Alameda Daily News

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Copyright 2009 Don Roberts, all rights reserved

Welcome.  By reading this award winning daily newspaper, you have become one of over 4,000,000 visitors to Alameda Daily News and you have become one of the best informed Alamedans, as we regularly publish Alameda news stories before they appear in the Journal, the Times-Star and the Sun. We also publish Alameda news they never print. Each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., watch The Don Roberts Show on Comcast Cable TV Channel 28 at 6:30 p.m.

 

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy Independence Day!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Fund Raiser Tonight for Alameda Civic Ballet

The Alameda Civic Ballet's final Friday Night Flights evening at the patio of Angela's Restaurant, corner of Central Avenue and Oak Street, is tonight from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Red and white wines from R&B Cellars will be available at $8.00 per glass.  All proceeds will be donated to the Alameda Civic Ballet.  Barbara and Kevin Brown, owners of R&B Cellars, will pour their wine and perform with Alameda musician Kelly Park.

Schedule of Movies Playing at Alameda Theaters

Following is the schedule of movies playing at Alameda Theaters, 2317 Central Avenue (all times are p.m. except for those shown as a.m.):

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13), Historic Theatre, Fri – Sun 11:30 a.m., 3:00, 7:00, 10:30, Mon & Tues: 12:30, 4:00, 8:00, Wed & Thurs: 11:30, 3:00, 7:00, 10:30

 

Madagascar (PG), Family Summer Movie Series, Mon & Tues: 10:00 a.m. in the Historic Theatre

 

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13) Alameda Cineplex, Fri – Sun:  12:30, 4:00, 8:00, Mon & Tues: 11:30, 3:00, 7:00, 10:30, Wed & Thurs: 12:30, 4:00, 8:00

 

Ice Age 3 (PG), Presented in Dolby Digital 3D, 11:00 a.m., 1:20, 4:20, 7:00, 9:45

 

Ice Age 3 (PG), Presented in 35mm 2D, 11:40 a.m., 2:00, 4:40, 7:30

 

Public Enemies (R), Noon, 3:30, 7:10, 10:15

 

The Proposal (PG-13), 11:00 a.m., 1:30, 4:10, 7:2 0, 10:20

 

Up (PG), Presented in Dolby Digital 3D, 11:40 a.m., 2:10, 4:50, 7:30, 10:00

 

The Hangover (R), 11:50 a.m., 2:20, 5:00, 7:50, 10:10

 

Year One (PG-13), 9:50

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Concerts at the Cove Continue Next Week With Retro Rock From “Notorious”

 

This year’s series of free outdoor Concerts at the Cove continues from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10 with the retro rock and roll of "Notorious" on the lawn at Crab Cove, 1252 McKay Street in Alameda.

 

The six-member band plays and sings everything from Madonna to AC/DC and the Commodores to Beyoncé. The Bay Area based group has toured throughout California and performed on stages from Las Vegas to the Caribbean. The concert is produced by San Francisco radio station KOIT.

 

Concerts at the Cove have become an Alameda summer tradition, with people spreading blankets on the lawn to picnic and listen to the music and dance when the spirit moves them. Premium beer, wine and food will be on sale throughout the event. No outside alcohol is allowed in the park.

 

The Crab Cove Visitor Center, which is adjacent to the concert area, will be open until 7:30 p.m. each night during the concerts offering organized activities for families and children. Free parking is available at Crown Memorial Beach and parking lots at Santa Clara at Webster and Taylor at Webster. Free valet bicycle parking will be available from BikeAlameda at the concert site. For more information, visit www.westalamedabusiness.com.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Dennis Green Responds to William J. Smith

Don,

 

In response to William J. Smith’s recent posting, true “environmental activists” do NOT support what he calls “sustainable developments” which threaten the original character and quality of life of an island community like Alameda’s. His claim that, without his vision of “a mixture of compact multi-family housing, estate housing with spacious lawns, retail, parks and commercial space”, Alameda Point is doomed to something worse is specious at best and disingenuous at its worst.

 

Barbara Thomas is absolutely correct. There is no need to submit any proposal to the voters unless Measure A is to be abrogated, and if it is for that one-third of the island, landlords and absentee property owners will demand that they be equally exempt from its provisions. And if newcomers and “environmental activists” share Smith’s vision, Alameda’s already over-burdened infrastructure will be as clogged as any freeway in L.A.

 

Every attempt by Californians to control development and taxes — from required Environmental Impact Reports to traffic control to Prop. 13 limiting property taxes — is under threat as unsustainable development pushes population beyond its limits. With environmentalists like Smith, who needs a livable environment?

 

I just wonder if Smith, along with some city officials, is in SunCal’s back pocket too.

 

Dennis Green

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

William J. Smith Responds to Barbara Thomas

Don,
 
I'm writing to provide some contest for Barbara Thomas's contention that the Council would solely be doing SunCal's bidding if the Council changes the Revitalization Initiative for Alameda Point and put it on the ballot themselves.  The Council would also be doing the bidding of a number of environmental activists in town, such as myself, who support, under community control, sustainable developments with a mixture of compact multi-family housing, estate housing with spacious lawns, retail, parks and commercial space - in short a community in a clearly defined space.   

The Council is doing solely SunCal's bidding if they continue to support the current Initiative which would allow SunCal to control nearly every aspect of the development, from the schedule to the phasing and the selection of amenities to spread the limited funds available around. 
 
By taking the lead on writing a ballot measure to revitalize Alameda Point, the Council will allow our community to retain control of the development there, instead of passing control of that difficult project to SunCal.  Then our debates about whether or not condos and townhomes are appropriate for Alameda Point will mean something.  If the current revitalization initiative passes, Barbara Thomas and I needn't bother to debate our different visions for Alameda Point - SunCal and D.H. Shaw will proceed with whatever is in their best corporate interests - which may or may not be in Alameda's best long term interests. 

William J. Smith

Monday, June 29, 2009

SunCal's City Council?

Editor, 

There is a rumor going around that I would like to confirm or deny:  That in response to the general negative consensus on the part of the majority of the electorate and  3 attorneys promising to seek the assistance of the Courts concerning the SUNCAL 288 page Initiative,  the Mayor and Council have told the City Attorney to review the Initiative and remove the questionable terms.  Then the Council would put the"New And Improved" Initiative on the ballot for SUNCAL.  Since some of the Councilmembers have ridden into office supporting Measure A, this may allow them to put a different spin on such treachery.

 
If any changes are made, this process transforms the initiative into a referendum.  There is absolutely nothing in the Initiative that needs to go to the people except to change Measure A and 2000 square foot per unit requirement.  Everything else can be done by ordinance and 4 votes of the Council.  The only purpose in going to the voters is to amend Measure A.  Once that is done, the remaining landowners in town can then ask the City under the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution, to treat all landowners equally within the City.  This will be available because there is no correlation between SUNCAL's project and a requirement to actually measure traffic increases or provide mitigation.  So why shouldn't every one on the island be held to that standard?  Of course there are other arguments to be made.
 
If this rumor is true, at a time when the City is in a downward economic spiral, our City Attorney and staff (paid by very limited  tax dollars) are cleaning up SUNCAL's poorly written 288 page initiative.  Then the City may have to fund the EIR which will be required.    Why would our City Council do such a thing? They wouldn't, but SUNCAL's City Council would.
 
 Barbara Thomas

Letters to the editor, comments or news tips should be e-mailed to: donroberts@alamedadailynews.com

Upcoming Don Roberts TV Shows

The Don Roberts TV Show is broadcast each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on Comcast Channel 28.  Following are upcoming editions:

July 8, Gene Maurice with his And That's Jazz Band

July 15, Pat Bail, Community Activist

July 22, David Howard, Chair of Action Alameda

July 29, Dom Weaver, President of Alameda's Firefighters Union

Roberts Rates Recent Movies

Roberts' ratings of movies initially released in 2009, with the most recent shown in green:

Grade A-: Star Trek

Grade B+: Up, Away We Go

Grade B: Coraline; The Hangover; The International; The Proposal; State of Play; Sunshine Cleaning

Grade B-: The Soloist

Grade D: Watchmen, What Ever Works

Roberts' Highest Rated Movies Released Prior to 2009

Grade A-: Boynton Beach Club; Changeling; I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime); Frost/Nixon, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont; V for Vendetta

Grade B+: After the Wedding; Akeelah and the Bee; Black Book; The Bourne Ultimatum; Burn After Reading; Batman - Dark Knight; Casino Royale; The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian; Death at a Funeral; Doubt; Enchanted; The Illusionist; The Last Mimzy; Little Miss Sunshine; Live Free Or Die Hard; Michael Clayton; Mission Impossible III; Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day; Mongol; Monster House; Nancy Drew; No Reservations; Once; Ratatouille; The Reader; Scoop; The Sentinel; Sex and the City; Slum Dog Millionaire; Tell No One (Ne le dis a personne); Thank You for Smoking; This is England; 300; 2 Days in Paris (Deux Jours a Paris); The Valet; Waitress; Young @ Heart

Grade B: Astronaut Farmer; The Bank Job; City of Ember; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Departed; The Devil Wears Prada; Disturbia; Failure to Launch; Flash of Genius; Forgetting Sarah Marshall; For Your Consideration; Fracture; Gran Torino; The  Hoax; Hot Fuzz; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; Invincible; Iron Man; KIt Kittridge: An American Girl;  Knocked Up; The Lake House; The Lookout; Marley and Me; Milk; Nim's Island; No Country for Old Men; The Other Boleyn Girl; Red Belt; Rocket Science; The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; Superman Returns; Swing Vote; Then She Found Me; Quantum of Solace; WALL-E, Wild Hogs

Click here for theatres, show times and reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle

Roberts' Favorite Alameda Restaurants

American: Pier 29, 1148 Ballena Boulevard, 865-5088
Breakfast: Marti's Place, 1905 1/2 Encinal Avenue 521-4600
California Cuisine: Angela's, 2301 Central Avenue, 522-5822
California Cuisine: Pappo, 2320 Central, 337-9100
Chinese: Hong Kong City Seafood Restaurant, 1425 Park Street, 523-4568
Coffee Shop: Ole's Waffle Shop, 1507 Park Street, 522-8108
German: Speisekammer, 2424 Lincoln Avenue, 522-1300
Hamburgers & Malts, Bip's Broiler, 3211 Encinal Avenue, 769-9933
Indian: India Palace, 737 Buena Vista Avenue, 814-8778
Italian Home Delivery: Alameda Pizza  523-7149
Japanese: Yokohama, 1427 Webster Street, 522-2945
Mediterranean Cuisine, Gold Coast, 1901 Park Street, 522-5388
Mexican: La Piñata, 1440 Park Street, 769-9110  and 891 Island Drive, 521-4032
Mexican: Calafia, 1445 Webster Street, 522-2996
New Zealand/Australian Cuisine: New Zealander, 1400 Webster Street, 769-8555
Southern American Cuisine: Jenny's Truckstop & Tearoom, very exclusive

Disclaimer

All links to other sites, including, but not limited to the following Alameda sites, are provided as a service to our readers. We have no control over the content of the links and assume no responsibility for their contents.

ActionAlameda; BarbaraKerr'sCityComments; Best of Alameda; KeepMeasureA;  PedestrianFriendlyAlameda

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