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Mountain House, CA 95391 

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Issue# 115 

October 2023 

Volume 12, Number 10 

Inside this issue 

Harder Addresses Rotary 

Rickman Delivers State 

of the County Address 

MH Rec Mgr Swears-In 

Park & Rec Commissioners 

MH Valley Link Station 

moving forward 

Stars Casino Grand 

Opening Celebration 

MH Real Estate Matters 

5 

6 

8 

10 

14 

16 

Local Media Matters 

“City Of Mountain House” Incorporation Approved by LAFCo Board 

Residents approval in March 5, 2024 election final step in long process 

By Bryan Harrison 

Stockton, CA – The San Joaquin County Local Agency 

Formation Commission (LAFCo) voted unanimously 

September 14, 2023 to accept the proposal presented 

to their Board for the incorporation of Mountain House 

as the newest city in California. 

LAFCo Executive Director, J.D. Hightower, gave 

a thorough presentation to the board, beginning by 

outlining the historical development of Mountain 

House. Representative leadership from Mountain 

House present for the meeting included MHCSD Board 

President, Bernice King-Tingle, as well as Directors 

Manuel Moreno and Harry Dhillon. General Manager, 

Steve Pinkerton was present virtually by conference 

call, recovering from Covid. 

From the initial concept in the 1980s, formation in 

1993, groundbreaking in 2001 and first home development 

in 2003, Hightower took the board through a 

highlights journey of this community’s tremendous 

growth. He explained to the board that, from the earliest 

planning stages, developing this master-planned 

community was aimed at not only reigning-in random 

and sporadic development growth in the valley, but 

would also eventually grow to where the community 

could incorporate as its own city in a natural progression. 

Following years of study and preparation that started 

as early as 2015, The Mountain House Community 

Services District (MHCSD) first adopted a resolution 

on January 13, 2021, R-2021-01, and an amended 

resolution on May 11, 2022 requesting that LAFCo 

initiate proceedings for incorporation. 

The findings from the LAFCo Comprehensive Fiscal 

Analysis (CFA) provided a clear picture under several 

potential scenarios that the community is well-positioned 

to become a full-fledged city at this time. 

“The Sphere of Influence (SOI) for the existing Mountain 

House Community Services District (MHCSD) 

and proposed City of Mountain House (City) will be the 

same. The SOI amendment is essentially the renaming 

continued page 9 

Mountain House High School Celebrates Its 10th Birthday! 

Mountain House High School celebrated the school’s 10th 

Birthday September 8, 2023, with a lunchtime cupcake fest. 

School and District leaders passed out chocolate and vanilla 

cupcakes adorned with frosting in blue & white to students 

passing by on their Friday lunch break. 

First year Principal, Adam Auerbach, appeared to be having a 

great time doling out cupcakes to all who wanted one. LUSD 

Board Trustees, including President David Pombo, Lisa Boulais 


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4 MountainHouseMatters.com 

Issue #114 #115• September October 2023 

Happy 10th Birthday Mountain House High School!! 

continued from page 1 

and Vanitha Daniel, along with Superintendent 

Dr. Kirk Nicholas all helped 

create a party atmosphere for students. 

MHHS Activities Director, Eric Feinstein, 

was credited with having put this 

special event together. 

A decade in, with school enrollment 

nearing capacity, the District has 

additional classrooms already under 

construction, with temporary portable 

classrooms having been brought in for 

this school year. 

1st year MHHS Principal, Adam Auerbach 

MHHS Activities Director, Eric Feinstein, with the Mustang Mascot, Maximus! 

MHHS Friday lunch time fun time 

L-r: LUSD Board Trustee, Lisa Boulais, Trustee & president of the board, David Pombo, Superintendent 

Dr Kirk Nicholas, and Trustee Vanitha Daniel 

Students gathered for the celebration 

Grillz 

VP Alternative Ed & Secretary, Lisa Deleon

Issue #115 • October 2023 

Harder Addresses MH Rotary 

By Bryan Harrison 

Mountain House, CA – The Rotary Club of Mountain House had the good fortune 

of having local representative to the United States House of Representatives, 

Congressman Josh Harder, as their special guest speaker at the August 28, 2023 

bi-monthly meeting. 

Congress member Harder, a resident of neighboring Tracy, shared that he had been 

doing his best over the Summer recess to get out and see and speak with as many 

of his constituents as possible. His brief presentation demonstrated a deep and 

thorough knowledge of the issues affecting people in the valley. 

“Mountain House is a good example of what’s happening all over county - growth!” 

he said in his opening. Harder 

briefly addressed his pleasure at 

being able to represent Mountain 

House following the redistricting 

prior to the 2022 election. He 

praised the community aspect 

here, and his appreciation of the 

school system. 

the Altamont on a daily basis. 

“We need to bring more local jobs to our area,” 

he said, to at least help reduce the gridlock. 

The Valley Link Rail system now in the development 

stages is “an important game changer 

for our area,” he stated. Progress on the train 

system that will effectively connect the Valley 

to BART, is on schedule and moving forward. 

A top priority, he added, is to secure Federal 

funding to fill out the budget before construction 

begins, as early as 2025. 

“Water!” he stated. “We must protect every last 

gallon,” said emphatically. Harder spoke about 

how he is working to stop boondoggle projects 

Getting into the meat of his presentation, 

he touted the success of the 

American Rescue Plan, including 

being able to triple growth of summer 

schools as just one benefit. 

He shifted to speak about the 

severe challenge for more than 

100,000 people commuting over 

MountainHouseMatters.com 

like the delta tunnel, and expanding the Los Vaqueros 

Reservoir. The expansion plan for the reservoir effectively 

doubles it’s capacity, he said. 

Harder presents himself in a comfortable, homey style. 

He considers himself Independent, and seeks out the best 

ideas. His drive is to “be effective and get stuff done”, 

with locally focused priorities. 

The Congressman then took numerous questions from 

the crowd, adeptly addressing several topics and promising 

to learn more about those he didn’t have quick 

responses for. 

Mountain House Rotary President Wright thanked 

Congressman Harder and he stayed for several minutes 

afterward to chat with residents and attendees. 

Harder Delivers $3.8 Million 

to Expand Nursing Program 

at Delta College 

Rep. Harder secured funding for Delta College’s 

nursing program to train more nurses each year 

The San Joaquin Valley nursing shortage is growing drastically 

while demand is expected to increase by 35% in the next few years 

WASHINGTON – Representative Josh Harder (CA-9), a member of the 

powerful House Appropriations Committee, September 18, 2023 highlighted 

the $3.8 million community project funding (CPF) he secured to 

expand Delta College’s nursing program. The money is going to enable 

Delta College to upgrade and expand the program’s state-of-the-art simulation 

labs, where students can practice their clinical training on life-like 

‘patient mannequins’ and receive detailed feedback about their work. Delta 

College’s nursing program currently includes 120 students each year – 

funding will support the college’s plans to nearly double the number of 

nursing students being trained. 

“Our families are waiting way too long to get the healthcare they need. We 

have to train and keep more health practitioners in San Joaquin County,” 

said Rep. Harder. “I am proud to bring home this money to expand Delta 

College’s nursing program to make sure we are training talent right here 

at home and getting our families the health care they need.” 

“It’s critical that the San Joaquin Valley has enough nurses to serve the 

region’s rapidly growing population. This grant will allow Delta College 

to expand the number of nursing simulation laboratories on our campus, 

so that we can support our growing nursing program and help meet the 

community’s future needs. We are deeply grateful to the U.S. Department 

of Education and to Congressman Josh Harder for partnering on this 

important project,” said Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson, Delta College 

Superintendent / President. 

Simulation-based nursing education (i.e., Sim Lab) provides students with 

opportunities to practice their clinical and decision-making skills through 

various real-life situational experiences in a safe environment. Students 

will be able to practice everything from setting up IVs and taking urine 

samples to shocking ‘patient manikins’ and performing tracheotomies. The 

simulators have tubing in their arms and legs so students can feel for a pulse 

while the manikins’ chests move up and down to mimic a human breathing. 

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6 

Produced by your neighbors right here in Mountain House, CA 

Established in late 2012, Mountain House Matters has grown 

into the go-to community news source. Moving back to monthly 

publication in the wake of the pandemic, MHMatters is distributed 

by Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) to reach every address in town, 

as well as the reach of the Lammersville Unified School District 

in Tracy. 

Mountain House Matters was recognized in December 2019 with 

the notable CSBA Golden Quill Award for Excellence In Journalism. 

Now 10 years old, MHMatters’ mission is to provide news and 

information for and about the community of Mountain House, 

California. Circulation numbers have more than doubled since 

inception, including the expansion in September 2021 to include 

additional copies to the carrier route for our neighbors in the von 

Sosten area of Lammersville School - as part of our local school 

district (LUSD). As of the April 2023 issue #109, total mailed 

circulation for each issue now stands at 8,561 copies, reaching 

approximately 30,000 people. 

We look forward to continuing to grow as Mountain House moves 

on toward build-out. 

Publisher/Managing Editor 

Bryan Harrison 

bryan@mhmatters.net 

209-597-8157 

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Bryan Harrison 

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Send article submissions and information for consideration 

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Best of San Joaquin Ahead at State of County Address 

Tracy, CA – San Joaquin County Supervisor, 5th 

District, and Chairman of the Board, Robert Rickman, 

presented the first-ever “State of the County” 

address Tuesday, September 19, 2023 to a near 

capacity morning crowd at the Grand Theater here. 

Hosted by the Tracy Chamber of Commerce, with 

Chamber CEO Maria Valenzuela serving as emcee 

for the event, the crowd gathered for a time in the 

lobby, enjoying coffee and pastries and greetings. 

Opening the show was president of the University 

of Pacific, Christopher Callahan, who shared some 

impressive information about UOP, its programs, 

growth and initiatives. As the first university in the 

Harder Reintroduces SAVE Water Resources Act to Address Central Valley Water Needs 

WASHINGTON DC – Representative Josh Harder 

September 20, 2023 reintroduced his Securing Access 

for the Central Valley and Enhancing (SAVE) 

Water Resources Act. The bill provides a wraparound 

approach to addressing water issues facing 

the Central Valley by increasing storage opportunities, 

spurring innovation, and making long-overdue 

investments in our aging water infrastructure. Water 

is a crucial resource for San Joaquin County’s 

agriculture industry, and Harder is committed to 

protecting it for generations to come. 

"Water is our most precious resource in the Valley 

and we must do everything we can to protect it and 

end the cycle of flooding and extreme drought,” said 

Rep. Harder. “Pitting us against each other to fight 

over water isn’t the answer. We need to invest in 

our water infrastructure so that when we see historic 

rain like earlier this year, it can be stored for later 

use instead of flooding our families’ living rooms.” 

Specifically, the bill: 

INCREASES WATER STORAGE 

Provides $250 million in storage funding and expedites 

a record of decision to move forward on the 

Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Phase II Project 

which will bring an additional 115,000 acre feet of 

water storage to the Valley. 

Helps farmers prepare for SGMA by leveraging 

federal resources to identify prime locations for 

groundwater storage and recharge in California and 

across the Western United States. 

UPGRADES AGING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 

Establishes a water infrastructure and drought solutions 

fund to provide $750 million for water surface 

state of California, UOP has grown into three main 

campuses: Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco, 

with a vast array of specialties, from legal and 

medical focuses to science and music. 

The main event, of course, was Supervisor Rickman’s 

address. After thanking the many dignitaries 

in the room, and the Tracy Chamber for hosting, the 

Chairman of the Board covered a lot of ground in 

about a 30 minute speech. 

Focusing initially on technological growth and 

advances in the county, he said the county now 

has “100% electronic plan review for all building 

permits to make the process less complicated and 

more efficient”. 

He mentioned that the county is 

hiring for numerous levels and 

specialties, and encouraged all to 

speak with him or go to the updated 

web site at: SJGov.org. 

and groundwater storage, water reclamation and 

reuse, and WaterSMART program projects. 

Reauthorizes the Rural Water Supply Act, which 

requires the Bureau of Reclamation to work with 

rural communities to improve access to safe and 

clean sources of drinking water. 

SPURS INNOVATION 

Creates an innovative financing program that would 

provide low-interest federal loans to fund local 

water infrastructure projects. 

Invests in water reuse and recycling by increasing 

funding for WaterSMART programs from $50 million 

to $500 million and extending the program's 

authorization. 

Expedites a request from Stockton East Water District 

to provide water to unserved rural communities 

in their Central Valley Project service area. 

The bill is cosponsored by Representatives John 

Garamendi (CA-8), Jim Costa (CA-21), Jimmy 

Panetta (CA-19), and Eric Swalwell (CA-14) and 

is supported by the Stockton East Water District and 

Contra Costa Water District. 

“Recent extreme drought has left no part of California 

untouched, posing significant challenges for 

farmers and communities,” said Rep. Costa. “The 

heavy rain and floods California received this year 

further demonstrate the importance of efficient water 

management. This bill will help increase water storage 

and spur innovation to ensure all communities 

have access to a sustainable water supply.” 

“Meeting California’s current and future water 

needs should be a priority for every member of 

The Supervisor touched on all areas 

of the Board’s purview, including 

the aforementioned technology, 

into Educational efforts and advances. 

“We put a premium on students and education, 

and we take care of our veterans,” he said. 

Law enforcement and Fire protection services have 

been a strong focus for the board, he said, highlighting 

the recent ground-breaking on new detention and 

programs facility in French Camp, and the success 

of the county DA’s office. 

“The County has committed more than $12 million 

in funding to 16 fire stations,” he said, outlining the 

numerous investments. 

Mr. Rickman gave a fair amount of attention to 

dealign with the homeless crisis affecting not only 

continued next page 

our Congressional delegation, Republican or 

Democrat,” said Rep. Garamendi. “I am pleased to 

cosponsor Congressman Harder’s commonsense 

bill again this year, which puts real solutions on 

the table to help modernize our state’s aging water 

infrastructure. The climate crisis demands that we 

act now to secure the water supply necessary to 

meet California’s growing needs. I call on Speaker 

McCarthy, Governor Newsom, and the rest of my 

Congressional colleagues from California to join us 

in getting serious about reform.” 

“Stockton East Water District is well underway 

towards reaching our goal of 20,000 acre-feet of 

increased surface water use to ensure sustainability 

of the basin’s critically overdraft groundwater 

supplies by 2040. We have surface water supply, 

conveyance facilities, water treatment facilities, and 

some available capacity within each to deliver more 

water within the basin, but are limited by the service 

area identified within our Central Valley Project 

(CVP) contract. We are thankful for Congressman 

Harder’s support for contract changes necessary 

for groundwater sustainability and foresight by 

realizing our necessary changes provide a benefit 

already realized by other CVP contractors,” said 

Justin Hopkins, General Manager, Stockton East 

Water District. 

“The Contra Costa Water District is very grateful for 

Rep. Harder’s leadership on the SAVE Water Resources 

Act. It contains several important provisions 

that will provide a direct benefit to our customers 

by making our water supply more durable and resilient,” 

said Ernie Avila, Board President, Contra 

Costa Water District.


State of County continued 

San Joaquin County, but the state, as well, calling 

it a “Humanitarian emergency in California”. He 

went on to express his view of the problem, having 

worked for 28 years from the law enforcement perspective. 

“We cannot view the issue as just one of 

housing. That’s just one component of the overall 

issue. Substance abuse, serious mental illness, a 

lack of available resources and personal accountability” 

all play a role, he said. “I am confident that 

working together and working locally we can make 

significant progress; look at its root and causes and 

reduce the homeless crisis long term.” 

He stated that the county is investing some $53 million 

dollars over the next 18 years from the National 

Opium Settlement. This will be a ‘one-stop shop’ 

campus and facility on 23 acres in French Camp,” 

he said, with a wide array of services, opportunities 

and treatment. 

“In the past 2 years, along invested nearly $200 

million for county-wide projects ranging from 

permanent supportive housing, emergency shelters, 

responding to calls for services, hospital treatment 

and enhanced care management. These investments 

will result in the addition of over 700 new units of 

permanent supportive housing and increased shelter 

capacity countywide by 166%.” 

He spoke on Public Safety, saying, “The first priority 

of government is to keep our citizens safe.” He 

acknoweledged and thanked all the first responders. 

“We owe you a debt of gratitude,” he said. 

On the economic front, Mr. Rickman stated that 

“Economic development allows the county to 

continue its smart growth”. Expansion of Amazon 

and Tesla in the county, as well as the massive 

contributions by the Port of Stockton, provide jobs 

as well as a significant level of state and local taxes 

annually. The Port, along, he said, contibutes more 

than $78 million in taxes annually. 

Housing market continues to grow despite high interest 

rates average home value over $530k, he said. 

Agriculture production increased by 5.34% to $3.2 

billion in 2021, with exports to 94 countries. “So, 

it is true, from San Joaquin County, we feed the 

world,” he said. 

“Big plans are underway to improve the Stockton 

Airport,” he stated. The airport is “currently 

expanding the cargo ramp space, and conducting 

pavement rehab of their taxi lanes, to protect cargo 

operators; increase flight services, and contribute to 

the region’s economic development. 

“Airport 599,” he continued, “will add 3.47 million 

sq ft. of class A space for E-commerce, distributions 

and manufacturing while improving area infrastructure 

and bringing new jobs to a large work force.” 

Target Corporation, he reported, has entered into a 

lease of a 1.4 million sq ft logistics facility on 12 

acres of county land, with planned occupancy near 

the end of 2023-’24. “Target will hire approximately 


2,500 employees,” he stated, some seasonal. 

“Water,” he said, pausing for emphasis. San Joaquin 

Delta is our most valuable resource. After a 

decade of severe drought, storms of 2022 and 2023 

brought extensive damage. Rickman commended 

emergency service response efforts in dealing with 

the flooding catastrophies, stating that it took public 

works less than one month to get roads back up and 

running. “We are actively preparing for the next 

flood event” including the use of drones to identify 

levy breaches and boils. 

The County continues to fight the proposed Delta 

Tunnel project, having defeated the governor’s 

project that would have devastated the delta. 

He concluded his remarks, saying “Thousands of 

people contribute to the success of this beautiful and 

unique area that is San Joaquin County. 

“San Joaquin County has a bright future ahead. We 

will continue to foster a county government that is 

more accountable, inclusive and accessible; one that 

is more efficient, effective and transparent. We will 

continue to break through ceilings and go farther 

than we have ever been before.” 

He ended saying “We will continue to deliver essential 

services and programs to make San Joaquin 

County a great place to live work and play!” 

Supervisor Rickman posted on social media shortly 

afterward, saying in part: “The State of the Coun- 

A large crowd turned out for the State of the County address 

September 19 at the Grand Theater in Tracy 

7 

ty was a huge success. The Grand Theater was 

packed. I want to thank Maria Valenzuela and the 

Tracy Chamber for hosting the event. I would also 

like to thank University of Pacific (UOP) President 

Christopher Callahan for being the guest speaker. 

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to attend 

and hear about the county’s accomplishments and 

vision for the future. It was a humbling experience to 

deliver the State of the County and I’m proud of all 

the great things we have accomplished. Thank you 

for your trust and confidence. San Joaquin County 

has a bright future ahead. 

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Should investors ‘go it alone’? 

Submitted by Tom Kelly, Edward Jones 

If you’re going to enjoy a comfortable retirement, 

you should know, among other things, 

how much money you’ll need. And you may 

have a much better chance of knowing this if 

you get some professional help. 

Consider these findings from a 2021 study by 

Dalbar, a financial services market research 

firm: 

• Investors who worked with a financial advisor 

were three times more likely to estimate 

what they would have saved at retirement 

than “do-it-yourself” investors. 

• More than two-thirds of investors with a financial 

advisor were satisfied with the amount 

they would have saved at retirement, compared 

to about 27% of the do-it-yourselfers. 

How do financial professionals help their 

clients in these ways? 

First, consider the issue of determining how 

much money will be needed for retirement. 

It’s not always easy for individuals to estimate 

this amount. But financial professionals can 

help clients like you arrive at this figure by 

exploring your hopes and goals. How long 

do you plan to work? What kind of lifestyle 

do you anticipate enjoying in retirement? 

Where would you like to live? How much 

would you like to travel? Are you open to 

pursuing earned income opportunities, such 

as consulting or working part time? 

Next comes the other key question: How 

much money will be available for retirement? 

This big question leads to many others: How 

much do you need to save and invest each 

year until you retire? About what sort of investment 

return will you need to reach your 

retirement income goals? What level of risk 

are you willing to take to achieve that return? 

What is the role of other income sources such 

as Social Security or any pensions you might 

have? 

Having a financial professional help you gain 

a clear idea of your retirement income picture 

can certainly be reassuring. But there may 

be other reasons why “going it alone” as an 

investor might not be desirable. 

For example, when the financial markets are 

down, as was the case for much of 2022, some 

investors make decisions based on short-term 

volatility, such as selling investments to “cut 

their losses,” even if these same investments 

still have solid business fundamentals and 

good prospects for growth. But if you work 

with a financial professional, you might decide 

to stick with these investments, especially if 

they’re still appropriate for your long-term 

strategy. Other times, of course, the advice 

may be different — but it will always be advice 

based on your goals, needs and time horizon. 

Furthermore, if you’re investing on your own, 

you may always be measuring your results 

against the major market indexes, such as the 

S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 

But in reality, your portfolio should contain 

a wide range of investments, some of which 

aren’t contained in these indexes, so you 

might not be assessing your performance 

appropriately. A financial professional can 

help you develop your own, more meaningful 

benchmarks that can show the progress you’re 

actually making toward your goals. 

In some areas of life, going it alone can be 

exciting — but when it comes to investing 

for your future, you may benefit from some 

company on the journey. 

Adam Montoya Announces Launch of Valley H2O Pool Services 

Young entrepreneur, Adam Montoya, is pleased to announce the 

launch of Valley H2O Pool Services. For a limited introductory 

period, Valley H2O is offering discounted pricing for Mountain 

House residents. 

“We specialize in our weekly pool service, and are adept at maintaining, 

repairing, and installing pool equipment,” Adam explains. 

“I strive to give the highest quality pool service you can find in Mountain House, Tracy, Lathrop and the 

surrounding areas!” 

Adam’s enthusiasm for making your pool the best it can be runs deep. “If you have a green pool, I can fix 

it and keep it perfectly clear all year round,” he says emphatically. “If you’re having equipment trouble 

and need a repair, give me a call and schedule an appointment. I look forward to maintaining your pool to 

the highest standard and earning your business in the near future,” he states. 

An Owner/operator, Adam is licensed and insured. Though he is young, he has already achieved a strong 

level of work experience, as well as pertinent college education. 

“I have worked in the Bay Area for several years as a pool technician and was taught by the best. I went 

to College for Science and Chemistry which taught me all about water chemistry,” he explains. 

“If you want a quality Pool service that won’t break the bank, I am actively building my clientele in the 

Mountain House Area. 

Outside of his dedicated work environment, Adam shares that he enjoys growing rare and exotic cacti and 

succulents. He loves fishing, traveling, and going out with family and friends. “I have 2 dogs at home 

and live in Tracy with my parents and younger brother. 

You may reached Adam Montoya, of Valley H2O Pool Services, at: 209-914-6807 or by email, at: 

cavalleyh2o@gmail.com 

MHCSD Swears-In Park & Rec Commission 

Resident commission to work with District to guide policy moving forward 

The Mountain House Community Services District 

Recreation Manager, Laura Johnston, did the official 

swearing in of the newly appointed Park & Recs Commissioners 

at the September 9, 2023 Board meeting. 

Board President Bernice Tingle, along with General 

Manager Steve Pinkerton, worked with Ms. Johnston 

to establish the commission, the members of which 

were approved on by the board as a whole at the 

August meeting. 

Included on the commission are: Ronna Green, Vishal 

Nayyar, Scott Pfister Maninder Singh and Raj Singh. 

Two alternates were also appointed: Sanjay Sharma 

and Umar Sear. 

Commissioners are appointed for a four year term, 

however, the first order of business for the new commission 

will be to decide which two members will 

need to run again in just two years, in order to establish 

a staggered process moving forward. 

The commissioners will conduct regular meetings 

with Ms. Johnston and make decisions to take to the 

board for programs and ideas to serve the greater 

community. 

This article was prepared by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones 

Financial Advisor, Mr. Tom Kelly. Edward Jones, Member SIPC. 

With 30 years experience in the industry, and a Mountain House resident since 2018, 

Tom Kelly provides personalized investment services for the community at large. 

He may be reached at: 925-518-9382, or Tom.Kelly@edwardjones.com. More on 

the web at: www.edwardjones.com/TomKelly 

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Incorporation Approved by LAFCo Board 


of the SOI as the City’s,” Hightower told the board. 

“The Sphere of Influence is bounded on the west by 

the San Joaquin/Alameda County line, the northern 

boundary is the Old River, the eastern boundary 

is formed by the Old River/Wicklund Road, West 

Byron Road and Mountain House Parkway. The 

southern boundary is the Robert T. Monagan Freeway 

(1-205),” Hightower’s report laid out. 

Working under the guidance of The Cortese-Knox-Hertzburg 

Act (CKH), Section 56720, 

the Commission used specific criteria to determine 

the validity of reorganizing the MHCSD into The 

City of Mountain House. They conducted a Comprehensive 

Fiscal Analysis (CFA) including the use 

of financial data from the San Joaquin Auditor-Controller 

Office, and numerous other factors to make 

its determination. 

All of the existing powers of the MHCSD will be 

transfered to the new city, with one exception. By 

statute, a city may not enforce the type of Master 

Restrictions that guide the Mountain House Master 

Plan. Therefore, the CSD will continue to exist as 

a subsidiary district of the city, with the sole duty 

of guiding and enforcing the Master Restrictions. 

“The transfer of service responsibilities from 

MHCSD, except the enforcement of CC&Rs 

(Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) to the 

proposed new City of Mountain House represents 

the evolution of a governmental institution that will 

give residents a greater voice in local control,” Mr. 

Hightower’s report stated. 

“(The new) City will continue to provide the 

needed facilities to serve the residents within the 

boundaries with needed urban level of services. 

Public facilities, including all water, wastewater, 

storm water, streets/signals, lighting/landscaping, 

parks, schools, community centers, public safety 

buildings, library, corporation yard, and town hall 

are specified in the Master Plan, along with binding 

development agreements to ensure proper funding 

and thresholds for construction of public facilities.” 

Some key benefits to becoming a city include 

self-determination, as well as having a seat at the 

table with the county’s Council of Governments 

(COG). “This will allow residents to receive a 

share of Measure ‘K’ half-cent sales tax and State 

Gas Tax revenues that currently are not available to 

them being within a district.” 

The city will have its own autonomy and ability 

the CSD has never had in seeking out commercial 

enterprises that may come to town. 

“(The) City of Mountain House will have the ability 

to provide the services that are the subject of 

the reorganized area, including the sufficiency of 

revenues for those services following the proposed 

incorporation,” Hightower stated. 

As reflected in the resolution, the four (4) special 

taxes that are unique to Mountain House will 

continue to be collected to provide residents with 

a high level of service for: 1) Transportation and 

Community Services Operational and Administrative 

Functions; 2) Public Safety Services; 3) Parks, 

Recreation, and Community Facilities and Services; 

and, 4) Public Works. 

Hightower stated that these special taxes are a key 

element that have helped Mountain House develop 

its independence and will ensure a positive and 

measured level of local control. 

“Each of the Special Taxes is authorized to fund 

specific activities as prescribed in the respective 

ordinance. The Special Taxes are based on property 

square footage and livable area and are levied on 

all parcels based on land use. Under the operative 

ordinance, the Special Taxes remain fixed until such 

time as the MHCSD Board of Directors increases 

the respective Special Tax rate, which it may do 

annually by no more than 4 percent each year. The 

four ordinances for the Special Taxes do not contain 

a sunset date.” 

The special taxes comprise a major revenue stream 

that make the incorporation of Mountain House 

feasible. 

LAFCo’s Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis (CFA) for 

the incorporation assumed the continued collection 


of these special taxes by the proposed City of Mountain 

House, stating that “during FY (fiscal year) 

2021/2022 collectively the special taxes generated 

$14,099,952 and by FY2025/2026 the special taxes 

are projected to generate $18,073,610. 

“Approximately $15.4 million (85%) will be needed 

to cover operational costs projected in the CFA 

without causing the General Fund to be in deficit.” 

The CFA assumes all fire district and law enforcement 

service contracts between MHCSD and 

the agencies will be assigned to the new City of 

Mountain House. Contracts with French Camp 

McKinley Fire District, San Joaquin County Sheriff, 

CHP and Rank Security will continue to operate for 

the new city. 

Following the unanimous vote by the LAFCo Board 

to approve moving forward with incorporation of 

The City of Mountain House, further community 

input and education is planned before the final 

determination will be put to registered voters in 

Mountain House on the March 5, 2024 ballot. A 

simple majority of votes cast shall determine the 

outcome of the election. 

As part of the incorporation process, the directive 

board that serves the community must shift from 

the CSD Board of Directors to a City Council. 

The City Council will consist of four (4) elected 

Council-members and an elected mayor, in a concurrent 

election, also on the March 5 ballot. Ultimately, 

each of the five will serve four year terms. 

However, in order to establish a tiered election of 

council-members, in the initial election the top two 

vote-getters will serve four year terms and the two 

with fewer votes will serve two years before having 

to run again for a four year term. 

The LafCo report also states that “Both the initial 

Incorporation Feasibility Analysis and the CFA 

came to the same conclusion that the proposed 

reorganization, including incorporation of the 

MHCSD and detachments, is fiscally viable with 

no further payments from San Joaquin County. In 

large part this is because both the County Board of 


9 

Community Questions 

Addressed at Workshop 

The LAFCo reorganization review and evaluation 

process involved seeking out information or comments 

from the landowner or landowners, voters, or 

residents of MHCSD. The Commission conducted 

a Study Session on the Draft CFA on July 13, 2023. 

Additionally, on August 23, 2023, LAFCo held 

a workshop at the Mountain House Community 

Center. Jim Simon with RSG and staff from LAFCo 

and Mountain House gave a presentation on the 

reorganization background, Comprehensive Fiscal 

Analysis (CFA) and the next steps in the reorganization 

process. 

Participation in the workshop was both live and via 

zoom. Residents asked an array of questions (please 

see attachment for a full list), including but not 

limited to the following broad categories: 

• What happens to the CSD if it becomes a City? 

Response: The CSD remains for CC&R enforcement 

only. 

• Will the special taxes remain upon incorporation? 

Response: Yes, the special taxes will remain with 

the City. 

• How will City Council be elected? 

Response: Via city-wide elections; five (5) member 

city council with a directly elected mayor and four 

(4) city council members elected at large throughout 

the Reorganization area. 

• Will the City have its own Police Department? 

Response: Police services will be provided by the 

City. Currently the City contracts with existing 

law enforcement agencies, currently San Joaquin 

Sheriff’s Office. Periodically the City may decide to 

seek new service providers or the City may decide 

to form its own department. 

• Will the City have a healthy fiscal outlook? 

Response: Yes, the CFA shows that the proposed 

City will have a positive fiscal position the first year. 

• Can the City provide out of boundary service to 

unincorporated parcels? 

Response: Yes, upon approval by LAFCo and 

compliance to all City standards, specifications and 

application filing fees.



Valley Link Rail Connection to BART On Track For 2028 Opening in MH 

Mountain House, CA – Kevin Sheridan, Executive Director/CEO 

of Valley Link, provided an update report 

via Zoom at the September 9, 2023 Mountain House 

Community Services District Board meeting on the 

progress of the vital railway system being developed 

to connect the “Mega-Region” to Dublin/Pleasanton 

BART. As the Bay Area continues to expand beyond 

the natural borders of the Altamont Pass, a larger 

vision of the region is now considered a mega-region. 

Mr. Sheridan gave an overview of Phase I of the 

project, which will create the initial connection on 

this side of the Altamont Pass, with the first station 

to be located in Mountain House, at the Southeast 

corner of town. 

The Valley Link Board of Directors, consisting of local 

agency representatives from Danville to Lathrop, and 

County Supervisors from Alameda and San Joaquin, 

with MH representation by MHCSD Board President, 

Bernice Tingle, continues work on what has been their 

timeline goal since the start. Construction is planned 

to begin in 2025, with a target date to have the first 

trains likely up and running by late 2027/early 2028. 

The Mountain House Station location represents a vast 

improvement over initial plans that would have put the 

first stop on this side of the Altamont further south, 

near I-580. Having the station located in Mountain 

House, immediately off the main I-205 corridor will 

not only provide easy access for residents of Mountain 

House, but a streamlined connection to the rest of the 

system as it develops. 

Sheridan stated that the current plans for the MH 

station includes somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 

parking spaces, “but we’re still working on potentials, 

whether shuttles and other methodologies,” 

he stated. 

The station, which will be strategically 

located immediately west of Mountain 

House Parkway along the I-205 

interchange, will provide a crucial 

connection to BART that promises to 

reduce commute traffic snarls on the 

freeways. 

Ultimately, Valley Link will continue 

on, through Tracy and Lathrop, 

heading north toward the ACE train 

connection near Stockton. 

Phase II, however, needs additional 

Federal & State Environmental Impact 

Reports (EIRs), as well as determination 

for the City of Tracy’s best loca- 

tion for a station, before moving on to River Islands, 

North Lathrop, and ultimately to interface with the 

ACE Train system. 

In addition to the MH Station, immediately East of 

MH Parkway will be a layover and maintenance facility. 

“We are making efforts to reduce footprint on 

east side layover facility,” Sheridan said. 

The project has a focus on meeting “Buy America” 

standards for federal funding eligibility. All new 

transit buses must be zero emission by 2029. The 

Board is considering available zero-emission vehicle 

technology that supports both environmental and economic 

sustainability goals, including the possibility of 

Hydrogen trains, although he said they are still open 

to other new technologies. 

More at: www.valleylinkrail.com

Issue #115 • October 2023 MountainHouseMatters.com 

11 

LAFCo Approves Incorporation of Mountain House 


Supervisors and the MHCSD implemented the 

goals and policies of the Mountain House Master 

Plan. The objective, ‘To ensure fiscal protection 

of the County and future community residents 

by creating an independent and self-sustaining 

community’ has been achieved.” 

The purpose of the CFA is to document the 

anticipated costs, revenues, and effects of the 

proposed incorporation, as well as present other 

information as may be necessary to make a 

well informed decision. The CFA found that 

the proposed City of Mountain House General 

Fund, including special tax fund revenues used 

for municipal services, is expected to produce 

a surplus in each year of the first ten years of 

incorporation. 

Pursuant to Government Code Section 56720(e), 

the Commission determined that the proposed 

city of Mountain House is expected to receive 

revenues sufficient to provide public services 

and facilities and a reasonable reserve during the 

first three fiscal years following incorporation. 

Assuming a simple majority of voters approves 

the incorporation in the March election, the 

effective date of the Reorganization (including 

the incorporation of the City of Mountain House) 

shall be July 1, 2024. 

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Issue #115 • October 2023



13



Stars Casino Grand Opening Celebration 

The Stars Casino held a re-Grand Opening day of celebration 

Saturday, September 23, 2023 at their new location on Naglee Rd 

in Tracy. Located in the old Famous Dave’s Restaurant Building 

adjacent to West Valley Mall, Stars has done a very nice job of 

converting the restaurant with a new vibe. 

The day long event included a noon-time ribbon cutting, sponsored 

by the Tracy Chamber of Commerce, Lion Dancers, complimentary 

food all day, live music in the afternoon, with Local radio 

station, The Hawk 104.1, streaming live from 1-3pm, before local 

headlining band, Mountain House’s own, Mojo Rising started 

at 5pm. Mojo played well until well after 8pm, giving way to 

DJ Matt Disko, who played dance music until around midnight. 

Stars Casino is featuring Black Jack Tournaments, Karaoke 

Mondays and much more. For more info, go to: 

www.starscasinotracy.com 

All in all, this was a most festive event, enjoyed by many. 

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15 

Satisfied Clients say it best! 

Highly likely to recommend | 5.0 

9/6/2022 - Prasad W. 

Sold a Single Family home in 2022 in Mountain House, CA 

Local knowledge 

Process expertise 

Responsiveness 

Negotiation skills 

“I was researching Realtors in Mountain House back in April when I 

decided to sell my investment properties. I had already heard about him through word of mouth 

as his reputation preceded him. It didn’t take long to realize Mike was by far the most experienced. 

l asked around and read some of his reviews and, I have to say, he really lives up to the hype.From 

the moment we made contact, man, he was ON IT! Now, the home wasn’t sell-ready at the time. 

It needed cleaning, paint, carpet & landscape. Plus, the tenant had damaged the home quite a bit. 

Within days of having signed the listing agreement, the painter was already in there masking it 

off. Within a few short weeks, the house was absolutely turn-key and ready to go. 

His stager, Janine, came in and made it look like a model home and his photography crew took 

beautiful photos & prepared a lovely virtual tour. 

Because it took a while to get the home vacated, the market had already turned but Mike knew 

how to price it, how to market it and how to sell it! 

Even after dealing with flaky buyers and some dishonest buyers’ agents, it didn’t taint his spirit. He 

remained as enthusiastic as day 1. 

I’ve bought and sold numerous properties over the years and Mike was by the far the best l’ve 

worked with. If you’re in the market to sell or buy a home in Mountain House, do yourself a favor 

and call Mike. He and his team will handle EVERYTHING! All I had do was hand him the key & 

collect my money at closing! Thank you again Mike to you and your team. ” 


1/8/2023 - Kireeti P. 


“We had a great experience Local knowledge working with Mike and Responsiveness Janine. Both 

were very responsive to all Process our requests expertise and questions. Mike's real estate Negotiation knowledge skills and Janine's 

staging experience were extremely impressive. 

The drone photography and video tour were amazing. The whole process from listing to selling our 

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team for your real estate needs. ” 


4/10/2020 - Armi C. 


Local knowledge 

Process expertise 

Responsiveness 

Negotiation skills 

“Mike Samawi was referred to us by one of our friends, and after 

the first meeting, we knew he was the one! 

His professionalism and expertise of the housing market weren’t the only things that won us over. 

It was his honesty and compassion that eased our nervousness about being first-time sellers. 

His team of stagers and photographers did an amazing job marketing our house. After 

one weekend of Open House, we received multiple above listing offers and 

accepted an offer that we couldn’t believe. Mike was always right there to answer all our questions 

during the process and our house closed without a hitch. 

We highly recommend Mike Samawi for anyone looking for an agent they can trust and rely on. 

If we ever come back to the area, we will definitely be working with Mike again. ”



Housing Inventory Shrinking Even More In The Past Month 

By Salah Salah 

Happy Fall Mountain House Family. I am delighted 

to bring you the August/September 

market update. 

With the seasons changing, many in the market to 

buy or sell a home have hopes that the real estate 

market is also changing in their favor. You might be 

asking what has changed in the market since my last 

market update. We are still in a “seller’s market” like 

the previous month, but inventory has shrunk by half 

from the previous update. There are many buyers still 

out there searching for homes. What I have noticed is 

that buyers are more patient, they have to absolutely 

love the house to move forward with an offer in 

most cases. Homes selling over the asking price are 

appraised at value based on the transactions in which 

I have participated. We currently have 8 homes for 

sale in Mountain House compared to 15 during the 

last market update. We have 0.39 months of standing 

inventory compared to 1.15 last month. We are still 

seeing Non-contingent offers, but some offers come 

in with some contingencies attached. We are still 

witnessing some homes coming on the market with 

unrealistic expectations, and they are not selling. That 

is a seller and realtor issue, NOT a market issue. This 

market can be very confusing for many buyers and 

agents. Not all homes are flying off the market well 

over the asking price. Homes still need to show well, 

be presented to the market in a tasteful fashion, and 

be priced realistically to get the attention of serious 

buyers. If you have any questions about this article 

or our Real Estate market, feel free to contact me 

anytime. Remember, choosing a Realtor with vast 

experience listing & selling homes in your local 

market will put you in the best possible position to 

navigate these ever-changing Market conditions.. 

Why Does Inventory Continue To Stay Low? 

We are experiencing a rippling effect from the historic 

low-interest rates during the past few years. Homeowners 

who purchased or refinanced during that time 

are less motivated to sell their current or primary home 

because of the low-interest rates they have. Many of 

the homes we see hit the market are secondary homes 

(rentals) or “life events” that are occurring i.e., an 

unfortunate death, separation/ divorce, or work relocation. 

The interesting part is that when you run the 

numbers, selling, and buying currently do make sense 

in many situations. Even though the interest rates are 

higher than the historic lows. 

Home Values 

Our Mountain House home values are continuing 

to rise. The best and most accurate way to get your 

current home value is to talk with a local agent. Most 

homeowners are in utter shock at their current home 

values! In our ever-evolving digital age, most homeowners 

utilize websites that have algorithms in place 

to obtain their current home value. Those sites cannot 

even remotely keep up with this current market and 

are highly inaccurate in most to all cases. Reaching 

out to a local and experienced Realtor is going to be 

the best approach for an accurate home value. 

What Is a Buyer’s Market? 

A buyer’s market refers to a situation in 

which changes to the underlying economic 

conditions that shape “supply and demand.” It means 

that purchasers have an advantage over sellers in price 

negotiations. A buyers market occurs when there is 

six (6) or more months of Inventory supply available. 

What is a Neutral Market? 

A Neutral market is when we have three to six (3-6) 

months of inventory supply. 

What Is a Seller’s Market? 

A seller’s market is a market condition characterized 

by a shortage of goods available for sale, resulting 

in pricing power for the seller. A Seller’s Market is a 

term commonly applied to the property market when 

low supply meets high demand. A sellers market 

equals less than three (3) months of inventory supply. 

What Does Months Of Inventory Mean? 

Months of inventory takes into account the number 

of homes for sale on the market with recently sold 

homes and reflects the number of months it would 

take to sell all homes currently on the market. You 

can calculate months of inventory by dividing the 

total number of homes for sale over the number 

of homes sold in one month. When months of 

inventory are low, it’s a fast-paced market dominated 

by buyers and few sellers. When months of 

inventory are high, there are generally more homes 

on the market (dominated by sellers) with fewer 

buyers or sales. 

MH Market Update from 

August 23 - September 28, 2023 

Active Homes Total as of 9/28/23: 8 

2 Condos & 6 Single Family Homes - 

(All Re-Sale) 

Pending Homes 8/23/23 - 9/28/23: 9 

(All Re-Sale) 

Closed Homes 8/23/23 - 9/28/23: 23 

(All Re-Sale) 

Sold Over $1 Million 8/23/23 - 9/28/23: 11 

(Re-sale) 

The highest sold home in Mountain House 

To Date $2,000,000. 

The Average price per Sqft sold in this time 

frame is $418.88 

The Highest price per Sqft sold in this time 

frame is $511.63 

The average number of days on the market 

before a home receives an offer in this time 

frame is 11 days. 

Total number of Million Dollar 

homes sold to date: 363 

Current months of Inventory supply 

available: 0.39 - Less than 1 Month 

(Sellers’ Market) 

JUST SOLD By Salah Salah |78 N Alta Dena |Altamont Village | 4 Bed | 3 Bath | 3,064 Sqft | 6,416 Sqft Lot |Sale Price 

$1,164,786 | SOLD for $65,906 OVER ASKING 

Your success is our goal. 

Your trust is our asset. 

Your satisfaction is our reward! 

Harshad Bhimani 

Realtor ® 

CalBRE# 01960659 

mobile: 408.616.0488 

harshad.bhimani@gmail.com 

www.NandHomes.com 

www.Facebook.com/NandHomes 

A Tradition Of Trust 

Mountain House Resident & Area Expert 

Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are service marks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, LLC. Coldwell Banker Residential 

Brokerage is owned by a subsidiary of NRT, LLC. If you have a broker relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. 

JUST SOLD By Salah Salah | 563 Burk Pl |Wicklund Village | 4 Bed | 2 Bath | 2,004 Sqft | 6,276 Sqft Lot | Sale Price $938,000 

| SOLD for $58,500 OVER ASKING 

About The Author 

Salah Salah is an 

award-winning Full-Service 

Neighborhood Realtor 

and an invested member 

of the Mountain House 

Community. 

Salah prides himself on 

his knowledge of local real 

estate trends, and strives 

to provide the best service 

for his clientele. 

510-378-6533 Cell/Text 

salah@refinedre.com 

LIC#02022642 

www.RefinedRE.com


How Important is Disclosure? 

By Mike Samawi 

Aside from it being the right thing to do, It’s 

also the legal thing to do and can be quite costly 

for a seller for not doing it! I’m talking about 

disclosure! Disclosing things you know that are 

wrong with a home. 

Remember this, if you know about it, chances 

are that the buyers will find out about it anyway. 

So it’s best to let the cat out of the bag. 

Now, there are instances where a seller does 

disclose everything they know but issues come 

to light after the fact. That’s an innocent mistake 

and can happen to anyone. That’s not what I am 

talking about here. I’m referring to malicious 

concealment. A BIG NO-NO! 

Not that this sort of thing happens often, but if a 

seller I work with asks me to conceal something, 

an ultimatum is given. They either disclose it or 

find another Realtor! 

The story below is true; the names, dates, locations 

and flooring types have been changed to 

protect the innocent. 

Some time ago, I was representing some buyers 

on a home purchase in the Bay Area. The 

home had recently been remodeled, and looked 

beautiful! 

We wrote a clean offer, and it was accepted. 

Shortly after move in and, I mean, VERY shortly 

thereafter, the buyers decided they just didn’t 

like the laminate flooring that was there. It 

was click-lock laminate, not glued down. They 

pulled it up and, to their surprise… MOLD! 

No way, right?! 

How was this missed? Even if the seller 

remedied it, he/she would have still needed to 

disclose it, but not a peep was said about it. The 

seller never even disclosed it was ever there, let 

alone STILL there. 

I reached out to the listing agent who claimed 

they and the seller knew nothing about it. They 

could have, and arguably should have, offered a 

compromise to resolve the issue. A reasonable 

solution could have been for the seller and/or 

their agent to send a mold remediation company 

out to deal with the mold, and then pay to replace 

the flooring. The buyers probably would 

have been satisfied with that. 

Instead, they told us to buzz off. Big mistake! 

Enter powerful real estate attorney. 

A threatening letter was sent and only then did 

the seller realize that this wasn’t going away. 

Long story short, the seller was forced to buy the 

home back, as well as covering any expenses, 

including the buyer’s attorney fees. 


This could have all been avoided with a one 

line sentence on the disclosure form stating 

they found some mold on the floor and properly 

remediated it, of course. Instead, they had 

to buy it back, pay the fees, and now have to 

relist the home again and pay the fees that come 

along with it. 

Since it was just sold a month ago and is now 

back, it now puts an asterisk next to it in every 

buyers mind and having to disclose the mold at 

this juncture makes it look even worse. 

This seller definitely learned the hard way. 

About The Author 

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Delta College Peer Advisor Excelling Beyond Adversity 

By Sadia Khan, Community Contributor 

Let's meet Nat Austin. Nat is a Peer advisor at Delta College South Campus, College Park MH. 

Nat Austin is a nineteen-year-old second-year student at San Joaquin Delta College double majoring 

in Psychology and Art, Humanities & Social Studies. Nat has been a resident of Bethany 

Village in Mountain House for the past 6 years. 

What is Your education, your experience, and your goal? 

I am double major, in Psychology and Art, Humanities & Social Studies. 

I aspire to go to Sacramento State College to pursue my Bachelor's and 

Master's degrees in social work. I initially attended Delta with the intent 

of receiving a Mathematics and Science degree and an Art, Humanities, 

and Social Studies degree because I wanted to become a park ranger 

for the United States National Parks. But after becoming homeless 

for a short while in the middle of my first year of college, I had new 

aspirations and dreams. 

I now want to start a foundation that focuses on providing resources 

and support services for underprivileged minority youths. I had a rough 

childhood and I know that there are too many other youths that have 

gone through hard times as well. I hope that by providing a strong support system and beneficial resources, 

minority youths will aspire to do what they're passionate about. 

What is your role at Delta College? 

I am a Peer Advisor at Delta College South Campus at Mountain House. I do clerical work and assist 

students with a multitude of things including, but not limited to making counseling appointments and 

navigating student websites such as Canvas, their student email, and their MyDelta Dashboard. 

What factors help you succeed in your role at Delta College? 

Something that helps me succeed the most in my role at Delta College is the very strong support system. 

From my coworkers, supervisor, and employers to the janitor and counselors, we all help one another when 

we can and it is refreshing, to say the least. When I became homeless, no one hesitated to lend a helping 

hand and that is something that will never be forgotten. Without their constant kindness and support, I'm 

not sure I would've been where I am today. 

How long have you been in this position? 

I have been a Peer Advisor for about a year now and I am always learning something new every day. 

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? 

In the next five years, I see myself graduating from Sacramento State University with my master's in 

social work. I see myself ready and eager to dedicate my life to supporting and helping underprivileged 

minorities prosper into the people that they want to be. 

Your message to the youth of MH? 

To the youth of Mountain House, I say, " You get to decide what you want your life to look like. I encourage 

you to be yourself and to speak up, especially if it makes you stand out. And last but not least, you are 

worth more than you know. Don't make yourself small so others can feel comfortable" 

Your message to the parents of the students seeking college education? 

"College can be extremely stressful and taxing. As students, it is our responsibility to seek the degree or 

degrees that we feel we will thrive and be passionate about. I ask that you have an open mind and support 

your student in the ways that you can". 

Fun facts about Delta College MH location? 

- Bunnies are rampant around campus but mainly in the parking lot. They are cute little cotton tails and 

are super fast. 

- Delta College South Campus at Mountain House has been around since 2009 

Some quotes you live by? 

"Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated." —Coretta Scott King 

"Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It's hard work that makes things happen. It's hard 

work that creates change." —Shonda Rhimes 

"I am enough, that I am worthy of love without effort" —Tracee Ellis Ross 

We are grateful to Nat for letting us get to know him. Thank you, Nat, Mountain House Matters wishes 

you success in all your endeavors.


MH Community Events 

CALENDAR 


Saturday, October 7 

Harvest Celebration - The Market @ MH 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. The Market @ Mountain House 

Join-in to celebrate all the businesses in the new Safeway Shopping Center 

Photo opps, trackless train, cotton candy, balloon twister, face painter, music & raffle prizes 

Monday, October 7 

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day” (observed) 

all day 

19333 S Mountain House Parkway 

Facebook.com/TheMarketatMountainHouse 

Friday, October 13 

The Gordie List - Live music 7 p.m. Delta Brews, Tracy 

“Last Show Ever” for this hotrod local trio 

47 W 10th St, Tracy 

Saturday October 14 

Mountain House Fire Department Pancake Breakfast 7 a.m. - 12 p.m. 911 Tradition St. 

There will be food, activities, and the announcement of 

our school art contest winner. Tickets will be available at the door. 

Mountain House Fil-Am Society Salu-salo/potluck/meet-up 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Bethany Park 

Food & games. Bring a dish or just show up. 

262 Legacy Dr. 

Better World Rescue annual Pups & Beer Cups Party 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Morgan Territory Brewing 

Featuring live auction, live music, bake sale, photo booth, raffle baskets, good food & more 

1885 N. MacArthur Dr, Tracy 

Traditional Garba & Dandiya Night 2023 5 p.m. MH High School Stadium 

CVGCA - Central Valley Gujarati Community Association 

https://cvgca.org 

Saturday October 28 

Mountain House Diwali Mela 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Central Community Park 

Everyone welcome- Free Entry-Free Parking-Family Event-Bring everyone & 209-701-0116 

let’s make this MH Diwali Mela Festival biggest & Successful together. 

mhdiwalimela@gmail.com 

Mountain House Witches’ Ride! 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Gather at Central Park near Town Hall 

Join the witches of Mountain House for their annual late 

ride as they move village by village on their broom...bicycles! 

Sunday October 29 

Mountain House Farmers’ Market 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. MH Town Hall/Library Parking Lot 

The MH Farmers’ Market is pleased to celebrate the Day of the Dead 

Halloween-theme includes games, treats, costumes, and live music with The Buds 

201 E. Main St. 

Facebook: Mountain House Farmers Market 

21st annual Mountain House Halloween Parade 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Bethany Park 

Join the longest running event in Mountain House history. 

The MH Flag Football organization hosts this event for all to attend 

262 Legacy Dr. 

Facebook: Mountain House Farmers Market 

Tuesday October 31 

Halloween 

A Very Scary Block Party 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Bethany Village Park 

Mountain House’s “most anticipated event” of 2023 returns to Bethany Village Park on 

www.MountainHouseEvents.com 

Halloween Night. Family-friendly outdoor event features spooky vendors, food trucks, 

photo ops, a ghoulish DJ dance party, and live entertainment. Fully themed with a massive decorated stage filled with lighting, special effects, and a laser 

light show. Admission is free to all residents of 95391 and kid-friendly from 5 PM - 8 PM, followed by a terrorizing teen and adult-centric dance party into the 

dark. Stay tuned to MountainHouseEvents.com and our FB/IG pages for more info. 

19 

Better World Rescue to 

Host Annual Pups & Beer 

Cups Party 

Better World Rescue is proud to host their annual 

Pups & Beer Cups party to benefit shelter animals 

and low-income pet owners. The fundraiser will take 

place Saturday, October 14th from 4:00-8:00pm at 

Morgan Territory Brewing in Tracy. There will be 

fun activities for the whole family including a live 

auction, live music, bake sale, photo booth, raffle 

baskets, good food and so much more! 

All proceeds benefit Better World Rescue, a local 

non-profit (EIN 87-4001454) focused on keeping 

animals in their loving homes and out of shelters 

through spay/neuter assistance, behavioral training 

resources, and medical bill assistance. 

https://www.betterworldrescue.org/ 

https://www.facebook.com/betterworldrescue 

https://www.instagram.com/betterworldrescue 

https://www.facebook.com/events/145197815249342



Brewing Up Success 

By Allie Shandonay (high school senior and MHHS newspaper columnist) 

LThanks to 

Everyone who 

helped make this 

paper possible! 

Photo cred: Allie Shandonay 

When I come back to my hometown of Mountain House years from now, the first thing I will do is pay a visit to the 

iconic boba tea cafe THub. We as residents of this town have been anxiously anticipating the opening of a restaurant 

or cafe for over a decade. And a little bit over a year ago our wishes were granted. The Seelam family became 

pioneers of food in Mountain House, and opened the first cafe to operate. 

Here at THub, we are bestowed with a vast selection of flavors for their artisanal boba beverages and handcrafted 

snacks. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to interview the daughter and heiress to the THub throne, 

Sathya Seelam, a now recently graduated Mountain House High School student. Throughout this interview, Sathya 

offered more insight to the history, fun facts, and purpose of this beloved Mountain House business. 

The Interview: 

Me: First and foremost thank you for meeting 

with me for this deep dive into your family’s 

business. 

Sathya: Thank you so much for this opportunity! 

Me: When and how did your family come up 

with the idea to make THub come to life? 

Sathya: As someone who grew up in the Bay 

Area, I was spoiled with the countless boba stores 

and cafes in reach. When my family moved to 

Mountain House five years ago, I was in search of 

a local eatery. When the Cordes Plaza construction 

began a few blocks from our street, we took 

the opportunity to bring something important to 

us, to our community. 

Me: What are the top five most popular drinks? 

Sathya: Undoubtedly, our Oreo Milkshake is 

#1, followed by our Mango Slushie, Thai Milk 

Tea, Crème Brûlée, and our seasonal specials! 

Me: What is your personal favorite drink and 

one that you believe that is underrated? 

Sathya: One of my personal favorites is our Thai 

Milk Tea (a classic!) but I think our Lychee Green 

Tea is surely underrated, it’s the perfect combo 

with lychee jelly! 

Me: What was the first recipe your family created/made 

for THub? 

Sathya: Brown Sugar Milk Tea was the very 

first recipe we made, back in 2020. Throughout 

the pandemic, we had numerous trials to brew 

black tea to perfection and boil boba to the right 

texture. 

Me: What was the inspiration behind the name 

THub? 

Sathya: We did not want to limit our cafe to 

serving only coffee or boba. We intend to serve 

everyone, of all ages and backgrounds. Hence, 

“hub”. We serve boba teas, coffee, snacks, sandwiches, 

and biryani. We believe in creating a welcoming 

space where people can gather, connect, 

and enjoy a diverse range of offerings, making 

our cafe a true community hub for everyone. 

Me: Before deciding on being a boba tea cafe, 

what other ideas were your family considering? 

Sathya: My family has been in the restaurant 

business for over three generations. After my 

dad managed our family’s restaurants, he was 

inspired to open one in the US. However, given 

our location, we decided that a cafe would be 

most suitable. 

Me: Where is your family from, and how long 

have you all been in the US? 

Sathya: My family is from South India and 

we’ve been in the US for nearly 15 years. 

Me: What are some similarities and differences 

of running restaurants in the US from where 

your family is from? Do you think your family 

would be able to run a boba cafe back home? 

Sathya: Some of the similarities we’ve observed 

are the strong entrepreneurial culture that both 

countries share. In addition, we see that parallel 

opportunities for expansion in domestic and 

global markets coexist in a competitive business 

environment. Yet, some of the notable differences 

include consumer preferences, which affect 

the business's products and marketing strategies, 

as well as the legal structure in the US, which is 

much more robust than India's in terms of establishment 

and operation. Yes, I am confident that 

we would be successful in establishing a boba 

cafe back in India since the society’s enthusiasm 

for unique dining options has created a promising 

market for a boba cafe. 

Me: What are you and your family most proud 

of? 

Sathya: We are most proud of the bonds that 

we’ve built with our community through our 

small business. It’s truly rewarding to see our 

products positively impact our neighbors, and 

the support and trust that has grown as a result. 

Me: Your family recently added new items to 

their menu, which ones do you recommend? 

Sathya: The hot summer always calls for refreshing 

drinks! This year, my personal favorite 

is our Royal Rose Lemonade. And we brought 

back the Tropical Sunset as it was very popular 

last year. 

Me: THub has limited edition drinks that correlate 

to the time of year or holiday. What can 

we expect for future seasonal drinks? Any sneak 

peeks into what drinks will be on the menu? 

Sathya: This Fall and Winter, we’re working to 

bring new flavors like chai and pumpkin. And 

in the Winter, we’re looking to introduce white 

chocolate and peppermint. Keep an eye out! 

Me: Are there any fun facts about THub you 

would like to share? 

Sathya: We have our own secret menu! If you’d 

like to try something new, or a drink that is not on 

the menu, please let our barista know! We would 

love to accommodate your customizations! 

Me: What was the most difficult part of creating 

THub or being in the small-business industry? 

Sathya: Operating a small-business post-pandemic 

came with many challenges that require 

us to adjust with the changing economy. Inflation 

and supply chain issues are our primary obstacles 

to delivering the highest quality service to our 

customers. 

Me: Are you planning on carrying on the THub 

legacy or anything in the restaurant industry? 

Or are you going down a different path? Do you 

think the challenges your family’s business had 

will impact your decision? 

Sathya: I’m headed to college this year to study 

computer engineering, but business has always 

been a passion of mine. I plan to pursue my MBA 

and definitely start a business of my own, but I 

am uncertain if I would continue in the restaurant 

industry. In the near future, I plan to help my parents 

in the expansion and management of THub! 

Me: Thanks so much for your time and input 

about your family’s business. I have always 

enjoyed going to THub, especially to study and 

read. It’s been a pleasure knowing you, Sathya, 

and being a regular customer. 

Sathya: Thank you Allie! It’s a pleasure serving 

you and the entire community of Mountain 

House! 

Well there you have it! I hope now you all 

have more insight into the iconic Mountain 

House cafe and why they even exist in the 

first place. Make sure to visit THub today 

and try their exclusive seasonal drinks this 

following scarf season, and get your pumpkin 

spice fix.


Tracy, CA - In a heartwarming display of community support, the Tracy Senior Association 

created an initiative aimed at assisting low-income seniors to remain within the comfort and 

safety of their own homes. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by this vulnerable group, 

the association’s effort to ensure a secure living environment is needed now more than ever. 

The initiative focuses on addressing crucial aspects of home safety and accessibility. Qualified 

professionals perform comprehensive assessments of any seniors’ living spaces, identifying 

potential hazards and recommending necessary modifications. These modifications could include 

installing grab bars, handrails, threshold ramps among others. By implementing these changes, 

the goal is to create an environment that not only minimizes accidents but also promotes independence 

and a sense of well-being. This free assessment is for all seniors regardless of income. 

Financial constraints can often hinder seniors’ ability to make these necessary modifications. 

However, the Tracy Senior Association has partnered with local organizations and the community 

at large to secure the funding needed for these projects. Through generous donations, 

fundraising efforts and grants, the program can offer these services to low-income seniors at 

no cost, ensuring that no one is left without the essential safety enhancements they require. 

In addition, the Tracy Seniors Association recruits volunteers to provide one-time services such 

as yard clean up, fence or gate repairs, small plumbing and electrical repairs (The adjacent 

photos illustrate the before and after of a recent a fence repair). 

Tracy Senior Association’s commitment to improving the lives of low-income seniors not only 

demonstrates their compassion for their community’s most vulnerable but also sets a shining 

example for others to follow. By promoting home safety and making needed repairs, this 

initiative empowers these seniors to continue living independently, gracefully aging in place, 

and preserving their dignity and quality of life. 

Walkers & Knee Walkers 

Wheelchairs 

Transport Chairs 

Scooters & Power Chairs 

Electric Hospital Bed 

Lift Chairs 

Oxygen Concentrators 

MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS 

Purchase or Rent to suit your needs 

Wheelchairs • Walkers • Knee Walkers 

ITEMS FOR RENT OR PURCHASE 

Electrical Hospital Beds 

OVER 1,000 ITEMS IN STOCK! 

OPEN: M-F 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

350 W. Grant Line Rd 


(209) 834-1383 

reichsmedical@gmail.com 

www.ReichsMedicalSupply.net 


Tracy Seniors’ Association Working to Help Low-Income 

Seniors Remain Safely in Their Homes 

Submitted by Clara C Voss 

Recliners • Scooters 

The Tracy Seniors’ Association’s Home Safety & Accessibility Initiative provides assessments of any seniors’ 

living spaces, including providing repair services, construction of threshold ramps, installing grab bars and 

handrails, and repairing broken fences, as shown above. 

21 

For more information please call 209-597-4417, email us at tracyseniorsassociation@gmail.com, 

and/or attend the monthly meeting on the third Tuesday of every month at 10:30 at Keller Williams, 

60 West 10 th Street, Tracy. 

Business at En Pointe Dance Studio Comes to an End 

Owner Hazel Maglasang announces her retirement just one year into her expansion 

Mountain House, CA – Dance studio entrepreneur, Hazel Maglasang, brought 

a select group of her closest followers together at her En Pointe Dance Studio 

September 22, 2023 for dinner and a mysterious surprise announcement. 

She provided a nicely catered buffet dinner for about 50 or so invited guests, 

with her parents serving-up the dishes. The core group who gathered ate 

in comfort in the well-appointed warehouse studio, where they enjoyed an 

extensive slide show she put together of the many performances the troop has 

participated in over the past decade. 

After the nice meal, Hazel sat at the front in a director’s chair to share her news. 

She began by reminiscing over all the years she’s invested in dance and her 

studio. She took the group down memory lane with some good stories, all of 

which hinted at what was coming. 

She then explained that the time had come for her to retire from the studio 

and that the doors would be closing at the end of the month. She said that she made every effort to find someone 

qualified to take over, or some other solution, but there didn’t seem to be one. She thanked everyone for all their 

support over the years, and hugged everyone in the room as the evening came to a close.



DINING & ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE 

ENTERTAINMENT BY CLOWNS & MAGICIANS 

ZANY ENTERTAINMENT - Sparkles Delight & Ravioli Sparkles: 209-835-8383 

Bringing you magical giggles & glee in 2023 info@zanyentertainment.com • Ravioli: 209-835-3535 

PHONE APPS 

ME-CAM Custom Emojis - Donyell Johnson 

Take and crop a picture to create custom stickers for different expressions 

TRAVEL AGENTS 

Find What You Need in and around town right here! 

GET THE APP 

deejaysugarshack.com 

DWRIGHT TRAVEL - Darcella Wright (510) 331-3471 

www.darcellawright.inteletravel.com 

darcella35@gmail.com 

PERSONAL LIFE CARE 

BICYCLE SHOPS / SERVICES 

TRACY CYCLERY - Ed Phippen (209) 640-9380 

2217 N Tracy Blvd, Tracy, CA 95376 

DENTAL CARE 

ELITE DENTAL CARE - Raman Singh, DDS (209) 213-7808 

3246 W. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA 95304 - next to Golden 1 near Costco www.TheEliteDental.com 

GRANT LINE DENTAL - Daman Gill, DDS (209) 832-2525 

2242 W. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, Suite 102, CA 95304 - next to Dhaba www.DamanGillDDS.com 

MOUNTAIN HOUSE DENTAL - Isabela L. Putzlacher, DDS (209) 839-8755 

561 Wicklund Crossing, MH, CA 95391 www.MountainHouseDental.com 

DENTAL - ORTHODONTICS 

SPLASH DENTAL - Rob van den Berg, DDS (209) 650-6560 

230 S. Sterling Dr. Ste 233, Mountain House, CA 95391 www.SplashDental.com 

TROSIEN ORTHODONTICS - Andrew Trosien, DDS, MS, Inc. (209) 833-1240 

2850 N. Tracy Blvd., Suite 300, Tracy, CA 95376 www.TrosienOrthodontics.com 

MEDICAL SUPPLIES 

REICH’S MEDICAL SUPPLY (209) 834-1383 

350 W Grant Line Rd, Tracy, CA 95376 reichsmedical@gmail.com • www.reichsmedicalsupply.net 

SHOES & SHOE REPAIR 

SARVEY’S SHOES & SHOE REPAIR - Bob Sarvey (209) 835-7162 

501 W Grant Line Rd, Tracy, CA 95376 www.SarveysShoes.net 

FINANCIAL SERVICES 

FINANCIAL ADVISOR SERVICES 

EDWARD JONES - Tom Kelly 209-839-0179 

2880 N. Tracy Blvd Suite 4, Tracy 95376 www.edwardjones.com 

INSURANCE SERVICES 

N&T INSURANCE SOLUTIONS - Pritpal Atwal (800)783-8565 

Mountain House resident - Auto, Home, Business, Visitors Coverage patwal@ntinsurancesol.com 

MORTGAGE BROKERS 

MORTGAGE SETH - Seth Conley 

(209) 845-SETH 

Mountain House resident - NMLSID#1595108 seth@mortgageseth.com • www.MortgageSeth.com 

U.S. BANK HOME Mrs (510) 301-5370 

Mountain House resident - NMLS # 1007568 

bryan.seavers@usbank.com 

- Services Directory 

For information on being included in this directory and/or other advertising opportunities, call 

or text Bryan Harrison, at: 209-597-8157 or visit www.MHMatters.net/rates.html 

FINANCIAL SERVICES CONTINUED 

TAX SERVICES 

CALL TAXES, INC. - Vishal Jalan, MBA, EA (Enrolled Agent) 

Tax & ITIN Services • MH resident 805-742-6378 

(IRS certified acceptance agent for new renewal) & Notary. 

contact@calltaxes.com 

TAX PREPARATION SERVICE - CRTP - Stacy Larsen 510-427-1867 

MH resident 

Stacy_Larsen@slztaxprep.com • www.slztaxprep.com 

HOUSE & HOME CARE SERVICES 

CARPET CLEANING 

ROBERT’S CARPET CLEANING - Robert Hoock (209) 814-6818 

Carpet Cleaning, repairs, installs 

https://RobsCarpets.com 

ELECTRICAL SERVICES 

TRI-VALLEY ELECTRICAL SERVICES, INC. (800) 449-6244 

No job too small - we do it all! 

www.tvesinc.com • service@tvesinc.com 

FLOOR COVERING & PAINTING 

SPENCER FLOORING & PAINT - Kipp Skelton (209) 835-5537 

See our showroom at 475 W. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA 95377 www.SpencerFlooringAndPaint.com 

PAINTING SERVICES 

FRESH COAT PAINTERS CENTRAL VALLEY (209) 390-4326 

Lic# 923812 

https://freshcoatpainters.com/locations/tracy/ 

POOL SERVICE 

VALLEY H2O POOL SERVICE - Adam Montoya (209) 914-6807 

Lic# 06019135 • Pool Cleaning, Repairs, Installation & Filter Cleaning 

REAL ESTATE AGENTS & BROKERS 

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY - Harman Ratia (209) 237-9173 

CalBRE #01908137 

harmanratia@gmail.com 

CAPTAIN RYAN REAL ESTATE / REALTY ONE - Ryan Baker (510) 238-5303 

CalBRE #02092859 

ryan@captainryanrealestate.com 

COLDWELL BANKER - Harshad Bhimani (408) 616-0488 

5980 Stoneridge Dr Ste 122, Pleasanton, CA 94588 • CalBRE #01960659 harshad.bhimani@gmail.com 

COMPASS - Janine & Mike Samawi 209-814-6370 

MH resident - DRE #02020042 & 01872071 

mike@teamsamawi.com 

GOLDEN HILLS BROKERS - Camille Harrison 925-594-0837 

MH resident - DRE #00986382 

camillerealtor@yahoo.com 

MOUNTAIN HOUSE REAL ESTATE GROUP - Drew Jacobsen (209) 855-1308 

MH resident • CalBRE #01416016 

drew@mhrealestate.com 

REFINED REAL ESTATE - Salah Salah (510) 378-6533 

MH resident • CalBRE #02022642 

Salah@RefinedRE.com • www.RefinedRE.com 

SKY HEIGHTS REAL ESTATE - Aradhana Rotkar (650) 839-3568 

CalBRE #02078443 

aradhana@skyheights.com • www.skyheights.com 

SUNROOMS & PATIO COVERS 

ABOVE THE REST PATIO COVERS & SUNROOMS (209) 834-1771 

Check us out on Yelp and Facebook! 

www.AboveTheRestPatio.com 

MARKETING / PROMOTIONAL 

SIGNS & PROMOTIONAL ITEMS 

FAST SIGNS - Danielle Miranda (209) 290-0100 

1418 Mariani Ct. Suite 110, Tracy, CA 95376 https://www.fastsigns.com/2285 

Is there a heading you’re looking for here not currently represented? 

Let us know: text 209-597-8157 or email: bryan@mhmatters.net Deadline for submissions for the next issue is October 13, 2023



23 

SETH CONLEY 

"Mortgage Seth" 

NMLS #1595108 

Call/Text: (408) 373-6585 

seth@mortgageseth.com 

Now licensed in: 

California, Florida, Idaho, 

North Carolina, Texas & Arizona 

www.MortgageSeth.com 

209-845-SETH 

New to Mountain House? Maybe been here awhile and are ready to get 

more involved in the community? Here are some contacts, resources and groups 

that will hopefully help you plug in and turn on! 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT & CIVIC RESOURCES 

MH Community Services District: 251 E. Main Street 

www.mountainhousecsd.org - 209-831-2300 

MH Sheriff Services: : Emergency - 911 • Non-Emergency - (209) 468-4400 

MH Fire Services: : Emergency - 911 • Non-Emergency - (209) 407-2990 

MH Master Restrictions Enforcement - (209) 831-5606, or chathorn@sjgov.org 

or report online: www.mountainhousecsd.org/resident-services/report-a-concern 

MH Library: : www.ssjcpl.org/locations/county/mhouse.html - 250 E Main Street 

Mountain House Matters: : www.MHMatters.net - 209-597-8157 

Mailing Address: 2455 Naglee Rd #263, Tracy, CA 95304 

MH Facebook Groups: : facebook.com/groups/MountainHouse 

facebook.com/groups/MountainHouseResidents 

San Joaquin County Animal Services: : (209) 953-6070 

MH Welcome Center: : 955 Prosperity Street @ Mustang Way - (209) 221-6317 

COMMUNITY GROUPS & CLUBS 

To have your local group added to this list, please email your information to info@mhmatters.net, or call 209-597-8157 

Kiwanis of Mountain House: search Kiwanis of Mountain House on Facebook 

MH Autism Awareness: search Mountain House Autism Awareness on Facebook 

MH BNI Power Partners: search BNI Mountain House on Facebook 

Mountain House Cricket Club and Youth Club: : mhcricketclub@googlegroups.com 

MH Coding Academy: https://mhcodingacademy.netlify.app 

MH Filipino-American Society: www.facebook.com/groups/MHFILAMS/ 

MH Flag Football, Inc.: : www.mhflagfootball.com (including: MH Tennis, Youth Cheer, Golf Club, & Kite Run) 

MH Game Club: Search Mountain House Game Club on Facebook 

MH Gardeners Facebook Group: : Search Mountain House Gardeners on FB 

MH Kindness Club: contact Hari Kattana: hkattana@yahoo.com 

MH LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual & Transgender) Group: www.facebook.com/groups/mhlgbt/ 

MH Little League: : www.mountainhouselittleleague.org 

MH Matters Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MountainHouseMatters 

MH Mothers Club: : www.MHmothersclub.com 

MH Motorcycle Riders Club: www.facebook.com/groups/432747620431509 

MH Musicians' Network: search: "Mountain House Musicians Network" on Facebook 

MH Running Club: : www.MHrunners.com 

MH Scouting: https://mhscouting.com 

MH Soccer/West Coast Soccer Club: : http://westcoastsoccerclub.com 

MH Sports & Recreation Club: : https://www.facebook.com/groups/855075765382333 

MH Tracy Cricket Club: : https://boardmtca.wixsite.com/mtca 

Mountain House Tracy Women’s Cricket Club: 

MH Vintage Seniors’ Club: search: “Mountain House Vintage Seniors” on Facebook 

MH Virtual Garage Sale:www.facebook.com/groups/MHvirtualgaragesale/ 

Neighborhood Watch: : search MH Neighborhood Watch on Facebook 

Poorba of Mountain House: : https://poorba.org/ 

Rotary Club of Mountain House: : www.RotaryMH.org 

San Joqauin Audubon : https://www.sanjoaquinaudubon.org/ 

Zinnia Way Volleyball Club: 

www.MortgageSeth.com 

Not a commitment to lend. Rates and terms subject to change without notice. Licensed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential 

Mortgage Act No. 41 30968; AL #22653; AR #32700; AZ #016043; Colorado regulated by the Division of Real Estate; #019623; FL #MLD819; Georgia Residential Mortgage License #20924; ID 

#MBL-5861; Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company #MC.0025601; KY: #MC701698; MD: #16927; Mississippi Licensed Mortgage Company Licensed by the Mississippi Department of Banking and 

Consumer Finance; Licensed by the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance; NC: L-152867; NV: #3681 : OK: #ML012358; Licensed by the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation #ML-3808; 

PA: #37008; TN: 112513; Licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission #MC--5579; WV: #ML-31523/MB31759. NMLS #1141 . www.mnlsconsumeraccess.org. 

For ALL of your Real Estate needs 

whether Buying or Selling, 

Contact: 

Harman Ratia 

209.237.9173 

HarmanRatia@gmail.com 

Mountain House expertise 

REALTOR ® 

DRE #01908137 

Multimedia Ad Packages 

Now Available 

Monthly Print Newspaper Ads • Online Web Site Options 

Place Your Ad Package Today! 

Call or text: 209-597-8157 

Package Options and Available Discounts at: 

www.MHMatters.net 

Mountain House Matters is a community newspaper published by Mountain House Matters, Inc., all rights reserved. The paper 

is mailed monthly to every address in the 95391 zip code, and the Lammersville route along von Sosten Rd in Tracy by USPS Every 

Door Direct Mail. Circulation currently reaches 8,612 mailboxes, totaling approximately 30,000 people. 

The views and comments expressed within the articles herein are intended to bring current neighborhood village and community 

information to your door. Publisher assumes no responsibility for any opinions and/or statements offered by contributing 

authors to the publication, claims or statements made by advertisers, or for any errors or omissions in the paper. Please check 

with individual groups for further information as events schedules do sometimes change. 

Acceptance of advertising material does not constitute endorsement of the products or services offered. Mountain House Matters, 

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all rights reserved



West Coast Soccer Success in the GA League 

Submitted by Adaurie Dayak 

This past weekend Mountain House’s local soccer 

club, West Coast Soccer, traveled to Fresno to play 

in a six game GA league fixture coming away with 

good results with 3 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws. 

The age groups that compete in the National Girls 

Academy League are U13-U19 Girls. The age 

groups are designated by their birth years. West 

Coast 2011’s won 7-0, the 2010’s tied 0-0, the 2009’s 

lost 0-3, the 2008’s won 2-1, the 2007’s won 4-1, and 

the 2006/5’s tied 3-3. Half way through the fall GA 

league play West Coast Soccer has three age groups 

(2010, 2008 & 2007) that are currently undefeated 

while 2011 and 2007 have only lost one game. 

West Coast Director Troy Dayak commented “We 

are very happy with the results thus far, the girls 

are developing nicely, having success and fun 

playing the sport. Last weekend we had three local 

NCAA College Coaches on our sideline watching 

our players. Fresno State, Fresno Pacific and CSU 

Bakersfield attended the games and the weekend 

prior UC Berkeleys head coach and SF State head 

coach came to recruit West Coast Soccer players.” 

Last weekend West Coast Soccer Club hosted Santa 

Clara Sporting in the Girls Academy (GA) fixture. 

2010 and 2007 GA age group teams started of the 

day side by side at 9:00am. The end result for the 

2007s was a 2-0 victory with goals scored by local 

player (Mountain House HS) Jayden Rynolds and 

Isabella Tognolini scored the second and sealed the 

2-0 shutout. The 2010s tied 1-1 with Skylar Burford 

scoring the equalizer. 

The second fixture games were the 2008 and 2011 

GA teams. The 2008s won their game 2-1 with Aliya 

Lopez and Elise Trevino being the goal scorers. And 

the 2011s had an astounding victory of 7-0 with 

goals scored by Adisyn Quadros (3), Capri Spycher 

(2), Mila Apodaca (1), and Diana Real (1). The final 

GA Fixture games of the day were for the 2009s and 

2006/05s. The 2009s won their game 4-0 with the 

goal scorers being Makayla Nenonene (2), Madelynn 

Hernandez, and Yazmin Karcher. The 2006s 

earned a 2-0 victory with goals scored by Hayden 

Crotty Romero and Olivia Maragos, leaving West 

Coast Soccer Club GA undefeated across the board 

this weekend. 

GA League play resumes next weekend in Los Gatos 

for West Coast Soccer. You can find more info at 

westcoastsoccerclub.com 

Anthony Hicks Earns His Eagle Scout Award! 

“We have an Eagle in the house!,” posted proud mom and scouting leader, Kim Hicks. “Anthony passed 

his board of review September 7 and officially earned his Eagle Scout award.” 

14 year old Anthony’s Eagle project was an 8x8 sandbox on the kindergarten yard at Bethany School. 

Anthony planned and oversaw the project. He is the 3rd Eagle Scout from an MH troop. It’s rare in the 

scouting world to see a young 

person reach this crown of 

achievement at Anthony’s age. 

“To say we are proud is an understatement,” 

Kim continued. 

“The amount of sweat, grit, 

determination, tears, joy and 

blood this boy put into getting 

here can only be diminished 

by putting it into words. The 

journey is not over…once an 

Eagle, always an Eagle,” she 

stated flatly. 

Mrs. Hicks serves the Scouting 

community at a high level, 

along with her husband, Ryan. 

She is the Chief Operating Officer 

at Mountain House Scouting 

Foundation. 

As part of Troop 511, she says, 

“Anthony will continue to mentor 

younger Scouts and help his 

troop-mates join him in the nest! 

MH Rotary Named Small Club of the Year 

The Mountain House Rotary Club held their second 

annual Bowling Tournament Sunday, September 

17, 2023 at West Valley Bowl in Tracy. 

The event was a fund raiser to help the victims of 

the Lahaina fire storm. 16 teams came together, 

playing a total of three games each. For the most 

part it was just a fun afternoon of entertainment. 

But, for the winners, it was game on! 

Numbers are still being tallied for the donation. 

Folks may still contribute to the fund, but going 

to RotaryMH.org. 

While at the bowling alley, club members learned 

that the Rotary Club of Mountain House was 

named “Small Club of The Year” at the district 

conference the week prior. A big feather in the 

cap for a growing group of do-gooders. 

“The Bro-lers” took first place in the bowling tourney 

“What the Hell” took second place 

For more about this happenin’ lil rotary group, go to: www.RotaryMH.org 

and the “Edward Jones Ringers” took third place


Assure Primary and Urgent Care & MHCC 

Host Another Sucessful Blood Drive 

Assure Primary and Urgent Care, in conjunction with the Mountain House Cricket 

Club, hosted another blood drive on Monday, September 18, 2023. This was the first 

event able to be held at the not yet opened Assure Primary & Urgent Care location. 

The Vitalant bus parked along Grand Ave at the back door entrance to the Assure 

office to conduct their business. 

“Thank you for everything you did for the Assure 

Primary and Urgent Care Blood Drive on Monday,” 

the folks at Vitalant were quoted as saying to 

Dr. Satyakant Chitturi, the main partner at Assure, 

and an active board member with MHCC. 

“It takes a village to maintain an adequate blood 

supply and your efforts are so appreciated,” 

Vitalant continued. “Vitalant needs around 5,300 

donations every day to help save lives. Patients 

depend on Vitalant Volunteer donors to provide 

approximately 11% of the U.S. blood supply.” 

Donors were mostly pre-registered with specific 

appointment times to give their donations. 

In all, there were 24 donors registered and 19 

people donated. Two (2) people who donated were 

able to contribute “power red” donations, along 

with 16 whole blood donations and 1 Plasma, for 

a total of 21 units of blood! 

“This was a great blood 

drive and we made our 

goal,” Dr. Chitturi stated. 

“I want to thank everyone 

who played a part 

in making this a success, 

especially given how badly 

blood donations are 

needed. 

The next blood drive will 

be scheduled for early 

2024. Stay tuned and 

join-in to help save a life! 

Dr. Satyakant Chitturi, MD, with wife and partner at Assure, Dr. Naga 

Vijaya Swathi Chitta, MD, at the September 18, 2023 Blood Drive 

Bryan Harrison in the chair, ready to donate, with Dr. Satyakant Chitturi, MD, of Assure Primary & Urgent 

Care, left, and his father, Kumudakar Chitturi, at the September 18, 2023 Blood Drive 


MH Fire Department Presents Two 

Scholarships of Merit to MHHS Students 

On August 8, 2023, the French Camp/McKinley 

Firefighters Association presented their annual 

scholarships to two MH High Scholarship of Merit 

finalists. Congratulations to Yuji Buczynski and C. 

Ethan De Castro, each of whom received $500 in 

scholarship monies in recognition of the importance 

of education in our community. 

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life experience, skills and knowledge to excel 

in their chosen careers, and memories to last a 

lifetime,” said newly appointed MH Fire Captain, 

Bill Fisk. “We choose students who demonstrate 

the ambition and desire to be resolute assets to our 

community, country, and world, regardless of major 

or career path. 

Congratulations to both winners! 

Ethan De Castro and Yuji Buczynski were recognized by the MH Fire Department with the 2023 Scholarships of Merit August 8, 2023 

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MHHS Boys Varsity Football 

Falls to Johansen 22-21 

The Johansen (Modesto) varsity football team won 

Friday’s home conference game against the Mountain 

House Mustangs in a tight one, with the Vikings 

edging out the Mustangs by a score of 22-21. 

The Mustangs made a strong finish, scoring 15 

points in the fourth quarter, but fell just short, as 

the Vikings held on for the win. 

MHHS Mustangs Johansen Vikings 

21 22 

MHHS Girls Varsity Volley- 

ball beats Ceres 3 - 0 

Mustangs topped Ceres 3-0 Thursday night, September 

21, 2023. The Mustangs move onto 5-1 in 

league conference. 

Setter Pleskac moved the ball around with 23 assists 

and 5 aces. Outside hitter Turner lead the team with 

15 kills and 2 aces. Starks followed with 7 kills and 

middle hitter Mangrum ended the night with 6 kills 

and 3 blocks. 

MHHS Mustangs Ceres Bulldogs 

3 0 

MHHS Girls Varsity Water 

Polo beats Pacheco 11 - 9 

Congratulations to the MH High Mustangs Varsity 

Girls Water Polo team on their first win of the 

season. The team was assertive in defense in their 

match September 21, 2023 vs the Pacheco Panthers. 

“Shout-out to our goalie Brooklyn Watson for her 

amazing blocks and to Elissa Retes for her two 

tenacious push-in goals,” said Coach Nora Bauer. 

Also scoring were Bria Eaquinto, Sophia Eaquinto, 

and Mimiko Ye, each with two goals, and with one 

goal each were Brookelyn Watson (from half-field), 

Katelyn Wiedner, and Isabela Morales. Congrats 

to the team! 

MHHS Mustangs Pacheco Panthers 

11 9 

MHHS Boys Varsity Water 

Polo beats Ceres 14 - 3 

The MH High School Boys’ Varsity Water Polo team 

beat Ceres Bulldogs handily September 26, 2023. 

“Today’s game was a great day for teaching patience, 

control and respect for players of the game. 

The Mustang boys made their coach proud today,” 

stated coach Alison Ordner. 

Liam Fobert was the points leader with 3 goals. 

There was a five-way tie for next most goes: Pete 

Lomeli, Preston Wiedner, Isaac Hashimi, William 

Schenck and Caden Busutill, with 2 goals a piece. 

Steven Gudilano had 1 goal, and Goalie Jacab 

Hashimi blocked 3 of the Bulldogs attempts. 

MHHS Mustangs 

Ceres Bulldogs 

14 3 

MHHS Mustangs 0 6 0 15 

MHHS Mustangs 29 25 25 



Johansen Vikings 0 8 6 8 

The Stallions: The Rising Stars of Youth Tackle Football in Mountain House 

Submitted by Harry Dhillon • Photos by Jose Moreno 

In the heart of the Mountain House community, 

a vibrant group of young athletes have 

come together to form an extraordinary 

youth football team known as “The Mountain 

House Stallions.” These dedicated 

youngsters, aged 6 to 14, epitomize the 

spirit of camaraderie, determination, and 

sportsmanship as they take to the field to 

pursue their passion for football, while representing 

the town they are growing up in. 

“The Mountain House Stallions” are more 

than just a team; they are a close-knit family 

bound by a shared love for the game. Each 

member brings their unique talents and 

personalities, contributing to the team’s 

synergy both on and off the field. Whether 

it’s an exciting touchdown celebration or 

a comforting pat on the back after a tough 

loss, these young athletes exemplify the 

importance of unity and friendship in sports. 

The Stallions take their football seriously, 

constantly striving for excellence. Under 

the guidance of dedicated coaches, they 

work diligently on mastering the fundamentals 

of the game – from precise passes, 

safe techniques for tackling to perfecting 

their footwork that can be utilized in any 

form of athletics. With each practice session, 

they inch closer to realizing their full 

potential, paving the way for a promising 

future in football. 

Beyond the field, The Mountain House Stallions 

actively engage with their community, 

organizing charity events, fundraisers, and 

youth outreach programs. They understand 

the importance of giving back and nurturing 

the next generation of aspiring athletes. 

Their commitment to community involvement 

highlights their character and values. 

As we watch the Stallions take to the football 

field, we see not only talented athletes 

but also the future leaders of our community. 

Their dedication, teamwork, and unwavering 

passion for the game make them 

role models for their peers and a source 

of pride for our community. With every 

practice and game, they will inch closer to 

realizing their dreams and becoming the 

football stars of tomorrow. 

A year ago, the Mountain House Stallions 

was just an idea to bring together our local 

youth through competitive football. Today, 

the Stallions have come together with over 

a hundred players and a community of 

supporters to make them the hottest ticket 

in town. The Stallions hosted their inaugural 

football home games on September 

09, 2023. BElow are some pictures from 

the event. 

More information can be found at 

www.MHSTALLIONS.com 

Ceres Bulldogs 27 17 16 

Pacheco Panthers 3 1 3 2 

Ceres Bulldogs 1 1 1 0



Lady Mustangs Tennis Remain Undefeated in League Play 

Submitted by Andy Su 

photo submitted by Coach Andy Su 

27 

It was another battle of 1 vs 2 in the Western Athletic 

Conference (WAC) Septmber 27, 2023. This time, 

however, for the first time since the Lady Mustangs 

girls tennis team of Mountain House High School 

joined the league, the 2nd place team was not the 

Lady Tigers of Los Banos High but the Lady Panthers 

of Pacheco High (in Los Banos). 

On a cool and breezy Wednesday, the 1st place 

Lady Mustangs (7-0), traveled south to Los Banos 

to take on the 2nd place Lady Panthers in a battle 

for league supremacy. While MH won the earlier 

match at home 9-0, a victory by Pacheco yesterday 

would have tied the teams at first place. 

Both teams ended their warm ups earlier than 

usual as both coaches were eager to get the match 

started. The Lady Mustangs were playing without 

junior co-captain and #1 player Anisha Pandey so 

freshman phenom Ishita Ahelleya stepped into the 

top stop to take on Pacheco #1 Elizabeth Gonzalez. 

Ahelleya played well to win the first set 6-2 and take 

a 5-0 lead in the second but a brief lapse allowed 

Gonzalez to win 3 games in a row before Ahelleya 

closed the second set 6-3. 

Junior veteran Akuokor "Bella" Sai moved up to #2 

to face Pacheco #2 and won a hard fought match 

6-3, 6-2. Senior Sehjal Nival moved up to #3 to face 

the very tough and consistent Pacheco #3 Priscilla 

Ceballos. While Nival fought hard, Ceballos' 

consistent strokes wore her down 

and took the first set 6-2. Nival tried to 

regroup in the second set and took a 5-3 

lead but some costly mistakes gave the 

next 4 games and the match to Ceballos. 

Senior Akhila Maganti moved up to 

#4 and took the first set 6-2 but struggled 

to win the second set 6-4. Junior 

co-captain Anya Palsson moved up to 

#5 and continued her strong play as she 

beat Pacheco #5 6-2, 6-1. Senior Neha 

The MHHS Girls Varsity Tennis team - Still undefeated at 9-0 in league play 

Bhaskarabhotla moved up to #6 from doubles due to 

Pandey's absence and started strong to take the first 

set 6-1 but had to fight hard to win the second set 6-4. 

Junior Akweley Sai and Sophomore Shreya Wunnuya 

continued to improve as a team and had no 

difficulty beating the Pacheco #1 doubles team 6-1, 

6-1. Both the MH #2 and #3 doubles also won in 

straight sets to end the match with a 8-1 MH victory. 

With the win, MH is now 8-0 in league play, 2 games 

in front of 2nd place Pacheco and Los Banos (both 

at 6-2). With 6 league matches left, the Lady Mustangs 

are striving for their record 6th consecutive 

league title. 

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