Three Dog Day

                                                                                                                 San Leandro Times • 02-21-19

     Roz Edelson took three dogs for a walk recently when the rain let up. This week San Leandro has enjoyed springlike weather as the next rain appears to be holding off until Sunday or      Monday.

     PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES

San Lorenzo Village Plan Approved

Art deco apartments and shops to fill longtime vacant lot

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 02-21-19

The Alameda County Planning Commission voted this week to approve a new apartment complex with retail stores in San Lorenzo Village, 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, and a shuttle to BART.

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.

“I tried to get a vision of what the community is looking for,” said Goff. “I love the project, but it needs more of a downtown atmosphere, more of a community feeling.”

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. He originally approached the county with under 10,000-square-feet of retail plans, so he said he already made a compromise.

“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 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 built in the long vacant space in San Lorenzo Village where the Mervyn’s was torn down 25 years ago. The 5-acre parcel will have apartments, a pool, dog park and a shuttle to BART. 

Why the Difference Between Garbage Bills?

By Jim Knowles

San Leandro Times • 02-21-19

Lorane Caison’s garbage bill for three months is $72.03.

So she’s wondering why her neighbor’s bill comes to $31.50, also for three months.

Caison has three containers – a 20 gallon garbage bin, plus a recycling bin and an organics bin. And her neighbor has the same three bins.

“So what is it?” Caison asks. “Why are the bills so different.”

There are a couple of reasons, it turns out. First, there are two garbage contractors in San Leandro – Alameda County Industries (ACI), and Waste Management.

ACI covers the area administered by the City of San Leandro, and Waste Management covers the area that’s part of the Oro Loma Sanitation District.

Part of the reason the Waste Management bill is lower is because Oro Loma adds a bill on the tax roll of $55.20 a year ($13.80 for three months), according to Jason Warner, director of the Oro Loma Sanitation District.

The $13.80 explains some of the difference, but what about the rest?

Another difference is that Waste Management picks up garbage every week, but the recycling pick-up is every two weeks. But ACI picks up recycling every week, Warner points out.

San Leandro Deputy Public Works Director Jennifer Auletta confirms Warner’s points, and adds a couple more reasons for the difference in bills.

In the ACI service area, customers can get as many green waste containers as they need. But in the Waste Management area, a second green waste bin is allowed, but no more than that.

ACI also provides free service to public facilities – parks, schools at no charge, and has 150 litter cans on public sidewalks that they collect three times a week at no charge to the city, said Auletta.

Also, the rates are based on the size of the garbage container and the two bills being compared both have a 20-gallon garbage bin. On larger sized garbage bins, there would be less difference in the rates, according to Auletta.

One more thing with Oro Loma is that is has always strived for low rates for its customers throughout its history.

“Its rates are unique, and that’s their priority, we have other goals like recycling and waste diversion,” Auletta said. “But our rates are about average county wide.”

CAPTION: A San Leandran wonders why the difference in bills for the same three containers.

PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES

Rousseau Remembered For Cards, Compassion

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 02-21-19

Tom Rousseau, a staple in San Leandro who sold greeting cards from his electric wheelchair, passed away earlier this month at the age of 87.

Rousseau had cerebral palsy and could be seen driving down the streets with a sign which read “I sell cards for all occasions.” He was such a well-known figure around town that in 2014, the city made a proclamation declaring Dec. 31 “Tom Rousseau Day.”

Rousseau began his greeting card business as a teen in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1946, selling cards out of a little red wagon. In 1951, Rousseau and his family moved to San Leandro.

Rousseau had been an active member of the Church of the Assumption since it was founded and the church installed a special ramp for him long before the Americans with Disabilities Act required it.

Former Mayor Stephen Cassidy said Rousseau would drive down his street on his way to Mass and they often visited.

“Tom was such a part of the fabric of our community,” said Cassidy. “The thing about him was that he was very humble and warm person who inspired kindness and compassion in others.”

Cassidy only got to know Rousseau as an adult, but Cassidy's’ wife Amy grew up here and fondly remembered Rousseau from her childhood.

“My wife told me that the first lessons she received as a child in being a compassionate person were seeing people relate to Tom,” Cassidy said. “Her parents would buy cards from him and other parents would as well and children all across San Leandro would see that. Those kids are now adults raising children of their own, so Tom had a ripple effect across generations of San Leandrans.”

Rousseau  is survived by family including his sister Elaine Benevedes and cousin Madeline Gomes.  A memorial Mass will be held at the Church of the Assumption, 1851 136th Avenue, this Friday at 11 a.m.

CAPTION: Tom Rousseau frequently rode around the neighborhood selling greeting cards, and rode his wheelchair to church at Assumption parish. 

PHOTO BY STEPHEN CASSIDY

Nature’s Carpet

San Leandro Times • 02-14-19

Fallen leaves on a sidewalk

in downtown San Leandro provide a colorful carpet

right under our feet.

PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES 

Homeless On the Rise: New Census

Estimated 6,000 homeless in county, 200 in San Leandro

By Amy Sylvestri
San Leandro Times • 02-14-19

EveryOne Home, a non-profit dedicated to ending homelessness, conducted a census of people living on the streets of Alameda County last month – and though the exact count won’t be available until summer, the number is likely to be over 6,000.

At least 200 people are homeless here in San Leandro, according to homeless advocates.

To make the count, over 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. Homelessness outreach groups such as San Leandro non-profit Building Futures counted people in their shelter beds that night.

The count is taken every two years and helps cities and homeless charities determine their eligibility for federal funds, as well as get information about where services are needed the most, according to Elaine de Coligny, director of EveryOne Home.

de Coligny, a San Leandro resident, says this city’s 200 homeless people is double the official number recorded in 2017 during the last homeless census.

“My guess is that the number of homeless individuals in San Leandro is in the hundreds,” said de Coligny. “Many felt that the figure from two years ago was an undercount. Building Futures and others who are out there on a daily basis seem to think the number we have is low.”

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 the 2019 results are finalized.

“When you look at projections based on the number of people who are becoming homeless and the number of people we see leaving homelessness for permanent housing, it’s clear there will be an uptick in numbers from the last survey,” said de Coligny.

Homeless Census Is a Point-in-Time Count

The census is a “point-in-time count” that happens in the last week of January. During the peak winter cold season, more people will seek out shelters or warming centers, giving a more accurate count.

de Coligny says that 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 or 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 multiple encampments along San Lorenzo Creek. There’s one by the railroad tracks on Springlake Drive, and another at Cull Canyon in Castro Valley.

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 of homeless is monetary trouble, with 57 percent saying that is keeping them from a permanent residence. Mental health issues caused 12 percent of the homelessness cases and substance abuse caused another 12 percent.

A total of 47 percent 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).

Of those surveyed, 58 percent said they had been homeless for a year or more and 61 percent said they’d had more than one period of homelessness in their lives. Over 80 percent said they lived in Alameda County before becoming homeless.

In exchange for a homeless person’s help with the survey, EveryOne Home provided them with clean socks or a gift card.

In December, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved a 3-year “homelessness action plan” specifically for the unincorporated area, including San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Ashland, and Castro Valley.

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 information and referrals on housing and health and social services. Information is also available at www.211AlamedaCounty.org.

CAPTION: Homeless people come to the warming center on cold or rainy winter nights at the First United Methodist Church on Bancroft Avenue.

TIMES FILE PHOTO

Don’t Let those Mylar Balloons Get Away

By Jim Knowles

San Leandro Times • 02-14-19

Mylar balloons are loads of fun at parties, and they caused 500 power blackouts in Northern California last year.

Those balloons are metallic. They land on wires or substations, causing a short that blacks out the whole neighborhood, or town.

So tie a weight to all metallic balloons containing helium to prevent them from floating away, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is reminding people on Valentine’s Day.

Metallic balloons are required to have a weight attached when they’re sold. The weights might just look like a little ornament, but they should’t be removed. It might be fun to see the balloon take off into the sky, but it will eventually come down and could land in the wires.

PG&E said that last year metallic balloons caused 503 power outages across PG&E's service area in Northern and Central California, disrupting electric service to more than 265,000 homes and businesses.

Unlike latex helium balloons, metallic balloons can stay inflated and floating for two to three weeks – posing a hazard to power lines and equipment even days after being released outside.

So don’t allow metallic balloons to be released outside, says PG&E. Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite or toy that becomes caught in a power line. Leave it alone, and immediately call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to report the problem.

Another tip is never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground or is dangling in the air. Always assume downed electric lines are energized and extremely dangerous. Stay far away, keep others away and immediately call 911 to alert the police and fire departments. Other tips can be found at pge.com/beprepared.

CAPTION: Mylar balloons are metallic and can cause electrical outages and damage.

Subs to Get More Pay If Oakland Teachers Strike

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 02-14-19

The teacher strike looming over the Oakland Unified School District could affect San Leandro schools, due to a potential demand on substitute teachers.

The San Leandro school board voted last week to temporarily raise pay for substitute teachers – in the event of a teachers strike in Oakland – in order to compete with Oakland should substitutes be necessary during a potential strike.

Last week, Oakland teachers voted in favor of a strike, as their wage dispute continues. Union leaders can call the strike any time after Feb. 15, when a neutral fact checker presents a report on the negotiations.

So San Leandro school board trustees voted at their Feb. 5 meeting to approve pay of up to $300 per day per substitute if there is a strike, up from the usual rate of $170. The district called the decision a preventative measure that they hope they won’t have to use.

Substitutes are not members of the teachers’ union and would be called in to replace striking teachers in Oakland, where the current rate offered to substitutes is $178.

About 30 Substitutes  Are Needed on an Average Day

An Oakland strike could make it difficult to get the necessary substitutes in San Leandro, so they decided to offer more money as a matter of practicality, according to Keziah Moss, spokeswoman for the San Leandro School district.

Moss says that about 30 substitutes are needed across the district’s 14 schools on an average day to replace any of the 464 teachers who may be absent.

If the strike does happen, the cost will depend on the number of substitutes needed and the length of Oakland’s strike, Moss said.

“We really hope that Oakland is able to solve their problems,” said Moss. “We don’t anticipate having to use this special rate, but in the event that a strike does happen, we have a responsibility to our students.”

Parking Meters Pop Up at Pelton

By Jim Knowles

San Leandro Times • 02-07-19

People parking in Pelton Plaza were put into a perplexing position this winter since the parking meters popped up.

Parkers at Pelton scratched their heads, squinting at the new, high-tech meters, trying to figure out what to do.

“It’s crazy!” said Julie Arzadon as she tried to comprehend the new meters. “This is a shopping center. You shouldn’t have to pay.”

A moment later, Arzadon had second thoughts.

“But you notice there are more parking spaces open,” she said, pointed to some empty spots across the way. “So it’s a give and take.”

Arzadon’s thought was pretty much on the money. Paying for parking is an added expense and an inconvenience. But it opens up parking spaces, because someone can’t park in one spot the whole day.

The new meters are the result of the Downtown Parking Management Plan, approved by the City Council in 2017, to get a better picture of downtown parking. The plan’s goal is to “maximize the efficiency of limited parking resources.” The parking meters at Pelton encourage faster turnover of parking spaces.

The plan includes parking regulations, rates and time restrictions on both on-street and off-street parking, and installing “smart meters” for more pay options.

“We’re working with a parking consultant and the owner of Pelton Plaza,” said Mariana Garcia, a project specialist with the City of San Leandro. “With low turnover, it’s hard to find parking. But with constant turnover, customers can find parking.”

The City of San Leandro and Pelton Plaza have had an agreement for decades that allows the city to operate the parking lot. But in 2016, the owners of Pelton made a new agreement that allows the city to enforce parking regulations in the plaza.

The city hired MacKay Meters to install 52 dual meters, and 14 single meters in Pelton Plaza, and on two blocks of West Juana Avenue. The wireless meters accept coins, a credit card, smart card or payment on a cell phone app.

Paid parking has also been installed cross the street at Parrott Center (site of the former Ploughman’s Restaurant). But Parrott Center’s meters are private, not city owned.

Choi, the popular barber at the Pelton Barber Shop, said people found it shocking when they first saw the parking meters, since it’s always been free to park at Pelton. But in the long run, she said it could be better because parking spaces will turn over faster.

But barber shop customer Bill Stirtz wasn’t so keen on the meters.

“I don’t like it.” Stirtz said. “This place has been here over a half century. It was the first mall. This is old-time San Leandro.”

CAPTION: Julie Arzadon finds that you now have to pay for parking at Pelton Plaza in downtown San Leandro. 

PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES

Make Apartment Building Smaller, Council Says

Developer submits scaled down plans, told to scale down again

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 02-07-19

The City Council postponed a decision on an apartment building at 1388 Bancroft Avenue this week, telling the developer to come back with a smaller project within 90 days after hearing vocal opposition from neighbors.

Developer Tom Silva has been trying to build on the site – currently a partially occupied medical office building – since 2016.

Silva’s current proposal for a three-story 45-unit building was approved by the Planning Commission in December and sent to the

 City Council. The city’s Community Development Department also recommended that the council approve the plan.

Silva had previously proposed plans for 73 and 51 unit buildings with up to five stories, but those plans weren’t approved. 

Now the City Council has told Silva to make the 45-unit building even smaller, with Mayor Pauline Cutter suggesting a 39-unit design.

Neighbors in Estudillo Estates have opposed all the versions of the 1388 Bancroft development so far, saying it will bring traffic and parking headaches and that a high-density apartment building on 1.3 acres isn’t a good fit for the mostly single-family home neighborhood.

The current zoning only allows for a density of up to 31 units and opponents argue that should not be adjusted. Though the Planning Commission and city staff recommended that Silva should be allowed a zoning variance for more units.

Silva told the City Council that his opposition is simply afraid of change in their neighborhood and quoted FDR, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Silva touted the building’s “green” design which includes solar panels and storm water landscaping. There are plans for a roof-top deck, refrigerated lockers for tenants grocery deliveries, and bike lockers.

The city requires an affordable housing allowance for all new construction, which developers can either include on the property or pay an “in-lieu” fee. For the 1388 Bancroft site, seven low income units would have been required, but Silva plans to provide just two and pay $160,000 into the city’s affordable housing fund instead.

The proposed development has received support the from former City Councilmembers Jim Prola and Diana Souza, the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce and several local construction unions.

Few Estudillo Estates residents have spoken in support of the development, but Patty Breslin wrote the city in favor of the apartments. 

“We all know the statistics on housing in California and yet we persist in blocking development ‘in our own backyard,’” wrote Breslin. “We need supply at all levels – market rate and affordable in every neighborhood and on all available parcels, to help to drive the price of housing down. I urge you to think of the whole community, and not pander to the few who ‘have theirs’ and have the time to organize community meetings and monopolize the public discourse.”

But the vast majority of area residents want a smaller development on the parcel and encouraged the City Council to not approve the zoning amendment which would make Silva’s project possible.

“I am a San Leandro resident and parent of a sixth grader at Bancroft Middle School,” said Melisa DiTano. “The intersection of Bancroft and Estudillo is already very busy. Adding a large complex will make the intersection less safe for our kids and negatively impact our quality of life.”

Others said rental apartments will lower their property values.

“If you take a drive along Bancroft you will find no shortage of apartment buildings for rent, many of them near Safeway, run-down,” said Vanessa Pineda-Klein. “Unfortunately, for the homes that are immediately around these buildings it has negatively impacted the value of the homes and ultimately the neighborhood desirability. If you stand in the backyard of a home on Dowling or Broadmoor that backs or is next to an apartment building you will understand why its value is affected by the buildings behind them.”

The next step will be for Silva to bring another version of his proposed development to the City Council within the next 90 days.

CAPTION: Plans for a green apartment building on Bancroft Avenue have had a hard time taking root. 

Apartments to Revive Downtown San Lorenzo

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 02-07-19

A plan for a new apartment complex with retail stores in downtown San Lorenzo is heading to the county Planning Commission for approval this month.

Redwood City-based developer Demmon Partners wants to build a four-story art deco style mixed-use project – called the Village Green – with 163 market-rate units in five separate buildings along Hesperian Boulevard and Via Arriba at the old Mervyn’s site.

The 5.1-acre parcel would be developed with five separate buildings of three and four stories. The apartments would have balconies and residents would have open space on the rooftop and central courtyard.

There are also plans for a pool, dog park, a shuttle to BART. 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.

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.

In the staff report for the upcoming Planning Commission meeting, county staff notes that they have received a number of complaints from the public about the project including parking concerns, the high-density nature of the project, and the fact that the units will be market-rate with no low-income housing.

County staff also noted that they’d received some letters of support for the Village Green, which cited the tremendous need for housing of any kind in the area and the need to “revitalize downtown San Lorenzo” by filling in the vacant parcels.

The land is currently owned by Bohannon Companies and has been vacant for nearly 20 years since Mervyn’s closed. If the new project is approved, Demmon Partners would own, manage, and lease the development. Demmon has been trying to get the project off the ground since early 2017.

Developer Terry Demmon has said that after he gets county approval, he anticipates that construction will take about two years.

The county Planning Commission meeting on the Village Green Proposal is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 224 West Winton Avenue in Hayward at 3 p.m.

Hesperian Boulevard Improvements

Hesperian Boulevard will be getting an upgrade soon regardless of the Demmon project, as the Alameda County Public Works Agency will begin construction in March with utility under-grounding from Grant Avenue to A Street.

By January of 2020, the Public Works Agency says they will have widened the street, added decorative sidewalks, landscaped medians, installed environmentally-friendly LED lighting, and created bicycle lanes.

The $22 million improvement project also includes upgraded traffic signals, resurfacing of the road, and highlighted crosswalks. There will also be the installation of a “San Lorenzo gateway” sign.

The San Lorenzo community is invited to a public information meeting on the Hesperian corridor improvements next week on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Homes Association at 377 Paseo Grande.

CAPTION: Plans for the Village Green apartments in San Lorenzo go to the county for approval this month. 

MTC Outlines Emergency Housing Plan

San Leandro Times • 02-07-19

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) outlined an ambitious plan to create “emergency housing” throughout the Bay Area at a meeting at the San Leandro Senior Center last week.

It’s a 15-year regional, multi-agency plan to make creating and retaining housing easier in the Bay Area.

The compact was created by the the MTC’s Committee to House the Bay Area (which calls itself “CASA”). The final CASA compact was published in January, detailing policies to promote affordable housing.

While the plan has the support of most local cities, developers and landlords say it will hurt the free market and actually result in fewer affordable housing options in the Bay Area.

In December, the CASA compact was endorsed from the mayors of the three largest Bay Area cities: London Breed in San Francisco, Libby Schaaf in Oakland, and Sam Liccardo in San Jose. Last week, legislators from San Leandro, Hayward, Union City, Newark, and Fremont heard about CASA policies from the MTC.

The CASA compact has 10 goals:

1. create a regional just-cause eviction policy

2. impose rent caps so rents can’t be increased by more than set amounts annually

3. offer people rent assistance and access to legal counsel on tenant matter

4. remove red tape when creating accessory dwelling units (“mother-in law” units)

5. minimize zoning requirements near transit hubs so more dense housing can be built

6. legislative reform of housing approval process so it is easier for tenants

7. expedite governmental approvals and financial incentives for specialized housing such as senior housing

8. unlock public land (such as land owned by BART or cities) to be used for affordable housing

9. find funding to accomplish all of this

10. establish a regional leadership authority to implement the CASA plan.

The compact also includes creating legislation to enact what the MTC has termed “calls for action,” including lowering the voter threshold for housing funding measures and re-establishing city redevelopment agencies throughout California.

The CASA compact will now move forward though the Association of Bay Area Governments and the state legislature. While the outline for action is complete, it remains to be seen whether it can really be implemented.

The MTC says that the compact is possible if they can get $1.5 billion of funding each year for the next 15 years, which they say could come form a combination of sources including developers, taxpayers, and local governments. Among the suggestions were asking voter approval for a regional sales tax or bond measure and imposing special fees for new commercial construction.

Critics have said that the communities that will be directly affected by the plan weren’t consulted thoroughly enough by the CASA steering committee before the compact was created.

“This would mean creating a new agency with the power of eminent domain,” said speaker Zelda Bronstein, a San Francisco journalist who has written several articles critical of the compact.

San Leandro resident Rose Riskind was also skeptical of having outside agencies supplant the authority of individual cities so cities lose control over their ability to limit potential developments if necessary.

“My concern is that we have elected officials whose main job is to enforce their city’s charter and when you accept outside control, it undermines that,” said Riskind. “We are losing more and more community input and this would only make that disenfranchisement worse.”

Landlords also objected to the CASA compact. Bill Mulgrew of the Rental Housing Association of Alameda County said the regional plan wouldn’t meet the needs of the individual cities.

“Hayward isn’t Fremont, isn't Newark, isn’t San Leandro, isn’t Union City,” said Mulgrew. “Each community has different aspects and I’m a little concerned that seven of the 10 (CASA components) take away local control.

Developer Tom Silva said the proposed rent cap was just rent control by another name and that it won’t work.

“The way out of the housing crisis isn't a rent cap, it’s building new housing,” said Silva.

But there were many supporters of the compact who said that, while it may not be perfect, it’s the best idea for some kind of housing relief in the Bay Area.

“Housing is a regional problem  and regional problems require regional solutions,” said San Leandro resident Mike Katz-Lacabe. “Left on their own, each one of these cities couldn’t come up with a BART system or a freeway system.”

Still a Manufacturing Town

Despite all the high-tech hoopla, manufacturing is 

leading the way for San Leandro’s economic future

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-31-19

It looks like San Leandro is sticking with its roots, as manufacturing was the talk of the day at a recent Chamber of Commerce economic outlook meeting, rather than technology which the city has been so hot on for the past several years.

Katie Bowman, the city’s economic development manager, gave an update on various projects happening around town to the Chamber last week.

Bowman said that the largest development underway in San Leandro is at the former Kraft plant at 100 Halcyon Drive. The 550,000-square-foot San Leandro Business Center will house at least three different manufacturers, but no tenants have been selected yet for the $70 million building.

Bowman pointed out that three large murals have already been painted on the walls, part of a trend toward public art in San Leandro.

“When we have new manufacturing come in, we push for a higher level of design,” said Bowman.

Another large manufacturer coming to town is the Torani flavored syrup company, which is moving its operations from South San Francisco to San Leandro this year at the former Georgia Pacific site at 2000 Marina Boulevard. The remodeled 300,000-square-foot, $45 million plant has tentative plans to also house a cafe and offer tours, Bowman said.

Bowman also addressed the lack of housing stock in San Leandro and talked up several developments that are in the works. She said that one of the biggest parcels of empty land left in San Leandro, five acres at the intersection of Alvarado and Antonio streets is set to be turned into a 687-unit apartment complex and developers Maximus will be presenting their plans to the City Council this spring.

Construction is also set to begin this year on the marina – which the city is now calling the Monarch Bay Shoreline. It will include 147 single family homes, 53 condos, and 280 apartment units.

“This is a big strategic project for the city,” said Bowman. “It has been a long time in the making and it really has great potential to transform the area.”

The long-vacant former CVS on the corner of East 14th Street and Callan Avenue is being developed by Sansome Pacific, who will present plans this summer for 197 apartments with a grocery store on the ground floor, according to Bowman.

“We know the community is looking for more food options,” Bowman said.

Bowman also included the proposed apartment building at 1388 Bancroft Avenue in her tally of new homes. She said there are plans for 45 units at the site, though the building is opposed by some not-in-my-backyard homeowners. That project is set to go before the City Council for approval on Feb. 4.

Another big upcoming change to San Leandro will likely be the Bayfair Transit Oriented Development project.

No decisions have been made, but it is likely that the mall and surrounding shops will be reconfigured into a transit and retail village with up to 2,500 apartments and more pedestrian-friendly pathways between the shopping area and the BART station.

In 2014, the city received a $440,000 grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to create a Bayfair Transit Oriented Development (TOD) plan.

“We are very excited about what’s going on in San Leandro,” said Bowman.

CAPTION: The ‘Hands of Change’ spring mural faces the corner of Washington Avenue and Halcyon Drive, one of four murals on the new San Leandro Business Center that is expected to be the home of at least three manufacturers. The Mural Co. of San Francisco was hired by developer Trammell Crow Co. to paint the murals. 

PHOTO COURTESY THE MURAL CO.

Planning Board, BZA To Combine

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-31-19

The city’s Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) and Planning Commission have been combined into a single joint entity, as they are in most cities in the state. The new board will meet once a month.

The City Council approved a plan to merge the two boards last month. They said the timing was right because four of the seven members of each board reached the end of their terms as of the first of the year, so those that were not termed-out could serve on the new board with minimum disruption.

Planning Commissions are required for each city by state law, but BZAs aren’t, according to Richard Pio Roda, the city attorney.

The functions of both groups will continue, but simply be streamlined, according to Eric Engelbart, the city’s deputy city manager. A joint Planning Commission and BZA is how most cities in the state operate – in California, only Berkeley, Modesto, Bakersfield, Norco, and Perris currently have both.

The San Leandro BZA and Planning Commission have similar functions. The BZA rules on applications for zoning matters, such as Conditional Use Permits and signage. The Planning Commission makes recommendations to the City Council on matters relating to the city’s General Plan and advises the city on things like residential and retail developments.

In the past few years, the BZA and Planning Commission have been a part of some of the city’s most notable decisions.

After much debate, the BZA granted the Davis Street Wellness Center cannabis dispensary a permit to operate next door to the Davis Street Family Resource Center.

Board Weighs Some Controversial Projects

The Planning Commission just recently approved the controversial apartment building at 1388 Bancroft Avenue despite objections from neighbors. The Bancroft apartments will be up for final approval by the City Council at this Monday’s City council meeting at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Combining both groups streamlines the process and reduces the total number of appointees from 14 to 7 but doesn’t eliminate the function of either the BZA or the Planning Commission, according to Tom Liao, the city’s community development director.

“In a way, both still exist, you are just having one appointee (from each council district) to both boards and joint meetings” Liao told the council.

As for the appointees to the new Planning Commission, five out of seven have been set so far, all alumni of the former Planning Commission and BZA who hadn’t yet reached their term limits. They are Tony Breslin for District 1, Jeffery Falero for District 2, Michael Santos for District 5, Dylan Boldt for District 6, and Ken Pon for the at-large seat.

Planning Board Seats Open in District 3 And District 4

Applications are still being accepted for the District 3 and District 4 seats and are available on the City of San Leandro’s website www.sanleandro.org under the tab, “about the city.”

Combining the boards will also halve the number of scheduled meetings from 24 to 12 annually, though some of the meetings of the BZA and Planning Commission have been canceled due to lack of agenda items.

The new Planning Commission is scheduled to meet the first Thursday of the month, but the February meeting has been cancelled due to lack of business.

SL Museum to Show Lorraine Hansberry Films

San Leandro Times • 01-31-19

Explore the art and life of playwright Lorraine Hansberry through film at the San Leandro History Museum, 320 W. Estudillo Ave.,

on Saturday, Feb. 2.

The 1961 film version of  A Raisin in the Sun will be shown at 11:15 a.m.

The first feature documentary about Lorraine Hansberry, Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart will screen at 2 p.m. Admission is free.

The film reveals her work tackling race, human rights, women's equality and sexual equality. Hansberry was the first African American woman to author a play performed on Broadway and to this day the play is seen as a groundbreaking work of art, but her life story is less known.

Hansberry was a passionate artist, activist and public intellectual who waged a battle against injustice.

A Raisin in the Sun, showing at 11:15 a.m., stars Sidney Poitier as the story follows the Youngers, a struggling African American family living in a crowded Chicago apartment. After the death of the father, the family must determine what to do with the substantial life insurance payment that could mean either financial salvation or personal ruin for the family. (1961, 2:08, NR)

The documentary about Lorraine Hansberry, Sighted Eyes/ Feeling Heart, showing at 2 p.m., uses Hansberry's personal papers and archives, home movies and photos to explore the influences that shaped Hansberry's childhood, future art and activism, while friends, family and colleagues, share their personal memories. (2017, 1:58, Doc).

Harter to Head San Lorenzo Schools

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-31-19

The San Lorenzo School Board named Dr. Bruce Harter as the district’s interim superintendent last month.

The district had been without a superintendent since October, when Dr. Fred Brill left the district in the middle of the school year for a job with a non-profit.

Harter is taking the job on a temporary basis and the district is in the middle of finding a permanent superintendent, according to Penny Peck, president of the school board.

Harter comes to San Lorenzo with 35 years of public education experience. He began his career in Detroit as a math and science teacher and was most recently superintendent of the West Contra Costa Unified School District where he worked until 2016.

Harter says he has received a warm welcome from San Lorenzans.

“This is a wonderful place to be,” said Harter. “There are such great schools here and wonderful teachers.”

Harter said he only plans to stay until a suitable permanent replacement is found, but he is loving his short time in the San Lorenzo district.

Brill, who had been with the San Lorenzo School District since 2013, quit in October for a job outside of education. At the time, he would not comment on his reasons for stepping down specifically. Brill did say that he found his career in education to be simultaneously “rewarding and frustrating.”

“I would say that I think it is interesting that you are seeing a short tenure for superintendents and that is certainly a trend in California and I think probably beyond,” said Brill last fall. “There are a lot of difficult decisions being faced in education. For example, last year the (San Lorenzo) board had to identify $5.2 million in cuts. That’s hard.”

The search for a permanent San Lorenzo superintendent will continue over the next several weeks. The district has hired executive search firm Leadership Associated to find the right candidate.

The school board held a forum last week to gather public comment on what qualities the new superintendent should have and conducted an online survey. According to a district timeline, they will interview candidates in February and March with the goal of hiring a new superintendent in March.

“Our board of education will vigilantly search for a leader who can easily and naturally become part of our school community and dedicated team of education professionals,” said Peck in a written statement.

CAPTION: Dr. Bruce Harter will head the San Lorenzo School District until a permanent superintendent is found.

Volunteers to Clean Up Palma Plaza on Saturday

San Leandro Times • 01-24-19

Bryan Azevedo is organizing a community cleanup of Palma Plaza, 13808 East 14th St. in San Leandro, this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m.

Gloves, vests, garbage bags, water and snacks will be provided.

Azevedo said Palma Plaza is always a mess, so he decided to clean it up.

“I left messages and emails to property management with no response,” Azevedo said. “I didn’t give up then. I called Walgreens corporate office and told them all about it and they told me they would get back to me. So until something gets done we are putting pressure on management and we are having a community cleanup there.”

Just show up at 9 a.m., said Azevedo.

“Our students and community shop there,” he said. “We deserve better.”

– By Jim Knowles

PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES

CAPTION: Brian Azevedo said property management and Walgreens didn’t respond,

so he’s organizing a litter cleanup at Palma Plaza on Saturday.

King’s Ideas Remembered At City Forum

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-24-19

The City of San Leandro and Unity in the Community celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a oratorical festival, performances, and a special “barbershop forum” at the San Leandro Community Center on Monday.

A highlight of the program each year is seeing kids from San Leandro’s schools perform. Some give readings of King’s works and others compose their own poems and speeches.

Students Christopher Bishop and Isaac Deans gave a tandem presentation, taking turns at the microphone to talk about how King’s message still resonates with youth of today.

“There was a man who had a dream to make all people equal,” said Deans. “Dr. King did a lot for us and I want to thank him.”

Bishop quoted one of King’s speeches, saying “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

Jacqueline Wong memorized an original piece of her own writing, summing up with “They tried to kill the dream, but the dream remains.”

Kennedy Johnson recited the Langston Hughes poem “I Dreamed a World:”

“I dream a world were man/ No other man will scorn/ Where love will bless the earth/ And peace its paths adorn/ I dream a world where all/ Will know sweet freedom’s way/ A world I dream where black or white/ Whatever race you be/ Will share the bounties of the earth/ And every man is free,” quoted Kennedy.

Later in the day, a community “barber shop” talk was held. No one was cutting hair, but the idea was to create a casual atmosphere to foster open discussions.

KTVU reporter Paul Chambers hosted the forum on police and minorities interacting and how law enforcement is viewed in certain communities.

Chambers talked about how a woman named Kishana Harley would often show up at barbershop forums he hosted in the East Bay and have spirited arguments about how cops treat – or mistreat – black youth. He said it was always good to have diverse opinions and he appreciated Harley’s contributions even when she was tough on the police who were there to talk.

Chambers then introduced Harley’s fiancé Jack Bryson, who told the crowd that Harley was brutally murdered in her Richmond apartment last summer and bystanders did not call for help or aid the police in the investigation.

“There is police brutality, but there is also violence in the community,” Bryson said. “If we are going to talk about what’s happening in the community, let’s hold each other responsible.”

Bryson went on to ask the crowd if they’d ever heard of Kris Rafferty or Johntue Caldwell. No one had.

Bryson explained that Rafferty and Caldwell were friends of Oscar Grant’s who were with him when he was killed by a BART police officer in 2009. In the years after Grant’s death, both Caldwell and Rafferty were killed in unrelated shootings in Hayward.

“We have to understand that the police can do wrong but it’s not just them doing wrong,” said Bryson. “People out there in the community are killing each other and we have to do better.”

Another Fence in Dispute in Council District 3

Lee Thomas’ fence became a campaign issue in City Council District 3,

now his opponent Victor Aguilar’s fence is disputed

By Jim Knowles

San Leandro Times • 01-24-19

Lee Thomas narrowly lost the 2018 election for City Council in District 3 and people think it was because of his fence.

Thomas had a dispute with his neighbor about a fence he wanted to build on his corner lot. He got an exemption from the zoning official to build the fence, but his next-door neighbor appealed and the issue went to the Board of Zoning Adjustments.

Thomas eventually pulled his request for a zoning variance to extend his fence on the side of his corner property on Monterey Boulevard. But the dispute brought on accusations that Thomas used his political power to get a zoning change that wouldn’t be possible for the average citizen.

Thomas has said that the fence might have made the difference in the election.

Now Thomas’ opponent in the 2018 election, current City Councilman Victor Aguilar, is the one whose fence is in dispute. Aguilar even pointed out Thomas’ fence issue during the campaign.

A few years ago, Aguilar built a fence on his property, just a few blocks down Monterey from Thomas’ house. Just like Thomas, Aguilar also owns a corner lot, and the fence he built extends from the side of the house to within a couple feet of the sidewalk.

Thomas said he raised the question after people asked him about Aguilar’s fence.

“Folks were coming up to me, saying, ‘Hey, Lee, you lost because of the fence. What about his fence?’” said Thomas. ‘And I said, ‘I don’t know. I’ll check.’”

So Thomas checked with City Hall about Aguilar’s fence, and the question went to the planning office to make a determination.

“I found it quite interesting, because he made a big deal out of my fence during the campaign,” said Thomas, who pointed out a Facebook page that Aguilar put up criticizing the fence that Thomas planned to build.

Now it’s Aguilar’s fence that’s being questioned.

The planning department will make a determination whether the fence is in compliance or if it needs to be altered, according to Tom Liao, the city’s community development director.

Aguilar said that if the fence isn’t in compliance he will do whatever is needed to correct it. The fence was put up a few years ago just for privacy, because someone was peeping in the windows, Aguilar said.

“We had a fence installed and at the time we were completely oblivious to the zoning code,” Aguilar said. “My husband and I spoke to our neighbors and with their permission put up the fence.”

Aguilar said he got a citation that noted the fence height. 

“The fence has been up for a few years and we haven’t gotten any complaints from any of our neighbors,” Aguilar said. “Of course, at the end of the day I will do what I have to do to be in compliance.”

Aguilar also noted with a little humor that now that he’s aware of the rules about fences, there are probably a lot of fences in the neighborhood that are out of compliance, it’s just that nobody has complained about them.

Aguilar said he will meet with the planning department in the next couple of weeks and find out whether he needs to make any changes to his fence.

“And then we’ll hire a professional fence builder and do what’s necessary,” he said.

CAPTION: City Councilman Victor Aguilar’s fence is now being questioned after his opponent Lee Thomas planned a fence that was disputed last year. 

PHOTO BY JIM KNOWLES

Council Looks at Mobile Home Rent

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-24-19

Over two dozen speakers asked the City Council to do something about skyrocketing mobile home rents at a workshop last week.

The city is considering creating a possible mobile home rent stabilization ordinance, similar to the city’s rent review policy for apartments, which offers non-binding mediation between tenants and property owners on disputes over rent increases.

The first speaker was John Busch, the 81-year-old lifelong San Leandro resident who was forced out of his home due to high rents last year and is currently homeless.

“I’ve seen too many people have to move,” Busch told the council. “Some of them have become homeless. I’m sure glad we’ve gotten to the point where we can make some changes.”

City staff said they've looked at surrounding cities to see how San Leandro might craft its mobile home rent stabilization regulation. San Leandro currently has nine mobile home parks with 855 spaces.

In Fremont, a mobile home rent arbitration process is available for people who have rent hikes of over $10 per month. Hayward limits increases to 3 percent of rent per year, Oakland to 5 percent, and Union City to 7 percent before city offers rent review.

The new ordinance would likely also apply to recreational vehicles that are used for permanent habitation and reside in a mobile home parks.

“We want to establish a more efficient way of reviewing and protect residents from arbitrary rent increases to their space,” said Tom Liao, San Leandro’s community development director. “It’s also a way to ensure mobile home operators can get a fair return on their investments.”

Liao said that, unlike apartments or other rental situations, many mobile home residents own their home, so they make upgrades other renters might not.

Several speakers urged the City Council to move as quickly as possible.

“It’s very important,” said Silvana Perez. “We have a housing crisis in the United States and mobiles homes and trailers are the only alternative for many people.

Jeromey Shafer, who ran for mayor of San Leandro last fall on a rent control platform, said that a mobile home rent stabilization ordinance was in front of the city council as far back as 1986.

“It’s really time that we get this done for the residents of San Leandro,” said Shafer. “It’s been a while. People are looking for relief and they need this relief. Let’s do something with some substance for these people.”

Carol Stieben said she was forced out her trailer home due to rent increases. She said that the park where she lived used to be a real community with neighbors who looked out for each other, but that sense of community was broken up when so many had to move away.

“I’m the new face of homelessness,” said Stieben. “I worked hard all my life. I’m used to fighting. There’s no reason I should be in this shape. It was a community, now it’s all busted up.”

Deborah Acosta, San Leandro’s former Chief Innovation Officer, spoke in her capacity as a board member of Mission Bay Homeowners Association. She told the council that mobile home rent stabilization is particularly important for senior citizens.

“Mobile homes are relatively affordable, however seniors are vulnerable,” said Acosta.

Former City Councilman Jim Prola also spoke in favor of rent stabilization.

“I want to remind you that San Leandro is the city of kindness,” said Prola. He suggested an ordinance with rent increases limited to the increase of the Consumer Price Index as being most fair for renters and landlords.

But there were also a handful of speakers from various landlord and property management groups who told the council that they were sympathetic about rate increases, but that sometimes higher rents are necessary to maintain the quality of life at a park. They said some people will simply sell off the land if they can’t make money, which would leave renters without recourse.

“Unfortunately, the ordinance could prevent beautification and upgrades,” said Bill Mulgrew of the Rental Housing Association of Southern Alameda County. “Prudent business people are loath to invest in something when there is a chance of not making back their investment.”

Doug Johnson of the Western Manufactured Housing Community Association read an email from the owner of the Bal Trailer Court, who described himself as a senior citizen who depends on income from his renters to live. The Bal Trailer Court was founded by his grandfather and he said he does his best to keep rents reasonable.

“My family has always kept the park well-maintained and always charged reasonable, affordable rents,” Johnson read. “The upgrades and improvements have costs thousands and thousands of dollars. Limiting my ability to cover these costs would be detrimental.”

Ryan Jasinsky spoke on behalf of Brandenberg, Staedler & Moore – property owners of Mission Bay Mobile Home Park, the site of over 40 percent of San Leandro’s mobile homes.

“My experience has shown that rent control hinders owners ability to reinvest in their communities,” said Jasinsky. “

After hearing more than two hours of testimony, the City Council said that setting up a mobile home rent ordinance is a priority for them.

“The stories that you’ve shared are truly heart-wrenching,” said Corina Lopez to the renters. “I’m really concerned for your welfare. We need to do something very proactive here.”

Councilmen Ed Hernandez and Victor Aguilar both supported the idea that the city begin by introducing a moratorium on all mobile home rent increases until a new ordinance can be established.

“We are here to work together and work for the community,” said Aguilar. “We should look into the moratorium while we do some research on this ordinance.”

But Councilman Pete Ballew worried that talk of a moratorium would cause “less than noble landlords” to immediately rase rates before the council makes a new law.

Mayor Pauline Cutter said she was also concerned that owners would sell off properties if they aren’t getting their investment back and the mobile home land could be turned into apartments or condos which would be even less affordable.

“It’s not a one size fits all issue, said Cutter. “I want to make sure we are looking at all the possibilities”

City Manager Jeff Kay said that city staff will take into account all they’ve heard and come back before the City Council at an upcoming meeting with a detailed ordinance as soon as possible.

“We certainly understand from the community that there is a sense of urgency in moving this forward,” said Kay.

Pirates Basketball Tops CV, 59-38

By Andrew Joseph

San Leandro Times • 01-17-19

The San Leandro High basketball team won, 59-38, at home Friday night against conference rival Castro Valley.

“We want to go to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State finals and win this year,” said San Leandro head coach Darnell Stamps.

Leading Pirates’ scorers included Keshad Johnson with 28 points, Kiki Aguirre who finished with 8 points, and Ciri Sawyer with a total of 7 points.

“Usually we start our games slower than today, but today we wanted to come out the gate hard with a lot of intensity,” said Johnson. “Our reserves off the bench weren’t ready tonight when they came in, that’s what let (Castro Valley) climb back into the game and try to close the score in the third quarter.”

The score was 29-19 at halftime, and Castro Valley got within 8 points in the third period.

“We’re still getting players back from injuries right now,” said Stamps. “To get a feel for what players in what different rotations work is what we’re doing. The focus isn’t so much on other teams’ plans, but what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The win improved the Pirates season record to 13-4, and 1-1 in league play. Castro Valley drops to 6-11 overall, yet still at .500 in league play at 1-1 with their next matchup at Miramonte on Saturday.

“Castro Valley likes to talk a lot, we wanted to come punch them in the mouth tonight,” said Johnson.  “We don’t really talk—we let the ball do the work. This is our home court so we had to protect it tonight.”

The ball was definitely put to work by Johnson.  The 6-foot-2 senior transfer has already committed to play at San Diego State next year. For Pirates’ seniors, this season is like what they are now calling in the NBA a ‘farewell’ tour each time they play an opponent for the last time.

“In order to win CIF State this year every one of us has to buy in and be on the same page,” said TJ Kilgore.  “I’m a senior and this is my last year so I’m trying to go out with a bang.”

Kilgore and Junior Maile both tallied five points on Friday night.

“Every time we play Castro Valley it’s always a close game,” said Kilgore. “What I personally try to bring to the floor is intensity, be a dog on defense, try to create plays, and lock up their best players to help our team win.”

The teams will meet again when San Leandro travels to Castro Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

The Pirates will travel to Mt. Eden in Hayward for their next game on Friday at 7 p.m.

“I know we have Mt. Eden coming up on Friday, but we want to take one game at a time so we can get a good seed in the playoffs,” said Stamps.

CAPTION: Keshad Johnson (#2 white jersey) puts back a rebound into the basket for two points in the third quarter.

PHOTO BY ANDREW JOSEPH

Rate Payers Puzzled by Utility Bill

Some residents object to being switched automatically to “energy aggregator” EBCE

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-17-19

PG&E bills began showing up this month with an unfamiliar line item for “East Bay Community Energy” (EBCE) in the account summary.

The EBCE is a new “community energy” agency that recently became the energy provider for over half a million Alameda County homes, though nobody signed up for it.

The San Leandro City Council voted in 2016 to join the EBCE, which is a government agency headed by a Joint Powers Authority. In Alameda County, all cities except Alameda, Pleasanton, and Newark are part of the EBCE.

There is an option to leave the EBCE and stick with PG&E by visiting www.ebce.org and selecting the “opt out” tab at the top of the screen. You’ll have to enter your PG&E account number, name, and zip code. You can also opt out by calling 1(833) 699-EBCE.

If you opt out before June 1, there is no fee but EBCE will charge a $5 exit fee after that date. Another option is to “opt down” and reduce the percentage of energy that comes from clean energy sources and get a lower rate while remaining in the EBCE program.

EBCE is an alternate electricity provider that was created to provide an alternative to the PG&E monopoly, they say. EBCE is a “community choice aggregator” that pools cities together to have greater buying power to purchase electricity directly from the source.

But the electricity will still come over PG&E’s lines.

Currently, the EBCE says it is using energy from a variety of sources including hydroelectric dams in the Pacific Northwest and wind farms in Southern California.

PG&E says that nearly 80 percent of the electricity it provides to customers comes from sources that are greenhouse-gas free.

EBCE says customers can expect about a one-and-a-half percent savings over PG&E for an average monthly bill of $90.60, because EBCE is a non-profit governmental agency that “runs lean” with a small number of employees and doesn’t have to answer to shareholders like PG&E.

The infrastructure of how energy gets to your home remains the same as the EBCE pays PG&E for transmission and repairs to the grid. So if the power goes out, it will still be a PG&E truck pulling up to fix the lines. PG&E will also continue to handle the billing.

There are currently eight energy aggregator agencies in California and more are popping up all over the country.

In 2014, a community aggregation agency for the city of Hercules had to be sold back to PG&E at a loss when fewer homes than projected were built in that city during the recession and the utility couldn’t sustain itself.

EBCE is holding a series of public meetings to help people understand their new electricity bills and answer questions about the program. The San Leandro meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Zocalo Coffee, 645 Bancroft Ave.

CAPTION: The East Bay Community Energy agency buys power from sources such as wind farms and uses PG&E’s infrastructure to deliver it to customers.

Holocaust Survivor and World War II French Spy to Speak in Castro Valley

San Leandro Times • 01-17-19

Marthe Cohn, 98-year-old Holocaust survivor and World War II French spy, will be speaking in Castro Valley at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday, Jan. 20 at Chabad of Castro Valley, 20912B Redwood Road.

Cohn will share her gripping story of survival and espionage to an audience suitable for adults and teenagers of all faiths.

Following her family’s daring escape from Nazi-occupied France and her sister’s death in Auschwitz, Cohn went on to be recruited by the Intelligence Service of the French 1st Army on account of her blonde hair, blue eyes and thorough command of the German language.

Posing as a German nurse desperately searching for her fictional fiancé positioned on the front lines, she successfully retrieved troves of crucial information regarding the positioning of German troops.

At age 80, Mrs. Cohn was awarded for her service with the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest military honor.

“With a fading generation of Holocaust survivors, now more than ever are we charged with the moral imperative to hear their first hand accounts,” said Rabbi Shimon Gruzman, co-director of Chabad of Castro Valley, the sponsoring organization. “Mrs. Cohn is a true hero who brings a positive message of hope, strength and triumph.”

Cohn’s visit brings added significance as this year marks 80 years since Kristallnacht.

Eighty years ago, Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses, murdered hundreds and dragged thousands of Jews from their homes. That infamous night is now known as Kristallnacht and is considered by many as the starting point of the Holocaust.

Tickets are $20 and signed copies of Cohn’s memoir, “Behind Enemy Lines: The True Story of a French Jewish Spy in Nazi Germany,” are available online for purchase and may be picked up at the event.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.JewishCastroValley.org.

CAPTION: Holocaust survivor Marthe Cohn, 98, a French spy during World War II, is expected to attract a large turnout.

City’s MLK Celebration On Monday

San Leandro Times • 01-17-19

The City of San Leandro’s annual celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be on Monday, Jan. 21, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Senior Community Center, located at 13909 East 14th St.

The event commemorates the birthday of this great American leader and his lifelong work toward equality and peace. This year’s event includes entertainment, student oratory, and a discussion, hosted by Unity in the Community, tackling questions about racism and how we interact with each other as neighbors. 

At 1 p.m. the program will feature a “Barbershop Forum,” an opportunity for community members and police officers to talk and build bridges. The moderator for the forum will be KTVU reporter Paul Chambers. Law enforcement personnel from the City of San Leandro, County of Alameda Sheriff’s Department and BART will be participating, as well as students from San Leandro High School.

“The forum gives a safe environment for people to understand the complexities behind implicit bias, racism, and community policing. It gives people a place to ask question that they may not have been able to before,” said Surlene Grant, one of the co-founders of Unity in the Community.

Light refreshments and crafts for kids will also be provided, with free admission for all who wish to attend.

Students enrolled in San Leandro schools will perform in the oratorical contest and poetry slam.

“It’s always a pleasure to bring the community together in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, now in its 33rd year after being recognized as a national holiday in 1986. This day has also now become a day of celebration for us as a San Leandro tradition with our Oratorical Festival,” said Mayor Cutter. “I encourage everyone to join us on Jan. 21 this year to help celebrate Dr. King’s enduring legacy.”

This event is in collaboration with Unity in the Community and cosponsored by the San Leandro Optimist Club. For more event information, contact Donté Watson with the Recreation and Human Services Department at 577-3473.

Most Diverse U.S. Congress in History Sworn In

San Leandro Times • 01-10-19

The 116th Congress is the most diverse in history, with record numbers of women, people of color, and LGBTQ members elected.

Congresswoman Lee – who made history herself as the first African American woman elected to leadership in Congress – is pictured here with some of the other history-making representatives.

Pictured (from left to right) on the House Floor at the swearing-in ceremony: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas; freshman Rep. Lauren Underwood of Illinois (youngest African American woman elected

PG&E Plans Big Rate Hikes

Three separate rate increases in the

works by the public utility

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-10-19

Your monthly PG&E bill will be about $1 higher as of the first of the year due to an increase in natural gas prices, making the average combined PG&E gas and electric bill just over $167.

That might not seem like a lot, but there are also two other proposed PG&E rate increases in the works.

PG&E is requesting that the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) grant it permission to raise rates even further to offset costs stemming from the 2017 and 2018 deadly wildfires which were caused by downed PG&E lines.

In December, PG&E asked the CPUC to allow wildfire-related increases on monthly electricity and gas bills amounting to $12.55 more per month for a period of three years. That would bring in an estimated $2 billion in additional revenue for the utility.

It’s also possible that PG&E will seek further potential total rate hikes as lawsuits related to the wildfires begin to roll in.

And all of this is in addition to the 11.6 percent in rate increases PG&E implemented between 2015 and 2018 in a series of hikes that were pre-approved by the CPUC.

All those rate increases add up over time, according to consumer watchdog group, The Utility Reform Network (TURN).

TURN has often been a vocal critic of the utility, referring to PG&E as a “convicted felon,” as the company was found guilty of violating safety regulations and obstructing an investigation in the gas explosion in San Bruno in 2010 which killed eight people. The utility is still on probation for that violation.

TURN executive director Mark Toney called the request for 12 percent in additional rate hikes “stunning” in a press release and said that the CPUC must demand an account of how PG&E has spent ratepayer money on safety and wildfire prevention in the past before any additional rate increases are considered.

Toney also criticized Senate Bill 901, which was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown this fall. The bill allows PG&E and other investor-owned utilities to issue bonds to recover costs caused by fires, repaid by customers.

“In a stunning achievement for a convicted felon, PG&E has convinced the legislature to give it not only an unprecedented bailout on wildfires liabilities, but also unlimited rate hikes for decades to come,” Toney said.

If the wildfire rate increase is approved by the CPUC, PG&E said the money will go to installing 2,000 miles of stronger poles and covered power lines in high fire risk areas.

The CPUC is also examining whether PG&E should be allowed to continue to operate as it does.

In late December, the CPUC said it was investigating PG&E’s “corporate governance, management, and structure” in the wake of safety concerns following the fires. The CPUC could replace the PG&E board of directors, restructure the company, or even dissolve and reconstitute PG&E as a publicly-owned utility.

‘How Carl Reiner Changed My Life’

Brian Copeland tells how he came to write hit show Not a

Genuine Black Man, which plays tonight at Marsh Theater in SF

Special to the Times • 01-10-19

I was bored.

I’d been a standup since I was 18, traveling the country and eventually working my way up to comedy club headliner as well as opening for folks like Lionel Richie, Ringo Starr, Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson. I’d also worked my way into Bay Area broadcasting as a television and radio talk show host.

Suddenly I found myself a divorced single father with custody of three kids ranging in age from 6 to 12. My life was now about carpools, chaperoning field trips, packing lunches and correcting math homework.

It wasn’t that I didn’t find immense value in what I was doing. I did. I just felt stagnant and unfulfilled creatively. So, I decided to write my way out of the doldrums. I’d always wanted to do a one man show, but about what?

I was hosting a radio talk show in San Francisco at the time and was fortunate enough to book Carl Reiner (one of my comedy idols) when he was passing through town on a book tour. During a commercial break, I mentioned where I was creatively and that I wanted to write something, but didn’t know what.

“Every writer-performer comes to this crossroads at some point,” he said. “For me, it was 1959 and after nine years with Sid Caesar, his show ended and I felt like you do. Somebody gave me a copy of the book Treadmill to Oblivion by the great radio comedian Fred Allen and in the introduction, he wrote that you have to ‘find the piece of ground that you alone stand on and write from there.’ I thought, ‘well, what’s my piece of ground’? I’m a married comedy writer who writes for a show in New York and lives with my wife and kids in New Rochelle. That idea became The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

“Well,” I asked, “What’s my piece of ground?”

“That’s what you have to find out,” he said.

Over the next week I got a copy of Allen's book. He was hysterically funny (“A celebrity is someone who works hard all his life to be famous so he can wear dark glasses and hope not to be recognized.”) and I searched for my uniqueness. Then, I got the letter from a listener.

“As an African American, I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because you are not a genuine black man.”

Eureka! I’ve found it!

I'd received anonymous missives like this from radio listeners for years. I'd also dealt with this nonsense most of my adult life. I'm “black” as far as racists are concerned, yet “not black enough” according to black dogmatists. Why? Because from the age of 8 when my family moved to the then 94% white Bay Area suburb of San Leandro, I spent my formative years as the only black face in the room.

Taking Carl's advice, I decided to write a play about what it's like to be “the only one.” There is a universality to that because no matter who you are, at some point you will find yourself in a situation where you are the only man, the only woman, the only black, white, Latino, Asian, Jew, Christian or Muslim. How do you navigate those waters?

I also decided to write about the organized practice of redlining and housing discrimination in Northern California long after it had been federally outlawed. Each morning, I’d walk my brood to school, then sit at a little cafe near my home called Sabino’s where I filled notebook after notebook with every story I could think of about what it was like to grow up ‘different’.

Lots of things I’d forgotten. Lots of things were so painful I realized that I'd forgotten them on purpose.

After several months of this, I was fortunate enough to partner with David Ford, the best director and collaborator for the solo play genre in the Bay Area (if not the nation) and we put together our play. It was originally scheduled to run at the Marsh theater in San Francisco for six weeks. It was sold out within two weeks and remained so for the next three years.

Genuine would go to be performed in over thirty cities (including an Off Broadway run) and spawn a bestselling memoir that is now required reading in a number of schools and universities across the country.

I officially retired the piece in 2012 and went on to write and perform subsequent works on issues including depression and societal privilege. We were, I kept hearing, in a post racial era with the election of Barack Obama.

The election of Donald Trump and the tacit 'permission' that his presidency has given to bigots to spew their venom in public has changed that assessment. America has lost her empathy. It is for that reason I’ve brought Not a Genuine Black Man back in the hope that seeing the world through the eyes of a bullied 8 year old child of color might play some small part in helping her find it again.

In the Bay Area, Not a Genuine Black Man will be at the Marsh in San Francisco for a special benefit performance on Thursday, Jan. 10.

It will be at The Douglas Morrison Theater in Hayward on Jan. 25, and in Burbank at The Actors Group Studio on Saturday nights beginning Jan. 12.

A link for tickets can be found at BrianCopeland.com. For Burbank, use ticket line 1-800-838-3006.

CAPTION: Brian reads Golf Digest and ponders the perplexing question of just what is a genuine black man.

SL’s First Medical Pot Shop To Open

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-10-19

Blum will be San Leandro’s first medical marijuana dispensary to open its doors.

The pot shop’s grand opening at 1911 Fairway Drive is set for this Friday at 9:30 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and speeches from CEO Derek Peterson and Mayor Pauline Cutter.

Blum was the last of the three cannabis operators to get a permit from the city in the fall of 2016 and expected to open the following summer. Now after several delays, they’re opening.

“Having a dispensary up and running in San Leandro is the fect way to start off 2019,” said Peterson in press release.

Cutter has speculated that one reason for the delay in the stores opening was that San Leandro’s current pot sales ordinance only allows medical marijuana sales, not recreational sales. Allowing recreational use would make the business more competitive.

At Monday night’s City Council meeting, Cutter requested that legalization of recreational use be put on an upcoming agenda.

“I’ve had meetings with all of them and they are looking for adult use,” said Cutter. “So, I’ve asked to agendize it as soon as possible, around the end of February or early March. Then an ordinance will have to be written and brought back for a vote, probably in the spring.”

Cutter says that Harborside and NUG (the new name for the Davis Street Wellness Center) both say they are eyeing spring opening dates.

“We’re getting closer to having them all open,” said Cutter. “They are working. Construction is underway.”

San Leandro approved the first city dispensary permit back in September of 2015, when Harborside got permission to operate. Then the Davis Street Wellness Center received its city marijuana permit in July 2016.

At a City Council meeting in November, Cutter called the delay “unacceptable” and suggested they could be fined. But now she said she’s excited to see Blum finally open for business.

“I’m looking forward to seeing it open,” said Cutter. “I wish them a lot of luck.”

Luck for Blum and the other stores will translate into good fortune for the city, too.

Back in 2016, the voters passed Measure NN, a special tax on revenue from marijuana sales. The city estimates that it will make $500,000 annually from the tax.

Terra Tech, the company that owns Blum, also has a permit to manufacture cannabis products in San Leandro and has plans to open up an extraction facility in the city in the future, according to a press release. Extraction involves separating the components of cannabis and can be used to make products such as tinctures and oils.

In addition to their San Leandro shop, Blum also has stores in Oakland, Santa Ana, Las Vegas, and Reno. The San Leandro location will be open for medical-only sales Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

CAPTION: Last minute construction was underway Wednesday at Blum to get ready for Friday’s grand opening of the long-awaited medical marijuana dispensary.

PHOTO BY AMY SYLVESTRI 

Quiet New Years at Warming Shelter

By Jim Knowles

San Leandro Times • 01-03-19

A lot of people went out on New Years Eve to have the time of their lives. And some people were just happy to be alive. 

Jurassic World played on the TV and pizza was served down at the Warming Shelter on New Years Eve. People watched the movie before turning in for the night with a sleeping bag and a pad on the floor of the rec room at the First United Methodist Church on Bancroft Avenue.

“It’s just another day for us,” said Reyes Ram, who spent the night at the shelter. “I’m just glad places like this are open. It’s super cold tonight.”

Around a dozen people came to stay at the shelter on New Years Eve. A couple of people were already tucked in for the night in sleeping bags. The rest sat at the tables and watched the movie.

Before long, Carla Ashford called out that dinner’s ready.

“Let’s start lining up, ladies first,” Ashford said, as she and Leonard Haywood served pizza.

The shelter is open on nights when there is a forecast for rain or for the temperature to drop below 40 degrees during the night. The guests register in advance for the program, a joint venture between the Interfaith Homelessness Network’s April Showers program, Building Futures and the City of San Leandro.

The staff members who are on duty through the night also can help connect homeless people with medical services and and other forms of assistance.

On a recent year, the shelter was open a total of 55 nights between November and April, and provided 833 “bed nights” to 71 individual guests, according to the program.

Regardless of the weather, the shelter is open every Wednesday night this season in an effort to maintain continuity with the guests.

CAPTION: The movie Jurassic World played on the TV at the warming shelter on New Years Eve as Sharon Gatewood, Anthony Lopez, Reyes Ram and Mike Dougherty watched the show. 

PHOTOS BY JIM KNOWLES

Legal Weed Doing Fine In Ashland

But problems still persist since marijuana became legal

San Leandro Times • 01-03-19

Business is good at the two pot dispensaries in the unincorporated area, but the marijuana business has had its problems since recreational cannabis became legal a year ago.

A thriving black market still exists, possibly due to heavy taxation and fees on legal pot. And marijuana-related DUIs are on the upswing.

“Sales were great this year,” said Jaime Arevado of We Are Hemp in Ashland. “There has obviously been an increase in interest and there have been a lot of first-timers. We’ve seen a lot of people willing to come in and try cannabis now that it is seen as ‘legit,’ whereas they may have been scared before. It’s definitely been very busy this year.”

Arevado added that about 40 to 50 percent of their customers still come in with valid medical marijuana permits because We Are Hemp offers a 10 percent discount for medical clients.

Even though business is good in the unincorporated area, statewide tax revenue from sales were below projections.

At the beginning of 2018, Governor Jerry Brown predicted $630 million in tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales, but as of November only $234 million in taxes had come in, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

People are still willing to buy marijuana illegally because the legal stuff is taxed so heavily, including a 15 percent state tax on top of city and county taxes which can reach up to 60 percent in some jurisdictions. Additionally, the wholesale price of pot has dropped, so profit margins are slimmer.

Earlier this year, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) held a special summit on marijuana traffic safety, specifically the increase in DUIs that law enforcement has seen since legalization of pot.

The CHP estimated that the Bay Area will experience a 70 percent increase in pot DUI arrests in 2018 over the previous year when recreational use wasn’t yet legal.

Complicating matters, there is no breathalyzer equivalent to measure marijuana intoxication like there is for drivers suspected of being drunk. So there’s no “legal limit” on marijuana intoxication like the .08 blood alcohol threshold

For now, officers must use their observation during field sobriety tests and find probable cause for an arrest. At the station, an officer with specific training as a “drug recognition expert” can request a blood test which can determine levels of THC present.

Last week, the Golden Gate Division of the CHP released figures for DUIs for the Christmas week. The CHP arrested 157 people for DUIs in the Bay Area that week, up from 144 from the same period last year. The campaign was dedicated to CHP Officer Andrew Camilleri, who was killed on I-880 in Hayward on Christmas Eve 2017 by a driver who was suspected of being under the influence of both alcohol and cannabis.

“Impairment of any kind while driving is illegal. Alcohol, cannabis, or legal or illegal drugs can all affect your driving,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley in a written statement.“Impaired driving is a serious crime that can lead to an arrest, serious injury, or death.”

The CHP also reports that pot-related DUIs were on the increase in the San Leandro/ San Lorenzo/ Castro Valley area even before legalization.

In 2017, there were 441 DUI arrests by the CHP in the Eden Area and 34 were from drivers with just drugs in their system, with no alcohol aspect – that number was nearly doubled from 2016.

CAPTION: The Garden of Eden marijuana shop on Foothill Boulevard in Ashland says business has been good.

PHOTO BY FRED ZEHNDER

A Thousand New Laws Take Effect

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-03-19

A new year means 1,016 new laws take effect in California – everything from new gun control measures to restrictions on plastic drinking straws.

• Under new state law, juveniles under 16 cannot be tried as adults, even for murder, and children under age 12 will be kept out of the criminal justice system for crimes other than murder and rape.

• A few transit laws will actually get more lax as of the first of the year: helmets will no longer be required for people over the age of 18 riding motorized scooters and people under the age of 18 without a helmet will receive “fix it” tickets instead of fines. Also, juvenile courts will no longer be able to use truancy as a reason to suspend the driver’s license of a minor.

• Speaking of driver’s licenses, people will be able to self-certify their chosen gender category as either male, female, or non-binary – which will be noted by the letter “X” on the license.

• New laws raise the age limit to buy rifles and shotguns from 18 to 21 and require a minimum of eight hours of training to receive a concealed carry gun permit. Additionally, anyone convicted of domestic violence will lose the right to own a firearm.

• In order to cut down on toll violators and the number of unidentifiable cars on the streets, all cars that drive off dealerships will be given temporary number plates and dealer paper plates will no longer be acceptable.

• Tolls increased by $1 on Jan. 1 at seven of the eight bridges in the Bay Area with additional $1 increases planned for Jan. 1, 2022 and Jan. 1, 2025.

• If you want a plastic straw for your drink at a restaurant, you’ll have to ask the server, as those dining establishments are no longer allowed to give out straws automatically.

• A new senate bill forbids companies from forcing employees who have settled sexual harassment suits from being required to sign non-disclosure agreements.

• A new assembly bill gives victims up to 10 years to seek civil damages from a sexual assault and another requires the state to complete an audit of all untested rape kits by this July.

• It’s now legal for first responders including firefighters and EMTs to give emergency medical care to pets, as it had previously only been allowed by licensed veterinarians.

• Voting by mail just got a little easier, as mail-in ballots will now be prepaid with no need for a stamp.

Turn Your Tree into Compost

By Amy Sylvestri

San Leandro Times • 01-03-19

'Tis the season to clean up after Christmas – the holidays are over, and the decorations are coming down.

If you want to get rid of your Christmas tree, leave it out curbside next to your cans on your normal trash/recycling day during the first two weeks of January.

Customers in San Leandro are served by Waste Management or Alameda County Industries (ACI), depending on location.

ACI will pick up trees through the third week of January. Waste Management will pick up trees this week and next.

Both companies ask that trees have all lights, decorations, tinsel and the stand removed. Trees over 6-feet tall should be cut in half. Small trees may also be placed inside your organics cart cut it into small pieces that won’t get stuck in the can and allow the lid to fully close.

Do not place the tree in any type of plastic wrap or bag.

Tree collection may be done using a different truck than the regular collection and it may be on your block at a different time of day than your normal pick-up.

Fake and flocked trees cannot be collected and composted through the free collection, so call 357-7282 for ACI or 613-8710 for Waste Management to arrange for a special pick up.

San Leandro Basketball Beats College Park, 78-66

By Andrew Joseph

San Leandro Times 02-21-19

The San Leandro High basketball team beat College Park High of Pleasant Hill, 78-66, on Friday night at home in a Division 1 North Coast Section (NCS) basketball playoff game.

“We have been focused on continuing our season and leaving everything out on the floor,” said Pirates’ head coach Darrnaryl Stamps.

This win, attended by a crowd of hundreds, was instrumental in San Leandro’s current road to the 2019 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State championship title. They now advance their overall record to 24-4 and 9-1 in league play. It’s important to win these early playoff games to get a good seed in the NCS finals.

“The win feels great, we have been working hard preparing for tonight all week focusing on stopping the ball and closing out on shooters,” said Pirate’s guard Kiki Aguirre.                                         

Ciri Sawyer scored the first bucket for the Pirates, finishing scoring a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds on the night. Other notable San Leandro scorers include guard Lawrence Long with 16 points, forward Keshad Johnson with 15 points and 9 rebounds, Junior Maile with 10 points, Aguirre with eight points, and TJ Kilgore who finished with four points.

“What it took to get this win was good defense, staying active, and bringing the dog out,” said Johnson.  “This win feels good but we still have more games to go.”

San Leandro beat the Falcons convincingly enough earlier in the season when they met, 80-65.  College Park made it tough for shooters to get open and keep up with the pace in the first period, but that was soon resolved before halftime. Aguirre made the first 3-pointer for the Pirates in the opening minutes of the game. 

“The offensive attack that worked well tonight was feeding the ball down low, getting inside-out,” said Aguirre. “Once we started getting baskets inside and making shots we were able to solidify the win.”

Long ended the first quarter with a foul during a drive to the bucket and made the free-throw to make it a 3-point play.  Their largest lead of the game was 31-14 at the 6:02 mark in the second quarter, and San Leandro never looked back after that. Going into halftime the Pirates led the Falcons 42-23.

“When we knock down threes and get fast break dunks the energy builds and our entire team feeds off of that energy,” added Aguirre.

Defense Keeps Game Close Until Offense Warms Up

The defense was instrumental in making stops on the other end during minutes when their offense was rough. Once the offense got going it was hard to stop the Pirates.

“We did a good job of passing the ball, looking for each other, cutting, and posting – once we get all that going we’re hard to be stopped,” said coach Stamps.

Although the Falcons made a fight to come back going on a 7-0 run to close out the third quarter, San Leandro closed the game out in the fourth quarter proving they are ready to make a CIF title run this year.

“Our discipline and our intensity helped us stay in this game and close it out for the win,” added coach Stamps. “The other team is always going to go on runs, we just need to have longevity to be able to stay in it.”

After the league championship, it’s the NorCal regional rounds Feb. 26 to March 6 and then finally the CIF state championship March 8 and 9.

“To beat De la Salle we have to stay disciplined, listen to coach, and take control over the whole game,” said Johnson.

San Leandro was scheduled to travel to Concord to play De La Salle (26-3) Wednesday night in the next round of the NCS playoffs.

The San Lorenzo boys team lost their NCS Division 2 first round matchup on Friday, 58-52, at home against Redwood High School. 

The San Leandro girls basketball team lost their second round NCS Division 1 meeting against Heritage of Brentwood, 77-53. 

CAPTION: Ciri Sawyers (#20 white jersey) puts back a rebound during the second quarter on Friday night against College Park.  

PHOTO BY ANDREW JOSEPH

Pirates Beat Grenada in Basketball Playoffs

By Andrew Joseph

San Leandro Times 02-14-19

The San Leandro High School basketball team beat Granada High of Livermore at home, 71-49, on Tuesday night in the first round of the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs.

The win sends the Pirates to the next round of the NCS playoffs, hosting College Park (Pleasant Hill) on Friday at 7 p.m. in the San Leandro High gym.

Leading San Leandro scorers against Grenada include Kiki Aguirre with a team-high 16 points, Keshad Johnson with 12 points, two assists and two steals, Junior Maile with 12 points, two assists and three steals, and TJ Kilgore who added five points.

“This win feels good,” said Kilgore. “We are trying to get to the state championship so we just need to take it one game at a time. We have seven more games to go before getting to the finals.”

Ciri Sawyers scored the first points of the game with a tip-in, and San Leandro never looked back. The Pirates had control of the game from the first quarter, and had a 34-23 lead at halftime before blowing out the score in the second half.

“We came out being aggressive and attacking them from the beginning and getting their players into foul trouble early,” said Johnson. “Once we got our shooters open they just made their shots and that’s what gave us the early lead.”

Granada played zone defense most of the game but San Leandro was able to run their own pace on offense and keep a consistent rhythm through the whole night. 

The Pirates are setting themselves up for the state finals this year as their ranking keeps climbing. Tuesday’s win is San Leandro’s 11th consecutive victory, with only four losses on the season.

“This is just the first step – we still have a long way to go to get to the state finals, which is our focus,” said Johnson. “To win state it’s going to take discipline from all of us.”

Tuesday’s win moves the Pirates to 23-4 overall this season.  They are now ranked 152nd in the nation and 35th in California with their eyes on the state championship.

“The goal this season is to go as far as we can and make sure that we leave it all out on the line,” said Pirates’ head coach Darrnaryl Stamps.

CAPTION: Keshad Johnson shoots a basket for San Leandro in a first round NCS playoff game against Grenada on Tuesday night.

PHOTO BY ANDREW JOSEPH

Pirates Basketball Tops CV, 59-38

By Andrew Joseph

San Leandro Times 01-17-19

The San Leandro High basketball team won, 59-38, at home Friday night against conference rival Castro Valley.

“We want to go to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State finals and win this year,” said San Leandro head coach Darnell Stamps.

Leading Pirates’ scorers included Keshad Johnson with 28 points, Kiki Aguirre who finished with 8 points, and Ciri Sawyer with a total of 7 points.

“Usually we start our games slower than today, but today we wanted to come out the gate hard with a lot of intensity,” said Johnson. “Our reserves off the bench weren’t ready tonight when they came in, that’s what let (Castro Valley) climb back into the game and try to close the score in the third quarter.”

The score was 29-19 at halftime, and Castro Valley got within 8 points in the third period.

“We’re still getting players back from injuries right now,” said Stamps. “To get a feel for what players in what different rotations work is what we’re doing. The focus isn’t so much on other teams’ plans, but what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The win improved the Pirates season record to 13-4, and 1-1 in league play. Castro Valley drops to 6-11 overall, yet still at .500 in league play at 1-1 with their next matchup at Miramonte on Saturday.

“Castro Valley likes to talk a lot, we wanted to come punch them in the mouth tonight,” said Johnson.  “We don’t really talk—we let the ball do the work. This is our home court so we had to protect it tonight.”

The ball was definitely put to work by Johnson.  The 6-foot-2 senior transfer has already committed to play at San Diego State next year. For Pirates’ seniors, this season is like what they are now calling in the NBA a ‘farewell’ tour each time they play an opponent for the last time.

“In order to win CIF State this year every one of us has to buy in and be on the same page,” said TJ Kilgore.  “I’m a senior and this is my last year so I’m trying to go out with a bang.”

Kilgore and Junior Maile both tallied five points on Friday night.

“Every time we play Castro Valley it’s always a close game,” said Kilgore. “What I personally try to bring to the floor is intensity, be a dog on defense, try to create plays, and lock up their best players to help our team win.”

The teams will meet again when San Leandro travels to Castro Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

The Pirates will travel to Mt. Eden in Hayward for their next game on Friday at 7 p.m.

“I know we have Mt. Eden coming up on Friday, but we want to take one game at a time so we can get a good seed in the playoffs,” said Stamps.

CAPTION: Keshad Johnson (#2 white jersey) puts back a rebound into the basket for two points in the third quarter.

PHOTO BY ANDREW JOSEPH

Arroyo’s Fourth Period Rally Falls Just Short Against Mt. Eden

By Andrew Joseph

San Leandro Times 01-10-19

The Arroyo High basketball team staged a valiant comeback on Saturday afternoon against Mt. Eden that fell just short, 59-57.

It was only the second loss in the season for the Dons, who are now 13-2.

Team highs for Arroyo include Nikko Echlas who finished the game with a team high 32 points, and Jabril Foster who added eight points and hauled down 10 rebounds.

“Our comeback rally was fueled by our edge and our heart,” said Echlas.  “We started out playing pretty bad in the first quarter so we knew we had to pick it up.”

The Monarchs ended the first quarter with a 12-point lead over Arroyo, but they began to rally back at the end of the 2nd quarter to go into halftime down just 29-21.

“We never gave up tonight,” said starting Arroyo sophomore guard Jules Lamanlan. 

The Dons said they take pride in their defense to help them win games by creating opportunities for their offense.

“On defense we want to try to get up close and pressure the ball to speed the game up,” said Dons’ head coach Mike Budge.  “It doesn’t matter what the score is—if there’s time still left on the clock we know we still have a chance to win the game.”

A series of Arroyo runs created by defensive plays gave them 24 fourth-quarter points to Mt. Eden’s 12, though just not enough to come away with the win. 

“Our goal for this season is just to win league and make the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs,” added Lamanlan.

Arroyo started the season on an 11-game winning streak before losing their first game of the season to Valley Christian, 63-56, during the Don & Martha Price Classic. The Dons are ranked 115th in the state of California and are now 4-1 at home, 4-0 away, and 5-1 at neutral locations.

Arroyo will travel to Alameda High for a game this Friday at 7 p.m.

“Alameda is big, they play physical, and they’re defending league champs so to beat them we have to bring our best game,” said Budge.

CAPTION: Jules Lamanlan (#24 white) sets up the Arroyo offense during the second quarter.

PHOTO BY ANDREW JOSEPH

Raiders Hold Holiday Bike Giveaway

San Leandro Times 01-04-18 

Oakland Raiders wide receivers once again brought holiday cheer to local youngsters recently with their gift of new bicycles.

Although they are usually on the receiving end, Raiders wide receivers led by Michael Crabtree and including fellow starter Amari Cooper, Seth Roberts, Cordarrelle Patterson and Isaac Whitney, joined in mingling with boys and girls from the San Leandro’s Davis Street Family Resource Center during a pizza party before opening the curtain reveal new bicycles, each with a youngster’s name tag.

 In addition to the over 80 new bikes during the activity held at San Leandro’s Garfield Elementary School, the players also presented the children with helmets and locks so each recipient would have everything they need to enjoy a safe ride. Raiderettes and Raider Rusher’s the team’s youth ambassador, were also on hand.

CAPTION: Michael Crabtree enjoyed presenting new bikes and helmets to delighted children at Garfield Elementary School in San Leandro.  

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 02-21-19

❖ Sulphur Creek Nature Center

Enjoy a tree frog serenade on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 2 to 3:30 p.m at Sulphur Creek Nature Center, 1801 D St. in Hayward. Discover why these amphibians sing, how they can outsmart their enemies, and how they inform scientists about their environments. You can meet some of Sulphur Creek’s native frogs and salamanders at this special adult nature program. To register (required) for Program No. 7065 ($20), visit www.HaywardRec.org/register or call 881-6700.

❖ 4th Sunday Breakfast for Veterans

American Legion Post 117 will host breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m.  every fourth Sunday of the month, except on holiday weekends, at the San Leandro Veterans Memorial Bldg., 1105 Bancroft Ave. in San Leandro. The menu will be eggs-to-order, bacon/sausage, hash browns, toast and coffee. Cost is $7 for adults, $5 for veterans, and all others. All donations benefit American Legion veteran programs.

❖ Social Diversity Talk at SLZ Adult School

San Lorenzo Adult School’s CTE program presents “Social Diversity in the Workplace: A Conversation with Kino Carson,” on Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the College & Career Service Center of the Adult School, 820 Bockman Road in San Lorenzo. In this discussion, Carson will examine the complexities of social diversity in the workplace, how to be more inclusive in the workplace, why the word “tolerant” is problematic, and more. The talk is free and open to the public.

❖ San Leandro Readers Roundtable

The San Leandro Readers Roundtable will meet on Saturday, March 2, at 2 p.m. at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave. The book up for discussion will be the History of Wolves, Emily Fridlund’s suspenseful novel about a teenage girl’s coming of age. All are welcome, and all books discussed are available for purchase in the Library’s Booktique bookstore.

❖ Consultant Konmari at Manor Library

Emi Louie, a Certified Konmari Consultant, will discuss Marie Kondo’s popular Konmari Method on Saturday, March 2, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Manor Branch Library,1241 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro. Learn how to sort through your possessions and learn what to keep, how to clear the clutter, and fill your life with joy. If you’ve watched the new hit series on Netflix, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, here’s your next step. Attendees may bring 1 box of papers to sort for hands-on Konmari practice.

❖ Piano Concert at Faith Lutheran Church

International First Lady of Piano Dr. Teresa Walters will perform works by Franz Liszt and J.S. Bach on Sunday, March 3, at 2 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church of Castro Valley, 20080 Redwood Road in Castro Valley. All are welcome. Suggested donation $20.

❖ Buon Tempo Club Family Dinner

The Buon Tempo Club will have a family dinner on Tuesday, March 5, at 7 p.m. at the Transfiguration Church, Mt. Tabor Hall, 4000 E. Castro Valley Blvd. in Castro Valley (across from the 580 Marketplace).  Everyone is invited to attend. Chef Joseph Sotello and his crew will serve a five-course family style dinner of corned beef and cabbage.  Red and White Wine and soda are also included. Happy hour is at

6 p.m. The dinner is $15 for members, and $20 for non-members.  Make reservations by Friday, March 1 by calling the Buon Tempo dinner line at 483-6929. For more information about events or membership go to www.buontempo.org.

❖ East Bay Flag Football Registration

East Bay Flag Football is registering players for the upcoming season, March 9 to May 18, on Saturdays at Burrell Field. The league will have six age divisions for players age 5 to 15. For registration or more information go to www.eastbayflag.com.

❖ SL Kiwanis Club Saturday Social

The Kiwanis Club of San Leandro invites you to a Saturday Social on Saturday, March 9, from noon to 6 p.m. at Cleophus Quealy, 448 Hester St. in San Leandro. Raise a pint (or two) and raise money for Pediatric Trauma Prevention (PTP).

❖ Drawing Class Offered in SLZ

A drawing class is offered for the spring quarter, at San Lorenzo Adult School, 820 Bockman Road in San Lorenzo. The teacher provides instruction and guidance in use of various materials and principles. The class runs from March 11 to June 7 on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon, or from 6 to 9 p.m. All artistic levels and abilities welcome. The fee is $75 for the whole spring session. Register now or anytime throughout the course. For more information, call 317-4200.

❖ SL Kiwanis St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

The San Leandro Kiwanis Club will hold its 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Saturday, March 16, at the San Leandro Senior Center, 13909 East 14th St. The social hour and silent auction start at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with corned beef and cabbage. Traditional Irish band, live auction. Tickets are $30. All proceeds benefit the club’s charitable projects. For more information or for tickets, call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

❖ Neuropathy Support Group

The Neuropathy Support Group meets on the second Wednesday of the month from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Hayward, 2490 Grove Way in Castro Valley. Neuropathy is the tingling, numbness, burning pain in your feet, legs and or hands. There are 123 different illnesses that cause neuropathy. Let’s talk. Join the discussion and learn multiple ways to deal and live with neuropathy. For more information, call Joy at 842-8440 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

❖ San Leandro LeTip Meeting

Come see how LeTip can help your business sales grow. Meetings are held every Thursday at 7 a.m. at Denny’s Restaurant, 1803 Marina Blvd. in San Leandro. LeTip is a professional organization whose purpose is the exchange of business leads. Each business category can only be represented by only one person. For more information, call Robert West at 912-0555.

❖ Prostate World Group Meetings

Prostate World, a support group for men and their significant others, holds meetings the first Wednesday of the month, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Washington Hospital, room C, 2500 Mowry Ave. in Fremont. Guest speakers present the latest information on prostate cancer. For more information, call 783-5121.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 02-14-19

❖ All Saints Parish Crab Feed

The 46th annual Crab Feed at All Saints Parish, 911 Dowling Blvd. in San Leandro, supporting community outreach programs of the parish will be on Saturday, Feb. 16,  starting at 5 p.m. with the social hour and dinner at 6 p.m. Dinner includes all you can eat fresh, cracked crab, salad, pasta, bread and dessert. Raffle, auction and musical entertainment by “The Tonic Trio”. No host bar. Cost is $50 for adults,youth (9-14) is $35, children 8 and under $10. Supervision provided for 8 and under. For tickets go to https://allsaints-2019-crab-feed.eventbrite.com; or at the door. Seating is limited and always sells out.

❖ SL Rotary Endowment Crab Feed

The San Leandro Rotary Endowment is having its annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the San Leandro Boys and Girls Club, 401 Marina Blvd. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner, catered by Miraglia’s Catering, starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased by visiting www.sanleandrorotary.org or by contacting Aisha Knowles at 828-9199. Proceeds from the event support local service projects and non-profit organizations such as Davis Street, Community Impact Lab, Meals on Wheels and the SL Education Foundation.

❖ Mystery Authors Tea at Alta Mira Club

The Alta Mira Club, 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro, will host a Mystery Authors Tea on Monday, Feb. 18, at 11:30 a.m., featuring three outstanding mystery writers – Margaret Dumas, Ann Parker, and Penny Pike aka Penny Warner who has had over 50 books published and writes fiction and non-fiction for adults and children. Delicious tea sandwiches and desserts will be served starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by the author program. This year’s event will be for scholarships and the building fund (the club had a broken gas line to repair). Tickets are $20. For reservations, call Nancy Fong at 483-1018 or email Nancyfong@aol.com. Reservations are being accepted now.

❖ Writing Classes for Seniors

The Arts Commission of the City of San Leandro is sponsoring through its grants program “Arts in Memoirs,” a free series of four classes for seniors to write their memoirs. The memoirs can be written in English or any other language. The one-hour classes will be on Saturdays in March and April, guided by a retired teacher Ms. Kathleen McCabe-Martin. The venue is yet to be determined. If you are interested, email by Feb. 19 to Project Coordinator Bella Comelo at bellacomelo@hotmail.com.

❖ The Philatelic Society of San Leandro

The Philatelic Society of San Leandro Inc. meets the third Tuesday of each month in the Trustee room and the San Leandro Library, 300 Estudillo Ave. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Gayle at 638-8765.

❖ Meeting of the East Bay Rose Society

Tom Bressan, founder of the Urban Farmer, will speak at the The East Bay Rose Society meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave. in Oakland. Bressan will talk about new irrigation products, including smart timers and controllers and improved emitters. He will also cover the basics of designing a system for roses, irrigation system maintenance, and increasing efficiency. Come enjoy snacks, people who talk roses and the show. For more information, visit www.eastbayroses.org.

❖ St. Felicitas Young at Heart Luncheon

St. Felicitas Parish monthly Young at Heart luncheon will be on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Monsignor McGinty Hall located behind the church at 1662 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. and lunch is served at noon. The luncheon will feature spaghetti and meatballs with dessert, a beverage and door prizes. The cost is only $6. Entertainment and door prizes at the luncheon. Tickets can be purchased at the church office located to the right of the church. Buy your tickets by noon on Friday, Feb. 15. No ticket sales at the door.  All seniors are welcomed. For more information, call 351-5244.

❖ Events at Manor Library

The Manor Branch Library, 1241 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro, will host a Lunar New Year event on Wednesday, Feb. 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with a presentation on how to apply traditional Chinese Feng Shui principles to your home, business and life, presented by Manu Butterworth, founding director of Golden Gate Feng Shui School in Oakland. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, the Manor Library will show the teen movie, “The Hate U Give,” for students in grades 9 through 12. No charge for admission. Pizza served while supplies last.

❖ Coffee with the Commission

The City of San Leandro’s Senior Commission will host its second Coffee with the Commission on Thursday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Senior Community Center, 13909 East 14th St. Meet and talk with commissioners in a less formal manner, with a good cup of coffee, tea, and light refreshments. Commissioners will be available to answer questions, provide information, and chat about topics important to the senior community.

❖ Cherry City Toastmasters Open House

Come to the Cherry City Toastmasters open house on Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 12:05 to 1:05 p.m. at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave. The Toastmasters offer a proven and enjoyable way to improve communication and leadership skills. 

❖ Bayfair Toastmasters

Bayfair Toastmasters is a small, growing club seeking new members who want to learn the art of public speaking. All are welcome to the club’s weekly meetings every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in the Bayfair Mall 2nd floor meeting room above the food court. Come through Entrance 5 facing the Century Theater. For more information, call Noreen at 538-6025 or Wayne at 407-0048.

❖ SL Kiwanis St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

The San Leandro Kiwanis Club will hold its 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Saturday, March 16, at the San Leandro Senior Center, 13909 East 14th St. The social hour and silent auction start at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with corned beef and cabbage. Traditional Irish band, live auction. Tickets are $30. All proceeds benefit the club’s charitable projects. For more information or for tickets, call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 02-07-19

❖ “Be Mine” Valentines Ball

The 13th Annual “Be Mine” Valentines Ball, hosted by Creekside Community Church and  Stepping Stones Growth Center, 951 MacArthur Blvd. in San Leandro, will be on Friday, Feb. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. RSVP by Feb. 4 by calling Kaitlin Howell at 568-3331 or email khowell@steppingstonesgrowth.org. For more information, visit www.steppingstonesgrowth.org. This event is open to the public. Volunteers are needed to assist in a variety of ways throughout the evening. To find ways to lend a helping hand, contact Kaitlin Howell.

❖ St. Leander’s Church Crab Feed

St. Leander’s Church, 575 W. Estudillo Ave. in San Leandro, will hold a crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 and are available in advance at the school office, 451 Davis St., from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.  All proceeds go to benefit St. Leander School. For more information, call 351-4144.

❖ Lunar New Year Celebration

Celebrate the Lunar Year of the Pig, at the San Leandro Main Library on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participate in a morning paper crafting session with the Asian Community Cultural Association of San Leandro (10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.) before the Lunar New Year performances (1 to 4 p.m.), along with the Library’s Chinese Story Time for toddlers program. Live performances include a spectacular Dragon Dance by VOVINAM Việt Võ Đạo America, an enchanting show by master magician Dan Chan, and traditional dancing by the Thai Cultural Council of Berkeley. Admission is free and open to all residents. Light refreshments will be served at this fun and educational cultural celebration.

❖ Hearing Loss Association Meeting

The Hearing Loss Association will meet on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Oakland Kaiser Hospital, Fabiola Bldg., 3801 Howe St., Lower Level, Room G26. Refreshments served at 9:30 a.m., and the program is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The speaker, Dr. Pragati Mandikai, will describe the latest innovation from EARLENS: a hearing aid which is Light-Driven. The parking garage on Howe is free on Saturday. For more information, email info@hearinglosseb.org or call 221-6080.

❖ SL Swim Team Registration Night

The San Leandro Swim Team will hold a registration night on Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Porky’s Pizza, 1221 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro. The team will hold tryouts for the upcoming season at the San Leandro High School Pool, on Monday and Tuesday, April 1 and April 2, at 6 p.m. All swimmers ages 4 to 18 interested in joining the team come prepared to demonstrate your skills. Swimmers should be comfortable in water and able to swim 25 to 50 yards unassisted. For more information go to the team’s website: San Leandro Drowning Darryls – Team Unify or call Darryl at 913-0850.

❖ Control Accountability Plan Meetings

The San Leandro Unified School District invites you to have your say at a series of community forums about how the district spends money. The Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) forums are a learning opportunity for the superintendent and district staff to listen and learn about how parents and community members are feeling about SLUSD schools. Translation, childcare, and refreshments will be provided at all meetings. The meetings will be on the following dates: Monday, Feb. 11, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the library of John Muir Middle School (English). Wednesday, Feb. 13, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the library of Bancroft Middle School (English). Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the library of James Monroe Elementary School (Chinese).  Thursday, Feb. 28, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the library of Washington Elementary School (Spanish). Saturday, March 2, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Barbara Lee Center for Health & Wellness (English).

❖ Sons In Retirement Meetings

Sons In Retirement (SIRs), an organization of retired men and local Branch #26, meets on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held at the Fairview Event Center at the Metropolitan Golf Course, 10051 Doolittle Dr. in Oakland. Happy Hour starts at 11a.m., followed by lunch at noon. Great guest speakers each month. Guests are welcome. Come and enjoy the fellowship and meet new friends. For more information, call Al at 895-9900.

❖ 46th Annual All Saints Crab Feed

All Saints Episcopal Church, 911 Dowling Blvd. in San Leandro, invites you to the 46th Annual All Saints Crab Feed on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 5 to 9 p.m for all-you-can-eat salad, vegetarian pasta, bread and crab. Tickets are $50 for adults, $35 for children age 9 to 15, and $10 for 8 and under. Tickets available online at http://tinyurl.com/2019crabfeed.

❖ SL Rotary Endowment Crab Feed

The San Leandro Rotary Endowment is having its annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the San Leandro Boys and Girls Club, 401 Marina Blvd. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner, catered by Miraglia’s Catering, starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased by visiting www.sanleandrorotary.org or by contacting Aisha Knowles at 828-9199. Proceeds from the event support local service projects and non-profit organizations such as Davis Street, Community Impact Lab, Meals on Wheels and the SL Education Foundation.

❖ Mystery Authors Tea at Alta Mira Club

The Alta Mira Club, 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro, will host a Mystery Authors Tea on Monday, Feb. 18, at 11:30 a.m., featuring three outstanding mystery writers – Margaret Dumas, Ann Parker, and Penny Pike aka Penny Warner who has had over 50 books published and writes fiction and non-fiction for adults and children. Delicious tea sandwiches and desserts will be served starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by the author program. This year’s event will be for scholarships and the building fund (the club had a broken gas line to repair). Tickets are $20. For reservations, call Nancy Fong at 483-1018 or email Nancyfong@aol.com. Reservations are being accepted now.

❖ SL Kiwanis St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

The San Leandro Kiwanis Club will hold its 30th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Saturday, March 16, at the San Leandro Senior Center, 13909 East 14th St. The social hour and silent auction start at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with corned beef and cabbage. Traditional Irish band, live auction. Tickets are $30. All proceeds benefit the club’s charitable projects. For more information or for tickets, call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 01-31-19

❖ Readers Roundtable

The San Leandro Readers Roundtable meets Saturday, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m. at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave., to discuss Crazy Rich Asians, Kevin Kwan’s satirical novel about an enormously wealthy family in Singapore. All are welcome, and all books discussed are available for purchase in the Library’s Booktique bookstore.

❖ Hill & Valley Women’s Club Flea Market

The Hill and Valley Women’s Club, 1808 B St. in Hayward, will hold its annual Flea Market on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This super rummage sale will feature household goods, clothing and accessories, jewelry, linens, appliances and electronics, books, toys, sewing and craft materials, and miscellaneous items. Lunch will be served in the club’s café. Funds raised benefit several local charities. Plenty of parking available. Come early for the best selection.

❖ Soroptimist Annual Crab Feed

Soroptimist International of the East Bay will host its Annual Crab Feast and Silent Auction on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Hayward-Castro Valley Moose Lodge, 20835 Rutledge Road in Castro Valley, with a Mardi Gras themed all-you-can-eat crab feast and silent auction. No-host cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. Steak entrée optional with reservation. Live entertainment and 50/50 raffle. Call 886-7010 for tickets before Jan. 27.

❖ Shrimp Fest at Alta Mira Club 

The Alta Mira Club, 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro, will host a shrimp fest on Saturday, Feb. 2, with all-you-can-eat shrimp, pasta, salad, bread and ice cream. Social hour at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. Opportunity drawing for prizes, 50/50 drawing. Tickets are $45. For tickets or more information, call Carol at 305-5393.

❖ Free Food for Federal Workers

Federal workers are invited to get free food at the Food Pantry at All Saints Episcopal Church, 911 Dowling Blvd. in San Leandro, on on Saturday, Feb. 2. Sign up begins at noon. Come at 1 to 2 p.m. with your grocery bags. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and breads, as well as packaged foods are available. The only requirement is that you live in Alameda County. The Food Pantry is a project of All Saints Neighborhood Center. The Pantry is open the first Saturday of every month.

❖ I.D.E.S. St. John Lunch & Bingo 

I.D.E.S. St. John, 1670 Orchard Ave. in San Leandro, will host a hot and cold crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 2, with dinner beginning at 6 p.m. The menu includes salad, pasta, crab and garlic bread. Tickets for adults is $50, children 6 to 12 is $25.There will also be a prize raffle and a 50/50 raffle. For tickets or for more information, call Darlene at 589-6536, Willie at 207-6326 or Frances at 886-1568.

❖ Buon Tempo Club’s Family Dinner

The Buon Tempo Club’s next family dinner will be on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. at  Mt. Tabor Hall, Transfiguration Church, 4000 E. Castro Valley Blvd. in Castro Valley (located across from the 580 Marketplace). Chef Jessica Gorham Pacheco and crew will be serve a five course family style dinner of chicken with pasta. Red and white wine and soda are also included.  Happy hour is at 6 p.m.. The dinner is $15 for members, $20 for non-members.  Make reservations by Friday, February 1, by calling the Buon Tempo dinner line at 483-6929 (option 1).  For more information about events or membership see the website at www.buontempo.org.

❖ Ukelele Jam in San Leandro

The newly organized San Leandro Ukulele Jam for adults 50 and over will have its first meet-up on Wednesday, Feb. 6, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Senior Community Center, 13909 East 14th St. The drop-in fee is $1.  Regular meet-ups will continue every Wednesday. The jam is for anyone who already plays the ukulele or if you’re just learning and want to experience how awesome it is to play with others. If you want a relaxing and supportive afternoon of singing, playing and having fun, then come and join the group. For more information, email  SLukejam@gmail.com

❖ “Be Mine” Valentines Ball

The 13th Annual “Be Mine” Valentines Ball, hosted by Creekside Community Church and  Stepping Stones Growth Center, 951 MacArthur Blvd. in San Leandro, will be on Friday, Feb. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. RSVP by Feb. 4 by calling Kaitlin Howell at 568-3331 or email khowell@steppingstonesgrowth.org. For more information, visit www.steppingstonesgrowth.org. This event is open to the public. Volunteers are needed to assist in a variety of ways throughout the evening. To find ways to lend a helping hand, contact Kaitlin Howell.

❖ St. Leander’s Church Crab Feed

St. Leander’s Church, 575 W. Estudillo Ave. in San Leandro, will hold a crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 and are available in advance at the school office, 451 Davis St., from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.  All proceeds go to benefit St. Leander School. For more information, call 351-4144.

❖ Lunar New Year Celebration

Celebrate the Lunar Year of the Pig, at the San Leandro Main Library on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 10:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participate in a morning paper crafting session with the Asian Community Cultural Association of San Leandro (10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.) before the Lunar New Year performances (1 to 4 p.m.), along with the Library’s Chinese Story Time for toddlers program. Live performances include a spectacular Dragon Dance by VOVINAM Việt Võ Đạo America, an enchanting show by master magician Dan Chan, and traditional dancing by the Thai Cultural Council of Berkeley. Admission is free and open to all residents. Light refreshments will be served at this fun and educational cultural celebration.

❖ Fundudes Musical Benefit Performance

The Fundudes will perform a musical benefit for the North Valley Community Foundation and to fire victims and their families on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Zocolo Coffeehouse, 645 Bancroft Ave. in San Leandro. A $10 donation is suggested.

❖ SL Kiwanis St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

The San Leandro Kiwanis Club will hold its 30th Annial St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Saturday, March 16, at the San Leandro Senior Center, 13909 East 14th St. The social hour and silent auction start at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with corned beef and cabbage. Traditional Irish band, live auction. Tickets are $30. All proceeds benefit the club’s charitable projects. For more information or for tickets, call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 01-24-19

❖ Mystery Writers Forum

The San Leandro Library invites residents to the Murder Most Foul Forum and book signing at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave., on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. Local mystery authors Eileen Rendahl, Gigi Pandian, Catriona McPherson and Terry Shames will discuss their fascinating writing experiences and their most recent publications. A question-and-answer session and book-signing will follow the forum. For more information, call the library information desk at 577-3971.

❖ St. Leander School Open House

St. Leander School, 451 Davis St. in San Leandro, will have an open house on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. Interested families are invited to meet teachers, tour classrooms and meet other students and their families. Grades pre-K through eighth grade.

❖ Eden Garden Club

The next meeting of the Eden Garden Club will be Monday, Jan. 28, at 9:30 a.m. at the Moose Lodge, 20835 Rutledge Road in Castro Valley. The speaker will be Tommy Fenster, a staff member of StopWaste of Alameda County who will speak on compost and the carbon farming connection.  Meetings  are free and guests are always welcome. For more information, call 209-7366.

❖ Hill & Valley Women’s Club Flea Market

The Hill and Valley Women’s Club, 1808 B St. in Hayward, will hold its annual Flea Market on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This super rummage sale will feature household goods, clothing and accessories, jewelry, linens, appliances and electronics, books, toys, sewing and craft materials, and miscellaneous items. Lunch will be served in the club’s café. Funds raised benefit several local charities. Plenty of parking available. Come early for the best selection.

❖ Soroptimist Annual Crab Feed

Soroptimist International of the East Bay will host its Annual Crab Feast and Silent Auction on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Hayward-Castro Valley Moose Lodge, 20835 Rutledge Road in Castro Valley, with a Mardi Gras themed all-you-can-eat crab feast and silent auction. No-host cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. Steak entrée optional with reservation. Live entertainment and 50/50 raffle. Call 886-7010 for tickets before Jan. 27.

❖ Shrimp Fest at Alta Mira Club

The Alta Mira Club, 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro, will host a shrimp fest on Saturday, Feb. 2, with all-you-can-eat shrimp, pasta, salad, bread and ice cream. Social hour at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. Opportunity drawing for prizes, 50/50 drawing. Tickets are $45. For tickets or more information, call Carol at 305-5393.

❖ Free Food for Federal Workers

Federal workers are invited to get free food at the Food Pantry at All Saints Episcopal Church, 911 Dowling Blvd. in San Leandro, on on Saturday, Feb. 2. Sign up begins at noon. Come at 1 to 2 p.m. with your grocery bags. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and breads, as well as packaged foods are available. The only requirement is that you live in Alameda County. The Food Pantry is a project of All Saints Neighborhood Center. The Pantry is open the first Saturday of every month.

❖ I.D.E.S. St. John Lunch & Bingo

I.D.E.S. St. John, 1670 Orchard Ave. in San Leandro, will host a hot and cold crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 2, with dinner beginning at 6 p.m. The menu includes salad, pasta, crab and garlic bread. Tickets for adults is $50, children 6 to 12 is $25.There will also be a prize raffle and a 50/50 raffle. For tickets or for more information, call Darlene at 589-6536, Willie at 207-6326 or Frances at 886-1568.

❖ Buon Tempo Club’s Family Dinner

The Buon Tempo Club’s next family dinner will be on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. at  Mt. Tabor Hall, Transfiguration Church, 4000 E. Castro Valley Blvd. in Castro Valley (located across from the 580 Marketplace). Chef Jessica Gorham Pacheco and crew will be serve a five course family style dinner of chicken with pasta. Red and white wine and soda are also included.  Happy hour is at 6 p.m.. The dinner is $15 for members, $20 for non-members.  Make reservations by Friday, February 1, by calling the Buon Tempo dinner line at 483-6929 (option 1).  For more information about events or membership see the website at www.buontempo.org.

❖ “Be Mine” Valentines Ball

The 13th Annual “Be Mine” Valentines Ball, hosted by Creekside Community Church and  Stepping Stones Growth Center, 951 MacArthur Blvd. in San Leandro, will be on Friday, Feb. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. Please RSVP by Feb. 4 by calling Kaitlin Howell at 568-3331 or email khowell@steppingstonesgrowth.org. For more information, visit www.steppingstonesgrowth.org. This event is open to the public. Volunteers are needed to assist in a variety of ways throughout the evening. To find ways to lend a helping hand, contact Kaitlin Howell.

❖ St. Leander’s Church Crab Feed

St. Leander’s Church, 575 W. Estudillo Ave. in San Leandro, will hold a crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 and are available in advance at the school office, 451 Davis St., from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.  All proceeds go to benefit St. Leander School. For more information, call 351-4144.

❖ Fundudes Musical Benefit Performance

The Fundudes will perform a musical benefit for the North Valley Community Foundation and to fire victims and their families on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Zocolo Coffeehouse, 645 Bancroft Ave. in San Leandro. A $10 donation is suggested.

❖ SL Rotary Endowment Annual Crab Feed

The San Leandro Rotary Endowment is having its annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the San Leandro Boys and Girls Club, 401 Marina Blvd. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner, catered by Miraglia’s Catering, starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and may be purchased by visiting www.sanleandrorotary.org or by contacting Aisha Knowles at 828-9199. Proceeds from the event support local service projects and non-profit organizations such as Davis Street, Community Impact Lab, Meals on Wheels and the San Leandro Education Foundation.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 01-17-19

❖ BA Transitions AAU Basketball Tryouts

The Castro Valley and San Leandro-based Bay Area Transitions AAU basketball program will hold tryouts on the following dates for the 2019 spring-summer season: today, Jan. 17, at Bancroft Middle School in San Leandro: 1st to 4th grades, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; 5th-6th grades, 7:30-8:30 p.m.; 7th-8th grades, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at Bancroft Middle School in San Leandro: 1st to 4th grades, noon to 1 p.m.; 5th-6th grades, 10:30 a.m. to noon; 7th-8th grades, 9 to 10:30 a.m. For more information and/or to register, go to: www.bayareatransition.org. Questions can be answered by e-mailing them to: info@bayareatransition.org.

❖ Kiwanis Club Annual Crab Feed

The Kiwanis Club of San Leandro presents its 15th Annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the San Leandro Boys & Girls Club, 401 Marina Blvd. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with dancing and live music by Chico and the Band from 7:30 to 10 p.m. All you can eat salad, garlic bread, pasta and crab. Tickets are $50, or $20 for children 10 and under. All seats are reserved. Call early to reserve group seating. Tickets available from San Leandro Kiwanis Club members, or call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

❖ SL’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

The City of San Leandro’s annual celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be on Monday, Jan. 21, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the  Senior Community Center, located at 13909 East 14th Street. The celebration includes entertainment, student oratory, and a discussion, hosted by Unity in the Community.  Light refreshments and crafts for kids will also be provided, with free admission for all who wish to attend. Students enrolled in San Leandro schools will perform in the oratorical contest and poetry slam.

❖ Hayward to Celebrate Kings Birthday  

Carolyn McKinstry, civil rights advocate and lifelong member of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama will be the keynote speaker at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Celebration in Hayward. The celebration will be on Monday, Jan. 21, at 4:30 p.m.  at Reed L. Buffington Performing Arts Center at Chabot College, 25555 Hesperian Blvd. in Hayward. Admission and parking are free.

❖ A Celebration for Martin Luther King

This year’s Hayward Martin Luther King Day celebration and march will be on Monday, Jan. 21, starting at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall Plaza, 777 B Street in Hayward. After the rally, people will march along the main streets of downtown Hayward, followed by closing remarks at about 11:30 a.m. All are welcome. This year’s theme is “Lack of Shelter – Homes for Everyone”. Dr. King was a tireless advocate for fair housing. But in our community and many others, thousands are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The rally will include music, readings from Dr. King, and a talk by Hayward City Council Member Sara Lamnin on the topic “Housing Hayward – moving beyond soup and sandwiches.”

❖ Résumé and Cover Letter Workshop

Recession proof your career at a workshop in writing a résumé and cover letter on Wednesday, Jan. 23, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., at the Manor Branch Library, 1241 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro. Writing a cover letter and creating an accomplishment driven résumé is a critical piece of the job search process. This workshop will identify key aspects to include that will get you noticed and get you the interview. Teens and adults welcome.

❖ East Bay Arts Tour and a Show

East Bay Arts High School, part of the San Lorenzo Unified School District, is currently enrolling students for the 2019-20 school year for grades 9 through 12.  Families interested in a small, college preparatory high school with a focus on performing and visual arts as electives are invited to apply. No auditions or portfolio required. Enrollment is through the San Lorenzo Unified School District High School Enrollment office, which can be reached at 317-4708. A tour of the East Bay Arts High School will be on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 2:45 p.m. Tour attendees will receive tickets to EBA’s March Murder Mystery play. Call the office at 317-4411 to sign up for the tour. An adult must attend with their student on the tour.

❖ St. Leander School Open House

St. Leander School, 451 Davis St. in San Leandro, will have an open house on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. Interested families are invited to meet teachers, tour classrooms and meet other students and their families. Grades pre-K through eighth grade.

❖ Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge Crab Feed

Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge 6-61 presents its annual crab feed on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Hill & Valley Clubhouse, 1808 B St. in Hayward.  No host bar begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., raffle at 8:30 p.m. Dinner will include salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, fresh cracked crab and dessert. Cost is $55 for adult members 13 and up, $60 for non-members, $25 for children 12 and under and free for children under 5. Make checks payable to Sons of Norway and send to Aunda Arndt, 1016 Apache St., Livermore, CA 94551. For tickets or for more information, email aja469@hotmail.com or call 925-548-0292.

❖ Eden Garden Club

The next meeting of the Eden Garden Club will be Monday, Jan. 28, at 9:30 a.m. at the Moose Lodge, 20835 Rutledge Road in Castro Valley. The speaker will be Tommy Fenster a staff member of StopWaste of Alameda County who will speak on Compost and the Carbon Farming Connection.  Meetings  are free and guests are always welcome. For more information, call 209-7366.

❖ Soroptimist Annual Crab Feed

Soroptimist International of the East Bay will host its Annual Crab Feast and Silent Auction on Saturday, Feb. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Hayward-Castro Valley Moose Lodge, 20835 Rutledge Road in Castro Valley, with a Mardi Gras themed all-you-can-eat crab feast and silent auction. No-host cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. Steak entrée optional with reservation. Live entertainment and 50/50 raffle. Call 886-7010 for tickets before Jan. 27.

❖ Shrimp Fest at Alta Mira Club

The Alta Mira Club, 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro, will host a shrimp fest on Saturday, Feb. 2, with all-you-can-eat shrimp, pasta, salad, bread and ice cream. Social hour at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. Opportunity drawing for prizes, 50/50 drawing. Tickets are $45. For tickets or more information, call Carol at 305-5393.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 01-10-19

❖ Hearing Loss Association Meeting

Hearing Loss Association will meet on Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Oakland Kaiser Hospital, Fabiola Bldg., 3801 Howe St., Lower Level, Room G26. Refreshments served at 9:30 a.m., and the program is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Contessa Bunn from the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) will speak about the latest in telephone technology and free phones for the hard of hearing in California. The parking garage on Howe is free on Saturday. Email  to: info@hearinglosseb.org or call 221-6080.

❖ SL Boys & Girls Club’s Annual Crab Feed

The San Leandro Boys & Girls Club’s annual crab feed will be on Saturday, Jan. 12, at the club’s facility at 401 Marina Blvd. in San Leandro. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person, which includes all-you-can-eat crab, pasta, salad and French bread. The event is “Assigned Seating Only” and always sells out, so purchase your tickets early. For tickets or more information, call Bob Glotch at the Boys & Girls Club at 483-5581 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Proceeds support the San Leandro Boys & Girls Club, which provides educational and enrichment after-school programs for 1,200 children per day at 12 sites in San Leandro and San Lorenzo.

❖ Education Funding Rally

The East Bay Coalition for Public Education will hold a rally on Saturday, Jan. 12, at noon in Frank Ogawa Plaza at Oakland City Hall for increased funding for education.

❖ I.D.E.S. St. John Lunch & Bingo

I.D.E.S. St. John, 1670 Orchard Ave. in San Leandro, will host a spaghetti lunch and bingo on Saturday, Jan. 12, at noon. Lunch tickets are $10 for adults, children under 6 free and includes four bingo cards. Extra cards are 25 cents each. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. For tickets, call Darlene at 589-6536, Willie at 635-6326 or Frances at 886-1568.

❖ The Eagles Monthly Luncheon

The sisters of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Eden Auxiliary 1139 will serve its luncheon on Monday, Jan. 14, at noon at the Eagles Hall, 21406 Foothill Blvd. in Hayward. The  luncheon will consist of tamale pie, a side dish, salad, dessert, coffee and tea. A donation of $8 will include one bingo card. Bring a couple friends for a fun afternoon. For more information, call Glenda at 584-1568.

❖ St. Felicitas Young at Heart Luncheon

St. Felicitas Church Young at Heart Senior Luncheon will be Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Monsignor McGinty Hall located behind the church at 1662 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro.  The luncheon will feature a complete homemade meatloaf lunch with dessert, beverage and door prizes. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. with lunch being served at noon. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the church office located to the right of the church. Last day to buy tickets is Tuesday, Jan. 14.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call 351-5244. All seniors our welcomed.

❖ Zumba Fundraiser

The City of San Leandro’s Recreation and Human Services department and Youth Advisory Commission (YAC) will host an ’80s-themed family Zumba fundraiser on Tuesday, Jan. 15, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Marina Community Center, 15301 Wicks Blvd. Admission is $5 per person, or $20 per family (maximum 5 members). All fitness levels may attend and wear ’80s themed attire. This event is for ages five and over, with pre-registration recommended. Register with the San Leandro Recreation and Human Services Department online atwww.sanleandrorec.org. Walk-in registrations are also available at the San Leandro Senior Community Center located at 13909 East 14th St., or at Marina Community Center. Proceeds will go towards the Youth Advisory Commission’s Mini-Grant program. Light refreshments will be available for purchase. For more information, call Lydia Rodriguez, Recreation Supervisor at 577-3477 or email lrodriguez@sanleandro.org.

❖ East Bay Rose Society Meeting

The East Bay Rose Society will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lakeside Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave. in Oakland. Speaker Dawn Soles, a ranger with the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, will give an illustrated presentation featuring surprising facts about bats worldwide and in our area. Come and enjoy snacks, people who talk roses and enjoy the show. The rose society’s website is www.eastbayroses.org.

❖ Kiwanis Club Annual Crab Feed

The Kiwanis Club of San Leandro presents its 15th Annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the San Leandro Boys & Girls Club, 401 Marina Blvd. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with dancing and live music by Chico and the Band from 7:30 to 10 p.m. All you can eat salad, garlic bread, pasta and crab. Tickets are $50, or $20 for children 10 and under. All seats are reserved. Call early to reserve group seating. Tickets available from San Leandro Kiwanis Club members, or call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

❖ Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

This year’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Birthday Celebration in Hayward will feature keynote speaker Carolyn McKinstry, civil rights advocate and lifelong member of Sixteenth Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The celebration will be on Monday, Jan. 21, at 4:30 p.m.  at Reed L. Buffington Performing Arts Center at Chabot College, 25555 Hesperian Blvd. in Hayward. Admission and parking are free.

❖ Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge Crab Feed

Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge 6-61 presents its annual crab feed on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Hill & Valley Clubhouse, 1808 B St. in Hayward.  No host bar begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., raffle at 8:30 p.m. Dinner will include salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, fresh cracked crab and dessert. Cost is $55 for adult members 13 and up, $60 for non-members, $25 for children 12 and under and free for children under 5. Make checks payable to Sons of Norway and send to Aunda Arndt, 1016 Apache St., Livermore, CA 94551. For tickets or for more information, email aja469@hotmail.com or call 925-548-0292.

❖ San Leandro LeTip Meeting

San Leandro LeTip is a professional organization whose purpose is the exchange of business leads, meets every Thursday at 7 a.m. at Denny’s restaurant, 1803 Marina Blvd. Each business category can only be represented by one person. Come see how LeTip can help your business sales grow. For more information, call Robert West at 912-0555.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR • 01-03-19

❖ Drake’s Brewing Co. Friday Fundraiser

Come out and support San Leandro Girls Softball and San Lorenzo Girls Softball at Drake’s First Friday Fundraiser on Friday, Jan. 4, from 4 to 9 p.m. at Drake’s Brewing Co., 1933 Davis St., #177, San Leandro. Proceeds will benefit both girl’s softball leagues. For more information, visit sanleandrogirlssoftball on Facebook or contact Leo Sheridan at 909-7152.

❖ San Leandro Readers Roundtable

The San Leandro Readers Roundtable will meet on Saturday, Jan. 5, at 2 p.m. at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave., to discuss The Book That Matters Most, by Ann Hood, the story of a book group and a troubled mother-daughter relationship. All are welcome, and all books discussed are available for purchase in the Library’s Booktique bookstore.

❖ San Leandro Art Association

Meet your local artists and celebrate the new San Leandro Art Association president Kathleen Kelly (Kat) and the new board of directors at the installation on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. in the Karp Room of the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave. Refreshments served.

❖ Buon Tempo Club Family Dinner

The Buon Tempo Club is having a family dinner on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. at Mt. Tabor Hall, Transfiguration Church, 4000 E. Castro Valley Blvd. in Castro Valley. Everyone is welcome. Chef John Tandi and crew will serve a 5-course, family-style dinner of chicken with polenta. Red and white wine and soda are included. Happy hour begins at 6 p.m. The dinner is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Make reservations by Friday, Jan. 4, by calling the Buon Tempo dinner line at 483-6929. For more information about events or membership, see the website at www.buontempo.org.

❖ SL Holiday Lights Recycling Program

The City of San Leandro Recycling Program is hosting its third annual free holiday lights recycling program through Jan. 11. Holiday lights, working or not, are being accepted Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Public Works Service Center, 14200 Chapman Road. Collection bins are in the lobby. The event is open to San Leandro residents only. Lights should be free of all bags, binding and packaging. Extension cords, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), pre-lit trees, wreaths and garland are not accepted.

❖ Hearing Loss Association Meeting

Hearing Loss Association will meet on Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Oakland Kaiser Hospital, Fabiola Bldg., 3801 Howe St., Lower Level, Room G26. Refreshments served at 9:30 a.m., and the program is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Contessa Bunn from the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) will speak about the latest in telephone technology and free phones for the hard of hearing in California. The parking garage on Howe is free on Saturday. Email  to: info@hearinglosseb.org or call 221-6080.

❖ SL Boys & Girls Club’s Annual Crab Feed

The San Leandro Boys & Girls Club’s annual crab feed will be on Saturday, Jan. 12, at the club’s facility at 401 Marina Blvd. in San Leandro. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person, which includes all-you-can-eat crab, pasta, salad and French bread. The event is “Assigned Seating Only” and always sells out, so purchase your tickets early. For tickets or more information, call Bob Glotch at the Boys & Girls Club at 483-5581 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Proceeds support the San Leandro Boys & Girls Club, which provides educational and enrichment after-school programs for 1,200 children per day at 12 sites in San Leandro and San Lorenzo.

❖ I.D.E.S. St. John Lunch & Bingo

I.D.E.S. St. John, 1670 Orchard Ave. in San Leandro, will host a spaghetti lunch and bingo on Saturday, Jan. 12, at noon. Lunch tickets are $10 for adults, children under 6 free and includes four bingo cards. Extra cards are 25 cents each. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. For tickets, call Darlene at 589-6536, Willie at 635-6326 or Frances at 886-1568.

❖ St. Felicitas Young at Heart Luncheon

St. Felicitas Church Young at Heart Senior Luncheon will be Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Monsignor McGinty Hall located behind the church at 1662 Manor Blvd. in San Leandro.  The luncheon will feature a complete homemade meatloaf lunch with dessert, beverage and door prizes. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. with lunch being served at noon. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the church office located to the right of the church. Last day to buy tickets is Tuesday, Jan. 14.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call 351-5244. All seniors our welcomed.

❖ Kiwanis Club Annual Crab Feed 

The Kiwanis Club of San Leandro presents its 15th Annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the San Leandro Boys & Girls Club, 401 Marina Blvd. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with dancing and live music by Chico and the Band from 7:30 to 10 p.m. All you can eat salad, garlic bread, pasta and crab. Tickets are $50, or $20 for children 10 and under. All seats are reserved. Call early to reserve group seating. Tickets available from San Leandro Kiwanis Club members, or call Terri Neumann at 895-4425.

❖ Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge Crab Feed

Sons of Norway Snorre Lodge 6-61 presents its annual crab feed on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Hill & Valley Clubhouse, 1808 B St. in Hayward.  No host bar begins at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., raffle at 8:30 p.m. Dinner will include salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, fresh cracked crab and dessert. Cost is $55 for Adult members 13 and up, $60 for non-members, $25 for children 12 and under and free for children under 5. Make checks payable to Sons of Norway and send to Aunda Arndt, 1016 Apache St., Livermore, CA 94551. For tickets or for more information, email aja469@hotmail.com or call 925-548-0292.

❖ San Leandro LeTip Meeting

San Leandro LeTip is a professional organization whose purpose is the exchange of business leads, meets every Thursday at 7 a.m. at Denny’s restaurant, 1803 Marina Blvd. Each business category can only be represented by one person. Come see how LeTip can help your business sales grow. For more information, call Robert West at 912-0555.

❖ San Leandro Toastmasters

The San Leandro Toastmasters meet on Thursday nights from 7 to 8 p.m. at the San Leandro Main Library, 300 Estudillo Ave. The group fosters improved communication and public speaking. All levels are welcome.

Stolen iPad Leads Right to Thieves

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  02-21-19

A pair of burglary suspects were arrested last Wednesday after an iPad they allegedly stole from a home in the Lower Bal neighborhood turned out to have a tracking feature which led police straight to their location.

On the afternoon of Feb.13, a resident on the 1200 block of Dorothy Avenue called police to say her home had been burglarized and it must have happened within the past hour because that’s how long she’d been away from home. 

When cops arrived, they discovered that several items including jewelry and electronics were stolen, said Lt. Issac Benabou of the San Leandro police in a press release.

One of the items stolen was the victim’s iPad. The victim was able to sign into her Apple account and “ping” the location  of her stolen iPad, Benabou said.

The victim noticed that the iPad’s location was a few miles away in Washington Plaza.

Officers downtown were able to pinpoint a vehicle that was moving at the same pace as the tablet and stopped the vehicle. The stolen iPad was seen on the floor between the driver’s feet. The female passenger was also wearing several pieces of the victim’s stolen jewelry.

The occupants were identified as William Kennedy, 40, and Wanda Scott, 42, both of Petaluma. Kennedy and Scott were both arrested and later charged with possession of stolen property and suspicion of burglary.

Teens Arrested for Series of ATM Robberies, Guns Found

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  02-14-19

San Leandro Police detectives arrested four teen boys for allegedly committing several armed robberies at ATMs throughout the Bay Area.

The series of crimes began in early January with the first robbery in downtown Oakland, according to a press release from Lt. Isaac Benabou of the San Leandro police. By the end of the month, the suspects are believed to have committed 19 robberies, four of them in San Leandro.

In one San Leandro robbery, a male victim was robbed at gunpoint for his cash and other valuables, and his vehicle was also stolen by the suspects. The victim’s vehicle was found later abandoned after a collision.

San Leandro police conducted hours of surveillance hoping to intercept a crime in progress, Benabou said.

 Last week, detectives discovered a vehicle used in several of the crimes and on Feb. 6, a team of detectives and patrol officers, including a police dog and aerial support from an outside agency, began a large scale surveillance operation on the suspect vehicle.

Detectives followed as four suspects drove in the vehicle to communities in East Contra Costa County. The suspects at one point drove into a neighborhood and stole a license plate off of a parked vehicle and affixed that stolen plate to their vehicle, Benabou said.

The suspects then drove to several banks and began casing ATMs. The teens continued for hours casing several banks in East Contra Costa County before returning to Alameda County.

By 10:30 p.m., the suspects had returned to San Leandro without committing any new robberies and stopped at a gas station at the intersection of San Leandro Blvd and Davis Street. With several detectives in the area, a team of officers converged on the suspect vehicle with the intent to arrest the suspects.

As police approached the vehicle, one of the passengers exited the vehicle and began to run. Officers gave chase as the suspect produced a handgun from his clothing and discarded the weapon in the street. Officers were able to reach the fleeing suspect and detain him, Benabou said.

A second suspect in the vehicle attempted to fight with police but was eventually detained. All four suspects arrested are juveniles ages 16 and 17; two are from Oakland, one from San Leandro, and one from Hayward.  Police are not releasing their names because they are minors. All four are in custody at Juvenile Hall.

“These are violent crimes with the potential of someone getting very seriously hurt or killed,” Benabou said in a written statement. “We were shocked to find that these crimes were orchestrated by juveniles.”

Another Coffee Shop Laptop Theft; Two Teens Arrested

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  02-07-19

Two teenagers were arrested last Tuesday after allegedly stealing a laptop from a customer at Starbucks at 13808 East 14th Street, according to a San Leandro police press release.

The two suspects fled on foot immediately after swiping the computer from a table inside the coffee shop in Palma Plaza, but were found several minutes later near the downtown San Leandro BART station, said Lt. Isaac Benabou of the SLPD.

A woman was working on her laptop at a table in the Starbucks at around 10 a.m. when one of the teens grabbed the computer.

She said she grabbed it back and they struggled over it for a moment until the teen overpowered her and he and the other boy ran out of the store. The woman gave chase on foot, but fell and had visible injuries to her knees when speaking to the police, Benabou said.

Another Starbucks customer also tried to chase the boys, but lost them on San Leandro Boulevard.

Police arrived and began searching that area. Officers were flagged down by a passerby who pointed to two suspects who were hiding in the bushes by a fence near BART.

Benabou said that the victim was brought to the scene and identified both boys. The victim’s laptop was found in one of the teen’s backpack.

Benabou said the teens admitted that they planned to sell the laptop for cash.

The suspects have been identified as Antuan Scott-Perry, 18, and a 17-year-old who police are not identifying due to his age.

“This is a crime of opportunity,” said Benabou in a press release. “Patrons at coffee shops, restaurants, or anywhere in public on their laptop computers should be aware of their surroundings and take some precaution to secure their devices to a fixed object.”

 The juvenile suspect has been charged with robbery by the Alameda County Juvenile District Attorney. Scott-Perry’s case is set to be reviewed at the East County Courthouse in Dublin.

Pair Arrested for Auto Break-in After Cop Spots Their Jaguar

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  01-31-19

Two people were arrested earlier this month after a San Leandro police officer patrolling during the night shift spotted a suspect’s car that was involved in a car break-in earlier that day.

The incident occurred at around 3 p.m. on Jan. 18 when a man and a woman were spotted breaking into a car in a restaurant parking lot and leaving the scene driving in a silver Jaguar, according to Lt. Isaac Benabou of the San Leandro police.

The victim told officers that he saw the pair smash the rear window of his car and reach inside to take a backpack containing a laptop. The witness also told police that the Jaguar had temporary paper license plates from a car dealer.

Around eight hours later at just after midnight, a patrol officer saw a silver jaguar with paper plates from Antioch Toyota on the 600 block of MacArthur Boulevard.

The officer pulled the car over and noticed that the two people in the car matched the victim’s description from the previous afternoon, Benabou said.

After searching the vehicle, the officer located burglary tools and stolen property, including several laptop computers inside of the vehicle. The officer was able to link some of the stolen property to another burglary that occurred in Brentwood just hours earlier.

 The suspects have been identified as Kevin Blocker, 26, of Stockton and Carmen Johnson, 35, of Oakland. On Jan. 23, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged both Blocker and Johnson for possession of burglary tools and possession of stolen property.

“Auto burglaries will continue to occur in our community,” said Benabou in a written statement. “When preventative measures fail, we turn to reactive enforcement. This case is an example of our patrol officers staying observant, searching for wanted vehicles and suspects at all times.”

Gun Recovered in Case of Cop Who Accidentally Shot Himself

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  01-24-19

The off-duty Oakland police officer who accidentally shot himself in the Bayfair parking lot in December did not misplace his gun during the incident, as he previously told investigators.

The gun remained in the officer’s custody in the aftermath of the shooting, according to Lt. Isaac Benabou of the San Leandro police.

The officer originally could not tell investigators what happened to it, but was able to turn it over to police the next day.

Benabou said that the officer apparently accidentally shot himself in the chest in the parking lot of the Chili’s restaurant and told police that the gun misfired while he was showing the weapon to his cousin.

Benabou said there were no security cameras filming in the area so they could not use footage in the investigation, but he said they were satisfied with witness accounts that the shooting was an “accidental discharge.”

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the injured officer drove himself to the apartment on the 400 block of Dolores Avenue that he shares with his girlfriend. It was the girlfriend who called police.

The Oakland police department would not comment on whether the officer was reprimanded for the incident, saying that it is against department policy to discuss personnel matters.

Man Gets Life without Parole For 2016 Homicide at SL Bar

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  01-17-19

A man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole last week for the 2016 fatal shooting of a man at a San Leandro bar.

Last Friday, Sophy Kong, 36, of Oakland was sentenced for the first-degree murder of Sukia Jackson, 43, a MUNI bus driver of Foster City. The homicide took place on June 4, 2016 at around 2 a.m. at Shooter’s Bar in the 1500 block of 150th Avenue.

According to the Alameda County District Attorneys’ Office, Kong approached Jackson and two friends outside of the bar and began to harass them making statements about “crips” and other gang affiliations.

None of the men outside of the bar engaged with Kong. Kong then approached Jackson from behind and shot him in the head from point blank range, killing him.

After the first shot, the group outside the bar scattered, running in different directions. The defendant fired several times at one of Jackson’s friends as they ran from the scene.

Prosecutors said Kong followed another friend up the street to the 15000 block of East 14th Street. Eventually, the defendant caught up to the friend of Jackson’s and proceeded to pistol whip him in the head with the gun.

Kong was also found guilty of the special circumstance of lying in wait and two counts of attempted murder for shooting at and wounding Jackson’s friends.

Kong had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but jurors decided that he was sane at the time of the shooting. Kong’s lawyer also argued that he should be found not guilty because he was in a black out state during the shooting and does not remember anything about it.

Kong’s lawyer said that Kong  bought a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun because he felt he needed to protect his family after hallucinating and hearing threatening voices.

Police Say Man Caught with Drugs Nearly Ran Over Officers

SAN LEANDRO TIMES  •  01-03-19

San Leandro police say that a driver who was caught with drugs nearly hit two officers with his truck as he fled the scene before he was eventually tracked down days later in Truckee.

Officers were sent to investigate a reported suspicious vehicle on the 800 block of Davis Street at around 4 a.m.  on Dec. 18. Inside a truck, they found a man later identified as Lancelot Ledwick, 29, along with his girlfriend and a male friend.

Ledwick was in the driver’s seat and the officers spotted drugs on the center console of the truck. Ledwick started the engine and reversed the truck, nearly striking two cops, police said.

Officers were able to get the male passenger out of the truck before Ledwick began to flee the scene. 

Ledwick then hit a marked police car before leading officers on a high-speed chase into Oakland, reaching speeds above 100 miles per hour. 

The pursuit covered a distance of about 11 miles and was canceled in the interest of public safety, police said.

On Dec. 20 at about 3 p.m., the truck Ledwick fled in was located by Truckee police officers parked in the driveway of a cabin nearly 200 miles away, so a team of San Leandro detectives drove to Truckee to investigate.

After nearly 24 hours of surveillance in Truckee, Ledwick was located and arrested by San Leandro detectives after a brief foot pursuit in the snow. 

The truck was found to be reported stolen out of Dublin.

Ledwick was transported back to the Bay Area and booked at Santa Rita Jail. The Alameda County District Attorney has charged Ledwick with resisting arrest, fleeing officers in a pursuit and a felony probation violation. His next court date is set for Friday, Jan. 4.

CAPTION: Ledwick

Call 811 Before Digging for Home

Improvement Projects and Landscaping

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  02-21-19

While showing homes in the Central County, it is not uncommon to come across homes with an additional dwelling tucked away in the rear.

Falling under the names “Granny Flats” or “In-Law Units,” these buildings are called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and, in many cases, are unpermitted.

Read, “illegal.”

Built to house family members or provide additional rental income, unpermitted units have been a conundrum for years. It has been estimated that LA County alone has up to 50,000 illegal ADUs.

While there are currently no numbers for Alameda County, it is no secret that many illegal units exist, posing serious issues for owners, county and city building departments and potential buyers.

Confronted with an increasing statewide housing crisis, January 2017 saw California enacting legislation reducing restrictions on ADUs and paving the way for both development of new units and possible permitting of existing, illegal units. Consequently, applications for ADUs have dramatically increased in many cities across California.

The Community Development Agency for Alameda County has a website dedicated to ADUs.*

It explains, “ADUs are fully independent living quarters, constructed on properties that are already developed with a single family residence, and are subordinate in size, location, and appearance to the main residence on the property. ADUs add to the local rental housing stock, can make home rentals and ownership more affordable, allow opportunities for aging in place and may reduce greenhouse gas emissions when constructed in areas near public transit and services.”

While a path has been cleared to allow for new ADUs, it goes without saying that properties must meet specific criteria before a unit will be allowed. Proposed units also face size restrictions.

All of which brings up the question, “What about existing illegal units?”

While possible to legalize some existing ADUs, many have been constructed outside the acceptable parameters and can never be legalized. Anyone owning a home with an illegal ADU can be forced by county or city officials to remove the unit.

These units often come to the attention of local officials when a permit is pulled to upgrade a property, a neighbor complains or is noticed when officials visit nearby properties or view satellite pictures.

Looking to buy a home with an ADU? Check with local officials to make sure it’s permitted. If not, you may get additional square footage, but will also incur significant liability. It is classic caveat emptor: buyer beware.

Part 2 Next Week

*www.acgov.org/cda/planning/landuseprojects/secondary-units.htm

Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

The Middle Of The Market Is Disappearing

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  02-14-19

It is no secret that the process of buying and selling real estate has dramatically changed in the past few years.

While there have been a number of factors reshaping the real estate landscape, the primary change agent has been buyer access to online market information.

It is hard to imagine that Google has only been around since September 4th, 1998. While Realtor.com has been around since November 26th, 1996, Trulia was launched in September, 2005 and Zillow was born a few months later in February, 2006.

Shortly after, the first iPhone hit the market (June 29, 2007), Zillow debuted it’s iPhone app on April 29, 2009 and on April 30, 2010, Apple began selling iPads.

As these benchmarks accrued, each represented a milestone granting additional empowerment to buyers and contributed to the systematic process of moving the real estate process from brick and mortar structures out onto the Internet.

Another factor influencing real estate has been the deregulation of mainline television and the explosion of cable networks.

Launched on December 30th, 1994, HGTV has fully imbedded itself into the national consciousness and now dictates the housing and decorating tastes of emerging generations of homebuyers.

HGTV and its accompanying bevy of housing-related programs has dramatically elevated buyer tastes and desires to the point where the level of preparedness for homes hitting the market has dramatically increased in the past few years.

All of which has introduced a significant dilemma to thousands of homeowners hoping to sell their properties.

Some background: the market has three strata. The top tier features significantly improved homes selling for top dollar. The bottom level contains distressed properties purchased for substantially less by contractors and flippers. The middle level includes ordinary, dated homes with little or no improvements. These have historically sold at prices between the upper and lower levels.

With the reshaping of buyer tastes and inability of current generations to do home improvement work themselves, most buyers are ignoring the middle tier and looking instead for premium-quality homes for which they are willing to pay superior prices.

Homes in the middle tier consequently spend a much longer time on the market and sell for prices closer to the bottom tier.

It is a hard pill to swallow for many sellers who find themselves in the middle tier with no desire or funding to improve their home and no immediate prospects willing to pay average prices.

Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

The Super Bowl Effect

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  02-07-19

The housing market is, in many ways, like a living thing. Whether a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market, it fluctuates and moves about like a tree in the wind, and, like a sentient being, seems quite frequently to have a mind of its own.

It reacts to current events and can, quite literally, pivot and change in a single day.

Looking backwards it is usually quite easy to see when the market shifted. It is no secret the economic collapse approximately ten years ago took a vibrant seller’s market and, overnight, turned it from boom to bust.

Homeowners, unable to pay escalating monthly payments due to wildly adjusting loans either lost their homes to foreclosure or resorted to short sales. Prices plummeted and buyers, especially investors, had free rein.

While difficult to pinpoint a specific day because of the breadth of the collapse, it is generally agreed that the market crested in May, 2007 and then began its epic ride into historic ruin.

It is also possible to see when the market turned upwards and transitioned from a buyer-oriented market to a full-blown seller’s market. It happened, quite literally, in a single day – February 7th, 2011.

For those who might be sports trivia buffs, that happens to be the day after the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Superbowl XLV. Quite literally, the very next morning, our phones began ringing off the hook and did not stop for months after.

Called “The Super Bowl Effect,” it is the time of year which usually indicates the shift from the dismal winter months into the upward-focused springtime. It’s the time when football fans no longer have their prime weekend hours tied up cheering on their favorite teams and can now focus on real estate.

If we are going to see an upward turn in the market and increased buyer activity, this is usually the time of year it is going to happen.

The seller’s market that began in February, 2011 and then went on a seven-and-a-half-year record-breaking romp, finally reached a peak this past June, 2018, as sales slowed and prices dropped through to the end of the year.

While it is very unlikely we will see another market like that for some time, it is possible that we may see a reversal now that Super Bowl LIII is in the books.

It will be interesting to see.

Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

Cost Vs. Value Report for 2019 Home Improvement Projects

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  01-31-19

It is January, and the time of year Remodeling Magazine issues the annual Cost vs. Value Report.*

Based on extensive nationwide research, the report is designed to highlight those remodeling projects that brought the highest return on investment (ROI) in 2018. It also highlights the lowest scoring projects.

It is a helpful guide for homeowners, especially those thinking of improving their homes for a sale.

The report begins by noting that remodelers nationwide took a hit last year as the cost of building materials spiked dramatically. Due to supply shortages resulting from natural disasters and increased tariffs on items such as wood and stone products, prices have skyrocketed nationally, dramatically lowering ROI numbers.

Additionally, the severe shortage of skilled labor is pushing costs upward. Fortunately, the picture is a bit different here in the Bay Area because our extremely high home prices offset improvement costs and produce a higher ROI.

Nationally, the five projects with the highest ROI in the mid-range cost category are as follows:

• Adding a new garage door (97.5% ROI).

Since the garage door covers so much of the frontal surface of most homes, it is the one project that provides the largest overall improvement at the lowest cost. 

• A minor kitchen remodel (80.5% ROI)

Projects include new cabinets, solid surface counters such as quartz (granite counters are declining in popularity), sinks and faucets, new flooring, lighting and appliances.

• Addition of a wood deck (75.6% ROI)

With a push for outdoor living, decks score well in this survey, and provide a platform for outdoor kitchens, conversation areas and more.

• Replacing exterior siding (75.6% ROI)

While many regions across the country install new siding to upgrade their home’s external appearance, local homeowners prefer the use of stucco. It is more impervious to sun and fits better with the style of homes in this area.

• Replacing the entry door (steel) (74.9% ROI)

Steel doors weather extremely well and provide a significant level of security. Some prefer to replace the front doors with a grand entrance (mostly fiberglass) (71.9% ROI), which might include either single or double doors and windows on one or both sides, depending on space available.

Other upgrades with high returns include vinyl window replacement (73.4%) and bathroom remodels (60.2%), while a master suite addition (59.2%), bathroom addition (58.1%) and a new backyard patio (55.2%) score at the bottom of the heap.

*www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2019/

Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

DYI Meets Disaster

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  01-24-19

It is no secret contractors are becoming harder to find, let alone show up on time.

With escalating Bay Area home prices, many tradespersons have departed for cheaper locales. Additionally, recent fires to the north have siphoned off many contractors, resulting in significant delays in nailing down trades and dramatic increases in rates. In this new reality, many are thinking DIY.

Results vary.

A few hours watching HGTV can convince anyone that doing it yourself is fun and easy. A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors shows an increase in popularity amongst younger generations for DIY home improvement projects. All is not as easy as it might appear, however.

“We’ve seen people take on a lot more than they could deal with,” Joanne Theunissen, the remodeling chair of the National Association of Home Builders, told realtor.com. “Be cautious. If it looks easy on TV, understand it’s not.”*

In fact, of those that started a DIY project, approximately 1/3 hired a professional to either complete or redo the job.

Realtor Magazine goes on to state, “Fifty-five percent of DIYers say their projects took longer to complete than they expected, and more than half said their project was physically more difficult than they anticipated as well.

Fifty-five percent of respondents also said their finished project didn’t look as good as they had hoped. About 8 percent of respondents said their homes were damaged because of their DIY attempts.”

ImproveNet, a company dedicated to connecting professionals with homeowners, recently surveyed 2,000 individuals who had a DYI fail.** The average number of attempted projects was 8, and a whopping 63% regretted at least one of the projects they attempted. The top 10 DIY projects most likely to end in disaster?

1. Installing floor tiles

2. Replacing a ceiling

3. Refinishing hardwood floor

4. Installing carpet

5. Finishing a basement

6. Installing hardwood flooring

7. Refinishing cabinetry

8. Installing sprinklers

9. Installing a shower/bath

10. Interior painting

Other items further down on the list include installing roofs, wallpapering, decks, plumbing fixtures, fencing, doors, windows and concrete work. DIY electrical projects also made the list.

It is easy to understand the allure of tackling a DYI project – after all, there are the projected cost savings and bragging rights if you succeed. In reality, however, there is more to it than meets the eye.

Bottom line? You might not want to try this at home.

*REALTOR® Magazine, 1/9/2019

**www.improvenet.com/2019-home-improvement-statistics

Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

Charmed or Not?

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  01-17-19

Passing any gas station, you’ll see prices posted with decimal places. It is a psychological ploy to make buyers believe they are paying less, even when everyone knows what is happening.

  Called “charm pricing,” setting values a hair below a round number (eg. $699,900), this strategy has been a mainstay in the retail industry for years.

  Pricing is critical when selling a home, and there has been no end of discussion and research on the correct way to price a home.

  Ironically, this pricing strategy seems to work in some cases. Author Megan Craig in The Residential Specialist Magazine, states, “In their study, ‘The Effects of Charm Listing Prices on House Transaction Prices,’ researchers Marcus T. Allen and William H. Dare found that sellers of lower-priced houses (below $300,000) sold their homes for significantly more money when using charm pricing than sellers of similar houses who listed with a round-number price.

  They also found that higher-priced homes (between $300,000 and $1 million) benefited from listing prices ending in $5,000 or $9,000, rather than a number that has been rounded to the nearest $10,000.”*

  Unfortunately, in the age of the Internet, charm pricing is beginning to cause problems for Realtors looking for the perfect price for their listing.

  Buyers, when looking online, typically search using whole numbers. And therein is the rub: if a home worth $500,000 is listed at $499,999, then any buyer searching for homes priced between $450,000 and $550,000 will see it.

  However, if a buyer is searching using the price parameters of $500,000 to $600,000, even though the home priced at $499,999 is in their price range, it will not show up on their search.

  Neither will homes priced at $490,000, $495,000 or, as some agents prefer, prices with the numeral 8 for the end digits ($498,888).

  It cuts the other way as well: a home valued at $600,000 but listed at $601,000, $605,000 or $609,000 will not show up if a buyer’s search is set between $500,000 to $600,000. The simple fact is this: rounding off the numbers exposes the property to more buyers.

  Some agents recommend arbitrary numbers (eg. $567,068), believing a more specific number suggests better research went into determining the price. Whether it works remains to be seen, however numbers such as this often make it harder to be seen in the search engines.

  Charmed or not? It is a question worth considering.

  *https://trsmag.com/is-rounded-pricing-really-the-only-way-to-price-these-days/

  Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

Top 10 Cities Poised for 2019 Growth

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  01-10-19

With Bay Area market prices declining for the last six months, you can count on investors watching 2019 Bay Area trends very carefully.

  It should be no surprise that, as local market prices kept pounding upwards prior to May 2018, investment opportunities declined and, consequently, investors began looking for other locations around the country that made more financial sense.

  When prices rise dramatically in any given area, rental rates do not typically keep pace. This results in less-than-optimum returns which forces investors to look elsewhere.

  When seeking new opportunities, investors look for areas with sustained economic growth, reasonable median pricing, low vacancy rates, high rental income potential, a growing population (either in-migration or natural growth) and a solid base of young families.

  With this in mind, Realtor.com’s 2019 Housing Market Forecast,* released 01/02/2019, has identified the Top 10 housing markets they anticipate will see significant growth in 2019. It is interesting to note that none of the markets identified are on the West Coast.

  The 2019 projections track data in two categories important to potential investors. Category No. 1 is Forecasted Home Sales Growth, while the second category is Forecasted Price Growth. While the study shows a projected decline of 2% nationally for 2019 for Category No. 1, Category No. 2 is anticipated to increase, albeit a mere 2.2%.

  The Top 10 Winners are as follows (shown as City, State: Sales Growth/Price Growth): (1) Lakeland, Florida: 5.0%/7.4%, (2) Grand Rapids, Michigan: 4.0%/8.2%, (3) El Paso, Texas: 7.9%/2.5%, (4) Chattanooga, Tennessee: 5.2%/4.3%, (5) Phoenix, Arizona: 3.6%/5.6%, (6) Bridgeport, Connecticut: 5.0%/4.0%, (7) Las Vegas, Nevada: 0.9%/7.9%, (8) Boise City, Idaho: 1.5%/6.9%, (9) Miami, Florida: 3.3%/5.0%, (10) Boston, Massachusetts: 3.6%/4.6%.

  Beyond the raw data, the top 10 cities share a few common statistics making them attractive to investors. All are expected to see increases in their base population size, employment rates, income growth and new home construction.

  The principal key, however, guaranteed to capture investor’s attention, is affordability. This last factor is something entirely missing on the West Coast – from San Diego to Seattle, all major coastal metropolitan areas have seen significant price increases the past few years, pushing them well out of the affordable category.

  Will investors return to the Bay Area? Possibly, however, prices would need to decline substantially for that to happen – something most local homeowners do not want.

  Bottom line? Count on investors looking elsewhere in the short term – at least for 2019.

  *www.realtor.com/research/housing-market-predictions-2019-top-ten

  Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

4 Key Factors Affecting The 2019 Real Estate Market

BY CARL MEDFORD, CRS  •  SPECIAL TO THE TIMES  •  01-03-19

  With the holidays over and 2018 in the books, many are gazing questionably at 2019.

  Since most pundits agree the real estate market crested in May, 2018 and then began a gradual corrective slide, the question on many minds is, “What can we expect going forward?”

  In Alameda County, the average price at the market peak in June was $1,127,655, with 1,130 homes sold (the majority went into contract in May).

  In contrast, the average price for December, 2018* was $958,230, with 604 homes sold. This represents a reduction in price of approximately 17.7% from the peak. It’s important to realize, however, that the market usually has a seasonal dip at the end of the year and then rebounds in January.

  In contrast, the 2017 peak was $993,000 with 1,048 homes sold. December, 2017 saw 707 sales with an average price of $956,000 – a seasonal decrease of only 3.8%. Clearly, we saw a significant market correction in 2018 compared with the previous year.

  The good news is that even though we saw significant declines between June and December, 2018, the average sold price of $958,230 in December, 2018 was still higher than the December 2017 average of $956,000.

  While it’s obviously impossible to say with certainty where the market will go in 2019, there is enough data to make some educated guesses.

  Overall, it is anticipated that the Bay Area market will stabilize and remain mostly flat for the entire year. The factors leading to this conclusion are as follows:

  Inventory is up. Whereas the first part of 2018 was marked by an extreme shortage of homes for sale, it is projected that we will see more available homes in 2019.

  Buyer numbers are down. While many buyers have been priced out of the market, a number are waiting for prices to lower before re-entering the market.

  Interest rates are increasing. We have already seen the Fed raise rates, and more increases are projected for 2019, which will likely further reduce the number of potential buyers.

  Stock market jitters are hindering buyers. Many buyers use stock portfolios to buy homes – with the stock market down, some buyers have lost their purchasing power. When you factor in the increasing political uncertainty evidenced in recent weeks, we will most likely see continued ambiguity for the foreseeable future.

  We wish you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2019.

  *Data as of 12/18/2018

  Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

Lexus Rolls Out Fuel-Sipping Flagship Sedan

BY STEVE SCHAEFER  •   02-21-19

The Lexus LS 500 is a big, bold, beautiful flagship sedan, which competes with cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. Redone in 2018, it moves into 2019 with a few small updates. You can choose from the “regular” LS 500 or the hybrid LS 500h.

The wide-mouthed spindle grille and sharp details evoke a certain “Lexusness” that stands out well against the recognizable flavor of those German luxury leaders. Coming from the company that gave us the Prius hybrid, though, the LS 500h, while not a “green” car like a Tesla, does deliver significant fuel economy improvements.

The non-hybrid LS 500 uses a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 to provide 416 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque, for a 4.6-second zero-to-sixty time. Its EPA mileage numbers are 19 City, 29 Highway, and 23 Combined. The available all-wheel-drive model posts slightly lower numbers.

Compare that to the hybrid LS 500h, which uses a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and two electric motor-generators powered by a compact, lightweight lithium-ion battery. The battery is charged up by regenerative braking. This model is a trifle slower from zero-to-sixty, at 5.1 seconds, but pushes the EPA fuel economy to 25 City, 33 Highway, and 28 Combined. It also boasts EPA green numbers of 7 for Smog and 6 for Greenhouse Gas. Range is an impressive 622 miles (varies depending on speed, weather, etc.).

That means that the hybrid version of Lexus’ massive, 2-1/2-ton flagship car gets better fuel economy numbers than Lexus’ non-hybrid smaller ES (26 mpg combined) and IS (24 mpg combined) sedans!

Naturally, there’s room for five, and the LS 500h offers every amenity imaginable when you factor in the vast menu of options. Most notable is the Executive package, which adds the price of a base-model Camry to the total ($23,080). But what you get is remarkable. Most visually striking is the first use of beautiful Kiriko glass in a car, on the doors. It gives the interior a shimmer, especially against the beautifully hand-pleated door trim with “floating” armrests that are back-lit at night.

The supremely comfortable quilted-leather seats offer an amazing 28-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with multi-function massage. The rear seats recline, there’s a four-way “climate concierge,” and power side window shades.

Going along with the theme of large numbers, the stunning Mark Levinson audio system ($1,940) features 23 speakers and 2,400 watts of power! The head-up display ($1,200) stretches 24 inches across the left half of the lower windshield.

Lexus uses a touchpad to control the numerous options on the large center display screen. I got pretty good at sliding and flicking my fingers to adjust things like the level of seat heating or audio selections. My car had Apple CarPlay integration, a handy feature that projects your phone content onto the main screen. You can use Siri to do verbal texting, phone calls, and other interactions. This car also had Alexa compatibility, but I didn’t use it.

The Lexus Safety System is a $3,000 option as well, although many safety features are part of every Toyota and Lexus today. I was saved by the pre-collision active braking. One night, as I backed out of a dark driveway, the car stopped suddenly, and red capital BRAKE flashed on the head-up display. Yes, there was a parked car behind me that I couldn’t see. The cross-traffic alert notifies you of cars moving across your path ahead with bright green arrows moving in the long head-up display area. That’s why they made it two-feet long.

There’s more! The wheels on my car were upgraded to 20-inchers ($2,450), and the Manganese Luster paint added an additional $595.

The LS 500h is a smooth riding limo, especially with the optional adaptive variable air suspension ($1,500). I can’t say I thought much about it, but traveling was serene under any circumstances. If you want to configure your experience, on one of the two “horns” on the instrument panel you can twist to “ECO,” comfort, and two higher-performance drive modes—Sport and Sport +). I stayed mostly in ECO mode, but sampled the others briefly. If you want to open up the LS 500h on a winding back road or on a freeway entrance ramp, the Sport settings will let you unleash yourself.

More big numbers come when pricing this special car. The base price is $79,710, plus $1,025 for delivery and handling. But with the long list of options, my car topped out at a knee-weakening $118,010. But it’s hard to imagine how you could pack more content and driving pleasure into a luxury sedan. While many people are moving to crossover sport utilities, there’s still a viable sedan market, and the LS 500h is one of the fanciest ones you’ll find, while still providing decent fuel economy.

Steve Schaefer lives in Castro Valley. He has been reviewing new cars in the Times for 27 years.

CAPTION: The LS 500h uses a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and two electric motor-generators powered by a compact, lightweight lithium-ion battery.

Choosing a Used Electric Vehicle

BY STEVE SCHAEFER  •   02-14-19

Pure electric vehicles are clean and quiet, need nearly zero service, cost less to run, and provide great acceleration. However, they are not available in all sizes and models, tend to be expensive, and have range limitations. You can also select a hybrid or plug-in hybrid to enjoy some electric motoring without those limitations. If you have a limited budget, the used EV market is the way to go.

The Different Types of EVs

Hybrids combine a gasoline engine and an electric motor to improve fuel economy. The motor has a small battery that uses electricity that’s generated when you slow down or brake.

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are hybrids with a plug and a larger battery, so you can charge them up and use only electricity for a limited range, anywhere from 11 to more than 50 miles before the gas engine kicks in. They still work like hybrids if you don’t plug them in.

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) run on their battery only—there is no gas engine. You have to plug them in to drive them. You can charge them at home, at work, or using charging stations in various public locations.

Fuel-cell vehicles are an interesting fourth type of EV. They create their own electricity using compressed hydrogen gas as a fuel. Hydrogen stations are scarce, and sales prices rarely fit below the $20,000 price cap, so I have no recommendations now.

Which Kind of EV Should I Get?

Evaluate your needs. If you mostly drive locally and can borrow or rent another car for an occasional longer trip, try a BEV. If you want to commute and run local errands electrically but be able to take off and go anywhere, anytime, opt for a plug-in hybrid. If you want to do something about the climate crisis but live in an apartment and don’t have any charging at work, try a hybrid.

Recommended Used EVS

Four choices for an EV are listed in each section. Feel free to consider any other electric vehicle if it meets your needs and budget. Prices vary depending on mileage, condition, and what the seller feels like asking. I capped it at $20,000, but there are many good cars for much less, and some great choices for significantly more. My research is based on cars.com for the San Francisco Bay Area.

Steve Schaefer lives in Castro Valley. He has been reviewing new cars in the Times for 27 years.

Battery-Electric Vehicles

The newest BEVs tend to have longer ranges, but lower-priced

older EVs have ranges around 100 miles or less

Nissan Leaf

Body style: hatchback

Battery range: 73-107 miles (new 2018-19 model has 150)

Price Range: $6,481 – $16.998 (2011-16)

Summary: Biggest seller, large dealer network, plenty to choose

from, polarizing styling

Kia Soul

Body style: hatchback (box)

Battery range: 93 miles

Price range: $12,030 - $16,792 (2015-16)

Summary: Roomy, slightly better range, boxy styling isn’t for everyone

Fiat 500e (pictured below)

Body style: compact hatchback

Battery range: 87 miles

Price range: $8,275 - $16,500 (2015-17)

Summary: Cute, fun, retro feel, may become orphans

Volkswagen e-Golf

Body style: hatchback

Battery range: 83 miles

Price range: $12,500 – $16,988 (2015-16)

Summary: Golf goodness, but electric; 2017 improved range is 125

(but costs $20,000+)

Plug-In Hybrids

Small electric range, but you can go anywhere with gasoline

Chevrolet Volt

Body Style: hatchback

Battery range: 32-53 miles electric-only, 380-420 total

Price range: $6,999 – $19,998 (2012-16)

Summary: PHEV pioneer, biggest plugin EV range, 2016 and later

models offer fresh styling/greater range, only four-passenger seating

Ford C-Max Energi

Body style: tall hatchback

Battery range: 21 miles electric-only, 570 total

Price range: $9,800 - $18,991 (2013-17)

Summary: Spacious family car, European design, hybrid version too

Honda Accord PHEV

Body style: midsize sedan

Battery range: 13 miles electric-only, 570 total

Price range: $15.681 – $19,991(2014 only)

Summary: Popular and award-winning, one model year only, Hy-

brid also

Toyota Prius Plug-in

Body Style: hatchback

Battery range: 11 miles electric-only, 540 total

Price range:  $9.000 - $19,492 (2012-15)

Summary: Proven Prius virtues, most other PHEVs have greater

electric-only range, but Prius gets higher mpg 

Hybrids

No plugging in, just great fuel economy

Ford Fusion Hybrid

Body style: midsize sedan

EPA MPG: 42 combined

Price range: $9,355 – $19,025 (2010-18)

Summary: You can get a nearly new car for under $20K, PHEV   

version too, Fusion and C-Max share their drivetrain

Honda Accord Hybrid

Body style: midsize sedan

EPA MPG: 47 Combined

Price range: $15,550 - $18,998 (2015)

Summary: Popular vehicle, 2017 hybrid available for $22-25,000

Kia Optima

Body style: midsize sedan

EPA MPG: 36

Price range: $8,995 - $18,990 (2013-17)

Summary: Nice looking and driving. Not as high mpg as some others

Toyota Prius

Body style: hatchback

EPA MPG: 50

Price range: $9,399 – $19.989 (2010-2017)

Summary: The original hybrid, lots to choose from,

Fiat 500e

A Guide to Understanding Electric Cars

BY STEVE SCHAEFER  •   02-07-19

Electric vehicles are the future, because they contribute much less to global warming and climate change than gasoline-only models. But at just over two percent of the U.S. market in 2018, they are still not the choice of most drivers. They are more popular in California and in some other countries. 

Here are my views on the advantages and disadvantages of EVs, followed by an explanation of the different types of EVs available today.

EV Advantages and Disadvantages

Pure electric cars are clean and quiet, need nearly zero service, cost less to run, and provide great acceleration, but there are some disadvantages at the moment. 

First of all, all-electric cars are not available in all sizes and models. There are no all-electric pickup trucks, for example, and handsome all-electric sedans are pretty much limited to Tesla.

Second, electric cars tend to be more expensive, because of the cost of batteries and having fewer units over which to spread development costs. This should change significantly in the next few years.

Third—and this is the deal breaker for many folks—electric cars have range limitations and charging the battery is still less convenient than pulling into a gas station. 

Four Kinds of Electric Vehicles

There are four types of electrified vehicles, and which one you pick should match what you plan to do with it. 

Hybrids combine a gasoline engine and an electric motor to improve fuel economy. The motor has a small battery that uses electricity that’s generated when you slow down or brake. The Toyota Prius is the poster child, although there are many others, including hybrid versions of familiar vehicles. Hybrids can get more than 50 miles per gallon, which is a big improvement over any regular gasoline car. You don’t have to do anything special—just fill it up with gas and go. But you’ll do it less often.

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have plugs and a larger battery, so you can charge them up and use only electricity for a limited range, anywhere from 11 to more than 50 miles. They still work like hybrids, and if you’re commuting and running around town, you may not use gasoline at all sometimes. But—if you jump on the freeway you can drive across the country without a thought. For some people, this is ideal. The downside is that you still have to pay for gasoline-car maintenance and you are carrying both powertrains around all the time. If you don’t plug the car in, it still acts like a regular hybrid, but if you do, you’ll get to drive on electrons part of the time. The pioneering Chevrolet Volt is a good example and offers up to 53 miles of electric range. There are many PHEVs on the market today.

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) run on their battery only. You have to plug them in to drive them. They vary in range, and the newest ones can go more than 300 miles on a charge. You can charge them using household 120-volt current (very slow) or Level 2 (240-volt) at home or at charging stations (it takes a few hours to charge) or DC fast charging, which can take less than an hour to fill the battery. BEVs work best when you’re not planning to travel long intercity distances regularly. Charging networks are growing, but most users normally charge at home or at work, which means never going to a gas station. Technological advances and range increases are coming. The most popular new BEVs are cars like the Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model 3, and Chevrolet Bolt EV.

Fuel-cell vehicles create their own electricity using compressed hydrogen gas as a fuel and emit only water. But there are drawbacks: hydrogen stations are few and far between, the fuel itself is expensive (although some manufacturers subsidize it) and is energy-intensive to produce. Today, there are only three choices in the marketplace—two sedans and one crossover. If you live near a hydrogen station and like the looks of the vehicles, you may be able to swing a lease deal on a Honda Clarity, Toyota Mirai, or the brand-new Hyundai Nexo.

Which Kind of EV Should I Get?

If you are OK with driving locally and can borrow or rent another car for that once-a-year 2,000-mile trip, get a BEV. If you want to drive electric for commuting and local errands but be able to take off and go to the mountains or visit your children in the next state every month, opt for a plug-in hybrid. If you want to do something about the climate crisis but live in an apartment and don’t have any charging at work, try a hybrid. Hybrids take half a car off the road, which is still a lot.

See next week’s column for suggestions on buying a used EV.

Steve Schaefer lives in Castro Valley. He has been reviewing new car performance for more than a quarter of a century.

The Toyota Prius, poster child for hybrids.

                                                                      The Nissan LEAF is one of the most popular BEVs (battery-electric vehicles).

Exciting Electric Car Debuts at the Consumer Electronics Show

BY STEVE SCHAEFER  •   01-17-19

Electronics are the rage these days, from new phones to home speakers like Alexa to drones and more. Now automakers increasingly are bypassing the standard auto shows to present their latest electric models at places like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which took place in Las Vegas the second week of January.

Toyota Debuts its 4th Generation Autonomous Vehicle

The future of Toyota was on display with the TRI-P4, the company’s latest autonomous research platform. The development car’s technology was designed at the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) – and is based on the latest generation Lexus LS 500h flagship.

The Prototype Development Center in York Township, MI will be assembling TRI-P4s from stock vehicles and will be placed in the autonomous test fleet this Spring. The added equipment is nicely integrated by the stylists from CALTY Design Research in Ann Arbor, MI.

The new car has greater computing power than the Generation 3 car, for faster learning. The cars should handle better than the previous generation, which was introduced last year, thanks to the new chassis and steering control that comes along with the new LS.

Engineers added two additional cameras and pair of image sensors up front and in the rear. The radar system has an improved field of view, while the Lidar system carries over but has been modified to fit the LS 500h.

The TRI-P4 features two systems—Guardian and Chauffeur. Guardian is designed to “amplify human performance, not replace it, so a person must be stationed behind the wheel. Chauffeur is the full autonomy mode.

Nissan Leaf e+ Features 226 Miles of Range

When the new 2018 Nissan LEAF arrived, its 150-mile range disappointed some buyers, when the Chevrolet Bolt EV, for example, offered 238 miles. Nissan is remedying that situation by unveiling the new Nissan LEAF e+ at CES. It gets 226 miles on a single charge, thanks to a new 62-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery (up from 40 kWh in the current Leaf). The car will be sold as the LEAF PLUS in the United States.

The new model also delivers more power, with 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque, up from 147 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. on the base model. The car will come out in Japan first, with U.S. deliveries following. Pricing is as yet unknown, but the new, more competitive Leaf is welcome.

Mercedes-Benz EQC Crossover Breaks Cover

The first of many models in Mercedes-Benz’s electric EQ lineup made its first appearance at CES. The all-wheel-drive EQC 400 will compete with high-end vehicles like the Jaguar i-Pace, Audi’s forthcoming e-tron, and Tesla’s popular Model X.

Boasting a 279-mile range, the EQC provides 402 horsepower and 564 lb.-ft. of torque, allowing it to go from 0-60 in under five seconds. Its 80-kWh lithium-ion battery sits under the floor; Mercedes claims it can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in about 40 minutes using fast charging.

The newest Mercedes-Benz looks a lot like the company’s other crossovers but features a unique fascia that will be part of the EQ lineup as it grows. The interior features a futuristic dash panel with two 10.25-inch displays beside each other.

The car will be built in Germany, and may eventually be produced in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant. It’s due for sale in the U.S. in early 2020.

CAPTION: The first in the new Mercedes-Benz all-electric lineup: the EQC 400

60s British Sports Car

Gets Electrified

BY STEVE SCHAEFER  •   01-10-19

Most electric vehicles (EVs) are familiar hatchbacks, like the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Bolt EV. They come with digital screens that tell you what the car is doing and how efficiently it’s performing. They have heated seats and steering wheels, climate control, Apple CarPlay, and so much more.

But what if you want something really different? Vijay Lakshman has built his own EV—a 1967 MGB GT with an all-electric powertrain.

With all the possible old cars to convert, why did he pick this one?

“I was looking for a simple car, without any complicated electronics,” said the software developer. “My friend suggested building something really different, and I found this fine old British hatchback.”

The car looks completely normal to the eye. It’s resprayed in an attractive Ferrari Red. It isn’t wearing its original wire wheels, but the gold-colored Panasport racing wheels look appropriate—and save about five pounds at each corner.

To power his project, Vijay obtained two 2013 Nissan Leaf batteries and placed parts of them in the rear compartment and under the hood. He ordered a brand new High Performance motor—it’s not out of an existing EV—that sits below the batteries up front. There’s a tiny 12-volt battery under the hood, too, and a converter from 120 to 12 volts to run it. The small battery charges whenever the car is on—not just when it’s moving.

Twin chargers in back allow the car to drink juice from a charger at a 6.6 kWh rate, much like many modern EVs. A standard J-1772 charge port sits by the rear bumper, and inside the cargo hold there’s a cable that can plug into a 240-volt wall socket if necessary.

This project was a labor of love, taking 3 to 4 hours three workweek evenings a week and full days on the weekdays for about a year. If you want to follow the process and see details of this project, check out his blog at 67mgbgtev.tumblr.com/. But the result is compelling. It delivers electric car efficiency without a hint of the 21st century in it.

Vijay took me for a ride on city streets and a long loop of freeway. The car accelerates quickly, although it’s not neck-snapping, all while the four-speed transmission, donated from a Datsun 240-Z, whines audibly. A multi-speed transmission in an EV isn’t really necessary, and Vijay uses mainly 2nd and 3rd gears. Using the Z’s gearbox saved about 50 pounds. Vijay opted for an electronic clutch, so your left foot isn’t put to work. There is regenerative braking, which varies depending on what gear you’re in.

The ride is firm but not too harsh, and handling, from the passenger’s seat, feels stable and controlled. It’s certainly not a quiet experience, but this is a half-century-old British sports car, right?

The MGB GT carries 30 kWh worth of battery, so range is about 100 miles on the freeway. Range probably isn’t an issue, since this low-slung two-seater wouldn’t likely be your choice for a cross-country jaunt (nor would the gasoline version), but it serves nicely for in-town trips and commuting.

The interior sports a custom after-market Nardi steering wheel and a later generation radio with larger door speakers (leading to using shorter billet-style window cranks). The modern seats are from a Mazda Miata, complete with the built-in headrest speakers. But overall, you’re still looking at an old car with an upright windshield—and you can see a fender from where you’re sitting inside.

Vijay sometimes gets a hard time at chargers, before folks see him plug the car in. Who’d think that this old 1960’s classic is a 21st-century EV underneath? It’s the first time I’ve seen white California carpool lane access stickers on a 1967 vehicle. Vijay says it was hard to get them—he had to take the car to the California DMV to get certified as an electric vehicle. Apparently, they aren’t issuing them to conversions anymore.

The car is really something different and I’m glad he gave me a ride in it.

Steve Schaefer lives in Castro Valley. He has been reviewing new car performance for more than a quarter of a century.

CAPTION: Vijay obtained two 2013 Nissan Leaf batteries and placed parts of them in the rear compartment and under the hood.

Selling or Refinancing Your Home When Your Spouse

Can’t Sign

By Gene L. Osofsky, Esq.

SPECIAL TO THE FORUM 02-21-19

My husband has dementia and I wonder about my ability to refinance or even sell the home, as he cannot sign. The home is held in a Living Trust.  Can you advise?

The short answer is that, under these circumstances, it may be easier for you to sell the home than it would be to refinance. Here’s why:

Sale of Home: Your Living Trust probably provides that both of you are co-trustees, but that when one of you dies or becomes incapacitated the other becomes the sole trustee with full power to convey trust assets.  

o, assuming that you can document your husband’s incapacity as required by the terms of the trust, the trust terms would then typically permit you, as sole Successor Trustee, to convey clear title to the buyers on your signature alone. Then, as Successor Trustee, you would usually then be able to sell your home. 

n these situations, title companies are usually willing to insure the passage of title to your buyer.

Refinance: However, if your goal were to refinance an existing loan on your home, this could be problematic. 

any lenders require that the home be removed from trust during the loan escrow and require that all loan documents be signed by both homeowners as individuals, rather than as trustees. Once removed from trust, your authority to sign would no longer be governed by the trust instrument.  

nstead, it would be governed by a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) if one exists.  However, your lender may not accept that DPOA, if, for example, it had been signed long ago, or it does not adequately identify your home, or it does not clearly give you authority to encumber the home to secure the loan.  

lso, the lender may require that you obtain physicians’ letters certifying both (a) that your husband had full capacity when the DPOA was originally signed years ago, and (b) that he currently is incapacitated.  A letter certifying your husband’s capacity years ago could be a problem if, for example, your husband’s then physician is now unavailable.

ven lenders who do not require that the home be first removed from trust, may still require signatures by both the acting trusteed and by both homeowners as individuals.  This appears especially true with regard to Reverse Mortgages. 

o, again, even in this situation you may need a “friendly” lender and a DPOA that is acceptable to the lender.

Possible Work-a-rounds: Suggestions if you wish to refinance and encounter lender resistance: (A) shop around: some lenders, such as credit unions, may have more relaxed standards. For example, some may not require that you remove the home from trust in order to refinance and may accept your signature, alone, on all loan documents as sole successor trustee; and/or (B) consider a Petition to the Superior Court asking the judge to issue an order which substitutes for your husband’s signature. 

his procedure is available in California under what is called a Petition for Substituted Judgment, so named because it asks the court to substitute its judgment for that of your husband. In most cases, the lender would then accept the resulting court order in lieu of your husband’s signature.

hether you seek to sell, or refinance, I recommend checking out these issues with one or more title companies and/or lenders early on and before you get too committed to a specific course of action.

Gene L.  Osofsky is an estate planning and elder law attorney in Hayward.  Visit his website at www.LawyerForSeniors.com

How Opioid Overdose, Death Health Crisis Can be Reversed

By Patrice A. Harris, M.D.

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES 02-14-19

Opioid-related overdoses have reached epidemic proportions, claiming more than 42,000 lives in the U.S. in 2016 alone.

Physicians on the front lines are working in their communities and with their patients to reverse this public health crisis.

The American Medical Association (AMA) created an Opioid Task Force in 2014, bringing together national and state medical organizations to come up with ways that practicing physicians could play a role in ending the epidemic.

For example, the task force urged physicians to enhance their education.

The latest AMA report shows a remarkable response. Last year, more than a half million physicians and other health care providers took courses related to opioid prescribing, pain management, treatment and related areas. Opioid prescribing decreased by 22 percent between 2013 and 2017.

Despite such progress, opioid-related deaths are still increasing. Why? Experts say no single policy approach can stop the epidemic.

Physicians are reducing the prescription opioid supply. But policies must also focus on prevention and treatment. About 90 percent of those needing addiction treatment are unable to get it.

The science shows what works: certain medications prescribed by a physician or dispensed at federally certified opioid treatment programs. Combining that treatment with medical care, counseling and other services can help patients with substance use disorder lead satisfying and productive lives.

The numbers speak to a national tragedy. We need to act with resolve as we have with other public health epidemics. Our patients diagnosed with a substance use disorder deserve no less.

Most people agree that we need access to treatments that include medication but that is not readily available for many patients. This epidemic will not be reversed until we deal with access issues and stigma associated with opioid misuse.

Specific actions that should be taken include:

• Insurance providers should immediately remove barriers so patients can obtain affordable medication treatment combined with counseling.

• Policymakers and regulators should enforce laws that require mental health benefits to be on par with other health benefits. This gives patients access to treatment related to mental health and opioid use disorders.

• Health insurance providers and pharmacy benefit managers should ensure that patients have access to affordable, non-opioid pain care.

• Physicians should register for and use electronic databases that track controlled substance prescriptions in their state. Using these databases allows physicians to make more informed prescribing decisions. When clinically appropriate, physicians should also co-prescribe naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid-related overdose.

• Patients and physicians should have conversations about safe storage and disposal of opioids and all medications.

• All Americans can help remove the stigma around this epidemic, advocating for comprehensive care for patients in pain and those with opioid use disorder.

There are many reasons to be optimistic. Physicians are leading in the areas where we can have an influence, but unfortunately, we cannot bring an end to the epidemic alone. Much work remains to be done and we’ll continue to work with federal and state governments, law enforcement, insurers, educators and others to make headway.

Patrice A. Harris, MD, is president-elect of the American Medical Association. To learn more about efforts to end the opioid epidemic, visit end-opioid-epidemic.org

—StatePoint

How Seniors Can Find Clinical Trials

By Jim Miller

SPECIAL TO THE FORUM 02-07-19

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans participate in clinical trials in hopes of gaining access to the latest, and possibly greatest, but not-yet-on-the-market treatments for all types of illnesses.

But, you need to be aware that clinical trials can vary greatly in what they’re designed to do, so be careful to choose one that can actually benefits you. Here’s what you should know along with some tips for locating one.

Clinical Trials

A clinical trial is the scientific term for a test or research study of a drug, device or medical procedure using people. These trials – sponsored by drug companies, doctors, hospitals and the federal government – are conducted to learn whether a new treatment is safe and if it works. But, keep in mind that these new treatments are also unproven, so there may be risks too.

Also be aware that all clinical trials have certain eligibility criteria (age, gender, health status, etc.) that you must meet in order to be accepted. And before taking part in a trial, you’ll be asked to sign an informed consent agreement. You can also leave a study at any time.

Find a Trial

Every year, there are more than 100,000 clinical trials conducted in the U.S. You can find them by asking your doctor who may be monitoring trials in his or her specialty. Or, you can look for them on your own at ClinicalTrials.gov.

This website, sponsored by the National Institutes of Heath, contains a comprehensive database of federally and privately supported clinical studies in the U.S. and abroad on a wide range of diseases and conditions, including information about each trial’s purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.

If you want some help finding the right trial, try ResearchMatch.org, a web-based resource created by Vanderbilt University that connects willing patients with researchers of clinical trials.

Or, use the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation at CISCRP.org. This is a nonprofit organization that will take your information online or over the phone and do a thorough clinical trials search for you, and mail or email you the results within a week or two. Call 877-633-4376 for assistance.

Those with dementia and their caregivers can also locate clinical trials at the Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch at TrialMatch.alz.org.

Things to Know

Before deciding to participate in a trial, you need to first discuss it with your doctor to make sure it is appropriate for you. Then, schedule an appointment with the study’s medical team and ask lots of questions, such as:

• What’s the purpose of the study and can it improve my condition?

• What are the risks?

• What kinds of tests and treatments does the study involve, and how often and where they are performed?

• Is the experimental treatment in the study being compared with a standard treatment or a placebo?

• Who’s paying for the study? Will I have any costs, and if so, will my insurance plan or Medicare cover the rest?

• What if something goes wrong during or after the trial and I need extra medical care? Who pays?

For more information on clinical trials for older adults visit the National Institute on Aging (nia.nih.gov/health/clinical-trials), which has many informative articles including one on “questions to ask before participating in a clinical trial.”

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org

10 Health Goals for 2019

SPECIAL TO THE FORUM 01-24-19

With the new year well underway, this is the perfect time to review your personal goals and how you can make positive health choices in the coming year.

The American Medical Association offers these 10 recommendations to help you determine where you can make the most impactful, long-lasting improvements to your health.

1. Learn your risk for type 2 diabetes by taking the self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Steps you take now can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

2. Be more physically active. Adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity.

3. Know your blood pressure numbers. Visit LowerYourHBP.org to better understand your numbers and take necessary steps to get your high blood pressure -- also known as hypertension -- under control. Doing so will reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar. Also reduce your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and drink more water instead.

5. If your health care professional determines that you need antibiotics, take them exactly as prescribed. Antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem and antibiotics will not make you feel better if you have a virus, such as a cold or flu.

6. If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.

7. Talk with your doctor about tobacco and nicotine use and quit. Declare your home and car smoke-free to eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.

8. Pain medication is personal. If you are taking prescription opioids, follow your doctor’s instructions, store them safely to prevent diversion or misuse, and properly dispose of any leftover medication.

9. Make sure your family is up-to-date on their vaccines, including the annual influenza vaccine for everyone age six months or older.

10. Manage stress. A good diet and daily exercise are key ingredients to maintaining and improving your mental health, but don’t hesitate to ask for help from a friend or mental health professional when you need it.

The lifestyle choices you make now will have long-lasting impacts. So, this new year, prioritize your long-term health by forming great habits.

Could You Have Glaucoma?

By Jim Miller

SPECIAL TO THE FORUM 01-17-19

It’s called the “silent thief of sight” for a reason. With no early warning signs or pain, most people that have glaucoma don’t realize it until their vision begins to deteriorate. Here’s what you should know.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss and blindness if it’s not treated. This typically happens because the fluids in the eye don’t drain properly, causing increased pressure in the eyeball.

There are two main types of glaucoma, but the most common form that typically affects older people is called open-angle glaucoma.

This disease develops very slowly when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged over time, leading to blind spots in the peripheral or side vision. By the time you notice it, the permanent damage is already done.

Are You at Risk?

It’s estimated that more than 3 million Americans have glaucoma today, but that number is expected to surge to more than 4 million by 2030. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you’re at increased risk of developing it.

• Are you African American, Hispanic/Latino American or Asian American?

• Are you over age 60?

• Do you have an immediate family member with glaucoma?

• Do you have diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, migraines or extreme nearsightedness?

• Have you had a past eye injury?

• Have you used corticosteroids (for example, eye drops, pills, inhalers, and creams) for long periods of time?

What to Do

Early detection is the key to guarding against glaucoma. So if you’re age 40 or older and have any of the previously listed risk factors (especially if you’re African American), you need to get a comprehensive eye examination every year or two. Or, if you notice some loss of peripheral vision, get to the eye doctor right away.

If you are a Medicare beneficiary, annual eye examinations are covered for those at high risk for glaucoma. Or if you don’t have vision coverage, check into EyeCare America, a national program that provides free glaucoma eye exams and there are no income requirements. Visit EyeCareAmerica.org or call 877-887-6327 to learn more.

While there’s currently no cure for glaucoma, most cases can be treated with prescription eye drops, which reduce eye pressure and can prevent further vision loss. It cannot, however, restore vision already lost from glaucoma. If eye drops don’t work, your doctor may recommend oral medication, laser treatments, incisional surgery or a combination of these methods.

For more information on glaucoma, visit the National Eye Institute at NEI.nih.gov, and the Glaucoma Research Foundation at Glaucoma.org.

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Trust Your Gut

SPECIAL TO THE FORUM 01-10-19

  The idiom “trust your gut” means relying on intuition, rather than thoughtful, deep analysis, to make a decision. But research shows there is actually a tangible connection between gut health and brain health, and that linkage can affect emotions and cognitive processing.

  Research conducted at the California Institute of Technology by Elaine Hsiao showed how unhealthy or healthy microorganisms in the stomach can influence behaviors differently. Another study, led by Kirsten Tillisch at UCLA, suggested probiotics can have a positive effect on behavior, mental outlook and brain function.

  “Scientists have now determined that humans have two brains; the second one resides in the gut and is called the enteric nervous system,” says nutritionist and author Richard Purvis. “It has more neurons than the spinal column or central nervous system. Understanding the relationship helps to clarify why the process of taking care of the gut and the brain within it also helps improve the health of the brain in your head.”

  Given Americans’ notoriously poor eating habits, Purvis says gut health has never been more important. A Tufts University study estimates that over 318,000 deaths a year – or nearly half of American deaths caused by heart disease, stroke and diabetes – were hastened by unhealthy eating.

  “Processed foods and sugar are among the biggest culprits  for promoting the growth of bad bacteria in the gut,” Purvis says. “You can greatly improve your gut health – and by extension your brain health – by being kinder to it on a daily basis.”

  He recommends four nutritional tips – and a nature trip – that benefit your gut and your brain:

  • Daily servings of cultured, fermented probiotic-rich foods. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha pickled veggies, yogurt, and kefir encourage the growth of good bacteria. By ingesting healthy, probiotic-rich foods, you are guaranteed colony-forming units of bacteria, plus food sources are much cheaper than supplements.”

  • Prebiotic foods. Non-digestible short-chain fatty acids help your good bacteria flourish. These are found in artichokes, garlic, leeks, dandelion greens, beans, oats, onions and asparagus.

  • A diet that keeps blood sugar balanced. This also keeps gut bacteria balanced. A diet high in rich sources of fiber, especially derived from whole fruits and vegetables, feeds the good gut bacteria and produces the right balance of those short-chain fatty acids to keep the gut lining in check.”

  • Gluten reduction. Reducing gluten, or avoiding it altogether, Purvis says, will further improve gut health as well as healthy brain physiology. He agrees with medical professionals who say gluten can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, hurting digestion and sometimes leading to “leaky gut,” or damaged intestine walls.

  • Getting outside and into nature. Connect with more microorganisms – the more, the merrier. Their purpose is to perform life-sustaining functions. Move outside, do some gardening, plant flowers, mow the lawn, take a walk in the woods. Do things that connect you and your immune system with all the microorganisms in the soil.”

  “Lifestyle choice is considered by most the culprit contributing to our unhealthy bacteria,” Purvis says. “So you have a choice, and the one you make with your diet will affect your whole body, and not least of all, your brain.”

CAPTION: GUT INSTINCT: Research shows there is a tangible connection between gut health and brain health, and that linkage can affect emotions and cognitive processing.