Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Beware soggy tickets, transit agency cautions.
BART will open its turnstiles early and run extra long trains the day of the Bay to Breakers. Service for the 101st Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco Sunday, May 20 will begin at roughly 5 a.m. at all BART stations; trains running before 8 a.m. will run at 20-minute intervals. And bikes are verboten until after 8 a.m. Download the special schedule for Bay to Breakers service. The world-famous race attracts thousands of runners and spectators from throughout the Bay Area. BART encourages riders coming from the East Bay to disembark at the Embarcadero Station, a short distance from Howard and Spear streets, where the race begins. Runners can save themselves time and trouble by getting a Clipper card in advance of race day to pay their …
Thursday, March 29, 2012
West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League presents check to recreation department.
In a milestone toward renovating soccer facilities in Pinole Valley Park, the West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League, which also serves Hercules, presented the city with a $35,000 check on Thursday. The donation will assist in $375,000 top-to-bottom improvements to playing areas at the park. League President Steve Wedman handed over a symbolic payment, in the form of an over-sized check, to Pinole Recreation Director Amy Wooldridge and Mayor Pete Murray at City Hall. The improvements, including new sod, drainage, irrigation, fencing and team benches, have been designed and put out to bid, Wooldridge told a gathering of about 30 people in the Alex Clark Room at the Public Safety Building. Construction is expected to begin in June and to be …
Monday, September 26, 2011
UC Berkeley grad Jun Stinson explains the story behind her documentary on the triumph and tragedy of a Bay Area team.
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Monday, September 26, 2011
By Jun Stinson, Filmmaker, The 90th Minute The Women’s Professional Soccer League finished its season a month ago in Rochester, New York. Just over a year ago, our Bay Area team won the league’s national title here in Hayward. Who knew that the Bay Area had its own women’s professional soccer team? I didn’t, until last summer when I learned about the team through a couple of Bay Area soccer coaches. Not only was FC Gold Pride a pro women’s team that was only a short drive away, but they had some of the world’s best athletes. They had a handful of players on the U.S. Women’s National Team who represented the U.S. at the Women’s World Cup this past summer in Germany. They had Canada’s top leading goal scorer, Christine Sinclair, and five-…
Monday, September 12, 2011
A different kind of library event is also on the calendar this week.
If you've been reading resident Dean Brightman’s Blast from the Past blog on this fair city’s history, you’d know Hercules was once a company town centered around the Hercules Powder Company. Here’s another little piece of history: This week in 1940, that same company had a huge and, sadly, fatal explosion at a plant in New Jersey. Hercules owes a lot to the company it was incorporated for. Still, it might be a good thing (for safety’s sake) that we don’t have an active plant in town. Onto 5 Things... 1) The Hercules City Council will meet on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting will include a presentation relating to the future of the Hercules Redevelopment Agency. 2) On Friday at 7 p.m., Hercules High School’s Titan football team …
Monday, August 15, 2011
Also, all you could ever want to know about Hercules government meeting times this week.
Do you need a little pick-me-up? How about trying something new and filling a bunch of balloons with helium and seeing what that does for you? Failed experiment or not, crazy ideas like these were made possible by French astronomer Jules Janssen, who “discovered” the chemical element that makes balloons so much fun this week in 1868. Onto a funny, high-pitched version of 5 Things… In case you haven’t heard, there’s a little social media website called Facebook that has been gaining some steam. It went from a virtual place to connect with buddies to, practically, a requirement for many job seekers and friend keepers. If you’re still in the dark about what was once named “The Facebook,” it may be time to swing by the library on Monday at 7 p…
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Keep the chatter in your head positive to motivate yourself to the next level in fitness.
Is Your Glass Half Empty or Is It Half Full? Right here in our own neighborhoods there varied opportunities to get fit and stay fit. Last week the list of local triathlon, run and bike events was an example of the many goals we might choose to set for ourselves. What is holding you back? It's all in how you look at it. Consider the following questions regarding your current level of fitness: After taking a few weeks or maybe a few months off from working out, do you tell yourself you’re out of shape, or that you’re rested and ready to set a new training goal? If you’ve gained a pound, or a few, do you think you’re overweight and give up, or do you look forward to getting back into the routine of exercise and training? Are you beating …
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Bike, swim, run — whatever your event, pace matters.
What is pace and why does it matter? Whether you are a runner, walker, swimmer or cyclist, your pace affects your economy — how much energy you expend training. If you minimize the energy it takes to run, bike or swim, you reduce the cost of training — wear and tear on your body — which results in reduced fatigue and injury. In running, slower turnover increases the time you spend in the air, resulting in lifting your body mass to a greater height, which requires more energy. To compensate for slow pace, many make the mistake of increasing stride length. This only adds to the problem, because stride length requires greater energy and a higher fitness level. In addition, a longer stride rate combined with a greater body lift from a slower …
Friday, July 1, 2011
Want to hike longer, feel more stable, take the load off your knees? Try hiking poles.
If you have ever hiked with children you will notice they run down the hills as adults carefully watch every step. Call it youth or better shock absorbers. Hiking poles are a great tool to improve confidence, increase speed and prevent injuries. So pick up a pair for your next trek. There are many benefits to using aids for hiking: How to Effectively Use Hiking Poles: Below are a few hikes in your neighborhood where hiking poles can add some value to your experience: Concord – Mount Diablo State Park. There are miles of trails going up to this of 3,864-foot peak. Some of the trails can be narrow and the dirt loose. Get out and explore the variety of trails this local gem has to offer. Benicia – Kinder Care/Bay Trail. The trail was …
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Check out these three hikes in Solano and Contra Costa counties.
Hiking is a great way to get out and enjoy the local beauty of your own backyard. Scenic views, challenging climbs, seasonal flowers and wild life are just a few reasons why hiking is great way to get some good old fashion exercise. Just an hour of hiking can burn 355 calories. Some great local hikes in Solano and Contra Costa include: Benicia to Vallejo Bay Ridge Trail: Best known in Benicia as the "Kinder Care trail," this route is mostly through open grasslands. In summer, conditions may be cool or hot, so check the weather forecast before heading out. From the ridge tops you can see beautiful views of the bay to the west, Carquinez Strait to the south and a quarry to the north. The two major trailheads are at Blue Rock Springs Park …
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Campus police officers would be retained under the proposed budget for the West Contra Costa school district. Possible extension of the current parcel tax is also on the agenda.
The West Contra Costa Unified School District, which, district officials say, has taken extensive measures to be fiscally responsible but nonetheless faces “enormous financial challenges” for the fourth year in a row, is set to adopt a 2011-12 budget Tuesday night to meet a July 1 deadline. Immediately after taking action on the budget, the school board is scheduled to vote on whether to explore renewal of the current school-related parcel tax, which expires in the 2014-15 school year. The proposed budget retains funding for police officers on school campuses through contracts with local agencies, despite earlier discussions of making cuts to the service. The budget includes $160,000 to pay for an officer in Hercules schools, with a second…
Shelley
9:39 pm on Monday, September 26, 2011
Jun, Congratulations on making your film! How and when can we see it? more ›