THE
PARENTS GUIDE
5
Spark a Love For Reading
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025
YEAR 37
MAC MEETING
INSIDE YOUR
A Begrudging Approval to CV Car Wash
FORUM
Night of Laughs
Stand-up comic David Studebaker comes to CV on January 25
By Amy Sylvestri
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Page 4
PHOTO BY MIKE McGUIRE
Senior Q&A
Is there a tool that can protect seniors from financial scams?
Page 10
Front entrance to the Crescent Grove apartments at 22447 Ruby Street in Castro Valley, which welcomed their first residents on Tuesday, January 7.
Tenants Start Moving In: Crescent Grove Housing
According to Eden’s website, the development consists of studio, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedCASTRO VALLEY FORUM room units aimed at households earning 20 Tenants started moving into the new Cres- percent to 60 percent of the area median cent Grove apartments on Ruby Street off A income. One apartment is set aside for an on-site community manager. Street in Castro Valley last week, ending a multi-year fight over the best use for a piece Some units are specifically set aside for of land left over from a freeway that was veterans, recently homeless families and never built. individuals, and people with disabilities. Staff with the nonprofit developers Eden The units are all-electric, using no gas, Housing welcomed the residents into their and all appliances are Energy Star-rated. new homes with several different orientaThey come with central air conditioning tions. They included snacks and lunch, as and heating, refrigerators, electric cookwell as meeting neighbors and touring the tops, stoves, ranges, and dishwashers. The new, gleaming 72-unit apartment building. four-story buildings have three stairways and a pair of elevators. All of the units are affordable for people with modest to low incomes, and while some There are trash and recycling chutes on moved from older and sometimes rundown each floor, along with a green waste conhousing, some moved directly from being tained, so residents don’t have to go outdoors homeless to having an apartment of their in bad weather to cans outside. own, according to Eden staffers helping peoThe building’s large laundry room was ple move in. Some residents were delighted a big hit on the tour for new residents. as the building’s features were described Michele Garay of Eden received appreciative in gatherings and tours that started in the murmurs when she described some of its community room. up-to-date features. “Let’s all be good neighbors for each oth“There’s an app that will tell you when er,” said Eden’s Malissa Vizard as she laid a machine is available,” she told the group, out a few ground rules for residents. “Eden “And also when your laundry is done.” will be,” she added. see CRESCENT on page 7 By Mike McGuire
Homecoming
RCHS announces homecoming court at annual celebration
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INDEX Classified Ads ........ 8 Homes ..................... 6 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............. 11 Our Town ................. 3 Parents Guide .......... 5 Seniors .................. 10 Sheriff’s Report ...... 3 Sports ................... 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
NO. 3
The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) gave a begrudging approval to a plan for a proposed car wash to be developed on the former lumberyard site at the western end of Castro Valley Boulevard. The Splash Brothers was given the go-ahead to demolish the existing lumberyard buildings on the 1.35-acre site at 2495 Castro Valley Boulevard. But the MAC reiterated that a car wash is perhaps not the most ideal use for such a
prominent location in Castro Valley. Last month, the MAC told Splash Brothers owners to modify their proposal with a mural and other features to make it more visually appealing, and they returned with the current plan for another chance in front of the MAC. The real estate brokers behind the sale of the property said that a full 50 percent of those interested in buying the spot were car washes and others were storage facilities or contractors’ yards, so some dream development for the site see MAC on page 11
Former CVUSD Board Member Barbieri Dies at 88 By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
John Barbieri, a longtime Castro Valley Unified School District Board member and local businessman, died last week at the age of 88. Barbieri is survived by his wife, Emily, with whom he recently celebrated 70 years of marriage. All five of their children and two of their grandchildren graduated from Castro Valley schools. Barbieri’s private practice included serving as COO and co-owner of Barbieri’s Financial Consultant and as an appraiser. see BARBIERI on page 11
Longtime CVUSD Board member John Barbieri died last week at the age 88