CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
YEAR 36
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
MAC MEETING
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
Sidewalks And Mobile Home Talk
A Pawsome Time More than 2,000 pet lovers turn out for Dogs and Deputies event
By Amy Sylvestri
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Page 3
Magic Things
Illusionist Ben Seidman brings his special show to CV next Saturday
Page 4
Arts Leadership
Castro Valley’s Paul Keim awarded county’s Arts Leadership Award
Page 12
INDEX Classified Ads ........ 8 Crosswords ............ 9 Events .................... 4 Homes ..................... 6 Home Improvement . 5 Obituaries ............. 11 Our Town ................. 3 Sheriff’s Report ...... 3 Sports .................. 12 Weather ................ 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
NO. 36
Voter Priorities Highlight Calif. Assembly 20 Race By Mike McGuire
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Incumbent Democratic Assemblymember Liz Ortega is running for re-election in the 20th Assembly District against Republican challenger Sangeetha Shanbhogue. The district includes Castro Valley, San Leandro, Cherryland, Ashland, San Lorenzo, and Hayward Acres. Ortega runs with heavy support from organized labor, as well as from numerous elected officials. Shanbhogue said being a Republican in a heavily Democratic area has hampered some people from publicly endorsing her. She does have endorsements from the state and county Republican Party and Americans4Hindus, the nation’s largest bipartisan SuperPAC (political action committee) for Hindu American candidates. “I’m a moderate Republican, not a far-right one. I’d like to bring some balance to Sacramento, as well as some practicality and common sense,” she said.
“If I spend money on something, I want to see what the results are,” she continued. Before being elected to the Assembly, Ortega was the executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council and the statewide political director for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299, the University of California’s largest employee union. Shanbhogue had a professional career in software development, analysis, and project management and holds related degrees in those fields. In 2016, though, she decided to transition to being a stay-at-home mom. She and her husband live in Dublin, along with their two daughters who attend Dublin public schools. Ortega and her husband, former San Leandro school board member Jason Toro, live in San Leandro, with their daughter who attends San Leandro public schools.
At a lengthy meeting Monday night, the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard updates from the county on mobile home policies and sidewalk vending, but ultimately sent the items for more complete information to be discussed at future meetings. The MAC voted to support a permit streamlining program for single-family homes- a request from an Alameda County Planning Commission subcommittee which simplifies the building process for new houses. The streamline method allows for the removal of the Site Development Review requirements when new single-family homes meet all objective development standards. see MAC on page 10
THREE HOSPITALIZED
Fire Burns Forest Ave. Apartment By Michael Singer
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Three people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and two other people were displaced from the adjoining apartment rooms following a two-story fire on Forest Avenue on September 22. Alameda County Fire responded to a call just before 2 p.m. Witnesses said flames were shooting out of the balcony of a second-story unit at the Forest Villas apartments near Clara Lee Lane. Video of the event shows flames leaping 10 feet into the air on the balcony facing the street. see FIRE on page 11