Blog Feed: Action Alameda News

By Erica Madison With ninety percent of the crowd voicing support for Greenway Golf, it came as no surprise when City Council unanimously voted last week for Greenway Golf to take over management of the Chuck Corica Golf Complex. City of Alameda staff clearly favored Kemper, and City Manager John Russo spent the [...] > read more

Raymond Zack Family Sues City of Alameda and County of Alameda

Published on 2012-05-25 14:25:27

Today, relatives of Raymond Zack, an Alameda man that drowned at Crown Beach last Memorial Day, filed a lawsuit against the City of Alameda and the County of Alameda over his death, claiming unspecified damages. The case is RG12632015 in Alameda County Superior Court. According to the suit, first responders on the scene [...] > read more

BREAKING NEWS: Raymond Zack Family Files Lawsuit Against City of Alameda

Published on 2012-05-24 18:44:18

BREAKING NEWS: Raymond Zack family files lawsuit against City of Alameda over Memorial Day 2011 death while first responders stood on beach. More news as its available. > read more

More Airline Traffic Coming to Oakland Airport

Published on 2012-05-24 13:54:09

A new report by the Regional Airport Planning Committee (RAPC), released this week, recommends encouraging airlines to add more flights to Oakland International Airport, to shift passengers there from San Francisco International Airport. The result could be more noise for Alameda residents. According to the Regional Aviation Activity Tracking Report, from 2007 to [...] > read more

Artemis Racing to Prepare for America’s Cup in Alameda

Published on 2012-05-24 10:15:06

Artemis Racing, representing the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, will prepare for next year’s 34th America’s Cup in Alameda. The City of Alameda announced yesterday that the team will be leasing a 110,000 square foot former airplane hangar as its base of operations at Alameda Point. “Alameda offers convenient shoreline water access to our [...] > read more

Projected Alameda Budget Shortfall Grows

Published on 2012-05-23 10:58:03

The projected Alameda general fund budget shortfall for the 2012 to 2013 fiscal year has grown from $4.4 million to $5.1 million. Part of the problem is rising pension costs for city employees in the public safety and miscellaneous categories. A presentation prepared by city staff for a May 29th City Council budget [...] > read more

Social Rewards Internet Startup Launches in Alameda

Published on 2012-05-22 08:17:08

An Alameda-based social rewards Internet startup company, Givegoods, was launched on May 18th. Givegoods works with local businesses to provide discount coupons in return for a charitable donation. For example, a local restaurant might over $20 off a $40 dinner in return for a $20 charitable donation through Givegoods’ website. Of the $20 [...] > read more

City Asks for Proposals for Website Redesign

Published on 2012-05-21 10:04:21

The City of Alameda has issued a request for proposals to design a new website. According to the call-for-proposals document, “The goal is to have a cost-effective, architecturally sound website that is easy to use and maintain yet flexible enough to support future upgrades and initiatives.” A new website design was previously launched [...] > read more

School District Says It’s Reached a Tentative Agreement With CSEA Local

Published on 2012-05-18 16:46:16

The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) says that it has reached a tentative agreement in negoations with the California School Employees Association #860. AUSD says it will provide Maintenance, Operations and Food Service Unit members a one percent one-time increase in compensation at the end of this school year, and a one-and-half percent [...] > read more

Alameda to South San Francisco Ferry Service to Begin June 4th

Published on 2012-05-17 07:01:13

A new ferry service will begin June 4th to take passengers from Alameda and Oakland to South San Francisco, and the first week is free. The ride from the East Bay to Oyster Point in South San Francisco – a biotech hub – will take 40 to 50 minutes, according to the Water [...] > read more

PG&E Closes Gas Leak at Cardinal Point

Published on 2012-05-16 22:24:21

Early this evening, PG&E secured a natural gas leak near Cardinal Point. At around 6:00 p.m., Alameda Police had Mariner Square Drive north of Marina Village Parkway closed as police and firefighters responded to a 4″ natural gas relief valve “off-gassing” near the Cardinal Point assisted living facility. Previously, officials had issued a [...] > read more

Mother Has Unanswered Questions on Anniversary of Son’s Death

Published on 2012-05-16 07:01:37

by Tammy Sorensen As the one year anniversary of my 13 year old son Brandon Sorensen’s death approaches, there are many questions still left unanswered and some rumors I’d like to clarify. Since the tragic day of May 16th, 2011, I struggle every day with what happened and how the case was handled. [...] > read more

National Police Week

Published on 2012-05-15 09:56:41

This week is National Police week, which recognizes officers killed in the line of duty. According to an announcement from the Alameda Police Department, the names of 362 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, this year. These 362 names [...] > read more

City Council to Give John Russo a Performance Evaluation

Published on 2012-05-11 11:10:08

In a closed session meeting on Tuesday, Alameda City Council will give City Manager John Russo a performance evaluation. Mr. Russo is up for a $10,000 per year salary increase. John Russo, formerly the City Attorney for Oakland, started a five year contract on June 13th of last year with an annual salary [...] > read more

Alameda Solidier Killed in Afghanistan

Published on 2012-05-08 10:03:06

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier from Alameda, who was killed in Afghanistan. According to a media release, Staff Sgt. Thomas K. Fogarty, 30, of Alameda, died on Sunday, in Ahmad-Kheyl, from injuries after his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to [...] > read more

Alameda Municipal Power Website Hacked

Published on 2012-05-07 18:05:31

Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) announced today that its website was hacked last week and links to outside sites were inserted in its web pages. The City of Alameda-owned utility said that no customer sensitive data was compromised, as it is located in a separate secure server. Action Alameda New readers alerted this publication [...] > read more

FPPC Says Hospital Board Doctor Has No Conflict of Interest

Published on 2012-05-07 07:01:46

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has ruled that Dr. Robert Deutsch, M.D., who operates a pulmonary practice out of Alameda Hospital and sits on the Alameda Health Care District Board of Directors, does not have a conflict of interest when voting to impose the Hospital’s annual parcel tax. Alameda Hospital is [...] > read more

Expect Airport Noise This Weekend

Published on 2012-05-04 09:56:55

The City of Alameda is warning residents that a temporary runway closure this weekend at Oakland Airport is likely to generate noise for Alameda residents, as flight activity shifts to the north field. The 10,000 foot long runway 11/29 will be closed temporarily for a taxiway reconstruction project from 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, [...] > read more

Alameda Hospital Director Speaks Out on Financial Condition

Published on 2012-05-03 10:04:54

Through a parcel tax, Alameda taxpayers subsidize Alameda Hospital to the tune of roughly $6 million per year. Recently, in an exchange of op-ed articles in the local press, former Alameda City Councilmember Frank Matarrese suggested that we can no longer afford to support a full service hospital in Alameda, and Alameda Hospital CEO [...] > read more

Alameda Resident’s Equality Bill Passes Assembly Health Committee

Published on 2012-05-02 11:10:21

A bill intended to equalize access to fertility medical care for LGBT people, conceived by an Alameda resident, has cleared the California Assembly Health Committee. Bill AB2356, driven by Alameda family nurse practitioner Leland Traiman, passed committee yesterday on a 13 to 5 vote and moves on to the State Assembly. The bill [...] > read more

Alameda City Council to Consider Approving Alameda Point Development Strategy Next Week

Published on 2012-05-02 11:00:37

At a special city council meeting next week, city staff will ask the council to approve a development and disposition strategy for Alameda Point. The City of Alameda expects that significant portions of Alameda Point will be transferred from the U.S. Navy to the City this year. The latest development strategy from the [...] > read more

City Cancels Special Budget Hearing Due to Lack of Clarity

Published on 2012-04-30 23:33:51

The City of Alameda has cancelled a planned special budget hearing for May 8th, citing lack of sufficient clarity on key general fund variables such as changes in investment assumptions by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). In February, CalPERS notified public agencies that it was considering changing its investment assumptions; when [...] > read more

California’s Job-Housing Plan Puts Financial Pressure on Alameda

Published on 2012-04-30 10:03:22

By Erica Madison On April 23, 2012, Planning Manager Andrew Thomas revealed a flaw in California’s new green plan for the Bay Area. In an effort to reduce greenhouse gases, California passed the Sustainable Communities Strategy—Senate Bill 375(SCS). The bill’s author, which was passed in 2009, believes building homes closer to core job [...] > read more

Bank of Alameda Parent Announces First Quarter Earnings

Published on 2012-04-27 10:06:26

Yesterday, NorCal Community Bancorp, the parent company of Bank of Alameda, reported earnings for the first quarter of 2012. Profit for the quarter was $269,000 or $0.03 per diluted share; in the same period in 2011, the company realized a net loss of $195,000 or a loss of $0.02 per diluted share. In [...] > read more

Report: California sees large returns on higher-ed investments

Published on 2012-04-26 13:45:06

By Sarah Butrymowicz, The Hechinger Report Is it worth it for California to invest in higher education? That’s the central question posed by a new report examining the state’s spending on its university system and how much graduates end up contributing back to the state budget. The answer? “A resounding yes,” said Michele Siqueiros, [...] > read more

Metropolitian Transportation Commission Seeks Residents to Fill Policy Advisory Council Vacancies

Published on 2012-04-24 21:48:22

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is seeking Bay Area residents to fill four vacancies on its Policy Advisory Council. At least one position can be from a resident of Alameda County or any of the other eight Bay Area counties. The at-large representative of the economy or the environment may be from any of [...] > read more

Alameda Police Seek Graffiti Vandals

Published on 2012-04-20 15:01:16

Alameda police are seeking information on whomever is painting graffiti across the city. Police say the photos taken below are of the side of the Alameda theater, and that there are eight documented incidents of similar acts of graffiti across Alameda. Some of the graffiti reads “Dirty Boy(z)” and “Cop Killer.” Police ask [...] > read more

Councilmember Asks For Review of November 2010 Election

Published on 2012-04-20 13:07:20

Alameda City Councilmember Doug deHaan has put a referral item on the May 1st City Council meeting agenda that would have city staff perform an analysis of campaign financial activities during the November 2010 election, based on the proposed Campaign Financial Reform Ordinance proposed by the Sunshine Task Force. Councilmember deHaan is also [...] > read more

Alameda Municipal Power Hikes Rates

Published on 2012-04-19 15:03:21

At Monday’s Public Utilities Board meeting, the board approved an overall 3.25% rate increase for Alameda Municipal Power. The new rates become effective July 1 of this year; they are the third increase in a planned five year rate increase plan. According to a media statement from the utility, the average residential customer [...] > read more

Stop Wasting Taxpayer Dollars

Published on 2012-04-18 07:01:36

City Staff: Stop Wasting Taxpayer Dollars by Eugenie Thomson, P.E. Have you ever said to yourself, I wish bureaucrats understood real money? Or thought, why does City Hall make things so complicated and expensive? Those are my thoughts of late, not to mention wondering why, as a retiree, I’m spending my time trying [...] > read more

City of Alameda Hires Amy Woolridge from Pinole for Rec and Park Director

Published on 2012-04-17 11:26:06

The City of Alameda has hired Amy Woolridge, most recently the Recreation Director for the City of Pinole, to serve as Alameda’s new Recreation and Park Director. Ms. Woolridge replaces Dale Lillard, who recently retired. According to a media release from the City Manager’s office, Woolridge was the recreation director with Pinole since [...] > read more

Park Street Planting Proceeds

Published on 2012-04-16 13:27:01

Roughly six months after mature trees were removed from Park Street, the major business district in Alameda, to much uproar, the trees are no returning. There was a huge outcry from Alameda residents last fall when mature trees up and down Park Street were ripped out, leaving the street bare just before the [...] > read more

Thanks for Reporting on Grants for Alameda Firefighter Wildfire Training

Published on 2012-04-14 08:47:39

Dear Editor, Thank you for reporting on the grant that Alameda’s firefighters received to learn how to fight wildfires. Once as children, my brother and I accidentally ignited some dead grass with a magnifying glass. We were able to put it out before our mother caught us. We have lived in fear of wildfires [...] > read more

Another Schools Parcel Tax on the Ballot on June 5th

Published on 2012-04-13 11:50:02

In addition to Measure C, Alameda voters will consider on June 5th a $48 per parcel tax put on the ballot by the Peralta Community College District. Measure B would tax all parcels in the district, including parcels in Alameda, a flat $48 to raise money for the College of Alameda, Laney College, [...] > read more

Who Gets Access to Publicly Owned Swimming Pools?

Published on 2012-04-13 07:01:46

A letter from Action Alameda News publisher David Howard Measure C promises to build yet another swimming pool in Alameda, which we surely can’t afford to maintain better than any of the existing four pools. Construction generally amounts to 1/3rd of a facility’s total lifetime cost to operate, and Measure C provides no operating [...] > read more

City Reaches Agreement with Jim’s on the Course

Published on 2012-04-12 13:04:39

The City of Alameda announced this week that it has reached a 25 year lease agreement with Jim’s on the Course at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex. According to a media release provided by the City of Alameda, the agreement will allow Tom Geanekos, the owner of Jim’s, to renovate and expand by [...] > read more

Residents Push Back on Public Works, Allege False Filings with Feds

Published on 2012-04-11 15:48:09

A group of east-end Alameda residents is pushing back on a City of Alameda Public Works plan to modify a neighborhood intersection, amidst allegations of false statements on federal grant applications. The intersection in question is that of Gibbons Drive and Northwood Drive and Southwood Drive, just north of Lincoln Avenue. The City [...] > read more

Alameda Municipal Power Budget Workshop, Rate Increase, Next Monday

Published on 2012-04-10 10:44:53

Alameda Municipal Power, a city-owned utility, will host a public budget workshop next Monday, April 16, in advance of finalizing its 2012/2013 fiscal year budget. The budget workshop will begin at 4 p.m. at the Alameda Main Library at 1550 Oak Street; utility staff will present its proposed 2013 fiscal year budget to [...] > read more

Questions abound as districts shift to merit pay for teachers

Published on 2012-04-09 16:09:34

By Scott Elliott, The Hechinger Report Raymond Park Intermediate Academy Principal Ryan Russell sits in on the fifth-grade classroom of Jen Hess for a three- to five-minute “walk through” evaluation of her class. If your child’s teacher seems a little bit on edge this year, it might not be your imagination. Education [...] > read more

Update on Golf Complex Finances Tomorrow

Published on 2012-04-09 11:54:59

The Alameda Golf Commission will get an update on the golf complex finances tomorrow from Kemper Sports. According to the staff report, revenue is up. Revenue for February was $260,775, up $76,925 from the same month in 2011. Golfers played 8,488 rounds in February, up 2,296 rounds from the same month in the [...] > read more

City of Alameda to Receive $271,135 Federal Grant for Wildland Firefighting Equipment

Published on 2012-04-06 13:02:52

On April 17th, Alameda City Council will consider a staff recommendation to appropriate $54,227 in matching funds from the City’s general fund to secure a $271,135 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program for the Replacement of of Wildland Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment and Firefighter Survival Training. [...] > read more

Issuing Bonds Against Measure C will Increase the Cost of All Purchases

Published on 2012-04-06 10:45:05

Dear Editor, When I was Vice-Mayor and advocating for a new fire station on Bay Farm Island (BFI), I walked into the old BFI station for a tour. I was greeted by firefighters in lounge chairs watching pornography. They got all the cable channels. Their full kitchen and living quarters were better than [...] > read more

Alameda Police Focusing on Distracted Driving This Month

Published on 2012-04-05 22:37:38

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has designated the month of April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Alameda Police will be focusing on distracted driving all this month. The most common distractions while driving observed by Alameda Police are: talking or texting on mobile phones, using smartphone maps, eating, applying make-up, [...] > read more

Alameda Municipal Power Says Birds and Balloons Cause of Last Night’s Power Outages

Published on 2012-04-04 16:48:47

Alameda Municipal Power spokesperson Bill Garvine said that birds and mylar balloons were the cause of power blips and outages that affected Alameda last night. Not all the details were confirmed, but Mr. Garvine said a “blip” at 10:11 p.m. affected about 1,000 east-end customers, and a roughly four hour outage began at [...] > read more

Special City of Alameda Budget Meeting Planned for May 8th

Published on 2012-04-04 16:01:14

At a Kiwanis Club luncheon meeting today, Alameda City Manager John Russo said that at a special budget meeting planned for May 8th, city staff will present to council a plan to address the city’s general fund deficit through fiscal year 2015/2016. A handout provided by Mr. Russo indicated a budget deficit of [...] > read more

Q&A with Steve Barr: Lessons from charter schools in L.A. and New Orleans

Published on 2012-04-04 13:13:50

by Sarah Carr, Hechinger Report. Reprinted with permission. Steve Barr has often found himself in the minority as a charter school founder who supports teacher unionization, albeit of a transformed nature. About 12 percent of charter schools nationally employ unionized teachers, according to recent data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. [...] > read more

Alameda Teachers Reject Tentative Bargaining Agreement

Published on 2012-04-03 12:43:50

Updated: April 3rd, 12:26 p.m. – AUSD Superintendent Kirsten Vital comments on union rejection of agreement. Late last week, Alameda teachers rejected a tentative agreement with the Alameda Unified School District that would have provided them a 1 percent raise for the 2011-2012 school year, and kept K-3 class sizes at 25. A [...] > read more

Rain Bumps Spring Egg Scramble

Published on 2012-04-02 12:24:55

Wet and wild weather on Saturday forced the City of Alameda to re-schedule the Spring Egg Scramble for this coming Saturday, April 7th. The free event is now scheduled to take place this Saturday, April 7th, at 10 a.m. at Crab Cove. There will be arts and crafts, photos with the Easter bunny [...] > read more

Alameda Police Shoot, Kill Pitbull

Published on 2012-04-01 22:21:55

Alameda Police said tonight that an officer shot and killed a pitbull dog on the 3200 block of Fiji Lane after responding to a report of a disturbance. The Alameda Police Department said that at about 5:45 p.m. on Sunday evening, police responded to a call from an adult male reporting that his [...] > read more

Alameda County Transportation Tax Increase, Extension, on Ballot in November

Published on 2012-03-30 10:18:57

In addition to Measure C in June, and a State of California Sales Tax Increase in November, voters in Alameda and environs will also have a chance to vote in November on a transportation tax increase sponsored by the Alameda County Transportation Commission. The measure would double the Alameda County “Measure B” half-cent [...] > read more

City-sponsored Easter Egg Scramble at Crab Cove on Saturday

Published on 2012-03-28 23:15:33

The annual City of Alameda-sponsored (Easter) egg scramble will be held this Saturday at Crab Cove at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach. The event is free to the public and begins at 10 a.m. and runs to 11:40 a.m. In the event of rain, a “rain or shine” make-up event will be held [...] > read more

Special Alameda City Council Meeting Next Week

Published on 2012-03-28 23:10:58

Alameda City Council will hold a special meeting next Tuesday, April 3rd, at 6pm, in the City Council Chambers conference room. The closed-session items for discussion are: CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION (54956.9) Name of Case: Liz Williams v. City Council, et al. Superior Court of California, Alameda County Case No. [...] > read more

Alameda Police Search for Alleged Cosmetics Thieves

Published on 2012-03-27 16:40:39

Alameda Police are looking for a man and a woman alleged to have stole over $1000 in cosmetics from the CVS drug store at Harbor Bay Landing Shopping Center. According to police, a man and woman entered the store on the afternoon of Saturday, March 24th, and placed over 130 items in a [...] > read more

511 Trip Planner Released as an iPhone App

Published on 2012-03-27 07:01:51

A free 511 Transit App for the iPhone is now available on the iPhone App Store. An Apple iTunes account is required to download the application. A version for Android phones is also available on Google Play. According to a statement from the Metropolitan Transit Commission, “he app provides door-to-door transit trip planning [...] > read more

City of Alameda Approves Housing Authority Deregulation

Published on 2012-03-26 22:06:01

By Erica Madison Starting April 22, 2012 the Housing Authority will become an independent organization. The details were ironed out at a Special City Council meeting on Tuesday March 20, 2012. In order for the Housing Authority to become an independent entity, Alameda City Council had to relinquish their roles as the Board [...] > read more

School District Reaches Tentative Agreement With Teachers

Published on 2012-03-26 07:01:54

The Alameda Unified School District says that it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the bargaining unit representing teachers in the district. According to a release provided to the media on Friday by Kerri Lonergan, Superintendent’s Assistant for AUSD, negotiating teams for both the district and the Alameda Education Association reached an [...] > read more

Approval of $7.7 Billion Transportation Tax Measure Delayed by Alameda City Council

Published on 2012-03-23 15:06:16

By Erica Madison Alameda County Transportation Commission presented their thirty year one-cent tax proposal to Alameda City Council on Tuesday March 20, 2012, but Alameda City Councilmember Lena Tam pushed to delay the council’s decision, citing “a lack of education” as the reason. The Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) wants to update measure [...] > read more

Public Meetings on Single-Use Bag Reduction Ordinance

Published on 2012-03-20 11:18:40

Recently, the Alameda County Waste Management Authority (ACWMA) adopted an ordinance to reduce the use of plastic bags provided by stores. The City of Alameda almost opted out of the program, but, in the end, did not. Now, the City of Alameda Public Works Department will hold two public meetings on the matter. [...] > read more

Upcoming Hearing on State Budget Impact on Subsidized Child Care and Early Education

Published on 2012-03-19 07:01:11

On Wednesday, there will be a meeting where Alameda County representatives will discuss with the public the impacts of state budget cuts on subsidized child care and early education. Alameda resident Caroline Topee, who has worked in the past to preserve the services provided by the Woodstock Child Development Center told Action Alameda [...] > read more

West-end Commuters to Get Caffeine Relief When Starbucks Re-opens

Published on 2012-03-16 09:28:37

Monday morning should be a better day for commuters in the West end of Alameda, as the Starbucks at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Webster is set to re-open. The store was closed roughly 10 days ago for renovation and expansion, after the neighboring Togo’s sandwich shop closed. A spokesperson for [...] > read more

City of Oakland Denies Pot Dispensary Proposed Near High Street Bridge

Published on 2012-03-15 13:20:40

The City of Alameda alerted the media today that an application for a cannabis dispensary proposed in the City of Oakland at 4709 Tidewater Avenue, near the High Street bridge in Alameda’s East end, was denied. The location set off alarm bells with some Alameda residents, who objected to the club’s proximity to [...] > read more

Alameda’s Wind River Receives Customer Excellence Award

Published on 2012-03-15 11:40:49

Wind River, and Alameda-based technology company, announced this week that it has been awarded a MarketTools Achievement in Customer Excellence award. According to a company statement, to be eligible for the award, contenders must have conducted one or more surveys to assess customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, or partner satisfaction between October 1, 2010 [...] > read more

Estuary Crossing Shuttle Funded for Another Year

Published on 2012-03-13 10:32:27

The City of Alameda Public Works Department has announced that the San Francisco Bay Area Air Quality Management District has granted a second year of funding for the Estuary Crossing Shuttle. The shuttle runs between West Alameda and downtown Oakland, and is designed to help pedestrians and bicyclists overcome the challenge of getting [...] > read more

Federal Education Data Shows Racial Disparities in Alameda Schools

Published on 2012-03-12 07:01:06

Released last week, new federal education data highlights stark disparities among students of different races in a school district that promises “excellence & equity for all students.” The conclusions come from an analysis of data by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. According to ProPublica, which provided the story we [...] > read more

Alameda Firefighters Hire Media Relations Consultant

Published on 2012-03-10 16:04:32

In the wake of the controversy over the drowning death of Raymond Zack, when first responders stood on the beach while the Alameda resident drowned in shallow water last year, the Alameda Firefighters union, IAFF Local 689, has apparently hired media relations consultant. The website for Duffy & Capitolo, a political campaign management [...] > read more

Alameda’s Coast Guard Island Participates in Naval Research Lab Satellite Test

Published on 2012-03-09 10:03:30

The United States Naval Research Laboratory announced today that the Eleventh Coast Guard District, headquartered on Coast Guard Island in Alameda, participated in a successful experiment with the laboratory’s TacSat-4 communications satellite on January 24th, by communicating with Coast Guard cutter Healy in the Bering Sea, roughly 260 nautical miles south of the Arctic [...] > read more

Alameda City Council Puts Sales Tax Increase on the Ballot

Published on 2012-03-08 10:14:07

Alameda City Council voted last night to put a one-half percent local sales tax increase on the ballot, increasing the tax to 9.25 percent. The stated purpose of the tax is to pay for a number of items, including a new police vehicle fleet, a new emergency operations center, a new 50-meter swimming [...] > read more

Alameda City Council Rejects Mif Albright Land Swap Proposal

Published on 2012-03-07 11:12:26

Last night, Alameda City Council voted 5 to 0 to reject a controversial land swap deal that would have seen developer Ron Cowan build 130 new homes built on a portion of the Chuck Corica Golf Complex. Mary Theresa Anderson, President of Protect Our Alameda Parks, told Action Alameda News, “I am very [...] > read more

School of Hard Knocks: Fed Education Data Shows Racial Disparities, Unequal Opportunity

Published on 2012-03-06 13:28:00

by Marian Wang ProPublica, March 6, 2012, 1:25 p.m. Eastern � Schools serving the most black and Hispanic students are less likely to offer rigorous subjects such as calculus and physics and more likely to employ teachers with only a year or two of experience. Those findings come from a new data analysis [...] > read more

Mif Albright Swap Proposal Before Alameda City Council Again Tonight

Published on 2012-03-06 10:37:34

The controversial question of a proposal to turn over a portion of the Chuck Corica Golf Complex to local developer Ron Cowan will be considered by Alameda City Council tonight. Mr. Cowan has proposed exchanging undevelopable land his firm owns on North Loop Road for a portion of the golf complex, where he [...] > read more

Earthquake Wakes Alameda at 5:33 AM

Published on 2012-03-05 08:08:50

The East Bay, including Alameda, was shaken by a magnitude 4.0 earthquake this morning just after 5:30 am. The US Geological Service put the epicenter of the quake 1 mile north of El Cerrito, and 5.5 miles deep. By 6:00 am, over 140 Alameda residents had filed a report with the service. > read more

Alameda Sales Tax Increase Proposal is a Rush to Folly

Published on 2012-03-05 06:01:54

A letter from Action Alameda News publisher David Howard. Alameda City Manager John Russo’s proposal to increase the sales tax rate in Alameda to 9.25 percent won’t solve the current general fund deficit problem, and is not likely to raise the money to pay for all his promises in a meaningful time frame. What’s [...] > read more

Alameda City Council Holds Private Town Hall Meeting for Pro-Swap supporters

Published on 2012-03-04 06:01:47

By Erica Madison The Mif Albright swap forces a race against time, between members of Alameda City Council and the citizen action group Protect Our Alameda Parks. There is a lot of opposition against the Mif Albright swap for North Loop Road property. The Protect Our Alameda Parks citizens’ action group was created [...] > read more

Alameda Citizens Debate Over Winners and Losers in Mif Albright Swap (Part 1)

Published on 2012-03-03 13:46:50

By Erica Madison Golf, youth sports, traffic increases, infrastructure pressures and $7.2 million dollars have divided Alameda Citizens; a passionate debate leaves children as the common denominator in the middle of it all. Section 22-12 of the Alameda City Charter says: public parks cannot be sold without a vote of the public, except [...] > read more

Alameda Citizens Debate Over Winners and Losers in Mif Albright Swap (Part 2)

Published on 2012-03-03 13:46:17

By Erica Madison [Go back to Part 1] Bail’s dream come true is actually a nightmare for the opposition. Jane Sullwold, who is president of the Golf Commission has many reasons for her opposition. Here’s the problem the Mif Albright Swap presents: The City of Alameda will give the Chuck Corica Golf Complex [...] > read more

City to Kick-in Another $46,154 to Corrupted Social Services Agency

Published on 2012-03-02 10:06:17

Alameda City Council will vote next week on a recommendation from City Manager John Russo to contribute another $46,154 to the winding down of the Alameda County Associated Community Action Program, a social services agency that failed last year and whose executive director has been charged with felony grand theft and misuse of public [...] > read more

Alameda City Manager John Russo to put 1/2% Sales Tax Hike Before Council on March 7th

Published on 2012-02-29 19:12:32

Alameda City Manager John Russo will present his idea for one-half of one-percent sales tax hike to Alameda City Council on March 7th. Will it help or hurt Alameda? The current sales tax rate in Alameda is 8.75 percent and the one-half percent would take that rate to over 9 percent. Mr. Russo [...] > read more

Police Seek Help in Identifying Metro PCS Theft Suspect

Published on 2012-02-29 18:16:39

Alameda police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect who took items from Metro PCS on February 20th. Police allege that the man in the photographs below, whose name is unknown to them, twice entered Metro PCS offices at Marina Village Parkway on February 20th and stole a number of [...] > read more

Alameda: More taxes, Higher Fees and Less Services to Bridge $4.4 million Deficit in 2012-2013

Published on 2012-02-29 10:14:19

By Erica Madison “We’re cutting out the bone marrow now. I don’t think we can absorb more cuts, City Councilmember Lena Tam said, at the second special City Council five year budget forecast meeting. The City of Alameda is facing hard decisions in terms of generating enough money to prevent dipping below their [...] > read more

Parks Protectors Proceed With Ballot Initiative

Published on 2012-02-29 06:01:36

Citing Alameda City Council’s refusal last week to place an initiative on the ballot to tighten restrictions on the sale of city-owned park land, “Protect our Alameda Parks” is moving forward to collect signatures to put it on the ballot themselves. A circular from the group notes that they have already begun gathering [...] > read more

Alameda Planning Board Approves Landscape and Open Space Plan for Target Retail Center

Published on 2012-02-28 13:29:59

Last night, the Alameda Planning board approved a resolution, with conditions, allowing the Alameda Landing retail center, which includes plans for a Target discount department store, to go forward. The conditions centered mostly around changes to landscaping, the pedestrian experience, and signage plans. City of Alameda Planning Services Manager Andrew Thomas promised [...] > read more

Alameda Hospital Sued for Medical Malpractice

Published on 2012-02-28 10:42:54

Last week, a medical malpractice lawsuit against Alameda Hospital was filed in Alameda County Superior Court, claiming damages of less than $10,000. Plaintiff Paul Simms claims that on August 20th, 2011, he was at Alameda Hospital for x-rays, and asked to sit down because he felt dizzy and faint. “At this time, plaintiff [...] > read more

Alameda Resident Drives Introduction of Fertility Equality Legislation in Sacramento

Published on 2012-02-27 06:01:06

Last Friday, California 14th Assembly District representative Nancy Skinner introduced assembly bill AB 2356 into the state legislature. The bill would ensure that single women and same-sex female couples using a known sperm donor would have the same access to fertility services as heterosexual women seeking to conceive using a male partner, and the [...] > read more

Bank of Alameda Parent Company Posts Fourth Quarter Profit

Published on 2012-02-24 15:34:19

This week, NorCal Community Bancorp, the parent company of the Bank of Alameda, reported a 2011 fourth quarter profit of $205,000 or $0.02 per share, fully diluted. The quarter compares favorably with the same period in 2010, when the company reported a net loss of $2.0 million or ($0.27) per share. For 2011, [...] > read more

Poetry Tomorrow at Frank Bette Center for the Arts

Published on 2012-02-24 11:54:54

As part of its ongoing “4th Saturday Poetry & Prose Reading Series,” host Jeanne Lupton will feature two poets tomorrow at the Frank Bette Center for the Arts. Luke Warm Water of Oakland has been featured at the Geraldine R. Dodge poetry festival and was the first spoken-word poet to receive an Archibald [...] > read more

Alameda City Council Declines to Put Parks Protection Initiative on the Ballot

Published on 2012-02-23 11:19:58

At Tuesday’s Alameda City Council meeting, the council refused a request from member Doug deHaan to put an initiative on the November ballot that would tighten restrictions on the city’s ability to sell or exchange park land. Earlier this month, residents had filed an intent to circulate a petition with Alameda City Hall [...] > read more

Samsung Selects Wind River for Android Smartphone Development and Testing

Published on 2012-02-22 09:42:38

Wind River, an Alameda-based technology company owned by Intel, announced yesterday that Samsung Electronics is using its software for development and testing on Android smartphones. Android is a smartphone operating system produced by Google that, when paired with a mobile phone handset, competes with Apple’s iPhone. Samsung is using Wind River’s Framework for [...] > read more

Alameda City Hall Busy With Parks Initiative, Living Wage Ordinance Idea

Published on 2012-02-21 21:23:15

Alameda City Hall was busy tonight with two distinct groups assembling to voice support for councilmember referral issues. “Protect our Parks” supporters gathered for a rally at Alameda City Hall to support a councilmember referral that would tighten restrictions on the sale or exchange of city park land. The movement behind the initiative [...] > read more

San Francisco Bay Bridge Opens Well in Advance of Tuesday Morning Commute

Published on 2012-02-20 22:06:42

The westbound deck of the San Francisco Bay Bridge re-opened at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night, 34 hours ahead of schedule. The westbound lanes of the bridge closed at 8:00 p.m. Friday evening to allow CalTrans to complete work that adjusted the westbound approach southward, to facilitate ongoing work on the Oakland touchdown of [...] > read more

Alameda Tongue Twisters Toastmasters Club to Hold Open House

Published on 2012-02-20 06:02:55

Alameda Tongue Twisters, a local public speaking and leadership skills club sanctioned by Toastmasters International, will host an open house tomorrow for guests who are interested in learning more about Toastmasters or becoming members. Kellie Wood, a current member and Secretary for the club, said, “What sets Toastmasters apart from other leadership training [...] > read more

Special Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday

Published on 2012-02-18 16:33:14

The Alameda Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. In closed session, the board will discuss labor negotiations with teachers and other staff, and a lawsuit against the district identified only as “J.J. v. AUSD.” The board will also discuss certificated layoff issues, including [...] > read more

Delivery Service Fills Pot Hole in Alameda

Published on 2012-02-17 06:01:04

Following the shutdown of the Purple Elephant medical marijuana dispensary on Webster Street, and controversy over a new dispensary in Oakland in the vicinity of the High Street bridge comes word of a collective that offers to deliver to Alameda. On a “find your bud” medicinal marijuana dispensary locating website, the Greenline Collective [...] > read more

Median Home Prices in Alameda County Dropped in January

Published on 2012-02-16 09:49:05

According to data released today by the California Association of Realtors, median home prices in Alameda County dropped 9 percent from the same month a year ago. For January 2012, the median home price in Alameda County was $395,830, down 12 percent from December 2011, and down 9 percent from January 2011, when [...] > read more

Last Transbay Bus Tomorrow Night at 8:30 p.m.

Published on 2012-02-16 06:01:43

The last transbay bus from San Francisco to the East Bay until Tuesday night will leave at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow night, in advance of the Bay Bridge closure. The westbound deck of the Bay Bridge will be closed through the weekend as CalTrans makes modifications to accommodate the new eastern span. The bridge [...] > read more

Signal Timing Initiative Should Boost Mobility, Reduce Emissions

Published on 2012-02-15 13:52:59

The Program for Arterial System Synchronization (PASS) program, a joint effort of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), in partnership with Caltrans and local governments, is coming to Alameda to improve streetlight signal timing. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, in a media announcement yesterday, said that $1.25 million was spent on 339 traffic signals in [...] > read more

Judge Throws Out SunCal’s $100 million Claim Against City of Alameda

Published on 2012-02-14 14:01:00

This morning, the City of Alameda announced that a federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit claim by former would-be Alameda Point developer SunCal, which had sued the city for $100 million in lost profits. According to a prepared statement from Alameda City Hall, United States District Court Judge Charles Breyer dismissed the [...] > read more

Overnight Murder-Suicide on Alameda Avenue

Published on 2012-02-14 09:45:58

Two lovers are dead this Valentines Day morning after an apparent murder-suicide on the 2100 block of Alameda Avenue last night. Alameda police say that last night around 6:36 p.m. they received reports of gunshots on the 2100 block of Alameda Avenue. When they arrived, police found a 30 year-old Alameda woman and [...] > read more

Environmental Group to go Door-to-door in Alameda

Published on 2012-02-14 06:01:34

Forests Forever, a non-profit and environmental lobby will be soliciting door-to-door in Alameda through March 31st. Alameda police received a courteously notice from the group who will be soliciting until 9:00 p.m. during the week and until 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Door-to-door soliciting can be a concern for residents, particularly in Alameda which [...] > read more

Alameda City Hall Offering Valentines Day, Leap Day, Weddings

Published on 2012-02-13 06:01:11

Alameda City Hall is offering Valentines Day wedding ceremonies tomorrow. Frugal grooms may want to defer to February 29th of this year, when Alameda City Hall offers “The Groom’s Special” – wedding ceremonies on a date that provides an anniversary only once very four years. Alameda City Hall had eleven wedding ceremonies on [...] > read more

Action Alameda News to Live Tweet Alameda Police Department Ride-along

Published on 2012-02-10 09:46:34

Follow Action Alameda News tomorrow, Saturday, February 11th, from 2pm to 6pm, as we live-tweet during a ride-along in a patrol car courtesy of the Alameda Police Department. You can listen to police dispatches here, and follow Action Alameda News tweets on Twitter. > read more

Group Files to Circulate Petition Blocking Swap of Park Land

Published on 2012-02-10 09:39:31

An Alameda group has filed a notice of intent to circulate a petition to modify Alameda’s City Charter to prevent the exchange of park land without voter approval. The move was prompted by a proposal to exchange a portion of the Chuck Corica Golf Complex with developer Ron Cowan. In a prepared statement, [...] > read more