Save Mount Diablo Hike

Save Mount Diablo Hike, Saturday November 7, 2009, 9:30 a.m.
Some of the Best Views You’ve Never Seen.
Brand New Hidden Valley Open Space & the Threatened Tassajara Valley.

Hidden Valley Open Space: Photographer, Scott Hein

Seth Adams, Director of Land Programs for Save Mount Diablo, is leading a hike in the new Hidden Valley Open Space in San Ramon, this Saturday November 7, 2009, 9:30 am.

All participants have the option of 1 mile (350’ gain/loss), 3.5 mile (650’ gain/loss), or 4.5 mile full loop (800’ gain/loss). Time: 1-3 hours depending on which option is chosen.

The hike is both about informing the public about this incredible new preserve, and also about threats to the Tassajara Valley, which are visible from the trail. The hike begins at a hiker gate across from 2187 Longleaf Circle in San Ramon. Bring water, layers and sunscreen.

For more info, call George Phillips at 925 947-3535 or e-mail: gphillips@savemountdiablo.org .

More info about the issue and hikes at: http://www.savemountdiablo.org/Tassajara/TVhome.htm .

SMD is leading six hikes in Hidden Valley Open Space:

• Saturday November 7, 2009, 9:30 am. Led by Seth Adams, SMD’s Director of Land Programs.
• Sunday December 6, 2009, 9:30 am. Led by Troy Bristol, SMD’s Land Conservation Associate.
• Saturday January 16, 2010, 9:30 am. Led by Troy Bristol, SMD’s Land Conservation Associate.
• Sunday February 21, 2010, 9:30 am. Led by Scott Hein, Chair of SMD’s Land Committee.
• Sunday March 21, 2010, 9:30 am. Led by Troy Bristol, SMD’s Land Conservation Associate.
• Sunday April 11, 2010, 9:30 am. Led by Seth Adams, SMD’s Director of Land Programs.

All hikes begin at hiker gate across from 2187 Longleaf Circle in San Ramon. Bring water, layers and sunscreen.

Or you can take a hike by yourself, using this self-guiding map and description. Hidden Valley Self Guide Hike .

Public Hearing Notice For City Center Mixed Use Project

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SAN RAMON CITY CENTER MIXED USE PROJECT.

San Ramon

The City of San Ramon Planning Commission Will be Holding a Public Hearing on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 to Consider:

Applications: Amendments to the Sunset-Bishop Ranch Development Agreement and a portion of the Chevron Park Development Agreement relating to the San Ramon City Center Mixed Use Project. (DA 09-850-001 and DA 09-850-002 - Filed on October 14, 2009

Owners/Applicants: City of San Ramon and Sunset Development Company

Location: The project site is comprised of several parcels at the intersection of Camino Ramon
and Bollinger Canyon Road (A.P.Ns: 213-133-063, 213-133-086, 213-120-010, -011, -013, -017 and -018).

Request: Consideration of Amendments for the Bishop Ranch Development Agreement and a portion of the Chevron Park Development Agreement Assigned to and Assumed by Sunset Building Co, LLC, for the City Center Mixed Use Area (as identified above). Applicant requests extension of certain deadlines relating to certain transfers between the parties, the sale and re-acquisition of certain properties, and other related matters.

CEOA: The impacts of the project described in the Development Agreement amendments were analyzed within the San Ramon City Center Final Subsequent EIR (SCH#2007042022) which was prepared for the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines, 1970 as amended (CEQA). The City will be making environmental findings pursuant to CEQA in connection with these Development Agreements.

If you challenge this application in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.

SAID HEARING will be held by the Planning Commission, City of San Ramon, commencing at 7:00 PM, on November 3, 2009 in the Council Chamber at 2222 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, California, 94583.

Posting Period: October 23 2009 to November 3. 2009

City of San Ramon, 2222 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA 94583

Debbie Chamberlain, Division Manager, Planning Services (925) 973-2560

Applebee's Honors Local Heroes

APPLEBEE'S HONORS LOCAL HEROES WITH DISCOUNTED ENTRÉES

San Ramon Restaurant Offering 25 Percent off Entrées for Police, Fire and Military Personnel

(San Ramon, CA)---Good deeds seldom go unnoticed and Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar is doing its part to celebrate a job well done: From this point forward, the 17900 San Ramon Valley Road location will be offering a 25 percent discount on all entrees to any uniformed police, fire, paramedic and military personnel who dine in at the restaurant.

"This is our way of saying thanks to the people that help make our community special and keep it safe," said Anand Gala, president and CEO of Gala Corp, the management company behind Applebee's. "These individuals work far beyond the normal 9-to-5 work day and oftentimes their jobs never really stop; this selfless commitment to others will be reflected in our promotion because it, too, will never end."

The heroes discount will be available whenever the restaurant is open – Monday through Thursday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. – but is limited to one entrée per customer.

Established in 1982 and headquartered in Orange County, Calif., Gala Corporation is one of the leading privately-owned hospitality and food service companies in the United States. From unassuming beginnings with a single property, Gala Corporation is today recognized as a first-class developer and operator of hospitality and food service assets with a customer-focused and quality-minded approach to business. Additionally, Gala Corporation provides third-party management services to multi-unit fast food and full-service restaurant companies and investment groups. Management services are available for most any brand or chain in the U.S. For more information, visit www.galacorp.com

Celebrity Crab Fest & Sports Auction

10th Annual Biletnikoff Foundation

Celebrity Crab Fest & Sports Auction

10th Anniversary of Foundation
Established in Memory of The Daughter of Hall-of Fame NFL Oakland Raider Fred Biletnikoff

The 10th Annual Biletnikoff Foundation Celebrity Crab Fest & Sports Auction will be held from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, November 13 at the Marriott at Bishop Ranch, 2600 Bishop Drive, San Ramon, California. Tickets are $130 per person and attire is casual. Last year's sold-out event raised $60,000 for the foundation. Master of ceremonies will be Greg Papa, Bay Area sports broadcaster and radio voice of the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders are celebrating their 50th season.

The Biletnikoffs formed The Biletnikoff Foundation, located in Dublin, CA, in memory of their daughter Tracey who was brutally murdered by someone she had dated. Before her passing, she was working toward becoming a drug rehabilitation counselor at the Women's Recovery Association in San Mateo, the facility that helped her overcome substance abuse.

The Biletnikoff Foundation supports Tracey's Place of Hope, a residential treatment program; the Women's Recovery Association for girls who are low-income, homeless or at risk of homelessness; Biletnikoff Foundation Scholarship Fund; Tim Brown Touchdown Club; East Bay Agency for Children; Tim Brown Mentor Camp; Live Oak Swim Team for "at-risk" children during the summer; Families First with services for children and families; and STAND, Stand Against Domestic Violence.

Crab Fest 2009 highlights include dinner with celebrities and past and present Oakland Raiders; live entertainment from Mad Jack; Choreographer La Tonya Watts' East Bay Dance Company in a Michael Jackson tribute; drawings for diamond jewelry and 58" flat screen TV; and a special performance by the Raiderettes, and the Biletnikoff Angels.

There will be live and silent auctions with many exclusive items available for bid, including sports memorabilia; Hall of Fame travel packages, an Oakland Raiders home game package; a package for a performance of The Nutcracker at War Memorial Opera house with the Biletnikoffs; foursome of golf at the Olympic Club in San Francisco; Angel island deluxe day for four people; Bay Area airplane flight for three by Tucknott Electric; sports celebrities autographs; and wine tasting by Robert Mondavi Winery that is donating all the wine for the Crab Fest.

There will be a Red Carpet photo shoot. A highlight will be Don Dimas Cigars with hand-rolled cigars.

For the fifth year, the Biletnikoff Foundation will be giving back even more to the community by awarding $1,000 educational grants to aid high school seniors to fulfill their dreams of entering college.

Confirmed celebrity guests include Greg Townsend, Michael and Merriweather, Mervyn Fernandez, Jerry Porter, Mel Renfro, Mark Davis, Lincoln Kennedy, MacArthur Lane, Raymond Chester, Clem Daniels, Jack Tatum, Loreto Garza, George Atkinson, Bob Lilly, Raider Coaches and Staff; Tom Flores; Jeremy Brigham, Former Raider Tight End and M.A.D.F. Founder; Joey Gilbert, from television show The Contender, and former World Boxing Organization and North American Boxing Organization Super middleweight Champ; Joey Chestnut, World Hot Dog Eating Champ; Robert L. Mundo, former Golden Gloves of the U.S. Air Force, and many more.

Crab Fest sponsorship opportunities are available from title sponsor at $25,000 to grant sponsorship at $1,000. Ticket holders who are grant sponsors of $1,000 will have the opportunity to award the scholarships in person at the Crab Fest.

Fred Biletnikoff was All-AFL/AFC four times, 1971 NFL receiving champion, and played in two AFL All-Star games, four AFC-NFC Pro Bowls, eight AFL/AFC title games and two Super Bowls. He was MVP in Super Bowl XI. He was the Oakland Raiders wide-receiver coach. Biletnikoff has a national award named after him. For the past 12 years the Biletnikoff Award has been presented to young men in football who continue to have outstanding careers in the NFL.

For tickets and information contact the Biletnikoff Foundation, 7080 Donlon Way, Suite 126, Dublin, CA 94568, (925) 556-2525. Tickets may be ordered online at www.biletnikoff.net.

"Being a victim affects generations; let's break the chain today."

Meals On Wheels CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge

9/23/09 San Ramon, CA

Yesterday, as a part of her efforts to spread awareness about senior hunger in America as a part of the Meals On Wheels campaign entitled The Next Meal,  [http://www.thenextmeal.org/] , LPGA Tour Professional, Jee Young Lee made local San Ramon meal deliveries to shut in seniors.

Jee Young delivered meals with Ann Frasier of the San Ramon organization, Meals On Wheels, Senior Outreach Services, [1300 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596  (925) 937-8607 x 111].

Jee Young's example is similar to other LPGA players as they attempt not only to entertain and thrill area fans with their talent and determination on the golf course, but to also bring awareness of local needs, perform valuable services in the communities surrounding their tournaments and to set examples for area youth as to how best to succeed in sports and in life.

Thank you for your efforts in bringing attention to senior hunger which exists even in great communities like San Ramon.

Doug Burr For City Council in San Ramon

Doug Burr
Candidate for City Council

Doug Burr, a resident of San Ramon, is running for the San Ramon City Council in November 2009.

Doug lives in the Dougherty Valley with his wife and two children. He went to UC Davis, earning a BA in Economics and an MBA. He is a management consultant, advising Fortune 500 companies. Doug spent 8 years in the US Army Reserve where he ended his service as a Captain in the Infantry.

As Doug puts it, "My first experience in politics was trying to get stop signs put in front of our local school. The City Council refused, so I authored an initiative to let the voters decide. The City Council unanimously voted to sue me, I believe to stop me with a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation). They said more than one stop sign was too many issues."

Doug Burr is running for San Ramon City Council to serve the San Ramon residents. He believes that the City should operate in full transparency. "We need to publish all contracts prior to the City signing them, residents should have access to every expenditure the city makes, to the penny. (except for healthcare details and expenses on children)," said Doug.

Other areas of importance to Doug include keeping Tassajara Valley undeveloped. "The current City Council is moving towards annexing the Tassajara Valley, a way to bypass the voter approved Urban Limit Line and allow massive development with a large percentage of low income housing. This would reduce the value of existing San Ramon homes. I am also concerned about the City Council's other action's urbanizing our city."

With eminent domain now on the books in San Ramon and with the fact that the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency being one and the same, since it is the City Council members who serve as the governing board; Doug is very much concerned about the misuse of redevelopment agency funds and possible eminent domain actions for the North Camino Ramon Specific Plan and other areas in San Ramon.

Doug places much value on supporting education in the San Ramon Valley and having great schools which not only benefit San Ramon's youngest citizens but also help drive higher property values. Doug was aghast when, "the City Council voted to raise the speed limit from 25 to 40 mph on a two lane road with a blind curve, going up a hill with homes on one side and two parks on the other side, What were they thinking?"

After local San Ramon residents complaints fell on deaf ears at the City Council meetings and its members, they spoke with Doug, a leader on traffic safety, who ended up taking an active roll in protecting our youth, and made a difference in the San Ramon community while providing safer streets for our youth and citizens.

Support Doug Burr For City Council