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Science

All About Elephants

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by guest author Mila Martinov

Elephants are interesting animals. I chose to write about them, because I find them truly magnificent. Check out these really cool facts about some of the most amazing creatures in the world, in my opinion.

African Elephants live in savannas and jungles, while Asian Elephants live in tropical forests and nice grasslands. They enjoy those places, because there is lots of food to eat and plenty of water to drink. I bet they love their habitat!

African Elephant (left). Asian Elephant (right). Courtesy of Elephants by James Maclaine and John Francis

All elephants have very large ears. They use their ears to cool themselves down by flapping their ears to fan their faces. Unfortunately, none of them have ears big enough to fly like Dumbo.

Elephants use their tusks by digging in the dirt to find underground water. They also use them to defend themselves against foes. Their tusks and ears are very useful!

They use their trunks as tools. To drink water, they suck some water inside the trunk and then squirt it into their mouth so they can drink. Of course, elephants are too big to kneel down and drink the water like cats, dogs and most other animals. Plus, why would they have their trunks anyway? Elephants also use their trunks as hands so that they can pick up their dinner.

Courtesy of Elephants by James Maclaine and John Francis

Elephants live in big, huge herds made up of their families and friends. Here are the facts of how the females take care of the herd: the oldest female guides the herd to find water and leads everyone through rivers and marshes. She also keeps watch while the herd is resting in the shade. Being a leader is hard work!

Courtesy of Elephants by James Maclaine and John Francis

Elephants often sleep when they are standing. To be comfortable, they lean and rest on trees. Other times, they like to lie down and rest their heads on bushes. Elephants sometimes snore while they are sleeping.

They are very, very big. In fact, they are the biggest land animals in the world! They can weigh the same amount as 60 people. Elephants like to eat a bunch of different things, including: grass and roots in the savanna, fruits in the jungle, and leaves in both. To get all of these foods, elephants bang their heads on trees for fruit to fall down. My theory is that elephants use their trunks to pull tasty roots out of the ground. They do the same thing with grass. They pull it out with their trunks. Elephants just use their mouths to eat leaves from bushes. 

Here is a question: How can you tell if they are a boy or a girl? Luckily, I have an answer. Look at the forehead of an elephant. A girl has a forehead that is angled. A boy has a round forehead.

Here is another question: How can you tell the difference between an Asian Elephant and an African Elephant? African Elephants have much larger ears that kind of look like the continent of Africa, and Asian Elephants have smaller and rounder ears. Also, African Elephants live in Africa, while Asian Elephants live in Asia.

Last question: When did the first elephants appear? The first elephant appeared over 50 million years ago.

They really like to eat grass and bamboo. So if you want to see elephants, bamboo forests and savannas are the place for you!

Arts and Culture

“The First Selfie”

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by Lucas David

Nestled in the heart of the city of San Francisco, the Legion of Honor museum is structured almost like an art project in and of itself. Spreading before a fountain and an abstract metal statue is a lush field, bordered by a curtain of trees and greenery. On the other side of the fountain and statue is the museum itself. Upon entering the museum, I was greeted by one of the Thinker statues, and two rows of large marble columns on either side. A glass triangle much resembling a miniature version of the Louvre is behind the Thinker, and at the end of the entry area the front doors are behind a short stairway. 

In the past, the LoH has exhibited art from Pompei, the ancient city that was destroyed as a result of the ash from a volcanic eruption. The museum is the main source of impressionism and post-impressionism in the San Francisco Bay Area as well. When I went to review the place, I found LOH is currently showcasing art by Sandro Botticelli, an italian artist from the fourteen to fifteen hundreds. Amongst the drawings was a video that shared a painting I have dubbed, “The First Selfie”. “The First Selfie,” better known as “The Adoration of the Magi,” is a portrait of the wise men offering the biblical figure Jesus, or the Messiah, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I call it, “The First Selfie,” because Botticelli adds himself into the scene, looking directly and intently at the viewer.

The cafe offers high quality food, but is very expensive, and unless your child enjoys portobello or smoked salmon and potato galette, then they will wind up with an expensive grilled cheese. I recommend bringing lunch, and enjoying coffee and dessert in the cafe, especially the chocolate raspberry tart. There aren’t many restaurants nearby the museum, but I noticed a casual Mel’s Diner on the way there that I took note of for my next visit. 

I highly recommend stopping by the museum for a visit, especially since San Francisco is a beautiful city, filled with so many museums I look forward to enjoying, before going home to subject them to harsh (but accurate) criticism. One of the nice things about the Legion of Honor museum is it’s way of cycling through exhibitions like I mentioned before, but it also means that the Botticelli sketches will not stay for long, and their normal home is in Italy. It’s an hour of driving from where I’m typing to the Legion of Honor museum, but it’s a 12 hour flight from here to Italy, so don’t wait! The exhibition ends February 11th, 2024.

Stories, Student Life

Laser Tag!

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by Olive Pea

“Plunk plunk!” went the rain on the metal roof of the car. It was mid afternoon on a rainy day in January, and my family and I were visiting my grandparents in Rocklin, California. It was my brother Liam’s Birthday, and we were going to play laser tag at the nearest arcade. I was sitting and watching the cars out my window speed down the slippery road. Up in the front seats, my parents were playing some rock music with humorous lyrics through the car speakers. I was sitting next to Liam and my cousin Ethan. Ethan, who was 12 years old, was always one year older than Liam and one year younger than me. He had tan skin, floppy and curly copper-colored hair that he wore in a headband that matched his red-and-white basketball jersey. Sometimes he was quiet, but mostly he was cracking jokes and fooling around. Liam and I both got the preferable seats that were adjacent to the windows and would have gladly given ours to Ethan, but for some reason he wanted to sit in the middle.

Mom was asking Ethan about his school year and basketball practice when we made a right turn into a parking lot and stationed the car in a spot next to the entrance of the arcade building. We all hopped out of the car onto the wet pavement, and made quickly for the big glass doors before we got too wet. I checked my bag for the billionth time to make sure I hadn’t forgotten my ear-muffs. Dad had mentioned that it would be loud in the building, and I abhor loud noises. They made me nervous, and I was already nervous as well as excited. I parted the opening of my bag, and sure enough my neon-pink ear-muffs were nestled safely inside. Mom had said that I wouldn’t need them, but “better to be safe than sorry,” I thought.

We thrust the arcade doors open, and inside there was a small lot of kids playing arcade games. Sound effects of shooting laser rifles and exploding spaceships filled our ears as we journeyed towards the tables in the food court. Our grandparents, Uncle Justice, and his girlfriend Kayla were anticipating our arrival around a table that was in the middle. 

“There you are!” Grandma exclaimed.

“Where’s Evelyn and Isaac?” Mom inquired of Grandma as she retrieved her credit card from within the seemingly endless depths of her purse.

“I don’t know what the heck is taking them so long. Isaac is driving Evelyn, and they left at the same time as us, so they should be here by now.” She said with a disapproving shake of her head. 

“I’ll be right back, I just have to run to the restrooms,” Grandma announced as she walked at a leisurely pace toward the Ladies Room. Evelyn and Isaac were cousins of Liam and mine. They were Ethan’s older siblings. Evelyn was 15, and Isaac was in his early 20’s. Evelyn had the same tan skin as Ethan, and had long curly brown hair. She was quiet, but she was still pleasant to make conversation with. She usually wore black-and-white Converse with green camo pants, and a two-sizes-too-big shirt with a band logo on it. Isaac was not loud, but he also wasn’t quiet. He always wore a light-colored button-up shirt with jeans, and either combed his hair or wore a beanie. He also had recently acquired a beard, but I am not sure if it counts as an official one because it was always quite stubbly.

Grandma arrived back at the tables after her trip to the bathrooms, and we waited near the round white tables for a short length of time for Evelyn and Isaac to make an appearance. When they still didn’t turn up, the adults decided for us to make our way to the front desk and purchase our cards for the laser tag. We walked back towards the arcade, and headed for the counter. Two older teenage girls stood there, looking very bored. Mom and Grandma started talking to one of them and began to arrange the purchase for everyone to play. Liam, Ethan, and I formed a separate group a short ways away from the desk. Uncle Justice joined us, and we started talking about whose team we wanted to be on. Uncle Justice always looked like he was ready to go hunting. He wore a black T-shirt and black jeans with a chain and a pocket knife in his right pocket. He had a small black beard and a mustache, and completing his look was a hunter-green baseball cap and a silver nose ring. He was Mom’s brother, but he was only in his late 20s. 

Dad came over and told us that we could enter our player names on the three screens that were to the right of the front desk. I typed my name onto the screen. “Loki” was my player name. Ethan put his as “Eazy-E”, and Liam’s was “Clonk”. Grandpa decided he was going to play too. Grandpa was on the shorter/stockier side, and wore a gray heathered polyester shirt with a button and small collar at the neck. He also wore green camo pants, and he always wore hiking shoes no matter where he was going. He entered his code name as “Best Dad Ever”. At the last minute, Evelyn and Isaac walked over to the front desk. 

“What took you so long? We were about to start without you!” Grandma half whispered, with a tinge of annoyance in her voice. Isaac shrugged. Grandma handed them their playing cards and they entered their names. Evelyn’s was “Fart Lover”. I didn’t get the chance to see Isaac, Kayla, Uncle Justice or Dad’s player names, but Mom’s was “Mom the Bomb”. Grandma decided not to play, and went back to the tables and waited.

When we all finished entering our player names, an older teenage boy (who also looked bored) with greasy blond hair and sweaty looking clothes showed us and a couple of strangers into a dark room with a large screen. The carpet had a crazy neon orange and yellow pattern that glowed under the black light from the ceiling. Kayla’s white shoes were glowing a blinding bright white, and everyone came over to look at them as our bored instructor queued up an instruction video on the large screen.

He stood under the screen and said,”Listen up,” in the most dull way possible. “First, you will watch this video and if you have any questions you can ask me after it’s finished.” 

When the video finished, someone asked whether we would get to choose our team mates, and the greasy guide said, “I don’t know, but I think it is randomly chosen on the screen.” All the kids groaned, and some of the parents started whispering things like “What? We paid for this?” And “This is ridiculous. What kind of arcade doesn’t let you choose?” The guide projected our teams on the screen. I was with Ethan, Evelyn, Uncle Justice, and a little 5 year old girl and her dad. Liam was with Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Isaac, and Kayla.

The guide said spiritlessly, “This way,” and gestured towards a door to our left. We filed through the door, and entered a slightly brighter room. There were large metal pegs on the wall where our equipment hung. They were all numbered. On a TV screen opposite the door showed our player names with our equipment numbers next to them. Mine said “LOKI 32” highlighted with blue for my team color. We all grabbed our equipment and started putting it on. There were hit sensors on the chest, back, and one on each shoulder. If you were hit, it would make a blaster sound effect. I tightened my equipment with a black adjustment strap. There were different settings on the gun that you could access through a series of buttons and other fancy touch screen elements that I was not all that interested in. The rules were no running, and you had to keep at least 5 feet away from your opponents when shooting. The game was on a timer, and when the timer ended you were required to report back to your base.

  We then entered the laser tag arena. Once again, black lights lit the room, but this time you couldn’t see the whole room from the entrance. There were tall and short barriers that you could hide behind, some of which were glowing neon colors due to the black light, while others were just black. The floor was covered in black carpet, and in the middle of the room there was a second floor that you could access by ramp. On the edges of this platform you could snipe opponents that were below. On opposite sides of the room, there were bases. In these bases there was a special archway that showed the team’s points in big, orange letters like you might see on a digital alarm clock. This was also the team’s weak point, because if an opponent shot it they would get a bunch of points. That meant that the arch should be guarded.  On the other side of your base, there was a recharge station that you could stand behind to reload your blaster or revive yourself if you got eliminated. Both of these things took time to do, so you had to be sneaky.

Everyone grouped up with their teams and headed to their bases. On a speaker, an announcer repeated the basic rules, and counted down from 5. Then the lights dimmed, and intense techno music started playing. On my team, two team mates stayed and defended the base. I started to charge the opponents thinking it would be easy, but too late I realized that there was a slope. I tripped on the carpet all the way to the middle of the room. Liam found me and started blasting me while he laughed maniacally. “Aw come on!” I thought, and retreated back to the base to reload my health. When I was recharging, I saw the little girl and her dad from our team trying to take out Dad, who was on the top level of the arena. I started to shoot at him too, but he retreated. Then I went over to our opponent’s archway, and started blasting it. Then someone (I couldn’t see them because it was too dark) started blasting me so I retreated back to my base. On the way there I ran into three people who were not on my team, and I was low on health by the time I got to recharge. I started to head back over to the other side but this time I went through the higher level. By the time I got to the top the music shut off and the announcer on the speaker said, “End of round 1.” 

Our whole team reported back to our base, then we had one minute to recharge before the next round started. Ethan agreed to attack the enemy base with me, but when the round started he ditched me! So I tried it on my own and just like the first time, someone found me. The only difference was that I got a few more shots off at the archway than I had before. On my way back to my base I tripped again and it was even worse than the first time. I laughed because I could just picture what it would look like to someone else. After I recharged, I decided not to attack the enemy base, so I stayed back and guarded ours for the remainder of round 2.

Once round 3 started, I was the only one guarding our base, so I had to walk back and forth to patrol. When I was on the side of our base that was opposite our archway, I started getting blasted from above. Isaac had sniped me! I started to shoot back. The plan was to take him out so that he could not advance towards the archway, and I did get a few shots off him. However, he disappeared before I could take him out. I started to find my way toward the ramp so that I could chase him, but just before I got there Liam cornered me.

 I heard Ethan say “They’re shooting our base!” and then I saw Isaac’s gray beanie peeking over one of the pieces of cover. He must have made his way over to our arch while Liam distracted me. I took Liam out, but it took time and then my gun ran out of juice so that I had to recharge it. I ran over to our arch and started blasting Isaac alongside Ethan, and together we took him out too. After that, I decided to put my equipment into stealth mode. It took a second because I had to figure out which buttons to hold and when to pull the trigger, but once stealth mode was activated all the lights on my gun and sensors turned off. I thought I was so cool and sneaky, “Just like Loki,” I thought. Just as that thought crossed my mind however, I tripped and started getting blasted by Mom. I ran away from Mom in the direction of the enemy’s archway, but just as I turned a corner I tripped again. This time I slammed into something hard. It was Grandpa, and he hadn’t seen me because all of my lights were shut off.

“Sorry!” we both said in unison, and I hurried to get away. It took me a second to get my bearings, but once I found my way I began to blast the enemy archway. Just as I reached 5000 points, Liam and Dad spotted me and started blasting me. Then Isaac started approaching, so I made a run for it. That was when the stealth mode actually worked. I made it all the way up the ramp and shot Dad once to startle him. I saw him swivel his head back and forth and check around the corner where I had just been.

Then I heard him say, “Where the heck did she go?” and I giggled, feeling slightly redeemed as a “Loki” after my big mess-up. On my way over the top part of the room, I startled Kayla and she started blasting me. I tried to put my gun through one of the holes in my cover to shoot her back, but then Dad and Liam located me. 

Dad said, “There you are!” and both he and Liam started blasting me. I ran for my base to recharge but just as I was about to recharge my gun, the final round ended and both teams traveled back to the door of the room. Two of the arcade workers led us back through the door and had us remove our equipment. On the screen in the equipment room, we could see our scores. For some reason it only gave everyone’s personal scores, so we couldn’t tell which team had won the rounds. On Liam’s team, Dad got the high score of the first round, Grandpa got it on the second, and Kayla got the high score on the last round. The only problem was that Mom and Kayla’s scores got combined, and if they hadn’t Mom would have earned the high score because she eliminated way more people than Kayla. Plus, Kayla didn’t get any points from an archway. On my team, Uncle Justice got the high score on the first two rounds. The last person to get a high score on my team was me, which I was very enthusiastic about. Once everyone finished looking at the scoreboard, we exited through the first room back into the arcade. I hadn’t noticed how sweaty I was when I was in the arena, so after about a minute of being in the arcade Dad took Liam, Ethan and I outside where it was chilly and drizzling. I was glad for the rain because it cooled me off quickly.

After a few minutes we walked back over to the tables and met up with Grandma. She handed us our things and we walked out to the car, everyone with smiles on their faces. 

Science, Student Life

A Day in the Life of a Rattlesnake

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by Lydia I. Martinov

Hey! Don’t be ssscared. I’m a nice sssnake. Welcome to northern Mexico. My name is Russ the Rattlesnake, or more formally, Russell the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.

I live inside of a bunny burrow I found. I’m not sure if the bunny still lives here, but I find it cozy. I like it when it’s cold, so I’ll usually come out at night. Right now, it’s pretty late, so I am going to go outside. I’m very picky about the temperature, and us rattlesnakes prefer a warmer climate, but we come out at night when it is slightly cooler. We like it when it is 70 to 90 degrees outside. In other words, we like it when it’s hot, but not too hot. Sometimes, during cooler days, I’ll come out when it’s light.

Photo courtesy of National Geographic

There are many types of rattlesnakes, and that is why my name is so long. If you like science (and understand what this means), my scientific name is “Crotalus Adamanteus”. As a snake, I am classified as a reptile. I am a carnivore, meaning that I only eat meat. Some of our favorite meals include rodents, rabbits, squirrels, birds, lizards, and frogs. WAIT! I see a rat! Yummy! Shh! I need to sneak up on it slowly. Oops, it noticed me. I’ll catch another one later. After all, us rattlesnakes can live for about 2 weeks to 3 without food. Impressive, right? So far, it has been 1 week and 5 days. I believe it is time to treat myself to a tasty snack, even though that rat got away. Give me 2 shakes of a snake’s tail… Get it?

Luckily, I found another delicious rat. Don’t worry, there are some humans in a house nearby who have a rat problem, and I just fixed it. By the way, I am proud to say that I am shedding. That means that a layer of my skin will fall off. As I grow over time, my skin gets too small. It’s just like you humans getting too big for your clothes. When you grow, your clothes stay the same size, so you have to get new ones. I grow new skin underneath my old skin. Us rattlesnakes shed 1 to 4 times a year. Shedding also helps us get rid of any bacteria on our skin. One of the coolest parts about shedding is that each time it happens, we get a new rattle! Right now, I have 4 rattles, and when I finish shedding, I will have 5. The process of shedding takes a few days to a couple weeks. It has been a week and a half, so I think I am prepared to finish the process. I prefer shedding in private, so…um…Can you come back later? Just give me a few minutes to do my business.

OK! I’m done. Check out my shiny new skin! I really like it. I also got my fifth rattle. Also, I wouldn’t touch my old skin, because, as I said before, it has bacteria on it. 

Photo courtesy of Scholastic

As an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, I have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Right now, I am 10 years old. You can tell by the amount of rattles we have. We get 2 or 3 new rattles every year, and, as you know, I have 5. I currently am about 5 and a half feet long, which is considered average for a rattlesnake.

Since I am a rattlesnake, I prefer to be alone, so I don’t know very much about baby rattlesnakes. If you need a babysitter, I do not recommend myself. I can tell you some of the things I do know. First of all, the momma rattlesnake does not lay eggs. Instead, she gives birth to 8 to 15 babies at a time. Each one is about 10 inches long. The mother stays with her newborns until they shed. That can take up to 2 weeks.

Photo courtesy of Sciencing

It’s getting pretty hot, so I think it’s time for me to return to my bunny burrow. Thank you so much for hanging out with me! I had a lot of fun. I’m generally not a big fan of humans, but you are pretty cool! See you!

____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you to whoever requested this article! If anybody wants to give another idea for a Day in the Life, then fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_CiR1rjTqNmIFBhjuAKJ4-lUlTSKC3Ja4RyxnCS3VAwOsjA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Science

Fun Facts: What is Mitosis?

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by Aleena Haimor

Mi·to·sis

/mīˈtōsəs/

Noun

Definition: 

A type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth.

The first step actually starts BEFORE mitosis. It is called interphase (G2) The G2 is the second part of growth in some cells. After G1 and the S (Synthesis) phases, the cell will enter G2, and then mitosis. During interphase, the DNA and centrosomes are duplicated.

The first ACTUAL step of mitosis is the prophase. During the prophase, the chromosomes start to condense, or get smaller. Miotic needles, which will help the cell divide later, start to form in this phase. By now, one chromosome has identical twin DNAs (sister chromatids).

After prophase comes the prometaphase.  The nuclear envelope or encasing fragments and explodes. Microtubules attach themselves to the chromosomes that are now free from the nucleus. 

The next part is the metaphase. There is an invisible line, called the metaphase plate, that is kind of like the equator of a cell. All of the chromosomes line up along the metaphase plate. This forms a straight line of chromosomes. The metaphase plate is one of the straightest things in nature.

Second to last is the anaphase. The sister chromatids are separated. Each sister chromatid is going to end up becoming it’s own cell in the next step, telophase and cytokinesis. 

Lastly, telophase and cytokinesis. Each of the separated sister chromatids will make up their own nuclei. The cell itself divides, creating two cells. Cleavage furrow forms in animal cells, and new cell walls form in plant cells. The microtubules divide equally between both cells, and the DNA unwraps, becoming no longer visible under a microscope.

News, Science

Current Sustainability Problems in the Bay Area

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by Ava Salado

To shed some light on what pollutants exist in the San Francisco Bay area we have to take into consideration both the air and the water. Pollution such as home chemicals, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, rubbish, and legacy harmful pollutants are washed into the Bay untreated or unfiltered when it rains. Rainwater is directed into gutters and storm drains by paved concrete and asphalt surfaces found on buildings, parking lots, roads, roadways, and rooftops. This storm water is then discharged into creeks and sloughs that run into the Bay itself, carrying all the pollutants it gathers along the route. Rainfall in the Bay Area causes rainwater to overflow into the bay, carrying three primary forms of pollution: runoff from cities, sewage spills, and industrial discharges. More than 1,600 industrial sites are covered with water that conveys harmful chemicals into storm drains that go into the Bay and waterways. 

Photo courtesy of The Mercury News

Trash, construction debris, automobile fluids, industrial waste, petroleum residue, coal dust, soot, fertilizer, pesticides, and other materials that accumulate in cities and industrial facilities all combine to form stormwater runoff, a toxic mixture that flows into the Bay every time it rains, typically with little to no treatment.

On the other hand, a portion of the air pollution in the Bay Area is caused by industrial sources including power plants and refineries. However, a larger portion of dangerous air pollution originates from motor vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and construction equipment.

Photo by Todo Fondos

In addition, smoke from neighboring wildfires has a significant influence on the Bay Area’s air quality during the fire season. It frequently results in dangerously high particle pollution levels and air quality advisories, such as Spare the Air alerts. The Bay Area air set a record in 2020 when it issued over 50 alerts, 46 of which had to do with wildfires.

San Francisco is ranked 101st out of all major cities by IQAirs Live. According to the American Lung Association’s annual “State of the Air” assessment, 11 of the 25 most polluted cities in America are located in California. Out of 200 cities nationwide, the Bay Area (San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland region) was placed fourth for “Year Round Particle Pollution” and “Short-Term Particle Pollution.”) Based on a recent research by the American Lung Association, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield are among the worst air-polluted urban regions in the country.

Photo by Ronan Furuta

Overall, since the Clean Air Act was amended in 1990, the Bay Area’s air pollution has decreased dramatically over the past 30 years, despite the region’s expanding population and industry. Regulations against industrial activity and associated pollution sources are going to get stricter. The foundation of sustainability is a straightforward idea: everything we require for life depends on the natural world, either directly or indirectly, for our survival and well-being. The goal of sustainability is to establish and preserve the circumstances that allow nature and people to coexist peacefully and productively for the benefit of both the present and the future generations. This long-term objective is supported by sustainable development, which puts structures and mechanisms in place and receives backing from international, national, and local organizations. To be sustainable means to meet the demands of the present without sacrificing those of future generations and to maintain a balance between social progress, environmental preservation, and economic expansion. The ability of a civilization to grow and prosper without exhausting all of the natural resources required for future generations to thrive is known as sustainability. Although the times we live in may look bleak, there are people striving for a brighter future. Could that person be you?

Photo by ParAllErg
News, Science

Contra Costa Water District: Behind the Scenes 

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by Meru S.

Take a drink of water from your kitchen faucet. Have you ever wondered where that water is coming from? Clean water is essential for our everyday lives. We use it for drinking, showering, watering our gardens, cleaning our clothes, washing our dishes, and for many other daily tasks. 

Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) serves cities in central and eastern parts of Contra Costa County, particularly Concord, Port Costa, Clyde, Clayton, Brentwood, Pacheco, and certain parts of Martinez, Walnut Creek, and Pleasant Hill. CCWD draws water from areas in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which contain water originally from the snow melts of the Sierra mountain range.

The Ralph D. Bollman Water Treatment Plant of CCWD
Photo Courtesy of Gayathri N.

The Process

The process of treating the water takes many steps but is completed within one and a half hours. 

First, strong pumps draw just the top of the Delta water, which is the cleanest part, since most of the dirt sinks to the bottom. Liquid alum is then slowly poured in and mixed using ceiling fan-like machines that spin underwater at about six hundred miles per hour, gradually slowing down until they are almost still. 

Mixing the Alum
Photo Courtesy of Gayathri N.

Then, the sludge and floc (minuscule bits of dirt bound together into small clumps by the alum) are removed.

After the Dirt is Removed
Photo Courtesy of Gayathri N.

The water now looks clear and almost ready to drink, but there are still bacteria and germs that are invisible to the naked eye. These are killed by combining ozone with the water. Next, it goes through a layered filtration system that consists of granulated carbon at the top, coarse sand in the middle, and finally small rocks.

The Filtration System
Photo Courtesy of Gayathri N.
A Small Version of the Filtration System 
Photo Courtesy of Gayathri N.

Lastly, fluoride is added to prevent tooth decay, and ammonia to preserve it when it travels through pipes to thousands of homes.

The History

Contra Costa Water District was incorporated on May 9, 1936, and the construction of the Contra Costa Canal (a 48-mile-long canal which transports water to Clyde, Martinez, and Walnut Creek) started on October 19, 1937. The building of the Ralph D. Bollman Water Treatment Plant, CCWD’s first plant, began in 1966. It is named after one of CCWD’s first directors, and is located on Bates Ave, Concord. CCWD’s second plant was built in Oakley in 1992. Both of these water treatment facilities are still used today. During the winter months one facility is shut down for cleaning and repairs while the other takes over the treatment process for the county.

There are specific chemicals and gasses used in the process of water treatment. They are stored in tanks at CCWD’s water treatment plants. In the case of an emergency, responders refer to signs on the tanks for information on the chemical. You may have seen these signs on large trucks or tankers. Here is what they mean—

Photo Courtesy of Gayathri N.

On a scale of 0-4 (0 being extremely low and 4 being very high), the blue diamond is the health hazard, the red is the fire hazard, the yellow is the reactivity hazard, and the white is the type of chemical or gas. In this case, the chemical is liquid oxygen, the health and reactivity hazards are very high, and the flammability is very low.

Though the water treatment itself is done by machinery, numerous people work at these water treatment plants. A number of staff members are always on-site 24/7 to monitor the various processes such as water pH levels and to be prepared in the event of an emergency.

The next time you enjoy a warm shower or a glass of cool water, remember and appreciate its journey from the mountains, through rivers, canals, treatment machinery, pipes, and to your faucets! 

For further information, please visit Contra Costa Water District’s website—

https://www.ccwater.com/

Stories

Shadowed Light – Chapter 2

thelighthousetve

by Aleena Haimor and Layal Hilal

At the Mohammad al-Amin masjid, I hear the Imam leading the prayer, but my heart is elsewhere. In the spaces next to me, Huda, Iman and Mama are trying not to cry. Before Sara’s funeral, we are doing Salatul Janazah. 

My tears haven’t dried since Sara died, and they overflow through the course of Surah-Al-Fatiha. 

I saw her body on the way to their women’s room. Wrapped in the Mihrab Cloth, she was covered completely. Seeing that hit me with a reality check: my sister was actually gone.

I start to cry again. Sara was my older sister, the one l loved the most. She always comforted and helped me as we are—no, were—the closest of sisters. I can’t imagine my life without her by my side. 

Except… Now I have to do more than just imagine. I actually have to live without her. I sniffle, trying to keep my emotions in check. Afterwards, I slip outside, hopefully unnoticed. I sit down on a deserted bench and sob. 

“You okay?” I look up and see Asiya, my lifelong best friend, standing a little behind me. I try to speak but my throat is dry. I settle for shaking my head. Next to Sara, Asiya has been one of my biggest role models, even though she’s only a year older than me. Asiya is looking at me, fighting tears. 

With her sunny personality and big heart, Asiya is inspirational and comforting. Plus, she wears the most gorgeous hijabs. Today, she is wearing the very opposite of everyone else, a lavender hijab that has little stars on it, and a black abaya. Asiya nudges me slightly and sits down next to me. 

I try to speak, but my throat is dry. I settle for nodding. Asiya and her family came to pay their respects to Sara. Asiya told me that Sara is—was—an older sister to her as well.

Tears cloud my vision, and I finally muster the strength to talk.

“I-I just can’t b-believe that Sara is g-gone. F-Forever, Asiya.”

“Z, I miss her too.” My friend puts her arms around me and squeezes me tight. She is much taller than me, even though the age difference is small. I give in to the hug and relax a bit. 

I hear the Imam’s voice on the speakers.

“Now, let us make dua’a for Sara Salim, a wonderful woman who, by Allah’s will, has left us for Jannah.”

Asiya and I raise our hands to the sky in prayer. I close my eyes and wish for well-being and Jannah upon Sara. All of a sudden, I feel something. It is a rush of memories that were buried deep in my heart. Memories that I had forgotten to the test of time.

The way Sara used to chop up olives from our garden in the kitchen, and—for some reason—save the olive juice for me. 

The way she would tease me saying, “Zainaaaaaabb? Did you pray Fajr?”

I would say, “Walahi!”

Then she would swish her hair and say, “Oh my goodness, Zuzu, you’re lying! Go to Jahannam!” Then we’d burst into giggles together. 

Together.

My eyes fill with tears again, but I feel something else. It is a mix of feelings. 

Shock.

Anger

Frustration.

Sadness

And…forgiveness. 

Of all the times Sara and I fought, all the times she yelled at me. I forgive her. I almost laugh, because honestly? I’m REALLY late. Still, if she was still alive, she would accept my apology in a heartbeat. I finish my dua’a and hug my friend again. I smile faintly.

“I know that Sara is in Jannah. Allah wanted her back. He knew twenty five years was long enough to wait for Sara to go to paradise, so he called her back to him once again.” 

Asiya sighs. “It must be nice to have that kind of patience.”

My breathing turns sharp as I painstakingly remember how patient Sara always was with me. It was her who taught me all I know. And everyone says that I take after her patience.

I look at Asiya, taking it all in. She’s always been the sweetest person, and always stood up for me when those boys from the neighboring church used to annoy us. Her strength today is incredible. I hug her again. I need to hold on to that one piece of my old life

But inside, I feel lost. 

Everything is gone.

My old life is gone.

I try to smile, hoping Khadijah will be fooled. Of course, it doesn’t work.

“Listen,” she says. “I know everything about you, and it’s obvious that something else is bothering you…”

Before she can finish, I explode.

“Of course something is bothering me! My sister is dead! My house is in pieces! I lost my whole life!” I fume angrily. Asiya stutters, shocked and trying to explain.

“T-That’s not what I meant…”

Once again, I interrupt.

“You don’t get it, do you? Sara is dead! Of all people you don’t get it! You know what? If you’re just going to insult me, then I don’t care! Just…go!” 

With a sob, I run away. I know I shouldn’t have said all of those things, but I couldn’t help it. Even though I hate to make excuses, I’ve been patient my whole life.

Now, my patience has run out.

With another cry, I turn away and head to the funeral, searching for my family in the long lines. Finally, I find Iman and Huda standing with Mama and Bayi and I run to them, hugging them with all my heart.

I stand with Huda on my right side and Iman on my left, with my parents next to them. I look blankly into the distance, grasping my sisters’ hands. They do too.

Until…

They put Sara’s wrapped body in the ground and cover it with fresh soil. I lose control over my body. 

My emotions. 

My pain.

“SARA!” I scream with passion and fear in my voice.

My parents, crying softly, try to hold me back, but I struggle. The Imam prays over Sara’s grave and I lose it.

Bursting into tears, I break free of my parents’ arms and run. I dash out of the masjid, sobbing, and I run to our broken house. 

On the way, I pass the Beirut souk, Sara’s favorite market. I snort through my tears. Like, Wow, Sara. The souk? That girl really has—had—good taste. 

I smile softly and slip inside. 

  • Surah-Al-Fatiha: First chapter (surah) in the Muslim holy book, the Quran
  • Salatul Janazah: Prayer of death, performed right before a funeral
  • Mihrab cloth: a white cloth that all muslims are buried in after death
  • Masjid: Mosque; Muslim holy place of worship
  • Imam: Religious leader, kind of like a priest
  • Dua’a: A small prayer, not one of the five daily prayers; a plea or request for God to grant
  • Jannah: Heaven
  • Fajr: the first of the five daily Islamic prayers
  • Walahi: I swear to God
  • Jahannam: Hell, if you say Walahi and you’re lying, you supposedly go to Jahanam