VOLUME XLIX, NUMBER 20 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN • LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2012 Group Moves to Protect Historical Site By Jeff Garberson Carnegie. It has been the object and “scoping” meeting on the centuries long past, according motivates Friends of Tesla Park A citizens group has formed of a decade-long effort by a little Division’s general plan for the to a 2001 article in Bay Nature to want to protect it from damage with the goal of keeping a 3,000 known unit of the California area, including its environmental magazine. Juan Bautista de Anza caused by vehicles — but only acre historical, cultural and wild- State Parks Department called impact report. passed through in the 1770s. Joa- part. Just as compelling to the life site east of Livermore from the Off Highway Motor Vehicle The area under scrutiny is quin Murrieta and Grizzly Adams group’s organizer, Celeste Gara- being devastated by off-road Recreation Division to expand at the easternmost border of Al- lived there in the mid-1800s. mendi, are its natural resources. vehicles, which have already the area now available for cross- ameda County on the south side In the 19th and early 20th Garamendi, sister of the con- laid bare much of Carnegie State country, four-wheel driving. of Corral Hollow Road some Centuries, Tesla became a thriv- gressman, should know. She and Vehicular Area next door. To date, the Division has been 10 miles east Livermore. It is ing town, with as many as 1,500 her husband are ranchers on an Members of the group, called stymied by its inability to pass named for the long abandoned inhabitants drawn partly by the adjacent site. Find Out What's Friends of Tesla Park, shudder environmental reviews under the town of Tesla that once thrived thick coal seam that was once Tesla is a wildlife corridor at the thought that a site they California Environmental Qual- there. In state nomenclature, it California ’s most productive. A for animals like the Tule elk Happening consider a state treasure might ity Act, or CEQA. is the Alameda-Tesla addition to hazardous wagon road, still vis- that she has seen there, she says. soon be scarred by the same kinds It is still trying, however. the Carnegie property. ible in places, connected Tesla to The site’s steep hills and deep Check Out Section A of ruts that now gouge Carnegie Next Monday, from 6:30-8 p.m. The history of the area is a Livermore that then had about valleys are home to rare and in Section A is filled with in- hillsides. at Livermore’s Doubletree Inn, rich. It was a sacred site to Na- the same population. some cases endangered plants formation about arts, people, Tesla is state property, as is there will be a public workshop tive Americans living there in This history is part of what (See TESLA, page 5) entertainment and special events. There are education stories, a variety of features, and the arts and entertainment and bulletin board. Livermore to Add Police College to Award Officers More Than Livermore will be adding seven police officers to the force 800 Degrees over the next two years. Las Positas College will hold At the same time, 22 posi- its 22nd Annual Commencement tions will be eliminated in other Ceremony on Friday, May 25, at departments. About 12 of the 6:00 p.m. in the Physical Educa- positions are vacant now. An ad- ditional eight are expected to be tion Complex. eliminated through retirement. Tickets are required; all grad- “If employees who have said they uates must participate in a re- would retire, decide not to do hearsal beginning at 3:00 p.m. so, then lay-offs would become More than 800 degrees or necessary,” according to City certificates will be conferred Manager Marc Roberts. this year; about 250 graduates Since 2007, the city has seen are expected to attend the com- its workforce drop from 588 to mencement ceremony. 460 employees. Commencement ceremony The decision to add police music will be provided by the officers is based on information Las Positas College Orchestra collected during a budget work- and Wind Ensemble and Jazz shop and from an on-line survey. Ensemble. For more informa- Roberts said that public safety tion, please visit the website was the top concern both at the at www.laspositascollege.edu/ workshop and online. All seven of the new hires graduation Photo - Doug Jorgensen Las Positas College is located will be out on the street. Four Crowds gathered in downtown Livermore to watch the sprint to the finish in Stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California. Peter Sagan (SVK) of officers will be added this year. at 3000 Campus Hill Drive in Liquigas-Cannondale crossed the finish line first taking his third stage win of the 2012 race and making Tour history by winning three consecutive Livermore. They will provide services for stages. “I don’t know what to say because it’s also a surprise for me,” said Sagan when asked about his third consecutive stage win. “I’d like Paragon Outlet Mall and for the to thank my team because they did very good work today.” A four-man break-away occurred less than an hour into 115-mile stage that started northwest portion of the city. In Pleasanton in in northeast San Jose. None of the overall favorites were part of it. Sagan finished the course in 4 hours 50 minutes. July 2013, three more officers will be brought onboard. They Top Ten of will re-establish the drug/gang unit. Cool Challenge Mayor John Marchand point- ed out that respondents to the The City of Pleasanton is survey allocated only 30 percent currently in the Top Ten cities of Teacher Concessions Ease Pleasanton Shortfall Pleasanton school trustees in March, when the early notices hiring of two new teachers for of revenues to public safety. The the CoolCalifornia Challenge, an state funding. actual budget designates over innovative competition between have unanimously approved The district’s $3.3 million for certificated personnel were kindergarten enrollment expan- a tentative contract with the sent. sion, and a number of teacher 50 percent of the budget. “We California cities to reduce their reserves will help to balance the absolutely get it.” community-wide carbon foot- teachers union that would grant budget. The actual number of people retirements, he explained. the district up to $2.3 million in to be layed off is 65, said assis- In the concessions, teachers Adding officers will mean prints and build more vibrant and In a related matter, the board that services will be cut in other concessions. at its meeting May 8 authorized tant superintendent for human have agreed to a slightly higher sustainable communities. It will help the district meet a departments, stated Roberts. The Hosted by the California Air sending out final layoff notices resources Bill Faraghan. staffing ratio in high school, shift- projected $5.5 million shortfall, The net difference is attributed ing from 27-1 to 28-1. In middle cuts will be across the board. Resources Board, the year-long for 70 full-time equivalent posi- Examples of cuts will be reduc- because of the decline again in tions, the same as was projected to shared full-time positions, the (See PLEASANTON, page 4) program began on April 1 and (See OFFICERS, page 4) includes the cities of Chula Vista, Citrus Heights, Davis, Gonzales, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, Sacramento, San Jose, Santa Livermore Garbage San Ramon Cruz, and Tracy. By the end of June, the three cities with the May Drop highest points will be named Rates Going Up finalists, and the ‘Coolest City in Livermore residents and busi- cover the cost of collecting solid Out of TV 30 California’ will be crowned later nesses will pay more for trash waste, recyclables and organics. The San Ramon City Council in the year. collection starting July 1. As part of the agreement with is discussing whether to drop out The CoolCalifornia Challenge The city council vote was Livermore to provide the service, of Tri-Valley Community Televi- provides participants with points unanimous to raise the rates for Livermore Sanitation is entitled sion (TVCTV), which operates for taking particular actions. garbage collection. to full compensation to cover TV 30 in Livermore, Pleasanton, The Livermore City Council costs. The average residential Dublin, and San Ramon. All Pleasanton residents can If the decision were made to participate. Within Pleasanton, also reviewed rates for custom- customer will pay $3 to $6 more ers who purchase water from the leave, it likely would have a neg- households will be recognized per month. city and fees to play golf at Las Mayor John Marchand noted ative financial impact on future for contributions through actions Positas Golf Course. financing of the TVCTV local toward making Pleasanton more that the actual cost to serve each A rate increase was requested residential customer is $47 per civic government and education sustainable. Each household by Livermore Sanitation (LSI) to (See RATES, page 4) channels, which also serve the earns 100 points just for signing Tri-Valley’s other four cities. up, and additional points for fill- The San Ramom Council ing out an online survey, upload- at its meeting May 8 heard ing a photo, and inviting friends Stark, Swalwell, from former Livermore Mayor to join. Pleasanton residents can Marshall Kamena, former San cast their vote for Pleasanton and Ramon Mayor Abram Wilson, participate in the free program by Pareja Run in 15th CD and TVCTV executive director visiting http://www.coolcalifor- Melissa Tench-Stevens.