lafayette today, september 2014

[email protected] Lafayette Today ~ January 2014 - Page 25

September 2014 Serving the Lafayette Community

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Alisa Corstorphine ~ PublisherThe opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not necessarily reflect that of La-fayette Today. Lafayette Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.See Camera continued on page 19

See Bands continued on page 15

Lafayette Police: New Camera System is WorkingBy Fran Miller

Last month the Lafayette Police Department was able to solve nearly 60% of home and automobile robberies in town. Stolen jewelry, electronics, and automobiles all found their way back to Lafayette citizens who resignedly believed their items to be gone for good. The state average for solved home and auto robberies falls in the 10% range. The California versus Lafayette discrepancy can best be attributed to the LPD’s new use of motion activated still cameras, positioned at ingress and egress points throughout town.

The new camera system, when at its best is used in combination with high-tech neighborhood and private home surveillance systems, is allowing the LPD to quickly recreate criminal events and find the bad guys, when time is of the essence. “What used to maybe take 20 hours to solve is now taking us two hours,” says LPD Police Chief Eric Christensen. “The teamwork between residents and our department is allowing for a quick turnaround, which is crucial when we are dealing with stolen goods which quickly find their way to a second market.”

Lafayette’s Crime Prevention Commission (comprised of seven volunteer commissioners, each with a strong interest or background in law enforcement) championed

the camera program after thoroughly studying the efficacy of such systems. The commission presented its findings to the City Council, and of three various types of cameras, they recommended the effective and economical motion

LLLC Battle of the Bands By Fran MillerWhen members of the band Wild Guess entered the Lafayette Library

and Learning Center’s first Battle of the Bands contest last year, they simply thought it might be fun. Little did they know that their first place win would provide a launch pad for their music careers. The four band members from Pleasant Hill – 14-year-old vocalist Alexa Heine, guitarist Morgan Swanson, bass guitarist Niels Sorensen and drummer Mikey Deng (all age 17) – are now playing their original music at events such as Pleasant Hill’s Come Together Benefit Concert, Pleasant Hill City Hall's Sunday Concerts, and the Walnut Creek Walnut Festival. “We got a lot of recognition from Battle of the Bands, which led to more gigs,” says Heine.

“The Lafayette Library’s Battle of the Bands was the first major gig for us, and it was an amazing opportunity to get our feet wet and play in front of active members of the music community as well as other very talented musicians,” says Swanson. “Our participation most definitely helped our band's presence in the community by allowing us to make connections with great people who are totally interested in our music.”

The Lafayette Library’s Teen Advisory Board created the Battle of the Bands contest last year with the goal of providing teens a venue for creative expression. Teen Services Librarian Patrick Brogan would love to see the contest flourish on the scale of Lafayette’s Art and Wine Festival. “I’d like to see it become an event that the community looks forward to and recognizes as a legitimate platform for those with musical aspirations,” says Brogan.

Heine encourages other bands to enter the contest this year. “Even if you're a new band that's just starting out, it's a lot of fun and you gain experience from it.” Deng claims that the contest helped his confidence in performing in front of crowds. “I really liked the exhilarating feeling I got from playing in front of a live crowd, then hearing them all cheer for us.”

“I would encourage anyone who has an interest in performing to sign up for Battle of the Bands,” says Swanson. “I'm sure they will have a blast.”

The Battle of the Bands contest is open to 13 – 19 year old residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. All music genres are welcome. To enter, upload a

Lafayette Art & Wine FestivalSaturday, September 20 & Sunday September 21

The annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is thriving as a growing regional event, attracting nearly four-times the town’s 24,000 population during the Festival weekend each September and consistently being voted by readers of Diablo Magazine as “Best of the East Bay.”

The 2014 Lafayette Art & Wine Festival will be held on Saturday, September 20 from 10am-7pm and Sunday, September 21 from 10am-6pm in Lafayette.

The Festival is held in the heart of beautiful downtown Lafayette at one of the best times of the year, just steps from the Lafayette BART station, a few blocks from the Lafayette-Moraga bike trail (secure valet bike parking will be provided), two blocks off Highway 24, and an easy walk or shuttle from complimentary Festival parking.

This image, captured by the new LPD-installed cameras, led LPD to the perpetrators of a recent home robbery. An arrest was made and the stolen goods were returned to the home owner.

Wild Guess

Presenting SponsorPresenting Sponsor Festival Sponsor Festival Sponsor

www.lafayettefestival.com

www.facebook.com/lafayettefestival @friendly chamber #LafFest

6100 State Farm Drive

Rohnert Park, CA 94928



MinutemanPressLafayette


Take

bartJust 1 block away

20 & 21

19th annual

Free•Admission

•Parking at BArT

•Shuttle to event

•Bike Valet Parking

the sun kings • foreverland • aja vu • PettY theft • • stealin’ chicago • ZeboP • the sPaZmatics • the big jangle •• east baY mudd • night moves • baY bridge beat • duo gadjo •

• other PeoPle’s moneY • juice • bob athaYde & friends • • acoustic s&m • juke joint • red house all stars • dominant 7 •

4

Saturday, September 20th 10-7 PM Sunday, September 21st 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette

BENEFITING

See Festival cont. on page 21

www.yourmonthlypaper.com - September 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

Travis Manion Foundation’s Annual 9/11 Heroes Run

On Sunday, September 14th at 9:30am at the Lafayette Reservoir a 5k (3 mile) fun run/walk will be held. Adults, kids, strollers, and dogs are welcome. Come get some exercise for a good cause!

Travis was a U.S. Marine who was killed in Iraq in 2007 by a sniper. His family started this foundation in his honor to help support veterans, first responders, and their families in the wars post 9/11. For more information about the run, please contact Mairin MacDonald at [email protected] or call (858)997-5015.

9/11 Remembrance and Candlelight Vigil Lafayette Flag Brigade

A 9/11 remembrance and candlelight vigil will be held Thursday, September 11th from 4pm to 8pm on the El Curtola bridge at the Highway 24 overcrossing of the 680 freeway. Take Highway 24 to the Pleasant Hill Rd. Exit, turn on Old Tunnel Rd, and go to the top of hill where you will see the overcross.

The largest overpass flag display in the state will he flown, the Travis AFB Honor Guard will have a flag folding ceremony, and local Blue Star Moms and Operation Postcard members will be present, as well as the Lafayette Boy Scouts Color Guard.

Hear the special 13th anniversary music program, view historical artifacts on display, and stay for the Candlelight Vigil at dusk. This is a family oriented, educational, and non-political event, where all groups are welcome. Free 9/11 commemorative flags will be available for children.

For more information, visit www.nevereverforget911.com.

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If you find him and your name is drawn!$50 REWARD

Lost Dog!

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

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

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

Catherine Sturman is our winner!Luther was hiding on page 5 last month.

Lafayette Luther is MissingHe has become lost in this paper.

Lamorinda Republican Women Federated Lamorinda Republican Women Federated welcome Jack Weir, Pleasant Hill City Councilmember,

as our luncheon speaker on September 18th at noon at the Orinda Country Club. Social time begins at 11:15am and lunch will begin at noon. The cost is $25 per person.

For reservations and information, call Elsie Euing at 925-254-8617 or email [email protected].

Payments for the luncheon can be made online at www.LaMorindaRepublicanWomen.org. Everyone is welcome!

AARP Tax-Aide Call For Volunteers for 2015 Tax Season

Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers?Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become

members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages. Tax-Aide volunteer positions include Tax Counselors who are trained by Tax-Aide and certified by IRS and Client Facilitators who schedule appointment and assist clients at tax sites. Orientation is in November 2014, and classes for tax counselors start in January 2015. If interested, call LaVerne Gordon at (925) 726-3199 for information and to apply.

Lafayette Juniors 21st Annual Rummage SaleLafayette Juniors 21st Annual Rummage Sale will be held on Saturday,

October 4th from 8AM – 2 PM. Special early bird entrance fee of $3 per adult allows early shopping from 7AM – 8AM. The Rummage Sale will be held at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, located at 49 Knox Drive in Lafayette. Pre-loved designer clothes, baby and kid clothes, toys and gear, furniture, household goods, and much more will be available. Purchases must be made by cash only. All sale proceeds benefit local non-profits that serve seniors, families, and children in need. Visit www.lafayettejuniors.org for more sale information.

Leadership Contra Costa: Get Involved and Make a Difference

The Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau is currently accepting applications for enrollment in Leadership Contra Costa, a program designed to motivate and identify potential leaders and prepare them for community leadership.

Participants meet once a month by means of workshops, presentations from community leaders, and group exercises to develop their understanding of leadership roles and prevailing issues with the community. With an alumni roster of over 600 individuals, this program has proven to be an asset to the community and society.

Leadership Contra Costa accepts 28 to 32 individuals from throughout the county with diverse backgrounds to participate in the program. The 28th year of the program kicks off at the end of September and meets the first Thurs-day of every month from October through May. To obtain an application for Leadership Contra Costa’s 2014 - 2015 season, please visit the Chamber’s website at www.walnut-creek.com.

Diablo Choral Artists Seeks SingersLove to sing? Come join Diablo Choral Artists as they begin an excit-

ing new season! The group has openings for all voice parts (especially tenors/basses). Rehearsals are held on Mondays at 7PM at St. Paul’s Epis-copal Church, located at 1924 Trinity Ave. in Walnut Creek. Call (925) 670-7089, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.vmschorus.org for additional information.

International Film Showcase Screening of Lovely Louise

The Lamorinda Film & Entertainment Foundation presents its International Film Showcase with exclusive monthly screenings of extraordinary films. Septembers feature is Lovely Louise from Switzerland. It is a USA commercial premiere. The film will start at the Orinda theater on September 19th. Check about week-long show times at the Orinda theater by calling (925) 254-9060.

About the film: André, 55, lives with his mother Louise, 80, and leads an unspectacular life. He works as a taxi driver while the elderly diva dreams of bygone days as an actress in Hollywood. One day the charismatic Bill, 50, an American, turns up on their doorstep - a stranger who will soon turn their quiet life upside down.

For more information, visit http://internationalshowcase.org.

[email protected] Lafayette Today ~ September 2014 -

Presenting SponsorPresenting Sponsor Festival Sponsor Festival Sponsor

www.lafayettefestival.com

www.facebook.com/lafayettefestival @friendly chamber #LafFest







Take

bartJust 1 block away

20 & 21

19th annual

Free•Admission

•Parking at BArT

•Shuttle to event

•Bike Valet Parking

the sun kings • foreverland • aja vu • PettY theft • • stealin’ chicago • ZeboP • the sPaZmatics • the big jangle •• east baY mudd • night moves • baY bridge beat • duo gadjo •

• other PeoPle’s moneY • juice • bob athaYde & friends • • acoustic s&m • juke joint • red house all stars • dominant 7 •

4

Saturday, September 20th 10-7 PM Sunday, September 21st 10-6 PM Downtown Lafayette

BENEFITING

&Roses Wine

Join us as wecelebrate the

City of Walnut Creek’s100th Birthday

at

October 5, 2014 • 4pm - 7pm1540 Marchbanks Drive

Walnut Creek, CAPurchase tickets at

gardenshf.org or 925.947.1678.

sponsored by

Boulevard ViewBy Alisa Corstorphine, Editor

Have you visited the world class Computer History Museum located in Mountain View? The amazing collection at the Museum takes visitors on a journey from abacuses to slide rulers, from card reading computers through the invention of the mi-crochip, from the introduction of calculators through electronic games and gadgets, cell phones, personal computers, and more. Phew! It has it all! The Mu-

seum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the stories and artifacts of the information age.

While the sharing and use of information has existed since the beginning of mankind, recently there has been an explosion in how many ways and how much easier we can now communicate. No longer are people sharing stories by painting pictographs on cave walls or etching characters on clay or stone tablets. Many of these old forms of communication could not be transported and remained in one place, many to be lost to the sands of time.

As communication developed, writing began to appear on paper and pa-pyrus, which enabled the sharing and distribution of information. In modern times, paper has been the most commonly used medium to communicate. That is, until recently. In less than forty years, the microprocessor era has facilitated the greatest information revolution in the history of humankind. The sharing of electronic information and the amount of data being learned, shared, and passed down is mind boggling. Many people (like me!) feel overwhelmed by the amount of information coming toward them every day. It used to be a significant undertaking to write a book, or for some, to simply write a letter. Thanks to electronic transmission, books can be conceived, written, published and distributed in just days, and we sometimes write tens of mini-letters (emails) every day. In many ways, now we hyper-communicate.

The exponential growth of what we can do with these electronics devices and the plethora of information available has made some tasks more simple and efficient, and in other ways it has made our lives more complicated, urgent, and cluttered.

We have so many modes of communication available now that it seems we spend a large amount of time consumed by it. Have you noticed how ever since the FAX appeared in 1988, everything has become so URGENT? All of this technology has accelerated the pace of business and society as a whole. On one hand it’s helped us do things faster, and on the other, maybe it’s amplified our impatience.

And then there’s the smartphone! What a cultural force the iPhone and Android phones have become. There are texts and jingles, special songs to identify a specific caller, and alarms for an upcoming activity. There’s instant access to any knowledge we desire, in almost any form. We have strobe lights that inform us that messages are waiting and buzzers that silently tell us when someone wants to reach us. There are exclamation marks and color coding of our messages to denote that one communication is more important than all of the others, at least in the eye of the beholder!

The technical revolution has brought us many wondrous innovations in all of this new communication. For instance, we can easily and instantly translate documents and information from multiple languages. I remember as a child when we received correspondence from distant relatives in Czechoslovakia, we would take the letter to an individual who could translate it for us. Now a webpage we’re on will automatically ask us if we’d like to translate the page from whatever language it’s in to English. Yes, please!

Another form of communication that has exploded is the taking of pic-tures and the making of films, or in modern parlance, videos. In the 80’s I remember going on a cruise and there were multiple people lugging around video cameras the size of a carry-on suitcase. Most of the time they spent was behind the camera trying to capture the moments, instead of living in the moment. Today, we’re a society that is documenting every moment of every day, every happening, good or bad. We’re all publishers, authors, and filmmakers now.

Take a walk through this evolution at the Computer History Museum lo-cated at 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd. in Mountain View (www.computerhistory.org). Go visit, and see how far we’ve come.


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AAUW – A Catalyst for ChangeEmpowering Women for Over 130 Years!

On Tuesday, September 16, the local Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette (OML) Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will showcase its activities and branch priorities. Discussion groups, advocacy issues for women and girls, book clubs, golf, movies, and volunteer opportunities are some of the activities to be highlighted.

The event will be held at the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church at 1700 School St. in Moraga. Exhibits display at 9AM, followed by a light breakfast and discussion of branch priorities, with wrap up by 11:30AM. The event is open to the general public.

In 1885, a popular myth stated that a college education would harm a woman’s health and result in infertility. The AAUW worked hard to dispel that myth and others – continuing through the years to address sexual harassment and economic disparity. But there is more to be done, and fresh ideas and new members are always welcome.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a nationally recognized, nonpartisan, non-profit organization founded in 1881 with a history of advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Today, it boasts 170,000 members, 1,000 local branches, and 800 college and university partners. Throughout its history, the national organization has taken positions on fundamental issues—educational, social, economic, and political.

Consider the following: AAUW is the face of pay equity by profiling research studies and stories on the gender wage gap; championing and supporting the ongoing efforts under Title IX, ensuring women have the same athletic opportunities as their male peers; championing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act; and annually awarding $4.3 million in fellowships and grants to support 278 women in their professional and academic careers.

The efforts reach back years. In 1885 AAUW focused on dispelling the myth about college education; in 2011 it sponsored a research report addressing sexual harassment in grades 7 through 12; in 2012 it mobilized women voters on preserving health and economic rights nationally; and today AAUW sponsors annual student leadership conferences to help college-age women access the resources, skills, and networks needed to lead change across campuses and communities alike. In both Sacramento and Washington, AAUW supports public policy initiatives that affect the lives of all women regardless of their economic or educational status. For what’s happening at the local Bay Area level, read on…

While the meeting promises to be fun for current members, the Branch is hoping to recruit new members, hear fresh ideas and provide an opportunity to engage with the community in new ways. Are we the right organization for you and you for us? If you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, maybe you should check us out.

• Do you enjoy connecting with like-minded, interesting folks?• Do you enjoy making a difference?• Are you an empty-nester with a little extra time on your hands? • Are your children back in school, freeing you up for something

innovative and stimulating?• Are you interested in exploring and discussing issues of the day?• Are you new to the Lamorinda or other nearby communities?• Are you recently retired with time and energy to spend?• Are you looking for volunteer opportunities to share your ideas and

creativity?• Are you interested in working with and, as an organization, financially

assisting young women?• Do you have an interest in helping out at an under-served elementary

school – in the library or in a tutoring capacity?• And, most of all, do you enjoy having fun? There is something for most

everyone! Join us in Moraga on September 16 for a great way to get to know our

OML Branch and find out how you might enjoy becoming a part of this energetic, inquiring group. For more information about the Branch, go to http://oml-ca.aauw.net/. Please contact Gail Chesler at (925)-932-4062 or at [email protected] with questions about the September 16 meeting.

Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop Presents Fall Merchandise Event

The blue smocked member volunteers at Assistance League® Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located at 3521 Golden Gate Way in Lafayette, will again hit the ground running while preparing for the Fall Merchandise Event, scheduled for Tuesday, September 9. At 10AM sharp, the front door will literally swing open to shelves, racks, and displays rich in the colors, textures, and designs of autumn. Women’s dresses, blouses, blazers, skirts, slacks, and knits will meet casual, career, and evening needs. Not only will you put together outfits at incredibly low prices with accessories such as hats, scarves, purses, sweaters, belts, gloves, socks and shoes, but you will keep your selections fresh and versatile.

Speaking of versatile, you will undoubtedly notice the wall-to-wall denim spreads now featured at the various trend setting department stores. A glance at the price tags will remind you that denim, previously regarded as that rugged and sturdy fabric that defined American culture, has now taken on more of a fashion nuance. Why not create your own nuance? Buy denim pieces at rock bottom prices at the thrift shop, and transform them into one-of-a-kind creations. Bling up the collar and cuffs of one piece, and shred up the knees of another; it’s your call.

This not-for-women-only event will also include men’s suits, sweaters, casual and dress pants and shirts, and ties. Children’s and infants’ clothing, as well as sleepwear, jackets, coats, shoes, and boots, bed and table linens, and decorative pillows will make the Fall Merchandise event an all-family affair. We make no guarantees as to how long this over-the-top inventory will last.

To make room for your fantastic finds for fall, you will want to clear your closet of items that you no longer wear. Donate them to the thrift shop, where you will then be rewarded with a tax donation receipt, yet another fashion coup. More importantly, your donations and purchases will contribute to a more successful learning experience for elementary school children, as well as improve lives of those in our community who are at risk. To learn more about the philanthropic programs that Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop funds, please visit our website at diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

[email protected] Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center September Class

The following class will be held at the Lafayette Community Garden, located at 3932 Mount Diablo Blvd, across from the Lafayette Reservoir. To register for classes, visit www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org.All in a Jar – Canning Basics with Penny Porter September 21 ~3:30 – 5:00PM ~ Ages 18 & up

Come and have fun learning the basics on water bath canning for high-acid foods. We will discuss the best foods for this process, the tools you need, and the do’s and dont’s. There are many tricks and techniques that make canning a unique process for extending the life of your favorite foods. Most importantly, this class will provide quintessential knowledge and skills for how to begin canning in your home.

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Lafayette Garden Club (LGC) Upcoming MeetingsSeptember 11th, Meeting and Program

“Urban Farmgirls,” a San Francisco garden design firm, will present a special program on vertical gardening and succulent wreaths. “Urban Farmgirls” is a creative, full-service gardening company that specializes in earth-friendly, alternative garden solutions. Don’t miss their presentation at LGC’s first yearly meeting in September at the beautiful Lafayette Veteran’s Hall. Guests welcome! October 9th, Meeting and Program

The Lafayette Garden Club October meeting will feature Janet Miller speaking on the subject of “Winter Gardening.” Janet has been a Master Gardener since 2008 and has an extensive background in the Biointensive method of small-scale farming and backyard gardening. Janet also manages the “Our Garden” program, a joint project of the Bay Area News Group and the Contra Costa Master Gardeners. In addition to Our Garden gardening classes, all produce grown in the garden is donated to the Monument Crisis Center in Concord.

The meetings start with a 9:30am coffee followed by a 10-noon meeting. The meetings are held at Lafayette Veterans Memorial Hall, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. For questions, email [email protected].

Calling All Armed Forces VeteransInterested in learning more about

the American Legion and Post 517?In celebration of Oktoberfest

please join us for dinner on October 1st. Social hour starts at 5:30pm and dinner will be served at 6:30pm.

$12 per personFor reservations call 925-284-2201 by Sunday September 28th

The dinner will be held at the Veterans Memorial Building located at 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette

Walk n’ Roll It’s that time of year

to slip on your running or walking shoes and hit the trail. That’s the Lafay-ette Moraga trail for Las Trampas’ 5th annual Walk n’ Roll on Saturday, Sep-tember 27, 9AM- noon. Bring the family, get your exercise…and support a great organization that serves individuals with developmental disabili-ties.

Registration is $25 per participant, or sponsor a client and their staff facilitator for $25. Registration includes event T-shirt, a raffle entry, Whole Foods goodie bag, games by 92.1 KKDV and Backyard Carnivals, refreshments, and entertainment by Bread & Roses.

The course starts at Las Trampas in Lafayette, located at 3460 Lana Lane, and continues east towards Olympic Blvd., then loops back to Las Trampas. Register at www.lastampas.org, call (925) 310-2363, or email [email protected]. Every dollar goes directly to client programs and makes a difference in the lives of those with developmental disabilities.

www.yourmonthlypaper.com


The BookwormBy Joan Stevenson

Imagine this: you are ten years old, and you discover that you have the ability to travel through time. Your magic Touchstone can whizz you to Rome or Paris--it’s incredible! Allow me to introduce you to Mira, a time traveler. Her diary, Bombs Over London by Marissa Moss, is

the September selection for Lamorinda Kids Read. For as long as the supplies last, you can pick up your own copy of the book at the library courtesy of the Friends of the Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda libraries. Let the book spark your own imaginary trip through time. Where would you go and why? Write about your adventure and submit it to the time travel writing contest by September 22nd.

Penny Warner, author of The Code Buster Club, will be coming to the Lafayette Library on September 26th at 4PM. Join us and learn how to break secret codes!

While the kids are exploring Istanbul in their time travel, their parents may be looking back as well and wondering what went wrong in their garden this summer. Contra Costa Master Gardeners will be in the Art & Science Center on September 16th from 6:30 – 8PM for a postmortem. Their talk will cover common vegetable growing problems and how to correct them. You will also receive suggestions for which vegetables to plant for the most reliable results. The event is free. To reserve, email [email protected].

I have to admit my surprise in learning that the focus of Science Café was cheese! I am a true cheese lover, so I will be at the Community Hall on Tuesday, September 16th, from 7PM – 9PM to learn how bacteria, enzymes, and acids transform ordinary milk into more than 1,000 varieties of cheese. Were you aware that cheese can be stored for months or even years? Yes, there will be cheese sampling! There is a $5 fee payable at the door. Register at tinyurl.com/sciencecafecheese. Boxed meals will also be available for pre-order.

Ellen Reintjes, who “wows” us with Wonders of the World has the fall

lecture series in place. You will notice a theme with the first two. Come on Wednesday September 17th at 2PM in the Community Hall where you will be introduced to the Native American Collection of Roger Epperson from St. Mary’s Museum of Art. The collection features over 25 works including photographs, etchings, drawings, and paintings by esteemed artists. Roger Epperson was an East Bay Regional Parks Ranger for over 30 years. He had a passion for California’s environment and a deep love of art. On Wednesday, October 8th at 2PM in the Community Hall a docent from the deYoung Museum will introduce Lines on The Horizon: Native American Art. This collection spans more than 1,000 years of artistic creativity.

Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation Distinguished Speaker Series welcomes Anthony Marra, author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, on Thursday, September 25th at 6:30PM. Anthony Marra’s exquisite debut novel describes the transcendent power of love in wartime. When first published in May 2013, it became an instant New York Times best-seller and later won the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize, and it was long listed for the National Book Award. Tickets are $20 per person

World traveler and popular presenter Frank Rainer returns for a special travel program entitled “Mad about Madagascar” on Thursday, September 18 at 6:30PM. Hear all about Frank’s adventures in this fascinating environment. Except for island continents, Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. The wildlife there is unique with fascinating little lemurs that may jump as if dancing and even come to hop on your shoulder and beg as you eat breakfast at an outdoor patio. Register for this free program at tinyurl.com/frankrainer2.

I asked our librarian, Vicki Sciacca, what we would find on her nightstand. She noted, “I am reading Subway to California by Joe DiPrisco. It is a memoir DiPrisco wrote about his family’s transition to California which was prompted by a series of fascinating events in New York. He will be our Sweet Thursday author for November and is a Lafayette resident! The book was recently released and is already in its second printing.”

Coming Soon: October 9th from 6-7:30PM - 1st Annual Friends of the Lafayette Library Book Club Book Swap. Look for details in October.


Seismic Changes for Readin’ and Writin’ and ‘Rithmetic By Ruth Bailey, Lafayette Historical Society

As we so often hear, history repeats itself, and an article in the August 28, 1964, Lafayette Sun brought that axiom to mind. The headline: “School Trustees Adopt Policy for ‘Controversial’ Subjects.”

“Dr. Frances Ebert, superintendent, said a policy statement on controversy was necessary because ‘teaching of controversial issues is a part and parcel of education.’ The following policy was unanimously adopted:

“The public schools of the U.S. have the responsibility to educate students to be informed, conscientious citizens, capable of self-direction and critical thinking. In order to become effective citizens in our democracy, students must be given the opportunity to develop the ability to gain information about public issues, to evaluate facts, and to express themselves through discussion, writing and the ballot.

“The intelligent discussion of vital current public issues, often containing the element of controversy, is an important part of the education of youth for effective citizenship in our country. The democratic process itself is the resolution of controversy in an orderly fashion. Every American student has the right and responsibility to examine pertinent issues without prejudice. Only by an appreciation of all sides of a given issue can the student gain the wisdom to choose intelligently between proposed alternatives.”

Another interesting initiative of 1964 in California schools was the implementation of new testing to uncover important talents of highly creative students often missed by traditional IQ tests. “This will be a major achievement in education—many talented students will be rescued from the ranks of dropouts and encouraged to continue their education,” said the director of the University of California’s Institute of Personality Assessment Research.

Under a grant from the Carnegie Corporation, “the Institute has been studying what makes the highly creative man [sic] tick.” They have learned that “the student in the back of the classroom, who has barely passed for the second year in a row, may not be dumb—but creative and frustrated.

“These creatures are unusual—often they are not the most intelligent, the most capable or most competent. But they are fairly intelligent—usually scoring 120 or higher on IQ tests. Creative students often receive poor grades because their interests do not fit into academic conformity. Many are flunked in high school because no one recognized their hidden talents.

“There is evidence creative people are not interested in small details, in the practical and concrete.” [Steve Jobs would have taken issue with that theory.] “They seem more concerned with meanings, implications and symbolic equivalents. Often they are loners, with great curiosity about ideas. They also tend to be sensitive, skeptical, introverted, willing to weigh ideas for a long time without showing undue anxiety. If originality is not rewarded during the high school years, it may be lost to fields of endeavor which need it badly. These people are the innovators in ideas and methods. They contribute important social and industrial advances,” Dr. Richard Crutchfield, associate director of the Institute, said.

And, as if establishing policy on controversial teaching and launching the study of creative “creatures” weren’t enough innovation, the state Education Department in 1964 also shook up traditional avenues of math instruction. The Sun reported that California has adopted “modern math” for kindergarten through 8th grade, and new teaching methods were introduced for such topics as Whole Numbers, Decimals, Rational Numbers, Ratio Percentages, Informal Geometry and Measurement Methodology.”

The summer of 1964 also marked an important automotive design initiative adapting to California regulations: “Major Car Makers Plan Smog Control Devices. Four major car manufacturers; General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, and American Motors Corporation; announced that their 1966 model automobiles will meet California anti-smog standards.”

Fifty years have passed and we’re still exploring these issues. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

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Gold Coast Chamber Players Launch 2014-15 Season

The award winning Gold Coast Chamber Players return for their 16th season in Lafayette with a program of two epic string sextets by Antonin Dvorak and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky on September 26th at 7:30pm and 28th at 3pm at the Lafayette Library’s Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd.

When Tchaikovsky returned from Florence to Russia he remarked of his sextet, Souvenir de Florence, “What a sextet–and what a fugue at the end–it’s a pleasure. Awful, how pleased I am with myself!” Audiences will likewise be pleased as GCCP brings this nearly symphonic sextet to life. The sextet has none of the gloomy, tortured music that Tchaikovsky wrote in his blackest moods. Instead, suffused with the golden glow of warm nostalgia, it offers some of his most good-natured music.

Dvorak’s A Major sextet was his first work to be premiered outside Bohemia. Rich in Slavonic blood, the work also reveals a masterful compositional style. His tuneful sextet will open the program and will set the stage for a robust collaboration of some of the leading chamber musicians in the US. Musicologist Kai Christiansen will provide an entertaining and informative pre-concert talk 30 minutes before each performance.

Violinist Juliana Athayde, returns from New York where she is concertmaster of the Rochestrer Philharmonic to perform with the Gold Coast Chamber Players. Joining her from the New Century Chamber Orchestra are violinist Candace Guirao and violist Cassandra Lynne Richburg along with cello virtuosi Eric Gaenslen and Robert Howard and GCCP violist Pamela Freund-Striplen.

Ticket price includes complimentary champagne, a pre-concert talk 30 minutes before each performance and a post-concert reception with the musicians. Tickets are available at www.gcplayers.org and by phone at (925) 283-3728.

www.yourmonthlypaper.comFree BART Tickets with Discover & Go Museum ReservationsBy Supervisor Candace Andersen

Although summer is fading into fall and school has started again, it’s still a great time to visit our Bay Area world class museums and cultural venues. This is especially true when you can get there for free using public transportation! Contra Costa County Library and 511 Contra Costa have partnered again to provide free BART tickets to Contra Costa County Library cardholders with Discover & Go reservations during the months of September and October.

Discover & Go is a nationally recognized museum pass program developed by Contra Costa County Library that provides instant online access to free and low-cost tickets to over 40 muse-ums, science centers, zoos, theatres, and other fun and interesting local cultural venues. It has made over 500,000 free cultural visits possible for Bay Area residents with library cards. Library cardholders can browse for tickets online by date or by venue. Once you make a reservation, you can print your tickets, plan your trip using 511.org, and link to a recommended reading list.

Use your library card number to request Discover & Go tickets at www.ccclib.org/discov-ergo. To get free BART tickets, view your September/October reservation on your Discover & Go account. Click “View” and “Print Pass,” and then click on the 511 banner on your Discover & Go pass to sign-up and request your BART ticket. You may request up to three $10 BART tickets, which will be mailed to your home via standard 1st Class U.S. Postal Service within four business days of your request. The BART ticket offer is limited to one request per household, and the offer is available while supplies last.

The free Discover & Go promotional BART tickets are available for use to visit the following venues: • Asian Art Museum • The Beat Museum • Bedford Gallery • California Academy of Sciences • California Historical Society • California Shakespeare

Theater • Cartoon Art Museum • Chabot Space & Science Center • Children’s Creativity Museum • Chinese Historical Society of America Museum • Con-temporary Jewish Museum • Exploratorium • Freight & Salvage • GLBT History Museum • Habitot Children’s Museum • Lawrence Hall of Science • Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment • Oakland Museum of California • Pacific Pinball Museum • UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive • UC Botanical Garden • Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

This BART ticket offer is funded by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s Half Cent Sales Tax for Transportation Improvements (Measure J) and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Transportation Fund for Clear Air. The promotion is intended to encourage the use of public transit to access museums and is not need-based.

My office is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Park-mead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon, and Orinda. Please contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at [email protected] or (925) 957-8860.

- September 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

After School Enrichment ClassesThe City of Lafayette Parks, Trails & Recreation (PTR) Department is very happy to be partnering

with the Lafayette Elementary School parent/teacher groups for the purpose of offering after-school enrichment classes at all four elementary schools this fall. The partnership began when PTR Department Staff was approached by the School District and asked if they would oversee the after school programs. The district then brought all the entities together so that PTR staff and parent/teacher group representatives could select a variety of programs that delivered engaging programs to the children.

It’s a win/win situation since the School District benefits from PTR Department expertise in on site coordination, live scan background checks, and convenient online and phone registration, and parents benefit from centralized registration, experienced program management and close to home facilities.

Program offerings like these are not new to the city. The city has a long standing history of offering engaging classes for kids and adults at the Lafayette Community Center and various locations throughout the city. Dating back to the 1970’s, before the Community Center was acquired, Lafayette Recreation offered classes at schools, churches, and even people’s homes within the community. Such programs as Kindergym, Jazzercise, Yoga with Siloo Tarapore, and Lafayette Tiny Tots are four examples of classes that have been ongoing since 1984 – ever since the old Burton Elementary School was bought from the school district and converted into the popular community center.

The Parks, Trails & Recreation Department is excited to be a partner with the Lafayette Elementary School parent/teacher groups and looks forward to offering programs for the benefit and enjoyment of Lafayette children.

Programs at Lafayette Elementary include chess, hip hop dance, Legos, music, drama, science, and French. Burton Valley will offer 2D video game design and chess. Happy Valley will have a Frozen themed musical theater class and Springhill's after school program will include Legos, chess, soccer, football, dance and musical theater.

For more information about fall offerings at the elementary schools or the Lafayette Community Center, visit www.LafayetteRec.org, call 925-284-2232, or stop by the Lafayette Community Center office at 500 Saint Mary’s Road.

Lamorinda Peace and JusticeThe Lamorinda Peace and Justice Group meets

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

Coping with the Death of a Pet When you lose your pet, you often feel like

a part of you is lost. The death of your beloved animal companion is one of the most difficult losses you may ever feel. This loss is sometimes made more painful by society’s seeming lack of support for pet grief.

Hospice of the East Bay and the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation is offering a support group where participants can share memories and feelings and talk to others who truly understand and care. Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each month from noon - 1:30PM at the Tony La Russa Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek.

For further information and/or to register, please call Bereavement Services at Hospice of the East Bay (925) 887-5681. Pre-registration is required.

Hospice of the East Bay Bereavement Services are provided free of charge to all community members in need. However, donations are greatly appreciated.


September is Wine MonthBy Monica Chappell

California Wine Month celebrates one of our signature agricultural products and all that vintners and growers bring to the economy, culture, and lifestyle of the Golden State. September is also a great time to plan a visit to California Wine Country. Wineries and regions throughout the state will be marking the harvest and celebrating California Wine Month with special tastings, festivals, wine immersion experiences, tours,

concerts, and more. Here are a few events to check out.Wine Road CA Wine Month

September 1 - 30 ~ 40+ wineries - Northern Sonoma County

Alexander, Dry Creek, Russian River Valleys, Northern Sonoma County

www.discovercaliforniawines.com/wine-road-ca-wine-month/?t=popup32nd Annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival

September 13 - 14 ~ Locations in Capitolawww.discovercaliforniawines.com/32nd-annual-capitola-

art-wine-festival/?t=popupLegends of Wine

September 18 ~ California State Capitol - 10th Street & Capitol Mall, Sacramento www.discovercaliforniawines.com/legends-of-wine-3/?t=popup“Wines of California” Book Launch

September 19 ~ Lodi Wine & Visitor Center - 2545 W. Turner Rd., Lodi www.discovercaliforniawines.com/wines-of-california-book-launch/?t=popup

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2014 Sonoma Valley CrushSeptember 26 - 28 ~ 60 Shaw Ave., KenwoodWineries throughout Kenwood & Glen Ellen - Sonoma Valleywww.d i scove rca l i fo rn i awines . com/2014- sonoma-va l l ey -

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September 27 ~ Livermore Premium Outlets, 2774 Livermore Outlets Dr, Livermore www.discovercaliforniawines.com/sunset-sip-and-shop/?t=popup

Monica Chappell, wine writer and educator, teaches wine appreciation classes in the Bay Area. Visit www.wineappreciation101.blogspot.com for a list of upcoming classes.

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment



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Cinema ClassicsBaby BoomBy Peggy Horn

This month’s Cinema Classic is a movie from 1987, Baby Boom, starring Diane Keaton, Harold Ramis, and Sam Shepard. The cast in Baby Boom, is actually quite spectacular, beginning with the fascinating

Diane Keaton who is not only an Academy Award winning actress for her role in Annie Hall, (best actress) but is a director, a producer, and a screenwriter as well. The handsome and extremely appealing Sam Shepard is an actor, a playwright, a television and film director and the author of several books and short stories. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff, and he received the Pulitzer Prize for his 1979 play, Buried Child.

Harold Ramis has long been a favorite of mine. Like his fellow actors in this movie, he was an actor, a director and a writer. For example, he acted in and co-wrote Stripes and Ghostbusters, and he was writer/director of four films including National Lampoon’s Vacation and Groundhog Day. It was Groundhog Day that garnered him a BAFTA Award (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) for best original screenplay.

The film, Baby Boom, was written by Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers. Ms. Meyers is writer/producer of several films including The Parent Trap, Something’s Gotta Give, The Holiday, and It’s Complicated. Given the talent in the cast and crew, it is not surprising that the film turned out so well.

In the film Diane Keaton plays the role of J.C. Wiatt, an independent career woman with the nickname “Tiger Lady.” Her boyfriend, Steven, (Harold Ramis) doesn’t like children and they have no plans to marry. But fate intervenes to make J.C. the guardian of a beautiful little girl and J.C. is introduced to Vermont, the family life, and a local vet, Dr. Jeff Cooper (Sam Shepard). To her surprise, J.C. adjusts to country living and discovers a use for her business expertise that is lucrative and satisfying. She also discovers the joy that having a family can bring. This is a charming movie! Good acting, believable dialogue, and a great plot all conspire together for our entertainment – and it’s funny. Even though the movie is more difficult to find than some, it is well worth the effort.Musical Notes

Portions of the Baby Boom soundtrack are written by Burt Bacharach, Carol Bayer Sager, and Bill Conti. But for my taste the best musical production in the movie is a performance of “Moonlight in Vermont” by the Moonlighters at the town dance. This song was originally published in 1944 with music by Karl Suessdorf and lyrics by John Blackburn.

Lic# 1100014354; Bay Area Entertainment

Genealogical MeetingsThe San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society

meets at 10am the third Tuesday of every month, except August and December, at the Danville Family History Center, 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. A speaker is at every meeting. Everyone is welcome.

For information, call Ed at (925) 299-0881, or visit http://srvgensoc.org.

“A Taste of Walnut Creek 2014” Restaurant Walk“A Taste of Walnut Creek” restaurant walk will take place October 7th from 6-9pm. The event

will benefit American Association of University Women (AAUW) Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette’s (OML) Tech Trek Camp Scholarships, which empower young girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

More than 25 restaurants will be providing delicious samples from their menus. For $30, you will receive a book with coupons for each of the participating restaurants.

For questions and ticket books, contact Sandy Fox-Sohner at 925-631-0668.


Quick TripsBy Linda Summers PirkleMurals and Mosaics in the Mission District

The Mission District in San Francisco is a favorite destination for locals and out-of-town visitors alike, and the many beautiful and vibrant street murals and mosaics add to the charm of the area. Re-

cently, I joined 20 people on a Murals and Mosaics walk-ing tour. Among them there was a group from Paris, some locals, a couple from Santa Cruz, and four Canadians.

We started our hour long Sunday morning tour at the Precita Eyes Mural Arts & Visitors Center on 24th Street. Our six block tour in the Mission district took us to Balmy Alley, an extraordinary block of colorful murals, each with a unique story. Our guide, Elaine, a muralist, pointed out details in the various works of art and told a bit about the artists. We were lucky to meet the original artists of the oldest mural on the alley, painted 30 years ago. In 1984 “PLACA,” a group of 27 artists, came together to creatively express the struggles in Central America. Each artist interpreted this theme how they wished, painting 30 murals; Balmy Alley was transformed. Today all but one of those original murals is gone. Doors and fences have been changed, and new works of art have taken their place.

There are over 600 murals in San Francisco, and the highest concentration is in the Mission District. The artists we met, the guides and the locals are passionate about their street art, and everyone I talked to had a favorite.

My personal favorite mural location, although not on the walking tour itinerary, is the newly opened 24th Street Mini Park at York Street. This park is so pretty and great for people of all ages. There’s a children’s playground with picnic tables and seating. The real draw is the huge 120 foot mosaic and glass serpent which shoots water from his tail. Kids can mount and climb on the body, then slide down. The mini park is surrounded with gorgeous murals.

There are so many great restaurants in the Mission District. I spoke to the very friendly and informative Chris MacQuarrie of Local’s Corner, located on Bryant Street, whose favorite mural is located on Sycamore and Valencia, and who advised me, “Don’t leave the City without seeing it!” Local’s Corner is a local and sustainably sourced seafood restaurant and raw bar with a menu that changes daily depending on what the fish vendors can pick up at the docks that morning. Chris explained, “Since opening in 2012, we have been a top 100 Bay Area restaurant two years running, and Chef Malloy was also named top five rising star chef by the San Francisco Chronicle.”

The “Pop Up” is a great way to sample exceptional fare from visiting chefs. Local’s Corner hosts guest Chef Michael Black of Sebo with Japanese pub food every other Sunday thru October for their Pop Up event. Reservations are not necessary, but they are suggested.

*During the month of October many storefront windows in the Mission are filled with marigolds (the flowers of the dead), sugar skulls, cardboard skeletons, and handmade altars to honor the dead in preparation for the annual Day of the Dead holiday. This holiday is celebrated every November 2 with art, music, performances, and a walking procession. The Day of the Dead Procession starts at 22nd and Bryant Streets at 7PM, Sunday, November 2. For more information, visit DayoftheDeadSF.org or email [email protected].

*Precita Eyes Mural and Arts Center is located at 2981 24th Street. Their website is www.precitaeyes.org and phone number is (415) 285-2287. Tours are held Saturdays and Sunday at 11AM and 1:30PM. Call for details. Maps for self-guided tours are sold at the Mural and Arts Center. Price is $5.

*Locals Corner is located at 2500 Bryant Street, San Francisco. Their phone number is (415) 800-7945 and website is localscornersf.com. Call for details about their Pop Up events.

Inspired by the many wonderful places to visit in the Bay Area, Linda Summers Pirkle 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].

Lafayette - According to industry ex-perts, there are over 33 physical prob-lems 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.

Whether you own an old home or a brand new one, there are a number of things that can fall short of requirements during a home inspection. If not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's critical that you read this report before you list your home. If you wait until the building inspector flags these issues for you, you will almost certainly experience costly delays in the close of your home

sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers away altogether. In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you're looking for, and knowing what you're looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones.

To help home sellers deal with this issue before their homes are listed, a free report entitled "11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection" has been compiled which explains the issues involved.

To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report, call toll-free 1-866-265-1682 and enter 2003. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Get your free special report NOW to learn how to ensure a home inspection doesn't cost you the sale of your home.

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This report is courtesy of J. Rockcliff Realtors #01763819. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2013

Project Second Chance Fundraisers for Adult LiteracyAn Evening of Mystery

On Thursday, October 9th at the Walnut Creek Library’s Oak View Room, Project Second Chance, Inc. (PSC), the Contra Costa Library program for adult literacy, is sponsor-ing “An Evening of Mystery.” The event begins at 6pm with light desserts, followed by a panel discussion with authors Cara Black, Laurie R. King, and Terry Shames talking about their acclaimed mystery books. There will also be a raffle for prizes. Tickets are $15, with proceeds benefiting Project Second Chance. For ticket purchase, send checks payable to Project Second Chance, Inc., 1750 Oak Park Blvd., Pleas-ant Hill, CA 94523. For payment by credit card, call (510) 918-4768. Pizza Night

On Tuesday, October 21st, Patxi’s Pizza in Lafayette will donate 10% of all sales, all day, to Project Second Chance. Pur-chases eligible for donation credit applies to eat-in, carry-out, ready-to-bake, gift cards, and delivery. Purchases can be made from 7am to 10pm. Patxi’s Pizza is located in The Clocktower, located at 3577 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette.

To learn more about PSC, visit ccclib.org/psc.

Scottish Country Dancing Come dance every Thursday evening, year-round (with

the single exception of Thanksgiving)! No partner is required and no Scottish ancestry is required. Adult beginner classes for Scottish Country Dancing take place each week with free lessons at 8PM. More experienced dancers also begin at 8PM. Once a month Ceilidh dancing will take place as well. Dancing will be held at the Danville Grange, located at 743 Diablo Rd in Danville. All dance nights are drop-in. The first beginner lesson is free, afterwards the cost is $8/night or $6/night if attending a 10-week session paid in advance.

Call Witsie at (925) 676-3637 or Kathleen at (925) 934-6148 for more information. For children’s classes ages 7 and up, please contact Cathy at (925) 284-9068 for dates and fees.


We will also share information and displays about how to conserve water at the upcoming Lafayette Art & Wine Festival on September 20th and 21st. Check out the “Green Zone” between Papillon Coffee and Chow Restaurant. EBMUD will also have a booth on Mt. Diablo Blvd. at the event.

Remember that the easiest place to save water is outdoors, which accounts for over 50% of residential water use in California. According to EBMUD, half of outdoor water use is wasted due to over-watering, evaporation, runoff, and inefficient or broken irrigation. Most plants will survive fine with 20-40% less water than we typically give them.

To read real-world success stories about how Lafayette residents are creating homes and yards that are far more water efficient and sustainable, please visit www.sustainablelafayette.org.

- September 2014 ~ Lafayette Today

New Outdoor Water RestrictionsBy Steve Richard, Sustainable Lafayette

Because of the severe drought, EBMUD asked customers to voluntarily reduce their water use by 10%. Well, we’ve lived up to the challenge! According to EBMUD, customers have reduced their water consumption by 10.7% between February and July 31. Because of the cutbacks that we’ve all made this year, EBMUD’s water supply continues to be in fair condition.

But new restrictions, recommended by the State Water Resources Control Board, are necessary to “stretch our supplies in case next winter fails to bring enough snow and rain,” said Andy Katz, president of the EBMUD Board of Directors. So, on August 12th the following restrictions were unanimously approved:

All customers must:• Reduce outdoor landscape watering to a maximum of two times per

week• Prevent excess runoff when watering their landscapes• Use only hoses with shutoff nozzles to wash vehicles• Stop using water to clean hard surfaces such as driveways and

sidewalks, except as needed for health and safety purposes• Turn off any fountain or decorative water feature unless the water

is recirculated.EBMUD officials said that rather than focusing on punishing violators,

they will instead continue to promote existing conservation programs, including landscape conversion rebates and home survey kits, and work to inform customers how to follow the new outdoor water-use restrictions. The agency is also encouraging residents to report water-wasting activities and to implement water-saving tips and ideas.

Sustainable Lafayette has been trying to help residents by focusing all of our monthly tips in 2014 on water conservation. All of these tips and more water saving ideas are available on our website by selecting the “Hot Topics” menu and then “Water Conservation.” Visit www.sustainablelafayette.org/hot-topics/water-conservation to learn more.

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[email protected] Lafayette Today ~ September 2014 - Walking the Reservoir By Jim Scala

A therapeutic walk. I took a walk with Joe, who had recently had his aortic heart valve replaced in an operation that was fiction in the 1960s and is now fairly routine. Joe asked the surgeon what he could do to help his recovery. His unabashed answer was, “Take regular walks.” And he quickly added, “You folks have a great walking area – use it and you’ll do well!”

While we walked and talked, I learned about the valve choice – either an artificial or pig valve. Joe chose a pig valve because it’s natural and eliminates the need for anti-clotting meds. His spectacular scar goes from his neck to his belly button. During our hour-long hike we solved all the world’s problems.

You’ve asked about the drought. Take a counter-clockwise walk, and stop first at the fish station behind the visitor’s center. Look back towards the dam and notice that the water is over six-feet below normal. Then look carefully at the reed patches on both sides of the fishing dock. How many dragonflies do

you see? You’ll only need one hand to count them, and you’ll notice that you don’t have to brush bugs off while you’re walking – there aren’t many. And that’s not good.

As you continue walking around there, count the song birds you see and hear – there aren’t as many as in the past. When you get to the West end where the old canyon road enters the water, leave the paved trail, and follow the path into the reeds. Where white Egrets always stood in clear, shallow water feeding among the cat-tails, there’s no water, but there are many large, deep cracks in the dry soil. Continue again on the paved trail and as you come up the hill towards the band stand, stop at the display panel and look across the lagoon. Notice where cattails once stood in water. There’s over ten feet of shore separating them. At the bandstand, look down and observe even more reeds under stress.

On the Rim Trail, note the lack of wild flowers and the deeply cracked soil. Notice that trees have a haggard, stressed-out look. And sadly, there aren’t nearly as many birds as usual.

It’s hardest on the Birds. My point is there aren’t as many song birds – especially the tri-colored blackbird. State experts said the birds are in serious danger if this drought persists. Small birds have it especially tough due to a lack of seeds they usually eat, not enough insects, and no worms which have gone deep. Nutrient materials in the insects are necessary for the females to produce eggs -- hence a lack of insects reduces their reproduction. And it gets worse because very young bird hatchlings cannot digest vegetable material and must rely on semi-digested insects and worms. With those foods in short supply, the hatchlings can’t thrive, and since there aren’t as many birds, a bad situation is made worse.

I haven’t seen nearly as many red-tailed hawks as I usually do, so I asked the state resident expert on birds. His reply was clear: “Rodents are having a hard time, and since rodents are the hawks main food source, they’re in trouble.” It seems that all the wildlife, from worms to hawks, are stressed by this drought. It harks back to Heller’s book Catch 22 and the comment, “We’ve all got a share.” This drought effects everyone.

Will it rain? Statistics give me hope. Following a drought year – actually a second year – rainfall usually exceeds the season normal by about 150%. If it does that in the 2014-2015 rainy season, there’s a chance the west-end paved trail will be sloppy wet but walkable. Egrets, herons, and song birds will thrive, and I’m told birds will produce more offspring. If you know a rain dance, please, for all of us walkers, give it a try – no one will laugh.

The Rez can help quell an American epidemic. Recent studies show that regular walking is a no-brainer for people with adult-onset diabetes or elevated blood sugar. The amount of walking needed translates to a paved trail walk about four times weekly. After several months, diabetics didn’t require as much insulin, and pre-diabetics saw blood sugar drop – often back to normal. Prevention is the best medicine.

A Rez display. Lafayette’s new restaurant, The Cooperage, has a wall display of reservoir photos. Stop by to see them. Steve Hobbs, the photographer, will offer a photography class in October. Contact him at [email protected].

Send comments and questions to [email protected].

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All-Clad joins our lineup of exceptional cookware!

Made in the USA, All-Clad 3-ply stainlesssets the standard for elegant simplicity.

Buy $400.00 of All-Clad and receive

Chef Paul Bocuse’s classic cookbook,French Cooking.

$50.00 Retail Value/ While supplies last. Good thur sept

Make the Kitchen your go-to kitchen store!

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All-Clad joins our lineup of exceptional cookware!Made in the USA, All-Clad 3-ply stainless cookware

sets the standard for elegant simplicity.

Buy $400 of All-Clad cookware and receive Chef Paul Bocuse’s classic cookbook, French Cooking.

$50 retail value. Offer good through September while supplies last.

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1st Annual Lung Love 5K Run/Walk BerkeleyMove with purpose! Help raise awareness and support for lung cancer.

Join to help those diagnosed, at risk, and the people who love them in their fight against lung cancer. Unite those impacted in your community by participating in the first annual Lung Love Run/Walk Berkeley.

The Lung Love Run/Walk Berkeley will be held on Sunday, September 21st at Cesar Chavez Park located at 11 Spinnaker Way in Berkeley.

On-site registration begins at 7:30AM. The 5K run/walk starts at 9AM, and it is an untimed event. Register online at www.lungloverunwalk.org/berkeley or call (800) 298-2436

Funds raised go to support Lung Cancer Alliance’s mission of saving lives and advancing research by empowering those living with and at risk for lung cancer.

Weekly Dance SocialDance for joy at the weekly Social, or just come to chat; all are welcome.

Twirl, chat, and tap your feet to the beat. The Social is for all-level and all-style dancers, music lovers, and observers. The Social is held Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2:50PM at the Lafayette Community Center located at 500 St. Mary’s Road. The longtime event, with continuous, professionally recorded music, is held in the big, bright Live Oak Room. The Social specializes in ballroom, but any style dance adds to the charm.

For more information, visit sites.google.com/site/lafayetteteadance. Fees for the event are $2 for members of the Senior Center and $4 for non-members.



It’s That Time of the Year! By Art Lehman, Village Associates Real Estate

This past year I’ve been writing about the market and the state of the market. Now it’s time for some practical advice! The weather is good and now is the time to take care of those last minute home repair and improvement projects.

Unfortunately, many of our projects get put on the back burner and simply rise to the top

of our to-do lists when a big problem shows up. In many cases the delayed project becomes much greater than if it had been tackled on a regular schedule or when an issue is first noted. This is the point of my article – it’s that time of the year.

Do your roof and chimney need repairs? Have you cleaned your gutters and downspouts? Have you trimmed back your trees, completed drainage work, repaired a damaged portion of your driveway, and cleaned drainage ditches or creek debris? The list goes on and on.

I always feel better knowing my gutters and downspouts are clean rather than waiting until the first big rainstorm to be outside in the wind and rain trying to stop the flood cascading off the roof. I realize that it seems easier to react to a problem than to anticipate one, but the opposite may actually be true.

Some homeowners are always on top of maintaining their homes, but many call and ask why their “new” gutters are not working (of course new means three years old, and the gutters have not been cleaned in those three years).

We have a few months before the good, the bad, and the ugly. Take ACTION and get those items that should have gotten fixed a while ago taken care of now so that those portions of your home can survive another winter. Perhaps if there is some extra time to spend on a little extra preventative maintenance, doing so will help you sleep even better!

In real estate news, the market has calmed down. If you sold your house in February-May, it was a good choice. Since then it has been a sellers’ market (no inventory), but clearly the multiple offers and huge over-bidding are only for those that can afford to make such offers.

If you have any questions on selling or buying a home in the area, please contact me at 925 200-2591 or by email at [email protected]. Please feel free to email a topic for the next article, too. If you’d like a free automatic email update of current listings and sales, visit my website to sign up at www.artlehman.com or call! Advertorial

Save the Dates• Lafayette Art, Wine, and Music Festival

Saturday, September 20 & Sunday, September 21

• Lafayette Reservoir RunSunday, October 26

For more information on either of these events visit www.lafayettechamber.org

Hospice Volunteers Needed Hospice of the East Bay is seeking volunteers to assist Hospice

patients and their caregivers. Opportunities include: • Licensed Hair Stylists to offer hair cuts and styling• Certified Massage Therapists to provide massage therapy • Mobile Notaries to witness the signing of important documents• Bereavement Support Volunteers to provide support to family

members after their loved one has died • Patient Support Volunteers to provide companionship and

practical assistance To apply for free training, call Hospice of the East Bay at (925)

887-5678, and ask for the Volunteer Department, or email [email protected].

Established in 1977, Hospice of the East Bay is a not-for-profit agency that helps people cope with end of life by providing medical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support for patients and families, regardless of their ability to pay.

To learn more or to make a donation of time or money, please contact (925) 887-5678 or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org.


Do You Have Intermittent Internet?By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO

Do you remember what was it like before the internet and wireless networking? Vendors like AT&T and Comcast are doing their best to keep up with the demand, and they’ve done a pretty good job. There are always going to be problems, but from my vantage point it looks like they do a good job. Once in a while we find a problem that’s in the

blind-spot of these firms, and that is what I’m going to share with you today.We have recently run into a situation that I want you to be aware of

because it may be the source of considerable frustration with your internet service. It primarily concerns residential Comcast users who are using a certain type of equipment. The problems people have include sudden inter-net drops and network speeds that seem to wander up and down. The user may be getting five bars of service to their home network, but the internet connection seems to simply quit. What we’ve found is that most people “solve” these internet problems by resetting the power on the Comcast box, which gives them a random amount of uninterrupted service before it has to be reset again.

Before I go on, let say that networking is complicated, and there are many factors which can influence your success. The situation I’m outlining concerns a certain set of conditions. To be absolutely sure my comments apply to your situation, you should have a professional come look at your gear to make a firm diagnosis and determination of next steps. Please don’t call Comcast and say, “Evan said so…” without first making certain my comments pertain to your situation!

That said, Comcast issues many types of equipment in their quest to build the fastest broadband network. What I’m referring to here is their “all in one” unit which contains the cable modem, the router, and their telephone gateway in one package. It’s made by Arris. We have seen several models of these boxes, including ones that include wireless capability. By itself this gear usually works fine; this is important to note! However, in situations where people have other network equipment in addition to this standard-issue Arris box, we’ve seen and documented these intermittent network problems. Their equipment doesn’t appear to “play nice” with other network gear.

When these problems happen, and you call 1-800-Comcast for support, they are probably going to tell you everything is fine with their gear, and that the problems are all on your end. Has that happened to you?

The issues that occur are extremely difficult to track down, because it only happens in certain situations, and unfortunately it doesn’t show up when Comcast runs their diagnostics. In addition, because it doesn’t show up when they run their tests, they’re a little quick to blame your personal equipment or your IT company, because it looks to them like their issued equipment is working fine. I don’t blame them, and neither should you; the service-desk folks are doing their best and simply don’t have effective diagnostic tools for these types of issues. However, I’ve documented five individual cases of this occurring recently, and I have spent a lot of time proving this case, so this is definitely a problem. In addition, I’ve recently had a long talk with a 15-year Comcast installer who corroborated every-thing I’ve found, so I am on firm ground when I make these observations.

If this might be your situation, what should you do? Luckily there is an answer. It concerns asking Comcast to split the functions of the all-in-one device into separate pieces and adding your own router to the equation. The full explanation takes more room than I have in this article space to outline, but we are happy to share the “recipe” for fixing this problem if you contact our office. The important thing is that there is an answer. In my opinion, Comcast still has the best product in our area, and it’s just a piece of equipment out there that is complicating things. It can be fixed!

If you’re having network problems please let us know. Either email our helpdesk, at [email protected], or call our friendly staff at 925-552-7953, so that we can determine how your situation can be improved. Advertorial

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Bands continued from front pagevideo recording of a performance to a sharing site such as YouTube or Vimeo. Then, email Patrick Brogan ([email protected]) by Sunday, September 14th, 11:59pm with a) a link to the video; b) the name of the band, and names, ages, phone numbers and email addresses of all band members and; c) a brief description of the band and music. Entrants may perform as a group or solo; soloists must play an accompanying instrument.

Four finalists will be chosen by a public vote. The top four must be available to play live at the finals concert on Saturday, October 11th at 3pm at the Lafayette Library Community Hall. Each band will have up to 20 minutes to perform; bands are responsible for bringing their own equipment. The stage, microphones, and piano will be available for use. A panel of judges will evaluate the four performances on musical ability and stage presence.

In addition to adulation and acclaim, prizes include: Third place: $50 and three 30-minute guitar lessons at Mighty Fine Guitars in Lafayette; Second place: $75 and a $20 gift certificate to Campana Music; First place: $100 cash, a $75 gift certificate at Lamorinda Music, and four hours of rehearsal studio time at Guitar Center in Emeryville.

As for the future of Wild Guess? They plan to stay relevant and hope to release an EP before next summer. View their performances online at https://www.youtube.com/user/WildGuessBand. For additional information on the LLLC’s Battle of the Bands contest, visit TinyURL.com/LafayetteBotB.

Search and RescueThe Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team needs

volunteer members to respond to missing person incidents, disasters, and other critical incidents. Team members are on call 24/7 year-round. The program provides required training; including wilderness traveling, first aid, map and compass usage, tracking disaster response, and search skills; and may also include special training for canine, equestrian, technical, mountain bike, or other rescue skills.

For information and applications, visit www.contracostasar.org or call 646-4461.


Gardening with KateBy Kate Guillaume

I am learning something new every day. I always thought it was cooler night temperatures that led our great fall trees to turn those wonderful shades of orange, red, and yellow. But I have been noticing on my drives around the area that, in spite of high daytime temperatures and moderate evening temps they are beginning to turn color anyway, with branches sporting beautiful brackets of reds and oranges. I guess I always tied those nights where it dipped into the 40os

as the precursor to fall, when Mother Nature just does what she does either because or in spite of us.

With days still in the mid to high eighties, everyone’s garden is a little more stressed. My Rudbeckias, which usually grace me with blooms into October, look like dry stubble. Strangely juxtaposed with all the die-back are my roses which decided to give me one more giant re-bloom to remind me what early September used to look like.

I am hoping to get a week of days in the 70os as I have some things I would like to plant, and it is still too hot and stressful to put anything into the ground. As I am changing out my garden, I’ve been cruising my neighborhood in hopes of spying some plant material that still looks healthy in spite of our drought. We have so many micro-climates in our area that on a street like Brown Avenue as you head up the hill you might pass through three or more microclimates. Often the areas at the top do not get as much frost as the lower sections in valleys. One part of the street might be sheltered from drying winds and be able to maintain plants that need slightly more moisture, and it is not because someone is watering that area more--it is just not drying out as quickly.

As you walk around your neighborhood, if you find something that looks glorious, pay attention to what side of the home it is planted on. Things on the north side of a house get plenty of sun but not the full strength of the sun like something planted on the southwest side of a home. Bring a compass or find a compass application for your smartphone to help point you in the right direction. I have been meeting a lot of people lately that no longer know which

way is north, south, east, or west. For another reference, note that at this time of year the sun sets slightly to the west/south west. Point your arm toward the place where the sun will set. Look straight forward and that will be north, south is to your back, and east is to your right--that will help you figure it out!

When you are out and about, also look at plantings that are at the same elevation as your home. You can knock on your neighbor’s door if you spy something in their garden that you would like to add to your garden. People who love gardening are usually very approachable, and if they have nice gardens they will likely be happy to share some of their secrets. It is a great way to meet those neighbors that you just wave at from behind the windshield of your car.

Meeting your neighbors might also give you a chance to do some garden sharing. I had a neighbor who had a solid wall on the side of her home, so she grew squash, and peppers that appreciated the warmth radiating off that wall. I grew tomatoes near my wall. I also grew peaches and apricots, while she grew apples and pomegranates. We both saved on water and grew what was most successful in our own gardens and shared the bounty. We also gave excess to neighbors who had gardens too shady for food crops and those with the proverbial “black thumb.”

I have friends who call me and say, “I have to make up a bunch of centerpieces for a function...What’s blooming in your garden?” I will give them a list of flowers and greens and other things I have that look good, and they will stop by and gather some of my garden bounty. This works wonderfully because I know just where to go when I need some cut flowers!

Happy Gardening.

Tree of the Season: The Monterey PineBy Blaine Brende & Joe Lamb

The imposing Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata, perhaps the most common large landscape tree in the Bay Area, is one of the

most widely-planted trees on the planet. It covers millions of acres in places as far-flung as England, Chile, and Australia. However, its native range covers just a few square miles of the California coastline, which explains why it prefers a cool, moist coastal climate with well-draining soils.

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

Unfortunately, the quick hedge or woodland effect you enjoy in the first year of the tree’s life can become a major safety hazard and a source of conflict with uphill neighbors when, two decades later, the tree reaches 50-70 feet in height. The Monterey Pine’s soft, brittle wood and its shallow root system combine to make it a serious hazard during winter storms on the hilly slopes. Away from its native habitat, it is vulnerable to root-rot diseases and, stressed by lack of water during our dry summers, it becomes prey to often fatal beetle infestations. The species is relatively short-lived, around 75 years, and its proclivity for toppling, or for shedding large branches, increases with age.Coping with Pines

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

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

The best time to prune any type of pine trees, and the only recommended time to prune Monterey pines, is between October 1st and February 15th. Sap from prun-ing cuts attracts beetles destructive to pines. These beetles are dormant during the fall and winter months. Given that the beetles can smell sap from long distances, it is important to prune your pine when they are inactive. Not only are the beetles themselves harmful, but some species can carry pine pitch canker, a fungal dis-ease that disfigures pine trees and sometimes kills them. If your tree has dead tips scattered throughout the canopy it probably has pine pitch canker. If you want to prolong the life of the tree, as well as its appearance, now is the best time to prune out the diseased tips.

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

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

If your trees need a little TLC, please call 510-486-TREE (8733) or email us at [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

Meals on WheelsSeniors in our community need your support! Meals on Wheels and Senior

Outreach Services have been supporting seniors in YOUR neighborhood since 1968. Two of the programs, Meals on Wheels and Friendly Visitors, rely on the support of volunteers, and we need your help now more than ever.

Meals on Wheels volunteer drivers deliver meals to local homebound se-niors through regular two hour shifts once per week or as substitute drivers. Friendly Visitors volunteers provide weekly one-hour companionship visits to isolated seniors. To volunteer for either program, please call (925)937-8311.


mix I have found is unfortunately only available at American Soil Products in Rich-mond. (They do deliver out here though!)

I recommend automatic irri-gation for your boxes. Over-head irrigation can be risky be-cause of rot and mold it can perpetuate. I sprinkler my leafy crops, but I drip or flood my tomatoes, beans, corn, and fruit trees. Unless you are a dedicated gardener that has the time to hand water your crops, automatic irrigation is the best way to go. All it takes is one hot afternoon to fry your seedlings!

Make your kitchen garden fun! Decorate it with fun and funky stuff. Add a water feature, old garden tools, statues, or whatever style décor you prefer. Make it a func-tional garden. It’s nice to have a potting bench or storage shed. Even a hot house is great for starting veggies from seeds in early spring.

A kitchen garden takes a certain level of commitment, but the results can be very satisfying. I love my kitchen garden. It brings me a lot of joy to watch a seed germinate, grow, and produce a delicious side dish at the dinner table, and my kids love wandering through it grazing on the strawberries, cherry tomatoes, peaches, and carrots.

A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Even though I love watching seeds grow, some of the better results I have come from buying my plants already started. For instance, buy corn in six-packs as early as possible. Buy tomato starts from the Contra Costa Master Gardener’s Great Tomato sale. The results are fun and abundant.

Gardening Quote of the Month: I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a row of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mosses from an Old Manse.

If you would like me to write on any particular subject, email your ideas to [email protected]. For design ideas, visit www.jm-la.com. Advertorial

Life in the Lafayette Garden A Kitchen GardenBy John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape Architect

As I peruse my garden I find myself left with deep disappointment about the success with this year’s crops. I chalk it up to several things: 1) It’s been a busy summer for John, and I haven’t given my veggies the tender love and care I normally do; 2) The weather has been weird - from high temperatures to chilly days with radical fluxes either way; 3) I have severely cut back

my water to conserve. Oh well, there is always next year! Here are some ideas if you are thinking of starting your kitchen garden.

A kitchen garden mixes practicality and beauty when designed as a garden element. A vegetable garden and fruit orchard can be a fruitful adventure (par-don the pun!). When done tastefully and designed with intention and purpose, a kitchen garden will yield enough delicious produce to feed a family of four easily. I approach the design of a kitchen garden as a main element in the overall theme of the landscape. Like a trellis, a water feature, or a garden path, the kitchen garden is a hardscape element that you can unleash your creative genius on.

The design of your kitchen garden should be functional. It should have a central pathway paved with a loose material such as crushed rock, pea gravel, or decom-posed granite fines (DG). The pathway should allow physical and visual access to the whole garden. Overall, the garden’s layout should attract its visitors to its heart, whether it is for a moment of reflection, to pick and eat some sun-ripened strawberries, to harvest bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and onions for a grill on the barbecue, or to relish in your handy-work when you see your spring-sown seeds germinating into a future harvest. The pathway system in your vegetable garden should be wide enough to get your wheelbarrow easily around your raised beds.

Most successful kitchen gardens in Lafayette have raised beds, usually 18” to 24” high, to get your vegetables up out of the adobe clay which is so prevalent in Lafayette. What you put in your raised beds is also very important. What I do for raised beds is construct them out of two 2” X 12” in height with 4” X 4” posts set into the ground with concrete footings to support them. You can make them in dif-ferent shapes depending on your design. Squares, rectangles, triangles, pentagons, and polygons are all acceptable. Once they are built I staple a solid layer of half inch galvanized hardware cloth across the bottom to keep the gophers and other varmints out. Then fill your boxes with a good organic vegetable mix. The soil is the most important aspect of a successful veggie garden. Make sure it contains certified organic material. Some store-bought composts of late contain low levels of herbicides which seem to retard seed germination. Other composts, especially the ones from recycled green waste, can contain some heavy metal elements. The best

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Brainwaves by Betsy Streeter

statement of hopes for loved ones, an expression of gratitude, a brief life story, foundational lessons to share, etc.

Ethical Wills are fairly rare these days, even though people have been writing them for several thousand years. For more information and resources, many good books and pamphlets are available, including several written by a leading author on the subject, Minnesota physician, Barry Baines. You might consult his website at www.ethicalwill.com, which contains excellent resources.

Another terrific way to capture this kind of legacy for your loved ones in perhaps an even more powerful and lasting way is to film your ethical will. The visual medium can present a magnificent, emotional connection to loved ones, particularly if filmed and edited well by a professional who specializes in such projects. Putting together a DVD is, for some, easier and more preferable than putting pen to paper. Creating your own, special film can be a wonderful gift to family and friends that can last decades. It is also frequently satisfying to the person making it because it helps reinforce that he or she has lived a remarkable life in his or her own way.

If you would like a referral to one of several professionals who concentrate on these kinds of projects (and offer free initial consultations), please do not hesitate to contact me. For my own part, I try to help weave into my clients’ estate planning documents (such as Wills and Living Trusts) content that not only covers their “valuables,” but that is also consistent with and reinforces the kinds of positive values they want to pass on.

Upon your request, I would be happy to provide you with any or all of the following, free: i) a tri-fold brochure on the pros/cons of alternative methods of holding title to property, ii) an “Estate Planning Primer,” iii) a complimentary introductory meeting.

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

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

Leaving a Lasting LegacyBy Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

As summer winds down and schools start up, fami-lies tend to shift back into a focused learning mode. Our children study history, world history; U.S. history, and California history.

As we get older, we tend to appreciate how inter-esting history is and how many valuable lessons can be learned by studying it. Ironically, family history - the most readily available kind, including the stories and lessons closest to our hearts – is often given little

attention. Many people know shockingly little about their line of descent; sometimes they don’t even know much about their own grandparents or parents.

We often hear: “Life is short.” At our core, we all want to be productive and useful, and we wish to leave a meaningful and lasting legacy of some kind – maybe to the world, but certainly to our loved ones. What’s one of the best ways to do that?

One great way is to try to live, and give your family an opportunity to live, a healthy, balanced, and comfortable life. A substantial part of doing so involves achieving a certain level of financial success, which often leads people to do “legacy planning” for the succession of their financial assets. They do so by establishing appropriate financial, estate, tax, insurance, and asset protection measures.

Most folks, however, miss a wonderful opportunity to incorporate something special into their legacy planning – taking specific steps to ensure that their stories, values, life lessons, hopes, aspirations, and/or dreams are passed on to loved ones.

My experience in talking with hundreds of people about estate planning is that almost everyone has interesting experiences to share and significant les-sons they’ve learned. The problem is that little, if any, ends up documented for the benefit of descendants.

Lip service is often given to how these “intangibles” are ultimately much more valuable than material wealth. Yet, compelling and marvelously illuminating per-sonal and family stories, feelings, morals, and the like are too often lost forever when someone dies. Sadly, the essence of these deceased loved ones is then unavailable to help teach their descendants the ways of the world, how to adjust their compasses, and what tools they might employ to help them enrich their life journeys.

So, what might you do to leave a more meaningful and lasting legacy than solely planning with respect to your monetary assets? For starters, you might write an “Ethical Will.” An Ethical Will is not a legal document, and it can take on any number of forms. It can be as simple as writing a list of core values, a

Ask Dr. Happy By Bob Nozik, MDDear Dr. Happy,

John and I are both in our mid 20’s and have been married three years. Before we married, I thought I wanted children, but John wasn’t sure. Now, however, I know I want at least two children, but John isn’t ready; in fact, he says he may never be ready. Except for this, we get along great. But, more recently, we’ve begun having screaming fights whenever the subject of having children comes up. Dr. H, I think John is being stubborn and selfish, and I’ve told him so. He says he’s

just being true to himself. I don’t know if I can stay married to him if he won’t change. I’m even thinking of skipping my birth control pills and not telling him. How can I convince him, Dr. H? ~ DesperateDear Desperate,

What we have here is the result of what happened, or did not happen, before you decided to marry each other. It is a good idea, when contemplating marriage, for each of you to figure out your list of non-negotiables, those things you must or must not have agreement on in order for you to marry. And whether to have or not to have children has got to be right at the top of this list. Because you and John didn’t do that, I’m afraid that your marriage is seriously threatened, and, therefore, I recommend couples counselling because of this impasse. One thing I caution you against is stopping birth control without telling John. If you were to become pregnant, he might never forgive you. Deception is not the answer. You need to either come to an agreement with him on this, or you may need to end your union.Happiness Tip

Fifty percent of marriages today end in the dump heap of divorce while, in my view, half of those that remain intact are, by any standard, equally unsuccessful even though they stay together. This means only 25% of marriages are truly successful. There are many reasons for this poor record, but I believe one reason is a failure on the part of the couple to identify and discuss their non-negotiable issues, those things they each firmly believe must be included or avoided in the marriage for it to succeed. Failing to reach an agreement on these critical issues, I believe, dooms their marriage even before it begins. Certainly, this argues for more and better pre-marital counselling if we are to have more successful marital unions.

For questions for Dr. Happy email [email protected].


Mommy MakeoverBy Barbara Persons, MD, Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc.

As a mother of three and a Plastic Surgeon, I am acutely sensitive to how pregnancy effects our bodies.

The experience of having three children has given me a unique perspective regarding how we view ourselves as women and mothers. I understand what it is to be a busy mother and what it is to want my body to look and feel like it did before I had children.

I understand the work of trying diet and exercise and the limitations of the abdominal muscles that are simply in need of a little work that even a million sit-ups will not provide.

A Mommy Makeover surgery at Persons Plastic Surgery takes place at our certified surgery center, the Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Center in La-fayette, over the course of a morning or afternoon. It is performed under a light sleep anesthesia. After surgery, you will be able to go home or to a recovery suite in town with a private nurse. A patient is required to take two weeks off from work and other duties in order to recover. I stay in close contact with each patient.

A Mommy Makeover is not just one procedure, but it’s a combination of individualized procedures (outlined below) that lift, tighten, and shape your body to help reverse the rapid changes that occur during and following pregnancy and breast feeding. Mastopexy (Breast Lift) and Augmentation

Breast surgery can be considered as early as six months following the completion of breast feeding. A mastopexy, or breast lift, restores the shape of the breast and also the size and location of the nipple. Although a breast lift without implant may be just right for many women, some women may want a mastopexy augmentation for additional size and projection. The augmentation can be achieved with a silicone or saline implant, or with autologous fat grafting.

Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck)An abdominoplasty, commonly called a “tummy tuck,” is a plastic sur-

gery procedure which flattens the abdomen by tightening the muscles of the abdominal wall, and it involves removing excess skin, fat, and stretch marks. The abdomen tends to take on a rounded appearance as we age, as our weight fluctuates, and after such events as childbirth. The muscle and tissues of the abdomen are weakened, and the skin becomes stretched, so no amount of sit-ups or leg raises can remove this shape. A Tummy Tuck can re-contour and reposition these tissues with the added benefit of removing any pre-existing scars from the lower abdomen. Reshaping of Buttocks and Flanks (Vaser, Laser and Traditional Liposuction)

A trained plastic surgeon with the right tools is able to use liposuction techniques to alter the shape of the body through the removal and transfer of fat. An alternative to traditional liposuction, Vaser Liposuction uses advanced ultrasound technology designed to gently reshape the body. Sound energy is transmitted through small probes that diffuse the ultrasound waves and liquefy the fat for easy removal. I combine Vaser Liposuction with Laser Liposuction to achieve a result which is natural appearing and with less skin laxity.

One more thing…the natural childbirth experience or just genetics can weaken and alter the shape and aesthetics of the female pelvic floor. When these struc-tures are weakened vaginal rejuvenation surgery is an option. This can be used to improve the aesthetic appearance of the labia and can also rejuvenate to improve sexual function. There is also a G spot shot and a C spot shot of natural filler. These are the not often talked about, but they are highly satisfying procedures.

Motherhood is wonderful and my children are the joy of my life. I am passion-ate about helping my patients achieve realistic goals through plastic surgery. My patients tell me every day that they are thankful for the changes we accomplished together. They tell me they wish they had done it sooner. I would be happy to consult with you about your desires and goals concerning the rejuvenation of your body.

Barbara L. Persons, MD is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Sur-gery, Inc. located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She may be reached at 925.283.4012 or [email protected]. Advertorial

Camera continued from front pageactivated still cameras. The other two cost-prohibitive options included Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and automated license plate readers (ALPR).

After just a few months in operation, it is has become clear that the cameras are worth every penny. Chief Christensen cites several successful cases where the cameras have led his staff to arrests. Recently, a rare armed robbery took place in a driveway in the Happy Valley area. The victim called the LPD immediately after the suspect took-off, and based on the time of the incident and location, LPD was able to use footage from the new cameras to determine that 85 vehicles had driven the road to and from the victim’s home at about that time. LPD staff then hit the computers to get a read on all 85 license plates. They determined that only two of the 85 cars were not registered to Lamorinda drivers. Of the two non-Lamorinda plates, LPD found that one registered owner had a previous record – for armed robbery. “When we get clear images of license plates, it becomes a competition in the office to see who can find the perpetrator first,” says Christensen. “We get into it. We want to find the bad guys, and we catch them a lot.”

Non-residents commit nearly all of the robberies in Lafayette, and 95% of these criminals arrive in Lafayette by car via very limited entry points. The other 5% arrive by BART. The cameras now catch an image of nearly every car coming in and out of town. While the LPD has neither the time nor inclination to monitor every image of every car (Christensen is quick to point out that LPD has no interest in positioning itself as “Big Brother”) the footage is there and available when it is needed to solve a crime.

Christensen, in addition to acknowledging his incredibly dedicated staff, credits an active and committed citizenry with helping boost Lafayette’s “solve” rate. A number of Lafayette neighborhoods have banded together to fund installation of cameras at entry/exit points, and many homeowners have their own surveillance systems in place. Christensen cites another example of a successful team effort: A home robbery recently took place on Reed Drive in Burton Valley. A resident of that street mentioned to LPD that another resident’s security camera is aimed at the street. With cooperation of the camera’s owner, LPD were able to identify the make, model and year of the suspect vehicle, and were even able to get a clear image of the car’s driver. Again, LPD staff jumped on their computers to sift through DMV records, and was able to find a match. An arrest was made.

“The community and our department are a great team,” says Christensen.

“When we work together, we are able to resolve issues. Technology has gotten so much better, and these various camera systems are allowing us to catch the bad guys. That’s what we like to do, and we are good at it.”

Chief Christensen encourages neighborhoods and individuals with surveillance systems to notify him ([email protected]) so that the teamwork principle can be utilized to greatest effect. “The more criminals we can catch, the more the word gets out within their network that it’s a real gamble to hit Lafayette,” says Christensen. “And the odds of making a clean getaway are not in their favor.”

LPD and the Crime Prevention Commission remind all citizens that the majority of Lafayette crime is due to opportunity. They offer these tips:

* Know your neighbors and their schedules.* Be aware of suspicious activity and out-of-place cars.* Always lock house and car doors and windows, even if just stepping away

for a minute. * Keep important personal documents in a secure place – preferably a safe that

cannot be picked-up and carried. * Create a jewelry box decoy; fill it with costume items and hide the good stuff.If you have any suspicions about anything or anyone, call the Police

immediately at 925-284-5010 or email at [email protected].

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Your Personal NutritionistEat Out Healthy and You Will EnjoyBy Linda Michaelis RD MS

The good weather always brings people out to enjoy restaurants. In my practice I have observed that healthy eaters at home are not necessarily healthy eaters at restaurants. I often hear

clients say they just want to indulge, or they just want to eat what they want. Others say there is never anything healthy on a menu, or the healthy items just don’t look appetizing. Honestly, this is where diners go wrong.

It is my job as a nutritionist to coach my clients into un-derstanding that they do not have to deprive themselves in a restaurant and can always walk out feeling like they had an enjoyable meal. Here are some tips I find useful.1. Speak to a Manager (not the Server)

Instead of ordering one of the “healthful” items on the menu (let’s face it, they can be bland), you can often order off the menu. You will need to talk to someone who knows all about the food and can make some revisions in preparation meth-ods such as using no butter or less oil, or grilling or sauteing instead of frying. Managers are able to offer more interesting and flavorful suggestions according to your palette. I suggest my clients make a phone call previous to the dinner to discuss this with the restaurant staff so they will not feel that they are holding up their party with their special requests. I often will call the restaurant for my client and figure out the best entrees to order, and then my client can be happy to dine will all of the decision challenges removed. Some clients tell me that they do not even open the menu; they just sit, relax, and socialize.2. Skip the Salad

If you are ordering the salad “because it is healthy” or to get veggies, forget it. Salads often consist of lettuce of low nutrient value (dark greens have all the nutrition) along with high fat surprises such as croutons, cheese, nuts, bacon, and dressing-- adding up to as much as 500 calories for a side salad. Just order double veggies and no starch with the meal. If the meal is a la carte, order a side of broccolini or spinach.3. Don’t Trust Your Instincts

Unless you decide from the beginning to share an entree with a friend, it is best to avoid restaurants that serve large portions. Dr. Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindful Eating, showed in his research that people tend to eat 30-50% more when served large portions in restaurants, even if it does not taste good.4. Ask for the Doggie Bag with Dinner

I recently read in People magazine that it is chic to ask for a doggie bag along with your dinner order, so don’t feel uncomfortable about this. It really works. Chances are you won’t even miss the extra portion, and you will have a yummy lunch for the next day.5. Stand Up and Lose Weight

Have you often noticed that it is not until you stand up at the end of a meal that you notice how full you are? It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to send the “I am full” message to your brain. Find an excuse, such as going to the bathroom, to stand up midway during your meal and check in with yourself to see if you have had enough to eat.6. Look at the Dessert Menu

If my client is a dessert person, I tell them to look at the dessert menu first and then order backwards. Plan your meal around the wonderful cheesecake. This means go lite on the bread, and eat more protein foods and veggies.7. Create Closure to the Meal

Most of us need a signal that the meal is over. Unfortunately, for many

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082514cCT_Lafayette_LafToday_A.indd 1 8/25/14 3:33 PMof us it is when the food is gone and your plate is empty. I suggest a closure technique to reduce nibbling such as moving the plate away, covering it with salt and pepper, or ordering a cup of coffee to nicely end the meal.

I assure you if you take these seven suggestions seriously you will not gain weight when dining at restaurants you frequent, even if you dine out several times a week. If you feel like you need a coach to hold your hand and help you lose weight the right way for once and for all, I would be thrilled to help you. I am glad to inform you that my services are covered by most insurances such as Aetna, Sutter Select, ABMG, Health Net, Hill Physicians, and other established companies. Please feel free to call me at (925) 855-0150 or email me at [email protected], and tell me about your nutritional concerns. Refer to my website www.LindaRD.com for past articles, recipes, and nutrition tips in my blog section. Advertorial


Walking Keeps Prostate HealthyBy Brian Hopkins

We all know that if you want to improve your qual-ity of life, you need to exercise more, eat healthy, and maintain an ideal weight, right? Not surprising, new research suggests that exercise both before and after prostate cancer diagnosis can maximize your chances of longer survival.

What was more interesting was that the exercise of choice was brisk walking, not vigorous running or

cycling. According to the researchers who presented their data at the American Association for Cancer Research – Prostate Cancer Foundation Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research, men who had a history of walking briskly prior to a prostate cancer diagnosis had more normally shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumors after diagnosis. And based on previous research, studies have shown that men with small, irregularly shaped vessels in their prostate tumor (found in the low to no exercise group) were linked to an increased risk of death. The theory is that a more normally shaped vessel in the prostate tumor may inhibit cancer spread in the body and improve the response rate to anti-cancer therapies.

But what if you have prostate cancer? Don’t despair; exercise can still help. Other studies show significant benefits of exercise for you, too. One study showed that men who walked briskly for 90 minutes or more per week lowered their risk of dying from any cause by 46% (compared to men who walked slower and less often). And men who exercised vigorously three or more hours per week had a 61% lower risk of prostate cancer death (compared to men who exercised vigorously less than one hour a week). Another study showed that men diagnosed with cancer who burned approximately 3,000 calories or more a week doing physical exercise lower their risk of death from any cause by 50% compared to men who burned 500 calories from exercise. And lastly, research from a UCSF study reported that men who exercised vigorously three hours or more a week showed increases to several genes which are thought to stand in the way of cancer progression.

My recommendation is to keep your blood vessels shapely and burn more calories by taking yourself out for a really fast walk – doctor’s orders!

Interested in learning more about men's health issues? Join me and other John Muir Health physicians as we discuss health issues that affect all men. The “Men’s Health Seminar – Keeping You Healthy” is a free community seminar that will cover a variety of topics including erectile dysfunction, prostate health, and low testosterone. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 9, 6 – 7:30pm at the John Muir Medical Center Concord Campus. To register, call (925) 941-7900.

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 information or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.pacificurology.com or call 925-937-7740. Advertorial

Update on Blood Cancer - CLLBy Kasra Karamlou, MD

Blood cancers affect the production and function of your blood cells. There are three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In most blood cancers, the normal blood cell develop-ment process is interrupted by uncontrolled growth of an abnormal or cancerous blood cell.

There are three common types of blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

Leukemia is found in the blood and bone marrow. It is caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells. High numbers of abnormal white blood cells are not able to fight infection, and they impair the ability of bone marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets.

Lymphoma affects the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system removes excess fluids from the body and produces immune cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that fights infection. Abnormal lymphocytes turn into lymphoma cells, which multiply, collect in person’s lymph nodes, and over time can impair your immune system.

Myeloma is a blood cancer that specifically targets plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells that produce disease and infection fighting anti-bodies. Myeloma cells prevent the normal production of antibodies, leaving the body’s immune system weakened and susceptible to infection.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia seen in the Western Hemisphere. The majority of patients with the disease do not require therapy. However, for most patients who required therapy, the standard chemotherapy and antibody based therapies can have substantial toxicities and options for patients with recurrent disease has been limited in the past. There has been tremendous progress in understanding the biology of CLL, which has led to the introduction of novel therapies in the management of the disease. The role of B cell receptor in survival of CLL cells has led to the introduction and approval of two novel therapies, Ibritunib and Idelalisib. Both drugs inhibit the B cell receptor survival and migration signaling in CLL cells and have shown to produce durable responses in relapsed CLL with manageable side effects. These novel therapies are being studied in the upfront management of the disease as well and the results of these studies are eagerly awaited.

Dr. Karamlou is a medical oncologist and hematologist with Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group. He treats all tumor types with a special interest in hematological malignancies (Lymphoma, Leukemia, MDS and myeloma). Dr. Karamlou sees patients in Pleasant Hill and Brentwood and can be reached at 925-677-5041 or at dvohmg.com. Advertorial

Over two days and four stages there will be continuous music and dancing -- with no cover charge! Familiar tunes will be played by 20 of the Bay Area’s best headliner cover bands, including The Sun Kings, Foreverland, Aja Vu, Petty Theft, Stealin’ Chicago, Zebop, The Spazmatics, The Big Jangle, East Bay Mudd, Night Moves, Bay Bridge Beat, Duo Gadjo, Other People’s Money, Juice, Bob Athayde & Friends, Acoustic S&M, Juke Joint, Red House All Stars, and Dominant 7. Vote for your favorites via text in the“Best of the Festival” band contest, and you can win great prizes.

Popular wines, beers, and ales will be served throughout the Festival footprint, but the real action for connoisseurs happens in the Premium Wine & Craft Beer Pavilion, where there are selections of high-end wines and craft beer that most people never get a chance to taste, including wines from the backyard vineyards of Lamorinda.

More than 20 of Lafayette’s top restaurants are in the Festival’s footprint, plus there are dozens of other food vendors and food trucks that offer everything from pulled pork tacos to crab cakes.

People from all over the Bay Area come to shop at the Festival's 260+ local and regional artists booths, including the “Local Artists Alley” which showcases Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda fine artists who are members of the Lafayette Gallery and Lamorinda Arts Alliance.

Listen – and watch! Local artists will be creating original art pieces to the rhythms of the Fiesta Lane Art Stage band music. Like what you see? You can buy it! Proceeds from the sale of this art will go to support Meals on Wheels.

Festival continued from front page

People move to Lafayette for the family friendly lifestyle, so it’s no surprise that this is a family friendly festival, starting with a large KID-ZONE. New for 2014 there will be an interactive “Punch & Judy” style puppet show! There will also be plenty for family dogs to see and smell, as well as easy access to Festival water bowls!

This event is a fundraiser that supports the Lafayette Chamber’s many programs, Lafayette Partners in Education (“LPIE”), and other local non-profits, but attendees don't have to spend. The Festival Experience offers many things that are free -- admission (including access to music stages), parking, easy shuttle service from Festival parking, and secure bike valet.

The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is an annual event that promotes Lafayette’s downtown and raises money for local education, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and many other local non-profit organizations. For complete Lafayette Art & Wine Festival details, go to www.lafayettefestival.com.

Is Food a Problem for You? Overeaters Anonymous offers a fellowship of individuals who, through

shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive overeating. This is a 12-step program. The free meetings are for anyone suffering from a food addiction including overeating, under-eating, and bulimia. The group meets Wednesdays at 6PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette. Visit www.how-oa.org for more information.


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Events for Lafayette SeniorsAll classes are held at the Lafayette Senior

Center (LSC) located at 500 Saint Mary’s Rd in Lafayette unless otherwise noted. Space is limited. Please call 925-284-5050 to reserve a spot. Document Your Life Story If you have wanted to write the stories, memories and experiences of your life but haven’t known where to start, wait no longer. You will be guided through the process of leaving a living history for future generations-what a gift! These are not drop-in classes, but are meant to be taken as a complete course. Dates, times, and meeting rooms to be determined. Please call Lafayette Senior Services for details: (925) 284-5050.Digital Camera 101- The Basics Wednesday, 10/15 • 10:30AM – Noon • Cedar Room, LCC - You’ve got your digital camera. You’ve taken some the photographs. Now what? Learn the basics of how to take photos efficiently, download them to your computer, organize, view, and print them. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Origami for Beginners Wednesday, 9/10 • 2:30 – 3:30PM • Elderberry Room, LCC - Origami was first introduced to the world by Japan. It is the craft of folding paper into a piece of artwork. Although there are very intricate designs available, beginning paper folders need to start with a basic design. Please bring one crisp, new one-dollar bill with which to make a special creation. Paper for all other projects will be provided. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Apple Basics Thursday, 9/18 • 10:30AM - Noon • Elderberry Room, LSC - This series will start at the very beginning: the technology needed for wireless communication, your Apple ID, iTunes, iCloud, and the basics of iPad and iPhone usage. Topics for future sessions will be determined by participants’ input and needs. There will be time for Q&A at the end of each class. Please note: this series deals with Apple devices only. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.‘As The Page Turns’ Book Club Tuesday, 9/16 • 1:00PM – 2:30PM • Cedar Room, LSC - Looking for a good book to discuss with others? Join this informal group of booklovers and enjoy enrichment, lively discussion, fellowship and refreshments. Please call Lafayette Senior Services for the book title and to add your name to the email notification list: 284-5050. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Caregiver Support Group Mondays, 9/8, 9/22 • 1:30PM – 2:30PM • Elderberry Room, LSC - If you are a family member helping to care for an older adult, join our support group to find balance and joy as you manage your responsibilities. Drop-ins are welcome. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Men’s Slow Pitch Softball League, 68 years and up This new Lamorinda team for players with varying levels of experience focuses on fun, camaraderie and safety. Games in this recreational league will be Wednesdays, 9-10:30AM. Teams played will be Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and Concord. First-year start-up fees are estimated at $50-$55/player; fees in subsequent years will be lower. To sign-up, hear more details and ask questions, come to the informational meeting Tuesday, September 16th at 10AM, Buckeye Fields Meeting Room, 711 St. Mary’s Rd., Lafayette. For more information, please email Alan at [email protected] and use “softball” in the subject line.Words of Wisdom...From the Philosophical to the Lighthearted Third Tuesday Monthly, 9/16 • 10:30AM–noon • Cedar Room, LSC - Take part in this free-wheeling exchange of inspiration, information, and humor. Topics – from soup to nuts - will be explored, examined, and discussed by participants. Stories and photographs will stimulate humorous discoveries regarding the benefits of becoming the ‘elders of our tribe.’ Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Lafayette Oral History Project Do you have stories about Lafayette in the days of yore? Allow Ryan to document that history which will then be included in the Lafayette Historical Societies’ archives, preserved for generations to come. All you have to do is tell those stories to Ryan; he’ll do the writing. You’ll receive a copy of the final document at the time of completion. Call Lafayette Senior Services for details and to be a part of this project. No charge.Lamorinda Dance Social Wednesdays • 12:30 – 3PM • Live Oak Room, LCC - Enjoy afternoon dancing every Wednesday, and learn some great new dance moves. On the first Wednesday monthly, professional dancers Karen and Michael will provide a dance lesson and live DJ services, playing your favorites and taking requests. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Lafayette Senior Services Commission 4th Thursday of the month


from 3:30 – 5:30PM at the LSC - View agendas at the City of Lafayette of-fice or at www.ci.lafayette.ca.us. Lamorinda Nature Walk and Bird-Watching Every Wednesday • 9AM - Noon • Alder Room, LSC - Experience nature at its finest along our local trails. Delight in the beauty that unfolds around each bend, all the while learning to identify a variety of birds. Bring a water bottle; binoculars will be helpful if you have them. Join us every Wednesday or whenever you are able.Come Play Mahjong! Every Tuesday • Noon–3PM • Sequoia Room, LSC - Come join us on Tuesdays for a drop-in game of mahjong. Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and certain degree of chance. All levels welcome. Bring your card, a mahjong set, and a snack to share (optional). RSVP not required.Creative Writing Workshop Tuesdays, 9/9, 9/23 • 11:00AM - 12:30PM • Toyon Room, LSC - Examine the possibilities of self-expression through writing. This friendly drop-in group, with an ever-changing membership but lots of returning participants, will welcome you and any of your writing efforts. As there is no teaching instructor, you will find encouragement and feedback from your fellow participants who will help bring out the writer in you. If you can speak, you can write! Beginners to established writers welcome. Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Positive Living Forum (“Happiness Club”) Thursdays • 10:30AM – noon • 9/11 Elderberry Room, LSC - Brighten your day with Dr. Bob Nozik, MD, Prof. Emeritus UCSF and author of Happy 4 Life: Here’s How to Do It. Brighten your day and take part in this interactive gathering which features speakers on a wide range of topics that guide participants toward a more ideal and positive life experience. Drop-ins welcome! Free for Members/ $5 non-members.Free Peer Counseling 2nd Tuesday monthly • 10AM - noon • Alder Room, LCC - Contra Costa Health Services offers free one-on-one counseling with senior (55+) counselors who use their life experiences to help other older adults cope with life changes, problems, crises, and challenges. Confidentiality is strictly observed. Appointment required. Please call Lafayette Senior Services at 284-5050 to sign up for one of the 60-minute appointments. Local Church Provides Community Care

Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian’s Stephen Ministry has 25 trained lay people who provide ongoing, one-on-one Christian care to those in our congregation and in the community who are experiencing transitions in their lives. LOPC Stephen Ministry is confidential and is provided at no cost. A Stephen Minister is...

• A congregation member with a gift for listening,• A lay person who has received 50 hours training in providing emotional

and spiritual care,• A committed caregiver who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages

those who are hurting, and• Someone who will “be there” for his or her care receiver, meeting

faithfully for about an hour each week, for as long as there’s a need.Stephen Ministers are available for those who are dealing with illness or

hospitalization, loneliness, aging, being shut-in, separation due to military deployment, death or serious loss, separation or divorce, disabilities, or grief and anxiety.

If you know of someone who would benefit from the ongoing confidential, no cost, spiritual, and emotional support of a Stephen Minister, contact Jean Lee at (925) 943-2237, or visit www.lopc.org/care_stephen_ministry.asp.


C L A S S I F I E D S Lafayette Today ClassifiedsReach over 12,000 homes and businesses in Lafay-ette - 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 “Danville Today News” 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.

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Lamorinda Senior Transportation An Alliance of Transportation Providers

Lamorinda Spirit Van 283-3534Takes Lamorinda Seniors to errands, appointments, grocery shopping,

special events, and to lunch at the C.C. Café. Reserve your ride at least two business days in advance – sooner or when you make your appointment if possible. WE LOVE TO SAY “YES”! Help us update our records by letting us know your email address, cell phone, and birthday.Contra Costa Yellow Cab and DeSoto Company 284-1234

20% discount for Lamorinda seniors. Orinda Seniors Around Town 402-4506 Volunteer drivers serving Orinda seniors with free rides to appointments and errands. Senior Helpline Services Rides for Seniors 284-6161

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

GOPHER REMOVAL SERVICETRAPPING-NO-POISONSafe for your family, pets, and the ecosystem: Call Tri Valley Trapper for free consultation/estimate: 925-765-4209.

NUISANCE WILDLIFE CONTROL

Do Something New! A Train Trip to Old Sacramento and Other New AdventuresBy Mary Bruns, Lamorinda Senior Transportation

I really enjoyed my trip to Funston Beach Dog Park with my daughter and her two dogs, Andre and Ellie. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the breeze was perfect, and the waves were just right. Even though I worriedly noticed the downhill trek to the beach, which meant we would have to go uphill to get back to the car, my daughter was very solicitous and let me hold onto her as we slipped and slid through the sand to and from the beach. Since we wanted to have a picnic, we carried food, blankets, and jackets – way too much stuff for our outing, but we were prepared for our adventure.

Author Neale Donald Walsch reminds us, “It is time to move into unchartered lands. If you want to do something you have never done before, you have to do something you have never done before. If you want to go somewhere you have never gone before, you have to go somewhere you have never gone before. You cannot do something new by doing old things. If you want your life to change, you have to change your life.”

As fall begins, our lunch driver, Eddie, will be taking some of the Lamorinda Spirit Van passengers on a train day-trip from Martinez to Old Sacramento on Saturday, September 13. We invite you to do something new and come along. Bring about $75 to cover lunch, van, and train fares as well as a little extra for any window shopping purchases. Call 283-3534 for more information.

Are you interested in walking the Lafayette Reservoir and perhaps doing easy yoga afterwards to help with balance? Lafayette resident, Jim Scala is starting a new group for older adults that meets mornings at 11:15am on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning mid-September. Call 284-5050 to express interest.

A free financial planning day titled Mind Your Money is being offered for one-on-one financial planning sessions along with a job fair and workshop at Oakland City Hall located at 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza (between Broadway and Clay Street) on Saturday, October 4th from 9am to 4pm. For questions, additional information, and early registration, visit www.FinancialPlanningDays.org.

The Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCTA) is seeking public input on transportation issues, programs, and projects to be reviewed and included in the Countywide Transportation Plan. The CCTA has set up a special website which takes you to an online public participation tool where you can select your transportation priorities as well as share your ‘Bright Ideas’ about improving transportation in Contra Costa County to learn more visit www.KeepContraCostaMoving.net. A paper copy of the online tool is also available and can be requested by calling 925-256-4720 or by sending an email to [email protected].

Funding the California Senior Legislature (which advocates for Seniors’ needs) Governor Jerry Brown recently signed SB997 authored by Senator Mike Morrell (23rd District – Rancho Cucamonga). The bill allows California taxpayers to donate directly to the new California Senior Legislature Fund through their filed state income tax returns. The California Senior Legislature Fund will be one among several included on the volunteer contribution list of ‘tax check-offs’ that gives Californians the opportunity

to easily donate to non-profits of their choosing.The California Senior Legislature is a state entity, but is not funded

by the state. “The Governor’s signing of SB 997 recognizes the critical role seniors, and especially the California Senior Legislature, play in our state’s lawmaking process,” said Morrell. “Their unique voice on issues impacting seniors is crucial to the work my colleagues and I do every day. I’m confident SB 997 will preserve the funding this group needs to continue its advocacy.”

Hearing Loss Association Come to meetings of the Diablo Valley Chapter of Hearing Loss Association

of America at 7pm on the first Wednesday of the month at the Walnut Creek United Methodist Church located at 1543 Sunnyvale Ave., Walnut Creek Education Bldg., Wesley Room. Meeting room and parking are at the back of the church. All are welcome. Donations are accepted. Assistive listening system are available for T-coils, and most meetings are captioned. Contact [email protected] or (925) 264-1199 or www.hearinglossdv.org.

lafayette today, september 2014

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