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October 2015 Step Back in Time on the Alamo Cemetery Tour
Serving Alamo and Diablo 1st Annual Alamo Walk-About
Stone Valley was named not for a rocky landscape feature, but a family whose combined holdings totaled more than 1,000 acres. Who were the Stones and their neighbors whose courage and convictions shaped the communities of the San Ramon Valley? Next occurring on Saturday, October 24th, the biannual Alamo Cemetery Tour honors the pioneers who settled the area in the mid-nineteenth century and their descendants. Costumed docents, having thoroughly researched the individuals they portray, invite participants to engage in an hour-long adventure in time-travel dedicated to understanding the history of the area. Sponsored by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, the tour begins at 10am. Senior members of the settlers’ community from the start, Silas and Susanna Stone built a home that stood on what is now Stone Valley Road for over a century. Their adult son Albert drove a herd of cattle across the plains when he Costumed docents greet visitors for the Alamo Cemetery Tour: L to R: returned to Alamo in Sonya Borlandelli, Carmen Curtis, Betty Casey, Don Kurtz, Joan Curtz. 1853. Silas was a trustee for the area’s first high school, the Union Academy. Built in 1859, the school was demolished by fire in 1868. Patty Dobbin coordinates the program and greets visitors with a short presentation on Valley history. Queried about what she most enjoys about leading the tour, she comments, “I love the reaction from people who have lived in the area for a long time, but have had no access to local history. Some visitors are then inspired to bring family members on a tour.” Family names on headstones in the cemetery include Baldwin, Bollinger, Boone, Close, Cox, Hall, Humburg, Jones, Love, Stone, Wiedemann, Wood and Young. The earliest documented burial (that of six-yearold Callie Chrisman) occurred in 1856. The serene park-like setting is underscored by cemetery streets named for trees and paths named for flowers. On February 2, 1848, less than two weeks after the discovery of gold in California, the formerly Mexican territory was Roxanne Wiedemann Lindsay participated in
The Community Foundation of Alamo invites you to the first annual Alamo WalkAbout. Enjoy gourmet food sampling, wine, beer, coffee, music, family, and friends. This fun event will highlight many Alamo restaurants, retailers, and other local businesses, including Danville Area Chamber members who will have table spaces located in select locations in Alamo during the Walk-About and the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) who will make an appearance in front of Richards Craft store in Alamo Plaza. The Alamo Walk-About includes many wonderful venues stretching down Danville Blvd. from Andrew Young Park and Oak Tree Plaza (Jackson Way) to the Alamo Women’s Club. At each stopping point there will be something to try. The stroll from one location to another may be filled with lively music to heighten your enjoyment or possibly some interesting shops that you may discover for the first time. Transportation will be available to take you from one end along the Walk-About if you
By Jody Morgan
See Tour continued on page 30 Local Postal Customer
the first costumed cemetery tours portraying one of her ancestors. PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA
ECRWSS
Thursday, October 22nd ~ 5pm to 8pm
See Walk About continued on page 21
Save the Date! Alamo Tree Lighting Festival Sunday, November 22nd ~ 4:30pm-6:30pm
Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services By Fran Miller
Senior citizens aged 80 and older are the fastest growing population segment in Contra Costa County. Many are homebound and unable to cook or otherwise obtain daily meals to maintain their health and remain independent in the comfort and security of their own homes. Since 1990, Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services (MOWSOS) of Contra Costa and its coalition of volunteers has been ensuring that these homebound seniors receive daily nutritious meals. “Our services are free and there are no financial restrictions,” says Leigh Shughrou, Public Affairs Specialist for MOWSOS. “We coordinate care for older adults (60+ years) in Contra Costa County who have a wide range of needs. Our six programs (Meals on Wheels, Friendly Visitors, Fall Prevention, Volume XV - Number 10 Care Management, Home Care 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 Referral, and C.C. Cafés) all work Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 together to form an umbrella of Fax (925) 406-0547 services that allow seniors to stay Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher healthy and at home for as long as Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com possible. We bridge the widening Sharon Burke ~ Writer gap between the increasing number The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today of frail homebound elders and insuf- not is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising
See MOWSOS cont. on page 28
herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
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Page 2 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
San Ramon Valley High School’s 37th Annual Ski, Board and Bike Swap November 7th
The San Ramon Valley High School-Parent Teacher Student Association has been hosting this community-wide ski and snowboard swap for over 37 years, and this is the second year the event will include bikes. This year the event takes place on November 7th, from 10am to 4pm. Admission is $5, children 5 and under free when accompanied by an adult. Interested in finding the best deals? New this year from 9am to 10am is Early Bird Admission price of $20 per adult and $20 for up to two children. SRVHS Ski, Board, and Bike swap is the largest swap in the East Bay with over $1 million in inventory brought by local residents as well as from large retailers offering goods at bargain prices. The San Ramon Valley High School gym will be filled to the brim with new and used merchandise. Come join the fun with the live broadcast from KKIQ and enjoy yummy treats from local food truck vendors. This is the second year the swap will include bikes, biking equipment, and apparel. A large inventory of new and used bikes for all ages and skill level will be on hand. Danville bike retailer 6Fifteen Cyclery will be there to help with questions and recommendations, as will Stix and Stones and members of the San Ramon Valley High School Mountain Bike Club. The Ski and Snowboard Swap is a great place to see the latest products and outfit the entire family. There is a huge selection of boards, skis, boots, helmets, and clothing, along with experts to assist you. Representatives from local ski clubs will be available to answer questions about their clubs and the sport. Retailers include Hughes Ski Hut, Nor-Ski Sports, Sports Cove, Land Park, Demo Sport, and Four Seasons. In addition, community members are invited to sell their bikes, ski and snowboard equipment and clothing on consignment. Consignment equipment check happens at SRVHS on Thursday, November 5th from 6pm-8pm and Saturday, November 7th from 7am-8:30am. Donations are accepted anytime. Please contact srvswap@gmail.com. Come to the swap and bring your friends on November 7th. Take advantage of this great opportunity to update your bikes, ski and snowboard equipment and support the students at San Ramon Valley High School. Directions to SRVHS: Highway 680 to Danville, exit El Cerro West, two blocks to Danville Blvd., turn left, San Ramon Valley High School is one block on the right. For more event information, visit the website: http://skiboardbikeswap.com.
Book launch and Cemetery Tour
On Saturday, October 24th, two events are scheduled by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. One is the autumn Alamo Cemetery Tour at 10am at the historic Alamo Cemetery on El Portal just east of Danville Blvd. Docents in historic garb will provide information about San Ramon Valley pioneers buried in this interesting cemetery. There is no need to make reservations; just arrive at 10am. A donation to the Museum is requested. At 10:30am at the Museum, located at 205 Railroad Avenue in Danville, the new local history book, San Ramon Chronicles, Stories of Bygone Days, will be launched. Author Beverly Lane will be there to sign books and tell a few stories about this vibrant city which now has 78,000 people. The book includes 90 photographs accomSaturday, panying the stories. The October 31ST cost is $22. Museum 3pm - 5pm hours are Tuesday-Fripm day 1-4 , Saturday 10RSVP to 800-762-1641 1pm, and Sunday 12-3pm. For more information, For more information contact 800-762-1641. www.AlamoPlazaShoppingCenter.com call 925-837-3750. SHOPPING CENTER
Friends of the Danville Library Booksale
Friends of the Danville Library (FODL) will be holding a book sale starting October 16 at the Danville Library located at 400 Front Street.. Members are invited for a preview on Friday, October 16 from 9AM - 10AM, and the public is welcome to start shopping that day from 10AM - 5PM. On Saturday, October 17, public sale hours will be from 10AM - 4PM, and on Sunday, October 18 a $5 Bag Sale will be available to the public from 12:05PM - 3:45PM. On Friday and Saturday all hardcover books, books on tape, and DVDs are priced at $2, and all paperback books and CDs cost $1. For questions call 925-837-4455. The Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Presents
1 5 0 Ar ti s a ns Cos tu m e Pa ra de (Saturday 10am)
Li ve Mu s i c by Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums Tinman
Ca r Sh ow (Sunday only)
Saturday & Sunday
October 24 & 25
R & B Cel l a r s Sch u bros Br ewe r y
10am - 5pm
Along historic Hartz Avenue
Grea t Gl a ss P umpk in Pa tch www.danvillefallcraftsfestival.com
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Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 3
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Boulevard View
By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor
Last month, after three years of planning, I was able to get away for a few weeks with a wonderful trip to France and Spain. I saw and experienced many fun, interesting, and exciting things. One of many observations I made was the large number of stores and sidewalk vendors selling books, comic books, trading cards, postcards and letters, ephemera, and writing supplies. Some of the material was new and much of it was old but timeless. Here in the U.S. stores like these have become a rarity, replaced by the fast moving digital age. It’s not as if the residents of Europe don’t experience the digital age - they do, but I witnessed more interaction between people, fewer electronic devices overall, and a greater use of paper and pen, and paper and print mediums. It’s as if they have struck a balance that thus far has seemed to elude us here at home. Maybe I was drawn to these places as they reminded me of the foundation of this paper. Many people comment that they still enjoy reading their stories, news, and letters via paper; a material that is more tactile and permanent. People can feel and smell the texture of paper they hold in their hands and it’s a completely different experience than reading a story electronically. I find the reading experience is slower, in the best possible way. In Barcelona, the Sunday Vintage Book Market pops up each week in the middle of a busy street. It is huge event with people both young and old in attendance. You can buy new and vintage books, coins, postcards, vinyl records, magazines, trading cards, and photographs. I just wish I read and wrote Spanish and French fluently so that I could enjoy some of the amazing materials I ran across on this trip. What a bounty! En route to the Vintage Book Market there were several sidewalk corners filled with kids and their parents who were buying and were trading sports cards. There must have been a hundred people on one corner alone, they had lists in hand and were mingling with each other to find elusive player cards to fill their sets. It was as if old hobbies were in vogue again, and it was really refreshing. I’ve always been drawn to keeping lists and notes on paper. Typically I’ll use a yellow lined note pad and write with an assortment of pens. In my mind I believe the act of writing down my lists and transcribing them from list to list helps me
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to clarify and reinforce the things I wish to accomplish. While my “uberdigital” friends often make fun of my scraps of paper, this pen and paper method works great for me. I recently received a letter from a reader whose son is in the Marines. She noted, “The only communication we have had is the lost art of writing which has been a blessing!” In her correspondence she asked if I could reach out to my readers to help support her son who is currently in Boot Camp, in San Diego. As he enters the final phase of Boot Camp they complete what is known as the “Crucible,” which is a strenuous 54 hour event that culminates Boot Camp and which tests everything they learned Barcelona Sunday Vintage Book Market over the last three months. Her request was to have porch lights left on over the nights of September 29th to October 1st to symbolize the “guiding light” for the Marine’s journey through the Crucible. (If you read this article during that time, your support of their project would be greatly appreciated.) Pictures of the lit up community will be sent to this class of Marine’s to symbolize the hometown support for their accomplishment and future deployments. I received another communication asking for support for an ill friend. They noted that they felt texting and email don’t have the same ability to convey the gravitas of love our ill friend needs so much. As such, they asked the network of friends to reach out by mailing a hand-written card, prayer, note, photograph, memory, or cartoon to our sick friend. I think they’re right, and our beloved friend deserves nothing less. As the fall becomes busier with holidays and gatherings, I urge you to slow down. Pick an up an old book that has been sitting on your shelf for ages. Write a letter by hand, pick out a beautiful stamp, and post it in the mail. Start or restart an old hobby or collection. Take a breath, take time for you, surround yourself with things that are more tangible, and reconnect with people and activities you enjoy.
Page 4 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
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Sons in Retirement
San Ramon Valley Branch 128
Looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley Branch 128. We have monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. Additionally, our members have lots of fun participating in a variety of activities such as golf, tennis, bowling, bocce ball, bridge, computers, and much more. Other activities such as travel, dine outs, excursions, baseball games, and holiday parties include spouses, friends, and guests. Our next meeting is on Wednesday, October 21st at 11AM. A fee of $23 includes luncheon, speaker, and a great opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the Valley. Our October guest speaker will be Mr. Bill Richardson. Bill had a long and distinguished career as a San Francisco Fire Chief, but it will be his second career as a PAC-12 official and NFL Replay analyst that will be the focus of his talk at our luncheon. Bill will speak about NCAA football and the transition from the field to the Instant Replay booth in the NFL and PAC-12. To reserve a space, please email us by Thursday, October 15th at info@sir128.com. The meeting will be held at San Ramon Golf Club, 9430 Fircrest Lane in San Ramon. For more information about our Retirement branch and activities, please visit www.SIR128.com.
Las Trampas Branch 116
Sons in Retirement - Las Trampas Branch 116 welcomes guests to socialize with us at our monthly luncheon beginning at 11am on Monday, October 19th to be held at the Walnut Creek Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Drive. Leigh Kjeldsen, Au.D. Audiologist, will be our guest speaker. She is with Valley Audiology, and will be presenting information regarding Hearing loss, causes and remedies. She will also touch on the latest in hearing and balance research. Please call 925-322-1160 to make lunch reservations, the cost for lunch is $15. If you are retired or semi-retired and want to make new friends, participate in fun activities, and better enjoy your leisure time, we welcome you to join with us. Our member activities include book discussions, bridge, computers, dine-outs, dominoes, fishing, golf, hiking/walking, investments, poker, travel, wine tastings and more fun things. In addition we have special golf events and bridge tournaments where wives, partners, and guests are welcome. If these are activities you like to do, then you may find even greater enjoyment in doing them with the friendly group of retirees in the SIRs organization. For information visit www.Branch116.org.
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Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club
Are you new to the area, a long time resident, newly retired, or an emptynester interested in making new friends and participating in various social activities? The Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club is a women’s organization whose purpose is to enrich the lives of all its members and their families in a social manner. Check out all the club has to offer by visiting www.alamodanvillenewcomers. com. Our next new member coffee will be held October 27th at 10am. RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com.
Contra Costa County – A Year of Dissension and Accomplishment SRVRWF Luncheon Meeting October 27th
The San Ramon Valley Republican Women Federated (SRVRWF) proudly presents Supervisor Candace Andersen who represents Contra Costa Supervisorial District 2, speaking on “Contra Costa County – A Year of Dissension and Accomplishment.” Candace was elected to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on June 5, 2012. She was on the Danville Town Council from 2003 through June 25, 2012, serving two terms as Mayor. Candace currently sits on numerous boards, commissions, and committees. She is an attorney licensed to practice law in California and Hawaii. Candace is an active volunteer in the community, including the Library Foundation and the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. Join us for this candid, forthright view of our County at our luncheon to be held Tuesday, October 27th. Social time begins at 11:30AM, and the lunch and speaker follow at noon. The luncheon will be held at the Crow Canyon Country Club located at 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville. The cost is $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers. Guests that become members at the door pay the member rate for this event. Men and students are cordially invited. Please RSVP by Friday, October 23rd to srvrwf.lunch@gmail.com or at www. srvrwf.org.
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Walnut Creek ~ Just completed, 5 bedrooms, office, 4.5 baths, 3,583 sq. ft. of timeless casual elegance! 10 foot ceilings, family sized kitchen with island seating for 5 plus family sized eating nook. 3 car staggered garage. Offered at $1,750,000
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 5
Walnut Creek ~ Wide open entry and spaces in this 4 bedroom, Office, 4.5 bath, 3,654 sq. ft. single story home. Large pie shaped 15,139 sq. ft. lot with room for pool, sport court etc. Oversized 3 car tandem garage. Private, end of court location. Offered at $1,795,000
Tony Cristiani 925.785.8948 Website: Tonycristiani.com ~ Email: TonyCristiani@msn.com
Walnut Creek ~ Grand foyer leads to 4 bedrooms, office, 4.5 baths, 3,821 sq. ft. with dramatic angular walls & 10’ ceilings, crown molding, gourmet kitchen and a huge family/great room. 15,197 sq. ft. end of court lot & 3 car side load garage. Offered at $1,795,000
Concord ~ GREAT INVESTMENT HOME! Located in sought after area on Walnut Creek Border. Close proximity to BART, Shopping and Schools. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1463 sq. ft. Features include newer white dual pane windows, newer composition shingle roof and hardwood floors. Park like backyard. 7,345 sq. ft. Private Lot! Offered at $559,000
Tony Cristiani 925.785.8948 Website: Tonycristiani.com ~ Email: TonyCristiani@msn.com 30+ years of experience and knowledge of local Real Estate. Over 600 Homes Sold!
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Alamo’s 1st & Only Pediatric Dentist! Alamo Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Welcomes Dr. Allan Pang Dr. Pang completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California, San Diego. He earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. After Tufts he completed a General Practice Residency at University of California, Los Angeles. Thereafter, Dr. Pang practiced general dentistry in the community of Los Gatos, California for two years. It was during this time that he realized how much he enjoyed working with his pediatric patients and returned to school to specialize in Pediatric Dentistry. His residency in Pediatric Dentistry at New York University-Bellevue Hospital in New York City allowed for him to have extensive training in treating the well child and those with special healthcare needs such as children with craniofacial disorders and developmental disabilities. Dr. Pang has been in private practice since 2008. He is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist, a Diplomate with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
(925) 831-8310
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Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 7
The Cox Team R E A L E S TAT E
Pat TheCoxTeam.com Pat Cox
925.963.6404 License# 00635222
Kevin Cox 925.989.8028 License# 01257809 Shiloh Hagen 925.997.3285 Licence# 01358726 Wendy Cox-Hagen 925.997.0923
526 Justin Morgan Drive, Alamo
DANVILLE 601 SYCAMORE VALLEY RD. W., DANVILLE
Mobility Challenges
Tastefully updated 4BR/office/3.5BA Branagh home with hardwood floors, plantation shutters, custom window shades & French doors. Fine finishes throughout! Beautiful island kitchen! Private yard with extensive patio, built-in barbecue, fireplace, pool & spa. Fine finishes throughout! Offered at $1,788,000
Meals on Wheels and other partners are offering presentations relating to senior mobility on October 23 from 10AM to 2:30PM at John Muir Medical Center, located at 1601 Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek. The first presentation will be “Mature Drivers and the Healthy Brain,” led by Dr. Patrick Arbore, Jefferson award winner and founder of the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention. The second presentation will be “Take Control of Your Driving Future,” led by Rosemary Robles, DMV Senior Driver Ombudsman. Free box lunches will be provided, and parking is available. Space is limited, so please RSVP by October 15 to clouisell@mowsos.org or (925) 954-8736.
32 Lancaster Court, Alamo
Beautifully remodeled 4BR/2.5BA Stonegate home nestled the rolling hills at the foot of historic Mt. Diablo. 1st floor master bedroom, volume ceilings, freshly painted exterior in a gorgeous gated community. Lush landscaping with mature trees, pool, spa & gorgeous views. Serene setting! Offered at $1,349,000
Trick-or-Treating at Alamo Plaza!
Come and enjoy free trick-or-treating, street entertainment, train rides, meet and greets with the Pink & Red Power Rangers and more at our bewitching fun event at Alamo Plaza Shopping Center. Children and families are invited to enjoy a safe Halloween from 3pm – 5pm on Saturday, October 31st. Participating merchants will hand out candy and goodies to children in costume. Pick up a fancy Halloween bag from the balloonist located in front of Loard’s Ice Cream! Alamo Plaza Shopping Center is proud to host a safe, fun-filled Halloween Event for the community. For more information visit www.AlamoPlazaShoppingCenter.com.
Ensuring Quality Higher Education for our Children The Impact of Funding Cuts
The California legislature has cut funding to higher education dramatically; how does this affect the quality of public education? Should we redirect our taxpayer dollars to better fund public education? Will the University of California and California State University turn to private funding? What about California Community Colleges? How do we make our opinions heard? The League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley is sponsoring a presentation with Joan Buchanan outlining how funding is determined for higher education in California and how it has changed over the recent past. Ms. Buchanan’s expertise comes from her years of experience on the California State Assembly [2008-2014] where she served as Chair of the Education Committee as well as her past service as San Ramon Valley School Board President and member. The presentation will take place at the Meeting Room at Pleasant Hill Co-Housing, located at 2200 Lisa Lane in Pleasant Hill, on Saturday ,October 17th from 3pm – 4:30pm. The presentation is free and open to the public. Saturday, October 17th is your opportunity to hear Ms. Buchanan speak on this complex subject and answer your questions.
Oktoberfest
The San Ramon Historic Foundation invites the community to join them in celebrating Oktoberfest at Forest Home Farms Historic Park on October 17th from 11am – 5pm. Bring the whole family. Enjoy live music, learn the polka, and have fun! Featured entertainment includes the Olympia Fields Brass Band, the Golden Gate Bavarian Dancers, and Dachshund Races! Do you have a doxie that is ready to race? Visit srhf.org for details on how to enter your doxie in the competition. Tickets to Oktoberfest are available for purchase through PayPal online at srhf.org.
Gopher/Mole Removal No Poison
925-765-4209
Page 8 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
S.T.E.M. in the Preschool Classroom
By Giovana Merritt, Meadowlark Preschool
Children are innately curious. Just ask any parent of a four year old! “Why and how?” are the first words in so many of their sentences. Curiosity is a wonderful thing. Engaging children in meaningful, relevant S.T.E.M. play (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) supports a child’s abilities in critical thinking skills: to question, to observe, to predict, to hypothesize, to reason, to problem solve, to test, and to create. These are skills that can lead to success in school and in life, especially when introduced in the context of play. Children learn through play. Let’s look at block play. When children build with blocks, they are developing cognitive skills (mathematical concepts, abstract thinking, problem solving), physical skills (fine and gross motor), acquiring new vocabulary (balance, arch, ramp), social skills (sharing, turn taking, listening to the ideas of others, negotiating, cooperating), and literacy skills (making or using road signs, labeling their work). They are also tapping into all four components of S.T.E.M. Block play is rich in engineering (“How can I make this balance?”) and mathematical skills (“I need two triangle blocks and four more square blocks”). When you offer them a child’s digital camera so that they can make a permanent record of their structure, you’ve added technology. Jungle animals or sea creatures integrated into their structure brings life science into their play. In the right preschool environment, S.T.E.M. is happening all around and throughout the day. The dramatic play corner can be easily transformed into a grocery store offering opportunities for rich socialization and S.T.E.M. play. Children become checkers, baggers, and shoppers (socialization-role playing). By introducing a cash register with play
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MEADOWLARK PRESCHOOL Invites You to Our
Wheel Day & Fall Festival! Saturday, October 24 ~ 10AM to Noon
Children will be able to see and explore: • Fire Truck • Camper • School Bus with Rides • Antique Fire Engine • Monster Truck • Unicycle • Police Motorcycle • Construction Vehicles • Plus fall crafts, activities, and refreshments Meadowlark Preschool | 2964 Miranda Ave in Alamo money and a phone, children are using technology and practicing premath skills, not to mention sharing and turn taking. Shopping for fruits, grains, dairy, etc increases their vocabulary, their knowledge about where food comes from, and their understanding of what healthy foods are and why they are important. Fine motor and early literacy come into play when children make signs for their store, and by using cloth grocery bags, caring for the environment is being reinforced. Asking the right questions can greatly enrich the play experience. When parents and educators ask questions such as, “What do you think caused ______?” or “What do you think would happen if______?” you are encouraging children to use critical thinking skills in their play. Meadowlark Preschool in Alamo is a small developmental preschool and pre-K that fosters learning and independent thinking through hands on experiences in all areas of S.T.E.M., early literacy, creative arts, motor skills social skills, and small group time. We have one classroom with a small student/teacher ratio of 6:1. Giovana Merritt is the owner and one of the teachers. She would love to give you a tour. 925-588-1059. Advertorial
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Rancho Romero Elementary School
By Skye Larsh-Faraghan, Principal
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 9
11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Home for Sale
In a recent article from the HarAlamo - According to industry experts, away altogether. In most cases, you can vard Business Review, titled, “Comthere are over 33 physical problems that make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself panies Don’t Go Global, People Do,” will come under scrutiny during a home if you know what you're looking for, and the author addresses research about inspection when your home is for sale. knowing what you're looking for can help working through cultural differences A new report has been prepared which you prevent little problems from growing without violating one’s sense of self. identifies the 11 most common of these into costly and unmanageable ones. While the article is intended for business leaders working problems, and what you should know about To help home sellers deal with this issue in international contexts, it has direct implications for K-12 them before you list your home for sale. before their homes are listed, a free report educators and the art of schooling in multicultural settings. Whether you own an old home or a brand entitled "11Things You Need to Know to We can elicit many essential reasons why figuring out new one, there are a number of things Pass Your Home Inspection" has been how to build relationships across cultural boundaries is so that can fall short of requirements during a compiled which explains the issues involved. important. One that connects back to our work of preparing home inspection. If not identified and dealt To hear a brief recorded message about students for college and career is that of bicultural proficiency with, any of these 11 items could cost you how to order your FREE copy of this report, and competency which has a big advantage in multicultural dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's call toll-free 1-866-265-1682 and enter situations, both in public schools and current and emerging critical that you read this report before 2001. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, career opportunities. you list your home. If you wait until the 7 days a week. By 2050, minority students will account for approximately building inspector flags these issues for Get your free special report NOW to learn 57% of the student population in the US. In order for our you, you will almost certainly experience how to ensure a home inspection doesn't schools to continue the successful trend of educating all stucostly delays in the close of your home cost you the sale of your home. dents, educators must be able to respond to the changing needs sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers of the student population. This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors CalBRE #01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2015 Two key initiatives taking shape within the San Ramon Valley Unified School District include Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning and Inclusion and Diversity. Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning, used in classrooms by teachers, validates, bridges, and accommodates the dynamic mix of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and family that contributes to every student’s cultural identity. An educator who effectively facilitates learning through cultural responsiveness is able to continuously create or enhance inclusion, attitude, meaning, and competence. Available resources on this topic include the book Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning by Sharroky Hollie and the web link at culturallyresponsive.org. The Inclusion and Diversity Committee (IDC), organized through the San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs, works to build a community outreach program through a collaborative process that addresses cultural diversity and changing demographics. The committee aims to foster respect for, and acceptance of, differences and celebrate the strength diversity brings to our community. Carolyn Diers-Kaneda coordinates the IDC at Rancho Romero and can be contacted through the school office. “Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness.” -Ola Joseph
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Page 10 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
Alamo Elementary School The Next 50 Years By Stan Hitomi, Principal
At Alamo School we are known as a school with long standing traditions. The school was originally founded in 1876. This past year we have been celebrating the 50th Anniversary (1965-2015) of Alamo School at its current location on Wilson Road. Even as we pay our final tributes to the past 50 years, we are getting a glimpse of an even brighter future for
our next 50 years. Last month we celebrated a long-standing tradition, the Alamo School Hoedown, at a new time of year and in a very different way. The Hoedown, normally a fixture in May, was moved to the fall and combined with our Day on the Green to create a new Hoedown – Fall Festival. Despite the over 100 degree temperatures, we drew an amazing crowd and a new generation of families stepped-in and stepped-up to make the event a success. Kudos to Lana Sainio (PTA) who stepped-up to chair the Hoedown for the second time in less than five months! Despite the short of amount of time to prepare (just 27 days into the school year), Lana was able to recruit a dedicated group of volunteers and coordinate the complex arrangements. What made me feel the best about our efforts for this year’s Hoedown was a last minute need for more cakes (for the Cake Walk) and more volunteers for set up. Just a short announcement in the Mustang News and an email message resulted in 100 cakes and over 30 volunteers for set up! Last year we had less than 30 cakes! Everywhere I looked, I saw new faces volunteering and new families pitching in. My guess would be that over half of our families were directly involved in the Hoedown – Fall Festival in some way. Even by Alamo School standards, that is amazing! It speaks so well for our next 50 years. Kudos to the Hoedown Committee: Lana Sainio, Sheriff, Melanie Volk, Garden Craft Master, Jennie Lee, Prize Possie, Jenn Hoffmann, Cake & Cupcake
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Boss, Kristin Iribarren, Food Wrangler, Emily Busquetts, Mad Hatter, Michael Cabot, Marketing Man…and many thanks to our volunteers who ran our game booths, and craft stations, and supported the Hoedown in many invaluable ways. Congratulations to our Hoedown Speech Contest winners: First Place - Iliana Sherry (Mrs. Dietler) and Ella Economos (Mr. Telles), and Runners Up - Jessica Umscheid (Mrs. Dietler) and Adriana Dermetzis (Mr. Telles). The Hoedown also provided the venue to pay a final tribute to our first 50 years. We were thrilled to be joined by two of our former principals, Howard Nemir (1979-1984) and Donna Yokomizo (1998-2004). We were treated to amazing music from our Chimes II, Advanced Strings, Advanced Band, and Chorus. We heard speeches from Sue Benit, who has taught at Alamo School for 31 years, and Kristin Kiltz, who attended Alamo School as a student and now has three children attending our school. We also heard from the winners of the 50th Anniversary Speech Contest - Marissa Gutierrez & Tyler Farnholtz (4th grade) and Adriana Dermetzis & Trevor Alamillo (5th grade). Their words capture what we all feel here at Alamo School: “Once you become a part of Alamo School, Alamo School will always be a part of you.” Here’s to our Next 50 Years! 8
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Stone Valley Middle School By Jon Campopiano, Principal
This past week I was fortunate to attend my children’s 1st and 5th grade Back-to-School Night. In one of the classrooms, a parents asked, “When is this Common Core, stuff going away?” I wanted to raise my hand and answer, but it wasn’t the right time. However, it made me think about our community. I have received a number of questions regarding Common Core and I explain that Common Core teaching and learning has been occurring within all great schools and classrooms for years. Stone Valley is no exception. The focus of Common Core standards is to produce students that are creative, collaborative, and can think critically. We have no idea what jobs may exist for our students 15-20 years from now, and we want our students to be able to think for themselves and be adaptable to future opportunities. Asking students “why,” making them explain their reasoning, and challenging them to think deeply are all trademarks of excellent teachers. The Common Core Standards guarantee that all students are provided access to grade level and beyond curriculum. Stone Valley takes great pride in providing excellent teaching and learning in all classrooms.
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Based on student, staff and community input, a focus has been placed on developing a positive, caring and empathetic campus where students feel safe to
be themselves and focus on school. Soul Shoppe has worked with many schools in SRVUSD, and we are excited to have them join the Stone Valley Community. The workshops and assemblies are interactive and give students the time to share, reflect, and make commitments to contributing to a more respectful school community. Follow us on Twitter @stonevalleyms. Go Pride!
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 11
San Ramon Valley High School By Ruth Steele, Principal
One of the enduring struggles, in any school, is how to support ALL students in their learning. We have many students who struggle in particular aspects of their learning, and one of the things that we are working on this year is how to ensure that school staff are responsible for making sure that all students learn what they need to learn in order to progress to the next academic level. RTI (Response to Intervention) is the formal name for the established system that defines how to support students in the classroom. However, it could also stand for “Really Terrific Instruction” because in a nutshell, the more effective and engaging the instruction, the more engaged and successful students will be in their learning. RTI encompasses three levels. RTI Level One. These are interventions that can happen in classrooms every day and are put in place by the teacher. Preferential seating, on task reminders, multiple modes of communication, breaking down tasks into small steps, and checks for understanding are a few examples of simple interventions that can help students. RTI Level Two. These are interventions that happen outside the classroom, often as a result of an SST (Student Support Team meeting). They include extra help at brunch and lunch, after school support with classes, and peer tutoring. RTI Level Three. This is includes specific program interventions. For example a 504 plan or an IEP can be put in place as a result of medical, psychological, and academic assessments. This level of support may be developed if the interventions from Levels One and Two have not been effective in supporting student learning. One of the challenges with the RTI Level Two interventions, is that they typically happen outside the classroom or outside of the school day. One of our goals at SRVHS this year is to look at ways that we can adjust our bell schedule so that we can build intervention time into the school day with tutorial time and targeted support for our students. There is always more we can do in order to support all of our students in their learning and this is something that we hope to have in place for the 2016 school year. Homecoming Parade: The annual Homecoming Parade is October 16th and we need flatbeds, alumni, clubs, convertibles, and sports teams who are interested in being a part of the parade to join the fun! We will set up the parade around 12:30PM and the actual parade will be held from 2:30-3:10PM. If you are interested in donating or being a part of the parade please email jwillford@ srvhs.org. The theme is “One Big Family-SRV Homecoming 2015.”
Chromatica Sings Women Composers
Chromatica, a regional chorus, will perform three concerts of music by women composers. The program includes music by Monte Vista High School graduate and commissioned composer Stacy Garrop, and the North American premier of music by UK composer of the year Cecilia McDowall. Shows will be held November 1st at 7pm at Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton, November 7 at 7pm at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Dublin at 7557 Amador Valley Boulevard, Dublin, and November 8 at 7pm at Peace Lutheran Church, 3301 Camino Tassajara, Danville (a reception follows this concert). Building on its tradition of innovative and compelling programs, the Chromatica program of women composers will include works as early as the 12th century Hildegard von Bingen’s“O Virtus Sapientiae” to Cecilia McDowall’s haunting tribute to Edith Cavell, an English nurse executed during World War 1. Titled “Standing as I do before God.” Add to this song cycles by Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Shakespeare songs by Mary Jeanne van Appledorn, and a very different take on nursery rhymes by Libby Larsen (and much more), and you have a compelling take on women composers over the centuries. Tickets can be purchased through the Chromatica website at www.chromaticachorale.org, from any member of Chromatica, or at the event. Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $10 for students and free to children 5 to 10. Chromatica, a classical and contemporary chorus founded in 2011 and located in the San Ramon Valley, includes men and women singing soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Chromatica performs high quality, challenging vocal music from classical and contemporary genres for presentation to regional audiences. To learn more visit www. chromaticachorale.org.
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Upcoming Community Meetings and Events
AIA - Alamo Improvement Association - Please visit www.alamoca.org for upcoming meetings - Creekside Community Church -1350 Danville Blvd. Alamo MAC (Municipal Advisory Committee) - First Tuesday of each month 6pm - Alamo Women’s Club P2B - Police Services Advisory Committee - First Monday of each month, 5pm - Meets at Sheriff Substation, 150 Alamo Plaza P5 - Round Hill Police Services Advisory Committee - Second Wednesday of each month, 7pm - Meets at Round Hill Country Club - Lower Level Meeting Room CERT classes - Community Emergency Response Team - Visit www. firedepartment.org/community_outreach/cert/upcoming_classes.asp
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Page 12 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
Monte Vista High School By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal
The 2015-16 school year is full speed ahead, and Monte Vista’s students and faculty are off to a great start. What I love most about the first weeks of school is the reconnecting (or in my case connecting) with students, faculty, parents, and community. When I walk through classrooms or around campus and have those interactions, I am reminded of why I am an educator. All the stress that goes into the preparation for school gives way to the happiness I feel when we are finally in school. Over the course of the first week, I tried to visit as many classrooms as possible and was very impressed by the high levels of instruction delivered by our teachers and the amazing levels of learning demonstrated by our students. Through these visits, I couldn’t help thinking about three elements important to any team that I learned from former Notre Dame Head Coach Lou Holtz: Can I trust you? Are you committed? Do you care? As educators, I feel we need to answer these questions frequently. Do my students trust me to teach them? Am I committed to providing them with a quality education? Do I care about my students’ learning? My classroom walkthroughs at Monte Vista have answered these questions with a resounding “Yes.” Monte Vista’s Back-to -School Night was held on September 10th, and it proved to be a great success. Our faculty did an outstanding job describing their courses and their teaching philosophies. I received countless positive comments from parents and was able to work to solve some of the challenges that came up that evening. It was great seeing the high level of interest that our parents are taking in regard to their students’ education. Building that home-to-school link is a critical part of providing a quality educational program. Special thanks to our robotics team, who showed off a few of their creations before the official start to Back-to-School Night. Monte Vista’s athletic teams are off and running. Football is off to a great 2-0 start, Varsity Volleyball took a 2nd at the Albany Tournament, Frosh-Soph. Volleyball won the Dougherty Valley Tournament, Boys Cross Country took 1st in both the Ed Sias and Monte Vista Invitationals, and Girls Cross Country took 1st in the Monte Vista Invitational. In addition, Tennis, Women’s Golf and Water Polo are all doing well. Monte Vista’s arts programs are also on the move. Our band played at our 9/11 rally and our football game against Pittsburgh, our choir enjoyed a weekend retreat in Aptos, and we received word that our Speech and Debate Team once again earned a National Championship Award. I would also like to give kudos to Monte Vista’s Leadership students and their advisor Andrea Greco. These students have taken the lead in creating a positive school culture which has included an outstanding 9/11 rally, Freshman Orientation, and a student cheering section that truly sets a great tone for our school. Things will only get better in the next few weeks. Eleventh grade (and some 10th grade) students will take the PSAT on October 14th. Homecoming Week is slated for October 12th – October 17th, concluding with our Friday Homecoming Game against Foothill and the Homecoming Dance on Saturday.
Where Were You 5,000 Years Ago? ~ The First People of California
The Museum of the San Ramon Valley will open its exhibit of the Indians of California on October 3rd. Archaeological findings show that the first people settled in California well over 5,000 years ago, inhabiting the mountains, river valleys, deserts and the coast. The exhibition showcases California’s diverse climate zones which led to variations of diet and housing, even as trade, periodic gatherings, and intermarriage led to cultural simi larities such as creation myths. Tools made of stone, shell, wood, and fiber as well as regalia, foods, games, and examples of hunting and gathering will be on display. Californian Indians are said to be the best basket weavers among the Native American groups. A rare and diverse collection of baskets, a baby carrier, and a seed sweeper will be on display. Especially noteworthy are the delicate gift baskets, woven You’re Holiday Headquarters with bird feathers and shells. The exhibit runs October 3 rd See our wide selection of – November 8 th at the Museum located at the corner of Railroad Cookware Bakeware Table top and Prospect Avenues in downtown Danville. The Museum is open Espresso Coffee Gadgets Gifts & more Tuesday-Friday 1-4pm, Saturday 10am-1pm, and Sunday noon -3pm. For more information, call 925-8373750, email srvmuseum@sbcglobal. net, or visit www.museumsrv.org.
3211 Danville Blvd. Alamo CA 94507
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What is the Role of Code Enforcement in Our Communities?
By Candace Andersen, Contra Costa County District 2
Periodically my office receives inquiries about code enforcement in both the cities and unincorporated areas of District 2 of the County. There might be questions about the placement of realtors’ signs, the parking of an RV or boat, an inoperable vehicle in someone’s yard, or construction being done without a building permit. Most cities and the County do not have the manpower to actively patrol neighborhoods looking for code violations. They rely upon citizens to report problems. Deciding whether to complain about violations observed may be a difficult decision. Most of us want to be kind neighbors, but we also want to maintain the quality of our community. Code Enforcement’s role is to improve the safety, health, and welfare of all citizens living within local governmental jurisdictions. Cities, and the County for unincorporated areas, have the authority to impose administrative fines when a code violation presents itself. While every governing body has its own procedures for addressing noncompliance, it is common to issue notices of violation to the offending property owner. If the property owner does not correct the violation or obtain a permit where necessary within a given time frame, fines are imposed and a lien can be recorded against the property. How Does the Code Enforcement process work after a complaint is received? An inspection of the property is conducted to see if the complaint is valid. In most cases, if a violation is found, a letter is prepared and mailed to the property owner with time enough to correct the violation. If there is a hazardous or unsafe condition, immediate action may take place and the property owner issued a “stop work order.” Another area where the preservation of community standards is addressed is through Home Owners Associations (HOAs). Many neighborhoods have HOAs that have their own established covenants, conditions, and restrictions
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 13
(CC&Rs). These are contractual obligations that “run with the land,” so anyone who purchases a home within the neighborhood is bound by these obligations. These CC&Rs may restrict what you can do with your property. They cover a wide variety of matters and might dictate what color you can paint your home, what you can plant or keep in your yard, where you can park your cars, or whether you can even own a pet. Enforcement of the CC&R’s is not something done by Code Enforcement inspectors. It is a private, civil matter and should be taken up with Homeowners Associations. If you are concerned about a potential code violation within your community, below is the contact information for local agencies Code Enforcement Teams: Contra Costa County (925) 674-7210 Town of Danville (925) 314-3335 City of Lafayette (925) 299-3207 My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Experience the richness of New Meaning and Color with the Alex and Ani Fall Collection. Inspired by the Moraga, Canyon and Orinda. mystery and thrill of exploring the wild, this collection Please don't hesitate to contact embodies Ancient Mysteries, Rich Colors, and Raw Energy inspired by nature. us if we can provide you with additional information on Danville this topic or on other County Walnut Creek Broadway Plaza The Livery issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos. MADISON cccounty.us or 925-957-8860. Next to McCaulou’s, Lafayette
Page 14 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
Alamo Women’s Club
Looking to be part of Community- Celebrations- Philanthropy? The Alamo Women’s Club (AWC) has a something for you. We have book clubs, excursion groups, Mah Jongg, food groups, movie groups among other activities. And we work side by side on philanthropy projects to build a better community.
Come have fun with us in October and November
On October 28 at 11:30am join us for a musical luncheon. Morris Bobrow and crew brings us the original musical comedy revue about the frustrations, anxieties, and joys of travel. This fast-paced 70-minute show is full of songs and sketches about subjects like the hazards of traveling with friends, panic packing, eating in the car, lousy timing, disaster site voyeurs, our love affairs with our vehicles, group tours, annoying car alarms, the adventure of taking public transportation, cathedral overload, and other matters from SUVs to B&Bs. The cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Call 510-764-3194 for reservations. On November 8 at 11am join us for a Macy’s private pre-holiday experience. This special day will include a fabulous
Oakland Treasures By Linda Summers Pirkle
My friend Barb is the kind of traveler who brings home a list of “Barb’s Best” cafes, unusual walks, and delicious local treats to try. I always pass along her tips to my other friends. When she is not traveling to far off places, Dr. Barbara Thomas, Senior Director of Counseling Services at U.S.F. is busy with her many interests: Ikebana, hiking, and exploring her adopted city, Oakland. She has been a passionate Oakland promoter for many years, even before the city became “the” place to live in. Barb and I visited the Mt. View Cemetery which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Located on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, it is one of her favorite walking spots. The extensive grounds were designed by the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed Central Park in New York City. On any day, walkers are out enjoying the 223-acre historic location. “I enjoy a peaceful walk to the crest that overlooks Oakland and San Francisco. The view is exceptional. Then I traverse the southern edge which also runs along a rise. My favorite areas are the Jewish and Chinese sections because of the poignant mementos that folks leave at the grave sites,” Barbara says. Some of the historical figures buried in the cemetery are Charles Crocker; Domingo Ghirardelli, the chocolate maker; Anthony Chabot, the hydraulic engineer; and Julia Morgan, the famous architect. Chapel of the Chimes is an inside cemetery, crematorium, and funeral home located just steps away from the entrance to Mt. View Cemetery. It began in 1909 as a small chapel for funeral services. Today this beautiful architectural treasure is a “masterpiece mash up,” says Allison Rodman, End of Life Pre Planning Specialist at the Chapel. Julia Morgan, the architect who designed Hearst Castle and modernist Aaron Green (protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright) contributed to the design of this gorgeous Moorish, Gothic, and Romanesque historic landmark. Barb and I toured the many enclaves, chapels, and rooms in the Chapel of the Chimes. We saw lush green gardens, beautiful fountains, and exotic and tropical plants and trees. There is even a primitive Boar fountain dating back to 1550. My favorite area of
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Macy’s fashion show, a continental breakfast, in-store drawings for prizes, a 25% Friends and Family saving pass, and exciting in store happenings. The cost is $20 per person. Call 510-764-3194 for tickets and more information.
AWC Kitchen Dedication
The Women’s Club is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year. The donation of the AWC land by the Corwin Henry family and the on-site building has been part of that history since the 1950’s. Over the last nearly 10 years, eight AWC presidents and more than a 100 dedicated members set the course to bring this building into to the 21st century. It started with a steering committee, an architect and a group of dedicated ladies, led by Claudia Waldron, who focused on bringing Alamo a community facility to share its celebrations, its community, and philanthropic endeavors. The opening of the Grand Hall, last year, brought Jim and Lisa Laird to the club along with their commitment to help AWC and in turn the community. With Jim and Lisa’s help the Women’s Club was able to renovate the kitchen. Lisa’s mom, Muriel “ Billie “ Long was a long standing member of the Alamo Women’s Club and an active community philanthropist. In honor of Lisa mother, the Muriel “ Billie” Long Memorial kitchen’s ribbon cutting was held. In support of the event Alan Kennedy, two time Super Bowl player, for the 49ers and President of the NFL alumni joined in the celebrations. Need a party or meeting venue? We have a recently updated bright beautiful space for you. Go to www.AlamoWomensClub.org/rentals or call (925) 322-0736 Allan Kennedy of the NFL, Lisa and for more information. Jim Laird, and Nancy Combs. the Chapel is the Garden of Revelation, with its luxuriant planters, individually lit glass niches, and a gorgeous fountain in the center. The view from the window in the Garden of Revelation is spectacular. Don’t miss the beautiful Lapis Lazuli Fleur de Lis inlaid table brought from Europe by Ms. Morgan for the Chapel of the Chimes. As Ms. Rodman says, “Traipsing up and down the three floors through all the different design eras is a sensory pleasure balanced by the reason for the building’s existence.” • Mt. View Cemetery is located at 5000 Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. Free cemetery tours are offered every second Saturday. This docent led tour highlights the people, architecture, beauty, and history of Mountain View Cemetery. Tours begin at 10AM and lasts two and a half hours. • Every fourth Saturday of the month a free tour of the cemetery focuses on more specialized topics. Check out their website at www.mountainviewcemetery. org. A self guided tour map is available in the cemetery office. Dogs are allowed on cemetery grounds provided they are on a leash at all times. • Chapel of the Chimes is located at 4499 PiedmontAvenue, Oakland. Their website is chapelofthechimes.com. The venue is used for concerts, speaker series, and weddings. • No trip to Piedmont Avenue in Oakland is complete without a stop at the famous Fenton’s Creamery located at 4226 Piedmont Avenue which has the best ice cream around. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has arranged and led tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. “What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas Entrance corridor of the Chapel of the Chimes. email Coverthemap@gmail.com.
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Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 15
Andalucia – The Moorish Jewel of Spain By Jeremy Barcan, Alamo World Travel
No wonder travelers love to go back to Spain time and again. It’s one of those countries that has so much to offer because it really is a conglomerate of so many regions, each with its unique sights, culture, food, entertainment and yes, even language. Spain could mean the ancient royal cities of Toledo and Madrid in central Spain, it could mean Catalunia with its effervescent capital Barcelona in the northeast, or it could mean the Basque country in the north with its capital Bilbao. And then, there is always the sun-kissed Andalucia in the south with its capital Seville, where one can almost smell Africa, where ancient Moorish palaces like the Alhambra or the Alcazar reflect the Moslem heritage of southern Spain. You will be swept away by the sheer beauty, the fiery flamenco rhythm, and the sound of “Ole!” coming from the bullfight arenas and the taste of western Mediterranean and North African cuisine. After a hiatus of 30 years, I recently traveled to Andalucia with two close friends. We started in Malaga, where we flew into the user-friendly airport, Spain’s third busiest. Malaga is a great starting point for a tour of Andalucia, where one can rent a car and drive all over the region or use frequent and comfortable trains between the major cities: Malaga, Granada, Cordoba and Seville. To do Andalucia justice, one should allow at least eight days and nights if traveling by rental car, and it would be wise to begin in Malaga and end in Seville, where a minimum of three days is recommended as Seville has so much to offer. No wonder the city conjured up the imagination of so many writers and opera composers. The most noticeable change was the modern infrastructure of roads that post-Franco era Spain has put in place which cuts the driving time between places considerably. Also, the Spanish train network has improved beyond description, and riding trains in Spain these days is very safe and comfortable. Andalucia, like the rest of Spain, is a late night party place. Local restaurants fill up around 10:30-11pm, and people often dine well past midnight. That’s because the tradition of taking a “siesta” (the afternoon nap and rest between 2pm and 4pm) is well entrenched over there. So, to really catch a dining experience and mingle with the locals, go see a flamenco show from 9pm to 10:30pm, and make your restaurant reservation for immediately after the show. Almost invariably, I found that the local Andalucian culinary specialty is oxtail, and it was delicious everywhere I ordered it even though it was prepared in several different ways. But of all the things I did and saw in Andalucia, the biggest revelation was visiting the town of Ronda, situated half way between Malaga and Seville. I think the reason I missed it on previous visits to that region is because it is kind of off the beaten track and can only be reached by car or bus. The circuitous road leading up to it overlooks the majestic Costa del Sol, and one will have trouble deciding which vista point offers more magnificent sea views. Once reaching the town of Ronda, the first thing you’ll notice is the spectacular view of the El Tajo gorge that splits Ronda into the old and the new districts with the Punte Nuevo bridge connecting the two, a photographic highlight. This gorge and the bridge create a dramatic backdrop for this small town which boats a rich Islamic history. The best kept secret in Ronda is the Parador de Ronda, an affordable government-run deluxe five-star hotel which mixes elegance and tradition and takes advantage of the most incredible views. If for some reason you make it to Ronda and cannot stay at the Parador, you must at least go to the bar around sunset and watch the view while sipping your sangria. From the hotel windows, guests may look down to the bottom of a 120 meters (360 feet) deep gorge. Including Ronda on your itinerary when visiting Andalucia makes for an exotic change from staying in a large urban city. Jeremy Barcan is a Travel Consultant with Alamo World Travel, specializing in tours, cruises and customized vacations to Europe and Israel. You can reach him at 925-948-6035 or jeremy@alamoworld.com. Advertorial
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Page 16 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
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Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 17
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Page 18 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
Life in the Alamo Garden
The Night Garden By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect
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What if the glory of your Alamo garden could come to life at night? There is so much to be enjoyed after the sun goes down. When designing a successful garden the night garden must be considered. Many Alamo families enjoy evening entertaining, sitting on the patio drinking wine and iced tea, playing games, 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 so much more romantic with the sound of water soothing the night. Designing-in essential night-blooming plants that add fragrance and scent enhance 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, Call for details the sense of smell. Just as perfume induces the senses, fragrant plants 925.939.8300 intoxicate and romanticize any setting. White and pastel flowers are the solartechnologies.com most fragrant, pale pinks are the most potent pastels, moving through the Lic. #932914 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 color in the garden but little or no fragrance to the night garden. Fragrance becomes intensified in enclosed areas, so plant your most fragrant selections in a courtyard or trellised patio, or surround your garden with hedges and windbreaks to encourage the fragrance of plants to linger. Some of my favorites include jasmines (jasminum polyanthum, jasminum officinale, and jasminum sambac), gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides), 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 sensibilities. 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 it is a creative approach that paints a landscape for night-time enjoyment. Downlighting, moonlighting, uplighting, silhouetting, shadowing, and washing create moods and ambiance. Lighting to feature sculpture, accents, and structures create visual focal points in the dark which in-turn brings drama to the night garden. Lighting water features produce very 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 major mood maker and 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 very important to my clients. Fire can be implemented from the very simple to the more complicated. The simple and least expensive approach is a portable firepit from Target to a Mexican pottery “chiminea.” Built-in firepits to full blown outdoor fireplaces can add hours of evening pleasure as well. Fire elements have become very popular in the last several years because they add yet another element to make your outdoor environment more inviting and useful, especially the night garden. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: For you garden tour fundraiser enthusiasts, I am disappointed to announce that we have cancelled our garden tour fundraiser for spring 2016 due to the drought. We expect to reconvene in spring 2017. Meanwhile, let’s hope we get some rain this winter! 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 visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial
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Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 19
Fall Pruning
By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb
Now is a great time to prune your trees to protect them against winter storms. There are three kinds of tree failure: branch, column, and entire tree. Judicious pruning reduces the likelihood of all three kinds of failure. Selective removal of weight from leggy branches makes it much less likely that a branch would fall, causing injury or damage to property. It takes a lot of “in tree” experience to identify branches with weak crotches and/or with unsafe weight distribution. Thinning the canopy to reduce friction from the wind greatly reduces the odds of a column breaking, or of the entire tree falling over. When done correctly, a tree pruned for safety should still look natural, even after 30% of its foliage is removed. Many evergreens, such as cedars, cypresses, and redwoods, and many species of deciduous trees, such as valley oaks, can be pruned in this time of year. Monterey Pines should only be pruned between October 15th and February 15th unless compelling safety reasons dictate otherwise.. The timing for pruning is restricted because sap from pruning cuts attracts bark beetles that are destructive to pines. These beetles become dormant during the fall and winter months. Some species of beetles carry pine pitch canker, an increasingly common fungal disease that disfigures pine trees, sometimes killing them. If your tree has dead tips scattered throughout the canopy it probably suffers from pine pitch canker. To prolong the aesthetic life of a diseased tree, prune out the infected tips before February 15th. October is also a good time, if you haven’t already, to make your landscape more fire safe. It is not uncommon for the East Bay to experience hot, dry, and gusty winds in the fall due to sinking air from the bay combining with inland high-pressure systems. The Oakland Hills fire of 1991 occurred on October 20th, its precursor, the 1923 Berkeley Fire, started on September 27th. Removing dead wood, breaking up fire ladders, and limbing vegetation back from your home can greatly improve the chances of your home surviving a wildfire. Brende & Lamb knows how to fire prune your landscape in a way that improves fire safety, without sacrificing the natural aesthetic. Clearing some under-story trees and removing dead wood usually enhances the natural feel of a landscape by making it look more like a mature forest. Pruning trees for safety is a craft requiring study and experience. A well-pruned tree should not only be safer, but it should look beautiful. At Brende & Lamb we take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning. Each plant has a natural growth pattern, and our trimmers are expert at accentuating the shape given the plant by nature. Our trimmers are well practiced in aesthetic pruning and are attuned to the artistic flow inherent in tree forms. One form is weeping, as with Willows and Chinese Elms. In some species, such as the Monterey Cypress, branches ascend at acute angles to the trunk, giving the tree an upswept look. Branches in the Coast Live Oak bend and twist, forming complex arcs. Each tree species has a unique form and flow. When necessary, trees and shrubs can be reduced in size, but crown reduction requires a good eye: a poorly reduced tree looks like a thicket of stubs. Topping is almost always a bad idea. However, the crown of many trees can be reduced by cutting back long branches to the crotches formed by shorter branches growing in the same direction. If the branch doesn’t fork, we cut back to the lowest growth point that will neither create a thick stub nor undermine the arching quality of the branch. When a tree or shrub has been reduced in this way, it’s difficult to detect the cuts or tell that the branches have been shortened. If your trees need a little TLC to protect them against winter winds, or if your property could use a little fire protection, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial
AAUW Monthly Program & Grant Deadlines
The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of The American Association of University Women (AAUW) presents: “Tech and the Brain – a DoubleEdged Sword,” a lecture and discussion covering the impact of tech on the brain, young or old, and how can technology be harnessed to improve brains. The talk will be presented by Dr. Jyoti Mishra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at UCSF. The UCSF lab is a cognitive neuroscience research lab where novel testing is done to determine if things such as video games and cell phone use have a negative effect on our minds. The center has a focus on studying the neural mechanisms of memory, attention and perception; how these processes change with childhood development, normal aging and dementia; and how we might intervene therapeutically to alleviate cognitive deficits. The program will take place Thursday, October 22 at 7PM at the Danville Town Meeting Hall, 201 Front St in Danville. The cost of $5 can be paid by check or online via PayPal. Checks can be sent by October 17th to DAWC AAUW, PO Box 996, Alamo, CA 94507. If you have any questions, contact Judy at daw.aauw@gmail.com.
AAUW Fellowships and Grants Deadlines Approaching
AAUW’s fellowships and grants programs provide vital funding for women in the United States and around the globe at critical stages in their careers. Application deadlines run from November 15 to January 15. As one of the world’s largest sources of funding for graduate women, AAUW is providing more than $3.7 million in funding for more than 241 fellowships and grants to outstanding women and nonprofit organizations in the 2014–15 academic year. Due to the long-standing, generous contributions of AAUW members, a broader community of women continues to gain access to educational and economic opportunities — breaking through barriers so that all women have a fair chance. Fellowship and grant recipients perform research in a wide range of disciplines and work to improve their schools and communities. Their intellect, dedication, imagination, and effort promise to forge new paths in scholarship, improve the quality of life for all, and tackle the educational and social barriers facing women worldwide. For more information, go to www.aauw.org/what-we-do/educationalfunding-and-awards.
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Page 20 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
Four Puppies Needing Homes By Margy Lyman, White Kitty Foundation
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THE WHITE KITTY FOUNDATION PRESENTS THE WHITE KITTY FOUNDATION PRESENTS
April, a 7 year old Chihuahua mix dog, was found by an Animal Control Officer in Stanislaus BARKTOBER WINE TASTING BARKTOBER WINE TASTING County with her four puppies abandoned in a ditch. The puppies were barely a week old and severely malnourished. The Officer brought the little family to a local shelter. That’s when Danville’s White Kitty Foundation stepped in. Known for rescuing all breeds of dogs and cats, the shelter in Stanislaus County knew WhiteKitty could come to the mom and puppies’ aid as they were all scheduled to be euthanized the next day. “We were grateful we had the room to take the mom and her pups,” said Cris Tarozzi, Director of White Kitty. Pre-sale ticket price is $50.00. Ticket prices at the doorisare $55.00. “We have them in a separate, quiet room where they are safe and can Pre-sale ticket price $50.00. Ticket prices at the door are $55.00. play and rest together. They are being socialized by our volunteers and staff Please join us on Saturday, with hours of playing and hugs. Mom is given frequent breaks by going on Please join on 6:30 Saturday, from pm to October 24 us walks with one of the staff members. When the pups first arrived they were October 24 from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm at the Veterans a bit lethargic, and Mom was thin. After a few days of healthy food and 10:30 pm at the Veterans Memorial Building vitamins for Mom, the pups were no longer afraid when someone walked Memorial 400 Hartz Building Avenue 400 for Hartz Avenue wine into the room. Now they greet everyone at the door and love all the attenDanville appetizers, Danville forand appetizers, tasting desserts.wine tion they’re getting. Now they’re chubby pups and mom is gaining weight tasting and desserts. and looks much healthier. Just a month old now, the pups are all males. There are two white and two black pups. The black pups have little white feet. Cris explained that they will be small dogs, probably no more than 10 pounds, and are a mix of chihuahua and “who knows what!” Despite being an “older” mom, April is wonderful with her litter, ensuring that the puppies will be well-adjusted and make great companions for a family. The puppies will be available for adoption in about a month. If you are interested in opening your heart and home to these adorable little boys and/or their mom, please contact Cris at cris@whitekittyfoundation.org. *The White Kitty Foundation (www.whitekittyfoundation.org) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to the care, nurturing, and quality of life of the domestic animals in our community. Through donations and fundraising, the Foundation shelters, rehabilitates, and cares for animals, regardless of condition, to ultimately find them a home where they can flourish.
Showcasing wines from Crooked Vine Winery, Flora
Springs Winery, andfrom Boisset Wine Vine Living presented by Showcasing wines Crooked Winery, Flora Elizabeth Regan. Springs Winery, and BoissetJ.Wine Living presented by Elizabeth J. Regan. There will be a silent auction featuring amazing items donated local artistsfeaturing and businesses. There will be a by silent auction amazing items donated by local artists and businesses. Food provided by area restaurants. Food provided by area restaurants.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting
th th
www.whitekittyfoundation.org Tickets can be purchasedand by clicking visiting on the “Donate” button or by contacting www.whitekittyfoundation.org and clicking on the Cris Tarozzi at (925) 837-2411 “Donate” button or by contacting Cris Tarozzi at (925) 837-2411
Please no guests under the age of 21
Please no guests under the age of 21 *The White Kitty Foundation (www.whitekittyfoundation.org) is a non-profit 501(c) *The White Kitty Foundation (3) organization dedicated to the care, nurturing, and (www.whitekittyfoundation.org) is animals a non-profit 501(c) quality of life of the domestic in our (3) organization dedicated to the and care,fundraising, nurturing, and community. Through donations the qualityshelters, of life ofrehabilitates the domestic animals in our Foundation and cares for animals, community. Through donations andfind fundraising, the regardless of condition, to ultimately them a home Foundation shelters, and cares for animals, whererehabilitates they can flourish. regardless of condition, to ultimately find them a home where they can flourish.
Clip Notes
By Jody Morgan
October is the month when Americans assemble costumes in anticipation of Halloween. Carnival, celebrated prior to Lent in many Catholic cities around the world, also invites donning of disguises. Weeds, however, don’t wait for holidays to impersonate more desirable plants. Much like the Venetians who found concealing their identities so convenient that they wore masks on many occasions throughout the year, many weeds masquerade in all seasons. Chrysanthemum Weed fooled me the first time it began haunting my garden. Emerging near where Chrysanthemums grew the previous year, it was several inches high before the leaves began looking more like its cousin Wormwood. Also known as Mugwort, this versatile vegetativereproducer is a shape changer, sporting different looks as it grows to its full 3-7-foot height. The insignificant flowers do set seed, but clumps sprout most successfully along the rapidly running rhizomes, and every tiny piece of ghostwhite root left in the garden generates a new shoot. Useful in preventing erosion along stream banks, the roots are almost impossible to eradicate once established. Various Mugworts are found throughout the world. Oddly enough, all are associated by local folklore with warding off evil spirits. Native Americans rubbed the leaves of the species indigenous to California (Artemisia douglasiana) on their bodies to keep ghosts away and wore necklaces of the leaves to avoid dreaming about the dead. Smoking the leaves or infusing them in a tea purportedly induced vivid visions. Roman soldiers tucked the leaves of the Old World species (Artemisia vulgaris) into their sandals to treat tired feet. Drinking Mugwort tea was a remedy for stomach pains. Some believe the common name comes from the practice of flavoring beer with Mugwort leaves before hops came into use, thus making the plant essential to imbibing a “mug” of ale. Others, relating “mug” to the Old English “moughte” meaning moth, suggest the plant’s efficacy as an insect repellent is the more likely source of the sobriquet. Nevertheless, rather than finding the leaves repulsive, a few species of native bees actually use the foliage of California Mugwort for nesting material.
Members of the genus Ambrosia look a lot like marigolds as wee seedlings. The leaves become more rounded as the culprits grow. Anyone who suffers from hay fever will wonder how these plants, commonly called Ragweed, came to be named after the mythological food of the gods. Although a few small mammals ingest the bitter foliage, it is generally considered unpalatable. Like most villains, Ragweed has its virtues. Western Ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) is the larval host plant for many types of moth. The seeds sustain songbirds and gamebirds through the winter. Less popular dependents on the seeds are the Prairie Vole and the Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel. Often friends ask me, “What’s the name of that weed that looks like clover?” No one knows precisely where it originated, because it is found almost everywhere across the globe. Called Creeping Woodsorrel or False Shamrock, Oxalis corniculata is capable of producing up to 5,000 seeds per plant. In case no unwitting carrier conveniently offers a furry coat or suitable clothing to capture and transport seeds to a favorable location, these clever clover impersonators can shoot seeds 10 feet from their pods. Roots and stems sprout wherever a node reaches soil. Plants regenerate from broken bits of stem and root. The yellow flowers are not showy, but a mass blooming in a lawn can make its presence conspicuous, and they bloom throughout the year in California. If you wanted to host an Oxalis show displaying every species (not counting varieties, hybrids, cultivars, etc.), you would need space for about 800 specimens. Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) is well known throughout California for grabbing more than its share of space. Tiny bulbils develop along the spreading rhizomes to rise up as new plants. Sometimes invited into gardens because the yellow flowers are attractive, this South African import rapidly evicts less aggressive residents. There is an Oxalis commonly grown as a houseplant, purposely added to pots as a colorful accent and capable of behaving in a socially acceptable manner in the company of other plants. Love Plant (Oxalis triangularis) has heart-shaped purple leaves offsetting rose-pink flowers. A subspecies called Red Velvet Shamrock is particularly useful for cut foliage. Garbed in royal purple, it masquerades as an aristocrat and usually remains enthroned in place in the garden. The poisonous aspect of its personality is only unmasked when ingested. All members of the Oxalis family contain varying percentages of oxalic acid.
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Please Turn off your Smog
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 21
By Cynthia Ruzzi, Sustainable Danville Area
On a beautiful morning, with a lovely temperature of 68 degrees, I arrived at the dry cleaners at the same time as another car. As I turned off my vehicle and collected my garments, I admired a young father and his two young children—who were reading peacefully in the back seat. The father mirrored my actions, gathering his garments before exiting his car, but, he left one step out – he didn’t turn off his vehicle. Instead, this father left his car idling. Idling is when a driver leaves the engine running and yet, the vehicle is parked. Every day in the US millions of cars and trucks idle needlessly, sometimes for hours. Certainly there are times when a driver may not be able to avoid running their car engine, such as when stopped at traffic signal or stuck in slow-moving traffic, but honestly, stepping into a store for five or ten minutes is not one of those unavoidable times. Besides the inexcusable danger of the possibility that one of his precious children might have wandered to the drivers’ seat for any number of reasons and accidently or intentionally thrown the car into gear, endangering their lives and others, this father added to unnecessary air pollution that his family and all of us don’t need. An idling car spews out as much or more unhealthy smog and soot as a moving car. Nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds are the main health-harming pollutants. These pollutants have been linked to asthma, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, and cancer. Unfortunately, children and the elderly, along with those with asthma and other chronic health problem, are especially susceptible to the dangers of car exhaust. Idling cars also emit carbon dioxide (CO2) which is a main heat-trapping gas leading to global warming. Each day, Americans waste approximately 3.8 million gallons of gasoline idling their cars. To offset emissions in our community, we would have to cover the entire land mass of our city each and every year with new trees. Besides polluting our air and wasting gas, idling is also a poor practice for modern automotive engines. Many people have a misconception that idling is beneficial for our car engines, but this outdated habit actually harms the car, our wallets, and the environment.
Four ways to be idle free
Turn off the ignition when you’re waiting for more than 10 seconds. Just idling for 10 seconds wastes more gas than restarting the engine. Car experts share that if you idle longer than 10 seconds, both you and your car engine are better off if you turn your vehicle off and then restart it when ready to move. Warm up your engine by driving it, not by idling. Modern cars require only a few seconds of idling time before they can be driven safely, even in winter. The best way to warm up a car is to ease into your drive and not revving the engine. In fact, the engine warms twice as quickly when driven verses standing still. Warm up your car’s interior by driving. Driving is also the best way to get your car’s heating system to deliver warm air faster. Remember when you sit in an idling car you are breathing in dirty exhaust fumes that leak into the car’s interior cabin. Is the warmth of sitting there worth damage to your health – or the health of your children? Take care of your car engine. Restarting your car frequently is not hard on the engine, nor will it provide undo wear to your battery. The opposite is true: engine idling forces it to operate in a very inefficient and gasoline-rich mode that can degrade the engine’s performance and reduce mileage. By understanding the effects of idling and reducing the times you do so can improve your car’s performance, save you gas money, and most importantly keep the air clean for those we love. Want to learn more about reducing pollution, waste, and preserving our environment? Follow us at www.facebook.com/sustainabledanville or visit us at www.sustainabledanville.com.
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Danville-Alamo Garden Club Meeting
The Danville-Alamo Garden Club (DAGC) meets on the second Thursday of the months between September and June starting at 9:15am at the Alamo Women’s Club, located at 1401 Danville Blvd. in Alamo. At the October 8th meeting, Bill ‘the Bulb Baron’ will join us. Bill Welch is the world’s leading authority on Narcissus, specifically Tazetta Narcissus. Bill spends most of his time working in his fields in the Carmel Valley, growing, picking, and hybridizing Narcissus. His purpose in life is to collect and preserve the old varieties that still exist. His field in the Carmel Valley has the largest collection of Tazetta Narcissus in the world. He uses many of these varieties for pollination to create new types of Narcissus. Bill has bred and named several new varieties, including Avalanche of Gold, Sugar Cups, New Glory, and Liquid Sun. There will be an opportunity to purchase bulbs from Bill at the meeting. If you have any questions, contact Susan at membershipvp@dagc.us.
Walk-About continued from front page
prefer not to walk or are unable to do so. Attendees over 21 wishing to taste wine or beer will be given a wristband, and all paid attendees will have a program and a map for all participating restaurants, retailers, and businesses. You will be invited to attend as many locations as you choose. Retailers and businesses may also offer specials or promotions just for that evening, making the night extra special! Tickets for attendees to this casual, affordable event are available pre-sale for $20 and can be purchased online at www.CommunityFoundationofAlamo. com or at the event for $25. The charge for designated drivers and children is $10 and can be purchased at the event. For day-of-event tickets and to pick up a map go to Alamo Commons located at 3201 Danville Blvd, or Alamo Womens Club located at 1401 Danville Blvd. at the start of the event. Thanks to our amazing sponsors including Alamo Ace Hardware & Garden Center, Oak Tree Plaza, Alamo Commons, and Stone Valley Center. The first Alamo Walk-About promises to be very popular. Mark your calendar and sign up early. All proceeds benefit the Community Foundation of Alamo which sponsors the beautiful, popular, and famous Alamo Tree Lighting which will be held this year on November 22. For more information, call (925) 708-8546 or email info@communityfoundationofalamo.com.
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), Post 75, San Ramon Valley, meets every third Wednesday of the month at the Veterans Memorial Building, located at 400 Hartz Ave., Danville, on the corner at East Prospect Avenue and Hartz Avenue. Doors open at 7PM, and the meeting begins at 7:30PM. The next meeting will be held October 21st. For more information, contact Post Commander Ernie Petagara at (925) 362-9806. Find out more about the VFW and our Post at www.vfwpost75.org.
Page 22 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
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PG&E Dedication of Electric Distribution Grid Control Center
At the PG&E dedication of its new electric grid center Geisha Williams, PG&E President, and Tom Guarino, PG&E Public Relations, presented a boost to the scholarship fund for the Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley. Karen Stepper, Past President of Exchange Club, was thrilled to receive a giant-sized check for $10,000 on behalf of the Club. Karen is accompanied by past essay winner Avery Chapman of Danville who regaled the crowd with her strong rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Thanks to the generosity of PG&E as a major sponsor, the Club has awarded over 75 college scholarships and essay awards to our youth. PG&E also sponsors the college essay scholarship in the spring for 9-12th graders. Students who live within the San Ramon Valley can argue either side of a current topic based upon the Constitution and America’s Founding Documents that Exchange Club installs permanently in our schools and community buildings.
Senator DeSaulnier, Singer Avery Chapman, Danville Vice Mayor Karen Stepper, PG&E President Geisha Williams, PG&E Public Relations Tom Guarino.
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Travelling Smart(phone)
By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO
Some people leave all of their technology at home when they leave on holiday. They park their phone on their dresser, set an ‘out of office’ message on their email, then hit the road! I’m a little different. I bring my smartphone with me, and I use it like crazy. The difference is, I don’t use it for work; I use it as a tool to get the very best from my trip. It’s an amazing resource to have. For example, last month my family travelled to France. My wife and daughter put together a wonderful agenda of sights to see across the country. When we arrived in Paris, we bought new SIM cards for our un-locked smartphones at the local Orange store. (“Orange” to the European is like AT&T or Verizon to us.) The new SIM cards included 2Gb of internet data for 40-Euro, a new local French phone number, and an ample amount of local telephone calls and SMS (text) messages. It’s the internet data that I was looking for. When you run out, data can be re-filled in 1Gb increments for 10-Euro, which is about $11 at current exchange rates. Easy and cheap. Before I go further, let me just say I didn’t read my work email. I’m not interested in ruining my trip by worrying about work. I wanted the internet data so I could use the Maps app on my phone, or to look up restaurants in TripAdvisor or Yelp, or to research an interesting location we were talking about. Twice I used email to receive tickets for an attraction. My phone was our tour-guide, not our ball and chain. Some locations, such as the Louvre in Paris and several of the cathedrals, will sell an app you may download from the AppStore (Android or iPhone) which helps finance their site. The app takes you on a personal walking tour of the site, providing interesting information while guiding you around the building. It’s a great way to get the most from a visit when there isn’t a tour available or if you simply prefer to move at your own pace. After a few days in Paris, we picked up a rental car and drove to Versailles, Etretat, Normandy, Cognac, Bordeaux, Carcassonne, and finally into Beziers. It was over 1,200 miles of driving, and I don’t think we would have fared so well without our smartphones. In days of old, we would have visited AAA and brought home a handful of maps covering our route from Paris to each of our destinations. The AAA Trip Planner would have yellow-highlighted the route, and whomever wasn’t driving would have navigated from this folded up map, trying to decipher the tiny road names and numbers, turns, obstacles and detours. This is how we used to do it in the past. Thankfully, times have changed and “GPS” is a much easier way to navigate! When we rented our car, the man asked if we wanted to use the car’s GPS. Since we already planned on using our smartphones with GPS, and already had the data plans in place, we declined the 13-Euro/day additional charge, as it would have been redundant and added a full 25% onto the daily rental rate. If you’ve ever used the Apple Map, Google Map, Bing Map or MapQuest programs, you know how easy it is to navigate with them. The map apps give you choices of routes to take, direct you around traffic, and tell you exactly when and where to turn, including advanced notice when you’re getting close. When I saw the map my wife had brought just in case we needed a backup, I felt a huge wave of relief that I didn’t have to use it. I think we would have been quite lost, given the number of roads and the byzantine routing required to get through many of these old Roman cities. Navigating a French town is completely different than navigating a US town. I’m sure we would have skipped many side-trips simply because we wouldn’t have been able to figure out how to get to our destinations. Considering my French language skills stop somewhere in the region of “Je m’appelle Evan,” asking for directions would probably not have gone well! There is so much more to tell you, and no space! If you are getting ready to travel abroad, whether for business or pleasure, please come see us. With just a little technical forethought, you can make your trip much more enjoyable. Consult with your friends at Portable CIO through email at info@theportablecio.com or phone, (925) 552-7953. Advertorial
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Energy Matters
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 23
The Burden By Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar
In mid-September, on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, a diverse group of people and industry released a documentary called The Burden which tells the story about America’s dependence on fossil fuels and the implications of that dependence. The United States Military is taking the initiative to lead our nation away from dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels from nations, many of which are not our allies. The mission of the US Military is to protect our nation against all enemies “foreign and domestic.” By developing reliable, renewable, and local fuel sources, the US Military is less likely to be subjected to execute a foreign policy that may put our nation’s service members and domestic security at risk to secure these foreign fuels. Forward thinking: Our military has become the largest purchaser of solar energy and alternative fuels in the world. In our democracy, the military takes orders from the elected civilian government, but the US Military is taking this initiative on its own, without orders, which ultimately contributes to our domestic security through peaceful means. A policy of energy independence can pay the dividend of peace. A trailer for The Burden can be seen at www.Facebook.com/OperationFREE. The future is now: With the imminent expiration of the Renewable Energy Federal Tax Credit on December 31, 2016, the solar PV industry is booming. GoSimpleSolar is booked for the remainder of the calendar year. It would be wise, if you’re considering solar PV, to take the following steps: Do your research now to confirm that solar PV is right for you. Find a high quality installer, and get into their installation queue. At this rate, by May, our installation schedule may very well be booked for the remainder of 2016. No more competition for roof space: Fafco USA, the largest manufacturer of swimming pool heating panels, has partnered with the largest US manufacturer of solar PV products, SolarWorld, to create a “CoolPV” panel. The principle is simple and unique. Cool water pumped from a swimming pool circulates through solar pool heat panels, which are mounted behind solar PV panels, and a heat exchange results. The heat from the solar PV panel on the roof is transferred to the solar thermal panel, allowing the solar PV panel to operate at a lower and more efficient temperature, resulting in greater electric output from the solar PV panel. Conversely, the heat transferred from the solar PV panel is circulated back to the pool, which increases the temperature of the swimming pool. What’s the cost? Unfortunately, it’s more expensive than a traditional solar thermal system, but in contrast, this system qualifies for the Renewable Energy Tax Credit since it’s primarily a PV system with a secondary duty of warming a swimming pool. Because of the lesser total roof space required, solar customers will no longer have to choose between the financial returns solar PV can provide or the luxury returns of a warmer swimming pool; they can have both. Although not known for their abundant sunshine, Germany’s solar output was greater than their nuclear electric output in July. PGE update: About a year ago, PGE lost a lawsuit to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which contended that non-solar ratepayers were bearing greater electric costs than solar ratepayers. PGE lost that lawsuit, and as a result, the current beneficial solar regulations were extended for 20 plus years. These solar rights are transferable with each solar system; if you sell your home, the solar PV system is grandfathered into the solar regulations in place when it was commissioned. Even though PGE resells the excess electricity that is sent to the grid from solar systems, they are still out to get their pound of flesh from solar customers. Solar customers recently received a notification that their minimum monthly PGE charge is increasing from $5 to $10 per month. With well over a quarter million solar projects in California, this additional $5/month will indeed generate revenue for the utilities. Ultimately it’s less than 1/3 of a month of my solar credits, and simply reinforces the decision I made to go solar years ago. The utilities should focus on more policies that make them relevant versus trying to roadblock progress. Mark Becker is the President and business owner of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, CSLB 948715. GoSimpleSolar is one of the very few solar PV installers utilizing both licensed roofers and licensed electricians for installation work, project managed by a solar PV NABCEP professional. For more information visit www.GoSimpleSolar.com. Advertorial
Volunteer with AARP Tax-Aide for 2016 Tax Season
Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers? Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages. Tax-Aide volunteer positions include Tax Counselors who are trained by TaxAide and certified by IRS and Client Facilitators who schedule appointment and assist clients at tax sites. Orientation is in November 2015, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2016. Service is from February through April 15, 2016. If interested, apply online at www.aarp.org/taxvolunteer or call LaVerne Gordon at (925) 726-3199 for additional information and to apply.
To advertise call 925.405.6397
Page 24 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
What is Executive Financial Planning?
Who Benefits and Why Your Executives Need It By Peter Waldron
In conjunction with Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor
In post Sarbanes-Oxley environment, Executive perks have come under the scrutiny of the public eye, causing more companies to look toward offering alternative solutions. While theater tickets and executive dining rooms are becoming less common, financial counseling is among the benefits on the rise in popularity. Given the demographics of those individuals most likely to be in Senior Management level positions, (i.e. baby boomers), this trend will likely continue. To this end, creating an Executive Financial Planning solution will allow you to recruit and retain top talent often hinging on competitive and attractive Executive benefits. Creating a benefit package that is practical and attractive will be particularly important since competition for talent will increase as baby boomers exit the workforce. Eighty-four percent of companies offer financial counseling, making it the most popular corporate perk offered to Executives. Executives that go through the Executive Financial Planning process will… 1. Have an organized and comprehensive integrated Financial Condition Model for planning purposes. They’ll be able to make informed decisions regarding their financial situation and how to best optimize their benefits offered through your company as well as outside of your company. 2. Be able to build a comprehensive financial strategy that truly reflects and embodies their personal goals, values, and life objectives, and develop a process to manage their strategy. 3. Be able to integrate the knowledge learned into their personal investment decisions. 4 Be able to evaluate specific investment objectives in light of their own asset allocation. 5. Obtain strategies for reducing and eliminating capital gains tax for
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highly appreciated assets. 6. Make more informed decisions on retirement planning options and on their age for retirement. 7. Be able to determine how much insurance they really need and how it will change over time. 8. Look at leveraging gifts specifically of company stock or using generation skipping tools to move that stock to the next generation. By offering Executive Financial Planning within your company, your executives will have a clearer picture of their future. They’ll be able to focus more on productivity and growth of your company and focus less on growing their own personal assets. By not unnecessarily meeting with multiple advisors to get the advice that one advisor can provide to them, your Executives will be saving time. Your Executives will feel a relationship of respect from your company because they were offered this unbelievable service of Executive Financial Planning. These benefits, although taxable, are treated as an income element and can be ran through the corporate structure as an executive bonus. Time has become a valuable asset to the modern day Executive. Their career path and growth within the company will become a greater focal point. By having one comprehensive Executive Financial Planner you can consolidate and identify opportunities and gaps in your planning while still adding substantial amounts of value, versus having five advisors doing different things at different times. By having an Executive Planning Team your Executives will feel confident that there is someone quarterbacking their wealth versus having five linemen running around with their heads cut off like chickens. This extra time will provide for more quality time at both work and with family. Please contact Peter Waldron to schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, (925) 659-0383 or peter.waldron@lfg.com. Peter T. Waldron is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offer investment advisory service through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Partners, 3000 Executive Parkway, Ste 400, San Ramon, CA 94583. Insurance offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. This information should not be construed as legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a tax advisor regarding this information as it relates to your personal circumstance. The content of this material was provided to you by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. for its representatives and their clients. California Insurance License #0E47827; CRN201305-2080400 Advertorial
Great California Shake-Out
Around Town Harvest Festival
By Roger Smith
October marks the month when we think of autumn, colorful foliage, and pumpkins! To celebrate the season, the Alamo Farmer’s Market will be hosting a Harvest Festival theme during the month of October. Please join us and your neighbors in experiencing the live music and family oriented activities at the Market. See how our Farmer’s Market has grown over the last year since our start on July 26, 2014, and take a moment to pause and reflect upon the bountiful relationship agriculture provides for us all through healthy food for our meals and our bodies. Our vendors welcome the opportunity to discuss their work and produce with you. The market is open every Sunday from 9AM-2PM. Make us part of your Sunday!
Autos of Alamo
Alamo’s third annual “Autos of Alamo” car show was a success! A big “Thank you to Jim Wadsworth, all of the AIA volunteers, owners that presented their prized autos (and motorcycles) and all of the Alamo residents stopping by to enjoy a great family activity and live music!
Transportation Expenditure Plans
Transportation Expenditure Plans impacting Alamo continue to be discussed by the County at the Transportation Water and Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) at their recent meetings. AIA and others have asked the County to change the wording of a project title to be used in a transportation tax proposal that may be on the ballot in 2016. Alamo residents should be interested in (and possibly concerned about) the ballot language and budget number to be used describing plans because it will designate projects and tax funds, which may or may not be used. More to follow on this in next month’s article. Information will be posted on our website www.AlamoCA.org.
The Great California Shake-Out will occur at 10:15AM on October 15th. More than nine million Californians have already registered on-line; have you? What we do now will determine our quality of life after our next big earthquake. Are you prepared to survive and recover quickly? Participating is a great way for your family or organization to be prepared to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes-wherever you live, work, or travel. Official rescue teams who have been dispatched to the scene of earthquakes and other disasters around the world continue to advocate use of the internationally recognized “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” protocol to protect lives during earthquakes. Learn more at www.shakeout.org/california. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance; how you will contact one another, how you will get back together, and what will you do in different situations? A “Family Emergency Plan” should be part of your preparation. 1) Identify an “out-of-town” contact. It may be easier to make a longdistance call than to call across town. The contact can act as a communication coordinator for your family. 2) Make sure each family member knows the contact number and has a way to contact them by cell phone or prepaid phone card. Don’t forget to program your cell phones with the contact’s number. 3) Teach family members to text messages (if they do not know how to do so already) as the Short Message Service (SMS) used for text messaging is often more reliable in an emergency than the wireless or ground based telephone systems. 4) Subscribe to “Alert Services” that send instant text alerts or emails about bad weather, road closing, and local emergencies (more on this in next month’s article)!
AIA’s 2015 Annual Membership Drive and Report
Alamo is a special community that all of our residents can be justifiably proud to call “Home.” Please visit www.AlamoCA.org for information on AIA, articles of interest to Alamo residents, membership forms, and more.
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Procrastination – Science and Remedy By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law
During the course of my 22 years of practicing law in the estate planning arena, a large percentage of my clients communicate that they: i) are uncomfortable about having procrastinated – some for years and others for decades – in establishing and/or reviewing and updating their estate plans; ii) feel relieved and pleased about having completed the project; and iii) indicate that the process was much easier and less stressful than they expected. Why do people procrastinate and how can one overcome the tendency to procrastinate - both in general and in connection with something as important as estate planning? I read with a keen interest an article in the Wall Street Journal, captioned “Never Procrastinate Again.” Below, I’ll outline some interesting points raised in that article and highlight what I believe to be the key “take aways.” The article states that procrastination is defined by scientists as “the intentional delay of an action despite foreseeable negative future consequences.” The author, Shirley S. Wang, points out that procrastination is not synonymous with laziness nor simply poor time management. We know procrastinators – even chronic ones – whom we would be hard-pressed to label “lazy” or even bad time managers. Most of my clients (and those who live in this community) are widely viewed as successful. It would therefore be logical to think that many of them procrastinate on certain projects because: a) they are perfectionists; b) they are somewhat paralyzed by their desire to do everything perfectly; and c) their associated anxiety causes them to avoid getting started. Interestingly, however, studies indicate that it is not perfectionism or anxiety that prevents people from getting started. The article reflects that procrastinators “often seem unable to see clearly into the future about their choices and behaviors” – a phenomenon she [Dr. Sirois] calls “temporal myopia.” In other words, “[T]heir vision of their future selves is often more abstract and impersonal, and they are less connected emotionally to these future selves.” Understandably, the high levels of stress experienced by procrastinators causes them to shift focus to immediate rather than distant matters. Fascinating studies are being conducted in many countries with therapy and even software being developed for habitual procrastinators. Fortunately, some scientists believe the following represent constructive tools to remedy - break the cycle of - procrastination: 1) Break down the project goal into concrete sub-goals and commit to the exact time you will start to work on the task; 2) “Just get started!” - don’t get overwhelmed by a long list of tasks or intermediate steps that may be required to complete the project; 3) Remind yourself that completing a task now will help you in the future (and putting it off won’t make it more enjoyable); 4) Give yourself a reward for not only completing the whole project, but also for finishing each sub-goal. Examples of the kinds of foreseeable negative future consequences you and your loved ones could suffer by procrastinating about estate planning are tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary probate fees and costs; substantial time and inconvenience in estate administration; unnecessary and stressful court intervention; causing your estate affairs to be open to the public instead of being handled privately; no control over distribution of assets to young adults or beneficiaries with special needs; and court appointment of people authorized to manage your finances, health care and/or minor children whom you would not want to do so.
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 25 On a more positive and constructive note, what tools would the above-referenced studies suggest to help you break the procrastination cycle and thus avoid such negative future consequences? In estate planning, the process is typically broken down into concrete sub-goals or steps: i) contact an experienced estate planning attorney to discuss your situation, obtain a fee quote, and answer your preliminary questions; ii) complete the attorney’s Confidential Client Questionnaire; iii) schedule a meeting to discuss and decide upon key provisions of each estate planning document, with the attorney’s guidance and support; iv) review the documents prepared by your attorney; v) schedule an appointment to discuss and sign the documents, and vi) (assuming you establish a Living Trust) retitle assets into your Trust with the attorney’s instructions and advice. Forgive yourself for procrastinating. Just get started and reward yourself each step of the way! Upon request, I’ll be happy to provide you, on a complimentary basis, any or all of the following: i) an “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) a brochure on alternative methods of holding title to property; iii) an introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group specializing in estate planning, trust administration and probate, real estate, and business taxes. They are located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors. Advertorial
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Alamo Police Statistics
Sheriff David Livingston reported 27 crimes in Alamo during the month of July which included alarm calls, auto/commercial/residential burglary, found property, fraud, grand theft-vehicle, identity theft, lost property, mentally ill commitment, outside assist, patrol request, robbery-armed, suspicious circumstances, and violation of custody/ visiting rights.
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Reported Incidents
Serafix Rd, Residential Burglary: There was a residential burglary in which the responsible stole laptops and a cell phone. The suspect was identified in the burglary, and Sheriff Livingston is currently pursuing an arrest warrant for the suspect. Alamo Plaza, Auto Burglary: In the middle of the day in front of Panera Bread there were two vehicles that had their windows smashed and had personal belongings stolen from the vehicles. The incident occurred in front of several witnesses that called police while the incident occurred. Those responsible did not seem concerned that they were being watched. The unknown suspects fled in a white sedan with paper plates. This is an ongoing investigation. Cross Rd., Residential Burglary: During a residential burglary a washing machine was stolen. Some leads have been generated through the investigation, and they are currently being pursued. Oakraider Dr., Residential Burglary: During a residential burglary a safe was stolen. The scene was processed for evidence. This is currently an ongoing investigation.
Page 26 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
Your Personal Nutritionist
Reasons We Eat When We Are not Hungry By Linda Michaelis RD, MS
We all eat when we are not hungry and often do not realize when it happens. Maybe you graze when you are bored or pass by a bowl of candy or nuts and mindlessly eat them. You may feel sluggish in the afternoon and food calls your name. While this is OK from time to time, too much eating without thinking can derail your weight loss plan. Here are some typical situations:
Emotional Eating
You may indulge in a treat to celebrate or eat to soothe yourself because you are upset. I encourage my clients to track the emotional triggers that cause their eating rollercoaster. Together we work at understanding why it happens.
Because You Are Tired
I can easily tell when my clients eat improperly when they are tired. By looking at their food diary I can see it is full of sweets to pick them up. As I get to know my client I stress the importance of getting a good night sleep and taking naps. When you are tired it is very difficult to know whether you are truly hungry or not. Sleep loss increases impulsivity and stimulates the reward center of your brain, making you prone to eat foods high in calories, sugar, and fat. The body is driven to eat more after a night of poor sleep to compensate for energy expended being awake.
Because it’s a Special Occasion
If you work in a large office or have a big family, it seems like there is always some type of celebration. Remember that celebrations are about getting people together, and the food doesn’t need to be the centerpiece. I love to help my clients devise a food plan to navigate these parties as they happen.
Because the Clock Says So
Do you pull out your lunch or go to lunch when it is your scheduled time? I teach my clients to listen to their body and not eat lunch until they are hungry. Please use the time to take a walk, and then wait for the hunger to come. Your food is always more tasty when you feel hungry.
Are You Getting Up at Night to Pee? By Jeremy Lieb, MD
Night time urination, also called nocturia, is a very common problem as we get older. I’ll start off with an anecdotal patient visit. A few years ago a fellow came to my office for a new patient appointment because he was getting up at night to urinate 4-5 times. After further questioning I determined he drinks four beers every evening. When I told him that my first recommendation was to reduce evening beer intake, he just looked up and said, “Well doc, I guess that I’ll be getting up to pee at night.” I share this story to explain that there is no magic pill to reduce night time urination. The most important information is to determine why someone is getting up too many times and try to reduce risk factors. For example, the most simple and first recommendation is to reduce evening fluid intake. Obviously, less drinking after dinner means less urine production overnight. Always remember to have a glass of water in the morning to start your day so you do not get dehydrated. The next bit of advice is to lower your salt intake. Salt allows the body to retain more fluids, sometimes leading you to feel bloated. This will store water in your body and the water is released when you lay down. Another recommendation is to elevate your legs during the daytime or wear compression stockings or long tight socks. Most fluid is retained in our legs and the above helps to squeeze out fluid during the daytime. If you take several medications it’s helpful to determine which ones can be taken in the morning vs night. For example, taking vitamins or safe medications (such as cholesterol pills) at night may lead to more urine because of the glass of water used to wash down the pills. Talk with your primary care doctor and determine which medications can be taken in the morning to reduce night time fluid intake. Occasionally, I’ll have
www.yourmonthlypaper.com Because Other People are Eating
This can be a difficult time because you want to feel a part of the gang. I encourage people to fill up their plate with some food, move it around on the plate, and throw it away as soon as possible. You always think you are being watched, but this is not true. Grab a beverage for security, get through the event, and feel comfortable when you leave.
Because it is Free or Cheap
Everyone, including myself, loves a deal. But please stop eating just because it is free. If you are hungry at the time and it is healthy food, then it makes sense. When I see people at the store buying day old bakery goods, I cringe and want to tell them to take that money and buy something healthy and yummy.
Because You Cannot Say No to Food Pushers
If you are a people pleaser and find it hard to say no, when someone says, “You really need to try this.” You must kindly say to them, “No thank you,” or, “I am not hungry.” If you must take a piece of cake that the hostess spent hours making, then take a bite and get rid of it gracefully. Also, tell your neighbor when she comes in with fresh baked cookies that you will enjoy them later. Save them for dessert when it fits your food plan.
Because You Suffer from Clean Plate Syndrome
Yes, most of us grew up with orders to clean our plate because there are starving kids in (you name the country). It is unfortunate that we cannot benefit them, but we have to help ourselves by putting less food on our plate. My job is to teach my clients how little food our body needs when they eat the right combination of foods. I am thrilled to have the pleasure of working with clients that do well in the beginning with their personal weight loss journey but just cannot keep the motivation going and get sidetracked by life. It is my job to keep them on track, show them the areas that are preventing success, and give them the steps to finally achieve their weight loss goals. Give yourself the gift of allowing yourself to hire a nutritionist to hold your hand and get you to your goal before the holidays are upon us. NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING CAN BE COVERED BY MEDICAL INSURANCE - Aetna, Hill Physicians, Sutter, Health Net, Blue Cross, Contra Costa Health and other insurances. Please refer to my website www.LindaRD.com for past articles and information about services. Feel free to call me at (925)855-0150 or email lifeweight1@yahoo.com. Advertorial a patient come into my office who is taking a diuretic water pill at night. Obviously, this leads to tons of urine production at night. There is a medication called desmopressin which is commonly used with children to reduce bedwetting. This medication will reduce urine production overnight, but unfortunately the FDA recently voted against approval for the indication of nocturia because it can lead to diluted body salt level. That being said, there are plenty of studies that show in a low dose it can safely be used to reduce nocturia. Dr. Lieb is a Board Certified Urologist with Pacific Urology. Pacific Urology has offices in Walnut Creek, Concord, San Ramon, Brentwood, Livermore, Fremont, and Antioch. For more information, call 925-9377740 or visit www.PacificUrology.com. Advertorial Dumploads OnUs specializes in providing the ultimate junk removal solution. We’ll haul away just about anything - from old household junk to construction and yard waste. The only items we are unable to accept are hazardous • Computers materials. We • Cables make getting rid of your • TVs unwanted junk • Monitors as easy as 925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515 1-2-3; we load, • Servers www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com we sweep, and 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek • Phones then we haul Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed • Printers away. It’s that easy! •Copiers Plus we do it • Fax Machines • Power Supply Units • Discs and Tapes with a smile!
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Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 27
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month By Dr. Barbara Persons
On the three to four days a week that I am in the operating room, my attire is comfortably predictable - scrubs and my favorite pair of clogs. The clogs happen to be pink, and I am often asked, “Why the pink shoes?” I usually respond by simply tugging up my pant leg a bit to reveal the familiar pink ribbon logo used by so many worthy causes that support breast cancer research and education. I don’t think about breast cancer for one month out of the year--I think about it every day. As I have mentioned in previous articles, my breast cancer patients hold a very special place in my heart and in my practice. Like most cancers, early detection is key to a successful outcome in breast cancer patients, and I urge everyone to become educated on breast self-examination and regular mammogram screening. All too often breast cancer is discovered in advanced stages, requiring surgery and breast reconstruction along with radiation and chemotherapy. The physical toll of breast cancer is costly enough, but the emotional toll of losing our breasts can be devastating. Unlike earlier courses of breast cancer treatment in which tissue removal and reconstruction were done in separate surgeries, sometimes months or years apart, breast reconstruction can often be performed in conjunction with a mastectomy. Breast reconstruction surgery can drastically improve a patient’s emotional and mental recovery. In fact, many national studies support immediate reconstruction to preserve the patient’s sense of womanhood. Women who opt for immediate reconstruction can keep their physical form closer to what it was, never wake up without any breast form, and can feel more whole during their recovery. In addition, many patients find that it is easier to face additional cancer treatments including chemotherapy or radiation with their breasts more intact. While not every patient is a candidate for reconstruction at the time of a mastectomy, my personal experience and recent studies agree that first stage reconstruction at the time of mastectomy should be the standard of care in treating this cancer. The patient’s breast cancer team can provide her with the information she needs to make the decision that’s right for her. After an initial breast cancer diagnosis, there is usually an initial consultation with a general surgeon, who will perform the lumpectomy or mastectomy. This surgeon then assembles and coordinates the team of other doctors needed to treat the cancer, including the oncologist, the radiation oncologist, the genetic counselor, the radiologist, and the plastic surgeon. We are very fortunate in the greater East Bay and Bay Areas to have several very talented and caring general surgeons who I regularly team-up with to provide exceptional and leading-edge results for our patients. While the breast reconstruction process is just that, a process that can take three to twelve months and three surgeries to complete (including one major and two minor procedures for implant placement and nipple reconstruction), the patient can should consider this process as early as the timing of the mastectomy. I am so fortunate to be part of the team of people to make a positive impact in my breast cancer patients’ lives by giving back to them something they thought was lost. Through advances and innovations in technique as well as new surgical materials, artful reconstruction of the breast post-mastectomy has become a reality. The theme behind the Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign is education and awareness. Realize that breast cancer affects us all. I encourage you to support the efforts of wonderful organizations like Susan G. Komen or the Avon Foundation. Join me in wearing your pink shoes proudly every day and feel free to contact my office any time with questions or if you have the need for a consultation. Barbara L. Persons, MD is a Board Certified 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 Advertorial drbarb@personsplasticsurgery.com.
Saturday, October 24, 2015 Please join us as we celebrate the annual “Many Faces of Breast Cancer” Come and experience a special event focusing on the unique needs and issues of breast cancer survivors. Join an engaging panel of medical experts as they speak to issues that directly affect over 2.5 million survivors in the US today. The program will provide insights into imaging follow-up, lymph node surgery, lymphedema, latest research, pyscho-social issues and benefits of targeted physical activity. Q & A session to follow the presentation.
Lesher Center for the Arts Stage 3, Knight Theatre 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Saturday, October 24, 2015 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Space is limited. Advanced registration required. Admission, parking and refreshments are free. Parking available in the North Locust Garage, adjacent to the theatre. Please mention you are with The Many Faces of Breast Cancer.
Tiffany Svahn, MD - Moderator Vivian Wing, MD Radiologist Cynthia Grace, Psy.D Clinical Psychologist
Leslie Jerge Certified Pilates Instructor
RSVP: 925-677-5041
Hair Care Professionals and Massage Therapists Needed Hospice of the East Bay provides care to terminally ill patients and their families in their homes or facilities throughout Contra Costa County. Many of our patients benefit greatly from a haircut or hair set or from the gentle and compassionate touch of a massage therapist. Would you be interested in volunteering a few hours a month to provide comfort to our patients? If so, please call the Volunteer Department at Hospice of the East Bay, (925) 887-5678. (License/Massage Certification Required). Hospice East Bay provides compassionate end-of-life care to terminally ill patients, while offering emotional, spiritual, and grief support for the entire family. As a not-for-profit organization, we accept all medically qualified patients, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Since 1977, Hospice East Bay has served over 23,000 patients and their families. Proceeds from our thrift shoppes benefit our patients and their families.
Books for the Homebound
If you or someone you know has a passion for reading and can no longer visit the library, find out more about the Danville Library’s Books for the Homebound program, a free and unique library service. Trained library volunteers check out and deliver books to homebound individuals residing in their own homes or residential care facilities. Contact Sandra Paiva, Volunteer Coordinator, at the Danville Library at (925) 837-4889 for more information.
Page 28 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
MOWSOS continued from front page
ficient government funding for these critical services.” The average MOWSOS participant is 80 years old, lives alone or with a co-dependent spouse, and has one or more chronic health conditions that prevents him/her from preparing or shopping for daily meals. Most live below the Bay Area basic low-income standards, and many must choose between paying for food, medicines, rent or utilities with their meager resources. Volunteer driver Cindy Russey is often the only contact that a client on her route might have during the week. “My clients tend to be homebound and have no caregiver,” says Russey, who sought her MOWSOS position upon her retirement. “Several have become friends and we chat for awhile at meal drop-off; others are more private, but all are appreciate of our service.
“I really do feel that there is nothing more important than taking care of our elders,” continues Russey. “We are all going to eventually be in a situation of being aged, and hopefully a stranger will someday be willing to drop by for me.” MOWSOS is currently in need of volunteer drivers to deliver meals in Antioch, Bay Point, or Pittsburg -- the areas with the greatest need but the most difficult cities to find volunteers. “We would love to inspire Lafayette/ Danville/Alamo civic groups, church ministries, or companies to ‘Adopt A Route’ in those East County cities,” says Shughrou. Routes are typically between 10-15 homes, and delivery is between 10:30-12:30pm, Monday-Friday. In addition, MOWSOS’s Friendly Visitors Program matches isolated seniors with screened volunteers who visit a senior for an hour each week and read, share stories, work on puzzles, take walks together, or other shared interests. There is currently a wait list of seniors seeking friendship. To volunteer, call Carol Louisell at 925-954-8736 or email clouisell@ mowsos.org or visit www.mowsos.org/volunteers/volunteer-form. To sign up for services, call 925-937-8311. MOWSOS Care Managers will complete an over-the-phone evaluation and determine the needed service(s) for the caller.
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Combat Bad Cholesterol with Regular Exercise By Michelle Brown, C.P.T, C.G.T.
Blood cholesterol levels are an important indicator of heart health. High cholesterol (fat in the blood) can cause serious and fatal side effects. Heart disease is one common negative outcome of high total cholesterol, and is the cause of 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States. Knowing the amount of cholesterol that is running through your veins can help you find the motivation you need to explore and implement necessary changes to your lifestyle. If you are over 20 years old, you should be having a lipid panel performed every five years regardless of your known health status. High blood cholesterol is rarely symptomatic until its too late. If you are one of the millions of americans who has been diagnosed with high cholesterol, then now is the time to make dietary changes and implement consistent exercise to avoid health problems that may loom in the not so distant future. All people have three types of bad fat and one good fat in their blood. Bad fats include Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL), and Triglycerides. These are considered non HDL cholesterol. The one good fat, or High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), has the important job of removing the bad fats from the blood and transporting them to the liver for processing. Many Americans have very low HDL count and high Non HDL count, which is why so many of us suffer from heart disease. You’ve heard the term “hardening of the arteries.” When HDL is low, it can not move enough bad fat to the liver. Non HDL cholesterol begins to line arterial walls and turns into a plaque. This causes narrowing of the arteries and blocks blood flow. When the plaque gets thick, it may rupture. A blood clot will form to repair the arterial wall. If the rupture itself does not cause a heart attack, the blood clot is likely to do so. While genetics play a role in blood cholesterol, both bad and good cholesterol are greatly affected by exercise. If you have not worked out in the last six months, start exercising progressively with 20-30 minutes of light to moderate aerobic activity 3-5 days a week, and build up from there. Don’t rush it and jump back into a rigorous program which may cause injury and heart issues. It is best to begin with brisk walking or stationary bike riding, and move on to more rigorous activities like running, basketball, kickboxing or tennis as you feel your aerobic capacity becomes more capable. Always consult your physician before beginning an exercise program, and if you have already been diagnosed with severe coronary artery disease, then you should discuss the possible need for clinically monitored exercise with your doctor. For those of you who exercise regularly but still battle cholesterol, keep it up and do it as often as possible! Triglycerides and HDL levels are those effected most by exercise. Recent studies show that triglyceride levels drop for up to 48 hours post exercise, and HDL levels increase immediately after an exercise bout. This means that if you work out consistently, you are constantly working with lower levels of bad stuff in your blood and higher levels of the good stuff. No medication can do this for you, so it’s time to tie up those sneakers, put up your dukes, and fight for your health with exercise! A heart healthy lifestyle has a bounty of benefits. From feeling better to looking better to living better, heart healthy choices are here for us to make each day in almost every way. Choose wisely what you put in your body and what you do with your body. You only get one life. Take care of it and it will take care of YOU! Michelle Brown is an ACE Certified Medical Exercise Specialist, ACE Certified Group and Personal trainer, 2nd Degree Richard Lee Kung Fu Black Belt Disciple, Level 2 certified TRX Functional Trainer, Certified Trigger Point Rehabilitation Therapist, a board member on the California Health Medical Reserve Corps, blogger, motivational speaker, and owner of Gumsaba Fitness programs. She has been helping clients surpass their goals since 1998. Gumsaba offers outdoor fitness programs, personal, small group and sport specific training. Join Gumsaba for a FREE CLASS. Visit gumsaba.com and click get started to redeem your free week with promo Advertorial code HEARTSMART. www.gumsaba.com.
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Preventing Sports Injuries By Dr. Lisa Hudson
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 29
The key to preventing sports injuries is to choose the right sport for your body type. If you are a few pounds overweight, or are over the age of 25, I don’t recommend running. Swimming or bicycling would be better choices to avoid long-term wear and tear on the joints that can lead to arthritis later. There is a reason championship runners average 5’8 inches and 145 pounds! However, a study done with runners in our area over the age of 55 showed that those without joint pains after running did not have any more arthritis than others of the same age. But those with mechanical abnormalities (that led to pain) had significantly more joint degeneration. Every millimeter of cartilage in the knees counts later! Over-the-counter or custom made orthotics can correct over-pronation which can lead to shin splints, and they help with high arches, which are predisposed to plantar fasciitis. I also recommend to avoid running downhill as there is twice the joint stress! Walking burns 80% of the calories of running, so if you walk 20% more, you will burn the same calories and avoid the injuries common to runners. Female soccer players disproportionately injure their knees be- Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment cause the female pelvis has a wider “Q” (quadriceps angle), aligning Botox Rebuilding Lives the femur (thigh bone) to the knee, predisposing them to tearing the ACL By Dr. Jerome Potozkin ligament. This can be a career-ending injury. Core strengthening can help In 1998, when I started my dermatology pracprevent this injury. It is also important to stretch the structures on the outside tice, a medical practice attorney invited me to a thigh (a foam roller can help with this) and to strengthen the inner thigh luncheon for “The Battered Women’s Alternamuscles to keep the kneecap tracking correctly in its groove. tive.” This organization has since been renamed to Golfers need a strong core to prevent back injuries. Stretching hamstrings “STAND! For Families Free of Violence.” At that before golf helps prevent injury, while stretching afterward increases flexluncheon I heard a woman tell the story of how her ibility for the next time. husband abused her to the point where he threw her Tennis players can prevent elbow injuries by stretching and strengthening out of a car at highway speeds. This was beyond the forearm muscles and (this is controversial) by reducing racquet head size my ability to comprehend. How could someone do something like that? and increasing grip size. Ice, a brace, and some time off when the elbow first The luncheon was a fundraiser, and it was held at a time when in order becomes sore can get you back to play sooner. to start my practice I had just taken out what seemed to be a giant loan to Swimmers and water polo and volleyball players should do intensive prestart my practice which was piled on top of my student loans. I wanted to season, sport-specific strength training of the small muscles of the rotator help but felt like there was little I could do. I looked to the future for a cuff to avoid shoulder injuries. This is especially true for young swimmers time when I could do something to help. as they begin to add more laps. And I also recommend to avoid overhead STAND! provides many services to our community. They offer a 24 lifting – sorry Cross-Fit buffs! The shoulder is not designed to put weights hour crisis line. They help provide services to families to end violence overhead. Just avoiding this motion can prevent the most common shoulder and build safe and strong relationships. Eighty percent of their funds go complaint I see in my office. directly to programs for family violence survivors. Children are supported If you need help with these or other sports injuries, my office offers same to prevent the repeated cycle of those being abused to becoming abusers. day appointments to help evaluate you and get you back to play! Until the recent high profile domestic violence cases reported by NFL Dr. Hudson is a board certified internal medicine physician and owner players, many of us have been unaware how prevalent this is. On October of Danville Sports Medicine and Primary Care, 913 San Ramon Valley 8th STAND! is having their annual rebuilding lives fundraiser luncheon. I Blvd, Suite 186, Danville, CA, 94526. She is accepting new patients. Please would encourage you to give generously. Advertorial call (925) 984-2622. I am grateful to announce that on October 23 rd we are going to Cancer Support Community host another of many “Vanity For Charity” events. On that day we will The following events take place at the Cancer Support Community located only be doing cosmetic injectable treatments such as Botox, Dysport, at 3276 McNutt Avenue in Walnut Creek. Events are free, but registration Restylane, Juvederm, and other injectable fillers. We will be donating is required by calling (925) 933-0107. 100% of the revenue to STAND! For Families Free of Violence. On Cancer Survivorship Conference: A program focusing on the psychosothat Friday you can indulge yourself, guilt free, as you will be supportcial aspects of cancer survivorship. David Spiegel, MD., a pioneer in studying ing a great cause. I would like to thank the many wonderful people the effects of support groups on survivorship and quality of life, will provide who have supported these events in the past as they have been a huge the keynote presentation on how psychosocial support impacts survivorship. success. Please join our community in support of STAND!. I hope to th AM PM Saturday, September 26 from 10 – 2 . Lunch will be provided. Register see you on the 23rd! rd by September 23 . Presented in partnership with John Muir Cancer Institute. Dr. Potozkin is a board certified dermatologist who has been serving Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Group: This series is for those in or the local community since 1993. His fully accredited dermatological just starting treatment. Guest oncology experts present information about and laser facility is located at 600 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite 102 in breast cancer issues. Group support allows for sharing experiences and proDanville. Dr. Potozkin is a fellow member of the ASDS. He is accepting vides tools to assist in coping. Tuesdays, September 8 through December new patients. Please call (925) 838-4900 or visit Potozkin.com for more 22nd from 11AM – 1PM. information. Advertorial
Page 30 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
The Eye Opener
By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D.,Alamo Optometry Legally Blind
I am often asked the question “Am I legally blind?” This question usually comes from my patients who have a large prescription or who are battling an eye disease or medical condition that results is a loss of vision. Thankfully, many people do not meet the definition of legally blind. To clarify this for everyone, I will go over the definition and some of the causes of a patient being defined as legally blind. First, we need the definition. A person can be considered legally blind if they meet one of the two criteria; they do not have to meet both definitions. The first classification is related to vision, and the second is correlated to visual field, or peripheral vision. For the visual acuity definition, a person must see worse than 20/200 in their better seeing eye with their best visual correction in place. Most people who have high prescriptions assume that they meet this definition when they are not wearing glasses or contact lenses. However, it is only related to best-corrected vision, and as long as one eye sees better than 20/200, then they do not meet the criteria. To meet the definition for visual field loss, a person’s peripheral vision must be limited to 20 degrees or less. This is usually referred to as “pinhole vision”; these individuals can only see through a very small area of central vision. Outside of this tiny area these people either have no vision or just sensations of light and dark only. For comparison, the normal person has about 180 degrees of binocular peripheral vision. A normal person’s peripheral vision is not as good as central vision, but they have to ability to see relatively well in a wide range away from the point of fixation.
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A person with this type of decreased vision and/or constricted peripheral vision generally has a congenital condition or suffers from a medical or ocular disease. Trauma can also be a reason, but this is not as common because most accidents tend to affect only one eye; therefore the other eye would maintain good vision. The two most common acquired diseases that could potentially cause a person to lose vision in both eyes are diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. Advanced glaucoma can cause both decreased vision and constricted peripheral vision. Some inherited or congenital issues that cause legal blindness include albinism, malformation of the optic nerves, and retinitis pigmentosa. In the first two conditions, vision is poor from a very early age and does not improve. In retinitis pigmentosa, for the most part, vision and peripheral vision are both normal in childhood. Then in teenage years or early twenties, the rods in the retina start to fail, and this causes the patient to have narrow visual fields and extremely poor night vision. The main reason we have the definition of legal blindness is for people to possibly receive any applicable government disability assistance and for DMV. Depending on the severity of the vision loss and/or peripheral vision loss, a person’s driving is going to be compromised, and the individual will therefore either have a restricted license or not be permitted to have one at all. The main take home message here is to be thankful that many of us do not meet the definition of legal blindness because it relates to best-corrected vision only. For patients that are legally blind, there are many low vision aids that will help enhance any remaining vision to enable that person to accomplish their activities of daily living. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 925-8206622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our website at www.alamooptometry.com, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry. Advertorial
ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe at the close of the Mexican-American War. The Gold Rush brought many of the settlers of the San Ramon Valley over the treacherous Rocky Mountains or across the equally defiantly dangerous seas. Once California entered the union as the 31st state in 1850, land sales by former Mexican owners (such as Jose Marie Amador) adjudicated in United States courts gave the latest San Ramon Valley settlers legal title to their properties. Although Mary Ann Jones first visited the Alamo area in 1847 with her husband John, the couple resided in San Jose for a few years before settling in the San Ramon Valley in 1851. Carmen Curtis, who plays the role of Mary Ann Jones, is often asked about the connection between Mary Ann and Virgie Jones who wrote Around Alamo, a book containing Mary Ann’s diary. “Virgie Jones’s husband was adopted by the Jones family,” Curtis explains, “so he was not a blood relative. Her original diary is archived at UC Berkeley, so I invite visitors to come to the Museum’s library to read the copy as well as to go to UCB and see the original. She dictated this information to her granddaughter in her later years.” Battling over the Sierras in 1846 just ahead of the storm that doomed the Donner party, Mary Ann handled the reins as husband John fell ill. She had two small girls to worry about and a baby on the way. While John pronounced Alamo the most beautiful sight he had ever seen, Mary Ann observed: “There was nothing in sight but nature. Nothing to show that man had been here, except a little mud and stick hut close to where the Alamo bridge is.” James Boone, a direct descendant of Daniel Boone, arrived in Danville in 1865 with his wife Sara and daughters Lina and Cora. Ruth Boone, wife of James’s grandson Travis, recounted highlights from family history shortly after donating Forest Home Farm to the City of San Ramon to honor her husband’s contribution to the success of agriculture in the Valley. The cow brought to feed baby Cora died on the journey. Ruth reported: “Cora was fed from the juice from the rind of bacon. If fat was gonna kill you, maybe already you’d think she would’ve died, but she didn’t. She lived to be 90 and then her sister lived to be 91.” Betty Casey, another tour leader, introduces herself as Rose Lawrence Peters, someone who knew the people interred in Alamo, but is buried elsewhere. “I explain that Charlotte Wood was my teacher,” Betty says. Casey actually did know Charlotte Wood, who sometimes dictated her poetry to Betty. “I love when newcomers to the area come on the tour and get a sense the town has been around for a while,” Casey notes. On the tour, Joan Kurtz personifies Charlotte Wood, while her husband Don plays Charlotte’s father Charles. Charles came to California in 1852 via the Nicaragua route and purchased property in the Sycamore Valley in 1862. Both agreed, “We try to relate to the crowd.” Don explained, “We give more detail when the group is mostly adults. As Charles Wood, the first Worthy Master of the Grange, I talk about the impact of the Grange on bringing the railroad to the Valley and improving education.” The Danville Grange recognized the importance of women in the community immediately granting them full voting membership. Ten of the thirty Charter Members were women. Joan adds, “As Charlotte Wood, when we have mostly children, I tell them about remembering Carmen Curtis portrays Mary Ann Jones
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Natural Relief for Neck Pain:
Discovering the benefits of Class IV Laser Therapy and Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression By Dr. Kristin Moore, DC (Formerly Dr. Kristin Hazleton, DC)
There is nothing worse then getting into your car and trying to turn your head to look behind you, only to realize that your neck no longer rotates that direction. If this sounds like you, you are not alone! Millions of Americans suffer with neck pain every year. Some resort to drugs, surgery, or injections while others chose to go a more holistic approach. At Align Healing Center we strive to utilize the latest technology in order to help our patients to heal naturally without the use of medications or surgery.
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being a four-year-old girl when the 1868 Earthquake turned over all our milk cans and spilled all that lovely cream. Our hired hand would not go up to our third floor to clean up the mess, so my dear Mom did it! The next day she had our baby brother.” As time permits, Joan quotes a portion of one of Charlotte’s poems. Charlotte never married (although one English suitor asked her to return with him to his homeland as his bride). She taught at the Sycamore School for 31 years and participated in the dedication of the Charlotte Wood Middle School named in her honor. The Baldwin ranch occupied the area adjacent to the Charlotte Wood Middle School, including what is now Osage Station Park. Robert (R.O) Baldwin left his Ohio home in 1850 at the age of 22 to make his fortune in the California gold fields. After three years, he turned his attention to agriculture, purchasing land in Danville that he eventually increased to a holding of over one thousand acres. In 1858 he married Mary Cox, the daughter of a neighbor. The couple celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the Grange shortly before he died. Sonya Borlandelli varies her presentation of Mary Cox Baldwin according to the audience on hand. Often she plays off Stan Wharton’s interpretation of R.O. Baldwin, but occasionally she commands the crowd’s attention by herself. Sometimes she reads a brief excerpt from the diary of Robert’s brother written as they traveled to California. “My most memorable moment portraying Mary Cox Baldwin for the Alamo Cemetery Tour,” Borlandelli recalls, “occurred when one of the visitors announced, ‘I am your greatgrandson.’ He was wearing a baseball cap that read ‘Elworthy,’ and he identified himself as Robert Baldwin Elworthy.” Located on the Danville/Alamo border off El Portal, the Alamo Cemetery is administered by the Alamo-Lafayette Cemetery District. Parking is limited, so attendees are advised to arrive 15-20 minutes prior to the tour and carpool if possible. Reservations are not required, however, as a courtesy those coming with a large group should advise the guides by calling the Museum of the San Ramon Valley: 925-837-3750. A $5 donation is respectfully suggested. Costumed interpreters give tours in late October and late April. To schedule a private non-costumed tour, call the Museum (837-3750). To learn more about Valley history, visit the Museum at the corner of Railroad and Prospect Avenues, Danville. Check books including reprints of the pioneers’ diaries available at the Museum’s Gift shop, and/or request permission to use the Museum’s archives.
Do you have a story idea? How about sporting news? Call us at 925.405.6397, or email us at Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.
Alamo Today ~ October 2015 - Page 31 In order to properly manage and treat neck pain naturally, I typically start by getting to the bottom of EXACTLY what is causing the pain so that I can treat it properly. These are the top five causes of neck pain. • Trauma: from a recent or old car accident, sports injury, or other form of impact to the head or neck. • Poor posture: by straining your neck muscles to look at something in front of you (computer screen, book, phone, tablet, etc) you can cause micro-injuries to all of the musculoskeletal structures of your cervical spine. Over time this will begin to compound and create spasm in the neck muscles that create pain. • Improper sleeping position: sleeping on your stomach with your head rotated to either side can cause a large strain on your neck, which can ultimately lead to pain especially in the morning when you first get out of bed. • Disc herniation: can cause an extreme amount of neck pain and can also create a “pinched nerve” sensation where numbness and tingling can begin to travel down into your shoulders, arms, and fingers. • Degenerative conditions: such as excessive wear and tear on joints (otherwise known as arthritis) can also be a major contributor to neck pain. Once I determine the ultimate cause of the neck pain, I can begin to start to treat it. At first, I give at home care instructions specific to your condition and your needs. I will also determine which or both of the following non-invasive pain relief options will be right for you. 1. Class IV K-Laser Therapy - Class IV laser is a form of light therapy that helps to bring more oxygen and nutrients to the site of pain in order to help your muscles and ligaments begin to relax and heal. It also helps to pump away inflammation and edema that can build up around cervical nerve roots or in the soft tissue of the neck. K-laser therapy is very gentle but incredibly effective at treating most causes of neck pain. 2. Cervical Spinal Decompression - Non-Surgical spinal decompression is typically used to treat compressive traumas as well as disc herniation and constrictive postural imbalances. The treatment is specifically designed to distract the cervical vertebrae, take pressure off of the nerve roots, and stretch and release ridged and contracted muscles and ligaments. Both of these treatments are very effective at treating the top five causes of neck pain. If you are curious to find a natural and non-invasive treatment for your neck pain, please call our office at (925) 362-8283. I will offer a 15-minute complimentary consultation to each person that calls and mentions this article in the Alamo Today newspaper. This will give you a chance to come to the office, meet me, and tell me a little bit more about the pain that you have been experiencing. I can then determine if this form of care is right for your condition. I look forward to meeting you soon! To learn more, please visit www.alignhealingcenter.com, call 925-3628283, e-mail drkristinmooredc@gmail.com, or visit our office located at 125-G Railroad Avenue in Danville to schedule your complimentary conAdvertorial sultation today!
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Page 32 - October 2015 ~ Alamo Today
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Alamo Real Estate Market: Fewer Sales, More Inventory, Higher Prices!
As of this writing there are 55 Alamo single family homes listed as active on MLS. This is about an 8% increase in inventory from the previous year. Today, 131 properties are listed as pending and during the last nine months, a total of 122 properties were sold. Last year 66 more properties sold. The average days on market before a sale is completed stands at 27. Alamo remains a seller’s market. We’ve included a bell curve and divided the Alamo Real Estate market into 25%, 50%, and 75% percentiles to give you a better sense of how properties fared at different price points. Of note is that the lowest price points and the middle points closed in 24 and 25 days respectively, while the highest price point homes stood at 34 days on market. Within each of the three groupings you’ll see that average and median price are very close with the greatest difference occurring in the grouping of the most expensive homes. The majority of homes are selling between $1,295,750 and $1,890,000 with the average standing at $1,540,000. This average price is about $89,000 higher than last year’s average price. However, this is about one half of last year’s increase in price. Still, it’s a large rise in the price of Alamo Real Estate in a very short space of time. The attached chart titled “New Properties” suggests that supply, while remaining low, is increasing but only marginally. From January 2015 inventory rose markedly through May and abruptly declined in June, spiked briefly in July, and has been heading downward ever since. While we are seeing the rate of price appreciation slowing significantly from last year, unless we see a much larger increase in the number of new properties hitting the market during the next couple of months, there will most likely be a steady but perhaps somewhat slower rise in prices.
There is an important change occurring in the price mix in Alamo. A total of 30 homes have sold for more than $1,890,000 with an average price of $2,605,892 and median price of $2,592,500. Average price for this group has increased by nearly $400,000 over last year and the median price is up almost $600,000. These are incredible price advances. It may be of consequence to note that the top 75% percentile of home sales declined from 47 last year to 30 this year. That is a 46% decline in unit sales and the slowing of sales for this class of homes may be responsible for the inventory increase. Currently 34 of the 55 Alamo homes for sale are in this category. While they represent a mere 25% of the sold homes they represent 62% of the available inventory. A total of 14 unsold homes are priced at more than $3 million. If the Fed is successful in moving interest rates up beginning sometime this year, as they have suggested, I am confident the Alamo Real Estate market will continue to prosper. We’ll probably see fewer multiple over bids, more negotiation will take place throughout the sales process and it will require more effort in order to attract a buyer. Nancy and I have more than 3,000 email subscribers who receive this article in advance of publication. Sign up on our website or just send me an email and we can add you to the list. I assure you no spam will follow. Web based estimates of your home’s market value are probably wrong. If you would like a multi-dimensional analysis of your home’s current market value, based on years of Alamo market experience, please give me a call 925-989-6086 or send me an email joecombs@thecombsteam.com. For more Alamo and Danville Real Estate articles, please visit our website at www.thecombsteam.com.
Alamo New Construction Views!
Executive Luxury Home
D
SOL
Danville 4 Bedroom
Views of Mt. Diablo from nearly every room. 5 bedrooms, spacious open and bright, estate vineyard, pool and pool house. Priced to sell $3,875,000.
Mt. Diablo views from this casually elegant & completely luxurious Braddock Logan model home. 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath. Priced to sell $1,899,000.
Single Story Coming Soon!
Alamo Single Story Ranch
D
D
SOL
Nicely updated 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath in lovely Danville neighborhood. Community pool and tennis courts. Priced to sell $899,000.
SOL Four bedroom 3694 sq. ft. Single story home with large guest home on 1.5 acres. Great Neighborhood, Amazing Privacy, Views, Pool and Irrigation well. Priced to Sell.
Data presented in this column is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Contra Costa and Alameda MLS service and other quoted sources. Joe Combs, Nancy Combs, The Combs Team, J. Rockcliff and the MLS service do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. DRE #0144125.
4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home on flat half acre. Updated and ready to go. Priced to sell $1,275,000. J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526