VOLUME XLVIII, NUMBER 10 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011 Niles Canyon Protest Picking Up Steam By Ron McNicoll Increased bike safety and reduc- would indicate. (Trucks comprise collisions. deadline. The protest against the cutting tion in traffic collisions have been 2.6 percent of the traffic, and are Basically, the project is a CALTRANS OPEN LETTER down of potentially more than cited by CalTrans as reasons for involved in 38 percent of the waste of $18 million, said some FAILS TO ADDRESS 400 trees in Niles Canyon by the project. collisions.) of the critics. POINTS CalTrans is growing. However, residents of Sunol The critics also say that instal- To try to clear the air between The grassroots dissatisfaction CalTrans wants to remove and the Niles District of Fremont lation of rubber warning strips CalTrans and the critics, Sen. also caused CalTrans to post an 439 trees as part of the widening at each end of the canyon want to on the existing roadway could Ellen Corbett and Assemblyman open letter on its web site about of Niles Canyon Road. The road preserve the trees, and stop the reduce accidents. That could be Bob Wieckowski, whose districts the Niles Canyon work. would be expanded to one 12- widening project. They have pro- accomplished without widening include the canyon, set up a meet- The letter explains why foot lane in each direction and tested that a better way to make the road, they say. Further, the ing in Fremont for the public to CalTrans says the widening is Find Out What's 18-inch shoulders on each side. the road safer is to ban trucks, collision statistics show that over direct questions to CalTrans of- needed, and cites statistics about Currently the road is narrower. which account for a much higher the past five years or so, the road ficials. The meeting was set for traffic collisions. Happening The shoulder in some places runs accident rate than their numbers is below the state average for March 9, after The Independent’s However, the(See letter NILES, fails page to4) Check out the from nonexistent to six inches. second section Section II is filled with infor- mation about arts, entertainment and special events. There are Hemingway Movie education stories, a variety of features, and the arts and enter- tainment and bulletin board list To Film in Livermore A major film, “Hemingway The Livermore Valley Film and Gellhorn,” will be shooting Commission was responsible in Livermore and San Francisco for bringing the production to Lab, College starting at the end of March. the Valley. Present New It is a drama centered on Dale Kaye, Livermore Cham- the romance between Ernest ber of Commerce CEO and head Seminar Series Hemingway and WWII corre- of the Commission, said she The new Lawrence Livermore spondent Martha Gellhorn. The couldn’t reveal the sites where National Laboratory (LLNL)/ relationship was Hemingway’s filming will take place. Las Positas College Science and inspiration for writing For Whom She noted that with a crew Engineering Seminar Series will the Bell Tolls. Gellhorn was the of 300, the movie is expected to get underway on March 14. only woman who ever asked for have a big economic impact. The series is designed to en- a divorce from the writer. The Commission has been hance the partnership shared by The HBO movie, produced representing Livermore, Pleasan- the two Livermore institutions by by James Gandolfini, will star ton, and Dublin as locations for providing a forum for laboratory Nicole Kidman as Martha Gell- filming, marketing to production scientists and engineers to share horn and Clive Owen as Ernest studios, directors, and location their broad range of basic and ap- Hemingway. scouts as an area that is film- plied research with the college’s “Hemingway and Gellhorn” friendly and easy to work in. scientific community of students, has been described as Gandol- From November 2009 through staff, and faculty. fini’s passion project. According November 2010, there were ap- “We are very pleased to offer to Deadline, the ‘Sopranos’ ac- proximately 90 production days. this seminar series in conjunc- tor was first attached to star in These ranged from one day tion with Lawrence Livermore the film when it was originally commercials, corporate videos, National Lab, with which we pitched as a theatrical feature. He and independent films to multi- always have maintained a strong later brought the movie to HBO week shoots for reality televi- partnership over the years,” said under his Attaboy Productions sion. Economically, each day can Neal Ely, Ph.D., Dean of Math, banner. (See MOVIE, page 4) Science, Engineering, and Public Safety “In the interest of fur- thering our already close ties, as well as providing a forum Dublin Makes Bid for for lab scientists to share their important and timely research with our scientific community LBL Second Campus of students, staff, and faculty, we have begun this seminar series “It could be a game changer the Camp Parks Land Exchange. addressing some of the most for the City of Dublin,” declared The developer is responding to important scientific issues of our Photo - Doug Jorgensen Mayor Tim Sbranti. the RFQ. time,” he said. A "buddy" helps one of the Challenger T-Ball players at bat. He was responding to the po- One of the requirements was Biology instructor Nan Ho tential of having a second campus for letters of support to accom- added, “The series offers a way for the Lawrence Berkeley Na- pany the RFQ. The council voted to look at how science is done. A tional Laboratory (LBL) locate unanimously to authorize the let- unique feature of the series, espe- Challenger Little League Team in Dublin. ter to be signed by the mayor. cially for a community college, is LBL sent out a request for Main considerations in LBL’s the focus on the ‘big science’ that qualifications (RFQ) for a site evaluation of a second campus to consolidate current programs would be the following: located (See SERIES, page 3) Joins Opening Day Ceremonies that are located in space spread within a 25 minute drive to the By Patricia Koning the addition of the Challenger Teams are set up by abilities throughout the Bay Area and existing Berkeley campus; able Little League opening day Division to the ceremonies. rather than age and can have to prepare for long term future to accommodate 2 million square has been a tradition in Livermore Established by Little League more than 20 players. Challenger growth. feet of office space, including a for many years. Last Saturday, in 1989, the Challenger Divi- games can be played as t-ball, The Dublin City Council was 3000 foot linear building; and opening day for the Livermore sion enables boys and girls with coach pitch, player pitch, or a asked to provide a letter of sup- located close to public transit and American Little League (LALL), physical and mental challenges combination of all three. port for Argent Development, trails. The community should be a new tradition was created with to enjoy the game of baseball. (See CHALLENGER, page 8) the group that was involved in (See LBL, page 4) Disagreement Over Future Route for Rail Corridor Testimony regarding plans which could accommodate both for a major transit project drew ACE and California High-Speed negative comments for each of Trains. The first step would be A young couple, Lauren Cox the routes selected for future to upgrade the ACE system. and Bill Heidt, had something study. There were also positive High-Speed Trains would run valuable stolen from their comments about each, with those at reduced speeds through the opposed to one option in favor Altamont Corridor, then link Livermore home - a puppy of another. directly into the California High- named Zoe. They are offering Over 100 people were on hand Speed Train mainline system a cash reward to have their for the meeting that discussed po- in Stockton, Modesto and San dog returned. The home was tential route alignments and sta- Jose. robbed February 28. Lauren tion location alternatives for the The California High-Speed Cox, declares, "They did take Altamont Corridor Rail Project. Rail Authority Board recently The corridor is to be designed narrowed potential routes and some items from the home (See CORRIDOR, page 4) but also took what is most as a dual-purpose system, one important to us, our puppy." Zoe is a white Maltese Shi Parents, Students Speak Up Tzu mix who weighs about 9 pounds. She has fluffy medium For 7th Period’s Return length hair and was last seen wearing a pink and brown Some parents and teachers action item at its meeting March want to restore the seven-pe- 1. polka dot collar. It wasn't riod day to the Pleasanton high The district offered a seven- Photo - Doug Jorgensen known whether the robbers schools’ schedules. period day until this school year, took the dog or let her out of The school board heard their when a change in the teachers’ Fallen trees are visible along Niles Canyon Road. (See story above) the house. Lauren believes comments on a scheduled non- (See SEVENTH, page 3) the robbers took the dog. Zoe was kept in the bathroom PET OF THE WEEK with a baby gate up. The gate Inside Meet Laverne, a friendly kitten whose best friend is her was still in place and the dog sister, Shirley. Both of them are cuddly and have bubbly was gone. Since the robbery, Art & Entertainment...... Section II Roundup..................................3 personalities that would fit in with any family.