Teenager Trained in Emeryville Sets Sights on The Olympics
Roger Brigham
The Emeryville Connection Staff
October 2009
Step into Emeryville’s Head over Heels Gymnastics and a kinetic appearance of chaos will jump and tumble all around you. Sprite figures twirl through the air, giggles gurgle on the mats, and a seemingly endless rush of energy pulses everywhere you glance.
But there’s much method in the madness, and purpose in every racing step, sky-high vault and nailed landing. For some, it’s about releasing energy. For others, it’s about using that energy to fuel a dream.
In the case of Sadiqua Bynum, a junior at Berkeley High School, that dream includes a spot on the national team in the 2012 Summer Olympics — something her coaches see as eminently reachable.
“She’s very focused,” said Katreece Roberts, head coach and executive director at Head Over Heels. “She’s very driven and currently trains about 25 hours a week.”
Bynum started gymnastics in Alameda at the age of 2 and came to Head Over Heels about two years later.
“She’s been in our program for about 12 years,” Roberts said. “She’s very self motivated. Athletes do get down sometimes, but we encourage her to set goals, envision and come in every day. She has very good attendance and is very easy to coach.”
Bynum said gymnastics is the only sport she has ever done.
“It’s a challenge, and I like challenges,” she said during a session recently at the training center. “The conditioning keeps me from being bored.”
A change in rules will allow competitors to compete in the 2012 Olympics in individual events rather than having to qualify in all-around. That could create prime opportunities for Bynum, whose two strongest events are the vault and the floor.
“She’s very strong on those two events — probably one of the best in the country,” Roberts said. “She’s a good prospect for the team.”
To earn her shot, Bynum travels with about 45 other athletes at various levels from Head Over Heels to meets all around the country all year long. The camaraderie of the team helps keep the athletes connected and focused.
“They’re fun,” Bynum said of her teammates. “We’re very close. They’re my sisters. We tell each other everything.”
At Head Over Heels, Bynum works with head coach Oleg Kosyak, former Cal gymnastics star who was on the bronze medal winning Ukrainian team in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. He concurs that she has the ability and dedication to earn a shot at the Olympic team.
“They give me great support,” Bynum said of the coaches at Head Over Heels. “I feel comfortable telling them when I’m having trouble. They push me to be my very best, to give it my best effort.”
Students Gain Real World Experience from Novartis
Special to the Emeryville Connection
October 2009
Noteworthy quotes: “Communication is the key to success.” Or, “Stay on task and always be aware of the deadline.” And, “Put your best foot forward at all times and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
This was not advice from a management training class but reflections from some of the 20 high school students who spent 6 weeks participating in the Novartis Summer High School Intern Program.
Designed to provide those entering junior or senior year in high school with real-life experience in the corporate world in a business or laboratory setting, the program paired interns from high schools in Emeryville, Berkeley, and Oakland with Novartis associates who served as supervisors and mentors. Now in its 11th year, the program has provided more than 225 students a unique summer work experience.
Emery Secondary students participating in the program included: Brittany G. Collins-Rogers, Beatriz Cuevas, Dovie L.M. Siaway, Hanna Ali, and Freddy Grande.
“Whether it was working on podcasts or customer service surveys, helping with filing or contracts, lab experiments or general office organization, we hope your experience was rich and full of learnings – learnings that you can take with you regardless of what you choose to do next,” said Meghan B. Leader, Head of Global Business Operations and Emeryville Site Head, as she addressed the students at a graduation ceremony at Hollis Green Park on August 7.
She also acknowledged the hard work that has gone into making the program what it is today.
The Honorable Dick Kassis, Mayor of Emeryville addressed the group in a speech that Tim Goodman, parent of intern Cole Goodman described as “heartfelt, gracious, and inspirational.”
“I hope you will look at this (internship) as the beginning of something big in your life,” said Kassis. “Take the opportunity and accept the responsibilities that come with it.”
Citing the various ways Novartis has contributed to the community, including the company’s access to medicines program reaching 74 million patients worldwide and ongoing community service efforts, as well as the Summer Intern Program, Kassis said, “It’s great to see a company go out of its way to make a difference in the community. Novartis, through donating malaria drugs and other drugs, has done so to the tune of $1.2 billon – and that’s with a “B” — and that’s impressive,” he said.
On the local level, he also recognized Novartis’ Hollis Green Park, which is open to the public during daylight hours as another example. In addition, he acknowledged Novartis’ volunteers that have contributed to Emeryville and the community and pointed out Melodi Dice as role model and example for this year’s graduating interns.
A Novartis Summer High School Intern Steering Committee member and summer intern supervisor, Melodi was herself an intern at the Emeryville campus who has gone on to serve tirelessly in the community. She has been President of the Emeryville Unified School District’s Board of Education and continues to volunteer her time in Emeryville.
“I learned to have patience, stay organized, and what the corporate world is really like,” said Emery Secondary student Beatriz Cuevas, commenting on her time at Novartis. “I enjoyed the experience very much.”
New Residential Units for Sale in Emeryville
Janet Anderson
City of Emeryville Homebuyer Program Coordinator
October 2009
Four developments have new market-rate and Below-Market-Rate (BMR) units for sale in Emeryville: Adeline Place, Oak Walk, Glashaus, and Vue46. The City offers homebuyer assistance for both the market-rate and BMR units.
Adeline Place at 3801 San Pablo Avenue is offering 36 one- to two-bedroom units for sale. Of these, 13 units are being sold at BMR prices to low and median income households. One and two bedroom BMR units are still available for $228,900 to $269,300 for low to-median income households. Contact the sales office at 510-450-0800 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-450-0800 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or www.adeline-emeryville.com to view the units.
The Oakwalk development at 41st and San Pablo is offering 53 one to three bedroom condominiums and townhomes for sale plus the first single family detached BMR homes ever available in Emeryville. Two-bedroom single-family detached BMR homes for moderate income households and 4 BMR condominiums for low income households are still available. Below Market Rate prices range from $270,800 to $336,100. Contact the sales office at 510-652-5222 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-652-5222 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit the website at www.oakwalk.com, for more information.
The Glashaus development at 65th Street and Hollis has studios, one bedroom and two bedroom units available, both market rate and BMR units. The studio BMR units are selling for $199,900, the one bedroom BMR units are selling for $258,400, and two bedroom BMR units are selling for $315,400 to $355,200. Contact the sales office at 510-601-1629 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-601-1629 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or www.pulte.com/ncalaffordables for more information on the BMR units or to view the units.
Vue46 at 46th Street and Adeline has market rate units and one one-bedroom BMR unit available. The remaining BMR unit is selling for $246,000. Contact the sales office at 510-654-0460 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-654-0460 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or www.vue46.com.
The City offers homebuyer assistance for both market-rate and BMR units for very low to moderate income buyers. The largest City homebuyer loans available are $110,000 for low income buyers and $220,000 for very low income buyers purchasing BMR units. See the City’s website for more information at wwww.emeryville.org or contact Janet Anderson at 510-596-4316 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-596-4316 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or janderson@emeryville.org.
Kurt Brinkman, Frank Flores for City Council
This year’s City Council election presents Emeryville voters with a somewhat unusual and interesting scenario. Both Council incumbents who were up for re-election in 2009, Dick Kassis and John Fricke, declined to run for another term. Kassis is a long-time veteran of the City Council and currently serves as Mayor, while Fricke is stepping down after a single term on the Council.
Typically, vacant spots on a City Council or other governmental body generate a large number of candidates, who want to take advantage of the relatively easier task of running for an open seat versus taking on an established incumbent. However, that did not materialize in this instance.
Only three candidates – Kurt Brinkman, Frank Flores, and Jennifer West – filed to run for the two open City Council spots.
In our view, Brinkman and Flores are the best qualified candidates for the City Council seats, and have earned our endorsement.
All three candidates possess their own unique mix of experience, education, civic involvement and passion for the job. However, upon an impartial examination of hands-on, meaningful involvement in Emeryville civic and community activities, it is abundantly clear that Kurt Brinkman and Frank Flores have by far the strongest track records and deserve your vote.
Kurt Brinkman already serves on Emeryville’s only other elected governmental body, the Emery Unified School District Board of Trustees, where he is currently the Vice President. In this capacity Kurt has not only put in literally thousands of hours studying and deliberating on issues impacting the Emery School District, but has cast, collectively, hundreds of votes involving the expenditure of tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds. Equally important, during Kurt’s service as a School District trustee he has demonstrated both the leadership skills and the capacity to work together and compromise, when necessary, to accomplish important goals on behalf of Emery students, faculty and staff. Kurt has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues for his low-key approach to problem-solving and willingness to work amicably and collaboratively with his colleagues and staff.
We are further impressed by Kurt’s remarkably broad and balanced track record of civic involvement in Emeryville: resident, father and grandfather, School Board member, Emeryville business owner, long-time board member of the Emeryville Exhibition of the Arts, and Board member and an officer in the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce. It is this kind of long and broad-based track record in hands-on, grass roots community and civic activities that in our opinion creates the foundation for a strong City Council member, and why Kurt Brinkman deserves your vote.
Frank Flores has a taken a somewhat different path to this Council race. Frank possess strong academic credentials, including earning a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from U.C. Berkeley in 2002 – academic training of considerable value when making key decisions on major Emeryville development issues, which Frank has done for the last three years as a member of the Emeryville Planning Commission. In recognition of his sound policy work, Frank was reappointed by a majority of the City Council in June of this year to another three-year term on the Commission. Frank has also served as a member of the Emeryville Housing Advisory Committee, and it was during his tenure on that Committee that Emeryville constructed more affordable housing than any city for its size in the Bay Area.
Just as Kurt Brinkman’s work on the Emery School Board requires study, compromise and the ability to work with others, so has Frank’s tenure on the Housing Advisory Committee and Emeryville Planning Commission – where he is one of seven members – taught him the valuable lessons of collaboration and compromise. Frank continues to work to develop affordable urban housing as the Director of Development for Madison Park Financial. In our opinion, this solid record of academic, business and governmental experience makes Frank Flores a very strong City Council candidate and deserving of your vote.
Jennifer West, the third candidate, is a relative newcomer to Emeryville civic affairs and to our knowledge has never run for public office before in Emeryville, nor served on any Emeryville committee or commission. She has not been active in Emery School District activities, although she does have two school-age children. Jennifer has taken a deep interest in the topic of urban co-op housing, and indeed lives in a cooperative housing development in Emeryville. She has garnered some media attention recently for leading a bus tour of Cooperative Housing complexes in the East Bay. While cooperative housing by itself is an important sub-issue, this, by itself, in our opinion, does not come close to matching the level of meaningful civic involvement exhibited by Brinkman and Flores. We would recommend that West spend more time, as have Brinkman and Flores, devoting herself to focusing on Emeryville civic and governmental issues before deciding to run for the City Council.
Emeryville is at a critical juncture in its history, and the extra pressures of the State taking city money, coupled with a still-weak economy require extraordinary leadership. Commitment and desire to serve are nice, but by themselves not nearly enough to qualify someone to meet the weighty challenges of serving on the Emeryville City Council. In our view, Kurt Brinkman and Frank Flores have clearly demonstrated that they are ready to assume this next mantle of leadership, and have earned our endorsement and deserve your vote for the Emeryville City Council.
THE EMERYVILLE SEEN: News and Gossip
Kathy Helt
The Emeryville Connection Staff
October 2009
Boo!
Are you scared? Forget ghosts, witches and haunted houses because here are The Top Five Fears/Phobias people are afraid of: 1. Spiders/snakes; 2. People/social interactions; 3. Inescapable situations; 4. Flying; and 5. Leaving your home.
If you suffer from #5, please consider living at the Watergate. As an eight year resident, I describe it as a self sustaining 1970’s nautical themed terrarium. It’s like a ship in a glass bowl where you easily survive without going anywhere. All you need is high speed Internet to work and Randy, at the Watergate Market, will make you something to eat. Wave to a few neighbors once in a while and you can live there for years, before getting hauled out with a smile on your face.
A lot of people are afraid of #4. It’s probably not flying per se, but being stuck on the tarmac for five hours when the airplane is 50 yards from the nearest gate. And once it gets off the ground, who doesn’t get nervous when trapped in the lavatory during extreme turbulence? That’s truly fear #3.
Mark Lemley, a great guy and the king of Copy Central, told me that his biggest fear is being in an earthquake, again. Years ago he was up on the 72nd floor at the One California building and it swayed back and forth…and that was two years before the 1989 Loma Prieta quake! But luckily he got out of there faster than Charlton Heston did in the movie, Earthquake. My biggest #3 fear was having to drive over the Bay Bridge on a regular basis. In a three year span, I must have driven back and forth over it a 1,000 times when I worked in the Richmond district in SF. Loved my job, but not getting there and back. Yet I had to laugh when I asked Ernest Browne at the Bank of Alameda what he thought of his Bay Bridge commute. He said, “I had no problem driving across the Bay Bridge, because I’m afraid to swim!”
Pardon the pun, but the stress took a toll. I drove a stick shift at the time and started getting a shooting pain down my leg when I stepped on the clutch in traffic. It would not go away, so Shana Stiles suggested I try acupuncture despite the fact I’m afraid of needles. Nevertheless, I went to the Redwood Clinic three times and Dr. Jay Sordean fixed it. It was not what I thought it would be like and it didn’t hurt at all. It was relaxing and a relief. It was nice to see him again at the Healthy City Expo. There, I met a lot of other health and wellness professionals who impressed me. One person, who stood out in the crowd, was Dr. Taryn Kreipe of Intuitive Chiropractic & Wellness Center. That’s her own practice, but she is also an excellent masseuse for On-the-Spot massage. It’s great, because you just lean over in a comfortable chair and they work out all the kinks in your back, neck and shoulders for a few minutes or longer. You can also go to the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville and come out feeling refreshed, unstressed and be fearless!
Happy Halloween!
Emery Ed Fund Launches Matching Campaign for $60k
Special to the Emeryville Connection
October 2009
The Emery Ed Fund is proud to announce that its partner, Rich Robbins and Wareham Development has pledged $60,000 to the Ed Fund for unrestricted support for the operations and administration of the Emery Ed Fund, which when matched, will fund a total of $120,000 in support of the critical programs of the Fund.
Founded in 1996, the Emery Ed Fund serves as a catalyst, providing significant financial support, intellectual connections, and critical human resources through its volunteer and mentorship programs, enhancing Emeryville’s work in critical ways. In the last three years the Emery Ed Fund and partnerships between the Emery Unified School District and the city have resulted in several millions of dollars of programmatic support combined with the leverage of several hundred professional and parent volunteers. The Stuart Wayne and Gladys Valley, and San Francisco Foundations, The Walter and Elise Haas Fund, among others, and state and federal grants (Twenty First Century, Gear Up) have provided concrete programs and progress toward impacting the reforms necessary, as well as those necessary to contribute to establishing the Center for Community Life.
In spite of the noteworthy success, the Fund remains lean, particularly since the highest priority is to raise program funds and pass them onto the teachers and leadership of Emery schools. Therefore, unrestricted funds are in short order. “I would encourage our great business community to help join this effort. There is always doubt and concern when giving funding to administrative/unrestricted needs. I too had serious concerns. Wareham has researched this need with the Emery Ed board. We feel these times and this need is unique and it is justified; while the need is compelling to keep the good work and tremendous progress that the district has experienced on track. We have requested that there be an accounting and analysis on the use of the funds at the completion of the school year. That is why we feel so strongly on this issue and that we have raised the ante and our contribution to this most worthy cause,” said Rich Robbins, CEO of Wareham Development. Donors could match Wareham Development’s funding amount or give any amount that will help close the campaign gap.
Once the operations campaign challenge is fully funded, fund staff will secure the near one million dollar budget for critical initiatives that support the daily academic and social needs of Emeryville youth and their families. Staff will secure funds for summer program grants for youth, funds for summer internships, discretionary funds for site administrators, mini-grants to teachers, renewable scholarships for graduating seniors, new program grants for pilot projects in the schools, and funds in support of the arts, music, and technology needs of the Emeryville community. Finally, staff will work together with school district, city and other partners to secure additional major programmatic support needed to continue building the momentum required during the design phase for the Emeryville Center of Community Life anticipated in late 2011.
Please consider making a generous contribution to the Campaign. If you wish to make a donation, participate in Emery Ed Fund programs, need more information, or simply have a good idea for helping Emery Ed Fund help Emeryville’s schools, contact Eugenia Bowman, Executive Director at 510.601.4997 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510.601.4997 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Dwin, Simon, Webb for Emery School Board
Three incumbents – Miguel Dwin, Josh Simon, and Cheryl Webb – are running for re-election to the Emery Unified School District Board of Trustees. In our view, we see no compelling reason for change and strongly endorse all three of the incumbents for re-election.
While challenges remain, the current state of the Emery Schools is a world apart from the soap opera days of a decade ago, which included questionable practices by the then-Superintendent, fiscal mismanagement, declining enrollment, crumbling physical facilities, overall low morale among the District faculty and staff and, ultimately, bankruptcy and a takeover of the District by the State.
Huge strides have been made over the last five years: the passage and reauthorization of Measure A has brought millions of invaluable dollars to the District; new Superintendent John Sugiyama has ushered in an era of strong leadership and professionalism to District administration; facilities have been renovated and upgraded, including the complete makeover of Anna Yates Elementary School; enrollment has stabilized, and test scores, graduation rates and morale are all on the rise.
Perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that the recent release of API test scores show that Emery is the most improved district in Alameda County.
These are the kind of improvements we want to see continue. Emery is no longer the “poor stepchild” of Alameda County public school districts.
While there is never a single source to cite for this sort of dramatic turnaround, certainly the EUSD Board of Trustees deserves a large share of the credit. This being the case, we have not seen any compelling evidence presented by any credible source that change on the EUSD Board is necessary, and in fact a much stronger argument can be made that in these days of economic and political turbulence, keeping the strong, steady and experienced hands of the three incumbent EUSD Board members, Dwin, Simon, and Webb, is needed now more than ever.
Both Josh Simon and Cheryl Webb have children who have either graduated from the Emery Schools, or are currently enrolled there, and have demonstrated extraordinary focus, leadership and devotion to mastering the complexities of public education in California. While not a parent, Dwin, as a Budget Analyst for the Berkeley Unified School District, has demonstrated particular skill in deciphering the intricacies of public school finance, all valuable skills that should be retained on the Board.
Two challengers have filed for the EUSD Board race, but neither has come close to showing the level of dedication, experience nor willingness to work cooperatively with their colleagues, staff, parents, businesses and the public that Dwin, Simon and Webb have.
Strong, experienced leadership is needed now more than ever in our school district, and accordingly we endorse Miguel Dwin, Josh Simon and Cheryl Webb for re-election to the Emery Unified School District Board of Trustees.
City Council Race Enters Final Month
Special to the Emeryville Connection
October 2009
With less than a month remaining until the November 3rd Emeryville municipal election, the three candidates for two open City Council seats – Frank Flores, Kurt Brinkman and Jennifer West – continue to press their case with the voters of Emeryville. While the campaign has been civil, a key issue that has been raised is experience and a commitment to public service.
“One of the most important criteria I look for in a candidate is his or her commitment to the city of Emeryville,” stated Nora Davis, a member of the Emeryville City Council since 1987. “I define ‘commitment’ as involvement in the community. When I look closely at the track records of the three City Council candidates, it’s clear to me that Frank and Kurt have the years of community volunteerism, activism, and policy making experience that are essential for a strong City Council member.”
Flores has served one full term on the Emeryville Planning Commission and in June of this year was reappointed to a new three-year term by a majority of the City Council. A member of the Emeryville Housing Advisory Committee, Flores touts his hands-on experience in Emeryville dealing with some difficult community issues. A former non-profit housing developer, Flores earned a Masters in Urban Planning from Berkeley and an undergraduate degree in forest conservation. Flores appears to appeal to the younger, newer generation of Emeryville residents, and has some fun, interesting hobbies, including playing in championship ultimate Frisbee tournaments.
Flores’ campaign appears to be well-organized and off to a strong start. He has assembled a large group of local volunteers and campaign assistants and has his own campaign website, www.frankemeryflores.com, which lists his events, endorsements and ideas. His ballot statement states in part that “Smart Growth and sustainable development have put us in an enviable position.” Flores has been endorsed by Councilmembers Nora Davis and Ken Bukowski, Mayor Dick Kassis, and the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.
While coming from a different perspective, Kurt Brinkman has been an advocate for much of the same, reasonable, sustainable growth that Flores endorses. Like Flores, he wants to continue the balanced approach to growth that the current City Council has charted.
According to Brinkman’s ballot statement, “For the past twenty years, I have been an active and involved resident and businessman living in Emeryville.” Not only has Brinkman lived in Emeryville longer than any of the other candidates, but has compiled a long record of civic, business, educational and community leadership and involvement. Kurt is a member of the Emery Unified School District Board of Trustees, an Emeryville Chamber of Commerce Board Member and a long-time supporter and Board member of the Emeryville Celebration of the Arts.
As the owner of Intrepid Electronic Systems, a small electronics business on Adeline Street in Emeryville, Brinkman provides healthcare for all of his employees and knows very well the intricacies of budgeting and revenue forecasting in both good and bad times. A father and grandfather, and Vice President of the Emery Unified School District Board of Trustees, Brinkman exudes an almost Zen-like quality when he speaks with commitment and passion about the need to continue to improve our schools and make Emeryville a more family-friendly place to live and work. Brinkman was among the original supporters of Measure A, the school parcel tax which generates about $2 million a year in extra funding for the Emery schools. Approximately 70% of these funds are paid for by businesses like Brinkman’s.
Brinkman has been endorsed by Councilmembers Nora Davis, Ruth Atkin, Ken Bukowski and Mayor Dick Kassis, and by the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.
Jennifer West is a newcomer to elective politics in Emeryville. She has been campaigning as hard as Flores and Brinkman. While she doesn’t possess the portfolio of community experience that Brinkman and Flores do, West passionately articulates her vision for Emeryville. Unlike the stay-the-course approach of Brinkman and Flores, West wants to break with current City Council’s long-range vision and slow down and reduce growth in Emeryville. West has been endorsed by retiring City Councilmember John Fricke. She has also been endorsed by the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE), an Oakland-based organization that has consistently lobbied against continued growth in Emeryville.
On the campaign trail, West has stressed her cooperative-housing background as an important contributor to her beliefs on growth and development. Her ballot statement says that she “…will support community-oriented development that will provide tangible benefits for the people who live and work in Emeryville.” Indeed, West’s residency in the Emeryville Co-op Housing on Doyle Street and advocacy of this type of urban housing has brought her a measure of fame. She was recently singled out for her experiences in cooperative housing in a New York Times article.
The Emeryville Municipal Election is set for Tuesday, November 3rd. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Residents can contact the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office at : 510-267-8683 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-267-8683 end_of_the_skype_highlighting for registration and polling place information, or check on-line at :www.acgov.org/rov/.
CORRECTION: EBASE is a non-profit organization that has not endorsed Jennifer West’s campaign. We apologize for this error.
Chamber’s Healthy City Initiative Kicks Off with Memorable Expo, Luncheon
Special to the Emeryville Connection
October 2009
Announcing it as the “launch of a new era,” the Emeryville Chamber Commerce held its First Annual Healthy City Initiative Expo and Leadership Luncheon on Wednesday, September 9th at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel.
Twenty four Healthy City Initiative Partner businesses and associations were represented at the event with exhibition booths, offering information, products and free samples representing a number of the areas of the Healthy City Initiative Program, including health care, technology, the arts, emergency preparedness and education.
“This was a terrific event and a great start to the Healthy City Initiative Program,” said Frances Gaston of Gaston Human Resources Consulting. Gaston is a long-time Emeryville resident and Board member of the Emeryville Exhibition of the Arts. “We wanted to make sure we get the word out about this year’s Art Exhibition to a lot of folks, and frankly we love the entire message of the Chamber’s Healthy City Initiative Program.
“It’s a message we can all endorse,” Gaston said.
The day concluded with a luncheon focusing on the topic of Physical Health and Wellness, which began with a presentation by Leah Cox, the Executive Director of the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness. Leah then introduced Charlotte Dickson of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy who presented the Center’s report entitled “The Economic Costs of Overweight, Obesity and Physical Inactivity Among California Adults.” All Luncheon attendees also received a complete copy of the report.
Luncheon attendees were then treated to a delightful keynote presentation by long-time Bay Area fitness celebrity Joanie Greggains, who discussed her own personal path to becoming a nationally-recognized fitness expert. Joanie then led everyone in a stretching exercise and emphasized that fitness is for everyone, at every age.
The Chamber’s Healthy City Initiative Program was first announced by the Chamber in February, 2007, and promotes and endorses seven components designed to foster a healthier and stronger community: Educational Health, Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Growth, Personal Wellness and Physical Health, Economic and Fiscal Health, Civic Health and Emergency Preparedness, Artistic and Cultural Health, Digital and Technological Leadership.
The Initiative is an ambitious plan designed to foster a healthy, vibrant, strong and safe community by promoting seven core values which the entire community can share and endorse. Each of the seven core values will involve linkages and connections to business, government, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and individuals, with the Chamber of Commerce serving as the central distribution point for information, ideas, HCI events and activities.
The Healthy City Initiative has received a grant from PG&E, which is our first Healthy City Initiative Corporate Sponsor. The Emery Ed Fund is the Initiative’s official Fiscal Sponsor, and Malaga Smith of the Malaga Corp. is the HCI official web designer.
The Chamber welcomes the participation of all businesses, governments, schools and associations and individuals with a sincere commitment to building a stronger community to join it in this landmark effort.
$8,000 Federal Homebuyer Credit Expires in November
Janet Anderson
City of Emeryville Homebuyer Program Coordinator
October 2009
The federal tax credit for first time homebuyers who purchase a principal residence is set to expire November 30, 2009. The credit is for 10% of the home purchase price, up to $8,000. The credit provides more assistance than a tax deduction. A tax deduction would only reduce the amount of income upon which the taxpayer is taxed; whereas a credit is a dollar-for-dollar credit on the homebuyer’s federal income taxes and would result in a refund if the credit exceeds the federal tax liability for 2008. The tax credit may be applied to the down payment for the purchase.
First time homebuyers who have not owned a principal residence in the past three years are eligible. The credit is available to both U.S. citizens and non-resident aliens. The credit amount would be reduced for single persons with incomes over $75,000 and couples with incomes over $150,000. The credit does not have to be repaid if the homebuyer does not sell the home during the first three years.
The credit is available for all types of housing units, new and existing. For existing units, the home must be purchased and occupied by November 30th and for new units, the home must only be purchased by November 30th.
The National Association of Home Builders provides more detailed information at http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/faq.php#. Consult a professional tax advisor to confirm this information.
