Club Me would set up shop at 926 B St., next to Newman Park. It would serve as a restaurant for lunch and dinner most days, and a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights.

Some planners expressed concerns that police are already stretched thin and urged the applicant to pursue the restaurant without the club, citing a history of problems with downtown nightclubs. But others expressed confidence in the applicant, and said they should be given a chance to help revitalize downtown. Commissioners Mary Lavelle, Marvin Peixoto and Christopher Thnay voted against the club; Rodney Loche, Julie McKillop and Al Mendall for it. Elisa Marquez recused herself from the vote.

The item is slated to go before the City Council at its Dec. 15 meeting.

Police Lt. Reid Lindblom was at the meeting, and acknowledged that resources are thin, particularly after a 2 a.m. shift change. But he said the outcome of a bar or nightclub is ultimately dependent on its management.

“There are several bars downtown that have a very minimal impact on police resources,” he said. “That’s a credit to how the bar is run. But there’s another that’s off the chart.”

That bar, the Funky Monkey, is going before the Planning Commission at its next meeting, seeking a conditional use permit, per the city’s planning project list:

Funky Monkey – Request to operate a night club. A cover charge would be charged on Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights and special events. Special events include DJs, live music, fundraisers, etc.., daily am/pm.

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.

“The restaurant itself can only be found locally in Tracy,” writes Fong. “Frustrating, since the commercials air frequently, yet there is none around.”

Fong said he’s eaten at the Tracy venue a few times, and found the restaurant was both “a typical fast food burger chain,” yet “interesting” for including such items as tater tots instead of fries, and fruit drink slushes. He also likes the drive-up order style. And again, he mentioned the “witty commercials.”

“That, along with their lack of locations in the Bay Area makes them an unfulfilled mystery that all have heard of but few have experienced,” he said. “Somewhat reminiscent of when In & Out or Krispy Kreme first moved into the Bay Area from Southern California.”

We’ll keep Jon and everyone else updated.

Oh, and looking for a job? Sonic is hiring.

And not to give a national chain all the burger props today, Val’s Burgers got a shout out on the A Hamburger Today site, which is seeking reviews. AHT doesn’t have any local correspondents, so they want to hear word from the people about this Val’s joint they’ve been hearing about. It’s a chance for Val’s fans to tell them what they’re missing!

“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.

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.

What if someone checks out an older research-oriented title and decides to hang onto it for a year? 

[sean.reinhart] That is exactly the idea. Sometimes people want to borrow an item for a longer period of time, but the traditional system of due dates and late fines limits their ability to access the item in a way that suits their schedule and lifestyle. The “Fines-Free” option is a way to make the library and its resources more accessible for more people in today’s fast-paced, busy world. If a book is checked out on the “Fines-Free” plan for an extended period of time, and another customer seeks access by placing a request on it, in most cases the Library will simply purchase another copy.

 What if the title is out-of-print?

 [sean.reinhart] For the past several years, the Library’s collection development policy like many other public libraries emphasizes the purchase of current, popular materials that meet community demand. Our collection has very few out-of-print items in the first place – we simply do not have the space in our buildings nor the demand from our community to justify storing older, little used items for very long. Hayward Public Library cardholders have free access to the LINK+ system, which enables them to search the collections of 50 other libraries (including several large university and research libraries) all across California and Nevada. Items in those collections – including out of print items in many cases – can be requested electronically and delivered to Hayward Public Library for pick up, at no charge to the customer, in 2-4 business days. Some restrictions apply; see the library’s website for details: http:// library.hayward-ca.gov.

What if no one else has the particular book? Will there be a way to recall such materials? Or is that type of stuff in the library-use-only stacks?

 [sean.reinhart] Some library materials are designated as “Library Use Only” for these reason and others. (For example, the Reference collections.) These items can’t be checked out.

 Currently the Library has 160,000 items in its collection. At any given time, around 35,000 of those items (20%) are overdue! So even the traditional plan with its due dates and overdue fines is no guarantee that borrowers will bring materials back in a timeframe we prescribe. In fact, we think people on the “Fines-Free” plan will most likely return borrowed materials as often as possible, potentially even faster than people on the traditional library plan, in order to exchange them for new ones. It makes sense that people who choose to go “Fines-Free” will want to make the most out of the plan. Because this the first library service of its kind, there’s no precedent – I’m looking forward to seeing the actual data over the first 12 months and comparing how long people keep items out between the two plans. I think the results will be eye-opening for libraries around the nation.

Detours for motorists traveling westbound on I-580 will exit at Strobridge Avenue; turn left onto Castro Valley Boulevard, heading west, make a right onto Mission Boulevard and heading north, turn left onto Lewelling to access I-880. Signs will also be in place to guide motorists to the detours.

Caltrans: The closure is necessary so contractors can install bridge joint seals on the several bridges along I-238. Motorists should expect minor delays and proceed with caution through construction work zones.

(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.

The suspects are also believed to be responsible for a robbery on Aug. 31 at the 7-Eleven store at 333 E. 14^th Street. 

Investigators identified Oakland residents Kenyatta Fudge, 22, and Ronald Carson, 29, as the suspected robbers. Fudge was arrested without incident after posting bail in Santa Clara County on an unrelated forgery warrant, and is in custody at the SLPD jail, police said. Carson is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on a parole violation, and charges are pending against him for the robberies.

Police ask anyone with additional information to contact the San Leandro Police Department at 510-577-2740, or the anonymous tip line at 510-577-3278.

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.

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.)

            The victim, a 95 pound pumpkin was the property of young Robert Clegg of San Lorenzo, but to Robert it was more, so much more than just another Halloween pumpkin. Visiting Grandpa and Grandma Grotting of Redding in early October, 7-year-old Robert, his little sister, Sofia and his mom, Malena, and Aunt Chrissy visited a pumpkin patch for the very first time.

“Yes,” Robert was told, “You may choose from the vines any pumpkin you like.”  Robert looked and looked before choosing the largest one in the patch, which he pulled from the vine, helped load into a wheel barrel, and then into the car. Sofia picked up a tiny white pumpkin which she could carry herself.  “Robert,” said Aunt Chrissy, “Because this pumpkin is so special, I’m going to give it to you for your birthday.”  Robert smiled a broad toothless smile and though to himself, “What could be better than a Halloween-birthday pumpkin?”

            At home, the two pumpkins — the very big pumpkin and the tiny pumpkin —  sat together on Robert’s front porch.  The giant pumpkin was admired by all who saw it. Some of the neighbors asked Robert, “Where did you get such a big pumpkin?”  Robert would tell them all about his special Halloween-birthday gift; he was so proud.

            However, five days before Halloween, while Robert was at school, and his mom and Sofia were doing errands, thieves did their dastardly deed and stole Robert’s Halloween-birthday pumpkin.  Pulling into the drive, Malena noticed immediately the great pumpkin was gone.  How was she ever going to explain the disappearance to her young son?

            That afternoon, on the way home from school, she quietly told him that she had some very bad news which she broke to him as gently as possible.  There were tears, actually there was sobbing – and questions:  “Why would somebody take my pumpkin?” he asked in wonderment, his tender youth having been sheltered from the thoughtlessness and mean-spirited people of the world, until now. Arriving home didn’t help.  There was the empty space on the porch where his prized possession had been.  Now it was gone.

            Still sobbing, he threw himself on his bed.  No number of hugs and kisses consoled his broken heart.  “Mom,” he cried, “what can we do?  Call the police, mom.  Please call the police.” 

            “My heart ached for him,” said Malena and I wondered what I could do.”  Then she had her “light-bulb” moment:  she would call a good friend who was also a Hayward police detective (and also publicity shy so we will call him John).

            “What can I do?” questioned the detective, baffled at first by Malena’s dilemma.  “Just talk to him,” she desperately pleaded.

            Hearing the distressed boy, the Detective John became inspired, explaining to Robert that he would have the entire police force on the lookout for any suspicious-looking culprits carrying extra large pumpkins.  He would put out an APB describing the missing pumpkin, and flyers would be posted everywhere using the photo Malena had taken of Robert choosing his giant pumpkin.  Before Detective John hung up Robert was convinced his pumpkin would be found, but now it became a waiting game.

            “Mom,” he asked, relieved, yet still worried, “What if someone is already cutting it up and making pumpkin pies?”  It was all Malena could do to keep from smiling; instead she managed to reassure her small son that everything was going to be all right.

            In hardly any time at all Detective John, back in full uniform for this special caper, stood at the front door, badge gleaming in the sun, trousers impeccably  creased and looking very official.  On the porch was Robert’s giant pumpkin next to the tiny one owned by Sofia.  “I’ve never seen him with a bigger smile,” said Malena looking at her relieved and happy son.  “My heart just melted.” 

            “Is that your pumpkin?” asked the detective.

            “It looks like my pumpkin,” said Robert, “but I think my pumpkin might have been a little taller.”

            Detective John went on to explain that he had seen two teenagers running down the street carrying it, and in their haste they could have pushed down on the top, making it shorter than it had been.   “When they saw me, they put it down and ran off.” 

            Malena could see through her friend’s ploy.  “You know you’ve made our day,” she said, her eyes beginning to puddle.  “Thank you so much.  Let me pay you for the pumpkin,” she quietly insisted. “It must have cost a small fortune.”  

            Palm held up in refusal, the detective replied, “No.  It was my pleasure.  Seeing Robert so happy has actually made my day.”

            Case of the big pumpkin heist:  closed