Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 29

May 6, 2007 OBITUARIES, LOCAL REGION THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE METRO 5 Antiterror dogs have sharp nose for bombs U.S.-Israeli program brings bomb dogs to Bay Area By Josh Richman STAFF WRITER Eight Israeli-trained, bombsniffing antiterrorism dogs have been deployed in the Bay Area under a pilot program backed by state Homeland Security officials and a Southern California nonprofit. The Alameda County, San Mateo County and Santa Clara County sheriffs' departments, as well as the San Francisco Police Department, each sent an officer to Israel for two months for special training provided by Pups for Peace; they returned in early April with two dogs each. "Going there, I didn't have a correct idea of what I'd come back with," Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Luna, 26, said Friday. "There's no restaurant, hotel, supermarket, shopping mall you go into that you don't get searched. It would take a generation and a half to teach Americans to live like that." But Israelis have lived under such strict security conditions for many years as the IsraeliPalestinian struggle has worn on.

"They do their best to live a normal life in an abnormal environment," Luna said. Yet the training given to Luna and his new partner, Rex a playful, German Malinois mix had its roots not only in Israel, but in West Hollywood, too. That's the headquarters of Pups for Peace, the brainchild of Glenn Yago, capital studies di- JAY SOLMONSON Staff ALAMEDA COUNTY Sheriff's Deputy Jason Luna looks on as his new partner, Rex, sniffs out a short length of explosive cord hidden in the wheel of a police car at a demonstration Friday. Rex is one of 16 Israeli-trained, bomb-sniffing dogs deployed in California. rector at the Milken Institute economic think tank in Santa Monica.

After America was rocked by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and Israel by a Passover suicide bombing in Netanya that killed 30 people in March 2002, Yago realized that the need for bomb-sniffing dogs was greater than ever. He and a group of likeminded Los Angeles-area volunteers founded the organization and raised money to train dogs in Southern California, then send them overseas i in late 2002 for use by the Israeli Defense Forces. In 2003, the group began training dogs in Israel and deploying them through civilian authorities at bus and train facilities where ridership had decreased after a rash of transit bombings. The idea is to train "a first preventer as opposed to a responder once the terrorist has already hit," board chairwoman Annette Rubin of Los Angeles said Friday.

"It has instilled a great sense of confidence among the civilian population, and they're back using the public transportation." But the worries that had kept people away hardly unique to Israel anymore, Rubin noted: "There isn't a person I know around here who gets on a plane or a train and doesn't wonder, 'Is this safe?" "Everybody felt California would be the very cutting edge in terms of leading the nation," she said. "Our governor is very proactive in trying to combat and prevent terrorism." So late last year, Pups for Peace inked a deal with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security to send eight California Preservation events coming up in East Bay AY IS National Preservation is Month. "Making and the preservation theme this work," year says National Trust for Historic Preservation spokesperson Anthony Veerkamp. The idea behind preservation month is celebrating America's diverse and irreplaceable heritage by participating in local events throughout the country. Founded in 1949, the trust is a pri-.

vate, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America's communities, says Veerkamp. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and maintains six regional offices and 28 historic sites, including the Western Regional Office, which is in San Francisco. The trust partners with preservation groups in all 50 states, and boasts a membership of 270,000 individuals, says Veerkamp. The group's Web site, www.nationaltrust.org, features a Preservation Month kit for residents and to raise awareness about preservation issues and successes. There is also an events calendar with a sampling of activities happening around the country, Veerkamp adds.

A check of East Bay organizations reveal several things to do and see during the next few weeks. Alameda County Historical Society Board member Al Minar of Fremont kicked things off Tuesday, appearing as his favorite alter ego, Abraham Lincoln, before the county Board of Supervisors. Minard incorporated phrases from the sample proclamation from the Trust's Web site, urging the elected leaders to celebrate the importance of history and the contributions of those helping to preserve tangible aspects of local heritage. Minard, who is president of the Conference of California Historical Societies, was also recently appointed by supervisors to the Alameda County Parks, Recreation and Historical Commission; which meets monthly and shares information about preservation-related issues. Here is a sampling of other local events going on this month: The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association is hosting its annual house tour starting at 1 p.m.

today. It features the homes and gardens in Berkeley's Thousand Oaks neighborhood, as highlighted in a new book, "Berkeley Rocks," published by 10. Speed Press. According to BAHA's Web site, www.berkeleyheritage.org, the Thousand Oaks district was first subdivided in 1908, and the streets and lots were contoured to incorporate the distinctive rock croppings and clusters of oak groves found there. THE HISTORIC Althenheim Senior Homes and Gardens are part of an exhibit at the East Bay AIA office in Oakland.

SHERIFF exhibit at the Berkeley History Center, housed in the historic Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. University of California, Berkeley, architecture professor emeritus Kenneth Cardwell put the show together. It features 19th- century houses from Berkeley's yesteryears. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/histsoc.

The phone number is 848-0181. The city of Piedmont continues to celebrate its centennial, with a walking tour, "Cottages and Castles," on May 12, led by City Clerk, and noted local historian Ann Swift. Reservations are re- centennial events, visit www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/centennial. With a host of activities and events planned, the city of Alameda is having a historic preservation "season," organizers say. An example is the May 19 walking tour "Secret Spaces and Private Places," Jed by Richard Rutter.

To learn more, go to www.alamedamuseum.org. On May 10 this year's Partners in Preservation awardees will be announced by the Oakland Heritage Alliance. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont and features 10 outstanding examples of residential, commercial, and civic restoration and rehabilitation projects in Oakland. For more information, go to www.oaklandheritage.org, or call 763-9218.

A Preservation exhibition at the AIA East Bay Chapter Offices, 1405 Clay Street, opens on May 9, with a public open house starting at 5:30 p.m., program coordinator Kellie Hewlett said. The exhibits will be on view until June 15, and the public is invited to stop in during business hours. Call 464-3600 or go to www.aiaeb.org for more on the exhibition. You can visit the AIA office on an upcoming Oakland Tours Program walking tour. The free downtown tours are resuming this month, with a tour every Wednesday and Saturday, through October.

Call the tour hot line, 238-3234 for dates and descriptions or go to www.oaklandnet.com/walkingtours. Next time: the historic Altenheim Home for Seniors in Oakland's Dimond celebrate the importance of history and "Vanishing Victorians," is a current quired, call 595-4015. For more District has reopened. Army base development ent reported 'months behind' lining up for a piece of the Army time, it depends on the details nacio De La Fuente (Glenview- were supposed to be jobs that BASE, from Metro 1 base with or without the she gets before the 15th. Fruitvale) also thinks a film Oakland residents would take for any other potential uses at like more out there to set studio there other development options at nothing has materialized and Wayans.

The auto dealers would Still, she thinks the idea of a studio would be a good fit with advantage of. Unfortunately, the base. a true freeway auto mall. The is a good one and should be the base. we're sitting here, watching the The boundaries space haven't uses produce market businesses pursued with or without the idea market change.

Nobody is benebeen set, the are up not defined, so none of the have sought land on the base for Wayans' involvement. will "It's a an good because to at- fiting from this." it streets and sewers and other in- be exciting industry frastructure questions can be many years. As far as other uses, she young people and build caanswered until they know Councilmember Jane needs more details, like whether reers," he said. "I think it's a A report on land use strategy for what's happening with the Brunner (North Oakland), ex- its feasible or not in terms of perfect location for that, but it Oakland's portion of the Army base movie studio. pressed frustration that the city growth and jobs.

has to be real. will be presented at 4 p.m. Tuesday "The key is, we're months be- could be back almost at square "I'm open to a film studio, have al- at the Community and Economic DeI'm open to some really good re- velopment Committee meeting, 1 "Unfortunately, we hind and we have laid out what one. ready wasted a lot of time," De need to start doing," she "How many years are we tail I'm open to some green La Fuente said. "The City Frank H.

Ogawa Plaza. and we said. "We're still (haggling) going to have to debate this?" businesses," she said. Council made decision 000 she said. "In the past we wanted Steve Lowe, president of the years a about the property boundaries, ago that the Army base was Contact Staff Writer Cecily Burt at what part they are going to de- an eco park, but that didn't West Oakland said at the Commerce Asso- Li- going to be light industrial, there velop and what can be used for happen.

Then we wanted retail, ciation, City-Port a other blob for uses. them, We've but we really designated but Then what we all retail got did excited we want? about aison Thursday Committee that any meeting extension of Affordable Funerals and Cremations need to know (specifics)." this film studio and thought it the Fulton agreement should be by Mission Funeral Group, Inc. West Oakland residents and could put us at a new level, but conditional and require the deFamily owned operated businesses are also pushing the 18 months later, nothing. velopers to meet with the com- A MISSION city to define the area that will "We do have to make a deci- munity, something he said they FUNERAL be set aside for truck parking sion," she said. had never done.

GROUP, INC. and services so those polluting Brunner said she's disap- He also urged the city to Direct Cremation $895 uses can be moved out of pointed that Group analyze Mission Funeral Home the the Fulton whether a film studio could did not meet the requirements was the best use for the land, Graveside Service $1795 22297 Mission 510.881.9192 Hayward, CA 94541 neighborhood. Before they receive the base land, both the of the agreement by providing given the competing interests Traditional Service $2495 900 E. Hamilton Mission Ste. Memorial 100, Campbell, Campbell CA 95008 city and the port agreed to set details of the project and its fi- and the need to provide space Be Int'l $2295 800.731.1779 aside 15 acres for trucking serv- nancing and budget.

She's not for trucking and related support Comparable savings on all other 30 Kirk Mission San Memorial Jose, CA Foothills 95127 sure whether she would support service for the Port of Oakland. Savings up to on caskets and urns 408.347.0985 Council President Se habia A ices. folks an extension to give them more City Ig- 1 There are many other law-enforcement officers two each from the Sacramento and Los Angeles sheriffs' departments and the rest from the Bay Area to Israel for a condensed, two-month version of the group's six-month training course. The $411,000 cost was paid out of California's share of federal homeland security grants. Alameda County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad Commander Rocky Medeiros was among the law enforcement managers who joined the officers for their final week of training.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said Friday, noting the officers learned not only dog handling skills including how to say "sit," "search," "drop" and "lay down" in Hebrew but also coaching in Israeli martial arts, firearms and other antiterrorism skills. "It's a total package; they come back well-prepared to deal with any type of terrorist situation." Laura Young, Pups for Peace's donor and public relations director, said other states are interested in doing as California has done. And Medeiros said his department seeks the state's support to make the Alameda County Sheriff's Dublin training facility which is already constructing a new K9 facility a regional training ground for the Pups for Peace program, so officers throughout the state and beyond won't have to travel halfway around the world for this training in the future. The other dog with which Luna trained has been assigned to another deputy. Luna and Rex, after they've finished a few more weeks of K9 law enforcement training here in the Bay Area, will be assigned to patrol out of the Eden Township substation in San Leandro, on call whenever a suspicious person, package or circumstance arises.

Rex seems raring to go; it took him only seconds to ferret out a short length of explosive cord hidden in the wheel of a police car as a demonstration Friday. Luna's eager to hit the streets, too. "I'm proud to be a part of it, but I know it's going to be an evolving game," he said, noting most Americans still don't and probably won't grasp the risk that terrorism poses until it happens again here. "Then you're going to see a lot more dogs like For now, Rex is his constant companion at home and work: "I've never even had a dog as a I think he's my firstborn son." To learn more about Pups for Peace, visit www.pupsforpeace.org. Contact Josh Richman at or 208- 6428.

Funeral Notices In Memoriam To place a paid notice call Classified Advertising at (510) 293-2627 Funeral Notices are searchable online for 90 days at legacy.com/insidebayarea VIEIRA ALAN D. VIEIRA Annalee ALLEN Entered peacefully into. rest" in Castro Valley on May 2, 2007. He was 86 years old. Born on May 24, 1920, in Oakland, Alan had attended Castlemont High School, Class of 1938, and then continued his education at Heald Business College, Berkeley.

He had worked for Bank of America for over 31 years and then later in life also worked for Welsh Income Tax in Hayward. He used his accounting skills to help the Diocese of Oakland for many years. He had worked for many parishes, which included St. Bernards, St. Mary's, St.

Joachim's, St. Alphonsus Liguori, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Our Lady of Grace and Transfiguration Catholic Church. He was very active with St. Vincent de Paul since 1950. Alan loved to work, which started at age 12 until his passing.

He had a selfless personality and a joyful spirit. He loved his family, and enjoyed taking family vacations. He was proud of his children and grandchildren, and all they had accomplished in life. His hard work ethics, generosity and outgoing spirit will truly be missed by many. Alan is survived by his devoted children and their spouses, Mark A.

Vieira of Los Angeles; Guy C. and Shannon Vieira of Bothell, Washington; Janine and Steven Faelz of Castro Valley, and John D. Vieira of Castro Valley. He will truly be missed by his grandchildren, Matthew Vieira of Castro Valley, Drew and Ivy Faelz of Rocklin, Sarah Miller of Visalia, Lucy Jacobson of Los Angeles, Rachel Johnson and Carmel Vieira and also 4 great grandchildren, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 52 years, Eleanore L.

Vieira, in 1999. A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday at 10 am at Transfiguration Catholic Church, 4000 East Castro Valley Castro Valley. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Oakland.

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