Livermore's Oldest Landscape Has a Web Page
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VOLUME XLV, NUMBER 16 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008 Livermore’s Oldest Landscape Has A Web Page By Ron McNicoll site, which is just north of a short, other places in California. The Friends want to see the help residents of the Valley learn Friends of Springtown Pre- blocked off stub of Hartford Av- It is the last real desert envi- city conduct improved enforce- what a rare resource they have. serve are making their cause more enue at the edge of Springtown. ronment left in Alameda County. ment protecting the sensitive It’s easy to dismiss the pre- visible by launching a web page Announcements of birding trips Its landscape goes back thou- habitat. A visitor there will see serve as “wasteland,” as many about the wild beauty of in the Valley also will be posted. sands of years, said Steve bare land about 200 feet long and city dwellers, accustomed to wa- Livermore’s last remaining an- The Springtown Preserve, Edwards, a botanist who is a spe- 30 or 40 feet wide, carved out by tered lawns sometimes do. cient wildflower landscape. which includes about 300 acres, cialist in East Bay flora. It’s re- recreation vehicles, which clearly Edwards, the botany expert, The page’s address is has been visited by bird and ally the oldest preserved aspect are banned. Other areas have wrote in a recent newsletter that www.springtownpreserve.org. wildflower enthusiasts from all of Livermore, and was there long shown scars from the same kind “Springtown is a place that most There are a variety of pages to over the world, said Rich before Robert Livermore began of use. of the world considers a waste, a view at the site, including impres- Cimino, one of the members of herding cattle there in 1831, Besides convincing the city place to be ground into dust and Drop off used electronic sive digital photos of snowy the group. It’s one aspect of the stated Edwards. to tighten enforcement, the reshaped according to paltry de- equipment at the free E-Waste egrets, teals, and pheasants, all wild area that Livermore could The birds on the Friends of Friends group wants to use the sires. For me that makes it all the Collection slated for April 18- photographed by members Marie exploit as a part of its tourism Springtown Preserve’s web page positive encouragement of work- more a place ‘not of this world’ 20 at the Alameda County Ko and Patti Cole. campaign, he added. The land aren’t the only photos. Others ing with the school district to — irresistible to an ecological Fairgrounds. The event is There is a message board that is host to many species of birds show remnants of a Fourth of July bring students into the preserve, contemplative. So the (Livermore will inform the public about op- and rare plants, including sev- party by trespassers, and house- so they can learn about the birds summer) heat becomes pure plea- sponsored by the City of portunities to take tours of the eral found only in a couple of hold trash illegally dumped. and plants. Adult tours will also Pleasanton and Electronic (See PRESERVE, page 4) Waste Management. Earth Day Pleasanton Hillside Events Set The Livermore Area Recre- Initiative Turned In ation and Park District invites Save Pleasanton’s Hills and Save Pleasanton’s Hills and Hous- the community to the 2008 Earth Housing Cap Initiative Petition ing Cap Initiative fulfills the in- Day Celebration and City Clean- has been submitted to the Pleas- tent of the 1996 General Plan by Up on Saturday, April 19 at the anton City Clerk for signature protecting the scenic hills from Robert Livermore Community validation. development. This initiative Center, 4444 East Ave., Liver- “We are proud to represent protects all Pleasanton ridgelines more. the 5,015 people who signed and hills with slopes greater than Volunteer participants can this initiative to save our beau- 25 percent. It also closes a loop- just drop in on Earth Day to par- tiful hills and to protect our hous- hole in the 29,000-unit housing ticipate. Breakfast and sign-ups ing cap,” stated Bill Rasnick, cap voted in by the people of will happen at 8:30 a.m. at the co-organizer of the initiative. He Pleasanton in 1996. Although community center. At 9 a.m., vol- added, “Pleasanton residents en- Pleasanton has a housing cap, the unteers will be taken by sponsor thusiastically signed this initia- City has been considering ap- Black Tie Transportation to one tive. They are concerned about proving more housing units but of the clean-up sites, which in- growth in our community as not having them count against clude Robertson Park, Garaventa well as protection of our hill- the cap. “This initiative enforces Wetlands Preserve, Sycamore sides.” the spirit of the housing cap pre- Grove and Veterans Regional According to supporters, the Parks, Altamont Creek Park, Mar- (See INITIATIVE, page 4) lin Pound Park and the Arroyo Mocho and Arroyo Las Positas creeks. Volunteers will help pick Photo - Doug Jorgensen up garbage, repair trails, clean Alisal Elementary School in Pleasanton celebrated “Earth Week” last week. It was sponsored Lab to Send Out creeks and more. by the Go Green Initiative Committee at Alisal comprised of students, teachers, the principal, “We are trying to promote a healthy earth attitude,” said and parent volunteers. Each day offered a different activity. Monday, there were educational Layoff Notices Wendy Mason, a Special Events booth displays, Tuesday a reuse-a-book exchange. On Wednesday, Go Green Initiative t-shirts Layoff notices will go out Houghton. “We are in a terrible intern for LARPD who has made were sold. Pictured is 3rd grader Ian Castro and Theresa Wallace. The day ended with a litter soon to 3000 career employees budget situation. Management Earth Day her big project. free lunch day on Thursday and buy a rainforest acre walk-a-thon on Friday. Funds will purchase at the Lawrence Livermore Na- believes these steps are neces- About 400 to 500 people are land on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica through the Nature Conservancy program. tional Laboratory. Of that total, sary.” expected to turn out for the fam- 535 will eventually be let go un- The involuntary separation ily-friendly event. Snacks, water der an involuntary separation process is part of the Lab’s inte- and Earth Day T-shirts will be program. grated plan to respond to a sig- provided, along with a barbecue Friendship Center Faces Closure The Lab recently received ap- nificant budget shortfall associ- lunch back at Robert Livermore proval from the Department of ated with a decline in federal Community Center following Those who help raise funds for rently the only adult day care Friendship Center by the start of Energy/National Nuclear Secu- funding and increased costs due the morning’s work. The lunch is the Friendship Center adult day center in the Tri-Valley. The the next school year. This means rity Administration for its work- to the management/contract sponsored by Trader Joe’s. The care don't hold out much hope the LARPD Board of Directors will LARPD will have to vacate the force restructuring plan, which change that occurred in October afternoon will feature live mu- program can be saved. discuss the future of the program space at the end of its lease on includes the involuntary separa- 2007. sic, “green” vendors and environ- The Livermore Area Recre- at its meeting scheduled for 7 June 30, 2008. tion program. There is a $280 million short- mentally friendly children’s ac- ation and Park District Board will p.m. at the Robert Livermore The State Board of Education There will be an all hands fall. Of that total, $100 million tivities at the community center. make a final at its Wed., April 30 Community Center, 4444 East has not yet made a determination meeting at the Lab Thursday to represents a reduction in fund- Volunteers are encouraged to meeting. Ave., Livermore. on extension of the charter explain the process. ing. The other $180 million are wear sunscreen, a hat, insect re- Drilik said, “It’s sad to see it The Livermore Valley Joint school’s charter. The decision is Susan Houghton, Lab spokes- costs due to the recent manage- pellant, sturdy shoes, and long closing. I hope sometime in the Unified School District and set for the July 7 meeting. person, said that final layoff no- ment/contract change. Houghton pants and a long-sleeved shirt. future, we will have another Charter Learning Corporation, Drilik observed that it won’t tices would go out to specific em- said the Lab now has to pay Boots or hip waders are recom- chance at this type of program.” which oversees the operation of be known until after the lease ployees 30 days after the first no- taxes. Inflation plays a part. And mended for those wishing to go Asked if there were any options the Livermore Valley Charter expires whether the charter is tice. She said that would be in benefit costs are higher. For ex- into the muddy areas. Volunteers to save the program, Drilik re- School, have recently notified extended. “LARPD cannot wait mid-May. “This is the first time ample, since the Lab is no longer who have their own work gloves plied, “Short of someone coming LARPD that the Charter School that long to notify family mem- in 35 years there has been an in- part of the UC system there is a are asked to bring them.