03/31/2011 - The Independent

SCIENCE FAIR(continued from page one)community. More than 150 localscientists and engineers representingthe Lab and other leadingBay Area scientific organizationsserved as judges, with themajority representing the Lab.Congressman Jerry McNerney(D-Pleasanton) visited with studentsand discussed their projectsprior to the awards ceremony.“What differentiates our fairfrom others is that the studentsare judged by working scientists,”said Nadine Horner, TVSEFdirector from the Lab’s PublicAffairs Office. She added thatthe students also have a uniqueopportunity to talk with scientistsabout the kind of work they do,which provides a real learningexperience.The engineering project categorygrew this year with some36 entries, compared to just onelast year. First-time participantsAlyssa Lanza, Emily Perry andHaley Vopnford, worked as ateam on their project, “FlamingFancy Feet,” which demonstratedhow dance steps could close aswitch in a circuit to power alight bulb. The students are fromLivermore High School’s GreenEngineering Academy, whichoffers a science and engineeringfocus in its curriculum. “This isa great experience,” Alyssa saidabout the fair.William Henzel, a retiredscientist from Genentech whoreturned as a judge this year,declared, “The fair is a fantasticway to stimulate students aboutscience careers. This is a key thatcan lead them into science.”Sweepstakes winners in thesenior division category wereChristina Ren, a ninth gradestudent from Monte Vista HighSchool, who won for her project,“Ways to Enhance Cell Regeneration,”and Ruchita Gupta and RayZhou, 11th grade students fromAmador Valley High School, whowon in the team project categorywith their project, “Near-infraredTri-Valley Haven’s productionof Eve Ensler’s The VaginaMonologues will be performed atthe Bankhead Theater in DowntownLivermore on April 1, 8,and 10. Proceeds from this newproduction of the monologues,directed by local director andactress Kristi Grand, will go toTri-Valley Haven to help womenLight Biostimulation: A NovelApproach to the Optimization ofIndustrial Biosynthesis.”Ray and Ruchita entered theirteam project that explored innovativeways of using LED light toenhance microbial production ofpharmaceuticals. They receiveda First Place in their divisionand were named as the Fair’sSweepstakes Winners for Innovation,entitling them to competein the Intel International ScienceFair to be held this April in LosAngeles.Also receiving a first placeaward was Aishwarya Yenepallifrom Amador Valley. Her projectdealt with the identificationof genes responsible for silicaformation in the cell walls ofdiatoms. Her research has led tonew findings that has landed hera summer internship and the highprobability of her research beingpublished.Winning in the junior divisionwere: Daniel Cox, an eighthgrade student from Pine ValleyMiddle School, who won for hisproject, “Aspect Ratio and ItsEffect on Sail Efficiency,” andMaisam Jafri, Tarun KomidiReddy and Derek Ziao, eighthgrade students from WindemereRanch Middle School, who wonin the team category for theirproject, “Individual Water PurificationSystem.”In addition, more than 120special awards in the form ofscholarships, cash prizes andother nonmonetary recognitionwere distributed from scientific,professional, industrial, educationand government organizations.Senior division sweepstakeswinners at the fair will go on tocompete at the Intel InternationalScience and Engineering Fair,May 8-13, in Los Angeles. Juniordivision winners are eligible tocompete at the California statescience fair. For more informationabout the TVSEF, go tohttps://tvsef.llnl.gov/and children locally.April has been designatedWomen Helping Women Monthin Downtown Livermore. Forthe second year in a row localmerchants are making plansto participate in Women HelpingWomen Month and declareLivermore a violence-free zone.Rachael Snedecor, LivermoreBART(continued from page one)land is required and how much itwill cost. The preferred project,identified by BART, would bringthe tracks down the I-580 medianto Portola where it would leavethe freeway and go undergroundto a station in the downtown. Itwould climb above ground outsidethe downtown and travel atgrade to Vasco Road.The high speed rail is studyingseveral options. One would bringthe trains through downtowns inLivermore and Pleasanton; theother would go through SouthLivermore.Two initiatives could impactthe BART extension.One is Measure B. McPartlandnotes that if it were notapproved, the project may be ata standstill. When it comes tolisting the BART extension toLivermore among the projectsin Measure B, basically, we’relooking at a placeholder, saidMcPartland. He added that is truefor most projects. For example,specifics on HOV lanes on 580would not be included. If theHOV project were left off theMeasure B list, there would beno funding available.Haggerty pointed out that theBART extension to Livermorepolled well throughout the entirecounty for inclusion on the reauthorizationproject list. The $200to $300 million that could be partof Measure B, along with othermonies, can go a long way tobringing BART to Livermore.The other initiative is one beingcirculated by residents whoaim to keep the alignment on thefreeway.McPartland stated that hisproblem with the process is thatpeople are throwing gasoline onthe fire. “They are bringing theiremotions to the issue and payingless attention to the facts. The oneguy who is telling it exactly as itis is Bob Vinn (city engineer).”McPartland stated that electedofficials need to have Livermorespeak with one voice when itcomes to a BART alignment.He said that some folks havesaid that the process in selectinga preferred alignment was notgiven due diligence.April is Women Helping Women Month in Downtown LivermoreDowntown Inc. Executive Director,stated, “Many women haveopened businesses or becomemanagers in Downtown Livermore.We really look forwardto the giving back to the womenand the families in need that TheHaven serves.”Tickets for Tri-Valley Haven’sproduction of Eve Ensler’s TheVagina Monologues are availablenow at the Bankhead box office,online at www.bankheadtheater.org, or by calling (925) 373-6800.For more information about theperformance or Women HelpingWomen Month, please contactJennifer at Tri-Valley Haven at(925) 667-2718 or jenniferd@trivalleyhaven.org.He stated that it is his understandingthat the City of Livermoreis in the process of puttingtogether a package to hold openforums. “I hope people willleave their emotions at home andidentify what will be best for thecommunity.”Barton said the city is planninginformational meetings. Thecity is working with the schooldistrict, downtown, Chamberof Commerce and the nationallaboratories to set up the sessions.She stated, “The real issue is thatthe route down the freeway is notfundable, not matter what we do.We have worked on the issue foryears. At Isabel, there is the airportprotection zone. Regulatoryagencies have said they wouldnot allow construction at theproposed Greenville site.”Haggerty said the communityneeds to weigh in. “We need totake the time to have a discussionand reach agreement on aconsensus project.”In a recent story in The Independent,Vinn noted that ifthe local initiative passes, theCity would be obligated to advocatefor BART along the freeway.“BART along the freewaywould not be eligible for federal,state or regional funding becausethe City cannot meet theMetropolitan TransportationCommission’s Transit OrientedDevelopment (TOD) policy,”he explains. “Therefore, a voteagainst BART to Downtown andVasco is essentially a vote againstBART to Livermore.”The TOD policy requires anadditional 6,414 housing unitswithin a half-mile radius of thestation sites for the freewayalignment, but only 1,516 additionalhousing units for theDowntown-Vasco alignment.The next step for the City isa station area planning processto examine access, parking,pedestrian and bicycle connections,potential zoning changesto provide for transit orienteddevelopment within walkingdistance of the station, height,density, design, and other issues.If the City receives a Focus StationArea and Land Use PlanningGrant from the Association ofBay Area Governments (ABAG),COURT(continued from page one)of Energy that funds Livermore,Los Alamos and Sandia laboratories– to reduce support for LosAlamos retiree health care by 20percent.The Los Alamos operatingcontract was changed a yearearlier than Livermore’s; in factthe 2008 Livermore change wasmodeled on the Los Alamos experience.However, Los Alamoscontract wording has continuedto specify that retirees get healthcare that is “substantially equivalent”to that provided by the previouscontractor, the Universityof California.Thus, the Los Alamos LRGargues, NNSA should be legallybound to maintain its support forhealth care at the higher level thatthe University continues to offerto its retirees.The Livermore contract thattook effect in 2008 initially specified“substantially equivalent”health care, but it was modifieda year later under circumstancesthat have never been explainedThe Independent, MARCH 31, 2011 - PAGE 9Future Growth SitesTold to School BoardThe Pleasanton school boardhas learned new figures about thepotential impact of more housingon the district’s schools.Meeting jointly with the citycouncil on March 28, the boardheard Pleasanton CommunityDevelopment Director BrianDolan present a revised list of 17potential sites where Pleasantonmay grow.The city lost its building capof 29,000 units as the result of alawsuit, and now must come upwith places on its general planfor new development that willhelp meet demand for affordablehousing.The new growth is expectedto generate the need for one newelementary school, and will addto the populations at the middleschools and high schools.There was no informationprovided on cost to the districtto provide for the additionalstudents.Pleasanton is under a deadlineof Aug. 16 to rezone enough landin its general plan to accommodate3277 multi-family residentialunits that are affordable.The city won’t build them.That’s up to private developers.However in the settlement ofthat planning process could startin late 2011. The grant funding isseparate from Measure B.to allow a lower “industrial standard”of health care for retirees.This change has been part ofthe dissatisfaction among manyLivermore retirees, leading toformation of the LivermoreRetiree Group and fund-raisingleading to legal action. The officialLLNL Retirees Organizationis not allowed to participate inpolitical activities.As Livermore retiree leaderRequa told members of his group,the Los Alamos LRG was establishedunder conditions thatpermit lobbying and other politicalactivity.“They are in a different positionthan our official LLNLRetirees Organization becausethey are formed under IRS codesection 501(c)(4) and are allowedto participate in politicalactivities,” Requa wrote. “Weare looking into the possibilityof working with them,” he added,without specifying what form acollaboration might take.the lawsuit with Urgan Habitat,the requirement was set at 3277units.Dolan presented a list of 17properties at the joint meeting.They would accommodate a totalof 3222 units.Three community meetingshave been held about the proposedproperties. Response hasbeen especially strong fromneighbors who oppose designatinga vacant 9 acres of churchland in Valley Trails for a totalof 69 units, said Dolan.Other sites range as high as390 units at Pleasanton Gatewaybetween Bernal Avenue and Interstate680.Two large sites are east of ValleyAvenue and south of BuschRoad, with a total of 738 unitsbetween them.Dolan told the meeting thatwith the slow building marketnow, he doubts that there willbe a rush to develop. The city isin the process of creating newgrowth management policies thatwould help to control the rate ofdevelopment.The city will also keep up tospeed with the school district’sdemographer report that predictsfuture school population as generatedby the different types ofhousing units.Thomas L. HarperThomas L. Harper, a Lab retiree,died Wednesday, March 2,2011 from pancreatic cancer. Hewas 67.T o mwas bornM a y 3 ,1 9 4 3 i nS a l i n a s ,Calif., tot h e l a t eT h o m a sLawrenceand AnneMae Harper.He atte n d e dS a c r e dHeart Academy and Palma HighSchool in Salinas and was anEagle Scout. He received hisbachelor’s degree in mechanicalengineering from U.C. Berkeleyand a PhD in nuclear engineeringfrom MIT. His graduate workat MIT was done under a fullscholarship.Tom came to LLNL as aphysicist in L Division in 1969.One of his first assignments wasas an X-ray experimenter workingon the Cannikin Event at theAmchitka Island supplementaltest site. Soon after, he was assignedto re-write the Fluorescercomputer code, which is usedto design and analyze X-ray experiments.His revision was useduntil the end of nuclear testingand a modified version is still inuse by the Laser Program. The142-page accompanying reportis still the “bible” of such experiments.In 1972, he was nameddiagnostic project physicist forthe Delphinium Event and hecontinued as a Nevada Test Siteproject physicist for eight moreevents, the last being the majorOrkney Event in 1984. Towardthe end of this period, he servedas an underground test expert forZ division, returning to L Divisionin the early ‘80s.After the Orkney Event, Tommoved to the Nuclear DesignDepartment as a program managerand then transferred backto Z Division. He retired fromLLNL in November 1993 aspart of the VERIP-3 programand continued working as a Labassociate for Z Division. He latertransferred to AX Division towork on archiving and classificationreview.Tom enjoyed hiking and beingoutdoors in some of his favoriteplaces, including Yosemite, Tahoeand Marina Beach. He alsoenjoyed being home and caringfor his land and sheep. Tom andhis wife Susan, took trips lastyear to Denver, Colorado, GrandHaven, Michigan and Las Vegas,where they hiked and enjoyedtime together. They have beenmarried for 23 beautiful years.Tom was a working memberof the Sierra Club and worked onand with the City of Livermorefor many projects dear to hisheart. He was a large supporter ofconservation efforts and a memberof both the National WildlifeFederation and The AudubonSociety.Tom will be remembered forhis wonderful sense of humor,strong wit, intelligent mind andhis thirst for knowledge. Henever met anyone he did notlike and could hold a delightfulconversation with anyone aboutany subject. He loved his familydearly and took care of them eachand every day.Tom is deeply missed by hiswife, Susan; his children, LisaGauslow of Philadelphia, PA,Nathaniel (Sarah) Beighley ofGrand Haven, MI, Collin Beighleyof Grand Haven, MI, Paul(Christina) Harper of Oakley andNadia Harper of Livermore, CAand by his newest granddaughter,Chrissie Beth. Tom is alsosurvived by his mother-in-law,Marie Bytwerk of Livermore;sister-in-law, Mary McCort ofGainesville, FL; nephew, ShaneMcCort of Gainesville, FL andbrother-in-law, Richard (Donna)Bytwerk of West Palm Beach,FL.A celebration of Tom’s lifewill be held Friday, April 8, at 11a.m. in the Chapel at CornerstoneChurch in Livermore.The family of Tom wouldlike to thank all their wonderfulfriends and family for the support,prayer, visits, cards andletters they have provided duringthis difficult time. We wouldalso like to thank the Pastors atCornerstone for their love, time,prayer, encouragement and conversationswith Tom. He was sograteful. He was at peace.Arrangements by CallaghanMortuary.Margery Jean AikinMarge Aikin died March 25,2011, at Kaiser Hospital in WalnutCreek, of congestive heartfailure. Aresident ofLivermorefor morethan fiftyyears, shewas bornin Decatur,Illinois, onJanuary 7, 1922, the daughterof Wilbur Harrison Duncan andClara Myrl Swift Duncan.She is survived by her twochildren, Jim Aikin of Livermoreand Marie Kepner of Fort Mill,South Carolina, and by a granddaughter,Nicole Collins Deen,of Winterville, North Carolina.She was preceded in death by herhusband, Livermore artist BenAikin (1910-1992), and by heryounger brother James Duncanof Placentia, California.A memorial service will beheld at the Unitarian UniversalistChurch in Livermore. Thedate and time remain to be announced.After moving to Livermore,Marge worked for many years atGeneral Electric, first as a secretaryat the Vallecitos Test Reactorand later in San Jose as the editorof the GE nuclear group in-houseemployee newsletter. In her freetime she did beautiful pastels andplayed lots of bridge with otherwomen in several local groups.Vigorous and helpful throughouther life, until last September shewas actively providing “taxi” servicesfor other bridge players.She will be missed.Elaine E. MoravecElaine E. (Schuh) Moravecof CA, passed away March 26,2011.Beloved wife of the late RalphMoravec. Devoted mother ofMichael Moravec and his wifeSuzanne of Tonawanda, NY,Patricia Sullivan and her husbandL. Joseph of Pleasanton,CA and John Moravec and hiswife Eleanor of Cohasset. Lovingsister of Harold Schuh and hiswife Carol of Winona, MN, JackSchuh of St. Joseph, MN, VirginiaChalupsky of Hutchinson,MN, Mary Gosse of Rochester,MN and the late Maurice, Robertand Laura Schuh. Sister-in-lawof Sally Schuh of Winona, MN.Cherished grandmother of Jasonand Patrick Moravec and SarahSullivan. Also survived by manynieces and nephews.Elaine grew up in Minnesotagraduating from St. Theresa Collegein Winona. In 1967 shemoved to Massachusetts andlived in the Hingham/Norwellarea for over 35 years beforerecently moving to California.In her early years she was a mathteacher in Minnesota. She alsoenjoyed sewing and rug makingbut her main passion was beingwith her family.Services will be private. Donationsin memory of Elaine maybe made to American CancerSociety, 30 Speen Street, Framingham,MA 01701 or Churchof the Resurrection, 1057 MainStreet, Hingham, MA 02043.See www.Keohane.com or call1-800-Keohane for directionsand online condolences.