8-13-19 Articles

Alameda County Fire Department

Submitted by ACFD

 

Thursday, August 8

• At 2:43 p.m. firefighters responded to a call about a dump truck rollover on the southbound Interstate 880 onramp at Whipple Road in Union City. The truck driver was able to exit the truck on his own and was not injured. Firefighters remained at the scene until a medium and heavy wrecker were able to pull the truck upright and remove it from the roadway.

 

 

Alameda County office of education years of service

Submitted by Laura Forrest

 

On July 9, 2019, the Alameda County Board of Education honored Trustee Eileen McDonald and Trustee Fred Sims for 15 years of service. Trustee McDonald serves Area 6, which includes all of Newark and the northern and western portions of Fremont. Trustee Sims serves Area 5, which includes Hayward, Union City, and the southern portions of unincorporated communities Cherryland and Fairview.

 

McDonald and Sims are part of a seven-member Board of Education that provides oversight to the 18 districts and three Regional Occupational Programs of Alameda County.

 

 

Alzheimer Prevention and Preparedness Task Force members announced

Submitted by Governor’s Press Office

 

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on August 9, 2019 who will join Former First Lady Maria Shriver as members of the Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force. Shriver will serve as Chair of the Task Force.

 

“Far too many Californians have seen the crushing grip of Alzheimer’s on our loved ones,” said Governor Newsom. “It is one of the leading causes of death among Californians with particularly severe impacts on our mothers, wives and daughters. It’s time we take meaningful action for those living with Alzheimer’s and for the people who love and care for them.”

 

The Task Force will consist of a diverse group of caregivers, health service providers, researchers, innovators, affected families and media professionals. The group will begin meeting in November 2019 as part of national Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. The Task Force will be responsible for releasing a report in the fall of 2020, coinciding with the overall Master Plan on Aging.

 

“I’m very grateful to Governor Newsom for appointing me to chair the Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force,” said former First Lady Maria Shriver. “This Task Force will lay out a path for our state to deal with Alzheimer’s and other aging-related diseases. Our mission is to develop a plan that will disrupt the way we deal with Alzheimer’s and change how citizens, politicians, cities, corporations and community organizations work together to tackle this disease.”

 

The number of Californians age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s in 2018 was 670,000 – more than in any other state – and this is expected to grow to 840,000 by 2025. There are 1.6 million caregivers for Californians with Alzheimer's and other dementias. African Americans are about two times more likely than white Americans to have Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Hispanics are about one and one-half times more likely than white Americans to have Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

 

Task Force Members

• Maria Shriver, Chair, founder Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement
• Secretary George Shultz, Strategic Advisor, former Secretary of Labor, Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State
• Dr. Marcy Adelman is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and is the co-founder of Openhouse, a resource for LBGT seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Kumaran Akilan is a first year UC Merced student from Cupertino, California.
• María P. Aranda, PhD, Associate Professor, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, and Executive Director, USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging at the University of Southern California.
• Keith L. Black, MD, Chairman and Professor of the Department of Neurosurgery, Director of Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute, and Director of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Brain Tumor Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
• Dr. Susan Bookheimer, Joaquin M. Fuster Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
• Kathleen Brown, former California State treasurer
• Dan Buettner, explorer, National Geographic Fellow, journalist and producer.
• Wynnelena Canlas Canio, MD, CMD, Chief of outpatient Geriatric Medicine at Kaiser Permanente (KP) in Santa Rosa, California.
• Tim Carpenter, founder and Chief Executive Officer at EngAGE,
• Susan DeMarois, director of state government affairs for the national Alzheimer’s Association.
• Josh Fryday, California’s Chief Service Officer. Fryday is the former Mayor of Novato.
• Paula Gann and Kyle Scrivner: Paula is the mother of Kyle, born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Adele Hayutin, PhD, Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University.
• Oanh Meyer, Ph.D., MAS, Department of Neurology at University of California, Davis.
• Bob Linscheid, President & CEO of the Linscheid Enterprises Inc.
• David Lubarsky, chief executive officer for UC Davis Health.
• Pam Montana, spokesperson in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
• Doug Moore, Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers of America,
• Graciela Moreno, journalist
• Secretary Leon E. Panetta, former Secretary of Defense
• Lauren Miller Rogen, screenwriter, director, and producer.
• Dr. Howard Rosen, behavioral neurologist at UCSF Memory and Aging Center.
• Lily Sarafan, President and CEO of Home Care Assistance
• Dr. Sharon Sha, Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University
• Todd Shetter, Chief Operating Officer of ActivCare Living
• April Verrett, President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 2015
• Dr. Kristine Yaffe, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Epidemiology at UCSF.

 

 

Amazon's self-driving delivery robots head to California

By Joseph Pisani

AP Retail Writer

 

NEW YORK (AP), Aug 06 – Amazon's self-driving robots will be roaming the streets of another neighborhood.

 

The online shopping giant says the six-wheeled robots, about the size of a Labrador, will begin delivering packages to customers in Irvine, California. It comes after Amazon began testing them in a suburb of Seattle at the beginning of the year.

 

Amazon says the robots, which are light blue and have the Amazon smile logo stamped on their sides, are able to avoid crashing into trash cans or pedestrians. Still, a worker will accompany the robots at first.

 

Other companies have been testing similar delivery robots on college campuses, delivering burgers or soda to students.

 

Amazon says its robots, which it calls Scout, will be delivering orders to doorsteps Monday to Friday and only during the day.

 

 

The Apple credit card is here

AP Wire Service

 

NEW YORK (AP), Aug 06 – The Apple credit card designed primarily for mobile use is here.

 

Some iPhone users who requested a notification about Apple Card will get invites Tuesday to apply through Apple's Wallet app. The company plans to expand sign-ups more broadly in coming weeks. The card, announced in March in partnership with Goldman Sachs, is available only in the U.S.

 

The company promises quick sign-ups and the elimination of most fees. Customers typically get 2 percent cash back when using Apple's app to pay. Industry experts say financial benefits of the card mirror many of those already out there for consumers.

 

What sets Apple Card apart from other cards is its reliance on the iPhone. Though customers can request a physical card for free, an iPhone is required to apply, check statements and pay balances.

 

The app will offer tools to manage spending and suggest payment amounts based on past payments and spending. And cash back rewards return to customers through an Apple Cash account, which can be used for other purchases, credit card payments and transfers to traditional bank accounts.

 

Goldman will be in charge of approving applications and monitoring transactions for fraud. Apple says it isn't getting transaction data and has agreements that bar Goldman from using data for other purposes, such as advertising and marketing Goldman's other services.

 

 

Arts and Crafts in Shinn Park

Submitted by Arathi Satish

 

The highly awaited 17th annual Arts & Crafts in Shinn Park will be held on Sunday, August 18. This event is sponsored by the Fremont Cultural Arts Council, Mission Peak Heritage Foundation, The Fremont Art Association, Alameda County Arts Commission, Boy Scout Troop 447 and Jack in the Box. As Al Minard, organizer of this entire event pointed out, “Our Arts and Crafts event in Shinn Park focuses your attention on some of our more talented and creative artists here in the local area—and this is such a beautiful and peaceful park near the center of Fremont.”

 

Local artists and historic craftspeople will display, demonstrate and sell their work. Guests can view an amazing collection of fine arts and crafts in various categories such as painting, photography, sculptures, ceramics, textiles and many other historic crafts. Many items available for sale are not only beautiful but very useful too. Artists will also demonstrate their work as part of the “art in action” segment of the event.

 

Music for Minors will teach how to make instruments from simple materials and how to make music on them. The Garden Club will have succulent rings and other garden-related items. Local youth can participate in the Passport to Adventure program, as Shinn House is one of the nine local sites. To learn more about the program, see the Museum of Local History – Passport to Adventure page [https://museumoflocalhistory.org/passport-to-adventure/].

 

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) projects have steadily gained popularity over the last few years, and will featured at this year’s event. Al Minard said, “We are fortunate to have Fremont Cultural Arts Council working with talented volunteers to operate several STEAM booths. This has been a big hit in the past and I am sure that it will be again this year… The young people get very creative with their STEAM projects.”

 

Grace Karr, STEAM/Maker Director added, “FCAC’s STEAM/Maker program was started four years ago when Fremont’s potential as a Maker Education hub was recognized. The program provided activities that inspire people of all ages to imagine and design art projects that simultaneously help them to learn new concepts about the world.  FCAC has brought these activities to a wide variety of values such as Fremont Festival of the Arts, Ohlone Makers, and the Town Fair Plaza Maker Space.”

 

This year’s STEAM activities are being sponsored by Niles Rotary. The goal is to encourage everyone to learn about the world around them by engaging in hands-on projects with a scientific basis. Participants will not only take part but can take their creations home free of charge. Karr listed a number of new projects that have been planned for this year, including Bay Area earthquake faults art activity, educating children about climate change, designing electronic greeting cards, bridge building, origami, making silly putty, and more. Everyone from ages 4 to 99 can enjoy fun, free activities while learning STEAM concepts.

 

Soft drinks and food will be available from noon onwards. Costumed, docent-led house tours provided by Mission Peak Heritage Foundation will begin at noon, with the last tour starting at 3:30 p.m. There is a $5 charge for touring the house for adults, a $2.50 charge for children 5-12, and no charge for children under 5. Music for Minors II and East Bay Traditional Jazzinators will also be performing.

 

Shinn Park is known to be beautiful during this time of the year, and visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras. Al Minard will dress up as Abraham Lincoln and pose for pictures. The artists and crafters are all local to this area so proceeds from sale of their merchandise will be reinvested in our community. Profits from this event will be used for historical preservation and restoration by Mission Peak Heritage Foundation.

 

Arts and Crafts in Shinn Park

Sunday, Aug 18

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Shinn Park

1251 Peralta Blvd (near Mowry Ave), Fremont

(510) 552-4839

Alminard@comcast.net

 

 

Nissan Leaf Plus: EV pioneer is competitive again

By Steve Schaefer

 

The Nissan Leaf is a true pioneer – the car that brought all-electric vehicles mainstream when it was introduced in 2010 as an ’11 model. It’s the best-selling EV ever (for now), with nearly 400,000 sold worldwide (130,000 + in the U.S.).

 

However, as competitors appeared, the venerable Leaf showed its largest flaw – lack of range. The 2018 model partially remedied that with a larger 40-kWh lithium-ion battery that pushed range up to 150 miles, but it wasn’t until the Nissan Leaf Plus arrived that Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Tesla and other EVs got real competition.

 

The Leaf Plus boasts a new 62-kWh battery, with up to 226 miles of range in the base S Plus model. Its larger 160-kW motor produces 214 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque – a 45 percent improvement – and good for 50-75 mph sprint that’s nearly 13 percent faster.

 

The new higher-density battery is virtually the same size as the older, less powerful one, so passenger and cargo capacity are unaffected. You can carry 23.6 cubic feet of stuff with ease.

Two features stand out in the new models. One is Pro-Pilot, which combines intelligent cruise control with a lane-positioning feature. While not actual autonomy, it does make long trips easier and is a starting point for the true autonomous cars of the future.

 

The other exciting tech feature is e-Pedal. It provides regenerative braking to not only charge the battery but also to slow down, just by lifting your foot off the accelerator. The Leaf can slow down to almost a complete stop with just one pedal. Once you get used to this, you’ll never go back.

 

The Leaf Plus comes in three levels: S, SV, and SL. All are mechanically the same, and with each trim level the feature list grows longer as the price rises.

 

The S model gets slightly better range – 226 miles vs. 216 – likely due to lower weight. The SV Plus adds 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, heated steering wheel, NissanConnect with Navigation and smart-phone connections (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), upgraded audio, and intelligent cruise control.

 

The SL brings in LED headlights and daytime running lights, heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, leather-appointed seats, an 8-way power driver’s seat, and Bose premium seven-speaker audio. You also get a host of the worthwhile safety features, including blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, intelligent around view monitor, and more.

 

The new Leaf, introduced as an ’18 model, gave the car a thorough style update inside and out while retaining the basic structure. You can see carryover pieces in the unique windshield pillars and interior door panels, but the front and rear body sections and the rest of the interior are brought stunningly up-to-date. The new dash, part of the “gliding wing” design language, offers a larger 8-inch center screen with all the easy-to-use features of a smart phone.

 

The first-gen Leaf’s styling was meant to stand out, but today’s car is a bit more angular and wears the corporate V-Motion grille, with blue 3D mesh (blue means “clean’ in car design language, not green). The taillamps are now horizontal, creating a harder edge than the softly integrated ones in gen one. The odd headlamps are swapped for more conventional units.

 

My test car, an SL Plus, wore the optional white and black two-tone paint ($695). Kick plates ($130) were the only other optional. The sticker, with shipping, came to $44,270. With its success, the Leaf no longer qualifies for the full $7,500 Federal tax break, but hopefully legislation will extend that program. Base S Plus models start at $37,445, including shipping while the base Leaf S starts at just $29,990 plus shipping.

 

You may ask why Nissan didn’t just replace the 40 kWh-battery, 150-mile-range standard Leaf with the new one. The answer is contained in the above paragraph; 150 miles is plenty of range for most people, so the standard Leaf offers a significantly less expensive EV choice than the other EVs – by thousands of dollars. With remaining tax breaks and rebates, Leaf can become a very affordable way to go electric.

 

The new Leaf feels smooth and powerful. Its seats are more comfortable than the ones in the Bolt EV. Quality is high, offering a near-luxury ambiance found in cars like the Jaguar i-Pace. I was surprised that my top-level Leaf Plus didn’t have a telescoping steering wheel, but otherwise it felt loaded.

 

However, things are changing fast in the world of electric transportation. With Leaf Plus, Nissan is keeping up with the competitors but not surpassing them. It’ll be interesting to see what the pioneer brings out for its next act – an EV crossover, perhaps?

 

 

Back-To-School: Stocking up for school can be eco-friendly and economical

Aug 04

By Bev O’Shea

NerdWallet

 

Earth-friendly school supplies might sound expensive, but you can be gentle with the planet and respectful of your wallet. Start by widening your idea of what's “green.”

 

LOOK FOR FREEBIES FIRST

 

Using what you already have is the ultimate environmentally friendly move and fits with a frugal lifestyle. Look for pens, pencils, unused journals picked up at a convention, binders no longer in use, and unused or lightly used supplies from last year.

 

You may not have to buy at all. Chelsea Brennan, who blogs at Smart Money Mamas, says she sees posts on her hyperlocal Buy Nothing Facebook group every fall requesting notebooks and other school supplies. “And then someone may comment, `We have those, plus three composition books that have never been written in. Do you need those?”' Brennan says she borrows, donates and receives items through the group.

 

SAVE ON BACKPACKS AND OFFICE SUPPLIES

 

For backpacks, Mary Hunt, founder of the website Cheapskate Monthly, recommends JanSport or Eastpak for durability. If you are shopping resale, those are labels to look for because they'll last longer. And JanSport backpacks have a lifetime warranty.

 

Or choose a backpack made from recycled materials. Whether you choose new, used or recycled, look for sturdy zippers, pockets and supportive, padded straps. You don't want this year's backpack to be in a landfill next year.

 

Many stores now carry office-supply lines that are earth-friendly. Several companies offer pens made from recycled plastic. Pencils can be made from recycled newspaper, but they're more expensive than pedestrian wooden pencils. A mechanical, refillable pencil might be the more economical green choice.

 

Notebooks and loose-leaf paper made from recycled paper can be pricey. For example, a set of four college-ruled “decomposition books” at Target costs more than $25. If recycled paper products don't fit your budget, you can still be green by making sure your student recycles used paper instead of throwing it in the trash.

 

Derek B. Davis, a spokesman for Earth.com, noted that many schools now bundle required items and offer them to parents. You may not save money, but you'll save gas and time.

 

CUT COSTS ON FOOD AND DRINK CONTAINERS

 

Davis thinks the item likely to have the biggest impact on the planet is your student's reusable water bottle – hardly a budget breaker. Reusable packaging for lunches and snacks also saves you money and lets you contribute less to the enormous problem of plastic in oceans and landfills.

 

To estimate the impact of a water bottle, know this: Americans use an average of 13 single-use plastic bottles per month, according to the nonprofit Earth Day Network. One reusable bottle, over a nine-month school year, could keep 117 single-use bottles out of circulation. Tap water is vastly cheaper than bottled and eliminates plastic waste and the carbon emissions needed to distribute bottled water for sale.

 

There are also reusable – and dishwasher-safe – containers or bags for sandwiches and snacks. You can put those reusable bags inside a reusable lunch container. Bento boxes, which have compartments for various types of food, are another alternative. Reusable lunch bags and boxes can be purchased inexpensively new – or keep an eye out for used ones.

 

Davis, the father of a rising second-grader, notes that kids lose things, and suggests buying backups of water bottles or lunch containers if you see an especially good price.

 

SHOP SECONDHAND FOR CLOTHES

 

For back-to-school clothes, consider resale stores. You may find clothes that are practically new for pennies on the dollar. You save money and extend the life of the clothes, keeping them out of landfills. You can shop online with ThredUP and similar sites.

 

Finally, no matter where you're shopping, bring a reusable bag, Davis says. Keep one handy in the car.

 

What will ultimately be most effective in cleaning up the Earth, he says, is kids seeing parents who weave green living into everyday life: For instance, making coffee at home, drinking from reusable cups and making their own seltzer.

–––

 

This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Bev O'Shea is a writer at NerdWallet.

 

 

BART Police Log

Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD

 

Saturday, August 3

• A man identified by police as Lozano Hayden, 30, of Union City was arrested at Bay Fair station on suspicion of public intoxication. He was booked into San Francisco County Jail.

 

Monday, August 5

• At 9:21 a.m. a man identified by police as Lionel Dixon, 47, of Oakland was arrested at San Leandro station on two outstanding warrants. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

 

Thursday, August 8

• At 6:11 p.m. a man identified by police as Lloyd Hayes, 32, was arrested at San Leandro station on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment. He was issued a prohibition order and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

 

 

Brask Concerts: Dan & Laurel

Submitted by Wayne & Sue Brask

 

Meeting via a chance YouTube sighting and fueled by rare musical chemistry, eclectic Roots-Folk songwriters Dan Frechette, guitar/vocals, and Laurel Thomsen, violin/vocals, prove that musical magic is not only possible, but as described by The Monterey Herald, “a match made in heaven.” Lyrically refreshing and musically diverse, over the past three years this Canadian-American duo has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada, releasing two albums of their diverse and uplifting original material. Dan & Laurel take to the stage with exuberance, and as a concert reviewer in Tappen, British Columbia wrote, with “their energy, winsome personalities, and toe tapping rhythms, keep audiences engaged with every song.”

 

Since the duo played their first concert together in early 2013, they have performed close to 300 concerts ranging from house shows to festivals and theaters. Highlights have included a twelve date Home Routes tour of northern British Columbia, opening for The Wailin’ Jennys at a sold-out theater in Grass Valley, the definitive Russ & Julie’s House Concert in Los Angeles, the Eastern Manitoba Concert Association (EMCA) series, and official showcases at the FAR-West Conference in 2014.

 

With broad influences ranging from Folk, Classical, Old Time and Celtic, to Gospel,

Jazz, Vintage Country, Rock N' Roll, Blues and Bluegrass, Dan and Laurel flow

seamlessly through genres, tempos, stories, and moods, embodying each style with virtuosic command and keeping music fans on the edge of their seats. The enjoyment is palpable.

 

Brask House Concerts: Dan & Laurel

Saturday, Aug 17

7 p.m.

Mission Coffee Roasting Company

151 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 623-6920

www.braskhouseconcerts.com

 

 

First Ever BubbleFest

 

The Chabot Space and Science Center is known around the Bay Area for introducing people to the wonder of gently drifting, glowing spheres. Usually those spheres are stars and planets lightyears away—but this August the center wants to highlight some equally fascinating spheres a little closer to home: bubbles. While bubbles are much smaller and more transient than stars and planets, they too can be the gateway to exploring scientific phenomena. They are also a lot of fun. On Saturday, kids and adults can explore the world of bubbles at the Chabot Space and Science Center’s “First ever BubbleFest.”

 

Bubbles are not a new topic at the center. “We had a bubbles-themed First Friday for multiple years, and popularity kept booming for it to a point where we decided this topic was something we should explore in an all-day event. We decided it was time to make it a festival!” says Mary Catherine Frantz, marketing associate at the Chabot Space and Science Center. The topic of bubbles fits with the center’s goals to encourage active learning. “Bubbles allow for open ended observation, experimentation, investigation, and discovery which are key elements of Chabot’s Educational Philosophy. Bubbles also provide a great way to study science concepts such as elasticity, surface tension, chemistry, geometry and light!”

 

The festival will feature a range of activities, from open-ended bubble play appropriate for children under 5, to live music and bubble shows that will appeal to all ages. Below are a few highlights (which can also be read on the center’s website):

 

Live Bubble Shows

Tom Noddy and Sterling Johnson are widely acclaimed and renowned for their skill in bubble art and performance. Tom Noddy has been featured on the Tonight Show multiple times and was even on their Best of the Year segment. Sterling Johnson is the only person to ever put a bubble inside a bubble inside a bubble on stage without any tubes or straws, and the first person to walk completely through a bubble film.

 

Bubblemania

This is exceptional hands-on bubble play that includes bubble wands that look like flowers, butterflies, dinosaurs, dolphins and more, bubbles hoops that make giant bubbles, and bubble racquets and baskets that let bunches of bubbles swirl and fly around. The visual presentation is filled with soap bubble creations that mesmerize the audience with seemingly impossible creations of shimmering, wiggling reflections of light, color and flowing liquid motion, of all shapes and sizes.

 

Live Music

Fleeting Trance will be performing at BubbleFest on the Chabot Observation Deck. The music consists of elements of folk, country, blues, rock, soul and rock. FT heads into its 20th year with seven albums and over 100 songs released in an upward trajectory set.

 

BubbleFest will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please check the website for a detailed schedule of shows. Tickets are $14 for youth and $22 general admission; they can be purchased online at https://chabotspace.org/calendar/bubblefest/.

 

First ever Bubblefest

Saturday, August 17

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland

(510) 336-7300

www.chabotspace.org

Tickets: $14 – 22

 

 

393 new Cal fire firefighters

Submitted by Stephen Rodriguez

 

After two devastating fire seasons in which California’s firefighters worked for weeks, and sometimes months, without a break, Governor Newsom has announced the hiring of 393 new firefighters. Of the 393, 369 will be placed on fire engines and the remaining 24 will supervise military crews – the result will be better response times and less costly overtime. Firefighters will continue to work long hours but will not endure seemingly-endless shifts throughout fire season.

 

“As President of CAL FIRE Local 2881, I cannot over-emphasize the importance of Govern Newsom’s action. His leadership brings a more reasonable approach to the way we fight fires in California. Our firefighters will continue to work incredibly long shifts without being driven to a breaking point. We are appreciative,” stated Tim Edwards.

 

CAL FIRE Local 2881 is made up of 6,500 men and women on the front line of California’s catastrophic fires.

 

 

California's only known wolf pack adds 3 pups

AP Wire Service

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Aug 07 – Wildlife officials say at least three new wolf pups have joined the only known pack in California.

 

KQED reports that trail cameras set up by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in northeast California recorded the pups and two or three adult wolves in June.

 

Amaroq Weiss advocates for West Coast wolves with the Center for Biological Diversity. He says that the return of wolves to the state is an important development for conservation efforts.

 

Wolves are protected under California's Endangered Species Act even as the federal Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to delist grey wolves as an endangered species.

 

In 2011, a grey wolf with a radio collar named OR-7 crossed the California border from Oregon and became the first wolf in the state since 1924.

 

 

Cinema Exchange – events for Bay Area filmmakers

Grill n’ Chill and Black Magic Demo Day

Submitted by Christopher Denise

 

Cinema Exchange is a Milpitas-based studio that offers resources to local filmmakers, whether they are looking to rent a meeting space, sound stage, or equipment—or simply drop in and network with fellow film aficionados. In the middle of August, the studio is hosting two events where anyone with an interest in film is invited to stop by.

 

On Wednesday, August 14 “Blackmagic demo day” will highlight the features of two next generation digital cameras from the maker Blackmagic: the URSA Mini Pro 4.6 G2 and the Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. Guests will be able to learn more about these cameras and how their functions compare. Food and drink will be provided. The event is free to attend, but registration is required. Get your ticket at www.eventbrite.com/e/blackmagic-demo-day-tickets-65849679163?aff=efbeventtix.

 

On Friday, August 16, the studio will continue their tradition of hosting monthly “Grill n’ Chill nights” though the summer and fall (weather permitting). The event is sponsored by local meal delivery service Grillbox, so stop by to grab a beer and burger and hang out with the local film and photography community. There might even be some free swag.

 

Blackmagic demo day

Wednesday, Aug 14

7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

 

Grill n’ Chill

Friday, Aug 16

7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

 

Cinema Exchange

1759 South Main St., #124/128, Milpitas

(408) 912-2614

www.cinema.exchange

 

 

Community survey for climate action plan update

Submitted by Fremont Community Development Department

 

Since the adoption of City of Fremont’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2012, the City has implemented a number of projects, programs, and policies that have resulted in significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and earned Fremont regional recognition as a sustainability leader. Fremont is now working to update its CAP to align with the new 2045 carbon neutrality goal recently established by the Fremont City Council in February 2019.

 

As part of the CAP update process, the City is seeking the community’s help in identifying actions that will make Fremont a cleaner and healthier place for everyone. Strategies for achieving these goals can include transitioning to renewable and fossil-free energy in buildings and vehicles, enhancing sustainable transit and travel options, reducing waste and pollution, incorporating green building design, restoring natural habitats, drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through plants and trees, and increasing our resilience to climate change.

 

To gain feedback, the City is inviting the community to complete the Climate Action Plan Update Survey. You can access the survey online at https://stories.opengov.com/fremontca/published/j8uKMiLb0.

 

By taking the survey, everyone can play an active role in designing a healthy and sustainable future for Fremont!

 

 

Coffee with a Cop

Submitted by Hayward P.D.

 

Stop by and join your neighbors and police officers for coffee and conversation. This is your chance to talk one on one about any concerns you have and get to know your Hayward Police Officers!

 

Coffee with a Cop

Monday, Aug 19

10 a.m. -12 noon

Donut Express

430 Winton Ave, Hayward

(Corner Jackson St. & Grand St.)

 

Life-Saving technology is coming

Submitted by Supervisor Dave Cortese

 

During the 2017 wildfire season in Santa Clara County, communication towers were destroyed, evacuation alerts never reached residents and responders couldn’t communicate with each other as they battled the fires. Communication during emergencies is a matter of life and death. Before the end of the year, Santa Clara County will receive two Mobile Operations Satellite Expeditionary System or MOSES devices that, within minutes, can provide cell service or wi-fi to thousands of residents and emergency personnel. And because they are mounted on small trailers, they can be towed to remote areas and set up for residents and emergency personnel. 

 

Santa Clara County will be the first county in California to be able to use this system thanks to $4 million in state funding requested for us by State Assemblymember Evan Low. And while we’re on the subject, please sign up for AlertSCC, a County emergency warning system that can send messages directly to your cell phone, mobile device, email or landline in case of flooding, wildfires and other disasters.

 

Supervisor Dave Cortese
(408) 299-5030
www.supervisorcortese.org

 

 

Park It

By Ned MacKay

 

During the heat of summer, early evening is a good time to explore the East Bay Regional Parks. With that in mind, the naturalists at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch are offering two upcoming twilight programs.

 

“Twilight on the Trail” will take place from 7:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Saturday, August 17.

Naturalist Kevin Dixon will lead a search for late-soaring hawks and early evening owls as the group walks 4½ steep trail miles, returning under a near-full moon. The hike is for ages 9 and older. The hike is free, but registration is required. For registration and information, call (888) 327-2757; select option 2 and refer to program number 25820.

 

A naturalist-led 15-minute uphill walk, for ages 5 and older, to the park’s Rose Hill Cemetery is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, August 18. Many of the miners who worked in what is now Black Diamond Mines and their families are buried at Rose Hill. Learn their stories of heroism, tragedy, and endurance. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. For information, call (888) 327-2757, ext. 2750.

 

A couple of enjoyable programs are on the agenda at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. A session from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, August 18 will focus on rabbits and their habits. At another program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 20, amateur artists of all ages are welcome at a self-expression session. Chalk will be provided to help transform the visitor center patio into an art gallery. This is the eighth annual international “Chalk the Walks” event.

 

Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road, off Oakley’s Main Street. For information call (888) 327-2757, ext. 3050.

 

Naturalist Anthony Fisher will lead a birding walk from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday, August 18 at Crockett Hills Regional Park in Crockett. Meet at the Crockett Ranch Staging Area on Crockett Boulevard.

 

Fisher leads another birding walk from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Monday, August 19 at McLaughlin Eastshore State Park. Meet at the Seabreeze Market lot on University Avenue just west of the bridge over I-880 in Berkeley.

 

A naturalist-led bird walk will also take place from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, August 18 at Hayward Regional Shoreline. It’s a 2-miler for ages 12 and older. Wear layers, bring water, and apply sunscreen. Meet at the west end of West Winton Avenue in Hayward.

For information on either of Fisher’s walks, call (510) 544-2233. For information on the Hayward walk, call (510) 544-3220.

 

Naturalist “Trail Gail” Broesder plans two walks in the Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley on Saturday, August 17. First is a lake-to-lake watershed walk from 9 a.m. to 12 noon to explore the Wildcat Creek watershed, discover some park district history, and see hidden waterfalls. Then from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., it’s all about blackberries, with a chance of sampling the fruit.

 

Both programs start at Tilden’s Environmental Education Center, north end of Central Park Drive. For information, call (510) 544-2233.

 

“Early Morning on the Mudflat” is the theme of a program from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, August 17 with naturalist Morgan Guenther at Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda. Wear shoes or boots that can get muddy. Then from 11 a.m. to 12 noon the same day, Guenther will lead an hour of nature-themed songs and stories for all ages.

 

Crab Cove Visitor Center is at 1252 McKay Avenue, off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For details, call (510) 544-3187.

 

There’s always a lot to see and do in the East Bay Regional Parks. For a full schedule, visit www.ebparks.org. And remember, from now through the end of the year, Fridays are free in the regional parks in celebration of the agency’s 85th anniversary.

 

 

Editorial

Bells will ring

 

Within the next few weeks, the annual ritual of a new school year will begin for local districts – public and private. Each district follows its own calendar, but notwithstanding the initial date of attendance, the intent is identical for all of them. For our social structure to maintain its values and purpose, succeeding generations must be able to possess a basic understanding of shared information, values and morality. We should recognize that the vital interests of our society are closely tied to an educated and aware electorate that can absorb, analyze and make informed and rational decisions to guide our communities, country and partnership in world affairs.

 

Responsibility for civic obligations is a family charge but also shaped by interactions with classmates, teachers and school conventions as well. Since for many children, hours spent at school are a critical environment for social behavior, it is incumbent to recognize the importance of how teachers and schools shape the future. If resources are limited and must be prioritized, following food and shelter, nurturing education should be at the top of the list. Attitudes toward fellow human beings and universal codes of morality following the Golden Rule [treat others as you would like to be treated] are impressed through actions and examples set by contemporaries and authority figures. School is a microcosm of the world at large, a training ground for future leaders and adherents alike.

 

Unrest in the teaching profession is an indicator of a larger issue. What value is placed on education and those chosen to model behavior for the next generations? Not only should rewards for successful outcomes be great, but the expectation of exceptional performance by those who guard and perpetuate academic and social standards should match them. Although political thought may differ, construction of a rational and reasoned matrix of information and facts must be at the root of well-informed population – young and old.

 

George Orwell warned against ignorance as described a dystopian future in his novel, 1984, written in 1949. “Big Brother” controls thought through psychological manipulation. A totalitarian state has evolved to promote safety and happiness over freedom. A laissez-faire attitude that promotes seemingly contradictory ideas dominates as history is subverted: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” Big Brother is transparent but persuasive because a simple idea is implanted, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”

 

If this sounds frighteningly familiar, the beginning of a new school year is the time to act as guardians of the future. Classrooms are incubators of social behavior and reasonable response to challenges. Those entrusted with the care of students are a valuable and critical resource that should be highly compensated, closely monitored and supported to endorse a free exchange of ideas and attention to factual analysis. Exposure to misleading “alternative facts” and twisted analysis has become commonplace in a world of instantaneous communication. Few filters and even less control over the flood of information – true, false and everything in between – has clouded simplistic right/wrong, moral/immoral distinctions. It is only fair that those who guide students in and outside classrooms prepare them for the onslaught and contradictions of Big Brother.

 

The solution to Big Brother is free and open education for everyone… all of us, no matter what station in life. As our schools open their doors to new and returning students, active involvement between educators, parents and the community-at-large is essential to maintaining our freedom and democratic ideals. Even though our system is imperfect and often fails to produce stellar results, the principles remain the same and should not be subverted to maintain the illusion of control. The year 1984 is in the past and should remain there!

 

 

Festival gig is over, but West Coast Blues will survive

By Stephanie Gertsch

 

In July of 2019, the Hayward Russell City Blues Festival celebrated 20 years of enlivening the streets of downtown Hayward with the unique blues sound of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, due to funding issues this was also the last year the festival will appear in this form. Ronnie Stewart, Executive Director of the West Coast Blues Society, says the spirit of Russell City will, however, live on through other events and venues.

 

The area known as “Russell City” was never officially incorporated into Hayward, but was a widely-recognized part of the community. During the development period of the 30s – 50s, African American and Mexican people settled in Russell City to work in the shipyard industry. “Redlining” (banks denying loans to residential areas deemed risky) often excluded minorities from many neighborhoods, but those who remained developed their own culture, with their own churches, crops, farmers’ markets and clubs and music.

 

“Piano players would play all night and then 7 or 8 o’clock in the morning, they’d leave for church and play in church,” Ronnie Stewart recalls, laughing. “Everybody had a story about Russell City.” Someone needed to keep those stories alive. “So, I said…We gotta perpetuate this history and bring this history to the public.” Thus, West Coast Blues Society was founded.

 

Blues has Southern and African American roots, but the widespread influence of the style can be heard in the sounds of many performers and bands, including The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga. One of the most famous music legends to play at Russell City was Ray Charles, but the area also had its own blues legends such as Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton, and T Bone Walker.

 

One might ask, “What is ‘West Coast’ blues?” For Stewart the answer is simple: “Ninety percent of the bands from Chicago have harmonicas…West Coast Blues had horns because the West coast was heavy into jazz.” Jazz musicians would play at upscale hotels all Friday evening, then after midnight, head over to Russell City. Inevitably the sounds mixed. “They just stopped playing jazz and came on over to Blues!” laughs Stewart. Some blues bands had five to seven horns, and they used five- or six-note chords rather than three notes. “Our sound was more sophisticated,” says Stewart. “We used more of what we call jazz progression, what we call triage in music.” Overall, West Coast Blues has a more complex and upbeat sound than its East Coast counterpart.

 

“All our festivals had some sort of kinship to the music that was played in Russell City,” says Stewart. A festival could showcase the mostly-undocumented history of Russell City and make it accessible to the general public. “A way to bring it to the public in a real ‘branding way’ as we say nowadays…was to do some sort of public event…to get a cross section of the community there and at the same time perpetuate that history. So, I said, ‘Let’s do a Hayward Russell City Blues Festival.’” The “Hayward” part is important: the event would not be eligible for city funding unless it was explicitly connected to Hayward in some way.

 

Unfortunately, a recent change to Hayward funding policy meant cuts for festivals across the board, and Hayward Russell City Blues Festival lost funds they needed for artist fees, promotion, and branding. While there are many beloved summer festivals around the Hayward Area (Street Parties, Zucchini Festival, and this year’s Bay Area Latin Jazz Festival, to name a few), Russell City Blues Festival was unique. “We were constantly telling people this isn’t just a festival to have fun,” Stewart explains, “this is to learn and understand about what once was a community of African Americans and Mexican people.” The value went beyond entertainment and into the realm of historical preservation.

 

However, the West Coast Blues Society is looking into other ways to bring the heritage of Russell City to the public. One idea is doing a three- or four-week Saturday music series at the new Library Plaza, featuring a different band or two each night. This fits in with the Bay Area culture of outdoor summer concerts. Stewart would also like to start a “Russell City Area Historical Society” to complement the Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS), which currently has only limited material on Russell City.

 

“The Hayward Russell City Blues Festival hasn’t died,” says Stewart. “We’ve gone to a new format. Whether we get funding from the City of Hayward [or not], we will definitely have our Russell City Blues music series… We’re still gonna perpetuate that history, and we’re still gonna have programming, lectures, and awareness about the City.”

 

West Coast Blues Society

(510) 472-8800

www.westcoastbluessociety.org

 

 

Festival of Globe brings communities together

By Jui Sadekar

 

What started as “Festival of India” in 1993 and revolved around the India Day Parade as an Independence Day celebration in Fremont has. over the years, evolved into “Festival of Globe” (FOG). “A few years ago, communities other than Indian-American approached us and expressed their desire to be a part of the celebration,” says Dr. Romesh Japra, founder and convener of FOG. “Hispanic, Chinese, Korean groups wanted to empower their own communities. The groups were impressed to see how the festival was organized. We welcomed them to join us and started calling the event Festival of Globe.”

 

According to Japra, organizing the India Day Parade was the need in the ‘90s: “We were a small immigrant community then. We wanted to bring our people together and empower our children.” Though the event was successful, the founders met with financial loss, but the setback didn’t stop the enthusiastic FOG team from continuing to host the event. “Today, the festival showcases our rich culture, heritage, values, and traditions to mainstream Americans. We also want our children who are born in the USA to remember their roots and to be proud of their culture.”

 

The festival offers something for everyone – mela (fair), health fair, yoga, wellness awareness, chiropractic services, cultural programs, music and dance competitions, and the grand parade celebrating democracy, freedom, and liberty. The parade boasts over 50 floats representing Bay Area organizations and different parts of India – from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kutch to Assam. This year, the procession will also feature a Chinese band and martial arts groups.

 

FOG’s 2019 India Day Mela/Fair and Parade will celebrate India’s 73rd Independence Day. The fair will take place on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18; the grand parade will be held on Saturday. Sanjay Panda, consul general of India, will be the chief guest, and Vivek Oberoi, an Indian celebrity, will be the parade’s grand marshal.

 

“We invite celebrities from India, who lead the parade as grand marshals,” explains Japra. “In 1993, our grand marshal was the famous actress Asha Parekh. We have had Bollywood superstars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Vyjayanthimala, Sushmita Sen, Randeep Hooda, and others as our grand marshals. This year, we are excited to have Vivek Oberoi.”

 

As part of the festivities, over 200 local dance groups will compete in classical, folk, Bollywood, contemporary, hip-hop and other styles. Each category winner will be awarded a prize; contestants will participate in different age groups – ages 5 to 11, ages 12 to 18, and adults. The mela will feature arts and crafts, jewelry, local businesses, kids’ corner, rides and games, and over 20 food booths serving cuisine from different regions in India.

 

“Over the past 26 years, FOG has made great strides in including all parts of the community and carrying out its mission to help communities better integrate. The United States is a bouquet of cultures, and through festivals like the India Day Fair and Parade, people can contribute ideas and grow together. We believe in ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ a Sanskrit phrase that means ‘the world is one family,’” concludes Japra.

 

FOG India Day Mela/Fair

Saturday, Aug 17 and Sunday, Aug 18

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

 

FOG India Day Parade

Sunday, Aug 18

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

 

39439 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont

www.FOGsv.org

FREE

 

 

The call is out for flea market vendors

Submitted by Jennifer Tibbetts

 

East Bay bargain hunters look forward each year to the annual Big Fall Flea Market sponsored by the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior and Community Center in Castro Valley. Although the flea market isn’t happening until October 5, now is the time for vendors to reserve a table to sell their goods and services. The cost is $30 for residents of the Hayward Area Recreation & Park District (HARD) or $40 for non-residents. There is a limit of two tables per vendor.

 

In-person table registrations will be accepted starting at 8:30 a.m. Friday, August 16 at 17800 Redwood Road, Castro Valley. For details, call (510) 881-6738.

 

Flea market vendor registration

Friday, Aug 16

Kenneth C. Aitken Senior Center

17800 Redwood Rd., Castro Valley

(510) 881-6738

$30 for HARD residents; $40 for non-residents

 

 

Author-led workshop on how to get published

Submitted by Nancy Guarnera

 

Do you aspire to be a writer? Do you dream of being a published author? Do you hesitate to submit your work, because you aren’t sure how to prepare it for publication? Do you submit your work, only to be rejected over and over again without ever knowing why? Help is on the way!

 

Author Tish Davidson will be guest speaker at the Fremont Area Writers (FAW) August 24 meeting where she will present a free “Prepare to Publish” workshop for writers of all experience levels. The workshop will focus on a four-step process for making written work publishable. These steps include:

 

• Targeting appropriate contests and media outlets
• Customizing written works to fit the target
• Polishing the text so that it is free from errors that make it an easy target for rejection
• Avoiding careless submission mistakes.

 

Those attending will receive handouts on where to find publications accepting submissions and current contests, as well as a checklist to determine if their piece is free of instant rejection errors.

 

Davidson was Submissions Editor for the 2019 California Writers Club Literary Review. Her publishing credits include everything from restaurant reviews, to magazine features, to 13 books published by Scholastic, Mason Crest, and ABC-CLIO. Her work can be found in anthologies such as Adams Media, Harlequin, Scribes Valley Press, and Medusa’s Laugh Press. Most recently she placed second in the memoir category of the international Ageless Authors competition.

 

Prepare to Publish

Fremont Area Writers

Saturday, Aug 24

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

42 Silicon Valley, Room 106

6600 Dumbarton Circle, Fremont

Free to non-members; $5 for members

cwc-fremontareawriters.org

 

 

Alameda County library opens its first innovation space

Submitted by Alicia Reyes

 

To prepare middle school and high school students with skills such as complex problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity, Alameda County Library has opened its first innovation space—Archimedes—in the Fremont Main Library. The library invites the public to the grand opening of this space on Friday, August 16.

 

Archimedes, funded by the Alameda County Library Foundation (ACLF), is equipped with 3D printers, vinyl cutters, sewing machines, soldering irons, and more. This summer, Kristin Berbawy, founder of Berbawy Makers, is teaching a series of classes in Archimedes that focus on creative problem-solving using computer-aided design technology, 3D design, and wearable electronics. The series builds toward two final weeklong classes when students get to work with local companies and nonprofit organizations to solve real-world challenges. Students will present their solutions to these community-defined projects at the Archimedes grand opening.

 

Archimedes Innovation Space Grand Opening

Friday, Aug 16

3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont

(510) 745-1400

 

 

Letter to the editor

Fremont nixes nonprofit picnic area use

 

A Northern California registered nonprofit dog rescue group was stunned last week to learn the city of Fremont would place restrictions for the group to reserve a Central Park picnic area. The group intended to host its private bi-annual potluck picnic for its supporters and volunteers as a small fundraising event. The group has hosted these events for many years at other locations in Sunnyvale, Dublin, Sacramento, and Visona Lake County Park in Los Gatos.

 

The reason given to the group was that the City of Fremont does not allow cash transactions with a picnic area reservation application/permit. The group was surprised, as there were no municipal code regulations cited regarding transactions, nor did this limitation appear in the published rules and restrictions for reserved picnic area use. The application itself for the reserved picnic areas only asked for a declaration if the area was to be used as a fundraiser. The Fremont Municipal code also listed a fundraiser declaration requirement be made on the reservation application. The group did so.

 

The group sought out a park supervisor for clarification and, after a phone call and a couple of emails, the unwritten no cash transaction rule was reaffirmed. The supervisor contacted did not offer any explanation nor cite any city codes governing such limitations. As the supervisor contacted has only recently come to Fremont, they could not say when this unwritten rule was first imposed.

 

The supervisor went on to further suggest that the nonprofit apply for a “special event” permit that would allow cash transactions. This 10-page application is the one the city requires for festivals and event gatherings of large groups, where requests for police patrols and portable toilets can be made. Obviously, this type of permit application was inappropriate for the group’s small event, which typically attracts 40 to 50 people.

 

What puzzled the group was that the only limitation found regarding transactions was on the application for a “drop-in” picnic site, which designates one as non-reservable, used on a “first-come, first-served” location. Perhaps the city was trying to regulate picnic area use for non-legitimate cash transactions?

 

The registered 501©3 nonprofit group carries its own liability insurance as well as asking each event attendee to sign a liability waiver. Small attendance fees are donated, and they offer donated items for sale to the supporters. As such, not being able to have cash transactions would be very inconvenient, as people rarely carry checkbooks around, and if so, would not want to write checks for small amounts under $20.

 

If anyone would care to support the rescue group in its efforts to save West Highland White terriers, information can be found at www.westierescuenorcal.org. The volunteer group rescues Westies from the Central Valley to the Oregon border, fostering the dogs in private homes until “forever home” placements can be made. There have been Westie Rescue activities in the Bay Area for over two decades. The group is currently seeking another Bay Area location to host its picnic gathering.

 

Teresa Houseworth

Fremont

 

 

Fremont Police recognize teen Explorers

Submitted by Fremont PD

 

Twelve teenagers representing Fremont Police Explorer Post #119 were recently recognized for their work in the community during 2019 by the Fremont Police Department.

 

The Explorer Program is a fun and safe way for teenagers, ages 14-18, to learn about the field of law enforcement. Over the course of several months each year, explorers donate between five and 20 volunteer hours by participating in various police department activities including riding with officers, traffic control, giving police department building tours and visiting schools.

 

Capping off each year’s program, explorers participate in the San Diego County Law Enforcement Explorer Academy at UC San Diego. During the weeklong academy explorers receive formal classroom training in various law enforcement related disciplines. This year’s program met from August 3 through 10.

 

Recruitment for the next Fremont Police Explorer program starts in January 2020. For details about the program, visit their website at www.fremontpolice.org/Explorers or call (510) 790-6691.

 

 

Fremont resident celebrates 100 years of life

Submitted by Frank Martin

 

Carmen Rivera Melia celebrated her 100th birthday with a party among 70 of her friends and family, including her three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Carmen was born in Hawaii in 1919 to Spanish immigrants Antonio and Carmen Martin, who moved to the mainland a few years after her birth. Carmen has been a resident of Fremont for the last 40 years.

 

 

Talent2Give fundraiser against hunger

Submitted by Daksh Kohar

 

The launch of Talent2Give, a local non-profit organization, will be held at Slap Face Coffee & Tea in Fremont on Friday, August 16 at 5 p.m. Guests are invited to purchase art by local students who are passionate about using their talents to give back to the community. The event will include children’s art and recycled swag items at nominal prices. All donations will go to Kids Against Hunger to help feed starving children.

 

Slap Face Coffee & Tea is located at 37324 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536. It is an arty, bi-level hangout featuring live music events, espresso drinks, and ice cream. Directions and more information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/slapfacecoffee.

 

Talent2Give is a non-profit organization that raises money to combat childhood hunger through selling the work of young artists. Founder Daksh Kohar is a rising sophomore at American High School and has won several awards in art competitions. Kohar feels strongly that each kid deserves good nutrition. A happy and healthy gut is key to making a happy childhood. He wants to use his talent to contribute in fight to eradicate child hunger. He shared, “My mother has always been a huge supporter of my art and has encouraged me to use it for bigger purposes. Inspired by her, I am launching my organization on the eve of her birthday.”

 

Talent2Give is looking for young artists who can collaborate to grow this organization. Singers, painters, sculptors, knitters…all artists are welcome to join and use their God-given gifts to make a difference in the world. For more information about the event and Talent2Give, contact Daksh Kohar at talent2give@gmail.com.

 

Talent2Give fundraiser against hunger

Friday, Aug 16

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Slap Face Coffee & Tea

37324 Fremont Blvd, Fremont

talent2give@gmail.com

 

 

Lace up those running and walking shoes

Submitted by Tina Fernandez

Photo by Iconic Lab

 

Officials from the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation are gearing up for their annual fundraising 5k Walk, 5k/10k Run and Community Expo coming in September to Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area in Fremont. The event, now in its 20th consecutive year, brings together breast cancer patients and survivors from all over the Bay Area, along with their families and supporters, to celebrate life and raise money for HERS, a nonprofit organization.

 

This year’s event is set for Saturday, Sept. 28 and is open to runners and walkers of all ages and experience levels. Many walkers and runners form teams and wear fun costumes or matching group outfits to show their love and support.

 

New this year will be a choral performance, Yoga On The Grass (an alternative to walking/running), an expanded Community Expo and live classic R&B music during lunch. A remembrance dove launch with bird enthusiast Jim Dempsey is also planned. Master of Ceremonies for the day’s events will be KTVU FOX 2 reporter and news anchor Heather Holmes.

 

Both the 5k & 10k are scenic runs through the packed gravel trails circling through Quarry Lakes Park. The course is not USA Track & Field (USATF) certified; the distance has been measured and is approximate. Walkers are welcome, but no bicycles or skateboards are allowed.

 

Entry fees are $40 for adults, $15 for youths 12 to 17, and $5 for children under 12. Adults will receive a commemorative T-shirt with their entry fee, while youths and children will receive a finishers medal. Registrations made the day of the race will be $5 higher. Group and corporate rates are also available. Race/Walk day check-ins will be 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. with 10k runners starting at 9 a.m., 5k runners at 9:15 a.m., and walkers at 9:20 a.m.

 

For registration information and program details, visit the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation Walk/Run website at http://hersbreastcancerfoundation.org/walk-run/ or call (510) 790-1911.

 

HERS Breast Cancer run/walk

Saturday, Sep 28

7:00 a.m. to mid-afternoon

Quarry Lakes Recreational Area

2100 Isherwood Way, Fremont

(510) 790-1911

Advance tickets: $40 adults, $15 youths, $5 children

 

 

Greek Festival offers food, fun, and taste of Hellenic traditions

By Alfred Hu

Photos by Victor Carvellas

 

Welcome or “kalos irthes” to the 48th annual “Greek festival” in Castro Valley hosted by the Castro Valley Resurrection Greek Orthodox church from August 23 – 25. Attendees can look forward to delicious Greek food such as roasted chicken seasoned to perfection, moussaka, freshly tossed Greek salad, freshly baked bread, feta cheese, and kalamata olives—as well as traditional favorites such as gyros, souvlaki (meat kebabs), tiropita (cheese pie in filo), spanakopita (spinach pie in filo), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), meatballs, and fried calamari.

 

For those with a sweet tooth, the festival will offer freshly baked pastries such as baklava and kataifi (shredded filo sheets with nuts and honey), galaktobureko (custard-based dessert), koulourakia (butter cookie twists), melomacarona (spiced cookies dipped in syrup) and of course, classic Greek coffee. After sampling these tasty dishes, you would swear you just had the best Greek cuisine this side of Athens.

 

Nicolette Efstathiou, a festival coordinator, has lived in Castro Valley all her life and attended the Greek festival since childhood. She mentioned that her father prepared calamari at a festival booth and she often helped him out. As for pastries, Efstathiou said “one of my favorites is loukoumades (a donut-like pastry dipped in honey and sprinkled with nuts),” and added, “we use recipes handed down from generations.” Efstathiou also said that this year the festival will feature a whole lamb roasting on a spit as one of the main dishes.

 

In addition to great food, attendees can enjoy live entertainment featuring Greek music performed by the Live Mythos Greek Band, folksongs and dancing, as well as a chance to view traditional Greek costumes. Dancing lessons will also be available for those wishing to further immerse themselves in the culture. Efstathiou said, “I love Greek dancing and showing our culture is so amazing.” It all gives you a feel of Greece without leaving the East Bay. Also, vendors will be present selling ceramics, crafts, Russian dolls and extra virgin olive oil. You can even have fun in practicing basic Greek by saying “yahsoo,” meaning “hello,” and “efkharisto,” or “thank you.”

 

Chris Hondros, another coordinator, says the festival provides an opportunity for attendees to be “Greek for a day,” and that experiencing festival hospitality (including church tours) is a way for people to find out about the Greek Orthodox faith. Hondros also mentioned that the festival will have an outreach booth focusing on feeding the needy on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.

 

The Resurrection Greek Orthodox church in Castro Valley was established in 1971 and has been hosting the Greek festival annually to introduce Greek Orthodox Christian faith and Hellenic (Greek) culture, cuisine and heritage to the Bay Area. In fact, hosting Greek festivals is a proud tradition of Greek Orthodox churches throughout the USA and Canada and is one way of giving back to the community. Proceeds from the festival also offer financial help to the church.

 

Castro Valley Greek Festival

Friday, Aug 23 – Sunday, Aug 25

Friday: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Castro Valley Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church

20104 Center St, Castro Valley

(510) 581-8950

http://www.greekfestival.me

 

 

Help students tackle homework

Submitted by Nathan Silva

 

Are you looking for community service hours or need job experience for your resume? The Castro Valley Library is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic high school student volunteers, to come just a few hours a week, for its after-school homework assistance center. Sign up for hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to help students tackle their homework and gain valuable experience.

 

Be sure to bring a completed and signed homework center volunteer application to the orientation. For more information or to register, call the library at (510) 667-7900, or Nathan Silva, librarian II, at (510) 608-1141 or visit https://events.aclibrary.org/event/5540457?hs=a.

 

Homework Center Volunteer Orientation

Wednesday, Aug 21

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Returning volunteers arrive between 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. to schedule hours

New volunteers arrive at 4:30 p.m. for orientation and scheduling

 

Homework Assistance Center

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

 

Castro Valley Library

3600 Norbridge Ave, Castro Valley

(510) 667-7900

(510) 608-1141

https://events.aclibrary.org/event/5540457?hs=a

 

 

Jump into the world of growing hops

By Daniel O'Donnell

 

Anecdotally, most harvested coffee beans are used to brew drip coffee or make sophisticated coffee drinks such as cappuccinos and macchiatos. However, on a smaller scale, coffee beans are used to flavor ice creams, BBQ rubs, brownies, and other foods. These alternative uses make it possible for non-coffee drinkers to enjoy a coffee bean's rich flavor much like non-beer drinkers to enjoy the flavorsome taste of hops when used to make something other than beer.

 

Hop plants are not vines but rather bines. Bines climb by spiraling around an object and using small bristles along the stem for support, but vines use tendrils to climb. The hop plant, Humulus lupulus, is closely related to Cannabis sativa or marijuana. A hop plant can grow two or more feet per week in the spring and can reach up to 25 feet tall before they produce hop cones that are typically referred to as hops.

 

Hops are primarily grown to add flavor and aroma to beer. However, hops can add the same flavors and aromas to homemade teas, sodas, candles, soaps, face moisturizers, and hand lotions. Hops can be used to flavor homemade sausages, pasta sauces, soups, fried chicken batter, risotto, frittatas, and (like coffee) ice cream. Finely grated dried hops can be sprinkled over tomato bruschetta, pizza, grilled salmon, curly fries, and anything else seasoned. Different hop varieties have their own strong aromas and unique flavors, so it makes sense that home gardeners are starting to grow them not only for brewing beer but also for their culinary attributes.

 

Hop plants can be grown for aesthetic reasons as well. They are deciduous and die back in the fall, making them ideal for creating summer shade over a patio while maximizing sunlight in the winter. They have attractive green maple-shaped leaves; when in season, the plants have loads of bright green hop cones.

 

Growing a hop plant in a well-thought-out location is important because the plant will not gradually ‘hop' through the garden: it will aggressively run. The fast-growing bines will need a trellis, pole, cable, or some other type of vertical structure to cling to. Hop bines can also be trained to run horizontally along wires attached to a fence or wall. The growing location will also need six or more hours of sunlight to produce a substantial crop. The soil should be rich in nutrients and drain well. Multiple plants should be spaced three feet apart.

 

Hop plants can be grown from seed or propagated by a piece of a rhizome from a mother plant. Growing from seed is a slow process that begins with placing the seeds in a container with some moist sand and storing them in the refrigerator for three months. The seeds should then be planted indoors where the temperature remains above 70 degrees for two months. They can be transplanted outside in the spring if they germinate. A rhizome is grown by placing it in a four-inch hole in late winter or early spring. It can be laid horizontally or placed vertically in the hole if the buds are pointing upward.

 

Several bines will begin to appear from a single rhizome in late spring and quickly spiral upward. Hop plants prefer moist soil and are heavy feeders, so mulch and compost work well. If you use a liquid fertilizer, it should be organic and high in nitrogen and potassium. Flowers will appear at different times throughout the summer depending on the variety, followed by hop cones that will be ready for harvesting in late summer.

 

Hops are ready to be harvested when the tips begin to yellow. Hops feel light and soft and if gently squeezed, bounce back to form. The cones may not ripen at the same pace. Handpicking will ensure that hops are harvested when ready. However, most hop bines grow to well over 10 feet tall, and handpicking is not an option. In this case, cut the bines a few feet above the ground and pull them down to the ground when most hops look like they are ready for harvesting. Dry the hops for five days in a cool location and store in a sealed bag in the refrigerator for immediate use or the freezer for longer storage.

 

Varieties of hops are available at local home brewing supply stores and nurseries or online. Fruity, citrus, herbal, floral, spicy, earthy, and pine are the seven general classifications hop flavors and aromas fall into, and which determine what variety a person might want to grow. Whether hops will be used for brewing beer or for flavoring food – like a cup of coffee that is good to the last drop, your beer or food will be good to the last hop.

 

Daniel O'Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. www.Chrysalis-Gardens.com

 

 

Hot August Niles Car Show

Submitted by Gary Mills

 

Niles Merchants Association presents “Hot August Niles Car Show,” taking place this year on Saturday, August 17 along Main Street in the Niles district of Fremont. The show’s focus will be a lineup of vintage and custom cars belonging to Tri-City residents. (Vehicle registration costs $25-30 and is open until 9 a.m. on the day of the event.) In addition, food and refreshments will be available for purchase, a live band will perform, and a 50/50 raffle will be held (must be present to win).

 

During the car show, all the antique stores, restaurants, and coffee shops will be open along Main Street, so please take this opportunity to explore and shop the historic district of Niles.

 

Hot August Niles Car Show

Saturday, Aug 17

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Niles Main Street

Niles Blvd. & J St., Fremont

(510) 656-9192

www.facebook.com/NilesCarShow

 

 

Hot August Thursday is back

Submitted by Lydia Rodriguez

 

The City of San Leandro invites the community to the 2019 “Hot August Thursday Concert” on August 15. This year’s event will include two performances Rewind “That 80’s Band,” and Sacred Fire Band “A Santana Tribute.” Chuy Gomez and the Q102.1 family will host the evening. Food and beverages will be available for purchase from El Taco Loco and the San Leandro Scholarship Foundation.

 

“We are excited to bring back Hot August Thursday for our residents,” said Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter. “San Leandro knows that providing fun activities in our city means quality time together as a community. This family-friendly event aims to do just that – provide programming suitable for all ages and families to come together. We hope to see you there.”

 

All proceeds from beverage sales managed by San Leandro Scholarship Foundation will benefit the scholarship fund that supports graduating San Leandro seniors from local public schools. For more information, contact Lydia Rodriguez, recreation supervisor at (510) 577-3477 or lrodriguez@sanleandro.org.

 

Hot August Thursday Concert

Aug 15

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Marina Park

14001 Monarch Bay Dr, San Leandro

(510) 577-3477

lrodriguez@sanleandro.org

 

 

Newsom proposes $331 million for housing legal assistance

AP Wire Service

 

LOS ANGELES (AP), Aug 07 – California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he wants to spend $331 million from a settlement with mortgage lenders on legal aid for homeowners and renters.

 

“The middle class, and those that aspire to get in it, are being slammed because we have been unable to produce enough housing, to prevent evictions and foreclosures,” Newsom said as he presented his plan at a legal aid clinic.

 

Newsom's proposal repurposes most of California's share of a 2012 settlement between states and five large lenders related to the 2008 mortgage crisis. He still needs approval from the Legislature.

 

Lawmakers had previously tried to put the money toward paying back housing bonds and other purposes in the state's general fund budget. But courts repeatedly said the state had to spend the money as it was intended on housing assistance and consumer protection programs.

 

Newsom's plan aims to put the state in line with the court's decision by giving the money to nonprofits that help Californians facing foreclosure or evictions.

 

California is amid a housing crisis, with rising rents and far fewer homes available than are needed for the state's nearly 40 million residents. Newsom said he wants to keep a rent control bill off the ballot in 2020.

 

Instead, he hopes lawmakers send him a bill that would cap maximum rent increases. The bill has been working its way through the Legislature despite opposition from the California Association of Realtors.

 

 

CONTINUING EVENTS:

 

Mondays, May 14 – Dec 30

English Conversation Group

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Practice spoken English in a friendly environment

Union City Branch Library

34007 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City

(510) 745-1464

 

Fridays, May 17 – Oct 25

Fremont Street Eats

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Food trucks, beer, wine, music

Town Fair Plaza

39100 State St., Fremont

fremontstreeteats.com

 

1st & 3rd Tuesdays, May 21 – Aug 20

Castro Valley Street Eats

5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Food trucks, activities

Adobe Art Center

20395 San Miguel Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 881-6735

 

Saturdays, May 25 – Aug 31

Campfire Program

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Games, songs and stories around the campfire

Anthony Chabot Campground and Park

9999 Redwood Rd., Castro Valley

(510) 690-6677

(510) 544-3187

www.ebparks.org

 

Tuesdays, May 28 – Aug 27

Practice Your Spoken English R

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Chat session for intermediate and up English learners

Fremont Main Library Fukaya Room A

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 574-2063

www.aclibrary.org

 

Thursdays, Jun 20 – Sep 19

Fatherhood Class

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Relationship, parenting, management, job search skills

Fremont Family Resource Center, Pacific Room #H800

39155 Liberty St. (at Capitol), Fremont

(888) 308-1767

www.r3academy.org/fremont

 

Wednesdays, Jun 26 – Aug 14

Chess Club

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Chess lessons for kids going into grades 2-6

Irvington Library

41825 Greenpark Dr., Fremont

(510) 795-2626

www.aclibrary.org

Fridays, Jun 28 – Aug 30

Teach Seniors Technology

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Computer/cell phone questions answered

Milpitas Senior Center

40 North Milpitas Blvd, Milpitas

(408) 586-3400

 

Fridays, Jun 28 – Aug 30

GO the Game Club

3:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Learn to play this ancient game of strategy

Union City Branch Library

34007 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City

(510) 745-1464

www.aclibrary.org

 

Saturdays, Jun 29 – Aug 31

Zumba Kids

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Dances, games. Wear comfy shoes and clothes

New Hope Community Church

2190 Peralta Blvd., Fremont

(510) 739-0430

 

Saturdays-Sundays, Jul 6 – Aug 31

Nature Crafts

10 a.m. – noon

Discover the natural world through your artistic side

Sunol Regional Wilderness

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(510) 544-3249

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturdays – Sundays, Jul 6 – Aug 31

Wild Wonders

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Games, activities, crafts for all ages

Sunol Regional Wilderness

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(510) 544-3249

www.ebparks.org

 

Sundays, Jul 7 – Aug 25

Animal Feeding Time

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Discuss reptiles, observe feeding time

Sunol Regional Wilderness

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(510) 544-3249

www.ebparks.org

 

Monday – Friday, Jul 15 – Aug 23

A Visual Journey

Mon – Thurs: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Fri: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Artwork by Vinay Kumar Verma and Neel Kamal Verma

Phantom Art Gallery at Milpitas Community Center

457 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas

(408) 586-3409

http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/milpitas/departments/recreation-services/cultural-arts-theater/phantom-art-gallery/

 

Monday – Friday, Jul 30 – Sep 13

Celebrating Wildlife: The Animals of Sulphur Creek

9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Photos of local wildlife

PhotoCentral

1099 E St., Hayward

(510) 881-6721

info@photocentral.org

 

Fridays, Aug 2 – Aug 23

Summer Family Storytime and Craft

1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Fun with stories and crafts. Ages 3-5

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 745-1421

www.aclibrary.org

 

Thursday – Sunday, Aug 9 – Sep 21

Annual Textile Exhibit

12 noon – 5 p.m.

Traditional and contemporary artists

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 791-4357

www.olivehydeartguild.org

 

Friday – Sunday, Aug 16 – Aug 25

The Little Mermaid Jr. $

Fri & Sat: 8 p.m. Sun: 2 p.m.

Disney classic about a mermaid who dreams of becoming human

Newark Memorial High School Theatre

39375 Cedar Blvd., Newark

(510) 791-0287

www.stage1theatre.org

 

Friday – Sunday, Aug 16 – Oct 5

Planet Hayward

11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Eclectic collection of art celebrating “The Heart of the Bay”

Sun Gallery

1015 E St., Hayward

(510) 581-4050

www.sungallery.org

 

Wednesdays, Aug 21 – Oct 30

Citizen Police Academy R

5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Volunteers train to assist Newark Police

Newark Police Department

37101 Newark Blvd., Newark

(510) 578-4000

(510) 578-4352

beverly.ryans@newark.org

 

Friday nights

Laugh Track City $

8 p.m.

Fast-paced improv comedy show

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St, Suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

https://madeuptheatre.com/

 

Saturday nights

8 p.m.

Audience-inspired improv play

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St, Suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

https://madeuptheatre.com/

 

 

THIS WEEK:

 

Tuesday, Aug 13

The Turbos $

8 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Entertainment and great microbrews

The Bistro Brew Pub

1001 ‘B” Street, Hayward

(510) 886-8525

www.the-bistro.com

Wednesday, Aug 14

Blackmagic demo day R

7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Discover and compare two cutting edge digital cameras

Cinema Exchange

1759 South Main St., #124/128, Milpitas

(408) 912-2614

www.cinema.exchange

 

Thursday, Aug 15

Summer Concert Series

6 p.m.- 8 p.m.

Big Horn Band playin' R&B hits

Lake Elizabeth Central Park

1100 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 793-5683

www.fremont.gov/concerts

 

Thursday, Aug 15

Downtown Street Party

5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Car show, entertainers, food

Downtown Hayward

B St. and Foothill, Hayward

(510) 537-2424

www.hayward.org

 

Friday, Aug 16

Grill n’ Chill

7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Hang out with local filmmakers, burgers and beer provided

Cinema Exchange

1759 South Main St., #124/128, Milpitas

(408) 912-2614

www.cinema.exchange

 

Friday, Aug 16

Live Music $

8:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Latin Rhythm Boys

World Famous Turf Club

22519 Main St., Hayward

(510) 881-9877

www.WorldFamousTurfClub.com

 

Friday, Aug 16

Movies Under the Stars: Dumbo

Sunset

Bring a blanket, low chairs and picnic dinner

Central Park Lake Elizabeth

40000 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont

(510) 494-4300

 

Friday, Aug 16

Night Sky Party R

8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

View the night sky through a telescope, make a star chart

Alviso Environmental Education Center

1751 Grand Blvd., Alviso

(408) 262-5513

https://nightskysummer19.eventbrite.com

 

Friday, Aug 16

Outdoor Movies Around the District: Incredibles 2

6:00 p.m.

Bring a blanket, low back chair and picnic. Rated PG

Adobe Park

20395 San Miguel Ave., Castro Valley

www.haywardrec.org

 

Friday, Aug 16

Ol' Fashioned BBQ Lunch $

12 noon

Enjoy lunch on the patio with friends, play lawn games

Barbara Lee Senior Center

40 North Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas

(408) 586-3400

www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov

 

Friday, Aug 16

Talent2Give fundraiser against hunger

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Art sales by local young artists raise funds to fight hunger

Slap Face Coffee & Tea

37324 Fremont Blvd, Fremont

talent2give@gmail.com

 

Friday, Aug 16

Innovation Space Grand Opening

3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Tour of new space, equipment demos, presentations

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 745-1421

www.acsbdc.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

PEP: Personal Emergency Preparedness Class R

9 a.m. – 12 noon

Strategies to prepare for and cope with disasters

Fremont Fire Training Tower

7200 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 494-4244

FirePubEd@fremont.gov

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Corn Mosaics

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Create a craft with Indian corn

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Cart of Curiosities

9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Cart filled with wonders of cultural and natural history

Coyote Hills

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

(510) 544-3220

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Wake Up the Farm

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Help prepare a snack for sheep and goats

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Garden Chores for Kids

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Help weed, water, plant seeds in garden. Learn about heirloom vegetables

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Global Warming Workshop

9:30 a.m. – 12 noon

Focus on global warming. Snacks provided

Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation

2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 490-0200

jgoby@hotmail.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Open House

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Visit museum and see fossils. Electricity sessions and planetarium

Children's Natural History Museum

4074 Eggers Dr., Fremont

(510) 790-6284

msn@msnucleus.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Fremont Beekeepers Meeting

3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Workshop, meet local beekeepers

LEAF C.R. Stone Garden

55 Mowry Ave., Fremont

FremontLEAF@gmail.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Shred Event

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Bring documents that you need shredded

Lone Tree Cemetery

24591 Fairview Ave., Hayward

(510) 582-1274

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Dan Frechette & Laurel Thomsen $

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Roots-Folk duo

Mission Coffee Roasting House

151 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 474-1004

www.braskhouseconcerts.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Why Tides Matter R

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Learn about tides with an easy 1-mile hike

Alviso Environmental Education Center

1751 Grand Blvd., Alviso

(408) 262-5513

https://eectides2019.eventbrite.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Wheels and Wildlife Bike Tour R

4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Learn about Refuge, wildlife and habitats on 4.5 mile ride. Ages 10+

Alviso Environmental Education Center

1751 Grand Blvd., Alviso

(408) 262-5513

https://190817-bike.eventbrite.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Cemetery Clean-Up and Open Day

9 a.m. – 12 noon

Bring your gloves, rakes and water. Visit grounds and ask questions

San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery

Corner of Usher Street & College St., San Lorenzo

(510) 581-2516

www.haywardareahistory.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Eden Area Village Monthly Coffee

9 a.m.

Helping seniors remain in their home and be engaged in community

Hayward Area Historical Society Museum

22380 Foothill Blvd., Hayward

(510) 581-0223

www.edenareavillage.org

 

Saturday, August 17

First ever Bubblefest

10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Live shows, music DIY bubblemaking

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland

(510) 336-7300

www.chabotspace.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

First Latin Jazz Festival $

11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Afro-Caribbean and Latin musical heritage

Rowell Ranch

9725 Dublin Canyon Rd. Located off Interstate 580, Between Castro Valley and Dublin

(510) 581-2577

www.rowellranchrodeo.com

bayarealatinjazzfestival.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Comedy Shorts Night $

7:30 p.m.

“A Woman,” “Out West,” “Going to Congress,” “Flying Elephants”

Niles Essanay Theater

37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont

(510) 494-1411

www.nilesfilmmuseum.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Bookstore Romance Day

11 a.m.

Love is in the air, story time with a lovely theme

Books on B

1014 B St., Hayward

(510) 538-3943

www.booksonb.com

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Lovely Lavender R

1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Learn the history of lavender and make soap. Ages 8+

Coyote Hills

8000 Patterson Ranch Road, Fremont

(510) 544-3220

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17 – Sunday, Aug 18

Hayward Zucchini Festival

10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Zucchini food, live music, kids' games, zucchini-growing contest

Southland Mall

312 Southland Mall Dr., Hayward

(510) 581-5498

(510) 604-9466

www.zucchinifest.org

 

Saturday, Aug 17

Clear the Shelters Event

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Adopt a pet, low-cost spay and neutering

Hayward Animal Shelter

16 Barnes Ct., Hayward

(510) 293-7200

www.haywardanimals.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Old Fashioned Butter Making $

11:00 a.m. – 12 noon

Churn cream into butter

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Bus Museum Open House $

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Explore a variety of historic buses and enjoy a BBQ

Pacific Bus Museum

37974 Shinn St, Fremont

www.pacbus.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Birding the Shoreline

8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

2-mile walk to the shoreline. Ages 12+

Hayward Shoreline at West Winton

3050 West Winton Ave, Hayward

(510) 670-7270

www.haywardrec.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Berry Picking

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Blackberries are ready! Bring your own basket to fill and take home

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Ohlone Village Site Tour

1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

.5-mile walk to a 2,000 year-old Ohlone village site

Coyote Hills

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

(510) 544-3220

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Rabbit Rendezvous

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Rabbits are great hoppers and use their long ears to sense danger

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Wax: It's the Bee's Knees

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Make a candle and taste some honey

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Arts & Crafts in Shinn Park

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Creations from local artists and historic crafters

Shinn Park

1251 Peralta Blvd., Fremont

(510) 552-4839

alminard@comcast.net

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache $

4 p.m.

First female film director

Niles Essanay Theater

37417 Niles Blvd, Fremont

(510) 494-1411

www.nilesfilmmuseum.org

 

Sunday, Aug 18

Baby Boomers Dance $

2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Wear a 60's/70's outfit and dance to a live band!

Holy Ghost Hall

16490 Kent Ave, San Lorenzo

(510) 329-1705

 

Monday, Aug 19

Milpitas Rotary Club Meeting

12 noon – 1:15 p.m.

Art Commission's plans for street, sidewalk, and mural art

Dave and Busters

940 Great Mall Dr., Milpitas

(408) 957-9215

http://www.clubrunner.ca/milpitas

 

Tuesday, Aug 20

Restaurant Walk $

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Sample food from local restaurants. Benefit for CV Lions Club

Castro Valley Village

Norbridge Ave. Between Redwood Road & Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley

(510) 581-2897

 

Wednesday, Aug 21

Toddler Time

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Hear a story, do some chores, meet some farm animals

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Wednesday, Aug 21

Tomato Saucing and Seed Saving

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Social hour and workshop

LEAF C.R. Stone Garden

55 Mowry Ave., Fremont

FremontLEAF@gmail.com

 

Wednesday, Aug 21

Embrace the Artist Within You R

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Mind, body, spirit gathering for women. Adults only

Fremont Family Resource Center, Pacific Room #H800

39155 Liberty St. (at Capitol), Fremont

(888) 308-1767

(510) 578-8680

Shailajad@save-dv.org

 

Thursday, Aug 22

Truth Thursdays -“Season Bookend Event”

5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Food trucks, games, live entertainment

San Leandro Tech Campus

1600 Alvarado St., San Leandro

(510) 281-0703

www.downtownsanleandro.com

 

Friday, Aug 23

Home Concert Series $

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Music by Static & Surrender

Historic Niles

37735 Second St, Fremont

(510) 825-0783

www.facebook.com/NilesHomeConcert

 

Friday, Aug 23 – Sunday, Aug 25

Greek Festival

Fri: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Sat: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Traditional food and dancing, church tours

Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church

20104 Center St., Castro Valley

(510) 581-8950

www.GreekFestival.me

 

Saturday, Aug 24

Home Concert Series $

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Music by The Jones Gang

Historic Niles

37735 Second St, Fremont

(510) 825-0783

https://www.facebook.com/NilesHomeConcert

 

 

Kansen Chu delivers funding to prevent car break ins

On Friday, August 10 at 10:00 Assemblymember Chu presented a check of $3.75 million in State funding to address car break ins around Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. This money will go toward a collaborative effort among city officials and police departments to combat the

recent rise in “smash and grab” crimes.

 

In a press release, Chu stated, “I am very concerned about the increasing amount of car break-ins and personal property being stolen. I know that this boost in funding to our local police departments will go a long way to combat this problem.”

 

Also in attendance were Mayor Rich Tran of Milpitas, Mayor Alan Nagy of Newark, Vice-Mayor Raj Salwan of Fremont, and Councilmember Raj Chahal from Santa Clara. Police chiefs who came to speak on this issue and support the funding were Chief Armando Corpuz of Milpitas, Captain Sean Washington of Fremont, Chief Mike Carroll of Newark, Deputy Chief Shawny Williams of San Jose, and Chief Mike Sellers Assistant Chief Dan Winter of Santa Clara.

 

The Newark Police Department reported a 30 percent increase in car break ins from 2015 to 2018, while Fremont reported 27 percent and San Jose 14 percent. Meanwhile, Santa Clara saw a 125 percent increase during the first three months of 2019 compared to the beginning of the previous year. Newark’s Police Chief Mike Carroll pointed out that car break ins are a serious crime because in addition to losing the dollar amount of the items stolen, victims may lose items of sentimental value or work projects, and they lose work hours replacing smashed windows.

 

Strategies the police will take in dealing with the problem include increased community awareness, cracking down harder on fencers as well as thieves, and cooperation over city and county lines. People should be careful to lock their cars, stow any valuables out of sight, and turn off any electronic devices or switch them to airplane mode to disable Bluetooth. Thieves often use Bluetooth sensors to locate hidden laptops and phones in cars.

 

Although some thieves operate as individuals, the most damage is caused by organizations systemically targeting shopping malls and other areas with large parking lots, moving across cities and counties (usually down 101 or 880 freeways). These operations sell laptops and other stolen items overseas for thousands of dollars. Because thieves don’t target just one location, it’s important for police departments to share information with each other and work together to stop car break ins.

 

Prevention is the best strategy. “These types of crimes are profitable. We have to make it as uncomfortable as possible for these criminals because the impacts are severe,” said Fremont Police Captain Sean Washington. “In addition to the property loss, the emotion impacts victims experience oftentimes are significant.”

 

The funding will go to overtime for police officers to investigate cases, awareness campaigns similar to San Francisco’s Park Smart aimed at individuals and businesses, outreach to businesses to post signs warning about theft, and provide support to a regional taskforce.

 

 

Stuff the bus

Submitted by Shirley Sisk

 

Many families can’t afford the back-to-school supplies that students need to start school. The list includes pencils, three-ring binders, notebook paper, school scissors, rulers, hand sanitizer, crayons, spiral notebooks, erasers, highlighters, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencil pouches, and more. The community can help the children get off to a good start in school by providing the much needed supplies. On Saturday, August 24, a Fremont Unified School District bus will be in front of Albrae Street’s Walmart in Fremont. Come by and help “Stuff the Bus.”

 

Kiwanis volunteers will be on-hand to accept the donations, and the public can receive a tax deductible receipt from the Kiwanis Club of Fremont Foundation, nonprofit arm of Kiwanis Fremont. You can also bring a check made out to Kiwanis Club of Fremont Foundation marked “Stuff the Bus” and a volunteer will go in the store and purchase for you. All donations will be turned over to the Fremont Unified School District for distribution. For more information about donating or volunteering, call Chip Koehler, president, at (650) 862-7901.

 

Back-to-School Supplies Donation Drive

Saturday, Aug 24

9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Walmart

40580 Albrae St, Fremont

(650) 862-7901

 

 

Stage 1 Theatre presents The Little Mermaid Jr.

Submitted by Belinda Maloney

 

In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home and her fins behind and live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, make a deal with the evil sea witch, and convince the handsome prince that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking.

 

Presented by Stage 1 Theatre, opening night will be Friday, August 16, and the show will run until Saturday, August 25. Tickets cannot be purchased online or by phone the day of a performance—they must be purchased at the box office starting one hour before the performance time. If you purchase tickets online, present your receipt at Will Call. Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for ages 17 and under.

 

There is no reserved seating at this performance; choose your seats when you arrive.

 

The Little Mermaid Jr.

Friday, Aug 16 – Sunday, Aug 25

Friday/Saturday: 8 p.m.

Sunday: 2:30 p.m.

Newark Memorial High School Theatre

39375 Cedar Blvd., Newark

Tickets: $10 -20

 

 

Fremont mayor issues correction on homeless statistics

Submitted by City of Fremont

 

On Friday, August 9 Fremont Mayor Lily Mei issued a correction to a July 29 open letter to the Fremont community addressing homelessness issues in the city. Here is the text of her correction:

 

It recently came to my attention that we communicated an inaccurate statistic. It turns out that homeless-related issues constitute roughly 10% of the calls for service requiring police response from the Fremont Police Department, not 50% as previously shared.

 

I apologize for the error which came from a staff report that explained “More than half of our homeless related calls for service are initiated in the Central Policing Area/Downtown.”

 

We’ve updated public documents accordingly, which you can find at the following links:

 

Press Release: www.Fremont.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2192

Homeless Newsletter: www.Fremont.gov/HomelessNewsletter

 

Sincerely,

Lily Mei, Mayor

 

 

Mel Nunes park gets new turf fields

Submitted by David Zehnder

 

The community is invited to the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of new turf fields at Mel Nunes Sportsfield Park on Saturday, August 24. Newark Mayor Alan L. Nagy, members of the Newark City Council, Newark Soccer Club Officials and special guests USA National Soccer players Brandi Chastain and Paul Bravo will be present at the event. Festivities include on-field activities and demonstrations, community booths, and a special meet-and-greet with players from Oakland Roots professional soccer team.

 

Mel Nunes Park Turf Fields’ Grand Opening

Saturday, Aug 24

10 a.m.

Mel Nunes Sportsfield Park

6800 Mowry Ave, Newark

(510) 578-4620

 

 

Civic Center project moves forward

By William Marshak

 

A breezy afternoon signaled a change for the City of Newark as dignitaries and citizens gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking for a complete makeover of administrative, police and library services facilities on Thursday, August 8. City Manager David Benoun opened the ceremony with introductions and Newark Police Chief Mike Carroll commented that the new buildings are the realization of a dream for much needed change; an infrastructure that will provide adequate space and resources for his department in its own building. Mayor Alan Nagy displayed a ceremonial shovel from the groundbreaking of the current city hall building in 1965 and lauded Newark voters for supporting the new construction. Alameda County Librarian Cindy Chadwick was jubilant over the new state-of-the-art library that would be built on the location of the ceremony at the corner of Newark Boulevard and Thornton Avenue.

 

While previously announced that the new city hall would be named in honor of Mayor Emeritus and former city councilmember David W. Smith, when it was his turn to address the crowd, Smith had a surprise for the current mayor. In a “yowza” (Smith’s favorite phrase) moment, and a lighthearted spirit of breaking naming traditions, the new library building will bear the name of current mayor Alan L. Nagy. Smith recounted Nagy’s long tenure with the City of Newark and recalled how both he and Mayor Nagy began their friendship as young men serving with Junior Achievement. When Smith complained about the politics of Newark, his friend retorted, “Do Something” and he did… they both did!

 

The stained-glass artwork of the current administration building will be repurposed to greet staff and visitors at the entry of each of the new buildings. Design firm Perkins and Will and general contractor Webcor will begin construction work on the $72.3 million complex this month. Senior Vice President Matt Rossie of Webcor and Sarah Rege, principal/senior project manager of Perkins and Will, remarked that they look forward to creating an environmentally sensitive and beautiful city center.

 

Recognition was given to city council members, past and present along with the Newark Planning Commission – Chair William Fitts, Vice Chair Jeff Aguilar and Commissioners Karen Bridges, Debbie Otterstetter and John Becker. The Civic Center Project Team that spearheaded the effort included Chief Building Official/City Architect Ray Collier, City Manager David Benoun, Public Works Director Soren Fajeau, Police Chief Michael Carroll and Administrative and Project Assistant Roya Gonzales. Previous Project Team members included former City Manager John Becker and Assistant City Manager Terrence Grindall. Special mention was made of Laurie Gebhard and a team of Newark employees – Kathy Slafter, Lisa Vera, Mary Teixeira – who coordinated the groundbreaking ceremonies.

 

With a ceremonial turn of shovels, the program ended with cheers and enthusiastic approval; a bright future for Newark. As Vice Mayor Sucy Collazo and councilmembers Luis Freitas, Michael Hannon and Mike Bucci joined the mayor for the groundbreaking, Mayor Nagy stated, “The ground we turn today rises to new facilities that will conduct the people’s business far into the future.”

 

All city and library operations will continue throughout the construction period, expected to be complete in 2021.

 

 

Longtime traffic officer honored

Submitted by Newark PD

 

In a recent in-house ceremony, officials from the Newark Police Department presented Officer Michael Allum with a plaque recognizing his work as a Motors Officer in the traffic unit. Allum worked in the traffic division from November 2012 to February 2019.

 

 

Fremont News Briefs

Submitted by Cheryl Golden

 

Temporary Housing Navigation Center Workshops

The City of Fremont will host a third community workshop about the temporary housing navigation center from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monday, August 26 at Fremont Teen Center, 39770 Paseo Padre Parkway. The workshop will provide the public an additional opportunity to learn about the temporary center and the role it plays in addressing the regional homeless crisis. Each of the three workshops will follow the same agenda and format and provide the same resources.

 

The Fremont Teen Center has limited seating because it’s a smaller facility, so the public is encouraged to attend one of the first two workshops at Harbor Light Church, 4760 Thornton Avenue—5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 14, or 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, August 24. For more information about the workshops, city’s temporary housing navigation center, and to subscribe to updates, visit www.Fremont.gov/NavigationCenter.

 

Bikeway Improvements Project

Construction is underway to improve the bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, and signalized intersections on Walnut Avenue between Mission Boulevard and Paseo Padre Parkway. The project will create a complete street that balances the safety and needs of all users on the roadway and provides direct access to the Fremont BART Station in Downtown, Kaiser and Washington Hospitals, local government offices, and retail shopping centers.

 

Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) is providing most of the funding for this project with $5 million of voter-approved Measure BB funds. To learn more, visit www.Fremont.gov/WalnutBikeway.

 

Clear the Shelters™ Pet Adoption Drive

Tri-City Animal Shelter is teaming up with NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48 to host the stations’ fifth Clear the Shelters™ pet adoption drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, August 17. Tri-City Animal Shelter will offer waived pet adoption fees to help local families adopt a pet. Nationally, more than 250,000 pets have been adopted through the NBC/Telemundo stations’ Clear the Shelters campaign.

 

Movie in the Park

Visit Central Park’s performance pavilion just after sunset on Friday, August 16 to enjoy Summer Movies in the Park. The city’s Recreation Services Division will be playing “Dumbo.” Admission is free; grab some blankets, low beach chairs, and a picnic dinner to enjoy this film with your family. For more information, visit www.Fremont.gov/MovieNight.

 

 

An Open Letter to our Community

 

The safety and security of our community is the Fremont Police Department’s highest priority. I am writing this letter to address questions we’re hearing from the community regarding how a proposed navigation center might impact the safety of our community.

 

The proposed temporary Housing Navigation Center (HNC) in Fremont will be modeled on the city of Berkeley’s STAIR Center and run by Bay Area Community Services (BACS). This is not a traditional homeless shelter where residents simply sleep in the building and leave in the morning like the City’s winter shelter model. The model used by BACS is an intensive services model, where resources are provided to assist residents with their individual and unique challenges during the day and housing navigators work fulltime to identify long-term housing opportunities. The objective of the program model is to get homeless persons off the street and into a safe and permanent housing situation within four to six months. Available resources include intensive mental health services and job placement to help prepare HNC clients for sustained success once placed in long-term housing. At night two HNC staff members are always on-duty, one of whom is assigned to monitor the facility’s sleeping areas and grounds to ensure a safe environment.

 

The BACS counselors and housing navigators continue to work with their participants for a time period even after they are successfully housed. Using this particular model, BACS has demonstrated a success rate of better than 80%. Their own measure for success requires a one-year lease in the client’s name and three months of sustained housing.

 

All of us want to know if a temporary HNC would attract crime to the area around the center. I asked Berkeley PD to review their crime statistics in the area surrounding the STAIR Center over the past year. The Berkeley facility opened in June 2018. Over the course of the first year, their statistics showed that crime did not go up, and Berkeley PD views the crime impact of the STAIR Center as “low to negligible.” Also, Berkeley PD reported 29 calls for service at the STAIR Center itself during the same time period, primarily calls involving disputes between residents related to the communal living arrangements.

 

As a point of comparison, I looked at our experience with Fremont’s long-standing shelter, Sunrise Village, located in the south end of Fremont. This shelter has a more traditional model, which accepts both individuals and families with children for extended periods of time. It has been part of our community for over 30 years. In 2018, we received 42 calls for police service at this shelter. Most of these calls involved disputes and altercations between shelter residents. It is not considered a problem location for our Patrol teams.

 

Finally, we all want to know if a temporary HNC would draw more homeless persons to the surrounding area. Fremont would not have the only navigation center in the Bay Area. Several other local cities already have navigation centers operating or are building them, including San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley; Hayward is also planning a center. Berkeley’s STAIR center was built intentionally in the middle of its most entrenched homeless encampment. Their Street Team was tasked with recruiting from this encampment and now the encampment is essentially gone—it has not drawn more homeless to its surrounding area. Fremont’s own Sunrise Village has not drawn other homeless to its surrounding area. The proposed temporary HNC in Fremont would dedicate the first 22 beds to homeless persons recruited from the immediate area by the center’s Street Outreach Team. The other 23 beds would be dedicated to homeless persons from the Tri-Cities area, prioritized by vulnerability.

 

I recently came across a research paper titled, “Navigation Centers: What do Neighbors Have to Fear?” which was authored in May 2018 by Miki Bairstow, a graduate student at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. It provides valuable information related to neighborhood concerns of navigation centers. I encourage you to read it at http://hsh.sfgov.org/wp-content/uploads/Navigation-Center-Neighborhood-Impacts-Final-Report.pdf.

 

I want to reiterate that safety for all community members is our highest priority. Homelessness is a complex issue requiring multi-pronged solutions. Based on my research, I believe the temporary Housing Navigation Center will not decrease community safety. That’s because the people who would live at the temporary HNC are already here, living on the streets. As Fremont’s Police Chief, I believe the residents living in the temporary Housing Navigation Center will be more stable due to the on-site resources and 24/7 supervision. If we are able to bridge the gap and transition people off the streets and into housing every six months, this could have a significant impact on a growing problem. I believe a temporary Housing Navigation Center in Fremont will contribute to a safer community for all by reducing homelessness in our city. This model is a proven strategy and I welcome the opportunity to turn the tide and reduce homelessness in the City of Fremont.

 

Sincerely,

Kimberly Petersen

Chief of Police

 

 

Hop on for historic bus experience

Submitted by Ron Medaglia

 

As technological advancements continue to alter how and what we do, Pacific Bus Museum dedicates itself to preservation, restoration, and display of buses as part of the history of transportation in America. To honor this history, the museum will host an open house on Sunday August 18. Those with an interest in buses can enjoy a fun day.

 

On display will be the museum’s operational historic bus fleet and numerous visiting historic and modern buses. Climb aboard the buses and experience the glory and magnificence of these machines and learn how you can be a vital part of ensuring that they are not lost to time.

 

Activities will include a flea market of bus memorabilia and bus-related merchandise, BBQ lunch for purchase (a choice of hamburger or cheeseburger or BBQ chicken breast, macaroni and potato salads, chips, water or soda and dessert), raffles and an afternoon bus caravan with several photo opportunities. Tables will be available at the flea market (free to members, nonmembers $25).

 

All proceeds from the event go to the nonprofit Pacific Bus Museum. For more information, visit the museum’s website at www.pacbus.org or its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Pacificbusmuseum.

 

Pacific Bus Museum Open House

Sunday, Aug 18

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Pacific Bus Museum

37974 Shinn St., Fremont

www.pacbus.org

www.facebook.com/Pacificbusmuseum

One table free to a museum member; nonmembers and extra tables are $25

BBQ cost: $10 for adults and $7 for children (ages 12 and under)

Admission is free

 

 

Glorious Gazanias

By Pat Kite

 

I have just purchased 34 Gazania seedlings. Why? I am trying to use them as a drought resistant, weed diminisher, and ground cover. For the money I have dribbled into this front area, I could have covered the whole thing with rocks. But as a flower lover, environmental pecan, I persist. Gazanias, sometimes known as Treasure Flowers or African daisies, were probably named after Theodorus of Gaza, a Greek scholar. Translated from Greek, the word “gaza” means “riches” or “treasure.” Once upon a time, these South African natives were called, in Afrikaans, “botterblom.”

 

In theory there are about 30 species of this daisy-like flower. Mostly we see G. rigens/splendens, a hybrid. Colors include yellow, white, salmon, bronze, red, pink, and orange. Some have black centers or even stripes. Leaves are medium green or grey.

 

Gazanias demand a sunny spot. I have tried them in partial shade, and they look sad and eventually sag away. Also, they are daylight bloomers; at night and on cloudy days, the flowers temporarily fold up and wait. Plants are short, usually to about six inches, so they are front row or parking strip advocates. They will expand slowly, and you can also multiply them by division or cuttings. Not being adept at that, I purchase six or eight pony packs for about $4.99 each.

 

When researching, you may find Gazanias labeled either annual or perennial. Like much internet blather, this doesn’t apply to us. Gazanias are annual in cold climates. They are perennial in warmer areas. They like it dry and hot; dry means you can put them in the ground, give them enough water to get roots started, and then pretty much sneer at drought. This plant comes from the rocky cliffs and grassy hills of South African mountains. It is accustomed to harsh, dry climates. Overwatering makes the plants rot.

 

If you want birds in your garden, Gazania are happy to oblige. Flowering can occur much of the year. According to Sunset Magazine, there is a “Moonglow” variety that will stay open even on cloudy days. I shall try to find this, just for sport.

 

Some folks-like-a-story for this column: In 1883, a South African botanist wrote about a felt-like covering of downy hairs on the lower side of Gazania leaves. Native Zulu women scraped this off with a thumbnail. Eventually a goodly amount was collected. This wooly material was then twisted, soaked in fat, and attached to a string. After a while there was enough for a body fringe. Native Zulu young women tied the fringe around their waists as a fashion decoration.

 

If you try this, let me know. I will be out there buying more Gazanias. I found an empty space and an empty space is a happy space for gardeners.

 

 

California seeks more people of color to draw political maps

By Don Thompson

Associated Press

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Aug 05 – California on Monday gave more time to apply to an independent commission that will redraw boundaries for most state and federal elections, an effort to get more people of color involved and avoid the political gerrymandering that has caused problems elsewhere.

 

Nearly 14,000 people have applied for the 14 positions, said California State Auditor Elaine Howle, who heads the selection process. But that's less than half the roughly 30,000 who applied a decade ago. She pushed the deadline back to Aug. 19 after some organizations sought an even longer extension for fear that too few minority residents have applied for the commission that will draw new lines after the 2020 census.

 

In most states, legislators and governors draw and approve political district maps following each U.S. census, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that it had no authority to resolve partisan gerrymandering claims. But a growing number of states, including California, have moved the remapping to independent or bipartisan commissions or have changed their requirements to reduce the likelihood of partisan gerrymandering.

 

California voters approved a pair of ballot measures, in 2008 and 2010, creating the independent commission to redraw congressional, state Senate, state Assembly and state Board of Equalization district lines after new population figures emerge.

 

The commission must include five Democrats, five Republicans and four who have no party preference or belong to another party.

 

Howle said she's happy with a recent increase in applications but wants more.

 

“We've really seen a significant surge in the applications that we've received,” Howle said, adding that fewer than 10,000 had applied a week ago. “We're confident there will be a very diverse group.”

 

State redistricting officials and community groups recently increased advertising and outreach efforts in minority and ethnic communities and to women after recognizing a potential shortfall, and the additional 10 days is designed to keep up that momentum, she said.

 

To date, 15 percent of applicants are Latino, up from 10 percent a decade ago, she said. But Latinos make up nearly 40 percent of California's population. The percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander applicants has doubled from a decade ago, to 7 percent, but that's less than half their proportion in the state.

 

Women and those who have no party preference or belong to smaller political parties are also below their proportions of the population.

 

Just 40 percent of applicants are female. And 22 percent of applicants belong to smaller political parties or have no party preference, while a third of the state's voters are unaffiliated with either major political party.

 

The Redistricting California Collaborative – made up of about two dozen organizations, including California Common Cause and the Advancement Project California – wanted Howle to extend the deadline until the end of September. But Howle said that would have left too little time for the more detailed selection process that follows.

 

“We're very, very pleased to hear,” collaborative spokeswoman Alejandra Ponce De Leon said. “However, 10 days is still not enough to really close that disparity gap.”

 

With the smaller numbers, she said the pressure will be on Howle's office to still select a pool that is diverse and representative of California's population.

 

A state auditor's panel will sort through the applications next year and select 60 potential redistricting commissioners: 20 Democrats, 20 Republicans and 20 others.

 

State legislative leaders from both parties will then be able to eliminate two nominees from each political category. Eight redistricting commissioners – three Democrats, three Republicans and two unaffiliated members – will then be randomly selected from the remaining candidates. Those commissioners will then select an additional two Democrats, two Republicans and two unaffiliated members.

 

Approving a map requires nine votes, including three from each political category of members.

 

Howle said she does not expect to reach 30,000 applications, even with the extended deadline. But she said she expects a greater rate of applicants to complete the next step of filling out a much more detailed application with reference letters, resulting in a larger secondary pool than a decade ago.

 

 

Planet Hayward: The Heart of the Bay

Submitted by Dorsi Diaz

Photos courtesy of Sun Gallery

Sun Gallery is celebrating Hayward in its latest exhibit “Planet Hayward: The Heart of the Bay,” which opens Friday, August 16. An Artists Reception will be held on Saturday, August 24 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., with light beverages and appetizers served.

 

Director Dorsi Diaz, a Hayward resident since birth, had played with the idea of having an exhibit on Hayward for several years, and the dream was catapulted into reality when Diaz won a piece of artwork last year at a fundraiser for the Hayward Arts Council. The piece, named “Planet Hayward” by Jeanne Bertolina, features a planet-shaped world with all three of Hayward’s City Halls spiraling forth from the center, along with the famous Hunts Cannery Water Tower. Enthralled by the name, Diaz asked Bertolina if she would mind her using the title for a show on Hayward. Thus “Planet Hayward: The Heart of the Bay” was born.

 

The call for art asked for the fun and unusual, the past and the present, plus the quirky and the unique. And Hayward residents, artists, and photographers did not fail to provide. In a large installation inside the main gallery, artists Peter and Maureen Langenbach have sprouted “The Garden of Hayward,” a quirky installation that features over 35 “fruit and vegetable heads” complete with vegetables stuck in the ears, eyes or mouths of each piece. The Langenbachs’ work reaches back to the 70’s, and their signature whimsical style is apparent throughout.

 

With collaboration from Diaz during installation, the garden grew substantially when all involved soon realized they could actually add all the elements of a full-fledged garden. So, in came the garden arch, radio flyer wagon, antiquated wheelbarrow and plastic fruits. Viewers are invited to walk through the arch of this delightful piece and take selfies with their favorite vegetable or fruit head. Nearby are pieces on loan from the Hayward Area Historical Society. The pieces provide glimpses into Hayward’s rich agricultural past, which has roots dating back to the 19th century.

 

Hayward’s own Poet Laureate Bruce Roberts also jumped into action when he heard about the show and brought in his favorite poems about Hayward: “Hayward Public Library,” “Drivin’ Hayward Blues!”, “It’s Hayward’s Fault” (about our infamous earthquake fault), “Hayward Daily Review, 1959,” and “Save the H.”

 

In a vintage panoramic shot that Roberts also provided, Roberts’ own great grandfather is pictured among the first alumni to graduate from the old Hayward High School. The classical white school building that stood on Foothill Blvd. featured Greek Ionic columns, low-pitched roofs and friezes of Greek gods. Before it was torn down in 1967, the school had received numerous architectural awards and was a cherished memory of many Hayward residents.

 

In another fun walk down memory lane, visitors will find themselves awash with photographic blasts from the past: “Ye Olde Pizza Joynt” (with memorabilia provided by Mary Ann Henningsen, daughter of the original owners) and The Hayward Motor Movies (yes, really, Hayward did once have a Drive-In at the corner of Mission and Tennyson!). In a fun spin, Motor Movies is now “operational” again thanks to artist Bill Learned’s miniature working rendition. And still in operation, ¼ Giant Burgers, with its iconic neon sign, is also on display, photographed by Renea Turner.

 

The “Hayward Fishery Fresh Fish & Restaurant” (who can ever forget that sign?), photographed by Amy Nelson Smith, invokes childhood memories of wharf-like scents on a downtown Hayward street. Hollie Adamic memorializes The Meek Mansion with stunning panoramic photography, while artist Kevin Street demonstrates amazing wood craftsmanship in his piece of All Saints Church, lovingly worked on since last year. Other equally wonderful artists and contributors to the Planet Hayward Exhibit include Nina Starr, Christa Schanda, Phillip Gallegos, David Steffes, Adisa Sefic, Bill Learned, Joe Santiago, Linda Lens, Patra Nesseth-Steffes, Valerie Caveglia, Carl Gorringe—plus the gallery’s own resident dance troupe, Grupo Folklorico Tlapalli.

 

There’s too much to cover in writing, so you’ll just have to wander down to the Sun Gallery yourself to take your own walk down memory lane and chat with other show goers experiencing those same whiffs of Hayward nostalgia. Sun Gallery is open Friday – Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and admission is free. The Planet Hayward exhibit closes Saturday, October 5.

 

On Friday September 27, the public is invited to attend Sun Gallery’s Annual “Evening for the Arts” Benefit, which enables it to provide shows like Planet Hayward to the community. Call the gallery at (510) 581-4050 to reserve $35 Early Bird tickets for a night of entertainment, silent and live auction, plus food and fun. Tickets include a full course dinner. In-kind donations for the silent auction are also welcome.

 

The Sun Gallery is a 501 c3 non-profit organization serving the community since 1975.

 

Planet Hayward

Friday, Aug 16 – Saturday, Sept 1

Fri – Sun: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

Artists reception

Saturday, Aug 24

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

 

Evening for the arts benefit

Friday, Sept 27

5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Tickets: $35

 

Sun Gallery

1015 E St., Hayward

(510) 581-4050

www.SunGallery.org

 

 

The Platypus of Alameda Creek

Submitted by George and Gloria Gates

 

Recent reported sightings of a platypus on the Alameda Creek Trail in the Niles area have been confirmed.  Cyclists and joggers have reported seeing this creature, usually only spotted in Australia and New Zealand, lurking behind a fence on this well-traveled trail.

 

It turns out the local platypus is actually a creation by Niles resident, George Gates, who saw the potential of transforming an old, dead branch in to a “live” creature and bringing a smile to folks enjoying the scenic walking and biking trail.