Archive for 2011
by Around Dublin Team on December 31, 2011 | 
No Comments | Topics: Announcements · City Hall
The All-America City of Dublin, CA is looking to fill two unscheduled vacancies on the Senior Center Advisory Committee. One seat’s term will expire in December 2012, and the other seat’s term will end in December 2014. The application deadline is Monday, January 16th, 2012, with the appointments anticipated to both be made at the City Council Meeting on February 7th, 2012.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on December 29, 2011 | 12 Comments | Topics: Local Issues · Opinions · Schools
Dublin High School’s students and teachers had much to celebrate in 2011. Dublin High was able to grow its API score to 879 from last year’s score of 867. This score ranks amongst the highest of Alameda County.
Dublin High School unveiled the newly-constructed humanities, arts, library, counseling, career center, and administrative buildings this year as part of the $120M Measure C project. Dublin High also played host for California Assemblywoman and long-time San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board Trustee Joan Buchanan, as she toured the school to see the latest Measure C facilities improvements and additions. Buchanan paid Dublin High a large compliment by comparing the renovations and additions to those that she oversaw at California High School in San Ramon and San Ramon Valley High School in Danville.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on December 28, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Development · Local Issues · Opinions
Just as Pacific Union Homes, the City of Dublin, and an investment group led by Charter Properties and the Lin Family are hoping to expand East Dublin by 50% with the unsustainable annexation of Doolan Canyon, Jordanian speculative land developer Samir Kawar is grappling his way closer to realizing the vision of development in the San Ramon portion of the Tassajara Valley. The project, referred to as “New Farm”, is currently marketed as 177 luxury estate homes on one-acre lots complete with olive orchards, 10 apartment units to house the farm workers who will maintain the olive trees, a cemetery located roughly one mile from the Silvera Ranch and Wallis Ranch communities in Dublin, a fire training facility, and a religious worship center.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on December 27, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Opinions · Retail
The bankruptcy of Borders and the closing of its Pleasanton store was a short-term blessing for the Barnes & Noble at Hacienda Crossings in Dublin, CA; however, the demise of the Borders brand could signal a long-term decline for the storied book superstore, as readers move increasingly faster towards eBooks. According to the company’s own press statement, Barnes & Noble has captured over 25% of the electronic reader market. Barnes & Noble is well-positioned to ditch its brick-and-mortar locations like the Dublin Hacienda Crossings superstore, as its head-on competition with Amazon heats up in 2012.
Continue Reading
by Scott Hill on December 26, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Opinions
When working with homebuyers in Dublin, Livermore, San Ramon, and Pleasanton, I am often asked to explain the difference between a pre-qualification letter and a pre-approval letter. If you visit the forums on Zillow and Trulia on loans, you will frequently see comments from disappointed consumers on how they have been pre-approved or pre-qualified for loans, only to be rejected by a later step in the process. While no legal definition exists for either term, a pre-qualification is, in general, a loan originator’s guess as to your ability to qualify for a home loan and the pre-approval is an underwriter’s signature that you are approved, subject to conditions. Lenders are not always forthcoming about how the process really works, because telling their customers that they have been pre-qualified or pre-approved is often easier.
When you are ready to check out the homes, you want to work with a lender that is ready to do more than simply pulling your credit report. The lender should be willing to invest the time and effort to assemble all of your financial documents, verify the information on the loan application, and submit everything to an underwriter for review. The underwriter will either approve the loan with conditions or deny the application. The underwriter typically will not look at your loan, unless you are already in contract for your home. This requirement puts the homebuyers at a disadvantage, because often they have already become emotionally attached to the homes. Either way, you will know where you stand and can plan accordingly.
Continue Reading
by Around Dublin Team on December 25, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · City Hall
The All-America City of Dublin, CA is accepting nominations for the 2011 Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Organization of the Year. The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding individuals and groups who have contributed to the quality of life in Dublin this past year. Nomination criteria for both the Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year Awards are based on the Dublin Pride – Integrity in Action Program’s 10 Characteristics: Responsibility, Respectfulness, Caring, Giving, Positive Attitude, Trustworthiness, Cooperation, Doing One’s Best, Honesty, and Self-Discipline. The Young Citizen of the Year recognizes the volunteer service of Dublin’s youth in 1st – 12th grade.
All nominees will be recognized at the Volunteer recognition event to be held at the Shannon Community Center on Friday, February 24, 2012, where the winners will be announced. The Organization of the Year will receive a $500 cash prize, and a $300 donation will be given to each the Citizen and Youth Citizen of the Year’s favorite non-profit organization.
Continue Reading
by Around Dublin Team on December 24, 2011 | 6 Comments | Topics: Announcements · Opinions
Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) and Representative Sander Levin (D-MI), both Ranking Members on the Ways and Means Committee, recently highlighted a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that 2.5 million young adults now have health coverage thanks to health reform. “In just over a year, 2.5 million young adults are taking advantage of the opportunity to get health coverage on a parent’s plan,” noted Stark. “If that’s not a reflection of health care reform meeting an urgent need I don’t know what is. This is only one example of the many consumer benefits that will continue to be rolled out as the law is implemented. That is why I’ll continue to fight the out-of-touch Republican call for repeal.” Stark is running for the newly drawn 15th U.S. Congressional district (CA-15) in California. The City of Dublin, CA is part of this new 15th Congressional district in 2012.
A provision in the law allows young adults to obtain coverage on their parent’s health insurance plan until their 26th birthday. The number of insured 19-25 year olds grew significantly from 900,000, when this number was last reported in September, to the 2.5 million covered today. The policy went into effect in September 2010.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on December 23, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Issues · Opinions
As 2011 draws to a close, Fidelity Investments has some tax-saving tips for readers in and around Dublin, CA. Fidelity Investments has a branch location right in The Shops at Waterford, where Blockbuster used to be. The following eight strategies from Fidelity Investments may potentially lower your tax bill and help improve your tax picture for future years. Be sure to ask your tax professional for more information.
Continue Reading
