Jeff Gould walks and talks with 2024 city council candidate Thushan Amarasiriwardena on the streets of Alameda about his affection for our city and where his career in AI, other tech is taking him. We touch on Thushan's ideas around the potential abundance thinking holds, his run for council, housing development at the former Svendsons Marine site on Clement street and related transportation issues.

Alameda's Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) and the proposed construction of the Pacific Fusion nuclear research reactor project at Alameda Point also prompts an interesting exchange of views on energy issues.

In January Julia Owens took over as head of the 40-year-old organization that has stepped in where school funding for many activities has been cut. She comes from a background in non-profits focused on children's needs, and is excited about continuing AEF's vital work in Alameda.

She describes its many roles from providing the school district's middle school sports program to offering enrichment classes to grants for teachers' special projects to support for the mental health needs of students.

It's been six-plus years since Alameda approved the transformation of aging federal buildings on McKay Avenue into a facility to care for and house homeless seniors discharged from hospital stays. Spearheaded by the Alameda Point Collaborative, this humanitarian project was delayed by a stubborn clutch of naysayers, the Covid pandemic and federal intransigence.

Now, it's set to open next March and former APC director Doug Biggs reflects on the entire drama and how compassionate Alamedans and our regional officials have prevailed.

Alameda Backyard Growers board president Jillian Saxty wants to spread the ethic of growing your own food as far as possible.

Over 15 years ABG has developed a volunteer gleaning program that provides fresh produce to the Alameda Food Bank as well as offered free instruction to countless Alamedans with backyard and container gardens. Saxty describes ABG's current goals of developing community gardens and offering its expertise to other Bay Area towns.

Five years ago this weekend, the killing of George Floyd, just two days after the controversial arrest of Mali Watkins here in Alameda, prompted the city council to establish the Racial Equity Police Reform Task Force. Jennifer Rakowski, who served on it with 50 other Alamedans, talks about one of its successes -- the Care Team -- and some of its unrealized goals.

She also tells us why she is an advocate for listening to families of victims of aggressive policing.

Chris is the founder of the All Good Living Foundation begun in honor of his father's legacy and owner of All Good Living home goods and apparel store in downtown Alameda. Neil Tam, who died in 2015, (pictured above) was a beloved Alameda school teacher, principal and school board member.

Chris describes his father's influence on the charitable work of AGL Foundation and how its programs have been adopted beyond Alameda's borders including by the families of the Golden State Warriors.

With a white collar recession in the digital tech field and layoffs in the government sector, many people are looking for a new job.

Life coach and career counselor Amanda Gerrie has some advice on how to maneuver and even take advantage of the influence of Artificial Intelligence in the entire process. But some old school techniques are still valid. Listen to what she has to say.

She'll talk about the agency's history, the programs and services it offers to the nearly 500 residents at the Point as well as how she wants to make it stronger. We'll also get an update on the Mckay Resource & Respite Center.