Alamo_Today_January_2016

Page 32 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

The Combs Team

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Professionals You Can Count On

Nancy

Joe

Call the Combs Team

®

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

$3,800

Average Sales Price

Each year about this time I try to update the market on what’s happening in the rental market place in Alamo. This analysis looks at rental homes with at least four bedrooms and 2-3 baths. The data runs from January 1- December 27. The data presented here is published on MLS and does not include every property rented during the time periods.

A fair number of rentals are handled directly by the homeowner off MLS. Unfortunately, when we look at off MLS rentals we can only see the advertised price, not the rent actually paid, so current rents as advertised off MLS, while they may appear to be higher than reported here, most likely overstate the actual rent collected by the landlord.

On a dollar per square foot basis, rents have risen 39% since 2010 or about 6.5% per year on average. Average rents have been up almost in a straight line during that time period with small fluctuations in price paid per square foot. Looking specifically at the dollars collected in monthly rent, the rise is only 38% during the same time period. However, when we review the size of the homes rented we see a significant difference in size year to year. Interesting is thatAlamo theFamily sizeHome of aRental home rented in 2010 and 2015 are nearly identical as are the number of units rented. $5,800 $5,600 During 2010 rentalsFamily peakedHome at 11Rental units and have since fallen to eight or less $5,400 AlamoAlamo $5,200 units. Given that 2011 repre$5,000 $4,800 Alamo Family Home Rental Avg. Rent sented the market turnaround $5,800 $4,600 $4,400 for home prices in Alamo, we $5,600 $4,200 $5,800$5,400 $4,000 should not be overly surprised $3,800 $5,600$5,200 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 that the number of rentals ap$5,400$5,000 pearing on MLS has decreased $5,200$4,800 Avg. Rent since peaking in 2010. It’s $5,000$4,600 $4,800$4,400 Avg. Rent more than likely that the down$4,600$4,200 turn from 2008-2011 created a $4,400$4,000 large number of unintentional $4,200$3,800 $4,000 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 landlords who would have Average Sales Price

Average Sales Price

Alamo Real Estate: 2015 Rents Increase By 4%

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

been hap- 4 bed 2-3 bath rental homes sales Alamo Jan.1- Dec. 27 pier to sell Year Units $ Sq. Foot Avg. Rent Size Sq. Ft. their homes 2010 11 $ 1.28 $ 4,099 3202 as opposed 2011 6 $ 1.39 $ 3,924 2823 to renting 2012 7 $ 1.78 $ 4,783 2687 them, if 2013 3 $ 1.62 $ 5,132 3175 only they 2014 8 $ 1.93 $ 5,475 2846 could have 2015 12 $ 1.78 $ 5,679 3235 obtained a good price. Since the market continues to be strong for Alamo home sales, why do we see the spike in rentals in 2015? Could it be that corporate transfers are picking up with the improvement in the national economy?

Between 2014 and 2015 average rents increased only 4% moving from $5,475 to $5,679 per month. This would be considered a normal increase in rents collected. During the same time dollars paid per square foot declined by 9%. The cause of the decline is not clear. A number of possible explanations come to mind: 1) The number of rentals have increased by 50% over the previous year. 2) Rising interest rates are driving people to buy rather than rent. 3) Short sale and foreclosure victims have repaired their credit to the point that they are leaving the rental market and becoming homeowners again.

Whatever the causes the numbers speak for themselves. For the moment, we continue to experience a strong rental market and Alamo home values are increasing simultaneously. If you own a home in Alamo, you will likely think this is good news.

Happy New Year!

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

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

Executive Luxury Home

D

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

NG

DI N E P

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

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January 2016 Serving Alamo and Diablo Teen Esteem: Engaging the Empowering Effects Historic Icons of the San Ramon Valley

By Beverly Lane of Self-Respect By Jody Morgan Teen Esteem was established in 1994 to equip adolescents and their parents with tools essential to making intelligent, well-informed, and often courageous choices when confronted with the plethora of pressures that can make being or raising a teenager intensely stressful. By encouraging each student to recognize his or her unique qualities as admirable attributes, Teen Esteem effectively builds a platform of self-respect and respect for others from which young adults, pre-teens, and even elementary school students can evaluate enticements to engage in harmful behaviors. Committed to addressing the lures proffered and the distress potentially produced by each emerging trend, the non-profit is able to provide accurate and timely information to give every individual with

Calling buildings “icons” may be a stretch, but in the case of five buildings in the Museum’s new Historic Icons of the Valley exhibit, the word fits. Featured are the Danville Hotel, San Ramon Store, Tassajara Grammar School, Southern Pacific Depot, and Diablo Country Club’s Red Horse Tavern.

Danville Hotel

A Danville Hotel has been significant from the beginnings of American settlement.

When Henry Harris opened the boarding house in 1858, other stores were established to serve the rural population. Harris became postmaster of the first Danville post office in his hotel in 1860.

The building became Danville Hotel what all these early post offices were: the center of town, a place where people gathered ostensibly to get their mail and actually to catch up on their world.

When this first hotel burned down in 1873, it was quite a loss. The post office shifted to one or another of the general stores along Front Street for the next decades.

See Icons continued on page 12

Dedicated Teen Esteem Volunteers like Adam, Tim, and Jill have presented tools for making informed and beneficial choices to over 150,000 local students.

whom they connect a better chance to maximize personal potential and avoid making damaging decisions.

Emphasis on academic achievement and success in competitive sports begins taking its toll on children as early as pre-school. Lacking belief in their own talents or feeling excluded by their peers causes youngsters to give up on life. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for children aged 10-14. Depression is diagnosed in 1 in 20 children aged 9-17. Prescription drug abuse (with 47% of teens reporting their knowledge of ease of access to these substances) is an escalating problem.

But simple recitation of horrifying statistics is not the approach that has won Teen Esteem the praise of students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

One education professional writes: “The presentation was exactly what I hoped for: honest and realistic, but with hope and practical help for parents. I liked that it wasn’t just a ‘shock’ value presentation, but gave parents tools of how to talk to their students, and things they could actually do.” Students find Teen Esteem’s message reassuring. Here are a few of their comments. “You guys inspired me to respect myself.” “I know I am not permanently damaged by my past.” “I really got the chance to hear that I deserved a fresh start, and that I had better chances.”

“It was a moment when I considered myself for once to be happy with myself.”

How does Teen Esteem translate the discouraging message inherent in delivering a discourse dependent on unadulterated facts into an insightful and

Local Postal Customer

Diablo View Rotary - A Club for a New Generation

By Fran Miller

Pass by Walnut Creek’s Buon Vino on Locust St. on a Tuesday night, and you will likely see a happy group enjoying the tasting room’s varied products.

But this isn’t just a random group, and this isn’t just a wine tasting event.

From 5:30 to 6:30pm each Tuesday, the Diablo View Rotary Club of Walnut Creek meets at this location to socialize, plan their volunteer projects, and yes, to enjoy a little wine.

Self-dubbed as the ‘Happy Hour Club,’ Diablo View Rotary, established Volume XVI - Number 1 in 2008, is the newest of the area’s 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 See Teen continued on page 15 many Rotary Clubs. Their leadership strives to move beyond the traditional Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 old-school perception of Rotary as PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher a male-dominated organization and PAID Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com caters to a diverse younger crowd, Permit 263 Sharon Burke ~ Writer mostly those in their mid 20’s to late The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Alamo CA 40’s. “But we welcome anyone young not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising ECRWSS

See Club continued on page 20

herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

Page 2 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Start Cooking Healthy in 2016!

Sign up for our first cooking class of the New Year!

January 21st • 5pm – 7pm

4 Soups for the Soul ~ Sweet Onion Soup with Cornbread Croutons ~ Spiced Winter Squash Soup ~ Organic Roasted Tomato with Vegetables ~ Chicken & Wild Rice Soup along with:

~ Cheddar Pepper Scones & Parmesan Crisps ~ Mixed Greens with Champagne Vinaigrette

$55/per person Call us to reserve your seat!

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Host Families Sought for One Week Stay by Visiting French Students

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 3

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 year’s 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)718-5052.

Danville Lions Club

The Danville Lions Club meets for dinner at the Brass Door Restaurant in San Ramon at 7PM on the first Wednesday of every month. Contact Truman Howard at (925)787-2565 or truman.howard@gmail.com for reservations. Visitors and new members are welcome. For more information, visit our website at www.danvillelionsclub.org.

Diablo Choral Artists Seeks Singers

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

Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club

Are you new to the area, a long time resident, newly retired, or an emptynester interested in making new friends and participating in various social activities? The Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club is a women’s organization whose purpose is to enrich the lives of all its members and their families in a social manner.

Check out all the club has to offer by visiting www.alamodanvillenewcomers. com. Our next new member coffee will be held January 26th from 10am to noon.

RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com.

Museum Volunteers Needed

Looking to get involved in the community? The Museum of the San Ramon Valley needs your help. Volunteer positions are available in the following areas: • Walking Tour Docents • Docents • Events Committee • Greeters • Educational Programs (One Room School/Indian Life) Call Eve or Donna at 552-9693, or email srvmuseum@sbcglobal. net for additional information.

Alamo School Field Moratorium

After a busy season of baseball, soccer and other field sports, it is the time of year to let sports fields rest. 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, reseeding, 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.

ToreachAlamoTodaycallusat925-405-6397

Love to sing? Come join Diablo Choral Artists as they begin an exciting new season! The group has openings for all voice parts (especially tenors/basses). Rehearsals are held on Mondays at 7PM at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, located at 1924 Trinity Ave. in Walnut Creek. Call (925) 670-7089, e-mail info@vmschorus.org, or visit www.vmschorus.org for additional information.

65 Years Mark Kahn Celebrating 65 Years Working in the Jewelry Business and 44 Years in Alamo During the month of January we will pay the sales tax on all purchases

Jewelry & Watch Repair Appraising | Engraving Estate Jewelry | We Buy Gold

3202 Danville Boulevard • Alamo

925.837.3262

(Across the street from Ace Hardware)

Boulevard View

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

I admit, I spend a little daily time on Facebook, mostly as a viewer rather than a contributor. As the website has matured and evolved, it has amassed a tremendous number of participants who reflect a wide cross-section of not only the USA, but the entire world. It’s a bit like the corner bar or corner market where people hang out and gossip, except it’s electronic and an unlimited number of people can join the conversation. If you enjoy people-watching, Facebook is a great place to take a snapshot of what’s current and common in society at a given moment.

About a year ago, someone shared a Facebook post from a group by the name of Humans of New York. The Humans of New York page (HONY) was launched in the summer of 2010 by a then 28 year-old photographer named Brandon Stranton. Brandon spontaneously started the page shortly after he was fired from his job in corporate finance. Brandon started HONY because he thought it would be “cool” to create an exhaustive catalogue of New York City’s inhabitants. He set out to photograph 10,000 New Yorkers and to plot their photos on a map. Somewhere along the way he began interviewing his subjects in addition to photographing them. And alongside their portraits, he started including quotes and short stories from their lives.

Taken together, these portraits and captions became the subject of a vibrant blog. HONY now has over 16 million followers on social media, and provides a worldwide audience with daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets of New York City. This simple endeavor is turning into a defining calling for Brandon, something he never could have imagined would be so popular. What started as a pastime has blossomed into a chronicle of the human condition in NYC, and by extension, of all of us.

That original post someone shared with me was of a 13 year-old boy named Vidal. Vidal was photographed in his New York neighborhood of Brownsville. Vidal’s neighborhood has one of the highest crime rates in NYC. When Brandon took Vidal’s picture, he also asked him, “Who has influenced you the most in your life?” Vidal responded not with the name of an entertainer or

sports star but said, “My principal, Ms. Lopez.” Brandon then asked, “How has she influenced you?” Vidal noted, “When we get in trouble, she doesn’t suspend us. She calls us to her office and explains to us how society was built down around us. And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter.”

When I read that it gave me goose-bumps. That brief encounter between the two of them went viral and has changed many lives and opened many doors.

The principal, Nadia Lopez of Mott Hall Bridges Academy in Brownsville soon became well known for her transparent and honest way of dealing with the challenges of inner-city education. Ms. Lopez was at her lowest point, ready to call it quits that very day that Brandon’s post went viral. The outpouring of love and support she received was like a gust of wind that filled her wings and gave her the strength to continue fighting to improve those children’s lives.

As a result of the attention the Vidal post received, Brandon started an Indiegogo fundraising page, and sought to raise $30,000 to fund the entire Mott Hall Bridges Academy student body to visit Harvard. The fundraising also went viral, and they collected $185,000 in just a few hours. In all, they ended up raising $1,415,000 from 51,466 people in only 20 days, to endow the school with additional annual inspirational trips, scholarships, and more for the children.

There are amazing, strong, ordinary people all around us who make a difference in our lives. Our area contains many unique and interesting individuals who, like Vidal and Nadia, and the others shown on the HONY page, all make our world, and our neighborhoods, special. Maybe someone is doing something really well but feels like their efforts aren’t making a difference. How might a little recognition reaffirm their commitment to the hard work involved in making our community a better place? Do you have a story to share or know of someone’s inspiring story? Is someone you know making a difference? Send me your stories. Please contact me at editor@ yourmonthlypaper.com, so that I may gather your stories and feature the outstanding individuals who make our community such a wonderful place.

Page 4 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Eugene O’Neill Foundation Schedules “The Play That Changed American Drama”

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When playwright Eugene O’Neill premiered his first successful full length play in 1920, it made an impact that has influenced the direction of American drama ever since.

Beyond the Horizon will be presented in a staged reading as part of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation’s Playwrights’ Theatre series on Saturday, January 9 at 8PM and Sunday, January 10 at 2PM at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, 205 Railroad Avenue in Danville.

Weekly Service and Repairs “O’Neill’s plays signaled the way audiences looked at American drama,” says Eric Fraisher Hayes, Artistic Program Director for the Foundation. “This play greatly changed drama on the America stage from non-realistic melodrama with exaggerated physical movement and speech to a drama that showed life more realistically and naturally,” says Hayes.

Reservations for Beyond the Horizon are available online at www.eugeneoneill.org or by phone at (925) 820-1818. Tickets are $25. Seating at the Museum is limited.

After its successful debut on Broadway in 1920, Beyond the Horizon went on to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the first of four Pulitzers that O’Neill would receive in his career.

In this play of missed opportunities and failed dreams, two brothers, Robert and Andrew, make life-choices that alter their lives forever. Robert Mayo is beckoned by a life on the sea, and his brother, Andrew, wants nothing more than to work on his family farm. Both choose to deny their destinies – decisions that alter their lives forever. The production will be directed by Eric Fraisher Hayes.

“O’Neill gave an American voice to the role that dreams play in our lives and the tragic consequences of being true to those dreams,” says Hayes. “Beyond the Horizon shows that dreams are necessary to sustain life.”

The Eugene O’Neill Foundation operates in partnership with the National Park Service at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site in Danville. It is here that O’Neill and his wife, Carlotta, lived from 1937-1944, and where the playwright penned his final and most memorable plays, including A Long Day’s Journey into Night and The Iceman Cometh, among others.

“The coming year is an important one for Eugene O’Neill and for the Eugene O’Neill Foundation,” says Foundation Co-President Trudy McMahon. “In 2016 we celebrate two centennials: the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service as well as the 100th anniversary of the first production of an O’Neill play, Bound East for Cardiff, in Provincetown, Massachusetts in 1916.”

“The production of Beyond the Horizon is the beginning of a number of ‘firsts,’” says Eric Fraisher Hayes. “The Foundation has other important O’Neill ‘firsts’ planned throughout the year.”

925-820-8950

Meals on Wheels

Seniors in your community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services has been supporting seniors since 1968. Two of the programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers. We need your help now more than ever. Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound seniors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925)937-8311.

Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley

The Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley meets for dinner every Wednesday night at the Blackhawk Country Club, located at 599 Blackhawk Club Drive in Danville. Networking and social time starts at 6pm, with the meeting starting at 7pm and ending at 8:30pm. A sit-down dinner and cocktails are served, and the weekly program features interesting guest speakers. Guests attend free of charge and are always welcome! For more information, call Laura Montalvo at (925) 437-2445 or e-mail winechickathome@gmail. com. You can also visit our website at www.sanramonvalleyrotary.com.

Exchange Club of SRV

The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley meets for lunch the second Wednesday of every month in downtown Danville. Sign-in and social time begins at 11:30AM. The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. The program features guest speakers and a business networking speaker. For more information, call Karen Stepper at (925) 275-2412, email coachstepper@yahoo.com, or visit www.srvexchangeclub.org.

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.

Scottish Country Dancing

Every Thursday evening, year-round (except Thanksgiving day) come dance!

No partner is required and no Scottish ancestry is required. Adult beginner classes for Scottish Country Dancing take place each week with free lessons at 8PM. More experienced dancers also begin at 8PM. Once a month Ceilidh dancing will take place as well. Dancing will be held at the Danville Grange, located at 743 Diablo Rd in Danville. All dance nights are drop-in. The first beginner lesson is free, afterwards the cost is $8/night or $6/night if attending a 10-week session paid in advance.

Call Witsie at (925) 676-3637 or Kathleen at (925) 934-6148 for more information. For children’s classes ages 7 and up, please contact Cathy at (925) 284-9068 for dates and fees.

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

Books for the Homebound

If you or someone you know has a passion for reading and can no longer visit the library, find out more about the Danville Library’s Books for the Homebound program, a free and unique library service. Trained library volunteers check out and deliver books to homebound individuals residing in their own homes or residential care facilities. Contact Sandra Paiva, Volunteer Coordinator, at the Danville Library at (925) 837-4889 for more information.

Gopher/Mole Removal No Poison

925-765-4209

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 5

DA N A W e l l ington 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

Two New Eras for Disney Animation Studios Double feature film series to show two animation classics

Film buffs of all ages will enjoy the upcoming double feature film series at the Village Theatre and Art Gallery showcasing two films that changed the course of history for the Walt Disney Animation Studios. On Saturday, January 9, the Village Theatre will screen Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, followed by Disney’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Before Disney formally acquired Pixar in 2006, the two studios formed an early partnership in 1995 to create Toy Story, the first fully computer-animated feature length film. Toy Story’s unprecedented success convinced Disney to move away from traditional hand drawn animation and toward computer generated animation. This new direction ushered the studio into the “Disney Revival” era of animated films which continues to this day with modern blockbusters such as Frozen and Big Hero 6.

None of this success would have been possible without the release of the 1988 classic. Before the release of the film, the studio was on the verge of shutting down following a string of box office failures and a narrow escape from a hostile takeover. Disney’s fortune turned with Who Framed Roger Rabbit, whose live action/animation combination featured popular characters from many different studios. The film was a critical and commercial success, propelling the studio into the “Disney Renaissance” era of musical movies, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King.

Toy Story (rated G, 81 mins.) starts at 2:00 PM. After the film’s conclusion, there will be a 15 minute intermission before Who Framed Roger Rabbit (rated PG-13, 144 mins.) begins. These films may have some mature themes and language; parental guidance is recommended. Tickets are now on sale for $5. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.villagetheatreshows.com or call (925) 314-3400.

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

Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley

Looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley Branch 128. We have monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. Additionally, our 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.

Our next monthly luncheon will be held on Wednesday, January 20th at AM 11 . Price of $23 includes luncheon, speaker, and a great opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the San Ramon Valley. Our first 2016 speaker will be BART Director, Gail Murray. Her presentation is titled “Better BART, Better Contra Costa” and will be an update on current projects and a look at upcoming and potential projects and funding.

There will be ample time for questions & answers, and you are sure to enjoy meeting Gail. To reserve a space, please email by Thursday, January 14th to info@sir128.com. The event will be held at the San Ramon Golf Club, 9430 Fircrest Lane, San Ramon.

For more information about our Retirement branch and activities, please go to www.SIR128.com.

Blackhawk “First Sunday” Cars & Coffee

Blackhawk Automotive Museum hosts a monthly Cars & Coffee event year round for all car enthusiasts. Held on the “First Sunday” of each month, starting at 8AM and going to 10AM, the Museum welcomes all classic, collector, and special interest car owners and enthusiasts.

On Cars & Coffee Sundays, the Museum opens an hour earlier, at 9AM, and participating car owners will receive complimentary Museum admission tickets.

The Museum is located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville. For more information, visit www.blackhawkmuseum. org/carsncoffee.html, call (925) 736-2280, or email museum@ blackhawkmuseum.org.

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Page 6 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Role Players Ensemble Presents Good People

The Role Players Ensemble presents Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire from January 29 – February 14 with Friday and Saturday performances at 8PM and Sunday performances at 2PM. Performances will be held at The Village Theatre which is located at 233 Front Street in Danville.

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 is directed by Eric Fraisher Hayes and features Melanie DuPuy, Edward Nattenberg, Leontyne Mbele-Mbong, Kyle Goldman, Bonnie DeChant, and Barbara Grant.

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

A Sneak Peek will be held on Wednesday, January 20 at 7PM at the Danville Library (400 Front Street). Admission is free to this entertaining look at the creative production process with the director, actors, and designers.

For full season information, visit www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com.

Ad Idea for Danville, Alamo and Lafayette Today 3” X 5” Blackhawk Republican Women Present Judge Danville Today 190.00 Lois Haight w discount 142.50

The Blackhawk Republican Women will be presenting Judge Lois Haight, Superior Court judge155.00 from Alamo Today Contra Costa County, on January 14 at the Blackhawk w discount 116.25 Country Club Grille. Check-in with hors d’oeuvres will take place at 5:30PM with the speaker and meeting beginLafayette 180.00 ning at 6:15PM. The cost is $25. Everyone is welcome. w discount 135.00 Judge Haight has been a Superior Court Judge in Contra Costa County for 22 years. A former Assistant Attorney General of the United States, Judge Haight has committed her life to the protection of children and victims of crime. Her awards and service on national and state boards and commissions are too numerous to mention. Just to name a few, she was the President’s National Correspondent to the United Nations on Crime for seven years and received awards from the FBI, Department of Defense, and U.S. Department of Justice.

Judge Haight’s speaking engagements have been at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Hastings College of the Law and UC Boalt Hall, among others. Television appearances include Good Morning America, the Today Show, Oprah, Pat Robertson, the McNeil-Lehrer Show, and William F. Buckley’s Firing Line.

Please make your reservations with a check made payable to “Blackhawk Republican Women” as well as any cancellations, by noon on Tuesday, January 12th with Jane Parish at 366 Jacaranda Dr. Danville 94506-2125, janeparish@ sbcglobal.net, or (925) 216-6663.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 7

Library Book Sale

The Friends of the Danville Library (FODL) Quarterly Large Booksale will be held January 22 - 24.

On Friday, January 22 a FODL Members Preview will be held from 9AM - 10AM with a public sale following from 10AM - 5PM. On Saturday, January 23 public sale hours will be from 10AM - 4PM, and on Sunday, January 24 a $5 Bag Sale will be available to the public from 12:05PM - 3:45PM. On Friday and Saturday all hardcover books, books on tape, and DVD’s will sell for $2, and all paperback books and CD’s will cost $1.

Free Tax Preparation Stop by our new office in the Alamo Courtyard 3195 Danville Blvd #4, Alamo

Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Luncheon and Board Installation

Join the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce, and community businesses and leaders for the 2016 Business Kick-Off Luncheon and Installation of the 2016 Board of Directors on January 22 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at the Blackhawk Country Club, located at 599 Blackhawk Club Drive in Danville.

January’s meeting will feature guest speaker Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

His topic will be Preparing for Excellence: Leading Your Team to Success.

While he is best known for serving as Captain during what has been called the “Miracle on the Hudson,” Sullenberger is an aviation safety expert and accident investigator, serves as the CBS News Aviation and Safety Expert, and is the founder and chief executive officer of Safety Reliability Methods, Inc., a company dedicated to management, safety, performance, and reliability consulting.

Tickets cost $60 per person before January 8 and $75 after. Reservations are required by January 12 and can be purchased online at www. danvillechambercart.com or by calling the Chamber at (925) 837-4400.

For more information, go to www.danvilleareachamber.com or call the Chamber at 925-837-4400.

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10.00 Bonus Coupon

Present this coupon at point of purchase for 10.00 off your one-time combined purchase of 50.00 or more.

1 coupon per family. Not valid on previous purchases, other coupons and/oron promotions.

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

Expires Jan. 31, 2016

Lafayette  Moraga  Danville  Montclair  Orinda  Countrywood  Clayton Rd. Sonoma  Auburn  Stockton (Now at Lincoln Center)

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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, Tax-Aide 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 • Proof of medical insurance if you are not on Medicare

Perfect Public Speaking with Toastmasters

Do you hate speaking in front of a group? You’re not alone. But good presentation skills are demanded by nearly every employer these days.

Toastmasters can help!

Toastmasters is an organization where people can fine-tune their speaking skills and receive valuable feedback. Beginning and advanced speakers are welcome.

Local chapter, Danville AM Toastmasters, meets every Tuesday from 7 to 8:30AM in downtown Danville. For the location and other details, please visit 4143.toastmastersclubs.org, or email DanvilleAMToastmasters@gmail.com.

Treats for the Troops

Delta Nu Psi is collecting “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 January 8th Delta Nu Psi members will be at CVS Pharmacy in Alamo, and on January 11th 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.

Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking in the Bay Area

Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking in the Bay Area will be presented by the Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek and the San Ramon Branches of AAUW on January 21 from 7 to 9PM at the Veterans Memorial Building which is located at 400 Hartz Ave. in Danville. Everyone is invited to come learn about this modern form of slavery, what is being done to fight this crime, and what local agencies and non-profits are doing to rescue victims. Find out what you can do to help!

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Contra Costa County. Unfortunately, human trafficking is happening right here in our communities. Perhaps you read about the arrest last fall of a sex-trafficking ring based right in San Ramon and Danville. California is one of the top four destination states for human trafficking, and the Bay Area is one of the top destinations in the entire country. Human trafficking disproportionately affects girls and women, which is why AAUW has focused on this issue during the last decade.

A panel of experts from Contra Costa County and the Bay Area will give you a comprehensive view of this important issue on the local level.

Speakers include: Brian Wo – Co-Founder Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition, Aron DeFerrari – Deputy District Attorney, Contra Costa County Sexual Assault Unit, Alexandra Madsen – Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinator, Zero Tolerance Initiative, Contra Costa County, Cynthia Peterson and Carly Devlin, Community Violence Solutions, and Matthew Malone, Detective, San Ramon Police Department who will bring a trafficking survivor who will attend as a guest.

Cost per person is $5. Reservation and payment are due by January 18. You may pay online with your credit card at http://daw-ca.aauw.net/human-trafficking-2016/, or mail a check for $5/person with names of attendees to Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW Program, PO Box 996 Alamo, CA 94507. Contact Charla Gabert, Programs Co-Chair, dawaauw@gmail.com, with any questions including late registration.

Page 8 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

The East Bay Regional Park District Wants You!

By Fran Miller

The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) includes 65 regional parks in its two-county jurisdiction, covering more than 113,000 miles and 1,200 miles of trail. Helping to oversee and manage this vast recreational territory are nearly 200 volunteers from all over the Bay Area.

EBRPD offers a volunteer position for nearly every interest. Consider work in the Botanic Garden, or help with a Coastal Clean-up Day. Become a Regional Parks ambassador, or participate in the companion dog patrol.

Help with trail maintenance, or walk the trails as part of the safety patrol.

Whether you may seek a special one-time volunteer job or ongoing yearround programs, EBRPD would love to hear from you.

Positions are offered for all ages and can be tailored for school groups, students, corporate groups, and Scouting and service clubs. They also offer company team-building service projects.

Those seeking to help restore parklands to their original state can help replace non-native plants with natives, or work with staff to restore vital habitats. EBRPD volunteers help lead tours, take photos, distribute flyers, serve as hosts and greeters, and help with recycling activities.

Volunteering with EBRPD can provide new skills, new friends, a greater knowledge of natural and cultural resources, and the personal satisfaction of making a difference in the community.

For information, email Volunteers@EBParks.org, or visit www.ebparks. org/about/getinvolved/volunteer. (Some events require registration and some programs require training, fingerprinting, background checks, or TB testing.)

For all of your computer needs:

Business, Residential, PC, Mac, Servers, Networking

925-552-7953

helpdesk@theportablecio.com www.theportablecio.com Portable CIO

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

8

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD

If you find her and your name is drawn!

Alamo Zoe is Missing

Alamo Zoe has become lost in this paper...

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

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

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

Casey Keane is our winner!

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Alamo Elementary School

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 9

By Stan Hitomi, Principal Back to Work

“Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it’s off to work we go!” Our students return in January, well rested from their two-week Winter Break. They return to school for a very important period of time for our core mission of teaching and learning. Routines have become habit by this time and the focus is on grade-level work. It is this “middle” part of the year when students learn so much and develop skills that prepare them for the next grade. It is also a time when monitoring the progress of each and every student becomes critical.

Model Program – Part 1

Last month I mentioned a fundamental shift in American education.

The shift can be summarized as “ALL of our kids, are all OUR kids,” with the emphasis on evaluating and instructing students as individuals.

The process that we are using at Alamo School is commonly referred to as RtI (Response to Intervention), but more accurately known as a Multitier System of Support (MTSS). Each month I will be writing about a segment of our MTSS program to help you become familiar with our current work at Alamo School.

You can get an essential idea of how this works by thinking about your experiences in the area of health care. In the health care system you are expected to get regular check-ups. At check-ups information is quickly collected (height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate) and administered in the same way across the country and around the world. There is a universal understanding of how and why this information is collected. Doctors use this information to determine your overall health. Any abnormalities trigger additional tests, and possibly interventions or treatments. Doctors usually begin by prescribing the “least restrictive” tests such as blood or urine and least restrictive interventions such as diet and exercise. Additional data may support more rigorous tests or interventions, and closer monitoring.

Our MTSS model closely resembles the health care model. The initial step in our MTSS program involves a process known as Universal Screening that is comprised of assessments that are given to every student at the beginning of the year and at the end of each trimester. Similar to medical check-ups, our Universal Screening uses the same tools in every classroom and with every student. The information from these checkups is combined with classwork, regular tests and quizzes, and teacher observations to determine whether a student requires additional support or intervention.

The data is collected digitally, and the evaluation of the data is the shared responsibility of the grade-level team of teachers, intervention specialists, and the principal. The data for each student is compared against national and local norms to help us better evaluate their needs.

This transparency of data and the increased “eyes-on” for every student greatly reduces the chances that we will miss a student who is struggling in reading or math. This leads to less chance of students falling through the cracks!

Next month I will go deeper into how we use data to determine interventions and supports for our students.

Alamo School News

Before we left for the Winter Break, our students and their families were volunteering to improve the lives of children who are less fortunate.

Our Alamo Student Council raised over $300 with a hot cocoa sale. These funds were donated to the Wheelchair Foundation and will be used to buy two wheelchairs for children who cannot afford them. Great job Alamo Student Council! Kudos to Jill Newcomer (PTA) and all of her helpers for coordinating the Sister School Adopt-A-Family drive this year and a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who donated toys, clothing, and cards.

This year’s drive provided for toys, clothing and gift cards for 14 families and 45 students at our sister school, Lake Elementary. Our families also donated school supplies for nine teachers and their classrooms.

Monte Vista High School

By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal

Monte Vista community has gone above and beyond to spread goodwill throughout the Tri-Valley area during the holiday season. Through the Adopta-Family program, our students and staff filled a U-Haul truck full of gifts for 47 families, and our dance program filled a second truck full of food for the Contra Costa County Food Bank. Leadership students sponsored a Breakfast with Santa that generated several bags of toys for the Oakland Children’s Hospital. Monte Vista’s Interact Club’s Warm Coat Drive provided dozens of coats, and English teacher Kimberley Gilles’ students participated in the USPS “Letters to Santa” program where our students answered children’s letters in English and Spanish in addition to sending gifts. Monte Vista students also stuffed stockings full of gifts for Verde Elementary in Richmond, and students from the Leadership class delivered these items as well as spent time eating lunch and playing games with the children there. I commend our students and faculty for their willingness to help those less fortunate by truly demonstrating what this special season is all about. In particular, I would like to thank Andrea Greco and her Leadership class, Sue Gordon and her dance classes, and Kimberley Gilles and her English classes for their energy and expertise in making these things happen.

Monte Vista’s seniors are beginning to receive their early acceptance letters from a variety of colleges and universities. Among many excellent schools accepting Monte Vista students, we are excited to see our students accepted at Harvard, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Purdue, and Dartmouth Universities. Congratulations to our students for these huge accomplishments. We are proud of all of our seniors and know there will be more good news in the near future.

Monte Vista Athletics recently enjoyed unprecedented success. Monte Vista’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams competed at the CIF State meet in Fresno and finished 10th and 5th respectively. Harvard-bound Brooke Starn finished in second place overall in the Division I Women’s Division which earned her All-CIF honors. Also, after a dramatic come from behind win

in the NorCal semi-finals, Monte Vista’s Women’s Volleyball team saw their run at a CIF Division I State Championship end in the NorCal Finals and third in the state. Congratulations to all of our athletes for an outstanding fall season.

Monte Vista’s choir also earned a huge honor in winning KDFC’s Local Vocals program. They will now be featured on NPR’s From the Top national radio program. Our choir will tape for the show this spring at San Jose State.

I would like to conclude with a big thank you to Monte Vista’s PTSA for the Holiday Bake. I was truly amazed by the sheer number of baskets and goodies that the PTSA provided our staff and our community.

Thanks to all of the Monte Vista community for letting me be a part of this.

Mt. Diablo Branch California Writers Club

Best-selling author Tamara Monosoff will share “Five Simple Secrets to Boost Your Income!” at the next luncheon meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday, January 9 at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill.

She will discuss the fastest way for authors to double their income, the most common mistake authors make, the number-one opportunity to drive sales to authors’ sites, and five simple strategies to generate money quickly.

Sign-in begins at 11:15AM, luncheon from noon to 12:45PM, and speaker from 1PM - 2PM. The cost is $25 for CWC members and $30 for guests.

Tamara Monosoff is the author of seven books, including The Author-toIncome Formula and The Mom Inventors Handbook. She has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and many other shows. She holds an Ed.D degree from The University of San Francisco and is a professor at John F. Kennedy University.

Reservations are required and must be received no later than noon on Wednesday, January 6. Contact Robin at ragig@aol.com or leave a message at (925) 933-9670 or sign up via PayPal: click “buy now” on the Mt.Diablo website http://cwcmtdiablowriters,wordpress.com/next-program/ and add a $2 transaction fee. Expect confirmation only if you e-mail your reservation.

The California Writers Club Mt. Diablo Branch web address is http:// cwcmtdiablowriters,wordpress.com.

Page 10 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

San Ramon Valley High School

By Ruth Steele, Principal

Over the holidays it is likely that many of us bought or received new electronic devices, or bigger TV’s, or upgraded our cell phones. Last month, I wrote a little about the need to balance technology use for our students with time when they are unplugged. While we are working on this in the classroom, we are also trying to help families with ideas at home. One thing often hear is that students aren’t getting enough sleep, they are constantly on their devices, and parents are not sure how to handle this challenge at home.

Challenges: Work completion and sleep quality

Students struggle to complete homework because they are often distracted by their phones -- texts, tweets, snapchats etc. The constant flow of incoming information from their social connections usually has nothing to do with the work they are trying to complete. If children keep their phones in their bedrooms. then they also struggle to sleep because screen time before bed disrupts sleeping patterns, and the buzz of social media keeps their brain on alert, waiting for the next message.

It is incredibly important that students do not have their phones with them when they are trying to do school work or trying to sleep. This can be a battle, as students will claim that they have to be online to do their work. Being in front of a computer screen with a keyboard is much more conducive to focused work than trying to type and do research on a smartphone. There will be less distractions from social media.

Unplugging: How to do it

One of the keys to helping students to disconnect and spend less time on their devices is to model this for them. It doesn’t work for adults to tell children to get off their devices but then continually check their phones for email while eating dinner.

Some of the suggestions below can be helpful...although it can be hard to take a step back from the level of constant connection that most of us are now used to. One of the best starting points is to discuss, as a family, the importance of having some tech-free time. Ask your kids how they would like to tackle this challenge - they will probably have some great ideas!

• Establish unplugged time frames: Set aside times for the entire family to unplug from devices and reconnect with each other. Take this opportunity to pull out board games or engage your children in conversations about the highlights of the day.

• Lead by example: Model the behavior you want to see from your children.

If you are constantly checking your email, updating Facebook, playing Candy Crush, talking on the phone, or watching television, it is going to be difficult to expect anything different from your children. When you interact with your family, close the laptop, turn off the ringer, and be present in the moment.

• Get out and about: One of the best ways to unplug is to engage in activities outside the home. Go for a hike, ride bikes, or visit a library!

• Create “no technology” zones: Establish zones in the house where you don’t allow screens. For example, the dining room can be a great technologyfree zone that is reserved for family meals and conversation. You can also encourage limited technology usage by having a central docking station away from the bedrooms.

• Read a book together: It might have been a while since you have read books with your kids, but now that they are tweens and teens, there are new ways to engage in literature. You can listen to books on tape during our carpooling hours or read the same book separately and have conversations about our favorite characters and surprising plot twists at home.

• Get to work: With the ever-growing list of Things to Do in our adult lives, incorporate your children into some of the tasks. Go through your list and see where you can insert some family time. Do yard work together, make dinner together one night a week (kid’s choice!), or take the dog for a walk.

One thing is for sure: technology is here to stay, and it can be an incredibly valuable asset to our lives. It has become an integral part of classroom learning as well.

However, like anything, moderation is key. This is especially true when it comes to our most valuable priority: family. Our time and attention are the greatest gifts that we can give our children, and by spending time with them, we are helping them learn how to step away from technology. This can only benefit our relationships with them and will also help them develop the skills they will need for their future.

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New Year’s Resolution – Get Involved in Local Government

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 11

By Candace Andersen, Contra Costa County Supervisor, District 2

In my role as County Supervisor, I often encourage others to apply for positions on local boards and commissions. I began my local government career serving in Morgan Hill 24 years ago as a member of both its Parks and Rent Stabilization commissions. It was a role that made me realize the great impact one person could have on the policies implemented by local officials. The work done by those who serve on local boards and commissions is very important. In the spirit of this New Year, consider adding a New Year’s resolution of volunteering your time and getting involved in our local government to help shape the future of our community.

All of our local cities, towns, and the County have many commissions, committees, and task forces that advise the City Council or Board of Supervisors on matters relevant to the community. Board members and commissioners generally serve as unpaid volunteers, but the rewards can be so gratifying: members meet other residents with similar interests leading to new friendships, they learn about their city or town, and they make decisions that truly impact the community. Serving on a board or commission requires significant personal commitment, so applicants need to consider their time, personal availability, and energy before volunteering.

A sampling of some city or town committees includes Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Community Center Foundation, Crime Prevention Commission, Design Review Board, Emergency Services Task Force, Parks Commission, Planning Commission, and Senior Services Commission, just to name a few.

To see a list of all volunteer positions available to residents, for more information, or to apply, visit your city’s website or call the city clerk’s office. I always encourage citizens to get to know their mayor and council members. They provide great insight into the needs of the community and can help direct you to where help is needed most.

If you want get involved on the State level, the Governor also appoints citizens to more than 100 state advisory bodies. These boards and commissions are responsible for advising the Governor, the legislature, and state agencies. Many citizens possess specialized professional knowledge and experience that would be of great value to the state. Some state committees include; Actuarial Advisory Panel, Earthquake Authority Advisory Panel, Horse Racing Board, Commission on Judicial Performance, Landscape Architect Technical Committee, and Veterinary Medical Board, to name just a few. A list of possible appointments and applications are available on the state website at http://gov.ca.gov/m_appointments.php.

At the County level, my office is seeking motivated residents to serve on a variety of Contra Costa County citizen advisory boards. These voluntary boards usually meet monthly and advise the Board of Supervisors on a variety of issues. They provide a key communication link between the community and county government.

Here is a list of positions available on County boards and commissions.

• Aging, Advisory Council on • Agricultural Task Force Committee • Airport Land Use Commission •Alcohol and Other DrugsAdvisory Board • Arts and Culture Commission • Bicycle Committee, Countywide • Commission for Women • Developmental Disabilities Area Board • Early Care & Education, CCC Local Planning Advisory Council for • East Bay Regional Park District, Advisory Committee • Economic Opportunity Council • Equal Employment Opportunity, Advisory Council on • Homelessness Advisory Board • In-Home Support Services Public Authority Advisory Committee • Managed Care Commission • Workforce Development Board Applications are available on the County’s website at www.contra.napanet.net/ maddybook/. For more information, call (925) 335-1900.

I’m confident that as you donate your valuable time, you will not only make a difference wherever you serve, but who will also enjoy and benefit from your volunteering experience.

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.

The Majestic Desert Beckons

By Jeremy Barcan, Alamo World Travel

When Americans think of visiting the Middle East, most think only of Israel.

Israel offers a perfect balance of historical and faith-based tours including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee, etc. and is on many travelers’ bucket list.

Overlooked, but not to be missed, is Jordan with Petra, Aqaba, and Wadi Rum. Last month I traveled with some of my colleagues to Jordan and Israel where we spent two weeks exploring both countries in depth. Personally, I have visited these places many times before, but for my fellow companions, this was their first exposure to the Middle East.

A lot has been written and said about these fascinating countries since they abound in history, religion, archeology, and culture. Yet, the one thing that stood out for me this time as a returning traveler is the beauty and magic of the desert vistas where time seems to stand still.

Being an avid fan of the 1962 cinematic epic Lawrence of Arabia, the desert has always captured my imagination. So it was only natural that I would wish to experience the vastness and majesty of Wadi Rum in southwestern Jordan, a geological rift where massive tectonic plates shifted millions of years ago.

I urge any adventurous traveler to experience Wadi Rum first by Jeep and ultimately by camel ride. One needs to stand in the middle of Wadi Rum, catching a 360o view of the seven rocky peaks. The biggest surprise for me was the penetrating silence of the desert at high noon. And I was struck by how many shades of yellow and brown I could detect in the sand, not to mention pink and purple in the rocks, depending on how much iron and copper they contain.

I could not help but wonder how creatures and plants survive in such a harsh climate with so little water. Of course, we were fortunate to visit Wadi Rum in the fall season when the temperatures are relatively mild (80o in the daytime), but I’d hate to be standing there during the summer when the heat can easily reach 120o.

The climactic experience of our visit to Wadi Rum was undoubtedly our camel ride. We each boarded our own camel, tied to one another to form a caravan. One can’t help but wonder about this strong yet docile beast of burden who can survive

the harshness of such an environment while carrying heavy human cargo on its back.

At first, we each worried a bit when the camel would make a sudden movement, and we felt as if we would fall off its back, but we soon all relaxed and learned to enjoy this ride, in part thanks to our vigilant Bedouin camel guide, Shaban. After 35 minutes of a leisurely ride, each camel knelt down, first on its front legs and then on its rear ones, so that we could get off as gracefully as possible and step onto the warm sand. By that time, we were ready to have our midday tea at an authentic Bedouin encampment and see how these nomads live in tents year round.

Less than one hour drive south of Wadi Rum, we reached the northernmost tip of the Red Sea, at Aqaba. Where else in the world can one mix a desert experience and a seaside resort in the span of 45 minutes?

After crossing into Israel two days later, we continued to enjoy desert vistas all the way from Eilat, across from Aqaba, and up to the Dead Sea, some 130 miles of undulating white desert steppes, with an occasional oasis full of lush date trees. In the midst of this Israeli desert, called the Arava, we also visited Timna Park, a mini Grand Canyon, sporting impressive rock formations which water and time have carved into the desert stone.

Nature has her way with all the desert lands of the Middle East, just one more reason to visit, to wander, and to explore this part of our world.

Jeremy Barcan is a Travel Consultant with Alamo World Travel, specializing in tours, cruises and customized vacations to Europe and Israel. You can reach him at (925) 948-6035 or jeremy@alamoworld.com. Advertorial Luxury Travel Specialists

ALAMO WORLD TRAVEL presents our

3rd Annual VACATION SHOWCASE 2016 Tuesday, February 2nd from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the Round Hill Country Club in Alamo

Meet our Expert Luxury Travel Partners for an exclusive look at trends and experiences: AmaWaterways River Cruises, Tauck Tours & Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Trafalgar Tours, Holland America/Seabourn Cruises, WindStar Cruises.

Enjoy Wine, Hors d'oeuvres, Special Offers, Door Prizes... and a Grand Prize Drawing!

*RSVP required to info@alamoworld.com or call 925-837-8742 to make your reservation.

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Page 12 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Throw a Wine Tasting Party

Cinema Classics

By Monica Chappell

Hosting your first wine tasting is a rite of passage for wine enthusiasts. It’s up there with learning how to spit. All you’ll need is a theme, some nibbles, and plenty of glasses.

The Theme: First, it helps to have a theme like Bargain Bordeaux, Aromatic Whites, or Napa versus Sonoma Merlot. Next, consider your guests. Are they just discovering wine, or are they bona fide aficionados? The number of guests is up to you, but, as a hosting newbie, we recommend sticking to a manageable five to 10 guests and the same number of wines: enough to engage in a lively dialogue about the wines without getting rowdy.

Here are other essentials to consider when planning and hosting your first wine tasting party.

The Nibbles: Where there is wine, there is food. Your guests will expect you to provide a little nosh. A selection of salami, cheese, olives, and dried fruit works well, or, you can commit to wine-friendly appetizers.

The Glasses: Make sure you have enough stemware. For a party with five wines and five people, have 10 glasses on hand. Guests who like to have extra glasses are welcome to bring more.

Hosting a tasting is a lot like a study group. You’ll need to provide pens and paper for your guests to rate or jot down their impressions of the wines.

If it’s a blind tasting, ask your favorite wine merchant for paper wine bags to hide the identity of the bottles. Provide each guest with a paper cup as a spit cup. Also set up dump buckets on the table so there is a ratio of one for every two guests. Vases work great for this.

Lastly, put on a smart outfit, and snazzy music, and have fun!

Monica Chappell writes and teaches about wine. For wine class information, please email wineappreciation101@gmail.com.

Icons continued from front page

Dan in Real Life

By Peggy Horn

This month’s Cinema Classic from 2007 is Dan in Real Life, starring Juliette Binoche and Steve Carell. It is a more recent release than others featured in this column, but because it is charming, funny, uplifting, and totally enjoyable, it has the lasting significance or recognized worth common to all ‘Cinema Classics’ – in my opinion.

The movie begins with a brief review of Dan’s (Steve Carell) life: father of three daughters, widower, and journalist who writes an advice column for a local newspaper. Dan is taking all three girls to a family reunion at his parents’ home. Just before the four of them leave, Dan is alerted that his column is being considered for syndication. After arriving at his parents’ home, he greets the whole family. Dan goes into town for a little alone time and ends up in a bookstore where he meets a young woman named Marie (Juliette Binoche). Marie mistakes him for a bookstore employee and consults him for a book recommendation. Dan provides her with several options, including a book of poetry by Pablo Neruda and what he promises is a real page-turner, The Life of Ghandi. Dan and Marie have coffee, and they go their separate ways, so they think. When Dan returns to his parents’ home, he is introduced to a new guest, his younger brother’s girlfriend: Marie! So begins their bumpy road to love.

As promised above, the movie is funny and uplifting and has captured a real family feel that makes it believable. The comedy in the movie is actually humorous and not of the offensive variety so popular today. In spite of our present society’s huge emphasis on the dark side of life, this movie is happy and good-natured and dare I say it? ... sweet! If you can tolerate some wholesomeness unaccompanied by bipolar depression, alcoholism, or gratuitous sex, you will probably enjoy this film.

Musical Notes

The movie soundtrack for Dan in Real Life is very nice. It contains The second Danville Hotel was built after 1891 across from the new railroad vocals as well as instrumentals and is the download recommendation for depot to serve passengers arriving in the village from the Southern Pacific Railroad. Run by the McCauley family (who baked renowned pies), it symbolized this month. Most of the music is composed by Norwegian singer songwriter, Sondre Lerche. the growth of Danville as the center of the San Ramon Valley.

As Danville’s main street shifted from Front Street to Hartz Avenue, the hotel moved there in 1927. In the 1930s the Hotel became a restaurant with fine dining, drawing patrons from far beyond the valley. It was quite an extraordinary enterprise during the depression years. It finally closed in 1952.

The new owner, Russel Glenn, painted the Hotel red, built a Ghost Town patio and facades, and opened the development as a Western-themed tourist attraction. A decade later he purchased the entire block, added shops, and introduced live entertainment. The Silver Dollar Room which accommodated banquets of 300 people was added in 1965.

In 1976 Jerry and Aileen Carter remodeled the property, and the Silver Dollar became the Danville Hotel Restaurant and Saloon. They named the block the Danville Hotel Territory. The Restaurant was a popular one, and the Saloon became the location for the County Supervisor’s monthly community meetings.

Forty years later, in 2016, the Danville Hotel and adjacent block is entering yet a new phase, with retail shops on the first floor and residences on the second.

Now called the Danville Hotel Town Center, it symbolizes a twenty-first century effort to modernize Danville’s Old Town yet retain its historical connections.

San Ramon General Store

Unlike the other icons featured in this exhibit, the San Ramon General Store (along with all buildings in the original San Ramon village) is no more.

However, for nearly a century it was a significant San Ramon location and the classic 1911 photograph of the store shows owner Henry Hurst standing in front.

The store was first described in a Contra Costa Gazette article on San Ramon from March 9, 1880: “Our next is a new store under the firm name of Glass & Ivory (good material in the name), Mr. Frank Glass, a son of Mr, David Glass, and Mr. E. Ivory, who is well known throughout the country, are the partners.”

According to Henry Wiedemann, the store was owned by Frank Glass, C.C. Lewelling, Henry Hurst, his son Harry Hurst, and William C. Fereira.

Fereira purchased the store in 1924 (for $2,750 according to a saved receipt), managed it, and served as San Ramon postmaster for nearly 40 years. It was the place to go to find out what was happening in San Ramon. Poker games lasted well into the night, and folks were always welcome to drop in. He added gasoline service to the store as a growing number of cars began to travel State Highway 21.

The store was burned down as an exercise for fire fighters from the new San Ramon Fire Protection District in 1963. The older Fereiras had moved out of

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San Ramon General Store

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Icons continued from page 12

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 13

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the building and, when there were discussions about occupying it again, the necessary re-wiring and other county code requirements were cost prohibitive. So the new San Ramon Fire Chief, Bill Fereira (William’s son) ran a practice fire on the building. Preservation efforts were still in their infancy in the sixties.

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Tassajara Grammar School

The Tassajara Grammar School at 1650 Finley Road was the second school in that community, and what a beauty it still is. There were six grammar school districts in the greater San Ramon Valley, and only this 1889 school house from any district remains. Today it is owned by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley and hosts a popular living history program for third graders from the San Ramon Valley’s School District.

Tassajara Grammar School It schooled Tassajara students for over 50 years, drawing many Portuguese and Danish children to learn their basic education. For most, it was all the schooling they received.

It closed in 1946 with the remaining students traveling by bus to the modern Danville Elementary School. For decades it was used for meetings, as a polling place, and for annual community picnics.

The Tassajara community, led by Rasmussens and Reinsteins, helped save the school house in the 1960s and 1970s by putting down a foundation and

UC Davis Mondavi Institute

My oldest daughter Lindsay is the General Manager of an intimate and elegant new Hollywood Regency style wine bar in Orinda. Lindsay’s immersion into the wine and culinary world, her organization skills, and her gracious personality are a good fit for keeping up with the savvy and sophisticated Bay Area clientele. She’s excited to bring great wines and unique beer to the venue. Although I am by no means a wine connoisseur, Lindsay has asked me to attend some of the wine tastings from different venders and wineries. What fun! The wines are as unique as the stories from each winemaker. One thing I discovered is that many of the wineries hire graduates from the Viticulture and Enology department at UC Davis.

I recently toured the world renowned Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the UC Davis campus. The facility includes the Sensory Building, Good Life Garden, Jess S. Jackson sustainable winery, a brewery, and a food and milk processing facility. The winery is the first teaching and research winery anywhere in the world to be awarded a LEED Platinum certification which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Platinum, the highest level of this certification by the Green Building Council.

The buildings are as beautiful as they are remarkable. The UC Davis winery was the first zero carbon footprint winery, the world’s most water-efficient winery, and the world’s most self-sustainable winery.

My favorite of the rooms we visited on our tour was the Special Collections Room in the Jess. S. Jackson Winery which is where the wine donated to the Department of Viticulture and Enology is stored. Floor to ceiling wine bottles from some of the most renowned wineries in the world are used for tasting and experiments by students in the program. The shiny, distinctive floor is made of recycled wine bottles, and the ceiling is made of recycled wood taken from a 1928 aqueduct near Chico.

The UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science is

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constructing a new roof. Other improvements were made by the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District (an owner for years), Shapell Homes, and the Museum. Picnic tables surround the school, and ancient walnut trees (many planted by the children) grace the property.

Danville Depot

In 1891 Southern Pacific built four of their “decorative” two-story combination depots along the San Ramon Branch Line. Only the Danville depot remains as a restored building which is now the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. The Concord and San Ramon depots are gone, and the Walnut Creek depot is a restaurant on Broadway near the Iron Horse Trail.

The current exhibit will focus on the period when the depot was owned

by Joe Ramos Sr. and Jr. They purchased it from Helen Benn as the Danville Feed and Grain store in 1951 and leased the land from Southern Pacific. Then the Ramoses added suburban products and renamed it the Danville Feed and

See Icons continued on page 22

known for creative and interesting events. I spoke to Amina Harris, Executive Director of the Honey and Pollination Center at UC Davis RMI who mentioned the center will host “The Feast: A Celebration with Mead and Honey” on Saturday, February 6 with mead tastings and a four course Mediterranean inspired menu. Two esteemed chefs; Ann Evans, author of the Davis Farmer’s Cookbook and Kathy Riley, caterer and past chef at Zuni Café in San Francisco; are creators of the delicious menu. Guests will begin the evening at 6:30PM with mead cocktails; the fermented blend of honey, water, and often fruits, yeast, or spices; and end the evening festivities with an impressive after dinner mead flight.

• Tours of the UC Davis Robert Mondavi Institute are offered Monday –Friday during regular business hours 8AM-12PM and 1PM -5PM, excluding holidays.

General tours are offered by students, and more specialized tours are led by senior faculty and staff. Tours last from 45 to 75 minutes. The fee is $5 for student led tours and $10 for faculty led tours. Call Cindi Bradshaw at (530) 752-5233 or visit their website at rmi.ucdavis.edu. They are located at 1027 Sensory Building, Robert Mondavi Institute, 392 Old Davis Road in Davis.

• Burgers and Brew, a brew pub located at 403 3rd Street in Davis, is a great place to meet the locals. We tried the Banana Bread Brew from the UK which was a light and delicious accompaniment to our lunch. Their phone number is (530) 750-3600.

• For more information on the “Feast: A Celebration with Mead and Honey,” contact the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at (530) 754-9301 or email aharris@ucdavis.edu. Their website is honey. ucdavis.edu/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.

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Page 14 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

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

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encouraging formula for success? The organization’s focus on the positive begins with founder Linda Trumbull’s personal dedication. “I am passionate about helping kids realize that their value is not based on performance, and that they deserve to be treated with respect,” she explains.

Equally dedicated volunteers train to discuss issues teens face with a constructive emphasis on decision-making based on belief in one’s own personal worth. Topics covered include substance abuse, relationships, eating disorders, communication, sexual assault, stress, anxiety, depression, and internet/social media. As fast as new trends in experimentation with alcohol and drug use emerge, their pace is outstripped by the proliferation of innovative technological temptations.

Facebook was launched in 2004, a decade after the founding of Teen Esteem. No one tweeted on Twitter until 2006. The free instant messaging application KIK was founded in 2009, making anonymous chats including both messages and photos possible with no traceable recordings for parents to monitor. In 2010, Instagram and Ask.fm emerged. Snapchat began in 2011, Whisper and Tinder in 2012.

Following the cyberbullying induced suicide of 14-year old Hannah Smith, UK Prime Minister David Cameron urged parents and teenagers to boycott Ask.fm as well as similar sites which permitted online abuse. Quoted in the Daily Mail from his interview on BBC Breakfast on August 8, 2013, Cameron recognized his own responsibilities. “All of us as parents are going to have to, and I say this myself … I am going to have to spend more time talking with my children about the Internet, about what’s safe, about what isn’t safe, about what they want to do.” Cameron refers to growing up with parents who strictly limited his television viewing noting, “The off button is a great regulator.”

Modern technology complicates the process, but thankfully for parents in the San Ramon Valley, Teen Esteem provides hands-on sessions on installing parental controls on phones, tablets, computers, and kindred devices. As one parent writes: “The presentation let us know we have to become bold and educated about how our kids are accessing media and how to guide them.

Our job is not to control them like robots but to influence their hearts.”

Amethyst Thomas, Teen Esteem Presentation Coordinator, points out that Internet dangers can entrap even a very young child. “When parents hand a small child a cell phone without parental controls,” she warns, “the child can easily find something inappropriate.”

Whatever the device, she admonishes, “Giving a child a device without Teen Esteem Presentation Coordinator Amethyst Thomas parental controls is like keeps her discussions upbeat and informative. giving that child a loaded weapon.” Gone are the days when cell phones were simply a handy alternative to finding a payphone. One local parent wrote after a Teen Esteem presentation, “All your speakers were great. They have opened my eyes and ears to what I’ve totally ignored. Too busy with work, life situations; shame on me!”

Parents in the small town of Canon City, Colorado became aware this November of just how much they were missing on their offspring’s devices when over a hundred high school students were caught in a sexting scandal. Using “vault apps” that looked like innocent calculators, they were collecting nude photos of classmates and trading them like baseball cards. School administrators quelled the call for prosecuting the worst offenders on charges of child pornography, but issued a stern warning

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 15

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that repeat offenders would face criminal charges.

As far as some of the websites noted above are concerned, the instantly disappearing images, messages and video chats they offer are actually traceable, even if they can’t be readily accessed by unsophisticated Internet users. Amethyst cautions, “The power of anonymity leaves lasting scars.”

An inappropriate photo of someone under 18 traced to your device can lead to a child pornography conviction that puts you on a sex offender list and may result in time spent in jail. Or it may deeply wound a friend. “Never text anything you wouldn’t want your mother to see,” is sage advice. As one student comments, after participating in a Teen Esteem presentation, “Yes, I do not want to send pictures anymore, and I do not want to settle anymore.

I also respect myself a lot more and have higher goals.”

Ignoring the warning signs is only too easy for parents who are busy and stressed themselves and believe their children are enjoying the benefits of growing up in a privileged community. But as with confronting cancer, early intervention can be critical to achieving a favorable outcome. Turnbull speaks from decades of experience when she advises, “An important message for parents is: if you see red flags, pay attention to them and don’t let your pride get in the way of getting help. Acknowledge the symptoms before the problem blows up.”

Dangers continue to come in many forms. “Kyle’s Story” illustrates how easily experimentation with a substance can escalate into abuse, addiction, and inability to function. Kyle, feeling alone and isolated in middle school, happily accepted a friend’s offer to try a bit of weed. He liked the false sense of empowerment he got. In high school he discovered alcohol, and then an accident during his junior year introduced him to prescription pain medication. By college he was dealing to support his habit. His life was in a downhill spiral when his parents finally got him into a long-term rehabilitation program. Unfortunately, “Kyle’s Story” (absent the somewhat happy ending) is far from unusual.

Knowing that there is no safety in ignorance, Teen Esteem has reached more than 150,000 students and 10,000 parents through classroom presenta-

See Teen continued on page 28

Page 16 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 17

Thanks for your continued support of locally owned family businesses

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Page 18 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Clip Notes

By Jody Morgan

Upon moving to California, I spent several months surveying the offerings of local nurseries to find interesting and unusual specimens for my garden.

Although new to me, even the most recently released hybrids were the product of long-term cultivation. In just three weeks, Robert Brown managed to find 500 species, most of which were previously unknown to botanists. But he wasn’t limited to seeking plants available in the nursery trade. He was on a voyage of discovery that would eventually yield close to 4,000 horticultural specimens.

Born in Scotland in 1773, Robert Brown studied medicine before serving for five years in the British army. On a recruiting trip to London in 1798, he met Sir Joseph Banks who was legendary for his exploits exploring exotic environments aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavor. Eager to undertake a similar adventure, Brown applied for the post of naturalist on an expedition endorsed

by Banks to map the coastline of New Holland (known today as Australia) and study the continent’s plants and animals. The Admiralty hired Brown based on Banks’s recommendation that included the assessment: “a Scotsman, fit to pursue an object with constance and cold mind.”

Commanded by Captain Matthew Flinders, Investigator set sail from England on July 18, 1801. Brown had under his supervision botanical illustrator Ferdinand Bauer and gardener Peter Good, selected by Banks from the staff at Kew to collect seeds and living plants. Landscape artist William Westall also sailed with the group.

Flinders managed to achieve his goal of being the first European to circumnavigate Australia, but when his ship finally returned to England, he was not on board. Deeming the vessel unseaworthy, Flinders and Westall attempted to make their way back home in 1803 as passengers on the ill-fated Porpoise.

They survived shipwreck but lost many horticultural specimens and drawings. Good died during the expedition. Left to continue their work together, Brown and Bauer finally braved stormy seas on the re-fitted Investigator to bring their findings back to London in the fall of 1805.

Welcomed home as a renowned naturalist, Brown was appreciated as

Sustainable Danville Tip of the Month

New Year, New Opportunity to Teach Your Kids about Healthy Choices

By Valerie Carlson Pressley

Like many of us, you have made resolutions for 2016, and leading a healthier life is on the top of your list. So, what about nurturing that same idea in the minds of your children? It seems educating adults about the benefits of organic eating and living more healthy is one thing; exposing children to that same information and motivating them is quite another.

Fortunately, kids are sponges for new experiences and convincing arguments. Including your children in activities and discussions about the foods you eat and the reasons behind the earth-friendly choices your family makes may be easier than you think. Here are a few simple ways to engage kids at home and pique their interest in all-things-healthy in the New Year.

1. Encourage child participation in meal preparation – Children as young as three years old can be big helpers around mealtime. With a rounded or plastic knife, kids can be shown how to slice fruits and vegetables such as watermelon or banana, or can be put in charge of shucking corn or snapping asparagus stalks.

Odds are, if they help prepare it, kids may be more apt to eat and enjoy it.

2. Plant a seed, grow a garden – Even if your available gardening space is limited to a kitchen window sill, that is still plenty of room to start an indoor garden and watch the seeds of plant life take root. Planting anything from parsley to sunflower seeds in small pots or containers will do the job: within weeks, they will begin to sprout and demonstrate the power of good soil, consistent watering, sunlight, and patience. If you have space in your yard to plant a larger vegetable or flower garden, then there is additional opportunity to teach children about safe pesticides, weed control, and the benefits of nutrient-rich composting. Or consider volunteering for The Bounty Garden, a community-service garden in Hap Magee Ranch Park. The Bounty Garden donates organic vegetables to local food pantries that are grown by volunteers. No experience is necessary. If interested, send an email to the-

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an author only by the most serious scholars. In 1810, after spending years describing plants from his vast Australian collection, including some 1,700 totally new to European taxonomists, he printed 250 copies of his first volume on plants native to New Holland. The poor reception of this publication by anyone beyond the community of dedicated scientists to whom he gave the first 24 copies killed his desire to pen the other volumes he had planned.

Turning his attention to studying plant reproduction under the microscope, Brown labeled the element he saw as central to the process of life in living cells the “nucleus.” Not the first to observe this structure, Brown is, nevertheless, credited with naming it. He also noticed a phenomenon of incessant movement exhibited by minute particles suspended in water, later termed “Brownian Motion.”

Although many Australian plants are suitable for California gardens, few of the ones named for Robert Brown are readily available. Banksia brownii (Feather-leaved Banksia) is a large shrub or small ornamental tree. The 6” cylindrical red flower heads are set off by fern-like green foliage. Frost-tolerant once established, this species is also drought tolerant. A Southern California grower sometimes offers it: www.australiannativeplants.com.

Out of scale for most properties, Cyathea brownii (Norfolk Island Tree Fern) is the largest of all tree ferns and a water guzzler. Young specimens imbibe as much as two quarts a day, but hate having wet feet. They form a trunk early and don’t like being moved. Since their full mature height can be 100 feet, gardeners should exercise considerable care in adding one of these tree ferns to their landscape. They are hardy to 27ºF, but quickly outgrow the possibility of being draped in frost cloth during a sudden freeze.

The Linnaean Society of London felt it only fair that one of the 140 new genera Brown identified should be named in his honor. Unfortunately, Irish botanist Patrick Browne had been recognized already with a genus labeled Brownea. The Society decided Brunonia was close enough. The single species in the genus, Brunonia australis grows wild throughout much of Australia.

Commonly known as Blue Pincushion or native Cornflower, the short-lived perennial seeds itself readily in well-drained soil.

Reading about the exploits of the early plant hunters seems preferable to personally experiencing their pain and privation. I actively avoid high adventure by discovering plants new to me in nurseries, public gardens, and catalogues. bountygarden@gmail.com.

3. Get moving and grooving – On rain-free Danville days, it is time to leave the car at home and roll the bikes out of the garage. Not only is bike riding a great family activity, but the exercise will make drinking water and eating juicy, refreshing fruit even more satisfying. If you see yourself embracing bike riding on a regular basis, invest in some sturdy bicycle baskets to attach to your child’s handlebars so they can help transport groceries or goodies home from your next outing.

4. Support your local Farmers’ Market – Farmers’ Markets are a treasure trove of locally grown, organic produce, plants, flowers, jam, nuts, honey, fish, and meat. They also serve as a fantastic outdoor venue for people watching, connecting with neighbors, and enjoying local entertainment. Yet, one of the most valuable features of patronizing your local farmers’ market is exposing your kids to the growers of the food and items being sold. Saunter up to an apple vendor and ask why their apples are superior to the ones you can buy in the store. Undoubtedly, the vendor will eagerly share his/her reasoning, along with a tasty sample to reinforce the point. In that instant, your kids will have just witnessed learning outside of the classroom in its purest form.

As you can see, taking steps towards a more organic, health-infused lifestyle doesn’t have to be monumental to move mountains for children.

Some very simple things—buying and discussing the benefits of organic foods, getting kids’ hands dirty in the kitchen and garden, promoting the thrill of exercise over a car’s carbon footprint, and supporting local farmers and their products—will leave a positive imprint on the minds and choices of our children, and hopefully last for a lifetime to come.

Wishing you a happy and very healthy 2016! For more sustainable tips, visit SustainableDanville.com or follow us at www.facebook.com/sustainabledanville.

Valerie Carlson Pressley is a marketing professional, freelance writer and mother of two in Danville. She can be found riding her turquoise Trek cruiser to the Danville Farmers’ Market on Saturdays with her stash of LOVE reusable bags. Email: vcpressley@gmail.com

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Life in the Alamo Garden

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 19

Right Plant – Right Place

By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059

With California’s cycle of drought the introduction of drought tolerant, native, Mediterranean, and Australian-based plant material has infiltrated the main-stream landscape design styles. The days of junipers, oleanders, Monterrey pines, ivy, and oh yes, agapanthus are long gone. When I interview my clients one of the questions I ask is, “What plants do you absolutely hate?” The above list always contains the unmentionable plants of the 60’s drought genre.

With the awareness of California’s sensitive water issues, our firm has integrated water-conserving measures into our design styles as a general practice.

As a result of this new style our landscapes are being planted with a much more diverse and drought tolerant plant palette. Nursery growers are cultivating a broader spectrum of plant species as well as sub-species and cultivars. What that means in common terms is we have a better assortment of plants to be creative with. These new selections are not only showing up in boutique nurseries like Orchard Nursery in Lafayette, but are also showing up at Ace and Home Depot.

The result is a landscape style that I call “California Casual” which enhances the home environment with color, texture, and fragrance. The overall look is a mix of mildly manicured plants and structure in the background, an open sprawling look in the foreground and interesting focal points for directed interest.

“California Casual” is a much more relaxed landscape style in comparison to the landscapes of the East Coast, Europe, and landscapes of the 50’s and 60’s.

Background planting is so important because it is what shows off the color, texture, and focal interest. Some good examples of background plantings are Choisya ternata - Mexican orange, Pittosporum tobira ‘Marjorie Channon’ Variegated mock orange, Laurus ‘Saratoga’ – Laurel, Ceanothus var. – California lilac, and Abelia grandiflora to name a few.

Creating a focal point of interest is very important to creating landscape style.

You’ve seen landscapes that you can’t exactly put your finger on it why you don’t quite like it. Well it’s because what you are seeing is a mix of one of these and one of those and two of these and three of those. Everything is homogeneous! Boring!

A landscape needs interest! Create a focal point by bringing your attention to a beautiful multi-trunk tree, gloriously blooming shrub, or even a small break in the change of texture. And you don’t need just one focal point; turn a corner and there, a surprise! Make it fun!

Now is what really brings the “California Casual” style together is color, texture, and fragrance. Use lots of colorful perennials, grasses, and smelly stuff. It brings shocking beauty to your own backyard. Lavender, Catmint, Germander, Hardy Geraniums, Hellebores, and Day Lilies add vivid color in an open-sprawling manner when set off by that structured background. Ornamental grasses can add the dramatic texture that will set any landscape apart from the homogeneous one. With a wide selection of flax, sedges, fescues, iris’ and sub-tropical grasses available, a planting design can have drama from spring to late winter with arching blades in various color schemes to whimsical movement of the seed heads.

Bring on the fragrance! Daphne, Lilac, Gardenia, Mexican Orange, Citrus, Lavender, and Jasmine can delight your senses from winter to fall. Fragrance adds pleasure to your landscape experience.

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Announcement! We will be holding our annual “Life in the Garden Tour” fundraiser in the spring of 2017.

Call for details

925.939.8300 solartechnologies.com Lic. #932914

The drought has been very detrimental to our client’s gardens this year, and they will need another year to rehabilitate. We hope the drought will end with all of the wonderful rain we are receiving.

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: The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied.

They always look forward to doing something better than they have ever done before. - Vita Sackville-West, 1892 – 1962 If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com or www. houzz.com/pro/jmla/john-montgomery-landscape-architects.

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Page 20 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Winter Pruning

By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

Now is a great time to prune your trees to protect them against winter storms. A judicious pruning can reduce the likelihood of branches falling and causing damage to person or property. Evergreens, such as cedars, and many species of deciduous trees, such as valley oaks, can be pruned in the late fall and early winter, and now is by far the best time to prune pines. Monterey pines can only be pruned between October 1 and February 15 without attracting pine beetles. These potentially lethal beetles, which can smell sap from long distances, go dormant in the winter.

Some species of beetles carry pine pitch canker, an increasingly common fungal disease that disfigures pine trees and sometimes kills them. If your tree has dead tips scattered throughout the canopy, it probably suffers from pine pitch canker. To prolong the aesthetic life of the diseased tree, prune out the infected tips when the beetles are dormant.

Even healthy trees require occasional pruning to keep them safe and beautiful. Many trees are subject to branch and column failure. Thinning the crown reduces the wind-sail effect of the canopy and thereby reduces the risk of the tree failing in a windstorm. Removing weight from the ends of heavy branches reduces the likelihood that those branches will break.

Pruning trees for safety is a craft requiring study and experience. A wellpruned tree should not only be safer, it should look beautiful. At Brende & Lamb we take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning. Each plant has a natural growth pattern. Our trimmers are expert at accentuating the shape given the plant by nature. Within the bounds of what is healthy for each species, Brende & Lamb works to make trees as beautiful as possible.

Our trimmers are well practiced in aesthetic pruning and are attuned to the artistic flow inherent in tree forms. The form may be weeping, as with Willows and Chinese Elms. In some species, such as Monterey Cypress, branches ascend at acute angles to the trunk, giving the tree an upswept look. Branches in the coast live oak bend and twist, forming complex arcs. Each tree species has a unique form and flow.

When necessary, trees and shrubs can be reduced in size, but crown reduction requires a good eye; a poorly reduced tree looks like a thicket of stubs. Topping is almost always a bad idea. However, the crown of many trees can be reduced by cutting back long branches to the crotches formed by shorter branches growing in the same direction. If the branch doesn’t fork, we cut back to the lowest growth point that will neither create a thick stub nor undermine the arching quality of the branch. When a tree or shrub

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has been reduced in this way, it’s difficult to detect the cuts or tell that the branches have been shortened.

Sometimes the form of trees needs to be modified to capture or accentuate views. View pruning requires restraint and a willingness to compromise. In view work, the beauty of the view and the beauty of the tree often seem to be in conflict. Many pruners focus solely on the view and simply hack back the tree. However, more than the tree’s beauty is at stake. Topping stimulates production of water sprouts, and it also causes disease and rot - all of which make the tree more, not less, dangerous. However, view problems can often be solved by looking at tree-and-view as an aesthetic unity, as two elements that complement and frame each other. Sometimes, lightly bringing the tree back without cutting into major branches can prevent further encroachment on the view.

To recover even more of the view, we create “windows” by selectively removing branches not essential for the tree’s natural form. We can enlarge these by removing small branches that rise or drop into the view. Thinning above and below the window creates an overall feeling of openness, rather than an abrupt gaping hole. The image of Mount Diablo framed by the trembling needles of a well-windowed Redwood proves that nature and civilization can complement each other - as can aesthetics and practicality.

If your trees need a little TLC to protect them against winter winds, or if your property could use a little fire protection, 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, Advertorial client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood.

Club continued from front page

at heart,” clarifies club president Andrea Ward. “We are what is called a ‘new generations’ club.”

Ward herself is a third generation Rotarian. Her grandfather was a Rotarian, as is her father. Service is in her blood. She is a believer in the classic Gandhi quote, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service to others,” and has the phrase posted on the Club’s Facebook page. “I love community service,” says the energetic Ward, who, in addition to her duties as Rotary president, works fulltime in San Francisco, is planning a wedding, and just moved to a new home. “For me, Rotary is the perfect catalyst for giving back. This group of Diablo View Rotarians, currently about 40 of us, knows how to plan a successful service event and have fun while doing it.”

Rotary’s three aspects include its many clubs, Rotary International which supports the clubs worldwide by coordinating global programs and initiatives, and The Rotary Foundation which funds Rotarian projects via voluntary contributions. Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and around the globe. The 1.2 million Rotarians who make up more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in nearly every country in the world share a dedication to the ideal of ‘Service Above Self.’ Rotary clubs are open to people of all cultures and ethnicities, and they are not affiliated with any political or religious organizations.

The Diablo View club primarily services the local community. Members organize beach cleaning outings, sort food at local food banks, serve meals to those in need, package reading materials for local tutors to use in the area’s schools, and assist with anything else that members can do to help in the community. Recent events included a 5K-scavenger hunt, a poker tournament, and day-after-Thanksgiving photos with Santa.

When member Stephanie Shaterian was seeking a local Rotary to join (there are eleven within a ten mile radius of Walnut Creek), she visited several and immediately felt at home with the Diablo View group. “Everyone was so friendly and welcoming,” says Shaterian who lives in Lafayette and owns a creative agency. “This group has fun while doing good. And members come from a variety of professions, which is great when I need a referral for anything from insurance to home repair.”

“When I know someone is a Rotarian, I feel I can trust them,” says Ward who has also used fellow club members for various referrals. “Please come join us on a Tuesday night in Walnut Creek, and see for yourself what a great group of people we have. This is a great place to connect with local professionals, make friends with people that live in the area, and most importantly, fill that gap in your Tuesday night schedule.”

Diablo View Rotary meets every Tuesday evening, 5:30 – 6:30 at 1545 Locust St., Walnut Creek. Drop-ins are welcome. For more information, visit www.diabloviewrotary.org.

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Energy Matters

Deadlines and Victories

By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar

The fourth quarter of 2015 was a record-breaking quarter for installation of solar PV systems in the state of California. In November, there were 5,942 solar PV projects completed and approved for interconnection to the grid in PGE territory alone. In last months article, I discussed the factors that are driving this installation volume. The ramifications of this volume of installation are far-reaching. At the current rate of installations, a “trigger cap” for the new regulations is going to happen much sooner than expected. The trigger date for changes is July 17, 2017; the trigger cap is 5% solar penetration into the PGE grid. PGE expects that the 5% trigger cap will happen during the summer of 2016.

The final design and impact of “Net Metering 2.0” is still to be determined. Hopefully PGE and the solar industry will progress from their entrenched policy positions and recognize that a balance must be struck; solar needs the grid, and the grid consumers (and the planet) need solar.

Consensus is that those who connect their solar during Net Metering 1.0 (current regulations) are going to reap greater financial return than those who “go solar” after the “NEM 2.0” changes. It’s not a certainty, but by all indications, lesser solar returns for some consumers will be the result under NEM 2.0.

Breaking News: I’m more than halfway thru writing this article, instead of starting over and rewriting I’ll simply continue with an update: The Net Metering 2.0 initial ruling has been published. A big win for consumers is that new solar customers under NEM 2.0 (upon final approval) will still get full retail value from their solar. Unfortunately, new customers under NEM 2.0 will be subjected to new interconnection application fees. Also, “Time of Use” rates are going to be imposed on customers in a few years.

However, “Time of Use” rates are typically already advantageous to the customer and the utility if a properly designed solar PV system is installed.

There are other nuances that may slightly reduce the value of solar PV under NEM 2.0, but in general, as is currently proposed, it’s a HUGE WIN for the California consumer. Unlike a recent Nevada ruling, new legislation in California can not retroactively damage someone’s financial returns for a solar PV system; these rulings grandfather anyone who goes solar during the time periods of NEM 1.0 and 2.0 into 20 years of these defined benefits.

Even bigger news, nationally: Extension of the Federal Tax Credit for homes and business is another big win for the American economy, jobs, and consumers. I believe it’s becoming an accepted belief that renewable energy is a critical element of a cohesive homeland security policy. The Federal Tax Credit was extended in its current form with the first planned credit percentage step-downs starting in 2019. It’s hard to describe how important this legislation is to the renewable energy industry. It’s also very important to give credit to both political parties who have proven this is not a partisan issue.

Another matter related to Homeland Security is that of the security of our electric grid. Simply do a Google search on “Iranians and U.S. grid.” Your research will find that our grid has been subjected to cyber attacks. The attackers “have the capability to strike at will,” according to intelligence experts. One of the best ways to damage our economy is to cripple our utility grid. The real problem with cyber attacks is that it’s very hard to prove from where they came.

There’s a headline on Solar Industry News that reads as such: “New Products help owners and managers collect solar plant data in fine detail.”

Consumers: Data, for data’s sake, is useless. Extreme data detail serves to confuse the average consumer. With upgrades to traditional technology, the granularity of too much data is unnecessary, and the products that can generate such granularity of data simply add complexity to an otherwise very safe investment. Simplicity and reliability get the job done, for decades. Solar, done right, is a wonderful investment.

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.

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 21

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Page 22 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Icons continued from page 13

Garden store, selling such products as oak firewood, sacks of coal, pool supplies, burlap bags, and straw. They painted three of the sides red but didn’t bother to paint the west side which kept its original gold paint.

Danville Depot

Dick Dowell rented the upstairs apartment from Joe Ramos Jr. from 1970 to 1983. An antique collector, skilled carpenter and bachelor with lady friends, he obtained the Baldwin Ranch water tank and reassembled it as a hot tub accessible from the second floor. We will tell some of these stories at one of the Saturday 10:30AM talks during the exhibit’s run.

Red Horse Tavern

The historic Red Horse Tavern is a prime example of the way Robert Noble Burgess chose to develop his Mount Diablo Country Club beginning in 1912. He employed architects and other designers to plan the Club and managed to get the new electric railway from Saranap to the Club, helping to put Danville, trips to Mount Diablo, and the new club on the map.

Needing room and board facilities for non-club members and living quarters for employees, Burgess moved an 1881 carriage house and employed architect Arthur Benton to design a public tavern with rooms. It opened in 1917, was named the Red Horse Tavern, and featured a carousel-sized horse’s head hanging inside. The tavern building is still in its original location and can be compared with the original drawings.

Red Horse Tavern

The Museum borrowed the Red Horse head from a Diablo Country Club lounge (now called the Red Horse Tavern). Original dishes from the tavern are on display. There are also programs and coins from the Pan Pacific International Exposition, an event in 1915 which Burgess took advantage of to draw people to Mount Diablo and his new club.

This exhibit is a short one, open only from January 23 to February 28, so don’t miss the great stories which surround each of these buildings. Each Saturday, beginning January 30, one building will be featured in a 10:30AM talk. It is underwritten by Linda Gossett.

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville.

It is open Tuesday - Friday from 1PM - 4PM, Saturday from 10AM - 1PM, and Sunday from 12PM - 3PM. For more information, call (925) 837-3750 or visit museumsrv.org.

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Are You Debating A New Job Offer? By Peter Waldron

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

In today’s business world, job offers are becoming more complicated. It pays to know the variables and how they can impact your financial life. From a Financial Planners point of view, here are 10 items you should be evaluating prior to accepting a new job offer.

1. 401(k) - Is there a match? Is there profit sharing? What are the investment options? You can research 401(k) plans on Brightscope.com to find different investment options and how their funds have done.

2. Employee Stock Options - What’s the vesting period? What’s the exercise period? Is there the ability to complete an 83(b) Election? How long will it be until you receive your first round of refreshers and what qualifies you to receive refreshers and stock options?

3. ESPP Program - For publicly traded companies, is there an Employee Stock Purchase Plan? Is there a discount? What is the discount percentage?

4. Portable Insurance - Is there Portable Insurance through the employer?

Portable Insurance is Long-Term Care, Life, or Disability Insurance that you take with you when you retire and/or leave employment with that company.

5. Pension - Is there a pension plan? How does the pension plan work?

What amount of money will you receive if you leave early? When does it vest? All of these are great questions to ask about your pension plan benefits.

6. Salary - What will your starting salary be? How often will you receive salary increases, and what are the parameters with getting those increases?

Is there a cost of living adjustment?

7. Bonus - How are your bonuses determined? Is there a metric for determining bonuses? How often do bonuses get paid out? Are the bonuses determined on personal performance or company performance?

8. Deferred Compensation - Is there a deferred compensation plan which allows you to set aside bonuses for the future? How much of your income can you place within your plan and what level of pay grade do you need to reach to be eligible to participate?

9. Legal Benefits - Does the company offer prepaid legal benefits? This allows you obtain legal advice that is supplemented via payroll deduction, allowing you the ability to pay for Estate Planning Documents (Wills and Trusts). Also, if you get in trouble with the law you can have a backup with regards to having legal counsel.

10. Health Insurance - What Health Insurance Plan does the employer offer? Is it comparable to what your current employer offers? How much is paid by the employer, and what is paid by the employee?

As a Financial Planner with over 12 years of experience, I’ve seen a lot of people take offers without considering this material information, resulting in lost opportunity and lost benefits. If you are looking into a new employment opportunity, please sit down with your financial advisor.

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

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Technology Matters

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

Ever since the first personal computers were introduced in the late 1970’s, we’ve become locked into a reflexive pattern when it comes to purchasing new gear. We seem to buy the same sorts of devices and all the same software, over and over. We want nothing but the biggest, fastest computer with the most storage and RAM that our money can buy. But what if buying that size and capacity didn’t matter any longer? We’re seeing a shift in the way all of these pieces fit together, and I want to explore it with you, because the computing model is rapidly changing.

The shift in the way we use our devices has been gradual, but we’re seeing it accelerate. The confluence of widespread WiFi availability, an explosion of useful e-Commerce websites in every conceivable industry, and of course all of the social networking and related websites has redefined the way we compute and access information. The result is that most people simply don’t need a full-fledged computer to do the majority of the tasks they find important any more. These days, they only need a way to get to the web to view websites, a way to read their email and to view files they may receive, and perhaps a way to occasionally print. Anything else they need can usually wait until they are around a “real” computer. When you consider that all your typical office productivity applications (such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint) are all available in online versions from the internet, it frees you to consider entirely different hardware for your business or home. Really, we can re-think the whole equation.

In the past, it wasn’t unusual for a company to need a large file server, a separate email server, a big backup system, and some database or application servers. Every four or five years, we would replace it all. A little over 15 years ago, a guy named Larry Ellison correctly predicted, “The network is the computer,” and he was right. As network connectivity has exploded across the globe, so have the providers of internet-based applications. Whether it’s ‘Google’ or ‘Bing’ to search for information, “Office 365” or “Google Docs” for email, word processing and spreadsheets, or “SalesForce.com” or “Zoho” for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, there is an application for just about everything we used to do locally on our personal computers and servers. The concept of a local server is rapidly becoming obsolete.

These days, we have clients with several hundred employees who don’t have a single server or application locally hosted at their company. One hundred percent of their daily work is accomplished through online websites, file storage, and email. In addition to safeguarding client data, our effort now is to concentrate on network capacity, stability, and redundancy. It’s a complete shift.

Where does this leave us with our expensive laptops, desktops, and servers? In my opinion, it leaves us with lots of excess computing capacity.

For the most part, I think we’re using our expensive computer hardware as glorified web-terminals. If everything can be done through a website, why can’t we re-think how we structure our computing environment and where we invest our resources?

One of the services that we are developing is called “IaaS,” or “Infrastructure as a Service.” It enables our clients to outsource their entire computing infrastructure, including all of their networking and the very machines they use. Instead of our clients buying expensive computers that are currently being used for email, office apps and websites, we can provide modern-day web terminals or portable ChromeBooks to access 100% of what our clientele need through the internet. If you could do everything you currently do now but on a $250 ChromeBook instead of an $800-$1,200 laptop with the same quality of experience, wouldn’t you? If you could eliminate the capital expense of a server and its maintenance while improving data reliability, stability, and employee access, wouldn’t you? We’ve been studying this closely and cannot find much other than high-end graphics design or 3D/CAD modeling which is still best done on a strong local computer. For everyday office use, we can migrate, securely, all other typical office functions to the internet and still maintain our client data integrity and redundancy.

Obviously, we cannot switch it out overnight! New companies have an advantage, because they can start out in the new model instead of retrofitting an existing infrastructure. Every situation is different, but anything is possible if you create a plan. If being on top of this fundamental shift in computing intrigues you, please contact us and let’s chat. We’re excited about what the future holds and would love to bring you along with us.

You can reach us at info@theportablecio.com, or 925-552-7953. Advertorial

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 23

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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 kicks-off in January with a class on Winter Blooming Plants, followed by a Rose Pruning Workshop with Marsha Hildebrand, and a class on arranging Succulents themed for Valentine’s Day. In February, 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 full schedule of classes is as follows: Jan. 13 – Winter Blooming Plants with Kristin Yanker-Hansen (7pm) Jan. 16 – Rose Pruning with Marsha Hildebrand (10am) Jan. 23 – Succulent Arrangements with Diane Goldsmith (10am) 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.

Page 24 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Around Town

By Roger Smith What is Smart911?

Smart911 is free and allows you to provide valuable information about yourself and your family to 9-1-1 call takers and first responders in the event of an emergency. If a disaster strikes, first responders can have vital information such as home access, utility shut off, bedroom locations, and pet information. At a time when seconds count, being able to provide 9-1-1 with all details that could impact response the second an emergency call is placed could be the difference between life and death. Now is the time to make a New Year’s Resolution and create a Safety Profile for your family at www.smart911.com.

Family Communication Plan: Due to damage and heavy phone traffic, it is often easier to communicate with someone that is out of state during an emergency. Therefore, choose a long-distance relative or close friend that your family can all contact if separated. Teach your household members to use this number as a form of communicating and letting one know that the other is safe.

Lastly, don’t forget to talk with your out-of-state contact to make them aware of the plan and ensure they are comfortable with this role.

Family Meeting Place: Designate a meeting place that your family will immediately go to when disaster strikes. The place you choose should be outside your neighborhood in the event that it is not safe to return to your home or stay in its surrounding areas. Each family member should be capable of reciting the address of the meeting place or locating it on their own if need be.

Safety Bracelets: If you live in a disaster-prone area, consider making “safety bracelets” for each member of the family. The bracelets have customized information engraved on the inside including a first and last name, home address, emergency contacts, severe allergies or health restrictions, and a long distance phone number to a close friend or relative. Request that everyone wear the bracelet at all times especially if your children are young or living with a disability.

Disabilities or Traveling Restrictions: A family with disabilities or travel-

Alamo Police Statistics

Sheriff David Livingston reported 36 crimes in Alamo during the month of November which included alarm calls, drunk in public, burglary, felony theft, mentally ill hospitalization, malicious telephone calls, outside assist, patrol request, petty theft, lost property, service to citizen, suspicious circumstances, identity theft, vandalism, and warrant arrest.

Reported Incidents

The primary issue in November that was reported had been residential burglaries. There were seven burglaries reported for the month. The reports were taken at the following locations.

• 10 block of Garden Estates • 100 block of La Serena Ave • 60 block of Pleasant Knoll Ct. • 200 block of Stone Valley Way • 20 block of Sugarloaf Terr. • 1400 block of Twelve Oaks Ct. • 100 block of Via Serena All cases are currently ongoing. Police have reason to believe that at least one of the burglaries involved a gang out of Oakland due to video footage that captured the suspect’s vehicle. No one had been harmed during the commission of the burglaries.

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ing restrictions should start by connecting with the local police department and becoming familiar with the emergency evacuation plan. Using this information, develop a back-up strategy with close friends and neighbors in the event that the disabled or restricted family member is alone during a disastrous situation.

Lastly, to ensure emergency responders will have the information they need to properly assist your family, be sure to include details describing the health condition of each household member on your Smart911 Safety Profile.

Pet Safety: When a rapid onset disaster hits home, no animal should be left behind. However, most emergency shelters do not permit animals due to health regulations. Knowing this, research the various animal shelters, veterinary offices, or even close friends in your area that are willing to house your pet or working animal during an emergency. Lastly, be sure to include your pet in the ‘family survival kit’ preparation. Stock enough food and water for your animal(s) to last at least 72 hours.

Alamo Farmer’s Market

After the holidays and during the winter months, one of the best ways to lose those extra pounds is to have “light” dinner options with a 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.

An excellent source for fresh vegetables for your soups and stews is the Alamo Farmer’s Market. 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 full of knowledge about their produce.

The Alamo Farmer’s Market is open 9AM -2PM every Sunday. “See you at the Market!’

AIA’s 2015 Annual Membership Drive and Report

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.

January Evening THE ROAD flows swiftly past Diablo, massive Red against a cobalt sky, pink pastel shades Above low ochre hills, in distance passive; The rapid wheels turn westward where parade The fading yellow splendors of Day’s King.

Whose rest begins as mountain tintings fade; The canyons darken, but above still fling Cameo peaks against the glowing sky; Fast-nearing evening moments bring From hundred points a motor’s blazing eye; The long Bay Bridge -- its thousand arches bear Above the lapping waves a passage dry; The glorious day, commune with Nature fair, Ends with the light at home, -- without a care. ~ From Poetic Years at Alamo by Benjamin Fred Hall, 1937

Do you have a story idea or local news to share with our community?

Call us at 925.405.6397 or email us at Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.

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Give from Your Heart, but Use Your Head

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 25

By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law

During the holidays, generosity is widespread. Many people make gifts to loved ones and charities. On the surface, gift-giving is simple and straightforward. Without considering certain financial, tax, and control factors, however, it is easy to make a mistake about the timing, type and/or amount of a prospective gift. Ultimately, it may or may not be wise to make the gift at all.

Below, I’ll give a few examples of common gift-giving mistakes, some of which can be painful.

• Mistake #1: Giving an amount that leaves you vulnerable to a lower quality of life. I have worked with generous clients who concentrate so much on what they would like to give to loved ones that they lose sight of, or convince themselves to sacrifice, their own financial wellbeing.

People are living longer. Future financial markets, your long-term health needs and the circumstances of an intended donee are never certain.

So, unless you are extraordinarily wealthy, you are well advised to be conservative when making (irrevocable) gifts.

• Mistake #2: Failing to take advantage of federal estate and gift tax rules. Federal estate tax and gift tax rules render certain gifts tax neutral. It is wise to seek advice about these rules so you can give in the most tax efficient manner. For example, if you give more than $14,000 (in cash and/or the value of other assets) to any individual(s) during a calendar year, you are required to file a federal gift tax return; and the excess you give to anyone over $14,000 reduces the federal estate tax exemption available on your death. Additionally, you are able to give (pay) an unlimited amount to healthcare providers and educational institutions for the benefit of a loved one as long as the payments are made directly to the provider.

• Mistake #3. Missing the opportunity to designate a charitable organization(s) as beneficiary of your retirement plan (e.g. IRA or 401K). If you’re charitably inclined, you should consider designating one or more charities as beneficiary of your retirement plan rather than as beneficiary of your living trust. Charities enjoy a tax-exempt status. So, when a charity withdraws funds from the retirement plan it inherits from you, it pays no income tax and therefore enjoys 100% of the plan funds.

Alternatively, when your loved one is the beneficiary of your retirement plan (assuming you funded it with pre-tax dollars), your loved one will pay federal and state income tax on the amounts he or she withdraws, and will thus enjoy as little as about 60% of the plan funds.

• Mistake #4: Making lifetime versus testamentary gifts of appreciated assets. Elders are often inclined to make lifetime gifts of highly appreciated assets, such as a principal residence, vacation home or investment property, to children or other loved ones. However, if your loved ones instead receive such appreciated asset on your death, they receive a major income tax benefit known as a “step-up” in income tax basis.

This allows the inheritor to sell the asset and pay no income tax on the sale.

Alternatively, if you gifted the same asset during your life and your loved ones sold the asset, they would step into your shoes and be liable for income tax just as you would have been if you had sold the asset. Accordingly, it behooves you to talk to your tax advisor to determine how compelling the basis “step-up” will be if you keep an appreciated asset and gift it on your death (e.g. through your living trust) rather than during your life.

• Mistake #5: Gifting to minors into a custodial account. Many people make substantial gifts to minors into custodial accounts without realizing that the minor for whom the account is established will irrevocably own and control the funds upon reaching 18 - the age of majority (or as otherwise set up when establishing the account - in California, no older than 25). Instead, by creating an irrevocable trust for the minor, you can meaningfully control the disposition of funds to the child before and after he or she reaches a

certain age(s) and/or satisfies certain conditions that you, the donor, deem necessary or appropriate. You can name a trustee and successor trustees in whom you have confidence to manage and distribute the funds prudently to the beneficiary.

Upon request, I’ll be happy to provide you, on a complimentary basis, any or all of the following: i) an “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) a brochure on alternative methods of holding title to property; iii) an 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 should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors.

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Page 26 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Robotic Surgery for Prostate Cancer Speeds Patient Recovery

By Stephen Taylor, MD

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, second only to lung cancer. There are no symptoms of prostate cancer in its earliest, most curable stages.

The combination of the digital rectal exam and the prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening tests have allowed for the earlier detection of prostate cancer. Approximately 90% of prostate cancer patients can now be discovered at potentially curable stages.

Not every patient with prostate cancer needs to be treated. There are several types of prostate cancer, and many men with the slowest growing type do not require immediate treatment. However, there are some types that are more aggressive, can be life threatening, and do require treatment to prevent spread, before it becomes incurable. Men with this type are faced with a decision on which treatment to choose. They have a choice between one of the various forms of radiation therapy or surgery to remove the prostate gland in its entirety. There have been significant advances in both radiation treatments and surgery. Calypso beacons can be placed inside the prostate to help localize the exact boundaries of the prostate during radiation treatments which helps to prevent radiation damage to surrounding organs such as the bladder and rectum. This significantly reduces the risk of side effects.

Robotic surgery has revolutionized the surgical treatment of prostate cancer. It is a minimally invasive procedure which removes the cancerous prostate gland in its entirety and local lymph nodes when indicated. It usually involves one night in the hospital, minimal pain, minimal scaring, and rapid return to normal function. There is still a small risk of incontinence (2%) and risk of impotence.

I found a nodule in the prostate of a 56 year old patient on rectal examination. His PSA was normal at 2.1. He had a prostate biopsy which showed he had prostate cancer, the slow growing type (Gleason 6). He was normally sexually active and a long distance runner. Because of his young age, he decided to have surgery rather than active surveillance. He had a robotic radical prostatectomy where the nerves for erection were preserved. The final pathology revealed a more aggressive type (Gleason 7), but no spread outside the prostate and all lymph nodes were free of disease. He is now one year after surgery, fully continent (no leakage), potent, and able to engage in sexual activity. His PSA level is undetectable. He just finished a 100 mile run where he raised $5,000 for prostate cancer research!

Advances in treatment of prostate cancer, with robotic surgery and new forms of targeted radiation therapy, allow men quick recovery, minimal risk of permanent side effects, and return to a normal life with high chances of being cured of their disease.

Dr. Stephen Taylor is a Urologist with Pacific Urology. He specializes in robotic urologic surgeries and prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers. He treats patients in Walnut Creek and Concord and can be reached at (925) Advertorial 937-7740 or by visiting www.PacificUrology.com.

Is Food a Problem for You?

Overeaters Anonymous offers a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive overeating. This is a 12-step program. The free meetings are for anyone suffering from a food addiction including overeating, under-eating, and bulimia. The group meets Wednesdays at 6PM at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lafayette. Visit www.how-oa.org for more information.

Hearing Loss Association

Come to meetings of the Diablo Valley Chapter of Hearing Loss Association of America at 7pm on the 1st Wednesday of the month at the Walnut Creek United Methodist Church located at 1543 Sunnyvale Ave., Walnut Creek Education Bldg., Wesley Room. Meeting room and parking are at back of church. All are welcome. Donations are accepted. An assistive listening system is available for T-coils, and most meetings are captioned. Contact HLAADV@hearinglossdv. org or (925) 264-1199 or www.hearinglossdv.org for more information.

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Why Teenage Boys and Girls Need the HPV Vaccine

By Gigi Chen, MD

January is cervical cancer awareness month, so what does that have to do with the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine?

First of all, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US today and can cause health issues that affect the genital areas, mouth, and throat of men and women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate there are approximately 9,300 men and 17,500 women affected each year by cancers caused from HPV. Diagnoses we most often seen are oropharyngeal cancer in men and cervical cancer in women.

The HPV vaccine will help protect boys and girls from developing the HPV infection. Specifically, the vaccine will help protect boys from developing genital warts (and other HPV related cancers) and protect girls from developing cervical cancer and genital warts. The CDC recommends that the HPV vaccine (series of three shots) be given to children between the ages of 11 and 12 years of age, but it may be given beginning at age nine years, well before becoming sexually active. This recommendation is endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

If children are not vaccinated when younger, it is recommended to have “catch up vaccines” for males through age 21 and females through age 26.

It is also important to point out that the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer, therefore girls still need to have regular Pap tests.

Most people do not know they are infected with HPV because they never develop symptoms or health problems. Others learn they have HPV when they develop genital warts or more serious problems.

Medical research and development continue to give us effective advances in disease prevention that help us all.

Dr. Chen is a Medical Oncologist with Diablo Valley Oncology. She sees patients in Walnut Creek, San Ramon and Pleasant Hill and can be reached at (925) 677-5041. Advertorial

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Group Helps People Cope with Death of Pets

When you lose your pet, you often feel like a part of you is lost. The death of your beloved animal companion is one of the most difficult losses you may ever feel. This loss is sometimes made more painful by society’s seeming lack of support for pet grief.

Hospice of the East Bay and the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation is offering a support group where participants can share memories and feelings and talk to others who truly understand and care. Meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30-7PM at the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek.

For further information and/or to register, please call Bereavement Services at Hospice of the East Bay (925) 887-5681.

Hospice of the East Bay Bereavement Services are provided free of charge to all community members in need. However, donations are greatly appreciated.

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Your Path…Brick By Beautiful Brick! By Michelle Brown, C.P.T, C.G.T.

Have you made a New Years resolution and managed to make it happen? If so, statistics show that you are a rare breed with only 8% of people who set resolutions keeping them! Let’s face it: Setting goal is the easy part. It’s the follow through and the finish where we tend to give up, but one step off the golden path to success is not failure. The truth is that the path is ours to pave, ours to design.

Instead of overwhelming yourself with some major change, break that big goal down into tiny do-ables that you can feel good about every day. Every little positive action we take in the direction of a goal is a brick laid. Building a beautiful path to success may take a little more time, but the result will be something that you can be proud of; one that actually supports your journey to the next level.

The most common New Years resolution is weight loss. Weight loss programs have bloomed into a $20 billion dollar industry, with an approximated 100 million people on diets at any given time. These temporary fixes are non sustainable because they don’t actually provide the necessary tools to change habits. Most people go back to old habits after losing weight and often end up heavier than where they started. If this sounds familiar, please don’t lose hope. There is a path to success. Honesty is where that path starts. There is no such thing as perfection. Do not expect to look like a super model by the end of the year. The goal is whole health. Eating a bunch of boxed chemicals in order to comply with some weight loss program that has “worked for you in the past” doesn’t work for you in the long term. If it did you would not be doing it again! Smaller changes will get bigger results in the long run.

One really easy change is to make breakfast a protein shake. Many people don’t eat breakfast, and this can cause desperate eating later in the day. A glass full of hidden greens, fruits, and protein is a wonderful replacement for empty calories like bagels which, by the way, actually create more hunger.

You can always find recipes and protein powders on the Gumsaba blog!

Set intentions. I like setting mine on the day of the full moon each month.

These are not changes to be made; they are little positive points to focus on.

Statements like “wake and thank,” “be the helper,” and “love unconditionally” help me maintain a positive outlook and really remind me of what is important when things get shifty. This action has been an incredible support in my own effort to pave a cleaner, healthier life, and more beautiful path through life.

If you struggle with exercise, please don’t go buying a gym membership that, speaking statistically, you probably won’t use. Time with a personal trainer is a much more cost effective and a more efficient way to get you moving. If a personal trainer is out of your budget, there are some amazing online resources and even online coaching for a real bargain and sometimes for free. If that just isn’t your cup of tea, make a simple commitment to move every day. Whether it’s walking with your dog, hiking, or dancing to your favorite song, a little bit every day goes a really long way. Leave your judgement behind; if you get winded before the song is over, then dance every day until you get through the song.

Keeping a journal of your positive accomplishments and thoughts can be a supportive and effective tool for building your beautiful path. Seeing “I danced for twenty minutes today!” could be the brick that moves you to higher ground. Be proud of your accomplishment, no matter the size. Your positive perception of your accomplishment is a critical part of your success, so make sure to give credit where it is due!

Bag the negative. If you catch yourself picking on you, go back to your intentions board. You didn’t write “BE A JERK TO ME” did you? (You better not have!) Sabotaging yourself for perceived failures is no way to build your path. Pick up that brick and replace it with a good one. Remember, your path is being paved right now, with each thought. You get to choose which direction you want to go! Be grateful for that choice, and keep building your beautiful path. Soon enough you will be laying bigger, stronger bricks and walking on higher ground.

Michelle Brown is a Certified Medical Exercise Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, 2nd Degree Bok Fu Black Belt Disciple, TRX Functional Trainer, Trigger Point Rehabilitation Therapist, blogger, motivational speaker, 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 week with promo code MYPATH. www.gumsaba.com.

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Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 27

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Hair Care Professionals and Massage Therapists Needed Hospice of the East Bay provides care to terminally ill patients and their families in their homes or facilities throughout Contra Costa County. Many of our patients benefit greatly from a haircut or hair set or from the gentle and compassionate touch of a massage therapist. Would you be interested in volunteering a few hours a month to provide comfort to our patients? If so, please call the Volunteer Department at Hospice of the East Bay, (925) 887-5678. (License/Massage Certification Required).

Hospice East Bay provides compassionate end-of-life care to terminally ill patients, while offering emotional, spiritual, and grief support for the entire family. As a not-for-profit organization, we accept all medically qualified patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Since 1977, Hospice East Bay has served over 23,000 patients and their families. Proceeds from our thrift shoppes benefit our patients and their families.

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Page 28 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

Teen continued from page 15

tions, assemblies, parent presentations, and workshops. Originally focused on the San Ramon Valley, Teen Esteem’s reputation for excellence is now bringing them requests to take their formula for success beyond the tri-valley.

If you haven’t already been privileged to meet with Teen Esteem volunteers, visit their website at www.teenesteem.org, and learn about how you can help make our community the safe place we want to inhabit.

Teen Esteem Founder Linda Turnbull talks with parents about social media concerns.

Teen Esteem has these Suggestions for Parents Top 7 things you can do today to protect your child:

1. Set up parental controls on your child’s personal device (cell phone, tablet, iTouch, iPad, etc.)

2. Disable Safari (or the internet) on your child’s hand held device 3. Disable Location services on all devices 4. Remove your child’s computer from his/her room 5. Check the History on all devices (if it has been deleted – that is a red flag) 6. Change your child’s Apple ID (& yours if your child knows it) and require that they talk to you first before making any purchases or downloads on their device 7. Make sure your kids have privacy settings set on all social media (and don’t allow anonymous sites)

Top 7 things you can do THIS WEEK to protect your child:

1.Enforce “no screens behind closed doors” rule (hand held devices, computers or TVs) 2. Implement the “leave your device at the door” policy with your kids’ friends 3. Set up parental controls on your child’s and/or family computer 4. Set up parental controls on your TV (TiVo, Netflix, etc.)

5. Determine what kind of filter you want to use to protect your family 6. Talk to your child and discuss your family rules and why you have them in place 7. Role play refusal skills

Hospice Volunteers Needed

Hospice of the East Bay is seeking volunteers to assist Hospice patients and their caregivers. Opportunities include: • Licensed Hair Stylists to offer hair cuts and styling • Certified Massage Therapists to provide massage therapy • Administrative Support Volunteers to assist in the Pleasant Hill office • Thrift Shoppe Volunteers to work in one of the organization’s five stores which are located in Alamo, Concord, Martinez, Danville, and Walnut Creek.

• Bereavement Support Volunteers to provide support to family members after their loved one has died • Patient Support Volunteers to provide companionship and practical assistance To apply for free training, call Hospice at (925) 887-5678 and ask for the Volunteer Department, or email volunteers@hospiceeastbay.org.

Established in 1977, Hospice of the East Bay is a not-for-profit agency that helps people cope with end of life by providing medical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support for patients and families, regardless of their ability to pay.

To learn more or to make a donation of time or money, please contact (925) 887-5678 or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org.

Say Goodbye to the “Holiday Hurt”

By Dr. Kristin Moore, DC

The holidays are over. The ball has dropped. It’s time to get back to your daily routine. Whatever your New Years resolution may be; eating healthier, hitting the gym more often, or finally running that marathon you’ve been talking about for years, its possible that the pressures of the holiday season can still be lingering.

For many of us, the holidays can be filled with stress. The combination of holiday shopping, family gatherings, poor dietary habits, and lack of sleep can really take its toll, leading to sore muscles and achy backs and necks.

Over time the sore muscles and possibly misaligned vertebrae can begin to aggravate your nerves causing a “pinching sensation.” If you are experiencing this pain, you are not alone! Over 85% of Americans will experience back pain at least once in their lifetime. The majority of those who develop spine pain will experience symptoms of a pinched nerve.

What are the signs of a pinched nerve?

• • • • •

Sharp, stabbing, or burning pain that may radiate outward Numbness or decreased sensation in an area of the body A “pins and needles” sensation in the affected area Muscle weakness in the region of the pinched nerve A feeling that a certain part of your body has “fallen asleep”

What causes a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve can be caused by multiple factors; however, most often it is due to constant pressure from a bulging disc, a tight muscle, or a bone/ joint that is misaligned.

How do you treat a pinched nerve?

Depending of the type of pinched nerve you have, one or more of these treatments may be used to relieve the pain.

• Spinal Decompression Therapy: When a pinched nerve is caused by a bulging disc, spinal decompression is typically the most effective treatment.

Spinal decompression is a form of motorized traction, which slowly stretches the spine. Over a series of treatments, decompression creates negative pressure within the disc, and can actually cause the bulge to retract and take the pressure off of the nerve.

• Class IV Laser Therapy (K-Laser): K-Laser treatments are very effective at treating pinched nerves caused by a cramped muscle. The laser is a form of light therapy that increases blood flow to the effected area in order to release the tight muscle and pump away inflammation that has built up around the nerve.

• Gentle Chiropractic Care: This can help to realign vertebrae that have become misaligned and are compressing the nerve. This can be done very gently and can even be done without even hearing the “popping” sound.

How effective is this treatment?

I have had great success treating pinched nerves by using a combination of these three treatment methods and have found them to be incredibly effective.

The severity of the pinched nerve will determine how long the treatment will take. For complete pain relief, it can take anywhere from days to a few months.

A rule of thumb that is true in most cases, the longer you have a pinched nerve, the longer and more difficult it is to treat. If you are experiencing these symptoms do not put off treatment any longer!

Will this work for me?

The best way to find out if this form of non-invasive treatment is truly right for you is to set up a complimentary, 15-minute consultation. This will give me an opportunity to ask you specific questions about your pinched nerve symptoms and help me to determine which treatment methods will help you the most.

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!

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New Year New Neck?

By Dr. Jerome Potozkin

As we age, one of the things that bugs us the most is what happens to our neck. Some people are blessed with incredible genetics and maintain an incredible jawline, no skin sag, and no fat in their necks. Most of us are not so lucky and have something about our neck that bothers us. Up until last year our choices were limited to liposuction of the neck or a face-lift.

Technology brings us new options for 2016.

Last year a totally new injectable, Kybella, was launched for the treatment of “submental fullness,” better known as the fat under your chin.

The active ingredient, deoxycholic acid, works by permanently destroying fat cells. Most people will require more than one treatment for dramatic results. Treatments are performed in the office and take about 10 minutes.

The biggest drawback is swelling that can take a week to subside. Winter might be the perfect time for this treatment as we can hide the swelling with a turtleneck. Some people have asked about injecting the material to melt away unwanted fat on other parts of the body. The material is not FDA approved for that and would likely be cost prohibitive to treat large areas.

However, for reducing the fat under you chin, it really works.

We are excited to be one of the first practices to introduce CoolSculpting’s new FDA cleared CoolMini to treat the fat of your neck under your chin. This device works on the proven technique of cryolipolysis where cold temperatures cause crystallization and destruction of fat cells without harming the surrounding skin. CoolSculpting delivers precise controlled cooling to gently target the fat cells underneath the skin while leaving the skin unaffected. Most people will need a couple of treatments that take about an hour. The treatments do not require any anesthesia, and results are usually seen within three months. I believe this treatment will be a “game changer.” CoolSculpting can also be performed on other body parts such as the abdomen, hips, love handles, and thighs. It is currently the most popular body contouring treatment.

Your Personal Nutritionist

Lose Your Weight Forever This New Year the Healthy Way

By Linda Michaelis RD, MS

Happy New Year! Have you been using this time as a motivator to drop the weight you have been struggling to lose all year? You have the best of intentions to lose weight or exercise more as the New Year begins, but somehow life happens, and you often find yourself going back to your old ways.

Try a different approach this New Year. Instead of making a diet and weight loss resolution, focus on improving your health by making weekly nutrition and fitness goals. Decide which goal you will work towards for the coming week. Log your progress and check in with yourself at the week’s end. This is the process that I follow when I work with my clients. I hold their hand as they make these changes that often seem daunting at first.

Don’t look at this year’s resolution as a temporary change; look at it as a lifestyle change. Making too many changes at once can cause you to burn out before the end of January and cause you to break your commitment. Instead of changing your entire way of living all at once, try making these small changes everyday.

Work your way SLOWLY to a healthier you.

Try some of these nutrition and fitness goals for the coming year, and you’ll see how great you feel.

1. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Every day have at least two cups of veggies. Add veggies to your egg white omelet, and have a soup with veggies or a salad at lunch. Have a piece of fruit at lunch and one after dinner.

Did you know the new recommendation is that half your plate should be veggies and fruit and the other half should be a ½ cup of grains and 4 ounces of protein?

2. Switch to 100% whole wheat. If you’re still eating white bread and pasta switch to whole grains. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients and will keep you fuller for a longer period of time. Clients enjoy Trader Joe’s 100% whole wheat pasta, quinoa, couscous, barley, legumes, and brown rice.

3. Portion control. Work your way to smaller portions, and this will help control your calories. If you typically use a big dinner plate and fill the whole

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 29 Tumescent liposuction of the neck can be performed in the office with local anesthesia and can help with extra fat in the neck as well as some of the skin sag that we see. The procedure doesn’t require you to be “put under” general anesthesia, so the recovery is faster than with general anesthesia for most people. Unlike the previous two treatments, this is a surgical procedure that might require a few days of social downtime. Some people will combine liposuction of the neck with Ultherapy that uses microfocused ultrasound to heat deep into the tissue for extra tissue tightening.

Of course, for super saggy necks the only treatment that really works is a face lift. That is a procedure that I defer to my plastic surgery colleagues.

This typically is performed under general anesthesia and can entail significant downtime. Most of the people I see are looking for an alternative to the more invasive surgical procedures. If that includes you, we are happy to help. Call us today!

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.

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plate, try using a smaller size plate. We always eat more when there is a pile of food on our plate.

4. Limit the sweets. You do not have to avoid sweets. The key is moderation.

If you enjoy dessert and sweets several times a day, make a goal for yourself to limit sweets to either once per day, or a few times a week. Instead of randomly eating sweets during the day I teach my clients to have their sweets after a meal which will prevent cravings for sweets.

6. Swap out the soda and juice. These beverages are loaded with sugar and greatly contribute to your daily calories. And let’s be honest: most people don’t only drink a can a day. Imagine how many extra pounds in one year are contributed from soda alone. I show my clients many beverages that are popular and have no calories.

7. Begin a walking program. Commit to a daily walk, either first thing in the morning or after dinner. I teach my clients about interval training which shocks the metabolism and causes us to burn calories much faster.

8. Schedule your workouts. Just like you schedule a doctor’s appointment or a lunch date with a friend, schedule your workout on the calendar and make it a part of your routine five times a week. I teach my clients how to set up their meal plan based on their exercise schedule for the day.

9. Plan YOU time. Make sure you are taking care of your basic needs such as eating and sleeping. It will then be easier to listen to what your body needs in terms of food and exercise. Often I can see that when my client is having a problem with overeating it is because they have not gotten enough sleep or they are overwhelmed with family and work and use food to get through these stressful times.

10. Practice mindful eating. Since you have vowed not to diet this year, practice being mindful when you are eating. Listen for your hunger and fullness signals, and respond appropriately. Don’t eat when you are not hungry, yet don’t let yourself get to the ravenous point either. When eating, stop midway and ask yourself if you are still hungry. If not, stop and save the rest for another time. I take a lot of time to practice this technique with my clients.

GOOD NEWS! HEALTH INSURANCE WILL PAY FOR NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING - Aetna, ABMG, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Health Net, Hill Physicians, Sutter, and other major companies. Please refer to my website www.LindaRD. com for past articles and information about services. Feel free to call me at (925)855Advertorial 0150 or email lifeweight1@yahoo.com.

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Page 30 - January 2016 ~ Alamo Today

A Path to Happiness

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

Recently, a doctor friend was interviewing college applicants at an Ivy League school. When asked what the participants wanted to be, two separate candidates confided: plastic surgeon or investment banker.

What on earth, I thought...wow! These aspirations might seem similar: two careers, each offering the hope of success and prosperity. Shouldn’t we all pursue such dreams? I offered the best advice I could. “I know very little about investment banking,” I said, “but from my perspective as a plastic surgeon, I believe there is another choice you must make first.” I explained that long before mastering the field of surgery, a person must first choose to become a physician. I explained that this path means caring for people and finding joy in it.

Any medical student will tell you that the moment they entered training, family and friends began asking for counsel. I am sure that most of my colleagues will remember those first years of medical school; everyone asked us for advice, and we probably gave it, thinking we already knew so much.

That kind of enthusiasm shouldn’t change over the years, but unfortunately it sometimes does. So when I was asked recently about how to choose a career, I found myself answering a bigger question. Is it possible to dedicate oneself to something truly loved? And does that choice include a commitment to service and compassion?

The answer is yes.

For me, going into medicine was a calling. I became a physician for two reasons. The first was simple: a sense of duty. The second is one I hold dear: the wonder of forming relationships with people in their time of need. Some might describe it as a sacrifice; holidays, weekends, nights, and personal time are dedicated to help patients. But it has never felt like a sacrifice to me. Being a physician is honorable, and it offers me purpose. It gives me great pleasure, and although it is not always easy, there is at least one person each day who sends

me home feeling good about what I do. Sometimes my job is challenging, but the most difficult moments pale in comparison to what patients feel when they are in pain or chronically ill.

In my experience, many doctors forget the idea of what it feels like to be a patient. Separating ourselves can be a way to keep an even keel, but this risks alienating the very people we are trying to help. It is tempting to believe that work is better left at the office. “Don’t take your patients home with you,” I have been told. And although it is important to maintain a good balance between my personal and professional life, I do, ultimately, take my patients home with me.

I think about patients in my car as I drive home, I reflect on them in the evenings, and I look forward to seeing them when I wake up in the morning. Medicine is part of who I am, and I don’t think of it as a job or occupation. Rather, it is something I have chosen because I believe in it. This perspective has actually helped me be a more energetic surgeon and a more complete person. It is thus that I think those of us with a stronger sense of calling are more resilient to that which is challenging in our profession. We enjoy what we do. It informs us, shapes us, and makes us better people.

Becoming a board certified plastic surgeon took more than an a decade of training. But along the way, I was a doctor to my patients. I find comfort in the fact that simply caring for people is something I still do on a daily basis. Over the years, I have watched our healthcare system transform and policies evolve. Many of us feel swept up in the changes; we are not sure what to predict and how it will affect us. I hope that whatever system emerges will allow doctors to follow their calling, as I have done. I hope that if we have been called to serve, we will be able to do it.

How will that happen? Who among us should choose this path? These are difficult questions. In the end, however, I have begun to recognize that even the most complex questions have a simple answer. For me, the answer is taking care of my patients and finding joy in it. I am so grateful to have found my calling, for it is one that inspires and rewards me in equal measures. I am a surgeon, but I am also a physician; both are roles I am honored to fulfill.

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 Advertorial or drbarb@personsplasticsurgery.com.

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.

At a recent regular chapter meeting, Ruth Finlay, former member of Assistance League of Diablo Valley since 1975 and current TeleCare client, dropped in for a visit to say, “Thank you, TeleCare; you start my day.” She added that if it weren’t for TeleCare member volunteers, some of the homebound would never receive phone calls.

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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Left, TeleCare member volunteer Sally Sprague interviews former member and TeleCare client Ruth Finlay (right) at a recent chapter meeting.

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The Eye Opener

Being a Local Business

By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry

As we enter 2016 and embark on a new year, I wanted to use this month’s article to talk about owning and running a small, private office in Alamo.

I would like to take some time to discuss how our office operates and the value of patronizing local business.

First and foremost, I owe all of our office success and viability to our patients and staff; without either of these my practice would be worthless. My patients enable the practice to continue to grow and thrive. Faye (my optician), Rita (my ophthalmic technician), and my wife (manager) make my job tremendously easier because of their hard work and dedication to providing quality and professional service to all of our patients. We all truly appreciate the chance you have given us to be your full-service eye care office in Alamo. All of our established patients together with our new ones have sustained and strengthened the practice.

I am well aware that patients have many choices for their eye care, but I am thankful that Alamo Optometry is your choice for all of your eye care and eyewear needs.

My personal approach with patients and in the management of my office is to provide something that other large corporate and private offices are unable to offer. The personal service and attention we are able to give each patient can generally not be found at the larger practices. I pride myself on getting to know each patient; I generally recognize returning patients as they come into the office or call on the telephone and am able to address them by name. Since we have a small staff, you can also be assured that you are always dealing with the same members of the office, and you will not get “lost” as you can in other offices. The difficult part of having a small staff is that sometimes we are a little short-handed or several patients will come into the office at once. We understand that sometimes this can be frustrating for everyone, but you can be confident that we don’t rush

Alamo Today ~ January 2016 - Page 31

patients, and that everyone will get the attention and service they deserve.

Each staff member has defined roles, but we assist each other to make sure everyone is taken care of. As an example, if I am not with a patient, I will often answer the phone or “man” the front desk if the need arises. Patients are sometimes surprised by this, but as they get to know us better, it almost becomes expected.

We have also found that our local patient base are loyal people who prefer to spend their dollars locally. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard patients comment that they are so glad that the office is in a convenient location with easy parking, and it is so close because most patients literally live “right down the street.” I can honestly say that my shopping behaviors have definitely changed since I became a small business owner. I can appreciate the effort and time commitment is takes to manage and prosper as an owner. I try to make it a point to patronize local businesses when I can; it is the only way these restaurants, shops, and offices can survive.

We strive to be your hometown eye care office. We want your family and friends to be welcome and feel comfortable when you come to the office.

We purposely don’t schedule patients every 15 minutes. Our exam slots always allow plenty of time to meet and learn about each patient. Quality care necessitates learning about the patient and what they do to completely help them; this cannot be accomplished in a quick, rushed exam.

I would highly recommend shopping and dining in Alamo or your local community when you can. These offices and shops are vital to the community for several reasons. Small businesses are the livelihood of the local economy through employing the majority of the workforce along with keeping tax revenue in the community. Regardless of if you are a patient at our office or not, I would urge all people to patronize local businesses when the opportunity is available.

Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 925820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo.

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

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