PROFILES OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS
Women in Business
5
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2023
YEAR 35
NO. 42
MAC MEETING
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
EBMUD On Lead In Pipes
‘Sky Lake’
By Amy Sylvestri
CV novelist publishes new murder mystery set by Lake Tahoe
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
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Cruise the Bay
CV Musicians to perform this Sunday on USS Potomac
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SMCDPHOTO/NEWS24-680.COM
SUPPORT FOR THOSE DISPLACED BY WAR: About 800 people walked through the streets of Walnut Creek on October 10 to condemn the attacks in Israel and ask for the safe return of more than 120 hostages, including a handful of Americans, captured by Hamas.
Local Groups Call for End To Israel-Hamas Conflict By Michael Singer
Care Planning
How to make sure your loved one’s wishes are honored
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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
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
The surprise attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 has drawn condemnation by local groups for the violence and calls for an end to the fighting as well as support for those displaced by war.
While the situation continues to develop, more than 400,000 people have already fled their homes in the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters news service. This was even before Israel ordered more than a million Palestinians to evacuate last week in preparation for troops to fight. United Nations officials say humanitarian organsee CONFLICT on page 3
The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) told the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) about an ongoing project to identify any traces of lead lingering in old pipes in their system at the MAC’s Monday night meeting. EBMUD is specifically talking about service lines, the smaller pipes carrying water from the large pipe under the street to the individual home or business. The ownership of the pipe transfers from the customer to EBMUD at the water meter box- the pipes in the street belong to EBMUD, and the pipes to go into the home belong to the homeowner. In the 1940s, EBMUD used lead series lines- all of which have been removed- half were gone by 1970 and more than 97 percent by the year 2000. But nearly 10,000 customers were connected to the lines at one point, including around 100 in Castro Valley and around 1,000 in San Lorenzo. But when the lead pipes were removed, they were in some cases replaced with galvanized lines (Galvanized Requiring Replacement or GRR), and under new federal see MAC on page 11
County DA Earmarks $4M to Fight Retail Theft By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
So-called smash-and-grab theft at retailers across the Bay Area and resulting store closures have put pressure on Alameda County law officials to step up. Last Thursday, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced the
creation of an Organized Retail of coordinated stash-and-grab Theft Vertical Prosecution incidents. Those grants were Team and a total of $4 million awarded to the Fremont and to help. Newark Police Departments. In September, the DA’s On Thursday, Price commitoffice announced it received a ted an additional $2 million for $2 million grant from Califor- the project with funds from her nia Governor Gavin Newsom’s Consumer Justice Bureau to Organized Retail Crime Task help prevent retail theft in the rest of the county. The funding Force (ORCTF) program to is poised to also aid local law fund a new prosecution unit enforcement in cracking down to address the growing issue
on other types of property and data specialists who are crime related to organized expected to work together to retail theft — including vehicle investigate and prosecute orand catalytic converter theft. ganized retail theft cases from start to finish. “Essentially, we want to choke off the demand that is “Our goal is to dismantle, driving a lot of what we see in disrupt, and deter this type of our communities,” Price said at criminality from occurring a media event. and, where appropriate, to diThe team will consist of two vert those who are engaging in Deputy District Attorneys, two this type of criminality,” said see DA on back page Inspectors, and multiple crime