About 10 years ago, my next-door neighbor and I were commiserating that we didn’t have enough sunny space in our yards to grow as many tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant as we could eat.

We oppose Measure B, the school bond measure, because its proponents are not being honest with the voters. The Alameda Unified School District claims, “By law, all funds must be spent in Alameda.” This is a deceptive statement.

State of the City

The transportation sector makes up 70% of Alameda’s greenhouse gas emissions. We need to change how we get around if we are going to significantly reduce Alameda’s greenhouse gas emissions. Bicycling, walking, taking public transit or driving an electric vehicle are the way to go.

Earlier this year, in response to severe budget concerns, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) approved the closure of seven public school sites, displacing more than 1,500 students, or the equivalent of nearly 19 school buses worth of kids.

Have you heard of Senate Bill (SB) 1383? Otherwise known as California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Act, SB 1383 became effective January 2022 statewide and in the City of Alameda. ALL residents and businesses in the City of Alameda must have organic waste collection services.

The City of Alameda is planning for more housing because we are facing a crisis. There are Alamedans sleeping outside, in parks, and in tents. There are Alameda Unified School District students who live with their family in cars. There are older adults living on Alameda’s streets.

Editor’s Note: Rabbi Steven Chester of Temple Israel of Alameda traveled to Poland with 24 other Reform Rabbis and Cantors recently to offer aid to Ukrainian refugees (“Alameda Rabbi Offers Much Needed Aid to Ukrainians,” April 12). Here is a summary of day 2 and 3 of his trip.

Most of us have seen small brown birds that flit from the ground to a bush or tree just as you start to look at them; they are common in parks and at bird feeders throughout Alameda — but the description fits more than one species of birds.

If you ask most Californians to name the state’s biggest problems, climate change and homelessness are bound to make the list. Food insecurity probably wouldn’t, but while addressing this issue, the state’s food banks are helping solve higher profile problems in our state.