Inside
2026 Trails Challenge T-shirts and guidebooks available at visitor centers. 13
TRICITYVOICE.COM
VOL 25 NO 2
23
CLASSIFIED ADS
24
LEGAL LISTINGS
25
Slow burn Transform instant ramen into a real meal. 6
Year in review
● Organizations share findings as part of multi-year program
Mayor Salwan reflects on 2025. 8
Revisiting the past
By Stephanie Uchida Photo by Todd Tokubo
— More on page 5
OBITUARIES
JANUARY 6-12, 2026
County joint meeting discusses violence prevention
On Dec. 18, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors held a special joint meeting of the Health and Public Protection Committees to receive updates on violence prevention efforts from local organizations, as part of an ongoing public health project by the county. Supervisors Lena Tam (District 3) and Elisa Márquez (D2) engaged with questions, while Supervisor Nate Miley (District 4) joined remotely to give a public comment. “Behind each data point is a life lost to violence and then the pain experienced by loved ones and the wider community trauma,” said Kristen Clopton, a violence prevention manager with Alameda County Public Health Department. According to a press release from the Alameda Count y Department of Public Health, “[In June, 2025], the County announced a $5.7 million invest-
6
OPINION
To The Net Level
Dry Creek Cottage and Gardens deserve reopening. 12
Immigration shakeup Policy changes of 2025’s final quarter. 14
Sixteen high schools from the Tri-Cities and beyond gathered at Newark Memorial. Read ‘Newark Memorial hosts 38th annual tournament’ on page 21.
Chanticleers marks 75th year ● Local theater keeps putting on small shows that reflect a big community By Rob Klindt
A
h, 1951. It was a banner year in the entertainment world: the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I premiered on
Broadway, moviegoers flocked to see A Streetcar Named Desire and An American in Paris. And in the Bay Area, The Castro Valley Little Theatre Group started rehearsing for its first show in a chicken coop.
Performers came from the Castro Valley Women’s Club, with the chicken coop provided by charter group member John Hayes. Soon, a contest was held to choose a permanent name for the group. The winning name “Chanticleers” was submitted by Lucille Cochran and is a nod to the rooster in — More on page 10
Who’s here StarStruck’s ‘Seussical’ comes to Ohlone Smith Center. 22