Five Things You Need to Know for Your Week in Alameda

Five Things appears Mondays on Alameda Patch and offers a window into what's happening on the Island in the week ahead. Look also for Patch's Weekend Thingson Thursday. Send ideas for Five Things to janonpatch@gmail.com.

1. Time to get those taxes done … no excuses, after all, they gave you an extra few days to get them in, and today’s the final deadline. If you spent the weekend enjoying the sunshine and let the 1099 go until the last minute, there is still hope and help for you … check out Patch’s .
2. City Government Meetings Roundup: The Public Utility Board will hold its on finance and budget on Monday, 6 p.m., and holds its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. to discuss a rate increase. The meets Tuesday, look for a report from the fire department about disaster preparedness in Alameda. The gets together Wednesday with a wide array of golf course issues to discuss. Alameda’s meets Thursday, with the Webster Street Vision and Alameda Landing update on the agenda.
3. If you're heading out of Alameda's West End in a hurry Tuesday night, you'll need to head east (or south, really) and use a bridge. The Posey Tube (which heads out of Alameda) will be closed tomorrow night starting at 10 p.m. and until 4:30 a.m. On Wednesday night the Webster Tube will be closed, same hours.
4. Not on Facebook yet? It’s not too late to get connected to the most widely used social network. There’s being offered at the Alameda Main Library this Tuesday and next, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
5. There’s a new city-sponsored program that will notify you by phone in a community emergency, whether it’s an evacuation notice, a bioterrorism alert or some other urgent notification. It’s called the CodeRed Emergency Notification System. Click this link to provide your contact information online.

Plan ahead: The elderly are particularly vulnerable in an emergency situation. Each year sponsors an emergency preparation training; this year’s is scheduled for Thursday, April 28. The Alameda Red Cross, Alameda Fire Department, and local volunteers will provide practical information to prepare you for potential emergencies. Sign up in the Mastick Office or call 747-7506.