ACTION ALAMEDA News

School District Says It’s Reached a Tentative Agreement With CSEA Local

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:46:16 +0000

The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) says that it has reached a tentative agreement in negoations with the California School Employees Association #860.

AUSD says it will provide Maintenance, Operations and Food Service Unit members a one percent one-time increase in compensation at the end of this school year, and a one-and-half percent increase for the next school year. That increase will be limited to the 2012-2013 year in the event that AUSD receives less state funding next year. The media release from AUSD didn’t indicate what would happen if the district did not receive less state funding next year.

Members of the union local are expected to vote on the tentative agreement within the next week.

Alameda to South San Francisco Ferry Service to Begin June 4th

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:01:13 +0000

A new ferry service will begin June 4th to take passengers from Alameda and Oakland to South San Francisco, and the first week is free.

The ride from the East Bay to Oyster Point in South San Francisco – a biotech hub – will take 40 to 50 minutes, according to the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), which operates the San Francisco Bay Ferry. Ferries will leave the Alameda Main Street terminal at three times during the morning commute, and return twice from Oyster Point in the evening.

Ernest Sanchez of WETA told Action Alameda News that employee surveys conducted by WETA at Oyster Point businesses, and regional demographic and transportation data from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments identified a potential ridership market to support the service.

“Oyster Point is a major employment center that is not conveniently accessible by regional transit, particularly for trips originating in the East Bay,” he said. “Prominent industries include numerous biotech firms anchored by the presence of Genentech, one of the largest employers on the Peninsula.”

Genentech will provide shuttles for employees to get between the Oyster Point ferry terminal and the Genentech campus; WETA also anticipates that some riders will take their bikes on board and then ride to their final work destination.

Further, WETA has worked out a plan to provide shuttle service between the ferry terminal and major employment nodes at Oyster Point, and the South San Francisco Caltrain station, west of Highway 101.

Would-be riders of the service can reserve a free seat during the first week of service, on a first-come, first-served basis, via the website www.sanfranciscobayferry.com.

PG&E Closes Gas Leak at Cardinal Point

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:24:21 +0000

Early this evening, PG&E secured a natural gas leak near Cardinal Point.

At around 6:00 p.m., Alameda Police had Mariner Square Drive north of Marina Village Parkway closed as police and firefighters responded to a 4″ natural gas relief valve “off-gassing” near the Cardinal Point assisted living facility. Previously, officials had issued a “shelter in place” warning.

By about 6:45 p.m., PG&E had closed the leak and the shelter in place warning was lifted.

Mother Has Unanswered Questions on Anniversary of Son’s Death

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:01:37 +0000

by Tammy Sorensen

As the one year anniversary of my 13 year old son Brandon Sorensen’s death approaches, there are many questions still left unanswered and some rumors I’d like to clarify. Since the tragic day of May 16th, 2011, I struggle every day with what happened and how the case was handled.

On Monday, May 16th, 2011, at approximately 3:55 pm, as I was driving down Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda I could clearly see something had happened but I wasn’t sure what. That something happened to be my son who had just been hit and run over by an SUV.

As I approached the intersection of Everett and Santa Clara I clearly saw a bicycle in the cross walk…to my shock, it was the bicycle of my son Brandon Sorensen. As I drove closer I looked over and saw my son lying in the street. I immediately pulled over and ran to be by his side.

As I ran over to Brandon, there was a lady administering CPR. At the time I did not realize she was the driver who hit my son. Imagine a mother, finding her son lying in the street almost unresponsive; I was in complete shock but had to be as close to him as possible so he could hear my voice.

Actually, I was told by a female off-duty Alameda Police officer to go to him and let him know I was there. However, moments after I got to my son’s side, I was abruptly and rudely pulled away by the neckline of my clothing and was told by an officer to step to the curb. I was made to feel like I was disregarded and almost treated like I was a criminal.

At this time, only the person who hit my son and the one police officer who pulled me away as well as one officer directing traffic were the only ones on the scene, besides the many bystanders. Why was the person who hit my son allowed to be by his side and not his own mother? Not once was I offered any comfort or assistance by the officers on the scene. Upon the arrival of the paramedics, not once was I approached or asked if I wanted to ride in the ambulance to the hospital. It’s as if I didn’t exist. In fact, the police report never mentions me as being present on the scene.

Brandon Sorensen (Photo courtesy of Tammy Sorensen)

In my opinion, there are many things about the police report that are not valid and need further explanation. Here are some of the facts that are disturbing.

Fact #1 – the driver of the SUV, a former Alameda County EMT, admitted she turned around to ask a question to a passenger in the back seat. While her head was turned around, she felt a bump, saw the hood of a sweatshirt in front of her and did not brake, and continued driving. Obviously she was at fault and my son, who was in the crosswalk, never had a chance. Several witnesses driving behind her car stated they clearly saw Brandon in the crosswalk. In my son’s case, he was clearly seen by other vehicles behind her. However, the driver was never cited or held accountable in any manner for the fact she hit and ran over and killed my son. In my heart and in my mind it makes me question that since she was a former Alameda paramedic, was this handled differently than other accidents or fatalities? It makes me feel like the police are protecting and covering for one of their own.

Fact #2 – the Police and City of Alameda further deprived me of my son’s personal belongings such as his cell phone, clothing, shoes, bicycle and everything that was on him that day, was put into evidence for 4-5 months and not returned to me after several calls to the Alameda Police to find out why it was taking so long. However, the driver’s SUV was returned within days from the date of the accident. The Police and City of Alameda refused to provide us with the name of the driver or any identifying information regarding the vehicle despite repeated requests, Why? It made us feel as though they were protecting the driver.

It’s been almost one year since I lost my son in this senseless accident. I need answers and some closure because it is extremely unsettling to our family that the police report stated that Brandon was found 100% at fault. How could this be? Lately there have been so many fatal and non-fatal pedestrian or bicyclist accidents and many of the drivers at fault have been cited or put in jail.

My son is not here to defend himself so I need to speak out on my son’s behalf and make it known that I feel the police did not handle this incident in a professional, ethical or appropriate manner. And how is it that the driver who killed my son was not held accountable in any manner for his death? Brandon was NOT 100% at fault!

I often wonder if this was a child of a police officer or anyone in the line of duty, or if the driver was not in the line of work she was in if the driver would have been found at fault and the case handled differently. As Brandon’s mother I must stand up for him and defend him since he is no longer here to tell his side of the story. How can the police report find Brandon 100% at fault despite admissions by the driver that she was not paying attention and her head was turned around?

My goal in writing this letter is to have justice for my son and some closure for our family. I am not trying to bring charges a year later against the driver, who I am sure is remorseful, but it is to question the integrity of the Alameda Police Department.

National Police Week

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:56:41 +0000

This week is National Police week, which recognizes officers killed in the line of duty.

According to an announcement from the Alameda Police Department, the names of 362 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, this year. These 362 names represent 162 officers who were killed during 2011, plus 199 officers who died in previous years but have not yet been recognized.

The Alameda Police Department notes it’s own losses, including Deward Burton Gresham, who died in a motorcycle collision on Saturday, July 11, 1942 and Robert James Davey Jr who was killed by gunfire on Thursday, March 3, 1983.

The Fraternal Order of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary will host a ceremony today on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol to honor fallen law enforcement officers and their families.

City Council to Give John Russo a Performance Evaluation

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:10:08 +0000

In a closed session meeting on Tuesday, Alameda City Council will give City Manager John Russo a performance evaluation. Mr. Russo is up for a $10,000 per year salary increase.

John Russo, formerly the City Attorney for Oakland, started a five year contract on June 13th of last year with an annual salary of $215,000. His contract with the City of Alameda provides that if he is granted a “meets expectations” or better rating on his annual performance review, his salary will be bumped to $225,000 for the second year of the contract.

The contract provides for annual $10,000 increases tied to Mr. Russo’s performance. If he hits his performance target every year, he would be paid a salary of $255,000 in the fifth year of his contract.

The City also pays Mr. Russo $15,000 annual in a 457 deferred compensation plan. This combined with his salary, if he “meets expectations,” would take his compensation to $240,000 for the upcoming year, and to $270,000 in the fifth year of his contract.

Collins Boatworks Site Legal Wrangling Continues

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:40:09 +0000

Next week, Alameda City Council will conference with legal counsel in closed session regarding the ongoing saga of the Collins Boatworks site, alongside the city’s northern waterfront near Oak Street.

Late last year, the City of Alameda secured a court injunction to force Catherine and Francis Collins to maintain the site to prevent trash and rubble from accumulating and to prevent graffiti and weeds from accumulating on the site.

Earlier last year, the City approved a plan for 182 housing units on the 9.5 acre site.

On March 5th of this year, Judge Delbert Gee of the Alameda County Superior Court of California, found the owners in contempt of that injunction, and ordered them to install fencing, and get a building permit from the City of Alameda to re-install loose siding or roofing material on the existing buildings.

On April 5th, the judge ordered the City of Alameda to provide the owners with a detailed list of items still in violation of the original injunction or contempt order by June 4th, 2012. He also ordered the City of Alameda to simply pick up the phone and call the owners to identify any possible violations, rather than wait for the next court hearing. The case now heads into ongoing case management conference and compliance hearings until July 2, when the court will review photographs and other declarations regarding the state of the site.

There is no word as to when demolition of the existing buildings might begin to allow construction of the housing units.

Alameda Solidier Killed in Afghanistan

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:03:06 +0000

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier from Alameda, who was killed in Afghanistan.

According to a media release, Staff Sgt. Thomas K. Fogarty, 30, of Alameda, died on Sunday, in Ahmad-Kheyl, from injuries after his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Alameda Municipal Power Website Hacked

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:05:31 +0000

Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) announced today that its website was hacked last week and links to outside sites were inserted in its web pages.

The City of Alameda-owned utility said that no customer sensitive data was compromised, as it is located in a separate secure server.

Action Alameda New readers alerted this publication to the problem when Google search engine results indicated that AMP’s website may have been compromised.

Separately, according to AMP, another technical issue came up during a back of the system, which has taken the site down. Users attempting to view the site may see a message indicating that “The webpage at http://www.alamedamp.com/ has resulted in too many redirects.”

AMP has provided no time frame for restoring the web site.

Alameda Municipal Power Website Problem

FPPC Says Hospital Board Doctor Has No Conflict of Interest

David Howard, Editor, Publisher, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:01:46 +0000

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has ruled that Dr. Robert Deutsch, M.D., who operates a pulmonary practice out of Alameda Hospital and sits on the Alameda Health Care District Board of Directors, does not have a conflict of interest when voting to impose the Hospital’s annual parcel tax.

Alameda Hospital is dependent on the parcel tax which raises roughly $6 million per year; records show that Dr. Deutsch routinely votes each year to impose the tax on residents.

Action Alameda News reported on the initiation of the FPPC investigation last year.

Dr. Deutsch leases space from the Alameda Hospital to run his pulmonary practice, and the East Bay Pulmonary Medical Group, which Dr. Deutsch is a part of, has a contract with Alameda Hospital. Dr. Deutsch also has a contract with the Hospital to run the Skilled Nursing/Subacute Care Unit.

According to an April 24th, 2012 letter from the FPPC to Dr. Deutsch’s attorney in San Diego, a copy of which has been obtained by Action Alameda News, Dr. Deutsch is a 33.3 percent owner of the East bay Pulmonary Medical Group.

The hospital contracts with Dr. Deutsch and the East Bay Pulmonary Medical Group are worth around $200,000 per year.

Nonetheless, the FPPC ruled that the financial effect of Dr. Deutsch voting to impose the parcel tax is “not material” with regards to his personal practice or the medical group’s practice.

The Commission’s rationale is that the parcel tax affected all members of the public under the jurisdiction of the Alameda Health Care District.