Alamo Today September 2007.pmd

Transcription

[email protected]
September 2007
The Thrill of the Hunt
Serving Alamo, Diablo and Surrounding Communities
After a hike up Mt. Diablo, Davy took off for the outskirts of the Folsom Prison. Following
a short stay in Folsom, he left the country for Europe with stops in Monaco and, most recently,
the Czech Republic. Intrepid world explorer? Escaped convict on the run? No, rather “Davy” is
a Davy Crockett doll owned
by three-year-old Alamo
resident Brady Weida and he
is traveling around the world
as part of the adventure
game phenomenon called
Geocaching.
Geocaching (pronounced
“geo-cash-ing”) is described
by
the
website
www.geocaching.com as
“an entertaining adventure
game for GPS (Global Positioning System) users. Participating in a cache hunt is
a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a GPS
unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and
share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordi-
See Geocaching continued on page 34
A Gathering of Massive Proportions
By Nate Tom,
Troop 36
Tough Enough to
Wear Pink
(And Ride a Fast
Scout. What
Horse through an
does that word
Obstacle Course)
mean to you? To
those who are
Nine years ago Alamo resinot scouts it may
dent Hannah Gruver made the
have positive or
same statement to her father as
negative connomany girls have throughout the
tations. To many
ages: “Daddy, I want a horse.”
of the American
Unlike many girls, however,
youth today, the
Hannah persisted as her desire
negatives outfor a horse never wavered. Her
weigh the posifather relented and Hannah was
tives any day.
given a pony to ride.
But to youth
Eventually, Hannah, now a 16-year-old senior at San Ramon Valley High
around the world, outside the U.S., the word “scout” is a term of endearment and School, entered her first gymkhana. A gymkhana is defined as “a meet at which
respect. To them, the word means trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, riders and horses display a range of skills and aptitudes.” In Hannah’s case it was
kind, cheerful, brave, and reverent. That was probably the biggest difference I saw a competition in which riders and their
in my weeks at the 21st World Scout Jamboree held in London, England this year. horses negotiated an obstacle course in
The Jamboree is a massive gathering of scouts from around the world to cel- the fastest time possible without knockVolume VII— Number 9
ing
any
of
the
obstacles
over.
In
the
middle
See Jamboree continued on page 33
3000F Danville Blvd. #117
of the competition, Hannah’s pony came
Alamo, CA 94507
to a dead stop and wouldn’t budge for
PRSRT STD
Telephone (925) 820-8662
U.S.Postage
some time. Hannah kept encouraging her
Fax (925) 406-0737
PAID
pony to continue and eventually the two
[email protected]
Permit 263
of them completed the course. Several
Alamo CA
observers were impressed with Hannah’s
See Tough continued on page 33
Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher
Page 2 - September 2007
www.alamotoday.com
[email protected]
Boulevard View!
By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor
When we were house hunting for a new home in Contra Costa County ten years ago, our wish list included a
backyard large enough to house our trampoline with additional space for other outdoor activities. We looked in
Pleasanton, San Ramon and other local cities but found
ourselves walking through many homes with tiny lots.
Because we were living in Washington State at the time,
our search was hampered by distance. Ultimately, it was
my mother and one of my sisters who found the right house for us. We took a leap of
faith that they understood what we wanted and bought our house in Alamo sight
unseen. Fortunately they had located a home on a half acre lot near the heart of Alamo
that has proven to be just right for our family.
The lot our home is on has four separate lawn areas and they all need to be tended
to. I have often been the one to break out the lawnmower and take care of the mowing.
Not only do I like the sight of freshly mowed lawns I also count (justifiably or not) the
activity as exercise.
Shortly after arriving in Alamo we purchased a new lawnmower. It served us well,
mowing and mulching our grass as well as pulverizing and collecting the abundance
of leaves from our four maple trees. The Cub Scout group I used to lead often raked
the leaves up for me and they would then swing and jump into the leaf pile they made.
Eventually they all got too old for that activity and moved on so the mower had to do
leaf collection duty more frequently.
Over time the lawnmower got tired. We didn’t want to give up on it just yet so we
patched it together with zip ties and bailing wire. The collection bag started sagging
and dragging but that just added to the resistance which afforded me a better work
out…right? The choke lever broke but we fashioned a pair of vice grips to take care of
the job. The hard plastic wheel cracked, but it kept rolling. Then the metal handle
broke, but we found it the perfect opportunity to try out our new welder and we fused
it back together. Finally we came to a point, however, when all of our patches weren’t
holding up very well.
We had hoped that the
lawnmower would
limp through the end
of the mowing season
but we weren’t thinking of the tens of thousands of leaves that
would soon need picking up.
Last weekend the
lawnmower took its
last gasping breath. The pull string broke and, even after we tried to get it going, the
motor just wouldn’t start. We realized that we finally had to give up as there were no
more “MacGyver” fixes left. It was time to move on.
Once again we went out and shopped for a new lawnmower. Since it had been ten
years since we really took a good look at lawnmowers we were pleasantly surprised
by all of the new features and options available. Our new lawnmower has a shiny red
motor and a bright white leaf bag (I am a little curious why the manufacturer finds
bright white a good color for a grass collection bag as it seems a little impractical to
me!).
Back at home the new mower fired up with just one pull, as guaranteed by the
manufactuer. That feature alone was enough to garner our appreciation for the new
device. But what has truly amazed us is the speed at which the lawn now gets mowed.
My formerly slow moving
exercise has now become
much more aerobic as I zip
through all four lawns in
record time. Clearly, we
should have invested in a
new mower long ago. Look
out fall, here I come!
September 2007 - Page 3
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Diablo Valley Quilters Show
Diablo Valley Quilters presents their 2007 Quilt Show Saturday and Sunday, September 22nd and 23rd from 10:00AM to 5:00PM on Saturday and 10:00AM
to 4:00PM on Sunday. The location is Charlotte Wood Middle School, 600 El
Capitan, Danville. Over 200 old and new quilts will be on display along
with a boutique, free demonstrations, door prizes, and over 30 vendors. The
featured quilt artist, Freddy Moran, will be available both days along with
her colorful quilts. She will also be giving demonstrations and will have her
latest book available for sale. An admission fee of $8.00 is good for both
days. For more information, contact Sharon at (925) 820-1588 or visit
www.diablovalleyquilters.org.
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), Post 75, San Ramon
Valley, meets every second Thursday of the month at the Danville Veterans
Hall at 400 Hartz Avenue, on the corner of Hartz and Prospect in Danville.
Doors open at 7:00PM, meeting begins at 7:30PM. For more information contact Post Commander Tony Carnemolla at 925-932-4042. Please direct mail
to: VFW Post 75 San Ramon Valley, P.O. Box 1092, Danville, CA 94526.
Find out more about the VFW on the Internet at www.vfw.org.
Reversible Pendant
Quilts! at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley
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The Museum of the San Ramon Valley presents Quilts! running through
September 23rd. The work of local artist Ethel Selberg will be featured.
Selberg, often called the “Scrappy Lady,” developed a love of quilting as
a child in the Midwest. Upon her retirement in 1978, after raising five
children and working as a day-care facilitator, she truly began her quilt
making career. Since then she has made over 100 quilts. She is a founding member of the Diablo Valley Quilters Guild and a former president
of the Guild of Quilters of Contra Costa County.
Quilting demonstrations will take place on Saturday, September 8th
from 10a.m. to 1p.m. at the Museum.
The museum will be open on Tuesday through Friday 1-4 p.m. and
Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
The Museum of the San Ramon Valley (in the Danville Depot) is located at 205 Railroad Avenue, Danville. There is no charge for admission
but donations are encouraged. The museum’s store offers unique gifts
including books about quilting and hand quilted items. Please call 925837-3750 or go to www.museumsrv.org for additional information.
Hospice Volunteers Needed
Hospice of the East Bay (formerly Hospice and Palliative Care of Contra
Costa) is seeking volunteers to assist hospice patients and their caregivers.
Opportunities include:
• Volunteers who are fluent in Spanish
• Patient Support Volunteers to provide companionship and practical assistance
• Licensed Hair Stylists to offer haircuts and styling
• Certified Massage Therapists to provide massage therapy
• Handymen to help with minor repairs and maintenance
• Mobile notaries to witness the signing of important documents
• Bereavement Support Volunteers to provide support to family members
after their loved one has died.
To apply for free training, beginning September 26th, call Hospice of the
East Bay at (925) 887-5678 and ask for the Volunteer Department, or email
[email protected].
Established in 1977, Hospice of the East Bay is a not-for-profit agency that
helps people cope with life-threatening illnesses by providing medical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support for patients and families, regardless of
their ability to pay. 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). To learn more, or to make a donation of time or money, please
contact (925) 887-5678, or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org.
[email protected]
Have Coffee WIth Supervisor Mary N. Piepho
Please join the “Meet and Greet Series” with Mary Piepho. This is an
informal opportunity to sit down over coffee or tea to discuss important county
issues or ask questions.
Come and meet with Supervisor Piepho on Saturday, September 15th between
10:00am and 11:30am at Cherubini Coffee House located at 37 Alamo Square, Suite B
in Alamo. For more information please contact Amy Prentice at 925-820-8682.
Barbara Malan
Previews Property Specialist
Certified Relocation Specialist
925.831.3329
[email protected]
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TOP 100 SALES ASSOCIATES 2007
Inspire and Educate – Become a Zoo Ambassador
at the Oakland Zoo
40 Hamilton Ct, Alamo
The Oakland Zoo is looking for a few good volunteers. If you love people
and animals, this is the volunteer opportunity for you. Zoo Ambassadors are
on the front line with visitors, teaching them about the animals, helping at
special events, and generally enhancing guests’ experience. The next training module begins on October 10th and applications are due by September
26th. Please visit www.oaklandzoo.org or call (510)632-9525 X141 for more
information.
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If you are a new or long time resident of Alamo or Danville (or the surrounding area) and are interested in making new friends and learning more
about the area, please call 925-775-3233 or email [email protected] for
the next Welcome Coffee date.
9th Annual Art in the Park: October 6th & 7th
Fund Raiser for Art in the Schools
This event, co-sponsored by the Alamo Danville Artists’ Society and the Town
of Danville, is a Fine Arts Festival with over 60 artists exhibiting in their booths in the
park in front of the Library, 400 Front Street. Hours both days will be 10:00am to 5:00pm.
There will be paintings in watercolor, oil, acrylic and mixed media in all subject matter, and lots of clay work, photography, fine jewelry, glass and other art.
The Inside Show, a part of Art in the Park, is a judged show held in the
adjacent Community Center, where ADAS members and Art in the Park participants will show their best artwork. George Holmes, Bay Area artist and
teacher, will judge the show with ribbons and cash awards to the winners.
Live Music will be featured both days and will include the Gary Chulla Trio
playing swing, jazz and pop, the Stoney Ridge Ramblers, Dixieland, and the
Jazz Combos from both the San Ramon Valley and Monte Vista High Schools.
A Children’s Hands-on Art table will allow young artists to make masterpieces to take home, and complementary Face Painting will be offered by
the art students from Iron Horse Middle School in San Ramon on Saturday.
ADAS volunteers will sell kettle corn, soft drinks and wine by the glass.
The event raises funds for grants to art teachers in the San Ramon Valley
School District. Over $65,000 has been raised by this all volunteer event since its
inception. All of the funds raised at Art in the Park stay in the community.
The Alamo Danville Artists’ Society was founded in 1977. In addition to monthly
meetings and demonstrations, the organization features a public art circuit, artists’
workshops, co-sponsors Open Studios, and is involved in many art related activities.
For more information visit www.ADAS4ART.org or contact Norma Webb
at (925) 828-9170 or [email protected].
First Wednesday Program Set
Friends of the Library will host First Wednesday at the Library at 1:00pm October
3rd at the Mount Diablo Room of the Danville Library, 400 Front St., Danville
“The Treasures of Venice: Food, Culture and the Magic of Murano” will be
highlighted in a presentation by Lucia Falcone, Murano-born author of “Over
Bridges, Across Tables.” She will discuss key issues facing modern Venice together with an insider’s view of the cuisine, the people and the artistry of Murano,
world-renowned for its glassblowing industry. Falcone, now a Walnut Creek resident, is currently working on a novel and screenplay. She is a UC, Berkeley
graduate and the recipient of the Eisner Award in prose. In addition to her writing, she teaches Italian for Travelers as well as classes on Italian cooking and
wines. Falcone’s book will be available for purchase and signing.
The program is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Seating is limited, please call 820-3125 (after 5pm) for reservations.
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Danville Role Players Ensemble to Present
“Talking with….”
September 7,8,14 and 15 at 8pm
Role Players Ensemble is continuing its popular series of Black Box productions
with Jane Martin’s “Talking with....” “Talking with....” comes from the pen of one of
America’s most distinguished
Pulitzer-nominated playwrights,
and the most mysterious. Author
of over ten plays, half of which
have won major awards, Jane
Martin has never been interviewed, photographed or seen in
public. Since all of her plays received their first production at the
Humana Theatre Festival in Louisville there is continuing speculation that Jane Martin is really Left to right: Suzi Wolfe, Jan Lee Marshall, Krista
Jon Jory, the longtime director of Sheffler Credit photographer: Wendy Cooper
the Humana Festival, now a professor in Seattle. However, he has consistently denied
authorship, so the mystery remains.
There is no mystery about the quality of her work, however, and its exceptional
range. “Talking with...” is a series of women’s monologues performed, in this production, by ten local actors. The women vary broadly, from a snake handler, daughter,
baton twirler, washed-up rodeo cowgirl, tattooed woman, to an older woman in the
twilight of her years. They embody universal issues: unbearable loneliness, crises of
confidence, bereavement, loss of hope and struggles with faith. Throughout, their common humanity shines as they insist that each of their lives matters in their own way.
“This is a challenging play to direct” says Sue Trigg, RPE Artistic Director “since
ten separate women actors appear serially, never encountering each other on stage. But
its message is universal and compelling.”
RPE’s Black Box productions employ minimal sets, no stage, and are offered at the
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low price of $10 at the door only. They afford a unique opportunity to see some of the
best in contemporary theatre in an intimate setting.
For more information contact Role Players Ensemble Theatre at (925)
820-1278 or visit www.danvilletheatre.com.
AAUW Membership Brunch
The Danville-Alamo American Association of University Women (AAUW)
Membership Brunch will be held on Saturday, September 15th, from 9:30AM
to Noon at Crow Canyon Country Club located at 711 Silver Lake Drive in
Danville. Lynn Carey, Contra Costa Times staff writer, Book Club editor,
and founder of their bi-annual Book Club Gala will be the guest speaker. The
American Association of University Women is a national organization that
promotes equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive
societal change. AAUW offers scholarships, action for gender equity, support for personal and professional growth, community leadership, and friendship. AAUW membership is open to all graduates of accredited four year
colleges or universities and those holding an Associate Degree or equivalent.
Prospective members are welcome.
For further information, please contact either of the Membership Co-Vice
Presidents: Martha Slavin at 736-8399 or Marcia Steinhardt at 944-5173 or visit
www.aauw-da.org.
Business Networking International
The Alamo chapter of Business Networking International is called “Referrals
by Design”. The group is made up of business professionals, allowing only one
individual from each type of business. The philosophy is “Givers Gain” and, as a
group, relationships are built upon helping each other by sharing business referrals and giving general support as well as camaraderie.
Meetings are held at XENIA! every Thursday morning and begin promptly
at 8:30am and run until 10:00am. Visitors are welcomed and are asked to pay
$10 to cover the facility/food costs only. Please come and see what it is we are
doing with a view towards possible membership in the group and the future
sharing of business referrals.
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Lindsay Wildlife Museum Events and Exhibits
An evening with Contra Costa Times writer Gary Bogue
All OUR Little Live Things: Wildlife in Suburban Walnut Creek
Wednesday, September 19th, 7:30–8:30pm
This is a free opening event for the City of Walnut Creek’s One City, One Book
program. This year’s selected book is All the Little Live Things by Wallace Stegner.
Pre-event reception with Gary Bogue on Wednesday, September 19 from 6:15–
7:15pm. Ticket cost is $15. Purchase tickets in advance at www.WalnutCreekReads.org
or by sending a check payable to Walnut Creek Library Foundation to P.O. Box 4979,
Walnut Creek 94595.
Educator’s Resource Fair - Monday, September 24th, 3:30–5:30 pm
This free resource fair is a great chance for teachers and other educators to find out
about local resources. Representatives from more than 35 organizations will be available to answer questions about their programs and to help educators plan their year,
whether it is for a classroom, a Girl Scout troop or a home school group.
This is the fifth year the museum has partnered with C3ASME (Contra Costa
County Association of Science and Math Educators) to host this event. For more
information, call Connie Loosli, education specialist at Lindsay Wildlife Museum at 925-627-2922 or [email protected].
Art Exhibit: Mt. Diablo: A Personal View
September 15, 2007 - February 28, 2008. Local fine art photographer Sue
Reynolds debuts a Mt. Diablo-only photography exhibit at the Museum. The
exhibit will include nearly 30 images from around the mountain.
Natural History Exhibit: California Indians
September 15, 2007 - March 2, 2008. Because local Indians relied on the environment for all their needs, they developed a deep knowledge of plants and animals, the
weather and the cycles of the seasons. They wasted very little and were careful to use
the resources they had in a responsible way—practices that are sensible today.
This exhibit will showcase the museum’s collection representing the life and
culture of early Californian Indians, focusing on tribes from northern California.
A one-half sized model of a tule house, baskets and other cooking devices, bows
and arrows, toys, games, cradle board, arrowheads and mounts of some of the
animals that lived during that time will be incorporated into this exhibit, prepared
in consultation with native American advisors.
Art Exhibit: The Art of Nature Art exhibit by museum volunteers
September 15, 2007 - January 6, 2008. More than 600 volunteers contribute
120,000 hours annually, helping sick or orphaned wild animals, teaching visitors about
the wonders of nature, and providing fun and educational programs for school children. In addition to their talents as dedicated volunteers, many are outstanding professional or amateur artists. The 7th annual volunteer art show features the work of dozens
of artists in oil, acrylic, photography, sculpture, and mixed-media.
Lost Dog!
$50 REWARD
If you find him and your name is drawn!
Alamo Joe is Missing
He has become lost in this paper.
He is very small, so you will have to look hard if you want to find him.
To be eligible send a letter telling us where you found him,
along with your name and address, to:
Lost Dog! ~ Alamo Today
3000F Danville Blvd #117 • Alamo, CA 94507
September’s Winner Is ~
Eric Mozelsio
Previous Winners: Ellen O’ConnellRiley Pratt, Nesha Castelo, Steve Brooks, Brad and Grace Mori, Kiana Mills,
Derek & Tyler Chew, Daphne Clements, Frank Zuerner, Jake Horne, Gloria Hummel
Alamo Joe contest and image Copyright Alamo Today 2007. All rights reserved.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
AIA - Alamo Improvement Association
September 12th , 7:00pm - Creekside Community Church -1350 Danville Blvd.
Alamo Community Council - September 13th, 5:00pm - Swain House at
Hap Magee Park
Alamo Parks and Rec R7A- September 18th, 3:00pm (SPECIAL TIME)Swain House at Hap Magee Park
Hap Magee Ranch Park Joint Planning and Operations Committee
- September 27th, 5:00pm - Hap Magee Ranch Park
Police Services Advisory Committee - P2B - October 1st, 4:30pm at
Valley Station - 150 Alamo Plaza
Police Services Advisory Committee - Round Hill - P5 - September
11th, 7:30pm - Round Hill Country Club
Zone 36 - Alamo Beautification Committee - September 12th, 10:30am - Hap
Magee Ranch Park
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16th Annual Business Showcase, Food & Wine Event
Wednesday, September 19th, 5PM - 8PM
The Danville Area Chamber of Commerce cordially invites the public to attend
this annual event at our new venue, The Blackhawk Museum. Come enjoy a fun
evening at our “Celebrating Blackhawk” themed event. Enjoy looking at the beautiful
cars in the museum while sampling fine food, wine, and water interspersed with our
Chamber members showcasing their products and services. Musical entertainment
will be provided by “JP Jazz.” Enjoy a glass of wine, listen to some great music and
enter to win one of many fabulous raffle prizes.
Entrance fee is $20 online at www.danvillecachamber.com or at the
Blackhawk Plaza Management office or $25 at the door the day of the event.
Food sampling will be provided by local restaurants:
Blackhawk Grille, Bridges Restaurant, Café Esin, El Nido Mexican Restaurant, Faz Restaurant & Bar, Forbes Mill Steakhouse, Mudd’s Restaurant, Erik’s
Deli Café, Ludy’s Main St. BBQ & Catering, Scott’s Catering. and more!
For more information call Robin Sell, Event Coordinator, at 925.837.4400
or e-mail [email protected].
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Alamo School
By Beverly Tom, Principal
The staff and I would like to welcome all our
new and returning families to the 2007-2008
School Year. Thank you for your continued support both inside and outside of the classroom.
Because of you, we are able to provide all students with educational programs that enhance
their learning experience. And because of you
we have the opportunity to provide students with
extra assistance or enrichment, differentiating the instruction to meet
their individual needs.
Teachers have been working tirelessly for the past couple of weeks
to ready their classrooms. All of us possess a strong commitment to
providing the best instruction for your child in an environment that
appreciates and respects individual differences. Like educational author William G. Spady, we too believe that “all students can learn
and succeed, but not on the same day in the same way.”
As educators, we understand the importance of a strong partnership between school and home. And we value the opportunity to share
with the Alamo Community what’s happening at our school. Our educational team understands that strong communication is key to a
strong partnership and the partnerships we forge today, will have a
lasting impact on our children’s future.
Back to School Night is right around the corner. Teachers are eager to meet with parents on Thursday, September 6th from 6-8 pm. First
through Third Graders come from 6-7 PM and Fourth and Fifth Graders will come from 7:15-8:15 PM .
Come enjoy time with friends and family, listen to the Alamo Chorus, play games and enjoy great food on Saturday, September 8th,
2:30-11pm at the Alamo Music and Wine Festival sponsored by our
very own Alamo Rotary.
Our annual Dad’s Ice Cream Social is scheduled for Sunday, September 20 th from 5:00-7:00 PM. We will once again be entertained by
our dads as they perform in The Gong Show.
We look forward to another great school year, one filled with academic, social and emotional growth for our students.
Local Preschool Recognized
Grace Cooperative Preschool of Walnut Creek in one of the f irst
early childhood programs to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC) which is
the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
Grace underwent a comprehensive process of self-study and professional review to verify compliance with the Criteria of High Quality
Early Childhood Programs.
Parents are actively involved in all aspects of the operation of cooperative preschools, while trained teachers plan and facilitate the
preschool’s program for children 2 ½ to 5 years of age. Both teachers
and parents were active in the accreditation process.
“The administration, teaching staff and families of Grace Cooperative Preschool are all to be congratulated for being one of the first
programs in the country to earn the mark of quality represented by
the NAEYC Accreditation system”, said Kimberly McClennahan
Means, Associate Executive Director, Academy for Early Childhood
Program Accreditation.
“NAEYC Accreditation lets families in the community know that
children in our program are having the highest quality learning experiences” said Meg Fiset, teacher at Grace Preschool.
The preschool draws families from Walnut Creek, Alamo,
Lafayette, Berkeley, Orinda, Concord, Danville and San Ramon. Current openings are available at the Preschool. For more information
call Tracey Loui at 925-943-7635. The preschool is located at 2100
Tice Valley Blvd in Walnut Creek. School sessions run 9am-11:30am.
www.alamotoday.com
Rancho Romero Elementary
School
By Hope Burtner, principal
As the 2007/2008 school year gets started we
have many changes and updates to report. First,
I am the new principal of Rancho Romero Elementary School and I am very excited to be a
part of this wonderful school community. I was
an assistant principal between two elementary
schools in Oakley, CA before coming to Rancho Romero. Prior to
that, I was a classroom teacher for eight years. I am passionate about
education and working as a community to help ensure the academic
and personal growth of all of our children.
When our students and families arrived at Rancho Romero on Monday, August 27th they def initely noticed that the school looked different from last year. Hopefully, our families were very excited to
see the beautiful new administration building and new landscaping
and updates all over the school campus. I have been around to all of
the classrooms to introduce myself to the students and they were all
very excited about how nice our school looks. It is going to be a schoolwide goal this year to keep our school campus looking beautiful.
We have many events happening in September. We will kick-off
our character education program called Soul Shoppe on Monday, September 17th with an assembly for each grade level. A few of our third,
fourth, and f ifth graders will be chosen to be “peacemakers” for the
program and receive special training in conflict resolution so that
they can help their peers solve problems on the playground. Our 5 th
graders will be going on their outdoor education adventure from the
24 th-28 th. That is always an exciting week for these students.
I am looking forward to a great school year, and I am very fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful school community!
Friends of the Danville Library Giant Book Sale
A Giant Book Sale will be held in the Mt. Diablo Room at the Danville
Library. The sale will be held October 19th from 9 - 10am for Members only.
The sale is open to the public October 19th from 10am - 5pm, October 20th
from 10:00am - 4:00pm, and October 21st from Noon - 4:00pm (Bag sale day).
There will be a large variety of bargain priced books. All proceeds benefit the
Danville Library.
[email protected]
Stone Valley Middle School
By Shaun McElroy, Principal
Stone Valley the Next Generation
Stone Valley welcomes 11 new staff members. This is a school year that is all about
change. We are fortunate to have hired some really outstanding people over the last six months.
Below is a list of our new staff.
Julia Bronner - Cafeteria manager
Wendy Bautista – Attendance Secretary
Kirsten Fleming – Special Education Paraprofessional
Mary Lou Maiben - Resource Paraprofessional
Rebecca Cartmell – 7/8 th math
Joanna Book – 6 th grade core
Kathleen Griff in 7 th grade core
Tracy Jones – School Psychologist
Kenneth Rettberg – Instrumental/Choral music
Robin Russell - 8 th grade core, drama
Wendy Paulson - Home Economics
Our staff recruiting season typically begins in April when we anticipate openings or changes in enrollment. I could not be more
pleased with our selections. Our advantage as a school community is
that many educators seek out Stone Valley because of our outstanding reputation. We have all the components of a great educational
institution: supportive and involved parents, an engaged student body
and a highly skilled group of educators who really care about children.
Our new staff was introduced to the community at our annual Back
to School Pizza Night. This annual gathering of parents, students and
staff provides us with the opportunity to share a meal together and
reconnect with each other after a long summer.
Our thanks go out to our PTA for feeding all 500 attendees.
California Department of Education Announces the
2007 Academic Performance Index
Each year STAR test results are cumulatively measured by a single
number for each school site. Schools scoring at or above the 800 range
are considered “High Achieving”. In 2006 Stone Valley moved into
the 900 range for the f irst time in school history with a API of 904.
Reaching this plateau is a great milestone for any high performing
school. The 2007 API results were released to the public on Friday,
August 31 st. Stone Valley scored an amazing 916! This 12 point increase is a testament to the hard work and determination by all staff,
students and parents.
Gardens at Heather Farms Docent Orientation
If you love nature and working with children and are looking for
a way to make a difference in your community, become a volunteer
teacher at the Gardens at Heather Farm. As part of our team of docents you can share your interests with local students and learn about
natural gardening, wildlife habitat and local ecology. No experience
necessary, training is provided. To learn more, attend an Orientation
M e e t i n g o n Tu e s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 2 5 t h , f r o m 1 0 - 1 1 a m a t 1 5 4 0
Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek. To reserve a space, or to learn more
if you cannot attend on that date, please call (925) 947-6712. For
more information about The Gardens, please visit www.gardenshf.org.
Share stories about activities in your club or group.
Send submissions for consideration to
[email protected]
Asian House
Chinese Cuisine - Mandarin and Cantonese
Lunch - Dinner - Orders To Go
3162 - C2 Danville Blvd., Alamo
(In the Stone Valley Center, near Long’s)
(925) 837-8298
Hours:
Monday - Friday 11:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 4:30pm - 9:00pm
Party Trays To Go - 10% Off
Free Delivery
within 3 miles
minimum $20 order
ouse
H
n
a
Asi
y
r
T
News From San Ramon Valley
High School
By Joseph A. Ianora, principal
The start of the 2007-2008 school year is upon us!
There are so many new things going on! We have new
students, new staff, new buildings, new beginnings, and
most importantly, re-newed energy. a special welcome
to our new students from the Class of 2012. We are
confident that our new students and families will be a
welcomed addition to our school community and share in our pride and educational commitment.
The 2007-2008 school year will be one filled with excitement and anticipation, stress and celebration. As we begin our travels together, I want to share
these things with you:
· The first few weeks of school may be chaotic and anxiety producing. Please
try to be patient, courteous and friendly, especially on Danville Blvd, in the parking lot, and most importantly, with each other!
· I have asked the staff to be particularly vigilant regarding dress code violations; you may receive a phone call regarding your son/daughter’s clothing choices
· We are still adding sections to the master schedule as we reduce class size (
a very special thank you to those who have donated to Academic Boosters). Your
student may have a schedule change because of this and I would ask that you
help you student through this change. Change can sometimes be difficult, but is
necessary.
· Our new buildings (Two story Classroom Building and Small Gym) are still
under construction and will be open and functional Spring of ‘08.
Please welcome these new members of our staff:
Administrator - Mike Aquino, Computers - Brian Divizich, Counselor Melissa Bergstedt, English - Jacqueline Hutchins, Phil Silva, Julie Miles, Math
www.alamotoday.com
- Sherna Budhabhatti, David Santos, Craig Smith, Jennifer Smith, Matt Low, PE
- Shannon Wigginton, Science - Tricia Cheung, Penny Davis, Liam Moran, Patrick
Carpenter, World Languages - Merian Middleton.
I would like to share some of my goals and expectations for our staff. They are:
• Each department and teacher have their own website
• Each teacher utilizes online grading
• Each teacher takes accurate and timely Attendance
• Each teacher provides a welcoming environment
• Each teacher enforces Dress Code/Language issues immediately
• Each teacher attends 504/SST/IEP meetings
1. What do we want the students to learn?
2. How do we know they have learned it?
3. What do we do if they don’t?
Remember to check the website (www.srvhs.org) for the latest information
about San Ramon Valley High School. Please support our school through your
involvement in PTSA, Academic Boosters, Athletic Boosters, or any of the many
organizations we have that are available to parents and graduates.
Lastly, a couple of thank yous:
• Thank you for making San Ramon Valley High School a great place. You
can be proud that you and your son/daughter wears the green and gold.
• Thank you for entrusting your children to San Ramon Valley High School.
We will strive to make this a positive, challenging, and rewarding experience for
your son or daughter.
• Thank you for remaining involved with your student’s educational progress.
Your attendance at meetings, your support of those organizations that enhance
our school programs, your continued dialogue with teachers, counselors and
administrators are an integral part of a successful school program.
• Thank you for all you have done and will do to make San Ramon Valley
High School the best place for students.
Go Wolves!
Welcome Back to Monte Vista
High School!
Sabrina Leu, Richard Li, Brian Louie, Holly Mariella, Yuyang Mei,
Harry Nunns, Aaditya Ramesh, Stephen Wang, Angela Yan, and Timothy Yoon. Congratulations!
By Becky Smith, principal
Monte Vista Named Top 1,200 Public Schools in
America
Five hundred f ifty-one freshmen joined the
ranks as Monte Vista “Mustangs” when our
doors opened for the 2007-2008 school year.
The largest class this year is 701 strong as the
Class of 2009 ( juniors). We, to date, have 2,491
students enrolled at Monte Vista High School.
I would like to thank Kim Johnson, Chairperson of Registration-2007 and Co-chairs Francie Louie and Dana
Beebe for the outstanding job they did organizing registration and
the over 200 parent volunteers who made it happen. Cheryl Luhrs
played a key role as well furnishing the volunteers with nutritional
treats throughout the process to keep their energy up! To the MV
Leadership class and advisors Andrea Greco and administrative liaison Aida Glimme and I say “thank you” for a job well done as well!
Under the direction of teachers Leslie Savage, Natalie Poncia, and
Nicole Messian the Link Crew students met with the incoming freshman and helped them to become familiar with the Monte Vista campus in conjunction with Leadership students by providing tours and
additional pertinent information to assist in a smooth transition from
middle to high school.
National Merit Scholarship Program Announces 2008
Semifinalists
The following 19 seniors have been named as a Semif inalist in the
2008 National Merit Scholarship Program and have an opportunity
to continue in the Merit Scholarship competition. They are:
Harshvardhan Chawla, Melvin Du, Jack Gedney, Hayden Higgins,
Rachel Horn, Jane Hsiao, Yili Huang, Jibran Khan, Christine Lee,
Congratulations were given by Jerry McNerney, Member of Congress, for being recognized as one of Newsweek’s top 1,200 Public
Schools in America. He commended the schools’ students, administration and faculty for their dedication to academic excellence. “The
outstanding commitment demonstrated by Monte Vista High School
serves as a model for other schools in the 11 th Congressional District
and throughout our nation,” he wrote.
Back to School Night- 2007
Please save the date, September 17, 2007, to attend Back to School
Night at Monte Vista High School. This evening will begin at 7:00
p.m. and run until 9:00 p.m. Parents will be given the opportunity to
visit their children’s/childrens’ classrooms and listen to the teachers
describe their programs/courses throughout the evening. Come early
for good parking!
College Night – September 19, 2007 —An Opportunity
for Students and Parents!
I encourage students and parents to meet with representatives or
alumni from a wide variety of colleges and universities at College
Night- 2007. This year’s “College Night” will be held at Dougherty
Valley High School. There will be over 110 representatives from local and out-of-state schools including University of California campuses, California State University campuses, private, vocational, and
military schools in attendance. College Night will be held on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. There will also be
two speakers presenting information on Financial Planning and The
NCAA Scholar-Athlete Process. Carpooling is encouraged.
[email protected]
Alamo Once Called “Metropolis of the
Future”
By Beverly Lane, reprinted with permission from the Museum
of the San Ramon Valley, www.museumofsrv.org
Low Prices!
Sh
In utter
We Tw s
ek o
s!
In the 21st century, the community of Alamo is a green enclave with large-lot homes tucked between Walnut Creek and
Alamo Shades and Shutters
Danville. As the second oldest community in the county (Martinez
925-837-2010 Free Measuring
is older), its history is a long one. At one point, Alamo was even
The Right Look For A Lot Less and Installation
touted as the “metropolis of the future.”
“Alamo” means “poplar” or “cottonwood
doing the calling for the dances ... there
tree” in Spanish. This name was frequently was a large attendance from Lafayette,
used in Hispanic California. “Alameda,” for
Moraga and from Martinez ... a fine supexample, means “poplar grove” in Spanish.
per was served and the dance closed when
Information about Alamo’s earliest years
the company joined in singing ‘We Won’t
is available primarily because of a remarkGo Home Till Morning’ and they did not.”
able woman who wrote about them, Mary
The Alamo post off ice is the oldest
A. Jones. She recorded the reaction of her one in the San Ramon Valley and began in 1852 with John Jones as
husband John when they first saw the San postmaster. The mail carrier made a round trip from Martinez through
Ramon Valley in 1847:
Alamo to Mission San Jose twice a week, using a horse and cart.
“’Mary, look! Did you ever see anything
The entire Valley was sometimes described as “Alamo” in the early
so beautiful?’ There was nothing in sight but days. The census of 1860, for example, included the valley in Townnature. Nothing to show that man had been
Mary Ann Jones
ship 2, which was grouped as the “Lafayette and Alamo Post Offices.”
here, except a little mud and stick hut close In 1856, when Bret Harte wrote letters from the Tassajara Valley,
to where the Alamo Bridge is.”
where he was a tutor, he headed the letters with the date and “Alamo,”
After they had looked for a while, John said, “If I live and can ever get
which probably indicated the post off ice.
a home here, I am going to have it.”
Civilization in the form of churches, school and lodges began as
They did return, after living in San Jose and mining in the Sierra, families moved in. Alamo Masonic Lodge No. 122 held its f irst meetf inally coming to the valley with the William Mitchell family on Noing in 1858. Mary and John Jones were instrumental in establishing
vember 10, 1851. Initially both families lived in an adobe, which once a grammar school, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Union
belonged to Francisco Garcia (at the present site of the Stone Valley Academy (a boarding and day high school).
Center).
Alamo did not turn out to be “the metropolis of the future,” but in
The community grew quickly in the 1850s, outpacing Lafayette bethe 1850s it had the same natural beauty and the crucial location that
cause of its excellent location. Alamo was the midway point for travelers residents take pride in today.
going to and from Martinez and Mission San Jose. In addition, a road
Sources: Virgie V. Jones’ book“Remembering Alamo ... and Other
from the redwoods, west of the Moraga Valley, came over the divide and Things Along the Way”; J. P. Munro- Fraser’s “History of Contra Costa
brought people to Alamo.
County” (1882); James Smith’s Recollections.
David Glass established the first small store or trading post at his house
just north of Alamo to take advantage of the location; this was the first
September W
eeks
Weeks
store in the county outside of Martinez. It was followed soon by George
Englemeyer’s store and Captain Wall’s boarding house, just 1-1/2 miles
Westward is sky-kissed steeply climbing hill,
south of Walnut Creek.
Dark folliage cut by plats of withered grass;
James D. Smith wrote later about the housewarming that Captain Wall
hosted after his building was completed:
Slow-sunrise tints the peaks, and leaden mass
“The music was two violins with the second violin, Arch Penniman,
Of crowning fog -- a setting primal still.
No more, wheat-laden wagons, creaking, fill
A dusty road, as marketward they pass,
With cracking lash and tinkling bells. Alas!
From glassy pavements, hurrying flivers spill
An alien crowd, kneeling (as if in prayer)
Among fallen purple prunes, to Harvest’s god;
Some, bending low. through red tomatoes plod;
Some, facing toward heaven, wielding mighty staves,
Loose laggard nuts (to scanty-living , slaves,)
The Alamo post office began in 1852 and for years was the only post office between
Martinez and San Jose. Bell’s store had the post office from 1910 to 1936, at the corner of
today’s Las Trampas and Danville Boulevard. For a time it was called Bell’s Post Office
Store. Residents could buy groceries and pick up the mail. Mrs. Bell is pictured out front.
Yet, feel the joy of hills, and trees and air.
(September 1936)
- From Poetic Years at Alamo by Benjamin Fred Hall, 1937, The Poets Press
www.alamotoday.com
How the new Town
of Alamo will use
your tax dollars
By Sharon Burke, Alamo
Incorporation Movement
We support incorporating
Alamo because we believe the Town of Alamo must manage its own
planning, parks, police, and roads. Therefore it’s no surprise that
this is where the bulk of your tax dollars will go, according to the
Initial Fiscal Analysis we commissioned. (You can read it in full on
our website: www.alamoinc.org).
Last month, I wrote about the revenues that the new Town of
Alamo would have at its disposal. They totaled about $8.8 million.
The breakdown of these revenues is: general property tax, 35%;
motor vehicle license fees, 19%; existing County Service Area (P2, P-5, P-6, R-7A) taxes, 13%; sales tax, 11%; gas taxes and highway user taxes, 9%; franchise fees, 6%; investment earnings, 2%;
property transfer tax, 2%; planning and engineering fees, 1.3%;
business license tax, 1%; fines, 0.7%.
The Initial Financial Analysis is more than a recital of numbers
– it actually represents a practical plan for the eff icient operation
of the new Town of Alamo. This plan is based upon the actual expenditures of three comparable local towns —Moraga, Clayton and
Lafayette. As required by state law, these are similar towns to Alamo,
with similar needs and revenues, located in our area with similar
cost of living and employee expenses. All the dollar f igures below
are based on actual budgets currently enacted by these three towns.
It’s easy to remember the new town’s primary responsibilities if
you remember PPP & R: Planning, Parks, Police and Roads. For all
other needs (schools, library, fire safety, sanitary, flood control,
mosquito control, regional transit, air quality, regional parks, and
water supply), Alamo has existing excellent providers funded with
your 1% of assessed value property taxes. These service providers
will remain in place and are not affected by incorporation.
bilities of local governments and is typically the most costly expense for small cities. Our steering committee instructed our expert
to prepare our town plan with no reduction in services from the current county staff ing levels. The consultant we hired contacted the
Contra Costa County Sheriff to understand the current police costs
for Alamo, and using the numbers obtained directly from the Sheriff, we budgeted police costs for the f irst full year of the town at
$4.9 million, or 60% of total town expenditures of $8.5 million. An
additional benef it of incorporation is that police costs would include traff ic enforcement. State law dictates that the CHP and not
the sheriff is responsible for traff ic enforcement in unincorporated
Alamo: therefore everyday traff ic enforcement is mostly non-existent. Police expenditures will include earmarked funds to continue
Round Hill Country Club’s extra patrols and traff ic enforcement.
ROADS – After incorporation, the new Town will own all the
roads and infrastructure of Alamo and be responsible for their maintenance. The state collects gas taxes and highway users’ fees and
distributes them to cities and counties for road maintenance. In addition, in Contra Costa County, we pay an extra half cent sales tax
(Measure C) which is earmarked for transportation. These transportation taxes will now be paid to Alamo. Our outside study estimated
about $421,000 for budgeted road maintenance.
GENERAL EXPENSES – The new Town will require 15 employees, occupying 200 square feet per employee, or 3,000 square
feet. Our plan proposes to rent this space in the commercial core of
Alamo at the market rate of $3.00 per square foot Many towns do
not have city halls; Lafayette has been incorporated for 40 years
and still rents space for its town offices. The number of town employees, their annual salary and benefits, off ice supply costs, and
even the number of computers are all detailed in the IFA Plan, available on our website, www.alamoinc.org.
Some may say that Alamo does not pay these general administrative expenses today. We certainly do; the County employs 9,000
people and has an annual budget of $2 billion. It occupies many
offices in Martinez. Property tax collected from Alamo residents
funds a share of this overhead.
PLANNING – The new Town will be responsible for land use
planning and zoning in Alamo. Most incorporation efforts are driven
by the community’s desire for self determination in preserving and
planning its character. Planning expenses are budgeted at about
$424,000 in the f irst full year of the town, and are budgeted at a
higher amount for the first three years since the Town will incur
significant additional planning expense as it is required by state
law to adopt a new General Plan within 30 months of incorporation. By law, it must adopt the existing County General Plan until it
has developed its own.
So in summary the total expenses of the new Town of Alamo sum
to about $8.5 million, giving us a predicted operating surplus of
$300,000 based upon the conservative assumptions used in the study.
Alamo probably pays more then its fair share of the County budget
today. Alamo accounts for $4.05 billion of the assessed property
value in Contra Costa County or 15% of the total assessed value in
the unincorporated area (countywide: $26.79 billion unincorporated)
while only representing 10% of the total unincorporated population
and consuming far less county services such as welfare, health care,
social services, courts and jails.
PARKS AND RECREATION – The new Town will take over
existing revenues and fund balances from Alamo’s parks district,
R-7A (all Alamo residents pay into this district except for Round
Hill Country Club). The town would create a separate fund earmarked for parks expenditures. The budget estimates expenditures
of about $378,500 per year for park maintenance and programs,
with the remainder of current revenue (another $400,000) to be
banked and earmarked for parks acquisition and development. Recreation programs will be self supporting and some fees will be returned to the town from recreation programs.
The methodology of the study has convinced many Alamo voters
that a new Town of Alamo is both f inancially practical and highly
desirable. Keeping Alamo tax revenues in Alamo to pay for Alamo
projects approved by an Alamo-elected Town Council is clearly a
better alternative than the way we are governed today.
Our committee has begun to circulate our petition for incorporation and we have an enthusiastic corps of volunteers helping us with
petition circulation. To volunteer to help our efforts, please email
[email protected] or call our voice mail, (925) 472-9650.
POLICE – Public safety is one of the most important responsiAdvertorial
[email protected]
Take a Break at One of Alamo’s Local Parks
There are several spots in Alamo where people can gather for picnics and recreation. These parks offer activities and meeting places
for both young and old members of the community and their friends.
Grab a picnic and head into the fall at one of these nearby spots.
Rancho Romero School Sports Field on Hemme Avenue has soccer and softball f ields,
and
p l ay
structures. A
swingset,
wallball
wa l l s , b a s k e t b a l l
courts and a
Gaga (a form
of dodgeball) ball structure are also located there. Restrooms and
drinking fountains are available.
Hap Magee Ranch Park is on the Alamo-Danville Border on La
Gonda Way. This park has several historic structures. There are picnic facilities, children’s
water play area, a sand
volleyball court,a large
meadow with a spectacular heritage oak,
dog parks, restrooms,
and off-street parking.
The park sits near the
intersection of the Iron
Horse Trail and the Las
Trampas to Mt. Diablo
Regional Trail.
The Community Speaks
As a 24 year Alamo resident, I am tired of seeing Alamo interests
repeatedly ignored by a bloated, incompetent and absentee County bureaucracy. Incorporation should have occurred long ago.
The community has been repeatedly subjected to absentee “management” and our tax dollars have been taken for granted. Instead of Alamo
having some of the best infrastructure due to a robust tax base, we suffer
from inadequate maintenance, substandard design and poor execution.
Downtown Alamo is a disgrace as are the poorly maintained roads. Traffic is unbearable due to significant thru traffic by out-of-towners taking
short cuts due to clogged freeways. Some of the recently approved monster houses overlooking the Freeway are a design travesty.
Some object to Incorporation due to a misinformed notion that Alamo
would have an insufficient tax base. Alamo Incorporation Movement
(AIM) commissioned an independent Feasibility Study that proves Alamo
is a viable city for at least the next 10 years with a healthy budget surplus.
Some suggest that Alamo should pursue annexation with the City of
Danville. That would be a terrible mistake as it would lower property
values far more than any modest cost savings that may accrue.
Respectfully, Paul Barker
Letters to Alamo Today will be included on a space availability basis.
Submissions must be less than 200 words and include your name, address
and telephone number. Alamo Today reserves the right to edit for length,
style or factual er rors known to the Alamo Today staff. Please email
submissions to [email protected], or send to Alamo Today 3000F
Danville Blvd, #117, Alamo, CA 94507.
Livorna Park is at the corner of Livorna Road and Miranda Avenue. It features a large open-air gazebo, a sand volleyball court, a
multi-use
sports court
with basketball hoops,
p l ay g r o u n d
structures,
large play areas, drinking
fountain,
restrooms
and
o ff street parking.
Alamo School Sports Field located at 100 Wilson Road offers
soccer and baseball f ields, batting cages, and a picnic and barbeque
area along with a play structure.
Andrew H. Young Park is located at the corner of Danville Blvd.
& Jackson Way. This one-acre park is named in memory of Alamo
resident Andrew H. Young who was instrumental in preserving the
charm of Alamo. At the park there are picnic tables, chess/check tables
and a drinking fountain.
For directions to any of Alamo’s parks, please visit www.alamore.org
www.alamotoday.com
www.alamotoday.com
Barcelona Nights
By Sarah Alvarez
Photos by David Horine
The significance of having a “Mediterranean climate” became clear to me when I visited Barcelona
in March. The birds look the same, the trees look
the same, and the weather feels the same. The agriculture is also akin to that found in California. Consider fruit and nut orchards, olive groves, and vineyards. Many of our foods were first brought to the state by the Spanish
mission padres in the 18th century. The imported fruits, vegetables, and
livestock thrived in this compatible climate.
With the ideal raw ingredients, we Californians are equipped to make
great Spanish cuisine. My favorite dishes are the tapas - little plates to
share. They are well-suited as party food, since most can be made ahead
of time or purchased.
~~~MENU~~~
butter lettuce and honeydew salad
Manchego cheese marinated in olive oil with oregano
gazpacho shots
thinly sliced Iberian ham
green olives
potato wedges with garlic aioli
grilled vegetable platter
duck pate with crostini
almond cake
sangria
I made all of
this for only
$50!
Wow!
I never
knew you
could cook!
GAZPACHO SHOTS
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 t. red wine vinegar
1/8 t. hot sauce
chives (optional)
Blend first 4 ingredients until smooth. Serve in espresso or
shot glasses. Garnish with
chives. Makes eight 1/4-cup
servings.
POTATO WEDGES WITH GARLIC AIOLI
2 lbs. large red-skinned potatoes
2 T. + 1 cup olive oil
1/2 t. + 1/4 t. salt
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 cloves garlic, crushed until smooth
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes into wedges. In a large bowl,
toss potatoes with 2 T. olive oil and 1/2 t. of the salt. Bake on a cookie sheet
until lightly golden on the side touching the sheet (about 20 minutes). Flip
potatoes and continue baking until the other side also turns lightly golden (about
10 minutes more).
Makes approximately
64 wedges.
In advance or while
potatoes are cooking,
make the aioli sauce.
Whisk egg yolks with
garlic, 1/4 t. salt, and 1
t. warm water. Add 1 cup
olive oil, starting a drop
at a time, while whisking constantly. After a
couple of tablespoons
have been incorporated,
increase rate at which the olive oil is added. When all oil is combined, thin the
aioli by whisking in up to 1 T. warm water. Makes 1 1/4 cup aioli.
A Quick Bite at Asian House
Style: Cooked to Order Chinese
Scene: Clean, modern dining room with
comfortable seating. LCD television on the wall quietly reports the
news channel, while diners enjoy their hot meals. Delicious aromas
fill the room. Peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.
Surprise your friends.
If you are chosen, we will give you $50 to throw a
dinner party for six people. Your shopping list, recipes
and photos of your $50 Dinner Party will be
featured in a future issue of Alamo Today.
To sign up, e-mail [email protected] or write us at
Alamo Today, 3000F Danville Blvd, #117, Alamo, CA 94507
Our Favorites: We chose the Minced Chicken Lettuce cups for a light
starter. The filling was light and tasty, surrounded by cool, crisp and
perfectly shaped lettuce cups. Add a dab of the plum sauce for accent,
and you have a perfect start for luncheon. We moved into the Generals
Chicken, which had a fairly dark and tangy sauce. We like it a little
hotter than this was provided, but it was very tasty and the portion was
perfect. It was served with a small bowl of egg-flower soup, and
accompanied by fried rice.
Details: Located at 3162 Danville Blvd, Alamo (Between the Pet Store
and Don Jose’s), and serves Lunch and Dinner. Open Monday-Friday
11am-9pm and Saturday from 4:30pm-9pm. We only tried lunch this
week, but are looking forward to trying the free delivery service that
comes with dinner. Most entrees are in the $7-$10 range. Easy to find,
easy to park, quick service, and overall a very nice lunch.
[email protected]
“Pepperoni pizza. The smooth circles
taste so good.” ~ Brennen age 4
Heard on the Street Asks:
What is your favorite food?
“Yogurt and salami, but not at the same
time.” ~ Kandace, age 2 (left)
“Steak and potatoes.” ~ Kent (middle)
“Cereal mixed together...Fruit Loops,
Wheaties, Lucky Charms...And Chocolate
Milk Shakes” ~ Kendall, age 3 (right)
“Sushi. I like Sue’s Crunchy at Kane
Sushi in Danville” ~ Tyler (left)
“Sushi” ~ Mom, Liz (right)
“Bananas. I like to take bread with peanut butter
and roll it around a banana.” ~ Regina, age 7 (left)
“Cold pasta with no sauce. I like penne and
big shells.” ~ Abigail, age 5 (right)
“Spaghetti. There’s meatballs and I like
the sauce.” ~ Niki, age 8 (left)
Come put your tootsies in
any of our 400+ tubs!
“Chinese food. I like Chicken Chow Mein
and prawns.” ~ Kristy, age 11 (middle)
“Sausage pizza from Round Table” ~
Alex, age 10 (far right)
“Cherries - I like the juice in them. Candy I like lollipops. ~ Chloe, age 6 ( bottom)
Engineer
ed ffor
or ther
apy. D
esigned ffor
or luxury. P
riced ffor
or comf
or
t.
Engineered
therapy.
Designed
Priced
comfor
ort.
The Mustang U17 Red Devils attended the opening game of Arsenal versus Fulham game
in England. The boys spent 10 days touring, training and showing off their Mustang talent.
A great time was had by the players and their parents too! Back Row: Coach Rob Hansen,
Ian Cromwell, Jonny Bradley, Blake Whitmer, Gabe Sandler, Gordie Nash, Blake Haisley,
Parker Doliber, Evan Praznik, Ashwin Subramanian, Max Mendes, Asst. Coach Jeremy
Malson Bottom Row: Connor Kaminski, Brandon Gay, Kevin Vaughan, Mitch Stien, Garrett
Weiss, Kenny Luke & Eric Futak
• Bathtubs • Whirlpools • Showers • Faucets •
• Toilets • Steam • Demand Heaters •
510.770.8686 • 4840 D
av
enpor
Dav
avenpor
enportt Pl. • F
Frremont
916.575.9100 • Sacramento •209.845.9115 • Oakdale
ri & Sat
M-Th 10-5, Sun 11-4 • Closed F
Fri
www.tubz.net
www.alamotoday.com
Save $50.00 off
Restylane® or
Perlane® for a
limited time only.
Introducing the newest member
of the Restylane® family:
The U14 Mustang Rampage girls won the Mustang Stampede Tournament in August. This
second summer tournament win bolsters the Rampage number one position on the
Gotsoccer.com national ranking. To defend their Mustang Stampede Title, Coach Joe
Owen and the Rampage girls defeated Santa Clara, two teams from Southern California,
the Utah Avalanche, and San Juan, allowing no goals and scoring 12 total goals for the
weekend tournament. Pictured from left to right: Front Row: Abby Steele, Katie Strazza,
Darlene Dang, Sami Schrakamp, Quinn McLaughlin, Allie Torru, Brynne Terry, Shannon
Hennessy, Briana Gaines, Dorsa Ansari; Back Row: Coach Joe Owen, Cori Davis, Mandy
Davis, Madi Bickel, Cassidy Nicks, Stephanie Amack, Regan Cox, Jenna Douvikas.
Offer expires
September 30, 2007
Dr. Kelly Hood
Dermatologist
970 Dewing Avenue
Suite 301
Lafayette, CA 94549
925-283-5500
Savings not redeemable for cash.
Perlane is available only through a licensed practitioner. Complete product and safety
information is available at www.RestylaneUSA.com. Restylane (and stylized) and Perlane (and
stylized) are trademarks of HA North American Sales AB. c 2007 Marketing Evolved.
The U11 Mustang Tornado team coached by Mike Cooke and Frank Squires placed
second in the U12 Newark Referee Classic. Front Row: Taylor Cuenin, Shelby Cooke,
Katrina Palumbo, Natalie Elam, Madison Engelhart, Regan Leach, Shelby Silva. Middle
Row: Katelyn Krommenhoek. Back Row: Head Coach Mike Cooke, Madeline Rabago,
Stephanie Pritzkow, Maya Felten, Hannah Smith, Aimee Squires, Hannah Perrien, and
Assistant Coach Frank Squires.
Get Yours At
• ALAMO BIKES •
1469 Danville Blvd
Alamo • 925.837.8444
The Mustang U12 Hotspurs won the Santa Clara Sporting Invitational in August. This was
a great win for the Mustang boys. Gotsoccer.com ranks this tournament as #2 in Northern
California based on competition level. Hotspurs, left to right: Front Row: Jordan Corral,
Andy Li, Jordan Zhang, Cole Kunsman, Jeffrey Greenberg, Ryan Ringelstein, Middle Row:
Justin Teo, Cameron Lyall, David Griffith, Nico Ginocchio, George Waidelich, John
Wayland, Back Row: Coach Lance Glossup, Andrew Evans, Andrew Ferber, Doug Strazza,
Head Coach Jason Annicchero
[email protected]
Fine Italian Food
&
Cocktail Lounge
Open Everyday for your dining pleasure
Lunch
Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner
Sunday-Thursday • Friday & Saturday
4:30pm-9:30pm • 4:30pm-10:30pm
Early Bird Menu Daily
4:30pm-6pm • $14.95
Music and Dancing
Every Friday-Saturday Nights • 8:00pm – 11:30pm
The Mustang Stampede U12 girls went undefeated in the Tiburon Mill Valley Fall Kick Off the
weekend of August 25/26th. The four games included 3 shutouts for a combined 18 goals and
allowing only one goal against them. Stampede is coached by: Annette Lance and Ted Lawrence
and includes: Sydney Lance, Alina Sinclair, Kendall Andres, Devyn Holiday, Grace
Reckers,Hailey Landman, Sydney Biekert, Emily Evans, Madison LaRocque, Alexa Sheldan,
Noelle Vleisides, Katrina Irey, Mellissa Lawrence, Elizabeth Whisler, Emily Biekert.
Let us host your next event ....
Mixer, Office Party, Business Luncheon and more...
Your hosts: Gabriele Davanzante & Russ Belleci
3160 Danville Blvd • Alamo
Call 925.820.1711 for Reservations
Round Hill County Club’s 6U (six and under) Freestyle Relay team (pictured above left to
right) Drew Halvorson, Lane Lagomarsino, Molly Neach and Lisette Eubanks took First Place
in Free Relay and 2nd place in Medely Relay at the Contra Costa County Swim Championships
in August. In addition, Molly Neach won the High Point Award for Outstanding Girl in the 6U
age group. Christina Ray tied for first in the 13/14 girls group, Patrick Scott placing 6th in the
13/14 boys group and Alana Hulburd placing 6th in the 15-18 girls age group.
Congratulations to the following Round Hill swimmers! Finalists of individual events: Molly
Neach, Isabella Barattolo, Gabriella Barattolo, Christina Ray, Patrick Scott, Jack MacFarland,
Ted Beebe, Alana Hulburd , Rob Ray, Connor O’Dea, Rachel Tagle, Brooke Latner, Mike
Harris, Michael Millstein. Finalist relay swimmers: Molly Neach, Lisette Eubanks, Drew
Halvorson, Lance Lagomarsino, Scott Gluek, Scott Burland, Nich Fusari, Tristan Sinclair, Rachel
Hendricks, Isabella Barattolo, Allyson Satterfield, Alexa Fusari, Connor O’Dea, Daniel Carano,
Christopher Schwarcz, Will Livingston, Luke Freeman, Brooke Latner, Rachel Tagle, Danielle
Scherman, Mimi Harris, Nea Haberman, Gabriella Barattolo, Keiko Segimoto, Cassidy Raynolds,
Michael Palmer, Matthew Stailey, Clay Peterson, Adam Pendergraft, Danielle Dunn, Brynne Terry,
Rachel Riley, Christina Ray, Mike Harris, Ted Beebe, Patrick Scott, and Spencer Oram.
Round Hill Swim Team’s boy 7-8 Freestyle Relay Team which placed 3rd at the meet. Pictured
left to right are Luke Freeman, Christopher Schwarcz, Connor O’Dea and Will Livingston.
www.alamotoday.com
The Combs Team
Professionals You
Can Count On
925-989-6086
Nancy
Joe
www.TheCombsTeam.com
Is the Condo Market Softening?
With the recent and much reported nationwide down turn in Real Estate, and the
mortgage market singing “The Sub Prime Blues”, one would expect that lower price
point homes such as Town Homes and Condo’s would be highly impacted. This
month we will examine the market for Town Homes and Condos in Alamo, Blackhawk
and Danville (The Condo Market) and see what is happening.
Taking a look at the Condo market as it stands today (August 9, 2007) we
find 79 properties are listed as active or pending. Sixteen properties are currently pending sale with an average list price of $566,296. The average list
price for the remaining unsold properties is $617,068. The highest priced
home currently on the market is listed at $889,000 and the lowest price in
these data is $389,000 Among the 16 properties currently pending sale the
highest price is $749,000 and the lowest is $429,000. The current pending
list price is $418 per square foot. We cannot know the actual sale price, but
from experience we can surmise that it is somewhat less.
Looking at a year on year comparison (Jan.1-Dec.31) we can see that 198
condos sold in 2005 and 148 Condos sold in the same time period during
2006. This was a 25% decrease in unit sales year on year. Average sold price
in 2005 was $626,700 compared to $626,656 in 2006. While unit sales were
down significantly average selling price didn’t really budge. Surprisingly
price per square foot paid for Condos and Town Homes rose from $420 in
2005 to $427 in 2006, a gain of 1.6% on a square foot basis.
During the first quarter of 2006, a total of 33 Condos sold. This compares to
28 Condo sales in the same time period in 2007. This represents a unit sales drop
of 15%. Average sold price in Q1 2006 was $607,298 whereas the selling price
in 2007 was lower at $585,401 for about a 3.7% drop in price. Price per square
foot during the first quarter in 2006 was $427 compared to $408 in 2007 reflecting a 4.5% decrease in price per square foot in the first quarter of the New Year.
Not surprisingly, days on market more than doubled from 19 to 49.
The second quarter in 2006 saw 53 Condo sales while the second quarter
in 2007 decreased significantly to 37 sales for a 30% decrease in units sold.
During the second quarter of 2006, average sales price was $656,844. Average Sales price in Q2 2007 dipped to $617,325 or stated more simply, the
quarter on quarter comparison shows a 6.1% decrease in average selling
price for Condos and Town Homes. In step with the overall down trend, per
square foot price dropped 7% from $433 in 2006 2nd quarter to $403 in Q2 ’07.
YTD sales (thru Aug. 9) for 2006 were 97 properties sold compared to 80
sales in 2007. That’s a decline of nearly 7.5% for this time period. Average
selling price YTD ‘06 was $637,583 while average selling price YTD 2007 dipped
to $607,108, a decrease of about 5%. Median price also declined 4.4% from
$645,000 compared to $617,000. On a price per square foot basis prices also
declined in the YTD comparison from $431 per square foot in ’06 to $402 per
square foot in ’07. This represents a 6.8% price decline so far this year.
The picture is pretty clear that the condo market in Alamo, Danville and
Blackhawk has softened significantly through the first half of 2007. Will it
continue to slide?
If you would like to receive our periodic Condo Market report including the detail please send an email to [email protected]
and include “Condo Market” in the subject line. Please visit our web site ACCORD
www.thecombsteam.com to view properties for sale.
West Side Alamo View Lot
West Side Alamo Estate
West Side Alamo
Incredible 2.05 acre View Lot high upon the
Las Trampas Ridge.Priced to sell at
$991,000
Magnificently updated 4 Bed, 3.5 Bath
Executive Home. Privacy. Views of Mt. Diablo.
$2,239,000
4 Bedroom and guest home on 3.72 acres.
Views of Mount Diablo and Carcinas Strait.
$2,179,000
Not on MLS
Diablo West 4 Bedroom
Downtown Danville - Not On MLS
Livorna Heights- 4 bedroom plus office.
Great lot. Call for details.
Fabulously Updated. Charming
Cul de Sac. $1,340,000
Fabulous Stony Brook 4 bedroom, Model 5.
Completely updated! Call for details.
Data presented in this column is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the Contra Costa and Alameda MLS service and other quoted sources. Joe and Nancy Combs, Remax and the MLS service do
not guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Remax Accord 313 Sycamore Valley Road West, Danville CA. 94526
[email protected]
Insurance Considerations for the
Single and Married Woman
By Emma M. Magbitang, Agent, New York
Life Insurance Company
Why should a man buy life insurance? To protect
his family…replace lost income if he dies… provide
for his own retirement security. Why should a woman
buy life insurance? For the very same reasons! Life insurance can be used to pay off mortgages, fund a college education and help
guarantee that the spouse won’t have to sell the home or suffer a severe drop in
standard of living if the insured dies an untimely death. Although life insurance
has always reflected a loving commitment to family, as well as recognition of the
need to meet other financial responsibilities, women’s needs for life insurance
have generally not been adequately addressed due, for the most part, to the perception of men and women’s distinct roles in society. As a result, millions of
spouses, children, and other dependents could be exposed to serious financial
risk—and so could single women.
You’ve Come a Long Way – Maybe
As we begin a new millennium, it’s obvious that a great deal has changed
in our society, especially with regard to women’s roles. According to the U.S.
Department of Labor, in 1900, only 19% of women of working age actually worked. By 2003, almost 60% of women were active income earners.
Yet, women, as a group, still tend be underinsured. According to the Life
Insurance Marketing and Research Association, over a third of women have
NO life insurance. It’s important for today’s woman to sit down and re-think
her life insurance coverage. Depending on marital status and the presence of
children, there are various points to consider.
If You’re Part of a Two-Income Family
Nowadays, husbands and wives are frequently economic partners. Today’s
two-income family depends on both paychecks to make ends meet. If anything happened to you—and the income you generate—would your family
be able to remain in their home? Would your children be able to achieve their
educational goals? Would your family suffer a severe financial loss?
Adequate insurance on your life can help replace your income, remove
uncertainty, and help guarantee your family’s financial security.
If You’re a Single Woman Heading a Household The single parent family is the
www.alamotoday.com
fastest-growing population group in the country, increasing from 8.2 million households in 1970 to 12.7 million in 2000, according to the most recent census. And that
number continues to rise steadily. As a single parent, you may be the sole breadwinner,
responsible for the support and care of your children. Thus, your need for life insurance can be even more crucial than in dual-parent households.
If You’re a Full-time Homemaker
According to the 2000 Census, women are staying home in greater numbers
then they did even three years ago. The services of the full-time homemaker,
while often under-valued, are worth tens of thousands of dollars a year —and
that’s what it would cost to replace those services should anything happen to you.
If You’re a Single Woman
The census shows that single women who have never been married make up
25% of the population in this country. If you add to that the number of women
who are widowed, divorced or separated, almost 50% of women in the U.S. are
single. Although many single women believe they have no need for insurance, in
fact they may have more of a need than many married women. Why?
First, being single isn’t always the same as being alone. You may have
responsibilities and obligations. If you’re a young adult, you may have educational loans, as well as other debts (mortgages, car loans, etc.). The cash
value of permanent life insurance can provide collateral for loans.
Additionally, should something happen to you, there will be final expenses, which may easily run into thousands of dollars. These obligations—
which could fall onto parents or other loved ones—can be met by owning
adequate insurance.
What’s more, you might intend to have a family, someday. The younger
and healthier you are, the more likely it is that you’re eligible for insurance—
and the more affordable it is to purchase insurance. Also, protection isn’t the
only reason to consider permanent life insurance. A second reason may be to
supplement your retirement income when your protection needs decrease. A
permanent life insurance policy that accumulates cash value on a tax-deferred
basis, can be borrowed against* to provide additional funds for retirement.
Recommendations
Do you need life insurance protection—or, additional life insurance protection? Only you can answer that question. You may want to speak with an
insurance professional who can help work with you to review and analyze
your current needs and situation.
For more information, please contact Emma M. Magbitang, Agent, New York
Life Insurance Company, at (925) 552-7152.
* Loans reduce the death benefit and accrue interest.
a division of LaBrie Construction Co. Inc
Alamo W
omen’
Women’
omen’ss Club
We specialize in:
• Kitchens • Plumbing
• Bathrooms • Retaining Walls
• Fences
• Tile
• Skylights
• Doors
• General Repairs
• Dry Rot
• Handyman Service
• Decks
• Electrical
• Concrete
• Drywall
• Windows
New Members - Open House
At the Clubhouse
1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo
September 26th at Noon
Complimentary Buffet Lunch
925-313-8956
[email protected]
www.lamorindahomerepair.com
Mention this ad for
$25 OFF work of $150-$249
$50 OFF work of $250-$499
$100 OFF work of $500 or more
In today’s busy world, it’s difficult to find the time to do everything.
Trust your beautiful home to the home repair experts.
Come and meet the amazing women
who choose to make a difference in
our community. You do not have to
be an Alamo resident!
If you are interested in finding our
more about the Women’s Club call
837-6548 for more information
Advertorial
[email protected]
www.alamotoday.com
Life In the Alamo Garden
Landscape Structures
By John Montgomery, ASLA, Landscape
Architect, Garden Architecture
more significant
structure because
of the function.
Often, a pergola
becomes a garden room or enclosure in the garden, a gathering
place for people,
and a focal point.
Landscape
structures bring
form and function to any successful landscape
design.
A hot tip from your local Landscape Architect: Built structures must be executed with proper construction techniques which are ensured through proper design,
construction details and specifications, and on-site observations during the construction process.
Gardening Quote of the month: “I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the
bone structure in the landscape - the loneliness of it - the dead feeling of winter.
Something waits beneath it - the whole story doesn’t show.” - Andrew Wyeth
If you would like me to write on any particular subject email your ideas to:
[email protected] or visit www.jm-la.com.
Advertorial
Every successful landscape design needs structure.
Structure is actually a function of design. It comes in as
many forms as a designer can imagine. Structure may include an enclosing wall, fence for privacy and protection,
pathways for movement, borders for definition and order.
Pergolas, arbors, trellises are built structures to shade patios. Sitting nooks provide a
gathering place for people. Without structure there is no garden and there is no design.
I approach garden design with two basic design fundamentals: “hardscape”, the
built landscape, and “softscape”, that which is plant material. The two design fundamentals brought together in a creative and cohesive design make up your landscape.
The approach I take is to focus on the “hardscape” initially. The “hardscape” defines
the design. It creates the borders, edges, views, and function of the “softscape”. Structures serve as background for people and plants. A focal point deserves significant
detailing. Background structures don’t. Scale and proportion are important. Structures need to be scaled appropriately and in proportion to the surrounding environment. The outdoor environment allows for larger scale than the indoors. Measure the
scale of structures by keeping in mind, existing large scale trees, distant horizon lines,
adjacent properties and views, and buildings.
Structures provide the bones to any landscape design. They provide ongoing significance throughout the seasons while the “softscape” changes from season to season. In general “hardscape” structures include the floor of the landscape (patios, decks,
paths), steps and grade changes, enclosures and ceilings (arbors, pergolas, gazebos),
walls (retaining, seat walls, benches), fences, buildings (cabanas, pool houses, potting
sheds, storage sheds), and focal points (water features, bridges, garden ornament,
gates, and trellises).
The purpose of any structure in the landscape design is function and form. What
function shall any particular structure perform? In other words, what do they do?
Those hot summer days in the Alamo garden demand the need for shade and those
long cold gray winters when deciduous trees drop their leaves, give you bones. Arbors
or pergolas are landscape structures that can fulfill that function. What do they do?
Provide shade in the summer and structural bones in the winter!
A structure can have several functions. For instance, an arbor can define a portal,
an entry into a garden room or it can frame a view beyond. The form an arbor takes is
an open structure usually with plants or vines climbing over it to form a portal or
tunnel. An arbor can be built to take on any form that suits your
ROUND HILL COUNTRY CLUB presents
design style. It can be as simple as an arched gate with climbing
BIG P
AR
TY F
OR SMALL BUSINESSES
PAR
ARTY
FOR
clematis or a bold design with four twelve-inch round Corinthian
columns with rough hewn beams above heavily laden with Wist- Round Hill Country Club has long been the preferred
eria. Depending on the scale and architectural styling of your home venue for company holiday parties. About a decade
ago we initiated a holiday party designed for small to
and the design theme of your landscape, an arbor has many different
medium sized companies/organizations. It provides
forms it can take while performing the same function.
small organizations the opportunity to have a gala
A pergola as defined here is a free-standing overhead structure event for an affordable price. Our Big Party for Small
Businesses begins with a hosted champagne hors
supported by posts or columns. The material that provides the shade
d’oeuvre reception, followed by a three course
may vary from lattice, wood beams, to vines. All can provide shade
gourmet dinner and dancing. This annual event has
depending on how much you wish to have. Pergolas generally are grown in participation and has become a tradition for
many groups. Over the past several years we have
had to limit reservations on a first come, first serve
basis. Don’t be left out. Make your reservations early!
“A Holiday Gala Celebr
ation”
Celebration”
Wednesday, D
ecember 5, 2007
December
Gala Evening begins at 6:30pm
Music and Dancing – Valet Service
$ 67.00 per person
Inclusive of Service Charge & Tax
For Reservations,
Call Round Hill Country Club
Catering Services Department
(925) 552-4500 or (925) 552-4501
[email protected]
Construction and Trees–
Protect the Roots
By Blaine Brende and Joe Lamb
If you are planning to build a new
cottage near a hundred-year-old oak
growing in your back yard, it is important to understand a few basic,
but not widely known, facts about roots. This knowledge will help you be a
good steward and keep that tree green and growing for another hundred years.
Many people are surprised to learn that most tree species have roots that
extend out much further than they extend down. The vast majority of roots
live in the top six to twenty four inches of soil, and it is rare to find roots
extending below three feet. Most tree species have 99% of their root mass in
the top three feet of soil; these roots tend to grow well beyond the edge of the
tree’s canopy, the so-called drip line. A general rule of thumb is that roots
grow like a plate from the trunk and reach out between one-half to three
times the height of the tree. If your neighbor, two houses down, has a redwood, that tree will likely have roots in your yard.
It is also not commonly understood that the vast bulk of a tree’s root system is
composed of thin, hair-like feeder roots; these very small roots frequently grow
upward from the larger roots. Unlike bigger roots, which are perennial, the feeder
roots are constantly dying and being replaced, like leaves. Plants compete for
moisture and nutrients. From a plant’s point of view, both water and nutrients fall
from the sky––water in the form of rain, or fog drip, and nutrients in the form of
leaves or other decaying matter. Plants concentrate their roots where there are
the most nutrients and the most water, and that zone is in the top few feet of soil.
These little-known facts about roots have great bearing if you are planning on building near mature trees. Construction can be hazardous and even
lethal to surrounding trees. It is, however, possible to build near trees if you
plan carefully and protect the root zone. The simplest way is to declare the
area under the drip line of the canopy off limits. Put a fence around it during
construction, don’t drive over that area, and don’t store building materials
within that perimeter. A healthy soil has tiny conduits through which air and
water move. Compressing the soil, by driving over it or stacking heavy material on it, collapses those pores and can suffocate the roots. This process of
soil compaction is the main cause of tree death from construction.
Sometimes it is possible to build under the drip line, but doing so requires
modifying the construction techniques to protect the root zone. If trenches in
the root zone are unavoidable they should be hand-dug so that you can burrow under roots over 3" in diameter, rather than cutting them. It is possible to
put a foundation under the canopy and not compress the soil if the foundation is built on hand-dug piers (you hand dig them to check for big roots and
move the pier location if large roots are encountered) and then you “float”
the understructure above the soil. It is sometimes possible to drive through
the root zone by covering the temporary road with five inches of chips covered by a track of three-quarter-inch plywood. This cushions the soil and
reduces the compaction.
Building close to a mature tree requires forethought and respect for the
root zone. With just a little creativity you can build that cottage without
killing the tree. There is also the alternative of building the perfect tree house
instead, but that’s another story.
Tree care is a craft requiring study and experience. Our trimmers are
master craftsmen who understand that a well-pruned tree should not only be
safer and healthier, it should look beautiful as well. At Brende and Lamb we
take great pride in both the science and the art of pruning.
If your trees need a little TLC, give us a call at 510-486-TREE (8733) for a
free estimate. Additionally, go to our website: www.brendelamb.com (to see
before and after pictures, client testimonials, and work in your neighborhood).
Advertorial
Serving the Bay Area with honesty and integrity for over 33 years
QUALITY HARDWOOD FROM THE MOST REPUTABLE MANUFACTURERS
Come visit our showrooms which feature 50 differerent species of hardwood floors for you to see.
If you can’t come to us, we can bring the showroom to you. Enjoy our sales prices on hardwoods, laminate, carpet, tile and stone
from major manufacturers. No payment, no interest financing available.
Carpets, Hardwood, Laminate & Stone
Since 1973 www.macfloors.com
3191-M Crow Canyon Pl
San Ramon
(925) 866-2200
2395 Monument Blvd.
Concord
(925) 680-4433
In Loehmann’s Shopping Center (next to Albertson’s)
(Across from Costco Gas Station, next to Harvest House)
By Barbara Hause, Financial Counselor
www.alamotoday.com
the Smiths will be able to determine what they need to save each month as well as what
they can afford to pay above the minimum payments on their credit cards.
After working out a spending plan, the Smiths’ determined they could save money
and pay $700 ($120 more than the minimum payment) a month towards credit card
debt. With their new payment plan the Debt Reduction Planner calculated they would
be debt free in 3 years and 4 months (vs. 25 yrs) and save over $14,000 in interest.
The Good
The Bad
Credit Card Minimum
Payments: “The Good, the Bad,
and the Ugly”
Minimum payments make sense when you need the
flexibility and have a no fail plan in place to pay off the
balance in a reasonable amount of time. Making minimum
payments for a while to establish credit history may make sense.
Making minimum payments for a period of time can also make sense for couples
and individuals who seriously want to get out of debt. It is so easy to get caught in a
debt cycle when paying off credit card balances becomes a priority and little attention
is given to future needs and unexpected expenses.
Here’s an example. Hank and Sylvia Smith owed $22,430 in credit card debt.
They earned enough income to cover their monthly expenses and pay more than the
$580 a month minimum payment. During this time they also received a tax refund and
decided to use that money to pay off even a bigger chunk of their credit card debt. It felt
like they were making progress until the water heater broke and an insurance premium
came due they had forgotten about. Since they were spending all their extra income on
debt and hadn’t been saving any money at the same time, they had to use their credit
cards to replace the water heater and cover the premium due on their insurance bill.
If Hank and Sylvia had paid the minimum payments each month instead of paying
larger amounts and put their tax refund into a savings account, they could have paid for
the water heater and the insurance premium without using credit cards. Even though
they will be making minimum payments for a while, saving at the same time is a step
to break the debt cycle and stop the use of credit cards.
At some point Hank and Sylvia will need to pay more aggressively to get out of
debt. However, making minimum payments gives them time to figure out a spending
plan to live within their means. This is also a time for them to look at what caused the
debt and decide what they are willing to do to change behaviors. With a spending plan
Health Savings Accounts for
Early Retirees
By Rob Regan, Regan Financial Group
When deciding if you can afford to retire early, the cost
of health insurance will be a key factor in the financial equation. Unless you’re lucky enough to have retiree health benefits through your employer, or are entitled to coverage
through your spouse’s plan, you may need to obtain individual health coverage and pay the entire premium cost which can be high - until you become eligible for Medicare at age 65. If you’re looking
to bridge the gap between the time you retire and the time you enroll in Medicare, one
option worth considering is a health savings account (HSA).
HSA basics
An HSA is a tax-favored account that can be opened in conjunction with
a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) to pay for current health costs and
save for future ones. The policy can be an individual or group plan. The
HSA/HDHP option may be attractive to retirees under age 65 who want more
flexibility and potentially lower health insurance premiums than traditional
individual health insurance offers.
A High Deductible Health Plan begins to pay benefits only after you’ve satisfied a high annual deductible (at least $1,100 for individual coverage ($2,200 for
family coverage) in 2007), although some preventative care may be covered in
full immediately. Because you’re shouldering a greater portion of your healthcare costs, you’ll usually pay a lower premium for an HDHP than for traditional
health insurance, and you can contribute your premium savings to your HSA.
Take an employer paying $804 a month for a PPO 10 plan for 57 year old
employee. The employee had a deductible of $250 and paid 10% of most
expenses up to a maximum out-of-pocket limit of $2,500. The employer was
spending $9,648 a year still leaving the employee with a $250 deductible
plus $2,500 in possible out-of-pocket costs.
We switched to a HSA plan. The employer spent $428 a month ($5,136 a
year) for the plan, put $3,650 into an HSA account and still saved $862. The
employee’s new plan covered preventative care with no deductible and 100%
Most of us know paying only the minimum payment each month on credit card
balances will cost a bundle and take forever to pay off. According the debt reduction
planner calculator found on the web a credit card balance of $6,900 at 11.15% interest
with a minimum payment of $190 will take 13 years to pay off and cost $3,169 in
interest. This means paying a total of $10,069 for purchases that originally cost $6,900
which may have been for a vacation long forgotten about or items that are outdated or
worn out.
The Ugly
Paying minimum payments on multiple cards cost even more and will take longer
to pay off. According to the debt reduction planner calculator three credit cards with
balances that total $22,430 with the average interest rate of 14.6% and total minimum
monthly payment of $580 will take 25 years to pay off and cost $19,876 in interest.
This means paying for a quarter of a century almost double the cost of the original
purchases.
At the website, www.cnnmoney.com, you can find a calculator called the “debt
reduction planner”. On the home page click personal finance, click calculators, click
debt reduction planner. You will be able to type in the outstanding balances, percent
interest, and minimum payments for one or more credit cards. The debt reduction
planner will calculate the cost and time it takes to pay off outstanding balances by
making minimum payments, by selecting a fixed payment of your choice or by setting
a goal to pay off debt by a certain date.
Now pay off the credit cards. “Go ahead, make my day.”
Financial Counselor Barbara Hause counsels couples, individuals and entrepreneurs who seriously want to improve their relationship with money. You can visit
Barbara on the web at www.barbarahause.com.
Advertorial
of covered expenses after the $1,500 deductible. Worst case they could use
$1,500 of the HSA account to cover the deductible leaving them with $2,150
to save for future years. In essence, the employee had no out-of-pocket costs and
an account worth $2,150 to $3,650 while the employer saved $862 a year.
In 2007, you can contribute up to $2,850 if you have individual coverage
($5,650 if family coverage), and if you’re 55 or older, you can make an extra
“catch-up contribution” of up to $800. Your HSA contributions are tax-deductible, and accumulate tax deferred. You can use your HSA funds to pay
qualified health-care expenses that aren’t covered by your plan. Before age
65, you can withdraw money and use it for nonqualified expenses, but you’ll
generally pay a 10% penalty and owe income taxes on the amount you withdraw.
What happens at age 65?
Once you reach age 65 and enroll in Medicare Part A or B, you’re no longer eligible
for a high-deductible health plan, and that means you can no longer contribute to your
HSA. However, any money remaining in the account is yours to keep.
Reaching age 65 gives you more flexibility when it comes to using your
HSA funds, since at age 65 the 10% penalty on nonqualified withdrawals no
longer applies. The only way to avoid paying taxes on your HSA funds (at
any age) is to use them for qualified health-care expenses. This includes any
qualified expenses incurred by you, your spouse and your dependents.
Fortunately, the list of qualified expenses is long, and includes items such
as prescription drugs, eyeglasses, and Medicare-related expenses such as
premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. You can even pay for a tax-qualified long-term care insurance policy (though dollar limits apply). One thing
you’re not allowed to use your HSA dollars for is the premium cost of a
Medigap policy to supplement your Medicare coverage. See IRS Publications 502 & 969 for more information.
Rob manages investments, pensions and insurance for families and businesses. Rob can be reached at 55 Oak Court Suite 100, Danville, CA 94526
(925) 820-0640 [email protected] www.reganfg.com
Rob Regan CFP®, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through NFP Securities, Inc. a Broker/Dealer, Member NASD/SIPC and Federally Registered Investment Advisor. NFP Securities, Inc. is not affiliated with the
Regan Financial Group. License #0B07171.
1
Source: Dimensional Fund Advisors. Dimensional Fund Advisors, (DFA), from the database at the Center
for Research in Securities Prices, (CRSP), housed at the University of Chicago’s Graduate Business School.
Data is from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed or warranted.
Advertorial
[email protected]
WHEN RESIDENTS WANT TO BE HEARD
3 issues in Alamo that would change how residents voice their concerns to their local government
PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
The county-wide Planning Commission has asked the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, Alamo’s local government, to eliminate the
San Ramon Valley Regional Planning Commission (SRVRPC).
When will the County Board of Supervisors vote on the proposal to eliminate the SRVRPC?
As we submit this article, the Board has not told us the specific date of the vote except that it will be on either September 11, 18, 25 or October
2 (all Tuesdays).
Why is the SRVRPC important to Alamo?
• It is made up of residents of the communities, like Alamo, that the commission members are making planning recommendations about.
• Resident commissioners have a much bigger stake in their own communities than commissioners who live outside an area being
considered for a development project. Residents have to live with the results of their recommendations.
• Alamo needs voices in local government who care about and are accountable to local residents.
What kinds of planning actions does the SRVRPC take?
Subject to appeal to the Board of Supervisors, commissioners hold hearings and decide on new subdivisions between 100 and 1,500 units in unincorporated areas like Alamo in the San Ramon Valley. They hold hearings and make formal recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on zoning and
General Plan amendments which affect commercial development that can proliferate in downtown Alamo and along Danville Boulevard, density of housing
in Alamo, and development of the ridgelines from Alamo to San Ramon. They also hear appeals on smaller, neighborhood projects.
What does AIA recommend Alamo residents do about the SRVRPC?
Alamo residents should contact Mary Piepho, District 3 County Supervisor, at 820-8683, or [email protected], as soon as possible
(before the Board of Supervisors votes on the issue) and tell her if they want the SRVRPC to continue to exist.
RECONSTITUTION OF THE ALAMO ROADS COMMITTEE
Last April, AIA asked Supervisor Piepho to consider resurrecting a committee of Alamo residents that met during the tenures of County District
3 Supervisors Schroder, Bishop, Gerber, and Greenberg about configuration and improvement of Alamo roads. Community groups named
representatives to the committee who met regularly with the Supervisor and staff.
As we submit this article, word back from Supervisor Piepho’s office is that AIA’s proposal is being studied and considered by the County Public
Works Department as a new citizens’ advisory committee about transportation.
AIA recommendation
If you would like to see the County reconstitute an advisory committee about transportation in Alamo, contact Supervisor Piepho, 820-8683, or
[email protected]. Or, express your interest at one of the monthly public meetings with her staff at Swain House, Hap McGee Park in
Danville, each second Thursday from 5 to 6PM (this month on September 13th). AIA has proposed that the members of a reconstituted committee
be named by each of the represented groups in Alamo rather than appointed by the Supervisor.
ALAMO INCORPORATION
Last May, a group of seven Alamo residents presented a proposal for the incorporation of Alamo to the community. They had contracted for an
initial fiscal analysis of incorporation from Economic and Planning Systems (EPS), a California and Denver based firm which also carries out
definitive incorporation studies in accordance with State law for communities that have petitioned to study incorporation.
The initial fiscal analysis for Alamo is available on the website of the incorporation group at www.alamoinc.org. It describes the incorporation process and
timeline, city services that would be provided, costs of services, and the sources of revenue (in addition to property and sales taxes) that would be available
to the new city to pay for services. There is also information about State laws that govern incorporation, like the law that no new taxes can be imposed on
residents of a new city to fund an incorporation, and the law that a city incorporation must be fiscally neutral to the county government.
AIA recommendation
AIA recommends that Alamo residents go to the incorporation website and read the initial fiscal analysis before making a decision about whether
or not to support incorporation for Alamo.
For background information about the San Ramon Valley Regional Planning Committee and a possible new advisory transportation committee for Alamo, see the AIA website at www.alamoca.org.
www.alamotoday.com
Membership Drive Reminder
The benefits of joining include: your business profiled in Alamo Today
and on our website, monthly face to face networking with all manner of
local business people, a chance to add value by helping fund education for
local students on the rise, and an opportunity to be a part of something
encompassing your home, family and business all in one organization. Finally, a feeling of belonging to a community that wants you here!
September Mixer To Be Held at the YMCA
Join us on Wednesday, September 26th for the next social mixer
hosted by Kathy Chiverton from San Ramon Valley YMCA The
location is at 1029 La Gonda Way, in Danville. Members are encouraged to bring raffles prizes to the
mixer. Raffle prizes help contribute
toward AMPA’s Annual Scholarship
Program in which two deserving students one from Monte Vista and one
from San Ramon Valley High School
receive cash awards. Members who
bring a prize have an opportunity to
introduce themselves and their businesses. Guests are welcome! Cost: $5
Info:
925-743-0518
or
www.alamobusiness.com.
Thank You to Alamo Merchant
and Professional Association
The August Mixer at “Oak Hill
Farm” was a huge success thanks to the warm and generous hospitality of all attendees. We enjoyed a outdoor club house feast while hearing about community events, recognizing outgoing board members and
hearing the candidates for the 2007-2008 board. Door prizes included
a pool party B.B.Q. for 1 to 20 persons at Oak Hill Farm donated by
Roberta Morris owner of Oak Hill Farm. It was a perfect summer
evening in the club-house enjoying friendships, networking and fun!
We are looking for you to join us and get involved with our Town and its
Community Spirit!
Your Annual Membership Dues & Monthly Mixer Contributions support the following:
• Alamo Music & Wine Festival
• High School Business Student Scholarship Awards
• Alamo Holiday Tree Lighting AND Fantasy Trees (Talk to Sharon
Schuyler to see how you can participate!)
• Alamo Business Directory
Membership Applications and more information about AMPA can be found
on our website at: www.alamobusiness.com. The nominal $100 membership
fee can be paid on line by using “PayPal” or; by mailing a check with your
application to AMPA, 3000-F Danville Blvd., #329, Alamo, CA 94507. Any
question regarding membership may also be answered by calling: Terri Silva,
Membership Chair at: 925.743.1209. Application and payment must be received by October 31st, 2007 in order to be included in the first quarters AMPA
Business brochure. Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to let over 8,100
homeowners and local businesses know you are there!
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Come see our booth at the
Music Festival on September 8th.
Many Thanks to Scholarship Raffle Prize Donors:
Room2Move Home Staging: Terri Silva
Oak Hill Farm: Roberta Morris
Abacus Tax Service: Sharon Hinchman
Notary on the Move: Mary Padilla/Pat Snider
Tucker Associates: Brent &Terry Tucker
Celebrations on the Bay: Greg & Sharon Schuyler
Lee Maloney: Farmers Insurance
Barbara Malan: Cold Well Banker Real State
Kaleidoscope Interior Design: Jo Ann Hirsh
The Magbitang Financial Group: E.J. Magbitang
AMPA Board of Directors 2007-2008
Richard Wood, E-Paynow.com - President, 788-5057
A.J. Nisen, Bank of America Mortgages - VP, 688-3820
Bruce Marhenke, Alamo Communications - Treasurer, 831-0352
Ginny Mooney, Mark Kahn Jewelers - Secretary, 743-1133
Sharon Schuyler, Celebrations on the Bay - Events Chair, 510-499-4229
Terri Silva, Room2Move Home Staging - Membership Chair, 743-1209
Oscar Herrera, Oscars Jeweler - Mixer Chair, 314-9616
Joe Combs, The Combs Team - Awards Chair, 362-1649
Peter Waldron, Waldron Wealth Advisors - Member at Large, 659-0383
[email protected]
Tax Talk
By Janie L. Olofson
The automatic extensions are due on October 15th.
No further extensions will be granted by IRS and the
Franchise Tax Board.
TIME TO CHECK YOUR INCOME FOR 2007
Now is a great time to see where you are taxwise
for this year. You may be paying too much in taxes and you might want to
adjust your withholding or perhaps pay less on your September estimated
payment. Some of my clients happily leave the excess funds in and use them
for a new kitchen or bath. However you wish to handle it – it’s your money
and it pays to know where it is.
THINGS I HAVE NOTICED LATELY.
1. My office is much busier with drop in traffic since Yardbirds (Home
Depot) re-opened. It is easy to drop in on the way in or out of their parking
lot. Whether you have a quick question or just need a Notary or to pay a bill
online, it’s nice to be able to accommodate you.
Kids Writing Contest
Send us your best Halloween Story
(Stories must be in good taste to be read by a wide audience)
Please send us your story of less than 400 words. If your essay is
chosen you will win $25 and your story will be printed in the October issue
of Alamo Today. Up to three awards will be presented.
Contest is open to elementary, middle, and high school students.
Essays are due by Monday, September 24th. Please email essays to:
[email protected] or mail to Alamo Today, 3000F Danville Blvd
#117, Alamo, CA 94507.
2. Real estate is causing some problems with the resetting of the adjustable mortgages. House payments can get out of control. The lenders seem
to be very nice and are trying to help all they can. Some of our local banks
have been extremely understanding and most helpful. It pays to call and ask
for help early when the problem first arises.
Dave and I just returned from an IRS Forum and I will be gone next week
for my annual IRS Representation update, then back to take care of the extensions and amended returns and keep advisory appointments. I will be
gone the last week in September for a one week “Financial planning immersion” course. Hopefully I will have some good things to report.
IRS Nationwide Forum had a variety of information available. Most important was the increase of recent audits.
Fine Mexican Dining
They are primarily interested in Schedule C filers, concentrating on travel,
meals and miscellaneous expenses. Seems it is easier to get more tax money
from the self employed since we are notorious for sloppy or non-existent
recordkeeping. It pays to keep all receipts. You can always sort them later.
Charitable gifts must have either a receipt from the charity or a cancelled
check for ALL amounts. Gone are the days of dropping off a few bags of clothing at Goodwill and noting an amount. You need a receipt for all amounts now.
The AMT problem is still on the table for the IRS. They expect to do
something about it for year 2007 – but nothing has been decided yet.
There are some new developments for LLC’s, coming out of Delaware
and involving wrapping several LLC’s under one heading rather than lots of
different ones.
The IRS is still working on the tax gap – either people do not declare all
of their income or they declare too many expenses. Again, self employed
people are most vulnerable.
IRS will be cracking down on 1099’s again. A lot of this is brought on by
the new immigration rules. There is a lot of talk about the employers who
hire a lot of undocumented workers.
That’s All For Now
Advertorial
743-8997
In Stone Valley Shopping Center
Enjoy Our Patio Dining
Monday - Saturday: Lunch and Dinner
Sunday: Dinner only
We Offer a Full Bar and Lounge
3168 Danville Blvd, Alamo
Margaritas are a House Specialty
How Pressing A Key Can Send
A Child to School
By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO
One of the greatest things about the internet is the
way it’s facilitated eCommerce. To make certain we’re
all talking about the same thing, commerce is simply
defined by Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com) as the buying and selling of products or services over electronic
systems such as the Internet. If you’ve ever purchased
something online, you’ve participated in e-commerce.
In addition to regular stores that allow you to purchase products, there are all
sorts of sites, of which eBay is the most well known, that have cropped up to
facilitate sales of products from one person to another. The beauty of these is that
it matches the one person who really wants to get rid of something, to the one
person on earth who really can’t live without it. Voila, eCommerce happens.
eBay stores popped up overnight, and the ranks of regular people like you and
I who want to get rid of something from our garage swelled into the millions. And
it’s not just in the United States. eBay is an international phenomenon, and has
millions of transactions to it’s credit.
Another widely used site for finding just about anything is called Craigslist
(www.craigslist.com). While eBay facilitates more long-distance transactions,
Craigslist is more locally focused. The two sites are similar in the way they
facilitate a match between the right product and the right person. eBay is an
auction site with a whole world of rules and nuances to learn to be successful.
Craigslist is simply an online bulletin board on which thousands of people in
your area may be competing with you for scarce resources. On Craigslist, it’s
the early bird that gets the worm.
For example, my son didn’t quite get around to lining up some living arrangements in San Luis Obispo for this fall (now). There were places for rent,
but none fit his requirements because he needed a place for two people – him
and his buddy. He passed up all sorts of great single-room arrangements along
www.alamotoday.com
the way because he was looking for two rooms. But when his buddy bailed on
school this fall, my son was suddenly in a scramble to find any place at all.
By now, every student who procrastinated was also looking for a place, and
competition was fierce.
Enter Craigslist. My wife, if you don’t know her, is an incredible “finder”.
By this, I mean to say you can lose *anything*, *anywhere*, and she will
find it. She’s great at it. It can be embarrassing, really, because I feel like such
a doofus when she walks into the room waving whatever I was looking for in
her hand. But I digress. As I said, she is a finder, so she entered the search for
an apartment for my son. By using Craigslist, she was able to focus on people
with rooms to rent in the San Luis Obispo County area. There weren’t many,
and apparently they were all getting twenty calls on their ads. And all too
often, we were way too late to be considered.
Now here is the trick she used. If you want to find something on Craigslist
(or check the final seconds of your ending auctions on ebay), keep pressing
your F5 key on your keyboard to refresh the web page with your search results. Doing this will keep asking the Craigslist server for anything new that
someone has posted. It’s like standing right in front of the bulletin board
when someone walks up and tacks on a new note. Pressing F5 means you’re
right there when they post their note.
Well sure enough, she was sitting at her desk one afternoon and kept a browser
window open in front of her, and would periodically press the F5 key to see what
popped up. There in front of her appeared a great new listing for an apartment in
our target area. It had been posted only 5 minutes when she called the fellow who
posted it. He was surprised at how fast someone responded. To make a long story
short, my son drove down immediately and got the apartment within hours of
arrival. The reason is simple: he was first. Well, yes, and he’s a great guy and they
loved him. But really, they also felt duty-bound to take the first person, and we
wouldn’t have been first if it hadn’t been for our trusty F5. So as you now can
understand, that is how pressing a single key can send a child to school.
For more information about eCommerce, networking or computers in general, please contact us at [email protected] or 925.552.7953.
Advertorial
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The Best Exercises
for Low Back Pain
A Trail in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
Used with permsission from www.alamore.org
Alamo Trails
By Elliot Wagner, O.M.D., L.Ac.
Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Lafayette Acupuncture Center
A few months ago in this column I expressed the
opinion that acupuncture treatments can be a great
benefit to anyone with low back pain, particularly when
the problem is rooted in soft tissue – tendons, ligaments, and muscles. There are,
of course, many other things you can do to help back pain. One of the best is exercise.
This question came up the other day when, talking with a patient after his
treatment, he wanted to know what exercises I suggested to prevent the back pain
he has suffered from, on and off, for several years.
The question has come up many times over the years, and I’ve developed
some ideas about it. I’ll tell you what I told him, but first of all you should know
this: The most common cause of low back pain does not stem from vertebral
pain or arthritis or other problems with the skeleton or joints. The great majority
of all low back pain stems from soft tissue strain. The weight of the entire trunk
rests on the vertebrae of the lower lumbar and sacral spine. This area, called the
lumbosacral joint, is subject to a lot of stress and strain and, being predominantly
a weight-bearing joint, it doesn’t have a lot of flexibility – the pelvis can move about
two inches from center, backward or forward. The ligaments that bind the bones of
this joint together are made of a white tissue called collagen, which has great strength,
but little elasticity. Over time, stiffness can develop in these ligaments and the surrounding muscles and tendons, and the joint can eventually become stiff and painful.
Now, here’s what I told my patient:
1) First of all, there are useful exercises on back self-care to be found in
books and on the web. Many of these can be very helpful.
2) Many people get help using yoga, tai chi, qigong, or other non-pounding exercises. Most of these include stretching as an integral part of practice. Classes can be found locally, and you can get good results from following these programs.
3) Kaiser and other physical therapy programs specialize in protocols for
self-treatment.
4) Any physical exercise is better than no exercise, and more exercise is
usually better.
5) For my money, the simplest and most effective exercises for low back
are those that naturally integrate movement of the lumbo-sacral joint into the
exercise. The best of these are:
a) Walking, especially vigorous walking
b) Swimming, especially when the kicking is done properly, with legs
moving straight from the hip.
c) NordicTrack skiing machines. This is the most boring exercise I know, and
it takes about a week to get used to the skiing motion, but the way it isolates the
movement of the lumbosacral joint makes it great for low back pain. A couple of
weeks of NordicTrack 20 minutes a day can do wonders for your back.
d) Dancing, especially Latin, African and Afro-Cuban dancing, or any dancing that includes shifting your weight onto one leg and straightening the other
leg. You don’t have to go to a club to do this. Buy a hot salsa CD or download
some African drumming (great!), and dance your heart out at home! To get the
motion, a little technique is helpful. The main movement is shifting the weight
from one leg to the other. You shouldn’t need to consciously bend your knee. As
you change weight onto one leg the other leg should naturally bend at the knee
and the heel of the foot raise. Whenever one leg is straight (bearing weight), the
other should be bent. If this hasn’t happened then your weight is probably centered. Simply shift your weight onto the appropriate leg. It may take a bit of
practice to coordinate your movements. Just let your body relax and do what comes
naturally and, as with all these exercises, take it easy. Build skill and strength gradually, and in a few weeks you’ll be surprised at how good your back feels.
Dr. Elliot Wagner is at the Lafayette Acupuncture Center, 919 Moraga Road,
Lafayette, CA 94549. Phone 925-962-2287, visit www.lafayetteacupuncture.com or
e-mail: [email protected].
Advertorial
Alamo residents are fortunate to have a number of excellent hiking and
bicycling trails in our area. These trails are administered by the East Bay
Regional Park District (www.ebparks.org).
· Iron Horse Regional Trail is our most prominent trail. It follows the old
Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way and is designated as a multi-use trail.
This means that it allows a variety of users including hikers, bicyclists, and
equestrians. With so many different users, everyone needs to be aware of safety
concerns. Cooperation and courtesy are essential for safe trail use.
Iron Horse Trail Mileage Chart (mileages are approximate)
From Stone Valley Road north to:
From Stone Valley Road south to:
Hillgrade Ave
1.5 Miles
Camille Ave
1.1 Miles
Rudgear Rd
2.5 Miles
Prospect Ave
2.7 Miles
Newell Ave
3.5 Miles
Sycamore Valley Rd 3.5 Miles
Ygnacio Valley Rd 4.5 Miles
Crow Canyon Rd
6.0 Miles
Pleasant Hill BART 6.0 Miles
Bollinger Canyon Rd 7.5 Miles
Monument Blvd 7.5 Miles
Dublin BART
12.5 Miles
· Las Trampas Regional Wilderness offers almost 3,800 acres of recreational trails. Terrain ranges from gentle trails alongside creeks to arduous hikes
to ridgetops that have spectacular views. Alamo has several trailheads to the park:
o Camille Avenue trailhead at the west end of Camille Avenue has limited
street parking, but allows easy access. Do not park on Camille Lane, a private
road. Be sure to look for the heron nests high up in the trees just before you
enter the grove of eucalyptus trees.
o Hemme Avenue trailhead at the west end of Hemme Avenue offers a peaceful and
scenic entry to the park. This trail follows a babbling brook (in season) for about a
quarter mile until it meets South Avenue trail. Turn left at this junction to hike up into the
park. There is a small parking lot. Equestrian parking is prohibited.
o South Avenue trailhead is more difficult to find and the trail requires a
short but steep ascent before it meets Hemme Trail. Go west on South Avenue
almost to the end. The trailhead is on the left and is on a narrow section of South
Avenue that has no space for parking. Park lower down on South Avenue.
· Las Trampas to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail trailhead is located near
Hap Magee Ranch Park. Go under the I-680 overpass and the trailhead is on the
right. This trail winds through a residential area and comes out on Stone Valley
Road. Walk east on Stone Valley Road for about a half mile and the trail continues
on the left. Hap Magee Ranch Park is accessible from the Iron Horse Trail to
pedestrians and bicyclists. Cross Danville Blvd. at Camille and go over the bridge.
· Green Valley Trail begins at Macedo Ranch Staging Area (part of Mt.
Diablo State Park). It goes south along Green Valley Road for over a half mile
and then turns east. The trail goes through a residential area and then continues on to enter Mt. Diablo State Park.
· Diablo Foothills Regional Park trailhead is at the eastern end of Livorna
Road on the left just before the gated area. There is equestrian parking. This
trailhead offers access not only to Diablo Foothills Regional Park but also to
Walnut Creek Open Space. Trails from this area lead into hilly terrain with
limited tree cover. Recommended for ACTIVE hikers.
www.alamotoday.com
“Nature, it’s all over me” Melman
from Madagascar
By David Birdsall, Medical Director
John Muir Concord Campus ER Department
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows
into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness
into you and the storms their energy, while cares
will drop off like autumn leaves-John Muir.
Ah, poets and writers can really make things sound so beautiful. However, I think Kurt Vonnegut was, in some aspects, closer to the truth when he
penned the quote “If people think that nature is their friend, then they sure
don’t need an enemy”. This statement may seem negative, but it has some
validity when you consider nature’s weapons against us: sunburns, skin cancer, floods, earthquakes, bug bites, rattlesnake bites, and even plants.
Plants? How are plants dangerous? Consider the oleander bush which
we see everywhere. This lovely plant contains chemicals that affect the digestive tract and the heart and, if ingested, cannot only make you sick, but
can kill you. In fact, a couple of hundred years ago French army troops
foolishly used oleander branches as skewers for cooking meet and as a result, 300 got poisoned and some died.
Other examples are the following: the beautiful flower foxglove which
contains the same chemical as is found in the heart medication digitalis and
thus, if ingested, can lead to fatal heart arrhythmias. As well, Lily of the
Valley, Nightshade, Yew trees (especially the foliage), mistletoe, castor beans
(the pulp contains ricin), and wild cherry twigs and foliage (these contain a
compound that releases cyanide when eaten) can be fatal if ingested. How
about wild mushrooms? Don’t get me started. I would recommend them
only if you want to get on the liver transplant list. Some plants are found in
our own backyard, but others, like poison hemlock, poison oak, poppies, and
nightshade, are found growing wild in our open spaces. Thankfully, not all
plants kill you if ingested. Some just make you sick and cause symptoms
such as vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, seizures, confusion, rashes,
tongue swelling, and mouth irritation. Whew!
Why am I writing about something that seems so intuitive? Well, ingestions
of this sort are not uncommon. In fact, each year over 100,000 people in the
US call the Poison Control Centers regarding plant and mushroom exposures. As well, not infrequently, we see these folks in our EDs and clinics
after munching on a plant. Usually, it is kids who do this, but adults imbibe
as well. Thus, it is important to be aware of what is growing in and around
our house and we must educate our kids as to the dangers plants present.
So what do you do, assuming that the avoidance technique didn’t work, if
a person is exposed? First, don’t panic. (I hate it when people say this, it
always makes me panic). But really, don’t panic. When you are done not
panicking then remove any left over plant product from the mouth of the
individual and try to determine what type of plant it was and how much was
ingested. Most people need to eat a lot of the plant to get sick, but for some
plants, especially in kids, only a little needs to be ingested. Next, contact the
poison control center (1-800-876-4766) and provide them with as much information as possible. They might recommend that you watch the person for
signs of toxicity (vomiting, diarrhea, altered mental status, etc) or they might
advise you to bring the person straight to the nearest emergency department.
I recommend that you follow their recommendation. By the way, they rarely
advocate inducing vomiting any more.
So be careful as you go out into the world and watch what you and your
kids put in your mouths or we will see you down the road at the John Muir
Concord Emergency Department.
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The Benefits of Outdoor Exercise
By Tim Hill, Contra Costa Adventure
Boot Camps
With technology and information more and
more of our time is spent inside. We travel from
box to box. We sleep inside, eat inside, work
inside, and travel in our cars from one inside
environment to the next. Meanwhile a growing
body of research shows the health benef its of
being “outside”. From speeding recovery of
medical procedures and increasing energy levels to better mental clarity
and longer attention spans, the list of known benefits is compelling.
The effects of our indoor lifestyles are just beginning to be understood. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease are rising at an alarming rate. The habitual inactivity of being indoors is a major factor as
people walk signif icantly less than a decade ago.
The benef its of exercise can be summed up as putting more years
on your life and more life in your years. Health effects of exercise
are numerous. Lack of exercise is being touted as one of the most
signif icant factors in our burgeoning health care costs. The surgeon
general recommends at least f ive hours of physical activity each
week. Estimates are that 60% of us fall short of that minimum
amount, putting ourselves at risk. The simple solution is to get out
the door and get moving.
Spending time outside and exercise can both be utilized as stress
reduction techniques. Either one will boost energy levels and increase one’s sense of well being. The combination of the two saves
time and creates a better benef it to you than either one on its own.
Outdoor exercise involves complex movements preformed on varied
ground surfaces, the benef it being a greater development of the
muscles which stabilize the joints throughout the body and improved
coordination. The strength built here has a better correlation to
life’s challenges of carrying kids, running up the stairs or regaining
balance than does the isolated muscle strength created through restricted movement patterns done in the gym. The reduction of stress
from exercising outside is twofold, gaining positive effects from the
activity itself and also the benef its of fresh outdoor air enhanced by
the deepened breathing of exercise.
That said, why is it that many of us will spend as much time making excuses for not going out as it would take to just get out? I will
endeavor to break some of your best excuses right now!
“It’s raining.” Fantastic the air will be clean, fresh and invigo-
rating. There will be more negative ions which have a positive effect
on health. Remember, there is no bad weather only bad clothing.
“It’s too dark.” The night sky has an amazing effect , calming the
nerves and easing the mind. If light is a concern try a head lamp such
as the Black Diamond Tika, so lightweight you will hardly know you
have it on.
“I don’t have time.” Take the time. If you can only manage 30
minutes a day you will add years to your life and reduce the risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer and several other health
issues. Studies have also shown increased productivity and brain function with regular exercise. You will more than make up for lost time.
“I don’t want to go out alone. I don’t know where to go. I
don’t know what to do.” Join a group, such as Contra Costa Adventure Boot Camp, a running club or bicycling group rides.
“I will start tomorrow.” Procrastination is the easy out. I’ve
known people who were intending to start tomorrow for months on
end. You only have control of the present moment, use it.
“It’s too hot.” Go for a swim or just build up to exercising in the
heat with shorter less intense sessions. Many athletes compete in temperatures of over 100 0 F. Our bodies are very good at adapting to
different environments provided we train for it. Always drink plenty
of fluids on hot days.
“It’s too cold.” I refer back to no bad weather only bad clothing.
When I was on cross-country ski racing team at the University of
Alaska- Fairbanks the NCAA ruling was not to start a race when temperatures dropped below 20 0 below zero F, not because of ill health
effects but to minimize frostbite.
“I don’t feel like exercising.” Once you get outside you will be
happy you made the effort.
The largest inheritance your children receive is your habits. You
will teach them by example to make their health and wellbeing a priority by making it one for yourself.
It’s time to reap the benef its of exercising outside! To get started
just open the door and step out. Walk, hike, run, ride a bike, swim,
play with your kids, join a soccer league, train for a triathlon, join an
outdoor boot camp… the choices are virtually endless. Combined with
healthy eating habits you will not only gain health and vitality for
yourself but set the example for your family and friends.
Tim and his wife Liesbet run Contra Costa Adventure Boot Camp,
offering outdoor exercise, inspiration and nutritional guidance to adults
of
all
abilities.
Fo r
information
go
to
www.ContraCostaBootCamp.com, call 925-457-4587 or e-mail
Advertorial
[email protected].
Fire, Emergency, Earthquakes, Traffic - How You Can Get the News
Technology keeps advancing by leaps and bounds, and with it the
information availble to the public expands daily.
The website www.ktvu.com/baytraff icmap/index.html provides
traff ic reports, hazards, accidents, webcams and other road reports.
This is a good site to check before you head out. Not only are maps
available for the San Francisco Bay Area but Sacramento and about
a dozen other California cities as well.
The weather continues to be hot, there have been forecasts of occasional lightening, and our hills are tender dry. The San Ramon
Valley Fire Protection District is the organization that protects Alamo.
They are “responsible for providing the highest level of emergency
and non-emergency services to the community in an effort to protect life, the environment and property.”
If you visit their website at www.srvpd.dst.ca.us you can gain a
wealth of information to make you better prepared against f ires as
well as know what emergencies are being actively responded to. At
the top left portion of their website you can hear live broadcasting
from the Fire and Emergency Call Radio at the San Ramon Valley
Fire Dispatch.
Being in earthquake country and living on or near a fault line makes
the www.usgs.gov website invaluable. To check on the latest earthquakes or get other earthquake information, visit them online. Click
on the word “Geology” and from there click on “Earthquakes”. You
will be taken to the Earthquake Hazard Program Link. If you press on
the “Earthquake Center” tab you can see a link to “Did You Feel It?”.
You can contribute to the news and their data gathering by answering
a short questionaire that asks things about your experience of the earthquake: how long you felt it last, was it diff icult to stand or walk, etc.,
and also “Earthquake effects” such as: did doors swing or sway, did
pictures fall of the wall, did objects fall off shelves, and any structural damage. Once you complete the survey, you can check on the
statistics for a particualar earthquake event and see if others around
you felt the quake as well.
The Contra Costa Sheriff ’s Department also provides a website at
www.cocosheriff.org. There is a huge list of resources available along
with ways you can help keep our community safe.
Having these sites at hand can help you get news and information
in times of an emergency or other event in our area.
“Weight to Go” in Alamo
“Fat March” and More
By Debbie Carmel
Walking has always been my favorite form of exercise. It can be done practically anywhere, is free,
and is a great way to lose or maintain weight if done
often enough and at a moderate to high intensity. In
addition, walking doesn’t seem like exercise while
you’re exploring new places, talking to friends, or
Carolyn Uhland Photography
mentally going through your “honey-do” lists.
of Alamo • 925-820-8989
The benefits of walking are important to our health
as studies show that walking can raise HDL levels (the “good” cholesterol),
and has beneficial effects to our immune system (may prevent or lessen colds,
cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc). Mental health benefits, stress
relief and a better night’s sleep are also wonderful “side effects” that I can
personally attest to!
On Monday nights at 9:00 p.m., I’ve been glued to the tube watching
ABC’s newest reality show, “Fat March.” Twelve overweight people (six
women and six men) ranging in age from 22 to 41 have set out to walk over
500+ miles as a team within 10 weeks, passing through nine states to shed
weight and win a pot of $1.2 million. Winnings are to be paid out based on
the total number of walkers who cross the finish line. The more who finish,
the higher the winnings will be. Seems like a “win-win” to me! As of this last
Monday, eight of the original Contestants remain in the team competition.
The ones that have left were “voted off ” by the others for being a weak link
and slowing the entire team down.
Personal Trainers accompany the Contestants during their treks, and food
provided each day includes five small meals (a combination of all natural
whole grains, lean poultry and fresh veggies and fruits). Viewing this show
and “people watching” at the California State Fair has been a real eye opener
for me as I’ve become much more visually aware of how hard it is to move
our bodies with extra poundage attached. I can’t wait to see the external and
www.alamotoday.com
internal end results of the “Fat March” team’s efforts and the life changing
experiences that will undoubtedly occur.
As the summer season comes to a close, don’t be surprised if you have
gained or maintained your weight instead of having left a few pounds behind
on “roads less traveled.” Outdoor barbecues, parties and travel are not always conducive to diets and portion control (at least not for me). Thankfully
I’ve maintained my
weight, but need to get back on track.
With the holiday season
right around the corner, the next few
months are as good
time a time as any to start or get back
into healthy routines.
An
upcoming
*”Primo’s Run for Education”
event is being held in
San Ramon on Sunday, October
14th and is a great
family tradition to engage in
(I’ve been walking in
this event with my
children since they
were in Kindergarten). This 24th annual walk/run event
is a fundraiser for
the San Ramon
Valley Education
Foundation and
monies raised are distributed to the schools in
the San Ramon Valley
Unified School District.
Please join in on the fun
while exercising your
bodies and see local
schools win too!
*(see www.primosrun.com for more information and to register)
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Jamboree continued from front page
ebrate the bond that they all share. We all share the same values: honor to our country, God, and obedience to the
universal scout law. This year 40,000 scouts and scouters (adult scouts) from 128 different countries attended the Jamboree
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of scouts.
Over a time span of two and a half weeks, different cultures and peoples mingled and shared each others’ lifestyles in
many ways. We shared meals, inviting scouts from many other countries to dine with us for some of our meals. There were
performances daily throughout the camp that exhibited the many cultures and people. Dancers and musicians lined the
streets communicating their individual values in the universal language of song.
Now the two and a half weeks was not just all folk dancing and partying at night, the days were filled with individual
activities that raised your awareness of the world around you. One such activity was the Global Development Village (GDV
for short), which was a large field dotted with white tents with their own theme. AIDS awareness, global starvation,
Who would have guessed that ASSISTED LIVING
poverty, racism, and genocide were some of the most memorable stations. Each person participated in different demonstracould give us so much INDEPENDENCE?
tions which showed them a little piece of what people around the world have to deal with daily. Stomach turning pictures • Independent Private Apartments
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On a lighter note, there was also an activity • 24 Hour Assisted Care
that exhibited different cultures through their • Social Activites with Transportation for
Doctor appointments and planned trips
sports, histories, language, and writing. These stations were known as Terraville and Aquaville.
Each country had their own tent in each “ville”
and had that allotted space to exhibit their culture
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email: [email protected]
and England had cricket.
Now you may be thinking that some of these activities may not be your “cup of tea” to participate in.
But trust me, I was never bored. In times when the activity was just not something I wanted to do, I went
William Carter and Ryan Rodrigues
out and met people, and that had to be the most fun activity of all. I met people of many cultures:
German, Japanese, Chinese, Egyptian, French, Korean, Saudi Arabian, English, Finnish, Belgian, Nigerian, and Filipino, just to name a few. The United States is one of a few
countries that has a sex divided scouting program. All the ones above have both men and women in their ranks with no restrictions.
I spent most of my time with the German and English contingents, eating their food, talking, joking, and sharing music. Basically all the normal stuff that I do at home. Turns
out, high school in England ends at 16, a perk that I paid attention to quite wholeheartedly. I made friends that I will never forget and will try and catch up with if I ever go to
Germany or England again.
“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get”- Forest Gump. That is probably one of the quotes that I will always live by and the World Jamboree
was like the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket. I got away from my home ( I love to travel), I met all the different people of the world within a span of 2 ½ weeks, ate enough Belgian
chocolate to make a chocolate elephant (actual size), and danced so much that I actually got sick of it. The World Jamboree was one of the best things that I have ever done and
would encourage anyone of any age to do it themselves, and experience two weeks of no cares, no worries, and international friendship.
Tough continued from front page
tenacity and told her father that she was talented and that he should buy her a horse. A
year later Hannah’s ultimate wish was fulfilled as she received a young American
Paint horse named Reload.
Over the years Hannah and Reload have become more and more successful. For
the past four years the pair has placed in the top ten in their regional competitions and
have therefore gone on to compete in the annual statewide competition, called the
Show of Champions, held by the California State Horsemen’s Association. Some of
the regional competitions are run by the Bayview Horsemen’s Association which is
run out of Pinole and serves all of Contra Costa County. The Bayview Horsemen’s
Association is a non-profit organization that exists “to promote equine knowledge and
equine health,” said Hannah.
While Hannah has enjoyed her success in
horseback riding, she has also found much
satisfaction with her work on behalf of the
Young Survivor Coalition. According to the
mission statement on its website, “TheYoung
Survival Coalition (YSC) is the only international, non-profit network of breast cancer
survivors and supporters dedicated to the concerns and issues that are unique to young
women and breast cancer. Through action,
advocacy and awareness, the YSC seeks to
educate the medical, research, breast cancer
and legislative communities and to persuade
them to address breast cancer in women 40
and under. The YSC also serves as a point of
contact for young women living with breast cancer.” (www.youngsurvivor.org) Hannah
is motivated to support the work of the YSC “because one of the ladies in California
State Horsemen’s Association used them as a support group when she had breast
cancer. Thankfully she has gotten better and the cancer has been removed.”
In order to raise funds for the YSC, Hannah has organized a raffle to be held at the
Bayview Horsemen’s Association’s Buckle Series Gymkhana at the Martinez
Horsemen’s Arena on September 8th. (The arena is situated in the Martinez Regional
Shoreline Park at the north end of Ferry Street in Martinez.) One highlight of the
gymkhana will be the Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers who will show off their fast
paced and entertaining maneuvers. The Gymkhana begins at 9:00am
The raffle tickets, which Hannah has sold about 300 of, cost $1.00 each and 100%
of the proceeds will go to YSC. “I’ve been talking about the raffle to everyone I’ve
come into contact with,” said Hannah. “Mostly I have been selling tickets at horse
shows. The Bayview Horsemen’s Association has been like my extended family – I
have been a member since I was nine years old – and (the other members) have been
buying raffle tickets left and right.” Along with her little sister (11-year-old Virginia)
and her best friend, Hannah has also solicited donations for the raffle prizes and has so
far come up with almost $1,500 in items. The items to be raffled off include a hot pink
saddle pad, a $178 pink blouse, and a $78 pink faux alligator dog carrier. “People have
really stepped up and helped out,” noted Hannah. Hannah has also received two
monetary donations totaling over $500 which will be given directly to YSC. Companies that have donated prizes to the raffle or made monetary donations receive free
advertising at Bayview Horsemen’s Association’s events in addition to word of mouth
advertising from Hannah. “I promote my sponsors like crazy!” Hannah exclaimed.
Hannah realizes that not everyone, however, can donate money or prizes. “I wanted to
open up a door so people don’t have to just give money,” she said. “If they want to
See Tough continued on page 35
Geocaching continued from front page
nates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a
wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something
they should try to leave something in return.”
Brady’s dad, Ken Weida, along with Brady and Nickolas (age 10) began
geocaching last fall after Ken learned about geocaching from a colleague
while on a business trip. Ken purchased an inexpensive GPS unit on eBay
and the three Weidas joined the international geocaching hunt. “We were
amazed to find how many geocaches were so close to our home near Livorna
Park. Our first afternoon out Geocaching we stayed out until dark and it was
clear the boys were hooked,” said Ken. “Many of the geocaches hidden in the
open space near Mt.
Diablo have themes that
the boys have found extremely educational. One
cache is called “Book it”
and is a favorite of
Nickolas’. (He loves) to
browse through the many
books left in the ammo
case. You also can’t beat
the view from the hilltop
above Alamo,” he added.
While there are many
different types of caches,
the one constant amongst caches is a logbook. According to the
geocaching.com site “A cache can come in many forms but the first item
should always be the logbook…The logbook contains information from the
founder of the cache and notes from the cache’s visitors. The logbook can
contain much valuable, rewarding, and entertaining information. A logbook
might contain information about nearby attractions, coordinates to other unpublished caches, and even jokes written by visitors.” At a minimum the
logbook will be used by geocachers to record their name and the time and
date they found the cache.
Some caches only contain the logbook, while other caches also contain
additional items such as trinkets (or “trade item”) for trade. When a geocacher
finds a cache he or she takes a trinket from the cache and leaves another one
in its place. On a recent outing Brady went home with a rubber spider, friend
Amy went home with a round deck of playing cards and Nickolas went home
with a travel bug. A “travel bug” is another type of item that may be found in
a cache. Travel bugs and “geocoins” are a few of the trackable items which
can be hidden and found and traced via the web. The Weida family attached
a travel bug to Brady’s Davy Crockett doll. The family is able to track Davy’s
travels via Google Earth and “fly” to each of the stops the doll has made.
Davy’s adventure has become a great geography lesson for the boys. The
family hopes that Davy will find his way back to California some day.
There are many variations of geocaches. Some varieties are: Traditional:
This is the basic cache type. It is a container with a log book found at its
listed set of coordinates and often includes trade items; Night Cache: These
traditional caches can only be found at night and involve following a series
of reflectors with a flashlight to the final cache location; Moving/Traveling:
Similar to a traditional geocache, this variation is found at a listed set of
coordinates. The finder uses the log book, trades trinkets, and then hides the
cache in a different location. By updating this new location on the listing, the
finder essentially becomes the hider, and the next finder continues the cycle;
Multi-cache: This cache consists of multiple caches. These caches are one or
more intermediate points containing the coordinates for the next or final
cache, that contains the log book and trade items; Mystery/Puzzle-based:
This cache requires one to discover information in order to find the cache.
Generally it includes a false set of coordinates within a mile of the cache and
a puzzle must be solved in order to determine the final cache location. In
other cases the given location is correct, but the name of the location or other
features found there are parts of a puzzle leading to the final cache. Alterna-
www.alamotoday.com
tively, additional information may be necessary to access the cache (such as a padlock
combination) or there are special requirements
for logging the find online; Earthcache: This
is a type of virtual cache organized by the Geological Society of America. The locations do
not have traditional geocaches but contain information about the geology, fossils, and local environment. Credit (permission to log the
cache as “found”) is given after a geocacher
emails the owner with information or posts
information online that is found at the site.
Many caches can be in a fairly small area
but they must be separated by 500'. In one of
the Weida family’s outings they found four
caches within an hour and a half around Hap
Magee Park. There are 124 recorded hidden caches within three miles of the
Alamo 94507 zip code. The Weida family has logged 41 found caches since
they began searching at the end of 2006. The family has also hidden a couple
of caches themselves. The Weidas, known as “Alamo Kid” on the geocaching
site, have a hidden cache called “Walking the Plank at Franco Pond” and
another known as “Twin Trees in the Gully”.
Some of their Weidas geocaching finds have been while they were on
vacation.
The family recently went to Monterey as well as North Dakota and
SEWING
spent time searching while there and en route. The family finds that the
geocaching makes their trips even more educational. The kids learn deciphering, GPS, tracking, and latitude and longitude skills. A lot of the caches
come with stories of the area or
of the hidden items.
“Each weekend morning, my
boys usually ask if we are going
Geocaching,” stated Ken. “We
like to keep up with the geocaches
placed at the Lafayette Reservoir.
Hiker and joggers would be
amazed to find that there are hidden treasures inches away from
the trail, under the rocks,” he
added. The Weida family gets a
lot out of geocaching: they get to
hone their treasure hunting skills,
they have come to know Alamo
and its surrounding areas much
better, and they get to spend quality time together. Like many people, the Weida
family has discovered that geocaching is itself a real treasure.
To find out more about geocaching you may want to check out the following websites: www.geocaching.com, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Geocaching, and www.thegba.net (the Bay Area’s geocaching site).
[email protected]
hiking, and water rafting. “We also go camping as a family,” said Hannah of her
parents, her sister Virginia, her six-year-old brother Jonathan, and herself. Hannah
also likes to cook and create scrapbooks. But most of all, Hannah is still that
little girl who loves horses.
If you would like to purchase raffle tickets or find out how you can make a donation to the raffle please contact Hannah Gruver at (925) 301-5047.
Tough continued from page 33
support us they can just wear pink. I’ve been giving raffle tickets away to the riders
who have been wearing pink or painted their horses pink (at previous gymkhanas).
We had one guy show up in pink chaps and a pink shirt,” Hannah added with a laugh.
In addition to holding her raffle at the September 8th gymkhana, Hannah has
convinced the organizers of the California State Horsemen’s Association’s annual Show of Champions to incorporate the theme “Tough
Enough to Wear Pink” at the competition this October. The
riding course will have pink flags and pink barrels and riders
and attendees are being asked to wear pink that day as well.
“It’s going to be one pink party!” Hannah said. The show will
include various forms of riding such as Western Pleasure, English
Pleasure, Jumping, Stock Competition,TrailTrials, and Parade ComHelp protect the environment and support a worthy cause.
Don’t throw out your old or broken electronics; recycle them!
petition. The show is held at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa
and admission is free. For more information on the event go to: • Desktop Computers • Laptops • Servers • iPods • Palm Pilots • Calculators •
www.californiastatehorsemen.com/SOCEND.htm.
Along with competing in gymkhanas and going trail riding,
Hannah is also a member of the Royalty Court of Region 5 (serving
Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) of the California State
Horsemen’s Association. In order to be chosen for the Court, the
contestants are judged on appearance, personality, poise, speaking
ability, equitation (a riding test) and a written test (which includes
questions about horses’ muscular and skeletal systems, equine diseases, etc.). As a member of the Royalty Court Hannah represents
her region at booths set up at horse expos and by riding in parades. • TVs • VCRs • Cell phones • Power adapters • Stereos • TiVos • Scanners •
“It’s a lot of work but it is fun and you get to promote the organiza- • Monitors• Radios • Printers & print cartridges • Cameras • And More!
tion that you love,” stated Hannah.
Open 7 days a week 9:30am- 4:30pm
While much of Hannah’s life is taken up by horseback riding
and her work in support of the Young Survivor Coalition, she tries
31 Beta Ct, Suite C
[email protected]
to make time for some of her other interests as well. Hannah enjoys
San Ramon, CA 94583
www.RecycleForBreastCancer.org
any outdoor activities but particularly rock climbing, swimming,
FREE
Electronics and E-Waste Recycling
800-315-9580
C
L
A
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HELP WANTED
FOR RENT
CONDO VACATION RENTAL - Mauna Lani Resort, Big Island
New luxury bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo on 4th fairway.
Minimum 3 night stay. Contact Alamo owners for discounted
rates. 925.855.8977. [email protected]
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Alamo Today Classifieds
Reach over 8,000 homes and businesses in Alamo - Help Wanted, For Sale, Services, Lessons, Pets,
Rentals, Wanted, Freebies... $35 for up to 45 words. $5 for each additional 15 words.
Send or email submissions to: 3000F Danville Blvd #117, Alamo 94507 or [email protected].
Payment by check made out to “The Editors” must be received before ad will print. Your cancelled
check is your receipt. We reserve the right to reject any ad.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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www.alamotoday.com
Public Location,
Notice:
Location, Location
• Sought after Las Quebradas Lane, Alamo
• Over 6,000 square feet
• One acre
• Green built
• Elevator
• Wine • Media • Library • Theater Rooms
This location and estate home are fantastic. T
ake the time to meet Rober
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This could be your family’
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Business”
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299 Las Quebradas Lane • Alamo
Offered at $3,795,000. Email or Call for details!
What is SEER?
Dale Bridges
Email -> [email protected]
or www.DaleBridges.com
(925) 876-9710 mobile
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a number that describes how
well air-conditioning equipment works. A higher SEER means better efficiency and lower
energy bills. SEER is calculated by dividing the amount of cooling supplied by the air
conditioner or heat pump (Btu’s per hour) by the power (watts) used by the cooling equipment under a specific set of seasonal conditions.
SEER ratings are determined in a laboratory where the exact set of indoor and outdoor
conditions–specified by the US Department of Energy–are guaranteed to exist. Because
each piece of cooling equipment is evaluated using the exact same conditions, the SEER
rating can be used in comparing the performance of equipment from different manufacturers.
Relocating to the
Foothills of Auburn?
CALL SANDY BRIDGES
Higher SEER ratings can be achieved by manufacturers who use newer or better technology in
their equipment. That’s why SEER ratings have a big influence on equipment costs. That’s also why
SEER has become an important part of manufacturer and HVAC marketing programs.
• Auburn • Meadow Vista •
• Cool • Newcastle • Lincoln •
• Grass Valley • Lake of the Pines •
It’s a Wonderful Area • Good Prices
Broker • GRI • Feng Shui Consultant
Sandy Bridges
(530) 888-1248 office
(530) 852-2858 mobile
Many people know that SEER ratings are important in selecting equipment. What most people
don’t realize is that the HVAC contractor has a major role in making equipment perform up to its real
capabilities and ensuring that homeowners get the benefits of the SEER level that manufacturers
build into the equipment for the home environment. When choosing your HVAC contractor find out
what certifications they have and prior to purchasing your new equipment, have them show you all of
the calculations they using for the sizing of the unit and it’s components.
Knowing the SEER FACTS can help keep cool! (and save you some money)
Re/Max Accord
925-838-4100
Robert McAdam, President
Custom Homes by McAdam, Inc
New Home Construction, Remodels, Kitchen and Bath Additions
Cell: 925-260-7961
Email [email protected]

Alamo Today September 2007.pmd

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