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If you’re planning to hit the coast during the New Year’s holiday, beware: Those waves are really going to be gnarly, dangerously so.

First, starting on Tuesday afternoon, there’ll be the strong, unpredictable type known as sneaker waves, which wash up higher on the beaches than normal, rushing over rocks and threatening to pull unwary beachgoers into the ocean.

By Wednesday, giant waves exceeding the height of a two-story house could follow.

“The initial waves that come through will be smaller in height and greater in wave strength, with the main concern being sneaker waves,” said Anna Schneider of the National Weather Service’s Monterey office. “But larger breaker waves are expected Wednesday, which is when a high surf would be a concern.”

The National Weather Service has issued a beach-hazard warning beginning 1 p.m. Tuesday through 9 p.m. Wednesday and a high-surf advisory has been issued from 9 a.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Thursday for the coast from northern Sonoma County down to Monterey County. Beachgoers should beware of rip currents, large shore breaks and hazardous surf conditions.

Steep beaches, such as Monastery Beach in Carmel, will present the highest risk of sneaker waves, Schneider said.

Large long-period waves are expected by midweek. Forerunner waves arrive Tuesday afternoon with swells 20-22 seconds. Larger swells arrive by Wednesday which could produce breakers up to 22 to 26 ft along west and northwest facing beaches. #cawx pic.twitter.com/8vXXHhaEfk

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) December 30, 2019

During the winter months, storms in the Gulf of Alaska tend to generate strong, fast winds that blow waves for miles across the Pacific Ocean, causing massive swells that reach California’s coast. Intense winter wave events make the coast ideal for big surf competitions, such as the infamous Bay Area contest known as Mavericks.

The competition, which once attracted surfers from all over the world, was canceled by organizers earlier this year — marking the fourth year in a row it has not been officially held.

The waves this week will come in 20-22-second intervals, with some reaching up to 25 feet on Wednesday. By comparison, another storm off the coast earlier this month caused waves along the San Francisco Bay region of 16 to 22 feet.

Darin Bingham, owner of the Half Moon Bay Board Shop, said most of the beaches from San Francisco down to Santa Cruz will be off-limits to surfers because of the high velocity and volume of the waves projected.

But spots that are relatively protected from the largest swells — Mavericks and Surfers beaches in El Granada and near the boat docks in Pacifica — likely will attract large crowds over the next two days, he said.

“We haven’t had a lot of good waves this year, so people have a lot of pent-up energy,” Bingham said. “And combined with it being a holiday where people have the time to do things and travel, I imagine it’s going to be pretty hectic out there.”

The weather service is advising residents and visitors to stay away from coastal jetties and keep a close watch on children.

The hazard warning comes just a week after a 53-year-old man died while attempting to save his daughter, who was floating on an inflatable raft in a lagoon at Carmel River State Beach on Christmas Eve when a strong ocean current pulled her toward the Carmel River and into the ocean. Rescue crews retrieved the daughter and brought her to the hospital for treatment of hypothermia, but when they reached her father, he was unresponsive.

Dear Miss Behavin’: I recently adopted a puppy and I want her to be comfortable around people and new places. What’s the best way to set my puppy up for success?

Socialization is very important, especially in the first few weeks and months of a puppy’s life. Under socialized dogs are the ones who bark at strangers, shy away from children, or jump at loud noises. You should have an immediate plan with your puppy and follow through. Invite family, friends, and neighbors over for “puppy parties.” Have them pick her up and touch her all over, including mouth, paws, and tail. You’re teaching her to love people and accept handling. If your puppy isn’t fully vaccinated yet, have guests remove shoes and wash their hands before interacting so illnesses can’t spread. Have your guests give her kibble and start with basic training like sit and lie down. All of this will make veterinary and grooming visits much easier.

Enroll your puppy in class as soon as she is two months old to continue the work you’ve started at home. These classes will expose her to different situations and teach her how to play well with others. Take her on field trips and out into the world where she can be exposed to loud noises and people of all kinds. Have kibble or treats on you to reward her for calm and friendly behavior, especially in challenging situations (men wearing hats, construction, elevators, leaf blowers, etc).

You are responsible for shaping your puppy’s perception of the world. If you dedicate yourself to the task of socialization in the first few weeks and months of your puppy’s life, you’ll have the joy of sharing your life with a calm and confident dog. And she will thank you for it too.

Alex Elias is the Assistant for the Behavior and Training Department at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. For more information, visit www.PHS-SPCA.org, call 650-340-7022, ext. 416, or e-mail aelias@phs-spca.org.

Until a few months ago, San Mateo resident Robert Shibata slept every night in his 1986 Toyota Supra on the edge of a hotel parking lot.

His family’s antiques business had been sold off, along with the two-flat home Shibata had been managing in San Francisco — leaving him with the Supra. Most nights, Shibata parked in a quiet lot straddling Foster City and walked to the St. Vincent de Paul San Mateo Homeless Help Center to eat a hot breakfast in the morning.

“I was hiding on the outskirts,” Shibata said. “This was one of my main supports … When you wear yourself down to the ground and have no money, you gotta find something to eat.”

As he slowly got to know the St. Vincent de Paul volunteers, Shibata never took them up on their offer for a camping-grade winter sleeping bag. He didn’t want to take it from someone sleeping on the streets, he said.

But he’s part of a growing charity demographic among the nonprofit’s clients who live out of their cars, often bouncing in and out of work, said the organization’s engagement team lead Ginny Marans — and it’s a group of homeless individuals in danger of being forgotten as the winter months loom.

“People always think of sleeping bags for homeless people living on the streets, but we’ve had a huge increase of people living in their cars,” Marans said. “Living in your car, you really need a sleeping bag too.”

Each year, the nonprofit runs a “Stay Warm” campaign with individual donors to fund 800 sleeping bags across the nonprofit’s three central homeless help centers in San Mateo, Redwood City and South San Francisco. This year, the bags are running at a cost of about $27 — or a total of about $21,000 — to last clients through both the cold and summer months.

Funds for the program stem from a hodgepodge of individual donors and grants each year, said Abel Mejia, director of the San Mateo Homeless Help Center, and for the first time, the organization is seeking Wish Book donations for $10,000.

The program is part of a wide-ranging set of services that clients tap into at St. Vincent de Paul’s centers, all the way from getting socks to connecting with case workers and finding permanent housing.

Ricky Jones, 63, has seen almost everything that St. Vincent de Paul has to offer over the course of more than 14 years of homelessness. But it’s not just the physical warmth that keeps him coming back at least three times a week, he said on a recent morning from inside the San Mateo office’s conference room.

Most Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, Jones picks up socks, underpants, and toiletries like a razor, toothbrush, toothpaste and body wash and enjoys a hot meal. Thursday is roast beef day — his favorite — and Monday is salami day.

While regulars lined up outside for breakfast, Jones debated the best nearby burrito in San Mateo with Mejia and Marans (Los Primos is his diehard favorite) and reminisced about staffers that predate even Mejia, who joined the organization eight years ago.

Jones isn’t sure who first told him about St. Vincent de Paul almost two decades ago, but his friends always saw it as the most reliable resource center, he said. The 501(c)3 nonprofit has been in San Mateo since 1946, and is under the umbrella of the Paris, France-based Catholic organization the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

“I just knew to come here,” Jones said. “I always knew about St. Vincent de Paul.”

While some veteran clients, like Jones, have been known as part of the nonprofit’s core community for years, others only swing by for a meal towards the end of the month when the fixed-income check runs low, Mejia said. Still others come every few months while bouncing between towns, or just stop by once while on the move to another state.

Regardless of their background, the vast majority have heard of St. Vincent de Paul’s through positive word of mouth, Mejia said. And during the winter months, many people seek out St. Vincent specifically for sleeping bags: The organization buys them in batches of 200, which rarely last longer than three months.

“I answer the door a lot when we’re closed, and I often have people inquiring about sleeping bags,” Marans said. “We get people very often saying, ‘My friend said she got one here.’”

The program is considered a central component of what the organization does best, said LifeMoves’ vice president of programs and services Brian Greenberg: serving subgroups of the Bay Area’s homeless population that the general public tends to overlook.

LifeMoves partners with St. Vincent de Paul to help find clients more permanent solutions to homelessness. Jones, for example, has been assigned to a LifeMoves caseworker to meet with him on a regular basis.

“Once we identify someone that’s especially vulnerable, we’ll bring them to St. Vincent de Paul for those critical supplies. They really are a hub for our most challenging and neediest population,” Greenberg said.

And the need for direct services is only growing, Mejia pointed out: San Mateo County’s 2019 homelessness count found the number of homeless adults increased to 1,512, up from 1,253 in 2017. Santa Clara County numbers, meanwhile, surged to 9,207, up from 6,895 people, and the percentage of unsheltered people rose to 82 percent, up from 74 percent.

Now, he’s moved from one side of St. Vincent de Paul line to the other, as he put it. Most mornings, he works the morning shift as a volunteer at the San Mateo Homeless Help Center before heading to work at O’Reilly’s.

“It’s a place where a lot of us out there — when I was on the homeless side, sitting on the line — I could relax. There’s a lot of openness here,” Shibata said. “That’s why I step up.”

THE WISH BOOK SERIES
The Wish Book is an annual series of The Mercury News that invites readers to help their neighbors.

WISH
Donations will help St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo County buy 400 camping grade sleeping bags for homeless clients. Goal: $10,000

HOW TO GIVE
Donate at wishbook.mercurynews.com or mail in the coupon.

ONLINE EXTRA
Read other Wish Book stories, view photos and video at wishbook.mercurynews.com

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The Walgreens store in Martinez has been open for only a couple of hours, and its candy shelves are in desperate need of attention.

Working intently to re-stock the Skittles, Big Hunks, Snickers bars and other sweet treats are Liliana Lopez, 20, and Mason Richardson, 18. They are students in the Martinez Community Academy’s (MCA) Transition Program, designed to teach independent living and vocational skills to young adults in need of special education services.

At times, matching the right candy with its proper spot on the shelves is a bit of a challenge. It’s sort of like piecing together a massive 3D puzzle. But with the help of their teacher, Merry Bell — along with plenty of persistence — the pieces come together.

“I love this job, and it’s just my first day!” exclaims Richardson. “This is the best day of my life!”

“It’s so fun,” adds Lopez.

A few miles away, at the Round Table Pizza restaurant, two other MCA students — Richardson’s twin brother, Reese, and Brandon Chew, 19 — are performing pre-opening chores. Under the watchful eye of Rosa Gonzalez, they vacuum the floor, set up chairs and wipe down tables, all with a precise focus.

“Everyone has a different ability level,” Gonzalez says. “But they’re pretty smart and independent. You just have to give them specific duties, and they’re ready to go.”

The MCA program, directed by Sandra McMillan, has received funding this year from Share the Spirit, an annual holiday campaign that serves disadvantaged residents in the East Bay. Donations benefited 49 nonprofit agencies in Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The grant will be used to help students pay for recreational activities and for transportation costs, which many cannot afford.

Upon completion of their morning work shifts, the students gather in a classroom at Alhambra High School. There, they and five others are taught reading, math and other academic skills. The program follows the regular high school schedule and is geared for students ages 18 to 22.

McMillan, whose oldest daughter has a severe handicap, is in her 26th year as a special education instructor. She describes her work as “therapeutic,” and, after all this time, it continues to provide incredible fulfillment.

“The students typically have wonderful personalities with a joy of life and an eagerness to learn and succeed,” she says. “As a special education teacher, I get to see over and over again how these students can learn when taught at their assessed level. You just have to give them the time.”

McMillan teaches reading skills, but she has a special place in her heart for the vocational training portion of the transition program. Over the years, she has seen how her students passionately approach their jobs and the rewards that hands-on work provides.

“It’s their first opportunity to work in the communit,y and they take ownership,” she says. “They just feel so proud of themselves. They feel like they’re contributing — like they can be successful.”

Reese Richardson echoes that sentiment, claiming that his duties at Round Table might lead to even better things.

“I think that if I work and I learn these skills and then use them, I will be able to get a full-time job,” he says.

The vocational training the students receive is supported by a state-funded program called WorkAbility and is administered by the Contra Costa Office of Education. Unfortunately, the funding covers only a one-hour, minimum-wage shift per student per week. So the MCA supplements the paid work training with volunteer jobs.

On Mondays, for example, some of the students volunteer for two hours at Loaves and Fishes, a long-running program that provides meals to low-income families and disadvantaged individuals. Other volunteer work is devoted to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, and Special Olympics.

In addition, the students are introduced to a number of activities in the community. They learn to use public transportation and budget their earnings. Also on tap this school year: a trip to the Oakland Museum, a play at Diablo Valley College, bowling, bake sales and more.

“Research has shown that most disabled adults tend to live reclusive lives,” McMillan says. “We hope to increase their independent living skills in the community, as well. The ultimate goal is to make them as independent as possible.”

Share the Spirit

The Share the Spirit holiday campaign, sponsored by the Bay Area News Group, funds nonprofit holiday and outreach programs in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

To make a tax-deductible contribution, clip the coupon accompanying this story or go to www.sharethespiriteastbay.org/donate. Readers with questions, and individuals or businesses interested in making large contributions, may contact the Share the Spirit program at 925-472-5760 or sharethespirit@crisis-center.org.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose celebrated their annual Times Square-style New Year’s eve ball drop, on Dec. 31, 2019, in San Jose. The event called “Noon Year’s Eve” featured the ball drop at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., a family photo booth and a hat making station for children.

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Over 30 competitors braved the freezing cold waters of the Delta to take part in the 40th annual Frozen Bun Run at the Rusty Porthole in Bethel Island, Calif., on Wednesday Jan. 1, 2020.

Christmas rescue

A man took an unexpected swim on Christmas day when he slipped down a concrete slope along the Los Gatos Creek.

At approximately 2:20 p.m., Santa Clara County Fire Department personnel were dispatched to Los Gatos Creek at the Camden Avenue/ San Tomas Expressway overpass in Campbell on report of a man in the water. The first arriving engine found the unidentified man on a steep concrete slope of the creek near a spillway. The man had been removed from the water by passersby.

A technical rope rescue system was used to secure and safely remove the man from the concrete embankment. He was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.

Charitable meals grants

Santa Clara County’s Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency charitable feeding pilot program is accepting applications through March 18 for grants of up to $1,000 to nonprofits that rent commercial kitchens in the county for preparing charitable meals.

Nonprofits with no access to commercial kitchens can sometimes operate out of compliance with state law, or spend significant resources to redesign an existing kitchen or rent a permitted facility.

Commercial kitchens are designed to enhance food safety.

“Food safety is an absolute essential. I get that,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who championed the program. “But changes in State law in recent years have precluded well-intentioned nonprofits from providing a healthy, hot meal to people who need it. That’s why I’m so pleased we’re making these mini-grants available.”

Grant requests will be considered based on a nonprofit’s goals to improve the safety, quality and availability of food to Santa Clara County community members who may not have the resources to provide for meals themselves. To apply, visit www.sccgov.org/sites/cepa/Pages/cepa.aspx.

For some time, residents and officials in East Palo Alto have fretted about rush hour traffic congestion on their main drag, University Avenue.

Small wonder. That roadway leading from Stanford University east toward the approach to the Dumbarton Bridge has become a clogged vehicular nightmare Monday through Friday.

You can thank the area’s runaway office development for that nagging situation — next door, Menlo Park has become a virtual Facebook company town.

It’s not rocket science. Thousands of new employees equal thousands of additional cars on the local highways and byways.

Things have gotten so bad that at least one EPA councilperson has broached the idea of making University Avenue a toll road at certain weekday times.

The notion is radical, far-fetched and fraught with problems.

You might get the impression that the municipal authorities might be taking a skeptical hard line on giving the go-ahead to any more office growth there. You would be incorrect.

Published reports indicate quite the opposite. A new seven-story office building (which will include a modest amount of retail space) recently was approved on a 3-1-1 vote of the City Council.

Where will that structure be located? You guessed it: University Avenue. Yep, the same troubled boulevard that has vexed the community on an ongoing basis.

Apparently, the endless lure of increased tax dollars was just too much to rein in the authorities.

Maybe the timing of the decision makes sense. It’s still the holiday season, after all. And, in this case, planning logic, like most everything else, has taken a holiday for sure.

Dr. James Hutchinson

When it comes to providing medical services, he’s a San Mateo County pioneer.

Dr. James Hutchinson, 96, is the first African-American physician to establish a regular practice on the Peninsula. He did so in the early 1950s.

Still with an office in San Mateo, he is the author of a new book detailing his life and career. “A Short Glimpse of a Long Road” features vignettes spanning the decades from his birth in Louisiana in 1923 to the present.

He found his way to San Mateo via a circuitous route that included college in Texas, service with the U.S. military during World War II in North Africa and Europe, medical school in Tennessee and internship and residency in Sacramento.

Dr. Hutchinson will discuss his book at 1 p.m. Jan. 25 at the San Mateo County History Museum in downtown Redwood City.

HIs talk will be part of the Courthouse Docket series, a regular monthly presentation in the museum’s Courtroom A.

For more information, please call the museum at 650-299-0104.

Census workers needed

The U.S. Census Bureau needs help. It’s looking for workers to assist with the upcoming 2020 census.

In San Mateo County, 800 are needed, according to the bureau.

Making the bureau’s task rather difficult is that the county had the lowest unemployment rate in the state (below 2 percent) in the most recent calculation. If that isn’t a record, it has to be mighty close.

In any event, if you are interested in part-time work, you can apply online at 2020census.gov/jobs or call 1-855-562-2020.

John Horgan’s column appears weekly in the Mercury News. You can contact him by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com or by regular mail at P.O. Box 117083, Burlingame, CA 94011.

VALLEJO — After a decade of service, the president of Vallejo’s police union has resigned.

Mathew Mustard left his position as president of the Vallejo Police Officers’ Association, the Times-Herald confirmed late Wednesday night. He was replaced by Vallejo police Lt. Mike Nichelini, who currently serves as traffic division commander.

A detective sergeant with Vallejo police, Mustard served as president of the police union since 2009, according to his bio on the VPOA website.

Nichelini predicted the Times-Herald would not hear a word from Mustard about his resignation, but Mustard proved him wrong. Asked for comment on his resignation, Mustard sent a lengthy email Thursday morning, bashing the Times-Herald.

“Does a quote from me really matter?” he asked. “A long time ago I quit reading the negative things that you write about me and other Vallejo Police Officers.”

“When was the last time you wrote a positive story about a Police Officer?” he asked. “Do you really think that we are all corrupt racist? Do you not realize that we are all like you. We are husbands/wives, parents that are trying to provide for our families.”

Mustard’s resignation comes weeks after an article by The Appeal discovered that as president of the union (which defends officers accused of crimes or misconduct), Mustard was also in charge of several investigations. That included deciding whether the actions of Vallejo police officers were lawful when they shot someone on-duty.

“You have lost touch with the human side. We can all loose (sic) touch, we can all look at the negative in anything, we can twist facts and stats to try and accomplish a goal,” Mustard continued in the same email. “Police Officers are held to a hirer (sic) standard than any other profession. They accept that and are doing everything they can to keep their communities safe. Sir can I ask what is your goal? It does not appear to be about truth, accuracy or justice.”

Throughout 2019, the VPOA has publicly stood behind its officers time and time again, in the wake of criticism centered on police use-of-force incidents. It all started with the fatal February shooting of Willie McCoy, who was shot dozens of times by six officers responding to a report of McCoy unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a stopped car.

The VPOA has pushed back against criticism of the McCoy shooting and specifically targeted Melissa Nold, a civil rights attorney from the John Burris Law Firm, which represents McCoy’s family in a suit targeting Vallejo police.

In a similar email response to this newspaper Wednesday night, Nichelini downplayed Mustard’s departure.

“You will not get a quote from Mat regarding this,” Nichelini wrote. “More importantly, there is no story here. Changes are made to the Board of Directors all the time. Assignments change, people retire, etc.”

Nichelini is son of former Vallejo Police Chief Robert Nichelini.

In an email sent to the union membership, Mike Nichelini said the VPOA board will be meeting in the next few weeks “to discuss the transition and filling the empty vice president position.”

CERT classes open

The next Campbell CERT Academy starts Jan. 14. CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) skills taught include personal preparedness, organizing resources, basic medical operations, basic search and rescue, how to use a fire extinguisher and basic damage assessment..

This training course is open to individuals who live or work within the communities served by Santa Clara County Fire Department, including Cupertino, Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga.

Campbell CERT classes run Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m., through Jan. 30 at the Campbell Community Center, 1 W Campbell Ave., with a final skills exercise on Feb. 1, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Students must attend all seven class meetings to receive a Certificate of Completion.

Registration is $35 at Eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.sccfd.org

Library deliveries, renewals

The Santa Clara County Library District is making it easier for homebound residents to receive items they want from the library. Those who find themselves confined at home for three or more months, for whatever reason, can now designate a person to pick up items for them at their local library or the library district bookmobile. Currently, library staff delivers items requested by registered homebound patrons approximately once a month to just under 100 participants.

Homebound persons can specify a designated borrower by filling out an application at https://sccl.bibliocms.com.

All library patrons can now renew most items up to three times, as long as there are no holds on the items and the items qualify for renewal. The length of time eligible items can be checked out remains three weeks at a time.

Commission vacancies

Cupertino is accepting applications for city commissions that have vacancies in January, including Audit Committee, Housing Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Public Safety Commission and Sustainability Commission.

The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 10. The council will conduct interviews beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Jan 27 and 28.

Applications can be submitted at www.cupertino.org/vacancies.  For more details, including all commission vacancies, visit the website or call the City Clerk’s office at 408-777-3223.

CERT classes open

The next Campbell CERT Academy starts Jan. 14. CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) skills taught include personal preparedness, organizing resources, basic medical operations, basic search and rescue, how to use a fire extinguisher and basic damage assessment.

This training course is open to individuals who live or work within the communities served by Santa Clara County Fire Department, including Cupertino.

Campbell CERT classes run Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m., through Jan. 30 at the Campbell Community Center, 1 W Campbell Ave., with a final skills exercise on Feb. 1, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Students must attend all seven class meetings to receive a Certificate of Completion.

Registration is $35 at Eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.sccfd.org.

Library deliveries, renewals

The Santa Clara County Library District patrons who find themselves confined at home for three or more months can now designate someone to pick up items for them at their local library or bookmobile. Currently, library staff delivers items about once a month to just under 100 registered homebound patrons.

Homebound persons can specify a designated borrower at https://sccl.bibliocms.com.

Also, all library patrons can now renew most items up to three times, as long as there are no holds on the items and the items qualify for renewal.

The way Kurt Krukenberg sees it, the expansion of Humane Society Silicon Valley’s annual Fur Ball fundraiser is indicative of the nonprofit’s overall growth in recent years.

As of Jan. 1, Krukenberg is the Humane Society’s new president, stepping into the shoes of Carol Novello. He previously served as chair of the Humane Society’s board of directors.

In addition to overseeing the growth of various initiatives, Krukenberg will also see the animal rescue organization’s annual fundraiser expand to Levi’s Stadium this year. The 17th annual Fur Ball is set for March 28 this year.

“I’m excited that we’re getting to expand the event this year,” Krukenberg says. “It’s giving us the opportunity to create two experiences within the event. It’s a chance to have more people there.”

Fur Ball guests can bring their well-behaved dogs to Levi Stadium, where they can partake in either a Dynamic Dining experience at club level or attend the Grand Gala on the field.

Krukenberg says this bigger, grander Fur Ball mirrors the Humane Society’s plan for overall growth.

“The Humane Society is very ambitious about how we can expand,” he adds. “We’re doing things outside our community.”

One major effort involves helping other rescue organizations throughout California match Santa Clara County’s 94 percent save rate for shelter animals, with a particular focus on the Central Valley, where Krukenberg says “they have a lot of animals and fewer resources.”

Krukenberg says the partnerships the Humane Society has formed with organizations such as the San Jose Animal Shelter, the San Francisco SPCA and Petco are crucial to increasing the save rate in other areas of the state. The Petco stores in Sunnyvale and West San Jose house Neighborhood Adoption Centers for potential pet parents who can’t make it to the Humane Society’s main Animal Community Center in Milpitas.

Himself a rescue parent, Krukenberg and his wife Charu Ramaprasad adopted Cooper, a pit bull/chihuahua mix, from the Humane Society. Krukenberg joined the Humane Society’s board in 2016 after volunteering there as a consultant, which is how he makes his living.

“I saw the work being done there and was quickly hooked,” he recalls. “A lot of my work in the corporate world is focused on growing companies and bringing new products to market.”

“Those animals are really lifelines for a lot of folks,” Krukenberg says, adding that adopting Cooper has given him a personal connection to his new job.

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work with an organization that’s doing important lifesaving work,” he says. “It’s something I value and believe in.”

Early bird tickets for the Fur Ball’s Dynamic Dining experience are $350 at www.HSSV.org. Grand Gala tickets are $1,500 per person or $10,000 per table of 10. Premium tables are $25,000.

SVCE education fund

Sunnyvale-based Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) has launched an Education Fund to support high school and community college student projects focused on climate action and awareness.

As the public agency tasked with lowering carbon emissions for 13 Santa Clara County communities, SVCE is partnering with local students to provide funding for projects that address climate solutions such as decarbonization, electrification and innovation.

“I am excited that SVCE is engaging our young people in our efforts to reach the community’s climate goals through our new Education Fund. We look forward to supporting the innovative projects on climate action and awareness we anticipate from our high school and community college students,” said Margaret Abe-Koga, SVCE board chair and Mountain View vice mayor.

SVCE aims to support a diverse range of projects from engineering challenges and debates to a drama performance, as long as there is an emphasis on climate education and awareness.Students, educators and administrators working on these projects can apply for up to $10,000 in funding at SVCleanEnergy.org/education-fund. Applications close Jan. 31.

The Education Fund compliments SVCE’s other education initiative, Bike to the Future, which provides $16,000 in scholarships to high school students who compete in clean transportation challenges, converting a mechanical bike to an electric bike. Registration for Bike to the Future is currently open, and more information is available at SVCleanEnergy.org/biketothefuture.

Special Events

Sunnyvale Farmers Market: Enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables and arts and crafts from local growers and artisans. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Murphy and Washington avenues, Sunnyvale. Urbanvillageonline.com/markets/Sunnyvale.

Seniors

Sunnyvale Senior Center: The center offers a variety of services and activities, billiards room, fitness center, table games, trips, classes and lunches every weekday. 550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale. 408-730-7360, Sunnyvale.ca.gov.

Senior Nutrition Program: Hot meals served along with camaraderie. Must be age 60 or older and a resident of Santa Clara County. Monday-Friday, live dance music at 9:30 a.m., lunch at 11 a.m. First United Methodist Church, 535 Old San Francisco Road, Sunnyvale. Sunnyvaleumc.org/mission/seniornutrition.html.

Theater/Arts

Pride and Prejudice: TheatreWorks Silicon Valley stages a world premiere musical by Paul Gordon, based on Jane Austen’s iconic novel and directed by TheatreWorks’ founding artistic director Robert Kelley. Through Jan. 4. Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road. $30-$100, www.theatreworks.org, 650-463-1960.

Weddings in History: The new display in the series of rotating exhibits at the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum showcases wedding and bridal party dresses from the past as well as items related to such a celebration, such as invitations, veils, photographs and jewelry from the mid-1800s to 1968. Through Feb. 9; museum open Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon-4 p.m. Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum, 570 Remington Drive, Sunnyvale. 408-749-0220,  heritageparkmuseum.org

Fine Arts League of Cupertino: The group meets the second Monday of the month, 7-9 p.m., and welcomes visitors. Quinlan Community Center, 10185 N. Stelling Road, Cupertino. Visit falc.org or call Janki at 408-863-9991.

Lectures/Learning/Meetings

Racists Anonymous: RA holds weekly meetings to better understand how to confront discrimination on anything based upon outward appearance including race, gender, LGBTQ and disability among others. RA is a 12-step program patterned after AA. Thursdays, 6:45-7:45 p.m. United Congregational Church, 1112 S Bernardo Ave., Sunnyvale.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous: FA holds free meetings for anyone in the community who may be suffering from overeating, food obsession, under-eating or bulimia. Everyone is welcome, including those who are concerned about someone who may be suffering. FA is a nonprofit 12-step fellowship based on the principals of Alcoholics Anonymous. Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m. St. Jude’s Church, room 5, 20220 McClellan Road, Cupertino. 415-248-9347.

Cupertino Morningmasters: Improve your speaking and networking skills at this Toastmasters club. Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. Bethel Lutheran Church, 10181 Finch Ave., Cupertino.

Sunnyvale Rotary: Meetings are Tuesdays at noon. Elks Club, 375 N. Pastoria Ave. Sunnyvalerotary.org.

Dementia/Alzheimer’s Support Group: A safe, confidential, supportive environment for families to develop informal mutual support, get information about dementia and develop methods and skills to solve problems related to dementia. Fourth Tuesday of the month. Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church gym, 728 Fremont Ave., room 750, Sunnyvale. For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association at 800-272-3900.

Eating Disorders and Body Image Support Groups: The Eating Disorders Resource Center offers free support groups to create a safe space for those struggling with eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction. The groups are unstructured and open to all ages, genders and types of eating issues. Second and fourth Saturday of the month 9:30-11 a.m. for family and friends. El Camino Hospital, 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View. www.edrcsv.org

Open Gardens: Charles Street Gardens opens its gates to the public. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 433 Charles St., Sunnyvale. Charlesstreetgardens.org.

Military Officers Association of America: The Silicon Valley chapter holds a luncheon meeting on the third Thursday of the month. Siliconvalleymoaa.org, 408-245-2217.

Submit a listing by emailing information about your event to cal@community-newspapers.com. Deadline is noon, two weeks prior to Friday’s publication.

With the desperate need for affordable housing in the region growing more dire, San Jose leaders are considering allowing some owners of illegal granny units to come forward without fear of facing penalties or fines.

The San Jose City Council is set to vote Tuesday on whether to launch an amnesty program for owners of illegally converted garages, sheds or other types of in-law units to encourage residents to take the mandatory steps to turn them into safe, legal dwellings.

The two-year pilot program would mark the city’s latest effort to promote accessory dwelling units as a promising avenue to provide much-needed housing amid the region’s worsening crisis. As a result, the number of building permits the city issued for in-law units has grown ten-fold in the past four years. If passed, the city will join San Francisco, San Mateo County and Santa Cruz County, which have similar programs in place.

“Our number one goal is to create a safe environment for our residents,” said Rosalynn Hughey, director of the city’s planning, building and code enforcement department. “But as everybody knows, we’re in a statewide crisis, and we see the productions of ADUs — as well as the legalization of ADUs — really does help provide more affordable housing for our residents.”

Under the program, the city plans to hire third-party inspectors who would determine whether a unit has any zoning, safety or health violations based on the regulations in place when the unit was constructed. Residents would then be informed about how to make the necessary repairs. City staff are finalizing a checklist that will be available for homeowners and investigators to use when assessing a unit’s condition.

If a granny unit poses primarily aesthetic issues that cannot reasonably be amended, such as being built too close to the edge of the property, the homeowner likely would be able to acquire a permit without making any changes or paying any fees.

But the city will not overlook just any code violations.

In the case of serious health and safety hazards, such as dangerous wiring, inadequate fire protection and lack of sanitation, the inspector would be required to report those issues to the city, and the homeowner would have to pay for repairs before acquiring a permit.

City officials say homeowners who take part in the program will benefit from increased property values, better insurance coverage and added legitimacy when it comes to finding tenants for their units.

“The idea is to focus on safety and not sweat the small stuff,” Mayor Sam Liccardo said in an interview. “We think that this can be a great win-win for renters, as well as homeowners — many of whom are struggling to pay their mortgage.”

Under current city regulations, any owner of an illegal granny unit who seeks to bring it up to code is required to pay for building permits and outstanding taxes and fees. But the city’s proposed amnesty program would waive those fees for qualifying property owners.

Although its projections are anecdotal, the city estimates that at least 150 property owners will take advantage of the program within the next year and a half — each saving an estimated $5,862 in costs for plan reviews and permit fees, according to a city report.

Launching the program and waiving permit fees for the first year and a half would cost the city approximately $1.1 million, which is currently unaccounted for, the report states. If passed by the council Tuesday, staff members plan to request the needed funds during the 2020-2021 budget process in the spring.

While inspectors will focus the scope of their work on the granny units, they will be required to report any life-threatening safety issues they may come across on the property, according to the report.

Over the past year, the City Council has made a push to promote granny units, taking significant steps to simplify the permitting and building process for residents.

And it paid off. The city provided permits for the construction of 416 units in 2019 — up from about 40 in 2016.

Over the past year, the city has created a master ADU program where residents can quickly obtain permits by choosing a pre-approved design, hired a full-time “ADU ally” to help homeowners navigate the process, launched an online portal where residents can find out whether they’re eligible to build a granny unit on their property, and started “ADU Tuesdays,” where homeowners and developers can theoretically obtain a building permit within 90 minutes through an express lane at the city’s permit center.

In December, the City Council also adopted zoning ordinance amendments to match state ADU laws that include allowing accessory dwellings units up to 500 square feet that are attached to a house and eliminating minimum lot size requirements.

Despite the big strides already made, Mayor Liccardo said there’s still more that he wants to tackle when it comes to granny units.

As a next step, Liccardo and his team are working with private partners and nonprofit organizations to devise new ways to help homeowners acquire loans to build additional units on their properties.

“Financing the construction of backyard homes will be a critical priority of mine in the years ahead,” Liccardo said. “… It’s not going to suddenly solve our housing crisis, but backyard homes — if we’re able to construct thousands rather than a few hundred — seem very promising.”

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Twenty-one people wanting to learn about the sport of curling attended the Silicon Valley Curling Club’s Learn to Curl session at Sunnyvale’s downtown ice rink on Saturday morning. The club is holding two more sessions on Saturday, Jan. 11 and Saturday, Jan.18th from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Winter Ice Rink Downtown Sunnyvale. Advance sign-up is required, along with a $20 fee. Session space is limited to 25 participants. For class reservations or more information, contact the Silicon Valley Curling Club.

SAN JOSE — Hundreds of Bay Area residents gathered in front of San Jose City Hall on Saturday to protest escalating tensions with Iran set off by the assassination on Friday of General Qassem Soleimani, one of the Middle Eastern country’s most powerful figures.

A mix of college students, self-proclaimed “raging grannies,” Chicano Brown Berets and more held up anti-war signs and waved at honking motorists starting around 3 p.m.

Speakers criticized the United States for its involvement in the Middle East, as well as for recent actions that have moved it closer to a violent confrontation with Iran. The grannies sang a song calling for “no war with Iran.”

Similar rallies were held throughout the nation, including in San Francisco where social media videos showed hundreds of sign-carrying protesters marching down Market Street.

Omeed Askary, a San Jose native and student at UC Berkeley, said he hoped people who saw the protest would get motivated to learn more about why Iran and the U.S. have been locked in a decades-long cold war. The threat of war, he said, hit particularly close to home.

“As a dual citizen, it’s really difficult for me to see the two countries I really love go to war,” Askary said.

He pointed at the broad group of attendees and said that a pro-peace message could transcend political ideologies.

“As long as you’re against war,” he said, “you’re welcome in the effort to prevent conflict.”

Nilou Nouri, of Saratoga, said she’s been coming to anti-war protests for 30 years, opposing American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. She came out on Saturday because seeing hundreds of people protesting for peace was the only thing that still gave her hope.

“If I just stay at home and watch the news I get very depressed,” she said.

Among her concerns are her friends and family members in Iran, who she visits every few years. She said they live under an oppressive regime but that none of them see war or military intervention from the United States as the solution.

“Diplomacy works,” she said. “I think we need to give diplomacy a chance.”

Nouri, along with other attendees, said she saw the escalating tensions as an effort by President Donald Trump to improve his odds of re-election and distract from several scandals, including an ongoing impeachment effort.

Many speakers and attendees also said the latest protest — and military provocations — is part of a long line of American aggression abroad.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” Anne Rosenzeig, a Berkeley native who now lives in Morgan Hill, told one friend. “We’ve been doing this for 50 years now.”

Three months after Cornerstone Academy leaders and parents were left dumbfounded by a decision that could potentially close the high-performing San Jose charter school, the community is holding out hope that their worst fears will not become a reality.

After the Franklin-McKinley School District rejected a district staff recommendation to renew Cornerstone’s charter, the Santa Clara County Board of Education this month will vote on an appeal submitted by Cornerstone officials.

“January 15 — I wake up with that date etched in my nightmares,” Cornerstone Principal Marion Dickel said about the county meeting where the board will announce its decision. “But at this point, I think they’ll renew the charter because we’ve given our students what they need and I think the county board will see that.”

The meeting will mark only the second time in the history of the county board that it has voted on a charter renewal after a district denied it. The last time that happened was in 2014 when San Jose Unified rejected the renewal of Sunrise Middle School and the county then approved it. In addition to the two renewal pleas, the county has voted on 37 initial charter school petitions that were turned down by districts — approving just half of those.

The debate over Cornerstone’s renewal is part of a bigger battle over funding and facilities between California public school districts and charter schools — and what arguments can legally be made for a district to reject a charter.

Cornerstone Academy, an award-winning school within the East San Jose charter network Alpha Public Schools, opened in 2010 serving students in kindergarten through sixth-grade students. The district first renewed the school’s charter in 2015 and then allowed it to expand to eighth grade in 2016.

But in its 3-2 decision on Oct. 22, the Franklin-McKinley School Board decided that it would not renew the school’s charter, stating Cornerstone did not enroll enough Latino students, did not serve any students with “moderate to severe” disabilities and that the math scores of students with disabilities were declining.

Maimona Afzal Berta, a board member who also serves as a special education teacher in the Alum Rock School District, pointed out what she considered a lacking number of students with disabilities.

“I can’t make the determination that academics is the single most determining factor in a charter’s renewal when a subgroup of students is missing and no one has bothered to ask why these students aren’t here,” Berta said during the meeting.

Cornerstone Academy leaders, however, refute every reason the district made for rejecting the charter.

Shara Hegde, the founder of Cornerstone and chief school operator for Alpha Public Schools, said the accusation that the school doesn’t serve any students with “moderate to severe” disabilities was “just plain false.”

According to the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, “moderate to severe disabilities” include autism, deaf or blindness, moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities or serious emotional disturbance. During the 2018-19 school year, Cornerstone enrolled 40 students with disabilities — about 13 percent of whom had autism, according to school officials.

And while Cornerstone enrolls about half the number of Latino students as the district average — 30 percent compared to 60 percent — they’re performing significantly higher on standardized tests than their counterparts at other district schools. In addition, College Connection Academy — a district school just a few blocks away from Cornerstone — has the same percentage of Latino students.

“We absolutely can and should do more,” Hegde said about focusing recruitment efforts more on families of Latino students and those with disabilities. “But we can’t have quotas for students with disabilities, because that ties our hands a bit due to the lottery.”

When accepting new students, Cornerstone uses a lottery system that allows any student to apply without disclosing their race or whether they have a disability until after they have been accepted.

Anh Dao Tran, a parent of two Cornerstone students, submitted her son’s name into the lottery twice before he was accepted. Tran, who has spent the past few months reaching out to parents and fighting to keep the school open, called the decision “very unfair.”

Tran’s fifth-grade son has Tourette’s Syndrome. And according to Tran, Cornerstone’s model of inclusion and his teachers have been critical to his success and ability to overcome his disability.

“Everyone has been very proactive in helping me learn to cope with his disability and in teaching him coping skills,” Tran said. “My son has anxiety when he has to go to a new place, and it’s hard to answer his questions when I also don’t understand why they want to close it.”

Randrea Acda, a first-grade teacher at Cornerstone, said she’s spent the past few months trying to cope with the uncertainty and calm her students and their families. But in spite of her lack of job security, Acda said she’s not looking into any alternatives yet.

“Finding your forever teacher home is really hard, but that’s how I feel about Cornerstone,” Acda said. “I’m not going to look without waiting for a final decision.

“I still have hope.”

With the winter rains, renewing grasses spread a welcome green blanket over the hills and fields. The rains also stimulate lots of other growth, including mushrooms. So it’s an appropriate time to give a warning and an invitation.

“Both the Death Cap and Western Destroying Angel grow near oak trees,” said naturalist Trent Pearce, who works at Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley. “They can be lethal to both humans and pets if consumed.”

Dog owners should keep a close watch on their pets during the winter months and contact a veterinarian immediately if they believe the pet has eaten a toxic mushroom. The Death Cap is a medium to large mushroom that typically has a greenish-gray cap, white gills, a white ring around the stem and a large white sac at the base of the stem. The Western Destroying Angel is a medium to large mushroom that usually has a creamy white cap, white gills, a white ring around the stem that disappears with age and a thin white sac at the base. Other mushrooms in this area that contain deadly toxins include Galerina and Lepiota species. In short, if you collect mushrooms in areas where it is permitted, expertise is a must. For most of us, the best place for mushroom gathering is the local supermarket.

If you want to learn more about mushrooms and see some in the wild, join naturalist Kevin Dixon on a mushroom safari from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 12 at Briones Regional Park near Martinez. Meet Kevin at the Alhambra Staging Area. It’s off of Reliez Valley Road about a mile south of the intersection with Alhambra Valley Road. For information, call 888-327-2757, ext. 2750. And staff at the Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley plan a Fungal Fair from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 25-26 at the Environmental Education Center. The center is at the north end of Central Park Drive. There will be more on the fair in a future column.

Fremont: Another seasonal phenomenon in the regional parks is the annual overwintering of monarch butterflies at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, very few monarchs have appeared this year in Ardenwood’s eucalyptus groves. However, programs are still planned that describe the butterflies’ life cycle and emphasize how the insects can be protected.

There are programs at the Ardenwood greenhouse from 2 to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in January, and from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 12 and 19. A slide presentation on monarchs is scheduled at the Ardenwood granary from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 26. The historic farm is at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., just north of Highway 84. For information, call 510-544-2797.

Also in Fremont: Nearby at Coyote Hills Regional Park, there’s a rare opportunity to see changing wildlife activity at dusk during a hike from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Jan. 11. The hike is for those age 6 and older, and registration is required. To register, call 888-327-2757, select option 2, and refer to program 27787.

And there’s more. The park’s new Dumbarton Quarry Bayside Campground is scheduled to open this year. Naturalist Francis Mendoza will lead a preview hike to the site for those age 12 and older from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Jan. 12. It’s an easy 2½-mile out-and-back walk, during which Francis will talk about the history of the quarry and campground. Meet him at the visitor center. Coyote Hills is at the end of Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre Parkway. For information, call 510-544-3220.

Alameda: At Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda, naturalist Morgan Guenther will host two adult craft night social gatherings. Both are from 5:30 to 7 p.m. One is on Jan. 12, the other on Feb. 8. The project on Jan. 12 is macramé plant hangers from T-shirt yarn. On Feb. 8 it’s picture frames and wall hangings from magazine paper reeds. The park will provide the project, instruction and supplies. Registration is required, and there’s a fee of $10 ($12 for nondistrict residents). To register, call 888-327-2757. Select option 2 and refer to program 27675 for Jan. 12, 27684 for Feb. 8. Crab Cove is at 1252 McKay Ave. Call 510-544-3187.

Online: The new year brings lots of new programs to the regional parks. For full information, visit the East Bay Regional Park District’s website, ebparks.org.

Ned MacKay writes a regular column about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities. Email him at nedmackay@comcast.net.

Benjamin H. Picard, the superintendent of Sunnyvale School District, will retire at the end of June, setting off a public process to select a new head of the 6,600-student school district.

Picard, who was unanimously appointed superintendent in 2009, began working for the district in 1987 as an associate superintendent for personnel and business services.

“It has been incredible to see teachers and staff in action, connecting with and supporting students over the years. It has been inspiring to see students grow in mind and heart. And during my time here, I have seen many of our former students return years later as parents with students of their own,” Picard said in an announcement to district employees.

The school district announced Picard’s retirement, effective June 30, in a release last Friday. The Board of Education will meet at a special meeting on Jan. 9 at 5 p.m., at 819 West Iowa Avenue, to meet with a consultant and determine the criteria and timeline for the selection of a new superintendent.

According to a proposed timeline posted to the meeting agenda, the district tentatively plans to accept applications until the end of February and approve a final contract for the new superintendent by May. The next superintendent would start on July 1, according to the timeline.

Before coming to Sunnyvale, Picard, a Nebraska native, was a teacher and administrator in Nebraska from 1972 to 1987.

Picard plans to retire in Sunnyvale with his wife Susanna, and remain involved in the community, according to the district release.