can’t kill you.” Another veteran told of seeing an elephant on the horizon that turned out to be dead but loaded with explosives. Still another talked about using his own body to shield then U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
“These were memorable stories that were falling on my ears,” says Choudhury, “No one was keeping a record of them, and there was a lot of history contained in what these veterans were telling me. I wanted to preserve it.” Even more, he wanted to give voice to the veterans, many of whom felt their efforts on behalf of the nation went unappreciated.
Choudhury, tech-savvy like most in his generation, started a blog of his experiences, but it didn’t satisfy his desire for greater substance. He decided instead to create a website where veterans could tell their own stories. Thus far he has garnered 50+ veteran contributors.
He persuaded the first 10 veterans to participate by going door-to-door. In his second year of summer volunteering, he gained more confidence, pushing through awkwardness to approach veterans during his lunch breaks with a two-minute elevator speech about the website and his desire to serve as a channel for them to inform the public about personal experiences of soldiers serving their country.
Choudhury also reached out to his local American Legion posts to further grow his project. One legion, Mission City Post 564 in Santa Clara, was impressed with his work and wrote a grant to support the website. “I could not believe my ears when it happened,” Choudhury recalls. “I had told them how much I was paying out of my own pocket to cover domain hosting, advertising, and maintenance but never did I expected them to give me enough to keep the site up for two more years!”
To Choudhury the grant was a symbol of trust given to him by the Legion. Later, the commander reached out and asked Choudhury if he could design a website to fix logistical issues such as renting out the bar and bingo hall. Choudhury was happy to oblige. While doing this unpaid work, Choudhury learned the Legion had nominated him for Boy’s State, one of the nation’s most respected governmental instruction programs for high school students – with alumni including former president Bill Clinton, NBA superstar Michael Jordan, astronaut Neil Armstrong, and Apple CEO Tim Cook. “Initially, I had no idea what he was talking about,” Choudhury says. However, after it was explained, he was “beyond ecstatic to be presented with such an honor.”
“I want to get as many stories as possible for the website,” says Choudhury. “I hope viewers can have the same reaction I have. That ‘aha’ moment of ‘I never knew this.’ It is amazing what these people go through, and they need to be more appreciated.”
The novel coronavirus pandemic has prevented Choudhury from face-to-face contact with American Legion organizations and attending this year’s Boy’s State. He is asking veterans to contact him either through his website or by emailing him at info@theloststories.org. “During the pandemic and sheltering-in-place, it is extremely difficult for me to reach out to veterans. To have veterans contact me would mean the world,” he says.
WWI memorial virtual app now available
Submitted by the Doughboy Foundation
The Doughboy Foundation recently announced the release of the WWI Virtual Explorer App in cooperation with the United States World War One Centennial Commission. The free, innovative Augmented Reality Smartphone App for iOS and Android mobile devices allows users to take a virtual field trip to the National WWI Memorial being built in Washington DC.
The App provides the ability to explore the past using the tools of the future. Developed by the Doughboy Foundation as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit foundation under an education grant from Walmart, the App places a scaled version of the entire 1.8-acre WWI Memorial anywhere including backyards, driveways, living rooms, and more.
The virtual Memorial is filled with WWI explorations and discoveries including video game style 3D stories and over 50 videos integrated into the 3D space. Together they present various aspects of WWI, “The War that Changed the World.” Although WWI is not a major focus in American education today, the War had a deep and lasting impact on nearly every aspect of American society and culture.
The Explorer’s “How WWI Changed America” Theater offers dozens of short videos in nine categories including how WWI affected women, immigrants, African Americans, Native Americans, citizenship, finance, international standing, and prophetically, the Pandemic 100 years ago. Prominent WWI historians, archival footage, period photos and newspaper headlines provide short focused insights.
The Memorial, and the App are both dedicated to recognizing that WWI was a deeply traumatic human experience. It was a historical event that affected every household and person in the nation – a story powerfully told by the WWI Memorial’s central feature, a 58’ long, 38 figure bronze sculpture called “A Soldier’s Journey,” created by classicist sculptor Sabin Howard.
To remember the individuals who served, the App provides the ability for families and organizations to submit a “Virtual Remembrance” of WWI veterans, along with anyone who served in WWI including nurses, ambulance drivers, Red Cross volunteers, local heroes and even companies. The only requirement is that the story of service needs to be WWI driven. These Virtual Remembrances are submitted via a web page accessed through the App, curated and then manifest in the Memorial App. The submitted story is available as audio and text.
And while the National WWI Memorial is still under construction, the “Virtual Explorer” allows users to drop-in on the construction site. They can see the most current still, watch a time lapse video of the construction, or select any date and time of day in the past to explore a high-resolution image of the construction activity at that time.
“This WWI Memorial comes to our Nation’s capital 100 years after WWI transformed our country in unimagined ways. 4.7 million Americans put on the uniform and we mobilized a force of 2 million from a standing army of less than 130,000 – all in just 18 short months,” said Dan Dayton the Executive Director for the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission. “The War that Changed the World was transformational for the nation and for the world. This new ability to see it ‘in person’ is truly remarkable.”
The WWI Memorial Virtual Explorer App is available from both the Google Play and the App Store starting July 3, 2020. There are no costs and no in-game purchases required. It is suitable for ages 12 and up with some depictions of battles and wounded soldiers.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
Submitted by Daksh Kohar
2020 has been a difficult year, especially for students. As the days, weeks, and months have passed, we moved through a kaleidoscope of emotions; from confusion and grief to optimism and hope; from despair and fear to gratitude and compassion. The current challenges have highlighted the youth’s responsibility for a new tomorrow.
Daksh Kohar, founder of Talent2Give, a local non-profit organization, has strived to unite the young minds with their talent and channeling it towards community service, “What matters most to us will require us to make decisions with higher morals and ethics. The world of tomorrow needs to be fed today and only a healthy gut can serve as a strong foundation for future.”
Driven by this commitment to provide nourishment to hungry kids, Talent2Give has been conducting online art and dance classes while sheltering at home. All proceeds collected were donated to fight child hunger. Kohar took part in a very well managed social distancing meal packing event at the Kids Against Hunger, Pleasanton on Saturday, June 13. A total of 4,104 meal packets of soy, dried vegetables, rice and vitamin powder were assembled.
Talent2Give is open to all who wish to collaborate to grow this organization. For more information, email talent2give@gmail.com or visit https://talent2give.org/ to make donations.