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TO CLASS OF 2023
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 2023
YEAR 35
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN
NO. 22
CV GENERAL PLAN
Boulevard’s Past Shapes its Future By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Congratulations
High school secretary honored as ‘Classified Employee of the Year’
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Walsh Retiring
After 45 years, Walsh Property Management in CV is shuttering
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Olympiad Debut
CVHS takes seventh at National Science Olympiad Tournament
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INDEX Calendar ................ 4 Classified Ads ....... 8 Crosswords ........... 9 Graduates ............... 7 Horoscope .............. 3 Obituaries .............. 11 Opinions ................ 11 Our Town ................. 3 Sports .................. 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SINGER
MEMORIAL DAY 2023: Castro Valley resident January Karbowski sings the National Anthem and America the Beautiful during this week’s Memorial Day celebration at the Castro Valley Veterans Memorial site. All branches of the military were honored for their service and sacrifice. The event included the reading of those service members from Castro Valley who have recently passed, a reading of “In Flanders Field, and a rifle salute with Taps. This Saturday is the 10th Annual Castro Valley Veterans Group Golf Tournament at Redwood Canyon Golf Course.
Older buildings on the Boulevard have been getting restored over the last few years. The latest is a plan to open a Philz Coffee later this summer on a site that previously was the site of a gas station, a local newspaper, and eventually a dry cleaner. Local businessman Ken Carbone announced the addition of Philz last Wednesday during an update meeting of the Castro Valley Specific Plan. The San Francisco-based coffee chain signed a lease this month that will put them at the corner of Castro Valley Boulevard and Wilbeam Avenue, tucked in between women’s clothing retailer Olive + Finn and Canyons Barbeque. “We look at this corner of town as a historical site that was a hidden gem that will now improve the community
experience,” Carbone told the Forum. “We’re taking a forward-looking approach at Castro Valley’s future, and these investments have to be made to make that happen.” The future Philz site is historic for Castro Valley. Originally opened as L&W Automotive back in the 1940s, the site hosted a gas station called the “Flying A,” the C&H Motors dealership, and, at one point, The Daily Review newspaper offices. Years later, an additional building was constructed around the station, essentially encapsulating it. The street-facing entrance was converted into a cigarette store and dry cleaners until around 2020. “When it came up for sale, it was concerning because if a non-Castro Valley investor had purchased it, it would have been profitable, but I doubt there would have been any see PLAN on page 11
‘Grandma & Me’: One Night Only at Chanticleers periences growing up with his grandmother as his primary CASTRO VALLEY FORUM caregiver. Brian Copeland is known “All of the work I’ve done around the Bay Area as an so far is autobiographical. And award-winning actor, comedi- this show is a love letter to an, author, playwright, televi- single parents,” Copeland said. sion personality, and radio talk “But it’s not the typical themes show host. But for one night surrounding single parenting. only—this Saturday, June 3, at It’s about the emotional places 8 p.m.—he’ll be performing that you have to go to deal with “Grandma & Me: An Ode to traumatized children, especialSingle Parents” for a Castro ly at the beginning.” Valley audience. In the show, Copeland The play is Copeland’s revisits his childhood as he exheartwarming and poignant amines single parenting in the tribute to the unsung heroes of 21st century. It was 1979 when single parenthood. In this one- Copeland’s mother suddenly man show, Copeland takes the passed away, leaving behind audience on a deeply personal five children for his 57-year-old journey, recounting his own ex- grandmother to raise alone. 22 By Michael Singer
parenting as he tries to answer the question… What does it truly mean to be a father? “The idea for the show came about because we were cleaning up my grandmother’s belongings after she passed, and we came across the guardianship paper. I had never seen it before,” Copeland said. “There was something about seeing that paper and having our names and our ages and Brian Copeland her age printed out that really made me understand the enoryears later, Brian finds himself mity of what she had done.” in the same predicament when Copeland decided to put the the end of a marriage leaves show on at the Chanticleers him alone with his three kids. for two reasons. The first is Through laughter and tears, he because he has friends at the describes the trials of single 99-seat theater in the Castro
Valley Community Park, and the producers are currently in between shows in their season. Copeland also says he wanted to support Chanticleers because theaters have seen a significant drop in attendance of live shows since the COVID-19 pandemic. The second reason for performing at Chanticleers is that he was inspired by one of its longtime directors, Marylou Ramirez, his 8th Grade teacher at St. Felicitas Catholic School in San Leandro, where Copeland attended. In fact, he says the first time he was ever at Chanticleers was in 8th Grade to see a production of see SHOW on page 5