Archive for February, 2011
by John M. Zukoski on February 28, 2011 | 
2 Comments | Topics: Schools
As expected, many Bay Area institutions have been included in Forbes Magazine’s 2010 list of the top colleges and universities that can make their students rich. In fact, six of the top 14 schools in Forbes’ list are located within an hour of Dublin, CA: Stanford University (3), Santa Clara University (4), St. Mary’s College (5), UC Berkeley (12), University of San Francisco (13), and San Jose State University (14).
Forbes scoured data from 611 colleges and universities across the country and identified the schools that had alumni with earnings that far exceeded their salary expectations based on their field of study. Forbes was also sure to control for student background so that the top institutions were picked based purely on their ability to help boost the earnings for their graduates.
Five variables were highly correlated with earnings including institution acceptance rates, percentage of the student body with majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) fields, and SAT scores. All data used were provided by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP) and are the same information as those used to determine Forbes’ 2010 list of America’s Best Colleges.
“These are the colleges who can take a group of students that, statistically speaking, shouldn’t go on to earn much, and help them beat the odds and make big bucks,” Forbes Magazine’s Natalie Doss noted.
Continue Reading
by Around Dublin Team on February 27, 2011 | 1 Comment | Topics: Announcements
Dublin Police Services will be hosting the 2011 Citizens’ Police Academy for adults who reside or work in Dublin, CA. The Academy’s first session will be Wednesday, March 30th and will be held for nine Wednesdays thereafter, from 6:30PM to 9:30PM. The Academy will culminate in a graduation on June 1st.
The goal of the Citizens’ Academy is to teach the public about law enforcement operations, foster kinship between the community and law enforcement, and to promote community policing by supporting and encouraging citizen involvement.
The Academy will offer instruction by experienced law enforcement staff on topics such as: Crime Scene/Evidence Collection, Traffic and Radio Operations, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Gangs and Drugs. Participants will have an opportunity to tour Santa Rita Jail, the 5th largest jail in the nation, as well as get a taste of officer training at the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC).
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on February 26, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Things To Do
Everyone has heard of Mardi Gras, but what about BUNNY Mardi Gras? East Bay SPCA is cordially inviting everyone to come down to the Bunny Mardi Gras Adoption Event on Saturday, March 5th from 11AM to 4PM at its Tri-Valley Adoption Center in Dublin, CA, located at 4651 Gleason Drive. This family-friendly Mardi Gras celebration will feature mask-making crafts for kids and free beaded necklaces. Also, visitors can meet and adopt bunnies while enjoying the sounds of Mardi Gras marching band music.
The East Bay SPCA Bunny Mardi-Gras is the biggest Mardi-Gras-themed adoption event in the Bay Area. This special adoption event at the East Bay SPCA in Dublin will feature rabbits and bunnies from different rescue groups from all over the Bay Area. Rabbit experts will also be on site to answer rabbit questions and help visitors find the bunny of their dreams. Current bunny and rabbit owners are welcome to bring their creatures in for bunny speed dating and a free nail trim.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on February 25, 2011 | 2 Comments | Topics: Announcements
The National Weather Service is predicting freezing temperatures in Dublin and most Bay Area cities on Friday and Saturday nights. Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) encourages its customers to avoid water pipe breaks by insulating all exposed outdoor pipes, usually found at hose bibs, sprinkler systems, and swimming pools, or in crawl spaces, attics, or garages. DSRSD customers whose pipes break and cannot turn off the water should call the District at (925)828-8524 during business hours. After hours, customers should call the Alameda County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (925)462-1212 for help. Repairs are the property owner’s responsibility, if indoor or outdoor pipes break between the meter and the homeowner’s property.
Preventing Frozen Pipes
Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves that supply outdoor hose bibs, then open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on February 24, 2011 | 6 Comments | Topics: Development · Opinions
Dublin now has a specific plan that will guide the development of our downtown to the promised land of wonderful shops, pedestrian-friendly walkways, charming scenery, and top-rated restaurants. Dublin’s City Council recently approved the sixth downtown specific plan. This newly approved specific plan is the one plan that unites and replaces them all. While the Downtown Dublin plans are solid and provide a clear path towards redevelopment, Councilmember Kasie Hildenbrand reminded Dublin residents and business owners that it is not at all binding. “This plan is about encouraging development (in the Downtown District), but it doesn’t force change,” said Hildenbrand.
Dublin’s market-based downtown plans were developed with current business owners in mind. Existing owners do not need to worry about having new rules, guidelines, and regulations applied, as long as they choose to leave their buildings as-is. Investors and business owners who are looking to renovate or expand their buildings, on the other hand, may be subject to the new guidelines noted in the specific plan.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on February 23, 2011 | 10 Comments | Topics: Development · Schools
Tri-Valley Learning Corporation (TVLC) recently received the Livermore Planning Commission blessing to build the eagerly awaited and much anticipated public K-12 school campus less than two miles away from Dublin, CA near Las Positas College and Costco. The campus will be the new home of the successful Livermore Valley Charter School (LVCS) and Livermore Valley Charter Preparatory (LVCP) High School. LVCS, the public K-8 school with over 900 students and a wait list over 700, will use 110,000 square feet of space spread throughout the 11-acre, 16-building complex at the Montevina business park. LVCP, the public high school, will occupy the 80,000-square-foot building located on six acres of land at 3090 Independence Drive next to the future LVCS campus. The two school campuses are separated by 17 acres of undeveloped land that will be used for a sports and performing arts complex.
The Livermore Planning Commission approved the public K-12 school campus at its February 1 meeting. The 15-day appeal period ended on February 15th at 5PM with no appeal filed. TVLC now has a fully approved conditional use permit (CUP) for its facility project. Although the State Education Code exempts public schools from the CUP review process by local government, TVLC intentionally waived that exemption. “We were fully aware that we can exempt ourselves, but the City served as a good partner,” said Bill Batchelor, the Chief Operating Officer of TVLC.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on February 22, 2011 | 26 Comments | Topics: Development · Opinions
We hope we are wrong. The Promenade in Dublin, CA will likely never get built – at least not as it is currently planned. Most residents who bought in the Dublin Ranch Villages have heard the line that the Promenade would be built in two years. If you bought in 2005, you were told that the Promenade would be open by 2007. If you bought in 2007, you were told 2009 would be the year. None of those promises came true. The Promenade is currently planned to be an upscale shopping center that will rival San Jose’s Santana Row. Club Sport was supposed to be the anchor of Phase I with a Mercantile building that would provide retail, office, and restaurant space. So far the only movement on that strip of dirt has been the relocation of the Toll Brothers trailers.
Continue Reading
by Vickie Nagy on February 21, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Opinions
Is Recovery on the horizon for condo sales in Dublin, CA? While national news media excel at taking the temperature of the national market, they are not as informative for the individual local markets. Just how many Dublin condos and townhomes on the market are short sales? How many of them are in foreclosures?
Readers may be surprised to learn that of the 93 condos and townhomes actively listed for sale in Dublin, just 12 are foreclosures (12.9%) and 31 are listed as short sales (33.33%). In other words, over half the condos and townhomes currently listed for sale in the MLS are resales or new construction.
A total of 261 condos and townhomes sold in Dublin from January 1, 2010 to February 2011. Of those, 69 were foreclosures, 113 were short sales, and 79 were traditional resales or new construction. Of the 18 condos and townhomes that sold in Dublin, CA in just the past 30 days, two were more than 10 years old. Although selling prices ranged from $150,000 to $626,414, the median selling price was $349,450.
Dublin currently has 102 condos and townhomes listed for sale. The floor plans range from a 1-bedroom, 1-bath condo with a reported 669 square feet of living space at an asking price of $114,000 to a 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath townhome with a reported 2,200 square feet of living space at an asking price of $705,000.
Continue Reading
by John M. Zukoski on February 20, 2011 | 3 Comments | Topics: Public Works
A lab equipment technician from Pleasanton took the 100,000th trip on the new I-680 Express Lane last month, as usage of the new lane continues to rise. Larry Uruaqut, a technician for Beckman Coulter, says he uses the lane two days a week en route to service calls in the Palo Alto area. According to the Express Lane records, Uruquat made the historic trip on January 13th.
“I really like the lane,” Uruquat said. “It’s a nice feature to have when you don’t have someone to carpool with. I just wish it was going in both directions.”
Since opening last September 20th, the southbound Express Lane over the Sunol Grade from Pleasanton to Milpitas has seen weekly average usage increase by more than 20%. The lane reached a high of 2,024 users on January 20th.
Continue Reading
