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February 2016 The Crayon Initiative: As Innovative as Child’s Play By Jody Morgan
Serving Alamo and Diablo
What’s cooking in the Ware family’s Danville kitchen? Fuel for the imagination generated by a recipe that keeps a non-biodegradable product out of the landfill. Bryan Ware, Founder and President of The Crayon Initiative (TCI), leads his team in remaking unwanted crayons into new 8-color boxes specially designed for pediatric hospital patients across the nation. From collection to distribution, TCI makes a complex process proceed as innovatively as child’s play. In 2011, while celebrating his 40th birthday at a family-friendly establishment, Ware wondered what would happen to the crayons the restaurant had given his two young sons if they didn’t take them home. Restaurants, he discovered, fearing contamination and being risk averse, dump even unopened boxes of crayons from patrons’ tables into the trash. Five hundred thousand pounds of crayons reach landfills
Volunteering at Habitat For Humanity in Martinez
High School Students Give Back
Crayon sorting is fun for all ages. The next sorting date is March 12. Photo courtesy of TCI.
every year. Made of a combination of petroleum-based paraffin wax and pigment, crayons don’t biodegrade in a decade or even a century. Ware wanted to rework that intolerable waste into a valuable resource. “Being a supply chain guy,” Ware explains, “I knew there had to be something we could do with the endless supply of crayons. I knew it was going to be big, and now we’ve proven that crayon recycling is making a difference in children’s lives. This isn’t a small operation anymore. We are on track to donate 100,000 packs of crayons to hospitalized children across the country this year. This is just the beginning.” What began as a moment of inspiration took two years to turn into a viable operation. After incorporating in May 2013, TCI finally achieved non-profit 501 (C) (3) status in January 2014. Along the way, many problems had to be solved. How do you turn big batches of wax into crayons in a home kitchen? How do you remove the paper? How do you manufacture a product that’s what pediatric hospitals want? Step by step, Ware answered each question. Manual scraping and solvents don’t work, but crayon wrappers can be easily removed from the melting pot with tongs. Any residue is strained out when the wax is poured into molds. Now TCI is working on turning that waxed paper by-product
Local Postal Customer
Last year Kailey McKnight and Kaylee Anderson founded a community service-based club at San Ramon Valley High School that is affiliated with the Pledge to Humanity organization. In a little over a year the club has quickly grown to 142 members, becoming the largest and fastest growing club on campus. The SRVHS Pledge to Humanity Club volunteers have donated a total of 915 hours of their time in the last four months to help those in need all over the Bay Area. A few of the many events that the club has participated in this year include Special Olympics, Habitat For Humanity, Winter Wonderland for foster kids, caroling to seniors, serving at multiple soup kitchens, and more. Through working together with the common goal of helping others, SRVHS students are seeing that it is much better to give than to receive. They are also realizing that even though they live in an affluent community, there are folks right in our backyard that need help.
Grad Night: Plea to “Pay It Forward” By Lisa Olson, SRV Grad Night
Since 1978, San Ramon Valley High School (SRVHS) senior parents have put on a Grad Night celebration for their graduates. Every year, these parents rely on someone in the community to donate storage/workspace to design and build for Grad Night. Over the years, this has become increasingly difficult with the real estate market volatility. Further, SRVHS will be undergoing massive campus renovations next year, and in preparation, the school is currently vacating a majority of its space for demolition. As the result, the Grad Night storage space on campus, where Grad Night resources, materials and supplies that are passed on from year to year reside, has been eliminated. If anyone in the area has a vacant workspace we could use (tax donation), please contact us immediately. We sign a full release of liability. Ideal parameters for the space include light industrial Volume XVI - Number 2 space between 3,000-4,000 square feet, 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, roll up or double doors to accommodate CA 94507 See Crayon continued on page 21 large items, running water, toilet, ample Telephone Alamo, (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 electrical outlets, any in a location beFax (925) 406-0547 PRSRT STD tween Fairfield and Livermore. U.S. Postage Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Grad Night 2016 planning is underPAID Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com way, and our committee has been unable Permit 263 Sharon Burke ~ Writer opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Alamo CA to secure a donated storage/workspace. The not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today This isn’t just a Class of 2016 problem. is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising ECRWSS
See Plea continued on page 23
herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
Page 2 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today JOIN US DURING Boulevard“SUPER View
By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor
VALENTINES ” WEEK February 7 Join us during “SUPER VALENTINE’S WEEK” www.yourmonthlypaper.com
February 7-14
A SUPER BOWL CELEBRATION at
When I am on vacation, all of my necessary possessions fit nicely inside an averaged size suitcase. These Super Bowl“SUPER Celebration at”Alamo Grill! belongings manage to take care of my needs for a few JOIN US DURING VALENTINES WEEK February 7 - 14 • All you can eat appetizer buffet, all game long! $25 plus tax/tip weeks or longer, infrequently leaving me lusting over A SUPER BOWL CELEBRATION at • Sound on TV! items I left at home. When I come home, I look at all • •Sound on TV! All Beer $4/pint, $6/20oz JOIN US DURING “SUPER VALENTINES ” WEEK February 7 - 14 glass of the possessions that I own and surround me, and •All All Well you can eat, appetizer buffet, ALL GAME $25 • Cocktails $4 A SUPER BOWL CELEBRATION at sometimes it gets overwhelming. Everything I own • $50 Gift• Certificate Winner All Beer $4 pint / 20oz for glassBest $6 Dressed Fan! • Sound on TV! needs some level of “care and feeding.” From the tea • AllALL Well Cocktails • All you can eat, appetizer buffet, GAME $25 $4for Closest Score Prediction • $100 Gift Certificate Drawing • pint $50 /Gift Certificate cups that need dusting, to the button on my shirt that needs reattaching, to the 20oz glass $6 Best Dressed Fan! • All Beer $4 • $100 Gift Certificate All Well Cocktails $4 drawing for score prediction broken glass in a picture frame, to the yard clippers that need sharpening, the • $50 Gift Certificate Best Dressed Fan! Come see Russ Bellecci back at Alamo items often become chores added to my “To Do” list. SWEETHEARTS SPECIALSGrill! • $100 Gift Certificate drawing for score WEEKEND prediction This realization that my belongings were overwhelming me inspired me February 13-14-15 SWEETHEARTS WEEKEND SPECIALS Sweetheart’s Weekend Specials to start Spring Cleaning early this year. I wanted to pare down and lighten my February 13-14-15 All Valentines Weekend February 13-14-15 load a bit. Now that our kids are on their own, I want to go through the piles All Valentines Weekend Lovers Dinner for Two All Weekend LoversValentine’s Dinner for Two of possessions that have accumulated over the years within the house and see With any Entrée on our menu With any Entrée on our menu add a select bottle of wine$45 $25 what I truly value and want to keep. (Note: We aren’t throwing away the kids’ Lovers Dinner for Two add a select bottle of wine $25 SWEETHEARTS PRIX FIXE MENU things without asking them first!) During this process my daughter sent me a SWEETHEARTS PRIX MENU Choose from twoFIXESweethearts Prix Fixe Menus HouseSalad or Caesar Salad House or Caesar House or Caesar SaladHouse or Caesar Salad post she had seen on reddit.com. It said, Tasting of Tasting Fiocchi Pasta of Fiocchi Pasta Tasting ofor Fiocchi Pasta Tasting of Fiocchi Pasta Lovers NY Strip Steak Topped withTopped Prawns with Prawns Sea Bass Valentino Sea Bass Valentino Lovers NY Strip Steak Coveting possessions is unhealthy. Here's how I look at it: Seasonal Vegetables and choice of Potato or Rice our regular With any entrée on menu add aorselect bottle of wine for $25 Seasonal Vegetables and choice of Potato Rice Seasonal Vegetables and choice of Potato or Rice Seasonal Vegetables and choice of Potato or Rice Lovers Dessert Lovers Dessert All of the computers on eBay are mine. In fact, everything on eBay is already Lovers Dessert Lovers Dessert $45 $45 mine. All of those things are just in long term storage that I pay nothing for. $45 $45 Live Romantic Dinner Music and Song all Weekend Long 7PM until 10PM Storage is free. Sunday Live Piano &Long 7PM until 10PM Live Romantic Music and Song all2.14 Weekend Friday 2.12 & Saturday 2.13 Live Dinner Piano by Alamo Favorite& Song all Weekend Long Romantic DinnerVocals Music When I want to take something out of storage, I just pay the storage costs Live by Paul McWilliams Sunday 2.14 Live Piano & Stacy Carter Friday 2.12 & Saturday 2.13 Live Piano Music Instructor at UCSF & former Carondelet HS Music Director Vocals by Alamo Favorite Friday, February 12 & Saturday, February 13 ~ 7PM until 10PM for that particular thing up to that point, plus a nominal shipping fee, and my by Paul McWilliams Stacy Carter Music Instructor at UCSF & former Carondelet HS Music Director Live Piano by Paul McWilliams things are delivered to me so I can use them. When I am done with them, I return Music Instructor at USF & former Carondelet HS Music Director them to storage via Craigslist or eBay, and I am given a fee as compensation for freeing up the storage facilities resources. Sunday, February 14 ~ 7PM until 10PM This is also the case with all of my stuff that Amazon and Walmart are holdLive Piano & Vocals by Alamo Favorite Stacy Carter ing for me. I have antiques, priceless art, cars, estates, and jewels beyond the 3160 Danville Blvd., Alamo | 925.820.1711 | www.alamogrill.com dreams of avarice. The world is my museum, displaying my collections on loan. ~ /u/pastabagel With that vision of my possessions, and great eBay and Craigslist skills, as well as the online NextDoor resource, I have a new outlook. I am cleaning, I am purging, I am redecorating, and I’m having a whole lot of fun! I am getting rid of things that weigh me down, that I merely was keeping because I thought that I should. I want the items that surround me to make me smile and bring good memories. Most of the readers of this newspaper have not been to my home. But for those that have, they know of our (in)famous “Hall of Fame” that leads to my kids’ rooms. The pictures dotting the walls of that hallway are what I truly care about in our home. The good memories of birthday parties, family road trips, high school dances with my husband, and everything in between can be seen and relished by everyone that walks down that hall. For me, items like these pictures are what is worth keeping. These 4”x6” pieces of paper are what make me smile. I don’t need the clothes in the back of my closet that are never worn anymore. I don’t need seven ladles in my kitchen drawers. And I definitely do not need three sets of the game Risk. Instead I focus on the items I want to keep, and anything else gets posted online, donated to one of our wonderful local charities or thrift stores, or given to a friend or family member. With the lightened load, I am working on everything having a place (which is way easier when the shelves are not crammed full and overflowing!). The answer is not in building more cabinets or procuring more storage boxes as Seasonal Vegetables and choice of Potato or Rice that is an endlessSeasonal circle. I have tried embracing Marie Kondo’s (authorof of Pot Vegetables and choice The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and its illustrated companion Spark Joy) ways of organizing, believing that every item in our lives serves a specific role, accepting when that role may be fulfilled, and then finally moving on. While difficult at first, the process of donating, selling, and giving away old possessions has become enjoyable, as I am excited for the items to have new homes and happy to no longer be burdened by the possession of them. It doesn’t mean my home is bare or devoid of objects. What it will mean is that each item will be here because I want it to be here and that it serves a purpose that makes me and my family happy. By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you will be able to truly putSunday the things you own, and yourPiano life, in order. 2.14 Live & –Kondo
• Sound on TV! • All you can eat, appetizer buffet, ALL GAME Plus tax/tip
Plus tax/tip
• All Beer $4 pint / 20oz glass $6 • All Well Cocktails $4
• $50 Gift Certificate Best Dressed Fan! • $100 Gift Certificate drawing for score predi erererererrereererererererer
SWEETHEARTS WEEKEND SPECIAL February 13-14-15
All Valentines Weekend Lovers Dinner for Two With any Entrée on our menu add a select bottle of wine $25
SWEETHEARTS PRIX FIXE MENU
House or Caesar Salad Tasting of Fiocchi Pasta Lovers NY Strip Steak Topped with Prawns
House or Caesar Salad Tasting of Fiocchi Pasta Sea Bass Valentino
Lovers Dessert
Lovers Dessert
$45
$45
Live Romantic Dinner Music and Song all Weekend Long 7PM until 10PM
Friday 2.12 & Saturday 2.13 Live Piano
Vocals by Alamo Favorite
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 3
Danville ~ Wonderful home located on a private court with updated kitchen. This home on 2 acres is minutes to 680, WC, and Bart. 4 bedrooms 3 full baths plus a separate detached office/ hobby room with views of the hills from most rooms. Includes a barn and riding arena. Call today for your private showing Listed at $1,750,000
Gretchen Bryce ~ 925.683.2477 gretchenbryce@msn.com
Danville—363 Everett Place Located at the End of a Cul-De-Sac . 4 Beds, 3 Bath, 2,913 sq ft, Designed Throughout w/Contemporary Features. Bonus Room w/Private Entrance, Office, Eat-In Kitchen, Family Room, Formal Dining, Living Room, Master Suite. Expansive Park-Like Yard, Patio, Pool, and Access To Iron Horse Trail. $1,219,000
Tim Palumbo Russ Darby
~ ~
925.943.3332 925.362.0460
Westside Danville ~ NEW CUSTOM HOME Sought after, walk to town location. 5 bed., 5 full baths + 2 1/2 baths, bonus room, 2 fireplaces, high ceilings and designer touches thru-out this nearly 4400 sq. ft. home. End of court, flat 16,500 sq. ft. lot. Buyer can still pick out some finishes, completion date is approx. June 15th. Offered at $2,600,000
Tony Cristiani ~ 925.785.8948 tonycristiani@msn.com
Walnut Creek ~ NEW NORTHGATE HOME! Single story semi-custom with 5 bed, 4.5 baths + office, 2 fireplaces, minimum of 10' ceilings thru-out. Master suite with retreat and fireplace, gourmet kitchen with island seating for at least 5 plus a cheerful breakfast nook and adjacent great room. 3 car garage set on flat 14,690 sq. ft. lot. Available now. $1,695,000
Tony Cristiani 925.785.8948 Web: Tonycristiani.com ~ Email: TonyCristiani@msn.com
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Page 4 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
7 Annual Town of Danville Recreation Expo th
Danville area residents are encouraged to save the date to attend the Town of Danville’s 7th Annual Recreation Program Expo which will be held February 6 from 10AM - 1PM at the Danville Community Center. Gopher/Mole Removal A variety of specialty class instructors and Town staff No Poison will be on hand to showcase upcoming classes and answer questions in person. Participants will receive a coupon code valid for a 10% 925-765-4209 fee discount for programs listed in the Spring Activity Guide and Summer Camps Brochure, which are bulk mailed to residents in Danville, Alamo, and Diablo. For more information, contact the Danville Community Center at (925) 314-3400 or recreation@ danville.ca.gov.
Weekly Service and Repairs
925-820-8950
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? We are 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 we have to offer by visiting www.alamodanvillenewcomers.com. Our next new member coffee is February 23rd at 10am to noon. RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com.
Mark Your Calendars: Annual Egg Hunt and Family Fun Day at the Park
The Rotary Club of Alamo will again sponsor the Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 26 at Livorna Park. Learning from last year’s expanded event, the Rotary Club of Alamo is doubling the number of eggs and will bring back the most loved games and attractions to its Egg Hunt and Family Day at the Park. The event will begin at 9AM and end at 11AM. In addition to the Egg Hunt and a visit by the Easter Bunny, where parents will have an opportunity to take photos, there will also be children’s games, face painting provided by the Monte Vista High School Interact Club (which is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Alamo), and other fun activities. The Egg Hunt will take place at 10AM sharp. There will be three age groups for the egg hunt: children ages 0-3, children ages 4-7, and children ages 8-10. In past years the egg hunt would start promptly at the assigned time and finish in less than five minutes. Parents should allow ample time for their children to be on time to participate. The Rotary Club of Alamo was founded on May 7, 1971, and has 45 members. The Club supports the music programs at Alamo and Rancho Romero Elementary Schools, Lucille Mauzy School, Stone Valley Middle School, Monte Vista and San Ramon High Schools, and it provides dictionaries to third grade students, and sponsors two free medical clinics for uninsured and underserved adults with acute or chronic medical conditions and other community and international projects. The Club meets every Wednesday at Round Hill Country Club, 3169 Round Hill Road, Alamo, at 12:15PM.
Hap Magee Ranch Dog Park Ends Winter Moratorium Early
Dog owners will have the opportunity to take their furry companions out for some winter exercise at the Canine Corral, after it was announced that the popular dog park at Hap Magee Ranch Park would end the annual winter moratorium early. Maintenance Services Director Jed Johnson said that usually all sports fields and the dog park are closed between December 1 – March 1 for the moratorium. This is done to give the grass fields time to heal and grow, to make needed repairs, and for new sod to be laid in the large dog park at Hap Magee Ranch Park. However, due to state of California drought restrictions, the Town would not be able to provide the needed irrigation to allow new sod to take root and become established before the park was reopened in spring Because of this, the decision was made not to replace the sod this season, and as a result the dog park has now be reopened. Even with the early opening the dog park could be closed during inclement weather. On wet days, park users can call (925) 314-3484 to check on the status of the Canine Corral. For more information, contact Maintenance Superintendent at (925) 314-3434 or dcasteel@danville.ca.gov.
Host Families Sought for One Week Stay by Visiting French Students
For the eleventh consecutive year, students from a large high school in the South of France are coming to Danville. Every visit by the students has been better than the last. The students will arrive on April 22 nd and depart April 29 th . The teens stay with local families and have a full itinerary of activities during the days and only require your attention in the evenings and one weekend. The visit is an ideal opportunity to experience another culture and hopefully consider visiting France in return. Anyone interested in hosting a student (or students!) is welcome to participate. For more information or to find out about past years’ programs, please contact Martine Causse (teacher in charge of the group) at caussefly@wanadoo.fr or dachary.martine@orange.fr. There are many happy local host families ready to discuss any questions with you (including the editor of this paper!). The local contact is Danville parent Kevin Dimler, who can be reached at kevindimler@gmail.com or (925)997-7226.
Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley
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. Additionally, members have lots of fun participating in a variety of activities such as golf, tennis, bicycling, hiking, 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, February 17th at AM 11 . A fee of $23 includes luncheon, speaker, and a great opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the San Ramon Valley. The February speaker will be Dave Ninekirk, a Vice President at Charles Schwab. Dave will update attendees on the current state of the economy and its impact on today’s stock market. There will be ample time for Questions & Answers. To reserve a space, please email by Thursday, February 11th to 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.
Alamo School Field Moratorium
The Alamo Elementary School Field will be closed for turf maintenance now through March 1. Field moratoriums are necessary in order to give maintenance crews the opportunity to conduct routine maintenance on the fields by aerating, re-seeding, and giving the turf time to rest, heal, and grow in preparation for spring activities. For more information, contact Victoria Skerritt at Contra Costa County Public Works at (925) 313-2272, or e-mail victoria.skerritt@pw.cccounty.us. For information about County parks, go to www.cccounty.us/ alamoparksandrecreation.
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 5
Location ** Location** Location
Sought After Alamo Neighborhood
n
I g n i nd
Pe
• Gorgeous setting on more than 1 full acre lot with amazing, almost 180 degree views of Mt. Diablo and nestled in the hills for privacy. Features approximately 4600 + square feet of living space with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths plus an expansive Bonus room down stairs, with sliding doors to the yard and a little custom built wine storage in basement area.
s
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• Spacious living room and family room/den with soaring vaulted ceilings of exposed Redwood ceilings, recessed lighting and custom 12’+/- stone wood burning fireplaces. Living room features a wall of framed glass via four oversized custom windows for maximum views. • Ultra-Private, lush back yard with mature Pine and Oak trees for maximum privacy. Pool and Hot tub currently not in use and in need of some TLC as does expansive decking all along back of house.
Asking $1,400,000
www.215ValleyOaksDrive.com
A little TLC and a lot of OPPORTUNITY!
215 Valley Oaks Drive ALAMO
Contact Me Today For A Free Home Evaluation
925.998.5151
BradGothberg.com | BradGothberg.properties/ | SRVHomeInfo.com
Brad Gothberg 4105 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Danville, CA 94506 mobile. 925.998.5151 email. BGothberg@Rockcliff.com
*The above comments/ statements are that of Brad Gothberg clients. All comments are deemed true and are on record for the specific purposes for marketing and or advertising for Brad Gothberg, CA BRE# 00964026.
Sample Ballot Photo Contest
The Contra Costa County Election Division is inviting residents to participate in the Sample Ballot Photo Contest. One of the unique features of the Contra Costa Elections Division Sample Ballot/Voter Information Guide is that the cover features a photo to show some of the intrinsic beauty of our county and enhance the experience of our voters. Few, if any, other counties in California have a photo on the cover of their guides. The first place photo will be placed on sample ballots which will go out to over a half-million registered voters! Submission is open until midnight February 29. For more information and to complete the entry forms, visit http://www.cocovote.us/.
Fall Boot SALE!
New Markdowns
25
%
OFF
the regular price
Lafayette Moraga Danville Montclair Orinda Countrywood Clayton Rd. Sonoma Auburn Stockton (Now at Lincoln Center)
FREE ADMISSION
Don’t miss Biggest Camp & School Fairs of the season ALL FREE! Bring the entire family. Find out about Camps, Day Care, Preschool, S.T.E.M. & S.T.E.A.M. programs, Sports, Scouts, Enrichment Performing Arts, Gymnastics, Martial Arts & More Schools for all ages & subjects
Robotics, Coding Workshops
DANVILLE
Sat. Feb. 20, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. San Ramon Valley High School
501 Danville Blvd., El Cerro Blvd. exit off Interstate 680
www.TriValleyCampFair.com
Vendors e Welcom
LAFAYETTE Sun. Feb. 21, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Acalanes High School - 1200 Pleasant Hill Rd. 1/2 mile off Hwy. 24 near I-680
FREE
ScholarShare Goody Bag to first 200 families
www.ContraCostaCampFair.com
Free Raffle at Camp Fair MAGAZINE
1 Free Raffle Ticket for each canned good donation
Free Camps, Great Prizes Produced by (925) 408-4014 jay@BayAreaFamilyFest.com
www.TriValleyCampFair.com
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Page 6 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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
Role Players Ensemble presents Good People
The Role Players Ensemble presents Good People, by David LindsayAbaire and directed by Eric Fraisher Hayes, January 29 – February 14 at the Village Theatre located at 233 Front Street in Danville. Friday and Saturday performances will be held at 8PM, and Sunday performances will be held at 2PM.
Margie Walsh is barely getting by on her Dollar Store salary. When she loses her job and faces eviction, she takes a chance on rekindling things with an old flame (well, more of a spark), hoping for a fresh start. Quirky, unpredictable and grounded in a genuine humor that comes from hitting rock bottom, Good People will have you laughing one moment and crying the next as it explores the nature of our loyalties and our hopes. The play features Melanie DuPuy, Edward Nattenberg, Leontyne MbeleMbong, Kyle Goldman, Bonnie DeChant, and Barbara Grant Tickets costing $20-28 are available online at www.RolePlayersEnsemble. com, at Danville Community Center located at 420 Front St in Danville, or by calling (925) 314-3400. Information about the full season can be found by visiting www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com.
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
Wellington Named Alamo Rotarian of the Year
Dana Wellington was recently named Rotarian of the Year for 2015-2016 by the Rotary Club of Alamo. “With this high award, Alamo Rotary is recognizing someone who best exemplifies the goals of Rotary through his or her consistent contributions, and in doing so has brought honor and respect to the Club,” said Kim Smith, 2015-2016 Club president. “Dana exemplifies those goals,” Kim Smith said. Dana joined the Rotary Club of Alamo in 2013 and currently serves as the Club’s Membership Director. “Since becoming a member, Dana has worked tirelessly on the Alamo Rotary Club projects and can be counted on to participate enthusiastically in fellowship as in fundraising or community projects which the Club sponsors,” Kim stated. “Dana is truly a Rotarian who lives the principles of Rotary’s Four Way Test which are . . . First: Is it the truth? Second: Is it fair to all concerned? Third: Will it build goodwill and better friendships? And, Fourth: Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Above all, she places ‘Service above self,’ which is Rotary’s motto.” Dana is a second-generation California real estate broker and general contractor. She is a past president of the Contra Costa County Women’s Council of Realtors, a member of the Contra Costa County Association of Realtors Diversity Committee, and an alumnus of the Leadership Contra Costa Alumni Association. Dana is also active with the Wheelchair Foundation and serves as a director on the Danville Chamber of Commerce board of directors. The Rotary Club of Alamo was founded on May 7, 1971, and has 50 members. The Club meets on Wednesdays at 12:15PM at Round Hill Country Club, 3169 Roundhill Road, Alamo. The Rotary Club of Alamo is part of Rotary International, an organization that brings together a global network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Treats for the Troops
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 7
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. 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 February 5th Delta Nu Psi members will be at CVS Pharmacy in Alamo, and on February 12th they will be at Lunardi’s in Danville. Collections will be held from 11am to 2pm both days, rain or shine. Money for postage is also always appreciated. Please help us provide our men and women in the War Zone a touch of home. For more information, visit www.deltanupsi.org.
Free Tax Preparation
Free tax preparation for the 2016 tax season is available starting February 2016 from AARP’s Tax-Aide and United Way’s Earn It, Keep It, Save It (EKS) programs. All tax preparers are trained and certified by the IRS. While both programs serve taxpayers of any age, TaxAide does not have an income limit in whom they can serve but EKS can only serve individuals whose incomes do not exceed $50,000. For information or to make an appointment for the Tax-Aide sites serving the San Ramon and Danville areas, please call (925) 973-3250 San Ramon San Ramon Senior Center site or (925) 480-7202 Danville - St. Isidore Ministry Center site. For general information and other site locations, call (925) 726-3199. For information on EKS sites call 2-1-1 or visit www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org. To complete your tax return, Tax-Aide will need you to bring the following to the appointment: Social Security card or ITIN letter for all individuals to be listed on the return, copies of all W-2s, 1098s, and 1099s, other income and deductions, your 2014 Tax Return, and proof of medical insurance if you are not on Medicare.
Community, Philanthropy and Celebration
Wednesday, February 24, 11:45am ~ Speaker Lunch A Circle of Friendship at the Alamo Women’s Club
Shasta Nelson is the founder of Girlfriendcircles.com, a women’s friendship matching site in 35 cities across the US and Canada. She will talk about the five types of friendships we all need and how our friendships with women are one of the most important thing we can do for ourselves! She is a friendship expert and has appeared on such shows as Katie Couric and the Today Show. The luncheon cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members.
Wednesday, March 23, 9am ~ Second Annual Author’s Faire
Moderated by award-winning author, Penny Warner, we have invited several local authors as well as New York Times best-selling author, John Lescroart, to talk about their books and writing experiences. You will have the opportunity to meet the authors and purchase their books. Invite all of your friends. Come enjoy this special morning with brunch from 9am until noon at Round Hill Golf and Country Club in Alamo. This is sure to be a sell-out event, so make your reservations early. The cost is $40. For non-members and non-email users ONLY, please contact Nancy Howsmon at 510-764-3194 to reserve a space, or by email to reservation@alamowomensclub. org. Non-member luncheon fees must be received by five days prior to the event.
The Alamo Women’s Club House is available to rent for meetings, parties, and weddings. Learn more at alamowomensclub.org or call 925.332.0736.
Blackhawk Republican Women Present David Wolfe
The Blackhawk Republican Women will be presenting David Wolfe of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association speaking on Proposition 13, taxes, and the November 2016 General Election on Thursday, February 11 at the Blackhawk Country Club Main Dining Room. Everyone is welcome. Check-in and a social will begin at 11:30 followed by a noon luncheon meeting and speaker presentation. The cost is $30 David Wolfe has worked for seven years with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Association. In this capacity, he monitors the legislature closely, writing position letters and testifying on hundreds of bills. Dozens of these would have severely undercut Propositions 13 and 218, the main priorities of the association. His other responsibilities include putting together an annual report card for all 120 legislators and contributing to the HJTA quarterly publication, Taxing Times. Wolfe has also worked on a variety of initiative campaigns, including ones to defeat taxes and advocate for property rights. Having sat through hundreds of hours of budget hearings, he also can speak broadly on Sacramento’s spending habits. Prior to joining HJTA, Wolfe spent a year in the state capitol, working for then Assemblyman Guy Houston. Please make your reservations with a check made payable to “Blackhawk Republican Women,” as well as any cancellations, by Tuesday, February 9th, with Jane Parish, 366 Jacaranda Dr., Danville 94506, janeparish@sbcglobal.net, or (925) 216-6663.
Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW Announces 2016 Scholarships
Do you have a connection with a young woman pursuing a Bachelor’s or Graduate degree? The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW (American Association of University Women) branch is accepting applications from eligible candidates for our Local Scholarship Awards. Applicants must have either resided in the Walnut Creek city limits or its unincorporated area boundaries, or in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District area boundaries while attending a public or private high school, or currently reside within these boundaries. Undergraduate candidates must have at least junior standing at a four-year college or university no later than the fall of 2016, and candidates pursuing an advanced degree must be accepted at an accredited four-year college or university no later than the fall of 2016. 2016 Scholarships Information and Application packets are now available. The application deadline is April 1, 2016. For further information, please visit http://daw-ca.aauw.net/programs/scholarships/.
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Page 8 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Rancho Romero Elementary School By Skye Larsh-Faraghan, Principal
January has already slipped away but not without an abundance of important work and new contributions to teaching and learning. Students in K-5 transitioned into the second half of a district mathematics pilot. In March elementary teachers will decide on a new Common Core Standards aligned math curricula. Rancho Romero, in partnership with the Child Abuse Prevention Counsel, initiated a pilot program called Speak Up, Be Safe. Speak Up, Be Safe is a research based, comprehensive, primary prevention curriculum that equips children and their adult community with skills they need to play a significant role in the prevention or interruption of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and neglect. The school-based curriculum utilizes web-based tools, focusing on building self-esteem and safety skills within the child, to include addressing today’s societal risks children encounter everyday such as internet and cell phone safety. In January, Heather Cantero, district psychologist and trainer, started a seven-week series for parents to explore Positive Discipline strategies that teach valuable life skills, as well as tools for gaining cooperation within the family. Parents and caregivers are learning non-punitive methods to encourage and empower children and adults. Through the generosity of our parent community, audio systems were installed in January in each classroom in the school. The audio systems, otherwise called RedCats or Lightspeed, provide audibility with superior speech intelligibility. The sound fills the room with the teacher’s natural voice and enables students to hear every word no matter where they sit in the classroom. This gift to each classroom will allow students to hear better and, therefore, learn better, and have full access to the teacher’s natural voice. As evidence of the outstanding district and schools in which we serve, all twentyone elementary schools were notified in November of eligibility to apply for a statewide Gold Ribbon Award. The Gold Ribbon Award is based on academic success, and vibrant and innovative teaching and learning. Each school has since submitted an application. Rancho Romero selected to write about one Signature Practice that has focused on building a digital learning environment, guaranteeing our students will be prepared for the next level of learning, the next grade, and their future. In January the school was notified of advancement to the next step, a validation visit. The passion, dedication, and resolute commitment to pursue academic excellence, inspire creativity, strengthen character, build leadership and activate civic responsibility is observed every day by our teachers, parent partners and students. We look forward to a great second half of the year. Children make your life important. ~ Erma Bombeck, American humorist
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
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She’s All That
Exciting and Distinctive Conference Positively Transforms Young Girls’ Lives
On Saturday, March 19th from 9AM - 3PM at California High School in San Ramon, young girls will be treated to an exciting and distinctive conference. Past participants have stated they feel these seminars should be mandatory for all middle school girls. Young girls and their parents came away from past conferences saying, “It was everything they could have hoped for.” “She’s All That” includes inspirational keynote presentations and a selection of workshops. Some of the workshops offered this year are Straight Scoop on Boys, Mean Girls, Cyber Safe and Sane Online, Discover the Writer Inside You, #dramamama, Hoop Dance, Yoga, Find Your Passion, Don’t be Stressed Out, and how to Get Your Parents Off Your Back and on Your Side. Also included in the conference are workshops designed to help parents best cope with the changing teenage years. There will be Live Your Dream expo booths and engaging speakers designed to inspire young girls. Refreshments and lunch will be served during the day along with raffle prizes at the conclusion of the conference. This is the 12th annual conference that the Soroptimists of San Ramon Valley has produced. Due to overwhelming enthusiasm for the event from past participants, the Soroptimists work hard to produce an exceptional event every year. For more information or to register for the event, go to www. soroptimist-sr.org or call (925) 355-2442. The cost of a ticket for the daylong conference is only $35 before March 6th and $40 after. There are also scholarships available for the event.
Search and Rescue
The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team needs volunteer members to respond to missing person incidents, disasters, and other critical incidents. Team members are on call 24/7 year-round. The program provides required training; including wilderness traveling, first aid, map and compass usage, tracking disaster response, and search skills; and may also include special training for canine, equestrian, technical, mountain bike, or other rescue skills. For information and applications, visit www.contracostasar.org or call (925) 646-4461.
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Alamo Elementary School Failure is not an Option By Stan Hitomi, Principal
Apollo 13 is a remarkable movie. The movie captures the story of one of NASA’s finest moments, when the NASA team’s extraordinary energy, creativity, and determination snatched the Apollo 13 crew from the jaws of death after a malfunction of the spacecraft’s guidance and oxygen systems. Gene Kranz, flight director for theApollo 13 mission, is credited with rallying his team by declaring, “failure is not an option.” The “failure is not an option” mindset has become a part of America’s culture. You can see this mindset at work in a variety of settings, from corporate boardrooms to sport locker rooms. Though the term can be overused and can be problematic in certain settings, it is a mindset that is critical when working with students in our schools. In my second installment of our Model Program, I will describe how data is collected and used to support student learning. This process has resulted in the practical elimination of failure for students at Alamo School as measured by the new statewide assessments. From our 2014-15 results of the CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress), none of our current 5th graders scored below a “2” in either Math or ELA (English Language Arts). CAASPP score levels are noted as: 4 = exceeded Standard, 3 = met Standard, 2 = nearly met Standard, 1 = has not met Standard. This is quite a remarkable achievement and a testament to the successful implementation of the Model Program by our teachers and not accepting failure as an option for our kids!
Model Program – Part 2
Last month I described the initial step in our MTSS (Multi-tiered System of Support) program known as Universal Screening. Universal Screening is a series of assessments that provide our staff with information to determine how well our students are progressing both academically and behaviorally. Our teachers screen all students three times a year using AIMSweb benchmarking tools in reading, math, and behavior in grades K-3. Grades 4 and 5 use EasyCBM programs to measure math and reading, and rely on AIMSweb behavioral tools to help screen students. The AIMSweb and EasyCBM programs are used because they are easy to use, can be administered quickly, and provide for ongoing benchmarking and progress monitoring of students.
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 9
Students who fall below the 25th percentile of these nationally normed tests are immediately considered for classroom interventions. With the use of other measures such as reading level, sight word analysis, phonics surveys, and concepts of print screenings, as well as district common assessments (running records, MARS assessments, on-demand writes), students are selected for Tier 1 interventions that are provided in our classrooms. Students that fall below the 10th percentile nationally not only receive classroom interventions, but they also receive more intensive help from reading and math specialists in our Tier 2 and Tier 3 programs. Reading and math intervention students are monitored weekly for progress. Goals are based on their initial scores and the expected rate of increase (ROI) found with students at the 50th percentile. Students must meet this personal goal calculated based on the growth expected from their initial score and meet a minimum score expected at the end of each cycle to be dropped down a level of support. Students who do not meet their goals have their support increased and the SST (Student Success Team) process is initiated. For behavior, high quality classroom instruction is provided using the district adopted Second Step program, along with Culturally Responsive Teaching & Learning (CLR) and Positive Discipline. Students who are screened as at-risk are eligible for our Rainbow social skills program (Tier 2) or SCIP counseling through our Discovery Center intern for more intensive intervention (Tier 3). Students are carefully considered for each program based on their needs. The behavior component of our MTSS program allows us to monitor and assess student engagement and motivation to learn.
Alamo School News
February tends to be a quiet time at our school, but it is the calm before the storm – the flurry of activity that comes with the return of good weather in the spring. However, the winter months are not without activity. February means it’s time for “Spelling Bee” in 5th grade, our 4th graders are starting rehearsal for their 4th grade play, and our 2nd graders are receiving six weeks of instruction in theater arts by the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Our parent groups are on the move as well, as the PTA prepares for their annual Talent Show and the Ed Fund gears up for their Auction Gala in April. This month our 4th graders will be attending their outdoor education program at Camp Arroyo on February 10-12. The trip is considered the highlight of the 4th grade year at Alamo School. Camp Arroyo is operated in partnership with the Taylor Family Foundation and the YMCA of the East Bay. The outdoor educational experience introduces our 4th graders to important concepts about science, nature, and sustainable living. The trip goes on, rain or shine, and provides our students with a life changing experience. Kudos to Mrs. Benit and Mrs. Martin for continuing to make this trip possible!
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Page 10 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Stone Valley Middle School By Jon Campopiano, principal
We have had a fantastic first semester! Students, staff, and community have been working together to build a positive, caring, and compassionate campus. Leadership and our PTA have worked together to support our sister school, Coronado Elementary, with over 50 holiday meals, toys, and gift cards. Stone Valley students visited Glide Memorial to be of service, preparing and serving food to those in need. Our students raised thousands of dollars to support Type 1 diabetes research and are currently leading a donation for coats, jeans, and gloves. Four of our students were finalists for the Street Smarts video competition where they created a public service announcement that has increased school safety and led to greater awareness. Congratulations to Benjamin Hart who was crowned our annual National Geographic Bee winner and will now enter the state competition. Students and staff are implementing California Standards with rigorous and relevant instruction that is integrating technology to bring learning alive. Campus culture has remained very positive with lunchtime activities, two school dances, and Soul Shoppe activities that are geared towards character development, empathy, and respect. These actives have spurred both discussions and actions that have lead to letter writing campaigns to support those in need, campus cleanup initiatives, and a newly formed buddy club. Along with the benefits that Soul Shoppe have brought, we have seen incredibly positive results from students powering down their cell phones during school hours. Teachers are amazed at the increased focus in class, parents thank us constantly, and even students share that not having their phones allows us to “relax.” Removing the phones has prevented a significant amount of stress on our students, and we see more direct conversations, laughing, and engagement during class, lunch, and breaks. We continue to purchase more and more tablets and Chromebooks, so students are not deprived of necessary technology for research, collaboration, or creation. In next month’s issue, I will share more about our $37 million construction project, but for now we are excited to be moving into our classroom portables on February 16th! For more information about our project, visit www.buildsrvschools.org/?p=104. Please follow us on Twitter @stonevalleyms, or for more information visit http://stonevalley.schoolloop.com/.
Monte Vista High School By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal
At Monte Vista January is a month of transitions as we start a new year, semesters change, sports rotate and even weather has an impact on campus life. Ernest Hemmingway tells us, “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.” Students teach us every day to stay present. While waiting for fall semester grades to be published, the Counseling Office is already looking to 2016 scheduling, summer school needs, and any college transcripts required for the Class of 2016. The Freshman class will be starting the journey seniors are just completing as Freshmen participate in four year planning meetings. Sophomores and Juniors are meeting with counselors to discuss next year’s schedule and college and career planning tasks in Naviance. We are on a journey of being lifelong learners. Our Winter Athletic Programs are reaching mid-season stride. Men’s Basketball is undefeated in EBAL and positioning themselves for a playoff run. The Women’s Basketball team is playing tough in a very competitive league. Both Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams are in the mix for an EBAL title as we face the tough part of the league schedule. Wrestling season is preparing for the North Coast Section Tournament and are coming off a big win at home against Foothill High School. Spring Sport season kicks off February 8th and includes Men’s Volleyball, Men’s golf, Men’s tennis, track and field, swimming, baseball, softball and both Men and Women Lacrosse. The arts programs at Monte Vista are creating dynamic projects, some exhibiting currently at the Lindsey Wildlife Museum and some as entries for the district’s Student Recognition Project due in February. The yearbook class is working hard to capture images of student life on campus. The drama class has an Agatha Christy mystery perfect for a dark winter evening. The choir is rehearsing under the baton of Jodi Reed to be recorded live on KCRB. Stay tuned for further details. Finally, Monte Vista Administration is proud to acknowledge the hard work that students, faculty, staff, and parents have done in the first semester. Hemmingway says it is the journey, and we are proud to be traveling alongside students and community. On January 27th we honored 40 Students of Excellence for their integrity, efforts, and attitude that enrich our school on a daily basis.
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Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 11
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San Ramon Valley High School By Ruth Steele, Principal
Over the last three years the pace of change in education as a whole has been relentless, and at times it has been exhausting. With the advent of Common Core, and the huge shifts in instructional focus that this brings, our staff and students have had to become adaptable and flexible learners. Advances in technology have provided unprecedented access to information, and opportunities for staff/student collaboration, but this level of access has also presented challenges as we transition to a more digitally enhance model of teaching and learning. At SRVHS, this semester will see teachers continuing the amazing work that they have been doing with curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the classroom, but there are some other large scale shifts both inside and outside the classroom that are going to significantly change how education at SRVHS looks over the next few years. Here is an outline of three of the major projects that we are working on. There are many others too, but these are the most systemically significant. Construction: We have demolition and construction beginning in the summer of 2016. Almost all of the single story wings across campus will be knocked down, and in their place there will be a three-story building occupying the current footprint of E, F, and G wings. There will more parking on campus when this project is completed and an entirely new classroom building parallel to D hall. While construction is underway, all the classrooms being displaced from the single story wings will be relocated on the practice field. This field will close on March 1st to allow the laying of utilities and the placement of the portable classrooms. We are working on solutions to address the impact that this will have for our athletic and academic programs. Most likely, the construction will be completed in time for the new building to open at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. Technology and 1:1 access: This year, we have all our 9th and 10th grade students with full 1:1 access (meaning that they have a laptop or Chromebook with them in every classroom, every day).
Next school year, depending on the funding and resources available, we will either be at 75% or 100%. This will give students and staff unparalleled access to resources and information in the classroom. We are currently working with our Technology committee and 21st Century Learning Foundation to determine how this continuing initiative will look next year. Daily Bell Schedule: In January of this year, a new district calendar was adopted that will place high school final exams before Winter Break and bring an earlier start to the school year (August 15th). This moves SRVHS registration up to the 9th and 11th of August. We are also working on adjusting the Daily Bell Schedule, and there will be an informational night for parents on February 8th to outline our goals and process. One of the major reasons for making a change is to find ways to provide time to better support students who struggle academically within the school day. The other is to lower the stress level of students by adding time into the school week where students can get homework done and study outside of their regular classes. Data from the Stanford Challenge Success Survey shows very clearly that we need to make some changes in order to make the daily school experience more manageable for both staff and students, and we are in the process of determining exactly how we can do that. We are also already working on plans for the 2016-2017 school year, and our annual Building Bridges nights for incoming freshmen families will be held on March 1st and 2nd. As you can see, there is a lot going on, and the results will be an even better SRVHS experience for both staff, students, and parents!
Tri-Valley Camp & School Fair Saturday, February 20, 11am – 2pm
The third annual Tri-Valley Camp & School Fair is a free event with booths featuring camps, schools, preschool, daycare, STEM & STEAM programs, sports, martial arts, gymnastics, enrichment, performing arts, scouts, and family vacations. Activities and exhibitions will be held. There is free admission and free parking. The fair will be held at San Ramon Valley High School (Commons Building), 501 Danville Blvd., Danville. Use El Cerro Blvd. exit from Interstate 680. For more information, visit www. TriValleyCampFair.com.
Page 12 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
The Romance of Star Clipper
By Lisa Kallen, Alamo World Travel
From the moment we arrived at the pier in sunny St. Maarten, we knew our adventure cruise would be something out of the ordinary. Something timeless, something dramatic, something… like nothing we’ve ever experienced on a cruise before. The Star Clipper is a true tall-ship sailing vessel that makes her way over the seas powered by the wind for most of her journey. The wind! Think Christopher Columbus, think Magellan, think quiet sails billowing in the night breeze
under a sprinkling of stars. Why take a break from traditional cruise lines, and sail instead on a tall ship with Star Clippers? There are so many reasons…A Star Clippers tall ship is an intimate luxury yacht (either 170 guests or 227 guests, depending on the ship) and offers unusual itineraries to small ports far from the mega ships and their crowds of thousands. And for sailboat enthusiasts, the Star Clipper feels like home. She is sleek and luxurious with her dark, shining mahogany, her gleaming brass fittings, and her four looming masts anxious to set sail. Most of the passengers of a Star Clippers voyage are either sailors and boat owners or, like me, just love all things related to sailing. How fascinating to watch the goings-on up on the bridge, chat with the captain, peruse the charts, duck under lines to winches, and listen to commands called fore to aft. This is adventure cruising at its best, with a crow’s nest to climb and bowsprit netting to stretch out on in the sun. We started making friends right away with fellow passengers from around the world. Germans, French, Italians, and Belgians mingled with Americans in a camaraderie bred of our mutual love of an adventure at sea. A glass of champagne in hand, we explored the decks that would be our home for the next seven days and nights. Ahh, then it was time to set sail. The “Sail Away” was truly the highlight of every evening, a dramatic coda to the day as the crew hoisted the sails accompanied by
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Vangelis’ dramatic “1492: Conquest of Paradise.” Music swelled as the sails filled and we pulled away from port. Our itinerary included six intimate ports-of-call among the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands. Nevis, Domenica, Guadeloupe, Ile des Saintes, Antigua, and St. Barthélemy welcomed us to their tiny villages and private beaches. At each destination we had the choice of several shore excursions. And on days when we were not enjoying whale watching, river tubing, submarine rides, a regatta race, or historical tours, we played on our own secluded beaches. For those of us who love to laze on the sand and play in the surf, we were tendered ashore to our beach. Then the Sports Team followed with zodiacs filled with kayaks, sailboats, paddleboards, and waterskis for us to enjoy throughout the day. The water was that perfect temperature, refreshing yet warm enough to stay in and play in for hours. After each day on land, we returned to the Star Clipper for happy hour in the Tropical Bar (as if every hour wasn’t already happy!). At dinner, open seating and casual, we shared stories with new friends. Our meals were prepared to the deliciously exacting standards of the acclaimed Chaine des Rotisseurs, featuring the kind of menu where you really wish you could try one of everything. Sometimes we did! After dinner the guests and crew joined together to create our own nightly entertainment: the first night, a fashion show; the second night, wooden “frog” races and ridiculous antics; our talent show (I use “talent” generously) featured songs and skits with crew and brave guests; the trivia contest was raucous fun; a local steel drum band jumped aboard next; and we spent our last evening together dancing and limbo-ing into the night. And at the end of each exhilarating day, those of us most enthralled by the sailing life would spend two or three hours up on the deck before retiring. We read, we dreamed, we relaxed, and we took a slow deep breath. We were savoring the romance of a bygone age of clipper ships, listening to the whispering sails and rush of the sea in the still, dark night. Lisa Kallen is a Travel Consultant with Alamo World Travel, specializing in cruises, tours and customized vacations to Europe, the Americas, South Pacific and Asia. You can reach her at 925-837-8742 ext. 18 or lkallen@ alamoworld.com. Advertorial
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Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program Launches in Contra Costa County By Candace Andersen, Contra Costa County Supervisor, District 2
One of the many services the County provides to Contra Costa residents is mental health services. I am pleased to announce that Contra Costa County’s Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program launched on February 1. AOT is based on Assembly Bill 1421, otherwise known as Laura’s Law, which is a discretionary state law that allows counties to use the civil court system to supervise care. Last year the Board of Supervisors passed Laura’s Law in our county as a way to not only help the mentally ill and their families, but to also protect the community. Who is eligible for AOT? An adult with severe and persistent mental illness may qualify for the AOT program if their mental health is getting worse, they are unlikely to be safe in the community without supervision, and they have a recent history of hospitalization or violence related to their mental health. The program is intended for those who have previously declined or not engaged in offered treatment. For more information about who qualifies for AOT and who can request an AOT screening, visit cchealth.org/mentalhealth/lauras-law.php or you may call 1-844-422-2268. Eligible individuals benefit from a 24-hour team response that can include treatment, medication, access to primary health care, substance abuse counseling, counseling regarding benefits and other resources, access to supportive housing services, vocational rehabilitation, and peer and family member support. Those who do not meet all AOT eligibility requirements will still be connected with appropriate behavioral health services. The County has contracted with Mental Health Systems, a not-for-profit, community based organization, with extensive experience running similar programs in San Diego County and elsewhere in California, to provide an Assertive Community Treatment model, which is designed to break the cycle of repeated hospitalization or incarceration many of these community members face, delivering safe, effective and respectful treatment. Program staff includes licensed mental health clinicians from Behavioral Health Services (BHS) as well as from Mental Health Systems. While a process for court-ordered treatment is now in place, we are optimistic that it will remain a last resort. Our AOT program emphasizes voluntary participation, and the experience of other counties with similar programs suggests that most patients do engage with services without court involvement. To ensure outcomes are accurately tracked, the County has hired Resource Development Associates, who will provide program evaluation services. Our AOT program was developed in coordination with Behavioral Health, Contra Costa Superior Court, the Public Defender’s Office, County Counsel, the Mental Health Commission, and many community partners. AOT is not for crisis intervention. If you or someone you know is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. To speak with a trained crisis counselor about a mental or emotional health concern, call 1-888-678-7277 any time of day or night. For more information on mental health resources in Contra Costa County you may visit mhcrashcourse.org/about.html. The website offers links to services as well as information on the Mental Health Crash Course, which is a 90 minute orientation for people who find themselves having to interact with the mental health field but don’t know where to start. A coalition of groups has come together to provide a weekly seminar to help people learn more. Classes begin this month and will be held on Wednesday evenings at the Family Justice Center, 2151 Salvio Street, Suite 201 in Concord. 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 by email at SupervisorAndersen@ bos.cccounty.us or by phone at (925) 957-8860.
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 13
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The New SAT
What to Expect, and how to Prepare By Susan Sokat, Director, Club Z! In-Home Tutoring
In March, 2016, the College Board will roll out the new SAT test, with some major changes from the old SAT. Many students will be happy to know that the new SAT is Right Only Scoring. You are no longer penalized for incorrect answers. Here are some of the other changes that you can expect.
The New Writing Section
Essay writing is now optional. There are however some major changes to the essay. The old SAT asked a student to take a position on an issue and write about it. The new SAT will require a student to read a passage and write a thorough analysis. The previous writing section allowed 25 minutes, and the new SAT writing section allows 50 minutes. It is also now at the end of the test, instead of the beginning. The Writing score will be presented separately, so we predict most students will tackle it anyway. Without Writing, the total possible score will be 1600, (still a possible 800 per section, Math and Reading/Language).
The New SAT Sections Will Include
The Reading section is 65 minutes. Emphasis will still be on reasoning, however with a clearer focus. Reading will now include historical and scientific passages, and some data interpretation. This is similar to the ACT. There will also be evidence based reading, where students are required to answer where they found the information. The Language section, formerly the multiple-choice Writing section, will be about half the amount of time as before, now 35 minutes, which means students will have to move quickly. The Math portion includes three sections, for a total of 80 minutes. Multiple choice sections include one with a calculator and one without. There is also a grid-in section. The ACT will also incorporate changes, but not quite as major as the SAT changes. The ACT continues to be more of an achievement test. The total possible composite score is 36, which is an average of the curriculum components. The best way to prepare for either test is to engage the services of a tutoring company. Club Z! offers a proven test preparation program with impressive results. The program is completely individualized for each student’s needs and is offered in-home, with experienced teachers/tutors. Club Z! has been recently named “The Best of Danville, 2015” for tutoring services. For more information, please call 925-786-7149. Advertorial
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Page 14 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
San Francisco International Airport By Linda Summers Pirkle
Recently my husband and I had an emotional farewell at San Francisco International Airport as our youngest daughter who is studying abroad left for Paris, France. We wanted to stay until her flight departed, so we had a few hours to explore the airport. One of my favorite areas in the airport is San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, located in the International Terminal A. This small and very stylish museum is stunning. The Spanish Revival architecture and large model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, gorgeous tiles, and soft lighting make this special space a calm refuge in the bustling San Francisco International Airport. The lovely Aviation Museum and Library is tucked away next to the Virgin Airways gate. It is used by the traveling public and visitors who come to see the unique exhibitions presented on a wide variety of commercial aviation history subjects. Patrons, including air enthusiasts, students, scholars, authors, and aviation industry professionals, are welcome to use the unique and specialized materials. I spoke to John Hill, the Assistant Director of the SFO Aviation Museum, who gave us some history of the S.F. International Airport. In 1929 the airport was a dirt airstrip in a cow pasture as the jet age was just beginning. The original 150 acre airfield was leased for three years at $1,500 per year. In 1937, a larger Administration Building opened on the property, and eventually the airport and surrounding land was purchased by the City. It is the interior passenger lobby of the 1937 building that inspired the architecture firm Fong & Chan to design the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum. A Press Release dated December 30, 2015 says, “SFO announced a major milestone in its 88 year history, achieving a new all-time passenger traffic record of 50 million annual passengers…this caps a six year time span of continuous traffic growth at the Airport.” The museum and library are very close to full scale of the original space of the 1937 passenger lobby of the airport, and it’s amazing to realize that this beautiful yet small space was the passenger lobby in those days. As John Hill says, “The relative size of the museum space, and its historical relevance to the Airport in the 1930’s compared to SFO today, dramatically demonstrates how aviation has grown over the last seven decades.” Mr. Francis Egan worked for many years at the S. F. International Airport, and now he volunteers as a monitor for the Reading Room in SFO Library. “I guess I have airplane fuel in my veins,” he laughed. “Since I was a small boy I couldn’t resist looking up in the sky as a plane flew overhead. I could not keep my eyes off of them.” He has witnessed many poignant encounters at the airport, and the SFO Museum and Library are no exception. Egan explains, “You can see it all here. I especially enjoy seeing people who walk into this beautiful library who are frazzled, tense, and angry about a missed flight or whatever, and you see a complete change in them once they spend a bit of time in this place. It might be the architecture; it might be that it’s not very crowded. Whatever it is, it is a place where people can calm themselves.” There are over twenty art galleries located in SFO, and approximately
The San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpin Aviation Museum.
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ten of these exhibitions are pre-security. Two upcoming exhibitions being presented by SFO Museum are Essential Style: Vintage and Antique Purses from January 23 to July 24, 2106, and The Allure of Art Nouveau: 1890-1914 from February 13 to August 14, 2016. Both exhibitions will be on view in the International Terminal Main Hall pre-security. The museum hours are Sunday thru Friday (closed Saturday) from 10AM4:30PM. The library is available by appointment. Their phone number is (650) 821-6700. The website is www.SFOMuseum.org. The museum may be rented for special events. 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.
Healthcare in Contra Costa County Panel
The public is invited to join members of The League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley and Health Care for All - Contra Costa County in discussion about health care in Contra Costa County. How are health care providers meeting current needs? What are some systemic changes we might consider? ACA offered much-needed improvements to the health care system. Yet problems remain: • Many residents are still uninsured • Patient costs continue to rise dramatically • Networks are narrowing • Family medical bankruptcies continue • Mental health, dental, and long term care needs aren’t sufficiently covered Hear from local health care experts and join the discussion at the Mc Hale Room, Pleasant Hill Community Center 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill. The event will be held on Saturday, March 19, 3–4:30PM. Panelists are: Dr. William Walker, MD, Director and Health Officer, CCC Health Services, Brenda Goldstein, MPH, Psychosocial Services Director, Lifelong Medical Care, Dr. Ariane Terlet, DDS, Chief Dental Officer, La Clinica de la Raza, and Dr. Pat Snyder, PhD, Leadership Team Member, All Care Alliance. For more information, visit www.lwvdv.org or www.healthcareforall.org.
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The Kiwanis Club Calls for Grant Applications Offering $30,000
The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley through its affiliate, the San Ramon Valley Kiwanis Foundation, has issued a call for community non-profit organizations throughout the area to apply for $30,000 in grants to be awarded during 2016. Ranging from $500 to $3,000, the Kiwanis grants are designed to support programs and projects that help both specific organizations and the broader community. According to grants chairman, John Lineweaver, the bulk of the grants will be awarded in May. Additional monies will be held in reserve to provide emergency grants, fund Kiwanis community service projects, and support of four local Kiwanis High School Key Clubs. The total of this direct youth support will exceed $20,000, making the total dollar amount of community service grants and funding by Kiwanis more than $50,000 for 2016. Lineweaver noted that Kiwanis generally recognizes grant applications from projects that serve residents of the San Ramon Valley, although nonprofit organizations need not be located in the Valley itself. Specific eligibility criteria are listed on the Kiwanis website at www.kiwanis-srv.org. Because Kiwanis makes a single grant to the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation for distribution to district schools, grants are NOT available for individual schools. Grant consideration is given to programs that focus on children, the infirm or the elderly and provide solace, comfort or consolation. Last year, 43 separate non-profit organizations received grants, including Agape Villages Foster Family Agency, Assistance Leagues of Amador and Diablo Valleys, Bay Area Crisis Nursery, Camp Camelot, Cancer Support Community, Care Parent Network, Center for Community Dispute Settlement, Child Abuse Prevention Council of CC, Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Danville Community Band, Diablo Valley Quilters, Diablo Valley Veterans Foundation, Discovery Counseling Center of SRV, Down Syndrome Connection, EPIC Healthy Choices, Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, Hearing Loss Association of America-Diablo Valley, Hope Hospice, Inc., Hospice of the East Bay, Loaves & Fishes of CC, Moment by Moment, Monument Crisis Center, Museum of the San Ramon Valley, National Coalition Against Rx Drug Abuse, Nayeli Faith Foundation, New Day For Children, Ombudsman Services of CC, Police & Fire: The Fallen Heroes, San Ramon Historic Foundation, San Ramon Library Foundation, School of Imagination, Senior Helpline Services, Shelter Inc. of CCC, SonRise Equestrian Foundation, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church-Adopt-A-Bike Program, STAND! For Families Free of Violence, The Lucille Glass Mauzy Foundation, The Taylor Family Foundation, VESTIA, INC., and We Care Services for Children. The SRV Kiwanis Foundation has awarded nearly $740,000 in grants in the valley since the mid-1990’s. Funds for the annual grants program are raised by the San Ramon Valley Kiwanis Foundation through several fundraising projects, including organizing and conducting the annual Kiwanis 4th of July Parade in Danville. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. More than 600,000 Kiwanis family members in 96 countries make their mark by responding to the needs of their communities and pooling their resources to address worldwide issues. Through these efforts, Kiwanis International truly is “Serving the Children of the World.” Applications and further information, including eligibility criteria, can be obtained from the Kiwanis website at www.kiwanis-srv.org or by contacting John Lineweaver at (925) 837-3665. The deadline for grant applications is Monday, March 7, 2016, and winners will be announced at a Grants Award Presentation on Thursday, May 26, 2016. Anyone interested in learning more about the Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley is invited to visit www.kiwanissrv.org. The club holds weekly luncheon meetings at noon on Thursdays at Brass Bear Dinner in Danville. Please join the club for lunch and find out more about the organization.
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 15
Stop by our new office in the Alamo Courtyard 3195 Danville Blvd #4, Alamo
Raviolis for RotaCare
Raviolis for RotaCare, a fundraiser to benefit the RotaCare Pittsburg Free Medical Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul, will take place on Monday, February 8, 5-8PM at Gianni’s Italian Bistro, located at 20165 San Ramon Valley Blvd. in San Ramon. Dine at Gianni’s and 10% of proceeds plus all tips will benefit the free clinic. Make reservations at www.opentable.com or by calling (925) 820-6969. In order for the Clinic to continue serving patients in need, the organization needs your help. Since opening in February 2011, the Free Medical Clinic has provided over 6,000 patient visits and has provided quality medical care to almost 3,200 uninsured and underserved patients with acute or chronic medical conditions. Healthcare services are free to the patient, including medical exams, diagnostic and laboratory testing, and generic medications. The clinic also offers patient health education programs including diabetic and hypertension education and counseling, as well as nutritional classes. Each week 15-20 volunteers staff the clinic, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, medical assistants, translators, receptionists, and administrative volunteers. Volunteer Medical Director Dr. Hamid Khonsari leads the clinic. The RotaCare Pittsburg Free Medical Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul continues to recruit for volunteers and is in particular need of doctors, pharmacists, and bi-lingual social workers and nurses. If interested in volunteering, please contact Clinic Operations Manager, Drea Riquelme at pittsburg@rotacarebayarea.org or by phone at (925) 439-2009. All malpractice and liability insurance is provided for the medical professionals at each Clinic. The clinic was built and developed by St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County and is a partnership between SVdP and RotaCare Bay Area. The Clinic is also sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Alamo, Antioch, Brentwood, Danville, Danville-Sycamore, Delta/Antioch, Dougherty Valley, Pittsburg, San Ramon, and San Ramon Valley. Additional support has been provided by Los Medanos Community Healthcare District, Kaiser Permanente, The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation, the Thomas J. Long Foundation, HEDCO Foundation, the City of Pittsburg, Keller Canyon Mitigation Trust, the Ben Madison Family Trust, nrg/Genon Corporation, CalPine Energy, The Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation, and many Catholic churches in Contra Costa County. You can help donate to the St. Vincent de Paul Health Services Fund by calling (925) 439-5060 or visiting www.svdp-cc.org.
Page 16 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 17
AT
Page 18 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Clip Notes
By Jody Morgan
Imagine being surrounded by three thousand trees all flowering on branches bare of foliage. A delicate spicy fragrance perfumes the air. The setting is Kairakuen Park (an hour northeast of Tokyo) where the annual plum blossom festival occurs from February 20th to March 31st. One hundred varieties of flowering plums with blossoms of white, pink, and red are included in the collection. February flower of the month in the Japanese flower calendar, plum blossom (Prunus mume), is also known as Japanese apricot and Taiwanese plum. The tree blooms in late winter a full month or more before showier cherry blossoms take center stage. A welcome harbinger of spring, the flowers are celebrated in plum blossom festivals throughout Japan from early February into March. Native to southern China, Prunus mume has been honored there as well in poetry, art, and legend for thousands of years. One thousand years ago, Izumi Shikibu, a prominent figure at the Kyoto court, wrote: “I cannot say which is which: the glowing plum blossom is the spring moon.” She is considered one of Japan’s Thirty-six Medieval Poetry Immortals. Just over one hundred years before Izumi was born, eleven-year old Sugawara no Michizane penned his first poem in Chinese characters: “How beautiful the red plum blossom, I wish to color my cheek with it.” A noted scholar, he reached a high rank at court before plummeting from political favor. Legend suggests his favorite plum tree uprooted itself to follow him into exile. In fact, in 901, he wrote fondly of the trees he was leaving behind: “When the east wind blows, flourish in full bloom, you, plum blossoms! Even though you lose your master, don’t be oblivious to spring.” Politicians began to think better of ousting Sugawara when natural disasters struck Kyoto in rapid succession shortly after his death. Believing in the need to pacify his vengeful spirit, the Imperial Court decreed that he should be venerated in the Shinto religion as a kami, a god-like figure. Henceforth, known as Tenjin and honored at shrines where plum trees frequently grace the grounds, he is recognized as the patron of scholarship and learning. Students
Sustainable Danville Area
By Tesla Faraday-Einstein Majestic Mascot, Sustainable Danville Area
Some environmental pundits say that the carbon impact of a pet can equal that of driving a large car. As an expert on the subject, I can pretty much say my people would be lost without me in their life. Not only can they count on a kiss whenever they’re feeling down; but once my stomach starts growling in the morning, I’m a punctual alarm clock. Most of my kind can entertain kids for hours with a Frisbee or ball—me, not so much. And while I don’t want to brag, my imposing size and bark keep my people feeling safe. I tend to get my people off the couch for a brisk walk every day. And since the average person burns about 150 calories in 30 minutes of exercise…add up five days, and I’ve got them losing a pound a week! And ‘between dogs’—I pretend I’m interested in the squirrels just to pick up the pace. But let’s face it, with over 78 million dogs in the United States it is important to make sure our people understand how ‘walking’ a little more lightly helps take care of us, the planet, and the community we love. Let’s start with a subject near to my stomach: food. Eating and living more organically these days? Shunning the chemicals from your foods and your cleaning products? Buying local? All these principles are important for us dogs as well. While you might think its cost prohibitive for you to feed me organic food, you might find that it’s just pennies a day that you’ll save in the end in veterinarian visits. It is important for you to know what goes into every food bag and where it’s produced. Food that is produced overseas requires an excess amount of energy to get it to our door and may not use processes that are environmental-friendly. Consider local brands that have limited ingredients with the majority being meat and vegetables. Food produces waste, so let’s not beat around the bush—let’s talk poo. First of all, furry friends please talk with your people, and tell them it’s not okay to leave my poo ever, even in a bag, at the side of the road, street, trail. Even if they plan to pick it up on their way back, nobody wants to see that, for shame! Bags
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seeking favorable results in college entrance exams flock to Tenjin’s shrines as the plum blossoms open to leave paper prayers for success. The fruit that follows the flowers is nothing like plums grown in Western orchards. Rather sour, it is usually processed rather than being enjoyed straight from the tree. Pickled, it is served at the close of a meal to cleanse the palate and aid in digestion. Recipes are reported by chef Shizuo Tsuji to be as numerous and varied as the villages of Japan. Plum wine is produced in China and Korea as well as Japan. Thick sweet plum sauce is a favorite compliment to many Chinese dishes. Not surprisingly, stems of plum blossoms are highly favored in Japanese floral arrangements. Prunus mume also responds well to being trained in small pots as a bonsai (a miniature tree) and in larger pots as a courtyard specimen for city gardens. In the mid-nineteenth century, about the time when ranchers (like the Stones who settled Stone Valley in Alamo and the Inmans who established Danville) first arrived in the San Ramon Valley, Okuma Kotomichi wrote: “Fragrance alone, I thought was the wind’s burden, but petals too are circling the plum garden.” Plum blossom petals also fall across the Bay Area, occasionally swirling through the air like colorful snowflakes. But they come from a different species than the one revered in Asia. Widely planted in San Francisco and currently approved as a street tree for the city, Prunus cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius’ is almost fruitless. Commonly called cherry plum, this tree was introduced by Karl Krauter of Krauter Nursery in Bakersfield, California in 1957. Among its virtues, along with prolific shell-pink blossoms, are the deep purple foliage that persists long into fall and a tidy rounded habit that needs little pruning. Friendship plants are a wonderful source of garden success. Almost half a century ago, when Lester Hawkins (who advised Ruth Bancroft on adding a water feature to her dry garden) and Marshall Ohlbricht welcomed friends from Vermont to their Western Hills Garden in Occidental, California, a sapling of Prunus mume ‘Peggy Clarke’ was gifted to the visitors from the Northeast. Not hardy in the Vermont climate, the sapling was installed in the greenhouse off their North Hill Garden kitchen. Repotted and root-pruned biannually, it blooms faithfully, recalling friends long gone. do add up, so please purchase bio-degradable ones. Better yet, designate a small area in your own fenced yard, and fill it with pebbles and train your young ones to do their business there. Using a shovel to collect the waste into a stainless steel covered can reduces the number of bags needed and keeps our walks smelling fresh and embarrassment free. My people even considered a composting doggie toilet for their yard, but it turned out to use many gallons of water which is a precious resource in our continued drought conditions. When not properly trained or allowed to roam freely, dogs can harm native wildlife or precious landscaping. Dog parks are a great alternative, as long as you’re not driving miles to visit a preferred venue. Playtime is a major priority for me—tired dogs are good dogs, so purchase a good supply of environmentally friendly toys, and rotate them out every few days. Truth be told, I rather have a stick, a deer antler, or a rope instead of a plastic toy any day! I’m not one of those dogs that particularly likes bath time, but once resolved that it’s gonna happen and I’m clean, I like the way my people nuzzle me. Unfortunately, just like human grooming products, dog shampoo, flea treatments, and other care products can contain a large amount of chemicals which get washed down into our waterways and aren’t great for us dogs either. Most organic liquid soaps are fine for dogs, like Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap, but my people usually use Burt’s Bee shampoo to keep my coat shiny and clean. Far be it for me to be politically correct—my people got me from a reputable breeder instead of a shelter. It’s a long story, but I’m happy we’re together. But there are lots of reasons to adopt a shelter dog. There are over 2.7 million adoptable dogs (and cats) that are still euthanized each year in the US because too many pets come into shelters than there are resources and dollars to care for them. Many of these are happy, healthy pets whose people could no longer care for them, not because the dog did anything wrong. Consider adopting one of these furry friends, and not only will you get a great dog, but it’s wonderful for your self-esteem since you’ll be saving a life. Have a great green doggie tip? Share with us at www.facebook.com/sustainabledanvillearea.
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Life in the Alamo Garden
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 19
Garden Path By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059
To view a beautiful Alamo garden from a distance is to bring joy to the eyes, but to walk through and experience a beautiful garden touches all the human senses. The pathway is an essential structure to any successful landscape design. A pathway brings you into the garden and brings the garden to you. The goal of any garden path is to allow egress in and out of your landscape. It can lead you to that hidden secret sitting area where you love to sit in the warm sun and read a good book or enjoy quiet meditation away from the fray of life, or it can provide functional access to high-use areas in your yard such as swimming pools, patios and decks, and sports amenities. Depending on the purpose, the path can either be formal or informal. A formal path generally is more structured, permanent, and more direct. For instance, the path to your front door, pool, or patio should be more formal. Design it with the idea of transporting people more directly. A path to your door should be proportionate to the size of your home. If you have a large two-story façade, you don’t want a three-foot wide meandering path to your front door. Generally, a path for a larger proportioned home should be a minimum of five feet wide. It should be constructed of a permanent surface like concrete, stone, or brick mortared onto concrete for stability. Pick a material that is solid and easy to walk on. A formal path should be more direct. It doesn’t need to be straight, but it does need to be direct. A formal path can have curves, angles, or straight edges. In other words, it shouldn’t take you from the entry at the street around the side of your house, curve back around to the front through a grove of trees, and across to the other side before arriving at your front door! An informal path can be an added design feature to any Alamo landscape. Most Alamo lots tend to be quite spacious which allows for informal paths to get you out into your garden. An informal path generally is less structured, less permanent, and less direct. The purpose of an informal path is to provide access to the sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes of your garden. It is a less direct way of getting someplace or nowhere. It gives you access to a hillside with views, a quiet corner for meditation, or gathering an assortment of edibles, herbs, and flowers. It should be constructed of a less permanent material such as loose-set flagstone with ground cover in between, concrete steppers, or gravel. I particularly like gravel because of the “crunching” sound it makes when you walk on it. A garden path is one of the most important hardscape elements in your landscape design. It is a core element of your landscape. One of the first elements that I work out in my design process is the pathways. The path system defines the softscape areas and provides access for use. A path system can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. Remember that every element in your garden has purpose. Define the purpose of your path system before you
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design it. The garden path is most likely the most used hardscape element of any landscape design. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: A primary path should always be wide enough (4-5 feet at minimum) for two people to walk side-by-side comfortably. Announcement! We will be holding our annual “Life in the Garden Tour” fundraiser in the Spring of 2017. Keep your fingers crossed for a good wet year with plenty of snow! We look forward to seeing you on the tour in 2017! Gardening Quote of the Month: It is a great art to saunter. - Henry David Thoreau, 1841 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/johnAdvertorial montgomery-landscape-architects.
Page 20 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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Andrea Hurd, founder and creative inspiration of Berkeley-based Mariposa Gardening and Design, will be speaking at the Danville-Alamo Garden Club meeting on Thursday, February 11th. Mariposa Gardening and Design is an award winning ecological design-build landscaping company. Its strong commitment to incorporating beauty with innovative design guides the way it works with stone, plants, wood, and water. This philosophy and focus have earned the company three gold medals and three silver medals as well as the Sunset Magazine Western Living Award at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. Refreshments will be served at 9:15AM followed by the meeting at 9:45AM. The meeting will be held at the Alamo Women’s Club at 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo. For questions, contact Susan at susansgotbling@sbcglobal.net or visit www.dagc.us.
By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb
Danville-Alamo Garden Club Meeting
From the Ground Up
Enjoy your garden’s bounty around home and hearth
Reap the benefits of cultivating a garden with a series of inspired classes designed to make green thumbs blossom. The Gardens at Heather Farm’s Adult Education series, “From the Ground Up” continues in 2016 featuring practical lessons on developing gardens, then using the garden’s bounty to create table arrangements and specialties for the home and body. The series continues in February with a class where attendees will learn how to make herbal-infused Bath Salts & Salves and exercise their creativity at a two-part Floral Arranging & Hands-On Workshop led by Najat Nicola. In March, those looking to make their gardens grow will enjoy a class on Propagation with GHF Garden Manager, Brian Larsen. The schedule of classes is as follows: Feb. 6 – Bath Salts & Salves with Hollie Lucas-Alcalay (10am) Feb. 19 – Floral Arranging with Najat Nicola (9:30am) Feb. 26 – Floral Workshop with Najat Nicola (9:30am) Mar. 4 – Propagation with Brian Larsen (9:30am) To register visit www.gardenshf.org or call (925) 947-1678 for more information. Classes typically range from $15 to $30. Members of The Gardens at Heather Farms receive a $5 discount per class. Cost of basic membership is $35. Proceeds from class registration benefit the ongoing maintenance of the free public garden and educational programs for children and adults.
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Join the 2016 Trails Challenge
Topping Trees?
At Brende & Lamb we get the occasional request to remove some or all of a tree’s crown, a process called topping. There are many reasons why people ask to have a tree topped: increased light, better view, safer tree, or reduced leaf litter. Though it seems counterintuitive, topping almost always produces the opposite of the desired effect. Topping can decrease available light, mar the view, make a safe tree unsafe, and even increase leaf litter. Take, for example, topping to decrease the shadow cast by a tree. This may work in the very short term, but topping stimulates rapid growth, causing the tree’s crown to thicken, thereby cutting out light after just a few growing seasons. Over time, you get more light for your pruning dollar if instead of topping you give the crown a judicious thinning. When done correctly, thinning doesn’t over stimulate the tree, and it enhances the tree’s aesthetics instead of seriously, sometimes irredeemably, damaging it. Another common misperception is that topping will make the tree safer; it almost always does just the opposite. Most topped trees decay at the point at which they were topped. Topping also stimulates production of long lanky shoots. Given that these shoots grow out of decaying wood, topping often turns a safe tree into a hazard that increases over time. Some of the more dangerous trees we’ve seen were topped years ago with no follow-up pruning. If you have a previously topped tree growing close to your home, it is a good idea to have a competent arborist give it a safety evaluation. Previously topped trees can be made safer by pruning to reduce wind-sail and by reducing weight on leggy branches. People sometimes top trees to reduce leaf litter, but most trees respond to topping by putting out a profusion of leaves to help repair the damage. In short order, the owner of a topped maple will spend more time with rake in hand than before the topping. Topping to increase view is often done without realizing that the new view will include an ugly tree. If the tree in the view is a bay, a eucalyptus, or any number of other fast-growing species, the topping will fail to provide view for long because the topped tree will soon produce sprouts that shoot up into the view. Well-planned pruning can often capture view, and it is often possible to enhance the beauty of the tree in the process. A beautiful view framed by a beautiful tree is far lovelier than a view over the top of an ugly and scarred tree. Another frequent request for topping comes from people about to sell their homes who think that topping their trees will increase the sale price. Real estate professionals know that beautiful trees can raise property values by as much as 20%, whereas a topped tree can be a liability . . . something the bidder on your house might ask you to deduct from the sales price so that they can have the tree removed. For further information about the perils of tree topping, go to the website of the International Society of Arboriculture, and read the article at www. treesaregood.org/treecare/topping.aspx. If you are thinking about topping, please reconsider. It is possible to enhance view, increase light, and make trees safer without topping. Doing so does, however, require competent pruning by tree professionals. 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
Join the 23rd annual EBRPD Trails Challenge. The Trails Challenge is a self-guided hiking program helping you discover your Regional Parks, while getting fit outdoors. Download your free guidebook and get started! The booklet includes detailed trail descriptions for hikes in 20 Regional Parks or Trails. Hikes range from easy to challenging. There are trails open to hikers, bicyclists, dogs, and equestrians, and many are wheelchair accessible. While the program is designed to be self-guided, a number of naturalist-led hikes are offered during the year as well. To complete the challenge, hike five of the trails – or 26.2 miles of trails –by December 1st and submit a trail log to receive a commemorative pin. As in past challenges, the honor system applies. For more information, visit http://www.ebparks.org/trailschallenge.
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Energy Matters
H2O Matters By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar
El Niño is officially here, sometimes resulting in torrential rain. Torrential rain is not forgiving on any type of roof that is not flashed or installed properly, or has reached the end of its service life. A roof is one of the most important parts of any dwelling. Water intrusion is the number one cause of damage to homes and businesses. If you’re considering a solar installation, please ensure that there is a licensed roofer performing the roof portion of the work. If so, your roof warranty will remain valid. The roof product warranty will not remain valid if a non-licensed roofer is performing any modifications to the roof. (See www. Gaf.com and www.Certainteed.com for more information). Broken roof tiles need to be matched and replaced, not “repaired” with caulk. Proper flashing is an art, and a science. Solar and roofing, done right, eliminates any roof leak risk. Grounding and shock hazards can result from water intrusion into an improperly installed solar PV or electric system. A licensed electrician’s work on a solar PV project will ensure that the conduits, junction boxes, and connections are properly watertight to prevent this hazard. It’s your home, choose your tradesmen wisely. Roof and gutter cleanliness: El Niño is not forgiving of deferred roof maintenance either. Leaves or debris in a gutter can result in a clogged downspout. A clogged downspout can result in a backed-up gutter. Standing water in an improperly designed gutter will rise in the gutter and then penetrate behind flashings. The water will take the path of least resistance, into your ceilings and walls. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the water manifest itself earlier than later. An invisible leak will result in mold and rot damage. Clean your gutters and ensure your downspouts are free flowing to keep your home free from water damage and mold. The remediation costs for water damage may or may not be covered by insurance. If you’re not able to perform the tasks of cleaning your gutters and downspouts safely, there are reasonably priced companies to perform this task. Ensure you hire a company with a good reputation. Many gutter locations are often impossible to visually inspect unless one is on top of the roof or on a second story ladder. In the world of the building trades, it’s always wise to “Trust, but Verify.” Assessed Value of Solar: After any properly permitted home improvement project, the County Assessor will send an assessment form to your home requesting project costs. Solar PV projects are exempt from assessed value (real estate tax) increases per California State law. However, real estate appraised value increases for solar homes are well documented in studies by such entities as the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Alternative Fuels, Anchors Aweigh! A Navy Carrier Battle Group was recently dispatched on deployment powered by a 10% bio-fuel mix. Ten percent doesn’t seem significant, but for this battle group it translates to 77 million gallons of clean alternative energy. Homeowner’s Associations, by law, are very limited as to how they can regulate solar PV installations. I wish my HOA would enforce aesthetics considerations a bit more. Hidden conduits, rectangular or square contiguous arrays (that don’t skip around easily moveable vents) and installing aesthetically pleasing black panels are installation practices which can be legally regulated by HOA’s to limit negative aesthetic impact. Unfortunately, many “budget” solar companies’ projects look like someone haphazardly placed solar panels onto a roof and typically, there is no HOA involvement to prevent these practices. We’ve all seen these projects. Architectural planning committees are known for their bureaucracy, but they can benefit the HOA resident. Poorly designed and installed solar projects ultimately damage the reputation of the solar industry, as well as the aesthetics and perhaps value of the neighborhood in which they lay. The 2015 Federal Tax Credit IRS 5695 and 3468 forms for residential and commercial solar PV (and other energy efficiencies) are now available for download from the IRS. We’ve made them available at www.GoSimpleSolar.com/downloads. Use the sample filled out form to guide you to fill out your own if you installed solar PV or other energy efficiencies in your home or business in tax year 2015. Details, details: The Contractor’s State License Board very clearly defines construction contract requirements and specifies contractor performance standards and responsibilities. Leverage www.CSLB.ca.gov to ensure you’re properly informed: Information is power. 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
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 21
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into useful commodities such as fire-starters or synthetic logs. Extensive testing proved the melting process kills germs. A physical therapist helped design a mold, shaping 96 crayons per batch into a chunky, easy-to-grip triangular shape that doesn’t roll off hospital trays. Ware tested various shipping methods and found an inexpensive way for collection points to ship crayons to TCI. Each of the custom-made molds produces enough crayons to supply 40,000 The Crayon Initiative trailer is ready to bring crayons to pediatric patients a 100,000 hospitalized children across the country in 2016. Photo year. A fundraising courtesy of TCI. campaign to purchase additional molds costing $10,000 apiece (plus another $1,500 for accessory apparatus) is currently underway. Moving the manufacturing operation to a space able to accommodate a large induction range for melting wax is another goal. Ware notes, “Early on, we asked hospitals, ‘Do you have a need for these crayons?’ Now hospitals who are part of the Children’s Hospital Association ask us, ‘When can we get more crayons?’” Kellye Carroll, Director, Chase Child Life Program Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, writes of her initial contact with TCI: “I have to be honest and say I literally rolled my eyes at my computer when I read the email because I was so skeptical of anyone figuring out how to recycle crayons – without infection control being an issue – AND seriously being able to produce enough
See Crayon continued on page 26
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Page 22 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Technology Matters
By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO
Over the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in the popularity and market share of Apple Macintosh (OS X) computers. I’ve never been a bigot one way or the other when it comes to Mac’s or PC’s. They each have their uses, their strengths, and weaknesses, and my staff feels the same way. Our business is to enable technology of any sort to increase the productivity of the users we work with. And when I criticize either, I am not speaking out of turn, as I own both a brand new fully decked-out Macbook Pro and also a Windows 10 Lenovo laptop. As such, I’m going to give you my unvarnished opinion, and from there you can make up your own mind about what is right for you and your situation. When helping a client purchase a new system, my concerns are about the features, performance, reliability, and manageability of the computer system. For example, there are some brands that we see in our repair shop a lot more than others, and we make no excuses for steering our clients away from those brands so that the user has a better experience. I feel it’s also important to avoid purchasing a computer because of its looks, a more common criteria than you may imagine. Of course, hardware is just one aspect of the system. There will always be a debate between industry followers about whether Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X is “better.” The truth is that they’re both really good and mature operating systems, and the most appropriate choice is the one that checks the most boxes for your specific situation. If I had to choose, I would say Mac’s are a better home computer, whereas PC’s are a superior business computer. This will probably continue to evolve, and it’s not an absolute rule, but right now my opinion is it’s the best guideline. For home use, I think the Mac is brilliant. Part of this is the superior way Apple has integrated their operating system across their smartphones (iPhone), tablets (iPad), and computers (MacBooks, iMac’s, etc.) For example, with recent OS X releases, I can answer my cell phone with my computer, place a “FaceTime” video phone call directly from my computer, or type a text message from my Mac instead of from my iPhone. This is extremely useful, and it demonstrates the level of cross-platform integration Apple has achieved. But
while these are impressive features, they do not mean the computer is businessready. There are important areas where the Mac falls short. One of the biggest Mac issues is that most established and popular business software was written for the PC, not for the Macintosh. Also, for the overwhelming majority of companies that have traditional, non web-based software to run, it’s very difficult to completely integrate their Mac’s into the security and filesharing infrastructure established for the Windows domain-based computers and to manage them all consistently. Yes, we can get files into and out of the servers for the Mac’s, but it’s not smooth. We do work with some companies who have an all-Mac infrastructure, and for them (and only them) it works OK because 100% of their software and files are internet-based. In other words, they’re not worrying about running Quickbooks or Sage Business Works, or saving data to a local file-server, because they’re using all their business software through a subscription service they access through a web browser. Nothing is local. Beside software, the other area of concern is that Mac’s are more difficult to securely administrate for business use. For example, in the Mac OS X world, an end-user is either established as the administrator of the computer with God-like rights, or they are a ‘limited user,’ who has significantly fewer rights to do anything. With administrator rights, the end-user has the privilege of removing any software they choose, and there’s nothing we can do about it, because that role has the rights. While not an epidemic, there are a certain number of people who for whatever reason will use those privileges to remove the management or backup software that we installed on their system, which removes our ability to administrate that system, which causes all sorts of other issues. If this were a PC, we would have the ability to tune the security and ensure the end-user could do their job with flexibility, while preserving the integrity of the system management functions and overall security. This is a big issue and one that limits our ability to ensure that the policies and dictates of the company who owns that computer are followed. For some, this alone is enough reason to disqualify the Mac for enterprise use. Regardless of your stance, I hope this causes you to consider the implications of the platform you choose before you make your next computer purchase. There are great features and capabilities with both types of systems. If you’re unsure which way to proceed, I urge you to contact us so we can help you think it through in advance of your investment, either by calling 925-552-7953 or emailing helpdesk@theportablecio.com. Advertorial
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Don’t Waste Your Federal Credit By Peter Waldron
In conjunction with Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor.
People are sometimes surprised to learn that the government not only taxes the income they earn while working, but it also can tax the accumulated estate built from their work. What can you do to help reduce the sting of federal estate and gift taxes and protect your family’s inheritance? Start by looking at your will and beneficiary designations. Many married couples arrange their affairs so that all of their property will pass to their surviving spouse. This arrangement may seem like a good plan. It’s simple and — thanks to an unlimited federal gift- and estate-tax marital deduction — generally allows you to leave all your property to your spouse estate tax free. But it may not be the best plan. Why not? Because it doesn’t take advantage of your federal credit. Ultimately, the property your surviving spouse receives from you could be taxed as part of his or her estate.
What Is the Federal Credit?
The credit lets you pass a certain amount of assets to anyone you choose, free of estate tax. The estate amount – the credit equivalent – is $5.34 million in 2014.
Coordinating Your Credits
Married couples who coordinate the use of their credits can leave twice as much property to their families without incurring federal estate taxes. One way to take advantage of both your and your spouse’s credits is to create a family trust in your will and fund it with property equal in value to the credit equivalent. With a trust strategy, your surviving spouse can receive income for life with the remaining property passing to your children at your spouse’s death. Your credit could offset estate taxes on the trust property, and the property won’t be included in your spouse’s estate. Your spouse’s credit will be available to offset some or all estate tax on any other property your spouse owns at the time of his or her death. To ensure the beneficial use of both your and your spouse’s credits, you may have to retitle some of your property. Let’s say you and your spouse own most of your property jointly with right of survivorship. Generally, property held jointly by married couples automatically passes to the surviving spouse with no federal estate tax consequences, due to the marital deduction. So, one spouse’s credit may be wasted. Dividing your property so that you and your spouse each own enough property separately to take advantage of the credit can remedy the problem and allow you to effectively use estate planning techniques such as family trusts. Family trusts and retitling strategies are sophisticated planning techniques that may or may not be appropriate for you. Before implementing either technique, consult your professional financial planner. 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 1355686-111715 Advertorial
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 23
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Over the last few years, this has become a consistent issue, interfering with the execution of Grad Night. Our event is only five months away. The project is suspended while committee budgets are rewritten to account for the possibility of paying for storage and work spaces. In years past, this space was donated, so it hasn’t ever impacted the overall budget. According to SRVHS alumnus Karin Raitz, Grad Night came about because concerned parents wanted to offer an affordable and fun graduation party to all seniors. At the time, Monte Vista was hosting an expensive, “after graduation” Bay Cruise. SRVHS parents determined that they wanted an inclusive celebration that all kids could afford. Los Altos HS had been hosting this type of event for over 12 years. As the result, the SRVHS parents formed a committee, followed Los Altos Grad Night guidelines, and put together the first Grad Night in 1978. Now our tradition is 38 years strong. There are members of our community who experienced, in varying degrees, this long-established tradition. There are others who wonder why such an extravagant party is necessary. The purpose of the event’s magnitude is to create a safe place for students to celebrate. It must be larger than life for two reasons: • To entice students to spend the entire night on campus • To offer diversity of activities, food and fun, appealing and entertaining to all students. We believe there is someone in our community who is willing to help us. In the spirit of “Paying It Forward,” we are hopeful that someone has been forever impacted by the Grad Night tradition and wants to help. Ideally, we’d love to find a combined storage/workspace that could belong to all SRVHS Grad Nights moving forward. Are you that person who knows the value of a larger than life graduation party tradition? If you have any questions or comments, please contact srvgradnight2016@gmail.com.
Cinema Classics and Musical Notes Cactus Flower By Peggy Horn
This month’s Cinema Classic is a romantic comedy, Cactus Flower, (1969) starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, and introducing Goldie Hawn. Miss Hawn won an Academy Award for best Supporting Actress for her performance, and the film was nominated for the Best Actress and Best Screenplay categories. The movie was based on a Broadway stage play, and that stage play was based on a French play. The movie is complicated and typically sixties with a confusing set of circumstances forming the plot. Toni Simmons (Goldie Hawn) has fallen in love with a dentist, Dr. Julian Winston (Walter Matthau) and would like to see the relationship follow a normal course towards marriage. Julian has told Toni that he is married with three children, so the option of marriage apparently doesn’t exist. In reality, Julian isn’t married so he is free to marry Toni but the lie he has told about his marital status stands in the way. Julian promises to get a divorce in order to marry Toni, which precipitates Toni’s desire to meet the first Mrs. Winston – in order to make sure she is happy. Now Julian has to find a wife so he can claim his divorce, and he turns to Miss Dickinson (Ingrid Bergman), his dental assistant. Love, marriage and fidelity are set against a lie with the flawed characters only appearing to misbehave. Eventually everything is sorted out, and the course of true love is victorious, although the parties have changed places.
Musical Notes
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The movie Cactus Flower, begins and ends with the soulful voice of Sarah Vaughn singing, “The Time for Love is Anytime,” creating a poignant delight. The song was composed by Mr. Quincy Jones, and the lyrics were written by Ms. Cynthia Weil.
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Page 24 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Around Town
By Roger Smith Alamo Farmer’s Market
After the holidays and during the winter months, one of the best ways to lose those extra pounds is to consider light dinner options when the weather is cold by preparing and having soup or stew. There’s something to be said for slowly simmering a homemade pot of soup over the stove until the flavors meld together perfectly. From chicken matzo ball soup, to hearty lentil soup, soup can really hit the spot on a cold day or night. And if the soup or stew is high in fiber (from beans, vegetables, and/or whole grains), it will also help add bulk to your meal and thus help you feel full longer. An excellent source for fresh vegetables for your soups and stews is the Alamo Farmer’s Market. They have the best and the freshest vegetables full of taste, vitamins, nutrition, and fiber that everyone needs in their diet. Make a visit to the Alamo Farmer’s Market part of your Sunday and get your vegetables for the week. There is free and easy parking and friendly vendors - ask them about how their crops are grown and harvested, they would like the opportunity to talk to you about the process. The Alamo Farmer’s Market is open 9AM -2PM every Sunday.
Underground Pipelines Are Everywhere
Because we cannot see them, we seldom think about pipelines, their role in our community, or their potential hazards. Pipeline leaks are rare. The National Transportation Safety Board says that pipelines are the safest mode of fuel transportation, both for the public and the environment. But, if a leak occurs, it can be dangerous and requires caution and immediate action. The following steps will help protect your family or your employees and the people, property, and environment in your community. Know Where Pipelines are Located - Find the location of pipelines near your home or office by looking for pipeline markers. Write down the operator’s name and emergency phone number listed on the marker Always Call “811” Before You Dig - Call 811 at least two working days before you dig for any reason. One-Call is free and coordinates with local utilities to mark the location of underground utility lines including pipelines. Watch, Listen & Smell for Signs of a Leak - If you see, hear or smell signs of
Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s TeleCare Connects with the Homebound
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.
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a pipeline leak, immediately leave the area, warn others to stay away and call 911 Signs of a Liquid Petroleum or Natural Gas Pipeline Leak or Rupture - Signs of a possible pipeline leak include brown or discolored vegetation amid healthy plants, dirt being blown into the air, colorful sheens on water surfaces, fire at or below ground, stains or pools of hydrocarbons not usually present in the right-of-way, bubbles coming from bodies of water, a loud roar or hissing sound, a dense white cloud of fog, distinctive petroleum type odors, the smell of mercaptan, sulfur (rotten eggs), or a mild fragrant odor. On occasion, a pressure-relieving device may activate at a natural gas or CO2 above ground pipeline facility. These devices are designated to act in relieving pressure on a system to prevent over pressurization. Under no circumstances should a pressure relieving device be capped or valved off.
If A Leak Occurs
1) Leave the area immediately in an upwind direction, and warn others to stay away 2) Do not light a match, start an engine, use a telephone or cell phone, or turn on/off any electrical appliances. Avoid potential ignition sources which may cause an explosion or fire. 3) Once you are a safe distance away from the potential leak, call 911 and Kinder Morgan. 4) Do not drive into an area where you suspect a leak or vapor cloud, and do not touch or operate pipeline valves. 5) Avoid making contact with escaping liquids or vapors as potential hazards may include eye, skin and respiratory irritation, and the produce may be highly flammable. For more information, check out these sources: National Pipeline Mapping System www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov, NASFM’s “Pipeline Emergencies” www. pipelineemergencies.com, PHMSA Emergency Response Guidebook www. phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/library/erg, and Kinder Morgan Public Awareness www. kindermorgan.com/public_awareness.
AIA’s Annual Membership Drive
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 the Alamo Improvement Association and working in support of AIA’s mission statement, which is to “preserve the semi-rural character of Alamo” Please visit www.AlamoCA.org for information on AIA, articles of interest to Alamo residents, membership forms, and more.
Alamo Police Statistics
Sheriff David Livingston reported 54 crimes in Alamo during the month of December which included battery, burglary, counterfeit bill, domestic violence, drugs, forgery, grand theft, mentally ill hospitalization, obstructing executive officer, outside assist, patrol request, petty theft, lost & found property, robbery, suspicious circumstance, identity theft, vandalism, and warrant arrest, and violation of probation.
Reported Incidents
• Holiday Dr ~ Vandalism: Owners of a home discovered that their front door had been damaged when they arrived home after being out of town for the day. The front door to the home appeared to have been kicked in. However, nothing was stolen from the home, and nothing else in the home appeared disturbed. The scene was processed for evidence. This is an ongoing investigation • Alamo Plaza ~ Adult Missing: There was an elder male that had been reported missing after dropping off his wife at the Alamo Plaza to get her hair done at one of the local hair salons. Later in the evening the missing adult was found a couple of hours away from Alamo by CHP and taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries after being in a traffic accident. The elder male was reunited with his family and expected to make a full recovery from his injuries. • Danville Blvd ~ Strong Arm Robbery: At approximately 2AM on December 27, the gas station clerk was approached by two young males inside of the store. The suspects physically battered the clerk after the clerk refused to hand over any cash to the suspects. Once the clerk was battered, the suspects still managed to steal some items from the store. We are asking for help in identifying the suspects. A five minute clip of the incident has been placed on YouTube under “Help us identify these Alamo Robbery Suspects.”
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Is Your Living Trust a Bomb Ticking Silently?
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 25
By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law
You may recognize the title of this month’s piece. I used it in my July 2014 article. I’m writing about the topic again because it is so important. Major new Federal Estate Tax legislation was enacted in January 2013. As I warned previously, these newer rules may have transformed your existing living trust into a bomb ticking silently. This article focuses on married couples who have a type of living trust that was very commonly drafted for decades - generally referred to as a formula “A-B” or “A-B-C” trust. The bad news: Your A-B trust bomb is set to explode when the first spouse dies. During the last three years, I have had to explain to too many widows and widowers why their trust exploded and how I needed to help clean up the damage. The good news: It’s fairly easy for you to avoid the explosion and thus the damage, but you must change your A-B trust (assuming it is advisable upon advice from legal counsel) before the first spouse dies. Prior to January, 2013: A-B trusts have been extremely popular for many years and for good reason. This structure enabled married couples to legally eliminate or minimize Federal Estate Tax liability (with a top tax rate of 55% during much of the last few decades) that would otherwise be imposed upon the death of the surviving spouse – assuming he or she died with more than a certain threshold amount of net assets. This threshold - the amount exempt from Federal Estate Tax liability (“exemption”) - has varied greatly over the years, but was as low as $600,000 through much of the 1990’s. Accordingly, many couples had estates that were vulnerable to this “death” tax. A-B trusts were designed primarily to mitigate Federal Estate Tax. By segregating the assets into two separate (A & B) sub-trusts after the death of the first spouse, the couple could use two Federal Estate Tax exemptions – one applicable to the deceased spouse’s assets and one applicable to the surviving spouse’s assets. Alternatively, with a “one pot” trust, in which all of the assets of the first spouse to die and the assets of the surviving spouse remain in one pot, only one exemption (that of the surviving spouse) is available; the exemption of the first spouse to die is lost. So, unless a couple had an A-B trust, the children and/or other loved ones were potentially exposed to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary Federal Estate Tax liability. After December, 2012: The new law passed in January, 2013 was a “game changer.” The exemption is now $5.45 million, indexed annually for inflation. More importantly, a new feature called “portability” enables married couples to use two full exemptions without splitting the assets into two separate pots (A-B) after the first spouse dies. Consequently, a huge number of married couples no longer need an A-B Trust for Federal Estate Tax reasons! Nevertheless, you might ask: what is this bomb that’s ticking? What harm is there in just keeping your old A-B trust? Unfortunately, there are substantial, yet not commonly understood, disadvantages of an A-B trust, including these primary ones: a) they are more expensive and inconvenient to administer after the first spouse dies; b) an attorney is generally needed to help the surviving spouse allocate and transfer assets into the respective sub-trusts; c) separate accounts must be maintained for each sub-trust; d) a separate tax return must be prepared and filed for the ‘B’ Trust every year of the surviving spouse’s life; and e) the future sale of certain assets in the ‘B’ sub-trust (that appreciate after the first spouse dies) may trigger income tax that would not have been payable if the assets had been kept in a one pot trust. NOTE: Some non-tax reasons may still warrant a two pot trust, particularly for many blended families; however, current strategies other than an A-B
trust are often more advantageous. In any event, the newer Federal Estate Tax rules provide a golden opportunity for married couples to seek counsel from an experienced estate planning attorney about the pros and cons of keeping or revising their existing trust structure. I offer a complimentary Estate Planning Primer and/or a free, introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group specializing in estate planning, trust administration and probate, real estate, and business taxes. They are 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 26 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Whittle that Middle By Michelle Brown
One of the number one questions I am asked as a fitness professional is how to get rid of the extra weight that many people carry around their waist. This simple question has a fairly complex answer. As you probably know, this area is one that many people struggle with, particularly in our culture. As much as some may think that vanity is a cause for having a smaller waist, waist girth is an indicator of longevity, so it is an extremely important health-wise issue to address. Lifestyle diseases are often marked by hip to waist ratio. Tackling this problem is a major step toward creating a more vibrant and all around healthy you. First, food. It is well known that quality of food is a great contributor to waistline expansion. If you want your body to function well, then you have to fuel it well! Processed foods that lack nutrients and contain high amounts of white sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated or highly processed oils, alcohol, dairy, caffeine and even gluten can cause digestive problems that result in inflammation. When the belly is inflamed, you can also assume that inflammation is happening in other parts of the body, like joints. If you love your candy “pick me up” and your knees are always bothering you, cutting back on or substituting candy for fruit will likely ease your pain. A breakfast smoothie full of fruits, protein, and hidden greens is a great start to the day and could help prevent cravings for sugar. Remember, with cravings, the less you eat the craving, the less you crave it. As a caveat, many times we crave what we are allergic to, so if you are really craving that special something, it may just be the thing you need to step away from to make real headway toward your whole health goal. Fact: The average American intakes a whopping three pounds of white sugar weekly; that is 150 pounds per year! Cutting back on sugar alone could be your ticket to better health. Moving right along, let’s talk about activity. Doing 1,000 crunches and spending minutes in plank every day to make up for inflammatory food intake
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that it would make a difference.” She is happy to report that not only does TCI keep the crayons coming, but they also deliver as needed, minimizing the significant storage problem posed by other donated art supplies. The design of the crayons is ideal. Carroll says, “The fact that these don’t roll is fantastic. The kids don’t lose them in the bedsheets and – a huge infection control piece – they don’t hit the floor! Many of our kids have limited mobility, and to try to find a crayon that’s rolled off the table when you’re alone in your room can be really frustrating.” Kellye has tested TCI crayons with her own children and found that whether in the car, on vacation or at home, they don’t break. The shape also naturally encourages a correct pencil grip rather than a fist grip. “Many of our patients have never been to school, so the simple art of holding a writing instrument is not something they’ve been exposed to.” The TCI 8-color box includes pink. Carroll quotes her favorite comment from an ED specialist: “With these colors a kid can make a whole superhero or a whole princess.” Describing the therapeutic value of art, Carroll remarks, “ And there’s something magical about a new box of crayons – it inspires you to create. Many of our kids will express fears and concerns through their art - which they won’t do verbally.” Crayons are an important way to balance a child’s hospital stay with a normal activity that reduces anxiety and relieves stress. Ware relates, “A huge percentage of kids – maybe even 98% - take their crayons home when they leave the hospital. Their eyes light up when they are told they can keep their crayons. It is one positive memory from their stay.” Convincing restaurants to donate their unwanted crayons required understanding how to streamline the collection operation. “When we first approached a few local restaurants,” Ware admits, “we gave them a small collection box and they asked, ‘What do we do with this?’ Now restaurants from all over the country are contacting us for our collection displays so they can become a part of The Crayon Initiative.” Based in Colorado, with locations in California and Arizona (and soon
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won’t work. Yes, you will tone the muscle underneath the fat, but there will still be that layer on top. Activity must be balanced with whole foods for results. One important thing to understand is that your body has an order of weight gain. If you gain weight first in your belly, then your thighs, then in your buns, you will lose that weight in the opposite order...buns, legs, then belly. This has a lot to do with genetics which we will talk about in a moment. Exercises that use the full body are core exercises. The core musculature is designed to stabilize the torso over the legs during dynamic movement, so everything from squats, to lunges, to planks and running is truly “core” exercise when done with proper technique. Functional activity should be varied in order to prevent ware and tear. A minimum of 150 minutes per week is recommended, but if more activity can be comfortably tolerated then the more you do, the more you benefit. Over exercising is not recommended and can also cause inflammation. If exercise is new to you, start with walking and build up from there. Lastly, genetics have a role but they are not totally controlling your destiny. Food and activity are critical in your quest to maintain health. You are not a prisoner of your genes, so don’t give up just because a thicker waistline “runs in your family.” Stay your healthy course, and you will be a great example to others in your gene pool! To whittle that waist, take it one day, one meal, one step at a time. You only get one body, so treat it like the amazing, awesome and capable creation it is. There is no magic pill. There is no one way to look. All you need to do is strive to be a bit better every day, and you will be on the right track! To your health, Coach Michelle Michelle Brown is an ACE Certified Medical Exercise Specialist, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, 2nd Degree Bok Fu Black Belt Disciple, TRX Level 2 Certified Trainer, Trigger Point Rehabilitation Therapist and owner of Gumsaba Fitness programs. She has been helping clients surpass their goals since 1998. Gumsaba offers outdoor fitness programs, personal, small group and sport specific training. Join Gumsaba for a FREE CLASS. Visit gumsaba.com and click get started to redeem your free class with promo code MYLIFE. www.gumsaba.com Advertorial Texas), Snooze Eatery A.M., serving breakfast and lunch, has been contributing crayons to TCI since March 2015. As of December, they had recycled 1,400 pounds of crayons, producing about 8,375 TCI boxes. Sustainability Coordinator Megan Jorgenson concedes that prior to connecting with TCI, Snooze (although devoted to “composting, recycling, and using our resources responsibly”) simply trashed crayons. Programs Snooze tried previously to initiate proved impractical. Jorgenson happily writes about the TCI experience, “Now that we can save all crayons, regardless of whether they ended up in a pile of maple syrup or a mug of hot chocolate, our recycling program is even stronger.” TCI has made the collection process simple. Megan is certain her personal pride in
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Can a Laser Really Help Reduce Your Pain? By Dr. Kristin Moore, DC
While laser therapy sounds like something directly out of a futuristic science fiction book, it is actually a fantastic treatment to aid in the reduction or elimination of pain. Class IV laser is a cutting edge, non-invasive therapy that is used for musculoskeletal pain conditions.
How does Class IV laser therapy work?
I use the K-Laser in my office. This specific laser uses a beam at specific wavelengths and frequencies to increase blood flow to the area of injury. The increased blood flow helps to first carry away any inflammation or edema away from the site of pain. The blood also brings more oxygen to the injury, which then stimulates mitochondrial ATP (cellular energy) production. The boost of energy helps the body to repair weakened and damaged tissues.
What conditions does the laser treat?
Class IV laser therapy is an FDA approved treatment modality that can be used to treat many types of musculoskeletal pain including: • Back and Neck Pain • Arthritis • Sports Injuries • Muscle Spasms and Sprains • Whiplash Injuries • Nerve Pain
How effective is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is incredibly effective at reducing and/or eliminating pain especially when it is coupled with other form of treatment. This can include gentle chiropractic care, spinal decompression, active release of tight muscles and ligaments, and at home exercises and stretches. The power of this treatment continues to surprise me! I absolutely love seeing my patients return back to their pre-injury status and get back to playing sports or return to their hobbies. While I cannot promise specific results, approximately 70-80% of my patients notice either a significant reduction of pain or a complete recovery.
How many treatments will I need?
It’s hard to say how many treatments are necessary in order to alleviate your pain. It typically depends on the severity of the injury coupled with the chronicity of your condition. That being said, I have seen people get better in as little as 3-4 treatments, while others can take longer. I will have a better idea of how long it will take for you to get better once I learn more about your specific condition. Usually my patients see a decrease in the intensity of their pain and an increase in their body function within 3-5 treatments.
Is laser therapy a comfortable treatment?
Absolutely! Laser therapy is an incredibly comfortable procedure that almost feels like a warm massage. It is applied to the site of pain in order to increase blood flow, decrease inflammation, and aid in pain reduction quickly. Most patients that receive this form of treatment end up feeling so relaxed that they fall asleep during the session.
How do I learn more?
The best way to find out if laser therapy can help is to call our office and tell us that you read my article in the Alamo Today newspaper. Our office manager will then help you schedule a complimentary 15-minute in-office consultation. That will give me a chance to sit down with you and discuss your condition. It will also help me to determine if laser therapy is the best treatment option for you. You can also watch a video about the K-Laser on our website at www. alignhealingcenter.com. 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 complimentary consultation today! Advertorial
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 27
Healthy Outlook
Weight Loss Surgery an Option When Diet and Exercise Fail By Irene Lo, MD, West Coast Surgical Associates
We all know that the ideal way to maintain a healthy body is through exercise and a sensible diet. But what if you can’t lose weight? Sometimes it is more than a matter of willpower. Obesity is common in the United States, and many struggle to lose weight for a variety of reasons, including physical limitations. As a result, they face a greater chance of life-shortening medical problems, such as diabetes or heart disease. For people in danger because of their size, weight related medical problems, or inability to keep off weight by following other treatment plans, bariatric (weight loss) surgery may help. Bariatric surgery is not a cosmetic procedure or a weight-loss scheme from a commercial. It involves altering the stomach or gastrointestinal tract, resulting in life changes that are not always easy. There are several bariatric procedures, but all of them either restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold, or reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food, or do both. This kind of procedure is for patients who are very obese, in the medical sense. Doctors calculate obesity with the body mass index (BMI), which is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight. People with high BMI scores are at higher risk for a number of medical conditions, such as diabetes, reflux, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and depression. People with a BMI score higher than 40, or 35 or higher with an obesity-related condition, may be good candidates for surgery. Most patients lose weight quickly, maintain healthy body weight and feel comfortable with their new lifestyles, if they follow their plans. I have even had patients who stopped needing medication for obesity-related conditions, such as high blood pressure. There are several bariatric procedures to consider, each with advantages. All of them are laparoscopic, meaning the surgeon uses special instruments that only need a tiny cut to see and work inside the body which results in fewer side effects and a shorter recovery time. Gastric bypass surgery creates a small pouch in the stomach that restricts how much food can be eaten, and reattaches the small intestine so food passes without being broken down and absorbed. A sleeve gastrectomy turns the stomach into a slender tube that limits the amount of food one can eat. Gastric banding, meanwhile, places an adjustable, inflatable band around the stomach to limit food consumption. If you are thinking about bariatric surgery, talk to your healthcare provider about your options. Bariatric surgery is not easy, but it is an effective way to lose weight. Dr. Irene Lo (far right) the author, Dr. Diane Kwan (center), and Dr. Aileen Murphy (left) are general and bariatric surgeons who comprise the 680Bariatrics team to promote weight loss and a healthy lifestyle -part of West Coast Surgical Associates (formerly Walnut Creek Surgical Associates) with offices in Walnut Creek, Concord, and San Ramon and can be reached at 925-933-0984, or viewed at www.wcsurgeons.com or www.680Bartiatrics.com. Advertorial
Cancer Support Community
The following event is available at The Cancer Support Community located at 3276 McNutt Ave in Walnut Creek. Events are free to attend. For more information and reservations, please call (925) 933-0107. • Chemotherapy Related Neuropathy: Managing This Nerve-Wracking Problems: February 11 ~ 3 - 5PM Learn what chemotherapy related neuropathy is, why it happens, what the risk factors are, prevention, treatment, and how to live with the symptoms. With USCF Neuropathy Research Team. For cancer patients and their caregivers.
Page 28 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Sunscreen in Winter? By Dr. Jerome Potozkin
It might sound like a strange question. I often ask my patients if they are using sunscreen every day. Most people only think of putting sunscreen on when they are “going out in the sun.” For most of us, we are exposed to the sun’s rays on a daily basis. We tend to underestimate how much sun exposure we actually get. However, we are exposed when we are walking to our car or when we are out running errands. The exposure to the sun is cumulative and can result in increasing your risk of skin cancer as well as premature ageing of the skin. I recommend incorporating the application of sunscreen into one’s daily routine. I apply a broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen after I shave. Since I shave everyday it is automatically part of my routine, and I don’t even have to think about it. There are many sunscreen products available. I suggest you find a broad spectrum sunscreen that you like and will use everyday and which blocks out both UVA and UVB rays. For everyday use I recommend using an SPF of 30 and up. If you are going to be on a boat or exposed for extended periods of time, I recommend an SPF of 50 and up. Some people prefer chemical free sunscreens. The term is somewhat inaccurate as these products can contain chemicals, but the active ingredient is not considered a chemical. The active ingredients in these “chemical free sunscreens” are usually zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. As long as you’re using a broad spectrum sunscreen, I think it is personal preference. Don’t worry about getting enough Vitamin D as you can always take a daily supplement. This year El Niño has blessed the Tahoe ski resorts with some of the best snow in years. When I’m skiing do you think I use sunscreen? You betcha! You might not think you’re getting much sun exposure when you are in the mountains, but you would be very wrong. At higher altitudes there is less filtering of ultraviolet light. The sun also serves as a giant reflector directing the ultraviolet light so you get almost double the dose. Because of these factors, it is important to protect your skin. Many of our patients benefit from a customized skin care regimen year round. The foundation of this is sun protection with a broad spectrum sunscreen. We also recommend topical anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C. Lastly, we recommend a topical retinoid. Call us today so that we can design a customized regimen that fits your needs. 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
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A New Way of Managing BPH By Wei Zheng, MD
Benign enlargement of prostate (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that affects American men. It has been estimated that 70% of all men have enlarged prostate by the age of 60. By age of 80, 90% of men are affected. In other words, every man will have BPH if he lives long enough! Symptoms of BPH can be divided into two categories: obstructive and irritative voiding symptoms. Obstructive urinary symptoms consist of difficulty in initiating the urinary stream, intermittent and slow stream, and post void dribbling. Irritative voiding symptoms include sensation of not being able to empty, urinary frequency, urgency, urgent incontinence, burning upon urination, and urge to get up at night to urinate. There are many treatment options for BPH. When the symptoms are mild, watchful waiting is often recommended. When the symptoms become moderate or severe, they can be treated with medication, minimally invasive office procedures, or surgeries. There is a new procedure called UroLift System which was approved by the FDA within the last year. The UroLift System is a minimally invasive procedure to treat BPH. It consists of a delivery device and tiny permanent implants which, once deployed in the prostatic urethra, can lift and hold the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way, alleviating compression on the urethra. No cutting, heating, or ablating tissue is involved in the UroLift procedure, making it a unique treatment that does not remove prostate tissue and does not negatively impact a man’s sexual function. The Urolift is done in an office setting under local anesthesia. It takes 20-30 minutes to perform. Patients can expect symptoms to improve within the first week and continue improving up to three months. Patients may have some mild pelvic discomfort, small amount of blood in the urine, and mild urgency and burning upon urination after the procedure. Patients can return to pre-procedural activity level within a week. UroLift System has been evaluated and used extensively in Europe, Australia, and Canada within the last 5-6 years. It has been proven as an effective way of managing BPH. It is an excellent option for patients with BPH looking for an alternative to drug therapy or more invasive surgery. Dr. Zheng is a board certified urologist with Pacific Urology and sees patients at offices in Concord, Walnut Creek, and Brentwood. For more information, call (925) 937-7740 or visit www.pacific-urology.com. Advertorial
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participating is shared by her co-workers. “The seemingly minimal shipping cost to our program to keep these crayons out of the landfills and recycle them into new crayons for kids is worth every penny!” Darden Restaurants have recently joined the TCI family with LongHorn Steakhouse and Olive Garden sites featuring collection displays. Look for collection boxes in your favorite local family-oriented dining spots. Thank them for their participation or tell them about the program. Sorting crayons is fun for families, scouts, youth groups, and neighbors. Corporations are also getting in on the action. The largest volunteer group TCI has handled to date had 375 participants. Sign up for the next Danville sorting day on March 12 at www.classy.org/TCIMarchSortDay. For schools, TCI has created a detailed program guide integrating participation in crayon recycling with core curriculum at every grade level from Pre-K/Daycare – High School. Materials include a video, suggested activities, and books to read. As the introduction explains: “The Crayon Initiative believes that in order to grow and learn, children need to have the freedom to be creative and express themselves through art.” Although nobody knows what 19th century inventor created the first crayon, crayons have been an essential part of Early Childhood Education since the beginning of the 20th century. In 1903, Binney & Smith of Easton, PA answered teachers’ requests for affordable art materials by releasing their
Designed with the help of a physical therapist, TCI crayons don't roll off a hospital tray and don't break, making it easy for pediatric patients with limited mobility to exercise their creativity. Photo courtesy of TCI.
original Crayola 8-color box priced at a nickel. Today Crayola alone makes three billion crayons annually. A new board member, Carroll proudly states: “TCI is ultimately committed to promoting creative arts in hospitals – something that is so desperately needed and so underfunded.” Learn more including how to support TCI at www.thecrayoninitiative.org.
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Your Personal Nutritionist
Typical Misconceptions and Unsuccessful Weight Loss By Linda Michaelis RD, MS
It is January and I am seeing many misconceptions that my new clients have where I wish they would have come to see me sooner so I could show them how much easier weight loss can be. A recent client, Diana, told me that she thought she was doing all the right things to lose weight but became so frustrated with lack of results that she just gave up. These were some of the habits that she was following.
I am Going on a Diet
Diet implies restriction and a short-lived effort to only get quick results and then return to normal poor eating habits. Diana was eating boring foods that did not satisfy her. I was adamant with her that food is to be enjoyed. It is my job to keep her on track, hold her hand thru socializing and restaurants, learn how to eat favorite foods, and keep the motivation high. Donna is now happy to be losing weight and eating tasty foods.
Drastic Attempts to Stop Eating “Bad” Foods
My client told me that she started the new year by cleaning out the kitchen and throwing away all the junk and replacing it with only healthy foods. The only reason I am still in practice after 25 years is because I teach clients that you have to adopt a way of eating that you can keep for the rest of your life. There is no overnight successes, but rather you must implement small and realistic changes. Yes, it can (and even should) include splurges and your
A Little Known Secret By Jewel Johl, MD
It is hard to describe the physical and emotional stress people feel when dealing with cancer. Whether it is a patient, spouse, family member or friend, everyone can benefit from psychosocial support, but not all have the resources to pay for this valuable service. I would like to tell you about an invaluable resource called Cancer Support Community. For over 10 years, my colleagues and I have referred our patients to Cancer Support Community in Walnut Creek. They provide comprehensive integrative care for people with cancer, their families, and caregivers. Their services are provided free of charge and include counseling, support groups, nutrition, and exercise and patient education programs. Through their programs, they enable cancer patients to achieve the highest possible quality of life. All of their programs and services are evidence-based to positively impact cancer treatment outcomes and/or immune system functioning, and they are all delivered by professionals who are licensed or certified in their area of expertise. Their main center is in Walnut Creek. They also provide services in local medical centers and in several other community locations throughout the Bay Area. They are the only organization of their kind in Northern California. While an affiliate of the international Cancer Support Community organization, they are structured to be an independent nonprofit corporation, so all of the funds they raise are used to underwrite programs and services in our local community. The late Ted Kennedy stated, “As a cancer survivor, I understand the emotional and social impact of this disease. So does Cancer Support Community. The organization’s work is critical as it helps optimize patient care by providing essential but often overlooked services that complete the cancer care plan.” Together we can help make sure that everyone impacted by cancer knows this resource is available to them at no charge. Please share this article with someone you know whose life has been affected by cancer. Dr. Johl serves on the Board of Directors of Cancer Support Community in Walnut Creek. He is a Board Certified Medical Oncologist and Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group. His practice has offices in Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Brentwood and San Ramon and can be reached at (925) 677-5041. The Cancer Support Community can be Advertorial reached at (925) 933-0107 or www.cancersupport.net.
Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 29 cocktails. I showed Diana how to plan her day wine tasting in Sonoma along with eating at a favorite restaurant.
Giving Up Carbs
Of course Diana decided to give up all carbs, and she was miserable with no weight loss. She was eating too much meat, cheese, nuts, and fruit. A weight loss regimen must include all foods you love. Diana is a dessert person, so I showed her how to include it each day. When she enjoyed her favorite ice cream sandwich for dessert, I told her that ice cream is fat and sugar and the cookie has carbs. She learned to go backwards and think, “Tonight I want dessert so I will not eat a rich chicken caesar salad which has a lot of fat from cheese and dressing, and carbs from croutons, but I will have a seafood salad instead with some popular roasted red pepper soup.”
Only Counting Calories
Diana was right to count calories, but the key to weight loss is spreading your calories equally throughout the day to gain success. She did not realize that fats are higher in calories per serving even with healthy fats such as nuts, olives, and avocados. It is proven that we use calories more efficiently during the day when we are most active. Therefore, we should have less fat at night and eat a small piece of salmon or a filet mignon for dinner with more veggies. Diana now eats salmon or sirloin burger for lunch and sees that often she is not hungry for dinner because of the fat content.
Weighing Yourself Often
Diana weighed herself each day and felt defeated before she even began the day. Weighing yourself does not tell the whole story. Even if the scale is not budging it does not mean that you are not making progress. I see clients drop 2 lbs. all at once after plateauing for weeks. I do not have a scale in my office, and I do not talk about weight loss with my clients. After working with them for a short time I can see they are losing weight and feeling more energetic. Yes, after changing their eating habits we start weighing only once a week.
Exercise is Not Always the Answer
Most of my clients exercise several times a week, just like Donna did. The mentality is, “I am exercising, so I can have larger portions.” No, I taught Donna how to listen to her hunger even if she exercised that day. She realized on days that she exercised she was less hungry. There needs to be a plan for days that we exercise and days we do not so, for example, on days that she goes to the gym she can enjoy her wine or a larger dessert or even a larger serving of pasta. All in all an enjoyable menu is the answer to weight loss. I am glad to share with you after working with Diana for two weeks she is down five pounds. She is simply amazed by how easy this can be and tasty as well. Feel free to call me and I can show you how this can be done, and you will be thrilled to eat your favorite foods and still lose weight. NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING CAN BE COVERED BY MEDICAL INSURANCE - Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Health Net, Hill Physicians, Sutter Health, and other major companies. Please refer to my website www. LindaRD.com for past articles and information about services. Feel free to Advertorial call me at (925)855-0150 or email lifeweight1@yahoo.com. Dumploads OnUs specializes in providing the ultimate junk removal solution. We’ll haul away just about anything - from old household junk to construction and yard waste. The only items we are unable to accept are hazardous • Computers materials. We • Cables make getting rid of your • TVs unwanted junk • Monitors as easy as 925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515 1-2-3; we load, • Servers www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com we sweep, and 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek • Phones then we haul Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed • Printers away. It’s that easy! •Copiers Plus we do it • Fax Machines • Power Supply Units • Discs and Tapes with a smile!
Page 30 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
The Eye Opener
Ocular Aura and Ocular Migraines By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry
Many patients have experienced an ocular migraine in which you typically see a wide range of visual phenomena that is often followed by an actual headache. There are some different terms for this condition including aura, ocular migraine, ocular aura, and retinal migraines. Even though they have slightly different meanings, I will lump them into one for the purposes of this article. Initially, these can be very scary as patients are concerned that they are losing their vision and/or possibly having a stroke. Thankfully, neither will happen just from having an ocular migraine; however, depending on the exact symptoms, some eye and health conditions need to be ruled out. An ocular migraine has the same origin as typical migraine; it is caused by a blood vessel disturbance. There is an initial blood vessel constriction followed by a vessel dilation (widening). This can be caused by many things such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and physical exertion. However, it is very common that these “just happen.” It usually occurs without any triggers and happens when people are at work, watching TV, or driving. The visual aura that people usually see is similar but can be variable, and it can affect one or both eyes. Most patients report seeing bright or shimmering lights, zigzag lines, cloudy vision, tunnel vision, or that it is like looking through a kaleidoscope. Even though there is a wide range of visual imagery that people see, having a portion or all of your vision go black is not typical. This could still be a visual migraine, but a full medical workup is necessary as this can be a result of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol. During the visual disturbance your central vision usually isn’t compromised, but it could be a little blurry. These visual disturbances last anywhere from a few minutes to about 30 minutes. If there is continued decreased vision, floaters, flashes of light, red eyes, etc., then an ocular migraine is
A Day to do Something Special By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.
Saint Valentine was a third century Roman saint who has long been associated with the tradition of courtly love. Every February 14th gifts and letters (an estimated one billion Valentine’s Day cards each year) are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of Saint Valentine. The oldest known valentine was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans (Go forth, my heart, with my lady…with grace and mercy.) By the middle of the 18th century, it was common for both friends and lovers to exchange small tokens of affection. I like to think of Valentine’s Day as a day to do something special. Some of my fondest memories are of writing cards for elementary school classmates. In some years, however, it was the preparation for Valentine’s Day that was special. Valentine’s Day is a time to feel and look your best. Whether you are preparing for a romantic evening, warming up the winter blues, or want to give a gift to someone, here are eight ideas that might help you on your way. 1. A consultation - I find this to be one of the most important interactions I have with my patients. I enjoy answering questions and offering both personal and professional advice. I’m often surprised at how many people ask if surgery is right for them. 2. Botox or Dysport injection - Most commonly used around the eyes and forehead, it can be used both to prevent and treat wrinkles. 3. Volumizing filler injection - This is an excellent way to refresh your appearance, address moderate to severe facial wrinkles, and give youthful contour to the skin. 4. Fraxel laser treatment - Certainly not what King Henry V had in mind when he hired a writer to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois - we’ve come a long way since then. For Valentine’s Day preparation, I recommend a first treatment one week before the big day. A series of treatments (generally 3-4) address texture problems, fine lines and wrinkles, and pigmentation issues such as brown spots, but results are noticeable after just one treatment. 5. Laser genesis is a great no-downtime, painless procedure for acne prone skin. While there’s never a simple cure-all for problem skin issues, laser genesis is a good place to start as the laser has enough heat to kill the
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not the diagnosis. The symptoms go away as quickly as they came with no prolonged visual changes and have no lasting visual or ocular consequences. These are commonly followed by an actual migraine about one hour after the aura starts. It is possible to not get the headache, but it is more likely that a migraine follows the aura. Initially these can be very scary, and patients usually call the office to schedule a visit. This is advisable as there could be other causes and other conditions that need to be addressed depending on the symptoms, age, and medical history of the patient. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for ocular migraines. However, I always recommend for patients to take their normal headache medications at the onset of the visual disturbances, since it is common to get an actual migraine about an hour after the onset of the visual aura. These headaches are usually severe and could last several hours. Taking Tylenol, Excedrin, etc. for the headache will not prevent it from coming, but it will blunt the severity. In addition, caffeine can help shorten the duration; drinking soda, tea, or coffee can also have some benefit in lessening the severity and length of an ocular migraine. It is more common for normal migraine sufferers, women, and patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, and auto-immune diseases to get ocular migraines. There are no strong medical studies explaining the etiology of this condition. Even though there is no treatment, it is important to make sure that there is no medical reason for the ocular disturbances. The aura can easily be mistaken for symptoms of a retinal hole or detachment, stroke, or other neurological issues. Granted these conditions are pretty rare, but they do happen. An office visit to go over your personal medical history, exact symptoms, and an eye evaluation will help differentiate an ocular migraine from other potentially sight-threatening conditions. 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, Advertorial Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry. bacteria in the active breakouts. 6. While not exactly the vestige of Christian and ancient Roman Valentine’s tradition, laser hair removal is a real windfall of living in the 21st century. Several treatments are generally needed, and it works best for darker hair types. 7. Longer lashes! - Latisse is a treatment used to grow lashes, making them longer, thicker, and darker. More voluptuous lashes in just six weeks, are “romantique”! 8. Skin care products - There’s a pleasure in taking time to care for your own skin, and a cream or lotion can also make a nice gift - something to be wrapped up and enjoyed. Sometimes just the process of sharing wisdom (and taking away some of the mystery of youth and beauty) is the most rewarding part of my day. Happy Valentine’s Day! Dr. Barbara Persons is a Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or drbarb@personsplasticsurgery. Advertorial com.
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
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Alamo Today ~ February 2016 - Page 31
Alamo’s 1st & Only Pediatric Dentist! Alamo Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Welcomes Dr. Allan Pang Dr. Pang completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California, San Diego. He earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. After Tufts he completed a General Practice Residency at University of California, Los Angeles. Thereafter, Dr. Pang practiced general dentistry in the community of Los Gatos, California for two years. It was during this time that he realized how much he enjoyed working with his pediatric patients and returned to school to specialize in Pediatric Dentistry. His residency in Pediatric Dentistry at New York University-Bellevue Hospital in New York City allowed for him to have extensive training in treating the well child and those with special healthcare needs such as children with craniofacial disorders and developmental disabilities. Dr. Pang has been in private practice since 2008. He is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist, a Diplomate with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
(925) 831-8310
Page 32 - February 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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Alamo Real Estate: 2016 Another Great Year in Real Estate?
So, the Fed finally raised interest rates. We have been expecting it for years. Now that it has happened our worst fears have not materialized. Mortgage interest rates are now lower than they were before the Fed rate hike. Go figure. With the Fed’s action and the implementation of new stricter lending standards in October of 2015, I thought it might be worthwhile to examine the last three months of 2015 plus what we have of 2016 so far and compare it to the same time frame in 2014 to determine if any significant change has become apparent in the Alamo market. What we can see is the number of pending sales has increased while the number of sold homes has slipped a bit. Pending sales are up 32% from 19 to 25. This would be a great sign if sold properties were increasing in lockstep with the rise in pending sales. More buyers and sellers are always good for the market. However, sold homes are down 4% from 50 to 48. This may or may not be a negative as it is unclear if this is a real sales decrease or if slower mortgage processing as a result of TILA/RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) Rule has retarded the movement of homes from pending to sold and this anomaly will self-correct over time. We will have to wait and see on this one. The list price for the sold homes has certainly increased moving from $1,606,253 all the way up to $1,943,250. That’s a surprisingly big move of 21% in one year’s time. More surprising is the change in sold price which increased at a greater rate of 23% from $1,555,336 to $1,923,727. I would think a change of this magnitude at the slowest part of the selling season portends a strong year in 2016. If the current pending sales hold this price level it would be a really good sign for continuing market strength. Before we get overly excited about the huge price change exhibited here, we should take a look at the relative size of the homes sold and the price buyers paid per square foot. It’s still positive, but far less dramatic. Home size increased 13% which accounts for at least half of the reported increase. Price paid per square foot
Home Sales Alamo (Oct. 1-January 21) Pending Sold DOM List Price Sold Price Sq. Foot $ Sq. Foot 2014-2015 19 50 42 $ 1,606,253 $ 1,555,336 3,393 $ 499 2015-2016 25 48 61 $ 1,943,250 $ 1,923,727 3,839 $ 512 % Change 31% -4% 45% 21% 23% 13% 3%
increased, from $499 to $512. That’s only an increase of 3%, so people are not paying a whole lot more for far less home, rather they are paying just a little bit more than they did last year for the same home. That is a pretty good sign that we are returning to a more normal market, if there ever was one in Alamo. Also, since the $512 per square foot is less than what was being paid last spring, it’s another indication that normal seasonality is returning to our market. Days on Market increased markedly from 41 days to 62 days. Either number indicates a relatively hot market, but given the 45% increase in days it takes to sell a home, one might believe the market is cooling a bit. Once again, we cannot know at this time if this increase is being negatively influenced by TRID. Time will tell. If during the year this number climbs to 90 or more Alamo at last will be a normal market. One can never predict the next doomsday scenario that will send the real estate market into a tailspin. It’s only happened once in my lifetime and I don’t see another one on the horizon. I do believe the Alamo Market has rebounded, is fully recovered and there is every reason to believe home prices will continue to advance. While I’m not predicting double digit appreciation in the year ahead, I suspect we will have another very good year in Alamo Real Estate. Trying to figure out your next move? Need numbers and answers to your fix up questions to make your decision? Nancy and I will be happy to provide you with a personal consultation, including a multi-dimensional analysis of your home’s current value, 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.
Orinda Single Story
D
Danville 4 Bedroom
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Executive Luxury Home
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SOL
SOL
Nicely updated 3 bedroom Single Story, Views and Amazing Schools. Priced To Sell $799,000!
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 Single Story, Great Location
Alamo Single Story Ranch
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SOL
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Nicely updated 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath in lovely Danville neighborhood. Community pool and tennis courts. Priced to sell $899,000.
Three bedroom single story with a creek view. Priced to sell $699,000
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.
D
SOL
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