SAN LORENZO — Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan will lead a groundbreaking Feb. 19 for expansion of the San Lorenzo Library.

The project is the first major exterior renovation of the library in 45 years, according to a press release. When the $9.4 million work is finished, the library will be almost 20,000 square feet, twice its current size. It also will be the first certified green building in San Lorenzo, according to the release.

The San Lorenzo Library expansion will be the first project under Alameda County’s Project Stabilization Agreement, which promotes training and hiring of target populations, such as veterans and low-income residents.

The groundbreaking will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the library, 395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo.

During construction, a temporary library has been set up around the corner at 16032 Hesperian Blvd.

02/04 11:35 AM
A robbery occurred at the Food Source on Mission Blvd. The heavily intoxicated suspect stole two bottles of alcohol. The suspect fought with employees but was detained until police officers arrived and arrested him.

02/05 06:13 PM
A female pedestrian was struck while crossing Hesperian Blvd at Tahoe St. The vehicle was located and suspects were contacted at a residence near where the car was recovered. The HPD Traffic Bureau is investigating.

02/05 08:00 PM
A female victim reported that two masked suspects forced their way into her home and demanded money. The suspects fled the scene taking the victim’s cell phone and cash.

02/07 10:40 PM
During an unexpected power outage caused by a traffic collision, unknown suspects broke into a series of auto parts stores and took merchandise. Officer were unable to respond due to the need for traffic control for the traffic accident.

02/08 11:55 PM
A male driver crashed his vehicle into a parked car near Sorensdale Park. When officers arrived, they had to chase the driver and passengers of the vehicle. The responding officers were able to detain two of the subjects.

02/09 02:50 AM
A single vehicle collision occurred near the intersection of Mission Blvd and Gresel St. The driver and other occupants of the vehicle all sustained injuries from the collision. Two passengers were transported to nearby trauma centers. Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the collision.

02/09 06:49 AM
A male suspect breaks the display window of a business in the 1000 block of B St and tries to take property. The suspect is confronted by the store owner and proceeds to fight with him. The owner’s son assists him in fighting off the suspect who is arrested when officers arrive. The suspect is later identified as being responsible for several downtown burglaries to businesses.

02/09 08:47 AM
A robbery occurred at the Phoenix Lodge on A St. The victim is battered by two suspects who try and take property from him. When officers arrive, they check for witnesses nearby. Officers contact a subject they know nearby but during questioning he flees. A picture of the subject who fled is shown to the victim and is identified as being one of the suspects in the robbery. The suspect returns to the scene later and is seen by witnesses who call the police. The suspect is detained by officers and arrested.

02/09 01:00 PM
Neighbors call regarding subjects arguing. Upon arrival, officers locate a stolen vehicle. While speaking to neighbors, a suspect who was last seen in the stolen vehicle by neighbors is contacted and arrested. Other involved suspects, including the last driver of the vehicle, are located nearby and arrested.

CASTRO VALLEY — Representatives of both for and against arguments about a plan to dig two massive tunnels under the Delta to carry water from the Sacramento River to federal and state pumps in Tracy will talk about the plan at a forum here Feb. 20.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration has proposed building two tunnels, each 40 feet in diameter, running 35 miles under the Delta, and restoring 147,000 acres of wetlands and other habitat.

Supporters say the tunnels would make it easier to move water south without grinding up salmon, smelt and other fish in giant pumps at Tracy, which has caused federal officials in recent years to limit pumping. Environmentalists and Delta politicians say it could result in even more water being taken from the Delta.

Speaking in favor of the tunnels will be Paul Helliker, deputy director of the state Department of Water Resources, Delta and Statewide Water Management, and Jill Duerig, general manager of Livermore/Amador Valley Zone 7 Water Agency.

Arguing against the tunnels will be Barbara Barrigan-Parilla, executive director of Restore the Delta, and Nick Di Croce of the Environmental Water Caucus.

Brown’s administration has been describing his plan to build the tunnels through the Delta as a $25 billion project. That would rank it as one of the largest public works plans in California history. But when factoring in long-term financing costs, the price tag actually ranges from $51 billion to $67 billion, according to the Mercury News, a sister newspaper of this publication.

The forum is not a debate, emphasizes the League of Women Voters Eden Area, sponsors of the event along with the Sierra Club Bay Chapter Water Committee, the Sierra Club Southern Alameda County Group, and the Castro Valley Library.

The free discussion will be at the Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Ave., from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 20. Advance registration is recommended because seating is limited. To register, go to http://bit.ly/LTw59e

From the Hayward police:

Join the Hayward Animal Shelter for our annual “All Fur Love” special adoption event and find the next love of your life. Saturday, February 8th from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Hayward Animal Shelter located at 16 Barnes Ct. (off of Soto Road at Jackson Street).

In recognition of Spay/Neuter Awareness month, the spay/neuter fee for all pets adopted at this event will be subsidized by the Hayward Animal Shelter Volunteers. All adoptions only $20.

Dog licensing fee applies to Hayward residents. There are many dogs and cats just waiting to make your acquaintance and become your new best friend!

Contact Information:
Jennie Comstock, Administrator
Hayward Animal Services
510-881-7922
Jennie.Comstock@hayward-ca.gov

01/28 09:41 AM
A male forced entry into a residence on the 27000 block of Hayward Blvd and brandished a knife to a female resident. The woman’s son intervened and forced the male out of the home. The male subject was located nearby and arrested.

01/28 04:04 PM
One transient attempted to stab another with a box cutter during an argument in the 500 block of West Tennyson Rd. Neither subject was injured.

01/29 03:03 AM
A male subject threw a brick into a window of a business and took a cash register. This subject has been identified as being involved in several similar incidents in Hayward and neighboring cities in the area. This subject was stopped by a neighboring agency and arrested. Investigators are linking him to numerous incidents.

01/29 06:47 PM
A male and female attacked each other with weapons during a domestic disturbance in the 25000 block area of Copa Del Oro. Police officers are investigating to determine the primary assailant.

01/30 00:33 AM
A patrol officer observes what appears to be a robbery at the intersection of Tennyson Rd and Huntwood Ave. The suspect wound up being battered by the victim and was then arrested.

01/30 06:57 AM
A male is seen looking into parked vehicles in the Lucky’s Store Parking lot on Mission Blvd with a flashlight. The suspect is observed doing this by a witness who calls the police. When officers arrive the witness helps officers locate the subject and he is arrested.

01/31 00:29 AM
There were three armed home invasion robberies at an apartment complex located on Austin Avenue. The four male subjects forced their way into multiple occupied apartments and took property from residents. The suspects also robbed a female in the parking lot of the complex while leaving.

01/31 12:29 PM
A burglary to an occupied residence occurred in the 2400 block of Hibiscus Dr. A male kicked in the front door of the residence and began searching the house. When the male discovered a resident in a back bedroom he fled from the residence.

02/01 09:00 AM
A male subject was seen taking a purse from a vehicle parked in a parking lot on the corner of Winton Ave and Jackson St. The male was seen running to an apartment complex and go into an apartment. When the police arrived the male decided to surrender and the property was recovered.

02/02 07:11 AM
A resident comes home and discovers two males trying to steal his vehicle parked in front of his house. The resident confronts the males who flee. Officers searching the area discover the vehicle parked in front of a house near the scene. Officer contact the subjects in the residence and locate one of the males inside.

CASTRO VALLEY — Eden Township Healthcare District is holding an open house Wednesday, Feb. 5, for its new Eden Medical Office Building.

The open house will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 20400 Lake Chabot Road.

HAYWARD — The website for the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District has undergone a major redesign.

The new sophisticated design is a VAST improvement over the old one, which was frustrating for members of the community and HARD employees and board members.

Check it out at www.haywardrec.org. The site had a “soft” launch Friday, with an official launch next Monday.

The site quickly loads, features some great photos (though I’m not sure what that kid who popped up on several pages is actually doing, but that’s one intense look). There’s even a place where people can submit suggestions and questions. It’s easy to provide feedback, and the list of facilities also include maps for each place. Many of the site listings also have photos, and I assume more will be added.

There are still a few small kinks when I checked out the site. The search function did not seem to be working smoothly in every case, and some of the pages did not have a link back to the home page. I couldn’t find a staff directory.

There’s a photo of district general manager John Gouveia along with an interesting bio. It would be nice to have photos of department heads on their respective pages.

If there are things you notice that might need adjusting or suggestions for improving the site, it’s easy to give feedback on the site or call the district office at 510-881-6700.

A press release from Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley’s office:

When asked why he is involved in improving his community, Keith Barros, a long time San Lorenzo resident quipped, “It’s better than being a mere spectator, and much better than being a victim.”

Are there things you would change or improve in your community? Then join the residents of Ashland, Cherryland, Castro Valley, Fairview and San Lorenzo who are forming working groups to improve their communities in the areas of public safety and realignment, economic development, education, governance, and agriculture and environment. Community members can join the working groups by attending any of the meetings listed below.

Over the next five years, unincorporated Eden Area residents, business owners and others will be working to implement goals and projects in each of the areas listed above. These goals were voted on by more than 350 residents at a community meeting held last November. That meeting was the culmination of a community visioning process known as the Eden Area Livability Initiative Phase II (EALI II), which had more than 700 participants total.

Organized by Alameda County Supervisors Nate Miley and Wilma Chan, EALI Phase II is part of an ongoing effort that began in 2006 with the EALI Phase I process that resulted in the planning, building, and opening of the $25 million state-of-the-art, 32,000-square-foot REACH Ashland Youth Center.

Other projects for EALI Phase I included streetscape improvements and the creation of a community design team that is now planning the Cherryland Community Center.

“It’s an opportunity to participate and advocate for my community,” said Peter Rosen, an involved Castro Valley resident, who has invited his neighbors to join the working groups. “I can have a positive impact and can improve local control.”

The formation of working groups to implement EALI Phase II goals presents a chance for unincorporated Eden Area community members to address important issues and participate in improving their communities together.

Ruth Baratta, a Cherryland resident, said, “Those of us who were involved in EALI Phase I came back for EALI Phase II because it worked. We can make a difference, and it’s up to us to create the community we want to live in.”

For more information contact Eva Poon at eva.poon@acgov.org or 510-670-5717 or visit the EALI website at www.acgov.org/edenareavision.

Schedule of Working Group Meetings

Agriculture & Environment
Thursday, February 6
6:30-8:30pm
Castro Valley Library
3600 Norbridge Avenue, Castro Valley

Education
Thursday, February 20
6:30-8:30pm
Castro Valley Adult School, Upper Campus, Rm12-13
4430 Alma Avenue, Castro Valley

Public Safety & Realignment
Thursday, February 27
6:30-8:30pm
Castro Valley Library
3600 Norbridge Avenue, Castro Valley

Economic Development
Thursday, March 6
6:30-8:30pm
Castro Valley Library
3600 Norbridge Avenue, Castro Valley

Governance
Thursday, March 13
6:30-8:30pm
Castro Valley Library
3600 Norbridge Avenue, Castro Valley

CASTRO VALLEY — Instead of the county trying to find a tenant for the long-vacant Daughtrey’s building on Castro Valley Boulevard, a resident is proposing the building be torn down and the space converted into a town square.

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Committee will take up the matter at its Tuesday, Feb. 4, meeting.

Peter Rosen sent a letter to the Castro Valley MAC outlining his argument why the former department store should be demolished. The building was purchased by Alameda County with redevelopment funds, but the county has been unable to find a new tenant. Rosen’s letter can be found under agenda at http://www.acgov.org/calendar_app/DisplayDetailServlet?site=Internet&ag=CDA&ty=PLAN&m=1&d=24&y=2014&t=M&i=2014-01-06%2011:22:48.417

Tuesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Castro Valley Library, 3600 Norbridge Ave.

HAYWARD — The police department is starting a new community academy in March.

The free nine-week course gives residents a better understanding of what police do and how the community can play an important role in making Hayward safe place to live.

The academy will meet every Tuesday beginning March 4 through April 29. The two-hour sessions will start at 6:45 p.m. at the new North District Office, soon to open at 22701 Main St. (corner of C and Main streets), the brick building that was the old location of the Hayward Area Historical Society.

Topics may include Neighborhood Alert, police patrol structure, police ethics, robberies and personal safety, narcotics and gangs, the police canine unit, special weapons and tactics (commonly called SWAT), 911 calls and firearms training simulator.

The academy is open to all residents 18 or older, but seating is limited. If interested, contact Gale Bleth at 510-293-7151 or gale.bleth@hayward-ca.gov or Mary Fabian, 510-293-1043 or mary.fabian@hayward-ca.gov.