West End Times

West End Library temporarily closing for renovations

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:36:00 +0000

The Island reports: the The West End Library will close for renovations at 5 p.m. March 13.

The retrofit include smechanical, plumbing, electrical, lighting, carpentry, flooring, painting, and roofing work. Work on one branch must be completed and ready for occupancy before construction begins on the other branch.

The West End Library, located at 788 Santa Clara Avenue (cross street 8th Street), is a Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) project building that first opened in 1936. Remodeling will retain the historic aspects to the greatest extent possible, according to the City's website.

"Materials being held at the West End Library for patrons will be moved to the main library, which is at 1550 Oak Street, and materials from that library should be returned at the main library or the library’s Bay Farm branch."

The renovations are expected to continue until the end of 2010.

The original 1935 plans are available online and the City is accepted bids for the improvement work.

Photo: Flickr user Alameda Free

Black History Month film at Longfellow

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:40:00 +0000

The Alameda Multicultural Community Center will screen "Two Black Nations of America" Friday, Feb. 19 at Longfellow Education Center.

In "The Two Nations of Black America," Frontline correspondent and Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. examines the widening gap between the upper and lower economic classes of black America while exploring just how we could simultaneously have the largest black middle class and largest black underclass in the history of the U.S. As black success continues on the upswing, could it be that the upper
black classes share as much or more in common with their white neighbors
and colleagues than their friends and family in the inner cities?

The film, part of the AMCCC's Black History Month program will be followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists include Rick Moss, African American Museum & Library at Oakland; Vickie Smith: Community Activist and lifelong Alameda resident; Henry Bens: AUSD educator & Pastor of Chosen Vessels Christian Church; Reginald James, Laney College student and Sayoko Watson, Educator, Family & Youth Advocate

The AMCCC will also host a slideshow and discussion on African American History
in Alameda on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the Alameda Free Library (Main).

The film screening will be at the Longfellow Education Center's Multipurpose Room 500 Pacific Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501. Enter from either 5th Street or the Lincoln Avenue Parking lot. The center is served by AC Transit bus Line 63.

Tube closures

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:40:00 +0000

If you're a night owl trying to escape the island, you may have noticed the Tube was closed last night.

Photo: Panoramio.com

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is closing the Posey Tube -- leaving Alameda -- Tuesday and Wednesday night also. Each night, the Tube closes at 9:30 p.m. and reopens the following morning at 4:30 a.m. The Posey Tube will be closed again at night the first week of January.

Next week, the Webster Tube -- entering Alameda -- will be closed Monday-Wednesday nights, 9:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. for "tube washing," according to the City of Alameda's website.

Questions or information about the Tube closures should be directed to Edward Coppin, Caltrans Acting Superintendent, Tunnels & Tubes, at (510) 286-0315.

West Alameda Police Blotter

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

MONDAY, Dec. 14
VEHICLE THEFT — Someone stole a silver 1979 Oldsmobile Sentry from the 1500 block of Sixth Street, police said. The victim, 84, told police that he noticed his car missing about 7:45 a.m. and that it was stolen sometime after 1 p.m. Sunday. Police also said someone entered an unlocked beige 2002 Volvo V70XC parked on the same block during the same time frame. While no items were stolen, the person who entered the Volvo left a cell phone on the passen1ger seat.

TUESDAY, Dec. 15
VEHICLE THEFT — A woman who lives in the 300 block of Westline Drive told police that her black 2005 Subaru Forester was stolen while she was on a skiing trip in Utah. While the theft happened sometime between 10 p.m. Dec. 9 and about 9:45 a.m. the next day, police learned about it Friday.

BURGLARY — Police are investigating a theft of laptops from Windriver Systems on Wind River Way, where a thief entered an equipment storage room to gain access to the computers. Loss was valued about $13,500.

West Alameda Police blotter compiled from Alameda Times Star.

Mythbusters: Does Obama have Jet Pride?

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Mythbusters, the Discovery Channel popular science program that uses the scientific method to test rumors, movie scenes and internet stories has sparked an Alameda myth of its own.

President Obama with Mythbusters' stars Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman.

This above image with President Obama holding an Encinal Jets sweater sparked a Facebook debate on a number of alumni pages with the general perception that the image was photoshopped.

That myth is busted. It turns out the image is real.

The Mythbusters visited the White House as a part of the administrations new "Education to Innovate" initiative.

To test the theory, the West End Times tracked down the The Mythbusters Twitter feed post that read "The shirt that Jamie gave President Obama at the #STEM policy speech was from one of his local schools.."

This should be no surprise, considering the number of times the show has been filmed in Alameda, the past Encinal Mythbusters Fundraiser with the Mythbusters hosts and co-star Jamie Hyneman's marriage to Encinal High science teacher Eileen Walsh.

Obama even gave the two a shout out in his speech.

"I hope you guys left the explosives at home," Obama joked. They did.

The full video is below:

APD seeks bank robbery suspect

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 02:38:00 +0000

Alameda police are still searching for a man they say robbed an Alameda bank Tuesday. They have released a surveillance photo in hopes that someone will come forward to identify the suspect.

The Alameda Times Star reports, "The suspect handed a note? to a teller during the robbery of a Bank of America branch at 1500 Park St. and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. The man did not display a weapon and no one was hurt."
Photo: Alameda Police

"Police described the suspect as a black man in his 20s who stands between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet 2 inches tall. The man, who has brown eyes, a light mustache and a buzz cut hairstyle, was wearing a dark blue baseball cap with a "NY" logo and black or dark blue pants," the report continues.

The description is similar to that of the robbery suspect who struck the Citibank on Webster and Haight Street Aug. 27, as reported in the Alameda Sun.

Anonymous information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect can be left at (510)TEL-ACOP (835-2267) or (510) 337-8340.

Alameda Point hosts Hoop-A-Palooza

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Photo: ARPD

Alameda youth in 6th to 12th grades are invited to a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament, Hoop-A-Palooza, Saturday, December 19 at the Alameda Point Gym.

The 3 on 3 Basketball tournament is being sponsored by the Alameda Recreation and Park Department (ARPD). Check-in begins at 9 a.m. and the first games begin at 10 a.m.

Each time may have up to four players. Every team is guaranteed to play at least two games. All players receive a free lunch.

The Alameda Point Gym is located at 1101 West Redline Avenue on Alameda Point. For more information, visit ARPD on the web.

Have coffee with Councilmember Matarrese

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:35:00 +0000

City Councilmember Frank Matarrese will hold this month's Town Hall on the West End this Saturday.

The monthly sessions are an opportunity for the councilmember to listen to comments and concerns from the public in a casual setting.

The meeting will be held Saturday, December 19 from 1-3 p.m. at WesCafe Coffee Shop, 1536 Webster St. You can also contact Mataresse at (510) 759-9290, or email him.

AUSD Board approves Chipman charter

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Photo Credit: The Island

The Alameda Unified School District Board of Education unanimously approved The Academy of Alameda Middle School charter proposal at its Tuesday night meeting.

The Academy, expects to open at the current site of Chipman Middle School next fall.

The Island reports, "It was not clear Wednesday where students in the Chipman attendance zone would go to school if they opted not to sign up for the charter. District officials did not return a call seeking comment."

The charter proposal was developed in response to Chipman failing to satisfy No Child Left Behind, the Bush initiated federal law that requires schools to meet targeted testing goals consequetively for four years, or be forced to close, go charter or replace teachers.

The school has an independent board that includes former State Assembly Member Wilma, former AUSD Superintendent Ardella Daily, former AUSD Trustee William Schaff, Alameda resident and blogger Lauren Do and current Chipman Middle School Principal Judy Goodwin.

If Chipman is replaced, it would be the second school on the West End to be replaced by a charter in the last five years. Longfellow Elementary School was closed in 2006 -- along with Woodstock and Miller Elementary Schools -- and a charter school, NEA, opened on its site this fall. The Bay Area School of Enterprise (BASE) also currently operates on the former site of Woodstock.

For more information about The Academy of Alameda, visit their website.

ARPD Hoop Shoot Contest Begins

noreply@blogger.com (westendtimes) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Got game? Prove it.

Photo: ARPD

The Alameda Recreation and Park Department (ARPD) is hosting the annual Elks Hational Hoop Shoot Contest. The Hoop Shoot is a Basketball Free Throw Contest for Boys and Girls ages 8-13 who live, or attend school, in Alameda.

The Preliminary Contest, which is free, begins Wednesday, November 4 and continues until Monday, December 14. You can participate at the following West End parks:

Littlejohn
Longfellow
Washington
Woodstock
Bayport

Each contestant gets 25 shots to make a free throw. Whoever makes the most shots wins.

The top three finalists in each division are eligible to represent their park or club at the City-Wide Finals to be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 8, 2010 at the Alameda Point Gym.

The winners in each division at the City-Wide Finals will then go on to represent the City of Alameda and the Alameda Elks in the District Shoot-Off in late January.

For more information call Trini Sanchez-Blumkin, Youth Sports Coordinator, at (510) 747-7586 or download the event flyer.