Don’t Take Castro Valley Forum for Granted

My husband and I moved to Pacifica in 1968, raised our two children there, and were involved in many community activities because we first read about them in the the Pacifica Tribune, a subscription service paper delivered every Wednesday.  In it, I learned of pre-schools, library activities, community events like the 4th of July Parade, community service groups (I'm still active in one), and new stores opening in that community.  Sounds like our free Castro Valley Forum. 

 After we moved to Castro Valley to be closer to our grandchildren in 2004, I asked a few people for newspaper suggestions, and they referred to the Forum as “the throwaway” paper.  So I threw it away and subscribed to what is now called The East Bay Times, thinking that the “Local News” section would cover Castro Valley.  Wrong, unless you count murders and other such crimes. 

 At first, I did not need local news in CV since this was our retirement home, and my daughter and family were here, with internet connections, and many new friendships through which I learned about gardeners, new restaurants, etc.  But, when  my now 18 year old granddaughter started Kindergarten at Chabot Elementary, I learned that there was no primary grades music program here.  I had volunteer-taught music for many years in Pacifica, so from 2009 through 2019, I volunteer-taught K-1 music at Chabot, eventually teaching 150 students per week. Incredible teachers and so much fun! For years, now, I’ve read the Forum cover to cover, reading about ex-students, school district programs, “Community Calendar,” sports, new restaurants, library, etc .  It is an excellent coverage of CV.

 I recently mentioned to old Pacifica friends how the Wednesday Castro Valley Forum was just like the Pacifica Tribune, but FREE! Good local info, similar gripes in the Letters to the Editors, etc.  My friends bitterly replied that the Pacifica Tribune was sold to an out-of-town enterprise a few years ago. And now they have a subscription Wednesday-only Tribune with almost no local news. No information on Library events, clubs, school productions.

 Maybe there should be a word limit on Letters to the Editor, but Free Speech is vital.  Maybe repetition of same-ol’,  same-ol’,  should be curtailed by the individuals themselves who keep repeating themselves.  But, please, appreciate all those, like Terry and Thomas, who write wonderful articles.  We are so lucky!

–Liz Baker aka Grammie Liz, Castro Valley