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Gas leaf blowers
Thank you, Mr. Evans, for your recent Letter regarding the loud leaf blowers. I have called the city’s code enforcement and was told that we have to provide them with the address where the gas leaf blower is being operated. As Mr. Evans had mentioned, just drive around the neighborhoods seven days a week and you will hear and find gas leaf blowers.
My family was celebrating a quiet Christmas evening together watching the rain come down until our neighbor’s gardener showed up. Out comes the gas mower and gas leaf blower and the evening was ruined until he left.
I called the city’s code enforcement and left a message but have not heard back. I guess they were enjoying a nice quiet Christmas. That same gardener and every other gardener in our neighborhood is back every week with no regard to the city code.
– Kris Harnett
Making a difference for the community
Hundreds attended the Make A Difference Festival to “give back” to their community.
I was in church this morning and the opening song was “Scatter Sunshine” and that caused me to think of the festival. Each of the people representing their nonprofits were scattering sunshine by being there that day.
Their smiles and enthusiasm were contagious and it spread throughout the entire room. The purpose of the festival is to connect nonprofit organizations with those in our community who want to help.
The service projects at the festival made over 300 hygiene kits for the homeless and needy, tied blankets for Blankets for Kids, who distribute them to the homeless and abused, made cards for CityServe’s senior population, sorted crayons for The Crayon Initiative who give them to hospitals for children’s activities and colored pictures for Color a Smile for children, seniors and military abroad.
Many thanks to our committee, those running the service projects and exhibits, free coffee and hot chocolate, exhibitor lunch and hundreds who attended, especially the youth and other volunteers who helped unload cars and run the event and projects.
A list of exhibitors is available at www.MAD4P.org, and thanks to our sponsors who included Accusplit, City of Pleasanton Library and Recreation Department, Community of Character, Carlson & Lane, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Thanks to those who provided exhibits for emergency preparedness: Pleasanton’s Fire and Police Departments, and Department of Emergency Preparedness, Eden I&R, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the San Francisco Community Agencies Responding to Disaster (SF CARD).
– Ken Mano
Wild & Scenic Film Festival
In an uncertain world, leaning on hope and community for courage and strength can really help us navigate it. For the Tri-Valley Air Quality Climate Alliance (TVAQCA), our vision is a healthy and thriving Tri-Valley community that embraces sustainable practices for clean air and climate resilience.
To help us move toward this goal, our small and dedicated team, partnering with Tri-Valley Conservancy, is organizing and co-hosting a film festival at the Bankhead Theater on Friday, Feb. 27 from 5-9:30 p.m.
This will be the second time the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour comes to the Tri-Valley. We hope to repeat the success of the first event (back in 2020 before COVID) when the sold-out crowd and enthusiasm of participants confirmed what we all have in common: a deep love for nature and its beauty.
We invite you to be inspired once again. With films carefully chosen to spark healing and actions for our fragile world, plus delicious local treats, beer, and wine, and an Eco-Fair highlighting the amazing work of local leaders, the event aims to bring our community closer together. Tickets are available now at the Bankhead Theater Box Office or at livermorearts.org. Read more about the curated films on our website at tvaqca.org.
As Blaise Pascal, the French philosopher and mathematician, wisely said, “In difficult times, carry something beautiful in your heart.” We hope this event will give you something beautiful for your heart to carry.
– Terry Chang, director of operations, TVAQCA
YouthLit
Recently, the Youth Literacy Project (YouthLit), a nonprofit organization founded by local Amador Valley High School student Naomi Song, held a blind book fundraiser to raise money for UNICEF’s educational efforts.
The organization’s overall mission centers around promoting educational equity through financial and career literacy outreach, partnering with global organizations like Open Lit Forum and Financially Lit to provide free business education to students from the comfort of their homes.
Aside from online efforts, YouthLit also hosts in-person events, fundraisers, and a Letters for Literacy program that allows community members to write letters spreading financial knowledge to upper-elementary students.
In early January, the organization’s efforts reached Pleasanton’s local scene, where Song and two supporting officers hosted the fundraiser located in front of Towne Center Books, which generously donated a box of special-edition blind books for the event.
The stand was a huge hit, with children and adults alike donating in exchange for a “blind date with a book,” and in just a few hours, the team was able to raise nearly $500 to be donated in support of youth education, reflecting the hard work and planning that eventually culminated in success.
This coming Sunday afternoon (Feb. 1), YouthLit will be hosting its second blind book event near Meadowlark Dairy, continuing to expand outreach and fundraising efforts for a charitable cause.
– Naomi Song
Thank you, Weekly!
Hearty congratulations to the Pleasanton Weekly on the 25th anniversary of your award-winning journalism!
On behalf of the entire Flora in Focus group, thank you so much for featuring Flora in Focus so prominently in the Pleasanton Weekly. We are truly honored to have the show highlighted on the cover page along with a full-page featured story. We especially appreciate that the coverage showcased not only our exhibition at the Harrington Gallery, but also thoughtfully included the other artists exhibiting in the lobby spaces.
Your inclusive and generous approach brings meaningful visibility to the entire artistic community, and we are deeply grateful for the care and attention you gave to sharing these stories with your readers.
We would be delighted to welcome you to the reception this Saturday (Jan. 31) 1-3 p.m. — not as a media representative, but as a valued supporter of the arts — and hope you can join us to celebrate the artists and the spirit of this show. If time doesn’t permit Saturday, please do visit the show anytime until March 7.
– Meghana Mitragotri, watercolor artist and organizer, Flora in Focus
AI Youth Hackathon
I’m writing as a volunteer lead judge and organizer with The AI Collective Tri-Valley to share an opportunity for local students to explore AI in a hands-on, responsible way.
On Saturday, Feb. 28 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), we’re hosting the AI Youth Hackathon in Dublin at Emerald High School, Dublin’s newest public high school campus. I’m co-hosting the event and serving as judging lead, alongside our chapter lead Jessie Chen and other local volunteers.
Students in grades 8-12 will work in small teams to build a clickable prototype using Lovable, a beginner-friendly app builder. No prior coding experience is required.
What makes this event different is that it’s not a slide-deck competition. Each team must demo an “AI core moment” with a real example input and output, and projects will be evaluated with a rubric that emphasizes clarity, creativity and youth safety – not technical depth. Tracks include learning support, community impact, creative expression, real-world problem solving and youth wellbeing.
As AI becomes unavoidable in classrooms, many families and schools are looking for practical ways to introduce it responsibly. Our goal is to give students guidance, mentorship from local industry professionals, and the confidence to build something real while thinking about safety and ethics.
More details (and registration) are available at: https://luma.com/aic-tr-2-28.
– Saurabh Yergattikar
