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December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 1
& DECEMBER 2021
STUDENTS’ FAVORITE FIELD TRIP RETURNS TO TASSAJARA ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE By Jody Morgan
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Be a part of the Tassajara One Room School House experience! Once again, in 2022, the Tassajara One Room Schoolhouse (ORS) on Danville’s Finley Help third graders enjoy a day in a simulated 1888 Danville classroom. Road is scheduled to welcome San Ramon Valley third graders for, what many students • Teacher Docent ~ Lead the class in provided 1888 lessons. characterize in their thank you letters as, “a magical time.” The program which immerses • Assistant Docent ~ Help in class and oversee students during children in an 1888 school life experience, was piloted in 1995 and briefly suspended due outdoor play of vintage games. to COVID-19 concerns. Now recently refurbished, the schoolhouse is ready to welcome • Superintendent ~ Oversee parking, open schoolhouse, facilitate children back to a time when they would have arrived on foot, horseback, or in pony carts. setting up for outdoor games. With some of the original volunteers reluctantly retiring, new docent trainees are essential Training will be held January 13, 2022, at 1PM at The to ensuring that every scheduled class can enjoy what one participant proclaimed: “Next Museum of the San Ramon Valley (MSRV). Volunteer times are to Disneyland this was the favorite day in my life.” weekday mornings from January 31 – May 27, 2022. If you are interested or need more information, contact MSRV at The schoolhouse opened in August 1889 and closed in 1946 when student enrollment 925-837-3750, museumsrv.org/contact,, or email info@museumsrv.org museumsrv.org/contact info@museumsrv.org.. dwindled to 16. However, when long-time Danville resident Joan Kurtz proposed developing the field trip, she was given 1888 as the inaugural date -- a year filled with interesting events to share with students including the opening of the Washington Monument and the introduction of the first portable Kodak box camera. After thoroughly researching historical documents, Kurtz visited sites offering the type of one room schoolhouse program she envisioned. She traveled to Dallas and Delaware with her husband, Don, and went to see a Modesto schoolhouse with friends. Positive evaluations from the first few lucky classes involved in trialing the ORS experience soon led to expansion of the program. For example, an April 14,1997 response to an ORS teacher survey question “What did the students not care for?” reads: “Nothing! Comments from the children were this was the best field trip they'd ever had!” The survey response continued: “The material covered and pacing was perfect!” and “Our parents raved!” A May 2018 note to Joan and Don Kurtz indicated the program, then available to all third graders in SRVUSD as well as some private and home-school pupils, had become a perennial favorite. “Thank you so much for making 1888 come alive for my students once again. It was by far the most memorable field trip of the year and the children will remember it all their lives.” A touch of costuming helps students imagine themselves transported to 1888. Boys may don a hat or sport suspenders. Girls often choose a bonnet and pinafore or a Victorian frock. The docent teacher and assistant teacher wear full-length skirts with white blouses suggestive of the era. Wrap skirts are available at the schoolhouse for docents to wear over their contemporary clothing. Each child chooses a first name commonly used in 1888 such as Abigail or Noah to help transport them back in time. The Assistant-Teacher gathers the children at the gate -- girls in one row, boys in the other. Facing the 38-star flag current from 1877-1890, students recite the pledge of allegiance used in 1888: “We give our heads; We give our hearts; We give our hands; To God and our country; One God, one country, one flag.” For Marilyn Holcomb, being an ORS teacher is endlessly engaging. Awestruck by being immersed Don and Joan Kurtz have welcomed area third graders to the in a totally different time frame, students invariably process quietly into the schoolhouse. “For Tassajara One Room Schoolhouse since 1995. Photo courtesy children,” she explains, “their day at the One Room Schoolhouse is much like their first day of of Joan Kurtz.
See ORS continued on page 15
DANVILLE COMMUNITY BAND BACK IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
After having rehearsals and performances put on hold for over a year and a half, the Danville Community Band (DCB) is back in time to present its annual Christmas concert. As was true for virtually every performing group, March 2020 was a line drawn in the sand when everything stopped. The DCB had just completed the dress rehearsal for its scheduled concert when the brakes were put on. Concert… canceled. Rehearsals… canceled. Band members were hopeful that things might improve enough to complete the season, but they quickly realized that would not 3000F Danville Blvd. #117
See Band continued on page 6
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Volume XXI Number 12
Alamo, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-6397
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Volume XII Number 12
The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of The Editors. The Editors is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
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Highly likely to recommend | 5.0
Results. Pure and Simple.
08/27/2021 - zuser20160816161129365 Bought a home in 2021 in Walnut Creek, CA.
Call Don Today | 925.786.1855
Most Recent Zillow Reviews
PAGE 2 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
Results. Pure and Simple.
Don all around provided such an incredible home buying experience for my wife and I as we decided to take our chances in this crazy market we find ourselves in today. No games, just an extremely knowledgeable agent who has done it all and seen it all in the 35yrs he's been in this industry. From his extensive local knowledge, to his business savvy, to his ability to make all parties feel comfortable with the process, he made us feel like family. That we could truly trust in him as the agent representing us. I could go on and on about all the ways he went above and beyond, from the locations to be considering based on our wants/ needs, to the support he provided around disclosures and inspections, on through the closing of the loan, he was always there for us when we needed his assistance. We would strongly recommend Don to anyone looking for that agent they can really put their trust in. A true professional. Thanks, Don!
Highly likely to recommend | 5.0 05/15/2021 - KimBoragno Sold a Single Family home in 2021 in Alamo, CA. My husband and I interviewed a few agents prior to listing our home for sale. Right after we spoke with Don and heard how prepared and knowledgeable he was about our area we knew he was the right agent for us. Well prepared, a very hands on agent that not only gave us a timeline but physically helped us prepare our home for the sale. He was very responsive, professional and honest all along the way. We sold our house within the first week on the market and were extremely satisfied. It’s been many years since we’ve had to sell a home but we felt very comfortable during the process as Don was patient explaining every step along the way. I would highly recommend working with Don if you're looking for a great agent.
Don Magalhaes 925.786.1855 don@compass.com DRE 00897221
BOULEVARD VIEW By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor and Publisher
The end of the year is a good, and popular, time for reflection. It’s been a wild 12 months, but there is a brighter light, more optimism, and more opportunities to once again be together and out and about. It is a great time for joy and celebration. I was reading a blog post by author and personal development coach Marc Chernoff. It was titled, “Afterthoughts on Making the Best of the Next 20 Years.” It read, “As you continue to travel the road of life, do your best to avoid letting anyone or anything get in the way of your joy. Live a life that sizzles and pops and makes you laugh out loud every day. Because you don’t want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that your life is a collection of meetings, and ‘some days,’ and errands, and receipts, and empty promises.” He continues, “Go ahead and sing out loud in the car with the windows down, and dance in your living room, and A dude-ranch weekend wedding in Santa stay up late laughing, and paint your walls any color you want, and enjoy some sweet wine and chocolate cake.” was the perfect place for Emily and We can all get in a rut and do the same things everyday, but I think it’s important to make an abundance of time to Barbara Kevin to be married. do the things that we love and bring us happiness. Some simple tips Chernoff listed were: “Think deeply. Speak gently. Love lots. Laugh often. Work hard. Give back. Expect less. Be present. Be kind. Be honest. Be true to yourself.” Our fall was highlighted by two wonderful weddings; what could be more joyful than a wedding? Our sons married their longterm sweethearts in memorable celebrations that brought so many of those close to us together again. As is often the case, there is never enough time to be together, but friendships were rekindled, and lasting memories made. As I celebrate over 17 years of publication, you, my readers, have brought me much joy. I call this paper my “fourth child” as it requires nurturing to produce it each month. I consider you a part of my family as well. Grandpa and grandma rocked it M y c o l u m n s out on the dance floor. h av e brou g ht you in to some of our family antics and joyful moments. Thanks for being a part of my life. As you move forward through the holiday season and into the new year, choose to spread Tri-Valley Trapper your joy, your talents, and your time. Our neighborhoods, schools, organizations, and communities will be grateful for your time and efforts. A sparkler send off caps a magical night in Denver with
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HOLIDAYS IN THE VALLEY EXHIBIT
December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 3
The perfect present for anyone on your holiday gift list!
In the spirit of the season, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley has opened a new exhibit called “Holidays in the Valley.” This exhibit shows how two valley cultures celebrate sample 925-837-8742 | www.alamoworld.com their holidays: one, the traditional Christmas holiday, the other, Chinese New Year. Both take place in the winter season and each celebration is a valued and important part of their culture. Learn about why we sing Christmas carols and why red envelopes are given out at Chinese New Year. Understand the many traditions that make these holidays important. Many interesting facts related to these holidays are covered in the exhibit. As in years past, the Museum will have the Polar Express train Call or stop by 3201 Danville Blvd. #255, Alamo running, a large Christmas tree, and other holiday decorations on Located in Alamo Commons between Ace Hardware & Peasants Courtyard display. Many interesting and informative decorations celebrating Chinese New Year will be in the exhibit. As you visit the many great downtown shops, eat in one of the many great restaurants, or just stroll the town, take a moment and visit this fun family exhibit celebrating the greatest time of the year! The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday 1PM-3PM, Saturday 10AM-1PM, and Sunday noon-3PM.
CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC
The 21st annual Celebration of Christmas Music will return this year as a free, in-person event, and continue the tradition of performances by the high school choirs in the San Ramon Valley. The Celebration of Christmas was established in 1995 by the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Danville as a way to bring the community together to sing and listen to wonderful Christmas carols. The first year involved various local choirs as well as the choirs from Monte Vista High School and San Ramon Valley High School. Later, the choir from California High School joined the Celebration, and, most recently, the Dougherty Valley High School choir began participating. The choirs perform individually, interspersed with sing-alongs and special performances. It is an evening of musical joy! This year the Blackhawk Jazz, a subgroup of the Blackhawk Chorus directed by Ken Abrams, will be joining the concert for the first time. Join the celebration for a delightful evening on December 12th at 7PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located 655 Old Orchard Drive in Danville.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION
Have you done some recent home cleaning? Do you find yourself with paints and paint thinners, cleaning supplies, pesticides and garden-care items, batteries, motor oil and other automotive products, solvents, fluorescent tubes, personal care products, or unknown rusty containers that are needing safe disposal? The local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection facility operated by the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District is open with modified operations and offers this free service to residents. HHW drop-off is available Monday-Saturday from 7AM until 2PM with no appointment needed. Drop-off appointments for small businesses are being scheduled as well. Learn about how to transport your items, as well as other instructions for bringing your items to be safely disposed of at www.centralsan.org/ overview/household-hazardous-waste-collection-facility.
VETERAN SERVICES BRING THE “OFFICE” TO YOU
Help San Ramon Valley Republican Women
Honor Local Heroes!
Sponsor a wreath to be placed on veteran’s grave. Please send checks to “Wreaths Across America” c/o SRVRWF, PO Box 1, Danville, CA 94526. Please indicate CAAACA in the subject line. Join the remembrance on Saturday, December 18th at 11AM at the Alamo Cemetery located at 951 La Gonda Way, Danville to help place wreaths for our heroes!
The Contra Costa County Veterans Services Office is removing barriers by opening a virtual office space. The virtual Veterans Office can give you close to an in-person experience. Veterans can learn about and apply for benefits, access VA health care, receive referrals for PostTraumatic Stress Disorder therapy, and much more. Visit the office website at www.contracosta. ca.gov/vets during open office hours for one-on-one assistance. Hours of operation are Mondays through Thursdays from 9am to noon and 1pm to 4pm, and on Fridays 9am to noon. Staffing the virtual office are Veterans Service Manager Sidney Jones, an Air Force Veteran, and Veteran Services Representative Buck Carmichael, a Marine Corps Veteran. Both have long-time experience connecting vets to critical services. For more information, please call the Veteran Services Office at 925-313-1481.
PAGE 4 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
Your tree pickup will be on the same day as your regular garbage service but by a separate truck. Regular service will not be affected for Christmas and New Year’s Day because they fall on a Saturday. Week of Jan 3–7
Customers in Walnut Creek, Danville, Alamo, Diablo, and Blackhawk (including unincorporated areas).
Week of Jan 10–14
Customers in Lafayette, Orinda, and Moraga (including unincorporated areas).
Week of Jan 17–21
Customers who missed prior tree collection.
AFTER Jan 21
If possible, cut tree and place in organics cart with lid closed, or call (925) 685-4711 to schedule a pick-up for a fee.
Tree Pickup Do’s & Don’ts Do:
The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is presenting a free online program on Thursday, December 16 at 11:30AM on “The History and Story of the Caldecott Tunnel.” Mary McCosker, a local historian and author of a book on the Caldecott, will share the history and story of this most interesting and important tunnel. Did you know that the Caldecott that opened in 1937 was not the first tunnel to link Alameda and Contra Costa County, and that the Caldecott was not its first name? You will quickly learn that the Caldecott is not boring! Join to learn about the tunnel and how it began to change our area of small rural communities into one of growing suburbs. Today, the Caldecott is still very much a critical part of our transportation infrastructure. To attend this free online presentation, please visit museumsrv.org and go to the “Events” section or call 925837-3750. The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday 1 PM-3 PM, Saturday 10 AM-1 PM, and Sunday noon-3 PM.
Single Family Home Customers – 2022 Holiday Tree Collection Schedule
Don’t:
THE HISTORY AND STORY OF THE CALDECOTT TUNNEL A FREE VIRTUAL PROGRAM
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• Remove lights, ornaments, and tinsel before placing at curbside. • Trees over 8’ must be cut in half.
• Flocked trees can be collected using your annual on-call garbage cleanup at no cost, but must be scheduled in advance. Call (925) 685-4711. If cut to fit inside with lid closed, flocked trees may be placed in your black landfill cart.
Leave trees at curbside on the same day as your regular collection day, during your city’s assigned week. COLLECTED TREES WILL BE COMPOSTED.
• Do not leave stands (whether plastic, metal, or wood) on the tree. Trees with these items still attached cannot be picked up.
SRV GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society (SRVGS) was organized in 1985 to provide its members with resources, assistance, and educational opportunities that help them successfully research their ancestry. The group publishes a monthly newsletter and offers monthly meetings of small groups with common interests to discuss their specific areas of research. SRVGS also provides resources ranging from a large selection of reference books to information on local genealogical libraries. Classes are also offered for the beginning researcher and those interested in genetic DNA. To become a member of SRVGS, visit srvgensoc.org.
VOLUNTEER WITH AARP TAX-AIDE
MT. DIABLO BRANCH CALIFORNIA WRITERS CLUB
HOW TO DECIDE WHAT PUBLISHING MODEL IS BEST FOR YOU
Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers? AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages residing in Contra Costa County. Tax-Aide volunteer positions include Tax Counselors who are trained by Tax-Aide and certified by IRS and Client Facilitators who schedule appointments and assist clients at tax sites. Orientation is held in November 2021, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2022. Service is from February through April 15, 2022. If interested, apply online at www.aarp.org/taxvolunteer, or call (925) 726-3199 for additional information.
Three Club members will present a talk on “How to Decide What Publishing Model is Best for You” at the hybrid meeting of the Diablo branch of the California Writers Club. The talk and meeting will take place on Saturday, December 11th at Zio Fraedo’s restaurant located at 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, as well as being available online. The in-person event will feature a festive holiday buffet. Published authors are welcome to bring their books to sell and sign. The talk will cover the definition of the three main types of publishing: self-publishing, traditional, and hybrid, and the pros and cons of production, distribution, marketing, publicity, and finance. In addition, you can learn how to decide what works for you and what it takes to get there. The presenting members include Heidi Eliason a freelance writer, and consultant. She self-published her first novel, Confessions of a Middle-Aged Runaway: An RV Travel Adventure, in 2019. The second speaker Todd Bequette, has traditionally published two novels: Good Lookin’: A Joe Turner Mystery (2021) and Blood Perfect (July, 2022). The final presenter is Lucinda Jackson, who is a speaker, consultant, and founder of LJ Ventures. She used a hybrid publisher for both of her books: Just a Girl: Growing Up Female and Ambitious, (2019), and Project Escape: Lessons for an Unscripted Life, (April, 2022). If you are attending on Zoom, once you complete payment, you will see a confirmation with a link to register on Zoom. To reserve a spot for the event, visit cwcmtdiablo.org/current-cwc-mt-diablo-meeting. In-person attendance is $25 for members and $35 for guests. Zoom attendance is $10 for members and $15 for guests. Sign-in begins at 11AM. Members will be displaying and selling their books from 11AM to 12:45PM. A business meeting will be held at 12:45PM followed by the speakers who will present from 1-2PM.
Do you have a story idea or local news to share? Do you have an ad you’d like to place? Call us at 925.405.6397 or email Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.
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December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 5
DUDUM REAL ESTATE GROUP W H E R E R E A L E S TAT E I S S T I L L P E R S O N A L
FOR LEASE
NEW
PENDING
PENDING
2700 MIRANDA AVE, ALAMO 4 BEDS, 3 BATHS, 2,445 SF, 4.42 ACRE LOT
405 WHISPERING WILLOW, SANTEE 2 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 984 SF
457 RYAN TERRACE, SAN RAMON 3 BEDS, 3.5 BATHS, 1,956 SF
OFFERED AT $7,200/MO
OFFERED AT $505,000
OFFERED AT $960,000
2470 CABALLO RANCHERO, DIABLO 4 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS, 5,081 SF, 1.33 ACRE LOT OFFERED AT $3,450,000
DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047
ALISON PETERSEN | 925.984.7214
ALISON PETERSEN | 925.984.7214
BRYAN HURLBUT | 925.383.5500
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
7364 LIMERICK COURT, DUBLIN 4 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 1,340SF, 0.16 ACRE LOT
225 RIVERTON PLACE, SAN RAMON 3 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 1,288 SF, 0.16 ACRE LOT
936 NATCHEZ COURT, WALNUT CREEK 6 BEDS, 3.5 BATHS, 2,810 SF, 0.32 ACRE LOT
747 LIQUIDAMBER PLACE, DANVILLE 3 BEDS, 2 BATHS, 2,782 SF, 0.23 ACRE LOT
SOLD FOR $1,300,000
SOLD FOR $1,362,000
SOLD FOR $1,800,000
MEREDITH & BONNIE KUMMELL | 925.984.1344
MEREDITH & BONNIE KUMMELL | 925.984.1344
SCOTT & FONIA HUMPHRIES | 925.298.2249
SOLD FOR $2,180,000 SUZY PECK | 925.200.2988
SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER
SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER
SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER
SOLD - REPRESENTED BUYER
105 JULIAN WAY, PLEASANT HILL 4 BEDS, 2.5 BATHS, 2,270 SF, 0.16 ACRE LOT
123 BRIA COURT, WALNUT CREEK 5 BEDS, 3 BATHS, 2,908 SF, 0.31 ACRE LOT
326 GOLDEN GRASS DRIVE, ALAMO 6 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS, 5,296 SF, 0.43 ACRE LOT
16 HILLSIDE DRIVE, DANVILLE 4 BEDS, 4 BATHS, 3,800 SF, 0.31 ACRE LOT
SOLD FOR $1,400,000
SOLD FOR $2,205,000
SOLD FOR $3,650,000
SOLD FOR $4,400,000
KORY MADGE | 925.366.9899
DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047
DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047
DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA | 925.878.8047
ALISON J. PETERSEN 925.984.7214
BONNE WERSEL 510.304.3303
BRYAN HURLBUT 925.383.5500
DANI O’CONNELL 925.786.2176
REALTOR® | DRE#01177737
REALTOR® | DRE# 01173288
REALTOR® | DRE# 01347508
BROKER ASSOCIATE DRE# 01892167
DON & PAMELA COLOMBANA 925.878.8047 925.482.4142
EVA ELDERTS 925.726.9409 REALTOR® | DRE# 02039328
REALTORS® DRE# 01979180 / 01979181
JOHN FONDNAZIO 925.817.9053
KORY MADGE 925.366.9899
MARGY LYMAN 925.963.6380
REALTOR® | DRE# 01938194
REALTOR® | DRE# 01345227
REALTOR® | DRE# 02067680
DRE# 01882902
WWW.DUDUM.COM
DANVILLE
WALNUT CREEK
MEREDITH & BONNIE KUMMELL 925.984.1344 925.980.9952
SCOTT & FONIA HUMPHRIES 925.298.2249 925.998.4444
REALTORS® DRE# 00905114 / 01364056
REALTOR® / BROKER DRE# 02078065 / 01019063
LAMORINDA
BRENTWOOD
SIERRA TAHOE
SUZY PECK 925.200.2988 REALTOR® | DRE# 01224695
Distinctive Properties
©2021 The information herein was obtained by sources deemed to be reliable by Dudum Real Estate Group. Dudum Real Estate group has not independently verified the information contained herein and therefore, assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyer should investigate any matters or items disclosed, identified or about which they have concerns to their own satisfaction. DRE Lic. 01882902
PAGE 6 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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THE AMERICAN LEGION ORATORICAL CONTEST
“A CONSTITUTIONAL SPEECH CONTEST”
The American Legion Oratorical Contest exists to develop deeper knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges of American citizenship and the U.S. Constitution among high school students. Since 1938, the program has presented participants with an academic speaking challenge that teaches important leadership qualities, the history of our nation’s laws, and the ability to think and speak publicly. The contest is open to high school students of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and grades 9-12 private school and home school students who live in San Ramon, Danville, or Alamo. Please notify American Legion Post 246 that you will be participating by sending an email to commanderpost246@gmail.com, or sending a letter to American Legion Post 246, PO Box 133, Danville, CA 94526, not later than December 31, 2021. To learn more visit www.legion.org/oratorical. Post 246 will notify participants in early January about logistical details with the expectation that participants will perform their prepared oration and extemporaneous responses not later than January 25, 2022.
LET YOUR IMAGINATIONS FLY!
Join Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek American Association of University Women (AAUW) for an evening with local women in the arts on Monday, December 6th from 6:30-8:30PM via ZOOM. Three local artists Sawsan Wolski, Sharon Cohune, and Tricia Grame will share their stories, their dreams, and their work in the visual arts. Plan to join in and spend your evening with artists and dreamers! To learn more and to RSVP visit daw-ca.aauw.net/womenarts.
SONS IN RETIREMENT
SAN RAMON VALLEY BRANCH #128
Looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining Sons in Retirement (SIR) San Ramon Valley Branch #128. There are monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. Additionally, members have fun participating in a variety of Zoom-related activities including investing, book groups, fantasy football, technology, wine tastings, and more. Members are also now participating in various outdoor activities including golf, bocce ball, bicycling, and hiking. The December meeting will be a virtual event via Zoom. The speaker will be Beverly Lane, East Bay Regional Park District director, historian, and former Danville mayor. Ms. Lane will take time to provide an overview of the Park District and future plans for parkland growth. The presentation will be held Wednesday, December 15th at 11AM. To access the virtual meeting as a guest, please email membership@sir128.com. To learn more about the group, visit www.SIR128.com.
LAS TRAMPAS BRANCH #116
SIR Las Trampas Branch 116 continues to expand its social activities for semi-retired and retired men. Members live in Alamo, Danville, Concord, Lafayette, Moraga, Pleasanton, and Walnut Creek. Come join the group to make new friends and social connections that are so important to have during retirement years. Upcoming club activities include nine-hole and 18-hole golf clinics and games, pickleball , bocce ball, book groups, bridge, fishing, a walking group, wine tasting, and more! Other activities such as dining, travel, and touring are all on the table for 2022. SIR is a California based social organization for Serving Alamo & Danville Since 1979! semi-retired and retired men. The strength of Branch 116 are the 18 activities members enjoy. If you wish www.actionpoolrepair.com to learn more or yourpoolman@hotmail.com become a member of SIR Las Trampas Branch 116, please visit https://sirinc2. Contractor Lic# 978033-C53 org/branch116, or call 925-322-1160.
ACTION POOL REPAIR
925.820.3640
HOLIDAY DRIVE
Foster Children desperately need our love, prayers and support. Make a difference for a foster child this holiday season by fulfilling their wish list. With your help and partnering with agencies like Agape Villages and EA Foster Agency, we are striving to deliver hundreds of gifts to local foster children this year.
How to Donate Gifts: 1. Scan the QR code below 2. Pick a gift from the Amazon Wish List by December 15th
FACTS ABOUT FOSTER CHILDREN 60,000 children are in foster care in California 65% experience 7+ school transfers 1-3% graduate college
40-50% homeless within 18 months of aging out 35% incarcerated within 2 yrs ~80% of inmates have spent time in foster care
If you prefer to donate cash, you can Venmo us at @FosteringWishes or scan our GoFundMe QR Code to the right. Tax receipts are available upon request at Fostering.Wishes@outlook.com
Band continued from front page
be the case. So, the band went into survival mode, reducing costs everywhere so there would be something left to resurrect when the time and situation allowed. There were discussions of trying to ‘meet’ to play online, or record and assemble a video performance, as other groups attempted, but after seeing the limited successes of others, those routes were not chosen. So the band members waited, and missed the social interaction of playing with their fellow musicians. As time passed, those Monday rehearsal evenings got filled with other things to do. By the summer of 2021, the band leadership began looking in earnest for a new rehearsal space with hopes of starting up in the fall, as well as queried the band members to see who planned to return. Expectations were high that most would rejoin, but also knowing there would be those who had relocated, retired from playing, or weren’t comfortable to return for a whole host of reasons. The members are now ready to bring audiences the band’s 20th Anniversary season! Just in time to spread some musical joy, the Danville Community Band presents its inaugural reboot performance at 3PM on Sunday, December 12th with “It’s Holiday Time Again!” show. The program features a fun selection of festive tunes including A Christmas Festival, Sleigh Ride, A Hanukah Fantasy, and more! Also featured is vocalist Jodi Aldredge. The free concert will be held at the Del Valle Theatre located at 1963 Tice Valley Blvd, Walnut Creek. Donations are accepted and appreciated. For more about the concert, the band, and future performances, visit www.danvilleband.org.
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December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 7
WHAT DEFINES A HOME AS “LUXURY” IN THE GREATER DANVILLE AREA?
By Joe Gatti
Luxury Homes Sold From October 14th to mid-November, the median sold price for a detached home in YEAR in Greater Danville Area the greater Danville area, which includes Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, and San 2019 13 Ramon, was $1,905,400! In this article, we will look at the highest priced category of 2020 27 homes in our local market and ask what defines a home as “luxury”? A luxury home stands out regarding its uniqueness in square footage size, perceived 2021 64 optimal location, architecture, and high end/custom materials used in its construction. These characteristics make the home stand alone from other properties in the surrounding area. Other qualities include an above average lot size for guest/entertainment purposes; such as, backyard pool, spa, outdoor kitchen/BBQ space, and possible ADU/guest house locations on the property. In our local community, we will define a luxury home as a property closing escrow at, or above, $3,500,000. It will have at least 4,000 sq. ft. of interior space, at least 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and have a lot size of, or above, .5 of an acre to include, or potentially include, possible exterior amenities (pool, outdoor kitchen, ADU/guest house). These features set these homes apart from the majority of homes sold at our area’s median sold price of just below $2,000,000. In 2019, under this criteria, 13 properties sold during the entire year. The average days-on-market for these properties was 70. The median sold price was $4,350,000 and the most expensive home (in Blackhawk that year) sold for $7,000,000. The breakdown of where these properties were located include: Alamo (5), Blackhawk (1), Danville (3), Diablo (4). The table, above right, shows that the amount of sold inventory progressively increases as we proceed to the present day. In our August article, we showed that the greater Danville area’s prices had appreciated 49.1% from 2019 to 2021, providing evidence that more properties likely entered this luxury category in our current year than ever before! In the year 2020, 27 luxury properties were sold. The average days on the market were 34. The median sales price was $4,298,000 and the most expensive property was in Alamo, closing at $19,000,000. Twelve of these properties sold in Alamo, three in Blackhawk, seven in Danville, and five in Diablo. Between 2019 and 2021, luxury homes had the fewest average days on the market during 2020. Fast forward to this year, as of November 14th, 64 properties sold in our luxury category! The average days on the market have been 53, while the median sales price has been $4,275,000. The most expensive property was in Alamo, closing at $16,900,000. Of these 64 properties, 28 were located in Alamo, 14 in Blackhawk, 18 in Danville, and four in Diablo. Takeaways: From 2019 to today, the average luxury home has consistently closed escrow near $4,300,000. There has been a sharp increase in market inventory for 2021.This year saw just under five times as many luxury homes sold as in 2019 and just under two times what sold in 2020. In short, the activity in this category has been unprecedented at these price levels. Activity has increased owing, in large part, to the higher demand for work from home capabilities, higher interest in suburban communities versus urban/city locations, and the interest that a home checks all the boxes for prospective buyers. Will this trend continue? There are currently 23 active or pending properties that satisfy our luxury criteria, showing that the acceleration of activity in this price point will at least continue into the early part of 2022! I hope you found this article helpful. I’ve been serving our real estate community for close to the last 10 years now. Ron Gatti, my business partner and father, has been a full-time real estate professional for over 40 years, all in the greater Danville area. We both are Associate Brokers with Compass out of the 15 Railroad office in downtown Danville. If you have any real estate questions during this extraordinary time, or have questions about this article, please email GattiRealEstate@gmail.com or call Joe Gatti at 925-588-3590. Our services are here for you! *Table data taken from the MLS during specific dates and under the criteria mentioned within the article.
Recent Activity in Your Community! As Danville Natives, We Know Danville and the San Ramon Valley
1105 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Danville
Sold Sold $260k $260k Over Over Asking Asking
Sold Sold $251k $251k Over Over Asking Asking
New New On On Market Market
2 2 Beds Beds || 1.5 1.5 Baths Baths || 1,114 1,114 Sq Sq Ft Ft || $639,000 $639,000 Westside Westside Danville, Danville, Townhome! Townhome! Located Located in in Danville Danville Green! Green! Combined Combined kitchen/living kitchen/living area area includes includes granite granite counters; counters; appliances: appliances: Frigidaire Frigidaire refrigerator, refrigerator, Whirlpool Whirlpool dishwasher, dishwasher, and and GE GE oven oven and and microwave. microwave. In-unit In-unit laundry. laundry. Close Close to to downtown downtown Danville, Danville, Sycamore Sycamore Square, Square, and and the the Livery Livery Shopping Shopping Center. Center.
32 Liberta Ct, Danville
4 4 Bd Bd || 2 2 Bth Bth || 1,936 1,936 SqFt SqFt || .38 .38 AC AC || Sold Sold for for $1,850,000 $1,850,000 Ideal Ideal Glenview Glenview single single story story on on an an expansive expansive flat flat lot! lot! The The kitchen/dining kitchen/dining room room leads leads to to a a flagstone flagstone paved paved dining dining pavilion, pavilion, fireplace, fireplace, and and built-in built-in BBQ. BBQ. Private Private backyard backyard gate gate leads leads to to Iron Iron Horse Horse Trail. Trail. A A short short distance distance from from Osage Osage Park, Park, Glenview Glenview Swim Swim Club, Club, Charlotte Charlotte Wood, Wood, and and Baldwin Baldwin Elementary. Elementary.
Call us regarding how our Compass Concierge and Bridge Loan programs can help you!
115 Camino Encanto, Westside Danville
4 4 Beds Beds || 3 3 Bath Bath || 2,305 2,305 SqFt SqFt || .26 .26 AC AC || Sold Sold for for $2,455,000 $2,455,000 First First time time on on market market in in 31 31 years! years! Prime Prime Westside Westside Danville Danville location! location! Close Close to to downtown downtown and and Iron Iron Horse Horse Trail! Trail! Updated Updated kitchen and expanded guest primary bedroom/possible kitchen and expanded guest primary bedroom/possible au au pair pair space. space. Backyard Backyard deck deck that that leads leads to to pool. pool. Near Near award-winning award-winning schools. schools.
Joe Gatti Broker Associate 925.588.3590 gattirealestate@gmail.com DRE 01914487
Ron Gatti Broker Associate 925.596.1972 gattirealestate@gmail.com DRE 00623995
gattirealestate.com gattirealestate.com Compass Compass is is a a real real estate estate broker broker licensed licensed by by the the State State of of California California and and abides abides by by Equal Equal Housing Housing Opportunity Opportunity laws. laws. License License Number Number 01527235. 01527235. All All material material presented presented herein herein is is intended intended for for informational informational purposes purposes only only and and is is compiled compiled from from sources sources deemed deemed reliable reliable but but has has not not been been verified. verified. Changes Changes in in price, price, condition, condition, sale sale or or withdrawal withdrawal may may be be made made without without notice. notice. No No statement statement is is made made as as to to accuracy accuracy of of any any description. description. All All measurements measurements and and square square footage footage are are approximate. approximate.
PAGE 8 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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CATCH UP ON SOME “Zs”
The month of December is a time in which we turn our fireplaces on and snuggle up with bucket loads of blankets. We walk outside and feel the brisk air, and perhaps, a cool breeze. The fuzzy socks are broken out, and our minds are focused on the perfect presents for our family and closest friends. It’s hard to believe that we’ve already made it to the last month of the year. To me, December always flies by with the holidays and events that occur surrounding them. Sooner or later, we’ll be with our loved ones counting down to the new year. This December, I’m looking forward to being able to celebrate with my friends, and taking every moment in until the very last second of 2021. The holidays can be the most fun and the most stressful time of the year simultaneously. On one hand, you’re excited to be gathered around opening presents with loved ones, sharing laughs, and sipping hot cocoa. On the other hand, there’s a lot of pressure leading up to that point: you have to make sure everything is wrapped and ready in time, kids are extremely anxious to open their gifts, and you just hope that your gift will make the recipient happy. As I mentioned in my last article, for many students December can be intense due to the finals which must be studied for. It’s difficult to have a free moment up until winter break because we’re all cramming to go over our coursework. I know for myself, however, that the second I put my pencil down after taking my last final, all of the studying and late nights will have been worth it because I will be able to go into break knowing that I finished everything that needed to be done. Overall, the holidays really are a joyful time. It’s a time in which you can come together and celebrate with your friends and family. Togetherness really is a prominent theme in December, and I’m so happy that this year we’re able to be more safely together again. The year 2021 is coming to a close. December goes by so quickly and, although there’s a lot that needs to be done, there’s still room for people to have fun. With New Year’s, Hanukkah, Christmas, and all of the holidays that happen this month, December is a beautiful time for people to be together and celebrate. I hope you all have happy holidays, and a wonderful new year!
MEALS ON WHEELS FRIENDLY HELPER PROGRAM
The Meals on Wheels (MOW) Diablo Region Friendly Helper Program (FHP) assists seniors with their everyday errands, such as grocery shopping and picking up medications at a local pharmacy. This pilot program makes it easier for seniors to remain at home. “With most of our seniors sheltering-in-place, MOW Diablo Region can now provide another essential service that our seniors truly need,” said MOW Diablo Region Health and Wellness Division Manager, Cynthia Black. The guidelines below determine if a senior is eligible for the Friendly Helpers Program: • Seniors must be a participant in the existing Friendly Visitors or Friendly Callers program. • Seniors must provide at least a four-day notice before the errand is to be completed. • Weekend errands may be available with a seven-day notice. • If the volunteer pays for any item on behalf of the senior, the volunteer must be reimbursed at the time the item is delivered (cash or checks only). • There is a $50 limit on all purchases. • MOW Diablo Region requires all seniors and volunteers to adhere to the Contra Costa County Department of Health guidelines pertaining to COVID. For more information on the Friendly Helper Program, visit www.mowdiabloregion.org/get-involved, or contact Eileen Stephens at estephens@mowdr. org, or 925-482-2622, or Tuyet Iaconis at tiaco-nis@mowdr.org or 925-891-4872.
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
Neighborhood Watch is a community action and problem-solving program, and one of the most effective means available for resolving issues within the community. Through organized problem-solving activities, your block can remove crime from your neighborhood and address community issues of concern. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff will be hosting meetings via Zoom. If you have any questions or are interested in finding out more information, please email the Community Services Unit at csu@so.cccounty.us.
25 Alamo Square, Alamo (Next to Alamo Cafe) hippievibetribe.com | 925-451-2443
DECEMBER TIDINGS By Jaime Kaiman, Monte Vista High, junior
SAN RAMON VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY By Jamie Westgate, Principal
This time of year, adults enjoy asking children what gifts they want for Christmas. Usually we hear answers like a new bike, a special doll, or the latest video game. I think part of the reason we love to hear their wishes is because we reflect back to our own childhood and the simple things that made us happy. As children, we were typically sheltered from financial burdens, family strife, and health issues. Our parents cared about those things for us, allowing us to focus on our creativity, imaginative play, and fun. Wouldn’t it be great if we could revisit our childhoods and experience the peace we knew back then? As adults today, we have a much different wish list at Christmas. In light of the global pandemic these past two years, most of us would prioritize peace and good health at the top of our wish lists. Recently, I have been reminded of Jesus’s words “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) It is hard to deny our world is experiencing trouble, but what great news that Jesus has already overcome any hardship we could imagine. We can ask him for His inexplicable peace when feeling anxious or fearful, and for physical or relational healing when things seem to be falling apart. God loved us so much that He came to this world to experience life in human form. What a blessing that we can come to him with our earthly burdens knowing He will understand and care for us. As we prepare our hearts for the reminder of Christ’s birth, I am grateful our students at SRVCA are being taught the foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. Our children need to be prepared for the difficulties of this world since history proves our kids will not be free of the hardships we experience. We certainly won’t skip out on gingerbread building, caroling through the campus, or other fun traditions, but we will prioritize sharing the true meaning of Christmas with our students we love so much. We wish all of the San Ramon Valley a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful 2022 to come!
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December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 9
A World Of Good Wishes From My Home To Yours This Holiday Season! During this past year with so many people still struggling, I have chosen Loaves and Fishes for a second year. Last year we raised $16.000 thanks to many people’s generosity!
You can donate online at: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/CelestePacelli or I can pick up a check at your home (please be sure to include “Celeste Pacelli” on the memo). I will match 25% of all individual donations, up to $2500. All donations must be posted by December 29, 2021. I will be matching funds on December 30,2021. Any donation would be greatly appreciated! — Best wishes to you all this Holiday Season. May 2022 bring renewed hope and many wonderful things to you and your family.
Celeste Pacelli Broker Associate | DRE 01862387 | 925.395.1511 celeste@celestepacelli.com | celestepacelli.com
Top 1.5% of All Agents Nationwide - WSJ Real Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals List Top 1% of Agents in Contra Costa & Alameda Counties! See more of my 71 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ reviews on Zillow!
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.
PAGE 10 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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MONTE VISTA HIGH
B y D r. K e v i n Ahern, Principal
November was an amazing month at Monte Vista (MV). We have enjoyed events from every corner of campus. As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, our fall athletic seasons are coming to a close, our winter sports programs are just getting started, and our visual and performing arts programs have started their fall and holiday performances. November athletics started off in a big way as MV women’s volleyball defeated Amador Valley Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity since 1973 for the North Coast Section (NCS) Championship in front of a packed house. MV men’s water polo 2395 Monument Blvd., Suite J 3191-J Crow Canyon Pl closed out their East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) Concord San Ramon Carpets, Hardwood, Laminate & Stone season with a big win against San Ramon Valley (925) 680-4433 (925) 866-2200 www.MacFloor.com • info@macfloor.com (Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House) High and MV women’s water polo made a strong Since 1973 run into the NCS playoffs. MVs cross-country teams both finished strong at the EBAL finals meet and are poised to make an impact THE WELLNESS CENTER AT MVHS at the NCS meet. MV women’s tennis also made a deep run into the playoffs and Jayna By Olivia Brandeis, Monte Vista High, junior Chauhan, our number-one singles player, made it into the semi-finals of the NCS Amidst the separation, suffering and death expesingles tournament. MV football’s season came to an end after a first-round playoff rienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there loss to Cal High. However, that loss doesn’t overshadow the huge turnaround the have been glimmers of hope. We learned how to bake team made this season. Congratulations to all of MVs fall athletes for their successful banana bread without burning the kitchen down, found seasons. Now we look forward to our winter seasons. a new appreciation for toilet paper, and placed a heavier In November, MV honored 11 student-athletes at our annual Early Signing burden on addressing mental health concerns. Ceremony. Our students signed National Letters of Intent in basketball, lacrosse, Our period of isolation unveiled a surge in mental swimming, soccer, softball, volleyball, and water polo. Next year, these athletes will disorders across the nation, especially amongst the compete at Bucknell, Colombia, Dartmouth, Long Island, Pepperdine, Southern Methodist, UC Berkeley, UCSB, and Utah. These young people are outstanding adolescent population. The National Institute of Mental Health states that 49.5% of teenagers across America have experienced some type of mental representatives of the MV community and we look forward to hearing about their illness. This number has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. future accolades. Stay tuned – MV will have another round of signings in February. Given the circumstances, administrators at Monte Vista High School MVs visual and performing arts departments continued to dazzle through (MVHS) implemented a program to provide students with a way to improve November, beginning with our theater program which performed “The Crucible” in front of three packed houses. Our actors were truly amazing as they presented their mental state at school. “In the fall of 2018, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District us with a terrific performance. Hats off to Mr. Chris Connor and his company of (SRVUSD) created a Mental Wellness Task Force to focus on the priority of awesome actors. supporting student social emotional learning.” Wellness Center coordinator MV’s dance program, led by our dance director Ryanne Siegel, performed to three Lacey Whiting said. “One of the initiatives was to create and establish Wellness sold-out audiences in November. As always, MV’s dancers gave our community Centers at the four comprehensive high schools in the district.” numerous amazing performances that covered multiple genres and styles of dance. The inception of the Wellness Center at MVHS has brought an influx of students Every fall, in addition to their performances at every halftime, MV’s marching band seeking support. Open from 7:45AM-3:45PM on school days, the facility first requires goes on their own string of victories. This season, they swept Best Overall awards at the Del Oro, Folsom, and Napa competitions. In addition, MV’s orchestra, jazz bands, students to place their phones in a designated phone cubby, a step symbolic of and concert bands will be performing their annual winter concert on December 10th distancing oneself from the stresses of the online world, especially social media. and December 12th. Furnished with couches upholstered in soothing green hues, the Wellness On behalf of the MV community, I wish everyone safe and happy holidays with Center exudes an ambiance of comfort and relaxation. Exuberant piano tunes their family and loved ones. play over the trickle of recorded raindrops. “The Wellness Center is a space where students can come to take a break and VOLUNTEERS NEEDED recharge so they are able to return to class more focused and ready to learn,” Many of our neighbors cannot afford to feed and Wellness Center intake specialist Ana Mooney said. With MVHS’s intensified clothe themselves or their families. Volunteer oppormental health support, students are even allowed to visit the Wellness Center tunities for individuals, families, and groups to serve during class periods if they feel inundated with stress or other symptoms of the community are available at White Pony Express (WPE). mental health disorders. Mooney furthers, “In addition, we offer drop-in WPE, founded by Dr. Carol Weyland Conner in 2013 and headquartered counseling, student support groups, and lunchtime activities.” in Pleasant Hill, is a nonprofit that rescues fresh surplus food from superDuring lunch, themed activities keep students engaged with a fun element, markets, restaurants, and farmers markets. This nutritious food is then de- while ultimately targeting mental health concerns. During the week of livered free to organizations that feed the hungry. In addition, high-quality November 1st, the Wellness Center commemorated Stress Awareness Week by clothing, children’s toys, and books are distributed free of charge. making kindness jars, mindfulness jars and decorated donut stress balls for Hundreds of volunteers make WPE possible. They volunteer because they the coinciding National Donut Day. Additionally, the center is in the midst of believe in the mission and know they are helping others who have urgent needs a six week “Managing Stress and Anxiety” support group program and hopes at this critical time in their lives. If you are interested in volunteering, please to continue fostering more related student groups. visit whiteponyexpress.org/volunteer or call Mandy Nakaya, Volunteer Services “We want to do what’s going to be most helpful for the students, and what’s Coordinator, at 925-818-6361 or email Mandy@whiteponyexpress.org. most relatable for them and what they’re going through,” Whiting said.
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VALLEY VIGNETTE By Beverly Lane
DAN INMAN, DANVILLE’S FOUNDER ~ PART 2
AGGRESSIVE & SKILLED LEGAL ADVOCACY
Daniel and Josephine Inman began a family within a year of their 1863 wedding Protect your rights after serious injury or wrongful death. and eventually had seven children. Inman’s life during the nineteenth century exemplifies many of the challenges and accomplishments of California’s pioneer leaders. He farmed and experimented with different crops. He was known as a generous friend. He helped begin the Livermore Presbyterian Church, supported the Grange movement, opposed the state’s railroad monopoly, and ran for office. The Inman’s moved to Livermore in 1865, splitting the Danville properties with Call us today to schedule a consultation. brother Andrew by 1866. Dan’s friend Jesse Bowles moved to the Livermore area 925-587-9949 in the 1860s, joining his brother-in-law William “Phil” Mendenhall. Mendenhall had once farmed in the Sycamore Valley and was another good friend of Inman. “Making the world a safer place, one case at a time.” The Inman’s settled in, buying 325 acres of farmland and later added 316 more www.gattopc.com acres. They ran a diversified farm with stock grazing, wheat, and vineyards. Less Alamo resident since 2002 2540 Camino Diablo, Suite 200, Walnut Creek, CA 94597 than a mile north of their homestead, the Inman District School was built in 1870 on land they donated for the purpose. From 1867 to 1868, Dan Inman served on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Next, he was elected to the state Assembly in the fall of 1869. According to J. M. Guinn’s History of California, he won: “in spite of the fact that at the time the district was strongly Republican. However, his excellent record as a supervisor won him many votes from his friends among the Republicans of the district and he received a fair Majority.” Dan was no friend of the railroad monopoly, which had such Vote for your favorit Take the Pledge: e local power in the state and, because of this, lost in subsequent efforts Waste Reduction Pr oject! to return to the Legislature. In 1878, he was elected a delegate This holiday season, properly Vote for a local comm to the California Constitutional Convention, which famously unity project sort packaging materials: to receive a $1500 wa ste reduction worked to defuse the railroad’s power. A major goal of Granges • Break down and flatten cardboard boxes project grant by Dece mber 30 th. throughout California was to control what they viewed as • Place Styrofoam™, air pocket s, plastic usurious charges by the railroads. envelopes and bubble wrap in landfill In 1874 Inman met with Danville friends R. O. Baldwin, • Ensure materials fit into your blue Pledge and vote now! Charles Wood, and W.W. Camron to discuss constructing a cart with the lid closed ORGANICS Your participation will enter you into narrow gauge railroad from Martinez to Livermore. Indeed, a raffle! Republic Services will raffle Inman’s political activities were mirrored by several Danville prizes from local eco-stores! (925) 685-4711 leaders. His brother Andrew Inman, Charles Wood, David ww w.ContraCostaRec ycles.com Sherburne (from Sycamore Valley), and teacher A. J. Young were all elected to the state Assembly. Sherburne also served as a Contra Costa County Supervisor for many years. When the California Grange was organized in 1873, Inman RECYCLING became the first Worthy Master of the Livermore Grange. He was active in the Grange for many years and in many different (925) 685-4711 capacities, including as president and manager of the State Grangers’ Association and their store in San Francisco (1878-9). His wife’s parents (Mary Ann and John Jones) had helped found the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Alamo. The First Presbyterian Church of Livermore was organized on February 12, 1871 with Jesse Bowles and Daniel Inman serving as two of the first five trustees. Funds were raised and the first church was dedicated in 1874. Also in 1871, a Masonic Lodge, the Pleasanton Lodge, No. 218, F. and A. M. were organized. Inman LANDFILL was a proud member of this fraternal order all his life. Dan Inman was known for his community spirit and his willingness to lend funds to friends, which sometimes led to problems. He signed a promissory note for the Farmers Union of Livermore, a Grange-related cooperative, and ended up liable for their debts when the Union went bankrupt in 1892. He faithfully paid off (925) 685-4711 these and all other debts. When Inman died in 1908, the Livermore Herald said his large funeral testified “to the great respect and esteem in which the deceased was held in the community… The expressions of regret over the demise of this worthy pioneer are universal. He represented the highest type of sturdy American manhood and held the confidence of the community to a degree attained by few men in this age.”
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Sources: Rick Dressen, Daniel Inman, Namesake of Danville, 1993; J. M. Guinn, History of the State of California, 1904; William Halley, Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County, 1876 (p. 400); The Livermore Herald, Nov. 7, 1908; James D. Smith, Recollections, 1995; J. P. Munro-Fraser, History of Contra Costa County, 1882, Museum of the SRV archives. Illustration: Residence and Farm of Daniel Inman, Esq, Livermore, Alameda County, California, New Historical Atlas of Alameda Co., California, Illustrated, Thompson & West, 1878. p. 106.
Kitten and Cat Adoptions
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Residence and farm of Dan and Josephine Inman.
Learn more at feralcatfoundation.org 925-829-9098
PAGE 12 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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ALAMO ROUNDABOUT FACTS AND FAQS
By County Supervisor Candace Andersen
After many years in community discussion and design, the groundbreaking of the Alamo roundabout is finally on the horizon. The new roundabout will be located at the intersection of Danville Boulevard and Orchard Court, and the main entrance to Alamo Plaza. The collision rate at this intersection is ranked in the top five locations in Contra Costa County. The Alamo Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) spent several years studying this intersection and listening to input from the public. The MAC, with the support of my office, ultimately decided that a roundabout would be a better solution than installing traffic signals. Because Orchard Court does not line up with the entrance to Alamo Plaza, multiple signals would have been required. County Public Works has been busy working on the design. They have also been working with several utilities along Danville Boulevard, including AT&T and East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) who have wires and pipes that run along the Boulevard. The project will also reconstruct the sidewalk to provide American Disability Act (ADA) pedestrian access throughout the corridor. Public Works is currently at 95% design completion. At their November 2 meeting, the Alamo MAC recommended that the roundabout include an “Alamo” monument sign and three rosebud trees. Several community members in attendance also expressed their opinions on the presented landscape options. Roundabouts are a proven safety countermeasure. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which Western Redbud manages 4.2 million miles of road, has stated that roundabouts allow intersections to “manage themselves” because drivers are forced to manage the circle more conscientiously. The more familiar drivers are with the roundabout, the safer they become. Intersections are far more dangerous with nearly a quarter of crash fatalities occurring at intersections. The new roundabout will allow for lower vehicular speeds on Danville Boulevard, cause less of a delay than a traffic signal, reduce conflict points, and shorten pedestrian crossing lengths. Additionally, roundabouts are more environmentally friendly as cars are not stopping and idling at lights, which cuts down on fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The cost for the downtown roundabout is estimated to be $4.143M. In 2016, the project received a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant of $2.718M. Partial funding of $1.370M will be received from Measure J Regional Funds. The small funding shortfall will be covered by local road funds. Construction is set to commence at the beginning of 2022. When the project is finally complete, the section of Alamo will not only be safer to navigate but will also offer a new, revitalized
See Roundabout continued on page 14
EXCHANGE CLUB
The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley meets for lunch the second Wednesday of every month at Faz Restaurant, located at 600 Hartz Avenue in Danville. Sign-in and social time begin at 11:30AM. The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. The one-hour program features guest speakers and business networking. Guests are welcome with luncheon reservations. The cost is $20 for members and first time guests, and $23 for returning guests. For reservations and information, please contact Karen Stepper at 925-9988865 or coachstepper@yahoo.com.
DANVILLE LIONS CLUB
The Danville Lions Club meets virtually at 6:30PM on the first Tuesday and third Wednesday of every month. Danville Lions Club raises funds and provide services to those in need, both locally and worldwide through fun and gratifying projects. Lions are well known for successful initiatives in vision health. Please contact Nancy for a guest connection to the next Zoom meeting at nbircher@mac.com Visit www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/danvilleca to learn more. For club information, contact Truman Howard at 925-787-2565.
LOCAL ROTARY CLUBS
The Rotary Club of Alamo meets virtually on Wednesdays at 12:15PM. For information about the group visit alamorotary.org, email alamorotary@hotmail.com, or call 925-718-6601. The Danville Rotary Club meets virtually every Monday at noon. Learn more at danvillerotary.org. If you are interested in the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club, contact Daniel Kodam at daniel@dsvrotary.com, call 925-336-0000, or visit dsvrotary.com. The Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley meets via Zoom every Wednesday night from 7PM-8:30PM. For more information, call Valerie Munoz at 925-683-6310 or visit www.sanramonvalleyrotary.com. The Rotary Club of Dougherty Valley/San Ramon meets via Zoom, on Wednesdays from 5:30PM-6:40PM. For more information, call 925-998-2924. Rotary Club of San Ramon meets via Zoom every Thursday between noon and 1:15pm. For more information, visit sanramonrotary.org, email chris@gallagherwealth.com, or call 925-831-3043.
KIWANIS CLUB OF SAN RAMON VALLEY
The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley meets every Thursday at noon at Black Bear Diner located at 807 Camino Ramon in Danville. The Club organizes the Kiwanis 4th of July Parade in Danville and many other exciting events. The Club has an interesting and informative weekly program speaker and specializes in fun and entertaining camaraderie. There is no charge for a guest lunch. For more information, email info@srvkiwanis.org, or visit www.srvkiwanis.org.
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QUICK TRIPS By Linda Summers Pirkle
HALLELUJAH
Danville Glass Shower & Windows Best Quality, Prices, & Service
Canadian author Louise Penny’s bestselling All types of residential glass mystery novels about Chief Inspector Armand Fogged Dual Panes • Mirrors Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is more than a Broken Glass • Shower Doors crime series. The beloved character Gamache deals with deception, personal fears, family, and career problems with skill, patience, and curiosity. Penny By appointment only: says her 18 books, which are “one ongoing story,” 4115 Blackhawk Plaza Cir #100, Danville are not really about murder. “Instead murder is a 925-277-0555 launching point to explore the issues that Gamache and others struggle with.” Sho p Lo It’s easy to love the series as well as the fictional village of Three Pines in cal! danvilleglasscompany.com Québec where many of the recurring characters live. Readers are familiar with Email for free estimates the homey used bookstore and the café in which the author describes with Licensed and Insured dgc94526@gmail.com #795837 mouthwatering detail tasty tartes, croissants, baguette sandwiches, and the ever-present aroma of fresh brewed coffee. Neighbors gathering to thaw from the Québecois freezing temperatures and complicated friendships are key to the series. In an interview with Robert Bathurst (of Downton Abbey fame), who is the current narrator of the audio books says, “Three Pines is a place where people who live there find sanctuary…it reminds one of the human capacity to love.” Fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) apparently appreciated the series enough to allow author Louise Penny to use an excerpt from his poem/song “Anthem,” “Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Penny writes in her acknowledgments, “When I contacted him (Leonard Cohen) to ask permission and find out what I’d have to pay for it, he got back to me through his agent to say he would give it to me for free. Free. I’d paid handsomely for other poetry excerpts, and rightly so. I’d expected to pay for this, especially given that at the time Mr. Cohen had just had most of his savings stolen by a trusted member of his team. He asked for nothing. I cannot begin to imagine the light that floods into that man.” On a recent Sunday afternoon, my son Reed and I visited the compelling exhibit “Experience Leonard Cohen,” a series of four solo exhibitions that present immersive and intimate artworks by contemporary artists George Fok, Judy Chicago, Candace Breitz, and Marshall Trammell, all inspired by the life and work Leonard Cohen of the global icon. We loved the exhibit and the venue, the very cool Contemporary Jewish Museum (The CJM), which opened in 2008. Designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, the older revitalized section of the space was originally the PG&E Jessie Street Power Sub-station built in 1907 and the newer Yud Gallery, which reaches 65 feet at its highest point was, during our visit, gloriously filled with natural light from 36 diamond shaped windows. Our favorite part of the exhibition was a 60-minute immersive 360-degree video work called Passing Through, depicting Cohen the poet, novelist, songwriter, and singer. Scenes from his native Montréal, concerts from all over Europe and Israel, his friends, loves, interviews, and, of course, his distinctive singing voice gave us a glimpse into the performer’s life. The exhibition brochure says, ‘’His songs masterfully combine mystery and universality with sacred and profane and are now imprinted on our collective memory.” As we listened to Leonard Cohen’s masterpiece “Hallelujah” it was clear why it became the most “oft-performed song in American musical history.” (New York Times Book Review 12/9/12) The Contemporary Jewish Museum is located at 736 Mission, San Francisco. Their website is thecjm.org. Experience Leonard Cohen runs through January 2, 2022 and open Friday-Tuesday 11AM-5PM and Thursday 11AM-8PM. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel writer, Francophile, consultant and long-term Danville resident, has arranged and led tours for the Town of Danville for several years. She is currently working on a guide featuring off-the-beaten-path destinations. To share your “Quick Trips” ideas, email Coverthemap@gmail.com.
RANCHO ROMERO BULLYING PREVENTION POSTER CONTEST WINNERS
Rancho Romero Elementary School students took part in a Bullying Prevention poster contest. Winning entries were: kindergartner, Eva Bizhko, 3rd grader, Sienna Collins, and 5th grader Layla Collins.
PAGE 14 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
CLIP NOTES
By Jody Morgan
In case your holiday calendar has an opening, December 12th is National Gingerbread House Day. Tori Avery outlines “The History of Gingerbread” in an article PBS Food posted December 20, 2013. The first known gingerbread recipe, dating from 2400 BC, comes from Ancient Greece. During the Middle Ages, gingerbread cookies in seasonally appropriate shapes were sold as “fairings” at country fairs. Long before the Brothers Grimm popularized the practice by publishing Hansel and Gretel in 1812, 16th century German bakers perfected the craft of constructing intricate gingerbread houses. Created at Traditions Golf Course in Texas in 2013, the world’s largest gingerbread edifice, spanning nearly 40,000 cubic feet, required a building permit. Generated as a fundraiser for St. Joseph’s Hospital, the structure used 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs, 3,000 pounds of sugar, 7,200 pounds of flour, 1,080 ounces of ground ginger, and incorporated 4,000 gingerbread bricks. Used to treat stomach ailments for thousands of years, ginger was conveyed along the Silk Road by spice traders from its native habitat in Southeast Asia. The plant producing medicinal and culinary ginger, Zingiber officinale, is one of about 1,300 species in the Zingiber family. Unlike some family members flaunting flowers favored by florists, this herbaceous perennial is an ugly duckling above ground. “Ginger roots” now widely available in supermarket produce aisles are rhizomes: horizontal stem parts growing underground from which shoots ascend and roots descend. If you’ve ever used them in cooking, you know the lemony fragrance of freshly sliced ginger bears no resemblance to the pungent aroma of the powdered spice. Native to tropical and semi-tropical regions, the easy-to-grow crop is now cultivated in places around the world with similar climates. You can raise plants in containers, but the combination of humidity and heat needed is hard to provide in East Bay locations. A note of warning: Ground covers in the Asarum genus, commonly called “ginger” due to their slightly ginger-scented roots, are toxic.
DANVILLE ALAMO GARDEN CLUB
The Danville Alamo Garden Club would like to invite you to their monthly meetings where they will share their knowledge and love of gardening. Monthly meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month and are currently presented via Zoom. The meetings feature an inspiring and educational guest speaker and program. Please visit www.DAGC.us to find detailed information about the monthly program and activities. To contact the Membership VP, click on “About DAGC” then “About Membership.” The group looks forward to meeting you!
www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews Queen Elizabeth I, whose father Henry VIII is said to have utilized ginger as a plague preventative, asked her bakers to make gingerbread men decorated to resemble the dignitaries to whom she was gifting them. European colonists carried the art of baking gingerbread to the New World. Mount Vernon’s official website relates: “In early April 1781, the Marquis de Lafayette stopped in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to pay his respects to General Washington’s mother, Mary Ball Washington. According to family tradition, Mary served gingerbread during his visit. The gingerbread served was in the form of a soft cake or loaf, rather than a cookie.” A recipe for “Lafayette Gingerbread” is provided along with the story. A letter posted by Founders Online “To George Washington from MarieJoseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 April 1781” confirms the visit. “I Myself Hastened Back to Maryland, But I Confess Could Not Resist the Ardent desire I Had long Ago of Seeing Your Relations And Above All your Mother at Frederisk Burg -- For that purpose I went Some Miles out of the Way, and in order to Conciliate My Private Happiness to duties of Public Nature, I Recovered By Riding in the Night those few hours Which I Had Consecrated to My Satisfaction.” Martha Washington’s recipe collection includes several gingerbread entries. One gingerbread recipe in Mary Randolph’s The Virginia Housewife, first printed in 1831, reads: “Three quarts of flour, three quarters of a pound of brown sugar, a large spoonful of pounded ginger, one tea-spoonful of powdered cloves -- sift it, melt half a pound of butter in a quart of rich molasses, wet the flour with it, knead it well, and bake it in a slack oven.” Long-term experience was essential for getting a wood-fired oven heated to the proper level. Our family’s favorite gingerbread is based on a 1760 recipe translated by Colonial Williamsburg’s Raleigh Tavern Bakery for modern cooks. I keep dough refrigerated to roll into gingerbread men to serve warm from the oven with freshly whipped cream. The 29th National Gingerbread House Competition runs from November 28, 2021-January 2, 2022 at Ashville, North Carolina’s Omni Grove Park Inn. Except for the bases, each edifice is completely composed of edible elements. At least 75% of the main structure must be made of gingerbread. The hotel will release virtual clips of 12 finalists December 1-12. Gingerbread is popular enough to be celebrated annually in two additional holidays in the US. June 5th is National Gingerbread Day. November 21st is National Gingerbread Cookie Day.
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centralized downtown for all Alamo residents to enjoy. My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos.cccounty.us or 925-957-8860.
WALNUT CREEK GARDEN CLUB
You are invited to visit meetings and to become a part of the Walnut Creek Garden Club! You’ll find friendly members with varying interests, including: • Creating and improving gardens with new plants and techniques • Supporting garden education in local schools • Supporting local environmental charities with community grants • Learning about the fun of arranging flowers • Volunteering to help local gardens, fundraisers, and plant sales The group meets the second Monday of each month at 9:30AM, September through June, at The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Dr., Walnut Creek. The group welcomes the vaccinated public to their next meeting to be held January 10th. Shawna Anderson from Orchard Nursery shares her pruning tips for all types of roses. She will demonstrate techniques and the best tools for the job. Shawna is a garden consultant and designer and shares her passion for gardening through her business: Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers. If you are interested in joining the Club or for more information, please visit www.walnutcreekgardenclub.org.
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school, full of anticipation and new experiences. The classroom is vintage 1888, students are dressed in period clothing, and they know they have to bow or curtsy to speak to the teacher. Both teacher and student find the morning rewarding.” Asked to compare volunteering in the ORS program with being a long-term classroom teacher, Holcomb replies, “Everyday at the schoolhouse the same lessons are given, however, these lessons are shared with a different class each day making the experience new for everybody. Once the teacher is comfortable with the lessons, no additional preparation time is required.” ORS teacher Gail Kamerer remarks: “The location of the schoolhouse is ideal for imagining entering it in 1888. Looking out the back windows, you see cattle grazing. Horses are stabled across the road. The illusion would be spoiled if you looked out on a tract of housing.” In 1888, the teacher arrived at the schoolhouse early to get the stove going. Washing windows weekly inside and out was part of the job. Once married, women were no longer eligible to hold a teaching position. They earned less than male teachers -- $38/month versus $42.43/month. Today, Volunteer Superintendents open the schoolhouse, start the propane stove that Completed in 1889, the Tassajara One Room Schoolhouse is listed on the heats the building, and supervise safe parking. After setting up the outdoor games for National Register of Historic Places. Photo courtesy of the Museum of the recess, several elect to stay to help the Assistant Teacher with outdoor activities. At the end San Ramon Valley. of the morning, they close the facility. ORS Docent Teacher Carmen Curtis saved a summary of the day’s activities as dictated by one class. Describing recess, they recalled: “We washed our hands in a bowl on the table. They divided us up to make relay teams and we raced. We also played with old-fashioned toys. We stood on large tin cans, held onto the ropes, and walked. We used Jacob’s ladders. The game called Graces has two sticks for each person and a hoop that you throw. We jumped rope, used a string with a button to spin, used a spinning top, pushed a hoop with a stick, and tried to catch a ball in a little cup.” Personal touches enhance the immersion experience for everyone. Kamerer relates, “Playing the role of a female teacher who would have boarded with a local family, I tell the children, ‘I am coming to live with one of you.’ Their eyes get big. Then I say, ‘I am going to find out what kind of cook your mother is.’ The parents’ eyes get big. One boy told me I was welcome to stay with his family.” Writing cursive script with pen or quill and ink and ciphering on chalk boards using sock erasers to clean the slates are part of the recreated Joan Kurtz, creator of the One Room Schoolhouse program, leads a class in discovering school life in 1888. Photo courtesy of Joan Kurtz.
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PAGE 16 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS
DISCOVER YOUTUBE By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO, Inc.
The gift-giving season is upon us. There is always someone on our list for whom it is difficult to find the perfect present. To help with that task, I’m going to tell you about a product that every homeowner can consider using. First, let me provide a little background to the story. We live on the west side of Alamo where access to Danville Boulevard and the freeway is very quick and easy. A downside of having great freeway access is that it also makes it easy to have a quick getaway when a crime has been committed. Whether it’s a retail smash-and-grab, breaking into a car, or a residential burglary, the criminal can be on the freeway, and miles away, within minutes. After the 2009 economic meltdown, we saw a notable increase in property crimes in our area. One such crime was the theft of mail from mailboxes, which many people in our communities have experienced. Although it is not a scientific measure of crime levels in our area, the Nextdoor website is a pretty reliable indicator of what is going on in our neighborhoods and reports of mailbox theft seem to be posted almost daily. And, those reports were from people who figured out a theft occurred. Some people never even know that their mail has been swiped, but later suffer consequences directly related to the theft. In our neighborhood the mailboxes are at the curb. Our home is on a corner, so once someone visits our mailbox they can be around the corner and out of sight in just moments. As we work from home, we also receive business-related mail on an almost daily basis. It would be extremely inconvenient or expensive to track down missing items. With all these facts in hand, I decided I would build a product to tell me when my mailbox was opened. I thought that a mechanism could be built which could alert us to a visit by the postman. This would lessen the amount of time our mail would sit unattended at the curb. There are a few products available to solve the mailbox alert problem, but I felt most were pretty weak. I decided to build my own. As projects sometimes do, this one got bogged down almost immediately. I
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had all sorts of fancy plans, including a tiny camera that would take a snapshot every time the mailbox opened. What better way to ID a mail thief than a picture taken during the act? All of the pieces to make something like this are available, yet I was leaning in the wrong direction on some of the technical decisions, and therefore the project was stalled. When my wife saw a Nextdoor post by someone who solved a similar problem with a new product, I was intrigued. It turned out that there is a company who had addressed this problem. They don’t support the tiny camera I wanted, but everything else is spot-on! The company is called ‘MySpool’ (myspool.com) and the product is called “Mailbox Alert.” This company has created several useful products, including an extended-range version of the Mailbox Alert for more distant mailboxes. They also created products for sensing the presence of water (flooding, sump failure etc.), gas detection (natural gas, explosive gasses, carbon monoxide), and electricity outages. If you prefer, you can buy their do-it-yourself sensors and components to create a custom application. The only limit is your imagination, because their methods and technology are quite solid. Installation of the Mailbox Alert wasn’t difficult. Anyone with a drill and a smartphone can perform this installation. The product includes a small 2”x3” box that contains the electronics and three AAA batteries, a short length of wire, and a magnetic switch. The magnets are mounted inside the door of your mailbox, and the battery box is mounted behind or below your mailbox, then connected to the box with the short wire. When your mailbox is opened, the magnetic switch is triggered, causing the mechanism to send you an email and/ or text message. It can send to multiple email or text addresses at once, and we have found it to be very reliable. Conveniently, each message notes the device’s battery level so you’ll never be surprised by dead batteries. If mail theft has been an issue in your neighborhood, or if your mail service has been inconsistent, I recommend using this product to keep you informed. If you’d like to see it in action, contact me at info@pcioit.com, and you can stop by for a quick demonstration. And, as always, if your technology is acting up, give us a call at 925-552-7953. Advertorial
1888 curriculum. Children take turns reading lines from an entry in McGuffey’s Third Reader recounting the story of a country lad who teaches another boy to read. Little Joe is trying to write two words he has seen on a sign when Charles finds him. Line 9: “‘If I could only learn to read and write,’ said he, ‘I would be the happiest boy in the world.’” Line 10: “‘Then I will make you happy,’ said Charles. ‘I am only a little boy, but I can teach you that.'’” Lessons emphasizing kindness and courtesy figure among student favorites. “I liked learning the words for a successful life, and I still remember them. They were, ‘honesty, truthfulness, punctuality, cleanliness, and kindness,’” one boy wrote. Another said, “I liked bowing to show respect when I had a question to answer.” Many children highlight learning about “modern” 1888 inventions. “The most unusual historical fact I learned,” wrote one young lady, “was that Mr. Eastman had just made a new camera, and that he named it Kodak because Sean Burke and his grandmother, One Room Schoolhouse Teacher Carmen K is a lucky letter.” The new camera retailed for $25 and Curtis, pose with artifacts used in the program. Photo courtesy of Carmen Curtis. came with a 100-exposure roll of film. The entire camera was returned to the maker in Rochester, NY and sent back with printed photographs and a fresh roll of film. Rescued from impending ruin in 1970, the 1889 Tassajara Schoolhouse was maintained by the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District until 2012 when the Museum of the San Ramon Valley assumed the stewardship role. Since April 2014, the Tassajara One Room Schoolhouse has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Richard Bower, House Committee Chairman, describes many renovations recently completed: “A generous benefactor donated funds to paint all of the buildings on the property. I have worked with high school volunteers to paint the fence that runs the length of the property on Finley Road.” Doors at the back of the schoolhouse have been replaced. A licensed Students are fascinated by George Eastman's contractor upgraded all the wiring. 1888 Kodak box camera that made amateur The well, which regularly ran dry when Betty Mattos Casey was a student at the Tassajara School, no longer functions. home photography practical. Image courtesy Now, purchased water is pumped to an above ground storage tank. Betty, a third grader in 1946, recalls the competition of Marilyn Holcomb. Original caption, “George Eastman has invented a new camera. It weighs to be chosen to fetch water in buckets from Mrs. Perreira’s property was fierce because Mrs. P served fresh-baked cookies about two pounds and it uses film invented to boys accorded the honor. Betty joins Joan and Don Kurtz and Carmen Curtis in counting on a new generation of ORS by Mr. Eastman. His slogan is ‘You push the teachers to step into roles they have enjoyed performing for decades. button and we do the rest!’ He calls the camera Volunteer training for Teacher Docents, Assistant Teachers and Superintendents will be held on January 13, 2022 at KODAK - a word he invented himself on the the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. ORS field trips are scheduled weekday mornings January 31-May 27, 2022. Please theory that the letter ‘K’ is a lucky one!” contact the Museum to learn more about each position and join in keeping this magical experience available to all local third graders. Call 925-837-3750; email info@museumsrv.org; or sign up on the Museum website museumsrv.org/contact.
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FAMILY
By Peter T. Waldron, Managing Partner of Spectrum Wealth Partners
“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” ~ Michael J. Fox With the temperature dropping and the season’s celebrations upon us, I can’t think of anything that provides a greater sense of comfort than the sight of my family sitting around a warm fire, enjoying each other’s company, with laughter and love filling the room. Sitting by the fire recently, I scanned each of my children’s faces and I was confounded by the idea that things may not always be this way. Time inevitably passes and each of my children will eventually chart their own courses. And with each path chosen, they will hopefully feel a sense of pride in the decisions they’ve made for themselves and/or their own family. While we would all like to keep our kids close, they may not, in fact, stay close. They might not make the decisions we would make and they might even do things to which we are completely opposed. But, they will always be our family. Whether you are just starting a brood or have already established multiple generations, your family will always be your family. As we build financial wealth, we are confronted with the question: how should I distribute my wealth to my family? There are few things in life that create as much chaos as the merging of family and money. For some, the answer to this question is: “Why should I care, I’ll be dead!” And, while this answer is partially valid, planning can transform a chaotic estate outcome into a seamless transfer of hopes, dreams, and wealth. Achieving a smooth transfer requires forethought and preparation. With many, this starts with a visit to an estate planning attorney to create wills, power of attorney documents for health/financial matters, and a trust. For others, the conversation should start with a financial planner. An estate planning attorney may still prove necessary, but a financial planner can organize your estate into models that will assist in merging the complexities of wealth and family. Proper modeling can help you visualize your estate now and into the future, as well as forecast how your wealth will grow or shrink. This will then allow you to make informed decisions about what will happen when you are gone and align your giving goals while you are still here. Modeling can ensure that you are not misappropriating funds that should be earmarked for your own future enjoyment and also provide the framework for meeting your estate planning objectives. Once the models have been refined, you will need to convey your vision to your heirs. This idea is a bit avant-garde and must be done with extreme tact. I would insist that this is not an attempt to dwell on whose money it is (or will be), but rather an effort to properly communicate intergenerationally without the veil of a recent death. In some cases, this process can incorporate a therapist to help manage the nuances of the family dynamic, which may have been passively ignored in the past. While setting up this type of meeting can be a daunting task, obtaining a clear picture of your estate will most likely lead to stronger and deeper bonds within your family. Our ultimate demise and the subsequent transfer of our wealth is never an easy topic to discuss. However, I hope this article has prompted some new and improved perspectives about estate planning. While not every estate plan requires modeling, for some, understanding the financial impact of their estate plan is important to ensure their objectives are met. Once the appropriate models have been built, it is imperative to communicate your wishes to your family. These conversations can be difficult, but having a plan, and communicating that plan, is sensible and imperative. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season from the team at Waldron Partners and from my amazing family: Nichole, Emi, Gia, Gunnar, Rory, and Shea! “While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci To schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, please contact me at 925-786-7686 or email peter.waldron@lfg.com.
Peter T. Waldron, California Insurance License #0E47827, is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offers investment advisory services through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Spectrum Wealth Partners, 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 190 PO Box 528, Alamo, CA 94507. Spectrum Wealth Partners is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors. Insurance is offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. This material is for use with the general public and is designed for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, tax or direct investment advice. Lincoln Financial Advisors does not offer legal or tax advice. CRN-3933155-112421 Advertorial
DIY ESTATE PLANNING
By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.
Many years ago, a regular reader emailed me asking me to comment about a well-advertised legal software program. She wondered about the legalities of the software company’s documents, specifically, Wills. I thanked her for writing to me and responded, in part agreeing, that it would be a good idea to write an article on the subject. I did so, but about eight years later, it’s worth revisiting the topic. So, is “do it yourself ” (DIY) estate planning wise? My opinion is that, in most cases, it is not, regardless of the quality of the consumer software. No matter how well, or how poorly, the above reader would have drafted her Will with the assistance of the software, she would have missed the crucial point – having only that Will would have guaranteed an expensive, inconvenient probate proceeding upon her death, and the much better solution would have been to establish a living trust. I could write an article every month for the next several years just on trust and estate administration cases I’ve handled during the last 25 years in which problems, disputes, and lawsuits were caused by DIY estate planning. People frequently think: “I can do this myself; my situation is very simple.” Even assuming a person understands the basic concepts well, the number and types of drafting “traps” is countless. I’ll give one example below of how easy it is to create a serious potential problem arising from what is, on the surface, a very simple estate planning drafting task. John Doe has a home worth $900,000, with a loan against it in the amount of $300,000. He also has cash accounts totaling $400,000. Without consulting or talking to anyone, John takes it upon himself to write his own Will that states, in pertinent part: “On my death, my home is to go 100% outright to Betty Doe, my sister, and the rest of my assets go to Bill Doe, my brother.” Crystal clear, right? John dies and his estate is being administered. Betty claims that John’s intention is clear from his testamentary document – she is to receive the $900,000 home “100% outright,” meaning mortgage-free. In other words, Betty demands that the $300,000 mortgage be paid off from John’s $400,000 cash accounts. This would result in Betty receiving the $900,000 home with no mortgage, and Bill receiving $100,000 in cash ($400,000 in the cash accounts minus the $300,000 used to pay off the mortgage). Predictably, Bill adamantly argues that John intended that Betty receive the house as John owned it. She would take over John’s obligation to pay the mortgage and receive John’s equity of $600,000, thus, Bill would receive the full $400,000 in cash. While it might be interesting intellectually to discuss which party has a better legal position as to this $300,000 dispute, the key “take aways” are: 1) regardless of who ultimately prevails, Bill and Betty could easily each spend $50,000 - $100,000, or more, on legal fees to resolve the dispute, not to mention that their relationship will be severely damaged; 2) sadly, because John never communicated about this to anyone before he died, John’s intentions are merely speculative; and 3) if John had hired an experienced estate planning attorney, the attorney would have discussed John’s intentions and drafted appropriate language to clarify those intentions (e.g. that Betty was to receive the home “subject to liens and encumbrances,” or “free of liens and encumbrances”). Next month, I plan to write about a very interesting DIY case I’m currently involved in that involves the innocent, but hugely problematic, DIY drafting of a deed to a family legacy home. |Estate Planning | Trust Administration & Probate | Real Estate | Business| Please contact me to request a complimentary: i) “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) Real Estate titling brochure; iii) introductory meeting. I am an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1910 Olympic Blvd., Suite 330, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@ rsilvermanlaw.com.
This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors. Advertorial
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PAGE 18 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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ALAMO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (AIA)
By Roger Smith, President ALAMO FARMERS MARKET
Alamo Farmers Market has a cornucopia of seasonal produce available. Pick up some citrus fruits, persimmons, apples, pomegranates, and more. In addition to the freshest produce and food, there are specialty vendors to help with your holiday shopping needs to help you find a unique gift for that special person! The Market is open rain or shine on Sundays from 9AM – 2PM, in Alamo Plaza, off of Danville Blvd., near Bank of America.
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING (CERT)
Since 1993 when training was made nationally available by FEMA, communities in 28 states have conducted CERT training. In our community, the training is delivered by both the San Ramon Valley and Contra Costa County Fire Protection Districts and includes courses on disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic emergency medical assessment and treatment, basic search and rescue, psychology and team organization, disaster simulation, and building a disaster response kit. These valuable courses are designed to help you protect yourself, your family, your neighbors, and your neighborhood in an emergency situation. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster preparedness where citizens will learn to take independent actions that are critical to a successful outcome. While people will respond to others without training, the CERT course is designed to help them do so safely and effectively. Alamo resident, Joe Bologna, has been a CERT volunteer since 2010 and notes, “The CERT model is to do the most good for the greatest number of people needing help during a disaster. CERT is all about being prepared in advance for these occurrences. Our area is in an earthquake zone and we also have recently seen the disastrous impact of wildfires driven by extreme wind conditions impacting local counties. We need to be able to survive a minimum of the first three days of a natural disaster before expecting support systems from the National Guard and Red Cross to be in place.” Residents have to be able to get word outside of our area to relay status of an emergency and needs to support such an event. Phone service may not be available after an emergency, so radio communications, which are more reliable in a disaster, may need to be deployed. CERT teaches the use of FRS radios for short distance communication. CERT offers a basic Amateur (HAM) Radio (8-12 hour) course to be licensed for HAM radio communication for a much greater range of communication. There are more than 200 CERT volunteers in the Alamo/Danville area and more are needed. Become a CERT volunteer now and know what you can do in an emergency. CERT Class #90 will be holding a three-day course on Saturday, March 12, Sunday, March 13, and Saturday, March 19 from 8AM – 5PM each day. To register for a CERT class, visit www.firedepartment.org/community/ outreach-programs/cert. All classes are held at San Ramon Valley Fire’s Administrative Building located at 1500 Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon.
PIPELINE SAFETY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT (TAG)
AIA is honored to be one of only 18 recipients nationwide for the 2021 Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program. We are pleased to announce a successful application for a $59,520 TAG from the PHMSA to promote pipeline safety in Contra Costa County. Through two previous grants, AIA provided a series of petroleum and natural gas pipeline safety workshops for local residents. The current grant will be used to provide pipeline emergency response training for our first Responders, Gas Monitor Sensing Units for their equipment, along with drone software, and on-site training for Fire Emergencies. In addition, a Pipeline Information Center (PIC) website prototype will be developed for Contra Costa County’s review.
AIA SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
Now in its 66th year, AIA, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, has the longest history of serving our community and helping shape it into “the place where we love to live!” Visit www.AlamoCA.org for information on AIA, articles of interest to local residents, membership forms, and more.
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Comprehensive Dilated Eye Exams
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Contact Lens Exams
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Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses In many cases, we are able to make your glasses in our office with our On-Site Lab
215 ALAMO PLAZA SUITE D ALAMO, CA 94507 www.poplarspecs.com
OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY MONDAY—FRIDAY: 9 - 6 SATURDAY: 9 - 4
925.202.2846 BUZZ SESSIONS RETURN TO SENIOR CENTER
FREE LECTURE SERIES COVERS A RANGE OF TOPICS
With in-person programming coming back to the Danville Senior Center, the Town is excited to announce the return of the popular free lecture series “Buzz Sessions.” Seniors are invited to the Danville Senior Center on Tuesday mornings at 10AM for free bi-weekly lectures on an assortment of topics. Topics can be educational, medical, good old-fashioned fun, and anything in between. A complete list of Buzz Sessions, dates, and topics through the end of the year can be found at www.danville.ca.gov/seniors. The Danville Senior Center will be offering two lectures per month through the end of the year. In January 2022, Buzz Sessions will return to a weekly Tuesday morning schedule. All participants, age 55 and up, are welcome. To register, call (925) 314-3430 or visit www.danville.ca.gov/recguide. The latest information on all Town events can be found on the website calendar at www. danville.ca.gov/calendar.
FREE CONSULTATIONS TO FAMILY CAREGIVERS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED CONCERNS
Hope Hospice has launched a complimentary video conference service.“Many of the family caregivers who attend our classes find themselves in the caregiver role unexpectedly and without resources,” says program manager Jill Smith, RN. “The face-to-face classes have helped these individuals tremendously in learning about the changes to expect in their loved one and how to adjust techniques as the disease progresses.” Zoom will be used to conduct private consultations with family members who have questions on specific challenges they are facing in caring for a loved one living with dementia. Submit a meeting request via email to jills@ hopehospice.com, or call (925) 829-8770. Email is preferred. Learn more at www.HopeHospice.com.
Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News | editor@yourmonthlypaper.com December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 19
Seriously, is she going to do this every holiday? Irresistible belly laughs over shared meals with friends. The thrill of visiting faraway lands with virtual reality. Sharing your passions and discovering new interests. What will you experience in a setting designed to captivate your senses?
Schedule your private tour. Call 925-854-0364 today. Learn more about our community: Hover phone camera over the QR code or visit wrcsenses.com/sanramon. scan with your camera TO LEARN MORE
12720 Alcosta Blvd. • San Ramon, CA 94583 sanramon.watermarkcommunities.com
ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE RCFE LICENSE #079200962
NEED SOME HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS?
By Jerome Potozkin, MD
As you’re reading this, the holiday season is upon us. For many of us it is an especially happy time as we will be with family that we have not seen in a long while due to the pandemic. It is a time to be grateful for where we live and what we have. It is also a time to share our holiday spirit by getting our friends and family gifts. Gift shopping can be stressful for some us, as we know people who seem to already have everything. You can always purchase a gift card, but maybe you want to give something more personalized. If so, I think I can help. Men like me can be extremely challenging to find gifts for. Maybe your favorite guy has a hobby that can provide some great ideas. If not, have you considered the gift of skincare? Men are usually not up to speed in this area. Most men don’t want a complex regimen. I recommend the “KISS” approach (keep it simple stupid). My team is happy to customize a simple regimen for your favorite guy. I would start with SkinCeuticals Physical Matte 50 to be applied each morning. This will provide the daily sun protection needed. The slight tint creates a natural look without the white film we often see. In fact, I use this everyday after I shave. I would compliment the Physical Matte 50 with Resveratrol antioxidant gel to be applied at bedtime. We are also exclusively offering a great solution for skincare in a single serum. It is called SkinCeuticals Custom D•O•S•E. Custom D•O•S•E is a serum that is customized for the individual. Since we are all different, and our skin has different qualities, it makes sense that instead of a “one size fits all” approach, a customized serum would be better. Our office was one of three offices in the country that piloted the Custom D•O•S•E product. During the evaluation phase our patients raved about their custom-dose product. We are happy to either provide a Custom D•O•S•E gift certificate or to have you come to our office where we can create the product for you in advance. This will help that special someone have the healthy radiant skin they deserve.
If bright radiant skin is what you or that someone special craves, you might consider a HydraFacial for yourself or as a gift. HydraFacial uses patented technology to cleanse, extract, and hydrate the skin. The treatment is also customizable to the individual and is popular with our acne patients, laser patients, and patients who simply want their skin to look and feel its’ best. Our patients love, love, love HydraFacial. You can’t go wrong with this gift. Many guys have no interest in cosmetic procedures. In our office there has been one exception, CoolSculpting. Many men have local areas of fat that, despite exercise and diet, are very hard to get rid of. For men, the most common areas to fine-tune are the so called “love handles.” Prior to 2015, the only solution I had for patients with love handles was tumescent liposuction. Many men, like me, are too chicken to consider a larger procedure. However, CoolSculpting has revolutionized the body contouring options. Many people wonder “does it work?” The answer is an overwhelming, yes! Most individuals see significant results. The advantages of CoolSculpting is that the procedure does not require surgery, does not hurt, and you can binge watch your favorite series on Netflix while your fat is being frozen away. If you have a special someone that you are having trouble find a present for, we are here to help you get out of that pickle. We offer gift certificates and are happy to suggest gifts for the person that has everything. Call us today at 925838-4900; we are here to help. Our staff hopes you have a healthy, happy holiday. Dr. Jerome Potozkin is a Board Certified Dermatologist specializing in minimally and non-invasive cosmetic procedures. The practice is accepting new patients and Advertorial can be reached at (925) 838-4900 and www.MyBeautyMd.com.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO GIVE RIDES TO SENIORS AND VETERANS
Mobility Matters is a nonprofit agency that gives rides to seniors and veterans in Contra Costa County. Volunteer drivers are needed to escort seniors to medical appointments and grocery shopping. Volunteers must be 25 to 75 years old. Please call Mobility Matters at (925) 284-2215 for more details. You can learn more about Mobility Matters at www.mobilitymatterscc.com.
PAGE 20 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
THE EYE OPENER
HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2021 AND THE YEAR IN REVIEW By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry
We have come to the end of another pandemic year. At least the end of this year shows more promise regarding the pandemic than this time last year. However, much like last year, we are all ready to put the year behind us. Even though the early part of 2022 looks like it will be more of the same, we need to take stock of the year so we can use that information to move forward. Every December, I like to go over the changes we made to the office with an eye towards the coming year. In our continued effort to work with independent frame vendors, we were able to add the Raen brand to our collection this year. Raen is based out of southern California. They produce excellent quality frames and sunglasses. Their frame styles have a California vibe and they have become a welcome addition to our office. Patients have commented that they like what the line has to offer along with their affordable prices. We are proud to collaborate with an independent company who values quality and patient satisfaction as much as we do. In addition to Raen, we were also proud to add the Under Armour brand to our lineup. These sporty frames fill a style void we felt was not being well-represented at our office. These frames are for children and adults that are looking for a wrap-style sunglass or frames for sports or recreation. On the patient-care side, we have a new piece of equipment to help us look at the retina in a manner we were previously unable to. The Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) allows us to look at the individual layers of the retina to help in the diagnosis of any retinal condition including diabetes, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. It is also invaluable in monitoring most conditions as it gives us much more data regarding all the retinal layers to manage any changes. We offer this instrument as part of your comprehensive exam in our
FACIAL REJUVENATION FOR THE HOLIDAYS
By Dr. Barbara Persons, MD, FACS
I was in the checkout line at a local drugstore when a gal next to me was talking on the phone. She said, “My sister needs a facelift and a laser peel.” She then looked over at me, and we both started laughing. You see, I was wearing scrubs with my John Muir Health-Walnut Creek Medical Center badge saying Barbara L. Persons, MD, FACS Plastic Surgeon. We went on to laugh some more and also to talk about the basic concepts of facial rejuvenation while checking out. You would not believe how many men and women around you have had facial rejuvenation surgery. When facial rejuvenation is performed correctly, no one will ever know. It’s not your great grandmother’s windswept look or the slick advertisements of a style that does not last and has many complications. My patients seek the five elements of facial rejuvenation intuitively without knowing the terms. They seek improvement, not out of vanity or because they want to look 22-years-old again. They want to be perceived as naturally vibrant, happy, confident, and whole. As a natural healer and hypnotherapist who came to me for eyelid rejuvenation said, “Our bodies are the vessels through which we project our personalities.” It is okay to want to look better. Today, however, in my opinion, we are at times using fillers, Botox, facials, and light therapies because we are afraid to go ahead and fix issues with minor surgery. Five elements come together to create a youthful face (with naturally balanced bone structure and volume, skin and fat in the right position, no sun damage, and minimal scarring), fix a broken face, or create the beautiful look the patient envisions. The five elements are structure, volume, support, stress expressions, and skin. Structure: The temples, cheeks, chin, and nose should form a pleasant balance. We lose bone volume with age, especially in women, which can lead to a weak jawline, loss of cheek projection, sad-looking eyes, temporal hollowing, and recessed nasal folds. Volume: The overall volume of the face is reduced, and temples begin to hollow. The rounded curves and heart shape of the upper face volume give way to a more squared look as the volume is both lost and “moves south.”
www.yourmonthlypaper.com | Instagram: @Alamoanddanvilletoday | #atdtnews retinal wellness screening (along with the Optomap). The OCT only takes a few seconds to take an image and does not require any drops. It uses light (no radiation) to scan the retina and optic nerve. The images this tool provides are instrumental in the overall management of the retina and all of its elements. For everyone’s safety, we are still following all mandated disinfection procedures. Every piece of equipment, tried-on glasses, and any point of contact are disinfected after each patient interaction. In addition to these cleaning protocols, mandatory mask wearing and hand washing has made our office as safe as possible for our staff and patients. We hope these strictly adhered to procedures will protect us all from COVID and other communicable conditions such as the common cold and flu. We appreciate our patients collaborating with us during this challenging time. The new protocols and procedures regarding COVID are necessary for everyone’s health and are required for us to remain open. We have a great community who understands the health crisis and have been more than willing to collaborate with us within the confines of this “new normal.” We all yearn for things to go back to the way they were, but in the meantime, we all need to adhere to the mandated requirements. As the holiday season approaches, it is important to remember to exhaust your flexible spending accounts (FSA) before the end of the year. The government has a wide range of specified costs that qualify as a medical expense. Included in that list is any vision correction device: glasses, computer glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses. If your purchase is made by the end of the year, it will count on your 2021 account balance. Our office staff extend the best of holiday wishes and a prosperous 2022 to all of our patients and the local community. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at (925) 820-6622, or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165, in Alamo. For more information, visit www.alamooptometry.com, and join in on Facebook, Advertorial Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry. Some patients may want to consider fat injections, which use fat harvested from the patient’s own body which can then be re-injected to enhance facial fullness, fill creases, or build up shallow contours. Support: The ligaments of the face, superficial muscular aponeurotic system fascia beneath the skin, and deep layers of the skin sag with age. It can cause heavy eyes, tear troughs, sagging cheeks, nasal folds, marionette lines, jowls, and extra neck skin. Stress Expressions: These include forehead creases, glabella eleven lines, crow’s feet, bunny nose, smokers’ lines, and the downturn of the mouth. A balanced approach to addressing these issues is vital. Skin: Pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles, red spots, scars, and laxity. These signs of aging are especially noticeable around the eyes and mouth. To start the process of facial rejuvenation, I examine my patients’ faces. I immediately see what procedures will create or recreate the beautiful normal that they desire. Many of you know I have had facial surgery following a nearly fatal accident. At 25, I was hit by a semi-truck whose driver had a seizure from drinking and not taking his seizure medication. After 18 surgeries, bone grafts, implants, titanium plates, and screws, I still work on the five elements every year. I want a beautiful normal. I have personal experience with the products I use on my patients. When I see you, I will be honest about what will make the most significant and excellent improvement in your face over time, with the least risk, and within your budget. I will make sure you are within your comfort zone, doing what I do best, which is to perform surgery and procedures. Using my hands, my heart, and my artistic sense, our private surgery center in Lafayette is one of my most perfect places on this earth where I can make a real, positive difference in your life. Barbara L Persons, MD, FACS is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc., located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She can be reached at 925-283-4012 or drpersons@ Advertorial personsplasticsurgery.com.
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925-831-8310 Meet Dr. Yvonne Hyland & Her Family Dr. Hyland has been in private practice since 2000. She received a DDS degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. Following dental school, she pursued a hospital-based General Practice Residency at the Veteran’s Medical Center in West Los Angeles for two years. Realizing this was not the end of her formal education, she completed a successful three-year post-graduate surgical residency in periodontics. Dr. Hyland’s experience and professional skills excel in every aspect of dentistry from general cosmetic procedures to complex surgical cases. She has placed thousands of successful dental implants and is highly trained in all phases of gum disease therapy, tissue and bone grafting procedures, and wisdom teeth extraction. Dr. Hyland understands the desire to provide the very best care for the entire family. As a resident of Alamo, she strives to meet community needs by providing unparalleled services for those seeking the finest complete dental care in one location. In her spare time, Dr. Hyland enjoys spending time with her husband Terry, two sets of twin boys, and their three rescue dogs adopted from ARF.
Open Monday - Thursday and the first two Saturday’s of each month. Meet Dr. Kiranjot Dyal
Dr. Kiranjot Dyal graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Thereafter, she attended Western University of Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine to earn her degree in Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) and further extended her studies by completing a general practice residency at UCLA- Harbor Medical Center, where she earned the “Resident of the Year” accolade. Dr. Dyal’s passion for growth in her dental skills shows as she continues educating herself through various classes and up to date courses. Dr. Dyal’s goal as a dental provider is to provide compassionate care for her patients and make them feel as stress-free as possible in the dental chair. She believes that knowledge is power and understanding what treatment is needed, why it's necessary, and how it can be prevented in the future is extremely important in bettering the overall oral health of her patients and the general public. Dr. Dyal strives to build a trusting and genuine relationship with her patients and their family and friends to create a comfortable dental home for the community she treats.
PAGE 22 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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YOUR PERSONAL NUTRITIONIST
HOLIDAY NUTRITION SURVIVAL TIPS By Linda Michaelis RD, MS
We are in a better place with the pandemic. It is a good time to take care of our health and that means starting with better nutrition. I have met with clients who are nervous, having gained weight during the pandemic, and they want to enjoy the holidays without gaining any more weight. Following are common problem areas that we all face during holiday meals. I have presented my suggested solutions for each scenario.
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Your mindset going to a holiday event can play a huge role in the outcome - whether you allow yourself to enjoy eating and your time at the event, or beat yourself up the next morning. I often see this all-or-none mentality. Does this A place where beauty sound familiar? Do you go to a party and allow yourself and healthy skin meet foods that are not part of a healthy regimen and get Visit us at our Center of frustrated with yourself only to end up binging? I see Technology & Procedures Excellence with a combined many clients trying to be so strict with what they eat Offered 12,000 square foot, state Cellfina at a party and this always backfires. This mentality Cool Mini for neck of the art, newly renovated sets you up for failure and a feeling of being miserable. Coolsculpting® Our Women’s suite. We are dedicated Solutions: I walk through party scenarios with my Cryoshape Wellness Center to Medical, Cosmetic, and Diolite 532 laser clients and show them how to navigate restaurants and now offers EMSella, EMSculpt Surgical Dermatology and parties. I show them how to give themselves permisFDA approved noninvasive EMSella are a place for medical sion to eat foods they enjoy, and learn how to balance electromagnetic technology Excel V Laser treatment (with clothes on) Excimer Laser the day with high protein and high fiber foods before skin consultation, aesthetic Fractional CO2 Laser for urinary incontinence an event so they will not arrive too hungry. rejuvenation, and face and GenesisPlus Laser and feminine intimate For breakfast, I recommend an egg white omelet body contouring. Infini Microneedling RF rejuvenation! Models are used. with veggies, followed at lunch by 6 oz. of tuna or Kybella DrWilliamTing.com/EMSella Liposonix® chicken salad with veggies and a side of coleslaw so Visit www.DrWilliamTing.com Microneedling with PRP you don’t arrive at the party too hungry. for an extensive list of medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatments, MiraDry When arriving at the event, make a quick eating Mohs Micrographic Surgery product lines, lasers, and therapies offered. NBUVB Phototherapy plan after seeing what the offerings are. Make sure you Pico Genesis Schedule your free cosmetic consultation appointment today! include a dessert treat in your plan. However, stay away PicoSure Laser William Ting, M.D., from bread, butter, and fruit if you wish to have a dessert. PRP for Hair Loss and Rejuvenation Board Certified Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon Vbeam Laser You don’t have to taste everything that is served. 2262 Camino Ramon Silhouette InstaLift Wait for what you really want even if it is something San Ramon, CA 94583 Spectra Laser Tel: (925) 328-0255 high-calorie like fettuccine alfredo. It’s better to have Superficial Radiotherapy TEXT us at (925) 328-0255 24/7 Thermage™ a small portion of something you really like. Email: staff@caldermcare.com Ultherapy™ How often do you order an entrée and find you Vaser Shape drwilliamting.com do not enjoy the taste at all? Please consider letting VLase for Feminine Rejuvenation *Welcoming new Medicare patients the waiter know and substituting with another and are not hungry when the meal is served. entrée. Look at it like you are helping the chef because maybe the dish needs Solutions: Don’t waste your calories on cheese and crackers. Wait for to be recreated. Do not get into the habit of eating food you do not enjoy. the more special and unique selections. Place your chair (or stand) far away
EATING MEALS AT ERRATIC TIMES
Being on the go, skipping lunch, snacking all day, and waiting too long in between meals is a problem. I talk to clients who have been hanging out with friends that eat on irregular schedules. My client goes with the flow which then results in low blood sugar and overeating at the meal because of being too hungry. Solutions: Make sure you consume foods with good protein, fiber, and fat prior to the meal. Bring portable snacks like nuts, jerky, and an apple. Please be more assertive to take care of your needs and speak up when you need to stop and grab a bite to eat.
TOO MUCH BOOZE
Alcohol will increase your appetite and cause you to not follow your intentions to eat healthy. Calories from alcohol add up quickly. Solutions: Alternate water or a sparkling water with your alcohol. Order gin and vodka drinks which have no sugar and fewer calories depending on the mixer. Many of my clients are now enjoying martinis or drinks with lite cranberry juice.
DON’T SIT NEAR THE APPETIZERS
Many clients note they eat too many appetizers, such as cheese and crackers,
from the appetizer table, or bring an appetizer of crudités and Tzatziki sauce to help you. You can have a great holiday season enjoying foods you love without gaining weight. The answer is to plan ahead, and mentally prepare what your day will look like. Have prepared items on hand like tuna, shrimp cocktail, grilled chicken, and chicken salad. Other go-to salads include cucumber salad, broccoli slaw, coleslaw, and string bean salad. Consume these in between holiday events so you do not go to a party hungry! I am available to “hold your hand” this holiday season and help you set up a plan to be successful. I take pride in helping my clients with their health concerns, and making sure they feel confident when attending family gatherings. Nutritional counseling can be covered by health insurance such as ABMG, AETNA, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Hill, Sutter, and UHC. Feel free to call me, and I will check with your insurance and see what coverage is available for you. Please email me at lifeweight1@yahoo.com, call me at 925-855-0150, Advertorial or refer to my website, www.LindaRD.com.
Facebook: Alamo Today & Danville Today News | editor@yourmonthlypaper.com December 2021 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 23
HEALING YOUR NECK PAIN
By Dr. Niele Maimone, DC
If you are suffering from neck pain from a pinched nerve or herniated disc, you know how debilitating it is and how the pain slowly leaks vitality from your life. At Align Healing Center we specialize in treating pain naturally. It is our mission to help relieve pain without the use of drugs or invasive procedures and without inducing more pain! If you or someone you care about suffers from pinched nerves or disc related pain, it is worthwhile to explore the natural therapies that are available today.
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WHAT IS CERVICAL DISC HERNIATION?
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The bones (vertebrae) that form the spine in Eye Exams by Independent Doctor of Optometry in Pearle Vision. your back are cushioned by round, flat discs. When these discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine and keep the spine flexible. If they become damaged, they may bulge abnormally or break open (rupture), in what is called a herniated or slipped disc. Herniated discs can occur in any part of the spine, but they are most common in the neck (cervical) and lower back (lumbar) spine. A herniated disc usually is caused by wear and tear of the disc. As we age, our discs lose some of the fluid that helps them maintain flexibility. A herniated disc also may result from injuries to the spine, which may cause tiny tears or cracks in the outer layer of the disc. The jellylike material (nucleus) inside the disc may be forced out through the tears or cracks in the capsule, which causes the disc to bulge, break open (rupture), or break into fragments.
WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF A HERNIATED DISC IN THE NECK?
Herniated discs in the neck (cervical spine) can cause pain, numbness, or weakness in the neck, shoulders, chest, arms, and hands. In some cases, a very large herniated disc in the neck may cause weakness or unusual tingling affecting other parts of the body, including the legs. Arm pain from a cervical herniated disc is one of the more common cervical spine conditions. Arm pain from a cervical herniated disc results because the herniated disc material “pinches” or presses on a nerve in the neck, causing pain to radiate along the nerve pathway down the arm. Along with the arm pain, numbness and tingling can be present down the arm and into the fingertips. Muscle weakness may also be present due to a cervical herniated disc.
HOW CAN I HEAL MY PAIN WITHOUT DRUGS OR SURGERY?
1. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy Non-surgical spinal decompression is a state-of-the-art treatment that has been helping thousands of patients with chronic neck or low back pain, sciatica, and herniated, bulging or degenerated discs. This is an entirely different treatment from traditional chiropractic adjustments. Many of the patients who are candidates for this procedure have already tried chiropractic, physical therapy, injections, and/or were told they would need surgery. This breakthrough treatment works by gently separating the vertebra which decompresses the disc, thus causing the bulging material to be drawn back into the disc. Non-surgical spinal decompression is very effective, has a high success rate, and can be utilized for both cervical and lumbar disc injuries. 2. Class IV Laser Therapy Laser treatments at Align Healing Center are done with the Summus Class IV laser. Class IV laser therapy gets to the root of the injury and treats it at the cellular level, providing energy to the cells so they can heal. This laser does not cut or burn but is gently absorbed by the tissue. During each painless treatment, laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen, and nutrients to the damaged area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain. As the injured area returns to normal, function is restored and pain is relieved.
THERE IS HOPE!
We have found that a combination of Class IV laser therapy and spinal decompression offers outstanding results in healing stubborn neck pain due to a pinched nerve, bulging discs, or spinal degeneration. This unique combination of non-invasive therapy offers a chance for realizing a permanent cure for neck or back pain. This eliminates the longterm care commitment forced upon patients by other symptomatic low-back pain treatments, such as drugs, injections, or surgery. With proper care and rehabilitation of your spine you can be quickly back to your healthy self! Dr. Niele Maimone, DC is the founder of Align Healing Center in Danville. She has been active in natural health and wellness since 1999. For more information, or to set up a complimentary consult, call 925-362-8283, or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com. Advertorial
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PAGE 24 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • December 2021
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What’s Your Home Worth?
Visit www.assessmyequity.com to find out for FREE! Jon Ahern, Real Estate Broker 925.838.9999 | jon@ahernregroup.com
Camille Ahern, CLHMS, Real Estate Professional
DRE# 01169357
925.963.0068 | camille@ahernregroup.com DRE# 01865464
Coming Soon
1394 Van Patten Dr., Danville
Pending
130 Richard Ln., Walnut Creek
4 BED | 3 BATH | 3,298± SQ FT | 0.85± ACRES
Single story Rancher surrounded by mature trees & low maintenance landscaping. Backyard features a pool/spa, outdoor fireplace and plenty of room to put your imagination to work.
Offered at $2,149,900
9,12-15 & 19 E. 8th St., Antioch
5 BED | 3 BATH | 2,660± SQ FT | 0.23± ACRES
6 BED | 4 BATH | 3,485± SQ FT | 0.44± ACRES
Price Upon Request
Offered at $1,295,000
Corner lot in desirable Greenbrook neighborhood with 3 car garage, spacious yards and functional floor-plan with downstairs bed/bath.
Pending - Off Market
Just Listed
Tremendous Investment Opportunity rare to come by! This is a chance to own 4 houses on a combined .44 acre lot.
Pending
3239 Del Mar Rd., Lafayette
4 BED | 2 BATH | 2,007± SQ FT | 0.23± ACRES
Single story rancher Situated on an almost quarter acre lot this home offers tremendous land opportunity.
Offered at $1,199,000
Pending - Off Market
17 Waterloo Pl., Moraga
88 El Camino Corto, Walnut Creek
Rare single level home with captivating views of the Moraga Valley sets on almost a full acre on a private cul-de-sac in highly sought after Rheem Valley Manor.
Tranquility awaits you in this beautiful Walnut Heights home completely remodeled with no expense spared. This stunning contemporary home sits atop an expansive round about driveway w/utmost privacy.
4 BED | 2 BATH | 2,791± SQ FT | 0.93± ACRES
Offered at $1,949,000
4 BED | 3.5 BATH | 2,904± SQ FT | 0.31± ACRES
Offered at $2,495,000
Coldwell Banker is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed.
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