COMING EVENTS
TOMORROW
TOMORROW
SATURDAY
CVEA CHAMBER MONTHLY MIXER
COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
YEAR 36
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2024
MAC MEETING
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
Unanimous Vote To Reject County Housing Element
CV Food Drive
Bringing hope to the table: Thanksgiving food drive returns
Alameda County is being called slowest vote-counting county
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CHRISSY EMMONS
Building Community Through Classrooms By Michael Singer
Give Thanks
How seniors can spend Thanksgiving in joyful and fulfilling ways
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INDEX Classified Ads ........ 8 Events .................... 4 Homes ..................... 6 Obituaries ............. 11 Opinions ............. 11 Our Town ................. 3 Seniors .................. 10 Sheriff’s Report ..... 3 Sports .................. 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
As is true throughout the Bay Area, higher-density CASTRO VALLEY FORUM and more affordable housing The Castro Valley Munici- is needed. Castro Valley’s pal Advisory Council (MAC) population jumped from voted 6-0 to whole-heartedly 60,625 in 2010 to 66,441 in the reject a county plan to expand 2020 Census. County officials estimate 4,700 new housing the housing element of the Alameda County General Plan units are needed in Castro Valley in the upcoming cycle at its meeting last week, but state mandates might leave its through 2031, more than twice the 1,800 units in the previous hands tied. 2015-2022 cycle. According Last Tuesday, the MAC heard Liz McElligott, the coun- to the county plan, a quarter ty’s assistant planning director, of those spaces (1,250) would be required to be available for give the latest in a series of very low-income households. housing updates. State law requires each local jurisdiction Even though the MAC voted to revise its Housing Element 6-0 (with Chair Chuck Moore every eight years. The docuabsent) to recommend the ment is a road map for current Board of Supervisors reject the and projected housing needs plan as it is, that recommendaand site inventories. see MAC on page 7 By Amy Sylvestri
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Slow Count
NO. 44
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
This year marks Chrissy Emmons’ 23rd year teaching Middle School, the last 11 of which have been with Canyon Middle School. This year, she is again teaching 8thgrade History and is in her third year of teaching Ethnic Studies as an elective. She also serves as an AVID Coordinator, a program that helps students with average grades learn to advocate for themselves as they move through high school and toward a college or career skill path. Last year, she celebrated the graduations of nine of her original AVID students and is looking forward to more. In her career, Emmons says Middle School is a critical place where teachers, staff, and parents help shape student education and their appreciation for the place they live. To this end, she advocates for more involvement at all levels to ensure the students actively participate in their community. The Forum sat down with Ms. Emmons
to understand more about the Middle School’s role in our community and the critical lessons for parents and school partners to support student success. “I’m a middle school teacher, but I am also now a parent of a middle schooler myself,” Emmons told the Forum. “I think to understand middle schoolers, and just this stage in life is to realize that they are still kids. They are kids who still need to be able to know that people care about them. They’re not ready to be pushed out into the world and be completely independent. They need to know that adults care about them, whether they are family, friends, teachers, or staff members, and that we will go to bat for them.” Emmons started her career in San Francisco and moved to Castro Valley to buy a home. She says the experience has been fulfilling because the students see representations of themselves through various posters and displays featuring influential individuals from diverse backgrounds, both past and present, in her classroom. see EMMONS on page 4
WEST SIDE WALKWAYS
Somerset Avenue Sidewalk Project To Begin in 2025 The project extends from Stanton Avenue to Redwood CASTRO VALLEY FORUM Road. The Alameda County Public Works Agency will New sidewalks and bike lanes will be built beginning in be installing new concrete Spring 2025 in order to make sidewalks in order to improve pedestrian and bicycle access pedestrians and cyclists safer to Castro Valley High School, on the west side of town. The Castro Valley Munici- Castro Valley Elementary pal Advisory Council (MAC) School, Our Lady of Grace School, and the Castro Valley heard an update from the Downtown area. county about the Somerset Avenue Sidewalk Improvement In addition to the new sideProject. see SOMERSET on page 11 By Amy Sylvestri