Mabuhay!
This positive site is about making the West End of Alameda an even better place for everyone.
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Copyright 2009 Tony Daysog, all rights reserved
recent posts
westalameda.com
encinal high school
scholastic aptitude test
ehs and uc berkeley
ausd enrollment trends
crime trends 94501
measure b
[ food stores ]
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aria super market & bakery
[ coffee shops ]
spritzers cafe
wes cafe
starbucks
[ restaurants ]
east ocean seafood
kapok restaurant
new zealander restaurant
india palace restaurant
otaez mexican restaurant
yokohama japanese
katsu sushi restaurant
everett & jones bbq
thai place
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[ other eating places ]
albert's cafe
calafia's taqueria
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alameda pizza
[ entertainment ]
pacific pinball museum
alameda sport cards/comics
[ wineries / distilleries ]
st. george spirits
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rock wall winery
alameda point wine works
[ fitness ]
bladium sports club
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back to life wellness center
curves fitness
[ retail / services ]
seelenbacher jewelers
tavistock books
wilmot's book store
cycles of change APC bike shop
alameda point antiques
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s and  k auto
needle in a haystack
providence veterinary group
morikawa pet groomer
brown brothers shoes
lanvie women's boutique
dick's barber shop
al's barber shop
hair tech beauty salon
eyes on webster street
west end yelp reviews / directions
"Hawking the Green Fairy: St.
George Spirits", San Francisco
Chronicle, March, 2008)
spritzers
734 central
1536 webster
wes cafe
[ soccer fields / league ]
COA soccer fields
alameda point: 1 thru 4
ala point multipurpose
atlantic 1 and 2
alameda bayport field
[ crown memorial beach ]
crab cove visitor center
crown beach main entry
windsurfing school
board surfing shop
[ washington park ]
arnerich baseball field
lower washington park
lower washington tennis
[ dog parks ]
large/small dog parks
main street dog park
12.21.2009
Two recent homicides remind us that
although an island Alameda is not
completely sheltered from severe
types of crime that unfortunately occur
regularly in nearby Oakland. While
every crime is tragic and devastating
to victims and their families, the public
can take some solace in the
knowledge that violent crimes occur
less frequently in Alameda than
elsewhere, as indicated in
Federal
Bureau of Investigation data.

Table 1 shows violent crime trends in
the City of Alameda, incorporated
cities in Alameda County, and a select
number of cities in Contra Costa
County.  On average, 279 violent crime
incidents occurred per year between
2000 and 2008 in Alameda. The table
shows that violent crime in Alameda
has been
trending down since 2005.

Each year between 2000 and 2004,
Alameda experienced 302, 366, 299,
332, and 342 incidents of violent crime.
 Violent crime fell starting in 2005.  
Each year between 2005 and 2008,
Alameda experienced 232, 221, 205
and 210 incidents of violent crime
respectively.

Because cities in the county vary by
population, for uniform comparison
purposes,
Table 2 presents data in
terms of incidents per 10,000 persons.  
Over the 2000-2008 period, Alameda
averaged 38 violent crime incidents
per 10,000 persons.  Like Alameda,
Albany is a bedroom community
located next to a relatively large city,
Berkeley.  At 34 per 10,000 persons,
Albany's long-term violent crime rate is
similar to Alameda's, suggesting both
of our rates may be typical for
bedroom communities next to large
cities.

In
Table 3, we compare Alameda
against medium-sized California cities
with populations between 50,000 and
100,000 people.  Over the long-term
2000-2008 period, medium-sized cities
as a group averaged 43 violent crimes
per 10,000 persons.  At 38 violent
crimes per 10,000 persons, Alameda
posted a slightly better long-term
average than the medium-sized cities'
group average.  It is worth noting that
violent crime rates for each year
between 2005 and 2008 were several
points below the long-term 2000-2008
average of 38, underscoring the
downward trend mentioned above.  

Table 4 lists all medium-sized cities in
California, ranking these cities by their
2008 violent crime rates. Out of 107
medium-sized cities with 50,000 to
100,000 people, Alameda had the 45th
lowest violent crime rate in 2008.

12.23.2009 add on to 12.21.2009
In looking at Table 4, it is also worth
noting that Alameda's violent crime
rate for 2008 (30 per 10,000) is
significantly lower than the 2008 rates
for San Leandro (66 per 10,000) and
Union City (60 per 10,000), two nearby
"medium-sized" cities in the county.
-- Tony Daysog
west alameda shops.spotlight
01.18.2010
That's an excerpt from Landon Pigg's
song, "falling in love at a coffee shop."
 If interested in the full version of the
song, here's one
link you might want
to go to.  If it sounds familiar, it's
because back in 2007 DeBeers used it
in their
diamond ads.
01.20.2010
Just joined twitter.  So I'll be
announcing "this and that" about this
web-site via twitter, for those info
junkies who like their news in real time
24/7.  Still trying to figure out how to
"rss" as well.  Thought I found a tool --
but I think it was a scam.  Any
suggestions?
[ optional entitlement application: Suncal's recent action ]
01.21.2010
I just posted the ballot statement for
the upcoming initiative called
Measure
B.  Included are the impartial analysis
by the City Attorney, and statements
for and against the measure.  

Also: I posted the voluminous ballot
initiative and corresponding
documents that the initiative
references . . . .

. . . . But I made sure to break up these
files so voters can
quickly and easily
access key documents.    And, I
included headings and sub-heading to
give a clear indication as to the nature
of each file.

Whether you are for or against, don't
you want to see in part or in full the
substance of what Measure B is
about?
[ alameda point initiative: original ballot measure ]
01.23.2010
In an effort to address grave concerns
raised by local officials and residents,
SunCal recently submitted a revised
development agreement different from
the one included in the Measure B
initiative, according to
blogging
bayport and the island.

While it remains to be seen if the new
offer can stanch mounting opposition
toward Measure B, early indications
are that it sets the table for resumption
of constructive negotiation between
officials and SunCal following the vote.

Discussion has been marred by what
opponents - including a majority on
City Council - say is a one-sided ballot
measure with a development
agreement that potentially burdens the
city with fiscal and other problems.

Typically, cities and developers
negotiate development agreements to
set clear parameters within which
parties will hopefully come to terms
over major real estate projects. If terms
are reached, the parties then
memorialize their agreement in
another, more detailed document
called a development and disposition
agreement (DDA).  Those involved in
large-scale redevelopment projects
with long-term horizons find in
development agreements and DDAs
contractual assurances that their
projects won't be subject to willy-nilly
changes --  a matter as important to
municipalities concerned about how
their areas are improved as it is to
developers eyeing the bottom line.

SunCal's revised development
agreement begins to address some
fiscal concerns raised by officials,
reports Michelle Ellison:

"The proposed new development
agreement would lift a $200 million cap
on the amount of money a developer
would be required to pay to fund
public benefits including a sports
complex, a new library and transit
improvements, city officials confirmed.
It would also lift a 2 percent cap on
property taxes in the development.
Measure B contains a development
agreement with those two provisions,
in addition to a land plan and a
Measure A exemption for the Point."

Even with the recent news about
SunCal's revised development
agreement, residents must still decide
on Measure B on February 2.  

For those interested in the details of
the Measure B - as well as SunCal's
latest offer -  I posted documents in a
way that readers can
quickly and
easily
access. Again, I provide
headings and sub-heading to give
readers a clear indication of each file.  

Whether you are for or against, you
should read in part or in full the
substance of what Measure B is about.
 Click on the links below.

by Tony Daysog
02.14.2010
Last week, the Alameda Journal
published an
article about growing
concerns about the possible closure
of what is arguably the heart of the
West End community --
Encinal High
School.  Authored by Michelle Ellson,
the article is a must read!

Dire talks of possible school closures
across the island are occurring
against a backdrop of significant drop
in funding from the state, as well as
declining enrollment.

All of Alameda will have to step up to
save our cherished neighborhood
schools across the island, including
AHS and EHS.  This writer supports
the upcoming parcel measure to save
our neighborhood schools.
www.daysog.com

www.daysog.info
07.14.2010
Last night at the Otaez Restaurant, the
City of Alameda formally began the
process of updating the 2004/2005
Webster Street Strategic Plan.  From
what I can tell, the consulting team
that's putting together the plan is off to
a good start, in terms of involving the
community and their ideas.  Stay tuned.
Missing Grey Tabby click for
details (7/14/2010)
07.16.2010
Another great meeting about Webster
last night -- this time a joint Planning
Board / Economic Development
Commission meeting.  What I
mentioned last night was basically two
things -- maintain the area's "edgy"
feel (or, as Commissioner Zuppone
said, "funky") by doing things that
complement Webster's multicultural,
non-corporate flavor.  The last point
applies mainly to south of Buena Vista.

To that end, I especially support the
idea of altering Measure A for Webster,
because, more than likely, higher
density housing with retail on the
bottom could be designed in a fashion
that visually complements the area's
"edgy" nature.  And, more than likely,
the demographics and world-view of
folks choosing to live in mixed-use
high-density housing along public
transit corridor are aligned with
Webster's edgy, multicultural flavor.  

The consulting team is eyeing
higher-density north of Buena Vista,
particularly the west-side of the block
between Appezatto and Eagle.  'Tween
Buena Vista and Eagle ought to be
considered, too.

Kudos: Commissioners Kohlstrand
and Ashcraft voiced support for
looking at Measure A and Webster.  
Commissioner Lynch raised good
points about organizing for and
making sure to have funds to
implement the kind of change that's
being contemplated per the Webster
visioning process.  All good points!

by Tony Daysog
nextbus.com links to location of buses via gps
[ local bus lines ]
51A
20
31
[ trans bay bus ]
O
OX
W
[ other transit ]
alameda ferry
BART
511 trip planner
"where is my public transit?"
07.19.2010
I am sitting here in the well-lit
concourse of the 12th Street BART
Station, making use of the nextbus
links I loaded on this site.  It's 9:45 pm.  
Do I sit here for the next 20 minutes
before going upstairs for either the
51A or 20?  

Or should I hop back on BART for
Fruitvale, where I might also catch
these buses en route to Alameda via
Park Street?  Real-time public transit
planning courtesy of AC's gps-based
nextbus.com!  Check it out!

by Tony Daysog

Addendum: It's 10:20 pm and I'm in
Marriot lobby.  The 51A that was
supposed to arrive at 14th and
Broadway at 10:05 never arrived.  I
should've known something was up,
because while this bus registered on
the text version of nextbus, it was
nowhere on the real-time map.

But in a way, I am still at fault because,
per the system, I knew that had I
waited at 11th and Broadway instead, I
could've caught the 20, as well as wait
for a 31 or 51A.  Note to self: wait at
11th and Broadway for now on.