Lafayette_Today_September_2015

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September 2015 Lamorinda 4-H By Fran Miller

A general assumption about 4-H is that it’s all about raising animals. But Lamorinda 4-H adult co-community leader Beth Manning suggests that 4-H is much more, and that the animals for which the organization is best known are catalysts for helping young people present themselves professionally. “It’s a lot easier to get up and speak in front of a group of people when you are holding your bunny rabbit,” she says.

Lamorinda 4-H members participate in the rabbit and cavy (guinea pig) project at the Contra Costa County Fair.

And while 4-H does likely bring to mind the image of kerchief-clad youth parading livestock at the county fair, it has become so much more. In addition

See 4-H continued on page 19

Sustainable Lafayette Offers Climate Change Solutions

Serving the Lafayette Community 20th Annual Lafayette Art & Wine & Music Festival

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday September 20

When summer begins to slip away, and we all get back into our regular groove, we reserve that third weekend in September to hang out with friends and neighbors at the annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival in beautiful downtown Lafayette. This event is a local favorite in Lamorinda, but it has become a regional event with thousands of Bay Area residents finding their way to our city. Award-winning art, four stages, 21 live bands, 260+ artists, a KidZone, great food, and arguably the largest selection of wine, beer and ale of any San Francisco Bay Area festival can be had.

Here is a sampling of what to expect…

Continuous Music & Dancing - No Cover Charge. Held on four stages over two days, there is room to dance to familiar tunes played by 21 of the Bay Area’s best headliner cover bands, including the Sun Kings, Stu Allen and Mars Hotel, Foreverland, Aja Vu, Spazmatics, East Bay Mudd, Big Jangle, Bob Athyde & Friends, Bay Bridge Beat, Other People's Money, Evolution, Juice, David Martin’s House Party, Echo Trail, Dave Crimmen, and Spinout.

Unique Wine & Beer Offerings - There will be high-end wines and craft beer selections that most people never get a chance to taste, including wines from Lamorinda’s backyard vineyards.

Food: Choice is Everywhere, Including Lafayette’s Restaurant Row Fare. More than 25 of Lafayette’s top restaurants are in the

See Festival continued on page 13

Volunteers Always Wanted!

By Fran Miller

Seeking to lend time to a needy cause? Start with the Volunteer Center of the East Bay (VCEB) to find your perfect match. VCEB provides online resources for both volunteers and non-profits, bringing the two together to create meaningful volunteerism.

By Fran Miller

Sustainable Lafayette’s past efforts to engage the public in solar and renewable energy, recycling, composting, and water conservation been fairly Sustainable Lafayette board member Wei-Tai Kwok displays have biochar - a recommended soil amendment. (Photo by Violet Hsu) successful. Their Recycle Lafayette initiative, for instance, has helped improve the city’s recycling rate from 58% diversion in 2013 to 66% in 2015, on the way to a target of keeping 75% of waste from the landfill. Sustainable Lafayette board members are hoping for the same sort of engagement with their newest initiative addressing climate change.

See Solutions continued on page 13

Local Postal Customer

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 21 Lafayette, CA

ECRWSS

September is Corporate Volunteer month, sign up individually or as a business to help!

Finding your ‘volunteer match’ is fun and easy. Enter a few key interest words on the online form, such as ‘animals,’ ‘environment,’ or ‘education,’ and uncover a menu of opportunities from amongst 100 non-profit organizations and 400 volunteer opportunities. VCEB offers one-time, on-going, and single day-of-service projects. Their site receives 11,000 ‘hits’ per month from project seekers.

Volume IX - Number 9 “We change lives,” says VCEB execu3000F Danville Blvd #117 tive director Jo Loss. “That’s the bottom Alamo, CA 94507 line. Our volunteers really are helping to Telephone (925) 405-6397 change someone’s life. Sizing diapers at Fax (925) 406-0547 St. Vincent de Paul might seem inconse- editor@yourmonthlypaper.com quential, but it really is a big deal.”

Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Visitors to the VCEB site will find The opinions expressed herein belong to the and do not necessarily reflect that of Lamatching programs such as Board Link, writers, fayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible which connects volunteers with non- for the content of any of the advertising herein,

See Volunteers continued on page 16

nor does publication imply endorsement.

Page 2 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop Sizzles During Summer Clearance Starting September 8th

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Psst! Can you keep a secret? The dedicated member volunteers at Assistance League® Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, that well-known landmark located at 3521 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette, are preparing for its annual Summer Clearance as they slash prices by staggering amounts. Likewise, you just might find yourself staggering when you see how many items you can buy for pennies on the dollar!

Just because school will be back in session, please do not assume that the summer-like temps will have left us. ‘Tis the season of the layered look, when summer garments serve us from the early crisp mornings, through warm balmy afternoons and well into the cool evenings.

On Tuesday, September 8, at 10AM, you will find ALL merchandise marked at half price, a phenomenon that will last until closing time on Thursday, September 10. (A good night’s sleep and a return trip might be called for here!) On Friday, September 11, you will find all summer merchandise priced at $2 or half off if the item is less than $2--another hot deal! On Saturday, September 12, you will fill a bag with summer clearance merchandise for a mere $5! Never will physical exhaustion hurt so good!

When you shop at Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop Summer Clearance event, you will improve lives in our community, save a lot of money by spending a little money, and put together an awesome look for early fall. To learn about Assistance League of Diablo Valley’s philanthropic programs that the thrift shop funds and the recently awarded GuideStar Exchange gold participation level status, please visit diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

9/11 Remembrance and Candlelight Vigil

The Lafayette Flag Brigade will be holding an event on September 11 from 4:00PM until 8:00PM at the El Curtola Bridge, located at the Highway 24 overcrossing at the 680 freeway in Lafayette.

The event will feature a 9/11 survivor and lecturer, Bert Upson, who has written a book about his experience, On a Clear Day, 9/11 and Eyewitness Account.

To learn more, visit www.neverforget911.com.

PSAT Practice Test

The New SAT is coming March 2016. In preparation, The New PSAT will be administered to students this October. To help students prepare, the Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette Branch of the American Association of University Women’s Scholarship Committee in partnership with Kaplan Test Prep, will hold a New PSAT Practice Test Saturday, September 26 at Miramonte High School in Orinda as a fundraiser for their annual scholarship awarded annually. Students will experience the full-length timing and structure of the new PSAT, receive a comprehensive analysis of this strengths and weaknesses and therefore know exactly what to expect on test day.

For more details and to sign up, visit http://oml-ca.aauw.net/psat.

Mark Your Calendar

Come enjoy the many vendors at the upcoming Lafayette Art & Wine Festival to be held Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th. There will be something for everyone.

Save the date for the Lafayette Reservoir Run to be held Sunday, October 25th. To sign up or for more details, visit www. lafayettechamber.org/events/reservoir-run.

Lafayette Garden Club

Stefani Bittner of Homestead Design Collective will speak at the next Lafayette Garden Club (LGC) meeting and program. Stefani present a timely topic, “The Low Water Edible Garden.” Don’t miss her presentation at LGC’s first yearly meeting in September at the beautiful Lafayette Veteran’s Hall located at 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Guests are welcome!

The event takes place on September 10th. Arrive at 9:30am for coffee and the program and meeting will be held from 10am-noon.

For questions email cpoetzsch@gmail.com.

Montelindo Garden Club

The Montelindo Garden Club will hold its next meeting (third Friday, September thru May) on Friday, September 18th at 9am at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 66 St. Stephens Drive in Orinda. Visitors are welcome.

The topic for September’s meeting is Mediterranean Mounds, and the speaker is Jeff Rosendale who will explain how to create elevation changes in a flat garden and make it all look natural. Rosendale and his wife are owners of Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens in Watsonville.

Learn more about Jeff Rosendale by visiting www.sierraazul.com.

Contact Sophia Omania with any questions at (925) 682-6828 or smomania@gmail.com.

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Boulevard View

By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

Within six days, all seven of our foster kittens were adopted to wonderful forever homes! They stayed with us for a month while we bottle fed them and socialized them with adults, children, and dogs.

I think we gave them a good start to their lives, and I hope they enrich the lives of the families who have taken them in.

I turned my energies away from kittens to planning a neighborhood block party. I used the National Night Out event as one of the motivating factors for setting a date and making the event happen. I made the party a casual affair in our front yard. A front yard gathering was perfect for the neighborhood event. Heck, I didn’t even have to clean my house for guests!

Both my husband and I come from large families, and participation of all ages in events such as a block party is important to me. I assembled some oversized games that appeal to all ages including Jenga, KerPlunk, and Ladder Ball. My children had played an oversized Jenga game at a venue in Monterey and wanted to recreate it. Instead of a normal Jenga piece which measure approximately 1/2”x1”x3” these pieces measured 2”x4”x10 1/2”. The larger version can be purchased from various vendors on the internet, or you can make your own from some large 2x4s. Just be careful when the tower topples as you don’t want these jumbo pieces landing on your toes!

The life-sized KerPlunk game was based on a game I owned as a kid. It was first marketed in 1967 and had a plastic tube, some pick-up sticks, and marbles. I modified the game to use wire caging, bamboo garden stakes, and plastic balls like the type found at the McDonald’s Saturday, Saturday, September September 19th 19th 10-7 10-7 PM PM Sunday, Sunday, September September 20th 20th 10-6 10-6 PM PM Downtown Lafayette Saturday, September 19th 10-7 PM Sunday, September 20th 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette Downtown Lafayette

al 0th a 2 annnnnnuuuaall 20th a 20th

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 3 play spaces. The games provided great ice breakers to getting the families involved and interacting with each other.

Our street consists of slightly over 20 homes, and more than 2/3 of the families came. It surprised me how many people on our small street didn’t know each other.

Some residents have lived on our street since the mid-50’s when the neighborhood was built, and some were newcomers.

The gathering provided a great opportunity to make new connections and reinforce neighborly bonds. In addition to having the party, I had also been working on updating our neighborhood map. Years ago I had put together a neighborhood map with the name of the families in each home and their contact information.

The map is something that newcomers would receive, and they provided a way for people on our street to get ahold of each other - I used mine the other day when I saw some roaming dogs that I believed were my neighbors, and I was able to contact them and get the dogs home.

Prior to the party I sent out a questionnaire to get everyone’s information updated, and I passed out the new maps as people arrived at the party. The maps provided another great way to connect and visualize where each family that attended lived, and they also brought job offers for some of the neighborhood kids who offered pet care and babysitting services.

I believe community bonds and knowing your neighbor are important.

Our party reinforced that notion and has motivated all that attended to make these gatherings a more frequent occurrence.

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Sustainable Sunday

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2nd Annual Fundraiser for Sustainable Lafayette

October 4, 2-5 p.m.

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•• THE THE SUN SUN KINGS KINGS • FOREVERLAND • THE SPAZMATICS • THE BIG JANGLE • ••• EAST MUDD BAY •• OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY •• JUICE THE SUN • THE SPAZMATICS • THE BIG JANGLE EAST BAY BAYKINGS MUDD •• FOREVERLAND BAY BRIDGE BRIDGE BEAT BEAT OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY JUICE ••• •• BOB ATHAYDE & RED STARS •• AJA CHICAGO • EAST BAY MUDD • BAY••BRIDGE BEATALL • OTHER MONEY • JUICE • •• BOB ATHAYDE & FRIENDS FRIENDS RED HOUSE HOUSE ALL STARSPEOPLE’S AJA VU/STEALIN VU/STEALIN CHICAGO •• EVOLUTION • ZOO STATION • DAVID MARTIN’S HOUSE PARTY • • BOB ATHAYDE & FRIENDS • RED HOUSE ALL STARS • AJA VU/STEALIN CHICAGO • EVOLUTION • ZOO STATION • DAVID MARTIN’S HOUSE PARTY • •• ECHO •• DAVE CRIMMONS BAND •• PARTY • • EVOLUTION • ZOOTRAIL STATION • DAVID MARTIN’S HOUSE ECHO TRAIL DAVE CRIMMONS BAND • Presenting ECHO TRAIL • Festival DAVESponsor CRIMMONS BAND • Presenting Sponsor Sponsor Festival Sponsor Festival Sponsor Presenting Sponsor

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Photo by Craig Isaacs

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Silent Auction Tickets: $75 per person $575 for a table of 8 Details at SustainableLafayette.org

Page 4 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Lafayette Community Garden Classes

The Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center invites you to attend another great class, Gardening All Year: Prepping Your Garden for Fall. A special bonus will be beginners’ lessons on seed saving.

The class will take place on September 13 from 3:00-4:30PM at 3932 Mount Diablo Blvd, across from and just west of the Lafayette Reservoir.

While the harvest season draws to a close, the bounty of another growing season will be celebrated. One of the many benefits of the Lafayette climate is being able to garden year-round. Fall and winter is still a great time to grow edibles and imporve your landscape.

This class will go over a variety of techniques to help the transition to your fall garden: seed saving, crop rotation, soil amending, cool-weather edible crops, sheet mulching, and planting natives.

Lori Caldwell, AKA CompostGal, teaches sustainable gardening classes throughout the Bay Area. She also provides on-site composting consultation and management for businesses and homeowners interested in sheet mulching/ lawn conversion projects.

To practice techniques of seed saving, please bring seed heads, pods, fruit, etc. to prepare and trade with others for a simple seed swap.

In the interest of diversity, please bring only heirloom and/or open pollinated seed varieties.

Register by visiting lafayettecommunitygarden.org/classes-and-events.

Classes at the Garden are free, but a $5 donation to support educational programs is appreciated.

For further information about this or other events and activities, visit www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org.

Walnut Creek Garden Club

The Walnut Creek Garden Club (WCGC) will hold its general meeting on Monday, September 14 at 9:30AM at the Gardens at Heather Farm, located at 1540 Marchbanks Road in Walnut Creek.

The topic of the program is Pollution Prevention. Kit Ohlman from the Contra Costa Sanitary District will talk about what goes down our drains that can eventually hurt our environment.

A business meeting will be held at 9:30AM followed by social time from 10:30-11AM, and a program from 11-noon.

All are invited to attend a meeting and consider being a member. You do not need to be a gardener to join the WCGC. For more information, e-mail mslittle44@gmail.com.

Volunteer with AARP Tax-Aide for 2016 Tax Season

Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers?

Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages.

Tax-Aide volunteer positions include Tax Counselors who are trained by TaxAide and certified by IRS and Client Facilitators who schedule appointment and assist clients at tax sites. Orientation is in November 2015, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2016. Service is from February through April 15, 2016.

If interested, apply online at www.aarp.org/taxvolunteer or call LaVerne Gordon at (925) 726-3199 for additional information and to apply.

Lost Dog!

$50 REWARD

If you find him and your name is drawn!

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

Lafayette Luther is Missing He has become lost in this paper.

Send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address to:

Lost Dog! Lafayette Today, 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507

Roy Erickson is our winner!

Luther was hiding on page 15 last month!

Sons in Retirement

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Las Trampas Branch 116

Sons in Retirement Las Trampas Branch 116 welcomes guests to socialize with us at our monthly luncheon beginning at 11 am on Monday, September, 21st at the Gopher/Mole Removal Walnut Creek Elks Lodge located No Poison at 1475 Creekside Dr. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Michael Bar925-765-4209 rington, a former Missionary in Nigeria where he lived for 10 years, both during and following a bloody civil war. He will be discussing humanitarian efforts to save millions that were subjected to genocide, starvation, and famine. Call 925-322-1160 to make lunch reservations.

If you are inclined to “wet a hook” every now-or-then and are known to swap a few fish tales, join our group of hardy and energetic sport fishermen.

The Fishing Group meets at 8:30am on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Legend Sports Bar and Grill at the Diablo Creek Golf Course located at 4050 Port Chicago Highway in Concord. At these meetings we have guest speakers from all aspects of sport fishing to inform and teach us the various methods of fishing and sportsmen-like behavior. On September 24th, we will be viewing videos of fishing techniques. For more information about the Fishing Group, contact Harry at 925-846-1760.

For additional information about all Branch 116 activities, visit our website branch116.org.

Lamorinda Branch 174

We are a social organization of retired and semi-retired men who enjoy our leisure time with friends and activities. Our activities are golf, bowling, bocce ball, table pool, travel, fishing, computers and technology, bridge, poker, pinochle, investing, wine tasting, walking, astronomy, stamp collecting, etc. We meet for lunch at 11am the second Wednesday monthly at Holy Trinity Culture Center 1700 School Street, Moraga. For attendance and membership info, call Tyler at (925) 284-5561.

For more information about our group, visit www.branch174.sirinc2.org.

An Evening with the Stars

By Jim Scala

Drive up Mt. Diablo on September 19th, and arrive at the lower summit parking lot by about 6PM for an inspiring evening with the stars. The program will begin at 6:30PM. You’ll see the universe as never before. Members of the Mt. Diablo Astronomical society (MDAS) will be standing by their telescopes to show you celestial objects. The views will capture your imagination, and the night sky will never be the same again. Every visitor says, “Wow!” many times during a viewing.

Astronomy is called the “gateway science” because many scientists, engineers, and medical doctors say their scientific curiosity was sparked and nurtured by looking through an amateur’s telescope. MDAS’s main mission is outreach. Any member will say, “We like to show everyone what’s out there.”

The programs for 2015 are outstanding. They will inspire anyone and cause many young people to think about science.

By about 10PM you’ll leave on an escorted drive down the mountain with much to discuss. Return on one or all of the dates shown below for more inspiring evenings.

September 19, 6:30PM ~ Moon: Earth’s Lost Rock ~ How would Earth be different without the Moon? How is our Earth like our Moon? Explore the surface of the Moon in telescopes. You’ll be ready for the eclipse of September 27th.

October 17, 6PM ~ Search for Alien Worlds ~ What will the first alien life we discover likely look like? Explore where weird life exists on Earth. What does that tell us about life elsewhere in the galaxy? Which stars have planets where life might exist?

For more information, visit www.mdas.net. Click on “Public Program” for a link to the 2015 Event Calendar and also a link for directions to Mt. Diablo and the Lower Summit Parking Lot. Plan to enter the park before sunset, and allow 30 minutes for the drive to the lower summit lot. Better yet, arrive early, bring a sandwich, and watch astronomers set up telescopes. Even that will be a learning experience.

Lamorinda Peace and Justice

The Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7 – 9PM in the Fireside Room of Lafayette Methodist Church, 955 Moraga Road, Lafayette. We are committed to working to support a healthy planet, a thriving local community, and a safe, equitable world for all. For information, call (925) 946-0563.

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AAUW-OML Teaches College Women to Negotiate Starting Salaries with $tart $mart Workshops

As the American Association of University Women Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette Branch (AAUW-OML) kicks off another year of new monthly programs at their annual September Showcase meeting in Moraga, the Branch adds new priorities to their long standing efforts to empower local college, high school, and middle school girls. Lamorinda members of AAUW have worked for years to provide both college and Tech Trek science camp scholarships, mentor girls through their Sister-to-Sister project, tutor elementary school students, and staff the school library at Burckhalter School in Oakland.

AAUW’s newest goals include teaching college women salary negotiation through their $tart $mart workshop.

College women entering the job market need the confidence, knowledge, and skills required to negotiate their starting salaries and benefits. $tart $mart teaches them to do just that.

AAUW also offers many interest groups and social opportunities, in addition to supporting education based projects. Visit the September Showcase meeting to learn about these programs and the many facets of Branch membership: gourmet groups; bridge, travel and movie groups; book and world affair discussion groups; golf, cycling, and tennis groups; and more.

AAUW’s September Showcase, which is open to the public, will be held September 15 at the Holy Trinity Serbian Cultural Center, 1700 School Street in Moraga. Coffee will be served at 9:30, and the program begins at 10AM. For membership information, visit the Branch website at http://oml-ca.aauw.net.

DogFest is Coming

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 5

AT MERRILL GARDENS

Life Gets Bigger

At Merrill Gardens, life gets bigger – not smaller. It’s about possibilities – not limitations.

It’s about having more time for yourself – and more freedom and flexibility to do things you enjoy.

The East Bay Miracles Chapter of Canine Companions is an enthusiastic group of volunteer puppy raisers, breeder caretakers, graduate teams, and other volunteers from the area. The mission of Canine Companions is to provide free of charge assistance dogs to disabled people including adults, veterans, and children. They also provide service dogs to Ask about our Summer facilities such as hospitals, schools, and court houses.

Sizzle Special, which On October 3rd from 9AM to 1PM the group will hold includes $500 towards their second annual DogFest at Oak Hill Park, located at 3005 Stone Valley Road in Danville. The event will include moving costs.* a pancake breakfast, a short walk, dog demonstrations and games, a raffle, silent auction, live music, activities for kids, and TONS of fun for all family members including friendly (925) 854-1858 dogs. You don’t have to register ahead, but registration 1010 Second Street is encouraged. Get involved by sponsoring a walker or a Lafayette, CA 94549 team of walkers, donate to the event, or become a sponsor!

Lic #079200358 *Call for details. merrillgardens.com Free registration and more information is at www.cci.org/ dogfesteastbay. Come join the fun and support a great cause.

Canine Companions for Independence provides highly Retirement Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care trained assis081815l_Lafayette_LafToday_Life_Bigger_CMYK_U_A.indd 1 8/18/15 4:36 PM tance dogs to children and adults with disabilities.

Established in 1975, Canine Com- Meals on Wheels Seniors in our community need your support! Meals on Wheels panions has six regional training centers across the country. Canine and Senior Outreach Services have been supporting seniors in YOUR Companions is recognized world- neighborhood since 1968. Two of the programs, Meals on Wheels wide for the excellence of its dogs and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers, and we need and the quality and longevity of your help now more than ever. the matches it makes between dogs Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homeand people. There is no charge for bound seniors through regular two hour shifts once per week or the dog, its training, and ongoing as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly follow-up services. For more infor- one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for mation, visit cci.org or call 1-800- either program, please call (925) 937-8311.

572-BARK.

Page 6 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

The Bookworm

By Joan Stevenson

September – the end of summer and the start of everything else – and that includes the traffic on Moraga Road. For me, September is a kick start, a time to try something new and different.

So, in case you are in the same frame of mind, I have some fresh ideas brought to you by Lafayette Library and Learning Center.

If you have ever given any thoughts to volunteering at the library, here is a meeting you will not want to miss. A Volunteer Information Session will be held on Saturday, September 26 from 10-11AM at the library. The idea is to introduce you to the variety of opportunities that might meet your interest. The session will cover how the library is organized. There are three separate entities: the Library, the Foundation, and the Friends. They each have unique responsibilities, and for a volunteer, this presents a wide variety of opportunities. Come to the session and learn where your unique talents, interests, and experiences might fit.

Volunteering is one of the best ways to make a difference in your community.

Furthermore, here is how your gift of time translates monetarily – a study by AARP found that hourly value of volunteer time in California is worth $23.43!

Make a difference, meet people, and gain new skills. A whole new experience awaits you!

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Fall Info session will be held on September 10 from 3:30-5PM in the Community Hall. OLLI will offer four courses in Lafayette this fall and 27 courses in Berkeley. Meet Lafayette faculty and OLLI members, and hear about topics that are on the program. The session will begin with a talk by tech law attorney (and OLLI instructor) Eric Sinrod on “Privacy Lost in the High-Tech World.” This free preview of the fall classes is open to the public, and no advance registration is required.

On September 14 at 6:30PM in the Homework Center, the Learn to Knit and Crochet group begins their seven week workshop. The program is sponsored by the Needle Arts Mentoring Program (a project of the Helping Hands Foundation, Inc.) of the National NeedleArts Association, and it is intended

www.yourmonthlypaper.com for young people ages 8-18 wanting to learn the art of knitting and crocheting.

Adults who wish to learn are welcome, but supplied materials may be limited.

What a great way to get a start on holiday gifts!

I am a big fan of the WOW (Wonders of the World) programs, and I am not alone. Last month a docent from the deYoung museum held 175 of us fascinated with her lecture on the museum’s current exhibit of the paintings of J.M.V. Turner. This month on September 16 at 2PM we will be introduced to works from the Napa Valley Museum which is situated on the beautiful grounds of the California State Veterans Home in Yountville. Join us in learning about this gem located a hop, skip, and a jump away!

The third annual Battle of the Bands is in the wings or, perhaps, in the garage warming up! Most important is the date of the event which is Saturday, November 7 from 5-8PM. Anyone aged 12-18 and who is in a band can audition.

Bands must send a link their audition video to pbrogan@ccclib.org and must provide the following: the name of the band/performer, the names and ages of all members, a brief description of the band to be used on the event program, and a name, phone number, and email where the contestants can be reached. Radio station Live 105 made an appearance last year and will return this year.

Do names like Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice bring a smile to your face? In a featured event on Thursday, October 1st at 7PM nostalgia will fill the room when Dave Newhouse, author of Founding 49ers: The Dark Days Before the Dynasty speaks. The team’s greatness came 35 years after the franchise began in 1946. During those years, they achieved no conference or league titles, even though they produced eight Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, broke down racial barriers, and turned San Francisco into a major-league city. For information on reservations, visit www.tinyurl.com/DaveNewhouse.

The next best thing to having Pete Seeger sing “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” to us is having Tim Holt visit on Thursday, September 10th at 6:30PM with his one-man performances. Tim will tell Pete’s life story with songs from the various chapters in his life. Of course, the audience will be encouraged to join in on songs like “If I Had Hammer,” “We Shall Overcome,” “Union Maid,” and “This Land.” I don’t think it will take much urging to participate!

Pete Seeger once said, “I keep reminding people that an editorial in rhyme is not a song. A good song makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you think.”

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School Salaries and Smog Control Were Hot Topics in the Mid-Sixties

By Ruth Bailey, for the Lafayette Historical Society

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 7

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

Lafayette - According to industry ex- sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers It’s Back-to-School season and we have a relevant perts, there are over 33 physical prob- away altogether. In most cases, you can item from the May 28, 1965, Lafayette Sun: lems that will come under scrutiny during make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself The headline read, “Teachers Given $450 Annual a home inspection when your home is if you know what you're looking for, and Salary Boost.” [Or a tidy $37.50 a month!] for sale. A new report has been prepared knowing what you're looking for can help “Teachers in the Lafayette School District were which identifies the 11 most common you prevent little problems from growing given a 5.8 percent increase over last year’s salary by of these problems, and what you should into costly and unmanageable ones. the board of trustees. The new salary schedule calls know about them before you list your home To help home sellers deal with this issue for $450 more annually across the board for certified for sale. before their homes are listed, a free report teachers. The range is from $5,600 to $10,500 at 12 Whether you own an old home or a brand entitled "11 Things You Need to Know to steps and 60 units above a bachelor’s degree.” That was new one, there are a number of things Pass Your Home Inspection" has been the good news. that can fall short of requirements during a compiled which explains the issues involved.

Now for the bad. The July 16th issue of the paper home inspection. If not identified and dealt To hear a brief recorded message about reported, “Contra Costa Ranks 1st in ‘Bad Air’ Emission” with, any of these 11 items could cost you how to order your FREE copy of this report, “Over 3,000 tons of pollutants are being removed dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's call toll-free 1-866-265-1682 and enter daily from the Bay Area’s atmosphere under present critical that you read this report before 2003. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, anti-smog regulations, according to the Bay Area you list your home. If you wait until the 7 days a week.

Pollution Control District. Without the controls, some building inspector flags these issues for Get your free special report NOW to learn 12,800 tons of pollutants would be discharged into you, you will almost certainly experience how to ensure a home inspection doesn't the air daily. With them, 9,800 tons are emitted daily. costly delays in the close of your home cost you the sale of your home.

Nearly two-thirds, 8,400*, are from autos, trucks, and This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors CalBRE #01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2015 buses, which are under the state’s auto smog control program.” [*Way back when I went to school, 8,400 was substantially greater than “nearly two-thirds of 9,800”—just sayin’] “Stationary sources in the six counties over which the district has jurisdiction now contribute some 3,400 tons of pollutants daily, of which 1,700 tons are controllable by imposing new regulations or by tightening up present regulations.

“Of the 1,700 tons for which control is now impractical, a portion could be controlled but only through major changes in our industrial operations, such as requiring the use of water-based paints, or in our daily living, such as converting all gas stoves, water heaters, and heating systems to electricity.

“Expense is prohibitive for another portion, and some emissions, such as nitrogen oxides, simply cannot be controlled now, as no practical control equipment has been developed. Contra Costa County ranked first in the district in terms of the amounts of pollutants produced, with a daily emission of 727 tons. Industrial sources accounted for 81 percent of the county’s total.

“The report stressed that by phasing the district’s control program with that of the state’s auto control program, the clean air levels of the early 1950’s could be reached.”

A couple of weeks later, in the July 30th issue of the Sun, there was a related story: “Smog-Free Cars Seen as New Law is Adopted. As a result of action by the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, California motorists will soon be driving virtually smog-free autos. The Board approved exhaust control systems for 1966 models manufactured by GM, Ford, American Motors, International Harvester, and Kaiser-Jeep, along with the previously-approved Chrysler ‘Cleaner Air Package.’ The exhaust controls, the result of one of the automobile industry’s most dramatic engineering crash programs [does the industry really use the term ‘crash programs’ in their business plan?], will reduce smog-forming tailpipe pollutants by approximately 70 percent, and deadly carbon monoxide by 60 percent. The MVPCB chairman said, “Worldwide benefits would result from California’s action. Nearly 1,700 tons of unburned gases would be kept from California’s atmosphere every day after only a year of the new model cars.” [And this activity and commentary were occurring well before the term “global warming” cropped up in everyday conversation.]

Finally, here’s your Bargain of the Day: In August 1965, the Army-Navy Surplus on Main Street in Walnut Creek [and don’t you miss its being there?] was selling sailor hats, “the real thing,” for 49 cents each, [something else I really miss is the cents symbol!] and “foxhole shovels” for the same price, 49 cents. Where can you get such a deal today? Not even the Dollar Store carries foxhole shovels.

Acalanes Adult Education Program

By Steven France, Director, Del Valle Education Center

The Acalanes Adult Education (AAE) program, part of the Acalanes Union High School District, has been supporting lifelong learning for 70 years. Each year, we continue to offer educational programs to a student population diverse in age, interests, and background by providing a curriculum delivered by dedicated, supportive, and highly qualified staff.

We would like to thank our community members, students, staff, District Office, and Governing Board for their support, and we are pleased to offer courses for the 2015 – 2016 Academic Year, providing “A Tradition of Educational Excellence” for all who attend. AAE continues to work with the Contra Costa County Adult Schools Consortia to improve adult education programs between the county’s community colleges and adult schools.

AAE will continue to offer online registration where students may enroll in classes and pay the course fees with Discover, Visa, or MasterCard. Be

sure to enroll early so that you reserve your space in a class that is popular or keep from being cancelled due to low enrollment.

New classes offered this year include Who-Done-It: Mysteries you have Known & Loved or Always wanted to!, Try Before You Buy! Using Different Art Materials, Indian Cooking classes, and Johannes Brahms: Romantic classicist and The Great Singers.

I am certain that you will find at least one course that peaks your interest.

For additional information on our programs, visit our website at www. acalanes.k12.ca.us/adulted/ for the most current course offerings and online registration.

With the retirement of Frank Acojido, I became the Director of the Del Valle Education Center. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Frank for his hard work and dedication to all our students and school programs, and I wish him well in his retirement.

I look forward to seeing you in our classes during the school year! We invite you to “Come Experience the Excellence!”

Page 8 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

“Lights, Camera, Action!” – Contra Costa Television

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By Candace Andersen, Supervisor, Contra Costa County, District 2

Contra Costa County is proud to say that we offer a 24-hour live television channel to our constituents.

Contra Costa Television (CCTV) is your all-access pass to the functions and proceedings of the County, as well as an open door to activities in many of our cities and communities. It also brings wonderful programs to watch into your home. CCTV is the flagship channel of Contra Costa County’s cable television programming.

Among their most popular shows is Veterans’ Voices, a monthly, live, call-in talk show focusing on the issues veterans face as they transition back to civilian life. You can watch online, or during rebroadcasts Saturdays at 9am, Mondays at 7pm and Wednesdays at 11pm. To learn more, visit the County website at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/142/Contra-Costa-Television-CCTV and click “Veteran’s Voices.”

Ever wondered what the Board of Supervisors is up to? You can watch our weekly Tuesday morning meetings live on the CCTV website or via many television providers. Follow along by downloading the meeting agenda on the website as well. Missed a meeting? Catch up by watching the recorded videos on the Board’s website. For the full television experience, CCTV is available to subscribers of AT&T Uverse on Channel 99. Comcast subscribers can watch CCTV on Channel 27 and for Astound customers, CCTV is Channel 32.

CCTV also provides support for other local, community-produced television.

Are you looking for a community show that is no longer being aired? Drop a note to CCTV@contracostatv.org, and they may be able to help you find your show. If you have an idea for a new show, contact them at the same address, and they’ll consider your idea. If you love one of their programs and would like a DVD, most programs are available for purchase for $15. Fill out a DVD Duplication Request online and mail your check to CCTV, 10 Douglas Dr., Suite 210, Martinez, Ca. 94553.

If you have the “broadcasting bug” and would like to improve your skills, CCTV is open to creating high school and college internship opportunities. Interns take on a variety of tasks, including tape logging, duplication, organization, and data entry. Depending on experience, camera work, production, graphics, and editing tasks are a possibility. On their website, check out the “Internship” tab for more information. CCTV’s website is contracostatv.org. They can also be reached at 925-313-1182. Production Manager Chris Verdugo can be reached directly at chris. verdugo@contracostatv.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.

Special thanks to summer intern Peter Hutchinson for his contributions to this article.

Local Quilters Exhibiting at Quilt Show

Members of the Diablo Valley Quilt Guild (DVQ) will be exhibiting their quilts at the Tice Valley Community Gym in Walnut Creek.

The show will also feature a special exhibit of 30 quilts from nationally known, award winning, quilt artists and sisters, Jean Renli Jurgensen of Walnut Creek and Aileyn Renli Ecob of Rossmoor.

More than 230 quilts from DVQ members will be on display representing all variations of today’s quilting world--traditional and contemporary interpretations of traditional quilting, plus innovative art quilts and modern quilts with bold colors and graphic designs. Today’s quilts are as likely to be appreciated as art for our walls as they are as covers for our beds.

In addition there will be 15 vendors, a guild sponsored boutique, and free demonstrations.

The show will be held Saturday, September 19th from 10am to 4pm and Sunday, September 20th, 10am to 4pm at the Tice Valley Community Gym located at 2055 Tice Valley in Bloom, an original art quilt Blvd., Walnut Creek. Admission good for both Tulips

by Barbara Mahan of Danville, will days is $10. For more information, visit www. be one of the many quilts on exhibit at the Diablo Valley Quilt Show. diablovalleyquilters.com.

Come see our wide selection of Back to School Lunch Supplies!

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September is California Wine Month

By Monica Chappell

It is time once again for California Wine Month. Though Californians tend to celebrate local wines year-round, Governor Brown has declared September to be wine month. In his proclamation, the governor cites the many great things the wine industry brings to California, from the beauty of wine regions, the jobs created and revenue generated, to the industry’s commitment to sustainability. September is also a great time to plan a visit to California Wine Country. To help, we’ve highlighted a few special places around California, vineyards and wineries that have helped to define our legacy as one of the world’s great places to make wine. Go out and discover something new!

September 11 – 13 - Lake Tahoe/Northstar Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival September 22nd - San Francisco/Ferry Building California Wines Road Trip September 29-30 - Sonoma The Sonoma Valley CRUSH September 29 – Oakland/ Urban Legend Cellars Sip, Stomp and Play The range and diversity of California wine today is unprecedented.

There’s a whole month’s worth of special events and celebrations waiting for you. For a full list of events around the state visit www. discovercaliforniawines.com.

Monica Chappell, wine writer and educator, teaches wine appreciation classes in Lafayette. For a class schedule email wineappreciation101@gmail.com.

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What is Mental Toughness Training, and How Might it Help my Teen?

By Sheryl Kline, M.A.

Have you ever seen your teenager’s performance suffer during competitive situations? Thoughts and emotions are powerful and can get in the way of high performance. This is unfortunate considering the time, money, and effort that go into preparing for competition. Mental Toughness Training does not guarantee the outcome of an event. It does assist with the planning process of your teen’s development as well as with helping to manage their mind when it matters most, especially during high-pressure situations.

My philosophy is simple. Lay the foundation and learn the Mental Toughness Training skills now BEFORE a problem arises, so teens can stay on track to their potential. What and how you think can empower or limit progress and performance. Understanding the four core components of the curriculum is the first step. Then, it’s time to plan out how these new skills can help with the client’s motivation, confidence, and overall development.

The goal is to help teens prepare as efficiently as possible and to be able to perform to the best of their ability on game day.

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 9 in college in some capacity (Division 1, 2 or 3 or at the club level). Others are playing at the high school or club level and have no intention of playing in college. Many clients use my curriculum to help with their academics as well, such as managing test taking anxiety.

Who sees the most improvement?

The best candidates are teens 14-18 who love their sport, are doing pretty well, but have some non-tangible challenges, such as lack of confidence, low resiliency, issues with emotional control, and lack of motivation that are holding them back. The kids that see the most improvement are not necessarily the most talented but are the teens who are willing to do what it takes to get better. They keep their eye on their long-term dream and put in the day-to-day effort, even when it’s not fun.

I am passionate about teaching teens how to think like an elite athlete, so they can perform like a champion, especially during competitive or highly stressful situations. The curriculum and programming of Mental Toughness Training can apply to teams and individual athletes as well as for competitive academic situations.

For a free library of resources, please visit my Facebook page at www.

Facebook.com/SherylKlineMA. Testimonials from clients and coaches can be found at www.SherylKline.com/#!testimonials/cfvg. View my website at www.SherylKline.com or email Sheryl@SherylKline.com. You can also reach me by phone at 925-285-0526.

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Why do parents seek mental toughness training for their teen?

There are two main reasons that parents feel Mental Toughness Training may be helpful for their teen athlete. First, as a preventative measure, kids can learn how to set effective goals, prepare to perform their best at upcoming tryouts, or competitions and have someone to be accountable to. Secondly, I hear from parents of teens who practice well but play tentatively or lack confidence when it comes time to compete. In other words, competitive situations do not showcase their true ability.

What is a typical client like?

Some teens are playing their sport in high school and are looking to play

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Page 10 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Lafayette Going High-Tech

NEED SOME EXTRA SPENDING MONEY OR A MORE FUN JOB? HERE IS AN IDEA.

By Erin Martin, Village Associates Real Estate

There is no question that my three children provide me with tech support and know more about iPhones, apps, and cool new technology than I do, but what I do know is there is a growing trend in the San Francisco commercial real estate market that bodes well for Lamorinda long-term home values. The high-tech boom over WORK WHERE YOU SHOP! the last three decades has primarily benefitted home values in the Silicon Valley and surrounding South Bay areas and has eluded Lamorinda because of the long commutes down to the Peninsula. In recent years, this situation has begun to change with many big name technology firms deciding to headquarter in, or open offices in, & San Francisco. It is quickly becoming in vogue for these firms to move north along Highway 101 or 280.

These companies value San Francisco whether it be because it is culturally rich, centrally located, temperate, or just a really cool place to work. This trend puts Lamorinda in reach to all technology employees that now work in San Francisco and are looking for great schools, walkability, and public transportation - not to mention all of our great new restaurants and food shopping options.

Close to home, To name a few high-tech companies, Twitter, Saleforce, Spotify, Dropbox, Airbnb, Square, Uber, and Friendly atmosphere, Zendesk are all headquartered in San Francisco, and Google and Apple have both recently added sizable Short commute, Flexible hours, office space in the City. Google recently announced that it purchased a building along San Francisco’s Employee discount, Free Parking, waterfront and is leasing 250,000 square feet at One Market Office Plaza. LinkedIn is building a 26 story No nights, Paid time off policy headquarter building on Second Street that will house 2,500 workers, and Salesforce is building what will be APPLY IN PERSON AT the tallest building in San Francisco that will be over 714,000 square feet. According to CNET, since 2010, 31% of the jobs created in San Francisco are in the tech industry. I have seen this trend first hand as many DAVID M. BRIAN OR McCAULOU’S McCaulou’s are located in of my clients work at these firms mentioned above.

Lafayette  Moraga  Danville  Montclair Orinda  Countrywood  Clayton Rd. This shift is nothing but good news for the long term impact on Lafayette real estate. Many of my buyers David M. Brian is located in ask if the market is going to calm down and if it will become less competitive to buy a home in Lafayette in Walnut Creek, Broadway Plaza & Danville, The Livery the near future. If this trend continues, there will only be more buyers out there looking to call Lafayette home.

Please feel free to call or email me with your real estate questions or for a free home evaluation. I can be reached at (925) 951-3817 or by email at Advertorial erin@erinmartinhomes.com.

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Cinema Classics and Musical Notes The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

By Peggy Horn

Handmade puppets introduced themselves via ventriloquism on the first day of Shakespeare For Kids Camp. By the conclusion of the camp, these young people staged a Tudor Faire, had a feast, and memorized scenes from ten Shakespearean plays for their families. Next year’s camp runs July 11-22. To learn more, visit shakespeareforkids.us.

Happy 107th Birthday Ruth Bancroft!

By Jody Morgan

Ruth Bancroft has inspired gardeners across the world through her willingness to share the remarkable landscape of drought-tolerant plants she began creating at the age of 64 as the first Partner Garden in the Garden Conservancy. Although she hated being pointed out as a tourist attraction by strangers spying her at work, Ruth tolerated the task of piloting the program that not only preserves exceptional gardens like her own for future generations, but also Ruth Bancroft prepares materials for the seashell shadow box class she invites inspection of countless private horticultural taught in April 2014 at the age of havens across the United States through the Garden 105. (photo courtesy of RBG) Conservancy’s Open Days Program.

Before collecting succulents, Ruth amassed an amazing display of heirloom iris. She also became devoted to gathering seashells, taking her children with her at whatever time of day the tide was right for finding the best specimens.

Will she live to see ground broken for the Ruth Bancroft Garden Visitors Center? Hopefully yes, given generous friends like the Erik E. and Edith H. Bergstrom Foundation celebrating Ruth’s 107th birthday by offering a challengegrant of $25,000 needing to be matched by September 15th to jump-start the campaign. Visit www.ruthbancroftgarden.org to learn more.

This month’s recommendation is The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit from 1956, starring Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, and Fredric March. It was based on a novel of the same name, written by Sloan Wilson (1955), and both the novel and the film were hugely popular.

The film is meant to take place in the mid-1950’s, in post war America. This was a period of intense financial growth for this country, and Tom Rath, played by Gregory Peck, is part of the struggle to make America great. His wife, Betsy, played by Jennifer Jones, is supportive and has good instincts about what is right and wrong. The United States was headed in a new direction with a natural set of consequences both good and bad. In this movie Tom and Betsy Rath have the opportunity to analyze and participate in some of the issues of the day and approach them with an admirable amount of honesty and tolerance. In one important scene, Tom, Rath’s boss, Mr. Hopkins (Fredric March), urges Tom to spend lots of time with his family, stressing the importance of good family relationships. Sadly, Mr. Hopkins relates that his own family had suffered from his frequent absences as he built up the business. Many men have achieved their success while their families waited at home. Captain Cook, for instance, was gone for years while he mapped and explored in the Pacific. American pioneers like Daniel Boone and Davy Crocket were away from their families for months while they discovered routes that later travelers would use. Apparently some men are destined to devote themselves to business, and in fact, the business enterprise typically requires constant nurturing.

Other men regard their work as secondary to the family responsibility. In this movie, one of the two types of men makes a decision about which type he will be.

This is a good and thought-provoking movie with an inspirational ending. It is enjoyable to see the characters dressed in beautiful, stylish clothes, even just to stay at home. As with most fine films, repeated viewings are worthwhile – see for yourself.

Musical Notes

Because the movie this month takes place in the fifties, I am reminded of the particularly fashionable and elegant, Frank Sinatra, who was “the mostest.”

I could recommend many of his songs, but one seems especially appropriate: “Come Fly With Me.” It was released in album form in 1958 and was written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen.

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Walking the Deck and Reservoir

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 11

By Jim Scala

Reflections on a long cruise. After leaving Northern Russia we visited Norwegian fjords before arriving in Bergan, Norway. Then, after a stop in Dover, we entered the Baltic Sea. There we visited Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and St. Petersburg, and then we flew home from Stockholm.

From the ship’s deck, the long Garinger fjord is breathtaking. At one point I counted twelve waterfalls cascading down the steep, lush green cliffs. Later, standing on the cliff, looking down on the fjord’s clear blue water was even more inspiring.

Old St. Petersburg, Russia was designed to eclipse Venice and Amsterdam. It’s beauty is best seen from its river and canals. From there its many buildings with spectacular facades and statuary seem everywhere, and at least one golden dome and ornate tower is part of every view. And each bridge is a functional work of art. In contrast to the old St. Petersburg, outside the city center are the high, large, concrete apartment buildings seemingly everywhere with more under construction. I got one store clerk to smile when I purchased a T-shirt emblazoned with Vladimir Putin’s picture.

Scandinavian cities are in stark contrast. The commercial buildings are modern, and apartment buildings are cheerful and architecturally interesting. Private homes are brightly painted, well-kept, and clean.

Scandinavians always smile and say, “Hello.”

In Oslo, the Kon Tiki museum displays Thor Heyerdahl’s equipment he used in 1947 to prove that South American natives had crossed the Pacific. Since then, scientists found that DNA analysis proves he was as least partially correct. I marveled at man’s willingness to go against all odds.

Meditation in motion. The exercise equivalent of three Res-walks weekly can do much for our mental health and self-image. It’s all about the endorphins our brains produce when exercise is sufficient and long enough. As we get older, a good 40-minute, non-stop walk A General Landscaping Contractor is enough. And the research indicates a natural setting helps the mind.

Locally Owned and Operated Shedding tensions through that activity increases energy and Lic. #938445 optimism, and helps an older person achieve a calm, clear outlook and focus better. Experts say it’s as if they’ve gone through “meditation in motion.” If this seems a little complex, think it over as you walk.

A walk after 45 days away. When I returned home and went to the reservoir, it looked beautiful even though the water’s six-feet below normal. At 8:45am I parked by the center bench where Ying and Nora were already waiting. By 9am we had 13 walkers and five Visit Our Website carrying yoga mats. I enjoyed seeing friends and talking about places we visited above the Arctic Circle.

Birds were noticeably absent. There were no egrets, pelicans, or geese, and even the few crows seemed quiet. It illustrated once again that this drought is toughest on the birds. We saw several redheaded, white throated Acorn Woodpeckers.

On the stage we did yoga against a cacophony of kid’s voices from the Roughing It Day Camp. In our Savasana, the Corpse Pose, I dosed off in spite of the chorus.

Save the Vino. Gladys and Onsi presented me with a bottle of their 2014 Cabernet Franc to welcome me back. Their label pays tribute to their daughter’s work in Africa to save the rhinos. Both vintners are senior Res-walkers and active in our yoga session.

An author walks the reservoir. After her early morning walk with Angel, a border collie, Jil Plummer is home working on her current manuscript.

It’s about a Lafayette lady who, as a young girl, escaped the terrible Cambodian death camps. Jil brings out how people can fight against terrible odds and win. It’s consistent with her two novels that explore the human spirit by placing people in difficult, seemingly impossible circumstances.

She set Caravan to Armageddon in 2030 after a terrible pandemic. It takes us on a mission that pits seekers of truth against people who want it suppressed if not destroyed. While Jil brings out the character’s flaws, she helps us see and understand the human spirit more clearly. Her second novel, Amber Dust, shows us how memory freezes the dead in immortal perfection while the living remain flawed. Jil’s readers see people as they are and understand typical human weaknesses.

Insomniacs consider this. A Northwestern University Medical group reported that after 16 weeks of the exercise equivalent to walking the reservoir five times weekly, insomniacs slept longer and deeper. Insomniacs are neurologically different and must keep up this exercise program for the results to last.

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Page 12 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Starting a Career? Changing Careers? Think Green!

By Sustainable Lafayette

The thriving American economy provides job seekers with freedom to consider work they consider socially relevant as well as financially viable.

Why not go green?

Clearly, the line is blurring between the economy and the green economy.

Perhaps we don’t yet think of driving a bus as a green job, but we may in the not-so-distant future. Journalist Michael Hoffman points out in his article about green careers on the www.learnhowtobecome.org website that the growing scarcity of fossil fuels and the need to stem the environmental damages caused by climate change will lead to a increase in the use of public transportation which, in turn, will mean an increased demand for bus drivers and mechanics.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) defines green jobs this way: • Jobs in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources • Jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources The Bureau of Labor Statistics produced a series of excellent articles on green careers between 2010 and 2013, but federal budget cuts forced the agency to discontinue its research and writing. To access a dozen articles, which discuss careers ranging from electric vehicles to sustainable forestry to environmental remediation to biofuels, visit www.bls.gov/green/greencareers. htm. The page contains links to articles on even more green careers.

Different green careers require vastly different educational requirements.

Some green professions might require many years of academic study leading to graduate degrees and, in some cases, post-doctoral specialized training.

But there is a growing demand for workers in sustainable construction or solar panel installation that require a minimal postsecondary education commitment, an associate degree or vocational training program. A student

www.yourmonthlypaper.com can pursue a traditional degree in engineering or architecture, for example, but can also include a specialization in green practices that will make him or her more appealing to environmentally-conscious employers.

In his online review of green careers, Hoffman divides the jobs in the following categories: renewable energy generation and efficiency, energy trading and storage, environmental protection and agriculture, green construction and m a n u f a c t u r i n g , transportation, recycling and waste reduction, government and regulatory administration, and research, design and consulting services. The types of jobs within these categories are wide-ranging – from a carpenter to a chemist within green construction, and from a financial analyst to a building inspector working for the government.

Pursuing a green career is like pursuing any other career –- a summer internship can help a person decide if this is the right path and, if so, might also help in landing a first job. Among the green Bay Area companies that hire summer interns are Tesla and URS; the Environmental Protection Agency also has internships here and in other American cities. Locally, the Rising Sun Energy Center hired young people to and trained them to perform free residential energy audits throughout the summer of 2015.

Finally, there are college- and graduate-level scholarships specifically earmarked for students interested in green careers. Corporations and foundations recognize that they need to invest in the next generation of environmental stewards.

For more ideas about how to transform your home and community into more sustainable places with enhanced quality of life of current and future residents, please visit sustainablelafayette.org.

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Festival continued from front page

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 13

Festival’s footprint, plus dozens of other food vendors offering everything from pulled pork tacos to crab cakes will be on-site.

Original Fine Art & Crafts. Artists from all over SF Bay Area will showcase their wares.

Family & Dog Friendly, including KidZone activities will delight all ages.

Location - The Festival is held in the heart of beautiful downtown Lafayette, just steps from the Lafayette BART station, near bike trails (complimentary valet bike parking provided), two blocks off Highway 24, and an easy walk/ shuttle from complimentary Festival parking.

Budget Friendly - This fundraiser supports Lafayette Chamber, local non-profits, and area schools, but attendees don’t have to spend a dime. Many things are free: music, admission, parking, shuttle service from Festival parking, and the secure bike valet.

What’s new this year? The Festival has teamed up with the Lafayette Police Department who will be hosting a regional motorcycle competition including many of the police agencies from Northern California. This two day event will be held in the South lot of the BART station.

Shaking up the Art and Wine Festival this year is the world’s largest mobile earthquake simulator. The earthquake simulator can recreate the intense shaking of an earthquake up to a magnitude of 8.0. The “Big Shaker” will be located on Mt. Diablo Blvd. near Rustic Tavern Restaurant.

Children who have never experienced an earthquake, and adults new to California, will have the opportunity to know what to expect when the big one comes. The addition to the event is sponsored by the City of Lafayette Emergency Preparedness Commission.

Hours for the festival are 10am to 7pm on Saturday, September 19 and 10am to 6pm on Sunday, September 20.

The festival is presented by Sungevity and Xfinity/Comcast and is sponsored by BMW Concord, Yelp, Diablo Foods, La Fiesta Square, Whole Foods, Chevron, Cobain Orthodontics, Lindsay Olives, The Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa, and BART.

Solutions continued from front page

“2015 is a particularly important year for Americans to get involved with climate change solutions,” says new board member Wei-Tai Kwok. “The most important U.N. climate talks in decades will take place in Paris in December, where it is expected that a new global climate agreement will be struck to supplant the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. We want to get Lamorinda citizens more involved this year in the Road to Paris. It’s very important that communities like ours help shape America’s policies on the topic.

The U.S. and China are the world’s biggest carbon polluters and other countries are looking to us for leadership.”

As global mean temperatures continue to rise and drought conditions worsen, Sustainable Lafayette seeks to encourage a communal understanding about climate change and help the community to learn what it can do to participate in solutions through sustainable living. “I’m intrigued by ‘biochar,’ a super soil amendment that combats drought, climate change, and improves your soil all at the same time,” says Kwok, who was personally trained by Al Gore and the Climate Reality Project to present Gore’s updated “Inconvenient Truth” presentation. Kwok has since made 38 climate presentations to Bay Area audiences, including Acalanes High School AP Environmental Science classes, Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, and businesses such as Twitter, Genentech and Adobe.

Biochar is essentially charred biomass that provides microscopic nooks and crannies for soil microorganisms to flourish. When mixed into the soil, it increases soil quality and the water carrying ability of the soil, resulting in less need of watering and even less need of chemical fertilizers. If a fallen tree were left to rot and decay, 100% of the CO2 it sequestered in its woody trunk during its lifetime is given back up into the atmosphere, but if it is charred as biochar, 40-50% gets sequestered for centuries to millennia.

“Biochar is a win-win-win for gardeners in Lamorinda, and I think it’s the greatest thing that nobody has ever heard of,” said Kwok. “We are hoping to get everyone in Lamorinda to use biochar in their gardens to help save water and sequester CO2 right in our own backyards.”

Sustainable Lafayette is also working with the city to explore divestiture from PG&E in what would be Lafayette’s single biggest environmental initiative ever undertaken. Joining community choice energy, such as MCE Clean Energy for example, would allow citizens greater choices in renewable-sourced energy.

To learn more about the reality of and solutions to climate change, attend Wei-Tai Kwok’s September 22nd, 7pm presentation at St. Mary’s College Soda Center, Global Warming: Why it’s Happening and Why with the Pope’s help I Think We Can Solve It. And, to learn more about Sustainable Lafayette, attend the group’s second annual fundraiser on October 4th at Metro Lafayette from 2-5pm. ‘Sustainable Sunday’ will feature organic hors d’oeuvres, Medlock Ames organic wines, and inspiring speakers who will share the many benefits of living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Early bird pricing is available; call 284-5069 for more information.

Page 14 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Tree of the Season: The Monterey Pine

By Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

The imposing Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata, perhaps the most common large landscape tree in the Bay Area, is one of the most widely-planted trees on the planet. It covers millions of acres in places as far-flung as England, Chile, and Australia. However, its native range covers just a few square miles of the California coastline, which explains why it prefers a cool, moist coastal climate with well-draining soils.

With their dense, towering canopies, dark, glossy green needles, refreshing scent, and magnificent sweep of boughs, Monterey Pines give the feeling of being in a forest. They provide habitat for many species of birds and butterflies. The beauty of these trees, combined with their immense vigor and rapid growth, appeals to landscapers who want a quick, tall screen between houses, a cool shady hillside behind their home, or an instantly woodsy subdivision.

Unfortunately, the quick hedge or woodland effect you enjoy in the first year of the tree’s life can become a major safety hazard and a source of conflict with uphill neighbors when, two decades later, the tree reaches 50-70 feet in height. The Monterey Pine’s soft, brittle wood and its shallow root system combine to make it a serious hazard during winter storms on the hilly slopes.

Away from its native habitat, it is vulnerable to root-rot diseases and, stressed by lack of water during our dry summers, it becomes prey to often fatal beetle infestations. The species is relatively short-lived, around 75 years, and its proclivity for toppling, or for shedding large branches, increases with age.

Coping with Pines

So what are we to do with these beautiful but bothersome pines that define so much of the Bay Area landscape? First of all, don’t plant any more of them unless you are willing and able to offer them ideal conditions. These include a large, level, adequately moist planting site, with porous soil, far from both houses and power lines, and with no uphill neighbors whose views your growing tree will obstruct. Monterey Pines also require regular care, including safety

Gardening with Kate

By Kathleen Guillaume

California remains brittle and dry. Driving around the other day I noticed young coast redwoods someone must have planted five or six years ago which were totally dead, brown, and surrounded by highly stressed older trees. Please, for the safety of yourself and your family, pay attention to highly stressed and sickly trees that may line your streets or are near your home.

Larger trees that are dead or sick can become deadly.

Last month two young children were killed in their campsite by a falling limb.

The time to address this is now, because if we are fortunate to have even regular rains this winter, many of these trees will be damaged enough to come down.

If you have trees that are stressed on your property, call in an arborist, have them assess the condition of the tree, and if the trees are dead or dying have them remove them or trim the damaged branches so they don’t split off during our first storm. If the trees are on a neighbor’s property and can endanger your home, pedestrians, or vehicles using your street, contact your neighbor and express your concern and follow up with a letter that gives them written verification of your conversation. If the damaged trees are along a street or boulevard which you drive frequently, contact the city or township that is responsible for that road, and deliver a written letter to the city about your concerns. Save a copy of all correspondence as it will help establish liability if someone gets grievously injured and the warnings went unheeded.

Nothing brings as much value to a property as a well-shaped, healthy and groomed tree. Some residents are lucky enough to have beautifully formed native oaks that are virtual works of art on their property or in their neighborhood. These trees can add $100,000 or more in value to your property, so they deserve your attention. This includes having an arborist prune and shape them, cutting out any damaged wood.

In this drought if you divert water to anything it should be to save the established trees on your property. Please note California native oaks do not

www.yourmonthlypaper.com thinning every few years, as well as periodic watering, aerating, and fertilizing.

If you are already living with Monterey Pines, reduce the safety risks through preventative maintenance before it’s too late. To improve drainage, invigorate your pine’s root system, and strengthen its resistance, we suggest aerating, then filling the holes with rich, porous organic matter (we use American Soil’s “Clodbuster” mix). Check your pine for infestations by looking for areas where whole branches are turning brown, as well as for small holes, tubes or splotches of pitch, or red “sawdust” droppings around the trunk and major branches.

Pruning Pines

The best time to prune any type of pine trees, and the only recommended time to prune Monterey pines, is between October 1st and February 15th. Sap from pruning cuts attracts beetles destructive to pines. These beetles are dormant during the fall and winter months. Given that the beetles can smell sap from long distances, it is important to prune your pine when they are inactive.

Not only are the beetles themselves harmful, but some species can carry pine pitch canker, a fungal disease that disfigures pine trees and sometimes kills them. If your tree has dead tips scattered throughout the canopy it probably has pine pitch canker. If you want to prolong the life of the tree, as well as its appearance, now is the best time to prune out the diseased tips.

Even healthy pines require occasional pruning to keep them safe and beautiful. To reduce the fire hazard associated with pines, fire departments recommend removing deadwood and taking branches back from buildings. Pines are sometimes subject to branch and column failure. Judicious thinning of the crown reduces the wind-sail effect of the canopy and thereby reduces the risk of the tree falling in a windstorm. Removing weight from the ends of heavy branches reduces the likelihood that those branches will break.

The safety pruning of trees is an art as well as a science. A well-pruned tree should not only be safer, it should look beautiful. At Brende and Lamb, we take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning. Now is the best time to make your pines as safe, healthy, and beautiful as possible.

If your trees need a little TLC, 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, client testimonials, Advertorial and work in your neighborhood.

like to be watered by irrigation in the summer months; it can kill them. But our drought has gone on for so many years that the deep ground which they get their moisture from is probably bone dry. You might want to consult the University of California Extension system or Master Gardeners to find out how to best preserve these valuable trees.

It is far cheaper to replace established shrubs than an established tree.

Often a gardener is so focused on the plants at ground and eye level that are stressed and dying that they never look up to notice the health (or the lack there of) of their trees.

Trees need deep watering and do not like water around their trunk. Trees should be watered at the drip line, which is the area at the edge of their branches broadest reach. If a tree is 20 feet wide, the drip line is at the edge of that 20 feet branch spread. If the areas around trees are given shallow watering, all the tree roots will come to the surface to try to get moisture.

The best way to do this is to dig a deep trench about a foot deep along the drip line, and water this trench. The water will slowly seep down and replenish the soil deeper down. It may take all of the way into the first rains to make even a small dent in the dry ground.

Trees like black walnuts, plum, and apple will have roots that stretch out into other neighbor’s yards looking for moisture. Sometimes gardeners will see a bunch of walnut saplings pop up in their yard and will think some squirrel buried a trove of walnuts in their gardens, but it is more likely that the roots have come from a tree located a house or two away. These saplings need to be dug out immediately before they anchor in your garden. A walnut will grow 8-10 feet a year and will set deep roots, so the best time to address removal is when the sapling is 1-2 feet high.

Treat yourself to a few autumn flowering plants, that use little water, and place them where you encounter them on your way in or out of your home.

With so much brown crackly dryness around us we need something to lift our spirits. So splurge a bit, even if it is just to fill a small pot by your door, as a reminder that there is something lush in this world. Your local nursery can help you select the right plants to lift your spirit.

Happy Gardening.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Life in the Lafayette Garden

Timeless and Transitional

By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 15

I like to follow-up with my clients after a period of time to see how they are enjoying their beautiful yards. After thirty-five years of creating gardens, I discovered a new distinction for how a landscape matures and why some of my clients were disappointed even though they absolutely loved their gardens. Timeless and Transitional! That’s it!

At first glance “Timeless and Transitional” seems a little dramatic. Well, it isn’t really and I will tell you why. It all begins with expectations. We all know a garden can be beautiful, relaxing, stunning, delightful, therapeutic and all those other great things I usually write about. On the other hand; gardens can be ugly, annoying, agitating, and sometimes just don’t meet your expectations! And that is disappointing. Most likely you have felt the way I feel about my own garden sometimes; you too, at one time or another, have been disappointed and down right upset about your garden. Don’t get me wrong, I love my garden and my clients love the ones I design for them, but sometimes it just seems like nature (and untrained gardeners) get the best of our expectations. Case in point, I went to visit one of my Call for details client’s gardens only to find plants that I had designed in the plans were 925.939.8300 either missing, woody and misshaped, or turned into little balls and squares. solartechnologies.com Some plants were missing because nature over the last two years had taken Lic. #932914 its toll - especially with this drought. Some of the lovely arching shrubs were trimmed into balls and squares in their prime bloom time. This is not what I expected, and most of my clients didn’t either.

I have written about the importance of the built elements that make up the hardscape, or Timeless, as one aspect of creating an outdoor environment .

The other element is the softcape (living elements) or Transitional. What I discovered in this distinction of Timeless and Transitional is that while the backbone of the design of the garden was still there, beautiful and functioning just as I had designed it to be, the softscape was displaying the transitions of the years. If it wasn’t drought, cold winters, or long hot Indian summers that wrecked havoc, it was untrained gardeners, varmints, pets, fungus and you-name-it that thrashed our expectations for a beautiful and everlasting show-piece.

Here is the good news and the bad news. Good news -- there is hope! Bad news -- You need to rearrange your expectations! Gardens are truly “Timeless and Transitional.” Good design will always be timeless and will last over the years. The timeless aspects of a good landscape design are the beautiful and elegant elements of the hardscape such as well-crafted stone work on your patio, a seat wall, a pool, a detailed trellis, pergola, arbor, fence, garden gates and well-placed timeless trees like oaks, redwoods, maples, olives, crepe myrtles and long-lasting plantings like laurel, boxwood, mock orange, wisteria, camellias and more.

While “Timeless” is a little easier to swallow, “Transitional” is the one that forces us to rearrange our expectations. We need to learn to understand that the living aspect of your design is a moving target and more unpredictable. It has taken me almost thirty years to get it! Snails eat your plants, fungus curls your peach leaves (unless you remember to spray at the precise time), aphids arrive every year to devour your roses, and plants need replacing every so often just like your home needs fresh paint and new carpet.

Now relax in your garden, watch the transitions happen, replace and update as necessary, appreciate the majesty of your timeless elements, and rearrange your expectations to accept the transitional! I have a newfound appreciation and patience for the transitional after all of this time in the garden.

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: One of the services we offer is consulting work with my staff horticulturist for those who don’t need a full Master Landscape Plan. This service offers on-site practical advice addressing your “transitional” concerns. Check out my website for more information!

Gardening Quote of the Month: My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant’s point of view. - H. Fred Ale If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to jmontgomery@ jm-la.com or visit www.jm-la. com.

Advertorial

Page 16 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Volunteer continued from front page

profit board positions in the East Bay, or Corporate Caring Volunteer Week, which matches civic-minded business groups with projects. The Disaster Response program provides an avenue for the public to help with relief and recovery efforts after a catastrophic event. During the holidays, VCEB helps community members locate toy and food drives, sponsor-a-family programs, and holiday-related volunteer activities. The Student Volunteer program makes it easy to find local service opportunities available to students ages 13-17. VCEB also publishes a monthly youth project e-bulletin. In addition, VCEB operates ‘The Know How Network,’ placing and brokering contracts between organizations and professionals age 55 and over who can offer specific expertise, such as legal knowledge.

Loss says that the majority of those seeking opportunities request work at local food banks, which she appreciates. But she stresses the need for help within the food bank chain, such as at the smaller distribution centers. “We encourage people to look at some of the smaller agencies that don’t have the capacity to recruit in the way larger agencies can,” says Loss.

Many of the available opportunities are extremely simple, such as delivering birthday cakes to foster children through the ‘Cakes for Kids’ program, which seeks bakers and deliverers.

Loss emphasizes that those in Contra Costa County should be willing to travel a bit for volunteer opportunities, as many of the needs are outside of the Diablo corridor. “Fill-in the green box on our site, and try lots of key words to find something close to your heart,” says Loss. “The result will be that you find something that is meaningful and fulfilling, and that creates the strongest volunteer partnerships.”

For more information, and to become a volunteer, visit www.volunteereastbay.org.

Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter

Do you have a story idea, photo, or sporting news to share?

Contact us at 925.405.6397, or Editor@YourMonthlyPaper.com.

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Hanna House

By Linda Summers Pirkle

Hanna House, built in 1937 and designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, has long been on my list of places to visit. The historic home is located on Stanford University campus in Palo Alto. I traveled to the South Bay and joined a small group tour that was escorted through the treasured house.

Our guide, Nancy, gave us some background on the Hanna House and Jean and Paul Hanna, the namesake and original owners.

Nancy suggested reading the book, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hanna House, The Clients’ Report written by Paul and Jean Hanna for more information about the couple whose vision and perseverance resulted in the Hanna house. This enjoyable book chronicles the young couple’s odyssey with the trials they went through to build a Frank Lloyd Wright house where they raised their three children and enjoyed living for over forty years.

The beginning of their story is particularly charming. Many years before the project came to fruition, the young couple, who were professors at Columbia University, wrote a fan letter to Frank Lloyd Wright praising him for his unique and inspiring work. In 1931, the Hannas visited the Wrights in Wisconsin, and the friendship began. Eventually, Jean and Paul Hanna asked Mr. Wright to be the architect of their future home, and he accepted.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hanna House, The Clients’ Report is not only an amazing account of the construction of Hanna House but it also gives the reader a glimpse into the early 20th century. For example, in 1937, upon completion of some tree work, the authors note, “Ron presented a bill for $33.25 for his thirty-five hours of work and travel and expenses.” The Hannas were meticulous note keepers, and the book is a detailed chronicle of their relationship with the architect with whom they became lifelong friends.

Hanna House took five years of planning, two years to design, and one year to build, and as with most projects there were difficulties. One persistent issue was time delays caused by slow communication between the architect and the Hannas.

The delivery of drawings took longer than the Hannas expected as did the answers to their frequent questions. Their frustration with Mr. Wright increased as time went on. At one point after sending a particularly testy letter to Mr. Wright via telegram, the Hannas confessed, “Would not most recipients of such a demanding telegram have responded by telling us to forget the whole affair?” They continue, “Today, as we read this insulting wire, we are covered with embarrassment, but the wire was sent, and we must confess Mr. Wright would have been fully justified in abandoning his demanding clients.” Thankfully, the project was completed and even remodels were done with the aid of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Today the house stands as a memorial to the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright and the perseverance of the Hannas. As the authors say in the book, “Both of us, husband and wife, had worked along with the laborers and craftsmen on the job. We took part in every type of construction; we mixed concrete, laid brick, sawed redwood, screwed on battens, set plate glass, put in insulation, held pipe for plumbers, and made light fixtures. We filled vertical joints in masonry, a job overlooked by a bricklayer. The children aided in cleaning away waste material and running errands. We worked ourselves into the house construction as a family.” In the 1980’s the Hannas gave their beloved home to Stanford University. *Hanna House tours are offered four times a month. Check out the calendar on their website Hannnnahousetours.stanford.edu. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted on the tour. *Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hanna House, The Clients’ Report by Paul and Jean Hanna is available through the website Hannahouse.stanford.edu. *Lyfe Kitchen, a small café located on 167 N. Hamilton Avenue in Palo Alto, is a mile from Hanna House. I loved their Greek Yogurt Bowl with fresh blueberries, pomegranate, Chia seeds, and toasted almonds. Their website is lyfekitchen.com.

Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resident, has arranged and led tours for the Town of Danville for several years. Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, she organizes day trips, either for groups or for friends and family. “What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email Coverthemap@gmail.com.

editor@yourmonthlypaper.com

Energy Matters

Let the Battle Begin

By Mark Becker, GoSimple Solar

California Investor Owned Utilities such as PG&E are at it again. They have begun their push to try to reduce the economic value of FUTURE solar energy systems installed in the latter half of 2017 and beyond.

State law requires that “net metering” solar rules change so as to better provide for long-term solar integration into our ever aging and stressed utility grid. The new net metering regulations combined with the upcoming 2019 electric rates (for new customers) will greatly change how solar is integrated into the grid and affect the economic benefits of solar PV. The economic effects that will result for the consumer are being debated. Politics and lobbies aside, there must be solutions available that keep the utilities relevant, protect consumers, and fulfill the renewable energy mandates as required by California law. Hopefully all involved parties can find mutually agreeable and advantageous solutions. Cooperation and coordination trump competition and special interest.

A renewable energy grid, energy efficient appliances, solar PV, and a connected smart home operating in tandem is indeed the future. Consequently, solar PV installations installed today should include non-proprietary products to provide greatest long-term flexibility to maximize the current value returns of the solar PV system and leverage future revenue opportunities. Recently I swapped out my legacy inverter with a much “smarter” inverter that is capable of a multitude of functions and features that will be able to integrate into the future grid and smart home. Nowadays, installing a proprietary inverter or rooftop electronics provides a “wow factor” but provides no other advantage other than the self-touted “solar production increase.” Unfortunately, the sales pitch surrounding these products typically compares these “advantages” to outdated and no-longer-in-use technologies. Let’s take a leap of faith and assume the touted production increase of these module level power electronics was indeed real: Shade on a properly sited solar module should only occur in the winter or in the early morning or early evening when “additional kilowatt production” is of lesser value and when the solar system would naturally be less productive. Proprietary products and their added long term operation and maintenance costs increase investment risk by adding additional potential points of failure in what can otherwise be a very safe investment. Contradictory to some solar PV contractor’s sales tactics, no products on the market neutralize shade effects. Many companies are trying to “fix” something that isn’t broken because it makes for a great sales pitch. It will be very difficult to find parts for these proprietary products if they fail 2, 5, 10 or 20 years from now, especially if these companies go out of business or move on to differing product lines. Reliability and interchangeability in product selection today equals security in investment tomorrow.

Recently, incessant problems at my home’s computer network caused me to run to Alamo’s Portable CIO (www.thePortableCIO.com) through my personal gauntlet of “high expectation, fellow contractor performance testing.” By increasing the reliability and speed in my home network, Portable CIO greatly increased my and my family’s productivity. Portable CIO has now been tasked to help increase my company’s productivity. We’re also hoping to partner with them to help solve some of our customers’ networking needs. Evan and crew, thank you for your passion, dedication, and knowledge which has made my life more efficient and less exasperating when it comes to all things related to Information Technology.

The takeaway for me, and the “ah-ha” moment is, if you’re able to recognize and communicate your problem, find a trustworthy industry expert to provide a solution(s). Complete knowledge or understanding every detail of that solution isn’t necessary as long as the problem is presented to someone you trust to solve the problem. Choose your contractor wisely, and be engaged in the process. Expect and accept only the highest quality service, and get documentation of the contractor’s sales pitch.

The solar business is booming right now for a multitude of reasons. Is the mandate of 50% renewables powering our California grid by 2050 overreaching? I don’t think so. On July 25th, Germany, not known for it’s sunny skies, was able to generate a record 78% of power production through renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and biomass. If they can do it, so can we.

Mark Becker is the President and business owner of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construction Inc, CSLB 948715. GoSimpleSolar is one of the very few (and proud) solar PV installers utilizing both licensed roofers and licensed electricians for installation work, project managed by a solar PV NABCEP professional. For questions or comments email Mark@GoSimpleSolar.com or call 925-331-8011. Advertorial

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 17

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Sampson – The Survivor

By The White Kitty Foundation

10/27/14 12:05 PM

This is Sampson, an 8-year-old dachshund/ pit bull mix available for adoption. Sampson was used as a bait dog for pit bull fighting. He had a copper wire wrapped around his neck that was used to dangle him over two fighting dogs. The wire was becoming ingrown and was slowly killing him. He ran away and was living on the streets for about a month before he was found and dropped off at the Martinez animal shelter at just four months old.

Life in the shelter wasn’t much better than on the streets. No one had seen his face as he hid under his blanket in his crate. He wouldn’t eat and was soiling his crate. The shelter deemed him unadoptable. Sampson was on the euthanasia list.

That’s when the White Kitty Foundation stepped in. The White Kitty Foundation (WKF) focuses on animal rescue in Contra Costa County. “There was just something about him,” said Cris Tarozzi from WKF. He’s handsome with sparkling green eyes, a beautiful mocha coat, and little white feet. He has a statuesque build with strong legs supporting his long dachshund body.

Cris brought him home and the Foundation had him looked over by their vet.

The first thing was to have the copper wire surgically removed from his neck.

The Foundation found a foster home for him at the home of a long time dog lover, Margy Lyman. “At first, he stayed in his crate and continued to refuse food.”

Margy said. Eventually, she offered him food by hand all the while fearful that he could bite, but he reluctantly ate. One day, while folding laundry in the hall, Margy noticed Sammy wandering out of the master bedroom on his own. Seeing his foster mom, his tail came out from between his legs and wagged for the first time.

He was placed with a family, but Sampson has been returned to WKF due to the adopted family’s struggles. He is a sweet, eight year old dog who needs to be in a home where he is the only dog. He deserves a chance again.

If you can open your heart or home, please call WKF at (925) 837-2411. Learn more about WKF at www.whitekittyfoundation.org.

Please come to The WKF Fundraiser – BarkOberfest on October 24th at the Veterans’ Hall in Downtown Danville for food wine and auction items.

Page 18 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

How do you Hold Title to your Real Estate?

By Robert J. Silverman, Attorney at Law

I regularly write about this topic because real estate owners are frequently ill-informed and have misconceptions about real estate titling alternatives. Furthermore, one’s titling choice has critical legal and tax consequences. This article focuses on the estate planning consequences. Let’s explore the essential question -- On an owner’s death, who will own the property, and how will that transfer happen?

The most common forms of titling for residential, owner-occupied properties are briefly described below. Note that limited liability company (LLC) titling has a lot of appeal for business and investment property, but LLC titling features and benefits are beyond the scope of this article.

Individual. On the death of an individual title holder, the property is subject to probate -- whether or not the decedent had a valid Will. Unfortunately, probate is a long, expensive, and inconvenient public court proceeding. At the end of the probate proceeding, the judge signs an order that serves to legally transfer the property to the person(s) designated to receive it in the decedent’s Will. If no valid Will exists, the transfer is to the decedent’s “intestate” heirs – the next of kin to whom the State of California mandates distribution for those who die without a Will. As you’ll see below, if one holds title in a Revocable Living Trust (“Trust”) instead of in his or her name individually, probate is avoided.

Joint Tenancy. Joint tenancy requires two or more co-owners, each of whom owns an equal, fractional share. Many married couples take title in this form because of a feature known as the “right of survivorship” (ROS). Under ROS, when one joint tenant dies, the surviving joint tenant(s) automatically (without probate) becomes the owner of the decedent’s interest. Despite this feature and its popularity, for various reasons joint tenancy is often unwise and problematic.

NOTE: Some people try to avoid estate planning (e.g. they fail to establish a Trust) by adding one or more children to the title as joint tenants. This can be extremely detrimental for many tax and non-tax reasons and should never be done without first consulting an attorney.

Community Property. Community property titling is available only for married couples, and they can choose to include the ROS feature (by causing the deed to state: “community property with right of survivorship”). Like joint tenancy,

Guys, Listen Up

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

We have a saying in our office that gets repeated at least once a week. The saying is “Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.” I think the world would be a better place if more folks, usually guys, gave that concept some serious thought. Before I give you some examples, let me explain my premise.

Technology is fascinating to some people, and we are impressed by new devices and their capabilities.

Throw in blue LED’s, or put a lower case “i” in front of your product name, or attach the words “smartphone controlled” to something, and you’re guaranteed to have people climbing all over your product. The challenge with new technology is that we (guys) tend to go overboard. We think that just because the capability demonstrated by a new technology is interesting to us, it’s the same for everyone.

For example, let’s take my home theatre project. Home theatres were getting popular back when the movie Top Gun was released in 1986. That movie in particular was perfect for demonstrating surround-sound with its exciting soundtrack with jets whooshing through the air, and it was playing in every electronics retailer. Every guy who saw Top Gun playing in the store wanted to re-create a similar home-theatre experience. Some of us went so far as to buy all of the speakers, run cable inside the family room walls, and buy ridiculously expensive surround-sound amplifiers for our TV’s. I even bought the Top Gun movie to show it off. We watched a few movies together as a family, and then the trouble began. Why? What does every electronic device seem to have these days? A remote control. Oh boy, that’s where the problems started.

We had one remote control for the TV, one for the video player, and one for that fancy surround-sound amplifier. There were lots and lots of buttons.

Remember, this was before programmable all-in-one remote controls were invented. I did my very best to explain it to my family. I drew illustrations. I labeled the buttons on the remote controls. And I patiently demonstrated how it worked -- over and over again. But nothing seemed to help. My wife, especially my wife, hated it. And, if I might be so bold, I would say she didn’t apply

www.yourmonthlypaper.com the advantage of community property with ROS is that a probate proceeding is avoided on the death of the first spouse. However, like the other titling forms, this is usually less optimal than titling in a Trust.

Tenancy in Common. Tenant in Common (TiC) titling requires two or more co-owners and simply reflects ownership by each tenant-in-common of an undivided, fractional interest in the property. Tenants-in-common can, unlike joint tenants, hold unequal, fractional interests. TiC titling is commonly used by friends, relatives, or associates who acquire property as a business venture. TiC contains no ROS feature. Thus, on death, rather than one’s interest automatically going to the remaining tenant(s) in common, each TiC can designate in his or her own Will who will inherit the TiC interest. The substantial estate planning problem is that, upon death, the TiC property interest will be subject to probate. To overcome this problem, a TiC can transfer title to his or her TiC interest into a Trust.

Revocable Living Trust. For probate avoidance and other estate planning reasons, individuals and married couples are typically best advised to establish a Trust, and hold title to their property in the Trust. By statute, titling property in one’s Trust renders it exempt from probate. So, when the owner dies, the property transfers privately, without probate, to the beneficiaries listed in the Trust. Given the high costs of probate, this is a valuable exemption.

Summary. When married couples or other co-owners evaluate alternative titling methods, it is critical to understand that the ROS feature that makes titling in “joint tenancy” and “community property with right of survivorship” seem so attractive is largely illusory - probate is only avoided on the death of the first joint tenant/spouse. When the survivor dies, probate will be required! Trusts are such a compelling alternative because, among other advantages, probate is avoided on the death of any and all owners whose interests are titled in a Trust.

Upon request, I’ll be happy to provide you, on a complimentary basis, any or all of the following: i) an “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) a brochure on alternative methods of holding title to property; iii) an introductory meeting.

Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group specializing in estate planning, trust administration and probate, real estate, and business taxes. They are located at 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 125, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com.

This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors.

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herself to the task very vigorously. Because every time she wanted to watch TV she’d get ticked off when she’d press the wrong button and just couldn’t manage to make it work. Why? Because there were way too many steps and over-complications for what she was trying to do.

If I was smart (and I wasn’t), I would have chucked it all out and realized this was the confluence of two diametrically opposed forces, doomed to fail. On one hand was the over-complicating husband who made watching TV similar to flying the space shuttle. And on the other hand was someone who had zero interest in learning anything more complicated than pressing the on/off button to watch what she wanted -- without all of the bells and whistles.

As her frustration mounted, I lopped off functionality to simplify things for her, until basically we ended up with two systems. One was a simple TV, and the other was the special home-theatre gear on the side, which I had to cobble together to use each time I wanted to watch with it, because the system had been lobotomized to make it “On/Off-easy” for my wife. Eventually, the whole thing fell into disrepair. Simplicity won. What is the primary lesson we should draw from this? Don’t over-complicate things. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

Perhaps you see a little bit of yourself in my tale. Hopefully you’ve moved beyond this stage and can now laugh at yourself a little bit. Because I grew through this stage, I can see it still happening all around me, with clients, friends, and family.

For instance, many whole-house A/V systems can play different sources in different rooms and come with remote controls the size of dinner plates. Who primarily uses these? The husband. Not the wife. Not the kids. And how many times do we really need to be playing a movie in one room while listening to Pandora in the other?

Maybe that feature gets used once a year. But what do our family members want?

Simplicity. They have their iPhone and a little $29 Bluetooth speaker, and they’re perfectly happy. Push the button, turn it on, and relax. The grief from making things too complicated isn’t worth it. Keep it simple. Focus instead on the people you’re with. And if your wife says she won’t use it, listen to her (she really means it)!

If you need help consolidating your over-complicated technical situation, reach out to us. Our staff understands all of the technology you use, and can set you on a course of elegant simplicity. Please reach us at 925-552-7953, Advertorial or email us at info@theportablecio.com.

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Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 19

4-H continued from front page

to classic 4-H category projects such as poultry, horse and swine, 4-H has broadened its scope to include geocaching, fashion, arts and crafts, cooking, and virtually any subject for which a member has an interest.

Head, heart, hands and health - for more than 100 years, these four words have expressed the 4-H mission of engaging youth in reaching their fullest potential. 4-H’s core content includes life skills, leadership, and community service. Members enroll in at least one project each year and are guided by senior club members (who also run all meetings) in gaining knowledge, habits and skills to complete their work successfully. This older member/younger member mentoring approach is one of the compelling aspects of 4-H. Projects are then presented and judged at various county events, and some are sent to further state competitions. The unique learn-by-doing model teaches essential skills that youth will use throughout their lives, such as identifying interests, desiring knowledge, setting goals, self-reflection, adapting to new situations, communicating, and responding to the needs of others.

Miramonte grad and soon to be UC Davis freshman Madison Gibson is one of ten California State 4-H Ambassadors, the highest youth leadership position a member can hold in the organization. She has participated in 4-H for the past nine years and was encouraged to join due to her mom’s past participation and because of her interest in chickens.

“4-H is an incredible organization,” says Gibson, who has participated in various projects including horses, poultry, sewing, quilting, and foods.

“Without 4-H I would not have the leadership skills, presentation skills, organization skills, timeliness, and poise that I do today. The best thing about 4-H is that it brings you out of your comfort zone. You meet people that you never would have met if it weren’t for 4-H, and the connections you make in 4-H stay with you.”

Manning emphasizes the life skills that members are taught. “4-H teaches leadership, public speaking and community service, but in a fun way,” she says.

“Our club also does a lot of community service. This year many of our members fostered kittens and puppies for ARF as well as volunteered time at the shelter.”

4-H is overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the University of California, and county governments. The California State 4-H Office is based on the UC Davis campus and provides administrative support to 54 county offices and coordinates statewide 4-H projects and activities, such as the State 4-H Field Day, which, since 2002, has taken place annually during Memorial Day weekend at the Davis campus. Open to all 4-H members, volunteers, staff, and parents, between 1,000 and 1,400 people attend this series of contests and activities – the culmination of project work during the year.

4-H’s enrollment period takes place in late August/early September, and all ages are invited to join. Visit www.ca4h.org for more information. “I would tell prospective members to name something that they’re interested in, and I’m sure there’s a project for that,” says Gibson. “There are so many projects in 4-H like robotics, rocketry, and animal science, and if your specific club doesn’t have the project you want, you can start your own project! It’s that easy to find something you’re interested in.”

Your Annual Review Checklist

By George M. Noceti, CRPS® -Wealth Advisor and Paul A. Noceti, Financial Planning Specialist with The Integra Group at Morgan Stanley

Preparing for an annual financial review may be easier with a checklist to help you focus on important matters.

With that in mind, here is a list of key considerations that you may want to discuss with your financial advisor.

• Do I need to rebalance my asset allocation? Depending on the performance of your investments, you may want to examine whether your mix of stocks, bonds, cash, and other assets is close to your target. If you have not reviewed your portfolio lately, you may be surprised at what you find. It’s possible that your current asset allocation has changed quite a bit since the last time you checked, due to the different performance of the various investments in your portfolio.1 If that’s the case, or if your outlook has changed, it may be time to readjust.

Rebalancing can be accomplished in two ways: You can sell existing assets and use the proceeds to bring your portfolio closer to your desired mix. Or you can leave your portfolio as is and allocate new investments to the areas that you want to increase.

Rebalancing may involve tax consequences, especially for non-tax-deferred accounts.

• Am I on track to fund my retirement? Making sure you are on track to amass the assets you will need for your later years should be one of your key concerns. If you participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan, consider investing as much as you can afford. If you do not have access to an employer-sponsored plan, or if you do and can afford to contribute even more, consider funding an individual retirement account (IRA).

• What were my yearly capital gains and losses? If your year-end planning entails selling certain assets, be aware of rules regarding capital gains and losses.

Gains on investments held less than one year – known as short-term capital gains – are taxed as ordinary income, while those on investments held for one year or longer, or long-term capital gains, are taxed at a maximum rate of 20%, for federal income tax purposes. State tax rules may differ. On the federal level, capital losses offset capital gains and are netted against each other. If net capital losses still remain, up to $3,000 may be used to offset ordinary income. Capital losses not used in a given year can be carried forward to future years. Note that different rules apply for gains on the sale of collectibles, or qualified small-business stock.

• Am I taking full advantage of tax-advantaged accounts? Remember that certain types of investments receive favorable tax treatment. Employee contributions to a traditional 401(k), for example, are deducted from your paycheck before taxes are assessed, which lessens taxable income during the year the contribution is made.

Contributions may potentially grow free of federal income taxes until qualified withdrawals are made during retirement. If you are age 59 1/2 or older and have maintained the account for a minimum of five years, qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax free.2 (To contribute to a Roth IRA, investors must meet income thresholds established by the Internal Revenue Service. Learn more at www.irs.gov.)

• Is my insurance coverage sufficient? You may want to conduct an insurance needs analysis. There are many forms of insurance but, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all policy. Life insurance, for example, may be a vital necessity if you have a spouse and children, but perhaps is less important for a single person. But disability insurance, which provides an income stream if you are unable to work, may be important for everyone.

• Is my estate plan current? If you have not already made an estate plan, your annual review may be a good time to start. Even if you already have a plan in place, it is good to revisit it yearly to make sure your beneficiary designations are up to date and that your plan still reflects your current wishes. This is also a good time to consider tax-efficient gifting strategies, so you can potentially minimize gift and estate taxes and keep more of your assets for those you care about.

You may have additional concerns unique to your situation, but this checklist may help you keep your investment portfolio in order.

Asset allocation and rebalancing do not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market. There may be a potential tax implication with a rebalancing strategy. Please consult your tax advisor before implementing such a strategy.

2 For nonqualified withdrawals, restrictions, penalties and taxes may apply.

1

For further information, as well as a complimentary Medicare Review, Social Security Review, and Financial Plan Review, please contact us at George M. Noceti, CRPS® -Wealth Advisor at (925)746-2982, via email at george.noceti@morganstanley. com, or visit our website at www.ms.com/fa/theintegragroup. Connect LinkedIn: George M. Noceti, CRPS® Follow me on Twitter: @GNocetiMS.

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The opinions expressed by the authors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and data in the article or publication has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation by Morgan Stanley with respect to the purchase or sale of any security, investment, strategy or product that may be mentionedMorgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC offers insurance products in conjunction with its licensed insurance agency affiliates.

2 These examples are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. Your results will vary. Indicated returns cannot be guaranteed. They do not reflect the performance of any actual investment and do not allow for the fees and expenses incurred with investing. Calculations use monthly compounding at an annual rate of 6%, however actual investment returns may vary from year to year, which could impact projected values. © 2015 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. Advertorial

Page 20 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

The Living Paradox of Self Image

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

I recall my visit to the doctor after my near-fatal car accident that left me with a face that no longer resembled the one with which I had been born. Accompanying me to the doctor was my twin sister. Although she was is my fraternal twin, she was always a mirror of sorts for me. We had always attracted a great deal of attention as a set of bubbly, bright red haired firecrackers. After the accident, I had no choice but to acknowledge that my sister looked less like a twin to me than a reminder of how I used to look. Proof that my appearance had changed, and that appearance mattered greatly, was in how differently people reacted to my sister than they did to me. It may have been subtle, but it was clear to me: people respond better to those with a better appearance. Though I initially perceived this act as unfair treatment, I later realized (and accepted) that there are sound societal and biological reasons why appearance matters.

Whether we like it or not, we live in a society where looks matter. Research has demonstrated that during infancy, mothers care more for the good-looking baby. A meta-analytic review has indicated that physically attractive students are usually judged more favorably by teachers in a number of dimensions including intelligence, academic potential, grades, and various other social skills.

What does all of this mean? The prettier girl wins. She gets more job offers, makes more money, and at the end of the day lives a more successful life. A recent

Your Personal Nutritionist

Healthy Snacking Can Prevent Weight Gain

By Linda Michaelis RD, MS

Everyday in my practice I teach my clients how important it is to choose the right snacks to keep blood sugar stable and prevent cravings and getting too hungry for the next meal. I still see the diet mentality in my office that goes along with feeling pangs of guilt when craving a snack. There is nothing wrong with having snacks. In fact, they might be the missing ingredient that will help you lose weight. Reflect on the times where you ate a healthy snack before going out to dinner and you were able to have more control over how much you ate.

How Your Snack Can Make or Break Your Diet

There is definitely a wrong way and a right way to snack. As I have stressed in past articles, lunch should be a well balanced meal that will last you at least three hours. Next, the most important step is to have a well thought out snack that is high in protein and fiber with some sweetness to it. After all, most of us tend to crave sweets as a pick-up in the late afternoon. The real key to snacking is not to eat fruit alone or a candy bar alone. That will set you up for failure.

Realize that you will not eat a healthy snack after eating a candy bar. Your blood sugar will drop instantly, and you will feel more tired than you felt before the sweets. Enjoy low sugar 100 calorie Chobani or Dannon Fit and Healthy greek yogurts. Or enjoy a high protein, whole grain snack with fruit such as a yogurt parfait with a sprinkle of Kashi Go Lean on top of a cup of Greek yogurt along with a sprinkle of berries. You can also try Ak Mak crackers with tuna, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, or pepperoncinis or honey turkey wrapped around a pickle with an apple or celery, or have an apple with two tablespoons of peanut or almond butter, hearty bean soups, or even oatmeal with yummy toppings which all make great snacks.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com article published by Business Insider referenced a research study that indicated more attractive women had a 54% callback rate while those judged unattractive experienced a 7% callback rate. Similar results were found in mirror studies.

What has the prevailing evidence repeatedly demonstrated? Looks matter!

Whether professionally or personally, the way we present ourselves to society has a huge impact on the way we are treated and the services that we receive.

Sadly, no matter how sophisticated or professional a male or female is, his or her attributes will be masked by his or her image. Our bodies and faces are the vessels in which we live. In this society the person that we are is heavily the result of our image, and ironically our image influences the person we become by shaping our behaviors and actions towards ourselves and others.

There is a silver lining to this sobering reality that looks matter. Information is power, and there are many ways to improve on natural appearance. And it doesn’t require us to look like we have been overdone or created from the same mold. There’s little purpose in lamenting the fact that our appearance may influence how others interact with us. It’s more constructive to decide which aspects of our appearance matter to us, and accentuate them. After all, there’s nothing more empowering than taking control of the changes we want to make…for ourselves, and maybe, just a little, for others, too.

Barbara L. Persons, MD is a Board Certified 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.com.

Advertorial munch on raw veggies with dressing if they sit on the counter in view. If the veggies are tucked away in the bin, they will never be eaten.

Snacking is not Grazing

I spend a lot of time talking with my clients about actually how to snack.

It is not mindless eating where you start with a handful of crackers only to finish the entire Wheat Thins box. To avoid grazing, put a serving of crackers on a plate, and add two ounces of tuna or sliced meat and a mound of veggies.

Take a refreshing drink such as an iced tea and sit at a table -- preferably outside. Savor each bite. I help my clients plan out their snacks along with their meals. It must all be balanced and make sense.

I often hear from clients that they can initially lose weight but the difficulty is to be able to keep it off and then lose more. I call my counseling “the hand holding service” where I can help keep you motivated, keep the meal plan exciting, help with social and restaurant eating, and best of all help you to reach your weight loss goal sooner than later when on your own.

I am glad to inform you that nutritional counseling is covered by many health insurance companies such as Aetna, ABMG, Health Net, Hill Physicians, Sutter Select and Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation and Contra Costa Health Plan. Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or email me at Lifeweight1@gmail.com and tell me about your nutrition concerns.

Please refer to my website www.LindaRD.com for past articles and info about my services. Advertorial

Mini Meals for Kids

Now that our kids are back in school, I recommend that parents have available “mini meals” for when they come home. Typically kids do not eat an adequate lunch, and this can be the time of day they are most hungry.

Instead of mindless snacking that can lead to weight gain, kids need to have balanced and substantial food available. Popular items include homemade chili; baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese; omelets with meat, veggies, and shredded cheese; chicken leftovers with a hearty bean soup; and veggies. This is not the time for toast and butter, popcorn, goldfish crackers, and chips. If your child enjoys these munchies, then they must take a reasonable portion size and pair them with some chicken and raw veggies.

When family members walk thru the door and they are hungry, they will

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MRI Adds Benefits to PSA Screening

Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 21

By Stephen Taylor, MD

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men, and it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, second only to lung cancer. One in every seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. African American men face a one in three chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Over 29,000 men die each year from prostate cancer. Not every man with prostate cancer dies from it however; some prostate cancers are very slow growing, and some are very biologically aggressive.

PSA screening has been widely practiced since the early 1990s. PSA is a substance made by the prostate gland. PSA blood levels are elevated in approximately 80% of men with prostate cancer, but an elevation in PSA is not diagnostic of prostate cancer. There are other conditions that can cause the PSA to be elevated, such as prostatitis, urinary tract infections, benign enlargement of the prostate with age, trauma to the prostate, etc. Therefore, the PSA test is not perfect.

Urology Care Foundation is concerned that recent reports about PSA testing may confuse patients and Primary Care Physicians about the value of this prostate cancer screening tool. There have been recent reports suggesting that PSA screening does not decrease the prostate cancer specific death rates by a significant amount, and some men may be harmed by “overtreatment” of the slow growing type that may never have harmed the individual.

As stated above, the PSA test is not perfect. A normal PSA value could mean that the individual does not have prostate cancer, and be very reassuring, or that there is cancer present and the test was a “false negative.” On the other hand an elevated PSA could mean that he does have prostate cancer, or one of the other conditions as noted above, a “false positive” result. The PSA value should be compared with the digital rectal exam (DRE), which could reveal a prostate nodule suspicious for cancer, or a very large prostate, which would account for an elevation in the PSA. Until recently, the only way to determine if cancer was present was to perform a transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy. Prostate biopsies only take about 10 minutes and do not cause much pain if a local anesthetic is utilized. However, prostate biopsies carry certain risks such as infection, hospitalization, and bleeding from the biopsy sites. In addition, prostate biopsies are not perfect either, in that they may miss an “aggressive” cancer (present in between the biopsy sites), or reveal a very slow growing cancer that would never have required treatment during the man’s lifetime.

MRI to the rescue!

Just within the past year, a new modality has become available to help determine if men with an elevated PSA or an abnormal DRE actually need a biopsy.

This new modality is Multiparametric MRI. A Multiparametric MRI is a 40 minute exam of the prostate. It usually involves injection of a contrast agent, but does not involve x-ray exposure. The radiologist then looks at the images. If an abnormality is identified, the radiologist assigns the area a PIRADS score from one to five. PIRADS stands for Prostate Imaging Recording and Data System. Low PIRADS score lesions (1-2) have a very low probability of representing aggressive prostate cancer. Sixty percent of men with elevated PSA who undergo a Multiparametric MRI actually have a low PIRADS score, and can be spared from an “unnecessary” biopsy. If the radiologist identifies a high PIRADS score lesion (4-5), there is a 70% chance of having a positive biopsy, and usually these are the aggressive types of prostate cancer that may be life-threatening. These patients are likely to benefit from early treatment.

A PIRADS 3 lesion is intermediate, with a 10-20% chance of having a positive biopsy.

Not only does Multiparametric MRI identify men who are at high risk of harboring aggressive prostate cancer, but it also tells us where the cancer lies within the prostate. Software has been developed, which allows the MRI image to be transferred to the urologist’s ultrasound screen where the MRI image and ultrasound images can be fuse together. This allows the urologist to perform accurate targeted biopsies of the suspicious lesion, rather than “blind” systematic biopsies. This is called an MRI-Ultrasound Fusion Guided Biopsy, and avoids taking biopsies in areas which are less likely to contain aggressive cancer. This leads to fewer biopsies being performed, and a higher percentage of aggressive cancer is being detected.

MRI is a valuable tool for men who’ve had previous negative biopsies (sometimes multiple negative biopsies). It is also valuable in men with a rising PSA for which there is no other explanation. Rather than jump to a prostate biopsy, an MRI can help to determine if a biopsy is likely to reveal an aggressive prostate cancer for which early treatment may be lifesaving.

PSA is not a perfect test. Like any screening tool, it has limitations. The choice to use PSA for early detection of prostate cancer is a personal choice.

Talk to your Primary Care Physician who knows your complete medical history, knows if you have other life limiting medical conditions, or if you have a long life expectancy and may benefit from prostate cancer screening. Talk with your provider about the benefits and risks of testing. You should talk about factors that can increase your risk for prostate cancer including a family history of prostate cancer (father or brother), African American ethnicity, obesity, etc. The addition of MRI (to help sort out men who do not need a biopsy [60%] from men who are truly at high risk of aggressive prostate cancer) is likely to become the standard approach. The use of MRI-Ultrasound Fusion Guided biopsy greatly increases the accuracy of a biopsy.

Learn more from about prostate cancer and Multiparametric MRI at Dr. Taylor’s medical talk and Q & A on September 9, 2015 at San Ramon Community Center-Terrace Room. 7-8:30pm. Please register by calling 925-677-5041 x272.

Dr. Stephen Taylor is a urologist with Pacific Urology. He specializes in robotic urologic surgeries and prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers. Pacific Urology is the first medical practice to offer the MRI-Ultrasound Fusion Guided Biopsies in the San Francisco East Bay. For more information please call 925-937-7740 or visit www.PacificUrology.com. Advertorial

Hopeful News From UC Davis on Ovarian Cancer

By Gigi Chen, MD

A recent study published by University of California, Davis researchers suggests that we are making progress on treating ovarian cancer and extending patient lives.

This is very exciting news!

The researchers combed through records from the California Cancer Registry of more than 11,000 women with an ovarian cancer diagnosis between 1994 and 2001. Survival information and other factors for these women were tracked through 2011. They found that one third lived more than 10 years.

Not surprising, the study found that the majority of the long-term survivors were younger, had early-stage disease at diagnosis, and had lower-risk tumors. What surprised the researchers was that 954 of the 3,582 women had been considered to be at ‘high risk’ of an earlier death from their disease, either because of the advanced stage of their cancer or their older age at diagnosis, yet they too lived longer.

In the past, ovarian cancer had the reputation of being a death sentence, this

study suggests otherwise. “The perception that almost all women will die of this disease is not correct,” says Rosemary Cress, the lead author of UC Davis paper which was published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “We think that this is good information to communicate to women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer - although ovarian cancer is a dangerous cancer, there is considerable variability and it is not always fatal,” continued Cress.

Explanations for this encouraging news include earlier diagnosis, better surgical treatment, and more targeted chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most overlooked and commonly misdiagnosed cancers because of its vague symptoms, which include abnormal vaginal bleeding, pressure or pain in the pelvic region, a change in bathroom habits, and feeling full quickly when you eat. It is through symptom recognition that the earliest possible diagnosis can be made.

Join Dr. Chen and other medical experts at the Many Faces of Gynecologic Cancers on September 16th from 6:30-8:30pm at the Cancer Support Community in Walnut Creek. For more information or to register for the program, please call 925-677-5041.

Gigi Chen, MD is a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology. She sees patients in Pleasant Hill, Rossmoor and San Ramon. Advertorial

Page 22 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

Events for Lafayette Seniors

All classes are held at the Lafayette Senior Center (LSC), located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette, unless otherwise noted. Space is limited.

Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. Unless otherwise mentioned, events are free for members and $10 for non-members.

Lunch n’ Learn: Favorite Apps and How to Use Them 9/22 • 10:30AM - noon • Merrill Gardens Lafayette, Mt. Diablo Blvd & 2nd St. - Learn how to use popular and helpful apps such as Google Maps, Yelp, Pandora, and texting. Lunch served by Merrill Gardens. When you call to reserve your spot, tell us what other apps you’d like to learn about. Space is limited; reservations required by 9/17.

Too Much ‘Stuff’: Declutter, Downsize, Distribute 9/30 • 1:30PM - 3PM • Elderberry Room, LSC - With all the stuff we’ve collected over the years, it’s easy to feel burdened and disorganized. Tricia Hoekwater will walk you through the process of decluttering, starting with the use of a home inventory document. Decluttering and taking a home inventory protects you in case of emergency, and protects your heirs from inheriting the burden of a home full of “stuff.” The home inventory document will be yours to take with you so you can get started right away!

Picnic in the Park 10/7 • 11:30AM - 1PM • Lafayette Community Park Picnic Tables - Join us for food, fun, and music at our Community Park just down the road from the Community Center. The LaDiDa’s female quartet will entertain us with perennial favorite tunes – we’ll all be singing along!

Lunch is generously provided by Atria Park of Lafayette; beverages by Hospice of the East Bay. Space is limited; reservations required by 10/1.

Call Lafayette Senior Services 284-5050.

Anne Randolph Physical Therapy Presentation: Osteoporosis/ Osteopenia 9/23 • 11:30AM - 12:30PM • Cedar Room, LSC - What are the

risk factors for developing osteoporosis? What are some of the treatment options? Learn how to maintain or possibly increase your bone mass. Get tips on how you can take control and keep your bones in the best shape possible!

Reservoir Walking Group Tuesdays and Thursdays • 9AM – 10:30AM • Meet at reservoir center bench on the dam - Led by Jim Scala, Lafayette Today’s “Walking the Reservoir” columnist. Join us every Thursday for camaraderie, fresh air, and enjoyable exercise, all in magnificent surroundings.

Optional bonus: at the end of the walk, Jim will lead you through easy yoga poses and breathing exercises in the most beautiful outdoor yoga studio: the band stage overlooking the water. Increase your balance and fitness, both physical and mental, and leave each week feeling uplifted and radiating that overall sense of well-being! Please call (925) 284-5050 to add your name to the email notification list. Bring quarters or a credit card for the parking meter.

Annual senior (62+) passes may be purchased at the reservoir visitor center.

‘As The Page Turns’ Book Club 3rd Tuesday • 1PM - 2:30PM • Elderberry Room 9/15, LSC - Looking for a good book to discuss with others? Join this informal group of book lovers and enjoy enrichment, lively discussion, fellowship and refreshments. Please call Lafayette Senior Services for the book title and to add your name to the email notification list: 284-5050.

Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Wednesdays • 9AM - noon • Alder Room, LSC - Experience nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us every Wednesday or whenever you are able. For more information or to place your name on the route email/phone list, call Lafayette Seniors Services, 284-5050.

Apple Basics 9/17 • 11AM - 12:30PM • Sequoia Room, LSC - This on-going series covers topics such as the technology needed for wireless communication, your Apple ID, iTunes, iCloud and the basics of iPad and iPhone usage. Topics for future sessions will be determined by participants’ input and needs. There will be time for Q&A at the end of each class. Please note: this series deals with Apple devices only.

Free Legal Assistance for Older Adults (60+) 3rd Thursday monthly • 10AM and 11AM • Alder Room, LSC - NOTE: A $15 deposit, fully-refundable at the time of your appointment, is required to reserve your spot. Refund will be issued if cancellation is made at least 24 hours prior to appointment. In order for legal counseling to take place, both time slots must be filled. Please send check, made payable to Senior Legal Services,

www.yourmonthlypaper.com to Lafayette Senior Services, 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette, CA 94549.

• Landlord/Tenant Problems • Medi-Cal Issues • Durable Powers of Attorney • SSI Overpayment • Rights of Nursing Home & Long-term Care Residents Lafayette Senior Services Commission 4th Thursday of the month from 3:30 – 5:30PM at the LSC - View agendas at the City of Lafayette office or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us.

Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Every Wednesday • 9AM - Noon • Alder Room, LSC - Experience nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us whenever you are able. For more information or to place your name on the route email/phone list, call Lafayette Seniors Services. No charge.

Positive Living Forum (“Happiness Club”) 2nd Thursday monthly • 10:30AM – noon • Elderberry Room 9/10, LSC - Brighten your day with Dr. Bob Nozik, MD, Prof. Emeritus UCSF and author of Happy 4 Life: Here’s How to Do It. Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a wide range of topics that guide participants toward a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome!

Words of Wisdom...From the Philosophical to the Lighthearted

3rd Tuesday Monthly • 10:30AM–noon • Elderberry Room 9/15, LSC Take part in this free-wheeling exchange of inspiration, information, and humor. Topics will be explored, examined, and discussed by participants.

Stories and photographs will stimulate humorous discoveries regarding the benefits of becoming the ‘elders of our tribe.

Hearing Screening & Telephone Distribution 1st Wednesday Monthly • 1PM –2:45PM • Alder Room, LSC - As a service in addition to your hearing screening, if it determined that you are eligible for specialized telephone equipment, a representative from the California Telephone Access Program (CTAP) will provide you with a free adaptive telephone at your appointment. Appointment required. Minimum of two sign-ups required in order for screenings to take place. Please call Lafayette Senior Services at 284-5050 to sign up for one of the 20-minute appointments.

Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Programs (HICAP) 1st Wednesday/3rd Tuesday appts: 10AM, 11AM, noon • Alder Room, LSC - HICAP provides free and objective counseling and advocacy services to Contra Costa Medicare beneficiaries and their families who need assistance with Medicare enrollment and issues involving Medicare and associated insurance programs, including prescription drug coverage.

HICAP does not endorse or sell insurance products. For appointments, call Lafayette Senior Services: 284-5050.

Drop-In Mah Jongg! Every Tuesday • Noon–3PM • Cedar Room, LSC - Calling all Mah Jongg players! Bring your card and mah jongg set, and join us every Tuesday afternoon. This group is for all levels. No need to RSVP – just show up and pay at the door.

Lamorinda Dance Social Wednesdays • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LSC - Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests.

Free Peer Counseling - Contra Costa Health Services offers free one-onone counseling with senior (55+) counselors who use their life experiences to help other older adults cope with life changes, problems, crises, and challenges.

Confidentiality is strictly observed. Appointment required. Please call Lafayette Senior Services to sign up for one of the 60-minute appointments: 284-5050.

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Lafayette Today ~ September 2015 - Page 23

Becoming the Wizard: an Elder Rather than Older

By Mary Bruns, Lamorinda Senior Transportation

The proper use of our intelligence and knowledge is to effect changes from within to develop a good heart. - Dalai Lama In days gone by, older people were accepted as elders in the community. In present-day reality, unless you have become famous in some way, older people often become invisible to those around them, an experience that diminishes self-esteem and increases self-doubt, and has the tendency to isolate, producing loneliness and often illness.

The question becomes: How can older adults become the elders of the community in which they live rather than simply becoming older and invisible?

Life gives us many opportunities to grow and make changes. I have noticed that those challenges I didn’t master when I was younger have come around again wearing different clothes. Although the challenge looks a little different and the situation is a little different, the issue is the same. The temptation is to opt out, but the wiser course of action is to accept that the challenge has once again arrived and to do what it takes to master it. Barbara Walters was once quoted in an article about what she had learned in her life with words to the effect of, “What I don’t have the strength to do today, I will be able to handle tomorrow.”

Those words have often provided just the courage and determination people have needed to keep moving forward.

Perhaps you might ask yourself some questions: Where have I opted out in the past, and what could I do differently when the challenge comes around again?

What situation keeps reoccurring in my life? If I were to master this situation, what would I be doing differently? As I master each situation, I become an important elder in my family and in my community, a leader and an example for others to follow. In terms of last month’s article, we become our own Wizard because we have developed the intellect and objectivity – the scarecrow now has a brain. We have developed the compassionate and loving heart – the tin man now has a heart.

Step by step, we have built strength – the cowardly lion now has courage.

Author Neale Donald Walsch says it this way: “Challenges are what you came for. And, you are never, ever, given a challenge you cannot overcome. The purpose of life is to give you a chance to be the grandest version of the greatest vision ever you held about Who You Are. When challenges arrive, then, move straight to clarity: This is what you came for. Now rise to this occasion, and know that you have every resource with which to create the right and perfect outcome.”

Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard suggests, “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” So for a moment, look backwards.

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Lamorinda Senior Transportation www.thefallenheroes.org An Alliance of Transportation Providers

Volunteer Drivers – Needed, Valued, and Appreciated We will accommodate your schedule, travels, and vacations.

You will be helping your friends, family, and community!

Lamorinda Spirit Van

283-3534

Takes Lamorinda older adults to errands, appointments, grocery shopping, special events, and to lunch at the C.C. Café. Call early to reserve your ride. WE LOVE TO SAY “YES!” Wheelchair and walker accessible.

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Awards presentation.

What are the reoccurring situations in my life? These are usually something we don’t like to deal with, something we might call a challenge. If life is purposeful, what is trying to be grown/evolved in me? How does that growth help me become the wizard, the elder…not just older and invisible?

Save the date: October 23rd, 10am to 2:30pm

The Senior Mobility Action Council, a workgroup of the Advisory Council on Aging, presents “Mobility Challenges.” Jefferson Award Winner and Founder/ Director of the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention: Dr. Patrick Arbore will speak on “Mature Drivers and the Healthy Brain.” DMV Senior Driver Ombudsman, Rosemary Robles, will speak on “Take Control of Your Driving Future.”

C L A S S I F I E D S BEAUTY SALON ROOM TO SHARE

LOCAL BEAUTY SALON HAS A ROOM TO SHARE. Very good location in Lafayette. Excellent for massage therapy, eyelash extensions, and threading. Contact Lan at 925-283-3732.

ARCHITECT JOHN ROLF HATTAM - ARCHITECT Specializes in modest budget, new and renovated residences. Over 200 completed projects. Brochures available for all of our professional services •RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION •NEW RESIDENCES •CHURCHES •COMMERCIAL •MULTI-FAMILY. For the brochure meeting your need call 510-841-5933. 737 Dwight Way, Berkeley.

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Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print.

Your cancelled check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad.

Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company

284-1234

Orinda Seniors Around Town

402-4506

Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors

284-6161

County Connection LINK Reservation Line

938-7433

20% discount for Lamorinda seniors.

Volunteer drivers serving Orinda seniors with free rides to appointments and errands.

Volunteer drivers serving Contra Costa seniors with free rides to doctors appointments during the week. Grocery shopping on Saturdays.

Older adults often have “age-based” disabilities. By describing your disability, you can become eligible for this service – providing you with additional transportation options.

Page 24 - September 2015 ~ Lafayette Today

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