editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
July 2016 Facebook Page Keeps Alamo Memories Alive By Sharon Burke For more than a year, Danville resident and avid history buff Mark Harrigan has been bringing Alamo history to life by posting photos and old news stories on his Facebook page, Remembering Alamo. The social media site has made it easy for longtime Alamo residents and former Alamo residents to reconnect and comment on long ago happenings, restaurants, sites, and school events of Alamo. Mark grew up in Central County, his claim to fame being that he was the first baby born at the new Kaiser Hospital in Walnut Creek. He grew up in Lafayette and now lives on the Danville-Alamo border with a great view of the Las Trampas Hills and 680. His interest in all things Alamo was piqued when he discovered a 1956 Thomas Brothers map which showed that his residential street once crossed the valley from eastside to westside before being chopped in half by the newly built freeway in 1964. There are many nostalgic Facebook pages for 680/24 corridor towns with names like “You know you grew up in Walnut Creek when…” There wasn’t a page for Alamo until Mark started his in May 2015. His page has quickly grown to more than 400 followers. Followers live all over California and in many other U.S. states and from as far away as Bahrain, where a former service member who grew up in Alamo now lives. Mark started his interest in Alamo history by reading Virgie Jones’s three books about Alamo and Valley history, especially Remembering Alamo… and Other Things Along the Way. (Note: Virgie’s books are still available on Amazon from used booksellers and are highly recommended). He then spent several weeks at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, browsing old newspaper articles and taking pictures of interesting articles, photos, and ads. He updates the page frequently, using the simple method of “on this day in XXXX” and then posts a picture, ad, or article from that day in the past. Recent posts have included all the Alamo-Danville police calls from June 1968 (lots of juvenile mischief), photos of the Alamo Café and surrounding shops from 1959 (still looking very much the same), photos of Round Hill Country Club on its opening day in 1961, and graduating class photos from each local middle and high school. Mark noted school posts garner the most interest as followers who grew up and went to school in Alamo comment, reconnect, and reminisce in the comments about teachers, classes, and classmates. A map from 1942 Mark recently posted shows only the following streets existing in Alamo: Hillgrade Avenue, Ramona Way, Hemme Avenue, Camille Avenue, South Avenue, a long lost North Avenue (maybe present day Las Trampas Road?), Livorna Road, Miranda Avenue, Stone Valley Road (labeled Green Valley Road); and Alamo’s oldest subdivision, Alamo Oaks, with Dean Road, Marks Road, Smith Road, Oak Road and Cross Road. Mark frequently posts “mystery photos” with an aerial photo of a road intersection or shopping center and challenges his followers to name the stores
Local Postal Customer
Serving Alamo and Diablo San Damiano
By Linda Summ mmers Pirkle
Long commutes, busy schedules, and everyday stresses can take their toll. There is a local place of respite tucked away at the end of a winding two lane street in the Las Trampas hills above the town of Danville. The Franciscan Retreat House San Damiano offers retreats for groups and individuals. Just a ten-minute drive from the freeway, the beautiful and natural oasis seems miles away from the everyday world. Even parking your car in the lot can be a delight; often deer can be seen on the hills wandering among the grasses under huge oak and fragrant bay laurel trees. Up here the world slows down. San Damiano was built in the 1960’s and is home to a handful of friars. The Spanish architecture building looks its age. It is decidedly non-high-tech. The large statue of St. Francis (patron of animals and nature and founder of the Franciscan Order of Friars who run the retreat) beacons visitors to the massive arched door entrance. Once inside, visitors usually change their outside voices to a softer almost whisper tone. People come to San Damiano for many different reasons, but most seem to find a bit of themselves with their visits. It is a treasure to the many people who return time and time again. Eighty rooms can be rented for overnight stays. The simplicity of these rooms is also part of their charm. Spartan but comfortable, each room has a single bed (some have queens), desk, light, and bathroom. There is a chapel, library, small meeting rooms, a large dining room, and a Fireside meeting room with banks of windows Friars from San Damiano from left to right: Father overlooking the valley below. Charles Talley, Father Evan Howard, Brother Michael San Damiano has hosted Minton. Photo by Kathy Ellis Roncarati. many groups. Recently the International Harp Festival held its annual meeting for 80 harpists from around the world. Classes were held in the chapel and Fireside room, and at times small groups spilled out into the patio for jazz harp jam
See San Damiano continued on page 15
Alamo Rotary Celebrates 45th Anniversary
The Rotary Club of Alamo recently celebrated its 45th anniversary. The Club was honored by the attendance of Supervisor Candace Andersen of District 2, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors; Cindy Chin, District Director of the California State Assembly; and Assemblywoman Catharine B. Baker of 16th District. Each presented Alamo Rotary with a Certificate of Recognition for its long-standing service to the Community. Volume XVI - Number 7 Past President Richard King was the 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, featured speaker. He presented a moving Alamo, CA 94507 See Page continued on page 18 story of the tremendous service Rotary has Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 provided to developing countries around Fax (925) 406-0547 PRSRT STD the world. King also recognized Alamo Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher U.S. Postage Rotarian Greg Schuyler as a Charter Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com PAID Member of the Club. Permit 263 Alamo CA
ECRWSS
Pictured above left to right - Past Rotary International President Rick King, Past Alamo Rotary President Steve Collins, charter member of the Alamo Rotary Club Greg Schuyler, and current Club President Kim Smith.
Sharon Burke ~ Writer
The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 2 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Major Improvements to Begin on Iron Horse Trail The East Bay Regional Park District is pleased to announce that it will be performing pavement maintenance and improvements along a 16-mile reach of the Iron Horse Trail between Alamo and Dublin this summer. These improvements will be between the Rudgear Staging Area in Alamo and the Dublin/ Pleasanton BART Station. While the work is underway, segments of the trail will be closed at various times between June and August of 2016. The majority of the closures are scheduled to take place between June 20 and July 28. The improvements include resurfacing, the removal and replacement of damaged asphalt, crack sealing, leveling, micro surfacing, slurry sealing, and seal coating. The work on Contra Costa portions of the trail will be funded by Measure J, and the Alameda County segments will be financed through the Park District’s general fund. Overall, the project will cost $341,000. Please watch for closure postings, and plan your use of the trail accordingly. The Park District appreciates your patience and understanding while these trail improvements are underway. At the conclusion of this project, the trail will be much smoother and more enjoyable to the thousands of pedestrians and bicyclists who depend on the Iron Horse Trail for recreation and exercise, or as a transportation corridor to get to and from work, school, or other important destinations. For specific information regarding trail closures, please contact the Contra Costa Trails Park Supervisor at 510-544-3027. The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful public parks and trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties east of San Francisco Bay, established in 1934. The system comprises 120,000 acres in 65 parks including over 1,250 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and nature learning.
San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society will hold a Mini-Seminar on Tuesday, July 19th at 10am by Gena Philibert-Ortega. Gena will hold two free talks: “Her Name was Not Unknown: Finding Female Ancestors” and “That’s New to Me: Unfamiliar Websites for Your Genealogy.” The talks will be held at the Danville Family History Center, located at 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. For more information, visit www.srvgensoc.org.
Alamo Municipal Advisory Council presents
2016 Movie Under the Stars Movie starts at 8:45 p.m. Livorna Park in Alamo. (Located at the corner of Livorna Road and Miranda Avenue)
Admission is Free
RETRO NIGHT Friday, June 10th
FAMILY NIGHT Friday, July 22nd
DANVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS...
Aloha Golf Classic
Monday, July 25th, 2016 Diablo Country Club
$199 Individual Golf Package - Scramble Format 12:00pm Shotgun Start Includes: Green fees & cart, on-course refreshments, contests, SWAG bag, lunch, dinner and awards For Golfer and Sponsorship Registration, visit http://danvilleareachamber.com/shop/ Further questions, please email: events@danvilleareachamber.com or call 925-837-4400
www.danvilleareachamber.com
Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley Are you looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley Branch 128. The group has monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. July’s guest, local attorney Martin Silverman, will speak on “the Constitution and how it keeps our democracy working by balancing majority rule and individual rights.” Additionally, members have lots of fun participating in a variety of activities such as golf, tennis, bowling, bocce ball, movies, bridge, reading, computers, and much more. Many other activities such as travel, dine outs, excursions, baseball games and holiday parties include spouses, friends, and guests. The next monthly luncheon will be held on Wednesday, July 20th at 11AM at the San Ramon Golf Club, located at 9430 Fircrest Lane in San Ramon. A fee of $23 includes luncheon, guest speaker, and a great opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the San Ramon Valley. To reserve a space, please email by Thursday, July 14th to www.info@SIR128.com. For more information about this retirement branch and activities, please visit www.SIR128.com.
Join Girl Scouts! Attention: Parents of Girls Entering Kindergarten this Fall
Bring blankets, chairs, flashlights, snacks, family and friends. For information call recreation staff at (925) 313-2272.
If you and your daughter are interested in joining an organization that builds girls of courage, confidence, and character; strives to make the world a better place; and does all this while having fun and making new friends, then Girl Scout staff wants to hear from you! Please email your local Girl Scout staff at LZerby@girlscoutsnorcal.org or call (800) 447-4475 and say: • I’m interested in helping to start a troop • I’d just like some information • Please invite us to an informational meeting in the fall Provide the following information: • Parent/caregiver name, email and phone number • Girl’s name, grade entering this fall, school attending
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 3
CAROLYN GWYNN 684 GLEN ROAD, DANVILLE PROUDLY PRESENTS
CAROLYN GWYNN
Westside charmer close to downtown Danville, the Iron Horse Trail and schools. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, OFFERED AT $1,425,000 1858sf +/- on a leafy .30 acre private lot with detached cottage.
carolyn@thegwynngroup.com www.carolyngwynn.com
COMING SOON 29 Nathan Place Danville: Horse Property on 1.76 acres with barn. 4 bedrooms 2.5 bathrooms 3299+/- sf 172 Sylvan Road Walnut Creek: Î Li`À à Ӱx L>Ì À à £Ç Ó³É Ãv Li>ÕÌ vÕ y>Ì °Óx >VÀi Ì
Realtor®
| 925.336.7525
Boulevard View By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor When I grew up, we walked or rode bikes to school, and afterwards we played hide-n-go-seek and kick the can in the front yard together. We invented contraptions, neighborhood boys created jumps for their Sting-Ray bicycles, and we all stayed outside just as long as possible before being called inside for dinner. When we got grimy while playing, it was accepted as the way kids are, and it was normal. That’s what the bath was for! Our neighbors have amazing kids, and we love to hear them outside playing. Their parents have given them a love of all sports, but they have a special love of basketball. We hear them outside shooting hoops and playing around until the very last rays of light are gone and they can no longer see the basket. It’s especially heartwarming to hear their father playing with them, coaching them, and teaching them tricks, or competing with them and watching his playing superiority fade more every day! I think I love watching them so much because they’re out experiencing life instead of huddling inside looking at a screen. When we held a recent graduation party for our daughter, we made it a point to have several outside lawn games for people to play including cornhole a beanbag tossing game, Spikeball which is a modified 2v2 volleyball game, a large-size Kerplunk game, a jumbo set of Jenga blocks made with cut 2x4’s instead of little wooden blocks, and another throwing gamed called Ladderball. All of these games got people of all ages moving and interacting together, and they were having fun all afternoon. When I was a little girl, I remember riding bikes down to the local creek to wade in the water to look for tadpoles and frogs. Wearing a ratty pair of Keds “tennies” we would splash and explore. We got wet and dirty, and we made messes and didn’t care, and neither did our moms, because that was what playing was supposed to be. Kids are always grimy little beasts, and we were just fulfilling our roles! I think being willing to get dirty is related to being willing to get involved in anything, no matter what it is nor how old you are. It’s about being willing to endure that messiness of the situation, look past momentary discomforts, and do whatever it takes to meet an objective. The goal can be about having some fun, or it can be about fixing a tire, or mowing the lawn, or painting a room, or digging up the yard to plant a garden. But none of those things can happen Some tools, some water, and some dirt made for an afternoon of mud-fun. without the messiness that comes with engaging in the process. I have made a few trips with kids to the Adventure Playground in Berkeley (www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/adventureplayground). This free 37-year-old park is a great place to build, explore, get dirty, and have fun - if you go, don’t wear good clothes, and perhaps bring a change of clothes and a Hefty bag for dirty ones! The free park offers paints, tools, and nails in exchange for a few minutes of “work” tidying up the park. Not only can you build additions on to the park, but you can paint it as well. The last two groups of kids got carried away and painted each other as much as the playground but made memories that will last a lifetime. The picture at left is on the wall in our home “hall of fame.” The kids were covered head to toe in paint and had a day they still fondly recall. Help your kids be kids this summer. Switch off their devices and push them outside, and let them get dirty and Berkeley’s Adventure Playground is a great place enjoy it. There is an amazing world of imagination and discovery just waiting, and it can’t be found on a screen. to spend the day.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 4 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Alamo Summer Movie and Concert Series Movies Under the Stars Alamo Parks & Recreation with support from the Alamo Municipal Advisory Council presents a family movie night with the film Minions on Friday, July 22 at Livorna Park located at the intersection of Livorna Road and Miranda Avenue in Alamo. Showtime is at 8:45PM. Bring family, friends, chairs, blankets, snacks and flashlights, and enjoy a movie under the stars in Livorna Park. Snacks will be available for purchase at the event.
Summer Concert Series The 2016 “Alamo Summer Concert Series” will also be held at Livorna Park. The series features live music from a variety of genres. Concerts take place on Friday evenings from 6:30-8:30PM and include: July 1st - Party Monsters (Motown and R&B) July 8th - Houserockers (Rock/Blues) July 29th - Mixed Nuts (Classic Pop) Bring family, friends, chairs, blankets and a picnic dinner, and enjoy music in the park. Snacks will be available for purchase. For details, call 925-313-2272, or visit www.cccounty.us/ alamoparksandrecreation.
Treats for the Troops
Danville Library Large Book Sale The Friends of the Danville Library (FODL) will host a Large Book Sale at the end of July. The library is located at 400 Front St. in Danville. Sales dates are as follows: • Friday, July 29 FODL Members Preview: 9AM - 10AM Public Hours: 10AM - 5PM • Saturday, July 30 Public Hours: 10AM - 4PM • Sunday, July 31 - $5 Bag Sale Public Hours: 12:05PM - 3:45PM On Friday and Saturday all hardcover books, books on tape, and DVDs will be $2, and all paperback books and CDs sell for $1.
New Art Exhibit and Opening Reception at Blackhawk Gallery Alamo Danville Artists’ Society will host the opening of Blackhawk Gallery’s new exhibit, ‘Evolution.’ A Gala Reception will be held on Saturday, July 16 from 5 to 7PM, with wine and hors d’oeuvre. The exhibit will be on view seven days a week from July 15 to September 18. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public. The ‘Evolution’ exhibit features ceramics by guest artist Barbara Johnson and works by forty-one member artists. Members’ artworks include paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, photographs, and wearable art. The exhibit is curated by Pete DeFao, Debby Koonce, and Kerima Swain. Blackhawk Gallery is located at 3416 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville, in the Blackhawk Plaza. Gallery hours are Monday-Saturday 10AM - 8PM and Sunday 11AM - 6PM. For more information, call (925) 648-8023, or visit www.BlackhawkGallery.org or https://www.facebook. com/AlamoDanvilleArtistsSociety, or e-mail Blackhawk Gallery Director Kerima Swain at swain.kerima@ gmail.com.
Thank you to CVS in Alamo and Lunardi’s in Danville and all of the fabulous customers who make it easier for Delta Nu Psi to collect “gourmet junk food” to send to our servicemen and women in Afghanistan. The cumulative donations which have been sent total 1,408 boxes and 34,604 pounds of treats for the troops. Delta Nu Psi 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 July 1st Delta Nu Psi members will be at CVS in Alamo and on July 8th at Lunardi’s in Danville. Collection will be held from 11am to 2pm. Money for postage is also always appreciated. Please help Delta Nu Psi provide our men and women in the War Zone a touch of home. For more information, visit www.deltanupsi.org. Alamo Municipal Advisory Council presents the
2016 Summer Concert Series Fridays 6:30 6:30-- 8:30p.m. at Livorna Park (At the corner of Livorna Road and Miranda Avenue in Alamo)
FREE ADMISSION!
June 17th: Stealin’ Chicago Playing the music of the band Chicago, with the melodic hooks, harmonies and horns of the original recordings.
June 24th: Bost Family Traditions A unique blend of ‘western-style’ vocal harmonies over hard-driving Appalachian instrumentals.
July 1st: Party Monsters A rockin’ good-time classic Motown/R&B Band. From the first note, audiences sing along and head for the dance floor!
July 8th: The Houserockers Timeless rock and blues classics come to life with a dynamic horn and rhythm section.
July 29th: Mixed Nuts Enjoy listening and dancing to popular music that spans several decades.
Bring blankets, chairs, snacks, family and friends.
For information call recreation staff at (925) 313-2272.
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 5
ESTATE HOME
STUNNING 2.5 ACRE ESTATE
Alamo ~ Absolutely Exquisite Estate Home in Westside Alamo! Prime Cul-de-sac Location near Las Trampas Ridge. Desirable Flr Plan includes 5 Bdrms Plus Library, 3 Updated Bthrms, 3 Car Garage, w/One Bedroom and Full Bthrm Downstairs. Gourmet Updated Kitchen w/Gorgeous Slab Granite Countertops, Lg Center Island, Walk-in Pantry, Butler's Pantry, & Built-in Desk. Formal Living Rm w/Marble Fireplace, Formal Dining Rm with access to Butler's Pantry, Lg Family Rm w/Brick Fireplace & Wet Bar. Upstairs Office with French Doors, Spacious Laundry Rm w/Built-ins. Expansive Master Suite with Sitting Area, Marble Fireplace, Lg Walk-in Closet, Remodeled Bthrm with Marble Slab Countertops, Marble Flrs & Shower, Spa Tub, & Double Vanities. Perfect for Entertaining, Gorgeous Nearly 1/2 Acre Park-like Yard with Sparkling Pool & Spa. $1,995,000 www.112Lark.com
1420 Finley Road Danville ~ Gated Custom Home, over 7200 square feet on flat 3 acre lot. This home is virtually NEW, completely expanded and rebuilt from the ground up in 2009 and Never Lived in. Includes 5 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms, large office, 5 car garage. Gorgeous kitchen for entertaining with 2 refrigerators, 2 dishwashers, 2 ovens, large center island with sink and vegetable steamer, food warmer, gleaming granite counter tops, walk-in pantry. Master bedroom includes 2 bathrooms, huge walk-in closet, sitting area, wet bar, 2 fireplaces & gym. Expansive laundry room with plenty of cabinets & counter space. Custom outdoor kitchen and large gas fire pit in backyard, bonus 5,000 square foot building with roll-up doors, Professionally Landscaped Front Yard with Lights and Fountain and so much more! $4,950,000
Don Magalhaes ~ 925.786.1855 donmagalhaes@gmail.com
PRICED TO SELL!
1.61 ACRE ESTATE
Danville ~ Sharp single story 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home located on a wonderful court in Cimarron Hills. Hardwood floors throughout most of the home. Open floor plan with vaulted ceilings... Updated kitchen with quartzite counters and stainless steal appliances. All open to family room. Private backyard with nice patio for entertaining. Must See! $1,349,000
Danville ~ Spacious Danville Estate Setting Located on 1.61 Acres. 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, and 3,587 Square Feet, Entry Way Opens to Living Room through French Doors, Family Room with Large Windows Overlooking Rear Yard and Property, Eat-In Kitchen, Formal Dining, Master Suite, Incredible Grounds with a Built in Pool, Mature Trees and Spectacular Views from Top of Property. $1,995,000
Gretchen Bryce ~ 925.683.2477 gretchenbryce@msn.com
Russ Darby 925.362.0460 ~ russsells@value.net
Tim Palumbo 925.314.7915 tmpal@sbcglobal.net
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 6 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
A Summer of Celebrations Planned at Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site It promises to be a busy summer and early fall at the Eugene O’Neill National historic Site in Danville as the Eugene O’Neill Foundation moves forward on a number of events – including the 17th Annual Eugene O’Neill Festival – to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service as well as the centennial of production of the playwright’s first play. It was in July 1916 that playwright Eugene O’Neill saw his first play performed. Bound East for Cardiff was presented on Lewis Wharf, in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in what was to become the beginning of a long and notable career for the writer. O’Neill went on to win four Pulitzer Prizes for his works and was honored as the only American dramatist to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this first play, the Eugene O’Neill Foundation will present a staged reading of Bound East for Cardiff on Saturday, July 30 at 8PM and Sunday, July-31 at 2PM in the Old Barn at the O’Neill National Historic Site. On Saturday, July 23, Eric Fraisher Hayes (Director of the Bound East performances) will speak on “Bound East for Cardiff, One Hundred Years at Sea.” This talk is scheduled for 10:30am at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. Bound East for Cardiff was the first of several “Sea Plays” by O’Neill reflecting on his experiences as an able-bodied seaman in trips to South America and Europe. Augmenting the performance of the play will be the band Skip Henderson and the Starboard Watch performing sea chanteys appropriate to the play’s time and setting. Tickets for Bound East for Cardiff are on sale at www.eugeneoneill.org. There is limited seating for the performances at the Old Barn performance space at Tao House. Tickets are $30 per person The 17th Eugene O’Neill Festival gets underway in early September with two award-winning plays offered on the theme of (R)EVOLUTION. Edward Albee’s award-winning Seascape is planned for production at the Village Theater in Danville, opening September 2, with nine performances through September 18. Seascape is presented by Role Players Ensemble and directed by George Maguire. Eugene O’Neill’s powerful drama The Emperor Jones opens September 23, with six performances through October 2 at the Old Barn at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. Eric Fraisher Hayes directs. “These two plays represent both an evolution in American drama as well as a revolution,” says Foundation Artistic Program director Eric Fraisher Hayes. “In both plays the central characters find themselves in unexpected situations that challenge their senses and their view of the world about them.” “O’Neill moved the American theatre beyond objective reality and into the magical and surreal world of psychological perception in order to explore deeper truths about what it is to be human. What O’Neill started with The Emperor Jones, Edward Albee continues in his Pulitzer-Prize winning play, Seascape,” says Hayes. “This evolution started a theatrical revolution.” The O’Neill Festival will also premiere a new play by Adrienne Pender. Her play, N, was developed during her residency at Tao House last fall as a Travis Bogard Fellow in the Artist-in-Residence program of the Eugene O’Neill Foundation. N tells the story of O’Neill and actor Charles Gilpin who originated the title role in O’Neill’s The Emperor Jones in 1920. N will receive a public workshop performance on Thursday, September 29 in the Old Barn at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. Tickets for the three O’Neill Festival programs will be available after August 1. The Eugene O’Neill Foundation is the not-for-profit partner with the National Park Service, responsible for educational and community programs and performances at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site. Information on the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, as well as updates on the summer of celebration productions, is available at www.eugeneoneill.org.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
How CC County is Working to Eradicate Homelessness By Supervisor Candace Andersen, My office recently received inquiries about a small homeless encampment that had developed in Alamo under a bridge near Stone Valley Road. When we receive such a call, Law Enforcement, the County’s Homeless Program, and our Public Works Department look at the safety of both the community and the homeless individuals. In this instance, contact was made by one of our Alamo Sheriff Deputies with those who were living there, services were offered, and all but one decided to leave. Ultimately, after helping the remaining individual remove his personal belongings, the Deputy and staff from our Public Works Department cleaned up the area under the bridge. The man who hadn’t wanted to leave was previously associated with the Alamo community, and someone from Alamo came to pick him up. There are a myriad reasons why a person becomes homeless, including a lack of affordable housing, loss of a job, domestic violence, divorce, sickness, mental illness, and substance abuse. Often times people will return to the community where they were raised, where they still have family and friends, and where they feel safe. Although not always seen, there are generally homeless living in every community in Contra Costa, including Lamorinda and San Ramon Valley cities. Contra Costa County takes the issue of homelessness very seriously. Our Homeless Program’s mission is to ensure an integrated system of care, from prevention through intervention, for homeless individuals and families within our community. We strive to accomplish this through the development of policies and practices, community involvement, advocacy, and the coordination of services that respect human dignity, strengthen partnerships, and maximize resources. To learn more about the County’s program, go to cchealth.org/homeless/. Each January, Contra Costa County conducts a comprehensive point-in time count of families and individuals experiencing homelessness. The annual Pointin-Time (PIT) Count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to learn about homeless individuals and households across the country. The results help government and non-profit agencies better understand
See Homelessness continued on page 19 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
Jeremiah Christiansen is our winner!
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 7
The Cox Team
!
LS
I RA
R E A L E S TAT E
E
T
TH
Pat TheCoxTeam.com Pat Cox
925.963.6404 License# 00635222
Kevin Cox 925.989.8028 License# 01257809 Shiloh Hagen 925.997.3285 Licence# 01358726 Wendy Cox-Hagen 925.997.0923
416 Osher Court, Alamo DANVILLE 601 SYCAMORE VALLEY RD. W., DANVILLE
Remodeled 5BR/bonus/Office/4.5BA on ~.53 acre. Hardwood floors, gourmet granite island kitchen & extensive upgrades throughout! Serene private setting with lush landscaping & breathtaking views! Offered at $2,125,000 Close to great schools, Livorna Park, Mt. Diablo hiking trails, & Roundhill Country Club!
Stone Valley Middle School By Jon Campopiano, Principal
which puts an emphasis on understanding scientific theory and investigation skills such as hair analysis, DNA fingerprinting, and the use of biotechnology equipment. If you find yourself with some time to ready, I highly recommend the following books, which place a special emphasis on building grit and growth mindsets for our students. I have read each of these and found them very powerful and helpful in raising my three children and guiding our student body and staff. • Mindset, by Carol Dweck. The power of mindset can create a love of learning and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area. • How Children Succeed, by Paul Tough. The book describes how qualities that matter most for success have to do with character: perseverance, curiosity, optimism, and self-control. • Building Resilience in Children and Teens, by Kenneth Ginsburg. The book describes the seven Crucial C’s- competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control- needed to bounce back from challenges and manage stress. If you haven’t had the opportunity to follow our construction project, please take a look at the building plans and follow the progress at www. buildsrvschools.org. Have a wonderful and restful summer, and we look forward to seeing you next school year!
Thank you for your ongoing support of Stone Valley during the 2015-2016 school year. It has been an absolute honor to complete my first year as a principal, and I want to express my gratitude to the staff, students, and parents who have worked together to create a collaborative, creative, empathetic and fun campus culture. Thank you to Monte Vista High School for hosting our 8 th grade promotion which celebrated the amazing accomplishments of our students. Our three student speakers; Holden Neach, Steven Monolakis, and Emma Cochrane; perfectly described the joys and successes of the year, the challenges we overcame, and the excitement that the future holds. San Ramon Valley School Board President Greg Marvel and Assistant Superintendent Scott Anderson joined us on stage to award certificates of promotion and were effusive in their praise of how respectful, kind, and engaging our 8th grade class was. In February, we said goodbye to our original buildings, and we say goodbye to three outstanding educators; Wendy Paulson, Kathleen Griffin, and Karen Jacobs; as they enter retirement. We wish them the very best in the next chapter of their lives. As we look towards the 2016-2017 school year, we are excited to introduce three new elective courses that we know will provide multiple learning opportunities for our students. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Launches New Local Real Estate Websites Determination) is an elective course that places special emphasis on growing writing, critical thinking, teamwork, organization, and reading skills. Additionally, we will AlamoHomeSold.com be adding a 6th grade Study Skills wheel class that will BlackhawkHomeSold.com prepare and equip our students with the tools necessary DanvilleHomeSold.com to be successful at Stone Valley, high school, and college. Finally, we are excited to add a Forensics Science class
DaveBauerTeam.com
Gopher/Mole Removal No Poison
925-765-4209
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 8 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
FREE
Teeth Whitening Kit for New Patients (with an exam, teeth cleaning and x-rays)
We are accepting new patients Call us at (925) 831-8310
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Monte Vista High School By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal Coming to campus the week after graduation is always an interesting experience. Hallways that were full of students are now empty, and the excitement of upcoming summer vacation is replaced by the many tasks a high school principal needs to accomplish before really closing school down for the summer. On June 10th, Monte Vista was blessed with a wonderful commencement ceremony. The weather was sunny, breezy, and a perfect 75 degrees; and our 2016 graduates truly represented everything that is great about Monte Vista one last time. Among the many lanyards and awards that adorned their graduation regalia, Monte Vista’s graduates were also wearing green and gold ribbons in support of SRVHS graduate Jake Javier who was injured in a swimming pool accident the afternoon before graduation. In her speech to the crowd of roughly 5,000 in attendance, Senior Class President Lily Sauer noted that despite our rivalry with San Ramon Valley, Danville is one community and we need to support each other through the best and worst of times. This message was echoed throughout the ceremony with graduation speeches from Ryan Olson and Audrey Butler, who encouraged the members of the Class of 2016 to make the most of every day and to make a positive impact throughout their lives. I cannot say enough about this graduating class and how proud I am of the people they have become. We sent an outstanding group of young adults out into the world this June. We received more good news this past week about Monte Vista’s Junior Class and their performance on the state CAASPP assessments. To start, our participation rates rose from 55% in 2015 to nearly 99% in 2016. This huge improvement is an essential factor for meeting state and federal accountability requirements. However, the Class of 2017 did far more than just participate. Our performance in English Language Arts improved from 78% college ready to 92%, and our performance in Math improved from 63% college ready to 77%. These are all significant gains in our students’ achievement, and our student and faculty deserve a ton
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 9
of affirmation for their hard work. Despite the empty hallways, there are always things going on at Monte Vista. Our Speech and Debate team returned from Nationals in Salt Lake City, Utah with two new pieces of hardware for the trophy case. Our team earned “School of Excellence” accolades in both Speech AND Debate. Hats off to our advisor Dave Matley and his students for another fantastic year. We also have a seemingly endless schedule of sports and camps going on around campus for the duration of the summer. It is great to see Monte Vista being such a positive place year-round for our students and the community. Monte Vista’s 2015-16 school year has truly been an amazing year, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. I would like to thank Monte Vista’s students, faculty, parents, and community for making this past school year very special and for setting the stage for another great run next year. It will be nice to step away for a few weeks and clear our heads. I am sure that we will all have even greater focus when we return in August. Make it a safe and enjoyable summer.
ACTION POOL REPAIR
SERVING ALAMO & DANVILLE SINCE 1979! In Loving Memory of
Greg Smith
Owner of Action Pool Repair July 6, 2015
925.820.3640 www.actionpoolrepair.com Contractor Lic# 978033-C53
Page 10 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Energy Matters By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Fine Mexican Dining
Unfortunately, the subject matter of my articles doesn’t appear out of thin air. This month, while considering ideas, I tapped into the most available resources present at the moment: my two teenage children. My daughter’s response was immediate and specific: “Talk about the basics; you’re always talking about science stuff.” (She’s a much more creative writer than I by the way). My son’s response was a more typical teenage one: “Tell ‘em about solar” (as he barely looked up from his iPhone). Kids on summer vacation prefer to avoid topics that remind them too much of school and the bygone days of having eight weeks free from all responsibility! Thanks to their contributions, I’ll discuss two of my favorite topics, business and solar. Oftentimes I’m solicited for business advice. I may not be the best person to provide this advice, but I’m always happy to share the business principles which have worked for GoSimpleSolar. The most simplistic tenant to follow, which I learned from my time spent as a U.S. Marine Corps Officer, is to take “ownership” of your responsibilities. Expect “ownership” from those in your charge in return. The Marine Corps serves our nation, but individual Marines serve each other in order to complete the Marine In Stone Valley Shopping Center Corps mission. Hence, Marines are each other’s “customers.” My customers on the ground (the infantry) rightfully had a defined expectation of quality and accuracy of delivery of ordnance when supported by my AH-1W Cobra gunship squadron. The infantry defined a need, and we fulfilled it. Military metaphors are often overused in business, but they actually can have useful Enjoy Our Patio Dining meaning as long as one differentiates between the life and death aspects of the two. “On time, On target” was the gold standard for munitions delivery; Monday - Saturday: Lunch and Dinner loosely interpreted, it’s also a great goal to achieve when delivering goods Sunday: Dinner only We Offer a Full Bar and Lounge and services in the world of business. In the military, as in business, a cus3168 Danville Blvd, Alamo Margaritas are a House Specialty tomer should have a high degree of confidence that the service provider will deliver a product with precision and reliability when the time and place (and details) are well defined. Business 101: Business should never be considered fleeting; a business should be modeled to be able to remain in business in order to serve its customers for the long term. With this in mind, I provide the following advice for consumers and businesspersons alike. A good “Business Model” identifies a market need, typically, a problem that needs to be solved. In the solar business, the identified problem is obvious; homeowners and business owners have no choice in their electricity provider. High cost “rental” of their electricity is the only option they previously had before solar PV. Targeting and marketing to the proper demographic who desire resolution to the identified problem is critical. In the contracting industry, there are consumers who rightfully expect (yet unfortunately are oftentimes short-changed) reliability in product and workmanship, excellent communication, strong product and workmanship warranties, and firm pricing. If you are buying or selling a service, a savvy consumer will consider a service providers differentiated offerings while also considering price. Products matter. The people who interact and perform the work matter. Trying to sell a service as a commodity has historically proven to be a short-term success story, with negative ramifications to the consumer. Plan on supporting your customer for the long-tem. Summary items critical to long-term success: Find like-minded people to help execute your business plan. Technology, for technology sake, is always a bad idea. A simple and precise business plan that couples your unique offerings with your selected customer base will serve your customers and your business best for the long-term. You will make mistakes; it’s how you recover NEW YEAR • CARPET from those mistakes (make them right) that will leave a very positive impression on your customers. NEW FLOORS! Independence Day in the Bay Area: The Danville 4th of July parade is reportedly the largest Independence Day parade in the • HARDWOOD Bay Area. If you have yet to see it, this parade is an amazing spectacle. Granted, there is always going to be some commercial• RUGS ization of any holiday, but this parade does a great job of featuring local Veteran’s Groups, charities, community service groups, • CARPET CUSTOM RUGS and businesses who “get with the theme” and create parade entries or “floats” that celebrate our nation’s Independence. We’ll •• HARDWOOD be participating with our retired Army combat veteran 5-ton truck, “Bio-Fuel Bertha.” We’re also again sponsoring the “NorCal • RUGS LINOLEUM Beech Boys” flying team who will pay respects to Upcoming Community Meetings and Events • LINOLEUM TILE our great nation’s Independence and our Veterans AIA - Alamo Improvement Association - Please visit www.alamoca.org with multiple fly-overs. We hope to see you there! for upcoming meetings - Creekside Community Church -1350 Danville Blvd. Mark Becker is the President and business Family Owned Business Alamo MAC (Municipal Advisory Committee) - First Tuesday of each Since 1989 owner of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis month 6pm - Alamo Women’s Club P2B - Police Services Advisory Committee - First Monday of each month, Construction Inc, CSLB 948715. GoSimpleSolar 3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd. 5pm - Meets at Sheriff Substation, 150 Alamo Plaza is one of the very few solar PV installers utilizing Lafayette, CA P5 - Round Hill Police Services Advisory Committee - Second Wednesday of both licensed roofers and licensed electricians 925.284.4440 pm each month, 7 - Meets at Round Hill Country Club - Lower Level Meeting Room for installation work, project managed by a solar www.LamorindaFloors.com CERT classes - Community Emergency Response Team - Visit www. PV NABCEP professional. For more information License# 708486 firedepartment.org/community_outreach/cert/upcoming_classes.asp visit www.GoSimpleSolar.com. Advertorial
743-8997
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 11
BRAD GOTHBERG’S
NEW & PRIVATE LISTINGS NOT ON MLS - READY TO SHOW - READY TO SELL
CAL BRE# 00964026
Ne w Da Listin nvi lle g
Co
min
145 CAMINO ENCANTO Danville, CA
gS
oo
n
1280 Mt. View Blvd. Walnut Creek, CA
Danville Ͳ ŽǀĞƚĞĚ tĞƐƚƐŝĚĞ͊ 'ƌĞĂƚ ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ͊ sŝĞǁƐ ŽĨ >ĂƐ dƌĂŵƉĂƐ ZŝĚŐĞ Θ ǁĂůŬŝŶŐ ĚŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ ƚŽ ĚŽǁŶƚŽǁŶ ĂŶǀŝůůĞ͕ ƐĐŚŽŽůƐ͕ Ɛǁŝŵ ĐůƵď Θ /ƌŽŶ ,ŽƌƐĞ dƌĂŝů͘ WƌŝĚĞ ŽĨ ŽǁŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ ŝƐ ĂƉƉĂƌĞŶƚ ǁͬƌĞŵŽĚĞůĞĚ ŬŝƚĐŚĞŶ͕ ďĂƚŚƐ͕ ŚŝŐŚ ĐĞŝůŝŶŐƐ͕ ŇŽŽƌŝŶŐ Θ ŵƵĐŚ ŵŽƌĞ͘ Ϯ DĂƐƚĞƌ ƐƵŝƚĞƐ ƉůƵƐ ƐĞĐŽŶĚĂƌLJ ďĞĚƌŽŽŵ͘ ϯ &ƵůůLJ ƌĞŵŽĚĞůĞĚ ďĂƚŚƌŽŽŵƐ͘ ŶƚĞƌƚĂŝŶĞƌ͛Ɛ ĂĐŬLJĂƌĚ ǁͬ ƉŽŽů͘
Waa Walnut Creek Ͳ 'ŽƌŐĞŽƵƐ ^ŽƵƚŚ tĂůŶƵƚ ƌĞĞŬ͊ ϯ ϯ ͕ Ϯ ŚŽŵĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĂƉƉƌŽdž ϭϲϴϲ ƐƋ͘Ō͘ >ĂƌŐĞ нͬͲ ͘ϯϬͲĂĐƌĞ ůŽƚ͘ ZĞŵŽĚĞůĞĚ ŬŝƚĐŚĞŶ͕ >ĂƌŐĞ &Ăŵ ŵ &ĂŵŝůLJ ZŽŽŵ ǁŝƚŚ ǀĂƵůƚĞĚ ĐĞŝůŝŶŐƐ͘ ĂƚŚƌŽŽŵƐ ŚĂǀ ǀ ďĞĞŶ ďĞĂƵƟĨƵůůLJ ƵƉĚĂƚĞĚ͘ >ĂƌŐĞ DĂƐƚĞƌ ŚĂǀĞ ĞĚ Ě ĞĚƌŽŽŵ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĂŝƐĞĚ ĐĞŝůŝŶŐ͕ ůĂƌŐĞ DĂƐƚĞƌ ĂƚŚ ǁŝƚŚ ŝ ĞŶŽƌŵŽƵƐ ǁĂůŬ ŝŶ ĐůŽƐĞƚ͘ ĂƐLJ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ ǁŝƚŚ tĂů tĂůŶƵƚ ƌĞĞŬ ƐŚŽƉƉŝŶŐ͕ ĨƌĞĞǁĂLJƐ ĂŶĚ ƐĐŚŽŽů͊
Asking price $1,595,000
Asking price $949,950
BradGothberg.com
Call 925.998.5151 For A Free Home Evaluation
BradGothberg.properties
͞ΎdŚĞ ĨĂĐƚƐ͕ ĐŽŵŵĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŶƵŵĞƌŝĐĂů ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ĐŽŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚŝƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƟŶŐ ŵĂƚĞƌŝĂů ǁĂƐ ŽďƚĂŝŶĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚŝƌĚ ƉĂƌƚLJ ƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ďLJ :͘ ZŽĐŬĐůŝī ZĞĂůƚŽƌƐ͕ /ŶĐ͘ dŚĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŚĂƐ ŶŽƚ ďĞĞŶ ǀĞƌŝĮĞĚ ďLJ :͘ ZŽĐŬĐůŝī ZĞĂůƚŽƌƐ ĂŶĚͬŽƌ ŝƚƐ ĂŐĞŶƚƐ͘ /ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĂĚǀŝƐĞĚ ƚŽ ƚŚŽƌŽƵŐŚůLJ ŝŶǀĞƐƟŐĂƚĞ Ăůů ĂƐƉĞĐƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ŚĞƌĞŝŶ ƚŽ ĚĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞ ŝĨ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ ƐĂƟƐĮĞƐ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ďƵLJĞƌ ĨŽƌ ďƵLJĞƌ͛Ɛ ŝŶƚĞŶĚĞĚ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ͘ ^ĞůůĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƌĂĚ 'ŽƚŚďĞƌŐ ŵƵƐƚ ĂŐƌĞĞ ŽŶ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ ĐůŽƐŝŶŐ ĚĂƚĞ͘͟
From Emerald Fields to the City of Lights By Lisa Kallen, Alamo World Travel Have you ever watched a movie and fallen in love with where it was filmed? Suddenly you’ve got one more place to add to your bucket list. If you’ve ever read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, the place you’ll want to visit is New Zealand. For me, thanks to Downton Abbey and Jane Austen’s novels, it’s England’s Cotswolds--a land of rolling green hills parceled off into neat meadows bounded by blossoming hedgerows, filled with centuries-old trees, and crowned on each hilltop with a small honey-stone village to explore. Britain has designated the Cotswolds as an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” and maintains walking paths crisscrossing the emerald countryside so that tourists and locals alike can revive themselves among the lush fields and farms. I had printed out a few of the routes along the Northern Cotswolds’ Gloucester Way: “Walk uphill through Nether Swell Manor Farm and cross three fields, then follow the hedge to the kissing gate on the edge of a strip of trees. Bear right through these trees to the next gate on the edge of the wood. Leaving the wood, bear slightly left to a meadow towards the left-hand edge of the gap between the trees on the skyline.” Come on! How wildly romantic is that? After reading the directions, I was giddy to start my adventure. Setting out from my base in Stow-on-the-Wold, I walked along footpaths and bridleways, beside streams and past mills, crossing fields of flowers, passing black-faced sheep in one meadow, and walking among a herd of woolly goats in another. Compared to the sere golden hills of our East Bay, this land had me watching for Mr. Darcy to ride up on horseback around every shady green turn. Waist-high in Queen Anne’s Lace on a path that cut through a pasture, I came to a kissing gate leading to another open field…and there was a stand of cows blocking my path to the next gate on the other side of the field. At first they stood their ground and I thought to turn back, but these gentle souls were so curious that they slowly clomped over to investigate me, and then they stepped aside to let me pass. By the time I had reached Lower Slaughter after about two hours of walking, I was ready for a cold Peroni by the River Windrush to rest up for the hike back
to my darling room in the Stow Lodge Hotel. Next up was a “Day at the Races.” The Prescott Uphill Speed Climb features a twisting track that snakes up among the hills and trees and meadows of the countryside, testing various classes of racers, from nearly hundred-year-old vintage racing cars to three-wheeled Morgans, from Formula Ones to Bugattis of every era including two Bugatti Veyrons. Hairpin turns, squealing tires, racing goggles and some very rare sunshine made for a glorious afternoon, living the local life. I ended my visit to the Cotswolds in Bourton-on-the-Water, called the “Little Venice of England” as the River Windrush meanders through town. Rain chased the tourists away, and it was just the ducks and I left to explore this historic village of honey-colored stone cottages and sweet shops draped in wisteria in full bloom. After five days of wandering through the emerald English countryside blissfully unaware of any news of the world, I flew to Paris. I woke up for an early walk by the Seine…which was flooded! The barges and houseboats that normally ply the waters were tethered, and the museums along the banks were closed as workers frantically dragged treasures up from the basements to safety from the rising waters. Still, Paris is Paris…Each evening the Eiffel Tower lights up, whether it be a clear night or a cloudy one.And as the bells of the cathedral nearby chime the hour, the Eiffel Tower’s lights jump to life in a sparkling frenzy, drawing oohs and aahs from the world’s visitors. No matter how many times I’ve been to Paris, I never tire of the twinkling Eiffel Tower. And no matter what sorrows befall this city, I will always return. I will return to its lively neighborhoods to explore, the aroma of Nutella crepes wafting around a corner, art along the banks, pyramids of pastel macarons beckoning, and espresso out on the sidewalk for some of the best people watching in the world. Paris holds a mythical place in the hearts of many of the world’s adventurers. Go…keep traveling! Lisa Kallen is a Travel Consultant with Alamo World Travel, specializing in tours, cruises and customized vacations to Europe, the Americas, South Pacific and Asia. Visiting family in La Bella Italia is a favorite vacation along with “soft adventures” just about anywhere in the world. You can reach her at 925-837-8742 ext. 18 or lkallen@alamoworld.com. Advertorial
Page 12 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Offer for new patients only
Hidden Art Studios in Alameda By Linda Summers Pirkle There is something special about visiting the studios where artists create their works. Les Colletes, located above the town Cagnes-sur Mer in the French Riviera-Cote d’Azur, was the home and studio of impressionist painter Pierre August Renoir. The beautiful home with tile roof and bright rooms is a treasure. My husband and I were fortunate to go in the spring when the weather was a perfect 75 degrees and flowers were in bloom. It’s a steep trek to Les Colletes but well worth it to see the sunlit room where the artist worked for the last 19 years of his life, the wheelchair he used as he painted his masterpieces, and a collection of his works. We walked among the ancient olive tree grove on the grounds where we enjoyed spectacular views of the sea. One element that makes this place so special is that Renoir’s home and studio are under-the-radar for tourists. Two under-the-radar studios nearer to home, located in Alameda, are Wanda Fudge Studio (also known as Goose Cottage), the quintessential small home that serves as a meeting place for a group of vibrant and talented artists; and Di Stefano Studio, where Joan Di Stefano paints, teaches Sacred Arts workshops, and creates and restores beautiful stained glass windows. Artist Joan Di Stefano is an expert in the world of stained glass. She has exhibited her work in Venice, Brescia and Bologna, Italy as well as having installations of her glass and mosaics in Paris and Brux, France. On a trip to the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky (Cistercian Monastery where Thomas Merton lived), she discovered 125-year-old stained glass panels made in Germany that had been taken out of the Abbey chapel. The huge pieces of glass were stored in a Beautiful front door of “Goose Cottage,” barn, untouched and forgotten for years. She ended up repairing some of the works of art by shuttling back and forth from Wanda Fudge home/studio located in Alameda. California to Kentucky. In the end, the decision was made to have Joan take the glass. Joan is in the process of restoring the historic and beautiful panels in her workshop in Alameda which is open the public the first Sunday of the month from 1PM-6PM or by appointment. Another local treasure is Wanda Fudge and Friends, a group of talented artists and friends who meet regularly at Wanda’s studio in Alameda. Before the “small home” phenomenon that is so popular now, Wanda Fudge, artist and costume designer in Hollywood and businesswoman (she has owned 16 retail stores throughout the years), moved into a small cottage that was built in 1880. This adorable, art filled home (it’s approximately 600 square feet) is a delight to the senses with its brightly painted walls, unique photos, and little touches such as tiny children’s chairs mounted on the walls. As with many artists, Wanda Fudge knows where to place just the right object at just the right angle. Behind the gorgeous little home, a tiny backyard is also a delight. Lush green succulents hang from brilliant red window boxes, and lace covered windows add to the beauty of this home. Wanda Fudge studio recently held an open house with her friends: Bonnie Hoover, whimsical art doll artist; Peggy Anstrand, vintage button collector and jewelry maker; Rosie Dennis, art and jewelry maker; Suzanne Duran, mosaic artist; Donna Perry, doll artist as well as jewelry and card maker; Zanaib Nia Green, known for her knitted, crocheted and African art crafts; Kelly Mead, figurative artist with scarves made by silk screening or air-brushing; and Vicki Bliss Newcomer, sculptor who makes beautiful wedding cake toppers and garden art. A list of Wanda Fudge and Friends events are found on their blog which can be reached by going to Google and entering “wanda fudge and friends.” Di Stefano Studio is located at 113 Ballena Blvd. in Alameda. Reach Joan at (510) 465-9031, joanartglass@gmail.com, or visit distefanostudio.com. 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.
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 13
Celebrate JULY With
The Alamo Women’s Club honored its 2016 scholarship recipients at a recent luncheon. The scholarship program began in 1939, awarding a nursing student and senior at San Ramon Valley High School. Over the years, the program adapted as the student landscape and world changed. With the loss of money to arts programs at the public schools, the club adjusted their current focus to performance and visual art scholarships, versus solely academic scholarships. Five years ago the Club began giving scholarships to returning single mothers at Diablo Valley College and two years ago expanded to include emancipated foster youth pursuing higher education. The Scholarship Committee (Alice Fottrell of Alamo and Margaret Batesole of Danville), capably chaired by Jone Sapiro of Alamo, reviewed the applicants. Recipients are five high school senior art students, two returning single mothers from DVC, and two foster students from Youth Homes. They are: Olivia Mello, Carondelet, stated music is “her metaphorical energy drink.” She has played piano since age eight and performed a classical piece at the luncheon. Christina Wong, Carondelet, presented a fashion slide show of her art portfolio including her designs submitted to Parsons School of Design. She began designing and sewing in early high school. Hayley Uno, Las Lomas High, is a Taiko drummer. She will major in environmental science. Her signature project was to find a use for and collect 16,000 Mylar bags that had been thrown away. Trust in Education made use of them for solar cookers distributed to Afghani refugees.
Cookware~Bakeware~Gadgets For all of your summer entertaining needs.
**Bring in this ad for 10% off of USA made kitchen items thru July19th ** Not good on sale merchandise.
We hope to see you at our Kitchen Counter Events! Call the Kitchen at 925-837-2420 to reserve your seat!
Alamo Ace Hardware |3211 Danville Blvd., Alamo | 925-837-2420 www.AlamoHardware.com
Stop by our new office in the Alamo Courtyard 3195 Danville Blvd #4, Alamo
Joel Herman, Monte Vista High, comes from a musically gifted family who received past AWC scholarships. He says he is ‘rarely without a song in my heart.’ A multi-talented musician, Joel is a violinist, pianist, and saxophonist. Christopher Richardson, San Ramon Valley High, entertained with his YouTube video piano performance used in his musical applications. He will attend Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University to be able to work with noted musician, Professor Leon Fleisher. Cassandra Affinito of Walnut Creek has persevered through welfare, homelessness, and being a single mother who understands struggles to achieve her goals. Her counselor describes her as ‘vibrant and optimistic.’ She hopes to pay it forward one day to other single mothers after she becomes a CPA. Brittany Ayala of Bay Point graduated high school with honors and is first in her family to attend college. Being a teenage mom balancing needs of a five month old with quizzes and tests to maintain grades was a challenge but made her determined to further herself with a law degree. Jessica Maldonado of Antioch wants a criminal justice degree. She struggles to fund her continuing education. A scholarship helps her buy books and cover incidentals. She hopes to show her young son that it is possible to go to college. Deziarae Newton of Bay Point took care of her mother and brother as a young teen, and she entered a foster program after having her son at 15. Her counselor writes, “With her attitude and skills, she can do whatever she sets her mind to do.” She hopes to be a nurse. Alamo Women Club members have worked hard to continue these scholarships, through thick and thin, for 77 years. We are the longest continuous service organization in Alamo and this year celebrate 100 years! The tradition of scholarships is our longest continual program. We are proud of that accomplishment!
Page 14 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Sustainable Tip of the Month By Cynthia Ruzzi, President Sustainable Danville Area When asked to define sustainability, I often say that it is acting in a way to protect our natural resources for future generations. As I write this, I’m days away from welcoming the future generation of my family - my first grandson. This child will be welcomed into the world in a birthing pool by his parents and a doula, hopefully on his due date, Father’s day… what a present for his first time dad! I thought I could not be more thrilled when my son shared the upcoming baby news on Thanksgiving Day, but then I got the baby shower invitation. Just above the RSVP line it said, “The parents have decided to use cloth diapers.” It was music to my ears. With the average baby using 6,000 diapers before potty training, choosing cloth diapers helps eliminate some of the 49 million disposable diapers sent to the landfill each year. The diapers then sit in the landfill for 200-500 years before decomposing. Cloth diapers have come a long way since those made of white rectangular fabric that required a degree to fold properly and safety pins, which were sure to prick your fingers, to hold the diaper in place. Now, there are cloth diaper options that are fluffy, soft, and as absorbent as disposables and fitted with snaps or Velcro and elastic legs for extra protection. Some even offer waterproof lining to prevent leaks or pockets that can be stuffed as thick as your baby needs. Because these diapers are easily adjusted, they can be washed and used until the child is potty trained. While using a diaper laundry service saves a percentage of water usage, home-washing is the economical choice. But both options reduce the ecological footprint over disposables by more than fifty percent. It only seems logical that if one chooses cloth diapers, then you should consider eliminating baby wipes as well. If the average child goes through 6,000 diapers, then at two wipes per change, I figure at least 12,000 wipes are used. Instead of disposable wipes you can use the following mixture and create your own. Place cloth wipes in a wipes holder or freezer bag.
Cloth Wipes “Recipe” 3 cups warm water 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 drops of lavender essential oil 2 drops tea tree oil 2 tablespoons organic baby wash Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Soak baby washcloths or other soft cloth and place in wipes holder. Do not wring out completely. The wipes holder will keep wipes moist until ready for use. Reviewing my grandson’s (I like saying that) baby gift registry, I see that the green choices don’t stop at diapers and wipes. Here are a few other ways the parents are choosing to raise a healthy, green baby: 1. Pumps and glass bottles – Breast milk is the most ecologically sound food source since it is produced and delivered without using other resources. While artificial baby milk is a necessity for some, it uses resources and creates pollution like all other processed foods. 2. Glass containers – Preventing chemical exposure from plastics is a good enough reason to eliminate plastic use. If you can’t eliminate all plastic containers, then avoid warming food in them, and always hand-wash them to minimize heat leaching the chemicals from the container. It’s also important to use less canned food since the resin-based lining of these cans often contains the harmful chemical bisphenol (BPA). 3. Filtered water pitcher – Instead of buying purified bottled water, reduce plastic waste with an in-home water filtration system or a simple counter-top unit. 4. Baby food steamer and blender – Make your own baby food from seasonal, organic fruits and veggies ensuring your little one’s food is richer in nutrients and without pesticides. Buying bulk in season lowers costs, and you can use flash freezing to save portion-sized for later use. If you can’t buy all organic, check the Environmental Working Groups (EWG) “Dirty Dozen” list to find the safest bets for you and your family. 5. Gently-used clothing and toys – With friends ahead of my son raising green babies, may son and his wife will be the lucky recipients of well-loved items that are locally-made, including organic cotton clothing and wooden toys. We’ve already covered the importance of limiting plastic exposure, but given how quickly babies grow, utilizing used clothing is not only economical— it reduces the carbon load of producing items that are used for only a month or two. 6. Natural bath care products – Good Guide (www.goodguide.com) was started by a dad worried about the ingredients in sunscreen he was using on his young child. Now you can check the ratings for shampoos and body lotion before using it on your baby. Another way to save your baby’s gentle skin and save water is to skip a few of those daily baths and sponge bath just his bottom. The most touching of all the requested items was for friends and family to contribute to the library for the new baby. I loved passing along my son’s copy of The Wild Things, one of his favorite books. The complete set of A.A. Milne’s classic based on the adventures of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh will have to wait until the baby visits Nonna’s house.
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 15
Local Homes for Lease
Magical Redfern Dr ~ English country with Carmel feel 35 Redfern Drive, Alamo Beautiful home and setting, 200 year old oak trees, 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3,000 sq ft. private drive, located in the heart of Alamo. Rare secluded estate sized property! 11 rooms, 3 car garage, plus 6 car parking. Gardener, pets on approval, minimum 1 year lease. Available July 1 ~ $6,395 Greenbrook Beauty ~ 37 Saint Mark Court, Danville Immaculate, much loved Greenbrook, large tri-level home. 4/5 bedrooms, 3 baths. Guest suite. Walk to school,park,pool. Ideal location with Mt.Diablo/LasTrampas views. A real family home, available in time for school! $5,500. Offered by the RHL Group, Alamo
L
S EA
ED
Marsha J. Anderson, BRE 00964670 | 925-351-8188 marsha888@comcast.net | 30 years local experience!
San Damiano continued from front page
sessions. One musician brought her harp out to the open air labyrinth and played her lovely music. Sold out concerts have been held for the public in the evenings. Head Gardener, Keven Repp is responsible for the landscape of the 55-acre property. He is grateful for the many volunteers who come faithfully to help with planting, weeding, pruning, and general clean up. Six young men from the Church of Latter Day Saints arrive twice a month and spend most of the day assisting Kevin with tasks that would not be done without their help. About a year ago the friars at San Damiano began a program assisting refugees. Today there are five refugees living at San Damiano. Brother Michael Minton, Director recalls, “We had been discerning for a while who the marginalized in our community were and how we could ‘embrace’ them. We have a wonderful place for people to retreat from the craziness of the world, but Franciscans aren’t quite complete without the poor and marginalized around us. Jewish Community Services had an article in the Contra Costa County Interfaith paper looking for host families, so we called and they were extremely grateful for this new partnership housing refugees at San Damiano.” Brother Michael explains, “Each of the men living with us come with different histories and skills. Challenges seem to revolve around learning English, having transportation, finding work, and then finding affordable housing. Usually when a refugee comes to this country, the resettlement agency is able to help for 90 days. This can leave many refugees in a precarious situation. Our arrangement (housing and assisting refugees) has helped prepare these men to be independent as they leave. For example, one of the refugees prior to moving here had difficulties finding a place to live. After just six months at San Damiano, he has a car and a decent job, is enrolled in school, and has enough money to be moving out to an apartment. That is a major success story for this young man.” Asked what he has learned since San Damiano has been hosting refugees, Brother Michael explained, “When the first refugee arrived, I thought we were doing a good deed. There was a story that made me realize what we were doing was bigger. One morning one of the young men was out walking with his laptop, holding it up and down and moving it around. An employee, thinking he was trying to get a wireless signal went out and said, ‘You know, there is wireless in the rooms.’ He said, ‘No, I am Skyping with my mom, and I want her to see how safe I am.’ I will never understand what it means to send a child so far away realizing I will never see him again. But, when I realized that this little thing we are
See San Damiano continued on page 25
Page 16 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Clip Notes By Jody Morgan “Garden as if life depended on it.” The admonition, inscribed by Douglas Tallamy, in my copy of his book of Bringing Nature Home, is my new mantra. His colorful presentation that day began with a series of slides running through the seasons from the perspective of several appealing species of songbirds. Who knew a professor of entomology could be so entertaining? By choosing popular protagonists to portray the problem, he kept his audience enthralled as he conveyed the message that the plight of monarch butterflies is just a tiny aspect of a huge issue threatening the food web of our entire planet. Adult songbirds forage for different foods during the course of the year. They may consume a variety of seeds and insects depending on availability. Baby songbirds can’t ingest or digest seeds. They need a prodigious number of caterpillars and other soft-bodied life forms to grow. Unfortunately, just like juvenile monarchs, most types of caterpillars are dependent on a tiny selection of plant species to survive. Even as we seed in milkweed for monarchs, we need to consider saving space in our yards for plants that host their cousins. An estimated 90% of beneficial insects have evolved to feed on only a small selection of species that cohabit their native range. Plants protect themselves by producing chemicals toxic to all but the few insects impervious to those poisons. When alien plants are introduced into the landscape, most native insect herbivores can’t dine on the leaves. Birds and insects expecting to prey on those herbivores are out of luck. I can’t imagine spending months comparing the biomass of insects resident where native plants are abundant to that of Doors | Windows | Blinds & Shades | Home Automation insects forced to feed where alien plants are predominant or even to run a similar study of birds. Someday soon, however, we may all be thanking the few folks who have begun compiling compelling statistics. Yes, birds eat the berries Visit Our Alamo and butterflies drink the nectar of non-native plants. They Showroom may not starve, but they do struggle to survive. Although I thought I was being reasonably responsible 3221-B Danville Blvd in squelching my instinctive desire to squish any bug Alamo, CA 94507 threatening my plants, I’ve lately learned how little I know By Appointment Only about protecting the insects that keep my garden going. For instance, of the approximately four million species scientists have identified to date, only 1% are thought to have a negative impact on human existence. Tallamy writes: “The other 99% of the insect species pollinate plants, return the nutrients tied up in dead plants and animals to the soil, keep populations of insect herbivores in check, aerate and enrich the soil, and as I keep stressing, provide food either directly or indirectly for most other animals.” I have yet to discover whether the 1% includes significantly more individuals per species. As anyone who has inadvertently brought a cockroach home in a grocery bag realizes, many undesirables reproduce at an alarmingly rapid rate. What I do know is that many species essential to the intricate interdependence of organisms in the worldwide food web face extinction because the natural process of evolution rarely keeps pace with human intervention. As a gardener, I find plants impervious to damage by insect pests delightful and foliage filigreed by caterpillars disturbing. I love the latest doubleflowered hybrids that have sacrificed their pollen and nectar producing parts to providing extra petals. Many are sterile and won’t seed themselves around the garden. Yet those same plants aren’t very useful. As Tallamy emphasizes: “A plant that has fed nothing has not done its job.” Tallamy is enough of a pragmatist to recognize that few of us are going to immediately rip out every expanse of lawn and replace every exotic plant in our gardens. What he hopes is that each of us will make room for some important natives. Host plants range from towering pines and mighty oaks to graceful grasses and shy violets. Even a city dweller with a single container on a balcony can participate in the process of reconnecting habitats. “What does it do?” gardeners are beginning to inquire. As gardening with a purpose beyond pure aesthetics is gaining ground, nurseries are responding with plant selections serving multiple functions. Garden densely, Tallamy suggests. Layer shrubs to feed and shelter small birds amongst your flowering annuals and perennials. Add drifts of plants that summon your favorite butterflies. Even if you choose to specialize in supporting a single species of bird, bee, or butterfly, you can make a difference.
DOORS & WINDOWS pellanorcal.com
Wood | Fiberglass | Vinyl
(844) 877-3552 www.PellaNorCal.com
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 17
Life in the Alamo Garden Swimming Pools By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059 Summer is finally officially here, although it has been a mild one so far. I assure you that the summer heat is on the way. One way to keep you cool during those blazing hot Alamo summers is to have a swimming pool. With the “HOTTER” months yet to come, Alamo residents are finding creative ways to keep cool in their backyards. If you don’t already have a swimming pool, you might be knocking on your neighbor’s door offering 25 cents a head to take a dip, or is it more like $5 now? Getting out the “kiddy” pool, slip n’ slide, crazy daisy, or just running through the sprinklers are some other creative ways to stay cool without a pool. If you are considering adding a swimming pool as major asset to your home environment, here are some things to consider before jumping off the diving board. Pools in today’s terms are a major investment. No longer can you get a simple rectangular pool for fewer than seventy thousand dollars. Most pools today are falling into the range of seventy to one-hundred thousand dollars plus. Why? It’s because of the complexity of the pool designs, accouterments, and locations where they are being constructed. Some key considerations in designing and constructing a pool are the engineering and accouterments that accompany today’s pool. Most flat lot pools can be constructed with standard engineering. Most of Alamo’s soil is either expansive clay-type or sandstone bedrock or both. If your pool is going into the clay-type soil, potential problems such as expansion, settlement, and drainage are major issues to consider. If you are digging into sandstone, that’s a good thing. You may pay more for digging, but most likely your pool will stay put. Popular additions to the pool design are spas, waterfalls, water slides, automatic covers, solar heating panels, in-floor cleaning systems, plasters (such as pebble-Tec, Satin Matrix and Pebble Sheen, custom masonry and tile), and of course a computer systems to run the whole thing. Your computer can manage your pool temperature, lights, waterfall, filtering system, landscape lights, cleaning system, solar, and even the ability to turn on your spa to warm it up hours before you even get home for that late night dip. For those with a view, the ever-growing popularity of the vanishing edge or infinity edge pool is changing the way pools have been used in the traditional sense. With high-tech engineering, pier-holes drilled thirty feet into the ground can allow you to hang a pool off the edge of almost any hillside lot. Of course, you can only do this if you are willing to spend what the average Alamo home cost in the 1990’s. V-edge pools are simply breath-taking. Depending on the degree of difficulty, you can expect these pools to start at $125K. If you have the opportunity to design one of these babies into your home environment, you will be totally awe-struck by the beauty of your surroundings being reflected into the mirror glass reflection of your vanishing edge. If you are planning on adding a pool as part of your home environment, it is best to integrate the pool design and the landscape design as an integrated master plan design. Pool companies design pools but often end up plunking a pool into your backyard without consideration of your lifestyle and the rest of the project. Start by creating the environment as a whole, integrating a cohesive design of pool, hardscape, and softscape. Do you want a more naturalistic or formal setting? Installing a pool also makes you think about what other elements you want in your backyard. What kind of pool decking? Should you use concrete, flagstone, slate, etc? What other additions to your pool-side entertaining do you want? What is your budget? As you can see, designing a pool into your yard is a serious commitment and investment with a lot at stake. Swimming pools can certainly be the magnet of joy and good times, but they can also be a liability. If you decide that a pool should be in your backyard, always consider safety first, be vigilant, make sure your children are pool safe, and never, ever leave them unattended, not even for a moment. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Always hire a state licensed contractor to build your project. Check their license status and referrals. Make sure they
have done projects similar to your own. You can verify the status of a contractor at the California State License Board (CSLB). You can check online at www.cslb.ca.gov. Gardening Quote of the month: “I can’t fly, but swimming is the next best thing.... The water is my sky.” ~Author Unknown 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. Advertorial houzz.com/pro/jmla/john-montgomery-landscape-architects.
Page 18 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
How Much are your Trees Really Worth? By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb With the world in economic and ecological turmoil, it pays to take a deep breath and consider the real value of your assets. It’s best to start this exercise close to home because for most Americans their largest asset is their home. A surprisingly large contribution— between 8 and 19%1 — to the value of your home comes from your trees, shrubs, and other landscape plants. If your house is worth $500,000, that places the value of your plants at between $40,000 and $90,0000. Your trees deserve care commensurate with the value they add to your home’s portfolio. Trees, of course, have value far beyond real estate. Here’s a quick tour of values economists give for urban trees: Trees add to home values and thereby form part of the tax base. In so doing trees help fund schools, fire protection services, and police. Trees work to clean the air. In the process of photosynthesis, trees absorb pollutants and even convert harmful chemicals, like nitrogen oxides and airborne ammonia, into benign forms. Trees act to reduce local tax rates by reducing infrastructure costs. Trees absorb rain and slow the speed at which storm water accumulates, thereby helping to prevent flooding and the need to install larger storm drains. Trees not only filter pollution, they help prevent it. Shade from trees can reduce air conditioning needs by as much as 30%, and trees planted to intercept prevailing winds can reduce heating needs significantly. “Projections suggest that 100 million additional mature trees in US cities (three trees for every unshaded single family home) could save over $2 billion in energy costs per year.” 2 Trees also help prevent car pollution. In the Sacramento area, an astounding 16% of air pollution comes from cars parked in the sun. Shade from trees greatly reduces the loss of gas, thereby reducing air pollution. Trees aid healing. When hospital rooms have views of trees, patients heal at a measurably faster rate. Trees help us fulfill Dorothy Day’s maxim: create a world in which it is easier to be nice to each other. Studies find that trees in public housing neighborhoods reduce levels of fear and decrease aggressive behavior; and students
Page continued from front page or the location, and followers usually get it right. One of Mark’s most popular posts and photos was of the large Mona Lisa portrait grown with fertilizer on the north facing hill at the southeast corner of the intersection of Stone Valley Road and 680, still called “Mona Lisa Hill” by most residents of Alamo. Mark gives credit to Cal Trans for preserving the image. The artist was Will Ashford of Diablo, and a crew of two dozen volunteers spread fertilizer in his design in the spring of 1979. The fertilized grass grew in longer and greener and formed the image which spread across the world, ending up in Life magazine and as far away as the Times of London. The same artist “drew” Marilyn Monroe in fertilizer on the same hill in 1983. A recent article Mark posted announced Westside Alamo residents had organized in June 1974 to fight a county proposal to link all the various sections of Lunada Lane to provide a south-north road alternative and take traffic off Danville Boulevard. Oh, and the county was going to form an assessment district on Westside Alamo residents to pay for these “road improvements”! Luckily for current residents, the Alamo group prevailed and the Westside remained its tranquil self. Mark encourages others to post on his page, and Alamo kids from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s have added such memories as exploring the ravine up Ridgewood Road and finding seashell fossils from prehistoric times. Other residents have added their own historical photos and articles. Although Mark welcomes comments and guest posts, he moderates the page to remove any mean spirited comments or anyone trying to sell anything to the group. Check it out! Mark Harrigan is doing a lot of good for Alamo by keeping up this page and keeping our history alive using modern means. If you grew up in Alamo; live in Alamo; or attended San Ramon, Monte Vista, Stone Valley, Alamo School or Rancho Romero schools; you will find a lot to make you smile on the Facebook page, Remembering Alamo. You might even find an old classmate or two.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com with ADHD develop more self-discipline when they play in natural settings. Berkeley calculates that for every $1.00 the city spends on planting and pruning city trees, its citizens reap $1.40 in measurable benefits; for Sacramento the return is $1.80, and for New York City an astounding $5.00 is the return for every dollar spent. The value added to pruning and planting trees on your own property is higher than that for street trees because trees have a real effect on real estate prices. Overestimating the value of trees to the entire planet is impossible: how can you put a price on the continuation of human life? If too many trees are stripped from the planet, then tipping points in the carbon cycle are crossed making global warming spin out of control… and making the world too hot for human life. Our Earth is small, and global warming makes it ever smaller. The easy division between what is global and what is local no longer holds: a ton of carbon dioxide from burning rainforests in Borneo heats the air as much as a ton of carbon dioxide from the tail pipes of commuter traffic on I580. We are all part of the problem. We are all part of the solution. Trees play a role in all three strategies to fight global warming. Trees help reduce energy use, and they may someday become a source of renewable biofuels. We can protect and restore rainforests and other carbon sinks. Through its work in the Borneo Project, Brende and Lamb works hard to leverage local support for the protection of rainforests. Closer to home we can all help with strategic planting of urban trees to sequester carbon, to reduce heat island effects, and to lower energy consumption. The dividends far outstrip the costs of caring for trees as a necessary part of the ‘green economy.’ Like other living beings, trees do require care. With people it costs less to avoid getting sick than to pay for a cure. The same is true with trees. Quality care improves the health of your trees, extends their lifespan, and increases their beauty. Quality tree work pays dividends to you and to the planet. If you need help, do not hesitate to give us a call for advice or to do the work. At Brende and Lamb, we have 20 years of experience balancing the aesthetics of your trees and shrubs and maintaining your screening needs. If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb. com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial 1. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090119210532.htm 2. http://www.treefolks.org/store_biglist.asp
COMPUTER SERVICES: PCs/Macs/Tablets/Smartphones • Upgrades • Maintenance • Networking • Data Recovery • Virus/Malware Removal • Back-up Solutions • Email/ Hosted Exchange IT DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION: IT Strategy Development • IT Infrastructure Assessment • Cloud Services IT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT: Desktop, Server, & Network Monitoring and Management • Office Move Management • Disaster Preparedness
Technology. Simplified. Serving Bay Area businesses and residents since 2001
925-552-7953
helpdesk@pcioit.com www.pcioit.com
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Keeping Your Business Alive By Peter T. Waldron In conjunction with Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor.
You may have heard the grim statistics. Family firms comprise 80% to 90% of all business enterprises. More than 30% of these family-owned businesses survive into the second generation. Twelve percent will still be viable into the third generation, with 3% of all family businesses operating at the fourth-generation level and beyond.** You also know the dangers of not planning ahead for the transfer of your business at your death or when you retire. • The IRS may value your business at much more than you think it’s worth, making your estate potentially liable for estate tax. • Your estate may have little or no cash to pay the estate tax, forcing your family to sell the business. • If you own a partnership interest, your partners will have to hire someone to replace you, possibly at a higher salary since you were building equity. • The partnership may experience a financial lag while the new person is learning the ropes. • The family member you want to take over your business may not be ready to do so. • Your fellow shareholders may be uncomfortable with the idea of a family member replacing you. • Your family may wish to sell your share of the business to your co-owners, but the co-owners may not have enough money to buy it outright. You’re not worried, though. You’ve prepared for these possibilities with a business buy-sell agreement. But are you really prepared?
Do You Have the Right Agreement? A buy-sell agreement outlines how business ownership will change hands and how the transfer will be paid for in case of a co-owner’s death, disability, or retirement. Generally, the agreement provides for the purchase of the departing business owner’s interest by the surviving co-owners or the company itself. A buy-sell agreement may be a cross-purchase arrangement or a stock-redemption arrangement. With a cross-purchase agreement, the owners agree among themselves to buy a deceased owner’s interest. A stock-redemption agreement is an agreement between a corporation and its shareholders under which the corporation redeems stock in the event of a shareholder’s death. Life insurance can be used to fund both. Cross-purchase agreements have several advantages. For example, the surviving owners receive a “stepped up” income-tax basis in the stock bought from the deceased’s estate, which can reduce capital gains taxes if they later sell the stock.Additionally, the insurance proceeds from a policy used to fund a cross-purchase agreement aren’t subject to the corporate alternative minimum tax. Nor are they subject to the claims of corporate creditors. On the minus side, cross-purchase agreements can be hard to administer, particularly
Homelessness continued from page 6 needs and allocate resources to serve those affected. The PIT Count tallies information about people sleeping in emergency shelters and transitional housing as well as people sleeping in cars, in abandoned properties, or in other places not meant for human habitation. It provides a one-day snapshot of homelessness and includes data about families, youth, chronically homeless, and veterans, as well as demographic data about gender, ethnicity, and race. As of January 27, 2016, there were 3,500 individuals identified as homeless or at risk of homelessness in Contra Costa County through the PIT Count. Slightly less than half (1,730) of these individuals were literally homeless and 1,770 were at risk of homelessness. Among the literally homeless, there were 620 people in shelters and another 1,110 sleeping on the streets. Youth under the age of 18 made up 11% of the homeless population, and two-thirds of those youth were residing in shelters the night of the count. Two-thirds of the population is male. Of the 3,500 homeless or imminently at-risk individuals, approximately 34% have been identified as having mental health issues, and 27% have substance abuse issues. The County offers a variety of mental health services for those needing assistance. Overall, there has been a 28% decrease in the number of people that are homeless or at risk of homelessness since 2011, and a 26% decrease in literally homeless. Additionally, over the past five years there has been a decrease in the number of unsheltered individuals identified through the point-in-time count. Since 2011 there has been a 28% decrease in the number of people sleeping outside across the county. Central County has experienced 70% fewer people sleeping outside, and West County had 60% fewer since 2011. East County, though, has had a 30% increase. One of the ways the County is bringing the community together to eradicate homelessness is through the Contra Costa Continuum of Care (CoC). It is a local planning body that organizes and delivers housing and support services for homeless individuals across the county. The CoC is comprised of service providers,
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 19 when the business has numerous owners. For instance, since the owners carry insurance policies on each of their fellow owners, absent other planning, 30 separate insurance policies would be needed for a business with six owners. Stock redemption agreements can be a better choice when a corporation has multiple owners, some of the owners are considerably older or younger than the others, the size of the ownership interests vary significantly, or the corporation is in a lower tax bracket than the owners. Despite the clear advantages, stock redemption plans have a couple of drawbacks. First, the life insurance proceeds received by the corporation may be subject to the corporate AMT. (Certain small corporations aren’t subject to AMT.) Second, the surviving shareholders do not get the benefit of an increase in the incometax basis of their shares when the corporation redeems the stock.
Have You Avoided These Common Mistakes? When you create a buy-sell agreement, you have to give careful consideration to how the contract fits your and other owners’ particular needs now and in the future. One common mistake business owners make is not adequately funding their buysell agreements. For example, if two partners each own half of a business and agree to buy the other out in the event of death or incapacity, how will the remaining owner finance the purchase of the other half of the business? Most agreements use insurance as the funding vehicle. But business owners can get tripped up if the business increases in value and their insurance arrangements don’t keep pace with the increase. Another mistake is not considering the possibility of an owner becoming disabled or divorcing. In the event of divorce, for example, an ex-spouse could end up as an unwanted partner. Other easy-to-overlook events that could adversely affect your business include the departure of a minority owner and the personal bankruptcy of one owner. When you structure your agreement, you should consider all the events that could cause an ownership change. Perhaps the biggest mistake business owners make with their buy-sell agreements, though, is not keeping their business valuation up to date. Unless you have your business revalued regularly, the buyout amount in your agreement may quickly become outdated, leaving the business vulnerable to serious disputes should a buyout become necessary. These are just some of the factors to consider when developing a business succession plan to keep your business alive for future generations. A professional financial advisor can help you identify the various issues and considerations that specifically affect your business and determine what type of buy-sell agreement and other planning strategies make the most sense for you. **Source: Family Firm Institute Inc.- Joseph Astrachan, Ph.D., editor, Family Business Review
Please contact Peter Waldron to schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, (925) 659-0383 or peter.waldron@lfg.com. Peter T. Waldron is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offer investment advisory service through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Partners, 3000 Executive Parkway, Ste 400, San Ramon, CA 94583. Insurance offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. This information should not be construed as legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a tax advisor regarding this information as it relates to your personal circumstance. The content of this material was provided to you by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. for its representatives and their clients. California Insurance License #0E47827; CRN-895260-040314 Advertorial
members of the faith community, businesses, funders, education systems, as well as law enforcement, all working in partnership with consumers to find stable housing. The CoC is overseen by our Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, which is appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The Council meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month from 2-3:30PM. More information about both the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness and the Continuum of Care can be found at cchealth.org/homeless/council. What can you do to help eradicate homelessness? Volunteer! One Alamo neighborhood does something as simple as getting together once a month to prepare and serve a meal to those living in the County’s Adult shelter. For volunteer opportunities at our youth shelters, email araceli.garcia@hsd. cccounty.us. For volunteer opportunities at our adult shelters, email steve. mcnutt@hsd.cccounty.us, and if you are interested in sitting on the Continuum of Care advisory board, please email Homelessprogram@hsd.cccounty.us. There are also many non-profits in our community that could use your volunteer efforts and financial support in helping to fight homelessness. Some of our County partners include Anka Behavioral Health, GRIP, Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, Rubicon, Shelter, Inc., STAND!, Trinity Center, and Winter Nights Shelter. Finally, if someone you know is homeless and needs services, please call 211 or Contra Costa County’s 24-hour homeless hotline (800-808-6444) to gain access to vital services. My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or (925) 957-8860.
Page 20 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
A Terrific Way to Be Charitable By Robert J. Silverman, Esq. Charitably-minded people who own highly appreciated real estate investment property, but are fairly illiquid, face a dilemma. Those who own highly appreciated stock can face the same dilemma. Often, these investors don’t want to sell the appreciated assets, pay substantial capital gains tax, and then make a donation from after-tax sale proceeds. So, how can these folks make meaningful charitable donations while simultaneously achieving significant financial and tax benefits? They do it by donating their appreciated assets to a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT). This strategy, sometimes referred to as a “split interest” gift, provides benefits to both the owner (donor) and the donor’s chosen charity(ies). Benefits to the donor include some or all of the following: a) eliminating management headaches; b) increasing cash flow; c) avoiding property-related liability; d) diversifying assets; e) sidestepping immediate capital gains tax normally triggered by a sale; f) reducing or eliminating potential estate tax liability; and g) satisfying the desire to donate to a worthy cause. While the dynamics are a bit difficult to understand at first blush, a CRT very generally works as follows: 1) a donor establishes and gifts highly appreciated assets to the CRT (an irrevocable trust); 2) the donor names one or more charitable organization(s) as beneficiary; 3) the trustee appointed by the donor sells the donated assets without paying any tax; 4) the net sale proceeds are reinvested in income-producing assets; 5) the donor receives an income stream generated by the reinvested assets (subject to a special, tiered tax structure); 6) the donor receives an income tax deduction in the year the property is gifted to the CRT; and 7) when the CRT term ends, the remainder (balance of assets remaining in the CRT) is given outright to the charitable beneficiary(ies). So, with a CRT, a property owner can essentially “have his cake and eat it too.” I am currently drafting a CRT for a client who will soon be selling his company. By using a CRT, he is delighted to be able to donate a portion of the (very highly appreciated) stock in his company, while receiving a valuable lifetime income stream and a great, upfront income tax deduction. Some people are reluctant to establish a CRT because their loved ones will be deprived of the assets that go to the charitable CRT beneficiary(ies) at the end of the CRT term. I’ll call this the “inheritance deficit.” However, the potential aggregate,
Technology Matters By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO, Inc. Since its inception in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web has become synonymous with everyday life for those of us in the technology industry. We rely on the web for both work and pleasure, and countless companies and entire industries have been invented based upon its existence. The web has helped shine a bright light into the darkest corners of the world, helped oppressed peoples have a voice, and indeed, it has helped topple entire governments. The web is powerful, ubiquitous, and here to stay. And, that is just the part you can see. The internet is similar to an iceberg, and without considerable effort, you can only see the part above the waves, the parts of it that are published for commercial “B to B” or “B to C” use. What you don’t see is the seedy underbelly called the “Dark Web,” where criminals use the web to conceal illicit transactions from authorities and other prying eyes. This is the topic of today’s article, because I just had a brush with the Dark Web I wanted to tell you about. Passwords are a required part of our computing experience. Until biometric readers become more reliable, we’re going to be typing in long passwords to keep our accounts secure. Let’s say that you’ve been paying close attention to my column and changed each of your passwords to be at least 12 characters long, using characters from each of the four sets (a-z, A-Z, 0-9, and punctuation/ special characters.) You’re done and your accounts are safe...right? Unfortunately not. Password security is not an event; it’s a process. If you shop online like me, you probably create an online account to avoid reentering personal information every time you check out. That means you are trusting someone to store that information on their server. But what if they actually aren’t storing it securely enough? What if the client info and account passwords aren’t encrypted? That’s what hackers always hope for, because it makes the server a juicy target. Just like credit card numbers, account passwords are valuable. Why? Because, if someone steals a list of known good passwords, they can be sold on the Dark Web, and the list of passwords becomes a commodity that
www.yourmonthlypaper.com after-tax, financial benefits of a CRT during the donor’s lifetime may exceed the amount the loved ones would have inherited had the donor kept the assets rather than donating them to the CRT. Even when this is not the case, creative strategies are available to compensate for this inheritance deficit. For example, if the income from the CRT is projected to be greater than that which the donor is currently receiving from the assets being donated, some or all of this excess income can be used to buy a life insurance policy insuring the life of the donor. The policy’s death benefit can be the equivalent to (or greater than) the projected value, upon the donor’s death, of the assets being donated to the CRT. Thus, the life insurance can effectively eliminate any potential inheritance deficit. Certainly, anyone inclined to set up a CRT should obtain specific advice from qualified legal, tax, and financial advisors. The pros and cons must be analyzed carefully and well understood by the client. Numbers should be “crunched” to determine whether the financial and tax benefits are satisfactory to the owner, and how the CRT will likely impact the client’s entire estate plan. Furthermore, a number of different types of CRT’s are available to suit a property owner’s particular goals or needs, and many technical tax rules and regulations apply. Some philanthropic people don’t care if their CRT ends up producing a net financial gain. Others are happy to employ various available estate planning strategies, like the life insurance strategy outlined above, to cover any anticipated net financial loss to their loved ones. In any event, by using a CRT and/or other similar advanced estate planning strategies, it is frequently possible for all of the stakeholders – in this case, the property/ stock owner, his loved ones, and the charitable organization(s) - to win. Well, the taxing authorities may not win, but most taxpayers won’t shed tears over that! * Estate Planning * Trust Administration & Probate * Real Estate * Business The author will be happy to provide to 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 real estate; iii) an introductory meeting. 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. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group which is located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com.
This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and is not intended nor should it be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial
all criminals may now purchase. Next time, instead of trying to guess a password to get into a website, they can turn to that list of known good passwords and run through that first. This almost guarantees they’ll get into the site they’re targeting. I brushed up against this situation last week, as my Uber account was hacked by someone in the Dominican Republic who accessed my account using my very unusual password, then took $150 of rides around the island nation before my credit card company stopped their shenanigans. Based upon the particulars of this event, I know there is absolutely no way they could have gotten into my account except by using my legitimate password which had been compromised somewhere, and which is now a part of the Global Password Library. As such, that password has been retired, and I am changing it everywhere it was used so I don’t get hacked again. The Global Password Library is not actually one list, but a series of lists that keeps growing and changing as it is updated and refreshed by recent hacks into new servers. It’s definitely the Who’s Who list you don’t want to be on. How to avoid this problem? You cannot control whether someone’s server is hacked, but you can make it unprofitable for them to have your info. Here’s how. 1) Always use good strong passwords as I have detailed above. 2) Use unique passwords for each and every site you visit. Try using the apps “1Password” or “MSecure” to manage your passwords and generate a new one for each new site. Managing a plethora of site passwords quickly becomes unmanageable without an app. 3) Change your passwords more often. I know it’s a pain, but it is important and effective. And, when a website or your IT department asks for a password change, be cooperative, because this is the problem they are trying to combat with your help. 4) If “Two-Factor Password Authentication” is available through any service you use, use it. It helps. The consequences for mistakes are becoming increasingly more severe and there is more going on in technology than any normal person or business can possibly track without professional help. That’s why it helps to have your own IT department, and why we’re always available at info@pcioit.com, or 925-552-7953. Advertorial
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 21
DAN A : H O O L QJ W R Q 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
The Choice is Ours By Michelle Brown Choice. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy! There are three components in any situation that decide the outcome: our thoughts, our personal emotions in response to our thoughts, and our outward reaction to the emotion we have. Think of these as crossroads. The more we practice paying attention to what we are thinking, how we feel about what we are thinking, and how we act on those feelings, the more control we gain over our outcomes. We choose our path. Each choice we make directly effects our future. From the food we choose to eat, to the people we surround ourselves with, to what we do with our bodies, etc, choices add up and create the story of our lives. Clearly it is important for us to make choices that lead us in the direction of a healthy, long, and fulfilling life. Exercise is a great way to practice making better choices. It literally changes our physiology to create a healthier, more capable body. On the other hand, when we choose to ignore the need for our body to move, we will eventually have trouble executing the simple activities of daily living. This decreases our quality of life. Instead, choose to move today, rather than look back and think that you could have done something so simple to make your life more fulfilling. Once we get into the habit of exercising, our practice becomes maintenance and growth. We become capable of doing more. A good trainer or wellplanned program like Gumsaba can help you move to the next level without injury, while challenging your mind, body, and spirit to build tenacity. This trait is one of the greatest benefits that exercise provides! Life can throw some nasty unexpected blows. Look, everyone thinks of giving up on their goals once in a while. The difference between those who succeed and accomplish their goals and those who throw in the towel and give up, is in the choices they make with every thought that enters their mind. When things get hard, as they do when we exercise, they immediately FOCUS on the positive. They SEEK it. They may be tired, and yes, a thought of giving up may occur, yet somehow they press on in the face of adversity. Each time they choose to counter a negative thought with a positive emotion, it fuels their fire. Eventually, the fire of positivity burns so bright that any little negative thought that might
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
occur in their mind is incinerated. This is the simple power of CHOICE. When we choose to counter our negative thoughts with positive emotions, we increase our capability to handle pain, and our perspective begins to shift. We win. It is empowering and incredibly awesome to realize that we are the master of our outcomes. No one can tell us what we can or can not do. It is ALL up to US. The greatest part is that this is contagious. We light a fire within others when they see that positive is possible, even in the darkest times. This is my hope for all of my clients, for you. May you believe that you can choose better, and may your fire burn so bright that others are lit with the enthusiasm of positivity and the power of choice! To your healthy, long and fulfilling life. ~Coach Michelle Michelle Brown is an ACE Certified Medical Exercise Specialist, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, 2nd Degree Bok Fu Black Belt Disciple, TRX Level 2 Certified Trainer, Certified Trigger Point Rehabilitation Therapist, SCW Yoga Level 2 Instructor, and owner of Gumsaba Fitness Programs. Michelle has been helping clients surpass their goals since 1998. Gumsaba offers outdoor fitness programs, personal, small group and sport specific training. Join Gumsaba for a FREE CLASS. Visit gumsaba.com and click get started to redeem your free class with promo code FEARLESS. www.gumsaba.com. Advertorial
70
DONATE YOUR CAR!
Cars | Trucks | Vans | Boats | Real Estate Call 7 days a week. Tax deduction. All transfer documents handled. Free pick-up. Running or not in most cases.
888-694-5250 | www.thefallenheroes.org
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 22 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
The Eye Opener Styes By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry There has been a definite increase recently of patients with styes. I am not sure if it is related to allergy season or if it just a coincidence, but the uptick in eyelid issues has been noticeable. Regardless, these are very common and happen in both sexes and all age groups. Most of the time no oral drug treatment is needed unless the area affected is large and painful. The first distinction to be made is to define the differences between a stye and a chalazion. A stye, or hordeolum, is an infection or blocking of the glands that are at the edges of the eyelids. These infections are mostly caused by normal bacteria that live on and around the eyes. Lid hygiene is very important to keep the lids clean. For women it is very important to completely remove all makeup around the eye as that can lead to clogged ducts. A stye usually starts out as a localized area of swelling, irritation, and discomfort that can last for a few weeks and takes on the appearance of a pimple. Styes do not directly cause decreased vision but can cause some tearing and irritation which can blur your vision. I always recommend warm compresses to help the stye express. The more you apply warm moist heat, the better; I recommend at least 15-20 minutes at a time. I have found that boiling an egg or using hot hands and then wrapping it in a moist washcloth works best because these will hold their heat for a long period of time. Simply putting the washcloth in the microwave does not work because the cloth cools off too quickly and is of little use. Depending on the size and how solid the stye is, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to resolve. A majority of the time oral antibiotics are not necessary, assuming there is some drainage of the hordeolum and if the patient is not currently ill. It is very important to not attempt to express these on your own. Without correct diagnosis and treatment, styes can cause further issues
Pipeline Safety on Iron Horse Corridor, Then and Now By Roger Smith In June 2015 Alamo residents were able to attend pipeline safety meetings that were part of a greater public education campaign funded by a $50,000 grant obtained by the AIA from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Topics included an overview of the regulatory framework, including maintenance and inspection requirements, common causes of incidents, community resources for finding information and communicating with regulatory agencies, and strategies for reducing risk. The nationally recognized not-for-profit organization, Pipeline Safety Trust of Bellingham, Washington, was contracted to both facilitate the workshops and to provide a detailed Pipeline Safety Report for use in identifying areas of regulation in need of improvement, which was done in September 2015. This report, available on both the Contra Costa County website and AIA’s website www.AlamoCA.org contains Pipeline Safety recommendations for Contra Costa County, California State Government, and Federal Government. The report has been working its way through our County’s review process, beginning with our co-sponsor of the Pipeline Workshops, the Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Commission and then onto the County’s Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) for final review before being submitted to our County Board of Supervisors. This review is being completed in July. Please note that this committee’s Chair, Supervisor Mary Piepho (Dist3@ bos.cccounty.us) along with Co-Chair, Supervisor Candace Andersen (Candace. Andersen@bos.cccounty.us) are both interested in this subject. Call for Action: I want to ask each of you to please take a moment to contact our County Supervisors and ask them to become advocates for Pipeline Safety both within Contra Costa County and to our State Regulators and Legislators. We need to consider and then implement the Contra Costa County recommendations in the Pipeline Safety Trust’s report and then advocate for the report’s recommended changes at the State level through our Regulators and Legislators. If the recommendations contained in the Pipeline Safety Trust’s report are not acted upon further, all of us will lose a significant opportunity to improve Pipeline Safety for Contra Costa County and to advocate for pipeline safety
and bacterial infections of the front part of the eye. By distinction, a chalazion is best described as a cyst in the deeper portion of the eyelid. It is caused by inflammation in the glands in the eyelids; chalazions are much more common in the upper lids than the lower lids. These nodules, or cysts, generally are painless and don’t cause the tearing and irritation that styes cause. Topical and oral antibiotics are of little use because the root of the problem is not an infection. Chalazions don’t look like a stye because there is not a drainage channel for the contents to escape. Chalazions tend to take longer to resolve: up to a few months for some people. Again, warm compresses are recommended, but if there is no resolution, injection with steroids to help shrink the nodule or surgical excision are options. If excision is needed, it is done in-office by an ophthalmologist with local anesthetic, and the recovery is quick. As a general rule, most people use the word “stye” as a catch-all for both hordeolums and chalazions. When I see patients in the office, I can assess the situation and try to express the stye in the office. It might cause a little more discomfort initially, but it will ultimately help the process along. Because of the infectious nature of the stye and the bacteria present in the glands, I always prescribe an antibiotic drop to be used for a few days just as a prophylaxis against a conjunctivitis or corneal infection. Most of the time styes will heal on their own with persistent use of warm compresses. However, it is very important to not just assume any eyelid bump is a stye or chalazion. More severe eyelid and systemic issues can mimic the initial appearance of a stye but require prompt medical treatment. Anytime you have an eyelid bump of any kind, we can see you in the office and initiate treatment or send you to a specialist if needed. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 820-6622, or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our website at www.alamooptometry.com, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry. Advertorial improvements throughout California. Pipeline safety is of critical importance as our aging pipeline infrastructure becomes more susceptible to failure. Please remember that while the Iron Horse Trail may be a popular place to ride a bike or walk a dog, our well-trafficked thoroughfare is also a major conduit for utilities, including a pipeline that carries gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel just a few feet underground. Underground utility lines run throughout Contra Costa. The southern part of the county is bisected by the Iron Horse Trail, portions of which include water and sewer pipes, electric and telecommunication lines, flood control channels, gas distribution pipes, and the petroleum pipeline. Many longtime residents became aware of the issue in 2004, when a crew digging a trench for a new water line beside the Broadway Extension in Walnut Creek, near Las Lomas High School, hit the Kinder Morgan pipeline. The explosion killed five workers and seriously injured four others. That tragedy underscored the need to prioritize pipeline and underground utility safety in the San Ramon Valley and throughout Contra Costa County. Residents from Concord to Sunol remain concerned about several pipelines located within the Iron Horse Trail Corridor which include Kinder Morgan’s fuel pipeline operating at 1200 psi or greater.
Basic Advice Become Aware of any digging being performed in your area. Because of the abundance of underground utilities, it is important for all residents to know about lines in their area and for anyone who digs to call 811 and have precise information about the location of their utilities. Become Safe by asking those parties performing the digging to provide proof of their verification of pipelines in the vicinity. Reporting Unsafe Conditions - Utilities If you are a customer and need to report an unsafe situation, contact your utility company directly at the number shown on your utility billing. If you need to file a complaint about your utility, you can do so at http://cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/ forms/Complaints or directly by calling (800) 649-7570. Alamo is a special community that all of our residents can be justifiably proud to call “Home.” Please watch for the AIA membership letter and form, complete it, and return it to AIA to our P.O.Box 156, Alamo, CA. 94507 Established in 1955 and now celebrating its 61st year, AIA’s mission is to “preserve the semi-rural character of Alamo,” the place we love to live. Consider becoming a member of our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to preserve Alamo’s unique beauty and status. Please visit www.AlamoCA.org.
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 23
Leg Veins By Dr. Jerome Potozkin As I write this article, summer has arrived. For many of us, that means family vacations, barbecues and picnics, and simply relaxing from the pressures of our kids’ school year. For others, it means the embarrassment of wearing a bathing suite and showing unsightly varicose and spider veins. There is hope as the treatment of varicose and spider veins has undergone great improvements from years past. In my practice, we are lucky to have Dr. Monica Brar. Her practice is limited to the diagnosis and treatment of leg veins. Many people knew Dr. Brar when she practiced Obstetrics and Gynecology and delivered many of your babies. I am also lucky to be married to her. The reality of family life and incredible demands of being a solo practicing Obstetrician and Gynecologist led Dr. Brar to retrain in phlebology (the specialty of treating leg veins). Many of the advancements in the treatment of leg veins stem from the use of the Duplex Ultrasound Machine to visualize the veins underneath the skin. This was a natural transition for Dr. Brar as using diagnostic ultrasound was part of her daily obstetrics practice. She has studied this art, and because of her expertise has been an invited speaker at national leg vein conferences. Some people only have small spider veins that we can easily treat with injection sclerotherapy. However, a diagnostic ultrasound is usually performed to make sure that there is not a larger vein under the skin feeding the superficial veins. If there is a deeper vein feeding the superficial one, and you only inject the superficial veins, treatment is unlikely to succeed. A common myth is that injection sclerotherapy hurts and stings. Newer FDA approved solutions do not sting and burn the way hypertonic saline did in the old days. If a larger vein is identified feeding the smaller ones, that vein would be treated first. Some of the greatest advances have come in the treatment in varicose veins. In the late nineties techniques were pioneered that have all but replaced vein stripping. Vein stripping was often accompanied by a great deal of pain and downtime. The biggest advancement in treating varicose veins came with today’s endovenous techniques where a laser fiber or radiofrequency catheter is inserted into a vein to destroy it. These techniques have all but replaced stripping. This is a procedure that is routinely performed in our fully accredited operatories with local anesthesia. Most people are back to work the next day, and the results can be incredible. If you have leg veins ranging from large varicose veins that are symptomatic to small spider veins, Dr. Brar is happy to help you. You are welcome to find out more about the current state of the art treatment available by scheduling a complimentary leg vein consultation. Dr. Potozkin is a board certified dermatologist who has been serving the local community since 1993. His fully accredited dermatological and laser facility is located at 600 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite 102 in Danville. Dr. Potozkin is a fellow member of the ASDS. He is accepting new patients. Please call (925) 838-4900 or visit Potozkin.com for more information. Advertorial
Alamo Police Statistics Sheriff David Livingston reported 34 crimes in Alamo during the month of April which included abuse of elderly, false alarm, burglary, domestic disturbance/harassment/violence, fraud, hospitalization, outside assist, patrol request, petty theft, found property, receiving stolen property, service to citizen, identity theft, vandalism, and warrant arrest.
Reported Incidents • South Ave. ~ Residential Burglary: A home under construction was burglarized of building materials. Suspects were caught on a security camera. The crime scene was processed for evidence, and the case is ongoing. • Danville Blvd.~ Unknown Cause of Death - A male subject was found deceased in his vehicle. It appeared that the incident was isolated. The scene was processed for evidence and is currently an ongoing investigation.
Items of Interest • Sheriff Livingston is asking the community of Alamo to be on the lookout for a good-condition silver GMC pickup truck with a chrome grill, chrome wheels, and tinted windows. The occupants have been identified as two Hispanic males. One of the suspects was short in stature, and the second suspect was tall in stature. The truck has been associated with a couple of theft/burglary cases at construction sites in town. If seen, please call the Sheriff’s office immediately in hopes of identifying and apprehending the suspects. • S.A.V.E.S. volunteer John Thoman passed away recently due to a medical complication. Thorman was a key component of the volunteer program and will be missed.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 24 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Gallstones By Dr. Charleen Kim, West Coast Surgical Associates Have you ever had pain in the right upper quadrant of your abdomen under your rib cage or pain in the upper abdomen after you eat? If so, you may have had symptoms from gallstones. Gallstones are actual stones that form in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that rests beneath the right side of the liver. The purpose of the gallbladder is to collect and concentrate a digestive liquid (bile) produced by the liver. Bile is released from the gallbladder when food is eaten, travels through the bile ducts, and aids in the digestion of food in the intestine. Removal of the gallbladder is usually not associated with any impairment of digestion. Gallbladder problems are usually caused by gallstones which form due to an imbalance of cholesterol and bile salts. Gallstones are more common as you get older, more often occur in certain families and ethnic groups, and are a risk of pregnancy and rapid weight loss. These stones may block the flow of bile out of the gallbladder which causes it to swell. This can result in abdominal pain – most often in the right upper area of the abdomen, usually under the rib cage, but the pain can also radiate to the upper mid abdomen, sometimes in a band-like fashion, or even to the back. Some patients feel pain in the chest and worry that it is a heart attack. Nausea, vomiting, fever, bloating, heartburn, and other symptoms may occur. Sometimes gallbladder symptoms occur without gallstones being obvious, and occasionally other problems can develop such as a stone blocking the bile duct causing jaundice or inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). If the pain persists, a high fever is present, or breathing is difficult, you should go to the Emergency Room for immediate evaluation. You may require more urgent surgery to remove your gallbladder. Complications from gallstones can include inflammation or infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or even pancreas.
Your Personal Nutritionist A Nutrition Plan for College Students By Linda Michaelis RD, MS I have recently been excited to see many collegeaged kids (including my second daughter) who want to take responsibility for their nutrition and lose weight in order to start college with a new image. They know mom and dad will not be around to provide meals, and they will now be making their own food choices at the dorm, cafeteria, or other spots on campus. Many young students I see do not realize what comprises balanced meals and snacks. They often do not know how to read food labels. They don’t understand that there is much more to a food label than just looking at calories -- such as looking at the more important food information like protein, fiber, and sugar. When I talk with students before their college orientation, I stress the importance of going to the dining facilities to see what is offered. Often the students will show me the college website where all of the eating facilities and menus are listed. My job is to help them evaluate the available foods and help design meal plans based on their class schedule. I am usually glad to see there is a Trader’s Joe’s or market close to campus. I will often take my clients to a local market to help educate them about what are great meals and snacks for times that dining halls are closed, which happens often on the weekend. On one of these recent tours my client Sam was excited to see that she could buy low fat macaroni and cheese and use it as a topping on broccoli which is also is available in a convenient steam bag option. We also looked at buying baked potatoes or sweet potatoes which can easily be cooked in her microwave in her room. Sam liked the idea of topping the potato with Fage nonfat yogurt which tastes like sour cream and is very tasty with salsa. I also recommended instant low sugar oatmeal packets with a side of yogurt and fruit, all again easily available and very quick for a meal during study times. During our market tour I showed Sam great soups that are hearty and high in protein and fiber such as Amy’s Lentil and Veggie Soup, Black Bean Soup and Minestrone Soup. We learned how to look at soups and to be aware of how many servings there are in a can where one needs to multiply the protein and fiber numbers by how many servings are listed on the food label. Lastly, we looked at buying baby carrots or hearts of celery as well and buying almond butter and using this as a great portable snack. I could see after our store visit Sam was very relieved that she could now manage her nutrition when left to buy her own foods at college. This will be especially helpful after the freshmen year when students typically
Gallstones are best detected by ultrasound. Ultrasound is not painful and does not use radiation. It can be used to look at the gallbladder to see if it has stones in it or if the gallbladder itself is inflamed. Sometimes more testing is needed to pin down the diagnosis. Patients who have gallstones and also have symptoms from them are best treated with surgery to remove the gallbladder. Gallstones cannot be blasted, like kidney stones, nor effectively dissolved. There are home “remedies” you may read about on the internet about how to “flush” out your gallstones, but beware of them as they may cause you to have a very bad bout of gallbladder infection, landing you in the hospital, requiring urgent surgery and antibiotics. Gallbladder surgery is best done before the stones cause blockage and inflammation of the gallbladder. Traditionally, gallbladders were removed with a large incision in the right upper abdomen under the rib cage. Now the standard is to remove the gallbladder with minimally invasive/laparoscopic techniques. This is done with one to three (sometimes four) small incisions in the abdomen or a single larger incision at the umbilicus using a laparoscope. Most elective gallbladder surgeries are done on an outpatient basis where you go home the same day if your surgeon feels you do not need more observation for your safety. Patients can expect tapering abdominal discomfort up to about two weeks with return to regular activity thereafter. Because the gallbladder is just a sac that holds bile (which is made in the liver) and releases it when eating fatty meals, the gallbladder is not an essential life-sustaining organ and can be removed with little effect on bodily function. When it has stones, the gallbladder does not function properly and the gut immediately starts adapting to deal with digestion. If you have noticed right upper abdominal pain, heartburn, or discomfort after eating, you may indeed have gallstones and should see your physician. Dr. Charleen Kim is a board certified general surgeon who is a Diplomate of the American College of Surgeons. She practices with West Coast Surgical Associates -- offices in Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and Concord. Call (925) 933-0984 to schedule an appointment. Advertorial move outside the dorm to apartments and must purchase all their food for meals. I like to make myself very available to these students by texting, which is how they like to communicate. I often receive photos of their meals at restaurants or even pictures of the nutrition label of food packages, asking my opinion on whether I recommend it or not. I see too many kids using protein shakes and bars and thinking that it is a meal after they workout. Yes, it might be good to repair their muscles, but I find they end up being hungry soon after and do not make good choices when they are out and not at home. My suggestion is it is better to eat a high protein and fiber meal such as a veggie omelet or meat and baked potato topped with chili combinations over a protein shake. If students are in the midst of exams, I stress going for the balanced meal instead of these shakes and bars which will fill them up for hours. The good news is that many of my nutritional counseling sessions with students is covered by health insurance. If you would like me to help you improve your nutrition knowledge and feel the best you can feel when entering college, please start keeping a food diary before you make an appointment. I promise you that this will be an experience that will change your young life. Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or email me at Lifeweight1@ yahoo.com about your nutrition concerns. Look at my website LindaRD.com for a listing of insurance companies I am contracted with such as Aetna, SutAdvertorial ter, Blue Cross, ABMG, Hill, Health Net and others.
Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Say Goodbye to Your Headaches and Migraines! By Dr. Kristin Moore, DC Can you imagine what life would be like if you never had another migraine or headache? If you suffer from headaches and migraines on a regular basis, there is hope -- hope for a life WITHOUT pain! Some people suffer day in and day out, unsure of when another headache or migraine will strike, knowing in the back of their mind that at any moment another one could be looming around the corner. When it strikes, the pain can be unbearable. There are many causes of migraines and headaches. However, most are caused by tension of the neck muscles, irritation and inflammation of the nerves in the head and neck, along with certain vitamin and nutrient deficiencies that can increase the intensity of symptoms. Migraines and headaches are similar in their characteristics, although migraines are much more severe and incredibly debilitating. Here are the most common symptoms of both. Symptoms of Migraines • Pain in any region of the head • Nausea • Vomiting • Sensitivity to light or sound • May have sensory indications that a migraine is about to occur Symptoms of Headaches • Pain in any region of the head • Pain can be either on one side of the head or both • May be worse with neck or head movement • No sensory indications occur before a headache is about to come
How do you treat migraines and headaches?
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 25
POPLAR SPECTACLES OPTOMETRY LOCATED IN THE SAFEWAY PLAZA
Comprehensive Dilated Eye Exams Cataract Evalua on, Macular Degenera on, Diabe c Re nopathy, Glaucoma Evalua ons
Contact Lens Exams Daily, bi-weekly, monthly, colored
PrescripƟon Glasses and Sunglasses In many cases, we are able to make your glasses in our office with our On-Site Lab
Adult & pediatric paƟents welcomed
OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY
Most vision insurance plans accepted
Monday -Thursday: 9am-6pm Friday - Saturday: 9am-4pm
(925) 202--2846
Believe it or not, the treatment for a migraine is very similar to the treatment We invite you into our conveniently located office next to Peet’s Coffee & Katrina Rozelle for a headache. I typically use some combination of the following three methods: To learn more about our office visit • Class IV Laser Therapy (K-Laser): K-Laser treatments are very effective WWW.POPLARSPECS.COM at treating migraines and headaches. 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. It is a very gentle and relaxing treatment that almost always causes San Damiano continued from page 15 IMMEDIATE relief from the pain. doing is a comfort to the hearts of many mothers and fathers, I knew this was bigger work than • Gentle Chiropractic Care: This can help to realign vertebrae just doing a good thing.” San Damiano is not alone in their work with the refugees. Brother Michael says, “I am humbled that have become misaligned and have begun to irritate the nerves in the head and neck. By gently adjusting the neck, the pressure on by the support, involvement, and encouragement of the other houses of worship and different rethe nerve is decreased, and symptoms of headaches and migraines ligious communities who have come to help. My favorite story from last year was when a group will begin to decrease. This maneuver can be done very lightly and of Methodist ministers was here, and one of them met the refugees. She can even be done without hearing the “popping” sound. graciously gave us money to help care • Micronutrient Testing: In some cases, I find that nutrient for them, but more importantly a few deficiencies can contribute to headache and migraine symptoms. Sundays later she sent an email saying Upon examination, if I feel this may be a contributing factor, I will that her congregation had prayed for order a specific blood lab. This test will evaluate all the vitamins us. Here Protestant Methodists were and nutrient stores that have built up inside the body over the last praying for Roman Catholic Francissix months. From there, I will help the body better support these cans, in partnerships with Jews, helpvitamin and nutrient levels in order to help minimize symptoms ing Middle Eastern Sufis, Muslims, and Zoroastrians.” from a biochemical standpoint. San Damiano Patio Brother Michael added, “There is How effective is this treatment? so much I could say about refugees and particularly the men who have lived here. I could talk Many of my patients have seen a huge decrease in the inciabout their optimism, dependability, enthusiasm, vulnerability, and hard work ethic. However, dence and severity of their migraines and headaches. Everyone I’d really rather say that the refugees give us a wonderful opportunity to be the best of humanity responds differently to this type of care, but I often find that the that our religions call us to be.” longer someone has had this condition, the longer it typically Balancing the privacy of the friars who call San Damiano their home and welcoming visitors, as takes to treat. If complete pain relief is possible in your case, it their patron St. Francis had done in his lifetime, can at times be challenging. Visitors who want to will most likely take a series of visits. tour the grounds are asked to call prior to arrival to make sure the center is open for walk-in guests. The interfaith gift-book store is open to the public every day. Jan Alioto-Stegner, manager of the Will this work for me? The best way to find out if this form of non-invasive treatment store, says, “San Damiano’s gift shop specializes in religious item and books. We are a Catholic is right for you is to set up a FREE, 15-minute consultation. This gift shop, yet we have a healthy selection of both inter-faith and multi-cultural items and books. will give me an opportunity to ask you some specific questions Our inventory is constantly being updated, so every time you visit you will find something new.” Come visit the retreat on Sunday, July 17 for a tour of the grounds and meet some of the friars. about your migraine and headache symptoms, and help me to They will be hosting a wine and cheese event with wine from the Bishops Vineyards, a mozzarella determine if this type of care is the best option for you. making demonstration, jazz piano player Patti Leidecker, singer Tommy O’Dowd, and local artisans For more information, please visit www.alignhealingcenter. including a chocolatier, jewelry maker, and other artists. Check their website at sandamiano.org com, call (925) 362-8283, e-mail drkristinmooredc@gmail.com, or call (925) 837-9141. Tickets are $20 for those wine tasting and $10 without wine. or visit our office located at 125-G Railroad Avenue in Danville San Damiano Retreat is located at 710 Highland Drive, Danville, California. For room rates and to schedule your complimentary consultation today! Advertorial availability, call (925) 837-9141. Silent retreats and spiritual direction are available upon request.
www.yourmonthlypaper.com
Page 26 - July 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Menopause Matters
5 Ways to Increase Iron Intake
By Timothy Leach, MD, FACOG, CNMP
By Esther Catalya, MD
Summer has arrived and it’s the time of the year we spend with family and friends at backyard BBQ’s, pool parties, and the beach. It is a great time to renew friendships and get away, but too much of a good thing may be harmful, like sunlight. Your PCP and dermatologist are going to remind you about the importance of using sunscreen to protect you from UV rays which can cause skin cancer. Sunlight is where we get most of our vitamin D, so what should you do? I will use the next several columns to review bone health, vitamin D and calcium, osteoporosis, and bone scans. Today I’ll start with vitamin D. The following is from physician database called UpToDate which has a limited amount of basic free information for patients. Sunlight is essential for synthesis of vitamin D and has beneficial effects on mood. However, ultraviolet (UV) radiation (290 to 400 nm) is responsible for several acute and chronic detrimental effects on human skin, including sunburn, photoaging, and skin cancer. UVB (290 to 320 nm), which represents only five percent of the UV reaching the earth surface, includes the biologically most active wavelengths. UVB is responsible for sunburn, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and photocarcinogenesis. Approximately 95 percent of the UV radiation reaching the earth surface is UVA (320 to 400 nm). UVA has a major role in photoaging and pigment darkening and may be involved in skin carcinogenesis [1-3]. Photoprotection, which includes sun avoidance during peak hours, sun-protective clothing, and sunscreens, is crucial to prevent or reduce the potential harms associated with UV exposure. The following are excerpts from U.S. Preventative Services Task Force Recommendation Statement: Screening for Vitamin D & NIH consensus about Vitamin D and Primary Care Practice 2015. There is widespread agreement that vitamin D promotes bone health and together with calcium helps protect older adults from bone loss. It is generally felt that most persons get their vitamin D from sun-exposed skin. Also, there appears to be a benefit from vitamin D supplementation to prevent falls in the frail elderly who are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Whether vitamin D supplementation offers the same benefit in healthy, well-nourished older individuals is unclear. Beyond bone health and possible fall prevention, research during the last 15 years has suggested that normal vitamin D levels might provide other benefits including reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and infectious respiratory diseases. Most of the research thus far has been in observational trials with final results years away. Some contend that promoting vitamin D even in the absence of data from clinical trials is good for the public health. This logic is flawed given that prior enthusiasm for high dose nutritional therapies based on observational studies like vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium waned when clinical trials demonstrated not only lack of benefit, but potential harm. At annual well-woman exams, my patients share their list of OTC vitamins and the recommended amounts by Consumers Reports, Dr. Oz or Good Morning America’s health expert, so it must be safe? What do Serum measures tell us about Vitamin D status according the IOM and professional societies? Serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-HD) is the best indicator of vitamin D status. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that 20 ng/ml serum 25-HD is the level considered normal in almost all (97%) of the general population. The Endocrine Society agreed with the IOM except in frail elderly adults, pregnant women, and dark skinned individual for whom they recommend 30 ng/ml. If your vitamin D level is around or above 20 ng/ml, you are fine and don’t need to take any supplement. Levels below 20 ng/ml can be treated with 600- 800 IU vitamin D daily but don’t require follow-up testing. Taking doses of vitamin D over 800 units/d may prove to be harmful in the future, so be careful. Next month on July 13 from 6-7PM I will be having informal evening program with light appetizers where my patients will share their experience after MonaLisa Touch (MLT). MonaLisa Touch is an FDA approved laser that restores genitourinary health for pre and postmenopausal women. Tens of thousands of women have been treated worldwide and are turning back the clock. If you are interested in attending, please call the office. Visit my website at www.leachobgyn.com for links to resources and our Facebook page, Timothy Leach MD, for more information. My office is located at 110 Tampico, Suite 210 in Walnut Creek. Please call us at 925-935-6952. Advertorial
Iron is one of the main components our body uses to keep active. It’s necessary to produce proper hemoglobin molecules, which deliver oxygen throughout our bodies. When your body is lacking iron, it is easy to become fatigued, even with very little activity. Iron comes in two dietary forms: heme and nonheme. Heme is primarily absorbed from lean meats and seafood. An individual can absorb up to 30 percent of the iron from food itself, whereas non-heme is absorbed from plant based foods such as vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Non-heme foods only allow your body to absorb between two and ten percent of the iron because it is more difficult for our body to process compared to heme iron. When you aren’t getting enough iron, there is a common disease that occurs called iron-deficiency anemia. This disease is more prevalent amongst vegetarians, since they don’t consume the easier to absorb heme from meat and seafood. However, vegetarians are not the only individuals with this disease. There are many simple ways to increase your iron intake, starting with your diet. As previously mentioned, lean meat and poultry are important foods that help to increase and maintain iron levels. Some examples of foods containing heme iron are turkey, lamb, beef, pork, and liver. Seafood is equivalently beneficial for your iron intake and likewise contains heme iron. For those who don’t eat meat, there are other options to increase your iron as well. Dark leafy greens such as broccoli, spinach, kale, collards and beet greens, as well as nuts and beans, contain significant amounts of iron. When eating only non-heme iron, it is advised that you eat more of these foods in order to meet the daily needs for your body. When eating foods that contain non-heme iron, pair them with vitamin C rich foods or drinks (citrus, strawberries, and tomatoes) to enhance the amount of iron you can absorb from the meal. In addition, cooking in a castiron skillet increases the amount of iron in your food which can raise your iron levels. When lean meats, poultry, or seafood are paired with nuts or dark leafy greens, iron absorption can be improved up to three times. Furthermore, avoid mixing your iron rich foods with calcium, soy proteins, and fibers because these nutrients will inhibit the absorption of iron. When changing your diet doesn’t make a significant difference in maintaining your iron levels, it may be time to speak with your doctor about further testing and medication options. Dr. Catalya is a Medical Oncologist & Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group. She sees patients in Pleasant Hill and Rossmoor. For more information, please call (925) 677-5041. Advertorial
C L A S S I F I E D COMPUTER HELP ITkid Computer Help Assistance with any tech related issue for a low price. Help with Email•Wifi•Computer•Smartphone•Tablet•Etc. $30/hr. Contact Max Nunan, local ITkid consultant. (925) 482-5488, maxnunan@gmail.com
FOR RENT CONDO VACATION RENTAL Mauna Lani Resort, Big Island. New luxury 2 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo on 4th fairway. Minimum 3 night stay. Contact Alamo owners for discounted rate. (925)381-7042, Alamomgt@usa.net
Alamo Today Classifieds
Reach over 6,500 homes and businesses in Alamo & Diablo - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies...$35 for up to 45 words.$5 for each additional 15 words. Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117,Alamo,CA 94507 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com. Run the same classified ad in our sister papers “Lafayette Today” or “Danville Today News” and pay half off for your second and/or third ad! Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print. Your cancelled check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad.
editor@yourmonthlypaper.com
Alamo Today ~ July 2016 - Page 27
* The New Breast Implants By Dr. Barbara Persons As a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who completed a fellowship in Aesthetic, Breast, & Laser surgery, I have been on the cutting edge of breast augmentation surgery for many years. I have been amazed and delighted at the incredible advances the leading breast implant manufacturers have made in the past 10+ years and wanted to share the history of breast implants with you. • 1942 - Eugene G. Rochow of Harvard University, pioneered the manufacture of commercial silicones • 1963 - Dow Corning launches the first silicone gel-filled breast implant. • 1968 - Saline filled implants launched in the US in 1968. [First Generation] • 1970s-80s - Silicone implants widely used in the U.S. [Second Generation] • 1992-2006 silicone implants banned in the U.S. due to concerns about performance • 2006 Third Generation Silicone implants FDA approved The Third Generation implants offer many benefits over earlier products: • They feature a multi-layer shell (exterior) with a barrier layer to make them more durable • They are filled with a special gel that is quite cohesive (non-spreading). You can cut an implant in half, and there is no flow of the gel. Despite the advances in these Third Generation implants, every patient has unique needs and desires. In a typically week, I consult with a dozen or so women seeking breast augmentation. A number of questions and topics are discussed with the most popular being, “saline or silicone”? There are many factors involved in making the proper choice. This makes the need for an in-depth consultation even more critical. In general, most women are choosing the new generation of silicone gel implants versus saline, although an increasing number are also opting for fat grafting as an adjunct to implant augmentation or reconstruction. Recent studies have supported the use of fat grafting to the breast and I often perform liposuction of the bra roll for a “contour” breast augmentation. Both silicone and saline implants have an outer silicone shell. The silicone
implants which come pre-filled with a cohesive silicone gel whereas the saline implants are filled with sterile saline after being placed. As an aside, the debate surrounding the safety of silicone implants has largely been resolved, as there has not been a single substantiated case of silicone filled implants causing systemic disease. Saline implants tend to be chosen by a younger demographic prior to having children. Because these implants are filled after they are placed under the breast tissue, the incision can be more distant (such as the umbilical method of implantation) and will result in almost no visible scarring and has no impact on breast feeding. Saline implants have a lifespan of 7-10 years. Saline implants are less optimal for women seeking larger implants such as a D cup. Silicone implants have once again become the more popular choice among all age groups, even though the implants themselves cost more, as the thicker, gel-like consistency creates a more natural look and feel. These implants can create a natural effect for women desiring small, moderate, or ample breast size. The procedure using this type of implants requires a small incision, often in the crease below the breast, resulting in a very small scar, typically hidden under the breast. The risks associated with silicone implants are similar to those associated with saline while having a significantly longer lifespan. Recent advances in fat harvesting and grafting have made fat transfer a growing method of breast augmentation in my practice. It is ideal for women looking to increase their breasts by one half to one cup size, for example from B to a small C. Fat transfer is often incorporated with breast lift (mastopexy), reconstruction and augmentation. Mild liposuction is used to remove the fat from an unwanted area such as the flanks or abdomen and injected without a need for any additional incisions. Whether you are considering a breast augmentation for the first time or are a patient with existing implants looking for a change, I look forward to sharing my experience and expertise in determining the most suitable augmentation option for you. Dr. Barbara Persons is a plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon and is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Inc. Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. is her cosmetic & reconstructive surgery center, conveniently located at 911 Moraga Road, suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925-283-4012 or drbarb@personsplasticsurgery.com. Advertorial
www.yourmonthlypaper.com nthlypaper.com
Page 28 - July 2016 ~ A Alamo Today
The Combs Team Professionals You Can Count On
Nancy
Joe
Call the Combs Team
®
925-9 8 9 - 6 0 8 6 www.TheCombsTeam.com Alamo Real Estate: Family Home Prices Up 8.4% This month I wanted to focus on what I consider to be the average Alamo family home which consists of four bedrooms and two to three bathrooms and I decided to see if the upward market trend we observed throughout 2015 can be seen here at the half way point of 2016 as well. At the peak, the 2006-2007 time frame, the average price paid for one of these 3,000 sq. ft. gems was $1,512,000, selling at a stratospheric price of $504 per square foot. Supply was very low and demand was very high. Through the first five months of 2016 and 16 days of June, the price for an Alamo family home has increased significantly compared to last year. The current average sales price stands at $1,684,000 compared to $1,469,000 in 2015. This represents a price increase of 15% over the previous year. Dollars-per-square-foot increased in lock step from $487 to $528 for an 8.4% increase. Why is this number greater than the total Alamo market which barely grew this year as I reported last month? The short answer is that this grouping of homes has a heavy weighting of single story homes which are in high demand. Also, recent water restrictions have caused large homes on large parcels to sell more slowly and with a lesser premium paid. This trend is likely to continue as the generation of retiring Baby Boomers begin to unload their trophy houses at a faster rate. Please feel free to form your own opinion on the impact of climate change and future water rationing. For the year, a total of 36 family homes have been sold. Inventory remains low with only 22 similar properties currently on the market. Last year only 16 home remained so inventory is up about 37% from last year. Alamo family homes are selling at a rate of six per month. Current inventory sits at 3.7 month’s supply. As I have been predicting for some time, we are now within the sales time frames of a normal market, which means we probably won’t see off-the-charts price appreciation as we’ve seen for the last few years. The “fad strategy” of steeply discounting list prices to attract multiple offers may begin to backfire as sellers find themselves short of real buyers and leaving big bucks on the table. The bragging rights for selling above list price will be small compensation for selling under true market value.
Danville Single Story
ING
D PEN
Although we can’t 4 bed 2-3 Bath Homes Sales Alamo see that in the data right $ Sq. Foot Avg. Price Size Sq. Ft. now, smaller price in- Year 2011 $ 360 $ 1,083,000 2980 creases are a reason2012 $ 379 $ 1,108,000 2923 able assumption for 2013 $ 445 $ 1,297,000 2914 the future. I do believe 2014 $ 456 $ 1,362,000 2986 prices will continue 2015 $ 487 $ 1,469,000 3118 to be positive but not 2016 $ 528 $ 1,684,000 3283 rise as quickly. Current interest rates pose no threat to market growth so, it’s likely that gently rising interest rates will have a limited impact on the health of the Alamo real estate market. Are we in a real estate bubble? Ten years have passed since the beginning of the big crash which bottomed late 2011. With the recent run-up in home prices, we are about 8% ahead of those 2006 prices. So, if you bought your home in 2006, on average you’ve gained less than 1% per year on the investment. This doesn’t sound like much of run up or a bubble does it? If you bought your home anytime during the downturn, you’ve done significantly better enjoying robust rebound appreciation. Today, interest rates are 30% lower than during the last peak and average income in Alamo is up by more than $10,000 per household. Add this to population growth, job creation, few new home starts, and onerous lending standards and it’s a stretch to conclude we are in the midst of a real estate bubble. If I were asked to characterize our current market, I believe “healthy” would capture it. We are blessed to live in this truly amazing country. Show everyone you love America too by proudly displaying an American flag. Have a very safe and happy 4th of July. Call me at 925-989-6086 if you would like an honest estimate of your home’s value. Email me at joecombs@thecombsteam.com to receive the electronic version of this monthly article. To find archived articles for Alamo and Danville real estate, please visit our website at www.thecombsteam.com. Visit our Facebook page “Real Estate Services for Danville, Alamo and more.”
Round Hill C.C. Single Story
Award Winning Realtors
D
SOL
5 bedroom, single story on nearly 2 gorgeous acres. Two family rooms, exquisite master, large bonus room, walk-in wine cellar. Worth waiting for. Priced to sell $2,499,000.
Beautiful 4 bedroom overlooking golf course. $1,672,500. We represented the buyer. We have more buyers.
Top 5% in Sales Production
Diablo Building Lot
Views! West Side Alamo
Alamo Oaks Custom Home
NG
DI N E P Build your dream home on a 1.64 acre lot in Diablo. Priced to sell $975,000.
West Side Alamo 4 bedroom spectacular views, great location. Worth waiting for. Priced to sell $1,279,000.
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.
The epitome of 21st century architecture. 4 bedroom and office First level master & 2 family rooms. Priced to Sell $2,195,000. J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526