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August 2011 Bounty Garden at Hap Magee Ranch Park
The Bounty Garden has a home at Hap Magee Ranch Park after two separate votes by the Joint Planning and Operations Committee they unanimously supported the Garden’s community-service gardening program.
Pictured above, Life Scout Josh Miner and Bounty Garden cofounder Amelia Abrahamson met to do a review of the raised vegetable bed construction method for the upcoming Bounty Garden at Hap Magee Ranch Park. The Bounty Garden program’s primary goal is to provide a consistent source of fresh vegetables to local Food Bank programs. Another important benefit of The Bounty Garden is providing community members with a real way to become a part of the answer to local hunger.
See Garden continued on page 20
Junior Achievement
Serving Danville Doll Project Delivers a Touch of Home By Jody Morgan
On Doll Day every month from September-April the ladies of the Therapeutic Doll Project gather to put the finishing touches on handcrafted dolls and quilts destined for the Oakland Children’s Hospital. Answering a special call to deliver more of their much-appreciated product, the ladies extended their schedule into May this year in order to complete an additional 30 quilts for the intensive care nursery and a similar number of dolls utilized by doctors and nurses to explain to their young patients the medical procedures necessary to cure Laurie Guidry with finished quilts and dolls whatever ails them. Each doll is a unique work of art. Faces are hand-painted by Ann Radic and Sharon Jones. The soft muslin bodies are each marked with a belly button and a heart so medical professionals can point to a part of the doll’s body to show a child what part of his or her own body will be undergoing treatment. Curly locks in appropriate shades are glued on before each doll is dressed in its own two-piece outfit. Lois Winters, a retired Home Economics teacher and the only original Doll Project member still involved, heads up the creation of colorful clothing accented with bright rickrack, bias binding, or appliqué trimmings. Seasonal touches such as hearts for Valentine’s Day are sometimes added.
See Doll continued on page 20
By Fran Miller
Preparing today’s youth for a competitive work environment is a lofty goal – one capably fulfilled by the corporate and community volunteers of Junior Achievement. As the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students in grades K-12 about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs, Junior Achievement brings the real world into the classroom setting. “At Junior Achievement, we give young people the knowledge and skills they need in order to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices,” says Crystal Lynch, Senior Vice The Walnut Creek AAA offices hosted high school students for a Job Shadow during the school year. President of Marketing and Development for Junior Achievement of Northern California in Walnut Creek. “Junior Achievement (JA) programs help students make a connection between what they learn in school and how it can be applied in the real world, increasing their understanding of the value of staying in school.” During the 2010-2011 school year, JA served 3014 school students in Danville in grades kindergarten through high school, JA programs are relevant to today’s workforce, and prepare students to: proactively manage their finances, become entrepreneurs, and develop valuable skills that will be recognized in a global workforce. JA impacts students’ knowledge, skill development and attitudes. JA delivers its programs through school programs, at afterschool programs, via student competitions, and in the workplace. JA volunteers, who have an interest in serving their communities while impacting a future workforce, Volume II - Number 10 deliver hands-on experiences that provide students with financial literacy and entrepreneurship. 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 “Junior Achievement places Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 PRSRT STD an emphasis on reaching students Fax (925) 406-0547 U.S. Postage at earlier and earlier ages,” says PAID Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Lynch. “The majority of our Permit 263 editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Alamo CA programs currently being run in The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do necessarily reflect that of Danville Today News. Danville Alamo, Lafayette, and Danville are not Today News is not responsible for the content of any of the
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advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
Page 2 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
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The Trains Are Back!
The train programs have returned to the Museum of the San Ramon Valley! The electric railway (Oakland, Antioch, and Eastern Railway), nicknamed the Toonerville Trolley, will be featured at the Museum this year with videos, artifacts, and information. It ran along Danville and Hartz Boulevards to Diablo Country Club from 1914-1924. Model trains will be on display with the larger size “S” Scale Model Trains. The display will run through August 6th. Starting on August 7th and going through August 21st, the European Train Enthusiasts will be running their beautiful “N” Scale trains. A Thomas the Train set will attract young visitors throughout the exhibit. The Museum of the San Ramon Valley (in the Danville Train Depot) is located at 205 Railroad Avenue in Danville. “Train Time” hours are 10AM – 2PM, Tuesday – Saturday. August 7-21 the Museum will also be open on Sundays from noon to 2PM. Admission is only $3 for guests, and it is free for Museum members. Please call 925-837-3750 or go to www. museumsrv.org for additional information.
Danville Thursday Night Street Festival
Downtown Danville August 11th, 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Shop local, dine local, and play local in Downtown Danville at the Thursday Night Street Festival being held from 5:30PM to 8:30PM on August 11. • Three live bands featuring... Jessica Caylyn Band, Nobody’s Fool, and local teen jazz band, Dj-A Positive Spin and children’s entertainer, The Singing Bee. • Bistro Dining in the Street, with five local restaurants: Norm’s Place, That Bar, The Dog, Primo’s and Manga Mi. • Two Wine and Beer Gardens, showcasing local varieties. • Shop in the street with local street vendors selling the best of what Danville has to offer from local Danville businesses, non-profits and Danville community groups. • Kids Zone, FREE Bouncy house-provided by Danville Farmer’s Market, San Ramon Valley Museum Train will provide paid rides and many children’s vendors. • Two exhibition areas include: Children’s Area: Girls Cheer-Valley Cheer & Dance, Taekwondo-Tao Sports, Singing talent-Avery Chapman and Girls Dance. Adult Area: Mixed Martial Arts-Martial Arts America, Zumba-The Studio, Cheer-Spirit Force and Doggie parade and contest. (For more info contact: poochfriendsonhartz@gmail.com.) Enter to win $500 in gift cards from local Danville retailers and restaurants for more information visit www. discoverdanvilleca.com. Please note Hartz Avenue-Diablo Blvd. to School Street and Prospect Avenue-Railroad Avenue to Front Street will be closed to traffic.
ADAS Artists to participate in Danville Art and Wine Stroll
Members of the Alamo Danville Artists’ Society will participate in the 8th Annual Art and Wine Stroll in Downtown Danville, Danville Livery, and Rose Garden Shops. The event will be held Thursday, August 25th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. More information is available at www.discoverdanvilleca.com. The Alamo Danville Artists’ Society, founded in 1977, is a non-profit organization providing monetary contribution in support of art programs in the San Ramon Valley School District. Membership includes artists and patrons who appreciate the visual arts. ADAS hosts distinguished and nationally known guest artists at the monthly meetings. The next meeting is September 13th.
Estate Planning for Families with Minor Children
The Danville Library welcomes attorneys from the Atashi Rang Law Firm in San Francisco who will be offering a comprehensive workshop on estate planning specifically for families with minor children. The workshop on August 9th at 9pm will cover trusts, wills, durable power of attorney, healthcare provisions, and establishing specific and personal instructions for guardians. Don't miss this opportunity to receive free legal information regarding this very important type of estate planning. The event will be held in the Mt. Diablo Room of the Danville Library.
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Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 3
Boulevard View By Alisa Corstorphine
A recent trip to Mexico brought me back in time. Yes, many people had cell phones, and they sold the latest computers in the stores, but they also sold things I haven’t seen in years. For example, I was amazed to see many displays of gigantic boom-boxes and large speakers, when back home I am thinking of tiny MP3 players and miniature iPod speaker docks. I enjoy visiting stores in different places to learn more about the local culture - what is popular, what is different, and what foods are available? During a trip to Costco in Mexico I saw many pallets of world globes in the “Back to School” section. There were also 12-packs of grease pencils (the kind where you pull the string and wind down the piece of paper to expose more of the pencil.), cases of clear Contact paper, 110mm and 35mm film, and a double pack of recorders - the flute type instrument you may have played with as a kid. A trip to the local mall had your typical Macy’s-like department store, a Radio Shack, Starbucks, Domino’s Pizza, Subway, Gap, a Swarovski crystal store, and a movie theater. But then there was a casino, a train that drove kids and families around the upper level of the mall, and an indoor circus that looked to be a permanent fixture to entertain shoppers and their families. It was alarming to go to the grocery store and see the massive amount of plastic containers everywhere. Soda came in 3 liter bottles, fabric softener, cleaning products, and juices were supersized, when here at home manufactures are trying to reduce their use of plastic containers, concentrate more products, and offer reusable bottles. No one carried reusable shopping bags, and plastic bags were the bag of choice. Plastic debris was everywhere, and there were no recycling receptacles in sight. When I think of all of our local sustainable efforts, it was depressing. There were other sites that brought me to the past. While technically illegal, it was common to see most pick-up trucks crowded with adults and children, standing or sitting in the back of the pick-up bed, driving down the street. I don’t think even once I saw a child riding in a car seat, and many children rode helmetless while sitting in front of a parent going down the road on a motorcycle. Seatbelts were rarely worn, and most cars were packed with many more passengers than the cars were designed to hold. I reflected on all the changes that we have gone through in the United States, (I’d say mostly for the better,) when our driver put an open beer bottle in the cup holder, and chatted away on his cell phone while driving us down the street! As our friend living there told us, crossing the street is an “extreme sport!” When trying to cross the street, crosswalks are seldom used and I felt like I was a character in the arcade game “Frogger” trying to cross the eight lane road to the other side. I loved taking the public buses around town, where for about 50 cents you could travel all over the city while often being entertained by a man singing and playing guitar. Other times salesmen trying to sell a product would offer samples and people would donate whatever they thought it was worth (I think it was eyedrops to “get the red out” that were being pitched.). The bus was always interesting! As my daughter gets ready for her own international adventure, I reflect on what is unique to where we live. What special gifts can she bring to her friends that represent our town, our community, our state, and our country? Since she will stay with seven different European families in the next month, it’s a tall order to find special gifts for all of the host’s and their families. Local sports teams and colleges offer nice local souvenirs, and local companies such as See’s Candy, Ghirardelli chocolates, and Jelly Belly offer great, and very tasty, local gifts.Another good place to shop has been the farmers market for local honey and crafts. People like to receive gifts that say ‘California,’ or otherwise refer to the great heritage of our area. Sometimes items that we ordinarily dismiss as ‘tourist junk’ have a bit of allure for someone not from this area. Some American games translate well into other cultures. Card games such as Uno, and Pictionary are helpful to break the ice, and perhaps teach a little English along the way. Beef jerky, popular magazines, San Francisco memorabilia, special key chains, small bracelets, and local soaps also fill up her suitcase. Reusable bags from local grocery stores (Trader Joes, Whole Foods), and reusable water bottles are more examples she will be packing to share with others. What kinds of gifts have you brought from this area to share with your host? So far it’s been a very international summer, but we look forward to spending the remainder right here at home. Summer is the best time of year in our area, and my garden needs my attention! May the rest of your summer days be long, warm, and especially relaxing.
Shop Local R Dine Local R Play Local
Downtown Danville
Thursday, August 11 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Live Bands Bistro Dining Wine & Beer Gardens Shopping Kids Zone 2 Demonstration Areas
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Page 4 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
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Summer Round-Up
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Summer Round-Up promises some good ‘ol fashioned fun for the entire family. Mosey on down to the Livery the second Saturday in August to enjoy some live music, horse and wagon rides, pony rides, balloon twisting, face painting, giveaways, and wild, western fun! The day features the The Jessica Caylyn Band on August 13th. Spend $75 in combined, same day receipts from any of the Livery merchants during the event dates, and receive a scrumptious caramel apple or giant lollipop FREE! “Like” the Danville Livery on Facebook, and receive a free gift, compliments of the Danville Livery. Stop by the redemption table in front of Forbes Mill Steakhouse to get your goodies! For more information visit www.danvillelivery.com or call 800-762-1641. The Danville Livery is located at the intersection of Sycamore Valley Rd. and San Ramon Valley Blvd. in Danville.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
VFW Post 75, San Ramon Valley, meets every second Thursday of the month at the Swain House at Hap Magee Ranch Park, located at 1025 La Gonda Way in Danville. The next meeting will be held Thursday, August 11th. Doors open at 7PM, and the meeting begins at 7:30PM. For more information, contact Post Commander Nathan Greene at (925) 875-1747. Find out more about the VFW at www.vfw.org.
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Diablo View Toastmasters Club
The Diablo View Toastmasters Club meets on Tuesdays 7:55 to 9AM at Center Plaza Building on 2333 San Ramon Valley Boulevard in San Ramon in the conference room (First Floor). For more information, see diabloview. freetoasthost.ws or call Ernie DeCoit at 925-699-7103.
Danville A.M. Toastmasters Club
The Danville A.M. Toastmasters Club meets on Tuesdays from 7AM to 8:30AM at Father Nature’s Restaurant on East Prospect in Danville. The first breakfast is on us. Come by to check out the club - you’ll enjoy yourself while learning to be the speaker you want to be. For more information, call Roxie at (925) 837-6253 or visit www.danvilleamtoastmasters.org.
Danville Toastmasters Club
The Danville Toastmasters Club meets every Wednesday from 7:30 to 9PM at Diablo Valley College, Room W204. The college is located at 1690 Watermill Road in San Ramon. For more information, visit www.danvilletoastmasters1785.com/ or call Chandra Mundra at 925-389-1468.
Danville Lions Club
The Danville Lions Club invites you to join us for dinner and to learn more about how our club serves the community. Meetings are held at the Brass Door, 2154 San Ramon Valley Blvd, San Ramon on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at 7PM. For more information, please call Dr. Brent Waterman at (925) 275-1990.
Danville/Sycamore Rotary
If you are interested in visiting the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club, contact club president Jim Coleman at coleman_jd@pacbell.net. Meetings are held on Tuesdays at 7AM at Crow Canyon Country Club.
Danville Rotary
The Danville Rotary Club meets every Monday at noon at Faz restaurant in Danville. For more information, contact membership chairperson Jim Crocker at jimcrocker@pacbell.net or by phone at 925-577-6159.
This month Delta Nu Psi passed another milestone. We have sent 823 boxes weighing 21,059 lbs. of "gourmet junk food" to our service men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. As one of the service members said, “It takes about 11 minutes to completely empty the box.” Another added, “It's like Christmas or your birthday when the box arrives.” On Friday, August 5th Delta Nu Psi will be collecting treats for the troops at CVS Drug Store in Alamo and the following Friday, August 12th at Lunardi's in Danville. Hours at both stores are from 11am to 2pm. Last month a community member brought letters from school children which we included in our July boxes. The soldiers love the letters and would appreciate anyone/classes that could write or draw. Letters can be dropped off at either store location. For more information, visit www.deltanupsi.org.
New Military Library and Memorabilia Collection By Robert Sada
A Library and Historical Collection Committee was formed for the Veterans Memorial Building of San Ramon Valley to oversee the collection, exhibit, and preserve items relating to American military history. The Library will be a resource to encourage and facilitate research and study of military history through published books, written works, and electronic media. The Historical Collection will maintain a wide variety of military artifacts and memorabilia. With some guidelines and limitations, there will be a particular interest in receiving donated items from local veterans and their families. As a part of the new design, several display cases allowing rotating exhibits will permit focus on a variety of military history themes. The project to renovate and expand the Veterans Memorial Building is proceeding well, with completion anticipated this December. The building will also serve community venues for wide-ranging activities including senior programs and educational opportunities for all ages. Local veterans groups continue fundraising to fulfill their commitment as they partner with the Town of Danville to make this magnificent new facility a reality. You can donate through the website and honor or memorialize friends or family members. For more information, please contact the veterans office at (925) 362-9806 or www.srvVeteransHall.org.
ADAS Blackhawk Gallery New Exhibit
Alamo Danville Artists Society (ADAS) Blackhawk Gallery has a new location at 3416 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Blackhawk Plaza. They are featuring a new exhibit: Artistic Reflections from August 13 - October 23. ADAS will host the free opening on August 13 from 5-7pm, featuring gallery member artists exhibiting oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, photography, sculpture, wearable art, jewelry, and note cards. In addition, Diablo Bonsai Club will have a rotating exhibit of three Bonsai trees over each weekend for the duration of Artistic Reflections. All exhibits are free to the public and will be on view seven days a week, Monday - Saturday 10 - 8PM and Sunday 11 - 6PM. For more information on ADAS, visit www.adas4art.org or email adasnewsletter@sbcglobal.net.
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Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 5
Correction
On page 20 of the July 2011 issue of Danville Today News in the continuation of the front page story titled Running for their Lives, please note the following changes: Although the survival rate at select centers such as UCSF can be higher, the worldwide CDH registry has published a survival rate of 68%. As Douglas Miniati notes: “This means that almost one third of newborns with CDH worldwide die.” Also the foundations website is www.nayelifaithfoundation.com.
Backyard Bounty
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Are your fruit trees about to bear a bonanza of excess fruit? Have you planted so many zucchini, tomatoes, and other vegetables that you find yourself with more than you can eat? Danville Today News invites you to participate in our Backyard Bounty program which collects fresh garden produce from our readers and passes it on to those in need. We wish to provide produce at its’ optimum ripeness so nothing goes to waste. A call a week before your produce will be ripe will help us provide the fruits and vegetables at their prime. To coordinate picking or pick-up of food for donation to local food banks, contact Greg or Lise Danner at 925-552-7103 or email thedanners@aol.com.
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The San Ramon Valley Little League (SRVLL) 9-year-old tournament team has won two back-to-back championships in this season's tournaments. First they captured a win at the Granada Little League tournament against Dublin Little League with a final score of 7-3. SRVLL came with their bats blazing to the next tournament, working their way to achieve home-field advantage to the championship game against Livermore American Little League, the hosts of the tournament. SRVLL won the game with a final score of 11-1. Pictured Bottom Row Left: J.T Noble, Chip Menard, Anthony Santa Maria, R.J. Millington, Griffin Bloom, Devin Brownstein. Middle Row Left: Nate Rutchena, Justin Geary, Chase Doris, Christian Wolf, Ryan McCarthy. Top Row Left: Robert Rutchena, Craig Santa Maria, and Scott Menard.
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Page 6 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
The Toonerville Trolley By Beverly Lane
Twentieth century rail transportation came to the San Ramon Valley in 1914 with the Danville Branch of the Oakland, Antioch, and Eastern Railway. This electric interurban train arrived in the valley on March 2, 1914, and it served Alamo, Danville, and Diablo for a decade. The trolley traveled regularly from Saranap (at today’s Olympic Boulevard and Tice Valley Road), over the hills (near today’s Crest Avenue), down the boulevard through Danville, and east over the fields to the new Mount Diablo Park Club. Danville entrepreneur Robert Burgess convinced the railway directors to go to the new Club which helped put it on the map. Weekend trains to Diablo were frequently scheduled and were dubbed the “Million Dollar Specials.” The “Toonerville Trolley” was a much beloved and storied train. Named after a popular cartoon of the day by Fontaine Fox, the trolley did not move that fast, made a cheery clackety sound as it progressed, and had several colorful names, including the Alligator, the Dinky, and the Riveter. One conductor, William French, was evidently very superstitious and would not make a trip with 13 persons aboard; sometimes he would ring up a fourteenth or delay the train by matching coins for the extra fare with passengers. The train provided access to other electric lines for passengers and commuters, linking the valley with Oakland, Sacramento and Chico. Each day at Saranap, Car 1051 was unbuckled from a larger train and sent south to Danville. During the Great War commuters took the train to the shipyards at Bay Point (Port Chicago). Paul Ogden said it took him fifteen minutes to get from Alamo to Saranap on the Dinky, where he boarded the regular train with hundreds of other people going to the shipyard. Margaret Baldwin Wildenradt recalled the train going over the Flournoy’s open field east of downtown Danville. She and her brother John took the train to dental appointments in Oakland, and, when they attended UC Berkeley, they used it to return on weekends. Wilson Close’s uncle was a motorman on the train and Wilson remembered, “My uncle would take me on the engine, and I remember the excitement of riding in the locomotive.”
Dog Training and Adoptable Pets
By Cindi Tringali Q. How can I get my dog to leave the dog park when I want to leave?
A. Getting your dog to leave the park willingly with you when it is time to go home is an issue I often see owners struggling with. It can be an exercise in frustration for the owner and a great game of “catch me if you can” for their dog! Surprisingly, this is quite an easy issue to resolve. I recommend a technique that I call “False Leaves.” This is how it works. Go to the dog park as usual, and note when you would like to leave. Well before the time comes that you want to leave, call your dog and leash him or her up (as if you were actually leaving the park). Once your dog is leashed, unleash them and let them go and play again. If you need to get your dog to come to you, try using treats. Treats can stack the odds in your favor!
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
August’s Winner Is ~ Jeanne Reid
Drawing by Paul Dunlap When abandonment of the train was proposed in 1923, there were large protest meetings. The Danville Grange Herald pointed out that residents of the valley had subscribed thousands of dollars in stock to support the train, property near the tracks had appreciated in value, and prompt mail service was important. The June 9, 1923, Grange Herald linked a campaign to fund the Mt. Diablo State Park with the need to keep the electric train. Nevertheless, in 1924 the train service ended, replaced by buses which met each electric train in Walnut Creek. The Toonerville Trolley was no more. The Contra Costa Courier on Feb. 29, 1924, commemorated its end with a droll little poem: Toonerville, old Toonerville, we knew you well, No more you’ll battle through the dell, No more your faults, to all, disclose. At last you’ve earned a long repose. From July 22 to August 21 the Museum of the San Ramon Valley in the restored Danville depot will feature a display on the Toonerville Trolley while model trains are operated in the freight room. Special “train” hours are 10-2 Tuesday -Saturday. For more information, go to museumsrv.org. If you make a point of doing “False Leaves” several times during the course of each dog park visit, you will be teaching your dog that most of the time, “When my owner calls me it doesn’t mean that the party is over. It just means that I get leashed for a few seconds and then it’s right back to having fun!” After a few visits, you should have no problem getting your dog to leave on time. Note: It is best to be random about the amount of times that you do a “False Leave” and that you vary the time, five minutes into your visit, 20 minutes into your visit, etc. Canine Corral, a great local dog park in our area, is located at Hap Magee Ranch Park,1025 La Gonda Way on the Alamo/Danville border. Please send your Dog Training Questions to Cindi at Cinash2000@ yahoo.com.
Looking for a Forever Home
Gunner is a 9 year old German Shepherd/ Mastiff mix. He LOVES people! He is a truly great dog...super sweet and friendly, and he’s still a puppy at heart. He loves to play and romp around. He just wants to be around his people and does great indoors! Gunner would do best as the only pet in the household. To adopt Gunner or any of our other dogs and cats, please contact the White Kitty Foundation at 925-837-2411, email bob@whitekittyfoundation.org, or visit our website at www. whitekittyfoundation.org.
San Ramon Valley Newcomers Club
The San Ramon Valley Newcomers Club invites new or long-time residents to its monthly luncheon on August 18th at Blackhawk Grill, 3540 Blackhawk Plaza Cir., Blackhawk. We meet from ll:30 to 2pm and the cost is $21. The speaker will be Mr. Phil Ribera, a retired undercover narcotics officer from Hayward. Call Susan,925-718-5214, for reservations or information.
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Sustainable Danville Area Tip of the Month By Cynthia Ruzzi, President Sustainable Danville Area
For my sixteenth birthday, my mom passed along an aquamarine cocktail ring that I had admired as long as I can remember. The size of the stone rivals any of Elizabeth Taylor’s gems, and I proudly wore it everywhere. I wore it to the beach to match my blue swimsuit, as good luck when I played tennis, and even on occasion planting tomatoes with my uncle. Alas, when I realized the ring wasn’t the right accessory for an afternoon at the mall wearing denim cutoffs and flip flops, it was relegated to the bottom of my Cinderella jewelry box. Do you have a drawer full of old treasured jewelry (single earrings, rings with missing stones, broken necklaces, or loose beads) too lovely to just toss, that you continue to stash year after year? I don’t blame you – after years of watching Antique Roadshow and watching the price of gold rise - I’m worried that I may give away rare and valuable items. However, in my never ending quest to declutter and with fewer and fewer ‘visits to the box’ to reminisce days of childhood dress-up, I began to wonder if I’d ever find a way to use these family jewels in my life. Perhaps you’re already practicing the 3 R’s; “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” but this month I’d like to suggest you consider another ‘R’; Re-style. Cottage Jewel, a Danville Area Sustainable Business (www.cottagejewel) is the inspiration for Sustainable Danville Area’s August forum: Re-styling Your Retired Bling. Marcia Harmon, owner of this local antiques shop, is a veteran jewelry designer and offers a wealth of creative ideas for anyone searching for repurposing tips. Marcia is quick with suggestions on how to use a brooch as a belt buckle or as a bracelet and how to use an earring as a necklace, but she’ll be the first to tell you to consider the value of the piece before re-styling the item into new forms. Re-styling pieces into new forms is an admirable way to keep these items from the landfill, but it’s important to make sure valuable items aren’t disassembled for the sake of art. Marcia says, “As an antiques dealer, I like to preserve the original integrity of the old pieces while wearing them in a contemporary new way. It’s best to know what you have before you decide how to repurpose it.” Your treasured items may not fit your style as jewelry, but they can be incorporated into your life in other creative ways. Scrapbook artists, collage makers and multi-media artists have long incorporated tiny gems of days
Alamo Danville Newcomers Club
The Alamo Danville Newcomers Club was founded in 1965 and is still going strong and active today. The Club was founded by Gere Colclough who was also President of the Club from 1965 to 1967. She felt there was a need for women who were new to the valley to connect with other 'newcomers' to make new friends and get together for social activities. The Alamo Danville Newcomers were pleased to welcome Gere Colclough's two daughters, Judy Erler and Sue Crouch, at the May Luncheon held at Bridges Golf Club. They are pictured with current and past Presidents of the Newcomers Club. Today, the Club's mission remains the same; a non-profit organization that welcomes women who are new to our beautiful valley as well as long-
Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 7 gone by into their art, but there are also plenty of home decorating ideas to consider with minimum effort. Consider dressing up your refrigerator with seldom worn or broken brooches by removing the pins with a wire cutter and gluing a magnet to the back of each one. What a wonderful way to mount everything from your children’s artwork to the week’s grocery list. Binky Morgan’s book, Flea Market Jewelry: New Style from Old Treasures (2001) highlights 40 very different designs recycling old brooches, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, transforming pretty ‘doodads’ into beaded curtains, petite picture frames, jazzed-up chandeliers, and more. A quick web search of ‘re-purposing jewelry’ netted great ideas for adding gems to hair barrettes, gift boxes and my favorite - single earrings hung from wineglass stems to mark out whose glass is whose at your next gathering. And even after exhausting all the possible uses for old jewelry, there still may be value given today’s price for scrap gold. Selling your pieces that are beyond repair is great for your pocketbook and also good for the environment. Jewelers re-crafting old gold into unique, custom designs lessen mining impacts, environmental toxins, and water depletion. Join Sustainable Danville Area for our next forum Wednesday, August th 17 at 6:30pm for an engaging evening of Re-styling Your Treasured Bling. Our Host, La Boulange Bakery located at 405 Railroad Ave in Danville, will welcome us with lovely samples of their delicious dessert items. The evening speaker, Marcia Harmon of Cottage Jewel, will offer suggestions and inspiration for using your treasured pieces. Participation for the evening is free, but we request that you register at www.sustainabledanville. com. Bring up to three jewelry pieces, and Marcia along with Larry Smith, owner of Smith Jewelers ,will provide an informal, verbal approximation of value for your antique and fine treasures in exchange for a $15 donation to support Sustainable Danville Area programs. This evening we will also be collecting all types of accessories for men and women: jewelry (earrings, cuff links, necklaces, brooches, tie clips, watches, etc.) briefcases/ handbags, scarves, ties, shoes and umbrellas to donate to Wardrobe for Opportunity. Please clean out your closets and donate to this great organization.
The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley
The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley meets for lunch the second Wednesday of every month at Faz Restaurant in downtown Danville. The Club’s sign-in and social time begins at 11:30AM. The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. Our one-hour program features guest speakers and a business networking speaker. Guests are welcome. Price is $16 for members and first time guests and $20 for returning guests. For more information, call Karen Stepper, President, at (925) 275-2312, email coachstepper@yahoo.com, or visit www.srvexchangeclub.org.
Past presidents of the Alamo Danville Newcomers Club gather together.
time residents who are interested in making new friends through social activities and philanthropy. The Club's annual Kick-Off Brunch will be held September 13th and any ladies who are interested, please call 925775-3233 or visit our website at www.alamodanvillenewcomers.com.
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Page 8 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
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calendaring important dates, planning staff development Barbara Monroe and Owner making sure the campus is clean and safe. My 2011 summer preparations have taken on a different focus. 925-998-9317 Bonded, Insured In his& References 2006 address to the SRVUSD management Furfeatherpet@aol.com team former Superintendent Rob Kessler said, “For the first time in history students know more about something worth knowing than the people in charge of their learning.” Rob was of course referring to & Feathers Petyears Sitting technology. For several now students have been arriving on our campus with smart phones and I-devices onlypetto be told that the those devices need Exceptional care for your to be powered down when school starts. Students’ experience Dailyand visitsput plusaway dog walks andthe leave, no worries with technology Lock during school day is doled out in small pieces through Overnights th a weekly visit to the library for 6 grade students, occasional visits to the “Mac lab,” and reserving the computers on wheels and iPads on wheels for Barbara Monroe daily classroom use. TheOwner goal for all students is 1:1 computing and access on school campuses. 925-998-9317 The San Ramon Valley Education Foundation (SRVEF), Insured & References www.srvef.org,Bonded, in partnership with SRVUSD is fundraising money to create Furfeatherpet@aol.com model Classrooms of Tomorrow (COT) that will provide students with the access to 21 st century learning tools and 1:1 computing. The SRVEF plan is to create ten COT's each year until all SRVUSD classrooms are equipped to & Feathers Pet Sitting provide students with the skills necessary to compete globally. I encourage you to visit the SRVEF website to catch glimpse of the future of learning. Exceptional care for your apet Back to my opening point Daily visits plusand dogRob walksKessler's comment on technology: putLock and leave, no worries ting internet ready devices in the hands of students and providing them with Overnights network access only works if teachers are trained to use the new technology to enhance instruction. The SRVEF COT proposal includes staff development. Barbara Monroe Here are the 21 st Century Skills established the Partnership for 21 st Century Owner Skills (www.p21.org): 925-998-9317 Bonded, Insured & References • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Furfeatherpet@aol.com • Collaboration across Networks and Leading by Influence • Agility and Adaptability • Initiative and Entrepreneurialism &•Feathers Sitting Effective Oral Pet and Written Communication • Accessing and Analyzing Information Exceptional care for your pet • Curiosity andDaily Imagination visits plus dog walks Lock and leave, no worriesincludes LCD projection system, docuClassroom of Tomorrow equipment Overnights ment camera, 1:1 computing (i.e. iPads, iPods, Macbooks, PC’s) , classroom sound system, video conferencing unit (all schools received a video conferBarbara Monroe encing unit over the summer), Owner guest network access, and sound system. Welcome Elizabeth Calhoon, 925-998-9317 our New Assistant Principal Bonded, Elizabeth is a homeInsured grown& References talent. Elisabeth attended SRVUSD Schools and is a graduate Furfeatherpet@aol.com of California High School. Elizabeth's education career has taken her to four different local high schools, California, Foothill, Dougherty, and Granada as a teacher and administrator. Elizabeth comes with a great digital tool set, she is a Google Certified Teacher and presenter. Elizabeth will be presenting at the Computer Using Educators (CUE) conference in August, and she will be taking along three Stone Valley staff members. According to Elizabeth her aspirations are, “to build and develop relationships with our entire school community and bridge the span to a wider, worldwide community.” For enjoyment, Elizabeth loves to read, travel, write, swim and find new gadgets or technological toys that can be turned into useful tools for students and educators. Ask her about her family's yearly holiday trip (this year will be number eight)! You can contact Elizabeth at ecalhoon@srvusd.net.
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St. Isidore School
Welcome Back! Jean Schroeder, Principal
As I write “Welcome Back,” I think of the lyrics from the song to Welcome Back Kotter. I hope I’m not aging myself, but if I am, so be it. As a Catholic K-8 school, this is a school where dreams are made, friendships are developed and nourished, and most importantly, it is a school where our students begin their relationship with Christ as they learn about Catholicism. Yes, we are continually st striving to be a 21 century school in all aspects; however, our backbone is our faith. Our theme this 2011/2012 school year is “Believe.” Our incoming 8th grade students wrote our new school prayer at the end of last year. It goes like this: “We believe we can change the world, if we have the courage to fly. We believe we can get anywhere, if we’re not afraid to try. We believe we can make a difference, if we always do our best. We believe that the Holy Spirit will guide us on our quest.” Our office will open August 1st at 9am, and our first official day back to school is Monday, August 22nd. This year our first day is a minimum day of curriculum where the students attend school from 7:50am to 12:15pm. On Friday, August 19th, we have a yearly tradition at St. Isidore, which is “Sneak a Peak.” Our school’s class lists are posted outside the classroom doors from 10am to noon letting students know which room and teacher they will be having for the upcoming school year. Once they find out, our teachers and assistant/partner teachers are waiting for them in their perspective classrooms to welcome them. All of our specialty teachers will also be on campus to welcome our students and their families to a new school year. We show our students their new classroom, where their desks are, and they also have the opportunity to see their classmates who will be along side them during the school year. This is a day teachers and students love. It is so exciting seeing our students coming back energized to see who their teacher will be for the school year. Our faculty is planning a “Sneak a Peak” of our own. We made the addition of our guidance counselor last year, and one of her goals is to bring our
Cinema Classics ~ Shane By Peggy Horn
In a contemporary book I’m reading, a citizen of an Asian country asks an American if cowboys are still important in American society today. The American responds that few cowboys remain and apparently draws no conclusion either way. Admittedly, the number of cowboys has diminished, but their importance in our culture has not passed away. Cowboys and their philosophy and culture still form a part of our foundation and our strength and, from time to time, are still portrayed in ever-popular western movies that typically garner excellent reviews. As a tribute to the continuing importance of our cowboy heritage, my husband and I have often reminded our boys to approach an issue ‘the cowboy way,’ which to us signifies a stoic, non whining, non wimpy attitude, an outlook that is latent but nonetheless imbedded in our American personality. A movie that superbly illustrates the cowboy way is Shane, (1953) starring Alan Ladd. Shane (Mr. Ladd), a gunslinger, comes to the aid of a farming family trying to settle in a western town at a time when the west was still being formed. This family, the Starretts, played by Jean Arthur as Marian, Van Heflin as Joe, and Brandon de Wilde as their son, Joey, is under constant threat by a neighboring rancher, Mr. Ryker, who seeks to run every single sodbuster out of town to once again free up the range for his cattle operations. Although the farmers have rightfully homesteaded their land and are entitled to all the pertinent legal rights associated therewith, the ranchers have a sentimental, if not legal, right to claim the land – after all it used to be theirs exclusively to handle as they chose. Mr. Ryker points out that it was the ranchers who fought for and subdued the wild lands, and the farmers are undeserving interlopers who don’t deserve to take those lands away. But times change, and the need for farmers to settle and raise families, rather than cattle, comes to life, and so the battle in this movie is fought to the finish with the winner vanquishing the previous way of life. Shane won an Oscar Award for its splendid cinematography, was nominated for numerous additional awards, and is regularly seen on lists of the best western movies of all time. Reserve a Saturday afternoon to view or review this great movie.
Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 9 staff closer together. Many of us have read the book, The Help. The movie will be opening on August 10th, and for those of us who have read it or would like to go, we’re planning a field trip to go watch it together. Our library committee has been very busy during the summer months with the renovation of our school library. We are hoping to have it completed by the first day of school. As our students are continuing to read for the, “Read for the World Record,” we hope that we reach our goal of 1,500,000 minutes. I can’t wait to find out. As I come to a close, I hope you find yourself renewed, refreshed, and recharged for a successful and blessed school year. The lyrics from the theme song to Welcome Back Kotter, “Welcome back, Your dreams were your ticket out. Welcome back, To that same old place that you laughed about. Well the names have all changed since you hung around, but those dreams have remained and they're turned around. Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back.” BELIEVE!
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San Ramon Valley High School
Danville’s Most e x c i t i n g eyewear experience!
By Joseph A. Ianora, Principal Hello San Ramon Valley High School Community
It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome you back to the 2011-2012 school year. We had quite a year last year celebrating our 100th anniversary, and we are looking forward to many great things we have in store as we start our 101st year. It is hard to believe, because the summer has flown by, but it is time to turn our attention back to academics and the start of school. Here are some highlights of the many things that have happened over our summer break: 1. Solar paneling is being added into our senior parking lot and in the front parking lot. While we’re very excited about this, we are running into some delays and hope to have this ready by the start of school. 2. Snack shack/restroom. This project is moving along very nicely, and the construction crew is done that with most of the building itself and are working on the landscape around the building. The finishing touches are set to be completed by the end of June. We’re very excited about this building being up and functional. 3. Portable row. Another big step forward for us is the removal of one row of our troubles. The district will be pulling seven portables off our campus this next week. Those portables housed our PE department while the new gym was being built. 4. Technology. We are very close to completing the wireless installation on our campus. This will benefit students and teachers alike, as we’ll be able to have wireless access throughout the campus. While there is still much uncertainty regarding our state budget and our federal government, we at San Ramon Valley High School are still preparing for over 2,000 students to be joining us in the next few weeks. Regardless of finances or politics, we are very excited to open our doors to our new and
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Dates to Remember
• Packet Pickup: August 8, 9 and 10 from 9am to 3pm. Important note: Students will not be able to complete packet pickup until their Whooping Cough vaccinations are up to date. If you have questions please email bmurray@srvhs.org. • Wolf Pack Days - Registration August 11 and August 16 from 1pm to pm 7 . Forms will be available online beginning August 1 • Freshman Orientation - August 22 from 9am to 3pm • First Day of School - August 24. Period A begins at 8AM and Period 1 begins at 8:30AM • Back to School Night - September 7 from 6:30 to 8:30pm • Evening with the Principal - September 14 at 7pm
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Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 11
Monte Vista High School
Shop Local t Dine Localt Play Local
By Janet Terranova, Principal
It is with a great deal of pride and a tinge of sadness that we said goodbye to the Senior Class of 2011. The seniors were an incredible group of young people who have excelled both academically and with service to their community and school. Their next adventure will take some of them far away as they continue their education all over the country and to the far regions of China. Most will stay close to home with the majority of our students attending UC, CSU, or a number of community colleges on the west coast. A few of our students will do a “bridge” year. They have been accepted at a university, but they have decided to take a year to travel or do community service both in the United States and overseas. We will miss their energy and dedication to our school. Welcome to the class of 2015! What an exciting journey they have waiting at Monte Vista. As I have been visiting feeder middle schools, I have encouraged parents to discuss what success at high school looks like for their individual student. Some parents and students view success as a high GPA. But success is not based solely on a student’s GPA. A successful student is one who takes a rigorous academic load that is balanced with extra-curricular activities both at school and in the community. Whooping cough (pertussis) has been widespread in California. Please remember that all students entering 7th through 12th grade must have proof of an adolescent whooping cough booster shot (Tdap) before starting school. To help protect your children and others from whooping cough, a new California law (AB 354) now requires students to be vaccinated against whooping cough. By law, students who do not have proof of receiving a Tdap booster shot will not be able to start school until proof is provided to the school. At Monte Vista, students unable to provide this proof will not receive a schedule at registration. As you make your summer plans, the following dates may be helpful: • Registration Packet Pick-up: August 11 & 15 ~ Drama Room • Registration: August 16 & 17 ~ Large Gym • Freshmen Orientation: August 19, 9AM-1PM ~ Meet in Large Gym • Freshmen Dance: August 19, 7PM-10PM ~ Large Gym • First Day of School: August 24 ~ Minimum day. Dismissal at 12:33PM For more information about Monte Vista and our activities, visit mvhigh.org.
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Page 12 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
Art in Everyday Life
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it’s best to start with a few innovative decisions that will enhance the natural beauty of your yard. First, take an assessment of your outdoor space, and visualize how you By Tony Michael Vecchio can add a few picturesque and unifying art objects around your garden and patio. “Fewer and fewer Americans possess objects that Nearly everyone acknowledges the beauty of art in their everyday lives, have a patina, old furniture, grandparents’pots and pans and, consciously or unconsciously, we all experience that “aha” moment when – the used things, warm with generations of human touch, we see a piece of art, found object, or vintage treasure, and, say “That will essential to a human landscape.” – Susan Sontag. be perfect for the garden!” But this should not be an isolated incident. Better, It’s summer! The days are California warm, the nights we can always be open for that moment, looking at the world with an eye are breezily cool, and it’s the best time of year to enjoy toward everyday beauty. You’ll find yourself increasingly connecting to art and share your garden with family, friends, and visitors. and objects that will fit your lifestyle and newly enlightened artistic vision. When you plan to entertain in your private and inspirational To make it work, art or decorative objects need to blend organically with their surhabitat, think about creating an environment that coordinates a harmonious blend of roundings, the garden, and its landscaping. Art and landscape decoration needs to have conversation, good refreshments, and visual art. an intuitive and elemental connection, appearing as if it has existed there in that spot As an artist, I think that many people have an innate and instinctive desire to ex- forever, rather than conveying that it had been recently purchased. For example, a bright, press their artistic nature in their outdoor spaces by incorporating art objects among colorful, and glittery garden decoration may look whimsical and fun when its exhibited the landscaping of flowers, plants, and trees. These objects don’t need to be expensive and marketed under an art fair tent, but the same piece will appear significantly out of purchases. In fact, many inspired and resourceful elements can integrate a love of art, place in a minimalist Japanese garden that tends to evoke an ephemeral, spiritual qualsculpture, and color and give an outdoor space a unifying visual balance. To do this, ity. Therefore, you want to think about your yard and your lifestyle, as you search for artwork items that reflect your personal taste and fit into your landscaping aesthetic. A rustic willow chair, slowly falling apart as it is partially hidden under a tree or among the undergrowth, shows the natural weathering process, adding a statement about the natural cycle of growth and transcendence of nature. When you can find them, the original Solari wind chimes, cast in sand molds, have beautiful, natural-hued patinas and sound graceful and light when touched by garden breezes. Research some potters (think Berkeley and Emeryville artisans) to see if you can purchase cast off, damaged, or irregular teapots, bowls, or other pottery creations that make great weather proof, yard sculptures. Natural looking clay, Retail Price lined up on a fence, or perched on a garden $3,748 wall blend well in a natural environment. Any number of unique, naturally sculptural objects can add an aesthetically inventive touch to any home landscape environment when you place them strategically in your garden. Consider unique rocks, driftwood, and organically rusted metal shapes, for starters. Whatever your style and garden vision, you’ll experience a sense of artistic accomplishment in being able to incorporate art in your garden and sharing your vision with guests. A few local art events are coming up… The Village Theatre Art Gallery's juried exhibition, the Elegant Line, continues through August 26, offering a dynamic and engaging exhibition of mixed media and illustrative art of 38 artists across the country. The AlamoDanville Artists’ Society presents “Artistic Reflections,” a new exhibit of paintings, jewelry, and fabric art August 12 through October 23, at the new Blackhawk Art Gallery in Blackhawk Plaza. Always fun, the artist reception, on Saturday, August 13, from 5 to 7pm, provides the opportunity to meet the exhibiting artists over wine and conversation. Open Tues thru Sat 10 to 6 The next Downtown Danville Street Art and Sunday 11 to 5 Wine Stroll, an enjoyable summer evening exhibit of fine art and fine wine, is on ThursClosed Monday day August 25 from 5:30 to 8:30pm. Tony Michael Vecchio writes about art and style. If you have any comments, feel free Danville 925.648.0293 Alamo 925.820.8492 to contact him at tonymvecchio@gmail.com. View his collage assemblage work and fine 3426 Camino Tassajara 3189 Danville Boulevard art at etsy.com/shop/WabiSabiDaddi.
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Page 14 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
Life in the Danville Garden
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Swimming Pools By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059
Summer is finally officially here although it has been a cool one. I assure you that the summer heat is on the way. One way to keep you cool during those blazing hot Danville summers is to have a swimming pool. With the “HOTTER” months yet to come, Danville residents are finding creative ways to keep cool in their backyards. If you don’t already have a swimming pool you might be knocking on your neighbor’s door offering 25 cents a head to take a dip, or is it more like $5 bucks now? Getting out the “Kiddy” pool, Slip n’ Slide, Crazy Daisy or just running through the sprinklers are some other creative ways to stay cool without a pool. If you are considering a swimming pool as major asset to your home environment, here are some things to consider before jumping off the diving board. Pools in today’s terms are a major investment. No longer can you get a simple rectangular pool for less than $70,000. Most pools today are falling into the range of $70,000-$100,000 plus. Why? The high cost is due to the complexity of the pool designs, accouterments, and locations they are being constructed. Some key considerations in designing and constructing a pool are the engineering and accouterments that accompany today’s pool. Most flat lot pools can be constructed with standard engineering. Most of Danville’s soil is either expansive clay-type or sandstone bedrock or both. If your pool is going into the clay-type soil potential problems such as expansion, settlement, and drainage are major issues to consider. If you are digging into sandstone, that’s a good thing. You may pay more for digging, but most likely your pool will stay put. Popular additions to the pool design are spas, waterfalls, water slides, automatic covers, solar heating panels, in-floor cleaning systems, plasters such as pebble-Tec, Satin Matrix and quartzite, custom masonry and tile, and of course, computer systems to run the whole thing. Your computer can manage your pool temperature, lights, waterfall, filtering system, landscape lights, cleaning system, solar, and even turn on your spa to warm it up hours before you even get home for that late night dip. For those with a view, the ever-growing popularity of the vanishing edge or negative edge pool is changing the way pools have been used in the traditional sense. With high-tech engineering, pier-holes drilled thirty feet into the ground allow you to hang a pool off the edge of almost any hillside lot. Of course, only if you are willing to spend what the average Danville home cost in the 1990’s. V-edge pools are simply breath-taking. Depending on the degree of difficulty you can expect these pools to start at $125,000. If you have the opportunity to design one of these babies into your home environment, you will be totally awe-struck by the beauty of your surroundings being reflected into the mirror glass reflection of your vanishing edge. If you are planning a pool as part of your home environment, it is best to integrate the pool design and the landscape design as an integrated master plan design. Pool companies design pools but often end up plunking a pool into your backyard without consideration of your lifestyle and the rest of the project. Start by creating the environment as a whole integrating a cohesive design of pool, hardscape, and softscape. Do you want a more naturalistic or formal setting? Installing a pool also makes you think about what other elements you want in your backyard. What kind of pool decking do you want? Should you use concrete, flagstone, slate, etc? What other additions to your pool-side entertaining do you want? What is your budget? As you can see, designing a pool into your yard is a serious commitment and investment with a lot at stake. Swimming pools can certainly be the magnet of joy and good times, as well as a liability. If you decide that a pool should be in your backyard, always consider safety first, be vigilant, make sure your
children are pool safe, and never, ever leave them unattended, not even for a moment. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Always hire a state licensed contractor to build your project.. Check their license status and referrals. Make sure they have done projects similar to your own. You can verify the status of a contractor at the California State License Board (CSLB). You can check on-line at www.cslb.ca.gov. Gardening Quote of the Month: “I can't fly, but swimming is the next best thing.... The water is my sky.” ~Author Unknown If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com or visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial
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The Art of Screening By Brende & Lamb
Trees and shrubs provide many valuable services in the urban ecosystem. One of the most important, from the perspective of homeowners, is screening for privacy and to hide undesired objects. Well-placed foliage can keep out prying eyes and enhance personal safety; and a view of beautiful leaves and branches gives more pleasure than the view of a neighbor’s garage. Over the long run, preserving a living screen requires planning and judicious pruning. Plants grow toward the sun; they maximize foliage where there is most light, in the canopy. As trees mature, the density of the canopy can act as an umbrella and shade out the interior lower branches, which causes them to die. To see a clear example of this, look at a mature oak in the forest. The majority of foliage is in the outer shell; the interior is bare. This natural phenomenon works well for plants in the wild, but may not succeed well for your screening needs. Luckily, there are ways to avoid this loss of valuable screening. All strategies for maintaining screen involve keeping sunlight flowing to interior branches. Sufficient light on the leaves reduces dieback. It is best to act before the screen is compromised (an ounce of pruning is better than a ton of replanting). In plants with latent buds, English laurels for example, trunks can re-sprout even after interior branches have withered. However, many species lack latent buds and are incapable of re-sprouting, and for those species preventative medicine is the only medicine. Even for species with latent buds, keeping branches healthy is much easier, and more effective, than reinvigorating them. • Eliminate light competition from surrounding plants. Evaluate the plants growing near your screen plants to see if they are casting a shadow on branches critical to screening. Plants shading out important screen plants can be removed, or they can be thinned and shaped to increase illumination of screening branches. • Thin the screen plants themselves. This may seem counterintuitive, but the exterior of the screen plant may be shading its interior. It is not uncommon to see 40-foot pittosporums that look like balloons, with the only green occurring in the canopy. To revitalize, it is generally best to remove all dead wood, thin the top heavily, and even thin the screen area. The goal is to maintain layers of green from the edge of the canopy through the interior. A thick, multi-layered screen is less prone to failure. If it is not acceptable to lose any bottom screen, even temporarily, a good compromise is to thin those portions above the screen area. Thinning only one portion of the tree is an aesthetic challenge, but it can be done. • Shape the tops of screen plants. It is sometimes possible to shape back the tops of screen plants to allow more light to reach the lower branches. Our philosophy of pruning requires that the overall beauty of the plants be considered in all pruning cuts. Because health and beauty are often synonymous, we have found that bringing light into the interior usually enhances tree aesthetics. What do you do if you have already lost the screen? It is difficult to get branches to grow back once they have died, but radically thinning or lowering the plant may induce growth in lower foliage. Unfortunately, this is hard to achieve without sacrificing the aesthetics of your trees and shrubs. Sometimes it is possible to fill the gap with shade-loving plants. Other times the only solution might be to remove the plant and start over. Each case is different. If you need help, do not hesitate to give us a call, for advice or to do the work. At Brende and Lamb, we have 20 years of experience balancing the aesthetics of your trees and shrubs and maintaining your screening needs. If your trees and shrubs need a little TLC - call us at 510-486-8733 or email us at bl@brendelamb.com to schedule a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website, www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client Advertorial testimonials, and work in your neighborhood.
Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 15
Heartland Danville
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along Railroad Ave. & Prospect Ave.
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iscover the timeless treasures offered by 80 antiques merchants, vintage vendors and folk artists while you stroll thru historic Downtown Danville. Informal Antiques Appraisals at the Museum 10am-2pm for $10/item donation Sponsored by:
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Page 16 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
Household Hazardous Waste Recycling
Have you spent some of your summer days cleaning and tidying your garage, cabinets, and storage sheds? Have you found old batteries, almost empty cans of paint, old cleaning products, gardening chemicals, and spray cans of products you no longer use? Many of these products can poison, corrode, explode, or ignite when handled improperly. When thrown out in the trash, they can threaten human and environmental health. In the first 10 years of operation, the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in Martinez collected more than 16 million pounds of hazardous waste. This facility accepts household hazardous waste from residences for recycling, reuse, and safe disposal. There is no charge to use this service, and no appointment is necessary. The facility is open to residents of Alamo, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and other participating Central County jurisdictions on Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Small businesses must make an appointment to use the facility and are charged a nominal fee based on the type and quantity of waste. Products that are in their original containers and deemed to still be usable are checked and placed in the Reuse Room where they are available to be taken at no charge. To transport materials to the facility please pack items in sturdy, nonleaking containers no larger than five gallons. Original containers are recommended. Small, leaking containers can be individually placed in Ziploc bags. Larger containers should be placed in separate, covered, and non-leaking containers for transport. Boxes lined with plastic garbage bags also work. State regulations limit the transport of household hazardous waste to 15 gallons or 125 pounds per vehicle, per trip. The Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is located at 4797 Imhoff Place near the intersection of Highway 680 and Highway 4. For more information, call 800-646-1431 or visit www.centralsan.org/hhw.
Clip Notes
By Jody Morgan
Recently, I made the acquaintance of Mrs. Pollock, Dolly Varden, and Mr. Henry Cox. Thanks to their roots in 19th century England, they all have easily pronounceable names. Mrs. Pollock, the grande dame of the trio, made her debut in 1858. Dolly Varden was introduced in 1873, and Mr. Henry Cox arrived on the scene in 1879. They all come dressed to party year round with ever-variegated leaves of many colors seasonally bedecked with floral tiaras. Pelargonium is their proper name, but they are commonly called fancy leaf geraniums. The family Linnaeus named Geraniaceae was further divided as botanists began identifying dissimilarities in seed structure. In 1789 Charles L’Hertier reclassified plants with stork’s bill seeds as Pelargoniums, but by then everyone knew them as geraniums. He left species with crane’s bill seeds in the genus Geranium (these include plants hardy even in New England). Mrs. Pollock’s ancestors arrived in England from South Africa early in the 18th century – Pelargonium zonale, the Zonate Stork’s Bill, got off the boat in 1710 with Pelargonium inquinans, the Scarlet Stork’s Bill, following in 1714. Easy to work with (especially after the repeal of the glass tax in 1845, the window tax in 1851 and the concurrent invention of plate glass made greenhouses affordable), Pelargoniums became the favorite subjects of British cross-breeders. In A History of Ornamental Foliaged Pelargoniums published in 1869, Peter Grieve, Mrs. Pollock’s originator, lists 52 similarly arrayed hybrids in what he considers the best of the new category of “Golden Variegated Zonals or Golden Tricolors.” I’ve always known that botanists are challenged by color, often describing violet flowers as blue, but I’ve just learned that they also have issues with arithmetic. Drawn to any plant with multi-hued foliage, I instantly fell in love with the above listed group of “tricolors.” Yet most have not three, but four or five different colors in each leaf with variations of red, yellow, orange, bronze, maroon, cream and green arranged in bands, or zones. The scientific nuance is that some of these shades are created in areas where two
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Examples of household hazardous waste accepted include paint, motor oil, batteries, aerosols, fire extinguishers, f l a r e s , fluorescent light bulbs and tubes, household cleaners, thermometers, grease and cooking oils, automotive care products, garden care and pest control products, pool chemicals, glues, gas, resins, and other materials. Not accepted include medications, medical waste such as sharps, radioactive material, treated wood waste, or eWaste. Visit the website for a complete list of accepted and not accepted items.
Books for the Homebound: A Free Service of the Danville Library
If you or someone you know has a passion for reading and can no longer visit the library, find out more about the Danville Library’s Books for the Homebound program, a free and unique library service. Trained library volunteers check out and deliver books to homebound individuals residing in their own homes or residential care facilities. Contact Sandra Paiva, Volunteer Coordinator, at the Danville Library at 925-837-4889 for more information. pigments overlap, but the eye still reads them as separate rings of color. Good news for those of you who don’t give a hoot about botanical names, bad news for serious collectors, many of these dramatically dressed cultivated creations are mislabeled in the trade. Many cultivars are similar in appearance as cuttings, but they are vastly different in habit or flower color. Pelargoniums have a tendency to sport variations, some being chosen for development as new varieties. Others can turn a named specimen into a totally disparate individual if left unchecked. In 1869 there were already so many variegated Pelargoniums available that Peter Grieve predicted only the most robust would survive the test of time. Robin Parer, owner of Geraniaceae in Kentfield, estimates that 10,000 named Pelargoniums have been lost since the 1880’s, leaving 15,000 still extant. Today big box stores pump out the easiest plants to mass-produce. The propagation of unusual (often vastly more interesting) types falls to specialty nurseries and collectors. Unfortunately, many gardeners are not good at keeping records. If a friend gave me a cutting from a glorious tricolor, would I refuse it because she wasn’t certain where she’d stashed the label? Not likely! Hazel Key, however, felt so duty bound to correct a common misappellation that she spent two years haunting the British museum and leafing through catalogues at Kew Botanical Gardens to determine whether the correct name for Henry Cannell’s hybrid was Mr. or Mrs. Cox. Her research revealed that the Henry Cox memorialized in this brocade-leaved geranium had never married. His mother was Mrs. William Cox, and hence although the variety is marketed under both titles, only Mr. Henry Cox is historically accurate. Here in Danville we are lucky to have a nursery specializing in many types of geraniums – 30-35 fancy leaf varieties alone and a total of more than 150 in all in stock. Judy Sandkuhle’s grandfather began hybridizing geraniums as a hobby when he started the business back in 1906. Although all of his personal creations were lost over time, his granddaughter continues to cultivate many of the oldest as well as the newest hybrids available. Relocated from Oakland to Danville in 1923, Sunset Color Nursery on San Ramon Valley Boulevard is both a wholesale and retail business. You can ogle tricolors on their website at www.sunsetcolornursery.com or stop by to meet Mrs. Pollock, Dolly Varden, Mr. Henry Cox, and their relations in person.
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Top Ten Estate Planning Mistakes By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.
Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 17 example, “joint tenancy” and “community property” are the most common methods of holding title for married couples; however, the benefits of such title vesting are generally far fewer than titling assets in a Living Trust. The “right of survivorship” (ROS) feature of joint tenancy is often highly touted because when one joint tenant (co-owner) dies, title automatically vests in the surviving joint tenant. But joint tenancy has a major shortcoming, even for married couples. On the survivor’s death (which hypothetically could be simultaneously with the other joint tenant), the asset will be subject to probate. Unintended consequences can occur when unmarried people hold assets in joint tenancy and don’t understand that joint tenancy trumps whatever (contrary) provision they may have in their Will or Living Trust. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with Shapiro Buchman Provine Brothers Smith LLP, 1333 N. California Street, Suite 350, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 944-9700; rsilverman@sbllp.com. His practice emphasizes Estate Planning, Trust Administration & Probate, Real Estate, and Business. Please call for a free introductory consultation.
Sometimes we learn from our own mistakes; sometimes from those of others. I hope you’ll learn from at least one, if not more, of the top ten common estate planning mistakes – five in this article and the next five in September’s article. If you have already avoided all of these mistakes, congratulations – you’re in great shape estate planning-wise! 1) Not having a valid Will. If you die without one, State law and the court will dictate (rather than you choosing): to whom your assets go, who will administer your estate, and, if you have minor children, who will be appointed as their guardian. 2) Not having a valid Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney (POA) is a binding written designation of an agent you trust to handle your finances if This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon you become unable to do so. Without a POA, if you become incapacitated, as legal, tax, financial and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communication is not intended or written to a family member or friend will need to initiate an expensive, inconvenient be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, Advertorial and time-consuming conservatorship proceeding to obtain court authority marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. to transact financial business on your behalf. Adding insult to injury, the appointed conservator may not be a person you would ever want in that role. CONTRA COSTA ONCOLOGY 3) Not having a valid Advance Health Care Directive. An Advance Health Care Directive (AHD) is analogous to a POA, except instead of designating a financial agent, you designate a health care agent. It also gives you an opportunity to make your wishes known so that during any period of incapacity, your medical care can be administered (or withdrawn) by your agent per your wishes. Not having an AHD has the same disadvantages as not having a POA, and another serious one - treatment may be given or withheld in a manner that’s inconsistent with your wishes. Frankly, every adult should have a Will, POA, and AHD. 4) Not having a valid Revocable Living Trust. Having just a simple Will is often not enough. Though a Will has substantial value, if you don’t also have a Living Trust (which is, for most purposes, a Will substitute), you are likely doing your loved ones a major disservice. With just a Will, probate – a long, bureaucratic, expensive and public, courtsupervised estate administration process – is virtually guaranteed. A statutory exemption for Living Trusts allows probate to be avoided for any assets properly titled in the trust on one’s death. A Living Trust also affords privacy for your loved ones. Unlike probate administration, your Living Trust can be administered on your death without publicly exposing personal information about your family and assets. A properly drafted Living Trust also has more flexibility and functionality than a simple Will. It can, among other things, potentially help: a) eliminate or minimize estate tax liability for a married couple; b) control distribution of your assets in a customized manner for all or selected beneficiaries, including: minors or young adults, a spouse (particularly useful with “blended” families), and grandchildren, AT CONTRA COSTA ONCOLOGY, we are committed to providing WALNUT CREEK and c) preserve, rather than jeopardize, the ability of the highest quality care. Specializing in comprehensive cutting-edge treatment a disabled beneficiary to continue receiving public SAN RAMON programs for all forms of cancer and blood disorders, our nationally recognized benefits (requires “special needs” trust provisions). CONCORD oncology experts and specialized oncology nurses are dedicated to providing Finally, trust administration is usually significantly ROSSMOOR the best possible care experience. We understand the wide array of concerns less expensive and time-consuming than probate and challenges faced by you and your family, so we ensure the most sophisticated DANVILLE [ Opening this Fall ] administration. levels of medical oncology and hematology care, while providing you with the 5) Not titling your assets properly. Frecontracostaoncology.com utmost support, compassion, and respect. quently, people do not title their assets, such as real 925.939.9610 estate and bank/securities accounts, optimally. For
With Them
my story Continues.
Page 18 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
Good Intentions
By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO, Inc.
I go through life with a bit of a Pollyanna-ish point of view. That means that I think people are basically good; they’re always trying their best to get through life, they don’t mean to hurt others, and problems are usually just the confluence of circumstances and honest, but differing agendas. I’m grown-up enough to know it’s not always this way in life, but if I get really frustrated with someone, it helps me to revert to this point of view. If you believe everyone is trying their best, it’s hard to carry a grudge or simultaneously believe they’re trying to make you miserable. This is the very attitude one of our customers needed to retain after dealing with the phone support with a major network product manufacturer. He couldn’t connect his laptop to the wireless network in his home. He called Comcast, who correctly identified that it wasn’t a problem they could affect. They suggested he call the manufacturer of the router he owned. He did this and he was connected with their free product support. When he spoke with the support technician, who happened to be residing in another country, he explained his problem connecting to the network, and then the trouble began. There were several factors at work here. 1) My customer isn’t a technical person, 2) the support tech wasn’t very experienced, and he definitely wasn’t cautious, 3) the support technician spoke English as a second language, so there was a gap in the communication, and 4) the problem was actually extremely simple, but it became overly complicated by the first three factors. When the technician began looking into the situation, he took the word of the inexperienced customer instead of following protocol to first understand the situation before suggesting changes. Then he started advising his customer to make some changes on his system that were completely outside of the process at hand. The support tech was flailing, and he began over-reaching his abilities. I think the correct terminology is that he started making decisions “outside his pay grade.” When it was all over, the technician had advised our customer to make a
JA continued from front page
for Kindergarten-5th grade students. While students can participate in JA for the first time during any grade, the sequential lessons build on each other, with those receiving it year after year receive the deepest impact.” Lynch notes that due to the challenged economy, middle school and afterschool programs have, in the last few years, seen an increase in both demand and participation, as have high school programs and Job Shadow opportunities. The demand by teachers, administrators and parents for JA programs typically exceeds the Walnut Creek branch’s capacity and funding, and thus, JA is always looking for new partnerships with foundations, donors, and corporate partners to expand services and deepen impact. “Our educator partners value and recognize the impact of JA programs,” says Lynch. Sample JA programs include: Our Families (1st grade) - By engaging students with activities about needs, wants, jobs, and interdependence, this program emphasizes roles of those in the local economy and how they work together to create a community. Our City (3rd grade) - Students learn about zoning, resources, economic institutions and consumers, producers, and entrepreneurs. Our Nation (5th grade) - Students are introduced to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers as well as production, marketing, profit, and how to write a resume. This program illustrates high-growth, high-demand jobs and the educational pathways to fulfill them. JA Economics for Success (middle school) In addition to introducing the concepts of credit, debt, income, risk, and insurance, this program explores personal finance and students’ education and career options based on their skills, interests, and values. JA Job Shadow (high school) - After completing in-class lessons and creating resumes, students are hosted at a local business for a full “day in the life” of an employee where they tour the facility, talk with employee mentors, and participate in teambuilding job-related activities. “JA has given me many things,” says JA alumnus Devin M, UCLA Class of 2015. JA has given me job skills, and the vision to become a lawyer. Most importantly, JA has given me the push to overcome my obstacles and plan for a lifetime of achievement.” “The criterion for volunteering is simply being a caring adult who is interested in inspiring students and sharing their personal and professional
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change that completely wiped out the personal user profile on his computer. He lost access to all his files, his email – everything. That’s when he called us, as he was completely locked out of his computer. I wasn’t sure I could undo what the fellow had done remotely, but luckily we had enough passwords and access to his computer to effectively put him back together again. It took over two hours of concentrated phone support to fix the technician-caused problem. It took just another 10 minutes to fix the original issue he had wanted to fix. The lesson I want you to draw from this is that you should be extremely skeptical when you’re dealing with free remote telephone support. You are getting exactly what you pay for. Those technicians are well-meaning, but they’re paid minimum wage, they aren’t accountable to you if they make a mistake, and you’re dealing with language barriers and a host of other factors that all work against you. Half the time, I think manufacturers just stick people there to say they have support available, but they don’t staff the support center with truly capable people because it’s too expensive. I don’t want to sound negative here, but when one of these guys messes you up, who do you call to complain? Who hears you scream? All you’re going to hear is, “That’s too bad; you should’ve had better backups.” Seriously. What should you do? You should always call Portable CIO first. When people call us, we give a lot of free advice. Will we troubleshoot your problem remotely for free? No. If we connect to your system, we’re going to start the clock for remote support, which is billed in 15 minute increments. In this case we could have solved it in 15 minutes. The basic problem was that our customer thought he had a wireless profile setup on his laptop for his home network, and he didn’t. That’s why he couldn’t connect to his home network. That technician went way off track, and almost cost our customer a ton of money and inconvenience with his well-intentioned but extremely bad advice. Don’t make the same mistake; give Portable CIO the first call, and let us help you avoid a lot of trouble and unnecessary expense. Do you have a technical problem that needs attention? The best way to work with us is to call 925-552-7953, or email us at helpdesk@theportablecio. com. We’ll do our best to help you, point you in the right direction, and get you back to full productivity in the shortest possible time. Advertorial story,” says Lynch. “Most of our volunteers find that they receive as much as they give. Dhira V. was a volunteer this spring in our local schools. She had the most amazing time with the kids in her class. “I will never forget all of the hugs I received from the students,” says Dhira. “Junior Achievement’s material was outstanding. It was so much fun for the kids, and for me! I will continue to be involved with the great work the organization is doing.” JA’S biggest challenge is meeting the demand for programs. “We are always interested to meet new partners who wish to make an impact within local schools and to help prepare students to succeed,” says Lynch. “Now, more than ever, in a time of economic challenges, high unemployment, and global competitive pressures, it is critical to help equip our children with the basic economic skills they will need to be successful in life.” For more information on Junior Achievement, please visit www.janorcal.org.
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Join Us for a Beer and Conversation About Prostate Cancer
By Sachin Kamath, MD, Radiation Oncologist and Matthew Sirott, MD, Medical Oncologist - Diablo Valley Oncology
“Pints for Prostates” is a grassroots campaign that uses the universal language of beer to reach men with an important health message about their prostate health. Founded by a prostate cancer survivor Dr. Sachin Kamath who was diagnosed at the age of 48, this non-profit campaign raises awareness among men about the need for regular health screenings and PSA testing. In partnership with Pyramid Brewery and Pacific Urology, Diablo Valley Oncology brings the first ever Pints For Prostates fundraiser event to Walnut Creek on September 7, 2011. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American males today (220,000 cases in 2010) and is the second leading cause of cancer death (32,000 in 2010) in the United States. One in Dr. Matthew Sirott six men is at a lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer. Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. The disease is rare in men younger than 45, but the chance of getting it goes up sharply as a man ages. Also, a man’s risk of prostate cancer doubles if his brother or father had the disease. Prostate cancer is more common in African American men and less common in Asian and Native American men. Early-stage prostate cancer may not be associated with any obvious signs or symptoms, or it may cause symptoms that can be mistaken for those of other disorders. The signs and symptoms of more advanced prostate cancer may include frequent need for urination, difficult or painful urination, blood in the urine, pelvic pain, painful ejaculation, and/or loss of appetite/weight and bone pain. If detected early, prostate cancer is treatable and curable. Today, there are more than two million prostate cancer survivors in the US. Treatment for prostate cancer can include active surveillance, surgery, image-guided radiation therapy using Calypso GPS technology, hormonal therapy, immune therapy, and chemotherapy. The American Cancer Society’s guidelines recommend that men should get routine PSA screening at age 50. However, if you are under 50 and experience any of the above symptoms or have a close relative who has had prostate cancer, it is reasonable to discuss earlier prostate cancer screening with your primary care physician. Join us at Pints for Prostates, guaranteed to be a fun and informative evening on September 7th, 6-8pm at Pyramid Alehouse, 1410 Locust Street, Walnut Creek. The “Pints Package” includes a custom beer glass, beer, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and raffle tickets. Space is limited, so RSVP at 925-677-5041, extension 260. Dr. Kamath and Dr. Sirott practice at Diablo Valley Oncology in the California Cancer and Research Institute located at 400 Taylor Blvd in Pleasant Hill. They both specialize in treating prostate cancer. www.DiabloValleyOncology.md. Advertorial
Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 19
Got a Wine Question? By Monica Chappell
In addition to writing about wine, I teach wine appreciation classes, and one of my favorite things about teaching is answering students’ questions. During my wine classes, we take a non-intimidating attitude to learning about wine, and we focus more on wine discovery. My hope is that these commonly asked questions encourage you to pull many corks in the quest for higher knowledge. Q: Does the temperature at which wine is served matter? In a word, Yes. The temperature at which you serve your wine will affect its aroma, taste, and presentation. The volatility of wine's flavor compounds are important, so getting it right will improve the drinking experience. Wine should be chilled to 50-55 degrees for white and rose wines, and it should be just below room temperature for red wines, about 65 degrees. Q: What’s the best way to store opened wine? I don’t face this problem often, but know that if you’re going to drink the rest of the wine within a day or two, simply recork it and store at the temperature at which it’s normally served - see answer above for more on this. Exposure to oxygen makes the aroma and flavor of wine deteriorate, so if you want to keep it longer, pour the leftovers into a smaller bottle – the less air space, the longer the wine will continue to taste good – and store in the fridge. Q: What does the term terroir mean? Terroir is the French term for soil, often used as a comprehensive term to describe the characteristics of a vineyard’s soil and microclimate and the resulting flavor profile of the wine made from its grapes. All of these factors contribute to giving the wine its specific personality. Q: What does Malolactic Fermentation do to a wine? Secondary fermentation is otherwise known as Malolactic Fermentation – MLF for short. MLF converts tart-tasting malo acid, naturally present in grape must, to softer-tasting lactic acid. MLF tends to create a rounder mouth feel and a creamy texture in wine. Q: What does the pucker you might feel in your mouth when tasting a red wine come from? Tannins are chemical compounds in grape skins let loose into the wine by extended skin contact. Additionally, during the aging process oak barrels infuse tannin into the juice. Tannins are a natural preservative and also give wine structure, texture, and an important flavor dimension in wine. Tannins are good! Q: Do all wines get better with age? The short answer is NO. Some wines are meant to be consumer while they are young, and bad wines never get better. No matter where you stand on the learning curve, even the most expert oenophiles agree: For those who are willing to learn, wine is a teacher for life. Monica Chappell is a Wine Writer and Educator. To register for upcoming classes please visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com.
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Page 20 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
The Eye Opener
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By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry School Time and Discounted Student’s Eye Exams
Garden continued from front page The raised beds will be made of redwood to resist termites and decay, they will be almost 18” high for gardeners comfort, and the beds will be constructed in such a way that they will remain straight and attractive for many years to come. A list of materials needed has been developed, and donations are deeply appreciated. Workday schedules have begun to be planned for Josh's Boy Scout troop, local teens from Athenian and San Ramon Valley high schools, and other volunteers. Construction of the raised beds will begin as soon as the license agreement with Hap Magee is arranged and the site is prepared. For more information on how you can become involved, visit http://thebountygarden.wordpress. com/.
Now that we are in August, it is the time as parents where we start turning our attention to back to school for kids of all ages from elementary school to college and graduate school. Besides stocking up on clothes and school supplies, this usually also includes visits to your child’s pediatrician, dentist, and optometrist. Since we believe strongly in early detection and treatment, we are offering 20% off a student’s exam and glasses in the month of August. This cannot be used in conjunction with any insurance benefits. School these days is difficult enough for our kids, so we need to make sure they have the necessary tools and vision to start off the year on the right foot. Vision at school requires several tasks to manage to be successful. This includes sharp distance vision to be able to read the board and/or overhead, good near vision and binocular vision (eye teaming) to be able to read and study for long periods at a time, and, depending on the class, the ability to go back and forth from the board or overhead to up close to take notes on paper or computer with ease. In addition to these visual requirements, the eyes also need to be healthy to be able to sustain these demands. Conditions such as dry eyes induced from allergies or medications, and the itching and tearing from seasonal allergies can hinder vision and thus needed to be diagnosed and addressed. It is for these reasons that your child’s eyes should be checked by an eye care professional. School and pediatrician screenings usually only test distance vision and do not address health issues of the eye and does not address near vision, depth perception, and binocular vision. Many times a child (or adult for that matter) has “good vision” but is still having issues with near work which can include blurry vision, double vision, headaches, and overall difficulty sustaining up-close work for any period of time. Obviously all reading issues are not caused by vision and/or binocular vision conditions, but that should be the first place you should check out to make sure all is well. In addition to school and homework, most children are involved in school and/or recreational sports and extra-curricular activities. Whether your child is involved in soccer, football, dance, or cheerleading, these all require good vision and ocular health to be able to succeed. If there is vision correction required, many parents and kids are opting for contact lenses. Activities are often difficult to fully participate in while wearing glasses, and contact lenses allow for good vision as well as peripheral vision, and you are not hindered by the frame. Most patients are good candidates for contacts; however, since there is work to learn to adapt to the lenses and to be able to put them on and off, motivation on the part of the child is paramount. If he or she is not really interested in contacts, I recommend starting the process of training and follow-ups when they are ready to tackle it. It is also helpful if a family member already wears contacts to be able to help out as needed. However, it is the child that needs to have the responsibility of keeping their hands clean, cleaning and storing the lenses as needed, and inserting and removing the contacts. It is recommended for vision and ocular health changes that patients get an annual eye exam. The testing we do at the office goes much more in depth and covers more than pediatrician and school screenings. We hope that if you do not have any vision insurance that you take advantage of our back to school offer. We are a family-centered practice, and we look forward to seeing the entire family in the office soon. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our newly updated website at www.alamooptometry.com, and become Advertorial a fan on our Alamo Optometry Facebook page.
Doll continued from front page Easy to fasten ties or Velcro closings make simple work for the small hands of the dolls’ recipients. A few years ago, one of the nurses at Children’s Hospital put the dolls to a new test. She realized that she could significantly lessen a patient’s anxiety about going through the MRI machine if she sent the child’s new doll through first. Once the doll emerged unscathed, the child was reassured that the process wouldn’t hurt. Quilts in cheerful patterns give the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit a less institutional ambiance. Parents peering anxiously through the glass can spot their baby right away by the homemade comforter covering his or her crib. Bette Flushman, Infant Development Specialist at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland, wrote a personal note of thanks to the Doll Project volunteers. “I hope you realize how much these special items mean to our families. They are what makes the hospital setting feel more like home. And the parents are always so touched by your efforts to make these items for their babies.” Currently sponsored by the Alamo Danville Newcomers Club, the Doll Project was started in 1992 by Betty Veliquette as a program of the Oakland Children’s Hospital Cypress Branch. The network of Children’s Hospital Branches is a system
of auxiliaries rooted in more than 90 years of tradition. Searching for recruits to aid in her new mission, Veliquette turned to a friend who was a member of the Alamo Danville Newcomers Club. Betty’s friend was able to provide meeting space for the project at the Shadow Hills Clubhouse in the Danville neighborhood where she resided. Each Doll Day during the project’s first decade, women from the Cypress Branch brought luscious luncheon dishes to Danville from the far reaches of the Oakland area. In 2002, Cypress Branch gratefully acknowledged the Doll Project’s first decade of service providing huggable dolls and heartwarming quilts by dedicating a 12 x 12 plaza brick commemorating their efforts inscribed: To Honor the Ladies Of the Therapeutic Doll Project Gratefully Cypress Branch Shadow Hills resident Nancy Goreth learned of the Doll Project in 2003 when she was invited as a representative of the Shadow Hills Homeowners Board to a luncheon honoring Betty Veliquette’s achievements as Doll Project founder. Since the original clubhouse sponsor was moving out of the area, Goreth volunteered to
Doll continued onpage 22
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Tattoo Removal
By Dr. Jerome Potozkin
Some things in life simply aren’t made to last. At least that’s what Rachel M. learned several years ago when she was in her twenties dating someone named William. She and William were in love, and one summer evening Rachel decided to have “William” tattooed onto her lower back. The summer ended and so did Rachel’s relationship with William. Rachel was depressed because she now had her exboyfriend’s name on her back as a permanent reminder of her failed relationship. She was also very concerned about how this would impact her future relationships and if she would have to limit her dating pool to guys named William. Rachel consulted with me as to what her options were. Thankfully for Rachel her story had a happy ending. Tattoos and body art are very popular in the United States and throughout the world. An estimated 20 million Americans have a tattoo. About half of those report wishing they could remove their tattoo. My only advice for people choosing to have someone’s name tattooed is to only tattoo the name of your child or parent as those relationships are forever. If you are thinking about permanently placing the name of a boyfriend or girlfriend, don’t do it. It is always easier to not place the tattoo in the first place than to have it removed later on. In my practice we have treated many tattoos. Laser tattoo removal has become the gold standard. Laser technology has made great strides in removing tattoos. A tattoo simply represents ink particles embedded in the dermis of the skin. The laser emits an intense beam of light that passes through the outer layer of skin. The light energy is converted into heat energy when it is absorbed by the ink particles. The particles are shattered into tiny pieces which are then removed by the cells of the body’s immune system. We numb our patients so that they do not feel anything during the procedure. If you were to have this done without numbing it would feel like bacon grease spattering on the skin. Ouch! Most professional tattoos require multiple treatments spaced about 6-8 weeks apart. After the treatment the tattoo will gradually fade over time. Risks of treatment include crusting, loss of pigmentation, scarring, and partial fading. Most people do very well with laser tattoo removal. Laser treatments have a much lower risk of scarring than the older methods of tattoo removal such as dermabrasion or surgical excision. I have seen some patients who tried a commercially available over the counter solution for treating tattoos. Unfortunately these remedies do not work and can burn the skin. Fortunately for Rachel, we were able to remove her tattoo. She is now happily married to someone not named William. If you have a tattoo that you would like to have removed, there is hope. We can help you just as we have many other people. We are accepting new patients at our fully accredited laser facility in downtown Danville. Please call us today at 925-838-4900 to schedule a consultation. Dr. Potozkin is a board certified Dermatologist who has been serving Danville Advertorial since 1993. Please visit www.Potozkin.com for more information.
Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 21
Hospice of the East Bay Offers Support
Hospice of the East Bay is pleased to offer a variety of support groups and workshops for adults, children, and teens experiencing grief after the death of a loved one. Classes are held at 3470 Buskirk Avenue in Pleasant Hill. For more information and/or to register, please call: (925) 887-5681.
Adult Support Groups/Classes:
• Adults Who Have Lost a Parent - Tuesdays, 7 - 9PM ~ August 30 - October 18 • Widow and Widowers’ Support - Thursdays, 1 - 3PM or 6 - 8PM ~ September 8 - October 27
Children and Teens Support Group:
•Footsteps - Tuesdays, 5:15 - 6:30PM ~ September 20 - November 1 To learn more, or to make a donation of time or money, please contact (925) 887-5678, or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org.
Summer Classic to Fight Juvenile Diabetes
Back by popular demand, “Super Diamond,” will return to Wente Vineyards on Friday, August 19th for a concert and dinner benefit at the JDRF “Summer Classic.” This year’s event at Wente Vineyards will showcase the dinner and concert. It will include a live and silent auction to raise money to help kids battling diabetes. The fundraiser includes a separate, optional golf tournament earlier that day. “We are so excited for the ‘Summer Classic’ 2011,” said Kelly Craft of JDRF. “The money raised helps our treatment, education and prevention programs, aimed at kids and their families coping with juvenile diabetes.” For ticket and sponsor information see: www.JDRFbayarea.org/summer.
Moms In Touch
Moms In Touch is an interdenominational, nonprofit organization where two or more moms gather together to pray for children and schools. Moms will experience how to replace anxiety and fear with peace and joy by praying specifically and scripturally for children and schools. For more information, contact Karen Pearce at bkpearce@yahoo.com or 949-350-2360, or visit the MITI website at www.MomsInTouch.org.
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Cancer Support Community Frankly Speaking About Melanoma
Learn about the latest treatments for melanoma along with side effect management. The social and emotional challenges of the diagnosis will be discussed as well. Presented by Amir Modarressi, MD, medical oncologist with Contra Costa Oncology. Tuesday, August 16th from 6PM – 8PM at Cancer Support Community, 3276 McNutt Avenue, Walnut Creek. The talk is free. Please call (925) 933-0107 to make reservations.
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Page 22 - August 2011 ~ Danville Today News
Mom to Bomb
By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.
I absolutely love being a mom. Still, when my baby girl turned two, the roll of my tummy made my jeans not fit well, and breast feeding gave me healthy kids but less full breasts. It was time for a Mommy Makeover, or as my friends prefer to call it, “Mom to Bomb.” Having a breast lift, tummy tuck, and lipo of the outer waist (flanks) helped me to feel great and wear a bikini a few months later. Yes, you will wear a bikini! Any scars are designed to be completely hidden in the bikini lines, and the new belly button usually looks much better than the stretched belly button. The breast enlargement with the tummy tuck can sometimes be done without scars on the breasts. A breast lift will require scars on the breast but the improved shape is worth it! The Mom to Bomb surgery at Persons Plastic Surgery takes place at the Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Center in Lafayette and takes about three hours. It is performed with light sleep anesthesia. You will be able to go home that afternoon with two drains in place and post surgical garments. You must have two weeks off from work and other duties for recovery. I am in close contact with each patient and out of town patients will be accommodated at the Lafayette Park Hotel for 48 hours. We can provide an overnight nurse if desired. “Mom to Bomb” is not just one procedure, but it is a combination of individualized procedures outlined below that help lift, tighten, and shape your body to help reverse the rapid changes that occur during and following pregnancy and breast feeding.
Mastopexy (Breast Lift) and Augmentation
Breast surgery can be considered as early as six months following the completion of breast feeding. A mastopexy, or breast lift, restores the shape of the breast and also the size and location of the nipple. Although a breast lift without implant may be just right for many women, some women may want a mastopexy augmentation for additional size and projection. The augmentation can be achieved with a silicone or saline implant, or with autologous fat grafting.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)
An abdominoplasty, commonly called a “tummy tuck,” is a plastic sur-
Doll continued from page 20
maintain meeting space continuity. Although not members of Newcomers, Nancy Goreth and her sister Betty Calabrise soon became fully engaged in the work of the project. Both sisters prepare quilts at home stitching the tops and bottoms together like pillowcases for final tufting at Doll Day. In her spare time, Nancy knits infant caps for newborns. As Betty Veliquette became unable to physically manage handling the inventory of piece goods, yarn, and findings, Nancy Goreth took over storing the materials. “Betty used to show up every month with truckloads of supplies,” she recalls. Laurie Guidry, current coordinator of the Doll Project explains: “It’s an open door policy. There is no one I will turn away.” Whether a member of the sponsoring organization or not, anyone willing to get involved in the Doll Project can make a much needed difference in the number of items the group can deliver to the hospital. Many of the 20 volunteers now active in the project work at home to ensure that the 150 or so dolls and quilts prepared every year can be delivered in a timely fashion. Those not gifted in the needle arts help by cutting out pieces, stuffing dolls, painting features, gluing hair, and even shopping for affordable fabrics. Originally Cypress branch supported the Doll Project with funds and materials. Today Cypress Branch is no longer active, and the ladies of the project are compelled to discover inventive ways to secure bargains and donations. Husbands have been called into action to identify fabric treasures stored at a friend’s home or on display at a yard sale. Betty Calabrese received a major donation of materials from a fellow shopper she met chatting in line at Joanne Fabrics. Betty’s new acquaintance had a stockpile at home of prints in children’s patterns she was happy to have put to good use. Calabrise carefully washed each piece before making it into a comforter. Even on sale with a discount coupon, the batting (that’s just the stuffing layer) needed for 30 infant quilts costs about $95. Laurie Guidry, past President of Alamo Danville Newcomers Club and a
gery procedure which flattens the abdomen by tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall, and it involves removing excess skin, fat, and stretch marks. The abdomen tends to take on a rounded appearance as we age, as our weight fluctuates, and after such events as childbirth. The muscle and tissues of the abdomen are weakened, and the skin becomes stretched, so no amount of sit-ups or leg raises can remove this shape. A Tummy Tuck can re-contour and reposition these tissues with the added benefit of removing any pre-existing scars from the lower abdomen.
Reshaping of Buttocks and Flanks (Vaser, Laser and traditional Liposuction)
A trained plastic surgeon with the right tools is able to use liposuction techniques to alter the shape of the body through the removal and transfer of fat. An alternative to traditional liposuction, Vaser Lipo uses advanced ultrasound technology designed to gently reshape the body. Sound energy is transmitted through small probes that diffuse the ultrasound waves and liquefy the fat for easy removal. I combine Vaser Lipo with Laser Lipo to achieve a result which is natural appearing.
Vaginal Rejuvenation
The trauma experienced during natural childbirth can alter the shape and aesthetics of the female pelvic floor. When these structures fail to resume their pre-childbirth shape and it concerns you, vaginal rejuvenation surgery is an option. This can be used to improve the aesthetic appearance of the labia and can also rejuvenate the inside of the canal to improve sexual function. There is also a G spot shot and a C spot shot of natural filler that may improve satisfaction. Motherhood is wonderful, and my children are the joy of my life. I am so thankful that I have personally been able to take advantage of some of the above procedures to go from Mom to more like I was before they came into my life. I also enjoy helping my patients achieve realistic goals through plastic surgery. My patients tell me every day that they are thankful for the changes we accomplished together. They tell me they wish they had done it sooner. Going from “Mom to Bomb” can help us to feel better in our own bodies and thus a little happier as women and moms. Barbara Persons MD owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd in Lafayette. Please call 925-283-8811 or email at drbarb@personsplasticsurgery.com. Advertorial
Doll Project volunteer since 2000, is justifiably proud of the accomplishments of her ladies who manage to take over new tasks whenever one of their colleagues is no longer able to contribute. “This is a take charge group,” Guidry says. Laurie herself is not a seamstress. She coordinates meetings with monthly announcements in the Newcomers Newsletter and has taken over the task of organizing Doll Day lunches now that the Cypress branch women Nancy Goreth and Betty Calabrise are completing have all retired. She also ar- quilts with Laurie Guidry praising their work. ranges delivery of the project’s finished products to Oakland Children’s Hospital. Completed in an atmosphere of companionable conversation spiced with healthy hoots of laughter, each cuddly creation comes charged with a palpable measure of warm wishes. New volunteers are always welcome whatever their talents. Doll Day is a delightfully social event held the last Wednesday of each month. Providing friendly chatter and refreshments are acceptable ways to initiate involvement. For those who don’t have daytime hours free, working at home is a viable option. And Alamo Danville Newcomers is open to all members of the community no matter how long they’ve lived in the area. For more information about the Doll Project, contact Laurie Guidry at dgolfer@pacbell.net. To learn about this and other activities of Newcomers, visit www.alamodanvillenewcomers.com.
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The 21st Century Woman
By Michael Ruscio, D.C., Johnson Chiropractic
Mood swings, anxiety, depression, hot flashes, bloating and low libido… sound familiar? PMS and menopausal symptoms have become part of our culture. Why is this? Why are so many women affected with these issues? It really boils down to hormonal imbalances. The trick is figuring out what is causing these hormonal imbalances. One thing is for certain though; it is not a deficiency in Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, or Lexapro. Unfortunately, lifestyle and Natural Medicine options are not st readily offered to the 21 Century Woman. Many women used to get symptomatic relief from hormone replacement therapy. Then with some of the research findings from the Women’s Health Initiative (one of the largest studies ever to evaluate the safety of hormone replacement therapy for women), women stopped using hormones. The Women’s Health Initiative found that synthetic hormones derived from horse urine left patients at an increased risk for cancer, heart attack, and stroke. The travesty of this is that the media did not clarify that there are other options to synthetic hormones. For example bio-identical hormones (identical to what your body makes) and herbs can both be safely used to help women feel better. Key concept: synthetic hormones are vastly different from bio-identical hormones and herbal remedies. So what about birth control for symptomatic relief? According to the National Cancer Institute, birth control may increase your risk of heart disease and breast cancer. Birth control is generally in the form of synthetic hormones. While improvements have been made in synthetic hormones since the Women’s Health Initiative findings, not all the problems have been worked out. Additionally, your brain controls and monitors levels of hormones in your body. There is a delicate control loop between your brain and ovaries which is damaged from using birth control. If you’re taking birth control solely for symptomatic relief, then you may want to seriously consider finding a cause-based care plan. Back to the causes of PMS and menopausal symptoms. Diet of course plays an important role. For women who are willing to have a chicken salad instead of chicken salad sandwich for lunch you might find near complete relief from diet and nutrition alone. All you may need is the guidance of someone who knows how to use nutrition clinically. Toxins are another pervasive issue. The reason women should be concerned about toxins is because many toxins function as estrogens in the body. Pesticides,
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Danville Today News ~ August 2011 - Page 23 fertilizers, plastics, and household chemicals have all been proven, in a plethora of studies, to function as estrogens in the body and have been correlated with cancer of the breast and brain, depression, anxiety, obesity, infertility, and thyroid problems just to name a few. So does this mean that every woman with PMS and menopausal symptoms has to be on a diet of wheat grass and rice cakes and live in a bubble devoid of toxins? No, of course not. However, for ideal results a patient would want to eat healthier to feel better, practice toxin avoidance, do some detox work, and use some herbal medicine if needed. Although, even for the woman who isn’t willing to make any changes, there are options. Try an herbal medicine before going on birth control or an anti-depressant (which can have serious side effects). This is not to say medications are bad, they have their time and place. Key Concept: medications (including synthetic hormones) should be the last choice after diet/lifestyle, nutritional medicine, herbal medicine, and bio-identical hormone replacement are tried. We are now realizing that health isn’t something a doctor does to you. Health is something you participate in with your doctor or health professional. With this in mind, it is my goal to help educate people so that they are empowered to take control of their health. I invite you to attend one of my public lectures where I review new scientific research and discuss how we can implement this new information in order move from a dogmatic, symptom and pharmaceutical based model towards that of a patient centered, cause-focused, participation based approach. Upcoming topics include: women’s health, diabetes, toxins, gluten allergies, and high blood pressure. I hope to see you there. For more info, go to www.movepastyourpain.com, visit us on Facebook, or contact Dr. Michael Ruscio at Johnson Chiropractic Group, 115 Town & Country Dr., Suite E in Danville. 925.743.8210. Advertorial
Hearing Loss Association
Come to meetings of the Diablo Valley Chapter of Hearing Loss Association of America at 7pm on the 1st Wednesday of the month at the Walnut Creek United Methodist Church located at 1543 Sunnyvale Ave., Walnut Creek Education Bldg., Wesley Room. Meeting room and parking are at back of church. All are welcome. Donations accepted. Assistive listening system are available for T-coils, and most meetings are captioned. Contact: HLAADV@hearinglossdv.org or 925.264.1199 or www.hearinglossdv.org.
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. Meetings are for anyone suffering from a food addiction including overeating, under-eating, and bulimia. The fellowship is free. The group meets Wednesdays at 6PM, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette. For more information visit www.how-oa.org.
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ELECTRICAL WORK EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL! Need new light fixtures, ceiling fans, recessed lighting, or track lighting installed? Need a dimmer switch or GFCI installed? Do you want to change the color of your outlets in your kitchen or install 220V power for the new hot tub or stove? I also troubleshoot electrical problems. FREE ESTIMATES. Licensed and bonded. 30 years experience. CALL 925-389-6964.
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Danville Home Sales Down 4% from Last Year, Prices Drop 8%!
Last month I reported on the tough market conditions for Luxury Homes throughout our local area. This month I thought I would focus specifically on Danville and what is happening here. This review includes data from January 1 to July 26 for both years 2010 and 2011. The headline tells some, but not all of the story. Through this time period in 2010 a total of 377 properties sold in Danville. This year fewer, a total of 362 properties, have closed for a 4% drop in unit sales year over year. There are 217 active listings in Danville at this time. That inventory number has remained fairly stable for the greater part of the last two years. Our average unit sales rate is about 52 homes a month, so our inventory sits at about a 6.9 month supply. I think that number is somewhat deceiving, because many homes are so overpriced they have no real chance of selling, so while they are technically on the market, they are not seriously for sale. Good homes, priced to market have been selling quickly particularly westside single stories in show condition. The average price paid for a Danville home last year was $804,596. This year it has slipped to $778,654. That’s about 3% lower and may reflect a greater sales mix of lower priced homes this year. Median price may be confirming this as it is down $45,000 dollars year on year to $750,000. The average sold price for a Danville home this year is $312 per square foot and this is a significant 8% decline from last year’s $340 per square foot and perhaps a truer reflection of real market conditions. Currently, there are 138 pending sales in Danville which is good. Of those 138 a total of 48 are subject to lender approval “Short Sale” and another 6 properties are bank owned (Real Estate Owned) which is bad because their presence negatively affects the market value of other homes in Danville. With 39% of our pending sales in some sort of distress it is hard to imagine that price increases are in our near term future. If these distressed properties close without significantly eroding price paid per square foot that may be a strong sign that we are nearing a bottom. If I recall correctly, this distressed percentage number is higher than the last time I reported on it. I don’t have a good way of predicting future distressed properties on a local level so I can’t say if this is the beginning or the end of distressed
Downsize to Blackhawk Single Level
sales in Danville. At this time in 2010 a total of 89 REO or short sale properties closed escrow. This year a total of 117 or 31% more have crossed the finish line and that isn’t really good news. Danville currently has 12 distressed properties as active listings, which doesn’t seem like a lot, relatively speaking. Since most properties tend to quietly slip into the short sale category this number may be understating the reality of our current market. Until a home is pending, there is no way to know for sure and I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess. We’ll just have to wait and see and hope that the worst is behind us. Last year in Danville the average distressed sale closed at $620,580 and $298 per square foot. In 2011 these number have declined further to $604,477 and a $266 per square foot price or about 15% less than a normal sale. So far in 2011, the lowest price paid per square foot was $126.48. This westside property, a condo, closed at the bargain basement price of $128,000. The average price for listed and unsold properties in Danville is $345 per square foot, exactly $5 more per square foot more than last year’s sold price. I have a sense that the difference between our current $312 per square foot average has narrowed of late and as it narrows further, sales pace may increase. At the end of the day, Danville is a great place to live and people want to live here. Apart from the demographic shift toward “Baby Boomer” retirement, the biggest threat that I see to Danville home prices are falling home prices in Alamo and Lafayette, which we are now beginning to see. High performance schools, shorter commute to the city and easy access to BART make homes in these communities very serious competition for home sellers in the Danville Real Estate Market. I have been working with younger buyers, dual income professional couples, lately who are drawing their search circles more tightly around Alamo and Lafayette and these nearby communities are winning a fair number of the contests. It’s important to remember that there really is no “average” home and no two homes are exactly alike. If you would like an honest no strings attached opinion of your home’s current market value and suggestions for getting it ready for market, please give me a call 925-989-6086 or send me an email joecombs@thecombsteam.com.
Alamo Westside Mediterranean
Alamo Westside Complete Remodel
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PE Two master bedroom suites, designer touches. 1,749 sq ft. Pool and magnificent landscaping. $978,000
Perfect “10” 5 beds, office, huge bonus room, kitchen family room flow, exquisite mill work, views $2,095,000
Single story, 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath, gated entrance, chef’s kitchen, pool and pool house. $1,799,000
Danville Executive Home
Alamo 5 Bedroom Custom
Westside Alamo Single Story
Stunning John Clausen Custom. Great kitchen - family room flow, office and exercise room $1,435,000
Perfect in every detail inside and out. 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathrooms. Huge outdoor entertainment area and pool. $1,550,000
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Magnificent 4 bedroom, 3 bath home on 1/2 acre lot with a pool and mature landscaping. $1,200,000
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 and Nancy Combs, J. Rockcliff and the MLS service do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. DRE #0144125.
J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526