danville today news, may 2014

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From the Heart: Embracing the Ability to Enable Others By Jody Morgan By Jody Morgan

Thanks to the inspiration of three local men collaborating with the creativity of area educators, 48,000 students in 53 schools are enjoying a fresh approach to Ability Awareness this academic year. Founders of Del Corazon (From-the-Heart), Don Routh, Josh Routh, and Bill Wheeler, support the curriculum with informative videos, personal presentations, and the loan for a week to each participating school of 10 wheelchairs. Children learn to appreciate their own abilities and embrace the challenge of enabling others to realize their full po-tential. Also known as the Wheelchair Foundation Schools Project, the initiative

fosters respect for the strengths of peers coping with intellectual, developmental, and physical challenges, while raising funds to send wheelchairs to hundreds of individuals who would otherwise remain immobile.

The Wheelchair Foundation, established by Ken Behring in 2000, provides wheelchairs to people around the world who need but cannot afford a wheelchair. In many countries, a wheelchair costs a worker’s entire annual income. To date, 955,000 wheelchairs have been delivered, bringing mobility, dignity, and hope to individuals aged two to over 102.

Since Bill Wheeler, founder of Blacktie Transportation, first invited Don and Josh to join him on a Wheelchair Foundation distribution trip, “the Three Amigos” have made 23 distribution trips to 14 Latin American countries, delivering 72,000 wheelchairs. Asked to identify his favorite trip, Josh insists: “All of them!” His father, Don, concurs. Each trip is different, every journey life changing.

Josh demonstrates to wheelchair recipients that their personal goals are achiev-able. Doctors predicted Josh, born with Cerebral Palsy, would be a quadriplegic incapable of speech. At 3 ½, he spoke his first word: “Soup!” His indefatigable spirit continues to feed his father’s dedication. A graduate of San Ramon Valley High School, Josh relies on a wheelchair for mobility. Now 35, he lives independently, drives his own car to work, and has multiple sports accomplishments to his credit.

In Paraguay, From-the-Heart delivered a wheelchair to another Josh. Seeing his own son in the four-year old also coping with Cerebral Palsy, Don translated his parental experience into a message of hope for the mother. Recalling how grateful he would have been for the advice of a mentor, Don happily shares his

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See Ability continued on page 22

See Play continued on page 19

Students took turns playing wheelchair basketball at Montair. The crowd erupted in cheers when one student finally scored. Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Campos.

Danville U-15 Lacrosse Team Gives Back With Day of Service - The Danville-based Diablo Scorpion Lacrosse-U-15 Boys Stinger Team recently held a day of community service to benefit the community safety net non-profit St Vincent de Paul (SVdP) of Contra Costa County. Over 20 players and parents participated. Team members and parents spent the day of community service providing general landscaping, planting of new flowers, conducting weed abatement, spreading shredded bark, trimming bushes and hedges, and power washing the sidewalks.

The cleanup and yard work was performed at the SVdP Family Resource Center, a community center dedicated to serving the poor that includes on-site services including a free medical clinic for the uninsured, a free dining room, food pantry, daytime homeless shelter, job training program for those with barriers to employment, and a thrift store. Working with partners, SVdP serves more than 200,000 residents-in-need annually.

SVdP Executive Director Melanie Anguay said, “I was so impressed with the energy and commitment of the players to help clean up our site—especially because they had just played a spirited lacrosse game. Volunteers for efforts like this are critical to us because, as a nonprofit, all of our resources are directed to providing programs for the people we serve.”

Danville’s Own Aviation Drama: Tassajara 1964 By Jody Morgan

When Pacific Airlines Flight 773 crashed in a Tassajara Road pasture kill-ing all 44 people on board, the town of Danville became the focus of national attention. The mystery surrounding the disaster commanded the investigative skills of both the FBI and the Civil Aero-nautics Board. On May 7th, the 50th anni-versary of that fateful day, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley in collaboration with Role Players Ensemble presents an original play by RPE Artistic Director Eric Hayes entitled Tassajara 1964.

On May 7, 1964, the pilot, Captain Ernest Clark, was substituting for a sick col-league. He took off from Reno at 5:54am, making a routine stop in Stockton where two passengers deplaned and ten boarded. At 6:38am, Flight 773 departed for San Francisco. Oakland Air Traffic Control received an unintelligible message at 6:48am followed by radio silence and the disappearance of Flight 773 from the radar screen.

Breakfasting at their ranch on Tassajara Road, Jean and Richard Collins heard the roar of a plane coming in low over their house followed by an explosion. Gordon Rasmussen who lived on an adjacent property rushed to the Collins ranch when he heard the crash. Describing the devasta-tion, he said: “There was not a piece larger than a foot in diameter except for the landing gear.” The plane gouged out a 60’ long furrow. Wreck-

age was scattered over 100 yards. Bent silver dollars from Reno casinos littered the ground.

What happened? Speculation ran from mechanical failure to sabotage and intensified when remnants of a gun were discovered in the wreckage. The handle was missing. The

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“Crypt of Civilization,” considered to be the first conventional time capsule; there are also over 100 places that have been shared on the site that are within an hour of our local community. There is the Mazzariello Labyrinth in Oakland, the “Cow Bones of Mount Diablo,” the Niles Es-

sanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, the “Gnomes of Lake Merritt,” the Bohart Museum of Entomolgy at UC Davis that holds a collection of over six million insects from all over the world, and the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda. I have had a chance to visit a few of the local spots and now have a queue of sites to see when we have out-of-town guests or are just looking for “Staycation” ideas.

As summer is drawing near, now is the time to put a list together of places to see and things to do, before heading out on the road less traveled!

Boulevard ViewBy Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

I recently went to a gathering in the town of Lincoln, California which is about an hour and a half northeast of our area. When I programmed the address I was going to into my Maps program, I was given three routes I could take. The first route was the quickest, and the trip was all traveled major highways. The second choice added an estimated five minutes to the journey and traveled on some

lesser traveled highways and back roads. The third choice added 30 minutes to the route and took more a few more back roads. I figured that for an extra five minutes I would change up the scenery a little and see a few new roads in California that I had never traveled.

The drive started off on the busy multi-lane highways of 680, 80, 505, 5, and 99. As soon as I exited the highway for the back roads part of my venture, I found myself on a narrow two lane road. I was in another world. Where I could have been in a bustling pack of cars and looking out at billboards, retail establishments, and fast-food joints, I found myself in the midst of farms and rice fields. I heard flocks of birds and passed roads named with simple names like “Critter Creek.” Only nature and a few homes and farms surrounded me.

I took an extra few minutes out of my journey and scoured around for a few hidden geocaches (learn more at www.geocaching.com) en route to my destination, learned a little history of the area, and added a couple logs to my geocache collection.

Where before I may have arrived at the gath-ering feeling frenzied, instead I arrived calm and refreshed.

With just a minimum of planning there are a lot of things to see and do that might be a little dif-ferent or unique when go-ing on a trip. When plan-ning vacations I always search the internet with queries such as “unique things to do in ____loca-tion.” This has led me away from some of the tourist trap hotspots in favor of a jaunt off the beaten path.

I recently stumbled upon a website called Atlas Obscura (www.atlasobscura.com). The site is “for people who still believe in DISCOV-ERY,” their “About Us” page describes. They go on to say the site is the “definitive guide to the world’s wondrous and curious places.” While they list unique places and sites to see all over the world, such as homes built entirely out of paper, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, the Smile Face museum, and the

[email protected] Danville Today News ~ May 2014 -

Danville Today News ~ August 2013 - Page 3

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• Daily horseback riding • Grooming and horse care • Safety around horses • Horse anatomy class• Arts and crafts • Care of farm animals• Obstacle course • Games and more!

All the King’s HorsesSummer Camps in Alamo

Contact Kim for information 510-928-3867www.allthekingshorsesequestrian.com

• Three summer sessions for kids 6-12• June 23rd-27th, July 21st-25th, August 4th-8th

• Camps run 10am – 3pm Monday thru Friday• $425 per session

AAUW Garden TourThe Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of the American Association

of University Women (AAUW) is hosting its 14th annual Garden Tour on Friday, May 9th and Saturday, May 10th from 10AM to 4pm. Begin your Mother’s Day weekend by treating your mothers and daughters to this self-guided tour of five of the loveliest gardens in the Alamo and Danville area. From the calm serenity of an artist’s studio garden to an exquisite entertainment garden featuring expansive lawns, a terraced hillside and multiple patio areas, you will be inspired by the creative elegance of each of these unique gardens.

Tickets can be purchased at East Bay Flower Company (206 Sycamore Valley Road West in the Danville Livery) or online at http://daw-ca.aauw.net/garden. Light refreshments will be provided. All proceeds from the tour benefit scholarships, research, and grants for aspiring women scholars.

Let’s Chile Up!Join the Town of Danville for toasting some stellar Chilean wines, eating tasty

Chilean tidbits, and enjoying the sounds and rhythms of a Chilean dance troupe. Taste and Toast of Chile will be held on Thursday, May 15 from 7pm to

8:30pm at the Danville Senior Center located at 115 East Prospect Avenue. The cost is $5 for residents, $6 for non-residents and $8 at the door. For more

information or to register, please call the Danville Senior Center at (925) 314-3490. This is the third program in the Taste and Toast of…series for adults,

ages 21 and older. The series celebrates countries from around the world in a festive and informative style. The fourth event in this series, Taste and Toast of Greece, will be he ld on July 24.


Pinot’s Palette Danville is dedicated to bringing a fun experience through art entertainment. Join our 2 to 3 hour painting class where you can sip your favorite wine and paint!

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King of Teen Movies Village Theatre will show memorable John Hughes films

The Town of Danville is pleased to announce the continuation of its themed double feature films. On May 25, it continues with two films by legendary writer and director John Hughes. Hughes directed or scripted some of the most suc-cessful films of the 1980s and 1990s, including National Lampoon's Vacation, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Planes to name a few.

The double feature will begin with Pretty in Pink. The story is written about teenager Andie who must choose between her childhood sweetheart and a rich but sensitive playboy; this film is rated PG-13. The second film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, is based on a high school wise guy who is intent on taking a day off of school despite what his principal thinks; this film is also rated PG-13. These films may have mature themes and language; parental guidance is recommended.

The first film starts at 2PM, and there is a 15 minute intermission between films. Tickets are now on sale for $5. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.villagetheatreshows.com or call (925) 314-3400.

Pet Adoption DaysA miniature schnauzer named Maddie inspired a $300 million legacy dedicated to giving every dog and cat in the

United States what she had: a loving home. This year, $10 million of that legacy will go to Maddie's® Pet Adoption Days, a free pet adoption event for the nation’s homeless dogs and cats, now in its fifth year.

Maddie was a beloved four-legged family member of David Duffield, founder of Workday® and PeopleSoft, and his wife, Cheryl. For the last four years, Maddie's Fund®, their family's foundation, has sponsored Maddie’s® Pet Adoption Days to honor her memory.

“When we look into the eyes of the dogs and cats at the adoption event, we see Maddie's spirit in every one of them,” says Duffield. “We want all of them to have a chance to inspire, love, and enrich the lives of their future families the way Maddie did ours.”

This year, Maddie’s® Pet Adoption Days will be held the weekend of May 31 - June 1, and will expand to include 200 animal shelters and rescue groups in 14 communities across the United States. Maddie’s Fund has earmarked $10 million as a way to give back to the participating organizations, donating up to $2,000 per adopted dog or cat. The goal of the event is to find loving homes for 10,000 homeless dogs and cats over the weekend by waiving all adoption fees for the public.

For locations and hours of upcoming adoption sites, please visit adopt.maddiesfund.org.

Museum of the San Ramon Valley Exhibit On May 10, a new exhibit, Connecting Parks to People, the 80th Anni-

versary of the East Bay Regional Park District, will open at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley which is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. On three Saturdays at 11AM, there will be speakers on Regional Parks topics.Saturday, May 17 ~ 80 Years of Regional Parks

Hear a history of the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD) from one of the Park District’s most knowledgeable historians, Jerry Kent, former Assistant General Manager of EBRPD Operations.Saturday, May 24 ~ Iron Horse Regional Trail -- 30 years, 35 miles

Promoters of the Iron Horse Trail (IHT) and members of the original Right of Way Trail Advocates (ROWTA) share the challenges of creating this popular trail. Speakers will be Bickford Hooper, first president of ROWTA and avid hiker; Mary Lou Oliver, former San Ramon Mayor and equestrian; and Beverly Lane, EBRPD Director, hiker and occasional biker.Saturday, May 31 ~ The Beginnings of Las Trampas Regional Wilderness

Two people who advocated for Las Trampas as a regional park will share their stories from the 1960s and 1970s. Speakers will be Manfred Lindner, Chair of the Las Trampas Wilderness Committee and Sally Germain Goldner, Danville chair for the successful annexation of Contra Costa County to the EBRPD in June of 1964.

In the depth of the Depression, 1934, voters in Alameda County created a special district to acquire and manage parks for the public. It was an extraordinary decision, supported by cities, UC Berkeley and legislative leaders, the Contra Costa Hills Club, the Sierra Club, and many others. The first parks were Tilden, Sibley, Temescal, and Redwood. During the thirties, the parks were developed using Contra Costa County and Works Progress Administration workers. In 1964 Contra Costa County voters joined the EBRPD. Today there are 65 parks covering 115,000 acres in the East Bay.

This exhibit will trace the history of EBRPD in the East Bay, focusing on the Iron Horse Regional Trail and Las Trampas Regional Wilderness Preserve. There will be a video, maps, brochures, artifacts displayed, and programs.

For more information about the museum, call (925) 837-3750 or visit museumsrv.org. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday from 1-4, Saturdays from 10-1, and Sundays from 1-3. For EBRPD information, visit ebparks.org.

Connecting Parks to People Celebrating 80 Years of the

East Bay Regional Park District

an exhibit at the

Museum of the San Ramon Valley

May 10 - June 8, 2014

In partnership with EBRPD, this exhibit will trace the history of EBRPD in the East Bay, focusing on the Iron Horse Regional Trail and Las Trampas Regional Wilderness Preserve. There will be a video, maps, brochures available and several Saturday programs.

Museum Hours: Tues. - Fri. 1 - 4pm; Sat. 10 - 1pm; Sun. noon - 3pm

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7th Annual Wine & Chocolate Stroll Thursday, May 8th, 6pm to 9pm

Enjoy a fun-filled evening of wine tasting, decadent chocolates and shop-ping during Danville’s Spring Wine & Chocolate Stroll. Select businesses will stay open late to host some of our area's finest wines, which will accom-panied by gourmet chocolate samples, compliments of Danville Chocolates.

Stroll throughout downtown Danville and enjoy live music and entertain-ment throughout the evening. Be sure to stop in at your favorite stores to see their latest spring offerings.

Purchase $25 tickets online at www.discoverdanvilleca.com.

San Ramon Valley Newcomers Club The San Ramon Valley Newcomers Club is holding its monthly luncheon

Thursday, May 15, at Forbes Mill Steakhouse in Danville. The luncheon is open to current and prospective members in the San Ramon Valley area. For further information or a reservation, please contact Dee Bradshaw at (925) 837-9600 or www.srvnc.com.

The Red Window Project…What is it?The International Labor Organization estimates that 4,500,000 girls are

victims of sex trafficking around the world. The primary reason for the vast majority of these girls getting caught up in this devastating situation is poverty.

The May speaker at the Blackhawk Museum Guild meeting is Mark Fisher who lives in Livermore and is the United States Director of the Red Window Project.

The Red Window Project is a nonprofit organization that serves survivors of human trafficking and other forms of exploitation in the Philippines.

Please come join our Wednesday, May 14th meeting at the Blackhawk Museum Auto Dining Room located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville at 10am and learn what you can do to stop this terrible industry that is destroying the lives of young girls. Meet a young man dedicated to helping women in the Philippines through this wonderful organization.

The meetings are free! Coffee and refreshments are served. For more in-formation, visit www.blackhawkmuseum.org/guild.html.

SRVRWF Candidates and Scholarship WinnersPlease join the San Ramon Valley Republican Women Federated at their up-

coming Candidates and Scholarship Winners luncheon on Tuesday, May 27th at Crown Canyon Country Club located at 711 Silver Lake Drive in Danville. Social hour begins at 11:30am and lunch at noon. The cost is $25. Come meet Judge Tue Phan who is running for Congress 11th District and Catharine Baker who is running for the Assembly 16th District. Also in at-tendance will be our high school scholarship winners - Natalie Baldacci from Las Lomas High, Kathryn Clark from California High, Isabella Salazar from Dougherty Valley High, Carley Zenker from Monte Vista High, and Mikayla

Flicek from Dougherty Valley High. For reservations, call Mary at 925-837-5465 or email srvwf.

[email protected]. Reservations are due by Friday, May 22nd.

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Blackhawk Republican Women Present Laer PearceJoin the Blackhawk Republican Women on May 14th for hors d’oeuvres

and no-host bar cocktails to hear Laer Pearce, California public affairs expert and author. For 32 years, Pearce has had a front-row seat to what he sees as California becoming progressively more anti-business, more spend-thrift, less rational, and less competent. Experiencing this dysfunction up close prompted him to write Crazifornia: Tales from the Tarnished State, copies of which will be available for signing.

Pearce gained his insights at his public affairs firm, Laer Pearce & Associates, which he opened in 1982.

The event will take place at the Blackhawk Coun-try Club with check-in and social time beginning at 5:30PM, and the speaker beginning at 6PM. The cost is $25. Please make reservations or cancellations by noon on Monday, May 12 by contacting Marianne Ly-ons at 856 Turrini Dr., Danville, 94526, [email protected], or (925) 820-6452.


Lost Dog!

Danville Dog is MissingHe has become lost in this paper!

Phil Padilla is our winner!

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.

To be eligible send a letter telling us where you found him, along with your name and address, to:

Lost Dog! ~ Danville Today News3000F Danville Blvd #117 • Alamo, CA 94507

$50 REWARD

Town Committees Seek RecruitsThe Town of Danville is looking for community-minded residents to fill

vacancies on three Town committees/commissions. The following commis-sions are looking for new members:

• Parks and Leisure Services Commission: Four members, 4-year term begins July 1, 2014

• Parks and Leisure Services Commission: Youth Representative 2-year term begins July 1, 2014

• Arts Commission: Youth Representative 2-year term begins July 1, 2014• County Connection Citizens Advisory Committee: 2-year term begins

July 1, 2014. Applications are available on the Town’s website, www.danville.ca.gov. Ap-

plications must be submitted to the City Clerk’s office no later than 4PM on May 14.Interviews will take place on June 4, June 10, or June 17. The Town Council

will appoint commissioners at their June 17 meeting. For more information, contact City Clerk Marie Sunseri at (925) 314-3401

or [email protected].

GFWC Danville Women’s Club Our biggest fundraising event of the year is, a Passion for

Fashion luncheon and fashion show benefitting Hospice of the East Bay and other charities. Join us on Thursday, May 8th at the Blackhawk Country Club for a wonderful fashion show, featuring clothing by the LOFT

(Ann Taylor). Tickets are $45 each. Gather a few friends or maybe ten friends for a whole table, and come enjoy the festivities. Social time starts at 11:30am followed by lunch and the fashion show. There will be fabulous opportunities to win prizes donated by local merchants. Fashion show tickets are available by calling Barbara Chavez at 925-838-0347. Tickets will not be not sold at the door.

Saturday, May 31st is our Shredding for Scholarships fundraiser. We will have a shredding truck on site at our Clubhouse located at 242 Linda Mesa Ave., in Danville, to destroy your sensitive documents while you watch. For a mere $5 box (banker’s box size) you can help tri-valley students with furthering their education. Bring your boxes down between 9am and 12:30pm.

Our last meeting of the 2013-2014 Club year is Thursday, June 5th. We will be installing officers for the 2014-2015 year. Join us for lunch and meet our volunteers.

For more information about any of these events, or the Club, please visit us on the web at www.danvillewomensclub.org, email us at [email protected], or call us at 925-837-1165.

Did you know that our Clubhouse was available for rental? Call or email for complete details.

County Victims Assistance Program Gives Victims a VoiceBy Supervisor Candace Andersen, Contra Costa District 2

Recently, I attended the District Attorney’s (DA’s) Of-fice Victims’ Rights Week Recognition Ceremony. This annual event honors individuals who make a difference for crime victims in Contra Costa County. This year’s recipients included Victim Assistance Program support staff, District Attorneys and Investigators, local Law

Enforcement Officers, community crime victim advocate volunteers, a witness to a crime, and a crime survivor.

The Contra Costa County Victim Assistance Program seeks to empower victims and witnesses of crime through advocacy and support. Support staff and volunteers work tenaciously to give victims a voice in the criminal justice system, protect their rights, and treat each individual with dignity and respect. The programs are 100% grant funded through Cal-OES, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Victim Witness Centers are located in all 58 counties in California and provide mandated services under Penal Code section 13835. The Centers were put into effect with the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in 1984 with the recognition that victims needed access to services to recover from trauma and to give them some rights in our justice system.

Advocates are assigned to all filed violent crimes that are being prosecuted in the DA’s Office. An advocate makes contact with the victim or family and will stay with them through the end of the criminal case and even beyond. The focus is to provide information about the court process, offer resources, and assist with applications to the California Victim Compensation Program. They also help protect and advocate for victims’ rights --under Marsy’s Law which was passed by the voters in 2008 and is part of the California Constitution -- assist with resti-tution and victim impact statements, and provide emotional support. Advocates go to court with victims and act as a liaison with Deputy District Attorneys, law enforcement, and community agencies.

There are two Victim Assistance Centers, one in Martinez at 900 Ward Street, (925) 957-8650; and one in Richmond at 100 37th Street, (510) 374-3272. There are also Advocates located at the Pittsburg and Richmond Police Departments who focus on reaching out to crime victims shortly after a crime occurs to provide ser-vices and resources as soon as possible. They work closely with law enforcement in East and West County to offer support and information about the criminal process. These advocates help victims in situations where there may not be a suspect or not enough information to file charges, or when the investigation may take a lot of time to complete. Advocates are reaching out to people who were previously underserved to make sure that they have the needed resources to begin recovering from the crime.

The program is always in need of volunteers to help support the work the advocates do. In fact, grants require that volunteers are utilized to help provide services to victims. If you are interested in volunteering, call (925) 957-8650 or email [email protected].

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 is-sues. I can be reached at [email protected] or 925-957-8860.

Danville Community BandJoin us on Sunday, June 8th as the Danville

Community Band presents a "Summer Vaca-tion" performance. The band offers a selection of musical destinations for you to visit--from Zacatecas, to Rome, from the British Isles to Indiana--there is something for everyone. We will also announce the winner in the band's annual Student Instrument Scholarship Award. The free concert begins at 3pm at Community Presbyterian Church, 222 W. El Pintado Road, Danville. For more information about the band or its concert season, please visit www.danvilleband.org.

Delta Nu PsiService group Delta Nu Psi has sent eight 30 pound boxes of “gourmet

junk food” to 145 squads located in the War Zone since 2004. The total weight of the food-filled boxes is 28,660 pounds spread over 1,172 packages.

Our upcoming collection will be held May 9th at Lunardi’s in Danville. The collection time will be from 11am to 2pm.

Please come by, grab a list, and shop for our men and women in the War Zone. For more information, visit deltanupsi.org.


“A lovely home, a solid portfolio, a great financial life.”

Join Michael and Pat for lunch and an informational presentation of:

Thursday, May 22 at 12:00pmRoundhill Country Club, 3169 Roundhill Road, Alamo

No cost, but reservations are required. Call 800.472.8305, option 1

www.dontinvestandforget.com

Securities and advisory services offered through National Planning Corporation (NPC), member FINRA, SIPC, and a Registered Investment Advisor. Pasquale Vitucci, CA Insurance Lic.#0758212, is an Endorsed Agent of Vitucci & Associates Insurance Services CA Insurance Lic.# 0I06319. Vitucci & Associates Insurance Services - 877 Ygnacio Valley

Rd., Suite 220, Walnut Creek, CA 94696 - and NPC are separate and unrelated companies. Alamo Luxury Homes, RE/MAX Accord & Michael Hatfield are not affiliated with NPC. You may be contacted by a representative as a result of attending this seminar and insurance sales presentation. #83022

For Home, Contact:

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A SPECIAL INVITATION!

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), Post 75, San Ramon

Valley - meets every third Wednesday of the month at the Veterans Memorial Building located at 400 Hartz Avenue, Danville, located on the corner at East Prospect Avenue and Hartz Avenue. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, May 21st. Doors open at 7PM, and the meeting begins at 7:30PM. For more information, contact Post Commander Ernie Petagara at (925) 362-9806. Mail to: VFW Post 75 San Ramon Valley, P.O. Box 1092, Danville, CA 94526. Find out more about the VFW and our Post on the internet at www.vfwpost75.org.

Mother’s Day Weekend

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Danville Girls Chorus Presents Annual POPs Concert, “Heroes and Villains”

The Danville Girls Chorus (DGC) will perform their POPs Concert, “Heroes and Villains,” on Saturday, May 31 at 11AM. The performance will take place at East Bay Four Square Church, located at 2615 Camino Tassajara Road in Danville. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children, and they can be purchased at the door. Come join DGS for an energetic tribute to your favorite “heroes” and “villains” of stage and screen!

The Danville Girls Chorus is made up of 135 girls from 3rd to 8th grades from schools across the Tri-Valley area. The primary goal of DGC is music education. Under the direction of Ken Abrams, award-winning Choral Director for the San Ramon Valley High School, girls are taught the basics of vocal production and learn the fundamentals of musicianship and note reading. Girls are also introduced to a variety of musical styles, ranging from classical to contemporary, folk tunes, and pop music.

This is the third and final concert the 2013/2014 season. Please see DGC’s website at www.danville-girlschorus.org for more information on this event and other upcoming performances.

Carroll Shelby Memorial Classic Car Show The Pacific Coast Region of Team Shelby will be hosting their Carroll

Shelby Memorial Classic car show at the Blackhawk Museum Plaza on Sunday, May 10, from 10AM to 1PM. This inaugural memorial car show, honoring the legacy of Carroll Shelby to NorCal “Powered by Ford” enthusiasts, will feature Shelby, Ford GT, Cobra, and Boss vehicles. The event will benefit the Carroll Shelby Foundation and also the Wheels for Wheelchairs Foundation.


Charlotte Wood Middle School By Christopher George, Principal

Just like that we are in the fourth quarter and almost to the end of the school year. We have just finished up our spring break and have come back preparing to send another fantastic group of 8th grad-ers off to the high school. We have also met with and welcomed another group of incoming 5th graders to Charlotte Wood.

In April we successfully piloted the Smarter Bal-anced assessment for the first time. Thanks to the diligent preparation and remarkable flexibility of our staff, we were able to try this new assessment without many problems. We are thankful to our parent community as well whose generosity enabled us early on to be prepared for this assessment. While the new test was a challenge for staff and students alike, our kids were very sincere in their attempts at taking the tests.

As we come to the end of the year, it’s only right to recognize just what a great group of students we have had this year. We have had remarkably low numbers of disciplinary incidents, and we have seen every instance of increased engagement and effort amongst our students as we navigate the changing curriculum.

As we begin preparation for next year, we look forward to continuing to improve our practice, especially the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, as well as looking at best practices in assessment and imple-menting department based curricula.

As always, we look forward to your feedback and comments.

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St. Isidore Loves Spring!In May we celebrate our Graduates…By Maria Ward, Principal St. Isidore School

May is one of our busiest months here at St. Isidore. Many traditional events take place this month. We started our month celebrating May Crowing. During this special liturgy, our gradu-ates selected four 8th grade students who they feel

have demonstrated a life honoring our Blessed Mother. These students had the privilege of placing a crown of flowers on our statue of Mary on the altar at the beginning of our liturgy. The flowers represent our love for our heavenly mother. It is a St. Isidore tradition that anchors us in our Catholic faith.

On May 3rd, we came together as a community and commemorated the sacra-ment of First Holy Communion. Our second grade teachers spend endless hours preparing our students for this sacrament. First Holy Communion is considered one of the holiest and most important occasions in our Catholic faith. It will be the first time our little ones receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Thursday, May 8th is our Spring Concert. Our students have been dili-gently working with our music teacher for our concert. It is always a packed house, and our school community enjoys getting together to support all of our students. Please come join us at 1PM and 7PM.

During an early morning carpool on Friday, May 9th, we have a special treat for our school moms. We will be having a “Muffins for Moms Carpool” that our religion committee and leadership students organized. We love acknowledging how incredible our St. Isidore moms are in everything they do for their children and our faculty. We are happy to honor them with a little muffin and a prayer card letting them know how much we cherish each of them.

On Thursday, May 22nd, at 6pm, our own Bulldog Band has their last per-formance for the school year. Our band director does an amazing job getting our band students familiar with classical and traditional music pieces for the concert. Many of our students continue their musical skills, learned with us, onto high school band and college.

On Thursday, May 29th, with heavy hearts we say good-bye to our beloved 8th grade students at our 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony. Many of these graduating students have been with us for nine years, and we feel blessed to have watched them grow on their Catholic journey. Before they gradu-ate, we have a “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” assembly acknowledging which 8th grade students best emulate these Gifts. We also have a traditional 8th grade dinner dance. The 7th grade students host and serve this special dinner to our 8th graders and their parents. We end May with the 8th grade graduation mass and ceremony. There are many tears shed at these events by our students, parents, and faculty. As much as we hate to say good-bye, we know we will see our graduates again. We feel honored to have been a part of their lives.

Throughout this month, students complete different types of assessments in core subject areas to show growth. May is the ideal month to see the culmination of our philosophy of educating the whole child. We are able to witness our students as active practitioners of their Catholic faith, see their academic achievements, and watch the young adults who have learned how to be humble citizens who serve their community, as they leave us for their future educational endeavors.

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Stroll into the Village Theatre to Watch ChocolatTo accompany the Danville Spring Wine and Chocolate Stroll on May 8,

the Village Theatre, located at 233 Front Street, will be screening the film Chocolat. This film may have some mature themes and language; parental guidance is recommended.

The movie starts at 8PM. Tickets are on sale for $5. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.villagetheatreshows.com or call (925) 314-3400.


Danville - According to industry experts, there are over 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale. A new report has been prepared which identifies the 11 most common of these problems, and what you should know about them before you list your home for sale.

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Stone Valley Middle School By Shaun K. McElroy, PrincipalHey Where’s the Fire?

On Tuesday, May 6th the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District will train all 7/8 students in CPR/AED during their regularly scheduled PE classes. Training 400+ students in these life saving skills will lead to a safer place for residents of San Ramon Valley. All middle school in the district are participating in this free program.Vertical Articulation

On May 6th Monte Vista and San Ramon Valley high schools’ 9th grade English teachers will join Stone Valley Middle School 8th grade language arts teachers in collabora-tion with staff developers Gianna Lillig and Nicole Chaplan to develop common pathways and expectations from middle to high school.CLR Strategies

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive (CLR) teaching strategies continue to grow. Our origi-nal cohort of “experts” (Jim Purcell, Courtney Konopacky, and Melinda Daly) will be joined by a second CLR cohort of teachers (Rachel Lynch, and Chris Sherwood) who will lead a third round of training for staff on May 14th. For information on this program, visit http://culturallyresponsive.org.Summer Plans for Professional Development

Many of our staff have made plans to attend summer workshops. Our math department received a grant to attend the Silicon Valley Math Initiative training for one week.

Physical education staff will be attending two separate week-long trainings focused on imple-menting Common Core strategies in their program.

Special Education staff will attend a Google Apps for Education workshop.Language arts teachers will attend district-led staff development activities and history workshops

sponsored by the National Council for History Teachers.Construction Process has Begun!

To date we have had two meetings related to the new construction on campus. I met with the architects and facilities personnel to discuss the construction process. A second similar meeting was held with members of the Stone Valley staff, as well as facilities oversight committee members Margie Hart and Dwight Winn, Superintendent Mary Shelton, Assistant Superintendents Toni Taylor (Education Services), Gary Black (Facilities), community member Stan Hitomi, Senior Planning and Development Manger Tina Peralt, Facilities Director Rich Lowell, Senior project Manager Rick Kendrick, and the architects.

Our meeting focused on conceptual design plans for our new school. We are hopeful for a sum-mer/fall 2015 start date. Our next meeting will be held in mid-late May. Updated information on construction projects throughout the district can be found on SRVUSD’s website at www.srvusd.net/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1346747333230.

By the way, all students completed the new Smarter Balance testing – try the sample test at www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks. This year we are testing the test, so no individual results are given.

Dream OnBy Devyn Holliday, San Ramon Valley High School, senior

It’s May, and everything is, as they say, “winding down.” We seniors have taken thousands of tests, so many that we’ve been pro-grammed to study while we walk between classes. There’s a constant

frenzy to know: “Exactly what’s going to be on this test?” in attempts to quell our nerves. But we were just too occupied to open that chemistry textbook last night. We’ve endured count-less hours of lectures on how we “better get our life together” and or our friends are going to leave us behind if we don’t take school more seriously! And lastly, we’ve survived four years of being asked, “Where do you want to go college?”

Dodging this question has become a sport. Pretending like you didn’t even hear it being asked is usually the best route for evasion. For me, I was usually afraid to answer for fear of being told I was just dreaming. But if there’s one thing I’ve ascertained from this college process, it is to not listen to people. How adolescent of me to say that I don’t want to listen to other people, but it reigns true again and again; no one knows your true potential except for yourself. More dreams are killed by doubt than actual failure, so here’s my advice to the young and old: dream on!

About a month ago, something that was beyond my crazi-est, wildest reveries came true. I was home sick this day, and, might I add, for a full day! This was indeed the first whole day of school I’d missed my senior year. I was feverish and laid in bed drinking my body weight in tea, while a single thought con-sumed my mind: 2PM Pacific Standard Time. All these schools on the east coast with some cult-like deference to “ivy” would be releasing their decisions within a matter of hours, and I was plotting how I would be “ super chill” while opening up their decisions. I texted my siblings with hourly countdowns, much to their annoyance, and by 1:40PM I had Mary J. Blige’s “Not Gonna Cry” on repeat. I figured if I was going to cry, at least I’d have a quality soundtrack! It was finally two o-clock, and my heart, much to my dismay, was about to pop out of my chest.

The time had come to see if I was accepted to my dream school. I opened the browser to the login portal and entered my password. Whoops, wrong password. I tried a different one, wrong again. Eventually, I had entered so many wrong pass-words that this portal decided to lock me out for an additional half an hour, at the end of which I could get a new password and try again. I sighed, of course, the moment that I’ve been anxious about for two years finally comes, and I’m not even prepared to open it. I laughed aloud and proceeded to check one of those other schools in this “Ivy-Cult” whose name rhymes with fail. This time my handwriting had not betrayed me, and I actually could read my password. This letter had no confetti or exclama-tion marks, but I wasn’t surprised and I quickly moved on. I sat in front of my desktop, my reflection on the computer screen had a semblance to someone just released from a hospital: my hair was still in pigtails from the night before, and my face had a sickly pallor. I stared at the screen and watched the minutes go by, until finally it was 2:30PM. The website kindly allowed me to log in, finally. Excited doesn’t adequately cover my flash flood of emotion. No screams or squeals were let out, no tears of joy were shed, just a hug was given to the only other being in my house, my dog. My dreams and my reality are now one, and when you ask me both where I want to attend and where I will be attending, the answer is the same: Princeton University, Class of 2018!


Del Amigo High School By Joseph A. Ianora, Principal

It is hard to believe, but we only have five weeks left in the school year. Since last month we have much to update you on. Here are some of the many things that have or will happen at Del Amigo:

In the past six months we have graduated 20 stu-dents, and we have eight students who are concurrently enrolled in Community College, three students who are con-current at Paris Beauty School, and seven students

who are con-current with our traditional high schools within SRVUSD. We have completed the new computerized SBAC testing and are working

on completing the last of our “paper and pencil” tests. It will be nice to close that chapter of testing history.

Two of our students, RJ McCuskey and Stephanie Stroup, were each awarded a $500 scholarship from the Alamo Women’s Club. We are very appreciative of their support of Del Amigo students.

Edgenuity, our online program, has been amazing. We originally enrolled nine students into two different subject areas. In the past weeks we have doubled that enrollment in five different subject areas. We are very pleased that this new learning modality is working for our students.

We will be hosting a blood drive for our Del Amigo student population. This is another great way for our students to give back to the community.

On April 24th we took our Life Science classes to the Oakland Zoo for an educational field trip. Students learned much from this adventure.

On April 28th we sponsored a “No Makeup” day. Staff and students par-ticipated in this first ever event for Del Amigo. We spent much of the time proceeding this day talking about inner beauty and what that looks like literally and figuratively.

Future events for Del Amigo include Career Day, another day at the Food Bank, an Activity Day, and of course, Graduation!

As always, we are grateful for your continued support of our academic institution.

Monte Vista High School By Janet Terranova, Principal

Spring break is over and we are heading into the last six weeks of school, but Monte Vista is definitely not slowing down.

Before our break Monte Vista students were able to participate in the “Every 15 Minutes” program. “Every 15 Minutes” is a two day event that was originally conceived of by the CHP and the Office of Traffic Safety in 1990. At that point, alcohol-related traffic fatalities occurred

every 15 minutes in the United States. The focus of the presentation included driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs, and distracted driving while texting. The program challenged students to think about their choices and their responsibility as they get behind the wheel. The first day featured a “crash scene” with the police, fire, ambulance, and coroner on scene. The second day featured a “funeral assembly” where the students who “died” in the accident were honored, and students had the opportunity to listen to com-munity members who have lived through a tragedy caused by impaired drivers. Bob Pack, from the Troy and Alana Pack Foundation, spoke to the students and urged them to think and act responsibly.

While no program can guarantee that our students will always think and act responsibly, I was so impressed with the respect and attention they paid to this program. During the 75 minute crash scene, students in the stadium were quiet and attentive. The funeral assembly took place in the gym for our 11th and 12th grade students, and a live feed to classrooms was provided for our 9th and 10th graders. Students were visibly affected by the speakers and took to heart their stories.

A huge thank you to our PTSA and parent community for sponsoring the program and for the hours of volunteer time they donated. A very special thank goes you to Laurie Terzolo who was the Chairperson for this program. Without her dedication and organization, the students would not have had this opportunity.

If you want to know more about Monte Vista and our activities, please visit our website at www.mvhs.schoolloop.com.

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Sustainable Danville Area Tip of the MonthBy Carol Rossi

There’s something about spring that inspires folks with even the brownest of thumbs to celebrate the season of rebirth and renewal by getting out in the garden and planting something, only to watch their cherished seedlings struggle, flounder, and then wither and die. Don’t despair if your horticultural efforts of the past have produced disappointing results. Even experienced gardeners have disappointments in the garden because Mother Nature does not always cooperate. Success in gardening, as in life, is often just a matter of good timing.

Yes, the days are getting longer and warmer, and the nurseries are full of seedlings - heirloom tomatoes, exotic peppers, eggplants, squash, cu-cumbers – all symbols of summer’s vegetable bounty. But spring night temperatures still drop into the 40’s. April brings its showers and May its desiccating winds. These are conditions that can permanently stunt heat-loving summer varieties, causing poor growth and fruit production even if they do survive. The wise gardener knows to wait until mid to late-May before setting out the long-season summer seedlings and to channel his or her enthusiasm with traditional spring crops that thrive in the cooler weather and gentle rains which grace our region from February through May.

Sugar snap peas can be direct sown as early as mid-February and will produce for almost two months until they are cleared out in late May to make way for tomato plants. Lettuce and spinach seedlings can be set out every two weeks staring March 1st to ensure a steady harvest until June. Fast-growing Bok Choi, set out after the last frost date in late March, will be providing tender baby leaves for salads within three weeks and larger plants for stir fry before the end of April. Green onions are another great “catch crop” that will fill vegetable beds from mid-February through May. Simply buy yellow onion bulbs (or “sets”) at the nursery, and harvest the baby seedlings when their bottom stems are as big as a pencil.

While their spring gardens are producing wonderful salad fixings and sweet, crunchy sugar snaps, patient gardeners can be growing their own tomato and pepper seedlings indoors or watching the nursery sales until day and night temperatures are warm enough to ensure thriving summer crops. Proper selection of varieties is often the key to success at this point. All heirloom vegetables were cultivated to grow in a specific region or climate. The Georgia Streak, for example, was bred to thrive in the heat and humidity of southern summers. San Francisco Fog, as the name im-plies, was bred to produce even in that city’s famously cold and overcast summers. But neither variety can be expected to do well outside of the environment to which they are inherently acclimated. Gardeners who want happy, productive plants should always check to make sure their selections are adaptable to their specific microclimate.

“Wannabe” vegetable gardeners can also improve their chances for suc-cess by taking a class or receiving rudimentary instruction from more expe-rienced garden hands. A fun way to improve your vegetable-growing skills is by signing up for a season of growing at The Bounty Garden, located at Hap Magee Park in Danville. The hands-on program at The Bounty Garden brings together community volunteers in a fun and friendly environment to learn about growing sustainable, organic vegetables. There is no cost and no experience necessary to be a vegetable grower at the Garden. Volun-teers are asked to commit to one growing season of the year and attend two group meetings to meet one another, be introduced to the Garden and the program, and register for a raised bed. Three free workshops on seedling propagation, composting, and harvesting are also offered and are a great chance to learn basic gardening techniques and get questions answered. The Bounty Garden is committed to providing fresh, nutritious greens to people who need them. So, you can keep what you learn, but all vegetables grown in the Garden are donated to the local Food Banks of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. Learn more about The Bounty Garden, its program, and its mission at www.thebountygarden.com.

Visit www.sustainabledanville.com or join us at www.facebook.com/sustainabledanvillearea for local green events and resources.

SRV Christian Academy By Jan Brunkal, Principal

Happy Spring! SRVCA is definitely racing towards the finish line of this school year. Activities both here at school and outside of our campus abound. Our 6th grad-ers spent a wonderful week at Alliance Redwood Camp for their Outdoor Education experience. This experience was a great time of fun, fellowship, and learning for our kids. The week was filled with team building activities, opportunities to challenge themselves both physically

and spiritually, as well as learn about God’s creation. Our annual PTF sponsored “Sherrie Asche Fun Run” took place in late April

and was a huge success. This annual event is in honor of our former computer teacher who passed away several years ago and who will long be remembered for her hard work, compassion, and kindness to her students. The proceeds raised from the run go to technology such as purchasing two carts of iPads for our students and new laptops. Our families are so supportive, what a blessing it is!

The month of May also brings about our all school Open House which takes place Thursday, May 8. This is a wonderful time to showcase our students’ work, their classrooms, and the school year in general. What great accomplishments our students have made this year through their hard work and perseverance.

Our 3rd through 5th grade Spring Musical, Here For the Gold will be held Tues-day, May 13 at 7pm. Directed by Erin Warner, our music teacher, students will share the parables of Jesus through song and drama in a way that is relevant for kids today. I am always amazed at the talent Mrs. Warner brings out in her students, and this evening is always a highlight of the year.

Not to be outdone, our kindergarten through 2nd graders will share their talents on Friday, May 23 at 9am at our parent appreciation chapel. This year’s production, Donkey Tales, has our little ones singing their hearts out as they teach us all about the obedience God requires, the love we can show our neighbors, and the humil-ity that led Jesus to the cross. Nothing is better than watching these children tell stories from the Bible in their own sweet way.

Once again, our fabulous student council is organizing our annual Field Day on May 30. This event has our upper grade students spending time with their younger buddies, playing together and participating in games, food, and fun. This is always an end-of-the-year highlight.


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Ruth Bancroft GardenBy Linda Summers Pirkle

My sister and I inherited our mother’s jade plants. Mine are planted in three very heavy terra cotta pots. Every winter I drag the pots from the edge of my patio to a place near the house to keep them from freezing, then come spring I drag them back out to their spots. My mother had them for many years before I got them; they are at least forty years old. I have to admit, they are not my favorite plant -- I

always thought they were a bit old fashioned, a bit like the purple carpet of ice plant we had in our front yard. But they were mom’s, so of course they have a special place in my heart.

Succulents, like my jade plants, echeveria, and aloes are very popular plants now, because of their drought resistance and easy maintenance. The latest Martha Stewart Living magazine features an article called “Sensa-tional Succulents.” A portion of the article states, “This group of plants is quickly becoming popular with home gardeners because of the ease with which they can be propagated, raised, divided, and even shared with friends and other gardeners. In addition, because most require only small amounts of moisture, little cultivation, and pruning, and modest amounts of grow-ing medium, they are excellent varieties to enjoy in even drought-plagued areas and warm or hot climates.”

For Ruth Bancroft, age 105, of the Ruth Bancroft Gardens in Walnut Creek, these plants have never gone out of “style” and have been a focus for her incredible collection for the past 40 years. According to the website for the Garden, when Ruth was in her 60’s she began to plant succulents on the three-acre property, and her garden attracted much attention from horticulturists and gardeners. She learned about gardening from reading and experimenting and figuring out what worked. The garden opened to the public in the early 1990’s.

I visited the Ruth Bancroft Gardens on one of the few rainy days this spring. Although the garden is located on a parcel of land between the busy streets of Treat and Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek, it is a very serene spot. With umbrellas, our group of ten followed Adrian, our guide, down pathways, under trees and into a glorious green house filled with gorgeous, sometimes eerie plants that are examples of what may be a garden of the future because of its ability to thrive with little water.

Adrian shared stories of how Ruth collected some of the plants and pointed out various drought tolerant plants, all unique, each with its own story.

There is a lot going on in this special garden. They offer tours, seminars, and events including author events, art and jazz, agaves and tequila, and sculpture displays in the garden.

The garden is a nice spot to take a picnic lunch; there are picnic tables and benches tucked in among the many plants.

*The 20th annual Sculpture in the Garden event, is a one of a kind event combining outdoor art with the garden’s stunning sculptural succulents. Opening day is June 13.

*Outdoor weddings are now available at the garden. As of April 2014, the beautiful grounds are available for your special event. This brand new service is not being advertised, but the garden will most likely be a very popular venue for outdoor weddings of 75 to 150 people.

*Ruth Bancroft Garden is located at 1552 Bancroft Road in Walnut Creek. Their phone number is 925-944-9352. Their website is www.Ruth-bancroftgarden.org.

* Hours are 11AM to 6PM, Monday thru Sunday, and 7PM on Thursdays.Linda Summers Pirkle, travel consultant and long term Danville resi-

dent, has been arranging and leading 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. “If it’s a trip for my husband and me, my husband drives and I talk (he’s a captive audience) – the perfect combination! What a great place to live, so much to see, so much to do.” To share your “Quick Trips” ideas email [email protected].

San Ramon Valley High School By Ruth Steele, Principal

May always feels like the calm before the storm. We rush through the spring, following state testing windows, CAASPP pilot tests and the AP tests, and then suddenly things are quiet for just a few weeks before graduation in June.

This year, May is the month of many of our school’s culminating events - senior ball, our new talent show/art auction, and a safe driving assembly.

The pace does not let up until we hit finals week and then graduation.Every year this is a bittersweet time as we watch our seniors get ready to

graduate and move on with the next phase of their lives. We have watched them grow for four years, develop, learn, and mature, and it is so exciting to see them in the final weeks before they leave SRVHS for bigger, better, and more exciting adventures.

Our parents have been doing an amazing job planning grad night and getting everything ready for the graduation ceremony. It is always a team effort to get us through the end of the year.

We have also seen the completion of our new bleacher project, the fin-ishing touches have been added to our pool, and a new batting cage for the baseball program has been installed.

Finally, we are planning retirement events for a group of our outstand-ing veteran teachers. Lisa Sabatini, Ken Castleman, Mike Slater, Carol MacPhail, Hans Delannoy, Jeff Torquemada, and Lorrie Harris are all leaving SRVHS this year after exemplary and distinguished careers.

They will be graduating along with the 100th graduating class in June, and their contribution and commitment to SRVHS is unparalleled. I would like to recognize each of them for their incredible work with our students over the years.

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every year to devour your roses, and plants need replacing every so often just like your home needs fresh paint and new carpet.

Now you can relax in your gar-den; 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 new-found appreciation and patience for the transitional after thirty-something years in the garden.

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

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 [email protected] or for design ideas, visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

Life in the Danville Garden By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape ArchitectTimeless and Transitional

I like to follow-up with my clients after a period of time to see how they were enjoying their beautiful yards. After 35 years

of creating gardens, I have discovered a new distinction for how a landscape matures and why some of my clients were disappointed even though they absolutely loved their gardens initially. Timeless and Transitional, that’s it!

At first glance the phrase “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 great things I usually write about. On the other hand, gardens can be ugly, annoying and agitating, and sometimes they 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 client’s gardens only to find plants that I had designed in the plans were either missing, woody and misshaped, or turned into little balls and squares. Plants were missing because nature over the last two years had taken its toll. Perennials were missing, lavender was just woody half broken stalks, and lovely arching shrubs turned into balls and squares in their prime bloom time! This is not what I expect, and most of my clients didn’t either.

I have written about the importance of the hardscape (built elements) time-less element as one aspect of creating an outdoor en-vironment while the other element is the softscape (liv-ing elements) 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 the harsh cold winter, the ultra-wet spring, and the long hot Indian summer, it was untrained gardeners, the varmints, the pets, fun-gus, 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,

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, seat wall, and pool; a detailed trel-lis, pergola, arbor, fences, and garden gates; well-placed timeless trees like Oaks, redwoods, maples, olives, crape myrtles; and long-lasting plantings like laurel, boxwood, mock orange, wisteria, camellias, and more than I can name in one article.

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 30 years to get it. Snails eat your plants, fungus curls your peach leaves (unless you remember to spray at the precise time), aphids arrive

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The Incense-CedarBy Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

The incense-cedar graces many Bay Area

gardens with its shade, beauty, and intriguing fragrance. Calo-cedrus decurrens, its Latin name, means beautiful cedar. The striking contrast between the vibrant greens of its leaves and the trunk’s rich reds creates a pleasing aesthetic further enhanced by the relaxed elegance of the weeping foliage. The beauty of this tree is not confined to the realm of the visual. The incense-cedar gives off a distinctive fragrance that fills the air with a pungent aroma strongly reminiscent of grade-school classrooms and the unforgettable smell of the pencil sharpener. In my youth, and still largely today, pencils were made from the soft and distinctively fragrant wood of Calocedrus decurrens.

The incense-cedar is not a true cedar (thus the hyphen). The so-called “true cedars” are native to the Mediterranean and the Himalayas, and are members of the genus Cedrus. These include the majestic Deodora and Atlas cedars, as well as the famous Cedar of Lebanon.

The incense-cedar, which may live a thousand years and attain a height of 150 feet, is a true California native. It evolved in North America, and its current range extends from the Cascade Mountains in northern Oregon, through the Sierra Nevadas, and down to the Sierra San Pedro Matir of Baja California. Throughout its range it has been important in the lives of Native Americans. The Klamath tribe of Oregon wove its bark into baskets. The California Paiutes made infusions of its leaves for colds. The Round Valley tribe of Mendocino Country used leaflets as flavoring when leaching acorn meal. This species has provided Native Americans with food, shelter, clothing, and music.

The incense-cedar’s natural resistance to rot made it very useful both in antiquity and in modern times. Homebuilders use it for siding, decking, moulding, and interior paneling. Landscapers use its chips and bark for mulch. Its wood is made into furniture, shingles, and railway ties. Sawdust and wood scraps help fuel co-generation of electricity.

The softness of the wood and its resistance to splinter-ing make the incense-cedar ideal for encasing pencil lead. However, these qualities also make the wood fragile, brittle, and potentially somewhat problematic as an urban landscape tree. When it grows as one trunk from a thick base to a single pyramid-shaped crown, the incense-cedar is relatively stable; it requires little work other than the periodic removal of dead-wood. But if the trunk of the tree divides into multiple columns or has large branches which turn up and rise parallel to the trunk, the tree has structural problems that make it vulnerable to column failure. After some recent winter storms, Brende & Lamb looked at many incense-cedars that had shed branches and sometimes entire columns. Most of the failed trees suffered from a malady of tree anatomy called included bark. This structural defect occurs when the bark at the crotch folds inward, and interrupts the continuity of the fibers supporting the columns.

Good pruning can ameliorate many structural problems. Co-dominant stems (more than one column of roughly the same diameter) are more likely to fail than trees with a single leading column. Sometimes reducing one of the competing leaders can minimize the hazard. If column removal is not advisable for aesthetic or functional reasons, it is often possible to cable the multiple stems together. However, individual trees are so unstable that removal is the safest alternative. Whatever you do, do not top these trees. Topping a cedar will eventually produce many unstable columns multiplying the risk and, ultimately, the expense of keeping the tree. Preventative medicine is almost always less expensive and more effective

than later surgery. If you plant an incense-cedar, choose nursery stock with only one trunk and no crotches with included bark. Remember that a seedling cedar can grow to over a hundred feet, and that tall trees may cause view concerns for yourself and your neighbors.

Calocedrus has graced the California landscape for almost 200 million years. With a little forethought and good pruning, the incense-cedar can continue to bless Bay Area gardens with the subtle fragrance of childhood. It takes a little effort to live at peace with this large California native, but its bounty of colors, shapes, and scents make that effort worthwhile.

If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at [email protected] for a free estimate. Additionally, go to our website www.brendelamb.com to see before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood. Advertorial

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Clip Notes By Jody MorganEvery tour at the Ruth Bancroft Garden takes a different route, but each one

I conduct pauses beside the Palo Verde tree in Bed 7. Green even in the direst drought, this desert denizen dresses its branches with glorious yellow blossoms in spring. The delicate foliage provides filtered shade. Most remarkable among the Palo Verde’s survival skills is its ability to drop all its leaves to conserve moisture, yet continue to photosynthesize utilizing chlorophyll in the green branches from whence it takes its name, which means “green stick.”

The talking point visitors are likeliest to remember, however, has little to do with the tree’s horticultural virtues. As witness for the prosecution, a Palo Verde

was the first plant to provide DNA testimony at a murder trial. While guiding a tour together several years ago, fellow docent Bud Rotermund introduced me to the tale. The magazine Science ran an account of the inves-

tigation in the May 14, 1993 issue. In 1994, PBS aired the story as part of the Scientific American Frontiers series with Alan Alda narrating.When the strangled body of a young woman was discovered outside of Phoenix, Charlie Norton became lead detective. A beeping pager at the scene

focused his attention first on the subscriber Earl Bogan and then on his son Mark, who had been using it. Mark feigned delight at the recovery of the device. He claimed he had given a hitchhiker a ride, but she had tried to steal his wallet. He grabbed the wallet back before she ran away, carrying his pager with her.

Norton believed Bogan was prevaricating. Could he find sufficient evidence to establish guilt? The crime scene yielded neither footprints nor tire tracks, but the detective noticed a Palo Verde tree with a fresh cut in its bark. He picked up a few pods. Examination of the truck Bogan drove revealed no damage, but the truck bed contained some Palo Verde pods.

Asked by his superior officer if a DNA match could be made using the pods, Norton called 14 geneticists who considered the task totally impractical before reaching Tim Helentjaris, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Helentiaris was not optimistic, but he was intrigued. He casually commented that the chance of conclusively matching a pod to the parent tree was a million in one. Many plant species are so genetically uniform that individuals are not distinguishable by DNA markers.

A posse was dispatched to bring in pods from trees in the Phoenix area. Samples collected from 38 Palo Verdes showed each to have a profile as distinct as a fingerprint. The pods in Bogan’s truck matched exactly the gouged Palo Verde at the site where the body was found. For the first time, DNA evidence from a plant was presented in a criminal trial. On May 27th, 1993, Mark Bogan was convicted of first-degree murder.

Indigenous to the deserts of the southwestern US and Mexico, several species of Palo Verdes provide shade essential to the development of seedlings of other drought-tolerant plants including the Saguaro Cactus. Native people ground the seeds for flour, boiled the pods to eat with meat, strung the seeds for necklaces, and produced red dye from the flowers.

Arizona designated the Palo Verde as its official state tree in 1954. The Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida) and the Yellow Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) are native to the Sonoran Desert. The tree in Bed 7 at the Ruth Bancroft Garden, Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata), is native from central Texas to northern South America. All three species share similar traits, but the Mexican Palo Verde is especially spiny. All grow in full sun and require well-drained soil.

Nature has no laws prohibiting cross-pollination by horticultural kissing cousins. Studying Palo Verde seedlings at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson in the early 1970s, Mark Dimmit discovered a spineless specimen with the best characteristics of each the three spe-cies listed above. Careful testing indicated all three had contributed to its genetic composition. By 1981, this remarkable hybrid was ready for release as Parkinsonia ‘Desert Museum.’

‘Desert Museum’ blooms from early spring to early summer and may re-bloom during the summer if given supplemental water. The flowers are larger than those of the three straight species. ‘Desert Museum’ can tolerate tempera-tures as low as 15oF. The branching habit is upright. Growth up to 20-30 feet is rapid, but pruning will keep ‘Desert Museum’ sized to fit your landscape.

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Energy MattersBy Mark Becker, GoSimpleSolar

As a business owner, there is no better place than the contracting industry to apply some very basic principles which I was fortunate enough to learn while on active duty as an officer in the military.

A business needs to have and execute a “mission state-ment.” Ours is simple: do what we say, when we say, for the price we say. A business must also recognize the im-portance of continually communicating to its customers. Price changes are rarely legally justified and typically inap-

propriate. There are obvious differences between business and military missions, but success is a result of planning, executing, and improving for the next project or mission.

To guarantee success of a solar project: Find a high quality contractor with the appropriate licenses to install your solar PV system. Ninety percent of construction litigation stems from issues involving water damage which are mostly preventable with use of licensed roofer. In addition, many municipalities require an electrician to do the electric portion of the solar work because of the complexity of the installation. A high quality contractor will recommend products that have a 25 plus year history of performance in the field. If documentation of long-term performance history is not provided, find a contractor who will provide documentation. Trust, but verify.

NEMA (Net Energy Metering Aggregation) is a new PG&E solar rate which allows an electric customer with a single solar system to reduce electric costs to multiple electric meters on the same or contiguous properties. Electric connection to only one of the meters is required. Cost offset percentages are proportioned by the property owner and credited to the other meters on the account via PG&E software.

The ability of a consumer to check a businesses’ performance and customer satisfaction via online review websites is getting very popular. Review websites have the potential to become “the great equalizer” between businesses, large and small. For the most part, it’s a valid process and makes companies’ business prac-tices transparent to the public. Unfortunately, some false reviews do exist. Some consumers choose a local small business because of an assumed service quality advantage, while others find comfort by doing business with big box companies for the perceived stability of that company. But no longer can a large business hide behind its size as an obvious consumer choice if it has a history of poor reviews. The moral of the story for construction and solar projects: Do business with those with the best business record and products. These things are easily searchable online these days. Even Facebook is getting into the review business. Of course, back up your initial choice by checking license status at www.cslb.ca.gov, confirming liability and workman’s comp insurance status, and the oft forgotten step of calling references.

State rebates, still available: The New Solar Homes Partnership is a program which provides rebates to solar projects on new and fully remodeled homes. Most new homes automatically qualify because of local efficiency regulations for a new build. Today’s average rebate is about $8,000 additional monies back to the homeowner for an average sized solar system. The 30% Federal Tax Credit is still available for two and a half years.

A recent article in Solar Today titled “Sorting Out Legal Responsibility for Defective Solar Panels” was a head shaker yet provided me much business model validation. If a business offers safe product choices to its customers, and installs them properly, “defective solar panels” and “sorting out responsibility” will never be an issue. The best warranty IS the best product. The finger pointing in the article is tragic; the manufacturer blames product failure as a result of poor installation practices on the installer, and the installer blames poor quality control at the manufacturing plant. The agreement between the insurer and solar panel project owner restricts the ability of the claimant to identify the solar panel manufacturer so as to not “harm” the manufacturer. Who suffers? The consumer. Why put risk into an investment that essentially doesn’t have any if done properly and with the right products?

Mark Becker is the President of GoSimpleSolar, by Semper Fidelis Construc-tion Inc, a Danville based Solar Installation Firm (License 948715). GoSimple-Solar can be reached at 925-331-8011. Visit GoSimpleSolar’s NEW and larger showroom at 100 Railroad Avenue, Suite B, Danville (behind Pete’s Brass Rail) and receive a $500 discount on your solar system. Go to www.GoSimpleSolar.com for a free quote, or email [email protected]. Advertorial

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Play continued from front pageblackened and twisted chamber revealed six spent cartridges. Background infor-mation on crew and passengers and interviews with the passengers who deplaned in Stockton helped the FBI identify the shooter. Ironically, the Civil Aeronautics Board regulation that might have prevented the tragedy was enacted on May 7, 1964. Effective September 9, 1964, cockpit doors on passenger planes were to be closed and locked from the inside.

Eric Hayes, who grew up in Danville, only learned about the story last year. When he mentioned to his mother that he was researching the Tassajara plane crash, he discovered for the first time that she had lost a high school classmate who was on board the doomed flight. In scripting the story, Hayes focuses on the multiple communities tied together by the event. “The play seeks to explore tragedy as it relates to individuals and families as well as communities, “ Hayes explains. “In the telling of this story, there will be glimpses into the lives of some of the individuals involved (victims and their families) as well as stories of people who witnessed or were touched in some way or another by the event.”

Jerry Warren, President of the Board of the Museum of the San Ramon Valley recalls the crowds drawn to the “Mystery in the Sky” exhibit recently offered at the Museum. “When we ran the exhibit it almost became a pilgrimage for people from Reno to San Jose as well as San Ramon Valley residents who remembered the crash, but not the details.” The children and grandchildren of many of the 44 individuals who died on Flight 773 visited the exhibit to pay their respects.

Julie Clark, one of the pilot’s three daughters orphaned by the crash, came to speak to museum visitors. Her collection of newspaper clippings has been invaluable in establishing the facts of the tragedy and reconstructing the com-munity response. Sharing her father’s lifelong love of flying, Julie became the first woman pilot for Northwest Airlines in 1984 and currently pilots her plane Top Banana in the Julie Clark Air Show: American Aerobatics.

Hayes is enjoying the challenge of producing Tassajara 1964. “Working on this play, I’m constantly making discoveries and it is both rewarding and daunting realizing that I’m trying to tell so many stories at once.”

The May 7th staged reading of Tassajara 1964 at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley occurs at 7pm. Tickets at the door cost $20. If you are still wondering what happened on board Flight 773, this is your chance to learn the answer. For more details, visit www.roleplayersensemble.com and click on “Events.”


Living Trusts – How Far Does Privacy Go? By Robert J. Silverman

One of the many benefits of a revocable Living Trust is substantial privacy. This is in sharp contrast to the court-supervised probate process that’s virtually guaranteed upon your death if you just have a Will, in which many private details about your assets, creditors, and close family members are open to the public.

In general, when you establish a Living Trust, you dictate who will play key roles on behalf of you and your loved ones, when those roles will commence, how your plan will be implemented, and to whom and when you disclose important estate planning information and give copies of key estate planning documents.

Some people incorrectly believe that you are required to have your Living Trust recorded or registered with some governmental agency. Fortunately, this is not true since your privacy would obviously be compromised if you needed to make your trust a public record. For the most part, you don’t need to disclose the terms of your Living Trust nor give a copy of it to anyone unless you choose to do so.

Of course, you may voluntarily communicate with loved ones about your Living Trust, and you may give third parties a copy of the document. However, since you may decide to make significant amendments to your Living Trust in the future, you should exercise caution about when and to whom you elect to provide such crucial, private details.

This broad privacy associated with Living Trusts is, however, trumped to a certain extent by a California Probate Code statute that requires that notification about a trust must be given by the trustee within 60 days after part or all of the trust becomes irrevocable. Recipients entitled to the notice include: a) those mentioned in the trust and b) “heirs” (i.e. closest of kin) of the person(s) who established the trust.

The notification must: i) state certain basic data about the trust and who is serving as the trustee (i.e. manager); ii) enclose a full copy of the trust or inform recipients that they may request a copy; and iii) state in certain minimum font

size and in bold that any recipient who wishes to contest the trust must do so within 120 days of the notification or 60 days after the recipient receives a full and complete copy of the trust, whichever is later.

A common client question is: “When must I [or we] give a copy of our trust to our children [and/or other loved ones]?” Applying the above-referenced statute, if you are unmarried, the answer is when you die – because that’s when your revocable Living Trust becomes irrevocable. If you are married and have a trust, the answer depends on how your trust is structured.

Those who are married and have a “streamlined” trust, under which all assets owned by both spouses are kept in the same trust pot after the first spouse dies (i.e. the surviving spouse owns and controls all the assets), have a trust which re-mains revocable during the surviving spouse’s life. As such, the above-referenced notification requirement is not triggered until the surviving spouse dies.

Alternatively, for those who are married and have an “A-B” trust (or other such trust under which “his” and “her” assets are allocated into two or more separate pots after the first spouse dies), the “B” trust – that sub-trust containing the deceased spouse’s assets - becomes irrevocable upon the death of the first spouse. So, with an A-B trust, the notification requirement is triggered at that time and may not be withheld or delayed until the surviving spouse dies.

As I’ve written about previously, a major Federal Estate Tax law change oc-curred in early 2013. One of the consequences of the new legislation is that most married couples no longer need an “A-B” Living Trusts for Estate Tax purposes. So, for this and other potentially compelling reasons, married couples would be wise to review their trust with an estate planning attorney to evaluate the pros and cons of restructuring it to the simpler “one pot” trust. A relevant consequence of converting to a simpler trust is that no notification requirement is triggered until after the surviving spouse dies.

Mr. Silverman is an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1855 Olympic Blvd., Suite 240, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474, [email protected], www.silvermanlaw.com.

* Estate Planning * Trust Administration & Probate * Real Estate * BusinessThis article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and is not intended nor

should it be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain and rely upon specific advice only from their own qualified professional advisors. This communica-tion is not intended or written to be used, for the purpose of: i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; or ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein. Advertorial

Observe Tax Freedom Day by Making Tax-smart Investments By Sima Alefi

You didn’t see it on your calendar, but Tax Free-dom Day fell on April 21 this year. So, why not mark the occasion by beginning to look for ways to become a “tax-smart” investor?

Tax Freedom Day, calculated annually by the Tax Foundation, is the day on which Americans have earned enough money to pay this year’s federal, state and local

taxes. Of course, Tax Freedom Day is something of a fiction, because most people pay their taxes throughout the year, via their paychecks. Furthermore, as famed Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., said: “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.” When you pay taxes, you help fund public education, the police, the fire department, food inspection, college scholarships and many other elements of society. Nonetheless, you may want to use the concept of Tax Freedom Day to find ways to reduce the taxes associated with your investments.

Here are some suggestions:• Boost your 401(k) contributions. Your 401(k) contributions are typically made

with pre-tax dollars, so the more you put in, the lower your taxable income. (Some employers allow a “Roth” option, under which you can make post-tax contribu-tions.) In 2014, you can put in up to $17,500 to a 401(k) or similar plan, such as a 403(b) or 457(b), and if you are 50 or older, you can contribute an additional $5,500.

• Fully fund your IRA. No matter which type of IRA you have — tra-ditional or Roth — you will gain some valuable tax benefits. With a Roth IRA, your contributions are not deductible, but your earnings can grow tax free, provided you don’t start taking withdrawals until you are 59-1/2 and you’ve had your IRA for at least five years. If you own a traditional IRA, your earnings can grow tax-deferred, and your contributions may be deductible, depending on your income level. So, similar to a 401(k), the more you put in to your traditional IRA, the lower your taxable income may be. In 2014, you can contribute up to $5,500 to an IRA, or $6,500 if you are 50 or older.

• Contribute to a college savings plan. Many college savings plans offer some type of tax advantage. For example, if you contribute to a 529 plan, your earnings can grow tax free, provided all withdrawals are only used to help pay qualified higher education expenses. (529 plan distributions not used for qualified expenses may be subject to federal and state income tax and a 10% IRS penalty.) Furthermore, your 529 plan contributions may be deductible from your state taxes.

• Avoid excessive buying and selling. If you are constantly buying and selling investments, you may find it “taxing,” because short-term gains (gains on assets owned for less than one year) will be taxed at your ordinary income tax rate, which could be as high as 39.6% (and you may also be subject to a 3.8% Medicare surtax). However, if you hold your investments longer than a year before selling them, you’ll pay the more favorable long-term capital gains rate, which will likely be 15% or 20%, depending on your income, though you might still be assessed the Medicare surtax.

Tax Freedom Day is here, and then it’s gone. But by taking the steps de-scribed above, you may be able to brighten your tax picture for years to come.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. To contact Sima for a free consultation, call her at Edward Jones (925)

648-2590. Her office is located at 3472 Camino Tassajara, Danville in the Blackhawk Safeway Shopping Center. For more information, vist www.EdwardJones.com. Advertorial

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Don’t be Afraid of Windows 8By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

Recently I was in-vited to speak to a large group of gentlemen in Walnut Creek. We cov-

ered a variety of topics, however there was one subject which is beginning to be a common part of any computer discussion I’ve had lately. That is, “I need a new computer, but do I have to get Windows 8 with it? I’ve read reviews and they all said it’s terrible…” The Windows 8 situation is a very good example of what can happen when you have a great idea but don’t execute it very well. This month we’ll explore the issue, and I’ll give you a great tip you can use to make Windows 8 as tame as your Windows 7 or XP computer.

I respect Microsoft for their accomplishments just as I respect any successful company which has managed to be huge and prosperous like Xerox, Apple, and IBM. They are all great com-panies which have taken the market by storm at one point or another, and who have faced good times as well as bad. They all survive today because they employ smart people who figure out their problems and keep innovating, even when they make mistakes or the market doesn’t go their way. Sometimes, companies seem to succeed despite repeated missteps that sabotage their own success. Microsoft is in this category.

Do you remember the Windows Vista operat-ing system? It was actually just the early version of the popular Windows 7 operating system, but Vista was released prematurely. It was slow and worked poorly. To make things worse, Microsoft “certified” it to work on under-powered comput-ers to try to sell more units. Millions of comput-ers were sold with insufficient processors and memory, and they ran very poorly as a result. The issue ensured that millions of people would have slow computers, and consumers held Microsoft responsible. It hurt Microsoft’s reputation, and millions of people switched over to computers running the Apple Mac operating system as a result. Apple rightly made out like a bandit.

Because of these missteps we’re perhaps a little too quick to believe the next negative piece of information we hear about Microsoft. Windows 8 is a target for that negativity because it introduced significant changes into the sacred “triangle of user experience.” The triangle of user experience is the keyboard, the mouse, and the display, which encompasses what you see and experience. If you impact what people interact with, you’re going to get some reaction, and that is exactly what the market did.

The two biggest things that bother people about Windows 8 are the “Metro” interface – the new way all of your programs are represented as multi-colored tiles, and navigating the “hot corners” to switch between the “Metro” tiles and the desktop that we’re familiar with. People get lost and frustrated because it’s not intuitive as to how to navigate the new environment. Consumers are so frustrated they don’t have time to appreciate how much faster and better their system runs.

The reason for the creation of the Metro interface is because Microsoft is unifying the “look and feel” of their product-line, including their telephones, their tablets, and their laptop and desktop operating system. The good news is that this “Metro” interface works very well on the phones, tablets, and laptops that have touchscreens. It’s very smooth and intuitive when you have a touchscreen, but it can be difficult if you don’t have one. That means every laptop and desktop sold which doesn’t have a touchscreen is potentially frustrating for the user. Not good.

Some software engineers recognized this problem and wrote a program they call “Classic Shell,” which is a program you can use to bring back the “Start Menu” button in the lower left corner of your screen. It works great as-downloaded, but is also very customizable if you want to change the way your menus work. It’s available at www.classicshell.net. If you or someone you know has been struggling with Windows 8, download this program, run it, then reboot the computer. It will change everything for the better. When your system reboots, it will again look like your old familiar Windows desktop. Just like that, you’re going to enjoy using your computer again. Try it out and let us know how it works. I think you’ll love it.

As you revel in how much more usable your computer is after installing Classic Shell, remember Portable CIO is your local resource to fix comput-ers of all varieties, networks, and just about everything else electronic. Call 925-552-7953 or email [email protected] to speak with one of our friendly, knowledgeable staff. Advertorial



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The Whole You and Craniosacral TherapyBy Marchelle Milligan

Are you just an arm or a leg? Are you just a spine or head? The body works as a whole unit, yet it is often dissected by specialists to deal with one part alone without considering the entire body.

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on ap-proach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health. If

one part of the body is restricted, then the rest of the body must adapt and compen-sate for this, which can eventually lead to pain, stiffness, and other health conditions.

Western medicine often fragments the human being into separate body parts. Different parts of the body requite a different expert in the particular organ or sys-tem. Patients can end up seeing three or four different specialists, each one treating something different. While this can be beneficial in the short term, it is also impor-tant to look at how one area that is not functioning fully affects the whole body.

One underlying theory of CST is that life expresses itself as motion. This motion can be felt within the body by a trained CST practitioner. It’s also understood that the body always works as a whole; no bone, tissue, or cell stands alone. Therefore, any restriction or unresolved trauma will have recipro-cal effects through the body, causing symptoms and pathologies to present as well as affect us mentally and emotionally. CST does not just chase individual symptoms but looks to find the underlying cause of the condition so the whole body can function in harmony and balance.

What does all of this mean for you? A person may come in for a session because of low back pain or headaches. A restriction may be found in many different areas of the body, not just the back or head where pain is felt. The therapist will address restrictions throughout the body, paying particular at-tention to the central nervous system which is like command central for our body and needs to be functioning at its best. As each session unfolds, it is like peeling layers of an onion to get to the core. So, the pain may begin to go away, but the person is also finding that they are sleeping better, or another part of their body that had an injury seems to be getting better as well, even if it is not what they came to a session for. This is caring for the whole you, balancing ALL of the body parts, not just one or two.

A session of CST begins by evaluating the craniosacral system by gently feeling various locations of the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in these tissues.

By design our bodies are extremely intelligent. CST is about accessing and reconnecting with health. By normalizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord and enhancing the body’s ability to self-correct, everyone can potentially benefit from CST. It can be effective in stress management, and relieving headaches, neck and back pain, whiplash and brain injuries, TMJ dysfunctions, depression, post traumatic stress disorders, emotional trauma, chronic pain, sleep disorders, and vertigo to name a few.

For more information, log onto www.therhythmwithin.org. To schedule an appointment, please book on the website or contact Marchelle at (925) 286-6237. The office is located in the Alamo Commons in Alamo. Advertorial

experience, encouraging caregivers to believe in the possibility that their charges will be, like Josh, successful adults.

In spring 2012, Don Routh presented the concept of a schools program to Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi. Ahmadi immediately recognized the value. “The potential of this endeavor as a true service learning project was incredible, and it was obvious that the impact to all involved would be profound,” she comments. “The project al-lows our students to learn and apply their knowledge while serving others globally.” Six PUSD elementary schools participated the following academic year. Six teachers joined a wheelchair distribution tour that summer and all came back as zealous advocates of the program.

The San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD) recommended the project to all of its schools for 2013-2014, as did PUSD. Over the course of four months from late spring through summer, Don worked with Special Needs Parents and SRVUSD professionals to enhance the existing Ability Awareness curriculum to include lesson plans for all grades addressing physi-cal, intellectual and developmental issues.

Terry Koehne, SRVUSD Communications Director, gladly accepted the task of promoting the program with district principals. “Don is amazing – he provides every ounce of support a school needs, including background in-formation, monthly newsletters and updates, and makes himself available to do presentations for any group that needs it.” Support materials include a 17-page booklist, movie suggestions featuring characters coping with disability, fun ways to try wheelchairs, and fundraising ideas. Proud that the fundraising aspect of the program will provide hundreds of wheelchairs to people who lack mobility, Koehne notes, “Providing students with real opportunities to experience the issue themselves gives more meaning to the fundraising component, and inspires them to get even more involved.”

Students and faculty members find Don Routh’s presentation riveting. He opens by explaining: “There are more than 100 million people with physical disabilities worldwide who are in need of a wheelchair. Thirty million of these are children, and 90% of them do not go to school.” Lacking mobility, they have no access to education and often no social interaction with other children. Sometimes they have to crawl to reach basic items beyond their reach.

Montair Elementary School ran the project in October/November, em-bedding the program in all aspects of academics. Coin-counting supported math, writing persuasive letters to the business community underscored language lessons, and walking into Danville to speak to local business lead-

Ability continued from front page ers bolstered oral presentation skills. Dennis Simkin, Vice President, Manager recalls the day the students came to J. Rockcliff. “I was in awe of how profes-sional and cute they were.” Simkin estimates that 30 or 40 people came out to hear their presentation.

Taking turns, students participated in a wheelchair basketball game. When one student finally managed to score, the crowd erupted in cheers. Elizabeth Campos spent part of a day teaching in a wheelchair and found maneuvering around her classroom a major challenge. Months later, in February, another school activity highlighted how much the project affected students. Campos wrote: “At Montair this week we are participating in a No-Name-Calling Week, and as Leadership was discussing ways to promote this, a few stu-dents brought up the fact that they actually think name-calling has decreased at school since Ability Awareness and the Wheelchair Foundation project because kids learned to accept others for who they are, no matter what they look like or their abilities.”

Gale Ranch Middle School ran the program in February. Counselor Lori Olson volunteered to coordinate. The opportunity for a field trip to the Blackhawk Automotive Museum was a huge incentive for students, and they returned from meeting Wheelchair Foundation President David Behring even

[email protected] Danville Today News ~ May 2014 - Depression and Anxiety Alternatives San Ramon ValleyBy William Shryer, LCSW, DCSW, Clinical Director, Diablo Behavioral Healthcare and Blackhawk TMS

Depression and anxiety frequently occur together, and they are not easily treated. More

specifically, they do not respond to treatment at a high percentage rate. The two most common approaches to treatment are basic psychotherapy and the use of medications. Unfortunately, for the majority of patients, neither treatment results in remission or cessation of symptoms as we would hope or are led to believe.

People with major depression accompanied by high levels of anxiety are signifi-cantly less likely to benefit from antidepressant medication than those without anxiety.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funded Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study was published online ahead of print in January 2008, in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The STAR*D study initially reported that nearly 70% of patients studied became symptom free on medications. The actual result showed less than 30% of patients became symptom free, and by the time the patient had tried three drugs and experienced failure, the likelihood of remission was then down to 6.9%! What was even more alarming is that it appears that the NIMH “cooked the books,” and it appears that the reported outcomes served to benefit the pharmaceutical industry (...shocking). As the public hopefully knows now, pharmaceutical funding of antidepressant trials produced scientific literature that was biased and profoundly misleading, a tale of persistent scientific misconduct that has now been reviewed by many authors. But STAR*D was a publicly funded trial, and of course we would hope and expect that the results would be honestly reported, given that it cost the taxpayers 35 million dollars!

The harm this has done for those trying to obtain relief from depression is difficult to calculate.

There are forms of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that work far better than therapy focused on the never ending rehashing early childhood develop-ments, in fact research supports CBT and finds open-ended traditional psychotherapy capable of bringing about minimal results. Due to the misconduct of the authors of

STAR*D and the resulting scandal, patients are once again left to look for new alterna-tives to what has been failing them for so long.

Recently there has been a renewed interest in things that were minimized and discounted by many for so long, and now we know that this was due to the pharma-ceutical industry that did not want any competition or to have their profit margins impacted by what was then called alternative approaches. Now we know that many of these alternative approaches based on neutraceuticals or such things as Vitamin D, all of the B vitamins, Omega III fatty acids, and the list goes on, support a real shift in the treatment of depression and other disorders. At Diablo Behavioral Healthcare we know much about alternative treatments, and we utilize both alternative and traditional treatments carefully and use the smallest doses needed to achieve relief.

Non-invasive, non-systemic treatments such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimula-tion (TMS) prescribed by one of our well-trained psychiatrists offers real help for many who have spent years getting no relief from antidepressant medications. Ask your mental health provider about TMS to see what they know about this exciting FDA approved treatment alternative. Please visit our website or refer your provider to our site for more information.

Due to the fiasco with the NIMH and the less than honest behavior from the huge pharmaceutical companies that brought you all of the well-known antidepressants, insurance companies are beginning to cover this new treatment. It seems the cozy relationship between medical insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies is becoming frayed. Insurance companies are becoming aware that a non-medical approach that is showing great success and does not risk medication side effects is more economical for them. TMS doesn’t lead to side-effects such as nausea, head-ache, fatigue, weight gain, or sleep problems that many of the antidepressants have. For more information or to discuss your treatment for either depression, anxiety or both, call our office and we will take the time to discuss your options. We also dis-cuss these subjects on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at our Danville office at 7PM.

For more information on any behavioral or developmental concern, call us at (925) 648-4800, and we will take the time to answer your questions. To learn more about TMS, visit our website www.BlackHawkTMS.com, andscroll down for a brief video on TMS. Our location is 4185 Blackhawk Plaza Circle Suite 210, Danville, CA. Advertorial

Your Personal Nutritionist Lose Weight Forever the Right Way and Only Way By Linda Michaelis RD,MS

Lately, I’ve been seeing many clients who are ca-sualties of the latest quick weight loss schemes such as Ideal Protein, Paleo, Cambiati Cleanse, and John Muir’s Fasting Program. As I commonly hear, my client Jim told me he lost 40 pounds in six weeks on Ideal Protein and

was very happy about it but did not feel well throughout the time he was on the program, often felt food deprived, and did not have the energy to exercise. As I see in almost all these programs, Jim gained back the 40 pounds he lost plus more. I feel that it is my job as a Registered Dietitian to educate my community, where people have sophisticated tastes and enjoyment of the good things in life, to help them achieve their weight loss goals and keep those pounds off forever.

The story has not changed with fasting programs. Your body gets used to a regimen of 800 calories a day, and then when you get off the fast and eat 1,500 calories a day, the weight comes back - plus more. Unfortunately, these programs have a major downside because they do a very poor maintenance job – people are confused as what to do after the initial weight is lost. I tell the post-fasting people who find me that I am adamant about them exercising at a high level twice a day and eating meals close to the time after they exercise so that their food will be burned off more rapidly.

The best of the new fads is the Paleo Diet since it includes fruits, veggies, and nuts and eliminates all processed foods that tend to have ingredients which do not provide much nutritional benefit such as excess fat, sugar, salt, and preservatives. The negative side of this diet is that it does not allow for whole grains, potatoes, and legumes that are important sources of B vitamins for energy, or dairy that contains calcium, which many people lack in their diet, for bone health. The big failure of these diets is that they rigidly restrict eating for enjoyment which leads to cravings that cause binging that can often lead to low self esteem and a sense of defeat. When I hear about their experiences on these crazy fad diets, I only wish my new clients had seen me first to save time, energy, and money so I could put

them on the road for permanent weight loss.I was very overweight as a young person, and only through quality nutrition

education was I able to finally lose the weight permanently. To this day I know my method is the only effective way to achieve weight loss forever.

When I work with a new client, I take a lot of time to look at their home and work life to understand how food, restaurants, and social life play a role in their life. Everyone is different with their own unique triggers for eating the wrong things. I know that taking an individualized approach is the essence of my success with people. Whether they are sophisticated foodies, overindulge due to emotions, or are plain uneducated about nutrition, I work with each person to establish a day-to-day meal plan right for them. It is an exciting challenge for me to do whatever it takes to make my client successful with weight loss. I will often visit my client’s home and evalu-ate their present food shopping habits, go food shopping with them at their favorite store, discuss and help them decide on restaurant choices, and be there for motivation and support to help create successful days or encourage them to keep going when they fall apart from binges or when they hit plateaus. If my client wants to have their martini and a glass of wine for dinner, I show them how. If they want to have pizza every Friday night with the kids, I show them how. If they don’t want to give up the desserts they love, I show them how. For example, I show them how to avoid sweets on an empty stomach or in between meals where the result is usually feeling tired, dehydrated, and brain dead. Instead I tell them to eat those delicious desserts after a meal when they can better control portion size. There is no need to deprive yourself of the foods you enjoy; you just need to consume them in the right way.

You can learn, once and for all, how to enjoy your favorite foods and not make them the enemy while permanently achieving your weight goals.

Linda has found that she is most successful when she interacts with her clients, often daily, to help them navigate their way through their food world. Each phone call spans across client meals from the previous day through the following day. The phone calls enable clients to receive just enough nutrition information to take them forward to the next day. Linda is very excited tell you how this method has proven to be very successful for weight loss. Linda’s services are often covered by health insurance. Please feel free to call Linda at (925) 855-0150 or e-mail her at [email protected], and tell her about your nutrition concerns. Refer to website www.LindaRD.com for past articles, recipes, and nutrition tips in her blog section. Advertorial



Volume: The overall volume of the face is reduced and temples begin to hol-low. The rounded curves and heart shape of the upper face volume give way to a more squared look as volume is both lost and “moves south.”

Support: The ligaments of the face, superficial muscular aponeurotic system fascia beneath the skin, and deep layers of the skin sag with age. This can cause heavy eyes, tear troughs, sagging cheeks, nasal folds, marionette lines, jowls, and extra neck skin.

Stress Expressions: These include forehead creases, glabella 11 lines, crow’s feet, bunny nose, smokers lines, and downturn of the mouth. A bal-anced approach in addressing these issues is key.

Skin: Pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, red spots, scars, and laxity. These signs of ageing are especially noticeable around the eyes and mouth.

To start the process of facial rejuvenation, I examine the patients face. I immedi-ately see what procedures will create or recreate the beautiful normal that they desire.

Many of you know I am the poster child for facial surgery. At 25 I was hit by a semi-truck whose driver had a seizure from drinking and not taking his seizure medication. After 18 surgeries, bone grafts, implants, titanium plates, and screws, I still work on the five elements every year. I want the beautiful normal. I have personal experience with the products I use on my patients.

I value my plastic surgeon’s expertise and know my face is worth it. Many of my pa-tients have wasted tens of thousands of dollars on therapies that simply do not work. When a modality actually works, I will add it to my other modalities and promote it like crazy.

When I see you, I will be honest about what will make the most significant and excellent improvement in your face over time, with the least risk, and within your budget. I will make sure you are within your comfort zone, doing what I do best, which is to perform surgery and procedures. Using my hands, my heart, and my artistic sense, our private surgery center in Lafayette is one of my most perfect places on this earth where I can make a real positive difference in your life.

Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc. is located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. To con-tact me call 925-283-4012 or email [email protected]. Advertorial

Five Elements for Facial RejuvenationBy Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.

I was in the checkout line at a local drugstore when a gal next to me was talking on the phone. She said, “My sister needs a facelift and a laser peel.” She then looked over at me and we both started laughing…see-ing me in scrubs with my John Muir Hospital badge saying Barbara L. Persons, MD, Plastic Surgeon.

We went on to laugh some more and also to talk about the basic concepts of facial rejuvenation while checking out.

You simply would not believe how many men and women around you have had facial rejuvenation surgery. When facial rejuvenation is done correctly, no one will ever know. This is not your great grandmother’s wind swept look or the slick advertisements of a style that does not last and has many complications.

My patients seek the five elements of facial rejuvenation intuitively without knowing the terms. They seek improvement not out of vanity or because they want to look 22 again. They want to be perceived as naturally vibrant, happy, confident, and whole. As a natural Healer and Hypnotherapist who came to me for eyelid rejuvenation said, “Our bodies are the vessels through which we project our personalities.” It is okay to want to look better. Today, however, in my opinion, we are at times using fillers and Botox, facials, and light therapies because we are afraid to go ahead and fix issues with minor surgery.

There are five elements that come together to create a youthful face (with naturally balanced bone structure and volume, skin and fat in the right position, no sun damage, and minimal scarring), fix a broken face, or create the beautiful face the patient envisions.

The five elements are structure, volume, support, stress expressions, and skin.Structure: The temples, cheeks, chin, and nose should form a pleasant

balance. We lose bone volume with age, especially in women, which can lead to a weak jaw line, loss of cheek projection, sad looking eyes, temporal hollowing, and recessed nasal folds.

Skin Cancer By Dr. Jerome PotozkinMay marks Skin Cancer Awareness month. There are about 3.5

million skin cancers diagnosed each year in the United States, making it the most common form of cancer. Fortunately, it is also preventable. This year there will be about 132,000 cases of melanoma diagnosed. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer because it can be lethal. However, the good news is that early diagnosis can lead to complete cures. Surprisingly, melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults aged 25-29. Approximately 75% of skin can-cer deaths are from melanoma. While melanoma can be deadly, most patients that we see are diagnosed at an early and fully curable stage.

Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma are the two most common types of skin cancers. These can appear as non-healing sores or crusted bumps. Some simply appear as a red patch that can be misdiagnosed as dry skin or eczema. The good news is that these skin cancers are much less likely to spread than melanoma.

Most skin cancers have a genetic component. The other key ingredient is sun and ultraviolet exposure such as that from tanning beds. In order to prevent skin cancer, I recommend an ounce of prevention. Do what you love but avoid the peak sun hours between 10am and 2pm. A good guideline, is that if your shadow is shorter than you are then you are out during the suns peak hours. Apply and reapply a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Do not allow your skin to burn as sunburns can dramati-cally increase your risk of developing melanoma. Forget about going to tanning beds (spray on tans are fine). People who use tanning beds increase their risk of melanoma by 75%. Lastly, see a board certified dermatologist once a year for a full body skin check. It is often a good idea for you to check yourself once a month so that you will be able to notice if a mole or a spot is changing.

Many people have started to worry about getting enough vitamin D if they use sunscreen. The simple solution is to take a vitamin D supplement which is equally as effective as the vitamin D you get from sun exposure.

If you have any spots that you are concerned about or if you can’t remember the last time you were checked from head to toe by a board certified dermatologist, please call my office now at 925-838-4900 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Potozkin is a board certified dermatologist who has been serving the local community since 1993. His fully accredited dermatological and laser facility is located at 600 San Ramon Valley Blvd, Suite 102 in Danville. He is accepting new patients. Please call (925) 838-4900 or visit Potozkin.com for more information. Advertorial

more committed to the cause. Blacktie provides field trip transportation and also stores and delivers the two sets of project wheelchairs.

Student reflec-tions indicate how much Gale Ranch pupils learned spending t ime in a wheelchair. One student com-mented, “Before this I had never re-ally thought about being in a wheel-chair, not being able to do things normal people could, and feel-ing like you are separated from ev-eryone.” Friends treated them dif-ferently. Another student said, “I now know that

people in a wheelchair just wanted to be treated the same way as everyone else.” The value of mobility was clearly recognized. A third student said, “When the founder, Don, came to our school, he said not to feel sorry for the people who have wheelchairs but for the people who don’t have one.”

Ability continued from page 22

8 year-old Alejandro's grandmother carried him to receive his first wheelchair, delivered by From-the-Heart in March.


[email protected] times.

• Do the “hug your best friend.” Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortable go. Hold for 10 sec-onds and reverse. Repea t two o r three times.

Finally, be aware of your body technique, form, and posture while garden-ing. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements frequently.When the Bulbs are Planted…

If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Apply a cold pack on the area of pain if it happens within the first 48 hours, or apply a heat pack once the pain severity has reduced.If the Pain Persists…

Pain, discomfort, or stiffness may be caused by spinal misalignments or a muscle injury and may worsen if not addressed properly. Have a Doctor of Chiropractic check your spine for healthy alignment and function, and make that appointment as soon as possible; getting care early in an injury has been shown to improve recovery time and outcome! Who do you know who is a green thumb? Consider chiropractic to keep enjoying the garden!

Sycamore Valley Chiropractic is located at 565 Sycamore Valley Rd. West in Danville. Please visit www.sycamorevalleychiropractic.com or call 925-837-5595 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Advertorial

Danville Today News ~ May 2014 -

Health Tips for GardeningBy Melissa Ko, DC, Sycamore Valley Chiropractic

Spring is here and many people are spending more time outside planting bulbs, pruning, mowing the lawn, and pulling weeds. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching, and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety.

Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to stretch your muscles before reaching for your garden-

ing tools. The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.

“A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity,” said Dr. Scott Bauth of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain, and stiffness.”

To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, it is important to prepare your body for this type of physical activity. The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.Garden Fitness Stretches

• Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortable as you can. Do not follow the “no pain, no gain” rule! Stretching should not be painful!

• While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.

• Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.

• While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch

Dr. Ko

www.yourmonthlypaper.com - May 2014 ~ Danville Today NewsThe Eye OpenerBy Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo OptometryWhy Do I Need to Get My Eyes Dilated?

As you can imagine, I get this question at the office on a daily basis. Most patients understand that having their eyes dilated is part of the comprehensive examina-tion, but they don’t always know the reasoning behind it. Therefore, patients are always trying to get out of doing it. The dilation is a very important (some would argue the most important) part of the exam, which helps

determine the status of your ocular and systemic health.The most valuable asset of the retina is that it is the only place in the body

where neural tissue (the optic nerve and retina) and blood vessels can be directly viewed without an invasive procedure. Trying to evaluate the retina through an undilated pupil is very difficult because as light is used to see into the eye, the pupil constricts to a pinhole. Looking through a very small aperture does not allow the entire retina to be viewed. The dilating drops will open up the pupil and will not allow it to constrict. Since the muscles within the eye control the focusing power of the eye and the opening and closing of the pupil in response to light levels, paralyzing these muscles is why patients will experience light sensitivity and poor reading for a few hours after the drops are instilled. The typical timing for the drops to wear off is between two and three hours.

A dilated examination can both diagnose and evaluate the progress of many systemic diseases; along with assuring the patient that the eyes and retina are healthy and free of any conditions. The main ocular conditions found during dila-tion include cataracts, diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal holes, tears, and detachments. Systemic ailments such as diabetes, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, and heart and carotid artery disease can be diagnosed in the course of a dilated evaluation. For otherwise young and healthy patients, dilation should be done about every two years. For patients who are diabetic, have cataracts, have glaucoma, or are taking certain medications, dilation should be done annually at the minimum. For these patients, in addition to visiting your internist, endocrinologist, rheumatologist, etc., an annual dilated examination should be conducted. Most physicians real-ize the importance of dilation and will require it of their patients. When these patients come into the office, a letter to the primary doctor will be sent to update him/her on the condition of the eyes.

When an eye professional needs to assess the health of the back portion of the eye, dilation is still the standard of care. There are new digital imaging sys-tems that take relatively good views of the retina. However, they are generally not able to reach the far periphery of the retina, and they are only able to give a two-dimensional view of the retina as viewed on a computer monitor. Dilation using an instrument called a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope (BIO) allows the doctor to see all around the retina in three-dimensions. Keep in mind that although reading ability will be impaired for a few hours, distance vision remains the same. Light sensitivity might make it harder to see outdoors, but the actual vision does not change. Please bring your sunglasses with you to your exam; if you don’t own any, we have some shields that will help protect you from the sun.

Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at 820-6622 or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165 in Alamo. Visit our newly updated website at www.alamooptometry.com, and like us on our Alamo Optom-etry Facebook page. Advertorial

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Treatment Options By Sophia Rahman, MD

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. Some form of skin cancer is diagnosed in more than three million people each year in the U.S. The vast majority of skin cancers (over 90%) are of the non-melanoma variety, with most being basal cell (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). While they have malignant potential, most BCC and

SCC are unlikely to spread to other parts of the body when caught early. They may be locally disfiguring if not treated. Because non-melanoma skin cancers rarely metastasize, the prognosis is generally very good. There are certain characteristics, however, that are linked with a higher risk of recur-rence or metastasis. Some of these high risk features are large tumor size, greater tumor depth, poorly defined tumor border, aggressive tumor growth pattern, tumor invasion near nerves or blood vessels, recurrent tumors, and tumor location in the head and neck region.

Treatment of most non-melanoma skin cancers depends on the size and location of the cancer, whether it is a BCC or SCC, patient age, and overall medical condition. Treatment of the majority of BCC and SCC most often involves surgery, but there are non-surgical approaches that may be considered in certain situations. With surgery, the goal is to destroy or remove the entire skin cancer with a margin of cancer-free tissue around the tumor.

There are different types of skin cancer surgery, and the choice of which to use depends in part on the characteristics and location of the tumor. Mohs micrographic surgery is a highly specialized type of surgery for skin cancer and requires special expertise. The Mohs procedure removes the skin cancer one layer at a time, checking each layer for cancer cells, until it is completely cleared. The Mohs procedure removes the least amount of normal tissue and also has the highest published surgical cure rates for both primary and re-current skin cancers. Other common types of skin cancer surgery are simple excision and curettage with electrodesiccation. Simple excision involves the use of a scalpel to remove the skin cancer with a small margin of surrounding normal tissue. Curettage uses a spoon-shaped instrument (curette) to scrape off the skin cancer, and electrodesiccation uses an electric current to cauterize the edges to control bleeding and destroy any remaining tumor cells.

Common non-surgical options for BCC and SCC include cryotherapy, topical therapy, and radiotherapy. Cryotherapy is used to destroy a skin cancer by freezing it with liquid nitrogen. Topical skin cancer therapy in-volves application of medications like 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or Aldara (im-iquimod) directly to the tumor on the skin. Radiotherapy for skin cancer is completely non-invasive and uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells by preventing them from growing and dividing. Common types of radiotherapy used to treat skin cancer include electron therapy, superficial or orthovoltage therapy, and brachytherapy. Like Mohs surgery, treatment with radiotherapy is very technical and, in order to optimize outcomes, requires expert involve-ment of a highly trained team of personnel, including radiation oncologist, radiation physicist/dosimetrist, and radiation therapist. Radiotherapy may be appropriate for older patients with wound-healing problems who cannot tolerate surgery or in cases where surgery may be difficult and/or disfiguring. Sometimes, radiotherapy is recommended after surgery to kill any residual cancer cells that may be hiding in the operated region.

When diagnosed in the early stages, the cure rates for BCC and SCC are very high (over 95%) with good cosmetic outcomes. Within the first five years after diagnosis of a non-melanoma skin cancer, between 30% and 50% of patients will develop another non-melanoma skin cancer. Patients who have had non-melanoma skin cancer are also at an increased risk for developing melanoma, which is known to be more aggressive and challenging to treat.

Dr. Rahman is a radiation oncologist with Diablo Valley Oncology. Lo-cated in the California Cancer and Research Institute at 400 Taylor Blvd in Pleasant Hill, the practice is home to the largest single site for cancer treatment in Contra Costa County. For more information call 925-825-8878 or visit our website at www.DVOHMG.com. Advertorial

Death Cafe in Danville...Are you Curious?Are you curious about what others think about death and dying? Do you

have concerns or feelings about your own death?Death Cafe is an international movement, started in Europe, dedicated to

taking death out of the closet and discussing it publicly to increase awareness of death with a view to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.

Death Café is NOT a support group, a counseling session, or a workshop!Death Café is simply people coming together in a relaxed, comfortable

atmosphere, sipping tea or coffee, munching treats and sharing a respectful, engaging, thought provoking and life affirming conversation.

Join in or just listen at the upcoming gathering on May 15th from 6-8PM

at the Chapel of San Ramon Valley located at 825 Hartz Way in Danville. The evening is free. Please RSVP to Alan Vengel who is a consultant, author, and professional facilitator, at 925-837-0148.


ELECTRICAL WORKEVERYTHING ELECTRICAL! Need new light fixtures, ceiling fans, recessed lighting, or track lighting installed? Need a dimmer switch or GFCI installed? Do you want to change the color of your outlets in your kitchen or install 220V power for the new hot tub or stove? I also troubleshoot electrical problems. FREE ESTIMATES. Licensed and bonded. 30 years experience. CALL 925-389-6964.

Danville Today ClassifiedsReach over 15,000 homes and businesses in Dan-ville - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets, Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to 45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words. Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo, CA 94507 or [email protected]. Run the same classified ad in our sister papers “Alamo Today” or “Lafayette Today” and pay half off for your second and/or third ad! 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.

C L A S S I F I E D

GOPHER AND MOLE REMOVAL : NUISANCE WILDLIFE CON-TROL Trapping No poison, safe for your family, pets and the ecosystem. I’m a licensed and insured state trapper; resolving human and animal con-flicts. Habitat modification, ( to make your home or property less desirable), exclusion barriers, (fencing, wire mesh or sheet metal to keep the animal/s out of your home or property), and trapping, (removing problem wild animals.) For more information visit www.trivalleytrapper.com. Call TRI VALLEY TRAPPER for a FREE phone consultation and estimate (925)765-4209.

NUISANCE WILDLIFE CONTROL

BURIAL PLOTGORGEOUS OAKMONT MEMORIAL PARK SITE #34 Meditation Ridge. Cremation site for three people which overlooks oak trees and Mount Diablo. Private sale. Please call 925-820-7337 or email [email protected].

GOT AN UGLY DECK? IS THERE SUN DAMAGE, DRY ROT, OR DINGINESS? Decks are subject to the same elements as your home resulting in mold, stains, mildew, moss, and structural failures. KDL CONSTRUC-TION helps maintain the integrity of your deck and the safety of your fam-ily. Proper maintenance enhances the longevity and beauty of your deck. Cleaning, repair, color restoration, and refinishing. Call for a free assessment. Ask about our OTHER SERVICES. KDL CONSTRUCTION Restoration-Remodel-Maintenance-Repairs CA License #989926. Call 510-590-2846.

DECK REPAIR

New Treatment for Advanced Prostate CancerBy Brian Hopkins, MD

A new treatment that effectively targets cancer cells is offering pain relief, improved quality-of-life, and extended survival time for men with late-stage prostate cancer that has spread to the bones.

This new cancer treatment, Xofigo (Radium-223 dichloride), is for patients with advanced-stage pros-tate cancer that has metastasized to the bones but not

other organs. Xofigo was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2013 for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Diablo Valley Oncology’s cancer center in Pleasant Hill is among the first in the Bay Area to offer this new treatment.

Xofigo uses radiation to target cancer cells in bone tissue, while causing less damage to surrounding tissue than other types of radiation treatment. Its ability to chemically mimic calcium makes it especially effective in bone tissue.

“This drug has very low toxicity and has the potential to create comfort in men who are suffering, and it may even prolong their lives,” says Sachin Kamath, M.D., a Diablo Valley Oncology radiation oncologist. “It is an impor-tant drug — similar to other types of radiation treatment but more effective.”

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, and it is the second most common cause of cancer death in men. The New England Journal of Medicine published results of a study in July 2013 showing Xofigo significantly improved overall survival rates in men with advanced prostate cancer.

Dr. Hopkins is a urologist with Pacific Urology. He sub-specializes in cancer of the prostate, kidney and bladder. He also has extensive experience with reconstructive and minimally invasive surgeries. For more informa-tion or to schedule an appointment please visit www.pacificurology.com or call 925-937-7740. Advertorial

PARENTING WORKSHOP - Learn to find the peace and joy amidst the chaos. Saturday, May 17, 9:30-1:30 at The Lounge at Civic Park, Walnut Creek. You’ll learn how to respond and not react, have more effective discipline, and create greater connections with your child. Visit www.joreerose.com or call 925-212-2996 for more info or to register. Class taught by Joree Rosenblatt, MA.

PARENTING WORKSHOP

WOMEN’S LACROSSE GOALIE COACHING available June 25-Sep-tember 15. Eight years playing experience, has won College Club (WCLA) National Championship, All-League Team (WWLL), All-Tournament Team (WWLL/WCLA). Please contact Amy Corstorphine at [email protected] for more information.

LACROSSE GOALIE COACHING

PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED HERE!

Ability continued from page 24San Ramon Valley High School and Monte Vista are holding Basketball

Game Fundraisers showcasing their athletes competing against the nationally ranked BORP Warriors Wheelchair team. Local teams have volunteered to accept the challenge of playing in wheelchairs. Carly Lutz, SRVHS Lead-ership student reports that sign-ups for “Ride-in-a-Wheelchair for a Day” are filling up quickly. Janet Willford, SRVHS Leadership teacher, describes planned lunchtime activities: “a wheelchair relay race, wheelchair bowling, and a pep rally.”

Costa Rica and Honduras (getting Foundation donations for the first time) are slated to each receive a container of 280 wheelchairs at a cost of $42,000 per container. As of April 17th, $61,258.05 has been collected, with many schools about to commence the project. Teachers, parents, and older students accom-panied by an adult have been invited to come on this summer’s distributions trips. Ken Behring is awarding stipends of $2,000 toward travel costs to the elementary, middle, and high school achieving the highest per student donations.

Visit www.del-corazon.org for information or to donate.


Data presented in this column is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Contra Costa and Alameda MLS service and other quoted sources. Joe Combs, Nancy Combs, The Combs Team, J. Rockcliff and the MLS service do not guarantee the accuracy of this information. DRE #0144125.

Updated 4 bedroom 3595 sq. foot home with 1.13 acre lot. Perfect for horses or a vineyard.

Call for details.

The picture is the view from the level back yard of this charming single story 3 bedroom

home. Call for details.

Beautiful 4 bedroom 4 bath 4200 sq. ft. home. We are representing the buyer.

$1,450,000

Spacious, luxurious, 4 bed 3 bath home, Chef’s kitchen,view lot, putting green and spa.

Call for details.

Amazing updated 4 bedroom single story has it all. Large level lot beautiful pool and pavilion.

Call for details.

Danville Single StoryDanville Executive Home

J. Rockcliff Realtors 15 Railroad Ave., Danville CA. 94526

Alamo Oaks

Auction Sale

Diablo Creek Single Story

PENDING

Professionals YouCan Count On

The Combs Team

Nancy Joe

www.TheCombsTeam.com

®Call the Combs Team

925-989-6086

PENDING

Coming Soon!

4 bed 2-3 bath homes sales DanvilleYear $ sq. foot Avg. Price Size sq. ft

2010 330$ 856,000$ 25932011 322$ 800,000$ 24842012 344$ 785,000$ 23502013 353$ 950,000$ 26912014 418$ 1,022,000$ 2450

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Danville Real Estate Market: Prices Continue Rising… Faster!As a reality check, at least once during the calendar year, I like to look at the market for 4

bedroom 2-3 bath homes, since the majority of Danville properties fall into this segment. It makes sense to view this grouping of Danville homes apart from everything else as I believe it provides the least cloudy view of the Danville Real Estate Market, free from the distortion of luxury homes and condos.

If you look at the attached chart you can see that the market bottom for Danville was somewhere between calendar year 2011 and 2012 when average home prices dipped to $785,000 and square foot prices dove to $322 per square foot. That was indeed the true bottom for the Danville Real Estate Market. It hasn’t stopped climbing up since then.

Last year, was a good year for this segment of the market in Danville. Square foot prices ad-vanced from $344 per square foot to $353 per square foot, for a solid 3% increase. The average home price climbed significantly faster at about 21% to $950,000 reflecting higher proportion of more expensive homes in the sales mix. As of this writing (April 21, 2014) the average square foot price is up 18% for the first third of the year and the average price is up about 8% to $1,022,000.

Given we are coming into the strongest part of the selling season it’s anybody’s guess where we will end up. “Up” is definitely the operative word. Looking at the 22 currently active properties in this category, they are carrying an average asking price of $449 per square foot and a list price of $1,434,000. One of these properties is our own listing with a square foot price of $509 and a list price of $1,649,000. It’s currently under contract and furthers the argument for continued market strength.

Nearly every day I talk to someone, still sitting out the housing market rebound, whose ques-tion is, “When is it going to go back down again, so I can get in?” The assumption is that we are

in another bubble and it will be bursting soon. My answer is, “I don’t think it’s going to burst, I don’t think this is a bubble. The Danville Real Estate Market is just now return-ing to normal.” Someday, yes of course, the market

will correct again like it did in 1929 and again in 2008. I just don’t think it will happen again in my lifetime.

People sitting out the market from 2011 until today have lost 30% in what might best be called “Rebound Appreciation.” These were gains due largely to the mar-ket over selling to the down side and quickly returning to more normal levels. In “Danville Average Dollars,” missing that initial rebound cost a fence sitter $237,000. Ouch!

To return to normal, Danville average price will need to be $1,112,000 and square foot price for this class of home will need to exceed $436 per square foot. Those numbers were achieved during 2006 and had very little to do with the massive sub-prime melt down that led to the fi-nancial crisis of 2008. At that time there were more than 22 four bedroom homes on the market, interest rates were pushing 6%, fewer people were living in the East Bay, Danville incomes were lower and if I’m not mistaken, the dollar was worth more than it is today, so it’s not a huge leap of faith to think these numbers will be eclipsed in the not too distant future.

I am often asked the question, “When is the best time to buy or sell a home?” My usual answer to both questions is, “When the prices are moving up.” If you asked me that question today, my answer would be, “right now!”

Nancy and I have more than 1,100 email subscribers who receive this article in advance of pub-lication. You can add yourself to the list by sending me an email. I assure you no spam will follow.

Even if you are not thinking about putting your home on the market, you should know the value of your home. It’s probably worth more than you think and given the run up you may not be adequately insured. Nancy and I will be happy to provide you with a free personal consultation. Just call 925-989-6086 or send me an email [email protected]. It will be our pleasure to provide you with this service.

danville today news, may 2014

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