CV ORCHESTRA’S SPRING CONCERT IS THIS SUNDAY
Sounds of Spring
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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
YEAR 36
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024
NO. 18
Local Cowgirl Named 2024 County Fire Rowell Ranch Rodeo Queen Battles Three Local Blazes By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Congratulations Office of Education recognizes three CVUSD employees
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Book Talk
Castro Valley Library to host book talk by author Katherine Vaz in June
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Senior Q&A
What is a Life Estate Deed and when should you use one?
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INDEX Calendar ................ 4 Classified Ads ........ 8 Crosswords ............ 9 Homes ..................... 5 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............... 11 Our Town ................. 3 Seniors .................. 10 Sports .................. 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
Castro Valley native Phoebe Bruns attended her first Rowell Ranch Rodeo before she could walk. This month—18 years later—she will be celebrated as the 2024 Miss Rowell Ranch Rodeo Queen. “I’ve come full circle,” Bruns told the Forum. “I used to attend the Queen’s ball with my friends when I was five, and now these lifelong friends are coming to support me. I’ve looked up to so many of the Rodeo Queens in the past. Now, it’s my turn to inspire the next generation.” For the last 11 years, Bruns has been competing in and out of the California equestrian circuit. She started her riding career after her parents bought her first pony, Annie, for her 10th birthday. Two years later and many inches taller, Bruns began riding Disco. She bought her last horse, Karlos, when she was 15, which carried her through the English-style equestrian competition of Hunter-Jumpers. It’s a slower pace and more elegant than Western Rodeo, which is more driven by how fast PHOTO COURTESY OF DARRELL LAVIN/ LAVINPHOTOS.COM you can go,” Bruns said. see QUEEN on back page Phoebe Bruns, 2024 Miss Rowell Ranch Rodeo Queen.
By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) responded to and extinguished three separate fires in the span of eight days last month. Officials said no serious injuries were reported, and all three fires are under investigation. The first fire was on April 12 at 9:41 p.m. at a home at the 15000-block of Fleming Street in San Leandro. Fire officials say the fire started in the back of the house and then moved into the home. “Thankfully, only one person suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to a local hospital,” said ACFD spokesperson Cheryl Hurd. “Two families were displaced, but our crews extinguished the fire, including multiple exposures, in under 45 minutes with no injuries.” On April 19 at 2:52 p.m., fire crews responded to an alarm at the 21000 block of Hobert Street in Castro Valley for a fire at a two-story apartment building. A total of 21 firefighters contained the fire in less than 20 minutes. Three adults were displaced, but no injuries were reported. On April 20 at 11:19 p.m., a three-story apartment in the 2200 block of Miramar Avenue caught fire. Hurd said a second alarm crew was called because of the fire’s complexity. Two adults and one juvenile were displaced. One adult was transported to the hospital due to respiratory problems. While no one was seriously injured, the American Red Cross reminds residents that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape. see BLAZES on page 11
How to Protect Yourself Against Online Fraud By Mike McGuire
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Online thieves are as active as ever, but you can take some simple steps to avoid them stealing your personal information or even your money, people discovered during a recent workshop by the San Leandro Parks & Recreation Department. Even people offering to help with widely publicized security breaches may be
which tracks the latest online Hackers want to get your mon- that company’s real customer actually trying to victimize ey or your identity, looking for relations number to see if you further. A recent security scams and security threats. account numbers, passwords, anything is amiss with your breach involving many AT&T He said that much of the bank routing numbers, and, account. That number is most accounts has drawn legitimate information used to defraud above all, your Social Security likely on your most recent bill help offers from the real AT&T computer users is given to number. or statement. and considerable interest from scammers by their victims, scammers pretending to be who often believe they are “If the real company calls Beware of calling or being AT&T, a workshop participant dealing with someone else. you, it’s unlikely they need ad- transferred to a customer serpointed out. That could be a company, a ditional information from you,” vice number if that is offered by someone who calls you. It “If it is in the news, so many relative, or even a friend, espe- Sunny said. “They’d already have it.” could very well take you right cially one you’re not in close people know about it, it’s an opportunity for them to capital- touch with. Computer fraud, The very first thing to do if back to a scammer, pretending ize,” workshop moderator Adh- known as phishing, tries to get someone calls you and asks for to be the real company, Sunny vaidh Sunny said. He heads the your secret information or data, such information is not to give said. see FRAUD on page 10 usually with malicious intent. it to them, he said. Then call organization Cyber Wisdom,