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Iron Horse Trail bridge opening
The long-anticipated overcrossing connecting the Iron Horse Trail over Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon is set to make its official debut this weekend after years of planning and construction.
The grand opening of the pedestrian and bicycle bridge comes after ground was first broken on the project in May 2023, four years after its decade-long planning and community outreach phase concluded. It was funded primarily by outside sources such as grants from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and funding from the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s Measure J.
City officials, developers, and members of the public are set to gather for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony starting at 9 a.m. Saturday (July 19). The free event is open to the public.
Next book bench design
The Town of Danville is seeking the public’s input on the design for a new – currently blank – “book bench” that is part of a public art display.
Voting is open through Aug. 6, during which residents are invited to voice their preference for a theme for the new bench from a selection of eight different classic books of all kinds, ranging from epics such as “The Hobbit,” “The Odyssey” to lighter fare such as “The Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar” and “Where the Wild Things Are.”
Voting is available here.
SRPD Citizens Academy
Applications are now open for spots in the San Ramon Police Department’s free Citizens Academy program for its fall term.
The 14-session course aims to provide a “behind the scenes” look into the department’s functions, with curriculum covering patrol, investigations, DUI enforcement, and other topics.
The program is open to San Ramon residents and workers 18 and over who complete a background check. More information and applications are available here.
ICE protest
Several community groups have organized a protest in Dublin this weekend against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, its recent activities in California and the purported proposal to convert the now-shuttered federal prison in Dublin into an ICE detention facility.
The streetside demonstration is set to start at 11 a.m. Saturday (July 19) at Don Biddle Community Park between Dublin Boulevard and Columbus Street. For more info, go to actionnetwork.org.
Open Governance Initiative
Former San Ramon mayoral candidate Chirag Kathrani has launched a new project aimed at promoting accessibility to public meeting documents for local city governments via the use of artificial intelligence.
“Using AI, we review and summarize public meetings, generate searchable transcripts, and include direct source links so anyone—journalists, researchers, or curious citizens—can verify or explore further,” Kathrani said in a press release Monday. “It’s a tool to save time, surface community voices, and improve access to civic decision-making.”
“We’re proud to support not just transparency, but equity in participation,” he continued. “Whether you’re a working parent, a student, or a senior with limited mobility, your ability to stay informed and engaged shouldn’t depend on whether you can attend a council meeting in person.”
The platform currently has meeting summaries for city councils in San Ramon, Dublin, Fremont and Newark, as well as the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. More information is available here.
Police chiefs on mental health
NAMI Tri-Valley is hosting three Tri-Valley police chiefs for a panel discussion on mental health and law enforcement next week at the Pleasanton Public Library.
Pleasanton Police Chief Tracy Avelar, Livermore Police Chief Jeramy Young and Dublin Police Chief Victor Fox are scheduled to appear for the nonprofit’s community event, which will also be livestreamed via Zoom.
“They’ll speak about their cities’ respective local psychiatric crisis response units and share resources from their departments,” organizers said. “The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and voice their comments or concerns.”
The session is set to run from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday (July 22) at the library on Old Bernal Avenue. Learn more at namitrivalley.org.
