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14TH ANNUAL CV PRIDE EVENT
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2024
YEAR 36
NO. 27
INSIDE YOUR
MAC MEETING
FORUM
Citizens’ Oversight Board
New Principal Hightower-Guzman named Marshall Elementary principal
Page 2
ACSO AEDs ACSO receives portable AEDs from Health Department
Page 2
Trust Issues When was the last time you updated your Living Trust?
Page 10
INDEX Classified Ads ........ 8 Crosswords ............ 6 Homes ..................... 6 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............... 11 Our Town ................. 3 Sheriff’s Report ...... 3 Seniors .................. 10 Sports .................. 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
By Amy Sylvestri CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) declined to endorse a proposal to create a citizens’ oversight board for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office at their meeting Monday night. The county Board of Supervisors is the process of drafting an ordinance that would establish a volunteer citizens’ oversight board and Office Alameda County Fire Department engine on its way to fight wildfires elsewhere in the state. of the Investigator General “hybrid” in order to monitor the sheriff’s office. Such oversight bodies are possible due to AB 1185, which went into effect in 2021. “This would be a bridge An Alameda County Fire between the sheriff’s office and erland estate were under threat. was in particular danger. By Mike McGuire Department (ACFD) strike the community,” said Andrea While the coast was cool A strike team leader and CASTRO VALLEY FORUM team was most recently sent Weddle, chief assistant county and foggy, if smoky, people assistant leader from AFDC Alameda County has so far to Santa Barbara County to counsel. were being evacuated in parts were among the 22 firefightbeen spared the worst of wild- help put out the Lake Fire The county looked at of the hotter inland Santa Ynez ers who made up strike team fire season, but its firefighters there, which had spread to over Valley. The Sedgwick Reserve, OES 2870-C, deployed by the existing boards such as those have been pitching in around 36,000 acres. Parks, nature once owned by the parents state. (OES stands for Office of overseeing the Oakland, San the state to help put out wildpreserves, and even the late Francisco, and BART police of Andy Warhol’s muse and Emergency Services.) fires in other areas. Michael Jackson’s former Nev- leading model Edie Sedgwick, see MAC on page 5 see FIRES on page 3
Strike Team on State Fires
Patti’s Swim School, 45 Years of Swim Safety By Linda Sandsmark CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Patti’s Swim School in Castro Valley has taught over 100,000 people to swim during its 45-year existence, and owner Patti O’Brien has no plans to slow down. “I’ll probably never retire from my business,” she says. “I started my school when I was 15 years old. I was working at another swim center and decided Castro Valley needed a specialized swimming school.”
Patti’s Swim School specializes in tailoring lessons to individual needs and abilities. Early in her career, Patti gave lessons during summer vacation while going to school and raising her six children. Eventually earning a master’s in education, Patti became a teacher, and she saw that people learn more when lessons are one-on-one. “Now, about 30 percent of our students are on the autism spectrum. We meet the needs of the swimmer,” she says.
“We have highly trained staff who are continuously monitored for effectiveness.” Another specialty area is “drown-proofing” children at an early age, including toddlers under two. With all the pools and open waters in California, infant water survival skills are critical, says Patti. “We also teach lots of adults, including people in their 80s. We customize all our lessons,” she adds. “We respect all religions and have class times see PATTI’S on back page
PHOTO COURTESY OF PATTI’S SWIM SCHOOL