NEWS
Downtown welcomes newest mural Art piece honors Pleasanton’s past as it looks into the future BY EMILY WEST
The wall on the side of Valley Plumbing’s Home Center, at Peters and Rose avenues, is the new home for Pleasanton’s latest mural installation. The Pleasanton Downtown Association sponsored and funded the mural project, which was completed by artists Ron Norman and Bill Weber. It is the second mural funded by the PDA, which has a mural subcommittee as part of its design and beautification
committee, and a third one is being planned. Norman and Weber were up for a challenge in not only depicting historically accurate details, but also painting on wavy metal siding. For Norman, it was a welcomed project, as he was a Pleasanton resident for more than 20 years. Now a resident of Pacheco near Pleasant Hill, he painted the mural in the City Council Chamber in 1984, depicting
the sister city relationship with Tulancingo, Mexico. The sepia-toned artwork recalls Pleasanton in the 1920s, with Ford Model Ts, and a giant Southern Pacific steam train. With old photos gathered from the Museum On Main, they created a pastiche that was translated into the mural. Adding a touch of modernity, the mural includes a man, painted in color, capturing the scene with a digital camera. N
EMILY WEST
Artists Bill Weber (left) and Ron Norman (right) explain the mural alongside local history buff Charles Huff at the dedication last Thursday.
Healthcare workers take 1-day walkout at county jail Contract employer calls action illegal BY JEB BING
Nurses, physician’s assistants, dental assistants and others who provide medical care at Alameda County’s two correctional facilities staged a one-day walkout Tuesday, charging their private employer with unfair labor practices, overstaffing levels and workplace safety at the facilities. The workers are members of the United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW), part of the Service Employees International Union, a national union with 2.1 million members. They were joined on the picket line by SEIU International President Andy Stern. Healthcare services at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and at the Glenn Dyer Detention Center are contracted out to Prison Health Services, a Tennessee-based for-profit corporation. It holds a $77-million, three-year contract with Alameda County to provide medical services at the two facilities.
“This is about the selfishness of an out-of-state corporation — Prison Health Services — with earnings of over a half-a-billion dollars that is pocketing taxpayer dollars instead of using the money to benefit the county and our people as it promised,” said Maxine Persky, a nurse at the Santa Rita Jail for 10 years. In a statement signed by Adriana Surfas of the SEIU-UHW, the union accused Prison Health Services of launching “a campaign of threats and intimidation against workers including notifying employees of a seven-day illegal lock-out following Tuesday’s planned one-day strike, and cancelled workers’ approved vacations.” The union statement also said that in its contract with the Alameda County, Prison Health Services budgeted for a 10-percent increase in wages and healthcare benefits in years two and three of its county contract. N
EMILY WEST
Learning the ‘Laws of Life’ Foothill High School last week hosted the sixth annual Laws of Life luncheon, honoring students who had done well in the essay and art contests. More than 820 students — or about 40 percent of the student body — participated in the contest this year, compared to 350 in 2005. More than 90 judges volunteered to read each and every entry and select winners. Since its inception, it is estimated that over 3,000 students have shared their experiences with the Laws of Life characteristics: responsibility, compassion, honesty, integrity, respect and self-discipline. Outgoing Superintendent John Casey was the featured speaker at the luncheon, where winning students in each grade level also presented their essays. Winners freshman Kelly McDeavitt, sophomore Mitchell Schena, junior Ellen Wilson and senior Naman Barman spoke about everything from giving to the less fortunate to helping the elderly.
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