Thursday, DECEMBER 7, 2017 VOLUME LIV, NUMBER 49 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL Arctic Sea Ice Loss Could Dry Out California Arctic sea ice loss of the magnitude expected in the next few decades of Nature Communications. could impact California’s rainfall and exacerbate future droughts, ac- The study identifies a new link between Arctic sea ice loss and the See Inside Section A cording to new research led by Lawrence Livermore National Labora- development of an atmospheric ridging system in the North Pacific. This atmospheric feature also played a central role in the 2012-2016 California Section A is filled with tory (LLNL) scientists. The dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice cover observed over the satellite drought. It is known for steering precipitation-rich storms northward, information about arts, people, era is expected to continue throughout the 21st century. Over the next into Alaska and Canada, and away from California. The team found entertainment and special events. few decades, the Arctic Ocean is projected to become ice-free during that sea ice changes can lead to convection changes over the tropical There are education stories, a the summer. A new study by Ivana Cvijanovic and colleagues from Pacific. These convection changes can in turn drive the formation of an variety of features, and the arts Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and University of Califor- atmospheric ridge in the North Pacific, resulting in significant drying and entertainment and nia, Berkeley shows that substantial loss of Arctic sea ice could have over California. bulletin board. significant far-field effects. The research appears in the Dec. 5 edition “On average, when considering the 20-year mean, we find a 10-15 (See SEA ICE, page 5) Springtown Critic of High Open Space Medical Costs On Agenda To Speak at At its December 11 meeting, the Bankhead Livermore City Council is being asked to approve the Springtown A prominent author and critic Open Space Concept Plan. of the high costs of American medicine will speak next Tuesday As part of the discussion, staff evening at Livermore’s Bankhead would work with the Livermore Theater. Area Recreation and Park District The speaker, Elisabeth Rosen- (LARPD) staff to identify potential thal, is a Harvard-trained physician funding options to implement the who spent more than two decades plan. writing health-related articles for The city owns the 85-acre the New York Times and other former Springtown Golf Course national publications. property. LARPD prepared the Today, Rosenthal is executive open space concept plan. editor of Kaiser Health News, a A ballot measure approved by nonprofit, Washington-based news voters in November 2016, perma- service that is part of the Kaiser nently designates the property as Family Foundation and not af- open space. filiated with the Kaiser Permanente A preliminary cost estimate of medical care system. $16 to $22 million was included Early this year, she published as part of the plan. However, no Photo - Doug Jorgensen An American Sickness, a book funding is currently identified. The spirit of Christmas was alive and well when 250 volunteers gathered at the Alameda County that details the evolution of the American healthcare system from With the completion of the Fairgrounds on Saturday, December 2, to make the dream of getting a bike for Christmas come true Concept Plan, staff is developing a small, experimental health insur- for children of under served families. Volunteers from Kids Bike Lane assembled 616 bikes that will ance program in Texas more than a plan to remove the duck pond on lead to 616 big smiles on the children who receive their first new bike as a surprise Christmas gift. a century ago to today’s business- the property in early 2018. Action Most of the volunteers live in the Tri-Valley and many of the families receiving the bikes are served by oriented healthcare giants. is needed at this time because there In addition to presenting his- is no longer a viable water source charities in the Tri-Valley. Kids Bike Lane is a Livermore based non-profit that partners with charities, community groups, corporations, and individuals to provide new bikes for under-served youth toward tory, the book also offers strategies for the pond. Staff believes that the for reducing costs. Its subtitle is, presence of the resident waterfowl the goal of empowering them to live a healthy, active lifestyle. More information can be found at www. “How healthcare became big busi- represent a significant ongoing li- kidsbikelane.org. ability for the city. (See TALK, page 4) The plan incorporates two “community-scale areas” near the Library and Marlin Pound Park Council Chooses Eastside A and Unified Vision Council Asked that include amenities “intended to serve the greater Livermore com- At its November 29 session, the would like to see in the downtown. One of the two plans chosen To Consider munity and attract visitors from Livermore City Council directed Over 1038 people participated. for study by the council, the plan across the city." staff to refine two concepts for de- A proposal from the Livermore known as Eastside Concept A, will Additional Topics LARPD staff has indicated that velopment of 8.2 acres belonging Stockmen's Rodeo Association include a hotel located on the east- the District would not be able to to the city in downtown Livermore. (LSRA) contributed to the Unified side facing on Livermore Avenue. The Community Group was take on operation of the Spring- The two options are based on what option. LSRA had offered to ex- The other plan, based on the Uni- pleased when its concept for de- town Open Space unless a funding is called the Unified Vision change 2 acres on Pacific Avenue, fied Vision, featured a hotel on the velopment, Westside Hotel A, in source were identified. If no viable Citizens from the ranching, where affordable housing could westside at the corner of L Street the center of downtown Livermore funding option is ultimately identi- scientific, wine growing, hospital- be built, for a park in the center of and Railroad Avenue. Outcome was endorsed by the vast majority fied, the Open Space area would ity and performing arts communi- Livermore. of the public outreach showed of the Outreach participants. The ties produced the Unified Vision, Councilmember Steve Spe- that participants strongly favored other three concepts, submitted likely continue to be operated by by the Downtown Steering Com- the city in its current condition as bringing it forward after the out- dowfski asked the council to a hotel on the westside facing on reach process had been completed. consider a third alternative with Livermore Avenue. Experts, too, mittee to jump start conversation passive-open space. The city's outreach process had cultural facilities and parking had recommended that a hotel front during the Outreach, came in far Staff is working on two addi- involved workshops, on-line sub- adjacent to the Bankhead Theater. on Livermore Avenue. behind. tional issues regarding the Spring- missions, and pop-up events to so- Other councilmembers said that Dave Finster, president of Bill Dunlop, Community licit input on what the community two plans were enough. Group Chair, commented, "One (See SPRINGTOWN, page 5) (See DOWNTOWN, page 2) of the major benefits of our plan cheered on by citizens was our 2.7 acre community park running from Meeting to Discuss Potential the Bankhead Theater all the way through to L Street." He pointed Sales Tax for Early Education out that in responding to city con- sultants’ advice, it is activated by Alameda County Supervisor favor the measure. Another poll the hotel/conference center, retail Nate Miley is sponsoring a lis- will be taken this month. The su- and restaurants, as well as residen- tening initiative about a potential pervisors will decide in February tial units that are primarily located countywide revenue measure that about putting the tax on the ballot. on L Street. would help improve the quality Passage would need approval from Parking was also a focus of the of pre-school child care and give two-thirds of voters. The measure Community plan. It provided 99 more families access to it. would be used only for child-care more stalls than were required. The meeting will be held from support. The public particularly supported 6:30 pm. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12 The true cost for child-care at the garage near eastside businesses at the Pleasanton Senior Center, $17,000, is well above the current contiguous to the westside of the 5353 Sunol Boulevard. It will be government reimbursement is Bankhead Theater, said Dunlop. the last of a series of meetings, $11,700. If the tax passes, supervi- Jeff Kaskey added, "Nearly to a which began Oct. 26, and included sors would fit in the county’s con- person participants supported not a stop in Livermore Oct. 30. tribution with state reimbursement just adequate parking, but good Miley and fellow supervisor, and other subsidy money to cover parking and disabled access for Wilma Chan, are in charge of the cost, said Erin Armstrong, a downtown activities without hav- the Board of Supervisors’ efforts special projects manager for Mi- ing parking as a central feature of in exploring the possibility of a ley’s office. the space." one-half cent sales tax annually. There are 10,000 families in The Community Group be- If approved, it would raise an esti- the county who qualify for the lieves that the character of the mated $140 million. The measure early education system. Families community was enhanced by would be on the June 2018 bal- spend years on a waiting list, said locating the boutique hotel on lot.