Tri-Valley Cities Rally to Show Support for Asian Community
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Thursday, MARCH 25, 2021 VOLUME LVIII, NUMBER 12 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL Inmate Dies Tri-Valley Cities Rally Of Suicide in COVID-19 Cell To Show Support for By Larry Altman REGIONAL — A Fairfield Asian Community man, arrested in February on By Aly Brown he has been shocked, saddened charges related to allegedly REGIONAL — In response and angered by the escalating driving a stolen car, com- to growing attacks against the hate directed toward the AAPI. mitted suicide at the Santa Asian American and Pacific “The murders in Atlanta Rita Jail in Dublin last month Islander (AAPI) community, last week hit particularly hard, while housed in a COVID-19 those in the Tri-Valley or- as many of us saw our own quarantine cell, department ganized rallies this week, as families and our own im- records show. elected officials issued a joint migrant stories in those lost Jonas Park, 33, died Feb. statement to condemn the lives,” he said. “At my request, 9, four days after he appeared violence. at last Tuesday’s Dublin City in Alameda County court Organized by Foothill High Council meeting, we passed a to face two felony and two School teacher Heather Bolig resolution denouncing the rise misdemeanor counts filed Richey and Livermore Indivis- in anti-AAPI hate.” against him last summer, ible co-founder Kellie Essary, Issuing a joint statement a Sheriff’s Office incident the first of the two rallies to condemn the violence were report said. KTVU first re- took place Monday, March Kumagai, along with Liver- ported the nature of Park’s The first of two rallies to protest violence against Asian Americans took place 22, at Lions Wayside Park in more Valley Joint Unified death based on records the Pleasanton. The next is set for School District (LVJUSD) station obtained from the in Pleasanton this week. A second event is scheduled for Sunday in Livermore. Trustee Kristie Wang, Chabot- (Photo - Doug Jorgensen) Sunday, March 28, at 1 p.m., Alameda County Sheriff’s at Stockmen's Park, 29 S. Las Positas Community Col- Office and posted online. Livermore Ave., in Livermore. lege Board Trustees Ed Mad- Deputies found Park un- The activism comes on the uli and Hal Gin, Contra Costa responsive in his cell, where heels of an increase in wide- Community College District he had hung himself with Council Approves Development spread anti-Asian hate crimes. Board President Andy Li, Dan- his blue bedsheet, the report A report by the Center for the ville Town Councilmember said. Deputies performed Study of Hate & Extremism Dave Fong, Dublin Council- life-saving measures, but Agreement for Affordable Units at California State University, member Sherry Hu, Dublin Park was pronounced dead. Unified School District Trustee By Ruth Roberts made up of one-, two- and 499-unit residential project San Bernardino showed that Park, who was arrested Catherine Kuo, Dublin San Ra- three-bedroom apartments. at 6700 Golden Gate Drive — attacks against Asians in 16 Feb. 3 in Emeryville on DUBLIN — The city council mon Services District Director The rent for an Eden Housing the St. Patrick Way residential of America’s largest cities bench warrants, was assigned is moving ahead with an af- Arun Goel, San Ramon City project ranges from $489 to a project. increased 149% in 2020. The Feb. 7 to the jail’s 14-day fordable housing project that Councilmember Sabina Zafar, maximum of $1,200 monthly In April 2020, the council first spike occurred in March quarantine housing area for will provide up to 114 apart- San Ramon City Councilmem- for a one-bedroom apartment, amended the CBA to assign and April amidst a rise in newly booked inmates. The ments for the senior-based ber Sridhar Verose, San Ramon contingent on the renter's in- the agreement from Bayview COVID-19 cases and negative community and special needs Valley Unified School Dis- (See SUICIDE, page 6) come. Qualifiers must earn no Development Group to its stereotyping of Asians relating individuals. trict Board President Susanna more than 50% of the area’s subsidiary, Crystal Bay De- to the pandemic, the report In a unanimous vote March Wong Ordway, San Ramon median income — $73,100 velopment, LLC. The Amend- continued. 16, the City of Dublin entered Valley Fire Protection Board Reimer Set to for individuals, and $83,550 ed CBA provides, in part, that Dublin Vice Mayor Shawn Kumagai took to Facebook this Director Michelle Lee and Hold Talk on week to say, like many others, Zone 7 Water Agency Board “The city is providing $5.01 million from its (See RALLY, page 6) Alzheimer's affordable housing fund as a deposit on the site in the event By Dawnmarie Fehr the St. Patrick’s project does not go through.” LIVERMORE — The Rae City Poised to Meet the Dorough Speaker Series will host Dr. Richard Reimer in a for two people. Applicants Crystal Bay shall transfer its State's Housing Mandates virtual presentation on April 8 into an agreement with Co- rona Ely Ranch, an affiliate will be accepted on a lottery interest in the adjacent prop- By Larry Altman Starting prices for new to discuss Alzheimer’s, Parkin- basis. erty to the city or its designee, of the nonprofit group Eden LIVERMORE — The City of townhouses and condomini- son’s and amyotrophic lateral Dublin is required to pro- per the terms of the agree- ums in Livermore range from sclerosis (ALS), along with the Housing, for two properties Livermore has exceeded state located on Regional Street. vide a certain number of af- ment. The intent is to provide the mid-$700,000 to mid- development of new therapies fordable housing sites per the affordable housing primarily requirements for new housing "I am absolutely in favor projects for people with moder- $900,000. Starting prices for to combat these devastating state's mandates. The project for senior citizens or special new single-family detached diseases. of this, because we need to ate to above moderate incomes, get (an affordable housing) goes back to May 2018, when needs individuals or other homes range from the low the council adopted a resolu- very low- and low-income but has not met targets that project in place," said Vice provide for those with low and $800,000 to more than $1 Mayor Shawn Kumagai. tion approving a Community households. Crystal Bay is the million, a council report stated. Benefit Program Agreement current owner of the St. Pat- extremely low incomes, city According to Andrea Os- planners reported during Mon- Despite a lag in building good of Eden Housing, the (CBA) between the City of rick Way Residential Project affordable housing, Pontau Dublin and Bayview De- site and the Adjacent Prop- day night’s council meeting. affordable housing project Livermore Associate Plan- said the city does have enough velopment Group, Inc. for a land zoned for more housing will include 70 to 114 units, (See AFFORDABLE, page 8) ner Tricia Pontau told the council that since the current with a requirement that 15% eight-year housing plan began be deemed affordable for low- in 2015, the city issued 1,893 and moderate-income house- Planning Commission to Consider Converting building permits for projects holds. At least 7.5% of those deemed affordable for people units must be for low-income Barone’s Restaurant into Pleasanton Homes with higher incomes — above households or an in lieu fee the state target of 1,416 — but must be paid. PLEASANTON — An icon- two options for the St. John in seven of the homes in the had issued just 184 permits The state deems extremely ic restaurant on St. John Street location. One would first option and five homes for people with extremely low low and low income to range Street might turn into hous- redevelop the 2.3-acre site in option 2. and low incomes, far below from $27,000 to $70,000 for Dr. Richard Reimer ing in the heart of Pleas- with 10 new detached small- "The new buildings on the state’s aim of 1,129 in that rental properties, depending on anton. lot single family homes, St. John Street, would in- category. the size of the family, the num- ber of rooms in the residence, “ALS, Alzheimer’s and The planning commission in addition to the existing clude a variety of two-story Pontau said the permits will review a proposal to con- residence. designs with varied archi- for more expensive homes and rental price. Similarly, Parkinson’s: Who is at Risk?” very low to low income ranges will be presented as part of the vert Barone's Restaurant on A second option would tecture," said Clark. "And help meet the state’s need for St. John Street into residen- include nine new homes, the commercial building housing. However, like other from $45,700 to $112,800 for a (See ALZHEIMER'S, page 6) tial properties at an upcom- plus the existing residence, would retain the appearance communities in the Bay Area home purchase, depending on ing workshop on Wednesday, and a 1,877-square-foot com- of a residential structure but and throughout California, the size of the family, number March 24. mercial/office building on would be designed to accom- the city is behind in its quest of rooms, and home price. Strategy Fails According to Ellen Clark, one of the lots fronting onto modate office space." to develop affordable housing In 2020, Pontau said, the community development St. John Street. Accessory The Barone family owns for those with lower incomes. COVID-19 pandemic slowed To Remove director, the applicant, Rob- dwelling units — or granny both the existing restaurant “We are not unique,” Pon- progress in issuing building Swalwell From son Homes, has proposed units — would be included (See BARONE'S, page 6) tau said.