OAKLAND
The Taste of Montclair Village (formerly Montclair Village Restaurant Walk) will return next week from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday!
Restaurants and businesses in the Montclair Village commercial area of the Oakland hills’ Montclair district will offer samples of delicious bites and libations (including craft beer and artisan wines) to ticketed patrons at this annual fundraiser.
This year’s event will feature about 30 stops at Montclair Village merchants such as Farmstead Cheeses & Wines, Full Belly Bakery, Italian Colors, El Agavero, A Great Good Place for Books, Daughter Thai Kitchen, Pelago, Yellow Door and more.
Proceeds will support the Montclair Village Association (MVA), a nonprofit and business improvement organization serving the community for over 75 years. Visit bit.ly/tastemontclairvillage2025 online for tickets and more details.
— MVA
Children’s Fairyland buys maintenance truck with donation
Children’s Fairyland, Oakland’s 75-year-old storybook theme park, recently bought its first maintenance truck thanks to a donation from Fremont Bank Foundation. The Foundation’s $60,000 grant to Children’s Fairyland included the installation of an electric charger as the theme park moves away from fossil fuel-powered machines with an eye on improving efficiency.
“We’ve made operations work without a truck, but we spent a lot of time lugging things around, often with a wheelbarrow or dolly,” said Kymberly Miller, the executive director of Children’s Fairyland. “The new truck allows our staff to transport materials more efficiently. We’re celebrating our 75th anniversary this year, and having the truck makes special events, celebrations and park upkeep so much easier to accomplish.”
Founded in 1950, Children’s Fairyland serves more than 152,000 visitors annually through the transformative power of stories and play. Storybook sets, daily puppet shows, gentle rides, lush gardens and friendly animals make the 10-acre park an Oakland treasure. Discover more about Children’s Fairyland at fairyland.org.
— Fremont Bank Foundation
PIEDMONT
Police Chief Bowers to retire in July after 29-year career
In an open letter to the community, Piedmont Police Chief Jeremy Bowers has announced his intention to retire July 17 and offered his gratitude to residents for their “unwavering support and the collaborative spirit that has helped us all strive for better” during his time in Piedmont.
Bowers joined Piedmont’s Police Department in 2014 as a police captain after 18 years with the San Jose Police Department, where he rose from a patrol officer to sergeant, lieutenant, watch commander and adjutant to Chief Rob Davis. In 2016, Bowers was appointed Piedmont’s police chief after the city’s former Police Chief Rikki Goede retired.
“Chief Bowers has had a profound and positive impact on Piedmont,” said Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen. “Under his leadership, our Police Department has not only exemplified the highest professional standards but has also built meaningful, lasting relationships with residents across every neighborhood, positioning our department — and his successor — for continued success.
“Chief Bowers has led with integrity, compassion and unwavering dedication to improving safety in our community and in our schools. On behalf of the entire City Council, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Chief Bowers for his commitment and vision spanning three decades of public service. We wish him and his family the very best in his retirement.”
Under Bowers’ leadership, the Piedmont Police Department has made significant investments in technology as a force multiplier, most notably expanding the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and establishing Piedmont’s public safety camera system.
Bowers also oversaw long-needed enhancements to the critical 911 dispatch system, including expansion of dispatch staffing for the first time since 1978 and the current construction of a new 911 dispatch center in the city’s former Emergency Operations Center.
Partnership with the Piedmont community has been a hallmark of Bowers’ tenure. In addition to launching new popular programs like Cop on the Block and establishing a social media presence for the department, Bowers has partnered with community organizations to introduce new training for officers and with Brady United and Everytown USA on community gun safety education campaigns.
Bowers also worked with Piedmont Unified School District leadership to establish a Threat Assessment and Management Team for Piedmont schools. The city has engaged Teri Black & Co., an experienced executive recruiting firm with expertise in law enforcement, to conduct a search for Piedmont’s next police chief.
— city of Piedmont
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