VOLUME LII, NUMBER 32 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN • LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015 Water Quality is Factor for Trees, Plants in Drought Find Out What's By Ron McNicoll the tree trunk out to the edge be created by putting a small shampoo. potable water. Saving trees takes some of the branches' canopy. Us- berm of dirt around it. Some homeowners are The saltier water can Happening care and attention. However, ing a hose faucet timer, sold Other tips include adding picking up recycled water have a negative impact on it can be accomplished in a at most hardware stores, can six inches of mulch, which at the Dublin San Ramon salt-sensitive trees such as Check Out Section A drought with relatively little prevent overwatering, ac- helps soil retain moisture. Services District (DSRSD) redwoods, said Pleasanton Section A is filled with information about arts, water. cording to Save Our Water, Do not over-prune trees and Livermore plants, and arborist Michael Santos. He people, entertainment and The best way to water a a non-profit. during a drought; it stress- using it on their gardens. also named beech, birch, special events. There are mature tree is to use once Young trees need five es trees. Water saved in a Residents should be aware and Japanese maples, and education stories, a variety or twice a month a soaker gallons of water two to four bucket can be used to water that it contains 150 to 200 the shrubs azalea, photinia, of features, and the arts and hose or a drip system snaked times per week. A small trees, as long as it is free of parts per million more of rhododendron and camellia. entertainment and bulletin around in a spiral away from watering basin for a tree may non-biodegradable soaps of total dissolved salts than board. (See WATER, page 4) Dublin Vallecitos School Acreage Trustee Planned Resigns For Sale GE-Hitachi Nuclear En- Trustee Sean Kenney ergy would like to sell 610 has resigned from the Dub- acres of its 1,600 Vallecitos lin Unified School District site southwest of Livermore. board effective July 31, The property is located 2015. where General Electric op- In a letter to the Board of erated four small boiling- Trustees, district Superin- water reactors starting in the tendent Stephen Hanke and 1950s, pioneering industrial Alameda County Superin- uses of atomic energy, such tendent L. Karen Monroe, as the manufacture of medi- cal radioisotopes and the first Kenney cited personal and nuclear contributions to the employment reasons for nation’s electrical grid. his decision. He served as Today, the entire site is a Trustee for the district operated under the watchful from December 2010 to eye of the Nuclear Regula- July 2015. tory Commission, which Kenney said: “After five governs commercial nuclear years in office, I am step- energy in the U.S. and which ping down from the DUSD has approval authority re- Board of Trustees. My work garding the proposed sale. commitments have been Before making a decision, escalating over the last year, the NRC is asking for pub- and I have not been able to lic comment not later than keep up with everything October 5. that needs to be taken care Only one of the reactors of as a Trustee. I am proud Photo - Doug Jorgensen remains in operation and of my record on helping all A signpost at Max Baer Park lists the locations where teams playing in the Intermediate Little League World Series only a “few hundred acres” students in my approach to come from. For more photos, go to page 6. are needed for nuclear opera- every issue we debated as a tions, according to Christo- Board. I will miss working pher White, a spokesperson with the staff, students and for GE-Hitachi Nuclear En- ergy. leadership of the district and Software Development Offers The rest of the land is un- wish them the best as they used or is leased to ranchers work on behalf of public for cattle grazing. There is education.” Huge Opportunities for the Future no need for the company to Kenney was elected to the own it all, he said. Board in November 2010. The development of soft- tion, health care, oil and gas to accommodate what was of the Tri-Valley. GE-Hitachi is a 2007 He served as Board Presi- ware provides a huge oppor- exploration and transporta- referred to as the "internet During the introductions, joint venture of General dent in 2014 and was re- tunity for the future as the tion, among others. of things." Security will be Pleasanton Director of Eco- Electric and Hitachi, the elected to his seat in Novem- connectivity between hu- An excess of data will be one of the issues. nomic Development Pamela Japanese industrial giant. ber 2014. During his time on mans and machines grows. required to train a machine. Those were just some of Ott pointed out that Pleas- About 100 GE-Hitachi the Board, he completed his One example already mak- Software innovation will the observations made last anton saw $1.7 billion in employees work at the Val- lecitos site, half of them Masters in Governance from ing news involves self-driv- be needed to prepare the Thursday during the annual venture capital investment recently moved from leased the California School Board ing cars. It is predicted that data to drive a machine. It Innovation Tri-Valley lun- over the last year with more Association (CSBA). similar software innovations offices in San Jose. Cur- was also predicted that in cheon held at the Casa Real than 25% going to software. rent efforts include provid- The Board of Trustees will ignite the next industrial the future computers would at Ruby Hill Winery. The Two panels, moderated ing radiography services will immediately begin the revolution involving avia- be built differently in order theme was Software Stars process of replacing Ken- (See SOFTWARE, page 4) ney. (See VALLECITOS, page 2) Wind Turbine Ends Sick Frogs Stymie Fish Golden Eagle's Saga Ladder Project By Carol Graham Her wing had been struck For 86 days, she soared and badly damaged by a Two species of frogs in over the Livermore Valley, wind turbine. The workers Sunol Regional Park's Little her seven-foot wingspan a took her to Lindsay Wildlife Yosemite canyon are sup- deep golden brown against Experience in Walnut Creek posed to leave their homes blue summer skies. for treatment. in and around Alameda A satellite telemetry de- "They had seen her try- Creek to make way for a fish vice, #7833, tracked her ing to fly, and flopping on ladder. The ladder will help travels from Mount Diablo the ground," said Lindsay's steelhead migrate upstream to Sunol and the Pleasanton Executive Director Norma for spawning. Ridge to the Altamont Pass. Bishop. "Our veterinarians The federally listed red- But on July 25, the reha- described her wing as shred- legged frog and the yellow- bilitated golden eagle's life ded - bones were broken and legged frog, a candidate came to a heartbreaking, missing. Once they realized for listing, are the affected premature end. how badly she was injured species. She was found on the and that any attempt to save The frogs have to leave ground by two power work- her would be futile, only what will become a noisy, ers at an older wind turbine prolonging her suffering, disturbed site where work- farm in the Altamont Pass they euthanized her." ers will alter the stream Wind Resource Area. She The news devastated bed's rocks and pools. The was alive, but unable to fly. changes will enable the (See EAGLE, page 12) The eagle is held by Marcia Metzler during examination at Lindsay Wildlife Hospital. steelhead to gain better le- verage to make their jumps, and eventually move up- stream beyond the park. Inside PET OF THE WEEK However, the frogs are The sun will always rise with Apollo by your side! sick with a fungus infection. This four-year-old Flame Point Siamese Mix will Environmentalists are afraid SECTION A Editorial..............................4 soak up your attention and make you beam with moving the frogs to another Art & Entertainment...........8 Mailbox...............................4 pride. Bask in the warmth of his love, and adopt environment would affect Bulletin Board..................10 Roundup...............................2 Apollo at Valley Humane Society, 3670 Nevada amphibians there. Street in Pleasanton, Tuesday through Saturday The plan to move them Milestones ................ 11 & 12 Short Notes.....................9 from 10am – 4pm. For more information, please visit has been appealed by the MAIN SECTION Sports..................................6 valleyhumane.org or call (925) 426-8656. Photo - Valley Humane Society/E. Palange (See FROGS, page 2) Classifieds.......................11 Obituaries........................9 PAGE 2 - The Independent, AUGUST 6, 2015 VALLECITOS Partnership to Build Bridge Over Arroyo (continued from page one) ing amphitheater. It will be tor Laura Mercier said adjustment in salary; and and generating industrial posed sale should be made The Livermore Area Rec- reation and Park District moved just a little to the that TVC's directors were other adjustments in line radioisotopes, particularly by October 5. They may (LARPD) will partner with north. in unanimous support of with the already-approved cobalt-60 for tumor therapy be sent by mail to Cindy the Tri-Valley Conservancy The next step in the pro- theproject. "The request for compensation package for and sterilization of medical Bladey, Office of Adminis- (TVC) for the construction cess will involve additional proposals is ready to go out." managers. instruments. tration, Mail Stop OWFN- of a new bridge in Sycamore field investigation of the In other action, the Direc- The new Human Re- GE-Hitachi also leases H08, Nuclear Regulatory Grove Park.