2403_MHMatters_120_0m

FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS AT: 

Mountain House Matters 

263 W Adoncia Drive 

Mountain House, CA 95391 

TO: 

Mailed to every Address in the 95391 zip code & more 

All Our Mountain House Neighbors 

PRSRT STD 

ECRWSS 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

EDDM RETAIL 

Local Postal Customer 

March 2024 

Issue# 120 

Volume 13, Number 3 

LUSD Mapping Out Voting District Options 

By Bryan Harrison 

Mountain House, CA – As part of their painstaking 

effort to do their due diligence in the process of 

defining what will be a new By-District governing 

approach, The Lammersville Unified School District 

held a community “Listening Session” meeting for 

public understanding and feedback Tuesday, February 

20, 2024 at the LUSD Board Chambers. On-hand was 

the district’s Professional Demographer, Dr. Douglas 

Johnson, of National Demographics Corporation, to 

outline and explain seven (7) versions of proposed 

districting map options his organization has drawn 

up for LUSD Board’s consideration. 

Dr. Johnson had initially drawn up five versions of 

zone-defining maps, which he presented to the LUSD 

Board of Education in January. Feedback at that time 

continued page 7 

Map version shown “Orange B” is one of seven (7) proposed 

LUSD District zone configurations being considered 

From www.LammersvilleSchoolDistrict.net, go to the “Governing Board” 

menu link, then “California Voting Rights Act”. Scroll down to “Draft 

Area Maps”. There you will find two links, including the first five map 

options, originally posted 1/31/24, and an additional two maps drawnup 

following community and board input, posted 2/14/24. 

There are now a total of seven (7) proposed map options 

to consider. The LUSD Board of Education hopes to make 

a decision at the March 6, 2024 Board meeting. 

Assure Primary & Urgent Care 

Opens to Great Fanfare 

Mountain House, CA – Following a process that encompassed 

more than a year and a half in the making, the long awaited Grand 

Opening of the Assure Primary & Urgent Care facility here occurred 

February 11, 2024. 

Located in the Market at Mountain House shopping center, immediately 

adjacent to Safeway, the owners of Assure celebrated with 

great fanfare, with community support and participation, a ribbon-cutting 

event to launch this much needed community amenity. 

Mountain House residents, Satyakant Chitturi, MD, and his wife 

and partner, Swathi Chitta, MD, recognized the need for some sort 

of medical treatment facility in town. They partnered with Pankaj 


Local Media Matters 

Assure partners launching their new medical faicility, 

l-r: Pankaj Malhotra,MD; Shagun Bagga-Malhotra, 

MD; Satyakant Chitturi, MD, and Swathi Chitta, MD. 

Fire Station #2 Breaks Ground North of Byron 

View LUSD District Maps map 

options being considered for 

future Board representation 

Map version 

“Orange B” 

Photo courtesy MH/French Camp Fire Department 

Moving dirt, L-R: Dave Sargent, MH Developers LLC; MHCSD GM Steve Pinkerton; MHCSD Board member Harry Dhillon; San Joaquin County Supervisor Robert Rickman; 

Sparky; MHCSD Board Pres Matt Disko; VP Bernice Tingle; MHCSD Board member Manny Moreno; MH Fire Chief Marty Cornilsen; & MH Fire Deputy Chief Jason Fullmer 

16th Annual MHMatters hosted 

Community Garage Sale Weekend 

Slated for April 20-21 

Zoomed in view of one of seven (7) proposed LUSD District Map options being considered for School board representative disticting. Sign up now at MHMatters.net Page 12

2 MountainHouseMatters.coM 

March 2024 • Issue #120

March 2024 • Issue #120 

MountainHouseMatters.coM 

3 

Mountain House 

Location 

accepting 

new patients! 

Dr. Raman Singh 

BDS, DDS, FIDIA 

General & Implant Dentistry 

Adult & Children Dentistry • Invisalign Provider 

Is Your Smile Ready 

for These Upcoming 

Events? 

St. Patrick’s Day 

March 17, 2024 

Holi 

March 25, 2024 

Easter 

March 28, 2024 

NOW OFFERING DENTAL IMPLANTS 

Dental implants are permanent anchors to provide secure, 

stable and long-lasting tooth replacement. Because dental 

implants become part of the jaw, they look and feel like natural 

teeth, allowing you to eat, talk and smile without worry. 

Call Today for a 

Free Implant Consultation 

The Elite Dental Care offers a wide range of 

preventive and diagnostic services, including: 

• complete dental exams 

• periodontal therapy 

• composite filling 

• dentures 

• crown (caps) 

• teeth whitening 

• Invisalign 

• TMD/TMJ 

• tooth extraction 

• root canal 

• dental cleaning 

Now with Two (2) Locations to serve your dental needs 

TRACY 

MOUNTAIN HOUSE 

(209) 213-7808 (209) 618-2200 

3246 W. Grant Line Rd. 

19665 S Mountain House Pkwy 

Tracy, CA 95304 


www.TheEliteDental.com 

Dr. Raman Singh DDS 

Now with Two (2) Locations to serve you 

19665 S Mountain House Pkwy, 


In The Market Shopping Center, near Safeway 



Near Costco - next to Golden One Credit Union 

Mon - Sat: 8:30 a.m - 5:00 p.m. 

Wed: 9:00 a.m - 5:30 p.m. 

Accepting All PPO and 

Med-Cal Insurance programs



for MAYOR 

3 

DR. ANDY SU 

Community Leadership 

f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g 

Experience that Matters! 

J MHCSD Board: 2008 to present 

J Board President: 2009, 2010, 2014, 2021 

J MH Flag Football Board: 2009 to present 

J Board President: 2009 to present 

J Tracy Hospital Foundation Board: 2008 to 2017 

BALANCE. EXPERIENCE. PROGRESS 

BERNICE KING TINGLE 

FOR MOUNTAIN HOUSE CITY COUNCIL 

ON MARCH 5, 2024 

ELECT TINGLE 

T RUST 

I NTEGRITY 

N EIGHBOR 

G OVERNANCE 

L EADERSHIP 

E XPERENCE 

I have been part of the Mountain House Community since 2003. 

I have faithfully served you on the MHCSD Board since 2008. 

3 Served as Board President in 2012, 2020 & 2023 

3 One of the Founding Directors on the Valley-Link Tri-Valley/ 

San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority Board 

3 Chairperson of the Mountain House Youth Action Committee (YAC) since 2009 

3 Fought for Locked Mailboxes in Wicklund Village in 2023 

3 Continually advocating for Advanced LIfe Support (ALS) service for Mountain House 

Reach out for more: b.tingle6402@sbcglobal.net 

MY FOCUSES ARE: Economic Development • Transportion • Public Safety • Additional 

Water Resources • Balanced Budgeting • Strategic Planning & YOUR Priorities! 

I need your endorsements and support in order to continue serving 

DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY 

J Founder and President of the 

501c3 non-profit Mountain House 

Flag Football: 2009 to present 

Includes the following programs: 

• Youth Flag Football League 

• Adult Flag Football League 

• MH Youth Cheer 

• MH Golf Club 

• MH Tennis Club 

• MH Kite Run 

• A Royal Affair 

• MH Halloween Parade 

• MH Sailfish Swim team 

PROFESSIONAL CAREER 

J Board Certified Emergency 

Physician: 2001 to present 

J Attending Physician at 

St Rose in Hayward: 

2001 to 2005 

J Head Coach for Wicklund 

Girls Varsity & JV Basketball 

teams: 2015 to 2020 

J Head Coach for Mountain 

House High School Girls 

Varsity Tennis team: 2018 to present 

J Head Coach for Mountain House 

High School Boys Varsity Tennis 

team: 2020 to present 

J Attending Physician at Sutter 

Tracy Community Hospital: 

2005 to present 

J Director of Stroke Program at 

Sutter Tracy Community Hospital: 

2017 to present 

Experience you can trust to continue guiding the growth of our new city! 

Andy@mhflagfootball.com 

The ONLY Democrat Endorsed by 

Senator 

Susan Talamantes Eggman 

Congressman 

Josh Harder 

Tracy and Stockton 

Democratic Clubs 

Firefighters Service Employees Latine Young Democrats San Joaquin County 

Deputy Sheriffs 

A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO SERVICE 

Rhodesia Ransom is a mom, businesswoman, and proven public servant. As a non-profit founder, Tracy City 

Councilmember, and businessowner, she’s the trusted choice to deliver results for us in the State Assembly. 

CREATE GOOD PAYING JOBS 

Invest in workforce development to strengthen opportur and ensure job training programs are accessible. 

REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING 

Reduce costs by taking on price-gouging corporations ar protect the California dream for working families. 

INVEST MORE FUNDS IN SCHOOLS 

Provide local school districts with the resources and tool: prioritize quality teachers and student success. 

RHODESIA RANSOM 

BY TUESDAY, MARCH 5 

www.VoteRansom.com @RhodesiaRansom @Rhodesia_Ransom Paid for by Ransom for Assembly 2024 FPPC ID #1465179


SURESH 

VUYYURU 

Community Award 

FOR 


City Council 

BEST Volunteer 2023 

Local service organization 

While some of you may already have a preferred 

candidate, there are four seats to fill. I would 

encourage those who appreciate my dedication 

to consider supporting me as your second choice. 

- Suresh Vuyyuru 


Summary of Mountain House and What You Need to Know for this Election 

Submitted by Akansha Khanna 

What form of local government do we have in 

Mountain House today? 

Community Services District (CSD) - it's a special 

district but we have more powers than most of the 

similar setup agencies. 

What is the current election about? 

To incorporate MH as an independent, self governing 

city or not 

What do we vote for in this election? 

3 Cityhood. Vote for MH to become a city or not 

(Measure D on the ballot) 

3 Elect a Mayor 

3 Elect 4 council members 

3 Select type of governance for the new city 

(Measure E on the ballot) 

Voters will vote for all 4 above in the same ballot, 

but number 2,3,4 will only go into effect if Cityhood 

is approved by the voters 

What is the need to become a city? 

- To receive our guaranteed share of federal and 

state money 

- To make our own decisions on land usage, zoning 

and economic development. For eg : whether the 

land should be commercial or residential. Currently 

the county makes these decisions for us. 

- We will get a seat at the table with the Council of 

Governments (COG). This is important as we will 

have a voice, representation and a vote at the county 

and regional board in decisions that could bring 

additional funds for projects and help determine 

regional projects that affect residents here. 

- Additional powers will be added to the local government 

beyond the limited 18 powers of our current 

CSD once we become a city, which will provide 

autonomy MH currently does not have. 

Important to note that Cityhood was outlined in the 

County Master Plan as a future goal for MH 

How and when will MH become a city? 

A simple majority approval to Measure D will pave 

the way for MH to become a new city on July 1, 2024 

How did we reach this point? 

Following a nod from the initial Incorporation 

Committee, made up of MH residents and the GM, 

MHCSD did an in-depth projective analysis determining 

that Incorporation was feasible. In 2021, 

a Cityhood application was filed by MHCSD with 

LAFco (Local Agency Formation Commission) 

along with plans for services. 

LAFco conducted a Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis 

from the data, budgets etc and determined that 

Mountain House is ready to become a city. 

The LAFco board approved Incorporation of Mountain 

House - Cityhood in a unanimous vote at their 

September 14, 2023 meeting. 

What is LAFCO? 

San Joaquin LAFco - Local Agency Formation 

Commission - is the government agency responsible 

for conducting special studies for incorporation of 

new cities and districts. 

Will Cityhood increase my sales tax? 

No. In fact, quite the opposite, according to MHCSD 

Attorney, John Bakker. With the passage of Measure 

D, a percentage of sales taxes that currently goes to 

the county will now come directly to The City of 

Mountain House. 

Current sales tax is 7.75 for purchases made in MH 

Think boldly, impact profoundly. 

VOTE for a candidate who consistently attend board or community 

meetings and contribute their voice 

VOTE for a candidate who provides service to our community 

VOTE for a candidate who volunteers to this community 

VOTE for a candidate who contributed to public safety 

VOTE for a candidate who just not only present election time 

VOTE for a candidate with community endorsements 

MOUNTAIN HOUSE, 

IT’S YOUR CHOICE. YOU DECIDE! 

or for purchases made outside MH but delivered to 

MH - “white goods”. 

As a city, 1% of this 7.75% Sales tax from your 

purchases will come to Mountain House. 

Will Cityhood increase my property tax? 

Property tax is not tied to becoming or not becoming 

a city. There is a potential of property tax increasing 

even if we DON'T become a city. 

Mountain House has its Special Tax structure, which 

the MHCSD Board (City Council) must review 

annually, with the authority to raise those taxes a 

maximum of 4%, or a fraction thereof, or not at 

all. Over the last 20 years the Special Taxes have 

increased by 2.4% annually on average. 

Right now, only about 15% of the Prop 13 property 

taxes (1% of value) comes back to Mountain House 

from the County. As a city, MH will get 20% of the 

Prop 13 property tax. 

How do land use decisions impact me? 

Control on zoning. Land use decisions, whether 

to allow for more commercial or residential, will 

be determined by the City. While the MHCSD is 

regulated according to the Master Plan currently, 

the ultimate control is with the County. 

Does MH have enough budget to become a city? 

Because of the Special Taxes structure, Mountain 

House is already self-funded, with only minimal services 

provided by the county. As a city, MH would 

be financially self-sufficient and have adequate 

financial reserves, according to the LAFco CFA. 

What current powers does MH have? 

MH currently has 18 powers - Police (contract with 

San Joaquin Sheriff), Fire and Emergency Services 

Community Endorsements 

• Dr. Jun Aquino, General Physician 

• Knapp Douglas, Resident of Hansen Village 

• Andres Martinez, Small Business Owner 

VOTE 

• Mr. Mark & Kelle Gouvia, Founders Grateful Heart Ranch. 

• Chai Pa®, Mountain House Resident. 

• Mohemmed Ghatala, CEO, 

Sticker Quicker DMV Express Services 

• Approved by 1340 residents in 2022 CSD elections. 

For more details please visit 

www.ElectSuresh4MH.com 

PAID FOR BY VUYYURU CITY COUNCIL 2024 FPPC : 1466192 

5 

(contract with French 

Camp Fire), Library Service, 

Water, Sewer, Garbage (West Valley disposal), 

Public recreation, Road Maintenance, Street lights, 

Graffiti abatement, CC&R enforcement, Dissemination 

of information, Transportation, Underground 

utilities, Flood control protection, Wildlife habitat 

mitigation, Pest/weed abatement, Telecommunication 

services - Cable Television / Broadband 

What are the additional powers we will get if MH 

becomes a City? 

Land Use decisions, Building and safety codes, 

Code enforcement, Traffic control, Animal Control 

and Economic Development 

What comes with Animal Control? 

Mountain House could contract for Animal Control, 

or staff its own animal control department, governing 

safety laws and dealing with wildlife issues. 

Will we get a police department? 

CSD already has police powers by contract with 

the San Joaquin Sheriff. Cityhood will provide 

more revenue which can be used to bolster services 

like these. 

Who are the Mayoral candidates? 

Andy Su - Emergency Room Doctor, Current 

MHCSD Board Member, Inaugural board member, 

on the board for 15 years, since its inception; 

Harry Dhillon - Businessman, Current MHCSD 

Board Member since 2020; 

Raj Reddy - Software Engineer, longtime resident 

Who are the City Council candidates? 

Bernice King Tingle - Current Vice President, 

MHCSD Board of Director, Inaugural board memcontinued 

page 8



Apartment Living Has Come to Mountain House 


Mountain House, CA – The Aviara at Mountain 

House Apartment Home living complex held their 

Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting event under 

rainy skies Saturday, February 17, 2024, from 

11am-2pm. A good-sized crowd turned out to see 

the open models and view many of the amenities 

this upper-scale addition to the Mountain House 

landscape has to offer. 

Hosted by president of the brand new Mountain 

House Chamber of Commerce, Matt Disko, the 

event included food and drink, and a raffle for guests, 

along with an open house setting for self-guided 

tours of the four open models. Aviara Community 

Director and site manager, Zak Aziz, welcomed 

the crowd and dignitaries as folks entered the front 

community room for the complex. 

A spread of sandwiches, appetizers and cookies were 

laid out on a large spread for community members to 

enjoy. Folks were free to wander through the main 

complex, seeing the mail station, game room, yoga 

room and gym, along with the outdoor swimming 

pool, all of which are for the use of tenants at this 

rental facility. Additionally, a "Paw Spa" is ready for 

site residents to enjoy, with a dog park opening on 

site in the next couple of months, all included with 

their monthly rent. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was set up in the 

doorway entrance. Due to the rain, dignitaries and 

speaker participants stood under a tent canopy on 

the outside looking in toward the crowd gathered 

in the large room. Matt Disko served as the host 

for the event on behalf of the new MH Chamber 

of Commerce, and CSD Board President. San Joaquin 

County Supervisor for the 5th District, Robert 

Rickman, presented a certificate of recognition to 

Mr. Aziz and Aviara. Zak Aziz addressed the crowd, 

thanking everyone for coming and sharing with them 

some of the benefits of calling Aviara home. 

“We are proud to be the first apartment community 

in Mountain House and look forward to being part 

of the growing community,” he said. “Our goal is 

to provide an exceptional living environment for all 

of our residents. 

Mountain House General Manager, Steve Pinkerton, 

outlined the development progress the town is seeing 

with the addition of this 304 unit complex, as well 

County Supervisor Robert Rickman presented a certificate of recognition to 

Zak Aziz and Aviara as Matt Disko and others look on. 

as their phase two, which is just getting underway. 

Phase two plans are for 174 additional units, but 

with more of a town home feel. He also noted that, 

with the new on-site swimming pool for the Aviara 

residents, this may help spur the MHCSD Board to 

push for the community pool planned for the town 

RTP, CTEC Certified, Licensed and Bonded. 

Services include electronic filing for both 

federal and state 

Visa, Mastercard and 

American Express accepted 

Scan the QR code for complete 

photo gallery, or go to: 

MHMatters.net 

center area to happen sooner than later. 

Vice President of the Mountain House Community 

Services District Board of Directors, Bernice 

King Tingle, welcomed Aviara to town. She 

noted the additional tax revenue benefits to the 

community this new facility will bring, including 

contributing to the local Special Taxes. She also 

jokingly inquired, as a nearby Wicklund resident, 

whether she could come use the gym everyday. 

Following Vice President Tingle's words, Zak 

cut the ribbon with little fanfare, and the Grand 

Opening was official. 

A good number of folks stuck around for some 

time after the official festivities were done. Many 

continued to mingle in the main room, while 

others walked down the walkway outside under a 

light drizzle to view the four open model homes. 

Rental rates start as low as $2,550-$2,799/month 

for the one-bedroom unit. The three-bedroom 

units will be opening soon, as completion of the 

complex is still ongoing. 

Some units come with garages, Zak said, and 

some are an available option for others. The 

complex is pet friendly, and has built-in solar. 

The Solution to Small Businesses 

Offering: 

• Bookkeeping Services • Year-end Reconciliation • Tax Preparation 

• Individual: W-2 • 1099 • Business: C, S Corp • LLC • Partnerships 

Call, text or email for an appointment 

(408) 768-2478 

marthapoornasir@yahoo.com • Wicklund Village resident since 2004 

"The IRS does not endorse 

any particular individual tax 

return preparer. For more 

information on tax return 

preparers, go to IRS.gov." 

ONE TIME WINTER 

MAINTENANCE 

$ 

99 95 

With this coupon. 

Not valid with any other offer. 

EXPIRES 3/31/2024 

ON-SITE SYSTEM 

DIAGNOSTIC 

$ 

79 95 

With this coupon. 

Not valid with any other offer. 

EXPIRES 3/31/2024 

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 

PEOPLE OF CHARACTER MAKING 

PRODUCTS OF QUALITY 

SPECIAL FINANCING FOR 

THE HARD TO FINANCE 

209-832-2966 

7553 Carmelo Avenue, Tracy 

Licensed, Bonded & Insured Lic. #929944 

www.VirginiaMechanical.com



LUSD Mapping Out Voting District Options 

continued from page 1 

7 

from both public comment and the Board of Trustees 

led Dr Johnson to draw up two additional versions, 

identified as “Orange B” and “Lime”. The initial 

five maps were labeled: “Green”, “Olive”, “Orange”, 

“Violet” and “Yellow”. 

Historically, the Lammersville Unified School District’s 

Board of Trustees has been elected under an 

“at-large” election system since its inception. Board 

members are elected by all registered voters from within 

the entire District, with the full Board serving all. 

In 2023, the Board elected to begin the process to 

move to a By-District form of representation based 

reportedly on a statewide push to have districts move 

in that direction. 

Threatened in late November by a Bay Area attorney 

with a history of going after governing districts statewide 

thought to not be ruling within the parameters of 

the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), the Board 

rescinded its initial efforts and started fresh in December 

2023, in order to ensure compliance. 

It was at this time the Board hired NDC and retained 

the lawyer they had brought-on in ‘23, starting fresh 

with the planning and hearing process to transition to 

by-trustee area elections. 

Where board members of an “at-large” district are 

voted into office by all voters within their sphere of 

influence, representing all residents in their area, in a 

“by-trustee” area election system, each Board member 

must reside within a designated trustee area zone, is 

elected only by the voters in that trustee area, and 

represents that specific district on the Board. 

The Board held two public hearings in January to 

gather community input regarding the creation of 

trustee area maps. It was thereafter, at the January 31, 

2024, that the initial five draft trustee area maps were 

presented, and posted on the District’s website for 

public review and consideration. 

An additional public hearing was held on February 7, 

Mountain House-based practitioner 

Accepting new patients age 16 and up 

Mental health evaluation 

Medication management 

Brief Psychotherapy 

And more 

www.umentalsvs.com 

Depression 

Anxiety 

ADHD 

PTSD 

2024, at which time Dr. Johnson sought out Board 

input as well as that from the community at large. 

The input received was then built into the two additional 

maps presented at the February 14, 2024 Board 

meeting. 

The “Listening Session” event was intended to allow 

community members to gain a deeper understanding of 

the districting options, ask any questions in an informal 

setting, and offer their input on how to best draw the 

maps. Four people showed up, including this reporter, 

despite multiple notices. 

Dr. Johnson proceeded with the session, presenting in 

great detail the mapping options. Based on input from 

the previous hearings, he detailed how the new maps, 

“Orange B” and “Lime” addressed both the public 

wishes and the input from the board. 

The strongest public input had come from a resident 

within the Lammersville School/von Sosten area - the 

original Lammersville School District zone. The 

resident strongly urged the Board to consider incorporating 

all of the more rural areas within the sphere 

of influence into one district zone. Given the broad 

sphere of influence overall for LUSD, crossing county 

and city lines, this suggestion was recognized for its 

merit. The rural areas don’t want to just be lumped 

into the more urban area of Mountain House, was the 

gist of the argument. 

Another factor is the still growing nature of Mountain 

House. The Lime map addresses the rural area district, 

incorporating Questa Village and the soon to be developed 

area North of Byron Rd into all the surrounding 

rural sphere of influence. The Orange B map draws 

Questa Village and all of the four villages yet to be built 

in the North of Byron area into one district zone, with 

Cordes and College Park Villages in the South included 

with the surrounding rural area. Orange B also splits 

Bethany Village into three different districts, overall. 

There are numerous other distinctions within the 

various maps. Guidelines, according to Dr. Johnson, 

include using neighborhood 

identifier blocks and major thoroughfare 

roadways as common 

zone dividers. 

Ultimately, the new By-Trustee 

districting will begin to take 

effect as early as the November 

2024 election. Which seats are 

up for election will depend on 

which map is ultimately chosen. 

Dr. Johnson, as well as LUSD 

Superintendent, Dr. Kirk Nicholas, 

have stated numerous times 

that Dr. Johnson has no knowledge of where the current 

board members live. And, as of January 1, 2024, that 

information is not to be disclosed to the demographer, 

in order to maintain neutrality in the drawing of maps. 

That said, the Board members will ultimately vote to 

decide which map will best serve the community at 

large. Their decision will then go to the San Joaquin 

County Board of Education for final approval. 

There seems no one right way to establish these districts, 

and they will all be up for review again in 2031, 

following data gathered from the 2030 census. This 

will be an ongoing process over time. 

California Carpet Cleaning 

A professional team of technicians 

that specialize in 

Carpet Cleaning, Tile & Grout Cleaning 

and Upholstery Cleaning Services 

Our services include: 

• Carpet agitation 

• Steam carpet cleaning (230°) 

• Organic cleaning and no harmful 

chemicals 

• Elimination of stains 

• Fast drying 

Commercial & Residential Services 

California Janitorial Services LLC 

(925) 383-4060 

www.CaliforniaCarpetService.com 

Carpet Cleaning 

Tile & Grout 

Upholstery 

$ 

45. 00 

Carpet Cleaning 

per room - minimum two rooms per visit 

10 % off 

Tile and Grout cleaning 

Expires 4/30/24 

Above is a slide image showing a compilation of the seven maps drawn 

by NDC for the LUSD Board to consider. Each of these maps are posted as 

individual pdf files for public viewing online. They may be found as follows: 

From www.LammersvilleSchoolDistrict.net, go to the “Governing 

Board” menu link, then “California Voting Rights Act”. Scroll down 

to “Draft Area Maps”. There you will find two links, including the first 

five map options, originally posted 1/31/24, and an additional two maps 

drawn-up following community and board input, posted 2/14/24. 

There are now a total of seven (7) proposed map options to consider. 

The LUSD Board of Education hopes to make a decision at the March 6, 

2024 Board meeting. 

Scan the QR code to view the LUSD District 

map options being considered for future 

Board representation. 

$ 

15. 00 off 

Upholstery Cleaning 

Expires 4/30/24



Produced by your neighbors right here in 

Bethany Village, Mountain House, CA 

Established in late 2012, Mountain House Matters has grown into the 

go-to community news source. MHMatters is delivered by the USPS 

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) program, sent to every mailbox in town, 

as well as the area within the sphere of influence for the Lammersville 

Unified School District in W. Tracy. 

Mountain House Matters was recognized in December 2019 with the 

notable CSBA Golden Quill Award for Excellence In Journalism. 

Now more than 11 years old, MHMatters’ mission is to provide news and 

information for and about the community of Mountain House, California. 

Circulation numbers have nearly tripled 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 January 2024 issue #118, 

total mailed circulation for each issue now stands at 8,612 copies and 

growing, currently reaching approximately 30,000 people. 

We look forward to continuing to grow as Mountain House continues 

to move toward build-out. 

Publisher/Managing Editor 

Bryan Harrison 

Design Layout/Advertising 

Bryan Harrison 

Outlet Distribution/Advertising 

Terry Donaldson - 209-835-8383 

Community Contributors 

Tom Kelly, Salah Salah, Mike Samawi, Sadia Khan 

Send article submissions and information for consideration 

to the Editor: bryan@mhmatters.net 

Article submissions may also be done from our website. 

Deadline Schedule for 

The next issue - April 2024, issue #121 

All final copy/content: March 14, 2024 

Space Reservations: March 8, 2024 

2024 MHMatters Publication Deadlines 

Edition 

Apr’24 

May’24 

June’24 

July ‘24 

Aug ‘24 

Sept’24 

Oct ‘24 

Issue# 

121 

122 

123 

124 

125 

126 

127 

Est Delivery 

Mar 21 

Apr 25 

May 30 

June 26 

July 31 

Aug 31 

Sept 28 

Space Reservn 

Mar 8 

Apr 2 

May 10 

June 12 

July 12 

Aug 9 

Sept 13 

Dates subject to change. For specific ad placement options, or to receive a proposal or 

place your order, call or text 209-597-8157 or email info@mhmatters.net. 

“Final Deadline” is the last date for any/all final advertising and/or article content. 

“Estimated Delivery” is the anticipated date of the USPS Every Door Direct Mail process. 

www.MHMatters.net 

Mountain House Matters, Inc. 

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

info@mhmatters.net • 209-597-8157 

Final Dline 

Mar 14 

Apr 8 

May 15 

June 18 

July 17 

Aug 15 

Sept 19 

Rep. Harder Introduces New Bill to Combat Mental Health Crisis and Bring 

More Therapists to the Valley 

San Joaquin County has the lowest ratio of mental health providers to patients in all of California 

Mental health services in San Joaquin County are overwhelmed leading to months-long wait times especially for veterans and students 

WASHINGTON - Rep. Josh Harder January 18, 

2024 introduced the Bring More Therapists to the 

Valley Act to combat the growing mental health 

crisis in San Joaquin County. The county has only 

24 highly trained mental health professionals for 

every 100,000 people, making it the lowest ratio 

of providers to patients in California. This is relative 

to the state average of 56 for every 100,000 

people. The disparity is especially acute as San 

Joaquin County’s 27,000 veterans are waiting 

months for an appointment and over 50% of the 

144,000 public school students have reported 

increased anxiety, stress, and depression. 

What You Need to Know for this Election 


ber, on the board for 15 years, since its inception; 

Dan Harrison - Retired Law Enforcement, and past 

Board member (2016-2020); 

Matt Disko - Current President, MHCSD Board of 

Director, Entrepreneur; 

Ronna Green - Business Owner 

Sadia Khan - Parent, Community Correspondent 

Suresh Vuyyuru - Engineer, Farmer, Parent 

Tejdeep “TJ” Rattan - Lt Colonel US Army Reserves, 

Dentist 

Waheed Mir - Software Engineer 

Can I meet them in person? 

Final Candidate Discussion, organized by MHMatters, 

will be live streamed Sunday, March 3, at 6pm 

from the Zaytech Academy (Old CSD Board Chamber): 

230 Sterling Dr Suite 260, Mountain House. 

What is the office term? 

Mayor : 4 years 

City council (top 2 vote-getters): 4 years 

Rep. Harder’s new bill incentivizes therapists to live 

and work in San Joaquin County and would drastically 

increase mental health care services for the area. 

The bill expands student loan forgiveness for highly 

trained Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) who 

practice in medically under-served areas. It expands 

the federal government’s narrow requirements which 

are preventing nearly 95% of MFTs in California from 

being eligible for loan forgiveness. 

“Mental health is a massive issue right now for our 

community. Too many of our loved ones are suffering 

because they can’t get a mental health appointment, and 

the shortage of providers is hurting veterans and kids 

City council (bottom 2 vote-getters). Initial 2 years 

serve to offset future elections. These 2 seats will 

come up for election in 2026 for four-year terms 

thereafter. 

When is the next Mayor and City council election? 

2026 will feature election of two seats of the City 

Council. 2028 will be the next Mayoral election 

along with the other two seats of the City Council. 

Is the Mayor and city council a part time or a full 

time position? 

The Mayor and the City Council are all part-time 

positions, with a modest stipend paid per meeting 

attended. 

How much do the board members and future 

Mayor/City Council members get paid? 

$175 per meeting 

What is Measure E? 

Type of Governance. Voters are also voting on 

Measure E. This determines how future City Council 

elections will be conducted. Measure E will go into 

the most,” said Rep. Josh Harder. “It’s hard enough 

to ask for help, only to then be told there aren’t any 

therapists available to provide care. If we want more 

mental health therapists to practice here, we need 

to cut the unnecessary red tape and invite them in.” 

This bill expands on the work Rep. Harder has done 

to bring more health professionals to San Joaquin 

County and the Central Valley at-large. This includes 

his work that’s set to bring 10,000 more doctors to 

the Valley within the next 10 years by expanding 

federal student loan forgiveness to California doctors 

and physicians, a cohort long excluded from the 

Public Student Loan Forgiveness program. 

effect in 2026 only if Measure D - Cityhood - is adopted 

by voters. There are 3 options to choose from: 

At Large: applies just to City Council. Candidates 

must live within city limits be and are elected by all 

voters. The Mayor will always be elected At-Large. 

By District: The city will be divided into 4 separate 

districts - one for each Council-member. Candidates 

must reside in their respective districts; voters 

elect only their district council member; and council-member 

represents only voters from their district. 

From District: The city will be divided into 4 separate 

districts. Candidates must reside in that district, 

but are elected by all registered voters citywide. 

When is the Election? 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024 

Who can vote? 

US citizen, 18 years and above and residing in 95391 

Can people who rent vote? 

Yes, so long as they are registered to vote at their 

current Mountain House address.


French Camp McKinley /Mountain 

House Fire District Celebrates 

Promotions of Some of their Best 

Mountain House, CA – The Mountain House/French Camp 

McKinley Fire District advanced four of their seasoned professionals 

in a ceremony with family, friends and several dignitaries 

February 22, 2024. Held in the bay of the Mountain House #1 

station, Deputy Fire Chief, Jason Fullmer, ran the show. He stated 

at the outset that Chief Marty Cornilsen was off on some greatly 

deserved vacation time. 

Three of the four were promoted to Fire Captain, including Jade 

Wesley, Josh Anderson and Nate Thornberry. Additionally, Ray 

Gerdes was promoted to Fire Lieutenant. 

Refreshments were served and folks stayed afterward 

for group photos and social time. Congratulations, 

gentlemen! 


San Joaquin County Supervisor, Robert 

Rickman, above left, presented 

a certificate of recognition to each 

of the firefighters being promoted 

at the February 22, 2024 Mountain 

House Fire Department event. Recipients 

were, left to right: Jade Wesley 

to Fire Captain, Nate Thornberry 

to Fire Captain, Josh Anderson to 

Fire Captain, and Ray Gerdes to Fire 

Lieutenant. Deputy Fire Chief, Jason 

Fullmer announced each individual 

with brief introductions. 

p r o c e s s i n g 

9 

Fire Captain Bill Fisk was on-hand 

for the ceremony 

MHCSD Board member, Manny Moreno, 

with wife, Ruby at the fire ceremony. 

EQUITY SUCCESS PROGRAM (ESP) 

2024 High School Graduates 

Our program is a first year experience designed to help you successfully transition 

from high school to community college and beyond. Join a community of students 

at South Campus committed to rise through higher education and succeed! 

35 Years Experience 

PROGRAM BENEFITS 

• Individualized Counseling Services 

• In person courses at South Campus 

• Student Success Workshops 

• Connect with a cohort of students taking 

the same classes 

• Earn units needed to transfer or graduate 

FREE PROGRAM 

APPLY NOW 

Limited Availability 

SCAN QR CODE 

TO SIGN UP! 

2073 S. Central Pkway, Mountain House, CA 95391 

ESP 209.833.7900 | jessica.torres@deltacollege.edu 

Expires 4/30/2024 Expire 4/30/2024



What should you do with your tax refund? 

Submitted by Tom Kelly, Edward Jones 

Brought to you by 

Tom Kelly 

Edward Jones 

MHMA Hosts Candidate Meet n Greet 


It’s almost that time of year when many people 

start receiving their tax refunds. If you get one, 

what will you do with it? 

Of course, the answer will depend somewhat 

on how big you r refund is. Last year, the 

average refund amount was about $2,750, 

according to the Internal Revenue Service’s 

Filing Season Statistics report. 

Whatever the size of your refund , you’ll 

want to maximize its benefit. Here are a few 

suggestions: 

• Contribute to your IRA . If you were to receive 

about $2,750, it would go a long way 

toward funding your IRA for the year but any 

amount would help. You still have until April 

15 to contribute to your IRA for the 2023 tax 

year, but if you’ve already “maxed out” on it, 

you could use your refund for 2024, when the 

annual contribution limit for a traditional and 

Roth IRA is $7,000, or $8,000 if you’re 50 or older. 

And by getting an early start toward fully 

funding your IRA for the year, you can reduce 

the pressure of having to come up with large 

amounts later. 

• Build an emergency fund. Your tax refund 

could help you start or expand an emergency 

fund. It’s a good idea to keep up to six months’ 

worth of living expenses in such a fund, with 

the money kept in a liquid, low risk account, 

separate from the funds you use for your 

daily expenses. You might need to draw on 

this fund for unexpected expenses, such as 

a major home or car repair or a medical bill 

that’s not fully covered by your insurance. 

Without such an emergency fund in place, 

you might be forced to dip into your IRA or 

other retirement accounts to pay for these 

types of costs, and such a move could be 

expensive, resulting in taxes, penalties and 

lost opportunities for growth. 

• Contribute to a 529 plan . If you have children 

or grandchildren and you’d like to help 

them further their education someday, you 

might consider investing in a 529 education 

savings plan. With a 529 plan, earnings and 

withdrawals are federally tax free, provided 

the money is used for qualified education 

expenses. Based on where you live, your 529 

plan may provide state tax benefits, too. (It is 

possible, though, that 529 withdrawals could 

affect financial aid packages, depending on 

who owns the account.) A 529 plan can be 

used to help pay for college, accredited trade 

school programs, some K 12 expenses and 

even to help repay some student loans. 

• Pay down debts. Pay down debts. Most of 

us probably wish we could reduce our debt 

loads. Your tax refund may give you refund 

a chance to do just that. But which debts 

should you tackle first? You could follow the 

“snowball” method by paying off the smallest 

of your loans or debts as quickly as possible. 

Or you could choose the “avalanche” route by 

making minimum payments on all debts and 

using extra funds and using extra funds – such 

as your tax refund – to pay off the debts that 

carry the highest interest rates. Either method 

could help you save money in the long term. 

Your tax refund can be a valuable asset, so 

use it wisely. 

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 

California Insurance License 0C24309 

Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington, D.C., through Edward 

D. Jones Co., L.P., and in California, New Mexico and Massachusetts through Edward Jones Insurance 

Agency of California, L.L.C.; Edward Jones Insurance Agency of New Mexico, L.L.C.; and Edward Jones 

Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, L.L.C. 

Mountain House, CA - Umar Sear, leader of the 

Mountain House Muslim Association, hosted and 

moderated a meet ‘n greet with all candidates running 

for city council and mayor Monday, September 

19, 2024 at the MH Unity Center. 

The format included an structured time with candidates 

addressing questions posed by Mr. Sear, 

himself, before allowing some folks from the audience 

ask questions to the panel. Ultimately, they 

broke out into individual areas where they could 

each speak with constituents directly, one to one. 

The most contentious of the gatherings to date, there 

was considerable terse banter being bandied about. 

The real highlight of the evening occurred well more 

than an hour into the event. A resident asked the 

panel about the $300+ million dollar debt Mountain 

House is saddled with. 

After a couple of answers that were just off the mark 

and incorrect, Andy Su took the mic to explain exactly 

how and why there is a huge debt, and proceeded 

to address the question dead-on. 

He explained how most of that debt is from the 

original investment for the water treatment plant and 

the waste water plant. His explanation that, now that 

Mountain House is reaching a larger population the 

district is able to move past just paying interest only 

and is beginning to pay down on the debt. 

His response was clear, fair to the others, insightful 

and knowledgeable. He demonstrated in a matter of 

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 

a couple minutes or so the dept of his understanding 

of how Mountain House functions, and while things 

like that are what they are. 

The event was not scheduled to be about winners 

and losers but, if it had been, Dr. Su had it hands 

down in the moment. Needless to say, everyone in 

that room arguably learned something new. 

Join MHMatters for a final 

Candidate Discussion Event 

“Where do we go from here?” 

A look at where MH might be in 20 years 

Sunday, March 3, 2024 

LIVE STREAMED 

to Facebook and YouTube 

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

from the old CSD Board Chambers at 

what is now know as Zaytech Academny 

for more, go to: 

www.MHMatters.netters.net 

www.MortgageSeth.com 

209-845-SETH 

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.


Assure Now Open 

Malhotra, MD and his wife, Shagun Bagga-Malhotra, 

MD to launch what has become Assure Primary 

and Urgent Care. 

Following a reported six months of negotiations 

with the property owner, Dr. Chitturi explained that, 

between hold-ups with the County on plan approval, 

permitting and more, and staffing issues, “today’s 

opening was a long time coming,” he said. 

The crowd grew in anticipation of the actual ribbon 

cutting. Speeches were made. Food and drinks 

were provided for the Mountain House residents 

who came out, along with family members and 

friends, in support of having an actual medical 

provider in town. 

Hosted by the newly formed Mountain House Chamber 

of Commerce, courtesy of founder Matt Disko, 

with ribbon and giant scissors provided by the MH 

Community Services District for the ribbon-cutting 

ceremony, Dr. Chitturi introduced their staff, who 

were all present, welcomed the crowd, and then let 

their kids do the honors of cutting the ribbon. 

County Supervisor, Robert Rickman, was there, 

and presented a certificate of recognition to the 

partners in honor of the latest enterprise to launch 

in Mountain House. 

Cheers from the crowd erupted as the ribbon was 

cut, and the doors were opened officially for the 

first time. All in all, the event was a grand success. 


Supervisor Rickman presenting a certificate to the partners, as Matt Disko looks on. 

Satyakant Chitturi and wife/partner Swathi Chitta, MD 

11 

MH GM, Steve Pinkerton, left, with the fire department, no doubt pleased to have an urgent care handy. 

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 

Preschool Full / Halfday 

a.m. • p.m. availability 

Balanced Learning Curriculum 

Located in Cordes Village Plaza 

1178 South Tradition Street, Mountain House, CA 95391 

www.YoungExplorersUSA.com 

$ 0 

DEPOSIT FEE 

March* 

Now accepting a limited 

number of new placements 

Call Today! 

209-207-9083 

* Offer expires March 31, 2024 

restrictions & conditions apply



16th Annual Mountain HouseCommunity Garage Sale Weekend 

Slated for April 20-21 

Mountain House Matters is pleased to present the 16th annual Community-Wide 

Garage Sale Weekend event. This year's event will once again be held 

on one weekend throughout the entire community, Saturday and Sunday, 

April 20 and 21, 2024. 

Each participant will hold a Garage/Yard Sale on their own premises/at their 

own home. MH Matters will create and post a master list of sale locations 

in each village based on registered participants, along with a map for each 

location. 

“We anticipate this possibly being a biggest garage sale event we’ve ever seen, 

so we are asking everyone to set-up and be prepared, with your sale ready to 

open for business by 7:00 a.m. each of the two mornings,” stated MHMatters 

Publisher/Editor, Bryan Harrison. “Suggested closing time is 12 noon, but 

you're welcome to stay open later if you'd like,” he added. 

In order to be included on the map and list, all participants must register to 

participate by completing an online form, which you’ll find linked on our site, 

at MHMatters.net. 

Upon submission of completed entries, each sale will be added to the garage 

sale map & listing. The list will be organized by street names within each 

Village, so direction in the registration process has been given to include that 

information. 

Just added is an option to state whether your garage sale will be open both 

Saturday & Sunday (April 20-21) or if it’s a one-day only (Saturday OR Sunday) 

event. 

There is no registration fee or cost to participate. This is a community service 

produced by Mountain House Matters, in cooperation with the MH Community 

Services District. 

Mountain House Matters, Inc. plans to promote this event as much as 

possible, here in print as well as on Facebook and other social media as we 

deem appropriate for the garage sales. 

Registered participants are invited to promote their sales independently, 

as well. Any and all signage may only be posted the day(s) of your event 

within Master Restriction guidelines. Any/all signs must be removed by 

5:00 p.m. Sunday, April 21. 

West Valley Disposal has been alerted as to the dates of this year’s event, 

and will be at the ready for residents who wish to utilize their free annual 

pick-up. Call 209-835-3639 to schedule your pickup after the event. 

Any questions may be submitted by text or by calling 209-597-8157, or 

by email info@mhmatters.net. “We look forward to a dynamic Garage 

Sale weekend!” 

Pooch Playoffs Unleashed! 

Local photographer grabs the leash for a good cause 

Calling all dog lovers! 

The Pooch Playoffs 2024 has been “unleashed”! Here's the 

deal: Erica Dias Photography is holding portrait sessions 

throughout the month of March in the name of this contest. 

Enter your dog for a professional photo shoot. For the 

nominal fee of just $99, you can enter your adorable pooch 

to compete for amazing prizes, all while supporting a great 

cause. The entire $99 fee will go to The Animal Protection 

League. Your dog’s portrait will then go head-to-head with 

other cute canines in a bracket-style voting similar to a March 

Madness bracket. We'll find out who the Ulti-MUTT Cutie is! 

The Final Four winners will snag awesome gifts from our 

local business sponsors. Every participant will receive a cool 

customized item featuring their dog's portrait, along with a 

s'WAG bag full of fun goodies from local business sponsors. 

This is a contest you don't want to miss. Show off your 

pup’s cuteness, win prizes, and support a great cause. So, 

what are you waiting for? Sign up now and let the fluffy 

competition begin! 

Keep wagging! 

For more information, to enter and/or become a sponsor, 

contact Erica Dias Photography: (209) 601-4521or studio@ 

ericadiasphotography.com.



Deepavali Kondattam 2023 - Bringing families together from Central Valley 

Submitted by Supriya Dinesh 

13 

Kurinji Tamil Manram (KTM) celebrated “Deepavali Kondattam 2023” back on November 4, 2023, at 

Earle E William Middle School,Tracy. Kurinji Tamil Manram (KTM) is a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit 

Organization, serving the Tamil community in and around Mountain House, Tracy, the Central Valley and 

Tri-Valley since 2017. 

This event brought together Tamil families, free of charge, from all over the Central Valley. The events 

included Classical Dances, Fancy Dress show, Couples Ramp Walk, Adults’ Singing Competition, Raffle 

Prizes and much more. Kids and adults participated with energy and enthusiasm throughout. 

Guests enjoyed the pre-ordered boxed lunch from Aappakadai MH and Biryani Junction. Additionally, 

a wide range of outdoor live food stalls were set-up by Dhaba, Tracy, and Aappakadai MH restaurants. 

The lively and energetic Emcees entertained the audience and kept the event engaging. 

The guests also enjoyed shopping from the Jewelry stalls, 

Mehendi booth, Snacks and Grocery stall, Décor Items 

Stall, and more. Shastha Food presented Goody bags 

(Grocery items) to the first 100 registered families. 

Prize distribution for Golu Competition (Sponsored by 

Star Real Estate), Off-line Deepavali competitions and 

Kids Summer competition (Medal and Certificates by 

KTM) brought cheer among the winners and participants. 

We thank all the Sponsors for supporting our non-profit 

organization, with their support we could make events 

happen. Our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers who 

worked hard to make this event a huge success. 

KTM youth directors and other high school volunteers 

did a tremendous job in helping all around, right from setting up, photo/video coverage and final clean up. 

They get volunteering hours for their hard work that helps in their graduation. 

Kurinji Tamil Manram does many social services to support our community. We conduct Quarterly Blood 

Drives and Monthly Food Drive (a step towards feeding the needy and homeless in partnership with City 

of Tracy). Team KTM also supports families, whenever there is an emergency need in the community. 

To participate/volunteer in upcoming events or set up booths 

or be a Sponsor for our future events, Please send email to 

kurinjitamilmanram@gmail.com. 

(209) 601-4521 or studio@ericadiasphotography.com 

www.ElectSadia.com 

Paid for by Sadia Khan for MH City Council 

ELECT SADIA KHAN 

FOR MOUNTAIN HOUSE CITY COUNCIL 

Join me in my vision to get the youth involved in neighborhood safety programs; 

when fresh minds take over, we will see the new beginnings of safe & secure living. 

Vision for a brighter future • Environmental Sustainability • Crucial & Prosperous Economic Development 

Advocate for Responsible Policies to Promote Green Initiatives that contribute to a Cleaner, Healthier City 

Local Collaborator with Businesses, Entrepreneurs and Investors to Create a Vibrant and Resilient Local Economy 

Fostering Innovation & Supporting Small Businesses to help Create Jobs and Strengthen the Economic Fabric of our Community. 

OMAIR KHAN 

Optometrist 

UMAR SEAR 

Community Volunteer 

Proud to be Endorsed by: 

MATT DISKO 

Entrepreneur 

The KTM Deepavali Kondattam 2023 featured Volunteers, Cultural performances, Prize distribution and Vendor booths 

RYAN BAKER 

Former Fightfighter / Realtor 

KHALID JAFRI 

Entrepreneur 

Working to ensure 

a sustainable legacy 

for our children and 

grandchildren 

I am not just asking for your vote; I am asking for your trust. 

Together, we can build a city we are proud to call home.



251 E Main Street, Mountain House, CA 95391 | 209-831-2300 | www.MountainHouseCSD.org



15 

251 E Main Street, Mountain House, CA 95391 | 209-831-2300 | www.MountainHouseCSD.org



Fire Station #2 Breaks Ground North of Byron 

Submitted by MH FrenchCamp Fire 

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 was the groundbreaking ceremony for Mountain House Fire Station No. 2. 

Station 2 will be located off of Central Parkway north of Byron Highway and will house a type one engine 

and water rescue boat. The station should be completed early 2025 and will enable rapid responses to the 

imminent build-out of Mountain House north of Byron. 

The fire station was approved by the County Planning Commission in February 2023. 

The District, Mountain House Developers (MHD), and the designer are currently working on final plans and 

specifications for construction purposes. 

Dan Harrison For 

MH City Council 

@dan.harrison.for.mh.city.council 

www.facebook.com/ 

dan.harrison.for.mh.city.council 

Dan Harrison is a Demonstrated Leader for Mountain House 

• Served 39 years in Law Enforcement. Retired as Deputy Chief of Police 

• Served 4 years on MHCSD Board of Directors 

• Past MHCSD Board President, 2019, & Vice President, 2017 

• Spearheaded the initiative for Security Cameras in Mountain House 

• As President, Dan acted swiftly to take charge getting all the deputies 

returned to Mountain House within 16 days after being removed by 

the sheriff due to shortages in other areas of the county 

• Assisted with bringing Rank Security in to augment Security Services 

• Knowledge and experience in contracts and grant writing at Federal, 

State and County Government levels. 

• Voted to keep our special tax increases at 2% vs the full 4% while 

serving on the MHCSD board 

Paid for by Dan Harrison for Mountain House Council FPPC#1454593 

Experience & Trust 

Where It Matters 

Official Endorsements Include: 

Ron Freitas - 

San Joaquin County District Attorney 

Carlos Villapudua - 

California State Assemblymember 13th 

District. (Candidate for State Senate 

District 5) 

Robert Rickman - 

San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, 

5th District. 

Tom Patti - 

San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors 

3rd, District. (Candidate for Stockton Mayor) 

Harry Dhillon - 

Mountain House Board of Director, 

(Candidate for Mountain House Mayor) 

Supported By: 

Peter Devencenzi - 

Candidate for San Joaquin County Superior 

Court Judge 

Edith Villapudua - 

Candidate for State Assembly , District 13



MEDICAL SUPPLIES FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS 

Purchase or Rent to suit your needs 

17 

Recliners • Scooters 

Limited Spots Remaining 

Wheelchairs • Walkers • Knee Walkers 

ITEMS FOR RENT OR PURCHASE 

Walkers & Knee Walkers 

Wheelchairs 

Transport Chairs 

Scooters & Power Chairs 

Electric Hospital Bed 

Lift Chairs 

Oxygen Concentrators 

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



MH Market Update from 

January 23 - February 19, 2024 

Active Homes Total as of 2/19/24: 7 

1 Condo & 6 Single Family Homes - 

(All Re-Sale) 

Pending Homes 1/23/24 - 2/19/24: 8 

(All Re-Sale) 

Closed Homes 1/23/24 - 2/19/24: 5 

(All Re-Sale) 

Sold Over $1 Million 1/23/24 - 2/19/24: 1 

(Re-sale) 

Highest home sale price in MH to date: $2,000,000 

Average price per Sqft sold in this time frame: $440.11 

Highest price per Sqft sold in this time frame: $525.59 

Average number of days on the market before 

a home receives an offer in this time frame: 11 days 

“Active Homes” average days on the market: 21 days 

Total # of Million Dollar homes sold to date: 376 

Current months of Inventory supply available: 

01.40 months of inventory supply available 

(Sellers’ Market) 

About The Author 

Salah Salah 

Market Expert and Founder of 

Refined Real Estate 

#1 Ranked Realtor, 

Team & Company In 


Full-Service Neighborhood 

Realtor and an invested member 

of the Mountain House 

Community. 

510-378-6533 Cell/Text 

salah@refinedre.com 

LIC#02022642 

www.RefinedRE.com 

The Benefits of Staging Your Home When Selling 

By Salah Salah 

Selling a home can be a daunting task, but one strategy that can significantly enhance the process 

and maximize returns is staging. Staging involves preparing a home for sale by decluttering, arranging 

furniture, decor, and other elements to showcase its potential to prospective buyers. While some may 

view staging as an unnecessary expense, the benefits it offers far outweigh the initial investment. Here 

are several reasons why staging your home can be advantageous: 

Enhanced Visual Appeal: A well-staged home creates a 

lasting impression on potential buyers. By strategically arranging 

furniture and decor, staging highlights the home’s 

best features and allows buyers to envision themselves 

living in the space. From cozy living rooms to inviting 

bedrooms, staging creates an atmosphere that resonates 

with buyers on an emotional level. 

Increased Perceived Value: Staging can significantly 

increase the perceived value of a home in the eyes of 

potential buyers. When a home is professionally staged, 

it appears more desirable and well-maintained, leading 

buyers to associate it with higher quality. As a result, 

buyers may be willing to pay more for a staged home 

compared to a vacant or cluttered one. 

Faster Sale Time: Staged homes tend to sell faster than 

their unstaged counterparts. By showcasing a home’s 

full potential, staging attracts more interested buyers 

and encourages quicker decision-making. Additionally, 

staged homes often stand out in online listings and attract 

more foot traffic to open houses, further expediting the 

selling process. 

PENDING By Salah Salah | 234 Fremont Dr, Hansen Village: 4-5 Bed, 4 FULL Bath, 2,551 Sqft, 4,047 Sqft Lot. Asking Price 

$1,075,750 - Pending In 7 Days Well OVER the ASKING Price with Multiple Offers 

Maximized Space Utilization: Proper staging can make 

even small or awkwardly shaped spaces appear larger 

and more functional. By arranging furniture and decor 

strategically, staging optimizes the flow and layout of a 

home, allowing buyers to see its full potential. This can 

be especially beneficial for homes with unique floor plans 

or limited square footage. 

Professional Image: Staging gives your home a polished 

and professional appearance, which can instill confidence 

in potential buyers. A well-staged home suggests that 

the seller has taken the time and effort to present their 

property in the best possible light, signaling to buyers 

that the home has been well cared for and maintained. 

Reduced Time on Market: Homes that are staged tend 

to spend less time on the market compared to those that 

are not staged. By attracting more interested buyers and 

facilitating quicker sales, staging minimizes the time 

and inconvenience associated with keeping a home on 

the market for an extended period. 

Potential for Higher Offers: Staging can create a competitive 

environment among buyers, driving up offers 

and potentially resulting in a higher 

sale price. When multiple buyers are 

interested in a well-staged home, they 

may be more inclined to submit higher 

offers in order to secure the property 

before someone else does. 

In conclusion, staging is a valuable tool 

that can significantly enhance the selling 

process and maximize returns for 

homeowners. By investing in staging, 

sellers can create a visually appealing 

and emotionally engaging environment 

that resonates with potential buyers, 

leading to faster sales and potentially 

higher offers. Ultimately, staging is an 

investment that pays off in the form 


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. 

Not a commitment to lend. Rates and terms subject to change without notice. Loanguru Mortgage LLC is a licensed mortgage broker. NMLS ID # 2439615. Licensing: California Dept Finance Law License. License # 60 DBO - 177169


Is it time to get ready? 

By Mike Samawi 


19 

Wake up, wake up, wake up, it’s the first of the month… That’s 

right! March is HERE! 

What does that mean for you? That means if you planned on 

selling your home this spring and haven’t started preparing 

yet, you may have a lot to do! 

In previous articles we’ve discussed some of the things we 

should be doing, but not everything applies to you. So, let’s 

take a walk through. 

Stand outside and look at your home. How does the landscape 

look? Most homes have good grass and plants and just need 

a little fresh bulk or mulch but if the grass is dead, we should 

have a discussion about getting some new sod put in. 

While we’re out here, how does the paint look? 

Is it faded? Or maybe just the shutters and trim? Often times 

we see the base is still good but the shutters and trim need 

paint. Sometimes, it’s all of it. If you really want to get top 

dollar, it all starts with curb appeal and If you also need paint 

on the inside, we can negotiate a better deal with the painter to 

do both. Approach your front door. How does the door look? 

How does the trim look? Often times we see chunks of the 

trim around the door missing. A little stucco and paint will 

go along way! While you’re out there, how’s the door look? 

How’s the door handle and lock? If it’s faded, it might be a 

good time to address it. Let’s look at the interior paint. If you 

have kids or pets, you might want to focus on the first 2 feet 

of paint from the ground up. You will likely find scuffed base 

boards and handprints. If you’ve recently painted, you might 

be able to solve the problem with some touch-up paint but 

if it’s been a while, I’d strongly consider a full paint with a 

modern color. You’d be surprised how inexpensive it is and 

how much it changes the feel of your home! How do your 

carpets look? Are they stained with rips everywhere? Does 

it just look flat and tired, it might behoove you to have them 

replaced! Don’t worry, I got a guy for that! Or, do they look 

good but maybe just bunched up in a few places or have 

only 1-2 bad spots? We might need to just have it stretched 

and patched! Not to worry, I got a guy for that too. (Going 

forward, let’s just assume I have a guy for everything!) 

Now that the carpets are out of the way, how does your tile 

look? Is it nice and bright with a few dirt spots in the grout? 

Nothing a good steam and scrub can’t handle, but if they 

are black from years of dirty mop water falling in and you 

think getting them steamed won’t be enough, getting them 

re-grouted might be the way to go. It’s a considerably more 

affordable alternative to having your floors replaced and if 

the tiles themselves are in good shape, the new grout will 

make it look like you just got new tile! 

Now, if your flooring is in good shape but dated, laminate or 

water proof vinyl is a reasonably affordable option for floor 

replacement and if done right, will help get you top dollar! 

What kind of counters do you have? Granite? Perfect, we 

can run with that! But if your home is in Wicklund like mine 

is, you might still have tile counters. Replacing that with 

quartz, granite or another synthetic stone option might be in 

your best interest. Also, adding a custom backsplash is also 

a great and reasonably priced upgrade. 

To be clear, none of the things I name are mandatory. As I’ve 

said before, there is a buyer for every house in every market. 

These suggestions are made so you don’t leave any money 

on the table when you sell. 

Back to the check list. How do your cabinets look? 

Aside from the newer villages, I see more and more homes 

with worn down looking cabinets. 

Instead of replacing them, having them painted white and 

adding handles to them is the most cost affective way to make 

them look new and add a nice & bright pop of color! Even 

if your cabinets are in good shape, I might still suggest this 

depending on which village you’re in as some of the older 

villages have cabinets that look dated. 

How do your appliances look? If you’re in the first 2 villages 

and have never changed your appliances then you might have 

black, white or bisque. I’d recommend an entry level stainless 

steel appliance package from GE or Whirlpool. 

Now, we want to take a look at your hardware. Your fit 

and finish. Sinks, faucets, lights, seals, door knobs and door 

stops. All small details that make a noticeable difference 

when changed. 

Another effective upgrade for older homes is changing the 

ceiling lights to LED’s. We have a few great handymen in 

Mountain House who offer packages for these. 

So, we’ve covered landscape, paint, flooring, countertops, 

appliances, fit & finish. Sounds like we’re well on our way 

to having a turn key home. 

Now, it’s off to cleaning & staging! 

The stager will make an initial visit and tell you exactly what 

to move to storage, put away or repurpose. Sometimes they 

will have you move larger items to replace with their own. 

Sometimes, they will use your furniture and just decorate 

it with their own pillows and throws, artwork and plants. 

If you’re on a budget, no need to worry! Your Realtor will 

tell you what the most important items to tackle are. We may 

even have a few short cuts we can implement. Some Realtors, 

such as myself, even offer a service where we cover the initial 

cost of the upgrade and you reimburse us through escrow. 

You might be thinking “wow, I have to spend all that to sell 

my house?” Again, no. You don’t have to. These are just the 

recommendations I make to make sure we get you top dollar! 

Ready to get started? 

About The Author 

Mike N Samawi is a local 

Realtor and Mountain House 

Expert Since 2009 

12 Time CVAR Masters Club 

Award Recipient & Outstanding 

Life Member. 

Team Samawi | Compass 

209.814.6370 Cell/Text 

Mike@TeamSamawi.com 

DRE 01872701 

www.compass.com/concierge 

www.dhillonformayor.com vote@dhillonformayor.com 

209-607-4222 dhillonformayor2024 dhillonformayor2024 

Paid for by Harry Dhillon for Mountain House Mayor FPPC #1464496



M O U N T A I N H O U S E 

We Take Care 

of what bugs you! 

$50 off 

initial service with annual service agreement 

restrictions apply • expires 4/30/24 

• Window Graphics 

209-832-7300 

www.TakeCareTermite.com 

Services 

• Content Development 

• Graphic Design 

• Installation 

• Project Management 

• Survey & Permitting 

Suffering From An Auto Accident Injury? 

Tracy 

(209) 832-9221 

438 W. Beverly Place #101 

Mon 8-6 • Tues 1-7 • Wed 8-7:00 • Th 8-6 • Fri 8-1 

Sat 8-1 • Sunday Closed 

® 

Location 

1418 Mariani Ct., Suite 110 

Tracy, CA 95376-2855 

Business Hours: 

Monday - Friday 

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

• Logo Design 

A Trusted Mortgage Brand for Over 50 Years 

• Dimensional Lettering • Translucent Vinyl Sign Face • Directional Signage 

INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED 

Unsure of what 

you need? 

Tell us what you 

are trying to 

accomplish and 

we’ll help you bring 

your ideas to life 

• Vehicle Decals 


(209) 836-3597 

583 Wicklund Crossing Pkwy 

Open: Mon 8-12/3-8 • Tues 8-12/2-7 • Wed/Th 2-7 • Fri 8-1 

closed weekends 

Bringing Giggles & Glee for Great Memories! 

f Birthday Parties 

f Festivals 

f Corporate Events 

f School Parties 

f Library Shows 

f For Kids at 

Weddings 

www.ZanyEntertainment.com • Call or Text Us: 209-835-8383 

Not all accident injuries are noticeable right away. 

Contact us for an examination with one of our doctors to assess 

your need for chiropractic care 

SPECIALISTS IN: 

3 Personal Injury 

3 Sports Injury 

3 Rehabilitation 

3 Family Care 

3 Auto Injury Rehabilitation 3 Prenatal and Pediatric Care 

Call for an appointment today! 

VALLEY 

CHIROPRACTIC 

Manteca 

(209) 825-5610 

130 N. Grant Avenue 

Mon 8:30-12:00/2-6 • Tues 8:30-12/2-6:00 • Wed 8-12/2-6 

Th 8:30-12/1-5:00 • Fri 8:30-12 • Sat 8-1 

Most Insurances Accepted www.tracycHiro.com Affordable Cash Plans Available


Staging Your Home 


of a smoother, more profitable home selling 

experience. 

Why Does Inventory Continue To Stay Low? 

The real estate market is witnessing a ripple 

effect from historic low-interest rates in recent 

years. Homeowners who took advantage of these 

rates are now less inclined to sell their primary 

homes. In most cases properties choosing to 

enter the market often include secondary homes 

or are driven by significant life events like death, 

separation/divorce, or work relocation. 

Surprisingly, despite higher interest rates compared 

to historic lows, selling and buying still 

make financial sense in many situations. The 

market dynamics challenge the notion that increased 

interest rates would deter transactions, 

emphasizing the nuanced factors influencing 

decision-making. 

Trusted Home Value Sources 

Mountain House home values are on a consistent 

upward trend. For the most precise current 

home value, engaging in a conversation with a 

local agent is recommended. Many homeowners 

are pleasantly surprised by their current home 

values. While digital platforms with algorithms 

are commonly used, they often lag behind the 

rapidly changing market and are frequently 

inaccurate. Contacting a local and experienced 

Realtor remains the most reliable approach for 

an accurate assessment of your home’s value. 

Looking ahead to the coming year, there’s 

curiosity about the Real Estate Market we are 

entering. If you have any questions about this 

article or our Real Estate market, feel free to 

reach out to me anytime. Remember, choosing 

a Realtor with experience in your local market 

puts you in an excellent position to navigate 

these evolving market conditions. Wishing you 

a smooth transition into the New Year! 

https://www.facebook.com/mecamapp1 

https://www.instagram.com/mecamapp 

TikTok.com/mecamapp1 


Tissa Abraham Wins Rotary Speech Contest 

Rotary Club of Mountain House held their annual 

Speech Contest over two evenings January 29 and 

31, 2024. Congratulations to the following speech 

contest winners: 1st place was Tissa Abraham; 2nd 

Devika Vithalani, and 3rd place Ashley Varghese. 

First place moved on to complete in the Rotary Area 4 

Speech Contest. A big shout out to Mountain House’s 

very own Tissa Abraham who took 2nd place in the 

Area 4 event! 

#rotary #interactkids #mountainhouse 

Winner of the 2024 Rotary Club of MH Speech Contest, Tissa Abraham 

Rotary CajunFest Slated for April 5 

The second annual Rotary Club of Mountain House Cajun Fest is scheduled to be held back at the Mountain 

House Bar & Grill Friday, April 5, 2024. Food, a silent auction and raffle prizes, live music with Mojo 

Rising, along with DJ_Chillz, Rotary is setting the stage for a next-level event. Jay’s Gourmet will be 

catering the event with a taste of New Orleans, and the Mountain House Bar will be serving up no host 

cocktails, beer and wine. 

“Our first event last year turned out amazing,” said club president Darcella Wright. The weather had 

organizers scrambling until the day of the event. On the day of, the clouds parted, with the sun breaking 

through and shining. With the band set-up outside, threat of rain could have killed the whole thing. But 

rain didn’t come again until just after everything was done. 

Secure your tickets now: www.RotaryMH.org 

MeCam Personalized emojis, 

with your face! 

Introducing "MeCam" - an app that brings 

personal touch to your conversations with 

stickers made from real pictures. 

Take and crop a picture to create custom 

stickers for different expressions. 

“MeCam” is a mobile application developed with the intent of 

enhancing and personalizing user communication across various 

platforms. The application leverages sophisticated image 

editing tools to allow users to transform their personal photos 

into custom stickers, adding a unique personal touch to their 

digital conversations. 


Telugu Community 

Recognized by MHCSD 

The Mountain House Telugu Community 

was recognized and acknowledged 

by the MHCSD Board 

of Directors for their excellent work 

at the December 13, 2023 board 

meeting. A publication oversight 

delayed this acknowledgment in the 

paper. Congratulations to the group. 

MH Farmers’ Market 

Welcomes Assistant 

Submitted by Market Manager, Bill Harlow 

deejaysugarshack.com 

21 

Please welcome Shaurya Kapoor to the Mountain 

House Farmers’ Market family. Shaurya debuted at 

the market Sunday, February 25, as my new Market 

Assistant! 

Shaurya brings an extensive background spanning 

over ten different farmers markets across the Bay 

area, from San Ramon to San Francisco, San Mateo, 

and Walnut Creek. 

Clearly, Shaurya brings a wealth of experience to 

his role. What truly distinguishes him, however, is 

his boundless positivity and unwavering enthusiasm. 

His passion for ensuring a delightful experience for 

all visitors to the farmers market is palpable, making 

him an invaluable asset to our vibrant community. 

Come out this Sunday and say hello! 

Shaurya Kapoor



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 

Lammersville Unified School District: .. 111 S De Anza Blvd. - (209) 836-7400 

www.lammersvilleschooldistrict.net 

MH Community Services District: .... 251 E. Main Street - (209) 831-2300 

www.mountainhousecsd.org 

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 

MH Branch Library: ......................... 250 E Main Street - (209) 937-8221 

www.ssjcpl.org/locations/county/mhouse.html 

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

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

COMMUNITY GROUPS & CLUBS 

To have your local group added to this list, please email your information to info@mhmatters.net, or call/text 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 Cat Lovers: search name on Facebook 

MH Cricket Academy: search MHCA on Facebook - mountainhousecricketacademy@gmail.com 

MH Cricket Club and Youth Club: : mhcricketclub@googlegroups.com 

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

MH Facebook Groups: facebook.com/groups/MountainHouse 

facebook.com/groups/MountainHouseResidents 

MH Farmers’ Market: facebook.com/mtnhousefarmersmarket 

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 Stallions Tackle Football: : www.mhstallions.com 

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

MH Muslim Association: https://mhma.info 

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

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

MH Unity Center: : https://mhunitycenter.com 

Neighborhood Watch: : search MH Neighborhood Watch on Facebook 

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

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

Royal Kings Basketball: : www.Royalkings.org 

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

Zinnia Way Volleyball Club: 

Celebrate Holi, Kites, DJ and Dhol Beats 

at CVGCA’s Triple Dhamaka 

The Central Valley Gujarati Community Association (CVGCA) invites you to join them for a 

vibrant celebration of Holi, kite flying, and music at their Triple Dhamaka event on March 

16th, 2024! 

This exciting event, held at Central Community Park in Mountain House, CA, kicks off 

at 10:00 AM and promises a day filled with fun for the whole family. 

Experience the signature Triple Dhamaka tradition: Immerse yourself in the vibrant 

colors of Holi, the joy of kite flying, and the infectious energy of people dancing to live DJ 

music and Dhol beats. 

Inspired by record-breaking crowds in 2023: Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of 

the MH, Tracy, Lathrop, Manteca, Brentwood, Tri-Valley and Bay Area communities, CVGCA 

is thrilled to host even bigger and better events this year. 

Tantalize your taste buds: A selection of the best food vendors will be on hand, offering a 

mouthwatering assortment of flavors from North India, South India, and Gujarat. 

Mark your calendars and join the fun! Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate the spirit 

of community, tradition, and vibrant festivity at the CVGCA’s Triple Dhamaka event. 

What: CVGCA Triple Dhamaka : Holi, Kite flying and DJ 

When: Saturday, March 16 th , 2024. 

Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. 

Cost: $8 /Children under 5 attend for free/ Buy 4 get 1 free 

How: http://tinyurl.com/CVGCAHoli2024 

Beauty & The Beast Comes to MHHS 

The Mountain House High School Drama program presents Beauty and the Beast. Step into the 

enchanted world of Broadway’s classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, an international sensation 

that has been produced in 37 countries worldwide. 

Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the 

wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs 

by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for over thirteen years and 

was nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. 

Plan now to attend one or multiple performances at the MHHS Theater 

April 19 & 20 @7pm, 21 @2pm 

April 25, 26, 27 @ 7pm 

Tickets can be purchase in advanced by visiting gofan.co *Adults 12$ & Students $5 

The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really 

a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be 

loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. 

If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. 

Beauty and the Beast Cast; Adisyn Matousek, Ryan Morris, Kylo Tungol, Connor Siu, Kevin Flanagan, Sebastian Gonzalez-Perez, 

Mason Garner, Andrea Bazar, Akuokor Sai, Taylor Bui, Mikayla Cabrera, Emma Wagner, Ysabelle Espinosa, Codi Perez, Celina 

Rosa, Aishni Gollacharaka, Mika Deleon, Taylor Rhien, Robin Zaragoza, Andrew Thube, Emmalee Basacker, Max Balbin, Chase 

Kiswani, Tomi Ayanleke, Dominic Gutierrez, Bria Eaquinto, Gabby Martinez, Chloe Yabut, Maile Garrido, Milo Lane Wright, 

Rachel Azah, Sabby Olsen, Sophia Magat, Natasha McTiernan 

Selma / Voting Rights Memorial March 

Join Mountain House United in commemorating the 59th Anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery 

March, and the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

Selma/Voting Rights Memorial March: Sunday, March 3, 2024 1:00 PM 

March starts from other side of the bridge to KnowWhere, walking with friends and neighbors to the 

MHCSD Town Hall Plaza.



MH Community Events 

CALENDAR 

March 2024 

tueS Feb 6 - Mar 5 Mail-In/Drop-Off Election Balloting - daily p/u MH Town Hall Parking Lot Receptacle 

Vote on Measure D - Cityhood, Measure E - Governance , Mayor & City Council 251 E. Main St. sjgov.org/department/rov/election-information/current_election 

Sat March 2 Stallions Crab Feed MH Unity Center 6:00 p.m. 

Sun March 3 MH Farmers’ Market Town Hall Parking Lot 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 

The MH Farmers’ Market is year round 201 E. Main St. Facebook: Mountain House Farmers Market 

Sun March 3 Selma/Voting Rights March start Bridge to KnowWhere 1:00 p.m. 

Commemorate the 59th anniversary of the Selma-Montgomery March to Town Hall Plaza Facebook: Mountain House United 

Sun March 3 Final Candidate Discussion Live Stream from Zaytech Academy 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Join the candidates for City Council in postulating the future of MH 

Facebook: Mountain House Matters 

tueS March 5 Election Day MH Town Hall Parking Lot Receptacle 

Vote on Measure D - Cityhood, Measure E - Governance , Mayor & City Council 251 E. Main St. sjgov.org/department/rov/election-information/current_election 

wed March 6 LUSD Board Meeting LUSD Board Chambers 7:00 p.m. 

agenda posted on website 111 S De Anza Blvd. LammersvilleSchoolDistrict.net 



mon March 11 Rotary Club of MH meeting MH Library 7:00 p.m. 

MH Rotary - Service Above Self 201 E. Main St. RotaryMH.org 

tues March 12 Youth Action Committee meeting MH Town Hall Board Chambers 7:00 p.m. 

wed March 13 MHCSD Board of Directors meeting MH Town Hall Board Chambers 7:00 p.m. 

monthly agenda posted days before on the site 251 E. Main St. www.MountainHouseCSD.org 

sat March 16 CVGCA’s Triple DhAmAkA MH Central Park 10: a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

Happy Holi, Kite Flying, DJ & Beats 25 Central Pkwy. www.MountainHouseCSD.org 

sun March 17 Happy St. Patrick’s Day 



wed March 20 LUSD Board Meeting LUSD Board Chambers 7:00 p.m. 

agenda posted on website 111 S De Anza Blvd. LammersvilleSchoolDistrict.net 

wed March 20 MH Park & Rec Commission MH Town Hall Board Chambers 7:00 p.m. 

thurs March 21 MH Public Safety Committee MH Town Hall Board Chambers & Zoom 7:00 p.m. 

thurs March 23 Poorba Holi Fest MH Central Park 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 



sun March 31 Happy Easter 

fri April 5 2nd Annual Rotary CajunFest Mountain House Bar & Grill 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. 

Live Music with Mojo Rising • DJ_Chillz • Raffle • Dinner • Big fun! 16784 W Grant Line Rd RotaryMH.org 

Have an event in town you’d like included here? Text or email your community event information for consideration: 209-597-8157 • info@mhmatters.net 

We carry store overstock from Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s 

NEW 

LOAD 

of Toys, 

Electronics 

and 

Textile 

5pm start 

6pm dinner 

DEALZ EVERYDAY 

85 % 

off 

up 

WEEKLY 

to 

So many quality designer items 

at AMAZING prices! 

Retail • Liquidation • Bins • Appliances 

Scratch & Dent Sales • Comforter Sets 

104 W 11th St., Tracy, CA 

650-307-7769 

Open 10am-7pm 7 days a week 

Find us on Instagram 

steal_dealz_discounts 

WEEKLY 

LOADS 

23 

@StealDealzDiscounts 

Unitarian 

Universalist 

Church in Livermore 

A progressive, diverse, spiritual 

community just 16 minutes away. 

We invite the community of Mountain House 

to join us for Sunday Services 10:30 a.m. 

1893 N Vasco Rd., Livermore • www.uucil.org 

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner 

7509 Linne Rd @ Christman Rd, Tracy, CA 

(209) 836-4035 

www.fourcornerstracy.com



Simple Steps for Setting Health Goals 

Submitted by: Dr. Matt Durant, DC - Valley Chiropractic 

Hi everyone, this is Dr. Matt Durant, one of the four leading health professionals at Valley Chiropractic 

Center. Today we are discussing goal setting, which may sound easy, but many of us 

know that when setting goals it can be challenging and hard to follow through. So here are some 

tips that might make that next fitness or wellness goal easier to accomplish. 

Have you ever felt like you were working hard and took all the right steps for setting 

health goals but, at the end of the day, you just weren’t making any progress towards 

them? 

That might as well be a rhetorical question, right? Of course you have. We all have. 

And, being the go-to wellness chiropractor in Mountain House for everyone: from Lisa and Mark, 

working and living at the speed of their three kids; to the second year basketball coach Noah; to the 

first year yoga student Kim; to the retired master sergeant Ben, and so many others - we’ve seen, 

heard, and helped people from all walks of life follow some SMART steps for setting health goals. 

The truth is that most people often feel “stuck” when it comes to their health goals right about this 

time every year. They set goals, take a few action steps for setting health goals, but never seem to 

accomplish very much for one reason or another. 

And one thing we’ve noticed is that the problem really isn’t a lack of motivation, it’s the lack of clear 

and SMART goals. 

Five SMART Steps for Setting Health Goals 

Following these 5 SMART steps for setting health goals can make all the difference in your follow through. 

1. Make It Specific: Make your goals specific for more effective planning. 

Think what, why, who, where, when, and which. 

2. Make It Measurable: Define how you are making progress. 

Think how much, how many, and how will I know when it’s done. 

3. Make It Attainable: Make them reasonable to accomplish. 

Think about how you can accomplish it and be realistic about any constraints 

you might have to contend with. 

4. Make It Relevant: Your goals should align with your values. In a word, it should be worthwhile 

to you personally. 

5. Make It Time-Based: Set a date of completion. Your goals can be short-term or long-term (today, 

6 weeks, 6 months, etc), and this step in particular can help you focus and 

prioritize multiple goals. 

We usually cover these steps for setting health goals with those who came to us after searching specifically 

for a wellness chiropractor in Mountain House. 

As you may have guessed, they’re looking for more than the standard adjustment, and most of all 

have told us that this framework along with our care and guidance really did make all the difference 

in their new year’s resolutions and other aspirations. 

Science Sources: 

SMART Goals: How to Make Your Goals Achievable. MindTools. 2022. 

Local Mental Health Care Professional 

Announces Universal Mental Health Services 

Patience Morikang, PMHNP-BC, is pleased to announce the launch of 

Universal Mental Health Services, a virtual psychiatric mental health 

practice that provides evidence-based treatment tailored to meet the patient’s 

individual needs and goals. 

“We specialize in integrative care, including assessment, diagnosis, 

medication management, brief psychotherapy, lifestyle modification, 

and referrals,” Patience said. “We believe in collaborating with other 

experts to create a personalized treatment plan while allowing the patient 

to be actively involved. Your well-being is our number one priority,” she 

continued. “We take pride in providing a safe and non-judgmental space 

for you to express your feelings.” 

Patience Morikang, MSN PMHNP-BC Universal mental health was born with the belief that mental health care 

should be accessible to all and be treated in an equal way to physical health. 

“Allow us to be part of your journey to wellness.” 

The San Joaquin County School Board of Education reminds all “If you are in a mental health crisis and 

need help immediately, dial or text 988 at any time to get help.” Seeking assistance with mental health issues 

before a crisis can certainly help avert one. 

Congressional Representative, Josh Harder, said in a January release, “San Joaquin County has the lowest 

ratio of mental health providers to patients in all of California.” Ms. Morikang’s practice seeks to help begin 

to improve that outlook. 

A Psychiatric mental health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC), Patience Morikang is trained to treat patients 

with mental health conditions including, but not limited to: Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar disorder, PTSD, 

ADHD, and Insomnia for patients 16 years old and up. 

For more information, or to make an appointment with Ms. Morikang, you are invited to go to the firm’s 

website, or call for a free 15-minute consultation. The Universal Mental Health Services website address is: 

www.umentalsvs.com. Email: info@umentalsvs.com, or call: 209-802-2929. 

Donor Network Raising Funds and Awareness 

toward Building East Bay Recovery Center 

Executive Director and Former MH resident, Bubba Paris, Spearheads fund-raising efforts with 

April Golf Tournament 

Donor Network West Foundation’s new Executive Director, former 49er and former Mountain House 

resident, William “Bubba” Paris invites the community to support his organization’s goal of building an 

organ recovery center by joining in their inaugural golf outing. 

“This event will support the lifesaving mission of Donor Network West and offer HOPE NOW to the 

thousands whose lives are impacted by organ and tissue donation and transplantation in Northern California 

and Northern Nevada,” Bubba said by phone last Friday. 

The charitable tournament will take place Monday, April 29th, 2024 at Ruby Hills Golf Course in Pleasanton. 

Guests will arrive at 11am with a 12pm shotgun start. Following the tournament there will be a dinner 

reception at 6pm. Register here: https://www.chippingaway4hope.org/ 

“By coming to this event, you are supporting our mission to support donor families and transplant recipients, 

to fund clinical innovation and research, and educate our communities about the power of organ, eye 

and tissue donation,” Bubba said. 

Recovery Center: 

The Recovery Center will allow Donor Network West to help optimize time and maximize the number of 

gifts that are able to be transplanted to save lives. The new facility will include an ICU and Organ Recovery 

Center. This space will be designed to provide a dignified place for organ donors and their families. 

In 2022, 416 organ donors gave the gift of life in our community. Every day, 17 people die waiting for a 

life-saving organ transplant. With the new Recovery Center, we will be able to aid even more people who 

desperately need help. For more, go to: www.donornetworkwest.org.


Mountain House High Junior Wins 

Congressional App Challenge 

Congressman Josh Harder (CA-09) recently 

announced Anisha Pandey, a student at Mountain 

House High School, as the first-place winner of 

the 2023 Congressional App Challenge. Her app, 

titled NeurDraw, provides 

emotive-based art therapy and 

local resources for neurodivergent 

individuals and their 

families. 

Anisha cites her family background 

as an introduction 

to the issue of inequality of 

neurodivergent resources. 

“As an Indian-American, I 

have seen first-hand the stigma 

around neurodiversity on 

family trips to India. 

After witnessing how limited 

resources and opportunities 

had become for these families, 

especially over the pandemic, 

I was determined to solve this 

issue.” 

The founder of an early-stage 

neurodivergent nonprofit, Project Synapse, Anisha 

has volunteered hundreds of hours at local neurodivergent 

nonprofit organizations throughout the high 

school. She had noticed that enrichment activities, in 

particular art, served as an effective calming activity. 

Anisha has also been an avid programmer for over 

eight years, with experience coding in several 

languages such as Swift and Python. In 2022, her 

first official iOS app ‘MHHS Mustangs’ was also 

published on the App Store. 

It was these experiences that inspired the concept 

behind NeurDraw. 

“With the pandemic, there were already limited 

things to do at home and digital applications 

were becoming popular. So I wondered, why 

not combine the two?” 

The NeurDraw app allows neurodivergent individuals 

to complete an emotional daily check 

in, complete simple, interactive activities, and 

then engage in a “free draw” session. At the same 

time, parents and caretakers can track mood 

and art through their own, secure dashboard. 

NeurDraw also includes a feature that finds local 

resources nearby based on zip code. 

According to Harder’s office, app submissions 

are judged based on creativity, functionality, originality, 

and an overall programming excellence. 

“Winning was honestly a huge shock to me,” 

Anisha Pandey, a junior at Mountain House High, stands 

with her official certificate of recognition from Congressman 

Harder. She is the winner of the 2023 Congressional 

App Challenge for her app NeurDraw that provides 

emotive-based art therapy and local resources for neurodivergent 

individuals and their families. 

Anisha said, “When I first saw the ‘Congratulations!’ 

email in physics class, I couldn’t actually believe it.” 

Anisha hopes to continue working on NeurDraw in 

the next several months so that it can improve user’s 

lives in the real world. 


“NeurDraw is currently in its 

final stage of development 

and testing,” Pandey states, 

“so I’m planning to publicly 

launch it on the iOS App Store 

soon. I’m definitely excited by 

the positive response I’ve received 

so far and I hope to use 

it to expand NeurDraw’s reach 

beyond our local community.” 

Anisha’s app, NeurDraw, will 

be displayed in the U.S. Capitol 

Building and on the official 

House of Representatives 

Congressional App Challenge 

website. She will be visiting 

Washington, D.C., in April 

to showcase NeurDraw to the 

United States Congress and 

network with other app developers from across 

the nation. 

The Congressional App Challenge is an annual competition 

for middle and high school students hosted 

by the U.S. House of Representatives, encouraging 

them to pursue STEM through computer science 

and code. For more information about this contest, 

visit https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/. 

Publisher’s Note: According to University of Washington, “A 

“neurodivergent” person refers to a person on the autism spectrum 

or, more generally, to someone whose brain processes information in 

a way that is not typical of most individuals”. 

The official NeurDraw poster that will be on display in the U.S Capitol in April, 

featuring the parent dashboard and logo of NeurDraw. (Source: Anisha Pandey) 

Chances of Survival from Cardiac Arrest 

Double with Prompt CPR/BLS 

Submitted by Sahithi Godey, MHHS Biomedical Pathway 

According to the American Heart Association 

(AHA), in 2013, approximately 435,000 Americans 

lost their lives due to cardiac arrests. 

This statistic only gets worse, as this is the case for 

millions more lives across the world. Cardiac arrest 

occurs when certain blockages in the person's blood 

vessels cause the heart to stop pumping blood into 

the body, which causes the heart to unexpectedly 

stop. These blockages can occur at any time, on 

any day - meaning that it is extremely likely to occur 

in an out-of-hospital setting, where emergency 

responders would have to be contacted. 

However, once a person's heart stops pumping 

blood, they only have minutes before recovery is 

impossible - therefore making every minute of Cardiopulmonary 

Resuscitation (CPR) and Basic Life 

Support (BLS) count. Research has shown that when 

BLS techniques are implemented quickly during a 

cardiac arrest situation, the chance of survival is 

doubled. However, despite the fact that more than 

half of all cardiac arrests are witnessed, layperson 

BLS is performed in less than 20% (Bohn, Lukas, 

Breckwoldt, Bottiger, & Van Aken, 2015). This 

is why it is of utmost importance for those in the 

• Digital X-Ray 

• Driver Examination per DOT 

• Drug and Alcohol testing 

• Immigration Examination 

• Immunizations 

Dr. J Patel 

Family, Occupational, Sports Medicine & Wound Care 

Thank You! VOTED Tracy’s 

Best Doctors and one of the BEST 

Medical Facilities! 

At the clinic, we offer a 

variety of additional services: 

209-832-8984 

Dr. I Pulliam 

• Laboratory Services/COVID-19 

• Minor Surgical Repairs 

• Orthopedic Treatment Services 

• Pilot Examination per FAA 

• Stress Test 

644 W. 12TH STREET 

TRACY, CA 95376 

New website: www.puc1.com 

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. 

25 

everyday community to be aware of the actions that 

need to be taken if they witness an out-of-hospital 

cardiac arrest. 

BLS (Basic Life Support) is comprised of different 

techniques used by non-first responders to help save 

lives. These techniques can be learned by people of 

different ages, for instance, high school students. 

BLS training can be beneficial to anyone and everyone. 

There have been countless instances where 

trained BLS providers have helped save the lives 

of patients who have suffered an out-of-hospital 

cardiac arrest. 

Who we are: 

We are seniors at Mountain House High School who 

are a part of the Biomedical pathway. For our final 

year in this pathway, we were tasked with completing 

a capstone project. 

Our project is about recognizing the importance 

of, and teaching our community about Basic Life 

Support (BLS). However, since learning BLS is long 

and extensive, we are focusing on CPR, which is 

the most important life-saving method. Our goal is 

to get more community members CPR certified and 

knowledgeable in the case of unexpected emergencies.



DINING & ENTERTAINMENT 

ENTERTAINMENT BY CLOWNS & MAGICIANS 

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

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

RESTAURANTS / CAFES 

M&J BISTRO - Jason Rucker 209-832-2727 

2503 N Tracy Blvd., Tracy mjbistro@yahoo.com • www.MJBistro.net 

Seafood, Steaks, Pastas, Chops, Crepes & Cocktails 

THUB CAFE 209-989-8482 

1140 Tradition St. #158., Mountain House - Open 7 Days/wk 9am-8pm www.thubcafe.com 

Boba Drinks | Coffee | Snacks | Panini Sandwich | Biryani 

mhthub@gmail.com 

WHITE PEONY CHINESE RESTAURANT - New Ownership 209-836-1818 

2501 N. Tracy Blvd., Tracy - Formerly Mandarin Villa -Remodeled - New Chef www.WhitePeonyRestaurant.com 

RESTAURANTS / CATERING 

BREEZIE’S HOME COOK’N & CATERING 

Catering all types of events - Email or call for a direct quote 

breezieshomecookn@yahoo.com 

510-998-5393 

DHABA INDIAN CUISINE 

2242 W. Grant Line Rd #101, Tracy - Lunch & Dinner 7 Days/week 

209-835-9090 

www.DhabaIndianCuisines.com 

FOUR CORNERS RESTAURANT - Adam & Ashleigh Reich 

7509 Linne Rd @ Christman Rd, Tracy, CA - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

209-836-4035 

www.FourCornersTracy.com 

PHONE APPS 

ME-CAM Custom Emojis - Donyell Johnson 

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

PERSONAL LIFE & CARE 

Find What You Need 

in and around town right here! 

GET THE APP 

deejaysugarshack.com 

AUTOMOTIVE SALES 

TRACY HONDA - Connor Pettipiece, Floor Manager (209) 627-9958 

3450 Auto Plaza Way, Tracy - Senior Sales & Lease- We buy all makes & models connor@tracyhonda.com 

BICYCLE SHOPS / SERVICES 

TRACY CYCLERY - Ed Phippen (209) 640-9380 

2217 N Tracy Blvd, Tracy, CA 95376 

DOGGY DAY CARE & BOARDING 

CAMP BOW WOW - Madison Hayley (209) 699-3647 

Personalized Care, Certified Staff, Competitive Rates tracy@campbowwow.com • www.CampBowWow.com/tracy 

FITNESS 

CHARLES GRACIE MOUNTAIN HOUSE - Paul Epley (209) 650-6545 

All ages • MH resident 

mhlocation@charlesgracie.com • www.graciemh.com 

PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES 

ERICA DIAS PHOTOGRAPHY - Erica Dias (209) 601-4521 

Creating legacies through artwork 

ericadiasphotography.com 

SHOES & SHOE REPAIR 

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

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

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

Let us know: text 209-597-8157 or email: bryan@mhmatters.net 

- 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 

WORSHIP 

CROSSROADS BAPTIST CHURCH - Pastor Tim Heinrich (209) 814-1842 

903 S. Corral Hollow, Tracy - Sundays 10:30 am in the back building w/the blue doors www.tracychurch.com 

UNITARIAN UNIVERSAL CHURCH LIVERMORE - Rev. Sangye Hawke (925) 392-5901 

1893 N. Vasco Rd, Livermore - MH Community invited to attend Sundays 10:30 am www.uucil.org 

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 

LIFE INSURANCE 

EXPERIOR FINANCIAL GROUP - Vera Quiwa (209) 679-2775 

Life Insurance/Living Benefits 

vquiwa@comcast.net 

MERCHANT PAYMENT PROCESSING 

ATHENA PROCESSING - Ellie Hedley 650-743-5447 

Merchant Services - Simple Payment Processing 

ellie.hedley@goepsg.com 

MORTGAGE BROKERS 

LOAN GURU MORTGAGE - Sam Naha (209) 650-1777 

NMLS ID#1861167 • MH Resident • Instant Online Mortgage Rate Quote sam@loanguru.us • www.loanguru.us 

MORTGAGE SETH - Seth Conley 

(209) 845-SETH 

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

U.S. BANK HOME MORTGAGE - Bryan Seavers (510) 301-5370 

Mountain House resident - NMLS # 1007568 

bryan.seavers@usbank.com 

TAX & ACCOUNTING 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 

JPB TAX AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES - Parmod Budhwar 209-237-9204 

Tax, accounting, Corp. Formation, payroll, bookkeeping • MH resident 

Parmod@jpbtax.com 

MP ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICES - Martha Poornasir 408-768-2478 

Tax & Bookkeeping Services • MH resident 

marthapoornasir@yahoo.com 

HEALTHCARE 

DENTAL CARE 

ELITE DENTAL CARE - Raman Singh, DDS 

www.TheEliteDental.com 

19665 S Mountain House Pkwy, Mountain House, in the Safeway Shopping Center (209) 618-2200 

3246 W. Grant Line Rd., Tracy, CA 95304 - next to Golden 1 near Costco (209) 213-7808 

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 

PLUME DENTAL - Japneet Dhillon, DDS (209) 650-1500 

1154 S. Tradition St, MH • Cordes Village Plaza www.PlumeDental.com 

DENTAL - ORTHODONTICS 

SPLASH DENTAL & ORTHODONTICS - Rob van den Berg, DDS, MS (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


HEALTHCARE - continued 

MEDICAL HEALTHCARE 

ASSURE PRIMARY & URGENT CARE (209) 758-9900 

19661 MH Pkwy, MH • M-F 10-6 • Walk-ins welcome admin@assurepuc.com • www.assurepuc.com 

MEDICAL SUPPLIES 

REICH’S MEDICAL SUPPLY (209) 834-1383 

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

MENTAL HEALTH CARE 

UNIVERSAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - Patience Morikang, PMHNP-BC (209) 802-2929 

MH resident • Accepting new patients 16 & up 

info@umentalsvs.com • www.umentalsvs.com 

HOUSE & HOME CARE SERVICES 

CARPET CLEANING 

CALIFORNIA CARPET CLEANING - Andres Chavez (925) 383-4060 

Carpet Cleaning, Tile & Grout, Upholstery cleaning 

www.CaliforniaCarpetService.com 

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 

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 

VIRGINIA MECHANICAL - Lacey Skelton (209) 832-2966 

Heating & Air Conditioning - full service 

www.VirginiaMechanical.com 

PAINTING SERVICES 

FRESH COAT PAINTERS CENTRAL VALLEY (209) 390-4326 

Lic# 923812 

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

PEST CONTROL 

TAKE CARE TERMITE & PEST CONTROL - Ray Carrier (209) 832-7300 

“We take care of what bugs you” 

www.TakeCareTermite.com 

POOL SERVICE 

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

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

Deadline for article or ad placements 

for the April issue is 

March 14, 2024 

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 

W. 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, Inc. 

reserves the right to reject any advertising copy or placement. 

Advertising placements and/or articles for consideration should be directed to: Bryan Harrison, Publisher/Editor 

bryan@mhmatters.net • 209-597-8157 

©copyright 2012-2024 

Mountain House Matters, Inc. www.MHMatters.net 

Mailing address: 2455 Naglee Rd. #263 • Tracy, CA 95304 


all rights reserved 

HOUSE & HOME CARE SERVICES - continued 

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 

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 

DIRECT MAIL PRINT & ONLINE ADVERTISING 

MOUNTAIN HOUSE MATTERS, INC. - Bryan Harrison (209) 597-8157 

MH resident • Mailing:2455 Naglee Rd #263, Tracy 95304 bryan@mhmatters.net • www.MHMatters.net 

SIGNS & PROMOTIONAL ITEMS 

FAST SIGNS - Danielle Miranda (209) 290-0100 

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

Garage Doors 

• Openers 

• Remotes 

• Springs 

Ask 

About 

• Torsion Conversion 

The most versatile Garage Screen on the planet 

TUNE UP & 

SAFETY CHECK 

$ 

69 

69. 99 

Now installing 

Lifestyle Screen Doors 

call today to Schedule 

209.483.8369 

or 925.219.2194 

99 

(Additional fees may apply) 

27



Mountain House High School Students Raise 

Awareness About Reading Literacy 

Submitted by: Vrishank Peddireddi 

Reading Illiteracy continues to be a prevalent issue 

in our society with many kids not knowing how to 

read and lacking basic literacy 

skills. California is the least Literate 

State in the Nation at a rate 

of 71.65% making it the lowest 

in all of the US. We noticed how 

many kids, adults, and parents 

in our society couldn’t decipher 

words often due to a lack of 

access to books, under-investment 

in schools, and income 

inequality. Over 58% of Third 

Graders in California are below 

grade level and 1 in 4 people 

over 15 lack skills to decipher words. With this, we 

came together and formed the WeRead Project and 

expanded to spreading literacy locally and internationally. 

Vrishank Peddireddi, Madhav Dhontula, 

and Pranavi Bhattula are three high school students 

attempting to combat Literacy by raising awareness 

about reading literacy with their project “WeRead”. 

The three students worked alongside Cordes Elementary 

School principal Mr McDonald, to help 

raise awareness about reading literacy among 3rd 

and 4th graders. After conducting an educational 

seminar for each of the third and fourth-grade classes 

of Cordes Elementary School, the three worked 

alongside the elementary school kids to create educational 

posters. An estimated 134 Elementary kids 

took part in this educational program. 

The posters were displayed throughout the school, 

and the students were excited to see their work on 

display. They were also proud to know that they 

were helping to promote reading literacy among 

their peers. 

“We can still do so much 

more”, Madhav Dhontula 

said. This is only the tip of the 

iceberg. The podcast, which is 

available on Spotify, features 

interviews with experts in 

the field of literacy, as well as 

personal stories from people 

who have been affected by 

illiteracy. 

In each episode, they interview 

a different specialist to Shed 

light on how reading affects 

their respective fields. 

Madhav D, Vrishank P, Mr.McDonald, and Pranavi B. 

Vrishank, Madhav, and Pranavi 

not only Raised awareness on a local level but 

an international level as well. They donated Books 

writing utensils erasers and so 

much more to an underfunded 

orphanage in the suburbs of 

South India. The supplies were 

desperately needed and appreciated. 

The kids were thrilled 

to have new books to read 

and supplies to enhance their 

education. 

The WeRead project started 

small but has grown tremendously 

over the past year. After 

their initial success working 

with Cordes Elementary School, the students 

expanded their outreach to other schools and 

community organizations. Vrishank, Madhav, and 

Pranavi aim to continue growing the program and 

empowering young people to improve literacy in 

their communities and globally. Though still high 

schoolers, their passion and leadership on this issue 

have already made a real impact. 

Pranavi B Working with kids on the poster 

Vrishank P teaching underprivileged kids how to write. 

Empowering the Future: Mountain House 

SWENext Inspires Girls in STEM 

Submitted by: Avni Agarwal 

When discussing gender equality, the spotlight 

often falls on the underrepresentation of women in 

leadership roles. While discussions around the percentage 

of female CEOs gain traction, it is crucial to 

recognize another concerning statistic – the lack of 

female CTOs. As of March 2023, only 8.3% of CTOs 

in America are women, highlighting a substantial 

gender gap in STEM professions. 

This gender disparity extends beyond corporate 

settings and into schools, impacting the younger 

generation's engagement in STEM. Even within 

robotics teams and engineering classes, the presence 

of girls remains disproportionately lower than that 

of boys, emphasizing an urgent issue. 

Addressing this concern head-on is the SWENext 

Club of Mountain House, a youth chapter affiliated 

with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Their 

primary objective is to bridge the gender gap in 

STEM fields within Mountain House and beyond, 

and hope to foster an environment where young 

girls can experience and grow with engineering 

MHHS Lip Dub & Sports Finals in February 

Submitted by Allie Shandonay 

Varsity Home Games this Month 

Come support your fellow MHHS Mustangs with attending some of our Varsity Spring Sports Home Games: 

Baseball: 

Friday, March 1 vs East Union High @ 3:30 pm 

Tuesday, March 5 vs Kimball High @ 3:30 pm 

Wednesday, March 13 vs Grace Davis High @ 3:30 pm 

Double Header Day: Sat, March 16 vs Modesto Christian High @ 12:00 pm & 2:00 pm 

Friday, March 22 vs Johansen High @ 4:00 pm 

Saturday, March 23 vs Millennium High @ 11:00 am 

Wednesday, March 27 vs Los Banos High @ 4:00 pm 

Friday March 29 vs El Capitan High @ 2:30 pm 

Softball: 

Monday, March 4 vs Gustine High @ 3:30 pm 

Tuesday, March 5 vs Millennium @ 3:30 pm 

Thursday, March 7 vs Delhi High @ 4:00 pm 

Tuesday, March 12 vs Ripon Christian @ 3:30 pm 

Thursday, March 14 vs Grace Davis @ 3:30 pm 

Boys’ Tennis: 

Monday, March 4 vs Johansen @ 3:30 PM 

Wednesday, March 6 vs Los Banos @ 3:30 PM 

Thursday, March 7 vs McClatchy @ 3:30 PM 

Wednesday, March 13 vs Pacheco High @ 3:30 PM 

Monday, March 25 vs Lathrop High @ 3:30 PM 

Boys Volleyball: 

Tuesday, March 5 vs Grace Davis @ 6:30 PM 

Thursday, March 14 vs Beyer @ 6:30 PM 

Thursday, March 21 vs Ceres High @ 6:30 PM 

and STEM in a safe environment where they are 

encouraged to make mistakes and learn from them. 

Currently, they are most notably known for their free 

Girls In Gear Workshop, which is supported by the 

501(c)(3) nonprofit Guide N Grow Foundation. Girls 

In Gear is a 12-week-long session for girls in grades 

3-8 and has a workshop every other Saturday at the 

Mountain House Library. Here, MH SWENext’s 

President, Avni, along with her fellow officers, 

hosts workshops about several different engineering 

concepts. Topics that they have taught so far include 

the Engineering Design Process, Projectile Motion, 

Forces, Buoyancy, Circuitry, Prosthetics, and so 

much more. 

Girls In Gear offers girls a chance to experience 

STEM in a supportive environment, and helps 

build important life skills such as collaboration, 

communication, critical thinking, problem solving, 

and more. After each lesson, girls are given projects 

that they are encouraged to work on in groups and 

create only with the provided materials. Founder 

continued


and President Avni Agarwal says, “It 

has been so amazing to witness each 

individual girl’s growth over the series. 

I have seen them go from shy and 

unwanted to participate to collaborative 

and excited to come in and learn 

something new!” 

So far, over 40 girls have passed 

through the program in just over 

two months and they all reported an 

increased interest in STEM. Several 

of the girls have also expressed that 

they enjoyed being able to apply the 

concepts that they learned in a handson 

manner, which helped them experience it more 

Girls grades 3-8 making balloon powered cars following the Engineering Design Process! 

holistically. 

Beyond Girls In Gear, MH SWENext continues to host various events, including a BristleBots workshop 

they held in October, and currently, a STEAM Art Contest. The latter provides students with an opportunity 

to creatively express what STEAM means 

to them, fostering artistic exploration within the 

realm of science, technology, engineering, arts, 

and mathematics. 

MH SWENext plans to organize more events and 

activities in the coming months. To stay informed 

and be part of this journey, interested individuals 

can fill out the form at http://tinyurl.com/SW- 

ENextEmail and follow @mhhs_swenext on 

Instagram. Mountain House SWENext is empowering 

the future by breaking barriers and inspiring 

the next generation of female leaders in STEM. 

Middle School girls learning how to use a breadboard for circuits! 


SARVEY’S SHOES & SHOE REPAIR 

Work Boots & Comfort Shoes 

RedWing • Birkenstock 

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN! 

Store Hours: 

Mon-Friday 10 - 6:00 

Saturday 10 - 4:00 

Sunday Closed 

SARVEY’S SHOES & SHOE REPAIR 

501 W Grant Line Road 

Tracy, California 

just east of Tracy Blvd. 

(209) 835-7162 

www.SarveysShoes.net 

29 

59 

NEW PATIENT 

SPECIAL* 

Feel good about 

Your Smile 

* $59 New Patient Special 

Includes exam/x-rays/ oral cancer screening Must present this ad. 

Not valid with other offers or prior services. Expires 1/17/24 

Preventative, restorative and cosmetic dentistry 

Most insurance plans accepted and maximized 

Free smile analysis · Convenient business hours 

Patients of all ages welcome 

Learn more about the most advanced implant 

supported ceramic teeth - ALL ON 4. 

Get your FREE consult today. 

Schedule an Appointment Today! 

209-650-1500 

mountainhouse@plumedental.com 

1154 South Tradition St. 

in the Cordes Village Plaza 

www.PlumeDental.com 

same day 

fixed teeth, full arch 

starting at 

$ 

12999 * 

restrictions apply 

Price Includes Permanently Fixed Temporary 

Denture. Final Restoration is not included. 

$ 

3999 * 

Invisalign® 

(limited movement) 

*certain restrictions apply 

PLUME DENTAL • 209-650-1500 

With this coupon. Not valid with other 

offers or prior services. Expires 4/30/24.



Luxury Vinyl • Carpet 

Hardwood • Tile 

2021 

3 Twelve (12) Months Interest Free! 

Pay balance in twelve months, interest-free, or defer for up 

to a 60 month term with minimum payments 

PLEASE CALL 

to SChedule Your 

one-on-one 

appointment with a 

flooring ConSultant 

todaY 



one block East of Tracy Blvd. 

Lic# 878563 

209-835-5537 

www.SpencerFlooringAndpAint.com


MHHS Boys’ Varsity Tennis of to a Strong Start 

Submitted by Coach Andy Su 

The Division 4 Mountain House High School 

(MHHS) Mustangs Boys Tennis team opened their 

2024 season with a solid 9-0 win over the Division 3 

Kimball High Jaguars in Tracy on Thursday. 

It was the first time the Jaguars has hosted a match 

since their courts were resurfaced earlier this month. 

The Mustangs returned the majority of their team (15 

out of 20) that reached the D2 sectional finals last year 

including 5 of 6 singles players. They also added a 

super sophomore exchange student from Spain, Xavi 

Gimeno (pictured), who will likely challenge the top 

players for the #1 spot this year. "I've coached many 

great teams here but this may be the best team since I 

started coaching tennis in 2018" said Coach Andy Su. 

While the temperature was mild and the wind was 

nonexistent, the Mustangs were red hot on the court 

and won all 9 matches in straight sets, including five 

matches with 6-0, 6-0 score. 

The competition gets a lot tougher tomorrow as the 

Mustangs travel west to take on Amador Valley, the 

team that handed the 2023 Mustangs their only regular 

season loss last year. 

Next Monday, a very tough and well coached Rodriguez 

High School team (also Mustangs) will visit 

Mountain House for a rematch of the D2 semifinals 

last year which the Mountain House Mustangs won 

5-4. 

After that, the Mustangs will travel north on Tuesday 

to take on Division 1 powerhouse Rocklin High, winner 

of several D1 sectional championships. 


31 

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.

Mike Samawi - Realtor: Anything but Average 

Dedicated Mountain House Specialist since 2009 

335 S Tradition St., Mountain House, Ca 95391 

4 Bed/2.5 Bath | 1,969sf | 4,012sf lot 

Sold $880,000 

Just Sold! 

Satisfied Clients say it best! 

561 Paul St. Mountain House, Ca 95391 

4 bed/3 full bath | 3,017sf | 7,157sf lot | Pool & Spa 

Listed at $1,069,900 

Sold $1,085,000 ($15,100 Over Asking with Multiple Offers) 

Just Sold! 

5.0 

“We had a great experience working with Mike and Janine” 

1/8/2023 - Kireeti P. - Sold a Single Family home in 2023 in Mountain House, CA 

5.0 

“Mike was by far the best I’ve worked with!” 

9/6/2022 - Prasad W. - Sold a Single Family home in 2022 in Mountain House, CA 

5.0 

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

and after the first meeting, we knew he was the one!” 

4/10/2020 - Armi C. - Sold a Single Family home in 2020 in Mountain House, CA 

Mike Samawi 

REALTOR ® 

DRE 01872701 

209.814.6370 

www.TeamSamawi.com

2403_MHMatters_120_0m

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?