Mailed free to homes in Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo and ...Justice at 687-8844, ext. 222, or...

School buses to rollTraffic plan to help congestion targets the fall

page 5

Doggone good listenersChildren read to dogs in library program page 18

Mailed free to homes in Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo and Alamo

Police taking the Polar Plunge‘Freezin’ for a Reason’ benefits Special Olympics

page 6

Staying aliveStaying alive PAGE 16

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StreetwiseA S K E D AT C R O W C A N Y O N C O U N T RY C L U B

A B O U T T H E C O V E RHeartStart CPR training owner Jeff Haughy helps demonstrate proper CPR technique with the help of two of his fellow Oakland Firefighters. Haughy (right), a paramedic, handles the breathing, while paramedic Jerome Hathaway does chest compressions. The victim is EMT Rene Salinas. Photo courtesy Jeff Haughy.

Vol. IV, Number 41

I have two. The first is being a child in school and filling out Valentine’s Day cards for all of my friends and decorating a mailbox for my desk. At recess we got to slip our cards into our friends’ mailboxes. The second was when I didn’t have a Valentine, and I spent the night with my mom going out to dinner and a movie. It was a peaceful Valentine’s evening.

Christina Doellcountry club director

I proposed to my girlfriend in front of the crowd at a Golden State Warrior’s game last year on Valentine’s Day, and my “Sarah, will you marry me?” was broadcast live on the Jumbotron at Oracle Arena. It was arranged by one of the golf members here.

Chris Souzaassistant golf pro

Not one, but 16. For the last 16 years my wife and I have sojourned to Napa to enjoy the wine, the sights, the golf, the French food and, most importantly, to keep the flame of love lit.

Martin Brackerphysician

Let it be known that my husband, Dennis, to my surprise, pulled up in front of our house in a stretch limousine full of roses and cham-pagne and took me to the Korbel winery for lunch and more champagne, and the evening went from there.

Donna Cockerhamretired event planner

I remember building a triple-decker Valentine box when I was in grade school, so we could trade Valentines with the class. They were constructed out of shoe boxes and red and white crepe paper.

Karen StepperDanville Town Council member

What’s your best Valentine’s Day memory?

Q:

COMPILED BY STAN WHARTON

The Danville Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Publishing Co., 117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526; (925) 837-8300. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at Danville CA. The Danville Weekly is mailed free to homes and apartments in Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo and Alamo. Voluntary subscriptions at $30 per year ($50 for two years) are welcome from local residents. Subscription rate for businesses and for residents of other communities is $50 per year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Danville Weekly, 117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526. © 2009 by Embarcadero Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Antique show returning to Railroad Heartland Danville Antiques & Art Faire will be tak-ing place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Railroad Center parking lots on Railroad Avenue in Danville, with antique merchants, artists, altered-art crafts and supplies, vintage re-purposed treasures, jewelry, small furnishings, collectibles, Orientalia, handmade cloth-ing and accessories, loads of silver and more. Additions to the show include collectors of Native American artifacts and antique baby furniture. At least 50 vendors, artists and collectors will be selling their wares, rain or shine. The Antiques Appraisal Clinic will take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in front of Cottage Jewel, for a $10 per item donation to the Eugene O’Neill Foundation. The event is sponsored by the Discover Danville Association, Cottage Jewel and the Town of Danville. For more information, call Marcia Harmon at Cottage Jewel at 837-2664.

Enroll kindergartners now The window to early-enroll kindergarten students for the 2009-10 school year ends Feb. 17. The San Ramon Valley Unified School District asks parents of kindergartners for the next school year to go to their resident school to pick up a kindergarten enrollment packet. To be eligible for admission in the fall:

2009.

date.

records.

prior to entering kindergarten.

picked up. For more information, visit www.srvusd.net or call 552-2914.

Talking about drugs with teens

District 3 will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting from 7:30-8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Stone Valley Middle School along with Friday Night Live, Contra Costa County Alcohol and Other Drugs Services Division, Discovery Counseling Center, and the San Ramon Valley Communities Against Substance Abuse to discuss underage drinking and youth access to alcohol. “This is a great opportunity for parents, school faculty, law enforcement and young people to engage on the topic of

as a community to decrease youth access to alcohol.” Stone Valley Middle School is located at 3001 Miranda Ave.

Justice at 687-8844, ext. 222, or [email protected].

Saying goodbye to old SRVHS gym Leadership students at San Ramon Valley High School will be holding a Goodbye to the Small Gym party from 4-6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 24. There will also be a slide show of past gym moments, gym memorabilia, tours of the new

and refreshments. Everyone who has loved this 70-year-old building is invited to take part in the celebration.

N E W S D I G E S T

Q U O T E O F T H E W E E K

“ Edie, I’m going down. ”—Joe Farrell, who suffered sudden death cardiac arrest last summer. He and his wife Edie are campaigning for

everyone to learn CPR. See story, page 16.

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NewsfrontS E R V I N G T H E C O M M U N I T I E S O F D A N V I L L E B L A C K H A W K D I A B L O A L A M O

by Geoff Gillette

Some students could be arriving at school by bus as early as this fall. TRAFFIX, an agency created through Measure J funds, is near-ly ready to begin busing children to six schools in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, said Danville Transportation Director Tai Williams. Williams provided a quick over-view of the agency, which is a partnership between Danville, San Ramon, Contra Costa County and the school district, at the Feb. 3 Danville Town Council meeting. TRAFFIX has introduced a

school bus program aimed at reduc-ing congestion in problem areas during the critical morning rush hour. The program is funded from sales tax revenues accumulated through Measure J. During the past two years, offi-cials from the cooperating agencies have been meeting and working on which schools would be best served as initial subjects for the pilot program. Williams said six schools were chosen for the start of TRAFFIX:

TRAFFIX is slated to receive $40 million in Measure J funding, in order to get the program off the

help to cover ongoing costs once the program is started. When the SRVUSD provided bus service recently, the cost for stu-dents was $400 per year. Williams said that because they are trying to build up ridership and get more students on the buses they will be offering an introductory fee of $250 per year for the first few years. Based on surveys conducted at

the six schools, about 2,000 stu-dents are expected to ride the bus next year when the program starts. Williams said they are in the final stages of negotiation with a company to provide the buses. She said the company, First Student, has promised to purchase a new fleet of low emissions buses. “That goes along with the theme that using the buses will not only lower congestion in those areas but it will also help improve air qual-ity,” she explained. Routes are being worked on and an administrator to oversee the bus program is in the process of being hired. Once the contract with First

Student is finalized, it intends to get to the affected schools and begin the registration process. “Registration will begin shortly after spring break,” said Williams. “Our goal is to sign folks up before the school year ends. This allows us as an agency to provide all the services that will be in demand.” Williams said that the agency had been looking at the possibil-ity of expanding the program to include other schools within five years, but the economic downturn and the subsequent loss of sales tax revenues to Measure J may extend that move out another two to three years.

School buses could be rolling by fall Measure J funded program to provide service to some local schools

by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

Fine Jewelry Works was sworn in last week as the new chairman of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce. She was introduced by her husband Jim, who praised her for running their business as well as helping found the annual

their family.

does with her heart,” said Jim

she won’t do it.” Brad Blake, co-founder and

was named Citizen of the Year, in awards presented by local media. Blake, developer of the new

the founder of College is Real, a nonprofit group that helps boys and girls in Richmond who play soccer realize that college is possible. “The last time I won an award of any significance was in 1976,”

another girl were honored at San

outstanding seniors. “The principal at the time, Jim

Blake. “It must be serendipity.” Marty Breen, owner of Forward Motion Sports with his wife Cameryn, was named Business

local schools, and his Wednesday night running club that meets in front of his store is the longest held “running group” in the country. “My goal was to start a business to support myself, my wife and my co-workers,” he said, “and I have a business to support the well-being of the community.”

teaching at Del Amigo Continuation

teaches all subjects at the 100-student alternative high school. “We help kids heal so they can

people to call the school and visit. “It’s Danville’s best-kept secret,” he said. An award was presented for the first time this year by the Danville Weekly to a Charitable Organization of the Year. The honor went to Friends of Discovery/Thrift Station and was

“After 35 years we have some volunteers who are still active,” said

has raised more than $5.5 million to support Discovery Counseling Center and currently has 140 women and one man volunteering. She held up one of her designer

Chris Edlund to lead Danville Chamber

Brad Blake named Citizen of the Year

Working with the brainDodi Brown, director of the Mt. Diablo Adult Education Surgical Technologist Program, talks about the many

facets of a profession in the medical field to some of the hundreds of students who attended the fifth annual Contra Costa County Health and Bio-Science Career Fair last week at the San Ramon Marriott. Nineteen health care and bioscience exhibitors were on hand for students to talk to and learn more about medical fields.

A sports medicine specialist was the keynote speaker, and students also participated in workshops that fea-tured such topics as Technology and Health, Laboratory Medicine, Imaging and Pre-Hospital Care.

GEOFF GILLETTE

by Geoff Gillette

Trash pickup in Danville is going to cost a bit more start-ing next month, following action by the Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority. At its Jan. 29 meet-ing, the CCSWA approved rate increases ranging from 4 percent in

Danville Town Councilman Mike Shimansky, who serves as chair-man for the CCSWA, said that the increases came after the authority

reviewed its contract with Allied Waste. “This is the fifth year we are reviewing our rates,” Shimansky

redid their rates and Danville raised theirs 4 percent. That’s the lowest amount of all the cities involved.” The increase will mean that resi-dents will be paying $17 per month for the waste hauling service. This

is a median figure historically for Danville, with the highest rate in the past 15 years being $21.75 in 1993 and the lowest being $11.50 in 1996. The increases approved by the authority came from the munici-palities themselves. Danville council members discussed the rates at the

4 percent increase on a 4-1 vote. Shimansky was the lone No vote. “We raised the rates so we could

Waste authority OKs rate increases

Continued on page 7 Continued on page 7

New Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Chris Edlund visits with people before the 2009 Installation Dinner held at the Blackhawk Museum on Feb. 5.

DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI.

Danville to see 4% jump in fees

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When Danville’s hero pilot Capt. Chesley Sullenberger III and his wife Lorrie granted their first interview to Katie Couric of CBS, they invited along a student journalist from Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon. Jega Sanmugam, 15, inter-viewed both the Sullenbergers and Couric at the Sullenberger home on Jan. 30. “I was greatly honored and hum-bled when I was chosen to be the first person to interview Captain Sullenberger for a print article since the historic landing on the Hudson,” wrote Sanmugam in the Feb. 7 spe-cial edition of the school newspaper, Wildcat Tribune. “When ‘60 Minutes’ first learned of the Caption and Lorrie’s desire to offer an early interview to a student journalist, they not only embraced the idea, but further

granted that young journalist an interview with Katie Couric about the current state of journalism,” said Alex Clemens, Sullenberger family spokesman. “I was pleased by Couric’s down-to-earth, energetic and enthusiastic personality,” wrote Sanmugam. “Her friendly and lively nature put me at ease and enabled me to have an open dis-cussion with her.” He asked questions about her start in journalism and famous people she has interviewed. She told him the most memorable political leader she’s interviewed was probably Ross Perot when he was running for president. Sanmugam’s stories can be found at the school’s Web site: www.dvhigh.net. Couric’s interview with the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 was aired on “60 Minutes” on Sunday night. Sullenberger, 58,

spoke publicly for the first time about the event Jan. 15, recalling the loud thumps when the plane hit the birds, the engine failed, and he realized he might not make it to an airport.

“It was the worst, sickening, pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling I’ve ever felt in my life,” he told Couric.

Sullenberger was feted by the Town of Danville three weeks ago at a celebration that drew 5,000 people. Sullenberger and his crew were also scheduled to appear on “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight,” “Larry King Live” and the “Late Show with David Letterman.”

CBS would not allow other journalists to interview the Sullenbergers prior to Couric’s interview airing on “60 Minutes.” So the Sullenbergers were pleased when CBS agreed to include Sanmugam.

Student scores with Sully interviewBonus high school story includes iconic Katie Couric

Happy New Year last yearFriends Colleen Howard and Nadine Rosenzweig welcome the New Year

reading the Danville Weekly in Maui last year.

T A K E U S A L O N G


Special Olympics’ event organiz-ers have convinced hundreds of peo-ple to take the Polar Plunge into the San Francisco Bay on Feb. 28—in-cluding Danville Police Chief Chris Wenzel. Wenzel will be joined by other officers on the town’s plunge team called “Danville PD Divers.” The event is raising money for Special Olympics Northern California so that thousands of ath-letes with developmental disabilities can continue to train and compete in 2009. Individuals and teams are invited to sign up now. “Every year we run the Torch Run (to kick off the Special Olympics) but this is something new,” said Wenzel. He said about six officers will be taking the plunge. “We’re considering swim trunks or costumes—not a wet suit. My guys are not going to wimp out,” he added with a laugh. Special Olympic athlete and Danville resident Christy Dodge will also take part in the plunge. “Special Olympics has changed my life,” said Dodge. “I have made lots of friends, I can stay healthy through sports training, and it’s nice to be in an environment where I am accepted, not judged. I hope more of Danville’s great people will support our Danville Plunge Team.” Polar Plunge participants get donations from people who spon-sor them to enter the chilly water. To participate, visit www.sonc.org/polarplunge and click on the San Francisco location. Then look for

the Danville PD Divers to join the team or to donate. “Special Olympics has made it easy to donate,” said Wenzel. “We’ve all e-mailed people. Our goal is to raise $10,000 and we’re halfway there.” “We wanted to create a memora-ble and fun event for people to expe-rience something new while rais-ing money to continue our Special Olympics program in the Bay Area,” said Mary Beth McMahon,

executive vice president of Special Olympics Northern California. Although plungers are not required to totally sub-merge, they must register for the activity and sign a waiver. They also take precautionary safety mea-sures, including wearing shoes to protect their feet from debris. “If I’m getting up early

and going all the way to San Francisco, I’m going to go all the way in,” Wenzel said. The “Freezin’ for a Reason” 2009 Polar Plunge will begin at noon, Saturday, Feb. 28, at Crissy Field in San Francisco. The event will include entertainment, a cos-tume contest, awards and prizes. Registration begins at 10 a.m., followed by a parade of costumes at noon. The event concludes at 1 p.m. with a post-plunge party. To learn more, call 944-0594, ext 232. Polar Plunges also will be held at Millerton Lake in Fresno and Noyo Beach at Fort Bragg on Feb. 28. A fourth Polar Plunge will take place March 21 at Zephyr Cove, South Lake Tahoe.

Police chief will be ‘freezin’ for a reason’

Danville cops agree to Bay plunge for Special Olympics

Danville Police Chief Chris Wenzel

L ove is in the air and chocolate hearts are on the table. The trick is to maintain the love-

fest after the chocolate is gone. Certified life coach Jeannine Kaiser has a lot to say on the subject—she wrote a book called “Cupid’s Playbook” and is famous for having dated 100 men in one year. Now she and her husband Keith run a seminar called Soul Mate Quest that gives participants 10 keys to a healthy, passionate relationship—subjects that aren’t covered in high school or college, Jeannine noted. They also talk about the 10 toxic relationship patterns and the myths of love, such as love at first sight and true love will conquer all. And they teach about “love lan-guage,” a way of communication that varies from person to person. “My husband and I share the same love language,” Jeannine explained. “We have a cup of cof-fee together before we go to work. We lie in bed at night and talk about each other.” Problems start when two people don’t share the same love language. “’He isn’t there for me,’ is the biggest complaint you hear from women,” said Jeannine. “It means he is not speaking her love language.” A woman might want small acts of service, like buying her flowers or a card. A man may feel quality time is important. When they are dating they speak the same love language, but then as they get on with their life as a couple, the language may change for one of them, leaving the other

wondering what happened. “A lot is understanding what the other person needs,” Jeannine said. “It comes back to communication, connection and being willing to explore.” Jeannine and Keith are cel-ebrating their ninth anniversary on Valentine’s Day. They met when she went back to school at University of San Francisco to earn her degree in Organizational Behavior and Development and he was a professor. “We call it the ‘meeting of the coffee pot,’” she said, recalling their first encounter in the lunch room. “We reached for the coffee pot at the same time.” They were friends for a year when Keith told her he wanted to be more than friends. When they married they built a house in Danville. “You can meet anybody anywhere anytime as long as you are open and ready for it,” Jeannine said. “Lots of people meet in the grocery store parking lot, putting away the cart.” She has mixed feelings about meeting online. “It’s like a candy store with too many selections,” she said. “A lot are always looking for a bigger, better deal. People are distanced. You can say anything about yourself—kind of like pad-ding a resume.” But the Internet is definitely part of today’s dating scene, she admits, and many matches are successful. Keep the first meeting short, she advises. If the person has lied online, say, “You misrepresented yourself. I’m going

home. Good luck.” “So much has changed in the last 50 years. It used to take two to run a household,” Jeannine observed. “Now you don’t need that person. You can have a child and not be married. “People are seeking relationships primarily out of love and not neces-sity and that changes everything. A lot of people in their 40s have never been married.” She said people are often happy with their lives so they aren’t making decisions quickly about relationships. And more people are divorcing. “Never before in history have so many people re-entered the dating life,” she said. “So many people are set in their ways. That’s changed the game, too.” In first marriages, 50 percent end in divorce, she said; in second mar-riages, it’s 60-65 percent; in third, 73-77 percent; and in fourth, it’s 90 percent. “They usually haven’t fixed what the problem is. They think they will get a new partner and it will fix them all,” Jeannine explained. “This is what we teach: You need to clean up your life.” Then you’ll be ready for love. Their Valentine’s Day seminar was filled weeks ago, so they are planning another one March 14-15 in Pleasanton. The price is $129 for those who register in advance at yourdatingiq.com. Happy Valentine’s Day.

—Dolores Fox Ciardelli can be e-mailed at

[email protected].

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The language of love can’t be foreign

have a surplus and a reserve. I didn’t believe that under the eco-nomic circumstances that we need-ed a reserve,” he explained. Other council members argued that having a slight increase now means that any other increases would also be small, rather than hitting the town with a large scale increase down the road. Shimansky and the other members of the authority voted unanimously in favor of the increases at their January meeting. He explained that once the council made its decision, he as a representative of the council needed to vote as the council did.

The new rates will take effect March 1. Of the members of the solid waste authority, Orinda has the high-est rate at $27.35 per month and Walnut Creek the lowest at $15.90. Shimansky said Orinda’s rates are high due to the narrow winding roads in the town and Walnut Creek’s resi-dential rates are lower because it is able to subsidize some of its resi-dential rates through its commercial waste hauling fees. Residents looking to save money on their waste fees can opt to use a smaller size bin for their pickup. The $17 monthly fee is for pickup of the standard 32-gallon blue bins. Reducing the size to a 20-gallon “minicart” would drop the monthly cost for waste pickup to $14.74.

shoes and announced she’d pur-chased them for $6 at the Thrift Station. “Come in the front and shop—and come in the back and donate,” she urged. Outgoing chairman Elaine Cortez Schroth announced the winner of her Chairman’s Award: Steve Wilcox of Summit Financial.

“He’s gone above and beyond,” Schroth said. “He’s professional, sincere and quick to smile. He’s a glass-half-full person.” Wilcox was instrumental in developing the new logo and image for the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce unveiled at last year’s dinner. “All I’m doing is supporting the town,” said Wilcox when he accepted the award. “I love all that I’m doing.” Chris Edlund gave two goals for

2009. “I want to focus on member-ship,” she said. “I know companies will be cutting back this year but this is the year you want to join. I can’t tell you how much being Chamber members has helped our business.” The second goal is to focus on Shop Local, the program launched jointly by the Chamber and the Town of Danville. The event will be broadcast on Comcast, Channel 26 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 22, and March 1.

Chamber Continued from page 5

Waste Continued from page 5

PerspectiveE D I T O R I A L S L E T T E R S O P I N I O N S A B O U T L O C A L I S S U E S I N O U R C O M M U N I T Y

Last week someone expressed his opinion of 17-year-old Rylan Fuchs, who was shot in his front yard in Danville on Jan. 20 and died, in what police say may have been a drug-related incident. “He got what he deserved,” said the man, at a public meeting. No. Rylan Fuchs did not deserve to die. Drugs are not rare among high school students in Danville. It doesn’t help the situation to condemn Rylan although his death can certainly serve as a starting point for conversations with our children about drugs, choices and companions. As Rylan’s stepfather has pointed out, this incident was heartbreaking for two families—his and the fam-ily of the boy who shot Rylan. Let’s have compassion for everyone involved in this tragedy. Rylan may have made some bad choices as to his associates or his recreational activities but we should not condemn him or throw around incendiary words like “dealer.” A boy, 15, has been arrested at a relative’s home in Oakland in connection with the case; he had attended Danville high schools for a time while living in a group home. This has led some residents to denounce the idea of group homes in our community. But Danville is part of the greater Bay Area and the rest of the world. We don’t help anyone—includ-ing our children—by trying to shut ourselves off or believing that teens who need a home should find our doors closed to them. Alamo resident Brad Blake was named Citizen of the Year by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce last week, partly because he started a program to encourage soccer players from Richmond to go to college. Blake understands the importance of reach-ing out to the greater world rather than trying to build a wall around our community. Rylan Fuchs made bad choices but he also made good choices, which we have heard about from his family and friends who celebrated him at his memo-rial service. His father described him as “an extraordi-nary and brilliant young man” who was his “son, best friend, basketball buddy and fellow creative spirit.” Friends talked about his philosophy that life is what you make of it. Unfortunately he did not have many years to practice his philosophy. We have lost one of our children in a tragic event. The death of a young person must be mourned and we must seek any lessons that come from it, whether the child dies from disease, drinking and driving, or consorting with questionable companions. As we ask ourselves questions about how, why and what we can do to make sure this does not happen again, we must bear in mind: Rylan Fuchs did not deserve to die.

Code of ethics The Danville Weekly seeks to adhere to

the highest level of ethical standards in journalism, including

the Code of Ethics adopted Sept. 21, 1996, by the Society of

Professional Journalists. To review the text of the Code, please

visit our web site at www.DanvilleWeekly.com

Appalled by trash

Dear Editor: I so applaud Beverley Wadsworth and Barbara Hubinger for their contribution to community service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day by picking up trash in downtown Danville. We thank you. At the same time, I am appalled that there would be that much trash dumped by residents and visitors in downtown Danville for Beverley and Barbara to pick up. There are trash cans available everywhere. Or, at the very least, conveniently located so that people do not have to just get rid of their trash by drop-ping it on the ground. What ever happened to personal everyday responsibility of picking up after oneself?

Maureen Dempsey, Danville

Alamo is ‘broke’

Dear Editor: The opponents of incorporation say, “it ain’t broke.” I have a dif-ferent view having been involved in volunteer organizations in Alamo, one of which was the Boulevard of Trees. The Boulevard of Trees com-mittee raised money to have trees planted the length of Danville Boulevard from Walnut Creek to Danville. In connection with the tree planting, Alamo voted to have an assessment district (Zone 36) established to pay for the care of the trees. Later nine trees needed to replaced and they needed three years of watering. I asked the public works staff person who oversaw Zone 36 to have the trees watered. He told me repeatedly that the county did not have water-ing trucks and it was just too dif-ficult to get an outside contract. Our committee hired a landscape firm to water the trees. This cost $160 per watering. Later I learned that the county actually had two watering trucks. After I showed a county engineer which trees need-ed watering, he said it would take about two hours to water the trees. What did it cost Zone 36? $1,686. This is just a small example of what Alamo gets back from its tax dollars. An incorporated Alamo could do much better without the frustration and exaggerated costs from a “broke” county. Yes, it is “broke.” Vote Yes on Measure A.

Lillian Burns, Alamo

Incorporation a mistake

Dear Editor: Proponents for Alamo incor-poration are quick to point out that Alamo contributes more in revenue to the county than it gets back in services (estimated to be approximately $700,000). This is true, as it is true for every afflu-ent community. What they fail to point out is what will be done with this increased revenue to Alamo if we incorporate. These moneys will be used for such important services such as:

-cials

for hires of city manager, city attorney, city clerk, support staff (total estimated at 10 which many believe is low)

These are all new positions for a community that does not need them. As pointed out in an earlier piece, every incorporation effort runs on the mantra of “no increased taxes” and that works for a few years, but eventually they all suc-cumb to the temptation of building city halls and offices and then find they cannot maintain services so they move to raise taxes and fees. Do we really need a whole new and expensive layer of govern-ment in our affairs? I believe the answer is obvious—we do not!

Phil Erickson, 28-year Alamo resident

County in debt, not Alamo

Dear Editor: Alamo voters are hearing that Contra Costa County, Alamo’s local government, is head over heels in debt with lifetime obliga-tions to county employees. County employees can retire at 50 at almost full pension and collect lifetime health benefits—paid in tax dollars from the County General Fund that could otherwise pay for county services to taxpayers. In a few years, the county will have as many retirees as employees. Alamo doesn’t have the clout to get the county to change this practice. But Alamo does have the clout to incorporate, thereby saving Alamo’s most important services from drastic funding cuts

Rest in peace

The death of a young person must be mourned and we must seek any lessons that come from it, whether the child dies from disease, drinking and driving, or consorting with questionable companions.

PUBLISHER Gina Channell-Allen

EDITORIAL Editor Dolores Fox CiardelliStaff Reporter Geoff GilletteEditorial Assistant Amory Gutierrez

Contributors Susan Astbury Patty Briggs B. Lynn Goodwin Beverly Lane Jacqui Love Marshall Meghan Neal Chris Scott Maria Shen Franklin Utchen

ART & PRODUCTION Art Director/ Operations Manager Rick NoblesDesigners Trina Cannon Lili Cao Kristin Herman Manuel Valenzuela

ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Mary Hantos

Advertising Account Executives Andrea Heggelund Barbara Lindsey

Real Estate Sales Nancy Taresh

Inside Sales Art Gordillo

BUSINESS Ad Services Tracey Fordahl Sandy Lee

Business Associate Lisa Oefelein

Circulation Manager Bob Lampkin

The Danville Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Publishing Co., 117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526; (925) 837-8300.

Mailed at Standard Postage Rate. The Danville Weekly is mailed free to homes and apartments in Danville, Blackhawk, Diablo and Alamo. Voluntary subscriptions at $30 per year ($50 for two years) are wel-come from local residents.

Subscription rate for businesses and for residents of other communities is $50/year.

© 2009 by Embarcadero Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

How to reach the Weekly

117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526Phone: (925) 837-8300Fax: (925) 837-2278Editorial e-mail: [email protected] Calendar: DanvilleWeekly.comDisplay Sales e-mail: [email protected] Classifieds Sales e-mail: [email protected] Circulation e-mail: [email protected]

Serving the communities of Danville, Blackhawk,

Diablo and Alamo

Continued on page 9

P E R S P E C T I V E

the county is starting to make. Incorporated Alamo would own the revenue that comes from Alamo—plus more—that the county now owns to provide Alamo’s parks, planning, roads and police services. And very important to Alamo citizens—all decision-making about those four services would also transfer from the county to the town. So, how about it, Alamo? Let’s incorporate and keep Alamo’s parks, planning, roads and police services at the levels that we—but no longer the county—can afford to keep them.

Alice Goodman, Alamo

‘Minimal change’ Mick

Dear Editor: I have known Steve Mick for almost 30 years as a friend and also for the past 20 years as an Alamo neighbor. I have lived in Alamo for over 40 years and was pleased when he decided to run for Alamo Town Council. I have checked out his Web site and it confirms almost everything I knew about him. I knew he was busy volun-teering for many committees in Alamo, but was unaware of all the additional activities he is involved in. He never mentioned his work for the establishment of the Veteran’s Memorial Building in Danville. Steve also served in the Navy during the Vietnam War era. I like his honesty, his “agent of minimal change” message and all that he has done for Alamo. Steve was the only one to list his Web site in the candidate’s state-ments in the Voter Information Pamphlet. Check out stevemick.org to see for yourself. He is a true supporter of Alamo and the incorporation effort.

Joan Hedges, Alamo

Deceiving Alamo voters

Dear Editor: Yesterday I was handed a four-color brochure by one of the peo-ple opposing Alamo incorporation. After reading it, I was inclined to vote against incorporation, but I remembered how deceiving these campaign brochures can be so I did a little investigation. I went to the Alamo Incorporation Web site and found that the information there was completely different from what was printed on the brochure so I did a little more research. I went to the LAFCO Web site, the State of California Housing Web site and the Web sites for several of the other cities men-tioned in the brochure and on the LAFCO Web site. What is printed on the anti incorporation brochure is misleading at best and out-and-out wrong in most cases. How can these people deceive the Alamo voters like this? What is their real motive for opposing Alamo becoming a town?

A friend of mine said the oppo-sition was a bunch of lawyers and developers who don’t want local review of their projects. If that is the case what better reason could we have to vote for incorporation?

Margy Lyman, Alamo

Have critics read CFA?

Dear Editor: I was scanning Alamo Today and I found an ad that claimed that pets would be prohibited after Alamo’s incorporation. This was so absurd that I started looking at the other ads regarding incorporation. Most of the ads and letters opposing incorporation were criticism of the Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis (CFA) done for the state organization, LAFCO. Some simple research yielded that the authors of the analysis (Winzler and Kelly) were hired by LAFCO and are recognized as authorities on such analyses. The other incorporation CFAs they have done have proved to be con-sistently accurate and conservative and resulted in successful, fiscally stable cities. Apparently their esti-mates of income and of expenses are consistently accurate. I am a physicist and not an accountant so a CFA is not an area I normally work in but I was amazed by the number of self-appointed accounting experts that came out of the woodwork to offer criticism of the document. Based upon my scanning of the long and tedious document and a cursory review of the criticisms, I doubt that the crit-ics have actually read the CFA. Being that there are so many unfounded criticisms of the incor-poration effort and since the rea-sons for incorporation make good sense to me, I plan to vote Yes on Proposition A.

Lawrence B. Levit, Alamo

Schmidt to protect Alamo

Dear Editor: I am supporting Grace Schmidt as a candidate for the Alamo Town Council. She has years of experi-

ence working with government institutions and programs. She worked as staff to members of the Board of Supervisors in Marin County and in Santa Clara County as well as a Congressional Field Representative in Alamo’s 10th District. This broad experience has informed her work as a volunteer in our community. She has worked tirelessly as a member of the Alamo Improvement Association board and as a writer and researcher on a variety of issues that profoundly affect us. She has lived in Alamo for a long time and knows that this beautiful place where we live is worth protecting. Join me in supporting Grace Schmidt for Town Council.

Jan Bergamini, Alamo

Doubt vs. knowledge

Dear Editor: The opponents to Alamo Incorporation use the word “doubt,” the proponents use the word “knowledge.” Which will the voters choose? The newspapers, radio and television are wrought with uncertainty, fear and disap-pointment. Where is the bottom of the economy? We consult our personal finances and wonder if we can weather the storm. We cut our expenses, put off purchases, and avoid looking at our 401(k)s. The answer is not to wallow in “doubt” but to let “knowledge” give you hope. The county’s assessed valuation is going down; Alamo’s increased last year by 5 percent. Vehicle License Revenue is not tied entirely to car sales, it is based on a fixed formula to help support new towns. Deflation means better contract prices for contract cities. Existing cities are now contracting for ser-vices. The county sheriff patrols 140 square miles with 25 officers, Alamo will patrol 10 square miles with 10 officers. Alamo is full of corporate executives and both cur-rent and ex-city officials who are ready to help the new town. As a former city manager and 15-year Alamo resident, I find it insulting

that the opponents of Measure A don’t think Alamo is capable of running our small town and stay-ing within a budget.

Dave Dolter, Alamo

Yes on A; vote for Connelly

Dear Editor: We find the contrast between the arguments used for and against the incorporation of Alamo to be very disturbing. On the one side the pro arguments are largely based on the conservative fiscal analysis performed by the Local Agency Formation Commission and such simple facts that the county will increasingly suffer financially in the coming years, unincorporat-ed areas will suffer accordingly, and we are not planning to have a bloated extra layer of govern-ment. On the other side the anti arguments all seem to be either outright lies (the drop in car sales will result in less vehicle license fees, fewer horses and chickens will be allowed, taxes will be increased) or gross exaggerations (we’ll go broke in two years, the poor economy will doom us). Vote Yes for incorporation! We support and have been working for the candidacy of Bob Connelly for City Council. He is retired after a long career in bank-ing and would bring good lead-ership and money-management

skills to the council. He values life in Alamo as it presently is and will work for preserving it. We value his judgment and experience. He does care. Vote for Connelly.

David and Sally Nethaway, Alamo

County does excellent job

Dear Editor: I have to disagree with Nancy Dommes’ Letter to the Editor (Jan. 16). She is not for change and is pushing for: l) A contract city, which is a goal of AIM;2) Salaries and benefits for a mayor, city council and police;3) Fees and bonds are taxes; these changes will come and are enor-mous, plus another layer of gov-ernment. The county has done an excel-lent job and listened to community concern by cancelling No Right Turn on a Red Light at Danville Boulevard to the Stone Valley access to I-680. With the eco-nomic mess we are in, do we need what incorporation will bring? Take a good look at Vallejo, Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette and their problems. No wonder they are moving to Alamo. Vote No on Measure A—No incorporation.

Mrs. S.C. Thompson, Alamo

Letters Continued from page 8

The Danville Weekly encourages comments on our coverage or on issues of local interest. The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday for that Friday’s edition.

Submit Letters to the Editor of up to 250 words to [email protected] or mail to 117 Town and Country Drive, Suite D, Danville, CA 94526. Include your name, address and daytime phone number so we can reach you. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, objectionable content, libel and factual errors known to us. Anonymous letters will generally not be accepted.

Submitting a letter to the editor or guest opinion constitutes a granting of permission to the Danville Weekly and Embarcadero Publishing Co. to also publish it online, including in our online archives and as a post on Town Square.

For more information, contact Dolores Fox Ciardelli, editor, at 837-8300, ext. 229.

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Community PulseP O L I C E B U L L E T I N & L O G O B I T U A R I E S B I R T H S & W E D D I N G S

Rosemary F. Sutherland Peterson Rosemary F. Sutherland Peterson, a resident of Alamo, died peaceful-ly with her cat Doodlebug purring in her lap, and her companion Von “LaVonne” Joyce holding her hand, on Jan. 9 at the age of 68. She was born April 12, 1940, in Berkeley and graduated from Berkeley High School in 1957. Growing up, she spent her summers with her pioneer families in Virginia City and Reno. On Oct. 27, 1962, she married James Peterson and had two sons Christopher James and Erik John. She lost her son Christopher tragically at the age of 33. She was a published author and educator and was awarded a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from UC Berkeley in 1972. Her first teaching assignment was in one of the schools in Reno designed by her grandfather. She taught at St. Mary’s College in Moraga for more than 35 years where she led the Early Childhood and Montessori Education Department and men-tored scores of young teachers. She helped the school become accred-ited to teach Special Education, Educational Psychology and assisted in developing the Master’s Degree Program. She is survived by her com-panion Von Joyce; her son Erik John Peterson of Walnut Creek; one nephew and three grand-nephews. She had many “chil-dren,” as all teachers do, including Merrick Browne, Jr. and his wife, Rachel, and their two children of Lafayette. A memorial service was held Jan. 22 at Saint Mary’s College Chapel in Moraga. Memorial con-tributions can be made to Northern Light School, 3710 Dorisa Ave., Oakland 94605.

Kevin Lee Convis

Kevin Lee Convis, a former resi-dent of Blackhawk, died Jan. 23 at the age of 41. He was born May 20, 1967, in Fullerton and graduated from San Ramon Valley High School. He will be remembered most for his refusal to let his handicaps get in the way of leading a full life. He is survived by his mother Linda Knowlton and her husband Dr. Edward Knowlton of Indian Wells; his father Gary Convis and his wife Debbie of Truckee; his sisters Kolisa Larue (Olivier) of Danville, Sarah Kliewer of San Diego, Janette Knowlton (Evan Abramowitz) of Boston, Mass., and Alicia Convis of Truckee; his broth-ers Chad Convis (Jo) of Redondo Beach, Jeff Knowlton of Reno, and David Zelkind of Durham, N.C.; and numerous aunts, uncles, cous-ins, nieces and nephews. A celebra-tion of his life was held Jan. 25 in Sacramento. The family plans a pri-vate memorial service for the scat-tering of his ashes with his “Gamps” in the spring.

Tracy Ann Sproul

T r a c y Ann Sproul, a resident of Danville, died unex-pectedly Jan. 24 at her home at the age of 48. She was the beloved daughter of James A. “Doc” and Hope (Lucy) Sproul of Medfield, Mass.; loving sis-ter of Hope L. Baldwin of Springfield, Ohio and Faith S. Aliprando and hus-band Vic of Atlantic Beach, Fla; and also had extended family and many close friends. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 31 at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Medfield, Mass.

Lois McClelland Sims

Lois McClelland Sims, a former resident of Danville, died Jan. 26 at her home in Kilauea, Hawaii, at the age of 86. She was born Dec. 31, 1922, and her family moved to Danville in 1963 and resided in Danville and Alamo until 1980 when they moved to Utah. She was a licensed teacher in Pennsylvania and New York and taught senior high girls physical education. After moving to California from New Jersey, she retired from teaching to become a homemaker and volunteer in the community. She and her husband Norman were adult advisors for the Danville Junior Horseman’s Association for 17 years. She was a member of the San Ramon Valley Horsemen’s Association since 1965, a member of the California State Horsemen’s Association, and the Novato Horsemen’s Association. She was active in supporting recre-ational trails and was a member of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. She is survived by her spouse of 56 years, Norman Sims, and their son, Scott Sims, DVM. A memo-rial service will be held on Mount Diablo in the spring.

Marian Wickline

Marian Wickline, a former Danville Resident, died peacefully Jan. 27 at her home in Placerville at the age of 93. She was born in St. Louis, Mo. She received a degree in chemistry from Mills College in 1935 and went on to supervise the Chemical Information Department at Dow Chemical in Walnut Creek. She lived in Danville from 1961-88 where she was active in com-munity affairs. In 1982, she was appointed to Danville’s first Planning Commission. She moved to Placerville in 1988 and served on several county commissions. She was a member of AAUW, American Chemical Society and the Special Libraries Association.

O B I T U A R I E S

Costco shoplifter gives false identity A 54-year-old San Ramon resident is facing two felony charges after being caught shoplifting, and then giving police a false identity. Danville Police Lt. Mark Williams said the incident occurred at 1:15 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Danville Costco on Fostoria Way. Williams said police were called to the store by the loss pre-vention department, which said it was detaining a woman seen to be stealing. The woman was seen opening sealed packages of women’s clothing and stuffing them into a large black purse, according to the report. She was also allegedly observed taking a large bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of contact lens saline solution and put-ting those in the bag as well. She was then seen to put a few other objects in a basket and go through the checkout line, paying for the items in the basket but not those in her purse.

Security personnel approached the woman out-side the store and detained her until police arrived. When police attempted to check on the identity she initially gave them, it did not come up with a match in their system. “When you’re dealing with an adult and no match comes back in our system, there’s something going on,” Williams said. He added that most people have had some contact with the police at some point in their life, good or bad, so finding a person with no record in the database is fairly rare. When confronted by the officer, Marian Lee confessed to her true identity and was taken into custody. The officer later learned that Lee was on probation for a similar offense. She was transported to the Martinez Detention Facility and charged with petty theft with prior con-victions and violation of probation, as well as petty theft and providing false information to a police officer.

—Geoff Gillette

P O L I C E B U L L E T I N

Sunday, Feb. 1

Monday, Feb. 2

Tuesday, Feb. 3

Wednesday, Feb. 4

Thursday, Feb. 5

-

Friday, Feb. 6

Saturday, Feb. 7

P O L I C E L O G

The Danville Police Department made the following information available from its incident summary report:

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SportsA L O O K A T T H E L O C A L S P O R T S S C E N E

Friday, Feb. 13

Women’s Soccer

San Ramon Valley at Monte Vista, 6 p.m.

Women’s BasketballMonte Vista at Carondelet, 7 p.m.

Men’s BasketballMonte Vista vs. De La Salle, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 14

Men’s Basketball

San Ramon Valley vs. Foothill at Monte Vista, 4 p.m.

P R E P S C H E D U L E

by Lizzy Hearne

Boys Soccer

Monte Vista Men’s Varsity Soccer went head to head with Livermore High School on Feb. 3. For almost the entire game, Livermore was leading Monte Vista, 1-0. With only 10 minutes left on the clock, senior Kenny Luke caught the Cowboys off guard, and put one in the back of the net, tying it up. After this sur-prising goal, Livermore came back full force, but keeper Gabe Sandler was able to hold them off. With four minutes left in the game, senior Parker Doliber scored another goal with a per-fect finish. The Mustangs took the lead, and defeated Livermore with a final score of 2-1.

Girls Basketball

Monte Vista Women’s Basketball faced Foothill High on Feb. 4. Monte Vista dominated the match, outscoring Foothill 59-40. After the first quarter, the Mustangs led 12-0. Princeton-bound senior Niveen Rasheed had 17 points and seven steals. Other key play-ers included Senior Alexandria Whalen, with 14 points. The following Friday, Monte Vista played Cal High on their home court. The lady Stangs stomped their competition, beat-ing them 67-24. Top players included juniors Dani Rabago and Krystal Mizono, both of whom

had two 3-pointers. Rasheed had seven steals, while fellow senior Nicole Vigar had five. Monte Vista is currently first place in East Bay Athletic League and has an undefeated 10-0 record for the league season.

Boys Basketball

After an easy win against Foothill High on Feb. 3, with a score of 61-29, Monte Vista Men’s Basketball challenged California High School in San Ramon the following Friday. Once again, the mustangs dominated, beating Cal 72-54. Seniors Brian Barbour, Justin Sra, Tyrelle Phillips and Zack Ertz helped lead their team to victory, and added another win to their 9-1 EBAL record.

Girls Soccer

Women’s Varsity Soccer faced off against Livermore High and Carondelet High during the week of Feb. 2. The Mustangs domi-nated both games, winning 2-0 in both matches. Sophomore Katie Vaughan and junior Brynne Bedgood scored against Livermore, and sophomores Brynne Terry and Sami Schrakamp scored against Carondelet. Monte Vista is currently in second place in EBAL, but the final standings will be determined after this week’s games against Amador High and cross-town rivals San Ramon Valley.

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Frosh face the CowboysMichael Hernbroth wins the opening tip for San Ramon Valley High

School’s freshmen basketball team as they tangle with Livermore High on Feb. 3. Waiting for the ball are fellow teammates Gavin Foltz (20), James Carter (24), Griffin Kapulica (32), and Logan Louks (35). The Wolves, currently in second place in East Bay Athletic League play, beat the Cowboys 50-40 on their home court to improve to 7-2 (14-7 overall).

Kicking for collegesHigh school seniors were honored at the Mustang Soccer Complex last Thursday night for their success in

soccer and achievements in securing a roster spot on college teams.Students are (back, l-r) Amanda Owens: Loyola Marymount University; Taylor Gonzalez: UC Santa Barbara; Shelby

Dunlap: California State University Chico; Danielle Schrakamp: George Washington University; Hillary Harvey: San Diego State University; Erin Bricker: University of Colorado, Boulder; (front) Cori McGovern: Loyola Marymount University; Chloe Langon: University of San Diego; Amanda Glass: UC Berkeley; Kathleen Parker: University of Southern California; Kelly Morgan: University of Southern California. Not pictured Jessica Castano: Sacramento State University; Maricela Padilla: University of the Pacific; Kimi Tahara: University of Colorado, Boulder.

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San Ramon Valley High’s Jenn Dougherty shows her skills on the freshman soc-cer team facing Foothill High School on Saturday morning.

C O V E R S T O R Y

by Geoff Gillette

K nowledge may be power, but knowing how to save a life is the best kind of power.

This lesson became vivid for Danville resident Joe Farrell, 56, on two separate occasions, the

first in August 2007. “I was playing golf in Incline Village in Nevada,” he recalled. “I sliced off the 11th tee onto the 12th fairway.” Farrell’s golf buddy convinced him they should go looking for the ball and it’s a good thing they did. Instead of the errant shot, they found a fellow golfer unconscious on the 12th green. Farrell, a physical therapist trained in emergency proce-dures, checked the man’s breathing and pulse, then began CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation). “I administered CPR and my friend Bill got ahold of the local fire department and they were there within six or eight min-utes,” said Farrell. “The helicopter arrived, EMTs shocked this guy, and he lived. The CPR and the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) gave him a chance for survival.”

The man lived through the experience and Farrell main-tains contact with him to this day. And the experience gave Farrell a greater appreciation of the need for citizens to have CPR training. “From that day on, I told my buddies that I pray that if something like that happens, that someone around you knows CPR and you’re in an area with quick access to paramedics and AEDs.” Little did Farrell know that less than a year later his prayers would be answered, at a friend’s party he attended with his wife Edie. “I was at a professional friend’s house in Roseville,” he remembered. “We weren’t there five minutes and I collapsed. I don’t remember it but friends tell me I said, ‘Edie, I’m going down,’ and then I just went down. And I don’t remem-ber anything until five days later when I woke up in a cardiac unit at the hospital.” Edie said it happened just that fast. “We had just gotten there. We hadn’t had anything to eat or drink, so we didn’t know what was wrong with him.” Colleagues immediately began CPR while an ambulance

was called. “They kept me viable until the paramedics could come,” Farrell said. EMTs at the scene needed to use a defibrillator on Farrell and shock him four times before they could get his heart started again. He was transported to Sutter-Roseville Medical Center, where he went into arrest again and doctors needed to shock him two more times to get his heart moving. The diagnosis was sudden death cardiac arrest. This is different from a heart attack, which is generally caused by circulatory problems. A blocked artery keeps oxygen from getting to the heart muscle, which becomes damaged. With cardiac arrest the electrical impulses that tell the heart’s ventricles to contract to keep blood flowing become disrupted. The ventricles flutter instead of contracting and blood flow stops. “That’s the thing about cardiac arrest, you don’t get any warning signs,” said Edie Farrell. “He fell down dead.” Farrell remained at Sutter-Roseville for nine days. During that time he had to be placed in a coma to minimize any brain damage from the lack of oxygen, as well as having a defibril-

STAYING ALIVEDanville survivor of cardiac arrest on a mission to get CPR training for everyone

Danville resident Joe Farrell, 56, and his wife Edie realize how fortunate they were that colleagues of theirs knew CPR when Farrell collapsed at a party in Roseville, a victim of sudden death cardiac arrest. Farrell said CPR kept him alive until paramedics could use a defibrillator to help restart his heart.

“I’m one of the fortunate few. It’s such an honor to save someone’s life, but I’m so indebted to the people who saved my life.”

Joe Farrell, Danville resident who suddenly went into cardiac arrest

GEOFF GILLETTE

C O V E R S T O R Y

lator implanted in his chest in case his heart should stop again. Since coming home from the hospital, the Farrells have worked hard to recoup physically and emo-tionally from their ordeal, but also to get involved in the community and help raise awareness of CPR training and the necessity of being prepared. “All this has really stimulated our desire that other family and friends don’t go through this,” Joe Farrell said. “We need to find a way to educate and stimulate interest in the training in the Bay Area and in California.” Farrell said currently only 5 percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive. But if CPR is administered within six to seven minutes of arrest, the chances of survival go up to 30 percent. One area where they’ve gotten involved is the San Ramon Valley Public Access Defibrillator Partnership or PAD. The PAD comprises interested parties repre-senting the fire district, police, hospitals, public and distributors of Automated External Defibrillators. PAD co-chairman Andy Swartzell, a Captain from the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, said the committee works hard to raise awareness as well as to provide classes and training to residents. “We’d like to increase the number of people trained in bystander CPR and in the use of AEDs,” he said. s The PAD does different train-ing classes each month but there are many options for learning CPR. “Most of the classes that are offered are three to four hours because they go over more than just CPR. But people can learn CPR in as little as 20 minutes,” Swartzell explained. He said that there is a kit available from the American Heart Association which contains an education video and a training mannequin. “You can purchase them for around $30,” Swartzell said, “then share it with family and friends.” Besides working with the PAD, the Farrells also have spoken to some groups in the area regarding the need for CPR and emergency training. The cou-ple spoke at a recent Mayor’s Morning, the monthly event held by Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich. The Farrells said town officials have done a great job of making the town more “heart-safe.” Every town building has an AED, as well as every police car. Seventeen AEDs have been placed in schools throughout the district, and many teachers and all town employees have been trained in CPR. Danville Emergency Services Director Greg Gilbert said he is pleased that the town has done

such a strong job of raising awareness about CPR and AEDs. Gilbert said that in addition to all of the classes through PAD and other agencies, residents can get emergency preparedness training through the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) classes. CERT, done through a partnership between Danville, San Ramon, San Ramon Fire Protection District and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, is a 20-hour training program designed to help residents learn how to deal with and respond to emergencies. It incorporates medical training, emergency training, search and rescue training, and team organizational skills. Gilbert said part of the training is dealing with emergency medical issues such as cardiac arrests and how to handle the AED units. “Using an AED com-bined with CPR increases a person’s survivability,” he said. “AEDs are very simple to use. If you can program a cell phone, you can use an AED.” Joe and Edie Farrell are going through the CERT

training as well, and they highly recommend that Danville resi-dents do so and learn how to best prepare for a disaster.

The couple cannot speak high-ly enough for the efficacy of CPR and the need to see that as many residents as possible are trained.

CPR training has changed over the past several years, with great-er focus placed on maintaining chest compressions rather than on respiration. CPR trainer Jeff Haughy, a firefighter/paramedic, said that is because many people

are uncomfortable administering mouth to mouth. Haughy said he has answered cardiac distress calls where people have refused to help because of con-cerns over possible disease or infection from doing mouth to mouth. “I stress to the students in my class to just do something, doing something is better than doing nothing,” Haughy said. Students are taught to perform 100 compressions per minute. The Farrells said the best way to know you’re on target for the right number of compres-sions is by doing the compressions to the beat of the song, “Stayin’ Alive.” Joe Farrell said that having saved someone and hav-ing been saved by someone through CPR, he knows just what’s at stake. “I’m one of the fortunate few. It’s such an honor to save someone’s life, but I’m so indebted to the people who saved my life,” he said. He said this event also made him acutely aware of the fragility of life. “The magnitude of it all,” he said. “Our lives could have changed forever in five seconds.”

Oakland firefighter/paramedic Jeff Haughy shows how to check for breathing and clear airways as the first steps to performing CPR. Haughy’s company, HeartStart CPR, holds training classes to help people be prepared to perform “Bystander CPR.”

Where to get trainingFor more information regard-ing CPR training in Contra Costa County go to www.cchealth.org/groups/ems; click on CPR and First Aid Training

The next CERT training class begins March 19; go to www.srvfire.com or call the Fire District at 838-6600.

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LivingP E O P L E & L I F E S T Y L E S I N O U R C O M M U N I T Y


S hadow, a golden retriever, likes listening to a human voice. Mitchell Wong, 9, likes

reading out loud to an audience. It’s a perfect match. Children and animals alike, who are paired one-on-one, are enjoying the new Paws to Read program at the Danville Public Library. “It’s very relaxing,” said Youth Services Librarian Kathleen Baritell. “The children get to choose books they are most comfortable with, recreational reading.” The program was designed to help the reading skills of students in grades one to five who are rec-ommended by reading specialists from the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, said Baritell. The dogs are provided by the Valley Humane Society, which has been helping with Paws to Read at the Pleasanton Library for six

years. The program was patterned after one launched in Salt Lake City in 1999, when it was found that children’s reading scores went up after they read to dogs on a weekly basis. Their social skills and confidence also improved. “A patron had asked if it were pos-sible for Danville to have a Paws to Read program,” recalled Baritell. “I did some investigating ... then I came back and started setting things up.” Eight children are participating in each of the two six-week ses-sions being held late Monday after-noons in the Mount Diablo Room of the library. “Children get to practice to read with no assessment and no correc-tions,” said Baritell. “Nothing is more important for children than to read or be read to.” After those recommended by reading special-ists are signed up, the program is open to others. The dogs arrive first to settle in

with their owners among the blan-kets and pillows. Then the children come into the room with books they have chosen. “The dogs wag their tails when they know they’re coming,” said Baritell. “They are just lovely, love-ly animals. And their handlers are topnotch.” Each dog is different, she noted. “A Chihuahua mix named Rico came right up to this little fellow. He wanted to be petted.” Some dogs lie on their sides. Others look away. Some seem to enjoy sitting there listening. “Some children pet them, and some children show them the book like we do at story time,” said Baritell. Baritell has learned that some dogs, such as black lab Arbuckle, are very “food-focused” so they can’t be given a treat every time they come; their owners say it’s better to keep them guessing.

Choosing the children may be easy but choosing the dogs can be difficult, said Wendy McNelley of the Valley Humane Society in Pleasanton, which supplies the ani-mals for both Paws to Read loca-tions. The society also runs a pet therapy program in which dogs and their owners make visits to hospi-tals and senior care facilities. “I usually suggest they should sign up for pet therapy first before going to Paws to Read,” said McNelley. “We have 120 active teams right now. Someone is doing pet therapy five hours every day of the year.” But a pet therapy pro may not have the temperament for Paws to Read, she noted. “It takes a certain type of dog,” said McNelley, “definitely one not riled up by other dogs. You can’t have a playful dog. You need one that is super mellow, responsive to the owner, and calm and submis-sive to other dogs.”

She said she has a miniature dachshund named Oscar who is a great couch dog. “But he wants to hang out on the sofa with mom and dad. He doesn’t want to socialize.” The Pleasanton Paws to Read also has a cat named Jefferson. “He belongs to one of our staff members so we knew him already,” said McNelley. The program in Danville is a great success, said Baritell, and people have been calling to ask if there is any more room. “One parent told me the child had been reading to their dog but their dog wasn’t paying attention.” One time a reader didn’t show up so she invited a child who hap-pened to be visiting the library to come in and read to a dog. “They were very willing,” she reported with a laugh. For more information visit the library for a flier, or go to the online calendar of events at ccclib.org.

Joey Emondson, 9, reads to Mama, at the Danville library’s Paws to Read program. As the dogs listen to the children read, they might listen intently or lie their head down but the children always enjoy reading to their furry friends.

PAWS TO READChildren hone skills by reading to dogs at library

GEOFF GILLETTE

EpicureB Y J A C Q U I L O V E M A R S H A L L

I just returned from a week-long Caribbean cruise, indulging in my two most favorite things—

jazz music and food. While the music of Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves and other jazz icons contin-ues to play inside my head and my skin glows from the hot Caribbean beach days, this column is dedicat-ed to the other indulgence: food. Thank goodness I signed on and paid for this cruise long before the economy did a tap dance on my personal finances. Otherwise, my rational mind would have talked me out of such an extravagance at the beginning of 2009; a cruise would have been only a fantasy to distract me from my fast-dwindling 401(k). But, as it turned out, just as our new president was settling into the White House, I was settling into my floating cabin and signing up for the “behind the scenes” kitchen tour of Holland America’s MS Westerdam. The tour revealed some startling facts about offshore kitchen opera-tions: about 168 culinary staff prepare about 11,000 meals daily for 1,800 passengers and 800 crew members. As you would imagine with so many people to feed, weekly consumption of basic foods is overwhelmingly large: 23,000 eggs, 137,500 pounds

of vegetables, 15,644 pounds of meat and poultry, 1,675 pounds of butter/margarine, 4,350 pounds of fish and seafood, etc. Onboard food departments include butcher (all meat cuts are made on ship), fish, hot soups, cold soups, cold kitchen, hot kitchen, bakery (which makes 20 kinds of breads, everything except hamburger and hot dog buns), pastry (from pies to petit fours), decorative (from marzipan fruit to food sculptures), provisions (imagine the shopping lists?), and cleanup. Finally, Holland America is committed to environmental aware-ness, converting food waste to mulch and recycling as much as possible.

Food is available almost 24/7 for passengers via several venues. The Main Dining Room formally served full-course meals for break-fast, lunch and dinner, with options of everything, special preparation requests and napkins placed in your lap by doting stewards. The Lido Deck offered casual buffet dining, most of the day, with multiple food stations for fruit, pasta/pizza, deli, salads, desserts, beverages, etc., and a chance to “eat your heart out” several times a day. The Pinnacle Grill was the upscale gourmet res-taurant that required reservations and a $20 surcharge, well worth paying at least once for the prime servings of steak, veal and lobster. You could enjoy your favorite latte or cappuccino in The New York Times Café, along with a daily cookie or brownie treat, while you checked your e-mails or read the newspaper. And as if that was not enough oppor-tunity to overindulge your eating habits, room service was available night and day. Oh, did I mention all eating (except for Pinnacle) was free? Lest you think it was all about gluttony, the ship offered wonder-ful gym and spa facilities, exercise classes and enough deck space to put in miles of walking. All was well.

One of the highlights of the cruise was attending a cooking class taught by jazz cruise host, bassist Marcus Miller, and the Westerdam’s execu-tive chef. Miller showed us how to prepare a dish that consistently melts his wife’s heart, after return-ing from a long road tour. Like his music, Miller believes in impro-visational cooking—using a basic recipe and altering the ingredients and steps to fit your personal culi-nary preferences. Says Miller: “In terms of quantities and ingredients, this is jazz cooking ... you can use whatever pleases you.” The recipe is a basic one and the results at

home were as easy as they appeared onboard the ship. Even if you can only fantasize about taking a cruise right about now, you can still celebrate the amazing power of food to lift your spirits above a rainy day or a dismal econ-omy. Better yet, personalize Marcus Miller’s dish for your special some-one and present it with the elegance of cruising through the Caribbean (a little soft music wouldn’t hurt either). Perhaps that special someone will reward you in ways that you couldn’t even begin to fantasize.

E-mail Jacqui Love Marshall at [email protected].

Cruising: A foodie’s heaven

Chef Marcus Miller and the Epicure

Old Tassajara post officeThe Tassajara post office on Finley road, shown here with the mail slot in front, was opened so residents would not have to go into Pleasanton or Danville for their mail. It opened Oct. 24, 1896, with George Cole as Postmaster and closed in 1922.

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3 Course MenuSample Menu

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AMERICANBridges Restaurant & Bar 44 Church Street, Danville, (925) 820-7200. Bridges in downtown Danville is the ideal venue for lunch or dinner. Enjoy cozy, alfresco dining on our vine-covered patio, or experience the warm ambience of our main dining room. The sleek, contemporary bar/lounge area is ideal for meeting friends after work, offering a delicious “small bites” menu and specialty cocktails. Executive chef Kevin Gin creates an inspired seasonal menu featuring California cuisine with European and Asian influences. Lunch Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:00p.m. Dinner nightly. Complimentary valet parking. www.bridgesdanville.com

PIZZAAmici’s East Coast Pizzeria 720 Camino Ramon, (in the Rose Garden), Danville, 925-837-9800. Amici’s offers authentic, thin, crisp-crust Pizza and a casual Italian menu of freshly made Pastas and Salads, all available for takeout and delivery as well as dine-in at this new Danville location. Check out the menu or order online at www.amicis.com

WINE - RETAIL/TASTINGBella Vino 3450 Camino Tassajara, Danville, 94506, 925-648-1300. Taste a variety

of wines at leisure or grab a bottle to go! Tasting Tuesday - Sunday. Special tasting events every Thursday and Live Jazz on Fridays. 2/13 - Come and Jazz out with Sue Lukito and Guido on Sax!2/19 - Italian Wine Flight 6pm to 9pm2/20 - Live Jazz with Sue Lukito 7:30pm to 9:30pm2/26 - Que Syrah Sirah Tasting 6pm to 9pm2/27 - Come Jazz Out Sue Lukito and Guest Musician (7:30pm to 9:30pm)Check us out online on our events page for current upcoming events at www.bvino.comThe Vine at Bridges The Vine at Bridges, 480 Hartz Avenue, Downtown Danville. 820-7210. Wine shop open Tues-Sat from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays 4-9 p.m. Sunday 1-6 p.m. Wine Bar open Tuesday through Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. 30 wines are available to taste at the wine bar and 260 different wines are available for purchase in the wine shop.2/14 - In Store Educational Tasting 1-4pm2/17 - Wine Seminar2/19 - Hollywood and Vine Tasting 6-8pm2/21 - In Store Educational Tasting 1-4pmFor more information about events please visit www.thevineatbridges.com

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RECIPES“Way to a Woman’s Heart”

Cooking Class with Marcus Miller: Mushroom Pasta with

Chicken for Two

2-3 cloves garlicOlive oil2 pounds mushrooms1 pound pastaSalt & pepperHeavy creamButter1 chicken, cut in pieces 1. Prep chicken pieces by seasoning with salt and pepper. Smash garlic cloves; sauté in the olive oil in large pan. Remove from pan. Sauté chicken pieces in pan just until nicely browned. 2. Place browned chicken pieces in a

baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees until cooked thoroughly. Set aside. 3. Clean mushrooms and process to a fine consistency in a food processor. Sauté mushrooms in olive oil until dark brown in same pan used before. Add salt and pepper to taste.4. Transfer mushrooms to colander and drain to remove excess oil. Put mush-room pate to side.5. Boil pasta and cook until al dente; drain. 6. Mix mushroom pate with heavy cream and butter until blended into a rich sauce. Add to pasta and toss lightly. Serve with a baked chicken piece atop the pasta. Note: Alternately, you can slice the chicken and toss the slices with the pasta and mushroom sauce.

CalendarClubsSan Ramon Valley Newcomers Luncheon This club will host Harry Hubinger, a world traveler of 115 countries, at its luncheon at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, at Marriott’s Stix and Steaks, San Ramon. For res-ervations, call Paula at 735-6483. Visit www.srvnc.com.

Concerts‘Music of France’ Diablo Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the music of France in concert at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors; and $12 for youth. Call 943-7469 or visit www.lesherartscenter.org. Seventh Annual Youth Music Festival Solo vocalists, instrumen-talists, and vocal and instrumental ensembles, ages 18 and under, will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20, at Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Rd., Pleasanton. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call 931-3444.

The Brubeck Brothers Quartet The Brubeck Brothers Quartet will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13, at Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Rd. The group has performed at concert series, colleges and jazz festivals across North America. Tickets are $20, $25 and $30 for adults; $15, $18 and $21 for students. Visit www.civicartstickets.org.

EventsAntique and Art Faire Discover Danville Association will host an Antique and Art Faire from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, on Railroad Avenue in downtown Danville. Appraisal clinic will be held for $10 per item benefiting the Tao House. Call Marcia Harmon at 837-2664. Oscar Night Town of Danville and the California Independent Film Festival will present Oscar Night at 5 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.), Sunday, Feb. 22, at the Village Theatre, 233 Front St., Danville. Tickets are $25. There will be great food, door prizes, games and Oscar trivia. Call 314-3400 or visit www.ci.danville.ca.us.

San Ramon Valley Town Hall Meeting Save the date for the San Ramon Valley Town Hall Meeting from 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Stone Valley Middle School, 3001 Miranda Ave., Alamo. The topic will be underage drinking and youth access to alcohol. To reserve your seat, contact Emily Justice at 687-8844, ext. 222 or [email protected].

Fundraisers‘It Shouldn’t Hurt to be a Child’ Benefit Luncheon Auxiliary for the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County will hold its fifth annual Benefit Luncheon from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19, at Round Hill Country Club, Alamo. Tickets are $65. Proceeds benefit programs provided to the community by CAPC. To purchase tickets, visit www.capc-coco.org. Green Valley Elementary Online Auction Green Valley School’s e-Bay style online auction closes at 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27 at http://greenvalley.auctionanything.com. Proceeds are

tax deductible and pay for music, art, reading, technology and more at Green Valley. The Princess Project Dress Drive It’s time to clean out your closets and donate your gently used dresses for the Princess Project Dress Drive until Feb. 14. Drop-off locations include Elisa Wen, 730 Camino Ramon, Suite 170, Danville, and Tootsies, 175 E. Prospect Ave., Danville. Visit www.princessproject.org/princess/donate/dresses-accessories.

HolidayCupid’s Comedy Cavalcade Johnny Steele presents “Cupid’s Comedy Cavalcade” at 7 and 9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, at Village Theatre, 233 Front St., Danville. Tickets are $18. Call 314-3400 or visit www.ci.danville.ca.us.

Kids and Teens‘Expanding Your Horizons’ Conference Sandia National Laboratory, Diablo Valley College,

American Association of University Women and Lawrence Livermore National Security present “Expanding Your Horizons” conference for girls in grades 6-9. The conference starts at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at Diablo Valley College, San Ramon Campus, 1690 Watermill Rd. Cost is $20. Call 422-2453 or visit http://tveyh.org. Hospice Support Group Hospice of the East Bay will host a support group for kids and teens from 5:15-6:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 24-March 31, at 3470 Buskirk Ave., Pleasant Hill. This group is offered for a fee and requires pre-registration; call 887-5678.

Lectures/WorkshopsHow Nuclear Weapons Affect Our Lives Two well-known anti-nuclear activists, Jackie Cabasso and Marylia Kelley, will talk about nuclear weap-ons from 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. Cost is $12-$20; $5 for students. Call 933-7850.

On Stage‘Defending the Caveman’ A solo play of “Defending the Caveman” will be performed at 8 p.m., Friday-Saturday and at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 13-15, at Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd., San Ramon. Tickets are $49. Visit www.sanra-monperformingarts.com. ‘The Producers’ Diablo Light Opera Company presents “The Producers” at different times, Feb. 13-March 15, at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Tickets are $34-$43. Call 943-7469 or visit www.dloc.org.

Political NotesJoan Buchanan to Speak on the Budget Crisis Assemblymember Joan Buchanan will speak about the California budget crisis, the 2/3 requirement for passing the budget and changing tax policy at the Tri-Valley Democratic Club meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 16, at IBEW Hall, 6250 Village Pkwy., Dublin. Members will vote on a resolution to support legislation and ballot measure(s). This event is free and everyone is wel-come. Call 831-8355.

ScholarshipsExchange Club of SRV Scholarship Essay Competition Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley will host its fourth annual college scholarship essay contest entitled “Your Vote—How Does it Count?” at 5:30 p.m., on three remaining Mondays, Feb. 23 and March 9 and 23, at Veterans Memorial Hall, 400 Hartz Ave., Danville. Awards are $1,000 for first place; $750 for second place; and $250 for third place. Call 352-7704.

SeniorsPrime Time Special Presentations Prime Time holds non-denominational gatherings for “seasoned citizens” from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., every Tuesday, at Community Presbyterian Church, 222 W. El Pintado, Danville. The group also hosts special presentations at 11 a.m., Saturdays, including Don Phelps, a leading authority of Native American artifacts, on Feb. 14 and the Singing Realtors on Feb. 28. Call Ruth Ann at 820-6387.

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BUSINESSSERVICES

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850 Acreage/Lots/StorageBuyer’s Market - New Mexico Ranch Dispersal. 140 acres - $89,900. River Access. Northern New Mexico. Cool 6,000’ elevation with stunning views. Great tree cover including Ponderosa, rolling grassland and rock outcroppings. Abundant wildlife, great hunting. EZ terms. Call NML&R, Inc. 1-866-360-5263. (Cal-SCAN)Colorado Bank Foreclosure 35 AC $29,900. Enjoy 300 days of sunshine. Rocky mountain views, utili-ties. Excellent financing. 1st come, 1st serve!! Call Today 1-866-696-5263 x4938. (Cal-SCAN)

855 Real Estate ServicesHome Staging, Marketing

THE TRI-VALLEY’S FREE CLASSIFIED WEBSITE TO RESPOND TO ADS WITHOUT PHONE NUMBERS GO TO WWW.FOGSTER.COM

Looking for loveBuster says, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” Looking for

that special someone who likes leisurely walks in the park and snuggle sessions on the couch? Meet Buster, a 7-month-old male Pit Bull mix puppy with a sweet tem-perament and adorable markings. Buster is mostly white except for a chocolate-colored rump, two big chocolate spots on his torso and a handsome chocolate and white face. Buster is a smart cookie too. He sits nicely for treats and he has learned to fetch and release a tennis ball to the TVAR volunteers who take him out for play sessions. Let’s see, Buster is well-mannered, smart, affectionate, cute, and loyal! What more could you want from that special valentine? Visit Buster (pet #83722) at the East County Animal Shelter, 4595 Gleason Drive in Dublin, open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call 803-7040. The animal shelter will be closed on Monday, Feb. 16, for the President’s Day holiday.

CATHERINE HANSEN RUSHP E T O F T H E W E E K

is an update from the Danville Weekly delivered via

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provides the perfect quick-read digest of local news

and events in the Danville area. And all without any

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Our top stories and hot picks.

Delivered M

onday,

Wednesday and Friday

This week’s data represents homes sold during January 2009

Danville50 Moss Wood Court S. Kizanis to Lincoln Funding Group for $456,00034 Willowview Court R. & K. Ybarra to D. & B. Runt for $1,245,000

Walnut Creek537 Allegheny Drive Mcintosh Trust to S. Lawrence for $600,00054 Autumn Trail Lane Braddock & Logan to Y. Pang for $760,00010 El Camino Terrace F. & V. Maida to E. & J. Kennedy for $1,250,000

1969 Fair Ridge Court E. Chalifour to S. Stevens for $580,000330 North Civic Drive #406 E. & L. Zeltser to J. Vanbuskirk for $156,000366 Pimlico Drive H. Malone to R. Cournoyer for $625,0003446 Rossmoor Parkway #1 J. Grant to Haikalis Trust for $390,000149 Saddle Oaks Court Yates Trust to J. & L. Kou for $1,190,000153 Spyrock Court EMC Mortgage to C. Lowen for $870,000997 Terra California Drive #4 Johnson Trust to Spencer Trust for $215,000

H O M E S A L E SSource: California REsource

Real EstateO P E N H O M E G U I D E A N D R E A L E S T A T E L I S T I N G S

DanvilleTotal sales reported: 2Lowest sale reported: $456,000Highest sale reported: $1,245,000Average sales reported: $850,500

Walnut Creek Total sales reported: 10Lowest sale reported: $156,000Highest sale reported: $1,250,000Average sales reported: $663,600

S A L E S A T A G L A N C EThis week’s data represents homes sold during January 2009

O P E N H O M E S T H I S W E E K E N D

ALAMO 4 Bedrooms

1490 Laurenita Way $798,500Sun 1:30-4:30 Alain Pinel Realtors 577-1944

5 Bedrooms142 Erselia Trail $2,500,000Sun 1:30-4:30 Alain Pinel Realtors 577-1944

DANVILLE5 Bedrooms

16 Hermosa Court $2,100,000Sat/Sun 1-4 Prudential CA Realty 577-4911

DUBLIN3 Bedrooms

7472 Starward Drive $510,000Sun 1-4 Alain PInel Realtors 918-2425

LIVERMORE4 Bedrooms

1823 Vancouver Way $599,000Sat/Sun 1-4 Alain Pinel Realtors 339-3077

5 Bedrooms2318 Peregrine Street $790,000Sat 1-4 Remax Accord 640-8824

PLEASANTON3 Bedrooms

2860 El Capitan Drive $549,500Sun 1-4 Alain Pinel Realtors 846-65007748 Creekside Drive $549,999Sun 1-4 Hometown GMAC 989-56953193 Montpelier Court $635,000Sun 1-4 RE/MAX Accord 922-1575

4 Bedrooms1608 Cindy Way $1,229,000Sat/Sun 12-5 Alain Pinel Realtors 785-77773552 Vine Street $1,275,000Sun 1-4 Coldwell Banker 362-20181624 Cindy Way $1,329,000Sat/Sun 12-5 Alain Pinel Realtors 785-77771640 Cindy Way $1,349,000Sat/Sun 12-5 Alain Pinel Realtors 785-77774914 Middleton Place $1,475,000Sun 1-4 Prudential CA Realty 462-91751898 Halcyon Court $699,850Sun 1-4:30 Remax Accord 998-53123150 Paseo Robles $829,000Sun 1-4 Vince Sheehon Real Estate 415-302-2500

5 Bedrooms1368 Royal Creek Court $1,238,888Sun 1-4 Keller Williams Realty 260-25081632 Cindy Way $1,449,000Sat/Sun 12-5 Alain Pinel Realtors 785-7777241 Napier Court $1,469,000Sun 1-4 Coldwell Banker 362-2018

Situated on a flat .49 acre lot, with 4297 sq.ft. Tuscan Beauty was built in 2003. All the bells and whistles. $1,698,500

Highly upgraded 4 bedroom 4.5 bath. Large guest suite and bonus room.

$1,300,000

West Side Alamo 5 BedroomWendt Ranch Open Space and View

Updated Home and guest house on 1.7 acre parcel. Horse Set Up, Work Shop,

Pool and more $1,770,000

A perfect “10.” 5 bedroom 2 bath remodel. 2,953 sq. ft. Stainless and granite kitchen, on .23 acres. Walk to Greenbrook School,

backs Iron Horse Trail. $1,149,000

Danville El Pintado Loop

X6000 X5000

X9000

24 Hour Free Audio Tour (866) 374-0607

www.The Combs Team .com

Visit www.thecombsteam.comNancy P. Combs Joe Combs

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Read Joe and Nancy’s Real Estate Column in Alive East Bay Magazine

Greenbrook Area Remodel

Moving to a new community can be a great adventure, if you go with the right attitude and a sound strategy for settling in. Make an action plan and you’ll stay focused, orga-nized and proactive—just what’s needed to put roots down fast.

Before you go

the post office, which can be done online at usps.com. You’ll also want to send your new address to any publications you subscribe to, as it can take up to eight weeks for the change to become effective.

materials about your new town, which should include a map. Identify important routes, such as those between your home and your office or your child’s school.

Depending on the area you move to, you may need to put your name on a waiting list.

Firm plans will reduce the stress.

few nights, such as prescription medicine, toiletries, a telephone, clothing, towels, toilet paper and bed linen.

to have utilities transferred to your name or turned on. In addition, you will want to set up appointments to have services such as telephone, cable and high-speed Internet connected.

Upon arrival

locks. You never know who has a copy of the house key.

stations and the closest hospital.

privacy.

as a place of refuge. Make it a cozy space,

anything else move-related.

the makings for no-fuss meals.

The first week

are holding mail for you. Finish sending out change of address to credit card companies, clubs, associations, friends and family.

move. You’ll need them for verification of

department of sanitation for a trash collec-tion schedule.

the vehicle registration.

Elections for information.

the routes to work, school, grocers, etc.

Help your children adjust

-ciate the continuity of family life.

furnishings or decorate their rooms.

If you move during the summer, it’s likely they’ll make friends there, which should ease the transition to the new school.

-sured when a parent is there to hear about their day.

friends, academic difficulties and irritability or depression.

Get involved in the community

you and come by for sidewalk chats.

other dog owners congregating.

hour. Invite neighbors to drop by.

consider doing volunteer work.

advisor.

good place to start.

before the move.-

fessional contacts and update skills. Don’t hesitate to contact local financial and real estate professionals for more ideas or information about your new community.

-oping ties soon after arrival, your new envi-ronment will feel like home in no time.

—Courtesy of ARAcontent

How to feel at home after you move

Stay organized and proactive

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