Video and blog by Barbara Grady

There are 18,400 public high schools in the United States and chances are each one has a jazz band. Of them, 1,550 hoped to be invited to this month’s “Essentially Ellington” High School Jazz Competition & Festival held at Lincoln Center.

Only 15 school bands were selected. Albany High School’s Jazz Band was one of them.

To listen to what makes the Albany Jazz Band stand out, click on this video of the band practicing songs they later performed at “Essentially Ellington.”

Playing with Wynton Marsalis, the legendary trumpeter who is Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, and attending sessions taught by conductor David Berger, saxophonist Jimmy Heath and bassist Rodney Whitaker, the Albany students experienced what it’s like to play in the Big Apple with some of the world’s best under the glittering lights of Lincoln Center.

“For Jazz, New York is one of the biggest hubs, it pretty much is the biggest hub,” said AHS saxophonist Tad Nicol. “It’s really cool to go to the place where it all kind of evolved.”

AHS Instrumental Music Director Craig Bryant said being invited to the festival was the culmination of lots of dedicated work.

“We’ve been trying for a number of years to get in to the festival,” Bryant said. “We worked really hard,” not only practicing but then also preparing an audition CD which turned into a team effort for band members, he said.

The 19 students and their director headed off to the festival on May 7 for three days of jamming, competitions and good listening.

No doubt, some of these kids will be back – as professionals.
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The event is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the new City Council Chambers at San Pablo at Marin Avenues.

Each January, the superintendent holds a budget summit to discuss how much money the state of California is expected to allot to education, and to Albany Unified School District in particular, for the following year and to unveil a tentative proposal for how Albany will operate within that sum plus the amount collected from local parcel taxes. For more detail visit http://ausd.ca.schoolloop.com.

In California, unlike most other states, at least 90 percent of school funding comes from the state through its general fund revenues collected from income, property and sales taxes. The balance comes from local parcel taxes and federal money. In Albany, the parcel taxes passed and renewed last November are estimated to make up about 10 percent of the school district budget. In many other states, taxes for schools are collected locally and apportioned locally.

Superintendent Stephenson in a memo said that on Thursday she would discuss the current AUSD priorities and options and how the Governor’s recently unveiled state budget would change district funding levels as well as possibly alter requirements. She’ll also discuss how Albany’s emergency parcel tax will augment our budget.

For more information on California school finances, readers may visit EdSource, a non-profit education research firm, at:
http://www.edsource.org/school-finance.html

Speaking of the current budget season, EdSource states:
“As school districts around California begin work on their 2010-11 budgets, they are facing a financial situation likely to be even more difficult than this year’s. Much of the one-time money that the state and federal government provided in response to the recent economic crisis will have run out.”

To honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his commitment to service, the “Commit to Serve” Expo will provide resources, contacts and ideas to assist people in making a pledge of service to your community in 2010.

“Make this the year you become a Block Captain, or volunteer at your child’s school, or help the elderly neighbor with his yard-it is up to you!” organizers said in an email.

The Albany Expo will feature representatives from local organizations offering volunteer opportunities and information as well as an idea board and tools to assist citizens in making a pledge of service to the community in 2010. To learn more go to. http://www.albanyca.org

People can also donate a coat to the organization One Warm Coat oor a canned food item to the Alameda County Food Bank.

At its first “Commit to Serve” day a year ago on Martin Luther King Jr. day, the event received 250 pledges of service, 500 coats and over 1,000 lbs of food.

Attenders will be asked what they would like to do to serve the community and then to fill out a “pledge card” and hang it on the Commit to Serve pledge card display at the Community Center.

Oranizers say that if each person in Albany gave one hour of service in 2010 that would add up to 17,000 hours of help to the community.

To learn more about the national day of service, go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/mlkservice/

Albany activists at the corner of Marin and San Pablo during the Oct. 24 International Day of Action on Climate Change

By Ellen Toomey and Emma Rotem

Dec. 7, 2009 — This week begins the international summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, to craft a new global treaty on climate change.

“Thinking globally and acting locally,” Albany citizens and city government are learning and taking action to meet the climate change challenges we all face. These efforts include citizen groups Transition Albany and Carbon Neutral Albany. The City of Albany is in the process of creating a Climate Action Plan — a coordinated effort intended to reduce local emissions that contribute to global warming and to improve air quality, reduce waste, cut energy use and save money.The plan also aims to help the Albany community achieve greenhouse gas reduction.

On October 24, an international day of action organized by 350.org, people at over 5,200 events in 181 countries came together for what may have been the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history — including members of these two Albany groups pictured.

“Our focus is on the number 350–as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number–it’s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet,” the organization, 350.org, states.

Albany High’s EarthTeam joined a group of other participants to form a necklace of human “beads” around the summit of Mt. Diablo.

To learn about Albany citizen groups addressing Climate Change, go to:

http://transitionalbany.org/

http://www.carbon0albany.org/

For information about the Climate Action Plan being developed by the City of Albany:

http://albanyca.org/index.aspx?page=256

For more information and photos from a Day of Action all over the globe:

http://www.350.org/

Behind its huge, brightly lit score board, in the turf receiving the pounding hoofs of galloping horses and in other places at Golden Gate Fields, new energy and water saving materials have been installed and are turning traditions of this 68-year-old horse racing venue on its head. Golden Gate Fields has gone green.

In the beginning of this season, 10,000 incandescent light bulbs were removed from its score board and replaced with a lower energy use liquid crystal display system. Earlier, a water guzzling dirt track was replaced with turf that is a mixture of ash and wax that doesn’t need water – and is kinder to horses’ hoofs. Electronic betting terminals have been retuned to shut down automatically when not in use. In the kitchens, cooking grease is collected in special containers, filtered, and set aside for a bio-diesel fuel manufacturer to pick up. And outside, a race-track operated shuttle service from the Berkeley BART is cutting down on traffic and automobile emissions.

These and other measures won Golden Gate Fields a “StopWaste Business Efficiency Award” from the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board for 2009. At an event Oct. 16, the county agencies named 12 large Alameda County businesses “whose leadership and continuous efforts to improve environmental performance and business efficiency have achieved outstanding results,” said Justin Justin Justin Lehrer, program manager of Alameda County’s StopWaste.org program.

Golden Gate Fields initiated its greening efforts two years ago when it hired Roy Roenbeck as its safety and environmental compliance director and decided to make a thorough environmental review of the race track operations.

In a facility-wide pollution prevention and resource conservation program, “We identified and quantified the waste streams in every operation,” Roenbeck said. All those waste streams and measures to reduce them are codified into a matrix and measurements taken as waste is reduced.

It did the obvious things first such as setting up recycling bins in the areas frequented by patrons and using garbage can liners that are more friendly to the environment. But as the program grew, Golden Gate Fields resource conversation measures include such reuse measures as sending its used hay from stables to a farm Watsonville which uses it as soil enricher. At end of the summer race season it moved 103 tons of that hay to Montery Mushroom. It replaced all snack and food containers with 100 percent recycled biodegradable containers. While the change over to a non-dirt turf on the track was required off all race tracks by racing authorities concerned about horse injuries, doing so reduced water consumption at Golden Gate Fields maintenance department by 85 percent.

“This is fairly aggressive plan for a facility of this era, the 1940s,” said Roy Roenbeck, director of safety and environmental compliance at Golden Gate Fields. His position was

But one thing Golden Gate Fields has not done is taken steps to green up a large unused parking lot that many people in Albany have wished could be converted into open space or grassy playing fields for a city short of both. The lot, adjacent to the waterfront, is an overflow parking lot on busy days at Golden Gate Fields but is rarely used.

The fate of that lot has soured relations between the Albany community and Golden Gate Fields at various times through the years. The City of Albany considered zoning change requests for that area from a developer who proposed buying it and turning it into an outdoor shopping center and hotel. After many community members opposed the idea of commercial development of the area, the developer withdrew his plans.

When Albany High School 2006 alumni Jonathan Sandberg and Emma Gavenda heard that the disastrous state budget cuts were threatening their alma mater’s music programs, they did what they do best: planned an evening of beautiful music as a benefit concert to keep the music program alive.

On Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m., Albany Music Fund proudly presents these two bighearted and talented alumni in a concert with selections spanning more four centuries. The concert is at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, Palache Hall, 2837 Claremont Blvd in Berkeley. (To purchase tickets, go to http://www.brownpap ertickets. com/event/ 78916)

Jonathan, a vocal performance major at University of California at Irvine, will perform Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, Donizetti and Moore, as well as traditional spirituals and sacred works with accompanist Mary Low. Emma, a harpsichord performance major at University of California at Davis, will play Jean-Henri D’Anglebert and William Byrd.

All proceeds go to the Albany Music Fund, which sponsors much of the music program in Albany’s public schools, from elementary school band to award-winning vocal programs at the high school. Tickets are $25 – 50 sliding scale, and must be purchased online at brownpapertickets. com. For a direct link to this event, go to: http://www.brownpap ertickets. com/event/ 78916

It has become a right of passage for youngsters in Albany.  When you reach fourth grade you get to pick out an instrument — shiny saxophones, silvery flutes, etc. - and play in a school band.

It almost didn’t happen this year.

So this past week, as 9 and 10 year olds in Albany public schools proudly chose their instruments and started playing – and some classmates began singing in school choirs – many adults were saying ‘whew, what a close call.’

 Elementary music instruction was slated to be eliminated from the Albany Unified School District last spring after the state budget crisis forced the district to cut its spending by 15 percent.

 But the Albany Music Fund, a volunteer organization of parents and teachers, saved the day – and the hopes of many a child.

The Albany Music Fund raised $84,000 to save music instruction in Albany’s schools.  The sum allowed the elementary schools not only to restore instrumental instruction but to expand music to include vocal instruction or band instruction for every 4th and 5th grader. The fundraising also allowed Albany Middle School to keep its chorale program and allowed the high school to retain its range of music programs, specifically its Rythm Bound band.

“We worked very hard to accomplish this,” said Penny Barthel, president of the Albany Music Fund. “We are committed to keeping music really strong” in Albany Schools.” In fact, the organization has upped its fundraising goal for this current year to $125,000.

“As you can see, we’ve really stepped up to the challenges presented to us by the recent economic conditions,” she said.

So if you hear a classic tune coming from the lips of a fourth or fifth grader around this town, or for that matter a middle schooler or high schooler, remember how they may have learned that tune.

To learn more about the Albany Music Fund, go to www.albanymusic.org.

By Michael Mejia

Out of the gloom and doom of a $115,000 cut in the Albany Athletics annual budget, the Albany Athletic Boosters delivered the Albany “Save Our Sports” golf tournament on a glorious summer afternoon last Friday. One hundred and sixteen golfers descended upon the Tilden Park golf course in prime weather to ply their skills. 

A 2010 torch red Mustang greeted the morning arrival of golfers and
volunteers. John Nakamura of Albany Ford Subaru provided the $25,000
heartthrob for the “Hole-in-One” contest prize. Unfortunately, no one managed a hole-in-one on hole 16 but AHS Golfer Miles Rabin got closest at 20 feet for bragging rights well earned. Also on display was a cherry red Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike donated by the AHS Mountain Bike Team and Solano Avenue Cyclery for the auction part of the event later that evening to very spirited bidding.

The day was festooned in the Albany High School colors of red and white as alums, from  as early as 1952, teed off in Cougar red against the brilliant green of the Tilden fairways. Some came from as far away as Bakersfield to support the fund drive. And there were Cougar athletes in their jerseys by the dozens helping with clubs, directions, registration, and managing the endless details of such well-attended event. Fred Brown, AHS alumnus and Laney College golf coach packed the course, blessed with such dynamic elevations and stately pines, with the “shotgun start” after instructions. It was rumored that someone won, but that was hardly the point. Warmth and camaraderie seemed to emanate from golfers and community supporters alike for a wonderful California afternoon of sport.

Later that evening, the sports fundraiser continued with a dinner, raffle, and
auction at the Emeryville Hilton Garden Inn. The party, a capacity crowd,
was treated to a gorgeous sunset, with fine food and beverages aplenty. The
the room was filled with music by professional piano player Jason Myers to
wonderful effect. Again a fresh wave of the Albany athletes was there to
help out. The red raffle tickets were draped in long streams atop the tables
on the 14th floor as the excitement swelled the Top of the Bay room.

The objects donated — jewelry, art, rare sports memorabilia, electronics,
getaways, wine — were plentiful and fine. Once the tickets were pulled from
the big silver bowl, prizes just flew around the room. Auctioneer Tony Wise kept things hopping as auctioneer with his uncanny ability to nudge bids higher than anyone expected. Bargains were had, but bidding was hot and heavy for the weeklong Chatham vacation. It was decided to offer three different weeks to triple the funds raised with this one generous gift. The
auction was a clear success.

When the intention to create this fundraiser was brought forth in late May
the prospect for producing it successfully at the volume desired seemed
pretty dim, especially in this economy. Athletic Director Deb Wanlin and
Fred Brown brought their talents to bear to elaborate, simply, how this
could be done. What this group then demonstrated is that while each team has a number of folks who work hard for the kids, this event really brought out all the aces. In spite of vacations and jobs, things were very well
coordinated and handoffs found willing hands. Co-chair of the Boosters, Terri Jacobsen, was pleased that the infrastructure within the Boosters came to the fore so quickly and effectively.

So how did they do? After the bills were paid it looks like the Albany
Boosters made about $40,000. Not too shabby in this economy. 

The author, Michael Mejia, is coach of the AHS Mountain Bike Team and an AHS Athletics Boosters volunteer

MacGregor High School graduate Yesenia Vasquez, center, wins the Albany Police Activities League 2009 college scholarship. With Vasquez is APAL Executive Director Chief Mike McQuiston, left, and APAL Board Member Brad Griffith, right

The Albany Police Activities League has chosen Yesenia Vasquez as their 2009 scholarship winner. Ms. Vasquez graduated from MacGregor High School in June 2009 where she stood out both as a top student and an outstanding contributor to the Albany community, the organization said. She will begin her college career next week at Contra Costa College.

Yesenia graduated one year early from high school due to her outstanding academic performance while earning the respect of many students and every staff member, APAL said. She excelled in the culinary arts program where, according to Principal Alexia Richie, “she led cooking classes, worked with over 400 elementary students and took charge of other catering projects for (school) district functions.”
Yesenia volunteered in an Adult Education cooking class assisting with food preparation, cooking and cleanup while employed at several other jobs and attending MacGregor high school. The instructor had high praise for Yesenia’s contributions to the program especially her dependability and strong work ethic.

Yesenia said she has a passion for helping others, especially children, and her future goal is to become a pediatrician. She has already begun her career in the health field working in a local orthodontic office.

“I enjoy building relationships with my patients, educating them on healthy dental care, and giving them the confidence to smile,” Yesenia said.

The Albany Police Activities League Scholarship Committee and its Board of Directors said it is honored to have Yesenia Vasquez as their scholarship winner and wished her the best in her future endeavors. For more information about APAL and its programs, please go to: www.albanypal.net

Instead, coaches, athletes and parents have organized “Save our Sports” – a massive fundraising tournament and auction they hope will raise enough money to let AHS continue its 18 interscholastic sports this year despite losing half its sports funding to state budget cuts.

Their “Save Our Sports” fundraiser is a golf tournament, auction and dinner planned for August 21st at the Tilden Park Golf Course and the Emeryville Hilton Garden Inn.

The goal of this event is to raise $50,000 to save “all” sports at Albany High School,” said Stephen Dunkle, coach of the high school swimming team and one of the organizers.

The 18 interscholastic sports programs Albany High School have been allocated $97,000 for the year beginning in September – less than half of $212,000 they received the year before.

Such a deep cut threatens to decimate high school sports, organizers say, and discourage kids from participating.

“The reality is that is each student is probably going to have to subsidize his or her participation,” said Fred Brown, another organizer and former golf coach at Albany High School.

Fearing that requiring kids or their families to ‘pay to play’ will decimate the ranks of athletes and make it very difficult for lower income students to participate, Brown said the committee is trying to raise money to allow every student who wants to play sports to do so.

The committee of several dozen people includes representatives from eahc of the 18 interscholastic men’s and women’s sports.

This group is actually well on its way to saving AHS sports. Numerous businesses around town have contributed corporate sponsorships and AHS alumni have donated.

Albany Ford & Subaru has donated a $20,000 car for auction at the event and is the event’s corporate sponsor. Meanwhile, Arkin Tilt Architects, Safeway Corporation, Mary and Joe’s Sporting Goods, Fulford Orthodontics, Arrow Glass, State Farm Insurance, BayCal Financial, Mejia Photography and others made smaller donations. Individuals have made substantial donations as well.

And alumni groups have stepped forward, especially those from long ago. “The Albany High classes of 1954 to 1962 have donated more than $3,400!” Brown exclaimed.

To date, 39 players have signed up for the golf tournament.The committee is meeting tonight, Aug. 4, at 6:30 at the Community Center next to the Alameda County Library on Marin Avenue and welcomes new volunteers.
For more information go to the webpage  or contact Fred Brown at 222-2654.

By Barbara Grady-Ayer barbgrady@sbcglobal.net

Dear fellow Albany residents,

I want to invite you to join me on a very important project, to start a “Transition Albany Initiative.”

When I was in England this Spring I saw a premier of the movie Age of Stupid and vowed to put my best energy this year into moving as many people as I could influence towards a lifestyle that would begin to lessen our effect on global warming and climate change.

A few weeks later I discovered Transition US and took a Training for Transition in Oakland with 35 other people of all ages and demographics. I brought away a lot of good information about the seriousness of the triple threat of Climate Change, Peak Oil and economic insecurity, and, most important, on a positive way to look at the opportunities they present in our very own communities.

Grassroots communities around the world are gathering their resources under the banner of the Transition Initiative to relocalize their food and energy production, currency and other basic necessities so that they can face an uncertain future together with maximum resilience. It’s not only “green-minded” people who are responding. Everyone has a voice, everyone is facing the same threat and everyone’s input is needed and valued. Even the emotional turmoil that inevitably arises as people realize the enormity of the challenge we face, even this has a place.

I would like to invite you to join me in heading up a Transition Albany initiative.

Clearly there are many organizations already working towards the same goals – Green Albany, the City’s Sustainability Committee, Strollers and Rollers, to name a few – but the concept of “Transition Albany” can possibly offer a more visible and united impetus to all the good efforts that are already going on, and provide a focus on educating and inspiring participation from a greater number of Albany residents of all ages and ethnicities.

For myself, a lifelong dream of living in a supportive community has suddenly become more possible, as I realize that I don’t have to go anywhere to realize it. Right here in Albany, as we get to know one another and share our resources, talents and inspiration and build a resilient infrastructure that is ready for the great “powering down” of our oil-addicted society, we can have strong, connected communities of neighbors.

To that end I would like to get together with as many of you as are interested in spearheading an initial push in that direction, with a focus on awareness-raising and community-building through a strong program of public films and talks that not only give the facts about climate change and peak oil, but also offer an opportunity for people to talk to one another and share inspiration and ideas.

We could start with a presentation on Transition Inititatives and how they work. I have some resources from the training. Just so you know, from the beginning, we plan the demise of our little leadership group, preparing to step back in a few months when we have created enough support to hand over the lead to a number of grassroots focus groups that will together design an Energy Descent Action Plan for Albany that addresses all the basic areas where we are currently reliant on oil: food, energy, work, transportation…. the list is very long.

Is this definitive? No. I am just putting out an idea, and I have no doubt that whatever evolves will have its own momentum, with or without me. That’s great! Let’s get moving! Let’s inspire City government! In the words of the anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

If this message rings true for you, there will be a meeting for those interested at my house 943 Madison Street, on Tuesday July 14th at 7.15pm. Please RSVP Catherine at 510-528-2261.

Thank you for your commitment.

Catherine Sutton
943 Madison Street, Albany
510-528-2261

 ”Green, Red, White & Blue Day” in Albany featured lots of games, music and dance but zero waste.

Jewel Okawachi and Jim Mullarkey of the Albany Historical Society greet visitors.

Watermelon eating contest gets down to the finish line

After a tumultuous planning season amidst the state’s financial crisis, the Albany Unified School District board of education passed a budget Tuesday night for the 2009-2010 school year. It will spend $46.8 million to educate 3,846 students in five different schools, enduring an 18 percent cut in state funding by getting by with fewer teachers, janitors and secretaries as well curtailed arts, drama, and athletic programs.

But the district managed to save some key positions and academic programs that were once on the chopping block thanks to a federal Stimulus grant of $987,023 and contributions from the community of $288,000 raised by SchoolCARE. Administrators said they anticipate other fundraising groups will soon announce donations, too.

Also, by deciding to use parcel tax revenues to fund basic needs instead of supplemental programs, the district salvaged some things the school community considered essential. For instance, the assistant vice principal position at the middle school has been saved, much to the relief of teachers and parents who could not imagine a school of 900 students managing with one administrator.

The board during its Tuesday meeting accepted SchoolCARE’s $288,000 contribution and the list of what parents, teachers and principals voted to spend it on. Among other things, the SchoolCARE funds will pay for electives at the high school and middle school, allowing the district to reverse a decision to shorten the school day at those schools by eliminating seventh perioed. At the elementary schools, SchoolCARE will fund reading specialists and math intervention specialists.

Including the Stimulus grant, donations from local fundraising groups and federal support for special education, the total sum Albany schools can spend next year to above $50 million.

“That’s the good news,” said Laurie Harden, assistant superintendent for business services. The Stimulus money is being used to “backfill” or continue core educational programs, like classroom teaching by paying for teacher salaries. “If we didn’t have that $987,023 we couldn’t maintain core programs,” nor have a required reserve. She said that California’s cuts to public school education this year are “the largest in history.”

But the federal Stimulus money, SchoolCARE donations and similar contributions are one-time funds for this year only. Because it looks like the economic slump and related budget problems in California may last several years, the board is mulling the possibility of putting an emergency parcel tax on the November ballot to support schools in 2010, 2011 and 2012 or however long the slump lasts.

To help make that decision, it heard the results of a survey conducted in Albany by volunteers interested in putting a parcel tax on the ballot next November as a way to save schools from further changes. Miriam Walden, a board member and leader of the volunteer effort, said of 148 respondents to the survey, an overwhelming majority expressed worries about adequate school funding and indicated a willingness to support a parcel tax. Less clear was how much of a tax they would support. A proposed parcel tax of $150 a year per household or parcel was considerably more welcome than a proposed tax of $250 a year per household or parcel, Walden said.

Superintendent Marla Stephenson said that since Albany’s 2005 parcel tax will expire in a few years, Albany schools would be in deep water if a new or renewed parcel tax were not passed soon. In the budget just passed, the 2005 parcel taxes are being used to fund core academic classes and teaching positions that the state is abandoning in its 18 percent cut.

“I cannot overstate how important it is for us to make the 2005 parcel tax permanent,” or extend beyond its expiration day, Stephenson said.

Hundreds of school districts around California have passed new parcel taxes this year as a way to survive the state budget cuts to education, which amount to $1,150 per student. In so doing, California schools are beginning a subtle shift towards more local control of education, Walden noted, now that the state government has shown it is willing to abandon education to meet budget numbers.

But no future parcel tax measure will help for the year starting in September. That is why the fundraising groups have been so diligent this year.

The Albany Music Fund, at last check, was close to raising enough money to restore music at the elementary schools.

The SchoolCARE money will be used to “rescue” – as one board member said – teaching positions and programs that parents and teachers and principals in surveys have deemed essential to a decent education but which were on the chopping block.

Specifically, SchoolCARE donations, along with a willingness by the Albany Teachers Association to increase the load of students taught by each teacher, will allow Albany High School and Albany Middle School to continue to offer an elective period and thus a full school day. The AUSD budget passed would have eliminated the seventh period or elective period at these schools. That possibility spurred many people to action because the elective period is when many advanced AP courses as well as vocational courses are offered, two areas that make Albany High School distinctive.

Meanwhile, the reading specialists and math intervention specialists that SchoolCARE money will fund at Cornell, OceanView and Marin will allow the classroom teachers more time to focus on the class as a whole. SchoolCare will also pay for one counselor at the middle school, one college/career advisor at the high school and supplement the salary of a counselor for MacGregor High School and help its culinary arts program.

“…my commute to work in Berkeley which is usually by bike, sometimes by bus if the weather is bad…  I have not driven myself to work since I started my current job a year ago. “

“My plan for the month was no car trips for work and I’m having no trouble with that.  All my projected car miles were for weekend outings with the kids.  So on Friday night I tried to think if there was a good way to get two adults and two kids to our friends house 1 mile away for the evening without using the car. My wife worries enough if I ride my bike alone at night, so taking the bike trailer with two little boys was not a good choice.  Taking the bus would involve walking about two thirds of the distance any way in addition to spending an unknown amount of time standing on a street corner with 4 and 6 year old boys who don’t like to hold still for more than about 10 seconds at a time.  Walking would be an option except that the boys are often asleep by the time we head home and I’ve no desire to carry 100+ pounds for a mile…”

Click to read the full story 10 days, 2 kids, 1 car trip = 2 miles on  Javandel’s blog. He has invited the other Councilmembers to participate in the Challenge at a recent meeting, and started an Albany Team on TransformCA.org.  

Barry Whittaker, an employee of the City of Albany who oversaw major public construction projects, passed away from a car accident recently.

69-year-old Whittaker was riding his bike at a street crossing in Hercules City when he hit into a car on a recent Monday, according to Ann Chaney, Director of Community Development Department of Albany.

Whittaker fell into a coma and passed away two days later. His fellow workers were shocked at the news. Whittaker had a heart surgery a few weeks before the car accident and was recovering from it.

“I saw him in hospital and he was standing and looking pretty good, ” said Chaney. “I was absolutely shocked when I got to know that he was gone from us.”

Whittaker had worked for Albany for almost a decade, supervising the contruction of a variety of public projects in the city, including the Civic Center Renovation, a multi-millon dollar project that is expected to be completed soon.

Co-workers said Wittaker was very responsible and detail-oriented towards his work. Many mourned his sudden death.

“Barry and I had been corresponding over the past several weeks, sharing our stories and also joking about how we would meet back at Civic Center over the summer when we got back to work, ” said Judy Lieberman, Assistant City Administrator, in an email message.

“I considered Barry a mentor and a feisty friend, never afraid to speak his mind. I will miss him so much, but hopefully remember so much of what he taught me, ” she added.

City Administrator Beth Pollard announced Wittaker’s death at a City Council meeting last Monday, and Councilmembers expressed their appreciation to Wittaker’s contribution to the city.

“Barry was like one of those ordinary people, who once you got to know them stood out from the crowd,” said Vice Mayor and Councilmember Joanne Wile.

A memorial service for Wittaker will be held on Saturday, June 13th at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Avenue, at 12:30 PM.

Article by Linjun Fan.

Kayla Nachtsheim, a sophomore at Albany High School, traveled to a village in Mali, West Africa to help build a school for local children recently. She will give a presentation on her work there on June 24th, Wednesday, 6:15 pm, at the Albany Community Center, Edith Stone Room, together with Jeff Cooper, an AHS junior who also joined the work organized by buildOn.

69-year-old Albany resident Judy Tanaka signed her name at a Neighborhood Watch meeting at the Albany Senior Center recently.  The Albany Police Department is holding a series of meetings for each neighborhood in the city to help residents stay alert on crimes.  Contact Karina Tindol, the department’s newly-hired Community Engagement Specialist at 510- 812- 6240 for more information about how you can benefit from the program.  Photo by Linjun Fan.

Article and photos by Michael Mejia,  Coach for the Mountain Bike Team at Albany High School.

Newspapers lowered at the barber shop the other day when Jerry paused during my crew-cut and asked about the Mountain Bike Team. The customers, many old Cougars themselves, understand football and wrestling – but racing mountain bikes as a high school sport? You’re kidding, right? Mountain biking doesn’t enjoy the support bestowed upon traditional sports with a nested prospect in the high school tradition. It has no court or the dedicated spaces of a ball field with fences to keep out the Volvos. Yet in the fall of 2005 Albany High Freshmen Connor Chapman and Ian Breunig heard about the NorCal High School Racing League and thought it might be cool to race bikes. They were right in the end, but at the beginning it meant building something from scratch. With guidance from neighboring NorCal folk, interested athletes and their parents were provided a basic structure for how to get ready for racing.

Bringing this idea to Albany High School administrators for permission to proceed revealed that mountain biking seems to enjoy a reputation for being a troglodyte’s do-it-yourself careen into the beyond sort of thing followed by trips to the emergency room, making it a hard sell to a liability-phobic school district legal department. It puts off girls who think it is dangerous and parents who fear the certainty of a broken neck will jeopardize admission to Stanford. The reality is quite different; it is a discipline of measured efforts, gradually accumulated power and skill, cooperative group riding, and a love affair with a steel, carbon fiber, and rubber creature that only remotely resembles that wheeled sledgehammer rusting on flat tires in your garage.

Equating bike programs with emergency rooms is as ridiculous as equating Swim Teams and drowning. The fact is that this sport has fewer injuries than most all the other high school sports except golf. Ultimately, the jaundiced eye, still leery, conceded. Though arguably one of the most athletically demanding activities at the high school sport level, the mountain bike team couldn’t be a part of the Athletic department and was told it must be a club. There are no “coaches” from Chico State, no uniforms or equipment provided by the school and, of course, no money.

All the while the Albany parents did what they do best; support their kids. Thomas Breunig and Francis Chapman, both fine cyclists, took point and established rich logistical methods. They organized to find sponsors, volunteers, and raise funds. They helped transport riders to off-site workouts and co-ordinate with other parents to make sure that we do what we have to do to get to the starting line.

On March 5, 2006 Connor and Ian had their wheels on the starting line at the first race of the season at Ft. Ord. At mid-season the small team had its own jersey designed by Francis. By the next Thanksgiving, we had the historic addition of Jennifer Breunig, Aviva Pager, and Charlotte Perry-Houts, the first female mountain bike racers at Albany High.

This year, with Ian and Charlotte as our first Varsity racers and three racing Junior Varsity, the team competed at the highest levels of the NorCal League. With the help of eight new adult mountain bike volunteer riders and developed talents in the sophomore ranks, the team of 12 secured a 5th place out of 28 teams statewide in Division Two mountan biking. In addition, Sophomore Miguel Mejia came in second statewide.

With all due respect, the nature of the efforts made by the mountain bike athletes on race day exceed most other sports and demand high-intensity high-speed skill. The marvelous thing about this is that these racers generally start as beginners. Through careful dynamic training and deft support from seasoned cyclists and mentors, they develop into skilled, powerful, smart riders. And that is the norm, not the exception. Why? It is because what we offer can be compared favorably to anything offered anywhere at the high school level. Anything. Full speed for two hours uphill into the wind and still keep your head? We call it AP Mountain Biking. Albany has created something great.

The Climate Action Plan will serve as a guide to reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions. It covers topics ranging from energy conservation to solid waste reduction and recycling to transportation efficiency. Community members will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan and learn more about promoting environmental sustainability in the City of Albany.

Other highlights of Sunday’s event will include valet bicycle parking by Albany Strollers & Rollers, food prepared by Albany’s MacGregor High School’s Culinary Program and live music from Albany High School Connect students.

Please visit www.greenalbany.org for more information. For volunteer opportunities, please contact Paul Rooney, volunteer organizer, at (510) 526-1005.

Even as the days count down to the May 19 election that will decide whether California schools must endure yet further spending cuts, the Albany school district has set up a tentative plan for how it would restore programs should it be able to reallocate money to meet priorities in the wake of a drastic reduction to its budget

In a document proposed by Superintendent of Schools Marla Stephenson and being discussed by the board, the district lists school safety as its highest priority. Accordingly, Stephenson and the board hope to restore the vice principal position at Albany Middle School and yard duty aides at the three elementary schools and MacGregor High School with general fund spending.

After safety, the district’s next priorities would be to restore a seventh period to Albany High School and expand the English language learning program at all schools. Seventh period is when high school students take electives and advanced placement courses, the types of opportunities that distinguish Albany High School and prepare students for college. The English language learner program is important because it represents the district’s commitment to providing equal access to the curriculum, according to the superintendent. (Click here to read the details of the document on page 70.)

The possibility of restoring programs the Board once voted to cut arises because the state has loosened up regulations on how local school districts spend their money. After taking billions of dollars away from public school districts last February, the California legislature tried to compensate for that loss by freeing up regulations on how districts spend some of the money they receive in so-called “categorical grants.” Only a few categories such as special education would still be required.

A second source of funds the district might be able to use to restore programs is the Albany’s 2005 parcel tax. The language of that parcel tax allows some flexibility in how revenue is spent after two requirements are met: providing a librarian for each of the five schools in the district and providing mental health services.

A third source of funds that might allow the district to restore some programs is from the community fundraising going on by non-profit education groups in Albany.

However, all hopes for restoring programs might be dashed if voters defeat the propositions on the California ballot on May 19. Passage of the ballot measures, specifically 1A, 1B and 1C were part of the budget deal state legislators reached in February after months of deadlock on how to solve a huge state deficit. In addition to uncertainty about the measures passing, Sacramento has been hinting lately that the state’s financial problems are worsening. Governor Schwarzenegger’s office has said a deficit has been developing of between $15 billion to $21 billion as a result of declining state tax revenues.

“It now appears that the State’s budget crisis is deepening and they will be looking to us for additional cuts — perhaps as must as $600 more per student,” said Albany School Board member Miriam Walden this week. “Also, if California ballot Measures 1a, 1b and 1c fail, there will be additional cuts. So, the real possibility is that we may not be able to restore any of the tiers.”

She hand other board members said they feel their hands are tied.

“This is an awful, awful situation. The state should know that we cannot provide a safe and sound education that meets all of their requirements without the funds they have taken from us,” Walden said.

Board member Patricia Low said, “the board and staff are under a great deal of pressure to be fiscally conservative due to the uncertainty of what will happen following the May 19th special election and news that additional state cuts in education will be implemented.”

Low said the schools need the community’s support.

“We appreciate the support, input and patience of the community as we establish priorities for funding programs in the face of so many unknowns,” she said. “While we are mandated to adopt a budget in June, all the information about state revenues and cuts to education may not be known until late in the summer.”

Stephenson recommended that the board provide the librarians to each school as directed by the 2005 parcel tax language and expand mental health services. Beyond those two requirements, she would like to see the board try to use the remaining parcel tax money of up to $1.5 million to restore core programs and services at the schools, like the safety personnel and the seventh period courses.

She also said the district’s chances for surviving this year rest on how it uses the categorical funds. “I am advising that we make maximum use of the categorical flexibility authority in 2008-2009 through 2012-13. This will provide maximum flexibility since the final shoe has yet to drop in the economic crisis.”

Article by Barbara Grady.