Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

News digest

A celebration will be held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at Gay 90's Pizza to honor longtime city, civic and business leader and rancher Chris Beratlis.

Beratlis, 76, is a 1953 graduate of Amador Valley High School. He developed much of the open space in upper Vintage Hills where he and his wife Glenda still live. Over the years, he also invested in other Pleasanton real estate including a number of properties that he owns on Main Street. Always active in the Pleasanton Downtown Association, he spearheaded the successful drive to have the city of Pleasanton acquire the public cemetery on Sunol Boulevard from the Odd Fellows organization.

The friendship celebration includes refreshments and will be held in the Gay 90's patio at Main and Abbie streets.

The Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative is soliciting nominations for the 2012 Juanita Haugen Community of Character Award. The award, named in honor of longtime school board member Juanita Haugen, was begun in 2008 to recognize residents who "exhibit volunteerism above and beyond their day-to-day job responsibilities while exhibiting the community-established character traits." Haugen, who died March 5, 2007, helped start the awards program.

The nomination form is at www.communityofcharacter.org as well as at the library, school district offices and Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce. The deadline for nominations is April 16.

The awards will be presented at a luncheon May 9 at the Pleasanton Veterans Memorial Building. Past recipients are, for 2011: Chuck Deckert, Ron Sutton, Bob and Joyce Shapiro, Assistance League of Amador Valley; 2010: Dr. Pushpa Dalal, Chris Miller, Bob Athenour, The George A. Spiliotopoulos Invitational Tournament Volunteers; 2009: Jerri Pantages-Long, Sue Evans, Ken Mano; 2008: Lori Rice, and Diana and Howard Mendenhall.

The organizers of the 40th high school reunion on July 7 for the Amador Valley High class of 1972 are looking for graduates from the classes of 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974. Anyone with information about a graduate is ask to send the name, address, telephone number and email address as soon as possible to Nanci Johnson Lenoci at nlenoci@yahoo.com.