Alameda County supervisor appointment begins with all eyes on labor

Wilma Chan’s family is planning a lawsuit

COUNTY NEWS

D2 APPOINTMENT

—CRIBBING NOTES—SEIU Local 1021 attempted a bit of veiled skullduggery over the weekend. The powerful union has one of its own, Ariana Casanova, seeking the appointment to Richard Valle’s supervisorial seat.

—Obviously, SEIU Local 1021 is going to endorse its own employee for the position, which they did. But that didn’t stop them from interviewing a few other applicants for the union’s endorsement.

—It’s hard to imagine the interview process was nothing more than a vehicle for the union to measure the competition and hone their own message against Casanova’s opponents.

—For what it’s worth, SEIU Local 1021 is backing Hayward Councilmember Elisa Marquez as their second choice for the District 2 seat.

—GEE, THANKS?—Speaking of endorsements, Hayward Councilmember Elisa Marquez received the backing a former District 2 supervisor. No, not Valle. He’s apparently backing Ariana Casanova from Heaven. (More on that below.)

—Former Alameda County Supervisor Nadia Lockyer, now Nadia Davis, offered her support to Marquez in a Facebook comment last weekend. “So proud of you! I hereby give you my endorsement. [strong arm, praying, and purple heart emojis]”

—Nearly a decade ago, a similar appointment process to the one we’re seeing this month, was triggered after Nadia Lockyer abruptly resigned from the District 2 seat because of drug and alcohol addiction. She’s now an author and yoga instructor.

—MARCH MADNESS LIVE!—You can watch the District 2 appointment process today HERE (scroll down and click the Mar. 21 meeting), starting around 2 p.m., as scheduled on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors agenda.

Correction: An item in Monday’s newsletter incorrectly reversed Elisa Marquez’s election results. She won a seat on the Hayward City Council after finishing third in 2016, and she finished first in 2020.

MORE INSIDE. SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

• D2 APPOINTMENT: Valle chose a successor before passing

• SEIU interviewed some applicants

• Appointment and labor unrest

• Nadia Lockyer weighs in

• CITY NEWS: Chan family eyes lawsuit

• Fremont isn’t building enough low-income units.

• Dublin’s costly road extension