David Jen
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As seen in:
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climate, housing, water, energy storage, power generation/transmission, recreation
Independent #journalist. Energy, water and local government. Bylines at @IndepNewspaper, @ASCETweets, @SemiEngineering. Tips/inquiries: public@davidjen.com.
Articles by David Jen
Seven Candidates Vie for Three LARPD Open Seats
LIVERMORE — Voters will select directors for three at-large seats on the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD) board this November election. Formed in 1947, the district services roughly 243.5 square miles of eastern Alameda County with recreation programs and a system of parks, trails and facilities. For example, LARPD, recently opened its new Sunken Gardens Pump Track in June, providing rollers and berms for riders to explore.
First City-Backed 100% Affordable Housing Slated in Pleasanton
PLEASANTON — The city may soon see its first 100% affordable-housing project developed with city support. City council members expressed excitement for the project on Oct. 20, welcoming the idea as the project takes its initial steps. Developer BRIDGE Housing has proposed to replace a vacant, three-story office building at 4780 Chabot Dr. with a new, six-story apartment complex in an area zoned for higher-density transit-oriented development.
Pleasanton Councilmembers Heartened by Infrastructure Study
PLEASANTON — The city’s new asset-management plan has painted a more optimistic picture of Pleasanton’s infrastructure than previously publicized, surprising some city council members last week. But the plan's lower costs stem from prioritizing repairs, and significant total costs remain. In 2023, a high-level infrastructure assessment revealed a $900 million funding gap over the next 10 years just to keep the city’s current infrastructure usable.
Doolan Canyon, Springtown Parcels Enter Conservation
TRI-VALLEY — Two new conservation easements have preserved 331 more acres of open space in Doolan Canyon and Springtown Preserve, the Tri-Valley Conservancy (TVC) announced Oct. 15. “TVC is proud to add these open space lands to our more than 6,500 areas of protected lands in the Tri-Valley region,” TVC Executive Director Rebecca Spector said.
LLNL Computer Simulations Explore Protection of Earth from Asteroids
LIVERMORE — The question of how to defend Earth against a colliding asteroid recently LLNL scientists conducted super-computer simulations of how a nuclear device might fragment an incoming asteroid so that no remaining piece poses a significant threat to the planet, a strategy known as disruption, according to an Oct. 13 LLNL announcement.
The Push for Streamlined Horse Permits In Alameda County Faces Legal Hurdles
TRI-VALLEY — Equine businesses, such as horse stables and academies, are proposing a more streamlined permit process in Alameda County. The county Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) has begun efforts to update the county ordinance that defines agricultural districts in favor of the equine industry. But the changes, as currently proposed, may put county policies at odds with the state’s.
Pleasanton City Staff Report Major Slash in Infrastructure Fund Gap
PLEASANTON — The city’s new asset-management plan has painted a more optimistic picture of Pleasanton’s infrastructure than previously publicized, surprising some city council members last week. In 2023, a high-level infrastructure assessment revealed a $900 million funding gap over the next 10 years just to keep the city’s current infrastructure usable.
Narum Taps Her Financial and Civic Background for Return Council Run
PLEASANTON — Zone 7 Water Agency Director and former Pleasanton Councilmember Kathy Narum looks to bring her public-office experience back to the Pleasanton City Council in this year’s election. She is running to represent District 1, which roughly covers the northwest portion of the city, with safe water, public safety and fiscal solvency as her top priorities. The seat is open as current District 1 Councilmember Jeff Nibert announced he will not seek reelection this year.
In Livermore, Lam Opens Its Largest Warehouse in US
LIVERMORE — Semiconductor maker Lam Research has expanded its Livermore presence, opening its largest U.S. warehouse with an opening ceremony on Sept. 28. The 470,000-square-foot space on Atlantis St. just south of the Livermore Municipal Airport— over 10 acres under one roof — will function strictly as a logistics hub and central distribution warehouse, not a manufacturing plant.
Kruttiventi Brings a Focus on Revenue To the Pleasanton City Council Race
PLEASANTON — Entrepreneur Vin Kruttiventi hopes to leverage his business background to solve the city’s financial troubles. He is running to represent City Council District 1, opposing former Pleasanton Councilmember Kathy Narum in this year’s general election. “I am running for District 1 because the city has a budget problem and has a revenue problem,” said Kruttiventi, a 12-year Pleasanton resident.
Voters Face Delay On Minimum Wage Increase Decision
TRI-VALLEY — The prospect of raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour in the unincorporated areas of Alameda County will be put to voters, although not during this November’s election. The measure, the result of a petition that gathered 49,730 valid signatures and was circulated by the Living Wage for All coalition, proposes raising the minimum wage to $30 an hour by July 1, 2030 for large employers, by July 1, 2035 for medium employers, and by July 1, 2037 for small employers.
Cute Robots Begin Survey of Pleasanton Sidewalks
PLEASANTON — A team of 11 robots arrived in the city last week to inspect the city’s 360 miles of sidewalk. Known as Daxbots, the short, semi-autonomous robots will survey the city’s sidewalks for the next several months, taking note of the cracks and slopes of walkways to form a picture of accessibility within Pleasanton. “This is Pleasanton’s first comprehensive and systematic self-assessment of the public right-of-way using advanced technology,” said Sharon Petrehn, city principal analyst.
Martinez Joins the Race For Open PUSD Area 5 Seat
PLEASANTON — Brett Martinez looks to take the Pleasanton Unified School District Board of Trustees seat for Area 5. His campaign focuses on “transparency, accountability and community involvement,” according to his website. While Martinez did not return requests for comment, his election filing lists his ballot designation as a business owner.
Fletcher Would Bring Her Engineering, Teaching Experience to PUSD Board
PLEASANTON — Attorney Thomas Choi wants to transform the image of the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) from one of declining enrollment and fiscal difficulties to one of growth and possibilities. “We need to show that we are building, that we are creating more programs, (and that) we are creating new collaborations and partnerships,” Choi said. “I think when people that are living in other areas start to see what's going on, hopefully they'll want to move.
LLNL Scientists Dark Matter Experiment Detects Underground Particle Anomaly
LIVERMORE — A physics experiment deep underground has detected an anomaly that may help fill a gap in our understanding of the universe. LUX-ZEPLIN, a collaboration of 39 institutions including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), recorded a particle interaction difficult to explain using only the physics of normal matter, according to a Sept. 1 announcement from LLNL.
Threat of Litigation Pushes Pleasanton Commission to Rezone
PLEASANTON — A threat of litigation may change what parts of the city promote new housing, highlighting how individual, outside groups can short circuit a state-managed housingallocation process. The planning commission unanimously recommended on Sept. 9 that the city council rezone three sites totaling 30.7 acres to allow for residential development.
General Contractor Phelps Challenges Incumbents for LVJUSD Board Seat
LIVERMORE — General contractor and small-business owner Sam Phelps is running for Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District’s (LVJUSD’s) Area 5 seat, challenging incumbent Trustees Deena Kaplanis and Christiaan VandenHeuvel, who are both running this year from safe, at-large seats that extend through 2028.
Incumbent LVJUSD Trustee Kaplanis Looks to Take Area 5 Seat This Fall
LIVERMORE — Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) Trustee Deena Kaplanis is running for the district’s Area 5 seat, advocating for fiscal responsibility, transparency, academic excellence and campus safety. A parent, practicing chiropractor and small business owner, Kaplanis has served on the LVJUSD board since December 2024.
Pleasanton Church Properties Rezoned for Housing
PLEASANTON — The city will rezone two church properties from public to high-density residential to comply with state housing requirements, adding the potential for up to 20 new residential units across the two sites. Roughly 0.7 acres of the 3.1-acre parcel at 1225 Hopyard Road and 0.7 acres of the 1.9-acre parcel at 4100 First Street will be rezoned. The Hopyard Road parcel currently hosts the Trinity Lutheran Church, while the First Street parcel is occupied by the Rock Bible Church.
VandenHeuvel Seeks Area 5 Seat in LVJUSD’s First Area-Based Election
LIVERMORE — Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) Trustee Christiaan VandenHeuvel is asking Livermore voters to elect him to the district’s Area 5 seat in what will be the district’s first area-based election this year. A pastor at Livermore’s Cornerstone Fellowship church and 12-year city resident, VandenHeuvel has served as president of the Parent Teacher Student Association at Livermore High School (LHS) and on the School Site Council at LHS and East Avenue Middle School.
Olivia Sanwong Seeks Second Term On East Bay Regional Park Board
TRI-VALLEY — East Bay Regional Park District’s (EBRPD’s) Ward 5 Director Olivia Sanwong is seeking reelection this year, asking voters for a second four-year term to continue a number of complex projects she helped set into motion. A first-term director, she will face off in November against challenger Bruce Henry to represent the ward, which spans from Alameda County’s eastern border to the San Francisco Bay, including the Tri-Valley.
Bruce Henry Challenges Incumbent Olivia Sanwong for EBRPD Seat
TRI-VALLEY — The East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors has drawn a challenger for its Ward 5 seat, which represents the Tri-Valley plus the southwestern portion of Alameda County that includes Newark and Fremont. Pleasanton resident Bruce Henry will face off in November against incumbent Director Olivia Sanwong, also from Pleasanton, who took the seat in an uncontested election in 2022. Henry said that another single-candidate race would have hurt the area’s public discourse.
Inertia Hits Key Fusion ‘Fast Fueling’ Milestone
LIVERMORE — Fusion startup Inertia Enterprises Inc. completed this month one of its major milestones needed to demonstrate commercial fusion power. In partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), the Livermore-based company brought down the production time of its fuel targets from days to minutes.
Reena Gupta Announces Candidacy For Pleasanton City Council District 3
PLEASANTON — Pleasanton entrepreneur Reena Gupta has announced her candidacy for City Council District 3, contending for a seat to be vacated by Councilmember Julie Testa, who will reach her term limit at the end of this year and is running for mayor. District 3 covers the southwest portion of the city. Former school board trustee Jamie Yee has already filed her application for the same seat.
Ex-PUSD Trustee Jamie Yee Enters The Race for Pleasanton City Council
PLEASANTON — Former Pleasanton Unified School District Trustee Jamie Yee shared thoughts on city governance and direction with The Independent last week. She is running for the city council’s District 3 seat this November, which covers the southwest portion of the city. Yee faces entrepreneur Reena Gupta for the seat that Councilmember Julie Testa will vacate at the end of this year when Testa terms out. Yee said, “I’m doing this for the right reason.
Civil engineers could reap benefits as partnership aims to build out physical AI
Spexi assigns drone pilots standardized hexagonal plots known as Spexigons, each roughly 25 acres in area, to capture high-resolution aerial imagery. A new partnership between Spexi Geospatial Inc. and Niantic Spatial may help robots move more seamlessly through the human environment, including robots working in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations industries. The collaboration will combine Spexi’s trove of drone imagery with Niantic’s 3D modeling pipeline.
Pleasanton Mayoral Race Takes Shape As Julie Testa Launches Campaign Bid
PLEASANTON — Councilmember Julie Testa officially announced on Aug. 10 her campaign for mayor, pitting herself against first-term incumbent Mayor Jack Balch in this year’s election. “For nearly four decades, I have raised my family here, volunteered in our community, and worked alongside residents to protect the qualities that make Pleasanton a special place,” Testa said in a statement.
Pleasanton to Issue $16.5M in Water Bonds
PLEASANTON — Lower-than-expected interest rates may help the city save $5.5 million as it works to improve its water system. Pleasanton’s water-system management plan, completed in 2024, identified a need for about $35 million in financing to help pay for the city’s capital water projects. On Aug. 11, the city council unanimously declared its intent to issue up to $16.5 million in bonds this year to help pay for those projects.
Strict New Federal Earnings Rule Puts Aid at Risk for Colleges Nationwide
LIVERMORE — A new federal rule requires that colleges, including Las Positas College (LPC), a 2-year community college, show the earnings benefits of their programs or else lose federal loan and grant eligibility. Under the Earnings Accountability rule, a provision of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, undergraduate programs, including the associates programs at LPC, must demonstrate that their graduates earn more than the typical high school graduate.
Supervisors Block Minimum Wage Measure from Ballot
TRI-VALLEY — Alameda County voters will have to wait until March 2028 to decide on the minimum wage for the unincorporated areas of the county. Earlier this year, the Living Wage For All coalition circulated a petition to place on this November’s ballot a measure to raise the county’s minimum wage from $16.90 per hour to $30 per hour.
Pleasanton Approves Arroyo Lago Annexation Deal
PLEASANTON — City councilmembers acknowledged the upper hand of housing developer 330 Land Company last week during the city’s decision to annex the 237-home Arroyo Lago Residential Project. In a 3-2 vote on July 27, with Councilmembers Jeff Nibert and Julie Testa opposed, the council accepted a $3 million contribution from 330 Land toward the improvement of El Charro Road, short of the $8 million fair share calculated by city staff and recommended by the Pleasanton Planning Commission.
Alameda County Voter Polling Discourages Measure D Changes
TRI-VALLEY — Alameda County voters rejected changes to the county’s Measure D open-space protections in exploratory polling conducted during the last week of June. Publicopinion consultants TeamCivX and EMC Research asked in over 800 phone interviews for voter opinion on a ballot measure that would transfer Measure D decision-making authority from voters to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. The voter-approved initiative established rural- and open-space restrictions in 2000.
Testa Signals Intent to Run for Mayor
PLEASANTON — Councilmember Julie Testa shared this week a possible run for mayor in the coming election. She pulled nomination papers on July 29, according to the city. “An unchallenged mayoral race denies voters the public debate that shapes accountability,” Testa told The Independent. With the nomination period closing on Aug. 7, she would stand as the only challenger to incumbent Mayor Jack Balch, if she chooses to move forward with a run.
Trail Push Faces Resistance Over Committee’s Role
TRI-VALLEY — A push for regional trails in eastern Alameda County continued at this month’s Altamont Landfill Open Space Committee (ALOSC) meeting, although some questioned the committee’s role in recreation advocacy. Larry Gosselin, at the request of Supervisor and Committee Chair David Haubert, shared on July 17 a draft plan to fill in a lack of recreational trails in eastern Alameda County.
Pacific Fusion Has Achieved Reliability Milestone at LLNL
LIVERMORE — Another government-industry partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has made its latest achievement public in the quest for commercial fusion energy. This month, Pacific Fusion celebrated significant progress toward bringing their goal of making energy on a large scale.
Stoneridge Nordstrom Property Changes Hands
PLEASANTON — Danville-based investors 300 Venture Group (3VG) bought the Nordstrom property at the Stoneridge Shopping Center for $10.7 million last month. The property’s 8.4-acre parcel includes the 175,000-square-foot building that previously housed a Nordstrom department store. Nordstrom closed the location in 2020, citing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Velo3D Opens 288,000-Square-Foot Manufacturing Facility in Livermore
LIVERMORE — Fremont-based Velo3D, Inc. opened a new advanced manufacturing facility in Livermore with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 15. The company produces metal parts using additive manufacturing, a process where objects are “printed” by depositing successive layers of material. The technology allows for complex, material-efficient designs that are difficult to replicate using traditional manufacturing.
LLNL Co-Research Reveals Bee Pesticide Defenses
LIVERMORE — New research on honey bee behavior sheds light on how the social insects cope with pesticide exposure. The findings may help secure the global food supply. If bees collect nectar and pollen from pesticide-laced flowers, the chemicals can destroy their hive.
Zeno Power to Revitalize Historic Vallecitos Nuclear Center Facility
SUNOL — Nuclear-battery maker Zeno Power announced last month plans to establish a battery manufacturing facility at the historic Vallecitos Nuclear Center. Vallecitos operated as the country’s first privately owned and operated nuclear power plant from 1957 to 1963. After its main boiling water reactor was shut down in 1963, the site’s test reactors, laboratories and hot-cell facilities transitioned to research work.
Pleasanton Police Scrutinized Over Data Sharing Breach
PLEASANTON — The Pleasanton Police Department (PPD) shared license-plate data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection as recently as last month, a violation of both state law and PPD’s own policies. “Not only is it disappointing that the agency tasked with enforcing the law is itself failing to follow the law, its actions may have endangered the residents, visitors, neighbors and families of Pleasanton,” Mike Katz-Lacabe, director of research for Oakland Privacy said.
Pleasanton City Council Places Hotel Tax Measure on the November Ballot
PLEASANTON — Pleasanton voters will decide this November whether to raise the city’s hotel tax from 8% to 12%. The increase, which requires a simple majority to pass, would help bring the city an additional $2.8 million in annual revenue, according to city estimates, at a time when the city faces a structural deficit between $7 million and $8 million per year. The city operates on a two-year budget cycle. On July 1, it started the second fiscal year of its current cycle.
The Fusion Energy Startup Inertia to Unveil New Livermore Facility
LIVERMORE — Fusion startup Inertia Enterprises Inc. will hold a ribbon cutting July 10 to publicly share its new Livermore location. Last November, the startup leased a 48,000-square-foot building in northeast Livermore, near where Greenville Road meets Interstate 580. The building previously hosted warehouse and office space for Southwire Company LLC, manufacturer of electrical products, according to past Yellow Pages listings.
Student-Founded Coding School Continues Its Education Mission
DUBLIN — A coding school led by Emerald High School students entered its second summer this year, providing technology education to K-12 students in the Tri-Valley. Founded by Emerald High seniors Vaidehi Akbari, Sanjana Gowda and Shely Jain, the Silicon Valley Scholars (SVS) organization aims to make coding fun and accessible to everyone.
Company Races to Build a Commercial Power Plant
LIVERMORE — Fusion startup Inertia Enterprises Inc. will hold a ribbon cutting July 10 to publicly share its new Livermore location. Last November, the startup leased a 48,000-square-foot building at 7800 Las Positas Road in northeast Livermore, near where Greenville Road meets Interstate 580. The building previously hosted warehouse and office space for Southwire Company LLC, manufacturer of electrical products, according to past Yellow Pages listings.
Seasonal Water Tastes Different, but Zone 7 Says It’s Proof of their Rigorous Monitoring
TRI-VALLEY — Zone 7 Water Agency told residents that their drinking water remains safe despite a recent “earthy scent.” “Zone 7 Water Agency wants to reassure Tri-Valley residents that this seasonal aesthetic change poses absolutely no health risk, and the water remains entirely safe to drink and use,” the agency said in a June 30 statement. The odor arises from algae that bloom in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta during warm weather.
How engineers use AI to improve bridge management and infrastructure planning
Parsons trained an artificial intelligence model to find the structural nodes of the Bridge of the Gods based on point clouds and drone photos. As bridge asset managers rehabilitate aging infrastructure, they are turning to artificial intelligence models to predict defects. The technology has also helped analyze preexisting data to model bridges, improving the efficiency of planning and assessment.
BART Approves $1.2B Budget Plan While Staring Down $275M Deficit
TRI-VALLEY — Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) set on June 11 its spending plan for the coming fiscal year, one that may determine the future existence of the agency. In an 8-1 vote, the BART Board of Directors adopted a budget that will spend almost $1.2 billion in the fiscal year beginning July 1.
LLNL Explosives Site Turns 70
LIVERMORE — Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) celebrated the 70th anniversary of its Site 300 location in May with an employee appreciation day and a family-focused open house. Located in Tracy, 15 miles east of the main LLNL campus, Site 300 hosts facilities to develop and test explosives weighing up to 132 pounds.
Pleasanton Runner Takes First Place In New East Bay Area Ultramarathon
PLEASANTON — Two-thirds of the way through her trail race, Caitlin Boldt decided to go for gold. She still had 33 miles to go. “I got a burst of energy, and I was like, ‘I'm gonna go for my trophy,’” Boldt said, recounting her thoughts after an aid-station volunteer told her how close she was to the first- and second-place runners. She had just come out of a section of difficult terrain between mile 40 and mile 60 of the 100-mile race.
County Takes Steps To Bypass Public On Tri-Valley Open Space
TRI-VALLEY — Open space proponents have criticized a move by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to fund a possible ballot measure with public funds. The measure intends to shift the authority to make general plan changes, including open space preservation, from public voters to the board. In November 2000, 57% of Alameda County voters approved Measure D, also known as the Save Agriculture and Open Space Lands Initiative.
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