alley Class Shoots High to Raise Money for en Genius Project
onanza is an annual fundraiser that has been a long-standing tradition y Elementary School. Every year, the students from Ms. Martinsen’s class collect, price, and, of course, sell, books. . . at incredibly low ooks are as cheap as 10¢).All proceeds go to a charitable cause, and dents chose to support The Hidden Genius Project. Based in Oakland, organization provides Oakland (and surrounding area) black male e knowledge, skills, mentors, and experiences to obtain and create bs in this new, global, 21st-century economy. The whole class banded plete each step in the process, and after three weeks of collections and -day sale was on. Classes from the Burton Valley community came to M class, buying books and contributing donations to the donation jar . y, the students counted their change bags and were thrilled to realize sed their goal and raised $1,439.21! The students presented a check holson of The Hidden Genius Project right after winter break and felt they had made a difference in many disadvantaged children’s lives.
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May 2016 Drag Racing By Fran Miller If asked to compile a list of the activities in which a typical 13-yearold girl might participate, drag racing likely does not make your cut. Reading, soccer, swimming, listening to music – these are the sorts of pastimes associated with 7th graders. Driving 85 miles an hour while donning fire protective gear? It’s not exactly what you picture for someone weighing less than 100 pounds and standing barely five feet tall. But this is exactly how Alamo resident Leigha Miller spends her free Winner Leigha Miller. time. The 4.0GPA Stone Valley Middle School student has been racing dragsters since age nine, and she’s good at it. On January 31 of this year, she won 2016’s first Division 7 race of the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) junior dragster league, taking home the prestigious “Wally” trophy. She’s currently in first place with eight races remaining throughout the year. Her goal is to win the Division 7 title of 2016. The NHRA Junior Drag Racing League offers kids ages 5-17 a chance to race half-scale dragsters in a controlled environment at many of NHRA’s tracks throughout the United States and in Canada - long before they can obtain a state driver’s license. The four divisions are divided by age: 6-9, 10-12, 13-14, and 15-17. Liegha moved up into the 13-14-year-old class this year. Membership
Servin Mount Diablo Interpretive Unmasking the Mountain By Jody Morgan
Mount Diablo Interpretive Association fornia Department of Parks and Recreatio accessibility to the remarkable resources ava Park. An all-volunteer, non-profit MDIA pr tive materials, provides guided hikes and ed the work of rangers to enrich the experience and hike leaders are clearly identified by th both very important and very informative p als wear the VIP designation as graduates o
Ken Lavin leads a hike with frequent stops to spot w courtesy of Jim Mitchell)
On January 30, 1974, Sam Stoker, Ex Wildlife Center, hosted a gathering to expl See Leigha continued on page 34 that would awaken the public to the value o Among those present was Mary Bowerma Alamo Danville Artists’ Society Presents Primavera Diablo (SMD) in 1971. While SMD conce acquisition of parcels of private land with By Jody Morgan well as adjacent properties essential to su Primavera, one of the area’s oldest anMDIA focuses on disseminating informati nual art festivals, brings artists and art lovers cal, geological, and recreational significan together at the Blackhawk Plaza Rotunda st AM PM in size since the early 1970s from 6,788 to on Saturday May 21 from 10 -6 and nd AM PM grown from 29 enthusiastic members in 1 Sunday, 22 from 11 -5 . Presented by MDIA President Mike Woodring exp Alamo Danville Artists’ Society (ADAS), preservation through education. When we the show is professionally judged, awarding difference, we get involved.” That response cash prizes and ribbons to the winners. Par-
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Page 2 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Are you losing money by keeping your home off the MLS?
Fair market value is the price that a qualified and knowledgeable buyer will pay to a seller after the proper exposed to the market. Some agents are marketing “their own private listings” without the listing going in (Multiple Listing Service). Does this make sense for most sellers? You should be aware of the potential trad by not having your home put on the MLS.
One thing has become very clear in the current red-hot market: it is not uncommon in a competitive multibuyer to pay significantly more than other competing buyers. The best way to insure complete marketing o through a comprehensive marketing plan with inclusion in the MLS. By keeping a listing off the MLS, agent other real estate offices and their buyers may not be aware that your property is offered for sale. Addition not be sent to the full scope of real estate internet sites used by potential buyers.
Without COMPLETE marketing, it is much less likely that the Buyer willing to pay the highest price will be a being for sale nor is it likely that a dynamic competitive bidding situation can be created. In either situation you will sell your home for significantly less than you could have in a competitive bidding situation.
If you do sell “off-MLS” in this market, it’s quite possible that you’ll find a buyer who will pay what appears price. But there is no way to tell if you are getting the highest price and best terms. This is especially true in market. Might there have been somebody else, who, if they knew about the opportunity, would have paid
Beware of agents making self-serving recommendations: There may be valid reasons to make the decision pocket-listing/off-market/off-MLS route, as long as you realize that you might not get as high a price as yo
Is it in your interest if the decision to exclude from MLS is for the listing agent to “double-end” the sale (i.e the buyer) and thus earn twice the commission? or your agent preferring not to spend the effort and mone market and show your home to get you the best price and terms? In both those scenarios, your agent is pu above yours which is a violation of their fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the client over their ow
The quality of the agent working on your behalf—their competence, integrity, work ethic and c interests—can make an enormous difference in the outcome of your home purchase or sale: in m future happiness.
If you are considering selling your home, please call one of our Alamo Special
Gretchen Bryce 925-683-2477
Michael Hatfield 925-322-7775
Jay Weymouth 925-915-1100
Russ Darby 925-362-0460
Tim Palumbo 925-314.7915
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Ala
NEW ON MARKET
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. www.112Lark.com $1,995,000
FOR RENT
Alamo ~ Shows like NEW—Single Level Condo Perf New Windows, New Carpet, New Paint, New Electric Kitchen! Tranquil Views of the Tree Lined Creek from End Unit! Enjoy Privacy in this Gated Community wit Expansive Deck with Creekside Location and Lots of Remodeled Kitchen with Granite Countertops and St Master Bedroom with Deck Access and Views. Inside Garage. Close to Iron Horse Trail, Walking Distance Freeway Access, and More!
Don Magalhaes ~ 925.786.1855 donmagalhaes@gmail.com
NEW ON MARKET
Danville ~ New on Market! Wonderful 4 bedroom, 3 bath Solar Energy home backing to open space with approximately 2565 sq. ft. Updated kitchen with
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Danville ~ Spacious Danville Estate Setting Located o 4 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, and 3,587 Square Feet, E
Page 4 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Boulevard View By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor The concept of something having contradictory qualities to different people has been around a long time. “One man’s meat is another man’s poison� was a 17th century proverb. In the 1860’s in Hector Urquhart’s Popular Tales of the West Highlands, he states, “But one man’s rubbish may be another’s treasure.� The more modern interpretation substitutes the word “trash� for “rubbish,� and we note that something one person considers worthless may be considered valuable to someone else. I recently received a new end table for our home. The table was made from old wooden wine crates and topped with a “pecky cedar� board pulled from an old barn in Fresno. I love things that are reused and repurposed, and this unique piece was just what I was looking for. Since the table was in Los Angeles and I am up north, the company made a plywood shipping crate to ship the table to us in one piece. Once the table was unboxed, the crate sat in my side yard for several weeks before my husband claimed it was time to take it to the dump. Not that I needed another project, but the crate spoke to me as a perfect dog house or storage unit, and I wasn’t willing to just chuck it in the dump. Realizing my crafty repurposing vision wasn’t going to happen under my watch, I suggested posting the box on Nextdoor.com to see if anyone else had a vision for it. Nextdoor.com offers a good online neighborhood community for sharing resources and recommendations, and it is a venue to locally sell or give away items. I posted the box and within a couple hours I had multiple people interested in taking it and using it for different purposes. One person wanted to use it as a tall garden planter box for a non-profit group. Another wanted to use it for grain storage for her horse. These ideas were so much better than throwing the box in the dump and frankly took less effort (and cost) than disposing it there. It was great to re-home the box and give it away to be used again. Speaking of treasures, I recently had the opportunity to visit a local treasure
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located right in our backyard. In my family from the south of France, I reflect on how peo their hard-earned money and precious time own area. We often take our local sites and v are seen through other eyes a new specialne Our students this year were two 19 yea decided to take them to the Blackhawk Aut hawkmuseum.org) in Danville. The museum features over 40 vintage c displayed and polished to showcase their b added a permanent exhibit called The Spirit of the Old West which is a world-class display depicting the history of the Western Frontier, the settlers, and Native Americans. It was a fascinating exhibit and well worth seeing. Without our students we wouldn’t have carved the time out to see this. It often feels like exploring sites like this must be *+ done only on vacation, and I think that’s silly. %, We have this wonderEnjoy hors ful bounty of places to , +% !%, * see and explore. “Stay (& ) % !* cations� make a lot of (! % ) & sense, especially when ! " *) , !# # we live in such a wonder % &% #! ful place.
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Alam
There’s Never Been a Better Time T Median Home Sales Prices
Lamorinda & Diablo Valley
California
$1,100,000 Previous Peak of Market
$1,000,000 $900,000 $800,000 $700,000 $600,000 $500,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $-
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
CAROLYN GWYNN
Realtor®
| 925.336.7525
carolyn@thegwynngroup.com www.carolyngwynn.com
Contact CAROLYN to get started, before the competition
Hiring the best representation to negotiate what may be is critical. I personally manage the entire process, ensuri staged and “show ready” so I can negotiate the highest po
Alamo Summer Movie and Concert Series Movies Under the Stars Alamo Parks & Recreation with support from the Alamo Municipal Advisory Council presents a “retro” movie night at Livorna Park with the classic film Babe on Friday, June 10 and a family movie night with the film Minions on Friday, July 22. Livorna Park is located at the intersection of Livorna Road and Miranda Avenue in Alamo. Show times are 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. This five-concert series features live music from a variety of genres. Concerts take place on Friday evenings from 6:30-8:30PM and include: June17th -Stealin’Chicago(Steely Dan and Chicago Tribute Band) June 24th - Bost Family Tradi-
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Page 6 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Elks Car Show and Charity Event On May 7th a fun event for the entire family will be held. Stop by the Walnut Creek Elks Second Annual Car Show and Charity Event. Admission is free! The event kicks off in high gear running from 10AM until 3PM with classic and vintage cars, new and old domestic cars, imports, exotics, hot rods, and racing vehicles all being displayed by their owners. The event offers a unique opportunity to see these vehicles up close and the opportunity to chat with the folks who own, restore, and maintain them. There will be food, beverages, and activities for the entire family throughout the day as well as a dragster, a fire truck, and military vehicles on display. Prizes will be raffled and a silent auction will be held. All proceeds go to the Lodge's charities. Don’t miss this great event to be held at 1475 Creekside Dr in Walnut Creek.
Vietnam to Western Airlines Talk with Author Bruce Cowee Friends of the Blackhawk Museums prese n t Vi e t n a m Veteran, UC Berkeley graduate, and author of Vietnam to Western Airlines, Bruce Cowee. Bruce’s thrilling book is a compilation of stories told by over 30 pilots that Bruce worked with at Western Airlines (later Delta Airlines) who were also Vietnam Veterans. Beginning 50 years ago they first manned commercial airline cockpits in the United States and then in the mid-1960’s made the transition from commercial pilots to commissioned Air Force Pilots flying the C-17 Caribou in combat during the Vietnam War. Bruce is a fabulous story teller! You won’t want to miss his presentation! This event is being held at the Blackhawk Museums, located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Cir-
Alamo Run
The fourth annual Alamo Run will take place Sunday, June 26rd in dow competitive and fun run for serious runners, friends, and families (includi Prizes will be awarded to top youth runners 18 and under in three age age groups for runners ages 19 to 80 plus. The top three runners overall w categories of fastest dog and fastest baby jogger will be recognized. More than 200 runners are expected to participate in the upcoming event w
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Alam
Alamo Walkabout The Second Annual Alamo Walkabout is being held Thursday, May 19th from 5pm-8pm. The event is organized by the Community Foundation of Alamo. The goal of the Alamo Walkabout is to bring the community downtown to discover the variety of merchants and businesses located here, while having a fun time strolling or riding around Alamo. Over 30 vendors will offer food and/or wine and beer at each location! A trolley will be available to take participants to the various venues. Check-in or night-of ticket purchases will be available at Alamo Plaza – near the Community Foundation of Alamo office located at 180-D Alamo Plaza-near the Post Office, Stone Valley Center – near Subway/Alamo Grill/Hospice Thrift Shoppe, Alamo Ace Hardware – in front of the main entrance, and at RPM Mortgage – behind 3240 Stone Valley Road West. The event will be conducted in full daylight, with a growing number of participating merchants which currenly include Alamo Ace Hardware, Alamo Grill, Alamo Hay and Grain, Alamo Med Spa, Alamo Women’s Club, Alamo World Travel, A-List Publications, Color Bundles, Don Jose’s Mexican Restaurant, Extreme Ale House, Galileo Learning Centers, Hospice Thrift Shoppe, Intero Chiropractic, LeaseYourCar.com, Loard’s Ice Cream, Magbitang Financial, Maggie Rays, Oak Hill Properties, Poplar Spectacles Optometry, Richards Arts & Crafts, Rite Aid, RJ’s Asian Cuisine, State Farm-Nathan Mahlik, Subway, and World of Sound & Vision. Many more are anticipated to participate. Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) will have a booth, the Bay Area German Shephard Rescue will participate, and barrels for Food Donations to the Contra Costa Food Bank will be located at Richard’s Arts & Crafts—who will be hosting their Christmas in May party inside their store. Ticket are $20 in advance or $25 at the event. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.CommunityFoundationOfAlamo.com. Group pricing is also available on the website. Ticket purchases include a wristband, a merchant participant map, a beverage glass, a canvas shopping bag and transportation to the participating merchant sites where food, beverages, and music will be offered. For more information, to become a participating merchant or to become an event sponsor, contact Steve Mick, President at 925-838-7570 or steve@alamore.org.
Community, Philanthropy a
Youth Homes Jewelry Sale ~
Come to the Clubhouse between 10am and 5pm or find a gift for Mother’s Day while sup
Scholarship and Philanth
May 25 at 11:30am is a very special day and time for th and scholars, awarding monies we have raised during t Community, Philanthropy, and Celebration.The cost For reservations email reservation@alamowome
The Alamo Women’s Club is celebrating We are thrilled to serve and be part of this community! fundraising so that we can serve area philanthro We are pleased to announce the awards that the Alamo Women’s They are: ARTS, 2nd place. Provided performing arts scholarships to to Diablo Valley Community College. The Club also participated in 2nd place. The Club participated in Penny Pines. PUBLIC ISSUE coat and toiletry drive. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS 1s For Families Free of Violence by collecting professional clothing, items needed to support shelters. They also worked at STAND!’ with other fundraising events. ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, to provide 7 NEW backpacks filled for VESTIA children. COMMU Articles were submitted to the Mt. Diablo District BEACON (e-news in Alamo Today monthly newspaper. Club brochures and bann website and social media presence. LEADERSHIP, 2nd place. Th to high standards and to making it a working venture. Meanwhile in District activity sending a member to the Isabelle Brubaker P information consistently at the Club level. MEMBERSHIP, 1st pla prospective members to meet the board and ask questions in a m of small social activities for members. If you would like to be part of this dynamic organizat Please visit our website at www.AlamoWomesClub.org to se
For membership questions call 925-575-7706. F The Club is located at 1401 Dan
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Page 8 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Blackhawk Chorus Presents... The Blackhawk Chorus presents “A Tribute to the Beatles.” On the 50th anniversary of the Beatles invasion and their appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, the Blackhawk Chorus will present a two hour show of the most famous music of this fabulous foursome. With 140 voices and a great band, the Chorus will sing songs you know and love including “Yesterday,” “Imagine,” “Ticket to Ride,” “All You Need is Love” and over a dozen other hits. We guarantee you’ll want to sing along and dance in the aisles! The first show will be held at the Lesher Center for Arts in Walnut Creek on Saturday, May 21, with an 8PM curtain. Tickets are $25 for Adults and $17 for Children (under 12), and tickets can be purchased by calling the Lesher Box Office at 925 943-SHOW (7469). The second performance will be held the following day, Sunday, May 22 at 4:30 PM at the St. Joan of Arc Church in San Ramon, 2601 San Ramon Valley Blvd, and 100% of the proceeds from this show will go to the Blackhawk Chorus Music Education Fund which sponsors music programs in the local high schools. Ticket prices are the same for both shows. For more details, and to order tickets, visit www.blackhawkchorus.org. The Blackhawk Chorus performs throughout the East Bay Area and around the world. The Chorus will be celebrating its 25th anniversary as one of the leading mixed choruses in the coming year.
Alamo Jewelry, Fine Art & Craft Show Painters, jewelers, sculptors, and other artisans will be gathering on Mother’s Day weekend at Alamo Plaza Shopping Center for the annual “Alamo Jewelry, Fine Art and Craft Show.” This popular, free, two-day event will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 7 & 8 from 10AM to 6PM. This year’s show features local and regional artists exhibiting original works of art including paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, fiber art, glass, woodwork, mixed media, photography, and more. “This celebration of art offers a great opportunity for art lovers to meet with and purchase directly from some of the West Coast’s most talented artists and artisans,” said festival director John Holland. To reach the Alamo Plaza, take the Stone Valley Rd.West. Exit from Hwy. 680, then turn right one block on Danville Blvd. For more information and maps, visit www.jhfestivals.com.
Meals on Wheels Seniors in your community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services has been supporting seniors since 1968. Two of the programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers. We need your help now more than ever. Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound seniors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly onehour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925)937-8311. 8
Lost Dog!
Treats for the Troops
Thank you to CVS in Alamo and Lunardi’s customers who make it easier for Delta Nu Psi send to our servicemen and women in Afghan were sent, bringing the cumulative donations to treats for the troops. The group will continue se can military members are in the War Zone. Mu available to the troops. On May 8th Delta Nu Psi members will be a at Lunardi’s in Danville. Collection will be hel Money for postage is also always appreciate our men and women in the War Zone a touch o For more information, visit www.deltanu
Parisian Gala
The Friends of the Danville Library Endo Gala, starring bestselling mystery author C 21st at 6:30PM at the Danville Community Ce Danville. This will be a fun, informative ev French wine, and a talk by Cara Black, wh LeDuc and her investigations in various Par In a departure from the usual, party goer gate stops on the Metro. Free perfume samp stop near Printemps. Another stop will be at Parisian bookstore. At our Shakespeare and books on Paris or France will be given awa there will be a place for everyone to try boa their French. Tickets are $60 and are available at the Rakestraw Books, and online at http://DLE Proceeds from the Gala will benefit the
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Rancho Romero Elementary School
Ala
By Skye Larsh-Faraghan, Principal
It is time to celebrate the hard work of our professional educators, students, and parent community. Rancho Romero Elementary School successfully completed the California Gold Ribbon Schools Pro application process and is being recognized as one of eighteen California Gold Ribbon Schools for 20 the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The award reflects Rancho Romero’s success in crea positive learning atmosphere for students. In determining initial eligibility for the award, a team of state educators reviewed state wide test results w included the 2015 CAASPP. Evidence used to meet the criteria had to demonstrate gains and/or continuat high proficiency rates for all students in the areas of math and English language arts. Following, our school identified one Signature Practice that contributed to our students’ high achievement and could be replicat others. Rancho Romero selected the Signature Practice of “Building A Digital Learning Environment.” An application was writte submitted to the California Department of Education as evidence of our model program and practice, and subsequently Rancho Ro was recognized as meeting state wide criteria. To summarize, when students have access to digital tools, applications, programs, and resources, results reveal a positive tre achievement among all subgroups, specifically related to higher level thinking tasks and problem-solving. Building a digital environment focused on rigor, relevance, relationships, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and crea proved an important move for Rancho Romero. Understanding that students are naturally curious and social, we discovered that wh infrastructure is in place to address learning preferences, students are ready to go at full speed. We recognize technology and the around us is changing faster than humans have ever experienced. It is our job to meet the needs of every student, every day. By b ing a learning environment that fosters 21st century skills, aligns with essential standards, and provides access to multiple resource learning platforms, we are guaranteeing that our students will be prepared for the next level of learning, the next grade, and their f Our success is a direct result of dedicated, creative, and talented staff, and a highly supportive school community. Congratulations
Alamo Elementary School By Stan Hitomi, Principal As Good as Gold
April was the busiest month I have seen during my 11 years at Alamo School, as both a pare principal. Despite the hectic pace of April, May seems like the ideal time to reflect upon not only Ap the entire 2015-2016 school year. The year began with a bang as we concluded our 50th Anniversary Celebration and started to look towards the 50 Years.” We have certainly gotten off to a good start as last month we learned that Alamo School was sele a California Gold Ribbon School and will be recognized in a ceremony in Santa Clara on May 5th. It is the fir for being recognized by the Gold Ribbon program, but Alamo School is no stranger to being recognized for excellence in education. Alamo School has been recognized three times as a California Distinguished School and three times as a National Blue Ribbon School. The three National Blue Ribbons are the most earned by any school in our district and the most (tied) by any elementary school in the country. The excellence recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools program is a result of the excellence we have within our students, our teachers, and our parents.
Excellence in Students Our Alamo School Odyssey of the Mind team captured first-place in the SF Area competition and travelled to UC Riverside to represent the Bay Area in the California State Finals. Team members Gretta Callison, Ella Economos, Emmerson Finder, Maggie Heil, Nicholas Kimber, Levi Stratton, and Jason Veit gave an exceptional performance and showed exemplary teamwork. The team placed sixth in their division at State competition, an outstanding achievement. That’s two years in a row an Alamo Elementary team has placed in the top six at State level. We are very proud of their hard work!
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Excellence in Teaching
Sue Benit (4th grade teacher) received the 2016 “Lifetime Achievement” award by the San Ramon Valley Education Assoc Education awards dinner. On April 19th, over 200 former teachers, students, and parents from throughout her 31-year career at ment celebration in her honor. There can be no doubt that Sue Benit is a big reason that Alamo School has sustained its excellen
Excellence in Parents
Last month the Alamo Education Foundation pulled off an amazing accomplishment, setting an all-time record for Jo Stratton, EdFund President coordinated the effort with over 115 parents. This is amazing since we have just over 20 ing lead roles in this effort were Julie Adelson, Bar Mizne, Anna Naquin, Christy Campos, Lindsey Gorski, Lana Sa and a cast of many, many more. Kudos to our PTA and the incredible job they did on our annual Talent Show last month. “Alamo Idol” was a huge success
Page 10 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Stone Valley Middle School By Jon Campopiano, principal April was an amazing month! The 2016 SRVUSD Speech Contest is an opportunity for elementary andmiddle school students to demonstrate their ability to think creatively, write a speech, and present in front of an audience. The topics were: 6th grade ~ Imagining Tomorrow, 7th grade ~ Growing Up, and 8th grade ~ Our Education System. We had over 30 students try out for the event, and the following have been selected to represent Stone Valley. th • 6 Grade: Talia Giannini and Morsal Popal (alt. Rowan Eiselman and Brennan Finder) •7th Grade: Megan Barta and Caleb Spanier (alt. Emmarae Ensor and Janaki O’Callaghan) •8th Grade: Ryan Johnson and Steven Monolakis Congrats and best of luck at the district competition on May 7th! Over fifteen members of our Pledge to Humanity Club participated in a wonderful Special Olympics event at our neighbor school, Mauzy. Our students supported their peers in track and field, basketball, and soccer events. They were treated to a BBQ lunch and shared with our staff how thankful they were for the experience and how they have a better appreciation of the gifts they have. April 22nd was our Fitness Challenge Assembly, and May 7th will be the Fitness Challenge. Students form teams and navigate through an obstacle course of 12 FUN Exercise Stations during their PE Class. They compete for time, but they also compete for spirit, creativity, perseverance, and teamwork! April was also Mobility Awareness Month and our Stone Valley Community partnered with the Wheelchair Foundation to raise funds to provide wheelchairs for people around the world that are challenged with mobility issues and are in need of assistance. I am constantly blown away by the generosity and support our community provides to those in need. We look forward to Open House on May 19th, Field Day on May 27th, and many exciting Promotion activities. Please come by and pay a visit to see the progress of our construction project, and continue to follow us on Twitter @ StoneValleyMS. Have a great Month of May!
St. Paul’s Piano Improvisation Contest In June the first ever piano improvisation contest at St. Paul’s Episcopal in Walnut Creek will be held. This contest is open to all ages, and it aims to encourage the art of piano improvisation.The contest will take place on June 24th at 7:30PM, with preliminary auditions if necessary. Participants will improvise at the piano 1) In a given key - 1 minute, 2) On a given melody - 2 minutes, and 3) Freestyle - 3 minutes. There will be three judges who are currently members of the Composer/ Pianists’ group of the Contra Costa Performing Arts Society. Aspiring contestants should register before June 1st. Please contact stpaulsconcerts@gmail.com or call Dwight Stone at (510) 512-2623 for more information or to enter. Registration fee is $20. Prizes are 1st place $250, 2nd place $100, and 3rd place $50. This event is open to participants of all ages and skill levels. The public is invited to the finalists’ concert on the evening of June 24th. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is located at 1924 Trinity Ave in Walnut Creek. Parking is free in the church lot across the street.
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San Ramon V
By Ruth Steele, Pri
May is one of the bu it also marks the begin Our AP tests start o Common Core testing In addition to the fo also in the process of d offered next year and which classes. This is look at all the various combinations of classe and try to ensure that classes with sign-up co time. It’s a huge puzzle that we work on for The upcoming construction at SRVHS a because we are having to adjust how we us next 2-3 years. During May and June, we w classrooms into portables on our practice fiel demolition of most of our single story classr many science and elective programs that we to run outside of our existing facilities, and t classes even more complicated! Finally, we now have a new Bell Schedu in the final approval stages, but it will be a m to the Bell Schedule that Charlotte Wood cur the modified block being used at Dougherty two major goals in the development of the n (for everyone) and more opportunities for aca The new schedule provides time on Tuesday 40 minutes of Advisory/Access time on bot student support.The Home Room time will p for student education around a variety of issu many other things that currently impact instru etc.). The Advisory/Access periods will pro regarding how they want to use this time. So homework or projects during this time, and to get help on specific assignments or make Students who are struggling and need target signed to specific sessions with teachers to w those classes. In addition to all of this, our entire campus next year. This means that every student wi in all of their classes. This opens up a huge r every content area because the online world i student to access during all classes. Whether s ing, writing, learning, or reviewing, this acc use Google Docs for many projects, will be r I am looking forward to providing more u
ACTION P
SERVING ALAMO & DANVIL
JUMPSTART the th Upgrade Yo
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Monte Vista High School By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal It was nice coming back to school after Spring Break and immediately receive a surprise. As I walked into our counseling office that first Monday back, I noticed a massive trophy sitting on a countertop. This larger-than-life award was brought home by Monte Vista’s Drum Line who had won the 2016 NCBAWinter Championship in High School Advanced Percussion. Hats off to these hardworking musicians and their amazing director, Mr. Ed Cloyd, for the many accolades they have earned and enjoyed this school year. There is plenty happening at Monte Vista over the final eight weeks of the school year. Perhaps the greatest focus will be on our seniors, who will enjoy their last days in high school. The Class of 2016 began this final stretch with Decision Day where students dressed to show off where they are headed this coming fall. A wide variety of college and universities were represented. The following evening, Monte Vista held our annual Senior Ball at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Unfortunately, the month of May is still a little early to step too far away from academics. Beginning on May 2nd, Monte Vista’s students will work through four weeks of testing and assessment. The first two weeks are devoted to Advanced Placement Exams in which 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students vie for college credit
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“A Salute to John Williams
The Danville Community Band presents Sunday, June 12 at 3pm at Community Pre W. El Pintado Rd., Danville. The free concert will feature music inclu A Hymn to New England, Star Wars Trilogy and Darmoor, 1912 from “War Horse. For more information visit danvilleband
Mt. Diablo Branch Californ
The Young Writers Contest Award Winn meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the Ca Saturday, May 14 at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, Special Guest speaker, Heather Mackey, will d She will cover story hunting, ideas, building a st Heather Mackey is a children’s literatu novels. Her books include Dreamwood an Clock. She is a member of the National Wr and she consults with the online student writi Sign-in is 11AM, awards will be given a 12:15 pm, and the speaker will present from CWC members and $30 for guests. Reservations are required and must be
Page 12 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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Eugene O’Neill Foundation ~ Rhythms of His Soul
Petaluma Be
As part of its celebration of this year as the one-hundredth anniversary of a production of a play by the playwright known as “The Father of American Drama,” the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House in Danville, has scheduled “A Season of Firsts.” Eugene O’Neill and his wife, Carlotta, lived at Tao House in the Danville Hills from 1937-1944. It was here that O’Neill wrote his last and greatest plays. On May 14-15 in the Old Barn at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site in Danville, the Foundation will present O’Neill: The Rhythms of His Soul, a lively musical revue. The production includes early American popular music, well-known songs of the day, songs of the sea, and familiar music hall tunes. With a cast of five singers and dancers, O’Neill: Rhythms of His Soul presents over seventy songs of the period that were incorporated into many of the O’Neill plays. In July, 1916 in Provincetown, Massachusetts, Bound East for Cardiff marked the first production of an O’Neill play. This was the first work to be produced of the fifty-one plays written by the playwright who later was awarded three Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, and became the only American dramatist to be honored with the Nobel Prize for Literature. Bound East for Cardiff will be presented by the Eugene O’Neill Foundation in the Old Barn at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site on July 30-31. In September and October, the 17th annual Eugene O’Neill Festival will feature The Emperor Jones by Eugene O’Neill. The original production in 1920 features African-American actor, Charles Gilpin, in the leading role. This was a first for the American Theatre. Seven performances will be presented in the Old Barn at Tao House. Also, as part of the Eugene O’Neill Festival, the Foundation will again partner with Role Players Ensemble of Danville for a production of Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize play Death of a Salesman. This will be presented at the Village Theatre in downtown Danville in September. Tickets are available online at the Eugene O’Neill Foundation’s website at www.eugeneoneill.org. The website also providers information about the Foundation and how you can help support these programs.
By Linda Summe
National Wine Day By Monica Chappell National Wine Day is celebrated annually on May 25th. We can be thankful that National Wine Day is not the only official wine day of the year. There are at least 14 other days where wine is “official business.” So, the next time you need a reason to drink wine (as if you do), try the calendar below. February 18 ~ National Drink Wine Day While February 18 is observed annually as National Drink Wine Day, it would be a shame to only celebrate one day a year. February 27 ~ Open That Bottle Night - Spread the love at #otbn. March 3 ~ Mulled Wine Day - The perfect day to make a big heartwarming batch of glogg with mulling spices. April 17 ~ World Malbec Day - An internationally celebrated event, post at #malbecworldday. April 24 ~ Sauvignon Blanc Day - New Zealand’s champion grape variety is celebrated at the, #sauvblanc. May 9 ~ Moscato Day - Moscato is the Italian name for Muscat Blanc. It’s great to see that sweet white wines have at least one day represented in the year. May 21 ~ Chardonnay Day - The earliest mention we could find about
Beer halls are fu Germany for a time have fond memories mer evenings, sitting benches at long narr of ale, and laughing Last year in Sonom of TAPS beer bar and with a beer lover’s ev tition. Home brewers brought their specialties their favorites. The top five people’s choices w narrowed them down to one winner who had the recipe at a local brewing company and distribu The event was so successful that the sec held at a much larger venue, the Sonoma Ma May 28. Some highlights for this year’s com Aluia, Coordinator for the Home Brews C brewing demonstration, hop growing demon tastings by cheese makers in Sonoma Coun food, home brew club sign ups, food trucks with beer demos, prizes, and of course beer According to a 2013 Home Brewers Asso mated 1.2 million home breweries in the U.S began brewing in 2005 or later. The averag with most (60%) falling between the ages 30 produce more than two million barrels of b a small portion (1%) of total U.S. beer prod My husband and I recently visited Lagu Petaluma.There were groups of college stu tables, grandparents with grand kids, and m inside and outside under the huge rain canop transformed into a sun shade when the weath during the summer months. After lunch, we joined thirty or so people with our delightful guide who wove facts w the crowd enjoyed. One of my favorite spots in Petaluma do ice cream shop called LALA Creamery. Th never disappoints. Their delicious ice cream small batches and is delicious. The waiters a of the line. Try the coffee ice cream with ho • LALA ice cream parlor is located at 134 P are 1PM-9PM on weekdays and till 10PM on weeke • Lagunitas Brewery is located at 1280 Check their website for details about their www.Lagunitas.com. • The Home Brewers Competition will Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 28. The eve over. For more details, check the website P (707) 750-2939. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant has arranged and led tours for the Town of spired by the many wonderful places to visi
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Uniworld Tulips and Windmills River Cruise By Mike Mullery, Alamo World Travel My wife Ilene and I love river cruising and have enjoyed nine different itineraries throughout Europe, the US, Russia, China, and Southeast Asia. Yet we had never enjoyed a Uniworld Boutique River Cruise. All inclusive and luxuriously appointed, Uniworld has perfected the art of river cruising and has distinguished itself with awards from Condé Nast Traveler and Cruise Critic for Excellence in River Cruising. Last month we embarked on Uniworld’s “Tulips and Windmills” sailing tour. We flew to Paris and took the high speed train to Brussels. Never having been to Brussels before, we included a historical tour of Brussels which is the capital not only of Belgium but also of the European Union. Founded in 979 A.D., it is a cosmopolitan city with a rich history that our guide brought to life for us. At last, we boarded the S.S. Maria Theresa, named “Best New River Ship” by Cruise Critic editors in 2015, in Antwerp. This magnificent ship holds 150 guests (some cruise lines pack 190 passengers into the same size ship), and has an outstanding staff-to-guest ratio. The lavishly-appointed staterooms and suites are breathtaking in their fabrics and décor. Our dinner that night let us know that our voyage was going to be a culinary delight—some of the best cuisine we have
At last, we sailed into fascinating Amsterda fore, but we love this city and were eager to se City tour which included a canal cruise where w nestled homes and shops and under bridges. H famous Rijksmuseum on our last visit, we opte seum, and we were overwhelmed by the raw be After another exquisite dinner, some passenger of Amsterdam while others explored this lovel The most unforgettable shore excursion w took more pictures of tulips and other flowers t As we wandered the endless acres of beautiful we marveled at the colors, the shapes and the in surrounded by the sweet, heady scent of hyaci Uniworld offers fascinating itineraries all a rivers in Western Europe and Russia, and they Your cruise is truly all inclusive, with wines, b and aperitifs all included as well as daily shore they offer the exotic destinations of China, Vi can learn more by going to www.alamoworld. For more information on Uniworld or oth river cruises, escorted tours, and resorts, plea better yet stop by our office located at 3201
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Page 14 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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County Child Support Services - Special Moments By Supervisor Candace Andersen Contra Costa County, District 2 Special moments -- baseball practice, dance recitals, tutors, music lessons, birthday parties, and adventures with their parents -- create wonderful memories in the minds of our children. In families, where co-parenting by separated and divorced parents is often a reality, the issues of child support often cloud the joy of watching children grow. The Contra Costa County Department of Child Support Services offers a wide range of services that can help take some of the pressure off managing the financial part of co-parenting, allowing parents to focus on important things like their children. If you pay or receive child support, the Department of Child Support Services can help make the process easier. The department offers a variety of services including obtaining child and medical support orders, assisting in the enforcement of those orders, locating parents, and DNA testing to establish paternity. When a significant change of circumstances occurs, a modification of the child support order may be appropriate. The Contra Costa Department of Child Support handles the accounting, ensuring that interest on unpaid support is calculated and that payments are properly credited to maintain accurate balances. By having a third party maintain those records accurately and consis-
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be requested by calling (866) 901-3212. A nominal annual service fee of $25 will be a for each case where at least $500 is collected annu Contra Costa County Department of Child S gether with all parties on the child support case. at 50 Douglas Drive, Suite #100 in Martinez Mon meet with a Child Support Professional to discus Law Facilitator, an attorney of the Court, who pr for customers with an open case, is available 8AM – 3PM. No appointment is necessary. Our children grow quickly and we want to enjoy every moment. Let the Contra Costa Department of Child Support Services assist you with the handling of your child support case so that you can have the extra time to enjoy what being a parent is all about: spending quality time with your children and making memories that will last a lifetime.
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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
SHO OPPI PPING CEN CENT ENT TE T
RETRO NIGHT Friday, June 10th
FAMILY NIGHT Friday, July 22nd
Jewelry, Fine Art &
S tu day, Ma Saturday May ay 7th • 1 Sunday, Ma May ay 8th • 10 1
Alamo Walk-about
Thursday Th Thur rsday r y, May 19th • 5pm 5 -8
Bring blankets, chairs, flashlights, snacks, family and friends. For information call recreation staff at (925) 313-2272.
F www.AlamoPlaz
The Art of Survival Exhibit: Surprise After Surprise! By Jerry E. Warren
The “Art of Survival” exhibit produces surprise after surprise for Danville’s Museum of the San Ramon Valley. When Mu exhibit focusing on Japanese American internment camp experiences during WWII, they felt some trepidation that people m all, this 1942 episode was hardly America’s finest moment. Some 120,000 Japanese Americans accused of disloyalty but forcibly herded into ten isolated concentration camps. Yes, concentration camps! For many, the label reeks of Nazi death c Roosevelt, a connoisseur of English, correctly called them that. The agency assigned to operate the camps, the War Reloca stigma of the term, euphemistically relabeled them as “internment camps” and transformed prisoners into “internees.” Surprisingly, guests keep streaming into the Museum to check out the exhibit. Included among the constant flow of visito camp survivors, many in their late 80’s and early 90’s, who visit trailed by their children and grandchildren. They want t doleful chapter in their lives. Most of the families are as ignorant as we are about the camps. At best there was a page or our history books about the situation. When exhibit visitors view the historical items on display, their frequent comment is something like, “I have a better ver Muriel Wakayama told us. Museum people respond by asking to hear more about the items and asking to borrow their artif say “Yes.” Mrs. Wakayama’s adult son who accompanied her recalled that his mother’s carved birds hung in shadow boxe A few days after the initial visit, Mrs. Wakayama danced into the Museum carrying the precious carved birds as well as two cranes. The items were all made at the Tule Lake camp. Our exhibit just keeps growing and growing. The next surprise has been how many people refer us to another person to contact that could add information or mat nemoto put us in touch with Takao Fukuchi. The Museum knew that a Japanese School existed in Danville but not much m was the son of the store owner, Noboru Fukuchi and his always smiling w young businessman sold staples for the kitchen such as rice, soy sauce, and the San Ramon Valley. He owned a 1930’s pickup truck, and he recalled t
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The Secrets of Growing Great Tomatoes By Carol Rossi, The Bounty Garden’s Seedling Instructor The best thing about home-grown tomatoes (besides their delicious flavor of sweet sunshine) is that they can be grown pretty much anywhere you have a patch of reliable sunlight. You just need to know the attributes and requirements for your particular growing situation. If all you have is a couple large pots on a balcony, you are still set to produce some beautiful tomatoes. Just ensure the pots are located so they receive a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight - this is one growth requirement where tomatoes will not compromise. Next, replace the soil in the pots every growing season with a fresh batch of potting soil that is rich in nutrients and organic matter. Tomatoes are nutrient gluttons, so you can use a mix that is high in nitrogen and phosphorus without worrying about over-feeding them. Select the proper variety for your pots. Look for dwarf (or patio) size or small-fruited “determinates” such as cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes. Determinates grow to a certain size and then stop, so they are perfect for small spaces and also don’t require much support. The small, cone-shaped tomato cages should suffice, but I recommend the heavy-duty (thick gauge) kind instead of the spindly wire type. Train determinates to support their stems on the cage, but don’t prune them. They will reward you by covering themselves with wonderful, tasty tomatoes. If you are a lucky gardener with lots of room, you have even more options! Tomatoes come in early, mid-season, and long (or main) season varieties, so for an extended harvest period all you have to do is mix up the varieties. Choose early cultivars for half your plants, one intermediate, and the remainder long season. Because the early varieties put a lot of energy into quick production, the fruit tends to be smaller and less flavorful than the long season types that luxuriate long summer days on the vine. Put in some Early Girls, and you can be eating tomatoes in late June or early July while looking forward to the August arrival of Big Boys, Mortgage Lifters, and Brandywines. You can also choose “paste” varieties, such as Black Plum and San Marzano, which make great sauces but are less juicy and tangy than the “table” or “slicing” types. Just be aware that while small and inter-
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mediate size tomatoes can be grown in 8 to 10 h standard and big sizes require a minimum of 12 With all that room you may select indeter cally, can grow as large as conditions allow. where vines can be tied or a heavy-duty cage 5 Google “tomato cages” and get some inspirat because broken vines result in far fewer tomato also reduce the amount of the crop, although so to increase the size of individual tomatoes and choice is dependent on your philosophy! Tomatoes like their space. You can plant dwa but all the others need at least 24” between pl they are heavy feeders and compete for soil nu and sun blockers, so you must ensure each plan will produce well if grown in a single row (n get an equal share of sunlight and nourishmen Care and cultivation are the same for potted matoes don’t need (and don’t like) a lot of wa and you should not have to water them more tha watering is MUCH better than regular shallow also promote a condition known as blossom-e get water on their leaves because this promote Tomatoes are also the nutrient gluttons of need to supplement their feeding throughout plants with compost tea, seaweed extract, or a transplant. Spray them again at flowering, afte when plants start producing. You can use a folia happy. The mid to late season varieties should start in October. Then you can clip any remaini hang them in your garage to ripen. Tomatoes define the summer: there are no e more about The Bounty Garden at https://thebo Sustainable Danville Area at www.facebook.c
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Energy Matters By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar Memorial Day is a special day for our nation. It is also an especially meaningful day for veterans who have personally experienced the loss of fellow combatants or service members who have died during non-combat training missions. As an international relations major, green business owner, retired Marine Corps Officer, energy consumer, and all around red-blooded American, I have mixed emotions about a select few Middle Eastern nations conspiring to keep the price of oil low to achieve other long term goals. Petropolitics serves economic and political end goals. Economically, keeping the price low allows individual Gulf States to keep market share and results in low priced oil here in the USA. From a business perspective, the goal of these nations wanting to keep market share is easily understood, and low prices at the pump is something we all like. Politically, the Gulf States’ goal of maintaining unlimited oil supply is to put stress on the economies of their enemies, Russia and Iran. There is well-founded fear that money from sanction-free Iranian petro-dollars will further fund the regime of Assad in Syria and non-state terrorist actors such as Hezbollah. The caustic and deadly politics of international oil (in which all oil-exporting nation-states participate) has driven me to believe that the security of the American people is best realized by domestic energy production from oil, natural gas, and renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and bio-fuels. Myself and other like-thinkers are considered to be “domestic energy hawks.” It’s quite interesting that that a great many of “domestic energy hawks” are former members of our military who have served in the Middle East. While recognizing the importance of the free flow of oil to keep the world economy moving, we also recognize we have the resources at home to be self-reliant, and that we can be independent of Middle Eastern or Venezuelan oil. The natural and negative consequence of artificially low oil prices is damaging the USA’s ability to compete in the oil industry. Ironically, it’s less expensive to import oil than it is to produce it at home. Competition is typically advantageous to any industry, but extremely low prices have a negative effect on our national security. American energy independence limits the interest we may have in Middle Eastern petro-politics. Many of the Gulf States who claim to be our allies also indirectly fund nongovernmental groups who act against our nation’s best interests. Separating the terrorist threat from petro-politics will allow us to more effectively and objectively target real threats to our nation. I’m simply curious; would people pay more per gallon of gas if you knew that gallon was American and locally sourced? Gimmicks and solar technology: Admittedly, I’d be hard pressed to defend in a court of law what I consider “gimmicks” now becoming prevalent in our solar industry. The manufacturers of these products tout their “innovations” and “break-through technology” which make for good marketing but not a better long-term system design. GoSimpleSolar is about to undertake complete remediation of another contractor’s very expensive solar project which has the “latest technology” installed. That inverter technology failed, hence failure of the entire PV system. The installation company and the manufacturer of the equipment are both out of business. Over 170,000 of these failed products were sold. Customers of these products now have no recourse except to hire another contractor (us in this case) to remediate the remaining serviceable portions of the solar PV system at additional cost. Beware the “latest and greatest” technology; some technologies are enduring and are best long-term safe choice for your solar PV investment. A great many of our customers are finance professionals who clearly understand the how “arbitrage” plays a key role in maximizing solar PV investment returns. For the layperson, ‘Arbitrage’: The simultaneous purchase and
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Alamo Municipal Advisory Council p
2016 Summer Fridays 6:30 6:30-- 8:30p
(At the corner of Livorna Road
FREE ADMIS
June 17th: Stealin’ Chicago Playing the music of the band Chicago, with the melodic hooks, harmonies and horns of the original recordings.
June 24th: Bo
A unique blend of over hard-drivi
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
Timeless with a
July 29th: Mixed Nuts Enjoy listening and dancing to popular music that spans several decades.
Bring blankets, chairs, snacks, family and friends.
Page 18 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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Page 20 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Clip Notes
By Jody Morgan
Giant cones dangled from the top-most branches. David Douglas measured a nearby fallen tree at 215 in circumference. He had discovered the Sugar Pine (later named Pinus lambertiniana in honor of Briti bert). Douglas described the cones (now known to be the world’s longest) as “like small sugar-loaves in a continues: “Being unable to climb or hew down any, I took my gun and was busy clipping them from t Indians came at the report of my gun.” By a bit of trickery, he managed to make off with three cones, ea Douglas didn’t learn his seed gathering skills sitting behind a school desk. The 12-mile round class each day toughened his young muscles and encouraged him to linger along the way to study the natural world. The “contempt for the schoolmaster’s thong” he exhibited as a lad developed into the courage he needed to face down Native Americans hostile to his intrusion on their territory, and his “self-willed determination amounting to obstinacy” kept him focused on hunting for plants in uncharted, inhospitable locations. Douglas dropped out of school at the age 11 to work as a gardener’s boy. At age 24, his aptitude for quickly acquiring horticultural wisdom landed him a post with the Royal Horticultural Society. He set sail from England on June 3, 1823, tasked with gathering specimens and seeds of botanical species from North America never previously described by Europeans. Valued as a timber tree, the Sugar Pine nourished indigenous people with its large seeds and sweet sap. In 1894 John Muir noted: “The sugar, from which the common name is derived, is to my taste the best of sweets – better than maple sugar.” The distinction of producing the world’s most massive pinecones, however, goes to the Coulter Pine “Whale” Cap (Pinus coulteri). Weighing as much as five pounds, the cones contain seeds both wildlife and humans find 25.00 delicious. But beware of being beaned by a falling cone in an autumn windstorm. Also called the Big-cone Pine, this tree is not among the 360 species Douglas is credited with discovering during the 19 months he spent in California from 1830-1832. Irish botanist Thomas Coulter apparently spotted it first in 1831 in the Santa Lucia Mountains. Mount Diablo is its northernmost native habitat. Another interesting pine found on Mount Diablo and other areas of California has cones that only release their seeds in the presence of fire (or occasionally when a branch breaks). The Knobcone Pine (Pinus attenuata) begins bearing cones as a 2-3 foot high sapling as young as only three years and holds on to them almost indefinitely until the heat of a forest fire liberates their reproductive abundance. By contrast, Sugar Pines don’t begin setting cones until they reach a height of 80 feet and an age of about 75 years. The first crops of Knobcones grow along the trunk and become imbedded in the wood as the tree matures. While Sugar Pines may survive for 500 years or more, Knobcone Pines rarely last more than half a century. Lafayette x Countrywo Did Douglas ever explore Mount Diablo? Sadly, apart from letters previously posted, written accounts of Sto his California discoveries succumbed to the vicissitudes of travel. In a canoeing mishap, Douglas plunged over a cataract and was dragged ashore unconscious. He lost journals, specimens, seed collections, and surveying instruments. But one of the plant species he sent back to England suggests he did spend time on or very near Mount Diablo. A specimen of the Mount Diablo Fairy Lantern (also known as the Mount Diablo Globe Tulip and Globe Lily), endemic to the mountain and very limited adjacent areas, arrived in England in a Douglas package dispatched in 1833. The pendant yellow blossoms blooming in late spring light up the landscape. CONVENIENT SHUTTL The botanical name, Calochortus pulchellus, derived from the Greek for HOME, THE OFFICE, BA “beautiful grass,” describes the foliage. This wildflower’s earliest documented description occurs in William Henry Brewer’s May 7,1862, journal entry. Native Americans, of course, recognized the value of the plant for centuries. FACTORY LUBE, OIL They gathered the thumb-sized bulbs and roasted them in earthen ovens. SCHEDULED & FILTER MAINTENANCE Douglas never made it back to England to recreate his lost notes. While Multi-Point Performance Improve mileage and extend Inspection hiking in Hawaii in 1834 with his faithful terrier, Douglas fell into a pit octhe life of your vehicle - follow Drain and Replace All Eng recommended service schedules cupied by a raging bullock that extinguished his life. Install Genuine Factory Oi
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Life in the Alamo Garden A Garden Makeover By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059 Everyone knows that good design is “maintenance free” and “lasts forever”...right? This is why there are so many beautiful gardens existing from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s! Rather you might see ratty looking junipers and Monterrey pines. You get the picture. Just like you wouldn’t keep your carpet for 30 years, your Alamo garden needs a good makeover as well. There are three basic reasons for a garden makeover: to respond to the changing site conditions which normally occur as a landscape site matures (i.e. drought, stuff gets overgrown...), to respond to changing needs of the users of the landscape (i.e. families grow and change), and to re-adapt a site for a new owner (i.e. a new set of uses.) New home sites are generally sunny with bright light and are more exposed to wind, sun, and harsher conditions. Maturity brings radical changes that are often welcomed. It also brings other changes that are not. Trees finally provide shade cover and can shade out once sun-loving plants. Lack of care and poor maintenance practices may have taken their toll. Hedges and shrubs may become overgrown, hiding the house and blocking good views. These changes give cause for redesign although the overall context of a “well-designed” landscape may still prevail. Within the life of your Alamo home, an owner’s uses will change as kids grow-up or a family matures and changes or lifestyles evolve and change. Once busy families who had no time to work in the garden are now retired and have time to “putz.” This brings a whole new reason for a different landscape. Or children learn to swim, and a swimming pool is now a requirement. These changes call for careful consideration and should be well thought out. They should be logical and creatively resolved. Garden makeover projects are challenging yet satisfying when properly executed. We enjoy working with clients on creating a new vision for their yard while using a lot of the existing conditions that work; like large established trees, established privacy screening shrubs that are intact, and specimen plants that would cost thousands to replace. When a new family moves in to a home, their wants and desires also can change the needs of the landscape warranting a garden makeover. The landscape needs to be redesigned to re-adapt to the new family. Rarely does a landscaped site meet all the needs and expectations of the new owner. Re-adapting a site must be clearly articulated and solved as a design problem using an organized design process. In addition, some sites which have been badly neglected need drastic measures taken to redesign the landscape. Thorough documentation of all existing conditions such as soil, micro-climates, and drainage, shade, and wind patterns should be considered. All existing plants, trees, shrubs, and constructed features that are to be considered to remain should be well documented. A creative design solution, which meets the new need and is sensitive to the existing features and conditions of the site, must be developed. Construction of the new landscape must include all necessary measures to protect and preserve all of the worthwhile existing site features and landscape. Potential additions to a makeover could include updating hardscape elements such as cabanas, pavilions, outdoor kitchens, fire features, paved areas of use,
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Page 22 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
MDIA continued from front page he’ll bring live serpents that visitors can hold. Marchiano characterizes the mountain as an “island jewel in the midst of suburbia.” He loves sharing his knowledge of every life form found on that island. “The various intriguing habitats offer a richness and fantastic diversity of plant and animal life.” He urges park visitors to take time to savor and protect that island. “Don’t just hike to reach a destination … hike to appreciate the delicate and delectable surroundings that make up this exceptional natural preserve.”
Michael Marchiano captures Mount Diablo’s essence as an island jewel in the midst of suburbia.
Studying the intricate interdependence of Mount Diablo’s living organisms is a fascinating enterprise. Marchiano relates, “On one of the first hikes I led, I had a UC Berkeley biology professor. Rather intimidated, I asked him to correct me if I misspoke. When we came to a beautiful Valley Oak, I said that the tree would be a good subject for a doctoral thesis. The professor said,
See MDIA continued on page 30
The Incense-Cedar By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb The incense-cedar graces many Bay Area gardens with its shade, beauty, and intriguing fragrance. Calocedrus decurrens, its Latin name, means beautiful cedar. The striking contrast between the vibrant greens of its leaves and the trunk’s rich reds creates a pleasing aesthetic further enhanced by the relaxed elegance of the weeping foliage. The beauty of this tree is not confined to the realm of the visual. The incense-cedar gives off a distinctive fragrance that fills the air with a pungent aroma strongly reminiscent of gradeschool classrooms and the unforgettable smell of the pencil sharpener. In my youth, and still largely today, pencils were made from the soft and distinctively fragrant wood of Calocedrus decurrens. The incense-cedar is not a true cedar (thus the hyphen). The so-called “true cedars” are native to the Mediterranean and the Himalayas, and are members of the genus Cedrus. These include the majestic Deodora and Atlas cedars, as well as the famous Cedar of Lebanon. The incense-cedar, which may live a thousand years and attain a height of 150 feet, is a true California native. It evolved in North America, and its current range
ideal for encasing pencil lead. However, these qu brittle, and potentially somewhat problematic a grows as one trunk from a thick base to a single p cedar is relatively stable; it requires little work deadwood. But if the trunk of the tree divides branches which turn up and rise parallel to the tru that make it vulnerable to column failure. After so Lamb looked at many incense-cedars that had sh columns. Most of the failed trees suffered from a cluded bark. This structural defect occurs when and interrupts the continuity of the fibers suppor Good pruning can ameliorate many structu (more than one column of roughly the same dia trees with a single leading column. Sometime leaders can minimize the hazard. If column rem or functional reasons, it is often possible to c However, individual trees are so unstable that Whatever you do, do not top these trees. Toppin many unstable columns multiplying the risk and the tree. Preventative medicine is almost always
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helpdesk@thep www.thep Technology Matters By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO It’s a truism that while many things are good for you in small doses, that larger doses can be toxic. I’ve concluded that the number of reminders, alerts, and interruptions individuals receive, that while helpful, have gotten out of control and have created a toxic atmosphere for concentration and serenity. I believe these well-intended automated “shoulder-shakes” have created unintended consequences of lost productivity. Adding to that, human interruptions of an urgent but unimportant nature exacerbate the problem. Research I’ve read on this topic supports my conclusion. In fact, one study I read stated, “… results showed that interruptions increase [the] time to complete cognitive tasks and produce more errors in skilled tasks …. Generally, interruptions increase the task completion time, produce worse decisions, and lead to more errors, frustration, annoyance, and anxiety.” (Carayon et al., 2007; Cutrell et al., 2000; Gillie & Broadbent, 1989). During my research, I came across a website dedicated to this topic at www. interruptions.net. An article they posted led with, “Time is the great equalizer. The hours in a day are something we all share, and lose, at the same rate. As time is our most finite resource, interruptions in the work place can cause a decelerating effect on our workload. In a professional work environment, productivity can be measured
capable of productively multitasking complex results at amazing speed, society began to assum Not true. In fact, the complete opposite is true: p or organizations are expected to multitask acros best when we can concentrate on one thing at a ti a 59.8% organizational productivity gain acros when multitasking and interruptions were consc ment was 38.2%. Those are huge numbers, and t in terms of the productivity cost of both human I cannot change society, but I can work to in from this “noise.” If we do nothing to actively plication and website will by default actively and reminders. To make change, we must take gone through every device I own, opened the ‘N panel, and un-checked the majority of the rem audible, or involve small windows popping up look, I’ve turned off the default 15-minute ca off the chime as well as that “Desktop Alert” w my screen for five seconds in the bottom corn There’s nothing better to blow my concentrat tempting my limited attention to click away in I’m doing. The “Do Not Disturb” button on m
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Page 24 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
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Analyzing the Flows in Your Financial Plan By Peter T. Waldron In conjunction with Lincoln Financial Advisors or Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor.
For most investors—even those with significant wealth—a secure financial future doesn’t simply happen. Instead, it must be carefully crafted to help meet your most important goals and leave nothing to chance. Of course, the future is unpredictable and your own personal situation changes over time. That makes it all the more challenging to answer the most crucial of financial questions: Are you on track towards achieving your financial objectives? As an investor looking to make the smartest possible decisions about your money, you need a comprehensive understanding of your current financial situation and a reliable roadmap of where you’re headed. The key lies in an important but often overlooked component of the financial planning process called cash-flow planning. In short, cash-flow planning helps you determine if you’ll accomplish your goals and live the life you desire. It can give you the knowledge to better control your financial destiny. At a basic level, cash-flow planning is the process of analyzing your annual income sources, such as salary and investment income, against your annual income uses, such as debt, living expenses and taxes—in short, “money in” versus “money out.” Analyzing Your Personal Balance Sheet. Working with your financial planner, you can employ advanced computer modeling to develop “what if” scenarios about your financial future by projecting your cash flow, asset growth potential, taxes, the size of your estate and other relevant financial data over the full length of your life expectancy. This will allow you to complete a series of ‘what if’ situations that are designed to assist you in making intelligent decisions regarding one or a series of objectives. Armed with such knowledge, you can analyze whether your current financial plan is adequate—or whether you and your financial planner need to make any changes to stay on course. You’ll also be well positioned to make financially sound decisions as new needs arise, such as financing an education for a child or grandchild, purchasing a vacation home or disposing of a highly appreciated asset such as concentrated stock or real estate. Consider the ways cash-flow planning can enhance just a few elements of your overall financial plan:
Alam Retirement planning. Cash-flow planning the growth of your overall net worth each yea strategies you use or are planning to use, as inflation. You and your financial planner can sess if you’re saving and building wealth fast on schedule and in the way that you envisio will enable you to create the optimal retireme around your specific needs to help ensure you Debt management. As the asset side of y may the liabilities side. Cash-flow planning a term impact of your debt and expenditures. T new, more cost-effective strategies for mana up cash for more effective and profitable use Estate planning. Without proper plannin erode much of the estate you plan to leave to y cash-flow-planning process can help your he the future by estimating your estate tax burd financial planner can work with you to implem that give you maximum control over the disp Business succession planning. If you are keep or sell your firm can significantly affect t overall net worth. By using techniques to deve you’ll be well positioned to make the most inf sion possible—one that reflects your needs, th any partners or employees you wish to includ Regardless of your goals, the process of cas with the roadmap you need to make informe your wealth and your financial plan. If you cash flow, consider conducting a new analysi If you haven’t yet, now is the time to run the Please contact Peter Waldron to schedu your financial situation, (925) 659-0383 or
Peter T. Waldron is a registered representative of Lincoln Finan and offer investment advisory service through Sagemark Consu Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Part Ramon, CA 94583. Insurance offered through Lincoln Market Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. Thi or tax advice. You may want to consult a tax advisor regarding circumstance. The content of this material was provided to you representatives and their clients. California Insurance License
Exhibit continued from page 15
Monte Vista continued from pag
we asked. It turned out Ray’s brother, Tom, was the handsome 1933 senior in the San Ramon Valley Union High School yearbook. She produced Mr. Morodomi’s phone number, and the Museum gladly called him. “I have pictures of the family tomato farm out on Blackhawk Ranch. Are you interested in seeing them?” he said. Since the Museum never knew that any Japanese families had ever even farmed on Blackhawk Ranch, the answer was an enthusiastic “Yes.” Soon, Mr. Morodomi arrived with a CD of dry land tomato farm pictures from Blackhawk Ranch including a photo of people driving a Caterpillar tractor and towing a planting machine. Ray Force, the then owner of the ranch and a high officer in San Leandro’s Caterpillar Tractor Company, made the equipment available to the Morodomi family. All of this was brand new information. Surprise follows surprise. The “Art of Survival” Exhibit – the fascinating examination of Japanese American WWII internment camp experience’s closes after Sunday, May 15, so do not delay your visit. The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is
be taking the CST Science exams. These exams Life Science. Both the CAASPP and the CST Sc Vista to meet state and federal accountability req 10th and 11th grade students to participate and do Monte Vista’s Speech and Debate team contin and Debate Tournament Championships. Our te Ryan Olson who earned state championships in Vista is now poised to make a big impression at t Lake City in June. Hats off to Monte Vista’s Speec and his students for such an amazing representat Monte Vista’s Arts programs have a full ca Monte Vista’s Music program has three conce the Park on Saturday, May 14th and Concert in both to be held at Monte Vista, and the SRVU held on May 18th at San Ramon Valley High S
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Page 26 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Around Town
By Roger Smith Alamo Farmer’s Market Join us at our Alamo Farmer’s Market every Sunday for an outstanding selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, and especially cherries on their way in May! Signature vendors include Coastside Specialty Farm (San Jose) - smoked salmon, lox, smoked trout, salmon jerky, and smoked albacore - all are wild caught), Bonami Baking Company (Antioch/Pittsburg) - French pastries, baguettes and a selection of other goodies, and Farmer’s Bistro (Waterford) with fresh tamales, homemade salsa, chips, and more! There are two new arts and crafts vendors: David Patrick with blown glass and Old World Traditions bringing pottery. Our continuing favorites include kettle corn, rotisserie chicken with roasted vegetables, and Humus Heaven with over 20 flavors! Visit with Aspire Life (Carmel) for skincare including anti-aging products, formulated sunscreens, cleansers, and scrubs. The Farmer’s Market will be having a “Spring Celebration” on Sunday, May 22nd which will include activities for kids, balloons, entertainment, and a Monster Market Gift Basket to be won by a lucky shopper. Join us every Sunday from 9AM to 2PM and enjoy live music and the easiest parking in Contra Costa. See you at the Market!
Smart Water East Bay Municipal Utility District’s (EBMUD) website www.ebmud.com continues to categorize our region’s drought status as Stage 4, “severe” with a current ranking of 71% of full water storage in April. EBMUD continues to remind us all that “Mandatory Water Restrictions” remain in effect.
Smart Water Facts 1976-77 Drought • $1.3 billion in California State revenues were lost 1978-2013 Water Reduction and Actions • $1.6 billion spent on California State improvements to water delivery infrastructure • California’s total population increased by 33% • California’s total residential water usage decreased by 40% • Through water conservation measures, California Agriculture produces twice
the output today using the same amount of land 2014 Water Reduction and Actions • 500,000 acres of farmland are fallowed resultin • 17,000 agricultural jobs are lost • Proposition 1 passes to supply $1.1 billion • EBMUD purchases 23,000 acre feet of wat as supplementary stock. 2015 Water Reduction and Actions • 500,000 acres of farmland continue to be $2.2 billion in lost state revenue and 17,000 ag • California enacts first ever 25% mandatory r • EBMUD purchases 65,000 acre feet of w Water Shed at $800/acre ft. as supplementary s • EBMUD projects passage of a 25% surch • Residential Billing projected to increase by an • No water times for lawns from 9AM – 6PM a • Residences limited to watering lawns and Because a residence’s water leakage average usage, the EBMUD website www.ebmud.com/w for locating and fixing leaks from faucets, show well as help for the adjustment and repair of sp Did you know that there are more than 65 nian and Mediterranean plant species? Order Landscapes for Summer.” Visit www.ebmu landscapes or www.californiagardens.com/Li NOTE: Up to $2,500 in EBMUD Rebates are ing drip irrigation/drought tolerant landscaping/la for changing to qualifying high efficiency wash com/water-and-drought/conservation-and-rebat
AIA’s Membership
Alamo Improvement Association (AIA) will so all Alamo Residents. Please watch for it and consi very important part of our Alamo Community. Esta its 61st year, AIA’s mission is to “preserve the semi we love to live. Consider becoming a member of o to preserve Alamo’s unique beauty and status. Pleas
Quilts continued from page 10
Blackhawk “First Sunday”
to help one another complete a quilt for the coming winter, to the present day, quilters have traditionally made quilts to mark special occasions or to offer support, encouragement, and love. The focus of this year’s exhibit is to share all of the ways modern quilters and crafters are reaching out to friends, family, and the community through their love of sewing. The exhibit will include charity and outreach projects such as unique children’s dresses, pet blankets, and dolls. A unique section of the exhibit will focus on woodworking projects created by local artisans to provide community outreach and assistance. Come to a demonstration presented by Barbara Mahan on June 18, from 10:30 to 11:30AM on how to make a pillow case dress for the Little Dresses for Africa Project.You will learn how to make the dress as well as be informed about this wonderful project. Children are welcome. The presentation is free and donations of new or gently-used clean pillowcases as well as new packaged girl’s underwear are appreciated at any time during the exhibit. Groups of six to 20 are invited to join special guided tours with exhibit curator Alethea Ballard. Her tours will be held on Wednesdays from 3 to 4PM
Blackhawk Automotive Museum hosts year round for all car enthusiasts. Held o month, starting at 8AM and going to 10AM, t sic, collector, and special interest car own On Cars & Coffee Sundays, the Museum participating car owners will receive complime The Museum is located at 3700 Blackhaw more information, visit www.blackhawkmu (925) 736-2280, or email museum@blackha
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Using Your Estate Plan to Pass On Values By Robert J. Silverman, Esq. I recently completed a very pleasant project. My client is a young father - I’ll call him Curt. Curt’s grandfather died about a year ago. His last will and testament provided his great-granddaughters, Curt’s very young daughters, with a significant inheritance. Curt took this opportunity to consult with me about how to best protect the wonderful inheritance his daughters were about to receive. I proposed to create an irrevocable trust for each daughter under which the funds could be managed by an appropriate trustee, grow over time, and be a special gift to help the girls launch into adulthood. Not only was it fun to work with Curt on creating trust terms to protect his daughters, but it was especially rewarding to see how much Curt cared for his grandfather and appreciated the legacy being passed down. Curt asked me if he could write a letter to provide the trustee of the trusts some guidelines and to elaborate to his daughters about this special legacy being left by their great-grandfather. I heartily encouraged him to do so. When I read Curt’s proposed letter, I was moved. It was a beautiful gift in its own right. I asked Curt if he would give me permission to reprint some of the letter – he gladly agreed. I hope you enjoy these exerpts. To my daughters: My grandfather, your great-grandfather, has left money for you, along with the wish that such funds be placed in trust for your future. This trust is a gift of love. I offer this brief summary about your great-grandfather’s life as he had relayed to me. He was born with nothing and raised in a neglectful manner within a broken home. He left home penniless at a young age, overcame many difficulties, and lived a long life full of vibrant experiences. Despite limited education, he became a successful businessman, retired to travel the world, and later died a multi-millionaire. Always hardworking and kindhearted, he wanted more for his descendants than he had for himself. His wish was not only to pass along money that may be useful to the recipients, but that said recipients would do their best to foster such funds for the benefit of further generations; that this would be his legacy (he once relayed to me, “Money takes time to grow; real wealth takes generations”). I wish for these funds to assist you in building a life that you find meaningful and offer you this guidance to do with as you please: Pursue education and learning. Learn about any and all subjects that you find interesting and fulfilling. Give yourself permission to enjoy what matters to you. Spend no time worrying about the opinions of others. Educate yourself about budgets, business, banks, and investing, because money is best enjoyed when it is working for you rather than you for it. “A penny saved (truly) is a penny earned,” and a penny invested can make many more pennies! Work and contribute. Do not ever allow yourself to become lazy or dependent on others, nor your trust funds. “Earning a living is a rite of passage into adulthood, and a shared one among peers. For those with enough money to circumvent that experience, inherited wealth is a burden.” ~ Madeline Levine. Be kind and helpful to others. Give of your time and knowledge, but be evermindful of potential costs. Forge meaningful relationships with your trustees, and negotiate any disagreements. I’ve taken care in selecting those who may serve as trustee. Each knows and loves you. I would like your relationship with each of them to be close and meaningful. It is your responsibility to seek them out and include them in your life. There will be times they make tough decisions, some of which may not be to your liking. Please be forgiving and respectful. I trust they’ll act in your best interests; I ask you to trust in them as well. I have every intention of relaying to you all the above and more throughout your life, and furthermore of sticking around until you’re old enough to discuss these
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Page 28 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
The Eye Opener Healthy Vision Month By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry Since May is national healthy vision month, I thought it was a good reason to write about actions that people can take to ensure that their eyes are as healthy as they can be. Even though this list is not all inclusive, the most important topics will be addressed. The most important thing to do is to have a comprehensive eye examination with dilation. In addition to assessing vision to determine any need for eyewear or contact lenses, the health of the eyes is evaluated. Tests such as visual fields, pupil function, and ocular motilities are used to determine any optic nerve or neurological deficits. Tonometry is conducted to measure the pressure in the eye which is a factor in diagnosing glaucoma. Examining the front portion of the eye with the microscope allows detailed viewing of the cornea and conjunctiva to ensure healthy tissue. But probably one of the most important tests that needs to be conducted is dilation. Most people don’t like dilation because of the light sensitivity and decreased reading ability they experience afterwards; however, the test can give invaluable information about eye and overall health. By being able to see the entire retina through a dilated pupil, all of the structures of the retina including the optic nerve, macula, and the blood vessels can be closely evaluated. Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cataracts, retinal holes and tears, and macular degeneration can either be diagnosed and/or monitored through dilation. Without dilation, the entire retina cannot be seen and therefore not fully evaluated. For young patients who have no medical conditions and have good vision, it is not necessary to dilate at every annual exam. However, for patients who are older, have not been dilated in several years, or are battling one of these conditions, a dilated examination should be part of your medical care just like regular doctor visits and blood tests. In addition to maintaining good eye health, it is also equally (if not more so) important to maintain your overall health. It has been shown that people with vision impairment are also more likely to suffer from diabetes, heart problems, strokes, and depression. Even though some conditions are genetic and are not brought about by any personal direct action, it is nonetheless extremely important to live as healthy a lifestyle as possible. Eating foods rich in antioxidants (i.e. green leafy vegetables) and omega-3 fatty acids (i.e. fish), maintaining a healthy weight, and stopping or never starting smoking will go a long way in maintaining overall health. Since the eyes have a large blood supply (the eyes use the third-most amount of oxygen in the body behind the brain and heart), many issues that can affect blood and blood flow will manifest itself in the back part of the eye. The need to protect the eyes during sports activities and during home activities such as yard or garage work, or any potentially harmful work-related activities is another manner in which to help the eyes remain healthy. Any blunt trauma, foreign body, or contact with chemicals in the eye can cause
Primavera continued from front page enjoyable way to support a worthy enterprise. Since 1977, ADAS has been helping to keep art programs alive in local schools at every grade level with monetary grants as well as materials. Watch Plein Air painters at work along the perimeter of the show both days. Meet the artists at the Artists’ Reception st
PM
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permanent vision loss. In addition, UV expo macular degeneration, and pterygium grow the eye which tend to get red and dry). We especially for children, can help mitigate th Most types of vision loss can be prevente discussed in this article. Knowing your fam is also a tool that you can use to help comb likely genetic component to your family’s e you to get proper care earlier so you can incr aware and educated regarding the signs a Generally speaking, the more you take car body will take care of you. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hom ing service, vision care, and designer eyew 820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danv Visit our website at www.alamooptometry.c Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometr
Skin Cancer
By Dr. Jerome Po
Let’s face it: mos to the doctor. It ofte and prodding. Luck wife who had been n check. Reluctantly, h skin cancer screening a few risk factors for diagnosed with skin c and recalled multiple sunburns. We checked h found a spot on his toe that had some irregular that this was a melanoma in-situ. Fortunately f at which melanoma can be diagnosed, and the went a minor in-office surgical procedure to c May marks skin cancer awareness mon skin cancers diagnosed each year in the Un there will be about 144,860 cases of melan United States there are more cases of skin ca colon, lung, and prostate combined. Melano skin cancer because it can be lethal. Howev diagnosis can lead to complete cures.Surp common form of cancer for young adults ag of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous ce common types of skin cancers. These can crusted bumps. Some simply appear as a red as dry skin or eczema. The good news is th less likely to spread. The diagnosis is confir as a skin biopsy. Most patients with basal ce have their skin cancers treated with minor i Most skin cancers have a genetic compo is sun and ultraviolet exposure such as that prevent skin cancer, I recommend an ounce o but avoid the peak sun hours between 10AM broad-spectrum sunscreen. Forget about g tans are fine). Lastly, see a board certified
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Finally! Natural Relief From Back Pain By Dr. Kristin Moore, DC There is absolutely nothing worse then getting up from a seated position and feeling like you have aged by 40 years, especially when it takes you a good five minutes of walking to start to feel semi-normal again. Back pain and stiffness are not normal. Most often we get stuck in a way of thinking where we justify the pain, saying to ourselves, “I have pain because I’m getting older.” Well, that is absolutely not true! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to jump out of your chair and not feel the nagging pain? And wouldn’t life seem so much easier if you could get up out of bed and not hobble around for the first hour of your morning? You can and you will! Now, more than ever before, there are many natural and holistic treatment options that can help decrease and even completely eliminate your back pain. Back pain is caused by physical stress, chemical stress, or emotional stress. Age can decrease your flexibility, and it can slow down your rate of healing, but it cannot physically cause the pain that you have. When a patient comes into my office for the treatment of their back pain, I first work to determine the cause, and then I can begin to treat it. I will also determine what combination of the following non-invasive pain relief options will be right for you. 1. Class IV K-Laser Therapy Class IV laser is a form of light therapy that helps to bring more oxygen and nutrients to the site of pain in order to help your muscles and ligaments begin to relax and heal. It also helps to pump away inflammation and edema that can build up around cervical nerve roots or in the soft tissue of the neck. K-laser therapy is very gentle but incredibly effective at treating most causes of neck pain. 2. Cervical Spinal Decompression Non-Surgical spinal decompression is typically used to treat compressive traumas as well as disc herniation and constrictive postural imbalances. The treatment is specifically designed to distract the cervical vertebrae, take pressure off of the nerve roots, and stretch and release ridged and contracted muscles and ligaments. 3. Gentle Chiropractic Care Gentle chiropractic care can be incredibly effective in the treatment of back pain. Misaligned vertebrae in the spine can irritate spinal nerves thus creating pain. By using a gentle tapping tool in a very specific line of correction, the pressure can be taken off of the nerve and can reduce the pain. On top of providing the above services, I may also incorporate kinesio-tape, active release of restricted muscles, aromatherapy, as well as a postural assessment. My goal is always to help my patients get better as quickly as possible! Many times I will give instructions for at-home stretches and exercises to speed up the recovery time. The best way to find out if this form of non-invasive treatment could help eliminate your back pain is to set up a complimentary, 15-minute consultation. This will give me an opportunity to ask you specific questions about your condition and help me to determine if this type of care is right for you.
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MDIA continued from page 22
Menopause M
‘I’m going to correct you. No one could do a PhD thesis on that tree. One species of gall and all of the related species of insects could be a doctoral thesis. That tree could be the subject of 50 PhD projects.’” Hiker’s Guide to Mount Diablo State Park is MDIA’s latest publication. Work on the guide began in 2009 and culminated in 2015 in a compact book detailing hike distances, difficulty, and interesting natural features. Color photographs indicate each hike’s most alluring views. The introduction explains: “The fifty hikes described in this guide represent a cross-section of the 162-mile trail network in Mount Diablo State Park. They have been selected to help you explore the astonishing variety of environments that characterize the mountain.” Each description includes a route map, but the Mount Diablo State Park trail map published by MDIA in 2012 is an essential companion for anyone hiking in the park. Like most MDIA/VIP Hike Leaders, Jake Van Akkeren also spends time on the trails on his own. “As an MDIA rover,” Jake says, “I always wear my VIP vest and greet other hikers. I ask how their hike is going. I stay friendly and informative even when I find people where they shouldn’t be. A surprising number have no map or an inadequate map. I carry the very detailed MDIA map and often suggest people take a snapshot of the area needed with their camera phones which almost everyone seems to have these days.” Roving docents pick up litter and note downed trees and other obstacles. Because so much of the mountain was once private ranchland, old pipes and sections of fence are still being found and removed by crews of MDIA volunteers. Woodring praises their dedication. “MDIA volunteers are focused on giving all park visitors a better experience. MDIA volunteers always miraculously show up when you need them without being asked.” Leslie Contreras, MDIA Hike Coordinator, fills multiple volunteer roles including co-managing the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. “On backcountry patrol,” she relates, “I do encounter hikers with dogs who don’t know about or choose to ignore the park’s No Dogs on Trails policy. I carry maps of Mount Diablo and East Bay Regional Parks so I can point out where hiking with dogs is permitted. Mount Diablo State Park is a wildlife refuge. Even on leash dogs cause wildlife to disappear, and off-leash dogs may become a coyote, bobcat or mountain lion’s meal.” One type of trail sign regularly displaced is the No Dogs symbol. State Park Peace Officer Cameron Morrison warns violators that “a citation for having your dog in the backcountry may result in a citation for almost $500. If your dog is in the backcountry and off leash, you may face fines of almost $1,000.” Asked about the amount of time she spends as a VIP, Contreras responds, “I have been on the mountain since I was 12. I put in at least 1,000 hours a year because I am doing what I love to do.” As Hike Coordinator, she posts available guided hikes on the MDIA website. Leslie reviews information including distance to be traveled, estimated time on the trail, and elevation change indicating the outing’s level of difficulty. Leaders write descriptions
By Timothy Leac
See MDIA continued on page 33
Last month’s colu 2012 Hormone Thera American Menopause statement was to clari therapy (ET) vs. estro menopause-related sy NAMS acknowledge extrapolated to all wom Health Initiative (WHI) was the first randomized c pausal women using hormone therapy (HT), th consideration. A randomized controlled trial (RCT scientific studies because subjects are randomly or a placebo group. The two groups respective specific question (i.e. breast cancer risk in HT u WHI, most studies looking at the benefit-risk studies. This means that a group of women usin and outcomes were evaluated. Observational st sions not infrequently disputed when a RCT as NAMS pointed out that the WHI RCT ha generalizing the findings to all post-menopausa only one route of administration (oral), only one f equine estrogen “premarin”), and only one pr acetate “Provera”). Current HRT preparations in transdermal, transvaginal products at many studies of HT often focused on symptomatic, whereas the WHI enrolled healthy postmenop in a prevention trial. While different studies ha RCT’s are generally given more weight as to th SWAN (Study of Women’s Health Across th 1994 with the intention of being a multi-site, obser study designed to examine the health of women The goal of SWAN’s research is to help scienti learn how mid-life experiences affect health and Most women equate the duration of their m are having hot flashes. The SWAN study helpe patients already knew, and that is hot flashes can which many of those years occur before their fi SWAN also found that race or ethnic backgroun of African American descent on average could e compared to Hispanic women who had more th The NAMS 2012 position statement said that out a progestogen is the most effective treatment o their potential consequences, such as diminished concentrating, and subsequently reduced quality ate to severe vasomotor symptoms remains the p Progestogen alone also reduces hot flashes but n Since the WHI trial, newer transdermal for have become available. Most clinicians are estrogen (available in patch, gel, cream, mist) ficacy with less cardiovascular risk. I tell patie to reduce hot flashes by ~80% within 4-6 wee used extensively in Europe for the treatment o
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Your Personal Nutritionist Great Success with Teen Weight Loss By Linda Michaelis RD, MS I was an unhappy overweight teen, and with being a Registered Dietitian and a mom of two teens, I have found my expertise. Kevin was referred to me two years ago by his doctor when he was 13 years old. We worked together for a month, but I soon realized that his love affair with food overruled, and he was not ready to make the necessary changes to lose weight. We decided that he needed to wait to work together until he was ready to make the commitment. Three months ago Kevin called me and told me he had gained more weight, and he was now ready to lose weight and commit to my suggestions. I have to tell you that call made my day because I really enjoyed Kevin. He was always so respectful and appreciative of my time. Kevin came in with a food diary, and it revealed many of his problems. For breakfast he was eating frozen waffles or pancakes with too much maple syrup and butter. He was eating breakfast despite not being hungry due to his large appetite of consuming hamburgers and fries at night. I reminded him to make sure that when he eats breakfast he thinks hard about how hungry he is. Kevin agreed to try my recipe for roasted veggie egg muffins or an overnite oatmeal parfait with Greek yogurt and berries. Kevin is enjoying these lower carb breakfasts and without complaint. A month into working with Kevin, he called me on a Saturday morning when his mom was out of town and he asked me what to eat for breakfast because there was not much food at home. After telling me what was in the refrigerator, he made some spinach and scrambled eggs. He texted me an hour later and said they were yummy. Kevin’s tastes were changing, and veggies became tolerable. I find with kids it is all about timing, and getting them at the right time when they can be exposed to healthier options makes a difference. For lunch Kevin was always having a sandwich on a roll with a skimpy amount of meat and a bag of chips. No fruit or veggies were included. We agreed to him having chicken legs without the skin, a small bag of chips, and some baby carrots. Kevin now says that he is also happy with taking 4oz of roasted turkey wrapped around lettuce with cherry tomatoes, carrots, and some cucumbers. Mom sometimes brings him a fresh tuna sandwich with all of the veggies. Kevin often participates in sports after school and has been enjoying beef jerky with a couple of tangerines or a cut-up apple. Sometimes he even takes grilled chicken strips from home and dips then in BBQ sauce. If he has time, he will make some eggs with spinach before practice. The healthy Kevin is now taking full responsibility with his meals and telling mom what he likes for meals and snacks. Similar to most kids (and my husband), Kevin’s favorite take-out burger place is In N Out. I suggested when eating there a good food choice would be the burger protein style wrapped in lettuce with small fries. I was shocked again when Kevin told me he went there after a game for dinner and he really liked it. When Kevin is having pizza with his friends, he only eats two slices and realizes he gets a satisfying fullness unlike the uncomfortable feeling he would have in the past after eating too large portions, especially at night. Kevin says he is sleeping better and now bounces out of bed in the morning and has an appetite for breakfast which he realizes he did not have before. He is even using the treadmill in the morning. In summary, Kevin is not always eating the ideal balanced meals and snacks I prefer, but compared to his past eating habits, his nutrition has drastically improved, and he is losing weight consistently. He is looking forward to taking off
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September 1 ~ Cabernet Day - Rick Bak guru, came up with the idea of #CabernetDa since and is held on the Thursday before La September 16 ~ Grenache Day - The 3 ficial #GrenacheDay every year. The Grena France to bring awareness to this lovely var October 11-17 ~ Drink Local Wine We producers, and celebrate at the local level. November 7 ~ Merlot Day - This often un deserves its own day. November 10 ~ Tempranillo Day - T TAPAS or Tempranillo Advocates, Producer push this dry climate Spanish variety. November 12 ~ Wine Tourism Day - P November 17 ~ Beaujolais Nouveau Da on the third Thursday in November with fire der French law, the wine is released at 12:0 grapes have been harvested. Parties are he further afield to celebrate the first wine of th November 19 ~ Zinfandel Day - Nationa
Page 32 - May 2016 ~ Alamo Today
Practice Health By Michelle Brown Health isn’t free. You have to work at it. Your health takes daily practice. Like any life long commitment, it can be hard to make. The thing is, though, it’s just as big of a commitment to have an unhealthy life! Sure, it might seem “easier” to not exercise, eat anything you want, drink what you want, and basically ignore the fact that your body is breaking down...until it breaks down. The truth is that when all is said and done, taking care of our bodies, minds, and spirits is much less stressful than the alternative. The choice is up to us daily! Our bodies have to work much harder when they are sedentary. Exercise helps our heart grow, which makes the work of the heart easier. When the action of forceful pumping occurs during exercise, the chambers of the heart begin to increase in size. Over time and with consistent exercise, the chambers of the heart grow. This allows more blood and more oxygen to flow with each beat, taking stress off of the heart and allowing it to beat slower, even under the stress of rigorous exercise. Conversely, when we don’t partake in exercise, our heart walls close in! Small chambers of the heart play a big roll in the diagnosis of heart disease. This, coupled with high bad (LDL) cholesterol and low good (HDL) cholesterol, often results in daily medications and heart surgery. This is
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A good personal trainer can create a progra needs. This is well worth the cost and can b trainers can move you in the direction of g programs out there like the Gumsaba Running unmatched mental benefit. These healthy rela your plan and reach goals you never thought po people, we become much more capable; we wi to realize that we too are capable of greatness.
“Let food by thy medicine.” ~ Hippoc
Each meal we eat either nourishes us or de are what our bodies need to stay healthy. Eatin part and parcel to whole health. This daily pr it is proven to stave off disease and decrease i Giving your body foods rich in oxidants and n and function optimally. You are what you eat, easy... is that what you want to be? No way! Practicing health also involves our thought happy. Sure, they have bad days, get angry and that frame of mind. With each thought, they re blame anyone for their problems because th They see the best in themselves and the best naturally but because they practice thinking
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Refreshed not Weird: How Botox, Dysport, and Fillers Should Look By Dr. Barbara Persons, Persons Plastic Surgery A friend had just finished a high level business meeting with two women. He said, “What is it about 40-year-old women who have been overdone?” He was talking about people that have gone overboard on injectable treatments such as fillers and Botox. My initial thought... he doesn’t realize that these women are not forty-something. They do look younger than their 50 years, but they look overdone. This is indeed a problem, and it’s becoming a more common problem that I am being asked to fix in my practice. Facial rejuvenation is one of the top requests I receive. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all like the thought of a refreshed version of ourselves. Ultimately, gravity wrinkles and loss of volume over time will ultimately be most improved by surgery: a neck lift, facelift, eyelids, etc. But, for many patients, natural fillers and fat grafting, Botox, Dysport, Filaser, and RF treatments provide a safe and effective treatment to subtly improve our look. The key in facial rejuvenation -- from Botox to fillers to fat grafting -is achieving a look that is youthful, not “weird,” as my friend stated. The look should be refreshed, never overdone, and most importantly natural. Aging gracefully is just as important as looking beautiful, and the secret here is ensuring no one can guess there been a treatment done in the first place. As an expert in face work, I have many tools to use, but the secret to subtle, successful artistry is understanding how exactly to use them. There are two basic sets of concepts when it comes to facial rejuvenation. The first is lifting with volume replacement, and the second is improvement of texture, lines, pigment, and laxity. There was a time when we associated aging only with “gravity.” However, we now understand that volume loss can also dramatically change the aesthetic balance of the face. Volume loss occurs in soft tissues and bone, especially in the temporal areas, nasolabial fold, and the cheeks. This results in hollow areas of the temples, sunken eyes, eye bags, tear troughs, mid cheek breaks, marionette lines around the mouth, droopy skin at the jaw, and excess neck skin and bags. The combined effect of volume loss, sun exposure, and age also contributes to increased skin laxity, which presents as wrinkles around the eyes, the forehead, and the middle brow. The face looks more aged, more tired, less full, and overall less youthful. In the wrong hands, or with the wrong product (cheap counterfeit versions of many popular products like Botox, Dysport and fillers are a real problem), the results are only made worse...you become overdone and look weird The correct approach in my opinion is a whole face approach: recreating the beautiful normal. With Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin, the muscle relaxers, I recommend a balanced treatment. This means relaxing each of the main muscles, say in the forehead or around the eyes in a balanced synergistic way. Fillers and fat grafting should be used to perform a liquid facelift while keeping the proportions natural. Phi or the ideal proportions can be referenced. Properly treated lips should look natural, not weird. Nasolabial folds should not look like sausages - laser treatments and/or Botox/Dysport for fine lines and wrinkles and the right filler for replacing volume. There are new fillers such as Voluma, Restalyne Silk, and Radiesse Plus for treating very specialized
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reflecting their personal style of presentatio Lavin writes about his May 8th plan: “M on display this day, and the old girl can still saunter will follow in the footsteps and paw David Douglas and his faithful dog Billy.” H dotes, information about how wildflowers ca how Native Americans used plants found o who come on MDIA hikes are interested in l the outdoors. And I always learn something Van Akkeren agrees. “At the beginning to introduce themselves and let the group k expertise that they could share during the h experts on geology, mushrooms, chaparral, join us.” Guided hikes promote a spirit of c to lasting friendships. “Many people don’t their own,” Jake notes. “I am gratified to lead they would never otherwise enjoy.” A professional geologist, Phil Reed has b Mount Diablo. “Once I learned everything I formations on Mount Diablo, I wanted to stu to get me interested in birds, but every time o
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Leigha continued from front page in the Jr. Drag Racing League is required for competition. The cars that Jr. Drag Racing League competitors race are called Jr. Dragsters and are halfscale versions of Top Fuel dragsters. (Leigha’s car theme is “Mocking J,” from The Hunger Games.) Using a five-horsepower, single-cylinder engine, a Jr. Dragster can go as fast as 85 mph and as quick as 7.90 seconds in an eighth-mile, though younger age groups are restricted to slower times/speeds. Leigha got into drag racing when her older sister began racing and Leigha was her crew chief. Wearing ear plugs to muffle the track noise, she would cool her sister down with squirts of water. When Leigha’s dad Dean suggested she start driving herself, she declined out of fear. “My dad brought home a car for me, and I told him he’d wasted his money,” says Leigha. “I was scared and didn’t want to do it. But then I tried it, and I liked it.”
Dean Miller cheers on his daughter Leigha.
On the weekends, Leigha practices at Sacramento Raceway. Her races are held in Arizona. For most of her competitions, she and her dad drive her dragster in a 72’ race-rig. But if race schedules conflict with school, she will let her dad do the driving, and she’ll fly to meet him. This year, her race schedule will take her to Nevada, San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and the Western Conference Finals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. What’s it like to move at 85 miles an hour in a car that’s just two inches above the roadway? “There is definitely an initial adrenaline rush when you start switching speeds,” says Leigha. “The starting line is where I’m most nervous and feel the butterflies, but when the race begins, all of that starts dropping – my helmet flies back and everything is pushed back, and then my game face is on.” She wears a fire resistant suit, and she has a neck brace and padding. “I feel very strapped in,” she says. “It’s tight, and I feel safe.” She feels safe enough obviously to have shaken off and moved beyond a crash that took place during her 10-12 division. “It was the worst crash the raceway had ever seen,” says Leigha. She was trying out for the first time a new car that was equipped with shocks – improperly adjusted shocks. She felt the car pulling one way, and in overcompensating, she sent the vehicle into two barrel rolls, finally skidding into the finish line on her side. The accident didn’t deter her. While Leigha hopes to continue through each NHRA Jr. Drag Racing division, she has no plans to go pro. She’d ultimately like to be a fashion designer
Improved Im Breast Canc
By Christine Chu
Mammograms h standard in breast c years and have been decrease death from Services Task Force r every two years for guidelines of the Am National Comprehensive Cancer Network an mammograms starting at age 40 for my fem In mammography, the breast is compress ages are taken from two angles. Overlappin images harder to interpret, particularly in w can lead to false positives in 10% of patie negatives in 15-20% of patients, according Could a new technology fix that? Tomos in 2011, could improve the way that women particularly those with dense breast tissue. M the breast are taken in an arc around the breast to form a three-dimensional picture, resulting A recent study published in the Journal of t in June 2014 showed that tomosynthesis was than mammography. Data included 281,187 e raphy alone and 173,663 exams with mamm sites between 2010-2012. Per 1,000 screenin 5.4 cancers, while mammography detected 4 woman actually had cancer increased from 24 Does this mean that tomosynthesis could standard of care for breast screening? As D president of the Society of Breast Imaging, Diego, and the Director of Breast Imaging a “Tomosynthesis is simply a quantum jump is done today. It is more resource intense, b ventional mammography in the United Stat There are still concerns about this technol rial in JAMA, Dr. Etta Pisano from the Medi recommended further study before replacing lack of long-term follow-up information [wit ity to provide definitive estimates of false-n accuracy, interval cancer rates, or overdiagn There are 1,100 tomosynthesis systems i Inc, the leading manufacturer of these units million women were screened with tomosyn can only be expected to rise since Medicare thesis screening, effective January 1, 2015. Dr. Chung is a Radiation Oncologist w Hematology Medical Group. She sees patien and can be reached at (925) 825-8878. Jo cancer specialists for a breast cancer upd the Lafayette Library. RSVP at (925) 677-5
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Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers – Decrease your Risk By Dr. Arash Mohebati, West Coast Surgical Associates The association between extensive sun exposure and skin cancer has been recognized for some time. Malignant melanoma, squamous cell cancer, and basal cell cancer are skin cancers associated with ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Rates are much higher in places where there is a lot of sunshine year round. In our culture of swim team, soccer, golf, and tennis, we have a very high rate of sun exposure and hence more skin cancers. Melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer that often arises in a pigmented lesion or nevus, which accounts for about 1% of all skin cancers but it is responsible for majority of deaths from skin cancer. Melanoma accounts for more than 10,000 deaths annually in the US. The incidence of melanoma has risen over the last thirty years but has plateaued recently in the United States. It is more common in Caucasians and in men over the age of 50. Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh most common cancer in women. According to the American cancer society, about 76,380 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma of skin in 2016 of which more than 8,500 are from California. Risk factors associated with higher rates of melanoma include personal or family history of melanoma, history of extensive UV radiation from sun light or indoor tanning, immunosuppression, and light skin features. Warning signs of melanoma include changes in the shape, size, color or character of an existing lesion or mole. Recognizing a new or changing skin lesion is essential in early detection and evaluation of melanoma. Consulting your primary care doctor or a dermatologist is essential when you notice a change in your skin. Melanoma has the potential to spread to the lymph nodes and to distant sites such as the brain, lung, and liver. The depth of melanoma determines the type and extent of treatment. Surgery for melanoma includes removal of the melanoma lesion from the skin along a margin of normal surrounding tissue. Some patients may require more extensive surgery to evaluate the lymph nodes and determine the stage of disease. This procedure is called sentinel lymph node biopsy and may be indicated based on the thickness of melanoma and certain pathologic features. Melanomas with deep invasion or that spread to the lymph nodes may require additional treatment such as adjuvant chemotherapy or more extensive surgery. However, the majority of patients with melanoma are cured after the initial surgical excision. Adjuvant therapy refers to the use of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy in addition to surgical resection in the treatment of cancer. The goal of adjuvant therapy is to improve survival and control the cancer in patients with stage III and IV disease. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have been shown to improve the outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma. These treatments take advantage of certain genetic differences in the tumor with the goal of destroying cancer cells while leaving normal cells intact or by activating the person’s immune system to destroy melanoma cells in the body. Vemurafenib, Ipilimumab, and Nivolumab are some of the newer treatment agents belonging to these class of drugs. This field has rapidly evolved since 2012, and there are a number of clinical trials open currently evaluating the combination of treatments and some newer agents, and there are now some significant improvements in survival. Protection from UV radiation is important all year round, but risk is highest during the summer. The hours between 10AM and 4PM are the most hazardous for UV exposure. Minimizing exposure to UV radiation by wear-
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Page 36 - May 2016 ~ A Alamo Today
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92 5 -9 8 9 -6 0 86 www.TheCombsTeam.com The Alamo Real Estate: Still a Hot Market? Last year I took a look at the Alamo Market by breaking sales down into price bands to see if there were differences among the groups. I have repeated it this year and thrown in a little contrast with 2015. For this analysis, I used year-to-date data through April and broke the Alamo market into six groups divided by increments of $500,000. What I found is quite interesting as a 7th natural grouping may have emerged. For Alamo as a whole, inventory is falling. As of this writing, we have only 49 homes listed for sale compared to 62 last year. Twenty-nine homes are listed as pending. We find no homes in the lowest price band. The lowest priced Alamo sale, a Condo, sold for $151,000 more than the top of the lowest price band. In the next price band $.5M to $999,999, two units have sold. They sold on average in 87 days, at an average price of $653,000. They were 1,429 square feet in size and sold for an average of $467 per square foot. Three months of inventory remain compared to one month last year. It’s still a hot market. From $1M to $1.499M, 15 units have sold in an average of 26 days, at an average price of $1,317,467. These homes were 2,935 square feet in size and sold for an average of $461 per square foot. Remaining inventory will last for one month in this hot market. Twenty-five homes sold last year for about 2% less dollars. That is a significant year-on-year price increase. In the next price band $1.5M to $1.999M, 14 units have sold. Nine sold last year. The properties that did sell, sold on average in 25 days, at an average price of $1,720,714. That’s about 10% more in dollars than last year. These homes averaged 3,736 square feet in size and sold for an average of $492 per square foot. This is two dollars a square foot less than last year. So, the value hasn’t really gone up at all. The homes in this price band are about 450 square feet larger than last year. Four months of inventory in this price range remain. Last year at this time we had nine months of inventory. This is a hot market. From $2M to $2.499M, eight units have sold in an average of 20 days, at an average price of $2,253,381. They were 4,687 square feet in size and sold for an average of $494 per square foot. Remaining inventory will last for 3.8 months in this hot market. This market is nearly the same as last year, with a notable exception: last year at this time we had nine months of inventory. In the top tier price range from $2.5M and up nine properties have sold. Those sold
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averaged 60 days on market, and sold at a price o were on average, 5,529 square feet in size and so foot. The current inventory level for these pricey h the inventory stood at 16 months. Square foot price market is hot. Interesting, there have been only three sales abov tive properties in the top tier are priced above $3M. dollar plus homes as a separate market, I believe it eight months of remaining inventory. This market i this group out for separate treatment. Last year 65% of homes that sold were priced b this year 65% of homes sold above that price point. that buyers are more confident in making large real there does appear to be reluctance to purchase above Although I am not expecting prices to be much h I believe the Alamo market will continue to do wel mortgage interest rates or some unforeseen economi It’s important to remember that there really is n are exactly alike. Computer generated estimates of y wrong. If you would like multi-dimensional analysis based on years of Alamo market experience, please me an email joecombs@thecombsteam.com. For m articles, please visit our website at www.thecombste
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Alamo Home Sales YTD April 2016 Price Range Active Pending Solds D.O.M $0-$499 M 0 0 0 0 $.5 M-$999 M 2 1 2 87 $1 M- $1.499 M 5 10 15 50 $1.5 M-$1.999 M 19 13 14 25 $2 M -$2.499 M 10 2 8 20 $2.5 M & Up 13 3 9 60 * Number of months required to consume current inventory
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Lovely ground level 2 bedroom condo with view of the lagoon. Priced to sell $575,000.
Top 5% i