The first phase of construction at Alameda Point moves ahead, the College of Alameda may have trouble with accreditation, and West End burglaries are up.

Phase One

The city council said yes to the first phase of construction at the former naval air station: 800 units of housing and 60,000 square feet of commercial space with construction anticipated to start in 2016.

Accreditation Woes

The College of Alameda, Berkeley City College, Merritt College, and Laney College have been notified that their accreditation is threatened if they do not remedy issues that don’t sit well with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

Burglaries Up

To combat a small increase in West End residential burglaries, Alameda police have temporarily increased staffing levels at night, particularly from 7 p.m. to midnight when most crimes are happening.

AMP LEDs

​Alameda Municipal Power plans to convert 3,000 sodium streetlights to energy-efficient light-emitting diodes, which should lower greenhouse gas emissions and save about $198,000 annually.

Foursome Rescue

Alameda firefighters and Coast Guard crews saved four people from a 30-foot wooden luxury cruiser that caught fire about 100 yards from the ferry terminal. The Coast Guard rescued the passengers and towed the boat to the terminal, where Alameda firefighters put out the fire.

New Member

Gray Harris is the latest addition to the Alameda Board of Education. A former Alameda grade school teacher and head of the Alameda Education Association, she played a major role in contract negotiations with former Superintendent Kirsten Vital. The seat was held by Nielsen Tam, who died in May.

Garden Spot

The Frank Bette Center for the Arts is turning the Victorian’s backyard into a garden and a backdrop for displaying art. The garden will occupy a 35-by-20 outdoor area and contain California drought-tolerant plants, a pergola, raised beds for ornamental flowers, and seating.

Commendable Chaplain

The USS Hornet’s chaplain, John Berger, died in July at age 94. The ship’s chapel will be renamed in honor of Berger, a Methodist minister and a former Navy commander.

Pedal Passing

Stone’s Cyclery owner Dennis Stone, known for his bicycle prowess and attention to detail, died in July at 75. His father, Harry, opened Stone’s in 1943, and Dennis took it over in 1965.