BY ALEXIA UNDERWOOD //

On a recent Saturday afternoon in El Cerrito, a small army of East Bay volunteers gathered at the end of Adams Road to reflect on their handiwork.

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The Contra Costa Times recently reported that a stretch of Manila Avenue in front of the new El Cerrito City Hall building remains closed because of an overlooked design flaw. Two decorative columns, measuring about 12 feet high and 5 feet wide, block the view of traffic signals for motorists headed west on Manila and onto San Pablo Avenue. Rectifying the problem will cost the city between $10,000 and $15,000, according to El Cerrito public works director Terry Bradshaw.

Read the full article here.

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release

November  14, 2008

Oakland Cops and Firefighters Partner with Head Start and Hoopoe Books

Kids Learn that Good Reading and Thinking Skills Keep Them Street-Safe

WHAT: Oakland police officers and firefighters will visit City of Oakland Head Start Program children for a Hoopoe book read-along event. Head Start has partnered for the event with Hoopoe Books Share Literacy Program, which has donated 1, 179 books to their program. Share Literacy is funded by a grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Grants Program.

WHEN:   Thursday, November,  20th, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
WHERE: City of Oakland Head Start Program site at 1058 West Grand Avenue
WHO:     40 children (three to five years old)
Oakland Police officers from Patrol Division, Area One
Oakland firefighters from Station 3

WHY: Making children aware of their surroundings plays a big role in their learning process and helps keep them safe. When kids learn to read they’re more aware of pedestrian and traffic signs and what’s happening around them. Early understanding of police officers and firefighters as positive role models in their communities helps kids develop a sense of respect and keeps them on the right path to stay in school and keep out of trouble.

Los Altos-based Share Literacy Program is based on a rich tradition of storytelling from Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East. Teaching-Stories, the name given to this literary genre, were almost unknown in Western cultures. Educators and psychologists now recognize these stories’ unique ability to develop high-level thinking in both children and adults. While entertaining for children, the stories also help them to see things in new ways – the stories foster perception, intuition and self-confidence.

AUDIO/VISUAL: Police officers and firefighters will participate in a Hoopoe book read-along session and talk with the kids about how good reading and thinking skills help keep them safe on the street. Officers and firefighters will also hand out personal copies of the book for each child. The kids will get an “up close” look a fire engine and firefighting equipment.

CONTACT: Oakland Head Start: Veronica  Martinez-Elvira, Family Services Coordinator
510-238-2379/E-mail: VMartinez@oaklandnet.com
Pete Verral, Media Relations, Hoopoe Books Share Literacy Program
Tel: 415-831-4188/Cell: 415-871-1706/E-mail: pverral@sbcglobal.net

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Head Start’s comprehensive child development program fosters social skills and school readiness in children (three to five years old) from low-income families. The program is based  in the philosophy that each child has the right to learn, explore and develop at their own pace. Parents and family members are supported by opportunities to be involved with Head Start activities.

Hoopoe Books Share Literacy Program is a nation-wide program first introduced in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006. Share Literacy partners with early education agencies serving poverty level and low-income families, after-school programs and organizations providing ESL and adult literacy instruction. Share Literacy will distribute over 15,000 books to Bay Area needy children in 2008. Share Literacy’s Bay Area programs and book donations are funded by a grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Grants Program.

One of many goal line stands for the Gauchos.

BY MATT DURNING //

The El Cerrito Gauchos fell just short of an improbable upset to clinch the conference title Friday night, losing a nail biter to perennial powerhouse Berkeley High, 21-16, in the final game of the regular season.

Both teams entered the contest undefeated in league play and tied atop the ACCAL conference standings. Berkeley was the undeniable favorite, however, having shut out their five other conference opponents by a combined scored of 220-0. Read the full story

Fire as seen from Albany Bulb

BY DANIEL MCGLYNN //

A small blaze, producing a big plume of smoke and flames visible from Interstate 80, broke out Friday afternoon on the west side of Albany Hill. Fortunately, due to a quick response, crews were able to prevent any serious damage.

Initially, the fire came close to threatening the high-rise Gate View apartment building at 555 Pierce Street in Albany, that is nestled between I-80 and the hill.

Read the full story

Faces in Focus is a series of profiles on local businesses and residents who are making an impact in El Cerrito. Read the full story

BY N’JERI EATON//

The West Contra Costa Unified School District met with the community Wednesday night to discuss school closures at DeJean Middle School in Richmond. Read the full story

BY DANIEL MCGLYNN //

Great cities are often defined by the way they look. New York has a one of a kind skyline, San Francisco has the distinctive Golden Gate Bridge and El Cerrito may soon have a unique collection of trees hand-selected by residents. In the next few weeks, a new citizen group, the Tree Committee, is being organized and they are looking for residents to take a part in order to implement a city-wide greening effort

The committee, which will consist of up to 15 members, will be the “guiding force for the Urban Forest Master Plan,” said Bruce King, of the city’s public works department and the staff coordinator for the Tree Committee.

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BY FERNANDO GALLO AND DANIEL MCGLYNN//

El Cerrito has 24,000 residents – how many of them know some basic facts about their city? We went to the El Cerrito Plaza to find out. The results were surprising – and very funny. Read the full story

BY MATT DURNING //

When Kenny Kahn played high school football in El Cerrito, he made a promise to himself and his coach.

“I told him when I graduated one of my goals was to come back and coach under him and learn as much as I could,” says Kahn, now 26, flashing a wide, toothy smile as he recollects. “He’s the reason I wanted to become a football coach.”

Today, walking across the El Cerrito High School football field amid a sea of his players’ green and white jerseys, Kahn, the youngest head coach in the history of ECHS football, has met that promise and much more. Read the full story