What is Access Hayward? It’s the city’s new automated system to make information and services more, well, accessible. Residents can fill out a quick form online – or do it the old fashioned way and phone in a request — and the matter is automatically sent to the correct officials. And those officials are now required to follow up on the matter within a prescribed deadline.

We’ll have a story on Access Hayward in the next couple days, but if anyone would like to try it out and let us know what you think, such input would be appreciated.

What kinds of things are we talking about? According to a release, “From street and sidewalk repairs, to reporting graffiti, traffic concerns, and barking dogs, to obtaining official documents or learning about available services, and more — information and service in Hayward is now just a click or telephone call away.”

To check it out, click here or call 510-429-9273.

Have you heard? After years of being subjected to its arguably clever commercials, Hayward residents will soon get to sample the Hot Fudge Shakes, Coney Dog & Tots, and Xtra-long Bacon Cheddar Cheese Steaks that come along with a Sonic Burger Drive-In.

The sign is up at the Fairway Park shopping center, and a wooden frame is rising at the former Arby’s site, 31187 Mission Blvd. While the official Bay Area Sonic Web site states a December opening, we contacted Rashid Cinos, the man behind the new Sonic.

“It’s a bit too early to touch bases,” Cinos said. “Give me two weeks. By then we should have some immediate milestones, a better idea of when we will be opening.”

Will do, Mr. Cinos. Last we heard, there was some design modification that had to be completed to make the site appropriate for the Sonic business model, which is carhop-style fast-food, with no indoor sit-down restaurant.

Jon Fong shot us an e-mail seeking more information about what he says is “quite some news” for a lot of people, at least his peers, who have been tantalized by the commercials but denied easy Sonic access.

Read Jon’s thoughts and more after the jump.

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Kevin Nelson, who is appearing at the Hayward Area Historical Society museum to promote his new book, is a product of Hayward. After his parents moved here when he was 3 years old, he went to East Avenue Elementary School, Bret Harte Jr. High and Hayward High.

“I still have a lot of friends there, and I still blog about it,” said Nelson. 

That blog can be found here. Hayward-related entries include a tribute to a favorite high school teacher, tales stemming from his dishwashing days at Banchero’s, and the Bully of Bret Harte Jr. High.

There’s also a How Well Do You Know Hayward test, which is incredibly tough. Take a look.

It’s an interesting experiment, apparently the first of its kind in the nation. Users of Hayward libraries will soon have the option of paying a nominal monthly fee in exchange for never having to return the materials. That is, they’d have to return the materials when they want to check out something else, just like the Netflix movie rental system.

Other libraries have tried the other part of the Netflix model, mailing materials to library users. Orange County, Fla., has a particularly successful system that library users love. Here’s some discussion on that service. But they don’t charge the fee and they don’t drop the due date, and that’s what makes Hayward’s system unique.

DVD late fees run a dollar a day, books and other materials cost a quarter per item. For those who use the library as a movie resource, it wouldn’t take too many forgetful mornings to rack up the $3 a month it costs to join the optional new plan.

What about those items that go missing for an extended period? Sean Reinhart, the acting library director, said they will buy additional copies when people begin to queue up for hot items. They will use the same system they do now: Whenever three or more people are on the waiting list, an additional copy will be acquired.

Reinhart said they expect to have the new model up and running by Christmas.

I corresponded with Reinhart about potential problems, i.e. research materials going missing for extended periods, out-of-print books. Some of the information is in the story, but for those who want to know more, click on the “Read the rest of this entry.” And here’s a library blogger’s thoughts about adopting the entire Netflix model.

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Here’s the press release. It’s PR, for sure, but hey — it’s also a free meal:

(Hayward, CA)—Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar is poised to say thank you to area veterans and active duty military personnel with free entrées all day on Veterans Day, November 11th.

The restaurant, located at 24041 Southland Drive, will offer complimentary entrées to dine-in guests all day if they show proof of military service, which includes U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Veterans Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), photograph in uniform, wearing uniform, DD214 and Citation or Commendation. In addition to this event, Applebee’s will be offering an open-ended 25-percent discount on all entrées to any uniformed police, fire, paramedic and military personnel who patronize the restaurant. The promotion does not include discounts on beverages and gratuity and is limited to one entrée per customer.

For more information, visit http://www.applebees.com/vetsDay/default.aspx or contact the management company, Gala Corporation, at marketing@galacorp.com.

Anyone care to weigh in on the prospect of a restaurant and nightclub in downtown Hayward? The idea is going before the Planning Commission tomorrow night, and they will make a recommendation one way or another for the City Council, who will have the final word.

Officials and the owner of the building say it’s a very exciting prospect and a good fit for the area, bringing in additional nightlife as well as providing a family restaurant during the day and most nights. There are also plans to host community-oriented events on Sundays, such as poetry readings and talent shows. 

Club managers are reportedly planning on spending upwards of $1 million to polish up the venue, which sits next to Newman Park. The building owner envisions opening up the brick wall that faces the park, with windows overlooking the greenery.

However, A CommPre director fears the worst, that clientele of a hip-hop/R&B club would scare people away from the area on Friday and Saturday nights. She said it would be like having Kumbala in the middle of downtown, and that Newman Park would suffer the ignobleness of drunken club patrons who would use it as a restroom or worse.

The Review will attend tomorrow night’s meeting to see if the proposal spurs debate, but we’d love to hear what HayWord readers think.

 Ann Romick, who used to contribute feature stories to the Daily Review, checked in with a Halloween tale of bad deeds, good deeds, a little boy and his giant pumpkin:

THE BIG PUMPKIN HEIST

By Ann Romick

“It was a dark and stormy night………” Isn’t that the way mysterious Halloween stories begin?  Well, actually, the storm has come and gone and the heist took place during the daylight hours — about 10 a.m. in the morning of October 27, but it’s a special Halloween story which needs to be shared.

We, who become a little jaded by the bad things touching our lives, could do with a reminder that while there are thoughtless people in the world, there are also those who are good and kind, and willing to take a moment to heal the broken heart of a little boy. (Story continues after jump.)

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The latest improvements to San Lorenzo Creek near Centennial Hall have been completed, and it’s worth checking out. The work is along City Center Drive, just east of Foothill Boulevard.

Starting up above 2nd Street, there’s an overlook with interesting bilingual historical placards about early settlers in the area.

Crossing the bridge, there’s an access staircase that goes down to a platform beside the bridge for a look at the creek and a large street drain output, which had some impressive flow during the major rainstorm on Oct. 13.

The concrete path ends, but a dirt trail continues under the bridge. There’s evidence that homeless people are camping there, and a spray-paint scrawl on the opposite bridge support advises that “Art is OK, Tags no way.”

At Foothill, there’s another access point in De Anza Park. It leads to a short trail and some ground erosion control efforts. Unfortunately, people are still dumping trash there.

Overall, the work looks terrific and will be much enjoyed by those who would like to take a closer look at our main local waterway. Let’s hope dumpers don’t keep treating the creek like a landfill and ruin that. Thanks for the heads up that work is finished, Alex!

The East Bay Express pointed out that Hayward-based Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods took top honors in the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade’s annual sofi awards. Sukhi’s samosas with chutney got first place in the “outstanding frozen savory” category, and also got a second place honor “outstanding diet and lifestyle product” for the Lean Fare Chicken Tikka Masala.

For those not in the know, sofi stands for “specialty outstanding food innovation.” The awards go to products you’ll find on shelves, fridges or freezers at retail stores rather than restaurants.

Now, where to get some of those fine Hayward delectables? Unfortunately, Sukhi’s store finder doesn’t find a samosa source closer than Oakland, and neither product is in their online catalog.

But congratulations to Sukhi, regardless! A very impressive national showing.

There’s one less auto recycler around after Pick Your Part closed its NorCal scrap yards, including the one at the end of W. Winton Road. Sure, there are plenty of other such recyclers in the industrial areas near the shoreline, but I have fond memories of the octopus yard as the site of great bounty: Cheap parts for a 1966 Volvo 1800S  back in the mid ’90s.

Even then, good specimens were a rare find in a scrap yard, and after an exhaustive search, PYP proved to be a veritable treasure chest of old Swedish iron.

Not sure why they closed — the guy at the PYP number confirmed that both Hayward and Milpitas branches are gone, but had no idea why. Seems like an auto recycler would do well during a recession. Will look into it.