Inside
Parvin Ahmadi steps down after 36 years Beloved Castro Valley school superintendent retires after decades of service. 14
TRICITYVOICE.COM
VOL 24 NO 20
OBITUARIES
25
CLASSIFIED ADS
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LEGAL LISTINGS
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To weed or not to weed Buttercup yellow Oxalis also has non-invasive varieties. 6
● Partnership with Arandas, Mexico culminates seven years of planning
Eagles fly high
Silent film star Charlie Chaplin made five films at Niles Essanay, starting in 1915.
Courtesy of Niles Essanay Silent Film Museumv
By Panashe Matemba-Mutasa
— More on page 8
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MAY 13-19, 2025
Hayward formalizes additional Sister City
At its May 6 meeting, the Hayward City Council authorized the mayor to enter into a formal Sister City agreement with A randas, Jalisco, Mexico— marking the culmination of years of community-led efforts. “This partnership will help with our cultural and linguistic exchange, which I believe is very important especially now,” said Janett Hernandez, chair of the Hayward/Arandas Sister City Committee. The agreement outlines a mutual commitment to collaboration in education, culture, humanitarian work and economic development. It also affirms the cities’ intent to abide by Sister Cities International (SCI) policies, which provide guidance for forming and maintaining such partnerships. The Hayward/Arandas Sister City Committee has been working toward this relationship since 2018. In 2020, the city’s fire department donated
OPINION
Fremont school wins at the national academic bowl. 11
DOUBLE TAKE The lookalike contest is always a highlight of Charlie Chaplin Days in Niles.
May means Charlie Chaplin Days ● Niles District celebrates silent film star who made classics in local studio By staff
T
he Little Tramp returns to Niles for the 2025 Charlie Chaplin Days on May 16–18: a weekend of films, trips and of course a Chaplin lookalike contest. For those unfamiliar with the history of Niles Essanay Film Studio, the festival kicks off with an evening program on Fri-
day, May 16: “The Little Tramp Comes to Niles—How did he get here?” Two Niles-made films with Chaplin cameos will be screened, and Chaplin experts Dominique Dugros and Marc Wanamaker will speak on the life of actress Oona Neil, both before and after her involvement with Chaplin. Saturday’s activities include two diesel train rides through
Niles Canyon, and a morning walking tour of Niles. A lineup of films at the Nickleodean theater to mark the 110th anniversary of Chaplin’s time at Niles, including an evening screening of The Gold Rush (1925). For programs, Chaplin expert Nigel Dreiner discusses two short films where Charlie creates havoc on movie sets, and in the afternoon Marc Wanamaker shares behind-the-scenes images and tales of the Chaplin studio and Old Hollywood. — More on page 8
Sale of Dale Hardware Local hardware store bought by Ace Hardware. 13
Tri-City championships Mission Valley Athletic League track and field athletes compete in Hayward. 24