Thursday, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 VOLUME LVI, NUMBER 6 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL Pleasanton Invites PUSD to Help Shape Future Housing By Ron McNicoll With the state taking more con- Gerry Beaudin told the PUSD The state requires cities to re- compliant housing element, and trol over local residential develop- Board of Trustees at their Jan. 29 new their housing elements every for not following through on ment through its legislative bills meeting that in early 2022, the eight years. Failure to comply housing commitments,” stated See Inside Section A designed to increase and speed up city will know its state-mandated in the past has not led to serious Beaudin. construction of high-density hous- housing numbers assigned by the consequences. However, with He explained, “We have a lot Section A is filled with ing, Pleasanton City Manager Nel- state to meet housing goals. Gov. Gavin Newsom in office, of influence, even with (the bills information about arts, people, son Fialho invited the Pleasanton Fialho made it a point to invite things are changing, Beaudin told passed in 2017), but (local control) entertainment and special events. Unified School District (PUSD) PUSD to the public planning pro- the school board. still keeps being pulled back by the There are education stories, a to help the city shape what future cess that will collect community “Coming right out of the gate, state. We believe that our ability variety of features, and the arts growth should look like. input, since the school district must Newsom has been no-nonsense to manage the change at a reason- and entertainment and Fialho and Pleasanton Direc- house the students that future de- about it. The state has sued Hun- able pace will be diminished over bulletin board. tor of Community Development velopment will bring. tington Beach for not having a (See HOUSING, page 4) Petition Nullifies Low Income Dublin Trustee Housing Plans Appointment Move Forward By Bruce Gach By Ron McNicoll The Housing Consortium of the Residents of Area 4 of the East Bay (HCEB) held its second Dublin Unified School District community meeting on January (DUSD) will be voting in a special 31 to provide information about a election June 4 for a new school proposed development on North trustee, now that the district’s Livermore Avenue for Tri-Valley appointment of Niranjana “Nini” low income residents. Natarajan has been invalidated. Eric Uranga, Assistant Commu- Alameda County Superinten- nity Development Director, noted dent of Schools Karen Monroe that Livermore has been engaged announced Feb. 1 that the Registrar in this housing and services proj- of Voters Office checked petitions ect with HCEB over the past two from registered voters in area 4, years, working to create a center and found there were 1261 valid of resources for the community signatures and 13 invalid signa- at 460 North Livermore Ave. This tures. new project should be ready for Only 74 valid signatures were occupancy in late September 2021, necessary in Area 4, because only if the timeline can be maintained. 1.5% of the total number of voters Darin Lounds, Executive Direc- registered on the last election day tor of HCEB, described the mission were needed, according to the state of the group as one that creates education code, which permits inclusive communities for people invalidating the appointment. On with developmental disabilities, election day Nov. 6, 4877 voters Tri-Valley residents woke up to snow-covered vistas on Tuesday morning. A fine dusting of snow coated North Livermore’s greening hills. (Photo - Doug Jorgensen) special needs, histories of home- were registered in Area 4, accord- lessness, and other problems that ing to Monroe, who received her put them at-risk. HCEB develops, information from the registrar’s co-develops or locates affordable office. housing units, and in addition, The education code states that a Former Livermore Physicist Directs offers support services for the ten- special election must be conducted ants. Presently, five HCEB proper- no later than 130 days after the ties are located in Livermore. county superintendent’s office UC Astronomical Observatories Lounds answered questions has determined the petition is suf- from the audience about financing, ficient. The 130th day from Feb. By Jeff Garberson security and whether Livermore’s 1, the date of Monroe’s finding, is homeless could be given priority. June 11, so an election on Tuesday, To enter the world of Claire to home and less exotic, but still University of California Observa- Max is to encounter some of the challenge astronomers: why do tories, headquartered at UC-Santa The proposed site, known as the June 4, fits the requirement. Vineyard site, consists of 24 living DUSD Board President Amy most exotic mysteries in the uni- planets form? At a time when more Cruz. verse: what happens when black and more planets are discovered That means she is in charge spaces divided into 18 studios, 5 Miller said in a district news re- one-bedroom units and one 2-bed- lease, “While I respect the process holes collide? What do gravita- orbiting distant stars, is our solar of what UC calls a multi-campus tional waves reveal about violent system typical or does it seem to research unit, an MRU. It includes room unit for the resident manager. and the right of our community to Amenities include a laundry room, pursue this course of action, we events billions of light years from be one-of-a-kind? the 132-year-old Lick Observatory Earth? What is happening to our Max, a physicist and astrono- on Mount Hamilton east of San showers, clothing closet, mail have a successful history of ap- services and a community room. pointing board members in Dublin. Milky Way galaxy as it gobbles mer who worked for 30 years at Jose and the state-of-the-art W. M. up smaller galaxies? Lawrence Livermore National Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea In addition to a small kitchen for (See PETITION, page 3) Other puzzles may seem closer Laboratory, is today Director of (See PHYSICIST, page 5) (See HCBE, page 8) Abilities, Special Needs Are Focus of The Life and Legacy of Dr. King Celebrated Jackson Avenue Program This Week Nearly 200 people gathered A pilot program underway this age-appropriate books on the for the 19th Annual Dr. Martin week at Jackson Avenue Elemen- school experience for kids with Luther King, Jr. Fellowship Break- tary School in Livermore is aimed challenges. fast at the DoubleTree by Hilton at helping students understand and Fourth and fifth graders pre- Pleasanton at the Club on January appreciate the challenges of class- pared for the week with a “Shh- 28. Organized by the Pleasanton mates who deal with issues like hhhh” homework assignment, in Community of Character Col- dyslexia, ADHD and emotional which they had to be with their laborative and hosted by former regulation. families but unable to talk for a full Mayor of Dublin, Tim Sbranti, Among activities in the four- hour over the weekend, according the event brought together elected day program are “labs” in which to a parent who was instrumental officials, educators, business lead- children simulate experiencing the in organizing the program, Debo- ers and community members for a challenges themselves and then rah Fields. celebration of the life and legacy discuss the experience. The program is called Abili- of Dr. King. In another part of the program, ties Awareness Week. It is close- After the welcome by Sbran- volunteers from the school district ly modeled on existing efforts ti, newly elected Dublin City including trustees are reading in Pleasanton and San Ramon Councilmember Shawn Kumagai (See ABILITIES, page 8) opened the program with an in- vocation calling all present to remember Dr. King’s call to serve. DSRSD to Switch to Area Elections The keynote talk was delivered By Ron McNicoll by Brian Copeland, an award- winning actor, comedian, author, Dublin San Ramon Services Scott Rafferty. playwright, television and radio District (DSRSD), San Ramon, Rafferty represents the Bay talk show host based in the San Danville and other jurisdictions Area Voting Rights Initiative Francisco Bay Area. He began his subject to elections in the I-680 (BAVRI), which he said is acting career in stand-up comedy at the corridor are in the process of on behalf of Asians concentrated age of 18, performing in San Fran- switching to district elections in in San Ramon, Dublin and the cisco venues. Soon he was travel- response to an attorney’s letter unincorporated areas on both sides ing the country opening for such demanding that they do so under of the line between Alameda and legendary performers as Smokey state law. Contra Costa counties. Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Dionne In addition to DSRSD, the San Rafferty’s demand letter, which Warwick, Ray Charles, The Temp- Ramon Valley Unified School invokes the California Voting tations, Natalie Cole, Julio Iglesias, District and the San Ramon Val- Rights Act (CVRA) as its basis, Pictured from left to right are Alameda County Supervisor Ringo Starr and Gladys Knight. ley Fire District are making the says that district elections would Nate Miley, keynote speaker Brian Copeland, and Community In 2004, Copeland debuted his switch in response to a demand give Asians a better chance to gain of Character Board President Kelly O'Lague Dulka. first one-man play, Not a1 letter from Walnut Creek attorney (See DSRSD, page 7) (Photo – Kelly O'Lague Dulka) (See MLK, page 4) PET OF THE WEEK HALICARNASSUS INSIDE The seven wonders of the ancient world inspired art and architecture around the world.