Local Issues
by John M. Zukoski on December 29, 2011 | 
5 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.
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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.
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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.
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by John M. Zukoski on December 21, 2011 | 3 Comments | Topics: Local Issues · Things To Do
After learning from a mixed bag of successes and flops, the City of Dublin, CA will relaunch the farmers market at Emerald Glen Park in 2012. Dublin Farmers Market will return to the north side of Emerald Glen Park in its sophomore year. The hours of operations will remain from 4:00PM until 8:00PM on Thursdays.
Dublin Farmers Market started off with a bang, bringing in 3,000 visitors for the Spring 2011 kick-off evening. By the time the season drew to a close, Dublin Farmers Market had an average attendance of only 1,500 guests. The City of Dublin did the best it could with the time and location requirements from the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association (PCFMA).
Thursday farmers markets held at a time when many residents are still at work or stuck in traffic typically draw fewer people than those scheduled on weekends; nevertheless, the attendance from 2011 was sufficient to convince PCFMA that the potential exists in Dublin.
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by Around Dublin Team on December 19, 2011 | 51 Comments | Topics: Local Issues · Opinions
Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern held a public meeting in Dublin, CA over the weekend to explain the circumstances behind the wayward projectile that penetrated a home, tore up the roof of another, and finally landed in a minivan. The cannon shot was part of an experiment to see if cannonballs could really penetrate castle walls. Roughly 50 residents attended the forum. The official panel included representatives from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and the MythBusters. While Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti and city staff were in attendance, they kept their distance from the panel.
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Was Here First
Sheriff Ahern began the meeting by giving all the attendees a history lesson. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has been at its current location long before Dublin was incorporated as a city. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office was not responsible for approving the homes that have been built nearby. Sheriff Ahern then defended the relationship between the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and MythBusters. According to Sheriff Ahern, MythBusters has provided revenue for Alameda County over the years in exchange for the use of the Alameda County Bomb Disposal Range. MythBusters paid Alameda County $20,000 last year alone for such a privilege.
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by John M. Zukoski on December 16, 2011 | 2 Comments | Topics: Announcements · Local Issues · Opinions
Shortly before his recent announcement of $1B in spending cuts, California Governor Jerry Brown shared an open letter to summarize his plan to help save California’s public schools and maintain public safety, as the Golden State bounces back from a grueling recession and a diminished tax base. The $1B in cuts will include reduced spending on higher education in California and the elimination of free school bus services, but the school districts were spared of the deeper cuts many had feared.
The California State Legislature sewn the seeds for these cuts in June this year, when it approved an overly optimistic budget. Thanks to the passage of Proposition 25, elected members of the state Assembly and Senate would not be paid if they fail to pass a balanced budget by the constitutional deadline. In an effort to avoid further pay cuts from the enforcement of Proposition 25 by State Controller John Chiang, California’s legislators donned their rose-colored glasses when drafting this year’s budget by assuming that $8.3B of additional revenue will flow into the state coffers from the spoils of an improved economy.
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by Around Dublin Team on December 15, 2011 | 10 Comments | Topics: Announcements · City Hall · Local Issues
Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is hosting a community meeting on Saturday, December 17th at the Office of Emergency Services in Dublin, CA. The meeting will start at 11:00AM. The Office of Emergency Services is located at 4985 Broder Boulevard. The purpose of the community meeting is to provide an opportunity for area residents to share their concerns about the recent MythBusters cannonball incident with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the Training Center in Dublin. Sheriff’s Office representatives will be joined by representatives from Dublin Police Services, as well as the City of Dublin.
The cannonball incident took place during the filming of a MythBusters episode at the Alameda County Bomb Disposal Range. MythBusters is a hit television show on the Discovery Channel. Sgt. Nelson, who also serves as a safety explosives expert for MythBusters, has claimed that proper safety protocol was followed. MythBusters does not pay a fixed fee to use the Alameda County Bomb Disposal Range; instead, the show has donated to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. Representatives of the MythBusters program and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office are cooperating with the investigation by Dublin Police Services. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office currently runs Dublin Police Services for the City of Dublin by contract.
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by John M. Zukoski on December 13, 2011 | 14 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Issues · Opinions
Construction of the $162M Paragon Outlets in Livermore, CA is moving along at a brisk pace. Once phase I is completed, the 543,000-square-foot Livermore Valley outlet mall will feature premier merchants such as Barney’s New York Outlet, Cole Haan Company Store, J.Crew, Michael Kors, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike Factory Store, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, and Tommy Hilfiger. In contrast to the luxury and prestige of the stores at the future Livermore Valley outlet mall, Paragon Outlet Partners appears to be planning a standard run-of-the-mill food court that features licensed versions of familiar fast food chains like Taco Bell and Burger King, as well as a Panda Express knock-off.
Putting a food court from the 1980s in the heart of a retail center that features all these name brands would be like hanging fuzzy dice from the rear-view mirror of a Mercedes Benz E-Class. Paragon could miss out on a huge opportunity to raise the bar for outlet malls in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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by Around Dublin Team on December 12, 2011 | 7 Comments | Topics: Local Issues · Opinions
Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD), a public agency charged with providing water and sewer services to Dublin, San Ramon, and Pleasanton, will be holding a special committee meeting to discuss the new “Policy for Submission and Tabulation of Written Protest” on Monday, December 12th at 5:30PM. This meeting is in response to the tremendous public outrage against the obscene compensation packages that included one-quarter-million dollars in bonuses to DSRSD’s top brass. The excessive bonuses have been financed by a series of rate hikes at a time when families and local businesses can least afford them. Nearly 100 residents sent emails in protest. DSRSD Board President Rich Halket and DSRSD Board Member Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold are the only two board members expected at this committee meeting.
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