Sec 1

Transcription

Sec 1 - DanvilleSanRamon.com

Boy, 17, shot in Danville
Teenager dies in hospital after shooting °page 5
6OL)6.UMBERs*ANUARY
WWW$ANVILLE7EEKLYCOM
Trash exam
in middle
school
A rich
fantasy life
Author publishes
inventive new
series
Students shocked
by the food items
that are thrown out
°
page 6
°
page 15
Mailed free to homes in Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo and Alamo
Witness to history
/URMANIN7ASHINGTON
FINDS$ANVILLEFOLKSATHISTORIC
)NAUGURATIONPAGE 12
Law Offices of Terence Daniel Doyle
The Family Law Group
Family Law
Family Law Mediation
Trusts and Estates
Wealth Management
French Café & Bakery
Tired of the same options for lunch at the office?
Call Pascal's to order soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Check out our website for our complete menu.
Serving fair trade coffee
Complimentary Initial Consultation
Terence Daniel Doyle
David J. Golde
Richard D. Grossman
Virgina L. Ekelund
Daniel T. Quane
Voted Best
French Restaurant
2 years!
www.pascalcafe.com
www.FamilyTrustsandEstates.com
Monday-Friday-6 AM to 3 PM ~ Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 3 PM
155 Railroad Ave., Danville ~ 925.838.7349
A FREE Community Seminar
MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENTS FOR
VARICOSE VEINS
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Varicose veins and spider veins can
be more than a cosmetic concern.
They can lead to night cramps, leg
swelling, itching, fatigue, and even
ulcers. An estimated one in 10
people has varicose veins. Most are
women, particularly those who sit or
stand for long periods of time, have
been pregnant, or do anything else
that places pressure on the veins
and restricts blood flow. In the past,
vein stripping surgery was the only
solution. Today we perform minimally
invasive laser treatments that usually
result in mild discomfort and fast
recovery. Vascular Specialist Dr.
Soohyun Kim will discuss surgical
and non-surgical treatments for
varicose veins and how to reduce
pain and discomfort. She will be
available for your questions.
>ÃÃ>}iÊÛÞ½ÃÊ«ÀviÃÃ>ÊÌiÀ>«ÃÌÃÊÜÊi«ÊÞÕÊviiÊÀiÕÛi>Ìi`ÊÜiÊÌ½ÃÊÃÌÊ
VÛiiÌÊvÀÊÞÕ°ÊÊÃÌ}ÊiÕÀÊÃiÃÃÊÃÊÞÊf{ÊvÀÊvÀÃÌÌiÊ}ÕiÃÌÃ°Ê
`Ê>ÃÃ>}iÊÛÞÊÃÊ«iÊÜii}ÌÃÊ>`ÊÜiii`ÃÊÌÊ>VV`>ÌiÊÞÕÀÊLÕÃÞÊ
ÃVi`Õi°ÊÊ-ÊÜiÌiÀÊÞÕÊÜ>ÌÊÌÊÕÜ`Ê>vÌiÀÊÜÀÊÀÊiÞÊ>ÊÃÌ}Ê-Õ`>ÞÊ
>vÌiÀ]ÊÞÕÊV>Ê>Ü>ÞÃÊv`Êi>Ûi]Ê>ÌÊ>ÃÃ>}iÊÛÞ°
->Ê,>
Î££Ê
ÀÜÊ
>ÞÊ*°]Ê
7>ÕÌÊ
Àii
£n£xÊ9}>VÊ6>iÞÊ,`°
Ê
ÀÜÊ
>ÞÊ
Ã
>VÀÃÃÊvÀÊi>ÌiÀÊ>ÀÃ
ÓxnÈÈÎnÎn
Óx{ÇnÎnÎn
{
I
ÌÀ`ÕVÌÀÞÊ£ÕÀ
>ÃÃ>}iÊ-iÃÃ
ÛiiÌÊÕÀÃÊÊÀÊnÊ>Ê«ÊÊÊ->ÌÊnÊ>nÊ«ÊÊÊ-ÕÊ£äÊ>ÈÊ«ÊÊÊ>ÃÃ>}iÛÞ°V
ÊIÊ6>`ÊvÀÊvÀÃÌÊiÊÕÀÊÃiÃÃÊÜVÊVÃÃÌÃÊvÊxäÊÕÌiÊ>ÃÃ>}iÊ>`ÊÌiÊvÀÊVÃÕÌ>ÌÊ>`Ê`ÀiÃÃ}°ÊÊ^ÊÓäänÊ>ÃÃ>}iÊÛÞÊÌi`]Ê
°
At Home Decor & Design
MOVING SALE
We’re moving to Danville Feb. 1
SPEAKER
SEMINAR LOCATION
Soohyun Kim, M.D., R.V.T.
Vascular and Endovascular
Specialist
San Ramon Regional Medical Center
South Conference Room
South Building
7777 Norris Canyon Road
San Ramon, CA 94583
50% OFF
Storewide
Wallpaper
Reservation Required
Call 800.284.2878 or visit www.sanramonmedctr.com
Furniture
Framed Art
Fabric remnants
Ceramics
Candles
Store Samples
Lamps
Drapery Hardware
EVERYTHING!!
Accessories
275-8055
460 Montgomery St. San Ramon, Ca 94583
(Market Pl. Shopping Center. Next to B of A)
Prices taken off suggested retail. Good for instore items only.
Page 2ÊUÊ>Õ>ÀÞÊÓÎ]ÊÓääÊUÊ>ÛiÊ7iiÞ
f
Streetwise
‘...He knows how to make
his case with carefullyreasoned storytelling and
plaintive questions...’
ASKED IN DANVILLE
How do you alleviate stress?
READ MORE/COMMENT
I do yoga twice a week. It helps me refocus on
my priorities. I would love to do it everyday.
Heather Brown
Mother Nature
¦
Q:
Town
Square
Forum
4KKJWJSIX
I eat and walk. I don’t listen to music when
I walk; it’s more relaxing that way. I like it
because the phone is not ringing and I can
hear my own thoughts.
Marina Leusing
stay-at-home mom
I kind of thrive on stress. I am adrenaline
based. I eat, drink, exercise, have a meltdown
and then regroup. That’s my cycle.
Heidi Stepp
sales
I take a bike ride or go for a walk. I walk a
lot! I try to do it a couple of times a week.
Child rearing can be stressful. Being Mr.
Mom is not easy.
Far Niente - Nickel and Nickel
Winemaker Dinner - January 27, 2009
Ron Tess
$95
Mr. Mom
6:00-7:00 Wine and Cheese Reception at The Vine
I play with my Heeley shoes. I also like
to go motocrossing on my new bike.
It’s so much fun.
(Nickel and Nickel Vineyard Designate Tasting)
7:00 Dinner at Bridges
Om Kumar
44 Church Street
Danville
925.820.7200
www.bridgesdanville.com
Wolf Scout
COMPILED BY PATTY BRIGGS
A B O U T T H E C OV E R
Events
In a scene combining 21st-century technology with good old-fashioned patriotism,
students from Pam Vamvouris’ fifth-grade class at Greenbrook Elementary School
in Danville watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama on Tuesday and take
photos with their cell phones. Photo by Geoff Gillette.
Vol. IV, Number 38
The Danville Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Publishing Co., 117 Town and Country Drive,
Suite D, Danville, CA 94526; (925) 837-8300. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending
at Danville CA. The Danville Weekly is mailed free to homes and apartments in Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo
and Alamo. Voluntary subscriptions at $30 per year ($50 for two years) are welcome from local residents.
Subscription rate for businesses and for residents of other communities is $50 per year. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to Danville Weekly, 117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526. © 2009 by
Embarcadero Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.
Jan. 28th 6:30-8pm
480 Hartz Avenue
Downtown Danville
925.820.7210
Wine Appreciation Class
California Region
$30
>ÛiÊ7iiÞÊUÊ>Õ>ÀÞÊÓÎ]ÊÓääÊU Page 3
N E W S F R O N T
C
NEWS DIGEST
ompassionate therapy
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
for change, helping
you move from merely
surviving to thriving.
Dr. Sara Denman
Licensed Psychologist | PSY19808
Areas of Dr. Denman’s expertise include, but are not limited to:
parenting challenges, eating issues, substance abuse,
anxiety, depression, past and present trauma, life changes,
and all forms of PTSD including Veterans.
145 East Prospect Ave Ste 218 | Danville | 925-648-4941
VOTE NO ON
INCORPORATION!
ALAMO SPOTLIGHT
YOUR COMMUNITY WEBSITE
www.AlamoSpotlight.com
WE R ALAMO
Help support our fight
against incorporation!
Volunteers and/or Donations Welcome!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (925) 820-8158
FPPC 1313955
A Professional Accounting Corporation
You’re More Than Just a Number!
ANT
IMPORT
“
I can’t believe the stuff that
people throw away.
— Sixth-grader Jonathan Adams during an audit of the lunch
hour trash at Charlotte Wood Middle School. See story, page 6.
Football ‘treasure’
to be honored
Famous face in Danville Brent Jones will
be honored at the Living Treasure program
tonight, Jan. 23, at the Danville Community
Center. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m.,
with the program plus Q&A from 7-9 p.m.
Jones played in the National Football
League for 12 years, was All-Pro four
years, Pro Bowl four years, and Super Bowl
Champion XXIII, XXlV and XXIX with the San
Francisco 49ers.
Jones lives in Danville with wife Dana and
two daughters, who went to Monte Vista High
School and are now in college. He was born
in San Jose and attended the University of
Santa Clara, where he graduated with a
BS in economics in 1985. He is owner of
Northgate Financial Services in Danville.
This program is free to the public. Call the
Museum of the San Ramon Valley at 8373750 to reserve a seat.
Hospice thrift shops
need gently used goods
Hospice of the East Bay urges folks to
resolve to get organized in 2009 and declutter their homes for a fresh start. Its thrift
stores need donations of gently used clothing, collectibles, furniture, housewares and
jewelry. Items can be dropped off at its shops
in Stone Valley Plaza (near Longs) in Alamo;
and at 444 Diablo Road in Danville, in Green
Valley Shopping Center next to the freeway.
Call 674-9072 for pickup of large items.
Proceeds from sales benefit patients and
families in the care of Hospice of the East Bay,
which was established in 1977 to help people
cope with life-limiting illnesses. Specialized
programs include Anna’s Program (for women
with recurrent breast cancer), Comfort for Kids
(pediatric hospice and palliative care), Skye’s
Angels (perinatal hospice care), and Bruns
House (in-patient hospice facility).
World Affairs come home
TIP FO
RY!
A
U
N
A
J
R
>ÌÊ
ÊÃV>ÃÊÌ

>

Êi
v
iÊ
Ê
ÀÊ}°Ê/
Ê
iÊ>Ü>Ài
i

>
Ê
,ÃÊ
ÌÞÊÕÃiÊ
Ìi`Êi>
V

Ã
vÀ>Õ`Õi

ÊÕ
ÕÌÊ
ÊÌÊÃi`
ÌÞÊÀÊ>VV
À
,-Ê`iÃ
Õ
V
i
ÌÊ
Ê
ÀÊ-V>
>ÊLiÊÃi
ÊV
Ã

>
>Ã}Êv

Êi
ÕÃ
°Ê-ÕÃ«V
Û°
ÕLiÀÃ
}JÀÃ°}

Ã

Ê«
Ì
>ÊÕÃÊÌÊ
ÃiÌÊÕ«Ê>Ê
>««ÌiÌÊ
vÀÊ>ÊVÃÕÌ>Ì°
vations call (415) 293-4600 or e-mail [email protected].
Future programs will include:
s “Dateline Havana: The Real Story of U.S.
Policy and the Future of Cuba” with Reese
Erlick, foreign correspondent and author;
Wednesday, March 18, at the Lafayette
Library, 952 Moraga Road; and
s “Guantanamo Trials for Terrorists” with Peter
Jan Honigsberg, USF Professor of Law, in
April at the Lafayette Library.
For more information, visit www.itsyourworld.org.
Senior Coalition sets
forum on abuse and fraud
Join the Central County Senior Coalition for
a free information fair and panel presentation
on “Elder Financial Abuse and Fraud: How
NOT to be a victim.” Panelists will include
the following experts: Virginia George, associate professor, director and supervising
attorney, JFK University Elder Law Clinic;
Cinda Stoddard, detective, Financial Crimes,
Concord Police Department; and Darren
Mazaika, CFE, credit card investigator,
Financial Crimes Investigations, Wells Fargo
Bank. The panel will be moderated by Karen
Stein, elder law attorney, Lafayette.
The free event will take place Thursday,
Feb. 12, at the Jewish Community Center,
2071 Tice Valley Blvd., in Walnut Creek.
The fair begins at 5 p.m., with a complimentary dinner and panel presentation from
6-8:15 p.m. Reservations are required and
space is limited. RSVP to Lindsay Freeman
by Feb. 2; telephone 787-5413 or e-mail
[email protected].
Go Hollywood—in Danville
When the red carpet is rolled out in February
for the 81st annual Academy Awards ceremony, Danville residents will have a chance
to get dressed up and head to the Village
Theatre, 233 Front St., for their own Oscar
Night. Danville Arts Commission Chairwoman
Celeste Evans said they will be holding their
annual Oscar party at the theater Feb. 22.
Residents will be able to come, relax in the
theater seating and watch the entire broadcast
on a 20-foot screen.
Evans said the doors will open at 4 p.m.
and the telecast begins at 5 p.m. Food will be
served, guests will be given the opportunity
to test their knowledge in games of movie
trivia, and prizes will be awarded throughout
the evening.
Tickets are $25 each, with funds raised
going to help with the cost of the annual
International Children’s Film Festival held in
the spring. Tickets can be ordered online at
www.caindiefest.com.
Julie Loomis, CPA
Óx®Ên{È£nxÊUÊÜÜÜ°V«>°iÌ
£äÓ{Ê-iÀ«iÌiÊ>i]Ê-ÕÌiÊ£äxÊUÊ*i>Ã>Ì
The East Bay World Affairs Council’s next program is “U.S.-Russia Relations: Challenges and
Opportunities for the Obama Administration,”
on Sunday, Feb. 8, at Diablo Country Club. The
presenter will be Ned Walker, executive director of the Berkeley Program in Eurasian and
East European Studies and Adjunct Associate
Professor in the Political Science Department
at UC Berkeley. Registration and reception
begin at 4:30 p.m. with the program at 5 p.m.,
and dinner at 7 p.m.
The cost for the program only is $10 for
members, $15 for non-members. The program plus a three-course dinner is $50 for
members, $55 for non-members. For reser-
”
Corrections The Weekly desires to correct all significant errors. To request a correction, call the editor at
(925) 837-8300 or e-mail: [email protected]
Newsfront
SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF DANVILLE U BLACKHAWK U DIABLO U ALAMO
Danville teen shot
and killed on porch
of his home
Police investigation focusing on boy’s known associates
by Geoff Gillette
who the people involved were.
Police have ruled out random
anville police are looking violence as a cause for the shootfor suspects in a Tuesday ing and are focusing on other stuevening shooting that left dents who were known to associa 17-year-old Danville
ate with Fuchs.
boy dead. Speaking
“We’ve talked to
to reporters at a press
friends, family and
conference,
Police
neighbors. It’s based on
Chief Chris Wenzel
the information we’ve
said they were called
collected at this point,”
to the 1000 block of El
Wenzel explained.
Capitan Drive at 9:15
No motive has been
p.m. on a report of a
given for the shooting.
gunshot.
Fuchs was a senior
At the scene, a young
at San Ramon Valley
man identified as Rylan
High School, set to
Rylan Fuchs
Fuchs was found bleedgraduate in June.
ing from a gunshot wound to the School District spokesman Terry
throat. Fuchs was transported to Koehne addressed reporters and
John Muir Medical Center, where offered the district’s sympathy to
he died of his injury at 5:20 a.m. Fuchs’ family.
Wednesday.
He said the students and faculty
Wenzel said Fuchs’ mother at SRVHS were shocked by the
reported hearing an altercation of news.
some sort outside the home prior to
“They’re very emotional.
the single gunshot. He did not say They’re trying to grapple with
how many people were on the porch
° Continued on page 8
at the time or whether she knew
D
COURTESY NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Danville pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III safely crash landed this US Airways plane in the Hudson River last week and made sure
all 155 passengers were safe.
Town readies for hero’s return
Danville pilot is national hero after amazing landing
by Geoff Gillette
Chesley “Sully”
Sullenberger III
and his family
were invited to
attend the Obama
Inauguration by
the first family. The
family is expected
to return to Danville
this weekend for a
town celebration.
D
anville residents are invited
to turn out this weekend
to celebrate the return of
Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III,
dubbed “The Hero of the Hudson”
following his miraculous landing
of US Airways flight 1549.
Mayor Newell Arnerich said the
Sullenberger family will be returning
to Danville and the town is preparing
a celebration in their honor. It will
take place at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan.
24, on the Town Green, 400 Front
St., in front of the library.
“Capt. Sully did something
extraordinary and unprecedented
on Jan. 15,” said Arnerich. “I can
think of at least 155 reasons why
our town should join together to
celebrate our neighbor and friend,
and his family.”
“We’re expecting several thousand
people to be there,” Arnerich added.
Town officials are working out
the logistics of making room for
the expected 200 members of the
media to cover the event and thousands of people. Heads of several
town departments, including police,
fire, streets and maintenance will be
scrambling to prepare for the influx
of such large numbers. Initial plans
may lead to several streets being
closed during the event.
Sullenberger, 57, of Danville,
was the pilot of Flight 1549,
bound from LaGuardia Airport to
Charlotte, N.C., on Jan. 15. The
plane lost its engines after striking
several geese. Displaying remarkable reflexes and presence of mind,
Sullenberger guided the de-powered airplane to a safe landing in
the Hudson River.
Cockpit recordings showed that
Sullenberger radioed in about a “double strike” on the airplane, meaning
Stay tuned
The Town of Danville is planning a big celebration at 1 p.m.
Saturday at the Town Green
on Front Street, in front of the
library, for Capt. Chesley “Sully”
Sullenberger III. For the details
as they become available, go to
www.DanvilleWeekly.com.
that both engines were affected by
the collision with the birds and the
plane lost engine power.
New York City emergency crews
leapt into action and brought rescue
boats to the downed craft. While
some passengers fell into the icy
waters, most huddled safely on
the wings of the plane until help
arrived. Within minutes, everyone
had been safely evacuated from the
plane and were being treated by
emergency personnel.
Injuries were few and none was
life threatening. All 155 passengers
and crew of the Airbus survived
the crash, a fact New York Gov.
David Paterson referred to as “The
Miracle on the Hudson.”
Sullenberger was lauded by passengers and emergency officials
alike as a hero, calm and cool
during the terrifying event and
showing a strong sense of duty in
remaining aboard the aircraft until
he was certain everyone was off.
None of this came as a surprise to
Sullenberger’s friends and neighbors.
Jane Garcia, a friend of the family,
described Sullenberger as “Extremely
intelligent. Very conscientious. His
whole family is like that.”
Garcia’s husband John expressed
gratitude for the work Sullenberger
did in landing the plane and said
that it gave him an entirely new
perspective on the job of an airline
pilot. “I fly all the time and I never
really had a good appreciation for
what pilots do,” he said, “but now
I’m going to have a whole lot more
respect for the job pilots do.”
Neighbor Frank Salzmann said
he believed that if anyone could
land a plane that way it would be
Sullenberger. “That’s Sully. He’s
just the kind of person you’d think
could pull something like that off.”
He added, “When you think of what
the captain of an airplane should be
like, you’d think of Sully.”
Officials from the US Airlines
Pilot Association, the union representing US Airways Pilots, requested that the Sullenberger family not
speak to the media until an investigation was completed, but that did
not stop friends and neighbors from
stepping up to sing their praises.
Friends from as far away as
Monterey came to help keep the family
insulated from the dozens of reporters
camped out in the area. Some, like Jim
Walberg, took a moment to offer their
thoughts on Sullenberger.
“He was the right guy at the
right place at the right moment,”
Walberg stated. “He’s just an amazing, humble man.”
Walberg reiterated what so
many others had already said:
Sullenberger is a man of extraor° Continued on page 8
Sacramento can’t
touch school
parcel tax money
Trustees mull over how much to ask from voters
by Harry Stoll
T
he San Ramon Valley
school board heard a consultant emphasize that revenues from a proposed parcel tax
would remain under local control, at the Sept. 13 meeting. He
also strongly stated that the board
should recommend a moderate
amount for a parcel tax, which
would replace the current one that
expires June 30.
“From $128 to $144,” would
be the parcel tax comfort zone
said Jared Boigon of EMC
Research, the firm whose barchart report analyzed the results
of 603 December telephone surveys with voters. He said to go
higher would be risky.
“$128 is ridiculously low,”
said Realtor Chris Hopkins, who
advocates a tax of at least $350.
That would yield approximately
$15.4 million to make a significant
dent in a projected deficit of $23
million. Hopkins said if the tax
is set from $128 to $144, voters
would still see steep cuts. He said
talk of a recession is overblown
and that his business is doing well.
The expiring tax is $90.
Gary Ware, a business broker
specializing in optometry businesses, supports a parcel tax even
though, he reported, “Business
is down dramatically.” He is a
board member of the San Ramon
Education Foundation, and his
two daughters-in-law are teachers
in the district.
A tax of $144 is the recommendation of a parcel tax task force
headed by Nancy Vandell that
includes school board members
Paul Gardner and Rachel Hurd,
Superintendent Steven Enoch,
assistant superintendents, and
representatives from the PTA and
from unions.
“There’s a certain segment of
voters who are opposed to public
education and will always vote
No,” said Trustee Greg Marvel,
who estimated them to be around
20 percent.
And, he said, about half the
voters will always vote Yes. The
undecided voters should be the target of any effort, he said. He said
he will try to persuade the board to
° Continued on page 8
N E W S F R O N T
Dumpster
diving 101
Middle schoolers get a messy
course in value of recycling
by Geoff Gillette
GEOFF GILLETTE
Students at Charlotte Wood Middle School should be on
the alert ... the trash police are coming. Especially if your
name is Pixie, Jordan, Kursty or Jules.
“They threw away their whole lunch,” joked eighthgrader Justin Bangay. “We’re going to find them.”
Bangay’s comments were lighthearted, but the sentiment
behind them was sincere, as a group of students at the
middle school had an opportunity to see just what goes into
the trash bins in their cafeteria every day.
More than a dozen students participated in a “trash audit,”
conducted by Lois Humphreys. Humphreys, an environmental consultant, has been contracted by the Central Contra
Costa Solid Waste Authority to travel to the 46 schools
within the authority’s boundaries to talk about recycling and
ways for students to reduce the waste stream.
“We do waste audits, field trips, assemblies. It’s about
educating the kids and making them aware of how much
impact they have on the planet and what they can do about
it,” Humphreys said.
At the end of the Charlotte Wood lunch hour Jan. 16, the students gathered outside the multi-purpose room and worked on
several tables. They donned safety glasses, aprons and rubber
gloves and started bringing
the full garbage bags up
onto the tables.
“We do waste
They emptied out the
trash, took out those items
audits, field trips,
that were recyclable and
assemblies. It’s
put them in bins. Then
they re-bagged the trash
about educating
and moved on to the next
the kids and
sack.
For most it was an
making them
eye-opening
experiaware of how
ence. “There’s a lot
of nasty things at this
much impact they
school,” said sixth-grader
have on the planet Jonathan Adams. “I can’t
the stuff that peoand what they can believe
ple throw away.”
do about it.”
Adams’ comment was
echoed by many of the
—Lois Humphreys,
other participants who
environmental consultant
were amazed not only at
the amount of recyclables
put into the trash but the
sheer volume of food that is wasted daily.
“One lunch bag was completely full,” said seventh-grader
Annie Kaplan. “There were two sandwiches, a granola bar,
juice ... all thrown away.”
Students from the middle school’s video production class
videotaped the event and interviewed many of the students.
Bangay said it gave him a new appreciation for how much
the students are putting into the waste stream. “It was totally
disgusting. It made me really want to eat all my lunch.”
School custodian Fernando Melo watched the sorting
process with interest, telling the students, “If you do this
in the cafeteria, you wouldn’t have to be out here doing
this.” Some things students were finding that weren’t being
recycled efficiently were milk cartons, yogurt containers and
aluminum cans.
The students were provided with a list of instructions
on how to go through the trash bags, Humphreys said.
They were required to wear the safety clothing and rubber gloves as well as exhibiting caution in sorting. The
students also were warned to dump out the trash and sort it
instead of reaching into the bag, and were told that under
no circumstances were they to eat anything that came out
of the trash.
Humphreys said that while there was only a very small
percentage of the student population in attendance for the
trash audit, she is hopeful that word will spread and the
students at Charlotte Wood Middle School will learn to
become better recyclers and help to reduce the amount of
waste being produced by the school each day. N
Above: EWWW! Martha Mrdja (left) and
Annie Kaplan are less than thrilled over
digging through the refuse of the day’s
lunch at Charlotte Wood Middle School.
Left: Charlotte Wood students emptied
more than a dozen full trash bags onto
tables and sorted out the recyclables that
were thrown into the regular trash. The
level of recyclables in the outgoing waste
from that lunch hour was estimated at 25
percent.
Below: Two students mug for the
school’s video production class, mock
threatening to “hunt down” the student
whose name was on a full lunch bag that
was thrown away.
N E W S F R O N T
./2#!,
7EIGHT,OSS#ENTER
After
Lose weight...and keep it off!
s!6ARIETYOF(EALTHY$IET0ROGRAMS
s3TAFFEDBY0ROFESSIONAL$OCTORS.URSES
s,UNCH%VENING3ATURDAY
!PPOINTMENT!VAILABLE
s.ON-EDICATION0ROGRAMS!VAILABLE
s,ATEST&$!!PPROVED-EDICATIONS
Before
Shauntrell lost weight on our
program and you can too!
Also Offering Botox® /
Restylane® Treatments
Dr. David Melamed, MD
Dermatologist
925-846-5614
COURTESY OFFICE OF U.S. REP. JERRY MCNERNEY
Tri-Valley mayors and U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D., 11th) at the Capitol: (l-r) Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti; Danville Mayor Newell
Arnerich; Pleasanton Mayor Jennifer Hosterman; McNerney; San Ramon Mayor Abram Wilson; and Livermore Vice Mayor John
Marchand. The mayors were in town for the U.S. Mayor’s Conference, followed by the Inauguration.
Mayors ask for federal dollars
NEW Botox® Service
FORUNDERARMPERSPIRATIONPROBLEMS
$75 OFF
Botox® Treatment
plus Free Consultation to new clients only
Not valid with other offers. Expires 3-01-09
FREE CONSULTATION
New clients only
Pleasanton
374 St. Mary St.
925 846-5614
D
anville Mayor Newell
Arnerich brought his concerns to legislators on
Capitol Hill, meeting with Rep.
Jerry McNerney (D., 11th) and others while in Washington, D.C., for
the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Arnerich joined the Tri-Valley
mayors from San Ramon, Dublin,
Pleasanton and Livermore to present a slate of six issues they hope to
see addressed at the federal level.
No. 1 on the list is road improvements for the I-580 corridor. Their
request in the area of roads was
two-fold. First, on road projects that
are currently under way through a
combination of state and federal
matching funds, they are asking
the federal government to make
up the state’s portion of the cost if
money needs to be pulled back due
to California’s $42 billion deficit.
Second, they asked for assistance
in securing transportation bonds.
“We approved letting the state go
out and sell transportation bonds,”
Arnerich explained. “Nobody will
buy them.”
They are asking the government
to buy some of those bonds, and
asking them to provide the “full
faith of the U.S. government” to
guarantee the bonds.
Other requests were an Emergency
Communications
System
to
allow towns throughout Northern
California to coordinate in the event
of a natural disaster; aid for the TriValley Housing Opportunity Center;
and funding projects relating to
Lawrence Livermore National Lab.
Arnerich said the joint meeting
between the mayors and the congressman was to allow the mayors
to speak with one voice to the federal government and work toward
Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich shares his
concerns with U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney.
getting some much needed help for
the state.
“We all were asking Congress
and the federal government to help
California as a whole,” Arnerich
said.
He explained that because of
the tight economic times and the
demands being placed on the federal government it is imperative
that the mayors work together and
present a unified front in order to
make their needs felt.
“People are asking for things at
an extraordinary level, like you’ve
never seen before,” he said. “We
have to make sure that we’ve done
our homework and present our case
the best we can.”
McNerney, a Pleasanton resident, said he was pleased to see the
unified stance by the mayors.
“It’s delightful seeing our mayors working together to answer our
Tri-Valley needs, and I hope to see
progress,” he said.
There could be some forward
momentum if a stimulus package
currently being considered in the
Legislature is approved. McNerney
said the package under consideration
would provide help to the state of
California in a number of ways.
“I’ve been told that there will be
direct federal aid, direct to states,”
said the congressman, explaining
there will be “significant” funds
coming to the state for infrastructure
and education, among other things.
“We’re so pleased that you are
so supportive of the things we are
doing in our communities,” Arnerich
told McNerney in a conference call
for the media. “There’s a lot of
excitement about change coming—
and from California’s perspective,
change is what we need.”
If a stimulus package is approved,
McNerney said that out of the six
issues presented by the mayors, it is
most likely that federal dollars would
go toward the I-580 improvements.
An area of concern expressed by
legislators in Washington is that
in order for federal aid to come to
California, there needs to be a state
budget to work with. Since federal
funds are matching funds, the state
has to have dollars or bonding
authority in order for the federal
funding to take effect.
Arnerich agreed, calling for
immediate action at the state level.
“The state needs to get off their
rears and make a decision,” he said,
adding, “The paper shuffling on the
budget issues has been smoke and
mirrors for five years.”
Overall, the mayors were excited
by their visit. Arnerich said he
felt the response they received in
Washington has been positive and
he is looking forward to continuing
the dialogue they’ve established
as the new president is sworn into
office and begins his term.
Arnerich and others from the
mayor’s conference stayed in the
nation’s capital for the inauguration of President Barack Obama on
Tuesday. N
San Ramon
2701 Crow Canyon Blvd.
925 837-6400
Trina Turk • Bejeweled
Ann Ferriday • Da Nang
Twisted Heart
Arnerich joins with other Tri-Valley mayors to meet with legislators
by Geoff Gillette
Unretouched clinical photo taken
while frowning before and 14 days
after treatment with Botox® Cosmetic
Faith Connexion
Ed Hardy • Free People
Rebecca Beeson
Joe’s Jeans
Frankie B.
Kasil Jeans
Red Engine Jeans
Nicky Hilton
STOREWIDE
CLEARANCE!
ENTIRE STORE INVENTORY!
40% OFF
Through January 31, 2009
350 Main Street, Suite E,
(off West Angela St.)
Pleasanton, CA 94566
925-249-1209
www.shopsugarshack.com
ROLE PLAYERS ENSEMBLE THEATRE
January 16 - February 7, 2009
The Underpants
THE VILLAGE THEATRE, 233 Front Street, Danville
“The Role Players cast utilizes Martin’s trademark
style, in turns with the deftness of a surgeon’s
scalpel or the power of a sledgehammer, reducing
the audience to quivering laughter and applause.”
—Geoff Gillette, Danville Weekly
Written by Carl Sternheim
Adapted by Steve Martin
Directed by Sue Trigg
Tickets $15 - $25
Purchase tickets online at
www.villagetheatreshows.com
or at The Community Center
420 Front St, Mon-Fri 8:30 - 5 pm
or call (925) 314-3400
Bring a group of 10 or more and save:
$15 per ticket
Presented in association with the Town of Danville
Diablo Views
BY DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI
The dangers of parking lots and Facebook
L
ast Friday, mid-afternoon, I
pulled into the Costco parking
lot, taking a break from work.
When I saw a car pulling out of a
spot right in front of me, on the row
directly facing Fostoria Way, I came
to a halt to wait and take the space.
Then I noticed a white truck to my
left and wondered if that driver was
also waiting. “Are you waiting for
that space?” I gestured to the driver.
“Yes, you go ahead,” he gestured
back. Or so I thought. The car exited
in his direction, blocking him, and I
pulled into the space.
As I walked to the entrance of
Costco, the truck pulled up next to
me. “You took my space,” said the
middle-aged man who was driving,
although he said it in a friendly tone. “What?!” I answered. “I
thought you told me to take it. I am
so, so sorry.” Well, I was indeed
very sorry. Sorry that I’d taken
a space out of turn but, I must
admit, more sorry that perhaps I’d
offended a stranger in a parking lot
who could now very easily get even
with me by keying my car or letting
the air out of my tires. He smiled in
a friendly way, I thought, and continued in his pursuit of a parking
place.
I located my four items in record
time, stood in the blessedly short,
mid-day mid-week line, and soon
was back out in the parking lot. I
noticed the white truck in a primo
spot right in front. Aha! His karma
had come through when he was
nice to me. Should I get his license
plate number, I wondered, just in
case? No, I decided to have more
faith in my fellow man and trust
Win ter Prix F ix e M e n u
$30 Three Cour se D i nner
Monday - Saturday
5 0 0 H a r t z Av e n u e | 9 2 5 . 5 5 2 . 5 2 3 8
w w w. a m b e r b i s t r o . c o m / p r i x f i x e
Facebook, although two said their
husbands were. However, since I
want to stay part of the incredibly shrinking newspaper industry,
I joined Facebook.
Before this I viewed Facebook as
something my kids did. When my
son Pepe was home for Christmas
he showed me some of his old
Stone Valley Middle School classmates and their updates. If you
accept someone as your “friend” on
Facebook, you can read their profile,
see their posted photos and communicate via the medium. You can also
get a glimpse of their friends and
perhaps ask them to be your friends
so friendships spread like wildfire.
My daughter Zoe sometimes shares
an update with me, too.
I declined the kind, if tentative,
offers of Facebook friendship from
both Pepe and Zoe. That would be
like listening in on their phone conversations. Even adult offspring need
their own space, as in My Space—
or Facebook. Communicating with
them via regular ol’ e-mail and
telephone works just fine.
Facebook also appeals to the ego.
“What are you doing right now?”
it asks every time you go to your
site so it can be shared with your
Facebook friends. My immediate
responses were: “who cares?” and
“none of your business.” But in fact
I did sort of find it interesting that
one of my friends was “making
coffee, feeding Willie and checking
e-mail” at 7:15 a.m. Sunday. Or that
another friend was wishing someone would fold her laundry for her.
My biggest complaint about
Facebook is that it gobbles up
time. The Internet in all aspects has
proven to be a time-trap—you log
on to read a movie review, check
out a link or two, and before you
know it so much time has passed
that you no longer have time to see
the movie. That’s why I’m going to
have to say No to future requests to
be friends. Or would that be rude?
What a dilemma. I guess I am
learning all about Facebook.
—Dolores Fox Ciardelli
can be e-mailed at editor@
DanvilleWeekly.com.
Shooting
An autopsy on Fuchs was held
Wednesday afternoon in the Contra
Costa County Coroner’s office.
Chief Wenzel said incidents like
this one are isolated in Danville and
they are working around the clock
to see it resolved.
“We’ve got 10 detectives working
on this case,” he said. Fuchs’ death
is the first homicide in Danville
since January 2007.
Wenzel asked that any person
with additional information immediately contact Danville Police Lt.
Mark Williams at 314-3701. N
Danville Police Chief Christ Wenzel speaks
to the press about the Tuesday night
shooting.
“We are still gathering input
from the community at the remaining Community Forums,” wrote
Hurd. The forums were scheduled
for Jan. 12, 15, 20 and 22.
“I have not yet decided on the
amount I would support,” wrote
Clarkson. He said the board would
make its recommendation at its Jan.
27 open meeting.
The parcel tax is levied on each
property in the School District,
and is the same amount regardless
of assessed valuation. Assistant
Superintendent, Business, Gary Black
said it is the only way to override the
restrictions of Proposition 13.
Vandell pointed out that senior
and disabled parcel owners would
be exempt, the tax would last seven
years, and there would be an oversight committee.
The consultant said any amount
would be a hard sell. He recommended a robust, privately
financed campaign to solidify
support, which right now is at a
touch-and-go two-thirds. Measure
D last June asked for $166 and
was defeated, with 63 percent voting in favor of it.
The school board will set the
proposed amount for the parcel tax
at its Jan. 27 meeting. N
very easily,” Walberg explained.
“He was just doing his job.”
The incident has received international attention, and Sullenberger
received phone calls from both
President Bush and President
Obama. Sullenberger, his wife
Lorrie and his daughters Katie and
Kelly were invited to attend Obama’s
Inauguration in Washington, D.C.,
and they agreed. The family was
reunited in Washington, four days
after the plane crash.
Mayor Arnerich, in Washington
for the Inauguration and the U.S.
Conference of Mayors, expressed
his gratitude for Sullenberger’s
actions as well as his joy at the
positive outcome of what could
have been a deadly situation. “We
are looking forward to seeing Sully
come home,” he said. N
° Continued from page 5
this.” He added, “Rylan was a relatively quiet but well known kid on
campus.”
Counselors have been called in
to the high school to handle the situation and to help the students and
faculty work through the shock and
grief. “We’ve mobilized our crisis
team on campus,” said Koehne.
“They will be there for as long as
they’re needed.”
Parcel tax
Purchasing Jewelry?
Why not repair or redesign instead!
recommend a tax much higher than
the recommended $144.
Board President Bill Clarkson
and board members Gardner and
Hurd were more cautious.
“Personally, I’m inclined to recommend an amount around $144,
despite the fact that we could use
so much more,” wrote Gardner in
a post-meeting e-mail. He believes
that while a majority would support
more, a two-thirds vote is required
and it’s just too risky.
Sully
Pleasant Hill
1600 #B Contra Costa
(Near Melo’s Pizza)
San Ramon
181 Marketplace
(Near San Ramon Library)
925-685-2943
925-830-9130
www.jewelsmiths.com
dinary control and calm, and that
he did a great job in landing that
plane. Walberg did say his friend
would probably take exception to
the “hero” label being applied so
liberally.
“It’s not a name he will take to
GEOFF GILLETTE
Enj oy o u r re gula r m e nu a s w ell
that his smile indeed had been
understanding. And, yes, my car
was just fine.
sss
Recently the editors and publishers from our six weekly newspapers met to talk about our Web sites
and the new Express editions we
are sending out. Danville Weekly
Express goes to e-mailboxes every
Friday—be sure to sign up at www.
DanvilleWeekly.com. Starting Feb.
1, it will go out three mornings
a week and, at some point, we
will begin delivery every weekday
morning.
At the meeting, we discussed
the phenomenon of Facebook
and its part in social networking
and news delivery; the president
of Embarcadero Publishing said
we should all become members of
Facebook so we can learn about it
firsthand.
Now I had no desire to join
Facebook, believing it better suited
to the younger folk. I asked my
book group last week and none
of the eight in attendance were on
D A N V I L L E
W E E K LY
Wine and the Weekly
Great Wall, great reading
Former wine columnist Gregory Peebles enjoys his Weekly
with Danville resident Paul Englert after tasting several worldclass wines near the Tuscan hillside town on Montalcino.
Alamo residents Dody Jernstedt, Doug Tinker, Marilee
Tinker and Dick Becher visit the Great Wall in China with their
Danville Weekly.
TAKE US ALONG
In merry old England
Six-year Danville residents Rob, Jayne, Julie, Laura and Claire
Managan think about home while on a trip to Madrid, Barcelona,
Paris, London and Manchester in July 2007. Their trip was a
continuation trip after choir leader Ken Abram’s SRVHS tour to
Spain with his Concert Choir. This was at their bed ’n’ breakfast
near Knutsford, Cheshire.
DIANE CARPENTER
Sacred to the Aborigines
Danville resident Les Carpenter (left) and his new friend Ace Wanket pose with the Weekly in Australia’s Outback at Ayers Rock, the
world’s largest monolith, while Les and his wife Diane were on a Grand Circle Tour of Australia, New Zealand and the Fiji Islands.
Golfing pilgrimage
Eric and Jewel Stoddard and their Weekly
visit St. Andrews, the home of golf, in
September 2007. The couple toured golf
courses, castles, cities and the countryside.
It’s a small world after all
Walking on water
Danville residents Claudia Samson, Janet Orgill and Janet Johnson share Danville
news with their friend Diane Blatter (who is taking the picture) on vacation in Punta
Mita, Mexico. They said their week last February was warm and relaxing.
Bob and Gail Burt and their Danville Weekly visit the Grand
Palace in Bangkok while on a two-week trip to Singapore and
Phuket and Bangkok in Thailand. After getting their picture taken,
a couple of ladies approached them and said, “Hi, Danville, we
are Pleasant Hill!”
Perspective
EDITORIALS U LETTERS U OPINIONS ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY
/",ÊUÊ/Ê"*
"
Ê " Ê / Ê 7 9
Parcel tax can’t
fix everything
The school district has just completed forums held at
its four high schools to get feedback from the community
on how best to continue the parcel tax, which expires
June 30.
The tax, passed in 2004 as the Excellence in Education
Act, assesses each property in the San Ramon Valley
Unified School District at $90 per year. It has funded specific programs, such as class-size reduction, fifth-grade
instrumental music, middle and high school libraries,
and counseling during the last four years. A new parcel
tax will be even more important given the current budget
slashing going on in Sacramento.
Measure D was on the ballot last June to continue the
tax, asking for $166, but it was defeated, with 63 percent
voting in favor when it needed two-thirds to pass. Now
the district must decide on a monetary amount for a new
parcel tax.
Consultant Jared Boigon of EMC Research suggested
to the school board members that they recommend a
moderate amount for the new tax, something from $128
to $144. Although at least one resident at the meeting
recommended going as high as $350.
Although it is tempting to go for an amount that would
make a dent in the projected deficit, the tax amount
should be set closer to that recommended by the consultant. We cannot solve all the district’s financial problems
with a parcel tax. A certain segment of the population is
against any new taxes, and it would only strengthen their
argument to set the proposed tax too high.
The forums were held in an effort to gather information and do everything possible to get the voters to renew
the parcel tax. After this good start, it would be a shame
to jeopardize it by asking for too much money. We must
remember the heartbreaks of 2003 and 2008, when the
parcel taxes passed by a majority but not the requisite
two-thirds. And this was before the economy entered its
current challenges.
Code of ethics
The Danville Weekly seeks to adhere to the highest level
of ethical standards in journalism, including the Code of Ethics adopted Sept.
21, 1996, by the Society of Professional Journalists. To review the text of the
Code, please visit our web site at www.DanvilleWeekly.com
9"1,Ê/1,
The Danville Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of
local interest. The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday for that Friday’s edition.
Submit Letters to the Editor of up to 250 words to [email protected]
or mail to 117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526. Include your
name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you. We reserve the
right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors
known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted.
Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of
permission to the Danville Weekly and Embarcadero Publishing Co. to
also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on
Town Square.
For more information, contact Dolores Fox Ciardelli, editor,
at 837-8300, ext. 229.
//,-Ê/"Ê/Ê/",
Horsey rumor
Dear Editor:
Horses in Alamo?
There will always be horses in
Alamo. Some opposed to incorporation are trying to scare Alamo
voters by saying that the first act
of the new town council will be to
remove horses from Alamo.
My family has owned and operated cattle ranches for over 30
years where horses are not only
a means of transportation but an
indispensable tool used in the cattle
business. Although there are only a
few areas in the San Ramon Valley
where cattle still graze, horses still
dot the hillsides and grace hundreds of back yards.
It is very easy to find horse properties in both Danville and San
Ramon and neither the Danville
Town Council nor the San Ramon
City Council is contemplating the
removal of horses from their borders. As a founding member of AIM
and the current owner and landlord
to several horses, I can assure you
that if there were any possibility
that horses would fall into disfavor
with the new Alamo Town Council,
I would have fought the movement
at its outset. And if I hadn’t, my
wife Jan, the horse project leader
for Tassajara 4-H, would have found
another place to board me.
Randy Nahas, Alamo
Alamo seniors left out
in the cold
Dear Editor:
This is in regard to your article
on Jan. 9, titled “Registration program puts Danville seniors first.”
This new policy does not seem fair
to me as an Alamo resident since
anyone outside Danville pays extra
for these trips so are not getting a
so-called free ride!
I shop in Danville all the time, so
much of my time and money is spent
there. As Alamo does not have a
Senior program it seems like a rather
discriminatory move to leave the
adjoining areas out in the cold.
Even though we are being
accepted a day later than Danville
residents, the chance of getting into
any of these popular programs is
very remote. I hope the committee
will rethink this policy.
Diane Biasatti, Alamo
Three reasons
to incorporate
Dear Editor:
Alamo incorporation is good for
Alamo for three simple reasons:
1. Decisions affecting Alamo residents need to be made by Alamo
residents.
Today, decisions that affect our
land use, our traffic, our police
protection and our parks are made
by five county supervisors who do
not reside in Alamo, do not have to
live with the consequences of their
decisions, and who are struggling
with larger issues than those items
that bug us. Alamo Incorporation
will allow Alamo voters to select
a town council who live here and
will be held accountable for the
decisions they make.
2. Alamo’s economics will be
stronger after incorporation.
The county is not required to
spend all of the tax revenue collected
from Alamo residents for services
to Alamo residents. The exhaustive
(about 150 page) LAFCO study of
the economics showed that Alamo
can form a local government, provide the current level of services,
AND generate a surplus to enhance
our community over coming years.
3. Incorporation will make Alamo
a stronger community.
The first task to be performed by
a new Alamo Town Council will be
to generate Alamo’s General Plan.
A detailed look at what our town,
working together, can be in the
future—now that will be exciting.
Ed Chiverton, Alamo
Fact: Alamo is fine
unincorporated
Dear Editor:
Regarding incorporation, let’s use
facts not speculation. A letter Nov.
16 from Nancy Dommes stated
she wanted to share some “truths.”
When what she really provided was
all opinion not facts! She has no
more knowledge of what the county
will do than any of us.
For the voters of Alamo to decide
on becoming an incorporated city,
with all that this means in the way
of building a city government and
infrastructure, we should not be misled by pure speculation and personal
opinions. Using these tactics to try
and “scare up” the vote is disingenuous and has no place in the debate.
The facts are, Alamo currently
suffers no ills from being unincorporated, we enjoy a stellar reputation
as a desirable place to live, property
values are among the best in the Bay
Area, and we have it all without having to support a city government.
There is an old saying about the
devil you know vs. the devil you
don’t; it just could apply to Alamo!
Phil Erickson, Alamo
"
Ê,,Ê*"
Give your opinion at
www.DanvilleWeekly.com
This week’s online poll:
Do you use
Facebook?
Results from last week:
Should the State Legislature
stay in session until it passes
a budget?
Ê
\ 0%
Ê
1ìVì`\ 8.33%
Ê
✔ 9iÃ\ 91.67%
Total votes: 36
Serving the communities
of Danville, Blackhawk,
Diablo and Alamo
PUBLISHER
Gina Channell-Allen
EDITORIAL
Editor
Dolores Fox Ciardelli
Staff Reporter
Geoff Gillette
Editorial Assistant
Amory Gutierrez
Contributors
Susan Astbury
Patty Briggs
B. Lynn Goodwin
Beverly Lane
Jacqui Love Marshall
Meghan Neal
Chris Scott
Maria Shen
Franklin Utchen
ART & PRODUCTION
Art Director/
Operations Manager
Rick Nobles
Designers
Trina Cannon
Lili Cao
Kristin Herman
Manuel Valenzuela
ADVERTISING
Advertising Manager
Mary Hantos
Advertising
Account Executives
Andrea Heggelund
Barbara Lindsey
Real Estate Sales
Nancy Taresh
Inside Sales
Art Gordillo
BUSINESS
Ad Services
Sandy Lee
Business Associate
Lisa Oefelein
Circulation Manager
Bob Lampkin
How to reach the Weekly
117 Town and Country Drive,
Suite D, Danville, CA 94526
Phone: (925) 837-8300
Fax: (925) 837-2278
Editorial e-mail:
[email protected]
Calendar: DanvilleWeekly.com
Display Sales e-mail:
[email protected]
Classifieds Sales e-mail:
[email protected]
Circulation e-mail:
[email protected]
The Danville Weekly is published every
Friday by Embarcadero Publishing Co.,
117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D,
Danville, CA 94526; (925) 837-8300.
Mailed at Standard Postage Rate. The
Danville Weekly is mailed free to homes
and apartments in Danville, Blackhawk,
Diablo and Alamo. Voluntary subscriptions
at $30 per year ($50 for two years) are welcome from local residents.
Subscription rate for businesses and for
residents of other communities is $50/year.
© 2009 by Embarcadero Publishing Co.
All rights reserved. Reproduction
without permission is strictly prohibited.
Community Pulse
POLICE BULLETIN & LOG U OBITUARIES U BIRTHS & WEDDINGS
OBITUARIES
POLICE BULLETIN
Burglary suppression nets suspect
An effort to put a dent into property crimes in Danville reported
some success, following the arrest of a Fremont man found to be in
possession of burglary tools.
Danville Police Lt. Mark Williams said a pair of plainclothes police
detectives were in the 200 block of Eldorado Drive at 3:30 a.m.
Thursday morning last week when they spotted suspicious activity.
Williams said the officers saw a pair of young women in a carport
of an apartment at the location and stopped to check it out. When they
approached the women to make contact, they noticed a man hiding
behind a nearby car. They ordered the man, identified as Alejandro
Estevez, 28, to come out from behind the vehicle, which he did.
Officers said Estevez appeared nervous and unable to stand still.
While the officers watched, the man attempted to drop a bag behind
him and hide it. The bag was found to contain a quantity of methamphetamine and Estevez was taken into custody, according to reports.
Estevez refused to tell officers how he got to the area, so they
checked the registration of vehicles in the area until they found one
that was registered to the suspect. Two men were found sleeping
in the auto, and a backpack was in it. The backpack belonged to
Estevez and contained wirecutters and a pair of screwdrivers, tools
used in breaking into automobiles, police said.
Police also found jewelry, a wallet and other items that did not
belong to Estevez in the backpack.
Estevez was charged with possession of dangerous drugs, possession of burglary tools and parole violation. He was transported to
the Martinez Detention Center.
Williams said the officers took down the names and addresses of
the two men and two women found with Estevez but they were not
arrested in the incident.
—Geoff Gillette
POLICE LOG
The Danville Police Department made
the following information available from
its incident summary report:
Tuesday, Jan. 13
UÊÕÌÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ
ÀiÃÌÀ`}iÊÀ°Ê>ÌÊ
£ä\ä£Ê>°°
UÊ,iÃìÌ>ÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ>Ê`>Ê
7>ÞÊ>ÌÊ££\ä£Ê>°°
UÊÕÌÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ
>ÃÌ>Þ>Ê
Ì°Ê>ÌÊ
££\änÊ>°°
UÊ7>ÀÀ>Ì]Ê>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ6>iÞÊ
ÀiiÊ
>iÊ>ÌÊÎ\ÓÎÊ«°°
UÊÃìi>ÀÊÌ>`ÀÕÊÊ->Ê
,>Ê6>iÞÊÛ`°Ê>ÌÊ{\ä{Ê«°°
UÊVVìÌ]Ê«À«iÀÌÞÊ`>>}i]ÊÊ
ÀÌÊ-Ì°Ê>ÌÊx\ÎäÊ«°°
UÊ*ÕLVÊ>ÃÃiLÞÊViV]Ê>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ
£ääÊLVÊvÊ>ÀÌâÊÛi°Ê>ÌÊn\ÓÓÊ
«°°
Wednesday, Jan. 14
UÊ
iÀV>ÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ>À>ÊÀ°Ê
>ÌÊÈ\£Ê>°°
UÊ
iÀV>ÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ+ÕÌiÀÀ>Ê
>iÊ>ÌÊÇ\x£Ê>°°
>LÊ,`°Ê>`ÊÀiiÊ6>iÞÊ,`°Ê
>ÌÊn\ÓäÊ>°°
UÊ
iÀV>ÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ>LÊ,`°Ê
>ÌÊ\äÎÊ>°°
UÊ>ÊVÀÕiÌÞÊÊÀÌÊ-Ì°Ê>ÌÊÎ\£ÇÊ
«°°
UÊVVìÌ]Ê>ÀÊÕÀiÃ]ÊÊ>LÊ
,`°Ê>`ÊÊ
>ÊÀ°Ê>ÌÊÎ\ÓxÊ«°°
UÊÀ}iÀÞÊvÊvÀ>Õ`ÕiÌÊ`VÕiÌÃ]Ê
>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ->Ê,>Ê6>iÞÊ
Û`°Ê>ÌÊ{\xÎÊ«°°
Thursday, Jan. 15
UÊ-ÕÃ«VÕÃÊÃÕLiVÌÊÃÌ«]Ê>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ
ÊÀ>`ÊÛi°Ê>ÌÊÎ\ÎÓÊ>°°
UÊÕÌÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊÃ>`Ê7>ÞÊ>ÌÊ
Ç\xÎÊ>°°
UÊÀ>`ÊÌivÌÊÊ7`À>VÊ
À°Ê>ÌÊ
££\£ÓÊ>°°
UÊ-ÕÃ«VÕÃÊÃÕLiVÌ]Ê>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ
-ÞV>ÀiÊ6>iÞÊ,`°Ê7°Ê>ÌÊ£Ó\£ÇÊ
«°°
UÊ6iViÊÌÀ>vvVÊÃÌ«]Ê>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ->Ê
,>Ê6>iÞÊÛ`°Ê>ÌÊ£Ó\xxÊ«°°
>Ê/>ÃÃ>À>Ê>`Ê>Ã}ÜÊ
À°Ê>ÌÊÎ\ÓÈÊ«°°
UÊÃìi>ÀÊÌ>`ÀÕÊÊ
-ÞV>ÀiÊ6>iÞÊ,`°Ê>`Ê
/ÕLÀ`}iÊ,`°Ê>ÌÊ{\ÎÎÊ«°°
>ÜÀiViÊ,`°Ê>`Ê*ÕiÀ>Ê
Ì°Ê
>ÌÊx\£{Ê«°°
UÊ/ÀÜ}ÊLiVÌÃÊ>ÌÊÛiViÃÊÊ
ÞìÃ`>iÊÀ°Ê>`Ê>LÊ,`°Ê>ÌÊ
\äÈÊ«°°
UÊÀÕÊÊ«ÕLVÊÊ
ÀÌiÊV>ÌÊ>ÌÊ
££\ÎÇÊ«°°
Friday, Jan. 16
UÊ6>`>ÃÊÊÊ
>«Ì>ÊÀ°Ê>ÌÊ£Ê>°°
UÊ6>`>ÃÊÊ
>>ÀÌ>ÃÊ7>ÞÊ>ÌÊ
£\Î{Ê>°°
UÊVVìÌ]Ê>ÀÊÕÀiÃ]ÊÊ
>Ê
/>ÃÃ>>À>Ê>`Ê>Ãvi`ÊÀ°Ê>ÌÊ
£\{ÓÊ>°°
,>À>`ÊÛi°Ê>`Ê-VÊ-Ì°Ê>ÌÊ
n\£{Ê>°°
UÊÃìi>ÀÊÌ>`ÀÕÊÊ
ÀÌLÕ`ÊÈnäÊvvÊÀ>«Ê>`Ê
-ÞV>ÀiÊ6>iÞÊ,`°Ê>ÌÊ£ä\xÈÊ
>°°
UÊVVìÌ]Ê>ÀÊÕÀiÃ]ÊÊ
À}iÊ,`°Ê>`Ê-ÞV>ÀiÊ
6>iÞÊ,`°Ê>ÌÊ£\£ÓÊ«°°
->Ê,>Ê6>iÞÊÛ`°Ê>`Ê
-ÞV>ÀiÊ6>iÞÊ,`°Ê>ÌÊ£\ÓÓÊ«°°
UÊ,iÃìÌ>ÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ7`LiÊ
>iÊ>ÌÊ£\x{Ê«°°
UÊÕÌÊLÕÀ}>ÀÞÊÊ>Ã}ÜÊ
À°Ê>ÌÊ
{\xÈÊ«°°
Saturday, Jan. 17
`>ÊiÃ>ÊÛi°Ê>`Ê,>À>`Ê
Ûi°Ê>ÌÊn\££Ê>°°
UÊÃìi>ÀÊÌ>`ÀÕÊÊ`>Ê
iÃ>ÊÛi°Ê>ÌÊ\Î£Ê>°°
UÊ6iViÊÌÀ>vvVÊÃÌ«]Ê>ÀÀiÃÌ]ÊÊ->Ê
,>Ê6>iÞÊÛ`°Ê>ÌÊ££\ÎnÊ«°°
Sheldon A. ‘Pop’
Pearson
Sheldon A. “Pop” Pearson, a
resident of Danville, died Jan. 10 at
the age of 91.
He was born April 25, 1917. He
was a World War II Veteran and
former Bank of America employee
of 40 years. He married Arlene
Pearson in 1939 and moved from
Oakland to Danville in 1951. He
spent his time loving his animals and
devoting time to feeding the wildlife
on his four acres. Woodworking was
one of his favorite hobbies and there
was nothing more important than
the love he felt for his family. He
also looked forward to his Thursday
night card games with the boys.
For the past 69.7 years he was
the devoted and loving husband
to Arlene Pearson; father to Ardy
Deardorff passed (Mel), Susan
Archibald (Bob) and Arnold Pearson
(Margo). He is survived by 10 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and
one great-great grandchild.
There was a private burial.
Memorial donations may be made
to Hospice of the East Bay Bruns
Home of Alamo, 2849 Miranda
Ave., Alamo, 94507.
Horace B. Simi
Horace B. Simi, a former resident of Blackhawk, died Dec. 25 at
the age of 86.
He was born in Berkeley and
raised in San Francisco. He graduated from Polytechnic High in San
Francisco at age 16 and attended
San Francisco Junior College. He
joined the Army Air Corps in Sept.
of 1942 and served as a Link Trainer
Instructor at Hobbs, NM. It was here
in 1943 that he married the love
of his life Helen Ivers of Stockton.
After the war they returned to the
Bay Area. He was in sales and management with several trucking companies in San Francisco, Chicago,
Denver and Dallas. In 1965 he joined
SeaLand in Oakland, a pioneer in
the container shipping industry, and
spent three years living in Tokyo and
three years in Hong Kong. He retired
in 1986 and returned to his beloved
Bay Area to be close to his family.
He is survived by his wife of 65
years, Helen Simi of Walnut Creek;
daughter Valerie Simi of Concord;
son Ron Simi and daughter-in-law
Linda Simi of Orinda; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Rachel J. Weiner
Rachel J. Weiner, a former resident of Alamo, died Dec. 25 at the
age 20.
She was born Jan. 3, 1988, and
her early and happy childhood in
Fresno and moved to Alamo with
her father in 2002. She attended
Monte Vista High School for one
year before transferring to Cross
Creek Manor for Girls in LaVerkin,
Utah. After graduation she returned
to the Bay Area and most recently
resided in the Sacramento area.
She is survived by her father,
Michael Weiner; her step-mother,
Denise Weiner; her mother, Nancy
Miller; her step-father, Randy
Miller; and her siblings, Joshua
and Jessica Weiner.
Eleanor J. Randall
Eleanor J. Randall, a resident of
Danville, died Dec. 27 at the age of
90.
She was born on Dec. 23, 1918
in Seattle, Wash. She attended
and received a degree from the
University of Utah. She taught
physical education at Bishop
O’Dowd High School. A longtime
resident of San Lorenzo, she attended church at St. John’s. She was a
member of the St. Gerard Women’s
Club and Mother Singers. She
loved to play bridge, but her favorite pastime was watching baseball.
She is survived by her loving
daughters, Cathie North, Susan
Defesi, and Pamella Highfield, 14
grandchildren, 23 great-grand-children, one great-great-grand-child,
and many extended family and
cherished friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband,
George Randall, Jr. in 2006 and her
son, George Randall, III in 2003.
A Mass of Christian Burial was
celebrated Jan. 5 at St. John’s
Catholic Church, in San Lorenzo.
She will be laid to rest with her husband at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Frederick M. Hanson,
M.D.
Frederick M. Hanson, M.D., a
resident of Danville, died peacefully Dec. 27 at the age of 87.
He was born Sept. 10, 1921, in
Geneva, Ill. He attended the University
of Illinois where he graduated with
honors. He received his M.D. from
the Duke University School of
Medicine in North Carolina. For a
year he interned in obstetrics and
gynecology at Duke University, then
entered the U.S. Navy, where, as
part of the Naval Medical Corps in
Kentucky, he did psychiatric counseling with wounded veterans.
Returning to civilian life in 1945,
he worked at the Cushing Veterans
Hospital in Massachusetts, became
a research fellow with Harvard
University, and then, coming west,
pursued his residency in obstetrics
and gynecology at the Stanford
University School of Medicine. In
1953, he established his own practice in Walnut Creek, specializing
in obstetrics and gynecology. He
was one of the “founding fathers”
of the original John Muir Memorial
Hospital and its first Chief of Staff.
He is survived by his wife Diane
O. Hanson; son F. Michael Hanson;
daughter Karen Phillips; stepsons Scott Tillinghast and Brian
Tillinghast; and five grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Jan.
9 at the Community Presbyterian
Church in Danville. Memorial
donations can be made to the John
Muir Health Foundation, 1400
Treat Blvd., Walnut Creek, 94597.
Gale Newcomb, D.D.S.
Gale Newcomb, D.D.S., a resident of Danville, died Jan. 2 at the
age of 81.
He was born Feb. 1, 1927, in
Oakland. He served in the Air Force
after World War II in the occupation and later became a dentist. He
had a practice in Castro Valley for
25 years.
He is survived by his wife of 54
years, Virginia; daughter Carolee
and her husband Dave Thompson,
D.D.S.; son Paul and his wife
Grace; and four grandchildren. At
his request there were no services.
Patricia (Mostny)
Hejtmanek
Patricia (Mostny) Hejtmanek, a
Danville resident, died Jan. 7 at the
age of 58 after a nine-year battle
with cancer.
She was born Dec. 12, 1950,
in Santiago, Chile, as the first of
five children. At the age of 12, she
immigrated to San Francisco with
her family and quickly adapted to
American life. She was married happily for many years, and had three
children. While she spent most of her
life in the Bay Area, she also lived in
Bakersfield and El Paso. Her primary
focus was being a mother and she
volunteered at her children’s schools,
Jewish Organizations and Junior
League. In recent years, she became
successful selling real estate.
She is survived by her children:
Jen and husband Tom, Steven and
Rachel; two grandchildren; parents
Kurt and Marion Mostny; siblings
Daniela van der Steen, Yvonne
Nouri, David Mostny and Andrea
Mostny; as well as many cousins,
nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Jan.
11 at Peninsula Temple Sholom in
Burlingame. Donations may be made
to the American Cancer Society or
the Anti-Defamation League.
Nasser Shariatpanahy
Nasser Shariatpanahy, a 20-year
resident of Danville, died Jan. 6 at
the age of 50.
He was born July 17, 1958, in
Tehran, Iran. He received his computer science degree in Michigan
and worked in software development for 25 years. He loved children
and enjoyed coaching his son’s soccer team, the Mustang Red Devils.
He is survived by his loving
family, beloved spouse of 17
years, Sheila Linehan of Danville;
his cherished son Dylan Shariatpanahy of Danville; brothers Saeed,
Masood and Mansur, all of Iran; sister Parvin of Iran; and many nieces
and nephews. His sister Parvaneh
preceded him in death.
His funeral was Jan. 10 at GrahamHitch Mortuary in Pleasanton.
C O V E R
Danville goes t
by Mark Curtis
‘W
ANDY STONE
WASHINGTON
e are ready to lead once more,”
said newly sworn-in President
Barack Obama in his Inaugural
address. It was a speech that at times was
uplifting and inspiring and at other moments
brutally honest. Obama spoke at length about
the “gathering clouds” caused by the U.S.
economic recession and uncertainties about
tensions overseas.
The message was not lost on Danville and
San Ramon Valley residents who were in attendance.
Young people turned out in droves for
Barack Obama this year, voting in record
numbers. Among them was Danville resident
and San Ramon Valley High graduate Melanie
Bowman. She is now studying political rhetoric at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. She
says she loved Obama’s speech.
“I thought it really captured well the emotions of everyone in the crowd,” Bowman said,
“the tensions and anxiety, but also the hope and
excitement for the future.” Bowman, who is 18,
added that many young people finally realized
that they could affect the political system by
going out to vote.
Local political leaders were impressed, too.
Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich, a fellow
Democrat, found Obama moving. Arnerich
said when he arrived at the National Mall at
six o’clock on Inaugural morning, police were
already estimating 1 million people were there
waiting in the bitter, cold temperatures.
“Regardless of your philosophical beliefs or
whether you are a Democrat of Republican, it
was an exciting place to be,” said Arnerich.
“I haven’t seen this many together in one
spot, who all had a common cause, who all felt
comfortable even in very tight circumstances
and in the cold, who felt so proud to be here,”
he added.
The Inauguration was a special moment
for San Ramon Mayor Abram Wilson, an
African-American and a Republican. “I have
a frame of reference that I think is unique,”
Wilson said. “I still remember growing up in
Charleston, South Carolina, and seeing, ‘No
Negroes Allowed’ (signs),” Wilson added.
Wilson also found irony that Obama was
being sworn in on steps that were built by slave
labor. “How far we’ve come,” Wilson said.
That message rang true for another Danville
resident. Steve Lincoln and his wife Tracy
Davis traveled to Washington, D.C., with their
three children. Lincoln is white; his wife is
black; and their children, ages 10, 8 and 5, are
bi-racial, like President Obama. Lincoln said
his family headed to the Mall at 5:30 in the
morning.
“It was cold and dark, but the kids held up
OK,” he said, and they enjoyed the event
Lincoln also hopes that as an AfricanAmerican, President Obama can help heal some
of the racial strife that has scarred this country.
“I hope that this gives my kids hope,” Lincoln
said, “that as they grow up, their opportunities
will be as good as everyone else’s.”
Lincoln wants more than just racial healing;
he wants the economy to mend as well. He
works as legal counsel to a biotech firm and
his wife is employed by the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
There were other San Ramon Valley residents here, too. Twenty students from Athenian
School in Danville made the journey to the
Inauguration strikes optimistic note
for residents who travel to the capital
Melanie Bowman, a student at Bryn Mawr College who graduated in June from San Ramon Valley High, enjoys the
excitement of Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C. You can read her blog at www.DanvilleWeekly.com.
Check out Inaugural blogs
Go to www.DanvilleWeekly.com to read blogs
written onsite at the Inauguration by Danville
political analyst Mark Curtis and San Ramon
Valley High grad Melanie Bowman.
nation’s capital, with their teacher April
Smock. One of the students was 16-year-old
Kristina Meyer of Danville.
“I decided to take the trip because I am
really interested in politics,” Meyer said. “It
was really great to experience what I have been
studying in action.”
Like many people, Meyer was just glad
to see an Inauguration in person, instead of
on television, and it may just have inspired a
career choice.
“I want to study journalism,” Meyer said,
“but I would like to be a political analyst or a
foreign correspondent.”
Meyer felt the most important part of the
Obama campaign was that it showcased how
community action could help people at the
grassroots level and cause change.
“I want to help people struggling in their
communities,” Meyer added.
Of course, once all the pageantry of the
Inaugural Parade and Balls are over, there is
work to do. President Obama must work with
Congress in leading the country. That means
that local mayors did not just come here to hear
inspiring speeches. They came looking for support for projects in their local communities.
“In California, and particularly in Danville,
we realize that in order to get people back to
work—which is what we need to focus on
locally—we have to focus on construction,”
Mayor Arnerich said.
Arnerich cited economic studies that conclude that for every dollar spent on municipal
construction, the economic impact is doubled
or tripled by workers spending their paychecks
in a whole host of places.
“We have projects in Danville, particularly
construction projects, that are ready to go,”
Arnerich said. Specifically he talked about federal dollars needed for completion of the auxiliary lane on entrances and exits of Interstate
680 in Danville, similar to the ones at Sycamore
Valley Road.
San Ramon Mayor Wilson, a successful businessman, wants the federal government to be
more accountable, and to help ease the nation’s
credit and financial liquidity crises. Wilson,
Arnerich and other Tri-Valley mayors met with
legislators while attending the U.S. Conference
of Mayors as well as the Inauguration.
“As mayors, we came here to make sure the
(federal) money goes directly to cities and not
states,” Wilson said.
He noted that funds for local municipal construction could create new jobs.
“We can start programs today,” Wilson said.
“We can put shovels in the ground.”
The two mayors and a handful of residents
from Danville gathered at the Capitol Hill
office of U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA),
who was just elected to his second term in
Congress. McNerney is also focused on reviving the slumping economy, but in new ways.
“Well, the thing that I am most excited
about,” said McNerney, “is that if we move
forward with the new energy technologies, that
we can bring so many of those jobs home.”
McNerney cited two businesses in Pleasanton
that can employ people from nearby Danville.
“One that is going to use municipal solid waste
to produce energy,” McNerney said.
“We have a company that uses algae to produce energy,” he added.
Of course, it wasn’t all business. Both mayors were excited to see Danville resident
Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III and his family as “front row” guests of President Obama.
Sullenberger, a US Airways pilot, successfully landed his badly damaged jetliner on the
Hudson River in New York last week, saving
all 155 people on board.
“It was real special for them to be here,”
Arnerich said.
Everyone talked about the different needs
the country has today, but there was a tone
of optimism at this Inaugural that was shared
by many from the San Ramon Valley. When
Obama made his laundry list of challengers facing America, he said, “But know this,
America, they will be met.”
Steve Lincoln of Danville was touched by
that.
“I think it really shows that we’ve gotten to
the point where we can fulfill the promise of
our ideals,” Lincoln said.
Day one of the Obama Administration, it
seems, got off to an optimistic start.
—Mark Curtis is a Danville political analyst and freelance reporter. His book, “Age of
Obama: A Reporter’s Journey with Clinton,
McCain and Obama in the Making of the
President 2008” (Nimble Books, LLC), is out
this week; Curtis will be doing a book signing at Rakestraw Books, 409 Railroad Ave.,
Danville, at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6.
S T O R Y
to Washington
ANDY STONE
More than a million people were in Washington to witness the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America.
MARK CURTIS
Left: Political analyst Danville resident Mark Curtis checks out the
scene around the Washington Monument.
MARK CURTIS
Above: Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich and San Ramon Mayor
Abram Wilson spend time at the Capitol Hill office of U.S. Rep.
Jerry McNerney on Inauguration Day.
SPORTS DIGEST
Sports
In memory of Hannah
The U13 girls Mustang Fury won
the elite division of the “On Your
Toes” Hannah Welker Memorial
Tournament held in memory of a
San Jose player who lost her life in
an automobile accident on July 20
coming home from a soccer tournament.
The Fury players, who wore arm
bands with Hannah’s jersey No.
47 in her honor, won in bracket
play against Tracy Dynamite, 2-0;
Livermore Crew, 2-0; Bay Oak
Bombers, 3-1. The Fury battled
San Juan Spirits 96 in the championship game coming out on top
with a 4-2 victory.
Players were Melissa Lewis,
Ashley Christensen, Madison
Castelein, Dana Outcalt, Allie
Dutto, Chelsea Arnold, Zoey
Bauman, Erin Donnelly, Sarah
Peterson, Jessica Gillespie, Alyssa
Herwatt, Makenna Kummer, Jamie
Speros, Kathleen Hupke and Erika
Perez.
A L O O K AT T H E L O C A L S P O R T S S C E N E
CHRIS SCOTT/WWW.CALSPORTSPHOTO.COM
Successful Winter Stampede
Four vs. four vs. four vs. four, etc.
The Mustang Soccer 4V4 tournament drew more than 120 participants Jan. 17-18 at the Mustang Soccer Complex on Camino Tassajara in
Danville. Teams of four players, grouped by ages U-8 to U-13, faced each other on 1/8-sized fields, playing two 20-minute halves with a five-minute
intermission. The five-week 4V4 Winter League play begins Jan. 31.
SAN RAMON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS WRAPUP
by Tanner Himmelman
Men’s Basketball
The SRV men’s basketball team
had a tough time last week going
1-1. The wolves battled Granada
(9-7) (2-2) in East Bay Athletic
League on Tuesday and received
a devastating loss at the hands of
the Matadors. The Wolves fell just
short, losing 49-46. The Wolves
Tad Fisher attempted a last second
3-pointer and just missed.
The Wolves are (11-5) (3-1) in
EBAL and had to bounce back
on Saturday against Cal High.
SRV came out strong, dominating the Grizzlies and winning
the game by 19 points. The MVP
of the game was Wolves guard
Chris Mc Nealy (11) who did not
miss a free throw and seemed to
not miss a shot.
“We’re going to play hard and
we’re going to do well in this
league,” said Mc Nealy. “We want
to be the best.”
Although Mc Nealy has carried most of the load for the
team, newcomer Jordan Guisti
(10) has become a force as only
a sophomore.
The Wolves look to keep their
winning ways going up against
Foothill next week.
Women’s Soccer
The back to back to back North
Coast Section women’s soccer
champions have jumped out to a
roaring start, going 7-2 in the early
going of the season. The Wolves
always have high expectations to
win the NCS title again.
Although many seniors graduated last year, new leaders have
been born, including California-
bound Grace Leer (11) and Cal
Poly-bound Morgan Griffey (11),
who have taken leadership roles
on this team.
This week the Wolves lost to the
Foothill Falcons, 5-0, the worst
defeat of the season, a very disappointing loss. But still the team
has a positive outlook on the rest
of the season.
“I think our team chemistry on
and off the field will play a huge
role on the rest of the season,”
said Allie Begin (10), a superstar
sophomore with a bright future
with the Wolves soccer team.
Second Flame win for St. Isidore
sixth-graders
St. Isidores’ sixth-grade boys for the second year in a row
won the Flame tournament, which is sponsored by the San
Francisco Fire Department in historic Kezar stadium. Sixteen
CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) teams participated. Games
were played on separate days in December and a team had to
win four games to win the championship.
St. Isidore beat Holy Name, 33-15; St. Francis, 38-23; St.
Joan of Arc, 31-22, in the semifinals; and, in the championship
game, prevailed 44-20 against St. Anselmo.
Team members are Christian Fuca, Mitchell Allan, Tyler
Watson, Nick Bartenetti, David Klop, JT Marcinkowski, Dylan
Dewalt, Julian Corpus, Riley Moore and Matthew Eckermann,
coached by Joe Fuca with assistant coaches John Corpus and
Steve Marcinkowski. Each player was personally awarded a
first-place plaque by the San Francisco Fire Battalion Chief
Skip Olsen.
Over this last weekend of Jan.
10-11, the Town of Danville
once again allowed the Mustang
Soccer League to host the Winter
Stampede. Unlike last year the
skies were blue and the weather
was warm, allowing many teams
to enjoy the tournament that much
more.
Congratulations to the U-14
Mustang Blast Girls and their coaches for winning the Championship
in a 4-3 PK end result versus Bay
Oaks. Many thanks to all of the
teams that participated and to the
volunteers who made this event so
successful.
PREP SCHEDULE
Friday, Jan. 23
Women’s Soccer
San Ramon Valley vs. Livermore, 6 p.m.
Monte Vista at Foothill, 6 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
San Ramon Valley at Carondelet, 7
p.m.
Monte Vista at Amador, 7 p.m.
Men’s Basketball
Monte Vista vs. Amador, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24
Men’s Basketball
San Ramon Valley vs. De La Salle at
Monte Vista, 4 p.m.
Wrestling
Albany Invitational at Albany, 9 a.m.
Monte Vista at Albany
Men’s Soccer
San Ramon Valley vs. Pinole Valley,
3 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 26
Women’s Soccer
San Ramon Valley vs. Washington,
6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27
Men’s Basketball
San Ramon Valley at Monte Vista 7
p.m.
Men’s Soccer
San Ramon Valley vs. Amador, 6 p.m.
Monte Vista vs. Granada, 6 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
San Ramon Valley at Monte Vista,
5:30 p.m.
Living
PEOPLE & LIFESTYLES IN OUR COMMUNITY
by Geoff Gillette
Y
COURTESY OF MELAINE BRYANT
Author Melaine Bryant spends several hours a day either writing or researching the concepts and creatures with which
she populates her novels. Her lovebird Jack perches on her shoulder throughout the day.
A rich
fantasy
life
Former Danville resident
publishes inventive new series
ou never know where inspiration
will strike. Perhaps a scenic vista
sparks a lovely poem, or a particular
word could bring you to compose a song.
In the case of author Melaine Bryant, the
long drive down I-5 to Los Angeles stirred
her psyche and a story bubbled to the surface fully formed. A story of a teenaged girl
faced with impossible odds, a dark prophecy, unexplained powers and stalwart allies.
The first of a five-book series that reviewers are already comparing to the works of
Tolkien and Peter S. Beagle.
Bryant, a former Danville resident, is
the author of “The Prophecy Keepers,”
a young adult fantasy novel published
by Empyrean Hill Publishing of Walnut
Creek. It is the first novel for Bryant, who
now lives in Santa Monica.
The story centers around a 14-yearold girl named Lisandra who lives in the
world of Ard.
“Ard is a world kind of like ours in
the Middle Ages, but different,” Bryant
explains. “There is a prophecy from the
beginning of time that says darkness will
come to the kingdoms of Ard. The prophecy also states that at that time a human
child will be born with the powers of the
magic races.”
Bryant said that in the
book a few humans have
seen magical creatures
like goblins and faeries,
and fewer still believe
they exist. The prophecy
is thought to be only a
story and no one believes
that a Darkness will fall
on the land.
The novel, first in
a five-book series,
chronicles five months
in Lisandra’s life after
she learns that not only
is the Darkness coming but that she is the
prophesied savior of
the world.
Unwilling to believe
the enormity of the situation or that
she is the chosen savior she refuses to
help, but when her brother is kidnapped
by goblins she is forced to undertake a
quest to save him.
Bryant, a UCLA graduate with a degree
in literature and languages focusing on the
classics, utilized a lot of the source material from her studies to put into the novel.
“I was reading a bunch of different things
at the time. I was working on Homer,
Beowulf, Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queen.’
And I had this friend who wanted me to
write something for him. So all this stuff
was sort of in my head and by the time I
got to L.A. from Northern California I had
an outline for it,” she said.
Bryant has been writing since childhood. “I have always written fantasy and
science fiction. I wrote all through high
school and college. After college I did a
lot of freelance writing and then I started
working on ‘The Epic.’”
Drawing on the source materials from
her classics education, Bryant populated
her fantasy world with creatures out of
myth and story. Goblins and faeries most
people have heard of but few have heard
of Fenmean, reptilian creatures posited
by Pliny the Elder.
Bryant added her own flourishes to
the ancient historian’s work. “They look
human but can change their faces to look
serpent-like. Weasels are the only way
to kill them. Even the scent of weasels
repels them,” she stated.
But having the idea and having the
source material to draw on are not
enough, there is the actual work of writing the novel. Getting the words down on
the page, reworking them, editing. Bryant
said she began work on “The Prophecy
Keepers” five years ago.
“I wrote the mythology right away.
There’s a lot of backstory in there so that
I can hint about some things and then
bring them in later.”
Bryant said she devoted herself full
time to writing the novel, which entailed
days of writing chapters, followed by
days of research, where she looked for
creatures to put into the situations in her
world. How they would react, what they
would do.
After five months of writing she penned
an end to the novel. And then the work of
editing began.
Bryant used friends, relatives and her
own daughter as test readers to see what
would or would not work in the manuscript. “It evolved over time. I think there
have been about 50 different drafts of the
first book. I was getting used
to the characters so it
really changed from
what was originally
written,” she laughed.
A year-and-a-half
later Bryant began
shopping the manuscript around to various publishers. After
some rejections, she
came across Empyrean
Hill. “It just ended up
in the right hands and
people really liked it.
It was serendipity,” she
said.
That’s not to say that
such a serendipitous
beginning wasn’t fraught
with challenges. Editors
at Empyrean Hill got the
book ready for sale in less than a year,
which required some long hours. The
print run was delayed. But finally the
book came out in late November.
“I was worried about how it would do,
because nobody really knows me. It’s
so hectic before Christmas—and after
Christmas it’s hectic, too.”
Early reviews have been very positive
and Bryant said she is feeling good about
the next books in the series. Two and
three have been written, she said, and are
in the editing phase now.
Books four and five are proving to be
a new challenge, Bryant said, because
the tone of the books has changed as
Lisandra has gotten older. While the first
three novels engage in the battle between
good and evil on a more physical level,
Bryant said the conflict will become
more cerebral and ideological in the later
installments.
Still she is excited to see a book with her
name on it gracing the shelves of a bookstore and she continues to move forward
with the succeeding parts of the series.
Some people say that doing what you
love as a career is “living the dream.” For
Melaine Bryant, it’s more like living the
fantasy. N
‘Underpants’—a revealing look at society
More information
by Geoff Gillette
I
Jewish man also suddenly in love.
Louise seeks advice on how to deal with
these romantic entanglements from Gertrude
(Bonnie DeChant), the upstairs neighbor.
Lacking attention from her husband, and at
the urging of Gertrude, Louise experiences
empowerment from all this attention and a
sexual awakening.
All members of the cast work well in giving
the double entendres and innuendoes associated with “The Underpants” a thorough workout. Director Sue Trigg makes good use of the
simple yet engaging set designed by Eleisa
Cambra in moving the players around with an
energy at times bordering on the manic.
Manic would also best describe actor
Michael Sally’s portrayal of Cohen, a character
that could easily be lost behind the power of
e c r e d i t fo r a g r e at i d e a !
Go on...tak
PATRICK TRACY
What: “The Underpants:
Who: Role Players Ensemble Theatre
Where: Village Theatre, 233 Front St.,
Danville
When: Jan. 16-Feb. 7
Cost: $22-$25; $15 for students
Tickets: 314-3400; www.
villagetheatreshows.com
t’s been said that the best jokes contain a
kernel of truth. That said, there are kernels of truth liberally sprinkled throughout “The Underpants,” the latest effort from
Role Players Ensemble Theatre.
A play originally written by Carl Sternheim
in 1910 and adapted by comedian Steve Martin,
“The Underpants” shows the silliness of cultural mores and the hypocrisy of those who view
such things in black and white terms.
Taking place within the confines of the small
home of Theo and Louise Maske, the show
focuses on a simple wardrobe malfunction and
the far-reaching consequences it brings.
While Theo and Louise (Eddie Peabody
and Xanadu Bruggers) are attending a parade
she experiences an unfortunate mishap where
her underpants accidentally slip off and fall
to the ground.
Theo, a government clerk, believes his life
may have come to an end as a result of the
event, while Louise doesn’t think anyone even
saw it, as the King was going by at the time.
The couple soon find themselves bombarded by men looking to rent the empty
room. First comes Versati (Craig Eychner),
a nobleman, poet and dandy who is besotted with Louise and her daring exposure.
Then comes Cohen (Michael Sally), a sickly
Blitt’s hale and hearty Theo or Eychner’s foppish Versati. Sally channels a demented sort of
Jerry Lewis physicality to Cohen’s character,
allowing him to steal more than one scene.
Bruggers and DeChant have a number of
scenes together and the pair complement each
other well. DeChant’s salacious Gertrude
proves a strong enabler to Louise’s burgeoning sexuality, urging her along toward an
affair with Versati while she herself is drawn
to the loutish Theo.
Peabody does an excellent job of making
Theo larger than life. He brings an interesting combination of conviction, hypocrisy and
willful ignorance to the character, which fits
perfectly within the time the piece was written and can be ascribed to many a “modern”
man as well. He is a poster child for “do as I
say, not as I do.”
Kudos should go to John Blytt as well in
the understated role of Klinghoffer, a third
boarder attempting to rent the room and
completely unaware of the ongoing uproar
around him. His scenes with his pet fish
Ludwig brought down the house.
The packed house on opening night roared
through much of the show, enjoying the at
times over-the-top innuendoes employed by
all the characters.
Steve Martin’s writing is characterized by
a razor sharp wit and a keen eye for social
Xanadu Bruggers stars as Louise Maske in the
Role Players Ensemble Theatre production of “The
Underpants.”
satire. The Role Players cast utilizes Martin’s
trademark style, in turns with the deftness of
a surgeon’s scalpel or the power of a sledgehammer, reducing the audience to quivering
laughter and applause.
What makes the show work so well is that
it holds up a mirror to the cultural views
regarding sex and gender that continue even
today. It’s easy to laugh because at some
level we are laughing at ourselves.
There is another old saying: “Sex sells.” So
with that thought, “The Underpants” is sexy, it’s
funny, and it should have a pretty good run. N
OF NOTE
There WILL be
CHAMPAGNE
Fabulous
4 Course Menu
$65
Valentine’s Day AT&!:2ESTAURANT
925 838 1320 • 600 hartz avenue, danville
www.fazrestaurants.com
BOX YOUR WAY INTO
A MILLION DOLLAR BODY!
UÊi>ÛÞÊ>}ÃÊ
UÊÕ«Ê,«i
UÊ,i}Õ>ÌÊÝ}Ê,}
UÊ*ÕV}ÊEÊ
ÕÌiÀÊ*ÕV}
UÊ*ii>ÊLÃÊÜÀÕÌ
UÊÌÌÊ7À
UÊiÌÌiLiÃ
UÊ->`ÜÊÝ}
iÌÊÌÊÌiÊLiÃÌÊÃ>«iÊvÊÞÕÀÊviÊÜÌÊÕÀÊ
ÝiVÕÌÛiÊÝ}Ê
>ÃÃ°
Boxing is not only fun, but as a workout
is the best cardiovascular exercise.
You will train with the intensity of a
boxer, without the hurt.
Ultimate Fitness
Academy
/iÀiÊÃÊ>LÃÕÌiÞÊÊÌiÀÊÜÀÕÌÊ
iÊÌÃtÊ ÊVÌ>VÌÊÀiµÕÀi`°Ê
Offered on a monthly basis.
Class size is limited, so sign-up now!
925-867-3488
Î£ÓäÊ
ÀÜÊ
>ÞÊ,>`
1Ì>ÌiÌiÃÃV>ìÞ°iÌ
Pack 815 retires flag
The Cub Scouts of Pack 815 Greenbrook Elementary retired the U.S. Flag at an open campfire held at the Lafayette
Diocese Retreat Center. The ceremony honoring our American Heritage was led by Steve Miller, Pack 815 Training
Leader/Assistant Cubmaster, who was assisted by the Boy Scouts from Troop 815 at Charlotte Wood Middle School.
Cub Scouting begins at the age of 7 or first grade and continues through the fifth grade. Scouts enjoy many fun
activities including camping, hiking, building cars, learning and performing skits and much, much more. Through
the 12 core values of Cub Scouts, they learn respect, courage, compassion, resourcefulness and responsibility
while having fun with friends and family. For more information on how to join, call 674-6125.
New Eagles join the nest
Eric Bergquist, Jason Lucibello and Alex Morris
were awarded Boy Scouts’ highest rank at a National
Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Dec. 20. Only 2 percent
of all boys who enter scouting achieve this honor. The
three are members of Troop 36, a unit chartered by St.
Timothy’s Episcopal Church.
Eric, Jason and Alex have spent extensive time hiking and backpacking in the wilderness. All three did
a 60-mile trek on the John Muir Trail in 2006 and a
100-mile backpacking adventure at the Philmont Scout
Ranch in New Mexico in 2007. In 2005, Eric and Alex
accompanied the Troop on its 50-miler in the Alaskan
wilderness.
Eric’s leadership service project was to clear 2,000
feet of barbed wire fence and posts from Mount Diablo
to return the land to its native state. Jason organized
a drive to collect and deliver over 5,600 care package
items to the servicemen and women in Afghanistan
and Iraq with the Blue Star Moms. Alex collected
over 19,000 household items for the Family House at
Children’s Hospital Oakland.
Presenting the Past
The Y Files
B Y B E V E R LY L A N E
BY MARIA SHEN
Real teens, TV teens
“SAN RAMON VALLEY: ALAMO, DANVILLE, AND SAN RAMON” BY BEVERLY LANE AND RALPH COZINE
The entire student body is pictured, c. 1912, in front of the first public high school, the Eddy House, located on Church Street in Danville.
New public high school opens
F
or decades San Ramon
Valley students had no high
school in the valley. But, at
the turn of the 20th century, that
changed. The Danville Grange No.
85 and the Danville Improvement
Club (established in 1905) joined
to organize a new high school.
At that point state law required
that children between the ages of
8 and 14 attend school, usually
for five months. They received
an assured, but scant, grammar
schooling. For high school, students went to school in Oakland or
San Francisco and boarded during
the week.
A Grange resolution dated June
19, 1909, stated:
whereas there is no high school
in this area, most of the children
are being denied this educational
advantage
be it resolved that every effort
must be made to secure a high
school in Danville.
A committee of five members was named, authorized and
instructed to hold meetings of the
general public to secure information on procedures to secure a
high school in the valley. The
Grange committee consisted of
Nina Williams, Ben Boone, W.E.
Stewart, Ida Hall and Florence
Steinmetz.
On Nov. 13, 1909, the Contra
Costa Gazette reported a meeting was held in Danville to discuss the high school project. “The
Danville Grange, one of the oldest
organizations of the kind in the
State, is back of the movement,” it
read. “At present the only recourse
... for high school privileges is
Concord, Oakland and other
Alameda county towns, all too far
away to be reached by pupils who
will have to make daily trips.”
The absence of “such school has
repeatedly deterred homeseekers
from settling in the valley.”
At that meeting W.N. Hanlon,
county Superintendent of Schools
informed the citizens gathered
that a census of 200 students
was necessary to establish a high
school. If Lafayette and Central
District would form with Danville,
Alamo, San Ramon, Green Valley,
Sycamore Valley and Tassajara
grammar school districts, there
was a possible 452 children. The
taxable property of such a district
was $2,311,888 with a net tax role
of 15 cents on the $100.
A census was taken and, after
Lafayette, Central and Tassajara
schools decided against joining,
the five other grammar schools
agreed to form a high school district. On Jan. 15, 1910, Charles J.
Wood announced to the Grange
and to the general public that he
had secured the necessary and
proper papers and notices calling
for an election to create a unified
district and elect a board of trustees.
After a successful election,
the first meeting of the elected
trustees of the San Ramon Valley
Union School District was held
March 31, 1910; John F. Baldwin
was elected president and W.E.
Stewart, secretary. It was moved
and carried unanimously that the
high school be located in Danville.
The first board of trustees consisted of Baldwin, Stewart, Charles J.
Wood, William Meese and David
Bell.
The trustees planned to open
school in early August, with a
10-month school calendar. Mr.
Eddy rented the district one of his
houses, located two doors east of
Hartz Avenue on Church Street. A
Mr. Cutting was hired as teacher/
principal for $150 a month. He
insisted another teacher was needed and was instructed to make a
trip to Stanford and Berkeley to
find a “suitable” teacher. He hired
Miss A. Maude Cornwall for $80
a month. Rent was $25 a month
with Mrs. Eddy doing the janitorial work for $1 a month.
The trustees worked hard, creating a new curriculum by visiting
other schools in the Bay Area. The
school initially offered six courses: commercial, history, English,
German, mathematics and physical geography. Chemistry and
physics were added in 1912. A
porch on the house was enclosed
to create the lab.
Thirty children attended the
first school year; the Eddy house
served as the school from 19101914. As the student population
grew, another location was needed. A new Social and Fraternal
Hall on Front Street had been built
in 1913, making the former Odd
Fellows Hall down the street available. In August of 1914, 48 students and four teachers opened the
new rooms, which were upstairs
in the Close building.
The first students to complete all
four years at the San Ramon Valley
Union High School were Astrid
Olsson, Viola Lynch, Ora Bell, Ruth
Weinhauser and Alice Bell, who
graduated on May 29, 1914.
The trustees continued to look
for property for a new high school
and, in 1915, they found 10 acres
of land north of Danville. Next
week’s column tells that story.
Sources: Inez Butz’s “The
Founding of San Ramon Valley
Union High School,” Contra
Costa Gazettes, Valley Kernel for
1925, museum archives.
Beverly Lane is curator of the
Museum of the San Ramon Valley
and co-author of “San Ramon Valley:
Alamo, Danville, and San Ramon” and
“Vintage Danville: 150 Years
of Memories.”
I
don’t watch TV. But, uh, I do
watch one highly embarrassing
show—Gossip Girl. I received the
first season of Gossip Girl on DVD
for Christmas from one of my friends
and have been unable to stop watching. The cover itself is promising.
Six happy, beautiful young people
hold hands and cell phones against
the bright backdrop of Manhattan
lights. In the show, a ring of wealthy,
private school students stirs up drama
as they bar-hop and bed-hop.
I took a sneak peak of what’s
happening on the second season
(I’m very behind compared to longterm Gossip Girl fans). What I saw
from the recent episode summary
does not disappoint: Serena (Blake
Lively) is having a blast in Buenos
Aires. Blair (Leighton Meester)
slept with her sort-of boyfriend’s
uncle on New Year’s. And, Chuck
(Ed Westwick), Blair’s sort-of boyfriend, returns to school after having
disappeared to Thailand.
I know, I know, it’s stupid, but
I’m not the only one who watches
this show. Season Two of Gossip
Girl has averaged 3.19 million
viewers per new episode. I can’t
even imagine what others must
think of people my age when they
watch this show. The truth is, if I
really wanted to watch a TV show
about regular teens ... I wouldn’t.
Unless, of course, I was really keen
on being bored to death.
What does an episode of a real
Danville teen’s life look like, you
ask? Well, when we come home
from school and shut ourselves in
our rooms, what we’re doing is
only mysterious and exciting to
an outsider. In reality, we’re either
browsing Facebook, chatting with
friends, doing homework, or all
three. I don’t have enough money
to jet off to Los Angeles, much
less Thailand or Buenos Aires.
This weekend, I alternated between
watching “Star Wars,” reading
“The Brothers Karamazov,” and
finishing up a charcoal, black-andwhite piece I’m drawing. I used to
have enough money to go to the
theater or visit Berkeley, but since
the economy took a nosedive and
my mom lost her job, I’ve been living more frugally.
I don’t think real teen lives can
ever make it on TV even though
some of us are reasonably amusing. (I sing in the shower. Other
teens can cartwheel. Some juggle.)
I wonder if shows like Gossip Girl
give middle school students a misleading view of high school life.
It does seem to me that children
are growing up faster these days.
When I go to Stoneridge mall, I
have to do a double-take every time
an 8- or 9-year-old girl walks past
me with giant Victoria’s Secret and
Abercrombie bags half her size.
But, I’ll be fair. Shows like Gossip
Girl don’t only have an effect on
young, unsuspecting minds. I do eye
my wardrobe more critically after each
episode, noting the lack of designer
brands like Valentino and Dolce &
Gabbana. I also wish my hair were a
lot smoother. But, ah, I shall not give
in to the unreasonable societal pressure. Especially since I have finals
to worry about instead—something
I don’t think the high schoolers on
Gossip Girl ever had to take.
E-mail Maria Shen at
[email protected]
The Wine Guy
BY DON COLMAN, THE EVERYDAY WINE GUY
Whine not over white wine
N
ormally I review red wines.
I like red wines! Every
once in a while it is good
to try a white wine just to reaffirm
my love for the Vino Rosso. As my
father always says, “Variety is the
spice of life.” This week I gave it a
shot with a well known Chardonnay
vintner, Chateau St. Jean, and its
2007 Chardonnay ($14).
My taste in white wine is different from red. In white wine I love
butter. I want something that tastes
like you are licking a stick of the
cholesterol “causer.” The more butter the better. I love oak in red but I
find it heavy in a white wine.
I uncorked the Chardonnay and
let it breathe for about 20 minutes.
(Tip: Make sure you let it breathe
because if you drink a wine right
out of the fridge, you will find that
your first smell and taste will be all
alcohol.) The smell to this was very
refreshing—I could pick up fruit,
especially apples, pears and a bit of
grapefruit. There is also a nice hint
of vanilla that grows as you continue
to sniff it. My most important test
always comes in the taste. Would it
leave me wanting more?
The taste was very fruity. Some
would call it clean or refreshing—
whatever the taste was, it was pleasing and then it hit. It was as if I were
eating a heavily buttered piece of
toast. I loved it! The best part, that
buttery taste, stays with you, almost
like you are chewing it causing you
to want another sip. Shockingly, this
red wine lover was willing to polish
off the bottle with dinner.
As for a recommendation, if you
are looking for a reasonably priced
white wine that goes well with a
turkey, chicken or a white fish then
you will not be disappointed in the
Chateau St. Jean 2007 Chardonnay.
E-mail everydaywineguy
@hotmail.com
Calendar
7 / ½ - Ê * * Ê
Art
Kevin Milligan Gallery Abstract
paintings by Michael Leventhal and
Ricia Araiza and wrought iron furniture
by Gert Rassmussen will be on display
from 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m., daily, at
the Kevin Milligan Gallery, 408 Hartz
Ave., Danville. Call 309-4648.
Auditions
‘Three Tall Women’ by Edward
Albee Role Players Ensemble Theatre
is looking for three females ages
26-90 and one male, age 25, for
“Three Tall Women.” Auditions will be
at 7 p.m., Feb. 8-9, at Village Theatre,
233 Front St., Danville. Call backs will
be at 7 p.m., Feb. 15. Cold read and
applicants must be familiar with the
piece. Call 820-1278.
Diablo Valley Masterworks
Chorale Auditions for the Diablo
Valley Masterworks Chorale will
begin at 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 26, at
Diablo Valley College Music Building,
M-101, 321 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant
Hill. Program includes Karl Jenkins’
beautiful “Requiem,” Bach’s double
chorus Motet “Singet dem Herm” and
Haydn’s “Te Deum.” Call 228-3293 or
visit www.masterworkschorale.net.
Author Visit
Mark Curtis Rakestraw Books will
host Mark Curtis, author of “Age of
Obama: A Reporter’s Journey with
Clinton, McCain and Obama in the
Making of the President 2008,” at 7
p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at Rakestraw
Books, 409 Railroad Ave., Danville.
Call 837-7337.
Reese Erlich and Norman
Solomon Reese Erlich, author of
“Dateline Havana: The Real Story of
U.S. Policy and the Future of Cuba,”
and Norman Solomon, author
of “Made Love, Got War: Close
Encounters With America’s Warfare
State,” will speak at 7 p.m., Monday,
Jan. 26, at Mt. Diablo Unitarian
Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane,
Walnut Creek. Tickets are $12-$20
for general; $5 for students. Call
933-7850
Clubs
Alamo Women’s Club Luncheon
This club will start its 2009 program
with guest speaker, Rev. Doug
Heisal and his wife, Crystal, at noon,
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Clubhouse,
1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo. He will
talk about “Uplifting All Women.” Cost
is $20, including lunch. Reservations
are required by Jan. 23; call Vicki at
820-3999.
Alamo-Danville Newcomers Club
This club is open to new and longtime residents of the surrounding
areas. If you are interested in making
new friends, learning more about the
area or getting involved in various
activities, call 775-3233 or visit www.
alamodanvillenewcomers.com.
Bay Area Single Christians BASC
club is a free, large, online group with
event listings for Christian single adults
around the S.F. Bay Area. See information at http://groups.yahoo.com/
group/bascsingles/.
Business Development Network
BDN is a group of professionals that
share resources and develops business
through relationships. It meets 7:45-9
a.m., the second and fourth Thursday
of each month at Denny’s, 807 Camino
Ramon, Danville. Call 648-8316 or visit
www.bdndanville.com.
Ê"1,Ê
"1
/9ÊUÊ*"-/Ê
Danville Job’s Daughters Job’s
Daughters International is an organization for young ladies (minimum
age 10 for full membership) who
enjoy dances, sleepovers, parties,
social events, snow trips and more.
The girls develop confidence, good
character, life-long friendships, moral
and spiritual values, and leadership
abilities. The group meets at 7 p.m.,
the second and fourth Tuesday of
every month, at the Danville Grange
Hall, 743 Diablo Rd. Call 829-8505 or
email [email protected].
Danville Lions Club This club
meets at 7 p.m., on the first and third
Wednesday of every month, at the
Brass Door, San Ramon. For information, call Tom Jackson at 984-1541.
Danville Mid-day Referral Group,
BNI Danville Mid-day Referral Group,
a chapter of Business Network
International, meets from 11:30
a.m.-1 p.m., every Wednesday, at
Crow Canyon Country Club, 711
Silver Lake Dr., Danville. Call Eric
Samuels at 946-1400.
Danville PM Toastmaster Club
#1785 The club meets from 7:30-9
p.m., every Wednesday, at DVC,
San Ramon Campus, 1690 Watermill
Rd., San Ramon. Guests are welcome. For information, call Debra
Elmore at 934-3113 or visit www.
danvilletoastmasters1785.com.
Danville Rotary The Danville Rotary
meets at noon, every Monday at the
Brass Door, 2154 San Ramon Valley
Blvd., San Ramon. For information,
visit www.danvillerotary.org.
Danville Women’s Club This club
meets for lunch, a program and
a business meeting on the third
Thursday of every month, SeptemberMay and on the first Thursday of June,
at the clubhouse, 242 Linda Mesa
Ave., Danville. Dues are $30 annually
with a $5 initiation fee for new members. Call 837-1165.
Danville-Sycamore Valley Rotary
The Danville-Sycamore Valley Rotary
Club meets for breakfast at 7 a.m.
every Tuesday at Crow Canyon
Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive,
Danville. Join them for great fellowship
and make a difference in your community and the world. Call Scott at
743-8449.
Delta Nu Psi Delta Nu Psi provides
packages to troops in the War Zone.
The group collects donations before
the third Friday of every month in front
of Longs Drug Store in Alamo and
before the third Saturday at Lunardi’s
in Danville. It puts together the packages on the third Wednesday of every
month. For information, e-mail Alicia at
[email protected].
Diablo Chapter, Order of Eastern
Star Eastern Star is a social order
with a concentration on philanthropy.
Currently, the Diablo Chapter is collecting and making baby quilts, hats,
booties, clothing, etc. for the babies
at the Contra Costa Regional Medical
Center. Additionally, care packages
are sent to the troops in Iraq. The
club meets at 7:30 p.m., on the second Monday of every month, at the
Orinda Masonic Center, 9 Altarinda.
Call 283-7176.
Diablo Diggers Dance Club The
Diablo Diggers Dance Club meets
five times a year for dinner and dancing with a live band in the Danville or
Walnut Creek area. The club is looking
for a few new members, couples only.
For information, call 938-0316.
Diablo Singles Dance Club Diablo
Singles Dance Club dances regularly
the last Wednesday of the month
from 7:30-10:30 p.m., at the Arts
Education Building, corner of Ygnacio
Valley Road and Wiget Lane, Walnut
Creek. The cost is $7 for members
and $9 for non-members. All are welcome. Call 837-2851.
, Ê / - Ê / Ê 7 7 7° Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman This
club meets at 7 p.m. on the second
Tuesday of every month at Heather
Farm Lakeside Room, 301 N. San
Carlos, Walnut Creek. Guests are
welcome. For information, visit www.
diablovalleyflyfish.org.
Diablo Valley Quilters’ Guild The
Diablo Valley Quilters’ Guild meets at
7 p.m., the third Wednesday of each
month at the Danville Congregational
Church, 989 San Ramon Valley Blvd.
Guests are welcome ($2 donation).
Annual membership fee is $30 ($20
for seniors 65+). For information, call
Dianne at 837-1863.
Diablo View Toastmasters AM
Afraid of public speaking? Lose your
fears and develop communication and
leadership skills by meeting with the
Diablo View Toastmasters from 7:55-9
a.m., every Tuesday, at 2333 San
Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. Call
Sahar Kordahi, VP of Membership, at
315-8730.
Kiwanis San Ramon Valley San
Ramon Valley Kiwanis meets from
noon-1:30 p.m., every Thursday,
at Round Hill Country Club, 3169
Roundhill Road, Alamo. Meetings
include networking, lunch and a guest
speaker. For information, visit its Web
site at www.kiwanis-srv.org or call
244-1227.
Moms Club of Danville-Tassajara
Come join a support group for stay-athome moms. It meets at 10 a.m., the
last Tuesday of every month; moms
with children of all ages are welcome. Dues are $28 per year. E-mail
Angeline at [email protected].
Mt. Diablo Genealogical Society
The society meets from 1:15-3 p.m.,
the third Thursday of every month
except August, at the California
Savings Building, Rossmoor Shopping
Center, Tice Valley Blvd. and
Rossmoor Parkway, Walnut Creek.
Guest speakers are at each meeting.
Porsche Club of America, Diablo
Region This club is for owners and
enthusiasts of all Porsches. It meets at
8 a.m. every Saturday for breakfast at
Marie Callendar’s, 1101 S. California
Blvd., Walnut Creek. Visit www.pca.
org/dia.
San Ramon Valley Genealogical
Society This group meets at 10 a.m.,
on the third Tuesday of every month
(except August and December), at the
Danville Family History Center, 2949
Stone Valley Rd., Alamo. The public is
welcome. Call Ed at 299-0881 or visit
http://srvgensoc.org.
San Ramon Valley Newcomers
Luncheon This club will host Harry
Harbinger, a world traveler of 115
countries, at its luncheon at 11:30
a.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, at Marriott’s
Stix and Steaks, San Ramon. For reservations, call Paula at 735-6483. Visit
www.srvnc.com.
San Ramon Valley Rotary Club
This club meets for dinner at 7 p.m.,
every Wednesday, at the Crow Canyon
Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Dr.,
Danville. Guests are welcome. The club
offers a great way to make new friends
while making a difference in your community. Call Dany at 838-9110.
Concerts
‘Grateful Dead’ Tribute California
Symphony presents “Dead
Symphony: An Orchestral Tribute to
the Music of the Grateful Dead” and
Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” at 4
p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25 and at 7:30
p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Lesher
Regional Center for the Arts, 1601
Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Tickets are
$39-$59. Visit www.lesherartscenter.
org or www.californiasymphony.org.
Carlos Reyes’ Latin Jazz See brilliant Latin Jazz and traditional folkloric
6 7 9° " WEEKEND PREVIEW
Rising stars here at home
Stars 2000 presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat” featuring Danville residents Jennifer West, Madeline
Kay, Emily Jones, Lindsey Scanlon and Brittany McIntosh; and
Alamo resident Nick McKenna. The play will show at 8 p.m.,
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 23-24; 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25; 7:30
p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29; 8 p.m., Friday-Saturday, Jan. 30-31; and
at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31; all at Las Lomas Theatre, 1460
S. Main St., Walnut Creek. Tickets are $15 for general; $13 for
students and seniors; and $12 for groups. Call 324-7359.
music by Carlos Reyes, instrumentalist of the highest caliber, 7 p.m.,
Saturday, Jan. 31, San Ramon Valley
High School Performing Arts Center,
501 Danville Blvd., Danville. Tickets
are $40 for Gold Circle; $25 for adults;
$10 for SRVHS staff and students
with ID. Call 229-2710.
Jazz at Peace Jazz at Peace presents
“MLK,” an oratorio for jazz orchestra composed by Marcus Shelby, at
5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at Peace
Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino
Tassajara, Danville. This composition is
a musical tribute to Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. and the Freedom Songs and
Spirituals of the Civil Rights Movement.
This concert is free. Call 648-7000.
Events
‘Crazy Wisdom Saves the World
Again’ A comic monologue, “Crazy
Wisdom Saves the World Again,” will
be performed by Wes “Scoop” Nisker
at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Mt.
Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church,
55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. Tickets
are $12-$20 for general; $5 for students. Call 933-7850 or visit www.
mtdpc.org.
Antique and Art Faire Discover
Danville Association will host an
Antique and Art Faire from 9:30
a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, on
Railroad Avenue in downtown Danville.
Appraisal clinic will be held for $10 per
item benefiting the Tao House. Spaces
are still available for vendors; call
Marcia Harmon at 837-2664.
Contemporary Ballet’s Program
A Company C Contemporary Ballet
presents Program A, which includes
the world premiere of Charles
Anderson’s “The Song Remains the
Same”, a new ballet set to six Led
Zeppelin songs at 8 p.m., FridaySaturday, Jan. 23-24, at the Lesher
Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.,
Walnut Creek. Tickets are $40 for
general seating, $25 for students and
seniors. Call 943-SHOW (943-7469)
or visit www.companycballet.org.
Crab Feed and Awards Dinner
Alamo Chamber of Commerce will
host a Crab Feed and Awards Dinner
starting at 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 30,
at the Alamo Women’s Club, 1401
Danville Blvd. The night will include
dinner, installation of officers, Super
Bowl polls and a drawing. Tickets are
$45 and can be purchased by any
Board Member or at www.alamochamberofcommerce.com.
Installation Dinner and Awards
Danville Area Chamber of Commerce
presents the 2009 Installation Dinner
and Awards at 6:30 p.m., Thursday,
Feb. 5, at the Blackhawk Museum,
3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville.
Tickets are $90. Call 837-4400, ext. 11
or visit www.danvilleareachamber.com.
Oscar Night Town and Danville
and the California Independent Film
Festival present Oscar Night at 5 p.m.
(doors open at 4 p.m.), Sunday, Feb.
22, at the Village Theatre, 233 Front
St., Danville. Tickets are $25. There
will be great food, door prizes, games
and Oscar trivia. Call 314-3400 or visit
www.ci.danville.ca.us.
San Ramon Valley Town Hall
Meeting Save the date for the San
Ramon Valley Town Hall Meeting from
7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18,
C A L E N D A R
at Stone Valley Middle School, 3001
Miranda Ave., Alamo. The topic will be
underage drinking and youth access
to alcohol. To reserve your seat, contact Emily Justice at 687-8844, ext.
222 or [email protected].
Film
‘Peace One Day’ An inspiring film
that tells the story of one man’s
impassioned and improbable quest to
create an internationally recognized
day of peace and cease-fire will be
played at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan.
28, at Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice
Center, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek.
This event is free, but donations are
accepted. Call 933-7850.
Fundraisers
‘Hollywood Night of Stars’ St.
Isidore School will host “Hollywood
Night of Stars” charity auction at 6
p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31, at Round Hill
Country Club, 3169 Round Hill Rd.,
Alamo. Tickets are $95. Proceeds will
benefit the school’s programs. The
event will feature a live auction as well
as a silent auction. Call 964-0257 or
visit www.stisidore.org.
‘It Shouldn’t Hurt to be a Child’
Benefit Luncheon Auxiliary for the
Child Abuse Prevention Council of
Contra Costa County will hold its fifth
annual Benefit Luncheon from 10:30
a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, at
Round Hill Country Club, Alamo. Start
with a champagne and hors d’oeuvre
reception as you browse the silent
auction tables, followed by an elegant
lunch and drawings. Tickets are $65.
Proceeds benefit programs provided to
the community by CAPC. To purchase
tickets, visit www.capc-coco.org.
14th Hats Off America Run and
Walk Join Sparky George at the 14th
annual Hats Off American Run and
Walk from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday,
Feb. 7, at Sycamore Valley Park, 1211
Holbrook Dr., Danville. Cost is $35.
Proceeds benefit Gold Star Military
families. Call 855-1950.
A Night in the Catskills Spend
a super night in our Beth Chaim
“camp” schmoozing with old friends
while making new ones in the Jewish
Community from 6-10:30 p.m.,
Saturday, Feb. 21, at Beth Chaim
Congregation, 1800 Holbrook Dr.,
Danville. The event will feature authentic Jewish foods and a live and silent
auction. Tickets are $75 in January;
$90 in February. Call 640-2547.
Danville Rotary Crab Feed Join
friends and neighbors for a fun night
of crab, pasta, salad and dessert from
6:30-10 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31, at St.
Isidore’s Small Gym, 440 La Gonda
Way, Danville. The evening will include
door prizes and a silent and live auction. Tickets are $45. Proceeds benefit
the community good works of Danville
Rotary. Call 831-1100.
Family Pancake Breakfast A family
pancake breakfast will be held from
9-11:30 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at
the San Ramon Senior Center, 9300
Alcosta Blvd. Cost is $4 for adults, $2
for children 12 and under. Proceeds
benefit activities and programs for
seniors. Call 973-3250.
TVAR’s Claws for Paws Crab Feast
Join Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, 6-10
p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Shrine
Event Center, 170 Lindbergh Ave.,
Livermore, for its fourth annual crab
feast with all the crab you can eat plus
Caesar salad, pasta, French bread,
dessert, coffee and tea and a no host
bar. Games and drawings for baskets
and cash will be held. The cost is $50.
Visit www.tvar.org or call 323-8517.
Health
Cardio Tennis Looking for a challenge? Join former world ranked tennis professional, Brett Stephenson, at
Cardio Tennis from 6-7:30 p.m., every
Monday, at San Ramon Valley High
School, 501 Danville Blvd., Danville.
Fast pace tennis drills combined with
yoga, pilates and calisthenics. Cost is
$15. Call 683-2460.
Minimally Invasive Treatments
for Varicose Veins Free Seminar
Soohyun Kim, M.D., will discuss surgical and non-surgical treatments for
varicose veins, and how to reduce
pain and discomfort from 7:30-8:30
p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3, at San Ramon
Regional Medical Center, south conference room, south building, 7777
Norris Canyon Rd. This event is free.
Call 275-8230.
Kids and
Teens
‘Punch and Judy’ Friends of the
Danville Library will host Piccolo
Puppet Player’s “Punch and Judy”
at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the
Danville Library, Children’s Reading
Room, 400 Front St. This program is
suited for children 4 years and older.
Call 837-4889.
‘She’s All That!’ Conference A
special conference will be held for
middle school girls and their parents
from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Feb.
7, at Gale Ranch Middle School,
6400 Main Branch Rd., San Ramon.
There will be a keynote address by
Sejal Hathi, 17 workshops for girls,
four for parents; and “Live Your
Dream” info tables. Cost is $30,
including lunch for the girls. Register
by calling 355-2442 or visiting www.
soroptimist-sr.org.
‘Trixie Loves Speed Racer’
Blackhawk Museum presents a
drop-in funshop “Trixie Loves Speed
Racer” for children 3-10 years old
from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8, at
the museum, 3700 Blackhawk Plaza
Circle, Danville. Children will decorate Valentines, make snacks and
more. This event is free with museum
admission. Call 736-2277.
Free Online Tutoring Available
Contra Costa County Library is
offering free homework help from
expert online tutors to students
grade 4-12 and beginning college
from 1-10 p.m., Monday-Friday, at
http://ccclib.org
Hospice Support Group Hospice
of the East Bay will host a support
group for kids and teens from 5:156:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 24-March
31, at 3470 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant
Hill. This group is offered for a fee
and requires pre-registration; call
887-5678.
Paws to Read Friends of the Danville
Library and the Valley Humane
Society presents “Paws to Read”
at 4 and 4:35 p.m., Mondays, Jan.
26; Feb. 2, 9, 23 and March 2, at
the Danville Library, 400 Front St.
Children in grades 1-5 will read to
dogs brought by handlers from the
Valley Humane Society. This event is
free, but registration is required by
calling 837-4889.
Pinewood Derby Cub Scout Pack
689 of Tassajara Hills Elementary
School is extending an invitation to all
non-Scouters (boys ages 7-10 years
old) to join the Pinewood Derby festivities at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23,
at Tassajara Hills Elementary School,
4675 Camino Tassajara, Danville. Visit
www.pack689.org.
Scout Sunday The Boy Scouts
of America designates the Sunday
that falls before Feb. 8 (Scouting
Anniversary Day) as Scout Sunday,
which is the primary date to recognize the contributions of young people and adults to Scouting. Wear your
class A uniform to church and have
your Pack/Troop info available.
Web Wizard Library Database
Workshop Do your kids need help
finding information for school work? If
so, come to a workshop from 6:307:15 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, at
the Danville Library, 400 Front St. This
program is for students in grades
3-5. Space is limited and registration
is required; call 837-4889.
Lectures/
Workshops
Cancer 101 The Wellness Community
will host a workshop on cancer which
will cover subjects like understanding your diagnosis, what cancer is,
navigating the health care system,
using the internet as a research tool
and more from 4-6 p.m., Tuesday,
Jan. 27, at the Wellness Community,
3276 McNutt Ave., Walnut Creek. Call
933-0107.
How to Start and Build Your
Business Rick Elfman, a SCORE
counselor and 32-year business
owner, will share his knowledge about
how to start and build a business at 7
p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Danville
Library, 400 Front St. This workshop
is free, but reservations are required
by calling 646-5377 or e-mail jmills@
contracostasbdc.com.
Stop Smoking Naturally Elephant
Pharm will host a workshop on how
to stop smoking and effective ways
to address irritability, anxiety, coughing and food cravings from 7-8 p.m.,
Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Elephant Pharm,
1388 S. California Blvd., Walnut
Creek. This event is free. Call 8263858.
Literary Events
‘R is for Rose’ Friends of the Danville
Library presents “R is for Rose,” part
of its First Wednesday Program at
7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the
Danville Community Center, Valley Oak
Room, 420 Front St. Carolyn Parker
will speak about the roses that grow
in her garden. This event is free and
open to the public. Call 837-4889.
Miscellaneous
Adopt a New Best Friend Tri-Valley
Animal Rescue (TVAR) offers wonderful animals for adoption every Saturday
and Sunday, excluding most holidays.
On Saturdays, from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.,
dogs and cats are available. For dates
and times and other information, call
TVAR at 803-7043 or visit its Web site
at www.tvar.org.
American Red Cross Public Blood
Drive The American Red Cross is
holding a public blood drive from
11 a.m.-5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at
Grange Hall, 743 Diablo Rd., Danville.
Appointments are required; visit www.
beadonor.com.
Continuous Progress Program
Information Night The Vista Grande
Continuous Progress Program will host
an orientation meeting from 7-8:30
p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, at Vista
Grande Elementary School, multipurpose room, 667 Diablo Rd., Danville.
The meeting is held to inform the community about the unique aspects of the
program. Kindergarten applications will
be available. Call 362-4098.
Free Computer Instruction The
Danville Library is offering free computer instruction on Word, Excel,
Powerpoint or the Internet by appointment only. To make an appointment,
visit the Danville Library Information
Desk or call 837-4889
Recycle for Breast Cancer Recycle
for Breast Cancer is open seven days
a week accepting free dropoffs for
computers, monitors, cell phones, laptops, servers and TVs, at 31 Beta Ct.,
Suite C, San Ramon. Call 735-7203 or
visit www.recycleforbreastcancer.org.
On Stage
‘Defending the Caveman’ A solo
play of “Defending the Caveman”
will be performed at 8 p.m., FridaySaturday and at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb.
13-15, at Dougherty Valley Performing
Arts Center, 17011 Bollinger Canyon
Rd., San Ramon. Tickets are $49. Visit
www.sanramonperformingarts.com.
‘Rumpelstiltskin’ The Saint Mary’s
College Performing Arts Department
will present a stage adaptation
“Rumpelstiltskin” at 4 p.m., Thursday,
Jan. 29, at St. Mary’s College, LeFevre
Theatre, 1928 St. Mary’s Rd., Moraga.
Tickets are $8. Call 631-4670.
‘The Underpants’ Come and enjoy
Steve Martin’s adaptation of Carl
Sternheim’s hilarious comedy “The
Underpants” at 8 p.m., ThursdaySaturday and at 2 p.m., Sunday,
until Feb. 7, at Village Theatre, 233
Front St., Danville. General tickets are
$22-$25; $15 for students with ID and
groups of 10 more; to buy tickets visit
the Danville Community Center, 420
Front St., call 314-3400 or visit www.
villagetheatreshows.com.
Political Notes
San Ramon Valley Republican
Women Federated This club invites
everyone to a luncheon at 11:30
a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Crow
Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver
Lake Dr., Danville. The program will
be a panel discussion titled “Alamo
Incorporation... Should They or
Shouldn’t They?” Vicki Koc will represent the “Yes” side and R. Jean Taylor
will represent the “No” side. Cost is
$23, including lunch. Call Sonali at
314-9129.
Seniors
Bridge Seniors meet to play bridge
from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday at
the Danville Veteran’s Memorial Hall,
400 Hartz Ave. Experienced players
only. Cost is $1. Reservations are
required. Call Jerri Kaldem at 8376283.
Buzz Sessions Town of Danville
presents Buzz Sessions for seniors
from 1-2:30 p.m., each fourth
Tuesday of the month, at Danville
Library, Mt. Diablo Room, 400 Front
St. These events are free, but register to reserve your place by calling
314-3400.
Danville Senior Citizens Club
The club meets from 9:30 a.m.-2
p.m., every Monday at the Danville
Veterans’ Memorial Hall, 400 Hartz
Ave., for line dancing exercise,
bingo, mah jong and more. New
members are welcome. Membership
is $12 a year. Call Patricia Graber at
443-0268.
Free Tax Help For seniors 60 years
and older, free tax help for middle or
low incomes is available Tuesdays,
Feb. 7-April 11. For an appointment,
call Gloria at 837-7628.
HICAP Appointments The Health
Insurance Counseling Advocacy
Program (HICAP) offers its services
free to anyone on Medicare or at
least 60 years old with questions
about health insurance coverage.
Appointments are available the
second Wednesday and the fourth
Tuesday of every month by appointment; call 314-3400.
Senior Crime Prevention The
Town of Danville Police Department
and Senior Services Division are
partnering together to host a Senior
Crime Prevention Workshop from
11 a.m.-noon, Tuesday, March 10,
at the Veterans Memorial Hall, 400
Hartz Ave., Danville. The workshop
will include the following topics: elder
abuse, financial crimes, and fraud
and property crimes. This workshop
is free. Call 314-3705.
Senior Sneaker Trips Town of
Danville hosts Senior Sneaker Trips
to different attractions throughout the
area. For a list of dates, go to the
Danville Community Center at 420
Front St., call 314-3400 or visit www.
ci.danville.ca.us.
Seniors Program Danville Veterans’
Memorial Hall Lounge hosts a senior
drop-in program from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Monday-Friday, at Veterans’ Memorial
Hall, 400 Front St., Danville. Activities
include playing cards and board
games, visiting with friends and meet-
ing new people. Call 314-3400.
St. Isidore’s ‘Young at Heart’ Join
this group for a meeting from 11:15
a.m.-2 p.m., the third Tuesday of
every month at St. Isidore’s Ministries
Center, 440 La Gonda Way, Danville.
Optional Mass starts at 11:15 a.m.;
lunch starts at 11:45 a.m. Nonprofit
bingo follows. This event is free, but
reservations are appreciated by calling 820-4447.
Sports
Adult Open Gym Basketball
Danville Parks and Recreation
Department holds drop-in basketball
year-round at the Los Cerros Middle
School, 968 Blemer Road, for ages
18 and over. Drop-in times are 7:30-9
a.m., Saturdays. Bring your own ball.
Cost is $3 for residents, $5 for nonresidents. Call 314-3400.
Adult Softball Adult Softball plays
pickup softball at 9:30 a.m., Tuesdays
and Thursdays year-round. New
members welcome. Call Bob Randall
at 855-4646 for more information
Danville Little League Player
Tryouts Danville Little League Player
Tryouts are from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.,
Saturday, Jan. 31 for 9 year olds; at
the Charlotte Wood blacktop. Arrive
30 minutes before call time to check
in and receive tryout number. Visit
www.danvillelittleleague.net.
Danville Tennis Club The Danville
Tennis Club meets 6:30-9 p.m.,
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays; and 9-11 a.m., Saturdays
for drop-in tennis at San Ramon
Valley High School. This free co-ed
club provides play for 4.0 to 5.0 and
very strong 3.5 level players. See
information at http://groups.yahoo.
com/group/danvilletennisclub.
Learn Tennis, Get Free Racquet
Learn to play tennis in six hours and
receive a free Dunlop Tennis Racquet.
Sponsored by the United States
Tennis Association, new classes start
the first Monday of each month, from
6:30-8 p.m., at San Ramon Valley
High School. The cost of six hours
of group lessons is $100 per player.
Lessons taught by former world
ranked tennis professional/30-year
coach. To register, call Brett, USPTA
P-1 at 683-2460.
San Ramon Valley Tennis Club
This women’s league is year round
for both A and B players meeting
for practice weekday mornings.
Membership is $30 annually. For
information, call Patty at 820-8131 or
Laurie at 820-0695.
Walnut Creek Tennis Club WCTC is
a free, co-ed tennis group for single
adults of all ages and levels (primarily
2.5-3.5). It plays drop-in tennis from
9 a.m.-noon, Saturdays and Sundays
at Las Lomas High School in Walnut
Creek (S. Main). See information at
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/
group/wctc/.
Support
Groups
Addiction Counseling Narconon
offers free counseling, assessments
and referrals to centers nationwide
to families in need of drug or alcohol
addiction help. Call (800) 468-6933 or
visit www.stopaddiction.com.
American Chronic Pain
Association The ACPA group meets
from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every second
and fourth Monday at the Community
Presbyterian Church Library at 222 W.
El Pintado Rd., Danville.
Bipolar Support Group The TriValley Support Group provides free
peer support for people with mood
disorders. It meets from 7:15-8:45
p.m., every Wednesday, at St. Clare’s
Episcopal Church, 3350 Hopyard
Road, Pleasanton. Call 560-0842
Blue Star Moms California Blue
Star Moms is a support group for
families of members of the U.S. Armed
C A L E N D A R
Forces. It meets at 7 p.m., the second
Wednesday of the month, at the Danville
Veterans Hall, 400 Hartz Ave. Call Peggy
at 866-7035 or Patty at 838-9096 or
visit www.bluestarmoms.org.
Cancer Support Groups Free support, education and stress management for cancer patients and their
loved ones, including general support groups for all types of cancer
patients as well as cancer specific
groups for breast cancer, colorectal
cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer,
prostate cancer, brain tumor, support
groups for caregivers and life after
cancer. Groups meet at the Wellness
Community, 3276 McNutt Ave.,
Walnut Creek. For times and days, call
933-0107.
Celebrate Recovery Celebrate
Recovery is a forward-looking and balanced Christ-centered recovery program for people with hurts, habits and
hang-ups. The group meets at 6:30
p.m. for dinner and the program starts
at 7 p.m., every Friday, at East Bay
Fellowship, 2615 Camino Tassajara,
Danville. Childcare available for ages
5-11. Call 736-5100, e-mail [email protected] or
visit www.eastbayfellowship.org.
ClutterLess Self Help Group Is
clutter stressing you out? Cluttering
is a psychological issue, not just
an organizing issue. Join the group
at their meeting from 7-8:30 p.m.,
Mondays, at Pleasanton Presbyterian
Church, 4300 Mirador Dr. Optional
$2-5 donation. Call 297-9246 or visit
www.clutterless.org.
Danville TOPS The Danville chapter
of Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS)
meets at 9 a.m., every Tuesday at St.
Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 1550
Diablo Road. Call Bob Blendow at
935-9344 or Rosemarie at 838-7870.
Find Help For Addiction Problems
with drug or alcohol addiction in a
loved one? Don’t know whom to turn
to for help? Contact Drug Rehab
Resource for a free confidential consultation to find the help you need.
Come In for the Beer,
Come Back for the Food
Join us for the
"Beer Drinker
Bailout Hour!"
$1.50 Off
ALL Beers!
Sun-Thurs 4pm to 5pm
Call (866) 649-1594 or visit www.
drugrehabresource.net.
Food Addicts in Recovery
Anonymous Are you having trouble
controlling the way you eat? There is
a solution to weight and diet obsession. This effective 12-step program
has proven results. There are no dues,
fees or weigh-ins. This group meets
from 7-8:30 p.m., every Wednesday, at
Grace Presbyterian Church, 2100 Tice
Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. For a complete listing of East Bay meetings, call
838-1837 or visit www.foodaddicts.org.
Heart Support Group This group
provides support for people with heart
disease, undergone a heart procedure
and their families and caregivers and
meets from 1:30-3 p.m., on the fourth
Saturday of every month, at Kaiser
Hospital Medical Office Building, 3rd
Floor, Walnut Creek. Hear and learn
from healthcare professionals speak
on a variety of heart-related topics.
Call 708-4151 or visit www.mendedhearts254.org.
Hospice Support Hospice of the
East Bay offers a variety of support
groups and workshops for people
experiencing grief after the death
of a loved one. “Understanding
Grief” workshop from 6:30-8:30
p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20; “Widow and
Widowers’ Support” is from 6-8 p.m.,
Feb. 9-March 30; “Grief Support for
Families and Friends” is from 7-9
p.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 10-March 31,
all at 3470 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant Hill.
All groups are offered for a fee and
require pre-registration; call 887-5678.
Man to Man Prostate Cancer San
Ramon Regional Medical Center
offers “Man to Man Prostate Cancer
Support Group” from 7:30-9 p.m., the
second Tuesday of every month, at
San Ramon Regional Medical Center,
South Building, West Day Room, 7777
Norris Canyon Road. Call 933-0107.
Newly Formed Proactive Group
for Women Support Group for
FIBRO, CFF and Chronic Pain meets
from 12:30-2:30 p.m., every other
Wednesday. Call 234-5621 or e-mail
[email protected].
Overeaters Anonymous The group
offers a 12-step approach to issues
around food, overeating, anorexia
and bulimia. There are many different
groups that meet at different times
and places, visit www.dvig.org.
PFLAG The Danville/San Ramon
Valley Chapter of Parents Families and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
is a support group that meets at 7
p.m., every third Monday at the Danville
Congregational Church, 989 San
Ramon Valley Blvd. Call 838-8632.
SRV Food Addicts in Recovery
Anonymous Food Addicts in
Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a free
12-step recovery program for anyone
suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating and bulimia. This
group meets from 7-8:30 p.m. every
Tuesday at the San Ramon Library, 100
Montgomery St. Call Gordon at 8993117 or visit www.foodaddicts.org.
Stroke Support Group This group
will hold its monthly meeting from
7-9 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, at the
Ball Auditorium at John Muir Medical
Center, 1601 Ygnacio Valley Rd.,
Walnut Creek. Kyle Sullivan will be
the guest speaker talking about
“WalkAide.” After the talk, attendees
will break into three coping groups.
Call Ann at 376-6218.
Stroke Support Group of Contra
Costa County This group meets at
7 p.m., the second Monday of every
month (except August), at John Muir
Medical Center, at either the Walnut
Creek Campus, Ball Auditorium or the
Concord Campus, Concord Room
(locations alternate every other month).
The group hosts guest speakers and
provides coping groups for stroke
survivors with and without aphasia
or caregivers of stroke survivors. Call
376-6218.
Tri-Valley Parkinson’s Support
Group The group meets from 10
a.m.-noon, on the second Saturday of
every month, at the Pleasanton Senior
Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd. The group
provides peer support for Parkinson’s
patients and for their caregivers, families and friends. Call Norman or Jackie
Bardsley at 831-9940.
Twin Valley Mothers of Twins Club
This club provides support, information and friendship for mothers of any
number of multiples meeting every
second Tuesday of every month, at
John Knox Presbyterian Church, 7421
Amarillo Rd., Dublin. R/T discussion
begins at 6:30 p.m.; roundtable discussion is open to all current and prospective members from 7:30-9 p.m.,
hosted by a twin mom member. Dads
and babies welcome! Call 484-5886
or visit www.tvmotc.com.
Volunteering
American Red Cross Volunteer
Orientation The American Red Cross
is holding a volunteer orientation.
Tour the Pleasanton Donor Center
and learn about different ways to help
from 4-6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at
5556-B Springdale Ave., Pleasanton.
Advanced sign-up is required; call
(510) 594-5165. 4-6 p.m.
Animal Fosters Urgently Needed
Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF)
is looking for short-term fosters for
dogs, puppies, cats and kittens. ARF
will provide the food, supplies and
vet care; all you need to do is provide the love. Call 296-3173 or visit
www.arf.net.
Anna’s Program The specialized
program of Hospice of the East Bay,
Anna’s Program, is looking for dedicated and caring volunteers to provide
companionship and practical support
for women with recurrent breast cancer. To apply for free training, contact
Vicki Smith at 887-5675 or e-mail
[email protected].
Assistance League of Diablo
Valley This chapter of the National
Assistance League seeks new volunteer members to help with a wide
range of philanthropic service projects
in many Contra Costa communities.
These include vision screening in elementary schools, distributing clothing
HealthWise Fitness and Consulting, Inc.
s!REYOU4IRED
s/UTOF3HAPE
s!REYOUREADYTOGET
THEBODYYOUDESERVE
In Home or Private Studio
San Ramon
(925) 277-9600
470 Market Place
(across from Nob Hill Foods)
www.hopyard.com
Specializing in: weight loss, strength/
rehabilitation, sport-specific programs
and customized nutritional plans.
0HONEOR%MAILHWlTNESS SBCGLOBALNET
http://www.healthwisefit.com
to school children in need, daily reassurance phone calls to homebound
elderly and handicapped clients, and
staffing the chapter’s Lafayette thrift
shop. Call 934-0901 or visit http://diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.
Blackhawk Museum Docent
Training If you are interested in
becoming a much appreciated part of
the Blackhawk Museum family while
contributing to your community, making new friends, learning new things,
and having fun, become a docent! Call
736-2280, ext. 238.
Bruns House In-Patient Hospice
Bruns House In-Patient Hospice is
seeking volunteers to fill two- to fourhour shifts during the weekdays and
weekends. To apply for free training,
call 887-5678 and ask for the volunteer department, or e-mail volunteers@
hospiceeastbay.org.
California Independent Film
Festival Association Support the
Arts in the Tri-Valley by joining the
California Independent Film Festival
Association. The donation of the
membership will support independent
film events. For information, visit www.
caindiefest.com.
CCI Volunteer Puppy Raising
Program Canine Companions for
Independence (CCI) are looking for
special volunteers interested in raising a CCI puppy for 15-18 months
and are now accepting applications.
For information, call 1-800-572-BARK
(572-2275) or visit www.cci.org.
Child Abuse Prevention Council
The Contra Costa County Child Abuse
Prevention Council needs volunteer
speakers for the community education
program. Volunteers must complete
a mandatory 24-hour speaker’s training course. For information, call 9469961.
Citizens Police Academy Danville
Police Department will be offering
a Citizens Police Academy to residents of Danville. The Citizens Police
Academy is an “All in One Day”
program that will meet at 8:30 a.m.,
Monday, March 16. Participants will
learn all about the Police Department.
Call 314-3700 or e-mail sdesmond@
ci.danville.ca.us.
Contra Costa Academy of Fine Art
The academy seeks new volunteers
and members to help with tasks
ranging from bookkeeping to recruiting instructors. The group meets
noon-1 p.m., the second Friday of the
month at Richard’s Art & Craft Store,
225 Alamo Plaza, Alamo. Call Beth
Batchelor at 837-5654.
Friends of Discovery Discovery
Counseling Center has received more
than $5 million, thanks to Friends of
Discovery. The organization is looking
for volunteers who can commit eight
hours per month in the Thrift Station,
486 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville.
Call the store at 820-1988.
Hats Off America Needs Volunteers
Volunteers are needed for the 10
fundraising events each year for Hats
Off America including runs/walks
in February, June, September and
November and the Car Show in May.
Proceeds benefit Gold Star Military
Families. Call 855-1950 or visit www.
hatsoffamerica.us.
Help Your Senior Neighbors A lot
of Danville seniors need rides to their
appointments, stores or to special
events. The Seniors’ Club at Veterans
Memorial Hall is looking for volunteers
to provide rides on an “as-needed
basis” on one or more Mondays a
month. Call Jenn Overmoe at 3143476 for more information.
Hospice of the East Bay Hospice
of the East Bay is seeking volunteers
to assist hospice patients and their
caregivers. Opportunities include:
volunteers who are fluent in Spanish;
Patient Support Volunteers; Licensed
Hair Stylists to offer hair cuts and
styling; Certified Massage Therapists;
Handymen to help with minor repairs
and maintenance; Mobile notaries;
and Bereavement Support Volunteers
to provide support to family members
after their loved one has died. To apply
for free training, call 887-5678 and ask
for the volunteer department, or e-mail
[email protected].
Lindsay Wildlife Museum Docents
are needed to lead class tours, teaching children and others about our
important connection with wildlife and
the world we share. No experience
needed. Call 627-2444 or visit www.
wildlife-museum.org.
Make a Difference Reutlinger
Community for Jewish Living (RCJL)
in Danville provides assisted living,
Alzheimer’s and skilled nursing care
in a community our residents call
home. Volunteers play a key role at
RCJL and opportunities are available
for students and adults. For information, call Volunteer Coordinator Irma at
964-2098.
Mt. Diablo State Park Mt. Diablo
State Park offers many interesting ways to volunteer by helping
with trail maintenance, serving as
a docent at one of the Visitors
Centers, helping with the new native
plants garden or working on the
trash removal program. Training provided for all areas. Call 837-6129 or
visit www.parks.ca.gov.
Museum of the San Ramon Valley
The Museum of the San Ramon
Valley welcomes volunteers and has
a current need for greeters who give
three hours one day a month to welcome visitors to the museum, register
their attendance, and give them an
introductory tour of the Waiting Room
and the Museum Store. Call Carmen
Curtis at 837-9781 or the museum at
837-3750.
Role Players Ensemble Theatre
Volunteer to greet, seat and serve
refreshments to Role Players
Ensemble Theatre patrons at Village
Theatre, 233 Front St., Danville.
Work once per production with a
team of 3-4 friendly volunteers.
Performances are at 8 p.m.,
Thursday-Saturday and at 2 p.m.,
Sunday. Call 820-1278.
San Damiano Retreat Opportunities
abound for people of all ages and abilities at San Damiano. Sit and socialize
while helping with mailings, enjoy solitude and meditation while cultivating
the flower, vegetable and fruit gardens
or lend your support to the front desk
and gift shop. Call 837-9141, ext. 307
or visit www.sandamiano.org.
San Ramon Valley Education
Foundation The San Ramon Valley
Education Foundation meets the first
Friday of every month, 7:45-8:45 a.m.,
at 699 Old Orchard Dr., Danville. This
is a great way to get involved in the
education of our local communities.
Call 998-5270.
Search and Rescue The 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, tracking disaster response
and search skills, and may additionally 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.
Sheriff Seeks Senior Volunteers
The Sheriff’s Valley Station Office in
Alamo is seeking people interested in
assisting law enforcement in the community. Citizens should have a clean
criminal history and would be responsible for one shift a week for four-anda-half hours. Interested applicants
should call James Hogan or Elmer
Glasser at 837-2902.
Trails Maintenance East Bay Trail
Dogs is an all-volunteer group that
has built, repaired and helped maintain single-track trails in the East Bay
Regional Park District, the Mt. Diablo
State Park, and Walnut Creek open
space. Volunteers meet the fourth
Saturday and one weekday each
month. To participate, call Harry at
443-3925.
Valley Children’s Museum Needs
Volunteers If you are interested in
working with kids, Valley Children’s
Museum is looking for you! For information about volunteer opportunities,
call 461-6574, 3 # or e-mail Linda@
valleychildrensmuseum.org.
Marketplace
Danville Weekly
Accounting/Bookkeeping
NEED HELP
WITH QUICKBOOKS?
No job too big or too small!!!
Over 23 years experience
in all aspects of bookkeeping.
General Contracting
Professional Home
Maintenance & Repair
Qualified Tradesman
at Your Service
925.216.8163
Pleasanton
General Contractor #805208
(925) 642-8432 • (510) 886-4043
Daniel Aguilar, owner sState Lic #820022
Alamo, CA
Computers
888.830.8722
Tri-Valley PC MEDIC
2007-08 Pleasanton Weekly
"Best Computer Repair"
2006 Diablo Magazine
"Best of the East Bay"
sm
Commercial/Residential
UÊ,i«>ÀÃ
UÊ,iÃÌÀ>Ì
UÊÃÃiLÞ
UÊÃÌ>>ÌÊ
UÊ/i>ÌÊÊ
Ê «ÀÛiiÌÃ
Ken Cook
"I Make House Calls!"
Is Business Down?
Need new customers?
Our loyal readers want to
know about your business.
For Market Place Ads Contact Art
(925) 600-0840 x112
Fracisco Realty & Investments
Residential, Commercial
& Property Management
direct: 925-998-8131
www.MikeFracisco.com
Tony
Leavens
M-F 8a-8p / Wknds & Hols 9a-6p
Lic #011068 ~ PCC, PDA & BBB
®
Call 485-9040 or 989-7722
REALTOR
Hometown
GMAC Real
Estate
COMPUTER SERVICE
& REPAIR
™
www.HoneyDoHandypersons.com
www.InsideTrackAuto.com
LIC# 922264
REALTOR
More info/rates: www.trivalleypcmedic.com
One call is all it takes to buy
any new car for the lowest price
in the market. Guaranteed.
(925) 846-0400
Mike Fracisco
®
Tune-up/Repair/Upgrade/Training
Guaranteed
Lowest Prices
Receive $25 off
REAL ESTATE
Computer Help
Handypersons , Inc.
Service of $250
or more for 1st time
customers
Painting/Wallpaper
Interior & Exterior
Automotive Sales
A:IDJGLDG@:G7::O9D>I;DGNDJ
Call Linda 925.918.2233
We specialize in refinishing Kitchen Cabinets,
Custom Finish Restoration & Re-Painting
General Contracting
Chris Hopper Computers
Small Business and Home Users
Day, Evening, & Weekend Appointments
(925) 846-7845
ChrisHopperComputers.com
Fresh news delivered
directly to your inbox
direct: 925-426-3886
cell: 925-487-1427
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tonyleavens.com
Lic #050693
[email protected]
Scott’s Painting
Interior & Exterior
“Get the Personal Touch”
Mention this ad
and save 10%
Protect your home for the Winter.
Freshen up your home
for the holidays.
TheCabinetMD.com
For Market Place Ads Contact Art
(925) 600-0840 x112
Get Danville Area local news via e-mail
[email protected]
Pet Care/Grooming/Training
Cabinet
Modifications/Enlargements
for HD TVs, Appliances and
All Interior Woodwork
Scott Smiley (925) 918-1874
Licensed Bonded & Insured
Lic# 505856
Danville’s top stories & hot picks
925-827-1093
Help Wanted
Furry Friends
Pet Sitting Services
Accommodating
Healthy and Special
Needs Pets
Effective Staging | Extensive Marketing
Trained professional, daily visits,
basic home care, reliable & caring.
Call Monika Harris 417-0424
Registered Veterinary Nurse www.furryfriends.tv
Family Home Day Care
Assistant Wanted
Your child welcome
If interested Call
Jo Ann
925-846-7955
Wouldn’t you love to sell your home more quickly and
at the highest possible price?
We have an amazing offer to start 2009!
Simply allow us to Stage and Market your
home or listing and you will be entered into a
prize drawing for a one week stay at the Cabo
San Lucas Golf and Country Club.
To participate in the drawing, the Staging and Marketing
agreement must be signed no later than January 28,
2009. Log on to www.REsolutionsofamerica.com for
all the details.
Bob Smith | 925.989.9834
www.REsolutionsofamerica.com
fogster.com THE TRI-VALLEY’S FREE CLASSIFIEDS WEB SITE
Fogster.com offers FREE* postings online and the opportunity for your ad to appear in print to more than 80,000 readers.
You can log on to fogster.com 24/7, and your online ad starts immediately.
TO RESPOND TO ADS WITHOUT PHONE NUMBERS GO TO FOGSTER.COM
*Some ads require payment. Home Services and Mind & Body ads require contact with the customer service representative at 925-600-0840, Ext. 112.
BULLETIN
BOARD
115 Announcements
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS
in 111 alternative newspapers like this
one. Over 6 million circulation
every week for $1200. No adult ads.
Call Rick at 202-289-8484. (AAN CAN)
PREGNANT?
CONSIDERING ADOPTION
Talk with caring agency specializing in
matching Birthmothers with Families
nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID.
Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift
Adoptions 866-413-6293 (AAN CAN)
WRITERS WANTED
The Academy for Alternative Journalism,
established by papers like this one
to promote diversity in the alternative
press, seeks talented journalists
and students (college seniors and up)
for a paid summer writing program at
Northwestern University’s Medill School
of Journalism. The eight-week
program (June 21 - Aug. 16, 2009)
aims to recruit talented candidates from
diverse backgrounds and train them in
alt-weekly style feature writing. Ten
participants will be chosen and paid
$3,000 plus housing and travel
allowances. For information and an
application visit
http://altjournalism.org. You may also
email us at
[email protected].
Applications must be postmarked by
Feb. 13, 2009. Northwestern University
is an equal opportunity educator &
employer. (AAN CAN)
No phone
number in the ad?
GO TO
fogster.com
for contact
information
Fibromyalgia/Stress/Pain BLR MFT
135 Group Activities
Chrysler 2001 PT Cruiser/BRA - $40
Fun For Girls between 10-20years
“GIRLS NIGHT IN”
Lexus 2004 SC430 - $35,000.00
Livermore Lioness Club
Alamo Women’s Club
Mazda 2003 Miata MX5 Shinsen $11,500
CLUTTERLess (CL) Self Help Group
FREE CROSSFIT CLASSES
Pace Arrow 1989 Motor Home $13,000
203 Bicycles
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA!
Fast, Affordable & Accredited
FREE Brochure. Call NOW!
1-800-532-6546 Ext. 97 http://www.
continentalacademy.com (AAN CAN)
PALMISTRY CLASSES and
READINGS
www.palmistryschool.com, www.partypalmist2.com.925 2499154
133 Music Lessons
HARP LESSONS FOR ALL AGES
Try Something New!
Call Bennetta Heaton
(925) 820-1169
- located in Danville -
Royal Doulton figurine - $50
220 Computers/
Electronics
240 Furnishings/
Household items
FOR SALE
3 piece kitchen carving set - $10
St. Philip Lutheran School Open
130 Classes &
Instruction
Beatles Record - $500
GET A NEW COMPUTER
Brand Name laptops & desktops
Bad or NO Credit - No Problem
Smallest weekly payments available. It's
yours NOW - Call 800-803-8819
(AAN CAN)
SOLD
Singles Unvalentines Party
Call 925-888-4392 for details.
215 Collectibles &
Antiques
201 Autos/Trucks/
Parts
Donate Vehicle
Receive $1000 Grocery Coupons,
Your Choice. Noah’s Arc, No Kill
Animal Shelters. Advanced Veterinary
Treatments. Free Towing, IRS Tax
Deduction. Non-Runners. 1-866-912GIVE. (Cal-SCAN)
Donate Your Car
Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save
A Child’s Life Through Research and
Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast,
Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-2520615. (Cal-SCAN)
13inch 5 Bolt WHEEL 1986 Camry- others? - $12
MEDIA CABINET - $400.00
Oversized Log Rocking Chair - $250.
2003 H-D
Softail Fatboy 100th Anniversary 5356
miles, Exterior: Red, price $5800
contact me for pictures 23elzey@gmail.
com (410) 670 7920
245 Miscellaneous
CERTIFIED HOME STAGING TRAINING
- $199.00
Cottage Inspired Landscaping - $16.95
210 Garage/Estate
Sales
Dog Kennel For Sale - $150.00
Livermore, 980 Cromwell St, May 24
7-12
HOME DECORATING EBOOKS - $12.00
Pleasanton, 4611 Helpert Court,
Jan 24, 8am-4pm
Huge Moving Sale. Everything must go!
Tools, Furniture, Pictures, Clothes, Toys,
Electronics and more!
Non-stick stove top grill - $20
Electric Lawn Mower - $100.00
MOBILE Moving-Storage Containers
RED WORMS FOR COMPOSTING $25.00
Scrapbooks
BMW 2000 M5 - $20,900
THE TRI-VALLEY’S FREE CLASSIFIED WEBSITE TO RESPOND TO ADS WITHOUT
PHONE NUMBERS GO TO WWW.FOGSTER.COM
KID STUFF
340 Child Care
Wanted
345 Tutoring/
Lessons
FRENCH, SPANISH TUTORING
High School Math Tutor
High school math tutoring, also SAT
I, ACT, Subject Matter Math, history
exams. One-on-one only. Former
teacher, California credential.
925-462-3807.
500 Help Wanted
640 Legal Services
Bookkeeper, part time
Experience with Quickbooks 2009
required. Part time opportunity - approx.
4 hours per week only. Import monthly
statements and reconcile. Flexible small
business environment near Pleasanton
downtown. Prefer independent contractor. $15 to $25 per hour.
Hernia Repair Sugery Alert
If you suffered serious complications
after hernia repair surgery, you may
be entitled to Money Damages. Call
the attorneys at James Rolshouse and
Associates at 1-800-598-5940. Licensed
in Minnesota. (Cal-SCAN)
MYSTERY SHOPPERS
Earn up to $100 a day. Undercover
shoppers needed to judge retail & dining
establishments. No experience required.
Call 877-448-6224
550 Business
Opportunities
100% Recession Proof!
Do You Earn $800 in a Day? Your
Own Local Vending Route Includes
25 Machines and Candy for $9,995.
MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405.
(Cal-SCAN)
Need Serious Entrepreneur
Proven biz w/ training&support. You
keep all profit. NOT MLM! 88-378-8443
2-min msg, 24x7
560 Employment
Information
Math & Chemistry Tutoring
Retired Scientist now enjoying
TUTORING STUDENTS of all ages in
math, algebra, pre-calculus, geometry, & chemistry
CALL DOUG @ 925-858-5842
$$$HELP WANTED$$$
Earn Extra income assembling CD
cases from Home. CALL OUR LIVE
OPERATORS NOW! 1-800-405-7619 ext.
150 http://www.easywork-greatpay.
com (AAN CAN)
$600 WEEKLY POTENTIAL$$$
Helping the Government PT. No
Experience, No Selling.
Call: 1-888-213-5225 Ad Code L-5.
VOID in Maryland and South Dakota.
(AAN CAN)
Able to Travel
Hiring eight people, no experience
necessary, transportation and lodging
furnished, expense paid training. Work/
travel entire U.S. Start immediately.
www.ProtekChemical.com Call 1-877936-7468.
MIND
& BODY
455 Personal Training
DATA ENTRY PROCESSORS
Needed!
Earn $3,500-$5,000 Weekly Working
from Home! Guaranteed
Paychecks! No Experience Necessary!
Positions Available Today! Register
Online Now!
http://www.DataPositions.com
(AAN CAN)
Driver - CDL Training
$0 down, financing by Central
Refrigerated. Company Drivers
earn average of $40k/year. Owner
Operators average $60k/Year.
1-800-587-0029 x4779. www.
CentralDrivingJobs.net (Cal-SCAN)
Driver - West Coast
Regional new hiring area. Newest equipment on the road. Competitive Pay. Run
the Western 11 States. On Site - Full
Service Maintenance Shop. Reasonable
Home Time. Western Express - 22
yrs. old. Good MVR, EOE, CDL-A, 1 yr.
OTR. Call Edna Today! 1-866-863-4112.
(Cal-SCAN)
CROSSFIT SAN RAMON IS HERE!
Forging Elite Fitness. THE principal strength and conditioning program for many armed forces. $25/
First week of Unlimited Classes.
Workouts of the Day, Classes, Open
Gym CROSSFITSR.com 457-4587
No phone
number in the ad?
GO TO
fogster.com
for contact
information
BUSINESS
SERVICES
Drivers - 13 Needed
Sign-On Bonus. 35-41 cpm. Earn over
$1000 weekly. Excellent Benefits.
Need CDL-A & 3 months recent OTR.
1-877-258-8782. www.MeltonTruck.
com (Cal-SCAN)
Firefighter
No experience needed. Training, travel,
great pay/benefits/vacation & regular
raises. H.S. grads ages 17-34. Call MonFri.1-800-345-6289. (Cal-SCAN)
POST OFFICE NOW HIRING!
Avg. pay $20/hr or $57K/yr incl.
Federal Benefits and OT.
Placed by adSource not affiliated w/
USPS, who hires. 1-866-616-7019.
(AAN CAN)
Train to be an Electrician
Residential and Light Commercial.
Fairfield, Novato, Rohnert Park. 6
Months. Hands-on Job-site training.
$3,000 Fee. www.CAElectricianTraining.
com [email protected] 707480-0514. (Cal-SCAN)
Travel - Work - Party - Play
50 States. National company now hiring
18+ sharp guys & gals to work & travel
entire USA. 2wks paid training, transportation & lodging furnished. Paid daily.
Returns guaranteed. Call Today! Start
Today! 1-888-741-2190. (Cal-SCAN)
645 Office/Home
Business Services
A Best-Kept Secret!
Classified Advertising! A 25-word ad
costs $550, is placed in 240 community
newspapers and reaches over 6 million
Californians. Call for more information
(916) 288-6010; (916) 288-6019 www.
Cal-SCAN.com (Cal-SCAN)
Advertise Effectively
Reach over 3 million Californians in 140
community newspapers. Cost $1,550
for a 3.75”x2” display ad. Super value!
Call (916) 288-6010; (916) 288-6019.
www.Cal-SDAN.com (Cal-SCAN)
News Release
Looking for a cost efficient way
to get out a News Release? The
California Press Release Service
is the only service with 500 current daily, weekly and college
newspaper contacts in California.
Questions call (916) 288-6010. www.
CaliforniaPressReleaseService.com
(Cal-SCAN)
REAL ESTATE
805 Homes for Rent
Pleasanton, 3 BR/1 BA
Remodel, walk to Downtown. Large yard,
gardener included.
Pleasanton, 3 BR/2 BA - $2250./mon
Pleasanton, 4 BR/2 BA
Great location near bart, mall, quiet location, avail. now.
809 Shared Housing/
Rooms
ALL AREAS - ROOMMATES.COM
Browse hundreds of online listings with
photos and maps. Find
your roommate with a click of the
mouse! Visit: http://www.Roommates.
com. (AAN CAN)
Danville, 5+ BR/3.5 BA - $800/month
Pleasanton, 1 BR/1 BA - $625.00
Pleasanton, 1 BR/1 BA - $650.00/mo
Pleasanton, 1 BR/1 BA - 600/Month
Pleasanton, 1 BR/1 BA - 600.00/Mon
825 Homes/Condos
for Sale
Mobile/Modular Homes
and Manufactured Homes. Wholesale
Prices. Brand New starting at $18,900.
Free Floor Plans and Prices. 1-800-5043315. (Cal-SCAN)
Pleasanton, 5+ BR/4+ BA $1,825,000
840 Vacation
Rentals/Time Shares
HOME
SERVICES
715 Cleaning
Services
Andrea’s Cleaning
Trustworthy,Prof.,Reliable,
Affordable.Ref’s avail.
14yrs exp
925-339-2461
751 General
Contracting
MAHDevelopment.com
Remodeling/Room Additions/Custom
Homes/Outdoor Kitchens/Sunrooms/
Retractable Screens/Windows/Doors/
Garage Improvements - Calif Licensed
General Contractor (Lic #913049). 20
years experience. Member BBB, NARI &
NKBA. Free estimates!
Call 925-580-1673
757 Handyman/
Repairs
AAA COMPLETE HOME REPAIRS
Electrical- Security Lighting- Carpentry
Drywall Texturing and RepairsInsulating. Jon (925)989-6179 or
(510)733-5582
Rick’s Tooltime
759 Hauling
Hauling & Tree Service
Yard & Garage Clean-Up,Dump Runs
Appl & Furn Removal,Tree & Shrub
Trim And Removal
Tree Experts! Low Rates/Free Est
925-899-5655
771 Painting/
Wallpaper
#1 JOE’S PAINTING &
HANDYMAN
Free Est / Reasonable Prices
No Job Too Small!
925-200-7333 lic# 624542
792 Pool Services
The Pool Chicks
CATHERINE HANSEN RUSH
Nanny Househelp Needed
Seeking full/part-time help for a
family daycare. Hours are 2-6pm.
Someone with prior childcare experience preferred, but open to those
who truly love working with children
and energetic.Must be TB tested and
fingerprinted if possible, hopefully
you can begin this week.Email us
your resume....
[email protected]
EMPLOYMENT
PET OF THE WEEK
Cozy Comfy Condo N.Shore Tahoe
To Kick Back Apres Ski/Many Near By
Resorts To Chose From / Slps. 8
925-484-0316
845 Out of Area
CARMEL VALLEY
Vacation cabins in private wilderness
resort. Fishing, pools tennis. $135k to
$475k + membership. (831)659-5949
www.mountain-cabins.com
850 Acreage/Lots/
Storage
Snuggle with Minnie
Meet Minnie, a 6-year-old spayed female housecat
with a pretty white bib and light green eyes beautifully rimmed in black. Minnie loves to be brushed and
petted. She is a quiet cat who hopes to be a loving
companion to someone in an indoor-only home. Minnie
thinks a lap is a terrible thing to waste and she looks
forward to occupying one in a loving family soon. Visit
Minnie (pet #82862), and her many friends, at the East
County Animal Shelter, 4595 Gleason Drive in Dublin,
open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call 803-7040.
i.
d
re & Fr 2
e
v
li d., b.
De We g Fe
., i n
on n
M egin
b
Fresh news delivered
directly to your inbox
Colorado - Bank Foreclosure
35 AC $29,900. Enjoy 300 days of
sunshine. Rocky mountain views, utilities. Excellent financing. 1st come,
1st serve!! Call Today 1-866-696-5263
x4938. (Cal-SCAN)
New Mexico Ranch Dispersal
Buyer’s Market. 140 acres - $89,900.
River Access. Northern New Mexico.
Cool 6,000’ elevation with stunning
views. Great tree cover including
Ponderosa, rolling grassland and rock
outcroppings. Abundant wildlife, great
hunting. EZ terms. Call NML&R, Inc.
1-866-360-5263. (Cal-SCAN)
855 Real Estate
Services
Foreclosed Home Auction
Northern California. 1000 Homes Must
Be Sold! Free Brochure: 1-800-4709314. www.USHomeAuction.com REDC.
(Cal-SCAN)
Stop Renting!
Homes Available. 100% Financing. No
Down, No Costs. Federally Insured.
Call 866-903-8051. Green Planet
Mtg. Licensed by the Department of
Corporations CRMLA. (Cal-SCAN)
Home Staging, Marketing
No phone
number in the ad?
GO TO
fogster.com
for contact
information
Our top stories and hot picks.
is a weekly update from the Danville Weekly delivered
via e-mail every Friday morning.
provides the perfect quick-read digest of local news
and events in the Danville area from the last week to the next.
And all without any environmental impact.
You will want
to be in your e-mail inbox
every Friday morning.
Danville Weekly.com offers 24/7 coverage
of everything local:
tCSFBLJOHOFXT
tTFBSDIBCMFSFTUBVSBOUBOENPWJFSFWJFXT
tDPOWFSTBUJPOTBNPOHDPNNVOJUZ
VOJUZ
members on Town Square
tBOENVDINPSF
Sign up to try
at
www.DanvilleWeekly.com
m
Call (925) 837-8300 to learn
arn
about advertising options
ns
in Express.
Only 3 spots available..
Real Estate
The Combs Team
www.
Professionals You Can
Count on!
O P E N H O M E G U I D E A N D R E A L E S TAT E L I S T I N G S
S A L E S AT A G L A N C E
Call Joe and Nancy
This week’s data represents homes sold during December 2008
Alamo
Danville
Total sales reported: 1
Lowest sale reported:
$1,895,000
Highest sale reported:
$1,895,000
Average sales reported:
$1,895,000
$529,000
$1,152,000
$915,250
.com
925-989-6086
Walnut Creek
$207,000
$1,420,000
$601,250
Nancy P. Combs
Visit www.thecombsteam.com
Joe Combs
24 Hour Free Audio Tour (866) 374-0607
Wendt Ranch Open Space and View
West Side Alamo 5 Bedroom
X9000
X7000
HOME SALES
Source: California REsource
This week’s data represents
homes sold during December
2008
Alamo
21 Tanbark Lane D. & B.
Messina to R. & P. Daniels for
$1,895,000
Danville
1147 Blue Spur Circle Shapell
Industries to K. & S. Dhar for
$1,030,000
505 Preakness Court
Ponderosa Homes to D. & J.
Jernstedt for $1,152,000
1978 South Forest Hill Place
Dreisbach Trust to E. Carlson
for $529,000
915 Trebbiano Court M. & J.
Sinicropi to D. & E. Luciano for
$950,000
Walnut Creek
1651 1st Avenue V. Eclipse to
D. Breshears for $835,000
4285 Arbolado Drive Harding
Trust to H. Lao for $1,420,000
58 Autumn Trail Lane
Braddock & Logan to E.
Flannery for $735,000
84 El Camino Corto A. &
A. Hyman to M. Jessup for
$207,000
345 Fenway Drive Sidorsky
Trust to M. & J. Wasserman for
$680,000
3033 Citrus Circle US Bank to
K. Lam for $555,000
2586 Oak Road #132 G. Riis
to R. Driscoll for $380,000
2594 Oak Road #162 R. &
C. Chapple to M. Gager for
$390,000
30 Pleasant Valley Drive
Wells Fargo Bank to H. & S.
Nep for $600,000
1879 Pomar Way C. Havercroft
to T. Scarrow for $373,000
249 San Antonio Way T.
Duncan to B. Duncan for
$615,000
3625 Terra Granada Drive
#1A Gans Trust to J. Lash for
$425,000
Highly upgraded 4 bedroom 4.5 bath.
Large guest suite and bonus room.
$1,300,000
Situated on a flat .49 acre lot, with 4297
sq.ft. Tuscan Beauty was built in 2003.
All the bells and whistles. $1,698,888
Greenbrook Area Remodel
Round Hill on Golf Course
X6000
X1000
A perfect “10.” 5 bedroom 2 bath remodel.
2,953 sq. ft. Stainless and granite kitchen,
on .23 acres. Walk to Greenbrook School,
backs Iron Horse Trail. $1,199,000
Marvelous 5 Bedroom home with large
play yard and Swimming Pool.
$1,775,000
Read Joe and Nancy’s Real Estate
Column in Alive East Bay Magazine
OPEN HOMES THIS WEEKEND
4 Bedrooms
ALAMO
4 Bedrooms
70 Zand Lane
Sun 1-4
Remax Accord
$1,165,000
895-2804
DUBLIN
4 Bedrooms
4917 Redwood Avenue
Sun 1-4
Hometown GMAC
$678,888
858-5400
LIVERMORE
4 Bedrooms
1823 Vancouver Way
Sun 1-4
Alain Pinel Realtors
$599,000
339-3077
5 Bedrooms
2146 Bella Vista Place
Sun 1-4
Keller Williams Realty
$1,010,000
596-1918
PLEASANTON
2 Bedrooms
2130 Alexander Way
Sun 1-4
$442,000
397-4244
3 Bedrooms
532 Rosso Court
Sun 1-4
$1,099,000
426-7957
2578 Grappa Place
Sun 1-4
$1,599,000
426-7957
611 Merlot Court
Sat 1-4
Allied Brokers
$600,000
846-3755
2320 Crestline
Sun 1-4
$645,000
621-4064
4277 Garibaldi Place
Sun 1-4
Hometown GMAC
$695,000
998-9692
1898 Halcyon Court
Sun 1-4:30
Remax Accord
$699,850
847-8900
1831 Halcyon Court
Sun 1-4
Alain PInel Realtors
$818,900
462-7653
2586 Skimmer Court
Sun 1-4
$875,000
462-7653
5 Bedrooms
1342 W. Lagoon Road
Sun 1-4
$1,224,950
963-8871
1368 Royal Creek Ct
Sun 1-4
$1,238,888
260-2508
9116 Olson Court
Sun 1-4
$2,495,000
621-4064
complete convenience.
SAN RAMON
4576 Del Valle
Sun 1-4
$1,099,000
621-4064
2822 Jones Gate Court
Sun 1-4
$719,000
462-7653
2 Bedrooms
3799 Crow Canyon Road
Sat 1-4
$349,000
339-3077
To list your open home
please contact Tracey Fordahl at
(925) 837-8300, ext. 130 or e-mail:
[email protected]
IronHorseCrossing.com
Same commitment to excellence.
Same devoted staff.
New name.
You’ve known us for years as The Medicine Shoppes of Pleasanton and
San Ramon. We’ve kept all the services you’ve grown to expect and are
combining them with expanded care programs under our new name,
“Custom Care Pharmacy”.
+, (
-.)/ $ 01( # $ # !"#$##%#
&&&'()*'
Look for new community programs and customer offers in the next few months.
CONVENIENT INSTANT
FINANCING
Pleasanton
4271 First Street
(In Pleasant Plaza)
925.846.4455
9am-7pm Mon-Fri 9am-4pm Sat
www.pleasantoncustomcare.com
NO INTEREST AND
NO PAYMENTS FOR
12 MONTHS*
San Ramon
124 Market Place
(Next to Nob Hill)
925.830.0555
9am-7pm Mon-Fri 9am-4pm Sat
13 E Airway Blvd
Livermore
925 443-2284
NewLuxuryBaths.com
www.sanramoncustomcare.com
Our Name is Our Commitment.
Plumbing
Lighting
Hardware
Showroom Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5 Sat 10-4