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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2022
YEAR 34
NO. 2
Local Chef’s Restaurant a ‘Hidden’ Gem
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
OUR TOWN
By Michael Singer
CV Reads
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Free books, events, and disscussions on the hot topic of climate change
Page 3 NEWS
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SINGER
DA Warning
DA issues warning on price gouging in sales of at-home COVID-19 tests
Page 4 HOMES
A large group of people gathered in Castro Valley to remember the insurrection on January 6, 2021. The event was one of more than 220 events that took place across the country, including at the U.S. Capitol.
Vigil Held to Remember Jan 6, US Capitol Attack By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Flower Power
Bougainvillea needs to be protected when temperatures dip
A crowd of about 50 people joined in a candlelight vigil in downtown Castro Valley this past Thursday to remember the events of January 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the US Capitol aimed at thwarting a peaceful transfer of power.
The remembrance vigil at the so-called Castro Valley Peace Corner—the intersection of Castro Valley Boulevard and Redwood Road— also included signs in support of new voting legislation including the Freedom to Vote Act, the Protecting Our Democracy Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and DC see VIGIL on page 5
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INDEX Classified Ads ............ 8 Crosswords ............... 9 Homes ....................... 6 Horoscope ................. 7 Legal Notices ........... 10 Merchants .................. 4 Obituaries ................ 11 Opinions .................. 11 Our Town .................... 3 Weather ....................... 2 PHONE: (510) 614-1560
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When the Carry Outee takeout food stand on Castro Valley Boulevard closed down nearly 20 years ago, Mikey Ochoa had envisioned opening up his own restaurant there to make the foods he liked to eat and serve the community he Chef Mikey Ochoa lived in. “It was near and dear to me growing up,” Ochoa said. “When I went to school in Castro Valley, I was always thinking that I had to go outside the town to get anything good. So, I wanted to turn that shack into something where I could cook and open up a restaurant there.” Now, Ochoa, 31, has a celebrated restaurant a couple of doors down the street at the Castro Valley Marketplace where he is getting noticed by the local and national press. However, he is more excited about the response from the community. “The feedback from people in Castro Valley has been great,” he said. “I have a lot of wonderful interactions. I have seen people I grew up with or I meet people who say ‘this is so cool. We have been waiting for something like this for some time.’” Ochoa opened his restaurant, named Oculto—which means “hidden” in Spanish—back in December as a spot opened up with the Night Owl restaurant space upstairs in the Marketplace. Within three weeks and see GEM on page 5
Remembering Mathilde Schmidt By Michael Singer
have celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on January 30th. Mathilde Apelt Schmidt Schmidt is preceded in passed away peacefully last death by her son Marty who Tuesday, January 4. She was died along with his son Denali 100. in 2013 while they attempt The Castro Valley resident ed to be the first father and was surrounded by her surviv- son team to summit K2, the ing children: Leo H. Schmidt, second-highest mountain in the world. Mathilde is the Doris Michaels with her husband Charlie, and Barbara grandmother of six and the great-grandmother of three. Cruz, and by her 96-year-old husband, Leo W. Schmidt via There is an intimate gathFacetime. The couple would ering scheduled for the close CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
family on Saturday, January 15. Anyone who would like to honor her long and fruitful life can donate to the Bear Valley Music Festival (bearvalleymusicfestival.org) in her honor. Schmidt was a self-published author of five books, a former German teacher in Castro Valley who loved playing piano, gardening, and playing Scrabble. She was active in the CV German community, helped organize Oktoberfest celebrations, was a Rotarian,
and volunteered at the Castro Valley Library. She is best known for her guide for life: “Happiness a Matter of the Mind: Vantage point of an Octogenarian” (2008 by IUniverse) “It’s all in my book, but achieving inner happiness is important,” Apelt Schmidt told the Castro Valley Forum last year. “Stay away from the enemies of happiness: stress, anger, jealousy, greed, lies, see SCHMIDT on page 5
Mathilde Apelt Schmidt
1/11/22 5:50 PM