Danville_Today_Jan_2015 by The Editors, Inc

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January 2015 Alamo Danville Artists’ Society

By Jody Morgan

Founded in 1977 by Beth Batchelor and Ida Farese, the Alamo Danville Artists’ Society (ADAS) welcomes as members not only professional and amateur artists, but also anyone who appreciates art and wants to foster art education. In addition to providing opportunities for artists to hone their skills and exhibit and sell their work, the non-profit organization sup-

Winter Nights Shelter: Good News in Bad Times

Serving Danville

By Jody Morgan

Winter Nights Shelter, in its 11 year of providing temporary shelter for homeless families with dependent children, is a project of the Social Justice Alliance of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County. Winter Nights accommodates up to nine families (about 30 individuals) in rotating sites throughout Central Contra Costa County from October to May. Over 50 faith communities share in welcoming shelter guests with nightly dinner, daily breakfast and food to pack bag lunches for midday Melissa Emerson reads to a child at Winter Nights meals. Seventeen churches and Shelter. synagogues each take two-week turns housing clients with 18 co-hosts providing food and additional congregations supplying funds and donations. Saint Vincent de Paul in Pittsburg offers a daytime Oasis for adults searching for work. Initially concerned citizens trying to establish emergency shelter for homeless Contra Costa families received nothing but bad news. In many California counties, National Guard Armories provide space. After being quoted a price for use of the Concord Armory, the group was denied access to the facility because Concord Council Members noted there were already two county homeless shelters in their city. Orinda’s new library made the vacant old library available, but negotiations with a willing City Council failed when a few vocal residents railed against the proposal because they misunderstood the population being served. Rather than intact families who only wanted a chance to rebuild their lives, they envisioned hard-core drug addicts and perverts flowing into Orinda. th

Vicky Richardson, ADAS Secretary, (foreground) and fellow artists enjoy an ADAS members’ mixer at the Blackhawk Gallery. Photo courtesy of ADAS

ports art instruction in local schools. Art for the Schools, an ADAS grant program for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD), has to date presented over $145,000 to elementary and middle school art teachers for special classroom projects. The Blackhawk Gallery, open daily, gives community members an opportunity to experience how much ADAS has to offer year round. Located at 3416 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, the co-operative operated by members of ADAS features work by over 40 artists in each of the consecutive 10week exhibits. The range of work displayed for sale by member and guest artists from the San Francisco Bay Area includes painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, fiber art, jewelry, and note cards. A jury process as well as willingness to staff the all-volunteer gallery qualifies artists to participate. The Blackhawk Gallery gives back to the community in many ways. Megan Parks-Haller, ADAS Vice President, with her “Art of the “The Gallery is a Escape” entry at Danville’s Village Gallery. break-even proposition,” explains Tom Lemmer, ADAS Treasurer and Blackhawk Gallery Business Manager. “Any profits we make go into the Art for Schools Fund benefiting the SRVUSD schools.” Retailers and plaza management are pleased to have the rotating art exhibits as an attraction. “Our ADAS Gallery helps market the plaza,” Lemmer continues. “In re-

See ADAS continued on page 17

Local Postal Customer

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA

ECRWSS

See Winter Nights continued on page 21 Mustang Soccer U10 Boys white plus Grass Rats were undefeated in the regular season and won multiple tournaments. Back row - Coaches Carlos Romo, Scott Oswalt, Dayton Keane; Middle - Tiago Swallow, Ethan Weiss (kneeling), Joshua Leinenweaver, Nick VonderAhe, Scotty Oswalt, Tyler Clark; Bottom- - Dayton Keane, Will Garrigan, JonCarlo Romo, Nikolas Gabel, Tucker Barth, Brendan Kiley, Cooper Kennedy.

Volume VI - Number 3 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 (925) 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher editor@ yourmonthlypaper.com The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of Danville Today News. Danville Today News is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.

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Page 2 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Boulevard View

Soups On In

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

The goal of this monthly paper is to provide you with hyper-local information, involve you in our community, and present you with opportunities to better know your neighbors and local vendors. It’s meant to be a vehicle and platform to share victories, stories, events, and phoSoup Making starts with Great Tools tos. We provide an opportunity to learn about upcoming events and encourage your attendance, rather than informing you out about an event after the fact. Hopefully you are inspired to become involved with local organizations and causes that can always benefit from more volunteer time and donations to reach their goals. It’s heartwarming to hear that something positive was triggered by an article someone read in the paper. Recently I received an email from Dee Thompson, a participant of the Wreaths Across America project who was placing wreaths on the graves of 18 identified veterans buried at the Alamo Cemetery. As Dee wrote, “…because of the picture and caption, the project has mushroomed! A lady saw it and contacted us to let us know that there aren’t just 18 veterans buried in the cemetery, but there are 80!” A member of the Women’s group contacted Costco, and they quickly and generously donated additional wreaths to place on the graves. Not only was it great to have this extra information available, but now the knowledge also rests with a larger group of people. Another article, in the November issue titled “The Bulldozers Come in December,” featured a local group of kids and their fundraiser Home by the Holidays. See our wide selections of tools for the Cook The article, the website HomeByTheHolidays.com, and their video http://youtu.be/ All-Clad | Bodum | Bo’s Best | Capresso | Chantal | Couleur Nature | Cusinart | Dexas | Edgecraft | Emile Henry | Fagor | Govino | LeCreuset | Kyorcera | Lekue | Maviel | Microplane | Now Designs | Nordicware | vva6kgvrPic told the story of their efforts to relocate 229 Northern Uganda refuNespresso | OXO | Pillivuyt | Rosle | Rosy Rings | Shun | Sistema | USAPans | Wusthof | Zoku and more! gees. With contributions from readers and others, the initial goal of raising $28,000 was achieved, and the women celebrated their new homes as seen here - http:// youtu.be/6dvrFbL-SWM. Coordinator Kira Weiss noted, “Through the fundraisAlamo Ace Hardware |3211 Danville Blvd., Alamo | 925.837.2420 ing efforts we transported the women back to the land they had fled and let them www.AlamoHardware.com show us where they would like their new homes constructed…the locations were set and construction started on the first new homes!” I also received a card from a member of the Friends of Library endowment, who noted that an article resonated with someone and inspired a generous donation to the organization. Hearing that means a lot to me, and it helps me feel connected in a small way to these projects. Our connections can help others. Nobody has all the resources to make things happen, but we can all make a difference by working together. An oft-repeated question in our family when one is faced with a big task is, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is, “One bite at a time.” All mountains to climb are summited step-by-step. Goals must be broken into small pieces, smaller tasks. Families are often known for taking care of each other. However, a family doesn’t have to be the classic dictionary definition of “any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins.” A family can be a neighborhood or a town, and as is noted in the book Eat, Pray, Love, “We must take care of our families wherever we find them.” I’ve come to realize that this paper helps us reach and connect with that extended family. We do something unique by providing “Advertorial” columns written by local service providers. Their goal is to inform and educate you about their specific industry and give you insights to which you ordinarily wouldn’t be exposed. These on your next purchase of 50.00 writers are also your neighbors and local community members. They are there to or more in Mens, Boys, Kids, help you. Most of them are individuals or are working in small businesses and are directly accountable to you, the customer. These are not people who will require Womens, Jr’s, Lingerie, Shoes navigating through a phone tree maze to reach!  While I find myself to be fairly handy, I don’t know everything, and I often don’t  have the extra time, energy, strength, or skills to properly tackle a new task. I’ve learned to trust local experts rather than try to be an expert at everything myself. These service providers are passionate about what they do and have honed their Present this coupon at point craft. It’s part of their makeup, their DNA. They have the skills, tools, and passion of purchase for 10.00 off your to get the job done. Please support these amazing columnists who help bring you this paper each month. one-time combined purchase The final thought I’ll leave you with is that I choose to present positive news and of 50.00 or more. avoid drama in these pages. There are plenty of places for you to find that elsewhere. 1 coupon per family. Not valid on previous purchases, other coupons and/or promotions. As Greer Garson, a popular World War II era British American actress, once noted, No cash substitutes. May not be used on payment of account. Pandora, Brighton, Boy Scouts, Estee Lauder, Clinique, Lancome,Fragrance Dept., TOMS and UGG excluded. “I think the mirror should be tilted slightly upward when it’s reflecting life--toward Expires Jan. 31, 2015 the cheerful, the tender, the compassionate, the brave, the funny, the encouraging, all   those things,” and that is the vision for what I present to you each month. I encourage Lafayette • Danville • Countrywood • Concord your sharing of ideas, stories, photos, and other local information. I look forward to Montclair • Orinda • Moraga • Sonoma • Auburn hopefully inspiring you and making our community even better as we begin a new year.

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JARED HIGGINS TEAM Happy New Year!

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 3

Danville’s Real Estate Expert Danville Today News ~ August 2013 - Page 3

Put the power of a top producing real estate team and the East Bay’s #1 real estate firm to work for you!

Jared Higgins (925) 487-2907

jhiggins@rockcliff.com JaredHiggins.com Danville detached home sales per MLS December 2014.

Free Tax Preparation

Free tax preparation for the 2015 tax season is available starting February 2015 from AARP’s Tax-Aide and United Way’s Earn It, Keep It, Save It (EKS) programs. All tax preparers are trained and certified by the IRS. While both programs serve taxpayers of any age, Tax-Aide does not have an income limit in whom they can serve but EKS can only serve individuals whose incomes do not exceed $50,000. Beginning January 5, for information or to make an appointment for the Tax-Aide sites serving San Ramon and Danville areas, please call (925) 973-3250 San Ramon - San Ramon Senior Center site or (925) 480-7202 Danville - St. Isidore Ministry Center site. For general information and other site locations, call (925) 726-3199. For information on EKS sites, call 2-1-1 or visit www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org. To complete your tax return, Tax-Aide will need you to bring to the appointment your: • Social Security Card or ITIN letter for all individuals to be listed on the return • Copies of all W-2s • 1098s and 1099s • Other income and deductions • Your 2013 Tax Return

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Treats for the Troops

Delta Nu Psi has now sent 1,237 boxes weighing 30,500 pounds to American troops. That’s a lot of “gourmet junk food” and wonderful colorful cards! The group will continue sending as long as American military members are in the War Zone. On January 9th Delta Nu Psi will be accepting items at CVS in Alamo, and on January 16th they will be at Lunardi’s in Danville. Collections will be held from 11am to 2pm both days and are cancelled if it is raining. To learn more, visit www.deltanupsi.org.

BRE# 01781054

Role Players Ensemble Auditions

The Role Players Ensemble is holding auditions for the play Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and directed by Eric Fraisher Hayes. The Ensemble is looking for five men aged 20 - 60 and one female aged 20 - 60. All ethnicities are encouraged to audition. Roles of George and Lennie are pre-cast. The audition will include a monologue and cold read. Non-AEA actors are sought, and a stipend will be paid. Auditions will be held on January 18 from 3 - 6PM at the Danville Town Meeting Hall, located at 201 Front Street in Danville. Rehearsals begin March 2, and performances will take place from April 17 - May 3. To make an audition appointment, e-mail efhayes65@yahoo.com or call (312) 286-9224.

Assistance League of Diablo Valley Prospective Member Coffee

Assistance League® of Diablo Valley is a nonprofit, member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through hands-on programs. You might have heard of our primary fundraiser, the Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette. We are looking for prospective members who would enjoy: providing clothing for elementary schoolchildren to have a more successful educational experience, vision screening for preschool children, performing educational puppet shows for schoolchildren, reading to second grade students, or helping in supplying emergency clothing, food, and supplies to those in crisis. Two additional programs address the needs of our seniors. A Prospective Member Coffee will be held on Wednesday, January 7 at 9:30AM at the Community Resource Center, 2711 Buena Vista Avenue in Walnut Creek. If you want to meet people who share your interest in spending quality time while helping those who are vulnerable, please phone (925) 934-0901 for more details. To learn more about Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s philanthropic programs and auxiliaries, as well as its thrift shop, please visit our website at diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

Page 4 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club

Are you new to the area or a long time resident, newly retired or empty-nester interested in making new friends and participating in various social activities? We are a women's organization whose purpose is to enrich the lives of all its members and their families in a social manner. Check out all we have to offer by visiting our website www.alamodanvillenewcomers.com. Our next new member coffee is January 27th at 10am. RSVP to alamodanvillenewcomers@gmail.com.

Sons in Retirement

As this new year begins you may be thinking of activities you would like to pursue. Sons In Retirement (SIRs) Las Trampas Branch 116 welcomes guests to socialize with us at 11am on Monday, January 19th at our monthly luncheon at the Walnut Creek Elks Lodge located at 1475 Creekside Dr, and learn of our membership activities which include book discussions, bridge, computers, dine-outs, fishing, golf, hiking, walking, investments, poker, travel, wine tastings, and more. In addition we have special golf events and bridge tournaments during the year where wives, partners, and guests are invited. If these are activities you like to do, then you may find even greater enjoyment in doing them with the friendly group of retirees in the SIRs organization. For more information about our activities for retired men, visit www.Branch116.org. Please call 925-322-1160 for lunch reservations. The cost for lunch is $15.

Recreation Expo Returns for 6th Year

Danville area residents are encouraged to save the date to attend the Town of Danville’s 6th Annual Recreation Program Expo to be held Febraury 14 from 10AM to 1PM at the Danville Community Center, located at 420 Front Street. A variety of specialty class instructors and Town staff will be on hand to showcase upcoming classes and answer questions in person. Registrations submitted at the Expo are eligible to receive a 10% fee discount for programs listed in the Spring Activity Guide and Summer Camps Brochure, which will be bulk mailed to Danville, Alamo, and Diablo residents beginning February 2. For more information, contact Program Supervisor Christine Mabry at (925) 314-3475 or cmabry@danville.ca.gov.

Blackhawk “First Sunday” Cars & Coffee

Blackhawk Automotive Museum hosts a monthly Cars & Coffee event year round for all car enthusiasts. Held on the “First Sunday” of each month, starting at 8AM and going to 10AM, the Museum welcomes all classic, collector, and special interest car owners and enthusiasts. On Cars & Coffee Sundays the Museum opens an hour earlier, at 9AM, and participating car owners will receive complimentary Museum admission tickets. The Museum is located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville. For more information, visit www.blackhawkmuseum.org/carsncoffee.html, call (925) 736-2280, or email museum@blackhawkmuseum.org.

Sheep Stories

Forest Home Farms Historic Park presents Sheep Stories on Saturday, January 10th from 10am-2pm at the Farm located at 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd in San Ramon. A chilly winter day is a great time to sit in a sheltered spot and listen to a good story. Stop by the Farm to hear some stories about sheep, help card (comb) their wool, and discover some natural dyes that can change yarn’s color. You can also make a sheep craft and meet a sheep up close. Admission is free! For more information visit www.SRHF.org or call 925-973-3200.

Diablo Choral Artists

Love to sing? Come join Diablo Choral Artists! Diablo Choral Artists performs significant works of sacred and secular choral music, and has openings for all voice parts (especially tenors and basses). Rehearsals are held on Mondays, resuming January 5, from 7-9:30PM, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, located at 1924 Trinity Avenue in Walnut Creek. Mark Tuning is Music Director. For details and more information, see www. vmschorus.org, call 925-680-7089, or e-mail info@dcaschorus.org.

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Walnut Creek Garden Club

The Walnut Creek Garden Club (WCGC) will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, January 12 at the Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Road, Walnut Creek. A business meeting will be held at 9:30, a social will be held at 10:30, and the program will begin at 11:00. January’s program is focused on roses. Tom Liggit, a local and well known rose breeder and co-president of the Contra Costa Rose Society, will speak on heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, as well as roses. You do not need to be a gardener to join the WCGC. We invite you to attend one of our meetings and consider being a member. For answers to questions, contact mslittle44@gmail.com.

Host Families Sought for Visiting French Students

For the tenth consecutive year, students from a large high school in the South of France are coming to Danville. Every visit by the students has been better than the last. The students will arrive on April 11th and depart April 25th. The teens stay with local families and have a full itinerary of activities during the days and only require your attention in the evenings and one weekend. The visit is an ideal opportunity to experience another culture and hopefully consider visiting France in return. Anyone interested in hosting a student (or students!) is welcome to participate. For more information or to find out about past year’s programs, please contact Martine Causse (teacher in charge of the group), at caussefly@ wanadoo.fr or dachary.martine@orange.fr. There are many happy local host families ready to discuss any questions with you (including the editor of this paper!). The local contact is Danville parent Kevin Dimler, who can be reached at kevindimler@gmail.com or 925-718-5052.

Veterans of Foreign Wars

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), Post 75, San Ramon Valley, meets every third Wednesday of the month at the Veterans Memorial Building, located at 400 Hartz Avenue in Danville, on the corner at East Prospect Avenue and Hartz Avenue. Doors open at 7PM, and the meeting begins at 7:30PM. For more information, contact Post Commander Ernie Petagara at (925) 362-9806. Send mail to VFW Post 75 San Ramon Valley, P.O. Box 1092, Danville, CA 94526. Find out more about the VFW and our Post at www.vfwpost75.org.

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Danville

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 5

DESTINATION . . .

HIT THE MARKET FIRST Number of New Listings Spring 2011 through Spring 2015

• In spring, there are so many more homes for buyers to choose from, and could result in less demand for your home.

Single Family Homes in Contra Costa County 739 574 295

514 272

707

624

493

• Empire Realty alone had more than 93 ready buyers wanting to find a home by the end of 2014. They don’t want to wait until the spring!

642 469

366

487

214

175 160 DEC/10 FEB/11 APR/11 DEC/11 FEB/12 APR/12 DEC/12 FEB/13 APR/13 DEC/13 FEB/14 APR/14 DEC/14 FEB/15* APR/15*

Month/Year

*estimated

• It’s time to prepare now… would your home benefit from a quick rejuvenation? Today’s buyer will pay a premium for move-in ready. • Contact me now for a consultation on how to quickly, efficiently and economically prepare your home before everyone else.

The Realtor You List Your Home With DOES Make a Difference:

Carolyn With . . .

CAROLYN GWYNN Realtor®

CalBRE #01888136

(925) 336-7525

CGwynn@EmpireRA.com www.CarolynGwynn.com

The Carolyn Gwynn Danville Real Estate Advantage: Call me today at (925) 336-7525 to discuss how business acumen, high work ethic, professional photography, global marketing and the knowledge that goes with being a lifelong East Bay resident will make the difference for you. www.CarolynGwynn.com Based on information from the CCAR MLS. This information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed by MLS or Empire Realty.

Changes in the Law Allows Dining with Dogs

Each January many new laws go into effect. One of them may find you dining with dogs! California’s health code was modified this past year by the State legislature to allow restaurants with outdoor seating areas to permit dogs in their outside dining areas starting January 1. The retail food businesses that choose to permit dogs will need to meet certain conditions that are meant to protect both diners and staff. Local cities and counties can opt out of this law by passing their own ordinance restricting or preventing the practice, but our County hasn’t done so. Contra Costa’s Environmental Health Services is the agency that inspects all restaurants within the County. As one might expect, this new law does not change the health and safety standards by which all retail food businesses must operate. They’re still subject to the same regulatory and inspection requirements as other restaurants. If an eatery decides it wants to allow dogs to dine with people, there are additional requirements that apply. The animals must be on a leash or in a carrier, and the co-mingled eating can only take place in an outdoor eating area that has a separate entrance. Dogs are never allowed inside and may not sit or stand on chairs or other furniture. Food cannot be stored in the pet area, and dogs may not eat or drink from dishes used to serve food to people. In fact, they can only eat or drink from single use, disposable containers provided by the establishment. No pet dishes from home are allowed. Waiters and restaurant staff are not allowed to play with the dogs or have any contact with them. If staff members happen to get too close, they must immediately wash their hands. Who cleans up after the dogs or stops them from being unruly? Customers are responsible for their own dogs, but ultimately it’s up to the restaurant to ensure that the eating areas are clean, sanitized, and safe for diners. If you’re ever curious about the health inspection results for local restaurants, make sure you have the California Food Inspector smartphone App

which was created by the County’s Health Department and released in 2013. Each year the County’s trained food-safety specialists conduct thousands of unannounced restaurant inspections. They attempt to visit each food establishment at least twice a year. The App allows users to search inspection results for the past five years for 4,200 food facilities in Contra Costa County. It includes everything from restaurants to coffee shops to ice cream vendors. The inspection histories show what, if any, violations these food facilities have been required to correct. With this new App, routine inspections are being uploaded weekly. Any closure information will be updated each evening. Using the “Closures” button on the App, you can also see a list of eateries in the County which have been forced to temporarily close their doors to correct serious violations that pose an imminent threat to their customers’ health. Using your mobile phone’s GPS, you can also scan restaurants near your current location and compare the health-safety records of those venues. The App was created to reinforce the County Health Department’s commitment to making information more readily accessible to the public. For many years restaurant inspection results have been on the department’s website, and with this mobile app, this information is available to the public in an even more convenient way. To learn more about this App and the changes in the law regarding dogs dining with you in local restaurants, go to cchealth.org. My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos. cccounty.us or (925) 957-8860.

To place an ad, share a story, or for more information about Danville Today News, call us at 925.405.6397 or visit our website www.yourmonthlypaper.com

Page 6 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Here Comes the Bride!

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The Museum of the San Ramon Valley presents “Wedding Gowns through theAges: Bridal Memories – Gowns~Guests~Gifts” opening January 24 and running through March 14. The Museum is located in the restored Southern Pacific Railroad depot at 205 Railroad Avenue, in downtown Danville. The Freight Room will feature selected bridal gowns from the 1890s to today, the Baggage Room will become a photo gallery of brides in their gowns, and the Waiting Room will showcase wedding accessories worn by the bride and her guests. Also included in the exhibit will be wedding mementos, favorite gifts, and interactive displays for adults and children. The Museum collects and displays articles depicting the history of Alamo, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon. Built in 1891, the building was lovingly restored by volunteers and opened to the public in 1996. The permanent exhibit depicts life in the Valley from prehistoric eras up to today. Rotating exhibits are displayed throughout the year, enhancing the permanent collection. The museum is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 1 to 4PM, Saturdays from 10AM to 1PM, and Sundays from noon to 3PM. For more information, call 925-837-3750 or visit www.museumsrv.org.

Role Players Ensemble presents The Ladies Man

From January 30 through February 15, Role Players Ensemble will present The Ladies Man, the story from a French farce by Georges Feydeau will be told at performances being held on Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and on Sundays at 2PM. The show will be held at the Village Theatre located at 233 Front Street in Danville. In Belle Époque Paris, the recently married Dr. Molineaux tells “one tiny, little, hardly noticeable lie” to cover an innocent but embarrassing indiscretion. From that single untruth tumbles a cascade of increasingly convoluted deceptions, misunderstandings, and mistaken identities. Embracing the true essence of the chase, The Ladies Man spins out of control and leaves you dizzy with laughter. Tickets are available online at www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com, by visiting the Danville Community Center, 420 Front St, Danville, or by calling (925) 314-3400. A Sneak Peek will be held at the Danville Library on Thursday, January 21 at 7PM. Admission is free for this entertaining look at the production process with the show’s director, actors, and designers. For more information, visit www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com.

Mt. Diablo Branch California Writers Club

Jim Azevedo, Marketing Director of Smashwords, will reveal the best practices of the most commercially successful self-published Ebook authors at the next meeting of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club (CWC) on Saturday, January 10 at Zio Fraedo’s Restaurant, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. Jim will discuss metadata - what it is and how to use it - leveraging viral catalysts to make your book stand out, using preorders, creating covers, and addressing global market opportunities. Smashwords is the largest distributor of self-published Ebooks, serving about 100,000 independent authors, publishers, and literary agents. He is also the drummer for Rivals, a popular San Francisco Bay Area Indie rock band, and the author of the forthcoming book, How to Get Your Band Out of the Garage. Sign-in is from 11:15AM to noon, and a luncheon which includes a short business meeting will be held from noon to 1PM. Registration is $20 for CWC members and $25 for guests. Payment by cash or check is preferred. Reservations are required and must be received no later than noon on Wednesday, January 7th. Contact Robin at ragig@aol.com or by phone at (925) 933-9670. Expect confirmation only if you e-mail your reservation. For more information visit, http://cwcmtdiablowriters.wordpress.com.

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD

If you find him and your name is drawn!

Danville Dog is Missing He has become lost in this paper!

He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find him.

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

Andrew Alfonso is our winner!

Scholarships Offered Through AAUW

The Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW) seeks candidates for its 2015 Local Scholarship Program. Applicants must have attended high school in Walnut Creek or live(d) in Walnut Creek or Walnut Creek's unincorporated area boundaries or attended high school in the San Ramon Valley School District or reside in this area now. Scholarships are based on merit and start at $1,000. Undergraduate applicants must be entering into their junior standing or higher at an accredited 4-year college or university by the fall term of 2015. Applicants pursuing an advanced degree – masters, doctorate, or post-doctorate – must be accepted at an accredited college or university graduate program for their course of study also by the fall term of 2015. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2015. Awards will be announced by mid-May and presented on June 11. The recipient of the Jane Trittipo Scholarship will be selected from applicants in a medically related field of studies. Undergraduate, graduate, doctorate, and post doctorate level students qualify as long as they meet other eligibility criteria for the year in which they are applying. The recipient of the Creative Endeavors scholarship will be selected from applicants in visual art fields that create works such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, photography, video, filmmaking, and architecture. Also included are the applied arts, such as industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design, and decorative art. Learn more about the scholarships at http://daw-ca.aauw.net/2015scholarship and download the scholarship application packet there. E-mail Marcia Steinhardt at marcia.steinhardt@yahoo.com if you have questions.

BRW Present Stephen G. Patten

Stephen G. Patten, editor and co-owner of Lee & Grant International which reports on the Middle East and South Asia, will be the featured speaker at the Blackhawk Republican Women’s meeting on January 14th. Veteran journalist Patten will speak on Afghanistan and Iraq: Where We Go from Here. He will offer a clear and concise picture of our missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, what we have accomplished, and what we need to do now. You will want to hear what Patten has to say if you: • Are concerned about our national security • Support or oppose America’s wartime policies • Want to learn more about protecting America Patten has an A.B. in Chemistry from UC Berkeley, was a Captain in the Marine Corps, a reporter for CBS News and U.S. News & World Report and was covering wars in the Middle East, Far East, and Central America. He speaks, reads, and writes the languages of the region (Arabic, Farsi, and Pashto) and has co-authored Learning Iraqi Arabic, the latest of his 40 books. You will get straight and understandable talk that will engage and challenge you, and it may make an activist out of you (or more of one)! The event will take place at the Blackhawk Country Club. Check-in and hors d’oeuvres begin at 5:30PM and the meeting and speaker will begin at 6:15PM. Everyone is welcome. The cost is $25. Please make your reservations with a check made payable to “Blackhawk Republican Women” by Monday, January 12th. Send payment to Marianne Lyons, 856 Turrini Drive, Danville 94526. For more information, email rlyons1009@sbcglobal.net or call (925) 820-6452.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Danville Women’s Club

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 7

Join the Danville Women’s Club for lunch! On Thursday, January 22nd, the club’s program features Nutrition and a Healthy Lifestyle, a perfect topic for helping everyone cope with any holiday excesses. Linda Michaelis, RD a Registered Dietitian for 25 years, will be our speaker. We gather at our Clubhouse, 242 W. Linda Mesa Ave. in Danville, at 11:30am and lunch is served at noon followed by the program and business meeting. Reservations can be made by calling 925-837-1165. Guests are always welcome, and lunch is free for first-timers. It’s a great way to discover who we are and what we do in our communities. At our luncheon on Thursday, February 19th, the program is on Water Conservation, presented by East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD). While the Bay Area received a lot of rain in December, there is still much to be done to alleviate the drought. Come and find out how to be a water saver. Calling all bridge players, Thursday February 26th is our Scholarship Bridge Luncheon Fundraiser from 11:30am to 3pm. Gather a foursome (or two or more) and reserve your table(s) for a luscious lunch and an afternoon of bridge. Attending is not limited to ladies, men are welcome too. The cost is $80 per table of four players. A hot lunch is served and includes dessert and beverages. Winners at each table take home a prize. Please come join this fun event. Proceeds support the Club’s Patty Hart Memorial Scholarship Fund that provides scholarships to Tri-Valley high school seniors. The 104 year old Danville Women’s Club is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) International and California Federation of Women’s Clubs (CFWC). For more information about any of our meetings/events, or the Club, please visit www.danvillewomensclub.org. Did you know that our Clubhouse is available for rental at reasonable rates? Call 925-837-1165 or email danvillewc@gmail.com for complete details.

Charlotte Wood Middle School

By Christopher George, Principal

We reached the end of 2014 and had a well deserved break for our students and staff. We wish everyone the best for a happy and healthy New Year. We are so grateful to have the staff and students that we have, as well as the parent support, and we never want to take that for granted. As we begin 2015, we have a lot to do. Our teachers continue to be busy developing curriculum and refining learning through the Common Core State Standards. Teachers continue to work hard to make sure that we can always answer the following: What do we want kids to learn? How do we know when they’ve learned it? And what do we do when they don’t? Recently, several officials from our district came to interview our student climate committee about the climate of school. While we were pleased to hear their answers about feeling safe, many of the students indicated that they felt ‘grades’ were the biggest stressor to them. As a staff we wondered why, if grades and assessments are diagnostic tools meant to inform students and parents of progress, are grades seen as so stressful? To that end, we will begin looking at ways we can assess and grade students in a way that is more reflective of what they are learning and in ways that can inform students what they have to do in order to learn material. It is an exciting conversation but a challenging one. We also want to acknowledge the retirement last month of Krycia Darrin. Krycia has been our Site Technical Support person for 15 years and has led our staff and students through the incredibly changing times since 1998. She retired on December 19th, and we were sad to see her go. Happy New Year!

Host Families Sought for Visiting French Students

For the tenth consecutive year, students from a large high school in the South of France are coming to Danville. Every visit by the students has been better than the last. The students will arrive on April 11th and depart April 25th . The teens stay with local families and have a full itinerary of activities during the days and only require your attention in the evenings and one weekend. The visit is an ideal opportunity to experience another culture and hopefully consider visiting France in return. Anyone interested in hosting a student (or students!) is welcome to participate. For more information or to find out about past year’s programs, please contact Martine Causse (teacher in charge of the group), at caussefly@wanadoo.fr or dachary.martine@orange.fr. There are many happy local host families ready to discuss any questions with you (including the editor of this paper!). The local contact is Danville parent Kevin Dimler, who can be reached at kevindimler@gmail.com or 925-718-5052.

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Stone Valley Middle School

By Shaun K. McElroy, Principal Annual Sister School Toy Drive Success

New School Design Approved by SRVUSD School Board

The two-story design of the new Stone Valley Middle School moved forward with the unanimous approval of the school board at the December 9th meeting of the board of trustees. To follow the progress on the new building plan or to ask questions, please refer to http://www.srvusd.net/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vp id=1346747333230. Contacts for the Stone Valley construction project are Gary Black gblack@srvusd.net, Assistant Superintendent, Facilities & Opera-

Our 2014-15 professional development plan includes vertical and horizontal articulation within our feeder pattern schools. During the fall our 6th grade teachers visited 5th grade classrooms at Montair, Rancho Romero, and Alamo elementary schools. Our 8th grade teachers visited the 9th grade classrooms at San Ramon Valley and Monte Vista High schools. During December, teams of language arts, history, and math teachers visited Diablo Vista and Gale Ranch Middle Schools. In early January we will send one more team to Iron Horse Middle School. All of our visits include observation of live instruction and a debrief between the teachers. Each visiting teacher is given an observation template to chronicle their visit and to share their findings with their department mates. The premise of the collaborative visits is to share best practices that lead to better student outcomes. We have set aside the afternoon of February 13th and the entire day March 13th to expand the collaborative conversations amongst all eight middle schools.

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Thanks to all the families who donated to our annual Holiday Drive for Coronado Elementary School in Richmond. Stone Valley families donated over 800 toys, bikes, an American Girl Doll, and two dolls houses. Thanks to Janet Nunan, Kim Dolan, and Jeff Theobald for driving everything to Coronado. The crescendo was Coronado Parents’ Night when the parent could choose a number of toys for their children. A group from SVMS braved torrential rain to help set up the Holiday ‘Store’ and then wrap presents. Our thanks to PTA Sister School Chair, Katie Nittler, and Leadership Teacher, Linda Draper, for coordinating this great event. Coronado Principal Linda Cohen wrote, “Thank you for all your help today. Your girls were sweet, efficient, kind, and smart. You made a lot of families happy tonight! The parents’ eyes lit up when we told them we had people to wrap their gifts! That is a special treat. I’m glad you got to see how much the parents appreciate your support.”

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San Ramon Valley High School By Ruth Steele, Principal

December and January are particularly challenging times of year for our students. We see the transition from fall to winter sports with many students going from one season to the next (there is an overlap, but no break!). Winter sports then consume most of the Winter Break for many students, and some have just a few days of down time. With finals when we come back in January, many students also use Winter Break to study. There is a SRVUSD board policy (BP 6154) around homework load that specifically states that teachers are “strongly discouraged” from assigning homework over the breaks, in recognition of the fact that everyone needs this time to relax and spend time with family and friends. Finally, with the range of December festivals including Ramadan, Eid alFitr, Eid’ul-Adha (Muslim), and Hanukkah (Jewish) which usually fall before Winter Break, along with Christian, Hindu and Buddhist celebrations, there are further pressures on students’ time, and they often have to make difficult choices regarding their priorities. Our children have never been busier. They are constantly trying to juggle athletics, arts, academics, college preparation, testing, and extra-curricular opportunities such as community service and leadership. Each grade level faces its own particular challenges, and we have been working with our counseling team to ensure that all of our staff are trained to recognize some of the symptoms of stress and that they know how to refer students to our counseling team for support. We have a SRT (Student Referral Team) meeting every two weeks where all counselors, school psychologists, and administrators meet to discuss any students that have been referred by teachers. Referrals can be made for academic, behavioral, social, or personal reasons, and the team discusses each student and creates a follow-up plan to support them. I constantly hear anecdotal evidence that many of our students are overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the pressures that come with their college and career aspirations, and we have been looking for new ways to help refocus our efforts toward more effectively helping our students cope. Stanford University has a program called “Challenge Success” (it used to be called SOS - Stressed Out Students). Their team,

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lead by Madeline Levine and Denise Pope, works with schools (staff, students, and parents) to identify the causes and sources of stress and to help address these. The beginning of this process for SRV will be a parent education evening on January 29th, so please save the date to join us. See challengesuccess.org for more information about this program. Following the education evening, the Stanford team will be conducting a student focused survey and doing specific data analysis on the trends for our school site. In the fall, we will be taking a team of students and staff to Stanford University to work further developing interventions for our students. This work is both challenging and exciting, and I am looking forward to seeing it help to serve and support our students alongside our current site and district initiatives. Happy New Year. I hope 2015 will be peaceful, positive, and stress-free for everyone!

Monte Vista High School By Janet Terranova, Principal

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and were able to spend quality time with your family and friends. I have always known that our Monte Vista community is kind and giving, and that was proven again in December. Each year Monte Vista adopts families for the holiday season. This year we adopted 48 families, providing each family member with gifts and food for the holidays. Unfortunately, the shed at the church where the gifts were stored was robbed, and most of our gifts were stolen. On a Saturday we learned about the break-in, and our Leadership teacher put an all call out to our students via email. The local news stations picked up the story and reported that we would be collecting gifts at Monte Vista on Monday only. The outpouring of gifts from our students and community was amazing. By Monday afternoon we had another truck filled with gifts from our students. Community members, with no students at our school, stopped by with wrapped gifts, monetary donations, and gift cards. Truly, this community is not only blessed with resources to help, but with a generous spirit as well. Thanks to all of you, 48 families had a wonderful holiday. For more information about Monte Vista and our activities, please visit our website at www.mvhs.schoolloop.com.

Page 10 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

#HeforShe

By Alison Watson, San Ramon Valley High senior

www.yourmonthlypaper.com

St. Isidore Catholic School

Now Accepting Applications for the 2015-2016 school year.

DEADLINE - Kindergarten ~ January 30, 2015 | 1st – 8th grade ~ March 6, 2015 I am a feminist. I don’t want young girls or even women to allow society to For more information call 925-837-2977 or visit www.stisidore.org. continue to give this word an ugly stigma. In 2014 Emma Watson gave an incredibly moving speech on the He for She campaign stating, “For the record, feminism by definition is: ‘The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.’ It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.” This truly resonated with me. Emma’s speech gave me the courage to no longer give the word “feminism” the daunting power I had always so easily relinquished to it. Men and women have earned their place in the evolution of mankind. Both sexes deserve to be acknowledged in the same socially acclaimed positions with equal benefits. No one person can say they deserve more in the progression of humanity, just as no one gender should have the right to. The He for She movement focuses on solidarity when facing gender inequality. Originally conceived as a fight for women by women, slowly, in recent years, it has progressed to women and men standing up and addressing the inequalities and discrimination still inflicted on women today. I know that New Years Day is filled with resolutions that half the population keeps, while the other half (people like me) can’t even seem to remember where they put the paper that has all of their resolutions written on it, much less be bothered to stick with their self made promises to pursue improvement. However, it’s now 2015 and no one country can yet say they have achieved gender equality. With this sad reality in mind, I propose that we, as a society, make a New Year’s resolution together. This is a resolution that doesn’t need to be scribbled on a piece of scrap paper or written in a cherished journal because the injustices between genders that can be seen daily serve as constant reminders. I propose that we dedicate 2015 to reforming this social injustice in the workplace, in politics, and in every aspect of life. Women and men have earned their place in history and have fought for their right to equality for the future. Many great leaders in our country’s history have admittedly been strong, ambitious men. Most of the men have had a powerful and supportive woman by their side during times of accomplishment. All men, have women to thank for their very existence in this world. It takes both a man and a woman to continue the evolution of our population, just as it takes both to progress in the workforce. We must come together, not with the limitations gender barriers create, but as people with the same common goal of wanting a thriving environment to grow up in, to live in, and to raise a family in. When we do this, we as men and women will flourish, we as communities will progress, and we as nations will bask in the glow that only true equality creates.

San Ramon Valley Republican Women Federated Scholarship/Leadership Awards

The San Ramon Valley Republican Women Federated (SRVRWF) will award scholarships of up to $1,000 to selected participants. To be eligible you must be a female local high school senior accepted at a four year college/university. Women continuing or returning to a four year college/ university working toward a degree or certification may also apply. In addition you must be a resident of the San Ramon Valley area, registered, or plan to register, as a Republican, be a demonstrated leader, and have a 3.0 or higher grade point average. To apply please provide your name, address, and phone number and a resume identifying positions held in leadership or organizations including volunteer and paid positions. Please attach a copy of your current transcripts. The deadline to submit applications March 15, 2015. Please mail your application to SRVRWF/Scholarship, P.O. Box 1, Danville, CA 94526. For more information, visit www.srvrwf.org/Scholarships.html. For questions, contact Renee Morgan at (925)-918-3999 or reneesmorgan@yahoo.com.

Do you have a story idea or sporting news? Call us at 925.405.6397 or email us at Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment

San Ramon Valley Christian Academy By Jamie Westgate, Principal

Happy New Year! I love the anticipation that comes with a new year. We expect exciting adventures to lie ahead for our families, just as we do for our school community. At SRVCA, we await the joy that comes when meeting a new group of incoming students, our prospective kindergarteners! This January we begin our kindergarten readiness program, informing parents of the ministry our school offers to the youngest elementary aged children. We know the decision to enroll a child in an elementary school is a big one! Teachers have an enormous influence in a child’s life, and we take great pride in knowing God has graciously gifted our staff members with a love for children. Teachers here recognize they are not simply hired for a job; rather they fulfill a calling to prepare students for the unique purpose God has for each individual child. There is a big difference in this perspective! Like many schools around us, teachers at SRVCA are required to have a state credential. One difference, however, is that teachers at SRVCA are also required to maintain certification from the Association of Christian Schools International. Our dual accreditation through ACSI and WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) provides accountability to our educators who provide quality education by using their passion for scripture and truth found in God’s Word. Our kindergarten classes have 16 or fewer students and participate in a longer school day than most. These little ones begin at 8:30 but have the flexibility to be picked up at 1:20 or 3:00 without additional tuition. Parents appreciate this option, knowing some students are ready to extend their day while others may need a little more time at home with family. All kindergarteners participate in Spanish, art, music, P.E., library and computer programs, exposing them to the arts and preparing them for developmental skills needed for first grade. If you have a child who will be five years old by August 31 and are interested in learning more about the San Ramon Valley Christian Academy, please consider joining us on our campus for one of the following events: • Thursday, January 30, 7PM ~ Kindergarten Readiness meeting for parents • Wednesday, February 4, 10AM-10:45 ~ Snacks and Crafts with the principal • Tuesday, February 10, 11:45AM-12:15 ~ Story time with our Librarian • Friday, February 27, 8:45AM-9:30 ~ Elementary school chapel service • Friday, March 6, 2PM-2:45 ~ Kindergarten classroom open house Events in February and March are designed for children and parents. Siblings are welcome. Other information including online applications may be found at www.srvca.org. We look forward to meeting some new families and wish the community of the San Ramon Valley a very Happy New Year!

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Del Amigo High School By Joseph A. Ianora, Principal

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 11

11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Home for Sale

Danville - According to industry experts, away altogether. In most cases, you can Del Amigo, as with each of the there are over 33 physical problems that make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself other local high schools, is quickly will come under scrutiny during a home if you know what you're looking for, and approaching the end of the semester. inspection when your home is for sale. knowing what you're looking for can help Unique to Del Amigo, because we are a “credit recovery” school, some A new report has been prepared which you prevent little problems from growing of our students will be doing one of identifies the 11 most common of these into costly and unmanageable ones. two things: returning to their “home” schools as they are now problems, and what you should know about To help home sellers deal with this issue back on track for graduation or graduating early. Seventeen them before you list your home for sale. before their homes are listed, a free report students have completed the necessary 210 credits to graduate Whether you own an old home or a brand entitled "11Things You Need to Know to or return to their home school. Of the 17, ten are returning to new one, there are a number of things Pass Your Home Inspection" has been their home school and seven are graduating. These students that can fall short of requirements during a compiled which explains the issues involved. are entering the work force and/or attending one of our local home inspection. If not identified and dealt To hear a brief recorded message about community colleges to continue their education. In addition, with, any of these 11 items could cost you how to order your FREE copy of this report, we have several students who are going to be concurrently dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's call toll-free 1-866-265-1682 and enter with us and a community college. critical that you read this report before 1003. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, The end of January (and close of the semester) will be you list your home. If you wait until the 7 days a week. filled with transition as we say goodbye to many of our current building inspector flags these issues for Get your free special report NOW to learn students and welcome all of the new ones who will need to you, you will almost certainly experience how to ensure a home inspection doesn't engage in alternative education to get back on track. Change is costly delays in the close of your home cost you the sale of your home. always difficult when working with teenagers, but we accept sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers that it is a way of life. Del Amigo works hard to help those This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors #01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2013 transitioning both to and from us, as we feel it is very important to provide an environment that is safe, secure, and educationally stimulating. Although change can be difficult, as we move into the New Year, we have had much to celebrate. Each of us at Del Amigo is looking forward to the many challenges and opportunities the New Year has in store for us. We wish you all the best for a happy, healthy, and successful 2015.

Travelling Light

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

Last month, my family and I were blessed to spend time away from the normal holiday routine in the Bay Area. Our destination was Baja, California, and we tremendously enjoyed our stay. Our Christmas was spent rather non-traditionally, deep-sea fishing in the Sea of Cortez, instead of huddling around a pointy, lighted tree while exchanging gifts. I recommend it. As you may recall, the whole southern Baja region was hit hard by hurricane Odile last September. Most of the damage has been cleaned up. What we noticed on our trip was the absence of things that used to be there, that were blown away during the storm. One might see a pole, a sign, or a tree that used to be vertical, but is now bent at 45 degrees pointing in the northwesterly direction away from the 125mph winds. The Cabo airport was so badly damaged that it took a full month for it to reopen and accept commercial flights after the hurricane. For a quick look at the mess they had to clean up, Google “cabo airport hurricane odile.” The whole area was without water or electricity for almost three weeks. The residents are eager for the return of tourism because they took an expensive and unplanned hiatus from their incomes while they cleaned up after the storm. Could you lose a month of income, and your roof, and be OK? It would be tough. One thing you get used to when you travel to Baja is that things do not happen at the same speed as what you’re used to here at home. For example, ordering a meal at a restaurant is a much more relaxing affair, and we’re not pressured to gobble our food and free up the table for the next guest. The Baja pace is perfect if you are looking to unwind and relax. Of course, you will also notice this speed differential while accessing the Internet. There is quite a bit of Internet access available across Baja. It’s not fast, but it’s ubiquitous and fine for simple web surfing or reading email. Everywhere where we asked for the wireless key, the vendor was happy to share it with us. Everyone needs the Internet at some level, and it’s recognized as a resource that everyone wants to share, like water. The Internet in Baja, perhaps all of Mexico, is DSL-based because they do not have the cable-TV infrastructure on which to run high-speed broadband access (like Comcast). What this means is that Internet access is all built on the telephone infrastructure, the same way AT&T has distributed basic DSL to American customers for the past fifteen years. Right now, the Internet speed in Baja is where our speeds were fifteen years ago. There is only so much you can do with DSL technology, and I don’t think Baja’s Internet speeds are going to be improving any time soon. It’s simply too expensive to lay fiber in the ground for something equivalent to AT&T U-verse, and as I mentioned, they don’t have the Cable TV infrastructure in place. I would guess that the next Internet access revolution for them is going to be some sort of wireless or satellite access, because terrestrial-based solutions are too expensive to implement. If you think you’re going to bring your laptop down to Baja and stream music from Pandora, watch YouTube videos and have flawless video calls with Skype, re-think the plan. Sure, bring the laptop or tablet, but plan to do you work locally, and transmit it later. Once, I was able to get a good connection (about 1.5mb download speed), and I used it to remote control a PC here in the US. While the process worked, it was painful. Plan for zero access, and be happy with what you find. I recommend this approach. Pre-download your Kindle or Nook books, your videos, or music to your devices before you leave. While there are many ways to do this, probably the easiest is through iTunes. Be sure to allow a few days to download the material to your devices prior to departure. Once you leave home, you may not have enough download bandwidth to finish downloading. If you make your plans around not needing intense internet access, you can un-plug and enjoy your vacation. If you are getting ready to travel and want help sorting out your connection and entertainment strategy, don’t hesitate to call your friends at Portable CIO, 925-552-7953, or email us at helpdesk@theportablecio.com. Advertorial

Page 12 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

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Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 13

The Four Most Important Resolutions You Can Make for 2015

By Cynthia Ruzzi, President Sustainable Danville Area

As I wrote this, we were in the midst of the wettest December in the Bay Area history, and the California drought has been downgraded from ‘exceptional’ to ‘severe.’ Admiring the green hills that surround our homes, it’s hard to believe that all this water hasn’t replenished our resources for the year and beyond. The choice of descriptor says it all – we are still in a severe drought. This means we’re in grave, harsh, dreadful, terrible, seriously bad shape. But the New Year is all about making resolutions, so I encourage you to make 2015 the year you value water for what it is – with only 1% drinkable water world-wide, water is liquid gold. The number one most important resolution to make for 2015 is to use water wisely. Last month, we provided a list of ways to be less water wasteful inside and outside the home, but here’s one more way. Central San is offering free recycled water for residential customers. While it’s not safe for drinking and shouldn’t run off into our storm drains, it can be used to water lawns, landscaping, and gardens in order to save our precious drinking water. Recycled water has been used for years in our area to water parks, school ball fields, and golf courses and now we can use free, recycled water to keep our gardens green. For more information about the residential recycled water filling station, please call 800-646-1431. This wouldn’t be a resolution list if I didn’t include an item about health. The second most important resolution for 2015 is to eat organic, local, whole food. US residents spent on average $2,273, or about 6.4% of their annual consumer expenditures, on food in 2012, according to the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA). That is less than any of the 83 other countries for which the USDA tracks data. Considering this statistic, isn’t it time to invest just a little more to protect your family’s health from harmful pesticides and questionable chemicals in the food you serve them – not to mention avoiding genetically modified food (GMOs) which have been banned in over 60 countries worldwide? And, choosing organic, local, whole food not only saves transportation dollars and protects you from pesticides, but it allows you to capture the maximum nutrition since fruits and vegetables lose nutritional value as they age or are processed. With respect to the continuing hunger problem in the US and Contra Costa County, visit www.thebountygarden.org and learn how you can help get organic, local, whole, food to those in need. The Bounty Garden is a 100% non-profit program committed to providing a source of fresh vegetables to the local Food Banks of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. The program brings together community volunteers in a fun and friendly environment to grow for this purpose and is a great activity for the entire family. The third most important resolution for 2015 is to lose the plastic. Here’s a New Year’s challenge. Pick an average day for you and your family and see if you can get through it without touching anything made of plastic. Can you do it? Most of us have heard about the importance of being ‘BPA-free’ (referring to the chemical identified as a disruptor to growth development in infants, children, and even adults), but do we really know what other chemicals used in plastics are doing to us? Relying more on organic, local, whole, food will reduce packing materials – especially if you bring your own re-usable bags. But, I bet you can do more. Look for alternatives like glass and steel for food storage and please, lose the drinking straw. Take the challenge and you’ll see there are a myriad of opportunities to replace the plastics in your life. The fourth and most import resolution for 2015 is to make every choice count. As we enter the fifth year of Sustainable Danville Area, our 100% nonprofit invites you to participate in our activities. Save the date for the Town of Danville Earth Day Festival 2015 on Sunday, April 19th from 11am – 2pm. Join us as a volunteer; you don’t have to be an environmental expert – most of us aren’t. You simply have to care about people and the planet, and maintaining an Earth that will not only sustain us today, but many generations beyond. Learn more at www.sustainabledanville.com or visit us at www. facebook.com/sustainabledanvillearea.

For the experience you demand For the experience you demand and the service you deserve! For the experience you deserve! demand and the service you and the service you deserve! Bill Jennings Bill (Seniors Jennings Bill Jennings SRES Real Estate Specialist)

SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) CalBRE 01238899 CalBRE 01238899 CalBRE 01238899 925-787-9083 925-787-9083 925-787-9083 bill@billjenningshomes.com bill@billjenningshomes.com bill@billjenningshomes.com www.billjenningsrealtor.com www.billjenningsrealtor.com

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Gold Coast Chamber Players Present Serenade

The Gold Coast Chamber Players concert, Serenade, is a chance to hear dreamy sound paintings by French and Japanese Impressionist composers. The concert will be held on Saturday, January 24 at 7:30PM at the Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette. Serenade pays homage to early 20th century Romanticism, with lush instrumentation and daring new harmonies. A pre-concert talk with Kai Christiansen will start the evening at 7PM. The Gold Coast Chamber Players are known for their engaging and vibrant performances. Audiences have been responding with such enthusiasm that tickets are in great demand. Ticket price includes complimentary champagne, pre-concert talk, and a reception with the musicians following the performance. Tickets are available at www.gcplayers.org and by phone at (925) 283-3728.

Meals on Wheels

Seniors in your community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services has been supporting seniors in YOUR neighborhood since 1968. Two of our programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers, and we need your help now more than ever. Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound seniors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925)937-8311.

Want to Become a Better Speaker?

Toastmasters allows its members to practice their speaking and presentation skills in a supportive environment. There are several local clubs in our area. The Danville AM Toastmasters, meets every Tuesday from 7 to 8:30AM at Father Nature’s Restaurant in downtown Danville (172 E Prospect Ave). For more information, contact Hans Thoma at danvilletoastmasters@outlook.com. A faith-based Toastmasters group meets Thursdays from 7-8:15PM at East Bay Four Square Church Conference Room, located at 2615 Camino Tassajara, Danville. For information email Tod at wthenry@sbcglobal.net. Everyone is invited to join.

Page 14 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

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Page 16 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Life in the Danville Garden

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Creating a Family Garden By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect #4059

What is a Family Garden? Well, it is a term that has newly emerged from families I’ve been working with on the creation of their outdoor environments. A “Family Garden” is a yard that has all the elements in it that attract kids to want to stay at home and play. With growing concerns, real and perceived dangers in the world, parents have been asking me to create outdoor environments that will attract their children and their friends to their home. The main idea is to keep children and teens at home were they are safe, occupied, and under a parent’s watchful eye. An outdoor environment that is geared toward being a “Family Garden” has many elements that allow children and teens to be active, be together with their friends, and, most importantly, want to stay there. The yard has to be multipurpose. The elements of the landscape need to challenge a child physically, mentally, and visually. In other words, places are needed to physically exert the enormous amounts of energy that children and teens have. There need to be places for adventure, imagination, games, reflection, and risk-taking. Within that environment of physical and mental challenge, the space has to be visually pleasing to children. It has to look cool! A child will naturally be attracted to stay and play. Plastic-coated steel play equipment made in primary colors is not the prerequisite for engaging a child’s attention. If you were asked to recall your favorite childhood place, it would probably be a special tree you climbed, space for a “secret” house or fort under a hedge, or somewhere you could mold dirt or sand into fantasy landscapes. Play equipment is certainly an added activity center for your “Family Garden,” but it’s not enough. It is now recognized that risk-taking is an important element of play and physical development. A “Family Garden” is designed intentionally to provide an environment for your children and their friends to develop an appreciation of risk in a controlled play environment rather than taking similar risks in the uncontrolled and unregulated wider world. Your yard should have levels of graduated challenge. In design terms, this means that children of different ages, abilities, and levels of daring need to find activities that are within their capabilities, plus some that are just beyond them. What are some of the elements in an Danville yard that can provide this kind of environment? The landscape itself is definitely the primary element that provides the environment for this to occur. A lush, tree-filled, sunny yard with large lawn spaces and plantings that children are allowed to interact with provides hours upon hours of play. Play sets, swings, slides etc. will give your child a place for hours of extended energy output. Places for games to be played are necessary. Lawns are wonderful places for any child who is sport-minded. They are great for soccer, baseball, football, tag, croquette, volleyball, hide-and-seek, gymnastics, cartwheels, and the list can go on and on because children are not limited to play on a plastic play set. Swimming pools definitely add the element of water play and physical activities to the point where a child needs to be pulled from the water because they look like a prune. Recent additions to some of my pool designs are beach areas or “Shamu” shelves, water slides, waterfalls, and diving rocks. Beaches and shelves provide shallow areas for the younger ones so they can safely play in the pool, water slides for the older ones to provide adventure and fun, waterfalls for the sound, action, and adventure, and diving rocks for safe risk-taking. Sports courts are great for all kinds of activities. Basketball, paddleball, roller hockey, volleyball, and badminton are just a few. It’s unbelievable what children can create to do when they have an environment that supports their imaginations. Remember that children are limitless when it comes to creativity and energy. Provide spaces for quiet play and contemplation such as a shade tree to lay under and day-dream and watch the sunlight dapple across their faces. Children need

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places to wonder and explore and, of course, a place to play with Mom and Dad. A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Remember to plant flexible and resilient plantings that can stand the occasional trampling. “Family Gardens” are great for multi-family entertaining. Gardening Quote of the month: We have not inherited the earth from our parents; we have borrowed it from our children. ~L. Brown, 1981 If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@jm-la.com. For design ideas, visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

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Winter Pruning

By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

Now is a great time to prune your trees to protect them against winter storms. A judicious pruning can reduce the likelihood of branches falling and causing damage to person or property. Evergreens, such as cedars, and many species of deciduous trees, such as valley oaks, can be pruned in the late fall and early winter, and now is by far the best time to prune pines. Monterey pines can only be pruned between October 1 and February 15 without attracting pine beetles. These potentially lethal beetles, which can smell sap from long distances, go dormant in the winter. Some species of beetles carry pine pitch canker, an increasingly common fungal disease that disfigures pine trees and sometimes kills them. If your tree has dead tips scattered throughout the canopy, it probably suffers from pine pitch canker. To prolong the aesthetic life of the diseased tree, prune out the infected tips when the beetles are dormant. Even healthy trees require occasional pruning to keep them safe and beautiful. Many trees are subject to branch and column failure. Thinning the crown reduces the wind-sail effect of the canopy and thereby reduces the risk of the tree failing in a windstorm. Removing weight from the ends of heavy branches reduces the likelihood that those branches will break. Pruning trees for safety is a craft requiring study and experience. A wellpruned tree should not only be safer, it should look beautiful. At Brende & Lamb we take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning. Each plant has a natural growth pattern. Our trimmers are expert at accentuating the shape given the plant by nature. Within the bounds of what is healthy for each species, Brende & Lamb works to make trees as beautiful as possible. Our trimmers are well practiced in aesthetic pruning and are attuned to the artistic flow inherent in tree forms. The form may be weeping, as with Willows and Chinese Elms. In some species, such as Monterey Cypress, branches ascend at acute angles to the trunk, giving the tree an upswept look. Branches in the coast live oak bend and twist, forming complex arcs. Each tree species has a unique form and flow. When necessary, trees and shrubs can be reduced in size, but crown reduction requires a good eye; a poorly reduced tree looks like a thicket of stubs. Topping is almost always a bad idea. However, the crown of many trees can be reduced by cutting back long branches to the crotches formed by shorter branches growing in the same direction. If the branch doesn’t fork, we cut back to the lowest growth point that will neither create a thick stub nor undermine the arching quality of the branch. When a tree or shrub has been reduced in this way, it’s difficult to detect the cuts or tell that the branches have been shortened. Sometimes the form of trees needs to be modified to capture or accentuate views. View pruning requires restraint and a willingness to compromise. In view work, the beauty of the view and the beauty of the tree often seem to be in conflict. Many pruners focus solely on the view and simply hack back the tree. However, more than the tree’s beauty is at stake. Topping stimulates production of water sprouts, and it also causes disease and rot - all of which make the tree more, not less, dangerous. However, view problems can often be solved by looking at tree-and-view as an aesthetic unity, as two elements that complement and frame each other. Sometimes, lightly bringing the tree back without cutting into major branches can prevent further encroachment on the view. To recover even more of the view, we create “windows” by selectively removing branches not essential for the tree’s natural form. We can enlarge these by removing small branches that rise or drop into the view. Thinning above and below the window creates an overall feeling of openness, rather than an abrupt gaping hole. The image of Mount Diablo framed by the trembling needles of a well-windowed Redwood proves that nature and civilization can complement each other - as can aesthetics and practicality. If your trees need a little TLC to protect them against winter winds, or if your property could use a little fire protection, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at bl@brendelamb.com for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, Advertorial client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood.

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 17

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ADAS continued from front page 1410127-TSO-ALToday-5x6.25.indd 1

10/27/14 12:05 PM

turn for sufficient space for classrooms, storage, and meeting areas as well as display, we provide an aesthetic anchor for the plaza.” Classes taught by artists whose work is showcased in the Gallery are open to the public. If you see something you like that’s not scaled to your living space or suited to your personal color scheme, ask about commissioning a piece. “Art-

The Blackhawk Gallery, open daily, offers rotating exhibits every ten weeks throughout the year. Photo courtesy of ADAS

ists whose work is on display at the Blackhawk Gallery are usually happy to do commissions for interested patrons,” Lemmer notes. “I typically create medium size works for gallery exhibits, but I will do much larger works to whatever scale suits the client’s needs.” Gift certificates are also available. Primavera, the first show organized by ADAS following its founding, is one of the oldest annual art festivals in the area. Celebrating its 37th year in 2014, the show held in the Blackhawk Plaza Circle rotunda invites member and non-member artists to exhibit and sell their work. Megan Parks-Haller, ADAS Vice-President, writes: “We often get more than 150 paintings, and as space allows we show all artwork entered.” In addition to paintings and photography, entries in three-dimensional media are welcome.

See ADAS continued on page 22

Page 18 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Clip Notes

By Jody Morgan

Fearless or foolish, plant hunters who traveled to the world’s remotest wildernesses during the 18th and 19th century in search of rare species often endured danger, discomfort, and debilitating disease only to have most of the exotic specimens they collected expire en route to Europe. Elaborate packing directives remained insufficient until an accidental discovery by Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward provided lifesaving protection for precious plants and introduced Victorian parlors to the pleasure of growing miniature gardens under glass. Ward is supposed to have developed an interest in horticulture when his father, a British doctor, decided that a sea voyage was just the thing to convince his son that a naval career was undesirable. As the story goes, thirteen-yearold Nathaniel was dispatched to Jamaica where he fell in love with ferns and tropical flora, but he decided to focus his professional endeavors on medicine. Practicing as a physician in London, Ward pursued his enthusiasm for ferns by trying to establish a rockery in his garden space in Wellclose Square in a part of the city known as Dockland. The ferns refused to live in the noxious atmosphere. Pollution was a major component of London’s “pea soup” fog. Ward decided to try his hand as an amateur entomologist instead. In 1829, he sealed a chrysalis in a glass jar with a layer of leaf mould on the bottom so he could observe the emergence of a hawk moth. Absence of information suggests the pupa probably failed to perform. Nevertheless, Ward’s experiment did generate unexpected life. A fern and some grass sprouted in the soil and continued to grow in the closed environment for four years until the jar lid rusted while Ward was out of town. Acquainted with his contemporaries’ mania for introducing non-native plants to England, Ward quite possibly read the letter John Livingstone sent to the Horticultural Society from his post in Canton, China in 1819: “I am of the opinion that one thousand plants have been lost for one which survived the voyage to England.” Published in 1820, the epistle continues: “It surely, then, becomes a matter of importance to attempt some more certain method of gratifying the English horticulturist and botanist, with the plants of China.” Typically, plants traveled in open boxes on a ship’s deck exposed to extremes of temperature and killing salt spray. Envisioning the practical application of his experiment, Ward had a carpenter build two large wood-framed glass containers. The new packing crates known as “Wardian Cases” achieved immediate success in their first trial run to Sydney, Australia in 1833. After six months at sea, the cases arrived with all of the English ferns and grasses they contained thriving. Cleaned out and repacked with Australian plants, the airtight containers performed equally well on the return journey. In the closing chapter of The Golden Age of Plant Hunters, Kenneth Lemmon describes the impact of Wardian cases. In 1842, Loddiges, a prestigious London nursery, reported their experience with Wardian cases: “We used to lose 19 out of 20 cases during the voyage but 19 out of 20 is now the average to survive.” In 1856, Sir William Hooker, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew on the edge of London, praised the Wardian cases, claiming, “They have been the means in the last 15 years of introducing more new and valuable plants to our gardens than were imported during the preceding century.” Wardian cases are credited with transporting to India, under the direction of Robert Fortune, 23,892 young plants and 17,000 seedlings to establish the British Empire’s tea plantations in Assam and Sikkim. Wardian cases conveyed seedlings of the Brazilian rubber tree raised at Kew to Sri Lanka and Malaya to create a British colonial rubber industry that was an invaluable resource during both World Wars. Wealthy Victorians soon adopted elaborate versions of the Wardian cases for growing indoor gardens. Turning the model on its head, someone devised a case for holding fish. Philip Henry Gosse coined the term “aquarium” in his 1854 book The Aquarium: An Unveiling of the Wonders of the Deep Sea. “Vivarium” was in use as early as 1600 as a structure to maintain animals or plants in a space simulating their natural environment, but the term “terrarium” did not come into use until the last decades of the 19th century. Ward never derived revenue from his invention. However, by the time he died at the age of 77 in 1868, he was a well-known and honored figure in botanical circles.

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Commissions Seek Members

The Town of Danville is looking for interested residents who would be willing to serve on one of four commissions/committees. The four commissions/committees seeking members are: • Parks and Leisure Services Commission (alternate) – 4 year term • Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging – 2 year term • Contra Costa Transportation Authority Citizens Advisory Committee – 2 year term • County Connection Citizens Advisory Committee – 2 year term All terms begin when filled. Any person interested in serving on one of the commission/committees is encouraged to contact Assistant to the Town Manager Nat Rojanasathira at (925) 314-3328 or nrojanasathira@danville. ca.gov.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com Wine for the Ultimate Comfort Food: Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Cool weather begs for warm, simple comfort food, and I’ve got just the thing: grilled cheese sandwiches, grown-up style. The combination of crisp, buttery, grilled bread, melted cheese, and a steaming bowl of tomato soup cannot be beat. But while you’re dunking your diagonally cut sandwich into that soup, can you have a glass of wine in your free hand, a wine that will complement this classic comfort food duo? Absolutely. The wonderful thing about grilled cheese sandwiches is that they are so diverse, and they can pair with many types of wines. Here are two basic guidelines to follow. • Pair like with like. If you use an acidic cheese like goat cheese, pair it with an acidic wine like a sauvignon blanc.  • Pair opposites. A really rich cheese, like a blue cheese, may need a wine with strong acidity to balance it out, like a sparkling wine. Here are a trio of options to consider.

Start with a Sparkler

I love the combination of grilled cheese and sparkling wine. The fresh acidity of the wine slices through the richness of the cheese. Sparkling wines can cost less than $10 a bottle and as much as hundreds of dollars for premium Champagne. For this job, an inexpensive, refreshing domestic sparkler with lively bubbles and a dry profile would be perfect to cut through the richness of all that butter and cheese. A well-chilled bottle can counteract the heat of the soup and match with the acidity of tomatoes.

Don’t Forget Rosé

Not just a summertime sipper, dry rosé is one of the most versatile and food-friendly wines on the planet. Rosé wines are made from red wine grapes fermented just a short time with their skins. Colors range from light salmon to bright pink to medium-deep rose. If you have a wide variety of cheese to contemplate for your sandwich, rosé can cover a lot of flavor ground. The savory and herbaceous notes of the wine also work well with the tomato soup. Look for a heartier rosé, like examples from Tavel.

How about a Red

Lighter style reds, like Cru Beaujolais, are fantastic with cheese. Some consider basic Beaujolais a bit lightweight, so look to the Cru Beaujolais from the region’s top 10 villages. While the grape remains the same - Gamay Noir - the quality is typically several notches above that of a basic Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages. Serve your Beaujolais with a slight chill to bring out the best in this pairing.   What wine would you pair with grilled cheese and tomato soup? Feel free to do as many taste tests as necessary. Monica Chappell teaches wine appreciation classes in Lafayette. For a class schedule, visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com.

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The Elephant in the Room Long Term Care By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

Life expectancies are steadily rising. Generally, healthier lifestyles and meaningful advances in medicine bode well for this trend to continue. But the elephant in the room is long term care. How are you going to pay for your potential long term care needs? Many elderly people and baby boomers are aware of the potential upcoming challenges of long term care but are in denial. Others don’t appreciate the importance of planning or don’t think they have the financial means to pay for their long term care needs. First, it’s important to cover the basic definition of “long term care” in the context of this discussion and identify some myths associated with available payment options. By long term care, I mean custodial (not medical) care - in which one or more third parties are required to provide care for activities of daily living (basic needs), such as eating, bathing, going to the bathroom, etc. - for more than a few months. Such care may take place at home, a convalescent hospital, a nursing home, an assisted living facility, or other similar place. It’s intuitive that if custodial care becomes necessary for a prolonged time, it can get extremely expensive in a hurry. A prevalent myth is that Medicare covers long term care. Medicare coverage may apply, but it is very limited – generally only for skilled, not custodial care, and only up to 100 days. So, if you end up needing long term care for more than 100 days, you need to find other resources to pay for it. Another myth is that Medicaid is always a viable option; often, it’s not. Medicaid (in California, “Medi-Cal”) is available only for those who have low income and meet other eligibility requirements (e.g. having very little in assets, other than a home that may be exempt). Even those who qualify must contribute substantially all of their income as their “share of cost” before the government pays the balance. Additionally, the Department of Health Services typically has a lien on assets of the decedent recipient to recover benefits paid out. Many complicated rules apply to Medi-Cal eligibility, recovery, etc., so anyone who wishes to evaluate Medi-Cal as a potential long-term care alternative should obtain legal advice from an elder law attorney experienced in that niche. Another common misconception is that most people can “self-insure.” A very small percentage of people are in that position. In California, decent custodial care

Cinema Classics My Favorite Wife

By Peggy Horn

This month’s Cinema Classic is My Favorite Wife, (1940) starring Irene Dune and Cary Grant and directed by Garson Kanin. Allegedly, in Hollywood folklore, movie titles containing the word, ‘bride,’ are dramas and those with ‘wife’ in them are comedies, and My Favorite Wife is a case in point. The film is based, however, on a tragic poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson entitled “Enoch Arden” (1864). The poem concerns a seaman who goes to sea hoping to make a fortune for his family. Unfortunately, he returns after ten years to find that his wife, believing him to be dead, has remarried. The movie applies the last name ‘Arden’ to the main character in tribute to the poem. In the film, Cary Grant plays the role of Nick Arden, an attorney (‘a Harvard man’) who wants to have his wife declared legally dead as she has been missing for seven years following a research trip at sea. Once the declaration of death is made, he remarries. Then his legally dead first wife (Irene Dunne) returns seeking to reunite with Nick with whom she is still very much in love. In spite of its foundation on a tragic poem, this movie is very funny. Not surprisingly, the acting is wonderful! If you believe that laughter is the best medicine (and I do!), give your health a boost and see this movie that was nominated for three Academy Awards including best story.

Exchange Club of SRV

The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley meets for lunch the second Wednesday of every month in downtown Danville. Sign-in and social time begins at 11:30AM. The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. The program features guest speakers and a business networking speaker. For more information, call Karen Stepper at (925) 275-2312, email coachstepper@yahoo.com, or visit www.srvexchangeclub.org.

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 19 often costs $7,000 to $8,000 per month, if not more. Furthermore, many who are able to self-insure don’t want to risk diminishing their estate so dramatically as to leave little or no inheritance to their loved ones. If one develops Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, a long-term disability could continue for as long as a decade or more. Many hundreds of thousands of dollars, or occasionally millions of dollars, could be required to cover long-term care needs. An alternative that should be explored carefully, particularly by successful baby boomers, is buying private, long-term care insurance. Fortunately, many different kinds of plans are available, enabling you to custom-design your coverage as to how long a period you want to cover; the waiting period before coverage starts, the amount per day that can be paid out; whether benefits are adjusted for inflation, etc. There are also “hybrid” plans that combine life insurance and long-term care. Part or all of the premium you pay is sometimes tax deductible (check with your income tax advisor!). Finally, people who are convinced their budget will not reasonably accommodate long-term care insurance premiums are sometimes wrong. Satisfactory coverage may be available for less than you think. Furthermore, some clever ways to pay for some or all of your premium may be feasible without reducing your current cash flow. For example, you may be in a position to use or exchange coverage for one or more cash value life insurance policies you no longer need, or obtain and withdraw funds from a reverse mortgage. I’m not a long-term care expert, but I try to stay educated about the subject, and I know a number of seasoned long-term care agents in the area. NOTE: long-term care is not the right solution for everyone; however, it’s a shame when people ignore the elephant in the room and fail to even explore their options. Bottom line: I recommend that you think about the issue, identify your long-term care funding alternatives, and of course, coordinate this with your estate and tax planning. Upon your request, I would be happy to provide you with any or all of the following, free: i)i) a brochure on alternative methods of holding title to property; ii) an “Estate Planning Primer”; iii) a complimentary, introductory meeting. Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 240, 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 20 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Simplifying Retirement By Christopher T. McClure

In conjunction with Lincoln FinancialAdvisors /Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor

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bracket with the one you probably will occupy during retirement. 8. Understand market volatility All markets, including those for stocks and bonds, rise and fall due to a variety of circumstances. An individual’s ability to tolerate these changes will have a huge impact on the composition of his or her retirement portfolio. Recognizing the inevitability of market fluctuations (and knowing your tolerance level) allows you to create a strategically balanced portfolio. That means you can tolerate the changes as they occur. Financial planners know of many strategies that can help meet our needs and ensure a sense of security. 9. Get important documents organized Everybody should have some basic documents prepared, including a will, a living trust, a health care power of attorney and financial power of attorney. These basic legal tools can ensure that inheritance matters are handled in an orderly and timely fashion. They also help loved ones make important decisions and gain access to needed funds if you become incapacitated. 10. Review your retirement plan Regular meetings with you financial planner give you the opportunity to check that your retirement plan’s goals are being reflected in its performance. They also allow timely refinements to that plan required by major changes in your life. Annual reviews can be devoted to strategic issues, while quarterly meetings can cover tactical matters, life rebalancing portfolios. Please contact Chris McClure to schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation. Call (925) 659-0213 or email Chris.McClure@ LFG.com.

Retirement planning can seem complex and intimidating, which explains why some people delay doing it. However, with the appropriate help from a knowledgeable financial advisor, preparation can be a straightforward process that produces a sound strategy and a sense of security. To simplify your planning, consider pursuing these 10 steps. 1. Shift your viewpoint In retirement, you must go from accumulating wealth to providing a lifetime income stream while preserving wealth. If you accept this focus early in the retirement planning process, then you can go from being a great saver to being a great saver with a rational retirement income security plan. 2. Review your anticipated income needs Calculate all the necessary expenditures required in retirement as well as the unnecessary but desirable ones. Be inclusive so that you can gauge the scope of expenditures accurately. This is the most critical step in the process because it provides the foundation for all other financial planning. 3. Conduct a comprehensive revenue review Start by collecting information on any pensions you may receive. That includes pensions paid by corporations, governments, or other organizations. Know the CRN 201303-2078185 Christopher T. McClure is a registered representative and investment advisor representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., a broker dealer (member SIPC) and registered investment amounts due to you and the methods of payment – and especially at what age you 3000 Executive Parkway, Suite 400, San Ramon, CA, offering insurance through Lincoln Marketing can begin drawing benefits. Do the same thing for other accounts, whether they advisor, and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and other fine companies. This are savings or defined contribution plans, like an IRA, a 401(k), a SEP or annuity. information should not be construed as legal or tax advice. You may want to consult a tax advisor regarding this information as it relates to your personal circumstances. The content of this material was provided to you 4. Know your Social Security benefits by Lincoln Financial Advisors for its representatives and their clients. Advertorial Social Security could be an income source in retirement, so it should be included in a revenue review. Because of its complexities, Social Security Books for the Homebound If you or someone you know has a passion for reading and can no longer calls for a level of diligence and understanding beyond that required with other revenue sources. The Social Security Administration can provide information visit the library, find out more about the Danville Library’s Books for the on what you’ve paid into the system and what you can expect to receive. It is Homebound program, a free and unique library service. Trained library volimportant to know what your spouse’s benefits will be as well. Also, make sure unteers check out and deliver books to homebound individuals residing in their own homes or residential care facilities. Contact Sandra Paiva, Volunteer you understand the impact that divorce or remarriage may have on benefits. Coordinator, at the Danville Library at (925) 837-4889 for more information. 5. Factor in inflation’s impact It’s important to understand the impact long-term inflation will have on retirement Dumploads OnUs investments. Unfortunately, many people specializes in fail to include calculations for inflation in providing the ultimate their retirement planning preparations. junk removal solution. Even low levels of inflation can erode the We’ll haul away just buying power of the dollar. For example, about anything - from old household junk to construction and yard 3% inflation over a 24-year period will waste. The only items we are unable to accept are double your income needs. So, you need hazardous to create a retirement plan that has the po• Computers tential to increase your income over time. materials. We 6. Prepare for health care costs • Cables make getting Good medical care is vital in retirement, rid of your • TVs and figuring the costs now ensures it will be unwanted junk available when needed. Those costs could • Monitors as easy as 925.934.3743 • 925.934.1515 amount to as much as $1,000 monthly. A 1-2-3; we load, • Servers www.dumploadsonus.com • www.erecycleonus.com comprehensive study of medical benefits we sweep, and 1271 Boulevard Way, Walnut Creek and costs should include consideration of • Phones then we haul Monday-Friday, 8-5 • Saturday 9-1, Sunday, closed long-term care insurance, supplemental • Printers away. It’s that health care insurance, and a review of any medical benefits for which you may easy! •Copiers be eligible. For the latter, be sure that you Plus we do it • Fax Machines • Power Supply Units • Discs and Tapes understand coverage and co-payments. with a smile! 7. Develop a tax management strategy • Scanners • Printer Cartridges and Toners • And More... Retirees need to convert the appropriate assets to income. Every conversion choice carries a tax implication. Wise choices can minimize taxes, thus boosting income. It is important to compare your current tax

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White Elephant Sale By Linda Summers Pirkle

My mother loved garage sales. She shared a story about her defining “garage sale moment.” Driving home from the market on a Saturday afternoon, she saw a parking spot in front of what looked like a promising garage sale. Since it was after peak garage sale times, she was not surprised to be the only shopper as the owner was arranging his articles. Perusing the wares in the garage she asked the price of an item, noting that there was no price tag (usually good for bargaining). The smiling gentleman told her the item was not for sale. After asking the price of a second and third item, it suddenly dawned on them she was “shopping” in an open garage, not a garage sale, and they both shared a laugh! I am not a garage sale enthusiast like my Mom was, but I never miss the yearly White Elephant Sale held on March 1 and March 2 in the Oakland estuary at 333 Lancaster Street. In its 55th year, this hugely popular sale held in a 96,000 square-foot warehouse to benefit the Oakland Museum is attended by thousands of sharp-eyed shoppers. I spoke to Anne Chan, Co-Chair of the Marketing Committee Oakland Museum Women’s Board and the sponsor for this huge event. “Our Preview sale is held on Sunday, January 26th, from 10AM- 4PM. We usually have a long line reaching about eight blocks from the entrance, and people arrive as early as 7AM for the 10AM opening.” Leslie Piels, long time volunteer advised bringing your patience and good humor; with over 17 departments including jewelry, books, linens, furniture, you never know what you will find. “In the accessory department we once got a very large scarf. We all thought it was unattractive, but it was obviously of good quality. We looked it up online and discovered it was made by a famous and sought-after designer, and it was worth over $1,000. We priced it

Winter Nights continued from front page

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 21 at $300, and it sold within the first day. We get so much stuff! What we don’t use goes to other charities such as St. Vincent’s, or we give to farm workers and homeless shelters. We also donate old suitcases to Homeland Security for dogs to practice their sniffing skills. It is quite organized.” Leslie shared some insider tips. “If you can stand the crowd, the Preview sale on January 26 is really when you have the best chance to get the best stuff. If you can’t handle the crowd, just bring some quality items from home to donate during the insider shopping days. Since we are receiving great stuff during this time, you never know what treasures you’ll find. So, come often.” *The White Elephant sale is located at 333 Lancaster Street, Oakland. Their phone number is 510-536-6800 and website is WhiteElephantsale.org. Preview sale is held on January 26; entrance price for Preview sale is $20 at the door and $15 prior to sale. Advance tickets may be purchased in person at the Oakland Museum or at WhiteElephantSale.org. All credit cards (except American Express) are accepted. * The Main Sale is held on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2. Hours are 10AM-4PM and entrance is free. Insiders sales days (not advertised on the website) are January 29 - February 25, except Sundays and Mondays and the holiday February 16. Bring gently used items to donate for entrance to the sale. *Complementary shuttles from Fruitvale BART Station run throughout the Preview sale (January 26) and the Main Sale (March 1 and 2). Parking is permitted at the BART station parking lot for shoppers on January 26 and March 1 and 2. Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has been arranging and leading tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do. To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email Coverthemap@gmail.com.

Bad news turned to valuable publicity when local and national press reported the struggle. Morrison Foerster, one of the nation’s leaders in pro bono law, assigned two attorneys to advise the group on developing an appropriate structure. Local legislators helped formulate a solid business plan. The Contra Costa Interfaith Council adopted the cause, finding sufficient commitment from associated faith communities to initiate the project in 2004. The business plan sets forth precise rules for shelter guests and clearly defines the population eligible for consideration. No drugs, no alcohol, no smoking, no weapons, appropriate parental supervision of children, and many more detailed regulations ensure that Winter Nights guests and volunteers all have a safe, healthy, and successful experience. Winter Nights measures success in many ways including the number of homeless people sheltered when no other shelter is available, the number of persons placed in sustainable housing during the program, and whether children remain in school and continue to perform at their grade level. Grants Writer Jo Kerner explains, “We don’t want to foster dependence. Our goal is to help these families move on and do the things they need to accomplish to become independent.” But lack of housing in Contra Costa County affordable to the working poor is a major challenge to helping clients achieve self-sufficiency long-term. Families recommended by County Services are interviewed by phone and then in person before acceptance on a first-come-basis. Originally Winter Nights was able to transition many families into more permanent housing after a few weeks at the shelter, allowing those on the waiting list to move into the program. Increasingly, economic pressures force families to stay longer. “People start to bond. When one family finds housing, it’s hard for them to leave their shelter support group—to leave friends and all the services the shelter provides,” Kerner says. “One little five-year old girl, when her mother was celebrating finding an affordable apartment with a group of other clients, said with tears in her eyes, ‘But I will miss all of you!’” Loading the truck for the bi-weekly move. Photo courtesy Gwen Watson, Winter Nights Executive Director for the first ten years, recalls how the organization developed. of Winter Nights. “As we went along, we tried to handle everything we thought we could to make the lives of shelter guests easier and to help the children do better. Needs we couldn’t handle, we referred to professionals with county services.” Pro bono professionals on staff include Case Manager Joe Macaluso whose MSW in Social Work is backed by years of experience in the field. Judy Stillman, Executive Director since June 2014, comments on the importance of the case manager’s role. “This year we are being especially vigilant about monitoring weekly progress with clients getting education and training, finding housing and searching for jobs.” One client told her, “Being here has made all the difference. I feel like I can now get my finances in order and find a place for me and my kids to live.” Working hard is often not enough to keep families solvent. Unfortunately not unique is the story of a pregnant mother of five whose unintended high-risk pregnancy caused her to lose her job just as terminal illness and funeral expenses for two elderly family members eroded savings, leaving no money for rent. Getting up at 4:30 every day to drive her husband to work, she drives back to the shelter to see her kids off to school at 7am. The good news is they have a warm, safe haven where they can get back on track toward independent living. Moving every two weeks is a complex process made possible by Bob Russell’s generous donation of the use of his truck not to mention his skilled assistance. Mattresses, tents (giving families privacy within the shelter) and possessions (restricted to specific container sizes) move every other Monday from one site to the next. “Each congregation does something special,” Watson relates. “Shell Ridge Community Church in Walnut Creek, for example, takes out the pews in their sanctuary to make room for Winter Nights guests.” Every two weeks some 100 different volunteers accept the task of maintaining the shelter. Recognizing how busy the Christmas season is for churches, Temple Isaiah in Lafayette hosts shelter See Winter Nights continued on page 27

Page 22 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Your Personal Nutritionist

Oldie but Goodie! Lose Your Excess Weight Forever This New Year the Healthy Way By Linda Michaelis RD,MS

Happy New Year! Have you been using this time as a motivator to drop the weight you have been struggling to lose all year round? You may have the best of intentions to lose weight or exercise more as the New Year begins, but somehow, life happens and you often find yourself going back to your old ways. Try a different approach for this New Year. Instead of going on a diet again, where you usually go off it a few weeks later, try beginning to make lifestyle changes that I know will guarantee success and finally keep the weight off. My clients enjoy using trackers such as My Fitness Pal or Lose It to get a sense of how many calories they have been eating. After inputting their height and weight, the program calculates how many calories they should consume in order to lose a pound a week. I think this is a great way to begin to get a sense of the amount of calories that you are eating. Where I come in is with helping my clients to set up a meal plan that fits their schedule which includes their favorite foods and certainly does not make them feel like they are on a diet. We view websites together of the various restaurants they go to, and I teach them how to arrange their meals and snacks around the meal out. The trackers do not teach you what are the best meals and snacks to keep you full and prevent cravings for sugar. When I work with my clients, I hold their hand and educate them about nutrition, which is something they usually lack, and I help keep them motivated with frequent (even daily) phone calls or e-mails. Don’t look at this year’s resolution as a temporary change; look at it as a lifestyle change. Making too many changes at once can cause you to burn out before the end of January, causing you to break your commitment. Therefore, instead of changing your entire way of living all at once, try making these small nutrition and exercise changes everyday. Work your way SLOWLY to a healthier you. 1. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Everyday have two servings of veggies such as by adding veggies to your egg white omelet, having a soup with

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veggies at lunch, or having a salad. Have a fruit at both lunch and dinner. 2. Switch to 100% whole grain. If you’re still eating white bread and pasta switch to whole grains. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients and will keep you fuller for a longer period of time. Clients enjoy Trader Joe’s 100% whole wheat pasta, quinoa, couscous, barley, and brown rice. 3. Portion control. Work your way to smaller portions, and this will help control your calories. If you typically use a big dinner plate and fill the whole plate, try using a smaller size plate. You will always eat more when you have a pile of food on your plate. 4. Limit the sweets. You do not have to avoid sweets. The key is moderation. If you enjoy dessert and sweets several times a day, make a goal for yourself to limit sweets to either once per day or a few times a week. I teach my clients to have their sweets after a meal instead of randomly during the day, which will prevent cravings for them. 5. Swap out the soda and juice. These beverages are loaded with sugar and greatly contribute to your daily calories. And, let’s be honest, most people don’t drink just one can a day. I show my clients many beverages that are popular and have no calories. 6. Begin a walking program. Commit to a daily walk, either first thing in the morning or after dinner. I teach my clients about interval training, which shocks the metabolism and causes us to burn calories much faster. 7. Schedule your workouts. Just like you schedule a doctor’s appointment or a lunch date with a friend, schedule your workout on the calendar, and make it a part of your routine five times a week. I teach my clients how to set up their meal plan based on their exercise schedule for the day. 8. Practice mindful eating. Since you have vowed not to diet this year, practice being mindful when you are eating. Listen for your hunger and fullness signals, and respond appropriately. Don’t eat when you are not hungry, yet don’t let yourself get to the ravenous point either. When eating, stop midway and ask yourself if you are still hungry. If not, stop and save the rest for another time. I spend a lot of time practicing this technique with my clients. I am glad to inform you that insurance companies will cover nutritional counseling. Please visit LindaRD.com for the list of companies that cover counseling, past articles, and more information about nutritional concerns. Call me Advertorial at (925) 855-0150 or e-mail me at lifeweight1@yahoo.com.

ADAS continued from page 17

Donations for wine tasting and a percentage of art sales are dedicated to the Art in the Schools Fund. Auburn James, Wente, and Nottingham are among the many local wineries contributing to this successful annual fundraiser. Art in the Park, a popular ADAS fall event with 10% of sales earmarked for the Art in the Schools Fund regularly nets several thousand dollars for school grants. Although problems with logistics forced the cancellation of the 2014 event, plans are already under way for 2015. Initiated in 1992 and transitioned into a grants program in 1995, the Art in the Schools Fund, recognizes the importance of art education in the development of essential life skills. Studies indicate that creative activities are the building blocks of child development. A PBS piece by Grace Hwang Lynch entitled “The Importance of Art in Child Development” highlights the following critical functions supported by time devoted to artistic endeavors: motor skills; language; decision making; visual learning; inventiveness and cultural awareness. The piece concludes: “A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day on three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math or science fair, or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.” Barbara Framer, Cal High art teacher and an SRVUSD liaison for ADAS grants, has high praise for what the Art in the Schools Fund has provided over the years. “On behalf of the art teachers in our district, I want to thank ADAS for graciously and sacrificially supporting the art programs at both the elementary and middle school level for over 15 years. Their yearly grants are a lifeline for our programs. The funds enable our art teachers to purchase a wide variety of art supplies including clay and glazes, paint and printing supplies, stained glass tools, and art storage units for those who have to travel from classroom to classroom to teach their art lessons, just to name a few. The children are the happy recipients who get to do hands-on art using quality materials.” Supplementing grants of $300 each awarded to all eight

See ADAS continued on page 23

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Don’t Make a New Year’s Resolution This Year! By Joree Rosenblatt

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 23

ADAS continued from page 22

SRVUSD middle schools at their December 9th party, ADAS staged an Art Swap. Artists and community members contributed supplies for teachers to take back to their classrooms. As the call for contributions in the ADAS newsletter suggested: “You may think that 10 pieces of paper or cutouts of matt boards, cardboard, art magazines, a few colored pencils and brushes, never used, would not be something teachers and kids could use, but you would be wrong.” A generous donation by Charles and Joyce Batts of some 35 art books and an overhead projector set the tone for another high-quality exhibition of ADAS support for art education. “Several of the teachers told us of the need for funding as no state or county funding for art is available,” reported Parks-Haller. “We had tables filled with donations of books, frames, art supplies, and teachers’ aids for the classroom.” Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Keeping the spark alive by creating opportunities for aspiring as well as accomplished artists to further their artistic development is a key component of the ADAS mission. Monthly meeting programs, newsletters, and networking provide inspiration. Commenting on the way the organization has expanded over the years, Parks-Haller relates; “We try to bring in younger artists. When I first joined ADAS in the 1990s, people thought I was someone’s grandchild because I was just in my 30s. Now our group has grown with much more diversity in age and ethnicity.” “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for,” Georgia O’Keefe maintained. But getting together to exchange ideas in a social context also has value. At the suggestion of ADAS President Deborah Graffuis, members gathered for the first annual Blackhawk Gallery Mixer on October 25th and enjoyed learning about each other’s work. Putting on “The Art of the Escape” at Danville’s Village Gallery in September gave ADAS a chance to participate with Role Players Ensemble and the Eugene O’Neill Foundation Tao House in celebrating the annual Eugene O’Neill Festival. “The Village Gallery is neither a museum nor a retail space,” Parks-Haller explains, describing the venue as “a non-profit community based cultural arts center.” Rotating exhibits emphasize the work of contemporary Bay Area artists. Visit www.adas4art.org to learn more about membership, events, and Blackhawk Gallery hours. The current exhibit “Artful Collection” runs through February 2015.

The New Year…it’s that quintessential time to reflect on the past, look towards the future, and probe deep inside with a lens of self-inquiry, introspection, and honesty. It’s the season to make resolutions for all the things we want to change, do better, let go of, or fix about ourselves so we can achieve a healthier state of mind, body, and soul. There is only one problem with New Year’s resolutions… they usually never work! According to website Statistic Brain, 45% of people make resolutions but only 8% of people are successful in keeping them. Why is it so hard to stick to resolves that would clearly be so beneficial? It’s because people can’t make a drastic change overnight. It’s common to wake up January 1 with the determination to make it to the gym at least five days a week, cut out your extra two cups of coffee, limit alcohol to only the weekend, call your mother more often, and of course curb your spending habits. People don’t normally stick to their surefire goals because it’s simply not natural to shift habits that quickly. It takes time, patience, practice, and retraining of your brain to actually create new neural connections that lead to lasting change. This does not happen magically as the clock strikes midnight, while you are drinking champagne and kissing the person next to you as confetti falls from above. However, New Year’s resolutions really should have a purpose and place in your life. It’s healthy to work on being your best self to allow growth, and to live optimally and authentically. But you don’t need a specific date on the calendar to start making those changes. When is a better now? All you need is awareness to notice what isn’t working for you and the intention to make it better. The magic shift doesn’t occur as the date changes; it occurs when you are ready to commit to yourself. I really don’t like word “goal” because it implies that if I don’t meet them, then I haven’t succeeded and clearly I’ve failed. Instead of setting goals, I set intentions. Having an intention keeps me present and grounded in my moment-to-moment actions. And because I have a strong mindfulness practice, I constantly am inviting inquiry to my inner state, being aware of what is arising in my present moment experience and deciding with intention and skill how to proceed forward. Having intentions, rather than goals or resolutions, keeps me in the here and now rather than in the future. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know I have control over this very moment, inextricably keeping me connected to my actions that support my intentions. I also have the faith to know that what is meant to be will be, and if I don’t reach a particular “goal,” it’s because my process is about the journey not the destination, and that my path will lead me to where I’m supposed to be. So, when thinking about the New Year and all the things that you are resolving to change, I invite you to cultivate a mindfulness practice. This will provide you the tools to stay present, heighten your awareness of self, allow you to live with more attention and intention, and help develop a greater connection to your mind, body, and spirit. Don’t just fixate on finite resolutions that will determine you as a success or failure for having kept them or not. Rather, ServingAlamo&Danville Since 1979! allow yourself to be, to breathe, and to intend on having the best year you are capable of having. Take it one JUMPSTART the 2015 POOL SEASON! moment and one breath at a time. That truly is all you Upgrade Your Pool Equipment have power over, and as long as you’re breathing and Remodel your Pebble, Tile, and Coping! being aware, you will stay very close to your intenFREE ESTIMATES tions. Even if you miss the mark from time to time, don’t give up or judge yourself; choose forgiveness and self-compassion, and remember you are human. Make sure your pool/spa is Drain Cover Safe (Virginia Graeme Baker - VGB compliant). Resolve to come back to your intention and make a In-house diver can replace your drain covers. Best prices year-round. new choice in the next moment. Even if it is hard, it is possible. 2015 is supposed to be a year of manifestation Install a Pentair Intelliflo pump and and clarity, so set your intentions, breathe, and take it save $100 monthly on your energy moment by moment. May it be a great year for you! bill and get a $100 rebate from PG&E. If you are interested in learning more about how to cultivate a mindfulness practice, I work one-onone as well as teach classes through the Town of Danville. I will also be offering a variety of weekend workshops covering many different aspects of a mindfulness practice during the upcoming year. Visit www.actionpoolrepair.com my website www.joreerose.com for more information Contractor Lic# 978033-C53 Advertorial or to contact me.

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Page 24 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Routine Blood Tests Help Us By Kasra Karamlou, MD - Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group

Wednesday, January 28, 2015 MRI Fusion Changes the Game MRI Fusion Changes the Game MRI Fusion Changes the Game MRI Fusion Changes the Game MRI Fusion Changes the Game

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CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia) is the most common form of leukemia in the United States and is considered slow growing. The majority of the patients with CLL are diagnosed on routine blood tests, when they are noted to have an abnormally high white count with elevated lymphocytes. The diagnosis can be made based on evaluation of the peripheral blood and usually does not require a bone marrow biopsy. Many patients with CLL are managed by what is termed an active surveillance. This means periodic doctor visits with blood count checks and physical examination. Some patients can undergo such a follow-up for many years, as many older trials did not demonstrate an advantage in treating asymptomatic patients. There has been a recent interest in re-addressing this issue as therapies in the field have improved, and there is some data suggesting that some CLL patients with high risk features may benefit from early intervention. Symptoms of CLL can vary in patients. They often include enlargement of the lymph nodes and spleen which are commonly associated with low blood counts and recurrent infections. Once a determination has been made that a patient requires therapy, many factors go into the choice of therapy. A patient’s age and other medical conditions usually dictate the choice of therapy. Initial therapy for younger and/or older fit patients usually combines chemotherapy with immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a treatment which utilizes the individual’s immune system to fight against the cancer and also allows the chemotherapy to be more effective. For older patients and/or patients not fit for chemotherapy, one can consider “lighter” chemotherapy in combination with immunotherapy. There have been major advances in management of CLL over the last decade. Two novel drugs have been approved for the management of CLL over the last year. The recent American Society of Hematology (ASH) conference in December was held in San Francisco and many new therapies and refinement of the older therapies were discussed. Clinical trials are also an exciting option in management of CLL and will allow us to identify novel therapies and also to incorporate more effective therapies in the early management of the disease. Dr. Karamlou is a medical oncologist and hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group. He has a special interest in hematological malignancies (Lymphoma, Leukemia, MDS ,and myeloma) Dr. Karamlou sees patients in Pleasant Hill and Brentwood. Join Dr. Karamlou and other medical experts at the “Many Faces of Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma” presentation where they will give an update from ASH on exciting new treatments and therapies for leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. The event will be held February 11,2015, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Walnut Creek Library-Oak View Advertorial Room. To register, please call 925-677-5041 x272.

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A New Year, A New You By Linda Adams, LVN

Headlines and articles encourage and give us plenty of helpful tips to make healthy lifestyle changes in the New Year. So when you make are making your 2015 resolutions, whether it is eating healthier, losing weight, exercising more or in general taking better care of yourself, don’t forget about your bladder and pelvic floor. If you have not yet suffered from any urinary issues, or your symptoms are so mild they are easy to overlook, this is not likely to be at the top of your

list or on it at all. So, as you promise to get in shape and take better care of yourself, remember to work on the muscles that are less talked about – your pelvic floor muscles. Exercises common in yoga and Pilates that focus on working and strengthening your core are actually benefiting your pelvic floor. This is important because the pelvic floor is responsible for keeping your balance when you sit down or stand up. It also supports and holds certain organs in place, plays a big role in keeping you from leaking urine during exercise, coughing or sneezing, and assists improved sexual response. Another simple exercise that strengthens the pelvic floor and helps with urinary incontinence is Kegels. I advise women of all ages to do their ‘Kegels’ daily – in the car, standing in line, or sitting at a desk. Other urinary symptoms women experience may be urinary frequency and or urgency. If you need to urinate more than eight times during the day or if you get up more than twice during the night, you may have an overactive bladder. If you have to rush to the bathroom, this is called urgency; it may or may not be accompanied by urinary leakage. Have you had a change in your urine stream? Is it not as strong as it used to be? There are different causes for these symptoms; therefore there are various treatments. Each of these symptoms can affect your quality of life and general outlook. I hear stories daily of how one’s life is affected because they are consumed with always needing to know where the nearest bathroom is or wondering if there is a line at the restroom and they may not make it in time. If you find yourself identifying with any of the above, you should discuss your symptoms with a doctor who can refer you to an incontinence specialist. Some treatments will work after only one or two sessions, and all are usually covered by insurance. Linda Adams, LVN, has dedicated her career to helping patients take control of their incontinence for the past 20 years. In addition to crafting individualized care for her patients, Linda also works to increase awareness and knowledge of continence through classes held at both Pacific Urology and in the greater community. She can be reached at (925) 937-7740. Advertorial

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The Eye Opener

By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, and Optician…What is the Difference?

I am always asked what the difference is between an optometrist, an ophthalmologist, and an optician, and which one I am. There are a lot of differences between us, but there is also much we have in common. I will delve into the training and professional services each one provides. An optometrist (O.D.) tends to be the primary health care professional for the eyes. Optometrists can and do practice in a variety of settings; these include private and corporate offices, optometry schools, hospitals, VA centers, and ophthalmology practices. Optometrists can also have specialized training through a residency program and can concentrate their practice in areas such as difficult cornea/contact lens fittings, pediatrics/binocular vision, teaching, laser vision correction, and low vision. An optometrist must receive a college degree from a 4-year university and then graduate from an accredited 4-year optometry program. To be licensed, there are several national exams that must be passed to ensure proper training and competency in addition to state-run exams which vary by state. Optometrists can examine, diagnose, and treat conditions of the eye and the surrounding structures. When you schedule an exam at our office, you will receive a comprehensive evaluation which will include tests and evaluations for vision and necessary prescription glasses and/or contact lenses, binocular vision status, glaucoma screening, neurological status as it relates to the eyes, and eye health evaluation of the front part of the eye and retinal evaluation through dilation. For vision enhancement, an optometrist can prescribe and fit glasses, contact lenses, or low visions aids, or there can be a LASIK consultation. As state laws are different, what medical conditions optometrists can treat and manage does vary. Eye conditions such as allergies, conjunctivitis (pink eye), floaters, and styes are seen and managed appropriately in the office regularly. Even some more difficult conditions such as foreign body removal, corneal ulcers, and retinal co-management of diabetes and hypertension are done often. Since optometrists in California cannot do surgery or use lasers, there are some conditions that require an ophthalmology referral including cataract and retinal surgery. An ophthalmologist (M.D.) is a medical doctor who has specialized in the eyes. They have graduated from medical school and then completed residencies in their chosen specialty such as retina, glaucoma, and cornea. As in optometry, there are national examinations that must be passed to practice and to specialize in a chosen field. Most ophthalmologists do not do primary care exams, and if they do, most are done by optometrists. Of course that does vary from office to office, but it is the case most of the time. As a majority, ophthalmologists conduct specialized care like surgery for LASIK, cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal disease. A comprehensive examination conducted by an ophthalmologist and optometrist are very similar. Most of the same tests are done, and an eye health evaluation will be conducted. Obviously, if a patient is being referred for a particular condition (e.g. glaucoma), specialized tests will be run that would not normally be done on the routine patient. In comparison to an optometrist and ophthalmologist, an optician is not a doctor. Opticians attend school and are trained about optics, frames, adjusting, repairs, lenses, and overall eye knowledge, and they are then tested by their licensing board. Most opticians are board-certified, but some are not. If an optician is not working in an optometry or ophthalmology office, they are required to be certified. They are also valuable for optimal lens selection and measurements depending on the prescription and type of frame. If an office has a lab on site, an optician can edge, tint, and finish the lenses to fit your frame. The more training and experience an optician has, the better the quality and accuracy of the prescription glasses made. Our optician Faye does these tasks in our office. Even though all optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians are associated with the eyes, their function within that field varies widely. Hopefully these definitions will help you understand who we all are and what we do. Our full-service optometry office conducts comprehensive exams for all ages and looks forward to helping you with all of your eye care and vision needs. Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our website at www.alamooptometry.com, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Advertorial @Alamo Optometry.

Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 25

A FaceLift without Surgery? Too Good to be True? By Dr. Jerome Potozkin

Many people would like to have a more youthful appearance yet would never consider a facelift or any other invasive procedure. A variety of technologies have been promoted as being able to produce non-surgical facelifts. The first device promoted for non-surgical skin tightening utilized radio frequency energy to bulk heat the skin. For some people there would be some degree of skin tightening, but many saw marginal results. Skin tightening has taken a recent leap forward with technology that utilizes microfocused ultrasound to heat and tighten tissue. While none of these devices can substitute for a facelift, they certainly can be of benefit for some people. Ultherapy has been in the news quite a bit these days and featured on 20/20, The View, The Doctors, and many other media outlets. This device is the only non-invasive procedure FDA cleared to lift the brow, chin, and neck. The device uses micro-focused ultrasound to stimulate the production of new collagen and elastin deep in the skin which can non-surgically lift and tighten skin tissue with no downtime. The procedure takes about an hour and does not require anesthesia. The ultrasound heats multiple layers just beneath and within the skin. These are the layers a surgeon would be operating on during a facelift. This results in skin tightening and lifting that occurs over about 3-6 months. The most common areas treated include the brow, face, and neck. A recently published study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology showed Ulthera to be effective in lifting, tightening, and reducing wrinkles of the décolletage. Is Ultherapy a replacement for a facelift? I don’t believe any of the noninvasive treatments to be a true replacement for a facelift. If you have a turkey neck with a lot of excess skin, you would probably be better served seeing one of the many highly trained plastic surgeons in the area for a facelift. However, if you are not ready for such an invasive procedure and just want a smaller amount of lift and firming, Ulthera might be for you. If you don’t want to undergo the risks of surgery or are not medically able to then Ulthera might be for you. The best results are typically seen in people ages 30-65 and are seen over the course of several months. This procedure does turn back the clock, but the clock does continue to tick. If you are interested in looking your best without undergoing the knife, please call us at (925) 838-4900 to schedule an appointment. We are offering complimentary Ulthera consultations for the month of January with the mention of this article. We look forward to seeing you. Dr. Potozkin is a board certified dermatologist who has been serving the local community since 1993. His fully accredited dermatological and laser facility is located at 600 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite 102 in Danville. He is accepting new patients. Please call (925) 838-4900 or visit Potozkin.com for more information. Advertorial

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Page 26 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

Most Common Causes of Low Back Pain

By Melissa Ko, DC, Sycamore Valley Chiropractic

Low back pain is estimated to effect over 50% of working Americans every year. It is the second most common reason why people visit their doctors, and over 80% of the general population will experience low back pain in their lifetime. In fact, low back pain is the number one leading cause of disability around the world and costs Americans $50 billion annually. With such enormous costs associated with low back pain, a key to addressing this issue is focusing on the cause of the problem to prevent chronic issues rather than ignoring or masking symptoms. These are the five most common reasons people will have low back pain. 1. Acute Accident or Injury - Back pain follows a trauma such as a car accident, fall, sports injury etc. 2. Sub-acute accident or injury - Back pain is due to an injury too mild for a patient to remember or pay attention to. However, pain eventually happens over time because the injury did not heal properly. 3. Chronic pain from ongoing stress on the body - Long periods of computer and desk work, poor posture or ergonomics, or repetitive motions cause fatigue and strain to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. 4. Degenerative discs and joints - The discs and joints of the spine deteriorate because of poor spinal alignment, old injuries, and ongoing physical stresses. Pain develops slowly and usually with no symptoms for months or years. 5. Other joint diseases - Inflammatory conditions lead to problems in the spinal joints which may be systemic or hereditary. Many cases of back pain are commonly misdiagnosed or clumped under as “arthritis.”

Solutions and Prevention

Chiropractic care is an excellent option for treating low back pain without the use of surgery or prescription drugs. Doctors of Chiropractic specialize

A Path to Happiness

By Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.

Recently, a doctor friend was interviewing college applicants at an Ivy League school. When asked what the participants wanted to be, two separate candidates confided: plastic surgeon or investment banker. What on earth, I thought...wow! These aspirations might seem similar: two careers, each offering the hope of success and prosperity. Shouldn’t we all pursue such dreams? I offered the best advice I could. “I know very little about investment banking,” I said, “but from my perspective as a plastic surgeon, I believe there is another choice you must make first.” I explained that long before mastering the field of surgery, a person must first choose to become a physician. I explained that this path means caring for people and finding joy in it. Any medical student will tell you that the moment they entered training, family and friends began asking for counsel. I am sure that most of my colleagues will remember those first years of medical school; everyone asked us for advice, and we probably gave it, thinking we already knew so much. That kind of enthusiasm shouldn’t change over the years, but unfortunately it sometimes does. So when I was asked recently about how to choose a career, I found myself answering a bigger question. Is it possible to dedicate oneself to something truly loved? And does that choice include a commitment to service and compassion? The answer is yes. For me, going into medicine was a calling. I became a physician for two reasons. The first was simple: a sense of duty. The second is one I hold dear: the wonder of forming relationships with people in their time of need. Some might describe it as a sacrifice; holidays, weekends, nights, and personal time are dedicated to help patients. But it has never felt like a sacrifice to me. Being a physician is honorable, and it offers me purpose. It gives me great pleasure, and although it is not always easy, there is at least one person each day who sends me home feeling good about what I do. Sometimes my job is challenging, but

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in optimizing spinal function and will determine the underlying causes of back pain conditions. At our office, we use a combination of chiropractic adjustments, muscle testing, myofascial therapy, postural corrections, and physiotherapies to help our patients overcome their pain and get well. We also look to the important lifestyle and ergonomic factors that are crucial in maintaining proper spinal alignment and health.

Here are some Tips on How to Prevent Low Back Pain

• Maintain a healthy weight and diet • Get regular chiropractic care for spinal alignment and health • Have your workstation assessed by an ergonomic specialist • Make sure your chair, pillow, and mattress keeps your spine in a neutral position, minimizing any excessive curves, bending, or twisting • Move, move, move! Be physically active and do not allow yourself to be in any position, whether sitting or standing, for more than an hour. Set a timer to remind yourself to take a break: stand, stretch, walk around, grab some water, and so on! The biggest misconception we come across is that pain is just a symptom of age, and there is nothing that can be done to change it. By addressing the underlying conditions that cause back pain, we help our patients overcome their painful symptoms and achieve optimal health. So don’t let pain get in your way of enjoying life. Let it be a motivator to get your spine checked today! Sycamore Valley Chiropractic is located at 565 Sycamore Valley Rd. West in Danville. Please visit www.sycamorevalleychiropractic. com or call 925-837-5595 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Advertorial the most difficult moments pale in comparison to what patients feel when they are in pain or chronically ill. In my experience, many doctors forget the idea of what it feels like to be a patient. Separating ourselves can be a way to keep an even keel, but this risks alienating the very people we are trying to help. It is tempting to believe that work is better left at the office. “Don’t take your patients home with you,” I have been told. And although it is important to maintain a good balance between my personal and professional life, I do, ultimately, take my patients home with me. I think about patients in my car as I drive home, I reflect on them in the evenings, and I look forward to seeing them when I wake up in the morning. Medicine is part of who I am, and I don’t think of it as a job or occupation. Rather, it is something I have chosen because I believe in it. This perspective has actually helped me be a more energetic surgeon and a more complete person. It is thus that I think those of us with a stronger sense of calling are more resilient to that which is challenging in our profession. We enjoy what we do. It informs us, shapes us, and makes us better people. Becoming a board certified plastic surgeon took more than an a decade of training. But along the way, I was a doctor to my patients. I find comfort in the fact that simply caring for people is something I still do on a daily basis. Over the years, I have watched our healthcare system transform and policies evolve. Many of us feel swept up in the changes; we are not sure what to predict and how it will affect us. I hope that whatever system emerges will allow doctors to follow their calling, as I have done. I hope that if we have been called to serve, we will be able to do it. How will that happen? Who among us should choose this path? These are difficult questions. In the end, however, I have begun to recognize that even the most complex questions have a simple answer. For me, the answer is taking care of my patients and finding joy in it. I am so grateful to have found my calling, for it is one that inspires and rewards me in equal measures. I am a surgeon, but I am also a physician; both are roles I am honored to fulfill. Dr. Barbara Persons is a Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or drbarb@personsplasticsurgery. Advertorial com.

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Danville Today News ~ January 2015 - Page 27

Winter Nights continued from page 21

families with an amazing outpouring of interfaith fellowship. Carols are sung. Presents from wish lists are wrapped and distributed. “Celebration of the Christmas season at Temple Isaiah is so perfect that families begin to relax,” Watson says, “but in January and February their anxiety about what will happen when the shelter closes in May begins to build. Will they find sustainable housing and jobs to support themselves?” The Traveling Tutors program is one aspect of Winter Nights that provides continuity throughout the time children are in the program. Ten volunteer tutors each work one night a week with students to help them maintain good grades. Students attend the schools in which they are enrolled at the time they enter the shelter. Winter Nights provides transportation as needed. Having the same tutors following them from site to site offers consistent support in a disruptive time. “Half our job is making these kids know that adults besides their parents care about their academic success,” says Harry Miller who helps coordinate the tutoring program. “What I find most rewarding is seeing a kid who is not crazy about a subject like reading or math at the start of a session get it and get engaged.” Tutors are sometimes called upon to come up with materials for a science project or find a book for a book report. One tutor recalls a seventh-grader from a family with four children who had a paper due on a Friday about which the tutors knew nothing ELECTRICAL WORK until Thursday evening. The two tutors on duty worked with her for several hours. Completing the project as the lights out bell sounded, she exclaimed, “I love learning!” EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL! Need new light fixtures, ceiling fans, recessed Winter Nights is happy to share the keys to their success with any interested organi- lighting, or track lighting installed? Need a dimmer switch or GFCI installed? zation. In early December a group from Bullhead City, Arizona came to tour. Although Do you want to change the color of your outlets in your kitchen or install 220V Watson maintains power for the new hot tub or stove? I also troubleshoot electrical problems. FREE that the Winter ESTIMATES. Licensed and bonded. 30 years experience. CALL 925-389-6964. Nights business plan is easy to follow, finding sufficient community support can be a Reach over 15,000 homes and businesses in Dandaunting task. ville - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, To learn more Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to about the shelter 45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words. Send or and how to con- email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117, tribute, visit www. Alamo, CA 94507 or editor@yourmonthlypaper.com. cccwinternights. Run the same classified ad in our sister papers org. Donations “Alamo Today” or “Lafayette Today” and pay half for transportation off for your second and/or third ad! Payment by from BART and check made out to “The Editors” must be received bus cards to family before ad will print. Your cancelled check is your Setting up tents at Lafayette United Methodist Church, one of 17 shelter cars are especially receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad. sites. Photo courtesy of Winter Nights. needed.

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PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED HERE! Danville Today Classifieds

Page 28 - January 2015 ~ Danville Today News

The Combs Team

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Danville Real Estate: Rental Rates Up 33%!

Danville Family Home Rental

Each year at this time I try to update readers on what’s happening in the rental market in Danville. This analysis looks at rental homes with at least 4 bedrooms and 2-3 baths. The data for all years listed runs from January 1-September 26, so it is an “apples to apples” comparison for all years. The data presented here is published on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and does not include every property rented during the time periods. A fair number of rentals are handled directly by the homeowner off of MLS. Unfortunately, when we look at off-MLS rental properties we can only see the advertised price, not the rent actually agreed to. Current rents, as advertised off-MLS, while they may appear to be higher than reported here, most likely overstate the actual rent collected by the landlord. On a dollar-per-square-foot basis, rents have risen 33% since 2010 or about 7% per year on average. Rents have risen fairly steadily during that time. Looking specifically at the dollars collected in monthly rent, the rise is only 17% during the same time period. However, when we review the size 4 bed 2-3 bath rental homes sales Danville Jan.1- Sept. 26 of the homes Year Units $ Sq. Foot Avg. Price Size Sq. Ft. actually rent2010 32 $ 1.23 $ 3,477 2827 ed, we see a 2011 36 $ 1.37 $ 3,677 2684 s i g n i f i c a n t 2012 29 $ 1.50 $ 3,816 2544 difference in 2013 25 $ 1.61 $ 3,927 2479 size year-to2014 30 $ 1.64 $ 4,081 2523 year. In 2014 an average of $4,081 per month was collected on homes with an average size of 2,523 square feet. In 2010 only $3,477 was collected on homes with an average size of 2,827 square feet. So, in this instance the dollars paid per square foot is probably a better measure given the size differential between the homes sold. During 2011 Danville rentals peaked at 36 units and have since fallen to thirty or less units. Given that 2011 represented the market turnaround for home prices in Danville, we should not be overly surprised that the number of rentals appearing on MLS has decreased since peaking in 2011. It’s more than likely that the downturn from 2008-2011 created a large number of unintentional landlords who would have been happier to sell their homes as

Alamo West Side

IN D N E

$1.70 Dollars Per Square Foot

$1.60 $1.50 $ Sq. Foot

$1.40 $1.30 $1.20 $1.10

2010

2012

2013

2014

opposed to renting them, if only they could have obtained a good price. With Danville’s average sales price today exceeding $1.2 million, as I reported last month, fewer people find themselves upside down in their mortgages, and the necessity of renting rather than selling has diminished significantly. Between 2013 and 2014 average rents increased 4%, moving from $3,927 to $4,081 per month. This is a slow and fairly reasonable increase in rents. These modest rent increases are in stark contrast to what is happening in Alamo, where rents have risen 19% during the past year. Home price increases happened faster and earlier in the cycle in Alamo too, with Danville just beginning to catch up and appreciate at a faster rate. If Danville follows the same track as Alamo as it has done with home sales, I believe it is possible that rents will begin rising faster in Danville during the coming year. For the moment, in Danville we are experiencing nice increases in rents and property values simultaneously. If you own a home in Danville, you will likely think this is really good news. Happy New Year! If you are thinking about selling your home and would like an honest opinion of its market value and ideas for increasing its market value, please give me a call 925-989-6086, or send me an email joecombs@thecombsteam.com. Nancy and I will be happy to help.

Alamo View Home

Beautifully updated single story. Everything you want on ½ acre flat lot. Includes pool, pool house, orchard and irrigation well. Priced to sell $1,526,000.

Magnificent Mt. Diablo views from this lovely updated 4 bedroom 3.5 bedroom home. Two Master suites. Priced to sell at $1,250,000.

Danville West Side

Magee Ranch Executive Home

SO Nicely updated West Side single story. Backs to open space, large level yard. Oak trees. Priced to sell at $999,000.

2011

Immaculate 5 bedroom Single Story, Great Flow, Pool spa Level play yard. Priced to Sell $1,639,000

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

Diablo Horse Property

IN ND

Nicely updated 3203 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath. 1.45 acres, stable, pool, heritage oak. Priced to Sell $1,795,000. J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526