February 8, 2023

Area CHP offices partnering with Cannery Kitchen & Tap for ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event

Because I Love You

VALENTINE'S DAY IS FEBRUARY 14

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Six Castro Valley Athletes Take Part In National Signing Day Ceremony

By Michael Singer CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Six athletes from Castro Valley High School held a ceremony last Wednesday to celebrate their commitments to the colleges and universities that have recruited them into their respective sports programs.

Those participating included Taylor Hodges (soccer), Kai Liebowitz (rowing), Natalia Perez (water polo), Gabriella “Gabby” Schirado (volleyball), Gabriella Tavares (softball), and Kyndal Todd (softball).

More than 100 people— families, friends, and coaches—packed the Center for the Arts Expo Hall to cheer on their students as they signed a letter accepting offers of a spot on a team next school year. Balloons, banners, flowers, and sports equipment adorned the signing tables. Each student and many of their supporters see ATHLETES on back page

CONGRATULATIONS: Teammates Gabriella Tavares (at left) and Kyndal Todd are preparing to sign letters of intent to play for college teams next year. Tavares will major in sociology at UTEP. Todd will major in forensic science at Cal.

OLG’s Spanish Immersion Program

By Michael Singer CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Eight young students busily munch on their lunches around a table while their teacher reads a book about dogs and cats. She pauses to answer questions and then gives directions to the students to wash their hands after they have finished.

While this could be any transitional kindergarten (TK) class, these students at Our Lady of Grace School in Castro Valley spend most of their day immersed in speaking and reading in Spanish.

It’s a fledgling Spanish language immersion program at OLG championed by the

Locals Bemoan Quarry

By Mike McGuire CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Some 150 people packed San Leandro’s Surlene Grant Meeting Room on East 14th Street near City Hall to hear about a proposal by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to refill a longclosed quarry off Lake Chabot Road and build a new park with hiking trails there.

Area residents and others at the meeting complained that the park’s opening would only come after decades of steady and noisy dump truck traffic carrying used trench soil from water pipe replacement projects throughout EBMUD’s service area to the quarry site.

EBMUD engineers say replacing the old soil with new is essential for the stability and longevity of the new pipes being installed to replace old ones and is a standard pipeline construction practice. The utility says this leaves much old soil to reuse or dispose of.

principal, Dr. Eugenia (Gena) McGowan. She says the program gives TK and Kindergarten an advantage that will help them better understand English and, eventually, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classes.

“Learning Spanish at a younger age is beneficial for understanding STEM subjects later,” Principal McGowan told the Forum. “Many words in science are based in Latin, and it will be easier for them to learn it in Spanish first.”

She adds that two of these TK students could only speak Mandarin when they came to OLG and now speak Spanish and English as well. see PROGRAM on back page

EBMUD estimates some 30 to 100 dump trucks would come to the site each weekday for 40 to 80 years, depending on whether the quarry gets all the trench soil or other sites get some of it.

“It would be converting a peaceful residential neighborhood into a 40 to 80-year construction zone,” said Bay-OVista resident Tim Ballas. “A peaceful setting is our reason for choosing to live here.”

Members of the San Leandro City Council’s Facilities & Transportation Committee heard the EBMUD proposal and advised against any quick approval. Councilmembers

Fred Simon and Bryan Azevedo and Mayor Juan Gonzalez, who participated remotely, see QUARRY on page 10

TU HABLAS ESPAÑOL?: Transitional Kindergarten teacher Ms. Maria Fajardo instructs two students on the Spanish words for items in their lunchboxes.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SINGER

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SINGER

Castro Valley Weather February 8 - February 12, 2023

DA Price Announces Creation Of Public Accountability Unit

Following the police-involved death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, and her campaign promise of accountability, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced the creation of a Public Accountability Unit (PAU) last Tuesday.

The division is expected to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing by law enforcement and public officials. DA Price has said she asked several local police chiefs and Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez to return evidence for six officer-involved shootings and two prison deaths,

with the intention of reopening the cases for further review to determine whether charges should be filed or not.

Cyclist Struck by Car

At 6:25 am last Thursday, a bicyclist failing to stop for a red light was struck by a car at the intersection of Crow Canyon Road and Castro Valley Boulevard.

According to CHP - Castro Valley officer Dan Jacowitz, the 49-year-old bicyclist traveling west on Castro Valley Boulevard near Crow Canyon went against traffic by not stopping for the red light. The result was the driver of

a 2004 Honda heading south on Crow Canyon struck the bicyclist who was transported to Eden hospital for moderate injuries. The driver stopped and is cooperating with CHP.

Jacowitz said this was a red light violation issue and no intoxication on either party is suspected. Jacowitz told Castro Valley News this is a good reminder for drivers and bicyclists alike to follow all traffic regulations.

“This unit and its work are the start of the reckoning Alameda County has asked for holding people accountable for their misconduct,” DA Price said in a statement.

The eight cases include Cody Chavez involving Pleasanton Police in 2022; Caleb Smith involving Hayward Police in 2021; Joshua Gloria involving Fremont Police in 2021, Agustin Gonsalez involving Hayward Police in 2019; Mack Jody Woodfox involving the Oakland Police in 2008, and Andrew Moppin-Buckskin involving the Oakland Police in 2007.

The deaths of Mario Gonzalez, who was in the custody of the Alameda Police Department in 2021, and Vinetta Martin, who died at Santa Rita Jail in 2021, will also be reopened. Three of the cases were reviewed and dismissed by former District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.

“These reports were released at the 11th hour, just weeks before I took office. As the top prosecutor, I want to review each case thoroughly to ensure justice has not been forgotten,” DA Price said.

“I’ve made sure that my Office has attempted to reach out to each of the families of the deceased. The healing process cannot begin until we do our due diligence.”

Due to the age of some of the cases, the statute of limitations may have run out for certain charges, such as involuntary manslaughter, which has a 3-year window. Additional details were not released as some of the cases under review are still being investigated.

Pamela Price

Closure of Lake Chabot Road

To be Longer Than Expected

By Mike McGuire CASTRO VALLEY

Lake Chabot Road is likely to stay closed along most of its length for longer than first realized, according to San Leandro’s Engineering & Transportation Department.

A reopening is unlikely before this summer or fall on the San Leandro end of the road near Interstate 580, according to department officials speaking at a February 1 city council committee meeting. It could even take into 2024 in one area near Interstate 580, they said.

It has not been announced how long it will take to repair the Alameda County end, closer to Fairmont Drive in Castro Valley.

County Public Works officials, asked at another meeting about the damage to that road and others, said the latest rains have further slowed down needed repairs. They promised details soon on what work was needed to reopen the roads.

Hillside erosion that endangers houses and the road itself is the problem at the San Leandro end of the road. Engineering & Transportation believes

Sheriff’s Reports

COMPILED BY MICHAEL SINGER • CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Stopped By Deputies

Twice in Same Week

Sunday, February 5: at 1:33 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 51-year-old man with no permanent residence on suspicion of possessing illegal narcotics. The man was hanging outside a restaurant on Redwood Road near Castro Valley Boulevard when deputies stopped him for questioning and discovered his stash. It was the second time in five days that the man had been arrested. On February 1, deputies responded to a report that the man violated a restraining order against him for a business in the same shopping area. Deputies took the man into custody.

Arrested for the Rape of a Minor

the problem at the county end is the road being undermined by the rains.

San Leandro’s announcement was bad news for the many residents of the city’s Bay-O-Vista neighborhood.

Along with some residents of Castro Valley and the nearby Oakland neighborhood of Sheffield Village, they had packed the meeting of the city council’s Facilities & Transportation Committee.

Most were there about another issue, EBMUD’s plans to redevelop the old quarry site see CLOSURE on page 10

Sunday, February 5: at 4:59 a.m., a 33-year-old man from Castro Valley was arrested on multiple counts of raping a minor, lewd and lascivious contact, and sexual acts involving a minor. Deputies caught up with the man at a home on Crow Canyon Road near Norris Canyon Road. The man was taken to Santa Rita Jail. The minor was taken into protective services.

Assault With a Deadly Weapon at the Hospital

Friday, February 3: at 3:08 p.m., deputies arrested a 43-year-old man from Castro Valley on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and violating the terms

of his parole. The man was visiting Eden Medical Center on Lake Chabot Road when deputies reported that the man got into an altercation with another person. Hospital security detained the man until deputies arrived and could be taken to Santa Rita Jail.

Spousal Assault Friday, February 3: at 8:35 a.m., a 911 call about a loud and aggressive-sounding argument sent deputies to a home on Lake Chabot Road near Somerset Avenue. There, they arrested a 30-year-old man see REPORTS on page 4

Mother, Child Hit by Car

A 40-year-old Castro Valley woman and her 7-year-old son were struck by a motorist while walking to Proctor Elementary at approximately 7:50 a.m. on Monday along Proctor Road west of Redwood Road. The driver, a 38-year-old Castro Valley woman, was driving an Infinity QX60 eastbound on Proctor Road when she turned from the roadway and struck the pedestrians as they walked on an unimproved sidewalk. The mother of the child was transported to the hospital with severe injuries. The child suf-

fered minor injuries and is with family. The driver remained on the scene and cooperated with California Highway Patrol (CHP) investigation. This collision is under investigation; however, alcohol and drug impairment are not believed to have played a factor.

“Most crashes occur as the result of something someone failed to do or neglected,” says CHP officer Dan Jacowitz. “As motorists, we need to check our surroundings and make the appropriate choices behind the wheel.”

San Leandro would very much like these houses on Astor Court, and Lake Chabot Road below, to stay put after recent rains.

FORUM

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN LEANDRO ENGINEERING & TRANSPORTATION DEPT.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Wednesday, Feb. 8

Coffee with a Cop Event

The Castro Valley and Hayward Area CHP Offices are partnering with the Cannery Kitchen and Tap (3295 Castro Valley Blvd.), for a Coffee With a Cop event this morning, Wednesday Feb. 8 from 9 am to 11:30 am. This will be a time of conversation and community engagement with CHP Officers, no agendas. Coffee and some complementary pastries will be provided by the Cannery Kitchen and other meal/breakfast items will be available for purchase. We look forward to engaging with our community, we hope to see you there!

Friday, Feb. 10

Libertarian Party Meet-Up

The Libertarian Party of Alameda County will be having a social meet-up at Canyon’s BBQ, 3341 Castro Valley Blvd, Castro Valley, this Friday, February 10 at 7pm. Membership not needed to attend. Find our monthly meetings, at various places all over Alameda County at: www.lpac.us/events

Sunday, Feb. 12

Sunday Cinema: The Farewell

Join us on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 1:30 to 2:30 pm for the film The Farewell (2019), produced by Lulu Wang. After her beloved grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, a Chinese-American woman returns to China for a family gathering secretly designed to say goodbye to the matriarch. However, when it becomes apparent that grandma is the only one unaware of the diagnosis, she struggles to keep the secret. Rated PG. Reservations are required for this FREE event. Register at aclibrary.org. For more information, call the library at 510667-7900, or see Events at https://aclibrary. org/location/castro-valley-events/.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

CV Rotary Hosts Chef Shaun Gethin

Chef Shaun Gethin, Private Chef, California Culinary School graduate and Gary Danko alumnus, will be speaking about his experiences as a chef. A buffet lunch and the program take place at Redwood Canyon Golf Course (17007 Redwood Road, CV) at 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. The cost of lunch is $20, RSVP by 9 pm on Sunday, Feb. 12, by emailing: cvrotary@iCloud.com or 510402-5123. Visit: castrovalleyrotary.org.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

Helping Students After the Pandemic

Alameda County Public Health Commission and CVEA Chamber of Commerce present: Helping Our Students Cope after the Pandemic. Don’t Miss this FREE event Feb. 15 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Cherryland Community Center (278 Hampton Road Hayward)! Our students continue to feel the effects of the pandemic. Some more than others. Join us to learn how to identify those effects, learn what you can do, and speak with healthcare professionals who can help.

Thursday, Feb. 16

Virtual Climate Action Workshop

Castro Valley has felt the impacts of extreme weather events, including recent flooding, extreme heat, and wildfire smoke. Attend the Virtual Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan Kickoff Workshop (via Zoom) on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss your concerns and inform updates to the County’s Community Climate Action Plan and Safety Element. This interactive Kickoff Workshop will explore the local impacts of extreme heat, wildfires, flooding, and other climate-related hazards. Visit www.acgov.org/cda/planning/ ccapse.htm to learn more and register

Reports: Intoxication

continued from page 3 from Castro Valley on suspicion of assault on his spouse. The man was handcuffed and taken into custody. The victim was treated at the scene.

Family Members

Busted for Intoxication

Wednesday, February 1: at 11:08 p.m., two people from the same family were arrested outside the Castro Village Bowl bowling alley in the Castro Village shopping area on suspicion of public intoxication. Deputies responding a report of disruptive behavior found a 20-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman at the scene with slurred speech and smelling of alcohol. Both suspects failed their field sobriety test. The woman was additionally charged with providing a false ID to deputies. The pair were taken to a sobering center.

Child Endangerment

Monday, January 30: at 10:23 a.m., deputies arrested a 27-year-old man from Castro Valley on suspicion of child endangerment, including causing pain or mental suffering likely to produce great bodily harm. The man and child were at home on Brookdale Boulevard near Mayflower Drive when deputies responded to a report of a child in a dangerous situation. The man was taken into custody. The child was attended to until deputies located another family member.

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

RESTAURANT

Valentine’s Day 3pm to 9pm To Go, Outside, and Inside

Entrees include Soup or Salad & Dessert

Soup~ French Onion Salad~ Mixed Greens

Sauté Scallops

w/ Lemon Garlic butter sauce

Stuffed Sole w/ white cream sauce.

Prime Rib of beef

10oz..

Filet Mignon

served with double mushroom sauce

lobster Tail (4 oz) Combo With Prime rib or Filet Mignon

Live Crabmeat Pasta

w/ Alfredo sauce

$39.95 $29.95 $39.95 $39.95 $59.95 $39.95

Dessert Happy Valentine’s Day

(510) 537-1454

20390 Lake Chabot Rd., Castro Valley

Howard Morrison, Editor & Publisher howardm@ebpublishing.com

Michael Singer, Managing Editor msinger@gmail.com

Moxie Morrison, Advertising Design Mgr. filesforforum@gmail.com

Claudette E. Morrison, Business Mgr. cm@ebpublishing.com

Mary Florence, Advertising Sales 861-3270 maryflorence798@gmail.com

Linda Nakhai, Advertising Sales 915-1513 lnakhai@comcast.net

Artists Reception On Friday Night

By Bruce Roberts SPECIAL TO THE FORUM

Hayward is a multicultural town, with citizens from all over the world. It’s also multicultural in the sense that Hayward residents travel the world, are aware of the world, and many of them represent that awareness in their art.

Thus from now to March 16, the artistic works of 46 Hayward area artists will travel to the O’Lague Gallery in the Hayward City Hall for a showing of this multicultural art entitled “Embracing the World.”

Multicultural, in this case, equals multi-talented. The work in this show involves over a dozen different techniques. Paint involves oil and acrylic and watercolor, with subsets of gouache, or paint with ink or pen or colored pencil. The realism of photography is interspersed with fabric art—quilts, and even embroidery. Mixed media contrasts ceramics, encaustic, and poetry.

In short, art supporters, and those curious about local art should visit the John O’Lague Galleria, Hayward City Hall, 777 B street, and open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Even better, see the show and meet the artists at the artists’ reception on Friday, Feb. 10, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Visit haywardartscouncil.org for more exhibitions and programs.

Contributors:

Linda Sandsmark

Mike McGuire

Amy Sylvestri

Jim Knowles

Gene Osofsky

Carl Medford

Terry Liebowitz

Debbie Tee

Linette Escobar

Thomas Lorentzen

Buzz Bertolero

Bruce Roberts

HAVING DELIVERY ISSUES? LET US

KNOW: MYCVFORUM.COM/DELIVERY

Bruce Roberts is HAC board vice-president and Hayward Poet Laureate.

Senior Softball League

The Hayward Area Senior softball league, sponsored by HARD, will be starting their 2023 season soon. Tryouts for new players will take place on Tuesday, February 14 and 21 at 9:30 am, at the Oliver Field soccer fields on Hesperian. Age groups are 50’s (play on

Thursday) 60’s play on Tuesdays and 70’s on Wednesdays. The season will start in mid March and continue through September. Applications and other information is available on the website: hardseniorsoftball.com It is a coed league. All games start at 9:30 am.

“Back in the Day” by Bob Icenogle

REAL ESTATE GALLERY REAL ESTATE GALLERY

REAL ESTATE REALITY GUEST COMMENTARY

4 bedrooms,

By Carl Medford, CRS Special to the Times

Market Regaining Momentum As Interest Rates Inch Lower

As interest rates are inching lower, it appears the market is regaining some momentum. Reports from across the country indicate that buyers are appearing in greater numbers at open houses and pending sales are climbing. While that would be normal for real estate at this time of year, in this case, it represents a significant reversal from the market we have encountered the past 7 months.

In a recent email, Glenn Kelman, Redfin’s CEO confirmed what local agents have been seeing, stating, “Home sales are still down from pandemic highs, but January was stronger than anyone expected.” He clarified with the following:

“Rates down: since November, 30-year-mortgage rates fell from 7.3% to 5.99%, lowering the typical mortgage payment by $260 per month.

From November to December, pending home sales increased 2.5%, the first monthover-month increase since May.

In January, 37% of newly listed homes had accepted an offer within two weeks of their debut, faster than at any point since last July.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

This is definitely good news and many are hoping it continues. It is important to understand, however, that like any emerging trend, results will be a bit spotty. As an example, homes in some parts of the Bay Area are still languishing on the market weeks after going live. In stark contrast, a recent properly-priced home in Fremont received over 50 offers and went hundreds of thousands over list price.

In a market such as this, three fundamentals still prevail:

Location:

Some neighborhoods are just more desirable than others. In most cases, this is due to external issues such as proximity to great schools, Silicon Valley and so on. Homes in these areas will sell more quickly and get better offers than properties in marginal areas.

Condition:

Homes that are upgraded and tastefully appointed typically sell quicker than homes that are not. The caveat here are homes that are total fixers and priced to sell: those homes typically sell quickly as well, but to an entirely different clientele and at bargain basement prices. Homes in the ‘ordinary middle’ are the ones that stay on the market the longest.

Price

More than ever, it is critical to price correctly. Over-priced homes, no matter how nice, will sit for a long time. Spring is around the corner, and with it hopes that the real estate freeze will be thawing as well.

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.

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Best Remedy for Frost Injury is Patience

QMy Potato Vine and Bougainvillea suffered from frost in the recent cold spells. Most of the leaves have fallen off, so they look terrible. Is there anything I can do now to help them grow back?

By Buzz Bertolero THE DIRT GARDENER

AIt’s not unusual for Potato Vines and Bougainvillea to be damaged from frost and freezing temperatures. The cold will burn the leaves and or kill the plants. Cold acts as a desiccant

pulling moisture from the plant tissue, while a freeze causes the cell walls to rupture. As a result of these damaged cell walls, the plant defrosts too quickly, killing leaves and stems.

Cold injury is more likely to occur the longer the temperature stays below thirty-two degrees after the sun rises. It’s unfortunate that all the leaves have fallen off. They could have acted as an umbrella to protect everything underneath them.

Right now, the recommendation is to do nothing. There is the possibility of more cold temperatures in the future, so I would not be inclined to prune them yet. Instead, I’d wait until the danger of frost is over, which is around March 15. You could also scratch the bark to see if it’s green. This would indicate that the plant is still alive.

I’d still wait longer until you see some new growth developing. At this time, I prune off all the dead growth and fertilizer with an Organic All Purpose plant food to encourage the new growth. If you don’t see any new growth by Mother’s Day, then I would replace them.

After pruning my roses, is there any special winter fertilizer I should feed my bushes?

FROST INJURY?: There is the possibility of more cold temperatures in the future, so I would not be inclined to prune them yet. Instead, wait until the danger of frost is over, which is around March 15.

AThere is no special winter fertilizer for roses. With the advent of the rose care products from Bayer or Bonide, you can combine a fertilizer with an insect and disease control in a single application with the first feeding. Depending on what you choose to use, you would wait until March to apply. The other option is to apply Rose Food starting after the President’s Day holiday and repeating it monthly through October. For container roses, I prefer Os-

mocote, as it’s a time-release product that releases a little bit of nutrients with every watering and is reapplied every four months. You would then treat the Aphids and other insect problems along with Rust, Mildew, and Black Spot separately. Hence, there are many correct answers as to what to do and use.

Buzz Bertolero is an Advanced California Certified Nursery Professional. The Dirt Gardener’s website is www. dirtgardener.co

BUZZ BERTOLERO THE DIRT GARDENER

RECENT HOME SALES

Mortgage Rates Continue to Shift Down

Mortgage rates inched down again, with the 30-year fixed-rate down nearly a full point from November, when it peaked at just over seven percent. According to Freddie Mac research, this one percentage point reduction in rates can allow as many as three million more mortgage-ready consumers to qualify and afford a $400,000 loan, which is the median home price.

WEEKEND GARDENER

Sowing Seeds

It’s not too early to sow some flower seeds outdoors, including cosmos, sweet alyssum, sweet peas, California poppies and larkspur. Start seeds indoors in flats for summer vegetables, including tomatoes, squash and peppers.

Perennials

Plant perennials now for early spring bloom. English primroses, day lilies, Shasta daisies and phlox are all good bets.

Don’t Wait

If you haven’t pruned roses, fruit trees and grapes, do it now. New growth has already started to appear, but better late than not at all. Also, February is your last chance for dormant spraying. Dormant spraying controls insects that hibernate during the winter and fungal diseases such as peach-leaf curl.

Pests

Pull weeds before they bloom and spread seeds. Handpick snails and slugs by sprinkling the garden in late afternoon, then using a flashlight to catch the little devils just after dark.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

You can run a classified ad for a little as $30 a week. Your ad runs in both of our newspapers, the Castro Valley Forum on Wednesday and the San Leandro Times on Thursday. You can also save $5 by placing your ad on our website at castrovalleyforum.com or sanleandrotimes.com. We’ll call you for your credit or debit card info for payment.

To place an ad by phone call Patrick Vadnais at 510-614-1560, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

CONCRETE SERVICE

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CONTRACTOR SERVICE

NOTICETO READERS California law requires that contractors taking jobs that total $500 or more (labor or materials) be licensed by the Contractors State License Board. State Law also requires that contractors include their license number on all advertising. Advertisers appearing on this page without a license number indicate that the contractor is not licensed. You can check the status of your licensed contractor at www.cslb.ca.gov or (800)321-2752. Unlicensed contractors taking jobs that total less than $500 must state in their advertisements that they are not licensed by the Contractors State License Board.

EMPLOYMENT WANTED

22 year old with EMT, CPR & Security Guard Card certifications seeks full time employment. I have excellent references. Please email me at: rogerdouglasvadnais@gmail.com

FENCES/DECKS

SPECIALIZING IN WOOD FENCES, DECKS & RETAINING WALLS. Replace or repair, paved walkways, yard cleaning, tree trimming, topping or removal, garage cleaning & debris removal. Insured & Bonded #8189. Jerry 510-410-2427.

Advertise your Home for rent in the San Leandro Times & Castro Valley Forum

DON’T LET ANOTHER WEEK SLIPBY!

– Avacancy day is money lost forever –To place an ad call 510-614-1558

GARDENING

*BEAUTYGARDEN LANDSCAPING

Design - Construction - Maintenance. Cleanups, New Lawn, Artificial Grass, Irrigation, Patios, Pathways, Brick, Stone, Concrete Fence/ Decks. Free Estimates! Lic.#925130. 510-691-8852. www.beautygardenlandscaping.com

JAIME’S GARDENING

Maintenance, Trimming, Cleanups, Hauling, Sprinkler Repair/ Timers. FREE Estimates. Insured. 510-299-9583

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HANDYMAN SERVICE

TORRES, APERFECT HANDYMAN

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Painting, Plumbing, Concrete, Retaining Walls, Fences, Tiles, etc. FREE

Estimates. Lic.#126121. 510-305-3205

HAULING SERVICE

HAULING: Small and Big Jobs. Furniture, Concrete, Wood, Trash, Metal, Demolition. Also house inside/ outside cleanups. 510-715-1578.

HELP WANTED

Castro Valley CPAfirm looking for experienced secretary to work approximately 25 or more hours per week early February to mid-April. Email resume to susan.stephan@mckinneycompany.c om.

HOUSE CLEANING

LORENA’S HOUSE CLEANING & HANDYMAN SERVICE

•Also Carpet Cleaning/Installation FREE Estimates 510-938-4742/510-613-5777

NEED - MUSIC LESSONS or PIANO TUNING? Check the Classified Ads under “MUSICALSERVICES” for help.

LOST & FOUND

FOUND Female cat - with green jacket with gold designs. Long hair gray/ white with batches of orange, between Lorenzo Ave. & Washington Ave. on around 1/7/23. 510-3010918.

MISC. FOR SALE

You can place a FREE “MISC. FOR SALE” ad for items $50 or less at: sanleandrotimes.com or at: castrovalleyforum.com or more info call Patrick Mon-Fri. 9am-1pm at 510-614-1560 (some restrictions may apply) Chandelier,media tower, 32” TV w/mount, misc. household items. 310-480-7178.

MISC. WANTED

WANTED - Reel to reel music

tapes, Call Patrick 510-517-3351.

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

RENTALS

Coming April 1st brand new studio with one bedroom . Open house Saturday the 11 from 9-1 1437 141 Ave.

LANDLORDS – Advertise your units! Avacancy day is money lost forever ... R. Bowman

SERVICES

HANDYMAN & CONTRACTORS

You can run a classified ad for a little as $30 a week. Your ad runs in both of our newspapers, the Castro Valley Forum on Wednesday and the San Leandro Times on Thursday. You can also save $5 by placing your ad on our website at castrovalleyforum.com or sanleandrotimes.com. We’ll call you for your credit or debit card info for payment.

To place an ad by phone call Patrick Vadnais at 510-614-1560, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

TREE SERVICE

*ACAREFULTREE SERVICE. Certified. Arborist. Lic.#694067. Trimming, Removals. FREE Estimates Bonded. Call 510-581-7377.

Are you interested in buying or selling a home or property?

Would you like the help of a Professional Agent?

For assistance call ...

*SCOTT HARRISON - Realtor Coldwell Banker 510-388-4536

NEED -

Advertise your Home for rent in the San Leandro Times & Castro Valley Forum

DON’T LET ANOTHER WEEK SLIPBY!

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100th Day of School

Last Wednesday, Feb. 1, was the 100th day of school for San Lorenzo School District so, of course, it was time to honor our centenarians and dress like them! Check out sweet Grannie Savannah (5) and PawPaw Brick (7) with teacher Mrs. Gerasimov-Short.

Quarry: Proposal

continued from front page called for the full council to look at the proposal and get several questions answered by EBMUD.

Councilmember Celina Reynes, whose district includes Bay-O-Vista and who attended despite not being on the committee, congratulated her constituents for organizing around the project. Reynes also wanted the full council to consider the proposal.

Project Manager Chien Wang assured the meeting that none of EBMUD’s used soil going to the quarry would come from industrial areas and would be held to cleanliness standards.

She also said that noise would be minimized as much as possible, limited to daytime during the workweek, with most operations occurring mid-day.

The old quarry site sits immediately adjacent to San Leandro’s Bay-O-Vista neighborhood. The nearest house is some 100 feet away, according to both EBMUD and Save

Lake Chabot Road, a group opposing the project whose members came to the meeting in force.

The group has gathered over 1,000 names on a petition opposing the project as it is now proposed. They cite concerns about the stability of the road, the inappropriateness of the location as a centralized facility, and the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, and cars if a large

number of dump trucks use the narrow, sometimes twisting road.

According to city and county figures, some 990 homes in Bay-O-Vista, and some 3,500 cars a day use Lake Chabot Road normally. However, it is currently closed for most of its length due to recent rain and mudslide damage.

The site was last used for mining in 1996, but several

Closure: Two Areas on Road Where Erosion Presents Danger

continued from page 3 just off that road, but the road repairs came up first on the agenda.

San Leandro city crews immediately started work stabilizing the endangered hillside, near Astor Drive, with tarps and began planning longer-term repairs. There are two areas where erosion presents a danger, said John O’Driscoll, associate engineer with the city. One is the area near Astor

Drive, where hillside erosion is marked clearly by blue tarps used to control it. However, the road has not been undermined.

The other is further downhill near Chabot Terrace, closer to the freeway. There the erosion is right at the road itself, undermining the road.

For the area near Astor Drive, a consultant will prepare repair plans, O’Driscoll said. These will likely involve using much larger boulders

than now, while improvements to the upper slope will safely convey stormwater away.

According to the department, these repairs are estimated to cost $400,000 to $600,000 and take until at least May to June of this year.

The area near Chabot Terrace will cost more, an estimated $4 million, and take longer to repair, potentially during the dry months of 2024, O’Driscoll said.

A consultant will determine if it is safe to reopen the road before both sets of repairs are done. Repairs will require road closure during actual construction activities, according to the department.

The committee had previously asked the department to survey the neighborhood about possibly restricting Lake Chabot Road to pedestrian and bicycle use. Department staff said at the February 1

meeting that this change would perhaps make repairs quicker and cheaper, but they would still have to be made. They noted that the road had needed stabilization work even before the rains.

O’Driscoll said, responding to a question from Councilmember Fred Simon, that the department has not yet identified the funding to pay for all the Lake Chabot Road repairs.

small non-mining businesses operate there now.

The old quarry site at 13575 Lake Chabot Road is on unincorporated county land, but the city line is nearby, and trucks would be using the city portion of the road to bring loads to the site. The empty trucks would then return on the county portion of the road ending at Fairmont Drive, ending on I-580.

CORRECTION:

In our Feb. 1 Tenant Protections article, it stated that ordinances would apply to Castlewood, Happy Valley, and Sunol. Ordinances only apply to Urban Unincorporated portions of the County (Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, Hillcrest Knolls, Hayward Acres, and San Lorenzo). The Forum regrets the error.

Overflow crowd hears about EBMUD’s proposed Quarry Project at a February 1 city council committee meeting in San Leandro.

PHOTO BY MIKE MCGUIRE

FILED DEC 30, 2022

FILED JAN 27, 2023

FROM THE BOULEVARD

By Thomas Lorentzen SPECIAL TO THE FORUM

It is improbable that the famed U.S. General, Douglas MacArthur, ever visited Castro Valley. Yet, he did once plant a seed in the heart and mind of a resident of our town. He was a young cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The year was 1962. His name was Tom Legan. Although he has now passed, he shared a story with me years ago that still resonates. The stage was on the Hudson River in New York. The setting was West Point. It was to be the farewell address of Douglas MacArthur. He was one of only five individuals ever given the title of “General of the Army” in U.S. history. The auditorium was full. Silence ensconced the room. He was a person of history regarding military leadership. He was also a master of language and of the theater of life. With ease, he dominated the stage. It was a Shakespearian experience.

He began his remarks with high intelligence – use of humor. His voice was of his age, and moved slowly, yet with subtle emphasis. It was beyond Barrymore. The language was poetic. It rhymed with meaning. It stressed high purpose and the unknown heroes of military life. Despite a larger than life presence, he spoke with humility. The importance of the past and knowledge of it was stated. He traveled with meaning and eloquence into the present. With that, the future was predicated upon knowing the past and present. There were unknown challenges and adventures ahead. They were to be determined.

What was central throughout his message was the importance of high purpose. Although applied to the military life, it had applications to all of life. The spirit captured was similar to that given decades earlier at a place called Gettysburg by a man named Lincoln. It was the high calling of the motto of West Point – “Duty, Honor, and Country.”

The language used by MacArthur contained traces of poetry and music. The same with feelings of trouble and tragedy, and the nobility of purpose. There appears to be similarity to concerns often made in the present. It is shared because of what appears to be a decline in the appreciation of language as expressed in the written word. There have been similar concerns expressed by others. Perhaps they, along with me, are wrong. Language is, after all, the currency of life. It is also a pivotal tool in life itself. Recent books of note have expressed a similar conclusion (“The Invention of Yesterday” by Tamin Ansary; “Sapiens

– A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari; and “A Little History of the World” by E.H. Gombrich).

From here in Castro Valley, and with appreciation for the life of Tom Legan and his family, some words from MacArthur’s speech are shared. They are about the lessons of life, as learned by MacArthur. Stated in 1962, they remain relevant to us today:

“They teach you to be proud and unbending in honest failure, but humble and gentle in success; not to substitute words for action; not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge; to learn to stand up in the storm, but to have compassion on those who fall; to master yourself before you seek to master others; to have a heart that is clean, a goal that is high; to yearn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; to reach into the future, yet never neglect the past; to be serious, yet never take yourself too seriously; to be modest so that you will remember the simplicity of true greatness; the open mind of wisdom, the meekness of true strength.” These lessons, learned by MacArthur, and shared with Tom Legan and other cadets at West Point in 1962, are good for us to think about now, in the year 2023.

COUNTY

MELISSA WILK County Clerk ALAMEDA

By----------, Deputy FILE NO. 594463

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

Pursuant to Business and Professions Code

Sections 17900-17930

The name of the business(es): Advanced Spinal Care, East Bay, located at 2381 Grove Way Castro Valley, CA 94546, 183 Via Viento San Lorenzo, CA 94580 in Alameda County, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Tenny Lee 183 Via Viento San Lorenzo, CA 94580. This business is conducted by an Individual. This business commenced March 2008 /s/ Tenny Lee

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on date indicated by file stamp above.

Expires JAN 16, 2028

JAN 25, FEB 01, 08, 15, 2023 0558-CVF

FILED FEB 01, 2023

MELISSA WILK County Clerk ALAMEDA COUNTY

By----------, Deputy FILE NO. 595241

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

Pursuant to Business and Professions Code

Sections 17900-17930

The name of the business(es):

Beard Papa’s Castro Valley, located at 3295 Castro Valley Blvd., Suite 102 Castro Valley, CA 94546. PO Box 20252 Castro Valley, CA 94546. in Alameda County, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): JYTF LLC, 1401 21st ST, Suite R, Sacramento, CA 95811. This business is conducted by a Limited Liability Company.

This business commenced N/A

/s/ Ye Ye

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on date indicated by file stamp above.

Expires JAN 31, 2028

FEB 08, 15, 22, MAR 01, 2023 0534-CVF

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

FILE NUMBER 556359

The following person has abandoned the use of the fictitious business name:

Liberty Theatrical Decor, at 22313 Meekland Ave., Hayward CA 94541, in Alameda County. Full name of registrant is: Donald Nethercottl, at 18850 Lenross Ct., Castro Valley, CA 94546.

The Fictitious Business Name Statement

Liberty Theatrical Decor, was filed on 03/12/2019 in the county of Alameda.

Original File Number 556359. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information, which he or she knows to be false, is guilty of a crime). This statement was filed with the County clerk of Alameda County on: top right stamp date. NOTICE - This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed on, in the office of the County Clerk.

A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state or common law (see Section 14400, et seq., B&P Code.) This statement was filed with the County Clerk-Recorder of Alameda County on 02/03/2023.

FEB 08, 15, 22, MAR 01, 2023 0565-CVF

MELISSA WILK County Clerk

ALAMEDA COUNTY

By----------, Deputy FILE NO. 595093

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

Pursuant to Business and Professions Code

Sections 17900-17930

The name of the business(es): Pacific Transactions, located at 18459 Reamer Road Castro Valley, CA 94546. P.O. Box #20261 Castro Valley CA 94546. In Alameda County, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Gabriella Stefanic, 18459 Reamer Road Castro Valley, CA 94546. This business is conducted by an Individual. This business commenced N/A /s/ Gabriella Stefanic

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on date indicated by file stamp above.

Expires JAN 22, 2028

FEB 01, 08, 15, 22, 2023 0556-CVF

FILED JAN 27, 2023

MELISSA WILK County Clerk ALAMEDA COUNTY

By----------, Deputy FILE NO. 595092

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

Pursuant to Business and Professions Code

Sections 17900-17930

The name of the business(es):

First Baptist Preschool A Kids Kingdom; A Kid’s Kingdom Preschool; AKK, located at 18550 Redwood Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546. in Alameda County, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): First Baptist Church of Castro Valley, 18550 Redwood Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546. This business is conducted by a Corporation

This business commenced 10/22/1990

/s/ Lisa Miller

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on date indicated by file stamp above.

Expires JAN 26, 2028

FEB 08, 15, 22, MAR 01, 2023 0534-CVF

FILED JAN 27, 2023

MELISSA WILK County Clerk

ALAMEDA COUNTY

By----------, Deputy FILE NO. 595079

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

Pursuant to Business and Professions Code

Sections 17900-17930

The name of the business(es): Quantum Graphic Studios, located at 4865 Mancini Dr., Castro Valley, CA 94546. in Alameda County, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): William Pelkey, 4865 Mancini Dr., Castro Valley, CA 94546. This business is conducted by an Individual. This business commenced 1993 /s/ William Pelkey

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on date indicated by file stamp above.

Expires JAN 26, 2028

FEB 08, 15, 22, MAR 01, 2023 0534-CVF

CALLING ALL CVHS CHOIR ALUMNI

Join In Memorial Concert to Honor Music Educator

Retired Castro Valley High School choir teacher, Sue Susoeff and current CVHS choir director, Laryssa Sadoway invite Castro Valley High School Choir Alumni to join them in a memorial concert on Friday, May 5, 7:00 pm at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts to celebrate the life of music educator, Mrs. Marjorie Remington, who passed away in August of 2021.

The CVHS Madrigals will present the first portion of the concert, followed by three songs performed by the alumni. The highlight of the evening will be the combined choirs singing Music for the Soul Within, commissioned especially for this event. CVHS graduate Dr. Darin Lewis (‘84) composed the piece and Susoeff wrote the text. There will be only one rehearsal, Thursday, May 4, 6:30 to 9:30 pm at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts.

Susoeff said she would love to see up to 200 or more choir members on stage for this special event. “Getting the word out is the hardest part,” both Susoeff and Sadoway agreed. They are asking each alumnus to invite their choir friends. Choir members will receive their music with a recording soon since they will need to learn their music on their own.

The concert will be fundraiser for the CVHS choral department and donations will be collected for a one-time scholarship in Mrs. Remington’s name for a graduating student planning to become a music teacher. Beginning in the 1970s, Mrs. Remington taught at A.B. Morris, CVHS, and the Castro Valley elementary schools. In retirement, she was a sought-after adjudicator at California Music Educators Association and American Choral Director’s Association choral and solo/ensemble festivals. Interested alumni should respond to suecvhsmus3@yahoo.com or call Leslie (Marra) Troxell (’81) 510-538-8492.

Marjorie Remington

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Athletes: Sign Their Letters of Intent

continued from front page wore t-shirts, hoodies, and hats in the colors and insignia of the schools they will attend in the fall.

“What you see before you is the dedication of these students and their balance of family, school, and sports,” CVHS Athletic Director Kathleen Stacy said during the signing ceremony.

Each student was introduced by their coach with a few words about how each one will be missed and how much of an impact they had in their respective sport. Each year the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) estimates that 48,000 high school seniors participate in National Letter of Intent and National Signing Day ceremonies.

Our Athletes of the Week are the Creekside Middle School Flag Football team. The Cougars played very well in the season’s first game (January 26), beating out John Muir Middle School (San Leandro) by a score of 18-6. Creekside started off the scoring when Niko Koperski (#1) intercepted a pass and took it back 60 yards for a pick-6 touchdown. Creekside scored again when quarterback William Jenson (#37) ran a 5-yard quarterback sneed in for a touchdown. Then Creekside finished off their scoring when Koperski took a handoff from Jenson and threw a 10-yard pass to receiver Jared Davis (#3) in the back corner of the endzone. Creekside will play against Newark tomorrow. The annual Battle of the Valley against crosstown rivals Canyon Middle School is on Thursday, Feb. 16, at John Brosnan Stadium at CVHS.

The Matt Wilhite Team is proud to sponsor Athlete of the Week Creekside Flag Football

“A lot of work goes into not only being an athlete but a great student and a leader,” CVHS Principal Christopher Fortenberry told the Forum. “It’s a fantastic day for Castro Valley High School and for high school sports. We’re very proud of these students and their accomplishments.”

Of the six students, Hodges will play soccer at Sonoma State University and study psychology. Liebowitz will be on the rowing crew at the University of California, San Diego, where he’ll major in public health and hopes to one day be a doctor.

Perez has signed up with Orange Coastal College to play water polo and study criminology. Schirado will be playing volleyball at Moorpark College in Ventura County, where she plans on studying animal behavior.

Tavares signed up to attend

the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) in the fall to play softball and study sociology. Todd will play softball for the University of California, Berkeley, where she will study forensic science.

Unlike past signing ceremonies, this year’s students had a tough time getting in front of athletic recruiters because the COVID pandemic restricted much of their playing time in the last few years.

“We took Taylor to a special

recruiting camp just so schools could see her play,” reflected Taylor’s mom, Julie Hodges. “Unlike some districts, Castro Valley followed the pandemic protocols, but that meant some of these students weren’t able to show off their skills as much last year.”

To help get their athlete’s name and video of their playing style out there, the Hodges and other families turned to social media to attract recruiters’ attention.

Program: Dual Language Immersion

continued from front page “Dual language immersion helps with learning and opens up worlds, not just pedagogically but socially. It makes you aware that you are a citizen of a global world,” Principal McGowan says.

While half the global population speaks at least two languages, only 20 percent of the U.S. population speaks a language other than English at home, according to the latest US Census.

Principal McGowan says she developed this immersion program when she was the principal of St. Matthew Catholic School in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2011, her school was one of a few invited to work with the Boston College Roche Center for Catholic Education and its Two-Way Immersion Network

for Catholic Schools (TWINCS). The program blends native English-speaking students with peers who are native in another language, not necessarily Spanish. McGowan says she focused on Spanish because California, like Arizona, has a large Spanish-speaking community.

OLG is novel because they have many culturally diverse families. She says the school’s immersion programs have nothing to do with ethnicity or the language of origin. In fact, most of the eight students in the TK program do not speak Spanish at home. She says the feedback has been positive.

“Parents are excited because they tell us that their students want to come to school and that they are speaking Spanish at home,” Principal McGowan said.

OLG’s immersion program currently includes 80 percent of their day in Spanish and 20 percent in English. TK teacher Ms. Maria Fajardo collaborates with kindergarten teacher Dr. Emmit Hancock, which currently spends 20 percent of their day in Spanish immersion. Principal McGowan hopes to increase that to 30 percent of the kindergarten’s day and to expand the immersion program to science classes in Spanish for 1st Graders.

Principal McGowan says she is currently working on a feasibility study for the Oakland Diocese, which manages OLG, as a proof point to expand the immersion program to the older grades. The school is also launching a summer program for younger students to prepare them for Spanish.

Gabriella Schirado

Kai Liebowitz

Taylor Hodges

Gabriella Tavares

Kyndal Todd

Natalia Perez

William Jenson

Jared Davis

Niko Koperski

PHOTOS BY LAVINPHOTOS.COM