Alamo Today, January 2013 by The Editors, Inc

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

January 2013 Sprucing up the Interchange

Serving Alamo and Diablo

By Al Makely, Rotary Club of Alamo Recently members of the Rotary Club of Alamo, led by president John Jones, gathered alongside Stone Valley Road near I-680 to begin planting in the first phase of their project to landscape and beautify the area around the interchange. Alamo resident, Rotarian, and owner of Devil Mountain Nursery, Pat Murphy, had trees delivered. Pat is a major benefactor of this project. Rotary members Brad Gai, Steve Larmore, and Kent Johansson transported the other plants to the site. Other club members participating were Don Morton, Bart Gledhill, and Carolyn Thiessen. At the end of the day, over 400 plants were put in the ground.

Monte Vista High School Marching Band. Photo courtesy of Perry Lentine

Jazz in the Moonlight

Rotary members begin planting at the western Stone Valley Road interchange.

An area along the sidewalk has not been planted. This has been left unplanted so that trucks from tree service companies can have access to the area beyond the plants to deposit mulch that will be spread to suppress weed growth. The plants at the site are Crepe Myrtle trees, Aristida Purpurea, and Emerald Carpet Manzanita. The landscape architect, Alamo resident John Montgomery, says that the grassy plants are the Aristida Purpurea. They will grow about two feet tall and three feet wide. In the spring they will have purple flowers and will green up a little. The Emerald Carpet Manzanita will grow about 10” tall and will spread about four feet and will have white flowers in late winter and early spring.

See Interchange continued on page 28

Monte Vista High School’s award-winning instrumental music department includes String Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and two Jazz Bands. In addition, Monte Vista has a Marching Band that was wildly successful in this past season’s Northern California competitions, at one point earning the highest score in their division in the State. Monte Vista musicians are routinely chosen by audition to participate in County and Northern California Honor Bands, and they have gone on to participate in music programs in college. Music students are clear about the benefits of studying music in high school. Monte Vista’s 2012-13 Drum Major, senior Nick Loey, reports, “Practicing music and leading marching band has helped me develop time management skills, and the music program has introduced me to some of my best friends.” Despite the success and popularity of Monte Vista’s Instrumental Music Program, they receive no school or district financial support beyond teacher Ed

See Music continued on page 30

Meet the Friends of the Danville Library

By Jody Morgan

The Friends of the Danville Library (FODL) has been providing support for purchases and programs that would otherwise be unaffordable since the organization’s inception in 1958. Rising to the challenge of recent public spending cuts, this all-volunteer non-profit group doubled the funding for new acquisitions available from Contra Costa County this year. FODL also finances free programs at the library for members of the community of all ages and helps secure grant money for many additional educational events. Used book donations are the main source of income for FODL. Careful sorting gives the library first refusal on current year’s offerings. High value books are culled for Internet sales. Books from the past three years as well as certain notably saleable Volume XIII - Number 1 titles are sold in the Friends Bookstore at the library. 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Older books in good condition are boxed by category Alamo, CA 94507 and stored for the big quarterly Book Sales. When Melody Trapp, President FODL and Seng Lovan, Senior Community Library Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 multiple copies of a particular volume are donated, Manager, review acquisitions funded by FODL. Fax (925) 406-0547 overstock goes on the “Free Book” carts Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher PRSRT STD in the library lobby. Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com U.S. Postage Volunteers encourage donors to Sharon Burke ~ Writer PAID Local provide contact information so persburke@yourmonthlypaper.com Permit 263 Postal Customer sonal property can be promptly returned. The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Alamo CA not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today Bookstore Co-Manager Lynne Elizondo is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising ECRWSS herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

See Friends continued on page 20

Page 2 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

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Boulevard View By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor Happy New Year! In these interesting and challenging times, I am starting the new year with a goal of being more self-sufficient and creative. For example, the other night a family member was having an issue with their pants zipper staying up. The zipper was zipped, but after five minutes there was a “ventilation problem.” Admit it, you’ve had that issue too! Anyway, this unnamed family member asked out-loud if anyone had a solution. My daughter chimed in saying she had read that if you take a split ring (like what’s on your key ring) and thread it through the top hole of the zipper pull, then take the circular part and loop it over the top button of your pants, you have an instant fix. It was brilliant and worked perfectly. It got me wondering about other unconventional fixes or uses for items. There are multiple websites devoted to these McGyver-ish repairs. One of our favorites is www.ikeahackers.net. We found it when we were looking for a solution to hang a TV in an apartment where we couldn’t put holes in the walls. As noted on the webpage, the site “is a site about modifications on and repurposing of Ikea products. ‘Hacks,’ as we call them here may be as simple as adding an embellishment, while others may require power tools and lots of ingenuity.” With the information found there, we created a TV holder that was based on an Ikea pole and some miscellaneous hardware. It fit between the floor and ceiling like a lamp, held the 32” TV perfectly, and required no holes in the wall or ceiling. Sometimes there are simple ways to use everyday items in a new and different way. For ideas on organizing your world a little better, check out the useful and clever “life hacks” at http://justdwl.net/these-are-some-useful-tricks. html. For example, instead of using those annoying and ecologically disastrous styrofoam packing peanuts for shipping an item, use air-popped popcorn (with no butter, salt, or oil) which may then be fed to birds or other animals after use or be put in the compost pile. Another website that shows how to use or re-use common household items is Real Simple. They have a wonderful collection of ideas (www. realsimple.com/home-organizing/new-uses-for-old-things/favorite-new-us-

es-00000000019718/index.html). Some examples include using a picture frame as a decorative tray, adapting a Twister play-mat to be used as a tablecloth, employing a toothbrush to clean away the silk on an ear of corn, attaching binder clips to your desk to hold cords at desktop level or to serve as a compact money holder/key chain, storing empty plastic grocery store bags in a Kleenex box, or how about using a plastic soap case as a perfectly sized compact digital camera holder which can protect your camera in your purse or pocket? Alternate uses can be found for many everyday items. You just have to keep your eyes open, and think “outside the box.” If you’re a linear thinker, all of these websites will help you to get started looking at things around you differently. For example, my father bought himself a Roomba vacuum cleaner and was really proud of it. However, his son-in-law already has his eye on transforming it, and he may surprise Dad with the changes. The www.hackingroomba.com site shows you how to make your Roomba sing, how to use your Roomba as a computer mouse, how to connect your Roomba to the Internet, how to turn your Roomba into a “painter” and budding artist, and more. Admittedly, some folks have too much time on their hands, but there are some really creative ideas out there! My oldest son’s first grade teacher had what she called an “invention center” in her classroom. It was filled with spare parts from people’s bottomless junk drawers, corks, clips, egg cartons, paper, wire, boxes, and other stuff. The invention center sparked creativity and thinking about new uses for old things. It certainly helped our kids look differently at the things around them, which makes them more resourceful when confronted with a problem. One of the inventions my son made was a portable speaker for an MP3 player that he created from an Altoids tin and some spare wire. He got his knack for creating from the invention center. Speaking of old Altoids tins, they can be repurposed into many things, and there are multiple websites devoted to this craft (type in “uses for altoid tins” in a web browser for ideas). I am intrigued by the solar cellphone charger created from an Altoids tin, a mini-speaker set, a portable BBQ stove, a pocket flashlight, and the pocket games chest that may be created in bulk for my next set of holiday gifts (www.flickr.com/photos/airship/18104451/). There are endless possibilities. Whatever your situation, I’m sure you too can find something from these sites to help you be more self-sufficient and to solve life’s little problems one creative way at a time.

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Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 3

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Danville Library Book Sale Friends of Danville Library will hold a sale of new and gently used books all priced at 50 cents or $1. Included are children’s books, CDs and DVDs. The event will be held in the Danville Library which is located at 400 Front Street in Danville. The sale will be held Friday, January 25th from 9AM -10AM for members only, and then the public is invited from 10AM-5PM. The public is also invited Saturday, January 26th from 10AM-4PM. Sunday, January 27th from 12:05-3:45PM is bag day where all the items you can carry costs $5. Admission is free.

San Ramon Valley Republican Women Federated Present Heather Gass, Founder of the East Bay Tea Party The Dark Side of Sustainability Prior to becoming an activist for private property rights and for liberty, Heather was a network engineer for 17 years. She is the author of three technical books and dozens of IT training videos. In 2009 she founded the East Bay Tea Party which has over 3,000 members and affiliates nationwide. Her local Tea Party group’s major focus is Agenda 21 and private property rights. Heather has been educating and motivating conservative groups all over the state and has become an expert on One Bay Area, Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), and nine Bay Area Regional Planning counties. If you have been following what is planned for the Town of Danville by 2030 (www.danville.ca.gov/Planning/General_Plan_and_Zoning/ General_Plan_Update), you just might want to come to our January meeting! Join us for the luncheon on Tuesday, January 22nd. Social time begins at 11:30am and the luncheon and speaker start at noon. The cost is $25. For reservations, call Mary at 925-837-5465 or e-mail srvrwf.lunch@gmail.com. Reservations are due by Thursday, January 17th. To assure yourself a place at the table, make your reservation early! For more information visit www.srvrwf.org.

Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art February 2 - April 14, 2013

Four new exhibitions in the expanded museum ~ Carnaval!

The exuberant creativity, color, and pageantry that is Carnaval comes to the Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art in a spectacular exhibition opening Saturday, February 2. Carnaval in Bolivia, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans are on display in one of the Museum’s liveliest exhibitions ever. Costumes, headdresses, masks, medallions, musical instruments, photographs and videos show the history and traditions of Carnaval, and its often outlandish and ribald behavior. Carnaval! has been made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities. It was organized by Barbara Mauldin, Ph.D., curator of Latin American Collections, Museum of International Folk Art, and is toured by Mid-America Arts Alliance.

~ In Search of the Source: Paintings of the Nile and Beyond, Lockwood de Forest

~ Landscape Assembled, Ryan Reynolds

~ The California Alps, William Keith Lockwood de Forest, oil on canvas, 1876, Lone Falucca at Dusk.

Ryan Reynolds Red Crane oil on canvas.

• Opening Day Saturday, February 2nd, 11am – 4:30pm,

Carnaval! documentary video and reception, 2-4pm. Costumes, beads, masks and headdresses are welcome opening day attire. • Museum Hours: Wed-Sun, 11am-4:30pm, (Closed 3/29-3/31)

• Admission: $5 adults, K-12 grades free • 925-631-4379 | stmarys-ca.edu/museum

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Page 4 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

Fine Mexican Dining

Blackhawk Republican Women Federated The next General Meeting of the Blackhawk Republican Women Federated will be held Wednesday, January 16th. Steve Frank, a frequent guest on KSFO radio station and The Brian Sussman Show, will be the featured speaker. Frank is a resident of Simi Valley, California and has prepared a program on “How to end the California Depression of 2013.” Included in Franks remarks will be the fiscal condition of the State and policies needed to return sanity to Sacramento. The presentation will be held at the Blackhawk Country Club which is located at 599 Blackhawk Club Dr. in Danville. Check–in and social hour will start at 5:30PM, and the program will begin at 6:30PM. Cost is $25 per person Reservations can be made by contacting Marianne Lyons via e-mail at rylons1009@sbcglobal.net or phone at (925) 820-6452. For further information regarding activities of the club or to obtain membership information, visit our website at www.blackhawkrwf.org.

American Association of University Women

743-8997 In Stone Valley Shopping Center

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

California Writers Club Author and writing teacher Connie Hale will present a workshop on “Creative Use of Language in Fiction and Non-Fiction” at the next meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday, January 12th at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant which is located at 611 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill. Ms. Hale will explain “sin and syntax,” how she views writing style, how to approach grammar with confidence, and how to write dialect. Participants are asked to bring paper and pen for exercises. The author of three books on writing style, Ms. Hale focuses on the use of language. Her books are Wired Style, Sin and Syntax, and Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch. Sign-in is from 8:30 to 9AM, a full breakfast will be held from 9AM to 9:30AM, and the workshop is from 9:30AM to 12:30PM. Registration is $35 for CWC members and $40 for guests. Reservations are required by January 9th. Contact Jeannie Georgakopoulos at jeaniegpops@comcast.net or by phone at (925) 934-5677. Expect confirmation only if you e-mail your reservation. The California Writers Club Mt. Diablo Branch web address is http:// cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com/. 8

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD

The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is looking for homes for our 2013 Holiday Home tour to be held on Friday and Saturday, December 13th and 14th. If you’re interested in showcasing your creative holiday decorating talents, we’d like to visit your home during the holiday season. If you know someone who beautifully decorates their home, please have then contact us. The proceeds from the tour are divided between local scholarships for women and our Tech Trek program - a summer math/tech/science camp for incoming eighth grade girls held for one week on college campuses. To learn more about our branch and holiday home tour, please visit our website at www.aauw-daw.org. If you have a suggestion, please call Tena at 837-0826.

Veterans of Foreign Wars The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) will be held on Wednesday, January 16th. The VFW Post 75 of San Ramon Valley meets every third Wednesday of the month at the Veterans Memorial Building located at 400 Hartz Avenue in Danville. The building is located on the corner of East Prospect Avenue and Hartz Avenue. Doors open at 7PM, and the meeting begins at 7:30PM. For more information, contact Post Commander Ernie Petagara at (925) 362-9806. Find out more about the VFW and our Post on the internet at www.vfwpost75.org.

Delta Nu Psi Thank you to all of the fantastic shoppers at CVS in Alamo and Lunardi's in Danville. Because of your generosity, we will not need to collect for our servicemen in January. To date we have mailed a total of 1,018 boxes and with a combined weight of 25,342 pounds. Along with food we have also sent hundreds of letters from students at Charlotte Wood, Iron Horse, and Hart Middle Schools. Upcoming needs include money for postage and another helper for collecting. If you are able to help or would like more information, please contact Alicia Watson by visiting www.deltanupsi.org.

Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club Please join us at a free Welcome Coffee on Thursday, January 24th, 10AM to noon, to learn about the Club. For more information, call (925) 281-1307.

San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society meets at 10AM the third Tuesday of every month, except August and December, at the Danville Family History Center, 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. There will be a speaker at every meeting. Everyone is welcome. For information, call Ed at (925) 299-0881, visit www.srvgensoc.org, or email SRVGS@SRVGenSoc.org.

If you find her and your name is drawn!

Alamo Zoe is Missing Alamo Zoe has become lost in this paper... Search through Alamo Today and see if you can find her! She is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find her.

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

Chris Gouveia is our winner

Upcoming Meetings and Events AIA - Alamo Improvement Association - Please visit www.alamoca.org for upcoming meetings - Creekside Community Church -1350 Danville Blvd. Alamo MAC (Municipal Advisory Committee) - First Tuesday of each month 6pm - Alamo Chamber of Commerce Office 120-B, Alamo Plaza P2B - Police Services Advisory Committee - First Monday of each month, 5pm - Meets at Alamo Chamber of Commerce Office located at 120 -B, Alamo Plaza P5 - Round Hill Police Services Advisory Committee - Second Wednesday of each month, 7pm - Meets at Round Hill Country Club - Lower Level Meeting Room CERT classes - Community Emergency Response Team - Visit www. firedepartment.org/community_outreach/cert/upcoming_classes.asp

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Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 5

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Alamo Women’s Club The Alamo Women’s Club was established in 1916 and is the longest standing service organization in the valley. The organization welcomes members from the Alamo, Danville, and Walnut Creek areas. The current focus of the nearly 100 strong women is Current Events and Health, Children, Family, and Women’s Issues. We are proud of the difference we make in the lives of others through our many outreach and philanthropic programs. Our scholarship program is available to area high school seniors who are focusing on the arts and women at DVC. Among the currently supported philanthropies are Hospice of the East Bay, including Alamo’s Bruns House and George Mark Children’s House , Knit for the Kids, Canine Companions for Independence, Youth Homes, STAND! for Families Free of Violence, and Vestia. January - January 23rd - Mick La Salle, San Francisco Chronicle film critic, will be our guest speaker to kick off the run up to the Oscars! Mick is a film critic for the Chronicle and author of The Complicated Women: Sex and Power in the PreCode Hollywood. His history and critical study of French actresses, The Beauty of the Real, was recently published. January through the Oscar Awards: On Tuesday evenings until the night of the Oscars, we will be going to a nominated movie. It will be a fun time out with the Club. February - On February 27th our speaker will be Vietnam veteran, Marv Tuttle. Marv was involved in a car accident in 1998 and sustained a spinal cord injury, which resulted in paralysis from the waist down. He studied and became a peer mentor for new spinal cord patients, both civilian and military. For the past 10 years, he has been both a diver and guide at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where he started a non-profit organization that teaches scuba to special needs children. In November 2010 he was blessed with his dog Yara from Canine Companions for Independence, one of the non-profit organizations supported by the Alamo Women’s Club. He will be speaking about his story and the many ways that Yara helps him, including his work with special needs children. His website is www.specialkidsscuba.org. Every Wednesday at 8am we have an exercise/stretching class at the club. Non-members are welcome. The fee is $7.50 per class.

Generous gift card donations were recently made to Youth Homes Foster Kids. The kids were totally surprised and thrilled! The total collected from everyone was $955. Pictured above are Las Quebradas donors.

If you’re interested in renting our building, wish additional information about upcoming events, or would like to become a member, please visit www.AlamoWomensClub.org, call (925) 575-7706, or email AlamoWomensClub@gmail.com.

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Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 7

4 0 3 5 S t o n e Va l l e y O a k s D r i v e , A l a m o

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Cinema Classics Casablanca By Peggy Horn This month’s Cinema Classic is Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The film premiered in New York City on November 26, 1942 and was released in the United States on January 23, 1943. Although this film is frequently seen on lists of the finest movies of all time, such a result was not anticipated when the film was first released. Nevertheless, Casablanca won three Academy Awards in 1944: Best Picture, Best Direction (Michael Curtiz), and Best Screenplay (Julius Epstein, Philip Epstein, and Howard Koch). The movie is based on the unpublished stage play, Everybody Comes To Rick’s, by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. The film begins by setting the stage historically for the story. Questions may be asked such as why is Casablanca, a Moroccan town with a Spanish name, characterized as French and, why were a large number of multinational refugees waiting in Casablanca to journey to Portugal? Prior Spanish control (1580-1640) explains the Spanish name which means ‘white house.’ As a result of colonization in 1910 by France, Casablanca came to be a French possession. Subsequent to the defeat of France by Germany in 1940, the government of France (essentially a puppet government of Germany) was established in the small French town of Vichy from July 1940 to August 1944. As a French possession, Casablanca fell in an unoccupied portion of the Vichy regime. Because Portugal was neutral during the War, persons wishing to leave Europe could depart for the Americas more freely from there, and many refugees loitered in Casablanca waiting to escape because it was an available gateway to freedom. Even though Casablanca was an ‘unoccupied’ portion of the Vichy government, the Germans managed to influence departures by refugees as depicted in the movie. The historical details provided in the movie were essentially accurate, and, in fact, the release date of the film was purposefully planned to take place near the time of the actual invasion of North Africa by the Allies.

In the film, Humphrey Bogart plays the part of Rick Blaine, an American who owns a bar called, ‘Rick’s Café Americain, a place where everybody goes.’ Rick is an embittered cynic, in part as the result of a failed love affair in Paris with Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman). Unfortunately for Rick, the passage of time has augmented his bitterness, and when Ilsa walks into his bar in Casablanca, he confronts her face to face with hostility. On behalf of her husband, Victor Lazlo, a hero for the Resistance, Ilsa requests Rick’s help to escape Casablanca. The love story between Rick and Ilsa is profoundly touching and faceted with loyalty, forgiveness, patriotism and self-sacrifice, and Rick’s choice whether to help them is a critical part of the story. To commemorate Casablanca’s original release date (January 23, 1943) seventy years ago, the California Independent Film Festival is presenting a special screening on January 23, 2013 at the Orinda Theatre (4 Orinda Theatre Square, Orinda, CA 94563, 925-254-9060). The event will be accompanied by a ‘Question and Answer’ session, featuring Mr. Rosario Tronnolone, a world-renowned expert on Ingrid Bergman. Mr. Tronnolone will be traveling from Rome, Italy for this event.

Musical Notes For this month’s downloadable addition to your music collection, consider the original soundtrack of Casablanca. There are several choices available including soundtracks with portions of the original movie dialogue to accompany the various songs. The song As Time Goes By, composed by Herman Hupfield and sung by Dooley Wilson, is downloadable separately or as part of an album and is terribly romantic, with memorable lyrics and a delightful melody to be listened to anytime! Play it Again, Sam!

Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley The Exchange Club of San RamonValley meets for lunch the secondWednesday of every month at Faz Restaurant in downtown Danville. The Club’s sign-in and social time begins at 11:30AM. The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. The one-hour program features guest speakers and a business networking speaker. Guests are welcome. Price is $16 for members and first time guests and $20 for returning guests. For more information, call Karen Stepper, President, at (925) 275-2312, email coachstepper@yahoo.com, or visit www.srvexchangeclub.org.

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Page 8 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

Rancho Romero Elementary School

Alamo Elementary School

By Skye Larsh-Faraghan, Principal

By Stan Hitomi, Principal Safety is No Accident

We are pleased to begin 2013 with a few new programs and tasks that get to the heart of meaningful participation. According to Taking Center Stage, a document designed for middle school educators, meaningful participation involves students in relevant, engaging, and interesting activities with opportunities for responsibility and contribution, and it is a natural outcome of high expectations. Meaningful participation is synonymous with relevance, one of the three cornerstones of the district’s Framework for Excellence. It is also one of our goals in the School Site Plan. This year at Rancho Romero, our goal is to increase opportunities for meaningful participation by designing lessons, activities, and events that foster high levels of engagement and connect students to adults on campus. Three actions are planned to lead us in the right direction: the Road Runner’s Club, Empowering Positive Change in Girls, and a 21st Century Library Project. BJ Byrd, PE Specialist, and PTA parents, Laurie Strauch and Shannon Neach, will launch the Road Runner’s Club on February 6th. Students across the school are welcome to participate in the 16 week club before school. The goal is to stay fit, to power up before school, and to have fun by running the distance from Alamo, California to Washington, DC. Sharon Dodson, School Nurse/Health Educator, recently initiated a lunchtime group for 4th and 5th grade girls aimed at instilling positive social/emotional connections with peers and building protective assets. Ten girls meet weekly during lunchtime to discuss issues and learn and practice age-appropriate strategies. Sharon conducts groups at Stone Valley Middle and Monte Vista High with great success. Finally, we want students to be practicing the four C’s, which include communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking in every inch of the campus. PTA has generously approved money to help Rancho Romero transform its school library, one area not included in Measure D. The library improvement project will allow students to access information and use skills necessary for the type of learning required for college and career readiness. Varied and flexible areas in the library will permit different group sizes as well as accommodate unique learning styles or needs. School staff, PTA President, Sarah Woerner, and others have collaborated to bring about a design that is warm and inviting, offers choice, and makes learning more interesting. If more information on any of these programs is of interest, please don’t hesitate to stop by or contact me. Happy New Year.

Free Tax Preparation Free tax preparation for the 2013 tax season is available starting in February from AARP’s Tax-Aide and United Way’s Earn It, Keep It, Save It (EKS) programs. All tax preparers are trained and certified by the IRS. While both programs serve taxpayers of any age, Tax-Aide does not have an income limit for whom they can serve. EKS can only serve individuals whose incomes do not exceed $50,000. Beginning January 9th, for information or to make an appointment for the Tax-Aide sites please call (925) 973-3250 for the San Ramon Senior Center site, or (925) 480-7202 for the Danville Community Presbyterian Church site and Danville Town Hall Meeting site. For general information and other site locations, call (925) 726-3199. For information on EKS sites, call 2-1-1 or visit www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org. To complete your tax return, Tax-Aide will need you to bring to the appointment your: • Social Security Card or ITIN letter for all individuals to be listed on the return • Photo ID for yourself and spouse • Copies of all W-2s • 1098s and 1099s • Other income and deductions • Your 2011 Tax Return.

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I started writing this letter over a month ago, but with the recent event at Sandy Hook Elementary, it has taken on new meaning. First, let me say that safety should always be the highest priority for those of us in education. Safety planning should be a dynamic process, ever changing, constantly being modified by the world which surrounds our schools. Considerations for safety in our schools should be for physical and emotional safety, both inside the classroom and on the playground. Plans should be in place to ensure the safety of students, staff, parents, and guests. Under ideal conditions, safety should be proactive rather than reactive. A good safety plan requires a lot of time and a lot of people providing input from a variety of perspectives. For the past three years we have been looking at safety as a schoolwide community through both our Staff Safety Committee and the School Site Council. This has included reviews and updates of our Comprehensive School Safety Plan as well as our School Disaster Plan. Our review has included emergency preparedness, behavior, security and safety, and the facilities, equipment, and training required to implement plans. Highlights include:

Emergency Preparedness • Drills – a minimum of 14 drills per year, including fire, earthquake, shelter in place, and lockdown • Training – training for staff including fire suppression, search & rescue, and first aid/CPR/IED • Inventory – replenishment and replacement of emergency supplies

Behavior • Separated primary and upper grades recess, so that grades 1-3 and 4-5 have separate recesses • Created a playground supervisor position to provide for consistency and coherence, as well as a familiar and friendly face for students to seek out for problems or emergencies •Additional staff for recess supervision to provide for a minimum of three adults at each morning and lunch recess

Security & Safety • Added lighting to rear parking lot for security and safety for evening events • Added a gate and fencing to secure our lower playground • Replaced sound system in MPR with wireless system to prevent slips, trips, and falls on cables running along the floor • Installed tamper-resistant door plates to classrooms • Installed pedestrian activated flasher system at Livorna/Wilson Roads • Staff present at each carpool drop-off and pick-up All of the discussion and planning for these changes occurred prior to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. Since then we have upgraded locks in the kindergarten classrooms, ordered magnetic window covers for all rooms, and made plans to include our Sheriff’s Deputy in emergency drills and staff training. We also plan to review the security of our campus with district facilities and operations. Despite all of these efforts, the biggest differences we can make in the safety of our school is to involve parents and staff. Safety and security for our students can come at the cost of inconvenience to adults. Driving slowly and not using cell phones at pickup/drop-off, signing-in at the office, and wearing identification badges are things we can all do to improve safety. These strategies are often considered an inconvenience and require extra effort on the part of adults. But it is this type of practice that forms the foundation for safety, along with effective lines of communication between home and school. All too often school safety plans sit on a shelf collecting dust. Not at Alamo School. We continuously revisit, review, and amend our safety plans. The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary has made us realize how important it is for us to think and act upon safety considerations all the time. Safety is no accident, we all share in the responsibility of keeping our children safe.

Alamo Sheriff’s Station Seeks Volunteers The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Station in the Alamo Shopping Center is looking for volunteers to assist in law enforcement in our community. The volunteers are assigned duty at the Station's lobby to greet visitors, answer phones, participate in the “If I Were a Thief” program, and assist in law enforcement sponsored events. Adults who do not have a criminal history and who can serve five hours a week should call Lieutenant Tom Chalk at (925) 646-6180, or visit the office at 150 Alamo Plaza #C to pick up an application.

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Stone Valley Middle School By Shaun K. McElroy, Principal After Newtown The unspeakable events that happened in Newtown Connecticut in mid-December are unsettling to all of us. It is unfathomable to determine why someone would choose to take the lives of the most innocent of our population. We all struggle to make sense of this event. We feel great sorrow for the families of the victims, we empathize with the grief of the community, and we question how safe our children are at school. Politicians propose new legislation regarding gun control. Schools and school districts revise and adapt their safety plans and assure the public that the statistical probability of a school shooting is a number less than one. On a more visceral level, Stone Valley opted to hold a campus wide moment of silence on the Monday following the event. We invited parents to join us and asked everyone to dress in the Sandy Hook school colors of green and white. Just after the starting bell at 8:15am, 700 students, staff, and parents gathered in the rain to join hands and remain silent in remembrance of the victims of the Sandy Hook. As a staff we felt it was important to acknowledge the tragedy as a school community. While our event doesn’t change anything in Connecticut, it provided our school community with unexpected warmth that permeated the campus for the remainder of the week. Words were kinder and softer, eyes met eyes with sincerity, and people reached out to others whom they may have just passed over before. I am hoping that this feeling will continue when we return in January.

SV Leadership Classes brings joy to Richmond students In mid-December, 24 leadership students delivered over 780 toys to our sister school in Richmond. Leadership teacher Monique Metzcus and several

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 9 parents caravanned to Richmond to our sister school, Coronado Elementary, to bring toys, games, and books to over 200 families who would have gone without. This was the first time that we brought students to this event. Assistant Principal, Karen Johnson and I spoke with the leadership students about their experience, and we were all surprised by how good it felt to give and how much the Coronado families appreciated our generosity. FYI, one of our leadership classes is dedicated solely to philanthropy, and we work closely with Pledge to Humanity on all of our philanthropic projects (www.pledgetohumanity.com).

DOK?! – (Part of our Continuing Preparation Towards Common Core State Standards) What is that? A new texting term, maybe? Actually, DOK stands for Depth of Knowledge, and it is one of the lenses teachers use when looking at their lessons and the work they assign. There are several DOK levels, starting with Level 1 type activities that ask for simple recall and/or memorization of ideas, and going all the way up to Level 4 where students are challenged to do outside work and synthesize ideas. DOK levels refer not to the content, but rather to the level of work being assigned related to that content. As we move to aligning our lessons with Common Core State Standards, one of the things you should see is an increase in DOK levels. For more information, visit http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/sia/msip/DOK_Chart.pdf.

CCSS Block Schedule discussion

Community Snowflake Workshop and Candlelight Gathering for Hope

All Stone Valley staff have contributed to the discussion of when, if, how, and why we should implement a block schedule. Block schedules provide longer class periods to allow more time for extended lessons that fit the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) style of teaching. CCSS philosophy requires students to perform extended problem solving activities and projects. Parents joined the discussion during our December PTA and Site Council meetings. Future plans include inviting guest speakers from two local middle schools who are currently on the block schedule. We also plan to test drive two different “mock blocks” in February to get a sense of flow for longer periods. I welcome feedback from the community. Please feel free to contact me at smcelro@srvusd.net.

In response to a request from the National PTA, a Community Snowflake Workshop and Candlelight Gathering for Hope is planned for Thursday evening, January 3rd. This community event, which will be held at the Wesley Center at San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church located at 902 Danville Blvd. in Alamo, is an opportunity to join a national effort to create snowflakes that will be sent to Newtown, Connecticut. Besty Landers, National PTA President and Jim Accomando, Connecticut PTSA President wrote, “When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a Winter Wonderland…the entire school will be decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible. If you can, bring scissors and white or silver paper (supplies will also be available), and join with others of all ages at 7pm for a Snowflake Workshop. We encourage senders to be as creative as possible, remembering that no two snowflakes are alike.” As church members processed the news of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary and considered how Purveyors of classic, exotic, and best to help, they felt relief to be given this request. Instead high-performance cars for more than 30 years. of responding solely as individuals, they wanted to invite California’s #1 Classic Car Dealer the San Ramon Valley community, adults and children, Over 200 vehicles in inventory! to come together to DO something good for the families that are enduring unspeakable heartache and loss. We can make a difference! What a wonderful way to help the children from Sandy Hook Elementary return to school with a little less fear...and maybe a bit of wonder, joy, and awe. At 8PM, at the conclusion of the snowflake workshop, there will be an informal Candlelight Gathering for Hope. This is a place where we can share our own grief, as well as our HOPE, as we join together to find a way to make a change in the futures of all our children. We are not powerless. We are Showrooms in Pleasanton, Benicia, and Fairfield. stronger together than we are alone. Please join us. To help with the event, email Cathy at colman5@pacwww.SpecialtySales.com | 800.600.2262 bell.net. For more information, visit www.srvumc.org.

Page 10 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

San Ramon Valley High School By Ruth Steele, Principal New Year’s Resolutions Toward the end of December each year, we all have the opportunity to reflect on the past year and create a list of things that we would like to improve or adjust in our lives. While many people don’t make resolutions or believe resolutions are worthwhile, I believe that the very process of making resolutions is important. It is rare, in the tumult of our daily lives, that we have a lot of time to sit and reflect or consider areas in which we would like to grow. But this yearly ritual provides a fleeting opportunity for us to do just that, even though it might not always prove very effective! In the US, 38% of people never make resolutions, for a variety of reasons. That leaves 62% of people who do. But according to research from the University of Scranton, only 8% of people who make resolutions are actually successful in reaching them. The top ten resolutions include losing weight, getting organized, spending less/saving more, enjoying life, staying fit, learning something new, quitting smoking, helping others, falling in love, spending more time with the family.

So, What Does this Have to do With Education? Without yearly reflection on our educational practices, we miss opportunities for improvement. Teaching students and supporting their learning is complex. It requires an extensive set of skills and is a demanding daily challenge. Making a yearly commitment to reassess our practices and look at what we do through a new lens is vital if we are to move forward in our shift from STAR assessments to Common Core. As educators, it is also crucial that we are the lifelong learners that we want our students to become. Without modeling the commitment to expand our own horizons, how are we going to encourage students to do the same? Teachers are becoming less responsible for content and more responsible for teaching students the skills they need to be able to use the information available to them. So, as we move into 2013, do not forget that whether or not you succeed in your resolutions, there is still value in the process itself. Happy New Year!

Livermorium Presentation The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek American Association of University Women (AAUW) will present speaker Dawn Shaughnessy on Thursday, January 17th at 7:30pm in the Alcosta Room at the San Ramon Community Center located at 12501 Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon. Dawn will present a layperson’s address about the new element “Livermorium” for members of AAUW and their guests. This dynamic young woman chemist heads the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory team that discovered six new elements on the Periodic Table. One element, Number 116, was recently named “Livermorium” for the scientific laboratory and the city of Livermore. Last March Dawn was inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame for her scientific accomplishments. AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek AAUW offers scholarships and supports women for personal and professional growth, community leadership, and friendship. AAUW membership is open to all graduates of accredited four-year colleges or universities and those holding an Associate Degree or equivalent. Prospective members can contact Tena at 925 837-0826 or membershipvp@aauw-da.org. For more information visit www.aauw-daw.org.

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Monte Vista High School By Janet Terranova, Principal Welcome back! 2013 has arrived and with it we will soon see the end of the first semester. The month of January brings finals exams for our students. For students and parents finals can be a stressful time. However, between now and the finals (January 22-25) there are many strategies parents and students can use to reduce that stress. For 9th graders this first round of finals can be confusing. Do I really need to study? What should I study? How do I study? Older students often feel the pressure as they realize the importance of finals and future college acceptances. Ease into finals. This month have your student set aside time each night to review and study, not just complete the assigned homework. During the month of January, teachers often give homework that reviews previous material. Help your student take the time to look carefully at their homework and note what areas may need more of their attention. Have your students review previous work, notes, and lab work, organize study sessions, and take practice reviews. Most importantly have your student ask questions. A goal of the high school experience is to learn to become an advocate for yourself. The end of the semester and finals is a perfect opportunity for students to practice those skills. Encourage your student to ask questions, clarify instructions, check on their grade, and ask what they can do to improve their grade. In high school final exams are a significant percentage of the final grade; talking with the teacher will give the student insights into what may be needed to improve their grade. Finally, please remember that grades are just a part of the high school experience. Yes, you want your student to do their very best, but our students are under a tremendous amount of pressure in school. But most importantly let your student know that you are proud of them and love them very much. If you would like more information about Monte Vista and our events, please visit our website at www.mvhs.schoolloop.com.

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Club Z offers all subjects, all grades, including Advertorial SAT/ACT Test Prep. dings. They have a program to deputize regular citizens to perform weddings. Contra Costa County ClerkIn addition, the County Clerk Division is responsible for things such as filing Recorder Stephen Weir Retiring Fictitious Business Name (FBN) statements, which allow residents to conduct business by protecting their business name. By Supervisor Candace Andersen, Contra The County Recorder Division maintains birth, marriage, and death certifiCosta County Board of Supervisors, District 2 cates. This is where residents can obtain a certified copy of their records, which Contra Costa will soon be losing its very able and carry all of the weight of an original document. These certified documents are well respected County Clerk-Recorder, Steve Weir, often required to establish identity and to conduct other business. who has announced that he will be retiring in late The County Recorder Division also records and secures property records. March 2013. His term of office would not have othIt’s what we rely upon to prove our ownership of real property. Title is recorded erwise ended until January 5, 2015. He has served as along with liens against property. The County Recorder Division has property the County’s Clerk-Recorder since 1989. records that go back to 1849, when California was still a territory. The Board of Supervisors is seeking interested candidates to fill the remaining The County Clerk serves as the County Registrar of Voters. The department two years of Weir’s four-year term. To remain in office, the successful applicant oversees voting, signing petitions, running for office, and other related election st must run for election in 2014. 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Recorder, he served as an elected member of the Contra Costa Water District Our next County Clerk-Recorder has very big shoes to fill. There are sigBoard and on the Concord City Council. nificant duties and responsibilities which come with this job. Steve Weir has The County Clerk-Recorder Department is one of the most frequently accessed done an excellent job heading up the Contra Costa County’s Clerk-Recorder’s offices by the public. It records and maintains official papers, registers voters, office and providing leadership to clerks across the State. If you have a desire and conducts elections. The County Clerk/Recorder has been an elected office in to serve, don’t hesitate to apply! Contra Costa County since 1850. The Department has two divisions, the County Candace Andersen serves on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. Clerk Division and the County Recorder Division. 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Sustainable Danville Area Tip of the Month By Cynthia Ruzzi, President Sustainable Danville Area Food for Thought Having just concluded the ‘Thanks-ukahmas-year’eating fest, many of us are facing the first week of our New Years’resolution to stop eating convenience foods filled with empty calories, fats, and chemicals. Perhaps our indulgence – or hard work - during the holiday makes us shy away from the thought of more family meals, but it is now more important than ever to eat together. Eating as a family weaves the fabric of the relationship. With everyone in the family heading in different directions during the day, family meals at home are a perfect time to work together to enjoy simple pleasures and connect on a regular basis. Family meals provide more than enhanced nutrition. A shared family meal provides nourishment, comfort, and support for those we love. Our children learn about the world every day from many sources, and the dinner table is a perfect opportunity to provide a routine time to share within a family space. Celebrate your family and come together at your table to explore family culture and food, teach your children dining and conversational social skills, and get in touch. Eating as a family is less expensive, more efficient, and healthier. Avoiding convenience foods and cooking at home is often more economical, healthy, and tasty. Serving organic, fresh foods that are minimally processed and locally sourced guarantees improved nutrition, and because they have more natural flavor, whole food can be prepared simply - saving time in the kitchen. Incorporating herbs, vegetables, and fruit from your garden or the farmers’ market enables a child to learn about where our food comes from. You’d be surprised how much broccoli a kid will eat when the child has tended and picked it themselves. Eating as a family teaches children food sustainability. As part of the evenings’ blessing and discussion, take time to recognize where the food on our table comes from to encourage understanding and appreciation of the bounty. Few of us know where bananas come from or have traveled the distance one has to take to come to our table. Exploring the origin of foods as part of the evening meal provides an opportunity to discuss everything from farming, to manufacturing,

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packaging and even disposal – or hopefully, composting. Eating as a family takes practice. With every new practice, there are sure to be some difficulties and adjustments. Professionals say that the less time a family spends eating together at home, the more awkward those first few experiences will be, so first, try setting a goal for two times a week. Here are two suggestions critical for success: • Turn off the mobile/texting devices. View the family meal as a time to ‘plug into each other,’ and avoid the distraction of phone calls and text messages that remind everyone of the world beyond the family. • Get the whole family involved in the planning, shopping, and preparing. Learning to plan, shop, and cook a meal are invaluable skills for children when they leave home. You’d be surprised how impressed girls will be when your son cooks a meal instead of going to a restaurant for a date. Engaging everyone in the shopping helps each member appreciate what food costs. Even young children can be helpful in the kitchen given a little direction. You’d be surprised how quickly the time flies when all hands are engaged in making a family dinner. Sustainable Danville Area feels so passionately about food that we are partnering with The Danville Library to present a three-part speaker series Food for Thought to nourish our spirit, our mind, our body, and the environment. Our January talk, Get Your Family Back to the Table – with Real Food - January 23rd, 6:30pm at the Veterans Memorial Building located at 400 Hartz Ave. in Danville, brings you two speakers: Heather Clapp, co-owner of Jules Organic Thin Crust Pizza who understands there’s time when you need to eat outside the home without forgoing nutrition. Heather, dedicated to educating her three active boys on where real food comes from, will provide inspiration to create organic vegetarian meals that will sustain and nourish your entire family and Lisa Evaristo, co-owner of Back to the Table Cooking & Baking School, also a parent of three children, teaches families that spending time cooking together, then sitting down and sharing a great meal is where the magic happens. Food is also the topic of our first 2013 Green Your School Summit. Join us January 15th, 4pm at San Ramon Valley High School, special guest, Town of Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich kicks off the afternoon with speakers, Cindy Gershen, Founder of Wellness City Challenge and Dominic Machi, Director of Food Services, SRUVSD. Cindy will share the importance of nourishing our children with whole, healthy food, and Dom will update us on “What’s Cooking in the Lunchroom.” For more information, visit www.sustainabledanville.com.

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Solar Currents By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar In the world in which we live, life would be so much easier if there was more transparency in our personal and business dealings. In advertizing and industry, we’re oftentimes subjected to factual omissions, misrepresentations, or “offerings” so onerous they’re borderline fraudulent. “Trust but verify” should be a practice all consumers adopt when conducting business. Yesterday a potential solar customer told me that a competitor offered a “solar system output performance guarantee option” for an additional $2000. One of the cardinal rules in business is to never debase one’s competitors; allow your offerings to speak for themselves, and win the bid based on the advantages your business can offer the consumer. On the surface, a guarantee of performance sounds wonderful. In practice, this option is of no better value than the “rust-proofing option” for a new car. Fortunately, solar systems are very reliable, and the products come with warranties from the manufacturer. Those that sell and insure “performance guarantees” make a very good profit because they sell an onerous contract that makes it very difficult for a consumer to collect on the guarantee. The insurer/installer/seller of the guarantee is making the safe bet that the consumer does not have the skills to be able to prove that a solar system may be under performing due to causes other than the weather; variations of weather have the greatest impact

Password Harangue By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you prosperity and happiness, and I’m here to give you advice that will help make that happen. Let’s get right to business. I have to admit, I am blue in the face from telling everyone to improve their passwords. The “bad guys” have become so shrewd and pernicious it’s shocking, and it’s frustrating to see people fall prey. For example, a couple weeks ago we told a customer with a Yahoo account his password was too weak, and we told him how to change it. He didn’t get to it fast enough. The very next day he called back to inform us he’d been hacked, and his situation exposed some new tactics the bad guys are using. Several times a week we’re receiving email from people with hacked accounts. You know the emails I mean. They have simple subject lines like “Hey Evan,”and then contain a link to an infected website. What’s new is that in addition to spamming everyone you know with these emails, the bad guys are setting up “forwarders” on your email account, so that everything that comes to your email account also gets sent to another account they control at a different company. The bad guys are then in a position to intercept your communication with the various websites and financial institutions you may be contacting to change passwords. If they are in the communication chain, they can intercept information just like they were sitting in your lap watching. It’s pretty sneaky. Why do criminals bother setting a forwarder to intercept your email? It’s all about identity theft. Viruses and Malware are a multi-billion dollar business. It’s about criminals trying to separate you from your wealth. One of the first things an ID thief tries to do is impersonate the person they want to steal from. Once they accomplish your impersonation, they can open credit in your name, empty bank accounts, run up a tab on new credit cards and max out the credit lines, and then leave you the mess of creditors to unravel. THIS IS PREVENTIBLE. How do you protect yourself? First, improve your password. Everyone complains about this. My philosophy is you can either have your money stolen and your credit ruined, or you can endure a little discomfort to learn a new password; it’s your choice. We may not like it, but this is the world we live in, and we better protect ourselves or prepare to be a statistic. If you are using a simple password, it’s not a matter of “if you get hacked,” it’s a matter of “you will get hacked.” “Flower1953,” “skis99321,” and “michael62388” are not great passwords. If your password resembles these (or something even more simple - “password,” “hotrod,” “abc123,” the name of your pet...), read on. What makes a good password? You want your password to be as long as possible,

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 13 on solar system performance. These performance guarantees offered by the installation contractor are a waste of money; the reliability of the products negates the need for more guarantees at additional cost to the consumer. The kilowatt output of a solar array should be determined by one method only - that being online via one of the recognized government calculators that utilize the criteria of azimuth, tilt, standoff distance, products, shading, and 20 year weather data from the project zip code (www.csi-epbb.com). Consumer Alert: Manipulation of kilowatt output estimations on solar estimates affect payback time and long-term gains, and they incorrectly underestimate post solar electric bills. These manipulations are intended to make a contractors quote appear more advantageous than a competitor’s quote. Tax Credits: The Federal Tax Credit of 30% of the net cost of a solar system for a home or business is in place through tax year 2016. The only tax credit that recently “expired” was the ability of a customer to claim the 30% tax credit for tax year 2012. If the total tax credit cannot be exhausted in a single year, the remainder can be carried though subsequent years until the tax credit is exhausted. Evaluating a Solar Contract: To learn how to validate a quoted solar systems performance or to see a list of questions you should ask a solar contractor before entering into a solar contract, see www.gosimplesolar.com/ questions_for_contractors.html. Mark Becker is the President of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, a Danville based Solar Installation Firm (License 948715). Mark can be reached at 925.915.9252. Visit GoSimpleSolar’s showroom at 114 West Prospect Avenue in Danville or www.GoSimpleSolar.com, or email Mark@GoSimpleSolar.com. Advertorial while still keeping it memorable enough to recall. I recommend a minimum of 12 characters, but if you follow my guideline, it’s easy to make it even longer. The way to make it long is by combining words, then modifying characters in the words with upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. Strive to avoid any “normal” dictionary words in your password. After small modifications, the words will still be memorable enough that you don’t have to pull out a cheat-sheet every time you login. As websites evolve, you’ll find they actually require this level of complexity, so you’ll have a head start if you begin now. Here are some examples I just created. Feel free to modify these to suit your needs, or use them as a template for something that is more meaningful and memorable for you. Th1sIs1L0ngP@ssw0rd! - (This is 1 long password !) 19N1neteen*Lett3rs. - (19 letters) D0G$RH@ppyy# - (Dogs are Happy#) $implicity1sBe$t_-_-_ (Simplicity is best _-_-_) L3v3l42m@kesmus1c! - (Level 42 makes music!) Next, consider moving your email account to Google (gmail.com). I know, it’s a pain to switch email providers. But it’s not as big of a hassle as you imagine, and the benefits outweigh the discomforts, so let’s get started! There are many significant advantages to using the Gmail email system, and one significant reason is that Google allows you to use the full four character sets in your password. The realm of possible characters you can use is all upper case letters: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, all lower case letters: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz, all numbers: 0123456789, and all special characters; ~!@#$%^&*()_’-+=, :{[}]|”;<.> plus the space character. Yahoo limits the special characters you can use to only the underscore “_” and hyphen “-”. This gives the bad guys a significant advantage because it dramatically reduces the number of possible passwords you can create, and it even predisposes you to a certain format for your password. Therefore the bad guys can update their password-busting methods to reflect this limitation, and perhaps that is why we find Yahoo is the most actively targeted email service. It’s just a theory. Finally, consider signing up for the Lifelock ID theft prevention service (www. lifelock.com). It’s $10/month and will stop the bad guys from opening new credit in your name. I use the service and would recommend it. Next month I’m going to write about wireless networking, because there have been some exiting improvements I’d like to share. But I can only do that if everyone updates their password so this hacking problem goes away! Do we have a deal? If this seems overwhelming, I understand. Call us at 925-552-7953 or email us at helpdesk@theportablecio.com, and let us help you get this under control. It doesn’t take long to make the necessary changes to protect yourself. Please take my advice so you don’t fall victim. And tell your friends. Let’s put Advertorial these guys out of business.

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Page 14 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

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Role Players Presents Expecting Isabel Role Players presents a hilarious and touching comedy, Expecting Isabel. Lisa Loomer’s Expecting Isabel follows the whacky adventures of a couple trying to start a family in our complex and convoluted modern times. The play centers around a Manhattan, apartment-dwelling couple who decide to have a baby, but because they have trouble conceiving, they are forced to navigate a maze of fertility specialists, self-help books, support groups, adoptions agencies, and their own idiosyncratic families. Anyone who has tried to start a family, or simply been part of a family, will surely identify. Showings of Expecting Isabel will take place from January 18 th-February 9 th, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and on Sundays at 2PM at The Village Theatre which is located at 233 Front Street in Danville. Tickets costing $20-$28 are available by visiting www.villagetheatreshows.com, calling (925) 314-3400, or going to the Danville Community Center located at 420 Front St. in Danville. A sneak peek into the creative process of the artists putting together this production will take place at Sylvia Burboeck and Damien Serperi in Expecting the Danville Library on January Isabel. Photo courtesy of the Role Players Ensemble. 10th at 7PM. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.danvilletheatre.com.

Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop Bow Wow Boutique and Quilts/Quilting Event On Tuesday, January 8th, member volunteers at Assistance League® Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way, in Lafayette, will transport you to the Land of Woof, where you will find a Bow Wow Boutique created in celebration of man’s best friend. While there, you can retrieve that special pillow or bathmat, choose from a selection of canine toys and doggie puzzles guaranteed to bring you hours of delight and entertainment, and find purses and apparel for special occasions which will suit your pet’s sartorial needs. In addition there will be dog bowls, giftwrap, greeting cards, and such objects de “dog decor” as figurines and wall art, not to mention “paw towels” for your tail-wagging guests. On Tuesday, January 15th, Assistance League blue smocked member volunteers will take you on a journey back in time with the Quilts and Quilt Accessories Event. As many as 50 hand stitched items, pieced together from a myriad of colors and textures, will bring back memories of days when selfreliance and the reuse of resources, features that helped define American culture, were as important as they are today. This year’s extensive thimble collection, whether wooden, silver, or gold washed, are not only functional but decorative as well. An ample inventory of fabrics, patterns, and quilting books, some of them no longer in print, will make this event a one-stop shopping trip.

Tax Talk Fiscal Cliff: Specifically What it Means and Who to Contact By Bob Shalon, IRS Enrolled Agent The fiscal cliff you keep hearing about is real and will greatly affect the average Danville/Alamo taxpayer. Here are just a few of the key tax provisions which were set to expire on 12/31/2012. • The Social Security payroll tax reduction, in place for the last two years, will increase 2% from 4.2% to 6.2%. This will mean an average of $40 less per paycheck for the average American. • The Child Tax Credit will decrease from $1,000 per child to only $500 per child. Ouch! This will be a $1,000 impact for a two-child family. • The American Opportunity Tax Credit (for educational expenses) will decrease from $2,500 to $1,800 per student (and revert back to being the Hope Credit). This means two years of undergraduate eligibility instead of four years. • The tax rate on long-term capital gains will increase from 0 to 10% for lower income taxpayers and from 15% to 20% for those with higher incomes. • The tax rate on qualified dividends will increase from 15% to the taxpayer’s ordinary income rate (up to 39.6%). • Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again be limited/ phased out for higher income taxpayers. • The Alternative Minimum Tax “patch” will disappear, and the exemption amount will decrease to $48,450 for single taxpayers and $74,450 for married taxpayers. Approximately 27 million more Americans will be subject to the AMT. • Income Tax Rates will increase from last year’s 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35% to 15%, 28%, 31%, 36%, and 39.6%. • The maximum Long-Term Capital Gains tax rate will increase from 15% to 20%. • The Child and Dependent Care Credit amounts will decrease due to lower percentages, lower eligible expenses, and an lower AGI phase-out. Regretfully these are only the highlights – or better put lowlights. As of this writing, congress and the president are at an impasse – wonderful. Maybe it is time to know who our elected officials are and remind them that they will be up for reelection some day.

11th District - Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton • Congressman Jerry McNerney,Washington DC Office: (202) 2251947, Pleasanton Office: (925) 737-0727, mcnerney.house.gov. • Senator Barbara Boxer, (202) 224-3553, boxer.senate.gov. • Senator Dianne Feinstein, (202) 224-3841, feinstein.senate.gov. Finally let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy new Bob Shalon, EA year. Please call me Master Tax Advisor • Enrolled Agent at any time at 925820-9570 or email 925.820.9570 b o b . s h a l o n @ t a x . 714 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite B, Danville hrblock.com with Sycamore Square (next to Lucky’s) questions. Advertorial bob.shalon@tax.hrblock.com The Quilting and Quilting Accessories Event is typically frequented by hundreds of enthusiasts in the BayArea, so plan accordingly. If you have any quilt-related items that you no longer use, you still have time to drop them off at the thrift shop on Tuesday through Saturday, from 10AM to 4PM. In return, you will receive a tax donation receipt for your records. When you donate and purchase items at the Thrift Shop, the primary fundraiser for the eight philanthropic programs the League supports, you improve the lives of those in need and at risk in the Contra Costa community. To learn more, visit diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

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Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 15

Best Practices Classic Car Care By Sean Harrington, Specialty Sales Classics As classic car owners we love to love our cars, but are we caring for them the right way? We spend hours polishing, waxing, or just spending quality time admiring the timeless lines of our classic cars. The engine compartment resembles a jewelry case; we’ve knocked ourselves out searching for just the right pieces to restore our time machines to their original beauty, and sometimes we exercise our creations and drive them. But many of us don’t understand “Best Practices” when it comes to maintaining our engine, power train, and cooling systems of our machines that spend far less time on the road than our daily drivers. Specialty Sales Classics recently had the pleasure of helping a fellow to acquire his dream car. He’s a scientist/chemist for a premier synthetic oil producer. He discovered we had a car for sale that he knew well as he also knew its owner, and he just had to have the car. The car is a 21 year-old Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo that has been breathed on by Jim Wolfe, famous for extracting huge increases in horsepower while maintain drivability, longevity, and capability of meeting California’s smog laws. Dynoed at a whopping 358 rear wheel horsepower, the car still has manners; your grandmother could drive it, but put your foot in it, and you had better know what you are doing. This “no excuses performance” car doesn’t grade on a curve. Step on it and it pulls like it is being pushed by a Saturn V Rocket. Strap in, hold on, and say a quick prayer to the license gods. Like new with 22,990 original miles, averaging only 1,000 miles a year and a history of being raced, this car with its twin turbos running 14 pounds of boost could have been a recipe for disaster if not properly maintained and lubricated. My client knew this car and knew that it had always used his synthetic oils products, and he was eager to own this prize. His “put your money where your mouth is” example of the confidence in his product brought a tear to my eye. I had the opportunity to help my client with transportation to pick up his car. While riding in my car we were a captive audience, teacher, and student, and I was eager to get his opinion on “Best Practices” care of classic car engines. To my surprise, his answers were not a sales pitch for buying copious quantities of expensive synthetic oil products. He explained that the synthetic oil products wouldn’t cause any harm to the engines in classic cars, but in fact it wasn’t necessary in most cases. He explained that synthetic oils shine in the ultra-high performance engines that are pushed to the limit. While many classic cars have been modified to increase the stock engine’s performance, they are rarely used at their limits--which is where synthetic oils come into play. For most of us, synthetic oils just aren’t required. The rest of you (you know who you are) might want to consider synthetic oils, better insurance, radar detectors, and better rear view mirrors. The bigger issue in properly maintaining the lubrication in a classic car that is driven for occasional pleasure is to consider not the miles between oil changes but rather the time. The technology for producing superior petroleum-based lubricants for internal combustion engines has experienced quantum leap advancements over the last 30 years. However, the pleasure driver with ultra-low miles per year tends to mostly drive short-distances. That type of driving does not allow the engine and the oil to become hot enough to evaporate the water vapor (a normal by-product of combustion), and the oil becomes diluted over time. The dilution of the oil, coupled with an engine running on a richer than normal mixture when it is not fully warmed-up and an environment where these conditions are perfect for chemical reactions and changes in the chemistry of the oil, can create the perfect storm for the formation of sludge, internal corrosion, and resulting engine damage. Purchase top quality petroleum oil products, and consider the importance of proper weight, detergents, and climate (see manufacturers recommendations). Change oil at least once a year, and doing it twice would be even better. Questions and comments are welcome at thecarguy@specialtysales.com. A questions and answers forum will benefit us all. Check out our entire inventory at www.SpecialtySales.com, and if you have any questions, feel free to email me at TheCarGuy@SpecialtySales.com, or call 800-600-2262. Advertorial

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Page 16 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

Quick Trips

By Linda Summers Pirkle

Driving through the open gates of the historic Alameda Naval Air Station to get to St. George Spirits (www.stgeorgespirits.com) a local distillery and tasting room is like taking a step back in time. Many of the original barracks are still standing. St. George Spirits sits on land that had strategic military importance during the WWII era. With direct access to San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond, Alameda Point was considered the ideal place for a naval base. The Naval Air Station Alameda was officially commissioned in 1940 and soon became known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aviation Gate to the Pacific,â&#x20AC;? says the website for St. George Spirits. St. George Spirits moved into Hangar 21 of the decommissioned Naval Air Station in 2004. The 65,000-square-foot facility is a masterpiece of mid-century industrial architecture, with expansive steel beams, clerestory windows, and a redwood oak ceiling. When they moved into the space, they installed stills, built the tasting room, and wired the place for sound but otherwise, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty much unchanged from its days as a working airplane hangar. We arrived a little before 6PM on a Saturday night for our tour and tasting. Our half hour tour took us into the distillery where we learned about the craft distillery process. We saw one-of-a-kind handmade German copper stills and learned about the process of making their unique spirits. Our guide, Paulie, was funny and informative. He mentioned that the stills look like something out of the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and our group agreed. After the tour, we joined a group of about 20 other people in the tasting room where we sampled six different liquors made at St. George Spirits. Andie Ferman, manager of the bar, explained the company philosophy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We at St. George Spirits take great pride in our hand-crafted approach to immortalizing the essence of fruits, grains, and botanicals. We are very mindful of the natural beauty of our ingredients, whether we are making our fruit Eaux de Vie, Single Malt Whiskey, Absinthe, or any of our award-winning St. George Gins. Each of these spirits is ushered through careful selection of ingredients to harvest, distillation, and ultimately the bottle, where our hard work will be enjoyed by fine spirit connoisseurs for years to come. We make great booze!â&#x20AC;? Dr. Barbara Thomas, who lives in nearby Oakland, likes to bring friends and family to St. George Spirits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I invited my husband here for our anniversary, my son for his 21st birthday and I also brought some colleagues for a group tour and tasting. Even those who were not so into the alcohol had a great time learning about the craft distilling process, and everyone enjoyed the great views,â&#x20AC;? she said. The view of the City and the bridges from St. George Spirits is incredible. During the summer months you can bring your own nosh and enjoy the magnificent cityscape from the picnic tables outside the facility. St. George Spirits is open WednesdaySaturday, noon to 7PM, and Sunday, noon-5PM. Last call is one hour before closing time. Their phone number is 510-769-1601. The address is 2601 Monarch Street, Alameda. * A fun restaurant, The Fat Lady, is just a ten minute drive from St. George Spirits. Custom Glass Their seafood pasta is wonderful and their Doors cheeseburgers are a staple for the locals. They can be reached at 510-465-4996. The address is 201 Washington Street, Oakland. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has been arranging and leading tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a trip for my husband +HU]PSSL and me, my husband drives and I talk *HTPUV ;HZZHQHYH (heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a captive audience) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the perfect combination! What a great place to live, (SHTV so much to see, so much to do.â&#x20AC;? To share Open Tues thru Sat 10 to 6 your â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quick Tripsâ&#x20AC;? ideas email Cover +HU]PSSL )V\SL]HYK :\UKH` [V Â&#x2039; *SVZLK 4VUKH` themap@gmail.com.

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Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 17

Thanks for your continued support of locally owned family businesses RICHARDS CRAFTS

From the Richards’ Staff!

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Page 18 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

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Life in the Alamo Garden By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect The Night Garden What if the glory of your Alamo garden could come to life at night? A whole other dimension of our gardens come alive at nightfall. There is so much to be enjoyed after the sun goes down. When designing a successful garden, the night garden must be considered. Many residents of Alamo enjoy evening entertaining, sitting on the patio drinking wine or iced tea, reading a good book, night swimming, or kids playing hide-n-seek until midnight. The essentials of a great night garden are sound, scent, light, and fire. There’s nothing more soothing than the sound of trickling or babbling water echoing through the landscape. Waterfalls, streams, and fountains are an important attraction to all gardens, whether it is day or night. Water masks the unwanted sounds of traffic and noisy neighbors. The night garden becomes much more romantic with the sound of water soothing the night.

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Including the essential night-blooming plants that add scent enhances the night garden ten-fold. Fragrance adds another dimension of pleasure to your garden, especially at night. It also heightens your outdoor experience by encompassing the most powerful of our senses, the sense of smell. Just as perfume induces the senses, aromatic plants intoxicate and romanticize any setting. White and pastel flowers are the most fragrant, pale pinks are the most robust pastels, and scented flowers continue through the color wheel to the mauves and yellows, and to the less scented purples and blues. Vibrant colors such as oranges and crimsons will provide dramatic flair in the garden, but these plants provide little or no fragrance to the night garden. Aromas intensify in enclosed areas, so plant your most sweet selections in a courtyard or trellised patio, or surround your garden with hedges and windbreaks to encourage the scent of plants to linger. Some of my favorites include jasmines (jasminum polyanthum, jasminum officinale, and jasminum sambac), gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides), Angel’s trumpet (poisonous Brugmansia versacolor and Brugmansia ‘Charles Grimaldi’), Mexican orange (Choisya ternata), Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii), Sweet Olive (Osmanthus fragrans), and Citrus (oranges, lemons, tangerines, and blood oranges) to enhance the sense of fragrance of the night garden. Lighting your garden at night touches our visual senses. Creating a “lighting portrait” is another essential to the night garden. From mood and ambiance to functionality, lighting brings life to the night garden. A “lighting portrait” is not just plunking Malibu lights into your landscape but is a creative approach that paints a landscape for night-time enjoyment. Downlighting, moonlighting, uplighting, silhouetting, shadowing, and washing creates moods and ambiance. Lighting to feature sculptures, accents, and structures creates visual focal points in the dark, which in turn

brings drama to the night garden. Lit water features produce dramatic effects. Watching the illuminated diamonds bounce off the glowing surface becomes a mesmerizing effect at night. Underwater lighting for pools, waterfalls, fountains, and ponds makes the water glow, giving emphasis to water’s natural attraction. Another important feature in the night garden is fire. There is nothing like fire on either a summer evening or a cozy winter’s night to bring drama, function, and romance. I find the fire element to be important to my clients. The fire element can be simple or complex. The most simple and least expensive way to incorporate fire is with a portable firepit from Target, and the more complicated is a Mexican pottery “chiminea.” These simple accessories, as well as built-in firepits or full blown outdoor fireplaces, can add hours of evening pleasure. Fire elements have become popular in the last several years because they add another element to make your outdoor environment more inviting, especially in the night garden. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: The elements of a night garden such as sound, scent, light, and fire can be added to an existing landscape with creative and thoughtful design. If you have a beautiful garden and no lighting we can design a “lighting portrait” to enhance your night garden Gardening Quote of the Month: I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day. ~Vincent Van Gogh If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

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The Care of Mature Trees By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 19

FINANCING A FIXER-UPPER?

Entering my sixth decade, the gathering stiffness in my joints deepens my apprecia- Remodeling or Home tion that living systems change as they age. Improvement? Trees also change as they grow older, but, Ɣ Purchase or Refinance for trees and humans alike, how gracefully Ɣ 1-4 Unit Properties (OWNER-OCCUPIED ONLY) Ɣ FHA Down Payment (3.5%) we flower in later life is not determined by genetics alone. Ɣ Flexible Credit Qualifying Long life for humans is a relatively new phenomenon. Our Paleolithic Ɣ Assumable Loans ancestors seldom lived beyond 35 years of age, and they would, I imagine, marvel that the average American now lives to be 78. However, long life for trees is nothing new. Methuselah, a bristlecone pine growing in the Sierras, has attained the astounding age of 4,838 and is the oldest documented living organism on our planet. It lifts my heart to acknowledge that the pine nut, You just love the house. which grew to become Methuselah, sprouted its first needles 2,268 years Except for the leaky pipes. Or maybe the kitchen is too small. before the birth of Buddha, 2,832 years before the birth of Jesus, and 3,402 For the house that's almost perfect, we have the perfect solution: years before the birth of Muhammad. Our Renovation Mortgage, a mortgage and home improvement loan all in one. To promote long life, reduce the stresses on your trees. The densely packed clay soils common to the East Bay produce many stresses. Compacted soils Ɣ Update electrical wiring, plumbing Ɣ Add a porch, deck or patio lack air spaces and inhibit the movement of oxygen. Clay soils are soggy ƔƔ Purchase or refinance or heating systems Ɣ Replace a leaky roof Remodel the kitchen or bath when wet (which promotes root rot), but they are hard when dry (which Ɣ Renovate or add a room Ɣ Conserve energy with new windows Ɣ Put in new flooring, carpeting Ɣ Plus much more! or tiling Ɣ Paint the house or add siding promotes drought stress). Improving the porosity of the soil by mulching, aerating, and, sometimes, by radial trenching reduces the stress on your tree. Mulching is the easiest and cheapest of these techniques. Two or three inches of quality mulch under the canopy of the tree, but not piled against the trunk, helps to keep Jim MBA Jim Black Black,, MBA the soil soft, moist, and cooler in the summer. Aerating aids soil porosity Vice AreaManager Manager| |203k 203kRenovation Renovation Specialist Vice President, President, Area Specialist NMLS #633511 | Cell:(925) (925)285-4898 285-4898| Fax: | Fax: (855) 450-1673 NMLS #633511 | Cell: (855) 450-1673 and reduces stress. To aerate the tree, use a deep root irrigator to drill many Web: Web:www.MeetJimBlack.com www.MeetJimBlack.com Web: jblack@mmcdcorp.com jblack@mmcdcorp.com | |Web: one-inch diameter holes to a depth of around 30 inches throughout the zone under the tree’s canopy. Oak Hill Road When Experience 999999 Lafayette, CA 94549 Oak Hill Road WhenMatters Experience Lafayette, Pruning to remove dead and diseased branches reduces the stresses on www.mmcdcorp.com CA 94549 Matters www.mmcdcorp.com the tree. Many fruit trees suffer from diseases, both fungal and bacterial, carried from flower to flower by pollinating insects. After entering through the flower, the infection spreads, usually slowly, down into the woody tissue. Pruning to a point below the spread of the disease increases the lifespan of the tree. As with humans, stresses can have cumulative effects. When pines are drought stressed, they are unable to make the sap they use to drown burrowing insects. Oaks suffering from oak root fungus have trouble taking up water and often suffer from drought stress. When planning elder care for your trees, several factors beg consideration: What is your emotional attachment to the tree? Is the tree a hazard? Will it become a hazard in the future, and, if so, when? What will it cost to maintain the tree? Will it attain ‘sabi,’ the beauty of aging, if given the correct care? I hope that as I grow older I accept Roethke’s challenge and ‘dare to blaze like a tree.’ If you wish to extend your tree’s lifespan please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website Advertorial www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. • Tawny Port is tawny in color, and made from a non-vintage blend; Port, the Winter Beverage lighter and more delicate than ruby port. By Monica Chappell • Vintage Character Port is a blend of quality wines with about five Traditionally served as a dessert wine, port wine years of wood aging. These ports are full-bodied, rich, and ready to drink. has emerged as the sipping alternative to wine and • Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV) is a vintage wine, but not from a top year. cocktails at luncheons, after-work outings, and atThese wines have been aged 4-6 years and are ready to drink when released. home get-togethers. • Colheita Port is a tawny port from a single vintage year. True Port comes from the hot, mountainous region • Vintage Port is considered the cream of the crop. Blended from several of the Douro River Valley in northern Portugal. After of the best vineyards in a declared vintage year. Aged for two years then fermentation and fortification, port is typically transbottled and sold, this rich wine usually takes 20 years until it is ready to drink. ported to the city of Oporto, which shared its name • Single Quinta Vintage Port is a vintage port from a single estate, usuwith the wine, to be finished and shipped. The real McCoy bears the name ally the best vineyard in a winemaker’s portfolio. Porto to distinguish itself from similar beverages made in other countries. Most ports are best served at room temperature and go well with blue Port begins life much like any other wine: grapes are picked and crushed, veined cheeses and chocolate. and the juice is allowed to ferment – but only to a point. About halfway Monica Chappell teaches wine appreciation classes in Lafayette, Walnut into the process, the wine is fortified by having brandy added to it. There Creek and Danville. Visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com for a are many styles of port. You can usually count on port to be sweet and red, schedule of classes. but beyond that the sky’s the limit. Styles vary according to the quality of the base wine, the length of wood aging (2-40 plus years), and whether it’s Do you have a story idea? vintage or blended. Most ports are ready to drink as soon as they’re bottled, How about sporting news? vintage port is the exception. Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California

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Port Styles in a Nut Shell • White Port is produced in very small quantities. • Ruby Port is young, fruity, a non-vintage blend aged in wood for about 3-6 years.

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Page 20 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

Clip Notes

By Jody Morgan

My garden is stocked like an old curiosity shop with living petals in place of painted porcelain. Botanical cycles rather than ticking clocks mark the passage of time. Plants from the far corners of the globe commingle, leaving less room for weeds than a crammed knick-knack shelf donates to dust. When I visit a garden center, I wander the aisles looking for exotic treasures before loading my cart. Catalogues and websites supply unusual species local nurseries lack. Would I have been one of the intrepid botanical gatherers who searched secluded habitats around the world back in the day when geraniums were recently discovered rarities? No, I doubt I would have been prepared for what horticultural hunting entailed even if I had been born in the 18th century. Consider the experiences of Francis Masson, the first official plant collector dispatched by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Masson left his native Aberdeen in 1760 at the age of 19 to work in London at Kew. Sir Joseph Banks, unofficial director of the Royal Botanic Gardens and personal advisor on horticultural matters to King George III, singled Masson out from the large pool of under-gardeners at Kew to pick up his trowel and travel. The Scottish workman was unencumbered by an education in botanical Latin, but he was well-supplied with the skills essential to discovering, describing, and digging up species never previously seen in England. In 1772, Masson was given passage on Captain Cook’s Resolution, which set sail from Britain on May 13th and deposited the newly anointed plant hunter on the coast of South Africa on October 30th. Left to his own devices while Cook and his crew continued to circumnavigate the globe, Masson soon got a taste of the dangers that would plague his collecting career. He wisely spent his first month exploring sites close to the coast, but he managed to get lost at the end of a long day collecting on Table Mountain, a peak overlooking the harbor where he was put ashore. Masson knew that wild beasts were the least of the dangers he had to fear. A desperate gang of escaped

Friends continued from front page has found family photographs and cash left between the leaves, though nothing as substantial as the $20,000 a Massachusetts man discovered at a recent Wellesley book swap. Elizondo loves having a discerning buyer immediately purchase books she has identified as highly desirable. Bookstore sales provide 62% of FODL income. Quarterly Book Sales bring in another 22% of FODL funds. Elizabeth Johnson, Vice-President for Large Book Sales, has perfected the process over the past 15 years. Johnson was horrified after her first Book Sale to find that unsold books were being thrown in the recycle bin. Now all unsold books go to local charities, hospitals, jails, schools, and community groups. What keeps her involved? “The chance to work with the volunteers I have is a huge motivation, but the real ‘fun’ comes with customers. Many look for me when they come in, and we talk about the book they bought last time and what they liked.” Johnson’s characterization of Book Sales volunteers applies to everyone involved in FODL: “My volunteers are some of the most reliable and dedicated, erudite and committed people I have ever had the good fortune to work with in my life. These people are very well read and have a passion for reading. Often book discussions and comparisons of authors’ writing styles, pop-up over aisles between buyers and volunteers.” January 25-27th is the next opportunity for conversation over the bookladen tables and acquisition of great reads. The Members’ Only Sale will be held on Friday, January 25th from 9am-10am. The public sale will take place Friday, January 25th from 10am-5pm, Saturday, January 26th 10am-4pm, and January 27th 12:05pm-3:45pm. Board member Marge Taylor’s father regularly arrived at Book Sale time with an empty suitcase to hold his purchases. Stocking up on hardcover bargains at $1 a pop rather than their original $30+ price tag, he happily headed home heavily loaded and ready to read. Seng Levan, Senior Community Library Manager, works closely with FODL on programs and purchases. In this economically problematic era, she is grateful that FODL has kept Danville Library’s periodical budget from vanishing. “I am constantly in awe of the energy, ideas, and talent of

convicts was roaming the area. Cowering in the dark with only a clasp knife for protection, he spent the night listening to clanking chains passing within a few feet of his hiding place. Although he emerged unscathed the next morning, Masson did not go alone and ill-prepared when he headed inland a short time later. The reward of successfully sending home 500 plant species previously unknown in England apparently made up for the hardships Masson endured during his first South African adventure. A typical entry from his journal reads: “On returning we passed through the driest country ever seen – plains covered with loose stones, not a blade of grass to be seen but found many rare species of crassula, mesembryanthemum and other succulent plants.” Ruth Bancroft designed her Walnut Creek Garden to give visitors the feeling that they were wandering in a similar wilderness so they could experience the thrill of discovery without the threat of danger. Credit for the introduction of Masson’s most spectacular find went to Banks, his mentor. In 1773, Banks named the plant commonly called Bird-of-Paradise Strelitzia reginae in honor of George III’s wife, Queen Charlotte, born to the house of Mecklenberg-Strelitzia. The birds of South Africa cannot hover beside a flower like our hummingbirds. The brilliant orange crested blossoms invite their native pollinators to land. The cobalt “beak” of the flower forms the petals, which spread apart to present the pollen when a bird lands to drink the nectar at their base. Naturally drought-tolerant, Masson’s marvel is easy to care for in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 and above (minimum temperatures 20o - 25oF). Not remotely rare in Southern California, Bird-of-Paradise also thrives in many Danville gardens. Passionate about his perilous pastime, Masson spent the balance of his life hunting horticultural treasures. While collecting on Grenada in 1779 during the French invasion, he was pressed into military service. Taken prisoner by the French, he was freed only to encounter a natural disaster the following year on St. Lucia. During a Sandy-scale hurricane, he lost all his specimens and gathering gear to the elements. Headed to America in 1797, Masson and his fellow passengers were captured by pirates. Ransomed, they continued their journey on a German vessel. Masson added close to 500 more discoveries to his life list before he died in Montreal during the winter of 1805-1806. the Friends of the Danville Library,” Seng says, “and of the dedication of their members in contributing to the Danville Community and supporting the Danville Library in so many ways.” Melody Trapp, President of FODL, expresses the enthusiasm everyone in the organization feels in sharing the joy of reading: “The best part is talking about books – people are looking for books every day – for themselves and for their kids. It’s pure magic to see a kid’s eyes light up over a book.” In 1906, the Danville Grange launched lending library service in the area by gaining acceptance into California State Library’s traveling book system designed for communities lacking a local library. Collections of 50 books each were loaned for three-month periods to participating towns. When the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution establishing the Contra Costa County Library in 1913, the Grange convinced the County to create a Danville branch. Located in the Improvement Club above the Front Street Post Office, Danville’s first library opened on November 9, 1913 with 104 books. In 1926, the library moved to the new Legion Hall. As the town’s population began to swell after World War II, the Danville Junior Women’s Club led the campaign for a larger facility. In 1940 the entire San Ramon Valley had only 2,120 residents, but by 1950 that figure had doubled. In 1958 the County established the San Ramon Valley County Library Service Area, permitting acquisition of land and construction of a 7,000-square-foot building on Hartz Way capable of containing 16,000 books. By the time the new library serving Danville, Alamo, Diablo, Tassajara, and San Ramon opened in 1961, there were 12,700 potential readers to be satisfied. According to the 1980 census, 82% of Danville’s population of 26,500 had arrived after 1970. No wonder the town was having trouble keeping up with the needs of its book-loving citizens. The Danville Library Foundation incorporated in 1992 with a goal of raising $1,000,000 in private contributions for a new library. Groundbreaking for the present library occurred in 1995, after purchase of the site occupied by the old Charlotte Wood Middle School was accomplished. On August 4, 1996, as the building was dedicated,

See Friends continued on page 31

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What’s in a Name? By Beverly Lane, Curator, Museum of the San Ramon Valley Tracing Our Valley’s Early Families Names on streets, schools, and canyons remind us about the people who founded the several San Ramon Valley communities. Stone Valley Road and Middle School, for example, reflect the Stone family which moved to Alamo in the 1850s. Many of these names reflect our Hispanic roots. “Alamo” means poplar or cottonwood in Spanish. Alamo’s post office opened in 1852 and was the only post office between San Jose and Martinez for many years. To the east the Alamo Creek flows in two major branches from Mount Diablo through Dougherty Valley. “San Ramon” is a Spanish name too. In 1855 Jose Maria Amador, who owned the southern Rancho San Ramon, testified to the name’s origins in a land title case. He said that Ramon was a Mission Indian who tended Mission San Jose sheep here. We do not know Ramon’s Indian name or tribe. The creek and valley were named for Ramon with “San” added to conform to the usual usage. The San Ramon area had other names during the nineteenth century: Brevinsville (for Eli Brewin, an early blacksmith), Lynchville (for William Lynch who was a prominent rancher) and Limerick (for the many Irish settlers). When the San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific opened in 1891, San Ramon became the village’s permanent name. The Tassajara Valley was settled soon after California’s Gold Rush and has a Spanish/Aztec name. Evidently the Spanish took the Aztec name for “place where the meat is hung” and called several areas Tassajara as they invaded Alta, California. Danville’s name comes from brothers Daniel and Andrew Inman who settled in Green Valley and Danville in the early 1850s. When a blacksmith, hotel and store began near San Ramon Creek on Inman land, people named the place Danville. According to a letter from Dan Inman in 1898, he and his brother rejected a proposed name of “Inmanville” and named it for Danville, Kentucky (Andrew’s mother-in-law’s home town) and for Daniel. The Danville post office was established in 1860.

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 21

These are the derivations of our main communities’ names. Next time we will look at others, including Livorna, Rancho Romero, Hartz, and Love. On January 22, 2013, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley will open a new exhibit featuring several founding families called “What’s in a Name.” Visit the museum located at the corner of Susanna (Ward) and Silas Stone Railroad and Prospect Avenues in downtown Danville. For more information call 925-837-3750 or visit www.museumsrv.org.

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Ten Ways to Involve Your Children in Philanthropy Brought to you by Peter, Jim, Bob, & Paul In conjunction with Spectrum Wealth Partners, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor.

Through your own philanthropic generosity—whether volunteering, supporting a charity as a benefactor, attending fundraisers, or setting up a family foundation—you are educating your children about your values and teaching them to be generous. While you may identify your philanthropic values more formally in a family charitable mission statement, children learn a lot through observation. Introducing your children to the philanthropic projects you support is the first step toward building a family unit that knows what resources you have, and it will help the family to work together to reach financial goals. In the long term it will help your children preserve your assets and share the wealth in a philanthropic way. Studies show that participating in charitable activities can help boost your children’s self-esteem, build confidence, and help shape their values. Doing charitable works is enriching, valuable, and self-perpetuating; kids learn that helping others can be fun and makes them feel good. Children also feel positive about wealth when they see the effects of charitable giving on the world at large. Philanthropy helps children learn to manage the family wealth and realize the benefits of the family working together to support common interests. This can help ensure that the legacy you leave will be cared for by your heirs.

to talk with your kids about the following questions to help them develop their values and understand yours: • What’s important to this family? • What impact has our charitable works and contributions had on the family and the world at large? • What do each of us feel passionate about supporting? • How can we fulfill any social responsibilities we feel are important? You can help preserve your family’s wealth by educating your children during family meetings—specifically the financial benefits of planned gifting—and answering questions about long-term estate planning. Please contact Peter Waldron to schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, call 925-659-0383, or email peter.waldron@lfg.com. Peter T. Waldron, James R. Westermeyer, Paul Solorzano & Robert J. Waldron Jr. are registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offers investment advisory service through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Partners, 3000 Executive Parkway, Ste 400, San Ramon, CA 94583. Insurance offered through Lincoln affiliates and other fine companies. This information should not be construed as legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a tax advisor regarding this information as it relates to your personal circumstance. The content of this material was provided to you Advertorial by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. for its representatives and their clients. CRN201009-2046472

Encouraging Philanthropy Working with your children to support philanthropic projects is an important way to put your family values into practice, build relationships with your children, and teach your children how they can impact others in a positive way. Here are 10 ways to get started: 1. Give away used items. Set aside time to go through your children’s rooms with them to select gently used toys or clothing to donate. Help your children box up the items, and encourage them to go with you to deliver the items so they might see the need their donation fills. 2. Donate part of an allowance. Encourage your children to contribute a percentage of their allowance to charity, or to purchase an item from savings to donate to a charity. Charity is something that must be taught. It can be hard at first for people to give money away. 3. Adopt another family. During the holidays many charities sponsor “angel” projects. You could select needy children in the same age group as your children to make shopping easy and fun, or adopt a whole family. 4. Hold family meetings on charity. Discuss how much money the family will donate this year, and review what charities you’ve supported in the past and the impact of the contributions. Involve your children in the decision-making process of where this year’s charitable donations will go, or have your children help to create the mission statement of the family foundation. You may wish to allocate age-appropriate amounts from your total charitable contributions so that each child can select a charity to support. 5. Research charities together. Research the Web with your children to identify projects they would like to support with donations or time. 6. Volunteer. Help your children contact, visit, and explore a community cause that interests them. 7. Support school and community activities. Support your child’s involvement in charitable projects sponsored by a school, church, or community center. Working together with their friends to benefit others reinforces the values you are teaching at home. 8. Start or join a local charity chapter. You may wish to contact a local organization that can identify resources in your area and help you get started. 9. Organize a fundraising project. Encourage your children to identify a charity they would like to promote, and help them organize a fundraising project. 10. Take a philanthropic vacation. Working to help build a school or well in another country will give your children a new perspective on the world at large, the needs of others, and how to help. You can send them on their own or make it a family activity.

Your Charitable Mission Statement Introducing your family’s charitable mission statement to your children at an early age supports communication, individual interests and family needs, and it helps strengthen the focus and impact your family has on others. It may be helpful

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Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 23

Reviewing Your Estate Plan – A New Year’s Resolution? By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law At the beginning of the year, people often resolve to take care of some things that are important to them. Should reviewing your estate plan be on your list of resolutions for 2013? Of course, before you can review an estate plan, you need to have one to review. If you have never established one, there’s no time like the present to do so. Experiencing the death of a loved one or simply watching the news (including fortunately rare, but unfortunately all too familiar, tragedies like the recent horrific killing of innocent people in Connecticut) reminds us of our own mortality. However, rather than just dwelling on the sadness of mortality, it can also be embraced as an opportunity to create a better life and to create a strong and joyful legacy for those we love. If you have an estate plan (Will, Power of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directive, and perhaps, a Revocable Living Trust), you can congratulate yourself for building one piece of the foundation of your legacy. Hopefully, your documents were drafted competently, were customized appropriately, and were accompanied by thoughtful advice from an experienced estate planning attorney. In any event, how long has it been since you established your estate plan or since you last had it reviewed by counsel? It’s important to embrace the concept that estate planning is not static. Your personal, familial and financial circumstances change, estate planning custom and practice changes, tax laws change, and your wishes tend to change. How do you even know if it’s prudent to have it reviewed, and what’s involved? Without treating the following as “set in stone,” I hope they serve as a useful reference about when and why it might be wise to have an estate planning attorney help you review (and update) your plan. 1) In general, I advise clients to review their plan at least every 3-5 years. Certainly, you should do so before then if you have experienced any material change in your personal, familial or financial circumstances or if you wish to make specific changes to your documents. 2) If you have any minor children, you should be sure that the guardianship provision in your Will is consistent with your current wishes. A premature death of a parent is devastating enough without enabling a court to appoint any guardian other than the person(s) you trust and want most to care for your children. 3) Your Advance Health Care Directive should contain a HIPAA Release provision. Older documents do not contain these important clauses, potentially rendering your designated agent unable to obtain your medical records when needed. 4) If you have just a Will but no Revocable Living Trust, and you own your own home and/or have a substantial amount of other assets, you should give serious consideration to establishing a Revocable Living Trust. A Trust has many advantages over a simple Will, including probate avoidance, privacy, efficiency,and (typically) lower attorneys’ fees and costs to administer. 5) If you have a Power of Attorney and/or an Advance Health Care Directive naming only one agent to make financial or medical decisions for you, respectively, if you become unable to make them yourself, you would be wise to have new ones drawn up in which trusted, responsible alternate agents are identified. 6) If you have a Revocable Living Trust and substantially all of your assets are not titled in your trust, you should seek advice and assistance with transferring title of such assets into your trust. 7) If you anticipate making any substantial gifts during the calendar year, you would be well advised to seek legal and tax advice before any such gifts are made. Complex Federal Estate and Gift Tax rules and other related legal and tax aspects may be involved. Good professional advice can help you avoid costly mistakes by learning how to gift efficiently and comply with legal requirements. 8) If any beneficiaries under your Will or Trust have “special needs” and receive public benefits for a disability, it’s critical to obtain advice about the merits of drafting a special needs trust. If a disabled beneficiary is gifted or inherits money directly, as opposed to doing so via a special needs trust, the receipt of such assets are likely to interfere with his or her ability to continue to receive these valuable public benefits. I offer a free consultation concerning your current or prospective co-ownership. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with Buchman Provine Brothers Smith LLP, 1333 N. California Street, Suite 350, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 944-9700; rsilverman@sbllp.com. His practice emphasizes Estate Planning, Trust Administration & Probate, Real Estate, and Business. Mr. Silverman offers a free introductory consultation. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax, financial and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial

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Page 24 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

SHOP LOCA

Mary Ann Wallace Honored As The Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s November Member Of The Month! There are a few who work very hard and VISIBLY for the good of the Alamo Chamber, and a few who work equally hard, but SILENTLY, behind the scenes. One such person is Mary Ann Wallace of Diablo Holdings, Ltd, Property Manager of Stone Valley Center, Alamo, among other real estate holdings. Mary Ann, who is nearing 30 years with Diablo Holdings, has handled many tasks for the Chamber throughout the years since AMPA days, and is currently with Chamber Membership coordination and logistics, Crab Feed advertising and auction planning, Holiday Party planning, and Tree Lighting fund raising logistics and donor UHFRJQLWLRQ 7KDQNV IRU \RXU 6LOHQW 6XSSRUW 0DU\ $QQ

Tree Lighting Ceremony A Wonderful Evening! 2XU $QQXDO 7UHH /LJKWLQJ )HVWLYDO KHOG RQ 'HFHPEHU QG ZDV D PRVW HQMR\DEOH HYHQLQJ IRU RXU FRPPXQLW\ 6LQJLQJ JURXSV IURP RXU ORFDO VFKRROV SUHVHQWHG ZRQGHUIXO PXVLF and enjoyed Santa. Thanks to Chairperson Terri DelFosse, her committee members, DQG VR PDQ\ GRQRUV IRU PDNLQJ WKLV RXWVWDQGLQJ FRPPXQLW\ HYHQW VR VSHFLDO

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Inviting The Alamo Community To Join Us At Our Annual Crab Feed/Installation Dinner February 1st: 6:00 p.m. at the Alamo Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club. Lots of Fun & Food! Please Join Us! Details at AlamoChamberOfCommerce.com

Stone Valley Dental Ribbon Cutting Ceremony! Stone Valley Dental was honored in November with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony including several Chamber Members. Above â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Left to right: Chamber members Bill White and Teresa White, Susan Boulay-Regional Manager, Julie Turner and 'U &DPHURQ 7XUQHU 'U 5LFKDUG (YDQJHOLVWD -HVVLFD )DUQVZRUWK 2IÂżFH 0DQDJHU Ingrid Bright-Dental Assistant and Chamber Member Steve Mick. The Community LV LQYLWHG WR VHH WKHLU RIÂżFHV DW $ODPR 3OD]D 6XLWH ( &RQJUDWXODWLRQV DOO Thanks to Alicia Watson for the enjoyable photo.

Greetings From Our Newly-Elected Alamo Chamber Chairperson Sharon Schuyler! :HOFRPH 0D\ LW EH D *UHDW 2QH IRU XV DOO , DP SOHDVHG WR EH \RXU &KDLUPDQ IRU 7KH $ODPR &KDPEHU RI &RPPHUFH IRU 2XU \HDU LV SDFNHG ZLWK HYHQWV DQG ZH KRSH \RX ZLOO MRLQ EHJLQQLQJ RQ )ULGD\ )HEUXDU\ VW DW WKH $ODPR :RPHQÂśV &OXE 5XVV %HOOHFL RI 5LVWRUDQWHÂś )RUOL LV FKDUJH RI GLQQHU VR \RX NQRZ LW ZLOO EH JRRG Chamber Tradition requests a theme for the yearâ&#x20AC;Ś.Mine is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sharingâ&#x20AC;? I plan to spend my year sharing with you all the great things about the Alamo Chamber of Commerce, the wonderful Businesses located here and Alamo itself. Come along and enjoy the story unfold.

May The New Year Bring Everyone In Alamo Much Joy And Happiness!

Shop Local Many people give little consideration to the choice between a locally owned store and a chain when deciding where to shop. They do not know the benefits to their city's economy of choosing local businesses and are unaware of the many hidden costs of opting for the big box stores. Broadening awareness of the consequences of our shopping choices is therefore an essential strategy in turning the tide of chain retail expansion and rebuilding our local economies. The added economic benefit of shopping at local stores has been dubbed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;local premium.â&#x20AC;? Several studies have quantified it. One study was conducted in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood by the firm Civic Economics. The study analyzed ten locally owned restaurants, retail stores, and service providers and compared them with ten national chains competing in the same categories. The study found that spending $100 at one of the neighborhood's independent businesses created $68 in additional local economic activity, while spending $100 at a chain produced only $43 worth of local impact. The difference was due to four factors: Local Payroll - The locally owned businesses spent a larger share of their revenue on local labor (29% vs. 23%) because they carried out all management functions on-site, rather than at corporate headquarters. Procurement - The local retailers spent more than twice as much buying goods and services from other local businesses. They banked locally, hired local accountants, attorneys, designers, and other professionals, advertised in local media, and sourced inventory from local firms. Profits - Because their owners lived in the area, a larger portion of the local retailersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; profits stayed within the local economy. Charitable giving - The local retailers donated more on average to local charities and community organizations than the chains did. Added dollars circulating in the local economy translated into a larger number and wider variety of available jobs. Please make your goal to shop local in 2013! Thank you for your continued support.

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editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Holidays continued from page 21

Alamo Improvement Association By Roger Smith, President Building Neighborhoods in Alamo What do local Bay Area communities like Belmont, Burlingame, Campbell, Menlo Park, San Carlos, San Jose, and San Mateo find valuable about NextDoor. com for their residents? Mike Parness, the City Manager of Napa, California, describes the new website dedicated to bringing neighborhoods together saying, “NextDoor provides an innovative, practical, and cost effective way for cities to deliver on their mission. While we spend millions on infrastructure, cities can also improve quality of life by supporting online neighborhood networks.” NextDoor.com was created based upon the idea that the neighborhood is one of the most important and useful communities in a person’s life. NextDoor’s mission is to use technology to help neighbors build stronger and safer neighborhoods. Ask anyone in Alamo’s Cervato Circle neighborhood about NextDoor.com. For several years, the Cervato Circle neighborhood has been using this secure, private, social network to schedule their neighborhood events, build relationships between neighbors, and communicate online to make their neighborhood safer. NextDoor.com’s basic purpose is to enable neighbors to share information. In addition, NextDoor supports Neighborhood Watch and Emergency Response making it easy for sheriff, fire, and emergency medical technicians to connect with neighbors with the intent of building stronger communities. NextDoor has the potential, and is being used, to organize plans, then to assist in the on-going communication, coordination, and response to a disaster.

How Does NextDoor Work? NextDoor allows neighbors to create a secure, private website for their neighborhood. On NextDoor.com, neighbors can find their neighbors in the directory, view a neighborhood map, ask for advice, exchange local recommendations and share neighborhood information. Neighbors have the option to see and respond to neighborhood updates either via email or through use of the website. NextDoor makes it safe to share online the kind of things you’d be okay in

Alamo Police Services District P-2, Zone B Deputy Mike Carson, Alamo Resident Deputy, activities for November 2012

Deputy Carson Completed: 162 Calls for service • 7 Moving citations • 1 Non-moving citations • 2 Field interview cards • 6 Reports • 2 Arrests

Deputy Carson Responded to or Conducted 2 Alarm calls • 1 Warrant arrest • 1 Lost property • 2 Suspicious circumstances • 3 Service to citizens • 3 Vandalism • 3 Outside assists • 1 Grand theft • 2 Petty thefts • 1 Auto Burglary • 4 Residential burglaries • 1 Civil issue • 2 DUI’s • 1 Identity Theft • 1 Illegal entry • 1 Disturbance of the peace

If I Were a Thief Program (Crime awareness and prevention) 866 Streets covered • 369 Flyers distributed

Reported Incidents • Stone Valley Way - Receiving Stolen Property, Vehicle Theft, and Conspiracy - Dep. Carson, along with other Deputies, responded to assist Danville Police looking for a vehicle that had fled from them. The vehicle had crashed into a tree, and the occupants ran from the vehicle. A female suspect was seen going into a backyard on Stone Valley Way. After a short search, she was located hiding in the creek bed, covered with leaves and debris. She was taken into custody. The search continued for two male suspects that were seen running from the scene. One of the male suspects was apprehended in a backyard a short distance away. The third suspect evaded Law Enforcement, but he was later identified. The suspects were linked to several residential burglaries in Castro Valley from earlier that morning, and the vehicle they were in was found to be stolen. • Winestone Ct. - Residential Burglary - Deputies responded to a reported residential burglary. Unknown suspect(s) had forced entry through a locked front door of a residence. Items were stolen from the residence. The victim saw a red van leaving the area as she arrived home. It is unknown if the van was involved or not. • La SonomaAve -Auto Burglary - Deputies responded to a reported auto burglary. Entry into the vehicle appeared to have been through a sliding window on the camper shell. Personal items were stolen from the vehicle. The suspect(s) also attempted to steal a boat that was attached to the vehicle. There are no known suspect(s) or independent witnesses. Evidence was collected, and this is an ongoing investigation.

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 25 sharing with your neighbors in person. Here’s how: 1) Every neighbor must verify their address. 2) Each neighbor signs in with their real name, just as they would in person. 3) Only neighbors can see the information shared on your neighborhood site. 4) Information will never show up in Google or other search engines. 5) Your neighborhood website is securely encrypted using the HTTPS Internet protocol. 6) NextDoor never shares your personal information with third-party advertisers. The NextDoor website is for neighbors like yourself, building connections with those living next door and down the block from you. It provides a means of introducing yourself to others, sharing basic information, and making your neighborhood stronger and safer. Ronald Loveridge, Mayor of Riverside, California, said, “Great communities are made up of great neighborhoods. NextDoor is a tool which allows neighbors to build stronger relationships and, in turn, stronger neighborhoods. Alamo is a great community that you (and your family) call home - as do others around you. Do something to make it even stronger and visit www.NextDoor.com to find out more information and start your “Neighborhood Building” process!

Public Safety Committee AIA is interested in attracting Alamo residents with suitable career experience in “First Responder” categories to volunteer time on our Public Safety Committee. Please contact AIA at President@AlamoCA.org.

Neighborhood Watch Interested in enhancing communication with your neighbors and neighborhood groups? AIA is interested in helping establish a network of interested representatives from various neighborhoods and neighborhood groups in Alamo to discuss the Neighborhood Watch program and its benefits. Please contact AIA at President@AlamoCA.org. Not at member of AIA? Consider joining and “help us, help you” and the rest of our Alamo community, visit www.AlamoCA.org for more information and a membership form. Deputy Mike Carson is Alamo’s full time resident deputy. His position is funded by Alamo’s P-2B police services district, which includes approximately 60% of Alamo household. District households pay an $18 annual parcel tax plus a portion of the 1% property tax. The Alamo Police Services Advisory Committee advises Sheriff David Livingston on the resident deputy and his services. The Committee is composed of Alamo residents within the district and it meets on the first Monday of each month at 5pm in the offices of the Alamo Chamber of Commerce, located at 120B Alamo Plaza. Alamo citizens are welcome to attend the meetings.

Danville Library Programs Visiting Vermeer: A Journey to the 17th Century Wednesday, January 9 ~ 1PM ~ Danville Library, Mt. Diablo Room Learn about the stunning works of Johannes Vermeer and his many celebrated paintings such as “Girl with the Pearl Earring” and “The Astronomer” in this visually intriguing presentation by Kay Payne of the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.

“Food for Thought”Speakers Series The Danville Library and Sustainable Danville Area present a three-part “Food for Thought” series to nourish your spirit, feed your mind and body, and help our environment. Join us for three evenings to explore how you are what you eat with this special speaker series. • Get Your Family Back to the Table – with real food featuring Heather Clapp, Co-owner of Jules Thin Crust Pizza and Lisa Evaristo, Co-owner of Back to the Table Cooking & Baking School - Wednesday, January 23 ~ 6:30PM - 8PM ~ Danville Veterans Memorial Building, Room C • Embracing the Season for a Healthy, Balanced Diet – featuring Sebastian Miller, Executive Chef at Piatti’s Danville, and Dina Colman, Four Quadrant Living - Wednesday, February 20 ~ 6:30PM – 8PM ~ Danville Veterans Memorial Building, Room C • The Essence of Herbs – featuring Joey Erwin Mazzera, Licensed Acupuncturist and Diplomat of Herbal Medicine, Green Apple Acupuncture, Thursday, March 21 ~ 6:30PM – 8PM ~ Danville Library, Mt. Diablo Room. The library is located at 400 Front Street in Danville. For information call 925-837-4889.

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Melanoma, Highly Curable When Caught Early By Dr. Kelly Hood The new year is a good time to give yourself a once over. New moles and changing moles need to be examined. If you have had a mole checked in the past and it was normal, but now it has changed, get it rechecked. In the United States, the incidence of melanoma has risen markedly over the past 50 years and continues Dr. Kelly Hood, Lafayette to climb at an alarming pace. For people born in 1930, the risk of developing melanoma at some point in their lives was one in 1,500. Today, about one in 55 Americans will develop this skin cancer in their lifetime. The death rate for melanoma also increased dramatically over the past half century. From 1975-1990 alone, it increased by about 33%. However, this death rate has started to level off in the United States, and in some parts of the world, it has actually begun to decrease. Increased awareness of skin cancer’s dangers and improved diagnostic methods such as dermoscopy are allowing physicians to find melanomas at an earlier stage, before they become deadly. Still, almost one

Life After Death

person per hour dies of the disease in the U.S. We can now predict with considerable accuracy which melanomas are readily curable and which will be difficult to treat. Thickness of the tumor is a key indicator. With the aid of a microscope, thickness is measured from the uppermost part of the skin’s top layer (epidermis) to the deepest penetration of the 3/4 of a millimeter (about 1/32nd of an inch) in thickness. These are cured in virtually all cases. However, progressively thicker melanomas have correspondingly Dr. Shanny Baughman, Alamo poorer prognoses. Family, friends or gym partners can help check your skin. They can help you recognize an early changing mole. The thin, early melanomas are almost always completely curable when promptly removed. This article is meant to alert all people to be aware of moles and change. With the combination of monthly head-to-toe self examination, and an annual or more frequent professional examination, melanoma can be stopped before it spreads to distant sites. For any questions about your skin or nails please contact Dr. Kelly Hood, 970 Dewing, Suite 301, Lafayette, 925-283-5500, khoodderm@yahoo.com or Dr. Shanny Baughman at Alamo Oaks Dermatology, 3189 Danville Blvd, suite 130, Advertorial Alamo, 925-362-0992, shanny.derm@gmail.com.

By Chaplain Nick Vleisides, Community Chaplain Specialist

Recently I was volunteering with the Heart Safe Community Committee and the San Ramon Valley Fire District by making a presentation to a local Rotary Club. The Heart Safe Community Committee has representatives from the San Ramon Valley Fire District, local police departments, the county Emergency Medical Services Agency, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, and the American Heart Association. The mission of the group is to insure that our community is educated and trained to respond to cardiac arrests using Hands-Only CPR. It’s a very cool mission! While at this meeting I was waiting around for the presentation to begin and struck up a conversation with a gentleman. I was asking him about his work, and he began to share with me his journey of the past two years after losing his job. He shared how he trained his boss’s son only to find out that the boss was grooming the son to take his place after he was let go. At “fifty something” he discovered how difficult it is to find a job when you don’t have a job. He interviewed with over 30 companies in various fields and was the in the final two applicant interviews for over 10 companies, but he couldn’t land a single job. He went through all of his savings and was down to his last “$96 bucks.” Then he met someone while volunteering and this person learned of his background and the man was offered a job. This fellow told me about a failed marriage in the midst of all of this. I was amazed that he survived everything as he shared how painfully humbling and difficult these past two years have been. They were the toughest years of his life. I commented how the past few years we’ve seen a rise in suicides in men who have become depressed and despondent over losing jobs and broken marriages. Men have a very difficult time when careers go belly up, finances evaporate, dreams disappear, relationships deteriorate….all leading to a sense of failure. The danger of times like these is that we can become myopic much like teenagers do when something they desperately want or think is very important is denied them by life circumstances. They can hardly imagine life without their needs or wants being met! This fellow faced his challenged and seemed to have a spirit of “doing whatever it takes.” I wondered where that came from. It didn’t dawn on me until later, after I thought about another story he shared with me. Since we were talking about Hands- Only CPR, we got on the subject of whether we’ve ever done CPR. I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT for a number of years and had numerous occasions to perform CPR. He began to share with me his CPR experience. It was performed on his only daughter when she was four years old….about seven years ago. He Dumploads OnUs started to choke up a bit just beginning to tell me about the day he realized specializes in his daughter was not around the house and looked into the back yard to see providing the ultitheir dog standing at the edge of their pool looking into the pool. His heart mate junk removal dropped as he ran out to discover his little girl lifeless at the bottom of the solution. We’ll haul pool. He quickly dove in and pulled her out, and his boyhood scout training away just about anything - from old household junk to construckicked in. He exasperated her lungs of water and began CPR. After what tion and yard waste. The only items we are unable to accept are seemed like eternity, but only about 30 seconds, his daughter coughed and hazardous • Computers materials. We came to. She suffered no brain damage, and later the doctors at the hospital make getting • Cables could not explain how she’d survived without some kind of brain damage. rid of your • TVs I told him that those few minutes must have been the worst few minutes unwanted junk • Monitors of his life but also the best, knowing that a daughter who was dead came as easy as 925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515 • Servers back to life! My new found friend shared with me that he had never been 1-2-3; we load, www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com • Phones able to tell that story to anyone ever before. I don’t know why he shared we sweep, and 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek • Printers then we haul Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed it with me, but I felt honored to hear about this event. It was life chang•Copiers ing because I think this man learned that what seems dead can be brought away. It’s that • Fax Machines • Power Supply Units • Discs and Tapes easy! to life. I’m sure this was an event in his life that gave him the ability to Plus we do it • Scanners • Printer Cartridges and Toners • And More... overcome a severe setback in losing almost everything over a period of with a smile! a few years. I hope and pray that those of you who feel despondent over life circumstances can find hope and learn there is life beyond what seems dead. Of course, we could all perform some emotional CPR on those whom we know are suffering through tough times. Think of someone you know, and call them right now to encourage them!

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Being a Caregiver is a Challenging Job By Michelle Rooney, NP Diablo Valley Oncology Caring for a loved one who is diagnosed with cancer is tough physically, mentally, and emotionally. What defines a caregiver? Caregivers are family members, friends, and loved ones who provide full and part-time support for a cancer patient. They do this through preparing food, running errands, helping with doctors appointments and treatment, coordinating care, cleaning, and offering emotional support for not only the patient but for the other people involved in their treatment. The opportunities to care for someone suffering from cancer, in any capacity, are endless. Being a caregiver is a challenging job. We want to share with you some helpful tips and resources for taking care of yourself and being better prepared to care for those you love. Remember, everyone’s situation is individual and unique, so some of these may not apply to you. Be open and communicate. Communication is key, not only with your loved one, but also with their healthcare team, other caregivers, and people who are connected to the cancer patient. It can take time to figure out communication styles that work best for you, but keeping everyone up to date on the care of your loved one and their needs will provide you more help and understanding from those around you. One effective and efficient method that is becoming more widely used involves creating a blog or webpage for your loved one. Most of these sites are free and easy to setup and manage. Carepages and CaringBridge are two popular sites to blog on. Be HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant. Often as a loved one’s health declines, they need more help. If you are the primary caretaker, or someone who is helping with doctors visits, treatment, medication or other medical support, it is important for the patient to sign paperwork allowing you access to their medical information (HIPAA). Having this release will allow you to be in exams with the patient, to help by taking notes, and if necessary, to communicate with the medical team. You will be enabled as the patient’s advocate; having the ability to ask questions they may forget or feel too overwhelmed to ask, have treatment options explained, communicate with others what prognosis and plans are in place, and comfort the patient. This HIPAA form is usually signed during the registration process but can be updated at anytime. Stay organized. This is easier for some individuals than others, but the effort is worth it. Take notes as you would for your own care. Keep track of medications, vitals, labs, and other tests which can help everyone understand the illness and the treatment. Keeping all of the information organized is also helpful when you need help from other caregivers. Having all of the information accessible makes an easy transition for other people to help give medications, take the patient to appointments, and adjust to their needs. Ask for help. Not only should you rely on the support of the patient’s friends and family, but also rely on your own. Battling cancer is a community effort, and you need people to talk to as well. So, talk to friends, family, or a professional when you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or having trouble meeting the needs of yourself and your loved one. Take breaks and take care of yourself. As a primary caretaker, spending time doing something for yourself can feel strange and selfish. But you must make time to take care of yourself so that you are physically and mentally strong for your loved one. Doing something you enjoy, whether it be exercise, cooking, reading or sleeping, will be rejuvenating and refreshing. You will be healthier and happier, and your loved one will benefit from renewed energy. Michelle Rooney is a Nurse Practitioner and practices with Diablo Valley Oncology, located at the California Cancer and Research Institute in Pleasant Hill. The center brings together medical oncology, hematology, radiation, chemotherapy, diagnostic imaging, clinical trials, and supportive Advertorial care services. For more information call (925) 677-5041.

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 27

You Deserve It!

Pamper Your Skin

Lan’s SKIN CARE Call Today

(925)283-3732 3416 Mt Diablo Blvd. #A Downtown Lafayette www.lanskincare.info

“The Best Is Yet to Be” Forum The fifth annual “The Best Is Yet to Be” forum will take place from 8:45AM to 1PM on Friday, February 22nd in Walnut Creek. Five speakers will describe elements of positive aging. Topics include new nutritional guidelines, avoiding scams, benefits of pet ownership, and creative ways of dealing with challenges. A free senior information fair will be held throughout the morning next door to the forum. Sixteen exhibitors will describe their varied services and furnish prizes, pamphlets, and gifts. The events will be held at Heather Farm Community Center, located at 301 N. San Carlos Drive in Walnut Creek. Sponsor of the event is the nonprofit Diablo Valley Foundation for the Aging. It will donate proceeds to the Walnut Creek Seniors Club. “Our goal is to give seniors and their offspring information and ideas that will enrich their lives,” said Robert Kain, the foundation’s executive director. Speakers at the forum include nutritionist Kathy Napoli, who will describe “The Secrets to Longevity,” and Elena Bicker, ARF’s executive director, who will talk about the benefits of owning a pet. Concord Transcript columnist Ezio Kobyashi’s subject is “It Pays to Stay Active.” Consultant Tony Jimenez’s topic is “Creative Ways to Cope with Challenges.” Eloise Patella, manager of Family Protective Services, will focus on the latest senior scams and ways to avoid them. Lunch is included in the $20 admission. For tickets at the door, the admission is $25. To register, visit www.dv-fa.org or call (925) 945-8040.

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

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Page 28 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

The Eye Opener By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry Why are They Printing Things so Small These Days? As much as we would all like to believe that the print is just getting smaller, deep down we know it is all about having more birthdays. For those of you who don’t buy the conspiracy theory that print is made smaller on purpose by your younger colleagues, you can direct your anger at your lens. The lens changes shape when acted upon by the muscles within the eye, and that allows the eye to focus at different objects at different distances. Since the lens continues to grow throughout life, it becomes thicker, denser, and less flexible as time goes on. Therefore, focusing ability is best when you are born and gradually declines from that point on. Presbyopia usually shows itself in your early 40’s when it comes to the point where patients at least start to notice things up close aren’t quite as easy to see as they used to be. Now for the good news. There are many options to help with the “short arm syndrome.” Depending on your distance and reading prescription, reading and computer requirements, and personality, we can attempt to tailor a solution to this problem. For glasses wearers, progressive lenses are usually the best choice. These lenses allow for clear vision in the distance, intermediate, and reading areas. The newer digital designs are allowing for wider corridors of usable vision, thereby making initial adaptation mush easier. Computer progressives are also great task-specific lenses that allow for vision at the computer and at near while reducing the need to search for the “sweet spot” for the intermediate area on the lenses for the computer. For those who are not interested or have been unable to get used to progressives, line bifocals or separate near and distance glasses are your option. Line bifocals give clear vision in the distance and near, but they might be a little difficult for some to use at computer distances. However, they take care of a large portion of your daily vision tasks. The advantage of having separate glasses is that there are no lines and no distortion in the periphery of the lenses as in progressive lenses. The drawback is that you always need to have both pairs handy as they are not interchangeable. In contrast, there are many contact lens wearers who believe that once presbyopia kicks in that they will no longer be able to wear contacts. While that might be an option for some, it definitely does not have to be. Recent advances in multifocal contact lenses allow for vision at all distances. However, they are not used in the same way as progressive glasses. Since glasses are stationary, you can lower or raise your eyes to utilize a different portion of the lens depending on what you are viewing. With contacts that is not possible as the lens always moves with you, so you are always looking through the same part of the lens. Therefore, you are presented with both distance and near vision, and you just pay attention to the clearer image. Sounds difficult, but generally it is easier to get used to than monovision, in which one distance contact is on one eye and one reading lens on the other. Depending on the prescription and the person, this modality works for a lot of people, but it does require an initial adaptation period. Obviously this discussion was not all inclusive, as there are other options available including some that are a combination of the above. I enjoy working with patients to explore all available options to come up with the best solution to fit each person’s needs. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our newly updated website at www.alamooptometry.com, and become a fan on our Alamo Optometry Facebook page. Advertorial

Interchange continued from front page You may have noticed yellow and green flags on the other side of Stone Valley Road. As weather permits planting will be done there which will conclude the first phase of the project. In the springtime, after the rainy season, the green PG&E boxes will be decorated with painted flowers by student members of the Interact Club from Monte Vista High School, an affiliate of the Rotary Club of Alamo. There are a lot of gophers at the site. The Rotary club has learned that barn owls are very efficient predators of gophers. Caltrans says that they will provide a barn owl box for each section. So, if you know any barn owls who are looking for a home, there will soon be two places available...the rent is low…each will have a view…and there’s a lot of food available. The Rotary Club has been very gratified by the community support for this project. If you would like to make a contribution or have any questions, call Dick Olsen at 855-1598.

Assisteens Host Holiday Party ®

Rotary members receive a truckload of plants from Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery.

By Hailey Woram, Assisteens® member

This past holiday season, the Assisteens Auxiliary of Assistance League of Diablo Valley hosted a holiday party for the children at Meadow Homes Elementary School in Concord. Forty-five students attended the party and received gifts, books, and a box of cookies that they could decorate. Students also spent time with the Assisteens playing musical chairs, coloring, reading books, decorating cookies, and having their faces painted. The highlight of the party was a visit from Santa, who distributed toys to one and all. “I always get excited to have presents to open since Santa sometimes doesn’t have time to deliver to everyone,” said a student at Meadow Homes. Assisteens love being able to give back to the community and spread joy to underprivileged kids. Teenagers from grades 7-12th are encouraged to join the non-profit organization. “It’s a great way to meet people from all over Diablo Valley and give back to the community,” member Noelle Woolway said. More information about Assisteens can be found on their website at www.diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

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The Importance of Winter Renewal By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. January is a month of change, improvement, and renewal. It is a time when, after the chaos of the holidays, we have a chance to look back on the past year - our actions, our lives, and ourselves - and consider what changes we want to make. New Year’s resolutions are made, but they are often forgotten. According to one poll, 75% will keep their resolution a week, 64% will keep them for a month, and only 46% will make it to the six month mark. This year set your sights on something that will be sure to last, something we like to call “winter renewal.” Winter is associated with shorter days, cold weather, holidays, overall cheerfulness, and a bit of chaos. This year, after the commotion settles and before the longer days of spring and summer return, treat yourself to one of the many renewing treatments offered at Persons Plastic Surgery. Of particular interest this season is our newest renewing technology, the Fraxel Dual Laser. We are fortunate to be one of the few clinical locations in this area to have this latest version of Fraxel. It is a proven laser technology that can help reverse the visible effects of aging, helping you to look as young as you feel. When we are younger, our skin’s natural rejuvenation process of stimulating collagen helps to reverse damage caused by the sun, dehydration, scarring, wrinkling, etc. As we age, our bodies’ ability to naturally generate collagen diminishes. The laser energy delivered by the Fraxel stimulates collagen (bringing back volume) and resurfaces the skin’s top layer at the same time. The Fraxel Dual treatment is customized by skin type to penetrate varying depths of just the top layer of skin, and because this latest model utilizes two different wavelengths, it is highly effective on a variety of skin types and conditions. The laser is effective on fine lines and wrinkles, surface scarring, pigmentation, and sun damage. This is a non-ablative treatment which requires minimal social down time, allowing patients to return to their normal schedule very quickly. It has been said that appearance can directly affect how a person feels. When you feel attractive, you are more likely to have a positive outlook. This phenomenon is something we have all undoubtedly experienced. As a woman, I know the days I skip the makeup and go for the sweatpants I tend to have less energy and feel more sluggish. But if I simply swipe on some lipstick, I feel like I can conquer the world. When you can look in the mirror and feel that you are an attractive and confident person, you will have the ability to go

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 29 out into life prepared for the difficult challenges the coming year may bring. Sticking to New Year’s resolutions may be difficult, but making a positive change in your life does not have to be. The Fraxel Dual laser treatment is a great way to feel restored, rejuvenated, and ultimately more youthful. When you exude confidence, doors begin to open. Whether it’s getting the job of your dreams, smiling more, or simply living a happier life, a winter renewal should be a priority for everyone this New Year. As always, I look forward to the opportunity of meeting you soon for an in-depth consultation for Fraxel Dual or any of the options available at Persons Plastic Surgery that will help you leave winter behind feeling fresh and rejuvenated. Dr. Barbara Persons is a Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or drbarb@ personsplasticsurgery.com. Advertorial

Cancer Support Community The following classes are held at the Cancer Support Community, located at 3276 McNutt Avenue in Walnut Creek. Classes are free, but reservations are required. For information, call (925) 933-0107. Frankly Speaking About Melanoma ~ January 15 ~ 6PM – 8PM Learn about the latest treatments for melanoma including very recent advances. Learn about side effects and side-effect management along with social and emotional challenges of the diagnosis. Presented by Matt Sirott, MD a medical oncologist with Diablo Valley Oncology Hematology. Managing Symptoms and Side Effects ~ February 2 ~ 10AM – Noon Learn what you can do to feel better during cancer treatment. In this informal workshop, Diana Longacre, RN, and an oncology nurse, will discuss methods for managing fatigue, nausea, and other treatment side effects. For cancer patients, their families, and friends. What You Need to Know About Your Man’s Prostate ~ February 19 ~ 6PM to 8PM This is an opportunity for women to learn about prostate health, prostate cancer screening, and prostate cancer without your man being present. Presented by Dr. Patrick Swift, MD, a radiation oncologist with Alta Bates Summitt Medical Center. For cancer patients, their families, and friends.

East Bay Cancer Forum January 29 ~ 6-7:30PM ~ Diablo Valley Oncology, 400 Taylor Blvd. #300, Pleasant Hill

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Join an informal presentation highlighting breast cancer research and updates from the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Conference. There will be complimentary admission, parking, and refreshments. The speaker will be Dr. Tiffany Svahn. To register, call (925) 677-5041 x272.

Stroke Support Group On Monday, January 14th the Stroke Support Group of Contra Costa County will hold its January meeting in the Concord Room at John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus, located at 2540 East Avenue in Concord from 7-9pm. The speaker will be Carol Howard-Wooten MA, MFT, stroke survivor, who will discuss “Keeping Hope Alive.” Her non-profit organization is dedicated to helping reclaim meaningful lives after a stroke. After the program, attendees will break up into three coping groups: stroke survivors without aphasia, stroke survivors with aphasia, and caregivers and families of stroke survivors. Each group will be led by a trained professional. For further information about the Stroke Support Group, contact Ann Dzuna at 925-376-6218. Meetings are free and open to the public.

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Page 30 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

Understanding and Treating Adult Attention Deficit Disorder

Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is, at the same time, the most under diagnosed, over diagnosed, and misdiagnosed diagnostic category there is in mental health. There are those that claim they treat ADD without medications. Just how do they do this? ADD is a neurobiological brain situation where one part of the brain, usually the frontal lobe that is right behind your forehead, doesn’t work just right. This will cause disruptions in memory, focus, concentration, and many other pieces of daily life that can wreak havoc with those that have not been diagnosed, but always knew something wasn’t just right. Up to 60% of children diagnosed with ADD will carry it into adulthood. The conventional idea that ADD is just for rowdy kids with hyperactivity is myth number one. Myth number two is that ADD would be the same with adults. The reality is that very few adults show hyperactivity, although most show some symptoms from the following ten on this list. 1. Difficulty getting organized - as with paying bills, working jobs, and raising children. 2. Reckless driving, accidents, and frequent moving violations. 3. Marital difficulties - due to not listening and paying attention to one’s partner and then having no idea or insight into this problem. 4. Extreme distractibility - as in having one’s focus and concentration diverted due to telephone calls or emails etc. 5. Poor listening skills - leading to forgetting to pick up a child even though asked and reminded, and zoning out in meetings or with one’s spouse. 6. Restlessness and inability to relax - even while on a vacation. Often those with adult ADD complain of an inner restlessness. 7. Difficulty starting and finishing a task and the use of procrastination when a deadline is approaching. 8. Chronic lateness, the inability to estimate the amount of time needed for a task - probably one of the major issues leading to work and marital problems.

9. Anger outbursts - one of the symptoms that those with adult ADD are often famous for. Anger tends to flare quickly and can dissipate just as rapidly. 10. Prioritizing and planning - as in spending too much time on the insignificant pieces and not enough on the big picture. Below are some of the myths and facts about adults with ADD taken from the book Attention Deficit Disorder: The Unfocused Mind in Children and Adults by Thomas Brown PhD. MYTH: ADD is just a lack of willpower. Persons with ADD focus well on things that interest them; they could focus on any other tasks if they really wanted to. FACT: ADD looks very much like a willpower problem, but it isn’t. It’s essentially a chemical problem in the management systems of the brain. MYTH: Everybody has the symptoms of ADD, and anyone with adequate intelligence can overcome these difficulties. FACT: ADD affects persons of all levels of intelligence. And although everyone sometimes has symptoms of ADD, only those with chronic impairments from these symptoms warrant an ADD diagnosis. MYTH: Someone can’t have ADD and also have depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric problems. FACT: A person with ADD is six times more likely to have another psychiatric or learning disorder than most other people. ADD usually overlaps with other disorders. MYTH: Unless you have been diagnosed with ADD as a child, you can’t have it as an adult. FACT: Many adults struggle all their lives with unrecognized ADD impairments. They haven’t received help because they assumed that their chronic difficulties, like depression or anxiety, were caused by other impairments that did not respond to usual treatment. The gold standard for the treatment of ADD in adults and in children is the use of medications and a type of coaching and training. If you think these descriptions apply to yourself or your loved one, consult a service with a multidisciplinary staff composed of psychiatrists and other staff to assist in teaching and training to take charge of your adult ADD. For more information on ADD or any other developmental concern, call our office at (925) 648-4800, and we will take the time to talk with you. To learn more about behavioral disorders, visit www.behaviorquest.com. Advertorial

Music continued from front page

Diablo Singles Dance Club

Cloyd’s salary. This means that all equipment, instruments, sheet music, competitions, transportation, uniforms, and other costs are covered through donations. The Monte Vista Keynoters, a parent and community non-profit organiza-

Diablo Singles Dance Club holds a public dance the last Wednesday of each month from 7:30pm-10:30pm at the Shadelands Art Center located at 111 N. Wiget Lane in Walnut Creek. There is live music, refreshments, and free parking. The cost is $7 for members and $9 for non-members. For information, call 925-837-2851.

It’s not just for kids anymore! By William Shryer, LCSW, DCSW Clinical Director, Diablo Behavioral Healthcare

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

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Monte Vista musicians. Photo courtesy of Perry Lentine

tion, works year-round to raise money to support MVHS Instrumental Music. Their biggest fundraiser of the year will be held February 1st. This year’s event is titled “Jazz in the Moonlight,” and it will be held at the Blackhawk Auto Museum located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville. The evening will feature fine dining and wine, silent and live auctions, and live entertainment and dancing. Tickets are available now at mvkeynoters.org. Sign up now for an enjoyable evening to support our local music students.

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editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Friends continued from page 20

Alamo Today ~ January 2013 - Page 31

Danville’s population was pushing past 50,000. In 1998, the Friends of the Danville Library Endowment Fund formed to ensure a permanent source of funding irrespective of tax-based revenue. The Endowment Committee reports to FODL, but it operates independently. Alamo resident Helen Pearlstein, FODL/Endowment Liaison, proudly notes that many major donors are Alamo residents. Custom Exercise Custom Nutrition The Town of Danville’s Activity Guide allows the library a single page each issue. Events highlighted in Amazing Results the 2013 winter edition are just a sampling of what is available. Check fliers at the library so that you don’t miss popular programs such as Paws to Read and the Danville Library Book Club, both sponsored by FODL. Kok Koko Kok ko FitC FitC itClub tClub ub u b is is tth he fi first rss to rrst o br briing g st stren re gth re gt Registration for Paws to Read opens on January 7th for the winter session running from February 4th-March tra rain raini ini ning, n ng n g, ca arrd rdi di doe exer xe cis xer cise ise and dn nu nut u rit riit ition on pl on p an ann a nning nn ng g tog togeth ogeth ett er, e cu er custo to omiz iz zing ng iitt pr pre ec eci cise ssel e y to your your ou bo body dy 18th. Children in grades 2-6 gain confidence in their reading and oral presentation skills by reading aloud to and nd yo n your u goa goals. oals. ls.. Itt ’ss fas fa asstt,, m mot otiiva o va attin atin ting an nd d so so non-judgmental canines. The Book Club meets monthly. efffffe eff ect ec ct ctive v , itt’ss paten ve pa aten te e tted ed ed . th pm th The Art and Travel Series returns January 9 at 1 with Visiting Vermeer: A Journey to the 17 Century presented by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Docent Council. The Teen Advisory Board that includes students from area public, private and home schools, meets monthly to suggest appropriate acquisitions for for Alamo Today Readers! Young Adults. The Teen Board also helps during the summer reading program by talking with elementary Hurry! Offer expires 1/31/13. school readers about their book selections and rewarding their efforts by handing out prizes. Jointly sponsored by FODL, San Ramon Library Foundation and Target Stores, KidsReads coming in March will give away free copies of this year’s selection, Louella Mae, She’s Run Away, at Danville, San Ramon, and Dougherty Station Libraries for K-6 readers 499B San Ramon Valley Blvd. • Danville, CA 94526 925-743-0802 • danville.kokofitclub.com to enjoy, discuss, and pass along to friends. In 2012, 1,000 books were distributed during the four-week event. FODL has 400 members with 92 actively volunteering time to sort and sell books and/or serve on the board. Membership fees raise 11% of FODL revenue. To join or learn more, pick up literature at the library or visit www. ccclib.org/friends/da.html. Used Book Donation Guidelines available at the library note that Books, CDs, DVDs, and Audio Books in clean, saleable condition are always in demand. To schedule large donations, please call in advance to 925-837-4455.

The “Future of Fitness” is here.

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Grief Support Group Helps People Cope with the Death of a Pet When you lose your pet, you often feel like a part of you is lost. The death of your beloved animal companion is one of the most difficult losses you may ever feel. This loss is sometimes made more painful by society’s seeming lack of support for pet grief. Hospice of the East Bay and the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation is offering a support group where participants can share memories and feelings and talk to others who truly understand and care. Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each month from noon - 1:30PM at the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. For further information and/or to register, please call Bereavement Services at Hospice of the East Bay (925) 887-5681. Pre-registration is required. Hospice of the East Bay Bereavement Services are provided free of charge to all community FODL Board Member Marge Taylor is one of the volunteers who carefully members in need. However, donations are greatly appreciated. checks every book donated to FODL.

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Alamo Today Classifieds Reach over 6,300 homes and businesses in Alamo - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to 45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words. Run the same classified ad in our sister papers “Lafayette Today” or “Danville Today News” at half off! Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo 94507 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com. Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print. Your cancelled check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad. Name_________________________________________ Address__________________________________________ # of Words_______________ Phone________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________________

Page 32 - January 2013 ~ Alamo Today

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The Combs Team Professionals You Can Count On

Nancy

Joe

Call the Combs Team

925-9 8 9 - 6 0 8 6 www.TheCombsTeam.com Alamo Real Estate: Riding a Rocket, Up! Up! and Away! Fueled by lower interest rates, buyer confidence and very limited inventory, Alamo Real Estate sales blasted off and are riding a rocket. Sales in the first quarter hit 50 units. This represents a 163% increase over 2011 Q1 unit sales. Average price hit $1,152,078, nearly $183,000 more than in the same period last year and more than $10 a square foot more than Q1 2011. Wow! During the second quarter sales improved significantly growing by 75% over the same quarter last year. And average price followed suit, increasing by 10% from the same quarter in 2011. Dollars paid per square foot hit $363, which is on par with last year’s prices with no sign of a trajectory change. Alamo Real Estate Unit sales dropped a bit in the third quarter to 64 from the previous quarter’s 84, which is a fairly normal seasonal pattern. Average sales price, while a bit lower than 2012 Q2’s, was a very respectable $1,233,238. The after burners kicked in this quarter as dollars paid per square foot soared to $390. We haven’t seen this average value since 2009. I believe it is the strongest and clearest indication to date that the Alamo Real Estate market has truly lifted off. The booster rocket has engaged. While not complete as of this writing, Q4 is stronger than Q3. A total of 83 homes have sold as of December 19th. That high number is surprising as it is just slightly under the total number sold in the second quarter and is in direct defiance of normal seasonal sales patterns. This is another bullish sign for the Alamo Real Estate Market. Average price is sitting at $1,255,202, up nearly 2% from the previous quarter. Dollars paid per square foot moved up to $397 in Q4, advancing toward the 2008 number. 2012 Alamo Real Estate Sales by Quarter Q1 Unit Sales Median Price Average Price $$ Per Sq. Ft.

$ $ $

Q2 50 1,043,583 1,152,078 361

$ $ $

Q3 84 1,225,000 1,252,053 363

$ $ $

64 1,170,975 1,233,238 390

Alamo Short Sale

Q4 (thru Dec.19) YTD thru Dec. 19 83 281 $ 1,190,000 $ 1,170,000 $ 1,255,202 $ 1,226,698 $ 397 $ 378

While the Alamo Real Estate Market has reached warp speed, its true value is being held back from its full ascendency by the presence of distressed sales. Fortyeight distressed property sales have closed so far in 2012. Their average selling price is $937,990, and they are selling at a square foot price of $307. That’s about 19% less than the Alamo average including distressed properties. With more than 25% of sales falling into this category, it represents a huge gravitational pull on the Alamo Real Estate market. That said, the average price of a short sale today is within $30,000 of the Q1 2011 average price and $27,000 more that the 2011 Q1 median price. I believe the overall drag is lessening, both in units sold and price. However, only the banks controlling the distressed inventory know for sure. In summary, our Alamo Real Estate Market is on the ascent, prices are improving, and inventory of homes priced to sell is critically low. Following “Buzz Light Year” aka Ben Bernanke’s latest announcement of an accelerated Quantitative Easing Program, there is reason to believe Alamo Real Estate will continue climbing, maybe not so fast, but still “Up! Up! and Away”! If you are thinking about selling in 2013, we should talk right away. Nancy and I have launched a new and improved website, www.thecombsteam. com. There you will find our most recent articles in case you miss one, and others that never make it into the newspapers. On the website you can, with the touch of a button, quickly find distressed property sales, both Short Sale and REO properties as well as search the entire MLS database for what you are looking for. You can set up auto searches that will send you email updates for new properties that meet your search criteria. Links include our Facebook and LinkedIn Accounts, Twitter and our Real Estate Blog page. Please visit our website and take a test drive. You can also download and use our free search application for your mobile device. If you have ideas for improving our site, please call or send me an email. 925-989-6086 or joecombs@thecombsteam.com. We would be grateful for your input. Happy New Year Alamo!

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Data presented in this column is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Contra Costa and Alameda MLS service and other quoted sources. Joe and Nancy Combs, J. Rockcliff and the MLS service do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. DRE #0144125.

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