San Leandro Bytes

San Leandro Teacher Picks Up Sponsor for Video Podcast

San Leandro High School teacher Tony Farley has been publishing video podcasts of beautiful natural places since May 2007. Farley combined his job as a teacher in the San Leandro Academy of Multimedia (SLAM) with his love of hiking and the outdoors and now has the backing of On Networks, a producer of a variety of video podcasts.

On Networks provides production assistance and marketing. The assistance from On Networks is most notable in the additional narration. Farley will also get a cut of sales of related DVDs and apparel, when they become available. This will help him fund trips for future episodes farther from home, such as Hawaii. Prior to his current relationship with On Networks, Farley had been courting other possible sponsors, as in this post, "...if someone wants me to come to their neck of the woods, I would be more than happy to come out and do a show that includes something about whatever service they provide."

What is a video podcast? A video podcast is basically a shorter version of something you might see on television. They typically run less than 10 minutes and instead of being produced by major networks, they are usually homemade by enthusiasts. Many video podcasts are available for free and can be accessed using Apple's iTunes or Miro to find and "subscribe." After subscribing to a video podcast, future episodes are downloaded automatically each time you open iTunes or Miro.

So far, Farley's twelve podcasts have focused mainly on California places like Yosemite, Big Sur and Point Reyes with two episodes on Rocky Mountain National Park. Four more episodes have been filmed, but still need to be edited. The podcasts range in size from about 30 megabytes (MB) to 260 MB and all are less than 10 minutes long.

You can subscribe to the video podcasts using iTunes, Miro, and Zune (standard definition only), at http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/beautiful-places-in-hd/. The HD podcasts take longer to download, but they're worth it.

Building Demolished to Make Way for Affordable Senior Housing

Demolition of the last building at former site of Sir Richards Car Store Outlet was completed on May 7, 2008. The site will be developed into a 51-unit senior housing development by Eden Housing. Construction is scheduled to begin this Fall and completed in late fall 2009.

The lot is located at 2121 E. 14th Street.

Safety Group Touts Motion-Activated Lights to Fight Crime

The recently-formed group Citizens for a Safer Leandro is working to fund a pilot project to install motion-activated lights in about 500 to 600 homes in each of San Leandro's six council districts. The group made a presentation at the May 5, 2008, meeting of the San Leandro City Council. The cost of the pilot project is estimated at $5,700, and Councilmember Michael Gregory presented the group with a check for $500 from his empowerment fund at the conclusion of their presentation.

The group hopes that installation of the motion sensors will help reduce crime. Subsidies will be provided for those who can't afford the estimated $20 cost and the group will work with another group to get the motion detectors installed. Their goal is to get the sensors installed by mid-summer and to expand the program to the entire city next year.

During the presentation, one of the group's founders, Connie Stephens (wife of City Councilmember Bill Stephens), noted that San Leandro has had six residents killed during 2008, although it was unclear how these were related to crime in San Leandro, since all but one were killed outside of San Leandro.

Stephens also said she was concerned about students gathering at the library after school and noted that a student ran in front of her car without looking as she was parking during a "disturbance" at the library. Stephens told the City Council, "As I parked and went into the library, there were kids everywhere and I couldn't imagine what was going on...I wasn't so much concerned for myself, but my community and the seniors that have built this community deserve better. I think if I was a senior citizen I would be very intimidated to have to walk through that kind of disturbance."

Coverage at the Daily Review.

The entire presentation is posted below:

Connie Stephens:

Judith Collins and John Kaplan:

Meet City Council Candidates Prola and Reed at Zocalo on May 13, 2008

The San Leandro Community Action Network (SLCAN) is offering interested voters an opportunity to have coffee with San Leandro City Council candidates Jim Prola and Ursula Reed on May 13, 2008, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The group recently endorsed Prola in District 6 and Reed in District 2 for the June 3, 2008, election.

Prola was appointed in February 2007 to replace Tony Santos. Reed has been a member of the Library-Historical Commission since February 2006.

The free event will be held at Zocalo Coffeehouse, located at 645 Bancroft Avenue in San Leandro. Complimentary coffee and food will be available.

Councilmember Bill Stephens Elected Vice Mayor of San Leandro

At the May 5, 2008, meeting of the San Leandro City Council, Bill Stephens was elected Vice Mayor. Current Vice Mayor Surlene Grant nominated Stephens and Councilmember Michael Gregory seconded the nomination. Gregory noted that Stephens had been considered for the position previously and withdrew because of his work commitments. Councilmember Diana Souza then offered a substitute motion nominating Councilmember Joyce Starosciak that was seconded by Jim Prola.

Starosciak advocated to be elected Vice Mayor, noting that the title would add credibility to San Leandro's presence on the Board of the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (ACTIA), to which she is assigned. She also noted that she would have the energy and time to devote to the position.

Mayor Tony Santos noted that Districts 5 and 6 had not had a Vice Mayor in many years and he believes that the position should rotate among the City Council districts. A review of recent vice mayors shows that Councilmembers from Districts 3, 5, and 6 have not been Vice Mayor for more than 10 years. During that time, District 4 Councilmember Bob Glaze served as Vice Mayor for four straight years and District 1 Councilmembers Gordon Galvan and Orval "OB" Badger served for two years each.

Councilmember Jim Prola expressed his support for Starosciak, noting that she has the time and that the Vice Mayor should be female because we have a male Mayor.

Grant noted that this is an election year and Starosciak may have an advantage if she was elected Vice Mayor. She also stated that the position of Vice Mayor has been held by members of the same sex previously and discounted the need to have it filled by a member of the opposite sex of the Mayor.

Councilmember Stephens joked that he was "not going to get a sex change operation," but noted that he did have a demanding schedule. Stephens said that he would be "honored to perform the duties of Vice Mayor."

The City Council vote on electing Starosciak as Vice Mayor was defeated with Souza, Starosciak, and Prola voting for Starosciak and the other four members voting no. The subsequent vote on electing Stephens as Vice Mayor was unanimous, making Stephens San Leandro's new Vice Mayor.

According to Section 310 of the City Charter, "In the absence of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor shall possess and perform the powers and duties of the Mayor."

For a listing of recent Vice Mayors, see below.

Vice Mayors of the Recent Past:

• 1998 - Gordon Galvan (District 1)


• 1999 - Gordon Galvan (District 1)


• 2000 - Bob Glaze (District 4)


• 2001- Bob Glaze (District 4)


• 2002 - Bob Glaze (District 4)


• 2003- Bob Glaze (District 4)


• 2004 - Orval "OB" Badger (District 1)


• 2005 - Orval "OB" Badger (District 1)


• 2006 - Surlene Grant (District 2)


• 2007 - Surlene Grant (District 2)

BZA Approves Abatement of City Council Candidate's Home

The Alameda County Health Department and San Leandro Building Department aren't the only ones forcing City Council candidate Mark Tichy to comply with regulations. At its March 20, 2008, meeting, the Board of Zoning Adjustments approved a staff recommendation to "obtain a court order to enter the property and abate the violation" consisting of "Unlawful outdoor storage of items in the front yard."

A complaint about the property, where Tichy resides with his wife Candus Baca, was first received on October 4, 2007. The staff report noted, "Weeds and grasses were approximately 1 1/2 feet tall throughout the property. The driveway was filled with appliances, boxes and miscellaneous debris."

Subsequent visits were made on October 18, 2007, November 12, 2007, November 27, 2007, and March 20, 2008. Although the grass and weeds were cut prior to the October 18, 2007, visit, the items stored in the driveway still haven't been abated and the BZA will require Baca, the property owner, to pay fines of $300 and the cost of the contractor hired to abate the violations.

A photo taken by city staff on one of the visits to the property:

The relevant San Leandro Municipal Code sections are 3-2-205 for the height of the weeds and grass and 3-1-200 for unlawful outdoor storage.

Hillary Van Austen and Adan Alonzo to Join Peronnel Relations Commission

Adan Alonzo and Hilary Van Austen will likely be appointed as at-large members to the Personnel Relations Board at the May 5, 2008, San Leandro City Council meeting. They will replace Michael Munoz and Anna Brannan.

Brannan left the Personnel Relations Board when she was appointed to replace Marcene Nardine at the Planning Commission on March 3, 2008. The City Council issued a resolution commending Munoz for his years of service on the Personnel Relations Board at its April 7, 2008, meeting. Munoz was first appointed in March 1993.

Van Austen is president of the Broadmoor Neighborhood Association and works for the East Bay Regional Parks District. She also works with her husband at Van Austen Creative, a design, illustration, and multimedia communication company.

Alonzo is active at Madison Elementary and sought the appointment to the District 6 City Council seat in February 2007. He was a vocal opponent of a possible bridge over San Leandro Creek between San Leandro and Oakland's Sobrante Park neighborhood. Alonzo works for Waste Management at its Fremont transfer station facility.

Update: Alonza and Van Austen were appointed unanimously on May 5, 2008.

Long Wait for $.31 Ice Cream at Baskin Robbins

On April 30, 2008, Baskin Robbins and National Fallen Firefighters' Foundation joined together to honor America's firefighters. Baskin Robbins offered scoops of ice cream for just $.31 while Alameda County Firefighters were on hand to collect donations and hand out plastic firefighter hats to kids.

The line for ice cream stretched halfway through Pelton Center with a wait of more than an hour.

Baskin Robbins is located at 100 Pelton Center Way in San Leandro.