Tri-Valley Takes on 'Islamophobia'
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Thursday, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 VOLUME LVI, NUMBER 38 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL Tri-Valley Takes On ‘Islamophobia’ By Heidii McMichael Dublin and Pleasanton city coun- to eat, but my teacher told me he the nearly 250,000 Muslims living Wearing his emerald-green cils proclaimed August as Muslim couldn’t make accommodations,” in the greater San Francisco Bay kurta pajama and turban, Moham- awareness and appreciation month. Mandozai, 23, said. “I didn’t Area, according to the nonprofit med Rizwan Dad Khan Mandozai Livermore leaders plan to make a complain, because my education Institute for Social Policy and wants to show pride in his Indian similar declaration before it’s time is important.” Understanding. heritage and Muslim traditions. But for the 2020 celebrations. The Mandozai brothers came Sameena Usman, a government the glances and whispers from the This is welcome news for to the Tri-Valley from Hyderabad, relations coordinator for the Coun- Las Positas College students tell Mandozai and his older brother, India four years ago to continue cil on American-Islamic Relations him others might see something Mohammed Arbaaz Dad Khan their studies. They attend the Mus- (CAIR), said about 90,000 now Mandozai, who has also faced in- lim Community Center - East Bay call Alameda County home. “The See Inside Section A different. Section A is filled with “Islam is about peace,” Mando- tolerance and ignorance of cultural in Pleasanton and are pleased to Muslim population has grown in information about arts, zai, 20, said. “I don’t want people differences. He’s had some trouble see their contributions to the area the Tri-Valley, and the mosques people, entertainment and to hate me or anyone’s choices. with those who don’t understand gaining acceptance. are overflowing and expanding,” special events. There are Learn the real person before you certain traditions, such as the day- “People are talking more about she said. education stories, a variety judge them.” time fasting during the Muslim our culture,” the elder Mandozai Dublin and Pleasanton’s procla- of features, and the arts holy month of Ramadan. said. “I’m feeling more positivity.” mations follow the state, which in and entertainment and Now, some Tri-Valley cities are encouraging people to do just “One time, I had been fasting GROWING PAINS 2015 approved House Resolution bulletin board. all day and needed to take a break that. In the past few weeks, the The two brothers are among (See ISLAMOPHOBIA page 5) Tesla Park Valley Link Preservation To Ease Approved Commutes A 3,100-acre patch of open land Valley Link is asking Faster in the hills southeast of Livermore Bay Area for money to improve is on the path to preservation. But rail service and speed up traffic the battle between off-road enthu- along I-580. siasts and environmentalists about Michael Tree, Valley Link’s the future of the area known executive director, said the board Before state lawmakers ended authorized a letter of support for the legislative session for the year the project and a request for money on Sept. 13, they approved a bill to during its Sept. 11 meeting at the allow the sale of the Alameda-Tes- Martinelli Events Center near la Expansion Area for conservation Livermore. purposes. Assembly Bill 1086 is Tree said Valley Link is an now on its way to the governor’s ideal project for Faster Bay Area desk to wait for a signature. because the plan provides trains The decades-long debate was linking Tracy to the East Dublin/ spurred by a California Parks De- Pleasanton BART station, which partment plan to expand the neigh- would eliminate some of the traffic boring Carnegie State Vehicular on I-580. BART has already agreed Recreation Area by opening the to give Valley Link the $400 million Tesla site for off-road recreation. Alameda County voters approved The proposed expansion pitted for the BART extension from East riders against conservationists who Dublin/Pleasanton to Livermore. worry dirt-bikes, ATV’s and other BART’s board voted 5 to 4 to not do motorized vehicles used on trails The Lincoln Highway Military Convoy featuring historical automobiles passed through Livermore on the extension, but agreed to leave could damage the environment. Sept. 14, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first U.S. Army motor transport convoy that traveled the money for Valley Link. It will also receive about $200 million in (See TESLA PARK, page 3) the newly-constructed Lincoln Highway in 1919. (Photo - Doug Jorgensen) (See VALLEY LINK, page 9) LLNL Brings the Resolution Bans Vaping from City Releases World's Largest Ballot Initiative Precision Lens Pleasanton Schools and Events In an effort to protect teenagers there is a lot of support out there for come along, with components and Arguments To Completion from the harmful effects of vaping, students dealing with addiction.” their effects that are unknown. Pleasanton Unified School District Also worrisome is that the Further, what she experienced The city has released the pro and In four years, an extraordinary unanimously passed a resolution use of tobacco and e-cigarettes is walking into the school restroom con statements that will appear on new telescope on a mountaintop in to ban e-cigarette use on campus seeping down into middle school. was a situation where people were Livermore’s Nov. 3, 2020, ballot Chile will begin the most powerful for the initiative that would change and at school events, and vowed to “It is really alarming,” said Sloan, trying to get relief from their own sky survey ever undertaken. When the city’s plan for downtown Liver- it does, it will depend on highly support legislation to keep vaping adding that some of the influence anxiety. “This is numbing for their more. sophisticated optical assemblies and tobacco products out of young comes from social media. stress,” she said. The measure is titled, "Citizens designed at Lawrence Livermore people’s hands. Trustee Steve Maher, who Trustee Joan Laursen said the Initiative Changing Development National Laboratory. Before passing the resolution served as acting principal at Ama- district should enlist the support of Regulations in Downtown Liver- The telescope — Large Synoptic at its Aug. 27 meeting, PUSD’s dor before he retired, asked Sloan city government to ban e-cigarette more, and Amending Regulations to Survey Telescope, or LSST — will adult board members asked Megan if she thought installing tobacco sales in Pleasanton. Allow Housing at the Civic Center." include three lenses, one of them Sloan, student board representa- and vaping detectors in restrooms “Students can buy this in any Supporters of the city plan thought to be the largest high-perfor- tive, whether vaping is much of and behind buildings would help tobacco shop, or can go to another refer to theirs as the “Approved mance optical lens ever fabricated, an issue at Amador High School. the situation. community. At some point, we Downtown Plan;” supporters of at 5.1 feet (1.57 meters) in diameter. Sloan, an AHS junior, said stu- Bathroom monitors would be need to step up enforcement, so the alternative plan call theirs the That lens, and its smaller com- dents “always hear talk on campus, helpful, Sloan said, but students students don’t try untested products “Central Park Plan.” panion at more than 3.9 feet (1.2 but it’s a whole new thing when might find another way to do vap- that have a deleterious effect on If citizens vote in favor of the meters), are part of an assembly built you are walking into a bathroom, ing, and they could find something health,” Laursen said. initiative, it would amend the during the past five years by Boulder, and see stuff and smell stuff. It’s that is even worse for them. Some- Youth vaping has come up in the city’s General Plan, Downtown (See OPTICAL LENS, page 10) demoralizing, especially when thing with new chemicals could (See VAPING, page 10) (See INITIATIVE, page 12) Dublin High Wellness Center Opens to Bolster Students’ Emotional Health Students at Dublin High School moment, and students may also given a $500 grant to help become who are facing challenges now make appointments for regular re- established. have a new starting point to seek curring sessions, either one-on-one The center will also provide emotional reassurance and advice. or in group therapy. A social worker snacks for students who may have The Wellness Center offers will be assigned to the center, and missed a meal or forgotten their mental health services from school interns from various social services lunch money, so hunger doesn’t counselors and provides a home for agencies will be available. affect their focus in class. Students student-run organizations where The Wellness Center also will also were encouraged to create a teenagers can talk candidly with provide meeting space for two stu- garden outside the center to add a their peers about their emotional dent groups, The Elephant In The safe space to sit during lunchtime. pain. The Wellness Center is located Room and Bring Change 2 Mind. Munoz told the student newspa- in one of the portable buildings near The Elephant In The Room per she expects there will be modi- the tennis courts at the 2,500-stu- project was founded by a student fications in the program during the dent campus. whose good friend died of suicide. first year, as counselors gain more School psychologist Sarah Mu- The initial meeting drew 120 stu- experience with students’ needs. noz said the center will be a safe dents and staff to focus on how to The Wellness Center’s opening space for all students, according to improve and support teenage mental was celebrated with a Sept.