Week in Review: Food Trucks May be Coming to Castro Valley; New Cafe Opens Inside Neighborhood Church

Here’s a brief look at the three most-read stories on Castro Valley Patch this week:

Poll: Do You Want Food Trucks in Castro Valley?

Would you support weekly food truck visits in Castro Valley? That question has sparked a lively debate on Castro Valley Patch after we reported the possibly of weekly gatherings coming to town. According to media reports, the Food Truck Mafia will host food truck gatherings in the near future. But the decision was not made without some debate. J.D. Kitchel, a retired restaurant owner, told The Daily Review that he opposes food trucks and noted they do not pay property taxes. "All the businesses in Castro Valley are struggling now, and there are only so many customers," he said. Still, there are supporters. "They will bring more people into town, who will see all of our businesses," Christine Clement of the bakery Swiss Delices told The Daily Review.

Do you want food trucks here? Take our poll and join the discussion here.

Sprouts & Shutters: Neighborhood Church Opens Spacious 'Cafe4'

Residents of Castro Valley and vicinity have a spectacular new spot at which to sip lattes and enjoy the view at the new Cafe4 situated atop John Drive under the three crosses of the Neighborhood Church. Cafe4 opened recently in a new 10,000 square foot addition to the 40-plus year-old church. Manager Kathleen Campbell said the name Cafe4 was a play on its purpose: the cafe for "coffee, creativity and community" that the builders hoped would draw patrons to the place. The setting is stunning. Vaulted ceilings lift the spirits. South-facing, floor-to-ceiling glass bathes the interior in light. Campbell said the goal is to make the cafe a destination for community members as well as church's 2,000 or so congregation members. "We imagine people sitting here and reading or meeting friends while others crochet or sculpt or paint," Campbell said.

Alameda County is ranked as having the second highest annual salary of the 57 California counties listed in a new public pay study. The state Controller's Office has put together a chart of city and county employee salary, benefits and pension contributions for municipal agencies throughout California. The 2011 salary list shows the average salary for municipal workers across the state is $61,059 a year. The average county salary statewide for 2011 was $59,664. Alameda County's average salary is listed as $69,386. The total spent on county employee salaries was $646 million.

Click here to see a chart of the top five county employees in terms of wages as well as county contributions to benefits and pensions.