Archive for September, 2010
by John M. Zukoski on September 30, 2010 | 
18 Comments | Topics: Opinions · Profiles
Barbara Boxer, who has represented the State of California for three terms in the U.S. Senate, is facing the toughest electoral challenge of her political career from newcomer Carly Fiorina, a former Hewlett-Packard CEO. In a poll released on September 24th, the longtime Democratic incumbent is pulling slightly ahead from her Republican challenger in the Field Poll by 47 percent to 41 percent. Still, the lead seems too narrow for a well established incumbent, and the Republicans believe they have a shot at winning this seat in the U.S. Senate on November 2nd. As exciting as this race is on the national level, how will the election of Boxer or Fiorina impact residents in the Tri-Valley?
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by Around Dublin Team on September 29, 2010 | 32 Comments | Topics: Opinions · Schools
Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) is struggling to accommodate the “explosive growth” of elementary school student population in East Dublin. The actual student population in East Dublin has consistently outpaced the demographic projections by the SCI Consulting Group over the past decade. The cost overrun of various school construction projects has resulted in the delayed opening of H.W. Kolb Elementary School, which inevitably led to the unacceptable overcrowding at John Green Elementary School, as this neighborhood school in Dublin Ranch becomes oversubscribed. The current recommendation from DUSD staff is to reconfigure John Green Elementary School and H.W. Kolb Elementary School into K-4 schools. Meanwhile, Eleanor Murray Fallon School would become a middle school serving 6th-8th graders, along with the 5th graders from both John Green Elementary School and H.W. Kolb Elementary School. Students at James Dougherty Elementary School are not part of the proposed reconfiguration at this time.
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by John M. Zukoski on September 28, 2010 | 2 Comments | Topics: Development
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, the purveyor of wholesome foods and convenient prepared meals, will be opening a new store in Danville, CA and seven more in Northern California by early 2011. Each store will range from 10,000-15,000 square feet in size. Danville’s Fresh & Easy will be opening during the first quarter of 2011 at the Green Valley Shopping Center right off the I-680 Diablo Road exit. Fresh & Easy had started to make tenant improvements at the Danville site back in 2008, but it had to put all expansion efforts on hold while ironing out financing details for its imminent expansion into key U.S. markets.
While many in the Tri-Valley speculated that Fresh & Easy had changed its mind about opening a store in Danville, Fresh & Easy recently reactivated its building permit and finalized the sign permit for its Green Valley Shopping Center site. The Danville Fresh & Easy store will be 15,000 square feet in size and will be an anchor with Walgreens at the Green Valley Shopping Center.
Fresh & Easy had committed to opening a store in Pleasanton at the Rose Pavilion and had applied for permits with the City of Pleasanton; however, Fresh & Easy appears to have chosen to postpone the Pleasanton store opening for the foreseeable future.
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by John M. Zukoski on September 27, 2010 | 40 Comments | Topics: Opinions · Schools
Through poor planning Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) has run out of space to operate John Green Elementary School. The current recommendation from DUSD staff is to put all fifth graders from John Green Elementary School and H.W. Kolb Elementary School with the middle school students at Eleanor Murray Fallon School. Students at James Dougherty Elementary School are not part of the proposed reconfiguration at this time.
Past decisions by the DUSD Board of Trustees have led to persistent classroom shortages in East Dublin schools. In September 2005, DUSD staff recommended the construction of John Green Elementary School with a capacity of only 600 students. Adamant opposition by then Board Trustees Randy Shumway and David Haubert eventually resulted in two additional classrooms at John Green Elementary School, but that compromise was clearly insufficient. Enrollment projections in East Dublin have consistently exceeded even the high growth scenarios presented by the SCI Consulting Group, DUSD’s demographer. Even with the perpetual underforecasting of East Dublin growth by the demographer, the presentation given by the SCI Consulting Group on January 24, 2006, accurately showed the need for the opening of H.W. Kolb Elementary School in the 2008-2009 school year and the opening of the yet-to-be-named elementary school in Positano at Fallon Village for the 2010-2011 school year. The same presentation also demonstrated the need for the conversion of Eleanor Murray Fallon School to a middle school.
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by Tyler Moxley on September 26, 2010 | 2 Comments | Topics: Opinions
If you are looking at different neighborhoods in Dublin, CA, please visit our Dublin Ranch Neighborhoods page. This page features information on schools, parks, floor plans, and an interactive neighborhood map of Dublin Ranch.
The number of detached homes sold in Dublin, CA decreased for a second month in a row. A total of 20 homes sold in August compared to 29 in July and 33 in June.
The number of homes for sale at the end of August was 86. The highest sale price for a Dublin detached home was $910,000 on Inspiration Circle. That home sold at $263 a square foot. The lowest sale price for a Dublin detached home was $399,000 on Millbrook Avenue. That home sold at $357 a square foot.
Average days on market for Dublin homes was 24 with an average list price of $663,555 at $288 a square foot. The average sale price was $654,122 at $284 a square foot.
The average days on market for Dublin homes was 24 with an average list price of $663,555 at $288 a square foot. The average sale price was $654,122 at $284 a square foot.
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by John M. Zukoski on September 24, 2010 | 1 Comment | Topics: Local Issues
According to CrimeReports.com, the City of Dublin saw a tremendous drop in the number of reported crimes for August 2010. A total of 145 crimes were reported in August compared to 175 in July. Most of the decrease is attributed to fewer “quality of life” and traffic incidents. There was a spike in crimes involving stolen property. In fact, the month of August is the first time this year that at least half of Dublin’s monthly crimes were theft-related.
Four vehicle thefts were reported during August compared to the 11 vehicle thefts that had been reported in July. Two arrests were made for prostitution during August. The first arrest was made on August 4th next to the Tralee townhomes, and the second was on August 27th next to the Hyatt Place on Hacienda Drive. Three breaking and entering crimes were reported in East Dublin along the Dublin Boulevard corridor during August.
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by John M. Zukoski on September 23, 2010 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses
Dublin-based Laxmi’s Delights is carving out a niche in the world of gourmet foods with its line of organic flaxseed spreads and sweet & spicy roasted nuts. Mompreneur Laxmi Hiremath, founder of the eponymously named Laxmi’s Delights, lives in San Ramon and produces her delicious spreads in Dublin. Laxmi recently shared her organic flaxseed spreads at Whole Foods Market’s 30th anniversary celebration in San Ramon.
“I was not at all into cooking while growing up in India,” said Laxmi. “As a youngster, I sniffed around happily in the kitchen exclaiming, ‘Boy, does that smell good,’ without ever offering to participate. I loved to watch my mother and grandmothers in the kitchen, and I picked up things by observing, but when I came to the U.S. two decades ago, I knew I had to do things on my own; the ‘freebie’ was over.” Laxmi credits her culinary creativity and bachelors degree in chemistry for the creation of her organic spreads and nut products.
Laxmi’s Delights has three organic spreads:
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by John M. Zukoski on September 22, 2010 | 22 Comments | Topics: Schools
Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) is known to be a very generous employer in comparison to other school districts in the Tri-Valley. According to a CBS 5 report of 2009-2010 salaries, the average DUSD teacher earned roughly $70,000 for 2009-2010*. In addition to paying these base salaries, DUSD will also be contributing roughly $4.7M to employee pension plans during the 2010-2011 school year. Teachers are expected to receive $3.3M in pension contributions, while support employees are expected to receive $1.3M in contributions.
DUSD contributes an additional 12% of each teacher’s salary to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) and “Alt Retirement” pension plan. For an average DUSD teacher who earns $70,000 a year, this amount works out to be $8,400 extra on top of the base annual salary. DUSD also pays an additional 16.77% of each support employee’s salary to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and “Alt Retirement” pension plans. For a maintenance worker who earns $50,000 a year, this amount works out to be $8,385 extra on top of the base annual salary.
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by Around Dublin Team on September 21, 2010 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Sustainability
StopWaste.Org just announced the Grand Prize winners for the Ready, Set, Recycle contest, a month-long recycling contest that gave Dublin and Fremont residents a chance to win up to $250 for having the least amount of recyclable and compostable materials in their trash bins. Richard and Sharon Lewis of Dublin and Donna Hill of Fremont have been named the two cities’ Best Recyclers.
From June 21–July 31, StopWaste.Org’s prize crew randomly selected garbage carts on the regular garbage collection days and rewarded those residents who were correctly separating their recyclables, compostables and trash. StopWaste.Org gave $50 to eight households from both Dublin and Fremont, and $250 as well as the title of Dublin and Fremont’s Best Recyclers to the best ones within the group.
At the recent Dublin City Council meeting, Richard and Sharon Lewis received an official commendation from the City Council and a check for $250 for being Dublin’s Best Recyclers. “We’ve always been avid recyclers and composters,” said Richard Lewis. “The Ready, Set, Recycle contest was a fun way of reinforcing the importance of recycling and composting so we were happy that we had a chance to participate. It’s my hope that the contest has inspired residents all over Dublin to keep up the good work.” Dublin and Fremont residents also had an opportunity to take the “I Recycle” online pledge and win a $15 gift card.
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