October 26, 2022

TRICK OR TREATING AND ENTERTAINMENT AT CASTRO VILLAGE

Howard, Raymond, Sachs Vie for Two School Board Seats

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Castro Valley voters have three choices to fll two seats for the District Board of Trus tees next month. And while the effects of the COVID pandem ic remain, those sitting on the Board next year will likely turn their gaze to improving student achievement, maximizing eq uity, and providing transparent budgeting.

On the ballot are incumbent Gary Howard, attorney and child advocate Sara Raymond, and former Chief Financial Offcer of KIPP and former fnance head of The Khan Academy Tina Sachs. All three candidates have the endorsements of community leaders, current CVUSD board members, and teachers.

Student Achievement

According to a California Department of Education report released this month, Castro Valley saw 68.4% of all its public school students meet or exceed English Language standards (nearly unchanged since 2019). Math scores, how ever, took a 5.5% dip to 57.7% this year, down from 63.2% in 2019.

Howard notes he spent his current tenure on the Board looking for ways to close the achievement gap with special concerns for groups who have traditionally scored lower.

“One exciting step has been to move to a standards-based grading system,” Howard told the Forum. “Students are given credit for the standards that they have truly mastered (even see SEATS on page 11

MAC Resumes

Castro Valley is abuzz with preparations for this year's Halloween celebrations. Merchants at Castro Village Shopping Center and Castro Valley Marketplace will be handing out treats to revelers on Halloween during the day on Monday, October 31 from 3-6 p.m. The Village association will also be hosting a children’s concert and live entertainment near Vitality Bowls. East Bay Regional Parks will be launching a special Spooktacular Fall Chabot Queen Tour around Lake Chabot for all ages on Sunday, October 30th starting at 12:30 p.m. The Castro Valley Library will continue its Trick or Treat Bag Decorating and Halloween DIY Photo Booth this week and is hosting a special Pa jama Storytime for the little ones on Halloween at 7:00 p.m.

Virtual Meetings, Express Frustration

By Amy Sylvestri

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

In-person meetings of the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) are expected to resume in January with a virtual component—but at its Monday night meeting, the MAC continued to express its frustration with delays in getting off Zoom and back in the fesh.

Despite its complaints, the MAC unanimously approved an extension of the current remote teleconferencing policy.

The next scheduled meeting will be focused on Land Use items on Monday, November 14 followed by a general topic meeting on November 21. Both will be virtual.

Since the pandemic, MAC meetings have been via teleconference only, and though the county has said they’ll eventually embrace a model which would allow for both in-person meetings at the Castro Valley Library and options to participate via Zoom or phone—the MAC says the see MAC on page 11

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SINGER

can call from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. You may reach a messaging service on weekends from April 1 through September 30 and holidays. Please leave a message, and your call will be returned the next business day. Essence Healthcare is an HMO plan with a Medicare Contract. Enrollment in Essence Healthcare depends on contract renewal.

Castro Valley’s First Ever Comedy Competition ‘Show Me the Funny’

By Michael Singer CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Get ready to tickle your funny bone starting next month. The first round of Castro Valley’s first-ever stand-up comedy competition will take place on Thursday, November 3 at 8 p.m. at the Castro Valley Marketplace.

Entitled, “Show Me the Funny,” the competition is produced by Castro Valley-based Plethos Productions as part of the one-year anniversary of its comedy shows. The final round will take place on Thursday, December 1.

“We have two categories: comics who have been performing for more than five years (which we call the knowit-alls) and comics who have been performing for fewer than five years (the newbies),” Karin Richey Founder and Executive Director at Plethos Productions told the Forum. “We have 20 newbies and nine know-it-alls.”

The competition will be judged by local comedians Terry Dorsey, Nina G, and Shawn Felipe.

Dorsey was a comedian on Jamie Foxx’s Laffapalooza and he’s a regular performer at Cobb’s Comedy Club.

Nina G, markets herself as the Bay Area’s only stuttering female comedian and is the

“Show Me the Funny” will take place next Thursday, November 3 at 8 pm at the Castro Valley Marketplace.

co-author of “Bay Area StandUp Comedy: A Humorous History.”

Felipe has an online special produced by Dry Bar Comedy special called “Man Baby” and is a regular at Alameda Comedy Club.

The audience will also vote for their favorites and the winner will be determined 60% by the judges and 40% by the audience vote. Prizes are $200 plus a guest spot at Tommy T’s Comedy Club in Pleasanton for first place, $100 for 2nd place, and $50 for 3rd place.

“Our mission at Plethos is to use live performing arts to unite the community,” Richey said. “There’s nothing better than joining with friends to celebrate our talented neighbors. Great food, great laughs, great atmosphere, it’s always a great time. Since 2017, thousands of people have come out to support our small but mighty volunteer-owned and operated organization.”

The show is recommended for ages 18 years and older due to its mature content. Tickets are $10 at www.plethos.org.

Yarnal’s Gem of a Jewelry Store in 580 Marketplace

By Linda Sandsmark CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Castro Valley gemologist Sherry Yarnal has studied so many precious stones in her career that she confidently makes this pledge:

“If you have a gemstone and you don’t know what it is, I can identify it for you in my certified gemological lab.”

With 37 years in the jewelry business and multiple accreditations, Yarnal is president of Yarnal Jewelers in the 580 Market Place shopping center. She’s a Certified Master Appraiser in the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA) and an Accredited Jewelry Professional and Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America. All these designations take years of study.

“The NAJA is a tough organization to get into. Certified Master Appraiser is the highest level they bestow,” she says.

Still, what Yarnal likes about her work is the level of trust customers place in her and her store.

“We clean customers’ jewelry while they’re shopping at Safeway,” she says, pointing out that they don’t do ultrasonic cleaning because it can damage jewelry.

Yarnal’s shop, which she runs with her husband Ralph, has been in business for over 12 years at their current location on East Castro Valley Boulevard. Before that she owned a boutique jewelry business called Sherry’s Treasures, and

prior to that she put in many years managing a J. C. Penney jewelry department. She now employs jewelry designers Angie Krowicki and Claire Callister, plus goldsmith Jack Ozenne at her store.

“We have a wealth of talent here in Castro Valley. That’s why we chose this location because it’s a wonderful place to be,” she says.

All kinds of jewelry are available in this store. For those familiar with popular styles, Yarnal’s is a Rembrandt

Charms dealer that also carries modern wedding sets, sterling silver, white, and yellow gold items, pearls, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, estate pieces, Galatea artistic pieces, loose stones, watch batteries and bands, and custom orders.

“We make a lot of our own jewelry, and we don’t carry what everyone else has. We want to present a quality product at a fair price, not a commercial quality product,” she says.

see YARNALS on page 7

Shooting Suspect Killed

By Michael Singer

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Hayward Police shot and killed a man they had been following in a slow-speed chase that started at an apartment on Gary Drive and ended on Eden Canyon Road north of I-580.

The incident began Monday, around 10:00 a.m. when people at the complex began reporting shots being fired at the apartment. Police report the man fired a gun more than a dozen times following a domestic dispute where he was asked to leave and locked out of the apartment. No injuries were reported at the apartment complex.

The man then drove off in a silver-colored sedan and hopped onto the freeway going eastbound below the speed limit. During the pursuit, police say the man held the gun out the window and fired shots into the air.

The chase concluded when the man got off the freeway at Eden Canyon Road. Police took evasive action to force the man’s vehicle off the road and into an embankment. In the process, the man rammed his car into a police vehicle injuring one officer.

The man then jumped out of his car and began running north on Eden Canyon. Police say the suspect then stopped a woman on her way to work and threatened to shoot her in an attempted armed carjacking.

see SUSPECT on page 5

Linda Sandsmark Mike McGuire Amy Sylvestri Jim Knowles Gene Osofsky

Carl Medford Terry Liebowitz

Tee Linette Escobar Thomas Lorentzen Buzz Bertolero Bruce Roberts

Contributors:

GEM OF A JEWELRY STORE: Sherry Yarnal, president of Yarnal Jewelers, which has been in the 580 Market Place shopping center for over 12 years.

CV Light Parade is Around the Corner

There’s still time to participate in the return of the Castro Valley Light Parade on November 12 starting at 5:30 p.m.

In previous years this event has attracted 10,000 guests with nearly 70 parade entries and more than 2,000 partici pants walking in the parade.

If you are interested in marching in the parade, the only requirement is that lights are part of your entry. Entrants have included creative floats and walking entries from local businesses, schools, service agencies, and families. Every lighted entry in the parade can designate one or several par ticipants to be their own Grand Marshal who was someone who helped the community overcome the COVID pandem ic such as a first responder or healthcare professional.

The Chamber is also looking for more sponsors for this great community event. There are 10x10 sponsor booth spaces available for members and non-members. And of course, the Chamber is looking for volunteers.

Call (510) 537-5300 to sign up as an entrant, sponsor, or volunteer. Or you can visit https://www.edenareachamber. com/castro-valley-light-parade-2022/ for more information.

HOROSCOPE by Salomé © 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Although you love being the focus of everyone’s attention, it’s a good idea to take a few steps back right now to just watch the action. What you see can help with an upcoming decision.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20): “Caution” continues to be your watchword this week, as a former colleague tries to reconnect old links. There are still some dark places that need to be illuminated.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Making a good first impression is important. Revealing your often hidden sense of humor can help you get through some of the more awkward situations.

CANCER (June 21 - July 22): Are you taking that Cancer Crab image too seriously? Lighten up. Instead of complaining about your problems, start resolving them. A friend would be happy to help.

LEO (July 23 - August 22): A widening distance between you and that special person needs to be handled with honesty and sensitivity. Don’t let jealousy create an even greater gap between you two.

VIRGO (August 23 - Sept. 22): Congratulations. Your handling of a delicate family matter rates kudos. But, no resting on your laurels just yet. You still have to resolve that on-the-job problem.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - October 22): You might surprise everyone by being unusually impulsive this week. But even level-headed Libras need to do the unexpected now and then.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21): A period of turmoil gives way to a calmer, more settled environment. Use this quieter time to patch up neglected personal and/or professional relationships.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): A new relationship could create resentment among family and friends who feel left out of your life. Show them you care by making more time for them.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19): Concentrate on completing all your unfinished tasks before deadline. You’ll then be able to use this freed-up time to research new career opportunities.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): You’re right to try to help colleagues resolve their heated differences. But keep your objectivity, and avoid showing any favoritism between the two sides.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20): Your personal life continues to show positive changes. Enjoy this happy turn of events, by all means. But be careful not to neglect your workplace obligations.

Halloween Hijinks at EB Parks

By Ned MacKay SPECIAL TO THE FORUM

Halloween is almost here, and several East Bay Region al Parks will anticipate the costumed cavalcade with a variety of spooky-themed but non-frightening programs.

For starters, there will be a Spooky Sunol Open House from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Staff will show the visitor center’s live reptile, amphibian and arachnid ambassadors, including Lumpy the gopher snake. Visitors who wish may join in an optional bat fly-out viewing. Wear warm clothes; bring drinking water, and a mug for hot chocolate or apple cider.

Sunol also plans a self-guid ed scavenger hunt from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30. Stop by the visitor center, pick up a scavenger hunt guide, and search for creepy critters and eerie landscapes. Return to the center, tell what you found, and get a treat.

Or you can drop in at the center any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. the same day for a variety of Halloween activities and a mug of apple cider.

Costumes are encouraged at these programs. All ages are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Sunol Regional Wilderness is located at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about five miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol. There’s a parking fee of $6 per vehicle; the programs are free. For in formation, call 510-544-3234.

Spooky Scavenger Hunt

There’s also a spooky scav enger hunt planned on Sunday, Oct. 30 at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore. see PARKS on page 5

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Thursday, Oct. 27

CVEA Chamber Monthly Mixer

Join the Castro Valley / Eden Area Chamber of Commerce Monthly Mixer at Cordial Cellar + Lounge, located at 3295 Castro Valley Blvd. B100 (basement of Castro Valley Marketplace) Tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 27 from 5:30 to 7 pm. There will be hors d’oeuvres and a no host bar. Event is free for Chamber members and $10 for non-members. Chamber members are always welcome to promote their business by bringing a raffle prize. You will have the opportunity to announce your business and how we can support your business.

Monday, Oct. 31

Trick or Treat at Castro Village

We’re happy to share that our annual Hal loween event is back! Join us on Monday, Oct. 31 from 3 to 6 pm for trick or treating, children’s concert and live entertainment.

Monday, Oct. 31

All Hallows Haunt

Celebrating 10 years haunting Castro Valley... All Hallows Haunt has recreated Pirates of the Caribbean! Come for trick or treats, free full pirate theme walk through, photo ops and fun! Located at 5926 Charter Oaks Drive in Castro Valley. Open from 5:30 to 9:30 pm Halloween night. Donations will be collected for helping animals in need.

Tuesday, Nov. 1

California Retired Teachers Luncheon

California Retired Teachers, Division #59, is having its next luncheon meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 1 from 11 am to 1:30 pm at the Castro Valley Masonic Hall. RSVP by Thursday, Oct. 27. Members are free; guests are $15. Full Turkey-and-Trimmings lunch! Call Marilyn, 510-828-9650.

Tuesday, Nov. 1

CV Rotary Hosts Orin Mahoney

Orin Mahoney, District 5170 Founda tion Chair, will describe the work of the Rotary Foundation and the importance of supporting TRF. A buffet lunch and the program take place at Redwood Canyon Golf Course (17007 Redwood Road, Castro Valley) at 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. The cost of lunch is $20, and reservations must be made by 9 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30, by contacting Rotary at cvrotary@iCloud.com or 510402-5123. More information is available at castrovalleyrotary.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 2

Teen Tech Helpers Orientation

Would you like earn volunteer hours by helping your community? Stop by the Castro Valley Library on Wednesday, Nov. 2 from 4 to 5 pm. We are looking for patient, tech savvy, teen volunteers who will be asked to assist library members with basic tech help including eReaders, email, laptops, tablets, cell phones, scanning and printing. This orientation will prep potential volunteers to assist with our upcoming weekly program. Questions? call 510-667-7900.

Thursday, Nov. 3

‘Roe v. Wade 2022 and Beyond’

The Alameda County Council of the League of Women Voters invites everyone to a free panel discussion on the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s “Dobbs” decision, overturning Roe v. Wade. This one-hour event will be held over Zoom on Thursday, Nov. 3 beginning at 7 pm. The event is titled “Roe v. Wade 2022 and Beyond.” The panelists to be featured include Stacy Cross, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, and Nakia Woods, Project Di rector of the California Coalition for Repro ductive Freedom. Please register in advance at this link: http://bit.ly/lwv-roe2022. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing info about joining the we binar. This free community education event is open to all, not just League members.

Saturday, Nov. 5

Hill & Valley Club Scholarship Bazaar

Hill and Valley Club will hold its Annual Scholarship Bazaar on Saturday Nov. 5 from 9 am to 2 pm. Featured items include jewelry, gift baskets, handcrafted items, hol iday decorations, table linens, collectibles, homemade treats, plants, toys and games, and much more! This event funds scholar ships for graduating seniors from local high schools and assists nursing students with the cost of State tests. The bazaar will be held rain or shine at the clubhouse, 1808 B Street in Hayward. Come early for best selection.

Monday, Nov. 14

Start Smart: Teen Driver Program

The California Highway Patrol and the Castro Valley Library present Start Smart: Teen Driver Program. CHP officers will dis cuss traffic collision avoidance techniques, collision causing factors, driver/parent responsibilities, and seatbelt usage. Addi tionally, testimonies will be provided by of ficers who have investigated fatal collisions involving teens, and by family members who have lost love ones in traffic collisions. The program targets new and future licensed teenage drivers between the age of 15 to 19 and their parents/guardians. A parent/guard ian is required to attend the class with their teen. This program will be held in at the Cas tro Valley library on Monday, Nov. 14, from 6 to 8 pm in the Chabot/Canyon room. Reg istration is required for this free program. To register, call the Library at 510-667-7900 or register online at www.aclibrary.org

Saturday, Nov. 19

Toys for Tots Fundraiser Dance

The Moose Lodge #1491, VFW Post 9601, Castro Valley Adult School and the United States Marine Corps. Reserve - Ala meda are sponsoring a Toys For Tots dance on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Admission is one or more unwrapped toys per person. Live music for dancing will be provided by “Route 66” Big Band and “In Full Swing” Quintet. The event will be held at the Castro Valley Moose Lodge #1491 located at 20835 Rutledge Road, CV.

HAVE A CALENDAR LISTING? PLACE IT ONLINE: MYCVFORUM.COM/EVENTS

Parks: Halloween Hijinks This Sunday

continued from previous page

Stop by the visitor center between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., obtain a scavenger hunt guide, and venture out in search of Halloween in nature. Return to the center for a treat. Costumes are encouraged; adult participation is required.

Del Valle Regional Park is at the end of Del Valle Road (7000 Del Valle Road, Livermore) off Mines Road about nine miles south of Livermore. There’s a parking fee of $6 per vehicle; the program is free. For information, please call 510-544-3146.

Halloween Hijinks

Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont will host “Halloween Hijinks” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 with naturalist Mindy Castle. There will be three ten-minute puppet shows starting at 11 a.m. Apple cider pressing is at 11:30 a.m. Making costumed clothespin dolls is at 1 p.m., and Halloween games start at 2 p.m.

Ardenwood is located at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of Highway 84. The programs are all free; admission fees apply. Parking is free. For info, call 510-544-2797.

Lung Cancer Screening Event on November 5

In recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness month in November, Eden Medical Center is hosting a lung cancer screening on Saturday, Nov. 5 for uninsured/underinsured residents of Alameda County.

Lung cancer continues to be the number one cancer killer in the United States and is the second most common cancer site after breast cancer, for women, and prostate cancer, for men. Lung cancers have up to a 60% cure rate when diagnosed early.

To qualify, you must be between the age of 50-80, either a current smoker, or a prior smoker having quit within the last 15 years with a 20-pack year history of smoking.

You must have a physician referral in order to schedule your screening. If you do not have one, please contact a local Federally Qualified Health Center. Once you have a physician’s order, please contact Eden Diagnostic Imaging Department at 510-727-3020 to schedule your appointment.

Appointments are required and space is limited.

If you have insurance and meet the qualifications, contact your primary care physician so you can schedule a low-dose lung cancer CT at your earliest convenience. For help quitting, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

If you have questions, call Eden Medical Center Cancer Registry at 510-727-2718.

Bystander Intervention Training November 9

Join the Alameda County Library for an interactive Bystander Intervention Training to learn how to safely intervene if you witness a hate crime or bias incident.

The training, conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, will take place online on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 6 pm. Participants will learn hands-on skills that can help you de-escalate a hate incident

before it leads to violence, how to create a safe space, and how to support the person being targeted.

This interactive training is in support of United Against Hate Week, November 13 to 19.

Registration is required for this virtual event. Registrants will receive a Zoom link 24 hours before the event. To register, choose “Events” on our web site at www.aclibrary.org.

Creatures of Crab Cove

“The Creatures of Crab Cove and the Ocean Trash Monsters” is the theme of a Halloween celebration from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30, at Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda.

Learn why Halloween is the spookiest night of the year for the animals inhabiting the Bay, craft some Halloween decorations, and join the search for Ocean Trash Monsters.

And Family Nature Fun Hour activities at Crab Cove from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 include helping bay critters and adding to the center’s trash monster. Wear your costume for a special treat.

Crab Cove is at 1253 McKay Ave. off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For information, call 510-544-3187.

Live, Spooky Creatures on Display in Berkeley

No specific Halloweenthemed programs are planned at the Environmental Education Center in Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley. But you can still stop by to see the live and spooky creatures on display.

The center is at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive, accessible via Wildcat Canyon Road or Canon Road in Berkeley. For information, call 510-544-2233.

Whether it’s Halloween or any other day, there’s always something interesting going on in the East Bay Regional Parks. For the full story, visit www.ebparks.org/things-to-do online.

Spooky Nighttime Tours in Hayward

The Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS) is hosting its spooky nighttime tours once again at McConaghy House on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29.

One part history, one part storytelling, and one part thrills, these tours are not your usual haunted house packed with jump scares and flashing lights. A spirited tour guide will escort brave souls through this reportedly haunted Victorian mansion to hear of tragic tales, death and mourning traditions, spiritualism and divination, and more.

McConaghy House is a fully-furnished Victorian house museum next to Kennedy Park in Hayward. The house is rarely open at night, so this is an unusual opportunity to experience it in near complete darkness.

Tickets are $25 each for general admission, $20 each for HAHS Members, with proceeds benefitting the property. Tickets must be purchased in advance, as no tickets will be available at the door. More information about Beyond the Veil tours is available online at www.haywardareahistory. org or by calling (510) 581-0223.

Suspect: Shot Dead By Police

continued from page 3 Police opened fire. The man was hit at least one time. He was treated for gunshot wounds at the scene and taken to Eden Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

“He was obviously set on violence and gun violence,” Lt. Ray Kelly said. “The suspect had multiple magazines with his handgun. We believe that had people not intervened at that apartment complex that it’s likely he might have committed a homicide while the pursuit was going on.”

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Hayward Police, and the California Highway Patrol are all investigating the shooting and crash scene. The vehicle was also identified as being used in a series of recent crimes in Emeryville. Authorities are not sure if the suspect they shot was involved in those incidents.

“That attempted kidnapping or kidnapping occurred in Emeryville and is related to some type of robbery event it involves this vehicle,” Lt. Kelly said “We’re also trying to figure out our suspect’s criminal history. It appears on the surface that he’s got an extensive criminal history.”

During the investigation, drivers were detoured away from Eden Canyon Road. Local schools in the area were alerted but no formal action was taken as the crime scene was contained near the north side of the freeway.

Tom Nohr CFP

Club of Castro Valley

CASTRO VALLEY ROTARY CLUB SOCIAL

You are cordially invited to Our SOCIAL MIXER

November 15, 2022 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Castro Valley Marketplace (Upstairs) 3295 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley CA 94546

Members: $20.00 (Includes an invited guest)

Non-Members: $30.00

Enjoy Hors d'oeuvres & a No-Host Bar

A special event is planned so come & join us!

Questions: Call Aaron Lewis (510) 283-3760

This issue of the

Valley Forum contains the East Bay Regional Park District NovemberDecember 2022 Activity Guide.

If your copy of the Forums does not include the EBRP Activity Guide, call 510-614-1555 or stop by the Times office (2060 Washington Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577)

between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to obtain one.

It's Pumpkin Spice Season!

Nestled snugly between “everything BBQ-flavored time” and “everything peppermint-flavored time” we have my personal favorite: “everything pumpkin-spice-flavored time”! This week I have a wonderful dessert overflowing with the nectar of the pumpkin spice gods.

Remember whoopie pies? If a cake, a cookie, frosting and a sandwich somehow managed to have a baby, it’d be a whoopie pie. Two round, pillowy cakelike cookies with a creamy cloudlike filling sandwiched between them. So soft and dreamy, they’re bound to please the most discerning sweet tooth.

Traditionally, whoopie pies are chocolate cakes with vanilla filling, but not today! We’re making pumpkin spice whoopie pies with several fillings to choose from. We have marshmallow pumpkin spice, maple vanilla, salted caramel and, for making pumpkin spice latte whoopies, coffee latte filling. How to choose? You might have to make this more than once! I sure did.

This pumpkin spice cookie recipe has been around forever and is very easy to prepare. I’ve chosen to use a boxed cake mix as an ingredient because I find it not only easier, but when you compare the cost of assembling all the cake ingredients, it’s less expensive. Look for cake mix on sale when possible.

1 cup canned pumpkin 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 (15.25 oz) package spice cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Filling (recipes below)

Yield: 15 whoopie pies

Total Time: 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or greased foil. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat pumpkin and butter until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs and milk, then mix until well-combined. Chill batter for 15 minutes to firm up a little.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls, 3 inches apart,

on cookie sheets. Aim for 30 cookies total. Smoothe the tops of the cookie batter with moist fingertips. Bake for 15 minutes. I did one sheet at a time, but you can do two at once. Just rotate pans halfway through.

Place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely before assembling into whoopie pies –let them cool or it’s a big mess. If storing before assembling, place in single layers in a storage container with wax paper between layers to prevent sticking. These soft cookies stick together like glue!

To assemble, prepare filling of choice (recipes below) and chill filling for one hour. Pipe or spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling on the flat side of one cookie and top with a second cookie. Repeat for remaining pairs. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

For each filling recipe below, begin by creaming together 1/2 cup softened butter with an 8-ounce brick of softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Marshmallow Pumpkin Spice

Add 2 cups powdered sugar, about half of a 7 ounce container of marshmallow cream (incentive to make a double batch?), 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and a pinch of salt.

Maple Vanilla

Add 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons maple syrup.

Salted Caramel

Add 1/2 teaspoon each almond and vanilla extracts, 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (found near the ice cream at the store) and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar.

Coffee Latte

Dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee or instant espresso granules into 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add to mixture, then gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar.

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime. Visit Patti at divasonadime. com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

Meringue is a light, airy and beautifully sweet French dessert made from stiffly whipped egg whites and sugar. Many people think it’s a very difficult and temperamental technique, yet it’s actually quite simple. When you see how easy and inexpensive this is, you’ll never buy meringues from the bakery again!

To make our adorable little ghost cookies, we need hard meringues. This is meringue that has been baked in an oven. They are solid to the touch and light as air. They can shatter when you bite into them, then dissolve pleasingly on the tongue. Hard meringue can be eaten as a confection, a cookie or used as a base for other desserts.

Making meringue is easiest with a stand mixer, but I’ve used a hand mixer with no trouble. I wouldn’t try to whisk meringues by hand; it’s too much work for a Diva.

It’s extremely important to keep the yolks separate from the whites. Any fat from egg yolk will prevent egg whites from beating properly.

To avoid an accident, use the three-bowl method. Separate each egg white into a cup or small bowl before transferring the yolk to a second bowl and the whites to a third bowl. Use any white that has even a speck of yolk in it for another purpose.

It’s easiest to separate eggs when they’re cold, but let the whites come to room temperature before using.

3 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Yield: 36 cookies

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer (or a metal or glass bowl with a hand mixer). Use the whisk attachment on high speed and whip eggs until they hold soft peaks.

These meringue ghost cookies are fa-boo-lous.

Cookies: Fa-Boo-lous

continued from previous page

Reducing the speed to me dium and whisking constantly, add sugar 2 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until sugar is well dissolved before adding the next. Continue beating until whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks. Add vanilla and blend one final time.

Aiming for around 2 tablespoons per cookie, pipe or spoon your meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

To create ghosts, with a piping bag and a large round tip, use a motion like making a soft serve ice cream cone. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a zip-top bag with a small corner cut off.

Bake for 30 minutes then turn the oven off. Leave them there until completely dry, between one and two hours.

Another name for meringue cookies is “Forgotten Cook ies,” as they can be left in an

oven for long periods of time after the cooking is done.

To decorate as ghosts, use melted chocolate and a tooth pick to draw faces.

Warning! Cooked me ringues cannot be refrigerated or they will become soggy like cardboard. But they will keep for at least a week if you store them in an airtight container.

Now that you know how to make meringue, there are so many ways to enjoy it.

For example, little one-bite meringues are called kisses and are eaten as a sweet little confection. They are often made with chopped nuts, cherries or coconut. Alterna tively, you can shape them into dessert shells that you fill with ice cream, custard, whipped cream or fruit.

Enjoy your fru-ghoul and fa-boo-lous ghosts, and happy Halloween!

For more recipes, please visit: divasonadime.com

CLEANING UP CASTRO VALLEY

Yarnals: More Than Just Gems

continued from page 3

One interesting section at the store is a magnetic “planning set.” A wide variety of simulated stones and ring settings can be tried together to see what looks best. All are magnetically attachable and interchangeable.

Yarnal Jewelers sources almost everything they carry from within the United States. They also work with the Cas tro Valley Sanitary District to recycle as much as possible.

“We think this is a gem of a jewelry store in Castro Valley,” says Yarnal. “I’ve worked real ly hard at it, and we’re ethical, honest, and confidential.”

Michael and Daniel Barnett, 9 years old from Livermore, picked up trash along Crow Canyon Rd near the tennis courts and the park behind the tennis courts. They collected 8 bags of trash, hundreds of bottle caps and 64 cents. They worked hard and are excited about helping clean up the community.

Yarnal Jewelers is located at 4029 E. Castro Valley Blvd., (510) 889-0828. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Trick or Treat at The Village

OCTOBER 31st 3 to 6 pm

Plus, children’s concert and live entertainment located near Vitality Bowls

REAL

REAL

By Carl Medford, CRS Special to the Times

GUEST COMMENTARY

Zillow Provides Dire Market Forecast

Apress release by Zillow. com on October 20, 2022, confirmed what many have been saying for the past few months – even with the current lower prices, home values are 25% above afforda bility norms. As interest rates continue to rise, the number of qualified homebuyers continues to shrink and is now at a low not seen for a few decades.

The report goes on to make three key market statements:

“The share of income re quired to afford a mortgage has risen to 30.2%, well above the norm of 22.8%.”

Put succinctly, rising interest rates are pushing projected monthly payments higher to the point where nationally, 30.2% of a qualifier’s income

is now required to service the mortgage. Locally, with home values higher than the nation al average, that percentage is higher.

“Nationally, home values are about 25% above where they would need to be for afforda bility to return to normal. It is extremely unlikely home values will fall to this degree. Zillow forecasts home value growth will be nearly flat over the next 12 months.”

Even though the market has been declining, we are facing record low inventory numbers. Since there are still a number of active buyers looking for homes, we do not believe the bottom will fall out any time soon. Correspondingly, we will not see pricing increases such

as those we have observed in the past few years.

“A sharp inventory increase would be needed for home values to fall dramatically. However, there have been roughly 11% fewer new listings on the market so far this year compared to 2019.”

With many current homeown ers enjoying extremely low mort gage rates, there is no incentive for them to sell and repurchase at substantially higher rates. Another inhibiting factor is the tax hit many local long-term homeown ers would face should they sell their homes. As an example, if a couple purchased their home for $200,000 but could sell today for $1,400,000, after subtracting their homeowner’s credit of $250,000 each, they would be faced with

capital gains taxes on $700,000 (minus improvements and selling costs).

Consequently, many home owners have ‘golden handcuffs’ locking them in their homes and keeping market inventories at historic lows. With so many

restrictions hindering the flow of homes to the market, we have a proverbial kink in the works that will not be resolved any time soon.

It is a strange market indeed. Read the entire post at https:// zillow.mediaroom.com/2022-10-

20-Home-values-are-25-aboveaffordability-norms Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed gener al contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

Fertilizer Should Help Crepe Myrtle Bloom

BUZZ BERTOLERO

new growth formed in the spring.

By Buzz Bertolero The Dirt Gardener

THE DIRT GARDENER

My crepe myrtle tree used to have beautiful red flowers, but twelve years ago, the tree broke in half. Since then, it has never flowered again; instead, the leaves of the whole tree turn a bright red. What must I do to get it to flower again? What do you think happened to this tree?

Crape Myrtles do not stop blooming just be cause the tree’s structure has been damaged. They bloom only on the terminal ends of the

You’ll never find any flowers in the interior area of the canopy. Once it finishes flowering, the seed develops in the form of a green, round structure that then turns brown when mature. The structure shatters, distributing the sterile seeds. The seed pods are pruned off when the tree is pruned.

You get little to no flowers when a tree produces little to no growth. To stimulate the growth, fertilize in March and late May with an all-purpose organic fertilizer. I’d apply half a pound of fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter mea sured two feet off the ground. It’s spread around the drip line of the tree. The first application is made after the tree has been pruned.

The second application is made in June. The red foliage indicates that the Crape Myrtle has stopped growing. The red leaf color is a resistive gene color that is seen in the fall before the leaf drop. It in dicates that the growth of the tree has stopped. There may be oth er problems influencing growth, but I’m not sure what they might be. I’d have an arborist evaluate the situation to determine what other problems are occurring.

QIs it okay to plant bulbs in containers/plant ers instead of the ground? If so, when is the best time to plant bulbs? This is all new to me.

It’s perfectly okay to plant bulbs in containers of all sizes and shapes. The end of October through the end of the year is the best time to plant bulbs in the ground. Container plants can be done starting in October. This is when the days are getting shorter and cooler. In addition, you should purchase your bulbs early for the best selection. Tulips and Hyacinths need to be chilled for six weeks before planting in a re frigerator and removing any fruit. The naturally releasing ethylene gas from the fruit will damage the immature flowers. The remaining bulbs are stored in the garage or any other dry location until you are ready to plant. Depending on the size of the container, you can piggyback the bulbs depending on the planting depth. When you are ready to plant, be sure to add Bulb Food to the soil mix. Depending on the size of the bulb, add a teaspoon or tablespoon of Bulb Food under each one. There should be a layer of soil between the bulbs and the fertil izer. And finally, add some seasonal color, so they are colorful right away.

RECENT HOME SALES

$1,700,000 [2,030 SF - 1980 20438 View Point Road 94552: $2,329,000 [3 BD - 3,985 SF - 1980

2333 Tallahassee Street 94545: $810,000 [3 BD - 1,260 SF - 1959 27531 Barcelona Avenue 94545: $898,000 [3 BD - 1,413 SF - 1956 1585 Glenn Street 94545: $915,000 [3 BD - 1,546 SF - 2015 29894 Chance Street 94544:

11877 Knox Street 94546: $792,500

BD - 1,596 SF - 1947

Ruby Street 94546: $825,000

BD - 1,270 SF - 1960

170th Avenue 94546:

$830,000

HAYWARD

BD - 1,736 SF - 1941

Rolando Avenue 94546: $849,000

94577:

- 2,730

Vassar

94580:

- 1,432

Sorrento 94580:

- 1,164

Via Rosas 94580: $850,000

26837 Hayward Boulevard 94542: $520,000 [2 BD - 839 SF - 1987 248 Anderly Court #14 94541: $535,000 [2 BD - 940 SF - 1992 1636 E Street 94541: $650,000 [1 BD - 550 SF - 1951

$920,000 [3 BD - 1,156 SF - 1986 22776 Blackwood Avenue 94541: $938,000 [6 BD - 2,288 SF - 1961 29908 Larrabee Street 94544: $1,010,000 [3 BD - 1,653 SF - 1965 1826 Tulip Avenue 94545: $1,060,000 [3 BD - 1,224 SF - 1964 25023 Muir Street 94544:

BD - 1,463 SF - 1996

BD - 1,167 SF - 1941 23010 Canyon Terrace Drive 94552: $868,000

Jeanine Way 94546: $882,000

BD - 1,080 SF - 1954

Acorn Street 94546: $920,000

BD - 1,744 SF - 1950

Somerset Avenue 94546:

$925,000

BD - 1,204 SF - 1974

Stanton Avenue 94546: $935,000

BD - 1,912 SF - 1976

Mount Rushmore Circle 94552:

$940,000

26126 Hickory Avenue 94544: $660,000 [2 BD - 1,041 SF - 1952 1514 Glenn Street 94545: $660,000 [3 BD - 1,386 SF - 2014 1586 Sumatra Street 94544: $670,000 [3 BD - 1,000 SF - 1954 360 Hyde Drive 94544: $715,000 [3 BD - 951 SF - 1950

$1,125,000 [1,777 SF - ] 26532 Ashland Court 94542:

BD - 1,561 SF - 1988

Buren Place 94552:

27524 Ponderosa Court 94545: $740,000 [4 BD - 1,474 SF - 1970 578 Perkins Drive 94541: $750,000 [3 BD - 1,156 SF - 1951

$1,200,000 [3 BD - 1,903 SF - 2017 25748 Cannistraci Lane 94541: $1,400,000 [3 BD - 2,354 SF - 1989 106 Carrick Circle 94542: $1,650,000 [5 BD - 3,296 SF - 2007 28828 Bailey Ranch Road 94542: $1,950,000 [3,705 SF - 2000 28 Stirling Way 94542: $2,620,000 [4 BD - 4,674 SF - 2016

LEANDRO

$1,032,000

BD - 1,785 SF - 2002 4160 Veronica Avenue 94546:

$1,072,000

110 Newton Street 94544: $750,000 [3 BD - 1,070 SF - 1952

311 Ambrose Court 94544:

BD - 1,453 SF - 1957

Jensen Road 94552:

$1,095,000

BD - 1,754 SF - 1948 5910 Charter Oaks Drive 94552: $1,500,000 [3 BD - 1,778 SF - 1985 5612 Lynwood Court 94552:

$772,500 [3 BD - 1,112 SF - 1956 339 Annette Lane 94541: $785,000 [3 BD - 1,032 SF - 1950

31144 Chicoine Avenue 94544: $795,000 [3 BD - 1,606 SF - 1955

763 Maud Avenue 94577: $600,000 [2 BD - 1,174 SF - 1924 61 Preda Street 94577: $705,000 [3 BD - 1,250 SF - 1945 13475 Aurora Drive #3 94577: $760,000 [3 BD - 1,694 SF - 1982

15855 Hesperian Boulevard 94580: $645,000

- 986 SF

1944

- 1,540

Vision and Your 4 Minute Mile

By Kevin Koo SPECIAL TO THE FORUM

Have you heard about Roger Bannister and the 4-minute mile?

It’s a really fascinating story. People for years had been trying to break the 4-minute mile. The prior record time was 4 minutes 1.3 seconds, set by Gunder Haag of Sweden in 1945. At that point in time, running a mile below 4 min utes was considered physically impossible. On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister set the world record with a mile time of 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. Pretty amazing right?

Sharing that story actually isn’t even the most interesting aspect of the story. Don’t get me wrong, It is an amazing human feat, but how long do you think that record lasted? 46 days.

The world record lasted 46

days until John Landy beat it by running the mile in 3 minutes and 58 seconds. A year later, at the same race, three different runners ran the mile in under 4 minutes.

How is it possible that we can go from something that we thought was physically impos sible, to breaking the record in a month and a half? Then have even more people beat it the following year? People suggest that it wasn’t the science or the training that changed, but rather, the mindset.

There are two main points I want to make about the mindset. The first one is: if you can see it, then you can do it.

Nobody thought the 4-minute mile was doable until they saw Roger Bannister do it. Then, because they knew it could be

done, they also believed they could do it too. It’s kind of like seeing your friend get in shape and eat healthier. Maybe you think, “If he can do it, I can definitely do it.” I do want to emphasize this doesn’t work in every situation. Not everyone can run that fast, but to know that it is possible I think opens your own beliefs.

Also, where I think this type of mindset can be most helpful is when the situation is direr. For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, I would look to the ones who have beat it and figure out how they think and act.

The second point is if you can see something that doesn’t currently exist, you can create it for yourself. That sounds like a bold point to make, but that’s exactly what Roger Bannister did. As part of his practice, he visualized himself crossing the see VISION on back page

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATE

YOUR RATES AT WORK

Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) knows that investment in infrastructure is key to maintaining a highquality wastewater system.

LEARN MORE!

CVSan’s Gravity Sewer Repair and Rehabilitation Project has begun! The contract for the project was awarded to APB General Engineering, and includes the rehabilitation of approximately 3,500 linear feet of pipe for 15 sewer mains throughout Castro Valley, including seven within easements. The project also includes rehabilitations of six existing manholes and the addition of five new manholes This project represents a $988,000 investment in Castro Valley’s wastewater system.

For more information on past, current, and future CVSan construction projects, please visit cvsan.org/Projects

CASTRO VALLEY SANITARY DISTRICT

CVSan Office: (510) 537-0757

Sewer Emergencies: (510) 506-5821

Effective Environmental Services since 1939 | cvsan.org

Kaiser Settles Strike with Mental Health Providers

By Mike McGuire CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Some 2,000 Kaiser Perma nente mental health therapists across Northern California have returned to their jobs after settling a 10-week strike. A tentative agreement was reached last week and ratified by a wide margin on Thursday, Oct. 21.

Both sides hailed the agree ment.

Kaiser Permanente said in a statement, “We appreciate our therapists’ confidence in this agreement, which addresses the concerns they expressed while upholding Kaiser Per manente’s commitment that any agreement must protect and enhance access to mental health for our members. We are glad to have all our em ployees back, caring for their patients.”

The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), which represented the striking therapists, called it the longest strike by mental healthcare workers in U.S. history.

In a statement, the NUHW

lauded provisions to reduce patient wait times, reduce turn over, and hire more therapists. There was also a modest pay raise, they noted, adding that pay had mostly been settled before the strike, which was primarily over conditions of care.

Other contract provisions they highlighted included adding additional time for patient-care duties other than therapy, such as responding to patient emails and voicemails, tailoring treatment plans, communicating with social service agencies, and charting appointments. NUHW claims lack of time for these tasks had been driving therapists away from Kaiser.

Bilingual therapists also won a larger differential for providing mental health services in patients’ prima ry languages, necessary for non-English speakers and more effective for some patients who speak some English.

Kaiser agreed to expand its new treatment track programs which allow some patients to be treated more intensively for

a shorter period of time, the union said.

The healthcare organization also will expand crisis services to nearly all of its clinics and give therapists more time during a child’s initial assess ment visit.

The contract also includes five separate labor-manage ment committees that will meet over the next six months to make recommendations on critical aspects of Kaiser’s service model, which the union has criticized in recent years, and which was affected by recent legislation, SB 221.

Areas covered include patient intake, child and family therapy, and crisis care. Kaiser agreed to implement and fully fund the committees’ recom mendations, which had been an issue with past agreements on some of these issues.

Both sides thanked Sacra mento Mayor Darrell Steinberg for mediating and helping them reach an agreement. He has offered to do the same for the labor-management committees if necessary as they reach and present their recommendations.

Kaiser San Leandro Mental Health and Wellness at 777 Davis St. in San Leandro.

PHOTO BY MIKE MCGUIRE

Seats: Another Challenge is to Make Faculty Reflect the Student Population

continued from front page if they have to make multiple attempts to show that) rather than simply given credit for attendance, homework, and so forth.”

Raymond says she is committed to providing multiple paths to success for all students.

“We need to make sure that kids can access whatever honors/AP courses that they might need, but we also need to partner with organizations such as trade unions that can expose kids to career alternatives,” she said.

Sachs says she would look to help students in the historically

under-resourced communities who she says are disproportionately less ready for college, the workforce, and life.

“I am committed to setting policies that eliminate biases and create measurable and achievable goals along with a budget that supports inclusive, multicultural school environ-

ments to reduce the opportunity gap while continuing to lift our students higher so that we are better serving all our students,” Sachs said.

Equity Central to CVUSD’s Strategic Plan

Outside of providing student resources, another challenge in Castro Valley schools is to

make the faculty reflect the student population. Of the district’s student population of 9,277, 28.9% are Asian, 23.9% are Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% are White, 14.6% identify as two or more races, 4.4% are African American, and 3.1% are Filipino.

“We are making progress

with the teachers, but that will take a bit longer,” Howard says.

“For example, the teachers new to CVUSD this year are quite diverse. We need to continue that work.”

Raymond adds that for her, equity is also about properly funding programs.

see SEATS on page 14

MAC: Is it Okay for Some Members to be In Person and Others Via Zoom?

continued from front page process has taken far too long.

“There doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency,” said MAC Chair Bill Mulgrew of the county’s process. “It’s discouraging. We are a community body first and foremost and it (Zoom) is lacking. It doesn’t cut it.”

Mulgrew added that months of delays in reinstating in-person meetings seem to be a result of the county dragging its feet rather than any actual issue that needed to be fixed.

“People would be unemployed in a New York minute if this was private industry,” said Mulgrew.

Laura Lloyd of the Alameda County Administrator’s Office said she understood the MAC’s frustration, but that the process of creating the hybrid meeting format was more complicated than it might appear on the surface.

Lloyd explained that many departments including IT and security are involved and that the whole format also needs to be approved by the county’s legal counsel.

“We need each location fully outfitted; it’s not as simple as plugging in a laptop,” said Lloyd.

Also, Brown Act requirements must be considered. Is it okay for a certain number of members to be at a meeting in person and for others via Zoom? Lloyd said these considerations that the county’s legal staff are currently exploring. She added that some temporary state legislation regarding the Brown Act that was in place during the pandemic is sunsetting in January.

Lloyd further explained that all the county’s smaller governing bodies—such as the MACs for Fairview, Eden, and Sunol—are also frustrated and

the county wants a uniform meeting scenario for all of them, further complicating the matter. Lloyd added that the county is still under a local health order despite the loosening of COVID-related restrictions.

MAC member Al Padro

pointed out that there are members of the MAC he still hasn’t met in the flesh, despite being on the board for over two years, and lamented that COVID has become a “catch-all excuse” for too many issues.

MAC member Chuck Moore said that teleconferencing only

is alienating to the public and may be discouraging to participation in local government.

“I feel these Zoom meetings are disenfranchising small groups,” said Moore, pointing out that many in the Canyonlands have inconsistent internet access.

Lloyd promised the MAC an update on hybrid meetings the week of November 14, which will be further discussed at the MAC meeting on November 21. The MAC will decide at that time whether to continue virtual meetings through the end of the year.

Gary Howard

Sara Raymond

Tina Sachs

Bill

Member

Katy & Daughter Danell

ANNOUNCEMENTS

You can

a little as $35 a week. Your

runs in both of

the Castro Valley Forum on Wednesday and the San Leandro Times on Thursday. You can also save time by placing your ad on our website at castrovalleyforum.com or sanleandrotimes.com. We’ll call you for your credit or debit card info for payment.

To place an ad by phone call Patrick Vadnais at 510-614-1560, Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

CONCRETE SERVICE

*MPCONCRETE. Driveways, Patio, Retaining Walls, Stamped Concrete, Asphalt, Hauling. Lic.#1054154. Milo 510-502-9336.

S.L.CONCRETE SERVICE

Driveways, Sidewalks, Stamped Concrete, Retaining Walls, Asphalt, Paving Stones. Lic.#982202. 510856-8937.

CONTRACTOR SERVICE

NOTICETO READERS

California law requires that contractors taking jobs that total $500 or more (labor or materials) be licensed by the Contractors State License Board. State Law also requires that contractors include their license number on all advertising. Advertisers appearing on this page without a license number indicate that the contractor is not licensed. You can check the status of your licensed contractor at www.cslb.ca.gov or (800)321-2752. Unlicensed contractors taking jobs that total less than $500 must state in their advertisements that they are not licensed by the Contractors State License Board.

DELIVERY SERVICE

Wop-wop Deliver Pick-up an deliver Any medium size object. Ex bob cats generators, motors and etc Call 925599-5830.

EMPLOYMENT WANTED

22 year old with EMT, CPR & Security Guard Card certifications seeks full time employment. I have excellent references. Please email me at: rogerdouglasvadnais@gmail.com

FENCES/DECKS

FENCE LEANING? Don’t replace... repair and save! Call Randy 510706-6189.

SPECIALIZING IN WOOD FENCES, DECKS & RETAINING WALLS. Replace or repair, paved walkways, yard cleaning, tree trimming, topping or removal, garage cleaning & debris removal. Insured & Bonded #8189. Jerry 510-410-2427.

GARDENING

*ANYYARD WORK. Cleanups and Maintenance. Free Estimates. Call 510-798-1833.

*BEAUTYGARDEN LANDSCAPING Design - Construction - Maintenance. Cleanups, New Lawn, Artificial Grass, Irrigation, Patios, Pathways, Brick, Stone, Concrete Fence/ Decks. Free Estimates! Lic.#925130. 510-691-8852. www.beautygardenlandscaping.com

GARDENING

*NAVA'SCOMPLETE GARDENING: Mowing, trees, cleanup/ hauling. FREE estimates. 510-512-5857

JAIME’S GARDENING Maintenance, Trimming, Cleanups, Hauling, Sprinkler Repair/ Timers. FREE Estimates. Insured. 510-299-9583

GIVEAWAYS

FREE GLASS JARS -- various sizes up to quart size. Some are old jelly jars. Contact via email at on2better@gmail.and state what you'd like and we can arrange a dropoff or meeting.

Pine shelfing 6-5foot and 4foot [12 count]with brackets. Call 510-2761251.

11-Day Accessible Voting Location

The Castro Valley Library will serve as an 11-Day Ac cessible Voting Location for the November 2022 General Election as follows:

DAILY: OCT. 29 THRU NOV. 7 – 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM

ELECTION DAY: NOV. 8 – 7:00 AM TO 8:00 PM

In addition, a secure ballot box is located on the library premises to the left of the front doors. Learn more about the November 2022 Election and Accessible Voting Loca tions at: acvote.org

Seats: Breaking Down The Budget of CVUSD

continued from page 11

“Persistent underfunding of public schools makes it chal lenging to fulfll our mission to educate and provide support for students from historically marginalized communities such as students of color, English language learners, and special education students,” Raymond said.

Sachs notes that California’s rules for free and reduced lunches include students in middle to high-income brack ets (75% in CV), which also skews the district’s ability to provide wrap-around services (e.g., tutoring, extended day care, mental health) for soci oeconomically disadvantaged youth.

“Mandates, especially ones that are not fully funded, in federal and state funding result in equal versus equitable funding at the local level that ultimately limits a district’s ability to choose how to utilize their funding in an equitable and impactful manner which is proving to be a signifcant barrier towards equity.”

Budget Breakdowns

More than 97% of the district’s $129.1 million budget comes from State funding and yet, CVUSD receives the least funding per student of any district in Alameda County. As for spending, $102.4 million, or 84% goes to salaries and

LETTERS EDITORTO THE

benefts (teachers, staff, and ad ministrators) with the remain ing $19.6 million (16%) being spent on everything else.

“We use a zero-based budget process. Each school prepares a request for what they need to conduct classes for the year,” Howard said. “For specifc purposes, we can ask the community for extra funding. Our Measure G raised $123 million for building and renovations. Castro Valley has never passed a parcel tax.”

Raymond says she would ask for a formal budget committee with regular, public workshops to help the community better understand the nuances of CVUSD’s budgeting priorities.

“As I like to say, where we spend our money is how we set our priorities, and the commu nity should have some say in that process,” Raymond says.

Sachs said she would lev erage her prior fnancial roles at two, multi-million dollar not-for-profts to lay out the process, measure what matters, break it down into simple ele ments, and build in community engagement.

“To every extent possible, communicate, communicate, communicate,” Sachs says. “We should share out the goals and budget regularly and consistently in a manner that is understandable.”

Election Day is November 8.

I Endorse April Chan

In May when I announced that I would not run for re-election to the EBMUD Ward 7 seat, I also announced that I endorsed April Chan to succeed me. And Chan went to work – by the end of May there was a Vote4AprilChan.com web page along with campaign fyers. From May until the fling for candidacy in mid-August, Chan was going door-to-to and securing an impressive list of endorsers.

In August, Matt Turner fled, followed by Corina Lopez for the EBMUD seat. From mid-August until well after Labor Day, Lopez’ web page had her running for Mayor of San Leandro and Turner had the makings of a web page. But, by the end of September, Lopez and Turner had EBMUD candidacy web pag es that, under careful examination, mimicked Chan’s web page with neither having fyers. Those fyers also mimicked Chan’s materials - not coming out until the beginning of October. Of course, wanting to show distinction from Chan, Turner came up with wanting to completely open the fragile watershed (home to many species) to more and more trails than the already exist ing miles of trails. Lopez, not only copied Turner on the trails issue, but came up with the extraordinary position that EBMUD should not be looking for alternative water storage – but totally rely on mountain runoff – ignoring the realities of decreasing runoff due to unreliable rain and snow. By the way, Lake Chabot is NOT a water supply source to EBMUD.

From May until now, notwithstanding the “copy cats”, Chan has kept her message of Customers, Conservation, Infrastructure and Sustainability consistent – all while picking up more and more endorsers and continuing to walk the precincts. Chan’s consistency, not letting the “copy cats” affect her message and getting out to meet the citizens of EBMUD Ward 7, has validat ed my endorsement. I urge voting for April Chan as the only original candidate for the EBMUD Ward 7. She is frst on the ballot – naturally.

–Frank Mellon, Castro Valley

I Endorse Corina Lopez

Corina Lopez is the best candidate for Director, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Ward 7 (Castro Valley, Ashland, Cherryland, Fairview, parts of San Leandro and San Ramon).

Corina Lopez was a trustee for San Leandro Unifed School District and serves on the San Leandro City Council. She serves regional and national organizations that address conservation of natural resources, energy, public lands and public waters policy.

Ms. Lopez has extensive experience in fscal management, elected government and in software development. She recently completed a Fellowship in Water Policy. She is responsive to constituents and is an advocate for equity in the decision making process.

A public servant with elected experience is needed as a champion for EBMUD ratepayers. A changing climate, wildfres and watershed degradation all threaten our water accessibility. Corina will work collectively with stakeholders to restore and preserve our creeks and watershed areas and the extensive EBMUD resource and delivery system. Our water source is the snowpack of the Central Sierra and she understands that an ecosystem approach is necessary. Her expertise is needed to implement viable solutions to ensure equity in water quality and availability for EBMUD’s customers.

Since 1996 we have been active in San Leandro as parents, foster parents, school volunteers, volunteers on City advisory panels. We know frst hand that Corina listens and responds when a constituent has questions.

Corina Lopez is supported by the California Democratic Party, Clean Water Action, Senator Bob Wieckowski, Assembly member Mia Bonta, Mayor Pauline Cutter, Hon. Ellen Corbett, the Alameda and Contra Costa Labor Councils. Corina Lopez is the best candidate for Director, East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), Ward 7.

–John & Maureen Forney, San Leandro

I Endorse Roxann Lewis

Dear Editor,

The election for the Eden Health District Board seat repre senting Castro Valley and Fairview is a very important race. While it may be down the ballot and you may have to look for it please, I would strongly suggest that you do not ignore it.

I had the privilege of serving as a CEO of the district from 6/2017 to 11/2019. When I begin my tenure the district was facing the distinct possibility of dissolution. The Local Area Formation Commission (LFACO) had moved to dissolve the District but agreed to allow the District to appeal their decision.

By working together, the Board and staff, we were able to demonstrate the benefts that District provides and the role it plays in serving the needs of the residents of the District.

The leadership of Roxann Lewis was critical in convincing LAFCO of the importance of the District.

If the citizens of Castro Valley and Fairview want leaders on the District Board who will act with integrity, honesty, ignore special interests, and provide strong fnancial oversight then there only one clear choice, please cast your vote for Roxann Lewis. She is without doubt the most qualifed candidate.

–Michael Mahoney, Hayward

I Endorse Gordon Galvan

Dear Editor,

I have spent many hours discussing the Eden Township Dis trict and it’s needs with Gordon Galvan. Gordon understands the needs and the issues of the area. Eden Township was formed to support hospitals in our community, with Eden Hospital and San Leandro Hospital being sold, the district has been left without a purpose. Gordon Galvan is aware of our community needs and has a clear vision in using this organization to help with the changing needs of the community. He is the only candidate who is proposing a plan to address the growing mental health needs of our school age children. Mental Health affects so many facets of our community and prioritizing it as an essential need will help to mitigate the trickle down effect of substance abuse, homelessness, high suicide rates and other crimes in our community.

I am endorsing Gordon Galvan for this position and I know he will continue to support our community.

–Kris Klaas, Castro Valley

Response to Stacy Spink: Why Pride Rejects Bigotry

Dear Editor,

Stacy Spink, the Pride movement initially started with parades in reaction to anti-LGBTQ violence, harassment, and discrimination. The purpose was to affrm the human rights of members of the LGBTQ community. As the movement grew, it also became a celebration of LGBTQ culture and a relief from the everyday bigotry they experienced. It’s made incredible progress in the last several decades in legal rights and general social acceptance for LGBTQ people. In that time, the scope of the movement has broadened from primarily-white organi zations to ones that span all ethnic and cultural groups. It’s also generally welcomed the support of non-LGBTQ allies who believe that everyone deserves the freedom to be true to them selves and live their own lives in peace.

I agree the Pride movement can’t be inclusive of absolutely every viewpoint. It can’t accept positions that devalue its mem bers’ personal worth and dignity. For instance, it can’t accept transphobic behavior, such as you espoused in your letter, any more than the broader civil rights movement can accept racist behavior.

You have the right to be a jerk. But people have the right to exclude jerks from their party.

–Travis Reitter, Castro Valley

LETTERS

THE

Inclusiveness: Equal Tears

I can’t speak for all members of the LGBTQ+ community, their families, or their allies, because people look at things dif ferently and have different emotions even if they are “labelled’’ under one umbrella term. I will say that during the Pride Parade up Market Street in the City last summer, I shed many a tear at the site of the Pride Flag, plus all the love, inclusion, and unity gathered together on one street. However, when I went to the Italian Heritage Parade in North Beach a couple weeks ago, I shed tears too at the site and sound of the military bands passing by and playing patriotic songs about our country. If I am at a public event and the Star Spangled Banner is sung, I usually cry also. (even though I would actually prefer a different song be the anthem and I support football players rights to take a knee). Maybe I am just an emotional person. I know I am often moved to tears by movies, books, and holiday events. In any case, the anti-LGBTQ+ crowd does not have a monopoly on patriotism. LGBTQ+ people can be patriotic. LGBTQ+ people can also be Christians. But that’s a whole different topic and I will stop here before I ad lib too much.

–Angela Shipp, Castro Valley

Re: Anne Vantatenhove Letter

Trying to equate the LGBTQ+ flag with the ten command ments is rather a conundrum for me? Nowhere in the ten commandments is any reference to gender identity or sexual preference. There is no commandment stating thou shalt with regards to sexual orientation or who to love. The reference to be havioral minorities cited by Anne Vantatenhove relates to a non ethnic group that has experienced discrimination. Anne claims christians and Jews are discriminated against by the flag being displayed. I need to remind her that there are LQBTQ+ people who are christians or Jews. So her logic here defies reality, and her diatribe feels more discriminatory. Dr. Alveta Kind, Ph.D. would not approve.

–Robert Thomas, Castro Valley

California, We Need to Fix This

California is a sanctuary state and it’s time that changes! Ev erything is higher: taxes, gas, rents, etc. Since people are leaving in droves, who is left footing the bill for all these “give-aways”? Illegal immigrants come here and receive everything free but we have to pay since they are “entitled” to medical assistance, education, etc. They get a license to drive, no immunizations mandate, and when they break the law our judges let them go!

With SB107 signed by Governor Newsom, children expe riencing gender dysphoria are being pitted against their par ents! Forget about the kid and the drastic harm which medical professionals are warning against at such a young age! Now the courts have the authority to remove children from their parents’ custody if the child wants “gender transition” against parent’s consent But, hey that’s o.k. since we will pay for it all!

Now Newsom wants to give free abortions to anyone who comes from out of state. We’ll pay their expenses, no questions asked-even late term abortions. This is how Nazi Germany start ed out by first doing away with those physically “inferior” and mentally disabled, then ended up killing six million Jews and 11 million others. Killing another human being for utilitarian reasons is not mercy, it’s MURDER!

–Lydia Anderson, Castro Valley

Do Not Knock Fox News

To those, such as Ms. Truman, who knock Fox News and its viewership, you may want to think again. Stone, Cold, Hard FACT, more Americans who identify themselves as democrats get their news and information from Fox than any other cable network– by far. And no, Ms. Truman, I did not get this informa tion on Fox but from Nielsen Rating Services. Of course now, Nielsen will be called “biased” and “misinformed” with their facts for that’s the way liberals in denial think.

–Charles Scott, Castro Valley

Help for Sulphur Creek

The beautiful little park with the animals; the “hidden gem” of Hayward. Or the Shoreline Interpretive Center? It seems they’re closed all the time now.

Covid forced closures of the wildlife hospital, animal lending library, and Unhaunted House event. The minimal staff remain ing at each park are stretched thin just in bringing the animals up to par with veterinary care.

Can we help? We can write the HARD board requesting that experienced Caretakers and Naturalists be funded and priori tized. Without them, no healthy reopenings of either park can occur.

We can donate petfood store gift cards or use the Sulphur Creek’s Amazon wish list.

We can spread the word that we want our HARD nature pro grams and their animals to survive, and bolster the extraordinary efforts of staff to restore the parks to health. Then once again, we can be welcomed in with open gates.

–Anne-Marie Tucker, Hayward

Winning Perennials for Your Garden

By Melinda Myers San Leandro Times

After a busy summer of vacations, BBQ’s, and garden care, it is fun to turn our attention to planting.

Fall is a great time to plant perennials and many garden centers are busy refreshing their supply of perennial plants. Consider including one or more of these winners when making your perennial plant selections this fall.

Hostas are an excellent choice for those shady spots in the landscape but with so many cultivars to choose from the selection process can be over whelming. The America Hosta Growers Association (AHGA) decided to help growers and gar deners with the selection process by introducing the AHGA Hosta of the Year.

Each year since 1996, mem bers of the AHGA select and feature a Hosta of the Year. The winning hosta must grow well in all regions of the country, be widely available, and have a retail price of about $15 the year it was selected.

Island Breeze is this year’s winner. Hardy in zones three to nine, its strong growth rate, thicker leaves and wide green leaf margins with bright yellow centers made it a winner. The leaf centers emerge a brilliant yellow then turn chartreuse in the summer when grown in heavy shade and a lighter yellow in more sun.

The leaf stems, petioles, have red speckles that bleed into the base of the leaves, adding to their ornamental appeal. Dark lavender flowers appear on red stems in mid-summer, attracting hummingbirds to the garden.

You may also want to con sider this year’s Perennial Plant of the Year little bluestem (Schi zachyrium scoparium) and its cultivars for those sunny spots

in the landscape. Each year, Perennial Plant Association (PPA) members select a winner based on the plant’s suitability to thrive in a wide range of growing conditions, its ability to provide multiple seasons of interest, have good insect and disease resistance, and be low maintenance.

This year’s selection of the native little bluestem and its cul tivars allowed perennial experts the opportunity to promote the species or the cultivars that will do the best in their region.

The native little bluestem is hardy in zones three to ten and grows two- to four-feet tall. The blue-green leaves turn reddish bronze in fall and are complemented by fluffy white seeds that persist into winter. This grass prefers full sun with loam or sandy soil and tends to flop or decline in heavy clay soil and damp sites.

PPA Board members helped gardeners across the country

C. Spencer

Mortuary & Crematory

Blue Heaven was discovered and introduced for its taller, more upright habit that does not tend to flop like many others.

and in Canada by sharing the top performing little bluestem cultivars in their regions.

A relatively new introduc tion, Jazz, was a favorite in both the Central and Mid Atlantic regions. This shorter cultivar is 24 to 30 inches tall and 18 inches wide, with sturdy stems and silvery blue leaves.

Carousel is another dwarf cultivar, growing 30 inches tall and wide and was recom mended by the Great Lakes PPA Board member. Its bowlshaped growth habit, upright flower stems and kaleidoscope of copper, pink, tan, and dark orange-red fall color make it a nice addition to the garden.

Standing Ovation is a fa vorite of the Canadian, Western and Mid-Atlantic PPA Regional Board members. The spiky blu ish-green stems in a tight upright growth habit provide a vertical accent in perennial borders. The brilliant orange, red and yellow

fall color ends the season with a blaze of color.

Western and Mid-Atlantic PPA Board members both added The Blues to their list of pre ferred little bluestem cultivars. It has deep blue leaves that transform to a rich purple and burgundy in the fall. This cul tivar is usually a foot taller than Jazz, growing up to four feet tall and two feet wide.

These are just a few of the many beautiful perennials suit able for home gardens. Check out past winners and of course leave room for a few new plants you just cannot resist.

Melinda Myers has writ ten more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms mag azine and her website is www. MelindaMyers.com.

Offering Personalized Memorial and Cremation Services.

L

T

C

T

FESTIVAL/

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

Saturday, October 29, 2022, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

Wednesday, November 2, 2022, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM BY OHLONE CHAPTER

SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (DAR)

Sunday, November 6, 2022, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Fairview Ave. Hayward, CA 94542

510-582-1274

PHOTO MELINDAMERS.COM

Vision: What is Your 4-Minute Mile?

continued from page 10 finish line with the time being 3 minutes and 59 seconds. His visualization exercise allowed him to see a future that he wanted to create… and he created it. So if you’re a business owner and you want to create something that doesn’t currently exist in the marketplace, you can start off by visualizing what the world will look like once your product is a huge success. From there, you can reverse engineer what it will take to get there.

Here’s why I bring this up today. We’ve been talking about vision, and most of it

has been around seeing what is already in front of you, just changing the angle or perspective so you can see more. Today’s focus is around seeing things you never thought possible.

One of the things that always breaks my heart is when I hear someone say, “I can’t do that, it’s not me.” I understand if someone does not want to do something and if it’s not right for them but saying you can’t because it’s not you is the equivalent of saying the 4-minute mile is physically impossible. Maybe you just need to see someone like you to give

Two Arrested for Drugs

Monday, October 17: at 2:09 p.m., two men from Castro Valley were arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal narcotics, methamphetamine drugs, and related drug paraphernalia.

Deputies stopped the pair outside a fast-food restaurant on Castro Valley Boulevard near Yeandle Avenue. The suspects—a 68-year-old man and a 58-year-old man—were taken into custody.

you permission to pursue the thing you really want. I think that’s why representation is such a common topic. Simply seeing someone who looks like you on TV means that could be a career option. If you don’t see it, you may not realize it’s an option.

Now if you’re unique and you don’t see someone doing the thing you want to do, congratulations, you’re a pioneer. You must create the thing that doesn’t currently exist. How do you do that? Do what Roger Bannister did with his mile time.

So what do you think? Or rather, what do you see? What is your 4-minute mile? Let me know. If you want support to get a clearer vision for yourself, please reach out, I’d love to serve you.

Kevin helps people find breakthroughs to reach the next level of life while “seeing things.” Contact him at kevinkoocoaching@gmail.com

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Varsity Girls Volleyball Team

Our Athletes of the Week are the Seniors on the Castro Valley High School Girls Varsity Volleyball team. The Lady Trojans had a 14-14 overall with a very tough pre-season. Big wins this year included beating Vintage (Napa), Acalanes (Lafayette), and Granada (Livermore). The team won the Silver Bracket at the East County Tournament back in August. This photo comes from the team’s Senior Night on October

20, where we beat Encinal High School 3-1. Next up is North Coast Section Playoffs. Pictured from left to right: Maria Fanger, Gaby Schirado, Kara Matthews, Roisin Nugent, Coach Maggie Del Grande, Kaylie Gomes, Bianca Petalver, Mia Wierzba, Amber Huizar, and Maddie Low. Not pictured (Varsity non-Seniors): Avery Bland, Bela Schirado, Lauren Au, Lauren Seiji, Jordyn Lovel, and Tessa Smith.

Sheriff’s Reports

Wanted Man

Arrested at Eden Sunday, October 23: at 10:29 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 32-year-old man from Castro Valley as part of a warrant issued for his capture. The man was at Eden Medical Center on Lake Chabot Road when deputies stopped him for questioning and verified his warrant. The man had been previously charged with possession of illegal narcotics. Deputies took the man to Santa Rita Jail.

Shoplifter Caught with Methamphetamines

Friday, October 21: at 12:57 p.m., a 31-year-old man with no permanent residence on suspicion of shoplifting and possession of methamphetamine drugs. Deputies responded to a call from security at a grocery store on Castro Valley Boulevard near Redwood Road. The man was handcuffed and taken into custody.

Car Thief Goes Back to Jail

Sunday, October 23: at 12:23 p.m., deputies arrested a 40-year-old man as part of a warrant for his capture and possession of methamphetamine drugs. The man was at a storage business on the Boulevard near Marshall Street when deputies served the warrant for his arrest. The man had been previously charged with receiving stolen property and possession of a stolen vehicle. Deputies took the man to Santa Rita Jail.

Busted for Vandalism Thursday, October 20: at 8:05 p.m., a 56-year-old man with no permanent residence was arrested as part of a warrant. The man had been previously charged with destroying private property. Deputies caught up with the man outside a drug store on Castro Valley Boulevard near Yeandle Avenue. The man was served the warrant and taken to Santa Rita Jail.

Too MuchMarijuana and Burglar Tools

Wednesday, October 19: at 3:59 p.m., deputies arrested a 46-year-old CV man on suspicion of possession of more than the legally permitted 28.5 grams of cannabis for the second time following court-ordered drug counseling. The man was also found with burglar tools in his possession.. Deputies stopped the man for questioning outside a fast-food restaurant on Redwood Road near Redwood Court. The man was taken into custody.

Gave Deputies a False ID Tuesday, October 18: at 7:45 p.m., a 34-year-old man with no permanent residence was arrested on suspicion of giving authorities false identification. Deputies stopped the man outside a gas station on Center Street near Grove Way. The man was handcuffed and taken into custody.

COMPILED BY MICHAEL SINGER • CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

The Matt Wilhite Team is proud to sponsor Athletes of the Week CVHS Girls Volleyball