editor @ yourmonthlypaper.com
July 2018 • ALAMO TODAY & DANVILLE TODAY NEWS • PAGE 1
& JULY 2018
FIFTH GENERATION BEEKEEPERS: MAX AND MOUNT DIABLO INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATION: ALEX ROCK By Fran Miller PRESERVATION THROUGH EDUCATION
At age 14, twins Max and Alex Rock know more about bees and beekeeping than most experts. But then again, as fifth generation beekeepers, they probably are considered experts. The Monte Vista High School freshmen learned the skills from their grandfather (Opa) who started sharing his knowledge with the inquisitive duo when they were in elementary school. “My grandfather is German from the RhinelandPalatinate which borders France and produces wine,” says Alex. “His grandfather owned some forestland near their village where he built a bee house. The honey produced there even today is known for its special taste from the chestnut trees. I became interested Alex and Max Rock in beekeeping after seeing many relatives, including Opa, care for their own hives
See Honey continued on page 12
AQUANUTS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS
By Fran Miller
The gelled hair, makeup, and glittery costumes of synchronized swimmers may elicit a few giggles, but the athleticism displayed by these world-class athletes is no laughing matter. Today’s synchronized swimmer must have the grace of a ballerina, the strength and agility of a gymnast, the skills of a speed swimmer, the lungs of a pearl diver, and the stamina of a long distance runner.
See Aquanuts continued on page 24
Local Postal Customer
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 263 Alamo CA
ECRWSS
By Jody Morgan
Whether you enjoy hiking, camping, biking, horseback riding, motoring to the summit or studying the mountain’s wildlife and wildflowers from the comfort of home, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association offers multiple means to enrich your experience. The all-volunteer non-profit is dedicated to working in cooperation with Mount Diablo State Park staff to preserve the land as a refuge for endemic species and a recreational resource for people of all ages. In addition to providing educational events, guided hikes, interpretive materials and informative publications, MDIA addresses the removal of hazardous remnants of the ranching era and takes the lead in maintenance projects. In 1974 when Sam Smoker, Executive Director of the Lindsay Wildlife Center, called a meeting at his home to explain his vision for an organization that would promote the preservation of Mount Diablo through education, the state park included less than 7,000 acres. As Save Mount Diablo (whose co-founder Mary Bowerman also served as a founding member of MDIA) helped to expand the publicly held space within the park to some 20,000 acres, MDIA focused on disseminating information about the mountain’s ecological, geological, and historical significance while supporting park rangers in safeguarding the mountain’s natural resources and making appropriate access to those assets available to MDIA's Hiker's Guide leads to summit views along a visitors. MDIA President Steve variety of trails. Photo courtesy of Meghan Madahar. Smith explains the organization’s latest challenge. “Many children today suffer from ‘Nature Deficit Disorder.’ We can’t ignore the importance of their electronic devices to the generations who will be responsible for preserving
See MDIA continued on page 10
The Editors Serving the communities of Alamo, Diablo, and Danville
Volume XVIII Number 7
Volume IX Number 7
3000F Danville Blvd. #117 Alamo, CA 94507 Telephone (925) 405-6397 Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of The Editors. The Editors is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.