Ron Childress

As the county deals with pension reform, economic development and budget concerns, the newest supervisor will need to bring innovative solutions, strong priorities and experience to the table. Although two of the three candidates have experience working on boards, committees and commissions, the San Ramon Express believes Candace Andersen is the right choice for District 2 supervisor. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7694 posted Friday, May 18, 2012, 1:42 PM

As Danville Police and many localities throughout the state gear up for the Click It or Ticket campaign, Roving Reporter Stan Wharton went to downtown Danville to ask residents ==B Are the seat belt and distracted driving fines appropriate?== Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7690&e=y posted Thursday, May 17, 2012, 1:52 PM

A man who was struck and killed in a hit-and-run collision while riding his bicycle in Dublin on Tuesday night has been identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau as Bo Hu. Hu was visiting the area, possibly from abroad, according to a coroner's technician. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7688&e=y posted Thursday, May 17, 2012, 1:40 PM

San Ramon Police arrested a 23-year-old resident in connection with more than a dozen residential burglaries. Chase Adamic was taken into custody Wednesday night after a search of his home. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7692&e=y posted Thursday, May 17, 2012, 2:30 PM

Developmentally disabled students in the San Ramon Valley will now receive extra attention to ensure scholastic success, thanks to an advocacy group. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7683 posted Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 2:33 PM

Police are looking for the driver of a Mercedes suspected of fleeing the scene of a fatal collision with a bicyclist late Tuesday night, a police lieutenant said. The accident occurred near the corner of Dougherty and Fall Creek roads at around 11:30 p.m. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7680&e=y posted Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 11:24 AM

The town of Danville and the Tri-Valley Visitor's Bureau are asking residents to take a staycation this Memorial Day weekend. Foodies, gourmands, cooking enthusiasts and locavores will convene downtown to discover Danville's thriving food scene during Simply Delicious Danville. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7675 posted Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 7:45 PM

Police were notified at 10:33 a.m. that the pedestrian had been hit in a crosswalk near Interstate Highway 680 and Sycamore Valley Road, Sgt. Nate McCormack said. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7671&e=y posted Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 12:29 PM

Police will be enforcing seat belt usage by drivers and passengers, but will also be issuing citations for those who do not have children under the age of 8 properly buckled into an appropriate child safety seat. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7673&e=y posted Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 6:56 PM

Cell phone calls, texts and other distractions on the road earned nearly 6,000 Bay Area motorists citations from the California Highway Patrol last month, the CHP announced Friday. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7668&e=y posted Monday, May 14, 2012, 12:07 PM

Is it SATs or GPAs? Extracurricular activities or active involvement on campus? In this week's [http://danvilleexpress.com/square/index.php?i=3&d=&t=3706 Doing College] expert admissions adviser Elizabeth LaScala describes her top 10 factors students should develop to get into a selective college. These factors should begin with a solid academic foundation in elementary and middle school, she writes. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7670 posted Monday, May 14, 2012, 4:25 PM

The single, most common question I hear as a college advisor is some version of the question "What does it take to get into a selective college?" Here are my selections for the top 10 factors students should develop over their entire high school career, beginning with a solid academic foundation in elementary and middle school. 1. A rigorous high school curriculum that challenges the student and may include Honors, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes. 2. Grades that represent strong effort and an upward trend. However, slightly lower grades in rigorous classes the student feels passionately about are preferred to all As in less challenging coursework. 3. Solid scores on standardized tests (SAT, ACT). These scores should be consistent with high school performance. 4. Passionate involvement in a few activities, demonstrating leadership and initiative. Depth, not breadth, is most important. 5. Letters of recommendation from teachers and a guidance counselor which give evidence of integrity, special skills, positive character traits, and an interest in learning. 6. Well written essays that provide insight into the student’s unique personality, values, and goals. The application essays should be thoughtful and highly personal. Each essay should be carefully constructed and demonstrate a command of proper writing conventions. 7. Special talents or experiences that will in combination will contribute to an interesting and well-balanced in-coming freshman class. 8. Demonstrated leadership in activities. Colleges want students who will arrive prepared and willing to take leadership of activities and events. 9. Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and maturity through reading, school, extracurricular pursuits, and employment. Elizabeth LaScala Ph.D. guides college, transfer and graduate school applicants through the complex world of admissions. She develops college lists, offers personalized interview and essay coaching, and tools and strategies to help students tackle each step of the admissions process with confidence and success. Visit www.doingcollege.com email elizabeth@doingcollege.com or call (925) 891-4491.

In this week's [http://danvilleexpress.com/square/index.php?i=3&d=&t=3696 Raucous Caucus], educator and recruiter Tom Cushing discusses "It's Even Worse Than It Looks." The book, by Norm Ornstein and Thomas Mann, puts blame for the current policy morass in Washington at the feet of the Republican party. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7666 posted Friday, May 11, 2012, 6:59 PM

Held May 4, the Contra Costa Council's annual small business awards luncheon honored 12 outstanding small businesses owners. Cottage Jewel owner Marcia Harmon was recommended by the Danville Chamber of Commerce. Read the full story here http://danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7665 posted Friday, May 11, 2012, 4:56 PM

Known to many as larger-than-life, Margaret Lesher left an indelible impact on the East Bay through philanthropic work and her forceful personality. Wife to newspaper magnate Dean Lesher, she and her husband were among Contra Costa County's elite as well as characters admired throughout the Times empire. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7653&e=y posted Thursday, May 10, 2012, 1:48 PM

San Ramon Valley Unified School District recently announced its classified employees of the year -- those important staff members who play key roles in student achievement, safety and health, said Assistant Superintendent Jessica Romeo. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7652 posted Thursday, May 10, 2012, 1:46 PM

I would appreciate suggestions from my fellow citizens, I have a sizable amount of books accumulated over the years and I need to do a bit of a "purge"...I have heard Garage Sales seem to sell very few and I would appreciate feedback from others that are in my boat and have found a suitable remedy in the past. I am happy to donate to whomever might want them. Any suggestions?

It seems, for the moment at least, that no one is researching how a Native American skull landed at Pleasanton's recycling center. Police said the skull likely came in on one of three recycling trucks on May 3, making pinpointing where it came from difficult at best. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7646 posted Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 1:30 PM

Only one week remains for residents to register to vote in the June 5, 2012 election. To register to vote, complete the Secretary of State online application. Military and overseas voters can go to the Military and Overseas Voters web page. Hard copy Voter Registration Forms can be found at the Post Office, DMV, local library, city clerk office or Contra Costa County Elections Office. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7640&e=y posted Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 4:18 PM

Members of the activist group MoveOn gathered in Alamo Plaza on Wednesday afternoon to protest actions taken by Bank of America and other institutions. Protesters identifying with the 99 percent "foreclosed" on the bank and demanded that it pay taxes or change its name. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7649&e=y posted Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 4:01 PM

The U.S. News and World Report recently released its [http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/national-rankings/spp+100 list of top high schools] in the nation. All San Ramon Valley Unified schools cracked the 200 mark in state rankings. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7650 posted Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 5:16 PM

The first thing you need to know about Norm Ornstein and Thomas Mann is where they work – at the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution, respectively. Those policy think tanks are among the oldest and best-respected of their breed; Brookings has been described across the political spectrum, but is probably best called center-left. The AEI is distinctly right-of-center – enough so that they booted thoughtful conservative pundit David Frum after an apostate column critical of the GOP. The second thing to understand is that these guys have been navigating the shifting currents of the Potomac for more than 40 years each; their expertise is beyond serious debate, their credentials are impeccable, their reputations firmly established. Which is why it’s extremely important to take note of their recent book “It’s Even Worse Than It Looks.” In it, they lay blame for the current policy morass in Washington directly, unequivocally at the feet of one political party: the Republicans. In a blistering indictment, they write: "The GOP has become an insurgent outlier in American politics. It is ideologically extreme; scornful of compromise; unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition.” “When one side moves this far from the mainstream, it makes it nearly impossible for the political system to deal constructively with the country’s challenges.” Wow – you just don’t see that decisive kind of language every day, especially in the sober stylings of scholars. Indeed, it had become fashionable in this era of urgent information overload, to assume that “both sides do it” – the familiar “you’re one, too” defense of the schoolyard aggressor. Thus when Dems complained about Republican recalcitrance on ObromneyCare (originally a GOP idea) or the utterly meaningless and deeply self-destructive debt ceiling debate, the first response has always been “it’s just politics as usual.” Except it’s not. Our fragmented media have fallen into the trap of letting the reader decide – assuming that both sides have some merit, and often giving equal time to preposterous positions, unhinged to reality. While there’s something to be said for balance, when that approach is uncritically applied it gives equal weight to, say, scientific consensus on one side, and the Department of MSU on the other (that’s “Making Stuff Up”). The 5th Estate can’t abdicate analysis – it must recall the admonition of every J-School prof: “If your subject says he has a mother, check-out the claim.” Paraphrasing these authors: you can’t have a balanced treatment of an unbalanced situation without distorting reality. Recognizing this failure to fact-check, partisans have felt a new freedom to prevaricate: thus, we have the GOP nominee’s claim of actual credit for resurrecting the automobile industry, a contention directly contradicted by his published writings at the time. As above, facts apparently don’t matter. The Republican Party’s processes have been devoted not to governing, but to the obstruction thereof, on policy and on nominations – as to the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Agency, a demonstrably needed, duly enacted initiative that could not implement its mission without its initial senior staff. When a senior Senate leader (McConnell) describes the number one policy mission of his organization as “ensuring that Obama (best defined on the political spectrum as a centrist, in my view) is a one-term President,” you know his train has left the track. The Constitution that every legislator swears to uphold requires more, and the American People deserve better. As with other eras in which an extreme element captures the flag, their tenure is usually short-lived. GOP Representative Allen West’s recent, ridiculous assertion that there are some 75-80 card-carrying Commies among his Democrat opponents hearkens-back to the McCarthy Era of the 1950s. Joe McCarthy’s influence was temporary – but real people got hurt, they’re being hurt now. It’s also instructive that there was no groundswell of GOP condemnation of West’s slander. Nor did the slow-afoot nominee rise to correct a supporter’s charge that Mr. Obama should be charged with treason (as the honorable Mr. McCain did, forcefully and immediately, in 2008). There may be early signs that this GOP is overplaying its hand by purging its endangered moderate elements: witness 6- term moderate Senator Lugar’s parting warning today, after losing the Indiana primary: “If Mr. Mourdock is elected Senator, I want him to be a good Senator. But that will require him to revise his stated goals of bringing more partisanship to Washington. He and I share many positions, but his embrace of an unrelenting partisan mindset is irreconcilable with my philosophy of governance and my experience of what brings results…In effect, what he has promised in this campaign is reflexive votes for a rejectionist orthodoxy and rigid opposition to the proposals of the other party… “This is not conducive to problem-solving and governance. And he will find that unless he modifies his approach, he will achieve little as a legislator. Worse, he will help delay solutions that are totally beyond the capacity of partisan majorities to achieve [prominently including the federal deficit].” It remains to be seen whether this GOP purge will “O’Donnell” the state party as its Delawareans did in 2010, but one can hope. It is pretty clear that Mr. Lugar deserved better. Election season is upon us. 2012 will be different because of the increasingly strident partisanship –at-all-costs described by Messrs. Ornstein, Mann and now Lugar. It will be abetted by Super-Pac practices that will make us yearn for the relative truthiness of the SwiftBoaters. There are also early indications that Mr. Obama will drop the gloves and articulate a sharply contrasting, inclusive vision for the country – one that will capture the Great Middle Ground. Through it all, it will be crucial for citizen voters – and most especially those who consider themselves “moderate Republicans” to recall the wisdom in the Ornstein-Mann warnings about the games being played, the intentions of the players and the consequences of their actions.

Police continue to search for four suspects following a home invasion robbery in Walnut Creek early Monday morning. The suspects ran through the house looking for items to steal, exited through the garage, and loaded the stolen items into a vehicle before fleeing the scene. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7639&e=y posted Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 11:58 AM

Another thread on the Danville Town Square Forum offers a link to a Grand Jury report on Education Board compensation in the county. The board with the highest compensation is none other than the Contra Costa Community College District with total compensation in FY2010-2011 of $93,932. And who is the president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board? None other than Tomi Van de Brook. Look for some outrageous votes for more compensation for the BOS if she gets elected. Now some may say that the Grand Jury has an axe to grind. Maybe it does, but the numbers are real and stand by themselves without any political narrative which may be in the report. Here's the link to the Report: http://www.cc-courts.org/_data/n_0038/resources/live/rpt1204.pdf

San Ramon Regional Medical Center hosts the breastfeeding support group which meets at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at the hospital (6001 Norris Canyon Road, San Ramon). A new topic is discussed at every meeting. Call Connie at 838-8336 or Kimberly at 648-5131. Read the full story here http://www.danvilleexpress.com/news/show_story.php?id=7632&e=y posted Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 4:49 PM