VOLUME XLVIII, NUMBER 14 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011 New Plan Removes Worst of Altamont Turbines By Ron McNicoll in categories 9 and 10. The 10 complete its report on it first. percent reduction in avian mor- the number of birds killed. Regulation of Altamont wind turbines already removed as part The East County Board of tality by November 2009, figured Mike Lynes, conservation turbines, with an eye toward of the swap with ESI were at 8.5 Zoning Adjustments (BZA) on a baseline of 1300 bird deaths director for Golden Gate Audu- reducing bird deaths, has moved and 8.0. unanimously approved the AMP annually, as found in an earlier bon, said, “Overall, we are very ahead. More turbine removal must be at its meeting March 10. That study. The SRC found that the pleased with (the agreement). Twenty-four turbines that completed by Feb. 15, 2012, after date started the clock ticking goal was not met by November The Audubon chapters decided pose the highest risks to raptors an Alameda County-established for the wind-tower removal 2009. to support repowering, provided must be removed by April 25. Scientific Review Committee deadlines. Instead, re-powering the Al- that the new ones are put in with Four high-risk turbines owned (SRC) determines on-the ground The plan resulted from the tamont, by replacing old turbines proper siting, and are moni- by ESI Energy will be kept, in conditions of high-risk turbines settlement of a suit by the Golden with new ones, will be the solu- tored.” Find Out What's exchange for having removed ranked at 8.5. No number is listed Gate Audubon Society and the tion, says the settlement and the Rich Cimino of Pleasanton, 10 other turbines, at a little lower in the new Adaptive Management state Attorney General’s office AMP. The new turbines are much who is conservation chair for the Happening risk count. Plan (AMP) that governs the con- against the county and three larger, so fewer of them are need- Ohlone Audubon, added, “The Check out the The highest risk-turbines are ditions, because the SRC must wind-power companies in 2005. ed to produce the same amount of local Audubon(See TURBINES,has been involved page 4) second section The lawsuit demanded a 50 power. That is expected to lower Section II is filled with infor- mation about arts, entertainment and special events. There are education stories, a variety of Sandia Uses features, and the arts and enter- tainment and bulletin board list Gaming, Sim- ulation Pleasanton Plans To Model A Month of Earth Border Day Events Security Prior to 1970 factories spewed clouds of toxins into Using funding from the De- the air and dumped tons of toxic partment of Homeland Security’s waste into nearby waterways. Customs and Border Protection This activity preceded the for- (CBP), researchers at Sandia mation of the Environmental National Laboratories have de- Protection Agency, the Clean veloped a high-fidelity simula- Air Act and the Clean Water tion and analysis program that Act, the legal and regulatory aids policy and decision-makers mechanisms established to pro- tasked with making key procure- tect the environment. In spring ments and funding choices. of 1970, Wisconsin Senator The Borders High Level Mod- Gaylord Nelson created Earth el (HLM) uses a serious gam- Day as a way to “force this issue ing platform known as Ground onto the national agenda.” In Truth, a force-on-force battle 2011, more than 200 countries simulation tool called Dante™, will participate in Earth Day and the work of several collabo- activities. rating organizations. Pleasanton joins the nation “There’s a lot of debate going and the world in this effort as on in the government concerning the Pleasanton Public Library the technology and infrastructure hosts a Family Earth Day Fes- investments that need to be made tival on Saturday, April, 16 Photo - Doug Jorgensen along the border,” explained Ja- from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Foothill High School in Pleasanton held its annual multi-cultural festivities last week. Thurs., March 31 was Documentary Day. A son Reinhardt, who serves as the The event will feature infor- film about bullying was shown. During Assembly Day on April 1, students were entertained by a variety of cultural performances. Borders HLM project manager mational booths with “green” The presentations were by Foothill students. This was the 24th year a multi-cultural week was held at Foothill High. Pictured are at Sandia. “How much fence do information about composting, Korean fan dancers. we need? What kind of fence? energy, and kid-sized carbon (See SANDIA, page 4) footprint calculators. Kids can also make recycled art and natu- ral birdfeeders at craft tables. Livermore BART Extension Ranked 2nd in Measure B Survey There will be free bicycle safety A BART extension to Liver- tion Expenditure Plan (TEP) that bicycle, pedestrian, transit and two-thirds majority is needed to by overall, central county, east, checks. more ranked as the second most identifies the funding priorities paratransit improvements; and approve the extension. north and south. City Naturalist Eric Nicolas supported project to fund with for an extension of the existing programs supporting biking, A telephone survey was con- Of those interviewed, 72 will be on hand to provide short Measure B monies. transportation sales tax, known walking, transit and paratransit ducted to determine the support percent favored extending the interpretive lessons about the The Alameda County Trans- as Measure B. The TEP includes operations. for extending the tax, as well tax. There was no opposition natural world. portation Commission is in the transportation infrastructure proj- The measure will be on the as for a variety of projects. The above one-third in any region. Free entertainment is also on process of preparinga Transporta- ects like roadway maintenance, ballot in November 2012. A survey results were separated (See BART, page 5) tap. As the concluding event at Pleasanton’s Family Earth Day Festival, Doug Nolan of Rock Steady Juggling brings a lively Pleasanton Man Killed in Action in Afghanistan mix of environmental educa- Army specialist Jameson post commander of the Veterans 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry tion, juggling, comedy and Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat audience participation to the Lynn Lindskog, 23, of Pleasan- of Foreign Wars, Post 6298 in ton, was killed in action March Pleasanton. Team, 101st Airborne Division Pleasanton Library on Saturday, (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, April 16. In “Eco-Tainment” 29 in Afghanistan. Miller said, “We are very A medical technician, Lindsk- grateful to the family that they Ky. learn about reducing- reusing- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear recycling, water conservation og was fatally wounded while at- have designated us to be the tempting to provide aid to fellow recipient of donations in remem- has ordered all flags on state and pollution prevention like buildings there to be lowered you never have before! No soldiers during combat. Lindskog brance of Jameson. The family is the first Pleasanton soldier to has asked us to use the money in to half-staff on the day of in- registration is required for this ternment for Lindskog, and for 45 minute program, which is be killed in Afghanistan. support of current service mem- Lindskog’s body brought to bers from the area.” two other soldiers killed in the for children ages 5 and older. attack. The performance will begin Pleasanton on April 5. The fam- All U.S. flags at City of Pleas- ily requested privacy. anton buildings and facilities Rep. Jerry McNerney, who at 3:00 p.m. Free admission lives in Pleasanton, said, “I’m tickets will be distributed at the A public memorial is ten- were directed to be lowered to tatively scheduled later this half-staff for three days, begin- deeply saddened by the passing Children’s Desk beginning at (See AFGHANISTAN, page 2) 2:30 p.m. Doors will be closed month, likely at the Pleasanton ning on April 5. to late arrivals once the program Veterans Hall, said Doug Miller, Lindskog was assigned to the begins. Library visitors are also en- couraged to view an art exhibit Charter School Heads for of works produced by Pleas- anton students based upon a “green” theme. Ongoing short New Site With City Approval films created as part of “The The new campus for the graders this year. They attend approve were commissioners Story of Stuff” project will also Livermore Valley Charter School classes in the former Portola Harriet Cole, Todd Storti, Darrell be shown throughout the day. north of Interstate 580 has plan- Elementary school, and “we may West and Wenbo Yuan. Voting For more information about ning approval from Livermore. stay another year,” said Batch- against were Michal Lea and the Family Earth Day Festival The K-12 campus will occupy elor. The K-8 school is in the Tony Sarborario. please call (925) 931-3400, a 30-acre site already developed former Sonoma Avenue School. Sarborario, Yuan and West extension 8. for offices near North Canyons The new campus is located in are no longer members of the Other Earth Day activi- Parkway. The parcels are at 3090 a flight zone where planes tak- commission. They reached term ties planned throughout April Independence Avenue and 3196 ing off from the airport, which is limits. include: Constitution Drive. less than 1000 feet away, make a Lea told The Independent Sunday, April 10, 2 p.m. Bill Batcherlor, the CEO and right turn, and head east to such that she voted “no” because she COO of the Livermore Valley destinations as Sacramento and didn’t think it was appropriate to Author and College Professor Photo - Doug Jorgensen Scott Lankford discusses his Charter School (LVCS), said the Stockton.