Strike Team on State Fires
When was the last time you updated
By Mike McGuire CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Alameda County has so far been spared the worst of wildfre season, but its frefghters have been pitching in around the state to help put out wildfres in other areas.
An Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) strike team was most recently sent to Santa Barbara County to help put out the Lake Fire there, which had spread to over 36,000 acres. Parks, nature preserves, and even the late Michael Jackson’s former Nev-
erland estate were under threat. While the coast was cool and foggy, if smoky, people were being evacuated in parts of the hotter inland Santa Ynez Valley. The Sedgwick Reserve, once owned by the parents of Andy Warhol’s muse and leading model Edie Sedgwick,
was in particular danger. A strike team leader and assistant leader from AFDC were among the 22 frefghters who made up strike team OES 2870-C, deployed by the state. (OES stands for Offce of Emergency Services.) see FIRES on page 3
Oversight Board
By Amy Sylvestri CASTRO
The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) declined to endorse a proposal to create a citizens’ oversight board for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Offce at their meeting Monday night. The county Board of Supervisors is the process of drafting an ordinance that would establish a volunteer citizens’ oversight board and Offce of the Investigator General “hybrid” in order to monitor the sheriff’s offce.
Such oversight bodies are possible due to AB 1185, which went into effect in 2021.
“This would be a bridge between the sheriff’s offce and the community,” said Andrea Weddle, chief assistant county counsel.
The county looked at existing boards such as those overseeing the Oakland, San Francisco, and BART police see MAC on page 5
Patti’s Swim School, 45 Years of Swim Safety
By Linda Sandsmark CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Patti’s Swim School in Castro Valley has taught over 100,000 people to swim during its 45-year existence, and owner Patti O’Brien has no plans to slow down.
“I’ll probably never retire from my business,” she says. “I started my school when I was 15 years old. I was working at another swim center and decided Castro Valley needed a specialized swimming school.”
Patti’s Swim School specializes in tailoring lessons to individual needs and abilities.
Early in her career, Patti gave lessons during summer vacation while going to school and raising her six children.
Eventually earning a master’s in education, Patti became a teacher, and she saw that people learn more when lessons are one-on-one.
“Now, about 30 percent of our students are on the autism spectrum. We meet the needs of the swimmer,” she says.
“We have highly trained staff who are continuously monitored for effectiveness.”
Another specialty area is “drown-proofng” children at an early age, including toddlers under two. With all the pools and open waters in California, infant water survival skills are critical, says Patti.
“We also teach lots of adults, including people in their 80s. We customize all our lessons,” she adds. “We respect all religions and have class times see PATTI’S on back page
Alameda County Fire Department engine on its way to fght wildfres elsewhere in the state.
PHOTO
VALLEY FORUM
Castro Valley Weather July 17
Hightower-Guzman Named Marshall Elementary Principal
Marshall Elementary School will have a new principal starting this summer. Last Wednesday, the Castro alley nifed School District (CVUSD) Board of Education appointed Mistee Hightower-Guzman to the position.
Hightower-Guzman has more than ten years of experience in school administration, from elementary to high school, where she served as assistant principal and principal. Her tenure includes being a principal in San Lorenzo, a middle school principal in Livermore, and a teacher at Cesar Chavez Middle School in Hayward.
school plans and communicating district functions.
As a teacher on special assignments, Hightower-Guzman designed lessons to help teachers celebrate cultural diversity and implement a social-emotional curriculum.
Ms. Hightower-Guzman earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of California, Davis, and her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Berkeley.
“Ms. Hightower-Guzman’s vast and successful experience in public education is a tremendous asset, and we are fortunate to have her on our team,” said Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi.
She has also collaborated with different parent communities to assist in creating student
In her administrative capacity, Hightower-Guzman introduced programs such as “Response to Intervention K-2,” “Professional Learning Communities,” and “Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports,” according to a CVUSD spokesperson. She worked with the staff on school-wide initiatives to enhance student engagement and achievement.
Hightower-Guzman replaces Yvonna Rogers, who served as principal at Marshall for the last four years.
Recei es De ri ators
By Michael Singer CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
More County Sheriff’s deputies will have portable defbrillators in their patrol cars, thanks to a pilot program launched last week by the Alameda County Health Department.
County Health’s Emergency Medical Services Agency distributed 100 devices among seven law enforcement agencies, including the Alameda County heriff s ffce (ACSO), to increase pre-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates.
For every minute someone goes without intervention after cardiac arrest, survival decreases by approximately 10 percent, according to Alameda County EMS Director Lauri McFadden.
ur police offcers and
sheriff deputies are often frst on the scene responding to individuals experiencing serious cardiac issues,” said cFadden. y outftting patrol cars with these devices and providing offcers with critical training resources, we are giving those individuals a better chance to survive. These are critical life-saving services.” uto ated e ternal defbrillators (AEDs) are portable medical devices that can help people experiencing cardiac arrest. They analyze the heart’s rhythm and can deliver an electrical shock to help restore a normal rhythm. They are designed to be user-friendly, with clear instructions on how to use them. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 360,000 cardiac arrests happen outside a hospital every year in the United States.
In California, AEDs are required in stadiums, churches, and theatres with an occupancy greater than 300, business buildings with more than 200 people, schools, health studios, ftness centers, and public swimming pools.
The new AEDs have advanced geographic information system (GIS) mapping to show the devices’ locations, battery health, and other usage data. Additionally, they can link directly to dispatch centers as a resource to provide real-time cardiac data reporting. The AEDs have pediatric settings, and the display can be set to Spanish.
In addition to ACSO, police departments in Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont, Albany, Dublin, and the Oakland Housing Authority received some of the 100 AEDs.
Principal Mistee Hightower-Guzman
Fires: Strike Team Helps
continued from front page
CF frefghters and two Type-3 engines are joined on the strike tea by frefghters and one engine each from Hayward, Fremont, and Oakland.
Earlier this month, ACFD crews were deployed to the Lake Fire near Lake Oroville on July 6, just after helping with the Thompson Fire in utte County. hat fre burned some 3,789 acres before being contained. The OES 2870-C team was pre-positioned on July 1, 2024, to areas facing possible wildfres.
A week earlier, they had fought the Apache Fire, also in Butte County, which had been set off by lightning. That burned 691 acres before being contained.
AFDC spokesperson Cheryl Hurd assured the public that frefghters re ain closer to ho e should fres ignite here.
very ti e we send a frefghter to the strike tea , we re sure to back them up with an additional frefghter on duty here in Alameda County,” she said.
COMPILED BY MICHAEL SINGER • CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Drunk and Disorderly
Sunday, July 14: At 9:58 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 42-year-old CV woman on suspicion of public intoxication. The woman was outside a grocery store at the 580 Market Place shopping center when deputies arrived. The woman failed her feld sobriety test and was taken into custody.
Financial Elder Abuse
Friday, July 12: At 2:43 p.m., a 38-year-old CV man was arrested as part of a warrant issued for his capture. The man had previously been convicted of fnancial elder abuse, grand theft, and operating as a fnancial agent without a license. Deputies served the warrant at a gas station on Anita Avenue
near the Boulevard. The man was taken to Santa Rita Jail.
Stolen Car at Park & Ride
Thursday, July 11: At 11:59 p.m., deputies pulled over and arrested two men suspected of possessing a stolen vehicle. A 39-year-old driver and the 46-year-old passenger were traveling on Center Street when deputies identifed the car as stolen and pulled them over into the Park & Ride parking lot. Both men were charged and taken into custody.
Wanted for Fraud
Thursday, July 11: At 8:30 a.m., a 44-year-old CV man was arrested as part of a warrant issued for his capture. Deputies served the warrant
at a mobile home park on Castro Valley Boulevard near Marshall Street. The man had been previously convicted of possessing false identifcation and intent to commit fraud as well as breaking and entering into private property. The man was taken to Santa Rita Jail.
Assault on a Juvenile Thursday, July 11: at 11:12 a.m., a 9-1-1 call about a loud and aggressive-sounding argument sent deputies to a home on Riverbank Avenue near Tyee Street. There, they arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of assault on a family member with an additional charge because the victim was a juvenile. Deputies took the man into custody.
CV Man Charged for Damaging Taxi
he fve-year average for wildfres up to the sa e date was , fres affecting 111,813 acres, Cal Fire reports.
Cal Fire reports that as of July 12, some 3,630 wildland fres have affected , acres, combining state and federal fgures. By the same date last year, there had been , such fres affecting 11,136 acres, so the si e of fres is up substantially this year.
Safety Awareness Events this Saturday
Please join the Castro Valley ibrary for a nu ber of raffc Safety Awareness events hosted in memory of the life of Lana Carlos. Lana passed away from injuries due to a hit and run accident in February 2020. Her family would like the community to learn, celebrate and be inspired by Lana’s life. Lana’s light and legacy continues by educating the local co unity about traffc safety.
This Staurday, July 20 from 9:30am to 1pm, there will be certifed California ighway atrol offcers at the library checking child car seats for safe installation. The majority of car seats are actually installed improperly. Please take advantage of this opportunity to have your child’s car seat checked for free. Visit the website or call the library to schedule your appointment.
On July 20 at 11am there will be a special safety storytime presented by a local California ighway atrol offcer. Throughout July and August, read along their Story Walk to learn more about traffc safety. articipate in a traffc safety ui and get a refective safety ite at the children’s desk. For more info, call 510-667-7900, or email castrovalley@aclibrary.org.
A Castro Valley man has been charged with 17 counts of damaging and slashing the tires of Waymo self-driving cars in San Francisco in late June.
Ronaile Joshua Burton, 36, pleaded not guilty in a San Francisco court last Thursday and attended a custody status hearing last Friday. SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins clai s urton specifcally went after the autonomous vehicles and stabbed their tires with a knife. Each of the 17 vandalism charges involves damage exceeding $400. Burton’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 23, 2024. The investigation is still active,
the s offce said.
Waymo, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, helped police identify and catch Burton thanks to Waymo’s onboard cameras from each of the damaged white all-electric Jaguar I-PACE cars.
he cars are outftted with multiple laser sensors. The most prominent is the one on top of the vehicle, which can see 360 degrees up to about 1,000 feet. The cars also have camera sensor technology, which can identify details in signs at a range of more than 980 feet.
The DA did not specify Burton’s motives, nor did he
explain if Burton had any connection with Waymo, Google, or Alphabet. The San Francisco s offce is also looking into any connection with a previous crime spree where Burton is accused of targeting three other Waymo vehicles and stabbing the tires with a knife.
After months of testing, Waymo vehicles launched in San Francisco in August 2023. While some see the robot taxis as a push toward progress, others are skeptical that driverless cars are able to truly navigate traffc, pedestrians, and other objects. Waymo also operates in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin.
Strike team fre engines are at the ready to help put out fres anywhere the state sends them.
We Have a Hunch You’ll Love This Show
By Theresa Branaugh SPECIAL TO THE FORUM
I recently had the pleasure of meeting the three leads in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Castro Valley Arts Foundation and TMC Arts’ summer musical— and my advice is “Purchase your tickets as soon as you can!”
Tenor Danila Burshteyn is cast in his “dream role” as Quasimodo. He shared with me that he has loved the music and the Disney movie version of the story since he was a child. Burshteyn was born in Uzbekistan in 1996 and immigrated with his family to the Bay Area in 2001. He has been performing in musicals since he was eight years old, shining in roles such as Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls and performing in West Side Story four times— twice as Riff, once as Action, and once as a member of the Jets. He said he couldn’t be more excited to work with Director Enrico Banson and that the artistic team is giving its all.
The talented and beautiful soprano, Solona Husband is cast as Esmeralda. Like Burshteyn, Husband has been performing in musicals since she was a child. This young star has an impressive resume listing seventeen roles to date.
has a strong, sassy and playful energy as Sally.” The artist shared with me that the music in Hunchback is gorgeous, that every song has a sincerity, a rawness, a realness—but that what she loves most about the production is the story. Noteworthy here—and lucky for us! — Husband earned her Equity card after she accepted her role as Esmeralda.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
TODAY • Wednesday, July 17
Ashland Zocalo Park Grand Opening
er frst lead role was as elle in Beauty and the Beast when she was in middle school. More recently, she has played Joanne in RENT, Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Sandy Cheeks in The Spongebob Musical, and Sally in Being Alive, a musical tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim. A TheatreStorm review of her performance noted that, “Solona Husband
CVSan’s Recycle Day Event July 27
CVSan’s Recycles Day and Compost Give-Away event is on Saturday, July 27th! County residents and CVSan businesses are invited to drop off textiles and Household Hazardous Waste (paint, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, e-waste). CVSan
residents and businesses can also receive three 1-cubic foot bags of compost. The event will take place between 8am and 2pm at Canyon Middle School. Appointments will be required to participate. Registration is open now until July 24th. Appointments are limited and will be given to eligible customers in the order of registration. For more details and to register for an appointment, visit cvsan.org/RecyclesDay. For questions, call CVSan at 510-537-0757.
Castro Valley native Matthew Liebowitz stars in the role of Dom Claude Frollo. Liebowitz loves this show because the music is so complex. He also likes playing characters that are nothing like him, and he certainly has nothing in common with Frollo, the evil, creepy, holier-than-thou archdeacon. Some of Liebowitz’s favorite past roles include Inspector Javert in Les Miserables, Billy Bigelow in Carousel, and Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar. He currently spends his time mentoring and coaching young performers at his studio, Matt Liebowitz Vocal Studio, but luckily for the team, he has “come out of retirement” to join the cast of Hunchback. One of the things he enjoys most is working with many current and former students, including Burshteyn. He often tells his students, “Teamwork makes the dream work” and this upcoming production promises to prove him right!
Tickets are available at cvartsfoundation.org or 510-889-8961. Castro Valley Center for the Arts 19501 Redwood Road, Castro Valley. Parking is free. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is appropriate for Middle School audiences and older.
HEALTH FAIR
Come join H.A.R.D. and TPL for the grand opening today, Wednesday, July 17 at 2pm. Ashland Zocalo Park is a prime 1-acre site in the heart of the Ashland neighborhood. Designed as an urban plaza, the park will feature an array of recreational features and park amenities catering to individuals of all ages. From a vibrant public plaza for pop-up arkets to intergenerational ftness and play areas, an outdoor stage, walking loops, open spaces, restroom facilities adorned with stunning mosaics. The park will be easy to fnd with its uni ue ulticolored shade structure, situated at the corner of 166th Ave and East 14th Street.
Friday, July 19
Free Movie Night at SLz Community Park
The Hayward Area Recreation and Parks District is holding a FREE movie night at the San Lorenzo Community Park (1970 Via Buena Vista, San Lorenzo) on July 19. Get ready for a family movie night under the stars! No registration required! Gather everyone together, pack up your snacks, grab your cozy lawn chairs and blankets, and don’t forget those fashlights but keep the low-key . e ll be screening the awesome movie “Trolls 3” (PG) for an evening of adventure and excitement. For any questions please call us at 510-881-6700 or email info@haywardrec.org.
Saturday, July 20
14th Annual Castro Valley Pride Event
Don’t miss the 14th Annual Castro Valley Pride celebration taking place Saturday, July 20 from noon to 5pm at Castro Valley High School (Redwood Road and Heyer Avenue). Free, family-friendly LGBTQ+ event featuring food trucks, crafts, vendors, resources, live DJ and tons of fun drag performances. For more information, please visit: castrovalleypride.com; email: info@castrovalleypride.com
Saturday, July 20
Lakeside Laps at Lake Chabot Regional Park Lakeside Laps is a trail running and walking event hosted by the Regional Parks Foundation in partnership with Brazen Racing Sports & Community. In celebration of the East Bay Regional Park District’s 90th Anniversary, akeside aps proceeds will beneft the egional arks Foundation and its mission to connect youth with nature and expand access to parks. Register today for the family-friendly Trout Trot 5K, 10K, or half marathon taking place this Saturday, July 20 (various times). For registration info, start times, and general event information, please visit www.brazenracing.com/lakesidelaps.
Saturday, July 20
Relay for Life Dinner and Dancing Fundraiser
Don’t miss the Relay for Life fundraiser for team Heroes Helping Heroes (Eden Medical Center) on Saturday, July 20 from 5:30-9pm at the Castro Valley Moose Lodge (20835 Rutledge Rd., Castro Valley). Music by The Von rapp, ive dessert auction and plenty of raffe ite s For cost, more info or to RSVP, contact Joanne at 510-331-3335.
Wednesday, July 24
How to Age in Place Seminar at CV Library
There may come a time when you require help to safely remain in your home. Learn how to hire and work with a caregiver at this free presentation by Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) of Legal Assistance for Seniors. Topics covered include: Skilled vs. personal care; Available payment sources; Tips for success, and; Resources for how to hire and maintain employment of a caregiver. Join us for this FREE informational program. No registration is required.
From left to right: Danila Burshteyn as Quasimodo, Matthew Liebowitz as Dom Claude Frollo, Solona Husband as Esmeralda
PHOTO COURTESY OF BERENICE SULLIVAN
CV’s Newest Eagle Scout
David Bull, a member of Castro Valley Scout Troop 726, achieved the Eagle Scout rank on June 21. Earning the highest honor in Scouting requires completing an Eagle Service project, which helps scouts develop crucial planning and leadership skills while assisting a non-proft organization.
For his Eagle project, David and his Troop worked together to collect donations from the community at Faith Lutheran Church. These donations, including items like diapers, bedding, toiletries, and children’s essentials, were gathered to support FESCO (Family Emergency Shelter Coalition).
FESCO aims to assist homeless families in achieving self-suffciency, and these contributions directly contribute to their efforts to address family homelessness in our community. To learn more about FESCO and how you can contribute, please visit fescofamilyshelter.org
MAC: Cost, Lack of Clear Goals Cited
continued from front page and proposed creating a nine-person group from all over the county, which would meet in rotating locations, and which would exclude current or former law enforcement personnel.
A series of online public meetings were held over several months while the ordinance was being created.
After two motions and various amendments to the proposal, the MAC ultimately declined to endorse the creation of the board, citing costs and the lack of clear goals as reasoning.
“I am a fan of smaller government,” said MAC Vice Chair Bill Mulgrew. “We have a sheriff who is elected by the people of Alameda County, and if they aren’t happy, they can vote (to not reelect). This seems like a recall in other clothing.”
Weddle and copresenter
Wendy Still, the public safety advisor to the county’s public safety chair, were asked why such an oversight body is being considered.
Though neither gave a specifc answer, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Offce has face national scrutiny on a number of occasions- particularly for the treatment of inmates at Santa Rita Jail.
“There have been numerous concerns raised over the years,” said Weddle. “There has been litigation.”
Current Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez took offce in January of 2023 after ousting longterm Sheriff Greg Ahern. Mulgrew said that such elections are the way things are supposed to work.
“Inserting a layer between the people and the responsible organizations- why create another layer of bureaucracy? I have a hard time with that,” said Mulgrew.
He added that the proposed oversight committee could cost the taxpayers additional millions even as budget cuts are being discussed.
MAC Chair Chuck Moore also had cost concerns.
“I’m a nuts and bolts guys and I didn’t hear anything here that’s real compelling, that we need to have,” said Moore, who added that homelessness issues, hospitals, Meals on Wheels, and other county projects need funding.
Despite a lack of endorsement from the MAC, the proposal will continue on to the Board of Supervisors at their July 23 meeting. Following comments and recommendations there, the matter will return to various local boards for public input and further discussion, before eventually going back of the Supervisors for a vote.
Learn more about the proposal at acoversight.acgov.org
Is There One Right Answer?
By Kevin Koo SPECIAL TO THE FORUM
Happy July! How’s the start of the second half of the year? Making good progress? Have you attended any good workshops or programs to boost your success this year? If you’re like me, you’ve been attending different in-person and virtual events to move the needle.
If you’re also like me, you probably expected that one of these events would have been the answer to your problem already…. That’s our focus for today. How do we fnd the right event or workshop? Or is there actually a “right” event or workshop?
I’ve been in the personal development space for at least 8 years now. When I frst started going to events, I didn’t understand why people kept going back to the same event,
year after year. I used to think, “they must not have learned what the organizers taught.” Then
I started going to events that had different speakers each time, and my thought turned into, “the variety must be why people keep coming back.” What I knew about these events was that they were a source of inspiration. However, inspiration wasn’t enough to change behavior. I knew this from personal experience. So I got really confused as to why people kept going back (and I only knew they were coming back because I went back!), especially since these events are not cheap. I even met people who really seemed to know what they were doing. Surely they didn’t need to keep coming to these events, right?
One day, I was watching a video from a mentor of mine and he said something that made things click for me. He said that the problem is that we think it’s just one course, program, book, etc. that will solve our problems. The fact that we think one thing will fx everything is a false assumption. The reality is that there are things that you gain from each event that will help you land on the path that’s meant for you. What does that mean? Well, let me share a story. A few years ago, when I was coaching tennis, I had the opportunity to teach a private lesson to this wonderful student. She was playing a lot of senior leagues in the area, mostly playing doubles. She wanted to learn how to hit a slice serve because she had not been able to do it after all these years. Fortunately, I see KOO on back page
David Bull (third from right), and other members of Castro Valley Scout Troop 726, with collected donations from the community at Faith Lutheran Church.
REAL ESTATE GALLERY REAL ESTATE GALLERY
REAL ESTATE REALITY
By Carl Medford, CRS Special to the Forum
GUEST COMMENTARY
Buyer Turnofs
To Avoid When Selling
By Carl Medford, CRS Special to the Forum
As we head into the summer, real estate markets tend to soften and, thanks to high interest rates, this year is no exception. To be honest, sellers have been spoiled over the past few years. Thanks to low inventory, multiple offers have driven prices higher, resulting in some sellers believing they can simply
THE FORUM CROSSWORD
put out a welcome mat and plop their home on the market to score highpriced offers.
Not exactly
Only the best prepared homes get the highest prices. Others may still get offers, but they will not be at the level as homes that rock. Interested in maximizing your property’s potential? Here are fve buyer turnoffs to avoid:
Dirty and Messy
You’ve seen the ads – “Mrs. Clean lives here …” It’s a cute way of saying the home is wellcared-for and spotless. Over the years, however, I’ve visited many homes where Mrs. Clean not only does NOT live there, she is not even in the neighborhood. Dirty, messy, cluttered … these are conditions to avoid when selling.
Smelly
Cigarettes, fried fsh, curry, dirty diapers, mold
and dogs are the top smells to avoid. They permeate soft surfaces and are almost impossible to remove. Not only do they alienate buyers at the front door, they force potential purchasers to start calculating the cost of remediating the odors. Additionally, some staging companies refuse to stage homes with excessive odors.
Dogs
Not only are dog odors offensive, buyers HATE being greeted by barking, crotch-sniffng, hand
Mortgage Rates Tick Down as Markets Digest Incoming Data
Following June’s jobs report, which showed a cooling labor market, the 10-year Treasury yield decreased this week and mortgage rates followed suit. There is also more inventory on the market, including a fair number of listings with price cuts, which is an encouraging sign for prospective buyers.
licking canines. While dog lovers may believe everyone loves their mutt, a small barking dog is enough to keep some buyers in their cars.
Popcorn Ceilings not like the look.
Assuming the reality is worse than it actually is, some buyers will simply pass.
Wallpaper
While you may love wallpaper, most buyers want it gone. Truthfully, it can be a total pain to remove and if you leave it up, buyers might subtract the cost of removal from
the price. If it covers every wall, they may even assume the costs of elimination will be too high. And DO NOT paint over it … that just makes it worse. Want the highest price possible? Avoid these common issues and your chances of a top-dollar offer will be … higher. 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.
Getting Ready for Fall
It’s time to start planning for your fall and winter vegetable garden. At the end of this month or next, sow broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, caulifower and kohlrabi. Keep the seed beds moist and shaded until the plants are up, then gradually allow them more sun.
For fall and winter fower beds, select seeds of sweet peas, pansies and cosmos. Plant cyclamen tubers for November- throughApril bloom and plant chrysanthemums now for an abundance of color in the fall.
Potted Plants
Container plants, particularly those in clay pots, can be diffcult to keep watered during hot summer days. This is especially true if the potting soil dries out at any time, or if the plant is rootbound, since water will run off of dry soil without being absorbed. When this happens, immerse the pot in a small tub of water and add a drop of liquid dish detergent to the water. Let it soak for a couple of hours.
Ash Alert
Don’t use briquet
and
RECENT HOME SALES
$825,000 [3 BD - 1,572 SF - 2011
2708 Leeward Street 94545:
$840,000 [4 BD - 1,618 SF - 1957
650 Macabee Way 94541: $850,000
[3 BD - 1,516 SF - 2012
26244 Hickory Avenue 94544:
$871,000 [3 BD - 1,059 SF - 1952
740 City Walk Place #3 94541:
326594 Sunvale Court 94544:
$63,000 [3 BD - 1,200 SF - 1985
19809 Western Boulevard 94541:
$260,000 [1 BD - 340 SF - 1926
658 River Oak Way #80 94544:
$470,000 [2 BD - 723 SF - 1985
26843 Hayward Boulevard 94542:
$530,000 [2 BD - 839 SF - 1987
17462 Langton Way 94541:
$580,000 [2 BD - 1,334 SF - 1942
1758 Kudu Court 94541: $620,000 [2 BD - 1,054 SF - 1972
839 Longwood Avenue 94541:
$650,000 [4 BD - 1,518 SF - 1953
1086 Clubhouse Drive 94541:
$705,000 [3 BD - 1,332 SF - 1973
23247 Nevada Road 94541:
$780,000 [3 BD - 1,015 SF - 1951
3312 Monika Lane 94541: $805,000
BD - 2,162 SF -
[3 BD - 1,690 SF - 1980
900 Old Oak Lane #1 94541:
$900,000 [3 BD - 1,375 SF - 2001
24691 2nd Street 94541: $950,000 [3 BD - 1,461 SF - 1959
22809 Corkwood Street 94541:
$955,000 [3 BD - 1,024 SF - 1951
119 Sunswept Court 94544:
$985,000 [4 BD - 1,961 SF - 2019
29705 Mission Boulevard 94544:
$1,050,000
23274 Maud Avenue 94541:
$1,100,000 [4 BD - 2,166 SF1988
29705 Mission Boulevard 94544:
$1,110,000
26528 Ashland Court 94542:
$1,225,000 [4 BD - 1,998 SF2017
26918 Claiborne Court 94542:
$1,280,000 [4 BD - 2,520 SF1971
$3,500,000 [3 BD - 6,886 SF 1985
25530 Dario Terrace 94541: SAN LEANDRO
Total: 11 – Average Price: $929,818 High: $1,450,000 – Low: $535,000
1400 Carpentier Street #405 94577:
$335,000 [1 BD - 938 SF - 1983
2077 Washington Avenue #212 94577: $358,000 [1 BD - 618 SF - 1984
1630 159th Avenue 94578:
$550,000 [2 BD - 926 SF - 1928 2367 Fairway Drive 94577:
$550,000 [2 BD - 1,173 SF - 1977
1550 Bancroft Avenue #231 94577: $571,000 [2 BD - 1,480 SF - 1976
1237 145th Avenue 94578:
$685,000 [2 BD - 966 SF - 1913 967 Serra Drive 94578: $850,000 [3 BD - 1,226 SF - 1954
1819 Arena Street 94579:
$850,500 [3 BD - 1,170 SF - 1956
2238 Raven Court 94579: $869,000 [4 BD - 1,544 SF - 1999
1741 Burkhart Avenue 94579:
You can run a classified ad for a little as $35 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
S.L. CONCRETE SERVICE Driveways, Sidewalks, Stamped Concrete, Retaining Walls, Tree and Drain Service. Lic.#982202. 510856-8937.
*MPCONCRETE. Driveways, Patio, Retaining Walls, Stamped Concrete, Asphalt, Hauling. Lic.#1054154. Milo 510-502-9336.
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.
FENCES/DECKS
Fence wobbly? Call Randy's Fence Reinforcement and save thousands! 510-706-6189.
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.
GARAGE SALES
Inventor/Handyman surplus pluming electrical mechanical, machinist, power & garden tools O2 Regulator Plants Art Clothes 7/20-21 9to4. 22472 Queen St. Castro Valley.
BIG YARD SALE Sat. 7/20, 8am4pm. 695 Dowling Blvd., San Leandro. Visit www.695DowlingBlvdSanLeandroCA.comfor details.
GARAGE SALES
HUGE! 7 family block sale!! Saturday, July 20th. 8am - 4pm Lone Oak Place (off Madison, near 7 Hills) LOADS of items from all families, including a small apartment's worth!! Men, women & children items!
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
NAVA'SCOMPLETE LANDSCAPING: Mowing, trees, cleanup, hauling, FREE estimates. 510 512-5857.
GIVEAWAYS
A new spare (DONUT) tire for a 3 series BMW $50 510 825-4812 CV.
HAIR CUTTING
Free Haircut with hair donation for Wigs for Kids. Call Yumi for details!!! (510) 407-0436.
HAULING SERVICE
HAULING: Small and Big Jobs. Furniture, Concrete, Wood, Trash, Metal, Demolition. Also house inside/ outside cleanups. 510-715-1578.
To place an ad call 510-614-1558 IF YOUR GARAGE SALE IS RAINED OUT, WE'LL RUN YOUR AD AGAIN FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE. SLTimes
JAIME’S GARDENING Maintenance, Trimming, Cleanups, Hauling, Sprinkler Repair/ Timers. FREE Estimates. Insured. 510-299-9583
MANAGER, SALES INCENTIVE & ADMINISTRATION: Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corp, an Abbott Labs Co., seeks qualified Mgr Sales Incentive & Admin in Alameda, CA. Resp for leading Incentive Compensation (IC) for Health Care Personnel (HCP) & Point-of-Care (POC) Hospital & Government channels. Bachelors or foreign equivalent degree in Finance, Mathematics, Data Analytics, Information Systems, or in a related mathematical, quantitative, or computational field of study with at least 5 years of related progressive professional sales incentive compensation, sales incentive administration, or sales analytics experience. In addition, the position requires an academic or industrial in: (i) sales compensation fundamentals, including incentive plan goal modeling and goal setting; quota targets; Sales Program Incentive Funds (SPIFFs), accelerations, draw programs, payout curve/financial modeling, and Incentive Compensation advanced analytics; (ii) utilizing Incentive Compensation Management (ICM) tools, such as Performio, Zeidyn Field Performance, SalesIQ, Xactly, CaptivateIQ, and/or QuotaPath; (iii) data reporting, data modeling, and data analytics utilizing tools, including Excel, SAS, QlikView, Tableau, and Business objects; and (iv) data management, vendor management, and project management/organization. An EOE. 40hrs/wk. $137,010 - $163,900/yr. Send Resumes to: Abbott Laboratories, Attn: Elvia Salazar, Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Floor 25, Dept. 32, Chicago, IL60606. Refer to ad code: ABT-0058-ES.
The City of San Leandro is now accepting online applications for
Environmental Services Manager$12,371-$15,037/month
Senior Account Clerk$33.37 - $40.56/hour
For more detailed information, please visit www.sanleandro.org. EOE
The City of San Leandro is now accepting online applications for:
IT Infrastructure Analyst I/II –$9,198 - $12,326/monthly
For more detailed information, please visit www.sanleandro.org. EOE
HOUSE CLEANING
JUST LIKE GRAMMA’S HOUSE CLEANING. Airbnb/ Senior SUMMER SPECIAL! Phenomenal Cleaning! Insured/ Bonded. Fatima 510978-6803.
MISC. FOR SALE
Light Fishing poles with reel for kids $15. Call 510-278-9719.
Hobbico Avistar 40 mk2 awarf airplane kit still in box. Great 1st RC airplane $75 or best offer. (510)8258412
MISC. WANTED
HELP WANTED HELP WANTED RENTALS/RV SPACES
WANTED -Reeltoreel music tapes. (If you gaave me the vacuum tubes please give me a call). Patrick 510-517-3351.
WANTED: Old toys, pedal cars, license plates, etc. 510-886-3195.
RENTALS/ROOMS
San Leandro cozy room, conveniently located, modern apt, off street parking, WIFI, many amenities. $800. Pam 415-960-8516.
HOPE YOU FIND just the job you are looking for!
Rent it FAST with a TIMES WANT AD ... 614-1558 HOME SERVICES GUIDE Help for the homeowner means business for you!
To Place an Ad ... Call 614-1558
To Place an Ad call 614-1558
HOPE YOU FIND just the job you are looking for!
To Place a Garage Sale Ad 614-1558
To Place a Garage Sale Ad call 614-1558
Rent it FAST with a TIMES WANT AD ... 614-1558
OSIsoft, LLC seeks Senior Software Developer (San Leandro, CA) to Recognize, articulate, and make technical decisions / trade-offs around multiple dimensions (scaling, reliability, performance, maintenance, etc.) that have an impact on your team. REQS: Bach degree, or foreign equivalent, in Com Sci, Chemical, Mechanical, Computer, or Electrical Engineering or a rltd + 3 Yrs of exp as a Software Developer, Software Engineer, or a related occupation. WFH permitted 2 days a week. Applicants should apply submit a complete resume in English to leticia.garcia@aveva.com, search [Senior Software Developer / Req. #SHA-SSD. -. EOE.]. PAY: $147,368-$221,000.
HOME SERVICES GUIDE
To Place an Ad call 614-1558
IF YOUR GARAGE SALE IS RAINED OUT, WE'LL RUN YOUR AD AGAIN FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE. SLTimes
To Place a Garage Sale Ad 614-1558
Help for the homeowner means business for you!
To Place an Ad ... Call 614-1558
To Place a Garage Sale Ad call 614-1558
IF YOUR GARAGE SALE IS RAINED OUT, WE'LL RUN YOUR AD AGAIN FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE. SLTimes
HOME SERVICES GUIDE
Help for the homeowner means business for you!
Help for the homeowner means business for you!
To Place an Ad ... Call 614-1558
Help for the homeowner means business for you! San Leandro Times HOME SERVICES GUIDE Call 614-1558 NEED REMODELING?
NEED REMODELING?
San Leandro Times HOME SERVICES GUIDE Call 614-1558
How about a new kitchen or bath? Check the TIMES "Classified Ads" & The TIMES "Home Service" ads for help!
How about a new kitchen or bath? Check the TIMES
Help for the homeowner means business for you!
"Classified Ads" & The TIMES "Home Service" ads for help!
San Leandro Times HOME SERVICES GUIDE Call 614-1558
Are you interested in buying or selling a home or property?
Would you like the help of a Professional Agent? For assistance call ...
Help for the homeowner means business for you!
Help for the homeowner means business for you! San Leandro Times HOME SERVICES GUIDE Call 614-1558
San Leandro Times HOME SERVICES GUIDE Call 614-1558
Help for the homeowner means business for you!
San Leandro Times HOME SERVICES GUIDE Call 614-1558
Does Your Older Trust Need an Update?
My wife and I had our Living Trust prepared back in the year 2001. I hear there have been changes in tax law since then which might affect us. Is it time to have our trust reviewed?
By Gene L. Osofsky, Esq. SPECIAL TO THE FORUM
Yes, Indeed!.
When you created your own trust, the estate tax exemption was much smaller than it is today, and special tax planning was required to minimize estate taxes for a married couple. At that time, your attorney probably recommended a form of trust tailored to the much lower estate tax exemption, which was then $675K per person. He or she likely designed a Trust with a Bypass Sub-Trust built into it. This Bypass Sub-Trust was sometimes called a “B Trust,” an Exemption Trust, a Family Trust, or a Credit Shelter Trust.
This design was to preserve the frst spouse’s estate tax exemption for later use at the survivor’s later death.
Under former law, without this design, if all trust assets transferred to the surviving spouse directly, the frst spouse’s exemption would be unused and lost and all trust assets at the later survivor’s death could potentially be heavily taxed, as they would be then sheltered by only the survivor’s own $675K exemption. The excess estate value (if any) was then exposed to an estate tax at a rate as high as 55%. Understandably, couples wished to avoid that tax.
However, by directing a portion of the frst spouse s share into a ByPass Sub-Trust, rather than to the Surviving Spouse directly, the couple could shield $675K + $675K, or a total of $1,350,000, over the span of two lifetimes.
Now, the estate tax exemption has increased dramatically, making the former use of ByPass sub-trusts unnecessary for most couples. By comparison, the former $675K estate tax exemption is now $13.61 Million per person per the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”), effective for persons dying between 2018 and 2025. Unless Congress votes to extend that TCJA, which is set to expire in 2026, the estate tax for persons dying in years 2026 and thereafter will likely return to the prior exemption, which was approximately $5,250,000 (plus increases for infation under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (“ATRA”) signed by former President Obama. But even if the current law expires in 2026 and the exemption drops back to what it was under the ATRA, even that lower exemption (plus ad ust ent for infation would still be ore than suffcient for most couples’ estates, and would eliminate the need for mandatory ByPass Sub-Trust funding on the frst death.
WINKLER LAW
Question: You might ask why couples might now prefer to forgo a ByPass Sub-Trust. Answer: The typical Bypass Trust had some drawbacks: (1) the survivor typically lost the right to make any changes in the Bypass portion even if family circumstances had changed, (2) the survivor’s access to the assets in the Bypass portion was usually restricted, (3) the Bypass trust could interfere with applying for a Medi-Cal long-term care subsidy, (4) the assets in the Bypass portion usually did not qualify for a 2nd date-of-death “step-up” in tax basis upon the later death of the surviving spouse, with increased exposure to a later capital gains tax for appreciating assets when, and if, the ultimate recipients (usually the children) later opted to sell the appreciating asset(s), and (5) the Bypass Trust usually required separate accounting and annual income tax returns during the life time of the survivor. Surviving spouses usually found these restrictions burdensome.
Further, under current tax law, the unused portion of the frst spouse s full e e ption can now be preserved for use by the second spouse even without the use of the restrictive Bypass Trust. The survivor need only make a proper election to preserve it by fling a timely Estate Tax Return Form 706 after the death of the frst spouse. n view of these new developments, couples with Bypass Trusts created for estate tax purposes under old tax law should have their
If your Living Trust was prepared a long time ago, it would be wise to look into getting it updated.
trusts reviewed and, where appropriate, consider eliminating the mandatory funding feature at the frst spouse s death. Instead, they might now consider plans which give the survivor the option of doing post mortem planning after the frst death, e.g. by funding a portion of trust assets into an optional Disclaimer Trust. The Disclaimer Trust would then operate as a tax-saving Bypass Trust if that option then appeared appropriate, whether to ensure full use of the 1st spouse’s exemption (without the need to fle a ti ely For 706 to so elect) and/or for non-tax reasons (e.g. creditor protection, assuring bequests to the deceased spouse’s designated benefciaries . An exception to the above
recommendation: The use of the mandatory Bypass Trust can still be useful for non-tax purposes, e.g. in situations involving second marriages. Here, each spouse usually wishes to provide fnancial security for the survivor, but also wishes to preserve a portion of assets for his/her own children. Under these circumstances, a Bypass Trust can still help these couples achieve their estate planning goals.
Gene L. Osofsky is an elder law and estate planning attorney who has been helping East Bay families for over 25 years with Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Probate, Medi-Cal Planning, and related matters. To contact, send an email to Gene@LawyerForSeniors.com or call (510) 247-2555.
CREMATION SERVICES
JAY SPENCER, FUNERAL DIRECTOR
Serving the Community Since 1967
Castro Valley Offce: (510) 317-7890
Jay Spencer, DeerCreek2965@gmail.com
www.DeerCreekCremation.com
www.mycvforum.com/obits-submissions
Eileen Faye Lewis
June 11, 1947 ~ May 16, 2024
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS
ileen Faye ewis peacefully went to eaven on ay , after a lengthy illness at her home in Castro Valley with loving family. Eileen was born to Joseph and Bea Lewis June 11, 1947, in Oakland, California. She graduated fro Canyon igh chool in , and Cal tate ayward now California State University East Bay) in 1969 before beginning her fortytwo-year inistry in Christian education teaching frst at race Co unity Christian chool in Concord, and then at edwood Christian chools in Castro Valley, teaching from 1972 until her retirement forty-one years later in 2013. She was the only teacher to teach every year that the Crossroads Elementary Ca pus of edwood Christian chools operated - . pon her retire ent fro edwood Christian chools in , ileen was awarded the ifeti e chieve ent ward by the ssociation of Christian chools nternational, an organi ation that nu bered , schools worldwide.
ileen is survived by sister ea and ob ontgo ery of Castro alley, sister at Ca pbell of rass Valley, four loving nieces and a nephew and grandnieces and grandnephews plus her beloved pet, Kitty. he was also blessed with any e tra special friends fro her forty-one years teaching at edwood Christian Schools, including administration, faculty, staff, parents of her students and her more than one thousand students who were blessed to be in her kindergarten classes. She also leaves many friends from both edwood Chapel Co unity Church of Castro alley, and ateway Church of Castro alley.
ileen loved gardening and traveling with longti e fellow C teacher, eorgiann enke. ose ite was an annual family camping trip. She also loved to cook and grew green beans and tomatoes, and she shared with new neighbors. She loved to play Canasta with anyone available.
edwood Christian chools uperintendent eritus ruce . ohnson re e bers iss ewis serving her ord and avior esus Christ in an e e plary anner teaching kindergarten for her entire forty-one years at C . er students always grew acade ically, physically, entally, socially and, ost important, spiritually under her loving care. A tireless worker, her investment in her students continues to pay great dividends in their children and grandchildren. Her enthusiasm for life will truly be missed.”
Eileen will always be remembered as a godly teacher, friend, sister and aunt as she left a godly legacy for all to re e ber by odeling alatians - for all who knew her ove, oy, eace, atience, Kindness, oodness, Faithfulness, entleness and elf-Control. he truly lived a Colossians a life, alking in a anner worthy of the ord.
Whether or not you are able to attend Eileen’s Celebration of Life, feel free to email your memories to BruceJohnson@rcs.edu and they will be shared either at the Celebration or with the family in written form. If former student or parent, please be sure to include your maiden name, or your relationship to Eileen.
ileen s Celebration of ife will be held at edwood Chapel Co unity Church, edwood oad, Castro alley, California, on ednesday, uly , at . . n lieu of fowers, please contribute to the Kenya vangelical ission www.Kenya vangelical ission.co or the ay rea escue ission www. ay rea escue.org .
Stuart Arnold Becker
May 12, 1957 ~ July 4, 2024
Stuart Arnold Becker, 67, a resident of Castro Valley for his entire life, passed away on uly , , after a long and heroic battle with cancer. is fnal ti e was spent enfolded in love and care by his son Andrew, his twin brother Steve, his care givers, his frst wife obin, his brothers ick and ike, and his second wife Carole and their large extended family. Stuart and his twin brother were born at den ospital on ay , . e attended roctor le entary, arl Warren Jr. High and graduated with honors from Castro Valley High School in . tarting around frst grade tuart swa co petitively as a e ber of the Flying Fins AAU Swim Team. In high school he continued swimming for CVHS and also played varsity doubles tennis. Scholastically, straight out of high school Stuart was accepted into UC Berkeley’s distinguished School of Engineering. n , rince Charles visited the C erkeley cience epart ent wherein Stuart was amongst the few students and faculty that were privileged to meet and shake hands with the now current King of England. In 1979 Stuart graduated, again with honors, with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering.
Stuart’s college internship with Union Carbide launched his lifelong career specialty in industrial air gas production and plant management. His chemical engineering and management career spanned four decades with ultiple co panies and evolving responsibilities. e was an innovator in his feld. tuart cherished his workplace friendships that stood the test of time. In 2012, a hydrogen leak in a facility in Emeryville caused the evacuation of i ar and a nearby school and apart ent building. tuart responded to the e ergency and used his expertise to personally enter the plant and shut down the leak. On another occasion, he advised on a f for a failing rocket fuel valve. tuart essentially worked a second full-ti e career with his three brothers, together anaging their ultiple offce and residential rental properties throughout the ay Area.
Outside of these two busy careers, Stuart was a lifetime SF Giants fan, holding down 30 years of season tickets spanning fro Candlestick ark to their ove to the new ballpark and through their orld eries glory years. He particularly loved taking his sons to games and loved sharing his tickets with family and friends. n fact, there s an engraved brick forever e bedded in illie ays la a stating, o iantsStuart Becker - Alex Becker - Andrew Becker.” In 1996 after San Francisco voters passed their new ballpark proposition Stuart arrived early for the public victory party on Delancey Street. He stepped in and helped set up chairs on the platform stage and then just set himself down on one. He ended up sharing the stage that afternoon with arry aer, eter c owan and ayor illie rown a ong others. ears later at a special season ticket holders event, tuart was able to eet and shake hands with his hero, illie ays and got an autographed copy of ays newly published biography which he added to his uch-loved collection of keepsakes and memorabilia. Stuart’s lifelong love of baseball also led him into coaching both his sons’ little league teams over the years.
He also loved to travel, be it with family or for work with colleagues when he always found time for a round of golf. ith fa ily and friends, tuart en oyed countless stays at his ptos beach house spanning years and three generations of sand castle building. Stuart relished traveling with his and his second wife’s blended fa ilies. uerto allarta was a particularly favorite repeat destination of theirs. ther fa ily trips included Hawaii as well as Disney parks in California, Florida and France. Throughout his life Stuart was never without a cherished pet and he always enjoyed cuddling with them on the couch or in his bed.
receding tuart in death were his parents erry and erla ecker and his beloved son le ecker. e is survived by his son Andrew Stuart Becker, his second wife Carole Vanderbilt and their blended family, Cheryl and Sean Vanderbilt, Brian Vanderbilt, and Jennifer and Daniel Haiek and their children eo and ante to who he was their apa. e is also survived by his brothers ike, ick and teve and their fa ilies , and his frst wife obin ecker. tuart cherished all his lifelong friends fro Castro Valley and throughout the Bay Area.
tuart will always be re e bered for his confdence and perseverance, his uick, wry wit and his knowledgeable wisdom. Stuart’s urn will be set to rest next to the urn of his beloved son Alex in the family columbarium bench. A memorial celebration of life is being planned and will be announced by the family.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Robert Osorio
Our Athlete of the Week is Robert Osorio, owner of the Osorio Training Center on Foothill Boulevard in Hayward. Robert has over 35 years of experience in teaching boxing, self-defense, building confdence, and entoring individuals. On Thursday, July 11, Osario, family, friends, and associates held a fundraiser to give free boxing lessons to kids. His Beyond The Ring group already sponsors eight kids with a free after-school boxing program. Osario aimed to raise $25,000 to be able to provide a safe space and mentorship for even more kids under 18 years old. He says the kids who most need boxing and martial arts are the ones who cannot afford it.
A R S S S R AR Jamal A. ooks h spoke at the Rotary lub o astro alley on July . r. ooks described the many benefts o community colleges in general and habot ollege in particular. e wants habot to be a leader in education period. e told Rotary members that he is emphasi ing high uality academics supporting the local work orce and encouraging and preparing students or ci ic engagement at the college. Abo e are r. ooks and Rotary president an illits.
atti s A Community Cornerstone
continued from front page for Muslim women where no men are allowed. We do a lot of lessons for homeschooled students. We also train people for competitive swimming, focusing on good form.”
Patti’s Swim School works closely with the Regional Center of the East Bay, which funds lessons for folks with disabilities.
Patti O’Brien was inspired by her family to serve the community, especially to enhance its health, ftness and safety. She followed the example of her father, Dr. Arthur O’Brien, and brother, Dr. Michael O’Brien, who are both known for their generous service to our community.
“Patti’s Swim School is more than just a place where children and adults learn to swim,” says Patti’s daughter Julia Miller. “It’s a community cornerstone fostering water safety, confdence, and lifelong skills for over 45 years… From infant swim classes to adult swim lessons, the school ensures that everyone has an opportunity to learn and enjoy swimming, regardless of their background or skill level.”
Diablo Magazine recently awarded Patti’s Swim School “Best of the East Bay” for kids’ swimming lessons. Members of the public nominate and vote for this award. Patti’s Swim School now operates yearround. During winter months, the pool is covered with a retractable “aqua dome,” which keeps the area warm. The pool is salt water to minimize chlorine absorption for students and staff. Patti says it’s similar to swimming in the ocean.
For more information or to sign up for lessons, visit pattisswimschool.com, call (510) 331-6610, or email info@ pattiesswimschool.com
n uesday July a id attison holding fsh and Jason rum o astro alley caught a total o halibut rom the charter boat asy Rider which launched rom the erkeley point. ongratulations on your reat atches a id and Jason a e a reat atch you d like to share Send in o by email to fles or orum gmail.com
Koo: The Importance of Showing Up
continued from page 5 was able to provide her with a drill that helped it click for her. Do you know what she said? “This lesson alone made it worth all the money I’ve spent over the years.”
You see, it wasn’t actually the drill that worked really well, it was the journey she had been on that allowed the drill to work well. If she hadn’t had all the previous lessons on the slice serve, she probably wouldn’t have caught on to the drill I taught her. If she hadn’t
kept showing up for lessons over the years, she probably wouldn’t have asked for the lesson with me. If she hadn’t kept playing tennis all those years, she wouldn’t have wanted to learn how to hit a slice serve.
So there really isn’t just one thing, book, course, class, workshop, etc. that will get you to the next level. It’s going to take all the things you have and can do that will get you to the next level. Each step will provide you with a deeper level of understanding that will
allow you to move forward a little bit more.
If there were a silver bullet or a guarantee that you’ll succeed?
Keep showing up.
See you at the next one!
Coach Kev helps people fnd calm, clarity, and confdence in their life while planning his next event. Contact him at kevinkoocoaching@gmail.com, or follow on IG and YouTube @ kevinkoocoaching and come meditate with him at https://bit. ly/kkcmeditation
The Matt Wilhite Team is proud to sponsor Athlete of the Week Robert Osorio