Adopt-A-Block needs your help
Submitted by City of Hayward
Coronavirus is presenting new challenges to keeping Hayward safe, clean, and green—but there is a way to make a difference where you live. Community members are invited and encouraged to join volunteers from across the city by “adopting” an area and committing to help keep it litter free from a period of two years.
Adopt-a-Block volunteers play an important role in improving neighborhood appearance and attractiveness and all that goes along with it. By picking up litter and debris, they also help protect waterways and natural habitats.
Adopt-a-Block is a program of the Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force and Hayward Maintenance Services Department, which provides everything volunteers need to get started, including trash bags, gloves, and grabbers. To learn more or to join, visit www.hayward-ca.gov/your-environment/get-involved/adopt-a-block, email adoptablock@hayward-ca.gov, or call (510) 881-7745.
Take 2020 Countywide Transportation Plan Survey
Submitted by City of Fremont
Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) is asking the public to take a short survey for the 2020 Countywide Transportation Plan. This survey will collect information about transportation priorities and needs in Alameda County.
As a resident, business owner, visitor, or commuter in the county, your feedback and your survey responses will help to shape transportation policy and priorities in Alameda County for the next 10 years. To access the survey or to learn more about the transportation plan, visit www.alamedactc.org/planning/countywidetransportationplan/.
American Airlines plans 19,000 furloughs, layoffs in October
By David Koenig
AP Airlines Writer
DALLAS (AP), Aug 25 – American Airlines said Tuesday it will eliminate 19,000 jobs in October as it struggles with a sharp downturn in travel because of the pandemic.
Flight attendants will bear the heaviest cuts, with 8,100 losing their jobs.
The furloughs and management layoffs announced Tuesday are in addition to 23,500 employees who accepted buyouts, retired early or took long-term leaves of absence. American began the year with about 140,000 employees but expects fewer than 100,000 to remain in October.
U.S. air travel plunged 95% by April, a few weeks after the first significant coronavirus outbreaks in the United States. Passenger traffic has recovered slightly since then but remains down 70% from a year ago, and carriers say they need fewer workers.
American's announcement comes one day after Delta Air Lines said it will furlough 1,941 pilots in October unless it reaches a cost-cutting deal with the pilots' union.
In March, passenger airlines got $25 billion from the government to save jobs for six months, and American was the biggest beneficiary, receiving $5.8 billion. The money, and an accompanying ban on furloughs, expire after Sept. 30, although airlines and their labor unions are lobbying Congress for another $25 billion and a six-month reprieve from job cuts.
When the federal relief was approved, “it was assumed that by Sept. 30, the virus would be under control and demand for air travel would have returned. That is obviously not the case,” American CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom said in a letter to employees on Tuesday.
American plans to fly less than half its usual schedule – and only one-fourth of its lucrative international service – in the fourth quarter. The airline, based in Fort Worth, Texas, announced last week that it will pull out of 15 smaller U.S. cities in October, a move that was seen as a warning shot to Washington that it should approve more money for airline payrolls.
“The one possibility of avoiding these involuntary reductions on Oct. 1 is a clean extension” of the payroll relief, Parker and Isom said in their letter to employees.
Airlines were the only industry to get special treatment in a $2.2 trillion virus-relief measure approved in March. There is broad support in Congress for extending that help, but it is stalled by a breakdown in negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats over a new aid package.
BART Police Log
Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD
Friday, September 4
• At 7:59 a.m. a man identified by police as Gregory Soto, 50, of Hayward was arrested at Hayward station on six outstanding warrants totaling $30,000. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Sunday, September 6
• At 8:11 p.m. a man identified by police as Andrew King, 32, of Redwood City was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of public intoxication. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Monday, September 7
• At 11:13 a.m. a man identified by police as Gregory Mularo, 21, was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of battery. He was issued a prohibition order and booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Grow gourds for birds
Article and photos by Daniel O’Donnell
There is great demand for housing in the Bay Area. The high prices and lack of inventory can make purchasing a home next to impossible for many people unless they get some sort of assistance. The continued loss of natural habitat due to extensive development in response to the urgent housing needs throughout the Bay Area means that wild birds might need a little assistance in finding housing as well. Growing Calabash (Lagenaria siceraria), also called birdhouse gourd is one way to help wild birds find homes.
A Calabash plant is a vine that produces thick-skinned gourds that are not grown for food. The gourds are believed to be native to Southern Africa, but for thousands of years they have been grown elsewhere in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas to be used as containers. Many of these ancient and premodern gourd vessels were magnificently decorated. However, it was not until modern times that the gourds were also used in non-container ways such as for ornaments and birdhouses. There is sometimes confusion between the Calabash plant and the non-related Calabash tree. Both produce fruit used to make containers; however, it is the gourds from the vine that are used for making birdhouses.
It takes about one year to grow from seed to birdhouse. Seeds are planted in the spring, the plant is cared for throughout the summer, gourds are harvested in the fall, and they are cured and stored throughout the winter.
Just because someone did not plant birdhouse gourd seeds in the spring does not mean all is lost this year. September is the perfect time to prepare the area that the gourds will be grown in next spring. It is a slow time in the garden as plant growth slows due to the shorter days and cooler weather. This should free up some time to create something for the vine to climb on keeping the gourds off the ground. Attaching wire to a fence, mounting trellising to a wall, or pounding wooden poles into the ground are all projects that can be done to prepare the area for the spring planting.
Fall is also the time to harvest the gourds that were planted earlier in the year. Hard-shelled gourds should remain on the vine until they die, which can be from late September to early November in this area. Use pruners or a sharp knife to cut the dead vine leading to the gourd leaving two or three inches of stem for a handle. They are now ready to cure. The gourds can also be left to cure on the vine over winter but might have some imperfections in color and shape due to lack of protection from the elements.
Gourds that have been cut off the vine will need to be stored in a cool, well-ventilated, and dark place preferably outside since the curing process can produce a mildly unpleasant smell. Rain and frost will not affect the gourds; however, the moisture trapped on the bottom of a gourd sitting on the ground or cement can cause problems. Gourds should be placed on a metal rack during the curing process. Curing is different from drying. Birdhouse gourds are 90 percent water and can take up to six months to slowly cure and form an even hardness without cracks. Attempting to dry them in the oven or cutting a hole in them for quicker aeration will only damage the shell.
Gourds are finished curing when they have completely dried out. A finished gourd will feel much lighter and the seeds will rattle around inside when shaken. This timing will hopefully coincide with the ideal time to plant the seeds, which is early to late spring. Seeds can also be purchased in most local nurseries. Birdhouse gourds grow best in warm locations with plenty of direct sunlight. Mulch is helpful in keeping the soil warm. Care throughout the summer will include keeping the soil evenly moist but slightly on the drier side and limiting fertilizer. Excess nitrogen will promote foliar growth over producing fruit. Use compost as an amendment when starting the seeds. A late summer top dressing, if needed, is an ideal fertilizer.
Whether someone has gourds to harvest this year or will plant seeds for harvesting gourds next year, there will eventually be a gourd available to make into a birdhouse. The process begins with the most important step: drilling the hole. The hole is made by using a hole saw drill bit. Various birds prefer different size openings for their homes, so identifying which birds might be using the birdhouse will determine the size of the hole and the appropriate drill bit to use. Smooth the edges of the hole after cutting. Next, shake out the seeds. Drill a few drainage holes in the bottom and a small hole halfway up both sides and in the back for air circulation and secure some wire on top to hang the birdhouse from.
Growing birdhouse gourds is a fun and rewarding way to help urban wildlife. If every birdhouse is occupied it might be one of the few times that over demand for housing is a good thing.
Daniel O’Donnell is the co-owner and operator of an organic landscape design/build company in Fremont. www.Chrysalis-Gardens.com
Groups ask for restraining order to stop census wind-down
By Mike Schneider
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP), Sep 04 – A day after the U.S. Census Bureau said that it has already taken steps to wind down operations for the 2020 census, a coalition of cities, counties and civil rights groups is trying to stop the statistical agency in its tracks.
The coalition asked a federal judge in San Jose on Thursday to issue a temporary restraining order stopping the Census Bureau from taking any further actions toward ending the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident.
The coalition is asking a judge in a lawsuit to make the Census Bureau restore its previous deadline for finishing the census to the end of October, instead of using a revised schedule to end operations at the end of September. Arguments aren't scheduled until the middle of the month.
“More immediate relief is needed“ said the court filing by the coalition.
The door-knocking phase of the 2020 didn't start for most of the U.S. until the beginning of August, so winding down operations in September will lead to an inaccurate count that overlooks minority communities, the court filing said. During the door-knocking phase, census takers go to households that haven't yet answered the census questionnaire online, by phone or by mail.
The lawsuit contends the Census Bureau changed the schedule to accommodate a directive from President Donald Trump to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used in redrawing congressional districts, a process known as apportionment. More than a half dozen other lawsuits have been filed in tandem across the country, challenging Trump's memorandum as unconstitutional and an attempt to limit the power of Latinos and immigrants of color during apportionment.
The lawsuit was brought by the National Urban League, the League of Women Voters, counties that are home to Houston and Seattle and the cities of Los Angeles, San Jose and Salinas, California.
Government attorneys on Friday said in a court filing that they would offer a more detailed argument against the restraining order but disagreed with statements in the coalition's argument. The government attorneys said they would have been willing to negotiate an accelerated schedule for the lawsuit.
In an op-ed piece in USA Today, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, whose department oversees the Census Bureau, said Friday that almost 85% of households had been counted, between residents who self-responded and those who were counted by door-knocking census takers.
“Some have questioned our ability to perform on this timeline without impacting completeness or accuracy. The numbers prove that is not the case,“ Ross wrote.
Meanwhile, top Democratic congressional leaders on Friday demanded that the Trump administration provide documents, emails, notes and calendar invitations that showed how the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department made the decision to end the 2020 census a month early.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Census Bureau director Steven Dillingham that they were concerned the schedule was compressed so that the apportionment count would be controlled by the Trump administration.
In the letter, Pelosi and Schumer recounted a meeting with Trump administration officials during negotiations over coronavirus-relief legislation in which they raised their concerns about the changed census schedule. The Democratic leaders showed administration officials a statement from four former Census Bureau directors who said it would be difficult to have a fair and accurate count with the compressed schedule. House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows responded, “the Democrats just want to control the apportionment and we aren't going to let them do that“ according to Pelosi and Schumer.
“It appears that Mr. Meadows may have made the previously unspoken intentions of (the) President and his Administration clear: the White House was intervening to ensure President Trump would control the apportionment process while in office rather than ensuring an accurate count for the American people as required by the Constitution,“ Pelosi and Schumer said in the letter.
Let’s make some chalk art!
Submitted by Grace Karr and Susan Longini
Photos by Brandie Garcia
The year 2020 is a true defining moment in history. We are all navigating through many challenges during this pandemic like social isolation, health warnings, or economic insecurity, etc. We may also have some unexpected positive experiences such as more time at home, extra time with family, or a slower pace of life.
What has your experience been? What do you think and feel? Fremont residents are invited to express themselves in a virtual chalk-art show sponsored by Fremont’s Arts Now (FAN). On your driveway or patio, draw a chalk mural, have some fun, and share your ideas and art with your community!
Here are some chalk-art theme ideas, but feel free to choose your own: social distancing, wearing masks, sheltering in place, distance learning, social justice, Black Lives Matter, random acts of kindness, family time, isolation, creating a “happy place,” climate change.
How do you get started? It’s easy!
1. Get colorful sidewalk chalk (found at Amazon, Michaels, Staples, etc.) or rice flour.
2. Draw an expression of your 2020 experience, concerns, dreams, etc. on your own driveway, sidewalk, patio, etc. Suggested size is between 2’x2’ and 5’x5’.
3. Photograph the entire piece.
4. Post the photo with a short description of your drawing and #ChalkArt Fremont to Fremont Arts Now (FAN) Facebook page. Follow the link to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FremontARtsNow.
5. Upload anytime through September 30, 2020.
Fremont Arts Now is a group of artists, members of local arts organizations, and arts advocates in Fremont. The mission of this group is to develop, promote, and support the arts in Fremont in order to create a thriving community.
Email questions to FremontArtsNow@gmail.com
Special needs kids meet peers virtually to foster friendship and confidence during Pandemic
By J.D. Flaten
Photos courtesy of Friends of Children With Special Needs and Share to Care
The 2020 pandemic has forced most students to adapt to new ways of experiencing education. Change causes confusion, but special needs children, who generally rely on stability and routines, have endured additional stress in these unpredictable times. Having an understanding friend, even if he or she is on a screen, has proved to be a source of strength and joy for kids facing extra challenges. Two young women, both juniors at Mission San Jose High School, each started a different program to address these critical needs.
Isabella He leads a virtual tutoring program within the nonprofit “Friends of Children with Special Needs” (FCSN), organizing mentors for children; Shreya Suresh started the “Share to Care Project” (SCP), helping to raise funds to donate iPads and eBooks to special needs families, under the umbrella of the local non-profit, “Special Need Children Foundation Center.”
Friends of Children with Special Needs co-founder Linmei Chiao said that these past six months have been an adventure in reliance on virtual platforms. As a mom to a special needs child, she attested that changes in schedules can cause “confusion and fear. It’s been very difficult for many children.”
Youth volunteer Isabella He is program coordinator for the FCSN Flexible Subject 1:1 Tutoring program. Starting a Special Needs Club at Mission San Jose High School, she organized students to mentor and tutor special needs kids. “Special needs children need structure throughout their day, and the pandemic has caused many families to lose that structure with school and in-person FCSN programs,” He said. “Social interaction is a challenging and key aspect for many special needs children, and the pandemic has also made that difficult.”
The FCSN Flexible Subject 1:1 Tutoring program started out as a planned pilot summer program and quickly changed to virtual when the pandemic hit. He encouraged fellow students to join as mentors and tutors. The 1:1 Tutoring has proved to be so popular with both students and children, that He and Chiao collaborated to bring the program to other high schools and colleges. “We have created a program to mentor/coach volunteers to start their own FCSN clubs, with more than a dozen new clubs in the making,” He said.
The 1:1 Tutoring has established about 90 student-tutor matches, resulting in more than 300 tutoring sessions during the Shelter-In-Place orders. Chiao, who has a special needs child, said that this one-on-one tutoring between the youth volunteers and special needs children has been beneficial to both mentor and child. “My son loves it; he really looks forward to the sessions and it’s truly brought him up,” she said.
While these tutoring sessions are ostensibly about academics, what happens between the students is much more than that. Many high school students join the program get their service hours, but they find something special: “They’re building friendships and connections. Our volunteers are so caring and giving. They’re learning, too, along the way, about interaction and how important it is to give of their time and caring. We see our volunteer students learning leadership skills and gaining a lot of confidence.”
While virtual tutoring can foster connections, many students lack access to necessary technology; another program addresses this need. The “Share to Care Project” was a dream of Mission San Jose high school student Shreya Suresh. She sought the advice and resources of Zia Oboodiyat and founded a non-profit called “Lift the Spirit.” Oboodiyat co-founded the Special Need Children Center Foundation (SNCCF) in 2007 with his son, Nathan, who continues to serve with the Foundation as a special needs adult. Suresh and Oboodiyat met with the Special Education teacher at Mission High to plan and implement a project that would put critical electronic resources into special needs families.
A Phase One pilot program was implemented this spring; nine iPads, each with six eBooks loaded into the equipment, were distributed to students at Mission San Jose. Phase Two is currently in progress, as Suresh and Oboodiyat are developing a plan to implement the same project in three other Fremont schools. They are also working on a donation of bicycles and tricycles, to foster physical health for special needs children along with academic assistance.
SNCCF collaborates with teachers and principals in Fremont schools that serve special need children. Projects are chosen that promote educational, social or physical needs. The non-profit helps fund summer camps for special need children who could not otherwise afford to go, helps with transportation for special need children and is developing a specialized resource database for families and teachers of special needs children.
For more information about the Friends of Children with Special Needs, visit FCSN1996.org.
For information about Special Need Children Center Foundation, visit SNCCF.org.
Code Ninjas opens in Union City
Submitted by Kiran Jinna
Code Ninjas is the fastest growing kids coding franchise center and is in more than 250 locations in the USA, including ours, which opened in Union City in July of 2020. We offer programs for five to 14-year-old kids. Coding is the way of the future and is already considered a second language by the top tech corporations such as Google, IBM, and Facebook, and there’s a demand by parents who recognize the importance of introducing kids early on to these skills. At our center, kids learn to code by building their very own video games. Our flexible coding programs for kids make it easy for parents with convenient drop-in hours on weeknights and weekends. They gain problem-solving, critical thinking, and STEM skills in a fun, safe, and inspiring environment.
Code Ninjas accomplishes this with a robust, game-based curriculum made up of nine belts, just like martial arts. The curriculum is self-paced, but not self-taught; kids get immediate help and encouragement from Code Sensei and fellow students as they advance from white to black belt. By the time a child finishes the program, they will publish an app in an app store.
We offer in-person and virtual classes and are located at 1772 Decoto Rd. Union City, CA 94587. Please call us at 510-585-9945 or email us at unioncityca@codeninjas.com for more information.
College towns growing alarmed over outbreaks among students
By Bryan Anderson and David Pitt
Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP), Aug 28 – As more and more schools and businesses around the country get the OK to reopen, some college towns are moving in the opposite direction because of too much partying and too many COVID-19 infections among students.
Iowa's governor ordered all bars closed this week in the counties that are home to Iowa University and Iowa State, while the mayor of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, did the same in the town where the state's flagship university is situated.
The outbreaks since students began returning to campus in the past few weeks have heightened town-gown tensions and led to recriminations between local politicians and university officials.
Meanwhile, California prepared to announce plans Friday for reopening many businesses that were shuttered in July as coronavirus cases soared. In Arizona, another deadly hot spot this summer, a drop in transmission numbers allowed the Phoenix and Tucson areas to reopen gyms and some bars on Thursday. And Ohio let theater groups this week resume performances with strict audience caps.
The U.S. has recorded over 180,000 deaths from the coronavirus and 5.9 million confirmed infections. Worldwide, the death toll is put at more than 830,000, with at least 24.5 million cases.
Surging infection numbers in Iowa and other places around the U.S. have been blamed in part on young people ignoring mask and social distancing requirements.
In Story County, where Iowa State is situated, 74% of new cases over the past seven days were among people ages 19 to 24, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday. In the same time period, 69% of new cases in Johnson County, the home of the University of Iowa, were in that age group.
“It is increasing the virus activity in the community, and it's spilling over to other segments of the population,” Reynolds said.
The University of Alabama has recorded over 500 cases of COVID-19 on campus since the fall semester began last week. In closing the town's bars Monday for the next two weeks, Mayor Walt Maddox said that an unchecked spread of the virus threatens both the health care system and the local economy if students have to be sent home for the semester for remote learning.
“The truth is that fall in Tuscaloosa is in serious jeopardy,” he said.
Three of North Carolina's largest public universities have abruptly halted in-person undergraduate instruction and directed students to move out of the dorms after hundreds tested positive following their return to campus. Nearly 800 have been confirmed infected at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and around 300 each at North Carolina State University and East Carolina University.
Leaders at UN-Chapel Hill, which has shifted to online classes, wrote an open letter Thursday to the mayor outlining steps the university is taking to curb off-campus parties, including disciplinary measures and combined patrols between campus and town police.
“We recognize the very real problems with the behaviors of some of our fraternities and sororities,” the university's chancellor and provost assured the mayor.
Chapel Hill's mayor and members of the Town Council had written to the school last week urging it to expand virus testing, update its infection figures more often and spell out what discipline students would face for violating school rules and local ordinances.
“The vacuum left by the university's decision to take minimal responsibility for students when they are off campus has meant that the need for monitoring and reporting has fallen largely to peers and neighbors, which is neither appropriate nor fair,” the local leaders complained.
Oyeronke Popoola, a 17-year-old freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill who moved out of her dorm, said that administrators, not students, deserve most of the blame for the virus-related problems after they ushered students back to campus.
“They should've put everything online from the beginning, but they wanted the money,” she said. And she said fraternities and sororities weren't the only ones at fault among the students: “I feel like Greek life gets a lot of blame, which is understandable, but there are other students who were meeting without masks that were not a part of Greek life.”
Elsewhere around the world, the British government encouraged workers to return to their offices amid concerns that working from home is hurting coffee shops, restaurants and other businesses in city centers. The government plans to launch a media campaign next week to help reassure the public.
Italy reported nearly 1,500 new infections Friday, its highest day-to-day increase since May, even as the country moves toward reopening schools in two weeks.
Two other European countries moved to restrict travel, with Hungary announcing it will close its borders to foreigners and Greece suspending flights from Barcelona and other airports in northern Spain because of a spike in infections there.
Stress reduction during this time of stress
By Anne Chan, PhD, MFT
Do you feel like Armageddon is coming or is already here? The number of traumatic events that have happened seems to be never ending – first the pandemic, then the killing of George Floyd, then the riots and protests, and now the wildfires. On top of this all, many of us are struggling with homeschooling with kids, learning to be with our families 24/7 without much of a break, working from home, working as an essential worker, or having to cope with joblessness.
Just one of the above would be stressful and traumatic. But the stressors keep assailing us and the cumulative effect is an almost unimaginable load of anxiety, fear, worry, and tension. What is one to do when life keeps getting harder and harder? Here are some tips from the experts:
1. Validate your feelings
What is going on is hard. It is entirely natural for you to feel stress and anxiety. To put it in context, the pandemic alone is a huge life-altering, once-in-a-lifetime historic event. But it isn’t the only once-in-a-lifetime, traumatic event that we are experiencing. All of us are being challenged now with several huge life-altering historic events. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all, the first thing to do is acknowledge that your feelings are legitimate. These are tough, tough circumstances. It is totally normal and expected that you would be stressed, anxious, fearful. You don’t have to deny these feelings or feel guilty about having them.
2. Figure out what you can and cannot control.
Anxiety, depression, fear, and even anger can spiral out of control if everything appears to be out of your control. One technique for handling this is to focus on what is within your control. For instance, instead of panicking every time you look out your closed windows and see the haze, ask yourself what constructive action you can take during this time.
3. Reach out to others
One time-tested way to feel better about yourself is to reach out to others. Yes, this might be more challenging during this period of social distancing, but I encourage you to think outside the box. Perhaps you can revive the lost art of letter writing and mail a heartfelt handwritten letter to a friend. Perhaps you have an abundance of vegetables in your garden and can leave them out for your neighbors to enjoy. This isn’t just about helping others – research has shown that when we do good deeds, we reap the rewards ourselves. In fact, our brains get a nice endorphin kick that helps ward off depression and ill health.
4. Be compassionate and kind to yourself
This is a tough time for everybody. Yet many of us are hard on ourselves. I hear so many stories from parents who feel bad about not being perfect parents or workers who are working from home and hate their jobs. One thing to do is to practice self-compassion and compassion for others in a conscious, intentional way. When I’m feeling stressed, I take a break to take a few deep breaths, acknowledge what’s going on within me and I remind myself, just as a best friend would, to be kind and loving to myself. You can then extend this compassion exercise to others as well.
5. Practice Gratitude
You might think that it’s crazy to recommend practicing gratitude in the midst of the chaos around us. Yet a sense of gratitude is one of the keys to mental health. Even if everything is going to pot, you can find something to be grateful about. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that we are especially challenged to be grateful when things are going to pot. As I type this, I can see a slight breeze gently moving the leaves of the tree outside my window. I am grateful for breezes these days. I am also grateful for the tree that is putting out oxygen into the environment. You can bet that I will be super grateful when the air clears and I can finally open the windows each day!
6. Walking Meditation
I have recommended mindfulness and meditation in other columns. One of my personal favorites is walking meditation, a practice that you can do anytime, anywhere, alone or with someone else, and indoors or outdoors. It is essentially a way of slowing down your scattered mind and being focused on the present. It is calming and brings peace to the heart. I find it to be a wonderful way to meditate in motion.
7. Exercise
You have heard it before, and I will say it one more time. Do not forget to exercise. Even if you can only walk in place for a couple of minutes – do it! The endorphins released through exercise are vital for physical and mental health.
This is an immensely difficult time for us all. Part of the difficulty is the not-knowing – we have no idea when any of these issues will be resolved. But take heart in the fact that there are things you can do to handle your stress. Just using one of the strategies from this article will improve your mental health. Stay strong and stay mentally strong.
Anne Chan is a career counselor and licensed psychotherapist in Fremont. She specializes in helping people find happiness in their careers and lives. You can reach her at annechantcv@gmail.com.
© Anne Chan, 2020
Cal State instruction to stay online
Submitted by California State University
Officials from California State University, East Bay recently announced that the Hayward campus, along with all 22 other California State University (CSU) campuses will continue to deliver most coursework virtually in the academic term starting in January 2021.
In a statewide announcement, delivered Thursday, September 10, CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said, “This decision is the only responsible one available to us at this time. And it is the only one that supports our twin North Stars of safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of our faculty, staff, students and communities, as well as enabling degree progression for the largest number of students.”
The desire to give students and their families appropriate time to plan, the need to publish and promote course offerings in campus academic plans, and accreditation requirements for courses delivered virtually were cited by White as three primary reasons for the timing for the announcement.
In the coming weeks, campuses will publish their lists of course offerings allowing students to select courses and then campuses can appropriately allocate resources to meet student demand.
Additionally, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission, the accrediting body for all CSU campuses, requires each campus to seek authorization for courses currently approved for on-site instruction to be offered in distance learning modalities. In order to meet this requirement, campuses will need to commit to their January academic schedules in September and October. The requirement was temporarily waived by the Department of Education for fall 2020; however, the waiver will expire at the end of December and will not be renewed.
All CSU campuses crafted detailed plans to address repopulation for the fall term and will continue to follow the protocols established in these plans for the academic terms beginning in January 2021. This will allow the flexibility to potentially offer additional in-person coursework should the situation in the campus' respective region warrant that or, conversely, to further limit such offerings as needed. Campus plans vary depending on factors such student enrollment, programmatic offerings and facilities and comport with local, state and federal guidance.
Campuses will develop and communicate their commencement plans during the course of the academic term beginning in January.
EARTHTALK
Underground cities could have environmental benefits
By Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss
Dear EarthTalk: If we lived in underground buildings (and cities), would it be better for the environment overall?
— Marty M., Hoboken, New Jersey
It’s certainly true that moving more of our infrastructure, let alone work and live space, underground would relieve some of the pressure that our conventional above-ground development and habitation puts on the environment. While building below the surface presents its own set of challenges, underground spaces are less susceptible to external influences and their overall impact (including carbon emissions) tends to be less than the equivalent amount of space above ground. Indeed, given the environmental problems we’re experiencing, moving more below the surface does indeed have the potential to make things safer, healthier and more sustainable for all of us.
In and of themselves, underground buildings have a built-in advantage in regard to energy usage for heating/cooling, given their typically more constant temperature, humidity, heat insulation, shading and airtightness. Furthermore, underground buildings are much less affected by wind, rain, frost, snow, sun radiation or other external conditions. At the same time, the temperature fluctuation range of underground space is small, especially as compared to the “hot-and-cold load” in above-ground buildings. In short, underground buildings use only a fraction of the energy required by conventional buildings to keep the interior environment comfortable, with most of the energy consumption concentrated instead on less power-intensive lighting and ventilation systems.
Beyond being better for the planet in some ways as compared to above-ground buildings, just having some underground buildings in the mix — even below regular cities — could yield vast benefits. “Underground solutions can solve or help improve multiple of the problems that urban developments face: traffic congestion; environmental problems; lack of (green) space; need for protection against disasters; lack of infrastructure for food, energy, water and sanitation,” reports Dutch researcher Wout Broere.
“Placement of infrastructure and other facilities underground presents an opportunity for realizing new functions in urban areas without destroying heritages or negatively impacting the surface environment, and at the same time brings opportunities for long-term improvements in the environmental impact of cities and more efficient use of space and resources,” adds Broere.
Many cities around the world — from Helsinki to Moscow to Montreal to Beijing — are developing underground space to alleviate population and environmental pressures. Helsinki, for instance, has adopted a strategic ‘Underground City Plan’ which calls for the construction of some 200 more underground buildings there to accompany the city’s existing subterranean swimming complex, shopping area, and hockey rink.
Meanwhile, Russian developers are converting a defunct 550-meter-deep mine shaft in Eastern Siberia into an eco-friendly underground city under a huge glass dome. The ambitious project — replete with vertical farms, forests and recreation areas in addition to climate controlled underground offices and housing — promises to eventually accommodate 100,000 residents.
While many of us shudder at the thought of living a subterranean lifestyle, at least making the option available to those who choose it willingly could be a big win for the environment.
EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.
Park It
By Ned MacKay
While human activity has been constrained for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, the rest of nature marches on. It is time again for the annual tarantula mating season in parks and open space throughout the East Bay and beyond.
Every fall the furry arachnid males, who are guided by scent, venture forth in search of females, who await in their silk-lined boudoirs for purposes of procreation. When an acceptable candidate arrives, the two will mate. Then, if the male is unlucky, the female will sometimes kill him. Even if he survives, the male will die soon after. In contrast, females can live for years and produce multiple offspring.
Generally, tarantulas are gentle, slow-moving, and non-aggressive creatures. Apart from the mating season, they tend to remain in their burrows, emerging to eat insects, spiders, and even small lizards.
Tarantulas can bite, though; the bite is painful, about like a bee sting. There’s venom, but not in sufficient quantity to harm humans. Tarantulas’ other defensive mechanism is barbed bristles covering their abdomens. The spiders can use their hind legs to eject the bristles toward predators, causing serious irritation. The hair can give humans a rash.
Tarantula hawks, a variety of wasp, are a nemesis for the spiders. The wasp can deliver a paralyzing sting, drag the still-living victim into a burrow, and lay eggs on its body. When the larvae hatch, they feed on the helpless spider. I suspect this was inspiration for a well-known science fiction film series.
This time of year, you can see the dark brown males moving slowly around in search of females’ burrows. At Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area in Walnut Creek, the rangers have spotted them in the past on the road by the picnic areas and along the Fairy Lantern Trail. Some areas of Mt. Diablo State Park are said to be crawling with them in season. October may be the peak month.
Although Castle Rock is closed for picnicking and swimming, it is permissible to park at the Orchard staging area near the end of Castle Rock Road, then walk though Castle Rock en route to the trails of Diablo Foothills Regional Park.
If looking for tarantulas in the wild isn’t your idea of a good time, you can get lots of information about them at the park district website, www.ebparks.org. Just type “tarantula” in the search option at the top of the home page.
If you do see a tarantula in the wild, please leave it alone. Along with all other animals and plants in the regional parks, tarantulas are protected. Collecting them or disturbing them is against the rules.
As of writing, a number of regional parks remain closed because of the coronavirus and/or firefighting needs: Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore, Sunol/Ohlone Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County, Mission Peak Regional Preserve and Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, Little Hills Picnic Ranch in San Ramon, Bay Point Regional Shoreline in Pittsburg, Morgan Territory Regional Preserve east of Mt. Diablo, and Round Valley Regional Preserve south of Brentwood.
All other regional parks and trails are open for hiking and riding, though picnic areas are closed and drinking fountains are generally turned off. Some restrooms are open. When you do visit a park, please do not arrive in large groups. Carry masks to wear when narrow trails or other choke points preclude social distancing.
For up-to-date information on the status of regional parks and trails, visit www.ebparks.org and click on “COVID-19 & Wildfire Park Updates & Closures” at the top of the home page.
Editorial
Lessons from the pandemic: lemons to lemonade
As disruptive and destructive COVID-19 has been, the virus has also offered opportunities as well. Beside businesses that have either risen or fallen due to imposition of stay-at-home orders and the toll of critical, even fatal illness, there are lessons to be learned from our response to this challenge.
Among the most obvious are observations of human behavior that doesn’t always conform to best practices and consideration of others. While many have responded with a sense of community and caring, other reactions indicate a self-centered paradigm. Throughout this biological ordeal, some basic understandings have emerged. For instance, lack of personal and physical contact and collaboration can present substantial problems of socialization, integrity, ingenuity and interaction.
Schools have instituted “distance learning” through virtual classrooms, even those able to provide part-time in person instruction. The question of content and experience enters the equation since much of the same subject substance can be transmitted in the classroom and over the internet, but personal interaction is much harder to duplicate. Interactive software such as Zoom has increased access, but in a two-dimensional world, it cannot replace the atmosphere and exchanges that occur in face-to-face conversations. As teachers and students acclimate to the new educational environment, lesson plans and instructional techniques have developed that enhance the experience, but personal attention and classroom synergy is irreplaceable.
The same can be said for governmental meetings that encourage participation and response from board and council members as well as their constituents. Personal relationships that arise from physical proximity and off-stage interactions is missing. A screen image cannot replace this although there have been some improvements in the virtual process. Not only does physical proximity to council/board members give the public more empathy with them as fellow human beings, but it works in reverse as well.
Public officials must interact with those they represent in order to maintain a common bond as members of a diverse community that may have competing needs, wants and requirements. Unfortunately, as politicians move up the political ladder, representing larger populations – county, state, national – less of this dynamic occurs, resulting in isolation and decisions often skewed toward special, moneyed interests. To their credit, some politicians are using the same communication technology as students and teachers to stay in touch with constituents.
A visual timer for speakers is a welcome addition to oral communications. It provides a precise countdown, so when a hot topic arises that draws a multitude of comments, order and fairness can be maintained; each speaker is allotted a predetermined amount of time to present their thoughts. Rambling and duplicative arguments can be minimized through a tracking system that counts those in agreement and offers supplemental comments. It could be arranged for those in agreement with a speaker to signal this through a “thumbs up” and side comment. This may require a bit more preparation by speakers, but can properly define an argument, maximize its impact and minimize resistance of listening to the same comment over and over again.
An analogous process could be instituted for council/board members when they comment as well. If possible, set an outside time limit for each member with a visible time count for both speaker and audience. This would alert everyone – the speaker included – to long-winded, fatuous soliloquies that do little but burn precious minutes of everyone’s life. By the same method as an audience thumbs up or down approach, council/board members would have an instant and continuous constituent response to their comments.
As more innovative solutions to the challenges of distance learning and COVID-19 are tested and refined, continuation of their use in a post pandemic society can enhance and significantly improve our lives, including governmental systems. Let’s take this lemon and make lemonade.
Fran Stone, educator and Washington Hospital volunteer of over 50 years, turns 80!
Submitted by Amber Miskella
In the current climate of teaching over Zoom, many are finding new appreciation for dedicated teachers. We would like to draw your attention to one of the Tri-City Area’s dedicated community-oriented teachers, who will be celebrating her 80th birthday at a virtual event on September 16.
Say you had been a third-grade student at Olivera School on Alder Avenue in Fremont in the 60’s and your teacher Mrs. Stone, gave you the reading, writing and personal discipline skills to set you on life’s course. Suppose later you went to the Ghost House at the Hub on a chilly October night and there was Mrs. Stone, now as a Candlelighter, selling candies to support charitable grants.
And if you went to Washington Hospital for a stay and there would be Mrs. Stone, supporting the community as a Pink Lady providing services to Washington’s patients? And later, you stopped at the Hospital Gift Shop and there she was again! In addition, she was chairing the Washington Gift Shop with all profits from her leadership going to Washington Hospital Foundation.
Later in life, you might attend a Fremont Symphony Ball. There she would be again, chairing the event, welcoming guests and making the entire night run without a hitch. Of course, unpaid as volunteer event planner. She also chaired the Washington Hospital Spring Fling. AAUW, Rotary and SAVE charities, Mrs. Stone has done it all. And you would benefit both as her student and as a citizen of the Tri-City areas. What a teacher and what a life.
Fran Sanguinetti Stone came to Fremont in 1963 after graduating from Dominican college and marrying Lucky Stores executive, Jim Stone. Fran, grandchild of Italian immigrants from the village of Chiavari in Genova, had lived on the family cattle ranch in the California Central Valley.
Frances Sanguinetti Stone is now being celebrated by her many friends for her community and organizational philanthropy and involvement. What more can be said of this charming, intelligent and caring eighty-years-young star activist, except a large bouquet of “Thank You, Fran, for making our community better because of your caring and giving!”
Fran Stone’s family and friends are getting creative during the pandemic by organizing a birthday drive by and Zoom event set for Wednesday, September 16. For more information contact Ric Serianni at (510) 777-0400 or (510) 882-9890
Fremont Police Log
Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD
Sunday, September 6
• During the early morning hours detectives spotted a man apparently casing businesses at Mission Valley Shopping Center on Mission Boulevard. He was detained by undercover detectives and patrol officers before he could commit a burglary. A record check showed the suspect, later identified by police as Gabriel Lopez, 32, of Fremont, had several warrants. He also was in possession of a pickup truck that had been reported stolen and observed at the scene of several recent commercial burglaries. Lopez was arrested for his warrants and for possessing the stolen pickup truck. He was booked at 9:00 a.m. at Fremont Jail with a citation and released with a November court date. At 2:22 p.m. he was stopped by patrol officers and arrested again on suspicion of possessing another stolen vehicle and trailer. He was issued another citation and court date.
• A day shift patrol officer located a suspect who was wanted in connection with a series of commercial burglaries riding a bicycle and attempted to stop him. The suspect, later identified by police as Jon Nardoni, 31, of Fremont, tried to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. He was arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools, identity theft and resisting arrest. Detectives linked Nardoni to at least 12 commercial burglaries in the Fremont area. Video surveillance of Nardoni with a stolen BMW were recovered from at least 10 of the businesses that were hit. The stolen BMW was recovered in San Jose September 4. Nardoni was booked at Santa Rita and arraigned in court September 9 where a judge continued his case until October 9 and released him from custody. Detectives are continuing an investigation. Anyone who has been victimized by Nardoni is asked to contact Detective Omeed Zargham via email at ozargham@fremont.gov or call (510) 790-6900.
Fremont City Council
September 8, 2020
Consent Calendar:
• Approve update of Conflict of Interest Code.
• Approve Planning Commission's recommendation amending Fremont Municipal Code to ensure compliance with recently adopted California state laws pertaining to Accessory Dwelling Units.
Public Communications:
• Comments about School Resource Officer (SRO) task force to work toward openness and flexibility and budget transparency.
Removed from Consent:
• Approval of Minutes – caller expressed interest in bicycle and pedestrian issues.
Council Communications:
• Referral from Shao and Mei to ask for staff presentation about South Bay Connect Project.
• Designate Lily Mei as delegate to League of California Cities Annual Conference (alternate – Jones).
Mayor Lily Mei Aye
Vice Mayor Jenny Kassan (District 3) Aye
Vinnie Bacon Aye
Raj Salwan Aye
Teresa Keng (District 1) Aye
Rick Jones (District 2) Aye
Yang Shao (District 4) Aye
Gold patch supports fight against childhood cancer
Submitted by Union City PD
In recognition of September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Union City Police Department (UCPD) is selling a commemorative gold-colored Childhood Cancer police patch to raise funds for children’s cancer research.
The Police Department created the patch as a way to honor children who are currently battling cancer, have battled cancer, or those who have died from the disease. During the month of September, UCPD members are wearing gold patches on their uniforms to encourage awareness and to support the cause. The patch is available for $10; proceeds will be donated to an organization committed to fighting cancer.
To purchase a patch, contact Sergeant Jean Jimenez via email at jeanj@unioncity.org or call (510) 471-1365, or Audrey Villalobos via email at audreyv@unioncity.org or call (510) 675-5247. Cash payments are accepted, and a credit card/PayPal option is available through this link: https://www.unioncity.org/355/Patch-Project.
State announces new blueprint for COVID-19
Submitted by City of Union City
On August 28, the state announced a shift from its monitoring list to a color-coded four-tier blueprint for a safer economy. Alameda County is in the Purple Tier, which indicates widespread COVID-19 in the county.
Alameda County Public Health Department is aligning with a limited selection of the state’s Purple Tier permitted activities.
• Sectors previously allowed to open by Alameda County, then closed or modified during the monitoring list era, are now reopened by the state: indoor malls, with a new 25 percent capacity restriction and continued mandatory closure of food courts and public congregation points.
• Sectors previously allowed by the county, now aligned with new, more restrictive State measures: retail stores with a 25 percent capacity limit, and grocery stores with a 50 percent capacity limit.
• Sectors previously allowed by the Alameda County are newly authorized to operate indoors: Hair salons and barbershops.
• Outdoor recreational activities in the Purple Tier that clarify existing activities and are allowed by Alameda County:
o Outdoor dance classes as part of outdoor non-contact fitness classes
o Mini-golf, batting cages, driving ranges, and kart racing, as allowed by the State’s Family Entertainment Center Guidance
• Shared play structures continue to be closed, including bounce houses, ball pits and playgrounds.
For the list of activities that are open and not open in Alameda County, visit https://covid-19.acgov.org/index.page.
Speaker examines African-American struggle for voting rights
Submitted by Marcess Owings
Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS) invites the public to a live webinar by Prof. Erika Walker, exploring the complex and continuing struggle for African-American voting rights. The presentation, “African-Americans and the Vote: Where Do We Go from Here?” will be on Sunday, September 20.
Walker is a lecturer in the Africana Studies department in College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. In this presentation, she will delve into the history of the struggle for the right to vote, examining the ways in which voting rights, now and historically, have been pushed forward or protected by movements in the streets. She will look beyond voting to explore the idea of “Active Citizenship” and other ways to direct our energy, particularly in what is considered a “safe” “blue state” like California.
Poll taxes, literacy tests, fraud and intimidation have all historically been used to turn African Americans away from the polls. “As we all prepare for a presidential election in November, it’s more important than ever to understand the history of voting rights, in particular the impact on communities of color,” said Eleanor Katari, education manager, HAHS. “We are thrilled to present this program by Professor Walker.”
This program is presented in partnership with the Women’s Ministry of Palma Ceia Baptist Church and the Eden Rose (CA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. Tickets are available at bit.ly/HAHS-AfricanAmericansandtheVote.
For more information on Hayward Area Historical Society educational programs, research services, exhibits, collections and other resources, call (510) 581-0223, email info@haywardareahistory.org or visit www.haywardareahistory.org.
Live Webinar African-American Voting Rights
2 p.m.
Sunday, Sept 20
(510) 581-0223
Tickets: bit.ly/HAHS-AfricanAmericansandtheVote
www.haywardareahistory.org
Hayward Police Log
Submitted by Hayward PD
Tuesday, September 8
• A customer in a Fremont Bank location on Industrial Parkway West notified police dispatch after spotting a man wearing a curly wig and mask walk into the bank and give an employee a note demanding money; he also put what was later found to be a loaded firearm on the counter. The customer watched the man leave the bank and ride away on a bicycle directly into the path of arriving officers who stopped him. The man was in possession of the bank’s money, a loaded gun and getaway tools. He was arrested.
Community input on public safety and law enforcement
Submitted by City of Hayward
City of Hayward invites all residents to participate in a program of community-based conversations and a survey about attitudes, priorities, and experiences of the public related to public safety and law enforcement.
The program, which launches this month, was developed and is being carried out in response to concerns raised by Hayward community members about law enforcement and race after the brutal killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis, Minn., police officer and by recent officer-involved shootings that have taken place locally.
One element of the program is a webpage available at www.hayward-ca.gov/content/public-safety-community-outreach through which community members can learn more, follow progress of the work and get involved. Residents are invited to join community discussions and interviews through September and October. To participate, fill out the interest form on the community conversations webpage available at www.hayward-ca.gov/content/hayward-safe.
Findings from the survey, which will be administered to a statistically significant and representative sample of residents; information and opinions shared during the community-based conversations; and data on Hayward Police Department funding, staffing, structure and operations all will be presented during a public meeting or meetings of the city council in mid to late October.
All data, information, and ideas gathered through the process—including public comments provided during council meetings—are intended to provide a foundation for future budgetary, policy and administrative decisions by the council, City Manager Kelly McAdoo, and Chief of Police Toney Chaplin.
To participate, go to: www.hayward-ca.gov/content/hayward-safe
Hayward City Council
September 3, 2020
Presentations and Proclamations:
● Councilmembers Lamnin, Salinas and Wahab call to order special joint-meeting Zoom session focusing on combating homelessness in Hayward and maintaining residential rent stabilization
● Council showcases presentation from City of Hayward Homelessness Task Force management analyst Amy Cole-Bloom, Ph.D. and housing division manager Christina Morales
Homelessness Task Force Agenda:
● Establish mediation and arbitration program to reduce displacement amidst the ongoing pandemic while also ensuring landlords a fair return on their property and sufficient rental income to cover operational costs
● Maintain affordable housing by preventing unpredictable spikes in rent; current data suggests rent rates in Hayward have increased on average by 4.7% per year. New ordinances would require the city to intervene with landlords if yearly rent increases surpass 5%.
● Drafting a new Residential Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RRSO) amendment that entails retraining of Hayward tenants as well as city council staff
California State Legislation Discussed During Meeting:
● AB 3088: Prohibits eviction due to COVID-19 rental debt. Tenants struggling to pay their current month’s rent as well as back rent who can provide documentation proving their pandemic-related fiscal hardship to their landlord will only be obliged to pay 25% of their rent during a transition period starting on September 1, 2020 and ending January 31, 2021. Landlords will be able to recover COVID-19 related rental debt in small claims court no sooner than March 1, 2021.
HERS is still walking!
By Stephanie Gertsch
“What I’m telling people is that breast cancer doesn’t stop because of COVID. People are still getting diagnosed,” says Debra Shanley, breast care specialist at the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation Fremont location. “People are still undergoing surgery. COVID is just adding another layer for these patients who are already enduring a lot.”
When you literally look out the window and see an apocalyptic landscape, it’s hard to remember that so many people have already been living in their own end times, where a diagnosis forces them to see their own mortality not as far off, but something to face every day. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and HERS has been supporting survivors since 1998. Executive Director Tina Fernandez says of the founder “Years ago [Tricia McMahon] had this vision to fulfill what she felt was a gap in services for breast cancer survivors, so she developed this concept—back then it was called ‘Bras for Body and Soul.’” The shop for bras and prosthetics evolved into a service that offered bras and prosthetics, wigs, and lymphedema pressure garments in three locations in the Bay Area, using write-offs to cover underinsured patients.
Through the pandemic, HERS has been working tirelessly to support survivors. The Fremont location has kept its doors open continuously with social distancing and meticulous cleaning to protect their vulnerable patients. In May, the organization had to cancel their yearly fundraising gala, and over-optimistically rescheduled for a virtual event in August. This was postponed until next May, leaving the fall walk/run for 2020. “Postponing the gala until 2021 gave us some breathing room to figure out, ‘Okay, what do we do about the walk/run?’” says Fernandez.
While the spring gala is a glitzy, formal evening event, the walk/run is more communal. Fernandez describes the opening ceremony: “We do a memorial circle where we invite patients to gather. And we have a lovely gentleman who lives locally, Jim Dempsey, and he brings his doves. Each patient, if they want to, is handed a dove to gently hold and we do a dove release.” They play the song “Wind Beneath My Wings.” “Some people think it’s an overly sentimental song,” says Fernandez, “but again it’s very meaningful for patients. They love that moment and love that ceremony. It really helps folks through a lot of grief and sadness.”
This year, the event’s kickoff will be virtual, held via Facebook Live, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 26. Fenandez says, “A survivor who is also a patient, her name is Melody, is making dozens and dozens of white paper doves. We’re going to be putting those in the mail and mailing them to patients. They can hold their dove. And even though we can’t be together, [this is a way] we can just retain the spirit of this moment.” Also making a reappearance is last year’s yoga option, led by breast cancer survivor and board member Anjali Rao. Yoga will start at 10:15 on Saturday and be held over Zoom.
Taking advantage of the flexibility that comes with a virtual event, participants will have until 6 p.m. on Sunday to record their scores. They can walk around their neighborhoods, run on a treadmill, or join the Zoom session. Because costs associated with reserving a venue and security are waived this year, the entry fee is only $20. Pets can enter for $10.
“What I’m struggling with is how to make this event attractive to folks who have been coming for years, how to retain that meaning and the spirit of the event even though we’ll be virtual,” said Fernandez. In addition to preserving some highlights from previous years such as yoga and the dove release, HERS has introduced some new features such as gift basket drawings to take place every hour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. In addition, those who raise $100 or more will be able to enter a drawing for a pair of air pods pro.
The staff have stepped up to bring creativity. Fernandez recalls, “One of our event committee members is a woman of color, she’s African American, and said, ‘We’re such a diverse group. Now more than ever I think it would be a good thing to show that aspect of our organization.’” The committee member, Gloria, suggested filming everyone saying thank you in different languages. When asked what language she would use, Gloria replied emphatically, “I’m going to say it in Japanese!” “I learned something new about her,” said Fernandez.
Participants can sign up for the walk/run until Thursday, September 24. Those interested in the yoga option should call the HERS Fremont office at (510) 790-1911. Sponsorships are also available on the website.
HERS virtual walk/run
Saturday, Sept 26 – Sunday Sept 27
Register at: https://hersbreastcancerfoundation.org/walk-run/
Via Facebook Live and Zoom
DEADLINE: September 24
$20
How Humane Society Silicon Valley fought off the virus
By David R Newman
Photos courtesy of Humane Society Silicon Valley
We’re six months into a state mandated Shelter-In-Place (SIP) order and local businesses have adapted, adopting a wide array of new strategies to reach and retain customers in a safe and cost effective manner. For one local nonprofit, it’s been a wild ride. Here’s the story of how the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (HSSV) has coped with the pandemic and what they’re doing now to ensure that no animal gets left behind.
Raining Cats and Dogs
“We essentially had to rewrite every process we have in the shelter,” says Dr. Cristie Kamiya Chief of Shelter Medicine at HSSV. “Early on, there wasn’t very much information or understanding of what a pandemic meant for us. Once the SIP order went out in March, we completely shut down and it took us a few weeks to figure things out.”
Established in 1929, HSSV offers adoptions, spaying/neutering, vaccinations and microchipping services, pet care services and education programs. In 2009, they moved into a new, state-of-the-art, 48,000-square-foot facility in Milpitas. Kamiya oversees a medical team of about twenty. With over 6,000 adoptions and over 8,000 surgeries last year, the amount of typical daily pet traffic is staggering.
After the SIP order, their immediate concern was what to do with all of the animals being housed on site. Animal shelters are considered essential services, so HSSV was still taking in sick and injured animals from the community and from their partner shelters in Santa Clara County and the Central Valley. With a maximum capacity of 150 – 200 animals, they would fill up quickly if no outlets were found. Placing pets into foster homes became a priority.
A Pet in Every Home
According to Kamiya, HSSV can have over 600 kittens in a foster home at any given time. To say their network of families is robust would be an understatement. Yet staff knew they would need even more homes to help stem the incoming canine/feline tide. They put out a call for foster families on social media and were inundated with over 3,000 applicants. Says Kamiya, “We were blown away by the response. It was amazing! So many people were willing to help.”
The next step was to create an all-virtual process to train all of these new foster families quickly and efficiently. Pick up and drop off procedures changed to allow social distancing, and public areas of the shelter were reconfigured to protect everyone involved. In the end, almost all of the animals at the shelter were transferred to foster homes.
Adopt, Adapt, and Improve
The biggest change by far for HSSV has been animal adoptions. Says Kamiya, “Adopting is a very personal one-on-one process where you have a conversation with one of our adoption counselors to determine what type of animal would make a good fit for your family. Then you meet different animals in person at our facility. We had to adapt this service to a virtual model.”
The result is a Zoom meet and greet where potential adopters can interact with animals and ask questions. It has become extremely popular, with appointment times filling up within minutes after being posted on their website. Payment and paperwork are completed online as well. Since March, HSSV has found forever homes for more than 1,600 animals, which equals the number of adoptions from the same time frame last year. That’s roughly 100 per day.
Another adoption option is a newly created program called Kitten Match, which is faster as it bypasses the regular process. Fill out your preferences online (age, sex, color, markings, etc.) and HSSV will do their best to find a kitten that fits your description. Or check the “Surprise Me!” box.
Shelter Medicine
One of the factors for their success may be the nature of shelter medicine. Kamiya, one of only a handful of Shelter Veterinarians in the country, puts it this way: “It’s pretty straight forward to provide care for one sick cat, but when you have 50 cats in your care it becomes a little more complicated. You still have to provide individualized treatment, but at the same time you have to protect the health of the entire population.”
In 2017, HSSV became the first shelter in the country to become a Model Shelter, following over 500 guidelines put forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. This means that animal shelters like HSSV have bio security in place to prevent the spread of disease. When the pandemic hit, they were already ahead of the game. Kamiya laughs as she shares a running joke amongst her colleagues – that they should have put a Shelter Veterinarian in charge of the National COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis Response Team.
The End?
In response to the pandemic, HSSV has also expanded their Pet Pantry Program, providing free pet food and supplies to any family in Santa Clara County facing economic hardship. They have also instituted an Emergency Boarding Program in which anyone hospitalized by COVID-19 or displaced due to wildfires can temporarily board their pet with them.
It’s an amazing story of resiliency and hope. Says Kamiya, “We were all blindsided by the pandemic, but we’ve still been able to make a positive impact thanks to our community, even if that support looks a little different right now. We’ve worked hard to make changes that improve the way we do things and that are sustainable, so that when we come out the other side we can easily move forward.”
For more information, or to donate, visit www.hssv.org
Editor’s Note
Additional local animal shelter facilities:
Fremont tricityanimalshelter.org
Hayward haywardanimals.org
CONTINUING VIRTUAL EVENTS:
Mondays and Wednesdays
Parenting During COVID R
Mon: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Wed: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Virtual support group to help families cope with challenges encountered during COVID
To register: www.fremont.gov/3060/Caregiver-Support
(510) 574-2100
Tuesdays
Free Virtual Sing-Along
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Zoom choir meeting hosted by Mission Peak Chamber Singers
https://www.chambersingers.org/
Contact: info@chambersingers.org
Wednesdays and Sundays
McNevin at The Mudpuddle
6 p.m.
Dinner time tunes, oddservations, and bad jokes
Via Facebook Live: www.facebook.com/mudpuddlemusic
Thursdays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Virtual Meetings
6:30 p.m.
Youth and young adults, students welcome
Contact: brian@newarkpress.org for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Sundays
First Presbyterian Church of Newark Virtual Meetings
11:00 a.m.
Sunday School, Ages K – 6th grade
Contact: office@newarkpres.org for Zoom Meeting ID#
www.newarkpres.org
Saturdays
Virtual Town Hall
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
With Supervisor Dave Cortese
Via Facebook Live: www.facebook.com/davecortesegov
Thursdays, September 10 & 17
Music For Minors II Choir Auditions
3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Auditions for kids interested in singing in the MFMII Choir
Via Zoom
To apply: kidschoir@musicforminors2.org or (510) 733-1189
Mondays and Wednesdays, September 21 – November 9
Music For Minors II Training
Times TBD
Learn how to become a MFMII docent volunteer
Via Zoom
To apply: https://bit.ly/3iAutRW
Info at: www.musicforminors2.org
Mondays and Wednesdays, September 28 – October 28
A Matter of Balance R
10 a.m. – 12 noon
Online pilot program designed to manage falls and increase activity
To register: email hallstp@sutterhealth.org or call (510) 727-8485
Fridays, October 9 and 23
SAVE Domestic Violence Stories R
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Learn about common stereotypes and systemic injustices
Via Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/save.dv
UPCOMING
Saturday, Sept 12 – Sunday, Sept 20
Weekend Train Rides $R
Sat: 4 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Sun: 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
Sunol Station
6 Kilkare Rd., Sunol
Tickets: $20-40 (Must be purchased online)
(510) 996-820
Tuesday, September 15
How to Manage and Forecast Cash Flow in a COVID World R
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Strategies and techniques to help manage cash flow
To register: https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47060
Wednesday, September 16
Increasing Restaurant Online Food Orders R
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Learn about the best approaches to increasing online food sales
To register: https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/47065
Wednesday, September 16
Music For Minors Training
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Orientation to become a trained music volunteer
Via Zoom
To register: http://www.musicforminors2.org
Thursday, September 17
League of Women Voters Candidate Forums
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Fremont USD Area 1 and 4
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Fremont USD Area 5
Via Zoom and Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/LWVFNUC/live
www.lwvfnuc.org/forums
Thursday, September 17
Path to Fundraising During Difficult Economic Times R
5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
Startup Grind Fremont hosts virtual fireside chat
Via Zoom
To register: https://bit.ly/3l2seZT
Thursday, September 17
Healthy Living Festival R
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Virtual event – info on exercise, emergency preparedness, etc.
To register: https://tinyurl.com/hlf2020
(510) 272-6694
Thursday, September 17
Immigration Overview
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/2ReX2Zy
Meeting number (access code): 199 193 8080
Meeting password: EGjkTGzR@332
Friday, September 18
Jimi Hendrix Memorial Show
7 p.m.
Join Groovy Judy and Pete as they rock out in honor of Jimi Hendrix
Via Facebook Live
Facebook.com/GroovyJudyRocks/Live
Monday, September 21
Milpitas Rotary
12 noon – 1 p.m.
Milpitas Deputy Fire Chief Richard Frawley on the status of our major wildfires
Via Zoom: https://bit.ly/2Zw9dWn
Meeting ID: 896 1186 2310
Passcode: 760442
Monday, September 21
Covia Shared Housing R
11 a.m. – 12 noon
Learn about the home sharing program Home Match
Via Zoom
To register: email njordan@fremont.gov or call (510) 790-6602
Tuesday, September 22
Tribute to Marty Cohen
7 p.m.
Join Groovy Judy and Pete as they pay tribute to their bass player
Via Facebook Live
Facebook.com/GroovyJudyRocks/Live
Tuesday, September 22
Climate Action Planning Community Workshop R
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Learn about Fremont’s Climate Action Plan
Via Zoom
To register: https://bit.ly/2ZtWtjf
Tuesday, September 22
Fremont Senior Center 40th Bday Celebration R
11 a.m. – 12 noon
Drive Thru Parade: bring your car, wear a mask, make signs
To register: call (510) 790-6600
Fremont Senior Center
40086 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont
Wednesday, September 23
Provisional Waivers, Form I-601A, and Immigrant Visas
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/3inztK4
Meeting number (access code): 199 083 4566
Meeting password: HNicMEkH$628
Thursday, September 24
The Naturalization Process
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/33iEHjP
Meeting number (access code): 199 905 7212
Meeting password: Natz100USgoCIS!
Thursday, September 24
League of Women Voters Candidate Forums
5 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Union City Mayor
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Union City City Council
Via Zoom and Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/LWVFNUC/live
www.lwvfnuc.org/forums
Thursday, September 24
The Future of Fremont R$
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Panel discussion with developers and key stakeholders
https://bit.ly/3kf8ocF
Friday, September 25
Managing Anxiety During COVID R
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Learn about tools to manage worries
Via Zoom
To register: email njordan@fremont.gov or call (510) 790-6602
Saturday, Sept 26 – Sunday, Sept 27
HERS Walk/Run $R
9: a.m. Saturday: Livestream kickoff
10:15 Saturday: Zoom yoga session
6 p.m. Sunday: Deadline to record scores
Register at: https://hersbreastcancerfoundation.org/walk-run/
Via Facebook Live and Zoom
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: September 24
$20
Tuesday, September 29
4 Steps to Emergency Preparedness (In Mandarin) R
10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Online workshop. Be prepared for disaster. Adults 60+
To register: email njordan@fremont.gov or call (510) 790-6602
Tuesday, September 29
Eden Eats $R
6 p.m.
Virtual cooking class featuring community chefs
Via YouTube and Facebook Live
Sign up at: https://edeneats.square.site/about
Wednesday, September 30
Immigration Options for Victims of Crimes (T/U/VAWA)
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Free info session from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Webex Link: https://bit.ly/2GTytzx
Meeting number (access code): 199 396 5760
Meeting password: Wtp5bpkb7M$7
Friday, October 2
SAVE Virtual Open House R
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Virtual tour, trivia game, and more! Learn about Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments
Via Zoom
To register: https://bit.ly/3k7cbZk
Saturday, October 3
Ducks for Bucks
1 p.m.
Rubber duckies go virtual!
Go to www.ducksforbucks.org to sponsor a duck and view the race
Sunday, October 4
Autumnal Solar Illumination
5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
See this unique phenomenon – the sun illuminating the Church Altar
Via Livestream
https://missionsanjose.org/event-calendar/autumnal-solar-illumination
Monday, October 5
25th Annual St. Joseph School Golf Tournament $R
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Golf and silent auction
https://e.givesmart.com/events/gKO/
Club at Ruby Hill
West Ruby Hill Drive, Pleasanton
Saturday, October 10
Santa Clara Virtual Parade of Champions
Watch video of local groups and businesses, plus yard decorating contest
Deadline to submit entries: September, 26
https://www.scparadeofchampions.org/
Wednesday, October 14
SAVE Garden of Self-Care R
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Create and nurture your inner garden
Via Zoom
To register: https://bit.ly/3k5MwAj
Friday, October 23
Cleantech Open Virtual Awards & Expo R
8 a.m. – 12 noon
https://hopin.to/events/global-forum-2020
Friday, October 30
SAVE Open Mic R
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Share stories, songs, poems, and more!
Via Zoom
To register: https://bit.ly/3hqDwnw
Fremont Area Writers hosts copyright expert Kelley A. Way
Submitted by Nancy Guarnera
What happens when you die? Not physically or spiritually—what happens FINANCIALLY when you die?
We all know about the necessity of making medical directives, wills and trusts to make certain that our home and other major assets will go to our families and not be overtaxed or squandered in Probate Court. What about those of us in Fremont who have creative properties—stories, research, essays, even books—that could provide our heirs with income long after our passing?
On Saturday, September 26, Attorney and Estate Planner, Kelley A. Way will be the featured speaker for the Fremont Area Writers’ monthly meeting. Her presentation will include information on how to set up your creative estate, so it benefits those you love far into the future. Her presentation will be a live Zoom session, followed by a question and answer period. This event is free to writers of all ages and skill levels.
For a Zoom link to the event, email scottfrombayside@yahoo.com. For more information about Fremont Area Writers, go to cwc-fremontareawriters.org. For information about Way, go to kawaylaw.com.
Workshop with copyright expert Kelley A. Way
Saturday, Sept 26
2 p.m.
Via Zoom
RSVP to scottfrombayside@yahoo.com
cwc-fremontareawriters.org
$100 million Maple & Main project back on track
Submitted by Hayward Chamber of Commerce
A project combining 314 market-rate and affordable apartments, retail, and commercial spaces is back on track and is expected to contribute to rejuvenation of downtown Hayward. The Maple & Main project was derailed over legal and financing issues earlier this year, but a new developer will now complete the project bounded by A and Main streets, McKeever Avenue and Maple Court. The three-acre site had been in the hands of receiver Gerard F. Keena II of the Bay Area Receivership Group until court approval on August 25 finalized closing of the sale.
Amit Goel, through Goel Hayward MF LLC, will take charge of the project. Goel and his companies own and manage more than $1 billion in mixed use developments in the US, including projects similar to Maple and Main. The company will take over a project that originally was scheduled for 240 apartments, but a reconfiguration of the commercial space led to the new layout. Simultaneously with the closing and under supervision of city of Hayward staff, the developer began demolition work at the site. Keena will monitor progress of the demolition, expected to be complete by the end of the year.
The purchase price for the transaction was $15,575,000, along with an additional $1.5 million placed in escrow for the site demolition. Keena, who had been named receiver by the Superior Court on July 29, projected total redevelopment project costs to exceed $100 million.
The Hayward Chamber of Commerce assisted Keena’s firm with perspective on the historic nature of the site as well as its structural properties. Elements of the project will include 20% of the units designated under an affordability calculation, solar rooftops, a community meeting space, preferential parking for electric vehicles, fitness center, and a bike rental program.
Mini art masterpieces within reach!
Submitted by Radhika Sharma
In the dialogue, Republic, the Greek philosopher Plato said “Our need will be the real creator,” i.e. a need or problem encourages creative solutions to resolve the need. The Olive Hyde Art Guild’s efforts towards the first “Project Mini Art” (PMA) is a case in point.
Originally Project Mini Art event was to be part of the Olive Hyde Art Guild’s (OHAG) 2020 Holiday Show scheduled for September 25 – 27. However, due to cancelation of the Holiday Show because of Covid-19, it was reimagined as a special online show and sale via the OHAG website. In this project, 29 Olive Hyde Art Guild member artists have completed their 5”x5” mini artworks, donating their work for a website exhibit and sale in September. An Image Gallery will be set up on the Guild website to view all 44 mini artwork canvases. Each will be sold for $25 and will benefit the Guild’s support of visual arts. Project Mini Art is led by Denise Oyama Miller along with Nancy Ruskin, Lisa Stambaugh, Kay Hille-Hatten, Judy Anglin and Joan Bobrink.
“We did not want to restrict the artists in terms of themes or medium,” says OHAG Project Mini Art Chair Denise Miller, noting the minimal requirements of the guidelines. The artworks will be sold independent of an artist statement (PMA is not a juried show). This creative freedom in the guidelines will manifest in a creative body of work, where each piece “stands on its own,” according to Miller. In addition to Olive Hyde Art Guild co-members Katherine Latson and Judy Anglin, Denise praises all 29 artists who have participated, donated their art and helped make this project a reality.
Web Diva and creative online designer Lisa Stambaugh lauds the Art Guild for adapting to the needs of the times and for thinking outside the box in designing and hosting PMA. “It took some research and discussion before we picked Shopify – a turnkey ecommerce site – as a platform to partner with,” says Stambaugh. Adept at designing online platforms, she was delighted to be entrusted with the responsibility of bringing the project online. She notes that, “No matter how established an organization is, we can always do something new and PMA is an illustration of this cool way to expand.”
The full list of participating artists is as follows: Judy Anglin, Simone Archer, Edie Christensen, Judy Cooper, Thomas Cory, Jaci Daskarolis, Neera Dave, Adriane Dedic, Aaron Dobmeier, Patricia Finn, Claudia Gray, Dimitry Grudsky, Seema Gupta, Susan Helmer, P. Kay Hille-Hatten, Marilyn Host, Maureen Langenbach, Peter Langenbach, Maureen Lardie, Robyn Leimer, Ruth Li, Susan Longini, Denise Oyama Miller, Maria Grazia Romeo, Jan Schafir, Barbara Schlein, Lauren Shaver, Lisa Stambaugh, Robin Worthington.
Project Mini Art invites shoppers to purchase artwork via credit card or Paypal.
Project Mini Art
Sneak Preview: Friday, Sept 18 – Thursday, Sept 24
Online Sales Open: Friday, Sept 25 (10 a.m.) – Friday, Oct 2
www.olivehydeartguild.org
BART steps up train schedule
Submitted by BART
BART trains are running more frequently during peak commute times on several lines, marking the largest weekday service increase since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Starting Monday, September 14, commuter trains at 15-minute frequencies were added to most lines as well as other adjustments to the schedule including 30-minute frequencies on Saturday and Sunday to reflect current ridership levels. BART service hours continue to be 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekends with earlier morning trains on weekends.
BART’s 15 Step Plan to Welcome Riders Back calls for matching service levels with demand and adding trains into service when crowding data shows increased frequency is needed for riders to be able to maintain social distancing on board trains. This schedule change follows through on that commitment while also providing flexibility if ridership changes.
The new schedule has been loaded into the BART Trip Planner app and riders can begin to plan trips now. The new timetable pages are posted online at https://www.bart.gov/schedules/pdf.
New East Bay fire chief named
Photo and article submitted by ACFD
Veteran firefighting professional William L. McDonald has been named new Fire Chief of the Alameda County Fire District (ACFD). McDonald, whose appointment was effective August 17, replaced former Fire Chief David A. Rocha, who retired August 15 after 33 years with the district.
McDonald comes to the East Bay after serving seven years as Fire Chief for the City of Las Vegas where he oversaw a $145 million budget, 21 fire stations and 760 fulltime employees. McDonald is no stranger to the Bay Area: at various times during his 27-year career, he served as Fire Chief in Fremont, San Jose, San Mateo and Foster City.
“We are pleased to announce the appointment of William L McDonald as our new Alameda County Fire Chief,” said Richard Valle, President of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. “He is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in pre-hospital care systems and services, innovative program development and collaboration with multiple stakeholders.”
McDonald is a graduate of California State University, Fresno. He also has an MBA from California State University, East Bay. ACFD provides fire and emergency services to unincorporated communities in Alameda County including San Lorenzo, Sunol and Castro Valley. Several East Bay cities also contract with ACFD for services, including Newark, Union City and San Leandro.
Zoo joins effort to rescue dwindling wild rabbit species
Article and photos submitted by Isabella Linares
Oakland Zoo’s focus on species conservation now includes playing a critical role in a multiple agency effort to help prevent the possible extinction of the Riparian Brush rabbit. The sub-species is threatened by Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV2); a European-borne virus that has spread rampantly to many species of wild rabbit populations across the United States.
In partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Geological Survey, and River Partners, Oakland Zoo, 10 “rabbit captures” have been conducted in the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge in Modesto since August.
“Our amazing partners agreed on extremely short notice to house 20 of our rabbits as insurance just in case the disease gets here…the Zoo’s effort is incredible and an incredible partner to the agencies in the department,” said Deanna Clifford, Senior Wildlife Veterinarian at California Department of Fish and Wildlife during a rabbit capture trip in San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge.
Over the past three weeks, 20 captured rabbits were brought to Oakland Zoo’s veterinary hospital, undergoing thorough physical exams and receiving the RHDV2 vaccination. For now, the rabbits are being closely monitored by zoo veterinarians and staff to ensure that the vaccination has no adverse effects, and thus far, are doing very well.
Following the monitoring period, and once the project is deemed a success, the 20 Riparian Brush rabbits will be returned to the wild at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge in Modesto. Oakland Zoo will then help administer vaccinations to an additional 200 rabbits in the wild to protect them from the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus.
Rabbits are an essential part of ecosystems as herbivores and as a primary food source to other animals. This program will help maintain their place in the ecosystem for the future, avoiding a negative cascading effect, creating a chain reaction effecting the survivability of countless interdependent species.
Regardless of financial challenges due to COVID-19 this year, Oakland Zoo continues the practice of rescuing, rehabilitating, and head-starting animals for release back into the wild. This includes many species like the California condor, mountain lions, three species of yellow-legged frogs, and more. The zoo continues to support their 25 conservation partners worldwide and advocate in Taking Action for Wildlife.
Business Pulse Check –Ohlone Humane Society
By Madhvika Singh
Photos Courtesy of Ohlone Humane Society and Wildlife Rehabilitation
This article is part of Business Pulse Check, a series where we at Tri-City Voice check in with a local business and how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and related closures.
Founded in 1983, Ohlone Humane Society (OHS) is a 501(c)(3) animal welfare nonprofit serving Fremont, Newark and Union City. It began as a grassroots group dedicated to bettering the lives of shelter animals. Since those early days, OHS has expanded its programs and services to benefit all creatures, from urban wildlife to companion animals. While OHS doesn’t operate an animal shelter, it is one of the few humane societies to maintain a wildlife rehabilitation center. “It’s all about the animals. Everything we do is to try and save more lives, that’s the simple bottom line,” says Ann Morrison, volunteer director for OHS.
OHS’ two popular programs are “Read-to-a-Dog” and “Animal Assisted Therapy.” For children who are shy about reading aloud, the “Read-to-a-Dog” program provides a supportive environment to read to a friendly dog. It also offers families an opportunity to be introduced to dogs. OHS’ therapy animal teams visit senior care facilities, schools, libraries and other locations for animal assisted interventions that have proven positive effects on emotional and physical well-being. Their latest program, Tri-City Shelter Assistance, actively supports and collaborates with the local animal shelter.
Other OHS services include providing information through email and phone. “Many of our requests are about injured and abandoned wildlife, but we deal with other queries too,” shared Morrison. They also provide kitten fostering and adoption programs, as well as financial assistance for spay and neuter. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is another service that includes neutering feral cats to stabilize their population without having to resort to euthanasia. “Pet meals on wheels,” which delivers pet food to drop points throughout the Tri-city for low income residents is another vital service offered by OHS.
COVID-19 has had a detrimental impact on OHS in many different ways. They rely on donations for monetary support and supplies. “It’s much harder to fundraise when we can’t attend any public events to get our name out there,” said Morrison. In response, OHS is taking their fundraisers online. OHS will be participating in Best Friends Animal Society’s virtual Strut your Mutt day, and Ducks for Bucks race organized by the Kiwanis club. More information about donating to OHS can be found at https://ohlonehumanesociety.org. They are also making efforts to enhance their social media presence and their website to streamline membership and donations.
OHS relies heavily on volunteers to carry out its mission and activities. “Our volunteers are amazing, I am always blown away by their dedication to an endless job,” added Morrison. To comply with COVID-19 regulations, their Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is practicing responsible social distancing, which has led to fewer volunteers to care for the wildlife that come to OHS. This has reduced their capacity to accept new rescued wildlife and the staff has to take on the extra load to make up. Their TNR and low cost spay-neuter programs, which were dependent on local veterinarians, have also been negatively affected due to closures. At the same time due to COVID-19 related restrictions in shelters, the need for kittens to find new homes is now greater than ever. The Animal Assisted Therapy teams and the Read-to-a-Dog programs have also been placed on hold due to COVID-19 related closures.
“OHS is feeling really stretched out thin in terms of resources, and would appreciate help through donations and volunteer work,” says Morrison. “We are always in need of donations. People have been incredibly generous, but donations have tapered as the shelter in place drags on,” she added. Their donation wish list can be found on their website at https://ohlonehumanesociety.org/lend-a-helping-paw. They are also looking for volunteers who can help them reach out to the community using social media and video conferencing. “People with a background in writing and public speaking can help us reach out to community groups and schools to share the mission and message of OHS,” Morrison added.
It is heartening to see OHS keep marching forward on its mission to bring comfort to sick, injured, and abandoned animals despite the hardships posed by the current pandemic. “Be kind whenever possible – It is always possible” by Dalai Lama is a thought that inspires Morrison, and we at Tri-City Voice hope the community will continue to support them in their pursuit to spread the message of care and kindness.
Ohlone Humane Society
39120 Argonaut Way, PMB 108, Fremont
(510) 792-4587
www.ohlonehumanesociety.org
Wildlife Rehab Center
7175 Hickory St., Newark
(510) 797-9449
Connect with OHS and Wildlife Rehab on Facebook and Instagram
Letter to the editor
Documentary: Breaking the Chain
Edith lived for affection. The gentle chow mix adored people—especially PETA’s fieldworker Jes, who visited the tiny patch of dirt Edith was forced to call “home” and on which she was kept chained day in and day out, through all weather extremes, for nearly a decade. Edith would gleefully flop onto her back for a tummy rub whenever Jes arrived with food, fresh water, toys, and treats, soaking in every moment of attention. Those visits always had to end, though, and Edith would be left alone again. But one day, everything would change.
Breaking the Chain, a new documentary from executive producer Anjelica Huston, tells the rest of Edith’s story—along with those of many other forgotten, neglected animals who have experienced love, care, respect, and healing thanks to PETA’s dedicated fieldworkers. Full of heartwarming moments and hard-fought victories, Breaking the Chain shows how lives can change when people refuse to give up.
Watch it on all major video-on-demand services, and learn how you can help change everything for animals in your own community. Visit www.BreakingTheChainFilm.com for more information.
Daphna Nachminovitch
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Longtime East Bay police official retires
Submitted by San Leandro PD
After more than a quarter century with the San Leandro Police Department (SLPD), Lieutenant Isaac Benabou recently called it a day. In a statement on September 8 SLPD officials announced that Benabou has retired.
Over the years Benabou worked in various divisions at SLPD including the Patrol Unit, Criminal Investigations Division and Traffic Unit. His assignments included time as an Evidence Technician, Field Training Officer, SWAT Team Technician and Public Information Officer. Before his promotion to Lieutenant, Isaac also served as President of the San Leandro Police Officer’s Association.
Friends share Powerball jackpot win, keeping 1992 promise
AP Wire Service
MENOMONIE, Wis. (AP), Jul 23 – A western Wisconsin man will share his millions in lottery winnings with a longtime friend because of a promise they made to each other nearly three decades ago.
Friends Tom Cook and Joseph Feeney shook hands in 1992 and promised that if either one of them ever won the Powerball jackpot, they would split the money.
That promise came to fruition last month when Cook bought the winning ticket for a $22 million jackpot at Synergy Coop in Menomonie.
When Cook called to give his friend the good news, Feeney couldn't quite believe it.
“He called me, and I said, `are you jerking my bobber?”' said Feeney, an avid fisherman.
Cook retired after hitting the jackpot while Feeney was already retired. Neither has any extravagant plans for the winnings but are looking forward to enjoying more family time.
“We can pursue what we feel comfortable with. I can't think of a better way to retire,” Cook said. The pair said they're looking forward to some traveling.
The men chose the cash option of about $16.7 million, leaving each with nearly $5.7 million after taxes are paid.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in about 292 million.
California aims to flex market power on prescription drugs
AP Wire Service
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Aug 31 – California lawmakers on Monday moved to use the most populous state's market power to lower the cost and increase the availability of prescription drugs for its nearly 40 million residents, with supporters citing the coronavirus pandemic as proof that more is needed to reduce shortages in drugs and other medical supplies.
The state Assembly approved legislation that would require the California Health and Human Services Agency to create partnerships designed to increase competition, lower prices, and reduce shortages for generic prescription drugs.
However, the measure stops short of Gov. Gavin Newsom's January budget proposal for the state to create its own generic label.
Lawmakers acted as they took up dozens of bills while racing to complete their work before adjourning for the year.
The bill passed on a 50-4 vote, returning to the Senate for a final vote before it was expected to head to the Democratic governor for his signature. In January, he said the goal is to “take the power out of the hands of greedy pharmaceutical companies.”
Democratic Sen. Richard Pan, a pediatrician, cited shortages spurred by the coronavirus pandemic as one rationale for his bill.
“As drugs are identified as effective treatments for COVID-19 patients, it is likely that there will be supply issues for those drugs as well,” he said in a legislative analysis.
The pandemic “brought to light glaring gaps in supplies of essential, lifesaving drugs, and medical equipment and supplies,” Pan wrote.
Assemblyman Jim Wood, also a Democrat, said the bill “will also help prepare the state for the next pandemic.”
There was no formal opposition. The bill is SB852.
California-based Rocket Lab says latest launch successful
AP Wire Service
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP), Aug 31 – Southern California-based Rocket Lab said it successfully returned to flight following a launch failure in early July.
An Electron rocket blasted off Monday from a launch pad on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula and put a small radar imaging satellite into orbit for San Francisco-based Capella Space, the company said.
The previous launch failed when the rocket's second stage shut down prematurely and seven satellites were lost.
Rocket Lab subsequently said extensive telemetry allowed it to trace the problem to a single electrical connection, and the Federal Aviation Administration gave permission to resume launches.
The new launch placed Capella's microsatellite into a circular orbit about 310 miles (500 kilometers) high.
Rocket Lab, which specializes in lofting small satellites, said it has monthly launches scheduled for the rest of the year.
It has a second launch pad under construction in New Zealand and another site in Virginia.
Rental assistance program for qualifying residential tenants
Submitted by Paul Sanftner
On September 8, City of San Leandro announced a new rental assistance program that will help provide relief to qualified residential tenants financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program is being funded with $451,972 in one-time Community Development Block Grant federal stimulus funds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 under the CARES Act approved by Congress and the President earlier this spring.
The San Leandro Emergency Rental Assistance Program will provide rental assistance payments for up to three months on behalf of qualifying renters who have lost income due to COVID-19 and meet federal low-income requirements. For example, in 2020, a one-person renter household earning $73,100, a two-person household earning $83,550, and a three-person household earning $94,000 would qualify. The monthly assistance payments will be provided directly to property owners or managers on behalf of qualifying residents and will be applicable to rent due after March 16, 2020 when the Alameda County shelter-in-place order took effect.
Residential tenant applicants are required to submit documentation confirming proof of tenancy and financial hardship resulting from COVID-19, including but not limited to one of the following: loss of or reduction in employment or wages, increased medical or childcare costs, or loss of childcare. All documentation and rental and lease agreements are subject to verification.
The program is being administered by Centro Legal de la Raza, a nonprofit legal services provider. All Rental Assistance Program details, including eligibility requirements, application materials and submittal deadlines are available on Centro Legal de la Raza’s website at www.centrolegal.org/rental-assistance/ or on the City of San Leandro’s website at www.sanleandro.org/depts/cd/housing/default.asp.
Contact Centro Legal or city staff for a hard copy application if you do not have access to a computer or for information on where to find a program application. The deadline to apply for the assistance program is Wednesday, September 30. Hard copy applications will be accepted with postmarks up until the application deadline. Funding is limited, and applications will be prioritized based on need and severity of the COVID-19 impact.
San Leandro Rental Assistance Program
Application Deadline: Wednesday, Sep 30
www.centrolegal.org/rental-assistance/
www.sanleandro.org/depts/cd/housing/default.asp
Shelter in Place renter survey
Submitted by Jules Joy
Since this health and economic crisis began, Dwellsy has been at the center of conversations between renters, small landlords, and corporate property management companies. In addition to our regular conversations with renters and landlords, Dwellsy.com surveyed renters in California to check in on the emotional impact of shelter in place. We wanted to know (and share) how residents were doing.
California Shelter in Place by the Numbers:
Dwellsy surveyed 103 renters in California to check in on the emotional impact of shelter in place (SIP).
• 37% percent reported that the room in their rental that has provided the most joy is the living room
• 33% have found that the kitchen is now a source of greater stress
• Over 50% of renters miss outings the most, along with another 31% who can’t wait to reconnect with friends and family
• 44% appreciate the extra time to read, walk pets, explore new interests, and hang out with those in their household
• 14% percent love not commuting
• 14% are enjoying the slower pace of life
• 35% lived with a partner, 30% with family, 25% alone, 8% with roommates, and 2% in an alternate scenario
• 62% percent have pets
What is one thing you have learned about yourself during the SIP?
• I didn’t realize that I usually get a lot more human touch.
• That when things get stressful, it’s even more important to practice good self-care.
• I want a big change – may be a career change or moving somewhere new.
• I can save lots of money by not drinking at my local dive bar.
• How valuable my career really is. I’m fortunate that it is an essential job.
• I’m not worried about myself as much as I'm worried about those I love.
• I’m a lot more patient than I was before.
• I can have abs if I work out hard enough.
• I have put off a lot of things I should have done.
• I am not as much of an introvert as I thought.
• I am stronger than I thought. I also have learned I do procrastinate.
What is one thing you have learned about your partner during the SIP?
• He eats 2x more than I do every day but is still skinny.
• I have to remind him to video chat his closest friends so he doesn’t feel cut off.
• He makes a lot of chewing noises.
• He stresses out about a lot of things out of his control.
• He’s helpful and resourceful and creative.
• Love him, but can drive me “nuts” being around him all the time.
• She is a very good cook.
• She is truly a jewel.
• We have a good relationship.
What is one thing you have learned about your family during the SIP?
• My kids are pretty amazing. They really stepped up and have been super helpful and haven’t complained too much and I think they also might be vampires.
• They are more religious than they are educated.
• We’re really good at surviving and keeping it together.
What is one thing you have learned about your pets during the SIP?
• They love to cuddle all day long.
• Very demanding of my time.
• He is happier and better behaved since we’re home all the time.
• They sleep all day.
• He is just as lazy as I thought he was.
• They hate having us home all the time.
• She is oblivious to the outside world.
• She’s always here for me.
• They are silly little monsters.
• My cat yowls a lot in the morning.
Social Security Matters
Ask Rusty – What Will My Wife’s Benefit Be If I Die?
By Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor
Association of Mature American Citizens
Dear Rusty: I am 76 years old and began collecting Social Security when I retired at the age of 62. My wife also began collecting SS when she turned 62 based on my benefits. She did not work enough to qualify on her own for Social Security benefits. My question is, how much will my wife receive after my death? Will she receive what I receive now, or will it be a percentage of the total that we both receive? Or will it be based on just my benefits alone or some other formula? Signed: An Inquisitive Senior
Dear Inquisitive: Your wife’s survivor benefit as your widow will be based upon your Social Security benefit alone. Usually a surviving spouse receives the same amount the deceased spouse was receiving at death, if that is more than the survivor is already receiving, and if the survivor has reached their full retirement age. However, in your case, if you should predecease your wife there is a special rule which may benefit her because you claimed your benefit at age 62.
That rule says that because you claimed before your full retirement age (FRA), your wife’s benefit as your survivor should be at least 82.5 percent of the benefit you were entitled to at your full retirement age (66), even though you actually claimed at age 62. And because your benefit was reduced by 25 percent when you took it at age 62, your wife’s benefit as your widow may be more than you are receiving when you pass. This special rule is known as the “widow limit,” which stipulates that a surviving spouse is entitled to the greater of what the deceased was receiving while alive, or 82.5 percent of the deceased’s “primary insurance amount” or “PIA,” which is the amount due at full retirement age.
Here is an example: If your FRA benefit amount was $1500/month, then your age 62 amount when you claimed was $1125. But due to the special rule, your wife would get $1238 (82.5 percent of $1500) instead of the reduced $1125 amount. Of course, this example doesn’t reflect the COLA (cost of living) increases which would have been applied to your benefit over the years, but as your widow and because you claimed before your full retirement age, your wife would be entitled to at least 82.5 percent of your PIA if that is more than the actual amount you were receiving when you passed.
This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained, and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.
Letter to the Editor
Dear Trustees of the California State University system,
You serve as volunteers to the University because you recognize our students’ potential to lift our communities, our state, and our world. We are inspired by the resilience, talent, and character we observe in our students each day. Our students reflect the vibrant global society of the future. Yet, opportunities are hard-won in the present, where racism, anti-Blackness, and inequality of means persist.
We, the faculty and staff members of CSU East Bay, face similar challenges in our private and professional lives or are concerned for someone who does. Too often on our campus, support for our Black community is heard more than it is felt.
Correcting these structural inequities will take leadership that values efforts in teaching, research, and service to overcome racial and gender bias. We need leadership at CSU East Bay that encourages honest discussion of fairness in hiring, retention, workload, and pay. We need leadership that treats everyone on campus with the same fundamental trust and respect.
As you select our next President, we ask you to choose a candidate who brings direct experience confronting and dismantling institutional racism. We need a President for CSU East Bay who is excited by what we can accomplish when we empower the diverse potential of our Black faculty, staff, students, and community. We as a community want to do better, and we need a leader who will help us do better.
While we focus our concerns in this letter on the inequalities and discrimination experienced by our Black faculty, staff and students due to institutionalized racism, we do not ignore nor diminish the effects that our institutional practices can have for women, the indigenous, immigrants, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and for people of color in general. We demand in our next President, the qualities and capabilities that will ensure, through their leadership, equitable outcomes for all.
Alliance for the Black Community
California State University, East Bay
Hayward, CA
alliancefortheblackcommunity@gmail.com
Twitter to label or remove misleading claims on vote results
By Barbara Ortutay
AP Technology Writer
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP), Sep 10 – Twitter said Thursday that starting next week it will label or remove misleading claims that try to undermine public confidence in elections.
The policy will apply to tweets that attempt to undermine people's faith in the electoral process itself, such as false claims about election rigging or ballot tampering, or about the outcome of the vote, Twitter said.
The policy goes into effect Sept. 17, a few weeks before the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election. Many Americans are expected to vote by mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is likely to delay election results. Social media companies have been working to strengthen their policies to prevent misinformation, but it's not clear if their efforts will be enough.
Facebook said last week it will restrict new political ads in the week before the election and remove posts that convey misinformation about COVID-19 and voting. It will also attach links to official results to posts by candidates and campaigns that prematurely declare victory.
Twitter has had more aggressive policies than Facebook. It has banned political ads altogether and began labeling President Donald Trump's tweets with fact checks in May, earning his ire.
San Francisco-based Twitter said its policy of labeling, rather than removing violating tweets from world leaders, will still apply with its newest rules. This means even if a candidate posts misleading claims about the election outcome, the post would likely stay up because Twitter deems it in the “public interest.“ That said, the post's visibility would be reduced and people won't be able to retweet it.
“We will not permit our service to be abused around civic processes, most importantly elections,“ Twitter said in a blog post Thursday. “Any attempt to do so – both foreign and domestic – will be met with strict enforcement of our rules, which are applied equally and judiciously for everyone.“
Though the policy comes weeks before the U.S. election, more than 80% of Twitter's users are outside of the U.S. and it will apply globally.
Uber to require that passengers provide face-mask selfies
AP Wire Service
SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Sep 01 – Mask slackers will now have to provide photographic proof they are wearing a face covering before boarding an Uber.
The San Francisco-based company unveiled a new policy Tuesday stipulating that if a driver reports to Uber that a rider wasn't wearing a mask, the rider will have to take a selfie with one strapped on the next time they summon a driver on the world's largest ride-hailing service. The requirement will roll out in the U.S. and Canada later this month before coming to other parts of the world.
The additional safety measures are part of Uber's ongoing efforts to rebuild a service that has seen ridership plunge this year. People have been seeking to minimize the chances of becoming sick and have had fewer reasons to go anywhere, with offices, bars, restaurants and nightclubs closed through much of the U.S. and other parts of the world.
Appeals court gives reprieve to Uber, Lyft in California
Aug 20
By Cathy Bussewitz and Michael Liedtke
AP Business Writers
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) – An appeals court has allowed ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft to continue treating their drivers as independent contractors in California while an appeal works its way through the court.
Both companies had threatened to shut down if a ruling went into effect Friday morning that would have forced them to treat all their drivers as employees, a change they said would be impossible to accomplish overnight.
Lyft told riders and drivers in a Thursday blog post that it planned to discontinue providing rides in California just before midnight tonight, unless a court grants a stay in a pending case. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi had repeatedly said its service would have no choice but to stop providing rides in California if the state's law goes into effect because the company can”t afford to hire 50,000 drivers as employees quickly enough to comply.
The shutdown would have been a major blow to two companies that still haven't proven they can make money, even as they have held down their expenses by treating drivers as independent contractors who don't receive the same benefits as their full-time employees.
California represents a substantial chunk of both companies' businesses. It accounted for 9% of Uber's worldwide rides before the pandemic caused people to avoid traveling. The state is even more important to Lyft, which doesn't operate outside of the U.S. besides Canada. California accounted for 21% of Lyft's rides before the pandemic, but that figure dropped to 16% during the April-June period as more people stayed at home and there were few places to go.
The unavailability of the two ride-hailing services also would have delivered another blow to the California economy by taking away the paychecks of Uber and Lyft drivers while also making it more difficult for people without cars to get around. That's why the mayors of San Diego and San Jose, California – two of the three largest cities in the state – joined forces this week urging the appeals court to block the law from going into effect.
“Being forced into a situation where shutting down service is the only viable option hurts everyone at a moment when we need to pull together to help more Californians make ends meet,“ said San Diego Mayor Faulconer, a Republican, and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, a Democrat.
Both companies had sought the stay of an August 10 court decision that ruled they must start treating their drivers as employees, not independent contractors, by Friday morning. Both appealed and sought a stay on the decision.
The companies are hoping to overturn the California law underlying the lower-court decision with a ballot initiative in the upcoming election. Uber and Lyft are among the biggest contributors to a $110 million effort to get the initiative, Proposition 22, passed to rescind the law. Lyft urged for passage of the initiative in its blog post.
At issue is a decision that could re-shape the so-called gig economy as drivers, delivery workers and others who work for popular apps on an as-needed basis seek improved working conditions and benefits that many in the workforce enjoy.
Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives predicted losing Uber and Lyft rides in California would cause such a high level of frustration among consumers that it would help get the initiative passed.
In his ruling against Uber and Lyft, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ethan P. Schulman ordered them to make the employment classification change for their California drivers, which would guarantee benefits like overtime, sick leave and expense reimbursement. That ruling doesn't affect Uber's growing Eats business, so regardless of what happens with the case, Uber will continue delivering food.
Schulman's decision followed a new California law aimed at companies that employ gig workers. It says companies can only classify workers as contractors if they perform work outside the usual scope of their business. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and several city attorneys sued Uber and Lyft, saying they were violating that law.
The ride-hailing companies have argued that they're technology companies, not transportation companies, so drivers are not a core part of their business.
California officials say treating drivers as contractors harms more than just drivers, since the companies don't contribute to the state's dwindling unemployment insurance fund on the drivers' behalf.
Union City Police Log
Submitted by Lt. Steven Mendez
Wednesday, September 9
• At about 10:48 a.m. officers responded to a report about a female being held against her will at the Extended Stay America Hotel on Dyer Street. Officers waited outside the hotel and eventually learned the identity of the woman and a male suspect with her. Soon, officers spotted a male matching the suspect’s description sitting in a car in the hotel parking lot.
The suspect ignored officer’s commands and then rammed a police SUV with his vehicle. During this incident a Union City officer fired a single shot, but the suspect was not hit by gunfire and no one else was reported injured. The suspect, identified by police as Rafe Stowers, 33, of Hayward was taken into custody. The female in the hotel room was reported safe.
Stowers faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, and resisting an officer. He also had several active felony warrants. The officer who discharged his weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave. An investigation is continuing. Anyone with information that can help is asked to contact Det. Angela Fonseca at (510) 675-5283 or angelaf@unioncity.org. Information also can be left anonymously at (510) 675-5207 or tips@unioncity.org.
Union City City Council
September 8, 2020
The Union City Council heard a 2020 Census update presentation before unanimously approving the following consent calendar items at its regular September 8 meeting:
• Resolution authorizing the first agreement between Union City and Michael Baker International Inc. to increase the agreement amount by $63,000 (total not to exceed $113,000) for implementation of a small business assistance program and housing-related support.
• Resolution authorizing an agreement between Union City and Fremont, for a total not to exceed $37,000, for implementation of a residential rental assistance program.
• Resolution authorizing a third amendment to HdL Companies for a consulting services agreement for cannabis consulting services (not to exceed $111,000).
• Resolution appropriating funds in the amount of $740,000 for traffic signal improvements; related to this resolution, council authorized the city manager to execute a contract in the amount of $626,627 with Brown & Fesler, Inc.
• Resolution approving a pre-qualified on-call list of consultants to provide professional engineering services in the areas of civil engineering design, construction management and inspection, municipal program and project management, development review, city surveyor and material testing.
• Resolution to amend the City’s compensation plan and salary schedule for the chief building official/senior plans examiner.
Council also unanimously voted to adopt a resolution rescinding the resolution which had declared intent to award commercial cannabis permits to Redwood Medical Supply for cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and a medical dispensary.
City Manager reports:
• Station District plan – review of draft guiding principles and subarea planning alternatives. The Station District is a 471-acre area surrounding the Intermodal Station. City staff and the consultant team have been working with stakeholders and community members to create an updated specific plan for the area. Over the last few months, the City has completed an extensive outreach process to solicit feedback on the draft “Guiding Principles and Planning Alternatives for the Station District” subareas. Outreach efforts included a community workshop, a community survey, meetings with stakeholders, two meetings with the City’s appointed Citizen Advisory Committee and an August 20th meeting with the Planning Commission.
• The Council unanimously approved amendments to the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year Operating Budget. Assumptions and estimates used to originally develop the budget originally have changed; adjustments reflect anticipated revenues and expenditures due to events such as the cyber attack and COVID-19.
• Council unanimously adopted a resolution to create a new Department Head position, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer (ACM/CFO). The new position assumes the duties previously performed by the Finance Director position vacant since June 2020. Job duties include serving as second in command of City operations, providing strategic leadership guidance, and providing organizational expertise. This position will also help fill the gap that will result from the upcoming retirements of two other department head positions.
Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci Aye
Vice Mayor Emily Duncan Aye
Pat Gacoscos Aye
Jaime Patiño Aye
Gary Singh Aye
United says it will drop widely scorned ticket-change fees
Aug 30
By J
AP Airlines Writer
United Airlines says it listened to customers and is dropping an unpopular $200 fee for most people who change a ticket for travel within the United States.
“When we hear from customers about where we can improve, getting rid of fees is often the top request,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in a video posted Sunday.
United's move will put pressure on American Airlines and Delta Air Lines to drop their change fees, also $200 on domestic travel. Delta noted that it has waived change fees for travel affected by the virus through the year's end. American did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Southwest Airlines does not charge change fees, a policy which its CEO says has helped it gain more business.
United said that it eliminated change fees for people who buy a standard or premium economy ticket for U.S. travel.
United also said that it will extend a broad waiver of change fees – including for international travel – through Dec. 31. Customers who pay the lowest fares, called “basic economy,” can also change tickets free because of the extended waiver announced Sunday.
And starting in January, it will let customers fly standby for free on other flights the same day as their booked flight.
The moves come as United and other airlines try desperately to lure people back to flying despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. U.S. air travel has recovered modestly since April, but passenger traffic remains down about 70% from a year ago.
The four largest U.S. airlines lost a combined $10 billion from April through June. Airlines shared $25 billion in federal payroll aid under pandemic relief legislation and are lobbying for $25 billion more.
United has warned 36,000 employees that they could be furloughed in October. It received $5 billion in taxpayer money to keep workers on the payroll through September.
Consumer groups have long complained about the array of fees that airlines impose for things that were once part of the fare. Change fees draw particular scorn because, critics say, they far exceed airlines' costs of changing or canceling tickets with a few keystrokes.
Fees on checked bags and ticket changes gained widespread use during an industry downturn in 2008. Since then, airlines have added fees on seats with more legroom, priority boarding and other amenities.
They contributed to a highly profitable run that lasted for a decade, broken only by the pandemic. Now airlines are slashing flights and shrinking work forces to cope with the travel slump.
The United CEO acknowledged that airlines facing tough times have often “made difficult decisions to survive, sometimes at the expense of customer service.” Kirby said United is looking to serve customers better this time.
Since 2010, Chicago-based United has scooped up nearly $6.5 billion in change fees. Last year, it took in $625 million, third behind Delta and American, according to Transportation Department figures.
In Washington, several lawmakers have launched periodic campaigns to outlaw change fees. In 2018, the Senate approved a bill to prohibit “unreasonable” fees for changing or canceling tickets, but the measure was scuttled in negotiations with the House.
Remote video building inspections available
Submitted by City of Fremont
City of Fremont has launched remote video building inspections for limited types of building permits for single-family residential projects as an alternative to an inspector completing an in-person inspection. The video inspections are limited to single-family residential projects with the following permit types:
• Single-family residential re-roof permit
• Single-family residential water heater replacement permit
• Single-family residential air-conditioning upgrade permit
• Single-family residential furnace replacement permit
Inspections are performed using either FaceTime (iOS) or Google Duo (Android) apps. To connect to the video call and interact with the building inspector, applicants and contractors need to use a smartphone or tablet with a 4G or 5G wireless service connection.
For more information on how to schedule remote video building inspections, visit www.fremont.gov/3618/51174/Remote-Video-Building-Inspections or call Building Inspection at (510) 494-4400.
Voting Laws in California
In order to clarify the legal ramifications of double voting, the California Secretary of State’s office has replied to a query by Tri-City Voice. The following should make it clear that double voting or attempts to double vote are serious offenses and not tolerated by the State of California.
These two California Elections Code sections discuss penalties with double voting:
18500.
Any person who commits fraud or attempts to commit fraud, and any person who aids or abets fraud or attempts to aid or abet fraud, in connection with any vote cast, to be cast, or attempted to be cast, is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for 16 months or two or three years.
18560.
Every person is guilty of a crime punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months or two or three years, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, who:
(a) Not being entitled to vote at an election, fraudulently votes or fraudulently attempts to vote at that election.
(b) Being entitled to vote at an election, votes more than once, attempts to vote more than once, or knowingly hands in two or more ballots folded together at that election.
(c) Impersonates or attempts to impersonate a voter at an election.
You may also want to talk to local elections officials about the procedures they have in place for processing ballots. Here is a general breakdown for California. Please note that some counties use “traditional polling places” where voters are assigned to a specific voting location, and others use Vote Centers that don’t tie a voter to a specific location.
At traditional polling places:
• Voters who receive a vote-by-mail ballot, must surrender it to the election official before they can vote a regular “live” ballot in-person. If a voter who received a vote-by-mail ballot does not surrender it, they must vote a provisional ballot. That provisional ballot is then processed by elections officials after polling place and vote-by-mail ballots have been processed and counted. Provisional ballots are carefully checked to ensure that the voter is registered and did not cast a ballot elsewhere.
At vote centers:
• Some counties use vote centers with electronic pollbooks for checking in voters at voting locations. These electronic pollbooks allow them to check if a voter has cast a ballot elsewhere, and mark that the voter has cast a ballot in real time. This allows poll workers to issue a “live” ballot to a vote-by-mail voter (regardless if they have a vote-by-mail ballot to surrender) since they can check and update the voter’s participation history for that election.
Chris Miller
Communications Coordinator
Office of Secretary of State Alex Padilla