Praise for the Foodbank Players’ production of King Lear
To the Editor:
The performance of King Lear by the Foodbank Players knocked it out of the park on Sunday. Over the past few years, I’ve seen a number of their Shakespeare productions and they have generally been of a commendable nature. This one was really top-notch. It hit hard emotionally, as intended.
There was a decent audience, and in fact when I got there, I wondered if I would find a seat. I did, near the front, which was actually better for hearing as well as seeing. However, most of the audience was over 40—many well over, like myself. It’s unfortunate that more young people are not bitten by the Shakespeare bug. They are definitely missing something. All the sound and fury of Hollywood and video culture has left something very human in its wake. More power to the Foodbank Players for keeping this treasure alive.
Hunter Cobb
Alameda resident
Susan Gonzales’s campaign platform
To the Editor:
I am writing to urge residents to vote for me, Susan Gonzales, for Board Director for East Bay Regional Park District, Ward 4. Residents of our community need someone who will respond to concerns and consider the broader needs of the community. Residents need someone who has the background and experience to hit the ground running, especially in light of Ellen Corbett’s passing and the fact that we currently have no representative for our Ward.
This is a critical time for EBRPD as there is a relatively new board and a new General Manager and staff. What is needed is continuity and expertise; all of which I can provide.
As EBRPD Human Resource Manager, I was able to restructure benefits and realize millions of dollars in savings. I was also responsible for expanding internships and apprenticeships that resulted in jobs during the recession. These programs received awards from the International Personnel Management Association’s local, regional, and international organizations. During my tenure, the District was recognized by the San Francisco Chronicle as one of the top 100 places to work in the Bay Area, a distinction rarely awarded to public organizations, and which is based on employee engagement.
I am endorsed by several former Presidents of AFSCME Local 2428 and the Police Association President, along with the EBRPD Retirees Association, two current Board members (Dee Rosario and Dennis Waespi), former Board members Ayn Wieskamp and Beverly Lane, former General Manager Pat O’Brien, former Assistant General Managers Jerry Kent and John Escobar, and former Chief Financial Officer Paul Rankin.
Individuals familiar with my strong work ethic know that I care and have the desire to do a great job.
Susan Gonzales
Support for Joyce Boyd
To the Editor:
I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Joyce Boyd’s candidacy for the Alameda School Board. As a dedicated member of our community and a passionate advocate for education, Joyce embodies the qualities we need in our school leadership.
Joyce’s extensive background as a CPA, combined with her commitment to nonprofit work, uniquely positions her to understand the financial and operational challenges facing our schools. Her experience on the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee and the Alameda PTA Council demonstrates her dedication to ensuring our students receive the resources they need to succeed.
Having raised her family in Alameda and actively participating in Alameda schools, Joyce truly understands the needs of our community. I met Joyce when I was Paden PTA President and saw her leadership when we were fundraising for a new playground at Paden Elementary. She has an unwavering commitment to enhancing the educational environment for our children.
Joyce’s personal journey, rising from a challenging upbringing to becoming the first in her family to graduate from college, speaks volumes about her resilience and determination. She is not only a role model for our students but also someone who understands the struggles many families face.
With Joyce on the school board, I am confident that she will bring a compassionate, informed, and dedicated approach to our schools supporting academic excellence, career and college readiness, and fiscal responsibility. Let’s support a candidate who truly cares about our children and our community. Vote for Joyce Boyd for Alameda School Board!
Sincerely,
Guisela Rischard
Alameda
To the Editor:
I am writing to enthusiastically endorse Joyce Boyd’s candidacy for the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) school board. As a 20-year Alameda resident, parent of two children who attended Bay Farm Elementary and Middle schools, and an educator with over 25 years of experience, I have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our school system.
When the AUSD school board suddenly announced the closure of Bay Farm Middle School with little notice or input from parents, Joyce Boyd was one of the first to listen to our concerns. As a board member of the United Democrats of Alameda (UDA), Joyce attended the sole AUSD board meeting on the vote and spoke passionately against the short-sighted decision. Her advocacy for preserving this important neighborhood school option, especially for students not yet ready for a large middle school environment, demonstrated her deep understanding of the diverse needs of AUSD families.
What has also impressed me about Joyce is her kindness and thoughtfulness. In our conversations, she has always taken the time to truly listen to my concerns as a parent and an educator, and has offered insightful, nuanced perspectives on the challenges facing our schools. Her empathy and genuine care for the wellbeing of Alameda students and families are evident in everything she does.
But Joyce’s commitment to improving our schools extends well beyond the Bay Farm Middle School issue. Her platform for academic excellence, with a strategic focus on English and math proficiency by third grade, is precisely the kind of targeted, data-driven approach our district needs. In the 2022-2023 school year, 33.9% of students for English and 42.7% of students for math did not meet standards, according to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) — unacceptable statistics that must be addressed head-on.
Joyce’s emphasis on supporting our teachers through competitive salaries and benefits also resonates strongly with me. As an educator myself, I know firsthand how crucial it is to attract and retain top-quality educators for delivering the exceptional education our students deserve. And her promise to expand access to Advanced Placement classes and ensure comprehensive college and career readiness will prepare AUSD students for success beyond the classroom.
As an involved Alameda parent and long-time educator, I have been incredibly impressed by Joyce Boyd’s depth of knowledge on K-12 education issues. Her priorities seamlessly align with my own hopes for my children’s academic and personal growth, as well as my professional understanding of effective educational practices. I am confident that Joyce’s election to the AUSD school board will lead to meaningful, positive change for all students in our community.
Please join me in supporting Joyce Boyd for AUSD school board. With her leadership, we can build upon our district’s successes and create an even brighter future for Alameda’s next generation.
Sincerely,
Martin Medeiros
Alameda Resident, Parent, and Educator with 25+ Years of Experience
Response to election flyer, comments on Trish Herrera Spencer
To the Editor:
A slick colorful paid ad by the Coalition for Patient Access and Innovation, California Life Sciences and California Apartment Association recently littered my front porch. Its sponsors made a good choice of names; even if these groups are shells or shills, who could possibly be against Patient Access, Innovation, Life Sciences or Apartments?
Judging by the opera glasses depicted, it looks like someone is either an ornithologist or stalking Trish Spencer. I hope she has curtains.
None of these organizations, which take credit for this bit of spurious detritus, are based in Alameda, yet they seem to have a keen interest in this fall’s Alameda City Council election. Are we to assume they are worried about Quality-of-Life issues in Alameda?
Only a cynic would suspect these altruistic philanthropists, besmirching Citizen Spencer, would try to parlay their investment into a business opportunity, certainly not vivisection on our island.
While I have always supported extending the franchise, even meddling from outside influences and lupine business interests, I object to political slander except during an election year. Depending on whom you believe, these outside actors have invested more than $150,000 to redirect credulous voters away from Trish Spencer—she should be proud of herself. One hundred and fifty grand is nearly as much as we paid for the bogus Christopher Steele dossier that kicked off the two-year Mueller Investigation.
Admittedly, Trish is an independent recalcitrant and feisty thinker; she steadfastly resists the herd instinct, mob rule, group think, ethical compromise and mass psychosis. Trish is not the kind of person you want as a political adversary exposing your shenanigans at City Hall. She is problematic to anyone trying to pull a fast one over on the public, make a profit off Alameda, or ramrod something through an ovine City Council.
To paraphrase a trite adage, “Truth is the first casualty of an election year.”
As my Uncle Cusper always reminded us: “Never hogtie yourself with the truth.” Whoever fabricated the “NOT Trish Herrera Spencer” flyer must have known Cusper.
To be honest, I can’t tell gribouillage from barbouillage, or facetiae from billevesée, but when someone spends $150,000 on mendacity to smear a candidate you can bet that candidate has integrity, is not for sale, and is on the side of the people.
Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey R Smith, US Navy Retired
Alameda
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