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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2023
YEAR 35
NO. 35
MAC on Housing, LAFCO Report
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
By Amy Sylvestri
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Higher-density housing and the possibility of incorporation and cityhood were on the agenda at Monday night’s lengthy Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting. (MAC). In land use business, the MAC approved an application to allow an 11-unit townhome development at 20036 Anita Avenue. The project site is approximately a half-acre in the area and zoned for up to 29 units per acre. One of the 11 units will be earmarked for affordable housing.
Here’s a Go!
Recap of Rowell Ranch Jr. Rodeo’s 65th Annual rodeo
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Swalwell Hike
Congressman Eric Swalwell hosts townhall at Lake Chabot
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COVID Fraud
Castro Valley man sentenced for COVID relief fraud scheme
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INDEX Calendar ................ 6 Classified Ads ....... 12 Crosswords .......... 13 Homes ..................... 8 Horoscope ............... 6 Opinions ................ 14 Our Town ................. 3 Sheriff’s Report ...... 3 Sports .................. 16 Weather .................. 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
Trojan Football Opener The Castro Valley High School Varsity Boys team won their home opener 26-23 over Carlmont High School on a Hail Mary pass in the 4th Quarter this past Friday. Earlier in the evening, the field was officially renamed for former “Coach” John Brosnan.
CV Artist Wins Big at State Fair By Linda Sandsmark
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Castro Valley artist Stephen Bourque received an Award of Excellence at the California State Fair last month for his collage “PRISMATICA”, one of only 15 such awards presented at the Fair this year. The striking collage was created using thousands of tiny pieces cut from California Lottery Scratcher tickets. Stephen Bourque Bourque says his main Santa Maria Avenue. Presented Castro Valley native Jim “Bed- intention for creating lottery specific type of collage art I by the Castro Valley and Eden ford” of Bedford Studios. have created,” he says. ticket art was to take someArea Chamber of Commerce, The smaller community thing that most would consider “I meticulously and craftfully more than 125 vendors and stage will host dance perform- garbage, losing lottery tickets, cut very precise, small piecattractions will again line the ers and local groups, including and turn them into something es from the tickets to get the streets and the center of the desired color and piece needed,” that is unexpectedly more brass or jazz bands, acapella downtown district. unique and beautiful than the adds Bourque. “The result is bands, and even Japanese considered a mixed media coloriginal tickets themselves— Taiko drummers. Bordering the festival at both ends of the event will “Jim has been doing book- and possibly even more special lage that contains an estimated 100,000-plus individual pieces than a winning ticket. be two stages. The Redwood ings on that stage for as long carefully attached together. As Stage (closest to Redwood as anyone can remember,” “I also strive to create in Road) and the Bedford Stage Chamber Executive Director ways that have not been done a fun fact, I estimate that each (closest to Santa Maria AvGary Slate told the Forum. before. To my knowledge, I am piece contains between $10,000 see ARTIST on page 7 enue), which is named after see FESTIVAL on back page the first and only to create the PHOTOS BY JARED DARLING/ JAREDDARLINGPHOTO.COM
Music, Dancing Highlight Fall Festival Entertainment By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Next month’s Fall Festival will again showcase two days of local artists ready to make a lot of beautiful music and get audiences clapping and on their feet. This year’s Fall Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 9-10, on Castro Valley Boulevard between Redwood Road and
“I realize this is an infill project, but we are squeezing a lot into a small area,” said MAC member Al Pardo. The MAC said they understood the concern but that, ultimately, high-density projects will be a fact of life around town. The developer is invoking the California Density Bonus Law, which provides incentives for affordable housing development. The density bonus is a state mandate, and the MAC can’t amend the approval to exclude the bonus. Without the density bonus, only eight units see MAC on page 5