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October 2016
Serving Danville
Lazarex Cancer Foundation: Giving Life a Chance By Jody Morgan
A lifeline for individuals who have lost all other hope for survival, Lazarex Cancer Foundation has helped more than 1,650 patients with 147 different types of cancer participate in 900 FDA approved clinical trials. Patients range in age from 4 to 86. They come from 49 states and 14 countries. By identifying appropriate trials and paying otherwise unaffordable travel expenses to and from trial sites across the US, Lazarex has added 280,035 days to the lives of those they have served. The value to future cancer patients of life-saving drugs approved because of their participation is incalculable. “We can’t get tired,” Lazarex Founder Dana Dornsife explains. “We have 400 patients on our active roster counting on us every day.” Dornsife had no idea she would soon be immersed in learning medical jargon when she sent her youngest off to college and sold her business in 2003 – just before her brother-in-law Mike Miller learned he had pancreatic cancer. Dana spent five weeks full-time searching the Internet for a drug that might help him. Clinical trials generally are open only to patients in the final stage of cancer. Mike qualified.
Knitted Knockers By Fran Miller
It was Barbara Demorest’s physician who directed her to a noninvasive aesthetic solution following her double mastectomy in 2011. He asked Demorest, a Washington state resident, if she was a knitter and showed her a photo of a “knitted knocker” with an online link to the pattern. Too frail to undertake the knitting project herself, she asked a dear friend to make a pair for her. The handmade knockers did the job, and were light and comfortable. It was after her first “wearing” that Demorest resolved to make the item readily available to local mastectomy patients, and thus, KnittedKnockers.org was born.
See Knockers continued on page 20
Local Wine By Fran Miller
Wine lovers might agree that Danville resident Chris Chandler has one of the best jobs in the industry. As executive director of the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, it is Chandler’s job to
Danville Mayor Mike Doyle, Pancreatic Cancer Victory Tour cyclist Eric McIntyre and Lazarex Founder Dana Dornsife salute victory over cancer. (Photo by Todd Hillman Media Services)
Mike responded so well to his trial drug that other patients asked what was making him appear so healthy. He referred them to Dana. Her research offered hope that financial considerations quickly dashed. Mike’s family could afford trial-related costs, but other patients in his cancer community had already exhausted their resources. Mike survived long enough to help his sons prepare for their future and his daughter remember her father. Determined that all cancer patients matched with suitable clinical trials should have the monetary means to participate, Dornsife founded Lazarex in 2006. A miraculous confluence of opportunity with altruism provided Lazarex’s first patient with time to be a teen for several happy months. Ian’s symptoms began with pain after running the mile in 8th grade. Possibly he had shin splints or growing pains? X-rays revealed bone cancer. Rounds of chemotherapy undermined his ability to function without diminishing the cancer. Dana didn’t hesitate when Ian’s mother called saying she’d found a promising
Chris Chandler (c), executive director of the Livermore Winegrower’s Association presides over the annual ‘blessing of the grapes’with (l to r) Pastor Steve Wilde, First Presbyterian Church Livermore, Father Mark Wiesner, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Volume VII - Number 12 and Rabbi Larry Milder, Congregation Beth Emek. 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, market the area’s liquid treasures. With Alamo, CA 94507 (925) 405-6397 more than 50 wineries within the 25-mile Fax (925) 406-0547 long, 18-mile wide Livermore Valley
See Lazarex continued on page 21 territory, Chandler is a very busy, and very
Local Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA
ECRWSS
happy, woman. One of the oldest wine regions in California, the Livermore Valley winegrowing belt spans seven cities: San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Sunol, Livermore, the eastern edge of Castro Valley, and Danville. Elegant and accessible
See Wine continued on page 22
Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher editor@ yourmonthlypaper.com The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Danville Today News. Danville Today News is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
Page 2 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Danville Police to Host “Drug Takeback Day”
Danville residents looking to get rid of unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs will have the opportunity to do so on October 22 when the Danville Police Department joins with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to hold a drug disposal event at the Danville Town Offices, 510 La Gonda Way. At the event, officials will accept pills and other solids such as patches and liquids in consumer containers. Illicit drugs, intra-venous solutions, needles, and other sharps will not be accepted. For ease of disposal, participants are asked to place the medications in a sealed bag for drop-off. For the free and anonymous event, citizens can bring their prescription drugs to the Town Offices from 10AM to 2PM and drop off their medications for disposal. “This event encourages residents to get rid of unwanted pharmaceuticals, reducing the possibility of abuse or theft of drugs,” said Danville Police Chief Steve Simpkins. Individuals who cannot attend take-back day are still able to drop off pharmaceuticals, including sharps, in bins at the front desk of the Danville Police Department during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30AM. to 5PM. For more information, contact Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Kan at (925) 314-3707 or mkan@danville.ca.gov.
Alamo-Danville Newcomers Welcome Coffee
Are you new to the area or a long time resident, newly retired, or an empty nester 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. The next new member coffee will be held on October 25th from 10AM to noon. RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com.
AAUW Discussion of Ballot Initiatives
The upcoming election is important not only for the presidential race but also for the large number of local initiatives on the California ballot such as Gender Pay Gap, Family Leave and Paid Sick Days, Campus Sexual Violence, Reproductive Rights, College Affordability, and many more. There are 17 initiatives on the November 8th ballot. To gain a better understanding of these initiatives, please join The American Association of University Women for a free presentation sponsored by the DanvilleAlamo-Walnut Creek and San Ramon branches in association with the League of Women Voters. To gain a better understanding of these issues, please attend the discussion being held on Thursday, October 13th at 7pm at the Shadowhills Cabana Club, 1001 El Capitan Dr., Danville. Please RSVP to ashakiran@gmail.com.
Treats for the Troops
Service group Delta Nu Psi will be collecting “gourmet junk food” to send to our servicemen and women in Afghanistan. Delta Nu Psi will continue sending packages as long as American military members are in the War Zone. Much of the food sent is not normally available to the troops. Collections will be held at CVS in Alamo on Friday, October 7, and at Lunardi’s in Danville on Friday, October 14. Both collections will take place from 11AM to 2PM. Please come to either store and shop for our service personal. For more information, visit www.deltanupsi.org. Please help Delta Nu Psi provide our men and women in the War Zone a touch of home.
Lost Dog!
$50 REWARD
If you find him and your name is drawn!
Danville Dog is Missing He has become lost in this paper!
He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find him.
To be eligible send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address, to: Lost Dog! ~ Danville Today News 3000F Danville Blvd #117 • Alamo, CA 94507
Linda Truong is our winner!
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‘Why I Love Danville’ Photo Contest
Residents of Danville are invited to take part in a photography contest designed to show off what it is that people love about Danville. The Danville Area Chamber of Commerce, in support of the Town of Danville, is launching the ‘Why I Love Danville’ photography contest which will run through October 31. Residents wishing to participate can submit a photo through the Chamber’s Facebook page by selecting the contest tab and selecting a category. Photos can be submitted in four categories: Shop/Dine/Play, Town Events, NEW YEAR • CARPET Parks & Recreation, and Nature & Architecture. NEW FLOORS! Residents will then be encouraged to vote on the • HARDWOOD photos they feel best capture the spirit of the catRUGS egory and exemplify the Town of Danville. Three • CARPET CUSTOM RUGS photos in each of the four categories that receive • HARDWOOD the most votes will be declared the winners and • RUGS LINOLEUM announced during the Lighting of the Old Oak Tree • LINOLEUM TILE event in November. Winners will receive a mobile Danville gift card with value up to $150 and have their photo featured Family Owned Business Since 1989 within a series of collectable postcards developed by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce and 3344 Mt. Diablo Blvd. sold at local business. Further, images will be used Lafayette, CA in future marketing efforts promoting the Danville 925.284.4440 Area Chamber and the Town of Danville. www.LamorindaFloors.com For more information, contact the Danville Area License# 708486 Chamber of Commerce at (925) 837-4400, or visit them on Facebook and like their Danville Area Chamber page.
Commission Applicants Sought
Town recruiting for several commission positions
The Town of Danville is looking for public-minded individuals interested in serving on one of several commissions seeking new members. City Clerk Marie Sunseri said the following commissions are in the process of accepting applications. Heritage Resource Commission – 2 regular vacancies (4-year terms). Positions must be filled by two people who have demonstrated interest, competence or knowledge in the field of history, archaeology or geography. Design Review Board – 2 regular vacancies (one 4-year term; one partial term) Planning Commission – 4 regular vacancies; 1 alternate vacancy (4year terms) Contra Costa County Mosquito and Vector Control District – 1 vacancy (4-year term) Contra Costa County Library Commission – 1 vacancy (2-year term) The deadline to file an application is 4pm Thursday, November 10th. Applicants will be invited to interview with the Town Council on one of the following dates: December 13 – morning or December 20 – evening Commissioners will be appointed at the December 20, 2016 Town Council meeting. Applications are available on the Town website at www.danville.ca.gov. For additional information, contact City Clerk Marie Sunseri at (925) 314-3401 or msunseri@danville.ca.gov.
Danville Library Book Sale
The Friends of the Danville Library (FODL) will host another large book sale at the end of October. Prices on Friday/Saturday for all hardcover books, books on tape, and DVDs is $2, and all paperback books and CDs cost $1. • Friday, October 14: FODL member preview 9 - 10AM; Public hours 10AM - 5PM • Saturday, October 15: Public hours 10AM - 4PM • Sunday, October 16 - $5 Bag Sale: Public hours 12:05PM - 3:45PM
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JARED HIGGINS TEAM Danville Home Sales Danville Home Sales 662 ADOBE DR 694 ADOBE DR 443 ALAMATOS DR 441 ALISAL CT 24 BORMIO CT 35 BORMIO CT 1271 CAMINO TASSAJARA 820 COLUMBINE CT 331 CONWAY DR 853 DOLPHIN DR 865 DOLPHIN DR 881 DOLPHIN DR 954 EL CAJON DR 575 EL CAPITAN DR 326 ELATI CT 155 ESTATES DR 1356 FOUNTAIN SPRINGS CIR 485 FULTON CT 178 LASATA 1005 LEHIGH VALLEY CIR 104 MOLITAS RD 9 OCHO RIOS PL 1083 RIVER ROCK LN 2003 SAINT GEORGE RD 596 SAINT GEORGE RD 121 SAINT JEAN CT 234 SAN REY PL 36 SAN YSIDRO CT 30 SAVONA CT 4 SKY TERRACE 63 SUMMER HILL CT 35 WILEY CT 95 WILLOW DR
ListLP Price $1,160,000 $1,075,000 $1,199,900 $1,249,900 $1,199,000 $1,299,000 $899,000 $999,000 $1,199,000 $1,995,000 $1,650,000 $1,299,000 $999,999 $1,110,000 $1,280,000 $1,450,000 $899,000 $1,000,000 $1,198,000 $1,099,000 $879,000 $1,299,000 $1,085,000 $899,000 $963,000 $925,000 $1,299,000 $1,589,000 $1,495,000 $3,275,000 $865,000 $999,000 $1,399,000
SalesSPPrice $1,160,000 $1,090,000 $1,200,000 $1,218,000 $1,165,000 $1,295,000 $935,000 $980,000 $1,225,000 $1,850,000 $1,615,000 $1,300,000 $1,000,000 $1,110,000 $1,280,000 $1,400,000 $892,000 $1,000,000 $1,175,000 $1,080,000 $867,500 $1,285,000 $1,037,500 $900,000 $982,000 $910,000 $1,260,000 $1,500,000 $1,550,000 $3,000,000 $847,500 $1,055,000 $1,400,000
Sq. Ft. Bed/Bath Bed/Bath le $/Sq $/SqFt DOM DOM SqFt 2344 4/3 $495 7 2344 4/2.5 $465 29 1992 3/2 $602 10 2297 4/3 $530 29 2885 4/2.5 $404 32 3305 5/3 $392 0 1595 3/2 $586 4 2197 4/2.5 $446 26 2308 4/2.5 $531 7 3587 4/2.5 $516 17 3339 5/4 $484 42 2359 3/2.5 $551 5 2088 4/3 $479 15 2281 4/2.5 $487 39 2696 4/3 $475 0 2945 4/3.5 $475 23 2080 4/2.5 $429 28 2226 3/2.5 $449 0 2943 3/3 $399 101 2200 4/2.5 $491 48 1291 3/2 $672 35 2205 4/3 $583 31 2052 3/3.5 $506 7 2137 4/2.5 $421 7 1650 3/2 $595 8 1874 4/2 $486 33 3339 4/3 $377 19 2674 4/2.5 $561 7 3120 5/3 $497 7 4953 5/3.5 $606 125 1932 3/2.5 $439 14 1943 3/2.5 $543 9 3220 4/3 $435 6
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 3
Danville’s Real Estate Expert Danville Today News ~ August 2013 - Page 3
Listings 4515 Crimson Clover Dr., Fairfield 4 Bed/3 Bath 2784 SF Active - $530,000 334 Sugar Hill Way, Oakley 4 Bed/3.5 Bath 2471 Sf Pending - $515,000 4198 Maple Ave, Oakland 3 Bed/2 Bath 1580 SF Sold 9/9/16 - $740,000
Jared Higgins (925) 487-2907
jhiggins@rockcliff.com JaredHiggins.com BRE# 01781054
Danville 94526 home sales per MLS 8/16/16 - 9/16/16. DOM=Days on Market.
Boulevard View
By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor
I think that many of us find that our lives are so busy that it is easy to get in a rut and do the same thing every day, also known as the “lather-rinse-repeat” cycle... wake-up, eat or skip breakfast, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to bed, do it all over again. For those with kids, you probably throw in a few extras such as sports, homework, and extra-curricular activities. In order to expand my horizons and break out of that cycle, I’ve been searching for new and different activities for myself and for my family at home, locally, and while travelling. Even though the “kids” are older and not around much, it is something we can do that brings us together. With these goals in mind, the new adventures begin! Last weekend my daughter and our neighbors participated in a cheese making class put on by a woman in Oakland (www.farmcurious.com). Over two and a half hours we had a whirlwind introduction in how to make bloomy-rinded cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. The hands-on class had us mixing and stirring to form curds and whey, and we left with a basket of curds and guidance to finish the process over the next few weeks. While the Brie is currently in a loosehockeypuck state, we all look forward to the end result and, with more experience, testing, and trials under our belt, recreating and modifying the recipe to come up with our own unique varieties. For years our family has been saying we were going to make homemade rootbeer, and we actually had purchased some rootbeer extract a few years ago
which until now just sat on the shelf. With our commitment to new adventures and armed with some bottles, the extract, five gallons of water, a heap of sugar, and a half teaspoon of yeast, two weeks later we have about 16 bottles of fairly decent rootbeer and are spending evenings enjoying classic rootbeer floats. Sure, we could have just purchased the rootbeer at the grocery store, but going through the process of creating gives us a better understanding of what it takes to make these things and allows us a chance to customize and develop something more unique. A weekend away to Santa Barbara found us at a glassblowing class where in two hours we were able to create a bowl, tumbler, paperweight, or vase. The family-owned business, Santa Barbara Art Glass (sbartglass. com), offered the experience of dipping our wielding rods into the crucible of molten glass, adding color to our piece, shaping our creations, while continuously spinning our “blob,” and blowing life into our items. The results were amazing, and all of us can’t wait to go again. Our local community offers great cooking classes, and there are many gardening and yard classes nearby. Our area is full of adventures from skydiving (which is NOT on my bucket list), to sailing on the Bay, to hiking Mt. Diablo. The internet has many articles on “experiences over things.” Some are saying experiences over things is a trendy millennial fad. However, I think experiences trigger memories that linger and can also bring people together. Some of the classes and experiences bring us back to homesteading, our roots, and introduce us to selfsufficiency or a trade skill. Some experiences are adventures. I have enjoyed dog sledding in Alaska, concerts, hiking, zip lining, geocaching, and next on the list is ocean horseback swimming: an experience as well as one to cross off the bucket list.
Page 4 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
GFWC Danville Women’s Club
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San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society
Kathy Chiverton (from The Thrift Station in the The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society invites you to attend the free OcCrossroads Shopping Center in Danville) will be our tober 18th 10am meeting. The program will be “Newspaper Genealogy Research” guest speaker for our Thursday, October 20th lunch of given by Janice Sellers. the GFWC Danville Women’s Club. Kathy is going to The meeting will be held at the Danville Family History Center, located at 2949 talk to us about what they do with the money they raise and how at Stone Valley Road, Alamo. For more information, visit www.srvgensoc,org. least part of it goes to drug rehabilitation programs in our local high schools. If this is your first visit to our club, there will not be any charge to you. Socializing begins at 11am, followed by lunch at 11:30am. From 10am to 4pm on Saturday, October 1st, the Danville Women’s Club will be assisting at the 9th Annual Tinsel & Treasures event held at the Veterans Memorial Building in Danville. There will be fabulous vendors with a wide assortment of items---especially Christmas and Halloween décor! The entry fee of $5 supports the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area. The Club will hold its’ annual wine-and-appetizer function Friday, October 7th, from 6pm to 8:30pm at our clubhouse located at 242 Linda Mesa Avenue in Danville. We welcome all women curious about joining a terrific club of ladies who are involved in fund-raising for charitable Prominent local architects, designers and landscape organizations, sewing/creating turtles for the Painted Turtle Organizaarchitects will provide free, personalized consultations tion, decorating for events, and working on (or being a model for!) our to discuss your design and renovation plans. annual fashion show at Blackhawk in the spring. Every Monday from 10:30am to noon, and every Tuesday from 10am to 11:30am we have a line dancing class at our clubhouse (242 Linda Mesa Avenue in Danville). The drop-in fee is $3. If you have any questions about the class, please contact Bonnie at normbraga99@hotmail.com. For questions or to sign up for any of the events or activities please contact Karen at (925) 831-9237 or e-mail danvillewc@gmail.com. We look forward to meeting you and encourage you to also visit our website at www.danvillewomensclub.org. The GFWC Danville Women’s Club was organized in 1911. We are members of the GFWC California Federation of Women’s Clubs (CFWC) and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) --one of the world’s largest women’s nondenominational, nonpartisan, international service organizations of volunteer women.
Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley
Are you looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement San Ramon Valley Branch 128. The group has monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. The October speaker will be Gail Murray, Director of the Contra Costa Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) District. Additionally, members have lots of fun participating in a variety of activities such as golf, tennis, bowling, bocce ball, movies, bridge, reading, computers, and much more. Many other activities such as travel, dine outs, excursions, baseball games and holiday parties include spouses, friends, and guests. The next monthly luncheon will be held Wednesday, October 19th at 11AM. A fee of $23 includes luncheon, guest speaker, and a great opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the San Ramon Valley. To reserve a space, please email by Thursday, October 13th to info@SIR128.com. The event will take place at The Bridges Golf Club, 9000 S. Gale Ridge Rd in San Ramon. For more information about this retirement branch and activities, please visit www.SIR128.com.
Volunteer with AARP Tax-Aide
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 appointments and assist clients at tax sites. Orientation is in November 2016, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2017. Service is from February throughApril 15, 2017. If you are interested, apply online at www.aarp.org/taxvolunteer or call LaVerne Gordon at (925) 726-3199 for additional information.
ALAMO Appointments available at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. 3240 Stone Valley Rd W, Alamo
Saturday, October 8th Stephen Elbert, Elbert & Associates Naomie Wert, Interiors
Saturday, October 15th Mark Landolf, Architect Ania Onski-Talwar, Orange Interiors
EVENT IS COMPLIMENTARY
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Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 5
The REALTOR You Work With... Does Make a Difference!
145 Camino Encanto, Danville Represented Buyer
3200 Stone Valley Road, Alamo Represented Buyer
CAROLYN GWYNN Realtor®
| 925.336.7525
carolyn@thegwynngroup.com www.carolyngwynn.com
Carolyn Gwynn
29 Nathan Place, Danville Represented Seller
personifies business acumen and excellence in the
Danville/Alamo real estate market. A consistent top producer, Carolyn’s depth of knowledge, skilled negotiation and large personal and professional network give her clients a distinct advantage when buying or selling residential property. If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, contact Carolyn today!
Mobility Matters
Mobility Matters provides mobility management services in Contra Costa County between public and private transportation providers for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low income individuals. The program is provided at no charge to clients. To learn about receiving assistance or volunteering for the program, call (925) 284-2207 or e-mail office@ mobilitymatterscc.com. Help support programs of Mobility Matters by participating in their annual raffle. Tickets are $25, and you can choose the item you want to try to win which includes an hour flight over the Bay Area and a $100 VISA gift card, a basketball signed by Warriors basketball “Splash Brothers,” a Livermore Bootlegger Adventure for four, a Tahoe getaway, or $1,000 cash. The drawing will be held on September 24, and participants do not need to be present to win. For ticket information, call (925) 284-2207.
The Dark and Light of Prison
“The shock of entering prison was immediate, and I spent the vast majority of my twenty-five months inside recording otherwise mundane events that turned out to be a guide to daily survival,” recounts Mark E. Roseman, author of Derailed: How Being a Lawyer Taught Me to Survive in Prison. What’s life like in prison? How did a successful attorney get so far off the tracks? What has the reentry process been like? Roseman will answer these questions and more when he speaks at the Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville on Tuesday, October 18 at 6:30pm (admission free, call 925735-5700 to reserve seats). He offers a window into prison culture via his fascinating account of his incarceration—what he learned, how he survived, and how he feels about California’s prison system. “Before I went to prison, I could find no one who could tell me what to expect, how to survive. Ultimately prison was like graduate school, and the degree I earned was my life.”
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SAT & SUN ● OCTOBER 22 & 23 ● 10AM-5PM HISTORIC DOWNTOWN DANVILLE
www.danvillefallcraftsfestival.com
Page 6 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Blackhawk Republican Women Present Clayton Mayor, Pete Laurence
The Blackhawk Republican Women present Pete Laurence, Mayor of Clayton and Vietnam War “Green Beret” Veteran, speaking on “The Coming Election, Whether It Be Win, Lose, or Draw.” Tired of the political pundits and their rancor surrounding the upcoming election? Well, take a refreshing break from the nastiness with Pete Laurence. This native northern Californian has served for 16 elected years on the Clayton City Council, three times as mayor. Pete advocates for Vietnam Veterans, patriotism, and freedom, whether it’s talking at high schools and colleges, being the keynote speaker at Memorial Day events, or writing letters and editorials to newspapers, where he usually adds insights and common sense to most political subjects. Having decided to learn more about the world after earning the State Championship in High School Wrestling, Pete hitch-hiked and hopped freight trains through the US., northern Mexico, and Canada for a year. With the Vietnam War heating up while he was living with Indians in the Yukon Territories, he enlisted in 1964, volunteered for Airborne and Special Forces training, and served as a Green Beret in Vietnam on a successful A-team in combat. The event will take place on Thursday, October 13 at the Blackhawk Country Club Grille. Check in with hors d’oeuvre service will begin at 5:30PM, and a meeting with the speaker will begin at 6:15PM. The cost is $25. Everyone is welcome. Please make your reservations by e-mailing or calling Jane Parish at janeparish@sbcglobal.net or (925) 216-6663, then mailing her a check for $25 made payable to “Blackhawk Republican Women” to arrive no later than Monday, October 10th at 366 Jacaranda Drive, Danville, CA 94506-2125.
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Chromatica Sings Innocence, Love, and Heartbreak: Texts by and About Children
Chromatica, a regional chorus recently dubbed “the undiscovered musical jewel of the East Bay,” will perform its “Innocence, Love and Heartbreak” concerts on Saturday, October 29 at Peace Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino Tassajara in Danville; Sunday, October 30 at St. Perpetua Church, 3454 Hamlin Road, Lafayette; and Saturday, November 5 at Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. All concerts begin at 7PM. David Huff, Chromatica’s founding musical director, has assembled a remarkable program of songs that use texts written by or about children. The program reminds us of the joys, sadness, and wonder of childhood at a time when so many of the world’s children are faced with war, famine, and abuse. The pieces range from the humorous to the profound, the elegiac to the tragic – and the musical quality is exceptional. The very popular and accomplished Eric Whitacre gives us the lovely “A Boy and a Girl.” One of America’s foremost choral composers, John Rutter gives us “Five Childhood Lyrics.” Several charming (and actual) Children’s Letters to God ask questions like: “What is it Like in Heaven?” and “What is it Like when you Die?” Billy Joel’s “Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)” is justly famous as a bedtime song to his daughter. Sir John Tavener’s “The Lamb” celebrates this remarkable English composer’s choral writing genius. And the program includes much more – Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven,” written for his young son, killed in a tragic accident, in an arrangement by one of Chromatica’s chorus members, and “Prayer for the Children,” an anthem that comes from war torn Bosnia and says everything about the terrible impact of conflict on children. Says David Huff, “Chromatica has always chosen music that’s different from most community choruses. In this program we highlight the struggles, triumphs, and tragedies of childhood with some truly lovely pieces that are rarely performed. In our fifth year, we continue to reach out to our audience with new and beautiful choral music which it is a privilege to present.” Chromatica was founded in 2011 and now includes 24 men and women singers. It has performed nine prior series of ticketed concerts in the East Bay, attracting large and enthusiastic audiences. Led by David P. Huff, an outstanding director and operatic tenor who has sung both in New York and San Francisco and accompanied by the exceptional pianist Julie Rieth, it seeks to perform challenging pieces at a high level of professionalism. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students, and children 10 and under are admitted free. For tickets and to find out more about Chromatica, visit www. chromaticachorale.org. For a more personal look you can find Chromatica on Facebook. Tickets for all concerts are also available at the door.
Stop by our new office in the Alamo Courtyard 3195 Danville Blvd #4, Alamo
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Caring Hands
Reaching Out to Seniors One at a Time
Life at any age involves challenges, but these intensify as we age. The first concern may be that it becomes too difficult to drive to the doctor, the grocery, or to just get a haircut. Support systems change, neighbors and friends may not help as expected, and loneliness may put a damper on daily routine. Caring Hands volunteers offer friendship which makes an extraordinary difference in the quality of life for many of our seniors. Caring Hands Volunteer Caregivers Program, a collaborative community outreach program between John Muir Health, social service agencies, congregations of various faiths and the community-at-large, creates finely-tuned one-on-one matches. The Caring Hands Program is dedicated to helping aging adults in Contra Costa County remain independent as long as safely possible. Isolation and loneliness shorten lives and may make health problems worse. If making time to volunteer is on your to-do list, consider joining Caring Hands as a caregiver or even as an occasional driver. Enriching matches are created; loving friendships and deep relationships are formed. Care receivers treasure a friendly visit, a walk in the park or other social outing. Reading mail, letter writing, or providing respite care to give a break to a family member are thoughtful services which can make a big difference to a frail or isolated senior. Since so many older adults need transportation to doctor’s appointments or stores, the best volunteer for Caring Hands is someone who is available once a week for 1-3 hours on a weekday, and who can provide transportation. Volunteers receive ongoing education, support and recognition of their efforts. Perhaps you can be that friend who gives a waiting senior hope and help. The next training session in Walnut Creek will be held on Friday, November 18 from 9AM -2:30PM, at the John Muir Health Medical Center. For a volunteer application or for more information about Caring Hands please contact Stacy Appel, Volunteer Coordinator, at (925) 952-2999.
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 7
Role Players Ensemble 2016-2017 Season
Join the Role Players Ensemble for a season of Theatre for Grown Ups as they present entertaining, challenging plays and offer expanded outreach to theatre lovers with master classes on the Art of Acting and staged readings of plays under consideration for next season. • October 28 – November 12: Don’t Drink the Water by Woody Allen brings his signature brand of humor to a motley assortment of characters in this oddball comedy set in cold war Eastern Europe. (Directed by Aaron Murphy) • February 3 – 19, 2017: The Piano Lesson by August Wilson sheds light on an African-American family struggling with identity, values, and choices made throughout their lives. This stirring, soul-searching drama won the 1990 Pulitzer Prize. (Directed by Eric Fraisher Hayes) • April 14 – 30, 2017: Laughing Stock by Charles Morey celebrates all that is loved and all that can go wrong in the making of theatre. Trying to produce Dracula, Hamlet, and Charlie’s Aunt in summer stock repertory becomes a wild mix of sweetness and slapstick. (Directed by Eric Fraisher Hayes) Tickets and information can be found by visiting www.RolePlayersEnsemble. com. All shows will be held at The Village Theatre, 233 Front Street in Danville.
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 Gopher/Mole Removal own homes or residential care facilities. Contact Sandra Paiva, No Poison Volunteer Coordinator, at the Danville Library at (925) 837-4889 for 925-765-4209 more information.
Page 8 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
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Charlotte Wood Middle School By Christopher George, Principal
We hope you have had a good beginning to the school year as we have at Charlotte Wood. We have been hard at work and with the new calendar, it is unbelievable that we are this far into school in only midSeptember! We appreciate everyone in our community weathering the changes in the calendar and adjusting with it. With a month under our belts, we are well into our teaching and learning year and we couldn’t be more excited to work with the incredible students, parents. and staff we have on board. We continue towards our goal of becoming a true professional learning community at Charlotte Wood, one which is focused on student learning and removing all barriers so all students learn to their grade level standards. To that end, we center our discussions at CWMS around the three questions of learning: What do we want kids to know? How do we know when they know it? And, what do we do when they don’t? We often discuss how, in order to achieve our goal for every student, we take on the collective responsibility for student learning and progress. To that end, we have focused much of our beginning of the year energy on looking at where we can help students who begin to struggle within the school day. We have changed the nature of our Advisory period to focus on student access to curriculum, as well as to retain the crucial pieces of schoolwide character curriculum that we need. We are also implementing a lunchtime help program for students to attend when they need that time to either complete work, redo work, or reassess work in case they have not mastered their learning targets yet. Parents and students will soon be receiving information on these programs if they haven’t already. Further than that, we also aim to be a safe and great place for kids to come and learn every day. Our leadership class has been instrumental in beginning of the year activities, including dances, flashmobs in the quad, and other fun student oriented events. Our teachers remain hard at work in keeping their classrooms as safe engaging places where learning is paramount. We are grateful for their everyday work in that area. We look forward to the year ahead with our community, and as always, please let us know of any questions, concerns, or comments you may have.
Meals on Wheels
Seniors in your community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services has been supporting seniors in YOUR neighborhood since 1968. Two of our programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers, and we need your help now more than ever. Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound seniors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925)937-8311.
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San Ramon Valley Christian Academy By Jamie Westgate, Principal
Fall is always an exciting time at SRVCA! Students are eager for the fun of learning, teachers are implementing new lessons, and our Parent Teacher Fellowship is gearing up for events that bring our school family together. One of the unique features of our school is its small, supportive environment. We are truly like a family, and our program reflects that important part of our school. Each fall, we take the entire 7th and 8th grades on a retreat to Younglife’s Woodleaf Camp where our top goals are to grow closer to God and to one another. The experience always builds unforgettable memories and friendships for both students and teachers, and this year was no exception. Many students enjoyed the thrill of landing in a freshwater lake from a 40 foot water slide. Others had the courage to ride on a 50 foot free-fall swing. Whether paddle boarding or rope climbing, playing field games or making crafts, all were bonding experiences that will last a lifetime. We are thankful for local pastor and speaker, Tim Brady who challenged students to “Speak Up” (according to our school theme for the year) in words and actions to share of God’s Truth and love to others. Another fall tradition at our school is the annual Carnival, which took place this year on Sunday, September 25th. The event was open to all members of the community, and we were thrilled to have some visitors! Kids enjoyed the Midway games, inflatables, petting zoo, and arts and crafts; adults enjoyed the jazz music, food trucks, and time of fellowship. Our school’s Parent Teacher Fund generously supports not only financial wishes for our program but also numerous opportunities to grow in community in an effort to support one another through the elementary and junior high years. Our carnival has consistently been a great way to make new friendships and strengthen those already established. We have a wonderful year planned with new academic initiatives that allow us to engage students with effective and engaging curriculum. If you’re ever in the neighborhood, please stop by for a tour. We will be happy to welcome you!
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St. Isidore School
By Maria Ward, Principal
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 9
7 Things You Must Know Before Putting Your Home Up for Sale Danville - A new report has just been released which reveals 7 costly mistakes that most homeowners make when selling their home, and a 9 Step System that can help you sell your home fast and for the most amount of money. This industry report shows clearly how the traditional ways of selling homes have become increasingly less and less effective in today's market. The fact of the matter is that fully three quarters of homesellers don't get what they want for their homes and become disillusioned and - worse - financially disadvantaged when they put their homes on the market. As this report uncovers, most homesellers make 7
deadly mistakes that cost them literally thousands of dollars. The good news is that each and every one of these mistakes is entirely preventable. In answer to this issue, industry insiders have prepared a free special report entitled "The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar". To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1866-265-1682 and enter 2000. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to find out how you can get the most money for your home.
The school year has gotten off to a great start and we are excited! Our new eco-friendly water fountains have been installed, the church is being remodeled, and the renovations at 428 La Gonda Way are almost complete, which will give us more classrooms. We have had fabulous feedback about our new transitional kindergarten program too. Parents often ask what they can do to support their child in school. As I was reading the September edition of Today’s Catholic Teachers magazine, I came across some information in an article by Dr. Patricia M. This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors CalBRE 01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2015 McCormack from www.ParentTeacherSupport.org, and I want to share it with you. I found this information very insightful and What’s Up By Jim Scala useful as a parent, a teacher, and an administrator. Go up Mt. Diablo on October 8th, and plan to be at the lower summit “In addition to providing emotional support to teachers, other crucial “home parking lot by 6:30PM for the Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society’s (MDAS) ways” make a positive difference in the education of children. Parents advance the public observing session. It will be a splendid time to observe a slender education of their children when they provide the following kinds of SUPPORT: crescent moon and the planet Saturn through MDAS members’ scopes. Also Supervise homework. Establish a time, place, and space where the child reports visible that evening will be several spectacular star clusters and the Anfor school work even if he announces that there is no assigned homework on a dromeda Galaxy. Think also about attending MDAS’s stimulating monthly given day. Check over work for completeness and neatness. In the primary grades meetings at the Lindsey Wildlife Museum’s auditorium, located at 1931 First in particular, check also for accuracy and mastery. Ave. in Wanut Creek. On October 25th the doors open at 7PM, and an MDAS Unite with school authority by complying with the particulars in the school member will talk briefly about an aspect of observing followed by a noted handbook and by backing up teacher decisions. astronomer speaking about the possibility of aliens existing. Refreshments Provide honest, respectful feedback to both student and teacher. Inform are included, and the meeting ends at 9PM. teachers about stresses in the child’s life that may impact learning or socialization. If you can’t make Mt Diablo on the eighth, then on October 15th go to where Promote responsibility and maturity in your child through chores, checklists, you will have a clear view of the western horizon. The sun sets at 6:30PM and deadlines, and reasonable standards of performance. at about 7PM, if you look carefully, you can see Venus in the darkening sky. If Organize the household for school success. Provide a box for each child for storyou can’t see it on the 15th, keep trying and by the 31st, Halloween, it should be ing the schoolbag, project, lunch, PE shoes, etc., in readiness for the next day. Establish visible. Remember, when you look west in the evening, you’re looking back habits of adequate sleep that begin with a quiet atmosphere and soft lighting at least at where Earth’s been. Venus is catching up and as it gets closer and passes 20 minutes prior to bedtime and with no electronic media in use during bedtime. Plan Earth, it appears larger and goes through phases like the moon. After you have nourishing meals, school lunch, and snacks that limit sugar intake. Teach personal searched for Venus, look east hygiene skills like teeth brushing and hair care. Determine a time for daily bathing. and the Harvest Moon will Regulate a balanced schedule to include schoolwork, play, extracurricular be rising. Early Americans interests, family time, leisure, and prayer time. Limit TV on school days and limit named it to commemorate extracurricular interests to two per year. harvesting crops. Teach your child to name, claim, and tame personal behavior, in other By the 22nd the moon rises words, to accept ownership for his/her choices by admitting to a choice, accepting close to midnight, so the sky the consequence without shifting blame to others, and apologizing when necessary.” will be dark. Get to a place Father Frank’s Fiesta Dinner is on Saturday, October 1st. We are excited that our away from lights and look for guests from the NPH orphanage, otherwise known as Father Frank’s Kids, are visiting the big dipper somewhat low us again this month. We partner with the parish to host about 11 young people visiting in the northern sky. It looks like from Nicaragua. Father Frank’s Kids is a parish ministry in which we hosts visitors a huge dipper with its handle each year. These young people share a bi-lingual Mass with us and explain their going west; that’s to your left. culture while visiting with our students. We would love for you to share this evening With your eye on the dipper, with us. Please visit http://fatherfrankskids.maestroweb.com for more information. find the two stars at the end, Red Ribbon Week is coming up! During the last week of school this month, and follow them in an imagiour school will participate in Red Ribbon Week. At St. Isidore, we focus on being nary line to the North Star. Then you are looking exactly due north. Return your healthy, making good choices, and striving to always follow Christ. We integrate eyes to the dipper, and follow the handle out to the third star. That’s Alcor and our Gospel Values into Red Ribbon Week, which helps us promote a Christian if it’s dark or you have binoculars, you can see its companion star Mizar. Mizar atmosphere in which students feel valued and safe. We still have a few openings means “Test.” In ancient times people used it to test good vision, and if it couldn’t for the 2016–2017 school year. Please come visit us. We would be happy to give you a tour of our beautiful campus. be seen the person needed vitamin A. Nowadays, carrots are the best source. COMPUTER SERVICES, IT DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION, IT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT
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Blackhawk “First Sunday” Cars & Coffee
Blackhawk Automotive Museum hosts a monthly Cars & Coffee event year round for all car enthusiasts. Held on the “First Sunday” of each month, starting at 8AM and going to 10AM, the Museum welcomes all classic, collector, and special interest car owners and enthusiasts. On Cars & Coffee Sundays the Museum opens an hour earlier, at 9AM, and participating car owners will receive complimentary Museum admission tickets. The Museum is located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville. For more information, visit www.blackhawkmuseum.org/carsncoffee.html, call (925) 736-2280, or email museum@blackhawkmuseum.org.
Page 10 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Monte Vista High School By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal
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I find it completely amazing that the 2015-16 school year is in its sixth week and headed into October. A lot has been happening on the Monte Vista campus since the school year started and we look forward to a ton of activities as we move into the autumn season. Monte Vista’s Back to School Night was held on August 28th and once again, the evening was a great success. I received countless positive comments from parents about the Monte Vista faculty, the positive vibe on the campus, and the success of our many programs. There is quite a bit of research to support the importance of building positive home-to-school relationships and it appears that we have made significant progress. The home-to-school connection has also been evident in increased participation in Monte Vista’s Site Council, Academic Boosters, and PTSA. Our Site Council now includes a full contingent of five teachers, five students, and five parents, who are elected to two year terms. This body is responsible for the development of our Single Plan for Student Achievement as well as providing fiscal oversight for some of our site level funds in order to ensure that expenditures are aligned with our site and district goals. Our Academic Boosters plays a vital role in lowering class sizes and providing additional elective opportunities for Monte Vista’s students. Through their fundraising drives, this parent organization has added an additional 18 sections to our master schedule which is the equivalent of 3.6 teachers. Monte Vista’s PTSA provides support for our students and staff by funding after school tutoring, Every 15 Minutes, and numerous other programs on our campus. If you are interested in joining any of these groups please check our website for future meeting dates and times. Monte Vista’s Faculty has also been busy in the first weeks of school as well. The two early release days held over the first five weeks of school have allowed teacher subject area / grade level teams to spend time planning, calibrating, and analyzing student data in order to identify if all Monte Vista students are making progress towards the essential skills they need to for college and career. There will be further professional development opportunities for our faculty at our district-wide, full day training on September 30th. Western Association of Schools Accreditation is another term we will re-familiar ourselves this year. Every six years, all high schools in California are required to go through an accreditation process where we assess our progress over the past six years, analyze current school-wide data, and develop action plans that will lead our school into the next six-year cycle. There will be several opportunities for students, parents, community, and educators to work together in this process including surveys and focus group work. Keep an eye on your email or visit our website for information as it is made available. The end of September will bring all kinds of events, beginning with Homecoming Week which is set for September 26th – September 30th. As always, this amazing week will conclude with our Friday Homecoming Game against Granada and the Homecoming Dance on Saturday. Monte Vista’s athletic teams and arts programs are all off and running this fall. There are tons of events that are happening over the next few weeks, so check our website at https://mvhs.schoolloop.com/ for the latest on what’s happening on the MV campus.
Stone Valley Middle School By Jon Campopiano, Principal
We were extremely honored to have two Olympic athletes join us for a student assembly during September. Stone Valley alum and gold medal winner Maggie Steffens and water polo legend Mauren O’Toole spoke to our students about their Olympic experiences. Their presentation on goal setting, dreaming big, and the need to preserve was inspirational to our students and staff. Thank you to Maggie and Mo! September also included Back-to-School Night, our first dance, our first clean campus campaign, our first Spirit Day, our first 1-1 lunchtime round robin basketball tournament, our first advisory lessons on character development, our first digital citizenship lesson on being cybersafe, our first PTA parent cybersafe presentation, and the first quarter of middle school for our 6th graders! It has been busy, fast paced, exhilarating, and very rewarding on the Stone Valley Campus with students and staff embracing the learning opportunities presented to them. Thank you to our Education Foundation and PTA for all of your support with additional classroom sections, teacher supplies, and newly purchased and deployed Chromebooks. We couldn’t sustain our success without you! I look forward to seeing all of you Run for Education on October 16th. Please sign up and represent Stone Valley! https:// raceroster.com/events/2016/8439/the-run-for-education. Follow Stone Valley on Twitter @stonevalleyms or via our website at www.stonevalley.schooloop.com.
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Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 11
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San Ramon Valley High School By Ruth Steele, Principal
As you read this we are coming to end of the initial demolition phase at SRVHS. If you have been on campus during August or September then you know that all of the single story wings have been demolished and removed at this point. During September the concrete building pads were being broken up and removed (very noisy!). Now that phase of the work has been completed we are looking forward to some quiet before the ground breaking and construction work begins! I am proud of the way that our staff and students have adapted to the demolition/construction process and adjusted to being out in “portable city.” We have 45 portable classrooms making up more than ½ of our classroom space on campus. Our theme this year is “We’re in it together” and it’s been great to see everyone do their best to support each other while we move forward. Aside from the appearance of campus, the other big change this year was the adoption of our new bell schedule. There was a long process followed in order to design a bell schedule that would best cater to student and staff needs. Some of our biggest challenges on campus are student stress, student access to academic support, and finding the time to provide each student with the specific type of help that they might need. For some students, they just need some time back in order to be able to manage their work load. Others need more time with teachers in order to make sure that they are learning. Our Home Room and Access periods have allowed students to make these decisions for themselves. They can either stay with their Home Room/Access teacher and work quietly on their own work. or, they can go and see a teacher for help or make up work, or they can be directed to attend study sessions with a particular teacher if they are struggling. These opportunities during the school day have given everyone time back at lunchtime and after school to do other things - like eat, relax, socialize, or sleep! Over the first couple of months of school, it has been very clear that the addition of this time has made a huge difference to both staff and students. Staff were big proponents of this change in order to give them the time to work more effectively with students. As everyone gets used to the new systems we are look-
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ing at where the students are going, how they are using the time, and whether there are adjustments that we need to make to improve our systems. It’s been an exciting start to the new school year, and being able to see how the new schedule benefits our students will help us to further improve as the year continues. Follow me on twitter at Principal@SRVHS for updates and news from SRVHS! May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. ~ Nelson Mandela
Los Cerros Middle School By Evan Powell, Principal
Los Cerros Middle School has celebrated some wonderful achievements in the beginning of the school year. We are very pleased with our increase of scores in state testing, we hosted our first STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) evening, and we are thankful for the generous support from our families and community. Students have been thoroughly engaged in new and rich curriculum in all classes. Physical Education classes have started using circuit training to build students’ strength and an understanding for kinesiology. Students in Advanced Tech have begun building robots and are engaged with the module teaching system to enhance their tech capacity. Core is using the Reading and Writing Project to dissect informational text and relay information through writing. The new math curriculum is more engaging, innovating, and collaborative, and students are using “turn and talk” along with reasoning to support their learning. Science has begun doing lab experiments and researching the weight of objects on different planets. In the month of October, Los Cerros will begin the Basket Brigade Food Drive in which we bring our community together to support over 300 families with a Thanksgiving Dinner. We will also have an Evening with Evan on October 20th which will include a special presentation by Teen Esteem to discuss teenage pressures, opportunities to support students, and a discussion of the warning signs that students may need help. For our community members who attended Los Cerros or know someone who attended Los Cerros, we will be planning a 50th year celebration scheduled for May 4th, 2017. We look forward to hosting a fun filled evening and a tour of Los Cerros and the classrooms. More information will come as we near the event.
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Page 12 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
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.
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Contra Costa County Makes it Easy For you to Vote!
By Candace Andersen, Contra Costa County, District 2 Supervisor
Over the next few weeks we can all expect our mailboxes to become stuffed with political mailers, our television and radio airwaves filled with endorsements, and online popup ads advising us of how we should vote. That, combined with one of the most contentious presidential races we’ve seen in years, might discourage some from going to the polls, but I hope that is not the case. Voting is one of our most important opportunities as citizens to express our viewpoints. One of my favorite slogans I saw a few years ago in the town of Waimanalo on O’ahu, Hawaii was “No Vote, No Grumble.” Despite a larger volume of ballot measures and candidates to vote on than in recent years, our staff at the Contra Costa County Elections Division is prepared to run a smooth election. They’re adding new ways to make it more convenient than ever to vote. The Elections Office wants to remind voters that, unlike the complicated primary election in June, you can vote for presidential candidates from any party this time. And while much of the attention is on the race for President, there are many important local issues that have more of an impact on our daily lives on the November ballot. The Elections Office anticipates a higher-than-normal turnout this November. Because of that, they are adding a number of ways that Contra Costa residents can vote early and at their convenience. The Election Division’s goal is to allow you some flexibility when it comes to managing to fit voting into your busy schedule. No more having to rush on Election Day. Once again, the San Ramon Valley, more specifically the San Ramon Community Center on 12501 Alcosta Blvd., will be one of the sites for Contra Costa Elections’ Regional Early Voting program. The Lafayette Library is also one of the Regional Early Voting sites. The program will kick off on October 31st, a week ahead of the November 8th election. All registered Contra Costa voters will be able to vote at any of seven locations around the county. These Regional Early Voting sites will be open from 11AM to 7PM Monday, October 31st through Friday, November 4th, and 8AM to 5PM Saturday, November 5th. In addition to these sites, vote-by-mail voters can continue to drop off their ballots at “CoCo Vote-N-Go” drop-off boxes at all 19 city and town hall buildings and the County Administration building at 651 Pine Street, Martinez. No postage is required. Because of the number of items on the ballot, it’s quite a bit thicker than usual. Postage to mail your vote by mail ballot back this election is $.68. The Elections Office is adding six new drop-off locations, including the Dougherty Station Library in east San Ramon. One more program worth considering is that Elections Office staff members will be at local libraries, senior centers, and farmers markets to collect vote-bymail ballots. Again, no postage is required! The Ballot Express program will be at the Orinda Senior Village, 11AM to 1PM on October 20th and the San Ramon Senior Center from 11:30AM to 1:30PM on November 1st. Your voter information guide should arrive around the end of September, and vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed out during the week of October 10th. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day. For more detailed information or to see if you are registered to vote, visit www.cocovote.us. Voting has become much more convenient than it used to be, so please take the opportunity to vote this November. My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or 925-957-8860. A special thanks to Scott Konopasek and Paul Burgarino of the Contra Costa Elections Office for their contributions to this article.
Do you have a story idea or news to share? Call us at 925.405.6397 or email us at Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 13
Compost Happens
By Cynthia Ruzzi, President Sustainable Danville Area
When you chuck the greasy pizza box, pounds of used paper napkins, chicken bones, or apple peels – where does it go? In too many cases it’s going in your garbage, and ultimately, it winds up in one of our overused landfills. Every year, Americans waste tons of food, making it the number one material taking up landfill space – even more than plastic or paper waste. The cost to us all is that this produces methane gas, a harmful pollutant that contributes to smog and breathing issues. But since 2015, Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk, and Diablo residents have been moving away from their methane addiction to a “Compost Happens” attitude. With the help of RecycleSmart’s residential food scrap program, customers can divert their food waste from landfill to composting locations. To make it simpler to collect food scraps at your home, customers can request a free food scraps pail by calling Republic Services at (925) 685-4711. Each plastic container has a tight sealing lid and handle. You can store the container in your kitchen to collect food waste and soiled paper material, and then empty it weekly into your organics bin – the green cart also used for yard clippings.
Helpful Tips for Recycling Food Scraps at Home
• Still get a paper newspaper? Line the container to help absorb liquids. Dispose the liner with the food scraps, and start fresh the following week. • If you choose to use a bag to line the container, please use compostable ones and not biodegradable bags. Look for “Compostable: BPI-Meets ASTM 6400 Standard” on the label. • Don’t like the smell? Empty scraps into a container and freeze them before emptying them directly your organics bin. It also reduces the messiness of wet food scrap materials. • Yard trimming are a great way to mask any odors in your organics bin – just bury the food scraps under a layer of clippings. • For those members of your household that are too lazy to lift the container lid…I also have a small utensil drying rack (available on Amazon or at your local kitchen supply store) that hooks over the inside rim of my kitchen waste pail and catches apple cores and other snack waste. At the end of the day, I empty this collection into the container under the kitchen sink. • Pizza boxes and other soiled paper products go directly into the organics bin instead of contaminating the recycled paper container. While it might be easier to dump everything into a garbage pail or into the sink disposal, I’m happy to do my part to reduce the 96% of food waste that the EPA estimates is clogging our landfills and contributing to air pollution. The only thing I feel badly about is that I’m stealing nutrients from my garden, so I save autumn leaves for my plants. Autumn leaf drop provides plenty of material to give composting a great start! Composting will transform leaves and other yard waste into a high-quality soil amendment that invigorates my landscaping. It is far more energy efficient to compost yard waste right in our own backyard then carting it off to a landfill. When we compost, we are simply replicating a natural process that is going on all around us. Soils are continually replenished by nutrient-rich dead grasses and leaves as they decompose on their own. Many residents assume it is too much work to do their own composting. Nothing could be further from the truth! Typically composting requires less than 15 minutes of time every two weeks and will yield finished compost in as little as four months. Here is a simple, low-effort method for composting using a compost bin. When building a compost pile, use equal amounts of fresh yard waste (high nitrogen content) and old, dry yard waste (high carbon content). Mix these materials together as they go into your bin, and add water. Once composting has started, the material in your bin will begin to get warm or even hot! This is a positive sign that aerobic decomposition has started. Turn or agitate the composting yard waste once every ten to fourteen days to maintain faster decomposition. The water content should be moist, not wet. Go ahead and add fresh yard waste when needed. After a few months, most of what has been added will look like dark brown, fluffy soil. This indicates that the composting process is done, and the finished compost is ready to be distributed around your yard. For more information on composting, visit RecyleSmart.org/composting. You’ll find great resources, including videos and a list of workshop events. Their next Composting for Busy People will be held Saturday, November 5th 10 -11:30am at Sloat Garden Center. Reservations are required, but participation is free. Call (925) 906-1801 or visit their website. Follow us at www.facebook.com/sustainabledanville.com.
Page 14 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Quick Trips
Lions and Tigers and Meerkats By Linda Summers Pirkle
With five small children in tow, my friend Barb and I made our obligatory trips to the Oakland Zoo when the kids were in preschool. As the children grew older, our visits were less frequent. When the TV show Meerkat Manor aired in 2005, my youngest daughter and I intensified our visits to the zoo. She loved visiting the meerkats. The Animal Planet television series Meerkat Manor, produced by British production company Oxford Scientific Films, follows the “Whiskers” clan of meerkats in the Kalahari Desert, South Africa. “Shakespeare,” the brave little meerkat who carried his sibling to safety and saved his brother from predators, is high drama and still remembered by the fans who enjoyed the program many years ago. To the uninitiated, the meerkat exhibit at the Oakland Zoo is an enclosed mound of dirt with grasses, trees, and small bushes. It is home to a gang of meerkats, members of the mongoose family. They stand up, all twelve inches, survey the surroundings with their pot bellies protruding, then back down they go into their tunnels, scurrying to their next adventure. The very young or those who don’t mind crouching down can peek into the underworld of the meerkats through a glass window viewing station. My daughter now lives in Paris and returned home for the month of August. Her request to visit the Oakland Zoo was a sweet surprise. Since our last visit about five years ago, the East Bay Zoological Society which manages the Zoo has made improvements to the physical assets such as Maddi’s Center for Science Find the meerkat in the picture. Look closely to and Environmental Education, the see the chubby little guy on his way down a tunnel Wayne and Gladys Valley Children’s at the Oakland Zoo meerkat exhibit. Zoo, the new Veterinary Hospital, and other animal exhibits. We read with interest the story of four tiger sisters now living at the zoo. According to the exhibit poster, the cubs Grace, Ginger, Molly, and Millou were part of a traveling animal show where guests could pay twenty dollars to have their photos taken with real tiger cubs. Pulled prematurely, these tigers should have stayed with their mothers through the first two years of their lives. A custody battle between the divorced owners left the four tigers neglected. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) rescued the then 20-month old sisters from their predicament, and in September 2011, thanks to the work of many volunteers and several corporate sponsors, the four gorgeous tigers are now living at the Oakland Zoo. They are beautiful to watch. Exciting things are happening at the zoo. The California Trail, a new feature, will expand the zoo and feature 20 acres of new animal enclosures, an interpretive overlook with views of the San Francisco Bay, a California Interpretive Center, a camping area with platform tents for overnights at the Zoo, and a children’s play and learn center. California native animals in the process of acquisition will include the grey wolf, grizzly bears, mountain lions, jaguar, bison, bald eagles, and a California condor. One of my favorite things about the Oakland Zoo is the neighborhood feel to it which is enhanced by an amazing volunteer squad. Many of the volunteers are seniors who are friendly, patient, and knowledgeable about the exhibits at the zoo. Over the years, I have been enthralled with stories from these volunteers. While resting on a bench during our latest visit, I was able to witness a volunteer in action. A dad and small child were standing next to each other near the elephant exhibit. A petite senior in zoo cap and uniform stood for a while next to the little family. She engaged the dad in a short conversation and then bent down to the darling little girl, pointed to the elephants, and began a short story which clearly delighted the small child. The Oakland Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. California Trail estimated grand opening is summer 2018. Their website is Oaklandzoo.org, and their phone number is (510) 632-9525. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has arranged and led tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. “What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email Coverthemap@gmail.com.
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Wonderful France
By Kelly Neumeister, Alamo World Travel
I’ve been a travel agent for many years, and I admit that I’ve never been one for escorted group travel. I’m independent and like to do my own thing. I had a lot to learn! Taking a Trafalgar guided tour of France was an eye-opening experience. Trafalgar offers tours all over the world, and I had the good fortune to join the “Wonderful France” adventure starting in Paris for nine days winding south through Burgundy, Provence, the French Riviera, and back to Paris by high-speed train. It turns out that a guided tour has many perks, and you get a lot more bang for your buck than I originally thought. When we travel, we want to experience our surroundings, see important sights, and learn something. It’s a tall order, but that is where a guided tour steps in. Our delightful Tour Manager, Carolyn, met us at our first hotel and was with us every day until she bid us adieu in Paris for our departures home. I loved the fact that I didn’t have to plan a thing and didn’t have to worry about driving in a foreign city and trying to find my way to attractions and train stations, etc. Trafalgar and our competent driver took care of getting us from points A to B with no stress to the passengers on the coach. When we had free time and wanted to move about on our own, Carolyn suggested what to see and how to get there, sharing the ins and outs of each destination, including public transportation. We left Paris after two evenings in the City of Lights, heading south to the gastronomic capital of Lyon, a relaxing ride through stunning countryside. I enjoyed Carolyn’s running narrative and history nuggets, taking everything in without having to open a travel guide or lift a finger...except when I needed to take a photo of an abandoned castle on the hillside! Heading south into Provence, we had a pleasant surprise: Carolyn decided to take us on a slight detour to a destination not on our itinerary! Lourmarin is one of the most beautiful villages in France, and Carolyn just happens to call it home. This historic town, nestled amongst vineyards, olive groves, and almond trees, was hosting its famous outdoor market, an experience out of a travel magazine. We visited local shops and galleries along narrow, winding, cobblestoned streets, and had lunch at a quaint outdoor cafe. Dozens of vendors sold jewelry, clothing, vegetables, cheeses... I’m not a shopper, but this was a treat! We even bought cheese, a bottle of wine, and a pocket knife/cork screw for the travels ahead! Next we went to the French Riviera with picturesque hotels, restaurants, and beaches lining the coast with the inland hillsides in the background. Being a lover of all things royal, it was fascinating to visit Monaco, seeing the church where Princess Grace and Prince Rainier were married as well as the royal palace, home of Monegasque royalty. We also strolled past the home Princess Caroline resided in when she is in town. The highlight for many on a Trafalgar Tour is the “Be My Guest” dinner, and as it happens, it was mine as well. We traveled outside of Arles, the historic town that was the home of Vincent Van Gogh, to a converted mill where Poppy Salinger widow of the late Pierre Salinger, and special advisor to President John F. Kennedy and best friend to Bobby Kennedy, lives. We enjoyed a full-course meal, including appetizers and wine, at the museum on the property honoring Pierre, amid the memorabilia from his connection to the Kennedy family and stories that Poppy and her charming son Emmanuel shared. All good things must come to an end. As we took the TGV high-speed train from Avignon back to Paris, we got to use our corkscrew/wine opener that we had purchased in Lourmarin to enjoy wine and cheese aboard before our final night in Paris. I thoroughly enjoyed the comfort, ease, knowledge, and experience that the professionals at Trafalgar provided during this trip. Our fellow travelers from Australia, the Philippines, and parts of the US helped make for a memorable trip to wonderful France! Kelly Neumeister specializes in group travel at Alamo World Travel and has been a travel consultant for 15 years. Her favorite destinations include Hawaii, European historic towns and villages, and trips to visit family in Cleveland, OH! You can reach her at 925-837-8742 ext. 13 or groups@ alamoworld.com. Advertorial Travel with a Group of Friends and Family and You can Travel Free! Call us for details 925-837-8742
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Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 15
Page 16 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Fall Pruning
By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb
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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 510-486TREE (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 ally, American varieties emerged. Several of the oldest heirloom apples are still Clip Notes available to grow. By Jody Morgan Possibly the oldest apple originating in the New World, Roxbury Russet deThe flavor of fresh-pressed cider is as much a part veloped sometime prior to 1649 near Boston in Roxbury, MA. Good for eating of October for me as big stacks of pumpkins. For early fresh as well as cooking and producing cider, it has a greenish-bronze skin with American colonists, however, cider was a dietary staple russet highlights. and not merely a seasonal treat. Europeans of the day Rhode Island Greening sprouted outside a tavern in Green’s End near Newport, believed water to be an unhealthy beverage. Considering Rhode Island in 1650. The green and tan fruit was commercially important up what they did to pollute sources close to their dwellings, until the turn of the 20th century. they were often correct. The only apples native to North High Top Sweet, which goes by a plethora of additional common names, was America are crabapples that produce small, hard, sour developed in the Plymouth Colony sometime during the 1600s. Ripening as early fruit. Seeds and saplings sent from Europe soon established small orchards of as June or July, the super-sweet fruit is golden with a red blush. table apples, but the identity of the first settler to coax an apple tree to bear fruit Although apples may not be all-American, colonists consumed apple pie in in the New World is open to speculation. many forms. In Home Life in Colonial Days, Alice Morse Earle quotes a letter Despite what you might read on internet sources such as Wikipedia, the first written from Delaware by the Swedish parson Dr. Acrelius in 1758: “Apple-pie is apple was definitely not planted by the Reverend William Blackstone (also spelled used through the whole year, and when fresh apples are no longer to be had, dried Blaxton) nine days after the Mayflower landed. The good reverend was still in ones are used. It is the evening meal of children. House-pie, in country places, England at the time and did not arrive in New England until 1623. He came with is made of apples neither peeled nor freed from their cores, and its crust is not the second company that attempted to found a colony at what is now Weymouth, broken if a wagon wheel goes over it.” MA. Like the first, it failed. According to William Bradford’s contemporary acJohn Chapman, nicknamed Johnny Appleseed, was born in Leominster, MA count, the fire that burned much of the settlement was probably deliberately set. in 1774. He did not randomly scatter apple seeds as he traveled, but he did plant Most of Blackmore’s fellow settlers went back to England or on to Virginia, but orchards and set up nurseries that included other fruits, vegetables, and herbs in he is said to have gone north to what became Boston and there planted an apple tree Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. in 1624. His legendary orchard may have come from seeds saved from a shipboard In 1847, Henderson Lewelling (also spelled Luelling) brought his wife and supply of apples. In any case, when the Puritans arrived in 1630, determined to eight children across the Oregon Trail with four wagons, one of which contained purify the Church of England’s sinful excesses, they found Blackmore’s brand of 50-60 varieties of grafted fruit and nut trees ranging in height from under two feet traditional Anglican worship untenable. Blackmore moved south to Rhode Island to over four. Rhode Island Greening was one of the apple varieties he chose to and once again planted apple trees. carry. He established a successful nursery in Oregon, selling trees for $1 to $1.50 While Native American people welcomed the fruit once it was established, each in 1853. Lured to California by the prospect of Gold Rush prospectors eager indigenous pollinators weren’t attracted by the flowers. Honeybees arrived by for fresh fruit, Lewelling settled near Oakland. He named his orchard Fruit Vale. trans-Atlantic transport to the Virginia colony in 1622 and subsequently to New The road leading to it is still called Fruitvale Avenue. England in the 1630s. Native pests including tent caterpillars relished the plantDavid Glass is credited with planting the first apple orchard in the San Ramon ings of trees that had no natural resistance to them. Disease damaged fruit was Valley near Alamo in 1855. still better for making cider and sauce than the tiny, too-tart crabapples. Gradu-
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Life in the Danville Garden
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 17
California Casual By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059
Over the past 20 years, the introduction of drought tolerant, Mediterranean-based plant material has infiltrated main-stream landscape design styles. The days of junipers, oleanders, Monterey pines, ivy, and oh yes, agapanthus are long gone. When I interview my clients, one of the questions I ask is, “What plants do you absolutely hate?” The above list always contains the unmentionable plants of the 60’s drought era. With the uncertainty of winter rains and the word “drought” being discussed, California’s sensitive water issues are forever present in our minds. Our firm has always integrated water-conserving measures into our design styles as a general practice. Recently, the state has mandated new projects with more than 500 sq. ft. of landscape meet WELO (Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance) guidelines. As a result of this requirement, our landscapes are being planted with a much more diverse and water efficient plant palette. Nursery growers are cultivating a broader spectrum of plant species as well as sub-species and cultivars. What that means in common terms is we have a better selection of plants to be creative with that have lower water requirements. These new selections are not only showing up in boutique nurseries like Orchard Nursery in Lafayette, but they are also showing up at warehouse stores. The result is a landscape style that I call “California Casual” which enhances the home environment with color, texture, and fragrance. The overall look is a mix of mildly manicured plants and structure in the background, an open sprawling look in the foreground, and interesting focal points for directed interest. Background planting is so important because it is what shows off the color, texture, and focal interest. Some good water conserving examples of background plantings are Abelia x grandiflora ‘Sherwoodii’, Choisya ternata ‘Aztec Beauty’ – Mexican Orange, and Rhamnus californica ‘Mound San Bruno’- Coffeeberry to name a few.
Creating a focal point of interest is very important to creating landscape style. You’ve seen landscapes that you can’t quite put your finger on why you don’t like it. Well, it’s because what you are seeing is a mix of one of these, and one of those, and two of these, and three of those. Everything is homogeneous which is boring! Create a focal point by bringing your attention to a beautiful multi-trunk tree like Olea europa ‘Swan Hill’ – fruitless olive, Vitex agnus-castus – Chaste Tree, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’ – Ninebark, a gloriously blooming shrub, or a change of texture. And you don’t need just one focal point, turn a corner and there, is another surprise! Make it fun! Now, for what really brings the “California Casual” style together is the color, texture, and fragrance. Use lots of perennials for color, grasses for texture, and shrubs and vines for smelly stuff. Lavender, catmint, germander, hardy geraniums, hellebores, and day lilies add vivid color in an open-sprawling manner when set off by that structured background. Ornamental grasses can add the dramatic texture that will set any landscape apart from the homogeneous one. With a wide selection of Phormiums – New Zealand flax, Carex - sedge, Festuca - fescues, iris and sub-tropical grasses like Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum Dwarf’ – red fountain grass, a planting design can have drama from spring to late winter with arching blades in various color schemes to whimsical movement of the seed heads. Bring on the fragrance! Daphne, lilac, gardenia, Mexican orange, citrus, lavender, and jasmine can delight your senses from winter to fall. Fragrance adds pleasure to your landscape experience. “California Casual” is a much more relaxed landscape style in comparison to the landscapes of the East Coast and Europe, and landscapes of the 50’s and 60’s. While looking beautiful they conserve our precious water resources.
A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Deadhead (clip off the dying flowers) as the blooms begin to fade to encourage plants to produce more flowers. Also, tell your gardener to leave the power hedge trimmers at home. A “California Casual” landscape requires less watering, pruning, fertilizing, and spraying, thus lowering operating costs and use of resources. Gardening Quote of the Month: “If a person cannot love a plant after he has pruned it, then he has either done a poor job or is devoid of emotion.” ~ Liberty Hyde Bailey If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or for design ideas visit www.jm-la.com or www. houzz.com/pro/jmla/john-montgomery-landscape-architects. Advertorial
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Page 18 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Technology Matters
By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO
A few years back I had the privilege of working with a group of professionals in SF at a startup. The company didn’t end up working out, but I made friends and learned many valuable lessons. One of those lessons was, “a lousy plan that’s written down beats a brilliant plan that’s locked away in someone’s head.” In other words, they who document their plan will win the day, and, if you fail to plan, plan to fail. Back then we were building software for an e-commerce website. Software development is a complex task and requires excellent project management. It’s not unlike building houses in that there are interdependent elements that have to be tackled in a certain order for it to work right. The walls can’t be put up until there’s a foundation to bolt them to, and the roof can’t be put on until there are walls to support it. Everything depends on something else that came before it, and it has to happen in order. Imagine a contractor is building a home. They have poured the foundation, the frame is built, and they’ve put on the roof. Now they’re working on building the interior when suddenly the homeowner appears and says, “I want you to add two more bedrooms, move the kitchen to the other side, and we should have ten foot ceilings.” While these changes can probably be accommodated, there are enormous consequences to the project schedule and potentially to the viability of the final product. To the homeowner, it’s just some cosmetic changes they’re excited about; to the builder, it’s a nightmare. At once, the project must stop and the architect must create new drawings to fit everything together. All the other contractors such as electrical, plumbing, painters, and dry-wall must all be rescheduled, and all the permits also have to be re-approved. When all the re-engineering is complete, it’s now a brand-new project; they have to carefully tear down what they’ve already built and begin reconstructing the home with entirely new plans. Changes like this can sometimes turn out great, but they can also end up causing the
home to look like Frankenstein’s bride because it wasn’t built with a cohesive theme from the start. And forget the original timetable. It’s all about project management. For that reason, we use a very strict planning methodology that guides us through your project, ensuring a stage is complete before we move to the next. Doing things in a specific order, we clearly document and communicate the process so everyone involved knows where they stand. Everyone thinks they have the ‘perfect’ project methodology, but they all share the same basic concepts only using different names. Our seven stages are Concept/Charter, Planning, Design, Build, Test, Implement, and Maintain. The key is to move in one direction through the process; there’s no looping backward. Once you finish the Design phase and move into Build, any bright ideas that we come up with for enhancements to the product are automatically put into “Phase II,” which is a new project. Why? Remembering the house analogy above, we want to avoid introducing un-vetted changes into the project design and blowing the schedule we committed to delivering. If we accommodate re-design on the fly, the project’s finish line will keep moving further and further out, and quality will inevitably suffer. Getting back to my point, this is why having a written plan is so important. If everyone agrees to the plan and commits to the deliverables, it’s easier to keep everyone on track if someone gets the urge to make changes after the design is locked down. Now, imagine that you start building your project, but you don’t have a written plan that everyone has agreed upon. What defense do you have when someone begins suggesting large changes that you know have significant implications? None. That’s why having a clear, written plan is critical. My boss used to say, “If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist.” It’s one of my favorite sayings because it’s proven true, over and over. Project management is something we do very well at PCIO. We design, implement and maintain an excellent IT infrastructure for our clients. If you have an upcoming move, technology build-out, or another large scale effort on the horizon, let’s grab coffee and talk about how we could help take the stress off your shoulders. If you’d like to chat, you can reach me at info@pcioit.com, or 925-552-7953. Advertorial
COMPUTER SERVICES: PCs/Macs/Tablets/Smartphones • Upgrades • Maintenance • Networking • Data Recovery • Virus/Malware Removal • Back-up Solutions • Email/ Hosted Exchange IT DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION: IT Strategy Development • IT Infrastructure Assessment • Cloud Services IT INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT: Desktop, Server, & Network Monitoring and Management • Office Move Management • Disaster Preparedness
Technology. Simplified. Serving Bay Area businesses and residents since 2001
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Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 19
Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity since 1973
Since 1973
3191-J Crow Canyon Pl San Ramon Carpets, Hardwood, Laminate & Stone (925) 866-2200 www.MacFloor.com • info@macfloor.com
In Loehmann’s Shopping Center (next to Lucky’s)
Responsible Inheritance Planning By Robert Cucchiaro, Certified Financial Planner
For very successful families, creating a legacy is a challenging goal. This is especially true for blended families and for families with private business interests. The combination of family, money, taxes, and emotions can be too much for some to contemplate, let alone make good decisions around. Faced with this quagmire, all too often matriarchs and patriarchs chose to do nothing in the hopes that deferring any decisions will somehow make these issues disappear. This is where a wealth manager can help. Most of the times when I sit down with a successful family they already have some estate plan in place. But all too often that plan was written 20+ years ago and hasn’t been reviewed since then. There are several problems with having a 20+ year old plan, which include a) Tax laws have changed since then, b) your kids were much younger back then, and c) your net worth has probably grown since then. Last week I met with a family that runs a real estate business in the South Bay, and the three siblings who run the day-to-day operations were in attendance. Their buy-sell agreement is 21 years old and at their respective deaths, it calls for the two surviving siblings to buy out the spouse of the deceased. Twenty-one years ago when their kids were “kids,” this is what they wanted, and their attorney drafted their document in accordance with their wishes…21 years ago. Their attorney hasn’t looked at the document since then, and neither have they. Today their wishes have changed considerably. Should any of them suddenly pass, they want their shares to be owned by their kids, not their siblings. The good news is that their document can be amended to reflect their wishes because they are still alive. However, had one of them died, we would have had a problem on our hands.
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The second big issue that comes up with inheritance planning has to do with ‘how much is too much for someone to inherit.’ Warren Buffet famously said, “A very rich person should leave his kids enough to do anything but not enough to do nothing.” For some of our clients, their kids have done very well in life by their own right and proven to be financially responsible. Adding another $5M+ to their net worth when mom and dad die won’t change a thing. But for others this couldn’t be further from the truth. Perhaps a grandparent set up a trust for their kids, and when they reached a certain age, the income spigot turned on. Now that child is 30 years old and still can’t hold a steady job or pay their bills on time. They are constantly in mom and dad’s wallet, and the last thing their parents want to do is leave behind even more money with no strings attached. Part of our job is to sit down with these folks and help them understand their options. Not all trusts are created equally, and successful families need a customized estate plan that speaks to their exact situation and family members. Finally, passing wealth outright to even the most responsible heirs can have its pitfalls. Over time the inherited assets get commingled, and when a divorce or a lawsuit occurs, those assets create a target for predators. A smarter move is to leave behind these assets in a protected manner and help ensure that the money stays within the family for generations. If your financial advisor or estate planning attorney are not proactively addressing these issues, you should seek a second opinion. Our firm has been helping successful Bay Area families for over 30 years. To set up a confidential discussion, send me an email at rob@swrpteam. com or give us a call at (925) 927-1900. Robert Cucchiaro is a Certified Financial Planner. He is a Partner and owner of Summit Wealth & Retirement, a financial planning firm that has been serving business owners in Danville for almost 30 years. Rob specializes in retirement, investment, tax, and estate planning. www.summitwealthandretirement. com. Advertorial
Page 20 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
When Should You Have “The Talk” With Your Children? By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.
Clients frequently ask: “When should we talk to our children about our estate plan?” or “Should we give our kids a copy of our documents?” Of course, each person and each family is different, and no universally correct answers to these questions exist. Many factors should be weighed when considering whether to discuss these matters with your loved ones and whether to let them see your estate planning documents. These factors may include, among many others: whether you have a blended family, the age and maturity of your children, whether or not you are treating them equally in your Will and/or Living Trust, whether one but not all of your children are nominated to serve as the Executor and/or Successor Trustee, how large your estate is, whether any beneficiaries other than children (individuals and/or charities) will receive a portion of the assets, and how likely you are to make material changes in the future. Your family might benefit in many ways by discussing your estate plan, but in this article, my focus is on just one - before you’re gone, your children will at least know what you’re planning and why (even if they don’t agree with it). If you have a conventional plan (and particularly if you have a non-blended family) under which your Trust or Will provides essentially that all children will receive equally, the need to communicate may not be compelling. However, even then, unless the children know what you’ve done, the opportunity to engage in potentially helpful discussion is limited. You should give greater consideration to communicating with your children about estate planning matters when your documents depart from the norm in any significant way (particularly as to key asset distribution and trust/estate management provisions) or when you have a blended family. Often, these situations merit talking with your children candidly about your decisions as soon as you feel it’s appropriate. Sometimes, it’s helpful for your estate planning attorney to
Knockers continued from front page
Demorest’s initial goal was to provide free and accessible knitted knockers to anyone who needed them in her county. Over the past five years, her efforts have expanded worldwide to include a network of volunteer knitters and crocheters – such as East Bay resident Kara Riley-Paull – who make and supply their handiwork for free. Riley-Paull started volunteering after seeing a KnittedKnocker.org advertisement in an online knitting magazine. “I thought, WOW, this would be the perfect group for me because I work extensively with breast cancer patients, AND I knit and crochet,” says Riley-Paull. “The idea of a soft washable prosthesis made complete sense to me. I immediately began making the knockers myself and started giving them to the patients who wanted them.” Soon she was organizing knitted knocker efforts throughout Northern California, and now the organization has several sub-groups throughout the Bay Area. A Sacramento branch is also now forming. “All the branches work together to help each other,” says Riley-Paull. “While we are not a formal group, we are definitely a community. Volunteers may make the knockers on their own time and some volunteers make several knockers and send them in all at once. Some prefer to make them to order as the requests come in. There is no minimum number or upper limit to how many can be made, and there is no obligatory time commitment.” Due to swelling and tenderness, most mastectomy patients have to wait at least six weeks after surgery for a permanent, custom-made prostheses. The knitted (or crocheted) knockers are soft enough and comfortable enough to be worn right away after surgery, and some women even prefer to use them long term. Knitted Knockers are made of non-wool, machine washable and dryable yarn, and are filled with PolyFiberFil. (Clear, well-written patterns and videos for double pointed needles, circular needles, straight needles, knitting looms, or crochet hooks can be found on the KnittedKnockers.org site). Sizing can be customized by adding or subtracting the filling through an opening at the back. They can be worn with any regular bra, sports bra, mastectomy bra, or post-op camisole, and depending on the type of bra, they can also be lightly sewn into the bra for added comfort.
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facilitate or be involved in such discussions. Even when you have a non-blended family, or your Will or Trust is pretty conventional, communication can be helpful. Perhaps, you have (or you should have but have not) carved out certain tangible gifts or real property or closely held business interests for one or more specific children. Maybe, you’ve chosen one child ahead of others to play a key role in the administration of your trust or estate. One or more such “small” matters may be perceived as a very big deal to certain children or other loved ones. Your reaction so far may be that these are your assets, it’s your estate, and you can choose to do whatever you want (whether or not such decisions are, or appear to be, objectively reasonable or fair to your children)! If so, I’d say I couldn’t agree more. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t deceive yourself that your children will see things this way -- in fact, they may take great umbrage upon learning what you’ve decided. Their reaction may result in friction among the children or resentment of one or more of the siblings who is viewed as being “favored,” and this friction can tragically damage or destroy familial relationships. Query: might it be better to communicate about such potentially sensitive things during your lifetime rather than leaving your children with no explanation, leading to anger and/or guilt when you’re gone? Even if one or more of your children believe your decision is unfair, or disappointing, or illogical, at least they’ll know what to expect and have some basis for understanding why you made your decisions. Naturally, you should not expect discussion about these issues to be absolutely comfortable or stress-free but, deciding when to “have the talk” and what to reveal and discuss with the children is not a subject to be taken lightly or ignored. * Estate Planning * Trust Administration & Probate * Real Estate * Business Please contact the author to request a complimentary: i) “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) Real Estate titling brochure; iii) introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group which is located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com. This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors. Advertorial
“We would absolutely love it if all knitters and crocheters could help out by making these knockers,” continues Riley-Paull. “We have a steady demand for them in all sizes. Finished knockers can be dropped off at FashionKnit yarn store in Walnut Creek (1876 Ygnacio Valley Road). FashionKnit has been extremely generous to us and hosts an afternoon knocker-making group sessions on the first Saturday of every month. We also accept monetary donations which are used for postage. All knockers are provided free of charge to those in need of them.” “One of my greatest joys is getting a call from a doctor requesting more knockers,” says Demorest. “One nurse said to me, ‘I sure wish you could be there when we have a woman who is dejected, wondering what they are going to do, and we bring out the bag of knockers. They always bring a smile to their face at a difficult time, and sometimes they bring tears.’ I don’t need to be there to see it. I know, because I was one of them.” For more information, please visit www.knittedknockers.org.
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Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 21
The Eye Opener
Halloween By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry
Fall is now here, and Halloween is just around the corner. It is during this time of the year that kids start thinking about their costumes for Halloween. Depending on your child’s age and costume, some decide that colored and/or specialty contacts are to be a part of their disguise. However, it is very important to understand that contact lenses which are not fit and prescribed by a doctor can be potentially visually threatening due to poor contact lens care, a corneal infection, and other adverse conditions. As mandated by federal law, contact lenses are medical devices that need to be properly fit and assessed by an eye care professional. All lenses do not fit and breathe the same. In addition, just because you are currently wearing a particular type of lens, that does not mean that you can just wear and order any type of specialty lens. If the lens does not fit and wear properly, there can be a lot of potential damage to the eye. Conditions such as a corneal ulcer are very painful, cause light sensitivity, and cause the eye to become very red and teary. Granted an infection like this can happen to anyone wearing contacts regardless of care, hygiene, and sleeping with the lenses on; however, when the lens is not fitting properly, the likelihood of a bad outcome increases. The other issue with specialty contacts is that if the patient is not familiar with proper care and handling, insertion and removal, and proper disinfection of the lenses, a mishap is more likely to occur. In addition to the above reasons, purchasing lenses from an outside vendor without proper prescription verification is against the law (this is also true for your normal everyday contact lenses). Depending on the vendor, the specifications, material, quality, and sterility cannot be verified. Most of the brand name and mass-produced lenses purchased through a reputable office or vendor are usually not a problem. It is the smaller and/ or foreign companies that produce these specialty lenses for Halloween that can be an issue. To help ensure proper fit and vision with your cosmetic contacts, these lenses need to be fit by an eye care professional. It is pretty rare that we see complications from contact lens wear because our patients are educated about proper contact lens care. However, it is in times of non-compliance including sleeping with the lenses on and poorly fit lenses that these consequences arise. It is our hope that those who choose to wear these specialty contacts for Halloween do it the correct way and are able to add to their costume without any visual compromises. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 820-6622, or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our website at www.alamooptometry.com, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry. Advertorial
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Lazarex continued from front page
clinical trial, but she needed $20,000. Dana said, “Make the commitment to the doctor, and I will find a way to raise the money.” The next morning friends who had been watching a program on childhood cancer called Dana asking if she knew a child they could help. Two days later Dana received their $20,000 check. Ian rebounded long enough to achieve his cherished goal of becoming an Eagle Scout. Occasionally courageous combat culminates in complete victory. Diagnosed at age 12 with Giant Cell Tumor of the Cervical Spine, Brittani underwent multiple unsuccessful surgeries and chemotherapy treatments. Thanks to Lazarex funding she was able to participate in a clinical trial requiring regular travel from her Sacramento home to Los Angeles. Barely able to walk or hold objects in 2010, Brittani began her freshman year in college in 2015. The drug she helped trial has received FDA approval. Karen Ambrogi, Lazarex Communications Manager, notes; Ian, Lazarex's first patient, gained 9 months of “48% of clinical trials fail to meet teenage living and accomplished his goal of being their completion targets due to an Eagle Scout. (photo courtesy of Lazarex) lack of enrollment. Yet only 6% of eligible patients overcome the obstacles to clinical trial enrollment.” For researchers, lack of timely participation is the death knell to years of work. Without the completion of this final step in FDA approval, many promising cancer drugs are abandoned. “Lazarex, “Ambrogi explains, “addresses key barriers to patient enrollment in clinical trials: 1) Lack of knowledge about trials as a treatment option, 2) Lack of funds to afford the costs of trial participation – such as travel, lodging, and diagnostics, and 3) Support network interruption. Patients are reluctant or unable to travel alone, so we cover the travel expense of companions to accompany them.” Full-time Lazarex volunteer for over five years, Carol Meyer remarks, “I always say that Lazarex is in the business of giving time. At Lazarex, we are always trying to give the people we help more time: to meet a new grandchild, to graduate from high school, to marry the love of their life, to see spring one more time.” Praising co-workers, she says, “Everyone at Lazarex is strong-willed. They are smart people with big hearts. They are working there because they believe in what they are doing.” Carol chooses to remain a volunteer “because I like to think that whatever my salary would have been is going directly to patients.” Jackson Meyer, Carol’s son, interned at Lazarex this summer. “The day I finished my internship,” he relates, “I told everyone how appreciative I was that they let me join.” Jackson reports, “I gave the social media posts a new younger perspective, adding photos and graphics.” He also worked on inputting patient questionnaire responses, updating the website’s fundraising Trailblazer information to simplify enrollment, and generating a map showing the clinics across the country with which Lazarex has a relationship as an addition to three maps already available. Lazarex fundraising initiatives are as diverse as the patients they serve. Along with the annual Gala and sponsorship of the Reebok Napa Valley Relay occurring this year November 4-5, many individuals have created personal projects supporting the Danville non-profit from knit-a-thons to cook-off parties. New Orleans resident Eric McIntyre cycled through 18 states in 2015 wearing Lazarex’s colors on his Pancreatic Cancer Victory Tour. His wife Liz was battling the deadly disease. “ My journey was mirroring Liz’s journey with all the ups and downs and uncertainty – the good days and the bad days,” Eric says. “But I got to take a dozen or so days off. Cancer never takes a day off.”
See Lazarex continued on page 24
Page 22 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Menopause Matters
By Timothy Leach, MD, FACOG, CNMP
Prior columns defined Vitamin D’s role in osteoporosis and why you should care about your bone health. This column reviews risk factors that may predispose you to hip fracture and offers recommendations to reduce that risk. Some risk factors in women are not modifiable: menopause, thin stature, age, and genetics (mom having osteoporosis increases your chances of having osteoporosis), parent with hip fracture, rheumatoid arthritis, long term steroid use. Modifiable risk factors include increased intake of calcium/vitamin D, not smoking, and consuming less than three alcoholic beverages daily. Weight-bearing and strength-training exercises are beneficial to bone development and maintenance. Patients often discuss with their physicians medicines that intend to reduce the risk of hip fractures but overlook the significant risk reduction from fall prevention strategies. Among women aged 75 years and older, muscle strengthening and balance exercises have been shown to reduce the risk of falls and fall-related injuries by 75%. Falls are a precipitating factor in 90% of all fractures, including hip fracture. In the US and Canada approximately 1/3 of women older than 60 fall at least once a year. The incidence of falls increases with age, rising to a 50% annual risk in women over 80 years. Poor vision, hearing, balance, and muscle weakness become critical determinants of fall risk. A risk for falling is a prior fall, and having two or more falls in the last year significantly increases the risk for future falls. This, however, is preventable. If you or a loved one is falling, then seeing your family doctor, neurologist, or geriatrician is important to evaluate balance and gait, lower extremity strength, sensation and coordination, visual impairment, cognitive impairment, footwear, and foot problems. Medications like anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, anti-epileptics, and anti-hypertensives can also contribute to fall risk. An often overlooked area of risk is the home. A review of your home can
Wine continued from front page
winetasting rooms and destination-worthy restaurants now dot the area where pioneering families such as the Wentes and Concannons long ago (1880’s to be exact) recognized winegrowing potential. Other vintners have continued to follow; they know that the soil’s richness, the valley’s high altitude, and daily maritime breezes all serve to create an ideal grape and in turn ideal wines, most of which Chandler is extremely familiar. That’s why friends and family continually ask for her opinion – ‘What wine should I order?’ ‘What wine should I bring as a hostess gift?’ ‘What should I serve with fish?’ Her answer is invariably, “Whatever you enjoy!” “Wine is subjective,” says Chandler, who acknowledges that one of the best parts of her job is learning more about wine, and learning to trust her personal instincts and preferences. “Don’t rely on price,” she cautions. “Explore various wines; try different varietals, and find what you love. There are no right or wrong answers with wine.” Chandler’s background was a natural fit for her current position. As a former restaurant consultant, she worked with varying restaurant brands and menus, and had a love for - and working knowledge of - wine and the wine industry. Overseeing the marketing and communications for the venerable Livermore Valley Winegrower’s Association was a natural fit. The position has been ideal for her husband Daryl Tom as well, a management consultant with Accenture and a certified sommelier who appreciates his wife’s profession. Chandler and Tom enjoy vacationing in wine regions throughout the world where most of their travels are naturally centered around wine. France and Italy are favorite locations. When not marketing or researching wine, Chandler, a Louisiana native and LSU grad, can be found cheering-on her LSU Tigers. A huge football fan, she never misses a game. As the representative for the Livermore Valley Winegrower’s Association, Chandler enjoys the annual meetings with her counterparts from California’s varied wine regions: Napa Valley and Sonoma County, Mendocino and Lake County, and the Central Coast down to Santa Barbara County. (California accounts for nearly 90% of America’s wine production.) The ten
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include adjusting or eliminating safety hazards in the following areas: Lighting: Provide ample lighting, easy-to-locate light switches, night lights to illuminate pathways, lights on at all stairways. Obstructions: Remove clutter and low-lying objects, remove raised door sills to ensure smooth transitions. Floors and carpets: Provide nonskid rugs on slippery floors, use nonskid floor wax and repair worn, buckled, or curled carpet. Furniture: Arrange furniture to ensure clear pathways, remove or avoid low chairs and armless chairs, adjust bed height if too high or low. Storage: Install shelves and cupboards at an accessible height, keep frequently used items at waist height. Bathroom: Install grab bars in tub, shower, and near the toilet; use a chair in shower and tub, install nonskid strips/decals in tub and shower, elevate low toilet seat, or install safety frame. Stairways and Halls: Install handrails on both sides of stairs, remove or take down throw rugs and runners, repair loose and broken steps, install nonskid treads on steps. Helpful websites for fall prevention are: • Center for Disease Control - www.cdc.gov/injury/STEADI • National osteoporosis foundation - www.nof.org • American Bone Health - https://americanbonehealth.org/what-you-shouldknow/exercise • Geriatric Bone Health/Physical Therapy - http://geriatricspt.org/index.cfm • UCSF - http://ptrehab.ucsf.edu/stand-tall Join us on Saturday, October 1st from 10 – 11AM for an office open house and brief presentation on perimenopause and menopausal genito-urinary sexual health. I will review the North American Menopausal Society’s (NAMS) recommended strategies to keep that “spark alive.” Coffee and pastries will be served. For more information, visit our Facebook page at Timothy A Leach MD. Visit my website at www.leachobgyn.com for links to resources and our Facebook page, Timothy Leach MD, for more information. My office is located at 110 Tampico, Suite 210 in Walnut Creek. Please call us at 925-935-6952. Advertorial representatives get together to discuss strategy and marketing techniques, and of course to share in their love of wine and the wine country lifestyle. “I feel fortunate to represent the Livermore Valley,” says Chandler. “It’s a unique opportunity – to market California wine and everything wrapped into this dream of a California wine country lifestyle.” So what does she recommend when pressed about her favorites? Ever the diplomat, Chandler does admit a particular appreciation for small, boutique wineries and seasonal favorites: whites and rosés in summer, and deep reds in winter. But she prefers that others trust their own instincts: “Explore!” she reiterates. “And enjoy – that’s what wine is all about.” For more information on the Livermore Valley wine country and the area’s various events, visit www.lvwine.org.
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To Everything There is a Season By Joree Rosenblatt, MA, LMFT
I love fall! I love the smell of the mornings, of warm afternoons turning into cool evenings, and of the changing colors of the falling leaves. Even the mess of leaves on my patio and in my pool, which can be frustrating, is a reminder of this season which is all about letting go and change. While there is 100% certainty that the trees will become barren, I am also confident in their ability to sprout something new and beautiful in just a few short months. This cyclical cadence is a great reminder of the natural rhythm of the year, paralleling a rhythm of our lives in the process of letting go which leads to renewal and growth. And just like with the trees, new growth can’t occur until the old leaves have dropped. Nature knows this, and while we know this intuitively, it’s easier said than done; we get stuck. We get stuck in habitual patterns that are no longer serving us. We get stuck in relationships that don’t always allow us to grow or be our authentic self in the here and now. We get stuck in jobs that prohibit true fulfillment. We get stuck in living in a way that is familiar, and known, but not always the best for our soul, our evolution, and our own personal freedom. So, why is it we get stuck? Well, it’s a habit. Even if we don’t like it, the “known” is comfortable and safe because it’s familiar and we know how to do it. Conversely, we get stuck because the “unknown” is often perceived as scary and feared to be a worse alternative to the discontent or unhappiness many feel in their known, current position. We also get stuck because we don’t know how to let go, which requires surrender and a release of the grasp to those patterns, habits, or stories that we are so used to. Often what we are holding onto is a beautiful experience of the past, grasping to the way things used to be or clinging to an ideal that lives in our heads. Paradoxically, that gripping is frequently what increases our current pain or distress. The wisdom comes in learning how to release what we hold on so tight to, and allow the natural course of letting go to bring
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 23
with it new opportunity for renewal, growth, and positive change. Nature shows us that the leaves aren’t afraid to fall, nor does the tree hold on so tight so as to prevent them from falling. In my work as a marriage and family therapist and a mindfulness educator, I work with my clients in acknowledging their fear of letting go, and creating a safe environment in which to allow and accept it. I have a few favorite stories illustrating the power of our ability to release what’s holding us back to free us up and allow for change. Here’s one of them: Hold a glass of water in your hands. If I were to ask you how much it weighed, you might respond, “Hmmm, I don’t know, maybe 12 ounces.” If I were to ask you, “Is it heavy?” You’d probably respond, “No.” If I said you had to hold it for a minute, then repeat, “Is it heavy?”You’d still probably reply, “Not so bad.” If I had you hold it for 10 minutes, then ask, “Is it heavy?” You may say, “Yeah, a little.” Then if I asked you to hold the glass of water for an hour, you might then say, “Yeah, it’s getting heavy.” What if you had to hold it for five hours, a day, or a week? Yes, it would definitely be getting heavy! If I asked, “Has the weight of the glass of water actually changed?” You’d respond, “No, of course the weight of the glass hasn’t changed!” Moral of the story: The longer you hold onto to something, the harder it is to carry. So, you have the choice to put the glass down. Choosing to put the glass down is an act of letting go. While we don’t always have a choice in what is arising, we do have a choice in how we carry it and in what we allow to weigh us down. If you are in a place that you’d like to work on the art of letting go, the season for change is now. Contact Joree, at the Bay Area Mindfulness and Therapy Center for a free consultation or to set up an appointment: www.mindfulnessandtherapycenter.com. Advertorial
Is Food a Problem for You?
Overeaters Anonymous offers a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive overeating. This is a 12-step program. The free meetings are for anyone suffering from a food addiction including overeating, undereating, and bulimia. The group meets Wednesdays at 6PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette. For information, visit www.how-oa.org.
Page 24 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
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Your Personal Nutritionist
Lazarex continued from page 21
Why did he and Liz choose the Danville organization as beneficiary of funds raised by the ride? Liz’s oncologist remembered hearing about a non-profit helping patients and their families with travel expenses related to clinical trial participation, but did not know the name. At National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD, while Liz qualified for a clinical trial, Eric asked around and discovered the organization was Lazarex. He writes: “This travel subsidy piece of Lazarex’s mission in the cancer fight is unique and critical, and that’s what attracted me. Plus, the founder covers the very reasonable 12% overhead out of her own pocket, and thus 100% of the funds raised would go directly to patient need.” Eric’s Danville reception mid-ride inspired other cyclists to pedal for Lazarex. “Old Spokes” Terry Cunningham and Mark Ballock left Santa Monica for Virginia Beach in April 2016. At their send off, Rick Perez and Nick Bloisa learned about Lazarex. “Laura’s Ride” from California to Florida completed on August 12th in memory of Nick’s friend Laura Bartron (a Nutritionist at Renaissance Club Sport Walnut Creek who succumbed to breast cancer at 45) is still receiving Lazarex donations.
How Much Sugar is OK for Children By Linda Michaelis RD, MS
Have you heard of the new recommendations from the American Heart Association addressing sugar for children? Sugar is getting daily front page coverage these days as it is a major contributor to obesity and diabetes in our kids. We are being told that children, aged 2-18, should consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugars daily which is equivalent to about 100 calories or 25 grams. What does this really mean?
Added Sugars
Sugars in your diet can be naturally occurring or added. Naturally occurring sugars in foods are found in fruit (fructose) and milk (lactase). Added sugars are sugars themselves and syrups that are put into foods during preparation or processing or that are added at the table. The major added sugars are found in sodas, candy, cakes, cookies, yogurts, cereals, granola bars, flavored bagels, and flavored syrups that are added to frappacinos. You should ask for two pumps of flavored syrup or half the normal amount.
Now Let’s Do the Math
You need to remember that one teaspoon of sugar is equal to four grams. The problem is food labels express the amount of sugar in “grams” rather than teaspoons. To calculate teaspoons of sugar in a Chobani Blueberry yogurt, you divide grams by four. The yogurt has 30 grams of sugar, so dividing 30 by four you roughly get eight teaspoons of sugar. My 16 year old client Brad had been diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1. Breakfast consisted of two cups of Raisin Bran, a cup of milk, and a glass of orange juice. Each cup of Raisin Bran has 20 grams or five teaspoons of sugar, so his two cups of cereal consisted of 10 teaspoons of sugar (40 grams divided by four). The cup of milk (lactase) he added to the cereal has 12 grams or three teaspoons of sugar. The small glass of orange juice added 20 grams or four teaspoons of sugar. Adding that up we get 17 teaspoons of sugar. Brad was shocked and almost fell off his chair. And that was only breakfast! Laura's Ride cyclists Nick Bloisa and Rick Perez complete their ride in the Atlantic Ocean honoring Laura Bartron by supporting Lazarex. (photo courtesy of Rick Perez)
Perez concurs with McIntyre, “The founders of Lazarex are so dedicated that they pay all the administrative costs which we found to be an inspiration. Since Nick and I were going to cover all the expenses of the ride, we would be able to tell donors that 100% of their contributions would go to the cause, and that was very appealing.” Closing the gap between researchers’ need to complete clinical trials and patients’ lack of knowledge about trials and inability to afford participation requires more than a lone non-profit can accomplish. Dornsife relates, “I woke up a couple of years ago and realized, ‘It’s a noble cause, but it’s not sustainable.’ We must achieve sustainability to insure equitable access to clinical trials and medical breakthroughs for all patients.” After partnering with Massachusetts General Hospital to accumulate sufficient data to take research nationwide, Lazarex is launching a three-year program called IMPACT – Improving Patient Access to Clinical Trials. Dana writes: “IMPACT will unite the best in cancer care, research, academia, public health, industry, and policy. This convergence has the gravitas to shift the cost burden from the patient to the appropriate stakeholders and achieve a successful financial model.” When clinical trials cannot be completed due to lack of enrollment, everyone loses. When companies standing to gain financially from marketing break-through cancer drugs are permitted to reimburse clinical trial participant expenses, and trials are completed with a diverse patient population, everyone wins. “Funding limits how many individuals Lazarex can assist,” Ambrogi acknowledges. “We never want to say to someone, ‘We can’t help you now.’ Who knows where that person will be in two months.” To learn more, donate, and get involved in Lazarex’s dedication to life, visit www.lazarex.org.
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Hidden Sugars with Different Names
Look at the list of ingredients because sugar has many names. Besides those ending in “ose” such as sucrose, you will see corn syrup, molasses, cane sugar, corn sweetener, agave nectar, date sugar, palm sugar, coconut sugar and beet sugar, barley malt syrup, maltodextrin, raw sugar, honey, and fruit juice concentrates.
Recommendations for Family Members
I tell my clients that they can enjoy their desserts and fruit, but sweets should be consumed after a meal, not haphazardly during the day. Sweets eaten between meals make us hungry soon after consumed so we become famished for our next meal and then overeat. A dessert is a wonderful celebration of life and should be eaten mindfully after a balanced meal when we can control our portion size. I recommend to my clients who love sweets to enjoy a sweet serving after lunch and dinner, equal to 100 calories each or roughly 15 grams of sugar. This would be consistent with the new guidelines where it represents 25 grams of added sugar each day. A treat may be a Fudgeicle, a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich, or two Oreos. Stay away from granola bars for breakfast or energy bars because they do not fill you up even though they say they have a lot of protein and fiber. When I look at food diaries, I see my clients eating soon after they eat one of these bars, making it clear to me they are being taken in by the media, thinking they are a great meal replacement or snack. They are all on the sweet side which causes people to want even more sweets to satisfy their sweet tooth. When you are hungry you need real food that provides protein and fiber like roasted turkey wrapped around a pickle. This statement from the AHA will help parents understand the stakes and consciously target the right amount of sugar in their family’s diet. It would be my great pleasure to work with your family and get them started on a healthy eating plan that does contain sugar in a reasonable manner.
Nutritional Counselling is Covered by Insurance
ABMG, Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Health Net, Hill , Sutter and other companies cover nutritional counseling. Refer to www. LindaRD. com for information about my services. Call me (925) 855-0150 or email at lifeweight1@yahoo.com Advertorial
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Stimulating Hope
Break Through the Bleak Cycle of Depression By William Shryer, LCSW, DCSW Clinical Director, Diablo Behavioral Healthcare and Blackhawk TMS
Depression is a subject that is rarely if at all talked about. We have associated shame and powerlessness with this subject and often have difficulty knowing how and what to do if we, or someone close to us, becomes depressed. Some of the symptoms of biochemical depression are feeling long-lasting sadness, sleeplessness, a change in appetite or weight, or even difficulty in following a daily routine. These feelings are sometimes accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy. These are symptoms of biochemical depression that is treatable. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most acute, widespread pathologies of the 21st century, affecting nearly 15 million American adults annually. Patients suffering from MDD are traditionally treated with antidepressants and/or psychotherapy. However, too often, antidepressants and other treatments fail to bring the hoped-for relief to patients. The marriage of Silicon Valley technology and forward thinking medicine has resulted in the technology known as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This novel and successful treatment for depression has been used for years in Europe but sadly, only recently here in the U.S. Brainsway is one of the most advanced companies providing this technology based out of Israel, and Blackhawk TMS located in Danville, is the first to bring this exciting technology to the Tri-Valley. Brainsway can help you break through the sadness and start anew with a safe, non-invasive, and effective treatment for depression. The treatment has been shown to bring significant improvement to patients suffering from depression and anxiety including those who have tried several types of antidepressants to no avail. Brainsway's treatment for depression has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013. The treatment has no systemic side effects and is highly convenient, requiring only 20-minute daily sessions over a period of 4-6 weeks. Moreover, the treatment is prescribed and supervised by a licensed psychiatrist in an outpatient facility.
Have Antidepressants Failed to Work for You or Someone You Care About?
Brainsway’s treatment launches a new era in the treatment of MDD. It has many unique advantages over other treatments for depression. Antidepressants, for instance, fail to provide an adequate solution for many patients, and they often entail harsh side effects, ranging from nausea, insomnia, and anxiety to weight gain and sexual dysfunction. This can lead many patients to neglect their medication regime, believing that living with depression is better than living with the side effects. Other alternatives, such as electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), require anesthesia and is associated with memory loss. To be clear, TMS is not ECT, and it does not induce electric current into the brain.
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 25
Genomic Tests Help Breast Cancer Patients By Christine Chung, MD
Jane is a 60 year old grandmother who just found out that she has breast cancer. She had a lumpectomy of the right breast, and the breast tumor was removed. She is worried because the surgery showed a two centimeter invasive ductal carcinoma. After dealing with the stress of the diagnosis, surgery, and now confronted with a recommendation to begin chemotherapy, she asked, “Doctor, do I really need to have chemo?” Oncologists consider various clinical factors before recommending chemotherapy for a patient. These include the patient’s age, the tumor size, the grade of the tumor (tumors are graded based on how aggressive the cells appear under the microscope), and the number of lymph nodes containing cancer cells at the time of diagnosis. Also, the expression of various receptors on the tumor cells – the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and her2 neu receptor – also help to identify high-risk patients who would benefit from chemotherapy. But the analysis doesn’t stop with the clinical diagnosis; in our arsenal of diagnostic tools, we also have genomic assays that can help assess if a patient may benefit from chemotherapy. These genomic assays test a piece of the patient’s breast tumor to see which genes are turned on in the cancer cells. The expression of these genes is used to estimate the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence elsewhere in the body. These genomic tests, known commercially as Oncotype Dx, Mammaprint, or PAM 50, can further guide oncologists in giving chemotherapy recommendations. How much weight should a doctor place on a genetic test, particularly when it conflicts with the clinical diagnosis? A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine (Cardoso et al) identified 1,550 breast cancer patients with high-risk clinical features, for whom chemotherapy would normally be recommended. However, the genomic test classified these same patients as low risk. These “clinical high risk/genomic low risk” patients were then randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy. After five years, 96% of patients who received chemotherapy were alive and cancer-free, while 94.4% of patients who avoided chemotherapy were free of disease. Thus, the survival was similar among patients classified by the genomic test as low risk, regardless of whether they received chemotherapy. Dr. Tiffany Svahn, a breast cancer specialist at Diablo Valley Oncology, said that the “genomic evaluation of breast tumors prevents us from over-treating many patients, which is what we did before we had genomic testing. These assays have benefitted so many women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.” Creating a cancer therapy plan is a complicated and nuanced process requiring a thorough discussion with your oncologist about clinical, genetic, lifestyle, and other factors. These genomic tests are an important addition in the decisionmaking process, though the chemotherapy decision remains a complex one. Christine Chung, MD is a board certified Radiation Oncologist with Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group and practices in Pleasant Hill and Berkeley. For more information, please call 925-6775041 or visit www.dvohmg.com. Advertorial
Brainsway’s Deep TMS – Brief, Effective Treatment
The Brainsway Deep TMS is a non-invasive treatment which stimulates the brain region responsible for depression to bring significant improvement to patients. It is an outpatient procedure which does not require hospitalization or anesthesia, and it entails no memory loss or systemic side effects. The treatment generates brief magnetic fields, at similar amplitude to that used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. These magnetic fields briefly stimulate the targeted brain area and improve depressive symptoms. After each session, patients can return home independently and follow through their normal daily routine, including going to work. If you or someone you know would like more information on this amazing treatment technology, just call Blackhawk TMS and we will take the time to explain this in greater detail. We are located at 4185 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Suite 210 in Danville. Please call us at 925-648-2650. Advertorial
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Page 26 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
Sleep Ergonomics for Back Pain Prevention By Melissa Ko, D.C., Sycamore Valley Chiropractic
Sleeping Position
This week, I saw five patients with neck pain because they “slept wrong.” When this happens multiple times we have a conversation about how they’re sleeping. Here are some important factors to consider for proper sleep ergonomics.
Simple changes in your sleeping posture can reduce the strain on your back. The healthiest position is sleeping on your side; draw your legs up slightly toward your chest. A pillow between the legs helps to keep your hip and low back in alignment. For back sleepers, placing a pillow beneath your knees reduces strain on the lower back. Sleeping on your stomach is generally the least spine-friendly; this position causes the back to go into extension, and oftentimes the head is turned to one side which places strain and compression on the neck. Sleeping without a head pillow keeps the neck in a more neutral position, and placing a pillow under the lower abdomen/pelvis reduces low back strain.
Mattresses and Pillows
The best mattresses are designed to conform to the spine’s natural curves and keep the body in alignment. With so many different types of mattresses available on the market today (traditional spring, memory foam, adjustable air mattresses, waterbeds, etc.), the most important thing to remember is that pricier is not always better; your comfort and level of support matter the most in deciding what type of bed to use. Remember to turn your mattress over every few months for even wear, and replace it after 5-7 years of regular use. Feeling uncomfortable trigger points, bumps, depressions, and
Hope Hospice Offers Classes for Family Caregivers
Hope Hospice will hold two different classes for family caregivers in October. Understanding Advanced Illness: A Palliative Care Perspective • Saturday, October 8 • 9:45AM - noon At times, it seems as if what may have started out as a single medical diagnosis morphs into many, especially with the elderly patient. This session looks at a variety of illnesses and provides guidance in determining when curative care may become palliative (comfort) care. Caregivers will receive valuable information on the most prevalent co-existing medical conditions among the elderly and chronically ill. The featured speaker will be Cynthia Gassmann, RN, Director of Patient Care Services, Hope Hospice. Essential Skills for the Family Caregiver • Saturday, October 22 • 9:45AM -noon Many family caregivers are asked to perform a variety of medical or nursing tasks, enabling their loved ones to remain at home. Hope Hospice staff members Jill Biggs, RN; Kari Rayford, LVN, Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse; Socorro Garcia, Home Hospice Aide; and Debbie Emerson, Community and Family Health Educator, will be on hand to share their expertise. They will help train caregivers in basic skills such as medication management, wound care, operating medical equipment, bathing, toileting, transferring, understanding medical terminology, and implementing personal and home safety measures. Any community member engaged in the role of family caregiver or expecting to soon become a caregiver is invited to attend these classes. Light refreshments will be served. Classes will be held at Hope Hospice, 6377 Clark Avenue, Suite 100, Dublin (2nd floor conference room). Register online at HopeHospice.com or contact Hope Hospice Community Education Volunteer Debbie Emerson at debbiee@hopehospice.com. Hope Hospice’s Family Caregiver Education Series offers 12 classes de-
constant tossing and turning may be signs that it is time for a new mattress. Pillows come in even greater varieties of materials, shapes, and sizes. Again, my same rule applies: pricier is not always better - your comfort and alignment will determine the proper type that’s right for you. A healthy pillow keeps your neck and upper back in natural alignment. I have my patients lay on their pillow at home in their typical sleeping position, and have somebody take a picture. The head and neck should always be alignment in whatever position they are sleeping in (see figure below). In my experience, children and petite women tend to use average, adult-sized pillows that are too tall for their bodies; I recommend pediatric and smaller/travel pillow sizes for them. Patients who have chronic neck problems and straightened/reversed curves in their neck may benefit from using cervical support pillows. These are pillows that tend to be firmer and have a “bump” on either side to maintain a healthy alignment for the neck. People spend a third of their lives sleeping, so optimal sleep ergonomics are crucial. A bad or worn-out pillow or mattress may worsen or even cause your back problems. You may find that you are experiencing better quality of sleep and more energy just by improving how you’re sleeping and what you’re sleeping on. If you have been experiencing back aches when waking up, or if you have any symptoms that continue after you’ve made improvements, be sure to have your spine checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic. Sweet dreams! Sycamore Valley Chiropractic is located at 565 Sycamore Valley Rd. West in Danville. Please visit www.sycamorevalleychiropractic.com or call (925)837-5595 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Advertorial signed to provide training, education, support, and resources for those caring for loved ones with chronic or disabling conditions. For more information about other sessions, visit HopeHospice.com. These programs are available at no cost to all community members; however, donations to Hope Hospice are greatly appreciated.
About Hope Hospice
For more than 35 years, Hope Hospice has provided personalized endof-life care to families in the Tri-Valley and surrounding communities. As a community-led, non-profit organization, Hope Hospice offers services regardless of insurance, income status, nation of origin, or religion. Staff is available 24/7. Hope Hospice is accredited by the Joint Commission, licensed by the State of California Department of Health Services and Medicare/Medi-Cal certified. Learn more at HopeHospice.com or call (925) 829-8770.
The “Good Old Days” are now!
Rates are better than 50-60 years ago (see proof above)
The Alison Company Nationwide Financing on Commercial Property
Douglas Scott DRE#00859191 | Kevin Corstorphine DRE#01944908
805.845.5200
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Danville Today News ~ October 2016 - Page 27
By Dr. Charleen Lee Kim, West Coast Surgical Associates
Not so many years ago, a patient went to surgery not knowing whether she would wake up with her breast or if it would be removed. She would have biopsy under general anesthesia to remove a lump in the breast, determine if it was cancer, and then if it was cancer, almost always undergo a mastectomy. We have developed much better tools to make the diagnosis, and become much more sophisticated in tailoring treatment to each patient. We utilize simpler operations. The result is fewer complications and better results. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and that risk can double if there is a strong family history. Early detection can improve outcomes. Breast cancer can be detected by self-breast examination, clinical breast examination (done by your physician), screening mammogram, or ultrasound. Every woman over age 40 should have a discussion with her physician about when it is appropriate for her to start screening and how often she should be screened. If an abnormality is identified by physical examination or imaging, a biopsy of tissue should be taken to determine if the abnormality is cancer. Biopsy is often done in the office by a breast surgeon or radiologist using ultrasound and local anesthetic. Once a diagnosis of breast cancer is made, the patient will meet and discuss treatment options with a team of doctors that focus their practice on the treatment of breast cancer: The Breast Surgeon is often the first specialist consulted. Today’s breast surgeon concentrates practice on breast surgery, often has developed advanced skills in both ultrasound breast evaluation and oncoplastic tissue rearrangement, and will be a mentor and navigator for the patient. The breast surgeon will discuss different options for surgery and the timing of surgery. In the past, all women with breast cancer had the same operation—a mastectomy. However, we now know that patients get the same results when only the lump of breast tissue with the cancer is removed (partial mastectomy or lumpectomy) leaving the breast intact as long as the patient also receives breast radiation treatment. New techniques in breast surgery emphasize incisions in areas of the breast that hide well and the rearrangement of remaining breast tissue so the patient is left with a cosmetically acceptable scar and less deformity of the contour of the breast. Mastectomy is still an option for treatment in some patients and can be done in conjunction with reconstruction of the breast by a plastic surgeon using either implants, or the patient’s own tissue can be used to reconstruct the breast contour. The Radiation Oncologist provides radiation to the patient after breast conserving surgery, and sometimes after mastectomy. There are several different ways of giving radiation. The newest technique, which is still under clinical investigation, is intraoperative where the radiation is given to the patient in one dose while she is in the operating room and asleep during surgery. Then, there is accelerated partial breast irradiation using a catheter that is placed in the lumpectomy cavity in order to limit radiation to the rest of the surrounding tissues. This kind of radiation is usually given over five days. Whole breast radiation is the standard radiation given to patients over a five week period. The kind of radiation that is best suited for the patient will be determined after a discussion between the radiation oncologist, the breast surgeon, and the patient. The Medical Oncologist is the “Cancer Doctor.” The oncologist specializes in chemotherapy and hormonal treatment. Often surgery is done first followed by these oncologic medications to keep the cancer away. Some breast cancers should be treated first with medication (chemotherapy or hormonal therapy) to shrink the cancer and allow for a better surgery. Breast cancer treatment is constantly improving as a result of research being done and newer advances looking at genes and special characteristics of the breast cancer. Breast cancer treatment today is no longer “one size fits all” as it has been in the past. It is now tailored to each individual patient and their specific breast cancer type. As part of the breast cancer treatment team, we specialize in counseling patients every step of the way and keeping them informed of all their treatment options so that they are an integral part of the decision-making process. Dr. Charleen Lee Kim is a board certified general surgeon who is a Diplomate of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. She practices with West Coast Surgical Associates -- offices in Walnut Creek, San Ramon, and Concord. Call 925- 933-0984 to schedule an appointment. You can view her on www.wcsurgeons.com. Advertorial
The Case of the Mysterious Weekend Bellybutton Rash By Dr. Jerome Potozkin
Last month I saw an attorney with a curios itchy rash just below the belly button. He said that it had been there for a while. He was well dressed in a suit and tie. When I examined him he had a red circular patch about the size of a dime. He thought that it was odd that he experienced more itching and that the spot was more red on Monday and Tuesday, and as the week wore on it would get better. It was becoming an annoying cycle. I really had to scratch my head on this one. I prescribed a topical corticosteroid cream and advised him to return in two weeks. The night before his follow-up visit I had a thought and called him asking him to bring in the jeans he usually wears on the weekends. The next day when I saw him in the office he reported some improvement, but the rash was not gone. I asked him to take off his fancy suit and put on his jeans. When he put the jeans on, we both noticed that the metal button from his jeans matched up perfectly with where the rash was. The diagnosis was made in an instant. He had an allergic contact dermatitis reaction to nickel. Allergic Contact Dermatitis is a common problem in dermatology. The most commonly seen types are reactions to plants such as poison oak. Nickel is the most common metal to cause an allergic contact dermatitis, and it is estimated that 18% of people in North America are allergic to nickel. If
you are allergic to nickel, your best bet is to avoid nickel. One of the challenges in patients with nickel dermatitis is how prevalent nickel is. People most commonly will contact nickel in jewelry such as rings, earrings, and watch backs. People are usually surprised when I tell them that their “gold” jewelry is causing a nickel allergy. This is because most jewelry is made of metal alloys or mixtures of metals with nickel added. If you have a nickel allergy, it is important to only purchase nickel-free jewelry. The best way to treat any allergic contact dermatitis is to avoid exposure. For those with a nickel allergy, they can ask their jeweler for nickel-free jewelry. For someone with a flare, the treatment is usually with a topical prescription cream containing a corticosteroid. For severe reactions oral steroids are sometimes needed. The great thing about realizing that you have a nickel allergy is that if you avoid nickel you will not have the problem. Our attorney ended up switching from his favorite old faded jeans to newer ones that did not contain nickel. This made his wife very happy because she never liked the old jeans that her husband would never take off on the weekends. It was very satisfying for me to cure the rash and strengthen the marriage. Dr. Potozkin is a board certified dermatologist who has been serving the local community since 1993. His fully accredited dermatological and laser facility is located at 600 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite 102 in Danville. He is accepting new patients. Please call (925) 838-4900 or visit Potozkin. com for more information. Advertorial
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Page 28 - October 2016 ~ Danville Today News
The Combs Team
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This is RockcliffCountry
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Danville Real Estate Market: More Sales, Less Inventory, Higher Prices!
As of this writing there are 59 Danville (94526) single family homes listed as active on MLS. This is about a 5% decrease in inventory from the previous year. Today, 294 properties are listed as pending and during the last nine months, a total of 289 properties were sold. Last year 42 less properties sold. The average days on market before a sale is completed stands at 25. Danville remains a seller’s market. We’ve included a bell curve and divided the Danville 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 22 and 21 days respectively, while the highest price point homes stood at 35 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 $1,000,000 and $1,450,000 with the average standing at $1,185,000. This average price is about $75,000 higher than last year’s average price. However, this is 47% more than last year’s price increase. It’s a large rise in the price of Danville Real Estate in a very short space of time. The attached chart titled “New Properties” suggests that supply, remains low and is declining from this time last year. From January 2015 inventory rose markedly through March and peaked in June. It’s been heading downward ever since. While we are seeing the rate of price appreciation growing over last year, we are not seeing a significant number of new properties
West Side Alamo, Mt. Diablo Views
hitting the market. Unless we see an increase in inventory, there will most likely be a further rise in prices. There is an important change occurring in the price mix in Danville. A total of 72 homes have sold for more than $1,450,000 with an average price of $1,852,349 and median price of 1,705,000 million dollars. Average price for this group has increased by $63,177 from last year and the median price is up $102,172. These are significant differences. It may be of consequence to note that the top 75% percentile of home sales increased from 62 last year to 72 this year. That’s a 10% increase in unit sales and the rising sales for this class of homes may be responsible for the inventory decline. Currently 14 of the 56 Danville homes for sale are in this category. While they represent a mere 5% of the sold homes they represent 25% of the available inventory. A total of 13 unsold homes are priced at more than $2 million. If the Fed is successful in moving interest rates up again sometime this year, as they did last year, I still have confidence that the Danville Real Estate market will continue to prosper. We’ll probably see fewer multiple over bids, increasing days on market, 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 Danville market experience, please give me a call 925-989-6086 or send me an email joecombs@thecombsteam.com. For more Danville and Alamo Real Estate articles, please visit our website at www.thecombsteam.com.
Downsize to Downtown
Danville Single Story
LD
SO Completely renovated, 2 master bed suites, 2 beds ensuite, office, library and au pair unit. Soaring ceilings, great flow. Priced to Sell $1,799,000.
Beautiful penthouse condo with two master suites. Walk to downtown Pleasant Hill. Priced to sell $437,000.
5 bedroom, single story on nearly 2 gorgeous acres. Two family rooms, exquisite master, large bonus room, walk-in wine cellar. Worth waiting for. Priced to sell $2,499,000.
Blackhawk Area
Views! West Side Alamo
Diablo Building Lot
D OL
S Elegant Mediterranean style 4 bedroom 3.5 bath home with pool/spa. 1st floor MB suite w/2 walk-in closets. Priced to Sell $1,350,000
West Side Alamo 4 bedroom spectacular views, great location. Worth waiting for. Priced to sell $1,279,000.
Data presented in this column is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Contra Costa and Alameda MLS service and other quoted sources. Joe Combs, Nancy Combs, The Combs Team, J. Rockcliff and the MLS service do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. DRE #0144125.
G
IN ND
PE
Build your dream home on a 1.64 acre lot in Diablo. Priced to sell $930,000. J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526