Pandemic melody Page 17
VOL. OL. XXI, OL XXI NUMBER 24 • SEPTEMBER 18, 18 2020
WWW.PLEASANTONWEEKLY.COM
Candidates for Mayor of Pleasanton
Meet the Pleasanton city candidates 7 re sident s v y ing fo r Cit y Co un cil ; 4 a c t i vely c amp aig ning fo r Mayo r Page 14
Candidates for Pleasanton Cit y Council 5 NEWS
City mulls options to treat water contaminants
6 NEWS
Dublin candidates square off at Weekly forums
10 PULSE
Kelly-Moore settles local illegal dumping case
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Page 2 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
TIM TALK BY TIM HUNT
Tiny home community coming to Crosswinds
C
ome January, people experiencing homelessness in the Livermore Valley will have a new option. Crosswinds Church has partnered with HomeAid Northern California, the charitable arm of homebuilders, to develop a community of 31 tiny homes on about an acre of its property off Freisman Road in Livermore between the outlet mall and Las Positas Golf Course. Crosswinds owns 35 acres that formerly was the Freisman dairy. Chris Coli, the senior pastor at Crosswinds, explained they’d been thinking about how to use some of their land to benefit the community. They’d been thinking of tiny homes and then, last fall, allowed HomeAid teams to use their parking lot to construct six tiny homes that were bound for the parking lot at First Presbyterian Church in Hayward for transitional housing. The Livermore project is significantly different because it will be permanent housing and building a community in what essentially will be a new subdivision. It will be operated by a new nonprofit that is currently being formed, Goodness Village. It’s modeled after Community First in Austin, Texas, and like a Sacramento community that CEO Tammy Vallejo created three years ago. Vallejo is heading up the Livermore project. “What’s appealing to us as a church is it’s a community first before it’s housing,” Coli said. “They don’t have people in their lives who can help them in their struggles. Our church will create community and we hope the Tri-Valley is part of creating community.” The residents will have access to a variety of services and there will be social enterprises so people will have purpose and can earn an income. Case management will be customized for each person depending on their goals, Vallejo said. Each home will be self-sufficient with a kitchenette, toilet and shower. Cooking facilities are very important to residents Vallejo learned in Sacramento. They want to cook for themselves. There also will be a community kitchen available to any resident and the community will likely have a couple of meals together weekly, Vallejo said. In addition to HomeAid, the key partner is retiring Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty who put
up $3 million. That will cover construction costs as well as most of the operating fund for the first year. Shawn Wilson, the chief of staff for Haggerty, wrote in an email, “The Supervisor made a strong commitment to help to end homelessness in his district and the Crosswinds project is a great example of that commitment, where he agreed to place $3 million for the construction of a tiny homes project in conjunction with the city, the county and the Crosswinds Church. “The increase in the homeless population in Livermore and the county is increasing so fast that we simply have to do what we can to assist the effort of this project. It is a great indication of collaboration and innovation that will foster a small community where residents will get the services they need while becoming self-sufficient in a safe environment. We need more projects like this in our county and we hope this will be a model for other cities to copy!” Given the staggering cost of building “affordable housing” (way over $500,000 per unit) putting together a 31-home community including the operating costs comes in at under $97,000 per unit. Thanks to the church, there’s no cost for the land and the HomeAid team is working at reduced cost or pro bono. The HomeAid partnership includes the builder captain, Trumark Homes of San Ramon, plus KTGY in Pleasanton that has done the architecture and Wood Rogers of Pleasanton that has done the site engineering. What’s impressive is the schedule. Vallejo plans to be moving in residents in January. The key to that is the homes, which were ordered last week, are modular and are being factory built on wheels. Once the site is prepared with the underground utilities, it will simply be a matter of towing them to the site and hooking up the utilities. “This will look and feel like any other new neighborhood,” Vallejo said. “This is very dignified for the residents.” Vallejo already has two members of her leadership team on board and will be expanding it soon. Potential residents can be referred now by submitting the form online at www.goodnessvillage.community. Residents will pay monthly rent between $350-$500 monthly that will include all utilities. Q
About the Cover Learn more about the candidates for Pleasanton Mayor and City Council inside in our Cover Story spread, Pages 14-16. Contributed photos. Cover design by Paul Llewellyn. Vol. XXI, Number 24
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Virtual Candidates’ Forum Monday, September 21 • 6 – 7:30 p.m. There are five candidates running for three at-large positions on the Board of Trustees for the Pleasanton Unified School District.
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HAVE A QUESTION FOR CONSIDERATION? Email gchannell@PleasantonWeekly.com. Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 3
Karla Brown Mayor of Pleasanton
Karla@Vote4Karla.com www.Vote4Karla.com
Streetwise
ASKED AROUND TOWN
How are you coping with the smoky conditions caused by the nearby wildfires? Joan Carpin
MAYOR 7 Reasons to Vote for KARLA BROWN for Mayor: 1. PROVEN LEADERSHIP Applying my experience as Vice Mayor, City
Councilmember, 12 local committees, I will continue to be your voice in Pleasanton.
2. Only experienced candidate pledging a “CLEAN MONEY” campaign, without donations from builders or developers that aim to buy influence.
3. The only voice for “SLOW AND SMART GROWTH” policies that shaped our award-winning town.
4. Safe DRINKING WATER is key. The only candidate on 2 water committees. 5. HISTORIC DOWNTOWN The only candidate to vote against multi-story housing replacing 2 existing businesses.
Realtor I only go outdoors in order to walk my dogs, and we take a very brisk walk that is just long enough for them to “do their business.” There’s no lollygagging around to let them “smell the roses” the way I usually do. I keep telling them it’s just a temporary situation, and I hope they understand me.
Lee Zeller High school student I don’t really do anything different to cope with the smoke, but instead just go about my ordinary business. I’m a kid, so of course I think I’m invincible and that nothing can get to me. So far, so good.
6. SAFETY is critical to our quality of life. I support retaining our outstanding police officers and adding mental health professions when needed.
7. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Rage soccer/coach, PUSD site council & volunteer, Tri-Valley Conservancy, Hively, cancer recovery, Sister City and much more.
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Don Leone Retired I try to spend as much time as possible indoors. It has actually been wonderful. A few of my grandchildren are with my wife and me all day, while their parents work. They gather around and watch in awe as I work on my toothpick houses. They are large, intricate structures I’ve been building for years, and I keep making them bigger over time.
Emanuel Gill Sales On my days off, instead of going out to visit with friends and family as I usually do, I try to stay inside at home and take care of things like cleaning and laundry. I also watch lots of Netflix programs as I wait for the smoke to clear.
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Maria Leone Retired I try to stay indoors most of the time and keep myself occupied by cooking delicious meals for my family. We are all gaining weight because of the smoky conditions, but the silver lining is that we are all sitting down to eat together at least twice a day. —Compiled by Nancy and Jeff Lewis Have a Streetwise question? Email editor@PleasantonWeekly.com
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Page 4 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
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Newsfront DIGEST
Pleasanton City Council mulls options to treat PFAS water contaminants
Waiver update The deadline for local school districts to apply for a waiver from the Alameda County Public Health Department to allow some elementary level students (TK-6) to return for on-campus instruction during the pandemic has been extended to Oct. 2, and the Pleasanton Unified School District is weighing its options, spokesman Patrick Gannon said. The district has not submitted an application to date, nor have officials yet decided whether they’ll pursue a waiver application, but they are doing work behind the scenes to be prepared for reopenings, including the possibility of submitting a waiver, Gannon said. “The work we’re doing would be moving toward the same goal of being prepared to reopen according to our plan outlined on July 14 — whether we apply for a waiver or not,” he told the Weekly.
City leaders prefer self-implemented treatment for impacted wells
T
BY JULIA BAUM
he Pleasanton City Council made headway on plans to repair a contaminated groundwater well and meet — if not exceed — future water quality standards earlier this month. In a unanimous vote Sept. 1, the council approved a $437,374 contract with Walnut Creek-based Carollo Engineers to prepare a basis of design report for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) treatment and rehabilitating the city’s groundwater wells 5, 6 and 8. The report will decide the specifics
of the $40 million treatment project, including the location and evaluating what treatment is best — granulated activated carbon, ion exchange or a combination of the two — and whether the treatment should be inside or outside. City utilities planning manager Todd Yamello gave an update that evening on the city’s current status and long-term plans to treat PFAS, which are a group of manmade chemicals found in nonstick cookware, paint and other common household solutions or items. Concerns remain about past and
current PFAS compounds contaminating water sources, especially groundwater wells near sites where the chemicals could be found more extensively, such as landfills, industrial properties, fire response sites and wastewater treatment plants. Last year, the council signed off on a response plan with near- and long-term strategies to address levels of certain human-made chemicals found in the local groundwater supply. The move came after new state testing requirements led the city and Zone 7 Water Agency officials to
Video contest Foothill High School alumnus Karen Pu, who is attending Vanderbilt University, has been named among 30 semifinalists competing for $400,000 in prizes as part of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a global science video contest. “Students were tasked to submit engaging, imaginative (and sometimes humorous) videos to demonstrate difficult scientific concepts and theories in the physical or life sciences. Think: Steven Spielberg meets Albert Einstein,” organizers said. The competition includes a “Popular Vote” phase that runs through this Sunday (Sept. 20) at 11:59 p.m. where the public can vote on their favorite submissions. To find Pu’s video and others, visit the Breakthrough Prize Foundation’s Facebook page. Q
See WATER on Page 9
Candidate forums set next week
Livermore grants The Livermore City Council recently established a $2 million small business assistance grant program that aims to help qualifying businesses within Livermore — that meet eligibility criteria — thrive during the pandemic. The program grants funds of up to 50% of a small businesses’ eligible expenses to acquire services or equipment needed to remain competitive throughout the COVID-19 crisis. It provides 50% matching grants of $2,000 to $20,000 to eligible small businesses to help them adapt to new conditions or pursue new markets (i.e. for every $2 a small business spends on eligible expenses, the city’s grant program will reimburse $1). A small business is eligible for up to $20,000 from the grant program. For eligibility criteria or to apply, visit www.cityoflivermore. net.
discover their wells contain levels of synthetic compounds in the PFAS family. The city-operated Well 8 has not operated due to contamination since testing started last summer — and this year, the city’s Well 5 was non operational because of a pump motor failure. “A lot of the systems are starting to reach the end of their useful life,” Yamello said at the meeting, and added the city will need to incorporate new water treatment vessels — like ion exchange or granular-activated
James E. Boswell
Jan Palajac
Mike Ralph
Stacey A. Swanson
Richard Tarbell
LARPD election spotlight
BY PLEASANTON WEEKLY STAFF
Palajac was first elected to the LARPD Board of Directors in 2016 after moving to Livermore from Fremont, where she and her family had spent more than three
The Pleasanton Weekly is partnering with local organizations throughout the Tri-Valley to co-host four candidate forums online next week. The schedule will see Pleasanton Unified School candidates debate on Monday, Livermore mayor and council candidates on Tuesday, San Ramon Valley Unified School District on Wednesday, and San Ramon mayor and council on Thursday. Each forum will be livestreamed for free (registration required though), with video-recordings to be posted online via YouTube in the days afterward for voters to view any time before the Nov. 3 election. The forums will be co-moderated by Weekly publisher Gina Channell and editor Jeremy Walsh. To submit a question for moderator consideration or to register for the live broadcasts, visit www.PleasantonWeekly. com. • The PUSD Board of Trustees candidates forum is set to run from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday (Sept. 21) online via Zoom. The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce and Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation are partnering with the Weekly on the forum. All five candidates running for three at-large positions on the board are confirmed to attend: retired teacher Mary Jo Carreon, incumbent
See LARPD on Page 8
See FORUMS on Page 9
Five contenders facing off for parks board BY CIERRA BAILEY
The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) Board of Directors has two seats up for grabs come Nov. 3 for the fivemember elected board that serves as the legislative body that governs the parks district, instituting policy and providing overall guidance to the district staff. Both seats are at-large and at least one is guaranteed to change hands in the general election as current Director Beth Wilson opted not to seek re-election. Five Livermore residents are running on the LARPD ballot — incumbent Jan Palajac and challengers James E. Boswell, Mike Ralph, Stacey A. Swanson and Richard Tarbell. Each candidate has their own set of skills that they are hoping to bring to the board, along with goals they’d like to accomplish if elected. The Weekly spoke with four of the five contenders about their backgrounds, experience and priorities for the district should they win one of the available seats.
James E. Boswell A military veteran who works as a deputy-sheriff in Contra Costa County, Boswell is a longtime
Livermore resident who attended Livermore High School and Las Positas College before graduating from the University of San Francisco. He said he has an extensive athletic background as a cyclist, runner, softball, baseball and soccer player as well as a coach for men’s softball, baseball and various children’s sports, including his 11-year-old daughter’s traveling softball team. “I’ve been directly and indirectly involved with the parks and recreation district for a long time,” Boswell explained. “I have experience managing the needs of younger kids, and I’ve worked with seniors as well.” As a coach, he said he is very familiar with the process for renting LARPD fields, which sparked one of the driving forces behind his decision to run for the LARPD Board of Directors. He said he’s noticed a number of fields and other resources that appear to be underutilized, which could potentially be used to bring more outdoor programs and services to the community. Additionally, he hopes to lend his financial expertise to the board. “I know what it takes to go through
PUSD board debate kicks off series on Monday night
and balance a budget,” he said, adding that he would like to help establish “new and creative ways for handling (the district’s) assets.” Boswell’s wife is a second-grade teacher, and with schools transitioning to distance learning this year, he said one of his priorities if elected to the board would be to expand fitness opportunities for students to encourage them to step away from technology. Boswell has worked in law enforcement for the past 17 years. most recently with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to that, his professional background was in the tech industry and in finance, having served in senior management roles for Bank of America, Apple, Connect Inc. and ADP, respectively. He also served in the U.S. Navy and the Army Reserve. Learn more about Boswell at boswellforoffice.com.
Jan Palajac
Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 5
NEWSFRONT
Dublin city candidate forums BY RYAN J. DEGAN
Candidates competing for the Dublin city offices on the Nov. 3 ballot squared off in online forums last week, debating the finer points of civic governance and discussing the most pressing issues facing their community. The three-hour livestream event on the evening of Sept. 10 featured separate debates for the mayoral and City Council candidates.
The hourlong mayoral forum saw Arun Goel and Melissa Hernandez debate a range of topics with particular focus being given to the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, social justice reform and housing in Dublin. The third mayoral candidate, political newcomer Regina Pangelinan, lost connection early in the Zoom session and was unable to rejoin due to the technical difficulties.
Candidates Shawn Costello, Lucrecia Deleon, Razi Hasni, Sherry Hu, Michael McCorriston, Sri Muppidi, Dawn Plants, Kashef Qaadri and Samir Qureshi then participated in a nearly two-hour council forum as part of competing to win one of the two available at-large seats on the ballot. Presented by the Pleasanton Weekly in partnership with the Dublin Chamber of
Commerce and Dublin/San Ramon Women’s Club, the forum was broadcast live online (with a videorecording available afterward) and moderated by Weekly publisher Gina Channell and editor Jeremy Walsh. View the full forum videos via PleasantonWeekly.com.
Mayor candidates discuss COVID-19 relief, social justice reform, affordable housing Goel and Hernandez — both sitting City Council members looking to elevate to the mayor’s chair to succeed David Haubert — agreed on a number of the issues facing the community while trying to set themselves apart on some of the possible solutions going forward. Addressing the economic impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, for example, both candidates praised the council’s decision to approve micro-loans as a way to help local businesses get over the initial economic blows the owners and employees have felt. “I truly feel that the city of Dublin has been trying to do the best job that we possibly can,” said Hernandez, who is wrapping up her first four-year term on the council but is seeking the mayor’s seat instead of re-election to another regular council term. She ran for Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 1 in March but finished third in
the primary. Hernandez said she was particularly proud of “the micro-loan program that I am very proud to say I spearheaded.” She added that she thought hair salons and barbershops should have been allowed to open sooner than they were, but acknowledged that “health and safety are our priority.” Goel concurred that some local businesses could have possibly opened sooner, but added that collaborating with local businesses is a prime way to stimulate economic recovery. “As a business owner, I understand the challenges of businesses,” said Goel, who is also at the end of his first term on the City Council — he previously ran for mayor from a safe council seat two years ago but lost to Haubert. “(Businesses) need to be at the forefront of a lot of dialogue because us as policy makers can only make
an inclination of what can solve the problem ... they are the ones on the ground actually having the impact,” he added. When asked about social justice reform in Dublin, neither candidate gave a hard answer to reallocating local police funds; however, both acknowledged that Dublin Police Services can always be improved. “We always feel like we should have more room for improvement. That being said, we have recently created a task force to more or less have an open dialogue about our police force,” Hernandez said, further adding that staffing police with a “medical clinician” could help with issues related to mental health and police interactions. Goel said that the city should be open to looking at its budget and considering if funds could be better allocated in different areas such as homeless services. Touching on another crisis
affecting the region, tackling the housing and more specifically California’s upcoming regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) obligations cycle was another top priority for candidates, with both agreeing that more needed to be done to provide affordable housing options in Dublin. Goel also decried the state’s revocation of local control over certain housing issues, and highlighted his own efforts to lobby state officials to preserve local powers. “At a time where we are seeing a lot of Senate bills and Assembly bills taking away local control, distributing the way our due process as a local government should happen,” Goel said. “We have done very well as a city to deliver housing; however, we have failed on the lower end of the spectrum delivering to affordable housing requirements.” Hernandez highlighted some recent accomplishments achieved by
the council in providing housing, but also acknowledged that more could be done. “I understand that none of the surrounding cities have fulfilled their RHNA numbers, especially the low-income RHNA number, but we are trying. It’s important for us to look at the projects one at a time,” Hernandez said. “We have had some historic projects though (such as Emerald Vista and Valor Crossing) ... We are very proud of the affordable housing that we have. Can we do better? Absolutely.” Other topics discussed during mayoral forum included the creation of a true downtown for Dublin, transportation and infrastructure projects, the At Dublin proposal, navigating the city’s eastwest divide, how candidates would lead a new council and candidates’ thoughts on the city’s partnership with local schools. Q
Nine candidates strive to separate themselves in crowded City Council contest The candidates for Dublin City Council sounded off on key local issues while attempting to distinguish themselves amid a crowded field of competitors vying for two at-large seats on the dais that are fully up for grabs with incumbents Hernandez and Goel running for mayor instead. Housing, a hot-button issue for many communities throughout the Bay Area, took center stage at the council forum as candidates spoke their minds about how Dublin should address growth, affordability and the upcoming RHNA cycle. “As far as residential developments are concerned, the city has benefited from years of development and it has been successful trying to meet certain standards, but it has fallen a little short,” said McCorriston, a Human Services Commission alternate member and finance professional. “We should focus building housing around transit-oriented centers. The RHNA standards have been set in motion and put new pressure on us, but we need to look at the strategic location of a development.” McCorriston added that the city needs to work with local nonprofits and developers as well as county and state agencies for funding and creative financing solutions for affordable housing. Qureshi, a former planning
commissioner, concurred that transit zones should be Dublin’s area of focus for state housing requirements, but added that residents need to be educated about RHNA standards — noting that it’s important for residents to know how RHNA mandates Dublin build a certain number of housing units. “I feel that we need to inform our community; they need to understand what RHNA is and how (it) impacts our community,” Qureshi said. “I definitely look at transitoriented communities for development. I think that’s the way we need to look at how we can provide the best affordable housing for our community, and make sure that people are actually willing to come back and can afford to live in Dublin.” Plants, an alternate on the Planning Commission, said her main concern with housing came from Dublin’s population density and its dramatic increase over the past 40 years. “It’s a good time to re-evaluate the entire situation for the population density, which is what I’m the most concerned with,” Plants said. “It’s just getting to be too much. I wouldn’t want to see every blade of grass covered with concrete around here. Dublin won’t be America’s backyard anymore when that happens.”
Page 6 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
When it came to addressing Dublin’s RHNA obligations, tech executive Qaadri stressed the need for affordable housing for all residents, as well as a thorough review process by the city for developments. “We need to do this so that we are including low-income housing and senior housing, in particular. We need to make sure it is inclusive housing across all income brackets,” Qaadri said. “We need to do this responsibly and sustainably, ensuring that we have the adequate infrastructure to support these new houses and we need to think about traffic flows and schools.” Touching on the potentially negative consequences if Dublin fails to fulfill RHNA obligations, tech investor Muppidi noted, “If we don’t achieve (RHNA obligations) that are mandated by the state, we are liable to millions of dollars in fines, as was incurred on Pleasanton ... This is important for Dublin City Council to really think about as we are going into the next phase of growth to maintenance.” The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was another high priority issue for candidates, who generally agreed that Dublin had done a good job of combating the virus and focused their discussion more closely on the economic downturn resulting from
the virus. “In the face of unprecedented challenges, it’s essential that we support our local businesses and in turn our local families,” said Hu, an entrepreneur and engineer. “The federal and state have different programs, and in addition to that, our city adopted some programs such as microloans and also ways to (use) outdoor spaces.” In addition to raising awareness and marketing for local businesses, Hu also came out as a supporter of helping businesses acquire microloans — an idea that was supported by most other candidates. “I’ve been severely affected by this pandemic,” added Hasni, a business owner who said that he possesses first-hand experience of what it’s like to try and keep a business going amid the pandemic. “I disagree somewhat with the central governments and county government’s response (to the pandemic) and how it trickled down to our city government ... My opinion is that if we can mask up and stay six feet away, we should be allowed to be open,” he said. “We shouldn’t let the pandemic stop us from living our lives.” Hasni further stated that through collaboration and sharing information via an online city portal, local
businesses could work together with the city to find their way through the current crisis. While acknowledging that the economic impacts of the virus can not be neglected, business owner Deleon said that the city needs to put health first and focus programs on supporting residents who belong to underserved groups. “Health and safety is the main thing that should be in consideration, but there have been other impacts resulting from COVID-19 especially in many communities that have been underserved,” Deleon said. “Although we are doing the most that we can in regards. .. there are many people in our community who have been underserved (and lack support programs).” “Communities like older people and people of color have been impacted the most, and they have not been given the opportunity for safety and opportunities as other people and other communities,” she added. Costello, a disabled rights advocate and human services commissioner, also argued that residents who belong to vulnerable communities are in need of additional support from the city, and proposed the city form a database to track the needs of See COUNCIL on Page 9
Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 7
NEWSFRONT
LAVTA wins industry award as best in North America 2020 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award BY JULIA BAUM
The Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) recently beat numerous bus and rail systems around the U.S. and Canada to win the 2020 Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award. It is the first time in LAVTA’s 35-year history of winning the annual award, which is for transit systems providing up to 4 million passengers trips annually and “acknowledges excellence among public transportation providers in North America.” Agencies are evaluated by the
LARPD Continued from Page 5
decades. She previously worked for the city of San Jose as a landscape architect in charge of the design and construction of trails and parks throughout the city. “I knew that when we moved (to Livermore) that within about a year or so, I would be retiring. And I wanted to do something to continue with what I knew how to do and what I was educated to do in my new community,” she said of her initial interest in running for the board four years ago. Since then, Palajac said she has helped the board review and revise its capital improvement projects program for better efficiency and accuracy. In January, she began serving as chair of the board, facing the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after. “Two months after I started,
American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which issues the award, using a “combination of qualitative and quantitative criteria” including safety, ridership, customer service, community relations, cost effectiveness, road call data, and diversity and inclusion. In a statement, LAVTA Board Chair Bob Woerner, who also serves as vice mayor of Livermore, commended the agency for both its current and past achievements, including being named Transit Agency of the Year in California by two separate organizations and selected as the top transit agency of its size
in North America. “These honors are truly a testament to the quality of our small staff and the effective collaboration between that staff and our Board of Directors,” Woerner said. “In the midst of the current pandemic, during which our employees are busy providing an essential service to the residents of our region, it is nice to be able to take a moment and reflect on all we have accomplished recently as an organization.” While announcing the award this week, APTA Chair Nuria Fernandez said, “This is a prestigious and well deserved honor for your
organization. It also spotlights your outstanding leadership, working with your board, your team members and your community. Your success is a model that our industry can emulate.” Some achievements that resulted in LAVTA’s selection for the award include a 12% ridership increase over a two year period (2017 to 2019), funding unlimited transit passes for all Las Positas College students, and launching a shared autonomous vehicle (SAV) pilot program to provide first- and lastmile connections between local jobs centers and the eastern Dublin/
Pleasanton BART Station. LAVTA was also lauded for its initiation of Go Dublin, an on-demand mobile platform for Dublin residents by forming a unique partnership with Uber and Lyft, and partnering with the city of Livermore to relocate and renovate the historic Southern Pacific Railroad train depot, which has found a new life as LAVTA’s Livermore Transit Center sales and operations building. LAVTA and the other award winners will be honored next month during an APTA virtual meeting, then again at the annual APTA TRANSform Conference in March. Q
everything shut down and a lot of the other park districts in the area shut their parks down too. But we made it a priority to keep our parks open and keep the trails open and all the open spaces,” she said, adding that the experience has shed light on “how essential it is to get out and exercise in the outdoors.” If re-elected, Palajac wants to establish new programs and classes to offer the community that are in line with new health and safety guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. “I think, especially now with kids doing distance learning, it’s really important to try to get them outside, get them doing some other types of activities and the same for seniors,” she said. She added that she hopes to continue her work on trail connectivity to close some of the gaps throughout the Livermore trail system, improving their accessibility for the community. Learn more about Palajac at janpalajac4larpd.com.
Stacey A. Swanson
LARPD operates, expand overall awareness about the district’s financial decisions and become “a louder voice” for her Springtown neighborhood that she sees as underserved by the district in terms of community programs and facilities. “There’s a saying a lot of people use in sales along the lines of, ‘You can sell ice to an Eskimo’ and they think it’s a compliment to a sales person, but it is not,” Swanson said. “Sales is very much about making sure that you listen to what the needs are of the people you’re serving and then help implement those needs.” She added, “My role as a board director, as I see it, is to be an enthusiastic community member who wants the best for my community.” Learn more about Swanson at stacey4larpd2020.com.
issues for parks and sports fields as well as other outdoor facilities, including skate parks and dog parks. He’s been retired for two years but he said he thinks his professional expertise would be valuable to LARPD. “I’ve gone before the LARPD board before, presenting projects to them, but in this case I would like to contribute what I can to the community and to the board with the planning experience that I’ve had,” he said. He is active throughout the TriValley, serving as a volunteer at the Pleasanton Senior Center and a member of the Tri-Valley Fly Fishers club. He said keeps himself active by using many of the LARPD facilities, including the Robert Livermore Aquatics Center where he said he frequently swims. He’s also an avid golfer and scuba diver. “One of the comments I’ve heard from people is that if the activity doesn’t have a keyboard, people aren’t necessarily interested,” he said, adding that if elected to the board he wants to encourage more people, particularly seniors, to get outdoors. Tarbell does not have a campaign website. Q
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Ralph is a 16-year Livermore resident, according to his candidate statement provided to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ Office. He has a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration from CSU Chico and a career spanning 30 years in the bicycle industry. He is currently the general manager at Superfly Wheels bicycle shop in Pleasanton. “Our world is in a unique position with many activities on pause,” he said in his candidate statement. “This presents our community with an opportunity to rethink how we can best fulfill the mission of creating outstanding recreation programs. I look forward to combining my experience, education and desire to help our city ride into a healthy, active and rewarding future.” Ralph did not respond to the Weekly’s request for an interview. He does not have a campaign website.
Page 8 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
A longtime Tri-Valley resident, Swanson grew up in Dublin and raised her family in San Ramon before arriving in Livermore in 2009. Before she retired, she ran her own business called SAS Marketing for about 15 years, selling advertising for motorcycle magazines in the United States and in Australia. “One of the reasons I started getting involved in the outdoors is that working from home with this very small business, I found that often I would not even get out of my chair except to check the mail for weeks on end. So I started a hiking group,” she said. While this is her first time running for public office, Swanson played a public role in helping protect 85 acres of open space from development on the former Springtown Golf Course. She helped found the North Livermore Community Alliance, which worked with the Livermore City Council, LARPD and other community members to get Measure FF on the 2016 election ballot, which passed with 81% of the vote. If elected, Swanson wants to help increase public knowledge of how
Richard Tarbell Originally from Sacramento, Tarbell lived and worked in Hayward for a number of years before settling in Livermore in 2004. He earned a degree in geography with a concentration in urban planning from CSU Sacramento, which led to a 27-year career in urban planning. His work consisted of processing land-use
First day of school in Livermore Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District students and teachers started their new school year under remote learning conditions in the final week of August. District officials shared a variety of photos from opening week, including this one of young Oliver Robbins beginning transitional kindergarten at Joe Michell K-8 School from home. “As we rise to the challenges of teaching and learning in the midst of a pandemic, we realize that our circumstances have changed, but our mission has never changed. We share an unwavering commitment to our students and our community that our students will graduate with the skills needed to contribute and thrive in a changing world,” LVJUSD Superintendent Kelly Bowers said in a statement.
LVJUSD
NEWSFRONT
City deploying robot cleaners in facilities Seen as ‘game changer’ for sanitizing public buildings amid COVID-19 BY JEREMY WALSH
The city of Pleasanton is introducing a new line of defense and protection for its facilities in the fight against COVID-19 — robot cleaners. City officials are deploying three “UVD Robots,” acquired from Pleasanton-based firm SNAP Solutions, Inc., to supplement sanitization done by human cleaners, especially airborne particles. Pleasanton is the first city government in the U.S. to use such robot technology for cleaning during the pandemic, according to Cindy Chin, city public
WATER Continued from Page 5
carbon (GAC) vessels — at the well sites. The site for Well 8 was favored for its potential room to expand by staff, who also said the location for Wells 5 and 6 has access challenges and little room for expansion. For Pleasanton, 25% of the public water supply comes from the three city-owned and -operated groundwater wells and the rest is supplied by Zone 7, whose primary source is water delivered through the State Water Project, supplemented by local wells. Due to the well problems, Pleasanton has depended on Zone 7 to deliver more water during summer. “Probably the bigger issue for us is meeting peak summer demands,” Yamello said, which has historically required the city running at least two wells to meet demand in addition to what they receive from Zone 7. He added “if PFAS hits and takes away our ability to pump wells, there needs to be a solution.” One solution staff preferred is
FORUMS Continued from Page 5
Trustee Steve Maher, e-learning professional Kelly Mokashi, IT consultant Chong Wang and incumbent Trustee Jamie Yee. • The two candidates for mayor of Livermore and both candidates for Livermore City Council District 3 are scheduled to participate in an online forum from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 22). The Livermore Valley Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Weekly and Livermore Indivisible to host the event. The evening will begin with mayoral candidates debating from 6-7 p.m. — Realtor/former police officer Mony Nop and Vice Mayor Bob Woerner. Then, the District 3 council candidates will face off from 7-8 p.m. — community organizer/photography business owner Brittni Kiick and medical account manager Pete Patterson. • Candidates for SRVUSD Board of Trustees are participating in an online forum on Wednesday (Sept. 23), presented by the Weekly in
information officer. “As the city continues to provide services to the Pleasanton community, we want to ensure that every precaution and effort has been made to protect residents and employees from the virus within city facilities,” City Manager Nelson Fialho said in a statement Monday. “This is a game changer for the city, as we plan for the safe reopening of our major public facilities to the public, including the library, senior center, permit center and other high-frequented public buildings,”
Fialho added. “The UVD Robots not only sanitize surfaces, but also kill airborne particles which most professional cleaning services do not offer.” The city paid nearly $430,000 to purchase three UVD Robots from SNAP Solutions, which is based on Mission Drive. Pleasanton bought one robot earlier in the year for $99,635.25, and then the City Council approved the purchase of two more for $328,044 as part of the consent calendar during its Aug. 18 meeting. They are funded through the city’s capital
self-implementing treatment at the wells, which Yamello said “puts the schedule in our control and with (state) regulations coming fast, this is probably the best way to control our ability to meet them.” Another option is exploring regional solutions to implement treatment at another site or buy more water from Zone 7. Olivia Sanwong, president of the Zone 7 Board of Directors, phoned in during public comment of the Sept. 1 council meeting to “drive home the point” that their board hasn’t made any final decisions on proceeding with a water treatment project and that she was open to an inter-agency collaboration. “There are seven of us, and so it’s possible you may have had a conversation with your favorite member of the board and they could have said one thing, and then when you talk to another member of the board, they may say another,” Sanwong said. “Please keep that in mind, that we haven’t considered what we’re going to do in regards to this topic and
addressing the issue.” On the matter of local control, Sanwong said, “I want you to think of Zone 7, we are also your local water agency. It’s the same groundwater basin that we’re drawing water from ... so please, when you think local control, you do consider Zone 7 as part of your local option.” During council discussion, Vice Mayor Kathy Narum spoke to the city’s “need to work with Zone 7 but support local control as it relates to the wells,” while Councilwoman Karla Brown said the city needs to “look to the state and federal government” for financial assistance because “it is going to be expensive. We need to reach out for grants and low-interest loans.” Yamello also gave an overview of a work plan to repair the wells; including outlined stages for simultaneously designing and constructing the project through 2023. Staff recommended moving forward with planning and designing for self-implemented PFAS treatment for all three wells. Q
partnership with San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs. The forum will feature Trustee Area 2 candidates Shelley Clark, who is challenging incumbent Greg Marvel, and Trustee Area 3 candidates Laura Bratt, Kumar Nallusamy and Scott Roberts participating together in the same forum from 6-8 p.m. • The San Ramon city candidates are debating in an online from 6-9 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 24) coordinated by the Weekly and the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce. The evening will begin with the six candidates for mayor squaring off from 6-7:30 p.m. — council members Dave Hudson and Sabina Zafar and newcomers Dinesh Govindarao, Aparna Madireddi, Susmita Nayak and Sanat Sethy. Then the candidates for San Ramon City Council will participate in a combined forum from 7:35-9 p.m. — for District 1, sitting Councilman Scott Perkins and challenger Luz Gómez; and for District 3, newcomers Varun Kaushal, Reza Majlesi, Sameera Rajwade and Sridhar Verose. Q
improvement project budget, with money allocated for COVID-19 response measures. Chin said the city already uses enhanced professional cleaning and disinfecting services during the pandemic that include daily sanitization of facilities, frequent cleaning of high-touch points such as public counters and door handles and has updated its HVAC system. The robot cleaners, which will be deployed at various city facilities in the coming weeks, will provide an extra layer of sanitization, according
to Chin. They use UV-C technology often used by hospitals and airports to disinfect surfaces and airborne particles. “The UVD Robots emit the required 254 nanometers of UV-C light and can kill COVID-19 on the surface and in the air, exposed to the light, in six seconds. Other viruses such as SARS, MERS, and mold would require longer exposure times to eradicate,” Kathleen Yurchak, the city’s director of operations and water utilities, told the council in her Aug. 18 staff report. The robots are beneficial for being autonomous, minimizing staff exposure to potentially contaminated areas and can be transported securely, she said. Q
PMF
Preparing for pack-out Pleasanton Military Families volunteers were out at the downtown farmers’ market last weekend raising funds for the nonprofit’s November care package pack-out benefiting military personnel abroad. From left: Duane Myers, Bradley Carroll, Shannon Carroll, Anastasia Carroll holding little brother Harley, Azi Aryana, Rosanne Hoffman, PMF president Kim Beatty and Denise Harper. “There really are big smiles behind those masks!” Beatty told the Weekly. To learn more about the pack-out, visit www.pleasantonmilitaryfamilies.org.
COUNCIL Continued from Page 6
residents in these groups. “What I want to do — and I’ve been saying this for 30 years — is that I want to make a database of disabled people and elderly people that are really in need of help and see them on a daily basis, even over the phone, to see if they are OK and check on them,” Costello said. “(COVID-19) affects everybody here in our city. We have to fight for our jobs; we have to fight to be who we are.” Police services and social justice reform, which have captured national attention in recent months, was another topic during the Sept. 10 forum. And while every candidate expressed appreciation for Dublin’s police officers (the city of Dublin contracts its police services through the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office), some candidates expressed ideas on how police can perform at an even higher quality. Other topics discussed included the candidates’ plans to support the creation of a true downtown for Dublin as well as their other individual priorities if elected. Q
Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 9
COMMUNIT Y PULSE
Derek Anthony Ott
POLICE BULLETIN
April 28, 1976 – September 4, 2020 Derek passed away peacefully in Portland, Oregon, after a long illness, with his father and mother at his side. Derek was a graduate of Foothill High School class of 1994. Years ago Derek set a goal to graduate college. He recently graduated from Portland State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts and Letters. He was proud to be a student at PSU and he learned so much while attending this fine school. He had plans to continue his college career at PSU by pursuing a Master’s Degree. He is survived by his loving father David Ott and wife Laura Melchionne of Pleasanton, devoted mother Carol Haines Olson and husband Arne Olson of Pleasanton, sister Monica Meidberg of Pleasanton, brothers Jordan Ott and Joshua Ott of Pleasanton, nieces Caroline Meidberg and Lucy Meidberg of Pleasanton, Uncle John M. Ott and aunt Barbie Ott of Boise, Idaho, Aunt Sue Solis Haines of Pleasanton, Aunt Patti Keeling-Haines of Nipomo, CA, as well as the countless cousins in California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and across the USA. Derek loved his family. He is preceded by his Grandparents John G. Ott and Dorothy Ott of San Lorenzo, CA, Grandparents Kenneth E. Haines and Lorraine Haines of San Lorenzo, CA, Aunt Christine Ott of Hayward, CA and Uncle Kenneth M. Haines of Half Moon Bay, CA. Derek was born in San Leandro, California and grew up in Hayward and San Jose, CA before moving to Dallas, TX with his parents in 1979. The family moved back to Dublin, CA in 1985 and finally settled in Pleasanton. Derek enjoyed all sports and was an avid fan of the Bay Area teams (A’s, Giants, 49ers, Raiders, Warriors and Sharks). Baseball was his true love and passion. He played baseball in Dublin and Pleasanton Little League, at Foothill High School, at Ohlone College and at Hawaii Pacific University where he earned a baseball scholarship. He was an excellent pitcher in high school and college and had a wide range of pitches (two and four seam fastball, curve ball, slider, change-up and a split finger). He was a pitching disciple of Coach Paul Moore, Ohlone baseball coach and athletic director, and Derek credited Coach Moore with his pitching success. He was a self-taught expert angler and Shadow Cliffs Lake in Pleasanton was a second home to him. He loved to fish for catfish, bass and trout and would usually catch the biggest fish each time he went fishing with his family and friends. In high school he mastered the art of creating clay pottery. He threw countless pounds of clay on the potter wheel and
created many unique and creative pieces. He continued his love of pottery into his initial college years. Derek was a United States Navy veteran spending time on the USS Thomas Gates as an Operational Specialist stationed at Virginia Beach, VA. He was proud of the time that he served his country and continued to love the United States of America for the rest of his life. He enjoyed a wide range of music – rock, blues, soul, reggae, classical, Christian, and Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra were two of his favorite singers. Derek was baptized at the Portland Foursquare Christian Church on Easter Sunday 2015. His acceptance of Jesus Christ provided him a solid foundation that led him to share Bible verses with his family and friends. Derek decided to go back to college later in his life to achieve a goal that he had set years before. It was a difficult transition for him at first, but a challenge that he met head on. During his time at PSU he became a dedicated student and his writing skills improved dramatically. He loved to write poetry, short stories and essays. The PSU professors, counselors, administrative office and his personal physician, Dr. Frank, were very helpful to Derek in his pursuit of his college degree. Derek was appreciative of the support that he received and he was proud to be a PSU Viking. He loved to cook and enjoyed cooking for others. He loved to share his dishes with his friends and neighbors. He had a big heart and was always willing to help anyone in need, especially during his years in Portland. Derek received his diploma from Portland State University on Thursday, September 3 in a special ceremony in his hospital room. Pomp and Circumstance was hummed and his father, mother, Nurse Sophia and Chaplain Todd participated in the ceremony. Tears of joy filled the room and Derek knew that he left this earth as a college graduate. An amazing accomplishment! Derek was promoted to heaven the next morning, Friday, September 4, 2020. Derek is with the Lord now. He has no more sorrow, no more pain and has a healthy mind, body and spirit. Rest in peace to our dear and loving Derek. A celebration of life will be held later this year. If you feel so inclined, the family would be honored to have donations sent to City Team Portland (https://www.cityteam.org/ portland/; contact Dave Sundman, Director at 503.231.9334) and / or Tuality Healthcare Foundation (http://tualityfoundation.org/; call 503-681-1170) PAID
Page 10 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
OBITUARY
Kelly-Moore Paints settles illegal dumping case for $1.43M, new protocols An Alameda County judge ordered Kelly-Moore Paint Company to pay $1.43 million and institute new protocols within its operations as part of a settlement in a civil enforcement case stemming from illegal hazardous waste dumping at KellyMoore stores across 10 California counties, including all four Tri-Valley locations, prosecutors said Monday. The settlement also resolves allegations that Kelly-Moore stores failed to shred customer records with confidential information before disposal, according to Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, whose office spearheaded the prosecution of the civil case. “A top priority of my office is the protection of our environment,” O’Malley said in a statement. “By improperly disposing of hazardous wastes, Kelly-Moore violated California laws designed to safeguard the state’s natural resources.” “We will continue to investigate and prosecute instances of illegal disposal of hazardous waste in our ongoing effort to preserve and protect the soil, waterways and air that are vital to our health and wellbeing,” O’Malley added. The investigation of Kelly-Moore — which owns or operates 106 retail stores statewide — ran from March 2016 to December 2018, initiated by California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) and led by the Alameda County DA’s Environmental Protection Unit. Investigators in counties across California conducted a series of undercover inspections of waste bins from 29 different Kelly-Moore stores. According to O’Malley, the inspections revealed “numerous instances” of state law violations in the form of unlawful disposal of hazardous waste materials such as paint colorants, paint, electronic devices, aerosol products and other hazardous wastes. The store employees would just toss the materials into company waste bins headed for municipal landfills not authorized to accept hazardous waste. Investigators also allegedly discovered Kelly-Moore employees also improperly disposed of customer records without having rendered personal information unreadable, such as by shredding, in violation of state laws meant to protect confidential consumer information. “When Kelly-Moore officials were notified by the prosecutors of the unlawful disposals, they immediately agreed to cooperate and promptly implemented measures and dedicated additional resources towards environmental compliance at its stores throughout California,” prosecutors said.
Thirteen stores in Alameda County were on the violation list, including the Pleasanton store on Hopyard Road, the Livermore store on First Street and the Dublin store on Amador Plaza Road, according to prosecutors. Also in violation were the store on San Ramon Valley Boulevard in San Ramon and on North Main Street in Walnut Creek. In all, DAs from nine other counties joined in O’Malley’s lawsuit — Contra Costa, Monterey, Placer, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma and Yolo. The settlement order, handed down by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Tara M. Desautels, requires a monetary payment of $1.43 million consisting of $825,000 for civil penalties, $178,750 for supplemental environmental projects and $425,000 for reimbursement of investigative and enforcement costs. Other settlement provisions include requiring Kelly-Moore to hire a California-based compliance employee to oversee its hazardous waste compliance program and conduct a public audit of company trash bins to ensure hazmat waste and consumer records are properly disposed of at all sites. The company must also comply with 28 injunctive requirements pertaining to environmental and confidential consumer information protection laws.
In other news • A man was arraigned last week on charges for allegedly killing his girlfriend at a ranch property in rural Livermore over Labor Day weekend. Gregory Jonathon Stephens, 38, has been charged with murder and a special allegation of intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury and death following the Sept. 6 fatal shooting of Kellie Henry — who could be seen lying unresponsive on the floor inside near the front door while Stephens was holed up in the house, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. Henry, 51, was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining “numerous” gunshot wounds, according to ACSO officials. Stephens, who surrendered to law enforcement after several hours of tense negotiations at the house on Tesla Road, was arraigned on the criminal complaint but did not enter a plea on Sept. 9, according to Teresa Drenick, spokesperson for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. ACSO deputies allege that Stephens shot Henry as she planned to break up with him and that he confessed to the crime to family members and later to detectives after being arrested and read his rights. The defendant is scheduled for a court hearing on Sept. 23 to enter a plea to the charges, according to Drenick. Stephens remains in custody at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. It was not immediately clear whether he is represented by an attorney. Q —Jeremy Walsh
COMMUNIT Y PULSE
POLICE REPORT The Pleasanton Police Department made the following information available.
Sept. 12 Warrant arrest Q 1:25 a.m. at First Street and Bernal Avenue Drug violation Q 3:24 a.m. on the 5500 block of Johnson Drive Shoplifting Q 11:21 a.m. on the 1400 block of Stoneridge Mall Road Burglary Q 11:27 a.m. on the 700 block of Kolln Street Weapons violation Q 11:59 p.m. on the 11900 block of Dublin Canyon Road
Sept. 11 Warrant arrest Q 12:59 a.m. on the 6700 block of Santa Rita Road Drug violation Q 3:12 a.m. on the 7600 block of Stoneridge Drive Q 8:52 a.m. on the 5100 block of Hopyard Road Q 3:00 p.m. on the 4500 block of Rosewood Drive Burglary Q 9:04 a.m. on the 3400 block of Boulder Street Domestic battery Q 1:00 p.m. on Pimlico Drive
An
Theft Q 4:38 p.m., 1400 block of Stoneridge Mall Road; shoplifting Q 7:04 p.m. on the 1300 block of Stoneridge Mall Road Q 7:44 p.m. on the 6000 block of Johnson Drive Assault/battery Q 5:58 p.m. on the 3900 block of Old Santa Rita Road
Sept. 10 Vandalism Q 12:07 a.m. on the 5500 block of Johnson Drive Fraud Q 3:08 p.m. on the 4500 block of Inyo Court
Q 4:40 p.m. on the 1900 block of Santa
Rita Road
Sept. 9 Assault/battery Q 1:16 a.m. on the 4000 block of Cristobal Way Theft Q 9:40 a.m., 4000 block of Stanley Boulevard; theft from auto Q 2:23 p.m., 5600 block of Owens Drive; theft from auto Q 2:52 p.m., 5600 block of Owens Drive; bicycle theft Graffiti Q 12:55 p.m. on the 3200 block of Lagoon Road
Warrant arrest Q 10:06 p.m. at Hopyard Road and West Las Positas Boulevard
Sept. 8 Graffiti Q 9:13 a.m. at I-680 and West Las Positas Boulevard Theft Q 10:50 a.m. on the 4200 block of Rosewood Drive Q 2:57 p.m., 1300 block of Stoneridge Mall Road; shoplifting Q 5:04 p.m., 4300 block of Valley Avenue; shoplifting Q 7:10 p.m., 4300 block of Valley Avenue; bicycle theft
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925-398-3933 | eskaton.org/parkview Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 11
Opinion LETTERS A mayoral endorsement Dear Editor, I have known and worked with Jerry Pentin for more than 20 years in Pleasanton. As your mayor I feel well-qualified to address his dedication to our community and his absolute integrity. Jerry’s training as a U.S. Marine has given him the leadership skills required to ensure our city remains one of the most desirable places to live in the United States. This is a city in which our families are protected by a communityoriented, well-trained, highly skilled and fully dedicated police department. As the son of a police officer, Jerry is uniquely qualified to address questions of police reform. He knows our department subscribes to a community policing model. He knows our citizens’ oversight committee is already in place, called City Council. During Jerry’s eight years as a council member, he has served on several commissions, committees and task forces at the local, state, county and federal level. This has given him recognition from other officials, and he is well prepared to be a strong voice for Pleasanton when it comes to presenting the city’s stance on matters of importance including maintaining local control of our land use as well as other important issues. As a member of the Firehouse Arts Center and Veteran’s Memorial Hall task forces, he helped guide the reinvention of two Pleasanton treasures into facilities we can all admire and enjoy. Won’t you please join me in voting for Jerry Pentin, Pleasanton mayor. —Jerry T. Thorne, Mayor of Pleasanton
Buna for Pleasanton council We have recently seen a dramatic increase in the influence local government has on pubic health, commerce and daily life. It is imperative we elect leaders with a proven track record of success in both public and private leadership roles. Although we currently face several challenges in our goal to regain a sense of normalcy, competent leadership can guide us through. I’ve known Jarod Buna for over 30 years, and as a fellow Pleasanton native, I am certain Jarod will always act in our best interests. We live in an outstanding town, and we deserve outstanding leadership. Vote Jarod Buna for Pleasanton City Council. —Mike Koppel
Support for Nancy Allen The challenges of our time require leaders that have the skills and
character to meet those challenges. We are fortunate to have amongst us such leaders, and one of them is Nancy Allen. Post-COVID-19, we will be going through a rough economic patch as we recover. Nancy has the financial, business and local-government experience and acumen to help steer the right course. She knows how to balance resources, build towards tomorrow and will help us continue to be “The City of Planned Progress.” Nancy works well with people, while fighting for our interests: She has fought to preserve the jewel of our city, our downtown, and fought in Sacramento to preserve our local control. One of her most important characteristics is her independence. Unlike other candidates for City Council, she has no personal interests in developments, and will not take money from developers/builders. Nancy is a proven, skilled leader with the interest of residents as her guide, and the track record to prove it. I’ve seen her in action and was delighted to hear when she was considering her candidacy. She is one of the most thoughtful, efficient and hardworking individuals I’ve ever met. This is why as a Pleasanton resident I am happy to endorse Nancy Allen for the Pleasanton City Council, the right person for these times. —Laurene Green, Zone 7 director
Maher: Special needs advocate/education champion Thirty-one years ago, my daughter entered kindergarten and required special education resources to remain inclusive and mainstream in the Pleasanton School District. Approximately 6,000 children (1980 census) lived in Pleasanton. In 1975 Congress passed the first special education law to provide children with special needs the same opportunities as other children. I did not understand special education and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Steve Maher encouraged me to learn the IEP process and education laws. During my daughter’s elementary school years, he taught me how to be an effective IEP team member, advocate for my daughter and to establish smart goals. Steve was present during many of the IEP’s, encouraging me to find solutions and overcome challenges. He participated in many complex middle school IEP’s. Steve was present at her transition to high school and throughout several high school IEP’s. When she graduated high school, Steve participated in the transition IEP from high school to college. She graduated with an AA degree in early childhood education, obtained
Page 12 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
a California teacher permit and has been a Behavior Analyst Certification Board-registered behavior technician for two years working with special children since 2003. Steve’s commitment to education in Pleasanton spans 40 years. The 2019-20 school year provided services for 15,000 students. Steve is a hands-on steward of our children and a champion of education solutions for today’s complex problems. Please join me in re-electing Steve for the Pleasanton school board. —Charles Abney
Monith Ilavarasan for mayor This upcoming election I will be voting for Monith Ilavarasan for the mayor of Pleasanton. Monith’s platform encapsulates a progressive and bold agenda that can help this town move forward as opposed to stagnating. Incremental growth has never been reliant upon maintaining the status quo and Monith’s vision is exemplified by his commitment to representing the often discounted individuals in our society. Particularly, by maintaining a strong focus on education, I believe we will be able to move our schools in a positive direction by decreasing the burden on our teachers with smaller class sizes and increased funding. Education has the potential to be the silver bullet in our community and Monith has my support because he values its importance and potential. He strongly advocates for the issues pertinent to the whole community and is not beholden to special interests. In the years I have known Monith, he has proven himself to be a trustworthy person and friend who is strongly devoted to the issues surrounding our town. Help Pleasanton take a step forward in the right direction by voting for Monith Ilavarasan for mayor! —Rishabh Nair
Zarina Kiziloglu for council Zooming in to the Weekly’s council debate, I was delighted to hear from one candidate, Zarina Kiziloglu, a Pleasanton housing commissioner who holds a master’s degree in public administration and policy analysis. Ms. Kiziloglu shares my concerns about addressing Pleasanton’s lack of affordable workforce housing before building another high-priced neighborhood in East Pleasanton. I called Zarina to find out more about her perspective and motivations for running. Among her frustrations with trying to address our city’s lack of workforce housing was the council’s failure to act upon the Housing Commission’s unanimous recommendation to abolish inadequate in-lieu fees that allow developers to avoid including affordable
units in their projects. She correctly observes the affordable housing bottleneck at the council level. Pleasanton needs a dedicated workforce housing advocate on City Council, the same way Pleasanton needed to elect open space advocates to save the ridgelands and control growth back in the 1990s. Pleasanton has built showcase nonprofit housing for our seniors. We can create equally fine nonprofit workforce housing for the employees of our corporate and small businesses, hospitals, schools and public service providers. Let’s focus on solving our current workforce housing shortage before we create even more workforce housing needs with million dollar residential, retail and industrial development in East Pleasanton. If you agree, send Zarina Kiziloglu to City Council. —Becky Dennis, Pleasanton City Council (1993-2002)
Pleasanton Weekly PUBLISHER Gina Channell, Ext. 1171 EDITORIAL Editor Jeremy Walsh, Ext. 1172 Tri Valley Life Editor Dolores Fox Ciardelli Editor Emeritus Jeb Bing Staff Reporters Julia Baum, Ext. 1176 Ryan J. Degan, Ext. 1179 Contributors Cierra Bailey, Tim Hunt, Dennis Miller, Mike Sedlak, Nancy Lewis ART & PRODUCTION Design and Production Manager Kristin Brown Designers
Nov. 3 trifecta sure bet
Linda Atilano, Amy Levine,
Nancy Allen for Pleasanton City Council, www.nancyallen2020.com. Nancy has the most experience which is needed since there are three open seats on the council due to term limits. We need Nancy’s strong business and finance background to guide us through our economic challenges. She carefully considers all aspects of the issues, makes objective decisions and collaborates with others to achieve goals. Nancy is a proven leader and a good fit for our community. Since Nancy is not accepting donations from developers, you can trust that she has no conflict of interest. That fact is important in this council race. Chong Wang for school board, chong4pusd.com. We need a new voice in our school district and Chong is my choice. He believes in high-quality, educational and extracurricular programs for all students in a healthy and safe learning environment. Steve Maher for school Board, www.votemaher4schoolboard.com. If you want a sure bet, re-elect Steve Maher to school board. —Kay Ayala, Pleasanton City Council (1996-2004)
Paul Llewellyn, Doug Young
Chamber BACPAC backs Pentin, Balch, Randy Brown Mayoral candidate Jerry Pentin and City Council candidates Jack Balch and Randy Brown bring a combination of excellent experiences, are most closely aligned with Chamber goals articulated in Pleasanton 2025: A Community Vision, and in the view of the Pleasanton Chamber’s Business and Community Political Action Committee, are best qualified to help Pleasanton remain the Bay Area’s best place to live, work and raise a family.
ADVERTISING Account Executive Karen Klein, Ext. 1177 Real Estate Sales Carol Cano, Ext. 1173 BUSINESS Business Associate Lisa Oefelein, Ext. 1178 Administrative Associate Carolyn Chan, Ext. 1174
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OPINION Our support of Pentin is due to the quality and consistency of Jerry’s positions on issues and his track record of decisive leadership throughout his time serving the community on many different boards, commissions and the City Council. He is very familiar with city governance and we believe his experience of serving eight years on the council will be critical in helping our community move forward. Balch brings an infectiously positive energy to all that he does, and after more than 10 years on the Parks and Planning Commissions, he’s passionate about making a difference as a council member. Balch is keenly aware of the importance of maintaining a strong local economy in order to sustain the very highest of public services and amenities synonymous with quality of life in Pleasanton. Randy Brown is passionate about Pleasanton which is evident through his leadership experience with Rotary, Sunflower Hill, Agape Villages, Stanford Health Care-ValleyCare, Pleasanton Military Families and other organizations. Being a small business owner and understanding the challenges in running your own business will give Brown an excellent perspective as a City Council member. —John Sensiba, BACPAC chair
Karla Brown for mayor I will be voting for Karla Brown for Pleasanton city mayor. As a city councilmember, Karla has a history of preserving the heritage of Pleasanton and supporting development projects that benefit Pleasanton residents. Sunflower Hill at Irby Ranch is one of those projects. Sunflower Hill at Irby Ranch is a 31-unit affordable residential community for adults with developmental disabilities. It includes apartments and a community space for activities and programs for residents. This type of facility is unique and innovative as there are only a handful of these “intentional communities” in the United States. Since I have an adult sibling with a disability, Karla asked me personally why I felt this facility was valuable to the disabled population and their families. At City Council meetings, she thoroughly reviewed the presented information and asked thoughtful questions about the project. She also attended numerous fundraisers for Sunflower Hill. Fortunately, Sunflower Hill was successfully completed and Karla attended the groundbreaking ceremony. She also asked for and received a personal tour of the facility so she could share her impressions with other Pleasanton residents. Karla has a wealth of relevant experience. She has served as a community volunteer, served on many boards and committees and has been a City Council member for eight years and vice mayor for two years. She has consistently supported slow
and smart growth in order to maintain the family-oriented lifestyle that we enjoy in Pleasanton. I have no doubt that Karla is the best candidate for mayor of Pleasanton. —Michele Plunge
Why I support Jerry Pentin Though I support many of Jerry Pentin’s priorities, they are not the primary reasons why I support him for mayor of Pleasanton. I realized long ago that voting for a candidate who just supported your ideas was not necessarily going to put the best candidate in the position. I strongly believe that there are other leadership attributes which are as important, if not more so. I want a mayor who gives me the opportunity to share my thoughts, who sees me, listens to me, and tries to understand me. I want a mayor who takes time to do the research, both the facts and the opinions of his constituents and those impacted. I want a mayor who looks at the costs and benefits of each decision and finds the right balance. I want a mayor that puts in the effort to work with others to bring the best solution forward. I want a mayor who has demonstrated his commitment to others and his community through his entire adult life. For all these reasons, Jerry Pentin is that person for me. —Mark Linsky
Buna cares about Pleasanton I’ve known Jarod for years. He is very intelligent and fair. He and his family live in Pleasanton and his kids go to our schools. He cares a lot about our community. —Antonio Chau
Pleasanton mayoral race Do the people who wrote letters supporting Karla Brown really believe everything she says? These letters in the Sept. 4 Weekly contained similar phrases: • “she is the only candidate who vows not to take special interest money from developers/builders” • “promise not to take money from developers” • “she has pledged not to take donations from developers” • “is not cozy with special interests” • “is the only mayoral candidate that pledges to reject all campaign donations from builders or developers” • “is the only candidate who does not accept campaign donations from wealthy builders or developers.” Were these themed letters merely coincidence or an issue that candidate Brown needs help with? The fact is Councilmember Brown has taken significant money from special interests, voted in support of them, and in one case, denied receiving the donation. At the Feb. 18, 2020 Pleasanton City Council meeting, Don Kahler, representing
Pleasanton Gravel Company and the Jameison Company, spoke against an agenda item regarding possible commercial development in the East Side plan. In the March 3 meeting on the same topic, Karla Brown voted against the measure. A fellow council member asked about a large donation she had received from that individual. Karla Brown denied receiving the donation. Her vote and denial are on video of that meeting. The donation is a matter of public record, as is her vote. One of those six letters quoted above also claims her action “demonstrates integrity.” Maybe the next batch of supporting letters will address integrity. —Linda Kelly
Allen: Fair, smart, approachable This year is a critical time in Pleasanton to get informed and make your vote count. As global politics polarize, so do the politics in Pleasanton. If you want a fair, smart, approachable council member to represent you, then you must vote for Nancy Allen. Nancy has worked tirelessly on committees and task forces and with the city to make Pleasanton a better place, like her involvement to support hiking and bike trails and Cubby’s Dog Park. Her business background will help us make this a more fiscally sound city. She supports our historic downtown. Her compassion and caring for residents and small businesses makes her a balanced candidate. She has consistently been involved in the social dynamics to make this a community that works for all. She does not take contributions from developers and won’t be pressured by them when the time comes to vote on projects. She is fair-minded, can bring opposing sides together through accountability and cutting through rhetoric. Go to www.nancyallen2020.com and spend just three minutes looking at her “Priorities” and “Meet Nancy” tabs and tell me if you agree! —Shoshone Truro-Allee
For Steve Maher, students come first I wholeheartedly support Steve Maher’s re-election to the Pleasanton school board. I met “Mr. Maher” when he was interim principal for two of my children’s schools. At both schools, Steve brought stability, wisdom and clear-eyed focus stemming from his experience as a Pleasanton principal and teacher. Steve won my trust then, and I continue to trust him to always have the interests of students at heart. His constant refrain is “Students come first.” When asked about school issues, Steve usually starts with, “Well, first I would consider — what’s best for kids?”
A collaborative bridge-builder, Steve treats everyone with respect. He is also a person of integrity with the courage to make unpopular decisions — if they’ll lead to the best outcome for students. Steve was a beloved school principal with an extremely successful career in Pleasanton. He could have easily rested on his laurels — having the Hart Middle School gym named after him, the many awards, etc. Instead, Steve ran for Pleasanton school board four years ago because he cares for our community. He considers his trustee position to be both a privilege and a public service and has donated his stipend each month. Cumulatively, he has given almost $20,000 to programs supporting foster/kinship students, special-needs students, social-emotional learning, and student activities. Please visit www.votemaher4schoolboard.com to learn more about Steve and to read testimonials from others in Pleasanton. I urge
everyone to put students first and re-elect Steve Maher to the Pleasanton school board! —Emmeline Chen
Support Pentin for mayor Jerry Pentin has lived in Pleasanton 30 years. In that time, he has served on 24 committees, task forces and service organizations, plus two city commissions and eight years on City Council. Experience matters! All of the candidates love Pleasanton. The difference is Jerry Pentin alone has the most experience, qualifications and capabilities to be the best mayor of all the candidates. Jerry always does his homework, is fully prepared and will have no learning curve for the responsibilities of mayor. Yes — all the candidates love our wonderful community. The difference is that Jerry will be the best mayor. Please elect Jerry Pentin: Mayor of Pleasanton. —Brad Hirst
UPCOMING MEETINGS Planning Commission Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. Consistent with State and County Orders regarding the COVID-19 pandemic this will be a virtual meeting. Instructions VU OV^ [V WHY[PJPWH[L HUK VќLY JVTTLU[Z ^PSS IL H]HPSHISL September 16, when the agenda is posted on the City’s website at: cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/cd/planning/commission/ planning_agenda.asp P20-0711, Pleasanton Academy of Music, 1024 Serpentine Ln, Unit 116 Application for a Conditional Use Permit to operate a music school.
COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES RECRUITMENT The City Council is accepting applications for the following vacancies: Civic Arts Commission* Alternate Member Economic Vitality Committee One Member from each of the following categories: 5VU 7YVÄ[ *VTT\UP[` )HZLK 6YNHUPaH[PVU Commercial Real Estate Developer Professional Services Firm Environmental Industry Financial Services Housing Commission* Alternate Member Youth Commission* Middle School Members Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Committee* Alternate Member Committee on Energy and the Environment* Regular Member (7730*(;065: +<, )@ >,+5,:+(@ :,7;,4),9 For more information or to apply, please visit http://www. cityofpleasantonca.gov/gov/depts/clerk/boards/default.asp Applicants must reside within the Pleasanton city limits* -VY HKKP[PVUHS PUMVYTH[PVU JVU[HJ[ [OL 6ѝJL VM [OL *P[` *SLYR at 925-931-5027
To explore more about Pleasanton, visit us at www.cityofpleasantonca.gov Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 13
COVER C O STORY
MEET THE PLEASANTON CITY CANDIDATES 7 residents vying for City Council; 4 actively campaigning for Mayor
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BY JER EREMY ERE REM RE MY Y WALS ALSH SH
leas leasanton lle eas asan asan anto ton to n ha hass one one of tthe on he largest lar arge ggeeest st aand nd most mo st d iver iv erse se fields fie ield ldss of candidates can andi dida date tess in diverse city history for a 2020 general election that will usher in a sea change for the City Council dais. Two regular council seats are fully up for grabs this year as current council members Karla Brown and Jerry Pentin are terming out from those positions. Seven candidates, most of whom are running for election for the first time, are competing for the pair of four-year council terms. The mayor’s chair will also be open as incumbent Mayor Jerry Thorne is terming out after eight years — and both Pentin and Brown are among four candidates actively campaigning for the two-year mayoral term. In addition to those two candidates wellversed in Pleasanton city governance and politics, the mayoral ballot features two longtime city residents each seeking to bring a newcomer’s perspective to the top seat: Monith Ilavarasan and Tom Turpel. A fifth person is on the ballot as well, Druthi Ghanta, but she bowed out of the race soon after qualifying for the election. City residents will also be voting for two at-large regular council members from among a group of candidates that includes some recognizable names in local governance as well as some fresh faces looking to serve the city at a high level for the first time. The seven council hopefuls on the ballot are Planning Commissioner Nancy Allen, Pleasanton school board Trustee Valerie Arkin, Planning Commissioner Jack Balch, Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Randy Brown, attorney Jarod Buna, Housing Commissioner Zarina Kiziloglu and Chiman Lee, a former member of the Economic Vitality Committee. The three new office holders who will be elected through the Nov. 3 ballot were already going to play a key role as the fivemember council worked to address a slew of regular city business on the docket for the next two years — and then two of the most far-reaching issues ever arrived on
P Plea Pl lea easa sant nton ton on’’s doorstep, doo oors rstte rs tep, tep p, just jus ustt li llike ke in ke in all all cci al ittiie Pleasanton’ cities nati na tion ti onwi on wide wi de,, to ttake de akee center ak cent ce nter nt er sstage tage ta ge iin n 2021 202 nationwide, and an d be beyo yond nd:: the the COVID-19 COVI CO VID D-19 19 pandemic pan ande demi micc an beyond: and social justice reform. In the mayor contest, Karla Brown, a local real estate professional, is seeking to build upon eight years of service on the City Council that included representing Pleasanton on a variety of local and regional boards and subcommittees since first being elected in 2012. She has served the maximum number of terms in a regular council position but is eligible for up to eight more years on the dais as mayor. Ilavarasan, one of the newcomers who is running for public office for the first time, is a technology product manager and Amador Valley High School alumnus (class of 2010) who aims to shake up city politics by offering a more youthful and diverse energy in the mayor’s seat. Pentin, who is also terming out after eight years on the City Council, is campaigning to continue his record of city service that also included four years on the Planning Commission and eight years on the Parks and Recreation Commission. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Pentin operates his media production business Spring Street Studios HD out of downtown Pleasanton. Turpel, a digital marketing manager who grew up in Pleasanton, aims to give more representation to the average person’s voice in the city government through his bid for mayor — his first foray into city service or elected office. The final candidate on the mayor ballot is Ghanta, a 2010 Foothill High graduate who works as a health engineer and scientist. But she told the Weekly earlier this month that a new opportunity to work on an unspecified national campaign compelled her to make the difficult choice to step away the mayor campaign. “I’ve had to make the decision to withdraw my candidacy at the city level in order to take on an opportunity to help on a national campaign until November, where I believe I can have more impact,” Ghanta said.
“I wish the local candidates here the best of luck and will be following their campaigns. I hope to see new leadership that won’t shy away from having the difficult conversations that the city is already engaged in.” Ghanta’s name will remain on the ballot because her decision to bow out came after she filed candidacy paperwork ahead of the Aug. 7 deadline and qualified for the ballot. Alphabetically first in the candidate list for City Council, Allen is a longtime Pleasanton resident who has served the past seven years on the Planning Commission. She worked for years in finance and telecommunications before retiring and opening a small business here in her hometown, Monterey Bay Seaglass. Arkin, the only council candidate with elected service experience, has served 12 years on the Pleasanton Unified School District Board of Trustees, opting to make the jump to City Council instead of seeking a fourth school board term this November. She works as a manager for Hively, a local nonprofit supporting families in need. Balch is also seeking to elevate from the Planning Commission to the City Council. A planning commissioner since 2014 who also served on the Parks and Recreation Commission, Balch is a licensed certified public accountant and real estate broker who also works as chief financial officer for Balch Enterprises, Inc. Randy Brown — no relation to Councilwoman Brown — is a local real estate professional who is serving this year as chairman of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. A U.S. Coast Guard veteran, he has also held leadership roles with several local nonprofits; City Council would represent his first service experience with the city government. Buna, a Pleasanton native who works as an attorney in Silicon Valley, looks to bring a lawyer’s perspective to the dais while helping his hometown progress into the future. He has no prior city service experience, but longtime residents may remember him from the 1996 municipal ballot when he ran
KARLA BROWN
CANDIDATES
FOR MAYOR OF PLEASANTON Page 14 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
I am Karla Brown and I would be honored to serve as YOUR Mayor of Pleasanton. I am experienced, proactive and ready to lead Pleasanton as we rebuild our economy and restore our health. I will appoint our citizen advisory groups with new faces and new ideas for 2020 and beyond. I have served as Vice Mayor and City Council for a total of 8 years, and I will continue to serve with integrity and independence. • “Clean Money” Campaign Pledge: Integrity in leadership is critical. I am the ONLY experienced candidate that will
NOT accept campaign donations from builders or developers that often aim to buy influence over their projects. • Smart and Slow Growth: I am the ONLY experienced candidate that supports the slow growth policies that shaped our award-winning town. Smart growth will limit impacts to current residents. • Safety: Protecting our families is my top priority. We have outstanding fire and police personnel that provide critical services. It is time to supplement our force with mental health professionals. • Historic Downtown: Charming small-town architecture populates downtown and must be protected from new oversized housing developments. I am the ONLY candidate to vote against zoning to replace a restaurant and gas
for City Council as a teenager fresh out of Amador Valley High but fell well short at the polls. Kiziloglu, who is running for public office for the first time, has served the past three years on the city’s Housing Commission — and has made affordable housing the primary priority for her council campaign. Kiziloglu, who holds a Master in Public Administration, previously worked as a researcher, later became a real estate agent and volunteers with several Bay Area organizations. The seventh and final candidate is Lee, a former member of the city’s Economic Vitality Committee (2016-20) who works in the electronics recycling industry and also sits on the National Stewardship Action Council’s Advisory Committee. He is a first-time candidate for City Council. The election winners will help lead the council as it navigates two of the most significant issues perhaps of all-time in city history — moving through and out of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, and advancing with social justice reform discussions that include potential policy changes to community policing in Pleasanton. And that’s on top of many other big-ticket items that had been on the city’s schedule for the years ahead, such as the East Pleasanton Specific Plan, relocating the Civic Center to the Bernal property, the anti-Costco lawsuit, planned changes to the Stoneridge Shopping Center, Valley Link progress, water safety and reliability, police and firefighter union negotiations, road improvements, city pensions, and the regional housing needs allocation and Housing Element update process — to name just a few. To help Pleasanton voters learn more about the candidates, their motivations and their priorities, the Weekly asked each to submit a statement of up to 300 words to readers about their campaigns for office. Read their statements here, starting with the four active mayoral candidates followed by the seven City Council candidates. Q
station with more multi-story housing. • Accomplishments: I supported local businesses with quality jobs. Affordable housing programs for low-income families, seniors and special-needs residents are underway. I negotiated lower garbage rates with bulk pickup. I supported a new police station at the Stoneridge Mall, and I was a leader in banning the sales of flavored tobacco and vaping products city-wide. I am endorsed by an extensive list of residents, state, and regional leaders. I am the only candidate endorsed by the Sierra Club for preserving our scenic ridgelines and open space. Together we are a winning team for Pleasanton. For more information, please visit www.Vote4Karla.com.
COVER STORY MONITH ILAVARASAN As a nation and as a city we are at a crossroads. At this moment, we can choose to take the path that leads us to become a more inclusive, caring and supportive town. We can choose to house the essential workers that make this community run. We can
JERRY PENTIN Being a Mayor is about having a big vision. It is about listening, collaborating and acting. My track record reflects my collaborative working style of partnership and engagement. My wife and I moved here 30 years ago to raise our daughter. Thanks to Pleasanton’s top-rated schools and supportive community, we have seen
TOM TURPEL I am not a career politician, nor am I a businessperson with their own personal agenda. I am simply a citizen of this community, who is passionate about this
choose to treasure our environment by reducing long commutes for those who work here. We can choose to have compassionate responses to mental health crises. We can choose to value education and fund innovative processes to reopen schools safely. Pleasanton politics tends to be very insular with similar people cycling in and out. This leads us to have a static government that upholds conservative policies which don’t always reflect the needs of our increasingly diverse community.
I started my career as an analyst at a large tech company and quickly rose to lead teams. I then moved to become an early employee at small startups where I took on increasing amounts of ownership. My career has been focused on leadership, growth and the empowerment of the people around me. I’ll admit — I’ve often been the youngest person in the room. I have, however, always been a person with a strong vision of what the future should look like. I have a track
record of uniting people of different disciplines and viewpoints to achieve that vision. I grew up in Pleasanton and I’m a proud Amador graduate. I was fortunate enough to have access to resources that have allowed me to be where I am today. On November 3rd we have a chance to become a city that expands these opportunities for all those who work hard. As mayor, I will fight to build a Pleasanton for all. For more information, please visit www.monith4mayor.com.
her thrive and grow into an amazing young woman. Today, people still move here because of our schools and safe environment. I am committed to keeping it that way. I have served our community for over 20 years and I have been honored to serve as your councilmember since 2012. I have played a role in delivering nearly all of the major programs and amenities we enjoy in Pleasanton over the past two decades. I served as Chairman on the Planning and Parks & Recreation Commissions. I served on task forces for the Downtown Master Plan, Firehouse Arts Center, Kottinger
Gardens Senior Housing and the renovation of the Veteran’s Memorial building. Regionally, I have served on Stopwaste.org and the Transportation, Parks, and Energy authorities. I am also President of the East Bay Division of the League of California Cities, serving on the league’s state policy committees. As your Mayor, I will continue to deliver on priorities that impact our quality of life: • Locally controlled planning and housing needs • Culturally diverse representation on task forces, commissions and more
• Traffic mitigation through expanded public transit options • Protection and funding of our resources (e.g., schools, water, open space) • Promote a thriving downtown and our overall business community • Address the impacts of COVID-19 • Maintain a fiscally responsible approach. I care deeply about Pleasanton and I will make sure it stays the best place to live in the Bay Area. For more information, please visit www.votepentin.com.
town and desires his children and their friends to thrive in the same environment, I grew up in. More than ever, I feel it’s important to have ordinary members of this community raising their voice as development continues to grow and other initiatives move forward that change our community where the average citizen has no say.
This is the first election I’ve ever run in. I’ve been a resident of Pleasanton since 1991 and grew up attending Harvest Park, Amador Valley and Foothill respectively. I have five boys I raise here (two from my previous marriage and three stepsons from my blended family). This election is also an opportunity to show my children they can be part of the process to promote the change
they want to see in their local world, and that if they put themselves out there, they also can contribute. This campaign is an opportunity for me to become fully informed on the local issues and find ways to get involved moving forward. Editor’s note: Turpel does not have a campaign website to date.
NANCY ALLEN
CANDIDATES
FOR PLEASANTON CITY COUNCIL VALERIE ARKIN I am ready to be your advocate on the City Council. I am a current Pleasanton School Board member and have served for the past 12 years, 3 times as President. I championed transparency and communication and I contributed to the financial stability and award-winning programs that make our school district one of the best in California. As a current elected
In these uncertain times, we need leaders to guide our city through these challenges while preserving the high quality of life our residents deserve. I am the only candidate with the breadth and depth of civic and business experience to hit the ground running and the independence to be your voice. Here is what I offer to you. EXPERIENCE • 13 years Civic Experience — Current 7-year Planning Commissioner; Economic Vitality Committee; multiple committees • 30 years Business and Finance Leadership Experience official, I’ve worked as a team and governed collaboratively to get things done. I have been accountable to the public with taxpayer funds. I am always both responsive and accessible to the public. As your City Council member, I will continue to value public engagement. My commitment to civic service includes eight years as a Pleasanton Library Commissioner. I promoted vibrant, multicultural programming that continues to this day. I am a 27-year resident of Pleasanton and have raised my three children here. I have a BS degree in Health Science and an MBA degree. I am a manager at Hively, a local nonprofit
• BA in Economics, University of California Davis; Master of Business Administration • Broad support from across the community. Endorsed by Nate Miley and the Sierra Club INDEPENDENCE • To avoid perceived conflicts of interest, I was the first Council candidate to announce I would not accept developer donations. Two others have followed. I challenge all candidates to do the same. The public can view each candidate’s donations at Pleasanton’s city website, campaign finance disclosures. • I will not serve on boards that could have a conflict of interest with my role serving you. • I am the only candidate who advocated to protect downtown from policies that could have displaced Main Street shops and restaurant properties with
that provides resources to families in need. My priorities: • Supporting residents and small businesses during COVID recovery • Smart and controlled growth that reduce impacts on schools, traffic and water. I have pledged to not accept developer donations • Environmental protections of scenic hillsides and safe drinking water • Supporting our stellar school district through city partnership • Preserving the small-town charm of our downtown
multi-story, residential complexes. MY PRIORITIES • Allocate city resources wisely and keep all members of our community safe. I am proud of our Police Department but believe we can always improve. • Promote responsible and thoughtful growth policies that minimize impacts on traffic, schools and water resources. • Protect and preserve our smalltown downtown character — this is our heart and where we gather together as a community. • Collaborate with the school district to preserve our academic excellence. • Preserve our open space and scenic hillsides. • I want to be your voice on the City Council and would be honored to have your vote. For more information, please visit www.nancyallen2020.com. • Open communication and oversight of police policies designed to keep us ALL safe My endorsements include Congressman Eric Swalwell, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, County Supervisor Nate Miley, various local leaders, the Sierra Club and numerous residents. I have a track record of proven leadership and I will be a voice for you! I would consider it an honor to continue serving the residents of Pleasanton as your City Council member. For more information, please visit www.VoteValerieArkin.com. See COUNCIL on Page 16
Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 15
COVER STORY
COUNCIL Continued from Page 15
JACK BALCH We live in an amazing and diverse community, and I’m honored to be running for a seat on our Pleasanton City Council! I’ve appreciated the sincere connection to my fellow residents as they let me know what’s important to them and our future here in Pleasanton. Respectful, open dialogue and a willingness to work together will be important
RANDY BROWN As a military veteran and business owner for over 20 years, I have extensive experience making fiscally sound decisions during good times and bad. As your council member, I will ensure the City Council approaches key issues in a transparent and inclusive way that allows us to remain the “City of Planned Progress.”
JAROD BUNA My father was a police officer for Oakland Police Department for 30 years; working the night shift for two decades. I remember waking up at 5 a.m. each morning before going to Fairlands Elementary School just to see him for a few minutes after an exhausting
ZARINA KIZILOGLU Before Pleasanton approves more million-dollar homes, we must address the critical shortage of affordable housing for essential workers. I oppose the development of East Pleasanton with luxury housing, commercial or industrial uses until the City has enough affordable housing for the workforce.
CHIMAN LEE As your City Council representative, I’ll fight to protect the community, small businesses and the environment. I’ll stand for good governance, smart and slow growth. I don’t accept donations from developers, big business, PACs or special interest groups. I’ll negotiate hard with big business and developers to get Pleasanton the best deal it deserves.
Page 16 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
to tackling our challenges ahead. We all share a love of this town — our schools, public safety officers, first responders and open space. We all fiercely love our downtown, hate traffic, and think mental health and affordable housing are important. As your representative, I will bring my 11 years of City commission experience, my 18 years of Certified Public Accountancy experience, and my 21 years of business and finance experience to our council. As a former Parks and Recreation Commissioner for nearly 5 years, and a current Planning Commissioner for the
past 6 years, I have worked collaboratively and respectfully for Pleasanton. I strongly believe that civic experience matters for effective service on our Pleasanton City Council and my voting record over the past decade proves my commitment of putting Pleasanton first! I will focus on: • Promoting our economic recovery • Recommitting ourselves to keeping our neighborhoods safe • Strengthening the city-school partnership • Ensuring our city government and finances are fiscally sound, transparent
and accountable. Let there be no doubt that we have complex issues to address in the future. But I understand the numbers and how our City operates and am ready to serve — Day 1! I ask for your vote on November 3rd. Thank you for your consideration and for being a part of our community’s story. We need everyone’s voice for our vibrant future! To learn more, please visit my website and register to vote at https:// registertovote.ca.gov. For more information, please visit www.JackForPleasanton.com.
I have actively served our community. Becoming involved with community organizations including Pleasanton Rotary (Past President), Sunflower Hill, Agape Villages, ValleyCare and Pleasanton Military Families. The time spent with these incredible groups of people deepened my connection and commitment to our community. It’s this commitment that has led me to seek this opportunity to work for our community as your council member. I believe there are many paths to civic leadership. I believe that a truly effective and dynamic council will consist of
members who bring varied experiences and opinions to the table. The issues facing our community in the coming years are clear. Public safety, economic stability, housing, traffic and preservation of local resources. The question is who do you want making decisions on behalf of Pleasanton. I believe we need leaders with a deep sense of integrity, who are honest, balanced, committed and motivated — leaders who will embrace a collaborative spirit, I live my life with these attributes and I truly feel I am the leader that Pleasanton needs
as part of the council as we move forward together. I am eager to make decisions based on the greatest good of Pleasanton and to ensure our processes are transparent and equitable. I am excited to work with all parts of our community and I am excited for the bright future ahead. I ask for your support November 3rd. Vote for Randy Brown. Please visit my website for more information about me and my campaign. For more information, please visit www.randyforpleasanton.com.
night of work. He would tell stories about how he dreamed of being a lawyer when he was young. How school and respecting people are the keys to success. His face and shoulders told me he was dead tired, but he sat and talked with me almost every morning. Law enforcement is one of the hardest jobs in America. But public service is something my family is proud of and is in our blood. My brother and uncle also served on the Oakland police force. My mother was a nurse at
Oakland Children’s Hospital and my cousin is a fireman for the San Francisco Fire Department. Now more than ever we need to come together as a community. For this reason, I am running for city council and hope to carry on my family’s tradition of public service. I am an attorney and a longtime resident of Pleasanton. I graduated from Amador Valley High School in 1996. We need an attorney representing us on the Pleasanton
City Council. From economic challenges to new health and safety regulations and civil liberty concerns, we need an experienced attorney representing us on the City Council during this critical time of opportunity and new normals. As a product of the Pleasanton school system and a proud father of three and a loving husband, I respectfully ask for your support. For more information, please visit www.bunaforpleasanton.com.
Pleasanton has historically advertised itself as an ideal place to live and work. Unfortunately, past development decisions by this and previous city councils have deeply undercut this longstanding ideal. In 1990, 37% of Pleasanton jobs were held by employees commuting in from outside of the Tri-Valley. By 2010 their number had jumped to 76%. In that same period, the percentage of Pleasanton jobs held by Pleasanton residents fell from 27% to 15%! As a Housing Commissioner for our city, I have advocated for policies that would
prevent the city council’s practice of favorable treatment for almost every kind of development EXCEPT affordable housing for the workforce. I have opposed the practice of allowing developers to pay a nominal in-lieu fee. The Housing Commission unanimously voted to abolish in-lieu fees, but the Council has yet to act upon our recommendation. In one case, the builders did pay millions more than the usual inadequate in-lieu fee. However, the Council, inexplicably, withheld those needed extra millions from Pleasanton’s Affordable Housing
Fund, instead sending them to the General Fund. If you believe that it is time for a change, please send a message and vote for me. I hold a Masters degree in Public Administration and Public Policy Analysis. I am a leader in the Genesis of Tri-Valley and served on the Housing and Steering Committees of TVAPC and on the board of MCC East Bay. I am married with two children; my older son graduated from AVHS and my younger one attends HPMS. For more information, please visit www.zarina4Pleasanton.com.
Over the next four years I’ll drive the following priorities in the city council: • Address the water contamination in our wells and initiate better filtration and detection systems. • Help small businesses and the community develop a Covid recovery plan. • Develop programs to incentivize solar power in our homes, businesses, and community. • Protect our local environment, water, and natural resources. • Get Costco on Johnson Drive built without increasing traffic. • Bring diversity and inclusion to an
ever-changing community that needs representation. As a former Pleasanton Economic Vitality committee member, former nonprofit board member and current Director of Operations, I plan to use my business skills to help Pleasanton balance the $190+ million annual budget while maintaining the high quality level of service the community needs. The city council needs candidates that have a wide spectrum of skill sets to address complicated city issues and have a different cultural point of view to ensure all of Pleasanton’s 81,000 population is represented.
My wife and I moved to the Val Vista area of Pleasanton to plant roots and raise our two boys in a safe environment. We were attracted here by the fresh air, great parks, top public schools, the small downtown and the great community. I’ll fight to maintain the high standard the community needs to raise their families in a safe environment and support policies that maintains that lifestyle for future generations. I’d be honored to serve as your Pleasanton City Council member. For more information, please visit www.leeforpleasanton.com.
Tri Valley Life
What’s happening around the Valley in music, theater, art, movies and more
Sheltering in place inspires musician to expand local endeavors BY DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI
A conversation with saxophonist Solomon Alber is like listening to jazz. He riffs on various topics but always returns to the main theme — how he and other musicians are handling the pandemic. “Even though COVID-19 did prompt many struggles and difficulties for musicians and artists in the Bay Area and the rest of the world, I believe that we are all being as creative as we can be right now and using this time to build an even stronger connection with our communities,” Alber said. Alber, a 2017 graduate of Amador Valley High School, received a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston after years of playing alto saxophone at prestigious gigs. He toured New York and Canada with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, and performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival. He also is a two-time Louis Armstrong Award winner. In the spring, Alber returned to his family home in Pleasanton to finish his classes online, and he just started his senior year still sheltering in place here. But during the summer he stepped up his teaching efforts, released an album called “Salmon Alaska” in July, and launched a project for young musicians and artists to get creative together. “Music has given me so much and I would like to share it with as many people as possible,” Alber said. “I’ve always tried to diversify what I do, a mix of performing, teaching, recording and all these different projects.” He also plays clarinet and soprano saxophone, and has been teaching since high school, which he has resumed online. “I like to cover lots of different topics — about composing music, or very saxophone-specific, or woodwinds,” Alber said. He focuses on stage presence, too. “Even though we’re not able to go on the stage as yet, it’s such a huge part of a musician’s personality when performing in front of an audience,” he said. “Salmon Alaska” was recorded in a studio at Berklee College with other musicians on guitar, bass, piano and drums. “It’s contemporary jazz with a bit of smooth jazz,” Alber said. He wrote the melody, developed the structure and format, but said for the first rehearsal he didn’t give the other musicians much
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
so many people, not only musicians but so many creative people, and I’ve always been amazed that there’s so many collaborations between these art fields, film directors with musicians and vice versa,” he said. Last year Alber appeared in a 13-minute documentary, “Unframed,” about jazz and different types of expression. It can be seen on Vimeo. He says in the film that he prefers his music to be like life: non-lineal. “It can make crazy U-turns or go diagonally,” he notes. In “Unframed,” Alber also cites music as a universal language, which does not have the barrier of spoken words. “There is never any end,” he explains. “There are always new sounds to imagine, new feelings to get at. And always, there is the need to keep purifying these feeling and sounds ... so that we can see more clearly what we are.” And he explores its nuances. “Happy, sad and mad are the emotions we talk about, but there are so many more,” he says. “Art and music help people confront things like that.” Even in these times of limitations, Alber is finding an upside. “Nowadays everything is going more online, which gives us a little more freedom,” he said. “Whether we are on the East Coast or West Coast, we can connect. I am very thankful that I can help people in Pleasanton and the Bay Area create new music and art.” Q
Saxophonist Solomon Alber says this is the time to be creative and build a connection with the community.
direction. “I wanted them to experiment,” he said. “I knew they were amazing musicians, and I wanted them to bring it to the song in a way that was uniquely them.” The name reflects his concern for wildlife, including salmon, which has had a decline in population but still breeds in Alaska. “It was interesting to wonder if I called it ‘Salmon Alaska’ what people might think if they heard the music,” he said. Alber is also busy planning his Second Wind Online Music and Arts Camp in early January for middle and high school musicians, vocalists, visual artists, dancers, lyricists, poets and writers. He is excited to create these opportunities for the students — and the guest teachers — to use their talents.
“I’m going to give students music and art projects to help them stay creative at home, and to try and teach them certain techniques, certain skills that are helpful if a musician is writing a song or if an artist is painting watercolors,” Alber said. “At the end there will be a virtual performance and a virtual gallery to show all the students’ work for friends and families.” “It’s important to stay creative and optimistic,” he added. “I’ve always been looking toward the future, looking for new ways to inspire and help people as much as I can.” He said he thrives on the creative people he meets, whether in Boston or California, and his Solomon Alber Band performs both places with different musicians. “One of the great things is I meet
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Alber recorded “Salmon Alaska” in the studio at Berklee College of Music in February. The album was released in July and is available on all streaming platforms. Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 17
TRI VALLEY LIFE
Celebrating Dublin Pride Week Events promote local volunteering, environmental awareness BY DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI
Dublin Pride Week, the city’s annual weeklong series of events promoting volunteerism and environmental awareness, is going virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus the event will run for five weeks, kicking off this Saturday (Sept. 19) and ending on Oct. 24. Instead of beginning with a big Volunteer Day, members of the community can choose virtual events that work for their schedules. Opportunities include picking up litter during neighborhood walks or donating to food banks. The 2020 events and activities are as follows: • Dublin Cleanup 2020; September — “Protect Our New American Backyard.” Join the city’s celebration of Coastal Cleanup Day by picking up litter while on neighborhood walks. Wear gloves, carry a trash bag and report cleanup by recording data on the CleanSwell app. Visit www. dublin.ca.gov for details. • Virtual Bike Workshops; September and October. Increase knowledge and comfort in biking for transportation or recreation. Visit bikeeastbay.org/Education for a complete calendar of classes and registration information. • “Make Soup Not Waste — A Virtual Food Waste Prevention Cooking Workshop,” 10:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., Sept. 19. Tie on an apron, grab a knife and vegetables, and join Anne-Marie Bonneau, aka the “Zero-Waste Chef,” to make soup together with
what is already in the refrigerator. No two pots will be the same. Learn additional strategies to prevent food waste in this interactive workshop. Register at make-soup-not-waste. eventbrite.com. • Virtual food drive; Sept. 19 to Oct. 26. Donate to one of four organizations helping feed Tri-Valley residents who face food insecurity, especially now when the need is greater than ever. Visit dublinprideweek.com for a link to donate to Alameda County Food Bank, Children’s Emergency Food Bank, Open Heart Kitchen, and Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley. • Bike to Wherever Day; Sept. 24. Bike to Work Day is back on Sept. 24 as Bike to Wherever Day. Pledge to ride and get your map of (contact-free) energizer stations for the big day; a digital goody bag; and self-guided rides to celebrate. Get all the details at BikeEastBay.org/ BTWD • Workshops on discounted solar and backup battery storage programs; Sept. 24 to Oct. 21. Workshops include Resilient Home by East Bay Community Energy (EBCE); and Bay Area SunShares, offering rooftop solar and battery storage options with prenegotiated pricing. • Drive Clean Bay Area presents National Drive Electric Week; Sept. 26 to Oct. 4. Discover the benefits of electric cars and e-bikes. Learn about vehicle range, charging, rebates and incentives, programs for income
qualified drivers, and the upcoming Drive Clean Bay Area EV Preferred Pricing Campaign. Register at drivecleanbayarea.org/ndew. • Healthy soils webinars; 9-10:30 a.m., Sept. 26; 6-8 p.m., Nov. 12. Join StopWaste for its “Healthy Soils Series,” which showcases some of the practices used by StopWaste’s local farm partners. The series includes a film screening of “Symphony of the Soil” followed by a discussion about carbon farming. • “Nature in Our Own Backyard” photo contest; submissions due Oct. 26. Submit creek, wildlife and natural park photographs taken in Dublin between April 2019 and October 2020. Winners will receive a gift certificate from Mike’s Camera, recognition from the city, and a metal print of the photograph. Learn more at dublin. ca.gov. • Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off & Compost Give-Away Day, Oct. 24. A detailed flyer describing this event will be mailed to all singlefamily residences. • E-waste recycling drop-off; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 24. Recycle old and broken e-waste responsibly. For a complete list of accepted items visit recycle1234. com/certified-no-cost. For more information on any of the Dublin Pride events, visit w w w. d u b l i n p r i d e w e e k . c o m , or contact Rebecca Parnes at rebecca.parnes@dublin.ca.gov. Q
‘Paint Pleasanton 2020’ to exhibit online Artists can submit old and new plein air works and photos BY DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI
“Paint Pleasanton,” the annual art happening when the entire city becomes an art studio, will take place Sept. 21-27, but this year works created earlier may be entered into the show. The event, sponsored by Pleasanton Art League, is in its third year, welcoming colleagues from similar organizations throughout the Bay Area to visit and produce works of art showing buildings and views that may be new to them. This year, PAL is invitRUSS HOSTETTER ing participants to submit The watercolor “Museum on Main art, including photography, Street” by Maureen Morley was that depicts places in the named Best in Show at the first Paint Pleasanton area, not just in Pleasanton competition hosted by the town. This art can be recent Pleasanton Art League. or works created in the past and even shown in previous shows. Entries are to be submitted online at www.pal-art.com, where the entry form and specifications are now available. There is no entry fee and no judging, but there is a limit of three entries per artist. Submissions will be accepted from Sept. 21 until 5 p.m. Sept. 27. Entries must include a sales price, and artists will be responsible for their own sales. Favorite downtown subjects for the plein air artists at the last two events were Museum on Main, the Kottinger Barn, the old gas station on Main Street, Gay Nineties Pizza, the trees lining the walkway in front of the library, Lighthouse Baptist Church and a home on Neal Street. Artists also have painted the Pleasanton Ridge. Q
Beth Emek taking to Zoom for High Holy Days
Rotary clubs support COVID-19 response
Prayers will be real, not ‘virtual,’ Rabbi Milder notes
Members provide equipment, engage volunteers for outreach
Jews at Congregation Beth Emek in Pleasanton will be meeting online for the holiest days on the Jewish calendar, Rabbi Dr. Laurence Elis Milder has announced. “We may be praying in a Zoom room, but it won’t be ‘virtual’ prayer,” Milder noted. “The prayers will be as real as ever. In fact, people who could never make it to the synagogue, or who live across the country, will be part of our High Holy Day worship this year.” The High Holy Days consist of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year; and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On the Jewish calendar, this
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month marks the beginning of the year 5781. Jews around the world will be celebrating the New Year on this evening and tomorrow. Yom Kippur is observed by
‘Judaism has always adapted to the challenges of the moment.’ Rabbi Dr. Laurence Elis Milder, Congregation Beth Emek
Jews as a day of fasting, prayer and reconciliation. Yom Kippur begins on the evening of Sept. 27 and continues until sundown the following evening. Because of the pandemic, many Jews will be observing these holy days online.
Page 18 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
“Judaism has always adapted to the challenges of the moment,” Rabbi Milder said. “Recognizing the preeminent Jewish value of protecting one’s health, we are proud to move our worship services online.” Congregation Beth Emek, a Reform synagogue in Pleasanton, will host evening and morning services online this year. “We love the age-old prayers and melodies of this season,” Milder explained. “Being online brings us into a new dimension of worship, which allows for connection and creativity that we might never have otherwise explored.” A link to High Holy Day services at Congregation Beth Emek can be found at www.bethemek. org. The congregation extends a welcome to the community to join in its observance of these sacred days. Q —Dolores Fox Ciardelli
Area 4 Rotary clubs have worked together to obtain a $96,850 Rotary International Global Grant to assist the community health care response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Al- Pleasanton’s three clubs — Roameda County. tary Club of Pleasanton, Pleasanton The grant will fund high-priority North Rotary and Tri-Valley EveCOVID-19 medical equipment at ning Rotary. Asian Health Services in Oakland, Pleasanton North Rotary FounAxis Community Health in Liver- dation and Rotarian Foundation more and Pleasanton, and Eden of Livermore provided additional Medical Center in Castro Valley. financial support. In addition, Rotary is engagArea 4 Rotary clubs have suping volunteers to participate in ported other COVID-19 responses, COVID-19 education, outreach such as smart thermometers for and support initiatives. Many who local school districts and organizaare sheltering in place need infor- tions, food security solutions, permation, are lonely, and need help sonal protective equipment (PPE) that volunteers can provide. and other equipment. The Rotary Club of Livermore All the contributing Rotary clubs and the Rotary E-Club of Lake remain active during the shelterAtitl·n-Panajachel, Guatemala, rep- in-place orders, including holding resented the Area 4 Rotary clubs regular club meetings via Zoom. to secure the grant. The effort was Rotarians invite other community supported by Area 4 chapters in and service-minded individuals to Castro Valley, Dublin, Hayward, join their ranks. Q —Dolores Fox Ciardelli Livermore, Livermore Valley and
Sports
Pleasanton Preps sponsored by
846-8802 RoseHotel.net
PLEASANTON PREPS BY DENNIS MILLER
Reflecting on 9/11 and that first game back at Monte Vista ‘You could see the hurt in their eyes, but you could also see the hope’ Last week was the 19th anniversary of 9/11, and every year the memories of the terrorist attacks on the United States tear me apart inside. Each year we take time to go to what is now the Abbott office building in Pleasanton and pay tribute to Tom Burnett, who was among the passengers that overtook the terrorists on United flight 93, forcing the plane down in the Pennsylvania country side, stopping them from going after the U.S. Capitol building. Burnett was the COO of Thoratec, the company that occupied the building on what is now Tom Burnett Drive. I take time each Sept. 11 to think back to that day in 2001 and how
our world came to a halt. My wife and I had all seven kids at home still, ranging from high school to elementary school. We had yet to wake them up when the Towers were hit, and we didn’t know what to do or how to talk with the kids regarding the attack. I called my buddy Kevin Johnson, who was the principal at Foothill, and asked if there was going to be school. After being assured that school would take place, we talked about it and decided that it would be in the best interests of our kids to go to school, be around their friends and try to keep life as close to normal as possible. We live up by Foothill and
469-6266 EddiePapas.com Lydiksen, with the incoming flight pattern to the Oakland Airport going over our neighborhood. After we got the boys off to Foothill, we decided to walk the rest of our kids up to Lydiksen. It was eerie not to see or hear a single airplane in the sky. It was quiet — too quiet. At the time I was the local sports editor for the Tri-Valley Herald. Once I got into the office that Tuesday, we went to work trying to figure out what would happen in the sports world. As Friday approached, a decision on whether to play their scheduled football games loomed for the local high schools. I was torn myself, but ultimately, I came to the belief that the games needed to be played as they would provide at least some sense of normalcy. On the flip side, I had respect for the schools that decided not to play on that Friday night. There was no right answer in this uncharted territory, just feelings. You did what felt right in your heart when it came to the students. Monte Vista opted to play on Friday, and I went to cover the game. Once I got to the game, it was a cathartic experience. People were
genuinely happy to be around other people. You could see the hurt in their eyes, but you could also see the hope. Then it was time for the national anthem to be performed. I have been at thousands of sporting events in my life and I have never seen a more emotional moment. Every person was singing — every person — and it was loud. I also don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. From there it did not matter who was playing or what the outcome was, it was important that there was a game being played and for a few hours, find some bit of an escape. I still remember the buzz I got from the energy level at the game, and it was something that carried me
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through the upcoming weeks. It was sobering this year, reflecting on how the United States rallied as a country. There were no Republicans or Democrats; there was just Americans. It gave me cause for pause as I thought about how fractured our country is right now, with no end in sight. Sept. 11, 2001 is a date that should always be remembered. As the next generations come through, they need to be reminded about the tragedy of what has become known simply as 9/11. Q Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for the Pleasanton Weekly. To contact him about his “Pleasanton Preps” column, email acesmag@aol.com.
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Calendar Concerts VINEYARD VIBES WITH LIVERMORE VALLEY OPERA Maestro Alexander Katsman accompanies soprano Krista Wigle and tenor Joseph Meyers in a program of classical musical songs both solo and duet. This virtual concert will be recorded live outdoors at Retzlaff Vineyards. 6 p.m., Sept. 20. Visit livermorearts.org. VINEYARD VIBES FEATURING DAVID VICTOR Former vocalist/guitarist of the band Boston, David Victor will offer his own original songs in an acoustic guitar set. This concert will be recorded live outdoors at Retzlaff Vineyards. The event is free and registration is required. 6 p.m., Sept. 27. Visit livermorearts.org.
Fundraiser TREASURE THE MOMENTS GALA Lazarex Cancer Foundation presents Treasure the Moments Gala, featuring guest performance by Grace Leer, “American Idol” Top 10. Free to register and attend though donations are encouraged. 4-5:30 p.m., Sept. 20. Visit lazarex.ejoinme. org/LazarexGala2020. LOCAL WINERY HOSTS FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT LIVE THEATER LOSSES Darcie Kent Vineyards will host private tastings of the exclusive Shakespeare in the Vineyard Limited wine
995 Fictitious Name Statement Paige One Creations FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No.: 572402 The following person doing business as: Paige One Creations, 6219 Gibson Court, Pleasanton, CA 94588, County of Alameda, is hereby registered by the following owner: Lori P. Baker, 6219 Gibson Court, Pleasanton, CA 94588. This business is conducted by Lori P. Baker, an Individual. Registrant has not yet begun to transact business under the fictitious business name listed herein. Signature of Registrant: Lori P. Baker, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda on August 20, 2020. (Pleasanton Weekly, September 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 2020.)
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNIT Y
series that was to be sold during the summer Shakespeare festival. Proceeds from the Shakespeare in the Vineyard wine sold during the week of Sept. 16-20 will benefit Livermore Shakespeare Festival. Visit LivermoreShakes.org.
Talks & Lectures TRI-VALLEY WRITERS SEPTEMBER MEETING International best-selling author Rachael Herron will teach writers how to get the attention their creations merit in a half-day virtual workshop titled, “How to impress the Gatekeepers”. The session is open to all who reserve a place and pay the workshop fee. 2 p.m., Sept. 19. Visit trivalleywriters.org.
Seniors VIRTUAL AWARENESS SEMINAR ON HOW TO AVOID FALLS Presented by Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley, this interactive resource webinar is designed to help those who wish to lower their risk of falling. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 22. For more information contact 9315365. PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY USERS GROUP The Personal Technology User Group (PTUG) is for all
The Pleasanton Weekly is adjudicated to publish in Alameda County. Public Hearing Notices Resolutions • Bid Notices Notices of Petition to Administer Estate Lien Sale • Trustee’s Sale
computer enthusiasts. The monthly virtual session takes place on the 4th Thursday of each month and includes discussions, lectures, demonstrations and a question/answer period. 10 a.m., Sept. 24. If interested email pleasenior@gmail.com.
O
POST CALENDAR ITEMS AT PLEASANTONWEEKLY.COM
PET OF THE WEEK Meet Chris Chmura A cuddly tuxedo kitten who is always ready for a belly rub, Chris Chmura was found with a severe injury to his back leg and it required amputation — and now Chris is happy and comfortable as a three-legged cat! While Valley Humane Society remains closed during shelter-in-place, they are coordinating adoptions by appointment with approved adopters. Email info@ valleyhumane.org.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR DIABETES Without proper care, diabetes can lead to serious health problems such as kidney failure, nerve damage, heart disease, high blood pressure and other diseases. Take steps to manage the condition and keep glucose levels under control. 10-11:30 a.m., Sept. 24. Visit hopehospice.com.
Teens “THIS IS CHANGE” — SUMMIT Youth political and social justice organizations are meeting to discuss racial justice, student mental health and climate advocacy. The summit features student leaders from across Northern California. The event is open to attend and participate via Zoom Webinar: tinyurl.com/ ThisIsChangeSummit.
VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY/V. REYES
Tri-Valley Haven. Teams, serious runners, novice runners, walkers, and families. Participant medals and age group awards will be given. Experience the fun & connect online. Oct. 17-31. Visit trivalleyhaven.org.
Family
SEPTEMBER BREAKFAST AT VIC’S Vic’s All Star Kitchen is supporting the Amador Valley High School senior class by hosting a fundraiser every Wednesday morning in September. Tell your server you’re there for the fundraiser and leave your receipt in the bowl. 6-10 a.m., Sept. 23 and 30. Vic’s Diner, 201 Main St. Suite A.
NILES CANYON RAILWAY STEAM LOCOMOTIVE The recently restored Baldwin steam locomotive is on loan to Niles Canyon Railway. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to ride behind this unique steam locomotive through scenic Niles Canyon in open air cars. Sept. 12-13, 19-20. For more details visit www.ncry.org.
Fitness
Library
TRI-VALLEY HAVEN’S VIRTUAL PACE FOR PEACE Join this year’s virtual 5K/10K walk/run. All proceeds help local survivors of domestic violence served by
CURBSIDE LIBRARY PICKUP Place items on hold and select a time slot to pick up when ready. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from 1-6 p.m. For
more information, visit www. cityofpeasanton.gov. Pleasanton Library, 400 Old Bernal Ave.
Food & Drink MAKE SOUP NOT WASTE A virtual food waste prevention cooking workshop, join Anne-Marie Bonneau, aka the zero-waste chef, and make soup together. No two pots will be the same. Learn strategies to prevent food waste in this interactive workshop. Register at eventbrite.com.
Quilting YARD HOP FABRIC SALE EXTRAVAGANZA Amador Valley Quilters will host a Quilters Yard Hop Fabric Sale Extravaganza at four different outdoor locations, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sept. 18-19. Face coverings required. Visit amadorvalleyquilters.org.
Deadline is Monday at noon. Call Gina Channell at 925-600-0840 for assistance with your legal advertising needs.
Marketplace The Pleasanton Weekly offers advertising for Home Services, Business Services and Employment. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
If you wish to learn more about these advertising options, please call 650.223.6582 or email digitalads@paweekly.com. Page 20 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
PLAY Foundation donates to local schools The Promoting Leadership in Aspiring Youth (PLAY) Foundation Tri-Valley, which creates an environment for students to help other students and local nonprofits, raised $7,500 through its annual fundraising campaign — which normally would’ve included a spring concert, but it had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization recently presented checks to the PUSD Foster and Kinship Program and to PPIE, along with nearly $1,200 worth of face masks and shields to PPIE. Another check was later presented to SRVUSD Foster Youth and Homeless Education Services. To learn more, visit www.playyouth.org.
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1562 Foothill Road Â&#x2014; á Â&#x2DC; á Â&#x2014;Â&#x161;Â&#x201C;Â&#x203A;Ä° /n s l_tp Bb dT KOĂ&#x203A; B MOsBKVOM BpWsB Ĺ&#x201C; Â&#x201D;Â&#x2013; Bo BoBUO do .8ĂŚ dBs /sdoBUO This show-stopping, single-story home is nestled in the foothills of West Pleasanton, quietly backing up to old-growth Oak soOOp db dyOo Â&#x2022; BKoOpĂ /lOKWB_ KBoO VBp JOOb sB^Ob Wb sVO MOpWUb dT sVWp Ktpsda VdaO zWsV Wsp dlOb Â&#x201A;ddo l_BbĂ&#x203A; JdBpsWbU yBt_sOM KOW_WbUpĂ&#x203A; B KObsoB_ MtB_øpWMOM  oOl_BKOĂ&#x203A; BbM B loWyBsO JBsVodda Tdo OBKV JOModdaĂ b]d| sVO ptbpOsp BbM dlOb plBKO Toda sVO loWyBK| dT |dto aBpsOo oOsoOBsÄ&#x2020;p plBKWdtp  oOl_BKO ptoodtbMĂ 2VO aBpsOo JBsV ObyO_dlOp |dt Wb _t{to| zWsV B pdB^WbU stJĂ&#x203A; psOløWbøpVdzOoĂ&#x203A;  oOl_BKO BbM aBoJ_O Â&#x201A;ddopĂ +dK^Os U_Bpp Mddop zO_KdaO |dt Wbsd sVO dT KO zWsV pOoObO views of the property. The detached 800 SF Casita has its own bathroom and kitchenette. Take in the beauty of this property from the glass doors opening to a patio and the rear yard. A private boutique of aged grape-vines are yours to harvest and perhaps even design your own label. Additionally, this 2+ acre yard offers a sparkling, pebble tech swimming pool, lighted basketball court, and a vintage water tower, adding to the character and ambiance of this stunning property. You will be amazed by the garage capacity which can store up to 13 cars, a boat or RV. This special home offers something for every discriminating buyer. Call today for your private showing.
Kris Moxley 925.519.9080 moxleyrealestate.com DRE 00790463 900 Main Street, Pleasanton, CA 94566
#TTOoOM Bs Ä?Â&#x2014;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C; 9 !32 .#8 ø B_WTdobWB 9BsOoTodbs
Â&#x201D;Â&#x161;Â&#x2013;Â&#x153;Â&#x2122; oBbM p_BbM .dBM Â&#x2013; á Â&#x2022; l_tp Bb dT KO _dTsĂ&#x203A; Â&#x201D;Â&#x161;Â&#x2022;Â&#x203A; İÌø /n s !OBo sVO O_sB sdzb dT p_Osdb dTTOoWbU B paB__ zBsOoTodbs KdaatbWs| This custom 2 story home brings paradise to your front door with its island setting.
dBsWbUĂ&#x203A;  pVWbU BbM plOKsBKt_Bo ptbpOsp KBb JO |dto bOz normal as this beautiful home becomes your vacation at home, your oasis, your new work-from-home reality, and your favorite place to be. Offering 2 private docks, each resting on 50 feet of waterfront property, an attached private deck and private balcony, all overlooking the panoramic views to the Sacramento River. If you've been thinking about making a change to a more serene day to day lifestyle, this special property BbM KdaatbWs| aWUVs ]tps dTTOo sVO UObs_O btMUO |dtäyO needed. The Delta town of Isleton offers a small waterfront community as well as a convenient location with close proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area as well as Sacramento. Come discover Paradise Found.
!8 ø daWbU /ddb
!OBo BbyW__OÄ&#x2020;p KVBoaWbU dzbsdzb oOB Â&#x2013; á Â&#x2013; Ă&#x203A; Â&#x2022;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x201D;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2014; İÌø /n sĂ&#x203A; Â&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x201C; /n s _ds yBW_BJ_O /Ols Â&#x2013;Â&#x201C; Located in the highly sought after Sycamore area of Danville, this single-story, custom home rests on over a half-acre, and backs to a creek, offering a serene and private setting. This beautiful home offers a formal MWbWbU oddaĂ&#x203A; B Ktpsda KdobOo  oOl_BKO Wb sVO _WyWbU odda and 3 private patios. The family room offers decorative KOW_WbU JOBap BbM B zddM JtobWbU  oOl_BKOĂ 9WsV its spacious private lot, this property offers countless possibilities to expand. Allow your imagination to run wild as you design your ideal home to shelter from the outside world. Dreams really do come true...
9W__ JO _WpsOM Bs Ä?Â&#x201D;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x2013;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;
Shown By Appointment Only
#TTOoOM Bs Ä?Â&#x201D;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2014;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C; JUST SOLD â&#x20AC;˘ 3657 Manchester Street, Pleasanton - Sold for $1,285,000 â&#x20AC;˘ 766 Forester Court, Livermore - Sold for $1,280,000 â&#x20AC;˘ 455 Covellite Lane, Livermore - Sold for $850,000
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now that the dust has settled, my wife BbM ]tps zBbsOM sd sB^O B adaObs to express our thanks to Kris Moxley for making our dream come true! We have bought and sold a few homes over the years, and thought weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen it allâ&#x20AC;Ś. Kris made even our purchase/ sale combo look easy! From day one, she fully explained what to expect on this deal, timelines, potential pitfalls, everything. It surely wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a cookie-cutter transaction, but Kris aBMO Ws pOOa _W^O dbOĂ 9O ]tps KBbÄ&#x2020;s thank you enough, you brought the perfect mix of old school service and professionalism, with cutting edge technology, to bring all the pieces together for a home run! In closing, we will not hesitate to refer friends and family (we already have!) even though we will not be needing your services, because YOU found us our FOREVER home!â&#x20AC;? ø .dK^| Ĺ&#x201C; .WK^|Ă&#x203A; /O__Oop Ĺ&#x201C; t|Oop
+ ! ! â&#x20AC;˘ 2642 Laramie Gate Circle, Pleasanton - Listed at $1,420,000 â&#x20AC;˘ 301 Diamond Court, Pleasanton - Listed at $1,270,000
Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing #lldostbWs| _BzpĂ WKObpO !taJOo Â&#x201C;Â&#x201D;Â&#x201C;Â&#x161;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă __ aBsOoWB_ loOpObsOM VOoOWb Wp WbsObMOM Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoWÂ OMĂ VBbUOp Wb loWKOĂ&#x203A; KdbMWsWdbĂ&#x203A; l i hd l b d ih i N i d f d i i All d f i
Pleasanton Weekly â&#x20AC;˘ September 18, 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 21
BEYOND FULL SERVICE
A Concierge Approach to Real Estate PENDING WITH 3 OFFERS IN 12 DAYS
NEW LISTING
4189 Garatti Court, Pleasanton 4bd/2ba ~ 1,902+/-sq.ft, 8,303+/-sq.ft lot OFFERED AT $1,189,000
233 Trenton Circle, Pleasanton 4bd/2.5ba ~ 1,620+/-sq.ft, 4,723+/-sq.ft lot OFFERED AT $1,049,000
PENDING WITH 3 OFFERS IN 12 DAYS
4686 Cope Court, Pleasanton 6bd/3ba ~ 2,976+/-sq.ft, 7,300+/-sq.ft lot OFFERED AT $1,549,000 SOLD $11K OVER ASKING WITH 3 OFFERS
PENDING WITH 3 OFFERS
4419 Shearwater Court, Pleasanton 4bd/2.5ba ~ 2,193+/-sq.ft, 14,374+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $1,475,000
5375 Springdale Avenue, Pleasanton 3bd/2.5ba ~ 1,549+/-sq.ft, 2,660+/-sq.ft lot OFFERED AT $799,000
2264 Raven Road, Pleasanton 4bd/2ba ~ 2,046+/-sq.ft, 7,307+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $1,400,000
SOLD $98K OVER ASKING BEFORE GOING TO MARKET
2626 Laramie Gate Circle, Pleasanton 3bd/2ba ~ 1,614+/-sq.ft, 8,989+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $1,117,000 REPRESENTED SELLER & BUYER
SOLD $69K OVER ASKING WITH 6 OFFERS
SOLD
2103 Raven Road, Pleasanton 6bd/3ba ~ 2,538+/-sq.ft, 7,687+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $1,500,000
SOLD $125K OVER ASKING WITH 10 OFFERS
1211 Summer Court, Pleasanton 4bd/2ba ~ 2,051+/-sq.ft, 7,477+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $1,378,000 SOLD $25K OVER ASKING WITH 3 OFFERS
BUYERS’ NEEDS: Family of 4 seeking 3-4 bed {Oo Wb +_OBpBbsdb 8B__O|
3802 Kamp Drive, Pleasanton 3bd/2.5ba ~ 1,658+/-sq.ft, 4,572+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $1,150,000
ă VBM Ba BaB WbU O{lOoWObKO zdo^WbU zWsV Tim and his team on recent sale. Tim and his team did a seamless and smooth job of managing the renovation contractors, the preparation, staging, and sale. The best compliment I can provide is that all of Tim’s suggestions were spot on and everything went according to plan - all with consistent communication and professionalism.” – Cyrus Ipaktchi, Newcastle Lane, Dublin
Family of 4 seeking 4 bed in Original Country Fair
7285 Beaumont Court, Pleasanton 5bd/4.5ba ~ 5,329+/-sq.ft, 14,81-+/-sq.ft lot SOLD FOR $2,525,000
Tim McGuire Broker DRE 01349446
Mark James Realtor® DRE 00697341
www.timmcguireteam.com
|
Eva Tia Realtor® DRE 02072764
Lori Olson Realtor® DRE 02004247
925.462.SOLD
Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01079009. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO aBMO zWsVdts bdsWKOà !d psBsOaObs Wp aBMO Bp sd BKKtoBK| dT Bb| MOpKoWlsWdbà __ aOBptoOaObsp BbM pntBoO TddsBUO BoO Bllod{WaBsOà
Page 22 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
Karen Carmichael Client Services
& A S S O C I AT E S T R I-VALLE Y R E AL E STATE
1865 ROSETREE CT P L E ASA N TO N
JUST LISTE D
Showing by Appointment Only 4 Bedrooms + 3 Bathrooms 2,344+/- Sq. Ft. 6,736+/- Sq. Ft. Lot Listed at $1,275,000 Visit 1865Rosetree.com for more info.
P E N D I N G W I T H 8 O F F ER S
74 6 4 F L A G S T O N E D R P L E ASA N TO N Currently Pending 4 Bedrooms + 2 Bathrooms 2,004+/- Sq. Ft. 6,650+/- Sq. Ft. Lot Listed at $1,200,000 Visit 7464Flagstone.com for more info.
7889 OLIVE CT P L E ASA N TO N
PE ND ING W ITH 5 O FFE R S
Currently Pending 4 Bedrooms + 2 Bathrooms 2,319+/- Sq. Ft. 14,186+/- Sq. Ft. Lot Listed at $1,299,000 Visit 7889Olive.com for more info.
Get in touch (925) 997-2411 MURTAGHREALESTATE.COM MURTAGHTEAM@COMPASS.COM DRE#0175154
Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 23
WE HAVE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE ANNOUNCING ELISA BELTRAN JOINS ARRIVE REAL ESTATE GROUP Arrive Real Estate Group is proud to announce that Elisa Beltran has joined their Tri-Valley/East Bay area office. Elisa brings a wealth of experience and talent as well as a hard-working, client-focused approach to the business. As a long-time resident and raising her own family in San Ramon, Elisa understands the importance of helping her clients find the right community and home. She is passionate about Real Estate and strives to exceed clients’ expectations with an exceptional level of service. Elisa is fluent in spanish and has been certified for first time home buyers and probate sales. ELISA BELTRAN 925.864.3239 • DRE #01809611 elisa@arriveregroup.com
EXCLUSIVE LISTINGS FROM ARRIVE REAL ESTATE GROUP CO
MIN
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134 Pebble Place, San Ramon
2641 Caballo Ranchero Drive, Diablo
7336 Hansen Drive, Westside Dublin
Downstairs Bed/Bath, Listed by Elisa Beltran 2,280 Sq Ft | 4 Bed | 3 Bath | Pool | Call For Pricing
Diablo Country Club, Listed by Sandra Kozimor 4,807 SqFt | 5 Bed | 4.5 Bath | 1.2 Acres | $4,300,000
Fabulous Two Story, Listed by Emily Barraclough 2,608 Sq Ft | 4 Bed | 3 Bath | Briar HIlls | $1,249,000
NO
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2132 Alexander Way, Pleasanton
3275 Dublin Blvd #425, Dublin
2946 Garden Creek Circle, Pleasanton
Only 7 Days on Market, Listed by Emily Barraclough 1,329 SqFt | 3 Bed | 2.5 Bath | Duet | $900,000
The Terraces at Dublin Ranch, Listed by Katie Moe 1,066 Sq Ft | 2 Bed | 2 Bath | Top Floor | $595,000
Sold Over Asking, Listed by Katie Moe 1,388 Sq Ft | 3 Bed | 2 Bath | Duet | $915,000
KATIE MOE
JENNIFER LARSON JENNY SHIBLAQ
Founder | Realtor® DRE #01507863 925.216.9083
Founder | Realtor® DRE #01897334 925.858.0398
Realtor® DRE #0204956 925.202.9026
LAUREN SOMMER ELISA BELTRAN Realtor® DRE #01930371 925.548.5963
Realtor® DRE #01809611 925.864.3239
arriveREgroup.com Page 24 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
SANDRA KOZIMOR WENDY HARMON
EMILY BARRACLOUGH
Realtor® DRE #01943317 925.588.6787
Realtor® DRE #01479356 925.895.7253
Realtor® DRE #01983264 415.235.0692
Thinking of buying or selling in 2020? CALL CINDY! JUST
D!
LISTE
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PEND
On M Main ain
2 KITCHENS & AMAZING VIEWS! 2281 DOCCIA CT. PLEASANTON
BRAN
7216 VALLEY VIEW CT. PLEASANTON
Ruby hill resort-style golf community. Wonderful executive home, 5 bed 3 bath. 1 bed downstairs plus full bath. Great courtyard! Open floor plan, cozy backyard end of the court. Private, walk to parks/pool and country club. Price: $1,928,000 CALL CINDY FOR DETAILS!
D NEW
ING
451 DONNER, SAN RAMON
SOLD
6631 RIDDELL ST. CASTLEWOOD HTS.
3556 MILLEFORD CT. LAGUNA OAKS
Asking $2,148,000
Price: $2,250,000
Rare Canyon Lakes Country Club opportunity with gorgeous 180 degree lake & Mount Diablo views! Spacious 2,608 Sq Ft. 4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath single family home with 2 ÌV i ð 9iÃt / iÀi à > vÕ ÌV i i>V y Àt Þ Ì i «i>Vi v ` >vv À`i` within this secure, gated community including: walking trails, picnic areas, tennis courts, > ` > V> V Õ ÌÞ « ÃÌi«Ã >Ü>Þt *À Û>Ìi >ÃÌiÀ ÀiÌÀi>Ì Ì i > y À V Õ`ià iÝ«> à Ûi Ã Þ } Ìi` L>Ì À Ü Ì >VÕââ ÌÕL E L> V Þ >VViÃð / i Û } À vviÀà «i >ÀV ÌiVÌÕÀ> `ià } ] Ã Þ } Ìà > ` wÀi« >Vi° ÌV i Õ«ÃÌ> Àà vi>ÌÕÀià > V>L iÌÃ] ÃÌ> iÃà ÃÌii >«« > Vià « Õà > ÃÌ ÛiÌ « }À ° " i v Ì i Î Õ}i Li`À à >` >Vi Ì Ì Ì i v> Þ À Ì i ÜiÀ y À] V> Li ÕÃi` >à > > >â } >Õ «> ÀÉ > ÞÉ >Ü quarters which offers a full 2nd kitchen within!
SOLD
$1,325,000 $1,218,000 $1,300,000
BRIAN ALLEN WRIGHT 925-580-4524
Top Producing Residential Specialist Proven Track Record Of Success
DRE #00887067 LOCAL REALTOR SINCE 1985 LOCAL RESIDENT SINCE 1967
925.963.1984 Realtor, Notary, GRI, CDPE, Top Producer, Pinnacle Award
G!
Multiple offers over asking. Stoneridge Townhomes Price: $888,000
PEND
3295 Monmouth Ct. Pleasanton 7259 Tina Place, Dublin 3020 Mars Ave, Livermore
LISTIN
Clink on the links below for photos & more information: www.451Donner.com https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=ZcENBQbG3U8&mls=1 https://vimeo.com/455038418/2d337c80a!
CindyGeeSold@gmail.com DRE# 01307919
Caring Professional Hardworking Call Cindy for all your Reall Estate needs... d She h will ll make k it happen for you!
Linda Futral
Kat Gaskins
Marti Gilbert
Janice Habluetzel
Jessica Johnson
925.980.3561 linda.futral@compass.com lindafutral.com DRE 01257605
925.963.7940 kat@katgaskins.com katgaskins.com DRE 01137199
925.216.4063 marti@homesbymarti.com compass.com DRE 01520061
925.699.3122
408.455.1697
janice.habluetzel@compass.com
jessica.johnson@compass.com
janicetherealtor.com DRE 01385523
realtybyjessica.com DRE 01723385
Jo Ann Luisi
Lily McClanahan
Kris Moxley
Maureen Nokes
Linda Traurig
925.321.6104 joann.luisi@compass.com joannluisi.com DRE 01399250
925.209.9328
925.519.9080 kris.moxley@compass.com moxleyrealestate.com DRE 00790463
925.577.2700
925.382.9746 linda.traurig@compass.com lindatraurig.com DRE 01078773
Susie Steele 925.413.9306 susie.steele@compass.com compass.com DRE 01290566
lily.mcclanahan@compass.com
compass.com DRE 01975835
maureen.nokes@compass.com
compass.com DRE 00589126
Don Faught Vice President/Managing Broker 925.251.1111 dfaught@apr.com DRE 00971395
Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01079009.
Your home. Our mission. #to aWppWdb Wp sd VO_l OyOo|dbO bM sVOWo l_BKO Wb sVO world Compass is continuing to expand our California loOpObKO sVodtUV bOz lBosbOopVWlp zWsV _dKB_ oap _BWb Pinel Realtors®Û +BoBUdbÛ BbM +BKW K 3bWdb bsOobBsWdbB_à WMOM J| dto sOKVbd_dU|Û pOoyWKOÛ BbM BKKOpp sd adoO agents in the region, you can now go further in your home search.
Pleasanton/Livermore Valley BWb /soOOsÛ +_OBpBbsdbÛ Ś à à Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 25
DEANNA & LIZ ARMARIO VENEMA HOMES TEAM NEW LUXURY LISTING
NEW LUXURY LISTING
NEW LISTING
4132 Parma Court, Ruby Hill Offered at $4,988,000
3741 Newton Way, Pleasanton Offered at $2,295,000
4082 Rennellwood Way, Pleasanton Offered at $949,000
PENDING IN 8 DAYS
PENDING IN 5 DAYS
SOLD
2130 Pomezia Court, Ruby Hill Offered at $2,099,000
117 Toiyabe Court, Livermore Offered at $849,000
27 Grey Eagle Court, Pleasanton $3,731,250 ~ Represented Buyer
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
115 Mataro Court, Pleasanton Call for Pricing
573 Malbec Court, Pleasanton Call for Pricing
2720 Camino Segura, Pleasanton Call for Pricing
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
21 Stow Court, San Ramon Call for Pricing
2070 Pointsettia Street, San Ramon Call for Pricing
3988 Stanley Boulevard, Pleasanton Investor Opportunity!
DeAnna 925.260.2220 Luxury Living & Real Estate Specialists
Liz 925.413.6544
DeAnna@ArmarioHomes.com
Liz@VenemaHomes.com
DRE#01363180
ArmarioVenemaHomes.com
in the Tri-Valley
PLEASANTON LIVERMORE DUBLIN SAN RAMON DANVILLE BLACKHAWK ALAMO WALNUT CREEK
Page 26 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly
DRE#01922957
ArmarioVenemaHomes.com
DEANNA & LIZ ARMARIO VENEMA HOMES TEAM SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
$2,120,000
$1,360,000
$1,275,000
1327 Hearst Drive, Pleasanton $121K Over List Price ~ Multiple Offers
2529 Tanager Drive, Pleasanton $11K Over List Price ~ Multiple Offers
865 Concord Street, Pleasanton $75K Over List Price ~ Multiple Offers
DeAnna Armario
Liz Venema
Team Leader/Realtor
Team Leader/Realtor
Kim Hunt
Amanda Davlin Lisa Desmond Michelle Kroger Alexis Venema
Team Manager/Realtor Transaction Coordinator Team Assistant
Realtor
Realtor
Realtor
IS COVID Having an Impact on Home Sales? Cove Corey
Amanda Sarich
Realtor
Realtor
YES! Home Values and Sales have Increased Significantly!
Briana Armario Diego Cardoso Realtor/Client Services
Inside Sale Coordinator
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
$1,265,000
$1,205,000
$930,000
2057 Lawson Circle, Livermore $66K Over List Price ~ Multiple Offers
1033 Riesling Drive, Pleasanton Multiple Offers ~ Over List Price
7390 Newcastle Lane, Dublin $80K Over List Price ~ 13 Offers!
DeAnna 925.260.2220 Luxury Living & Real Estate Specialists
Liz 925.413.6544
DeAnna@ArmarioHomes.com
Liz@VenemaHomes.com
DRE#01363180
ArmarioVenemaHomes.com
in the Tri-Valley
PLEASANTON LIVERMORE DUBLIN SAN RAMON DANVILLE BLACKHAWK ALAMO WALNUT CREEK
DRE#01922957
ArmarioVenemaHomes.com
Pleasanton Weekly • September 18, 2020 • Page 27
KKOpp sVdtpBbMp dT bOz _WpsWbUp JOTdoO Bb|dbO O_pOÛ only at compass.com.
<<CALL OUT>>
<<CALL OUT>>
Mq @ TM@K nq@mq qb `KU`S zbrm Tb_Mà
Birch Creek, Pleasanton OM Ś à BsV Ś +oWKO 3ldb .OntOps Ś pd_MWbB BpVàKda
Town Square, Pleasanton OM Ś BsV Ś +oWKO 3ldb .OntOps Ś pd_MWbB BpVàKda
Sue Flashberger 925.463.0436 DRE 01001584
Sue Flashberger 925.463.0436 DRE 01001584
<<CALL OUT>>
371 S Overlook, San Ramon 1 Bed | 1 Bath | Price Upon Request | 371soverlook.com Anna Marie Luisi Adams 925.642.9994 DRE 02106032
<<CALL OUT>>
Jo Ann Luisi 925.321.9994 DRE 01399250
David Flashberger 925.463.0436 DRE 01243871
1554 Lexington Lane, Pleasanton OM Ś BsV Ś ĝ Û Û Ś KdalBppàKda Kristine L Moxley 925.519.9080 DRE 00790463
<<CALL OUT>>
<<CALL OUT>>
Dave Flashberger 925.463.0436 DRE 01243871
772-2 Tranquility Circle, Livermore OM Ś BsV Ś ĝ Û Ś KdalBppàKda
5252 Dolores Drive, Pleasanton OM Ś à BsV Ś ĝ Û Ś KdalBppàKda
Janice Habluetzel 925.699.3122 DRE 01385523
Janice Habluetzel 925.699.3122 DRE 01385523
Compass is the brand name used for services provided by one or more of the Compass group of subsidiary companies. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. WKObpO !taJOop BbM à __ aBsOoWB_ loOpObsOM VOoOWb Wp WbsObMOM Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.
Page 28 • September 18, 2020 • Pleasanton Weekly