Treadway: Talk to look at El Cerrito gambling era – East Bay Times

Only oldtimers will recall that El Cerrito was once the headquarters of gambling and organized crime in the East Bay. It was an era that lasted almost 20 years, but had roots stretching back much farther.

One of the principal buildings related to that forgotten history will be the site of a talk on El Cerritos Gambling Past, a centennial program presented by the El Cerrito Historical Society and Bayview Fraternal Order of Eagles at 7 p.m. March 9. The Eagles Hall was once a club known as the Wagon Wheel, one of the most notorious gambling and vice locations in Northern California in the 1930s and 40s.

El Cerrito Journal editor Chris Treadway, who writes this column and is working on a book about the days when the city was a gambling and nightlife destination, will discuss the gambling halls, prizefighting, the dog racing track, and the El Cerrito gangs that tried to dominate gambling throughout Northern California.

The talk is free.

RICHMOND AND THE GREAT WAR: How World War I Changed Richmond is the focus of a new exhibit opening March 11 in the Seaver Gallery at the Richmond Museum of History, 400 Nevin Ave.

The exhibit will highlight dozens of artifacts related to the Great War with connections to Richmond in observance of the centennial of the entry of the United States in the conflict. It will also tell the stories of Richmond residents from all walks of life who were involved in World War I both at home and on the front.

Opening events will include a members-only preview from 3 to 6 p.m. March 10, a free public reception from 2 to 4 p.m. March 11.

Guest speaker Karen English, professor of English at San Jose State University will give a talk on American Poetry of World War I at 2 p.m. April 8; and guest speaker Susan Anderson, founder of Memory House, will give a presentation on World War I, Resistance and the New Negro at 2 p.m. June 3.

The exhibit runs through June 29. For more details visit http://www.richmondmuseum.org or contact Melinda McCrary at 510-235-7387 or melinda@richmondmuseum.org.

The exhibit is made possible by the ClaraBelle Hamilton Fund and the San Francisco Foundation.

MAYAS SPRING FESTIVAL: Youths and adults with developmental disabilities, most from Alameda and Contra Costa counties, will perform at the 28th annual Spring Music Festival hosted by Mayas Music Therapy Fund from 2 to 4:30 p.m. March 19 at the Richmond Recreation Complex, 3230 Macdonald Ave. in Richmond.

The theme of this years festival showcasing musical performances by program participants is Under the Sea.

The therapy program is named for Maya Cooper, a child who was severely disabled and nonverbal, but was able to use music to communicate with the world around her.

Her parents, Dr. Michael Cooper and Dr. Joanna Cooper, established the program after Mayas death in 1988 so that other disabled people might experience the life-enriching benefits of music therapy.

Music therapy has been found effective for people with such conditions as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, brain injury, hearing and vision impairment, ADHD, Rett Syndrome, and other developmental disabilities.

The public is invited to the festival, a fundraiser for the program, and tickets will be available at the door for $5 children and disabled, $10 adults. Food will be also be available for sale.

For information visit http://www.mayasmusic.org, contact info@mayasmusic.org, or telephone 510-232-9824

St. Marys High alumni news: UC Berkeley womens basketball standout Mikayla Cowling, a 2015 St. Marys grad, was named Scholar-Athlete of the Week for Jan. 23-27 by Cals Athletic Study Center.

Mike Gray, a 1974 grad, was recently named managing editor, enterprise, for the San Francisco Chronicle, and will appear on the papers masthead.

Buffalo Bills outside linebacker, Lorenzo Alexander, a 2001 grad, was named Defensive MVP of the NFL Pro Bowl, played Jan. 29. Alexander and his wife, Manjanique, have four children and founded the ACES Foundation, an Oakland-based youth mentoring program.

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Treadway: Talk to look at El Cerrito gambling era - East Bay Times