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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 9, No. 47 Including Nearby Communities www.thepress.net
November 20, 2009
Natio
nalAwardWinning Newspapers
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Wolverines seal the deal
Deer Valley beat Heritage and finished its regular season
undefeated.
Page 2B
THIS WEEK
Fast nds! Search the business directory.Shopping, dining ...
anything you need. Find it in the business directory at
www.thepress.net. See page 22A.
Business ...........................22ACalendar
..........................23BClassifieds
........................14BCop Logs
..........................19AEntertainment ..................9BFood
.................................12BHealth & Beauty
...............8BMilestones .......................24AOpinion
...........................18ASports
.................................1BTalk About Town
..............5AWebExtras! .......................1B
INSIDE
Matching the miraculous
A local doctor is challenging the community to give so that he
can double the impact.
Page 3A
Highway widening, eBART to (re)start
Theres good news for thou-sands of East County commut-ers stuck
in a bumper-to-bumper grind every weekday morning and afternoon.
More than a year after the completion of the widening of Highway 4
to Railroad Avenue, construction on the widening will begin again
in a few months.
Work is scheduled to start in February or March on the highway
widening from Railroad Avenue to Loveridge Road. The $172 million
Loveridge Project will provide eight lanes (four in each
direction), including a car pool lane, room for eBART tracks in the
highway median and a new bridge at Loveridge. As occurred with the
past widening, there will be delays and detours, mostly after
midnight, during the three years of construction.
Obviously, theres going to
be slowdowns, said Susan Miller, project director for the Contra
Costa Transportation Authority. Im just optimistic that people will
be so excited to fi nally see con-struction going on that they will
deal with it.
Motorists havent seen much construction in a while because the
past year has been devoted to re-designing the widening to
accom-modate an eBART line in the me-dian from the Pittsburg/Bay
Point BART Station to Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch, acquiring
additional land right-of-way, relocating utili-ties and obtaining
necessary per-mits. But things will be heating up soon along the
entire corridor and continuing for the next fi ve years until its
fi nished in 2015.
Hard on the heels of the Lov-eridge Project will be the $436
mil-lion Somersville Project, which has been broken into four
segments to
by Dave RobertsStaff Writer
see Highway page 26A
District V Supervisor Federal Glover delivers tur-keys at the
Antioch Senior Center Tuesday, part of his annual Turkey Drop. More
than a dozen locations were on the supervisors agenda this year, an
unprecidented number. This is the most turkeys weve ever given,
Glover said. Holiday food donations have never meant so much to so
many.
Bringin in the birds
Photo by Curtis Evans
AUSD trying not to leave children behind
The Antioch Unifi ed School District has made improvements on a
number of fronts in recent years: passing a $62 million bond to
repair old schools, remaining fi scally sound despite budget cuts,
implementing uniforms in most of the lower grades and establish-ing
specialized learning academies. The one thing the district has not
been able to do? Teach students as much as they should be
learning.
The brutal fact is that we are not really showing much trac-tion
in academic improvement, said AUSD Board President Wal-ter Ruehlig.
And that particularly disturbs me because we have had success in so
many other areas.
The district has improved its Academic Performance Index by just
four points over the last three years. At that rate it will take
us
84 years to get to the state bench-mark of 800 the year 2093,
said Ruehlig. Obviously, three points a year aint gonna get us
there. So we have got to do something different. Whatever we have
been doing isnt working.
At the Oct. 14 school board meeting, Stephanie Anello, AUSD
director of program improvement, delineated several of what she
called the brutal facts: Fewer than 7 percent of the more than
1,000 ninth-grade stu-dents who took the Algebra I test scored
profi cient or better 10th
grade doesnt look much better, and 11th grade looks worse, said
Anello. More than half of Antioch stu-dents are not profi cient in
English or math. Six schools Jack London, Lone Tree, John Muir,
Sutter, Turner and Park Middle ranked 3 or lower on a scale of 1 to
10 when com-pared with similar schools in other districts.
AUSDs newest school board member Wade Harper said that when he
read Anellos report, it was like a sock in the stomach, and
asked how often the board receives updates on academic
progress.
Anello said there will be more frequent reports in the future
be-cause in the past we have spent time looking at student outcome
and being surprised that the pa-tient doesnt come back to life. (In
the future) we wont be performing an autopsy. We will know the
pa-tient is sick earlier on.
The school district has failed to meet the No Child Left Behind
requirements for the second year in a row.
Failure to meet those require-ments in the coming years could
re-sult in federal sanctions, including replacing district offi
cials, transfer-ring students out of failing schools, cutting
funding and implementing a new curriculum.
To avoid that, district offi cials are hoping to get back to
basics
by Dave RobertsStaff Writer
see AUSD page 26A
At (this) that rate it will take us 84 years to get to the state
benchmark of 800 ... Obviously, three points a year aint gonna get
us there.
AUSD Board President Walter Ruehlig
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NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A
Scouts collect donationsIf youre one of the hundreds of
families that live in Oakleys Vintage Park neighborhood, the Cub
Scouts of Pack 152 have probably already been to your house once,
and theyre hoping youll be ready for them when they re-turn.
The pack is participating in the annual Scouting for Food
program, a community stewardship project aimed at addressing the
problem of hunger in the community. The project is carried out by
Boy Scouts, Venture Scouts and
Cub Scouts locally and nationwide.The Scouts distributed food
drive
donation request door hangers through-out the Vintage Parkway
area last Sat-urday, and theyll be back Saturday (Nov. 21) to
collect bags fi lled with non-perishables left out near your
driveway. The bags are collected and carried to our local Contra
Costa Food Bank for food pantries, churches, shelters for the
homeless, and other local agencies that feed the needy.
Contributed by Cubmaster Gary Melot
1300 Central Blvd. Brentwood
Lori Abreu(925) 216-6317Owner/Broker www.DeltaRanches.com
Cerelle Carstairs(925) 382-4307
Real Estate Agent
Bank owned 3 bdrm. 2 bath 1102 sf home, cute behind a white
picket fence. Needs a little tlc. Backyard has partial covered
patio, gazebo and good sized side yard.
Private secluded paved road leads you to this lush ranch
property. Large trees, green grass and your own vegetable garden.
Workshop in garage, 4 bdrms 2.5 baths, 2159 sf on 2.10 acres.
$539,000
Great home, beautiful hardwood floors in entrance, kitchen and
family room. Five bdrms. 3 baths, 2507 sf. No rear neighbors.
$245,000
Upstairs condo 2 bdrm. 2ba. w/fam. rm, fireplace & laundry.
Sits in a park setting. Walking distance to shops, restaurants and
parks. Easy freeway access. Lots of HOA amenities. $225,000
Priced to sell! Great opportunity, darling country 3 bdrm. 2 ba.
home on private road surrounded by nice custom homes. Huge
barn/shop on property. Close to town and shops. $360,000
Nice 4 bdrm., 2 1/2 bath, 2427 sf home with a large driveway and
workbench in garage. Laminate floors, open, and vaulted ceilings.
Kitchen has beautiful wood cabinets and stone countertops. Must
see.
Great floor plan, 4 bdrm. 2.5 bath, two story bank owned home,
2,683 sf. Good shape, kitchen has tile counter tops and walk in
pantry. Garage has nice work bench area. $277,000
130 Coyote Court, Brentwood 3150 Crismore Drive, Oakley 1120
Ranch Point Way, Antioch
235 Reflections Drive, Unit 26, San Ramon 91 Lozoya, Oakley
1115 Crescent Drive, Brentwood 46 Tradition Way, Brentwood
Own beautiful delta land, 1 acre with tons of potential. Minutes
from boating, all usable land, owner to carry w/ the right offer!
Views of agricultural land around, great opportunity. $200,000
Private and secluded, yet close to everything. Across from
Bristow School w/views of Mt. Diablo. Ranch home w/3 bdrms, 2 ba.,
2,397 sf on 11.57 acres. Great for farmer or check w/city for
subdvsn opport. $2,000,000
0 E Cypress Road, Oakley 760 Minnesota Ave, Brentwood
Bank Owned 4 bdrm. 3.5 bath, 4409 sf home. Tile floors, granite
counters, crown molding and extras. Former occupant began building
inground pool in the back yard.
1104 Teal Court, Brentwood
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Dr. Rob Shef eld, an orthodontic specialist with of ces in
An-tioch and Brentwood, continues to support the Antioch Police
Activities League (Antioch PAL) and Brentwoods Family First, a
nonpro t organization for the bene t of families in need of gifts
for the holiday season. Between now and Dec. 15, residents are
invited to participate by bringing a gift and/or article of new
clothing to one of Shef elds of ces, and he will match the gift.
The Antioch of ce is locat-ed at 3428 Hillcrest Ave., Suite 100.
The phone number is 925-757-9100. The Brentwood of ce is located at
1140 Second St., Suite C. The phone number is 925-634-4446.
Dr. Robs Toy Drive
For the second year, members of a local church will spend this
Saturday, Nov. 21, help-ing those who need it.
Last March, the Harvest Time Assem-bly of God Churchs Day of
Compassion provided hundreds of residents free bags of groceries,
plus medical, dental and eye screen-ings even haircuts. Organizer
Larry Botelho said this weekends event promises to do even
more.
Its going to be the same routine this time, but a little bit
bigger with some addi-tional services and more volunteers, he
said.
This years event will include a limited number of swine fl u and
seasonal fl u vaccines available to qualifi ed recipients, courtesy
of
Sutter Delta Medical Center. Also, Gorilla Rilla, the Oakland
Raiders unoffi cial mascot and recent Pro Football Ultimate Fan
As-sociation Hall of Fame inductee, will be on hand to help with
the event and welcome visi-tors. And each family who attends the
Day of Compassion will go home with a free turkey dinner.
The communitywide event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in
the parking lot of the church, 2200 Ventura Road (across from Krey
Elementary School) in Brentwood. A free brunch will be served from
10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and all are
welcome. For additional information, call the church at
925-516-1908.
Brentwood gets to revisit Compassion
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4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 20, 2009
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Donner artifacts donated to historical society
Two porcelain dolls that belonged to Francis Eustis Donner
Wilder, one of the surviving members of the doomed Donner Party,
will grace the East Contra Costa His-torical Society Museums
collection of trea-sures when it opens for the 2010 season.
Frances moved to Byron in 1866 af-ter she married William
Wilder, and she remained in East County until she died in 1921. Her
granddaughter, Doris Wilder Shera, recently donated the dolls to
the mu-seum, along with a few antique clocks from the 1920s.
According to local historian Kathy Leighton, more artifacts are
likely to be do-nated in the future. A lot of people dont know
about the Donner Partys connection to Byron, Leighton said. Its
always been one of those Did you know ? kind of things. We have
some books on the Donner Party and a fi le with information about
the Wilder family, but to receive these dolls its such a treasure.
Were very thankful that Do-ris has decided to share this gift with
us.
Leighton doesnt believe that the dolls, which are at least 100
years old, came with Frances during her journey westward, but they
could have been among the fi rst toys she received upon arriving in
California in 1847.
Frances was the daughter of George Donner, the leader of the
legendary Donner Party that became trapped in a snowstorm in
the Sierra during its trek westward. Frances was 6 when she and
her family left Illinois in April of 1846 seeking a better life in
Califor-nia, where her father hoped to make it rich farming the
fertile soils hed read about in the newspapers.
Six months into their journey, the party of 83 became trapped in
the mountains and set up camp at Adler Creek near Lake Tahoe in
hopes of riding out the storm. The winter of 1846-47 is still one
of the most brutal on record in the Sierra, but a group of 15,
later known as the Snowshoe Party, continued
on toward California. Only seven made it to Fort Sutter. In
January of 1847, a relief party was sent out to what is now known
as Don-ner Pass. When the party reached the camp they discovered
evidence that, as food sup-plies had dwindled to nothing, those
remain-ing at the camp had resorted to cannibalism in order to
survive.
Frances and her younger sisters, Geor-gia and Eliza, stayed
behind with their par-ents until March. George Donner, who was in
his 60s, was nearly dead and their mother, Tamsen, refused to leave
his side, so she sent
the girls back with the rescuers of the third relief party.
In the book Desperate Passage by Ethan Rarick, the author
details the girls journey to California. A dog had eaten Fran-ces
shoes, so she wore her mothers shoes,
by Samie HartleyStaff Writer
see Donner page 21A
Above, two porcelain dolls belonging to Frances Eustis Donner
Wilder, a sur-viving member of the Donner Party, were recently
donated to the East Contra Costa Historical Society. Wilder, right,
settled in Byron in the 1860s.
Photo by Samie Hartley
Photo courtesy of the ECCHS Museum
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NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A
TALK ABOUT TOWN Have an item?
[email protected], artists, everywhere: The
public is invited to view local art-ist Miquel Flores newest
collec-tion of paintings thats an example at the right during a
reception on Nov. 21 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Weber Gallery, 700
Harvest Park Drive, Suite L in Brent-wood. The exhibit runs through
Dec. 18. For more information, call the gallery at 925-634-7742. A
cionados can also stop by the Saunie Fridley Gallery the same day
its located at 1185 Second St., Suite J where new, local artists
will be on hand to display and talk about their work. There will be
music, food and wine there, too, just like there is for all
Fridleys monthly shows. Get more in-formation by calling
925-783-2853.
The folks at Dainty Center/Willow Wood School are inviting
residents to hop online, learn a couple of easy dance steps and
join in the Everyone Dance for Brentwood event this weekend during
the Hometown Holiday Parade. Cookie Guinn and her staff have
adapted a feel-good moment from The Oprah Show (when 20,000 fans
performed a synchronized dance for Oprahs 24th-anniversary kickoff
show) and plan to celebrate Brentwood in the same way. Heres all
you do. First, learn the steps by checking out the video at
www.you-tube.com/watch?v=zvarfmagfak, then look for the Dainty
Center entry in the
parade Saturday and get your groove on right along with
them.
Santa will appear in Brentwood be-ginning Thanksgiving weekend
at 6560 Lone Tree Way, next door to Salon Vitor, on the corner of
Empire Road and Lone Tree Way. Chris Erick-son owns the empty
storefront and is inviting the public to enjoy a holiday craft fair
featuring scarves, hats, orna-ments and local artists work as well
as hot cider, coffee and other goodies donated by local merchants.
The event
is free, all Erickson asks is that you dont take your own
pictures with San-ta, which you dont have to: Walgreens is donating
a free photo with Santa to each visitor. Erickson also asks simply
that you look around the center, and perhaps patronize some of the
mer-chants who are helping to make it all possible. Theres still
room if youd like space in the boutique, too. The fun will run
through the end of December. For more information, call Trina
Rodriguez at 925-525-4003 or 925-240-0161.
Compiled by Press staff
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6A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION NOVEMBER 20, 2009
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Twelve years ago Beth Decker had a rev-elation. The high school
English teacher was going over an assignment with her students, but
no one was participating. When she real-ized no one had done the
assigned reading, something became very clear.
They told me they didnt see the point in doing the work, said
Decker, who now teaches at Liberty High School. They didnt make the
connection between high school and the real world. They had no fear
no concern about failing their classes and not graduating. They saw
high school as some-thing that had to be endured not something that
will give them a foundation for the rest of their lives.
Alarmed by her discovery, Decker re-worked her lesson plans to
incorporate real-world concepts so that students could see how the
content applied to real life. Then she stepped away from the
classroom to do some her own studying, researching adolescent
lit-eracy through the Strategic Literacy Initiative to fi nd the
best way to get teenagers engaged in the classroom. After years of
compiling her own research, Decker developed Get Real! A Reality
Project For Teenagers, which was recently recognized by George
Washington Universitys Freshman Transition Initiative as a
curriculum that successfully aids freshmen in their shift to high
school. Get Real! is only the second program to be recognized by
the
university since the initiative was established in 2004.
Get Real! is designed to prepare students not only for high
school but for life beyond high school. Through the program,
students learn about goal setting, time management and
prioritizing, but they also examine a ques-tion theyve been asked
their whole lives: what do you want to be when you grow up? But Get
Real! takes it a step further and asks who do you want to be?
There is this huge hole in the way we think about education,
Decker said. Stu-dents arent seeing the urgency of whats ahead for
them after high school. They dont realize this is their transition
to grown-up land, and they need to think about their futures.
They
need to think about what kind of human be-ings they want to
be.
Decker compiled the Get Real! lesson plans she developed over
the years into a workbook, which she uses in her Foundations For
Success courses that all Liberty High School students take their
freshmen year. In the class, students learn essential skills such
as note taking and summarizing, but they do so while learning about
concepts such as budget-ing and cost of living.
In one assignment, students use a com-puter program that asks
them to decide what type of life theyd like to live, including the
type of house, the number of cars, the type of clothes they want to
wear and whether or not they want children. After clicking on all
the
details theyd like to see in their future life, the program
calculates how much that lifestyle will cost, what type of job
theyll need to sup-port that lifestyle and what type of education
is needed to get that job.
Decker said the programs reality checks change students
attitudes by the end of the school year. Ive had students tell me
that the assignments and discussions we have in class make them
nervous about the future, but I tell them thats a good thing. The
world is a scary place, so its good to be nervous. At least they
are thinking about what lies ahead.
As teachers, we want to create the most well-rounded adults we
possibly can. Get Real! is a gateway for students to realize that
there really in a purpose to high school. With the workbook, they
do journal writing and it gets them thinking about the bigger
picture, and they need to do it now. They cant put it off. The real
world is closer than they think. They need to know the consequences
of their actions.
Decker brings in newspaper articles to keep the content real and
up to date, and keep the students informed about the econo-my, the
housing market and unemployment rates. They discuss these topics in
class and she encourages students to continue the con-versation at
home. She even created a parent companion for the Get Real!
workbook to facilitate the dialogue.
Im not trying to tell people how to
Liberty teacher urges students to Get Realby Samie Hartley
Staff Writer
see Get Real page 21A
Liberty High School teacher Beth Decker leads a discussion in
her Foundations For Success class in which she uses her own
curriculum Get Real! A Reality Project For Teenagers.
Photo by Samie Hartley
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NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 7A
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FREE THANKSGIVING DINNER/CHARITY OPPORTUNITY
For many of us, Thanksgiving is a won-derful time of food,
family, and friends! But for many others, November 26 will just be
another day on the calendar. No special meal, no special gathering
of friends or family. Maybe youve thought in the past that youd
like to help, but you have commitments on that day, which is
certainly understandable.
Well, here is your chance! I am chair-ing the annual Golden
Hills Community Churchs FREE Thanksgiving Dinner for Brentwood. We
serve a hot meal of turkey, ham, and all the fixins. We also try to
send everyone home with a bag of food and some clothes. This will
be at the Brentwood Vets Hall at 757 First St. from 10:30 to 2:30
on Thanksgiving Day. All are welcome to attend.
We are usually blessed with more than enough physical help the
day of the event to serve the meals, but we could always use more
canned goods and/or clothing. You can drop them off at my office
anytime between now and Thanksgiving Day. We are in need
of canned food (soup, tuna, veggies, fruits, etc.),
non-perishables like noodles, cereal, bread, bottled drinks, etc.
We can also use any type of clean, usable clothing, blankets,
jackets, etc. New baby diapers in any size are also VERY
popular!
If you will be around on Thanksgiving Day, you could also cook
and carve a turkey and bring it to the Vets Hall in the morning.
Other needs for the day of the event will be pies, sweet potatoes
and stuffing. You can stop by my office and pick up some
informa-tion sheets on exactly what to bring and what to do. I am
keeping track of each item, so it will be helpful if you sign up
just so I know how much of what is coming. We are located at 320
Fairview Ave. in Brentwood
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
Liberty High School Key Club members, front row from left:
Mi-chelle Duarte, Kenzie Westfall and Alexandera Young; and back
row: Katie Holt, Advisor Kay Wisdom, Kevin Pike and Jerry Hansen,
work on what will become a gingerbread house oat in the 27th annual
Chamber of Commerce Holiday Parade this weekend. The parade, which
features oats, bands, horses and military personnel, steps off at
3:30 p.m. Saturday, winds its way along First, Pine and Second
streets, and ends at City Park. A Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony
sponsored by the Brentwood Advisory Neighborhood Committee follows
the parade at 5 p.m. This years parade is sponsored by
PG&E.
Key paraders
Photo by Richard Wisdom
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8A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION NOVEMBER 20, 2009
The Wee Care Center & Preschool invites you to our
1275 Fairview Ave., Brentwood 634-5180
Please join our students and church congregation for an evening
of Advent fun and celebration. At the same time you can view our
center.
When: Tuesday, December 1stTime: 6:30pm - 8:00pmWhere: In our
Wee Care Preschool ClassroomsWho: Preschool age children up to 3rd
gradeCome join our Advent Night Festivities of crafts, frosting
cookies and story time with our pastor.
Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey
78
Advertisement
Th e number 78 can be great news for a golfer, depending on
where they are playing and the conditions theyre playing in. With
the 2nd Annual Support Matters Troop Drive set to kickoff next week
please feel free to call me directly with questions regarding
drop-off loca-tions, etc. it is only right to examine what Sports
Illustrated has dubbed the worlds most dangerous golf course.
Lo-cated in South Korea, and built back in 1972, the golf course at
U.S. Army Camp Bonifas was the only form of entertain-ment and
emotional outlet for some 700 troops once stationed at the
otherwise slow paced post that is now manned by 50 or so troops. Th
e links are as chal-lenging as it comes; natural hazards such as
water and sand have been replaced with military bunkers on the left
and 18-foot high barbed-wire security fences on your right.
Fairways are only 40 yards wide, and, to earn the title of the most
dangerous golf course, a 192 yard Par 3 comes with the warning,
Danger. Do not retrieve balls from the rough. Live mine fi
elds.
Th e number 78, as in a 78 percent loan-to-value, can also be
great news for homeowners that used Federal Housing Administration
(FHA) fi nancing. All 30-year FHA loans, regardless of down
pay-
ment or equity, require an annual mort-gage insurance premium
which cannot be removed until two qualifi cations are met: At least
60 mortgage payments have been made (fi ve years), with no late
payments in the last twelve months; and, the homes equity has
reached at least 22 percent.
Once both of the above qualifi ca-tions have been met, contrary
to what you might hear, you do not need to re-fi nance in order to
remove your mort-gage insurance. In a case like this, the homeowner
would simply contact their current lender, request an appraisal be
completed in order to verify the loan-to-value is 78 percent or
less, then have the lender send the needed documentation directly
to the FHA.
If your average golf score is already 78 or less, simply put, Im
jealous. If you have any real estate lending related ques-tions or
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insurance please dont hesitate to write me at
[email protected] or call me directly on my cell phone,
(925) 726-1444. We can all support the men and women of our armed
forcesplease be on the lookout for the offi cial Support Matters
Troop Drive kick-off next week!
Antioch High Schools Homecoming Princesses, from left, Meghan
Simarro, Angela Laird, Cynthia Perry, Jessica Ulloa, Dallas Butter-
eld and Ciera Culcasi smile for the camera before the big game,
held Oct. 23. When the votes were tallied, it was Cynthia who was
named to wear the Queens crown. Earlier, she had paired with Ciera
to win the Best Skit honors, and later it was their Panther
football team winning a thrilling 27-21, come-from-behind victory
over the Freedom Falcons. Con-gratulations to all the girls, and
all hail Queen Cynthia!
Homecoming honorees
Photo by Gail Hansen
-
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 9A
Wheeling out miraculous Meals
November is Meals on Wheels month in Contra Costa County, but
for the thousands of area residents who rely on the program, Meals
on Wheels is an everyday miracle.
Everybody is feeling the fi nancial pinch right now, and we
(Meals on Wheels) are no different, said Sandy Warren, executive
direc-tor for Meals on Wheels by Senior Outreach Services. East
County is our biggest rate of growth right now and we thought this
would be a wonderful opportunity for both the pro-gram and the
local business owners. Its a great way to help.
Now through the end of the month, resi-dents in East County can
help make a differ-ence during the holidays by making a dona-tion
to the Meals on Wheels program through the countywide Dine Out for
Meals cam-paign. Guests who dine at one of the many participating
area restaurants can simply leave a donation for the Dine Out
program at the establishment when they are fi nished dining.
According to Gary Noe, owner of Macs Old House in Antioch and
one of the par-ticipants in the Dine Out for Meals program,
customer donations have been abundant.
I dont know exactly how much weve collected but Im seeing a lot
of envelopes go-ing out to the customers and coming back, so thats
nice, said Noe, who added that his mother was a long-time recipient
of the Meals on Wheels program. Im very happy to do this and hope
were making a difference. Its a wonderful program and something
thats close to my heart.
Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, Inc. is a nonprofi t
organization that relies primar-ily on contributions from
individuals, the pri-vate sector and foundations to provide nearly
300,000 meals each year to the more than 1,200 homebound seniors
throughout Contra Costa County. A donation of just $4 provides a
hot meal for an elder, and a $120 guarantees a months worth of
daily meals to someone in need.
Some 650 meals are delivered every Monday through Friday by
volunteer drivers to low-income, frail or disabled clients over the
age of 60 who are unable to cook or shop for themselves. The
average age of a Meals client is between 75 and 84. The services
provided by Meals volunteers include daily health and wellness
checks and ongoing client monitor-ing, including in-home visits by
outreach workers, all of which help seniors to live at home in
safety, comfort and dignity.
Its fundraising programs such as the Dine Out Meals campaign
that helps the non-profi t group make ends meet. And so far, the
response has been heartening. Its been very nice, from both the
restaurant owners and their patrons, said Warren. The more peo-ple
we can get to go the restaurants, the better for the owners, and
the better for us as well. Its a win-win for everyone.
Restaurants participating in East Coun-ty include:
AntiochCelias Mexican Restaurant, 523 W. 10th St.Dennys, 4300
Lone Tree WayMacs Old House, 3100 E. 18th St.Unos Chicago Grill,
4827 Lone Tree Way
For first-class service and a better way to bank, give us a try,
and watch yourfrustration with big bank thinking drain away. Our
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times. Wed love to show you why.Switch now and get the service you
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Join at any branch or online at www.traviscu.org
Brentwood: 3111 Balfour Road, Suite N Antioch: 5819 Lone Tree
WayClayton Valley: 5442 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Suite 10 Concord: 1257
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by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
BrentwoodMelos Pizza and Pasta, 6580 Lone Tree WayPerkos Caf and
Grill, 1135 Second St.
OakleyBlack Bear Diner, 3201 Main St.
For more information or to view a list of participating
restaurants through-out Contra Costa County, call Meals on Wheels
at 925-937-8311, or visit www.dineoutnow.org.
East County is our biggest rate of growth right now and we
thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for both the program
and the local business owners. Its a great way to help. Sandy
Warren
-
10A | THEPRESS.NET NOVEMBER 20, 2009
-
12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 20, 2009
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Under pressure to allow residents ad-ditional time to express
their views on the 2-Gates Fish Protection Demonstration Project,
the Bureau of Reclamation has ex-tended the public review and
comment pe-riod an additional two weeks to Nov. 30.
The public comment period is part of the Draft Environmental
Assessment/Find-ing of No Signifi cant Impact (EA/FONSI) for the
proposed 2-Gates Fish Protection Demonstration Project, a fi
ve-year experi-mental program designed to save the Delta smelt by
rerouting them away from the water pumps on Old and Middle rivers
in Byron.
Hundreds of letters were received by the Bureau of Reclamation
from residents in Discovery Bay and surrounding areas fol-lowing
the bureaus public forums held last month in Fresno, Stockton and
Discovery Bay.
Pete Lucero, public affairs offi cer for the Bureau of
Reclamation, said the extension of the comment period would allow
more residents to weigh in on the project: Weve heard some of the
requests from folks and they have some pretty compelling reasons
for wanting to have their voices heard. This will give them more
time to cogitate over the project and to give people a chance to
have
their say.Karen Mann, vice-chair of the newly
formed Discovery Bay coalition called the San Francisco Bay and
Delta Foundation (SFBDF), a group dedicated to putting a halt to
the gates project, said she is heart-ened by the extension but
knows the war is far from over: Were still persevering and moving
forward. Were getting the word out, and people just cant believe it
when we tell them what is going on. Weve won this skir-mish but we
still have a long way to go. But were encouraged and well keep
going.
A question-and-answer meeting of the SFBDF will be held Monday,
Nov. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Discovery Bay Elementary School
gymnasium. The meeting is open to the public and all are encouraged
to attend.
Mann added that the SFBDF con-tinues to look for volunteers to
hand out comment applications before the Nov. 30 deadline. For
additional information, call Mann at 925-513-6525 or e-mail at
[email protected].
To get more information on the SFBDF or to get a copy of the
draft EA/FONSI go to www.nodeltagates.com.
Public comments should be sent to Ma-rio Manzo, Bureau of
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-730, Sacramento, CA 95825,
e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 916-978-5094.
2-Gates comment period extended
Winter wonderland back Its back! The second season of
Brentwood Holiday on Ice has begun at the Streets of Brentwood,
and it runs un-til Jan. 10.
This is so cool! said Daniela Sor-rel,14, as she sped around the
near-Olym-pic sized rink Friday evening. Its really not that hard
to do, and its way better than hanging out watching TV at home.
Hours are from 2 to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 12:30
to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday; and 12:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and
Saturday. Admis-
sion is $10, skate rental $5, and if youre not sure how to
manage on the ice, dont worry: there are learn-to-skate clinics for
youths 5 to 15 on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and for adults
on Sundays at the same time. Clinics are $20 per stu-dent.
Private ice parties can be scheduled before public hours. On
Nov. 29, a special Holiday on Ice Show featuring profes-sional
skaters is scheduled.
For more information, log on to
www.brentwoodholidayonice.com.
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Crystal Perez, left, and Marissa Moe were part of the opening
day crowd at Brentwoods Holiday on Ice skating rink on
Saturday.
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
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The Antioch Advantage Is Energy
www.mirant.com | 2008 Mirant Corporation | 0408-AD010-AContra
Costa Generating Plant
A good quality of life doesnt just happen. It is fueled by
passion for the community and a commitment to sustained
progress. At Mirant, were proud to play a role in helping
Antioch thrive through reliable power generation, vocational
training support, and employee volunteerism. Together,
were building a bright future.
-
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 15A
FREEThanksgiving Dinner!
All are welcome!Sponsored by
Golden Hills Community Church
Thanksgiving Day, November 26Held at the following locations and
times:
BrentwoodVeterans Memorial Hall
757 First Street10:30 am to 2:30 pm
AntiochVeterans Memorial Hall
403 W. 6th St.10:30 am to 2 pm
Bethel IslandBethel Island Scout Hall3090 Ranch Lane Rd. at
Bethel Island Rd.10:30 am to 3 pm
At the recent 4-H Achievement Night, Oakley Councilman Jim
Frazier received a plaque in appreciation of his efforts to save
4-H in Contra Costa County. As a surprise reciprocal gesture,
Frazier presented the Delta Diablo 4-H Club with a check for
$15,000 on behalf of Radback Energy, Inc., which is pro-posing to
build the Oakley Generating Station.
Impelled by cuts that eliminated 4-H funding throughout Contra
Costa Coun-tys co-operative offi ces, members of the Delta Diablo
4-H Club reached out
to the community to help save the pro-gram. Fraziers check will
help the club continue its efforts to encourage youth to practice
citizenship in the community through leadership training and
commu-nity outreach programs. 4-H is not just about livestock and
animals; 4-H youth are involved in a wide range activities, from
forensics to cooking, health safety to animal care and
training.
In the words of 4-H spokesperson Alexandria Hanlon, Councilman
Fra-zier, you rock! Radback Energy, thank you from all of us!
4-H gets a boost
Members of Delta Diablo 4-H Club cant suppress their joy after
recieving a $15,000 donation from Oakley Councilman Jim Frazier on
behalf of Radback Energy, Inc.
Photo courtesy of Alexandria Hanlon
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NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 17A
Top pro wrestlers will compete in Brent-wood this weekend to
benefi t education and in memory of one of their own.
The Super Rizz Memorial Cup Tourna-ment will celebrate the life
of Jason Lee Smith, an Antioch-based professional wrestler known
professionally as DJ Rizz who was killed in an automobile accident
in August. The event will be held at Liberty High School and raise
money for the Jason Lee Smith Scholarship Fund as well as a trust
fund for Smiths 2-year-old daughter.
Joe Appelbaum, known professionally as the Pogo the Clown, has
performed around the world for Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW), Juggalo
Championship Wrestling (JCW), and Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling
(FMW) in Japan. As a close friend and mentor of Smith, Appelbaum
was deeply moved by the untimely passing of his comrade and
con-ceived this memorial tournament to celebrate
the all-important gift of life.The Super Rizz Memorial Cup
Tourna-
ment is a fi tting tribute to a great friend and in-spired
performer who gave it his all in the ring and in life, Appelbaum
said. With the Jason Lee Smith Scholarship at Liberty High School
and the trust fund for his beautiful daughter, Im doing this to
celebrate life, remembrance and giving back. Its going to be an
explosive show, and the community support has been amazing.
Tournament participants include Rik Luxury, El Chupacabpre,
Funnybone, Adam Thornstowe, Dante, Mike Hayashi, Johnny Plinko, and
Money Mike Rayne. A special tag team attraction match will feature
The Suburban Commandos against Joe Pogo The Clown Appelbaum and
A.J. Kirsch.
The event will be held Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. and tickets
are $10. Liberty High School is located at 850 Second St. in
Brentwood.
Grappling for education
Pro wrestler Jason Lee DJ Rizz Smith,
who died in a car crash in August, and
his daughter Calin. A memorial event
at Liberty High School this weekend
will raise money for scholarships at Liberty and a trust
fund for Calin.Photo courtesy of
Joe Appelbaum
Contra Costa Health Services has relo-cated a scheduled H1N1 and
seasonal fl u clin-ic and announced plans for additional clinics in
East County.
The clinic planned for Nov. 21 at Ygnacio Valley High School in
Concord has been relo-cated to the Sleep Train Pavilion, 2000
Kirker Pass Road in Concord. The drive-through clinic will run from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
An East County clinic has been resched-uled as an indoor,
walk-up clinic for Sunday, Dec. 6 at the Pittsburg Health Center,
2311 Loveridge Road, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Nov. 21 drive-through clinic in San Ramon will be held as
planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the PG&E San Ramon Valley
Conference Center, 3301 Crow Canyon Road.
Information is subject to change. Before
attending a clinic, check for updates at the Contra Costa Health
Services Web site, www.cchealth.org, or call 888-959-9911.
H1N1 and seasonal fl u vaccine will be available for the
following priority groups only: Pregnant women; all children 6
months through 4 years old; children 5 through 18 with chronic
medical conditions; and those who live with or provide care for
infants under 6 months of age, including parents, siblings and
daycare providers.
Seasonal Flu Priority Groups are all those 60 and older;
pregnant women; and all those age 4 and older with chronic medical
conditions. Chronic medical conditions in-clude diseases of the
lung (including asthma), heart, kidney (including diabetes) and
liver, as well as neurologic disorders and immunosup-pression.
Flu clinic schedule update
H.A.L.O. (Homeless Animals Lifeline Organization), an
Antioch-based dog and cat rescue, is participating in the national
Foster A Lonely Pet For the Holidays pet-foster-ing program. Across
the country, more than 13,000 pet rescue organizations are trying
to empty their kennels for Christmas, encourag-ing members of the
public to invite a pet home for the holidays.
Fostering a homeless pet for the holidays is rewarding
experience that enriches the hu-man-animal bond and provides
assistance for rescue groups who are already overextended.
H.A.L.O. is happy to answer questions
about the program for people interested in making this Christmas
a happy holiday for a pet in need. Those interested in welcoming
home a pet for the holiday season should call H.A.L.O. at
925-473-4642.
H.A.L.O. will provide all needed supplies to care for the
animals from Dec. 20 to Jan. 3. No further commitment is required,
although hosts will be given fi rst chance to adopt their guest if
they choose to.
Dozens of adoptable dogs and cats are available. You can view
all of the pets online at www.petfi nder.com. The goal is to put
each of these pets into a home by noon on Dec. 20.
Pets to be given holiday homes
-
18A | THEPRESS.NET NOVEMBER 20, 2009
OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National
AwardWinning NewspapersHave you got something to say? Visit
www.thepress.net and let your thoughts be known.
Counting our East County blessingsThere is much to bemoan and
complain about in
todays world: two years of the Great Recession with its
double-digit unemployment, high gas prices, high taxes, ongoing
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism around the world, killings
at a Texas Army post and on and on. Its easy to give in to doubt
and pessimism.
Fortunately, we set aside one day of the year (this year
Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 26) to refl ect on all we have to be
thankful for, the many blessings
of life that too often get overlooked in the daily grind of
living. Here are a few things were thankful for: We live in the
wealthiest, freest country on Earth, where the African-American son
of an unwed mother can become president of the United States. We
live in an area with the best climate in the country (if you dont
mind putting up with a few days or weeks
of triple-digit temperatures in the summer). We live in an area
thats a short driving distance from one of the worlds cultural
centers but is still surround-ed by farms, orchards, a scenic
mountain and the great-est wetland habitat on the West Coast, the
Delta. We live at a time when medical miracles like double-lung
transplants are not only possible but increasingly commonplace. We
live in an area fi lled with generous, good-hearted people who
gladly raise funds so that a high school student can get that
transplant and have a chance at a long, productive life. While
theres still a long way to go, our roads are slowly but steadily
improving the fi rst phases of the Highway 4 Bypass are complete
and future upgrades are planned, Highway 4 is set to be widened
through An-tioch by 2015 and an eBART line to Antioch is planned to
be built.
The retail explosion along Lone Tree Way and the opening a year
ago of The Streets of Brentwood shop-ping center means its no
longer necessary to drive over the hill to do most of your
shopping. Oakley celebrated its 10th anniversary as a city this
year, and did so in an attractive, expanded City Hall. Brentwood
recently broke ground on a civic center worthy of the citys
ascendancy as the cultural and economic heart of East County and
which promises to revitalize its downtown area. Antioch is
constructing a new community center in Prewett Park that is due to
open next year.
There are, of course, countless things to be thank-ful for. We
welcome your contributions either in comments that you post to the
online version of this editorial by clicking Opinion at
thepress.net or in letters to the editor e-mailed to
[email protected]. Have a happy Thanksgiving.
EDITORIAL
LETTERS TO THE EDITORLegends lauded
Editor:The Antioch Sports Legends Com-
mittee staged the third group of Inductees into the Antioch Hall
of Fame. Antioch Sports Legends is in conjunction with the Antioch
Historical Society at 1500 W. Fourth St. in Antioch.
On Nov. 6 there was a welcoming reception at Antioch High
Schools Don Richardson Gymnasium. The gym was decorated beautifully
and the inductees of 2009 were recognized by Mr. Tom Menas-co, one
of the founding members of Sports Legends, as well as Mr. Eddie
Beaudin, Mr. Jim Boccio, Sr. and Mr. Leo Fontana, also founders of
the Sports Legends. Mr. Dave Sanderson was not present.
There was wonderful mingling in the gym with former athletes and
their families and friends. The athletes were tell-ing stories of
days gone by on the athletic fi elds and reacquainted themselves
with the place where they originally gained their
fame in Antioch. The inductees were from many eras and they
spoke of their days with their respective sports.
We then walked to the game between the Antioch Panthers and the
Deer Valley Wolverines. The inductees and representa-tives were
seated in the south area of the fi eld just behind the end zone and
goal post of Dutch Eells Football Field. At halftime, the
cheerleaders and mascots from both teams escorted the prestigious
former athletes and coaches onto the middle of the fi eld to the
approval and applause of the crowd in attendance. The cheer squads
and mascots were very color-ful, friendly and enthusiastic about
the historical Antioch event. It was fun going back into time with
these athletes.
By the way, Deer Valley won the game against Antioch 42-14.
These players could someday be future Antioch Sports Leg-ends
inductees. Another milestone was the Antioch place-kicker, Dallas
Butterfi eld. She is a young lady who kicked two extra points for
the Panthers.
On the morning of Nov. 7 there was a presentation of the select
athletes, coaches and other inductee representatives. They had
their chance to speak on their careers as well as to thank a coach,
parents, teacher or friend that helped boost their education and
athletic career. Also in at-tendance were two previous inductees
from 2007 and 2008.
The award winners for 2009 are: football Grover Garvin; Jim
Boccio, Jr.; Dan Buck Shaw Sweeney; Itsie Marchetti and Bob White;
baseball Mike Lucido and Larry Hopwood; track Pat Zech; softball
Sue Cardinale and Deb-bie Nelson; community leader Walter Dutch
Eells; coach Marv Comstock; golf Robert Bob Heaton; wrestling Bob
Koupeny; and all-around athlete Nick Rodriguez.
Also inducted were the 1970 Antioch Panther High School baseball
team: Gary Scheide, Alan Brown, Dan Tuck, Mike Lucido, Vic
Thornhill, Art Acosta, Larry Hopwood, Bruce Moar, Vern Martin,
Har-old Turley, John Beaudin, Dave Tassell, Junior Grant, Greg
Scheide, Steve Parks and Greg Glod. Manager Kyle Kline and Coach
Bill Snelson were also inducted.
Also in attendance at the induction ceremony were Antioch Mayor
Jim Davis; City Council members Reginald Moore, Martha Parsons and
Mary Rocha; as well as dignitary Nello Baldocchi. The school
principals and co-principals in attendance were Scott Bergerhouse
and Clarence Isa-dore from Deer Valley and Louie Rocha of Antioch.
Saturday nights dinner was held at the Lone Tree Golf Course, which
closed the wonderful weekend for the inductees.
Antioch Sports Legends is located in the lower part of the
Antioch Historical Society building and features memorabilia,
photos, jerseys, equipment and other mate-rials donated to the
program by family and friends. It is a well-represented and
colorful room that includes Visio TVs, which show what has been
going on the world of sports in Antioch.
In order not to leave anyone out, thanks go to the other helpful
people that do all the upkeep designs on the displays and the
investigating of the new athletes who might someday have their
names and faces in this very display. Thank you to all these
hard-working, community-minded volunteers.
Richard BurkeFormer Panther 63
Look into Delta developmentsEditor:
Ive lived at the Gateway to the Delta for 20 years and was here
when the
pump house was built at Rogers Point. Now the rules affecting
the Delta and Antiochs water may change with legisla-tion just
passed in Sacramento.
The Delta Unit of the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley is
sponsoring a panel discussion to explore the implications of these
changes on Saturday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Antioch
Historical Society Mu-seum, 1500 W. Fourth St. in Rivertown,
Antioch.
Panelists include Dr. Gregory Gartell, assistant manager of the
Contra Costa Water District; Susanna Schlen-dorf, 15th Assembly
District representa-tive for Joan Buchanan; Kari Fisher, counsel to
the Farm Bureau; Karla Nemeth from the Natural Resources Agency;
David Nesmith of the Environ-mental Water Caucus and Dr. Lawrence
Kolb, retired assistant director for the Water Quality Board.
As a league member, Im hoping for a large turnout and answers to
my many Delta water questions.
Martha E. GoralkaAntioch
Too eager to worship proposed power plant
Editor:On Monday afternoon, Nov. 9,
two chartered buses, both chock full of Oakley residents, were
taken on a tour of the proposed site for its planned new power
plant, located on the old DuPont site. The tour wound around
Oakley, pointing out all kinds of places related to the proposed
plant: On your left is a mobile home park, the closest residences
to the new plant, just a few hundred yards away or On your right,
an el-
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see Letters page 20A
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NOVEMBER 20, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 19A
A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East
County police departments.BRENTWOODNov. 11, 10:35 a.m. An
unidentifi ed person entered the unlocked side garage door of a
residence on Caddie Lane and stole two elec-tric guitars, two
laptop computers, a camcord-er and a Nintendo Wii.Nov. 11, 1:17
p.m. The registration of a vehicle parked illegally on Windsor Way
was found to be expired for more than six months.Nov. 11, 7:40 p.m.
A resident of Shady Wil-low Lane reported that his neighbors garage
door was open and someone was inside the residence. The homeowner
confi rmed that the person was his daughter.Nov. 11, 9:06 p.m. A
resident of Shady Wil-low Lane received numerous cell phone calls
inquiring about her affair with the callers husband.Nov. 12, 2:41
p.m. A subject who attempted to pass a counterfeit bill at a
business on Brent-wood Boulevard claimed she had received the bill
from a subject in San Francisco.Nov. 12, 10:27 p.m. On Brentwood
Boulevard at Sand Creek Road, a subject stopped for ve-hicle code
violations was found to be driving without a license.Nov. 13, 6:39
a.m. An unidentifi ed driver struck a planter pot along Sand Creek
Road.Nov. 13, 12:08 p.m. On Central Boulevard at Fairview Avenue, a
driver broadsided another driver. Both parties complained of pain,
but refused medical treatment at the scene. Nov. 13, 5:06 p.m. On
Oak Street, a pedestrian collided with a parked vehicle.Nov. 14,
12:44 a.m. On Balfour Road, a sub-ject was found to be in
possession of suspect-ed methamphetamine. He was arrested and taken
to the Martinez Detention Facility.Nov. 14, 6:36 a.m. On Anastasia
Drive, an un-identifi ed person drove off with a vehicle left on
the street with the engine running.Nov. 14, 8:07 a.m. An unidentifi
ed person entered a store on Brentwood Boulevard through a broken
window and stole approxi-mately $9,000 worth of lottery
tickets.Nov. 14, 1:42 p.m. An unidentifi ed person used the
personal information of a resident of Wildrose Way to obtain
employment.Nov. 14, 2:25 p.m. At a business on Sand Creek Road, an
unidentifi ed person stole sev-
eral items and battered loss prevention offi cers during his
escape.Nov. 14, 10:30 p.m. On Barcelona Court at Barcelona Way, a
subject stopped for a vehicle code violation was found to be
driving with-out a license. His passenger was intoxicated and
unable to care for himself. Both were ar-rested and taken to the
Martinez Detention Facility.Nov. 14, 10:47 p.m. On Barcelona Court
at Barcelona Way, a subject stopped for a vehicle code violation
was arrested for driving on a li-cense suspended for DUI.Nov. 15,
12:19 a.m. On Oak Street, a subject was found to be too intoxicated
to care for his own safety. He was arrested and taken to the
Martinez Detention Facility.Nov. 15, 2:44 a.m. On Brentwood
Boulevard, a subject found to be extremely intoxicated was
transported to Sutter Delta Medical Cen-ter and subsequently
released on a Notice To Appear.Nov. 15, 8:05 a.m. On Empire Avenue
at Lone Tree Way, an unattended vehicle blocking the roadway was
towed and stored.Nov. 15, 8:29 p.m. On Walnut Boulevard at
McClarren Road, a subject stopped for vehi-cle code violations was
found in possession of approximately 3.75 ounces of suspected
mari-juana and 90 suspected Vicodin pills. He was arrested and
taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.Nov. 15, 8:40 p.m. An
unidentifi ed person stole a vehicle out of the driveway of a
resi-dence on Chestnut Street.
To view the Brentwood Police Depart-ments public logs on the
citys Web site, visit
www.ci.brentwood.ca.us/department/pd/reports/index.cfm.ANTIOCHNov.
12, 2:56 p.m. Five male juveniles ages 14 to 16 were driving in the
area of 1200 G Street when they were confronted by two Hispanic
teens walking in the same area. The two teens produced a machete
and a large-caliber hand-gun. The juveniles in the vehicle began to
fl ee. The teen with the handgun shot twice into the vehicle as it
sped away. The rounds struck the vehicle, but none of the occupants
were in-jured. The shooter and his accomplice are still outstanding
at this time. The incident is still under investigation. Those with
information should call the Antioch Police Department at
925-778-2441.Nov. 14, 5 p.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Police
Department were dispatched to the area of westbound Highway 4 near
Somersville Road on the report of a shooting that occurred in-side
a moving vehicle on the highway. Upon arrival, offi cers found a
vehicle that had struck the embankment on the north side of the
highway near the Somersville Road exit. Riding in the vehicle were
two adult males Manuel and Rogelio Lopez, both 30-year-old
Pittsburg residents and two children, ages 7 and 8. Offi cers
learned that while driving westbound on Highway 4, the two adults
be-gan arguing and then physically fi ghting. The passenger drew a
handgun and started shoot-ing the driver. The passenger was also
shot during the incident, but it is believed his injury was
accidentally self-infl icted. The shooting caused the driver to
crash the vehicle into the embankment. The passenger tried to fl
ee, but was apprehended by police. Both adults were transported to
the hospital, where they were treated and released. The children
were unin-jured and placed in the custody of Child/Fam-ily
Services. Upon release from the hospital, the passenger was
arrested and booked into county jail on charges of assault with a
deadly weapon and child endangerment The incident is currently
under investigation. Those with information should call the Antioch
Police Department at 925-778-2441.
For information on law enforcement in Antioch, visit
www.ci.antioch.ca.us/citygov/police.OAKLEYNov. 2 A vehicle was
stolen on West Cypress Road at Rose Avenue.Nov. 2 On the 4900 block
of Teakwood Drive, a subject was found under the infl u-ence of
drugs.Nov. 2 On Second Street at East Acme Street, a subject was
charged with driving without a license.Nov. 2 Subjects were charged
with driving under the infl uence of alcohol on the 1400 block of
Main Street and on West Cypress Road at OHara Avenue.Nov. 2 An auto
was burglarized on the 4100 block of Brown Road.Nov. 2 On the 400
block of Fourth Street, grand theft of vehicle parts was
reported.Nov. 2 Identity theft occurred on the 4100
block of Woodhaven Lane.Nov. 2 On the 2500 block of Main Street,
a subject was arrested for public intoxication.Nov. 3 On Fourth
Street at Star Street, a sub-ject was charged with violation of
probation.Nov. 3 A vehicle accident with property damage was
reported on Empire Avenue at Neroly Road.Nov. 3 A subject was
assaulted with a deadly weapon on the 4800 block of Frank Hengel
Way.Nov. 3 A rape occurred on West Cypress Road at Duarte
Avenue.Nov. 3 Grand theft from a building was reported on the 4800
block of Snowy Egret Way.Nov. 3 A petty theft occurred on the 200
block of Hill Avenue.Nov. 3 Vandalism was reported on the 1300
block of Main Street.Nov. 4 A vehicle accident with injuries
oc-curred on East Cypress Road at Main Street.Nov. 4 Misdemeanor
battery was reported on the 3900 block of Cloverbrook Avenue.Nov. 4
Incidents of domestic violence with injuries to spouses were
reported on the 200 block of La Vina Way and on the 1800 block of
Teresa Lane.Nov. 4 A subject committed arson on the 600 block of
Country Lane.Nov. 4 On the 1000 block of Neroly Road, a subject was
found in receipt of stolen prop-erty.Nov. 5 A juvenile was reported
as a runaway on the 4300 block of Lorenzetti Drive.Nov. 5 Arrest
warrants were issued on West Bolton Road at Main Street and the
4100 block of Richard Way.Nov. 5 A misdemeanor hit and run was
re-ported on East 18th Street at Main Street.Nov. 6 A subject made
malicious phone calls to a resident of the 100 block of Susie
Court.Nov. 7 On Main Street at Malicoat Avenue and on Big Bear Road
at Mammouth Lane, subjects were charged with driving without a
license.Nov. 7 Reports of battery were made on the 2000 block of
Rubens Way and on the 100 block of Concannon Court.Nov. 7 An
assault with a deadly weapon was reported on the 200 block of Raye
Avenue.Nov. 7 A shooting into an occupied dwelling was reported on
the 500 block of Fifth Street.
COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS On Anastasia Drive
in Brentwood, an unidentifi ed person drove off with a vehicle left
on the street with the engine running. Nov. 14, 6:36 a.m.
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ementary school, just 0.6 miles from the site, and so forth.
At the location, there was just a single row of Eucalyptus
trees, defi ning its northern border, adjacent to 20 acres of
vintage Klein grapevines scheduled to be torn up, paved over and
built upon. A sandy dirt road, bordering the vines, was where the
tour guides suggested we walk to look at the area. Not much to
see.
Following this non-magical mystery tour, a hearing was held at
Oakley City Hall, where members of the California Energy Commission
and the petitioners Radback Energy, the builders of the plant
explained the project in more detail and then answered residents
ques-tions.
My fi rst question was, How much greenhouse gas emissions would
the plant emit? Answer: one million tons per year! (Yet the Radback
representatives were delighted that the plant would emit 313,000
tons less per year with their new technology!) Think about it: one
million tons per annum equals 83,333 tons per month; 19,231 tons
per week or 114 tons per hour!
I also suggested that as well as chan-neling the expected
millions of dollars of tax income toward more emergency ser-vices,
it might also behoove the users of those tax dollars to apply some
of it to more renewable energy projects, such as solar and wind
after all, the plant has a shelf life of only 20 to 40 years,
whereas
sun and wind are in abundance out here in East Contra Costa
County and their shelf life is way longer! I did not receive a
satisfactory answer.
I was astonished that almost all of the other speakers
approached the po-dium, fell to their knees and worshipped at the
Altar of The New Power Plant. No one else brought up pollution
neither environmental nor noise nor any other similar concern.
I do understand the joy of the union workers that this project
will create jobs for our residents, albeit for just a couple of
years, after which time the plant will be staffed with only 20
professionals and a couple of jani-tors, I expect. However, the
questions of pollution, public safety, etc. were largely ignored by
the residents, who were too busy worshipping at the altar. Dollars
make peoples eyes sparkle and glaze over
There will be eight more hearings held before the plant is fi
nally approved and I certainly hope that Oakley will seriously
consider the safety of its residents, its air quality and the idea
of renewable energy as an inevitable course for the future, during
its decision-mak-ing process throughout these hearings. Oakley
citizens must get involved before their City Council, once again,
runs roughshod over us all to approve some-thing without listening
to what we want and need.
Eve DiamondOakley
Letters from page 18A
-
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 21A
which were too large for the childs feet. She often got stuck in
the snow, much to the frus-tration of her handler, William
Thompson, who eventually told the young girl to leave the shoes
behind and walk in her stockings. He later felt guilty about the
decision and gave Frances his mittens to put over her feet.
In Raricks book, Frances recalls the journey and how Thompson
motivated her by promising her candy if she persevered and worked
her way up the hills. In a collection of family letters compiled by
Barbara Wilder Politano, Frances is remembered for always carrying
crackers or peppermint candies with her in case she, or anyone
around her, got hungry a trait which is believed to be a result of
her childhood ordeal.
The girls reached Fort Sutter in April, and soon after, the
fourth and fi nal relief par-ty returned with news that their
parents had died. Only 45 of the original 83 members of the Donner
Party made it to California.
Frances was taken in by James Reed and his wife Margret, who
moved their fam-ily to San Jose after they recuperated from the
journey from Adler Creek.
Frances went on to attend St. Cathe-rines Academy in Bencia.
When she was 18, she married William Wilder, and after a few years
of living in the Sacremento area, moved to Byron, where they raised
their fi ve children. Their property was located along what is
Hoffman Lane today. She lived on the ranch for 55 years until she
died in 1921 at the age of 81. Frances is buried next to her
husband at Union Cemetery in Brentwood along the Donner Pass
path.
Leighton said Frances dolls, along with the clocks, will go on
display when the ECCHS Museum reopens in March. Shera also donated
to the museum some articles and a few family books chronicling the
his-tory of the Donner Party and the Wilder family.
Donner from page 4A
parent their children. Im not saying that parents are failing
their children, either, but I know from experience that it can be
diffi -cult to talk about these bigger issues, and the parent
companion is designed to guide the conversation and open up the
channels of communication.
Decker said the recognition from George Washington University is
welcome validation that her program is working, and shes already
been contacted by school districts across the county that have
heard about her program and are considering incorporating Get Real!
into their curriculum.
Its good to have feedback from experts who have looked over the
program and have decided that this is something worthwhile. That
stamp of approval means a lot. Until now, Ive only had my own
experience, and in my classroom, Ive seen the failure rate go from
about 35 percent to less than 10 percent. I saw a problem and I
developed a program to try and fi x it to fi ll that need. I put it
all in the book to save other teachers the work.
Students need a program like this. They need to make the
connection between high school and real life. I cant be the fi rst
person to see a need for a program like this. Every adult I talk to
tells me they wish theyd had a program like this growing up. Im not
saying my program is the best. But students need a class that will
help them make these connec-tions. They need to do it now before
its too late.
Decker said her students have asked her what shell do if the
program goes national and she becomes famous, but she laughs at
those ideas. They ask me if Im going on Oprah, and I tell them that
if I do, theyre coming with me. They have helped me shape this
program and make it what it is. They in-spire me and I couldnt have
done it without them. Who knows what the future holds but I could
never walk away from this. This is what I was born to do.
For more information about the Get Real! program, visit
www.getreallearning.com.
Get Real from page 6A
Frances Eustis Donner Wilder is bur-ied alongside her husband at
Union Cemetery in Brentwood.
Photo by Samie Hartley
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NOVEMBER 20, 2009 BUSINESS THEPRESS.NET | 23A
And its all done with the click of a mouse.
Google is the Yellow Pages of the 21st century, and people need
that to be competitive, said Emry, a native of Ore-gon who moved to
Brentwood four years ago. Its easy to use and it works.
Press Publisher Greg Robinson agreed: Were very excited about
the di-rectory. The way people are fi nding their information is
changing, and were posi-tioning ourselves for the future. The
ben-efi t of the online directory to customers is that their
business is featured on the lo-cal community Web site, the place
where
their customers go for information. Its a local site
(thepress.net) that supports local business. And their businesses
can now be found on the fi rst two pages of Google as well
guaranteed.
Signing up for the online directory is easy to do and easy on
the pocketbook: The three packages range from basic (a free listing
of the company and its contact information) to gold and platinum,
which will eventually offer e-commerce options.
The nice part of all this is that we set it up for customers and
its up and running in 48 hours, said Emry. Its very low maintenance
and well update, correct and improve it all for the custom-er as
needed. Its kind of like Oz behind the curtain well pull all the
levers to make it work.
Its very user-friendly, added Phil-lips, and the response in the
past few months has been fantastic. People are get-ting great
results and they are seeing the value in it. It provides a tangible
result.
For more information on the busi-ness directory, log on to
thepress.net, or call Troy or Loyd at the Press at
925-634-1441.
Team from page 22A
Its kind of like Oz behind the curtain well pull all the levers
to make it work.
Troy Emry
-
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OBITUARY
Hey, Megan!On Nov. 19 you would have cel-
ebrated your fi rst teen birthday 13. We were thinking about
celebrating by pos-sibly bowling with some of your buds. We went to
your favorite birthday dinner last night and shared some laughs
about your singing, your laugh, your beauti-ful smile and the joy,
chaos, fun and ex-citement you brought into our lives. And we cried
Its so diffi cult to understand that you are truly gone. Amazing:
its the one word that describes you.
We are missing you! With love, your Daddy, your Momma, your Bro
and your many, many friends.
In Memoriam
Gary Neil RobertsonGary Neil Robertson, a 22-year resident of
Discov-
ery Bay, an avid fi sherman, bowler and friend of many, passed
away on Nov. 2. He was 72.
Gary was an excellent bowler, loved the game and bowled in
several leagues at Harvest Park Bowl in Brent-wood. He was very
involved in coaching the youth bowl-ers at Harvest Park. As a coach
he was a teacher, friend and a positive role model for many. Gary
touched so many lives in the bowling community that Jim Wange-man
(proprietor of Harvest Park Bowl) felt it appropriate that his
memorial be held at the Bowling Center, where Gary spent so much of
his time.
His Celebration of Life was held on Nov. 14 and was attended by
his many friends and family. After the many verbal tributes to
Gary, the Youth Bowlers released white balloons to the heavens in
Garys honor. He made an im-pact on so many lives and will never be
forgotten.
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26A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 20, 2009
make it more manageable. Construction is expected to start next
spring on Segment 1, which reconstructs the Somersville Road
in-terchange. Also next spring construction will begin on Segment
3A, which reconstructs the Lone Tree Way/A Street interchange and
Cavallo Road undercrossing.
In doing so, project planners will be jumping over Segment 2,
which is the Con-tra Loma Boulevard/L Street interchange and G
Street overcrossing. That segment isnt scheduled to start until the
spring of 2011 due to the extra diffi culty in working around
Kirker Creek, which passes through the area.
A date hasnt yet been set for starting construction on the fi
nal portion of the proj-ect, Segment 3B: the Hillcrest Avenue
inter-change. Theres a possibility that the Hillcrest bridge wont
need to be reconstructed, sav-ing millions of dollars, according to
Miller. The big question mark concerns the location of the
Hillcrest eBART Station. Funding is available to build it near
Hillcrest Avenue, but Antioch offi cials are hoping more mon-ey
will be found to place it further east to tie in to a planned
transit-oriented development of townhouses, offi ces and
stores.
In addition to the highway widening, construction is planned to
start next spring or summer on the eBART line, focusing fi rst on
the transition platform where East Coun-ty riders will get off the
eBART train and walk across to a waiting BART train.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of fund-ing it does not appear that
much construc-tion activity will take place on the Highway
4 Bypass next year, according to Dale Den-nis, program manager
for the State Route 4 Bypass Authority. The only scheduled work
will be the placement of a rubberized asphalt overlay on Marsh
Creek Road next May or June.
That will mark the completion of the entire project to Caltrans
standards, allow-ing it to be transferred to state control, and
returning the old Highway 4 Main Street in Oakley and Brentwood
Boulevard in Brent-wood back to the control of those cities.
That will make it much easier for the cities of Brentwood and
Oakley actually to make improvements, said Dennis. Dealing with the
state can be somewhat arduous. Some city staff have indicated
putting a (traffi c) signal in has taken three years to get through
the bureaucracy of the state.
Next June, trucks will be allowed to travel the length of the
bypass without be-ing required to get off at the middle segment
from Lone Tree Way to Balfour Road.
While many residents would welcome
getting trucks off city streets, Val Tompkins, who owns A&A
Auto Parts on Brentwood Boulevard between Delta Road and Lone Tree
Way, is concerned about its effects on local business. When they
bypassed down-town Tracy and moved traffi c off of old Highway 50,
it destroyed all of downtown, said Tompkins. There were places that
you couldnt give away. Restaurants, service sta-tions, dealerships
closed up because of the lack of traffi c through there.
Because funding for the bypass comes almost entirely from fees
on development of local housing and businesses, which has near-ly
come to a halt during the recession, plans for further road
improvements have been put on hold. Those include interchanges at
Sand Creek Road, Lone Tree Way, Balfour Road and Highway 160, along
with widening of the Lone Tree Way-Balfour Road segment to four
lanes. Enough land right-of-way has been acquired to eventually
accommodate an eight-lane highway with an eBART or other mass
transit line in the median.
Dennis said offi cials are trying to ob-tain some of the federal
stimulus funding for the bypass, which has proven to be a tall
order so far despite the advantage of several shovel-ready
projects. When the $789 billion stimulus was fi rst discussed,
there was sup-posed to be somewhere between $80 billion and $120
billion for transportation projects, said Dennis. As it worked its
way through the sausage production process in D.C., that was
reduced to $30 billion. California ended up getting only $2.7
billion, which for a state the size of California is really, really
ineffec-tive.
Highway from page 1A
LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL
NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESLEGAL NOTICESNOTICE OF TRUSTEES SALE
Trustee Sale No. 74-34149-2 Title Order No.090450281 APN
071-041-014 The mortgage loan servicer has obtained a nal order of
exemption pursuant to CA CIV. CODE 2923.53 that is cur-rent and
valid as of the date that the Notice of Trustees Sale was led or
given. YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 02/02/2007.
UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PRO-TECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT
A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE
PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On 12/10/2009
at 10:00AM, HOUSE-KEY FINANCIAL CORPORATION as the duly appointed
Trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust Recorded on 02/23/2007,
as Instrument 2007-0055538-00 of of cial records in the Of ce of
the Recorder of CONTRA COSTA County, California, executed by: TRACY
M. LORY AND KEVIN D. LORY, WIFE AND HUSBAND, AS JOINT TEN-ANTS, as
Trustor, MERS as Bene ciary and CAPITAL ONE HOME LOANS, LLC. as
Lender (Original Lender) and HSBC MORTGAGE SERVICES INC., as
current Servicer/Lender, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST
BIDDER FOR CASH (payable at time of sale in lawful money of the
United States, by cash, a cashiers check drawn by a state or
national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or
a check drawn by a state or federal sav-ings and loan association,
savings as-sociation, or savings bank speci ed in section 5102 of
the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state).
At: THE COURT STREET ENTRANCE TO THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 725 COURT
STREET (CORNER OF MAIN AND COURT STREET), MARTINEZ, CA, all right,
title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed
of
Trust in the property situated in said County, California
describing the land therein: AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN THE ABOVE
MENTIONED DEED OF TRUST. The property heretofore described is being
sold as is. The street address and other common des-ignation, if
any, of the real property de-scribed above is purported to be: 2757
ALCALA STREET, ANTIOCH, CA 94509. The undersigned Trustee disclaims
any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other
common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made,
but without cove-nant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding
title, possession, or encum-brances, to pay the remaining
princi-pal sum of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with
interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, if any,
under the terms of the Deed of Tru