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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 2023
YEAR 35
NO. 13
Foundation for Robert Warren
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
structors. Warren, who died Castro Valley philanthrop- in 2021, was an ic leader Robert Warren is himself being remembered by Alameda County a community foundation set up to help the youth of Castro assistant district Valley develop leadership Robert Warren attorney skills and get a good start on their adult lives, things Warren for 25 years and served on worked for throughout his life. the Rowell Ranch and Sutter Health boards. He promoted One of the Rob Warren Leadership Foundation’s first and often led efforts by both organizations to give back to contributions was $4,000 to the community. Castro Valley High School’s leadership program to send In his younger years, Warren student leaders to a conference was an Eagle Scout who in Santa Barbara in May. There graduated from Castro Valley they will meet other student High School and served as a leaders from around the state congressional page. He got his and learn from each other as political science and history well as from conference insee WARREN on page 10 By Mike McGuire
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Spring Into Action Spring is ideal time to create a home maintenance to-do list
Page 5
Mental Health
The intersectionality of mental health and neurodiversity
Page 10
PHOTOS BY LINDA SANDSMARK
Scholarships
CVEF is offering scholarships to 65 CVUSD seniors
Page 12
INDEX Calendar .................. 4 Classified Ads ....... 8 Crime Report ........... 3 Crosswords ........... 9 Homes ...................... 6 Obituaries ............ 11 Opinions .............. 11 Our Town ................. 3 Sports ................... 12 Weather ................. 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
Crossroads Specialty Foods to Open in CV
proved, and our final shipments are coming in from Europe.” According to Crossroads Specialty Foods’ After many months of waiting, Crossfounder Hani Haddad, David’s uncle and the roads Specialty Foods is opening its new store’s co-owner, items from 43 nationalities store at the corner of Castro Valley Boulewill be represented on its shelves. vard and Center Street. As its name suggests, “We have products from A to Z, with it will carry specialty items, many of which unique foods and recipes from around the can’t be found anywhere else in the East world so everyone can celebrate their tradiBay. A soft opening is planned for April 1. tions,” he says. “We were located in Hayward for over 26 Jordan and Haddad say they specialize in years, and the building was sold two years Mediterranean and European foods, includago,” says the store’s co-owner David Jordan. ing Romanian, Polish, Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Ukrainian, German, French, and “We were happy to find a location like Russian. The pasta, sauces, pastries, jams, this one, in Castro Valley near Highway tea, fish, meat, and cheese sections are exten580 and the Tri-Valley area,” Jordan said. sive. Turkish and Italian coffees and special “Unfortunately, it was during COVID, so it took a long time for our plans and permits to grinders are in place. There is an internabe approved by the county. We had no idea it tional wine and beer selection as well. see CROSSROADS on page 3 would take this long. Now everything is apBy Linda Sandsmark
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Remembering César Chávez He co-founded the National Farmworkers Association (NFWA) in 1962 with Dolores Huerta and later merged with On March 31, Castro Valley has the opportunity to the Agricultural Workers Orcelebrate the life of civil rights ganizing Committee (AWOC) to become the United Farm icon César Estrada Chávez Workers of America (UFW), and reflect on his legacy as a champion of nonviolent social which continues to operate today actively. change and a crusader for workers’ rights. Chávez drew national Raised by migrant farmattention to workers’ unlivable workers and working in the wages and inhumane working fields as a young teenager, conditions through boycotts, Chávez witnessed firsthand the strikes, and more. He inspired injustices and discrimination millions across the country to that workers faced at the hands organize and expand worker of farm owners. Determined to opportunities. make a change, Chávez dediOne such person is Ascated his life to “la causa” or semblymember Liz Ortega, “the cause” of improving farm- a longtime labor leader, and workers’ treatment and work- activist representing the 20th ing conditions by organizing California Assembly District. contracts with their employers. see CHÁVEZ on page 10 By Hailey Young
SPECIAL TO THE FORUM