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Tri City Voice •

Local farmers crushed by Medfly crisis | Tri City Voice

For 54 years, the Tri-City Volunteers Food Bank and Mobile Pantry (aka, TCV Food Bank) in Fremont has united farmers and families in need. But a recent Mediterranean Fruit Fly epidemic has put a pause on the distribution of homegrown goods, severing a longstanding connection between local growers and the community they nourish.


“People would just show up with a truckload of food, that was the beautiful thing about this place,” said the food bank’s executive director Linda Leu.


The Medfly i...
Tri City Voice •

Newark’s transition of power | Tri City Voice

The Dec. 12 Newark City Council meeting marked a historic moment as a combined 51 years of leadership came to an end. Long-serving council members Ana Apodaca, Sucy Collazo and Luis Freitas stepped down, paving the way for a new era of governance under newcomers Terrence Grindall, Julie Del Catancio and Eve Marie Little.


“Thank you for your record-setting commitment to our community,” said city manager David Benoun to the three outgoing officials.


Newark, a city steeped in tradition, is en...
Tri City Voice •

NewPark Mall loses Macy’s | Tri City Voice

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, with families across the Bay bustling through town to snag last-minute gifts. But in Newark, the spirit of holiday cheer has been dampened by news of the closure of its Macy’s store.


“It’s so sad. We lost our JC Penney and now we’re losing our Macy’s,” said resident Carol Nelson. 


The decline of department stores has become increasingly evident since the early 2010s. According to Yahoo Finance, the sector’s value has plummeted from a peak of over $...
Tri City Voice •

Fremont advances green goals | Tri City Voice

The Fremont City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 3 unanimously passed a motion to adopt a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Ava Community Energy to install solar panels and battery storage systems at six municipal facilities. This initiative is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to provide clean energy and reduce utility costs under its Climate Action Plan, “My Climate Ready Fremont.” The solar and battery systems will provide backup power during grid outages, potentially delivering hours of emergenc...
Tri City Voice •

City councils focus on community safety | Tri City Voice

The Union City Council approved a resolution on Nov. 19 to accept $92,000 in grant funding from the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support traffic enforcement and safety initiatives. The grant, part of the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), will allow the Union City Police Department (UCPD) to address ongoing issues such as impaired driving, distracted driving, and pedestrian and bicycle safety, which have been persistent concerns in the city.


Union City has faced significant tr...
Tri City Voice •

The fall of Pamela Price | Tri City Voice

“We needed to do something to stop the madness,” said Carl Chan, a local public safety advocate.


Chan had been watching his city of Oakland deteriorate since he was in high school many years ago. Exhausted from the impact of violent crime, he dedicated his free time to community organizing. Little did he know that one day, he would help lead Alameda County’s first ever recall election of a district attorney.


When D.A. Pamela Price was voted out by a sweeping majority on Nov. 5, it was a vi...
Tri City Voice •

Fremont approves RV crackdown | Tri City Voice

On Tuesday, Fremont City Council passed an ordinance that will restrict oversized parking in residential areas. The ordinance was introduced by the council during their regular meeting on Oct. 8, and its stated goal is to build upon existing parking prohibition rules to eliminate RV encampments in the city.


“I’m concerned about safety,” said council member Raj Salwan. “The council has taken this on because it’s come from our residents who are very concerned about this issue.”


The new ordin...
Tri City Voice •

Fremont’s next chapter | Tri City Voice

Raj Salwan’s rise from the child of struggling immigrants to a local government official embodies the American Dream. On Tuesday, Nov. 5 he made history with a landslide win in Fremont’s mayoral race, becoming the city’s first Indian American mayor. His victory ignited celebrations across social media, with community members sharing heartfelt messages on platforms like Facebook and X. Now, as the celebrations quiet down, Salwan says he’s ready to get to work, committed to serving the city he’s l...
Tri City Voice •

Local student shatters glass ceilings | Tri City Voice

American High School alumna recognized as one of Glamour’s 2024 College Women of the Year in STEMKeren Skariah, a 19-year-old student at UC Davis, is making waves in data science. Hailing from Fremont, Calif., her interest in the field was ignited during her American High School AP statistics class. This year, Skariah helped organize the first hackathon exclusively for women and non-binary students at UC Davis.


“It was difficult,” she reflected. “We didn’t have a model to follow, but the team...
Tri City Voice •

Healthcare heroes | Tri City Voice

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, the recognition of Latino contributions continues in Newark, where Mayor Michael Hannon honored the Promotoras, a group of Latino community health workers. During the October 10th city council meeting, the mayor issued a proclamation declaring October 2024 as Promotoras Month.


The Promotoras, many of whom are immigrants, have faced significant challenges before becoming trusted figures in the local healthcare system. Mayor Hannon highlighted the ne...
East Bay Express | Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda •

Voter Guide 2024: Time for choices

The November 2024 ballot includes the presidential contest, a U.S. Senate race, U.S. House races, State Senate and Assembly races, and nine state ballot measures. But local elections are also in play. Berkeley, Oakland and Richmond are all electing multiple city councilmembers and one mayor this fall.


Note that the endorsements listed in this article are not complete lists. Strongly recommended: Visiting the candidates’ websites for more information about their positions, and checking campaig...
Tri City Voice •

Max Korten joins East Bay Parks | Tri City Voice

Last month, East Bay Regional Park District appointed Max Korten as its new Deputy General Manager. Korten, who brings extensive leadership experience, joins the district’s Executive Leadership Team as it celebrates its 91st anniversary and looks toward a future of conserving open spaces in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.


“I’m super excited about this new role,” Korten said. “It’s a dream job to get to do this.”


Korten first got his taste of working in the wilderness at just 19, when he...
Tri City Voice •

Residents say Fremont could be safer | Tri City Voice

When asked how they feel about crime in their city, many Fremont residents say it’s lower on their list of concerns.


“I’ve always felt safe, I’ve never been a victim of crime here,” said 40-year resident Bob Greever. “But I do wish they’d expand Central Park like they promised, I guess that’s something that needs work,” he jokingly added.


A number of studies support the idea that Fremont is safe. A 2023 WalletHub report ranked Fremont the 19th safest city in the U.S. out of 200 cities anal...
Tri City Voice •

It’s United Against Hate Week | Tri City Voice

On Tuesday, September 17 Fremont Mayor Lily Mei delivered a proclamation for United Against Hate (UAH) Week at a regularly scheduled city council meeting. It will be observed from September 21 through September 27, 2024.


“The City of Fremont supports the efforts of Compassionate Fremont, the Tri City Interfaith Council, and the City of Fremont Human Relations Commissions to stand with other cities in the Bay Area to eliminate hatred and intolerance,” Mei said.


The proclamation states that...
Tri City Voice •

BART access and expansion project moves forward | Tri City Voice

After more than 20 years in the ideation stage, a project that would expand access to BART in Union City is finally on the horizon. City officials are confident this decision will be beneficial. Residents, however, are less than impressed.


The city invited the community for an informational meeting on Saturday, September 14, where they revealed the plan to construct an at-grade pedestrian rail crossing over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks on the east side of the Union City BART station, eff...
Tri City Voice •

Fremont appoints new City Council member | Tri City Voice

Fremont City Council appointed 40-year resident and longtime community leader Kathy Kimberlin as the new council member for District 3 this past Tuesday.


During the council meeting on September 10, Kimberlin was officially sworn into office by the City of Fremont. She is replacing Jenny Kassan, who recently resigned as she helps her husband Vinnie Bacon run for mayor. The passionate newcomer expressed excitement about working alongside currently seated council members.


“I love Fremont,” Ki...
East Bay Express | Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda •

Stephen Bruce makes funky art in Richmond

We’ve all seen oil on canvas and pastel on paper, but few have seen acid on copper. That’s the signature medium of choice for local East Bay artist Stephen Bruce. Originally from Sacramento, Bruce now resides in Richmond, where he says he enjoys the vibrant arts community.


Bruce has experimented with the concept of color-specific oxidation since 2003, and his artwork has been featured in popular Hollywood productions including Law & Order and The Avengers, as well as local shows and galleries...
Tri City Voice •

Restoring Russell City

The factory-laden strip of West Hayward land may be an ordinary feature of the city to many, but the city’s minority community knows well that this area is a shell of its former self. Known as Russell City, the unincorporated area established in 1853 was once a thriving neighborhood for the local Black and Latino populations.


Families owned livestock, and R&B singers like Etta James and Ray Charles would stop to play there routinely. It was blissful. It was peaceful and idyllic. And then the...
East Bay Express | Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda •

Alameda Civic Ballet awarded county arts grant

The Alameda County Arts Commission has announced the 2024 recipients of the ARTSFUND Grant. Among those is Alameda Civic Ballet (ACB), a dance company founded in 1974 and most known for its annual performance of The Nutcracker. The company received $2,500.


Ballet in the Bay Area has a rich history that traces back to the early 20th century. The first significant milestone came in 1933 with the founding of the San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional ballet company in the United States, a...
East Bay Express | Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda •

East Bay Dragons ride to freedom

Every Saturday at 5pm in East Oakland, a thunderous rumble can be felt in one’s bones. This is the roar of the Dragons.


By 5:30pm, dozens of mighty Dragons cruise the streets, and the few, scattered grumbles swell into a cacophony of mechanical growls. It’s a song of freedom. With a fierce declaration of arrival, the East Bay Dragons pull up to the curb.


Members of the East Bay Dragons, the oldest all-Black Harley-Davidson motorcycle club in the Bay Area, are gearing up to celebrate the cl...
East Bay Magazine •

Local educator launches Roborubrics for the classroom

There’s a robot takeover happening in some American schools. Don’t worry; they’re not the Hollywood anthropomorphic bots that respond in “beep boop.” These ones are far more intelligent, and they’re making teachers’ lives easier.


When Oakland-born educator Sam Anderson-Moxley began building his first essay grading app, he had envisioned a more streamlined workflow for his colleagues. A 2022 study published by the EdWeek Research Center found that teachers spend an average of five hours per we...
East Bay Magazine •

Berkeley’s Apothecarium is worth a visit

Most cannabis users have a dispensary that suits their needs. But anyone looking to explore new options should look no further than one Berkeley store.


The Apothecarium Dispensary is worth a visit for both those easing into the high-life and the established recreational smoker. In addition to offering a variety of products from vapes and edibles to flavored flowers and prerolls, the Downtown Berkeley shop provides comprehensive cannabis consultations and free educational events to the public....
Tri City Voice •

Chef DanVy Vu chases flavors at Top Hatters

A meal at Top Hatters Kitchen and Bar is not for the narrow palate. Executive chef and owner DanVy Vu embraces a refreshingly offbeat culinary approach, playfully combining flavor and texture profiles for dishes that are as visually stunning as they are delicious. You won’t find burgers in this establishment. Each menu item is an ode to a point in Vu’s complex life story.


“Our mission is for each dish to be unique,” Vu says. “We want to surprise you.”


At Top Hatters, highbrow cuisine meets...
Metro Silicon Valley | Silicon Valley’s Leading We •

Why Is Fremont So Happy?

Muggy weather on a weekday afternoon in Fremont can’t keep residents from enjoying their city. Under an oppressive sun, Umesh Velayudhan strolls slowly down a path at the popular Centerville Community Park. For him, it’s no surprise that Fremont has topped the list of “America’s Happiest Cities” for the fifth consecutive year.


“It’s very nice,” Velayudhan says. “I love the community here.”


Each year, personal finance company Wallethub conducts a study comparing quality of life in cities ac...
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