Week in Review: Memorials, Football and Tree Lightings

Marine remembered: Danville Marine Joshua Corral was remembered in two ceremonies this past week. On Saturday night, a memorial was held at the San Ramon Valley High football stadium for the 19-year-old lance corporal. More than 300 attended to hear classmates talk about their fellow 2010 graduate. On Tuesday night, a candlelight vigil was held at Oak Hill Park. Several hundred people attended. Corral was killed in action on Nov. 18 in Afghanistan.

Football success: Both Danville high school football teams advanced to the semifinals of the NCS Division I playoffs. On Saturday evening, Monte Vista defeated San Leandro High, 28-12, to move forward. On Saturday night, San Ramon Valley knocked off previously undefeated James Logan High, 28-14, to advance. The Wolves and Mustangs will face off at 7 p.m. Friday at Monte Vista High for the right to play in the championship game.

Tree lighting: On Friday evening, thousands of people gathered to watch the 35th annual holiday lighting of the old oak tree on Diablo Road. The event included the arrival of Father Christmas and the Snow Angel. The Danville Girls Chorus and the San Ramon Valley High School Chorus performed holiday music.

Prescription drug tax: A Danville father whose two children were killed when a drunk driver was high on pain killers ran them down is pushing for a ballot measure to tax prescription drugs. The state secretary of state has cleared Robert Pack to get enough signatures to put it on a ballot. Pack's 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter were killed in 2003. The measure would impose a quarter-cent-per-pill tax and that money would go to fund the state's drug-tracking system.