ARPD Annual Teen Haunted House Cancelled

Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD)’s Annual Teen Haunted house (Haunted Happenings to Help Get You in the Halloween Mood, Oct. 21, 2021), scheduled for Oct. 28 to Oct. 30, has been cancelled due to ongoing COVID restrictions. Please visit ARPD’s website at alamedaca.gov/recreation for information about upcoming programs and activities.

Boys & Girls Club Kids Nite Out Postponed

The Alameda Boys & Girls Club has postponed this year’s annual “Kids Nite Out” event until next spring. As it is traditionally an indoor event featuring games, discussions and food, the decision was made to ensure the safety of participating community members, staff and especially their youth members, a majority of whom are not yet eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. A new date for the event will be announced in January 2022. Visit their website at alamedabgc.org to learn more.

Free Alameda County Fair Tickets

Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan is offering free 2-for1 admission tickets to the Alameda County Fair, which runs through Sunday, Oct. 31 at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. Available to all City of Alameda residents, the 2-for1 tickets are limited to two per household. Please contact Heather Cartwright at 510-272-6693 or Heather.Cartwright@acgov.org for tickets and information. The Fair is open weekdays from 3 to 10 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Learn more about the Alameda County Fair at annual.alamedacountyfair.com.

ABC Enforcing Alcoholic Beverage Laws During Halloween Weekend

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agents will be working in communities throughout California to make this year’s Halloween weekend as safe as possible by utilizing ABC education and enforcement programs.
ABC agents will check on compliance with alcoholic beverage laws to reduce alcohol service to obviously intoxicated patrons and underage youth. Licensees need to make sure their employees are
checking identifications carefully to prevent youth access to alcohol.
ABC also advises anyone of legal drinking age to help reduce DUI’s by designating a non-drinking driver before traveling to a location where alcohol is sold.
“Too many Californians are killed or injured in alcohol-related crashes and incidents, and hopefully, education, prevention, and enforcement efforts will prevent those tragedies from occurring,” said ABC Director Eric Hirata. “ABC encourages everyone to discuss how to make Halloween celebrations as safe as possible.”
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), harmful and underage drinking remain significant problems in this country and on U.S. campuses despite collective efforts to address them. More information on prevention strategies can be found on NIAAA’s website at www.niaaa.nih.gov or College Drinking at www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov.
ABC protects communities through education and by administering prevention and enforcement programs designed to increase compliance with California’s alcoholic beverage laws. ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

41st Alameda Fine Arts Fair Slated

The 41st annual art and craft fair is set for Nov. 6 and 7 at the Al De Witt Officers’ Club at Alameda Point. The fair will feature fine art and hand-made crafts including jewelry, soaps/lotions, gourmet food gifts, ceramics, wood crafts, antiques/vintage/collectibles, sewn couture/accessories, pottery, ornaments/holiday decorations and more.
Admission is free and so is parking. Proceeds benefit the Leisure Club, a recreation program for developmentally disabled teens and adults, sponsored by ARPD and youth scholarships for all programs. For more information, call 747-7529 or email arpd@alamedaca.gov.
For local artists and craft makers who would like to take place in this year’s event, contact Rob Schmidt at rds.inbox@gmail.com or call 510-603-0622.

New Dog Park Planned

The City Council allocated $75,000 to build one or two new dog parks, one on the East End and one on Bay Farm Island. The city wants resident input. Three potential new locations have been identified. Existing dog park facilities in Alameda includes one large dog park with separate small and large dog areas, located at Lower Washington Park off Eighth Street, and a dog park on Main Street near the ferry terminal. The Main Street Dog Park is temporary and will be closed once Phase 2 of Estuary Park is completed, which will include a new and better equipped dog park. The community survey will take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Share your thoughts about these sites, what a dog park should include, and any other ideas you have by taking the survey at this link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/Dogpark2021.

Rock Wall Costume Contest

Rock Wall Winery at 2301 Monarch St. on Alameda Point will be having a costume contest with prizes for best group costume, best villain, best DIY and best couple on Halloween, Sunday, Oct. 31 from Noon to 6 p.m. DJ Zhaldee will be spinning an awesome mix from 1 to 5 p.m. Scolari’s Good Eats at the Point will be serving food, and attendees may enjoy Rock Wall’s wines including a special flight of wine paired with Halloween candy and snacks. Tables will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Visit rockwallwines.com for additional information.

Free Sandbags Starting Nov. 1

To help Alameda residents prepare for storm season, the Public Works Department is providing up to five free sandbags to each Alameda household. Sandbags can be retrieved anytime starting Nov. 1, from a self-serve sandbag station in the courtyard behind City Hall West, 950 W. Mall Square, at Alameda Point.
If you need assistance loading sandbags, staff will be available Mondays and Fridays, from noon to 1 p.m., throughout November, and on Saturday, Nov. 20, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Lexington Street/W. Tower Avenue sandbag station.
Note that if it is storming, staff may not be available for assistance, as they are out tending to storm related service requests from the public, Alameda Police Department, and others. Remember to wear a mask at the sandbag stations. If you have any questions about sandbags, call 510-747-7900 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Get $3,000 to Strengthen Your Foundation

Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) is a state program that helps homeowners reduce the potential for damage during an earthquake. Registration for seismic retrofit grants of up to $3,000 opened on Oct. 27. Earthquake Brace + Bolt is open to owner-occupied single family residences and small multifamily buildings (1-4 units) in Alameda and other eligible ZIP codes. Visit www.earthquakebracebolt.com for information.

Ranked Choice Voting Information

The Social Justice Committee of Temple Israel of Alameda and the League of Women Voters of Alameda will be presenting a Zoom program to teach about Ranked Choice voting. In addition to a presentation, there will be a question and answer session, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 7 from 3 – 4p.m. Join the meeting at us02web.zoom.us/j/87886435753?pwd=ellxMFg2Rkx0bmZVd1hEalhpcVc2UT09.
For more information, visit www.templeisraelalameda.org or www.lwvalameda.org.

Rent, Utility Assistance Available

If you are behind on rent or utilities because of COVID-19 or are a landlord who has experienced a loss of income because of unpaid rent, you may be eligible for financial assistance to help pay past due rent or future rent, and to get caught up on utility bills. In addition, eligible Alameda tenants can be protected from eviction if they apply for rental assistance at www.ac-housingsecure.org.

Apply to the California Venues Grant Program

The California Office of the Small Business Advocate is making grants of up to $250,000 available via the California Venues Grant Program. The program is designed to assist venues in California who have been impacted by COVID-19. Performing arts venues, including nonprofits, are encouraged to apply during the application window of Oct. 29 to Nov. 19.
Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria can still receive a grant even if they already received a California Relief Grant, a federal Shuttered Venues Operators Grant, or other federal support such as PPP or EIDL. Unlike the CA Relief Grant, there is no maximum revenue cap to qualify.
CalNonprofits will be hosting a free webinar on Wednesday Nov.10 from 2 to 3 p.m. to answer questions about eligibility, information required to apply, and how to complete the online application, with an emphasis on how nonprofits qualify for the program. When you sign up for the upcoming webinar at us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DeJ2bNi6RFUzcvsrnztLw, you’ll receive the recording even if you can’t attend. For more information, visit calnonprofits.org.