Sushi bar wrapped up in assaults

Police demand better security at Pacific Commons nightspot

A new sushi restaurant and nightclub kept police busy early Sunday morning — as it has on other weekend nights — and now officers plan to pay more attention to it.

"We're going to put that place on our extra-patrol list," Sgt. Chris Mazzone said of Kaenyama Sushi, Teppanyaki & Bar at 43785 Boscell Road in the Pacific Commons shopping center.

Police were called to the bar shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday to break up a fight in which one man was struck in the head with a beer bottle.

Then at 2 a.m., police were dispatched to the ampm gas station at Grimmer Boulevard and Auto Mall Parkway where two men, who had been at the restaurant, beat up a third man while he was pumping gas, Mazzone said.

The attackers shouted "gang-related terminology" at the victim and punched him in the face several times before two bystanders chased them away, Mazzone said.

The victim also had been at the restaurant that night and told police he had seen his two attackers there, Mazzone said.

While police were tending to the victim, who had suffered several cuts and a swollen eye, a 20-year-old male crashed his car into a center divider in full view of the officers, Mazzone said.

Police found the driver wearing a re-entry bracelet for the restaurant and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol, the sergeant said.

"Either he had a fake ID or (the restaurant) wasn't checking closely enough," Mazzone said.

Calvin Tsang, the restaurant's manager, said it employs 10 securityguards on weekend nights when it transforms itself into a bar and lounge.

"We have enough security," Tsang said Monday of the restaurant, which has posh furnishings and seems geared toward a high-end clientele.

Police last were called to the restaurant on Saturday, Dec. 22, when eight units were needed to break up a large fight, according to police reports.

Since November, police have had at least four other calls for service connected to the restaurant, Mazzone said: a misdemeanor warrant arrest, an auto burglary, a grand theft and a fight.

"Sometimes when (businesses) change format, it takes a little time for them to manage that," Mazzone said of the restaurant, which opened four months ago.

He said that police plan to talk to restaurant management about improving security, possibly by better screening patrons and reporting incidents.

"I can pretty much guarantee that this will be addressed," he said.

Board to consider multistory school

Oakland A's officials have discussed building a multistory "urban" school as part of its proposed ballpark village in Fremont. While school board members disagree about exactly how many levels the building should be, all are in agreement that a multistory elementary campus is OK in Fremont.

The community's first multistory elementary school could become reality if the Fremont school board on Wednesday approves a two-story classroom building at Warm Springs Elementary.

While a two-story classroom facility would save the district land at a time when it's confronting overcrowding at certain campuses, the seven-room project would cost the district more than $3 million.

Of the seven rooms, threewould replace existing portable classrooms, and three would be used to accommodate the additional 80 students projected to enroll at the school next fall. The last room would be available for possible future needs.

The project, while notable as the first multilevel structure on an elementary campus if approved, won't be the last such proposal for this bedroom community.

Oakland A's officials have discussed building a multistory "urban" school as part of its proposed ballpark village in Fremont. While school board members disagree about exactly how many levels the building should be, all are in agreement that a multistory elementary campus is OK in Fremont.

A two-story building already exists at Washington High School, and, while it's not run by the Fremont school district, the Mission Valley Regional Occupational Program building on the Kennedy High campus is noticeable to drivers entering the city off Interstate 880 and Stevenson Boulevard.

In the case of Warm Springs Elementary, the district could conceivably look at building only single-story classrooms — which would come with a smaller price tag — but the school would have to give up play area, said Therese Gain, the district's facilities director.

"As we get built out and run out of land, we'll be looking at (more multistories)," she said.