The Christmas place
Inside
Crippsmas decorations make a family-friendly outdoor activity. 16
OPINION
4
OBITUARIES
27
LEGAL LISTINGS
28
CLASSIFIED ADS
31
Cancer center expansion
TRICITYVOICE.COM
VOL 24 NO 51
New look and high-tech treatment help local patients. 8
DECEMBER 16-22, 2025
Housing project approved by Newark council
Navigating grief Many are struggling during the holidays. 10
Creek restoration Flood control project completed. 19
By Roelle Balan A fter countless meetings, public comments and over 2,700 petition signatures, Newark City Council approved the Mowry Village Housing Project on Dec. 11 with a 3-1 vote and one abstention. The opposed and abstained vote came from Councilmembers Marie Little and Matthew Jorgens, respectively. Evan Knapp of Integral Communities, the developer, said they have been working on the housing project since 2018. It will be located at the current Pick N’ Pull auto junk yard on 7400 and 7550 Mowry Avenue. There would be 196 single family homes and a 31-unit affordable housing building. Knapp said they want housing at this site because it’s currently a blight to the community. The area is poorly lit, — More on page 4
Victor Carvellas
● Mowry Village Housing Project passed with 3-1 vote on Dec. 11
VINTAGE CHIC Collections assistant Marlena Cannon (L) and registrar Emily Conrado (R) hold up a vintage homemade skirt.
Local archives preserve history ● Hayward Area Historical Society turns archives and memories into history By Victor Carvellas
A
n archive isn’t just a collection of dusty remains. It’s a repository of events and ideas, and the Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS) has an extensive one, full of surprises. For example, radical journalism wasn’t conf ined to Berkeley in the 1970s, as Hayward had its own “Hayward Area County Press,” published by the Country Press Collective. The archive description states tellingly, “as with many
alternative organizations of the time, the FBI may have attended their meetings.” Visitors to the HAHS museum, presently showcasing Christmas nostalgia, are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The basement houses collections of newspapers (70 years of the Oakland Tribune, to start), furniture, clothing, household items and even such personal belongings as a Pet Parade trophy given in 1940 to one Janet Scott Martin. The impressive pet’s name is not mentioned.
Since 1956, HAHS has collected the documented history and personal stories of the city of Hayward and the surrounding unincorporated communities, including Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Fair view, Cherr yland, Ashland, Russell Cit y and Mt. Eden. Following World War II, huge numbers of people poured into the area, tripling the population w ithin a 20-year period. “We went from nothing but farms and growing vegetables to a huge city and growing houses,” says director and curator Diane Curry. — More on page 12
Feeding the soul Food bank director serves community. 24
Rise of cricket International sport in the spotlight. 26