Thousands Enjoy Festival,Castro Valley's Hospitality

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  09-11-19

Saturday morning’s gray skies and chilly breeze blossomed into a perfect summer day on Sunday for Castro Valley’s 47th annual Fall Festival.

A variety of family activities, live music, food, beverages and community interest booths awaited everyone who attended.

“People are really happy to be here,” said Zelma Byrd, Board member on the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce, which spearheaded the event. “There were so many people who came early this year, more than usual. It’s better than I expected.”

Food booths with sizzling barbecues and other specialties, and dozens of other vendors selling arts and crafts were kept busy both days. The Chamber’s popular commemorative glasses were still in demand.

“One lady came early just to make sure she got her wine glass,” added Byrd. “She said she gets one every year for her collection.”

The festival featured at least 150 vendor booths, plus pony rides, blow-up climbing structures, games and a petting zoo for the kids. 

Schools, clubs, places of worship, medical facilities, government services and even cruise lines were represented as well. 

Two stages showcased live performances from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Lifelong Castro Valley resident Robin Mendez said she enjoyed her day at the festival.

“I think it’s a wonderful time for the community to get together,” she said. “I liked seeing the variety of booths this year.”

Others appreciated the Chamber’s efforts to support local commerce.

“There are lots of businesses trying to advertise and meet the people here in the community,” said Diana Gee-Calingo of Castro Valley.  “There are also many food booths that look tasty.”

Where Have The Recycling Centers Gone?

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  09-11-19

Hoping to get back that nickel for that empty soda can or bottle? You’ll probably end up spending more in gas to find a place that will take your recyclables.

Castro Valley’s last redemption center behind the Lucky Supermarket on Castro Valley Boulevard recently shuttered its doors in part because its parent company RePlanet went out of business back on August 5.

The company closed all of its centers in California. Most were adjacent to grocery stores which have the highest volume of sales of bottles and cans with an enforced California Redemption Value (CRV) fee.

The Container Recycling Institute reports there are around 250 redemption centers left on grocery store lots statewide, forcing consumers to travel longer distances and waiting in long lines to recycle.

What’s got Castro Valley residents like Conrad Wilgus a little more than aggravated. The adjunct math professor at Chabot College has been diligently crushing cans and recycling as far back as the 1970s when Castro Valley’s co-op grocery store took steel cans back for money.

Without the recycling center behind Lucky, the next closest center to the 94546 ZIP code is a pop-up run by American Recycling on Liberty Street near Fairmont Avenue in San Leandro.

“I should not have to travel 10 miles to recycle,” Wilgus told the Castro Valley Forum. “If the state charges for something like a CRV fee and they say you can take them to these centers but then these centers continue to close, the state should suspend CRV fees until they reopen them.”

Wilgus is not the only voice crying foul that the state collects the CRV but turns its back on the redemption part. The nonprofit, nonpartisan group Consumer Watchdog says Californians plunk down $1.5 billion each year in CRV deposits yet only about half of the deposits come back directly to consumers because they cannot find a convenient place to return empties.

“Consumers need grocery stores and retailers to redeem their bottle and can deposits, otherwise, the CRV deposit becomes little more than a tax,” Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court told the Forum, adding that if a town or city does not have a recycling center within a mile radius, that grocery and liquor stores are required to receive empties and payout CRV fees.

While the practice of returning empty bottles was the norm before 1986, when CRV fees were established, your local grocery store may refuse your offer.

Consumer Watchdog survey in May 2019 found two-thirds of the 50 retailers visited who were legally obligated to redeem deposits refused to do so. Additionally, last-minute legislation submitted on September 7 by State Senator Steve Glazer (SB 643) would exempt thousands of grocery stores statewide from the obligation to recycle consumers’ bottles and cans and return their deposits.

Recycling center closures also hurt communities through job losses and income for individuals, like the homeless who gather discarded cans and bottles to earn extra cash.

As for the fate of those bottles and cans, Wilgus says he’s resigned to schlepping his $13 worth of empties outside of Castro Valley instead of dumping the aluminum and glass in the recycle bins offered by garbage collection companies.

“I already paid the CRV fees once. I do not wish to line the pockets of the garbage companies with money owed to me,” Wilgus says.

Fall Festival Brings Out The Best

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  09-04-19

One of the mainstays of the end of summer is Castro Valley’s Fall Festival coming up this weekend, Sept. 7 and 8.

Tens of thousands of locals and far-flung friends having been enjoying the two-day street party for years.

This is the 47th year for an event that started in the Community Center on Lake Chabot Road as a fine arts exhibit, a fashion show and sports memorabilia exhibition. It seemed Castro Valley was just looking for a community event and it grew and grew.

Now, nearly half a century later, Castro Valley will experience again the sense of community and that hometown feel that makes it such a desirable place to live. And visitors will get a glimpse of why so many people love to call Castro Valley “home.”

The festival promotes the downtown where more than 60,000 people are expected over the two days not only to enjoy the festival, but to shop in stores and eat in restaurants.

Vendor booths — there will be more than 150 of them —will offer everything from unique arts and crafts to exotic foods and beverages.

Many of the booths feature free give-aways and information.

 CV Rotary and Eden Medical Join Forces to Support Stroke Patients

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  09-04-19

The Rotary Club of Castro Valley has given Eden Medical Center a $10,000 challenge grant towards the purchase of a robotic exoskeleton therapy device to help survivors of stroke, spinal cord injury and other forms of lower extremity weakness to walk again.  

The total cost of the device is $207,000.

The Ekso GT body suit adjusts continuously to support a patient’s every step. It offers new hope for greater independence and a better quality of life for a broad range of people with limited mobility due to injuries or illnesses.

During the Fall Festival, the Rotary Club will match dollar for dollar every donation up to $10,000 to Eden Medical Center’s campaign to purchase this technology, doubling the impact of generous community donors.

Eden Medical Center treats more than 700 stroke patients each year and serves as a referral center for advanced neurological conditions.  In addition to the Rotary Club’s match grant, Sutter will match more than $100,000 to complete the funding of the exoskeleton.

“We are very happy to be a part of this great project in our local community,” said Rotary Club President Todd Anglin. “We are glad to be able to contribute to the health of communities in the Bay Area and around the world.”

Last year, the Rotary Club led a project with other Rotary clubs to raise nearly $400,000 to establish an oxygen-generating facility in Ethiopia that will support several hospitals that previously had no access to oxygen for patients.

“We thank Rotary for stepping up to get this project off the ground,” said Stephen Gray, CEO of Eden Medical Center. “I hope people in our community match the challenge by stopping by our booth to learn more about this life changing technology at the Fall Festival and make a gift.”

Donations to the project can be made at Eden’s booth at the Fall Festival or online at www.sutterhealth.org/eden-exosuit. Eden Medical Center is a nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible.

Sheriff’s Patrols Beefed Up After Recent Incidents

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  09-04-19

Parents and students are asked to call 911 if they see or are approached by a white man in his 20s or 30s with long hair and a beard who promises a trip to McDonald’s.

Tensions were high at the beginning of the school week last Monday after two reported incidents on August 26 near Canyon and Creekside Middle Schools.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly says no physical harm was done to students and that more deputies have been patrolling the area as a precaution.

“Our students are very smart and everyone we talked with ignored the guy’s invitation to go to McDonald’s,” Sgt. Kelly told the Castro Valley Forum. “We know a lot of kids have cell phones. We’re asking them to call 911 so that we can respond faster to stopping this person from annoying anyone else.”

Three students walking on Heyer Avenue near Center Street last Monday said they were approached by the man about 8:00 a.m. Later that day, around 4:00 p.m., another group of students said a man fitting the same description harassed them on Proctor Road.

In both cases, the man drove a 4-door car, possibly white, and specifically mentioned McDonald’s to entice people to join him.

In addition to an increased presence by deputies, Castro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi sent out an alert to families asking them to remind students of these important safety tips:

• Don’t talk to strangers.

• Don’t take anything from strangers.

• Don’t go anywhere with someone you don’t know.

• Stay more than an arm’s reach from strangers. If you are approached by a stranger, seek help immediately.

• Trust your instincts, if you feel you are being followed or something is not right, seek help immediately.

• Use the buddy system, avoid walking anywhere alone.

• Review contact phone numbers and home safety practices.

• When seeking help, always go to a trusted adult – teacher, coach, police officer, other parent, or older siblings.

Students are also asked to report these incidents immediately and to not wait until the next school day.

Krayon's at 40 - From Bar to Star

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-28-19

As a we season in time we also tend to reason in time.  We grow to understand the cycles of life, along with respect and appreciation for the forces of time and motion that foster those seasons. It is also from within them that acts of creation, art and beauty can emerge.    

    A perspective on this process became center-stage at the recent 40th anniversary celebration of a favored local tavern – Krayon’s.  

Hundreds of people gathered — sharing memories, friendships, hugs and kisses. For those who experienced Krayon’s during these last four decades there was a shared feeling among the throng — that we were among a family of people that gathered there.  

It was not a “country club,” but was like a local club where people could go to be with others in a friendly environment.  

Given the warmth of the celebration it was obvious that Krayon’s has been, indeed, a place of friendship and camaraderie. It was, in a way, not only a “Cheers,” but a “home-like place to visit.”  

Good times were shared there, as well as a place to receive comfort with bad times. Friends could gather there. Friends could be made there. Or, if one wanted to simply be there by one’s self, it was also a good place to go.

For those of us who are “seasoned” here in Castro Valley we can recall that this place of warmth and friendship was not always that way. 

It was once a moribund bar, suffering from a form of social arthritis, lacking a future. It was limping along, lonely and forlorn. Its name was Duffy’s.

It needed love, attention and new life to give it a life. This is what happened when Karen Herdt-Jonke took on the challenge and adopted Duffy’s and transformed it into Krayon’s.  

New life was generated within its decaying cells. It took risk, along with blood, sweat and tears. It required not only hard work, but artistic work as well.  

Although Karen perhaps did not know it at the time – she had potent skills as an entrepreneur, as well as “true grit.”  She also had other things going for her – she was very well-liked and also possessed the skills of an artist.  

Duffy’s became Krayon’s, with crayons used as symbols for the art of a place she was creating for people to gather in friendship and pleasure. A place of spirits, it was a place that gave spirit to life here in Castro Valley.

From a historical perspective, I had familiarity with Duffy’s and its sense of despair and lack of a future. This enabled me to view the fullness of the story behind Krayon’s and what it became under the artistic entrepreneurship that colored Karen’s creation.  

With these thoughts in mind, the 40th anniversary celebration of Krayon’s was also a celebration for an artist who created the gathering place and warmed it with her own presence and skills. She gifted the place with her own character. She gave it personality. It became part of the fabric of our town and became a gift to us as well.

With that said, three cheers for Karen, her husband Fred, and her family and friends who gave us forty years of good memories.  

May it only have just begun.

Tom Lorentzen lives in Castro Valley. He formerly served on the board of the Institute of Museum & Library Services and the Advisory Board to Southern Oregon University, and has served three Presidential Administrations. 

Hog Wild: Hungry Hogs Visit Castro Valley Neighborhoods

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-28-19

Castro Valley resident Donna Boyer has had an unexpected visitor this summer – in the form of a wild black pig.  

A handsome animal  — if you like that sort of thing — it appears to trek down from nearby Hayward Area Recreation District property (off Sydney Way and Stanton Avenue) to forage in her yard.

“They roam around here frequently. I never saw one in my yard before, though,” she says. “One morning I heard him in the front yard and he was in the flower bed. We were looking at each other eyeball to eyeball through the glass pane. That was a little unsettling.”

Sometimes Boyer can snap a photograph, but other times she just sees the pig on her Ring doorbell security system. He has been scarce recently, but for a while was coming every morning or evening to snack in her yard.  

Similar-looking pigs have been sighted all around her Talbot Lane neighborhood.

Boyer’s friends who are hunters estimate the pig to be over 200 pounds. Some jokingly suggested a luau to solve her pig problem.

Wild pigs can be destructive and aggressive. They have been seen in many other areas of town, and have done damage to yards in the Palomares hills development and the area around Cull Canyon.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website, wild pigs are found in 56 of the state’s 58 counties. They are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal matter. Their favorite foods include grasses, herbs, edible seeds and fruits, roots, tubers and invertebrate animals.  

More information on wild pigs, including regulations for hunting them, may be found at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting//Wild-Pig

CAPTION: A 200-pound wild black pig has been foraging in Donna Boyer’s yard in Castro Valley.

PHOTOS BY DONNA BOYER

Concerns Over Projects on Old Route 238 Land

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-28-19

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard public comment about the ongoing discussion of the State Route 238 parcels.

A 200-acre swath of land from Cherryland to South Hayward that was once set for an expansion of State Route 238 (Mission Blvd.) has been divided into 10 parcels and is now set to be transformed with new uses including a large affordable housing project from Eden Housing.

Caltrans bought the land in the 1960s for what was once termed the “Foothill Freeway,” but the 14-mile project never materialized and the City of Hayward eventually bought the land, which is located both within the city limits and in the unincorporated area.

Some of the parcels are much closer to being developed than others. Construction is already underway on 472 townhomes near the South Hayward BART station. But the futures of parcels in Castro Valley and Cherryland are still up in the air.

At the Monday night MAC meeting, over a dozen speakers told the council they opposed in particular the development of a parcel of nearly 19 acres (13 acres of which are in the unincorporated area) which runs between Grove Way and Carlos Bee Park. It’s zoned for neighborhood commercial and residential uses of up to medium density and also for open space.

Another parcel relevant to Castro Valley, the Cherryland parcel, called the “Apple/Oak parcel” is 4 acres, with 1.5 acres in the unincorporated area. It’s zoned for high-density residential and commercial office uses.

What’s challenging is that so many different entities are involved in the project including the cities, the unincorporated area, the county, the Hayward Area Recreation District, residents, and other stakeholders.

City of Hayward Deputy City Manager Jennifer Orr says the goal of the project overall is to “try to mitigate blight and work with communities” and to make the area “more cohesive.”

Orr said that one city of Hayward parcel is slated to become a hotel marketed to business travelers.

She said that there have been lots of demand for nicer hotels, as rates in the Silicon Valley top $600 per night. Orr said they’ll put out a request for bids on the hotel next year.

Another desired use for the 238 parcels are apartments, as affordable housing developers Eden Housing wants to put 81 units on a little less than three acres in the area of Grove Way and A Street, according to senior project developer Ellen Morris.

The item before the MAC was simply there to be discussed, not voted on. Perhaps unsurprisingly, most public speakers were to speak against the Eden housing project, saying they support affordable housing in general, but don’t want it built in an already busy area.

Other concerns were parking, homeless congregating in the area, and loss of natural open spaces.

“We want affordable houses, but we want them in places where habitat is not damaged,” said Bruce King of the Friends of the San Lorenzo Creek.

Liz Dunbar lives on Knox Street, near A Street, and had concerns about the proposed development.

“One of our biggest concerns is traffic,” said Dunbar. “Turning from Ruby to A is a nightmare every day. When we read there was going to be a hundred more cars traveling that street, we are concerned about the traffic our neighborhood is going to get.”

MAC Chair Marc Crawford said he had some questions on how the various agencies were involved in the planning process and also said he wanted Eden Housing to do a traffic study on Redwood Road, and Ruby and A streets.

“It is baby steps at this point,” said Crawford. “We’re going to take it one step at a time and see what we can do.”

Whatever happens with the land, Hayward will need to finalize plans by 2022, or the property automatically will revert back to Caltrans as per terms of the contract.

Cruise Night: A Way of Life

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-29-19

If it weren’t for the presence of cell phones, digital cameras, business chains such as Starbucks and Rigatoni’s and modern day vehicles like SUVs or Tesla cars, one might actually believe they were back in the 1960s along Castro Valley Blvd. this past Saturday night.  

After a well-received inception last year, Castro Valley hosted its second annual Cruise Night featuring classic and exotic cars as well as nearly everything in-between.  

Participants either parked their vehicle along the route for display or drove slowly (aka “cruised”) on the boulevard between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. as onlookers ooh-ed and aah-ed.  

Featured vehicles included the Chevy Camaro and Corvette, the Plymouth Barracuda, the Shelby Cobra, the Lincoln Continental, the VW Beetle and Microbus and the iconic 1964 Ford Mustang.  

Older cars with white wall tires like the Cadillac Fleetwood also received praise, as did newer muscle cars like the Dodge Charger.

There were a few cars that emitted a futuristic-looking blue and purple neon glow and a couple of souped-up motorcycles, including one with a goggle-wearing dog as co-pilot.  

One person was even riding a tricked out unicycle with a Maier racing tire. Essentially, any mode of transportation with wheels that had chrome or could be polished took center stage.

Of course, no car show would be complete without the quintessential low rider. Three customized cars fitted with air or hydraulic systems defied gravity by hopping, jumping, dancing up and down and, at times, riding on two wheels to the amazement of the crowd.  Pronounced gasps by spectators often indicated that a low rider was nearby.  

Drivers who could be heard revving their engines at red lights as if to signal the start of a race equally impressed the large number of attendees.  The roaring engines ignited excitement and anticipation and served to prevent vehicles from stalling.  

A secondary gain for the audience occurred when the light turned green and vehicles advanced through the intersection, some leaving the smell of burning rubber in their wake. This visceral experience heightened the elation of many bystanders who were invested in an up close and personal experience.

The event attracted local residents as well as people from other parts of the Bay Area. Attendance was high and there was a strong police presence to address safety issues.  

TMC Productions/The Music Company supplied music through large speakers to pump up the crowd and many restaurants offered special discounts. T-shirts were available for purchase and the Chabot Theatre held a fundraiser and offered a free screening of “American Graffiti.”  Donations support the purchase of new seats and the expansion of comfort at the venue.

This family friendly event had an air of inclusiveness. People from different walks of life came together to appreciate a recreational activity that relies on social interactions.  

This was not just about shiny grills, glistening airbrushed rides and engines that purr and roar.  Cruising provides us with an opportunity to take pride in our accomplishments and to recognize beauty in others.  

It is about the ultimate expression of freedom. As long as our engine is running, we can go anywhere.  And, it is a lesson about slowing down and appreciating the journey.  

Cruising, after all, is a way of life and something in which we can all participate equally.

PHOTOS BY DEBBIE TEE

Historical Society to Relocate Its Galleries and Operations

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-22-19

The Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS) galleries at the Museum of History and Culture building on Foothill Blvd. will be temporarily closed next month so they can be moved from the first to the second floor.

The last day to visit the galleries in their current layout will be Sunday, Sept. 1. The new galleries are expected to re-open in mid-2020.

Last fall, HAHS announced that the building would be put up for sale as part of a financial and operational restructuring of the organization. While the building has not yet sold, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to move forward with the leasing of the first floor gallery space.

“It was a very difficult decision that was not taken lightly. We had reviewed all the possible options,” says Board President Richard Patenaude. “After careful review and planning, we determined this was the best way forward for HAHS to reduce the Museum operations to a more sustainable size while generating some additional income by leasing the gallery spaces to a new tenant.”

During the gallery closure, the second floor will be modified to house the Research Library, Archives, staff offices, and gallery spaces. Interim Executive Director Diane Curry said the space will be more intimate.

“We will reuse, repurpose, and reinvent exhibits to provide new experiences and stories for our audience,” she said.

During the closure, the staff will continue to offer research services at the Foothill Blvd. building. School tours and other educational programming will be available at other sites, including at the historic McConaghy House and Meek Estate.

Its popular Toddler Time program will move to McConaghy House on the second Thursdays of the month, while adding a new, additional Toddler Time program on the first Saturdays of the month, also at McConaghy House. Other programs and events will be announced in the coming months.

“We are committed to our mission to connect people, experiences, and stories now more than ever,” Curry said. “We are physically reorganizing but we are not going out of business. The Historical Society has been around a long time and we are working diligently to make sure we are around for a long time to come.”

For more information about the Hayward Area Historical Society’s activities, call (510) 581-0223, email info@haywardareahistory.org and visit online www.haywardareahistory.org.

CAPTION: SHOWPLACE TO CLOSE UNTIL NEXT SUMMER: The Hayward Area Historical Society galleries at the Museum of History and Culture building on 22380 Foothill Blvd. will close next month so they can be moved from the first to the second floor, allowing the society to lease first floor space for needed revenue. 

PHOTOS BY FRED ZEHNDER

Kasper's: The Hidden Hot Dog Gem of Castro Valley

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-14-19

Whether you like them piled with tomatoes and onions or smothered in chili and cheese, the hot dog remains one of the quintessential American icons.

It just so happens Castro Valley is home to one of the original hot dog franchises: Kasper’s Hot Dogs.  

Nestled in a strip mall on East Castro Valley Boulevard off Center Street, the 25-seat restaurant has been in operation in Castro Valley since 1982. Under a colorful orange and red banner with shooting stars, five employees tackle the lunch and dinner crowds seven days a week.

“We serve nearly 200 hot dogs a day,” Kasper’s employee Jessica Wade told the Castro Valley Forum. “Customers typically order the Original Kasper’s hot dog or the cheese dog. Those are the two most popular. But everyone has their favorite.”

The Original hot dog includes tomatoes and onions, mustard and relish in a steamed bun. Options include sauerkraut, pickles or jalapenos. Ketchup is allowed but highly frowned upon.

Other popular sandwiches include the Polish Dog, the Hot Link, and the Double Dog. While most people come in for hot dogs, occasionally someone will order just a bun with all the vegetable fixings. Kasper’s does also offer nachos for vegetarians and chicken dogs for those who do not eat beef.

The name Kasper’s often confuses people because there is a similar hot dog chain in the Bay Area named Caspers.

For those who may not know, the original franchise was founded in the 1930s by Kasper Castigian, a hot dog vendor from Chicago and Armenian-American decent. During the 1940s, Castigian’s cousins failed to buy out the company but were allowed to open their own hot dog restaurants and call them Caspers (no apostrophe).

There are eight different Caspers locations. There are six Kasper’s still standing including the site in Castro Valley.

“Almost every day someone wants to know if the two chains are related,” Wade says.

Outside of the name, there are subtle differences between the two hot dog restaurants. Kasper’s makes their links with only beef whereas Caspers combines beef and pork for flavor. Caspers’ management has also been able to package and sell their hot dogs in grocery stores.

While there are no plans to combine the two family-run franchises, both Kasper’s and Caspers have a cult following among hot dog connoisseurs.

“It’s like a family,” Wade says. “We have our regular steady stream of customers that include people who used to come here when they were kids with their parents and now they have grown children of their own.”

The customers also come for the conversation, Wade adds. Employee loyalty is not uncommon, and many people will come to order their favorite hot dog and catch up with longtime employees.

"We have our regulars, but we do get quite a few new faces in here as well,” Wade says. “We probably have about 15 new customers a week come in that have never had a Kasper’s dog.”

 CAPTION: The employees at Kasper’s Hot Dogs on East Castro Valley Blvd. — one of six in the East Bay — turn out some 200 “Originals” and Cheese Dogs every day, seven days a week.

PHOTO BY DEBBIE TEE

CV Gun Shops Picketed Last Week

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-15-19

Three people picketed both of Castro Valley’s gun dealerships last Thursday, saying they were motivated by recent mass shootings across the country.

Vietnam combat veteran Robert Thomas had spoken at Congressman Eric Swalwell’s community forum on gun violence last Wednesday, saying he was moved to picket the shops after viewing their websites.

“They’re not catering to average hunters,” he says.  “Their rooms are filled from floor to ceiling with assault weapons.”

Rebecca Havens and Zelda Thomas picketed with him, holding anti-assault rifle signs and urging the Senate to vote on SB 66, which would regulate sales of these weapons.

“I think it’s time for serious gun control in America, and it’s time for the Republican party to 

stop blocking background check legislation now in Congress,” said Robert Thomas. “Given the overly generous interpretation of the Second Amendment by the courts, I think it’s time we review or get rid of it. 

“It’s an archaic law to form militias way back when we were being attacked from abroad. Now we have the police, sheriff, National Guard and armed forces to protect us from invasion,” Thomas said.

Zelda Thomas said she is a retired teacher who fears for student safety.

“A mother just asked us what this protest is about, and I told her it’s so that her children don’t have to take bulletproof backpacks to school,” she said.

Castro Valley’s two gun shops are Elite Armory on Castro Valley Boulevard and Solar Tactical on Redwood Road. Neither store responded to the Forum’s request for comment.

The picketers said that on Thursday morning a representative from Elite Armory did come out and politely ask them what they were doing. He went back inside the store without incident, and the picketers moved on to the sidewalk near Solar Tactical shortly thereafter.

CAPTION: Rebecca Havens, Zelda Thomas and Robert Thomas picketed both of CV’s gun shops last Thursday, saying they were motivated by recent mass shootings across the country.

Another Delay on Project

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-15-19

Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) Chair Marc Crawford once again spoke his mind about local government at Monday night’s MAC meeting.

This time Crawford lashed out at the Alameda County Environmental Health Agency, specifically Land and Water Division Chief Dilan Roe, who Crawford said reported contamination concerns at the Castro Valley Marketplace which have significantly delayed construction at the property.

Crawford said that the county should have addressed any environmental concerns during the years-long period when the county owned it before the former Daugherty’s building was sold to the current developer.

Crawford further expressed doubt that the site is the source of any ground contamination that may have accrued over the years, pointing the finger at nearby gas stations and dry cleaners instead.

   “There just doesn’t seem to be any logic to it,” said Crawford. “It has caused a number of problems for the developers. Having an open investigation is extremely problematic for the property owner.”

That investigation — by the Regional Water Quality Control Board — is now underway. Construction was delayed for six weeks and only recently allowed to resume while the investigation continues.

Crawford said that the most recent estimated opening day for the Marketplace of October has now been pushed back but no new opening day is known.

Crawford went on to describe the situation as “unfortunate and complicated” and said that the County isn’t returning his emails.

“I don’t’ know if it’s plain incompetence, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was,” said Crawford. “It’s why people don’t’ want to do business in Castro Valley. It’d be nice to find out from the county just what their side of it was.”

Other Business

There will soon be a new place for Castro Valley kids to play and have parties, as the council unanimously voted to allow the operation of an indoor recreation facility for youth at site of the old Traders Sporting Goods store.

Business owner Mary Ann Dones had been before the MAC twice before with plans for the facility, but the MAC sent her back to the drawing board because of a lack of parking.

ones said she got neighboring businesses to offer up 20 off-street parking spaces, explaining that most of her business will be on the weekends when kids aren’t in school, so they won’t interfere with stores that are busiest during the week.

But parking was a concern for some of Dones neighboring businesses in the area of Castro Valley Boulevard and Chester Street.

Sue Bandal, owner of ABC Music, said that parking is infamously scarce in the area and drivers are known to go too fast, so that’s a concern, especially for a business whose main customers are kids.  

“Parking is always full, and cars always speed,” Bandal said. “It’s great idea, but not a good location.”

Swalwell Calls for Background Checks, Assault Weapons Ban

By Linda Sandsmark

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-15-19

A crowd of concerned locals met with U.S. Congressman Eric Swalwell last Wednesday night, following a shocking week of multiple mass shootings around the country.  

Members of the media and the public converged on Hayward City Hall for Swalwell’s impromptu ”Community Forum on Ending Gun Violence and Domestic Terrorism.”

“Following the massacres at Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton, and as our cities reel from gun violence day after day, it’s time to discuss the action that’s needed to save American lives,” said Swalwell.

He added that he was concerned for the safety of his constituents, 44 percent of whom were born outside the U.S.

“If they have skin color that’s not white, they have a lot of reasons to be afraid,” said Swalwell.

Local FBI officials have informed Swalwell that the threat level is currently high, and that more “white nationalists” have been arrested than any other group in the country.

Combating mass shootings will take a combination of background checks, bans on assault weapons, and buy-backs of assault weapons already in circulation, he said.

There was much back-and-forth among audience members, including disagreement about the roles of schools, the Internet, mental illness, the media and white supremacists in mass shootings. A woman pointed out that some shooters might be hopeless, scared, and actually suicidal.

Swalwell maintained that California could lead the way on the issues of background checks and assault weapon bans, but nationwide regulation would be required. A neighboring state with weak gun laws may sell weapons that are illegal in other states.

“We’re only as safe as the states around us,” Swalwell said, noting that although other countries have the same hate groups and mental health issues that we do, the difference is the availability of assault-style weapons.

“You shouldn’t have to have a shooting in your district to do the right thing,” said Swalwell.

He referred to Dayton, Ohio Congressman Michael Turner — a Republican — who now says he supports banning assault-style weapons — after the mass shooting in Dayton left 10 people dead in 30 seconds.

In a related matter, the House of Representatives passed SB 66 to ban these weapons, but so far Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not allowed the Senate to vote on it.  Swalwell called for pressure to be put on congress for a vote.

An audience member who goes to college in Waco, Texas said that he favored raising the minimum age to obtain firearms (for those not in the military).

“The brain isn’t fully developed until about age 25, so it doesn’t make sense to arm people before that,” he said.

Castro Valley resident Michael Kusiak said that since Castro Valley doesn’t have a city council, he hoped Swalwell would “lean on” Sheriff Greg Ahern and county supervisor Nate Miley to explore conditional use permits to make sure the unincorporated areas are not “dumping grounds” for gun stores.

While several people blamed Donald Trump for escalating fear of minorities, Swalwell said white nationalists existed before Trump, and the issue will persist after he leaves office.

Many in the crowd shared stories of children afraid to go to school, or their own fear of public places. Swalwell mentioned that this was the first weekend that he didn’t take his young son to a coffee shop for a muffin, which had been their routine.

“I don’t think we have to live this way,” said Swalwell. “The solutions aren’t beyond our imagination. They’re just beyond our political will. But I am confident that we will come out of this. The greatest threat to the Second Amendment is responsible gun owners doing nothing.”

CAPTION: Congressman Eric Swalwell answers questions from reporters at Hayward City Hall last Wednesday, just prior to his community forum on gun violence. 

PHOTOS BY LINDA SANDSMARK

Health Unlimited Stores to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-07-19

It all began back in August of 1969, when Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue” topped the country’s  music charts and American astronauts had just become the first humans to step onto the surface of the moon.

The Falls Family had decided to trek into the world of health food stores in San Leandro.

Nancy Falls knew very little about the industry she was getting into or how it would evolve over the years. Being a mother of seven children, she took on the challenge of running a successful business in the historic Pelton Center, the second oldest shopping center in California.

Nancy was intrigued by the mid-century philosophies of Adelle Davis and Henry G. Bieler, M.D., that showed her and her family the best medicine one can invest in would be healthy eating.

Nancy, being the first generation to work in a health food store, raised her seven children, Allyn, Lulu, Lisa, Matthew, Sara, Ethan, and Adam in the stores. All of the children helped out their mom by working at Health Unlimited at one point or another in their lives. Today, three generations of the family are working together.

Ethan currently works as the general manager for both of the Castro Valley and San Leandro locations. The grandchildren, Tyler, Jacob, and Brandon have grown up around the stores and are now working at both locations.

As the years went on, Health Unlimited went through many changes. One location quickly grew to two and then finally three by 1971. All three locations used to include a deli counter where sandwiches with homemade bread and chicken salad were prepared.

Fresh organic produce was not as readily available in the early years, yet the industry has grown and it is now a staple in Castro Valley.

While trends in the industry have come and gone throughout the years, Health Unlimited, one of the first Health Food Stores in the East Bay, has been in the forefront of new research and products as they evolve.

The stores sell a variety of vitamins, fresh organic produce, natural foods, cosmetics, herbal teas and accessories, while providing exceptional customer service from their friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Both locations, 182 Pelton Center in San Leandro, and 3446 Village Drive in Castro Valley, will celebrate Health Unlimited’s 50th anniversary in business on Saturday, August 17, from 9:30 a.m. to  6 p.m.

To express their gratitude to their loyal customers throughout the years, the stores will have free giveaways and give 25% off on purchases.

“We hope to continue serving the communities of San Leandro and Castro Valley for many years to come,” says Nancy Falls.

CAPTION: PIONEERS IN THE HEALTH FOOD INDUSTRY: Nancy Falls with her son Ethan in front of Health Unlimited in Castro Village which, along with the San Leandro store, will celebrate 50 years in business on Saturday, August 17.

PHOTOS BY FRED ZEHNDER

45 Arrested in Prostitution Stings

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-07-19

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and the Hayward and Oakland police departments arrested 43 would-be sex buyers and two pimps in a series of prostitution sting operations in Alameda County last month.

The four covert operations, revealed last Friday, were conducted in a Hayward hotel and along

International Blvd. in Oakland, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s office. It included both street and on-line solicitations.

The arrests were part of a nationwide sting involving more than two dozen police agencies in 11 states during which more than 500 would-be customers were arrested.

Swalwell to Host Forum on Gun Violence Tonight

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-07-19

Rep. Eric Swalwell will host a community forum on ending gun violence and domestic terrorism this evening, Aug. 7, in Hayward.

“Following the massacres at Gilroy, El Paso, and Dayton, and as our cities reel from gun violence day after day, it’s time to discuss the action that’s needed to save American lives,” Swalwell said.

“I want to update my 15th Congressional District friends and neighbors on what local and federal law enforcement, national stakeholders, and Congress are doing, and I want to hear from residents about their concerns and wishes.”

The event is free and open to all 15th Congressional District residents, including Castro Valley, Hayward, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, Sunol, Union City, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Ashland and Fairview as well as parts of Fremont and Danville.

The Forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Hayward City Council Chambers, 777 B Street, Hayward.

About Those Trucks On Redwood Road

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-07-19

Residents may have noticed there has been no steady line of dump trucks hauling soil down Redwood Road in recent days.

While there has been a hiatus of the 200 round-trips a day, the removal of the excess dirt by the East Bay Municipal Utility District from the Miller Road site in Castro Valley is not complete.

Trucking will be intermittent during the coming week depending on the needs at the former Alameda Naval Air Station site where the soil is being deposited, according to Andrea Pook, spokesperson for the East Bay Municipal Utility District.

The former Navy base, now called Alameda Point, is importing soil from multiple sources to remediate past contamination from its military past.

Lateral Replacement Grants to be Available Beginning August 19

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  08-07-19

The Castro Valley Sanitary District is offering up to $2,000 in financial assistance to qualified homeowners in the district to replace entire defective sewer lines (laterals) later this month.

The lateral is the portion of the sewer system that begins at the junction of the home’s plumbing system, usually located within two feet of the foundation of the house, and extending to the connection to the public sewer main.

These laterals are the private property of homeowners who are responsible for all installation, repair, or removal costs.

A total of $50,000 in funding has been allocated to the Lateral Replacement Grant Program, which is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 19.

CVSan is offering reimbursements at 50% of approved cost, up to a maximum of $2,000 per lateral. All work under the program must be performed by a CVSan-qualified contractor. Not all applicants will qualify for the grants.

For more info, visit: cvsan.org/grants, or contact the Castro Valley Sanitary District, at 21040 Marshall Street, or call 510-606-1300.

Postal Worker Reflects On His 30-Year Career

By Linda Sandsmark

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-31-19

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night prevented Julian Ng from delivering letters and packages to residents of Castro Valley. But after 30 years working for the U.S. Postal Service, Ng is ready for his next adventure.

The long-time carrier delivered his last letter along his regular route on Forest Avenue this past Saturday. Ng told the Castro Valley Forum he plans to travel more with his family starting with a trip next month to Iceland.

“We’ve been planning this for a while now. I want to see the Northern Lights,” Ng says.

For his service, the USPS presented him with two pins in the shape of stamps, and a retirement watch. But it’s the people along his route and keeping connected with the community that Ng says he’ll miss the most.

“I’ve met so many nice people on my routes,” Ng says. “It’s always great to stop and chat about the neighborhood and hear their stories.”

One of his regular customers along Forest Avenue, Lillian Baker, says Ng was really part of the family. She says they shared a common love of the Golden State Warriors, World Cup Soccer, and that he was very considerate when delivering packages to her home.

“I have family from out of town that would stay with me and Julian would get to meet them and keep up with their stories of travel. Everybody loves him,” Baker says.

Ng began the first 10 years of his postal career in Hayward, predominately at the downtown postal station on C Street. For the last 20 years, he’s called Castro Valley is home. He says he’s seen lots of changes in that time.

“We used to sort the mail by hand and then put it in our trucks. Now things are automated. The letters are arranged in our trays for us and all we have to do is check our inventory and deliver them,” Ng says.

The most unusual thing he’s delivered? “A set of car tire rims. That was a big deal. But we have been delivering more and more packages than letters since I started,” Ng says.

In his 30-year-carreer, Ng says he was only bitten once by a dog—the natural enemy of the postal worker. He says it was a surprise because he had been around the dog so much and he had been talking with its owner when it decided to interrupt the conversation.

As for keeping fit, Ng says he challenged himself to picking up overtime shifts and delivering to neighborhoods outside of his usual route on Forest Avenue.

“Castro Valley has so many types of houses that you have to try and figure out where the mail box is. Sometimes it’s on the street. Sometimes, it’s near the side of the house.”

CAPTION: Julian Ng on his final round of mail deliveries in Castro Valley on Saturday, ending a 30-year career with the U.S. Postal Service. He wishes more people would write and send letters.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SINGER

Home Sales Decline Despite Lower Mortgage Rates

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-31-19

The BART Board of Directors unanimously appointed Robert Powers to take over as BART’s tenth General Manager last week. 

Powers, a professional engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the public transportation industry overseeing major infrastructure projects and transportation programs, had been serving as Interim General Manager following the retirement of Grace Crunican earlier this month.   

Powers served as Deputy General Manager under Crunican since 2017 and began his seven-year career at BART as the Assistant General Manager in Planning, Development and Construction.

He steps into his new role facing big challenges for the transit system — an increase in violent crime, persistent fare-evasion, sanitation problems and packed trains during commute hours — which have led to dissatisfaction among many riders.  

“The Board selected Bob because of his track record of accountability and working through challenges in a creative and collaborative way,” said Board President Bevan Dufty. “He has a tremendous understanding of the District’s operations, workforce, and aspirational vision for the future and will provide a smooth transition keeping BART focused on the work ahead.”

“BART is the backbone of the Bay Area’s transportation network and I’ll work to transform it into a world-class transit system through partnerships, modernization, and improvements to the customer experience, but there is a lot of work to do,” Powers said. “I’ll be focused on keeping riders our top priority by providing a customer-centered service and advocating for the financial support needed to serve the region’s growing population. 

As Deputy General Manager, Powers provided support to the General Manager in the management of all District departments and worked closely with the agency’s executives, Board of Directors and board-appointed officers.

see BART on back page

He was responsible for overseeing the immediate implementation

of Measure RR, the $3.5 billion infrastructure bond approved by voters, prioritizing the roll out of projects to the point BART’s on-time performance improved to 92%.

He was also responsible for multi-million-dollar capital projects such as expanding BART service into Antioch and South Fremont, modernizing stations, and the effort to develop land near our stations to help solve the Bay Area’s housing crisis and bring jobs closer to where people live.

Prior to joining BART, Powers held executive level positions for the City of Seattle Department of Transportation and the City of Baltimore Department of Transportation. 

He is a licensed Professional Engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering.

Powers will oversee a $2.4 billion budget and the District’s 3,600 employees who serve 407,000 riders each weekday with service at 48 stations in four counties.

CAPTION: Robert Powers

BART PHOTO

Home Sales Decline Despite Lower Mortgage Rates

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-31-19

June home sales in the Bay Area were the lowest for that month in 11 years, according to new data released last week by CoreLogic.

A total of 7,357 new and existing houses and condominiums were sold in the nine Bay Area counties, down 11.4 percent month over month from May 2019, and down 12.6 percent year over year from June 2018.

Sales have fallen on a year-over-year basis for the past 11 consecutive months. Those declines were in the double digits from November 2018 through March 2019.

In Alameda County, a total of 1,580 homes were sold last month, down 10.6 percent from May when 1,767 were sold.

The median price paid for all homes sold in Alameda County was $865,000 in June, up 1.2 percent from May.

“Many buyers began backing out of the market last spring and summer due to a tight inventory, rising prices and increasing mortgage rates,” said Andrew LePage, a CoreLogic analyst. “This year, prices have flattened or dipped on a year-over-year basis in many markets, and thanks to lower interest rates many home shoppers face at least slightly lower monthly mortgage payments than they would have a year ago.

“Despite the lower cost for some, plus a healthy economic backdrop, the housing market remains sluggish with activity dropping across the home-price spectrum. This suggests many would-be buyers are still priced out or are concerned about buying near a possible price peak.

“So far, the inventory level indicates the Bay Area has transitioned from a seller’s market to a more neutral market, but not an outright buyer’s market.”

Home sales of $500,000 or more accounted for 81.4 percent of all Bay Area sales last month, down slightly from 81.5 percent in May 2019 and unchanged from June 2018 on the open market.

—Source: CoreLogic

A Warm Welcome for Swalwell at Castro Valley Town Hall Meeting

By Linda Sandsmark

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-24-19

Congressman Eric Swalwell made a swing through Castro Valley Saturday morning, receiving a standing ovation upon both his arrival and departure at a Town Hall meeting he had scheduled.

I want to thank Castro Valley High School,” Swalwell told the more than 200 people attending the session in the school’s cafeteria, “and not only for Rachel Maddow.” (Maddow, a CVHS graduate and MSNBC talk show host, was also a moderator at the first Democratic candidates debate last month.)

“I believe I’m a better representative because of what I learned on the trail,” said Swalwell, referring to his recently ended campaign for president and thanking his constituents for their understanding.

Swalwell represents the 15th Congressional District, which includes Castro Valley,  most of eastern Alameda County and part of central Contra Costa County.

He said that in “the dark days” after the 2016 election, he was often asked what could be done to make things better. To that end, helping elect 40 new members of congress (in their 40s or younger) became one of his goals. Swalwell said Congress is now more diverse and young, with more women.

He added that his entrance into the crowded presidential race was also in hopes of making a difference, and traversing the country on the campaign trail showed him we’re not as divided as we might think.

On the debate stage, he was also able to get “three heavyweights”  (Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders) to pledge support for his plan to ban and buy-back assault weapons from the community. 

He returns this week to Washington D.C. for Congress’s scheduled hearings with special counsel Robert Mueller.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Swalwell said. However, he does not expect Mueller’s testimony to be similar to that of former FBI director James Comey, who adds “color and play-by-play” to his statements. Swalwell said Mueller’s responses will likely be “yes,” “no,” or “I don’t recall.” 

That said, Swalwell expects three things to be shown by Mueller’s testimony: (1) that the Russians interfered with our 2016 election to help Donald Trump, (2) that members of the Trump campaign welcomed this help, and (3) that when the FBI began investigating this possibility, the Trump campaign took “over a dozen steps” against the investigation.

Swalwell said he approaches the question of impeachment the way he approaches his “very wily 2- year-old son” and 9-month old daughter — “If we don’t hold the president accountable, it’s only going to get worse.”

He supports opening an impeachment inquiry, not rushing to judgment.  He added that we can’t predict what the Senate will do, but future presidents will base their behavior on whether or not there are consequences.

Swalwell touched on many other topics; healthcare, traffic congestion, immigration, the future of the Democratic Party, and climate change.

“I call it climate chaos,” said Swalwell, because change can be for the good. He said Lawrence Livermore and Sandia labs are working on high-tech solutions to help reduce air pollution. He added that it’s a “false choice” to say people will lose their jobs if the country becomes greener.

“I’m a supporter of the Green New Deal, because we don’t have a choice,” he said.

Addressing the possibility of the popular vote replacing the electoral college, Swalwell said he’d like to see it, unlikely though it may be. He added that by some estimates, a presidential candidate could win by 5 million votes and still lose in the electoral college.

And on the touchy subject of racist language attributed to Trump, he said, “I don’t want any of this to be normal.”

When asked which Democratic presidential candidate he would endorse, Swalwell said it should be someone who is confident, authentic (not driven by polls) and new or different in some way.

“There is going to be a day after Trump, and we have to be prepared to legislate,” he says.

Swalwell also said he believes Trump could face indictments when he leaves office.

“A jury of his peers is not Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin,” said Swalwell.

CAPTION: Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell discusses his recently ended campaign for president and the challenges facing the country at a Town Hall in Castro Valley on Saturday.

PHOTO BY DALE BRIDGES

Park District Banning Widely Used Herbicide

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-24-19

The Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District have approved a ban on the use of the herbicide glyphosate in picnic areas immediately, and its elimination in all developed park areas by the end of next year.

Glyphosate is currently used as part of the District’s pest integration management program for preventing fires and plant growth around park structures, fences, walkways, parking areas, roads, bike paths, and trails.

“The Park District has taken large steps over the past two years to reduce glyphosate use and find alternatives,” said Park District President Ayn Wieskamp. “Managing the complex spectrum of land that the Park District does, with requisite state and federal requirements, is not easy or inexpensive,” added Wieskamp.

Recognizing public concerns about glyphosate use, the District updated its pest management practices in 2016 to focus on the use of organic products when possible as an alternative. Over the past two years, glyphosate use has been reduced by 66% for park maintenance, according to the District.

“The Park District plans to phase out glyphosate use in developed park areas by the end of 2020, including parking lots, campgrounds, lawns, and paved trails,” said Park District General Manager Robert Doyle. “The Park District does not use glyphosate near play areas or water fountains.”

District officials said the phasing out of glyphosate use for developed park areas will take substantial financial resources and have a significant impact the District’s general fund and staffing levels.

EBMUD’s Ongoing Problem

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-24-19

Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) Chair Marc Crawford continued speaking out against the ongoing East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) dirt-moving project at Monday night’s MAC meeting.

EBMUD is trucking excess soil from its property near the Upper San Leandro Reservoir to Alameda via Redwood Road. Crawford and other members of the MAC lamented that EBMUD exempted themselves from an environmental study of the project and said that the MAC was not notified of the months-long project until it was already underway.

The MAC also feels the increased traffic and wear to Castro Valley’s roads were unfair.

Crawford said that EBMUD is transferring 300 truckloads per day, which means 600 trips on Redwood Road every day. At the MAC’s urging, the California Highway Patrol has taken up posts along the road and conducting inspections of some of the trucks.

“I was told we are getting the meanest inspectors they have,” said Crawford.

MAC member Sheila Cunha added that a resident has told her they have called the Environmental Protection Agency in an effort to halt the hauling.

Crawford acknowledged that it is unlikely that they will be able to block EBMUD from continuing the current project, but said he wanted to make sure another large, disruptive event didn’t happen in Castro Valley without notice.

“The problem is no one is looking out for the people of Castro Valley,” said Crawford. “We have to lookout for ourselves on this.”

At last week’s MAC meeting, a public speaker said that a bicyclist was clipped by a EBMUD dirt-hauling truck which didn’t stop. EBMUD says they want to be notified of any truck drivers violating safety laws, by emailing Laura.Luong@ebmud.com or

calling (510) 287-0140 with the license plate number.

Tower Decision Overturned

In other MAC news, Crawford informed the council that a previous decision they’d made has been overturned by the Alameda County Board of Zoning Adjustments.

Though most MAC decisions are upheld at higher levels, the MAC remains a consulting body, so they can be overruled at the county level.

This time around, the council’s previous decision to not allow a 10-foot by 50-foot cell tower at Center Street and Heyer Avenue was reversed and the tower can now be constructed.

Crawford alleged that a BZA member who is legally representing Cherryland actually lives in Castro Valley, so he questioned if the BZA vote is kosher.

“I don’t’ even know if the decisions they make are legal at this point,” said Crawford, who also questioned why a county entity is in charge of Castro Valley-specific issues.

“I just think it is so wrong for people outside of Castro Valley to make decisions for Castro Valley,” he said.

Other Business

The council approved the subdivision of one site into four parcels at 4748 Mira Vista Drive and grated an application for an existing massage business to continue operating at 20860 Redwood Road, provided that the owners improve their signage.

The MAC also postponed a decision on whether to allow a children’s indoor recreation facility at the southeast corner of Castro Valley Boulevard and Chester Street (the old Trader’s Sports location) citing concerns about parking.

They told the prospective business owner to come back for approval if she can get a binding agreement with neighboring businesses to secure 20 parking sports for at least years.

USS Hornet Met Apollo 11 Astronauts 50 Years Ago

By Jim Knowles

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-10-19

A piece of American history that you can walk up to and touch is docked right nearby in Alameda.

The USS Hornet is a museum now, but when it was in service it picked up the Apollo 11 space capsule along with the three astronauts that made the first moon landing.

This month is the 50th anniversary of the mission to the moon when Neil Armstong became the first human to set foot on a celestial body other than the Earth. And over the next couple of weeks, the Hornet is celebrating that historic event.

When the astronauts came back and landed in the Pacific, the Hornet was there to meet them. First a crew of navy divers jumped from a helicopter to place a flotation collar around the capsule, until the ship could arrive and lift Apollo 11 to its hangar deck.

The footsteps are painted on the floor of the Hornet’s hangar deck where the astronauts walked to the quarantine trailer where they spent the next few days.

They were quarantined in the specially built Airstream trailer because at the time no one knew what germs may have been on the moon.

President Richard Nixon came aboard and greeted the three astronauts from outside the trailer as they peered through the window with smiles.

Also back aboard the Hornet was the 22 kilograms of lunar soil and rock, giving Earthling scientists something to study for years to come.

Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the moon on July 20, 1969, as the third astronaut Michael Collins orbited the moon in Columbia, the command ship. Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 hours on the moon, two hours conducting experiments, and then back aboard Eagle for a lunar nap.

Four days later, they re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere at 24,000 m.p.h. and landed in the Pacific where the Hornet awaited.

An Apollo capsule, similar to Apollo 11, is on display in the hangar of the Hornet. Cutaway sections of the space vehicle reveal the wiring and the thickness of craft, which was built by North American Aviation to survive the heat of re-entry at over 20,000 miles per hour.

The 1960 electronics looks outdated today, but put your hand on the spacecraft and your senses tell you this thing was built solid.

The thick honeycomb aluminum walls are stuffed with fiberglass for insulation.

You can walk right in the footsteps of the astronauts from the Apollo capsule to the containment trailer, a beauty of an Airstream, but it might as well as been made of aluminum foil compared to the space capsule.

And to think the thin walls of this little trailer were all that came between the possibility of deadly outer-space germs and the rest of humanity.

But after Apollo 14, astronauts no longer were quarantined since it was understood that moon germs didn’t exist.

The USS Hornet, completed in 1943 to fight in World War II, was involved in campaigns in the Mariana Islands and the liberation of the Philippines among many other battles.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The USS Hornet will hold a “Splashdown 50” celebration from 1 to 2:30 p.m. next Wednesday, July 17. Come aboard to hear stories about some of the unique artifacts on exhibit, including a Moon rock from the Apollo 16 mission that is on a short loan from the vaults of NASA Ames. Admission for this event is included in the Museum’s General Admission.

On Saturday, July 20, the Splashdown 50 celebration continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with expanded exhibits and presentations by individuals who participated in the Apollo mission recoveries, and the screening of the Smithsonian Documentary on Apollo at 2:30 p.m. in Hangar Bay 1.

Additionally, the Museum’s standard exhibits will be open to visitors as will docent-led tours through parts of the ship inaccessible to visitors on their own. Admission is $25 for adults, $15 for youth ages 7-17.

The USS Hornet is docked at 707 West Hornet Ave. in Alameda. 

For more information on the Splashdown 50 celebration, visit uss-hornet.org/splashdown50!

CAPTION: The World War II Aircraft Carrier USS Hornet, now a national museum, is docked in the city of Alameda and will be holding public celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in coming days.

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

The Apollo 11 crew await pickup by a helicopter

from the USS Hornet, prime recovery ship for the

historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.

The fourth man in the life raft is a United States Navy

underwater demolition team swimmer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF US NAVY

Dump Truck Damage

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-10-19

Have you noticed a steady stream of dump trucks on Redwood Road lately? Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) Chair Marc Crawford has, and he isn’t happy about it.

At Monday night’s MAC meeting, Crawford spoke about the trucks, which have been dispatched by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to carry soil from the Upper San Leandro Reservoir area to Alameda.

The soil is the byproduct of trench dredging that EBMUD does. It used to be disposed of at their property along the northern boundary of Redwood Road. Now, they are moving the dirt to Alameda.

Crawford said in his Chair’s Report that because there is no weigh station between Castro Valley and Alameda, the trucks will likely be

see MAC on page 15

 over-weighed which will cause damage to Redwood Road.

Crawford further criticized EBMUD for exempting themselves from an environmental impact report and expressed his concern that the dirt could be contaminated.

“They didn’t tell anybody — even the Director of Public Works didn’t know about it,” said Crawford. “By the time they’re done, they will have pretty much destroyed Redwood Road.”

Crawford said that the trucking is set to continue through October and traffic will be impacted further when school goes back into session.

“It’s really frustrating,” said Crawford. “This is one of those times where you really wish you lived in a city because if you lived in a city you wouldn’t be taken advantage of like this. I don’t think EBMUD would dare to do this to a city like Hayward or San Leandro. Castro Valley is bearing the brunt.”

Other Business

Alameda County Arts Commission director Rachel Osajima told the MAC that painting is set to begin next week on the “community identifier” that will read “Castro Valley.” It will be painted on the I-580 overpass at Redwood Road.

The MAC also unanimously approved a permit to construct a new 3,900-sqaure foot single-family home and granted a renewal of a permit to allow the continued operation of a storage facility at 5182 Crow Canyon Road.

The MAC also heard an update on the county’s ongoing General Plan implementation. A draft of the zoning ordinance amendments for the General Plan is expected to come back before the MAC in early fall, when the council will make its final recommendations before it goes to the county Planning Commission.

CV Finally Getting its Long-Awaited Sign

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-10-19

Artist Rob Minervini will begin painting Castro Valley’s long awaited sign —officially known as a “Community Identifier” — next week.

It will be painted on both sides of the I-580 Highway overpass above Redwood Road, with a tentative start date of Tuesday, July 16, according to Rachel Osajima, director of Alameda County’s Art Commission. Minervini’s design will feature the words “Castro Valley” over a long, slim panoramic landscape that depicts Lake Chabot and the Bay.

The artist will work weekdays during daytime hours and professional traffic control will be on site to control lane closures and to keep both motorists and pedestrians safe. But Osajima cautions that drivers should expect some delays during the three weeks or so that will be required to finish the project.

At about the same time, the Arts Commission will also launch the Utility Box Art Program in Castro Valley.

Art Designs created by seven artists and artist teams will be printed on vinyl wraps and placed on 40 county-controlled utility boxes throughout Castro Valley. The vinyl wraps will be installed throughout the summer and will be on view for some three years.

Both of the art projects were developed with public support for the goal of providing a welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike, and community members were involved in both, contributing to surveys, participating in community discussions and providing comments about the artists’ proposal designs.

The projects were approved by the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council, the Arts Commission, and the Board of Supervisors.

For questions or comments, call the Project Hotline at 510-891-5597. For project updates and more information, visit www.acgov.org/arts.

CAPTION: Artist Rob Minervini’s will begin painting his design on the I-580 overpass above Redwood Road starting on Tuesday.

ARTIST RENDERING COURTESY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION

Swalwell Ends Run

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-10-19

Congressman Eric Swalwell announced on Monday that he has ended his campaign for president.

“After the first Democratic presidential debate, our polling and fundraising numbers weren’t what we had hoped for, and I no longer see a path forward to the nomination. My presidential campaign ends today,” Swalwell told reporters at a news conference in Dublin.

Swalwell thanked his supporters and said he would never forget the lessons he had learned while traveling around the nation.

“I will take those lessons back to Congress, serving my friends and neighbors in California’s 15th District while using my seats on the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees to make our nation safer and uphold the rule of law for all Americans,” Swalwell said.

Two Families Evacuated as Garage Erupts in Flames

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-03-19

Quick action by two off-duty police officers and a retired Alameda County Fire Department captain managed to safely evacuate two residents and a dog who were asleep in a house in the 3000 block of Keith Ave. in Castro Valley Friday night after their garage burst into flames and spread to the house.

The two-alarm fire, which broke out around 9:30 p.m., extended to a second neighboring residence, according to Fire Department Spokesperson Aisha Knowles.

Due to the full involvement of the garage, a second alarm response was requested and additional fire units responded to the blaze.

Before firefighters arrived, retired Fire Department Capt. Bruce Armstrong, who lived near by, ran to the scene. He was joined by two off-duty police officers, J. Kalsbeek of the San Leandro Department and another off-duty officer, who wished to remain anonymous.

see FLAMES on back page

The three attempted to wake the occupants by yelling and knocking on windows and doorss. When that didn’t work, Kalsbeek threw a flower pot through a window to rouse them. Armstrong and Kalsbeek then entered the home and quickly assisted the occupants out of the house.

Armstrong was also able to rescue Samie, a one-year-old family dog that was hiding under a bed.

In the neighboring home, three occupants and a dog were also able to safely exit their home prior to the arrival of firefighters.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no reports of injuries.

Between the two homes damaged by the fire, a total of five people and two dogs were temporarily displaced. Assistance from the Red Cross was declined by both families as they were able to secure alternate housing arrangements with family members nearby.

The Castro Valley office of the California Highway Patrol, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, Paramedics Plus and PG&E crews also responded to offer assistance.

CAPTION: Firefighters work to extinguish a two-alarm garage fire that damaged two houses in the 3000 block of Keith Avenue in Castro Valley Friday night. A total of five people and two dogs were evacuated from the homes. There were no injuries. The fire is under investigation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY FIRE DEPT.

Grand Jury Report Critical of BART, County Missteps

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-03-19

The Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report, issued last week, criticizes regional leadership in the handling of key civic issues, including BART passenger safety, and losing out on $5.6 million of federal funds for Urban Shield.

While not every issue is relevant to our readers, the Castro Valley Forum did pick up on a few specific areas that do impact our area in the 148-page report.

BART Safety

The most scathing critiques centered on passenger safety within the BART system. Violent crime on BART — including robberies and aggravated assaults — increased by 115% over the last five years, according to the report.

During the same time, BART lost 8% of its ridership, even as the Bay Area population grew and several new stations were added to the system.

“Much of the violent crime increase has been driven by snatch-and-run cellphone thefts that are considered robberies because they involve the use of force or fear,” the report said.

To combat these trends, BART has been asked to add more police over the next five years and better educate riders on crime prevention.

The Grand Jury also found improving cleanliness, reducing fare evasion, and working with groups that specialize on homeless issues would not only improve BART rider satisfaction, but would also curb the amount of crime on the trains and the stations.

Urban Shield

Urban Shield was an annual gathering of first responders who train for all types of emergencies. More than 100 police, fire, and rescue teams would descend on 32 different locations around the Bay Area including Castro Valley to learn how to best approach dangerous situations and hone their skills.

The program was suspended this year following complaints of racial profiling, immigration involvement (ICE), and militarization of law enforcement.

After a two-year process with lots of boisterous meetings and recommendations/warnings from Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern and others, the report said

 Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors mishandled the negotiations did not state their requirements clearly and listened to a biased ad hoc committee without an independent review.

The result was a loss of $5.6 million in federal funds and a lapse in first responder training that would have helped prepare the area in case of attack or mass incident.

“Representative government is messy,” the Grand Jury wrote. “However, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors failed in managing this process. As one supervisor put it, ‘If we lose this grant, I will have nobody to blame but myself.’”

Independent Living

For older adults in Castro Valley, residential care facility rates currently range from about $4,000 to $12,000 or more per month, depending on facility size and location, single or double occupancy, and level of care.

In addition to being unaffordable, there are now significantly fewer licensed residential care facilities in Alameda County. The Grand Jury found the tipping point originated following the shutdown of the Valley Manor Residential Care home in Castro Valley in December 2013. The event triggered an investigation of independent living facilities in Alameda County. The report referred to the standards in our area as the “Wild West.”

On a brighter note, the Grand Jury did find that Supervisor Nate Miley’s Group Living Facilities Working Group (GLFWG) was effective within the district’s Eden Area Livability Initiative and that its procedures to identify and respond to group living issues should be adopted countywide.

The Grand Jury report finally reviewed county oversight of Community-Based Organization (CBO) contracts, Santa Rita Jails’ intake, release and grievance procedures, and an inspection of Camp Wilmont Sweeney, which is situated near the Juvenile Hall facility on Fairmont Drive. The report did not make any new recommendations, nor did it require official responses from officials.

Every year, a hand-picked jury reviews Alameda County’s policies and practices to ensure transparency and efficiency in law and justice, social services, government, and education.

Double Homicide:

Suspect Identified

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  07-03-19

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has identified a suspect and one of the victims in the double homicide discovered in Castro Valley last week.

The suspect is 49-year-old Steven Michael Carlson, a resident of Castro Valley and Pleasanton. One of the victims, a woman, was identified as Lisa Deanne Carlson, 45, of Pleasanton.

The bodies of a man and women were found — slain from gunshot wounds — at about 10:15 a.m. last Wednesday by Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies during a welfare check at a guest house in the 20500 block of Forest Ave. near Castro Valley Blvd.

The welfare check was requested by a relative who said they hadn’t heard from a family member for several days, according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly.

When deputies arrived at the address they received no response so they walked to a cottage in the rear of the lot and discovered the bodies, which had apparently been dead for several days.

Anyone with info, call the Sheriff’s Office at: 510-667-3636.

CAPTION: CRIME SCENE: Yellow tape surrounded a home in the 2500 block of Forest Avenue for several hours last Wednesday as Sheriff’s deputies investigated the slaying of a man and women in a rear cottage. Police have named Steven Michael Carlson as the suspect.

PHOTO BY LINDA SANDSMARK

Fireworks Are Illegal in CV, But 4th Fun is Still Around

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-26-19

It’s an American tradition that predates the Revolutionary War, but it’s illegal in Castro Valley.

They are the fireworks we use to celebrate the upcoming Fourth of July and beyond. You hear them after dark—the bang, the pop, the hiss, and the crackle with just a hint of flash spraying overhead.

More than $296.2 million worth of fireworks were imported to the U.S. from China in 2016. Last year, Alameda County Sheriff’s confiscated 10,000 pounds of illegal fireworks. The number should be about the same this year, according to Sgt. Ray Kelly with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

“When the economy is good, and people have disposable income, we see a lot of illegal fireworks in the county,” Sgt. Kelly told the Forum.

You can buy and set off “safe and sane” fireworks in only two places in Alameda County: Dublin and Newark. Outside of those two cities, the department will crack down on illegal fireworks – ones that launch in the air, the cherry bombs, and the M-1,000 explosives.

But deputies won’t be relying on special surveillance equipment to report fireworks abuse. Instead, they are counting on phone calls from the neighborhood to snuff out especially dangerous displays of firepower.

“We’re looking for that one block or one house on the street where the activity and noise is a danger to the community,” Sgt. Kelly says. “There is nothing worse than having to walk up to a family and confiscate their fireworks in front of their kids. We know this is an American tradition, but we want people to be responsible.”

While fireworks are fun to watch, they are dangerous. The loud noise—often more than 150 decibels—can result in severe stress, fear, and anxiety in pets, the elderly, and people with special needs.

Explosions often injure the person handling the rockets as well as bystanders.

Faulty fireworks also carry the danger of setting off fires. The Alameda County Fire Department will be on high alert that first week of July in case of a vegetation fire, says spokesperson, Aisha Knowles.

“We ask residents to be aware of the fire dangers and keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from their homes to prevent flames from spreading quickly,” Knowles says.

If you want to see fireworks, there are several cities in the Bay Area offering large-scale shows. San Francisco is offering several fireworks displays along the Embarcadero and Pier 39 all the way to Crissy Field. The USS Hornet’s 4th of July Celebration in Alameda starts at 2 p.m. and ends with fireworks by 10 p.m. The Berkeley Marina’s 4th Of July Fest & Fireworks show starts at 9:30 p.m. Livermore’s 4th of July Family Fun Fireworks Celebration closes off several blocks for downtown viewing at 9:30 p.m. The Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton is launching fireworks nightly—except for July 4.

Back in Castro Valley, the Sheriff’s Office asks if you see an illegal and dangerous display of fireworks that you contact its non-emergency line at (510) 667-7721.

CAPTION: More than $296.2 million worth of fireworks were imported to the U.S. from China in 2016.

Rep. Swalwell in Dem. Presidential Debate Tomorrow

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-26-19

Rep. Eric Swalwell, whose California congressional office is on Castro Valley Blvd., will be one of 10 presidential hopefuls appearing on  tomorrow evening’s nationally-televised Democratic Presidential Debate in Miami.

This first debate is taking place over two nights — tonight and Thursday — on NBC (KNTV Channel 11), MSNBC and Telemundo — from 6 to 8 p.m. PDT.

Moderators for the two nights include MSNBC show host Rachel Maddow (formerly of Castro Valley and a graduate of CVHS), NBC News’ anchors Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, and Chuck Todd, and Telemundo’s José Diaz-Balart.

NBC selected the field of 10 candidates for each debate by random drawing, set up so that a mix of higher-profile and lesser-known candidates will appear each night.

Rep. Swalwell told the San Francisco Chronicle last week that he will decide in December whether to register to run for re-election to Congress, depending on his standing in the polls and whether he continues to qualify for the debates.

Earlier this year, before announcing his bid to become president, Swalwell said he didn’t plan to seek re-election to California’s 15th Congressional District if he became a presidential candidate. His district covers Castro Valley, most of eastern Alameda County and part of central Contra Costa County.

PG&E Expanding Operations to Monitor Wildfire Risk

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-26-19

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is expanding its network of weather stations and high-definition cameras in the East Bay to improve the company’s ability to predict and respond to extreme wildfire danger.

By the end of 2019, PG&E officials say they plan to have at least 600 weather stations and 100 high-definition cameras in high fire-threat areas.

More than 200 of the new stations and 25 cameras have been installed in the Bay Area to date, including 11 in Alameda County, to capture localized, real-time temperature, wind speeds and humidity levels.

The high-definition, pan-tilt-zoom cameras allow firefighters, first responders and electric power companies to confirm and monitor potential wildfires.

The gear, installed in more than three dozen counties, is part of many additional precautionary measures the company is implementing to reduce wildfire risks following the state’s devastating 2017 and 2018 wildfires.

“The enhanced meteorological data we are receiving from these weather stations is bolstering our ability to forecast high fire-risk weather conditions with further granularity so that we can take swift action to protect public safety,” said company Vice President Sumeet Singh.

“Personnel at PG&E’s 24/7 Wildfire Safety Operations Center will use these weather stations and cameras to better monitor wildfire risks and coordinate prevention and response efforts, and the data is shared publicly and with agencies such as CAL FIRE.”

During extreme weather events, electric power may be shut off for public safety in an effort to prevent a wildfire, a procedure called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).

PG&E’s meteorologists will feed data from these new stations to the company’s Wildfire Safety Operations Center team, where it can be utilized to help inform actions such as PSPS.

Before any such shut-offs occur, PG&E will review criteria including predictions of strong winds and very low humidity levels. Data collected by the weather stations is made available to state and local agencies and the public through online sources such as the National Weather Service.

The system is used by fire managers and has been instrumental in tracking more than 500 fires since it was first developed in 2013. Images from the system are viewable online at www.alertwildfire.org.

In addition to improving real-time monitoring, PG&E and intelligence capabilities, other actions PG&E is putting in place enhanced safety measures to strengthen the safety and resiliency of the electric grid in an effort to further reduce future wildfire risks.

More information can be found at pge.com/wildfiresafety.

CAPTION: A PG&E technician installs one of more than two dozen weather stations in the East Bay to monitor and reduce wildfire risk. By the end of the year, the utility plans to have at least 600 such stations and 100 high-definition cameras in high fire-threat areas.

PG&E PHOTO

Village Barber Hangs Up its Scissors

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-19-19

The Village Barber—a mainstay in the Castro Village shopping center since 1950—shut its doors this past Saturday with an uncertain future.

A sign posted on the window of the iconic shop announced the closure with instructions to contact individual barbers for their next shave or trim.

“We want to thank all our loyal customers for your support and friendship over the years. Call your favorite barber for news about your next haircut. We’ll see you soon: not retiring, just relocating!”

Al Proietti, who has owned the business since 1999, told the Castro Valley Forum the time was right for him to close and leave the location in favor of cutting hair elsewhere in town.

In a message posted online, Proietti says the barber shop was facing an upgrade to provide disability access and that the Village management’s group (Crosspoint Realty Services) was willing to extend his lease. However, after 20 years of managing the business, Proietti says that it is a good time for he and his wife to have some personal time with their four grand kids and two great-grand kids before he gets behind the chair again.

“We’ve had a lot of laughs and tears sometimes, but mostly the laughs,” Proietti says. “So many people have come through those doors. We’ve even cut hair for famous baseball players like Castro Valley High School alumnus Jason Castro (Minnesota Twins).”

Originally opened in 1950, the barbershop is known for its four haircut stations where patrons line up to discuss the news of the day while getting a beard trim, straight razor shave, or even a hot towel.

The Village Barber was also a “first” tradition destination for families. The shop regularly is-

sued a “First Haircut Certificate” to children getting their first trim. The barbers would periodically take a photo and send it to the family as a keepsake as well.

“Some babies that we cut their hair come back in with their own kids who have graduating from college,” says Proietti. “If it wasn’t for the little kids the job would not have been as interesting. I like to clown around with them and they do the same with me. I do little magic tricks with them and make it special.”

The staff is a talented bunch. Proietti is also known for performing the Charlie Chaplin “Little Tramp” character. Al Martinez is a vegetarian and plays piano. Ernie Olivieri is a member of the Good Guys Auto Club. Spence Petsas also has a passion for classic cars and had been working at Village Barber since 1995. Ty Kemp—the youngest of the bunch—plays guitar in various bands.

Crosspoint Realty Services declined to confirm that it was working with a new owner or that it would renovate the space prior to re-opening with a new business.

Proietti says if the space does reopen as a barber shop, some of the guys will be staying, but it’s not sure which ones.

CAPTION: END OF A TRADITION: Al Proietti gives a haircut to Jeff Stone, his first customer at the Village Barbers. At left is Bill Rogers who got the final haircut from Proietti at the shop.

Public Services Stretched

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-19-19

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard a variety of updates on Monday from organizations that provide services around town, including the Faith Lutheran Church food pantry, the California Highway Patrol, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Alameda County Code Enforcement, and AC Transit.

Food Pantry

Faith Lutheran pantry coordinator Teri Donat told the MAC that more and more working poor are using the pantry’s services for food – there has been an 18 percent increase people seeking help in the past year. As of the end of May, they distributed 60,000 pounds of food to 5,175 people.

The pantry gives out two days’ worth of food for low income families and individuals every Thursday evening and also accepts referrals from the Alameda County Food Bank on Mondays, Wednesday, and Friday when they pack up two days’ worth of food made available the same day the person seeking help phones the food bank.

They also receive donations of fresh unsold produce from the San Leandro Farmers’ Market, Donat said.

“No one gets turned away,” said Donat. “Everybody gets something. We are trying to make the most with the few resources we all have. Our goal is to serve our clients with dignity.”

CHP Staffing

Next up was CHP Lt. Stephen Perea, who told the MAC that the Castro Valley CHP office is struggling with staffing, due to the high cost of living in the area and that some of his officers live as far away as Roseville and Fresno.

MAC Chair Marc Crawford said one idea would be a dorm of sorts for officers for use while on duty in Castro Valley.

“It almost sounds like we need a CHP halfway house to house our officers during the week,” said Crawford.

Marijuana-Related DUIs

Perea said that a major trend he’s noticed in law enforcement recently is the increase in marijuana-related DUIs.

He said the Golden Gate CHP has made 7,713 DUI stops where they detected marijuana so far this year, compared to 9,000 in all of 2018. Perea added that in Castro Valley specifically, 435 people were pulled over and found to have the odor of pot, but not arrested due to a lack of evidence of intoxication.

There was also a 58 percent increase in property damage marijuana DUI collisions (with no injuries), according to Perea.

“People are getting more complacent about smoking and getting behind the wheel,” said Perea. “The marijuana issue continues to grow and I don’t see any end to it whatsoever.”

Crime Trends

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Commander Colby Staysa then spoke about crime trends his office has noticed in Castro Valley, including the prevalence of homeless encampments.

Staysa said that because many drug arrests have been essentially decriminalized or lowered from felonies to misdemeanors, many of the addicts who used to be forced in to treatment programs are now living on the streets instead.

“All these misdemeanor crimes people aren’t staying in custody for, what I’ve seen as the jail population decreased, the homeless population had a similar increase,” said. Saysa.

Staysa also spoke about Urban Shield, the public safety training exercise that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors decided to end this year after public outcry about the militarization of police.

Staysa said that, although Urban Shield will no longer take place, the sheriff’s office will continue training in order to keep the public as safe as possible.

“The sheriff is very committed to the safety of his stall and the community,” said Staysa. “The sheriff is not going to let his community down so we still train, but not at that level. Always looking for new ways and best practices to serve.”

Code Violations

County Code Enforcement officers told the MAC that the most common violations they are seeing in Castro Valley include unapproved home businesses, unapproved garage conversions into living spaces, unapproved signs and banners, and unapproved storage of RVs, boats, and trailers.

Code enforcement is complaint-based, meaning residents have to tell the county about the issue before an officer is assigned to the case.

If a violation isn’t corrected after an officer issues a notice if violation fees can be assessed. For example, if you get dinged for leaving your trash cans out all week, you get a warning and then a $100 fine. If those cans still aren’t put away, the third notice is a $200 fine and then each subsequent notice is $400.

Other ongoing issues include overgrown weeds, piled up trash­ — especially mattresses and furniture — graffiti, and inoperable vehicles parked permanently on streets.

AC Transit Changes

Finally, AC Transit representatives spoke to the MAC, detailing changes to their lines that went into effect this past weekend (a full list of changes available at bit.ly/2Ip5UrR). They also said that bus fares will increase by 25 cents as of July 1 but discounts will be available if you get a Clipper card.

Celebrating 30th Year This Friday

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-19-19

Looking for a place to brighten your day? Maybe a guitar jam, an active fitness class, belly dancing, a game of table tennis or pool,  or just a quiet time to read?

All that and a lot more are available at the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior and Community Center at 17800 Redwood Road in Castro Valley.

Known for its variety of activities, whether for recreation or learning, the center also hosts a variety of seasonal events — an ice cream social luau is coming up on July 11th — and it serves as a polling place during elections. It’s annual flea markets, “high teas” and holiday parties attract guests from all over the East Bay.

The public is invited to celebrate the center’s 30th anniversary as a key part of the Hayward Area Recreation District (HARD) this Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. with cake, punch and live music, hosted by Recreation Coordinator Jennifer Tibbetts and her staff.

“It has been a real honor for me to watch the Kenneth C. Aitken Senior  and Community Center evolve and grow throughout the years, and I am very proud of the staff and volunteers for making all this possible,” says Tibbetts, who’s overseen the center’s dizzying array of activities for 13 years.

Originally named the Redwood Senior and Community Center, it was dedicated by HARD to provide a state-of-the-art facility for a variety of activities and ages on June 23, 1989 at a cost of $2.8 million.

In the fall of 1992 it was re-dedicated and renamed for Kenneth C. Aitken, who had served as a HARD Board member from 1961 to 1992.

CAPTION: Recreation Coordinator Jennifer Tibbetts has overseen the busy operation and wide variety of activities at the Kenneth C. Aitken Community and Senior Center for the past 13 years.

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

Class of 2019 Bids Farewell to CVHS

By Linda Sandsmark

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-12-19

“Four years of endless hard work and the desire to succeed are what brought us here,” Student Body President Michelle Terhell exclaimed to her classmates Thursday evening in a Castro Valley High School Stadium filled with family, friends, balloons and flowers.

Some 630 members of the Class of 2019, who had made their entry minutes before accompanied by the CVHS Band’s traditional “Pomp and Circumstance,” listened as Terhell’s remarks were followed by an “International Welcome” in the dozens of languages spoken by the student body and their families — Bosnian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Russian, Somali, Romanian, Polish, Swahili, Urdu, Tagalog, Vietnamese, even a speech generator device.

The ceremony, including “The Star Spangled Banner,” was translated into American Sign Language by student ASL signers. CVHS Choir Seniors sang “Rise Up,” led by director Laryssa Sadoway.   

Senior class president Nicolette Paredes urged the students to make those sitting in the stands proud. 

Student speaker Katelyn Lance gave a humorous recap of four years in high school, then ended on a serious note: “Get out there and vote. Start a dialogue!”

School Board President Dot Theodore congratulated the students.

“This is an amazing day,” she said. “We are so very proud of you.” Then she, too, added a note of caution — to remember that, “No means no, and it’s okay to say no.”

Principal Blaine Torpey presented the Class of 2019, and CVHS counselors distributed diplomas, calling each student by name. Closing remarks were provided by Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi.

PHOTOS BY LINDA SANDSMARK

‘Last Ride’ for Pleasanton Cattle Drive

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-12-19

Hundreds of hooves will tromp through the streets of Downtown Pleasanton Friday for the final time as the Alameda County Fair hosts the “Last Ride” of its Opening Day Cattle Drive.

The event will feature over 150 large steers parading down Main Street, as well as a procession of cowboys, cowgirls, fair entertainers and more.

The Cattle Drive will start at the Fairgrounds near the Rose Ave. Gate and then move down Del Valle Parkway and continue on to Main Street in the downtown area at 10:30 a.m.

It will be the final opportunity to witness a real, live cattle drive through a major urban area.

“It has been a wonderful opening celebration, but the Alameda County Fair is always changing and evolving,” said spokesperson

Angel Moore. “We want to be able to create new, fun experiences that will keep all our fair-goers excited about attending year after year.”

Several downtown businesses will be giving away free fair tickets while supplies last, and the Museum on Main will provide fun activities for kids. Plus, the fair will be offering free admission to everyone on opening day until 3 p.m.

Main Street will be closed during the cattle drive, while side streets will undergo rolling closures to keep traffic moving.

The festivities will continue with special attractions for the fair’s “Western Weekend” celebration. The band War will perform opening night to kick off the 2019 Big O Tires Concert series.

The fair runs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily from June 14 to July 7, but will be closed the Mondays and Tuesdays of June 17-18, 24-25 and July 1-2. Carnival hours are noon to closing on Wednesday and Thursday, and 11 a.m. to closing Friday through Sunday.

Horse racing is scheduled for June 14-16, 20-23, 27-30 and July 4-7. Free concerts are 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. followed by fireworks nightly.

On Father’s Day, June 16, Dads will be admitted free until 5 p.m.

For more additional details, including schedules, discount days, and concert and ticket info, visit www.alamedacountyfair.com.

CAPTION: Last year’s Alameda County Fair cattle drive on its way to Downtown Pleasanton.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PLEASANTON WEEKLY

Crawford Re-elected To Chair

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-12-19

Despite some previous controversy over who will lead the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), current Chair Marc Crawford was quickly elected to serve as Chair again at this week’s MAC meeting.

Back in October, the MAC unanimously approved changes to its bylaws after several months of debate regarding the appointment of internal leadership.

MAC Chairs are typically elected in June, but this time last year, Crawford and MAC member Ken Carbone were both nominated by fellow MAC members to serve as Chair of the council for a one year term. Ultimately, after several weeks, Carbone withdrew and Crawford was elected by his fellow MAC members to a second term.

Since then, some champions of leadership changes – namely Dave Sadoff and Linda Tangren – have left the MAC.

Under the new bylaws, the Chair may serve for no longer than two consecutive years, so this will be Crawford’s final year as chair, at least for a bit. Also, a 12-year general term limit has been established for all MAC appointees.

The vote this time around was 4-0-1 in favor of Crawford. MAC member Shannon Killebrew was not at the meeting and MAC member Dolly Adams abstained. Both are relatively recent additions to the MAC, replacing Tangren and Sadoff.

Public speaker Michael Kusiak, a frequent critic of having an appointed, rather than elected, MAC, chided the board for giving Crawford another year as chair with virtually no discussion of the matter.

Kusiak pointed out that the same vote for chair was tabled several times last summer when various MAC members were not at meetings, but this time a vote happened when a member was absent.

“We need change in this town,” said Kusiak.

CV Marketplace Update

In other MAC news, the council gave their support to a plan for two murals to be painted on the walls of the Castro Valley Marketplace at the old Daugherty’s site.

Ted Riche took the opportunity to ask Marketplace developer Craig Semmelmeyer whether they were still on track for a mid-August grand opening as previously planned and his answer was “no.”

Semmelmeyer said there have been some hold-ups with county permitting and that he is currently aiming for an October opening date. He said most of the space has been leased, but they are still looking for the perfect florist and dessert tenants. He also promised artwork related to Castro Valley’s past in farming on the Marketplace’s interior walls.

Charter School Approved

Also at Monday night’s meeting, the MAC unanimously approved a plan for the Epiphany Lutheran Church to operate a charter school for up to 360 kids in kindergarten through eighth grade at 16248 Carolyn Street.

Heat Wave is Over for Now

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-12-19

Temperatures moderated today from a Bay Area heat wave that began over the weekend, but not before it had shattered records in many places on Monday, causing power outages in the East Bay, delays on the BART system, and dangerous wildfire conditions.

Highs in Castro Valley hovered around the 100-degree mark at the start of the week, but began dropping by Tuesday. The cooling trend will continue for the rest of the week with temperatures down to the lower 70s by the weekend.

Smalltown Purchases the Historic Chabot Theater

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-05-19

Smalltown Society, in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Hayward, has purchased the historic Chabot Theater on Castro Valley Blvd., in an effort to preserve and build upon its historic legacy, and to make it a community asset for years to come.

“When I first heard the theater was for sale, I knew we had to get involved in order to preserve this landmark,” said Smalltown Society Founder Paul Keim, who will serve as director of operations for the Chabot Theater.

“The more discussions we had with community leadership and residents, the more it became clear — not only could we preserve it, but we had the potential to re-establish it as a community hub in Castro Valley.”

To keep the iconic theater at 2853 Castro Valley Blvd. from being destroyed or utilized for alternate purposes, a team of local residents was formed to purchase the theater and launch a new business that began operations yesterday. All profits from the enterprise will be reinvested into local art and advocacy projects.

Keim said Smalltown Society will continue to operate The Chabot as a community “first-run” cinema house, while implementing some exciting new ideas and plans for the future, including enhancing both the property and schedule, and establishing the theater as a cultural hub in Castro Valley.

The Chabot will continue to run as normal through the summer, with an official grand opening scheduled for late 2019.

Opened in 1948, the Chabot Cinema has been operated by the independent CineLux Theatre chain. It has seating for about 400 and is one of only a handful of single-screen theaters remaining.

Summer Months Most Dangerous For Teen Drivers

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-05-19

The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are considered the most dangerous for teen drivers. In the past five years, during that time, nearly 3,500 people across the country were killed in crashes involving teen drivers.

The three most common behaviors that contribute to the spike in teen crashes during the summer months are speed, impaired driving, and distracted driving.

More than a quarter (28%) of teen crashes involve speeding.

One in six (17%) teen drivers test positive for alcohol in fatal crashes.

More than half (60%) of teen crashes involve distraction.

To keep roads safer this summer, AAA encourages parents to:

• Lead by example and minimize your own risky behavior when driving.

• Talk with teens about the dangers of risky driving situations, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.

• Make a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.

• Become familiar with resources like TeenDriving.AAA.

com, which can help prepare families and teens for the summer driving season.

Teen Driver Safety Class

The California Highway Patrol and the Castro Valley Library will present another of their “Start Smart” teen-driver safety classes at 6 p.m. next Tuesday, June 11, at the Library for new and future licensed teenage drivers between the age of 15-19 and their parents.

CHP officers will talk about traffic collisions, their causes and avoidance techniques, seat-belt usage and driver responsibilities.

To register, call 510-581-9028 (CHP) or 510-667-7900 (Library), or visit: www.aclibrary.org

She’s 105: Her Secret to Youth? Always be Learning

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  06-05-19

Virginia Gates celebrated her 105th birthday today surrounded by friends and family who refer to her as a “warm, caring, and positive person.”

“Even if it was raining, Virginia would have a smile on her face and tell people how she looks forward to each day,” Rev. Shijung Shim told the Castro Valley Forum before a special celebration at Castro Valley United Methodist Church this past weekend.

Born Virginia Liebhart on June 4, 1914, in Dickens, Missouri, she moved to the San Joaquin County town of Manteca with her family at age eight.

The youngest of five children, Liebhart went to Manteca High School and then graduated from nursing school at Highlands Hospital in 1936. She married Donald Gates in 1937.

The couple raised two children Edward and Donna (Driver) in Oakland. Gates has five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

The family still gets together every Thursday for lunch to play cards and talk.

“People think she’s still in her 80s because she still gets around and looks so good,” Driver says. “Until a few years ago, mom would do the cooking for lunch.”

Donald passed away in 1988 after 51 years of marriage. Gates lived in the family home in Oakland for 70 years before moving to Castro Valley more than 10 years ago.

She is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star branch of the Masons as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Gates secret of youth? Keep on learning.

Gates always had a passion for gardening but started learning Spanish in her 70s. Her real passion though is genealogy, which turned into a lifelong commitment to connecting with friends and family.

“Mom had four friends in Manteca that she kept in touch with until the last one passed away 25 years ago. But even to this day, their children and grandchildren

see 105 on page 3

 visit her and share their stories,” Driver says.

Because of her passion for the family tree, Gates was able to trace back her roots to Europe in the 1700s and homes in Pennsylvania.

Fifty people including family members from Wisconsin, Oregon, and California are expected to be on hand for a private birthday event this week.

CAPTION: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!: 105-year old Virginia Gates in a photo taken this past Mother’s Day.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA DRIVER

Student Citizens of 2019

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-29-19

Each year, the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce honors a Student Citizen of the Year from each school, chosen by their teachers and school faculty, at a luncheon at Redwood Canyon Golf Course. Receiving the 2019 Student Citizens of the Year Awards at Redwood Canyon Golf Course on May 23 were:

Blain Engeda, Arroyo High School; Lynee Sims, Canyon Middle School; Christopher Yan, Castro Valley Adult School; John Tak, Castro Valley Elementary; Declan Galli, Castro Valley High School; Adrianna Jaime, Chabot Elementary School; Madeline Almonte Armas, Colonial Acres Elementary; Jennifer Mi, Creekside Middle School; Emma Thanos, Independent Elementary School; Sebastian Sandoval, Jensen Ranch Elementary; Andrea Barrios, Marshall Elementary; Ellie Deorsey, Our Lady of Grace School; Isaiah Maier, Palomares Elementary School; Valeria Iniguez, Proctor Elementary School; Azure Young, Redwood Christian Elementary; Isaac Hague, Redwood Christian High School; Malachi Matangelo, Redwood Christian Middle School; Kaitlyn Didderich, Redwood High School; Douglas Estupinian, San Lorenzo High School; Isaac Shane Mohammed-Smith, Stanton Elementary; Martin James Strasburger, Vannoy Elementary School; and Leigha Pierson, Washington Manor Middle School.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CASTRO VALLEY/EDEN AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Solemn 25th Anniversary

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-29-19

An overflow crowd of more than a hundred attended the 25th anniversary of the loss of Jenny Lin, Friday evening at the Castro Valley Library.

Jenny, a young, talented musician and a straight-A student, was murdered in her Castro Valley home on May 27, 1994, at the age of 14. The brutal slaying devastated her family and shocked the community.

Jenny’s parents, John and Mei-lian Lin, vowed to continue working with the police until the case is solved, and to carry on Jenny’s dreams to see her life extended in a unique fashion.

For 25 years, the Jenny Lin Foundation has offered music scholarships and free music programs to the community each summer, and has organized numerous safety fairs, workshops and activities to raise awareness of child safety issues and to improve safety knowledge and precautions for parents and children. 

“We appreciate everyone’s care and support for our family and the Jenny Lin Foundation,” John Lin said on Friday.  “As we cross the quarter century mark of her passing, I want to reiterate our commitment to finding Jenny’s killer.

“Working with law enforcement agencies and the public, we won’t rest until her killer is apprehended and convicted. And I urge whoever knows anything about the case to come forward and help us find justice for Jenny.”

The family is hopeful that through continuous police effort, advances in forensic technology and public help, this senseless, horrifying case will soon be solved. 

Recent breaks of several age -old murder cases has boosted the family’s hope that one day the killer will be caught. A $100,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of Jenny’s murderer is still available. 

Following Friday night’s memorial service, a candlelight walk was held along the Boulevard to remind the public of the unsolved homicide and to raise awareness of child safety.

Anyone with information about the Lin murder is asked to call the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office at 510-667-7721 or the toll-free hotline at 855-4-JENNY-LIN.

CAPTION: An Alameda County Sheriff’s motorcycle escort, above, prepares to lead Friday night’s candlelight walk through downtown Castro Valley.

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

A Night for Mariachi Music

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-22-19

One hundred and twenty youngsters from all over Castro Valley will perform in a district-wide Mariachi celebration this Friday, May 24 at the Center for the Arts.

“Voces del Valle” (Voices of the Valley) enrichment program, now in its third year, includes students from all ethnicities.

The musical performance will feature vocals and five instruments: trumpet, violin, vihuela, guitar and guitarron. 

Participants range from third grade through high school. The young musicians will play and sing a variety of songs, including “La Bamba.”

“Our Mariachi program provides participating students in grades 3 to 12 additional music instruction from classically trained musicians after school. Just as important is the opportunity for our students to learn about and celebrate the Latino heritage, culture and music,” says Superintendent  Parvin Ahmadi.

Nancy Nodal, the district’s parent/community liaison, adds that the program provides the opportunity to play an instrument for students who might not otherwise be able to afford one of their own. 

“I really wanted to join the Mariachis,” says third grader Samantha De Santiago. “This is my first year. I learned chords on the vihuela, which is the smaller guitar. I’m also a soloist.”

Fifth grader Sebastian Sandoval has been able to use his Mariachi musical skills in school as well. He played his guitar, accompanied by his brother on the violin, at the Jensen Ranch Elementary School talent show.

“I’m learning guitar because I thought it would be a fun experience to learn a new instrument and learn about my culture,” says Sandoval.

The students have been practicing for this performance since October of 2018. The advanced group has already played at the Latino Achievement Awards night at Castro Valley High School, and at Proctor Elementary School’s multi-cultural fair.

see MARIACHI on back page

Director of the Mariachi program is Felipe Garcia, assisted by maestros Jorge Rodriguez, Miguel Chavez on guitar, Victor Singh on trumpet, and maestra Monique Valenzuela as voice instructor. 

Chavez says, “It’s always been a passion of mine.  I grew up doing a lot of music, and having the opportunity to pass the tradition to the next generation gives me joy.”

Parent Anita Arechiga is pleased with the Voces del Valle program. Her daughter, Gabriela, is in her third year playing the large guitarron (bass).  Gabriela is a student at Canyon Middle School.

“It’s a good program. It’s exposed her to an instrument, one that they don’t play at school,” says Anita.

Voces del Valle’s Mariachi Program End-of-the-Year Celebration will be held this Friday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Castro Valley Center for the Arts, 19501 Redwood Road.   

There is no charge for the concert, but space is extremely limited due to the large number of participants.

More about Voces del Valle is viewable  online at  https://vimeo.com/272422488

CAPTION: “VOCES DEL VALLE”: The 120 students in the Castro Valley School District’s Mariachi Program, who will be performing this Friday evening at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts.  

PHOTO BY DEBBIE TEE

CV Sign Is Still in Limbo

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-22-19

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard updates on everything from potholes to the future of Cull Canyon at their Monday night meeting.

The first subject was picking a design for what the county is calling the “Eden Area signage” project.

Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Ashland, and Fairview will all have their own unique color-coded signs on major thoroughfares and near freeway exits directing people to libraries, shopping areas, and other amenities.

Jaimie Orfanos, the county’s economic and civic development manager, said that most other communities have already picked a small, simple image as logo of sorts for their signs though an informal public surveying process, but Castro Valley residents weren’t too happy with the suggestion of a hawk in flight so no design has been selected yet.

San Lorenzans have picked a line drawing of the art deco Lorenzo Theater; a lone tree was selected for Fairview; an ash leaf was chosen for Ashland; and cherries and Meek Manor were chosen for Cherryland.

The MAC didn’t care for Orfanos’ hawk or other suggestions of Lake Chabot or a redwood tree that were generated by an Oakland-based municipal design consultant.

Orfanso said that a formal call for artists to offer new proposed images would be a lengthy and costly process and Crawford suggested asking people in the community to share their designs for free.

Crawford said he already received one alternative design from a resident — a canoe, which he said was “hilarious.” Of course, the poorly-received “Welcome to Castro Valley” sign featuring a canoe became the town’s most instantly infamous piece of public art back in the 1990s.

MAC member Chuck Moore described the hawk, lake, and tree designs as too generic and applicable to many other towns. He suggested something to do with Castro Valley’s agricultural history.

“I looked at these pictures and they really don’t tell me that I’m in Castro Valley or anything about Castro Valley,” said Moore.

In the end, the MAC voted unanimously to have the community development agency start a process to ask for volunteers and advertise for a new design to present to the council at a later date.

Public Works Report

The county’s Public Works agency also delivered its annual report to the MAC on Monday evening. Public Works director Daniel Woldesenbet said that 2018 saw almost $21 million in transportation projects in Castro Valley, including $9.3 million for pavement management.

The state of roadways are ranked on “pavement condition index” or PCI of 1-to-100 the PCI in the unincorporated area is 73, which Woldesenbet says is much better than neighboring cities including San Leandro and Hayward. He identified 75 streets in Castro Valley which received pavement improvements last year.

Woldesenbet also shared a summary of smaller Public Works activities preformed in Castro Valley in 2018: 8,700 miles of streets were swept, 211 trees were trimmed, 83 pieces of graffiti were removed, and 1,436 pot holes were repaired.

Later, Hank Ackerman of the Alameda County Flood Control District gave an update on Cull Canyon. In 2016, the dam there was modified to create a creek. Eventually, the district wants to create trails for walking and hiking.

That will likely be a few years in the future because the California Fish and Wildlife Service and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board requires that native trees, grasses, and shrubs be planted in the area.

Right now, the land which will eventually become the trails is fenced off so the native plants can fully take root.

Once the plants are established, the trails and benches will be built, according to Ackerman. The area will look more like a natural habitat than a manicured park.

CAPTION: CULL CANYON: Once native plants are established, trails and benches will be built and the area will look more like a natural habitat than a manicured park.

ALAMEDA COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPT.

Sen. Wieckowski to Run for Congress

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-22-19

California State Senator Bob Wieckowski announced his candidacy for California’s 15th Congressional District on Tuesday.

The 10th Senate District he currently represents in the State Legislature overlaps with the 15th Congressional District, and covers most of eastern Alameda County, including Castro Valley.

The district is currently represented by Democrat Eric Swalwell, who previously announced his candidacy for president and has said he would not seek reelection to Congress.

Wieckowski is a former bankruptcy attorney who served as Vice Mayor of Fremont, and as a member of the State Assembly before his election to the State Senate.

He received his B.A. from the University of California and his J.D. from Santa Clara University Law School. He lives in Fremont with his wife, Sue.

Watching the Parade

Go By

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-15-19

Hundreds of people lined the Boulevard Saturday morning for the Annual Rowell Rodeo Parade, but this little girl, holding a flag,  got a close-up view from the median. The parade is sponsored every year by the Rotary Club of Castro Valley. The winning entries can be found on page 12

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

Dried and Tied Set To Close

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-15-19

After 43 years in business, long-time Castro Valley retailer Dried & Tied is closing its doors this spring.

The store began humbly in 1976 when co-owners Kathy Rousey and Jan Gonsalves came together to serve an open niche of offering dried flowers and specialty gifts.

Current owner, George Mathai announced his retirement earlier this year. The remaining managers said they could not continue without a strong partner like Mathai and are now preparing to close the shop in a month or so.

“Although bittersweet, the time is right for us to move on,” Mathai says.

An announcement posted on the store entrance and a posting on the Dried & Tied Facebook page mentioning the closure caught customers by surprise.

“So sad to hear this. This is where I go to buy gifts for my friends for any occasion,” Castro Valley resident, Kathi Wilson Finley posted on Facebook. “My husband shops for gifts for me there because he knows he can always find something I’ll love. I’m really, really going to miss this store a LOT!!!”

Dried & Tied customers will agree that the store was more than a retail outlet. It was a place where people would go to have a shopping experience – get decorating advice, and visit with employees that ultimately became friends.

“We have some customers come in to shop with us while their family members are at Eden Hospital. Rousey told the Castro Valley Forum. “They talk to us while they shop. It gives them a feeling of being grounded. They feel better in a place that has nice things that may remind them of simpler times and of home.”

Over the years, the store built a strong brand and following, becoming a destination in Castro Village Shopping Center for generations.

“We bring with us many memories and are so grateful to the community and loyal customers for their support over the years,” Rousey adds. “I had a customer come in recently with a stroller who said she loved coming to the store when she was a little girl and her mother brought her in to shop.”

Starting out of their own homes, Rousey and Gonsalves answered requests by friends and family to have home parties. They expanded quickly and at the height of its success, the partners managed a 2-story 4,000 square foot space. The brand was built around elegance. Just as Tiffany’s has its blue box; Dried & Tied has its gift bow, gold sticker, and fragrance spray.

“Our motto has always been, ‘If you don’t see it here, you don’t need it,’” Rousey quips.

At the time, there were not as many shopping choices for home decor. Dried & Tied made a name for itself by decorating the store every holiday including Christmas and Halloween. Since then, online retailers and jumbo home furnishings chains have displaced locally owned stores like Dried & Tied.

Rousey and Gonsalves “retired” once before in 2005 when they sold the store to George Mathai, who said he wanted to invest in a local business. Rousey returned to work in partnership with Mathai in 2011 right up to current day.

The store is expected to continue with sales until its final day.

CAPTION: The Dried and Tied crew: Antoinette Streeter, Kathy Rousey, Dawn Altman, Marsha Stowe.

Photo by MICHAEL SINGER

Medical Office to Be Built

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-15-19

A developer got the go-ahead to raze three old buildings and construct a new two-story 25,000-square-foot medical office near the 3-Crosses Church at Monday night’s meeting of the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC).

The site, at 20630 John Drive, doesn’t have a tenant yet, but it will be used for medical purposes, according to the developers.

The developers also included plans to build a large “Welcome to Castro alley” sign, as the site is near the freeway and faces traffic Castro Valley Boulevard, but the MAC had reservations about the design and told them to come back for further discussion on the specifics of the sign.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the MAC postponed a decision on whether to allow an indoor children’s recreation facility at the corner of Castro Valley Boulevard and Chester Street — the site of the former Trader’s sporting goods store.

Several members of the MAC told applicant Mary Ann Dones that she had a good business idea and they’d like to see the facility open for the kids of the community, but there is no dedicated parking for the store and that’s a problem.

The lack of parking for that stretch of the Boulevard (which includes Lucca’s Deli and ABC Music) wasn’t a major issue for Trader’s which had a couple of customers at a time, but the MAC foresaw Dones’s play facility having dozens of customers at once during birthday parties and other events.

MAC member Ted Riche said the parking issue will only get worse once the Castro Valley Marketplace opens up a couple of blocks away this summer.

Other MAC members said they couldn’t give Dones permission to move forward with a lack of parking, as it wouldn’t be fair to the many applicants who’ve had their projects turned down or modified because of parking problems in the past.

MAC Chair Marc Crawford directed Dones to talk with surrounding business and see if they could be persuaded into committing to give up their parking spots during their off-hours or when they aren’t too busy. The item was continued to a non-specified meeting in the future.

“I can’t support this with the parking demand that it has,” said Crawford. “The need is there — I’m sure it would be very popular — but that would just increase the parking problem. The applicant needs to do some homework.”

The MAC also heard an update on the county’s ongoing General Plan Implementation Project. During the discussion, Pastor Jake Metcalf of the First Presbyterian Church on Grove Way told the MAC that mixed use housing should be a priority as long-term plans are made in the area.

First Presbyterian has non-offical plans for a large housing development on their site, with the idea of having the Trader Joe’s market on the first floor and affordable apartments on the upper floors.

That proposal upset several members of the MAC, as they has just recently voted to allow tiny homes on the property after more than a year of discussion.

CV Mourns the Passing of  ‘Dobie’ Gelles

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-15-19

Donald L. “Dobie” Gelles, one of Castro Valley’s most respected and beloved citizens, passed away at his home on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

Mr. Gelles was born on July 3, 1938 at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Johnstown Catholic High School and then joined the Army, where his buddies called him “Dobie,” a name that stuck with him for the rest of his life. He served an additional eight years as a reservist.

After his stint on active duty, Mr. Gelles attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Science and Math.

He moved to Livermore in 1964 and later to Castro Valley, obtaining a lifetime teaching credential and earning a Masters Degree in Counseling from Cal State Hayward.

He worked as a teacher, counselor, principal and director of the Castro Valley Adult School and was a member of the Castro Valley School Board. He served on many other local boards including Eden Hospital and the Castro Valley Sports Foundation, and was president for the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs.

He was a longtime trustee of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and served as board president twice during his tenure.

He was honored as a recipient of the Fulfilling the Trust Award conferred by the Community College League of California, for his two decades of service as a California community college trustee.

His dedication to students and his communities was evident through his service. For many years, he took graduating eighth-graders to Washington D.C., on his “Dobie’s Proud to be an American” trip.

Bruce Johnson, Superintendent Emeritus of Redwood Christian Schools, called Gelles a “friend to everyone, and one who could always be counted on for a positive word of encouragement.”

Mr. Gelles was preceded in death by his wife Shirley and brother Jack. He is survived by his brothers, Charles (Esther), and George (Terri), his nieces and nephews, his “lady friend” Minga, his children Dawn (Dave) and David, and his granddaughters, Emma and Elise.

Friends and family are invited to a service honoring his life at 2 p.m. this Sunday, May 19, at Transfiguration Church, 4000 East Castro Valley Boulevard.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Castro Valley Education Foundation. Please reference the “Dobie Gelles Scholarship” in the memo section. Mail to CVEF, Attention Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 2693, Castro Valley 94546.

CAPTION: Donald L. “Dobie” Gelles 1938 - 2019

Holy Macaroni! They’ve Added Something New to the Cook-Off

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-08-19

Castro Valley’s annual Rowell Ranch Rodeo kicks off this week with the usual pomp and circumstance and a little unexpected twist.

In addition to the popular Chili Cookoff—Friday night starting at 5 p.m.—event organizers added a Mac and Cheese competition to encourage homegrown chefs to show off their talents.

“This is the 23rd year that the Rotary Club has sponsored the Chili Cookoff, so we wanted to mix things up a bit,” CV Rotary Club member and Chili Cookoff co-chairperson Kern Lewis told the Castro Valley Forum.

“We have five entrants this year, so we’re excited to see what they can come up with. Mac and cheese is really popular with the kids and you can do all sorts of things with it to make it unique.”

The Chili Cookoff at the Rowell Ranch Rodeo grounds will spotlight 20 entrants, each with their own style and range of spices and heat.

Making 10 gallons of chili is a big commitment for the cooks, Lewis notes. Each contestant must also bring their own booth and decorate it in addition to making the chili and serving it up for hungry fans.

“Some entrants are local businesses and groups who take it very seriously,” Lewis says. “The Foothill Sportsmans Club holds little mini competitions amongst its own members. The winning recipe goes up against the rest of the community. They always place as one of the top contenders.”

The rodeo theme for 2019 is, “Be The Inspiration,” which coincides with the Rotary Club International’s community message this year.

One of the unsung heroes of the Chili Cookoff is Rotarian Bobbi Aufdermauer, who stocks a table full of cookies, brownies, and other treats for sale.

Aufdermauer uses the proceeds along with a matching fund from her company, Chevron, to fund the Rotary Club’s college scholarships through the Castro Valley Education Foundation. Last year, the scholarship received $3,000 as a result.

Other pre-rodeo festivities include the Art & Essay Contest and the Pancake Breakfast at the Alameda County Fire Station No. 4 on San Miguel Avenue on Saturday morning.

This year’s Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade—Saturday starting at 10 a.m.—will spotlight about 100 entries with community groups, horse riders, local businesses, car clubs, and student groups.

The Castro Valley Sports Foundation was chosen as the official parade marshal this year. Honorary parade marshals and parade sponsors include Redwood Christian Schools and Eden Medical Center.

The parade route will take the traditional promenade down Castro Valley Boulevard starting at Nunes Avenue and heading west toward Wisteria Street where it will make a turn back towards Redwood Road and then head back west before exiting at Wilbeam Avenue.

Parking will be limited. Check out www.rowellranchrodeoparade.com to find the best places to see the parade and more rodeo information.

CAPTION: Chili lovers of all ages congregate at Rowell Rodeo Park during last year’s Chili Cookoff.

PHOTO BY GARY BOSLEY

Your Phone Number to Get Longer

Pretty soon, you’ll have to dial 11 digits to make any phone call, even if you’re just calling across town.

Next month, a new area code – 341– will be added to the same area that is now 510 in an “overlay,” according to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

The number of available prefixes (the first three numbers after the area code) are expected to run out soon, so the new 341 area code will start being assigned to new phone accounts in mid-July.

The change goes into effect on June 22, but the CPUC recommends that you start dialing all 11 digits now to get used to it.

If you have a 510 number, you’ll keep the same number, but you’ll have to dial 1-510 before any call, even if it is to another 510 number.

Now is the time to update any speed-dial 7-digit phone numbers to include all 11 digits. And make sure personal stationery, bank checks, emergency contact numbers and pet ID tags, all have the area code included.

Service numbers such as 911, 211, or 511 will remain 3-digit numbers.

Two Armed Carjackings End in Violent Crashes

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-08-19

Two teenage boys have been arrested and two more are wanted following two armed carjackings which both ended in violent collisions last week.

The teens who have been arrested are not being identified by police because they are minors, ages 16 and 17, according to Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident began in San Leandro shortly before midnight on May 2 when a man sitting in his parked car and talking on the phone in the lot of the Main Library at 300 Estudillo Avenue saw four suspects in dark clothing approach his car and hand smash a back window, according to San Leandro Police Lt. Isaac Benabou.

The victim got out of the car and the suspects demanded his keys and cell phone.

When the victim reached into his car to retrieve his dog, he was stabbed in the back of his leg with a small knife, Benabou said.

The victim was then kicked to the ground and assaulted until he gave up his keys and phone. The suspects then got in the car and drove off, but did give the man his dog and phone back.

The victim called 911 and paramedics arrived at the scene to treat his stab wound, which was not life-threatening.

About 30 minutes later, the suspects went to a home on the 4800 block of Seven Hills Road in Castro Valley where they threatened a woman sitting in her car in her driveway with a knife, again demanding her keys. The woman struggled with the suspects and didn’t not give them her keys until her 11-year-old daughter came out of the house.

The suspects took off again, this time in two different cars.

An officer spotted both cars driving together near James Avenue and Brickell Way in Castro Valley. More officers arrived on the scene and the car that was stolen from Castro Valley led police on a 12-mile high-speed chase before crashing into a fence in San Leandro.

Around the same time that car crashed, the car that was stolen form San Leandro wound up crashing into a home on Parsons Avenue in Castro Valley, severing electrical and gas lines.

Two elderly women who lived there were home at the time, but were not injured. PG&E crews secured the damaged lines within minutes.

The passengers in both cars were arrested, but police are still looking for the drivers.

Anyone with any information on the case is asked to call 510-577-2740.

CAPTION: The house on Parsons Avenue that was heavily damaged after a carjacked vehicle crashed into it early Friday morning. The home’s two occupants were not injured.

PHOTO BY CARL LAWLER PHOTOGRAPHY

BART Beefing Up Its Security

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-01-19

In the face of millions of dollars in property losses annually, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District’s Board of Directors last week unanimously approved the deployment of automated license plate readers at four of its 48 parking lots.

District officials say there has been an average of 930 auto break-ins, 354 car thefts, and more than a hundred catalytic converters thefts at BART parking lots since 2017, accounting for $7 million in losses each year.   

During the test period, four previously purchased license plate-reading cameras will be installed to capture data from vehicles entering and exiting at unspecified lots. The data will be stored for not longer than 30 days.

The board’s action came Thursday, just the day after the transit system installed three emergency call boxes on its Coliseum Station platform as a pilot program that’s part of a sweeping plan to improve rider security on the system.

The call boxes, located in the middle and at each end of the platform, provide a 9-1-1 style service to those who do not have a cell phone or cell reception.

Each call box has a direct intercom to BART Police dispatch and each is equipped with a camera that begins to record video whenever the intercom button is pushed.

The call boxes display a site location to the dispatcher and a flashing blue light when activated.

BART stations currently have white courtesy telephones that connect to the station agent booth, but emergency call boxes offer a much quicker connection to BART Police. BART also offers a free app that allows riders to discreetly communicate via text with police dispatchers about criminal or suspicious activity.

“Riders at Coliseum Station now have another way of immediately reaching BART Police,” said Director Robert Raburn. “Dispatchers will have a real time connection with riders through both audio and camera visuals to better understand what is happening. I’m looking forward to installations at other station platforms.”

The success of this platform emergency call box pilot program will drive decisions related to systemwide implementation, which is estimated to cost under $10 million dollars.

CAPTION: One of the three emergency call boxes on the BART Coliseum Station platform in a pilot program to improve safety on the system. With the push of a button, a rider can immediately connect to BART Police and turn on video cameras.

BART PHOTO

Future of Land ‘Up In the Air’

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-01-19

A 300-acre swath of land in the foothills once set for an expansion of I-238 will instead likely be turned into affordable housing. One Castro Valley resident is making sure that the large project doesn’t interfere with San Lorenzo Creek.

In the 1960s, Caltrans bought the land for what was once termed the 14-mile “Foothill Freeway,” but the project never materialized and the City of Hayward eventually bought the land, which is divided into 10 parcels.

Hayward describes the parcels as being in a pre-planning state and have earmarked large portions of it for affordable and market-rate, multi-family housing

Some of the parcels are much closer to being developed than others. In fact, construction is already underway on 472 townhomes on Parcel 1 near the south Hayward BART station. But the future of parcels 8 in Castro Valley and parcel 9 in Cherryland are still up in the air.

Parcel 8 consists of nearly 19 acres, with 13 acres in the unincorporated area, and runs between Grove Way and Carlos Bee Park. It’s zoned for neighborhood commercial and residential uses of up to medium density and also for open space.

Parcel 9 is called the “Apple Oak parcel” and is 4 acres, with 1.5 acres in the unincorporated area. It’s zoned for high-density residential and commercial office uses.

“There is not a set site plane yet,” said John Stefanski, management analyst with the City of Hayward. “A large portion of the land is set aside for open space and we have no intention of doing anything to take away from that.”

Stefanski stressed that there would a lot of public outreach as the project moves forward.

“It’s an open-ended conversation,” said Stefanski. “We are still trying to work it out.””

Bruce King of the Friends of the San Leandro Creek, says that now is the time to make sure that, whatever winds up happening with the I-238 lands, the creek is well-preserved.

“The difficulty with the project is that it deals with multiple justifications and I’m not seeing a consistent plan for the whole area,” said King. “Hayward, the county, and HARD (the Hayward Area Recreation District) need to start working together and working with the community to preserve the land. More land next to the Creek is always better — not parking or dense housing.”

Stefanski said that King has given the city lots of background information about creek preservation and that consideration for the creek and open space will be made as the project continues.

Whatever happens with the land, Hayward will need to finalize plans by 2022, or the property automatically will revert back to Caltrans as per terms of the contract. 

Famed Quilter Marion Coleman Passes Away

By Linda Sandsmark

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  05-01-19

Internationally renowned Castro Valley quilter Marion Coleman passed away last Wednesday, April 24.

She leaves behind remarkable works of art that combine traditional quilting materials with beads, plastic, paint, and vintage and recycled materials of all types. Tributes to her standing in both the artistic and quilting communities are pouring in.

“Marion was a longtime colleague and friend of mine,” says Alameda County Arts Commission director Rachel Osajima. “Everyone who knew her will miss her deeply.

“The artworks created by Marion that are in the Alameda County Art Collection, such as the quilts at the Castro Valley Library, will continue to be seen by thousands of people. Marion will live on through the beauty and inspiration of these artworks.”

Joanne Lenigan, publicity chair for the Amador Valley Quilters, recalls Coleman as an extraordinary quilter and dynamic speaker. Having mastered the art of folk quilting, her works told important stories that celebrated African American culture, political trends, and affirmations of power.

“One quilt that I will never forget hung at the Alameda County Fair in 2017,” says Lenigan.  “It had a large ‘dropped mic’ in the foreground, and a tall African American man exiting through a door in the background.  The words ‘Miss me?’ were appliqued in large red/orange letters. What a subtle, and yet powerful statement!”

Coleman was a social worker by profession, who cleverly combined social work with quilting. Born in Texas, Coleman learned to sew from her grandmother and great-aunts.

She moved to California where she earned a Bachelor’s degree from U.C. Riverside and Master’s in Counseling from Cal State Hayward.

She united her 30 years of social service experience with quilt-making to provide community art education in schools, libraries, and even juvenile detention centers.

A prolific artist, her works have been displayed in prestigious venues around the world. These include the Underground Railroad Freedom Center (Ohio); Orange County History Center (Florida);  Bullock Museum (Texas); Michigan State University Museum, and Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco, to name a few.

Internationally, her work has been exhibited in South Africa, Europe, Japan, Costa Rica and the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.

Locals may recall seeing her quilts at Castro Valley Center for the Arts,  Castro Valley Library, Hayward Area Historical Society, Ashland Youth Center, and Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Leandro.

Last year Congressman Eric Swalwell entered a commendation for Coleman into the Congressional Record, recognizing her receipt of a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, which is the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. 

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors awarded her an Arts Leadership Award in 2009.

More information and a portfolio  of Coleman’s work and accomplishments may be seen on her website, marioncoleman.com.

Marion Coleman has lived in Castro Valley since 1984. She is survived by four children and three grandchildren. 

At her request, there will be no memorial service. However, the family welcomes donations in her memory to Alameda County Arts Commission (www.acgov.org/arts/pdfs/Foundation_Donation%20Form.pdf) or American Lung Association (action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31271&mfc_pref=T&31271.donation=form1).

CAPTION: Internationally known quilt artist Marion Coleman at quilting demonstration at the Castro Valley Library in 2013.

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

Celebrating Easter with Community Sunrise Service

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-24-19

More than 150 community members gathered above Lake Chabot before dawn on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ at the Community Sunrise Service, hosted by Redwood Chapel and Castro Valley First Baptist Church. James Bohn led the throng in songs declaring the love and power of God. Sue Hague shared a testimony of her transformed life and Paul Triplett encouraged the audience of all ages with a message of hope.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REDWOOD CHAPEL

EBMUD Seeks Rate Hike for Aging Pipelines

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-24-19

Every two years, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) makes a new budget and – more often than not – that means rate hikes for water and waste water customers.

At a budget workshop last month, the district proposed a 2019-2021 budget that totals $2.3 billion. If adopted, it will include a 6.5 percent rate increase for water service this July 1 and another 6.25 percent increase on July 1, 2020. Additionally, wastewater rates would increase by 4 percent in fiscal years 2021.

EBMUD says the proposed budget is what it will need to cover more than $800 million towards improving the aging water infrastructure in the next two years, as well as its information technology department where outdated financial and human resource systems need to be replaced.

The EBMUD board will vote on the proposed increase at a public hearing on June 11 at their administrative office at 375 11th St. in Oakland. The public is invited to attend the meeting and also to address questions and comments to EBMUD at 866-403-2683 or at ebmud.com.

The new proposed rate increases are part of a pattern of regular annual rate hikes. During the last biannual budget process in 2017,  water rates went up 9.25 percent beginning that year and another 9 percent on July 1, 2018. That was on top of rate increases totaling over 35 percent since 2013.

Community Praised Following Hearing Device Theft

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-24-19

A seven-year-old girl from Independent Elementary learned a few life lessons following a theft of her hearing device: One, that people deserve a second chance… and two, that the Castro Valley community has a huge heart.

Back on April 7, a burglar broke into the school and took laptops, money for a field trip to Sulphur Creek Nature Center, and a device that looks like a cell phone.

But instead of a cell phone, it was a $1,500 hearing device called a Phonak that helps First Grader Alicia Lyding isolate her teacher’s voice, so she is not distracted by background noise.

Word spread on social media about the theft and people started coming out of the woodwork to help. Alicia’s mom, Meghan Lyding has nothing but praise for the community and how overwhelmed the family felt for the support.

“It was a shock to us when we heard the news that Alicia’s Phonak got stolen, but we’re glad that there is a happy ending here and that it brought the whole community together,” Lyding told the Castro Valley Forum.

The list of groups coming to help Alicia and her classmates is long.

The Castro Valley Unified School district immediately got a similar device on loan and ordered a replacement device for Alicia to use.

Strangers pledged to set up a couple of GoFundMe fundraising pages to pay for a replacement. The staff at Sulphur Creek waived the fees lost in the theft. The president of Phonak was touched by Alicia’s story and sent her a new type of device that can help her hear clearly even in a crowded restaurant. A local television station spotlighted Alicia’s story twice.

While much of the media focus has been on her daughter because of her hearing impairment, Lyding wants to remind the community that the rest of the class was impacted during the theft as well.

“Alicia is one of a couple of students at Independent with hearing issues, so it’s good that the community understands what it’s like for students like Alicia in the classroom and that they know what kinds of equipment is necessary for some of them to learn,” Lyding says.

see THEFT on page 15

Lyding was also very touched by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies stopped by to reassure her daughter they were on the case and brought a K9 dog and squad car for support.

“We know how hard it can be for someone that young to experience a theft. Alicia says she wants to be a police officer one day, and so we wanted to show her our support,” Sgt. Ray Kelly says.

As for the 19-year-old homeless man arrested for the theft, he is also getting a second chance.

The same person is suspected in ten other burglaries in Castro Valley. Deputies identified him on surveillance cameras at the school. While Alicia’s device was never recovered, the man wrote and apologized to Alicia noting that he thought the device was a radio and would not have taken it if he knew it would hurt a person with a hearing

impairment.

Alicia publicly forgave the man for the theft. Her mom is grateful that the man can get a second chance.

“They told me that he was homeless and stealing to pay for drugs, but the Sheriff’s department is working with him to help him hopefully turn his life around,” Lyding says.

CAPTION: Phonak hearing device

KGO Anchor Dion Lim with Alicia

Photos courtesy of Meghan Lyding

CV Mom is ‘Lethally Blonde’ on Wheels

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-17-19

By day, Liz Vincent is a Castro Valley mom and a labor and delivery nurse. But by night, she’s a roller derby queen known as “Lethally Blond.”

“I can be a real bad ass,” Vincent told the Castro Valley Forum. “I’m very gentle with my patients and of course my kids, so it’s really a stress relief to strap on my boots and get out there and get physical.”

Skating for the Oakland Outlaws since 2008 (except for a few years off to have kids), Vincent is also a member of the Castro Valley Mother’s Club.

“I skate because I love it,” Vincent says. “I’ve been having so much fun and I’m hoping to inspire more moms to get involved. I have a few Castro Valley moms in mind who I think would be great roller derby skaters.”

Vincent got inspired to skate in a circle because of her father and great grandmother who attended live derby bouts in Los Angeles in the ’50s and ’60s. Vincent saw a story about a league playing at Fort Mason in San Francisco more than 10 years ago and decided to join soon after.

“We have an 8- to 10-week boot camp class that can get anyone in shape to roll with us,” Vincent says. “I was not a good skater at first but now I’m pretty good.”

The Outlaws are a part of the Bay Area Derby league (or BAD) and compete locally with two other Bay Area Teams (The San Francisco Shevil Dead and The Berkeley Resistance).

The three local teams will often bout against other Northern California teams including Santa Cruz, Sacramento, and even Humboldt, but the Bay Area Derby teams consistently have the best record. Skaters from all three teams make up the Bay Area All-Stars, a Top 20 ranked team which competes around the country.

The derby is a volunteer organization made up of women of all demographics and professions. Some are former roller skaters and ice hockey players. The flamboy-

ant nicknames and bold fashions are all part of the fun. Fans can sit rink side and feel the whoosh of the skaters as they whiz by.

The Bay Area has a rich roller derby heritage. In the mid-50s, the San Francisco Bay City Bombers were the crown of the National Roller Derby League with stars like “Blond Bomber,” Joan Weston and “Banana-Nose” Ann Calvello.

League owner, Jerry Seltzer negotiated television contracts with KTVU in the 1960s and fans could see their local stars battle crews from other cities in venues as large as the Cow Palace and Oakland Coliseum.

Nowadays, the three Bay Area teams currently hold bouts at the Palace of Fine Arts. Member dues, fan gear, concessions, and tickets help pay for rink time.

The season opens this weekend (April 20) with local bouts scheduled for June 1 and July 13. The season culminates during the Championship Game on August 24 at the Palace of Fine Arts.

If you want to join one of the teams or watch the action, visit BayAreaDerby.com

CAPTION: Liz Vincent, at far right, battles for position on the Oakland Outlaws.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WILL TOFT

CAPTION:

Liz Vincent with her two boys.

Homeless Population Increasing

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-17-19

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard an update on the problems of homelessness in the area, with an emphasis on unsheltered youth and families at their Monday night meeting.

Jennifer Ellis from the Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO) told the MAC that there are approximately 5,600 homeless people in Alameda County and 711 of them are part of a family unit, with about 9 percent of the total homeless population under the age of 18.

Later, Castro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi told the MAC that there are an estimated 95 homeless students attending schools in town.

Homeless in the case of many of the students doesn’t necessarily mean living on the streets: they could be living in a car or couch-surfing with friends or family, but they don’t have permanent accommodations.

“This is an increasing problem, more people need more help,” said Ellis. “Folks are one crisis away, living paycheck to paycheck. One $400 bill could take them off their path.”

Ellis said that FESCO focuses on homeless people in mid-Alameda County and is financially dependent on grants from the county as well as cities including Hayward and San Leandro. She added that individual donations are also vital and to that end, she invited everyone to participate in their largest fund-raiser of the year, the “FESCO Shuffle.”

The shuffle is a one-mile walk around the San Leandro Marina on Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to noon. The public is invited and anyone can pre-register or make an online donation at fescoshuffle.org.

The MAC then heard from the school district who discussed the measure they’re taking to support homeless students attending Castro Valley schools.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jason Reimann reiterated that there are 94 unhoused students in the district his year, out of a total enrollment of around 9,350 students.

Reimann said that not only is the number disturbing, the figure has increased dramatically since the beginning of the school year.

“We began the year with only 64 students who qualified as homeless, so that’s a 50 percent increase we’ve seen and it has not even been an entire school year,” said Reimann. “That’s a pretty substantial shift that obviously no one wants to see. It’s not only the number but the rate of growth we are concentrated within our community.”

Reimann said that every single student who is experiencing housing instability is personally contacted by the district’s counselling staff and that put in touch with resources.

Every homeless student directly contracted by counselling staff.

Student Services Director Jim Kentris told the MAC that Marshall and Stanton have non-perishable food banks and the district office has a freezer which holds perishable meat and produce for those who need food.

Kentris said everyone is working hard to do all they can, but he believes they are at a disadvantage being in an unincorporated area without direct resources from a city, which can result in red tape when contacting various service providers.

“I’m finding out that being that we are in an unincorporated area, we don’t have the same resources,” said Kentris. “There is a lot of great intentions out there and a lot of different groups out there, but it’s not coordinated.”

Other business

Also at Monday Night’s meeting, the MAC approved designs for 40 proposed utility boxes which will be covered in decorative vinyl wraps all over town.

MAC member Chuck Moore has long been critical of the $117,000 public art project, saying he appreciates the skill of the artists and hard work of the county staff, but believes the public’s money could be better spent elsewhere, a point he reemphasized this week after hearing the presentations on homelessness.

“I sat here and listened to the homeless issue and the problems we have,” said Moore to Alameda County Arts Commission Director Rachel Osajima. “Nothing against the wonderful job you’ve done, I think it’s nice. But I think it’s the wrong-spend for our dollars where there are so many homeless people and people who need money.”

Osajima said that installation of the box art is set to begin in June and also told the MAC that the “community identifier” mural which is set to be painted on the I-580 overpass at Redwood Road is also expected to be installed over the summer.

BART’s General Manager Grace Crunican Announces Retirement

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-17-19

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BART’s General Manager Grace Crunican Announces Retirement

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-17-19

In an abrupt announcement last week, BART General Manager Grace Crunican, announced she would be retiring as of July 6. She had led the transit system for nearly eight years.

In her statement, which came during the agency’s Thursday board meeting, Crunican, 63, said her partnership with the directors had “put in place essential elements which will help the Agency to thrive in the next decade.”

“The entire rail car fleet is being replaced and expanded,” she said. “The train control system, nearly 30% of the power system and billions in other infrastructure components are either scheduled or are being replaced.”

Her announcement came just days after BART’s Police Chief, Carlos Rojas, announced he would be stepping down next month.BART has some 425,000 riders each day and operates with a $2.3 billion budget. 

CAPTION :BART GM Grace Crunican

RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-10-19

Congressman Eric Swalwell, whose California office is on Castro Valley Boulevard, formally announced his bid for the 2020 nomination  for president Monday night.

Appearing on CBS-TV’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Swalwell said he would “go big on the issues we take on, be bold in the solutions we offer and do good in the way we govern.”

Swalwell, 38, is serving his fourth term representing California’s 15th Congressional District, which includes Castro Valley and most of eastern Alameda County and parts of Contra Costa County.

Since being elected to the House, he has flown back to the district on many weekends to participate in local events both large and small.

He has been a vocal and harsh critic of President Trump’s White House, appearing almost daily on cable news channels and network television newscasts. A member of the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees, Swalwell has repeatedly accused the president of colluding with Russia during the 2016 election.

He is also making gun control a central focus of his campaign.

He comes from a family that is mostly Republican and is the son of a police officer. He was a former Alameda County prosecutor and Dublin City Council member. He is the first in his family to go to college.

He joins a crowded Democratic field fast approaching 20 contestants and says he will not seek reelection to the House after 2020.

Swalwell will make his first extended TV interview appearance since his announcement this evening on MSNBC at 6 p.m. when he will be questioned live by talk-show host and former Castro Valley resident Rachel Maddow.   

CAPTION: Rep. Eric Swalwell during Monday evening’s taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

MAC Feels ‘Misled’ by New Plan

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-10-19

Just weeks after giving the go ahead to “tiny homes” being built on the First Presbyterian Church property at Grove Way and Redwood Road, the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) has heard dramatically different plans for the future of the property.

MAC Chair Marc Crawford recently learned that First Presbyterian and Eden Housing approached the county with a tentative idea to build a 199-unit affordable apartment complex in the site, which would include razing and rebuilding the existing Trader Joe’s and church.

Although no formal application has been made, Crawford and fellow MAC member Shelia Cunha expressed that they felt misled if not outright betrayed by the new plan.

“We made it very clear during the tiny homes application that we would take that leap of faith on the understanding that there would be no additional residential use,” said Crawford.

Cunha agreed that it appeared the church was disingenuous with the original proposal.

“I am so disheartened,” said Cunha . “We spent so much time on the tiny homes. That’s misleading and dishonest.”

The development would be the largest in Castro Valley history, according to Crawford. It’s in the very earliest stages of planning and it would not necessarily prevent the tiny homes from being built if only on a temporary basis.

MAC member Ted Riche acknowledged that affordable housing is badly needed and that churches are constant evolving in the modern age. He said the project could eventually be a winner but there needed to be a lot more information and discussion.

At their Monday meeting, the MAC also voted against approving a variance that would have allowed the construction of a home in the 1900 block of Lomita Drive. They cited the lot size and shape, tight setbacks, and the height of the structure as reasons for denial.

“I look at this lot and it seems unbuildable to me,” said Crawford.

CVHS Seniors’ Annual ‘Mr. CV’ Extravaganza

By Linda Sandsmark

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-10-19

Castro Valley High School’s ever-popular “Mr. CV” program was held last Friday night, highlighting the talent, humor and outright bravery of the class of 2019.

Nowhere else can one watch original songs and dances interspersed with prom invitations, or experience a lifeguard diving into a blow-up pool onstage to rescue a swimmer from menacing sea life. 

The event is held annually as a fundraiser for Castro Valley High’s Spirit Team. This year’s pageant had a “Beach Party” theme, and all 21 contestants and their lovely escorts donned beachwear for group dances and individual performances. Beach Boy music and other summery songs played throughout the evening.

The talent portion opened with a group calling itself the “Asian Invasion,” dancing to “Baby Shark.” Dancer Kyle Bales, who wore a muu muu, won an online audience vote for the People’s Choice Award.

A  “Baywatch” skit featuring Connor Kincaid, Lennart Richter and Max Smith surprised the audience with a dramatic onstage water rescue, complete with lifeguard, CPR, a mysterious water animal and an unexpected slide off the stage stairs as they exited.

Nolan Keating and Kevin Li  sang their own original composition, and a unique take on “Dueling Banjoes” was performed in the dark by Jacob Ikuma and Payton Morgan, using “flashlights stuck up their noses.”

Several contestants displayed actual musical skill.  RJ Maes and Sam Tedjakusuma played guitar, and singers Caleb Castaneda and Amir Tadros were on key. The

see MR. CV on page 15

 grand finale was a “Bohemian Rhapsody” sing-along, led by piano-playing contestant Andy Jerome  — dressed as Freddie Mercury.

The top five contestants were Nolan Keating, Lennart Richter, Caleb Castaneda, Andy Jerome and Major Greene.  Jerome was also First Runner Up and Connor Kincaid was chosen Mr. Congeniality.

In the end, Major Jefferson Greene was crowned Mr. CV. He performed a memorable song and dance number wearing rain boots, shorts, a straw hat and shades. Greene thanked his dad as he received his crown, saying, “I model myself after you.” Greene’s biography states that his next stop after graduation is West Point Academy.

Hosts Alejandro Olvera and Alex Kwan kept the program moving along before this year’s panel of distinguished judges, Paul Bagai, Jayson Bandal, Brian Centoni, Maribel LaLanne, and Ashley Strasburg.

Behind-the-scenes support came from Men’s Warehouse in Pleasanton, Casablanca Bridal and Tuxedo in Hayward, Gigi’s Florist, JP’s Restaurant, Engravit, Studio One Photography, Griffin Hastings, Samuel Levine, Judy Brackin, Karen Johnston, Michelle Nicol, Kimberly O’Young, Kelly Schroeder, Dayna Speed, Kennette Yoshimura, TMC, Crush Comics, Village Barber, Halo, Intero Real Estate, CV/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Kentris, Mr. McMaster, volunteer choreographers, and many others.

CAPTION: Dancers filled the stage at the opening of Friday night’s “Mr. CV” Contest and Talent Show at the Castro Valley High School Cafeteria.

PHOTO BY DEBBIE TEE

First Baby Girl of Girl Scout Week 2019

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-03-19

Girl Scouts from Castro Valley and Hayward celebrated the organization’s 107th anniversary this month by honoring the first baby girl born at Eden Medical Center during Girl Scout Birthday Week.

Alaya Valdes born at 5:17 a.m. on Sunday, March 10, to proud parents Kevin and Raquel Valdes of Hayward. She weighed in at 7 pounds 1 ounce and is 20 inches long.

The family received gifts, including baby blankets, clothes, toys, diapers, and bath supplies, which were donated by various local Girl Scout Troops.

This is the 14th year for honoring the first baby girl born during Girl Scout Week at Eden Medical Center, a tradition originally started by Castro Valley Troop No. 30711 and which is now sponsored by Girl Scouts of the Chabot Service Unit.

Girl Scouts was founded on March 12, 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low with a commitment to helping girls grow strong in developing character, leadership skills, social skills, individual strength while performing service to the community.

For more information about Girl Scouts, call the council office at (510) 562-8470 or e-mail info@girlscoutsnorcal.org.

CAPTION:Girl Scouts pictured from left, Laney Vaughn, Shelby Vaughn, and Cassie Vaughn from Troop No. 30839 with proud dad Kevin Valdes, Baby Alaya and big sister Ariel.

Businesses Filling Up Building

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  04-03-19

While the stark-white building outside looks nearly unchanged, there is a flurry of activity going on inside the Castro Valley Marketplace project in preparation for its opening this summer.

Any given day, work crews can be seen buzzing inside and on top of the three-story, 44,900-square-foot building, each with their specific upgrades to the former Daughtrey’s Department Store on Castro Valley Boulevard.

This week, contractors are cleaning the cement floors in preparation for an industrial-grade high-polish finish. The walls have been stripped down to the studs in many places and some markers visible to identify the new tenants.

In a month or so, workers will build a new entranceway closer to the west parking lot to accommodate the building designs.

While renovations are expected to last through the summer with an official opening eyed for August, locals are chomping at the bit for the Marketplace to open.

“I’m so excited to finally have a place to build community where people can come together and hang out and find a bunch of things that we haven’t seen in our area that we would like to see,” says Bridget Galli, co-owner of Castro Valley Yoga. “I’m looking forward to the fresh bread and fresh meat. I think what they have planned is awesome.”

Main Street Property Services, which oversees the renovation, recently reported that the property is 90 percent leased to grocers, restaurateurs, and artisans. The remaining 10 percent of the available space is on the ground floor and the mezzanine.

Building management says it is currently looking for a florist, local makers for pop-ups, and one last restaurant.

The latest map of the Marketplace shows two spaces — 448-square-foot areas apiece — available near the entrance on Castro Valley Boulevard and a half dozen 10-foot by 10-foot kiosks that local makers can lease to show their wares.

In the mezzanine gallery upstairs, there is a 1,635-square-foot space available for lease right next door to the Night Owl, a craft cocktail lounge run by the same owners of the Gogi Time and Blind Tiger in North Oakland.

In addition to the Night Owl, other businesses expected to open at the Marketplace include:

• Castro Valley Natural Grocery, started by Donna Layburn

• Barons Quality Meats

• Seven Hills Baking Co.

• Pop Out Kitchen, cooking school

• Lab 200, a dedicated co-working space

• Good Common Sense Naturals, skincare

• Akemi Japanese Cuisine

• Cannery Kitchen and Tap

Daughtrey’s redesign is the largest and most significant update to the face of the downtown community since the Castro Valley Boulevard “Streetscape” makeover.

“It will be phenomenal and a hubbub of activity for the downtown,” says Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council chairman Marc Crawford noted at the March 25 staff update.

Soon, work crews are expected to begin external work to the building, including constructing a mosaic near the entrance and adding in additional patio space on the boulevard that may require the removal of a planter.

Businesess interested in leasing space are encouraged to visit castrovalleymarketplace.com.

CAPTION: Soon, work crews are expected to begin external work to the building, including constructing a mosaic near the entrance and adding in additional patio space on the boulevard that may require the removal of a planter. 

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

Katie Ward-Crummey Crowned ‘Miss Rowell Ranch Rodeo Queen’

Katie Ward-Crummey of the small town of Acampo near Lodi, was crowned Miss Rowell Ranch Pro Rodeo Queen on March 23 at the rodeo’s kick-off dinner event in Hayward.

Ward-Crummey’s coronation was the culmination of a full-day of competition that began with horsemanship in the morning followed by interviews and speeches during the banquet program.

Rodeo has always been a part of Katie’s life and taught her many of the values and strong work ethic that has helped her succeed. She is 22 years old and attended Galt High School before moving on to Lincoln Tech Academy for their Medical Assisting Program.

She started showing halter horses at the American Quarter Horse Association competitions and later added Showmanship, Western Pleasure, Trail and English riding to her list of accomplishments. An accomplished rider she also rode for a Roping and Cow horse Trainer.

The Rowell Ranch Rodeo had three top cowgirls competing for the honor of being the 99th Rowell Rodeo queen. Also competing were Katie Spies of Castro Valley and Alexa Parco from Tracy.

Each year, the Queen Contest is held to select a young lady who has the desire and enthusiasm to serve as an ambassador for the Rowell

 Ranch Pro Rodeo and Castro Valley’s western heritage. The competition is based on poise, personality, interview skills and horsemanship.

The 2019 queen will receive more than $1,000 in scholarships and prizes, and will represent the Rowell Ranch Pro Rodeo for the coming year at events and rodeos throughout California and Nevada.

The 99th Rowell Ranch Pro Rodeo will take place May 17-19 at Rodeo Park in Castro Valley. Tickets, ranging in price from $17 to $30, are on sale now at rowellranchrodeo and can also be purchased at the gate the day of the performance. Reserved seating is available.

For details about how you can take part in the full cowboy experience and a complete calendar of rodeo activities visit rowellranchrodeo.com.

CVHS Composer Set to Perform Tomorrow at Center for the Arts

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-27-19

Damian Anderson is an average high school senior. He loves electronic music, he is involved with school activities, and he is preparing to go to college next year.

He is one of a handful of senior soloists at this week’s CVHS Concerto Concert at the Center for the Arts. The event will feature works by classic composers such as Rossini, von Weber, and Schubert. It will also feature an original 8-minute concerto Anderson wrote called River Fantasy in D Minor.

During an interview at his home, Anderson — who is on the autistic spectrum — talked about his love of music and composing “I was looking for a classic piano piece to for the auditions in November 2018, but I didn’t like how I was playing any of them,” Anderson told the Castro Valley Forum. “I wanted the music to be original. So last summer, I decided to write my own piece instead.”

With the help and support of his music teachers, Laryssa Sadoway and Steve Hendee, Anderson is thrilled to have his piece selected as one of the featured concertos. River Fantasy features piano (which Anderson will play) and the orchestra (strings, percussion, wind, and brass instruments).

Practicing his piece, Damian’s fingers fly over the keys. He smiles with satisfaction after hitting the final chord.

“I feel the music in my fingers and in my mind,” Anderson says. “I want the audience to feel excited and sad, and then excited again.”

The River Fantasy composition started out with an exploration of the key of D Minor and does not have a specific river in mind as its source. Anderson says his inspiration for the piece was Felix Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, a Romantic period overture sometimes referred to as Fingal’s Cave.

Anderson’s journey in music started with piano when he was 4-years-old. He learned to play the standing base in 4th Grade and has since gone on to learn other string instruments.

Often found composing songs for his church, Anderson also sings. His family moved to Castro Valley when Damian was in the 8th Grade and he gravitated toward the music programs at CVHS including school’s famed Madrigals Choir.

The family does have a piano in the home, but Anderson composes much of his music on the computer. For the classical pieces like River Fantasy, he uses a software program that separates the different instruments and prints out their specific parts.

For an 8-minute piece, the piano alone has more than 20 pages of music.

When he is not practicing his classical composition, Anderson also likes to program electronic dance music. While more melody heavy than a typical beat-heavy EDM track, he says he has dozens of tracks that were built over the last few years.

Damian’s mother Jennelle is the middle school choir accompanist at Creekside Middle School and enjoys watching her son perform.

“Music is the best way to know Damian. The way he sings and composes and plays are amazing. The family is very proud of him,” she says.

Beyond performing his own concerto piece, Damian says he is looking forward to becoming a Mathematician or Research Scientist in college.

The CVHS Concerto Concert will be held at the Center for the Arts tomorrow at 7 p.m.

CAPTION: Damian Anderson, a student at Castro Valley High School with autism, will be performing at the CVHS Concerto Concert tomorrow evening at the Center for the Arts. Damian wrote the concerto and he will perform as the pianist and soloist.

Updates At MAC Meeting

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-27-19

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard news about some of the town’s most notable developments at their Monday night meeting: the long-empty gas station at the corner of Stanton Avenue and Castro Valley Boulevard, the billboards at the storage facility on Dublin Canyon Road, the tiny home project, and the Castro Valley Marketplace.

The MAC informed the crowd that the Castro Valley Marketplace (the new food hall in the old Daughtrey’s building) has a new tentative opening date sometime in August, pushed back from the original estimate of June. The building is 90 percent leased with foodie-friendly tenants.

“It’s going to be phenomenal,” said MAC Chair Marc Crawfrod. “I can’t wait.”

The board then approved a conditional use permit for the new owner of Lockaway Storage – the facility notable for having three large billboards visible from I-580 which were not approved by the county.

The former owner is currently in the middle of a legal battle over the billboards, but new owner Scott Ramser promised the MAC that he’d abide by any legal decision and is prepared to take down the billboards.

“We want to be a good neighbor to Castro Valley,” said Ramser.

On the matter of the tiny homes, the MAC unanimously approved general plan amendments which will allow the First Presbyterian Church to move forward with project on their Grove Way property. The MAC made the stipulation that residents be allowed to stay no longer than 18 to 24 months.

Finally, the MAC approved an application for United Pacific to re-open the service station and convenience store at 2412 Castro Valley Boulevard, which has been fenced off and empty for more than a decade.

“Opening this station has been a long time in coming,” said MAC member Shelia Cunha.

This will be the company’s first Northern California location, but the company owns hundreds of gas stations in Southern California. The company promised the MAC they’d have the cheapest gas on the Boulevard and be in direct price competition with Arco. But unlike Arco, they’d allow credit card sales.

A couple of gas station owners asked the MAC to reconsider the proposal, saying the large corporation would hurt smaller, locally-owned businesses.

“We have worked so hard and now we are getting pushed by some big corporation,” said Mandeep Singh, son of owner of neighboring Stop N Save.

But the MAC said competition is healthy and people have wanted that disused gas station reopened for years.

“Ninety-nine percent of people want this gas station reopened,” said Crawford. “This has been a thorn in the side of this community the whole time it has been closed.”

$3 Fraudulent Purchase Leads to The Arrest of CV Murder Suspect

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-27-19

After seven years on the run, Cody Tripp was arrested last week in Utah in connection with a 2012 Castro Valley murder case.

Tripp, 33, who had formerly lived in Castro Valley, had been on the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office “most wanted list” as the main suspect in the killing of 29-year-old Jordan Vigil who was found dead in Tripp’s Castro Valley garage on May 14, 2012 after a party.

Investigators did not say how Vigil was killed at the time, but described a bloody scene at the home.

A seemingly minor $3.08 purchase on a stolen credit card at an Ogden, Utah store led to his arrest, according to the Ogden Standard-Examiner newspaper.

Tripp had been employed by a furniture moving company and had allegedly stolen the credit cards of one of its customers.

Through a phone number, Ogden police traced Tripp to a Salt Lake City apartment where authorities took him into custody last Wednesday.

He was booked into Weber County Jail in Utah where he is being held without bail.

Police records show that Tripp had been convicted of other crimes and was on probation at the time of the killing.

Alameda County authorities flew to Utah last week to continue the investigation.

Tripp will be extradited to Alameda County to face charges.

CAPTION: Fugitive Cody Tripp

          San Lorenzo Students Join International Student Walkout

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-20-19

Several hundred Arroyo High School students gathered in the quad at lunchtime on Friday to call attention to climate change, part of an international student walkout that day that took place in more than 100 countries. Student organizers got on a bullhorn to call everybody to the outdoor stage where four students took turns speaking to the crowd, reminding them that the adults of the world haven’t cut emissions so students must take the reins for the sake of their future. “California is the biggest state, so it will make a substantial difference if we get things started right here,” said student James Molina. At the end of the speeches, Molina said that this isn’t a one-and-done. It’s something that has to be followed up on. About the need to control emissions for the future of the planet.

PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES

Feds Revoke Funding for Urban Shield

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-20-19

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security revoked a $5.5-million public safety grant to Alameda County for the Urban Shield exercise after the Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ made major changes to the regional emergency preparedness event.

Those changes shifted the focus of the training from anti-terrorism and SWAT exercises to community emergency preparedness in response to criticism that Urban Shield promoted the militarization of local police departments.

The board voted 3-2 on Tuesday to make changes to the program despite the threat of losing the money. Supervisors Wilma Chan, Kieth Carson, and Richard Valle voted for the changes while Supervisors Nate Miley and Scott Haggerty dissented.

“I am not going to take any action to jeopardize the funding,” said Miley at last Tuesday’s board meeting.

Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern had warned that the elimination of anti-terror exercises would violate the county’s current agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and jeopardize the grant.

Ahern met with the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) on Thursday and, as he predicted, they took back the funding which ended Urban Shield.

UASI instead gave the county $800,000 for equipment and the wireless emergency alert system. The remainder of the grant money will likely be redistributed to other Bay Area counties including Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Mateo, who are all expected to apply to stage similar training events next year.

The changes approved by the board included:

• No longer calling the event “Urban Shield” after an ad hoc committee deemed the term to be combative and not reflective of a community preparedness approach to training.

• Eliminating SWAT competitions in favor of more community disaster preparedness type training.

• Eliminating the vendor expo at the County Fairgrounds during Urban Shield that advertised such products as drones, guns, cameras, “smart” TASERs, body armor, and “Peacekeeper” brand expandable batons.

The Sheriff’s Office had been vocal about keeping Urban Shield as it is, accusing opponents of making false statements about the program in order to undermine the police.

“This is very concerning because a great deal of misinformation has been spread,” wrote Sgt. Ray Kelly in a press release. “First responders know the elimination or reduction of this program will make our region much less safe in responding to terror attacks, natural disasters, mass casualties and other critical incidents.”

Urban Shield had been held each September since 2007 with over a hundred agencies responding to staged scenarios at sites all over the county. Past Urban Shield exercises have included SWAT teams responding to a terrorism incident at the Oakland Airport and an active shooter on a BART train.

CV Team Qualifies for State Science Olympiad Tourney

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-20-19

A Creekside Science Olympiad team will will compete against 28 of the best teams in Northern California next month for the first time in the six-year history of the Castro Valley program.

On March 2nd, 135 students on nine teams from Creekside, Canyon, and Castro Valley High schools competed in the Regional Tournament at Cal State East Bay, against a thousand students from across the Bay Area, with the top four teams advancing.

Students spent months preparing for this competition, experiencing the collaborative and explorative nature of science, in the same ways they would in college and in life. 

Challenged with the intracacies of thermodynamics, anatomy, forensics, astronomy, and computer programming, they worked together to build such devices as mousetrap-and-battery-powered vehicles, gliders, structures, roller coasters and musical instruments.

Three teams from Creekside placed 4th, 13th, and 15th overall, and Canyon teams placed 10th, 17th, and 19th in their division. The three teams from CVHS placed 7th, 11th, and 24th. 

Collectively, Castro Valley teams earned a record 40 medals in the 46 events, with 70 Top-10 finishes. 

Of particular note, Castro Valley teams swept medals in the “cantilevered beam build” event at both the middle school (1st, 2nd, and 4th for Creekside) and high school levels (1st, 2nd, and 3rd for CVHS). 

In Anatomy, Aparna Anandkumar and Leah Biruk earned gold for CVHS, while Adim Rai & Tony Mei earned silver and Sean Chen and Terry Deng claimed 5th place for Creekside. 

Hudson Lim and Nathan Jew took the silver medal in Thermodynamics for Canyon. Vilius Staraitis & Andy Ng claimed gold in Battery Buggy for Creekside, while Yuri Overton & Yang-Jie Qin from CVHS took gold in Sounds of Music and Geologic Mapping. 

Justin Lui and Jessica Lu from CVHS took 2nd place for their Wright Stuff gliders.

“Science Olympiad exposes students to science and engineering subjects that they might not have considered before, and challenges them through the excitement of competition,” said Science Olympiad Club founder Garland Dughi.

Castro Valley Science. a non-profit organization promoting STEM education, is run by parent volunteers and high school students, building competitive teams at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, as well as hosting community science talks by world-class scientists. 

Find out more at CVscience.us

CAPTION: Derek Huie (left) and Giorgos Sotiras took 1st Place in the Boomilever category at the Science Olympiad Regional Championships at Cal State East Bay on March 2.

Former CVHS Graduate Races in Alaskan Iditarod

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-13-19

In the frozen tundra of the Alaska wild, a Castro Valley High School alumnus is making his debut in this year’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Ryan Santiago, 35, was born and raised in California and graduated from CVHS in 2001. His mother, Nora Cherubini Santiago, also a CVHS graduate, cheered him on at the Iditarod start.

Ryan’s aunt, Carol Leytem who still lives in Castro Valley, remembers his passion for adventure.

“Every time we would see him, it was as if there was another adventure he was telling us that he just got back from or was planning on going to,” Leytem says. “Ryan has a huge heart and loves to bring out the best in people.”

Santiago attended college at UC Santa Cruz where he received a degree in History in 2006.

After college, he worked for eight years in sales for various restaurant industry distributors. He briefly moved to Austin, Texas in 2011 to continue his career.

Then in 2013, Santiago dropped everything and started adventuring abroad. He’s been to Nepal and New Zealand and hiked alone along mountain paths for days at

see IDITAROD on back page

 a time. In 2014, had had the opportunity to work with sled dogs at Nature’s Kennel, a business owned by eight-time Iditarod legend Ed Stielstra and his family.

Things took off from there and he moved permanently to Alaska in 2016. For the last three years, Ryan has been a shop manager at the Seavey’s IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours in Seward, Alaska. Santiago lists his hobbies as hiking, water sports and traveling.

“Ironically, friends of ours from Castro Valley were on a cruise to Alaska and took one of those side trips where you can take a tour on a dogsled,” Leytem says. “Ryan just happened to be one of the tour guides and was very excited to find out they knew his grandparents.”

Sporting bib number 49, Santiago’s team includes huskies who travel an average of 9 miles an hour. Earlier this month, TV station KTVA-11 in Anchorage interviewed Santiago at a checkpoint. Ryan is racing a group of dogs from three-time Iditarod champion Mitch Seavey’s kennel.

“I have twelve 2-year-olds and 6-year-old whose name is Django and he won the Iditarod in 2017,” Santiago told the television reporter. He added that the dogs prefer the colder weather but acclimate extremely well during their summer training where temperatures can reach 80 degrees.

The Iditarod is sometimes referred to as, “The Last Great Race on Earth.” Fifty-two racers and their teams will cover more than 1,000 miles of grueling terrain including treacherous hills and long hours of darkness. The race starts in Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast. Racers are positioned based on their speed between checkpoints.

Santiago signed up as a late entry for this year’s race and took the mandatory rookie training in December 2018. The race started on March 2. Racers are expected to cross the finish line around March 17.

“Ryan is not chasing a dream, he’s just living his life to the fullest,” Leytem says. “The entire family is so proud of Ryan and we are all cheering him on.”

CAPTION: CVHS Alumnus Ryan Santiago signed up as a late entry for this year’s Iditarod and took the mandatory rookie training in December 2018. The race started on March 2. Racers are expected to cross the finish line around March 17.

Parking Lot Plan For Car-Dwellers

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-13-19

Supervisor Nate Miley unveiled a county plan at Monday night’s Municipal Advisory Council meeting to create a designated parking lot for people who live in their cars on the Fairmont Hospital campus.

“I don’t often come to your meetings, but when I do, it’s either for something that’s important or controversial,” said Miley. “This is important and I don’t think it’s controversial.”

A few of the Hillcrest Knolls residents who spoke up against the plan disagreed – they said that having homeless people living in their cars on county land would lower their property values and attract crime to the area.

“If you live near the Fairmont campus, you live next to a very bad neighbor: the County,” said speaker Richard Hancox. “It’s where they put things that other people wouldn’t tolerate.” He gave the juvenile hall as an example. 

Miley said that there is no one solution to the homelessness problem, but the county must do all it can to try to help.

“We’ve declared an emergency for homelessness,” said Miley.  “There are already a number of

homeless encampments on the Fairmont campus. The county needs to respond to this issue, it’s a crisis.”

Miley said that the county recently received $16 million in funding for homelessness from the state, and approximately $1 million has been earmarked for the unincorporated area.

The immediate plan is to identify around 12 to 15 single adults who are already living in their cars and allow them to park in a monitored lot on a more remote area of the Fairmont campus. That could begin as early as later this month.

The county estimates that 22 percent of local homeless people are living in cars. In order to stay in the Fairmont parking lot, parkers will have to have a running vehicle (no RVs) with insurance and registration and a valid driver’s license, according to Dr. Kathleen Clanon, medical director of the Alameda Health System.

“People living in their cars are independent,” said Clanon. “A lot of them are first time homeless. It takes a little more work with them to get them to accept some help.”

Eventually, a “navigation center” may also  be created on the campus, which would serve a different population who are living in encampments or on the street and would have dormitory style modular unit living available on a temporary basis, according to Clanon.

“That would allow people to get their papers together, get their plans together,” said Clanon.

MAC member Chuck Moore suggested that a homeless parking program be instituted in East Bay Regional Parks because they have a lot of space and have pre-built restroom facilities. Miley responded that if homeless people wanted to be living in the park, they’d be there already.

“We are trying to address this on county property,” said Miley.

Eve Holgate, who lives near the Fairmont campus, seconded the parks idea and even suggested that the homeless be given land to farm.

“We’re really sad about the homeless people and it’s a really big problem,” said Holgate. “We are just concerned. There are solutions, but people have to be really creative.”

Patricia Sores lives in her car at the First Presbyterian parking lot on Grove Way as part of a similar program and sent a letter saying dedicated parking programs work.

“I’ve been homeless for almost three years now,” wrote Sores. “In my present situation, I’ve felt content and safe. I keep my doors locked and stay to myself. I am truly thankful and blessed to have a place to go.”

Roxanne Stanton used to live in a parking program in Union City and said it helped her work her way out of a bad situation.

“Me and my kids utilized the program from June to October of last year,” said Stanton. “During the day, I’d be working and my kids would be in school. Eventually we got into our own place. I hope this program starts up so it can start benefiting others.”

Miley was at the meeting to give information on the program, not to gain the MAC’s consent. MAC Chair Marc Crawford asked that a citizen’s oversite committee be started for the concerned neighbors and that Miley come back around June to give an update on how the parking program was going and get more public feedback. Miley agreed.

“The homeless have rights, but all the rest of us who aren’t unsheltered have rights too, and we are trying to balance that equation,” said Miley. “The poor are always going to be with us. What we have now is a crisis; it’s never been this extensive before. There is no magic answer. Somebody said this ‘isn’t a solution.’ We aren’t saying this is a solution, this isn’t a panacea. This is just an approach that tries to address the problem.”

However necessary or successful the parking program turns out to be, it will probably only last 18 month to two years before being moved because the location interferes with a planned remodel of Camp Sweeney, the county’s minimum security juvenile justice facility.

Sports Foundation to be Parade Grand Marshalls

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-13-19

The entire Castro Valley Sports Foundation’s Board of Directors will be the Grand Marshalls of this year’s Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade.

The parade, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Castro Valley for 30-plus years, will take place on Saturday, May 11, along Castro Valley Boulevard.

The Rotary Parade Planning Committee unanimously selected the Sports Foundation Board of Directors as a perfect example of the parade’s 2019 theme, “Be the Inspiration.”

“This is a great choice as the individuals serving on the CVSF Board are committed to Castro Valley’s children from elementary through high school promoting health, fitness, and youth sports activities,” said Todd Anglin, Rotary President-Elect. “They truly serve as an inspiration to everyone through their individual and collective commitment to our community.” 

The Parade Committee encourages individuals, organizations, and businesses to sign up and participate in the parade, including the many pre-parade activities.

For more info or to register to participate in the parade, visit RowellRanchRodeoParade.com.

CAPTION; SPORTS FOUNDATION BOARD: Back row, from left, Jennifer Oliver, Karl Pacheco, Frank Mellon, Tojo Thomas and Mel Ashford; front row, Cal Sakamoto, Rachel Lunt, Rob Stiving and Sandy Stiving. Not pictured are Bridget Cunningham, Eileen Cunningham, Candace Giuntoli, Bruce D. Johnson, Ted Riche and Patrick Ryken.

PHOTO BY BRUCE D. JOHNSON

Computer Glitch Shuts Down BART

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-13-19

An apparent computer glitch shortly before 3 a.m. on Saturday caused a rare, system-wide shutdown of BART train service for nearly five hours, delaying hundreds of riders getting to their destinations. Full service wasn’t restored until  about 11 a.m.

BART engineers are performing a comprehensive evaluation to determine the cause of the system failure and a report is expected to be delivered to the transit district’s board of directors at tomorrow’s meeting.

Young Man in a Hurry

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-06-19

Castro Valley native Joshua Thomas Weed graduated

from Castro Valley High School on March 1st by taking

extra credits so he could ship off to join the U.S. Marine

Corps on his 18th birthday. Awarded “Student of the Year”

by the Castro Valley School Board, he will leave for boot

camp on March 25, the day before his 18th birthday.

He has been doing physical training with the Marines

for the past four months. He is the son of Jacob and

Serena Weed of Castro Valley.

Swalwell Risks Safe Political Future if he Seeks Presidency

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-06-19

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a regular on the cable news networks over the past two years, says he will not run for re-election to Congress if he decides to make a bid for the White House.

Last week Swalwell, whose district office sits behind the KFC restaurant on Castro Valley Blvd., told Chronicle political columnist Joe Garofoli, “I would want people to know that I’m putting my all into this and I don’t have a life insurance policy.”

Swalwell, a Democrat, says he wouldn’t resign his influential seat (he’s on the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees) if he decides to make a run for president, but that his name would not be on the next 15th Congressional District ballot if he does.

It is generally assumed that he would coast to an easy victory for a fifth term in Congress in 2020.

The 38-year-old Swalwell is married to Brittany Watts, an executive with Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay and has two young children.

He told Garofoli the impact on his family would play an important role in his decision on whether to seek the presidency. 

Urban Shield Changes Proposed

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-06-19

Last week, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors heard a report on several proposed changes to Urban Shield, the regional emergency preparedness exercise where law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics and other first responders act in response to staged scenarios at sites all over the county.

Past Urban Shield exercises have included SWAT teams responding to a terrorism incident at the Oakland Airport and an active shooter on a BART train.

Volunteers wear fake blood and sport realistic make-up wounds and role-play as if the scenario is real as law enforcement attempts to secure the site and rescue them.

Among the recomendations made by the Board was changing the name of the exercise and switching the focus to responses to natural disasters, rather than active shooting scenarios or other criminal matters.

Emergency responders say that Urban Shield is valuable in training them in intense emergency scenarios. But the concept of Urban Shield has proved controversial as some opponents say the exercise promotes the militarization of local police forces.

Also among the recommendations was to increase sensitivity about police using military language or gear.

Funding for Urban Shield is largely provided by a $4.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Sheriff Greg Ahern told the Board of Supervisors any drastic changes to the program could violate the agreement with Homeland Security and may jeopardize the grant.

The Board of Supervisors new direction for Urban Shield began last spring when they formed an ad hoc committee to examine the program. These current recommendations are based on the ad hoc committees findings.

The board has now directed Ahern to work with the committee before the grant deadline to see if they can find a compromise.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has been vocal about keeping Urban Shield as it is, accusing opponents of making false statements about the program in order to undermine the police.

“Opponent activism against Urban Shield is at an all-time high,” wrote Sgt. Ray Kelly in a press release. “This is very concerning because a great deal of misinformation has been spread. We have tried to rebuke these false statements and have proven we are sensitive to community concerns. Despite these efforts, the future of Urban Shield is uncertain.

“First responders know the elimination or reduction of this program will make our region much less safe in responding to terror attacks, natural disasters, mass casualties and other critical incidents.”

The Urban Shield issue is scheduled to go back before the Board of Supervisors at their March 12 meeting.

Coldest February in the East Bay Since 1949

By Mike Pechner

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-06-19

It’s been a remarkable winter so far for all of California. The entire state has been removed from the “drought” category by the National Weather Service.

Rainfall is well above normal from the Bay Area to San Diego, and record snowfall in the Sierra has filled all of the East Bay Municipal Water District lakes ensuring an adequate supply of water for next year.

Both Comanche and Pardee reservoirs are at 83% capacity and are certain to spill with the spring snow melt. In the East Bay, Chabot, Briones, Lafayette, San Pablo and Upper San Leandro all average around 87% of capacity.  The Sierra snowfall is even more impressive with the Caples Lake area showing 125-inches of snow on the ground, which is 168 percent of normal (the average for this date is 76 inches). 

Unofficial data shows that this past February was the coldest on record at the Oakland Airport since the establishment of the weather station there in the 1930’s.

The 10 to 16 day forecast from the National Weather Service for the East Bay shows near to above normal for precipitation and near normal temperatures. 

Mike Pechner operates Golden West Meteorology, a private long-range forecasting service.

CAPTION: Blizzards have pounded the Sierra Nevada, burying the mountain range in massive amounts of record level snow.

PHOTO: CALIFORNIA DEPT. OF WATER RESOURCES

Large Scale CVHS DRILL Tomorrow

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  03-06-19

Tomorrow, March 7, Castro Valley High School and Eden Medical Center will be participating in the “Every 15 Minutes” program.

This exercise simulates a crash with multiple rescue agencies responding and a helicopter evacuation of a mock trauma patient designed to teach students the dangers of driving under the influence.

The public is reminded that any sirens or helicopter landing you hear at or near the high school are part of the simulated drill.

Apartment Project Approved for San Lorenzo Village

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  02-27-19

There is a concrete bench just outside the entrance to the Castro Valley BART station where people can sit while waiting for a ride. But it’s the colorful ceramic mosaic adorning the seat that is catching people’s attention of late.

Three tiles at the top read out, “Hayward,” “Farmers,” and “Market.”

“It’s very unfortunate that the bench says Hayward when the weekly Castro Valley Farmers’ Market is held about 100 feet away from this bench,” Castro Valley resident Pamela Bovyer told the Castro Valley Forum. “It’s hard enough to get signs around town that say Castro Valley, so this is very frustrating.”

Bovyer is one of a dozen community organizers who is hoping to swap out the single tile or even replace the bench entirely to correctly reflect its Castro Valley address. The group has been haggling with BART and the artist for the last five years only to realize the bench and its Hayward tile are staying put for now.

The bench was a gift from East Bay Paratransit, which is why it sits at the foot of the pickup and drop off sign outside of Castro Valley BART, according to BART

see BENCH on page 6

 Communications Department Manager, Alicia Trost.

The bench was originally manufactured for a Hayward location but ended up as surplus inventory. BART installed the bench in the median near the bus entrance for Paratransit passenger use, but anyone waiting for a ride from the station is welcome to use it.

“It is not our place to change or move what was a gift and the bench serves the important purpose of assisting people with disabilities while they wait for a ride,” Trost told the Forum.

When asked if the single mosaic tile could be altered to read out Castro Valley, Troust replied that “the artist doesn’t want it changed.”

A GoFundMe page has now been set up under the “A Castro Valley Bench For Castro Valley BART.” The group is looking for as much as $10,000 to help build a new bench and pledges to work with BART to relocate the existing bench in favor of a new one.

“This is the only display of public art at the Castro Valley BART — it should reflect the Castro Valley community, not the city next door,” the funding page reads.

In the meantime, the bench will continue to read out Hayward Farmers’ Market. Recently, handwritten notes reading “Castro Valley” have been spotted covering the Hayward tile.

Illegal vandalism or defacement of public property is a misdemeanor crime, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department.

The concrete bench just outside the entrance to Castro Valley BART station reads: Hayward Farmers Market.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CASTRO VALLEY MATTERS

                                                                                 Recently, handwritten notes reading “Castro Valley” have been spotted 

                                                                                 covering the Hayward tile.

Bike for Education

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  02-27-19

The Castro Valley Educational Foundation (CVEF) will launch a campaign on Sunday, April 7, to raise $95,000 to hire a dedicated college and career counselor at Castro Valley High School.

It will be kicked-off with a fund-raising inaugural “Bike for Education” ride that morning, followed by a BBQ and entertainment in the afternoon. The event will be for the entire community, not just for bike riders.

Bike rides will be staged in three categories: a 62-miler beginning at 8 a.m. to Dublin and Livermore, an 18-mile fun ride at 9 a.m., and finally at 4-mile kid ride at 9:20 a.m. A community BBQ, games and raffles will follow from from noon to 2 p.m.

The Foundation is looking for community partners and parents to help with the costs for the college and career counselor. Sponsors of the biking event can have booths and their names displayed on T-shirts, the website and at the event.

Support for the new resource to CVHS will improve the experience and opportunities of all students to realize their post-secondary goals. 

To contribute to the goal, visit: cvef.org and donate (via credit card or PayPal), or mail a check to P.O. Box 2693, Castro Valley, CA 94546. To sign up, visit: cvef.org, and click “Sign up Now.”

Apartment Project Approved for San Lorenzo Village

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  02-27-19

The Alameda County Planning Commission voted to approve a new apartment complex with retail stores in San Lorenzo Village last week, despite a last-minute push from a trade union group opposing it.

But some San Lorenzans are happy to see any development on the site, which has been empty in the middle of town for the past 25 years.

Developer Demmon Partners got the go-ahead to build an art deco style mixed-use project with 163 market-rate units in five buildings along Hesperian Boulevard and Via Arriba at the old Mervyn’s site, which has been empty since 1994.

The 5.1-acre parcel would be developed with three- and four-story apartment buildings, a pool, dog park, open space on the rooftop and a shuttle to BART.

Demmon has plans for 233 off street spaces, including 109 spots in the garage. There would be 33 parking spaces for the retail shops and 60 on-street spots along Via Arriba and Via Mercado.

There will be 12,000-square-feet of retail space on the corner of Hesperian Boulevard and Paseo Grande, with room for at least six different shops ranging from 1,300 to 2,600-square-feet. As part of the project, developer Terry Demmon said they will also remodel the marquee on the Lorenzo Theatre across the street.

The Planning Commission approved the project by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Jim Goff dissenting. Goff said he wasn’t completely satisfied that the project was best for the area and thought San Lorenzans might want more of a community hub in the centrally-located site.

Public speaker Randy Wage suggested that more of the community could benefit from the project if it had more retail, but Demmon said that traditional brick and mortar stores are dying out and he wasn’t comfortable with adding even more retail space.

“It’s been about three years that we’ve worked on this project,” said Demmon. “We’ve tried to reach out as best we can to get community input.”

A few speakers addressed the Planning Commission in support of the project, saying they are tired of the central part of their town sitting empty so long.

“I’m living in an area that’s become almost a ghetto,” said San Lorenzo resident Mario Caserias. “It’s been eroding throughout the years. When someone wants to build something nice, people come out and oppose it.”

The opposition at last Tuesday night’s meeting didn’t come from neighbors, but from union representatives.

Demmon said that he worked for months to try to reach an agreement with the trade unions, but could not.

John Dalrymple, political affairs consultant with Sheet Metal Workers Local 104, said that Demmon was looking to hire workers who make in the range of $33,000 per year, while the union workers make $45,000 annually.

Sarah Dudley of the Alameda County Residents for Responsible Development, a labor union coalition, urged the Planning Commission to reconsider the project’s environmental impact report (EIR).

But the Planning Commission said the EIR was valid and the project could go forward.

Demmon Partners said that the unions were trying to stop the project not out of legitimate concern, but because it was non-union.

In the end, the Planning Commission decided to approve the Village Green and Demmon estimates that construction will take about two years.

CAPTION: An art deco apartment building will be constructed in the vacant space in San Lorenzo Village where the Mervyn’s store was demolished 25 years ago. The 5-acre parcel will have apartments, a pool, dog park and a shuttle to BART.

County’s Homeless Numbers Increasing

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  02-20-19

A census of people living on the streets of Alameda County late last month will likely show that more than 6,000 homeless people reside in the county, though the exact count won’t be available until summer.

The census was conducted by EveryOne Home, a nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness.

To make the count, more than 600 volunteers scoured the streets, creeks, and freeway overpasses countywide with the help of homeless and formerly homeless guides during the early morning hours of Jan. 30, while outreach groups counted people in their shelter beds that night.

The count is taken every two years to helps cities and homeless charities determine where services are needed the most and their eligibility for federal funds, according to Elaine de Coligny, director of EveryOne Home.

The number of homeless people in all of Alameda County rose by nearly 40 percent to 5,630  between the 2015 and 2017 counts, and de Coligny says that she expects another increase when CAPTION: A homeless encampment near Center Street and Grove Way in Castro Valley.     the 2019 results are finalized.

“It’s clear there will be an uptick in numbers from the last survey,” she said.

The census is a “point-in-time count” that happens during the peak winter cold season when more people seek shelters or warming centers, giving a more accurate count. But even with the most thorough methodology they can manage, it’s difficult to count every homeless person.

“There are a portion of people who are unsheltered who live in encampments,” said de Coligny. “We consider an encampment an area with two or more individuals living in tents of makeshift structures. That’s probably about one-fifth of the homeless population and they’ve become increasingly visible in recent years. Others are in their cars or on the streets.”

County officials say there are encampments at Cull Canyon in Castro Valley, along San Lorenzo Creek and one by the railroad tracks on Springlake Drive near Washington Ave. in San Leandro.

After the census, the next step is a more detailed survey of people living on the street and in shelters. de Coligny says her colleagues ask people about their histories, how long they’ve lived in Alameda County, the reasons behind their being on the street, and more.

According to the 2017 survey, the number one cause was money problems, with 57 percent saying that was keeping them from a permanent residence.

Mental health issues caused 12 percent of the cases and substance abuse accounted for another 12 percent.

Nearly half said they had some disability that limited their ability to maintain work or housing. The most common self-reported conditions were psychiatric (41 percent), post-traumatic stress disorder (29 percent), and physical disability (27 percent).

Over 80 percent said they lived in Alameda County before becoming homeless.

In December, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved a three-year “homelessness action plan” specifically for the unincorporated area, including Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Cherryland and Ashland.

The plan would include dedicated parking sites for people living in their cars, tiny homes, a mobile hygiene unit, two winter shelters, a downtown street litter team, and more.

The board announced plans to spend $10.5 million beginning in 2019 on services for the estimated 440 homeless people living in the unincorporated area.

If you are having a housing crisis or in need of other support, 211 is a toll-free phone number that provides info and referrals on housing and health and social services. Information is also available at www.211AlamedaCounty.org.

PHOTO BY DEBBIE TEE

Strongest Storm of Season Hits State

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM  02-20-19

Last week’s storm, the strongest of the season to hit Northern California, knocked out power at spots around the Bay Area, sent creeks and rivers over their banks, flooded roads, and caused dangerous landslides. The California Highway Patrol was kept busy clearing up accidents and spinouts.

In the Sierra, traffic was backed up for miles on Interstate 880 as lanes were closed several times on Sunday. Heavier-than-expected snow flurries bombarded the higher elevations and chains were required at Colfax for cars heading east.

Hail was reported in several East Bay areas Sunday evening. The storm even brought snow for a few hours to Castro Valley’s hills last week.

The good news is skiing is great on many California’s slopes and, combined with all that rain, more water is in East Bay reservoirs.

Castro Valley rainfall totals now exceed the average for this date by 2-plus inches and surpasses last year’s totals at this time by more than 11 inches.

While possible afternoon showers are forecast for today, the next few days will likely be dry, cool and mostly sunny through at least next Wednesday.

Snow? In Castro Valley?