The Alameda County Prison at Santa Rita houses the Sheriffs Office Archive and Museum and is run by volunteers. It has been a pet project of mine for many years, but with my new traveling lifestyle, I make very few meetings. New at the jail since my last visit was this array of solar water heaters. I quickly counted 22 of them. WOW, was I impressed. What a savings for the taxpayers.
Three new solar array installations also new. This powers the training center and related buildings
Another array sits on the hillside behind the jail complex.
This one only looks like it is sitting in the weeds. Instead it was the position of my camera. Interesting to me, one of the volunteers told me, one of these arrays is connected to a robotic track that turns them to follow the sun to get the most benefit from the sun. Solar is getting cheaper and cheaper as more people wake up to the savings. The jail has huge generators on-line as back up for any type of power failure.
Newly rebuilt, the "old" style guard tower is now manned by a mannikin. The guys are looking for someone talented enough to paint a realistic face and hair on this "officer."
My cousin Toni Moore lives in Pleasanton not far from the jail and she invited me for lunch. She fixed a marvelous chicken salad for lunch.
Her oldest son had a nearby dental appointment and joined us. Kurt introduced me to his girlfriend, Yolanda, as cousin Mary and I kept thinking, no he is cousin to my kids. They are all about the same age since Toni and I went to High School together. But, he is right. We are second cousins and it has been way too long since we've visited. Cousin and auntie or uncle are used pretty casually to include anyone you are closely or distantly related too. It works for me.
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