Alamo • Danville • Blackhawk • Diablo • San Ramon
VALLEY
THE
SENTINEL
Special Section...... page 7
A New Year... A New You!
always for the community
January 2010
VOL 15, NO 3
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
SPOTLIGHT
Danville Resident’s Product Named Best Invention By Staff Writer
TIME Magazine today announced O r i g Au d i o ’s n ew limited edition Fold n’ Play speakers as one of the 50 Best Inventions of 2009. The magazine was inspired by the brand’s ingenious solution to entertainment on the Jason Lucash road, touting its “selfpowered, 1-watt speakers made of heavy-duty recycled paper,” and praising the speaker’s portability and functionality. The annual guide highlights companies, large and small, who have developed gadgets and breakthrough ideas in 2009. Chicago-based OrigAudio was founded this year by 26-year-old and 16-year resident of Danville, Jason Lucash. Lucash is a 2002 graduate of San Ramon Valley High school and attended Sycamore Elementary
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See LUCASH page 5
Photo by Mark Curtis December’s snowy weather was truly memorable, as seen in this photo of Mt. Diablo taken by Danville’s newsman Mark Curtis from his bedroom window. Few can recall a more dramatic display in recent years. The Berkeley hills were powdered over, and it snowed in the San Ramon Valley.”
A Great Housewarming for the Sentinels of Freedom In Fond He hasn’t even moved in yet, but a wounded Iraqi war veteran held something akin to a housewarming party at his new digs in Danville on December 10. Sgt. Manny Mendoza-Valencia received the keys to his new home, which he purchased through J. Rockcliff Realty, and broker Mike Weber. A group of supporters from the Sentinels of Freedom, a veterans support group, plus various business, government and media representatives crowded into Manny’s new home for a look. Mendoza-Valencia, lost both of his legs when an improvised explosive device (IED), exploded near his U.S. military convoy in Iraq. After extensive medical care and rehabilitation, the Mendocino County native moved See SENTINELS page 5
Sentinel Newspapers, Inc. 315 Diablo Road, Ste. 214 Danville, CA 94526 925-820-6047
Memory of Tony Carnemolla
By Mark Curtis
By Denise Rousset
Photo by Mark Curtis U.S. Army Sgt. Manny Mendoza-Valencia, a disabled Iraq war veteran, receives an $11,000 donation to the “Sentinels of Freedom” outside his new Danville home. Mendoza is part of the San Ramon Valley’s “Sentinels of Freedom” program. From left to right in the photo are: Maj. Gen. Ron Lowe, USAR (Ret.); Mike Conklin, CEO, Sentinels of Freedom; U.S. Army Sgt. Manny Mendoza-Valencia, wounded Iraq war veteran; Mike Weber, U.S. Army veteran and J. Rockcliff real estate broker; Vance Smith, Vice-president, J. Rockcliff Realty.
You care about what you put in your body... Remember to care about what you put on your body too. See page 3 730 Camino Ramon, Danville, CA 94526 • 925-362-0767
Anthony “Tony” Carnemolla
On December 23, Tony Carnemolla, resident of Alamo and owner of Dad’s Locksmith in Danville died of a massive heart attack after returning to his office from his morning coffee group with fellow Veterans and friends. He was only 74. For me, this news was a shock. Tony was so full of life and made my work in Danville so much fun. I met Tony in the Danville Merchant’s Association when I first launched the See TONY page 14