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Test results: Scores go up in Dublin schools as district works on improvement PAGE 4 Summer time at school: Enrichment programs are ‘more like camp than class’ PAGE 5 6OL )) .UMBER s -AY
INSIDE
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Dog Park is No. 1
Readers choose a few of their favorite things in Dublin PAGE 6
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Page 2ÊUÊMay 31, 2010ÊUÊTriValley Views
AROUND THE TRI-VALLEY
BY JEB BING
An over-theshoulder look at Harmer
C
ongressman Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) is no doubt looking over his shoulder at his 11th Congressional District after voters ousted several congressional incumbents in other state primaries Tuesday. And well he should. Of the 53 congressional districts in California, 33 are considered safe for incumbent Democrats, 19 safe for incumbent Republicans and only one — the 11th — is being eyed as possibly vulnerable. McNerney, who is seeking reelection to a third term in Congress, has no opposition in his bid for the Democratic Party nomination in the June 8 state primary. Four Republicans, on the other hand, sensing a chance to capture the 11th District seat, are vying for their party’s nomination. They include David Harmer, an attorney in San Ramon; Elizabeth Emken, a lobbyist/advocate for Autism Speaks and a resident of Danville; Tony Amador, a U.S. Marshal from Lodi, and Brad Goehring, a wine grape grower from Clements. The district includes Dublin and other parts of Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties, as well as rural San Joaquin County. Earlier this month, more than 100 civic and business leaders filled the outdoor garden patio at Barone’s Restaurant to hear Harmer, enthusiastically greeting, contributing and applauding the candidate as he railed against McNerney and what he called irresponsible spending programs the congressman has supported in Washington. If elected, he told the crowd, he would work to un-do those programs, including President Obama’s health care plan, cap and trade and stimulus funds which he said is “a “shell game, taking borrowed money the government doesn’t have to spend on things we don’t need.” A wide majority of those in the 11th Congressional District opposed those
JEB BING
David Harmer campaigns at Barone’s Restaurant in Pleasanton.
programs, Harmer claimed, but McNerney voted for them anyhow. “McNerney needs to go!” (APPLAUSE). He also praised the Tea Party movement and, at the rally, recognized the organizer of the April 15 Pleasanton event, Bridget Melson (MORE APPLAUSE). Then, building on that group’s Tax Day message, Harmer said the federal government is spending too much and his priority, if elected, would be to apply the brakes. He vowed to work with others of like mind in Washington to get rid of $1.4 trillion of the $12.8 trillion of national debt for starters, just by rescinding most of the spending that’s been added to the budget in the last two years (MORE APPLAUSE). He cited a sign that he saw on a Tri-Valley roadway as an example of excessive federal spending. It reads that the roadway improvements are being made courtesy of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the so-called stimulus fund. If he was a graffiti artist, Harmer said he would stopped and spray painted the words “inter-generational theft,” since the work being done here will have to be paid by future generations of taxpayers all across the country. Harmer is campaigning as a lifelong Ronald Reagan Republican. His father, John Harmer, who introduced him at Barone’s, served as California’s lieutenant governor under Reagan. Among his priorities are beefing up the borders to stop illegal immigration. In fact, he said that if he was an Arizona state legislator, he would have approved that state’s new immigration law and encouraged the governor to sign it. (THIS TIME TO THE LOUDEST APPLAUSE). N
ABOUT THE COVER Viki Groffman brings her sister’s dog Opie to the popular Dougherty Hills Dog Park on Amador Valley Boulevard at Stagecoach Road every day for the 3-year-old pointer to run and run. Clancy Soucie brings two Siberian huskies, Nala, standing in the back, and Coda, not shown. Photo by Dolores Fox Ciardelli. Design by Kristin Herman. Vol. II, Number 8
VIEWS Dublin Tri-Valley
TriValley Views and TriValleyViews.com are products of Embarcadero Media’s East Bay Division, which publishes Pleasanton Weekly, Danville Express and San Ramon Express
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ART & PRODUCTION ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Lead Designer Mary Hantos, Ext. 123 Trina Cannon EDITORIAL Account Executives Editor Designers Paul Crawford, Ext. 113 Jeb Bing Lili Cao Karen Klein, Ext. 122 Kristin Herman Managing Editor Real Estate Sales Dolores Fox Ciardelli Andrea Heggelund, Ext. 110 Ad Services CIRCULATION MANAGER Online/Community Editor Trina Cannon Bob Lampkin Emily West
TriValley ViewsÊUÊMay 31, 2010ÊU Page 3
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Valley High (Continuation)
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API scores go up in Dublin schools
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Superintendent looking for steady growth BY GLENN WOHLTMANN
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Most schools in the Dublin Unified School District are above the state average, but two schools, Wells Middle and Valley High, are below state goals, according to Academic Performance Index (API) statistics released May 14 by the California Department of Education. The state API target is 800 points or better; Wells’ API score was 789 and Village, Dublin’s continuation school, had a score of 606. Other schools in the district did significantly better, according to the state education department, giving the DUSD an average raking of 854, which is 100 points better than the state average. Superintendent Steve Hanke said the district is working hard to improve scores across the board. “Wells was one we were particularly concerned about,� he said, adding that the district will be doing what he described as an “intervention� there. “By re-teaching, by doing more frequent accessing,� he said, “we think this is going to pay off.� Middle schools in California average an API score of 741 points, and although Wells didn’t reach the state goal of 800, it scored 48 points better than the statewide average. The average API score for el-
ementary schools across the state is 788; every elementary in Dublin scored well above that and above the state goal as well. The lowestranked elementary school in Dublin, Frederiksen Elementary, was 44 points higher than the statewide average, and the highest, James Dougherty Elementary was 156 points above the average. The state average API for high schools in California is 714. Dublin High, with an API score of 842, was 128 points above average. Hanke is particularly proud of Dublin High’s performance, and that of several of the elementary schools in the district. He noted that the Dublin district, like much of the area, has changing demographics and an increase in minorities. He said he’s considering visiting similar schools with higher scores to see what they’re doing but said his focus is on continuous improvement. “Over the last seven years we are improving steadily,� Hanke said. But with high-performing districts all around, including Pleasanton, San Ramon, Castro Valley and Livermore, he said, “Our communities expect a lot.� By comparison, Pleasanton schools averaged 901, while the San Ramon Valley Unified School District scored 913. N
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Summer program: more like camp than class Programs are open to all Tri-Valley area students Dublin schools will be offering two types of summer school this year — one for struggling students and a separate set of what Summer School Principal Rick Boster said are for students across the Tri-Valley. Boster said the schools used test scores to identify those students in need of some extra help. “Those students have received a personal invitation from us,” he said. Other classes are being called enrichment classes or camps and are for children from kindergarten to eighth grade. “We just call it camp because it sounds like fun,” Boster said. He said those classes are open to all students in the area, and are less expensive than those offered at other schools. “Some are one week, some are
“The camps are
priced keeping in mind the financial hardships families are facing.” Rick Boster
two weeks, some are three weeks,” he said. “The camps are priced keeping in mind the financial hardships families are facing.” He said prices run from $80 for a one-week camp to $125 for a twoor three-week camp. Those camps include things like scrapbooking and “Digital Generation” for third- to fifth-graders, with digital photography, Web cre-
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ations, the chance to create a selfpublished book and more. “We’re also featuring a culinary camp were trying to launch this year called Culinary Express,” Boster said. That class will offer fourth- and fifth-graders the chance to learn cooking techniques, food preparation and etiquette as well as exercises like yoga and kickboxing. The Summer Academy, as it’s being called, will also offer drama classes and an arts-and-crafts class. Dublin schools will offer more traditional classes, too, including creative writing and courses to help kids stay at grade level in math over the summer. The complete list of classes, requirements and can be found at www.dublin.k12.ca.us. —Glenn Wohltmann
Dublin offering variety of golfing opportunities this summer
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Community tournament heads off programs for all age groups BY JEB BING
Registration is open for the third annual Dublin Community Golf Tournament on Tuesday, June 22. Rich Jochner, Dublin’s recreation supervisor, said the tournament will open with a 1 p.m. “Shotgun” start, followed by a buffet dinner and silent auction. It’s a scramble, best-ball type tournament. Handicaps are not used. “This fun, intergenerational community tournament raises funds for the Dublin Youth Fee Assistance Program, which provides quality recreational experiences for children who otherwise might not get this opportunity,” Jochner said. Teams or individuals can register at www.dublinrecguide.com. Registration flyers can also be downloaded here. The costs are $90 for adults, $50 seniors (50+) and $50 for teens with charges including greens fees, a cart and dinner. The tournament includes holes for Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, Hole-in-One and a Putting Contest plus a special “Grip It and Rip It” appearance by Dublin mascot Glen the Guide. For more information, contact the Dublin Parks and Community Services Department at (925) 5564500. Sponsorship opportunities also are still available. Jochner also cited other golfing opportunities in Dublin. They include Junior Golf School, Women’s Group Golf Lessons, a co-ed golf school and the city’s Twilight Golf League. All of the programs are at the Dublin Ranch Golf Course. Junior Golf School: With golf continuing to be one of the hottest youth sports trends that often becomes a lifetime sport, this friendly introductory class is open to all skill levels. Basic full swing fundamentals and short game skills (chipping and putting) will be taught as well as golf rules and golf etiquette. Open to those 7 to 17-1/2 years old
“This fun, intergenerational community
tournament raises funds for the Dublin Youth Fee Assistance Program, which provides quality recreational experiences for children.” Rich Jochner
on Saturdays from June 26-July 31, and again from Aug. 7 to Sept. 11. Women’s Group Golf Lessons: Women’s golf is on the rise everywhere and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is steadily gathering dedicated golf fans. But don’t just watch. Jochner said this is your chance to learn how to play. Instruction includes: correct grip, stance, posture, how to take aim and take a full swing. Basic fundamentals, rules and etiquette will also be covered. Lessons are on Tuesdays from June 22 to July 20, and again from July 27 to Aug. 24. Coed Golf School: Here’s your chance to learn to play golf in a friendly, non-competitive environment. Golf rules and etiquette as well as basic full swing fundamentals and short game skills (chipping and putting) will be covered. Classes are on Saturdays from June 26 to July 31, and again also on Wednesdays from June 23 to July 21 and again from July 28 to Aug. 25. Twilight Golf League: This unique seven-week summer golf league is held on Wednesdays with a 5:30 p.m. shotgun start. The weekly format consists of two four-person teams playing each other in nine hole matches worth a total of four points. Each player will play an individual, head-to-head match against a player from the opposing team worth one point. Total points earned will determine league standings and the rankings for the finals. All players must have NCGA handicaps. If you have less than four play-
ers but still want to play on a team, call (925) 556-4500 to be added to a team. The cost is $25 per person for green fee and cart, which will be collected by the course each night. League play is planned for Wednesdays starting June 30. N
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Congratulations to the winners of Readers Choice Dublin 2010! Almost 2,000 votes were cast in TriValley Views inaugural Readers Choice contest. Visit the winners and find out why they were named best in Dublin! AT HOME Best Home Furnishings: Bassett Furniture Best Home Consignment Shop: Consignment Furnishings Best Landscaper / Designer: Kobold’s Garden Landscape Supply Best Plumber: Mr. Rooter Plumbing; Valley Plumbing – TIE Best Hardware Store: Orchard Supply Hardware Best Carpet Cleaners: P & G Chem Dry Best Kitchen / Bath Remodeler: Plumbery Inc. Best Outdoor Furniture Store: Pool, Patio & More Best Roofer: Sierra Roofing Systems Best Flooring Store: The Floor Store
AROUND TOWN Best Tire Store / Service Center: Big O Tires Best Car Wash: Corwood’s Carwash Best Dublin Real Estate Office: JSCA Real Estate Group; DR Horton – TIE Best Place to Get a Traffic Ticket: Dublin Boulevard Best Golf Course: Dublin Ranch Golf Best Auto Dealership: Dublin Toyota Best Place to Have a First Date: Hacienda Crossings Best Place to People Watch: Hacienda Crossings Best Tutoring School: Happy Talkers Therapy For Kids Best Car Repair: Magnussen Car West Auto Body of Dublin Best Veterinarian: Parkway Veterinary Hospital Page 6ÊUÊMay 31, 2010ÊUÊTriValley Views
Best Pet Groomer: Dublin Creek Kennels; PetSmart – TIE Best Place for Dance Lessons: Spotlight Arts Academy of Dance & Music Best Local Financial Institution: Wells Fargo
EPICURE Best Pizza: Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria Best Barbecue: Armadillo Willy’s Barbecue Best Burger: Athens Burger Restaurant Best French Fries: Athens Burger Restaurant; Fuddruckers – TIE Best Ice Cream / Yogurt Shop: Blush Organic Frozen Yogurt Best Burrito: Casa Orozco Best Margarita: Casa Orozco Best Mexican Restaurant: Casa Orozco Best Breakfast: Copper Skillet Restaurant Best Independent Coffee House: Dr. Beanz Coffee Bar Best Take-out Restaurant: Dublin Fish & Chips Best Atmosphere: Elephant Bar Best Italian Restaurant: Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too! Best Thai Restaurant: Little Home Thai Cuisine; Thai Basil Express – TIE Best Seafood Restaurant: McNamara’s Steak & Chop House Best Steakhouse: McNamara’s Steak & Chop House Best Romantic Restaurant: McNamara’s Steak & Chop House Best American Food Restaurant: Mimi’s Cafe
Best Outdoor Dining: Mimi’s Cafe Best Bakery: Nothing Bundt Cakes Best Mediterranean / Middle Eastern Restaurant: Pamir Restaurant Best Chinese Restaurant: Willow Tree Best Sushi / Japanese Restaurant: Yanagi Sushi & Grill
LET’S GET PHYSICAL Best Yoga / Pilates: Bikram Yoga Best Martial Arts Studio: Combat Sports Academy Best Place to Walk a Dog: Dougherty Hills Dog Park Best Health Club: Fitness 2000 Best Bike or Walking Trail: Iron Horse Trail Best Place to Jog: Iron Horse Trail
PERSONAL CARE Best Medical Spa: Crunch Inches By Skin Laser Best Hair Salon for Men: GHQ Men’s Hair Salon Best Hair Salon for Women: Hair Masters Best Dry Cleaners: Harvey’s Cleaners & Laundry; Park Avenue Cleaners – TIE Best Massage: Jolie European Skin & Body Care Best Manicure / Pedicure: Town Nails
SPECIALTY RETAIL Best Place to Buy Athletic Equipment: Any Mountain Best Women’s Clothing Store: Dress Barn
Best Bicycle Shop: Dublin Cyclery Best Florist: Dublin Floral Design; The Rose Girls Florist – TIE Best Consignment Store: Fashion Court Best Bookstore: Barnes & Noble Booksellers; Lighthouse Christian Bookstore – TIE Best Hobby / Craft Store: Michaels Best Pet Store: Petsmart Best Jewelry Store: Tam’s Wholesale Jewelry Best Place to Buy a Gift: Tangerine Best Art Gallery: The Frame Company & Art Gallery Best Health Food Store: Whole Foods Market
STEPPING OUT Best Place to Get Together With Friends: Bunjo’s Comedy Club Best Place for Live Music: Dublin Sports Pub & Grill Best Place for an After Work Drink: Gallagher’s Dublin Pub; Hooters – TIE Best Place for Dancing: ShBoom Best Place to Meet New People: St. Patrick’s Day Festival Best Place for a Picnic: The Glen
Thank you to everyone who participated.
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Readers pick the best of Dublin With population now at 47,000, opportunities thrive for builders, retailers BY JEB BING
Readers chose Hacienda Crossings as “the best place to people watch” in Dublin, and with good reason. It’s one of the largest open air shopping centers in the East Bay and home to a number of large chain stores, plus it is also home to the area’s largest theater complex, the Hacienda Crossings 20 plus IMAX. Since its opening in 1999, the Hacienda Crossings Shopping Center has been among the vibrant shopping and entertainment centers, with readers voting for a number of the retail stores and restaurants in the center as their favorites. The retail line-up at Hacienda Crossings includes Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Babies R Us, Old Navy, ULTA Cosmetics and Any Mountain, to name just a few. Hacienda Crossings also offers dining opportunities to meet any taste; with restaurants including
Macaroni Grill, Mimi’s Cafe, Fuzios, On the Border, Fuddruckers, Black Angus, Applebee’s and Taxis. With Hacienda and an abundance of high-density apartment complexes, new condos and upscale single family homes in the $1 million range, Dublin has become in its relatively short span as an incorporated city a formidable competitor to its much older and larger neighbors of Pleasanton and Livermore. Hacienda, Waterford Place and now Grafton Plaza dominate the business segments of east Dublin Boulevard, with older retailers, restaurants and service businesses heading west to the Target Store shopping area near San Ramon Road. That’s also where the nearby West BART station will soon open, which will include more retailers and, eventually, high-rise apartment and office buildings. McNamara’s Steak and Chop House is nearby, which
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Clubs DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution, Jose Maria Amador Chapter meets the second Saturday of the month. It is a time for a social gathering and to discuss the history of our American roots. For meeting time and location, call Susan, 699-4147. LIVERMORE AMADOR VALLEY GARDEN CLUB (LAVGC) The club will meet from 6:30-9 p.m. June 10 at Alden Lane Nursery, 981 Alden Ln., Livermore. Tonight’s meeting will have a “Question and Answer� segment from selected members focusing on gardening problems and their solutions. Please note, the next monthly meeting will be Sept. 9 with the location to be determined at a later date. Call 461-1725 or visit www.orgsites.com/ca/lavgc.
Events
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ADOPT ADOPT ADOPT! TriValley Animal rescue is a proud participant of Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon. Dog & Cat adoptions will be FREE to qualified homes throughout the weekend of June 12-13. For adoption locations & information, call 925-803-7043 or visit www.tvar.org.
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FARMERS MARKET Island Earth’s farmers market is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays in the parking lot between Macy’s and Sears at Stoneridge Shopping Center. It features organic produce,
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artisan wares, fresh flowers and more. Call 510-769-1525 or visit islandearthfarmersmarket.org.
group. Call 200-1943 or visit www.clutterless.org.
PRAYER CIRCLE Tri-Valley Unity Church will host prayer, meditation, study and sharing from 7:158:30 p.m., on the first, third and fifth Tuesdays of every month, at the church’s gathering place, 7567 Amador Valley Blvd., #120, Dublin. For information, e-mail Bob at hardyco1@comcast.net.
TRI VALLEY SUPPORT GROUP FOR FIBROMYALGIA, LUPUS AND ALL FORMS OF ARTHRITIS This group meets from 6:30-8 p.m., on the fourth Monday of every month, at the Groves at Dublin Ranch in the Clubhouse, 3115 Finnian Way, Dublin. The group will host special speakers like doctors or specialists. For information, call JoAnne during the hours of 11 a.m.-10 p.m. at 875-0960.
Sports
Volunteering
PHASE 1 GROUP RIDE This easy paced, no-drop road ride is ideal for new riders, riders coming back from time off or those wanting a more social/learning environment. Meets at 10 a.m. Saturdays. Takes 20-35 miles, with a monthly ride of 40 miles. Re-group every 10 miles and 1 longer stop. Call 485-3218 or visit cyclepath.com.
AMERICAN RED CROSS VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS The event is from 4-6 p.m. June 10 at Pleasanton Blood Donation Center, 5556-B Springdale Ave. Learn about ways to greet, inform and thank the community’s blood donors or post fliers at key locations. Advance sign-up required. Call 510-594-5165 or visit blackstonea@usa.redcross.org.
Spiritual
Support Groups CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Caring for a loved one is challenging physically and emotionally. Join this support group to explore resources and generate problem-solving ideas from 1-3 p.m., on the second Monday of every month, and from 7-9 p.m., on the second Wednesday of every month, at 5353 Sunol Blvd. Get the support you deserve at the Senior Support Program of the TriValley. Call 931-5389. CLUTTER LESS SELF HELP GROUP The group meets every Monday from 7-8:30 p.m. at St. Mary & St. John Coptic Orthodox Church, 4300 Mirada Dr. Rm. 7. Overwhelmed? Is clutter stressing you out? Learn how to deal with it by attending the support
ONGOING VOLUNTEER DRIVERS NEEDED Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley is looking for Volunteer Drivers to transport seniors to their medical appointments. The Senior Transportation Program supplements existing public and Para transit services by providing rides via volunteer drivers. For information, call Jennifer at 931-5387. TRI-VALLEY ANIMAL RESCUE NEEDS YOU! Do you love animals? Tri-Valley Animal Rescue is holding an orientation for new volunteers at 1 p.m. June 6 at East County Animal Shelter, 4595 Gleason Dr., Dublin. Come and learn about volunteer opportunities like fostering dogs, cats, socializing shelter animals, helping at adoption events and fundraisers. There are other roles available for you to participate in. Age 18 and over. Cost $10. Call 803-7043 or visit www.tvar.org.
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NOSE TO GLASS BY DON COLMAN
Raising your glass and money, at the same time
I
n the past two weeks I had the opportunity to attend two different charity wine events. There is nothing more soothing for the soul than being able to raise money for a great cause, while raising a glass of wine. The first event was the 34th annual San Francisco Wine Auction hosted by the Guardsmen. This event was a black tie affair with a “Rat Pack” theme, complete with “Marilyn Monroe” and paparazzi. The whole purpose of the event was to raise money for at-risk Bay Area youth, a cause that is all too often overlooked. The highlight of the event was the ability to sample a plethora of goods from small, medium and large wineries, all in one location. The night began with a silent auction and more than 30 wineries to visit and taste. Unfortunately there was not enough time to sample them all, but I did my best. A couple of wines that stood out were Foggy Bridge, O’Brien Estate, Marston Family Vineyards, Jones Family Vineyards and Juslyn Vineyards. The night continued with a first-class meal, a live auction (for once-in-a-lifetime experiences) and ended with dancing to a live band. If you have friends, family or clients who fancy themselves as wine aficionados, this is a perfect event for them. Keep an eye on www. guardsmen.org/wineauction for information on the 35th annual event. One week later, I had the chance to stay closer to home and attend another wine auction, the 16th annual Livermore Valley Wine Auction. This, too, was a fundraiser
for children, focusing on children suffering various afflictions and giving them the opportunity to attend local camps. The theme of this auction was Vino Carnival. The night began with a silent auction and carnival games, during which time you could sample wines from numerous Livermore vintners while enjoying tasty offering from the Carnival Food Stations. The experience was truly unique as not only did you get to sample the wine, but you often had the winemaker and/ or the owner of the winery actually pouring the wine. The ability to spend time with the creator of the wine provided insight into what they were trying to accomplish. There was so much variety and selection I would have needed two or three days to sample them all, so I spent my time searching for my favorites or ones that I had not experienced before. I sampled so many different top-notch wines that night that I could not begin to write about them all. There was a handful that kept me yearning for more: Nth Degree, Steven Kent and La Rochelle, Mitchell Katz, Page Mill and Darcie Kent. The night ended with a live auction. All of the auction donors had the chance to present their items before the auctioneer created a buzz at a million words per minute. This allowed the donor to explain the item and created a personal touch. Most of the auction items were things you could never buy in a store — such as dinners at the home of the winemakers, golf with Annika Sorenstam, and locker room access to the San Jose Sharks. Keep your eyes peeled on the www.lvwine.org website for more information on next year’s auction. Both of these wine auctions were spectacular events, which allowed wine lovers to experience a variety of wine and food while raising money for worthwhile causes. Until next time, cheers! Don Colman lives in the East Bay and writes a wine blog at www.nosetoglass.com.
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readers called the most romantic restaurant in town with also the best steaks and seafood. Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi, which also is close by, was rated the best Italian restaurant. Today, Dublin has a population of 47,000, a median age of 34 years, and a median household income of $83,132. According to Census statistics, the city’s growth rate was 29 percent in the decade ending with the year 2000. Although the growth in population and businesses has slowed in the recession, city-approved plans and those awaiting approval show significantly continued growth ahead. Service businesses and suppliers also gained recognition from readers. Orchard Supply was voted “Best Hardware Store�; Consignment Furnishings, best consignment shop; Bassett Furniture, best in home furnishings; and Plumbery, Inc. as the best kitchen and bath remodeler.
Entertainment also thrives in Dublin with Bunjo’s Comedy Club named as the “best place to get together with friends� and Hooters and Gallagher’s Dublin Pub as the best places for an after-work drink. With its abundance of public parks and athletic fields, Dublin also is considered a great family town. The Glen, with its manicured fields and walking area, won our Readers Choice as the best place for a picnic. The city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, which almost everyone in Dublin and the Tri-Valley seems to attend, was voted the “best place to meet new people.� From top-notch dry cleaners (Park Avenue Cleaners) to nail salons (Town Nails), readers told us that Dublin has it all, including Dublin Ranch Golf (best golf course), Dublin Cyclery (best bicycle shop) and Michaels (best hobby/craft store). Of course, not all of the readers choices are along Dublin Boulevard. With the city extending north to San Ramon, west to the Valley Christian Church and school com-
plex and new housing in the hills, and east to Livermore and Fallon Road, already-established businesses and services as well as new ones had strong reader approval. These included the dog park on Amador Parkway (see cover photo), Copper Skillet Restaurant (best breakfast), the Iron Horse Trail (best place to jog through town) and Kobold’s Garden & Landscaping Supply on Scarlett Court (best landscaper/designer). Although the recent recession caused Circuit City, Expo and Mervyns to close in Dublin, with Montgomery Ward shuttered earlier, Mayor Tim Sbranti told a real estate group last month that the phones “are starting to ring again,� with business prospects looking at those empty store buildings and other locations in Dublin to expand or move their firms. Certainly the heavy traffic on streets in the central part of Dublin and crowded Target and Hacienda Crossings parking lots indicate that shoppers are back as Dublin positions itself for continued growth. N
Dublin golf tournament set for June 14 Handling advance arrangements for the Dublin Chamber’s upcoming golf tournament are (from left) Greg Betty, chairman of the chamber board; Marine Rossellini, vice chairwoman for programs; Nancy Feely, chamber president and chief executive ofďŹ cer; and Kathy Johnson, a member of the chamber board of director. The Dublin Chamber of Commerce will hold its 23rd annual golf tournament on Monday, June 14 at the Dublin Ranch Golf Course. Registration will begin at 10 a.m., with a putting contest PHOTO BY JEB BING at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be served by Outback Steakhouse from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at noon. For more information, contact the Dublin Chamber at 828-6200. Chartered in 1968, the chamber promotes businesses in Dublin. Membership is made up of large and small retailers, professionals, service oriented businesses, corporations, schools, churches and nonproďŹ t organizations. The chamber ofďŹ ce is located at 7080 Donlon Way, #110, and is open weekdays except Fridays.
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Cheri Martin R.N., BAEd. Infusion Center Employee of the Year & Caregiver of the Year
Marie Mayo R.N. Outpatient/GI Unit
Jane Roberts-MacArt Human Resources & Service Excellence Hero of the Year
Tom Perry CBET Biomed
Chris Nartker R.N. Emergency Services
Veronica Jackson R.N., CRRN Medical/Surgical Unit
Esmeralda Morones The Breast Center
celebrating 20 YEARS
Missy Smith Patient Financial Services
OF EXTRAORDINARY CARE
Nancy Ramsey RRT Respiratory Therapy
Sarah Kiyoi R.N., BSN, CCRN Intensive Care Unit
Angie Allen Surgery
Rita Woycheese MPT Therapy Services
Susan Stinson MT(ASCP), CLS Laboratory
Deborah Bangoli R.N., MSN Definitive Observation Unit Florence Nightingale winner
As we celebrate National Nurses Week and National Hospital & Healthcare Week, we take a moment to recognize those employees who make both San Ramon Regional Medical Center and our community such a remarkable place. They exemplify the commitment, skill and compassionate care we offer. This recognition begins with our special employees honored this year: Cheri Martin, R.N., Infusion Center, our Employee of the Year and Caregiver of the Year; Jane Roberts-MacArt, Human Resources and Service Excellence, our Hero of the Year; Deborah Bangoli, R.N., MSN, Definitive Observation Unit, our Florence Nightingale winner; and all of our 2009 Employees of the Month. From the emergency room, to the operating room, to the patient room, we’re here for you.
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