TCV 2012-01-10

Newark blanks Washington

Milpitas PD announces 2011 Employee of the Year

Students write essays on future goals

Page 24 Page 17

Page 8

The newspaper for the new millennium

510-494-1999

tricityvoice@aol.com

www.tricityvoice.com

Vol. 11 No. 3

January 10, 2012

F

ormer Fremont City Councilmember Bob Wieckowski has been serving the greater Tri-City area for the past year as representative of the 20th District in the California State Assembly. Realignment of districts using numeric calculations by an independent citizen committee has radically changed future political district boundaries and constituencies served.

California’s economic distress has been just one of many significant events that have been constant companions during his tenure. Tri-City Voice spoke with Assemblyman Wieckowski about his impressions of state politics and plans for the future.

TCV: Recently your Assembly District has been changed beginning next year. How do you view this change?

Wieckowski: It is disheartening to see the Tri-Cities split between districts.

Several boundaries were initially determined to be beneficial and the ‘trickle down’ effect from those decisions caused problems in other areas. Every redistricting has its challenges to fit specific numbers into a political district. It is difficult to look at core communities such as the Tri-Cities and Milpitas that share many concerns and have roughly the population necessary for a district, then decide to split the present district and include Santa Clara and areas east of San Jose.

TCV: How will this affect decisions at the State level? continued on page 28

SUBMITTED BY BRUCE ROBERTS “…Something special,” that’s what six-time Grammy nominee John McCutcheon said of his newest album, “This Land: Woody Guthrie’s America.”

Since 2012 is the 100th anniversary of Woody’s birth, it is only fitting that McCutcheon celebrates it this year. He will celebrate it with a concert in Fremont on January 16 at St. James’ Episcopal Church.

With 35 albums to his credit, John McCutcheon has toured the length and breadth of the United States singing and telling stories about the real people of this country.

He also sings of the foibles of the rich and

BY JULIE GRABOWSKI PHOTOS BY BENNETT BAROUCH Take a little wander down South, sit a spell by the Mississippi River, and join Tom, Huck and the gang in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” presented by StarStruck Theatre, running through January 22.

The classic Mark Twain novel comes to the stage with catchy songs and dancing shoes, courtesy of Ken Ludwig (book) and Don Schiltz (music and lyrics). The show had its Broadway debut in 2001 and after a brief run, trickled down to regional and community theaters.

"Tom Sawyer, the musical, is full of humor, danger and excitement," said Lori Stokes, StarStruck's artistic director. "I believe it is a 'hidden treasure' of a show that deserves its day in the spotlight, and I am thrilled to be able to introduce the stage version of this classic story to a new audience-especially the next generation of young people."

Called “the prince of darkness” by his Aunt Polly, Tom is a vibrant, lighthearted boy who only longs for excitement and adventure and escape from boring same old ways of life. But amid skipping school, tricking boys into doing his work, and scheming for Bible tickets to impress his love Becky Thatcher, Tom gets more excitement than he bargains for when he and best pal, Huckleberry Finn, witness a murder.

From fishing in the river and enduring an annoying little brother to a murder trial, a dangerous encounter in McDougal’s Cave, buried treasure, and a triple funeral, a boy’s life has never been more interesting. continued on page 20

continued on page 6

INDEX Protective Services . . . . . . . . 8 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Arts & Entertainment . . . . . . 21

Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Public Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Bookmobile Schedule . . . . . . 29

It’s a date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Classified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Mind Twisters . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Editorial/Opinion . . . . . . . . . 27

Life Cornerstones . . . . . . . . . 29 Obituary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Page 2

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Washington Hospital Seminar Offers Tips for Staying Mentally Active

T

he thought of losing mental capacity during the aging process is unsettling if not frightening for many people.

While most of us won’t have to face dementia, the fact is our brains are aging right along with the rest of our bodies. But like other parts of the body, there are steps you can take to slow down the aging process and preserve brain function well into old age.

“You know you need to eat right, exercise, and take good care of your body if you want to stay healthy as you age, and it’s the same for your brain,” said Donna Schempp, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and geriatric consultant for Family Caregiver Alliance.

“Of all the organs in the body, the brain uses the most oxygen and nutrition.”

Schempp will offer some insights into the brain during an upcoming seminar titled “How Does Aging Affect Your Brain?”

The free seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, January 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Conrad E. Anderson, M.D. Auditorium, located at 2500 Mowry Avenue (Washington West) in Fremont. You can register online at www.whhs.com

Keep your mind active by engaging in activities you enjoy. Gain more insights into the brain during an upcoming seminar titled “How Does Aging Affect Your Brain?” The free seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 17, from 1 to 3 p.m., at 2500 Mowry Avenue (Washington West) in Fremont. You can register online at www.whhs.com or call (800) 963-7070 for more information.

or call (800) 963-7070 for more information.

Schempp will talk about some of the natural changes that take place in the brain as well as some of the warning signs of dementia.

She will also provide tips for preserving brain function as you age.

Memory Loss Some amount of cognitive decline and memory loss are a normal part of aging, according to Schempp. She said the brain generally processes information slower as you age and it takes

longer to learn and memorize new things like songs and poems.

“At 18, you can memorize the words to a new song in a very short amount of time,” she said.

“But when you are over age 60, it gets more difficult. You may need to repeat it over and over again before you can remember it.”

But she said there is also some indication that people get more creative as they age.

“There are usually more neural connections between the right and left lobes of older people and

fewer constraints when you are older,” Schempp explained. “You also have more experiences to draw on that can help you be more creative.”

There is a difference between the normal memory loss experienced by most people as they age and the memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, according to Schempp.

“The old saying is that not remembering where you left your keys is normal, but not remembering what your keys are for is a problem,” she said.

“Most people are very afraid of getting Alzheimer’s or dementia, but you don’t need to worry just because you walk into a room and can’t remember why. When you don’t know what the room is for or even what room you are in, then it’s time to seek professional help.”

Staying Sharp Schempp stressed that the normal changes experienced during aging don’t need to impact your quality of life. There are steps you can take to slow the process as well as compensate for memory loss and other cognitive issues.

Eating a nutrient-rich diet filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains will help to keep your brain healthy right along with the rest of your body. Exercise is also extremely important for maintaining good brain health.

“That which is good for the body is good for the brain,” Schempp said. “That means not smoking or consuming too much alcohol, eating right, and staying active.”

It is also important to keep your mind active by engaging in activities you enjoy, socializing with friends, and learning new things, according to Schempp.

“Reading, puzzles and games, any activity that is new to you helps to stimulate your brain,” she said. “Anything that helps keep your brain active is useful.”

Schempp will also talk about ways to compensate for memory loss, like keeping your keys in the same place so you always know where they are and making lists.

For more information about other classes and seminars offered at Washington Hospital, visit www.whhs.com.

InHealth broadcasts on Comcast Channel 78 in Fremont, Newark and Union City and online at www.inhealth.tv The full schedule of InHealth programs listed below can also be viewed in real time on the Washington Hospital website, www.whhs.com

12:00 PM 12:00 AM 12:30 PM 12:30 AM

1:00 PM 1:00 AM

1:30 PM 1:30 AM

T U E S DAY

W E D N E S DAY

T H U R S DAY

F R I DAY

S AT U R DAY

S U N DAY

M O N DAY

01/10/12

01/11/12

01/12/12

01/13/12

01/14/11

01/15/12

01/16/12

Healthy Nutrition for Your Heart

Do You Have Sinus Problems?

Learn About Foods That Help Your Digestive System Crohn's & Colitis, Stomach Cancer and Irritable Bowel Disorders

Disaster Preparedness

Women's Health Conference: Chronic Pain Management

Think Pink 2011

Women's Health Conference: Beyond Sadness - Depression

Think Pink 2011

Do You Suffer From Anxiety or Depression?

2:30 PM 2:30 AM

3:00 PM 3:00 AM

Diabetes Matters: Ins and Outs of Glucose Monitoring

Kidney Disease

Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

5:30 PM 5:30 AM

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

Arthritis: Do I Have One of 100 Types?

Heart Health for People with Diabetes

What You Should Know About Carbs and Food Labels Planning Your California Advance Health Directive: Now is the Time

Fitting Physical Activity Into Your Day

Caring for an Older Adult: Everything You Need to Know about Caregiving

Skin Care and Prevention of Skin Cancer

Movement Disorders, Parkinson's Disease, Tremors and Epilepsy

4:30 PM 4:30 AM

5:00 PM 5:00 AM

Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Lower Back Disorders

3:30 PM 3:30 AM

4:00 PM 4:00 AM

Strengthen Your Back!

Learn to Improve Your Back Fitness

Nutrition for People with Kidney Disease

Washington Women's Center: Cancer Genetic Counseling Diabetes Matters: Diabetes Viewpoint

2:00 PM 2:00 AM

Sepsis: Treatment of a Top 10 Killer

New Techniques to Treat Back Pain

Influenza and Other Contagious Respiratory Conditions Financial Scams: How to Protect Yourself

Maintaining Heart Health with Diabetes

Oh My Aching Lower Back!

Heel Problems and Treatment Options

Hip Pain in the Young and Middle-Aged Adult

Voices InHealth: Cyberbullying - The New Schoolyard Bully

Surgical Interventions for Sleep Apnea

Heart Irregularities

Community Based Senior Supportive Services

Learn Exercises to Help Lower Your Blood Pressure and Slow Your Heart Rate

6:00 PM 6:00 AM

6:30 PM 6:30 AM

Prostate Enlargements and Cancer Men's Health Expo 2011

7:00 PM 7:00 AM

7:30 PM 7:30 AM

Cancer Caregivers: Mobilizing Resources (Late Start)

Cancer Caregivers: Panel Discussion

Voices InHealth: Healthy Pregnancy Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

Treatment Options for Knee Problems

Raising Awareness About Stroke

8:00 PM 8:00 AM

8:30 PM 8:30 AM

9:00 PM 9:00 AM

Your Concerns InHealth: Measles Resurgence

Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

9:30 PM 9:30 AM

Personal Emergency Preparedness Training (Late Start)

10:00 PM 10:00 AM

10:30 PM 10:30 AM

11:00 PM 11:00 AM

11:30 PM 11:30 AM

Cough or Shortness of Breath, What to Do About It

Your Concerns InHealth: Senior Scam Prevention Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

Living Well with Diabetes: Overcoming Challenges

Do You Suffer From Breathing Problems?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Asthma

Your Concerns InHealth: Pediatric Care – The Pre-School Years Inside Washington Hospital: The Green Team

Are You at Risk for Diabetes? Learn the Signs Living with Heart Failure

Peripheral Vascular Disease: Leg Weakness, Symptoms and Treatment

Take the Steps: What You Should Know About Foot Care Voices InHealth:The Legacy Strength Training System

Washington Township Health Care District Board Meeting December 14, 2011

Cancer Caregivers: Complementary Therapy

Keys to Healthy Eyes

Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement

Osteoporosis Update: Learn About Diagnosis and Treatment Options

Diabetes Matters:Vacation or Travel Plans?

Voices InHealth: Decisions in Cardiac Care

World Kidney Day What is Cholesterol and How to Lower It

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Common Gynecologic Conditions Your Concerns InHealth: Vitamin Supplements

Diabetes and Your Hormones

Voices InHealth: New Inside Washington Hospital: Inside Washington Hospital: Surgical Options for Breast Stroke Response Team Advances in Cardiac Care Cancer Treatment

January 10, 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

Page 3

Washington Hospital Dietitian Offers Tips for Getting Back on Track with Healthy Eating Now that the holidays are over, you may be wondering how to get back on track with your eating. With all the extra food at work, parties, potlucks, and other holiday events, it’s hard not to overindulge.

“Most people do overeat during the holidays and gain weight,” said Maggie Villagomez, a registered dietitian at Washington Hospital. “A normal-sized person tends to gain one pound during the holiday season, while an overweight or obese person gains five pounds or more.”

She said most people are in a state of panic that they have overeaten and are now faced with starting the new year off right.

“People get caught up with resolutions and feeling that the new year is a time to start fresh and renew their commitment to a healthy lifestyle, but they don’t know where or how to begin,” Villagomez added. “It can be very overwhelming. All the diet and exercise plans in the media bombard them with the ‘magical answer’ and Washington Hospital dietitian Maggie Villagomez, R.D., counsels that the main ingredients for sucthey feel they must choose one to be cessful weight loss are physical activity, good common sense, and portion control. successful in their weight-loss goals.”

Her number one tip for getting disease, provides energy, and aids in restful sleep, according to back on track is to forget about dieting and instead focus Villagomez. She recommends 60 to 90 minutes of daily modon adopting a healthier lifestyle that incorporates healthy erate-intensity activity for weight loss in adulthood. eating and exercise. Often after the holidays, she sees peoEating Right ple depriving themselves of food to get the weight off, but Villagomez said the focus should be on eating a balrestricting yourself from certain foods or starving yourself anced diet, which includes whole grains in the form of will most likely result in failure, she said. whole wheat breads, cereals, oats, barley, rice (brown or “You don’t need a special diet to lose weight,” Vilwild), quinoa, and corn; low-fat dairy products; lean lagomez explained. “The main ingredients for successful meats; and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Healthy fats weight loss are physical activity, good common sense, and in the form of olive and canola oils should also be incorportion control. Moderation is the key, meaning you porated into the eating plan, with limited (not completely should eat a balanced diet the majority of the time with a restricted) intake of processed convenience foods. Treats few treats here and there. You need to commit to longlike snack foods or dessert items can easily fit into a meal term changes, not quick fixes. The word ‘diet’ implies plan in moderation, she added. temporary changes and doesn’t include exercise.”

Villagomez offered the following recipe to help you get Physical activity is a critical part of any weight-loss or back on track with healthy eating. This delicious and maintenance plan. In addition to weight loss, exercise helps to healthy meal was originally printed in Cooking Light lower the risk of chronic diseases like hypertension and heart magazine.

Nursing Staff Recognized for Outstanding Quality Care, High Standards

N

umerous studies indicate that nursing care is a crucial element impacting patient outcomes in the hospital setting. The higher the nurse-to-patient ratio, the more educated a hospital's nurses are, the better the hospital is at retaining top-quality nursing talent. All these things impact the level of care at a hospital.

Demonstrating its continued commitment to excellence in nursing care, Washington Hospital Healthcare System was granted Magnet® status recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in September. This achievement was recognized by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors with a proclamation delivered by County Supervisor Scott Haggarty at the Washington Hospital Health Care District board meeting on Dec. 14, 2011.

The commendation recognizes Washington Hospital’s significant contributions to the citizens of Fremont and Alameda County, as well as the commitment to excellence demonstrated by the nursing staff and the leadership of the Washington Hospital executive team and Board of Directors.

Prestigious Distinction A Magnet designation is the highest level of recognition that a hospital can achieve for nursing excellence. Only 6.7 percent of hospitals in the United States have earned this status and Washington Hospital is just one of 24 hospitals in California to receive this designation.

“Achieving Magnet® status means that we have excellent outcomes here at Washington Hospital,” explains Martha Giggleman, R.N., Washington Hospital's Senior Director of Clinical Workforce Development. “Being recognized really sets us apart as we represent one of only five hospitals in the Bay Area with this distinction. At the root of it, we have well-established hospital nursing structures and processes in place that have allowed us to achieve excellent patient outcomes.”

The hospital, Giggleman says, has a history of excellent nurse satisfaction scores from a pool of very qualified and highly educated nursing professionals.

“We also have a strong focus on research, a well-engrained shared governance structure and a professional practice model that guides our nursing practice,” says Giggleman. “It's really the combination of work started years ago by Jan Wood, R.N., Senior Associate Administrator and Chief Nursing Officer, and Nancy Farber, CEO, that has continued on page 4

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad (Makes 8 1-cup servings) Salad: 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon olive oil 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided 1 cup uncooked pearl barley 2 cups cubed seeded cucumber 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup cubed yellow bell pepper 1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives Dressing: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 3 garlic cloves, minced Preparation: 1. Prepare the salad. Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth.

2. Bring 3 cups of broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

3.To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well.

Add to the barley mixture and toss well.

Cover and chill.

Page 4

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

continued frompage 3

helped us get to this point and why we've been very successful and above standard in many areas."

In striving to reach Magnet® status, Giggleman says the level of team work and professionalism on the part of the nursing staff has reached new heights.

“Nurses also work as an interdisciplinary team with all staff and departments at Washington Hospital,” she says. “We collaborate to provide the best care possible for all of our patients.”

High Standards Mean Better Care The ANCC standards for Magnet® status hospitals are very high. When Washington Hospital comes under review for re-designation in 2015, all nurse leaders must have either a bachelor's or a graduate degree in nursing.

Not only did Washington Hospital receive Magnet designation but the ANCC also recognized the hospital for the following exemplary practice areas: • Staff education levels • Shared governance structure • Leadership • Evidence-based practice (Washington Hospital was the only example of a hospital that had a nurse who presented research during a physician conference)

Another highlight of the recognition, Giggleman says, was the response to Washington Hospital's long-standing Patient First Ethic.

“All three appraisers during the ANCC's onsite visit talked about our Patient First Ethic and said, ‘We thought those are just words on the page,’” she says.

“But after they spent time here and talked to the nursing staff, they said they saw it firsthand, and said that the Patient First Ethic was real and alive, and in practice, and much more than words on a page.”

Continually Striving for Excellence Still, the hospital and nursing staff are not resting on their laurels. Now that Magnet® status has been achieved, Giggleman says there is still much to be done.

“For the sake of our patients, our nursing care at Washington Hospital has to continue to get better and better,” she says. “What we have learned here is we have an obligation to share and build the body of research and best practices for the nursing community at large.”

Learn More About Magnet Recognition For more information about the ANCC's Magnet Recognition Program®, visit www.nursecredentialing.org. To learn more about Washington Hospital, its awards and quality initiatives, visit www.whhs.com/about/awards

Democratic Club activities SUBMITTED BY JAN GIOVANNINI-HILL The local Democratic Club (Fremont, Union City and Newark) is hosting their annual 'Party for the Party' event at the Salwan Family home on Friday, January 20 at 7 p.m., 2118 Harrisburg Avenue, Fremont.

This annual event kicks off another 'democratic' year for our Tri-Cities neighbors, friends, and dedicated party workers. This event is also an opportunity to join and pay your 2012 TCDF Dues, and meet fellow Democrats as we gear up for the election year ahead. In order to calculate ample space and refreshments, kindly RSVP your attendance of this event to: ann@crosbie4kids.com.

Our membership is open to registered Democrats who want to further the purposes of the local Tri-Cities Democratic Forum. All are welcome to attend our meetings and special events.

Please visit www.tricitydems.com for further information and details.

Please also plan on joining us at 7 p.m. for our monthly General Meeting at Chandni’s Restaurant, Wednesday, January 18, meet some new and old friends, and have our usual social networking time. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. at Chandni's Restaurant, 5748 Mowry School Road, Newark, CA.

January 10, 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

Page 5

Page 6

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

continued from page 1

famous to entertain us real folks. Most of McCutcheon’s songs and stories he writes himself, finding inspiration in family, friends, and even the local and national news. For “This Land” he used Woody’s songs or added music to words for which Woody never had the chance to write the music.

Woody Guthrie’s songs were a product of the Great Depression and Post War America where and when he lived. We hear striking parallels in the songs he wrote today. For example, “Deportees” and “Pastures of Plenty” visit the questions of immigration, of migrant workers and how we harvest our crops. The “I Ain’t Got No Home” lyrics

“….Rich man took my home, drove me from my door…” ring true again today. “Harness Up the Day” recalls a loved one in words alone that McCutcheon set to music. That song from 1940 could have been written yesterday.

Every concert has a different song-list according to Tommy Slothower, McCutcheon’s Road Manager. With forty-five years of songs McCutcheon picks the ones that fit the venue. Sure, he will sing songs from “This Land” in Fremont, but with so many of his own songs from which to pick, and with the seven or eight instruments he brings on a road trip, he could play and sing a banjo tune, cool the crowd down with a ballad accompanied on the piano, play “Leviathan” on the hammer dulcimer, or tell a story leaving the audience rolling with laughter or daubing their eyes.

This event will be the ninth annual concert by John McCutcheon at St. James’, providing professional sound and lighting, songs and stories of truth, playing and singing by McCutcheon, and a bit of sing-along with the audience (individual choice).

For more information contact St. James’ Episcopal Church at (510) 797-1492, events@saintj.com, or visit www.folkmusic.com.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children 5 to 12, and free for ages 5 and under.

John McCutcheon concert Monday, January 16 7:30 p.m.

St. James’ Episcopal Church 37051 Cabrillo Terrace, Fremont (510) 797-1492 www.folkmusic.com Tickets: $15 - $25

January 10, 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Alameda County Library News

Taxpayer Resources Available at Tri-City Libraries MIRA GEROY, LIBRARY MANAGER UNION CITY LIBRARY

I

f you are one of those people who dread this time of the year when the tax season rolls around, there is SOME good news.

The Alameda County Tri-City branch libraries offer tax resources, forms, and tax form assistance.

Libraries in Fremont, Newark, and Union City have binders available for the public with tax forms that can be photocopied at the library. Union City Library also has basic paper forms available for you to pick up starting in mid January. All the libraries have public use computers where you can access the IRS website to download and print any additional forms you need. Free Wi-Fi is also available in all the libraries. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 to have forms sent to you.

Additional help is provided by several books available for checkout including J.K. Lasser’s Your Income Tax 2012, Home Business Tax Deductions: Keep What You Earn

by Stephen Fishman Nolo Press 2011, Small Business Taxes Made Easy by Eva Rosenberg McGraw-Hill 2011, The library website at www.aclibrary.org also offers free online classes in the Universal Class program. To find it click on research then A-Z resources then click on u and choose Universal Class.

The Fremont Family Resource Center will be doing an outreach tax assistance program in three Tri-City branch libraries including Fremont, Newark and Union City libraries.

The tax assistance will be provided by IRS-

certified VITA volunteer tax preparers. To qualify for this FREE help you must have a household income of $50,000 or less per year. If married you must be filing jointly to receive this help. The program at the Fremont Library will be on Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. from February 4 through April 14, 2012. The program at Newark Library will be on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. February 4 through March 10, 2012. The program at Union City Library will be on the following dates: Saturdays 11:30-4:30 p.m. on February 18, 25, March 3, 10, 17 and Sunday March 11 from 1-5 p.m. At Newark and Union City Libraries the public served will drop off their information and pick up their completed forms the following week. At Fremont Library the public served will have their forms processed on site which will take approximately 1- 1? hours.

You need to bring the following to receive this service: Picture ID SS Cards for all family members W-2 and 1099 forms for all jobs and income Childcare provider SSN or EIN number and address Bank routing and acct. numbers for direct deposit of refund A copy of last year’s return is helpful For more information about the VITA tax program call 510-574-2020 (press 1 to leave a message) or visit http://earnitkeepitsaveit.org.

Governor proposes flat budget for California State University SUBMITTED BY STEPHANIE THARA Governor Brown recently released his 2012-2013 state budget proposal that calls for no change from this year’s level of state support of the California State University, provided that his tax initiative slated for the November ballot is passed by voters. The proposed $2 billion in state support for the CSU is the lowest in 15 years, and reflects the continuation of a $750 million or 27 percent reduction in funding made in 2011-2012.

In addition, the proposed budget relies on the passage of the Governor’s tax measure that would raise income taxes on high-income earners and increase the state sales tax, generating approximately $7 billion a year in additional revenue. If the measure is not approved by voters, the Governor’s budget proposal includes a series of trigger cuts that would go into effect, including an additional $200 million cut to the CSU, which represents almost 27,000 enrolled students. That would bring state support to $1.8 billion, which would be the lowest level of state funding since 1996-97, even though CSU enrolls 95,000 more students today.

“Our campuses have done everything they can just to get through this fiscal year with a $750 million budget cut,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. “We have only survived by implementing numerous cost cutting measures, being extremely prudent with resources, and spending down one-time reserves. However, we are just about out of options, and if the state does not begin to reinvest in the CSU, we will need to take more drastic measures including cutting enrollment and programs, raising tuition and reducing personnel.”

The $2 billion in state funding allocated to the CSU for the 2012-2013 budget is the lowest level of state support the system has received since 1997-1998, but the university currently serves an additional 90,000 students compared to that year.

For the past three years, CSU has instituted a number of cost saving measures including decreased enrollment, employee layoffs and furloughs, deferred maintenance, travel restrictions, better use of information technology and other efforts. To get through the remaining months of this fiscal year, campuses will need to take short-term measures such as drawing on one-time reserves, delaying equipment purchases and facility maintenance work. However, starting with the next fiscal year, extremely difficult longer-term tradeoffs will have to be considered, including the possibility of additional cuts to academic programs or further increases in tuition.

The budget proposal for 2012-2013 does not restore the $100 million trigger cut, making the $750 million reduction a permanent reduction to the base of state funding for the CSU. In two of the last four fiscal years, state support to the CSU has been dramatically reduced, forcing the CSU board to approve sizable tuition fee increases. However, increases in revenue from tuition hikes – after setting aside one-third for financial aid – have not kept pace with state funding cuts. For the current academic year, tuition increases raised approximately $300 million, but CSU’s budget was cut by $750 million.

“We cannot continue down this budget path and expect that we can offer the same number of courses to the same number of students and maintain quality,” added Reed.

“California needs to make public universities a priority again. It is unrealistic to think the state will be able to grow its economy without an educated workforce.”

The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, approximately 412,000 students and 43,000 faculty and staff.

For more information, visit www.calstate.edu.

Page 7

Page 8 Information found in ‘Protective Services’ is provided to public “as available” by public service agencies - police, fire, etc. Accuracy and authenticity of press releases are the responsibility of the agency

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

providing such information. Tri-City Voice does not make or imply any guarantee regarding the content of information received from authoritative sources.

Milpitas PD announces 2011 Employee of the Year SUBMITTED BY LT. STEVEN PETRAKOVITZ, MILPITAS PD The Milpitas Police Department is pleased to announce that Dennis Kraft has been selected as our 2011 Employee of the Year. Officer Kraft is a police officer assigned to the Traffic Safety Unit of the Milpitas Police Department. In addition to his assigned enforcement duties, Kraft is a leader in developing new services and enhancing programs already in place. In his 29year career, Officer Kraft has consistently improved the safety of our residents.

Officer Kraft initiated the child safety seat program and offers free child safety seat inspections and installations to citizens of Milpitas. He has installed hundreds of child safety seats since he started the program in 2005, and is responsible for preventing countless unnecessary injuries and deaths to children in our community. Officer Kraft teaches education/diversion classes to children caught riding their bicycles without a helmet. This service diverts kids from the criminal justice system, and instead instructs them and their parents on bicycle safety measures while providing free bicycle helmets on an asneeded basis.

“I’ve had the happy privilege of serving with Dennis during his entire career,” stated Chief of Police Dennis Graham. “Year by year he outdoes himself, so committed that the service he provides rises to a level I’ve rarely seen in my 30 years of law enforcement. Dennis sets the example of excellence for all of us.”

The Milpitas Police Department congratulates Officer Kraft on this outstanding achievement.

Newark Police Log SUBMITTED BY CMDR. ROBERT DOUGLAS, NEWARK PD January 5 At 1:07 p.m., an NPD officer responded to the 7800 block of Wells Avenue to investigate a residential burglary and determined the suspect(s) gained entry by smashing the rear sliding glass door sometime between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Loss was a 42” Samsung LCD TV, a Sony 16 megapixel Cybershot camera, a Panasonic video camera, an eMachines laptop, Giovanchi perfume and Obsession perfume.

An NPD Officer handled a citizen’s arrest/shoplifting case at the NewPark Mall Macy’s store at 5:54 p.m. Two male juveniles were arrested for petty theft and later released to the custody of their parents.

A traffic stop on Jarvis Avenue

by Officer Nobbe at 7:40 p.m. resulted in the arrest of Kevin Kuang of Sacramento for transportation and possession for sale of multiple pounds of Marijuana and about 75 vials of Hashish oil.

Any person with any information concerning these incidents can contact the non-emergency line at (510) 578-4237. Information can also be left anonymously on the “silent witness” hotline at (510) 578-4000, extension 500.

Good Samaritans help couple escape devastating fire SUBMITTED BY AISHA KNOWLES, ACFD

O

n Thursday, January 5, 2012 at 10:02 a.m., Alameda County Firefighters responded to a report of a house fire at 115 Wendy Court in Union City. Firefighters responded quickly to find heavy smoke and flames billowing from every side of the one-story, three-bedroom home. A thick column of smoke could be seen from two miles away.

The one-alarm response of four engines, one truck, one heavy rescue and two Battalion Chiefs was immediately upgraded to a second alarm response to help prevent the spread of the fire to neighboring homes. A quick knockdown of the blaze resulted in the cancellation of the second alarm response within 10 minutes of the upgraded assignment.

Prior to the arrival of firefighters, two Good Samaritans, 25 year-old Kevin Ricketts of Fremont, and his co-worker, 25 year-old Jonathan Baldwin, also a resident of Fremont, aided the two occupants of the home, an 86 year-old World War II veteran and his 77 year-old wife away from the home as heavy smoke and flames engulfed it.

While on their way to pick up an item from a local business, Ricketts and Baldwin noticed a column of smoke from Whipple Road and instantly decided to follow the smoke to see what was going on. They traveled further down Whipple Road to Ithaca St and then turned on to Wendy Court where thick black smoke was surging out of windows on each side of the home. Believing that someone could possibly be trapped in the home, Ricketts and Baldwin screamed into the open front door to see if anyone was inside, despite being confronted by thick smoke. Hearing no response, Ricketts and Baldwin continued to yell from the front and the side of the home, hoping to receive a response from someone.

Less than a minute later, after making as much noise possible to alert neighbors and potential trapped occupants, Ricketts and Baldwin heard a commotion coming from the rear of the house in the backyard area. A male voice off in the distance directed them to call 9-1-1 and Ricketts and Baldwin responded by letting him know they already had done so.

Moving toward the sound of the voice and noise from the commotion, Ricketts and Baldwin quickly opened the side gate of the home, and rushed to the elderly couple to assist them in moving away from the side of their home as smoke filled the air. Thanks to the alert actions of the two Good Samaritans, there were no injuries to community members, however, the couple’s two cats, Paxil and Jack, are still unaccounted for.

Fire Investigators determined the cause of the fire to be an electrical heating device in the rear bedroom of the home. No injuries to firefighters were reported. It took 21 firefighters less than 20 minutes to knockdown the fire. With the exception of the garage, the fire completely destroyed the home that was built and purchased by the couple in 1961. The displaced occupants plan to stay with family members and declined assistance from the Red Cross. The neighboring home located at 123 Wendy Court, sustained a broken window and moderate damage to the roof as a result of the fire.

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Tri-City Voice Newspaper Needs Your Help We need you to vote for us Sign our petition on change.org http://www.change.org/petitions/tri-city-voice-newspaper-needs-help-bay-areanews-group-medianews-is-trying-to-put-us-out-of-business

The courts do not believe that people care about local independent community newspapers. We need to go back to court with enough names to show community support.

The Bay Area News Group, MediaNews (which includes Oakland Tribune, Hayward Review, The Argus, Milpitas Post, Fremont Bulletin, San Jose Mercury and many other Bay Area newspapers) is trying to put Tri-City Voice Newspaper out of business. This is about corporate greed and maintaining a monopoly. What they do not own and control they want to crush.

We need your help.

We also need more subscribers We have a petition here at our office that you can sign.

39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont If you need help going to Change.org to sign, send me an email and I will give you the link.

We have a link to our petition on our website www.tricityvoice.com sharon@tricityvoice.com Call for information. 510-494-1999 We have over 910 signatures on change.org and over 598 have signed a petition in the community and at our office. We need more signatures. You can come to our office for a petition and help us get more names. We need letters of support from clubs and organizations and more subscribers.

Fremont Police Log SUBMITTED BY DET. WILLIAM VETERAN, FREMONT PD January 6 The subject who was arrested for theft from CVS on 01/02/12 and then drank Tilex and Ajax to avoid going to jail was ready to be released from John George. Officer Haugh responded to transport and learned that the subject drank an entire bottle of shampoo when he heard FPD was coming to pick him up. John George sent him to the hospital and will contact FPD when he is ready to be picked up… again.

A 27 year-old male came to our animal shelter with his family to find a puppy. After finding the right one, he attempted to steal it by placing it into a bag. Unfortunately for him, Sergeant Russell and another employee were watching. The male had a MasterLock tied to a bandana in his pocket. He admitted this was a weapon. He was detained after making threats to hurt himself.

January 7 CSO Aguirre responded to 5168 Mowry Avenue on report of a commercial burglary. The unknown

SUBMITTED BY BRANDI CHILDRESS Construction is underway where Kato Road crosses the existing Union Pacific Railroad Tracks in southern Fremont. This project will lower Kato Road so that it passes beneath the current ground/street level railroad tracks.

A grade separation is a physical separation of two different travel movements, trains/transit and vehicle/pedestrians. This project is occurring in advance of the BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project to prepare the corridor for future construction. The project will reduce congestion/traffic and improve safety for the local community.

Kato Road will close between Milmont Drive and Warm Springs Boulevard from 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 14 until 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 15, 2012.

Local residents and businesses on Kato Road will retain access. Vehicle and pedestrian through traffic may utilize Dixon Landing Road in Milpitas for east-west travel.

Work will occur between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on both days and will include operation of heavy construction drilling machinery.

Local residents and businesses will experience loud drilling and pile-driving activities, typical construction noise and back-up warning devices.

There will be two more weekend road closures before Kato Road closes completely for nine months starting in Summer 2012.

For more information about BART Silicon Valley, please contact VTA Community Outreach at (408) 934-2662, (TTY only) (408) 321-2330, or visit www.vta.org/bart.

suspect(s) entered the business, which is under construction, and removed tools and copper pipes.

Officers responded to First Commercial Bank, 46691 Mission Boulevard on a report of a robbery that just occurred. The suspect, described as a black male, 20’s, skinny, wearing a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans, entered the bank and demanded cash from the teller. The suspect was last seen northbound on Warm Springs Boulevard.

Residential burglary occurred in the 43500 block of Southerland Way. Entry was gained via a ground floor window. Loss is jewelry and small electronics. Investigated by Officer M. Smith.

Officer Macciola investigated a residential burglary at the Stevenson Place Apartments.

The victim was away for two weeks. Stolen were laptops, a TV and personal documents.

January 8 Officers responded to OO Liquor on a reported robbery that ultimately turned out to be a simple battery. The suspect was located and arrested.

Milpitas ticket wins nearly $200,000 SUBMITTED BY KELLY KELL Someone in Milpitas woke up on the right side of the bed January 7, 2012. That’s because he or she has an extra $197,753 in their pocket after successfully matching five numbers in the previous night’s MEGA Millions draw.

The winning ticket was sold at Lucky Supermarkets, which is located at 1350 Park Victoria Drive.

The ticket matched the numbers 34, 28, 9, 48 and 17, missing only the Mega number of 46.

The California Lottery reminds winners to sign the back of their ticket, keep tickets in a safe place and contact Lottery officials or visit their local Lottery District Office as soon as possible. Winners have 180 days from the date of the draw to claim prizes.

Page 9

Page 10

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

SANTOS GUEST COLUMN SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT JANUARY 2012 With the bone dry December we’ve experienced, it may have slipped our collective consciousness that we have entered the flood season. If flooding doesn’t happen this year, we can be sure we’ll experience flooding again in some future year. That’s why the Santa Clara Valley Water District maintains its focus on preventing flooding in wet years and dry ones, all year long and helping residents prepare for the worst.

This past summer, district crews repaired banks and removed accumulated sediment from creeks all over the county.

In the last year, we completed 31 projects as part of our Stream Maintenance Program, preserving the ability of our local creeks to carry high flows. Crews removed 39,218 cubic yards of sediment and repaired 1,975 feet of creek banks.

Yet, more than 65,000 parcels remain at risk of flooding in a 100-year storm event. The district is making progress in reducing this number. Currently, major construction is underway on the Guadalupe River upstream of I280 and on Lower Silver Creek between I-680 and Lake Cunningham Park.

The Guadalupe River project continues the work that was com-

January 10, 2012

pleted to protect downtown San José in 2005. Ultimately, the project will continue south to Blossom Hill Road, protecting 7,500 properties. Unfortunately, the project is unlikely to be completed until additional federal funds are appropriated.

The Lower Silver Creek project was recently awarded $25 million from state Proposition 1E funds. Along with the $20.2 million the project has already been awarded from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the district is well on its way to complete the project, which will ultimately protect 3,800 parcels from flooding.

Such a major undertaking can be a significant inconvenience to the residents who live closest to the construction site. Traffic is sometimes affected by lane closures. The district strives to minimize these disturbances, and to keep residents informed.

In a recent survey of neighbors of the Lower Silver Creek project, most respondents agree that we have been communicating well and have met their expectations.

Here’s one comment we received: “From my perspective, this seems to be a well thought and well run project. I have been informed at every step. Other city agencies can benefit from your efforts. Thank you!”

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States. Every year, floods take many lives and cause billions of

Richard Santos

dollars in property damage. In addition to our work to reduce the chances of flooding, we want to help you to be prepared before, during and after a flood.

Before a flood, prepare a family disaster plan and make an emergency kit for your home and for your car. Consider purchasing flood insurance to protect your property. During a flood, move to higher ground, and do not walk or drive through flood waters. After a flood, watch for hidden hazards and return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.

When you observe potential flooding or obstructions of waterways, please be our ears and eyes and call us at 408-265-2600.

Visit our website at www.valleywater.org for more flood safety tips, and be prepared!

As always, I am available for questions or comments as your District 3 representative for the northern areas of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara; Alviso; Milpitas; and the north San Jose and Berryessa communities. Feel free to contact me at (408) 234-7707.

Hayward Citizen’s Advisory Committee vacancies SUBMITTED BY SAMIRA HAMID The Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD) is now accepting applications from interested residents of Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo and unincorporated Alameda County for the Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC). This committee meets four times per year and provides recommendations to the District Board of Directors, reviews District programs, reviews District park design projects and works on specific Board directed projects.

To obtain a CAC application or additional information please call (510) 881-6704 or visit www.haywardrec.org to download an application. Applications are due no later than January 27, 2012.

BOE partners with industry to combat underground economy Strategic cooperation key to minimizing revenue loss

SUBMITTED BY CALIFORNIA BOARD OF EQUALIZATION Stepping up efforts to combat the loss of revenue as a result of unregulated and/or illegal sales of goods and services, members of the Board of Equalization (BOE), legislators and industry leaders met on January 4, 2012, at the State Capitol to find collaborative solutions to capture the estimated $60 billion stolen annually from Californians through the underground economy.

The term “underground economy” refers to those individuals and businesses that deal in cash and/or use other schemes to conceal their activities, identities and true tax liability from government licensing, regulatory and taxing agencies. The “underground economy” includes activities that range from the sale of stolen or counterfeit products to the exploitation of victims of human trafficking.

The Underground Economy Industry Meeting included BOE Chairman and Fourth District Member Jerome E. Horton, BOE First District Member Betty T. Yee, representatives from the California Chamber of Commerce and leaders representing a broad range of California industries, including electronics, fashion, motion pictures, pharmaceutical, construction and others.

The BOE wishes to continue partnering with stakeholders to stem the loss of revenue that helps fund vital services for Californians, such as hospitals, roads, schools and public safety. Since those who operate in the underground economy use the same services as taxpayers and fee-payers without making the same contribution, each and every Californian is impacted by this underground activity.

For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/7bymaen

AARP tax assistance SUBMITTED BY DONNA KREHBIEL AARP will offer Free Tax Assistance at the Castro Valley Library every Wednesday, beginning February 1, 2012 through April 11, 2012 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Learning Center. The program, jointly sponsored by the IRS and AARP, provides trained volunteers to assist with most all U.S. Federal and California State income tax preparation and e-filing.

Appointments are required. The Library is accepting appointments now.

You may call the Library Information Desk at (510) 667-7900 during normal open hours, or sign up in person.

The Castro Valley Library is a branch of the Alameda County Library system.

The Library is located at 3600 Norbridge Avenue and is wheel chair accessible. An ASL interpreter will be provided with ten days notice. For more information, contact the Library or see Events at www.aclibrary.org/branches/csv.

Income Tax Assistance Wednesdays: Feb 1 – Apr 11 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Castro Valley Library 3600 Norbridge Ave., Castro Valley (510) 667-7900 TTY (888) 663-0660 www.aclibrary.org/branches/csv DKrehbiel@aclibrary.org Appointments required

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

SUBMITTED BY ALAMEDA COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION The Alameda County Arts Commission announces the release of the 2012 ARTSFUND Grants Program Guidelines and Application for Alameda County-based nonprofit organizations. Information can be found at the Arts Commission website www.acgov.org/arts (click on “Programs”). Standard grants awards are $1,000 each. The application deadline is March 1, 2012.

The ARTSFUND Grants Program supports all types of arts programming such as dance, literature, media arts, music, theater, visual arts, and multidisciplinary arts programs presented in Alameda County by Alameda County nonprofit organizations. Last year’s ARTSFUND program awarded grants of $800 to $1,800 to 41 nonprofit organizations throughout Alameda County. During the 2012 funding cycle, between 40-55 arts organizations may be awarded grants.

The Alameda County Arts Commission, a division of the County of Alameda, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Alameda County by nurturing a thriving environment for the arts, promoting economic opportunities for Alameda County’s artists and arts organizations, and encouraging public participation in the arts.

The Arts Commission staff will host two free workshops to assist organizations in preparing their grant applications. Reservations are required. Workshops will be held on Wednesday, January 18 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Fremont Main Library in Fremont and Wednesday, February 1 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Alameda County Lakeside Plaza Building in Oakland. Contact the Arts Commission at artscommission@acgov.org or phone (510) 208-9646 to RSVP to attend a workshop at least seven days prior to the workshop date.

Funding for the ARTSFUND Grants Program is provided by the County of Alameda, individual contributions submitted with County property tax payments, and donations to the Foundation for the Arts in Alameda County.

Further details are available within the ARTSFUND Grants Program Guidelines and Application available at the Arts Commission website www.acgov.org/arts (click on “Programs”) or contact the Alameda County Arts Commission by email artscommission@acgov.org or phone at (510) 208-9646.

SUBMITTED BY ERIN SMITH-CHENG

improvements that will save money, save energy, and make their homes more comfortable. Participating Contractors who are trained and ready to work on Tri-City homes will be there to answer all homeowner questions. Included in the workshop will be more information about Energize for the Prize, an innovative school-based fundraiser that is helping Tri-City schools raise critically-needed funds while encouraging Tri-City homeowners to make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.

Tri-City residents can find more information and register for the workshop by visiting:http://tricityenergyupgradeeorg.eventbrite.com/.

Energy Upgrade California will be hosting a homeowner workshop on Wednesday, January 18 for Tri-City homeowners to learn more about making energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.

Tri-City residents can learn how easy it is to get thousands of dollars back on home

Homeowner energy workshop Wednesday, Jan 18 6:30 p.m.

Niles Conference Rm., City of Fremont 39550 Liberty St., Fremont http://tricityenergyupgradeeorg.eventbrite.com/

SUBMITTED BY AC TRANSIT To ensure its transit services are used and easily obtainable by all members of the public, AC Transit seeks volunteers to fill vacancies on its Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). The District invites applications from people interested in volunteering their input by serving on the committee as advocates for seniors and disabled bus riders.

The AAC consists of 14 members and, typically, meets on the second Tuesday of the month to address concerns about, implement and enhance AC Transit’s programs and services for seniors and people with disabilities. The committee was established specifically to review policies and procedures and to comment and advise the District and its seven-member Board of Directors on all matters related to bus accessibility.

Citizens appointed to serve on the committee will serve a term of one year beginning March 1, 2012. In an effort to maintain a diversified panel, representative of people who are seniors, people with varying disabilities and of diverse ethnic backgrounds, two committee members will be appointed by each Director.

Qualified applicants must use AC Transit’s fixedroute service, be a senior or individual with a disability and/or represent such groups and be willing to devote the necessary time to attend meetings. Along with identifying problems and offering probable solutions and ideas, prospective applicants should also have respect for others, be open to hearing divergent points of view and commit up to six hours per month to committee-related work.

Applications can be obtained from, and returned to, the District Secretary’s Office, 1600 Franklin Street, 10th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612 or by calling (510) 891-7201. Completed applications also can be faxed to (510) 891- 4705.

The deadline for all applications, to be received by the District Secretary, is February 3, 2012.

Page 11

Page 12

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Vote on parking deal for 49ers stadium set AP WIRE SERVICE SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP), Jan 07 - Santa Clara officials are scheduled to vote next week on a deal over parking for the planned $1 billion 49ers stadium that would clear one of the last remaining hurdles to the project.

The City Council and Santa Clara Stadium Authority are expected to approve the deal between Cedar Fair, owners of Great America Theme Park, the 49ers and the city during meetings on Tuesday, the San Jose Mercury News reports (http://bit.ly/zmmODa ).

Cedar Fair had been opposed to ceding part of its parking lot for the stadium and had filed a lawsuit to block the project. But it has since agreed to allow the stadium to be built on one of Great America's overflow parking lots and let fans tailgate and park in the main lot, city officials said on Friday, as they announced details of the agreement.

In return, Cedar Fair would be able to keep more theme park profits during boom years and extend its lease with the city for a discounted rate. The city owns the land the theme park sits on.

Cedar Fair would also receive $12.5 million from the 49ers and drop its lawsuit against the stadium. ``Having this checked off on our list of things that need to be done ... is a great relief,'' Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews told the Mercury News. ``It's a fair deal between all parties involved.''

Banks have agreed to loan the city and 49ers $850 million for the 68,500seat stadium although that loan is contingent on $150 million in funding from the NFL. The city and 49ers are confident that funding will come through.

Former Chronicle Editor Bronstein leaving Hearst AP WIRE SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Jan 06 - Former San Francisco Chronicle Editor Phil Bronstein has announced his resignation from Hearst Newspapers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported (http://bit.ly/xlHy1i) Friday.

Bronstein, 61, who has served as editor at large for the past four years, will move into an unpaid role with the nonprofit Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley, where he is president of the board, the newspaper reported.

Bronstein had worked as a newsman in San Francisco for 31 years, joining the then-Hearst-owned San Francisco Examiner as a reporter in 1980.

During his career, he worked as an investigative reporter, then as a foreign correspondent. His coverage of the fall of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

In the 17 years he worked as an editor for the Chronicle, Bronstein oversaw the newspaper's investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or BALCO, a steroids distribution ring. He also guided the paper through its expansion into the Internet age, and through belt-tightening as the newspaper industry ran into financial troubles.

He made headlines himself when he married actress Sharon Stone in 1998. Bronstein was in the news again in 2001 when a Komodo dragon bit his toe during a private tour at the Los Angeles Zoo, then again when he and Stone divorced in 2004.

Bronstein left the editor's office in 2008 but remained as The Chronicle's executive vice president. ``Phil has had a long and storied career with Hearst over many years, both as a correspondent and editor at the Examiner and as editor of The Chronicle,'' said Chronicle Publisher Frank Vega. ``He has made many contributions in those roles. During his years as editor of The Chronicle, Phil brought many innovations and new thinking as we made a transition from a traditional newspaper into a world where The Chronicle and SFGate.com provide information through many sources.''

Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com

The report criticized the authority for failing to identify a long-term funding source for the $25 to $30 billion needed to complete either of those segments.

The authority also failed to specify which of the two segments should be initiated first, according to the report.

The report also said the authority's business plan was incomplete and its staffing was inadequate to manage a large construction project.

The total cost of the project has more than doubled to $98 billion since voters approved $9 billion in bonds in 2008.

The authority responded by calling the report ``deeply flawed'' and misleading. It said the report's conclusions could place the $3.5 billion in federal funding at risk and jeopardize future funding. Other major infrastructure projects also don't have fully identified funding sources at the start, the authority said.

The California Labor Federation also criticized the report. It defended the rail line, saying it would generate thousands of jobs and should not be delayed.

Proponents envision that the trains, traveling at up to 220 mph, would help transform the state's economy by relieving congestion on clogged highways, allowing quicker travel between metropoli-

Panel suggests putting high-speed rail on hold AP WIRE SERVICE SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jan 03 - A state-appointed panel said Tuesday that California's plan to build a high-speed rail system in the state is not financially feasible and should be placed on hold.

The report by the California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group said the state should not authorize $2.7 billion in bonds to build the initial section of the system.

In November, the California High-Speed Rail Authority approved a plan that requests $2.7 billion in state bonds to match $3.5 billion in federal money. It would be used to build 130 miles of track between Chowchilla and Bakersfield.

The stretch of tracks would form an integral part of the line's first segment proposed to eventually span 290 miles from Bakersfield to San Jose or 300 miles from Merced to a point in the San Fernando Valley.

tan areas and generating muchneeded construction jobs.

But last month, California's high-speed rail officials backed off claims that the bullet train would create more than 1 million jobs.

And in November, the state's legislative analyst said California's plan for a $98 billion highspeed rail system does not comply with some parts of the 2008 ballot measure voters approved to provide the seed money. The analyst said the stretch would not be a standalone operating segment of the high-speed rail line, as required

by Proposition 1A. Some lawmakers in both major parties now say the Legislature should rethink spending voter-approved bonds toward the high-speed rail system.

State Sen. Doug LaMalfa, RRichvale, praised the review group's recommendation. He said the state couldn't afford highspeed rail and its actual costs would far exceed any benefits.

The senator said he would introduce a bill to put the project's funding on the ballot and let voters have another opportunity to weigh in.

The rail line would be built in two phases. The first would extend from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim; the second would extend the line to Sacramento in the north and San Diego in the south.

Pacific Gas and Electric says in filing it failed to check some lines AP WIRE SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Dec 31 - Pacific Gas and Electric Co. officials are acknowledging that the utility failed to inspect about 14 miles of gas distribution pipelines in Contra Costa County because several maps had been misplaced.

PG&E spokesman David Eisen-

hauer said Friday that after the missing maps were reported by an employee earlier this month, inspections of the pipelines revealed 22 leaks, including one so-called ``Grade 1'' leak in Pittsburg.

The utility says that leak, considered to be hazardous, was repaired Friday.

The 21 other leaks were not con-

sidered to be hazardous.

PG&E says the distribution lines, smaller lines that provide gas service directly to homes and businesses, were installed between 1992 to 2008.

The utility notified the California Public Utilities Commission of what it termed an ``oversight'' over the misplaced maps in a filing Friday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 13

Fremont Is Our Business FUDENNA BROS., INC. Leader in Small To Medium Size Office Space

FEATURED OFFICES Available Now SKS BUILDING

EXECUTIVE I

39829 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont 94538 (Across from Lake Elizabeth)

2450 Peralta Blvd., Suite 111, Fremont 94536 (West of Paseo Padre Parkway) • 444 square feet • 2 Room office • 1st Floor

• 513 square feet • 2 Room office • 2nd Floor PARKWAY TOWERS

BLACOW OFFICE CENTER

3909-A Stevenson Blvd., Fremont 94538 (Stevenson x Fremont Blvd.)

38950-F Blacow Road, Fremont 94536 (Mowry Ave. x Blacow)

• 1,240 square feet • Suitable for Insurance or Real Estate Office • Large store-front window

• • • •

• 1,321 square feet • Perfect for Start-ups

PARKWAY PROFESSIONAL

EXECUTIVE II

40000 Fremont Blvd., Suite F Fremont, CA 94538 (Stevenson x Fremont Blvd.)

2140 Peralta Blvd., Suite 203 Fremont, CA 94536 (Paseo Padre Pkwy. x Peralta Blvd.)

668 square feet 3 room office Suited for doctors and chiropractors office Ideal for physical therapy practice

Phone: 510-657-6200

• 496 square feet • 3 room office • Large front/reception room

www. fudenna.com

Page 14

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

Are you a writer?

January 10, 2012

Do you like to write about interesting topics? Are you a whiz with words and like to share your thoughts with others? Can you find something fascinating about lots of things around you?

If so, maybe writing for the Tri-City Voice is in your future. We are looking for disciplined writers and reporters who will accept an assignment and weave an interesting and accurate story that readers will enjoy.

Applicants must be proficient in the English language (spelling and grammar) and possess the ability to work within deadlines.

If you are interested, submit a writing sample of at least 500 words along with a resume to tricityvoice@aol.com or fax to (510) 796-2462.

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 15

Sudoku: Fill in the missing numbers (1 – 9 inclusive) so each row, column and 3x3 box contains all digits.

1

2

3

4

7

B 145

Crossword Puzzle 5

6

8 6

9

7

5

8 9

4

10

9

3 1 3 3 4

11 12

5

13 14 15

16

6

17 18

19

20

21 23

6 5 1

3 5 8

3

9 2 9

8

22

24 1

25

26

27

P

R

31

32

33

T

C

I

T

R

P

E

S

E

C

L

I

Y

20

I

T

3 Alkaline (5) 5 "Saturday Night Fever" music (5) 6 "Enchanted April" setting (5) 7 Means of communication (9) 8 Michener best seller (6) 10 Not finished fully (10) 13 Cops (6) 14 Under careful scrutiny (11) 16 Musical _______ (11) 18 Green perimeters (6) 19 People in administration (10) 20 Shape encompassed by three sides (10) 22 Acting without others noticing (8) 23 Bar order (7) 24 Moving to a later date (10) 26 Didn't malfunction (8) 27 Greeting with hand gesture (6) 29 Desert sight (5)

N

V

21

E

A

P E

P

Y

R

S

G

E

U 32

M

I

N

I

E

N

N S

B 146 Puzzle Solutions

Down 1 Astonishing (10) 2 In danger from something (10)

A

C

S T

L

C

C

I

D

A

26

S

A I

S

S

N

27

T

T

U

R

E

T

T

U

I

T

R

E

P

N

R

I

C

8 5 3 2 7 9 6 1 4

V

G R

V

E

V

R

A

D

7 4 9 1 6 5 2 8 3

U

L

Y

U

E

L

L

E

6 3 8 5 1 2 4 7 9

5 7 4 9 3 6 1 2 8

8

S U

A R

Y

O

I

M M E

N

A

G

T

N I S

N G 17

I

C C

Y C 23

E

24

P

I

S

A

S

30

S

L

M

L

A

N O

R

P

G

E

A

H

I

A

I

P M E

N

N

E

E

4 1 5 7 2 3 8 9 6

N

R

O

2 9 1 8 4 7 3 6 5

E

N

C

T

I

D

1 2 6 3 8 4 9 5 7

R

11

L

T

I 35

I

T

U

31

N G G

T

H M E

29

E 33

G T

S

R

I

O N

T

A T

I

N

T

I

16

R

10

13

S

E

T A

A

T

F

E

I

V

T

N

15

O

R

T

E

E

D

R

19

T

C

N

I

7

M I

I

I F

P

6

D

T

S Q U

5

I

H

O

R

E

O

S

T A

S

C

22

E 28

B

T

U X

34

I

4

9

O

T R

I

L

O R

M O

M U

D

N

14

18

25

Across 1 Works well in the given circumstances (8) 4 ___ Wiper (10) 9 House of _______ (15) 11 University (7) 12 Contract of approval (10) 15 Country between France and Germany (7) 16 Shipping hazard (7) 17 "Reversal of Fortune" star (5) 18 Achievements (15) 21 Carries impure blood (5) 23 Fitting for a particular occasion (11) 25 Loud sounds (6) 26 Overpowering (12) 28 Secure place at a hotel (11) 30 Cooktop (5) 31 Be there (6) 32 Well-built (6) 33 Youth (10) 34 Desk item (6)

U

R

L

34

3

N

E 30

J

X

A

29

E

I 12

28

2

3 8 7 6 9 1 5 4 2

D

S

I A T

S

9 6 2 4 5 8 7 3 1

Tri-City Stargazer JANUARY 11 – JANUARY 17, 2012 BY VIVIAN CAROL For All Signs: Venus, known to the ancients as the goddess of love, makes an unusual number of aspects to the other planets this week. This suggests that many of us will be preoccupied with issues and interests concerning our involvement with others. Venus rules not only romantic love, but also the principle of relatedness among people, whatever that relationship may be. The free-flowing aspects of Venus this week favor non-sexual friendships. The tenser aspect is connected to our closest intimates, the ones with whom we share our sexuality or our money and material resources. These two human interests, sex and finances, lend themselves to overt and subtle issues of control. During tension aspects of Venus, we are more easily drawn into battles over power unless we consciously circumvent the impulse to manipulate others.

Aries (March 21-April 20): New Year’s resolutions concerning health and fitness are going well.

Keep it up! Your reflexes are on target, too. You will prevail in almost any competition. This is a good time to make adjustments in your life routines so they can reflect what you really want to accomplish. You can easily stay on target with your goals now.

Taurus (April 21-May 20): Social and romantic life is favored this week. You may be mixing business and pleasure in an enjoyable combination. This is a good time to discuss issues within a relationship, because you are steady of mind and are likely to be realistic in relation to yourself as well as others. You intend to keep your promises.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): You are experiencing a major change in the areas of shared resources, investments, alimony, or inheritance. At this time you are mentally quarreling with yourself or with others over finding a solution to the problem. You want things to be as they were, and that is not possible. Ask your Supervising Self for a perspective change.

Cancer (June 21-July 21): It is possible that you will feel a sense of fatigue this week. Maybe something has caused you to be disappointed with yourself. Don't take the blues seriously and don’t worry—in a few days you will feel much better. It is a temporary mood swing. Get some extra rest.

Stay in touch with good friends.

Leo the Lion (July 22-Aug 22): You have a sense of physical strength at this time that will be especially beneficial if you are exercising or are in any type of competition. This is also a particularly good time to organize your desk, closets, drawers or files. Eliminating waste of any kind will give you a sense of refreshment.

Virgo the Virgin (August 23September 22): You want answers and you may insist on having them right now, in spite of the fact that you are irritating the person who has the answer. Alternatively, you may be brooding over a child or a lover. There is an element of obsession here that may be beyond the norm. Do not let it take over your good sense.

Libra (September 23-October 22): You are bringing a creative work to a favorable conclusion. It may be symbolic of all the work you have done on yourself in the last three years. For some Libras, this may be a time of positive culmination for one of your children.

You have several aspects that favor romance, the arts, and things of beauty.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): It is of paramount importance that you control your mouth this week. Although you have an opinion about whatever is happening, let it go and say nothing unless asked for it. Being “right” is not as important as maintaining human relations. Later, you can take action to correct what you perceive as wrong, but now you will be challenged to a fight.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): You are in an especially cordial frame of mind at this time, and are likely to invite people to your home, or to share whatever you have to offer. Your spirits are high and you have a need to be social. You are interested in whatever feels luxurious, looks beautiful, or tickles the

senses. Going overboard would be all too easy!

Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Mercury travels rapidly through your sign until January 27. During this period there is likely to be greater emphasis on communications, errands and other short distance travels. Your mind will be quick and your attitude will be persuasive. Your mind is loaded to the brim with intensity of purpose.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): That which has been a joy in the past is coming to a close during this period. You recognize that its time is over and you are accept-

ing, but a bit sad. This could be a person departing your life, or a last fling with an artistic pursuit. It might even be a special treasure that you feel the need to give away.

Pisces (February 19-March 20): Your attitude about yourself is not altogether accurate right now. You may think way too much of your ideas, or alternately, you may see yourself as lower than scum. Neither view is accurate; you should probably not make decisions of any importance this week. Spiritual pursuits are given a “go” signal.

Are you interested in a personal horoscope?

Vivian Carol may be reached at (704) 366-3777 for private psychotherapy or astrology appointments (fee required).

www.horoscopesbyvivian.com

Page 16

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Pat Kite’s Garden

BY PAT KITE Just for winter fun, or for a science project, try making a worm bin, or two. It is tempting to use ordinary garden worms, but these aren’t the best for nutritious garden compost. Garden worms feed

pail. Either way, the bin will need tiny air holes in the sides. Worms need air to survive.

Now start filling. Begin with shredded black and white newspaper. Tear the newspaper into skinny short strips. Fluff these up a bit before putting into your

will wiggle down into the newspaper.

Even though you are curious, try to leave them undisturbed for a week or two. That gives the worms time to feel comfortable in their new home. After that, you can feed them a cup of leftovers every day. If you skip sev-

TRI-CITY GARDEN CLUB MEETINGS: Friends of Heirloom Flowers Work Parties - Every Tuesday - at Shinn Park, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

1251 Peralta near Mowry, Fremont (510) 656-7702 Bring gloves and tools. - Social Hour afterward Every Thursday, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Niles Rose Garden - 36501 Niles Boulevard, Fremont Bring gloves and tools.

[Across Driveway from Mission Adobe Nursery] Contact Joyce Ruiz: 659-9396 Meetings are held quarterly. Call for details

PAT KITE

Fremont Senior Center Garden Club First Friday of each month, 2 p.m.

Janice Anderman, program coordinator 510-790-6602 Fremont Garden Club The Fremont Garden Club meets the third Wednesday of each month, February - October, in members’ homes & gardens, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Locations are posted on the Fremont Garden Clubs’ web site at www.fremontgardenclub.org or email: fremontgardenclub@hotmail.com

deep within the soil and prefer privacy. For best results, get red worms or red wigglers. Their fancy Latin name is Eisenia foetida or Lumbricus rubellus.

Where do you find the proper worms? Bait shops at any wharf, although sometimes fishing bait worms are sold at large markets in a separate cool container. You can also look in a phone book under “worm farms,” or check your computer.

What about a worm bin? You can order them ready-made from stores that carry red wigglers. Or make you own, just for fun. Your basic bin will be about 24 inches wide and about 12-inches high.

This will hold about a pound of red wigglers. You can make the bin of wood, or even use a large

bin. Sprinkle water on the shredded newspaper. It should be slightly damp, not soaking wet.

Now add a cup of ordinary garden soil, mixing this in. Now add your red wigglers, easing them into your shredded mix. Place some shredded newspaper on top.

When all is ready, add some snacks: crushed eggshells, some coffee grounds, pancake crumbs, apple peels, pizza crust, etc. Not too much at first, maybe a cup full altogether.

No meat, dairy or animal waste products at all… it may cause stinkiness.

Then cover the bin loosely so your worms get even more air, but don’t think of escaping. Put your bin in a dark place, such as a closet or cupboard. The worms

L. Patricia [Pat] Kite’s several garden books include KISS Guide to Gardening, Gardening Wizardry for Kids, Raccoons, Ladybug Facts and Folklore and Silkworms. They may be found at Amazon.com and Alibris.com. eral days, just give a little extra before and afterward.

Gradually the material in your bin will become darker. Worms eat your leftovers, and their waste product is called worm castings.

This is super good for plants.

After about four months, shift the bin contents to one side of the bin. Put in fresh newspaper scraps on the other side. Put food on the new side.

Wait a week or so until the worms have moved over. Then you can take the brownish compost from the first side and add to your plants. For science projects make several bins, trying different food menus.

Always remember that worms, although small, are living creatures and should be treated kindly and with respect.

The Voice of Success SUBMITTED BY WOMEN’S COUNCIL OF REALTORS Join the Women’s Council of REALTORS (WCR) Tri-Cities Chapter and actress/voice coach Deborah Biron for the WCR monthly luncheon at the Hilton Hotel, Newark, on January 18, 2012.

From answering the phone to speaking before an audience, your voice is the most important mode of communicating the message you wish to convey.

Biron, of The Speaking Bridge, will provide tips to better sell your services through the inflection, intonation and timbre of what you say.

Learn to use your voice to influence your message, communicate more effectively and boldly accomplish what many have not accomplished before – confident, effective speech!

This month’s featured raffle prize is an hour of personal, voice coaching with Deborah Biron.

All, including members of the public, are welcome to attend the luncheon. $20 for members in advance; $28 for non-members in advance.

This event is sponsored by the Law Office of Phong H. La who can be contacted at (510) 6084780 or via email at Phong@PhongLa.com. For more information, visit www.PhongLa.com.

For more information about the Women’s Council of REALTORS (WCR) Tri-Cities Chapter, visit www.WCRTC.org or call (510) 886-2662. To sponsor a luncheon, contact Greg Jones at (510) 8811234 ext. 105 or email GregJones@GregJonesRealEstate.com

Women’s Council of REALTORS Tri-Cities Chapter Luncheon Wednesday, Jan 18 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Newark Hilton 39900 Balentine Drive, Newark (510) 886-2662 www.WCRTC.org Chapter Members: $20 / Guests: $28 WCR Tri-Cities Chapter Sponsors Platinum Tri-City Voice Newspaper www.TriCityVoice.com Gold Realty World Neighbors www.RealtyWorldNeighbors.com Sugar Bowl Bakery www.SugarBowlBakery.com Silver Bay East Association of REALTORS www.BayEast.org Bronze Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate – Mason-McDuffie www.BHGHome.com Law Office of Phong H. La www.PhongLa.com MLS Listings, Inc www.MLSListings.com Old Republic Home Warranty www.ORHP.com RE Realty Experts www.RealtyExperts.com WIN Tri-Cities Home Inspection www.WINI.com/TriCities

January 10, 2012

ARTICLE AND PHOTO SUBMITTED

BY SUNIL SETHI AND STEVEN FONG

T

here’s a big push in Union City to get kids to think about their futures, and local real estate firm, Sunil Sethi Real Estate, helped the effort by recently sponsoring an essay contest. The group encouraged students in the third grade to write about what they plan to do the year they graduate from high school.

“I remember the essay I wrote in third grade, and though I never became a scientist who retired at age 30, it did make me realize that I would have to pick a future career and figure out what I needed to do to get there,” said realtor Sunil Sethi.

“Our hope is that the students start associating the purpose of school with helping them achieve their future career goals, and not just a place to hang-out until they graduate,” answered Steven Fong, a fellow realtor as well as a former teacher.

From the essays received, the most popular professions aspired to include: doctors, teachers, artists, and firefighters.

Becoming President of the United States was one of the more ambitious careers that a student wrote about. Other unique careers students mentioned were Lego designers, wildlife rehabilitators, and UFC fighters.

“We’re hoping the kids read the essays by their peers to see what else they could consider. Hopefully now that the idea has been planted in their heads, they’ll revisit their plan, re-plan and make adjustments

Page 17

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

as their career desires change over the years,” added Sethi.

About 16 percent of the third grade student population in New Haven Unified School District participated; which was mostly driven by teacher encouragement.

Next year, the hope is to get even more teachers to encourage their students to take part.

Each student who submitted an essay will receive a commemorative pen inscribed with, “I know what I want to be when I grow up,” and a commendation letter from the office of County Supervisor Nadia Lockyer.

The essay contest was sponsored by Sunil Sethi and Steven Fong of Sunil Sethi Real Estate, the Office of County Supervi-

sor Nadia Lockyer representing the 2nd district in Alameda County, Risha Kilaru of Prospect Mortgage, and Kristie Turner of Kristie Turner Insurance Agency.

The compilation of every essay can be downloaded at www.sunilsethi.com and more information is available at www.facebook.com/essaycontest. Sunil Sethi can be contacted at (510) 388-2436.

Left to right): Sunil Sethi, Steven Fong, Kristie Turner and Risha Kilaru

Page 18

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 19

For those who would like to participate in the Tuesday, January 3 crossword, #7 and #31 can be left blank and your entry will still qualify.

Send us your answers and watch for the puzzle in the Weekend Edition.

It’s not easy being green… life animal food markets

BY ERIC MILLS, OHS COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR AND LEGISLATIVE LIAISON "This is about a cultural practice, and the Department of Fish & Game Doesn’t like getting in the middle of those things.”

--Sonke Mastrup, Executive Director of the California Fish & Game Commission (Los Angeles TIMES, 11/21/11)

I

n early 2009, culminating a 15-year effort by a small band of dedicated activists, the California Fish & Game Commission unanimously instructed the Department of Fish & Game (DFG) to cease issuing import permits for frogs and turtles for human consumption. The Commission received more than 3,500 letters and emails in support of the proposed ban, from environmental and sportsmen's groups, from animal welfarists and the general public.

State Senators Sheila Kuehl and Byron Sher wrote in support of the ban, as did former Resources Secretary Huey Johnson (twice). The Department's response? "The Director acts at the pleasure of the Governor,” and the Department continues to issue the permits on a month-to-month basis. So much for the democratic process and public opinion. Not to mention a thumbing of the nose at environmental protection, all in the name of "political correctness."

Conflicts of interest: The Director of the Department and the five Fish & Game Commissioners are all appointed by the Governor. There are no specific require-

ments or qualifications for the job-it's a political plum. The Commission gets its meager funding from the Department, as well as all its scientific data. Yet the Commission is merely an advisory body, with no real authority over the Department unlike Nevada and other states where the Commission has the power to hire and fire the DFG Director.

The general public is unaware of these facts.

In truth, the Commission is in large part a Good Ol' Boys' hunting club - all members are either hunters or fishermen, or both.

The bulk of their efforts is focused on increasing hunting and fishing opportunities, though they're mandated to protect and enhance ALL of the state's wildlife and natural resources for ALL Californians, not just the hook 'n' bullet crowd.

Not surprisingly, in the Commission's 130 years, there have been only two women members.

One of them, Cindy Gustafson was forced to resign for political reasons only two years ago, as was another good Commissioner, Judd Hanna, at about the same time. Mr. Hanna's crime? He had the temerity to speak out publicly about the dangers of lead shot in the environment. Ironically, both these people were supportive of the market frog/turtle ban.

And here's the rub: The Department's Mission Statement says, "The Mission of the Department of Fish and Game is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public." Its been made

SUBMITTED BY BART

abundantly clear that the Department has no intention of following its mandate to protect the State’s natural resources, insofar as the market frogs and turtles are concerned. And the reasons are political, not scientific, as the Commission's Executive Director noted above.

Not acceptable!

California annually imports two million American bullfrogs and 300,000-400,000 freshwater turtles for live food markets, found mostly in various "Chinatowns" throughout the state in Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Los Angeles, etc.

Frogs are commercially-raised, mostly in Taiwan. The turtles (mostly red-eared sliders and spiny softshells) are all taken from the wild in states east of the Rockies, depleting local populations. None of these animals are native to California.

When released into local waters, they prey upon and displace our native species, including the endangered red-legged frog and western pond turtle. These releases, though illegal, are commonplace, and often done by well-meaning but misguided "dogooders," or by certain religious sects in "animal liberation" ceremonies. Cultural diversity is to be encouraged, of course, but resource protection should always be given priority.

All market frogs and turtles are diseased and parasitized, posing serious threats to human health. Recent necropsies have disclosed rampant cases of E. coli, salmonella, pasturella (all potentially fatal in humans), blood parasites, giardia, and even one case of malaria. Worse still, a 2009

BART wants to hear from you!

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) is currently constructing the Oakland Airport Connector (OAC) project, which will connect BART to the Oakland International Airport via the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station. The two new stations will include artwork and you can participate in the process.

BART invites you to attend a community meeting on January 19, 2012, from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m., to hear about the project and the OAC Art Program. The meeting will be an opportunity for you to provide thoughtful input about how you would “describe your community” to the artists who have been selected to prepare conceptual design proposals for station artwork. The artists selected will consider the impressions and information shared in this meeting as they create their design proposals.

Please join us and participate in this forum.

Translation services are available if requested three days (72 hours) before the meeting by calling Nathan Hood at (510) 394-6176.

Oakland Airport Connector Art Program Thursday, Jan 19 6:30 - 8 p.m.

East Oakland Senior Center 9355 Edes Avenue, Oakland (510) 394-6176

study in Biological Conservation documented that 62% of the market frogs tested positive for the dreaded chytrid fungus, cause of the extinctions of some 100 amphibian species worldwide in recent years.

Many of the market animals are butchered while fully conscious.

But there's cause for hope. Dr. Kerry Kriger's Santa Cruz-based organization, SAVE THE FROGS!, is making great strides.

Dr. Kriger has convinced the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors of the dangers to our environment and native wildlife posed by the non-native bullfrogs, and the Board has agendized the issue for their February 28, 2012 meeting, a proposal to ban the importation and/or possession of American bullfrogs.

The proposal also has the support of the county's advisory fish & game commission.

If the ban is adopted, it should inspire other counties to adopt similar ordinances, and ultimately a statewide ban. Any such bans should also include the market turtles.

Adding to the optimism is the fact that our Secretary of Resources, John Laird, has a strong environmental record. Secretary Laird is a former Santa Cruz Assemblyman, who earned a consistent "A" vote on the annual Paw PAC voting chart. And Governor Jerry Brown has a far greener record than did his predecessor.

We also have a new Director of Fish & Game, Charlton "Chuck" Bonham, with good environmental credentials. Here's hoping these three will fix the problem.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write to Resources Secretary John Laird, and DFG Director Chuck Bonham, asking them to stop the import permits for non-native turtles and frogs for the live food markets. Both may be written c/o 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.

EMAIL ADDRESSES: secretary@resources.ca.gov; director@dfg.ca.gov Thanks for caring.

Happy New Year, all!

510-792-4587 39120 Argonaut Way #108, Fremont Ca. 94538-1304

www.ohlonehumanesociety.org Hundreds of healthy, adoptable animals are available at the TriCity Animal Shelter and other local shelters and rescue organizations. Visit www.petfinder.com where you can enter your city or zip code and search by breed, size, gender and other criteria.

Nearly 12,500 rescue groups list more than a quarter-million animals available for adoption. Please save one today.

Page 20

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

continued from page 1

Please join us for our Signature Soup Contest on January 28, 2012 at 2pm!

Sample our delicious soups and vote for your favorite. This is a free event and space is limited so please RSVP before January 25th.

While labeled “unfamiliar territory” by Stokes due to it being a new show that hasn’t been performed much, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” feels surefooted and homey in every way. Fifty-five youth performers bring the world of 1840s St. Petersburg, Missouri, to life, creating a heartfelt, entertaining story that rolls right along in perfect harmony, just like the mighty Mississippi.

Jacob Woll embraces the spirit of Tom Sawyer and is thoroughly entertaining to watch, likable and confident in every step. He is well matched with Tim Sanders as Huckleberry Finn, the duo creating a charming and enviable friendship with delightful banter.

Perhaps most impressive is the youth actors’ deft handling of the adult roles. Karina Simpson as Aunt Polly, Mario Rappa as Reverend Joshua Sprague, Connor Stokes as Injun Joe, Jonathan Barouch as Muff Potter, and Lauren D’Ambrosio as Widow Douglas are entirely mature, self-pos-

sessed and convincing in their grown-up clothes. You’ll find yourself checking the cast photos to make sure that they are indeed kids.

Don Schiltz’s music and lyrics are a great accompaniment to the story with fun and lively numbers like “Smart Like That,” “It’s in the Bible,” and “Ain’t Life Fine,” as well as softer, more tender songs such as “To Hear You Say My Name,” “This Time Tomorrow,” and “Light.” The southern sounds are provided by a live, wonderful eight-piece orchestra conducted by Music Director Nancy Godfrey, complete with fiddles, banjo, guitars, bass, drum, and keyboard.

Kim Tolman has crafted grounded and impressive sets, from a simple fishing dock to the beautifully creepy cemetery scene, and the dangerous grandeur of McDougal’s Cave.

This show is fun and engaging throughout, likable in every way and sure to please young and old alike. So get on over to Tom Sawyer’s neck of the woods and as the song says, “Stop your grievin’, start believin’, ain’t life fine!”

Performances are held Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. ASL interpretation will be provided January 13, and a “Talk Back” audience Q&A with the cast on January 20.

Tickets are $26 for adults, $24 for seniors, and $20 for students and children, with discount nights on January 13 and 20 with tickets $20 for adults and seniors, and $10 for students and children. Call (510) 659-1319 or purchase online at www.starstrucktheatre.org.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer January 6 - 22 Friday and Saturday: 7:30 p.m.

Sunday: 2:30 p.m.

Jackson Theatre, Smith Center Ohlone College 43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont (510) 659-1319 www.starstrucktheatre.org Tickets: $20 - $26

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 21

$ = Entrance or Activity Fee R= Reservations Required Schedules are subject to change.

Call to confirm activities shown in these listings.

Wednesday, Jan 11

Ballroom Dance Lessons $ Beginners 7-8 pm, Intermediate & Advanced 8:15 - 9:15 pm

Five week dance class for couples 16 and older. Learn to Tango, Waltz, Samba and Merengue.

Union City Leisure Services, Ruggieri Center 33997 Alvarado-Niles Road, Union City (510) 675-5229 Wednesday, Jan 11

Find it Fast - An Introduction to the Internet for Kids

Alameda County Superior Court needs Volunteers to support The Information Kiosk in the Fremont and Hayward courthouses.

Training provided. Phone 510-891-6209 or e-mail ralvarez@alameda.courts.ca.gov

Children grades 4-6 only learn about helpful homework sites using laptop computers

Fremont Main Library 2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont (510) 745-1421

Community Rummage Sale

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Gently used and clean items

Milpitas Community Center 457 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas (408) 586-3210 Thursday, Jan 12

High School Re-Entry Information Day

8:30 am - 9 pm Drop-in day for people re-entering school to earn their diploma

Fremont Adult School - Community Center 4700 Calaveras Ave., Fremont (510) 794-2538 Friday, Jan 13

The Grapes of Wrath $

7 p.m.

Depression-era drama

Niles Essanay Theater 37417 Niles Blvd , Fremont, CA (510) 494-1411 Friday, Jan 13

Ballroom Dance Classes $ Beginners 7-8 pm, Intermediate & Advanced 8:15- 9:15 pm Five week dance class for couples ages 16 and older. Learn to Tango, Waltz, Samba and Merengue. Bolero for intermediate and advance class.

Fremont Adult School Community Center 4700 Calaveras Ave., Fremont (510) 794-2538 Friday, Jan 13

Spanish Story Time

Services for Eligible Households making $50,000 or Less

Fremont Family Resource Center - VITA Program 39155 Liberty Street Fremont, CA 94538 1/25/12 to 4/16/12 M-W-F Closed President's Day 2/20/12 Mon. & Wed. 4 to 8 p.m.

Fri. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

No appointment needed Go to

www.fremont.gov/frc for more info

A positive path for spiritual living

Welcome New Spiritual Leader KEN DAIGLE

Unity of Fremont Sunday 10:00 AM

36600 Niles Blvd, Fremont at the First Christian Church

www.unityoffremont.org 510-797-5234

at the Newark Pavillion 6430 Thornton Ave, Newark Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.

Raffle, Cake Wheel, Auction We have the best crab cioppino cooks from Tracy, CA under the direction of Manuel Victoria Tickets: $40 per person

4 p.m.

Saturday, Jan 14

FREE Tax Preparation

The Brotherhood of St. Anthony Annual Crab Cioppino Dinner January 28

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Free program featuring stories, songs and rhymes for children who speak Spanish

Fremont Main Library 2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont (510) 745-1421 Saturday, Jan 14

Rabbit Adoption Event

12 noon - 3 p.m.

Tri-City Shelter bunnies need new homes. Free admission, adoption fees apply.

Pet Food Express 39010 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont (510) 713-9999

For tickets please contact: Rose Ortiz @ (209) 818-1279 Sarah Gomes @ (209) 204-3380

Page 22

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Saturday, Jan 14

Monday, Jan 16

Wednesday, Jan 18

Comedy Short Subject Night $

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration

Democratic Club Meeting

9:30 a.m.

Monthly general meeting

Celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Chandni Restaurant 5748 Mowry School Rd., Newark (510) 875-5006

7:30 p.m.

"One AM", "The Caretaker's Daughter", "One Week", "Love 'em and Weep"

Niles Essanay Theater 37417 Niles Blvd , Fremont, CA (510) 494-1411 Saturday, Jan 14

Canine Capers - Dog Walk

Hayward City Hall 777 B St., Hayward (510) 208-0410 (510) 270-8399

9 - 11 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan 17

Enjoy a nature walk with your four legged friends. Ages 8 and older, meet at Garin Barn Visitor

5 p.m. -7 p.m.

Center.

Garin Regional Park 1320 Garin Ave., Hayward (510) 582-2206 Saturday, Jan 14

Wednesday, Jan 18

Homeowner Energy workshop

6:30 p.m.

Student Art Exhibition

Strategies to save money

Annual Bachelor of Fine Art Student Exhibition reception

California State University, East Bay 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward (510) 885-3441

PROM EXPO

3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan 18

Information and advice about Prom Night

ARTSFund Grants workshop

Irvington High School Valhalla Theatre 41800 Blacow Rd., Fremont (510) 590-7510 (510) 656-5711

Assist organizations to prepare grant applications

Saturday, Jan 14

3 - 4:30 p.m.

Fremont Main Library Fukaya Room A 2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont (510) 574-2063 (510) 208-9646

Community Rummage Sale

8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Great bargains

Milpitas Community Center 457 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas (408) 586-3210 (408) 586-2744

Get a jump on prom and check out all the latest formal gowns and tuxedoes at Irvington High’s PROM EXPO. Under the creative direction of Bay Area fashion icon Eddie Cotillon, the musical and modeling production will feature recording artists Nick and Josh, SFO Hip-Hop Dance Troupe, and over 50 students showing off a collection of beautiful formal wear. A vendor faire will also feature 35 to 40 local merchants displaying their wares and services, including Weddings and Dreams, NewPark Mall’s Formal Headquarters, Le Grande Affaire, Spin-a-Yarn Grill, and Asara Spa, as well as florists, jewelers, photographers, artisans and more.

Attendees can also buy tickets to win gift baskets, purchase photos of participating student models, as well as sample home made baked goods and hot drinks.

Produced by a large team of volunteers, proceeds from the PROM EXPO will help fund Grad Night for IHS seniors, a safe, alcohol and drug-free event in June.

“The vendor faire is a win-win opportunity for the school to raise money and for the merchants to get access to their local target market. For example, one local merchant, Weddings and Dreams, is providing 36 PROM EXPO student models with

7 p.m.

City of Fremont Development Services Center, Niles Room 39550 Liberty St., Fremont (510) 494-4535 http://tricityenergyupgrade-eorg Wednesday, Jan 18

Women's Council of REALTORS Luncheon$

11:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Newark-Fremont Hilton Hotel 39900 Balentine Dr., Newark (510) 886-2662 Thursday, Jan 19

Transportation Forum

6:30 p.m.

Open house and presentations re Alameda County Transportation

Hayward City Hall 777 B St., Hayward (510) 208-0410 (510) 208-7400

brand new prom gowns,” says volunteer and IHS mom Wendy Dunn. “In the future, they want these same girls to return to their store to order new dresses for this spring's proms and balls. They also want to serve these girls’ families -- bridal parties, quinceaneras, corporate galas, etc. It’s a good bet for them!”

Dunn also says, “The girl models gain poise and self-confidence under the expert mentoring of a fashion model agent and a choreographer; the experience is probably a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity for most of the girls, including my twins.”

700 to 800 attendees are expected at the extravaganza, where all prom needs can be met in one exciting venue.

Tickets for the PROM EXPO are $3 and $5 for the matinee show, and $5 and $8 for the 7:30 p.m. show and can be purchased at www.irvington.org.

PROM EXPO Saturday, Jan 14 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Valhalla Theatre Irvington High School 41800 Blacow Rd., Fremont (510) 656-5711 www.irvington.org

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration SUBMITTED BY SARA LAMNIN SUBMITTED BY RENEE LORENTZEN Rainbow Theatre presents the Milpitas Community Rummage Sale! Donate your gently used and clean items to us. We will sell them and use the proceeds to benefit the Milpitas Rainbow Theatre Program. Drop off your items Thursday, January 12, noon-7 p.m. or Friday, January 13, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No electronic appliances or broken furniture will be accepted. No curbside drop-offs. Or rent a space to have your own sale and sell your unwanted stuff! $25 for a 15’ x 10’ space, $30 for a 15’ x 15’ space, and $35 for a 20’ x 15’ space. Call (408) 586-2774 and reserve your space today!

Please join us for an annual commemoration of the work and words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 16, 2012, at Hayward City Hall Plaza. The celebratory program includes local youth choirs. All are welcome to participate in this living history event.

9:30 a.m. Gather at Hayward City Hall Plaza, 777 B Street (at Watkins), Hayward, for music and the words of Dr. King.

10:00 a.m. Rally & Peace March. In celebration of Hayward’s diversity we invite you to carry your organizational banner and to wear national dress.

Milpitas Community Rummage Sale Drop offs Thursday, Jan 12: noon-7 p.m.

Friday, January 13: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Rummage Sale Saturday, January 14 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Milpitas Community Center Auditorium 457 E. Calaveras Blvd.

(408) 586-2774 www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov

10:30 a.m. Return to City Hall Plaza; listen to songs and be inspired by Dr. King’s words of courage, hope, and justice.

This event is sponsored by the South Hayward Parish, a collaborative of faith-based organizations in Hayward. For more information, call (510) 270-8399.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Monday, Jan 16 9:30 a.m.

Hayward City Hall Plaza 777 B Street, Hayward (510) 270-8399

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 23

"The Grapes of Wrath" starring Henry Fonda As part of this year's One Book, One Community Read event, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Fremont Branch, is showing--for one night only-- John Ford's 1940 film "The Grapes of Wrath" starring Henry Fonda. The film will be shown at the Edison Theatre, located inside the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum at 37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont, CA, on January 13, 2012, from 7 to 10 pm.

The $10 ticket cost includes popcorn and a drink and makes this event possible.

American Association of University Women, Fremont Branch, in Fremont, CA, in collaboration with the City of Fremont and the Fremont Unified School District is encouraging the reading of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" for the One Book, One Community Read event for 20102011. Many events are planned throughout the year, including discussion sessions, lectures by noted experts on John Steinbeck and economic history, field trips to the Steinbeck Center of the San Jose Public Library, and this film showing.

Purchase your ticket now through Eventbrite (http://aauwgrapesofwrathfilm.eventbrite.com/) and print out your ticket and bring to the event. Tickets sold online until 5 pm 1/13/2012. Additional tickets may be available at the door.

SUBMITTED BY TESS LENGYEL On January 19, 2012, the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), in partnership with its Citizens Advisory Committee and sponsoring agencies, will hold a transportation forum at Hayward City Hall to share projects and programs that are underway in central Alameda County. The forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. with an open house during which project managers and staff will be available to directly discuss and answer questions about current transportation projects and investments. This will be followed by formal presentations beginning at 7:00 p.m. Presentations will include: Regional and Alameda Countywide Transportation Planning Activities Update Planning activities are underway to create a vibrant and livable Alameda County. The ultimate goal is a connected and integrated, multimodal transportation system that promotes sustainability, access, transit operations, public health and economic opportunities. This presentation will focus on the current status and next steps for long-range planning and funding actions that will guide transportation improvements and investments to mid-century.

Senior Travel Training Measure B grants provide funding for innovative programs to help seniors gain independence through using transit. A spokesperson from United Seniors of Alameda County will present on expanding mobility and access in the local community.

Safe Routes to School/BikeMobile Programs A variety of school programs (kindergarten through high school) that encourage school com-

munities to safely bike and walk to school will be presented, including the BikeMobile program which hosts "fix-a-thons" focused on keeping kids' bikes in rideable condition.

East Bay Greenway A project to build a 12-mile walking and biking path under the elevated BART tracks between Oakland and Hayward has been proposed. The vision is to provide a safe, landscaped, continuous corridor that offers car-free access to transit, schools, shopping and community resources.

Route 238 Update Construction is underway to improve capacity and operations as well as pedestrian and bicycle improvements on Foothill and Mission Boulevards between Mattox Road and Industrial Parkway in the City of Hayward. Current project information will be available in this presentation.

Hayward City Hall is located at 777 B Street, Hayward, and is accessible via BART and bus.

More transit access information can be found at www.511.org.

Interpreter services in Spanish and Chinese can be made available provided Alameda CTC has advance notice by January 12, 2012 at (510) 208-7400).

Alameda CTC Central County Transportation Forum Thursday, Jan 19 6:30 p.m. – Open House 7:00 p.m. – Presentations Hayward City Hall 777 B Street, Hayward (510) 208-7400 www.AlamedaCTC.org

FREE Adult Reading and Writing Classes are offered at the Alameda County Library

Tell A Friend

Call Rachel Parra 510 745-1480

BOOKMOBILE SCHEDULE Alameda County Bookmobile stops Renew books by phone (510) 790-8096 For more information (510) 745-1477

Tuesday, Jan 10 2:30 – 3:25 p.m. Cabrillo School, 36700 San Pedro Dr., Fremont 3:45 – 4:20 p.m. California School for the Deaf, 39350 Gallaudet Dr., Fremont 5:25– 6:10 p.m. Booster Park, Gable Dr. & McDuff Ave., Fremont 6:25– 6:55 p.m. Camellia Dr. & Camellia Ct., Fremont Wednesday, Jan 11 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. Hillside School, 15980 Marcella St., San Lorenzo 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Eden House Apartments, 1601 165th Ave., San Leandro 3:00 – 3:35 p.m. Ashland Village Apartments, 1300 Kentwood Lane, San Leandro 4:40 – 5:15 p.m. Palomares Hills HOA Clubhouse, 6811 Villareal Dr., Castro Valley 5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Lomond Way & Greenridge Rd., Castro Valley Thursday, Jan 12 2:00 – 2:25 p.m. Baywood Ct., 21966 Dolores St., Castro Valley 2:45 – 3:40 p.m. Bay School, 2001 Bockman Rd., San Lorenzo 4:55 – 5:30 p.m. Falcon Dr. & Merganser Dr., Fremont 5:50 – 6:20 p.m. Creekside Village Apartments, 3999 Sequoia Terrace, Fremont

Friday, Jan 13 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. Fame Charter School, 16244 Carolyn St., San Leandro 12:15 – 12:45 p.m. Kidango Grant, 879 Grant Ave., San Lorenzo 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Hesperian School, 620 Drew St., San Lorenzo Monday, Jan 16: No service Tuesday, Jan 17 1:45 – 2:30 p.m. Mission Hills Middle School, 250 Tamarack Dr. Union City 2:45 – 3:30 p.m. Purple Lotus Buddhist School, 33615 - 9th St., Union City 4:50 – 5:30 p.m. Mariner Park, Regents Blvd. & Dorado Dr., Union City 5:40 – 6:20 p.m. Sea Breeze Park, Dyer St. & Carmel Way, Union City Wednesday, Jan 18 3:15 – 4:00 p.m. Warm Springs Community Center, 47300 Fernald St., Fremont 4:15 – 4:50 p.m. Lone Tree Creek Park, Starlite Way & Turquoise St., Fremont 5:50 – 6:25 p.m. Jerome Ave. and Ohlones St., Fremont 6:40 – 7:10 p.m. Baywood Apts., 4275 Bay St., Fremont Milpitas Bookmobile stops Renew books by phone (800) 471-0991 For more information (408) 293-2326 x3060 Schedule unavailable at this time

Page 24

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Fremont Girls Softball SUBMITTED BY KRIS FREMONT Fremont Girls Softball association (FGSA) was founded and started playing games in the mid 60’s at St. Leonards (now OLG) on four small fields. The league now has a seven field complex at American High School/Brookvale/Los Cerritos Park. The league offers play for girls from ages 5 to 18.

Young girls start in a t-ball program and progress as they advance in age, to very competitive fast pitch. The season runs from the first part of May to the middle of July and is one of the very few in the Bay Area that offers a league for high school girls; this is the main reason our season starts later than other leagues. A May start to the season provides better weather and less rainouts.

Since the league continues play

into the summer, games are played only on weekday nights (other than opening and closing day) to allow free weekends for families. The league accepts girls from surrounding cities.

More advanced players can participate in the Fremont Flyers Tournament team platform to play the summer and fall tournament schedules. Last summer the Flyers roster included over 90 girls competing and representing Fremont in tournaments throughout Northern California and Nevada. Tryouts for Tournament Teams occurs the first weekend in May. FGSA would not have succeeded through the years without the hard work and dedication of many people. Of note is Frank Cohoon who began his tenure with Fremont Girls softball in 1986 and has coached, been part of the board, been an integral

Newark blanks Washington

part of CYO sports and coached at the high schools continuously through this period. Frank is also responsible for creating the Fremont Flyers Tournament Teams.

Through all the years, Frank has had total support from his wife Pat. You rarely see a sporting event in this area that does not have Frank and Pat in attendance. Frank is currently coaching/assisting with Irvington Softball and a director for CYO sports.

Frank and Fremont Girls Softball are beginning to accept registration for its 47th year of providing Fremont and surrounding cities a platform to learn and enjoy the sport of fast pitch softball.

Registration will open with early registration scheduled for Jan 21 and Feb 4 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Irvington and Los Cerritos Community Centers. For more information visit the league website: FGSA.org.

SUBMITTED BY JOHN SUZA PHOTOS BY MIKE HEIGHTCHEW

Newark Memorial’s Cougars JV boy’s soccer team recently competed with Washington High School and held the Huskies scoreless with a 3-0 victory. The win allowed the cougars to maintain a perfect 3-0-0 record in the Mission Valley Athletic League and a 5-2-2 record overall.

From the start of the game the Cougars took the attack to the Huskies and scored in the first five minutes of the game.

With defensive pressure throughout the first half, the Cougars were able to control the ball with great ball handling, not allowing the Huskies to take shots on goal In the second half, the Huskies tried to open up their offense with no better result; the Cougars defense was overwhelming and the offense was able to score again. This year, Newark’s JV soccer team appears to have very good offense and are the JV team to beat in the MVAL. Mission San Jose Little League Fremont SPBaseball, kids ages 4-18 Registration for Spring 2012 Season DATES OF EVENT: 1/7/12, 11:00am-3:00pm, 1/12/12, 6:30 pm-9:00 pm, 1/14/12, 11:00am-3:00 pm LOCATION: MSJLL Field House Gomes Elementary, 503 Lemos Lane, Fremont ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Must live in Mission San Jose High School boundaries 510 659-1997 www.MSJLL.com Please include website in capital letters

Fremont National Youth Baseball Signups All Pee Wee, Micro, and Minor games are played at Brier Elementary while our Major and Senior divisions play around the corner at Walters Jr. High.

FNYB has a “must play” rule, so no player is ever left out.

Modified Little League rules apply to all divisions.

Division Breakdown and 2012 fees: • PEE WEE (5-6): $80 Coach pitch division (not T-ball), 5 pitches to hit ball, no score kept • MICRO (7-8): $100 Coach pitch division, score and standings are kept, 6 innings • MINOR (9-10): $125 Player pitch division, 6 innings, 60-ft. baseline • MAJOR (11-12): $150 70-ft.

baseline, 7 innings • SENIOR (13-14): TBD Travel team, 90-ft baseline, 7 innings, metal spikes allowed (Player age is determined by age as of April 30th of that year) SIGNUP DATES (10AM-2PM AT BRIER ELEMENTARY): JANUARY 7 JANUARY 14 JANUARY21 JANUARY 22 JANUARY 28 JANUARY 29 *Early bird signups receive $20 off registration fees •Discounts are available for families with more than one player •A copy of your child’s birth certificate is required at registration WWW.FNYB.NET

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Boys Basketball SUBMITTED BY COACH CHRISTOPHER FORTENBERRY January 6 Logan 67 - Kennedy 37 Logan (5 – 10; 2 - 0 MVAL) Rodriguez 2, Agbayani 7, Schaper 2, Kaye 11, Loza 1, Mundeke 11, Torain 7, Grewal 3, DePerio 5, Godfrey 3, Dhahan 7, McKee 2, Leno 6 Total: 67 Kennedy (1 – 14; 0 - 2 MVAL) Bernstein 2, Barker 2, Bailey 5, Oavael 13, Harris 2, Jabin 9, Odell 2, Singh 2.

Total: 37 Logan 19 19 -Mission SJ 6 13 --

14 8

15 67 10 37

3-pt goals: Kaye 1, Mundeke 3, Torain 1, Grewal 1, Bailey 2.

Boys Soccer James Logan vs American SUBMITTED BY COACH JAMES WILLIAMS January 4 James Logan 4, American 0 1st Half Scoring: Rudy Esquivias 20:00

Page 25

Boys Soccer James Logan vs Washington SUBMITTED BY JAMES WILLIAMS January 6 Washington 1; James Logan 2 1st Half Scoring: WASH: Manny Singh (Brennan More) 19:00, Washington Own Goal 25:00

2nd Half Scoring: JL: Carlos Nunez (Justyn Raygoza) 70:00 JL Shots: 15 WASH Shots: 5 JL Goalie: Kyle Doser, 80 Min, 1 GA, 3 Saves WASH Goalie: Christopher Rosales, 2 GA, 5 Saves JL Record: 8-3-3 (4 - 0) JL Next Opponent: Newark Memorial, 1/11/12, @ James Logan 6:00 Kickoff

Ohlone shines in Gervasoni Tournamen

2nd Half Scoring: Rudy Esquivias 50:00, Miguel Montoya (Rudy Esquivias) 75:00, Juan Carlos RomeroPacheco (Christian Alvarado) 76:00 JL Goalie: Kyle Doser, 80 Minutes, 1 Save, 0 GA Am Goalie: Philip Kwong, 80 Minutes, 5 Saves, 4 GA JL Record: 7 - 3 - 3 (3 - 0) Next Opponent: Washington Friday 1/6/2012, 7:45 @ TAK

Foul Outs: Evans.

Technical Fouls: NONE

PHOTO BY DON JEDLOVEC Ohlone won the Mike Gervasoni Memorial Tournament on Friday, December 30 at De Anza College.

They beat rival and top-ranked San Francisco City College, 81-70 in double OT.

New Leadership for 2012 VTA Board of Directors SUBMITTED BY DIANE DANIEL There will be numerous opportunities to enjoy Cal State East Bay arts during winter quarter. CSUEB's College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences will be presenting a lovethemed musical, an exhibition of collectable glass lantern slides, two art gallery shows, and 17 concerts. All but two will be on the Hayward Campus, located at 25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard.

University Art Gallery: The University Art Gallery, on the first floor of the Art and Education Building, will present two exhibitions during Winter Quarter. The Annual Bachelor of Fine Art Student Exhibition will open with a reception from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 17, and will be open from January 18 - February 18. An “Emerging Arts Exhibition” of 2-D work by college students from throughout the Bay Area will open with a reception from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday, March 10.

The show will continue through April 14. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. on Thursday. The gallery will be closed March 30 for Cesar Chavez Day. Information on the gallery is at: class.csueastbay.edu/artgallery.

Music: • The Music Department will lead off the quarter with an “All Mozart Voice Recital” at noon Thursday, January 26 in the Music Building 1055. Admission will be free.

• The “Men’s Chorus Festival Concert,” Buddy James, director, will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday, February 3 in the University Theatre. Admission will be free.

• “Orchestre dB New Music Ensemble,” with a performance of Terry Riley’s “In C,” Jeffrey Miller, director, will be at noon Tuesday, February 7 in MB1055. Free admission.

• “First Tuesdays Jazz Masterclass” with the Brian Pardo Trio with Peter Barshay, bass, and Alan Hall, drums, will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 7 in MB 1055. Free admission.

• A “Faculty Recital,” by Jeffrey Sykes, piano, will be at noon Tuesday, February 14 in MB 1055. Free admission.

• The “CSU East Bay Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Singers,” led by Johannes Wallmann and Buddy James, directors, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February14 in the University Theatre. Admission will be $7/$5/free with CSUEB ID. • The “Chamber Choir Invitational” for Bay Area high school choirs, directed by James, is set for 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Wednesday, February 15 in MB1055. Free admission.

• “Jazz Standards and Latin Jazz Ensembles,” led by Wallmann and Saúl Sierra-Alonso, directors, is set for noon Thursday, February 23, in MB1039. Free admission.

• “Percussion Ensemble, directed by Artie Storch, is set for 4 p.m. Friday, March 2 in MB1039. Free admission.

• “Jazz Composers and Electric Jazz Ensembles,” directed

by Dann Zinn, is set for noon Tuesday, March 6 in MB1039. Free admission.

• The “First Tuesdays Jazz Masterclass,” featuring the John Stowell and Michael Zilber Quartet with John Shifflett and Jason Lewis, will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 in MB1055. Admission is free.

• “East Bay Oratorio Society,” conducted by James, will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 11 in MB1055. Admission will be $7/$5/free with CSUEB ID. • “13th Annual Night of Jazz Music Department Schol-

arship Fundraiser,” with a guest artist to be announced, with CSU East Bay Jazz Ensembles, directed by Wallmann, is set for Monday, March 12 at Yoshi’s (Jack London Square, Oakland). There will be shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Advance tickets: $25 for the 8 p.m. show, $15 for the 10 p.m. show.

• “String Ensemble,” directed by Philip Santos, is set for noon Tuesday, March 13 in MB1055. Free admission.

• “CSU East Bay Wind Symphony, conducted by John Eros, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13 in the University Theatre. Admission will be $7/$5/free with CSUEB ID. • “Chamber Winds,” directed by Eros, will perform at noon Thursday, March 15 in MB 1055. Free Admission.

• “East Bay Singers & Jazz Singers with Mt. Eden Chamber Singers,” conducted by James and Ken Rawdon, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 18 at the Old Mission San Jose, 43300 Mission Blvd., Fremont. Admission will be $7/$5/free with CSUEB ID. Information on all music programs is at: music.csueastbay.edu.

Theatre and Dance: “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” a humorous musical revue with songs and vignettes about the modern world of romance, will be performed at 8 p.m. March 2, 3, 9 and 10, and at 2 p.m. March 11 in the University Theatre. This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum known as 'the relationship.' Act I explores the journey from dating and waiting to love and marriage, while Act II reveals the agonies and triumphs of in-laws and newborns, trips in the family car, and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set.

Directed by Darryl V. Jones, associate professor of theatre and dance, with music direction by student Sierra Dee, this revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, and to those who have dared to ask, “Say, what are you doing Saturday night?” Tickets at $10 to $20 may be reserved at http://class.csueastbay.edu/theatre/Ticket_Reservations.php.

Information is available at (510) 885-3118 weekdays.

Anthropology: The C.E. Smith Museum of Anthropology will present “The Magic Lantern: Illuminating a Bygone Era” in Meiklejohn Hall, 4047 (class.csueastbay.edu/anthropologymuseum).

The exhibition, organized and arranged by students, will feature collectable glass lantern slides dating from the late 1800s through the early 1900s from the McCown collection, the University Library Special Collections, the Island City Masonic Lodge, and several other private collections.

The opening reception will be from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Friday, March 9. The exhibition will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays from March 12 through June 15. It will be closed University Holidays (March 30 and May 28), and during spring break (March 26-29). Admission is free.

Campus parking is $10 per weekday, $5 per weekend day, or $2 per hour. Permit dispensers, accept credit and ATM cards, are located in Lots K, H and N. The parking map is at http://www20.csueastbay.edu/af/departments/parking/parking_map.html.

SUBMITTED BY VTA On January 5, 2012, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) elected Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager as Board Chair. Yeager has served on the Board for the past 11 years, serving most recently as vice chair in 2011. Los Gatos Council member Joe Pirzynski, who chaired the VTA Board in 2005, was appointed as vice chair.

“2012 will be a banner year for VTA,” said Yeager. “The agency will break ground on projects that include bringing BART to San Jose and creating the county’s first bus rapid transit corridor.”

In his speech upon being elected chair, Yeager emphasized VTA will work to change the Bay Area's transportation political and administrative landscape. VTA is working to create a Caltrans Innovative District for the County to streamline operations and complete more projects on time and on budget. Passage of AB 57 (Beall) in the State Legislature would create fairer representation for Santa Clara County on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area’s regional agency responsible for transportation funding.

“I believe it’s crucial Santa Clara County receive its equitable share of transportation dollars,” Yeager said.

Yeager was first elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 2006. Previously, he served six years on the San Jose City Council. He is a member of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers (Caltrain) Board and a governor’s appointee to the California Air Resources Board, the statewide agency responsible for reducing air pollution and combating global warming.

“VTA plays a critical role in ensuring our county has a sustainable future,” said Yeager. “Improved traffic flow and increased transit ridership are critical elements to reducing greenhouse gas emission in Santa Clara County.”

For more information, visit www.vta.org

Page 26

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Government Briefs City Council summaries do not include all business transacted at the noted meetings. These outlines represent selected topics and actions. For a full description of agendas, decisions and discussion, please consult the website of the city of interest: Fremont (www.ci.fremont.gov), Hayward (www.hayward-ca.gov), Milpitas (www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov), Newark (www.ci.newark.ca.us), Union City (www.ci.union-city.ca.us).

Milpitas City Council Milpitas City Council January 3, 2012 Presentations Proclaimed support for 1,000 Hearts for 1,000 Minds, which aspires to find 1,000 adults to help tutor 1,000 kindergarteneighth grade students.

Consent Rejected bid from Best Contracting and awarded contract for the Alviso Adobe Restoration Project Phase IV to joint venture AJF/BHM in the amount of $2.24M; contract includes three alternate bid items: new doors for cutting shed and garage structures, and redwood tank structure, and construction contingency for the project valued at $350,000, 15.6 percent of the bid amount award.

Approved Mayor’s three appointments and one re-appointment of commissioners to the Milpitas Planning Commission.

Approved initial acceptance of the Midtown Parking Garage Screens, subject to a one-year warranty period, and reduced the contractor’s faithful performance

BY SIMON WONG PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB BAUMAN

D

r. Robert Bauman, Director of Public Works for the City of Hayward, retired on December 22, 2011. His 20 years with the city constitute a second career during which there have been many challenges and rewards.

A native of Sayreville, northern New Jersey, Bauman realized he had a facility for mathematics and science at an early age and knew he wanted to become an engineer; he maintains, modestly, that language is something he found difficult. After high school, he applied to and was selected for the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, where he spent four enjoyable years as a cadet.

Upon graduation in 1970, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers. According to Bauman, the “West Point experience” is a story in itself.

In 1970, the Vietnam War was still in progress; consequently, all of the graduating classes were sent to Airborne School (aka Jump School) for basic paratrooper training and to Ranger School which is a combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics and has

bond to $23,149.70, 10 percent of the final contract value.

Approved side letter agreement between the City of Milpitas and the Milpitas Police Officers Association; side letter amends the City’s contract with CalPERS to offer “three percent at age 55” formula for retirement for new employees.

Declared weeds on specific properties to be public nuisances as part of weed abatement program. Scheduled public hearing for February 7, 2012 to allow affected property owners to appear before the Council.

Approved five-year contract with TW Telecom as the City’s Internet Service Provider for an annual not-to-exceed amount of $18,732; total cost of the contract is $93,660.

Approved contract for attorney services for defense of the City in the May v. City of Milpitas lawsuit; approval of the Citation Residential Project required the developer to defend the City against any lawsuits arising from approval of the project, at no cost to the City.

Approved plans and specifications for Milpitas Sports Center Parking Lot Retrofit with LED lighting, which is more energy-efficient and less expensive; also authorized advertisement for bid proposals for the project, estimated at a $65,000 cost.

Unfinished Business Approved the first amendment to the City Manager’s employment agreement; included is a two percent cost of living adjustment calculated retroactively for two and a half years. (4 YES, 1 NO (GOMEZ)).

Received report on audit of Milpitas Fire Fighters Dental Fund; a new Committee has been appointed to correct previous issues regarding funds and claims mismanagement, and prevent further issues.

Reviewed Parks Master Plan and current Capital Improvement Program, including nine scheduled park renovations; plan will be revisited during the budget process.

Redevelopment Agency Received report on California Supreme Court decision in Cali-

fornia Redevelopment Association v. Matosantos. As of February 1, 2012, Milpitas’s Redevelopment Agency must be dissolved; the City will be designated as a successor agency, and the City’s Housing Authority will act as Successor Housing Agency to the RDA Economic Development Corporation Approved plans and specifications for the City Hall Audio Visual System Upgrade, and approved specifications of particular equipment brands for compatibility with existing control equipment; also authorized advertisement for bid proposals for the audio visual system upgrade.

Estimated project cost is $1.25M. Reports of Officers and Commissions Considered and approved Mayor Esteves’s recommendations for re-appointments to two Milpitas Commissions.

New Business Received report on Referendum Petition on Ordinance No. 243.4 to repeal campaign finance ordinance amendment adopted

by Council on October 18, 2011; Council scheduled special meeting for January 12, 2012 to hear recommendation of Campaign Finance Committee on referendum. (4 YES, 1 NO (Giordano)).

Received informational status report on Newby Island Landfill Expansion Project; landfill will increase to 245 feet above sea level, and expand landfill capacity by 15.12 million cubic yards.

been described as the "toughest combat course in the world" and "the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the US Army has to offer.”

Bauman recalls both as “interesting” with a wry smile.

He then attended the Engineer Officer Basic Course at Fort Belvoir as a newly-commissioned officer in the Corps of Engineers.

On completion, he was posted to Korea for 13 months with an engineer construction battalion.

During this time, he learned that aviators have a certain standing.

He and his colleagues spent much time at an airfield where they lived under canvas for 10 months on one side of the facility while army aviators occupied block buildings on the other. He notes that this standing also holds true in civilian life.

Graduating from West Point in the top five percent of his class, Bauman was eligible to attend graduate school when he elected to do so. On return from Korea, he earned his Masters degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign and completed preparatory work for a doctorate.

He considers himself fortunate to have been a salaried officer, unlike many of his fellow students, during the two-year course.

He then embarked on the first of two three-year tours in Darm-

stadt, Germany, as part of a combat engineer battalion. On this tour, he met his wife who taught in Department of Defense schools.

They married, returned to Fort Belvoir, thence to West Point’s Engineering Department where he taught the engineering curriculum.

By his second year, he was teaching the Honors Tutorial Course to a very small group of the brightest cadets; this entailed one-on-one, accelerated instruction in several engineering courses and recital by his tutees to demonstrate their learning. Bauman himself had received the same tuition as a cadet.

The following year, he completed his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in the Dynamics of Structures.

“The Corps of Engineers effectively consists of two parts.

One looks military and the other, civilian. It is the only Department of Defense organization with such a dual function. Following the War of Independence, the country's leaders envisioned a trained organization to undertake both military and civil engineering projects and, in 1802, Congress tasked the Corps of Engineers with establishment of a military academy at West Point to train in military and technical sciences,” explained Bauman.

“As the nation and its public works functions grew, the Chief of Engineers created divisions

and district offices across the country to perform the work.

Each division and district had a military commander and was staffed mostly by civilian engineers. Today, there are eight divisions and 40 districts,” he added.

After teaching at West Point, Bauman was assigned to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, which was associated with the Panama Control Zone. He visited the canal and its

defenses several times in connection with US administration of the facility and with its transfer, initiated by the 1977 TorrijosCarter Treaty, to Panamanian control.

His second tour in Darmstadt was as Director of Engineering and Housing, or the public works director for the military community. After three good years, he

Ordinance Amended the Flag Ordinance regarding Sister City Delegations and Civic Center locations to display flags for visiting foreign delegates; also shortened approval to 30 days instead of 45 days prior to requested ceremony date. (4 YES, 1 NO (Giordano)).

Public Forum Robert Marini requested repairs for an inoperative printer at the Senior Center.

Mayor Jose Esteves – Yes Vice Mayor Pete McHugh – Yes Debbie Giordano – Yes Jose Gomez Jr. – Yes Althea Polanski - Yes

City of Fremont Board/Commission Vacancies Economic Development Advisory Commission One vacancy (Commercial/Industrial) Term to expire 12/31/2014

Library Advisory Commission – One vacancy Term to expire 12/31/2014

George W. Patterson House Advisory Board – One vacancy (Citizen At Large) Term to expire 12/31/2013

Planning Commission One vacancy Term to expire 12/31/2015

Historical Architectural Review Board – Two vacancies Terms to expire 12/31/2015

Advisory Body Applications can be obtained at: http://www.fremont.gov/index.as px?NID=76 or you may obtain an application from the City Clerk’s Office, 3300 Capitol Ave, Bldg A, 510-284-4060

Human Relations Commission – One vacancy Term to expire 12/31/2014

Subscribe

continued on page 29

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 27

PUBLISHER EDITOR IN CHIEF William Marshak

Paperless

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Sharon Marshak PRODUCTION/GRAPHIC DESIGN Ramya Raman ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Sharon Marshak EDUCATION Miriam G. Mazliach

of gaming and computers until now, paper has not disappeared. In fact, more is used now than ever. While it may be that the day is coming when paper will be a rare commodity, at this time we still rely on a variety of information transfer medium, including paper, to supplement our daily lives.

WILLIAM MARSHAK

I

have heard the oratory pronouncing the end of paper before. When computers were introduced into the worlds of home and small business, environmental activists rejoiced for the forests and everyone braced themselves for the advent of a “paperless” office.

After all, what was the use of hard copy when everything could be stored on a 10mb computer disk?

A business associate brought in a new Everest (ever hear of it?) computer and we proudly watched it grind away on a spreadsheet, finally going out for coffee while it completed its labors. Shortly thereafter, I bought an IBM AT computer for an outrageous amount of money that included 20mb of storage space; it was inconceivable that this amount of disk space would ever really be necessary but I splurged. With slots for the new, smaller 3.5” disk and another for standard 5” floppy disks, this machine was state-of-the-art; I knew it would take me far into the future. Paper would soon disappear from our lives!

Most readers of the younger generation, plugged into various electronic gear and mobile devices, will gasp at the ignorance, naivety and audacity of these assumptions but throughout the span of time separating the early days

Choice between and among forms of communication gives us a chance to absorb information and ideas in different ways. Paper formats retain a unique quality and ability that has become no less important among internet, apps and mobile devices; it serves in a different capacity than electronic files. Does the addition of a plethora of electronic media mean that printing and, in particular, newspapers are dead?

According to some in the newspaper industry, the answer is yes. They say that the traditional model of hard copy printed newspapers - represents an ever decreasing remainder of a defunct delivery system. Electronic versions are not only an option, but the only viable path for the future. Leaders of some major chains including the CEO of Digital First which controls MediaNews Group, owner of Bay Area News Group with a near monopoly in the Bay Area, have expressed such opinions. The future and health of newspapers, according to them, is based almost entirely on digital ad revenue. Those who plug in will be relevant while others who choose to read in a different format are destined for obscurity.

While this train of thought may be deemed accurate in some quarters, it can also lead to a path that limits style, substance and choice, exuding a hint of autocracy and arrogance. This is nothing new for newspaper executives but in the realm of current extreme financial pressures, this attitude is one of

exclusion rather than expansion. In pursuit of profits, community cohesiveness and information gathered for a plethora of media has given way to a culture of expediency. Definitions of delivery, daily newspapers have combined with terminology such as branded and digital editions to create confusion in the industry and mask true distribution and readership.

I believe printed newspapers are willing participants in the evolution of news distribution. Although they may not hold the monopolistic position of the past, the versatility and qualities of such newspapers is not easily replaced. TriCity Voice was born during the rise of electronic media and began with and has maintained an electronic edition without a paywall or entry cost. The reason is simple. We believe that information contained in our newspaper is a vital resource for our community.

Our primary goal is to make sure that as many people as possible can access information in the Tri-City Voice in whatever format they choose. We believe that gimmicks and statistical manipulation is not necessary when our communities are adequately served. Tri-City Voice advocates both the printed and electronic word as sources of information for our communities. Newspapers are alive and kicking!

FEATURES Julie Grabowski GOVERNMENT Simon Wong TRAVEL & DINING Denny Stein PHOTOGRAPHERS Mike Heightchew Don Jedlovec DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Gerry Johnston ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Lou Messina ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Karin Diamond Margaret Fuentes BOOKKEEPING Vandana Dua

REPORTERS Janet Grant Philip Holmes Catherine Kirch Susana Nunez Suzanne Ortt Praveena Raman Mauricio Segura Angie Wang Jessica Noel Waymire WEB MASTER RAMAN CONSULTING Venkat Raman LEGAL COUNSEL Stephen F. Von Till, Esq.

William Marshak PUBLISHER

HSBC celebrates sixth anniversary SUBMITTED BY NEIL BRAZIL This year, HSBC Bank USA, N.A. celebrates six years of serving the banking needs of Alameda County residents. The Fremont and Warm Springs branches have played an active role in the community since opening in 2006.

The Fremont branch is a 6,900 sq. ft. facility on Fremont Boulevard. The 1,800 sq. ft. Warm Springs branch is at the Franciscan Center on Mission Boulevard. Many of the six staff at the Fremont branch have been at the site since it opened and include on-site Business Banking professionals. The branch can provide customers with assistance in multiple languages including English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu and Korean. The Warm Springs branch has a team of eight employees providing multi-lingual services including English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Each team has more than 50 years of combined banking experience.

ADJUDICATION: What’s Happening’s Tri-City Voice is a “newspaper of general circulation” as set forth in sections 6000, et. seq., of the Government Code, for the County of Alameda, and the State of California.

What’s Happening’s TRI-CITY VOICE® ™

39737 Paseo Padre Parkway Fremont, CA 94538 What’s Happening’s The Tri-City Voice is published weekly, issued, sold and circulated in and from Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, Milpitas and Sunol and printed in Fremont, California. The principal office of Tri-City Voice is at 39737 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont, CA 94538. William Marshak is the Publisher.

Subscribe. Call 510-494-1999 or sign up on our web site www.tricityvoice.com

510-494-1999 fax 510-796-2462 tricityvoice@aol.com www.tricityvoice.com COPYRIGHT 2012® Reproduction or use without written permission from What’s Happening’s Tri-City Voice®™ is strictly prohibited

Page 28

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

PUBLIC NOTICES CIVIL ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. HG11609736 Superior Court of California, County of Alameda Petition of: Chang Choi, Hyosook Jung for Change of Name TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner Chang Ju Choi, and Hyosook Jung filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Seung Yun Choi to Mark Seungyun Choi Eun Soo Choi to Rachel Eunsoo Choi The Court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing: Date: February 10, 2012, Time: 8:45 AM, Dept.: 504 The address of the court is 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, CA 94544 A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Tri-City Voice Date: December 23, 2011 Jon R. Rolefson Judge of the Superior Court 1/3, 1/10, 1/17, 1/24/12 CNS-2234559# SUMMONS (CITATION JUDICIAL) CASE NUMBER: (Numero del Caso) FCS038346 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT (Aviso a Acusado): RUSSELL L. BISHOP, BANG DUONG and DOES 1 through 10 inclusive YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF (A Ud. le esta demandando): JAGDISH GOSWAMI and TAHEREH ALAVI You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons is served on you to file a typewritten response at this court. A letter or phone call will not protect you; your typewritten response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case, and your wages, money and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may call an attorney referral service or a legal aid office (listed in the phone book).

Despues de que le entreguen esta citacion judicial

usted tiene un plazo de 30 DIAS CALENDARIOS para presentar una respuesta escrita a maquina en esta corte. Una carta o una llamada telefonica no le ofrecerá protección; su respuesta escrita o a maquina tiene que cumplir con las formalidades legales apropiadas si usted quiere que la corte escuche su caso. Si usted no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso, y le pueden quitar su salario, su dinero y otras cosas de su propiedad sin aviso adicional por parte de la corte.

Existen otros requisitos legales. Puede que usted quiera llamar un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce un abogado, puede llamar un servicio de referencia de abogados o una oficina de ayuda legal (vea el directorio telefonico).

The name and address of the court is: (El Nombre y direccion de la corte es) Solano County Superior Court, 600 Union Ave., Fairfield, CA 94533 The name, address and telephone number of plaintiff's attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero de telefono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es) Michael W. Jansen 1301 College Street, Woodland, CA 95695 DATE (Fecha): August 11, 2011, By: G. Robins, Deputy (Delegado) (SEAL) 12/20, 12/27, 1/3, 1/10/12 CNS-2227507#

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMES FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 459168 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: The Chi Center, 40488 Vogel Court, Fremont, CA 94538, County of Alameda Hsiuling Chen, 40488 Vogel Court, Fremont, CA 94538 This business is conducted by an individual The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2012 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.) /s/ Hsiuling Chen, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on December 12, 2011 NOTICE-In accordance with Section 17920(a), a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires five years from the date it was filed with the County Clerk, except as provided in Section 17920(b), where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before

the expiration.

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 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31/12 CNS-2238359# FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 459441 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Bay Fashionwear, 5012 Spring Crest Ter., Fremont, CA 94536,County of Alameda Badru Z. Khan, 5012 Spring Crest Ter., Fremont, CA 94536 This business is conducted by an individual The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 9/21/2006 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.) /s/ Badru Z. Khan This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on December 20, 2011.

NOTICE-In accordance with Section 17920(a), a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires five years from the date it was filed with the County Clerk, except as provided in Section 17920(b), where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

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 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

12/27, 1/3, 1/10, 1/17/12 CNS-2232506# STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME File No. 454260 The following person(s) has (have) abandoned the use of the fictitious business name: Indian Tiffias and Pizza, 4137 Bay Street, Fremont, CA 94538, 3021 Peralta Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536 The fictitious business name statement for the Partnership was filed on 7/21/2011 in the County of Alameda.

Mohan Foods Inc., California, 3021 Peralta Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536 This business was conducted by Corporation.

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.)

S/ Raizer Khan This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on December 20, 2011.

12/27, 1/3, 1/10, 1/17/12 CNS-2232491#

continued from page 1

Wieckowski: Currently, people see me as a representative from Fremont and its surrounding communities. As of the next election [if elected], I will represent less than half of Fremont. That means that some issues such as Centerville Theater and the City Hall in Fremont will no longer be a concern of my district. I now have a responsibility to learn about Santa Clara and the area east of Hwy 101 in San Jose. I am up to the task but at present, I am representing an area where I grew up and am familiar. When the new districts emerge, areas that have an affinity for each other such as the Tri-Cities or the area of Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Santa Clara will be split between representatives. This dilutes the political power of these cities.

TCV: Was the change of your district an anomaly or typical?

Wieckowski: The average assembly seat representation changed by 31 percent.

My change was 51 percent; I will have an entirely different district [25th Assembly District] to represent. It isn’t as though a significant population change or watershed event caused this. I expected to have some change of district boundaries but the signature of the district should have remained. I will now have to introduce myself to a large group of new constituents as well as continue to function as a state representative. That is a big task. I now represent Union City, Castro Valley, Fremont, Newark, Fairview, Sunol, Milpitas and parts of Pleasanton but that will change dramatically with the November election.

TCV: How will this affect your work in Sacramento?

Wieckowski: It will have a very significant effect. Legislation I helped promote was to allow Alameda County to ask the voters for a one-half percent sales tax increase. As part of the Transportation Board and familiar with transportation projects, I knew this was a problem even before elected to the legislature, so since 75 percent of my constituency is in Alameda County, I assured the Alameda County Transportation Administration that I

would carry legislation to help out. I represented seven cities and unincorporated areas in Alameda County which would be affected. Now I will have Newark and half of Fremont; more of the district will be in Santa Clara County and I will be responsible for issues that are unique to them.

I only have so much time to support district priorities. For instance Santa Clara has municipal energy system – one of the few cities in California in this situation.

They have distinct interests concerning the Public Utilities Commission and Energy Commission than Fremont which uses PG&E. There may be some conflicts between these interests. Although of personal concern, I will no longer represent some interests that I have knowledge about such as Niles Canyon.

TCV: Will this change create more election challenges to incumbents?

Wieckowski: It will be difficult and to further complicate the elections, now the top two candidates who receive the most votes – whether or not in the same political party - will be involved in a runoff. In some cases this could be a repeat of the primary vote and a much lengthier campaign. If more time is required for a political campaign, you don’t have as much time to work on legislation. You have to be careful of what you wish for because now we have term limits, commission redistricting and a top two runoff. There is a price to pay for that. This tends to discourage serious policy people and encourage political people.

TCV: How will you identify the area you represent at the State level?

Wieckowski: For the coming year, I will continue to represent the Tri-City area and will take any issue that affects my current district seriously. Once the election starts, I will be representing San Jose Norman Mineta Airport since that will be included in my district – a landmark different from Fremont. Now that Fremont will be split and representatives of each half leaning in different directions – toward Hayward or Santa Clara - there

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 459109 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Phoenix Dental Laboratory, 3995 Smith St. Ste. #1, Union City, CA 94587, County of Alameda Jessie Potenciano, 1772 Egret Ct., Hayward, CA 94545 This business is conducted by an Individual.

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. 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.) /s/ Jessie Potenciano, Proprietor This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on December 8, 2011.

NOTICE-In accordance with Section 17920(a), a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires five years from the date it was filed with the County Clerk, except as provided in Section 17920(b), where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

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 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

12/27, 1/3, 1/10, 1/17/12 CNS-2230940# FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 458638 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: Uncrossable Productions, 3856 Jacana Lake Court, Fremont, CA 94555, County of Alameda, 37 E. Lewelling Blvd., San Lorenzo, CA 94580, Alameda Sonearra Cross, 3856 Jacana Lake Court, Fremont, CA 94555 Nejiua Gordon, 3856 Jacana Lake Court, Fremont, CA 94555 This business is conducted by a general partnership The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on October, 2011 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.) /s/ Sonearra Cross, General Partner This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on November 22, 2011 NOTICE-In accordance with Section 17920(a), a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires five years from the date it was filed with the County Clerk, except as provided in Section 17920(b), where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious

may be a huge identity problem for the Tri-Cities. It will be difficult to equalize my efforts since 75 percent of the 25th District will be in Santa Clara County. It is possible given the population boundaries that in the future there may not be a representative in either the 20th or 25th District from the Tri-City area.

TCV: How can opposite political positions between cities or counties be represented when included in the same district?

Wieckowski: It will be a problem since when approaching an issue such as redevelopment; counties and cities in the future 25th District have much different attitudes. There is an instinctive bias based on an affinity for your home area but you have to weigh decisions on the economic interests of the people you represent. Political connectivity is not obvious. In an era of trying to build communities, this district has been created along highways – it is hard to find the weave.

TCV: Do the areas of the future 25th Assembly District share similar views of green industries?

Wieckowski: Yes, these areas want to be innovators and will be looking for leadership from me. There are many small businesses in our area – and throughout the Bay Area – making a difference in ecologically-friendly products and services.

You may not hear about them often but they are making a difference.

TCV: How are you promoting green business in Sacramento?

Wieckowski: I have accepted committee assignments and take policy issues seriously. Currently, I am the chair of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. My efforts are designed to protect our environment but also provide regulatory relief, helping balance business and ecological concerns. An example is monitoring of the ground where underground storage tanks have been removed for over ten years and testing has shown no contamination. Should these businesses continue to pay for monitoring in those situations? Finding solutions is important.

TCV: How will you balance the issues of Silicon Valley executives with other concerns in your district?

Wieckowski: I am part of the Silicon Valley Caucus and have attended Silicon Valley Leadership Group quarterly meetings so I am familiar with many of these issues. The difficult part of representing long term proposals is that with term limits, who will they look to for continuing representation?

Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

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 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

12/20, 12/27, 1/3, 1/10/12 CNS-2226384#

GOVERNMENT NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed proposals will be received in the Office of Purchasing Services at 3300 Capitol Ave., Building B, Fremont, California, 94538 up to the hour of 2:00 PM on February 6, 2012 for: Engineering Design Service for the Walnut Avenue/Argonaut Way/ Parkhurst Drive Roundabout & Lane Reduction, PWC 8669, federal Project #HSIPL-5322(042) The scope of work and standard proposal forms to be used for this project can be obtained for a through www.bidsync.com, or through the City of Fremont website at www.fremont.gov.

For more information on this project, contact the City of Fremont Purchasing Department at (510) 494-4620.

CORINA CAMPBELL PURCHASING MANAGER CITY OF FREMONT 1/10/12 CNS-2239799# Notice is hereby given that sealed competitive bids will be accepted in the office of the GSAPurchasing Department, County of Alameda, 1401 Lakeside Drive, Suite 907, Oakland, CA 94612 NETWORKING/NORTH COUNTY BIDDERS CONFERENCE RFP #900955 Inmate Commissary, Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 10:00 A.M. – General Services Agency, 1401 Lakeside Drive, Room 1107, 11th Floor, Oakland, CA NETWORKING/SOUTH COUNTY BIDDERS CONFERENCE RFP #900955 Inmate Commissary, Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 2: 00 P.M – Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Avenue, Chabot Room, Castro Valley, CA Responses Due by 2:00 pm on February 23, 2012 County Contact: Ann Marie Romero (510) 208-9742 or via email: annmarie.romero@ac gov.org Attendance at Networking Conference is Non-mandatory. Specifications and bid copies regarding the above may be obtained at the Alameda County GSA-Purchasing Department or the Current Contracting Opportunities Internet website at www.acgov.org.

1/10/12 CNS-2238813#

TCV: When you arrived in Sacramento, were you surprised by how the Assembly operates?

Wieckowski: The variety of the people serving in the Assembly is surprising. You have to respect the people who elected them and understand they may have very different viewpoints from those you represent. When I interviewed with the Speaker regarding committee assignments, I asked to be assigned to where my talents could be put to the best use and as a hard worker, there is no “fluff” in my assignments. I have expertise in many areas but, as a student of politics, there is much I can learn to assist in other areas as well. Term limits does create a disadvantage for legislators in relationship to other non-elected people who work within the State structure – lobbyists, staff, etc.

I didn’t realize that preparation time for committee work would be so limited.

We usually get a staff report for a committee meeting the night before a hearing. On Judiciary Committee, for instance, I get the analysis Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon I chair my committee. My assignments include Public Employees Retirement Systems [Committee] and Insurance [Committee] - both meet at the same time across the hall from each other. The authors of the bills may also have conflicts so the timing of consideration in committee meetings may not be certain. If I want to make sure to attend a meeting to comment on a particular bill, it is difficult to know exactly when that will be. With all the other obligations of office such as meeting with constituents and travel, time management is critical.

TCV: What type of legacy do you want to leave in the State Assembly?

Wieckowski: When I put my staff together, I told them that I wanted to work on legislation that would have an effect.

People from all walks of life – citizens, business and industry, staff members – are talking to me; I have my own preferences as well. It is healthy to have a balance and listen all of these ideas trying to determine which are good and should receive attention. In some cases, language that exists in current law is not appropriate and needs to be modified or removed. This is just as important as implementing additional regulations. I try to study policy issues carefully and understand how to make a meaningful difference for my constituents as well as the State of California.

Castro Valley resident named to Dean's List SUBMITTED BY KAREN GRAVA Erika Vargas (freshman) from Castro Valley, CA was named to the Dean's List at the University of New Haven for the fall 2011 semester. Full-time undergraduate stu-

dents must have a 3.50 or better cumulative GPA for the semester to be eligible for the Dean's List.

The University of New Haven is a private institution founded in 1920 on the campus of Yale University in cooperation with Northeastern University, UNH moved to

its current West Haven campus in 1960. The University provides its students with a unique combination of a solid liberal arts education and real-world, hands-on career and research opportunities.

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Page 29

For more information 510-494-1999 tricityvoice@aol.com

Birth

Special Life Events

Marriage

Obituaries

Obituaries

L

Joan I. O’Neil RESIDENT OF FREMONT November 30, 1933 - December 15, 2011

Bob Wasserman RESIDENT OF FREMONT January 12, 1934 - December 29, 2011

Ralph B. Huerta RESIDENT OF MOUNTAIN VIEW October 17, 1955 - December 26, 2011

William J. Stout

Jane Bell RESIDENT OF PLEASANTON February 10, 1937 - December 30, 2011

RESIDENT OF UNION CITY March 3, 1925 - December 30, 2011

Julianne Howe RESIDENT OF FREMONT March 24, 1923 - December 30, 2011

Christine M. Bush RESIDENT OF FREMONT March 7, 1951 - December 31, 2011

Marie C. Rose RESIDENT OF FREMONT October 5, 1916 - January 4, 2012

Claudio M. Carrillo, Sr. RESIDENT OF FREMONT June 6, 1921 - January 2, 2012

Betty Allen

ife Cornerstones will acknowledge important events that occur during the cycle of life in our community. In order to give a broad and fair opportunity for all citizens to be recognized, a basic listing is offered at no cost. Such announcements may include births, deaths, marriages, anniversaries, bar/bat mitzvah, Quinceañera, etc. Many cultures celebrate different milestones in life and this list will be as inclusive as possible.

Due to space limitations, only a brief announcement is possible without charge.

Those who decide to publish more extensive information and/or a picture may do so at low prevailing rates – as low as $35 - on this page. Although every attempt will be made to include announcements in a timely manner, since TCV is published bi-weekly, submissions received after Friday of the week preceding a distribution date may not be published until a later issue.

Please contact TCV at (510) 494-1999 or email tricityvoice@aol.com for submissions or further information. Free listings are limited to residents and families of the Greater Tri-City Area.

RESIDENT OF FREMONT March 10, 1926 - January 4, 2012

Frances Jaunita Boone RESIDENT OF FREMONT February 11, 1928 - January 4, 2012

Stella Ayers RESIDENT OF ARIZONA July 14, 1923 - January 5, 2012

Dolores A. Scherer RESIDENT OF FREMONT September 7, 1945 - January 4, 2012

Charles G. Cullen RESIDENT OF FREMONT May 21, 1930 - January 5, 2012

Doris H. Agins RESIDENT OF FREMONT September 25, 1918 - January 6, 2012

Ida V. Roeber RESIDENT OF FREMONT June 27, 1924 - January 6, 2012

Berge • Pappas • Smith

Chapel of the Roses FD1007 (510) 797-1900 1940 Peralta Blvd., Fremont

Chapel of the Angels (510) 656-1226 40842 Fremont Blvd, Fremont

LANA’S Estate Sales-Clean Outs-Appraisals Whether you’re closing a loved ones Estate, downsizing or need an appraisal for current market value; it’s an overwhelming task.

Lana’s provides efficient solutions for quick completion, allowing you to move through the process with ease.

Take a Deep Breath, Don’t Throw anything away, call for a FREE preview.

Lana August Puchta Licensed Estate Specialist In Resale Over 30 Years

510-657-1908 www.lanasestatesales.com

Bob Bauman

continued from page 26

was posted to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, the largest district within the Corps of Engineers.

As one of two Deputy Commanders, he was responsible for military design and construction in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The other was responsible for civilian works.

During this time, Lt. Colonel Bauman was also involved with hearings for base closures, including the City of San Francisco and Fort Ord. After 21 years, he retired from the US Army and embarked on a second career.

He and his wife remained in California because of the temperate climate and their son had been born at Mather Air Force Base, Sacramento, when they returned from Germany. They moved to Castro Valley when Bauman was appointed as Deputy Director of Public Works and City Engineer for the City of Hayward; he became Director of Public Works in 2005.

Bauman’s military assignments required results. He describes himself as someone who “enjoys getting things done” and this ethos has stood the City of Hayward in good stead.

There were many interesting challenges, such as the development of Stonebrae, Eden Shores and transportation issues. Although his military background

contained little formal training in transportation matters, he soon became the city’s expert.

One of the biggest challenges was the Route 238 By-Pass. Bauman’s job was to move the project forward within the parameters of Caltrans’ environmental clearance, proposed construction by Caltrans and the conditions associated with Measure B half-cent transportation sales tax funding from the Alameda County Transportation Authority. He understood the need to deal effectively with Caltrans. However, a court eventually ruled Measure B monies could not be used; moreover, the project was already several decades old and public opinion had changed. Council decided not to proceed with the By-Pass project.

Without the By-Pass or the possibility of creating another freeway, the city worked hard on alternatives and their impacts, such as tunneling beneath Foothill Boulevard or creating a wide, multi-lane thoroughfare through the city, to move traffic and relieve congestion.

“In the end, we decided upon the loop. First, traffic-wise, it will be an improvement. Second, this option enables us to improve lighting, pedestrian access and the aesthetics,” said Bauman.

“The Route 238 Corridor Improvement Project is under way.”

There have been other major projects, such as the $55M-upgrade to the sewage treatment plant which employed a very competent construction contractor; according to Bauman, the city’s interests must always be protected.

The I-880/SR 92 Interchange Project, which was completed in early October 2011, had a long history and required much effort to solve traffic problems and avoid destruction of local neighborhoods. Despite the city’s public outreach, a citizens’ advisory committee and a proposed solution, Caltrans intended to proceed with its own much more expensive design which would have impacted residents adversely.

Council made clear its position and Caltrans delivered what Hayward wanted. For Bauman, this was a proud moment and a significant accomplishment and it is rewarding to see greatly improved mobility of people and goods.

“Traffic is a problem, especially in the Bay Area and for Hayward, so we do what we can.

Those are some of the bigger things with which I’ve been involved and I enjoyed all of them,” he stated.

“Engineering is about problem-solving. There are many types of engineers - civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, etc.

All address different challenges and many become public ser-

vants, such as members of the Corps of Engineers. During war, civilian engineers often find themselves building things for the greater good. Anyone contemplating an engineering career should ‘enjoy getting things done.’

“Attend a good school and ensure the coursework covers a broad spectrum of civil engineering. One can specialize in aspects, such as detailed design or construction management. Students should consider internships while at university to obtain some experience. Many cities and their engineers are service-oriented; the private sector offers opportunities associated with specific projects and less contact with the public,” advises Bauman.

“Public Works is an excellent profession. Working in the public sector is an excellent way to help one’s fellow citizens. It’s tremendously satisfying when you accomplish things for others. There should be an intrinsic desire to do so. The City of Hayward is a full-service city with a broad range of things for which Public Works is responsible, e.g. Hayward Executive Airport, sewer, water, waste water treatment, garbage, and so on. There are variety, challenges and rewards other than a pay check. Right now, there is an entirely new facet of engineering concerned with

the environment.

“Public perception of Public Works varies between cities. In Hayward, the community has a greater understanding of what we do because of the excellent Neighborhood Partnership Program which helps inform residents of the city’s business and keeps Council and staff abreast of citizens’ views. Some people say ‘Thank You.’ What more could one ask? Even when you couldn’t provide what they wanted but had the chance to listen to their concerns, respond and explain, people understand. Ideally, the public should not just demand but be willing to listen, note the restrictions and, hopefully, better understand what we do and why,” concluded Bauman.

Although his son, an aerospace engineer, followed in his father’s footsteps as an Eagle Scout six years ago, Bauman remains involved with Boy Scout Troop 722 in Castro Valley and looks forward to devoting more time as Treasurer and assisting with summer camp with the other parents.

He holds the Boy Scout movement in high regard. He left New Jersey for the first time in 1964 when he travelled by bus to Philmont Scout Ranch, New Mexico; the experience left a lifelong impression. He and his wife also plan to ski and look forward to more travel.

Page 30

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

SUBMITTED BY TAMAR SARKISSIAN Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced that its Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are accepting applications from aspiring college students for financial assistance through the groups’ scholarship funds. The scholarships will provide at least 100 university-bound students up to $3,000 each in aid for exemplary scholastic achievement and community leadership.

All college-bound students living within PG&E’s Northern and Central California service area are welcome to apply. In 2011, the utility’s employee resource groups awarded $255,500 in scholarships to help 153 students with their college expenses.

“Recognizing and supporting students who are dedicated scholars and community contributors is a privilege for PG&E,” said Bill Harper, PG&E’s Vice President of Talent Management and Chief Diversity Officer. “Though the recipients come from different locations and have many diverse interests and talents, they all have one thing in common: leadership. It is an honor to help these future leaders reach their higher education goals.”

To apply for a scholarship, students need to complete a basic and a supplemental application. Complete scholarship information, including award criteria and applications, are posted on the PG&E scholarship website at www.pge.com/about/community/scholarships/. Completed applications must be postmarked and mailed to PG&E by January 17, 2012.

PG&E’s ERGs have traditionally awarded scholarships to deserving students for more than 20 years. The funds are collected from PG&E employee contributions, ERG fundraising events, and from PG&E’s corporate charitable giving program.

Diversity and inclusion have long been hallmarks of PG&E’s heritage. The utility currently has nine ERGs, which contribute to the personal and professional development of thousands of employees and provide vital opportunities to engage employees in service to diverse communities. They are Pride Network, Women’s Network, Samahan, InspirAsian, Black Employee Association, Latino, Access Network, Legacy, and Nu NRG ERG. For more information, visit www.pge.com.

January 10, 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

January 10, 2012

Classifieds Deadline: Noon Wednesdays (510) 494-1999 | www.tricityvoice.com

Page 31

CLASSIFIEDS Home Health Care Provider's Corp.

A Reliable Source Providing In-Home Health Care For the ELDERLY Since 1997 Open 24 hours 7 days a week Licensed # 038521

Call for a FREE Assessment 510-790-1930 or 1 888-794-1930 www.homehealthcareregistry.org

What’s It Worth?

Garden Apartments

H&H APPRAISAL SERVICES

Norman Hodgson Certified Museum Specialist Personal Property and Collections

$975 Jr 1 Br w/spec, 1 & 2 Bedrooms Available FREMONT’S BEST HOUSING VALUE Water, Garbage, Carport included Swim Pool/ Rec Room/Laundry Close shopping & Fwy Gated Security Walk to Bart/HUB 1 & 2 Bedroom No Sec 8/Pets

All Areas - 510-582-5954 Send image of object to: norm2@earthlink.net

HASTINGS TERRACE/EAST APTS 510-793-2535, 510-792-4983

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A BUSINESS? We have been matching buyers and sellers for 29 plus years

For a FREE and NO OBLIGATION consultation Call me TODAY! BTI GROUP- SALES & ACQUISITIONS Tashie Zaheer CELL: 510-750-3297 Machine Tools supplier- (Estate Sale) Copy Center, printing & Publishing Beauty Salon in South Bay Textile Art Collection by world fame artist, Christo

$175K $95K $69K $995K MERCHANT ENTERPRISES PRESENTS

Thousands of products at Low Cost Prices clothes shoes vacations franchies and much more How you can save hundreds of dollars by simply ordering at 70-80% below department store prices direct over the internet

Log on to www.wholesalecostless.com 510-472-1844 email: apparelwholesale@hotmail.com

Great Rates!

Great Results

Southland Senior Club

Classified Ads 510-494-1999 www.tricityvoice.com

The club is open to all Seniors 50+ Various Activities at the Club include: Line Dancing Lessons, Card Playing, Tap dancing. Chance to work on Jigsaw puzzles or read books. A good supply of both are free for borrowing. Various Crafts including Knitting, Sewing Trips and events Free cookies, coffee or tea

510-264-0850 Mon -Thur from 10am-3pm Fri 10am-1 pm. Closed Sat & Sun Southland Shopping Center. The Club is located in the Food Court.

Help Wanted

Help Wanted

Engineering

Computer System Analyst in Newark, may travel to unanticipated work sites Send résumé to: Service Oriented Solutions, 37600 Central Court, Suite 212 Newark, CA 94560

Lumenergi Inc has openings in Newark, CA for Principal Engineer.

Responsible for in house specification, design, integration & development of Lumenergi lighting control products. Email resume to: jobs@lumenergi.com indicating job ref# PE. EOE.

WORK FROM HOME! Be your own boss!

No stocking, delivering products. Not MLM, 25 yr. old INC 500 company! Residual income!

Contact Adriane at 510-938-3139 or www.workinathome.biz

January 10, 2012

WHAT’S HAPPENING’S TRI-CITY VOICE

SUBMITTED BY RENEE LORENTZEN

April 3 and 4 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

The City of Milpitas proudly presents Rainbow Theatre’s auditions for “The Adventures of Stuart Little.”

Auditions are open to those 818 years of age and will be held Tuesday, January 24 -Wednesday, January 25 from 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Milpitas Community Center. Come prepared to read from a provided script.

This is the endearing classic about a mouse named Stuart Little who is born into an ordinary New York family. All the charm, wisdom, and joy of the E.B. White original are captured in this adaptation by Joseph Robinette, who also dramatized the highly acclaimed stage version of “Charlotte’s Web.” The many adventures - both big and small - of Stuart Little are brought vividly to life in this theatre presentation. The acting ensemble plays many human and animal roles in a series of delightful scenes that make up the marvelous maneuverings of a mild-mannered mouse trying to survive in a “real people’s world.”

For more information contact Milpitas Parks & Recreation Services at (408) 586-3210 or visit online at www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov.

A participation fee of $150 ($100 for residents) is due at the time of auditions (checks made out to “City of Milpitas,” no cash please). The fee will be refunded if not cast. An Audition Form is required and must be signed by a parent or legal guardian before the child may audition. Forms are available at the audition, or online at www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov in the Parks & Recreation Services’ Rainbow Theatre section.

Rehearsals will be held Monday-Thursday, January 26 - March 23 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. (Fridays and Saturdays as needed), and March 26 - 29, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Tech Week).

Performances are Friday, March 30 and April 6 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 31 and April 7 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; with school performances Tuesday and Wednesday,

The Adventures of Stuart Little auditions Tuesday, January 24 Wednesday, January 25 3:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Milpitas Community Center 457 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas (408) 586-3210 www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov Participation fee: $150 ($100 for residents)

Page 32