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Natio
nalAwardWinning Newspapers
Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net
Vol. 12, No. 9 YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER March 2, 2012
FOR MOVIE TIMES
SEE PAGE 5A
Do-it-yourself authorship
The digital revolution has inspired throngs of writers to attain
author status through self-publishing. Page 1B
Calendar ............................ 15BClassifieds
........................... 9BCop Logs ............................
14BEast County Life ................ 1BEntertainment
................... 6BFood ......................................
4BHealth & Beauty ................ 5BMilestones
.......................... 7BOpinion
..............................14ASports
.................................17A
Eyes on the prime prize
The Deer Valley basketball squad continued its campaign to
capture the North Coast Sections top trophy. Page 17A
Find your favorite Adams middle schooler named to the Honor
Society.
Adams accoladesgo to news/WebExtras!
New legislation aims to provide foster care youth with
educational stability.
Foster care lawgo to news/press releases
Connect with The Press!Scan QR code with your smart phone.
Online now!WebExtras!
press releasesvideos
www. thepress.netYour Hometown Website
Columnist Slim Randles documents high drama at the Mule
Barn.
Vetting Emilygo to news/WebExtras!
Alternating authority A ballot measure would rotate the mayors
seat among City Council members. Page 3A
City to get more cops
Clean water bill, ballot draw heat
A year marked by bad news on the crime front got a little better
Tuesday night for Antioch police offi cers.
The Antioch City Council approved the use of money freed up by
vacancies within the Antioch Police Department to pay for fi ve per
diem offi cers, who would receive no benefi ts, plus three
full-time cops.
The police department is authorized a staff of 175.5, which
includes patrol offi cers and community service offi cers (CSOs),
but is operating with 61 va-cancies. According to City Finance
Director Dawn Merchant, six of these vacancies are budgeted for the
upcoming fi scal year, so they can be fi lled.
Im extremely happy that Im seeing the sup-port from not only the
City Council and the city manager, but the community as a whole,
Chief Al-lan Cantando said. Being able to move offi cers out of
duties that were traditionally reserved for non-sworn personnel is
going to free some offi cers to do some proactive work out
there.
by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer
see Cops page 15A
A controversial measure that would tax homeowners to help clean
up waterways has been get-ting dirty looks from voters.
The proposed Community Clean Water Initiative is put forth by
the Contra Costa Clean Water Program, operated by a consortium of
the county and its 19 cities and towns. The initiative would
repre-sent a slight tax increase for county homeowners. Revenues
would pay for the installation of trash fi l-ters and other efforts
to eliminate waste.
According to Program Man-ager Tom Dalziel, the tax is neces-
sary in order to comply with state demands that water pollution
be cut 40 percent by 2014 and 100 per-cent by 2022.
This is a phased effort, Dal-ziel said.
Residents in Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood would pay $12
an-nually over the 10-year life of the program ($6 for parcels
smaller than 5,000 square feet). If passed, the measure would raise
roughly $8 million in fi scal year 2012-13.
The initiative requires a simple majority to pass.
Instead of putting such a mea-sure on the general or special
elec-tion ballot, the consortium opted to Trash and debris have
become a problem in East Bay wa-
terways such as Oakleys Big Break Lagoon, something the
Community Clean Water Initiative aims to cure.
Photo by Ger Erickson
by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer
see Water page 15A
Antioch Police Detective James McMurry serves up dinner to
Chilis diners Tiffany Pindel, Lorna Henderson, Mariah Henderson and
Kristine Henderson as part of the Tip-A-Cop program. Antioch of-
cers, serving as celebrity waiters, raised $1,139 for the Special
Olympics.
Protect and serve burgers
Photo by Richard Wisdom
-
Support our local Brentwood Rotary Club and all the charitable
organizations that it supports
Food, Beverages, Fun
March 9, 2012Brentwood Community Center150 City Park Way in
Brentwood
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Silver Sponsorships $200 for two players for table recognition,
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Buffet Dinner Provided by Brentwood Fine Meats Poker Provided by
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Brentwood Rotary 3rd Annual Poker Tournament
TEXAS HOLDEMNo Limit
ContactSteve Gursky - [email protected] or (925)
584-8708Dirk Zeigler - [email protected] or (925)
634-1240
-
4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 2, 2012
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Historical carriage to be restored
Once upon a time, stagecoaches were considered one of the
classiest ways to travel through East County. Its hard to imagine
what this area would have looked like as horse-drawn carriages
powered down rural roads, but the East Contra Costa Historical
Society hopes to give
locals some insight. The Society plans to restore a 130-year-old
omnibus that once transported tourists to the Byron Hot
Springs.
The carriage was built by the famous Studebaker Brothers, whose
wagon-mak-ing company would later be known for quality automobiles.
Although the oak frame and passenger compartment are in-tact, the
fabric-lined roof, wooden wheels
and upholstery are in shreds. The dilapi-dated artifact didnt
seem worth saving decades ago when its owner intended to reduce the
omnibus to fi rewood.
Luckily, members of the pioneer-ing Rodriguez family, which
still resides in Byron, happened to be passing by as the omnibus
was about to meet its fate in a burn pile. The Rodriguezes asked
the owner if they could take it, and for more
than 60 years, the decaying omnibus has been resting in a
storage shed on Hoff-man Lane in Byron, quietly waiting to be
rediscovered. The Rodriguez family do-nated the carriage remains to
the histori-cal society last September.
It turns out that this precious piece of history was hiding in
someones shed
Pat McHenry of the East Contra Costa Historical Society read-ies
the dilapidated, 19th-century Byron Hot Springs omnibus for
transport after its discovery in a local barn. In addition to
passengers, the former Byron Hot Springs omnibus was also an of
cial US Mail transport.
Photo courtesy of Ginny Karlberg
by Samie HartleyStaff Writer
see Carriage page 11A
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MARCH 2, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A
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Yogi Berra used to say you can ob-serve a lot just by watching,
and I have. Ive learned enough to be able to fi gure out why most
things happen, or at least devise a plausible theory.
But there are some things I still won-der about. Some are
unfathomable; others are just silly.
For example, I just came across a Facebook poll ask-ing what
types of seafood I like, with a list of choices I could check. The
silly thing I wonder about is why the choice at the very top of the
list is All of the above.
The sillier thing is that it leads the voting.As an example of
the unfathomable,
I wonder what goes on in the head of some people just before
they go shop-ping dressed the way they do. Weve all seen them,
sometimes at Walmart: the spectacular abuse of Spandex, the pa-jama
bottoms that look like theyve been washed a thousand times but not
since Y2K, or a couple of soiled bedroom slip-pers that might have
been a pair many years ago but are now home to individual colonies
of bacteria large enough to as-sert their independence.
At some point, probably about the time they grabbed their car
keys, the
person must have felt at least a fl eeting awareness of what
they were wearing, and made the decision this is fi ne. How could
they decide that? Were there absolutely no alternatives? Like maybe
a boat cover?
Sometimes I wonder about the Post-al Service. I recently made a
donation to the USO, and they sent me an Ameri-can fl ag in
appreciation. It got caught in some postal machinery, though, and
arrived mangled, ready for immediate retirement.
The Postal Service re-packaged it and delivered it along with a
note expressing its sincere apologies, and reassuring me that they
were constantly working to improve their systems so that even such
a rare occurrence as this one can be avoided.
Hey, stuff happens. What I wonder, though, is why they would
send a note whose last line, in full, goes Again, we regret any
inconvenience caused and we look forward to providing you.
Methinks the quality control unit is in need of some quality
control.
My family and I all wonder why I turn right so often, and why Im
almost always wrong. I know its because I usu-ally dont know where
Im going, but youd think that just by the law of aver-ages, turning
right instead of left would be correct 50 percent of the time. Not
for me.
And youd think that by now Id have learned to stop and fi gure
it out be-
fore I leave or at least slow down to think about it before I
get to the intersection. Nope, I just roll on up and hang a right
as if there were no other option. Im sure theres a reason, probably
something that happened in my childhood.
And why do containers of condi-ments turn invisible when exposed
to the light inside a refrigerator? Crowded way in the back of my
fridge (I think) is an ever-increasing collection of jars holding a
few banana wax peppers, some crushed garlic or a single fl oating
pickle. Theres some hot dog relish and probably some olives and
artichoke hearts, too, and for a long time there were few pimentos,
but I think those are gone now.
Its hard to say whats in there because I cant see any of it. At
least once a day I stand in front of the fridge studying its
contents, and yet I remain utterly unaware of whats there.
Some-times when Im in the grocery store and I know I need some of
that stuff, Ill pause, scratch my head, and actually try to
remember what we have and how old it might be. Then Ill chuckle
softly at the futility of it all and buy some more.
Lastly, I wonder why I dont get credit for the 36,575 times that
I did put the toilet seat down instead of just the two or three
times someone fell in because I didnt.
I guess that one sort of answers itself.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Feeling wonder-full
ONDEADLINE
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5:25p 10:45p This Means War - PG1311:00a 1:50p 4:30p 7:15p 10:05p
Secret World of Arriety - G12:05p 2:55pThe Woman in Black -
PG1311:15pRave Cinema Classics10:00a Every Monday. Tickets just $3,
includes popcorn and soda! This week: A Double Feature of The
Painted Hills (Lassie, 1951) & Gangster Story (Walter Matthau,
1959) *Andrew Lloyd Webber presents Love Never Dies, a sequel to
Phantom of the Opera7:30p Wednesday, March 7th only. *John Carter:
An IMAX 3D Experience - PG13, *John Carter: presented in RealD 3D -
PG13, *Friends wih Kids - R, *Silent House - R, *A Thousand Words -
PG13, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - PG1312:01a Friday, March 9th
Premiere Shows*The Hunger Games - PG1312:01a Opens Friday, March
23. Advance Tickets now on sale. Get your exclusive,
limited-edition Rave Cinemas/Hunger Games gift cards at the
theatre, while supplies last.
Times Good for 2-24 to 3-1 *Denotes No-Pass Engagement.#Denotes
special engagement, no passes or discount tickets accepted.
Group Sales & Events, Field Trips 1-866-878-7068
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2525 Sand Creek Rd.Brentwood
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www.ccwater.comParking fee is $4 per car for ratepayers $6 per
car for non-ratepayers.
FOR INFORMATION CALL US AT 925-371-2628 OR 925-371-5056
LOS VAQUEROS MARINA BUILDING & BOAT DOCKS CLOSED FOR
RESERVOIR
EXPANSION CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
Shoreline fishing will continue to be available along the
reservoirs south shore, and bait and tackle sales will continue
from the south side
entrance kiosk. Trails that are not in the closure areas,
including the Miwok Trail that connects Round Valley Regional Park
to Morgan Territory
Regional Preserve, will remain open to the public.
More information about the expansion can be found
atwww.ccwater.com
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MARCH 2, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 7A
Advertisement
BEN = CASH BUYERS?The Ben Im talking about above
is Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve. He announced
recently that the Federal Reserve is aiming to keep interest rates
low through the end of 2014. So what has that got to do with real
estate? Plenty, in my opinion. Its driving a frenzy of cash buyers
into the marketplace like Ive never seen.
Mortgage rates have been dropping the last few years to nearly
historically low levels. That is helping drive some buyers back
into the market to buy homes because they can qualify, but not at
the rate weve seen in the past. This could be due to tougher
underwriting, or pessimism from buyers, or damaged credit
scores.
But the biggest increase has been in 100% cash buyers, not
buyers getting financing. One big reason is that along with
mortgage rates, rates on savings accounts, CDs, etc. are also
plummeting. So this low-rate environment is really punishing
savers. Its not very exciting to get .4% (please note the decimal
point) on your cash. So
that is driving many people, both foreign and domestic, to put
their cash to work by buying real estate and then renting it out.
While you have the challenges of being a landlord, at least you can
hope to get a higher rate of return on your cash, and then also
hopefully enjoy some appreciation in the future. On top of the low
rates on savings accounts, you also have all the upheaval and
uncertainty across the globe, which is sending foreign investors
here in droves as a safe haven. They look at the collapse in our
real estate prices as a buying opportunity.
So if you are a pre-approved FHA 3.5% down buyer, or even a 20%
down buyer with conventional financing, dont be surprised to get
beat out quite often by 100% cash buyers, especially in the lower
price ranges.
If you have questions on this or any other real estate topic,
call me at (925) 240-MOVE (6683). To search the MLS for free and
view virtual tours of homes for sale, go to:
www.SharpHomesOnline.com. Sharp Realty
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The public is invited to celebrate the relocation and dedication
of the Salvation Army Antioch Corps new building at 620 E.
Tregallas Road in Antioch on Sun-day, March 4 at 3 p.m. The
renowned Salvation Army brass band will play, and re-freshments
will be served.
In attendance will be Salvation Army territo-rial and divisional
leaders plus members of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and
Salvation Army Advisory Board. The Chamber will conduct a ribbon
cutting to celebrate the relocation and dedication
of the new facility, and new members of the Advisory Board will
be installed. The
event also features a tour of the new site and music will be
performed by the An-tioch High School choir.
The newly remod-eled facility will enable the Antioch Corps to
expand its current programming, which includes the After-school
Club, the yearly
Community Easter Hunt, and the eight-week summer day
camp, which begins in June.For more information, call Maj.
Jackie
Smith at 925-778-0808, ext. 12.
Army on the move
The community is invited to support local veterans at a Zumba
party fundraiser on Friday, March 2 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Veterans
Hall, 757 First St. in Brentwood. Admission is $10. Attendees
will enjoy the party atmosphere and burn lots of calories while
supporting a good cause. For more information, call Karina at
925-437-8024 or e-mail [email protected].
Zumba fundraiser for vets
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Catho-lic Church Knights of
Columbus continues its tradition of cooking fi sh dinners every
Friday during Lent. Attendees can enjoy the Friday fi sh fry
through March 30 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the parish hall or by driving
through the lot and taking the meal home.
The fi sh dinner costs $12 and includes deep-fried fi sh, French
fries, coleslaw and a bev-erage.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catho-lic Church is located at 500
Fairview Ave. in Brentwood. For more information, call
925-634-4154.
Church hosts fish fry
-
8A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION MARCH 2, 2012
Loan Guy Logic
www.LoanGuyLogic.Com
By Paul Kelly The Loan Guy
SHOPPING FOR A HOME ON-LINE IS SMART!
Gas went past $4.00 this week and fi nd-ing a Realtor to start
showing you homes can be frustrating. You dont need a car, you need
a computer and a general idea of where you want to buy and in what
price range. 100% of prospective Home Buyers start their search on
the web because its loaded with information and you can get it all
from your kitchen table. Lots of Pictures, maps, prices, pay-ments,
school districts, and its updated 4 times a day. If youre not
looking here, youll miss off ers and lose opportunities. Instant
Global communication Now thats LOGICAL! To learn more about this
information visit
my website below, Click on FIND YOUR DREAMHOME ON LINE and
Badda Bing Youre Shopping!
(925) 706-6703
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Students at Pioneer Elementary School recently marshaled their
cerebral forces at the Odyssey of the Minds regional competition.
The third-grade team, coached by Naomi Longoria and Jen Armatis,
included Ella Simone, Kayla Longoria, Malia Yancey, Xander Armatis
and Reed Schmitt. The fourth-grade team, coached by Maria Diaz and
Dee Finazzo, featured Alex Emery, Emily Eaton, Emily Diaz, Enrique
Pasos, Emily Finazzo, Adam Chan and Nyla Lampkin. The fth-grade
team, coached by Erik Pakin, included Daniel Simone, Riley Pathe,
Sierra Hinds, Max Waechter, Zack Pakin, Matthew Wieland and Enrico
Manding. The fth-grade team placed second in its division and
advances to the state competition later this month.
Colts compete at Odyssey
Photo courtesy of Kristine Simone
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MARCH 2, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 9A
Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey
Top of the Food Chain
Advertisement
Show me the money! - A notorious saying in some circles, but
always referenced back to the 1996 Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding,
Jr., fi lm, Jerry Mcguire. In the fi lm it was said fi rst by Cuba
Gooding Jr. while he made the most important fi nancial decision of
his familys life. For anyone being foreclosed, or being threatened
with foreclosure, here in California, Show me the note! is the
battle cry for fi ghting the foreclosure.
On two recent occasions in California restraining orders have
been in place to stop foreclosure proceedings because the lender(s)
were not to the provide the bankruptcy courts the documentation
needed to prove they truly owned the note therefore they could not
prove they had the right to foreclose on the property in question.
With the very recently released Offi ce of Th rift Supervision
study, announced by managing director Grovetta Gardineer, providing
evidence that 55% of all modifi ed loans redefault within the fi
rst six months, its truly relevant to begin discussions on
alternative ways of saving your home.
Since California permits foreclosure proceedings to begin
without the homeowner represented by legal counsel, for anyone in
foreclosure, or threatened with foreclosure, its come to a point
where hiring, or at least looking into, legal counsel should be a
serious thought. Instead of paying for a loan modifi cation that
promises no fi nish line, or exact results, why not at the very
least investigate the idea of a real estate attorney, or a
bankruptcy attorney to save your home? Quoting from yet another fi
lm, this time the 1972 classic, Th e Godfather, every great wealth
comes from a great crime. Th e very same lenders, brokerages, and
trading fi rms that made hundreds of
millions (in some cases, billions) from the housing boom, are
also the same sloppy companies that apparently did not pay enough
attention to the details such as the needed documentation to confi
rm ownership of many mortgage notes. With over $810 billion in
mortgages converted into securities and made available for trading
in 2006 it is not becoming apparent in the courts that not every
lender executed the proper paperwork to transfer some of those
mortgages to the investors who thought they bought them, and so now
those investors are being told by the courts they cannot foreclose
on those loans!
Simply stated, if the party trying to foreclose cant provide
proof they own the note on your home, how can they possibly call
said note due and retain ownership of the collateral, thus
foreclosing on your family? In court, by law, if they lender cannot
provide the needed documentation - the original note within 5 years
of it being requested (5 years is the statute of limitation for
these cases) than the homeowner is free of any obligation on the
mortgage. As former federal bankruptcy Judge Glen Ayers stated,
banks looking to reap the benefi t of the note may not be able to
show the judge they have the right to foreclose. More and more
Judges nationwide are taking a page out of Johnny Depps book while
they tell lenders to forget about it just as he did in the 1997 fi
lm, Donnie Brasco!
Regardless of how this topic aff ects you directly, its truly
important that youre informed and aware of the conversations taking
place around you.
As always, I welcome all questions and or concerns pertaining to
real estate lending on my cell phone, 925-726-1444, or via email,
[email protected].
22 000002010
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10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION MARCH 2, 2012
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Teacher of the Year accepts honor
2011 was a year of fi rsts for Kristin Ortega. Not only did the
Discovery Bay El-ementary School teacher and 49er cheerlead-ing
coach get engaged; she became a hom-eowner, saw her team make it to
the playoffs and won the Byron Union School Districts Teacher of
the Year award.
Big year? You bet.Yeah, it was a good year, laughed
Ortega, 28. It has all been pretty remark-able.
The Discovery Bay Chamber of Com-merce thought so too and
honored the fi rst-grade teacher at a special ceremony this week.
Ortega couldnt pick up her award at the State of the Town event in
January in which Teachers of the Year are traditionally recognized
because she was coaching her cheerleaders for the playoffs. So the
chamber brought the award to her.
We were just so thrilled to be able to honor her, said Chamber
President Rita Ca-ruso, who also presented Ortega with
procla-mations from Supervisor Mary Piepho and Assemblywoman Joan
Buchanan. Shes very deserving.
In Contra Costa County, more than 8,200 teachers educate
approximately 167,000 public school students. In recogni-
tion of their efforts, participating school districts select
their Teacher of the Year rep-resentatives.
Representatives come from each of the 16 school districts as
well as the Contra Costa Community College District and the Contra
Costa County Offi ce of Education.
The winner of the county program goes on to represent Contra
Costa in the state com-petition.
While proud of her accolades, Ortega views the award as more of
a group accom-plishment.
I was completely shocked and honored
by the award, said Ortega, who was a 49er cheerleader from
2004-08 and is now their head cheerleading coach. But everyone puts
in their time here and we work very closely as a team. This is
really for everyone.
Ortega credits her success in the class-room to creating high
expectations for her students combined with equal parts of sup-port
and encouragement.
When you set the bar high, they will always strive to reach it,
said Ortega. They want to do well and they want to please you,
especially at this age. And it works. I have great kids.
To win Teacher of the Year is an honor for any teacher, but to
have garnered the award on the fi rst nomination after being a
classroom teacher for only six years is, ac-cording to Byron School
District Superin-tendent Ken Jacopetti, remarkable.
Although Kristin has been in our dis-trict for only six years,
her positive attitude and integrity has made her an integral part
of the team, said Jacopetti. Weve all had teachers in our lives
that we remember, and Kristin is that kind of person. Were very
proud of her.
So, how to top 2011?Well, Im getting married this year,
said Ortega. Thats the only way I could make it a better year
than last.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
Kristin Ortega, center, with Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce
President Rita Caruso and Byron Union School District
Superintendent Ken Jacopetti at this weeks chamber mixer where
Ortega was of cially recognized as Teacher of the Year.
Photo by Fosster Gandrup
E-waste helps educationEast County residents can help raise
money
for education by recycling their e-waste for free. The Liberty
Union High School District Education Foundation, in conjunction
with Blue Star Electronics, LLC, will be on hand at The Streets of
Brentwood (in the parking lot behind Ulta) on Saturday, March 10
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to collect e-waste.
Participants can bring computer monitors, LCD/LED monitors and
TVs, plasma TVs, com-puters, hard drives, com-puter peripherals,
laptops, DVD players, VCRs, printers, scan-
ners, FAX/copy/answering machines, servers, radi-os, stereos,
recorders, phonographs, circuit boards, CD/video/cassettes, CD
players, calculators, pow-er supplies, connectors/cables,
telecommunica-
tions equipment, main frames com-puters and peripherals, all
consumer
electronics, and small and large appliances. Bikes, car
batteries, and chain link or metal fencing will also be
accepted.
Household batteries and light bulbs will not be accepted.
Monetary do-nations are welcome. For more information about the
Education Foundation, log
on to http://educationwins.org.
Oakley kindergartenIts time to schedule ap-
pointments for kindergarten registration. Children enter-ing
kindergarten must turn 5 on or before Nov. 1, 2012. Parents must
bring to regis-tration proof of birth (birth certifi cate, passport
or bap-tismal certifi cate), a complete and up-to-date immunization
record and proof of residency (a picture ID and two origi-nal
documents such as vehicle registration, property tax bill or
rental/lease agreement). Registration will be held at: Vintage
Parkway Elemen-
tary on Thursday, March 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (925-625-6800).
Iron House Elementary on Thursday and Friday, March 8 and 9 from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. (925-625-6825). Oakley Elementary on Fri-day, March
9: from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (925-625-7050). Laurel Elementary on
Mon-day, March 12 from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. (925-625-7090).
Gehringer Elementary on Friday, March 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(925-625-7070).
-
MARCH 2, 2012 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 11A
For more information please visit my website at
ReversePurchase.BIZ, or email me at:
[email protected]
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925-623-1019www.ReversePurchase.BIZNMLS/CA-DOC #247654
Your Retirement Simpli ed
YOUR BI-WEEKLY UPDATE FOR RETIREMENT PREPARATION
Types of Reverse Mortgages
Michele Bethea925-525-6499
#01904951Your Local Area Retirement Real Estate Specialist WR
Properties
Equal Housing Opportunity Lender. *Some exceptions may apply. A
reverse mortgage is a non-recourse transaction secured by the
consumers principal dwelling that ties repayment (other than upon
default) to the homeowners death or permanent move from, or
transfer of the title of, the home. Program and Guidelines are
subject to change without notice. Not a commitment to lend. Land
Home only conducts business in states we are approved to. Land Home
Financial Services, Inc. 141 Sand Creek Road, Suite C, Brentwood,
CA 94513. Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the
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of Real Estate - 916-227-0931. Date: 12-16-11
RealtorsWR Properties
www.shannoncoe.com
Shannon Coe925-997-5758DRE#01489731
Your Roseville Area Retirement Real Estate Specialist
Keller Williams,[email protected]
The three basic types of reverse mortgage are: single-purpose
reverse mortgages, which are offered by some state and local
government agencies / nonpro t organizations; federally-insured
reverse mortgages, known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages
(HECMs), backed by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD); and proprietary reverse mortgages, private loans
that are backed by the companies that develop them.
Single-purpose reverse mortgages generally have very low costs,
but not available everywhere, and can only can be used for one
purpose speci ed by the government or nonpro t lender.
The most common type of reverse mortgage in our area is the
HECM.Before applying for a HECM, you must meet with a counselor
from an independent government-approved housing counseling agency.
Counselors should tell you about government or nonpro t programs
for which you may qualify.
The HECM gives you choices in how the loan is paid to you. You
can select xed monthly cash advances for a speci c period or for as
long as you live in your home. Or, you can opt for a line of
credit, which allows you to draw on the loan proceeds at any time
in amounts that you choose. You also can get a combination of
monthly payments plus a line of credit.
Summit Funding offers you the option, upon quali cation, to
purchase a home with a reverse mortgage! Seniors 62 and older can
tap into the equity from the sale of their previous home, or use
other resources, to move into a new home with a single down
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LONETREE TREE WAY @ CANADA VALLEY RD.
CULTIVATEA BURRITOFUL WORLD
all this time, said Historical Society Pres-ident Ginny
Karlberg. Its more than 130 years old. It doesnt look like much
now, but in its day, it was the form of transpor-tation that took
tourists from the railroad depot to the Hot Springs. Even restored,
you wont fi nd many of these in museums today.
In its glory days, the omnibus was a nine-seat stagecoach used
by the Byron Hot Springs to transport guests to and from the
resort. The Byron Hot Springs was the prime tourist attraction in
East County back in the late 19th century. The mineral springs were
believed to exert healing powers that could cure anything from gout
to ailments of the kidneys and liver. People from all over the
United States and Europe fl ocked to the springs for a chance to
indulge in the healing wa-ters.
The Byron Hot Springs resort opened in 1865, and a hotel was
built there in 1878. Rooms were available for $5 a day; $6 if you
wanted your personal bathtub. Salt baths costs 50 cents and mud
baths $1. Guests who felt like splurging could pay $1.50 for a
massage. Guests were in-vited to soak in the mineral waters to
soften skin or drink the waters as a way to purify the bloodstream.
Some women believed the waters even helped them shed unwanted
pounds.
The omnibus was used by the hotel
even after the Byron Hot Springs railroad depot opened in 1878,
but the advent of the automobile made the carriage obso-lete. The
Byron Hot Springs Hotel closed in 1938. While the property and the
om-nibus changed hands many times over the years, the owners could
never muster the funds to restore the springs to its glory
days.
Karlberg said the ECCHS plans to restore the omnibus, but
securing fund-ing and all the authentic parts could take years.
Despite the challenges, Karlbergs husband Tim is up for the
challenge. This is a historical treasure in the rough, Tim said. We
are so very excited to be given the opportunity to restore her (the
omni-bus) to her original, magnifi cent condi-tion.
Those interested in supporting the omnibus restoration project
should con-tact Ginny Karlberg at 925-513-1281.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Carriage from page 4A
Photo courtesy of ECCHS
The Byron Hot Springs omnibus participated in local parades in
years gone by before ending up deteriorating in an East County
barn.
It turns out that this precious piece of history was hiding in
someones shed all this time.
ECCHS President Ginny Karlberg
-
12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY MARCH 2, 2012
EMPLOYEES AND FACEBOOK/TWITTER: BE CAREFUL!Facebook, Twitter,
and social media look
like they are here to stay, but what are the rules in the
workplace? Which posts do employers have to allow? Which posts can
legally get you fired? Knowing the rules of this game is becoming
more critical as the popularity of social media websites continues
to grow. But its tricky.
Not surprisingly, the law has not caught up with the use of
social media and the rules therefore continue to morph over time,
depend-ing on who has chimed in most recently. The best guidance
therefore tends to be specific examples. Heres a few:
1. Employee complains on Facebook that she was passed over for a
promotion, the business is mismanaged, and she has not received a
pay raise in three years. Three co-workers participate in the
conversation. The complaining employee is fired and the co-workers
are disciplined. The termination and discipline were determined to
be unlawful.
2. Employee posts a Facebook message complaining about a
co-worker and that she was about to beat him. The employee was
suspend-ed. This discipline was deemed lawful.
3. An employee handbook stating employ-ees could only discuss
terms and conditions of employment in an appropriate manner was
determined to be unlawful.
A common misconception is that anything said on the Internet is
protected speech under the First Amendment. Not so for a variety of
reasons. Employees should also be aware (and employers should
consider) that social media can legally in some instances be used
for background checks
so long as certain requirements are met. Another troubling
aspect of all of this is when and how email, voicemail, and social
media is privacy pro-tected and when it is not. Employers and
employ-ees continue to be shocked and dismayed when they run afoul
of these rules because frankly some make sense and others simply do
not.
All employers should adopt and enforce policies on social media
use before they are forced to react to a particular situation; and
that situation will occur as the use of social media continues to
grow in popularity. And employees that use social media should
beware of how it can be used against you, and probably when you
least expect it.
For more assistance or information tailored to your particular
situation or business, contact Rhonda Shelton Kraeber, Esq. at
Alvis Frantz and Associates, (925) 516-1617 or
[email protected]. As the only employment law specialist in
East Contra Costa County, I have been assisting employers and
employees with all aspects of the employer-employee relationship
for more than 20 years.
Its a Matter of LawBy Rhonda Shelton Kraeber, Esq.
The information provided is for informational purposes only and
not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact
an attorney to obtain advice with respect to your particular issue
or problem.
(925) 516-1617WWW.ALVISFRANTZLAW.COM
Advertisement
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Board
voted unanimous-ly Monday to add a 10-year sunset clause to its
proposed $197 annual parcel tax, and send it to the voters on June
5.
The decision reverses a 6-3 straw vote on Feb. 6 to continue the
tax indefi nitely. Directors who had previously voted in favor of
the open-ended tax said Monday that they still preferred a
per-manent fi x to the districts $2.8 million annual budget
short-fall, but that feedback from the public clearly supported a
sunset.
When I fi rst took offi ce, I made a promise to myself that I
would not be like public offi cials who dont listen to the pub-lic,
said ECCFPD Director and Brentwood City Councilman Steve Barr. My
opinion is going to take second seat to that.
The tax will require a two-thirds major-ity to pass, and
directors agreed with members of the public who spoke at the
meeting that it would be diffi cult to reach that threshold even
with the sunset clause.
Director Jim Frazier of the Oakley City Council said the sunset
was appropriate, and that the public deserved a chance to weigh in
on the job the district had done with its mon-ey after 10
years.
We actually need more money than this, but we can make a fair
amount of progress with a 10-year sunset, he said. If the public
approves, they can extend it or make it less, or they can revoke
it.
Prior to the vote, the tax received the en-dorsement of the
450-member United Profes-sional Fire Fighters Union Local 1230,
which represents ECCFPD fi refi ghters.
We are 100 percent behind this and our membership is ready to
roll, said Gil Guer-rero of Local 1230. We will be out there
selling this, giving it everything we have. This is important for
all the communities of East Contra Costa.
The tax would apply to all parcels in the 250-square-mile
ECCFPD, which includes Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Byron,
Knightsen, Bethel Island and Morgan Territory. The measure
includes an annual cost-of-liv-ing increase up to 3 percent per
year.
If passed, the tax will al-low the district to avoid laying off
half its 48 fi refi ghters and closing three of its six remain-ing
stations. Two stations were closed in 2010 to cut costs as
district revenue shrank with plummeting property tax
revenue.
The tax would allow the district to staff all engines with the
industry-standard three fi refi ghters. Two stations are currently
staffed with two.
It would also allow implementation of a district paramedic
program. ECCFPD fi re-fi ghters now provide Basic Life Saving (BLS)
medical care. Advanced Life Saving (ALS) service is currently
provided separately by American Medical Response.
Passage would also open a seventh sta-tion in 2016, and
immediately begin replen-ishing depleted funds for maintaining
stations and replacing vehicles and equipment.
Fire Chief Hugh Henderson said public information meetings would
continue in the coming weeks. The district has already con-ducted
18 community meetings explaining the need for the tax and the
consequences if new revenue is not found. The district is now
depen-dent on reserves that will run out in July.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
East County to vote on 10-year fire tax
by Rick LemyreStaff Writer
Discovery Bay set to celebrate Earth Day
As Earth Day approaches, towns and communities around the globe
are gearing up to get their green on. In Discovery Bay the process
is already underway.
We are in the planning stages and the excitement and momentum is
amazing, said Discovery Bay General Manager Rick Howard. This is a
great event that will show the community how to be energy effi
cient, conserve natural resources and do it in a way that is fun
and educational.
Held the day before the offi cial com-memoration on April 22,
the Earth Day 2012 Town of Discovery Bay Family Festival is slated
for April 21 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Slifer Park. The inaugural
event hosted in conjunction with the town and the Discov-
ery Bay Chamber of Commerce is free to the public and offers an
abundance of op-portunities for residents to celebrate the
en-vironment while paying it forward for future generations.
Festivities include the planting of 100 trees (donated by
developer D.R. Horton) at various locations throughout the
com-munity, opportunities to work on the towns groundbreaking
wetlands project, a variety of kids activities, and vendor booths
featur-ing organic fruits and vegetables.
This is something that will be a fun family event but will also
be benefi cial to our community, said Howard. It is also a great
opportunity for families to come out and spend the day planting
trees and working in our wetlands. And at the end of the day they
will have made a nice commitment to the en-vironment and the
community.
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
-
14A | THEPRESS.NET MARCH 2, 2012
OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National
AwardWinning NewspapersHave you got something to say? Visit
www.thepress.net and let your thoughts be known.
The Press Newspapers are adjudicated in the the cities of
Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, and the Delta Judicial District
of Contra Costa County.
No part of this publication may be reproduced for commerce or
trade without written permission from the publisher.
BRENTWOOD PRESS & PUBLISHING CORPORATIONNational Award
Winning Newspapers
Founder & President Jimmy ChamouresPublisher & General
Manager Greg Robinson
Executive Editor Rick LemyreProduction Manager & Webmaster
Lonnie de Lambert
Business Manager Heather Reid
Main Office / Brentwood248 Oak St. Brentwood, CA 94513
Phone 925-634-1441 Fax 925-634-1975Web site:
www.thepress.net
Advertising 925-634-1441, ext. 115Classifieds 925-634-1441, ext.
142
Editorial 925-634-1441, ext. 111Circulation 925-250-1405
Editorial e-mail [email protected]
LETTERS TO THE EDITORLess talk, more enforcement
Editor:As a 30-plus-year resident, I have
seen Antioch become the new Dodge City of East County. I dont
think An-tioch needs another Town Hall meeting; the problems of
violence and crime are self evident.
Solutions: Mayor Davis and council need to provide strong
leadership to establish a zero-tolerance policy for all crime,
fully fund the Antioch Police Force (public safety must come fi
rst) and establish a real code-compliance program with real fi
nancial penalties for banks, mortgage companies and slumlords. This
can all go forward with the $1 million gift Antioch is about to
receive from GenOn.
Please, no more meetings. Its time for real leadership to attack
Antiochs crime wave and blight head-on!
Greg FeereAntioch
Not naive, just overtaxedEditor:
I am writing this in response to Debra Marlow, the police offi
cers wife residing in Brentwood. She rebutted my prior writing to
the editor that, amongst other things, stated my feelings that the
police of Antioch are overcompensated both in current pay and in
retirement benefi ts, to the considerable detriment of the
taxpayers who pay their freight.
With the exception of the royalty amongst us, namely our police
(and fi refi ghters, I should add), none of the taxpayers are now
drawing, or ever will draw, the obscene compensation pack-ages our
City Council and administrators have bestowed upon these chosen
few.
I am not sure of the exact wording of a motion passed by the
Antioch City Council some years back, but it is to the effect that
Antioch will keep its police offi cers at something like within the
top two or three in Contra Costa County in
pay and benefi ts.Maybe thats why Antioch police
have paid, I believe, 0 percent, nothing, nada, zero toward
their own retirement packages up until a year or so ago, at which
time they began paying a paltry 3 percent of their gross pay.
Wow, industry workers paid 6.2 percent FICA and that was matched
equally by their employers up until last year, when Congress passed
a temporary reduction to 4.2 percent to put more money back into
the economy. When I was a fi refi ghter, I paid 9 percent of my pay
to CALPERS, plus at least as much was paid by my employer. We then
received a 60-percent pension after work-ing 30 years.
How in the world is it fair to com-pensate those who serve us as
police and fi re personnel to a level which none of us can ever
hope to attain? Retirement pay of 90 to 100 percent (and more) as a
ben-efi t is obscene at best and, in fact, is mor-ally and
economically incomprehensible; no public entity can remain solvent
while effectively continuing to carry forever on its payroll all
police and fi refi ghters that have ever been in their employ.
The only other royalty amongst us besides police and fi re that
we have in California is our congressional del-egation to the U.S.
Congress. They are eligible for 100 percent of their pay as
retirement after serving as little as one term in offi ce.
Insanity, indeed, reigns supreme in the USA.
This is exactly the reality that now faces virtually every
government jurisdic-tion within the State of California. Ei-ther a
tax jurisdiction now has to jack its tax rates out of sight, or
gain concessions from those who due to the incompetence
of its administrators are being obscenely and unsustainably
overcompensated, or fi le for bankruptcy, as happened in Vallejo
some time back.
Naturally, as is common in politics, some people when confronted
with an unpleasant charge or accusation fi nd that it is better to
ignore the facts of the matter and resort to hysterics and su-perfl
uous banter, as has Debra Marlow. The fact that she has lost her
job has no bearing whatsoever on what the compen-sation package of
her husband, a police offi cer, is or should be.
An important fact for Debra Marlow to understand is that, if
there were no recession/depression at all, and housing prices were
still at bubble levels, the City of Antioch and all other
jurisdictions in the state providing police and fi re protection
would still be facing bankruptcy because of this very real is-sue:
police and fi re are unjustly overcom-pensated.
Oh, and there are clearly hundreds, if not thousands, of
candidates who will happily apply for open police jobs in Antioch,
even though there will be a two-tier compensation package in
effect, with the new hires getting dramatically less than their
royal counterparts, who are now employed here.
In all likelihood, we will then have police offi cers pitted
against each other, even as we now have taxpayers pitted against
other taxpayers, all brought on by the citys unwise use of the
Mello-Roos tax path to quick and dirty subdivi-sions. Can you
imagine wage and benefi t negotiations with two distinctly
differ-ently compensated police groups sitting at the bargaining
table?
Clearly the only naivety to be found
between me and Debra Marlow rests within herself and some city
administra-tors.
At least thats the way it appears from my overtaxed Antioch
abode.
James C. MorrisAntioch
Add downtown amenitiesEditor:
As Ive watched the progress of the Downtown Brentwood
Revitalization since moving to the area about seven months ago, its
become a bit challeng-ing to remain optimistic about how the
downtown area will look when the project is complete.
I was really hoping to see a down-town designed in Brentwood
along the lines of some of the beautiful downtown areas in the Bay
Area where Ive lived previously, such as Livermore, Pleasan-ton,
Danville and Walnut Creek, and had hoped that those responsible for
the Brentwood project were planning a downtown area that would be
similar in design and amenities to the aforemen-tioned successful
downtowns.
What Ive noticed about these areas that Ive yet to see in
downtown Brent-wood (or just about anywhere in Brent-wood, really)
are a few things that make all the difference: tall, mature shade
trees, large decorative fountains and plenty of visually appealing
lighting. I sincerely hope downtown Brentwood ends up looking as
nice as these other downtowns within the Bay Area, so I dont have
to continue driving to one of these other cities to enjoy downtown
shopping, din-ing and walking.
Deborah HindsBrentwood
City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council City Hall150
City Park WayBrentwood, CA 94513 Phone:
925-516-5440www.ci.brentwood.ca.us
City of Antioch City Manager and City Council City HallTh ird
and H streetsAntioch, CA 94509Phone:
925-779-7000www.ci.antioch.ca.us
City of Oakley City Manager and City Council City Hall3231 Main
St.Oakley, CA 94561Phone: 925-625-7000www.ci.oakley.ca.us
Town of Discovery BayTown Manager and Community Services
District 1800 Willow Lake RoadDiscovery Bay, CA 94505Phone:
925-634-1131www.todb.ca.gov
County Supervisor, Dist. III Mary N. Piepho3361 Walnut Blvd.,
Suite 140.Brentwood, CA 94513 Phone: 925-240-7260
[email protected]
County Supervisor, Dist. VFederal Glover315 E. Leland
Ave.Pittsburg, CA 94565Phone: [email protected]
State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier Seventh State Senate DistrictState
CapitolRoom 2054Sacramento, CA 95814Phone: 916-651-4007 1350 Treat
Blvd., Suite 240Walnut Creek, CA 94597Phone:
925-942-6082www.dist07.casen.govoffi ce.com
Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan15th District P.O. Box
942849Sacramento, CA 942493231 Main St., Oakley, CA 94561 Phone:
925-679-2715www.democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a15
Gov. Jerry BrownConstituent Aff airsState Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2864
www.gov.ca.gov/interact#email
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi10th Congressional District420 W. Th ird
StreetAntioch, CA 94509Phone: 925-757-7187Washington offi ce:228
Cannon HOBWashington, D.C. 20515Phone: 202-225-1880www.
garamendi.house.gov/contact
U.S. Rep. Gerald McNerney 11th Congressional District 2222 Grand
Canal Blvd., Suite 7 Stockton, CA 95207 Phone: 209-476-8552Fax:
209-476-8587Washington offi ce:312 Cannon HOBWashington, D.C.
20515
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
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16A | THEPRESS.NET MARCH 2, 2012
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Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net THEPRESS.NET | 17A
MARCH 2, 2012
Follow sports on Twitter! Scan QR code with your smart
phone.
Same faces make Wolverines a tennis favorite
This years Deer Valley boys tennis team looks much like last
years squad high hopes and an Ahmad at the top of the singles
lad-der.
Senior Zahid Ahmad, who takes over the No. 1 slot from his older
brother Abid, has set his sights on continued domination of the Bay
Valley Athletic League. Last season, Zahid went undefeated
throughout league play and made it deep into the North Coast
Section tournament as a doubles player.
The Wolverines return several athletes from last years league
title team, including fi ve of its six singles players Ahmad,
junior Cameron Yee, senior Zac Grosser, junior Jer-emy Gonzales and
senior Adam Alemneu.
Deer Valley maintained the solidarity of its doubles pairings as
well. The top duo of ju-niors Jeremy Rotman and Michael Djaja are
back. One notable newcomer is No. 2 singles player Zac Ea, a
freshman who has been im-pressive in preseason.
Were headed down the right road, head coach Brian Richardson
said. We just have to keep our focus.
Deer Valley is already turning some heads after claiming
victories over non-league schools such as De La Salle and
Berkeley.
Richardson believes the rugged preseason schedule makes the
Wolverines battle-tested as league play starts.Heritage
Heritage, one of the top teams in the league last season, is
starting nearly from scratch this year. The Patriots lost 11 of the
12 varsity athletes from last years team to graduation. The one
returning player is No. 2
singles athlete Adam Tamura, a junior.What the Patriots lack in
varsity experi-
ence, they make up for in talent. At the top of the singles
ladder is freshman Trevor Samuda. Head coach Mike Carmen said
Samuda, the brother of 2010 BVAL girls champion Arle-sha Samuda, is
already one of the most sea-soned athletes on the team.
Samuda already owns a title, winning
the recent Richards/Kelly Memorial Tourna-ment in Oakley.
Another freshman to watch is Worku Ousman, Heritages No. 5 singles
athlete.
Its nice because well have them for a long time, Carmen said of
his younger play-ers. Im hoping we can surprise a lot of peo-ple
and hopefully compete for a league title.
Seniors Josiah Younger and Adam Neil-son comprise the Patriots
top doubles squad. Both played for Heritages junior varsity squad,
and Carmen is excited to see what they can do this
season.Freedom
Freedom senior Justin Monge, who got a taste of the No. 1 slot
last season, returns to the top spot fully in his possession.
Falcons head coach Steve Amaro said Monge has shown the ability to
lead by example and put in the necessary work.
Amaro feels that the teams strength is its singles ladder, led
by Monge.
A few new athletes have a chance to compete for Freedom this
season. Senior Da-vid Moe, whose sister Michelle starred for the
Falcons a few years ago, could impress out of the No. 5 singles
slot. Freshman singles player Seth Dike has also done well in
preseason.
Amaro is excited for senior Jarrelle Tram-
by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer
see Tennis page 21A
Deer Valley senior Adam Alemneu returns a shot during Mondays
practice. Alemneu is one of ve returning singles players for the
Wolverines.
Photo by Justin Lafferty
Bay Valley Athletic League basketball teams have advanced deep
into the North Coast Section playoffs. Above right, Freedom junior
center Ramiro Contreras battles with a Liberty player for a rebound
in second-round action. Above left, Deer Valley senior guard
Monique Mulder maneuvers between two Amador Valley Dons during the
Wolverines second-round victory. Deer Valley and Freedoms boys
teams squared off in the semi nals on Wednesday, while Deer Valleys
girls team faced Mission San Jose and Heritages girls squad tangled
with Berkeley. Read recaps at www.thepress.net. Follow us on
Twitter at www.twitter.com/thepress_sports for scoring updates of
the nals.
March Madness
Photo by Justin Lafferty Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr.
-
18A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS MARCH 2, 2012
Local wrestlers head to Bakersfield
Bay Valley Athletic League wrestlers made a name for themselves
in several ways at last weekends North Coast Section
tour-nament.
Led by Antioch senior Kyle Clark, who won the 220-pound
division, seven BVAL athletes placed in the top four in their
weight class, which was required to advance to the state
tournament. Clark defeated College Parks Alex Encarnacion 10-3 in
the fi nals. The top local team was Liberty, which placed four
grapplers in the top four, good enough for a third-place fi
nish.
Going in, I would have been happier with anything better than a
fi fth place, but we got a banner, which was good for the kids,
Lions head coach Greg Chappel said, referring to the fl ag that
will now decorate the gym at Liberty. The kids wrestling on that
Saturday had big matches after big matches.
Liberty will send to the state tourna-ment sophomore Devon Lyle
(second, 106 pounds), junior Austin Solari (third, 126 pounds),
senior Jacob Thompson-Zanarini (second, 132 pounds), senior Xavier
Johnson (third, 138 pounds) and senior Zack Hanson (second, 170
pounds).
Joining them will be Clark, as well as Heritage sophomore Joey
Vigil, who placed fourth at 106 pounds, losing to Lyle in the
quarterfi nals before bouncing back.
Clarks performance ended his injury-plagued season on an upbeat
note. It also gave him his fi rst NCS title last season he lost in
the tournament fi nals. Clarks run to this seasons fi nals was
dominant: he won his matches 21-3, 19-2, 18-3, 15-3, and 10-3 in
the fi nal.
After Liberty, the next best BVAL team was Freedom, which fi
nished 13th. Sopho-more Ricky Costers fi fth-place performance in
the 126-pound division was the closest the Falcons came to
qualifying a wrestler for state. Rounding out the BVALs team
contest
was Heritage (29th), Antioch (35th), Pitts-burg (tied, 36th) and
Deer Valley (56th).
The seven remaining grapplers head to this weekends state
tournament at the Rabo-bank Arena in Bakersfi eld. Since the
tourna-ment is loaded with the best wrestlers from the most
populous state in the nation, Chap-pel knows better than to
speculate about what will happen.
It wouldnt kill me if our guys didnt do that well, Chappel said.
But they just have to get in there on that fi rst day and get a
good feeling and anything can happen. If not, then they need to
come back the next day and go one match at a time.
Antiochs Clark will take on Clovis Wests Cortes Morales in the
fi rst round, while Heritages Vigil will go up against Johnson Mai
from North Torrance. Libertys Thompson-Zanarini opposes Woodlands
Michael Lopez, and Hanson will clash with Tyler Gil or Orland.
Teammates Lyle, Solari and Johnson received fi rst-round byes.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
by Michael DixonCorrespondent
Liberty junior Austin
Solari pins Exeters
Brandon Akers during
the Lou Bronzan
Invitational earlier this year. Solari took third
place at NCS.
Press file photo
Girls finish well at CIF
Led by Pittsburg senior Lachae Banks, four local girls competed
at the California Interscholastic Feder-ation wrestling tournament
in Lem-oore.
Banks, a 235-pound senior, placed eighth in her weight class.
She lost her fi rst match to Alana ONeill of Terra Nova, but
claimed victories over Magnolias America Martinez, Lancasters
Cecilia Diaz, and San Benitos Athena McGoff. In the fi -nal rounds,
Banks fell to McLanes Anissa Hernandez and once again to ONeill in
the seventh-place show-down.
Teammate Desirae Coniglio, a 114-pound junior, beat Northviews
Devinie Elizando in the opening round, but lost to Bethels Ricki
Lian in the fi rst round of the consolation bracket.
Liberty was represented by tal-ented grappler Kristina Diaz, fi
nish-ing her fi nal season as a Lion. Diaz defeated Charter Oaks
Maria Her-nandez in the fi rst round, but fell to eventual
second-place fi nisher Em-ily Ducote of Los Gatos in the next bout.
Bear Rivers Darlene Julian beat Diaz in the consolation
bracket.
Heritage sophomore Lania Aguayo put in a solid performance at
state and showed promise for her fi nal two years as a Patriot.
After losing to Lancasters Anna Divins in the fi rst round, she
toppled Pioneer Valleys Shyla Espinoza and West Covinas Justine
Steward in the con-solation bracket. Her day ended in a loss to
Ripons Hailey Owens.
-
MARCH 2, 2012 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 19A
THE PRESS ATHLETE OF THE THE PRESS ATHLETE OF THE
WEEKWEEKSponsored by The Press Newspapers
Want more exposure for your business? You can sponsor the
Athlete of the Week!
Contact Sonia at 634-1441, ext. 162 for the details!
If youd like to nominate someone for Athlete of the Week, call
Justin at 634-1441, ext.138
Kyle ClarkAntioch wrestler Kyle Clark, the lone Panther to place
at the North Coast Section Championship meet, defeated Alex
Encarnacion of College Park to win the 220-pound bracket. Clark was
the only BVAL wrestler to claim a tournament title.
The Press is happy to award two Rave movie passes to the Athlete
of the Week! Prizes to be claimed at the Brentwood Press, 248 Oak
St., Downtown Brentwood.
This weeks athlete is sponsored by The Press Newspapers
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Heritage frosh wins preseason tourney
Trevor Samuda is only a freshman, but hes already worked his way
to the top of the Heritage tennis ladder.
Samuda also worked his way to the top of the bracket at the
Richards/Kelly Memorial Tournament at Diamond Hills Sports Club in
Oakley. He claimed the title in the singles bracket, defeating St.
Patrick/St. Vincents Jordan Jenkins 6-4, 6-2.
Although the St. Patrick/St. Vincent Bruins, from Vallejo, fell
in the singles divi-sion, they succeeded in the doubles bracket.
Their No. 1 pair, Hinson and Ricky Leung, claimed the title by
defeating teammates Christian Lu and Kenneth Lapuz.
The tournament drew teams from across Northern California,
including four of the six Bay Valley Athletic League schools plus
teams from San Leandro, Rosemont and Tracy.
Heritages Samuda faced a tough road the fi nals. He began by
beating San Lean-dros William Yeung 10-1 and St. Patrick/St.
Vincents Tommy Purcell 10-0. In the quarterfi nals, Samuda
dismissed Antioch senior Ikram Najib 10-3, then defeated Freedom
No. 1 Justin Monge 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the fi nals.
Monge made a pretty good run as well, claiming victories over
Eric Bonde of St. Marys, Heritages Mackenzie Keady and Tracys
Anthony Klassen.
St. Marys No. 1 Brendon LaMon earned a third-place victory after
topping Monge 6-2, 6-2. Najib did earn some re-demption by rallying
for fi fth place, defeat-ing Tracys Klassen and Derek Paris in the
consolation bracket.
While out-of-town competition claimed the top four spots of the
doubles bracket, Heritages Josiah Younger and Adam Nielson placed
fi fth, defeating An-tiochs Sascha Ko and Devonn Garrison and then
teammates Worku Ousman and Jack Farnstrom after being bounced from
the main bracket.
Ousman and Farnstrom topped Rose-monts No. 1 team of Lars
Cheatham and Francis Tacuyan in the opening round, then beat
Freedoms Jarrelle Tramble and Drake Miller before falling to Andrew
Canlas and Anmol Cheema of Tracy.
Ko and Garrison, from Antioch, claimed a couple of victories in
the main bracket, topping Libertys No. 1 duo of Nick Fallon and
Cody Marlin and then St. Patrick/St. Vincents James Landgu and Mike
Cole.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer
-
20A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS MARCH 2, 2012
Do Not MoveI RepeatDo Not Leave Your HomeUntil Th e Bank
Forecloses Or Th e Short Sale Is Completedby Joan Grimes, Esq.
Advertisement
Every day people come into my offi ce indicating that they moved
out of their home many months (or even years ago) and the bank
still has not foreclosed. Th ey are now concerned because the city
is sending them bills for maintenance on the property and the
Homeowners Association is suing them for back payments even though
they are no longer living at the home. If you are behind on your
mortgage, have tried a loan modifi cation and have been denied or
know you will not be able to keep the home, what should you do?
First, DO NOT MOVE I REPEATDO NOT MOVE UNTIL THE BANK FORECLOSES
OR THE SHORT SALE IS COMPLETED. You are now living in your home
without paying your mortgage. It is free! You should not start
paying rent someplace else when you can live in your home for
free.
Second, KEEP UP THE PROPERTY. YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
PROPERTY UNTIL THE BANK FORECLOSES OR THE SHORT SALE IS COMPLETED.
So, even if you moved, you are still responsible for the
maintenance of the property and payment of any Homeowner
Association dues. You do not need to pay the property taxes, but
you should maintain the homeowners insurance. Th erefore, if you
are still responsible for the maintenance and HOA payment, you
might as well enjoy the property and the amenities.
Th ird, CONTINUE TO TALK TO YOUR LENDER TO SEE IF ANY NEW
OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU. Starting January 1, 2011, the State
of California is off ering new assistance programs through your
lender if you are behind on your mortgage.
Fourth, SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL. Depending on your situation, a real
estate or bankruptcy attorney will be able to advise you whether a
short sale may be
a better alternative for you than a foreclosure. Also, if you
have other debt which you are unable to pay off such as credit
cards, lines of credit or car loans, a bankruptcy may be the best
alternative for you. However, if you are no longer in the home, the
debt against the property cannot be used to off set income. Th
erefore, if you (or your family) have income over the average
median income in California (Family 1- $47,234, Family 2-$61,954,
Family 3-$67,562), you will want to fi le the bankruptcy case prior
to leaving the home. Leaving the home prior to the bankruptcy fi
ling may mean the fi ling of a Chapter 13 repayment plan versus a
straight Chapter 7 where no debts must be repaid.
In conclusion, do not move until the Bank forecloses or the
short sale is completed. It is still your home until the Bank
forecloses which can be months or years from the time you stop
paying. Th e average time of a foreclose in California is now 451
days from the date of default. Th at means potentially 451 days of
FREE RENT or more. Since you are still responsible for the
property, you might as well enjoy it. Th is is a complicated area
of the law. You are in the deep end of the pool. Do not swim alone.
Th e buddy system is essential. Seek a buddy in legal counsel prior
to taking any action. I see people everyday for a FREE 30 minute
consultation in my offi ces located in Walnut Creek, Antioch and
Brentwood.
WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE HELP PEOPLE FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY.
THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED AS LEGAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE
RELIED UPON IN MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING A VOLUNTARY DEFAULT,
SHORT SALE, FORECLOSURE OR BANKRUPTCY. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT A
SUBSTITUTE FOR OBTAINING TAX & LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN
INDIVIDUAL SITUATION. GRIMESBKLAW.COM 2011 Joan Grimes
Poker for Hall tripThey wont be inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame, but Oakleys Elite White 12U team will
make the trip to Cooperstown, N.Y. this summer to compete against
teams from across the nation in the American Youth Baseball Hall of
Fame Invitational Tournament.
Elite Baseball holds a poker tournament fundraiser Saturday,
March 10 at 6 p.m. in the Antioch Womans
Club, 509 G St., to support the teams trip to Cooperstown.
Tickets are $65. On deck are Elite Baseballs car show and car wash
fundraising events.
The team continues to conduct tryouts for roster spots. For more
information about tryouts or fundraising, e-mail
[email protected] or call 925-437-6235.
Contributed by Jayme Guitron
Photo courtesy of Jayme Guitron
The East County Cheetahs Amateur Athletic Union track team
awaits the starting gun in its inaugural competition Saturday the
Comets Meet, held at Contra Costa College in San Pablo.
The youth all-comers meet comprising runners 4 through 18
requires AAU membership ($14 at www.aausports.org) but no entrance
fee. Pro-ceeds from concessions support the Con-tra Costa College
Athletic Department.
The East County
Cheetahs continue to ac-cept new athletes. The organization
requests a $100 per athlete donation to participate. Parents can
call Cris Houston at 925-478-1603, e-mail [email protected],
or attend a prac-tice to sign up. The Chee-tahs practice Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Thurs-
days at 5:30 p.m. on the Pittsburg High School track.
First meet for Cheetahs
Members of Oakleys Elite White 12U baseball team are hoping to
take a trip to Baseballs birthplace, Cooperstown, N.Y., for a
national tournament.
-
MARCH 2, 2012 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 21A
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OAKLEYOAKLEYPRESS
20112011
ble, a member of the No. 1 doubles team, who has developed a
powerful serve that can be a useful weapon this season. Tramble is
paired up with Drake Miller. Andrew Polk is another doubles
athlete, along with partner Miguel Gilmore, who could have a solid
year.Antioch
Antioch has a good mix of returners and newcomers, as the
Panthers hope to climb the BVAL ranks.
Senior Ikram Najib returns as Antiochs No. 1 singles player, and
head coach Larry Johnson believes he can continue to improve. At
the recent Richards/Kelly Memorial Tour-nament, Najib placed fi fth
against competi-tion from across Northern California.
Sophomore Michael Bonzi returns to man the No. 2 slot. Jarrod
Sarinas and An-tonio Hernandez create a formidable No. 1 team.
I hope theyve improved with the time off, Johnson said of his
team. It gives us a chance to be optimistic.
One of the key new athletes for Antioch is a transfer from
Illinois, senior Devonn Gar-rison, who pairs with Sascha Ko in the
No. 3 doubles slot. Doubles player Deondre Grady, a senior, also
shows some promise in his fi rst year on the court.Liberty
Liberty had problems fi elding a full team last season, but head
coach Thurston Brice feels that this years team has some talent and
can compete.
The lone senior on the Lions young squad is No. 1 singles player
Jordan Tickner. Most of the players still have some time left at
Liberty, such as sophomore Noah Wang, the No. 2 singles player, and
junior Hank Tien, who will play in the No. 3 singles spot.
The Lions doubles players are nearly all sophomores. Cody Marlin
and Nick Fal-lon are the two second-year players atop the doubles
card.
Were young, Brice said. Were going to do OK in league, so long
as we can get our heads straight.
Brice is excited to see the progression of Arne Schmidt, a
German transfer student who recently started playing tennis, but
has already made signifi cant progress in the No. 4 singles slot.
Pittsburg
First-year head coach George Zumbro leads a Pittsburg team
looking to develop its skills this season.
The Pirates will count on fi ve seniors to guide them through
the rough waters of the BVAL Kevin Caranto, Gabriel Rodriguez, Jose
Pascual, Robert Kirkham and Roberto Ruiz. Zumbro, who spent the
last 15 years as a tennis instructor, said Pascual and Caranto are
battling it out for the No. 1 singles spot.
A cadre of talented Pittsburg players who will return next
season includes juniors Harold Ningas and Abraham Padilla, plus
freshmen Milton Torres, Vincent Parungao and Joshua Balbuena.
Zumbro noted that his team is loaded with players who lack
experience on the court but have been astute pupils. The main
weak-ness will be depth, as the Pirates might not be able to fi eld
a 12-man squad this season.
I feel that theyre an interesting group of boys, Zumbro said. Im
hoping that they will mature.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Tennis from page 17A
-
22A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS MARCH 2, 2012
LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESNOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALE
TS No. 11-0137168 Title Order No. 11-0117059 Investor/Insurer
No. 138474173 APN No. 033-280- 099-4 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A
DEED OF TRUST, DATED 04/19/2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT
YOUR PROP-ERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN
EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD
CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY,
N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust
executed by CHRISTOPHER R VARGAS, A MARRIED MAN AS HIS SOLE AND
SEPARATE PROPERTY, dated 04/19/2006 and recorded 4/28/2006, as
Instrument No. 2006-0133891-00, in Book , Page ), of Of cial
Records in the of ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County,
State of California, will sell on 03/26/2012 at 10:00AM, At the
Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and
Court Street), 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 at public
auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described
below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and
interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust,
in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully
described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address
and other common designation, if any, of the real property
described above is purported to be: 1410 QUAIL VALLEY RUN,
OAKLEY, CA, 94561. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability
for any incorrectness of the street address and other common
des-ignation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid
balance with in-terest thereon of the obligation secured by the
property to be sold plus reason-able estimated costs, expenses and
ad-vances at the time of the initial publica-tion of the Notice of
Sale is $432,220.39. It is possible that at the time of sale the
opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In
addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashiers checks drawn on
a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal
credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and
loan association, savings association, or savings bank speci ed in
Section 5102 of the Finan-cial Code and authorized to do business
in this state. Said sale will be made, in an AS IS condition, but
without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regard-ing title,
possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by
said Deed of Trust, advances thereun-der, with interest as
provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed
of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees,
charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by
said Deed of Trust. DATED: 02/19/2012 RECONTRUST
COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY,
CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626) 927-4399 By:
- Trustees Sale Of- cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt
collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained
will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 4202104 03/02/2012,
03/09/2012, 03/16/2012 Oak-ley Press No. 03- 0477 Publish dates:
March 2, 9, 16, 2012.
NOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALETS No. 11-0136122 Title Order No.
11-0115671 Investor/Insurer No. 871940471 APN No. 035-740- 026-6
YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 10/10/2007. UNLESS
YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROP-ERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A
PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE
PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is
hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed
trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by JAIME RUIZ AND
PATRICIA GOMEZ, dated 10/10/2007 and recorded 10/17/2007, as
Instrument No. 2007-0288552-00, in Book , Page ), of Of- cial
Records in the of ce of the County Recorder of Contra Costa County,
State of California, will sell on 03/26/2012 at 10:00AM, At the
Court Street entrance to the County Courthouse (corner of Main and
Court Street), 725 Court Street
Martinez, CA 94553 at public auction, to the highest bidder for
cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale,
all right, title, and interest con-veyed to and now held by it
under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County
and State and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed
of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any,
of the real property described above is purported to be: 4721
BAYSIDE, OAKLEY, CA, 94561. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any
liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other
common des-ignation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the
unpaid balance with in-terest thereon of the obligation secured by
the property to be sold plus reason-able estimated costs, expenses
and ad-vances at the time of the initial publica-tion of the Notice
of Sale is $610,841.12. It is possible that at the time of sale the
opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In
addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashiers checks drawn on
a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal
credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and
loan association, savings association, or savings bank speci ed in
Section 5102 of the Finan-cial Code and authorized to do business
in this state. Said sale will be made, in an AS IS condition, but
without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regard-
ing title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the
indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereun-der,
with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note
secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in
said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of
the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. DATED: 02/17/2012
RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI
VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626)
927-4399 By: - Trustees Sale Of- cer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a
debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information
obtained will be used for that purpose. ASAP# 4200968 03/02/2012,
03/09/2012, 03/16/2012 Oak-ley Press No. 03- 0477 Publish dates:
March 2, 9, 16, 2012.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMESTATEMENT File F-0000715-00 The name of
the business (es): Dish Net-work-Sales Located at: 1480 Moraga Rd.,
Suite I-392, In: Moraga, CA, 94556, Is hereby registered by the
following owner(s): TeleCentrics, 1480 Moraga Rd., Suite I-392,
Moraga, CA 94556. This business is conducted by: a Limited
Liability Company. The registrant com-menced to transact business
under the ctitious business name or names listed above on
2/16/2007. Signature of regis-trant: Cyrus Ghamghami -
TeleCentrics
LLC, CEO. This statement was led with Stephen L Weir, County
Clerk of Contra Costa County on: FEB 01, 2012 by Karla Ruiz,
Deputy, Expires 2/1/2017. Brent-wood Press No. 02-1273 Publish
dates: February 17, 24, March 2, 9, 2012.
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
PETITIONER OR ATTORNEY: Tiffany Martin SUPERIOR COURT OF
CALIFOR-NIA, COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA, 725 Court St., Martinez, CA
94553 PETITION OF: Tiffany Martin FOR CHANGE OF NAME ORDER TO SHOW
CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER: N12-0202 TO ALL INTERESTED
PER-SONS: 1. Petitioner: Tiffany Michelle Martin led a petition
with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present
Name: Tiffany Michelle Martin to Proposed Name: Tiffany Michelle
Austin 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this
matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated
below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name
should not be granted. Any person ob-jecting to the name changes
described above must le a written objection that includes the
reasons for the objection at least two court days before the
mat-ter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to
show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written
objection is timely led,
the court may grant the petition with-out a hearing. NOTICE OF
HEARING a. Date: 4/10/12 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept. 60 Room 102 b. The
address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this
Order to Show Cause shall be pub-lished at least once each week for
four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the
petition in the follow-ing newspaper of general circulation,
printed in this county: Brentwood Press Date: 2/3/12 Judith A.
Sanders, Pro tem Judge of the Superior Court Brentwood Press No.
02- 1273 Publish Dates: Febru-ary 17, 24, March 2, 9, 2012.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAMESTATEMENT File F-0001184-00 The name of
the business (es): Community Staf ng Resources Located at: 1820
Galindo Street, Suite #3, In: Concord, CA, 94520, Is hereby
registered by the following owner(s): Per Diem Staf ng Systems,
Inc. 1820 Galindo Street, Suite #3, Concord, CA 94520. This
business is conducted by: a Nevada Corporation. The registrant
commenced to transact business under the ctitious business name or
names listed above on 1/20/12. Signature of registrant: Judith L.
Travers, Administrator-Secretary. This statement was led with
Stephen L Weir, County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: FEB 21,
2012 by C. Garcia, Deputy, Expires 2/21/17. Brentwood Press No.
02-1273 Publish dates: March 2, 9, 16, 23, 2012.
LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL
NOTICES
X-traordinary performance
The Team X Mini Level 2 All Star Cheer Team from Antioch,
comprised kids 5 through 8, took fi rst place at the recent
Americas Best Nationals compe-tition in Sacramento.
The performance earned the unde-feated cheer squad a paid bid in
April to the U.S. Open Finals in Anaheim.
Team members H