Wednesday, March 7, 2018 • Vol. 12 Issue 1 East Bay Eclipse 2018 Soccer Tryouts! Developing Players, Developing People Independent, locally Competitive and 26,000 copies owned and operated! developmental teams deliveredd biweekly to for boys and girls Lamorinda homes & businesses May 12-20 - U9-U14ages Tryouts 5-18 May 21-23 - U15-U19 Tryouts 925-377-0977 www.lamorindaweekly.com FREE For schedule, registration and questions: Visit www.eastbayeclipse.com or Email Director Shane Carney at [email protected] Residents stand and turn their backs during Council Member Kymberleigh Korpus’ 30-minute argument against locking up fi rearms at the Feb. 28 council meeting. Photo provided Moraga passes mandatory firearm lock ordinance By Sophie Braccini oraga Town Council members approved 4 to 1 at ing that led to the adoption was conducted in a mostly civil residents that night who wanted to make the fi nal push and its Feb. 28 meeting a new ordinance that will re- manner; it was an opportunity, however, for Council Member have their position recorded on the topic of fi rearm storage. Mquire fi rearm owners in town to secure weapons Kymberleigh Korpus to monopolize the dais and build an op- Over 70 people spoke or wrote a statement that night, with 65 when not in their immediate control. The ordinance that some posing case, albeit a failed attempt. supporting and six opposing the text. called a common sense measure, or a fi rst step to improve the Mayor Dave Trotter indicated that it was the fi rst time in Emotions ran high in the town chambers when gun vi- safety of children, garnered large public support over a year all his years on the council that the city clerk ran out of speak- olence survivors made a plea to the council to approve the of debates, research and discussions. This fi nal public meet- er cards. The town meeting chamber was overfl owing with text. ... continued on page A5 Advertising #!" !" %% $$$ Letters to the Editor A9 +((&, #('.,-.#( -", Community Service B4 )+-.,-(., Not to be Missed B10-B11 #/#'!*.+- ++#/-'(%%--#'! HOW TO CONTACT US B11 0)#'!'(+&##0, +))(+-.'#-1 #+,-#&('+$- Classifi ed C2 Love Lafayette B12 DeSaulnier gun violence conversation draws large crowd By Pippa Fisher crowd to its feet in agreement when he said, part DeSaulnier was preaching to the choir. “Arming teachers is a B.S. idea.” DeSaulnier expressed some hope that DeSaulnier agreed. “It’s a sad day in Senator Diane Feinstein’s assault weapon bill America when we have to arm our teachers,” might have real possibility and said that, giv- the congressman said. en comments the president has made recently, Many in the audience asked how stricter he is optimistic of at least getting rid of the gun laws and assault weapon bans can be loophole on background checks. brought about. On the subject of mental health DeSaulni- “The only way we will have this discus- er pointed to California’s attempts to address sion nationally is if you, citizens of the United this, especially at the high school level. States of America, are engaged in a passion- Schools in the Lamorinda area are well ate civil discourse with people who disagree aware of the importance of monitoring men- with you and force us to have that discussion tal health issues among students and identi- Attendees queue up outside Stanley Middle School Feb. 24 prior to the town hall meeting on in the open with evidence based on research fying those at risk. Los Lomas High School gun violence. Photo Pippa Fisher to drive the discussion and pass the laws,” has recently opened a Wellness Center, which .S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier’s message at land, Fla. that left 17 dead. Nearly 900 people said DeSaulnier. works with the counseling department and Uthe recent town hall meeting was clear – attended the town hall, including many chil- Over and over DeSaulnier repeated the health offi ce. The other three high schools the time for silence is over. dren. need to be engaged and to pay attention. He will be opening their own over the next few DeSaulnier was addressing the issue of Joining the congressman on the panel was answered one member of the public who months. And all the high schools now con- gun violence, including suicides, homicides Griffi n Dix, co-chair of the Oakland/Alam- asked if signing petitions makes a difference duct “active shooter” drills. and unintentional shootings. But much of the eda County chapter of the Brady Campaign with an unequivocal yes. He urged people to As lawmakers head back to Washington focus was on mass shootings. to Prevent Gun Violence, and Rose Kagawa, mobilize and to join the national “March for D.C., DeSaulnier expects the conversation Stanley Middle School’s multi-purpose from Violence Prevention Research at the our Lives” on March 24. on gun control to continue. He says he is in- room was packed Feb. 24 for the discussion University of California, Davis. Amid the overwhelming support for tight- spired by actions taken by surviving Parkland on preventing gun violence, just 10 days after The three took questions from the audi- er regulations and a ban on assault weapons high school students as they continue to make the tragic high school mass shooting in Park- ence. A 16-year veteran teacher brought the was one lone vocal dissenter. For the most their voices heard. Civic News A1-A12 Life in Lamorinda B1-B12 Camps B5-B8 Sports C1-C4 Our Homes D1-D16 Voters in June to decide Hands-on Fun-fi lled Basketball Simple fate of Deer Hill land in teaching of spring and season greenhouse Lafayette – page A2. history at summer wraps up gardening – local schools camp – page C1. page D1. Fire Districts A8 – page B1. listings – Pet rescue bill could allow page B5. CPR for pets – page A8. Page: A2 LAMORINDA WEEKLY 925-377-0977 www.lamorindaweekly.com Wednesday, March 7, 2018 JUST LISTED IN LAMORINDA | BOTH OPEN SUNDAY 1-4! 60 LESLYN LANE, LAFAYETTE 18 LAS CASCADAS, ORINDA Public Meetings 5 BED | 4 BATH | 4256± SQ. FT. | 3.58± ACRE 5 BED | 4.5 BATH | 4072± SQ. FT. | .46± ACRE City Council VIEWS + LARGE SINGLE-STORY FLOORPLAN RENOVATED + INCREDIBLE GARDENS Monday, March 12, 7:30 p.m. = PRIVATE RIDGELINE RETREAT! = ORINDA COUNTRY CLUB GEM! Lafayette Library & Learning Center, Offered at $2,295,000 60LeslynLane.com Offered at $2,425,000 18LasCascadas.com Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Planning Commission CALL ME FOR DETAILS REGARDING THESE EXCITING NEW LISTINGS! Monday, March 19, 7 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S #1 REALTOR FOR 10 STRAIGHT YEARS! Lafayette Library & Learning Center, Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. 925.339.1918|LICENSE # 01482454 DANAGREENTEAM.COM Design Review Monday, March 12, 7 p.m. Lafayette Library & Learning Center, Lafayette teachers demand fair pay Arts & Science Discovery Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. By Pippa Fisher While all the teachers agreed 2016, saying the district was neglect- School Board Meetings they were not in it for the money, ing to mention 2007-2010 when they Acalanes Union High School District the educators pointed to increased had no salary increase apart from a Wednesday, March 7, 7 p.m. AUHSD Board Room duties and responsibilities, with one-time annual bonus of one per- 1212 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette more and more expected of them cent. www.acalanes.k12.ca.us such as integrating technologies, Churchill explains, “When the Lafayette School District professional developments, student economy took a dive, the district Wednesday, March 21, 7 p.m. council, and meetings. With aids’ asked us to take furlough days and Regular Board Meeting hours cut by the district, many of raise our health insurance co-pay District Offi ce Board Room those duties now additionally fall with the promise that we would 3477 School St., Lafayette on teachers, they said. be made whole when the economy www.lafsd.k12.ca.us A parent spoke, showing a chart was better. They have yet to ‘catch Check online for agendas, meeting to illustrate how far behind the cost us up’ as promised.” notes and announcements of living teachers say their salaries Churchill said that 68 percent City of Lafayette: have fallen. Springhill Elemen- of teachers take second jobs to www.ci.lafayette.ca.us Springhill Elementary School teachers have been wearing black to show Phone: (925) 284-1968 solidarity to their union and draw attention to their demands for fair pay. tary fi fth-grade teacher Christina make ends meet. Chamber of Commerce: Photo provided Churchill says that from 2010 to Following the speakers, LAF- www.lafayettechamber.org t was clear at a recent Lafayette with teachers, parents and a few stu- 2016 Lafayette teacher salaries av- SD School Board President Teresa School District board meeting eraged fi ve percent lower than the Gerringer acknowledged the large Due to a change I dents at the Feb. 21 meeting. Using in reporting by the that teachers are not prepared to the public comments time slot of consumer price index and dropped number of people who had turned Lafayette Police wait silently while the union and the school board meeting, the board an additional fi ve percent in 2017. up and said that while the board Department, we district continue to negotiate teach- heard from multiple teachers about The teachers took issue with in- couldn’t comment or respond at were unable to get complete er contracts. how they can no longer afford to formation posted by the district which that time, “We are listening. We do information before press time. The meeting room was packed live in the area in which they work.