Thursday, January 19, 2017 VOLUME LIV, NUMBER 3 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN, LIVERMORE, PLEASANTON, SUNOL Talk Next Week in Livermore on Geologic Beauty and Seismic Risk A prominent Stanford geologist ence to public audiences as well In an interview prior to his “I don’t want to frighten people, See Inside Section A will speak in Livermore next week as for his contributions to geology talk, he said that the presence of but I also don’t want to soothe Section A is filled with on the role that seismic dynamics over a career that has spanned more the San Andreas Fault system them,” he said of his upcoming information about arts, people, have played in bringing physical than four decades. has made Northern California a presentation. entertainment and special events. beauty and a diverse landscape to His talk, part of the Rae Dor- place of great natural beauty, with “My perspective is that just There are education stories, a Northern California, but also the ough Speaker Series, is scheduled bays, coastline, redwood trees and about everything we love about variety of features, and the arts risk of serious earthquake damage. to start at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday, mountains. It has also made the the Bay Area has been created by and entertainment and The geologist is Ross Stein, January 26, in Livermore’s Bank- region, including the Tri-Valley, a bulletin board. known for his ability to bring sci- head Theater. place of considerable risk. (See QUAKES, page 7) Flooding Closes Del Valle, Sycamore Grove The recent heavy rains have but it has a few times in the past flooded Lake Del Valle Park and years, said Castile. The drought Sycamore Grove Park near Liver- had eliminated the danger of any more, leading to their closure until flooding. further notice. The public can check the Steve Castile, chief of Park EBRPD web page to see when the Operations for East Bay Regional park will reopen at www.ebparks. Park District (EBRPD), which org/closure. Click on the appropri- operates DelValle, said the dis- ate park heading. trict hopes to reopen by Jan. 30. The flooding at Del Valle led to However, it will depend on the water releases from the dam, which weather. flowed into Sycamore Grove Park. “It’s too muddy and wet now. At Sycamore Grove, water was Another storm is forecast,” Castile above trails. The closure was nec- said on Tuesday. Crews can’t make essary to protect the public, said the area whole again until there Livermore Area Recreation and are no more threats from heavy Park District (LARPD) Executive storms, he added. Director Tim Barry. At the peak of the storm, Del LARPD keeps an eye on long- Photo - Doug Jorgensen Valle water was eight feet above range forecasts. It's unknown when Rain at sunset produced a colorful scene highlighted by a rainbow. flood stage. By Tuesday it receded the park will reopen. four feet over flood stage. Picnic The Las Positas Golf Course tables were under water.Flooding in Livermore experienced some does not happen often at Del Valle, (See FLOODING, page 2) Supervisors Narrow Down Medical Mayors Visit Federal Officials, Marijuana Recommendations Seek Funds for Local Projects Selling and growing medical new industry. State law makes it into law three bills (Assembly cannabis in East Alameda County fully robust. Rather than let the Bills 243 and 266, and Senate Bill By Ron McNicoll dividual city. drew both support and opposition industry run amok, we are attempt- 643) that created a licensing and Tri-Valley mayors are in Wash- The mayors serve on commit- during a hearing held last week in ing to regulate it." regulatory framework for com- ington this week for their annual tees in the Mayors Conference. Livermore. He also noted that the industry mercial medical cannabis. This has lobbying for federal funds to fi- Haubert serves on the economic The hearing took place in front could provide a revenue source for been amended by recent legislation nance Tri-Valley projects. development committee. He said of the Alameda County Transpor- the county, through permitting fees including AB 21 and SB 837. The The delegation includes David that the committee does a good job tation and Planning Committee and taxes, to help pay for services County is in the process of con- Haubert from Dublin, Jerry Thorne of bringing to the forefront valu- comprised of Supervisors Scott the county delivers. sidering revisions to the County from Pleasanton, John Marchand able information. "It’s an efficient Haggerty and Nate Miley. In 2015, the state legislature General Ordinance Code regard- from Livermore, Bill Clarkson way to learn about new things Miley commented, "This is a passed and the governor signed from San Ramon, and Renee Mor- that are going on throughout the (See MEDICAL, page 7) gan from Danville. country.” The annual trip to the U.S. Thorne serves on committees Conference of Mayors in January dealing with parks and recreation, Hearing on Aquifer Exemption draws mayors from all over the economic development, and Vet- nation to meet with federal staff erans Affairs. Thorne said that officials and elected members of the mayors need to keep pushing Draws Pro and Con Comments Congress. on the Livermore Valley Open The Tri-Valley mayors discov- Campus at Lawrence Livermore State regulators took public hand speaking for and against be injected. The exemption would ered a few years ago that visiting National Laboratory and Sandia input in Livermore on a proposal the proposed expansion. If the apply to the Greenville Sands the capital as a united delegation National Laboratories to benefit involving a proposed aquifer exemption were approved, the portion located approximately seeking money for solutions to the whole area. exemption expansion for an oil State would be able to expand the 3,400 feet east of Greenville Road. regional problems received a bet- Marchand, who was a water field in Livermore. No decision underground geologic formation Currently there are 26 acres in the ter reception from Congress and chemist before he retired, serves was made. into which waste fluids associated the administration than did a visit on the Water Council. A major About a 100 people were on with oil and gas production could (See AQUIFER, page 8) from a mayor representing an in- (See MAYORS, page 5) Former Candidate Rejected for Pierpoint Named Dublin Planning Commission to Fill Vacant LARPD Seat By Ron McNicoll Melissa Hernandez-Strah. The A stand on a political issue nominations are made solely by Philip Pierpont was appointed during the November Dublin Haubert. The councilmembers by the Livermore Area Recreation City Council campaign may have must approve the appointments. and Park District (LARPD) board cost Mona Lisa Ballesteros an The appointments were consid- to replace former Director Bob appointment to the city Planning ered first at the Dec. 20 meeting. Coomber. Commission. However, Gupta halted the pro- Coomber was elected to the city council in November. The Dublin council voted unan- ceedings with a call to change the imously at its meeting Jan. 10 to At its Dec. 14 meeting, the qualifications for appointees to the LARPD board voted to fill the appoint Stephen Wright and Amrit Planning Commission. Gupta said vacancy by appointment. Kothari to fill two of the three then, and again on Jan. 10, that the Four applicants were inter- positions. However, Ballesteros, past Planning Commissioners per- viewed: Evan Branning, Kevin who recently left the city’s Parks formance was poor. He called the Johnston, Paula Krauter and Philip and Recreation Commission after panel “dysfunctional” and said that Pierpont. four years’ service, was rejected there should be some demonstrated Pierpont will serve the remain- on a 3-2 vote. expertise in a building-related field der of Coomber's term through Mayor David Haubert and by at least some commissioners. December 2018. Councilmember Arun Goel voted Gupta told Haubert that having Photo - Doug Jorgensen Board President Beth Wilson, for Ballesteros. She was opposed a candidate say he or she opposes St. Michael's Catholic Church domes in Livermore received a commented, "We’re so pleased to by Vice Mayor Don Biddle and cleaning to prep them for painting The church, at the corner of 4th welcome Philip Pierpont to com- Councilmembers Abe Gupta and (See DUBLIN, page 2) and Maple Streets, was built after the first St. Michael's burned in 1916. (See LARPD, page 6) PET OF THE WEEK "Pretty Boy" Floyd has much more to offer than just a cute INSIDE and fluffy face! This one-year-old feline has a trick up his sleeve. Floyd will use his wit, charm, and playfulness to MAIN SECTION Sports .................................... 6 steal your love. He’s a natural class clown whose devious Classifieds........................... 10 Obituaries .............................. 9 pranks will warm your heart. Floyd is yours for the taking at Valley Humane Society at 3670 Nevada Street in Pleasanton, Editorial ................................. 4 SECTION A Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am – 4 pm. For more info Mailbox .................................. 4 Art & Entertainment .............. 8 visit valleyhumane.org or call (925) 426-8656. Photo - Valley Roundup ................................ 3 Bulletin Board ..................... 10 Humane Society/K. Jacoby Short Notes ......................... 10 Milestones ........................... 12 2 The Independent • January 19, 2017 DUBLIN (continued from page one) growth with the expectation attention to reviewing the attention to such things, and having “ideologues,” who group of planning commis- felt that there were better of voting against develop- design and the functionality not “playing politics,” said talk about growth and school sioners was a “little more qualified candidates, includ- mentrs is not a qualification of such things as parking lot Gupta.