Stone Valley Student Reads for English Literacy in Israel

Cayla Quinn, a seventh-grader at Stone Valley whose family belongs to Congregation B’nai Shalom in Walnut Creek, has found her bat mitzvah project.

A Stone Valley seventh-grader is applying her love of reading to a good cause. Cayla Quinn, for her bat mitzvah project, will be reading participating in a readathon organized by Ahava, an Israeli nonprofit dedicated to promoting English literacy among disadvantaged youth. JWeekly.com, May 17: “I love reading, and I love the idea of helping other kids learn,” says Quinn, who will have her bat mitzvah on June 16. She adds that she found out about the nonprofit herself, while searching the Internet for possible bat mitzvah projects. Hundreds of Israeli schoolchildren are sponsored by to read as many English books as possible. As of May 10, Cayla had raised $800. The funding goes toward education and literacy outreach.    

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Letter to the Editor: Social Issues Not Key Issues in District 2 Race

Alamo resident says public safety, governmental communication, the environment and infrastructure, transportation, and job creation are the issues voters care about.

Dear Editor, There are primary and important issues to be considered in the Contra Costa County District 2 Supervisor Election. Current commentary in various blogs and forums about social issues are not part of voters’ critical concerns. Through various news services resources and district 2 neighborhoods e-exchanges, please allow me to summarize the critical concerns so your readers can consider and comment: #1 – PUBLIC SAFETY and PREPAREDNESS: Neighborhoods in District 2 have become more and more concerned about their own safety and the abilities to receive emergency services in the event of an earthquake, fire, or other natural disasters. Public safety is fully dependent of appropriate funding and operations of police and sheriff, fire …

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Santorum Stops in Alamo for Fundraiser, Where's the Rest of His Cash Coming from?

San Francisco Chronicle political blogger Joe Garofoli breaks down Santorum's campaign cash and where it's coming from.

Residents Still Displaced from February House Fire

The house fire on Feb. 17 was determined to be from a heating and cooling unit on the second floor but questions are now arising about whether the owner had the correct paper work to have five units on the property.

San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District investigators initially believed it was a faulty wall-mounted unit that caused the early morning fire at 1181 Danville Blvd. on Feb. 17. At the time, it displaced the 11 people living in the five units. The residents are still displaced and now, it appears, they will have to find new places to live. The fire has led to an investigation of the property, owned by Bora Gurson, by the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District and the Contra Costa County building inspector's department. "We're determining if he had the appropriate permits for the five units," Contra Costa County Senior Building Inspector Joe Lasado said. "It's not looking that that many units were approved, but it's under investigation…

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David Lehman

6:56 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012

We are still trying to find a place to live and still trying to get our stuff packed. The most important thing is finding a place to live. We are getting no where with the owner.   more ›

Early Morning Kitchen Fire in Alamo Displaces Residents

No one was injured in the structure fire in Alamo early this morning.

Residents of a five-unit building in Alamo were displaced from their homes early this morning after a kitchen fire sparked in one unit and started to spread, according to the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. Fire personnel received a report of the structure fire in the 1100 block of Danville Boulevard at 12:48 a.m., fire district spokeswoman Kimberly French said. Smoke alarms in the home where the kitchen fire started alerted residents to the blaze, which sent smoke billowing from the building, French said. Firefighters were able to knock down the fire in about 40 minutes, and no one was injured. Damage to the building and property was estimated at around $75,000, French said. Investigators believe the fire started in one unit's …

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David Lehman

10:22 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012

We will all be displaced now no power until Tuesday at the earliest   more ›

What the Heck Am I Going to Do This Weekend?

If you're asking yourself that question, don't worry. We've got you covered.

Some of you may have your weekend plans fleshed out. Some of you may be winging it. Some of you may need a little help. If you need some help, here are a few things around Danville that can get you out of the house. No excuses. You now have stuff to do. If you're doing something else, tell us about it in the comments section!

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Alamo Elementary Hold Workshop on Dangerous Crosswalk

Parents and neighbors discuss the intersection at Livorna and Wilson roads and how the intersection could be safer.

Alamo Couple Come in Second on 'The Amazing Race'

East Bay couple Jeremy Cline and Sandy Draghi survived the relationship challenge of competing on CBS reality TV show.

East Bay natives Jeremy Cline and Sandy Draghi were thrilled to be part of Season 19 of the iconic TV series The Amazing Race. In a September interview with Danville Patch, they said competing as a team on the show, after dating just six months, would give them a chance to learn new things about each other and how to be together as a couple. Alas, their journey to a new phase in their relationship didn't translate into the No. 1 spot and a $1 million prize. On the season finale Sunday night, audiences saw the couple come in second, behind Cindy Chiang and Ernie Halvorsen, an engaged couple from Chicago. The finale of the globe-trotting series brought the final three couples to Atlanta, where Cline and Draghi failed to locate "the former …

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Where Do You Go If You're In Alamo?

Both downtown Danville and downtown Walnut Creek offer something to shoppers who come from Alamo.

If you live in Alamo and you want to do some serious shopping, which direction do you head? North or south? Downtown Walnut Creek and downtown Danville are both short drives for most people who reside in Alamo. Granted, there are places to shop in Alamo itself. Alamo Plaza and Stone Valley Shopping Center are two of the malls along the town's main strip. However, if you want to hit a major department store or broaden your selection of clothing outlets or restaurants, Alamo residents need to drive one direction or the other on Danville Boulevard to reach one of their neighboring cities' downtown areas. Walnut Creek offers one of the more popular regional shopping districts with Broadway Plaza as well as its shops on Main Street, Locust …

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