brookside monthly magazine

MAY 2013 | VOL. 8 | ISSUE 5

>>editor’s note

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brookside monthly magazine | MAY 2013 | 3

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Special Day for a Special WomanHonor Your Mom This Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day, the last few days of school, graduation and Memorial Day. There are a lot of occasions that we celebrate

during the month of May. We may celebrate more than those I have mentioned or less, but there is one thing for sure: this month is filled with special moments for everyone.

There is one day a year that is reserved just for our moms. There will be people honoring their moms everywhere this month and rightfully so; all moms do a lot for their families. I read online once that “mom” stands for “Manager of Miracles.” Mir-acles: All children are miracles, and those of us who are lucky enough to get a membership into this club will do anything for our children. After all, they are only young for a short time. You only have about 18 years to teach them core values that will hopefully build a strong founda-tion, before you send them out into the world.

Moms are teachers, mentors, nurses, chauffeurs, referees, counselors, room moms, Boy Scout/Girl Scout moms, friends – the list can go on and on. To show your mom that she is appreciated and loved, you can give her flow-ers, make her favorite dinner, or create a card with why you think she is so special to you. Person-ally, the homemade cards are the best. I still have every one that my

children have given me over the years. The hours are long, but the rewards are priceless.

As our children reach the ages of 2-5, they pretend to be grown-ups with career and families. And there may be an assortment of “dress up” clothes at their preschool or daycare that help the children in their pretend world. They can put on a fire-fighter hat and coat, and pretend to drive a fire truck on their way to a five-alarm fire, or put on a badge and holster on their way to catch a robber and put him in jail, or maybe don a white coat and a stethoscope and find a cure for a disease.

Then, as our children grow, we guide and support them as they make decisions in their life. One such decision may be to find a career path. These days, if children have an idea of what careers interest them, they have opportunities to get hands-on experience now instead of wait-ing for college.

In this month’s feature story, I invite you to read how Health

Careers Academy High School partners with local medical groups and schools to help students understand the medical field, along with their regular high school core classes. You will also learn about a local cardiologist who works with pharmacy stu-dents at University of the Pacific and helps them understand how important it is to view patients as something more than words on a slip of paper. And, you will learn how San Joaquin prepares students to be the doctors of tomorrow.

We at Big Monkey Group want to congratulate all the seniors on their graduation from high school. And to all our readers who are moms, we hope you enjoy your special day with your family.

Mitzi Stites | Managing [email protected]

4 | MAY 2013 | brookside monthly magazine

Doctor, DoctorToday’s medical students are tomorrow’s

MDs – with some local helpBy Alan Naditz | Staff Writer

It’s 24 hours later, and Traci Miller, principal of Health Careers Academy High School, is still in a state of happy shock. Her school’s latest parents’ information night,

designed to attract prospective students for the 2013-14 year, was standing room only. With more than 175 visitors, the evening marked the second case of parent overload in only a few months.

>>feature story

That’s a far cry from the two-year-old campus’s inaugural meetings in 2011, when a few dozen parents showed up to find out about the charter school that specializes in medical education classes for teenagers. “Last night, before the meeting, I’m thinking about how much I have riding on this,” Miller says. “I have the dean of the CSU Stanislaus-Stockton Center opening up his facility for us, I’ve got the director of Kaiser’s School of Allied Health opening his facility up. We had all these workers coming in to help. And to end up with another stand-ing room only crowd – it was nuts.”

Miller will take this kind of crazy any day. The school is well on track to meeting its goal of having 400 students by fall, when it begins offering classes for 11th graders. Nearly half that total of students have already com-mitted to attending HCA next school year, about three times as many as last year at this time. “At one time, people didn’t even know we existed,” Miller says. “That appears to be changing very fast.”

Stockton Unified School District created HCA in 2011 to address a forecasted, severe shortage of trained, qualified healthcare workers for jobs coming to the Central Valley in the next few years. As an example, Miller points to the new 1,700-bed state prison healthcare facility under construc-tion in Stockton and scheduled to open this summer – about 2,400 people are expected to be employed there. There’s also the 120-bed Veterans’ Administration medical facility and outpatient clinic, planned for opening in 2018, which would create another 900 jobs.


>>feature story

Continued on page 6

While not all the new jobs at the two locations will be medical, the impact on a county already identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources as a Health Pro-fessional Shortage Area cannot be ignored, notes Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud, director of surgery at San Joaquin General.

To that end, the California Department of Correc-tions awarded a $700,000 grant to get HCA up and running. And run it has: Tucked away inside University Park in Stockton’s historic Magnolia District, the school has quickly established partnerships with neighboring California State University Stanislaus-Stockton Center, and Kaiser Permanente’s School of Allied Health.

Students who attend HCA arrive each day in medi-cal scrubs – the school’s uniform – looking like extremely young doctors. The outfit helps keep the students in a healthcare frame of mind, and also levels the playing field when it comes to household income, Miller says. “You can’t tell the kids who have more from the ones who don’t,” she notes.

The school follows a Stanford University medical-based curriculum: A typical day consists of college prep courses in first aid, CPR, medical terminology, history of healthcare, and ethics, among others. In most cases, those classes can be used for credit should the student pursue a degree at a four-year university, possibly speeding up their gradu-ation and pursuit of a career in medicine.

“Because we’re a charter school, we can draw students from anywhere in California. So we get students from Stock-ton, Manteca, Lodi, Linden, Lincoln. They’re coming from all over the place,” Miller says. “It’s also a very wide demograph-

ic: Some kids arrive here in a Mercedes; some take an hour and a half to get to school every day by public transportation. It’s a really wide cross-section of the community, but what they have in common is that they all want to do something very specialized.”

Like any school, there are projects. But these class proj-ects overlap with medicine whenever possible. For example, an English teacher will have them study a disease. The students then become an “expert” on it and present their knowledge to their classmates. “When I was in school, I was studying Romeo and Juliet, and learning the Pythagorean Theory in geometry,” Miller recalls. “It didn’t connect for me at all. So we have our teachers working together to show how this is important.”

There are field trips that go beyond the typical visit to a museum. In 2011, HCA students visited San Quentin State Prison to see the various medical job opportunities avail-able in the prison system. Although everything went fine, it wasn’t a trip Miller is likely to repeat. “I was too much of a mother hen the whole time,” she admits. “It took me two weeks to recover.”

The students also pass on what they’ve learned. A typical community event involves them visiting neighboring Pittman Charter School as part of the K-8 campus’s annual health fair,

explaining healthcare matters to those students. It’s also not unusual to see HCA students at Kaiser Family Health Days, or promote physical fitness at an event sponsored by the YMCA.

Guests from the local medical community regularly ap-pear on campus. In recent weeks, Dr. Moses Elam and Dr. Darryl Jones, both executives from Kaiser Permanente, spoke to students about their respective journeys to be-coming physicians. “The world is yours if you want it,” Elam told the students. “But you’re going to have to work for it right now.” Delta Blood Bank and the California Transplant Donor Network presented information about how students and their families can make an impact by helping to save lives of others in their community. Several medical and uni-versity students from the University of the Pacific and CSU Stanislaus-Stockton Center also reminded students of the importance of maintaining good grades while in high school.

“Every quarter and every semester, we start the day off by revisiting what our goal is, to help the kids keep their eye on the prize,” Miller says. “Teenagers kind of live in the now, as in today – not a week from now, much less four years from now. We have to remind them there is an end goal to what they do here.”

Miller’s students won’t begin the second leg of their journey until 2015, when HCA has expanded to a full four-grade curriculum, and its first class graduates. By that point, becoming a student at the medical charter school could be a bit of a challenge. “I have a feeling I will be using a waiting list for freshmen after next year,” Miller says. “That will put us in a situation resembling other charter schools. But what a great problem to have!”

From the HeartHCA graduates who move on to college for their medi-

cal careers could cross paths with Dr. Ramin Manshadi, who is also dedicated to guiding new doctors, nurses and other clinicians.

Manshadi, a cardiologist in private practice on Pacific Avenue in Stockton, bases everything he does on the Hippocratic Oath. Most people have heard of its main principle: Do no harm as a doctor. But there’s a second pledge that not every doctor follows: Teach the art of medicine to the younger generation in the same way the doctors themselves were taught.

For Manshadi, that starts by keeping up with medi-cal technology. While the average person’s knowledge of medicine comes from what they see on shows like “House,” “Nurse Betty” and “E.R.,” Manshadi spends most of his free time reading about the real thing. “When you’re in the medical field, you’re always a student,” he says. “There are always new findings. That’s why I try to always learn about new technology and new ways of treat-ment, new items out there from different companies. When there’s new technology that would benefit the patient, I’m

“Our motto at the school is, ‘Passion.’ We

believe everyone needs to have pas-

sion in what they do. And every one

of those letters stands for

something: ‘P’ (Professional),

‘A’ (Academic), ‘S’ (Service to others),

‘S’ (Strong), ‘I’ (Inspiring),

‘O’ (Optimistic) and ‘N’ (Nurturing).”

— Traci Miller, principal, Health Careers Academy High School

Principal Traci Miller guides her students through their studies at Health Careers Academy High School. “I’m one of the luckiest people on Earth,” she says. “This is a terrific job.” PHOTOS BY LOUIE AMBRIZ


>>feature story

Continued from page 5

the first to learn about it so I can deliver it to my patients as soon as possible. After I learn, I teach it to other doctors in the United States.”

Manshadi was one of the first doctors in the U.S. – and the first in San Joaquin County – to use a wire-less pacemaker when they became available in the mid-2000s, and later an MRI-safe pacemaker in 2011. In 2007, he was the first in Northern California to implant a left ventricular assist device – a.k.a. a mechani-cal heart – that literally replaces the human variety with a machine (the recipient, Stockton resident Irene Armendarez, lived five more years, or about 4 1/2 longer than she would have with her failing human heart). And, Manshadi recently began performing a self-sealing arteriotomy procedure at St. Joseph’s Medical Center for patients who undergo

surgery to remove heart blockages, which greatly reduces recovery pain and chance of infection.

Over 13 years, the Elk Grove High School alum has also made a name for himself in other circles: Manshadi has been voted Top Interventional Car-diologist by Castle Connelly; America’s Top Cardiologist by the Consum-ers Research Council; winner of the Future Leader Award by the American College of Cardiology; and recipient of the Patients Choice Award, and San Joaquin Medical Society’s Young Physician of the Year Award.

In 2011, he wrote a book, “The Wisdom of Heart Health,” an easy-to-understand guide to help cardiac patients take proper care of them-selves as they recover from surgery. “I know that my patients are more educated about their heart health, and they are more likely to take care of themselves, and are more likely to follow through on my recommenda-

tions,” Manshadi says. “They do a lot of research on the Internet. The biggest complaint I heard from them was that the research is quite dry. The wanted something that wasn’t written over their heads.”

And, to prove he’s not taking it too easy in his spare time, every year Manshadi goes to Washington D.C. to meet with federal legislators to hear the latest on healthcare policy. Locally, he is chairperson of media relations for California chapter of the American College of Cardiology, a clinical profes-sor at the University of the Pacific’s School of Pharmacy, and associate clinical professor of cardiology at the University of California at Davis.

The two university dealings give Manshadi the most immediate chances to fulfill his Hippocratic Oath. At UC Davis, he works mostly with third-year medical students when they undergo a several-week course in cardiology. He offers the typical lectures on basics like heart failure and how to read EKGs. But then he goes a step further when he goes with them to visit clinics. “I teach them the difference between an average doctor and an excellent doctor,” Manshadi says. “An average doctor practices cookbook medicine, where you read up and see, ‘Okay, this disease gets treated this way.’ An excellent doctor realizes that every patient with a specific disease is quite different from another patient with the same disease. You must look at the patient as a whole, and you fine-tune the treatment for that patient.”

The University of the Pacific doesn’t have a medical school. But it does offer pharmacy, and even these students are required to take a course in cardiology as part of their degree. So, for several weeks at a time, pairs of future pharmacists visit Manshadi’s office to observe his prac-tice. The sessions help the students see patients as more than just names on slips of paper, he notes. “When

they’re here, they can understand how the heart works and how it re-lates to the patient,” Manshadi says. “They see the patients’ faces; they hear the patients complain. If they can understand all of this, when they later see these prescriptions come through for cardiac drugs, they can be better pharmacists in general.”

Manshadi often gets thank you letters from the students after they move on. He appreciates these, but appreciates their future actions more. “I not doing this to be able to say I turned someone into a great person, and be able to pat myself on the back,” he replies. “I’m doing it because I believe in doing the right things, and doing good things. That’s the way everyone should look at life. I want to bring positive energy back to the community, because positive always brings positive.”

That positive ethic continues. All proceeds from Manshadi’s book go toward another personal project: supplying free automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, to all local high schools. The cardiologist began the effort in 2009 to help reduce deaths from sudden cardiac arrest among young athletes. Several high schools in Stockton have received the devices, as well as a few area soccer and baseball leagues.

“I’ve created a positive, by exten-sion, out of my name, my recogni-tion, my hard work,” Manshadi says. “Basically, it’s a constant, circular approach in life, where everything feeds on each other.”

Manshadi adds that a program like Health Careers Academy serves a vital purpose in establishing, and ultimately maintaining, that circle. “It’s very important to be very positive and encourage young people to go into medicine,” he says. “It’s also important that students have a good role model, whether it’s a teacher, a soccer coach or an established physician. The right mentor can really make a difference.”

“There are two types of doctors and clinicians. One is to be the one who has the 9-to-5 job and has an easy life. The other is there be-

cause they truly love what they do, and constantly want to learn and give back.”

— Dr. Ramin Manshadi, cardiologist

For more informationWant to learn more about Health Careers Academy or heart healthcare? Go here for more information:• Health Careers Academy, 931 E. Magnolia St., Stockton, (209) 933-7360, http://hca-susd-ca.schoolloop.com. • Dr. Ramin Manshadi, 2633 Pacific Ave., Stockton, (209) 944-5530, www.drmanshadi.com.


Mallards Take to the WaterPractice starts Monday evening, May 13 at Brookside Pool for

registered swimmers. Nine year olds and younger will swim from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., and 10 year olds and older from 7:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. Ducklings do not start until Monday, June 10 at 10:15 a.m. at Brookside Pool.

There will be a meeting for all Mallards parents on Wednesday, May 15 at 7 p.m. during practice at the pool. Please attend to receive important information regard-ing the swim season and your volunteer

responsibilities. For more information, contact one of the team reps: Tammy Gill-Voyer, [email protected] or Carrie Spencer, [email protected].

>>around brookside

Brookside White Takes First PlaceThe 27th annual San Joaquin County Science Olympiad Competition

for grades 3-6 was held at Ronald McNair High School on Saturday, March 23. Fifty teams from across the county participated in 24 science events throughout the one-day competition. Top-scoring students and teams received medals, plaques, and/or grants.

Top 10 overall teams:First: Brookside School, White, Lincoln Unified Second: Brookside School, Blue, Lincoln UnifiedThird: Vinewood Elementary, Red, Lodi UnifiedFourth: Elkhorn School, Gold, Lodi UnifiedFifth: Ellerth E. Larson Elementary School, Purple, Lodi UnifiedSixth: Vinewood Elementary, White, Lodi UnifiedSeventh: John Muir Elementary, Green, Lodi Unified Eighth: Manlio Silva Elementary, Silver, Lodi UnifiedNinth: Ellerth E. Larson Elementary School, Violet, Lodi UnifiedTenth: Annunciation School, Gold, Stockton Diocese

Time to Buy a Beautiful Brookside HomeFor the month of March in Brookside, 21 homes were for sale, 37 were pend-

ing, 12 sold, 4 expired, withdrew or cancelled. For the properties sold, the aver-age days on the market were 80, average dollar per square foot was $141.97, median sold price was $287,500 and the median size was 2,052 square feet. Properties currently available are $245,000 to $2.25 million. For more important market information, call Grupe Realtors’ Bev Smith at (209) 482-0679, or Edie Boogusch at (209) 403-3186. Current market data taken from Metrolist.


>>around brookside

Social Events Highlight Brookside Country Club Calendar

Several Brookside Country Club member events are happen-ing this month, beginning on Sunday, May 5 with the “Cinco de Mayo” Renovation Golf Tournament. The club remembers Mother’s Day with a Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 12. There is Couples Bridge on Thursday, May 16, and live music and happy hour at pool No. 1 on Friday, May 17. On Tuesday, May 21 is Brookside BBQ Culinary Academy No. 5. The Friends and Couples Golf Tournament is Monday, May 27. Enjoy the Brookside’s Bi-Annual Wine Adventure on Friday, May 21. For more information, call (209) 956 -6200.

Brookside School HappeningsLincoln Unified School District

The all-band concert is Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4 is eighth grade graduation. The last day of school is Wednesday, June 5.

Brookside Elementary SchoolFourth Grade Mission Day is on

Friday, May 3. The annual Lincoln ‘Lympics is at the Lincoln High School track and field facilities for grades fourth through sixth is Tues-day, May 7 and Tuesday, May 14, for grades seventh and eighth. The fifth grade Heart Lab is Wednesday, May 8. Brookside PTSA’s annual “Muffins for Mom” is in the courtyard before school on Friday, May 10. Family Literacy Night is Thursday, May 16, in the library. The Choir Spring Concert is Tuesday, May 21, at 7 p.m. in the multi-use room. The school-wide Jog-a-Thon is through-out the day during P.E. classes on Wednesday, May 22; please make sure your child brings athletic shoes to school. The Band Spring Concert is Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. in the multi-use room. The Sixth Grade Greek Olympics is Friday, May 24, in the pavilion. There will be no school on Monday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day. The kindergarten program is Wednesday, May 29, at 6 p.m. in the multi-use room. Eighth Grade Promotion is Monday, June 3, at 6:45 p.m. in the courtyard, to be immediately followed by the Eighth Grade Dance. The last day of school is Wednesday, June 5; school will be released at 1:45 p.m.

Claudia Landeen Elementary School

On Thursday, May 9 is a band concert at 6 p.m. “Muffins with Mom” is Friday, May 10 at 7 a.m. and there is a music concert on Tuesday, May 14 at 6 p.m.

Lincoln High SchoolProm is Saturday, May 11 at 8 p.m.

The Senior Athletic Dinner is Monday, May 13 at 6 p.m. The Academics Awards is Tuesday, May 14 at 8:30 a.m. On Wednesday, May 15, the production of “Dramapalooza” takes place at 6:30 p.m. The senior Disney-land trip is Friday, May 17. Graduation is Wednesday, June 5.

St. Mary’s High SchoolMonday, May 6 is the incoming

Freshman Sports Night. Wednes-day, May 8 is Fine Arts Night. The Theatre Banquet is Friday, May 10. Cap and gown distribution will be Tuesday, May 14 through Friday, May 17. The Awards As-sembly is Wednesday, May 15. Senior Breakfast and yearbook distribution is Friday, May 17 and final exams are Tuesday, May 21 through Friday, May 24. There is a mandatory graduation practice on Friday, May 24 and graduation is Saturday, May 25.

Come to St. Mary’s annual Olive Festival on Sunday, May 11, from noon to 5 p.m. Regional olive oil producers, wine makers and fresh produce growers will be on site for tastings and a farmers market. Food and entertainment includes live music, food booths and demonstrations, bocci, a kids’ zone, the ever-humbling “Olive Pit-Spitting” contest, and the festival’s first 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk.

The annual “Blessing of the Olive Trees” and the bestowing of the “Golden Olive Branch Award” for humanitarian work will be fea-tured on center stage.

Tickets are $5 for adults; $3 for students with ID; free for kids age 10 and under. For more informa-tion, call (209) 663-7067.


>>community briefs

Special Sundays at Brookside Church

The First Congregational Church Women’s Fellowship will have its Annual Pot-Luck Luncheon on Sat-urday, May 11 at noon. The group will discuss the summer collections for Haven of Peace and the Friday, Nov. 15 Health Fair for Medicare Beneficiaries sponsored by Univer-sity of Pacific’s School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Everyone is welcome to help the ministry. There will be a Christian Education Sunday on May 19. This is a special youth-oriented leadership and participation worship service. For more informa-tion, call (209) 951-8545 or www.firstcongregationalstockton.org.

Walk to Raise AwarenessJoin the fight to educate and

end the local AIDS epidemic on May 11 during the 19th Annual AIDS Walk San Joaquin. This year’s walk will be at San Joaquin Delta College, 5151 Pacific Ave., Stockton. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

Last year, more than 400 peo-ple from throughout San Joaquin County and Northern Califor-nia came to walk in support of AIDS/HIV awareness. This year, organizers are expecting an even greater number of participants.

AIDS Walk SJ is the premier annual community event to bring awareness and raise much-need-ed funds for education, treatment, and care for those infected or affected by this disease. A com-munity health and resource fair, raffle and lunch are all part of the festivities planned following the walk. Interested parties can sign up or make a tax-deductible contribution at www.awsj.org or by calling (209) 608-9255.

Green GardeningMany people are “going green”

to reduce their carbon footprint, but green gardening can also reduce the impact to the Delta and your storm-water system. Runoff from your yard flows untreated through the storm drains directly into the waterways surrounding Stockton. By reducing fertilizer used and using less-toxic pesticides, you can reduce the negative effect on the health of our waterways. Avoid using leaf blowers and instead rake or sweep leaves, yard debris, and dirt from the driveway, walkways, and gutters. We

can all play a part in keeping the San Joaquin Delta healthy. For more tips on protecting the environment, the Delta, and your stormwater system, visit www.stocktongov.com/mud, or call (209) 937-5143.

Get Me to the Ritz! This hilarious farce is set in a

gay bathhouse, The Ritz. Gaetano Proclo, a hapless, middle-aged, overweight, very married man is on the lam from his Mafioso brother-in-law, Carmine Vespucci. He ducks into The Ritz, the last place anyone would look for him, not knowing what he has thrust himself into. What he encounters there sets the scene for an old-fashioned door-slamming farce, albeit with towel-clad chubby chasers, bumbling detectives, and Googie Gomez, an over-the-top would-be Bette Midler looking for her big break. This production is directed by Richard Garvin and is rated R for situations and language. Performances are Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 19, at the Stockton Civic The-atre, 2312 Rosemarie Lane, Stockton. Regular tickets are $25 for adults, $21 for seniors, and $15 for students and children. For more information, call (209) 473-3224 or visit www.sctlivetheatre.com.

Cherry Festival The Linden Cherry Festival is

Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival begins with the annual parade down Front Street at 9 a.m. The festival itself kicks off at 10 a.m. on the Linden Elementary School grounds, 18100 E. Front St., Linden. There will be a car show, food, rides, vendor booths, and more. For more information, call (209) 547-3046.

Unspoken Beauty“Unspoken Beauty” is that mo-

ment that does not have words to explain the feeling present when you encounter love, peace, tranquil-ity, simplicity, color, contrast of light, strength, vitality, roughness, age, and life plus death. Nature provides this unspoken beauty that sometimes cannot be explained or defined through words.

This art exhibition is at The Mexi-can Heritage Center and Gallery from Wednesday, May 1 through Saturday, May 25. Arturo Vera and Luz Lua-Foster bring the outside world indoors. Gallery hours are Tuesday thru Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. The gallery is at 111 South Sutter St. in Stockton. For more information, call (209) 547-0752.


>>community briefs

Want to Make Stockton a Better Place? Become a Volunteer

By Moses Zapien

Greetings neighbors,As your city council representative, I’m pleased to update you

on the progress we have made on a variety of community issues over the past few months. We continue to make progress improv-ing public safety by rolling out a number of crime-fighting initia-tives, including the Marshall Plan and Operation Ceasefire. We will be announcing town hall meetings in the coming months to

get your input. The city has recently overcome a crucial legal hurdle in restructur-ing its finances and we now begin the task of crafting a long-term plan for financial success. There are many new businesses opening up all over town and I look forward to attending a number of grand openings in our district in the coming months. The Miracle Mile Median Project is nearly complete and residents will now be able to enjoy a more-scenic drive through the neighborhood. We see signs of progress everywhere. And it is easy to get involved in helping to improve our city.

One of the easiest ways of making a meaningful con-

tribution to improving Stockton is through volunteering. And I’m proud to represent a district that has such a strong spirit of volun-teerism and giving back to the community. Last weekend, a group of neighbors from the American Legion Park Neighborhood got together to clean up trash and floating debris in Yosemite Lake. Through teamwork—and a good pair of work gloves—folks can now enjoy a prettier view of the lake. Last month, the University of the Pacific’s Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity went homeless for an entire week, sleeping outside in makeshift cardboard boxes, to raise awareness of hunger, homelessness, and to support The Second Harvest Food Bank. I had the opportunity to join them overnight and it was truly an eye-opening experience on what hardships some of our citizens face every day. And on April 20, men through-out Stockton donned women’s heels to help support the Women’s Center-Youth & Family Services by “Walking a Mile on the Miracle Mile.” Thanks to those who came and cheered us on!

Whether it be organizing a group of neighbors to clean up a park or raising awareness of an issue, I encourage you to get involved by vol-unteering in your neighborhood or with a community organization.

Share your ideas, questions and concerns. I invite you to my community office hours the first Monday of each month from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Additionally, we can chat over coffee at my “Council on Your Corner” meetings that I plan to host at vari-ous locations throughout the district. Announcements will follow.

For more information on how to get involved, visit the city’s web-site at www.stocktongov.com or email me at [email protected]. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

I look forward to working with you. Together, we can get Stock-ton back on track!

Moses Zapien is the Stockton City Council representative for Dis-trict 4. To contact Councilmember Zapien, please call the Chamber office at (209) 937-8244.


>>411 in 209W

HERE Ripon High School Saturd

ay, May 11: R

ina’s Run and Health Fair

This pre-Mother’s Day event honors the late Rina Brocchini. There will be a 5K run and half-marathon. Registration starts at 6:30 a.m. and the races start at 7 a.m. Cost is $35 for the 5K and $60 for the half-marathon races. The latter includes a long-sleeve Tech T-shirt, finisher’s medal and post-race refreshments. Medals will be three deep for ages 20-29 in first, second and third place. A $50 first prize will be awarded for both female and male winners on the 5K run. There will be age categories for 12 and under, 13-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70-plus. Proceeds benefit Ripon’s only stadium.

WHENSaturday, May 18ZinFest Wine Festival, Lodi

From noon to 5 p.m., savor 250 handcrafted wines from 50 Lodi wineries. Winemakers and winery representatives will share their knowledge and many wines. Learn new tips at the ZinFest Wine and Cooking Schools, or relax to live music along the beautiful Moke-lumne River. Tickets include a ZinFest wine glass, wine tasting, participa-tion in seminars, and entertainment. Tickets are $45 in advance, $55 at the gate. Designated driver tickets are available for $10 each. Tickets are available online or by calling the Lodi Wine & Visitor Center at (209) 365-0621.

WHATYouth Conference and Fan Fest

May 22-25: Banner Island Ballpark West Coast Conference Youth Day & Fan Fest, Stockton

The four top teams in the West Coast Conference (WCC) will play in down-town Stockton’s ballpark next to the San Joaquin River. Before the action

starts, the teams will host a free WCC Youth Baseball Day and Fan Fest on Wednesday, May 22. Everyone is invited to meet the competing teams to enjoy

music, food and soft drinks. The first 100 youths under 14 to sign up are also invited to participate in the WCC Youth Baseball Clinic. Events start at 6 p.m.

Schedule of events:6-6:30 p.m.: First autograph session.6:45-7:30 p.m.: Youth Baseball Clinic. Sign up early to secure spot.7:30-8:15 p.m.: Youth Home Run Derby (15 youths at the baseball clinic will compete in this event).8:15-8:30 p.m.: Second autograph signing session for youths under 14 years old.

HOWto Celebrate Culture with Style

Sunday, June 2: Jewish Culture Day, Temple Israel, StocktonEnjoy a tasty brunch of bagels and lox, or a corned beef sandwich. Browse the Jewish deli

and bakery for take-out items, or take a tour of the Temple, and even dance to music. Or, you can participate in a raffle and have a beer in the beer garden. Children will enjoy games and

other fun. Event time is 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free parking and admission.Temple Israel is at 5105 N. El Dorado St. (at corner of March Lane), Stockton.


In the GardenPlanting, Fertilizing and Controlling Pests this Month

By Sue Davis

When buying seedlings in six-packs, four-inch pots, or shrubs in containers, remem-ber bigger is not always better. Quality is what is important. Look for dark green

leaves, a thick stalk, and no yellowing or shriveling. It is tricky, but look for healthy roots and avoid purchasing plants that are root-bound or circling within the pot. For a fall crop of beautiful chrysanthemum flowers, start planting seeds this month.

Tomato and pepper transplants can be planted this month. Seeds of pumpkins, beans, corn, squash, cucumbers, and melons can be sown in the garden around the middle of this month. For maximum flavor, don’t let zucchini get more than 8 to 10 inches long before harvesting. Although carrots become sweeter with age, be sure to pick them before they take on a woody texture.

Thinning young fruit improves the size of fruit, reduces the risk of broken branches, and keeps trees healthy. Before apples, Asian pears, nectarines, and peaches reach an inch in diameter, gently twist off enough fruit to allow 4 to 6 inches between remaining fruit.

Snails and slugs will be hiding in your garden. Use an iron phosphate bait to get a handle on them before they do too much damage. Spring is also the worst time for aphids in San Joaquin County gardens – the hot summer weather will drive them away. Until they leave, use an insecticid-al soap or spray with water from the garden hose as necessary or strip aphids from plants by hand.

If you didn’t troubleshoot your irrigation system for cracks, leaks and clogs last month, do it now. Dirty filters can wreak havoc, especially if you are on a well. Flush out drip systems and make sure all emitters are working. Replace batteries on systems that use battery-operated controllers. Ensure that timers are working.

Fertilize your lawn with a balanced slow release or organic fertilizer ac-cording to directions on package. Lawns that get a lot of heavy foot traffic may have compacted soil, making it difficult for water, fertilizer, and oxy-gen to reach the roots. If you can’t push a screwdriver up to its handle into the turf, it’s time to aerate. Water your lawn in the morning between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. to discourage fungus diseases, and only water only as much as necessary. Heavy or daily watering in spring leads to shallow-rooted, problematic lawns in summer. Make sure you check all of your sprinklers to make sure they are functioning properly. Keep your mower set high to only remove the top third of the grass blade when mowing.

Sue Davis is a 2011 Master Gardener of San Joaquin graduate that lives in Tracy. You can find more garden tips at http://sjmastergardeners.ucdavis.edu. Master gardeners are available to answer your questions from 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday through Thursday, by phone at (209) 953-6112 or by email at [email protected].

>>tips from the pro


WE’RE HIRING!

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to prospect, build relationships and sell advertising programs to

help local businesses grow.

Candidates with advertising sales experience can step to the

front of the line!

We offer 50% commission for the first 60 days, then a generous commission structure and

quarterly bonuses and the ability to sell advertising in all 6 of BMG’s magazines.

Resumes can be sent to Advertising Director Noel Fielding at

[email protected]

>>best eats

The Delta Bistro has a fresh menu featuring certified Niman Ranch Beef, fresh seafood & local produce. Fine dining in a casual setting

with fantastic waterfront views.Sunday Mimosa Brunch 10am-2pm. Break-

fast 6-11am, Lunch 11am-2pm, Dinner 5:30-9pm.

Please Join us for Mother’s Day Brunch www.universityplazawaterfronthotel.com

110 W. Fremont St. | Stockton 209.944.1140

FEATURESFull Bar • To Go Available • Banquet Rooms

Children’s Menu • Entertainment

We believe dining should be fun with freshness and surprises in the menu, and

warmth and knowledge in the dining room service. We are committed to creating fresh, natural, and innovative dishes featuring the

highest quality seasonal and regionally sourced ingredients. We look forward to inspiring the

joys of food and sharing our passion with you! For restaurant reservations: (209) 371-6160 or

[email protected].

2505 West Turner Road | Lodi 209.371.6160 | www.winerose.com

FEATURESBeer & Extensive Lodi Wine

Catering • Private Dining

You’ll Flip for Flip’s!All of our custom crafted burgers and hot dogs

are made to order using fresh, never frozen, local ingredients. Burgers are 1/3 lb with fresh

ground beef patties. Home of the fried Oreos...gotta try em’!

OPEN Monday-Saturday from 11am-8pm, Sundays 11am-3pm.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK!2503 Waterloo Rd. | Stockton

209.943.5477 | www.flipsburger.com230 S. Cherokee Ln. | Lodi | 209.334.3199

FEATURES Children’s Menu • To Go Available

Brookside Schools and LibraryBrookside School Elementary School ............ 953-8642

Claudia Landeen Elementary School ............953-8660

Don Riggio Elementary School ...................... 953-8753

Lincoln High School ........................................... 953-8642

Merryhill Elementary School ..........................477-9005

Margaret K. Troke Branch Library .................. 937-8221

General InterestBig Monkey Group/Brookside Monthly magazine ..........

..................................................................................932-9252

Brookside Country Club Main .........................956-6200

Brookside Country Club Golf Club ................. 444-4725

M&C Associates ................................................. 644-4900

Stockton Sailing Club ........................................ 951-5600

Clubhouse Rental Information .......................944-4905

City of StocktonAbandoned Vehicles ......................................... 937-8354

Allied Waste ........................................................466-3604

Animal Control ................................................... 937-8274

Anti-graffiti Program ....................................... 937-8040

Excessive Noise - Parties/Social Gatherings 937-8377

Graffiti Hotline ................................................... 937-8040

Lost & Found Pets (Animal Shelter) ............... 937-8274

Non-functioning Street Light ............................937-8411

Stockton Crime Stoppers ................................. 946-0600

Stockton Police Department Non-emergency .................

................................................................................. 937-8377

Stockton Police Department Narcotics Unit......................

..................................................................................937-8422

Stockton Police Youth Activities & Cadet Program .........

................................................................................. 937-8209

Connect OnlineCity of Stockton...........................www.stocktongov.com

County of San Joaquin ...... www.co.san-joaquin.ca.us

Brookside Country Club...........www.brooksidegolf.net

Lincoln Unified School District ............... www.lusd.net

Stockton Libraries ......................................www.lib.ca.us

Brookside Monthly magazine ...............................................

.............................................www.brooksidemonthly.com

Brookside Master Homeowners Association.....................

........................................ www.brooksidemasterhoa.com

>>brookside contacts


>>beyond 209

Continued on page 18

The ‘Perfect’ Romantic Getaway

Relax in Luxury at Bodega Bay Lodge

By Bernadine Chapman-Cruz

Nestled on a waterfront bluff on Bodega Bay, enjoy the inviting authentic feel of a luxury coastal retreat. Sixty-five miles north of San Francisco on scenic Highway 1, Bodega Bay

Lodge is the perfect romantic getaway. A Four Dia-mond AAA coastal property, the lodge is also rated No. 1 in the area by TripAdvisor.

Views from the lodge include the marshland bird sanctuary, and Doran Beach with the Pacific Ocean beyond. Under Woodside Hotel ownership since 1972, the lodge has expanded from a single building to 83 guest rooms, including five junior suites. The hotel features an exquisite fireside lobby, heated pool, outdoor whirlpool spa, fitness center, pristinely groomed grounds, and fantastic views.

“We offer guests a unique venue to experience the rugged Sonoma Coast,” sales director Brian Larsen said. “At Bodega Bay Lodge, guests come first. Service is a top priority and we strive to make our guests’ stay a memory that lasts a lifetime. Bodega Bay Lodge is the perfect set-ting to relax on a romantic weekend by the sea.”

Depending on specific room and location, amenities can include spec-tacular ocean views, private terraces or balconies, soaking tubs, walk-in showers, and fireplaces. King- or queen-size beds with luxurious down comforters and fluffy pillows are part of the cozy warmth associated with Bodega Bay Lodge slumber. When weather conditions warrant, you might even be lucky enough to hear a foghorn. Every room has a Keurig coffee maker with complementary product.

When it comes to the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation, enjoy a massage, facial or body treatment. Certified massage therapists admin-ister luxurious calming massages in treatment rooms beside the pool.


>>beyond 209

Services include facials, Swedish massage, warm shell, or warm stone massages using the highest quality products. Private in-room massages are also available.

Bodega Bay Lodge has two options for exquisite dining. Under the expert hand of Execu-tive Chef Jeff Reilly, a full-flavored cuisine awaits. Incorporating local seafood, meats, fowl, cheese, and produce, the Duck Club offers breakfast and dinner service. For a lighter fare, the Fireside Lounge features local wines, beers, and signature cocktails. In-room food service is available. Nightly, a complimentary wine and cheese reception in the lobby allows guests to mingle by a cozy fire.

Bodega Bay is close to winer-

ies, cheese tasting locations, and oyster farms. Other local points of interest include the infamous Potter Schoolhouse in Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” Sebastopol’s apple orchards, the Russian River, Point Reyes, and Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, home to some of the oldest trees in the world. Bodega Bay Lodge staff are available for arranging off site excursions. Other area activities include hiking, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, golf, and exploring the scenic coast.

Bodega Bay Lodge offers wedding venues, meeting rooms and Wi-Fi throughout the facility. Custom design packages specific to couples and families are avail-able. Reservations are preferred. Call Bodega Bay Lodge for room availability.

Bodega Bay Lodge103 Coast Highway 1 | Bodega Bay, CA 94923

707.875.3525 or [email protected]

Open dailywww.bodegabaylodge.com

Continued from page 16

Thanks to views like this, Bodega Bay is now known for being more than just the location of Alfred Hitchcock’s angry “Birds.”

BROOKSIDE MONTHLY MAGAZINEBig Monkey Group LLC94 W. Castle St. #BStockton CA 95204

brookside monthly magazine

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