Pleasanton Ryan Gordon Alumni Games raise another $6,000 Weekly for soccer programs» 19 6/,8))) .5-"%2s*!.5!29 WWW.PLEASANTONWEEKLY.COM '0363<'31)78340)%7%2832 7XYRRMRKRI[GEQTYWLSQIXSWXVSRK[SVOJSVGI4+ INSIDE THIS WEEK BUSINESS NEWS 8 ■ NEWS: City OKs $3.2 million for streetlights 5 ■ NEWS: PUSD talks school safety, student health 5 TRI-VALLEY LIFE 14 ■ LIVING: Memoir details ‘Lost Decency’ in Afghanistan 14 SECTIONS Arts & Entertainment NEW EAT, SLEEP... GIVE BACK! For the entire month of January For more information including participating restaurants call 925-846-8910 or visit: EatTriValley.com Page 2ÊUÊJanuary 18, 2013ÊUÊPleasanton Weekly AROUND GRAHAM-HITCH CLOCK REPAIR Timely Service MORTUARY Free Estimates PLEASANTON Dignified Care & Compassionate Service Free Pick-up & Delivery in Tri-Valley BY JEB BING Since 1891 Byfield’s Clock Shop volunteers with Special Spaces Call (925) 736-9165 It’s payback time on makeover projects throughout the area where she feels she also for Kaitlin brings a special kind of camara- derie to the children she’s help- aitlin Gallagher is back on ing who have life-threatening HEARING her feet and doing what she illnesses. It’s the same with the Kcan to “give back” to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where SERVICES Pleasanton community and Bay she volunteers and helps in its Area organizations that came to fundraising efforts. Last July, she her aid during her year-long suc- joined with the Cancer Club at A Sound Approach cessful leukemia treatments. Cho- Amador in supporting Relay for Advance Planning sen as the Student of the Month Life’s annual fundraiser at Pleas- to Hearing Care Made Easy Kenneth D. Billheimer, Au.D. by the Rotary Club of Pleasanton, anton Middle School, speaking at Sierra Brower, Au.D. the 17-year-old its opening ceremony about her Call Deanna for a FREE Most insurance companies accepted, Õ`}ÃÌÃÊUÊViÃi`Êi>À}Ê`Ê-«iV>ÃÌÃ senior at Ama- own battle against cancer and then consultation. In-home including members of Hill Physicians Jacque Pedraza dor Valley High walking with fellow students for visits available. ViÃi`Êi>À}Ê`Ê-«iV>ÃÌ School earned the 24 hours to earn sponsorship loud applause as contributions. Two Locations to Serve You she recalled her In the coming weeks, Kaitlin is Pleasanton 925-337-8063 Livermore 925-344-4776 4167 First Street, Pleasanton medical battle also volunteering in preparations 4460 Black Avenue, Ste. F 1524 Holmes, Bldg. D that kept her being made by the Sandra J. Wing 925-846-5624 www.pleasantonhearingservices.com out of school for Healing Therapies Foundation Crematory Privately Owned much of 2011 for its March gala, where it raises & Operated Your local professionals, providing high-quality hearing and in the UC Kaitlin funds to help cancer victims. Last FD#429 health care to the Tri-Valley area since 1986. San Francisco Gallagher fall, she started making blankets, Medical Center making sure that on Christmas for weeks at a time while undergo- Day every child at the UCSF hos- ing chemotherapy, blood transfu- pital received one of Kaitlin’s blan- PLEASANTONWEEKLY.COM THE PARKVIEW EXPERIENCE sions and visitor-free rest. kets as a gift. It worked and Kaitlin is now After checking out of UCSF’s back at Amador, where her teach- medical center with a clean bill of Our website has ers provided home schooling health, Kaitlin accepted an invita- during her absence, and looking tion by the Rev. Padrig Greene to become the place forward to graduating in June and talk about her “Attitude for Grati- residents turn to for enrolling in college, although she tude” at a service at St. Augustine hasn’t picked one yet. Catholic Church, which she and breaking local news, Her travails started in March her family attend. Gratitude, she 2011 when she began having back said, unlocks the fullness of life. It to post their own and neck pains so severe that she turns what we have into enough, was unable to attend school. A and more. It turns denial into ac- stories and photos, pitcher just warming up for her ceptance, chaos to order, confu- and to discuss news team’s new season in the Pleasanton sion to clarity. It can turn a meal Girls Softball League, where her into a feast, a house into a home, and events in the dad Kevin is a coach, she thought it a stranger into a friend. Gratitude was a strain or pulled muscle. makes sense of our past, brings community. But an MRI ordered by her doc- peace for today and creates a vi- tor told a different story. Two tu- sion for tomorrow. Can’t find your mors were found to have fractured In taking note of her experi- copy of the a vertebra and were growing, with ence, she thanks the scientists who Assisted Living. further tests confirming that she tirelessly search for a cure, but Weekly? had Stage 4 leukemia. Her special- in the meantime have developed ists at UCSF called, telling Kaitlin with precision the ever evolving Find the digital and her mother Luci to come back treatment plans; the doctors with Inspired by You. to the San Francisco hospital, and mind and hearts that want to heal; version online under this time bring overnight bags. That the nurses, who caringly watched Enjoy the independence you want with stay lasted 22 days and she under- over her; and her family and best Recent Issues. went an aggressive chemotherapy friends for their many long trips to the support you need. The Parkview’s treatment program that successfully San Francisco to visit. zapped the tumors, with Kaitlin’s Kaitlin also believes that she was assisted living and memory care provide health restored by October. one of the fortunate. She tolerated During her treatments, Kaitlin chemotherapy, surgeries and scans. you the comfort, convenience, and care earned the response of the Special She was able to enjoy life during a Spaces organization, whose volun- time when others might have hi- to experience a healthy, safe and teers came to her First Street home bernated and had difficulty seeing for a makeover of her bedroom in the constant bounty of blessings inspiring longevity. the colors and style she wanted. around. Now, she told parishio- The Make-A-Wish Foundation ners, she prays that God will con- heard of her hope to visit Hawaii, tinue to give her the strength and Call, click or come visit today and and paid for an all-expense, seven- fortitude to repay all the kindness day trip to Maui for Kaitlin and and blessings by helping others in enjoy complimentary lunch. her family, including her parents, need. sister Madison and brother Timmy. To read more about Kaitlin’s Now it’s payback time, she told experiences and plans, sign on to Rotarians last week in accepting her blog at www.kaitlinsluckymia. their student award. She now blogspot.com/. N About the Cover 100 Valley Avenue, Pleasanton Clorox is gradually moving its 1,000-strong workforce into this architecturally- stunning new corporate campus in Pleasanton with floor to ceiling windows 925-461-3042 managed by that give everyone a view of this six-building campus near the I-680/Stoneridge Drive interchange. Photo by Ron Essex. Cover design by Kristin Herman. License # 015601283 www.eskaton.org Vol. XIII, Number 52 Pleasanton WeeklyÊUÊJanuary 18, 2013ÊU Page 3 becomerunning a Timemember. out is to Sign up today! Streetwise ASKED AT THE PLEASANTON FARMERS MARKET How will you observe Dr. Martin Our local Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 21? news comes Amy Shannon We will have the day off and will be read- ing my daughters’ book about Dr. Martin at a (very low) Luther King Jr. price. Joe Lindstrom Probably working, but if not, I’ll be hanging out with my little girls. The Pleasanton Weekly may seem free, but to share some of the costs of producing this it’s really not. journalism. Supporting a staff of local journalists, For as little at 17¢ a day ($5 a month) you publishing a weekly newspaper and can become a subscribing member of the operating a website with breaking news is Pleasanton Weekly. We’ll thank you in ads, Chris Koopmans & Zoe an expensive undertaking … too expensive invite you to special “members-only” events I might have to work, but will probably in an economy where the local businesses and send you a “Support Local Journalism” watch something on television and will talk we rely on for advertising are struggling. bumper sticker. about him with our girls, as they usually talk about him at school. We’ll have some So after giving you more than 10 years of free But most important, we’ll be able to keep books from the library and we’ll talk about news about our town, and creating a website providing Pleasanton with the award- civil rights and what it means and that that has become Pleasanton’s most popular winning local reporting that any vibrant people didn’t have the same rights as they local online destination, we’re asking you community needs. do today. To begin your membership, call us at 600-0840 or go to SupportLocalJournalism.org/Pleasanton Adam Riedel and sign up online. Probably going to work. Lori Skotlund I’ll be at home remembering all that this great man did for our country. As a teacher I make sure my students have a good under- standing why they have the day off; it’s not Pleasanton Pleasanton Weekly just for sleeping in. Weekly —Compiled by Jay Flachsbarth Today’s top stories & hot picks Print and Online Have a Streetwise question? E-mail [email protected] 5506 Sunol Boulevard, Suite 100, Pleasanton (925) 600-0840 The Pleasanton Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566; (925) 600-0840.