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Thank you, Community of Character Collaborative
Thank you to Craig Eicher, Ken Mano, Heather Haugen-Rizzoli and all organizers of the Community of Character Awards Luncheon who made the event so special and meaningful.
It was a joy to celebrate the amazing students who received the Juanita Haugen Memorial Scholarships, and an honor to be recognized with Wayne Johnson and Sunflower Hill for community service.
Kudos to Joanie Fields, teachers and talented student chefs from the Culinary programs at Village and Amador Valley High Schools for preparing and serving the scrumptious salads of the world and delicious desserts.
Thank you to past scholarship and community service award recipients, Pleasanton Unified School District trustees, Superintendent David Haglund, administrators and staff, Pleasanton City Council members, Vice Mayor Julie Testa, Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, other dignitaries and civic organizations, our families and friends, and many of Pleasanton’s passionate and hardworking volunteers in attendance who came together in support of helping others with compassion, honesty, respect, responsibility, integrity and self-reliance.
And thank you for the opportunity to remember and continue to be inspired by Juanita Haugen for her vision and legacy: Pleasanton’s Community of Character.
— Lynn Gatehouse, board member, Alan Hu Foundation
Exploring charter city status
The city of Pleasanton has voted to explore the possibility of transitioning to a charter city. Having been a resident for 45 years, I highly support their efforts.
The state of California has become increasingly aggressive in trying to override local control. We voted our local officials into office based on their understanding of our individual needs as a community and to maintain the character of our area. The state persistently makes blanket rules, with no regard as to the wishes of the residents in vastly different communities. Their overreach puts communities at risk of losing the very thing that attracts people to our areas.
Small towns should not be forced into highly dense housing. What makes sense in L. A., San Francisco or Sacramento does not necessarily make sense in the Central Valley, coastal towns or Pleasanton. I hope you support their efforts to become a charter city.
— Jan Loomis
Anti-Semitism must stop
Israel and Palestine were at peace until Oct 7, 2023. On that day, Hamas terrorists brutally raped and murdered 1,200 innocent Israelis and Americans and took another 250 hostage.
The atrocities committed by these barbarian terrorists is incomprehensible. Hamas are worse than the Nazis of WWII. Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack was justified against Hamas and to be very clear Israel is at war with Hamas. It is not genocide.
The pro-Hamas demonstrators that shout death to Israel go unopposed by Biden and his party. Substitute any other group of people in place of Israel and the outrage would be deafening. Imagine protestors yelling death to blacks, death to LGBTQ, death to Palestine. The anti-Semitic death threats to Israel must stop. Biden needs to stop being a coward, the illegal protests must stop and Hamas must be defeated just like the Nazis of WWII.
— David Ott
Niles Canyon paved road (euphemistically called a ‘trail’)
I hiked the route for about three miles today, starting from the west end, looking for Alameda whipsnakes. I didn’t see any snakes, but I did see a deer, who ran up the steep slope on the north side of the “touristy” railroad tracks.
The fence that is proposed to separate the trail users from the railroad would prevent the deer — especially the fawns, and any other animals larger than a snake — from crossing to get to the water to drink. The presence of humans (not in a vehicle) would also deprive the wild animals from the full use of their riparian habitat — just as the deer ran away from me.
This is an example of human selfishness at its worst. We already have a highway and two railroads through the canyon, and close the highway one day per year (the “Roll and Stroll”) so it is open to pedestrians and bicyclists.
You can also see the creek close up, even bathe in it, in Sunol Regional Park. It is a huge waste of public funds — which are in short supply this year — to build yet another invasion of the canyon.
While I was there, the “touristy” train came by, full of tourists, seeing exactly what trail users would see — and effortlessly. Building a road (“trail”) next to it would add nothing that isn’t already available.
The Earth’s wildlife habitat is finite. If we keep building Niles Canyon “trails” around the world, there will eventually be no habitat left. When do you plan to stop?!
— Mike Vandeman
Mines Fire – farther southeast than originally reported – grows to 283 acresJuly 28, 2026 9:06 am
“…pro-Hamas demonstrators that shout death to Israel go unopposed by Biden…” couldn’t be further than the truth. The writer, as evidence by other of writings, is anti-Biden and anti-Democrat. Therefore, his opinion is biased.