The Fremont teachers’ labor union (Fremont Unified District Teachers Association) and the Fremont Unified School District have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The two sides have been negotiating on a new deal for 14 months, and teachers declared an impasse in negotiations in March (two months ago). If ratified by both sides, as expected, the deal expires June 30, 2015.

According to a joint press release, the deal includes the first salary increase for Fremont teachers since 2007. The Teachers Association will hold a ratification vote May 22-29, while the School District board members are expected to ratify the agreement at their June 12 meeting.

After the Solyndra debacle, Fremont was starting to become one of President Obama’s political liabilities and it would have only gotten worse if the Tesla Motors loan didn’t work out. Fortunately for all involved parties, Tesla — which is HQ’d in Palo Alto but does its manufacturing in Fremont — is the ‘anti-Solyndra.’

Read the story by Dana Hull:

In a boost for the Obama Administration and controversial federal cleantech programs, electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors (TSLA) announced Wednesday it paid back its $465 million government loan nine years early.

The U.S. Department of Energy oversees $34 billion in taxpayer-funded loans for 33 clean energy projects, and Tesla is the first American car company to pay back its loan. The DOE loans came under fierce criticism from Congressional Republicans in the wake of the high-profile 2011 bankruptcy of Fremont solar manufacturer Solyndra, with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney calling Tesla a “loser” in a presidential debate last fall.

“This is another important contribution to what the Obama Administration has done to preserve and promote America’s auto industry,” U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in a statement Wednesday. “This announcement is also good news for the future of America’s growing electric vehicle industry.”

Moniz noted that sales of electric vehicles in the United States tripled last year and said “Tesla and other U.S. manufacturers are in a strong position to compete for this growing global market.

For more, click here.

The first of two public meetings this week on the Warm Springs/South Fremont community will be held from 6 to 7:30pm Wednesday evening. Here are the details, according to city officials:

The City of Fremont is holding an Open House and public information meeting for community members to learn more about the Warm Springs/South Fremont Community Plan and its current schedule.

The meeting will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Warm Springs Community Center, at 47300 Fernald St. in Fremont.

The open house and meeting will include information stations covering the following topics:

• Public infrastructure—including transit and roads.
• Warm Springs/South Fremont BART Station and extension plans and schedule.
• Economic development goals.
• Planning for jobs and potential parks, schools, and housing.

There will be a short presentation at 6:15 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 7:15 p.m. to help orient participants to the meeting’s format and to provide additional information on the community plan process; this same presentation will be shared at each of the noted times so community members can attend the presentation that works best for their schedule.

The information stations will be open from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Community members are encouraged to stop by and learn about the project and speak with City staff and team members.

NOTE: A second public meeting, covering construction projects in the area, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, at South Bay Community Church, Multi-Purpose Room, 47385 Warm Springs Blvd.

A meeting has been scheduled Thursday night in Fremont to discuss future construction projects in or near the Warm Springs district.

The City of Fremont, BART Silicon Valley, BART Warm Springs Extension Project, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), and Caltrans are partnering to share information about simultaneous construction projects occurring in the Warm Springs/South Fremont area.

• Receive project presentations, meet project staff, and view visual display.
• Hear about construction activities, traffic constraints, detours and project schedules.
• Learn detailed information about the Mission/Warren Area Improvements Project 12-month road closure beginning Monday, June 17 on Warren Avenue between Mission Falls Court and Kato Road.

Story by Natalie Alund:

FREMONT — Officers shot and killed a dog Monday after the animal attacked them at a Fremont home, police said.

The officers were not injured and the breed of the dog was not known, police said.

Officers were called at 8:10 p.m. to the 48200 block of Sawleaf Street for a report of a vicious dog, said police spokeswoman Geneva Bosques.

A 911 caller told dispatchers that four dogs were loose and had chased a neighbor; the caller also said that one of the dogs may have bit another person a week earlier, Bosques said.

As officers arrived, they were challenged by three of the dogs. The largest and most aggressive was initially fended off, Bosques said, but the dog then began to attack officers, forcing them to shoot it.

The dog was transported to a veterinarian’s office, but later died, Bosques said.

The other dogs were not injured.

For more of the story, click here.

I was out of town for a few days, so our Business section handled this one. This Fremont parcel has a ton of history behind it, including being a ballpark site once considered by A’s owners. Here’s the story by George Avalos:

FREMONT — A realty firm has bought a big chunk of vacant land in Fremont that is expected to become a key piece of the East Bay city’s economic mosaic with office buildings, research and manufacturing facilities, and retail complexes.

Newport Beach-based Integral Communities, which develops mixed-use projects, bought the 150-acre site near Interstate 880 and Auto Mall Parkway from San Jose-based Cisco Systems (CSCO).

“This is a very significant piece of property, it’s a great piece of property,” said C. Evan Knapp, a principal with Integral Communities. “It is important for Fremont. It is important for the whole 880 corridor.”

Integral has held some preliminary discussions with the city of Fremont about what might be developed on the site.

“We want to listen to what Fremont wants, what the constituents want, and then go out and execute on what people want,” Knapp said. “We have kicked around some concepts, but we haven’t decided yet.”

Fremont officials would like to see the parcel occupied by office buildings, tech campuses, research facilities and industrial and manufacturing complexes, as well as retail stores and auto dealerships.

“We want this to be a site for job creation,” said Kelly Kline, Fremont’s economic development director. “This is also a great opportunity to expand the Fremont auto mall.”

Kline added, “Residential is not allowed at this point.”

For more of the story, click here.

NEWARK — City officials are considering whether to demolish a 129-year-old schoolhouse, even though it is one of Newark’s few buildings to be designated a historical resource.

The proposed demolition of Mowry’s Landing School, which was built in 1884, would save tax dollars but anger local preservationists.

Newark would like to save the one-room building, but restoring it might cost as much as $850,000, said Ray Collier, Newark’s chief building official. “Our first choice is to sell it or give it to a nonprofit, but we haven’t been able to do that,” he said. “Restoring it will cost a lot, and we have no practical use.”

While the City Council considers those options, its members voted unanimously last week to pay for part of an environmental impact report that will study the effects of getting rid of it. Newark will share the report’s costs with the East Bay Regional Park District, which has housed the 19th-century school room at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. The single-story, wood-frame structure — which is 26 feet by 42 feet, with a rectangular shape — was built near what is now NewPark Mall.

For more of this story, click here.

The Newark Police Department released a list of reputable organizations to which donors can give to help victims of the Oklahoma tornado.

If you’re looking for ways to help residents of Oklahoma, ravaged by a monstrous tornado on Monday, the following relief organizations are working in the area:

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross has several shelters open in Oklahoma and Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles have begun delivering hot meals throughout the affected areas. The Red Cross is also working to link loved ones in Moore who are OK through a website called Safe and Well. Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, donate online, or donate by phone at 1-800-RED CROSS.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is activating disaster response teams and mobile feeding units to help residents and rescuers in Moore, as well as in other locations in the Plains and the Midwest that were impacted by tornadoes. Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY. If you’re sending a check make sure you put the words “Oklahoma Tornado Relief” on the check, and mail it to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK. 73157.

Operation USA

Los Angeles-based international relief agency Operation USA announced it’s providing emergency aid where needed to community-based health organizations across Oklahoma. Donate online, by phone at 1-800-678-7255, or by check made out to Operation USA, 7421 Beverly Blvd., PH, Los Angeles, CA 90036. You can also donate $10 by texting AID to 50555. Corporate donations of bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies are also being requested.

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief says it has deployed at least 80 volunteers to respond to severe weather in Oklahoma. Those interested in helping can make a tax-deductible donation to the BGCO’s Disaster Relief ministry online or call (405) 942-3800. You may also send checks to: BGCO Attn: Disaster Relief 3800 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

Samaritan’s Purse

Samaritan’s Purse, which also provided relief to residents of Moore after the devastating tornado in 1999, deployed two Disaster Relief Units from their North Carolina headquarters before dawn on Tuesday. One will be based in Moore, and the other in Shawnee. Samaritan’s Purse is looking for volunteers to help with the relief effort. You can donate online or by phone at 1-800-528-1980. To give by mail, please send donations to: Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607-3000.

Save the Children

Save the Children is mobilizing staff to provide support, relief and recovery services to communities and families in Oklahoma. The organization is prepared to deploy their Child Friendly Space kits in shelters, creating safe play areas for kids. They are also ready to deploy infant and toddler hygiene materials to support young children displaced from their homes. Text TWISTER to 20222 to donate $10 to Save the Children and help the response effort. You can donate online or call 1-800-728-3843.

If you’re looking for ways to help residents of Oklahoma, ravaged by a monstrous tornado on Monday, the following relief organizations are working in the area:

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross has several shelters open in Oklahoma and Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles have begun delivering hot meals throughout the affected areas. The Red Cross is also working to link loved ones in Moore who are OK through a website called Safe and Well. Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, donate online, or donate by phone at 1-800-RED CROSS.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is activating disaster response teams and mobile feeding units to help residents and rescuers in Moore, as well as in other locations in the Plains and the Midwest that were impacted by tornadoes. Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation by phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY. If you’re sending a check make sure you put the words “Oklahoma Tornado Relief” on the check, and mail it to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK. 73157.

Operation USA

Los Angeles-based international relief agency Operation USA announced it’s providing emergency aid where needed to community-based health organizations across Oklahoma. Donate online, by phone at 1-800-678-7255, or by check made out to Operation USA, 7421 Beverly Blvd., PH, Los Angeles, CA 90036. You can also donate $10 by texting AID to 50555. Corporate donations of bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies are also being requested.

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief says it has deployed at least 80 volunteers to respond to severe weather in Oklahoma. Those interested in helping can make a tax-deductible donation to the BGCO’s Disaster Relief ministry online or call (405) 942-3800. You may also send checks to: BGCO Attn: Disaster Relief 3800 N. May Ave. Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

Samaritan’s Purse

Samaritan’s Purse, which also provided relief to residents of Moore after the devastating tornado in 1999, deployed two Disaster Relief Units from their North Carolina headquarters before dawn on Tuesday. One will be based in Moore, and the other in Shawnee. Samaritan’s Purse is looking for volunteers to help with the relief effort. You can donate online or by phone at 1-800-528-1980. To give by mail, please send donations to: Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607-3000.

Save the Children

Save the Children is mobilizing staff to provide support, relief and recovery services to communities and families in Oklahoma. The organization is prepared to deploy their Child Friendly Space kits in shelters, creating safe play areas for kids. They are also ready to deploy infant and toddler hygiene materials to support young children displaced from their homes. Text TWISTER to 20222 to donate $10 to Save the Children and help the response effort. You can donate online or call 1-800-728-3843.

Source: USA Today

Story by colleague Natalie Alund:

PLEASANTON — A missing 15-year-old girl who disappeared from her uncle’s Fremont home more than a week ago and was thought to be in the company of a man twice her age has been located in Pleasanton, police said Tuesday.

The teenager, reported missing May 5 from her uncle’s home in the Irvington area of Fremont, was found in good health, said Fremont police spokeswoman Geneva Bosques.

A preliminary investigation revealed the girl had left her uncle’s home voluntarily, Bosques said.

Police believed she was with 30-year-old Ryan Griggs, who was possibly driving a stolen white Ford F150 pickup with a white camper shell and raised suspension. The truck’s license plate is 6E82209. He is described as a white man, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 200 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes.

It was not immediately clear who located the girl, or if Griggs was with her when she was found.

From the New Haven Boosters and Schools Foundation:

UNION CITY — The New Haven Boosters Association (NHBA) and the New Haven Schools Foundation (NHSF), in conjunction with the East Bay Regional Park District, Union City Leisure Services, and the New Haven Unified School District, are proud to present its Annual Race to Save Student Activities Fun Run & Walk. The popular chip-timed event will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013. Runners, walkers, stroller pushers and even dog walkers can look forward to a great race that starts and finishes at Cesar Chavez Middle School (2801 Hop Ranch Road, Union City).

Check-in and race day registration begins at 8:00 a.m. The start time for the 5K and 10K races is 9:00 a.m. Kid races will begin after the conclusion of the 5K and 10K races and are divided into 4 categories: 400 meters (grades K-4), 800 meters (grades 5-6), 1 mile (grades 7-12), and a 4 x 400 meters relay race. All courses run around the school track and the Alameda Creek Trail and will close at 11:00 am.

Fun Run participants will receive t-shirts, ribbons, and goody bags filled with items donated by local companies. Other event activities include medals for the top three finalists in each category, Fastest Feet Perpetual Trophy to the top Kids Relay Team, special prizes for elementary school sites, and booths hosted by event sponsors and various non-profit organizations throughout the school district.

Advance online registration is available through www.active.com – search “Race to Save Student Activities.”  Direct link is here.

Race t-shirts are guaranteed for registrations received by May 24, 2013. Registrations received after June 4, 2013 will be processed at the event on race day.

Entry fees are as follows: $10 for K-8, $15 for high school students, $25 for general pre-registered 5K & 10K adults, and $40 for the Kids Relay Team. $5 will be added to race-day registrations.

The Fun Run is one of NHBA’s fundraising effort to help the Foundation meet its $100,000 pledge to support New Haven Co-Curricular Programs. NHBA is donating an additional $250 to $350 to each New Haven elementary school, depending on the level of student participation.

For more information about the event, including registration forms, sponsorship opportunities, contact Bridget Russell at info@newhavenboosters.org or visit the NHBA online at www.newhavenboosters.org or www.facebook.com/NewHavenBoosters.