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Pleasanton Weekly 09.10.2010 - Section 1
Section 1 of the September 10, 2010 edition of the Pleasanton Weekly
Pleasanton Weekly I N SI D E New approvals for Staples Ranch: City OKs retirement community, auto mall PAGE 5 On the road: Foothill High grad working to help Uganda's `Invisible Children' PAGE 10 WWW.PLEASANTONWEEKLY.COM Taking a out of crime home security is often simple and inexpensive PAGE 12 Beefing up MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 SUNOL VALLEY GOLF CLUB & FAZ Restaurant The Ballistic United Hall of Fame was created in 2010 as one-way to reflect on the over 40 years of the club's history and recognize individuals who have contributed in many different ways to the success of the club. Whether a board member, referee, coach, player, volunteer, or administrator, the clubs Hall of Fame will induct a maximum of 3 of the most deserving individuals submitted to the nominating committee. For the inaugural year, the nominating committee will induct 5 individuals as the "Inaugural Class of 2010." "Celebrating the Past - Planning for Our Future" is the events slogan and was created to explain why the event takes place annually in conjunction with the Ballistic United Hall of Fame Golf Tournament. Both events are fundraisers for the club. The club will use the proceeds to continue its effort in supporting capital improvements, such as field development initiatives, in the years to come!" Entry Fee (includes dinner/silent auction) $100 - Single Golfer $400 - Foursome Dinner & Silent Auction Only $30 - person Schedule of Day 10:30am - Registration 11:00am - Putting Contest 12:00noon - Shotgun Start Lunch and refreshments will be provided by Sunol Valley Golf Course (12:00noon-2:00pm) 6:00-7:00pm - Reception / Silent Auction Faz Restaurant 7:00-9:00pm - Dinner / HOF Sponsorship Opportunities $500 Tee Sponsor w/Golf Foursome, hole signage $250 Special Event Sponsor Name & logo on program, hole signage, $150 Tee Box Sponsor Hole signage Page 2 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly AROUND PLEASANTON BY JEB BING Good Vision Makes for Good Learning Don't overlook a possible vision problem that can affect school performance. WWW.GINAPIPER.COM As market conditions evolve, new opportunities also arise. I remain committed to my profession and the long term goals of my clients. I am here to help you navigate the myriad of decisions that arise when buying or selling a home. In this time of change, counting on a proven real estate professional is more important than ever. You can still count on me! `Car guys' should check out the new Chevy Volt M y dad was a car dealer and I remember the excitement about this time every year when we would watch the newmodel-year cars being offloaded from trucks at his downstate Illinois dealership. It was that same enthusiasm I found with GM's Shad Balch two weeks ago at the Chevrolet dealer in Dublin where he showed me the new Chevy Volt, one of two on display in the East Bay as part of the national GM Outreach program, which is designed to bring more customers into the company's showrooms. The Volt, a four-seater all-electric car, did just that with several hundred seeing the car for the first time while also enjoying a sunny Saturday outing with the family, including valet parking outside and a sit-down lunch served by Kinder's Restaurant of Pleasanton. Balch, who describes himself as a true "car guy," grew up in Pleasanton where his family still lives. Four years ago, as General Motors started restructuring, Balch left his policy position with the Schwarzenegger administration to join GM in its turn-around effort. He is now GM's Western Region environment and energy communications specialist, with an office in Southern California's Thousand Oaks. Balch is on the front line in the company's new strategy to engage its current and former customers one-on-one and to lure them back to a General Motors product. The Volt, with its stylish eco-friendly features, looks like a sure bet to win buyers who'd like to cut their fuel bills without sacrificing safety, convenience and power in their cars. The Volt can go about 40 miles on its fullycharged battery before a small gasoline engine automatically kicks in to keep the battery charged for the next 300 miles or so. Fill up the engine and keep going. I couldn't drive the Dublin car, but Balch assured me it's an unbelievable experience. Because the car is electric, it has full horsepower and torque at the start, quickly and smoothly going from zero to 60 mph in a matter of seconds. There's no transmission, just extraordinary power and absolutely no engine noise. It's unlike any hybrids on the road and can be charged in about nine hours overnight using a standard household plug. Stay within 40 miles between charges and you never have to buy Amador Valley Optometric Complete eyecare for Men, Women, Teens, & Children 925 462 9175 62 JEB BING Shad Balch, environment and energy communications specialist for General Motors Western region, opens the door of a new Chevrolet Volt at a special showing in Dublin last week. Most Vision Plans Accepted Medicare Assignment Accepted Keep Your Eyecare Local! Serving Pleasanton for more than 25 years Traditional Service 8:30 AM Family Worship and Sunday School at 10:00 AM gasoline. The car lists for $41,000 but with various incentives, can be purchased for about $32,000. The battery comes with a factory warranty good for eight years or 100,000 miles, which Balch says is the best in the business. Besides seeing GM's new pride and joy, I also had a chance to visit with some of the 40 executives, engineers, vehicle development teams and marketers from GM's Detroit headquarters who are participating in these Volt launch parties to "re-connect" with customers. It's a strategy the company should have tried 10 years ago before so many of its customers fled to other brands, but it seems to be paying off. In its recent fiscal quarter, GM posted a $1.3 billion profit, which was the first time the company posted a profit in the last four years. Although it's repaid its government loan, the feds still have a majority ownership stake in GM. That could change soon with a new public offering of GM stock. Balch said at least a dozen customers signed up to take delivery of the Chevy Volt at the Dublin outreach program. Deliveries should start in November with the 2011 models expected to be sold out from the start. Most will be sold in California where Balch and his associates are planning more showroom events in the state that used to be GM's largest market. By building enthusiasm for the Volt, other GM products are also picking up sales as buyers start eyeing the new models being introduced. For "car guys," and hopefully for GM, this could be the best year ever. Dr. Barry C. Winston Faculty, UC Berkeley School of Optometry Board Certified in the Treatment of Ocular Disease GO CAL BEARS! Join us for Rally Day Sunday, September 12th to kick off our program year featuring a performance by reowned puppeteer and magician Tony Borders at 10 AM "At Trinity Lutheran Church, we encourage people to serve each other and experience God's Love. All are welcome." Convenient Weekday & Evening Hours Black Avenue Professional Offices 4450-C Black Avenue, Pleasanton off Santa Rita Road behind Lynne Wood Methodist Church 1225 Hopyard Road Pleasanton, CA 94566 925.846.6363 www.trinitypleasanton.org 925.462.2600 Experience Joie de Vie, the "Joy of Life" Let the stress of work fade away as you are pampered and kick-back with a Receive a or mimosa Sundays between 11am and 2pm. OPEN Tuesday-Sunday 10am until 7pm 12-month membership Unlimited eyebrow waxing/threading Book your Appointment Today & Be Pampered 12-month membership Unlimited eyebrow & lip waxing/threading Vitalize the body Indulge the senses Experience the joy of life 3059 Hopyard Road, Suites J & K, Pleasanton Cannot be combined with other promotions. Expires 10/17/10 $185 % ONLY Cannot be combined with other promotions. Expires 10/17/10 $285 ONLY About the Cover Pleasanton police Officer Ken McNeill checks out a home to see if it is secure. The police do home security inspections for residents and say that simple precautions can reduce the risk of a home burglary. Vol. XI, Number 35 www.joiedeviedayspa.com 925-485-4272 15 OFF any facial or body treatment Cannot be combined with other promotions. Expires 10/17/10 Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 3 Streetwise Maggie Hadlock ASKED AROUND TOWN Would you like to see a pet cemetery in Pleasanton? Pizzeria employee Yes, because pets are a part of everyone's family, and sometimes they are like a son or daughter to their owners. I think it's important to have a place to go and remember a pet. I know I would like that. Mary Snell PUSD Health Clerk I used to live near Colma, where there actually was a pet cemetery. It was important to those people, and it was nice that they had a final resting place for their beloved animals. I think it would be a good option, if it were available, to those that needed it. (925) 271-0713 Lynn Cronin Kindergarten teacher I don't think there should be a pet cemetery in Pleasanton, because I think when they're gone, they're gone. Lalit Badhe Software engineer I don't have pets, but there are a lot of people who have them and they would probably like to see a cemetery here. It would be good for the community. Allen Razavi Student, Amador Valley High School I think that we should have a pet cemetery because animals are a part of everyone's life. Whether you have a pet or not, they affect your life in some way and we need to respect that. --Compiled by Kerry Nally Have a Streetwise question? E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com The Pleasanton Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566; (925) 600-0840. Mailed at Periodicals Postage Rate, USPS 020407. The Weekly is mailed upon request to homes and apartments in Pleasanton. Print subscriptions for businesses or residents of other communities are $60 per year or $100 for two years. Go to www.PleasantonWeekly.com to sign up and for more information. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pleasanton Weekly, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566. � 2010 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. PhotoGallery Share your photos of sports, events, travel and fun stuff at PleasantonWeekly.com Page 4 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly Newsfront DIGEST Marketing workshop The city of Pleasanton offers the next in a series of marketing workshops targeting Pleasanton retail and restaurant businesses from 8-9 a.m. Tuesday at the Farmer Restaurant, 855 Main St. All Pleasanton retail and restaurant establishments are invited to participate in this free workshop to learn the benefits of a soon-to-be- launched "shop local" holiday campaign. Participants will learn national statistics on the success of such campaigns and how they can increase holiday sales and help to create a network of loyal customers. The event is free to Pleasanton businesses and all attendees will receive a "shop local" kit with materials and instructions on how to capture more holiday sales. Participants are encouraged to register today to Rebecca Perry at 931-5038 or email@example.com BY JEB BING City OKs retirement community, new auto mall Staples Ranch could be annexed into city late this year The City Council on Tuesday night gave its final approval to multi-million-dollar development projects on Staples Ranch that will be the largest Pleasanton has seen since Hacienda Business Park was developed in the 1980s and 1990s. With the council's action, both Pleasanton and the Alameda County Surplus Property Authority, which owns the 124-acre site at the southwest corner of El Charro Road and I-580, will ask the Local Agency Formation Commission of Alameda County (LAFCO) to annex the tract into the city of Pleasanton so that the planned developments can proceed. Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, who is a board member on LAFCO, said she hopes the agency can consider the annexation bid in November. Three specific projects were approved Tuesday night: Stoneridge Creek Pleasanton, a 45-acre senior continuing care community to be developed by Continuing Life Communities (CLC), with up to 800 units for assisted living, skilled nursing and independent living homes and apartments. Hendrick Automotive Group will build a new auto mall on its 37acre portion of Staples, next to the junction of I-580 and El Charro Road, directly across El Charro from an outlet mall that Livermore is considering. A 5-acre park that will include tennis courts and a landscaped area that will also serve as a detention pond to collect excess water during heavy storms from the Hendrick, Stoneridge Creek and other developments on Staples Ranch. Also in the long-range plans for Staples are an 11-acre retail center and a larger 17-acre community park with 10 acres to be set aside for a two-story, four rink facility to be built by San Jose Arena Management, a subsidiary of the San Jose Sharks. No developers are currently on board to buy and build the retail center. Negotiations are continuing with the Sharks over the ice facility. Supporters and future residents of Stoneridge Creek again filled the council chamber Tuesday night, standing and applauding when the council voted 5-0 to approve the senior retirement and care facility. Continuing Life Communities, a prominent senior housing operator with complexes similar to what's proposed on Staples Ranch, has said it has the finances needed to start construction once it can obtain building permits, probably early next year. It's possible that the independent living units, which will be built first and in phases, could be ready for their first occupants by early 2012. Although it now has its development plan in hand, Hendrick will probably wait a year or two before constructing its new auto mall, which will replace the one Hendrick now has in the Rosewood Drive-Santa Rita Road area in east Pleasanton. The two newly approved developments and the proposed others are expected to generate hundreds of new jobs, new services and millions of dollars in sales tax revenue for the community. The council's action came after years of effort to develop the empty farmland that is owned by Alameda See STAPLES on Page 7 Looking for interns U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (DPleasanton) is accepting applications for college and post-graduate student internship positions in his Pleasanton, Stockton and Washington, D.C., offices. "I encourage students who are interested in public service and learning about a congressional office to apply," McNerney said. "It is an excellent way to gain professional experience and to serve our community." All internship positions are unpaid although the congressman's office will work with educational institutions that award academic credit. To apply, mail or fax a cover letter and resume to the respective office. Mail delivery to D.C. is delayed due to security, so applicants are encouraged to fax a cover letter and resume. L.A. law firm hired to defend Pleasanton against Oak Grove lawsuit City Council unanimous in supporting legal battle over 51-home development bid Fresh off a settlement agreement that cost taxpayers nearly $2.5 million in legal fees, the city of Pleasanton is back in the courts again, this time hiring a Los Angeles law firm to defend the city against a lawsuit by property owners in the southeast hills who want to build 51 luxury homes there. The City Council, at the recommendation of City Attorney Jonathan Lowell, voted 5-0 on Tuesday night to hire Amrit Kulkarni, an attorney with the firm of Meyers/Nave. Kulkarni is a principal and land use chairman of the firm's Land Use Litigation Practice Group. Lowell said the firm, which also has a branch office in Oakland, is skilled at handling municipal litigation of land use issues and has represented the city of Dublin on similar matters. The council's action came after landowners Jennifer and Frederic Lin filed a suit against Pleasanton demanding that the city honor their bid to develop a portion of the nearly 600 acres they own at the end of Hearst Drive and above the Kottinger Ranch community. They cite the council's approval three years ago of Ordinance 1962, a development agreement that allowed for the development, called Oak Grove. That ordinance, along with Ordinance 1961, approved at the same time by the council in a 4-1 vote, ended four years of public hearings, community meetings and public debates over Oak Grove, or so backers of the measure believed. A citizens group, Save Pleasanton's Hills, organized by former Councilwoman Kay Ayala, opposed the development and gathered enough signatures during the Thanksgiving holidays in 2007 to force a public referendum to overturn the council's decision. The Lins successfully sued in the Alameda County Superior Court to block the citizens' group from proceeding, claiming the signatures were improperly collected. The state Court of Appeal and subsequently the state Supreme Court overturned the Superior Court ruling by Judge Frank Roesch. The referendum, asking voters to approve the Oak Grove development, was defeated on June 8. That same date the Lins, through their San Francisco law firm, filed another suit, claiming that the referendum only dealt with the planned unit development Ordinance 1961 and that the major development agreement, Ordnance 1962, still prevails. It is that lawsuit that Kulkarni and the Meyers/Nave law firm will now defend. Lowell said that the decision to hire Meyers/Nave and defend the city against the Lins' lawsuit was approved unanimously after a seSee LAWSUIT on Page 6 JEB BING Candidates forum Tuesday The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce will host a breakfast next Tuesday where candidates for mayor and the City Council will discuss their views of issues affecting the city and answer questions about their candidacy. Those invited to participate in the candidates' forum include Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, who is seeking re-election, and Councilwoman Cindy McGovern, who is also seeking election as mayor. Vying for the two available council seats are incumbents Cheryl Cook-Kallio and Jerry Thorne and challengers Karla Brown and Fred Watson. Brad Hirst of Equity Enterprises will serve as moderator. The breakfast and forum are open to the public but reservations are required. The cost is $22. Call 846-5858 to register. Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) "client" and Pleasanton resident David Fletcher, 8, and his father Vince bag groceries at Safeway's Pleasanton store Labor Day in support of the Safeway Foundation's fundraising efforts for the MDA, an organization that helps more than 1 million Americans affected by neuromuscular diseases. McNerney, Hosterman, Pico join in fundraiser Safeway hosts `celebrities,' cheerleaders to support Muscular Dystrophy research Two mayors and a congressman bagged groceries for more than an hour Monday at Safeway's Pleasanton supermarket to help the Safeway Foundation raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), an organization that helps more than 1 million Americans affected by neuromuscular diseases. Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), Mayor Jennifer Hosterman and former Mayor Tom Pico bagged customers' groceries at breakneck speeds although Safeway representatives chose no winner, saying all three bagged at acceptable speeds. At times, the bagging process slowed as customers took the time to discuss local and national issues and to thank the three for their participation in the MDA fundraising efforts. In another checkout aisle, MDA "client" and Pleasanton resident David Fletcher, 8, and his father Vince were on hand to greet customers and to share their experiences. See FUNDRAISER on Page 7 Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 5 Savvy's End of Summer Party! Friday, September 10th from 6:30-10pm Debbie Lopes Special Event Take an extra NEWS "We've Expanded!" 1,000 sq. ft. Stop by and see what we've done! Offers cannot be combined. Exp. 10-3-10 any one item with this ad! 25% OFF Sister-city visitors Pleasanton's sister-city delegation from Tulancingo, Mexico, arrives late Sept. 21 for five days packed with activities. The Pleasanton Community Concert Band will perform a special program, "Visiting American Music," for the Pleasanton Tulancingo Sister City Association at 7 p.m. Thursday at the newly dedicated Firehouse Arts Center, 4444 Railroad Ave. in downtown Pleasanton. "We are honored to be among the first to perform at the new Firehouse Arts Center and to entertain our friends from Tulancingo," said Conductor Bob Williams. The hour-long concert will feature American pieces, including two favorites of Mexican origin, selections from "Carousel" and "Oklahoma," melodies of Glenn Miller, songs by Cole Porter, and marches by John Philip Sousa. To attend, call president Alice Pryor at 462-5786 by Sept. 15. --Dolores Fox Ciardelli 560 Main St., Downtown Pleasanton 846.6600 2010 Monday - Saturday 10-6 and Sundays 11-5 484.kids (5437) www.shopsavvyseconds.com LAWSUIT Continued from Page 5 Allen Xiao Financial Service Professional CA Insurance Lic. # 0E08340 NY Lic# 1132871 NV Lic# 666263 Tel (925) 979-2387 (510) 494-0128 x 25 Fax (510) 494-0108 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com v College Savings Plan v Retirement Plan v Life Insurance v Annuity v Long Term Care Insurance v Disability Income Insurance ries of closed door meetings on the issue. Councilwoman Cindy McGovern made the motion to proceed with the defense, seconded by Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, and then approved by all council members. He said the first courtroom action will come later this month when Kulkarni and other representatives of the law firm meet in Superior Court with the Lins' attorney, Andrew B. Sabey of the San Francisco law firm of Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP. Last month, the council approved a settlement agreement with two affordable housing coalitions to pay $1.9 million toward their legal costs in a four-year court battle over the city's housing cap, which the city lost. Another $500,000 was paid to the city's outside counsel. The council's action Tuesday came the same day that a Palo Alto law firm representing Allen Roberts, an active member of the Save Pleasanton's Hills citizens' coalition, hand-delivered a letter to City Attorney Lowell urging the City Council to fight the Lins' lawsuit. In her letter, Robin B. Kennedy of the law firm of Miller Starr Regali argued that it is "the Council's duty and obligation to follow the law and bring the citizens' and voters' manifest intent to fruition." "When the project was finally put to the voters on June 8 of this year," Kennedy wrote, "a majority of those voting supported the referendum, thereby reversing the city's approval of the PUD Ordnance." "The fates of the PUD Ordinance and the Development Agreement are inextricable linked," Kennedy continued. "Pursuant to the unambiguous `poison pill' reciprocal language wisely inserted by the City Council in Ordinances 1961 and 1962, the referendum of the PUD Ordinance automatically voided the Development Agreement Ordinance and, along with it, the Development Agreement itself." --Jeb Bing Registered Representative of and offers securities through MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. 2121 N California Blvd Suite 395 Walnut Creek CA 94596 (925) 979-2300. CRN201206-134552 TAKE US ALONG 50% off all bougainvilleas. 50% off all bush, tree & climbing roses. 50% off all deciduous fruit trees. Choose from popular varieties including apples, apricots & peaches. Save 30% off all landscape trees, shrubs, vines, perennials; citrus & topiaries in #1 size or larger. Save an additional $50.00 off WoodMill of Muskoka premium Adirondack chairs. BONUS BUCKS Save an additional Save 40% off all Japanese maples. Many sizes & varieties to choose from including the popular `Bloodgood'. 30% 20% 20% 25% Discounts are taken off regular prices. off off off off our entire selection of A. Silvestri concrete pots. all A. Silvestri fountains including special orders. all ceramic pottery, garden gifts and houseplants. all wood trellises and arbors. your entire purchase of $100.00 or more. Coupon and sale prices good through Monday, Sept.13 and is limited to stock on hand except where noted. PLW 0910 $10.00 off 2010 Surviving in the ruins: Mary Bjorkholm visits the Yaxha Mayan ruins in Guatemala, a "new" rarely visited complex that was one site for the "Survivor Guatemala" TV series. Page 6 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly NEWS Volunteer at new Firehouse Arts Center Orientations begin tomorrow for ushers, docents The Firehouse Arts Center, which is hosting its Grand Opening next Saturday, has volunteer opportunities for theater ushers and art gallery docents. The Volunteer Usher Program is integral to the Firehouse experience, said its organizers, and is open to those 16 and older. Ushers scan tickets, help seat patrons, and assist the house manager in making the theater-going experience an enjoyable one. The Harrington Gallery Attendant volunteers, who must be 21, staff the gallery desk during the facility's open hours, greeting visitors and providing a friendly, welcoming and watchful presence. The first orientations, which are mandatory, are scheduled for tomorrow with the theater orientation at 10 a.m. and the gallery orientation at 11:30 a.m. Volunteer schedules for the first four-six weeks of programming will be confirmed that day. Those who wish to attend tomorrow's orientation must register at the volunteer site: www.helplendahand.org. A second volunteer orientation will be held once the Firehouse Arts Center has been open for several weeks and additional volBY DOLORES FOX CIARDELLI STAPLES Continued from Page 5 unteer needs have been identified. The center is located at 4444 Railroad Ave. in downtown Pleasanton. The free Grand Opening on Sept. 18 begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m. with artist demonstrations, live music, theater performances, self-guided tours of the facility, art activities for children and refreshments. Pleasanton Community Concert Band will take the stage at 10:30 a.m.; Livermore Valley Opera soprano Jillian Boye and baritone Sascha Joggerst will perform in the afternoon. The Firehouse Art Center's first season kicks off the following weekend with musical performances Sept. 24-26. The Harrington Art Gallery is presenting "First at the Firehouse," a visual arts exhibit by the Pleasanton Art League, which will host an opening reception from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 19. Tickets for all performances can be purchased online at www.firehousearts.org, by phone at 9314848, or in person starting today at the Firehouse Arts Center box office, open noon-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; and two hours prior to each performance. County. At one time, more than 300 homes were proposed for the site, but that plan was rejected by city officials. IKEA, the Swedish discount department store, also considered building a Tri-Valley outlet on Staples, but turned instead to Dublin and then abandoned the project altogether. The current plan goes back at least six years when Alameda County and Supervisor Scott Haggerty sought to sell the land to developers with the intention of annexing Staples into the city of Pleasanton. Those efforts languished, mainly because of objections to extending Stoneridge Drive through Staples to connect to El Charro Road on the other side. Opponents feared drivers, stuck in traffic on I-580 and at the 580-I-680 interchange, would find it attractive to cut through on Stoneridge to avoid the congestion. Proposals made this time, however, caught the interest of Pleasanton with plans to make Staples a business, senior residential, rec- reational and retail center. As part of its unanimous vote to approve the Staples Ranch plan Tuesday, the council also agreed to extend Stoneridge Drive to El Charro Road and Pleasanton on condition that the road opens to El Charro only after Livermore extends Jack London Boulevard on the other side. City Manager Nelson Fialho said Tuesday that Livermore officials have told him those plans are proceeding, with the Jack London extension project to start within a year or two. FUNDRAISER Continued from Page 5 Susan Houghton, director of public affairs for Safeway Corp., which is headquartered in Pleasanton, who was also at the Santa Rita Road store for the Labor Day event, said the Safeway Foundation raises funds for MDA through generous donations by employees and customers. The current MDA campaign ended Monday night. More than $47 million has been raised for MDA by Safeway over the last decade. Joining in the "Celebrity Bagger" event were sophomore girls who are on the cheerleading squad at Amador Valley High School. They sang, chanted and performed a number of cheerleading acts during the late morning event, bringing loud applause JEB BING Left: Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) bags groceries for a customer at Safeway's Santa Rita Road store Labor Day in support of fundraising efforts for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Right: Mayor Jennifer Hosterman greets a customer while bagging groceries. from hundreds of customers and store employees. Members of the cheerleading squad at the store were Emily St. Pierre, Alex Rooney, Claire Goveia, Eileen Drury, Katy Gibbons, Sarah Loduha and Emily Martin. --Jeb Bing OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS FINEST LIFETIME LUMBER IS A NEW ALTERNATIVE TO WOOD AND COMPOSITES FOR DECKS, DOCKS, PERGOLAS & FENCES. There's nothing better than knowing your family and home are safe. LifeTime Lumber offers a complete outdoor solution with technologically advanced products. We manufacture fire-safe and sustainable building products that promote safer and healthier living. Unlike most composite products, LifeTime Lumber contains no wood, so it won't deteriorate over time. In addition, LifeTime Lumber is a green product -- containing 60% recycled material. Our products require little maintenance, and they come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Scientific Certification Systems SCS-MC-01356. Certified minimum pre-consumer 60% recycled content. Visit www.LifeTimeLumber.com for more information, and call to find your local retailer 877.285.4338 B E AU T I F U L . G R E E N . F O R E V E R . Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 7 Opinion EDITORIAL DID YOU KNOW? Our CARF-accredited Teen Drug and Alcohol Recovery program offers affordable substance abuse treatment services for Tri-Valley teens. Contact Program Director Amie Sousa at 925.201.6201 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Axis Community Health...here when you need us. THE OPINION OF THE WEEKLY Pleasanton Weekly PRESIDENT Gina Channell-Allen, Ext. 119 PUBLISHER Jeb Bing, Ext. 118 EDITORIAL Editor Jeb Bing, Ext. 118 Managing Editor Dolores Fox Ciardelli, Ext. 111 Online/Community Editor Emily West, Ext. 229 Reporter Glenn Wohltmann, Ext. 121 Intern Brittany Hersh, Ext. 234 Contributors Don Colman Deborah Grossman Jerri Pantages Long Kerry Nally Joe Ramirez ART & PRODUCTION Lead Designer Katrina Cannon, Ext. 130 Designers Lili Cao, Ext. 120 Kristin Herman, Ext. 114 ADVERTISING Advertising Sales Manager Mary Hantos, Ext. 123 Account Executives Paul Crawford, Ext. 113 Karen Klein, Ext. 122 Barbara Lindsey, Ext. 226 Stacey Patterson, Ext. 232 Real Estate Sales Andrea Heggelund, Ext. 110 Ad Services Cammie Clark, Ext. 116 BUSINESS Business Associate Lisa Oefelein, Ext. 126 Circulation Director Bob Lampkin, Ext. 141 Front Office Coordinator Kathy Martin, Ext. 124 HOW TO REACH THE WEEKLY Phone: (925) 600-0840 Fax: (925) 600-9559 Editorial e-mail: email@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com Display Sales e-mail: email@example.com Classifieds Sales e-mail: email@example.com Circulation e-mail: circulation@ PleasantonWeekly.com www.axishealth.org DIABLO FLOORING, INC CARPET � HARDWOOD � LAMINATE � TILE � VINYL Diablo Flooring Inc. is here to bring the best possible pricing with the most beautiful and complete installation to the Bay Area. We are a small store which lets us give you the attention needed for a more professional experience. We cater to residential & commercial customers, designer, contractors, and developers. JOANNE HALL Holding a check for $250,000 in contributions from the Cultural Arts Council Foundation are City Councilwoman Cheryl Cook-Kallio (left) and Mayor Jennifer Hosterman. Others, from left, are Rudy Johnson, Debbie Look, Jaime Howell and Bill Butler, all of the foundation, and council members Jerry Thorne, Cindy McGovern and Matt Sullivan. Kudos to the Firehouse Arts Center 2 LOCATIONS! FREE ESTIMATES (925) 988-WOOD (9663) (925) 426-RUGS (7847) 5600-D Sunol Blvd., Pleasanton, CA 94566 Best Carpet Store T Best Flooring Store VISIT OUR SHOWROOM OR Shop@Home WWW.DIABLOFLOORING.COM 2010 License #898787 Kids see the darndest things going back to school. Let Foothill Optometric Group help you make sure they are seeing clearly. Don't forget to g their eyes checked! get g y here were smiles all around at the City Council meeting Tuesday night when a check totaling $250,000 in contributions toward the new Firehouse Arts Center was presented by Bill Butler, president of the Cultural Arts Council, and Debbie Look, director of its Firehouse Arts Center Foundation arm. The donation adds to the $2 million already raised by the nonprofit in direct contributions, stock transfers, pledges and other gifts. Although the foundation will be wrapping up its work over the next several months, donations are still being accepted. A signed brick at the center's outdoor patio costs $150 and one of the 226 seats in the auditorium can be "sponsored" for $500. Those who contribute $5,000 or more will be recognized on the general donors' wall in the main lobby. Debbie Look and Susan Andrade-Wax, director of Pleasanton's Parks and Community Services Department, which has oversight responsibility for the Firehouse Arts Center, led the media on a tour of the new facility last week. It's truly a spectacular complex, from the acousticfriendly auditorium to the open lobby and art studios and classrooms in other parts of the building. The Opening Night Gala next Friday night, sponsored by the privately-funded Cultural Arts Council, is sold out. However, Andrade-Wax's department will host a public ceremony next Saturday starting at 10 a.m. with tours of the new center after that. Then it will be down to business with performances by master jazz guitarist Earl Klugh on Friday, Sept. 24, celebrated composer musician Mose Allison on Saturday, Sept. 25, and award-winning pianist Evelyne Brancart in a Chopin Piano Concert on Sunday, Sept. 26. More performances, lectures and concerts follow with the center's Supervisor Rob Vogt intending to offer programming at least five nights a week from Wednesdays through Sundays. Local artists and their exhibits will be at the center every day. As Mayor Jennifer Hosterman said Tuesday, the opening of the Firehouse Arts Center shows why Money Magazine recently named Pleasanton as one of the top 100 cities in America. Parade? What Parade? Mention this ad for $25 off non prescription sunglasses! M Serving the Tri-Valley for 27 years 6155 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 100, Pleasanton (at the corner of Stoneridge & Franklin, between Hopyard & I-680) 463-2150 ain Street was closed from 1:30 to 3 p.m. last Friday for a parade. But if you blinked, you might have missed it. City staff agreed to close the street to accommodate the Marine Marching Band as part of the weekend's Scottish Game festivities. In years past, that included Scottish dancers and other exhibitions downtown, but this time it was just the band. A video we took timed the band at 1 minute 22 seconds, and that included a view of the band approaching and another as it marched by. Parking was restricted on Main Street during this time, at least three vehicles were ticketed, squad cars and uniformed police officers patrolled the "crowd," which included many merchants who took the time to watch the band go by since their customers couldn't reach Main Street to shop. While we like marching bands, this one needed to march somewhere else where it would have been less disruptive of a busy business day. The Pleasanton Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566; (925) 600-0840. Mailed at Periodicals Postage Rate, USPS 020407. The Pleasanton Weekly is mailed upon request to homes and apartments in Pleasanton. Community support of the Pleasanton Weekly is welcomed and encouraged through memberships at levels of $5, $8 or $10 per month through automatic credit card charges. Print subscriptions for businesses or residents of other communities are $60 per year or $100 for two years. Go to www.PleasantonWeekly.com to sign up and for more information. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pleasanton Weekly, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566. � 2010 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Visit Town Square at PleasantonWeekly.com to comment on the editorial. Page 8 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly COMMUNIT Y PULSE TRANSITIONS POLICE BULLETIN More than 900 drivers stopped at checkpoint Pleasanton police made one arrest last Friday night of a driver under the influence at a checkpoint on Stoneridge Drive and Johnson that kicked off the Labor Day weekend, said Traffic Sgt. Robert Leong. During the five-hour checkpoint, 1,068 vehicles passed through and 947 were stopped. "Because of the backup, we have to let a certain amount through," said Leong. "Thirty-three drivers had their license status checked," he reported. "Either they didn't have it on them or didn't have a license or they were suspended. Out of those, we issued 10 citations for drivers being unlicensed or suspended." They also cited three teen drivers with provisional licenses for violations. Police conducted six field sobriety tests at the checkpoint and made one arrest. This checkpoint was the first this year although there were several in 2009, said Leong. Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. WEEKLY MEETING NOTICES Planning Commission Wednesday, September 15, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m. City Council Chamber, 200 Old Bernal Avenue PCUP-279, Christ Church PUD-80 16 13M, Paul Thometz, LBA Realty POLICE REPORT The Pleasanton Police Department made the following information available. Dates and times are when the report was made. Under the law, those charged with offenses are considered innocent until convicted. PUD 82, David DiDonato, Donato Builders, Inc. Sept. 2 Auto burglary 6:22 a.m. in the 6700 block of Menlo Court 7:01 a.m. in the 3900 block of Mt. Rainier Court Drunk in public 1:46 p.m. in the 5600 block of Stoneridge Drive Sept. 4 Commercial burglary 5:53 a.m. in 3100 block of Santa Rita Road Drunk in public 9:08 p.m. on Foothill Road at Muirwood Drive 11:51 p.m. in the 5600 block of Owens Drive PGPA 16, City of Pleasanton Aug. 31 Theft 4:33 p.m. in 4500 block of Rosewood Drive; bicycle, Hardrock model with black handle bars and red grips Animal bite 11:18 p.m. on Bernal Avenue at Sunol Boulevard PRZ-57 (PUD-81-30-45M/PUD-85-08-19M), City of Pleasanton Sept. 3 Drunk in public 3:36 a.m. on Bernal Avenue at Kottinger Drive Commercial burglary 7:11 a.m. in 5600 block of Stoneridge Drive; money, office equipment 8:30 a.m. at 3600 block of Nevada Street; shingles, felt and nosing Shoplifting 4:32 p.m. at 1000 block of Stoneridge Mall Road Sept. 5 Drunk in public 1:07 a.m. in the 2100 block of Cascara Court 7:14 p.m. at First and Spring streets Sept. 1 Auto burglary 9:29 a.m. in the 4800 block of Mason Street; GPS unit Drunk in public 9:10 p.m. in 300 block of Main Street 11:30 p.m. in 600 block of Main Street Sept. 6 Residential burglary 10:36 a.m. in the 6600 block of Arlington Drive; household goods, jewelry, computer equipment Housing Commission Thursday, September 16, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m. Council Chamber, 200 Old Bernal OBITUARIES Marguerite V. Bieger Marquerite V. Bieger died Aug. 19 in Pleasanton at the age of 96. She was born Sept. 27, 1913, in Gillette, Ark., and lived in Arkansas, Arizona, California and Hawaii, including the last 10 years in Pleasan- ton. She worked for the city of Burbank until she retired. Her hobbies were doll collecting and lace-making and when living in Honolulu she was a lace specialist to the Bishop Museum. She is survived by her daughter Kathleen Rego (George) of Pearl City, Hawaii; sons James Broderick (Susan) of Pasadena, Dennis Broderick of Lawndale, and Terry Broderick (Susan) of Pleasanton; brothers Benton Vizzier of Mississippi, N. Vizzier of Minnesota, and Jim Vizzier of Arkansas; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Services were held Sept. 2 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church and burial is at St. Augustine Cemetery. Human Services Commission Tuesday, September 14, 2010 @ 6:30 p.m. Pleasanton Senior Center 5353 Sunol Blvd. Civic Arts Commission Monday, September 13, 2010 @ 7:00 p.m. City Council Chamber, 200 Old Bernal Avenue BEST-IN-CLASS COVERAGE PLAN FROM VOLVO SAFE SECURE Youth Master Plan Implementation Committee Monday, September 13, 2010 @ 6:00 p.m. Library Community Room, 400 Old Bernal Avenue 5 YEAR WARRANTY + 5 YEAR WEAR & TEAR 5 YEAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE + 5 YEAR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE For further details, please contact our sales department Economic Vitality Committee Thursday, September 16, 2010 @ 7:30 a.m. Operation Services Center, 3333 Busch Road THE NEW 2011 VOLVO S60 925.939.3333 2791 North Main St., Walnut Creek, CA www.lawrencevolvo.com Get All of This Plus More Great Offers from Volvo! Applications are being accepted for the new Ad-Hoc Housing Element Task Force The City Council is accepting applications for five at-large members for the new Housing Element Task Force. Applicants must be residents of the City of Pleasanton with an interest in understanding the housing needs of the community and recommending where the City should plan for future housing. Applicants should be willing to attend at least one or two meetings a month from late October 2010 through November 2011. Applications are available at the City Clerk's Office, 123 Main Street, or on the City's web site at www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us. Please indicate you are applying for the Housing Element Task Force. For additional information, please contact Janice Stern, Planning Manager, at 925-931-5606 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Applications must be received no later than Tuesday, September 28th at 4:30 p.m. Postmarks are not accepted. ALL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS WELCOME The above represents a sampling of upcoming meeting items. For complete information, please visit www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/community/calendar Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 9 Living PEOPLE AND LIFEST YLES IN OUR COMMUNIT Y Hitting the road for a good cause Foothill High grad working to help Uganda's `Invisible Children' BY BRITTANY HERSH W hile many Foothill High School graduates prepared to head off to college or join the workforce, Jaymie Shearer, 18, had an atypical plan for the next five months -- to be a "roadie." She will be traveling in a van along the East Coast to schools and colleges with the nonprofit organization Invisible Children to spread awareness about child soldiers and the war in Uganda. "I'm looking forward to just learning," Shearer said. "It's going to be so much work but also so much fun." Roadies spend two to three days in an area staying with host families, driving to different schools to screen the Invisible Children movie, "Go." They also sell merchandise to benefit the group's Schools for Schools program, which helps to rebuild secondary schools in Northern Uganda and to educate children. "My goal is to get more schools into the program," Shearer explained. She anticipated getting campuses to organize their own fundraising and awareness efforts for the cause. "It shows students they don't just have to donate to help," she said. "They can get involved by starting a club on campus and spreading the word." Shearer will spend a month training in San Diego before she and her five teammates, including two Ugandans, hit the road. Even though this is her first time living with other people she is not worried. "I'm stoked to live with roommates," she said. "I've already hosted roadies so I'm not nervous." The people in her group had already become Facebook friends and built a sense of community and excitement, she added. Each team member had to raise at least $1,500 for necessities on the road, such as food and toiletries. Shearer raised $2,000, about $300 of it at a garage sale she sponsored. The rest of the money came from friends and family. "People have been so supportive and understanding of why I need the money," she said. Shearer is not new to Invisible Children or its Schools for Schools program. After hearing the organization's name around the quad during her freshman year at Foothill High, she decided to do an online search. She found the film "Invisible Children: Rough Cut" and watched it. "I laughed when they laughed and cried when Jacob cried," Shearer said. The movie spurred her to book a screening with Schools for Schools and to start a club at Foothill High School. "Sophomore year I started the club. I learned a lot from it but it was tough," Shearer added. "I had high expectations." Besides starting the Schools for Schools club and hosting screenings at Valley Community Church, she also participated and helped organize The Rescue in San Francisco during spring 2009. This worldwide event spanned 10 countries and 100 cities. Page 10 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly COURTESY JAYMIE SHEARER Left Left: Jaymie Shearer (middle) hosted Invisible Children roadies who passed through PleasanChild ton l year and held a screening at Valley Comlast munity Church. mun COURTESY INVISIBLE CHILDREN B Below: Invisible Children's Schools for Schools program helps to rebuild secondary schools in pr Northern Uganda. N COURTESY INVISIBLE CHILDREN Above: The Rescue, shown here in San Francisco, has hundreds of people camping out to bring attention to the war in Uganda. Participants cannot leave until they are "rescued" by an influential person. In San Francisco, hundreds of individuals camped out to bring attention to the longest running war in Africa n and waited to be rescued by an influential person such as n a celebrity, politician or musician. The participants had sent out emails and called offices in advance asking people to rescue them. Former Mayor Willie Brown rescued Shearer's group after two days and 31 minutes. "We didn't know when someone was going to come," Shearer said, "My favorite part was waking up to people from Southern California who came to bring up our spirits and support us." Shearer has also run the Invisible Children merchandise booth at the Warped Tour's Mountain View stop for the last two years. After being involved in the movement for four r years, becoming a roadie was a logical step. "I've wanted to do this for so long," Shearer er stated. "I just want to be a part of the movement nt to end the war in Uganda, to be a part of someething that is bigger than me." LIVING Old Blues Eyes comes to Pleasanton `My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra' Fans of Frank Sinatra -- or just great songs -- are in for a treat with the new offering from the Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre: A music revue featuring 56 songs recorded by "Old Blue Eyes" that is currently playing to packed houses throughout the country. "Sinatra said that the secret of his success was to sing great songs. `My Way' offers some of the greatest music of the 20th century in a smart, tight production that has broad appeal," said Marc Masterson, artistic director of Actor's Theatre of Louisville. "Every night the audience is on their feet cheering." TVRT will present 12 performances over four weekends, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 17-Oct. 10, at the Studio Theatre, 1048 Serpentine Lane, Suite 309, Pleasanton. Tickets are $25 for adults; $22 for seniors; $20 for students; and a substantial discount for groups purchasing 20 or more tickets. A processing fee will be added to the price of each ticket, which may be purchased online at www.trivalleyrep.com (click on TICKETS), by calling 462-2121, or in person by visiting the ticket office at the Studio Theatre between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. The Tri-Valley cast includes Amy Lucido, Anthony V. Lucido, Katie Potts, Tom Reardon and Michael Scott Wells with producer Kathleen Breedveld, director Robert Sholty, musical direction by Sierra Dee, lighting design by David Lam, and costume design by Lisa Danz. It was created by David Grapes and Todd Olson and is being used by permission of Summerwind Productions. The next main stage production by TVRT will be "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," which will run from Oct. 22-Nov. 7. The Tony award-winning musical chronicles the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. --Dolores Fox Ciardelli Get daily local stories and hot picks sent to your email Pleasanton Sign up online at www.PleasantonWeekly.com Cardinal Jewelers "A world of fine gems." 2010 2009 Pleasanton has trusted us for 33 years... We invite you to stop in to see why! (925) 416-1111 3003-B Hopyard Rd. Pleasanton, CA In The Hopyard Village Shopping Center Original Owner Trust. Honesty. Integrity. Confidence. Expertise. Certain values can only be found at Master IJO Jeweler. BR ILLI A NCE YOU DESERVE� soon we will be, too. Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 11 COVER STORY Taking a out of crime Beefing up home security is often simple and inexpensive Not too long ago, Pleasanton was the kind of place one could leave the doors unlocked without worries about thefts. No more. Crime isn't rampant here by any means, but home burglaries have gotten common enough that they're not big news anymore. There are some ways that can reduce the risk of a home burglary, and most of them are neither hard nor expensive. Officer Shannon Revel-Whitaker of the Pleasanton Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit said there are three aspects to a crime, known as "the triangle of crime." The three sides to the triangle are the victim, the suspect and the opportunity. "You can't control the suspect and you can't control being a victim, but you can control the opportunity," Revel-Whitaker said. "That's important, giving people power." The crime prevention unit makes house calls, and can help homeowners make the places they live harder to get into, what Revel-Whitaker described as "target hardening." On a recent visit to a Pleasanton home, RevelWhitaker and her partner, Officer Ken McNeill, pointed out a number of problems, and some simple fixes. Often a quick look around before leaving can be a help. On this visit, for example, both back doors had been left unlocked. Two upper windows were also BY GLENN WOHLTMANN were easily opened, requiring just a reach over to pop the latch -- something that could be fixed by a padlock. This home also had items stored outside, including bicycles, which recently have become attractive targets for thieves. McNeill suggested that items left outside be locked. While there was no visible sign of an alarm, the No. 1 deterrent to break-ins, this home did have the No. 2 deterrent, a dog. "Believe it or not, it doesn't matter the breed or the size," Revel-Whitaker said. McNeil said it doesn't matter if a dog is friendly or not: Most burglars won't risk breaking in to find out. He added that even if a homeowner doesn't have or want a dog, there's nothing that says a "beware of dog" sign can't be posted. Revel-Whitaker added that there are also motion sensor alarms that trigger a recording of a barking dog. Some things were impossible to check, such as whether the lighting is enough to cover the entire front of the house or whether the screws that hold the latch plate in the door are long enough. Those screws should be at least an inch long. There was also no way to tell if the deadbolt had been properly installed. Police recommend a deadbolt that runs at least an inch into the door jamb and is at least 40 inches from glass, to keep someone from reaching in and turning the latch. GLENN WOHLTMANN Officer Shannon Revel-Whitaker demonstrates how burglars look into homes before entering to see if they can spot anything worth stealing, such as laptop computers, in a quick "grab-and-go." GLENN WOHLTMANN Officer Ken McNeill points out that both back doors were left unlocked at this Pleasanton home when the residents went out. He advises people to take a quick look around their home before leaving. Page 12 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly open, and McNeill pointed to objects nearby that could easily be stacked to provide an entry to a would-be burglar. In fact, McNeill and Revel-Whitaker noticed a couple of problems before getting out of their car. The house number wasn't immediately visible, which could delay emergency workers. And a large bush near the front corner of the house could provide a hiding place for a criminal. To minimize that, "trees should be trimmed up, and bushes should be trimmed down," RevelWhitaker said. The back yard of the home is surrounded by a privacy fence, which can provide privacy for a burglar, too, they pointed out. Gates on both sides If that deadbolt is closer than 40 inches, police recommend installing one that requires keys both inside and out. This house had no sliding glass door, which pose some unique problems. While the use of a dowel to keep doors from opening is common, Revel-Whitaker said they need to be the proper size or a thief can bump it out of the frame. Also, like most sliding doors, they can be jimmied up and off the track, even if they're locked with the hook latch that comes on most doors; RevelWhitaker suggested installing a screw at the top of the door so it can't be pried off its track. There were a number of things these homeowners had done right. No valuables were in sight of a The Perfect Blend D iscover the advantages of The Parkview. Enjoy apartment living in Pleasanton with stunning views... The peace-of-mind that comes with staff availability around the clock to assist as needed...A recreation program with opportunities to learn, create and regain self-confidence. Separate memory care accommodations are on-site. Call today for more information or to d . schedule a tour. THE INDEPENDENCE YOU WANT, THE ASSISTANCE YOU NEED. AT THIS AGE, I THOUGHT I KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT MYSELF. KNOW THAT LITTLE DID I I HAD MORE TO DISCOVER THROUGH ALL THE PROGRAMS OFFERED HERE. TO FIND THAT GLENN WOHLTMANN If bicycles and garden equipment must be left outside, they should be locked, said Officer Whitaker, noting that thieves recently have been targeting bicycles. WAS I SURPRISED I HAD A CREATIVE SIDE? 100 VALLEY AVENUE (FORMERLY JUNIPERO ST.) PLEASANTON WWW.ESKATON.ORG IN A WORD - YES! window where they could be taken in a grab-and-go theft, where the key is speed and not stealth. RevelWhitaker said laptops and other items that can easily be taken should be kept away from windows, or the windows should have the shades drawn. The garage doors -- often an open invitation for thieves -- were closed tight. The house also didn't have a hidden key, or at least not one that could easily be found. Beneath doormats, in flower pots and on a door jamb are all common places for burglars to look for keys. "A lot of thefts are crimes of opportunity," Revel-Whitaker said. "The goal is to take away that opportunity." The shades were pulled, which McNeill said could be either good or bad, depending on how the shades are kept when someone's home. He said, however, especially when taking a trip, it's important not to shut all the shades to make the house feel shut down. While alarms are the biggest deterrent to crime, McNeil said those alarms don't have to be expensive. He said something as inexpensive as one that makes a loud noise when a connection is broken can be effective at running off a would-be thief. Revel-Whitaker said the main problem with many alarm systems is that people don't use them. "You get caught up in the everyday," she said. Pleasanton police do home security inspections, but Revel-Whitaker said it's easy to spot problems. "Look at your home though a burglar's eyes, day and night, or maybe trade with a neighbor -- you look at his house and have him look at yours," she suggested. Revel-Whitaker also said one of the best things about Pleasanton is that people in a neighborhood are at home different times of the day and can watch out for each other. That proved true on the home visit. Despite arriving in a police car and the fact that one of the officers was in uniform, a neighbor came out and asked questions. People watching out for each other is also a good way to fight crime, as in a recent incident where an alert neighbor called Pleasanton police after seeing a suspicious car and people peering in windows and trying doors. That led to the arrest of two people from Oakland. Revel-Whitaker said people shouldn't hesitate to call police. She said people often hesitate thinking their call will bother them, or that what they think is suspicious may not warrant a police visit. RevelWhitaker also said people shouldn't hesitate to call the city if a street light goes out. She recommends Neighborhood Watch, and pointed out that, like providing free home security visits, police will work with new groups. "We don't necessarily know what's normal in your neighborhood, but you know what's not right," McNeill said. There are some things that can be done to protect property even if a burglar gets inside. Revel-Whitaker said valuables, especially items like jewelry, should be kept in a safe. McNeill said items like laptops should be engraved with a driver's license number, which will follow a person even after a change of address, so that if an item is recovered 10 years later, the owner can still be located. Police have an engraver they lend out. McNeill said most burglaries are drug related, with thieves taking things that can easily be sold. Sometimes, he said, they'll be sold to someone cheaply who will then turn around and sell them on craigslist or eBay. Homes not far from a freeway off-ramp are frequently targets for thieves from outside the area, but Revel-Whitaker said that's not always the case. 925-461-3042 MANAGED BY ESKATON License #015601283 J. Thayer Company Affiliate 925-833-9091 "Your Total Office Solution" n n n n Great Prices Fast Delivery Friendly Personnel Trust OUR PRODUCTS & SERVICES INCLUDE: New & Used Office Furniture n Cubicle & Panel Systems n Space Planning & Design n Office Supplies-Next Day Delivery n Ergonomics n Move & Project Management n On-Site Space Planner n Delivery & Installation and more n One Call One Source One Solution GLENN WOHLTMANN Shrubbery near the home provides a hiding place for criminals. "Trees should be trimmed up, and bushes should be trimmed down," say police. Free Design Consultation (valued at $150) Expires 10/31/10 Mention this ad for "We have a significant amount of crime even from people in town," she said. "Crime comes from human beings and human beings are everywhere." Even with precautions, Revel-Whitaker said there's no way to be entirely safe. "You can put up every barrier in the world, but sometimes bad things happen to good people," she said. No one wants to live in Fort Knox, she added. 925-833-9091 4847 Hopyard Road, Suite 4228 n Pleasanton, CA 94588 www.onesource-4u.com E-mail: email@example.com Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 13 NOW AVAILABLE ...The Fat Melting Laser you've heard about ...As seen on "The Doctors," "Rachael Ray" and "CNN" LOSE INCHES 2 WEEKS IN ONLY You can instantly collapse your fat cells using a state-of-the-art FDA approved laser that has cosmetic surgeons shaking in their million dollar boots. We have the first FDA cleared, non-invasive laser body contouring procedure to effectively remove excess fat. HERE'S W HAT PATI EN T S A R E SAY I NG : "I have lost 15 1 / 2 inches off my waist, hips, thighs and pooch areas. I am extremely pleased." -- A.B. 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CALL NOW (925) 452-6030 Page 14 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly San Ramon Valley Blvd #A106 San Ramon, CA 94583 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY 2570 ool Back to Sch Special... FREE Meal! Buy one, get one FREE! Breakfast or lunch. JAPANESE CUISINE 2010 2009 ON THE E TOWN AMERICAN Eddie Papa's American Hangout 4889 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton, 469-6266. Winner of The Pleasanton Weekly's Reader Choice Awards for "Best American Food Restaurant" and "Best Meal under $20," Eddie Papa's American Hangout celebrates the regional food and beverage cultures of America. Bring the whole family to enjoy iconic dishes from across the United States, Old World Hospitality, and hand crafted artisan cocktails. www.eddiepapas.com Serving BREAKFAST & LUNCH Best Sushi/Japanese Restaurant Authentic Japanese Sushi Bar Lunch Tempura Dinner Teriyaki Sushi Catering Voted Best Diner/ Coffee Shop Owner Operated Since 1983 Makoto Sato Open Tues. � Sun. 925.462.3131 3015-K Hopyard Rd., Pleasanton (in the Hopyard Village Shopping Center) 484-0789 201 Main Street, Downtown Pleasanton Open 7 days a week, 7am-2pm See our online coupon...www.vicsallstar.com Little Home Thai Cuisine Best Thai Food in the Bay Area Since 1996 N Santa Rita Rd. McDonald's Pimlico Dr. Authentic Indian Cuisine BARBECUE Red Smoke Grill 4501 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton, 734-0307. Home of the Tri Tip and Blue, Red Smoke Grill was Voted Reader's Choice Best 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010. Dine in or take out rotisserie chicken, ribs, prawns, salads and tri tip, or pulled pork sandwiches. Relax with a beer or a bottle of wine. Visit www.redsmokegrill.com. 580 4000 Pimlico Dr., Ste. 106 Pleasanton ( 925 ) 251-9877 Fax (925) 251-9881 Dinner Special 2 entree minimum. Not valid with any other offer or on take out. One coupon per table. Expires 10/10/10 6601 Dublin Blvd., Ste.B Dublin 925 ) 828-8218 ( Fax (925) 825-8221 15% Off NEW BUSINESS HOURS Closed Mondays Lunch Buffet 11am-3pm (Tuesday-Saturday) Fine Dining 5-10pm,TuesSat., Sun 11am-10pm Catering Wine and Indian Domestic Beers First Anniversary Special 20% OFF Entree - Dine-In Only Expires 9/30/10 BREWPUB/ALEHOUSE The Hop Yard American Alehouse and Grill 3015H Hopyard Road, Pleasanton, 426-9600. Voted Best Watering Hole in Pleasanton, The Hop Yard offers 30 craft beers on tap as well as great food. The full-service menu includes appetizers, salads and grilled fare that will bring you back time and again. Banquet facilities available. On the web at www.hopyard.com. 470 Market Place, San Ramon, 277-9600. Featuring a giant 8-foot projection screen for major sporting events, they also feature 30 beers on tap and a great grill. Go in for the beer, go back for the food. More at www.hopyard.com. www.littlehomethai.com Voted "Best Thai Restaurant" $ 8.99 2010 LUNCH BUFFET Expires 9/30/10 $ 210 Rose Ave Downtown Pleasanton 925-485-4800 When you spend $40 or more on orders on Tues & Wed. One coupon per table. Dine in only Expires 9/30/10 10 off www.indiagardencuisine.com ITALIAN The Very Best. Period. Wild entire purchase Mon.-Wed. only. Exp. 10-3-10 Pastas Trattoria 405 Main St., Pleasanton, 417-2222. Pastas Trattoria has an elegant atmosphere and a one-of-a-kind menu. We feature steaks, seafood and our famous pasta, plus a superb selection of spirits and fine wines. Reserve our banquet facilities for large parties, up to 70 guests. Barone's Restaurant SUNDAY SPECIALS 2010 To have your restaurant listed in this dining directory, please call the Pleasanton Weekly "Most Romantic Restaurant" New Happy Hours 4:00pm - 6:00pm Advertising Department It's a BBQ Weekend! at (925) 600-0840 523-3160 475 Saint John | Pleasanton | 426-0987 www.Meat-N-Fish.com Pleasanton Weekly Downtown Pleasanton Look for us soon at 700 Main Street Pleasanton Weekly P RI N T & O N LI N E September 10, 2010 Page 15 Workbench TrueValue Hardware 1807 Santa Rita Rd Phone (925) 846-0660 www.truevalue.com TOM LEW DICK ON THE TOWN CALENDAR Auditions VALLEY CONCERT CHORALE 2010-11 SEASON The Valley Concert Chorale is seeking experienced singers with sight-reading skills. Auditions are by appointment only from 5-7 p.m., Mondays, Sept. 13 and Sept. 20, at First Presbyterian Church, Fourth and L streets, Livermore. Call 462-4205 to schedule an appointment. the twice-monthly affordable school. Call 485-1049 or visit TriValleyCulturalJews.org. range from $14 to $34. Call 2271800 or visit www.tommyts.com. HAPPY HOUR The Widow and Widowers of Northern California are having a happy hour from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 16, at the Sheraton Hotel, 5990 Stoneridge Mall Rd. RSVP to Marge at 828-5124 by Tuesday, Sept. 14. Cost depends on choice of food and beverage. TRI-FOR-REAL TRIATHLON Experience your moment of triumph with the Tri-For-Real Triathlon on Sunday, Sept. 19. Event will take place at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park, 2500 Stanley Blvd. To register, call (209) 7957832. Fees will vary on registration. Concerts MANIC MELODIES COMEDY TOUR Some of the best musical comedians in the country will perform in a fun, eclectic show from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at Bunjo's Comedy Lounge,6513 Regional St., Dublin. Performers include national headliner Phil Johnson plus Danny Dechi, Herb Digs, Jerry Goldstone, DJ Real, and Richard Stockton. Cost $15. Call 408-946-7471 or visit www.manicmelodies.com/ manic-melodies-comedy-tour. FRED EUGENE BILL MIKE JIM TOM 30 BEERS ON TAP Try our new menu items designed by Bruce Paton, The Beer Chef CHUCK DAVE Classes EXPLORING NON-TRADITIONAL WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR MOMS Mom, are you looking to work, but don't want to compromise your family obligations? Las Positas College-Community Education is presenting a three-hour seminar exploring new ways to work that allow you flexibility and control over your schedule, from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 17, at 3033 Collier Canyon Rd., Livermore. Cost is $39. Call 424-1467 or visit www.laspositascollege.edu/communityed. INTRO TO JEWISH CULTURE SCHOOL Intro to Jewish Sunday School, without religion, will begin from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at Bothwell Arts Center, 2466 8th St., Livermore. The introduction is in Livermore then the classes will be held in Castro Valley and include music, dance, cooking, history and ethics. There will be activities for children and it's a chance for parents to meet and learn about Enjoy our new and improved outdoor dining area! PROPANE TANK EXCHANGE (Some Restrictions Apply) Events 38TH ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL Original Art and Craft Show is the largest such offering on the West Coast, a family treat with food, fun and entertainment for everyone. The show is from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 17-18, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave. Tickets $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for youth 13-17, and children 12 and under are free. Call (415) 447-3205, www.harvestfestival.com. BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT Comedian, actor, writer and director Bobcat Goldthwait will perform from 7:3011:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 9-11 at Tommy T's Comedy Club, 5104 Hopyard Rd. Tickets Film CALIFORNIA'S HIGHEST PEAKS Photographer David Stark Wilson will present a nature slide show at 2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 12, at the Pleasanton Public Library, 400 Old Bernal Ave. California's "Fourtenners" -- Mount Whitney, Mount Shasta and the loftiest peeks of the High Sierra -- have long teased the imagination and challenged the fortitude of mountaineers. Call 931-3405 or visit www.davidstarkwilson.com. $19 .99 2010 SHARPEN & BALANCE Rotary Lawn $5 . 00 Mower Blade PLEASANTON (925) 426-9600 3015-H Hopyard Road Fundraisers THE GREAT CATSBY CASINO NIGHT This gala evening under the stars to benefit the Valley Humane Society will take place from 6-11 p.m. Sept. 11 at the home of Becky and Murray Dennis, 838 Gray Fox Circle. Tickets for $65 include dinner, two drink tickets, valet parking, gambling chips. Music by Toucan Jam. Buy tickets online at www.valleyhumane.org or at Valley Humane Society, 3670 Nevada St. Call 4268656. 925-. www.hopyard.com 5588-B Springdale Ave. Pleasanton, CA 94588 Tel: (925) 734-0222 Fax: (925) 734-0242 www.trivalleyseafood.com Kitchen Special $13,999 Includes: Chinese Restaurant We Deliver!! Serving Dim Sum All Day Long Kids & Teens Best Chinese Cuisine & Dim Sum Marvette construction (925) 784-1800 www.marvetteconstruction.com License #886695 For all your remodeling needs FREE HUGS AND ART A children's fair to help little ones create Kindness Flags, and offering hugs, will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave., Livermore. For more information, go to www.meetup. com/SpreadKindness/. Three days of Shopping, Entertainment & Prizes! OFF NO COVER CHARGE PLEASANTON September 17-19 Alameda County Fairgrounds, (enter Gate 8 from Valley Ave) Friday & Saturday 10am-6pm; Sunday 10am-5pm Tickets: Adult $9 Senior (62+) $7 Youth 13-17 $4 12 & under FREE For info or tickets: www.harvestfestival.com or 1-800-346-1212 Fri. Sept. 10 Sat. Sept. 11 Fri. Sept. 17 Sat. Sept. 18 � � � � SAVE $2.00 on one adult or senior admission with this ad Page 16 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly ON THE TOWN CALENDAR Lectures/ Workshops AN AMERICAN SOLDIER OF 1846 Museum On Main presents the next 2010 Ed Kinney lecture series at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Lynnewood United Methodist Church, 4444 Black Ave. An American Soldier of 1846, reenacted by Ernie Manzo, recalls both defeats and victories in the American takeover of California. Tickets $5 for members and seniors; $10 for non-members; and $3 for students or teachers with ID. Visit www.museumonmain.org. DMV OMBUDSMAN A representative from the DMV Ombudsman program will speak from 10:3011:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd. The program represents the interest of public safety for all Californians and assists as a go-between to ensure that senior drivers are treated fairly and consistently with the laws. Cost $1.75 resident or $2.25 for non-resident. Call 931-5369. and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays from Sept. 17-Oct. 10 at Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre, 1048 Serpentine Ln., Suite 309. Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $20 for students. Call 462-2121 or visit www.trivalleyrep.com. Recreation TODDLERS EXPLORE! Grab your stroller and your little one for a stroll through our natural world to explore flowers, butterflies and blue skies...all through the eyes of a toddler, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sept. 11 at Alviso Adobe Park, 3465 Foothill Rd. Call 931-3483 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. A'S FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION NIGHT The Oakland A�s will host A's Firefighter Appreciation Night at 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Oakland Coliseum. Firefighters from around the Bay Area and Northern California will be honored prior to the game during a special onfield ceremony. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to firefighter charitable organizations. Cost $26 Plaza Level, $28 Field Level. Call (510) 563-2336 or visit www. oaklandathletics.com/firefighters (passcode:HERO). PHASE 1 GROUP RIDE This easypaced road ride is ideal for new riders, riders coming back from time off, or those wanting a more social/learning environment. Meets at 10 a.m. Saturdays to go 20-35 miles, with a monthly ride of 40 miles. Re-groups every 10 miles and one longer stop. Call 485-3218 or visit cyclepath.com. High Holiday Services Join us for a New Beginning! Seniors BRAIN MATTERS Enjoy a morning of fun while learning how to keep your brain active and your memory sharp. The class is held from 10-11:30 a.m. the first and third Fridays of every month at the Pleasanton Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd. Word games, puzzles, challenging activities, reminiscing and more, geared to help you age-proof your mind. Cost $1.75 for resident and $2.25 for non-resident. Call 931-5365 or visit www. pleasantonseniorcenter.org. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Chabad of the Tri Valley Invites you to an inspiring and meaningful High Holiday experience. A place where you will feel welcome and at home. You may see yourself as unaffiliated Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox. At Chabad we see you as Jewish. No labels. No differences. Chabad is the home for every Jew. Specialized children's programs & babysitting available. No affiliation or tickets required. FEEL FREE TO POP RIGHT IN. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: (925) 846-0700 OR VISIT US AT: WWW.JEWISHTRIVALLEY.COM Rosh Hashana Services: at the Four Point Sheraton 5115 Hopyard Rd. Wednesday, September 8 - 7:00pm Thurs. Sep. 9 & Fri. Sep. 10 - 10:00am Shofar Blowing 11:30am Festive holiday buffets will follow all services Volunteering TRI-VALLEY ANIMAL RESCUE Do you love animals? Tri-Valley Animal Rescue is holding an orientation for new volunteers, from 1-2:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at East County Animal Shelter, 4595 Gleason Dr., Dublin. Learn about volunteer opportunities like fostering dogs or cats, socializing shelter animals, helping at adoption events and fundraisers, and many other roles. For ages 18 and older. Cost is $10 cash or check to help cover the cost of materials. Call 803-7043 or visit www.tvar.org. Live Music FIFE & DRUM The Young American Patriots Fife & Drum Corps will be featured Saturday, Sept. 11, at the downtown Farmers Market. They will play patriotic music in three sets of 15 minutes at 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 11 a.m. Contact 825-9090 or visit www.youngamericanpatriots.com. Yom Kippur Services: at the Doubletree Hotel 720 Las Floras Friday, September 17 - 7:00pm Saturday, September 18 - 10:00am Yizkor Memorial Service - 12:00pm Neilah Closing Service - 6:45pm Spiritual `AWAKEN YOUR CATHOLIC FAITH' This six-session series, "Awaken Your Catholic Faith," includes topics such as "Spirituality: What's the Buzz?" and "Can the Mass Make My Life Meaningful?" Learn and ask questions in a friendly and confidential setting with other Catholics. Classes are from 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 15 through Oct. 20 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 4001 Stoneridge Dr. Contact Father Joseph at 846-4489. Miscellaneous FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER GRAND OPENING The new Firehouse Arts Center will have its grand opening from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 18 at 4444 Railroad Ave. Following the dedication, the public is invited to view the facility, which features a performing arts theater, art gallery and arts classrooms. The free open house will have music, refreshments, drawings and activities for children. Call 931-5340 or visit www.firehousearts.org. Sports WOMEN'S TRIATHLON Experience your moment of triumph with the See Jane Run Women's Triathlon on Sept. 25. Event will take place at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park, 2500 Stanley Blvd, at 8 a.m. To register, call 415-814-1530 or email Deb at firstname.lastname@example.com. Fees will vary on registration. On Stage MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre presents "My Way: A Musical tribute to Frank Sinatra" at 8 p.m. Friday A Big to Everyone who Participated in the Castlewood Patriot Golf Day Held Labor Day Weekend. Thank You A total of $3,250 was raised for this great cause. Golfers Patriot Day was established in 2007 nationwide to help support the families of our fallen service men and women. Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 17 fogster.com BULLETIN BOARD 115 Announcements GAIN NATIONAL EXPOSURE Reach over 5 million young, educated readers for only $995 by advertising in 110 weekly newspapers like this one. Call Jason at 202-289-8484. This is not a job offer. (AAN CAN) PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby's One True Gift Adoptions 866-413-6293 (Void in Illinois) (AAN CAN) 8 Men for TV Pilot BOOKKEEPER NEEDED Do you need a part time job offer to utilize your free times profitably?Do you plan to earn weekly/monthly while your present job is still secured? Then this job opening is for you: A Bookkeeper/financial software handler is needed on part time basis Remuneration; 300USD/weekly i.e $1200 monthly Work days are only Mondays,Wednesdays & Fridays No special knowledge is needed. Anyone can apply as applicants will be personally trained. Maximum of 3hrs on working days Does this sound like what you want?If yes send updated resumes only to: email@example.com Gregg Lax CLUTTERLess [CL] Self HelpMonday Communuty Garage/Craft Sale Fibromyalgia,Stress,Pain Mgmt Livermore Lioness Club seeksNew Love Shouldn't Hurt - $59 + $5 mater Sellers Wanted, Alamo SHARPEN UP AT THE FARMERS MARKET Stress/Pain Mgmt Class Sunday Morning Cafe! THE TRI-VALLEY'S FREE CLASSIFIEDS WEB SITE Math Tutoring High school math/English tutoring: Essay writing, college application essays, Alg., get ready for Geometry. SAT/ACT prep. Ret. teacher, Cal. credential. 925-462-3807 Cash Now! Get cash for your structured settlement or annuity payments. High payouts. Call J.G. Wentworth. 1-866-SETTLEMENT (1-866-738-8536). Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. (Cal-SCAN) crosetti funding CASH NOW we offer fast cash for your mortgage note, annuity, and business note call 1 800 391 4032 Fogster.com offers FREE* postings online and the opportunity for your ad to appear in print to more than 80,000 readers. You can log on to fogster.com 24/7, and your online ad starts immediately. A Car Donation helping sick kids! Donate Your Car to SONGS OF LOVE and make a sick child smile! Featured on NBC (TODAY SHOW), CNN. Tax-deductible, all vehicle conditions accepted. www.SongsofLove.org 888-909-SONG (7664). (Cal-SCAN) Donate Vehicle Receive $1000 Grocery Coupons, Your Choice. Noah's Arc, No Kill Animal Shelters. Advanced Veterinary Treatments. Free Towing, IRS Tax Deduction. Non-Runners. 1-866-912GIVE. (Cal-SCAN) Donate Your Car Children's Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child's Life Through Research and Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy and Tax Deductible. Call 1-800252-0615. (Cal-SCAN) Marketplace Pleasanton Weekly Real Estate Accounting/Bookkeeping PERSONALIZED TUTORING Mathematics, Science, English, SAT, etc. 510 512 6321 355 Items for Sale Crib Set All Included Lawn Greetings for Celebrations 645 Office/Home Business Services Advertise Online In a network of 140-plus newspaper websites. Border to Border with one order! $10 cost per thousand impressions statewide. Minimum $5,000 order. Call for details: 916/288-6010. www.CaliforniaBannerAdNetwork.com (Cal-SCAN) Classified Advertising In 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach over 6 million Californians! FREE email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SCAN.com (Cal-SCAN) Display Advertising In 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! FREE email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SDAN.com (Cal-SCAN) Mike Fracisco � REALTOR Fracisco Realty & Investments Residential, Commercial & Property Management direct: 925-998-8131 www.MikeFracisco.com DRE#01378428 No job too big or too small!!! Over 23 years experience in all aspects of bookkeeping. NEED HELP WITH QUICKBOOKS? Call Linda 925.918.2233 Healthcare Independent Contractors wanted for Senior Home Health Care. MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE 210 Garage/Estate Sales Pleasanton, 5063 Monaco Dr., Saturday 9-2 Pleasanton, 7223 Valley View Ct, Sept. 11, 8-1 Moving/Garage Sale @ 7223 Valley View Ct., Pleasanton Kids books, teach/tutor supplies, household items & more treasures! Open 8-1 Pleasanton, 1102 Lund Ranch Rd., Sept. 11, 8-2 General Contracting EMPLOYMENT 560 Employment Information $$$HELP WANTED$$$ Extra Income! Assembling CD cases from Home! No Experience Necessary! Call our Live Operators Now! 1-800405-7619 EXT 2450 http://www. easywork-greatpay.com (AAN CAN) Computer Work Work from anywhere 24/7. Up to $1,500 Part Time to $7,500/mo. Full Time. Training provided. www.KTPGlobal.com or call 1-888-304-2847. (Cal-SCAN) Drivers ASAP! New Pay Increase! 37-43 cpm. Fuel Bonus - up to 4cpm! Need CDL-A and 3 months recent OTR. 1-877-258-8782. www.MeltonTruck.com (Cal-SCAN) Drivers New Trucks arriving! Solo OTR Drivers and Team Drivers. West states, exp. hazmat end, great miles & hometime. ANDRUS TRANSPORTATION 1-800888-5838 or 1-866-806-5119 x1402. (Cal-SCAN) Drivers - Regional More Hometime! Top Pay! Excellent Benefits! Newer Equipment! Up to $.41/mile company drivers! Heartland Express 1-800-441-4953. www. HeartlandExpress.com (Cal-SCAN) Drivers - Regional Runs If you live on I-5, We have the Job for You! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile! Heartland Express 1-800441-4953. www.HeartlandExpress.com (Cal-SCAN) Drivers - Work for the Best! Gordon Trucking, Inc. Immediate Openings!! Teams - All the miles you can log! Regional and OTR openings. Full Benefits, 401k, Regular Hometime. We have the Freight! Talk to a recruiter live! www.TeamGTI.com 1-888-832-6484 EOE. (Cal-SCAN) Drivers -SLT $2,000 BONUS. Flatbed and heavy haul. Owner Ops needed Up to 78% of load Pay. Owners with trailers a plus. 1-800-835-9471. (Cal-SCAN) Firefighter Paid training to join elite U.S. Navy team. Good pay, medical and dental, promotions, vacation. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Mon-Fri 1-800-345-6289. (Cal-SCAN) MOVIE EXTRAS earn up to $150/day to stand in backgrounds of major film. Experience not required. CALL NOW! 1-888-664-4621 (AAN CAN) HANDYMAN SERVICE SINCE 1994 Carpentry/Woodwork Electrical Repairs/Installations Drywall/Texturing Tile/Grout A-Z Complete Home Repair 925.989.6179 / 510.733.5582 Foreign Language Senior Solutions 925-443-3101 Teacher/Tutor 215 Collectibles & Antiques Royal Doulton figurine - $35 220 Computers/ Electronics For Sale:Monitors&Speakers - $100 Port. Washer&Dryer+AcerComputer - $B.O. HOME SERVICES 715 Cleaning Services Convenient Cleaning Over 12 years exp. Will bring supplies. 3 hour min., $60. Lic. 060612. Natalie, 925/922-3920 Ciao Italia Italian language courses and tutoring in Pleasanton Academic Solutions One-on-one interaction in a safe, stimulating classroom setting � Grades K-12 � Multitude of specialties � Flexible hours � Customized � Progress reports Eileen Mammen 240 Furnishings/ Household items 3 piece kitchen carving set - $10 China Cabinet - $450 OBO Dining Room Table+6 chairs - $800 Entertainment Cabinet - $45.00 Executive Desk & more - $700 OBO Mahogany Twin Bed set & Night Ta $1,200 California Teacher & Tutor 925.963.1710 firstname.lastname@example.com * Now Enrolling * Beginner course (8 weeks) starts September 28th 10:00am to 12:00 Ph: 925-858-3776 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com To advertise in the Marketplace call Karen at 925.600.0840 x122 or email firstname.lastname@example.com Leather & Vinyl Repair M AID TO SERVE YOU Housecleaning Service Repaired & Dyed 925.829.1988 Barbary Coast LEATHER 130 Classes & Instruction HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Graduate in just 4 weeks!! FREE Brochure. Call NOW! 1-800-532-6546 Ext. 97 http://www.continentalacademy.com (AAN CAN) Heavy Equipment Training Crane training. Learn to operate bulldozer, backhoe, motor grader, excavator, skid steer, crane. Career assistance. Call 888-210-4534. Northern California College of Construction. www.HEAVY4.com promocode NCPA1 Advertisement for Training. (Cal-SCAN) High School Diploma! Graduate in 4 weeks! FREE Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com (Cal-SCAN) 245 Miscellaneous Elk Hunts ELK HUNTS - DURANGO COLORADO. No License Required. Cows $850/ Manage Bulls $3900. Trophy Bulls $10,000-$15,000. 1500 Acres Prime Habitat. www.ElkQuest.com 970-7494647. (Cal-SCAN) Sawmills New Norwood LumberMate-Pro handles logs 34" diameter, mills boards 28" wide. Automated quick-cycle-sawing increases efficiency up to 40%! www. NorwoodSawmills.com/300N 1-800661-7746 ext. 300N. (Cal-SCAN) 2011 Entertainment Coupon Books - $30 Baby Einstein Exersaucer - $45 OBO Baby Trend High Chair - $25 OBO Graco Quattro Tour Travel System - $75 Medela Pump in Style Breastpump - 100 Non-stick stove top grill - $20 RED WORMS FOR COMPOSTING - $25.00 $35 OFF for 3 cleanings Sofas and Cars Color Matching Excellent Local References Family owned for 25 years Call Today at (925) 249-0399 PET OF THE WEEK Let us entertain you Meet a couple of rascals named Timmy and Tommy who deserve to be nominated for Entertainers of the Year. These 3-month-old brothers are purr machines that play, play and play some more. Timmy and Tommy have beautiful coal CATHERINE HANSEN RUSH black fur and they love it when you pet them. These loving kittens are sure to bring countless hours of joy to some lucky household. Can you picture them both in your lap? Timmy and Tommy (pets No. 95691 and 95692) are available for adoption at the East County Animal Shelter, 4595 Gleason Drive in Dublin; open 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily; telephone 803-7040. 741 Flooring/ Carpeting Cal Floors-Hardwood Floors SAVE! on ALL our hardwood flooring services. FREE ESTIMATES! 925-9545012 Main St Downtown Pleasanton 751 General Contracting NOTICE TO READERS >It is illegal for an unlicensed person to perform contracting work on any project valued at $500.00 or more in labor and materials. State law also requires that contractors include their license numbers on all advertising. Check your contractor's status at www.cslb. ca.gov or 800-321-CSLB (2752). Unlicensed persons taking jobs that total less than $500.00 must state in their advertisements that they are not licensed by the Contractors State License Board Superior Builders Has 25 years of experience in residential and comercial construction. Additions/ Remodels/Kitchen/ Bathrooms/T.I Construction. Ca. Lic. 495036 Ken 925699-2929 email@example.com 133 Music Lessons Harpist Dominique Piana Has A Few Openings For Committed Students Of All Levels/Ages. Call 925-455-5333 250 Musical Instruments Yamaha DGX500 - $475.00 135 Group Activities 8 Men for TV Pilot Alamo Women's Club Luncheon Lady Soccer Players Needed 155 Pets Cute females Yorkies KID STUFF 330 Child Care Offered Live in AuPair Childcare FOR SALE 201 Autos/Trucks/ Parts MGB 1970 GT - $5500 SOLD BUSINESS SERVICES 610 Tutoring AriamTutors.Weebly.com Call Miss Ariam 925-200-9523 771 Painting/ Wallpaper *JOE'S PAINTING & HANDYMAN* Free Est. / Reasonable Prices no Job Too Small!!! 925-200-7333 Lic#624542 805 Homes for Rent San Ramon, 1 BR/1 BA - $1350/mon 809 Shared Housing/ Rooms ALL AREAS - ROOMMATES.COM Browse hundreds of online listings with photos and maps. Find your roommate with a click of the mouse! Visit: http:// www.Roommates.com. (AAN CAN) Timeshares Sell/Rent For CASH!!! Worldmark. We'll find you Buyers/ Renters! 10+ years of success! Over $78 Million in offers in 2009! www.SellaTimeshare.com Call (877) 554-2098. (Cal-SCAN) Point Reyes/Tomales Bay;on water "BARRACCA"Incred.Views;sleeps4-8 reserv/info; 415-663-9543 345 Tutoring/Lessons Everything-About-College.com College Admissions Specialist. Everything you need to manage the college applications and admissions process. Math & Chemistry Tutoring Retired Scientist enjoying TUTORING Middle, High School & College STUDENTS in math, algebra, geometry, pre-calc & chemistry. CALL DOUG @ 925-858-5842 615 Computers Churchill Computer Repair Viruses Got You Bugged?? Let me take a look. Call me at 925202-4865. Thank you. 825 Homes/Condos for Sale Pleasanton, 5+ BR/3.5 BA - $1,450,000 850 Acreage/Lots/ Storage Montana Land Bargains One Time, Billings area. 166 Acres: WAS-$229,900 NOW-$99,900 Only a few tracts! BELOW Market PRICES! Trees, ridges and views. Close to Round-Up, MT and Mussellshell River. The best land deal ever in Montana! Call 888-361-3006. www. WesternSkiesLand.com (Cal-SCAN) 202 Vehicles Wanted 624 Financial REAL ESTATE 840 Vacation Rentals/Time Shares Page 18 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly Real Estate Following a sharp drop in the months immediately after expiration of the home buyer tax credit, pending home sales have modestly risen, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator, rose 5.2% to 79.4 based on contracts signed in July from a downwardly revised 75.5 in June, but remains 19.1% below July 2009 when it was 98.1. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, cautioned that there would be a long recovery process. "Home sales will remain soft in the months ahead, but improved affordability conditions should help with a recovery," he said. "But the recovery looks to be a long process. Home buyers over the past year got a great deal, and buyers for the balance of this year have an edge over sellers. BY JEB BING OPEN HOME GUIDE AND REAL ESTATE LISTINGS Pending homes sales rise modestly across U.S. Still, sales contracts trail July 2009 by 19% For those who bought at or near the peak several years ago, particularly in markets experiencing big bubbles, it may take over a decade to fully recover lost equity." Yun added, "Affordability could reach a generational high in the second half of this year because of rock-bottom mortgage interest rates, helped partly by the Fed's very accommodative monetary policy. The loan underwriting standards are tighter, but home buyers can improve their chances of getting a loan by staying well within their budget." The PHSI in the Northeast rose 6.3% to 62.5 in July but is 21.1% below a year ago. In the Midwest the index increased 4.1% to 66.7 but remains 25.7% below July 2009. Pending home sales in the South rose 1.2% to an index of 86.3, but are 15.6% lower than a year ago. In the West the index jumped 11.6% to 95.0 but is 17.6% below July 2009. The national index had fallen 29.9% in May and another 2.8% in June. OPEN HOMES THIS WEEKEND Castro Valley 3 BEDROOMS 6000 Mt Olympus Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors 4361 Shamrock Way Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors $1,499,000 251-2536 $467,000 251-2536 Livermore 4 BEDROOMS 2187 Roan Court Sun 1:30-4:30 Moxley Team 854 Los Alamos Avenue Sat/Sun 1-4 Alain Pinel Realtors $392,000 600-0990 $495,990 251-1111 3766 Smallwood Court Sun 1-4 Tom Fox 4063 Fallwood Court Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors 3686 Platt Court S Sun 1:30-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors 3125 Thistledown Court Sun 1-4 Alain Pinel Realtors 3232 Balmoral Court Sun 2-4 Alain Pinel Realtors 6434 Paseo Santa Maria Sun 1-4 Keller Williams 471 Trebbiano Place Sun 1-4 Keller Williams 5 BEDROOMS $2,395,000 872-1275 $624,880 251-2550 $629,950 251-2523 $709,000 251-1111 $749,950 251-1111 $975,000 989-6844 $998,888 202-6298 Open Sun 1-4 4571 MOHR AVE., PLEASANTON Offered at $714,950 GORGEOUS! Totally remodeled 3 bed/2.5 bath home -- like new!! Wood floors, custom cabinets, granite, designer baths, the list goes on and on!! Open Sun 1-4 3031 BOARDWALK, PLEASANTON Park like lush backyard! Beautiful 3 bed/2.5 bath home with huge yard including newer pool and spa. Big price reduction! Call for pricing information. Pleasanton 3 BEDROOMS 2853 Iberis Court $629,950 3 BD/ 2.5 BA Open Sun 1:30-4:30 Alain Pinel Realtors Joe & Lindy Norton 785-1353 1077 Kolln Street Sun 2-4 Moxley Team 4571 Mohr Avenue Sun 1-4 Keller Williams 3031 Boardwalk Sun 1-4 Keller Williams 4166 Hall Court Sun 1-4 Alain Pinel Realtors 4 BEDROOMS 2161 Pomezia Court Sun 1-4 Keller Williams 8155 Regency Drive Sun 1-4 Keller Williams $650,000 600-0990 $714,950 577-5787 $783,000 577-5787 $809,000 895-9950 8266 Moller Ranch $1,280,000 Sun 1-4 Keller Williams Tri Valley 980-0273 6645 Amber Lane $1,498,000 Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors 251-2585 7914 Paragon Circle $1,498,000 Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors 251-2585 6 BEDROOMS 1587 E Gate Way Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors $998,000 251-2550 3306 SMOKETREE COMMONS Offered at $199,000 Better than renting! Private 1 bed/1 bath lovely condo facing the park! Sunol 4 BEDROOMS 9877 Foothill Road Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors $1,890,000 251-2536 Walnut Creek 4 BEDROOMS 154 Paulson Lane Sun 1-4 J. Rockcliff Realtors $800,000 583-2168 COMING SOON! Beautiful updated executive Ponderosa home! 4 bed/3 bath, wood floors, designer paint, newer pool/spa. Offered in the low $900,000's $1,149,000 202-6898 $1,540,000 519-8226 Gail Boal DRE# 01276455 To place an ad or open home please contact Andrea Heggelund (925) 600-0840 x110 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com *Ask about online and email advertising* 925.577.5787 www.gailboal.com Rich Cameron DRE# 01843721 925.989.1272 Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 19 Page 20 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 21 The latest from The 680 Blog Who Controls Property Values? This is a question as old as the real estate business itself. Who controls property values? We all know that sellers do not control property values. Sure they can set the asking price, and control the condition of the property, but not the value of a given piece of property. Yes, they can improve the property and theoretically increase the value that way. But conventional thinking has always been that the buyers control the property values. You know the tried and true saying that a property is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it. And this has certainly been the case for as long as I can remember. But things have changed. Do buyers still have input as to the value of properties? Yes, of course they do. Without buyers, there is no sale, and therefore no indication of the value as dictated by the law of supply and demand. But there is a new sheriff in town in this debate. One can make a very strong argument that it is now the Banks that control property values (well okay, banks and mortgage companies). Banks control property values in two ways: First of all, thanks to recent changes in the appraisal process, properties are now worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it and what a bank is willing to appraise it for. And we are seeing more and more often that banks are appraising properties for less than what the buyer has offered. Is this a conscious decision? Partly. Banks have become much more conservative in property valuations, and want to avoid the aggressive appraisals that helped fuel the dramatic rise in property values earlier this decade. Banks have introduced more stringent guidelines and procedures designed to keep appraisals more conservative, eliminate undue influence between the lender and the appraiser, and protect the lender's >>Go to www.680homes.com to read the rest of this article. Doug Buenz Office 925.251.1111 Direct 925.463.2000 680Homes.com Real Estate. Seriously. Stunning Mediterranean with 5 BR + office, 4 � BTH, and resort-like .5 acre lot with pool, spa, sport court, and fire pit! Go to 680Homes.com for more information on these homes and other properties. GOLDEN EAGLE! Elegant Golden Eagle custom home with 4 BR plus office, 3 � BTH, new cherry & granite kit, plantation shutters, and incredible .42 acre flat lot! PRIVACY & VIEWS! Extreme privacy & panoramic views! Sharp 4 BR, 3 BTH home remodeled from top to bottom on .79 acres at end of private road. JUST SOLD! $1,499,900 $1,199,900 PENDING SALE! $1,599,900 COMING SOON Luxurious single story on a large flat 1.1 Acre lot with 4 BR + office, 3 � BTH, hardwood floors, gourmet granite kitchen, & more! Stunning Mediterranean with 5 BR plus bonus & office, 4 � BTH, and huge flat 1/3 acre lot with sport court & BBQ. JUST SOLD! Call for price $1,485,000 Stunning single story custom on 1+ acre lot with 6 car garage, hardwood floors, granite kit, finished attic/storage, and private location backing to Pleasanton Ridge open space! $1,625,000 apr.com | PLEASANTON | 900 Main Street 925.251.1111 7208 ROSECLIFF CT. PLEASANTON 910 E MOCKINGBIRD LN. PLEASANTON 5846 CORTE MARGARITA PLEASANTON LOCATED IN PHEASANT RIDGE LOCATED IN HAPPY VALLEY LOCATED IN COUNTRY FAIR AIL AV A E BL , IET QU E Y TR OS UN CL CO CITY G DIN EN P 5 BD 5.5 BA 5,330sf. on a 13,242sf. lot. Entertainer's dream! Outdoor kitchen, home theater, guest suite on main level. High end finishes. $1,750,000 1.2 acre lot with existing structures - buildable lot. 4 BD 2.5 BA 2,016sf. on a 7,605sf. lot. Single level home 1,937sf. 3 BD 2.5 BA. Barn, Tile floors, granite counters and an open floor plan. workshops, chicken coop!...Endless opportunities. Pool and private lawn. Quiet court location. $1,235,000 $825,000 1151 DONAHUE DR. PLEASANTON LOCATED IN IRONWOOD CLASSICS ING ND PE 541 GERARD CT. PLEASANTON LOCATED CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN ING ND PE 1077 KOLLN ST. PLEASANTON LOCATED IN JENSEN / AMADOR ST JU D TE LIS OP EN SU N2 -4 KRIS MOXLEY TYLER MOXLEY 925.600.0990 MOXLEYTEAM.COM 4 GENERATIONS OF R EAL ESTATE SERVICE AND EXPERIENCE 3 BD 2.5 BA 2,163sf. on a 5,500sf. lot. Open floor plan, hardwood flooring throughout. Single level built in 2005, move in ready. 4 BD + office 2.5 BA 2,573 sf. on a 8,088 sf. lot WOW! Amazing upgrades throughout. Tons of private space, new kitchen & baths. 3 BD 2 BA 1,475sf. on a 6,500sf. lot. Remodeled and expanded. Master w/ walk in closet. Open floor plan, updated throughout, pool, spa & side yard. $799,500 D TE LIS OP EN SU N1 :30 -4: 30 $799,000 $650,000 ST JU 2187 ROAN CT. LIVERMORE LOCATED IN SPRINGTOWN 4 BD 2 BA 1,349 sf. on a 7,455 sf. lot Lots of natural lighting, newer appliances in kitchen. Quiet court location. Side yard access. COMING SOON 4 BD 2 BA in Pleasanton Valley. Quiet location, pool, spa and large grass area. Updated bathrooms, hardwood flooring, crown moulding...High $700k $392,000 Page 22 September 10, 2010 Pleasanton Weekly DRE #00790463, 01412130 www.blaiselofland.com firstname.lastname@example.com 925.846.6500 DRE# 00882113 a p r. c o m COUNTRY ESTATE EXCLUSIVE LISTING VINSANTO JUST LISTED BRIDLE CREEK KOTTINGER RANCH OPEN SUNDAY 1-4 6300 LAURA LANE, PLEASANTON Best of both worlds! Country estate (1.26 acre), just 5 minutes from downtown Pleasanton. Beautiful home in the country. Private rear grounds with in-ground pool, and guest/pool house (1 bed/1 bath), deck with outdoor BBQ area, large fenced land area (to do whatever you want), in addition to the landscaped area with pool, patio, etc. Four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, 3,100 sq. ft. plus pool/ guest house, remodeled master bathroom, three car garage. OFFERED AT $1,495,000 2845 VINE COURT, PLEASANTON Beautiful highly upgraded home in excellent condition. Panoramic views of vineyards and surrounding hills. Five bedrooms (4th is private office, 5th in guest house/casita), four bathrooms (4th in casita). Approximate total square footage 3,553. Upgraded kitchen with granite countertop & backsplash, two fireplaces, plantation shutters throughout, three car garage. Private gate & rear grounds include separate guest house/casita, expansive exposed aggregate patio, lawn area, fruit trees and vineyards. No backyard neighbors. Close to wineries & golf courses. OFFERED AT $849,000 897 SUNSET CREEK LANE, PLEASANTON Single level in Bridle Creek on .29 acre premium view lot. Built by Greenbriar Homes in 2000. Beautiful views of Pleasanton Ridge. Private rear yard with built in pool. Beautifully landscaped. Five bedrooms, four bathrooms. Gourmet kitchen with granite countertops. Crown molding and plantation shutters. Close to Downtown, Castlewood Country Club, Oak Hills Shopping Center, and Mission Hills Park. OFFERED AT $1,399,000 1327 HEARST DRIVE, PLEASANTON Great location! Beautiful semi-custom home on .40 acre lot. Expansive deck with panoramic views! Private rear grounds. Five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 4,026 square feet. Upgraded gourmet kitchen with granite countertops, newer paint & carpeting, extensive hardwood floors. Expansive master suite. Community pool, park, tennis courts and open space. Walk to Main Street and award winning schools! OFFERED AT $1,298,000 BRIDLE CREEK OPEN SUNDAY 1:30-4:30 PLEASANTON SEMICUSTOM COTTAGES AT DUBLIN RANCH PENDING ORIGINAL COUNTRY FAIR PENDING 863 SUNNY BROOK WAY, PLEASANTON Upgraded Avalon Model in Bridle Creek on premium .28 acre lot. Beautiful views of Pleasanton Ridge. Private rear yard with built in fire pit, custom pergola and putting green. Beautifully landscaped. Five bedrooms, private office plus private guest suite/ bonus room (5th), 5.5 bathrooms, 4,434 sq. ft. Gourmet kitchen with granite countertops. Custom tile and hardwood flooring, plantation shutters. Built by Greenbriar Homes in 2001. Located on quiet street with no through traffic. Close to downtown, Castlewood Country Club, Oak Hills Shopping Center, and Mission Hills Park. OFFERED AT $1,549,000 4150 CREEKWOOD COURT, PLEASANTON Don't miss this private, Pleasanton home on premium � acre lot. Large multi media/game room, upgraded kitchen and bathrooms with granite. Five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, hardwood floors, two fireplaces, three car garage, 4,002 square feet. Large secluded park-like rear yard includes expansive Trex deck, in-ground pool, Hot Springs grande covered spa, waterfall/pond, playhouse, zip line, large lawn area, mature redwood trees and large cemented side yard area. Walk to great schools & neighborhood parks. OFFERED AT $1,195,000 4444 CHANCERY LANE, DUBLIN Beautiful upgraded Westcott model in excellent condition! Three bedrooms, plus bonus area (4th bedroom), 2.5 bathrooms, 2,250 sq. ft. Granite countertops, hardwood floors, all appliances included. Master suite includes spacious sitting/ viewing balcony. Washer & dryer included. Spectacular views and easy access to two car garage (drive straight in). Across the street from new park. Walk to Emerald Glen Park. Not far from Hacienda Crossings Shopping Center and Dublin Ranch Golf Course. OFFERED AT $529,000 2468 VIA DE LOS MILAGROS, PLEASANTON Desirable "Original Country Fair". Excellent location. Convenient to everything. Walk to all levels of schools & parks. Customized highly upgraded home with five bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, bonus/game room, 3,787 square feet. Three car garage, remodeled kitchen with granite and custom backsplash, custom cabinets & built-ins, plantation shutters throughout, newer high quality roof, two wood burning fireplaces. Very private beautiful grounds include in-ground black bottom solar heated pool & spa, exposed aggregate patio with flagstone, beautiful landscaping on .27 acre lot. OFFERED AT $1,369,000 COUNTRY FAIR PENDING BONDE RANCH SOLD! REPRESENTED BUYER PLEASANTON HEIGHTS SOLD VENTANA HILLS SOLD! REPRESENTED BUYER & SELLER 2649 CALLE ALEGRE, PLEASANTON Original Ponderosa's Country Fair. Location, location, location. Convenient to everything. Great schools. Don't miss this Pleasanton home in sought after Original Country Fair. Four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 2,651 square feet. Two wood burning fireplaces. Beautiful private rear grounds include in-ground pebble tech pool, built-in outdoor kitchen/BBQ, expansive stone patio, sauna, basketball/sports court and waterfall on .26 acre lot. OFFERED AT $999,500 4914 MIDDLETON PL., PLEASANTON Beautiful private home in Bonde Ranch. Four bedrooms, 4th is office/guest suite downstairs, bonus room, 3.5 bathrooms, updated kitchen with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances. Expansive master suite with retreat, three car garage. Approximately 3,609 square feet. Private rear yard with in-ground pool/spa & lawn area, covered patio. Lot size is 11,994. Located on quiet street. Walk to great neighborhood park and Main Street downtown Pleasanton! SOLD FOR $1,295,000 4262 TAMUR COURT, PLEASANTON Walk to downtown from your custom home. Great location at back of court and adjacent to Kottinger Park. Don't miss the large park-like private rear yard with in-ground pool, expansive decking, mature trees and beautiful landscaping. Approximately .27 acre lot. Views of Mt. Diablo. Everything is on one level, except downstairs bonus or guest suite. Four bedrooms, three baths at 2,524 square feet. Three car garage. Optional sauna. Walk to elementary school(s). OFFERED AT $879,500 998 HOPKINS WAY, PLEASANTON Beautiful, highly upgraded home on premium lot in Ventana Hills. Four bedrooms, formal office (4th), 2 � bathrooms, 2,550 square feet. Completely remodeled kitchen and master bath. New hardwood flooring, newer carpet, three car garage. Private rear yard with panoramic views, built-in BBQ island, backs to open space on 9,216 square foot lot. Walk to Main Street downtown & great neighborhood park. SOLD FOR $1,065,000 "AS IS" PLEASANTON 900 Main Street Pleasanton Weekly September 10, 2010 Page 23 LINDA TRAURIG BY APPT ANNI HAGFELDT BY APPT TIMOTHY MCGUIRE BY APPT SYLVIA DESIN BY APPT GINA HUGGINS BY APPT 727 VINEYARD TERRACE $1,549,000 5bd/4ba on .50+/-acre lot. Located on beautiful south side of Pleasanton. Gorgeous carriage house with full kitchen, bath and laundry. Must see! PLEASANTON JANNA CHESTNUT OPEN SUN 1-4 574 ESCONDIDO CIR $810,000 Custom 5bd/3.5ba, 3000+/-sf home on 15,000+/-sf lot in desirable Granada Woods. Pool, sports court, private office in master, sun/bonus room, laundry room and more! LIVERMORE JOYCE JONES SUN 2:00-4:00 4166 HALL CT $809,000 3bd/3ba, 2,042+/-sf, Tiger hardwood floors, eat-in granite/alder kitchen, new 50-yr roof, dual pane windows, plantation shutters, remodeled baths, RV parking, gazebo and pool. PLEASANTON SALLY MARTIN BY APPT 5744 SAN CARLOS WAY $799,000 NEW PRICE! Nice 2-story, 3-bedroom home near elementary & middle schools, 680 freeway, and downtown Pleasanton. Custom details. Updated kitchen and baths. Great floorplan. PLEASANTON EMILY BARRACLOUGH BY APPT 1626 PERIDOT DRIVE $789,000 This home has 5bdr/3full bath, with 1bdr/1bath downstairs. Formal living and dining area. Side yard access. Newer solar heated pool. Perfect home for entertaining. LIVERMORE LINDA FUTRAL SAT&SUN 1:00-4:00 3125 THISTLEDOWN CT. $709,000 Charming 4bd,2ba, 1974+/-sf single story home. Great court location. Natural lighting in granite kitchen, updated baths. PLEASANTON 3232 BALMORAL COURT $749,950 Updates galore, 4bd, 3ba, w/pool, hot tub, granite counters, white cabinets, raised ceiling w/sky light in kitchen, hardwood flooring, beautifully updated baths, indoor laundry. PLEASANTON 4224 TAMUR COURT $699,000 Great location! Living space on 1 floor. Kitchen features granite slab, updated cabinets, appliances & tile floor. Updated bathrooms with stone. Expansive screened-deck with roof. PLEASANTON 196 KOTTINGER DR $639,000 Looking for a home close to downtown just blocks from all the amenities Pleasanton has to offer? Adorable home with a great open floor plan and private back yard. PLEASANTON 854 LOS ALAMOS AVE $495,990 Hard to find upgraded and expanded South Livermore single story! Move-in condition in a quiet tree lined established neighborhood. Slab granite kitchen and hardwood floors. LIVERMORE A View From The Top The higher you perch, the farther you can see. When you have exceptional vision to start with, it's no wonder that you can spot opportunities before others do. And capitalize on them. Alain Pinel Realtors began 20 years ago with vision of changing the way real estate business is conducted. Today, our financial strength, focus and experience enable us to lead the Bay Area real estate industry in home sales. And to plan on being here for a long time to come. Visit us at apr.com and see what we see. Don Faught Vice President Pleasanton Office - 925.251.1111 Livermore Office - 925.583.1111 firstname.lastname@example.com PLEASANTON | 900 Main Street 925.251.1111 LIVERMORE | 2300 First Street, Suite 316 925.583.1111