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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
YEAR 35
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
Women Supporting Women in Fire By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Cybersecurity
Rep. Swalwell hosts cybersecurity summit to protect businesses
Page 3
Prague Poet
Hayward Book store to celebrate reopening with poet from Prague
Page 4
Senior Q&A
Why administering a trust is not necessarily a simple task
Page 10
INDEX Calendar ................ 4 Classified Ads ......... 8 Crosswords ............. 9 Homes ..................... 6 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............... 11 Our Town ................. 3 Seniors .................. 10 Sports .................. 12 Weather .................. 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
NO. 44
VALLEY AUTO REPAIR
A New Road Ahead
Female firefighters from across the country participated in a two-day, hands-on training event this past weekend where other seasoned female firefighters trained them in an encourBy Mike McGuire aging, safe, and supportive CASTRO VALLEY FORUM environment. About 45 to 50 professional After 42 years running women firefighters and volunValley Auto Repair at 2769 teers from the Bay Area, Los Castro Valley Boulevard, John Angeles, Washington State, Lewis is retiring and has sold Alaska, and Texas took part the shop to new owners. at the Alameda County Fire “I’ll miss my customers the Department training facility most,” he said. “The children in San Leandro. Participants of my early customers have trained in small groups and grown up and have families of got a chance to sharpen their their own, and they kept taking skills, including fighting a live their cars to my shop.” fire, removing people from He said he always tried to car crashes, and other rescue give people quality work at a situations. WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN IN FIRE SERVICE: About 45 to 50 professional fair price, and his customers The event, entitled “Women women firefighters from around the country took part at the Alameda County told other customers. Fire Department training facility in San Leandro this past weekend. and Fire,” is held every other Lewis was proud that in 42 year and typically is hosted in years in business, he only ever Washington state. This year, eda County Fire Department. predominantly male field has support for fire service women. got three negative Yelp reviews, several Bay Area agencies ex- “I was paired with a Captain and he notes none of those its challenges. The National “We have people with six pressed interest, and Alameda from Los Angeles who mencame from actual customers. Fire Protection Association months of experience learnCounty Fire offered to host. Lewis moved to Castro tored me and pushed me. Now, estimates that women comprise ing from those with 20 years “My first real instructor Valley as a young child in I am a training captain, teach- 4 percent of career firefighting of experience,” said Captain opportunity was at a Women ing at a college, and running positions. Those participating Erhardt. “It’s awesome to have 1955 and opened the shop near and Fire event,” said Captain today’s Burger King in 1981. the coordination for this event.” in this training come away these women teaching Katy Erhardt with the Alamsee AHEAD on page 5 Being a woman in a with education, experience, and see WOMEN on page 2
New Technology To Prevent Fires device burns cut-up trees and shrubs using very little oxygen and at very high temperatures Last week, East Bay Re(about 1,300 degrees Fahrengional Park District (EBRPD) heit). The result is a blackened officials were in the hills above material called biochar that can Lake Chabot to demonstrate be put back into the soil, which new technology they say will improves its water retention or reduce the chances of a wild- pH, accelerates the compostfire by disposing of organic ing of green waste, and filters materials in a climate-friendly toxins from water. way. Previously, EBRPD would The machine, called a Tiger- have either needed to burn the cat 6050 “carbonator,” resem- dead trees and shrubs in an bles a trucking container with open pile or use heavy diesel A major fuels reduction project is underway at Anthony Chabot Regional Park a box-like metal chamber. The see FIRES on page 5 on 365 acres and includes the use of a carbonator for biomass disposal. By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM