Alamo Today April 2016

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

April 2016 Alamo’s Beloved Richards Store Closing

Serving Alamo and Diablo

By Sharon Burke

An Alamo institution, Richards Arts and Crafts in Alamo Plaza, will close its doors for good on May 30. Owners Dick and Terri Delfosse say their business succumbed to competition from online sales, increased parking pressures in the Plaza, and finally the December 2015 sale of the Plaza to new owners, resulting in a large increase in property taxes and insurance passed on to tenants.

“We have loved being such a big part of our customers’ lives,” Dick noted during a recent interview. “Our employees are like a big family,” he said. Dick and Terri are sparing no effort to find new jobs for their employees, most of whom have been with their company for many years.

Residents of Alamo have returned the love to the Delfosses. Anguished messages began showing up on social media. “That is so sad… say it isn’t so…my favorite store” wrote my Facebook friends. Messages like “Very sad…not going to be the same…we are really bummed to see Richards leave” were posted on NextDoor.com.

Alamo residents themselves for over 20 years, Dick and Terri generously supported every school fundraiser and Alamo nonprofit. A bulletin board in their office is covered with thank you notes and expressions of gratitude for their support.

Dick and Terri Delfosse Terri explained that she and Dick felt their stores competed very well with big box and chain stores, but the internet was another issue. Their sales had declined in recent years, with internet buying mainly to blame. Terri spoke with sadness of the decline of small town businesses in America, and pointed out that dollars spent on the internet don’t stay in the local community as happens when shoppers support local businesses.

On December 31st, the sale of the Plaza from Invesco to Donahue Schriber Realty Group closed escrow. The purchase price was $110 million for the 195,100 square foot shopping center, which has a 7% vacancy rate according to a January 7th Bay Area Biztalk article published about the sale. The Plaza had previously been carried on county property tax rolls at an assessment of approximately $60 million, meaning a near doubling of property tax assessments. Per the terms of the Plaza’s commercial leases, these increased costs were passed on to tenants as of January 1.

The Delfosses said they had tried for over a year to work with the previous landlord and attorneys to keep the store open. But with the ongoing frustration of the parking problems adjacent to their store and with the sale of the property which significantly increased taxes and common area maintenance charges, the final blow was in place January 1 which led to their sad but necessary decision to close Richards.

There are so many memories Terri and Dick shared. Terri recalled how Esther Canseco, then married to baseball star Jose Canseco, called Richards from the ballpark and asked if they could stay open late for her as she needed supplies for a party. The store stayed open an hour beyond closing and sure enough, Mrs. Canseco showed up and bought several hundred dollars worth of party goods.

Local Postal Customer

County project manager Adele Ho recently presented landscape plans for the new Hemme Station Park to the Alamo Municipal Advisory Council. This beautiful new park for Alamo will be at the southwest corner of Danville Boulevard and Hemme Avenue and is designed for trail users, with a hydration station, restrooms, shade, picnic tables and a small tot lot. The park will open in 2017.

Art of Survival: Japanese Americans Coping in World War II Internment Camps

By Jody Morgan

Now through May 15th, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley (MuseSRV) presents Art of Survival, a poignant study of the plight of Japanese Americans incarcerated in remote confinement sites during World War II. Building on a traveling exhibit focused on Tule Lake, the Museum incorporates information about life in all ten internment camps. Intricate artifacts crafted in the camps, photographs, videos, and personal histories, as well as the recreation of a barrack living space enhance the exhibit. Learn how internees confronted deprivation with dignity. Several evening programs highlight different aspects of their experience. Dan Dunn and Jerry Warren stand behind a table April 14th - 7pm, Veterans typical of furniture internees made from scrap wood.

Memorial Building, Danville: Photo by Jody Morgan.

“Baseball and its Impact on America During World War II” - Baseball historians Marty Laurie and Kerry Yo Nakagawa discuss the role of baseball inside the camps.

April 21st - 7pm, Danville Town Meeting Hall: “Hidden Legacy” - Shirley Murat-Wong presents cultural arts practiced in the camps.

May 6th - 7pm, Danville Library: “Survive with Dignity” - Celebrating Volume XVI - Number 4 music, poetry, film, and life in the camps.

3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Fear and anger fueled by politicians Alamo, CA 94507 See Richards continued on page 21 hawking hidden enemy agendas and Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 journalists headlining hate set residents PRSRT STD of the West Coast on edge in the afterAlisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher U.S. Postage math of the December 7, 1941 Pearl Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com PAID Harbor attack. Japanese American Permit 263 Sharon Burke ~ Writer Alamo CA university professors, religious leaders, The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today community leaders, and even retired is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising ECRWSS

See MuseSRV cont. on page 14

herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

Page 2 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Boulevard View

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

I love making lists. However, some members of my family don’t love them as much as I do - that would mainly be the recipients of the “Honey Do” list or a “Kids To Do” list (even if they are all grown!). A magazine I read called Rodale’s Organic Life talked about lists and noted, “Lists bring order to chaos and, at their best, are vivid snapshots of our aspirations, desires, hungers, and hopes.” I agree!

I don’t look at most of my lists as “To Do” lists, but rather they are a gathering of my personal goals and things to accomplish - whether they be lists of home projects, work projects, restaurants to try, skills to learn, movies to watch, books to read, or places to visit. Lists provide direction. My lists gather in one place things that are important to me. I remember as a youngster one of my favorite books was The People’s Almanac Presents the Book of Lists by David Wallechinsky and Irving and Amy Wallace. I would spend hours pouring over the grouping of facts and figures and random trivia, and perhaps that was the beginning of my love of lists.

Recently my daughter found herself with six “free days” from her class studies. She got the bug to travel so she went online to kayak.com to see where she could travel for cheap. She came up with New York or Alaska. She then called me up and asked if I wanted to come along. The timing between paper deadlines couldn’t have been better, so I said, “Sure!” She knew I had been to New York within the last year so we chose to go to Alaska in the winter...why not?!

Seeing Denali was on my list of places to see so it filled a check box as well (although when I made the list I envisioned travel in the spring, not the middle of winter!).

Alaska in March, however, did not disappoint. We flew into Anchorage where it was in the balmy 20-30 degree range. While our initial vision was to take a train between Anchorage and Fairbanks, we found the train was sold out. We rented a car and were fortunate to have arrived and had been able to drive just ahead of a big storm (which dropped temperatures into the -10 degree range!).

I am a big fan of road trips and exploring wherever the road takes me. Our

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

drive led us to a Russian Orthodox Cemetery in the town of Eklutna which dated back to the year 1650. We traveled to the town of Nenana and saw the frozen Tanana River which hosts an annual fundraising contest/pool to guess the exact time the ice will break up and trip a clock on a tripod that has become encased in the river ice. Arriving in Fairbanks we stopped by a portion of the Alaskan Pipeline, went dog mushing by the light of the moon and the Northern Lights, and attended the World Ice Carving Championships.

We nearly found ourselves “homeless” in Fairbanks when our lodging fell through and every hotel room was sold out. That started a “Plan B” list which included sleeping in the airport, or buying sleeping bags and sleeping in our rental car in the Walmart parking lot. Fortunately, we had made a new friend 150 miles back on the road who noted, “If you ever need anything, give me a call!” and taking him up on the offer was our saving grace.

The trip wasn’t an overly planned event, and the spontaneity added to the adventure. With everyone’s lives getting busier by the day, it is often difficult to break away, take a breather, and do something different. A list can be a great motivational tool to clarify goals, see new sights, and encourage us to take time for the things we deem important.

A historical sign in the town of Talkeetna piqued our curiosity and we went in search of the convergence of three rivers. What we found was a rushing river with a stunning view of Denali.

BMW Concord presents The Community Foundation of Alamo’s 2nd Annual

Thursday May 19 5pm-8pm

$20 pre-sale or $25 the night of the event for more information and to purchase tickets

www.CommunityFoundationofAlamo.com

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 3

BRAD GOTHBERG’S PRIVATE LISTINGS

NOT ON MLS - READY TO SHOW - READY TO SELL Ne

Ne No w List t on ing ML S

wL

Pocket Listing 1451 Vine Ln. Alamo, CA Alamo - Designed for entertaining in mind. 4 Large bedrooms + large bonus room and office.

4 Full bathrooms & 2 half bathrooms. Master bedroom & 3 bedrooms down stairs. Approx.

5,500 Sq.Ft. and a gorgeous 1/2 acre flat lot with pool and outdoor kitchen w/ fireplace. Home was built in 2005 and is a gated community

Asking price $3,100,000 BradGothberg.com

istin

g

50 Camino Monte Sol Alamo, CA Alamo - Exquisite, Custom Spanish Estate! 5 BD/4.5 BA 5800+/- + office. w/Suite w/walk in closet, priv Balc & FP. Chefs Kitch, pool, raised spa, outdoor kitchen. Pvt. road on nearly 1 acre w/room for vineyard.

Asking price $4,250,000

Call 925.998.5151

For A Free Home Evaluation

CAL BRE# 00964026

Ne No w Listi t on ng MLS

71 Donna Maria Way Orinda, CA Orinda - Absolutely beautiful single level home, approx. 1975 sq.ft. with 4 bedrooms 2.5 baths plus office 4+ garage on a .66 acre lot.

The home has a remodeled kitchen. Newer hardwood Floors and newer Marvin windows through out most of property. Walking distance to Del Ray Elementary. Move in condition, will not last.

Asking price $1,250,000 BradGothberg.properties

“*The facts, comments and numerical information contained in this marketing material was obtained from third party sources by J. Rockcliff Realtors, Inc. The information has not been verified by J. Rockcliff Realtors and/or its agents. Interested purchasers are advised to thoroughly investigate all aspects of the information herein to determine if the property satisfies the requirements of the buyer for buyer’s intended use of the property. Seller and Brad Gothberg must agree on price and closing date.”

Peace through Art & Writing Challenge

The Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center has announced the topic and schedule for the 19th annual Peace through Art & Writing Challenge. This year’s topic will be “Cherish These Natural Wonders.”

President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.”

Today, as humans face global warming and climate change, these words are more pressing than ever before.

How can art help as humans raise their voices to stop climate change and the environmental destruction of the planet? Using your unique, artistic voice, create a visual and/or literary interpretation of cherishing and protecting the natural wonders and resources of our planet.

The contest is open to middle and high school students in Contra Costa County.

They may submit works in three categories: Essay, Creative Writing, and Art. Prizes include a grand prize for a middle and a high school student and placement prizes (1st - 3rd) in each category. Prize winners will also be recognized at an awards dinner on May 21st.

Detailed information on the contest requirements is available at www. creatingpeacefulschools.weebly.com, or you may contact the Center office at (925) 933-7850.

Treats for the Troops

Thank you to CVS in Alamo and Lunardi’s in Danville and all of the fabulous customers who make it easier for Delta Nu Psi to collect “gourmet junk food” to send to our servicemen and women in Afghanistan. Even in the pouring down rain last month you pulled through! The group will continue sending packages as long as American military members are in the War Zone. Much of the food sent is not normally available to the troops.

On April 8th Delta Nu Psi members will be at Lunardi’s in Danville. Collection will be held from 11am to 2pm.

Money for postage is also always appreciated. Please help Delta Nu Psi provide our men and women in the War Zone a touch of home.

For more information, visit www.deltanupsi.org.

Friends of the Danville Library Book Sale

The Friends of the Danville Library (FODL) will host a large book sale from April 29 - May 1. On April 29 a preview for FODL members will be held from 9AM - 10AM and be followed by a public sale from 10AM - 5PM. On April 30 public sale hours will be from 10AM - 4PM, and on May 1 public hours will be from 12:05PM - 3:45PM. Prices on Friday and Saturday will be $2 for all hardcover books, books on tape and DVDs, and all paperback books and CDs cost $1.

Last year the Friends raised $71,747 with $49,025 coming from book store sales, $18,879 coming from quarterly book sales, and $3,842 coming from online sales.

ADAS Presents a Watercolor Demonstration

Join the Alamo Danville Artist’s Society (ADAS) for an evening with award winning watercolor artist Mryna Wacknov. Myrna will be painting a portrait and demonstrating how she achieves interesting textures with Gesso and other mediums on watercolor paper.

The event will be held April 12th at 7:30PM at the Alamo Women’s Club located at 1401 Danville Blvd in Alamo.

Myrna’s passions for color and for portraiture and figurative work have been ongoing themes since childhood. She demonstrated an unusual ability and interest in art at the early age of five years old. As a teenager she began studying with world-renowned portrait artist Frank Szaz. Myrna finished her degree in Painting and Drawing at San Francisco State University. In 1982 she started her own company, Myrna Wacknov, Designs, Inc. and has worked in many art mediums. She is a Signature Member in the National Watercolor Society and in the California Watercolor Society. Her work has been featured in Watercolor Magic Magazine, Artist Magazine, and numerous exhibits, including the California Watercolor Competition at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara.

Myrna continues to explore watercolor’s limitless range of possibilities with a special emphasis on color, dramatic impact, and textures. Her figurative work seeks out the universal communication of humanity through expression and gesture. Her work is on exhibit in Concord at the Gallery Concord. To learn more visit www.myrnawacknov.com.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 4 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Danville Community Band Shows

The Danville Community Band wraps up their 15th season with two final performances, “Museums Around the World” and “A Salute to John Williams.”

The “Museums Around the World” show will take place Sunday, April 10th at 2pm at the Blackhawk Automotive Museum, located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville. Come browse the musical galleries of the Band’s tour of museums around the world. Featured are movements from Holst’s The Planets and Roger Cichy’s Bugs. You’ll also be treated by Dello Joio’s Scenes from ‘The Louvre,’ highlights from Jurassic Park, and more! The concert is FREE with admission into the Museum (free for museum members).

For admission information call the museum at 925-736-2277 or visit www. blackhawkmuseum.org.

“A Salute to John Williams” will be held Sunday, June 12th at 3pm at Community Presbyterian Church located at 222 W. El Pintado Rd, Danville. The Band presents its season finale performance in recognition of master composer, John Williams, winner of numerous awards, including five Academy Awards. They will present some of Williams’ most iconic works, including music from the films Star Wars, Superman, and Warhorse, as well as marches and other first-rate works.

The band will also award its annual Student Instrument Scholarship to deserving students. This successful program of giving back to the community is now into its second decade. Come join this blockbuster finale event. The concert is FREE! The 85-member, all volunteer band continues to flourish under the baton of Robert Calonico (Director of Bands at UC Berkeley) since his appointment to the podium in 2009 by founding director, Dr. Lawrence Anderson, and with the generous financial support of our grateful audiences. In addition to its regular concert schedule, the band will be performing at the Memorial Day observance at Oakhill Park for the Viet Nam veterans of the San Ramon Valley, and the Kiwanis Independence Day parade on the 4th of July.

For more about the Danville Community Band or future performances, please visit their website at www.Danvilleband.org.

Role Players Ensemble Presents The Great Gatsby

The Role Players Ensemble will be presenting The Great Gatsby from April 15 - May 1 at The Village Theatre, located at 233 Front Street in Danville. Friday and Saturday shows will begin at 8PM, and Sunday shows will begin at 2PM. Nick Carraway is drawn into a dangerous world of obsession and greed in this classic tale set amidst the glamor and excess of the Roaring 20’s. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless commentary on the American Dream reminds us all of the danger in reaching so far that we lose sight of where we came from and who we are.

Flapper Fashion Show

Come see the Role Players Ensemble production of The Great Gatsby on Friday, April 22 or Saturday, April 23 and dress up to “strut your stuff” on stage. Best Dressed Flapper prizes will be awarded and everyone will enjoy a “roaring” good time. Visit Cottage Jewel at 100 Prospect Ave. in downtown Danville where proprietor Marcia Harmon will host a pre-theater Art Deco fashion display and accessory trunk show on Wednesday, April 20 from Noon - 6pm. Choose colorful Gatsby era jewels, fringed accents and hair bling. Bring your own dress to accessorize, or try on an original Deco gown....Marcia will help you look your Flapper best!

Tickets for the play costing $20-28 are available online at www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com; at the Danville Community Center, 420 Front St, Danville; or by calling (925) 314-3400.

For additional information, visit www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 5

New! Danville Masterpiece!

1333 Lawrence Road, Danville Beauty Lovely Danville single-level masterpiece with tall ceilings, fine hardwoods, lots of windows and top amenities! Offering a wonderful open and spacious floor plan with 4 big bedrooms and 3 baths, a huge Master Suite w/gorgeous marble bath, and gourmet kitchen.

Spread out on 1.25 level acres, its own well, garages for up to 6 cars, room for a horse—the very best in outdoor living! OPEN Sunday, April 10th from 1—4! $1,799,000 *See Virtual Tour: www.tourfactory.com/idxr1505753

*Listen to KCBS Spot: http://www.alamoluxuryhomes.com/michael-live/

New on Market, Call Now! Michael Hatfield RE/MAX Accord Team ~ Michael@alamoluxuryhomes.com *As heard on KGO Radio 810am on Pat Vitucci’s “Your Financial Life Call 925.322.7775 now!

Page 6 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Registration is open for the free “Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour,” which will take place Sunday, May 1st, from 10AM to 5PM at various locations throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Participants on the twelfth annual self-guided tour can choose from 30 showcase native plant gardens.

This delightful collection of gardens ranges from Al and Barbara Kyte’s 40-year-old wildlife oasis to brand new installations, from five acre lots in the hills to small front-yard gardens in the flats, from local native plants to natives from throughout California, and from gardens designed and installed by owners to those designed and installed by professionals.

Workshops on how to remove your lawn, select the plants that will replace it, design a native plant garden for color and interest throughoutht the year, install drip irrigation, and garden sustainably will be offered throughout the spring.

For more information and to register for the tour visit www.bringingbackthenatives.net.

O’Neill: The Rhythms of His Soul: A Musical Revue at Tao House By Jody Morgan

Based on The Eugene O’Neill Songbook compiled by Travis Bogard, O’Neill: The Rhythms of His Soul is a lively musical revue presenting a fresh perspective on themes that resonate throughout the playwright’s scripts. Performances on April 30 (8pm), May 1 (2pm), May 14 (8pm) and May 15 (2pm) in the Old Barn at Tao House put audiences in close contact with performers as the rough-hewn rafters rock to the sounds of the music referenced in the 51 published plays of four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and Nobel laureate O’Neill. On May 14th, Afterglow, a fundraiser featuring pre-performance al fresco dining at Tao House, invites patrons to support the many projects of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation (EOF), which in partnership with the National Park Service preserves the playwright’s artistic legacy as well as his Danville home.

Bogard, a UC Berkeley Professor of Dramatic Arts and world-renowned O’Neill scholar, was inNEW YEAR strumental in saving Tao House from demolition and served as the first EOF Artistic Director. Daniel Cawthon was present at the party held to celebrate the 1993 release of the O’Neill Songbook. He recalls NEW FLOORS! the gathering of over 100 people and especially guest of honor, Travis Bogard. “With the help of a couple of his friends, he sang his way through the Songbook. Now and then he would pause to make a wry com- • CARPET ment on one of the songs or use the occasion for a teaching opportunity. It was a brilliant performance.”

Cawthon, Saint Mary’s Professor Emeritus, discovered EOF through Travis when he came • HARDWOOD from Canada to teach at the Moraga College in 1980. With Bogard’s support and guidance, • RUGS Dan became a “second-generation” EOF Board member and developed Playwright’s Theatre, Come in Today!

• LINOLEUM attracting the Bay Area’s best directors actors to put on staged readings at Tao House.

Inspired by Bogard’s enthusiastic performance of material from the Songbook, Cawthon reorEugene and Carlotta O'Neill relax in the ganized the music to underscore recurrent concepts in O’Neill plays. “Whereas Travis assembled Family Owned Business courtyard at Tao House. Photo courtesy of EOF. the songs alphabetically (by play), starting with Abortion (which features “For He’s a Jolly Good Since 1989 Fellow!”) and ending with A Touch of the Poet, my revue presents them in eight parts, emphasizing the various themes that are sounded throughout the canon of his work: the American Dream, the Sea, the Barroom, Romance, Ireland, the South, the Misbegotten, and Behind 3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd.

Lafayette, CA Life.” The last refers to “the mysterious action, which underlies the entrances and exits of our lives.”

925.284.4440 The rollicking revue incorporates over 70 songs, most written prior to 1914 when O’Neill penned his first play, Wife for a Life. Rewritten by author Daniel Cawthon since its 2003 debut at Danville’s Village Theatre, the 2016 presentation of Rhythms features O’Neill www.LamorindaFloors.com as a ghost-like narrative character appearing to reminisce about his life and work.

License# 708486 Afterglow tickets include admission to the evening performance of Rhythms, dinner on the Tao House grounds and a silent auction featuring a gourmet dinner for eight at Tao House, a weekend getaway, and two tickets with picnic supLOW PRICE GUARANTEE per for Cal Shakes. EOF not only produces O’Neill plays, but it also funds the Travis Bogard Artist In Residence Program, Student Days, Artist Access, and the O’Neill Studio Retreat.

Alamo In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first production of an O’Neill play, EOF is planning Shades & Shutters a “Season of Firsts.” Bound East for Cardiff, which opened on July 28, 1916 in Provincetown, Massachusetts marked the birth of a new American theatre. Co-founder of the Provincetown Players, Susan 925-457-1385 Glaspell is often credited with discovering O’Neill. Concerning the play’s reception by the opening night The Right Look for a Lot Less audience, she remarked, “It is not merely figurative language to say the old wharf shook with applause.”

EOF presents Bound East for Cardiff at Tao House on July 30-31.

•Free Measuring & Installation• th ed!

This year also marks the 100 anniversary of the National Park Service, founded on August 25, 1916. toriz o M The Park Service maintains Tao House and provides transportation to all events there by free van service, picking up and discharging passengers in front of the Museum of the San Ramon Valley at 205 Railroad Avenue, Danville.

SRVRWF Presents Jack Cashill Find information on purchasing tickets for Afterglow and Eugene O’Neill: The On Tuesday, April 26th the San Ramon Valley RepubRhythms of His Soul on the EOF website: www.eugeneoneill.org. lican Women Federated (SRVRWF) presents Jack Cashill with his latest book, Scarlet Letters: The Ever-Increasing Elks Car Show and Charity Event th Intolerance of the Cult of Liberalism. Jack is an indepenOn May 7 a fun event for the entire family will be held. Stop by the Walnut Creek Elks Second Annual Car Show and Charity Event. Admission is free! The dent writer, producer, and the Executive Editor of Ingram’s event kicks off in high gear running from 10AM until 3PM with classic and vintage cars, Magazine. In addition to his work with Ingram’s, Jack has new and old domestic cars, imports, exotics, hot rods, and racing vehicles all being written for Fortune, the Wall Street Journal, the Washingdisplayed by their owners. The event offers a unique opportunity to see these vehicles ton Post, the Weekly Standard, AmericanThinker.com and up close and the opportunity to chat with the folks who own, restore, and maintain WorldNetDaily. them. There will be food, beverages, and activities for the entire family throughout Within the last decade Jack has written seven books of the day as well as a dragster, a fire truck, and military vehicles on display. Prizes will be raffled and a silent auction will be held. All proceeds go to the Lodge's charities. non-fiction: First Strike, Ron Brown’s Body, Hoodwinked, Don’t miss this great event to be held at 1475 Creekside Dr in Walnut Creek. Sucker Punch, What’s the Matter with California, and Deconstructing Obama.

Jack’s latest book, Scarlett Letters, addresses the hard truths of life in an Walnut Creek Garden Club increasingly “progressive” America where the irrational prejudices of a group The Walnut Creek Garden Club’s April 11 business meeting and social time can crush the soul of the individual. will be held from 9:30-10:45AM at The Gardens at Heather Farm located at 1540 The evening begins with a social time at 5:30PM followed by the dinner Marchbanks Road. At 10:45, the Club will drive to Our Garden on Ygnacio Valley PM Road to meet Master Gardener Janet Miller. She will be giving a tour of Our Garden, meeting and speaker at 6 at the Crow Canyon Country Club located at 711 spreading the word about what Master Gardeners and Our Garden do for the com- Silver Lake Drive in Danville. The cost is $40 per person.

Please RSVP by Friday, April 22nd to srvrwf.lunch@gmail.com or call munity, sharing “advice to grow by,” and answering edible gardening questions.

925-820-0774. Learn more at www.srvrwf.org.

E-mail any questions to mslittle44@gmail.com.

GRAND RE-OPENING SPECIALS!

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley

Are you looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley Branch 128. The group has monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. Next month will feature a member of the San Ramon Police Department discussing “Scams and how to avoid them.”

Additionally, members have lots of fun participating in a variety of activities such as golf, tennis, bowling, bocce ball, bridge, computers, and much more. Many other activities such as travel, dine outs, excursions, baseball games, and holiday parties include spouses, friends, and guests.

The next monthly luncheon will be held on Wednesday, May 18th at 11AM (NOTE: due to a Special Ladies Day function, no luncheon is scheduled for April). A fee of $23 includes luncheon, guest speaker, and a great opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the San Ramon Valley. To reserve a space, please email by Thursday, May 12th to www.info@SIR128.com. Meetings are held at the San Ramon Golf Club, 9430 Fircrest Lane in San Ramon.

For more information about this Retirement branch and activities, please visit www.SIR128.com.

Bay Area Authors Mini Gala

Two Bay Area authors whose new novels are delighting readers will read from and discuss their work on Thursday, April 21 at 7PM. Meg Waite Clayton and Jan Ellison join Lynn Carey, former Contra Costa Times Book Club moderator, at Del Valle Theatre to share their motivation to write their well-received novels.

Clayton’s The Race for Paris deals with women journalists reporting the liberation of Paris during World War II while Ellison’s A Small Indiscretion, chosen as the San Francisco Chronicle book of the year, tells of a woman’s past that threatens all she cherishes.

Sponsored by Acalanes Adult Education, the Del Valle Theatre is located at 1963 Tice Valley Blvd, Walnut Creek. Tickets are $15. To purchase tickets, call (925) 280-3980 x.4133 or visit www.acalanes.k12.ca.us/adultedonlineregistration.

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 7

Community, Philanthropy and Celebration

Alamo Women’s Club is 100 years young…

We’re passionate about making our community a better place for everyone to live, learn and thrive.

Please come celebrate with us at our 100th Anniversary Lunch on April 27 at 11:30 to be held at our Club house. We will have a fashion show featuring fashions through the decades.

We would love to share the day with you.

For reservations email reservation@alamowomensclub.org.

Scholarship and Philanthropy Awards

May 25 at 11:30 is a very special day and time for the AWC as we honor our philanthropies and scholars, awarding monies we have raised during the year. It is truly what we are all about, Community, Philanthropy, and Celebration. If you would like to join us please contact us at reservation@alamowomensclub.org. The cost is $20/Members, $25/Non-members.

Alamo Women’s Club gives heartfelt thanks to Kiper Homes

One of the new AWC members, Valerie Pagnini, took a tour of Youth Homes (one of the six charities AWC supports), a non-profit agency for abused and traumatized foster kids. Although Valerie was very impressed with the services offered to the kids, she felt that the furniture in the four group homes could be vastly improved. Valerie contacted Kiper Homes, a local builder, and asked if they would consider donating model home furniture from the homes they sell in Discovery Bay. Kiper Homes loved the idea and recently allowed Valerie and Peggy Fleming, the liaison for Youth Homes, to select furniture they thought the homes could use and then delivered it for free.

Thousands of dollars’ worth of new furniture can now be seen in the group homes. What a huge improvement to the homes. The kids and staff are elated. Thank you so much, Kiper Homes!

For membership questions call 925-575-7706. For Club rentals call 925-322-0736.

The Club is located at 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo www.alamowomensclub.org

Page 8 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Stone Valley Middle School

By Jon Campopiano, principal

We are thrilled to announce that the Stone Valley Middle School Odyssey of the Mind Team came in first place in their division at the regional tournament and will be competing in the state tournament in Riverside on April 2nd! The team members consist of Amy Bone, Matthew Blake, Owen Callison, Brennan Finder, Elizabeth Janetta, William Kimber, and Chloe Parris.

We are very proud of the hard work that our team has put in and look forward to celebrating their journey.

Our band, led by the amazing Ben Loomer, performed at the area festivals at Monte Vista and San Ramon High School, joining other district schools in two nights of fantastic music. Additionally, many of our staff have been honored for their service and commitment to the students of Stone Valley. In the Excellence in Education Awards, we have five incredible nominees: Sandy Kontilis, Teresa Butler Doran, Courtney Konopacky, Debbie Winograd, and Wendy Paulson.

Monica Kamran was nominated as classified employee of the year, and Eric Rasch 8

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD

If you find her and your name is drawn!

Alamo Zoe is Missing

Alamo Zoe has become lost in this paper...

Search through Alamo Today and see if you can find her!

She is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find her.

To be eligible send a letter telling us where you found her, along with your name and address, to: Lost Dog! ~ Alamo Today 3000F Danville Blvd #117 • Alamo, CA 94507

Kyle Stangrover is our winner!

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

was nominated as the Shining Star for teaching and collaboration. Congratulations to the award winners and nominees, and thank you for all you do for our school.

Since 1951, thousands of students have passed through SV’s hallways. This month we say goodbye to our old school.

Our new facility will ensure that all students can learn to their highest levels.

The 21st Century learning environment will allow students to create, collaborate, and integrate technology as we incorporate Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. We thank the students, staff, parents, and community for their support during the design and building of the project and for the positive and lasting impact it will have on the future of our community and the thousands of students who will walk the campus with renewed pride.

Follow us on Twitter @stonevalleyms and at our website http://stonevalley.schoolloop.com.

Upcoming Community Meetings and Events

AIA - Alamo Improvement Association - Please visit www.alamoca.org for upcoming meetings - Creekside Community Church -1350 Danville Blvd.

Alamo MAC (Municipal Advisory Committee) - First Tuesday of each month 6pm - Alamo Women’s Club P2B - Police Services Advisory Committee - First Monday of each month, 5pm - Meets at Sheriff Substation, 150 Alamo Plaza P5 - Round Hill Police Services Advisory Committee - Second Wednesday of each month, 7pm - Meets at Round Hill Country Club - Lower Level Meeting Room CERT classes - Community Emergency Response Team - Visit www. firedepartment.org/community_outreach/cert/upcoming_classes.asp

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Alamo Elementary School

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 9

By Stan Hitomi, Principal

My letter this month will be dedicated to a very important developing story at Alamo School. Teacher Sue Hafen Benit has announced that she will retire at the end of this year. After 47 years in the classroom, our beloved 4th grade teacher will be sending students off to summer for the last time in June, bringing to a close one of the most storied careers in the history of Alamo School.

Sue began her teaching career in 1968 at La Loma Jr. High in Modesto. After three years in Modesto, she moved to the San Ramon Valley and Stone Valley School. Back then Stone Valley was a 2nd – 8th grade school, and Sue’s assignments included 2nd grade and 7th/8th grade PE. After 13 years at Stone Valley, Sue made a fateful decision to move to Alamo School, and the legend began!

During her 31 years at Alamo School, Sue has come to embody all that is cherished about our “little school on the hill.”

Students who are in Mrs. Benit’s class come to know her as well as her family, and vice-versa. She makes it a point to know about a student’s life beyond school and always takes time to support students and their families who may be experiencing difficulty.

Sue’s car in the parking lot continues to be a familiar sight long after the dismissal bell and frequently on weekends.

I would often joke, “You’d think after all of these years it wouldn’t take you so long to prep for classes.” I think it is safe to say that Sue chose work that she loved. Perhaps where we will miss Sue the most will be in our staff room, where she is always willing to lend a sympathetic ear or a helping hand.

During her 47-year career, Sue has taught over 2,000 students. At Alamo School her students have included the children of many staff members (including this principal) and several generations of Mustangs. Roger Long, whose son Hayden is currently in Mrs. Benit’s class, is a former student. Two other former students have had their children in her class at Alamo School.

Notable alumni of her classes include Bob Myers (General Manager of the Golden State Warriors) and Justin Alumbaugh (Head Coach of the De La Salle Varsity Football Team).

In recognition of Sue’s remarkable teaching career we are inviting all of her former students and their families to a celebration on April 19th from 3:30 – 4:30PM in the amphitheater at Alamo School. We are hoping that many of her former students who are still at Stone Valley Middle School, Monte Vista, and San Ramon High Schools will be able to attend and sign a commemorative book. Please bring any photos or other memorabilia that can fit into the book. Spread the word; it would mean so much to Sue to have all of the children and parents who have been a part of her life there!

IMPORTANT DATES April 4-8 Spring Break April 14 Talent Show April 16 Auction Gala April 19 Sue Hafen Benit Retirement Celebration April 21 2nd Grade Play

Rancho Romero Elementary School

By Skye Larsh-Faraghan, Principal

Everyone who knows how to read has it in their power to magnify themselves, to multiply the ways in which they exist, to make their life full, significant, and interesting. ~ Author, Aldous Huxley Elementary schools across the San Ramon Valley Unified School District have adopted and are fully implementing the work of Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Project - Columbia University, New York, with tremendous fidelity and focus. The mission of the Reading and Writing Project is to help all students become avid and skilled readers, writers, and inquirers. There are many interesting and compelling discussion topics within the scope of the work, but with limited space, the focus of this month’s article is to share how Rancho is ensuring that teachers have adequate materials to support high quality instruction in reading and further to promote student access to a variety of literature.

Over the last couple of years, school-wide emphasis has been placed on building rich, state-of-the-art classroom libraries with multiple copies of interesting children’s books. When interesting and varied books, ranging in difficulty, are directly available to students, it sparks students’ interests and matches their passions. It is much easier to teach students to read -- to teach them what they need to become powerful, knowledgeable and literate people (Lucy Calkins) -- when great books are in their line of sight.

Building classroom libraries is a work in progress. According to several sources the optimal number of books in a single classroom library should be 300-600, depending on grade level and number of copies of each title. The number of books teachers should expect students to read during the school year in 1st grade (picture books) is 100-125, and in 2nd grade and up (chapter books) students should read 50-75 books. This amounts to approximately 22 different books for every student in the class.

The good news is that through the dynamic teamwork of Rancho Romero’s teaching staff, School Site Council and Education Fund, a structured, systematic approach, aligned with necessary funding, is propelling us toward the goal of supplying hundreds of high quality books in the classroom. During our most recent school wide auction, over $20,000 dollars was raised through a fund-a-need called Literacy In The Classrooms.

Additionally, School Site Council has approved a budget the last two years providing each grade level team with funds for classroom library materials.

As we head into April teacher teams, supported by our Teacher’s On Special Assignment, will work closely to inventory current books, review learning modules and units of study, and compile new lists of essential books. When school resumes in August students in every classroom will have access to upward of 125-200 new books.

We know children learn to read by reading. When students have immediate access to books through extensive classroom libraries, the sky is the limit.

Important Dates: April 4-8 Spring Break April 21- May 20 California Assessment of Progress and Performance Testing April 27 Welcome To Kindergarten Day

Page 10 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Monte Vista High School

By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal

Over the course of the school year, the month of March represents a stretch of time where we need to keep things moving in the present, but must also begin to think about the next school year. Monte Vista’s seniors are beginning to see their futures in better focus as college acceptance letters are received and graduation activities become finalized, underclassmen are planning their schedules for next year, and our incoming freshman class is preparing to make the transition into high school.

As educators, we are also deeply involved in planning our budgets as well as our master schedule and activities schedule for the 2016-17 school year. It is easy to lose focus this time of the year by getting too caught up with next year as opposed to remaining present to all of the wonderful things that are happening at Monte Vista.

On Monday, March 14th and Tuesday, March 15th, Monte Vista got its first look at the incoming class of 2020. Roughly 600 students and their families had the opportunity to visit campus; meet with representatives from a variety of academic, art, and athletic programs; see performances from our music, choir, and cheerleading programs’; hear about class registration and graduation requirements; and interact with a student panel regarding student life on campus. The event was well attended, and I have received scores of positive comments about our school and our programs. Hats off to Monte Vista’s Counseling Department for putting things together and to our Leadership, Choir, Music, and Cheerleading programs for their amazing performances.

As mentioned last month, Monte Vista began March with the every 15 Minutes program, which educates our students and community about the dangers of alcohol and driving. On March 7th, the spring rains provided us with a brief pause for our outdoor assembly that featured a mock fatal accident involving teenagers driving under the influence of alcohol. The student funeral, which was held the following day, provided closure to a difficult and emotional two days on our campus. Monte Vista parents and educators, local law enforcement, and community members met on March 16th to debrief the experience and to discuss next steps. One of the ongoing themes we discussed is that the message from the Every 15 Minutes program needs to go beyond the two year sequence that we are currently following. The

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

group emphasized the need to continue to reinforce not only the danger of drinking and driving but the dangers of teen drinking in general.

On Saturday, March 12th, Monte Vista celebrated its annual Junior Prom at the Scottish Rite Temple in Oakland. Despite some heavy downpours, the event was well attended, and our students had a great time. On behalf of Monte Vista High School, I would like to thank the many parent and faculty volunteers, our leadership class, and our activities director, Andrea Greco, for all of their work in making this amazing and classy event.

Monte Vista’s arts programs were very busy over the past month. Monte Vista’s Choir was featured on the NPR program “From the Top.” The program originally aired on March 21st and will be broadcast locally throughout the rest of the month. Our choir also recently performed two pops concerts to packed houses in the Monte Vista Theater. Monte Vista’s Jazz Ensemble also enjoyed their share of success in March, winning first place honors at both the Folsom and Woodcreek Music Festivals.

In athletics, Monte Vista’s Men’s Soccer team scored a late goal to defeat our rival San Ramon Valley for the North Coast Section Championship. This was our first NCS Championship in Men’s Soccer since 2007 and our fifth NCS Championship for the 2015-16 school year. Our Men’s Basketball team fought deep into the NorCal Playoffs, reaching the semi-finals before coming up short against the eventual NorCal Champion, Berkeley High School. Last, we received word early last week that our undefeated Men’s Lacrosse team is ranked #1 in the nation.

Congratulations to all of these athletes and their coaches for these accolades.

As always, I encourage you to come out to these events and support Monte Vista’s students as they continue to do amazing things in our community. Please note, however, that our students and faculty are all looking forward to a welldeserved Spring Break from April 2nd through the 10th. With all of these happenings, we all deserve a little time off once in a while.

Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club

Are you new to the area or a long time resident, newly retired or empty-nester interested in making new friends and participating in various social activities?

The Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club is a women’s organization whose purpose is to enrich the lives of all its members and their families in a social manner.

Check out all the club has to offer by visiting www.alamodanvillenewcomers.com. The next new member coffee will be held on April 26th from 10AM to noon. RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com.

Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity since 1973

Since 1973

3191-JS Crow Canyon Pl San Ramon Carpets, Hardwood, Laminate & Stone (925) 866-2200 www.MacFloor.com • info@macfloor.com

In Loehmann’s Shopping Center (next to Lucky’s)

2395 Monument Blvd., Suite J Concord (925) 680-4433 (Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House)

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Panama Canal Cruise - Azamara

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 11

By Mike Mullery, Alamo World Travel & Tours

My wife, Ilene, and I love to travel and have been on many ocean and river cruises, but we had never been to the Panama Canal. This spring we enjoyed our first Azamara cruise from Costa Rica to Miami via the Panama Canal. Azamara is a premium cruise line that is priced between the moderate cruise lines like Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity, and the luxury lines like Crystal, Regent, Seabourn, and Silversea.

Azamara has two 686-passenger ships, each a perfect size for those not wanting the mega ship experience of 2,000-6,000 passengers. Azamara’s more intimate ships dock in smaller ports that the mega ships cannot visit, so we missed the crowds that overwhelm other larger ports. We also loved all the extra inclusions of an Azamara cruise like beer, wine, and cocktails at lunch and dinner and prepaid gratuities. It’s all included with Azamara. Azamara also often features longer stays in port and overnighting in many destinations which gives guests more time to enjoy the activities and nightlife of a port.

We flew into Costa Rica, a hot vacation destination, and boarded our ship, the Azamara Journey. We were greeted in the lobby with cool towels and a refreshing flute of champagne. Within a short time we had explored our elegant home for the next ten days and settled into our luxurious accommodations. The highlight of the trip, of course, was the Panama Canal. Everyone should visit the Panama Canal. It is approximately 50 miles long and a true marvel of engineering, especially for a project completed in 1914. To fully appreciate the canal, it is important to look at the history of its building. The US effort cost 5,000+ lives, and the earlier French effort lost 20,000+, mainly to disease. Today, cargo ships can wait several hours to enter the canal (14,000 vessels per year use the canal) but fortunately for us, cruise ships are given In a lock, waiting for the water to rise and allow us into the next lock up ahead. priority.

An expert on the Canal was on board with us as we made passage, sharing facts and stories about the entire building process. The canal cuts 8,000 miles off a passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific – the distance around South America.

A third lane is currently under construction to accommodate much larger ships that will carry almost twice the tonnage of current ships and is scheduled to open June 26 of this year.

In most ports we enjoyed shore excursions. One of our favorite ports of call was Cartagena, home of Spanish colonial architecture and a walled “old city,” a UNESCO World Heritage site. The old city is nearly surrounded by water: the Caribbean Sea to the west and north, Cartagena Bay to the south, and lagoons to the east. The city’s walls and the numerous fortresses protected against pirates and armies in the 16th through 18th centuries. Like most UNESCO World Heritage sites, photo opportunities were around every corner. In Jamaica on another shore excursion we had what Azamara calls an AzAmazing Evening, which provided guests with a more in-depth immersion in local culture. This included an evening outside the city of Falmouth with a torch-lit dinner and private concert just for the passengers on our ship.

For more information on Azamara, or other travel -- ocean cruising, river cruising, expedition cruising, tours, resorts, and customized travel, please call us at 925-837-8743, or better yet come to our office located at 3201 Danville Blvd, Suite 255, in Alamo Commons between Ace Hardware and Peasant’s Courtyard Restaurant for help with your travel plans. Or, get travel ideas and information from thousands of searchable travel options on our website www.alamoworld. com. Alamo World Travel and Tours has been providing expert travel service for 35 years. We know the suppliers and the destinations. One or more of our consultants have been to every continent, most countries, and traveled with nearly every cruise company and many tour companies. Why trust your travel to an internet “agent” with little training and no travel experience? Advertorial

Welcomes Sara Moulton Saturday, April 30th

Book Signing 3:30PM - 4:30PM ~ Class 5PM-7PM

Sara Moulton, the trusted host of public television’s Sara’s Weeknight Meals and the author of the popular KitchenWise column for the Associated Press, is back with an ambitious new cookbook entitled Sara Moulton’s Cooking 101: How to Make Everything Taste Better! Join us for a book signing and class - $60/person.

Space is limited. Call today to save your spot!

3211 Danville Blvd., Alamo | 925-837-2420 www.AlamoHardware.com

San Ramon Valley High School

By Ruth Steele, Principal

This has been a busy, busy year at SRVHS! Now that we are in April, we are splitting our time between ending this school year and planning for next year.

Given some of the major changes coming up including construction that will begin this summer and the adjusted district calendar, there is a lot to juggle! The portable classrooms will begin arriving in May and the demolition of much of the campus will start in June. Between now and then we have dozens of teachers who need to move classrooms, and there is a lot of work to do in order to get us ready for the start of school on August 15th.

In addition to these two items, we have also been redesigning the daily bell schedule in response to the needs of both our staff and our students. The goals were twofold: to better support all students in their learning and to reduce stress for both staff and students. High school needs to be a balance of work, learning, activities, and some actual down-time for students. Last April we completed the Stanford “Challenge Success” Survey and the data clearly showed that many of our students are struggling to balance everything that is expected of them. (If you are interested, all of the survey data is posted in the middle of our website, www.srvhs.net, under the “SRVHS projects” link).

Our goal is to change the structure across our days/weeks so that the pace of the school day is slowed down and there are opportunities for students to get help from teachers or find time during the day for homework and make-up assignments, rather than outside it. We will also be working on how the district homework policy can reduce the amount of work that students are being asked to do at home and helping to educate parents about things that they can do to take some pressure off of their students.

One way of doing this is by adding “Advisory or Access Time” into the school day. Students have some choice regarding how they spend the time if they are doing well, but if they are not, then teachers can also make sure that struggling students attend extra support sessions to get the help they need. There are also different ways of structuring the school day to make sure that these changes impact the regular class time as little as possible.

At SRVHS, both staff and students have been asking for these shifts, and it’s exciting to be in the final stages of making some changes that should really help everyone.

In May, my article will focus on what features the new bell schedule contains and how we believe it will make a difference.

Page 12 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Swedenborgian Church

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

By Linda Summers-Pirkle

Our flight from Paris to Stockholm-Skavsta Airport arrived at 11:30PM. My eldest daughter, my son, and I caught the Flygbussarna bus for the hour and half journey to central Stockholm. It was a magical experience for me to be in Sweden on a cold winter night in the middle of a snowstorm. With gusty winds, snowflakes coming down, and the sound of some sort of gulls squawking above, we walked the city block to our lovely hotel. It was one of those perfect travel moments!

On the flight back to the States, I recalled one of my favorite local group trips: “Sacred Places.” Visiting local churches and temples, a standout was the gem Swedenborgian Church in Pacific Heights, San Francisco. As Kevin Starr, former City Librarian of San Francisco and Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, wrote, “San Francisco is a city of architecturally distinguished churches, and one of the most distinguished-the Swedenborgian Church-is one of the most inconspicuous.

Hundreds drive by it every day without noticing it; and yet once you enter this lovely church, you know at once that you are inside an architectural jewel.”

Swedenborgian is not the official church of Sweden, rather the Protestant Christian denomination is based on the writings and teachings of the scientist and mystic Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) who was originally from Sweden. He had Swedish Lutheran roots, but the liturgical tradition comes from the Anglican Church in England. Some notables who were followers of Swedenborgian include Johnny Appleseed, Victor Hugo, William Blake, Robert Frost, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Carl Jung, Helen Keller, and many more.

The tiny “garden church,” located on the corner of Lyon and Washington Streets, is over 100 years old and has historical significance with ties to the naturalist John Muir, painter William Keith, architect A. Page Brown, draftsman Bernard Maybeck, and the Reverend Joseph Worchester. The Mediterranean and Mission-Revival influence can be seen in the simple elegant rounded brick arches, tile roofing, Clinker bricks, and Christian Cross inspired iron work.

John Gwynn, docent at the Swedenborgian Church, gave me a wonderful tour of the private garden, meeting room where the weekly coffee is held, and the lovely church. He pointed out the shell font where Robert Frost was baptized, the beautiful murals by the artist William Keith, the historical chairs made by the Scotsman A.J. Forbes, and the eight Madrone tree trunks from the Santa Cruz mountains that are used as pillars in the church. Two stunning stained glass windows, the Dove and St. Christopher made by the renowned stained glass designer and maker Bruce Porter, are the jewels of the church. The Swedenborgian Church is a National Historic Landmark, the only religious institution in San Francisco with this designation and the only one listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

I was not able to attend a service, but I can only imagine how warm and inviting it is when a fire is roaring in the massive fireplace and the many candles are lit. Even the stone floors are warmed by water pipes underground. This church is a cozy refuge and place of beauty.

Swedenborgian Church is located at 2107 Lyon Street. Their phone number is 415-346-6466, and their website is sfswedenborgian.org. Sunday worship is at 11am. Call for tour times and prices. It is a very popular venue for weddings and receptions.

Just a few blocks from Swedenborgian Church is “b. on the Go” restaurant.

The most popular menu item is the Chicken Grec which is very tasty but my favorite is the Banh mi sandwich with pork belly, cucumbers, jalapeño, pickled

Chromatica Choral Group Concerts

Chromatica will be performing concerts titled “Under the Italian Influence” which will include works by composers such as Salieri, Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana), three works by Norman della Joio, and Henry Mancini. The concerts also include the lovely “Con te partiro,” Concerts will be held on April 9 at Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church on Kirker Pass Road in Clayton, April 10 at St. Perpetua Church on Hamlin Road in Lafayette, and April 17 at Peace Lutheran Church on Camino Tassajara in Danville. All performances will begin at 7PM. The Danville concert will include a wine reception after the concert.

Tickets for seniors have been reduced in the hope seniors will not only come to one of the concerts but bring friends as well. At $10 for a senior ticket, this is a great way to spend an evening. Adult tickets cost $20, and children 10 and under attend for free.

Tickets can be purchased and more information can be found by visiting www. chromaticachorale.org or calling (925) 838-2296.

Swedenborgian Church in Pacific Heights, S.F. Photo by Marina Baklanova.

carrots and daikon with spicy mayo. Delicious! The address is 2791 California Street. Their hours are 11AM-4PM daily except Mondays.

Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has arranged and led tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. “What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email Coverthemap@gmail.com.

Thriving Pups and Mom Once Neglected, Looking For Homes

By Margy Lyman, The White Kitty Foundation

Animal control found an emaciated dog in Stanislaus County and brought her to their shelter. It seems she had escaped an abusive life. The medical staff noted that she had a pot belly. Little did they know.

The next morning, animal control staff walked in to find five puppies and one very sick mom on their hands. The Danville-based White Kitty Foundation rescue organization was contacted to do an emergency intervention to save the mom and pups. Unfortunately, despite immediate response, one little female pup didn’t make it.

While only expected to stay at White Kitty for 24 hours, vets determined Winnie, the mother, was too sick to be moved. She was also too emaciated to nurse, so volunteers at White Kitty held shifts every three hours around the clock to bottle-feed the remaining four pups and their mom back to health.

Now almost five months old, “the pups are thriving!” said Cris Tarozzi, Director of Adoptions at The White Kitty Foundation. “They are socialized, sweet, and great little puppies. They will make wonderful companions.”

Named Roo, Winston, Jasper, and Franklin, the pups are a mix breed of whippet and who knows what else. Two of the males are close to 20lbs, Jasper is between 10-15lbs and Roo is very petite at 5lbs. At five weeks of age Roo was less than a pound, and Winston was the big boy at 2 1/3lbs.

“Winnie is about four years old,” said Cris, “but she has some breathing troubles. Unfortunately, we believe she may have been kicked by her former owner in the throat and abdomen area. She has aggression issues with male dogs as she may have been restrained while she was in heat when mated. She is a nervous dog but loving when in a trusting atmosphere.”

She entered the shelter in very poor health. Her ribs, spine, and pelvis were visible. She has some scars on her face and body. “Everything she ate she vomited,” recalled Cris. “It took a very long time for her to keep food down. Although she’s still healing, we feel Winnie will thrive in a home where she is the only pet and can have lots of oneon-one attention. She’s done very well during her training sessions, and she’s very smart.

She deserves a better second half of her life.”

The pups, one female and three males, will be available once they have been spayed/ neutered and completed their vaccinations and basic puppy training.

Winnie will be ready for adoption once her veterinarian gives her the okay. If you think you can open your hearts and home to these loving, deserving dogs, please call Cris Jasper at (925) 837-2411.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 13

DANA We lli ngton YOUR LOCAL # 1 TOP PRODUCING REAL ESTATE CONNECTION Gain a Professional Partner Team to buy or sell your home

LET REAL ESTATE BE YOUR GPS TO YOUR HOME EQUITY • Knowledgeable resource for answers about the process • Innovative direct and web marketing strategies • Expertise of neighborhood areas • Multi-dimensional analysis of current market values • Strong negotiation skills for a successful close • Team support throughout the the steps to close

County Considering Alternative Electricity Provider

By Supervisor Candace Andersen Contra Costa County, District 2

The option to choose an alternative electricity provider for cleaner energy is a growing trend in the Bay Area and may be coming your way soon. Assembly Bill 117, Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), passed in 2002, enables local governments to procure and/or develop power on behalf of their public facilities, residents, and businesses. It creates a functional partnership between municipalities and existing utilities.

It has proven to increase renewable energy and lower greenhouse gases while providing competitive electricity rates.

In 2010, Marin Clean Energy (MCE) became the first CCA agency certified in California. Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) was the second, in 2014. Both MCE and SCP are Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs) composed of the host county and various cities. During 2013 and 2014, the Contra Costa cities of Richmond, San Pablo, and El Cerrito joined MCE, and residents of those cities are now served by MCE. The cities of Lafayette and Walnut Creek recently took steps to join MCE, as well.

A number of cities and counties in California are currently in the process of implementing or studying the formation of CCA agencies, including the counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Los Angeles, and the City and County of San Francisco. San Francisco has obtained certification of its CCA Implementation Plan from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Other members of MCE outside Marin County include the City of Benicia and unincorporated Napa County.

Last month, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors directed staff to work with interested cities in Contra Costa County to obtain electrical load data from PG&E to conduct a technical study to compare the following three CCA alternatives: 1. Form a new joint powers authority comprised of the County and interested cities within Contra Costa County for the purpose of implementing Community Choice Energy.

2. Join Marin Clean Energy (MCE).

Dana Wellington

Broker Associate | CalBRE #00665689 GRI, ABR, eGREEN, ePRO, CMP, CDPE Direct: 925.785.6445 Fax: 925.406.0574 dana@danawellington.com www.DanaWellingtonHomes.com

3. Form a new joint powers authority with Alameda County and the interested group of cities in the two-county region.

The PG&E data will provide current electricity usage that will help evaluate the needs and cost of purchasing future electricity. Formation of a CCA agency in Contra Costa County could involve the creation of a JPA between the County and cities within the County that are interested in participating. Under such a scenario, the CCA agency would be a separate entity from the County, with an independent governing board.

If a CCA is formed, transmission and delivery, as well as billing, will continue to be provided by PG&E. Customers will have the ability to opt out of the program and continue to buy their electricity through PG&E, which continues to increase their clean energy options. The CCA cleaner energy pertains only to electricity; all natural gas will still be delivered by PG&E. Current PG&E programs for low income/CARE customers will remain the same. CCA electric generation charges will appear as new line items on the customer bill; all other charges remain the same.

There are numerous potential benefits associated with local government participation in CCA. Some of these benefits are increased production and supply of electricity derived from renewable sources, such as wind and solar; options for residents to receive electricity from a local public agency governed by officials who would be responsive to the interests of the local community; introduction of competition into the electricity market in Contra Costa County; creation of additional consumer choices; creation of market pressure for improved service by all electricity providers; opportunities for lower electricity rates for consumers; procurement of renewable energy from local sources creating construction jobs; and ongoing revenue streams to the local economy.

County staff expects it will take ten months to work with cities to develop and complete the technical study, and it will then present the findings to the Board of Supervisors and City Councils for a decision about how to proceed.

My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or 925-957-8860.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 14 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

COMPUTER SERVICES: PCs/Macs/Tablets/Smartphones • Upgrades • Maintenance • Networking • Data Recovery • Virus/Malware Removal • Back-up Solutions • Email/ Hosted Exchange IT DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION: IT Strategy Development • IT Infrastructure Assessment • Cloud Services IT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT: Desktop, Server, & Network Monitoring and Management • Office Move Management • Disaster Preparedness

Technology. Simplified.

Serving Bay Area businesses and residents since 2001

925-552-7953

helpdesk@theportablecio.com www.theportablecio.com MuseSRV continued from front page

See MuseSRV continued on page 21

$$$

$$$





10.00 Bonus Coupon!

Present this coupon at point of purchase for 10.00 off your one-time combined purchase of 50.00 or more in Mens, Boys, Kids, Womens, Jr’s, Lingerie, Shoes 1 coupon per family. Not valid on previous purchases, other coupons and/or promotions.

No cash substitutes. May not be used on payment of account. Pandora, Brighton, Boy Scouts, Estee Lauder, Clinique, Lancome, Fragrance Dept., TOMS and UGG excluded.

Expires April 30, 2016





Lafayette • Danville • Countrywood • Concord Montclair • Orinda • Moraga • Sonoma • Auburn • Stockton





businessmen along with fisherman of Japanese descent who could conceivably signal enemy ships were immediately taken into custody. Devices seized from potential saboteurs included cameras, binoculars, short-wave radios, dynamite farmers used to remove stumps from fields, and a cache of weapons later conceded to have been merchandise from a sporting goods store.

Under the military command of Lieutenant Delos Emmons, Hawaii detained about 1% of its 150,000 Japanese American residents. But despite J. Edgar Hoover’s assurance that all potential mainland suspects had been arrested, General John L. DeWitt, engaged as head of Western Defense Command on December 11, 1941, insisted everyone with at least 1/16th Japanese genes - infants to infirm elderly individuals - posed an immediate danger to national security.

California Attorney General and gubernatorial hopeful Earl Warren testified before the Tolan Committee (a US House Select Committee): “I believe we are just being lulled into a false sense of security and that the only reason we haven’t had a disaster in California is because it has been timed for a different date, and that when that time comes if we don’t do something about it, it is going to mean disaster both to California and to our Nation.” Journalists encouraged the public to accept the flawed logic that because no acts of sabotage had occurred on the West Coast, those acts were bound to happen as a coordinated offensive at a future date.

Hearst newspaper columnist Henry McLemore wrote: “I am for the immediate removal of every Japanese on the West Coast to a point deep in the interior. I don’t mean a nice part of the interior either. Herd up, pack ‘em off and give ‘em the inside room in the badlands …” On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 establishing a legal basis for the subsequent evacuation of all Japanese Americans from the West Coast as a military necessity. Voluntary relocation to other parts of the country saved a few thousand from the mandatory detention that followed. On May 21, 1942 a San Francisco Chronicle headline read: “S.F. Clear of All But 6 Sick Japs.”

“I have come to appreciate in putting together this exhibit how much of a sense of loss people felt,” Jerry Warren, Vice-President of the MuseSRV Board remarks.

“Teenagers and young adults born in America were ripped out of their familiar space where they were engaged in everything other American kids were doing – baseball, scouts, education.” Daniel Dunn, MuseSRV Executive Director adds, “Every year when I judge National History Day projects at the state and national competitions, I see something on Executive Order 9066. The experience of kids

their own age in the camps resonates with high school students.”

Japanese immigrants began settling in the San Ramon Valley toward the turn of the 20th century. Prohibited by law from obtaining citizenship or purchasing land, most sharecropped on local ranches. Some labored in fruit orchards while others practiced dry land tomato farming. Seeds planted in winter needed only a bit of supplemental water. Spring rains generated tomato harvests trucked to Hayward’s Heinz cannery. American-born children attended local schools during the week, but they studied weekends in Danville at the Japanese School next to Fukuchi’s store, which sold Japanese groceries.

On Deercliff Ranch, now Danville’s Rose Garden Shopping Center, Chosuburo and Koben Yonemoto cultivated 17 acres of tomatoes. One son, Kazuo, gardened for Eugene O’Neill at Tao House. Kazuo got “Indefinite Leave” from internment to work the sugar beet fields in Colorado.

Many Valley Japanese Americans, including the Sakato and Hikido families, converted to Christianity. Guided by Japanese Salvation Army officer Captain Hirahara and his wife, they met at the local post, labeled in sign age as Danville, but actually located in Alamo. All the Hikido children attended the Tassajara One Room School House. Sons Katsumi and Tsumato were eventually released from internment camp to attend college through the Quaker-led National Student Council Relocation Program.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Which Critter is Destroying my Landscaping?

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 15

By Nate Rubin, Tri Valley Trapper

Spring is here and there is an outcropping of new plant growth and people preparing their gardens. Below is information to help you understand the most common landscape pests, what their activity looks like, and the most productive deterrent or removal methods.

GOPHERS: This tiny herbivore can wreak havoc in all areas of your landscaping and lawn.

Gophers are basically an underground rat with massive beaver-like teeth meant to chew thru roots and plants. The activity we see are holes and mounds of dirt caused by the gopher excavating surface tunnels. At least one new hole or mound is created each day as he extends the surface burrow Stop by to find more food. The gophers’ hole is approxiour new office in the mately three inches across. He throws dirt off to Alamo Courtyard one side of the surface hole in a fan shaped mound.

3195 Danville Blvd #4, When finished excavating, he pushes a dirt plug Alamo into the hole to seal off his burrow from light and predators. If you have multiple dirt mounds and dirt plugged holes, you probably have at least one gopher. Bubble gum, gassing or flooding can work, but most of my customers prefer to see the gopher caught, proving to them he is gone.

MOLE: This blind miniature carnivorous shrew causes damage primarily in lawns, behind/under retaining walls, around paver stones, or anywhere it pleases. Mainly we see his surface tunneling which looks like an animal has swam right under the surface, pushing up soil in a continuous ridge. These ridges commonly run along the edge of a lawn next to a border. Moles do make mounds as well, which means he is working deeper. The mole does not push dirt out of an open surface hole, instead pushing dirt straight up and causing a mound that resembles a volcano. Most of the time, it is only one or two moles causing all the damage. Reducing their food source (worms and grubs) is a great way to deter moles, but if you have a persistent one, nothing works like having it trapped and removed.

VOLE: Also known as a field mouse, the vole is basically a cross between a gopher and a mouse. Once a burrowing animal (gopher, mole) has left a burrow, voles will move in and use the network of tunnels to live in and store their food. Grains from wild grass make up most of their diet, but voles won’t hesitate to prey upon your vegetables or herbs. A vole hole is about two inches across and almost perfectly round. Often a one inch ring of grass is chewed down perfectly around the hole like a doughnut. There can be NEW YEAR dozens of vole holes in a lawn; sometimes the holes are left open, and sometimes they plug the hole with dirt similar to a gopher. • CARPET NEW FLOORS! Some deterrents from the hardware store and castor oil may help reduce activity. In my experience a process of elimination trapping • HARDWOOD effort by a pro is more successful.

RUGS RACCOON: We all know what these masked bandits look like. Particularly in late summer raccoons tear up lawns in search for • CARPET worms and grubs. When it’s hot and dry the only moisture and food source available is in your lawn. After the raccoon has done • HARDWOOD CUSTOM RUGS their work, your turf will look as though it has been peeled or rolled back like carpet. Keeping worms and grubs under control is • RUGS LINOLEUM the best way to discourage this. An electric wire around the lawn’s perimeter can help too. When all else fails, having the animal • LINOLEUM TILE removed by a professional trapper is the answer.

SKUNKS: Everyone knows that smell. Skunks search for worms and grubs In your lawn, and they wont hesitate to dig after a gopher or mole to eat. Their digging looks like medium sized cone shaped holes three or four inches deep and across. Discourage Family Owned Business skunks by eliminating their food sources, grubs, worms, gophers, moles, mice and voles. Be careful if you choose to have a skunk Since 1989 trapped; correct procedure is key to an un-smelly outcome.

3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd.

I hope I have helped identify your problem animal. A combination of deterrents and eliminating the problem animals Lafayette, CA food source is your start to being critter free. If 925.284.4440 problem animals persist nothing beats hiring a profession trapper who can deliver the problem www.LamorindaFloors.com License# 708486 critter “in-hand.” After a few days seeing that there’s no new activity proves he’s gone. Most importantly you have peace of mind knowing that you didn’t use poison, which could cause secondary poisoning to wild animals further up the food chain, or $50 OFF 1st month’s service for new worst case your family and pets. To help customers & $50 OFF any repair or with your critter removal call Nate at (925) installation for new & existing customers Advertorial 765-4209.

Call (925)820-8950

www.pure-pool-solutions.com Promo ends March 30, 2016. Additional discount available for referred customers.

To place an ad, share a story, or for more information about our papers, call 925.405.6397 or visit our website www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 16 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 17

EVERYTHING ELSE

40% off Alamo ~ 820.4731 225 Alamo Plaza

Hwy 680 - exit Stone Valley Rd West to Danville Blvd - right - center on left Mon-Fri 9:30-6:00 ~ Sun 11:00-5:30

San Ramon ~ 359.6900

300 Marketplace ~ Nob Hill Shopping Center Hwy 680-exit Bollinger Canyon Rd~East to Alcosta Blvd - right - center on rt Mon-Fri 9:30-8:00~Sat 9:30-6:00~Sun 10:00-6:00

Page 18 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Clip Notes

By Jody Morgan

A life-long gardener, Lester Rowntree chose to view her divorce at age 52 as a release to go wild. In her case, that meant traveling throughout California to study and photograph native plants in their preferred habitats. To learn what they did during the night, she slept beside them. She crouched and crawled to investigate insects attendant on each species. By growing out seeds, cuttings, and plants collected during the nine months a year, she explored the wilderness, Lester learned what made native plants comfortable in cultivation. In her preface to Hardy Californians, published in 1936, she writes: “It is partly in an endeavor to lower the mortality rate of California wildflowers in the garden that this book has been attempted.”

Always careful to carry proper permits for collection, Lester joined fellow conservationists in appealing to the City of San Francisco for authorization to save the Franciscan Manzanita from extinction. Discovered by Alice Eastwood in its only known location in Laurel Hill Cemetery, the rare native faced imminent demise as the city prepared the site from 1939-1941 to be bulldozed for construction. Frustrated by the city’s refusal to cooperate, Lester purloined a plant in the

Danville-Alamo Garden Club

Robin Parer will be speaking to the Danville-Alamo Garden Club on Thursday, April 14 starting at 9:15 with refreshments. The meeting begins at 9:45AM at the Alamo Women’s Club at 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo.

Robin is a horticulturist who has collected geraniums from throughout the world and propagated over 500 geranium species. She lectures frequently to garden groups and societies throughout the U.S. and has written a recently published book, The Plant Lover’s Guide to Hardy Geraniums.

Robin will discuss the diversity of geraniums, how to use them in the garden, and how to cultivate them. She will bring her new book and plants to sell.

For answers to questions, contact Susan at susansgotbling@sbcglobal. net or go to www.dagc.us.

AAUW Garden Tour

The 16th Annual Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek American Association of University Women (AAUW) Garden Tour will be held on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7 from 10AM - 4PM each day. Begin your Mother’s Day weekend by treating your mother and daughters to this self-guided tour of beautiful gardens in the Alamo and Danville area. Tickets cost $35 through Friday, April 29 after which tickets will cost $40.

Tickets which include garden locations are for sale at East Bay Flower Company (cash or check only), 206 Sycamore Valley Rd. West (Danville Livery), online at http://daw-ca.aauw.net (payment can be made with a credit card), or mail a check payable to “AAUW Funds” with a self-addressed business sized #10 stamped envelope to AAUW Garden Tour, PO Box 996, Alamo, CA 94507.

No children under 12 or pets are permitted on the tour.

For questions email daw.aauw@gmail.com.

Ruth Bancroft Garden’s Spring Fling

The Ruth Bancroft Garden’s Spring Fling is a plant sale and more! The Bay Area’s best selection of new release and hard to find succulents and drought tolerant plants will be offered, a Talavera Pottery trunk show will be held all weekend, and receive expert advice on the right plants for your location as well as tips and tricks to planting a stunning garden that looks great all year long with less irrigation than a lawn.

The event will take place Friday, April 15 through Sunday, April 17.

The Garden is open 10AM - 4PM with docent-led tours at 11AM and 1PM each day. Admission to the Garden is free on Saturday and Sunday. Family activities will be held.

The Ruth Bancroft Garden is located at 1552 Bancroft Road in Walnut Creek.

For more information, please visit www.ruthbancroftgarden.org or call (925) 944-9352.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

dead of night. In the expanded 2006 edition of Hardy Californians, her grandsons report Rowntree’s thriving specimen caused James Roof (Founding Director of the Regional Botanic Garden in Berkeley) to inquire about its provenance. “I garnered it ghoulishly in a gunny sack,” Lester quipped.

Although extinct in the wild, Franciscan Manzanita (Arctostaphylos hookerii ssp. franciscana) survives in nurseries and botanic gardens thanks to Rowntree, Roof, and like-minded individuals. Lovely spilling over a rock wall or out of a container, Franciscan Manzanita grows only two feet tall, but it spreads to six feet. White clusters of floral bells welcoming winter pollinators are followed by red spring berries. Tolerant of a wide range of conditions, this rugged ground cover likes partial shade inland.

Manzanitas come in a vast variety of sizes and can be pruned to show off their gorgeous mahogany-colored bark. ‘Winterglow’ is low and mounding, while ‘St. Helena’ can be 10 feet high and equally wide. Deer resistant, drought tolerant, evergreen, and hardy to 10º F, ‘St. Helena’ can be shaped into a small tree or spread into an informal hedge. Nevin Smith, Founding Director of Horticulture at Suncrest Nursery in Watsonville, discovered the progenitor at Mount St. Helena in Napa County.

Buckwheats (properly Eriogonum) are appropriate garden companions for Manzanitas. Rowntree traveled far and wide to discover species now sold in native plant nurseries. She writes: “So often in the autumn when at dusk and in the early dawns I am lazily scanning the country surrounding my sleeping bag, I feel grateful to the Buckwheats for the beautiful form of their plants, the tenaciousness of their browning flower heads and their nice foliage.” As she notes, “There are northern counties that are decked with flowering Buckwheats from May until December …”

Buckwheats regularly available at Markham Arboretum include Santa Cruz Island (E. arborescens) sporting white flowers that turn pink and age to brown, Sulphur (E. umbellatum) with golden blossoms, Saffron (E. crocatum) flowering from April-August, and California (E. fasciculatum). Las Pilitas Nursery’s website reports: “The buckwheats are very important butterfly plants and one of the pillars of the community. California Buckwheat has a whole community of insects living within the flowers.”

Sages (Salvias) support bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Their foliage is fragrant. California’s seventeen native species come in many forms. Cleveland Sage is a tough, long-blooming shrub. Perennial hybrid, ‘Bee’s Bliss’ hugs the ground, blooming a lovely shade of lavender-blue. Avoid overhead watering and don’t worry about drought or deer.

Rowntree warns that plants from redwood forests don’t appreciate the same growing conditions as species at home on Sierra peaks. “Plants like people develop complexes and inhibitions when they find themselves in unhappy environments.”

The annual Bringing Back the Natives Tour on May 1st showcases 32 native plant gardens scaled from tiny to extensive. Visit a Danville garden installed in 2015. Explore an ever-changing Moraga garden initiated 40 years ago. Registration at www.bringingbackthenatives.net is free. Registrants receive a booklet describing gardens and free garden talks that provide maps and directions. Donations help pay for tour organization and can be made at any garden. Six native plant nurseries will be open for business that weekend. At Markham Arboretum in Concord, you can shop both Saturday, April 30th and Sunday May 1st. Find a full listing of Markham Plant sale dates at www.markhamarboretum.org.

ACTION POOL REPAIR

ServingAlamo&Danville Since 1979!

JUMPSTART the 2015 POOL SEASON! Upgrade Your Pool Equipment Remodel your Pebble, Tile, and Coping!

FREE ESTIMATES

Make sure your pool/spa is Drain Cover Safe (Virginia Graeme Baker - VGB compliant).

In-house diver can replace your drain covers. Best prices year-round.

Install a Pentair Intelliflo pump and save $100 monthly on your energy bill and get a $100 rebate from

PG&E.

925.820.3640 www.actionpoolrepair.com

Contractor Lic# 978033-C53

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Life in the Alamo Garden

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 19

Celebrate Spring!

By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059

Wow! It has been great to get so much rain. I really see the difference in my yard with all of the water. No doubt now: spring is here! If you look closely in the garden at the trees, shrubs, and perennials, you’ll see the glory of spring quietly emerging. The beginning of spring is one of my favorite times in the garden. I love to observe the new and fresh leaves bud from dead and deciduous branches, and see bright new lime green leaves stand out against older darker green ones. I like to watch how quickly daffodils, jonquils, and paper whites (Narcissus) push their fresh long leaves through the decaying leaves and mulch to bloom bright and cheery colors. The days are warming, the sun is shinning, and like clock-work life in the garden labors to show us the glory of spring.

Here are some plants that you might have noticed which are the first to declare the beginning of spring. Cercis occidentalis (tree-Western Redbud) blooms lavender flowers on smooth gray branches before leaves form, Daphne odora (shrub-Winter Daphne) with its intoxicating fragrance fills the air, Hardenbergia

violacea ‘Happy Wanderer’ (vine-Lilac Vine) weaves a lively trail of lilac flowers, Iberis sempervirens ‘Snowflake’ (perennial-Candytuft) trails profuse white flowers over the ground, and one of my favorites, Veronica umbrosa ‘Georgia Blue’ (ground cover-Speedwell) blooms profuse cobalt blue flowers as winter fades out.

Other great noteworthy spring blooming trees are Pyrus calleryana ‘Redspire’ (ornamental pear), Magnolia stellata (Star Magnolia), Magnolia soulangiana (Saucer), and Prunus serrulata ‘Shirotae’ (Flowering cherry).

Spring is the time to prepare your garden for the coming warmer weather. It’s sort of a garden “spring” cleaning! Items on the list include an irrigation check: clean and adjust sprinkler heads preparing them to be efficient in coverage and not to waste water. Cultivate your soil and mulch for summer heat and emerging weeds; a thick layer of mulch helps with water retention, and weed suppression, and it gives the garden a nice fresh finished look. Plant spring and summer annual and perennial color. Late spring rains help establish new planting. All of these tasks connect us with our gardens and our environment.

After a long winter’s nap, we long to connect with nature to rejuvenate, relax, recreate, and renew ourselves. A garden is one of those places that has the gift to touch all of our human senses: sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste. Wandering through a beautifully designed Alamo garden allows the senses to be stimulated by wonderful visuals, fragrances, textures, sounds, and tastes that nature can offer. So, celebrate spring!

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: After the last couple of years of drought and cutting back on water use, your garden might be ready for a renovation and revitalization!

Gardening Quote of the Month: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~Melody Beattie If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas

to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com or www. houzz.com/pro/jmla/john-montgomery-landscape-architects.

Advertorial

Page 20 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Tree of the Season

By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb Japanese Maples

Japanese maples have an elegance and sculptural quality that resembles dance.

Careful study of their form, in any season, can call the viewer back to the natural world. In winter, the falling leaves raise the curtain on the form of the trunks and put the dance on center stage. Winter rain intensifies the show by adding a sensuality to the movement of stem and bough, one that beckons to even the unpracticed eye. In spring, certain varieties of Japanese maples send out new leaves so bright a green they appear lit from within. In summer, upright cultivars that are well pruned have spaces between the branches, giving the canopy the appearance of being composed of many floating islands. And in fall, Japanese maples mark the change of season by turning colors ranging from yellow to scarlet, depending on the variety of maple; there are many varieties.

Luckily, Japanese maples are relatively easy to grow and relatively tough.

In their long evolutionary dance–fossilized maple leaves date back over 60 million years–Japanese maples have developed the genetic information necessary to protect them against most common garden afflictions. They are, however, subject to verticillium wilt, a soil-borne fungal disease that can cause dieback, and sometimes death. There is no known cure for verticillium, but you can decrease the likelihood of your new maple getting the disease if you 1) don’t plant it in ground known to have verticillium, 2) make sure the soil around the tree is well drained so that the roots don’t remain soggy throughout the winter, and 3) protect the tree against environmental stresses by giving it summer water and keeping it well mulched. Maples can grow and remain healthy in gardens with a history of verticillium. If they are not stressed by soils too damp, too dry, or too compacted, some individual maples can thrive even though a near neighbor may die. It depends on the genetics of the individual. If your mature maple shows significant dieback, it may be fighting a case of verticillium. It is not necessarily a death sentence. Some trees

Getting to Zero Waste

By Cynthia Ruzzi

As we approach Earth Day 2016—a day set aside for the past 45 years to channel our energy and consciousness towards caring for our planet—I find myself thinking about the Sustainable Danville Area motto, “Every Choice Counts.” It is a phrase that has encapsulated the practices of many in our community and guided Sustainable Danville Area for the past six years. For some, it is a reminder that small changes contribute to a greater difference and for others it has led to lifestyle changes that deprioritize convenience in order to protect this special place for those that come after us. And, while it is a reminder to make ecological and environmental choices that preserve our community and planet for future generations, the word ‘environmentalism’ is not the antonym to ‘luxury’ or ‘good-living.’

When I shop, I carry a natural cotton jute bag from Dean and Deluca, a stylish choice for a man or woman, or my other favorite, Anya Hindmarch’s “I am not a plastic bag” that she designed in the 1970’s to create environmental awareness.

Either of these choices is better than a flimsy plastic bag from a local grocery store. And with Danville following Walnut Creek this July by banning single-use plastic bags, it might be time to start your very own collection.

If you’ve read Sustainable Danville Area articles about the importance of eating whole, local foods without pesticides, growing native, drought tolerant and edible gardens, driving electric, using LED lighting or creating art without chemicals, then you know our dedication isn’t just about what’s on the outside of the bag.

However, with all our green practices, we still drink fine wine and coffee, and we eat chocolate—biodynamic, organic, and fair trade but delicious none the less.

This got me thinking…how far would we have to go to consider caring for our planet a sacrifice? In honor of this Earth Day, let’s find out! I’ve challenged myself and my family to be ‘zero waste’ for one week and to see which one of us can make the least waste. From Friday, April 15th – Friday, April 22nd, we will make choices that prevent any contribution to the landfill—and for extra points we’ll limit what we need to recycle. Here are some of the morning-to-night plans

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

succeed in fighting off the disease. You can help them recover by pruning out the deadwood and improving the soil environment by mulching and aerating.

Though some varieties can withstand full sun, Japanese maples do best in part shade. They do not thrive when exposed to the drying effect of constant wind. If you live on an exposed hillside, it is best to plant them in the lee of a larger tree. Dieback in Japanese maple crowns often is the result of too much sun, too much wind, or the even more deadly combination of the two. Maples need water. Keeping them moist throughout the summer and fall, and into the early winter in dry years, will make them happier and more disease resistant.

Pruning, besides benefiting the mental health of the pruner, can enhance the grace of the plant. If your pruner is an artist, removing deadwood and teasing apart the plant’s natural layering opens little windows that reveal and accentuate the tree’s natural form. A well-pruned tree looks as if it hasn’t been pruned. Paradoxically, it looks more natural after pruning than before.

Though it is sometimes necessary to lower the crown of a maple, as when it is beginning to block a treasured view, lowering should be done only when necessary, and the lowering should not be so drastic as to involve topping cuts (see the article on topping). Lowering a maple to gain a view is not something that you can do just once. Pruning down the crown stimulates new growth, and maintaining the view or the size reduction, will require yearly pruning. No matter how good the artist, you can’t make a topped maple look as good as a natural tree. Much pruning, and therefore expense, can be avoided by planting the right variety in the right place. When planting a new tree, plant a cultivar that won’t exceed the desired height when it matures. This is almost always preferable to containing a variety that will grow beyond the desired size.

It is our hope at Brende & Lamb that the pleasure our clients derive from their well-pruned trees exceeds the considerable pleasure we get from revealing the beauty inherent in their trees.

If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood.

Advertorial we’ve discussed to accomplish our goal: 1. Food Shopping – Carry reusable bags for transporting food stuff. Buy only items with no packaging, recyclable packaging, or compostable packaging.

We’ll use mesh or cotton bags for produce and other bulk items. I’ve readied a bunch of glass and BPA-free plastic containers that customer service at my local grocery store will weigh and tag for use for liquid and other items, like fish and meat. My husband already uses a French press for his daily coffee, so there is no filter to trash or even compost.

2. Compost – Luckily, we will avert any food waste going to the landfill since Alamo and Danville have curb-side food scrap recycling. All food waste, including bones, cheese, citrus peels, and other oily/fats (which I would never put in my backyard composting bin) can be included in our organics bin. If you are not already participating in this program, you can get a nifty plastic container for under your sink by calling Republic Services at 925-685-4711. Please do not leave this container outside for pick-up. Instead, empty it weekly into your organics green bin.

More details can be found online at www.recyclesmart.org/app_pages/view/251.

3. Body and face care – I suspect this will be my area of weakness. Even though I use organic shampoos, face creams, etc., their packaging is usually no better than conventional products. Secretly, if I don’t run out of anything during the challenge, I’m fine…but I’m trying to negotiate a handicap with my husband just in case.

4. Entertainment – I’m feeling good here. We love downtown Danville restaurants, and with over 27 of them participating in the food scrap recycling program, we don’t have to exclude this activity during the challenge. I’m notorious for having leftovers, so I’ll be traveling with my own ‘doggy-bag.’ For places that rely on plastic utensils (my favorite yogurt shop), I’ll rely on the bamboo travel set of spork, knife, and chopsticks I recently bought at Whole Foods.

I’m sure there will be other facets of our lives that we’ll find alternatives for during the challenge, but overall we don’t expect to be inconvenienced, just slowed down a bit. The extra time it takes for us to accomplish our daily tasks will allow us to be more mindful and grateful for what we have and hopefully live more in the present.

I welcome you and your family to join our challenge. Post pictures and comments to www.facebook.com/sustainabledanville, and let’s try to get to zero waste.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Energy Matters

The National Demographics of Solar PV

By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar

Energy Alert! If you’re considering going solar in the near future, I highly recommend you change your PGE electric rate to an E6 “Time of Use” (TOU) rate.

This rate will remain in place for seven more years, but it is closing to new customers on May 2nd. The E6 TOU rate provides best arbitrage of the rate structure and maximum solar investment return unless you have an electric car AND have solar PV. You may have short-term higher costs on this rate until you “go solar,” but most likely you’ll save slightly more on the E6 rate post solar vs. the new “A or B” TOU rates which are taking its place.

The solar photovoltaic “movement” continues to gain steam in many parts of our nation, for many reasons. The primary driver is virtually always economics. A solar investment is certainly advantaged by sunny weather patterns, but financial returns are also driven by policy, electric kWh cost, and utility rate structures. Some states have strong pro-solar policies, yet others adopt policies that intentionally harm the solar PV investment. Perhaps it’s special interests that influence our legislators on both sides of the issue.

In Washington DC, Federal solar policy is mostly bi-partisan policy. At the state level, it’s apparent that the opposite is true. SolarPowerRocks.com has a very interesting interactive map of the USA that generates a “Solar Scorecard” for each state.

Concerning the “Solar Scorecard” data below: Please draw your own conclusions relating economic, political, and educational demographics as influences and factors to the referenced states’ adoption of pro-solar or anti-solar policy. I am just fact gathering; I’m not trying to make any political statements or generalizations.

“Solar Scorecard” grading system is a traditional “A” through “F.” The metrics to assign grades are measured by Internal Rate of Return (IRR) achieved by a solar investment in each state. An “A” grade generally provides a 10-20%+ Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for a solar investment, whereas an “F” grade averages 5-6% rate of return.

States high in mineral resources: Not surprisingly, the “coal-rich” and “oil rich” states as a group failed the Solar Scorecard. They all earned an F, except for

Richards continued from front page

Dick also recalled the lines of moms standing out the door seeking the latest Beanie Baby during the Beanie Baby craze and the furor that erupted when a new box of Beanies was opened.

Richards has been an anchor tenant for the Plaza, drawing customers from far beyond Alamo to shop at the custom framing department, the enormous selection of seasonal holiday décor, and specialized arts and crafts that ran the gamut from rubber stamps to scrapbooking to cake decorating. How many Alamo residents remember last minute shopping runs to find just that item needed for a child’s Thank you notes from the community fill a bulletin board. school project due the next day? And, Richards always had it.

Richards opened at the Plaza in 1983, with their original location in the space now occupied by Safeway’s wine and deli department. When Safeway expanded and took over that space, Richards moved across the parking lot to the current location, and Dick designed the building from the ground up to his exact specifications.

In recognition of his many contributions to the Alamo community over the years, Dick Delfosse was honored in February by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce as Business Person of the Year. Around 150 people gathered for the award ceremony, at which Chamber President Shelley Despotakis stated “Dick is the consummate businessman…He owns and operates one of the most recognizable businesses in our community. In the past 33 years, under his leadership, his business has supported the community in every need that they have had. Dick has a heart of gold, and we are thrilled to honor him.” Shelley noted that Richard and his wife Terri supported many local efforts including the Alamo Tree Lighting, school arts programs, Alamo Community Foundation, and the Animal Rescue Foundation.

Richards Arts and Crafts, Terri and Dick: you will be sorely missed. Alamo loves you, and the community just won’t be the same without you.

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 21 California, which earned a B. Of course, solar energy competes directly with coal and oil. Coal and oil employment is plummeting. The solar industry accounts for 1 of every 78 new jobs in our nation.

Economics: Median income defines the “richest” and “poorest” states.

The richest states have a B+ Solar GPA on the Solar Scorecard. The poorest states each have an F score. The states with the highest poverty levels also have an F. States with the highest unemployment have a D+.

Education: The ten most educated states have an A-. The least educated states had a D-.

Political affiliation: “Blue” states versus “Red” states? The top ten A Solar Scorecard states are “traditionally blue” (when using historical Electoral College data to determine party affiliation). Each one of the F Solar Scorecard states is traditionally “Red.” As noted, the Federal Government (consisting of Representatives and Senator’s from individual states) have a significantly more bi-partisan view on solar. Solar seems to be one of the few things that people can agree on nowadays. Generally, solar is beloved by both parties. Motivations are that it’s good for the environment, and can be part of an excellent investment strategy.

The summary at face value of the Solar Scorecard seems obvious. I’ll grant that things are not always as they seem, yet the facts indicate that lower income, higher unemployment, high poverty states with large and heavily subsidized fossil fuel industries have the lowest solar PV adoption, even though they may be in regions that could very much financially advantage adopters. What is conjecture is WHY these demographics play out as they have. Is it really all about partisan politics and special interests that drive or stop this solar phenomenon? Have we gotten away from a free market? Everyone wants choice. Solar provides choice of energy provider. In Florida, solar has made strange bedfellows. The Green Party and the Tea party partnered to form the “Green Tea Party” politic for free market energy provider choice.

The visuals of the map on SolarPowerRocks.com are pretty powerful and interesting to ponder. Fortunately, we live in a state with all the right ingredients to make solar PV a stable and reliable investment, if “done right.”

Mark Becker is the President and business owner of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, CSLB 948715. GoSimpleSolar is one of the very few solar PV installers utilizing both licensed roofers and licensed electricians for installation work, project managed by a solar PV NABCEP professional.

For more information visit www.GoSimpleSolar.com.

Advertorial

MuseSRV continued from page 14

Euphemistically labeled as relocation, internment placed some 110,000 individuals in custody, charged with no crime except being of Japanese ancestry. Sixty-two percent of these unfortunates were native-born US citizens. Jerry Warren notes, “Every Japanese American knows what camp they or their family went to. Most other Americans have no idea of the searing impact the internment camps had on people.”

Although unaccustomed to luxury, Japanese Americans were appalled by the living quarters awaiting them at assembly centers. Having liquidated possessions at ridiculously low prices when faced with the order to leave their homes, families boarded buses as instructed with only what they could carry. Each person and

Picnic at Ajari Ranch c. April 13, 1940 honors Japanese School teacher Tokuno Yamashita (with corsage) beside Uneo Ajari. Back L to R: Kiyo Sakata, Sadako Hikido, Kaneyo Hirano, Koben Yonemoto, Hanako Matsumoto, Matsue Handa, Chinook Fuchuchi. Photo courtesy of MuseSRV.

piece of luggage was tagged with the family identification number. Horse stalls still redolent of manure awaited their occupancy at places like Tanforan Race Track and Turlock Fairgrounds. Hastily constructed internment camps housed families in single thin-walled rooms.

Furniture consisted of cot frames with mattress covers internees stuffed with straw. Lacking adequate staff, camps depended on internees to serve in every capacity from cooks to physicians.

See MuseSRV continued on page 25

Page 22 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Technology Matters

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

“The cloud” didn’t happen overnight. It’s been growing and gaining momentum since the mid-1980’s when the first web page was created. The cloud, or using computing infrastructure housed somewhere outside of our own home or business, is only possible because of the massive amount of worldwide networking that has been installed since the 1980’s. While we the consumer have been busy slurping up networking products through the retail channel, buying laptops, smartphones, tablets and WiFi routers, the telecom sector has been investing billions in new network infrastructure. They’ve been running high-capacity fiber-optic networks, laying new cables to business parks and neighborhoods, and spending hundreds of millions of dollars on new datacenter switching equipment to move all of this data we use. These upgrades are what now make it possible to re-image a computer over the internet, or to stream full-length HD movies as easily as we once checked our email. The speed and quantity of data we can access is mind-boggling compared with just a few short years ago. These changes come gradually, so it’s easy to forget how far we’ve come.

Do you remember just a few short years ago we were complaining because we couldn’t get DSL to our homes to check our AOL email? Back then, our business was paying $400/month for a puny 1.5mb “T1” circuit that was considered the business standard for internet bandwidth. For the most part, these are now forgotten technologies. Now it’s common for Comcast to bring 100mb internet circuits into people’s homes, and we’re pulling multi-hundred megabyte fiberoptic circuits into our business data-centers so we can run several simultaneous full-motion video conferences with remote offices. Many business trips can be eliminated just by using the electronic tools we now have at our fingertips.

It’s this explosion of network capacity which has created “the cloud” and gives us the luxury of deciding where our data and applications are housed. If you have a reliable internet connection, you can run your entire world from a simple laptop without compromise, storing nothing locally and being completely productive.

Around Town

By Roger Smith Alamo Farmer’s Market Watch for Fresh Strawberries and Asparagus in April!

Bill Harlow of the Bay Area Farmer’s Market Association is leading the effort to make our Alamo Farmer’s Market an important part of your Sunday. Bill’s family has been in our Alamo/Walnut Creek area since 1977. He has a genuine interest in the sustainability of small family farms, the “heart and soul” of California Agriculture, and the “Buy Fresh – Buy Local” movement that Alice Waters has supported and popularized. He has been the Manager of several Bay Area Farmer’s Markets including Alameda, Burlingame and Cupertino and is enthusiastic, as are many Alamo residents, about the opportunity to have fresh produce from certified growers available to our community.

Quality, Quality, Quality -- it’s all about the Quality. All produce is picked fresh and is at the local Farmer’s Markets within 24-48 hours of harvest versus a week or much more for the food to arrive at chain grocery stores. What type of produce are you looking for? Organic or conventionally grown? (Several vendors offer both - acquaint yourselves with those that do.) Remember that vendors are the best source of information about their own produce, so step up and ask them any questions you have. Also note that many vendors have tasting stations or provide samples for tasting.

April is Call Before you Dig Month

What does 2014’s Kentucky Derby winner, California Chrome and his Jockey, Victor Espinoza have in common with Contra Costa County and the National One-Call Center, “811” for locating underground utilities?

The local side to this story is that our regional “811” call center (serving Northern California and Nevada and located in Concord) is responsible for initiating the idea to promote “811” by having Jockey Victor Espinoza wear the “811” insignia logo on his uniform during the 2014 Kentucky Derby. The lucky circumstance of having California Chrome win both the Derby (and the following Preakness

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

This growth of network capacity has also made possible things that we wouldn’t have dreamed of before. For instance, when we started PCIO in 2001, a lot of people kept music collections on their home computers. This was long before iTunes, when people would “rip” their collection of CD’s to extract the songs into a digital format they could play on their portable MP3 music player. The network has changed all of this. Today, if someone still bothers to keep a huge music collection, we set it up for remote backups via the very fast ‘broadband’ internet connection you have at your home or workplace, using a service such as Crashplan or Carbonite.

However, it’s even more common these days for someone to completely eschew the hassle of maintaining a personal music collection. Most people I know have stopped collecting music and just let Pandora and Spotify be their disc jockey. It’s a lot less hassle, and for a small monthly fee, you have access to an enormous and ever-growing music library that someone else maintains for you.

A more important change resulting from this explosion of network capacity has been our ability to work remotely. It has completely changed the way we look at our workforce. Services such as Webex, GotoMyPC, or Logmein require fast networks to operate, and now it’s completely normal for us to work from home and have video conferences for meetings or for product demonstrations.

Remote workers often use what’s called a VOIP telephone (voice over internet protocol), which lets them take their work telephone and plug it in anywhere there’s an internet connection. When their telephone connects to the network, it registers itself with the telephone service and lets the system know to accept telephone calls at that number. In this way, your business telephone system can span not just buildings or cities, but countries. It fundamentally shifts how we can communicate with our workforce, enabling highly distributed teams that previously would have been prohibitively expensive to create. Our own company uses this model, with one of our employees operating from another state. It works seamlessly, and this technology has enabled us to hold onto a very wonderful and valuable employee.

Every day we find another way to make your business more efficient, computing more reliable, our data a little safer. We’re excited about the possibilities these innovations have created. Maybe it’s time to consider an evaluation of your technology plan. We’d love to help you reach your goals. You can reach us at Advertorial info@theportablecio.com, or 925-552-7953.

Stakes race) resulted in national exposure for this important free service to property owners across the USA. “April means spring weather and more outdoor activity, including backyard excavation projects such as landscaping. That makes it a good month to remind everyone of the need to continue raising awareness about the potential dangers of excavation without first dialing the nationwide Call Before You Dig 811-number,” said Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the American Gas Association (AGA).

“Our membership works with the public on a daily basis and we need to continue to raise the flag on this issue. Excavation damage remains the number one threat to pipeline safety and reliability all year long.”

The 811 hotline is a free service that allows people to obtain information about what may be buried beneath the excavation surface area, including natural gas pipelines, electric power lines, and other infrastructure. Homeowners and professionals may not always be aware of the importance of marking utility lines before excavation, but calling before a digging job -- even small projects such as planting trees and shrubs can help prevent undesired consequences.”

According to CGA, excavation damages for all underground facilities decreased by approximately 50% from 2004 to 2008, due in large part to the work done by the pipeline industry in promoting the use of Call Before You Dig 811-number.

CGA was formed in 2000 as a follow up to Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Common Ground Study, which highlighted the need for one organization to continuously update best practices among the growing pipeline network.

Learn more at www.Call811.com and www.usanorth811.org.

AIA’s Membership

Alamo is a special community that all of our residents can be justifiably proud to call home. Now in its 61st year, AIA, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, has the longest history of serving our community and helping shape it into “Alamo - the place where we love to live”! Since 1955,Alamo residents have been joining theAIAand working in support of AIA’s mission statement, which is to “preserve the semi-rural character of Alamo” Watch your mail for your upcoming AIA 2016 Annual Report, ballot and membership form, then complete and return to AIA, P.O.Box 156, Alamo, CA. 94507.

Please visit www.AlamoCA.org for information on AIA, articles of interest to Alamo residents, membership forms, and more. Don’t be left out, now is the time to renew or become a new member of AIA!

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Protect Your Assets – Before it’s too Late…

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 23

By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

In our litigious society, a fear of lawsuits is prevalent and understandable. People are always at risk of committing negligent acts and omissions that cause, or allegedly cause, harm to others. Of course, a much bigger problem arises when the person who is alleged to have committed such negligent act or omission has no applicable insur-

ance coverage.

Many people, including knowledgeable professionals and business owners, are not well informed about detailed aspects of their property and casualty (P&C) insurance coverage. I encourage you to have detailed discussions with your P&C insurance agent about whether or not you have personal and business policies containing: a) appropriately broad scope of coverage for the areas in which you have risk; b) reasonably high coverage limits; c) optimal deductibles; and d) umbrella coverage under which you cost-effectively boost your limits.

The challenge is that even people who have terrific insurance policies have some risk because every insurance policy contains exclusions. Thus, everyone, particularly those who own a small business or a real estate investment property, has gaps in protection. Such people are exposed to unlimited liability for claims, lawsuits, and damages that may arise out of such business or real estate investment venture. If someone files suit and obtains a judgment against the owner of such business or investment property, the owner’s personal and other (unrelated) business assets are vulnerable – available to satisfy the judgment.

One can go a long way toward filling these protection gaps by forming one or more business entities, such as a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. By properly forming, capitalizing, and operating an LLC or corporation in connection with a business or investment property, the owner is legally entitled to limited liability. This means that a potential judgment creditor can only obtain a judgment against the LLC or corporation; not the owner. Consequently, the only assets available to satisfy such potential judgment are those owned by the LLC (i.e. not the owner’s personal or unrelated investment assets).

Suppose that someone who prudently owns his business or property in a LLC or corporation is sued and the claim isn’t covered by insurance. What can the owner do? In a hypothetical situation, a client contacts me to inform me that two employees of his small mortgage business had sued his corporation and sued him personally, claiming sexual harassment. The client said these former employees had been “bad apples” and that there was no basis for the lawsuit. Nevertheless, the client is worried about what some jury might be led to believe and asks me if I could help him: i) immediately form a business entity for his apartment building; and ii) transfer substantially all of his assets to a close relative. The client naturally wanted to protect his assets so that they would not be available to these employees if they happened to win their lawsuit and be ordered to pay a large damage award.

I would first suggest that he check with his business insurance agent to see if he might have applicable insurance coverage. Unfortunately, most business policies (“General Liability”) exclude or contain very limited coverage for sexual harassment claims; and only special policies - that only a small percentage of business owners purchase (“Employment Practices Liability Insurance”) - include relevant coverage.

Next, I would warn that there was a whole body of (complex) law dealing with “fraudulent conveyances” that would render ineffective the transfer of all or most of his assets out of his name. Essentially, these laws prevent people from effectively thwarting known or anticipated creditors from collecting a judgment if such transfer renders the alleged wrongdoer insolvent.

The “bottom line” is that it is critical to employ asset protection strategies before a problem arises. One should consult with an insurance professional and/or an attorney in advance of any claims or threatened claims. At that point, it’s possible to create viable protection by taking various asset protection measures. Some of these include: purchasing optimal insurance, forming one or more business entities, creating trusts for the benefit of loved ones containing spendthrift provisions, and sheltering assets, as appropriate, in highly creditor-protected vehicles, such as 401Ks, IRAs, and life insurance.

As the old saying goes, if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!

I offer a complimentary Estate Planning Primer and/or a free, introductory meeting. My primary practice areas are Estate Planning; Trust Administration & Probate; Real Estate; and Business I am an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group which is located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com.

This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and is not intended nor should it be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial

Page 24 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Simplifying Retirement

By Peter T. Waldron

In conjunction with Lincoln Financial Advisors or Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor.

Retirement planning can seem complex and intimidating, which explains why some people delay doing it. However, with the appropriate help from a knowledgeable financial advisor, preparation can be a straightforward process that produces a sound strategy and a sense of security. To simplify your planning, consider pursuing these 10 steps: 1. Shift your viewpoint. In retirement, you must go from accumulating wealth to providing a lifetime income stream while preserving wealth. If you accept this focus early in the retirement planning process, then you can go from being a great saver to being a great saver with a rational retirement income security plan.

2. Review your anticipated incomes needs. Calculate all the necessary expenditures required in retirement as well as the unnecessary but desirable ones. Be inclusive so that you can gauge the scope of expenditures accurately.

This is the most critical step in the process because it provides the foundation for all other financial planning.

3. Conduct a comprehensive revenue review. Start by collecting information on any pensions you may receive. That includes pensions paid by corporations, governments, or other organizations. Know the amounts due to you and the methods of payment – and especially at what age you can begin drawing benefits. Do the same thing for other accounts, whether they are savings or defined contribution plans, like an IRA, a 401(k), a SEP or an annuity.

4. Know your Social Security benefits. Social Security could be an income source in retirement, so it should be included in a revenue review. Because of its complexities, Social Security calls for a level of diligence and understanding beyond that required with other revenue sources. The Social Security Administration can provide information on what you’ve paid into the system and what you can expect to receive. It is important to know what your spouse’s benefits will be as well. Also, make sure you understand the impact that divorce or remarriage may have on benefits.

5. Factor in inflation’s impact. It’s important to understand the impact longterm inflation will have on retirement investments. Unfortunately, many people fail to include calculations for inflation in their retirement planning preparations.

Even low levels of inflation can erode the buying power of the dollar. For example,

Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s TeleCare Connects with the Homebound

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

3% inflation over a 24-year period will double your income needs. So, you need to create a retirement plan that has the potential to increase your income over time.

6. Prepare for health care costs. Good medical care is vital in retirement, and figuring the costs now ensures it will be available when needed. Those costs could amount to as much as $1,000 monthly. A comprehensive study of medical benefits and costs should include consideration of long-term care insurance, supplemental health care insurance and a review of any medical benefits for which you may be eligible. For the latter, be sure that you understand coverage and co-payments.

7. Develop a tax management strategy. Retirees need to convert the appropriate assets to income. Every conversion choice carries a tax implication. Wise choices can minimize taxes, thus boosting income. It is important to compare your current tax bracket with the one you probably will occupy during retirement.

8. Understand market volatility. All markets, including those for stocks and bonds, rise and fall due to a variety of circumstances. An individual’s ability to tolerate these changes will have a huge impact on the composition of his or her retirement portfolio. Recognizing the inevitability of market fluctuations (and knowing your tolerance level) allows you to create a strategically balanced portfolio.

That means you can tolerate the changes as they occur. Financial planners know of many strategies that can help meet your needs and ensure a sense of security.

9. Get important documents organized. Everybody should have some basic documents prepared, including a will, a living trust, a health care power of attorney, and a financial power of attorney. These basic legal tools can ensure that inheritance matters are handled in an orderly and timely fashion. They also help loved ones make important decisions and gain access to needed funds if you become incapacitated.

10. Review your retirement plan. Regular meetings with your financial planner give both of you the opportunity to check that your retirement plan’s goals are being reflected in its performance. They also allow timely refinements to the plan required by major changes in your life. Annual reviews can be devoted to strategic issues, while quarterly meetings can cover tactical matters, like rebalancing portfolios.

Please contact Peter Waldron to schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, (925) 659-0383 or peter.waldron@lfg.com.

Peter T. Waldron is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offer investment advisory service through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Partners, 3000 Executive Parkway, Ste 400, San Ramon, CA 94583. Insurance offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. This information should not be construed as legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a tax advisor regarding this information as it relates to your personal circumstance. The content of this material was provided to you by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. for its representatives and their clients. California Insurance License #0E47827; CRN-895260-040314

Advertorial

Alamo Police Statistics

Since 1971, member volunteers of TeleCare, a philanthropic program of Assistance League® of Diablo Valley, have been making daily reassurance calls, Monday through Friday, to those in our community who are homebound. As the chapter’s longest standing philanthropic program, TeleCare empowers the clients, no matter what their ages, to remain in their homes. What ensures this is a daily confidential journal kept for each client that member volunteers consult prior to the phone calls then update accordingly. Last year alone, member volunteers devoted 765 hours to connecting with homebound clients.

Unfortunately, many clients are socially isolated and don’t have anyone to check on them daily. Statistics indicate that loneliness can cause a 20% decline in health, a number that increases for seniors, the elderly and the homebound.

TeleCare not only offsets that statistic, it ultimately serves as a safety net for clients and their families especially if volunteer callers are unable to reach the client.

If you live alone or know someone who does, a daily phone call would be a great way to stay connected with life and make new friends. Other TeleCare activities include attending an annual holiday party to meet fellow clients and member volunteers face to face, as well as receiving greeting cards from the Assisteens®, an auxiliary where kids learn to participate in a community service at a young age. So make that call to get you or someone you know connected.

For more information about TeleCare, please phone 925-934-0901. To learn about Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s other philanthropic programs, funded by its thrift shop in Lafayette, and its recently awarded GuideStar Exchange gold participation level status, please visit diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

• Los Alamos Ct. ~ Residential Burglary: A home was burglarized. While home owners were on vacation, unknown responsible(s) damaged the front door to gain entrance and stole several items from within. The scene was processed for evidence. There is currently a lead that is being pursued in the case • Corwin Dr. ~ Residential Robbery: A home was burglarized.

While the home owners were out of town, unknown responsible(s) gain access to the home from the rear and stole several items from within.

The scene was processed for evidence. There is currently a lead that is being pursued in the case.

• Via Larga ~ Residential Robbery: A home was burglarized.

While the home owners were away for a short period of time, unknown responsible(s) gained entrance through an unlocked door. The home was ransacked, but it appeared that nothing was stolen. The burglary is currently an ongoing investigation.

To advertise call 925.405.6397

• From a residential burglary that occurred last year on Granite Dr., charges have been filed against one suspect that was in possession of the victim’s stolen check and a second suspect had been arrested when he was found in possession of the victim’s credit cards.

Sheriff David Livingston reported 26 crimes in Alamo during the month of February which included false alarm, drunk in public, assult, burglary, domestic violence, driving under the influence, unknown cause of death, drug possession, grand theft, kidnapping, credit card fraud, outside assist, petty theft, found property, suspicious circumstance, identity theft, and vandalism.

Reported Incidents

Item of Interest

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

New Data on Breast Cancer

By Tiffany Svahn, MD

Recently, data was presented that directly affects our treatment of breast cancer patients. In the realm of local therapy, there were two studies out of the Netherlands that have important implications. Both studies were large registry studies rather than randomized trials, so all results must be interpreted with caution, but they both had very interesting findings.

The first Danish study looked at outcomes in women treated with breast conservation (BC) versus mastectomy for early stage breast cancer (stages I-III). The data of 37,207 women were analyzed.

Interestingly, the 10-year overall survival was higher for women who had BC (76.8%) versus women who were treated with mastectomy (59.7%). Similarly, the 10-year disease-free survival was higher for BC versus mastectomy (83.6% vs 81.5%). In addition, rates for both distant metastatic disease and regional recurrence were higher in mastectomy patients, but there was no difference in local recurrence. All differences were statistically significant. Some experts postulate that perhaps it was the addition of radiation therapy in breast conservation that accounts for the improved outcomes with breast conservation over mastectomy. There has been a recent rise in increased bilateral mastectomies in women with early stage breast cancer who would have likely done just as well with breast conservation. Many women choose to have bilateral mastectomies because they incorrectly believe that it will improve their outcomes.

It is important for clinicians to educate patients that choosing bilateral mastectomies does not change the risk of distant metastatic disease and thus overall survival, and this study indicates that perhaps mastectomy may even lead to worse outcomes.

The second Danish study looked at margin width and re-excision at the time of lumpectomy. Data from 11,900 women was analyzed, with a median follow-up of 4.9 years. Not surprisingly, women who had a final positive margin had an increased risk of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) by 2.5-fold. However, there was no difference in IBTR if margins were 0-1 mm vs 2-4 mm vs > 5 mm, supporting the concept of “no tumor on ink” is a negative margin. Eleven percent of the women had re-excision, and of those women, 20% had residual disease at the time of re-excision.

Residual disease at the time of re-excision led to a three-fold higher risk of IBTR even if final margins were negative. No difference was seen in overall survival.

There were two important studies presented that pertain to systemic treatment of early stage breast cancer.

IBIS-II is a randomized trial looking at outcomes of 2,980 postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who were randomized to receive five years of either tamoxifen (the current standardof-care) or anastrozole (an aromatase inhibitor (AI), widely used for the treatment of invasive breast cancer). Earlier in 2015, the results of NSABP-B35 showed better outcomes for aromatase inhibitors over tamoxifen for DCIS, specifically in women less than 60 years of age. In this IBIS-II trial, with a median followup of 7.2 years, there was a trend toward lower invasive recurrence with AI vs tamoxifen (6.6% vs 7.4%). There was no difference in overall survival, and there was a decrease in both endometrial and ovarian cancers seen with the use of AI. Tamoxifen is known to increase the risk of endometrial cancer, and it appears that AIs may be protective against ovarian cancer.

The Create-X trial addressed an important issue in the use of adjuvant capecitabine (Xeloda) chemotherapy in women who had been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and did not achieve a complete pathologic response. This was a phase III randomized trial looking at 910 women with HER2-negative breast cancer, with a median follow-up of two years. All tumors were either node-positive or greater than 5 cm. The use of eight cycles of adjuvant capecitabine chemotherapy led to a 31% decreased risk of recurrence. The disease-free survival was 87.3% vs 80.5%, and the overall survival was 96.2% vs 93.9% (not statistically significant). The study was discontinued early because it met its primary endpoint of disease-free survival. This is the first data we have that supports the use adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and did not achieve a complete pathologic response. This is particularly important for women with triple-negative breast cancer, as they do not have the option of receiving targeted treatment (anti-estrogen therapy for ER+ disease, and trastuzumab for HER2+ disease) that will benefit them in the adjuvant setting.

As illustrated in the studies discussed above, the outcomes for women with early stage breast cancer are excellent and continue to improve.

Dr. Svahn is a medical oncologist who specializes in treating patients with breast cancer. She practices with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group and sees patients in Pleasant Hill and San Ramon. For more information, call 925-677-5041. Advertorial

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 25

Fine Mexican Dining

743-8997 In Stone Valley Shopping Center

Enjoy Our Patio Dining Monday - Saturday: Lunch and Dinner Sunday: Dinner only We Offer a Full Bar and Lounge 3168 Danville Blvd, Alamo Margaritas are a House Specialty

MuseSRV continued from page 21

In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston writes: “Each block had to provide its own volunteers. Some were lucky and had a professional or two in their midst. But the first chef in our block had been a gardener all his life and suddenly found himself preparing three meals a day for 250 people.”

Resilient and resourceful, internees soon made tables, chairs, and shelves from scavenged scrap lumber. Paid from $12 to $19 a month, internees were permitted seeds and supplies from the Sears Roebuck catalogue. They created beautiful gardens where indigenous desert plants repeatedly expired. They set up schools, scout programs, sports, and entertainment.

The 1943 loyalty questionnaire asked internees to pledge their support for the United States. Despite having been denied their constitutional rights, most acquiesced. Those eligible for military service either enlisted or were drafted.

Considered disloyal, individuals who balked at the injustice were imprisoned at Tule Lake.

On July 15, 1946, the 442nd Infantry Regiment comprised completely of Japanese Americans marched up Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC. President Harry Truman stood in the rain to honor their exemplary service. Katsumi Hikido, whose legs were shattered, was unable to participate, but Isao “Ace” Handa, another San Ramon Valley hero, carried the regimental flag.

Closing of the internment camps began in September 1945, finishing in March 1946.

Shamed by their incarceration, most camp survivors kept their memories to themselves.Alice Tanabe Nehira, born at Tule Lake, was finally ready to testify before Congress in 1989.

“No one benefits when truth is silent,” she concluded. In current currency, the $250 million property losses sustained by JapaneseAmericans in 1942 translate as $3 billion.

Congress voted reparation to each Only known photo of widely practiced dry land living internee of $20,000. tomato farming. Kobe Yonemoto waters seedlings.

For more information, visit www. Sakayo is partially obscured by sister Mary. Brother museumsrv.org or call 925-837-3750. Kazoo is off to the right. Photo courtesy of MuseSRV.

Page 26 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month

Why we Should be Concerned about HPV

By Dr. Arash Mohebati, M.D., West Coast Surgical Associates

The term “head and neck cancer” refers to a variety of tumors that occur in the throat, larynx (voice box), nose, sinuses, and mouth. Head and neck cancers account for approximately three percent of all cancers in the United States and are nearly twice as common among men as they are among women. Alcohol and tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) are historically the two most important causes of head and neck cancers.

However, over the past decade we have been learning about the significance of HPV as a cause of head and neck cancer. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is a well-known cause of cervical cancer in women, and it is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world according to the National Cancer Institute. The same types of HPV that infect the genital areas can infect the mouth and throat. HPV infections often resolve before they cause any health problems.

However, HPV infection can cause cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women; penile cancer in men; anal cancer; cancer of the back of the throat (oropharynx); genital warts; and throat warts in both men and women.

About 27,000 new HPV associated cancers are diagnosed each year. More than 12,000 of those cases occur in the oropharyngeal region – usually in the tonsil or the base of the tongue. The incidence of HPV associated head and neck cancer has been rapidly rising since the 1990’s, while tobacco related cancers are declining. This incidence of oral HPV cancer will soon surpass the number of HPV related cervical cancer cases diagnosed per year in the United States.

Historically, head and neck cancers occurred in heavy smokers and drinkers and most frequently in the 5th through the 7th decade of life. HPV associated oropharyngeal cancers present in younger individuals, more often in white males, and often in non-smokers. HPV positive cancer often presents at a higher stage with metastatic lymph nodes in the neck, but treatment results in better disease-free survival and longer overall survival.

The most widely used treatment regimen for the management of oropharyngeal cancers has been the combination of chemotherapy and radiation.

Newer technology has allowed for the surgical resection of such tumors with decreased complications and good outcomes. There are new trials in progress aiming to identify the optimal treatment modality with least amount of toxicity for HPV associated cancers without compromising the outcomes. Based on the national cancer institute guidelines, recommendations for management of HPV associated and non-HPV cancers are similar.

At this time, the only preventive method available is vaccination prior to becoming sexually active. The new HPV vaccines -- recommended for both boys and girls age 9 to 12 -- have been shown to protect against cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. No such data exists that this vaccination is effective for oropharyngeal cancers, but research is underway. Animal tests suggest that an HPV vaccine would be preventative, and all approved vaccines are active against HPV stains 16 and 18, the subtypes of the virus that cause more than 95% of head and neck cancers.

Community adoption of the HPV vaccine in the United States remains lower than expected. One national survey suggests that only 40% of the girls and 22% of the boys received all three recommended doses of vaccine.

HPV vaccine is important because it protects against cancers caused by human papilloma virus infection. HPV is a very common virus; nearly 80 million people—about one in four—are currently infected in the United States. About 14 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year.

This is a true public health epidemic that is preventable and can be stopped through education and vaccination.

Dr. Arash Mohebati is a board certified general surgeon who completed additional fellowship training in head and neck oncologic surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He practices with West Coast Surgical Associates -- offices in Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and Concord. Dr. Mohebati is scheduling free visual oral cavity screenings on April 15 from 1-5PM in recognition of Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month – April.

Call (925) 933-0984 to schedule your free screening appointment. Advertorial

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Tattoo Regret? We can help.

By Dr. Jerome Potozkin

Here is a celebrity quiz. What do Justin Beiber, Jennifer Lawrence, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Megan Fox, Kelly Osborne, Demi Lovato, and Nicole Richie all have in common? If you thought it was that they all had a stint in rehab, then you would be completely incorrect. They all have tattoos that they regret. Tattoo regret is most commonly due to having an ex (boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife...)’s name tattooed. Other regrets stem from misspellings and spur of the moment tattoos where alcohol often was a factor in the decision making process. These kinds of decisions are almost never good. Fortunately, for those who have tattoo regret there are options. There are newer innovative technologies that have only recently become available.

There are different types of tattoos ranging from amateur India ink tattoos to professional tattoos. A tattoo is created when ink droplets are impregnated into the skin. The droplets stay there permanently because they are too large for the body to break down. Some tattoos can be considered works of art while others might be less desirable. Some have been considered body art while others can be signs of gang affiliation or even body trafficking. As long as sterile instruments are used, most tattoos are safe. However, a small number of people may have an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink.

Historically, tattoos could be removed by cutting them out, sanding them out by dermabrasion, as well as using acids to burn and scar the skin. Each of these methods had the obvious problem of trading the tattoo for a scar. Laser tattoo removal began in the early 1990s with the advent of “Q Switched” lasers.

These lasers of different colored light are absorbed by different colored ink. The intense light energy is pulsed so quickly that the ink droplet absorbs the light and is shattered into smaller pieces that the body can break down. The key is to have the laser pulse on and off so fast that there is no time for heat to spread to surrounding skin structures. I have personally been performing laser tattoo removal with multiple lasers to target multiple ink colors since the late nineties. I typically use topical or injectable numbing to minimize any discomfort.

If you don’t numb the skin, then the laser treatment feels like bacon grease spattering on the area. Multiple treatments are typically required. These lasers have had modest improvements until about 2-3 years ago.

The biggest improvement in laser tattoo removal has been the availability of picosecond lasers. These lasers deliver energy in shorter pulses, maximizing the breakdown of the tattoo ink and resulting in fewer treatments needed than when done with traditional devices. There tends to be faster healing as well. The devices are not widely available as they are more costly than the older devices. We just replaced our workhorse laser with the new PicoWay laser. This laser can even remove certain ink colors such as yellow that have traditionally been stubborn. The PicoWay offers multiple wavelengths to target different ink colors. If you love your tattoo, keep it. If you have a regret, we are happy to help you with the latest improved technology to erase it.

Dr. Potozkin is a board certified dermatologist who has been serving the local community since 1993. His fully accredited dermatological and laser facility is located at 600 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite 102 in Danville. Dr. Potozkin is a fellow member of the ASDS. He is accepting new patients. Please call (925) 838-4900 or visit Potozkin.com for more information.

Advertorial

TM

DONATE YOUR CAR!

| Trucks | Vans | Boats | Real Estate Cars •Cars Trucks • Vans • Boats • Real Estate

Call 7 days a week. Tax deduction. All transfer documents handled.

Live Operators on hand 7 most days a week Free pick-up. Running or not in cases.

Tax deduction • All| www.thefallenheroes.org transfer documents handled 888-694-5250 Free pick-up • Running or not in most cases

888-694-5250

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Menopause Matters

By Timothy Leach, MD, FACOG, CNMP

Menopause is an obvious marker of ovarian aging.

Chronological age is a poor predictor of when menopause occurs, and women vary widely in their menopausal transition. Last month I mentioned that the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) defines menopause as 12 months after the final menstrual period (FNP). In 2011 a multidisciplinary, multinational consensus workshop, “The Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW),” divided the menopausal transition into two premenopausal and two post-menopausal time frames. The importance is how these time frames relate to the symptoms patient’s experience and how those symptoms might be managed medically. The Early Pre-Menopause transition’s time frame is variable and defined by the persistent difference of seven days or more in cycle length on consecutive cycles.

The Late Pre-Menopause transition typically lasts one to three years and is characterized by cycles interspersed by 60 consecutive days (or longer) of not bleeding. In the Early Pre-Menopause transition, extra eggs can be recruited mid-cycle which can lead to an overproduction of estrogen which may result in breast pain, migraines, and heavy bleeding. These wide fluctuations in hormone levels may also be one of the triggers that lead to hot flashes and night sweats (which can occur during the day).

The final menstrual period is always determined by looking backwards 12 months. This is the beginning of an Early Post-Menopause that typically lasts for two to three years. Vasomotor symptoms are most likely occurring by this time if not already starting in late pre-menopause. The end of the Early Post-Menopause is about three to six years after the FNP and is typically when estradiol levels are low and stabilize. The Late Post-Menopause begins five to six years after the FMP and continues for your remaining life span. Further changes in reproductive endocrine function are limited, and somatic aging predominates. This phase can be marked by increasing genitourinary symptoms (burning, dryness, painful intimacy, and bladder infection like symptoms), which may not end, unlike hot flashes, which for most women may only last six to seven years.

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was one of the largest U.S. prevention studies including 161,000 menopausal women. It was the first (and probably last) randomized controlled study intended to look at the benefits (reduction in hot flashes and genitourinary symptoms) and risk (breast cancer and stroke) of hormone replacement therapy compared to a placebo. Launched in 1991 with the first results released in 2002, the WHI (https://www.whi.org) focused on strategies for preventing heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. Since the trial ended in 2005, more than 115,000 WHI participants have continued providing health information that is being used to investigate a variety of key women’s health questions. More then 90,000 of these women are still alive and in active follow-up across all 50 states.

In July 2002, one component of the WHI, which studied the use of estrogen (E) + progesterone (P) in a woman who had a uterus, was stopped early because the health risks exceeded the health benefits. The main reason for stopping the E+P study was because of a 26% increase in the risk for breast cancer. In March 2004, a second component of the WHI, which studied estrogen-only therapy in women who no longer had a uterus (prior hysterectomy), was stopped early. This was primarily because of an increased risk for strokes. What women heard around the world for the first time was that this elixir called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) obtained from the fountain of youth was potentially harmful. Overnight the majority of postmenopausal women stopped their HRT cold turkey out of fear that it was harmful. This memory still rings loud and clear when I ask women for their first impression when I say the words, “hormone replacement therapy.”

Yes it was true; this was the first time since HRT had been promulgated in Robert A. Wilson MD’s 1968 book Feminine Forever (supported by Wyeth, a drug company making Premarin/Provera that was sold to Pfizer pharmaceuticals in 2009), that it was found that post-menopausal hormones may be hazardous to your health. Ten years has elapsed since the WHI trial was closed, allowing more nuanced conclusions. The current NAMS consensus on HRT use is based on the age of the patient and when in her menopausal transition she started HRT. I won’t give away the ending of the story if I say that HRT should be offered only to those women who are having symptomatic hot flashes or genitourinary changes.

NAMS is dedicated to helping clinicians and menopausal patients understand the significant benefits and small but reasonable risks in the women who choose to take HRT. I will delve into these nuances next month, so stay tuned.

Visit my website at www.leachobgyn.com for links to resources and our Facebook page: Timothy Leach MD for more information. My office is located at 110 Tampico, Suite 210 in Walnut Creek. Please call us at 925-935-6952. Advertorial

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 27

Alamo MD Med Spa

Providing Quality Healthcare One Patient at a Time

Call us about our 6-8 week Medically Supervised Weight Management program

Call Us Today! (925) 831-1324 Dr. Jyothi Sarma and staff

Serving the Alamo area since 2002

50% off initial consultation 3201 Danville Blvd. Ste 155, Alamo, CA 94507

*

Trunk Show at

*

Poplar Spectacles Optometry in Alamo Plaza 215 Alamo Plaza, Alamo, CA

Join us to see the entire Tom Ford eyewear collection this season and also enjoy special prizes and promotions. Be a part of our pre-Mother’s Day event and pamper yourself with mimosas and chair massages while you are here.

9 2 5 - 2 0 2 - 2 8 4 6 | w w w. p o p l a rsp ecs. co m

Bone Up on Your Bones

The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) April program is “Bone Up on Your Bone.”

Kathleen Cody, Executive Director of American Bone Health, and Marianne Gibson, Physical Therapist, will be speaking on Thursday, April 28 from 7 – 8:30PM at the Danville Town Hall located at 201 Front Street in Danville.

Join AAUW to learn how you can protect your bones at any age. These experts will tell you how to have healthy bones for life starting with childhood and going through being a senior citizen.

Informative handouts and light refreshments will be provided. E-mail questions to daw.aauw@gmail.com.

The cost is $5. Register and pay by sending a check to DAW AAUW, P.O. Box 996, Alamo, CA 94507, or pay online at http://daw-ca.aauw.net/ bone-up-on-bones2016/.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 28 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

In Plastic Surgery, it’s the Little Things that Count

By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.

For most of us, the littlest things can have the biggest impact on our happiness. As a mother of three, nothing makes me happier than a pair of little arms from one of my kids wrapped around my neck. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, nothing is more precious to me than the big hug I get from a patient on whom I have operated after a difficult ordeal (like breast cancer) or performed a cosmetic procedure on that helps them get their ‘groove’ back.

I think a lot about the little things as summer approaches and we begin to bare more of our skin. Many people panic about this level of exposure and we begin to focus on the parts of our body and face that feel less than perfect to us.

What most people unfamiliar with cosmetic and reconstructive surgery do not know is that there are many little ways that we can address and improve how we look that can have a huge impact on how we feel about ourselves. In many cases, my patients experience the most satisfying results when we take an incremental approach to improvements. For example, using fillers like Radiesse®, Juvéderm®, and Restylane® in strategic spots on the face can create a look of vibrancy and youth that is completely natural, budget-friendly, and results in no down-time.

This is also the time of year when many of my patients choose to do more advanced procedures like blepharoplasty (eyelid lifts) and breast augmentation or lifts. While these surgeries do require more healing time, the impact they have is quite remarkable.

Here are a few of the procedures that we offer at Persons Plastic Surgery, Lafayette that can help you look and feel ready for summer: Fraxel® Laser is proven laser technology that can help reverse the visible effects of aging, naturally helping you look as young as you feel. Fraxel technology is proven, effective, and non-invasive.

The Eye Opener

Ocular Allergies

By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry

Now that most of the rainy season is behind us, springtime allergies are starting to affect many people in our community. I have personally noticed in the past few weeks that my eyes and nose are starting to itch.

Several patients are already coming into the office with complaints similar to my own. The treatment plan for each person is different, but the drugs, drops, and contact lens modalities we use are similar.

The best treatment for allergies is to eliminate or reduce exposure to the allergen.

Since most allergens are airborne and all around us, that makes it very difficult.

Instead, most of us take either a prescription or over-the-counter antihistamine.

In addition to antihistamines, there are steroid medications such as Flonase and decongestants such as Sudafed that are used in conjunction with oral antihistamines because the antihistamines alone are not sufficient to control most allergies. These medications help alleviate some of the systemic symptoms of runny nose, congestion, etc. In some patients, it also helps with some of the ocular issues of tearing, itching, and redness. However, the main side effect of these medications is dryness.

If the eyes are dry, it can actually worsen some of the ocular symptoms because there are fewer tears to wash away the allergens in your eye.

For this reason, I also recommend topical drops to help in the fight against allergies. These drops do not solve the problems, but generally they enable the patient to function. There are several types of drops that can be used depending on the severity of the symptoms. For a mild case, I usually recommend non-preserved artificial tears and a prescription medication. The tears are used to help lubricate the eye and flush out the allergens that are sitting on your eye causing the itching and redness. Drops such as Bepreve, Lastacraft, and Pazeo are site-specific medications used to counteract the effect of the allergens on and around your eye while also helping to prevent further episodes. For the more advanced case, I recommend the short-term use of a topical steroid, which will calm the eye down quicker. Because of the potential side effects, a drop of this kind should only be used for a relatively short period of time. I usually instruct my patients to use the steroid drop for about a week in conjunction with the artificial tears, and then use the other prescription drops to keep the allergic reaction minimized. I believe the use of steroids should only be used when indicated, but is a wise treatment choice in those patients that are really suffering.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Fraxel Laser is the original fractional laser treatment that works below the skin’s surface to address fine lines and wrinkles, surface scarring, pigmentation (including age spots), and sun damage. Fractionated laser light energy stimulates your skin’s natural collagen, rejuvenating skin cells below the surface to help smooth the creases and pockets that cause wrinkles and scars. Patients can see results after a single Fraxel treatment and will continue to see softer, smoother, and more eventoned skin over the next 3-6 months. There are several types of Fraxel procedures to meet your specific needs. For most Fraxel Laser procedures, there are few side effects and low downtime. As with all procedures, a consultation with our expert staff will help you decide if Fraxel Laser or another laser treatment is right for you.

Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure for saggy eyelids. Eyelid surgery (upper and lower) is a great way to rejuvenate and refresh your appearance. This procedure targets the bulges, bags, and excess skin of the upper and lower eyelids that can make you look tired and droopy-eyed. While saggy eyelids may start as early as our 20’s, eventually, it affects everyone. Happily, no matter what your age, it can be surgically corrected to create a more youthful and vibrant-looking you.

At Persons Plastic Surgery, we usually perform upper and lower lid surgery simultaneously. But we can address just upper or lower as needed, or in conjunction with face, neck, or brow lift surgery.

What makes eyelid surgery such an excellent ‘quick fix’ procedure is that there is usually only mild discomfort and little downtime. You may see some discoloration, but this will improve after a week or two. And most patients can go back to work in 8 to 10 days. You will look like you, only better.

As a Plastic Surgeon, I have a great passion to help my patients look and feel their best. At Persons Plastic Surgery, we take a holistic approach to helping you look and feel happy. We invite you to come in for a consultation. Even a minor procedure can have a major effect on your sense of well-being. Small can be the new big!

Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. is located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. To contact me call 925-283-4012 or email drbarb@ Advertorial personsplasticsurgery.com.

For those contact lens wearers, this is the time of year that leads to decreased wear time, build-up on the lenses, and overall intolerance of wear. Most patients wear their lenses for less time, and/or dispose of them more often. For all of my contact lens patients including those with allergy issues, I recommend daily disposable contacts. These lenses are thin, easy to adapt to, do not require any cleaning or solutions, and are always comfortable because you put a fresh lens on every day.

A new daily lens leads to better vision and eye health because of no lens build up and a decreased risk for infection. Even though wearing contact lenses during the spring months might be difficult, having a fresh lens every day provides the possibility of longer and comfortable wear.

Obviously, every patient and situation is different. At your visit, you will be evaluated on your particular signs and symptoms and be given the appropriate treatment plan. The issues and treatments discussed have generally worked well for my patients in the past. Most of the time, it will be a combination of these that will work best.

Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at (925) 820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo.

Visit our website at www.alamooptometry.com, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry.

Advertorial ®

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

The Art of Leadership

By Michelle Brown

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 29

GREAT SERVICE. EVEN BETTER VALUE.

Would Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry be a World Champ without the wisdom, skill, and belief of Coach Kerr or G.M. Bob Meyers?

Would Coach Kerr or Bob Meyers be as knowledgeCONVENIENT SHUTTLE SERVICE TO able without learning from the skills and indomitable HOME, THE OFFICE, BART AND BACK. will of players like Curry?

The Warriors are great leaders because they are ` willing to learn; they are willing to adapt. They are FACTORY LUBE, OIL DIAGNOSIS/ SCHEDULED coachable! They come to every practice and every game with an empty cup. & FILTER CHECK ENGINE MAINTENANCE LIGHT INSPECTION When that last buzzer rings, whether the points are higher on their side of Multi-Point Performance Let our trained experts perform an Improve mileage and extend Inspection initial inspection and diagnosis. We’ll the life of your vehicle - follow the clock or not, they will leave with their cup full of new knowledge. Great Drain and Replace All Engine Oil also provide you with the exact cost recommended service schedules Install Genuine Factory Oil Filter to perform the repair. No obligation, leaders know that new knowledge is a WIN...no matter the score! nothing to buy. % 95 All great leaders know one thing, and that is that they don’t know every$ OFF +TAX thing! They are humble. The best leaders out there are more willing to learn REGULAR PRICES Synthetic oil extra. than anyone, and they are more than willing to admit that they have a lot to For Acura, Honda, Lexus, and Toyota vehicles only. Valid only at THE SERVICE OUTLET on the day of service. Please present learn. We all have issues we need to work on. If we don’t, then why are we coupon when service order is written. Not valid in conjunction with other coupons, offers or discounts. Synthetic oil extra. alive? The purpose of life is to grow, to learn. It is an honor to pass on our wisdom to those we love so that they can cultivate their own. No one knows everything, but when we are willing to learn from our issues, we begin to set aside our ego and see the reality of our situation. We simplify our world by tiding up our mental plate. We remove our filter so that we can clearly see what needs to change, and then we can adapt. We become coachable.

Whether they are passing a ball, calling the plays, being a parent or firing up a team at their workplace, great leaders spend quality time reflecting on their actions and refining them. A real, honest, excuse-free self evaluation happens LAFAYETTE SAN RAMON SINCE 3360 Mt. Diablo Blvd.

2151 San Ramon Valley Blvd. often in the life of a great leader. They are willing to face and grapple with the 1993 925.283.3133 925.837.3000 issues within themselves that most people are ashamed and afraid to admit.

They have learned to focus on the things they don’t like about themselves THESERVICEOUTLET.COM because that is the only way they can change them. This is both humbling and exciting! It creates space for personal growth and, albeit sometimes a 1410127-TSO-ALToday-5x6.25.indd 1 10/27/14 12:05 PM bit painful, it is the path toward great leadership. The value of Bladder Cancer: Another Reason to Stop self betterment always outweighs ego in the mind of the great Smoking leader. Through this constant journey of grappling and self

By Richard Long, MD discovery, we start to empathize with the struggles all people face, and empathy is an essential quality of great leadership.

Fifty percent of those diagnosed with bladder cancer The best leader knows that victory is almost always on the smoke tobacco. other side of a giant, seemingly insurmountable obstacle, but Many health diseases are associated with smoking: pulmonary disease, they don’t focus on the obstacle. They focus on the solution. kidney cancer, asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, and so many more. If those They know that the most important part of conquering the aren’t enough reasons to quit smoking, let’s add another… bladder cancer. obstacle is not in the conquering, but the process of learning How does tobacco smoke affect the urinary system? and growth that will happen when they, as a team, give it their Our complex systems are interconnected. As you inhale smoke from cigars, pipes, and best shot. They know that working with the team is the only cigarettes, you may only think of the effect on your mouth and lungs. However, once you way they can realize their full potential. inhale the smoke, cancer-causing chemicals contained in tobacco products enter the lungs In many ways, we are all leaders. If you are a parent, you are and are absorbed into the blood stream. Your hard-working kidneys then filter your blood to a leader. If you are a boss, you are a leader. If you are a teacher, remove all of the “waste,” such as the carcinogens, which are then deposited into the urine. you are a leader. If you are a friend, a wife, or a husband, you As the urine sits in your bladder, waiting to be expelled, the carcinogens damage the too are a leader. You don’t need to be a know-it-all to be a cellular lining of the bladder, increasing your risk of cancer. great leader. Focus on being greatly coachable. Reflect upon What is the chance of being diagnosed with bladder cancer? and refine your actions. Cultivate empathy. Practice humility.

American Cancer Society estimated that in 2015 there would be approximately 74,000 Play with the team. Start each day and enter each situation with people in the United States that would be diagnosed with bladder cancer. Nearly 50% of those an empty cup...be thirsty for knowledge! Practice this and you diagnosed will have cancers that have been caused from being a tobacco smoker. Smokers too will master the art of leadership! are three times more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than those who don’t smoke.

To your health, Coach Michelle With nearly 16,000 people estimated to have passed away from bladder cancer in 2015, why Michelle Brown is an ACE Certified Medical Exercise would you increase your chances?

Specialist, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, 2nd Degree Bok If you smoke, take a step to quit today for a healthier you. Do it for your lungs, kidneys, and your Fu Black Belt Disciple, TRX Level 2 Certified Trainer, Trigbladder. If you need help quitting, talk with your doctor about medications that can be prescribed ger Point Rehabilitation Therapist and owner of Gumsaba to help you, and also take a look at helpful websites like SmokeFree.gov and BeTobaccoFree.gov.

Fitness. Michelle has been helping clients surpass their Dr. Richard Long is a board-certified urologist with Pacific Urology. He sees patients goals since 1998. Gumsaba offers outdoor fitness programs, in Concord, Walnut Creek, and San Ramon. Dr. Long’s areas of interest include Robotic personal, small group and sport specific training. Join urologic surgery, bladder and prostate cancer, prostate enlargement, female urology, Gumsaba for a FREE CLASS. Visit www.gumsaba.com and erectile dysfunction, and kidney stones. Dr. Long can be reached at (925) 937-7740 or click get started to redeem your free class with promo code www.pacific-urology.com.

Advertorial BECOACHABLE. Advertorial

10

29

FREE

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 30 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Ditch Your Pain and Get Back on the Golf Course

Your Personal Nutritionist

Reasons We Eat When We Are Not Hungry

By Linda Michaelis RD, MS

Emotional Eating

We all eat when we are not hungry and often do not realize when it happens. Maybe you graze when you are bored and pass by the bowl of candy or nuts and mindlessly eat them. You may feel sluggish in the afternoon, and food calls your name. While this is OK from time to time, too much eating without thinking can derail your weight loss plan. Here are some typical situations:

You may indulge in a treat to celebrate or eat to soothe yourself because you are upset. I encourage my clients to track the emotional triggers that cause their eating roller coaster that comes out of nowhere, and together we work at understanding why it happens.

Because you are Tired

I easily can tell when my clients eat improperly when they are tired by looking at their food diary because it is full of sweets to pick them up. As I get to know my client, I stress the importance of getting a good night sleep and taking naps. When you are tired it is very difficult to know whether you truly are hungry or not. Sleep loss increases impulsivity and stimulates the reward center of your brain, making you prone to eat foods high in calories, sugar, and fat. The body is driven to eat more after a night of poor sleep to compensate for energy expended being awake.

Because it’s a Special Occasion

If you work in a large office or have a big family, it seems like there is always some type of celebration. Remember that celebrations are about getting people together, and the food is not always incredibly delicious. I love to help my clients devise a food plan to navigate these parties one-by-one as they happen.

Because the Clock says so

Do you pull out your lunch or go to lunch when it is your scheduled time? I teach my clients to listen to their body and not eat lunch until they are hungry. Please use the time to take a walk, and then wait for the hunger to come. Food is always more tasty when you feel hungry.

By Dr. Kristin Moore, DC

Spring has sprung! The clocks have been set forward, and our normal routines have been thrown out the window.

The seasons are changing, the trees are blooming, and the sun is shining a little brighter here in Alamo. Nature seems to have a way of being able to seamlessly transition from cold, wintery weather into warm, sunny days. However, sometimes the human body isn’t so graceful.

Winter is over, and it’s time to knock the rust off of your golf clubs and set that early tee time. But before you do, it’s important to remember to pace yourself! This time of year I see a lot of patients suffering from golf related injuries.

Pain is the absolute last thing you want to slow you (and your swing) down.

Here are some of the most common questions that golfers ask me:

What are the most common golf injuries?

1. Back Pain 4. Knee Pain

2. Golfers Elbow 5. Shoulder Pain

3. Plantar Fasciitis

Is it OK to continue to play even though I have one of these injuries?

Some may choose to play while injured; however, the likelihood of your injury getting worse becomes much higher. As it gets worse, it is much more difficult to treat, and it can take much longer for you to recover.

How do you treat golf injuries?

I have many different methods to treat all of the most common golf injuries. I typically start off by realigning the spine and extremities to make sure the structure of your body is in complete balance. Then I will utilize active release technique in order to release any muscles or ligaments that may be decreasing your spinal range of motion, thus preventing a full and effective golf swing. Next, I may use laser therapy to help decrease inflammation and pain that may have developed due to your injury. Lastly, in some cases I add spinal decompression therapy in order to treat a bulging disc in your back due to the rotational swing.

How many treatments will I need in order to recover?

Because Other People are Eating

This depends on the severity of your injury. Sometimes golfers need only a handful of treatments in order to get back to feeling normal again, while others may take 10 to 20 visits.

Because it is Free or Cheap

This is the MOST asked question! Again, this really depends on the extent of the injury and the amount of time you have been suffering from it. I can guarantee you, though, I will do everything possible to help you to get back on the golf course as soon as possible! I have even been known to help my patients take a few swings off of their golf score!

This can be a difficult time because you want to feel a part of the gang. I encourage people to fill up their plate with some food, move it around on the plate, and throw it away as soon as possible. You always think you are being watched, but this is not true. Grab a beverage for security, and get through the event and feel comfortable when you leave.

Everyone, including myself, loves a deal. But please stop eating just because it is free. If you are hungry at the time and it is healthy food, then it makes sense. When I see people at the store buying day old bakery goods, I cringe and want to tell them to take that money and buy something healthy and yummy.

Because you Cannot say no to Food Pushers

If you are a people pleaser at a friend’s home and find it hard to say no, you have to really look at this. You must say to them kindly, “No thank you,” or “I am not hungry.” If you must take the piece of cake that the host spent hours baking, then take a bite and get rid of it gracefully. Also, tell your neighbor when the she comes in with fresh baked cookies, “I will enjoy them tonight.” Save them for dessert when it fits your food plan.

Because you Suffer from Clean Plate Syndrome

Yes, most of us grew up with orders to clean our plate because there are starving kids in (you name the country). It is unfortunate that we cannot benefit them, but we have to help ourselves by putting less food on our plate.

My job is to teach my clients how little food our bodies need when we eat the right combination of foods.

I am thrilled to have the pleasure of working with clients that do well in the beginning with weight loss but just cannot keep the motivation going and get sidetracked by life. It is my job to keep them on track, show them the areas that are preventing success, and give them the steps to finally achieve that weight loss goal.

Give yourself the gift of allowing yourself to hire a nutritionist to hold your hand and get you to your weight loss goal.

Nutritional counseling can be covered by medical insurance -- Aetna, Blue Cross, Health Net, Hill Physicians, Sutter Health, Contra Costa Health, and other insurances. Please refer to www.LindaRD.com for past articles and information about services. Feel free to call me at (925)855-0150 or email Advertorial lifeweight1@yahoo.com.

When can I start playing golf again?

How do I learn more?

The best way to find out if I can help with your golfing related injuries is to call my office and tell them that you read this article in the Alamo Today newspaper. Judy, our office manager, will then schedule you for a complimentary 15-minute consultation with me. That will give me a chance to discuss your condition with you and for me to determine if I can help you. What have you got to lose but your pain and possibly a few strokes off your game?

For more information, please visit www.alignhealingcenter.com, call (925) 362-8283, e-mail drkristinmooredc@gmail.com, or visit our office located at 125-G Railroad Avenue in Danville to schedule your compliAdvertorial mentary consultation today!

C L A S S I F I E D FOR RENT

CONDO VACATION RENTAL Mauna Lani Resort, Big Island. New luxury 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo on 4th fairway. Minimum 3 night stay. Contact Alamo owners for discounted rate. (925)381-7042, Alamomgt@usa.net

Alamo Today Classifieds

Reach over 6,500 homes and businesses in Alamo & Diablo - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies...$35 for up to 45 words.$5 for each additional 15 words.

Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117,Alamo,CA 94507 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com.

Run the same classified ad in our sister papers “Lafayette Today” or “Danville Today News” and pay half off for your second and/or third ad! Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print.

Your cancelled check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

FREE

Teeth Whitening Kit for New Patients (with an exam, teeth cleaning and x-rays)

We are accepting new patients Call us at (925) 831-8310

Alamo Today ~ April 2016 - Page 31

Page 32 - April 2016 ~ Alamo Today

The Combs Team

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Professionals You Can Count On

Nancy

Joe

Call the Combs Team

®

9 2 5 -9 8 9 -6 0 86 www.TheCombsTeam.com

Danville / Alamo Area Real Estate: Incredible Year for the Luxury Home Market

Last Year, 2015, was a great year for Luxury Homes in our area. I have defined Luxury Homes to include homes that are 5000 square feet and larger sitting on a premium lot that is between ½ and one full acre, and equipped with a pool. This definition has been overlain on the geographies including Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, and Diablo, basically what in my personal view comprises the “Danville Area.”

The Luxury Home Market bottomed in 2010 both in terms of average price and dollars paid per square feet. At that time you could have bought a 5,800 square ft. home for an average price of about $1.9 million with a value of $327 per square foot.

Those prices were nearly 56% below the current market for a Luxury Home.

During the Luxury Home Market peak in 2007, only 14 homes sold, but they did so with an impressive average price of $2,920,833 and an average square foot price of $506. Technically speaking, the Luxury Market in our area has yet to recover completely. In order to match the 2007 peak, the Luxury Home square foot price will need to increase on average another 3%. Although when you look at units sold and average sold price, there is a strong argument that it has already recovered.

While the line of ascent from the bottom in 2010 has not been perfectly straight, it has for the most part, been steady and I believe it is gaining strength. Sales are happening at a rate of two per month. Days on market stand at 75, about a week longer than 2014, but 25% less than posted in 2012. Year-to-date in 2016 six Luxury Home have sold, and three are currently pending. They carry an average square foot price

Danville Single Story

of $463 which is a little less than the 2015 average.

There are currently 15 Luxury Homes on the market. Their total days on market range from 11 to 30 days (Last year they stretched to 359 days.) They carry an average list price of $3,643,617 compared to last year’s list price of $3,088,874 and an average square foot price of $550 compared to $502 last year.

This is significantly higher than the 2015 sold numbers of $2,974,642 and $492 respectively.

The good news for Luxury Home sellers is that the market has recovered significantly from the downturn and sales are continuing apace in 2016. We’ve moved very far, very fast. My personal view is I don’t expect Luxury Home prices to increase at the same 12% rate next year. I believe they will be about the same as 2015. When I write about the Luxury Market next year, it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

Nancy and I have more than 3,000 email subscribers who receive this article in advance of publication. You can add yourself to the list by sending me an email or signing up for it on our website www.thecombsteam.com. I assure you no spam will follow. You can also follow us on Facebook “Real Estate Services for Danville, Alamo and more.”

Trying to figure out your next move? Need numbers and answers to make your decisions? Nancy and I will be happy to provide you with a personal consultation to help you figure it out. No charge and no pressure just our honest opinions.

Please call 925-989-6086 or send me an email joecombs@thecombsteam.com.

Canyon Lakes Single Level

Executive Luxury Home

D

SOL 5 bedroom, single story on nearly 2 gorgeous acres. Two family rooms, exquisite master, large bonus room, walk-in wine cellar. Worth waiting for. Priced to sell $2,499,000.

Lovely ground level 2 bedroom condo with view of the lagoon.

Priced to sell $575,000.

Mt. Diablo views from this casually elegant & completely luxurious Braddock Logan model home. 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath. Priced to sell $1,899,000.

Danville 4 Bedroom

Coming Soon!

Alamo Single Story Ranch

D

D

SOL

Nicely updated 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath in lovely Danville neighborhood. Community pool and tennis courts. Priced to sell $899,000.

SOL West Side Alamo 4 bedroom spectacular views, great location. Worth waiting for. Call for details.

Data presented in this column is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Contra Costa and Alameda MLS service and other quoted sources.

Joe Combs, Nancy Combs, The Combs Team, J. Rockcliff and the MLS service do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. DRE #0144125.

4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home on flat half acre.

Updated and ready to go. Priced to sell $1,275,000.

J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526