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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 9, No. 23 Including Nearby Communities www.thepress.net
June 5, 2009
Natio
nalAwardWinning Newspapers
THIS WEEK
FOR MOVIE TIMES SEE PAGE 5A
Pool of talent Check out the impressive array of East County
athletes named to the BVAL All-League Swimming First Team.
Page 12B
Say what? Let your voice be heard.Tell us your story: news,
sports, opinion, or feature. Submit your stories online with a
photo or video.
Calendar ..........................27BClassifieds
........................18BCop Logs
..........................17AEntertainment
................13BHealth & Beauty .............10BMilestones
.........................8BOpinion
...........................16ASports
.................................1BWebExtras!
.......................1B
INSIDE
Creating a cart apart
Meets the minds that took conventional electric carts and
converted them into miniature classy classics.
Page 3A
Kids have blast at County FairOne of the attractions
packing them in at this years County Fair, which ended Sunday in
Antioch, was the shark show, featuring a diver who played one shark
like a banjo, waved its fin at the audience and danced with it
while another shark swam through a hoop.
The first show on Thurs-day, the fairs opening day, began with a
demonstration of the unbreakability of the shark tank to reassure
the au-dience. David Farrell of Con-cord, a week short of 5 years
old, was chosen from the au-dience to tap on the glass. The tank,
of course, sprung a fake leak, surprising and soaking Farrell as he
tried to plug it with his hands, and spraying
some in the audience before the water was turned off.
He was certainly sur-prised. He thought he was doing something
wrong for a second, said his father Rob-ert. I really just thought
it was adorable; they handled it well. He will never forget it for
his entire life.
The Farrells were among hundreds who took advantage of the fairs
free admission before 3 p.m. on opening day. They spent a lot of
time in the Kids Zone building, which offered youngsters hands-on
things to do similar to San Franciscos Exploratorium.
Another popular hands-on area was the livestock barn, where
human kids petted goat kids and other animals. Two of those human
kids were
by Dave RobertsStaff Writer
Savannah Rogers, 4, was one of many kids petting the goat kids
and other animals at the County Fair in Antioch.
Photo by Dave Roberts
see Fair page 21A
More city employee layoffs likely
Twenty-seven City of An-tioch employees have been laid off in
the past year to deal with a $5 million budget defi cit. And more
layoffs are likely, including possibly police offi cers, to deal
with a $4.5 million defi cit in the budget year beginning in
July.
Word is circulating that city offi cials are considering laying
off six police offi cers a position that previously had not been
af-fected by the staff reductions due to concerns about crime in
Antioch. The police cuts might include elimination of the
Com-munity Action Team and traffi c control.
City Manager Jim Jakel de-clined to comment on the rumor,
but said that the City Council will be discussing the 2009-10
budget at a meeting on either June 16, 17 or 18, depending on the
availability of council mem-bers. Cant comment on the fu-ture
outlook for layoffs, but the projected defi cit for fi scal 09-10
still stands at $4.5 million, said Jakel via e-mail.
The defi cit might be even worse than that if state govern-ment
takes $1.6 million from Antiochs property tax funding, with the
understanding that it would be paid back with inter-est in three
years. That would put the citys defi cit at $6.1 mil-lion in the
coming year. The City
Council on May 26 unanimously passed a resolution protesting the
possible state takeaway.
The proposal to borrow or take city property tax rev-enue will
make the fi scal hard-ships we are already facing even more severe,
Jakel told council members before they passed the resolution. Its
money we can ill afford to quote-unquote loan to the state. Well
join another 100 cities (in California) that are tak-ing similar
action.
Councilman Brian Kalin-owski, who serves on the coun-cils budget
subcommittee with Mayor Jim Davis, predicted that residents might
not like some of
the budget-cutting recommenda-tions they are discussing,
partic-ularly if the $4.5 million defi cit becomes a $6.1 million
defi cit with the state takeaway.
At some point we really will run out of money, said Kalinowski.
We are at 98 rev-enues. Overall we have some extremely diffi cult
decisions to make. I was not happy with the fi rst layoffs or the
removal of hours for city staff, which results in a 10-percent pay
cut, and all of these other issues associated with cuts.
Frankly, some of the (bud-get subcommittee) recommenda-tions may
have people scratch-ing their heads and going, Why would you ever
do that? But we have to bring them all forward and see what sticks
and how we can bridge that gap. Because I dont know how we are
going to do $4.6 (million). That just tells you theres no way we
can do
by Dave RobertsStaff Writer
see Layoffs page 12A
Police of cers maybe cut to deal with$4.5-$6.1M de cit
Frankly, some of the (budget subcommittee) recommendations may
have people scratching their heads and going, Why would you ever do
that?
Councilman Brian Kalinowski
At the head of the class
High school valedictorians and salutatorians tell how they got
where they are and where they go from here.
Page 9A
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JUNE 5, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 3A
1300 Central Blvd. Brentwood
Lori Abreu(925) 216-6317Owner/Broker www.DeltaRanches.com
Cerelle Carstairs(925) 382-4307
Real Estate Agent
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2725 El Rey Street, Antioch
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This property has an elegant tree lined drive, fenced pasture,
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for details. Price reduced to $599,000
4901 Briones Valley Rd., Brentwood
Huge Price Reduction! New Price at $849,000 gets it all! Now
includes home on 3.5 acres, barn, plus approved conditional
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split off. Almost 1200 sf of living space, featuring 3 over sized
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91 Lozoya Way, Oakley
Huge 5 bedroom home with loft! Tile counters in kitchen with
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21 Leila Ct, Oakley
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3727 Dublin Blvd., Dublin
Please join us, Saturday, June 20thto attend a fundraiser flea
market, 3361 Walnut Blvd.
This fundraiser is to help the Anthony Family in Knightsen. Mr.
Anthony is a retired Veteran and has been a General Contractor for
25 years,
but hasnt worked in 9 months recovering from surgery. Mrs.
Anthony was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, and now diagnosed
with inoperable
brain cancer. They are parents of three beautiful daughters.
Visit www.hope4anthonyfamily.com for updates and their
story.
Adorable doll house in established area of Antioch. Remodeled
and ready for new owner! 3 bedroom, 2 bath 1315 square feet. Really
cute!
Great starter or investment home! Centrally located with nice
floor plan near shopping and schools. 3 bedrooms and 1 bath, 1350
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Great single story home in nice neighborhood. Hardwood floors
throughout. 4 bedroom, 2 bath and 2091 square feet. Just waiting
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Fixer upper in Stockton. Great for contractors or investors!. 3
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Classic cars transformed into Cute CartsYouve probably seen Jack
Howell driv-
ing around Brentwood. He zips around town in a blue 32 Ford
California Roadster, but thats not why you notice him.
While the classic hot rod design is un-mistakable, featuring
shiny rims and plush leather interior, the most eye-catching
quality is that it isnt a car at all. Howell gets around town in a
golf cart.
It all started last year, when Howell was shopping for a cart
and his search led him to a used hot-rod-style golf cart. He
enjoyed driving it around so much that he decided he wanted to
become a dealer for the cart maker, American Custom Golf Carts,
Inc., the only licensed company in the world own-ing the rights to
manufacture replica Ford Roadsters as well as Hummer H3 and
Cadil-lac Escalade-style golf carts.
The former real estate agent, who sells the carts with his wife
Sandra, said the carts are the most exciting product hes ever
sold.
When Im at a stop light, people roll down their windows and ask
me about it all the time, Jack said. They hold out their camera
phones to take pictures. People are just fascinated by these little
things, and the best part is these carts are street legal. And
since theyre electric-powered, theyre envi-ronmentally
friendly.
Sandra said the environment aspect is whats most appealing about
the carts: It feels good to be a part of the solution (going
electric). Thats the conscientious thing being pushed right now.
All you have to do it plug it in to charge it. You dont have to
worry about oil changes or rising gas prices. Its ef-fi cient and
they drive like real cars. It doesnt feel like youre driving a big
clunky golf cart. Its like a real vehicle.
Sandra said the other appeal is that you dont have to be a good
golfer to own one, al-though she insists the cart will help you
shave two points off your golf game.
You can take the golf cart around the neighborhood, Sandra said.
Its especially great for people who dont travel far and stick
close to home. Its perfect if you need to drop the kids off down
the street or run off to the grocery store to grab a few
things.
The Howells began selling the carts this year through their Web
site, www.cutecarts.com. Sandra, who came up with the name, said
the Web name was an obvious choice.
The gentleman see the cars and say that its awesome or cool, but
the women always say how cute it is, Sandra said. They always walk
up and say, Oh, how cute. Be-sides, the women make the decisions
anyway, so we went with cutecarts.com because its easy to remember
and it says what were all
about.While the carts are unique by design,
they can also be customized to meet the needs of the customer.
Owners get to choose the color scheme and details such as fl ames
on the Roadster, and the wheels and interior can be upgraded.
Additional features include stereos, televisions, golf bag holders
and ball washers.
The prices of the carts vary based on the features. The
California Roadster goes for ap-proximately $7,999, the Hummer for
$9,999
by Samie HartleyStaff Writer
see Carts page 14A
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Jack and Sandra Howell sell customized golf carts in the style
of the Cadillac Escalade, the Hummer H3 and the 32 Ford California
Roadster through their Web site, www.cutecarts.com.
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4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JUNE 5, 2009
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LEGAL NOTICESNOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the Planning Commission of the City
of Brentwood will, at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the normal
course of business permits on June 16, 2009, hold a public hearing
to consider the following: An application for a Goodwill store (CUP
09-07) includ-ing a drop-off and retail location within an existing
7,000 square foot tenant space at Shady Willow Plaza, located at
6271 Lone Tree Way, Suites A-E (019-040-064).Applicant: Goodwill
Industries/Ryan RubioSaid hearing will be held at the City Council
Chambers, 734 Third Street, Brentwood, California.Further
information may be obtained from Assistant Plan-ner Tim Nielsen
[(925) 516-5151 or [email protected]] in the Community
Development Department of the City of Brentwood, 118 Oak Street,
Brentwood, California 94513.Before any court challenge of Planning
Commission deci-sions, you are required to appeal the decision to
the City Council no later than the time period provided under the
Citys Municipal Code. In addition you may be limited to raising
only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing
described in this notice, or in written corre-spondence delivered
to the Brentwood Planning Commis-sion at, or prior to, the public
hearing.Brentwood Press No. 02-1273Publish Date: June 5, 2009
County 4-H program faces funding crisis
They stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health. But even though
none of the letters that make up the name of the organization that
serves 6 million youth nationwide stands for the word heifer, thats
often one of the fi rst things people think of when they hear
4-H.
Our kids dont just raise animals, said Carla Moore, president of
the Contra Costa County 4-H, as the frenetic activity of the
livestock area at last weekends County Fair swirled around her.
They learn leadership, record keeping, public speaking,
citizen-ship, grant writing, involvement in govern-ment, time
management and conservation. Its experiential living; theyre
picking up life skills.
More than 500 youth from 5 to 19 years of age participate in 4-H
clubs in Contra Cos-ta County alone, but proposed countywide budget
cuts threaten the UC Cooperative Extensions Offi ce that oversees
the program. The $325,000 also supports the Extensions Master
Gardener, nutrition and food safety, urban horticulture, livestock
management, commercial fruits and nuts, wine grapes, veg-etable and
fi eld crop programs, and triggers an additional $3 million in
federal money to support 4-H activities, Moore said.
So while white-clad kids sporting the 4-H clover watered,
groomed, cleaned up after and showed their animals last weekend,
they
also worked to garner support in the effort to keep their group
alive after current funding runs out in September.
4-H creates a sense of belonging, said Amanda Tonkin, 18,
president of the Delta-Diablo 4-H. Its a community within itself
that blossoms into so much more. Everything in 4-H is for youth, by
youth. We run our own programs with adult guidance and it really
broadens our horizons. From writ-ing letters to service members
overseas, to sending books to the Philippines to learning about the
connection between tree growth and forest fi res, the hands-on
education 4-
Hers get extends well beyond the barnyard.The denizens of
barnyard are still a ma-
jor focus of 4-H, however, literally providing lessons of
life-or-death importance.
The consequences of dealing with live animals are that
(mistakes) can cripple them, Tonkin said. If you dont feed them,
they will die. It teaches you the realities of what life really is
in what you do.
And what of the fact that many 4-H animals will be sold at
market? Its part of the process, the cycle of life, Tonkin said.
Learning to live life also means learning to live with death.
In the musky livestock area last week-end, Robert McLaughlin,
13, and James Wilson, 11, wielding pitchforks and rakes, were
dealing with another of the realities of caring for large animals.
Dung duty didnt even faze them, though; it was just some-thing that
needed to be done and that they were glad to do.
If there was no Knightsen 4-H, Id go somewhere else where there
was one, Robert said. Otherwise, Id just be lazy.
If youd like to help save the UC Exten-sion program and, along
with it, 4-H, call the county 4-H offi ce at 925-646-6543.
by Rick LemyreStaff Writer
Left, Robert McLaughlin, 13, foreground, and James Wilson, 11,
perform clean-up duties in the large animal area at the County Fair
on Saturday. The boys are members of the Knightsen 4-H. Above,
Knightsen 4-H members Monica Bettencort and Elizabeth Liddington,
both 15, water their cows during last weekends County Fair.
Photos by Rick Lemyre
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Wine fl owed and tails wagged as hu-mans and their dogs enjoyed
an afternoon of luxury at Cortona Park last weekend.
As part of the Wine and Wiggles event, guests sampled wines from
Bloomfi eld Vine-yards and devoured Bella Luna chocolates while
their four-legged friends buried their snouts into snow cones and
patiently waited for a crumb of cheese or cracker to innocent-ly
slip from someones plate.
Tiffany Hall came all the way from Rio Vista to spend some
quality time with her pooch Sammy, a 3-year old Yorkiepoo.
This is such a fun idea, Tiffany said. The dogs seem to be
enjoying the sun and all the sights and smells. Sammy is
overpro-tective a little shy so he cant be around other dogs, but
he seems to like the snow cone.
Sammy daintily licked the strawberry-fl avored ice shavings as
Tiffany chatted with her mom Georgetti.
Were dog people, so when I got the fl i-er, I knew we had to
check it out, Georgetti said. The food is delicious, and its such
nice way to spend the afternoon with your pets. You dont see events
like this very often.
Carolyn Sundberg of Oakley agreed. She came out with her son
Sean, 4, and their Australian-shepherd Jack. There arent many
opportunities to bring your dog out these days, said Sundberg.
Theres some-thing for everyone here. The dogs get the
treats and theres the wine and chocolate for the owners.
A group of approximately 275 guests attended the event, which
delighted Event Coordinator and Cortona Park Managing Director Lisa
Pinguelo.
I got the idea from an event held in Walnut Creek, said
Pinguelo. And I found that there really arent any socials out here
where people can come and hang with their dogs and meet other dog
owners. Its just fun
to get out, and with the economy, people are having a diffi cult
time fi nding things to do, so this was a nice little outing for
the owners and their dogs.
Residents of Cortona Park, the new senior living community in
Brentwood, watched from their balconies as guests min-gled and dogs
tugged at their leashes, anxious to meet as many fellow canines as
possible.
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Thousands of East County homeowners are needlessly losing their
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Cortona Park goes to the dogs
see Dogs page 14A
by Samie HartleyStaff Writer
Georgetti Hall feeds bits of cracker to Sammy, a 3-year-old
Yorkiepoo who ar-rived at the Wine and Wiggles in style in his very
own stroller.
Photo by Samie Hartley
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Advertisement
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OFFER STAND OUTBuyers are confused and
frustrated right
now. They find a great home in this buyers market, only to find
out there are 15 offers on the property, and most are more than
asking price. So how do you make your offer stand out from all the
others? The highest offer does usu-ally get it, but not always.
Here are some basic guidelines, but keep in mind that each Seller
is different, so none of these are guaranteed 100% accurate all the
time.
First, for bank-owned and short sale listings, they wont even
consider your offer, no matter what the price, if you have to sell
your home first, so dont even try. They MAY consider a contingency
on a close if you have a solid buyer and are close to closing. Next
important would be the net price to the Seller. For the most part,
distressed Sellers dont care about what credits/fees you ask for.
They run it through a spreadsheet and see how much they are left
with, and they will usually (but not always) choose the offer with
the highest net to them. So to most Sellers, $200K minus $10K in
credits is the same as a $190K offer BUT if you
really dont need the credit, probably better to just write it at
$190K so its a cleaner offer and that also reduces the risk of
appraisal problems. Next would be the amount of your down pay-ment.
If two offers are a similar net to the Seller, they will probably
choose the one with the most down payment. Buyers with more down
are more likely to be approved for their loan, and it can also make
the appraisal process easier. If one buyer is 3.5% down, and
another is all cash, but the all cash offer is $10K less than the
3.5% down buyer, Ive often seen the Seller take the all cash as
more of a sure-thing even though its a lower net. And then there
are your inspec-tion and closing time periods. Most distressed
Sellers want the shortest possible time periods for you to inspect
the property and then closing escrow. Usually 7-10 days for
inspections, and 30-40 days max for closing escrow.
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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In 1984, after pitching a no-hitter yet still losing the game to
rival Liberty High School Alhambra High School Senior Erik Faulkner
received an unexpected gift.
I ended up throwing a no-hitter that day, even though we lost
the game, recalled Faulkner. But what I remember most about that
day was that the coach from Liberty came over, congratulated me and
handed me
the game ball. Ill never forget that.The baseball coach was
former Liberty
High teacher Jerry Black, and some 20 years later, Faulkner had
the opportunity to meet with Black again this time as a member of
the team that interviewed and ultimately ap-pointed Faulkner as the
new principal of Freedom High School.
Talk about coming full circle, said Faulkner, who will take over
when current
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It appears that Sanchez has very lit-tle to worry about. The
ebullient group, comprised of matriculating teens and adults,
showed off their eclectic selves Tuesday night during a
commencement ceremony that literally rocked the house.
Vocal soloist Alivia Logan was re-sponsible for that, belting
out a passion-ate and touching rendition of Ushers Because You Love
Me, dedicating the song to family and teachers who helped her along
the way.
The emotional evening continued as adult school graduates Tina
Riso and Eulalio Contreras shared their power-ful stories of
success. Riso, a mother of three, said she dropped out of high
school just two months into her senior year. But when her children
started school, she promised herself she too would return for her
degree, and 20 years later she stood before her family and friends
in cap and gown.
I will always be proud of what I have achieved here, said Riso.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
Contreras had an equally mov-ing story of drug abuse,
homelessness and feelings of totally worthlessness. Dont ever let
anyone tell you cant do something, said Contreras, 37. Im living
proof you can accomplish any-thing.
Students Robyn Kernutt, Kiersten Turner, Robbie Bryant, Georgia
Teyler and Nikki Harden also expressed appre-ciation for their time
at Independence, and were augmented by words of con-gratulations
from retiring LUHSD Su-perintendent Dan Smith.
You have made yourselves proud tonight and your families proud
and youve made us proud too, said Smith. Whatever direction you
take in the fu-ture, be creative and proactive Con-gratulations and
best wishes.
Student Speaker Meghan Groshong extended best wishes to her
fellow gradu-ates. Good job getting here, guys To-day we are done
with high school; today we move on. Congratulations.
Financial scholarships were also be-stowed on students from
local organiza-tions, including the LUHSD Education-al Foundation,
Brentwood Lions Club, Brentwood Rotary Club and American Legion
Post 202.
Graduation from page 7A
New FHS principal comes full circle
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Freedom Highs incoming principal Erik Faulkner will take over
the helm from Eric Volta in July.
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
see Principal page 10A
-
JUNE 5, 2009 EDUCATION THEPRESS.NET | 9A
For more information, contact Delta Hazardous Waste Program
(925) 756-1990www.ddsd.org
Accepted:batterieshousehold cleanerspaintmotor oilpesticides
& insecticideschemicalsfluorescent tubeselectronic waste CPUs
monitors TVs
Not Accepted:appliancestiresradioactive or infectious
materialsmarine flaressharps
Tips for Transporting Your Waste Do not mix materials
Keep in original containers
Pack in a sturdy box or tub with newspaper
Transport a maximum of 15 gallons or 125 pounds
When you arrive stay in your car!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
9:00 am - 2:00 pmDiscovery
Elementary School1700 Willow Lake Road,
Discovery BayEvent is open to all
residents of East Contra Costa County
Household HazardousWaste COLLECTION DAY
Event Sponsors:
In Discovery Bay
Discovery BayDisposal
Household Hazardous Waste
Valedictorians look to the future
The colors of their caps and gowns will vary, as will the
cadence of their speeches and the tenor of their themes, but when
East Countys valedictorians gather for their re-spective high
school graduations this month, what they will share is a sense of
accomplish-ment, gratitude and pride.
When Jacob Peterson, Heritage Highs valedictorian, heard he was
the No. 1 student in his graduating class, the athlete and scholar
was surprised. When I fi rst found out, Mr. Parsons (Heritage
principal) called me into his offi ce and said, Youve probably been
ex-pecting this call, said Peterson. And I told him that it
depended upon what he was going to tell me.
The news was good, of course, and come September the biology
major will be making his way to Brigham Young University, with an
eye on becoming a doctor. Peterson credits his parents gentle yet
persistent support for keep-ing him focused and on track.
I didnt always see my potential, but my parents did, and they
pushed me along and I went for it, said Peterson, who will fi nish
his high school career with a 4.28 GPA. This is a great honor. I
never really expected that I would achieve this. But I guess all
the hard work and sleepless nights paid off.
Muniba Ahmad understands. Becoming valedictorian, said Ahmad, is
like running a marathon: Its about setting a goal. When
runners run marathons, its not just about the work; you have to
keep going. Its about per-severance.
And Ahmad should know. As Deer Valleys valedictorian of the
Class of 2009,
she has spent most of her educational career keeping a careful
eye on the fi nal prize, and now with a 4.24 GPA under her belt and
UC Berkeley in her future, she can, at last, relax.
Its been a lot of work, a long road, said
Ahmad, who has not yet decided on a major. But ever since I
heard what a valedictorian was, I wanted to be one. Now I can spend
some time just being.
And for Ahmad, that will that will in-clude a summer fi lled
with plenty of R&R. Im going to sleep and read and relax, she
laughed. I also want to spend some time with my friends before I go
away. Im going to miss all that.
Amber Basore feels the same way. Freedom Highs valedictorian
(with a GPA of 4.25) will soon be packing her bags and heading to
UCLA in the fall, and despite the excitement of trading small-town
life for the big city, she knows shell be leaving something
important behind.
I know Im going to miss all of my friends, so I want to spend a
lot of time with them this summer, said Basore, who has not yet
decided on a major. Im nervous, but also very excited.
A member of the Freedom varsity ten-nis team, Basore also served
on a number of school clubs and has been an active commu-nity
volunteer. She says being chosen vale-dictorian is an honor beyond
measure. Ive worked hard for it (valedictorian) but Im in-credibly
proud to have been chosen, she said. Its something Ive hoped
for.
Harpreya Chumbar, one of Liberty High Schools two
valedictorians, agrees that the honor of being chosen
co-valedictorian
The Liberty Union High School Districts (LUHSD) 2009
valedictorians and salu-tatorians recently recognized for their
achievements, from left, are Heritage High Valedictorian Jacob
Peterson; Heritage High Salutatorian Dominesse Gajudo; Freedom High
Valedictorian Amber Basore; Freedom High co-saluta-torians Kayla
Suhrie and Eilan Zeng; Liberty High Co-valedictorian Harpreya
Chumbar; Liberty High Salutatorian Christopher Leyen; and Liberty
High Co-valedictorian Melisa McChesney.
Photo Courtesy of Sarah Singrin
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
see Valedictorians page 10A
-
principal Eric Volta moves to the district offi ce in July. Im
absolutely thrilled; I cant think of a better place to be.
The former law school student and married father of three his
wife Megan is a teacher in the Brentwood Union School District
moved back to the Bay Area in 1997 after attending college in Long
Beach and teaching for a few years in Southern California.
Following a teaching stint at Edna Hill Middle School, Faulkner
came to Freedom, where he taught and was also the English
Department chair. In 2004, he became Freedoms summer school
principal, and in 2005 was named as Freedoms assistant
principal.
It kind of seems like the natural order of things for me, he
said of his new appointment. Ive been preparing myself for many
years for a leadership position and Im so grateful for the many
mentors whove given me opportunities along the way.
And some of his new opportunities are also likely to be
challenges. As education takes some of the toughest hits from the
state in decades, Faulkner understands that LUHSD is fac-ing
uncertain fi nancial times.
If you look at our district weve hired 12 teachers so far our
district is continuing to grow, he said. However, when you look at
the state of the economy and look at the challenges facing the
electorate and legislators, there are some daunting tasks ahead, no
question. But I know our district is a well-run, solvent, prudent
district, with a great new superintendent (Jer-ry Glenn) coming in
who will help guide our staff.
For my part, Im working on getting the lay of the land, so to
speak, and looking at things from a principals perspec-tive. Ive
been meeting with Eric and talking about ideas hes had, and hes
been great with helping me out with the whole idea of transition.
Eric has been a fantastic principal.
For Volta, the well-liked principal wont be venturing far from
his old stomping grounds. Starting in July, Volta will be the
assistant superintendent for human resources at the Lib-erty Union
High School District. And while hell miss the stu-dents, families
and staff (Im really bummed about that, he
said), hes ready for a fresh challenge.I seem to do things in
sevens, said Volta referring to his
years as principal. So I fi gured this was the time to start
look-ing at all of my options and thinking about what I wanted to
do next. Ill be doing a lot of the same stuff a principal does,
only on a bigger scale. Its more focused.
Voltas new job will include hiring staff, negotiating and
managing contracts and handling complaints (hopefully not too much
of that, he laughed). He looks forward to working with Glenn, and
says hes ready for the obvious fi nancial tests facing the
district.
Sure, the money part is challenging, but the good part is that
we have good people working here and were in better shape than a
lot of other districts.
So whats next for the popular administrator? Im focus-ing on
getting this new position going, said Volta. Call me in another
seven years and well see where I am then.
10A | THEPRESS.NET EDUCATION JUNE 5, 2009
Securities and annuities are offered through BancWest Investment
Services, a registered broker/dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Financial
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BancWest Investment Services is a subsidiary of Bank of the West.
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Antioch ........................(925) 754-1845Brentwood
...................(925) 634-2161Lonetree Landing .........(925)
755-2327Oakley .........................(925)
625-2211Pittsburg......................(925) 432-2911
Jeff McKannayVP Sr. Financial Advisor
Principal from page 8A
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Outgoing Freedom High Principal Eric Volta, right will be taking
aover as the new Liberty Union High School District assistant
superintendent of human resources.
is the culmination of years of hard work and resolve: Its a huge
honor and for me it validates what Ive been working for during my
time here. Honestly, I was surprised when they told me but very
proud.
Chumbar will enter UC Davis in the fall as biology ma-jor,
taking aim at a medical degree. The 4.07 student hopes to spend her
summer working and saving for college next year, as well as hanging
out with her friends.
I will defi nitely miss my friends and the fun times we had
together, she said. But Im ready to make a fresh start in
September; Im very excited.
Libertys other co-valedictorian, Melisa McChesney, was
unavailable for comment, but has said she hopes her col-lege
studies will involve a combination of biology and art.
Valedictorians from page 9A
Photo courtesy of Muniba Ahmad
Muniba Ahmad is Deer Valley High Schools 2009 valedictorian.
-
JUNE 5, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 11A
-
12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY JUNE 5, 2009
22 888882008
GOL
D MEDALAWARD
Diehard Baseball Academy is o ering the ultimate program to
prepare young baseball players for next level of competition. We
are o ering elite baseball training for the entire summer, or you
may elect to have your child participate for only a portion of the
summer months.
Our baseball summer program will take place at Freedom High
School in Oakley, California from June 8 through July 24 from the
hours of 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. For less than $2 per hour, your child
will receive six hours of daily professional baseball training and
mentoring. We will work with players ages 9-18. Players will be
broken into age appropriate groups. We strongly encourage players
of all skill levels to participate in our summer program.
We will be o ering a three week and seven week program, and
either option will consist of a thorough evaluation of each player
with each player having individually designed program based on the
assessment.
*7 Week summer program $400*3 Week summer program $200
For more information, please call 925-382-9045To sign up, please
call 925-813-4788
1st ANNUALDIEHARD BASEBALL ACADEMY
SUMMER BASEBALLPROGRAM
Led by Ron Perkins & Gary Alexander, Head Baseball Coach of
the 2009
NCS Division 1 Champions, the Freedom Falcons and a host of
other
professional baseball instructors
$6.2.Councilman Reggie Moore rhetori-
cally asked, Are you suggesting that folks that are inclined to
call the governors of-fi ce, call the governors offi ce to request
very strongly that he leave local tax rev-enues alone?
Later in the meeting, Jakel expanded on Kalinowskis remarks
about the sub-committee recommendations.
That work will be critical, because while we are operating in a
two-year bud-get, we are facing a very signifi cant situa-tion, in
spite of all of the (budget-cutting) steps weve taken, he said.
There is a high degree of interest, obviously, inside the (City
Hall) building. The employees
are doing a great job. Morale is surpris-ingly strong under the
duress that the em-ployees are feeling. On the other hand, we have
some really, really diffi cult decisions in the next couple of
weeks.
Earlier in the meeting, Antioch resi-dent Martin Fernandez said
he was im-pressed with the citys Public Works staff at a recent
open house that he attended, and he would hate to see them go.
All the employees were all happy, he said. I dont know how the
hell they can be happy with the (budget) circum-stances they are
working under. They are like family. I would urge this council
before laying anybody else off if you can sell property or
something. There has to be something to save these people that we
can do.
Layoffs from page 1A
The City of Oakley Recreation Di-vision is now accepting
registration for its summer camps: Summer Blaze and Youth C.O.R.E.
(Committed to Ongoing Revitalization Efforts). The programs of-fer
a variety of games, water activities, arts and crafts and
team-building for $7 or less per day.
Summer Blaze Day Camp (ages 6 to 11) will be held Monday through
Friday, June 15 to 26 and July 6 to 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The
cost is $7 per day or purchase a weekly punch card for $30 (a $5
savings).
Youth C.O.R.E., a fun, high-energy program, offers two sessions
for youth
entering 6 through 11th grades. CORE takes place Monday through
Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Session 1 takes place June 15 to 26;
Session 2 from July 6 to 17. Participants will learn teamwork and
engage in community-service proj-ects throughout the sessions.
Qualifying participants are eligible for free admis-sion to the
weekly Xtreme Xcursions, which take place on Fridays. Destina-tions
include Santa Cruz and Discovery Kingdom. Xtreme Xcursions tickets
may also be purchased by youth not enrolled in the Youth C.O.R.E.
program.
For more information, call the Rec-reation Division at
925-625-7041.
Oakley offers camps
-
JUNE 5, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 13A
Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey
TAX CREDIT SAME AS CASH?
Advertisement
Although the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
allows fi rst time homeowners who close escrow (on their primary
residence) between April 8, 2009 and December 1, 2009 up to $8,000
in the form of a tax credit, Ive recently received many emails
asking if said credit can be used as a bridge loan or cash advance.
According to the National Association of Homebuyers if this were to
happen, it would double the total number of home purchases
stimulated by the 2009 tax credit program so it is completely
understandable why people want to know sooner than later. And
although the idea of morphing the credit into ready-to-use cash is
something that is in the air, nothing has yet to be set in stone,
and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is still hammering out
the details.
To put it in perspective, Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Secretary Shaun Donovan stated on May 12, 2009 in a speech to the
midyear convention of the National Association of Realtors (NAR)
that changes were in the works and hopefully sooner than later the
credit would be converted to cash. However, an offi cial document
released by HUD almost immediately aft er the convention read, Th e
statement made by Shaun Donovan, on how the FHA will allow the
$8,000 tax credit to be used for down payment at a NAR conference
earlier this week was apparently off base. Th e information was
removed from the website and the Mortgagee Letter has been pulled
for the time being.
In other words, were receiving mixed signals across the board.
As it currently sits, under guidelines draft ed by the FHA, all
lenders approved to do business with the agency will be authorized
to provide bridge loans at closing, secured solely by
the tax credit the borrower expects to use to reduce their taxes
when they fi le for 2009. Th e borrower would then pay back the
bridge loan when they fi le their taxes for 2009, using the money
they didnt have to pay as actual taxes to the IRS because of the
application of the tax credit to their 2009 tax bill. Th is in
itself causes issues and according to mortgage industry leaders,
the federal credit may not be available through private lenders for
some time. Among the key questions yet to be answered: Where will
non-depository mortgage companies get the $8,000 in advance money?
If the FHA Guidelines clearly state the tax credit advances (cash
on hand for the buyers) cannot be secured by a lien on the
property, but rather only on the tax credit to be received by the
purchaser, who will front the upfront bill? And if a borrower ends
the tax year without enough taxable income to make use of the
entire tax credit, how will they pay off the bridge loan?
Overall the idea of converting a potential $8,000 tax credit
into available cash on hand will bring more buyers to the table and
truly help the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 live
up to its name. However until the red tape can be worked out
would-be buyers who believe they are eligible for the federal
credit shouldnt sit around. Th ey should actually do the opposite
and shift into high gear shopping for a house the Cinderella date
of November 30 is looming regardless of whether theyll need a
bridge loan to complete the transaction.
If you have any real estate lending related questions or
concerns, dont hesitate to write me at [email protected] or
call me directly on my new cell phone, (925) 726-1444.
Concerts at 6pm and 8pm nightly (except 4th of July)
1 The Charlie Daniels Band2 Mandisa3 Night Ranger4 Bay Area
Blues Festival5 Carmen Jara6 CLOSED No Concert7 Skynnyn Lynnyrd
(Tribute)8 Gregg Rolie Band9 Salvador10 Bowling For Soup
11 En Vogue12 Bucky Covington13 CLOSED No Concert14 Evolution
(Tribute)15 BJ Thomas16 Ozomatli17 Solange Knowles18 Con Funk
Shun19 Aaron Tippin
FREE CONCERTSwith paid Fair admissionJULY
Live Horse Racing15 days
Wednesdays thru Sundays
Starts opening dayof Fair
H a p p e n i n g s !
Fiesta HispaaCelebrate The Spir i t of Mexico
July 3 - Ju ly 5
Jazz, Gators and Gumbo New Or leans StyleJuly 10 - Ju ly 12
Seventh Annual Amateur Rib Cook-Off
"Ja i Ho": Bol lywood DhamakaAn Indian Celebrat ion of
Culture
July 17 - Ju ly 19
July 1 19 (closed mondays)
Sanitary District open houseThe Byron Sanitary District, in
celebration of the districts wastewater treatment plant
upgrades, invites the public to an open house and barbecue on June
13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. An 11 a.m. presentation will be
given
at the treatment plant followed by a question-and-answer period.
The barbecue begins at 11:30 at the park next to the Wild Idol Inn
on Main Street in Byron. Call and reserve your free lunch at
925-634-3613.
Anthony family fundraiserA flea-market fundraiser to ben-
efit the Anthony family will be held on June 20 from 8 a.m to 2
p.m in the parking lot at 3361 Walnut Blvd. in Brentwood. All
proceeds from the event will go to the Anthonys. An
account has also been established for the family at Wells Fargo
Bank in Brentwood. Donations mone-tary or otherwise are welcome.
For more information on how to help, visit
www.hope4anthonyfamily.com.
Summer library readyThe Contra Costa County Library
is inviting the public to join the librarys Summer Reading
Program, which runs from June 8 to Aug. 17.
Kids ages 2 through fi fth grade can tap into their artistic
side and Be Creative for fun treats during the Kids Summer Reading
Program. Students in sixth through 12th grade can get inspired to
Express Yourself in the Teen Reading Program at their local library
and take a shot at winning prizes such as a Nintendo Wii.
Parents and caregivers of babies up
to age 2 are encouraged to earn prizes by participating in the
librarys early literacy-building Baby Reading Program. And readers
18 and up are invited to be free2create by submitting a book review
online at www.ccclib.org or at their local library for a chance to
win a Booklovers Bag full of goodies, a one-night stay at the
Renaissance ClubSport Hotel in Walnut Creek, or dinner for two at
Stanfords Restaurant and Bar.
For more information or to get started, contact your community
library or visit www.ccclib.org.
-
LIST OF Bank-Owned Properties
No hassle No obligation
Call Todd Now! 925-301-7788 or go towww.myfreehome
ndersite.com
-
JUNE 5, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 15A
-
16A | THEPRESS.NET JUNE 5, 2009
OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY Nat
ional Aw
ardWinning Newspapers
Have you got something to say? Visit thepress.net and let your
thoughts be known.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORGo for win-win scenario
Editor:As a resident and taxpayer of
Brentwood, I would like to sincerely thank councilmembers
Stonebarger and Brockman for voting against using a union-only
Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the construction of the Brentwood
Civic Center.
Thank you for not discriminating against the more than 80
percent of construction workers in the City of Brentwood who have
chosen to not belong to a union. Non-union workers should not be
required to join a union in order to build the Civic Center.
As the city moves forward with negotiations for a PLA, I want to
make sure the following concerns expressed by the council are
addressed: the statement made by Mayor Taylor that ABC be
represented in the negotiations, equal opportunity and choice in
hiring workers and apprentices, the employment of local residents,
and the elimination of dual payment of benefi ts (if the contractor
can prove that benefi ts are already being paid for their
workers).
This will guarantee the increase in competition in bidding and
perhaps reduce the cost of the project for taxpayers creating a
win-win situation.
Lori OlsenBrentwood
PLAs dont live up to the hypeEditor:
Pacifi c Bay Masonry, Inc. is a non-union contractor with
considerable experience on Public Works Projects in the San
Francisco Bay Area. Throughout the years we have worked on projects
both with and without project labor agreements (PLA).
Although the quality and consistency of our work and business
practices are the same, costly problems and issues with the unions
and their work force have signifi cantly raised the cost of
projects with PLAs. The most recent Pacifi c
Bay Masonry example is Marina Vista Elementary School in
Pittsburg. This project constantly had costly confl icts and delays
resulting in numerous meetings to try to resolve the issues because
of disputes with the local union. The fi rst major issue with the
PLA was because we are a non-signatory contractor and forced to pay
for our employees to enroll in the union so they could work on this
project.
In addition to paying the regular benefi ts our employees are
entitled to at Pacifi c Bay Masonry, we also had to pay the
prevailing wage fringe benefi ts directly to the union trust funds.
Those employees will never receive those benefi ts because they
dont work enough union hours.
Without a PLA, Pacifi c Bay Masonry would have deposited that
same money into our qualifi ed health and pension plans without
making any deductions for dues or fees. Our employees get to keep
every penny of the money they earn.
The second major issue involved countless time-consuming
meetings with representatives for the owner, general contractor,
Union and Pacifi c Bay Masonry to fi nalize the negotiations that
determined the ratio of Pacifi c Bay Masonry employees vs. men from
the hall. We were forced to hire union employees from the union
hall in order to meet that ratio of workers.
We requested workers who were trained on the equipment we needed
to use, who were drug and alcohol free and who would show up for
work on time and prepared. Many of the men that the union
dispatched to the jobsite to work for us were not reliable, qualifi
ed, experienced or sober enough to work. As a result, we were
forced to hire and fi re new workers daily.
As a licensed contractor in the State of California, we fairly
bid and are entitled to work on any project, public or private,
which we are awarded, and we should be allowed to choose where we
purchase our benefi ts package from. In addition to the above
issues and many others Pacifi c Bay Masonry dealt with daily, our
employees and foreman were harassed and threatened daily by
extremely unprofessional union representatives.
As a result of costs and constant problems with PLA projects,
Pacifi c Bay Masonry no longer submits bids for any projects that
contain a PLA. Unfortunately for taxpayers and municipalities, PLA
agreements reduce competition and infl ate costs.
The following is a breakdown of all monies paid to the union on
this project in which the participating Pacifi c Bay Masonry
employees will receive no benefi ts:
Initial sign up fees for fi ve men: $1,544Monthly dues: $167 x
22 months =
$3,674Fringe benefi ts: $65,371.99 Total: $70,589.99 for a
$450,000
contract of which the men who actually
worked on the job will not see a dime.Project labor agreements
do not achieve
the results claimed by union advocates. They are not cost
effective, because admin staff for all parties, including the
owner, have to spend so much time negotiating details and solving
problems. Also, the fringe-benefi t money (which is paid in
addition to regular benefi ts) goes into funds that the actual
workers have no access to. In addition to an unproductive admin
staff, the fi eld is unstable and unproductive because of constant
turnover and unqualifi ed labor. PLAs create labor confl icts and
do not produce a quality workforce.
Ray WetmorePresident
Peace prevailsEditor:
Last year was an explosive time for concerned citizens in
Discovery Bay regarding the politics of our little town. Each week
in the Press there were so many letters to the editor complaining
about our CSD board members and their abilities. When the election
was over and the new board was put in place just like magic, the
letters disappeared, the town meetings became civil and all is at
peace! Congratulations to the new board. It is nice to see harmony
in our lovely town.
Nanci PriceDiscovery Bay
Shame on AMREditor:
After reading the May 22 edition of the Oakley Press, I am
disgusted and appalled at the actions of the attorneys representing
American Medical Response Ambulance Co. (AMR).
They use repeated delays in their appeal to prolong the lawsuit.
Their actions keep 83-year-old Louis Del Barba from going home
after spending two years in the hospital. It appears that they hope
Del Barba dies before they have to pay the judgment against
them.
As a retired fi refi ghter, I look back with pride as being a fi
rst responder, giving everything Ive got to comfort or rescue
people in need. Fire personnel share these responses with ambulance
and police.
AMR should feel shamed by the lack of moral ethics displayed by
their attorneys. AMR injured this man and now they punish him
(maybe to his death) by not paying his medical bills, nor allowing
his home to be handicap-accessible so that he may return home in
peace before he dies.
Jack BurgeOakley
Make the Fed accountableEditor:
Although its no more federal than Federal Express nor is it a
reserve Americas privately owned third central bank and deceitfully
named Federal Reserve has
created new programs to print and distribute trillions of
taxpayer dollars without oversight by our elected
representatives.
Two bills were introduced in Congress to change that:
The bipartisan HR2424 by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) entitled The
Federal Reserve Credit Facility Act of 2009 would authorize the
Government Accountability Offi ce to audit, review and investigate
the activities of the Federal Reserve in response to the economic
crisis gripping our nation.
We know the Fed has printed and loaned trillions of dollars, but
we dont know where the money went, said Kucinich.
HR1207 by Rep. Ron Paul (R), entitled the Federal Reserve
Transparency Act of 2009, now has 179 co-authors from both parties.
It directs the Comptroller General to complete, before the end of
2010, an audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System and of the federal reserve banks, followed by a detailed
report to Congress.
Of our local congressmembers, only Pete Stark has co-authored
either bill. Tauscher, Miller and McNerney havent. Why not? Im
asking them and those campaigning to replace Tauscher to support
these bills to protect our tax dollars.
Its time the Fed had some federal oversight.
Allen PaytonAntioch
Blame economics, not politicsEditor:
I am responding to the DB Press letter to the editor Another fun
event lost by Teri Sandholdt on May 15. As a member of the separate
organizations that put on these two different events, please rest
assured that politics had nothing to do with either event being
lost.
First, DOktoberfest was an event that was put on by the
Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce. At the time, I was the treasurer
and heavily involved with the event over the many years of its
existence. During that time, the chamber brought many name
performers to Discovery Bay, such as Guess Who, Mickey Thomas and
Starship, BeeGees, Elvin Bishop and many others, or former members
of these and other groups.
This event wasnt cheap to put on, in either dollars or manpower.
In the end, there was a core group of about eight to 12 dedicated
individuals, both chamber members and community members, that
organized and managed this event. The individual time became too
great and people got worn out. No politics involved .
Second is the Boat Show, put on by the Discovery Bay Lions, of
which I am a member. This, too, is not a cheap undertaking. Our
biggest sponsors have been businesses in the boating industry, many
of
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Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, and the Delta Judicial District
of Contra Costa County.
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A sampling of recent law enforcement activity reported by East
County police departments.
BRENTWOODMay 22, 2:45 a.m. A subject was con-tacted at his
residence on Susan Street regarding warrants for his arrest. He was
arrested and taken to the Martinez De-tention Facility.May 22,
11:39 p.m. On Whispering Oaks Court, a subject was arrested for
posses-sion of stolen property.May 23, 12:29 a.m. A business on
Village Drive was intentionally set on fi re by an unknown
person.May 23, 3:28 a.m. At a business on Lone Tree Way, an
unidentifi ed person stole two unattended purses.May 23, 2:37 p.m.
On Brentwood Bou-levard at Sand Creek Road, a subject stopped for a
vehicle code violation was found to be driving with a suspended
li-cense. The vehicle was towed and stored.May 24, 12:14 a.m. A
subject contacted at her residence on Orchid Court was found to be
unable to care for her safety due to her intoxication level. She
was ar-rested and taken to the Martinez Deten-tion Facility.May 25,
12:58 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-son entered a residence on Reagan
Way through an unlocked rear door and stole two laptop computers
and a PSP game console.May 25, 9 p.m. A driver responsible for a
solo vehicle collision on Brentwood Bou-levard at Spruce Street was
found to be DUI. He was booked at the Brentwood Police Department,
cleared from County Hospital and taken to the Martinez De-tention
Facility. The vehicle was stored.May 25, 10:46 p.m. Two subjects
were caught taking merchandise from the loading dock of a business
on Lone Tree Way. Two of the subjects were released on a Promise To
Appear. The third was booked at the Martinez Detention Facil-ity on
a no-cite warrant.May 26, 11:52 a.m. On Cortona Way, an unidentifi
ed person stole a white Mon-goose Hybrid bicycle, which was locked
onto a bike rack.
May 26, 2:38 p.m. Unidentifi ed persons pulled the emergency
release on the ga-rage door of a residence on Sycamore Avenue,
entered the house and stole a 42-inch plasma TV.May 27, 9:15 a.m.
On Lone Tree Way at Jeffery Way, a subject stopped for a
me-chanical violation was found to be driving without a license.
The vehicle was stored.May 27, 3:50 p.m. A subject made vague
text-message threats to a resident of Prominent Drive.May 27, 9:02
p.m. A subject came to a residence on Handel Way in violation of a
restraining order and fl ed scene prior to police arrival.May 28,
9:58 a.m. An unidentifi ed per-son used the credit card of a
resident of Atherton Boulevard to make purchases in Hayward, San
Leandro and Oakland.May 28, 11:30 a.m. On San Jose Avenue at Orchid
Drive, abandoned vehicles were removed from the street.May 28,
11:54 a.m. On Brentwood Bou-levard at Oak Street, a subject stopped
for a vehicle code violation was found to be driving under the infl
uence of alcohol and a central nervous system stimulant. Another
subject was also found to be under the infl uence of a CNS
stimulant. Both were arrested and taken to the Mar-tinez Detention
Facility.
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.
ANTIOCHMay 25, 8:21 a.m. Offi cers of the Antioch Police
Department responded to the re-port of grand theft at the First
Mission-ary Baptist Church of Antioch at 640 E. Tregallas Road. A
shed had been broken into and a trailer had been stolen from the
church parking lot. The thieves used tools from a church storage
shed to break a lock on a disaster relief trailer and towed the
trailer from the church lot. The trailer is a 24-foot, two-axle,
white box trailer with the church name on all sides. The trailer is
valued at $10,000 and the con-tents are valued at another $20,000.
The trailer contained two John Deer 6200-
watt generators valued at $8,000 each, a water pump, cooking
stoves, chain saws, an air conditioner and numerous other items
used for disaster relief. The churchs surveillance system recorded
two males in a newer model Chevy Tahoe, which was discovered to be
stolen from the Los An-geles area. The theft occurred around 4 a.m.
At around 5:20 p.m., the trailer was found at 3301 Wilbur Avenue,
just outside the city limits. The two generators were missing,
along with two water pumps and the chain saws. Those with
information about this trailer theft should call An-tioch Police
Dispatch at 925-778-2441.May 28 Richmond residents Terrell Kilgore,
18, and Detwan Kilgore, 19, were arrested on May 24 for the armed
robbery of Pizza Guys on 1100 Syca-more Drive, have been positively
iden-tifi ed in fi ve other robberies in Antioch since April 22 :
the Chevron station on Delta Fair Boulevard on April 22; the Bizi
Mart on Delta Fair Boulevard on April 29 and May 3; the Valero
station on Somersville Road on May 3; and the Radio Shack on
Somersville Road on May 20. Investigators presented all six cases
to the district attorney on May 28, and multiple felony charges
were fi led against each of the suspects. De-twan is being held on
$3.8 million bail and Terrell on $1.8 million. Detwan is being held
on a higher bail because he is a convicted felon, currently on
parole for carjacking.
For information on law enforcement in Antioch, visit
www.ci.antioch.ca.us/citygov/police.
OAKLEYMay 18 Arrest warrants were issued on the 200 block of
OHara Avenue, the 4800 block of Fuschia Way and the 1700 block of
Chianti Way.May 18 An auto burglary occurred on the 5200 block of
Neroly Road.May 18 Credit card fraud was reported on the 4600 block
of La Vista Drive.May 18 On Orchard Park Drive at Wal-nut Drive, a
subject was arrested for pub-lic intoxication.May 19 An armed
robbery took place
on Francisco Villa Drive at OHara Av-enue.May 19 On the 1200
block of Chianti Way, a subject was arrested for felony DUI.May 20
On the 1400 block of Ruth-erford Lane, a subject was found to be
driving without a license.May 20 An incident of misdemeanor
hit-and-run occurred on the 3200 block of Main Street.May 20 On the
6000 block of Bridge-head Road, a boat was burglarized.May 20 Grand
theft was reported on the 3300 block of Main Street.May 20 An
incident of trespassing took place on the 800 block of Almond
Drive.May 20 An illegal entry was made on the 2000 block of
Meadowlark Lane.May 21 On the 5200 block of Elm Lane, a subject was
found in possession of dangerous drugs.May 21 Suspicious
circumstances were reported on the 100 block of Vella Cir-cle.May
22 A vehicle parked on the 1200 block of Fetzer Lane was stolen.May
22 On the 1900 block of Cinna-mon Ridge Drive, a subject was cited
for possession of marijuana.May 22 On the 5500 block of Bridge-head
Road, a subject was charged with violation of probation.May 22 An
object was thrown at a vehicle on East Cypress Road at Sellers
Avenue.May 22 Incidents of misdemeanor DUI occurred on the 5500
block of Bridgehead Road and the 300 block of West Cypress Road.May
23 Vehicle accidents with prop-erty damage took place on Bridgehead
Road at Main Street, and the 5500 block of Bridgehead Road.May 24 A
stolen vehicle was recovered on the 5200 block of Elm Lane.May 24
On the 100 block of Stony Hill Court, a subject was found to be
under the infl uence of drugs.May 24 Incidents of misdemeanor DUI
occurred on Laurel Road at Main Street, and on Main Street at
Teakwood Drive.
COP LOGSFROM EMERGENCY SERVICES DISPATCH LOGS A subject made
vague text-message threats to a resident of Prominent Drive. May
27, 3:50 p.m., Brentwood
-
JUNE 5, 2009 THEPRESS.NET | 19A
-
20A | THEPRESS.NET JUNE 5, 2009
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JUNE 5, 2009 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 21A
Oakleyites Samantha Rogers, 6, and her 4-year-old sister
Savannah. Its an annual event for the Rogers fam-ily. They just
have a blast every time, said the girls father Steve, who was
joined by his wife Raquel.
The animal exhibit was made possible by 4-H members such as
Randy Carasis of Knightsen, who
was participating in his third County Fair and showing off
several sheep for breeding stock and sale. I love it, he said. Its
just fun getting to-gether, seeing all of your old friends from
other groups and the showman-ship and everything. Its just a lot of
fun.
While the fair is a one-day event for fairgoers, for exhibitors
like Bob
Tannenbaum who operated two booths, one selling custom-fitted
toe rings, and the other providing com-puterized palm readings its
a way of life. He describes himself as 64 going on 35 and owns a
home in Las Vegas, but most of his life is spent on the road
traveling from fair to fair throughout the West.
Theres a world out there, and I
dont want to experience it on a 27-inch screen, he said. I do
sightsee-ing in between shows and I enjoy the people. People come
to the fair to have fun. I have a wonderful life; I love the
travel. Too bad I dont make any money, but its a fun life.
For more photos and a video from this years Fair, visit
www.thepress.net/multimedia/
Fair from page 1A
Left, A goatish Mona Lisa smile appears on the goateed face of
this County Fair participant. Above, Astronaut Plasterman breaks
out of his statue-like stance to pose for a photo with a
fairgoer.
Photos by Dave Roberts
Photos by Dave Roberts
Above, Shylo the clown poses for a photo with toe-ring salesman
Bob Tannenbaum. Right, this little girl is as colorful as the
merry-go-round shes riding.
Photos by Dave Roberts
Far left, a cou-ple steals a kiss on the midway. Left, kids of
all ages enjoyed the County Fair.
-
22A | THEPRESS.NET JUNE 5, 2009
Its a Matter of LawBy Barbara A. Frantz
A NEW ECONOMY WHAT CHANGES MUST I MAKE IN MY REGULAR ROUTINELast
month I covered Points 2 through
4 of the One Coach Program regarding positioning your business
for growth in the new economy. Last months article focused on the
inside of your company to make sure you are organized and have the
proper support. This month I am going to talk about your products
and/or services, Points 5 through 7.
For details, write Susie at [email protected].
Point 5: Promotions within your busi-ness. There are many
statistics about what it costs to bring in a new client. One common
element among the experts is that it is always easier to have an
existing client bring in a new client than by any other method. Use
your client base to create new client oppor-tunities. Analyze how
much it costs you to bring in a new potential client. Look to your
staff to help you provide enough value to that new client that it
pays the cost of bringing them in and then some. If your services
or products are limited, create new products and services that will
bring added value to your existing clients. Make a promotional
calendar for an entire year. Dont wait to the last minute to offer
your clients incentives to use your services.
Point 6: Branding. What does your image say about you? Even with
limited funds, you can trade services to improve your marketing and
advertising materials, because your website, your business card,
even your office is your first impression, and it counts. You and
your team must represent your culture, your values, your
ethics.
Point 7: Price Structure/Price Increases. Nine out of ten
businesses have not raised their prices for a very long time. When
they formulated their pricing, they looked in the market place and
said, I will start here. Of course, you should keep the market
place in mind, but what has changed about your expertise, the
additional value that you now bring to your clients that didnt
exist when you started, and what has happened to the competition? I
wouldnt switch my hair stylist if you paid me. I followed him when
he moved. The value he brings to me is a premium for meconsistency.
If you provide value to the clients that you serve, and they
perceive it, they will pay whatever your price is. The key here is
not to do a knee jerk price increase. Create criteria that you will
periodi-cally measure to determine if its time. Supply and Demand
is only one criteria.
I see businesses starting to have more activity. It seems as
though everybody except the banks have gotten past the panic stage.
Hang in there, times are changing.
In an upcoming issue four final rules in the new economy
Advertisement
The information above is not a substitute for seeking legal
advice. Barbara Frantz, local resident for 16 years, has 32 years
of legal expe-rience, offering proven solutions for business owners
to increase revenues and achieve their long range goals. For a free
special report on Sources of Business Plans, please call the office
at 925-516-1617 or email Barbara at [email protected]. Law
Offices of Barbara A. Frantz, All Rights Reserved
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24A | THEPRESS.NET JUNE 5, 2009
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Going to state its the magic incan-tation in high school
athletics that names an athlete or team among the elite. In the
state of California, athletes who qualify for state in an
individual sport, such as wres-tling or track, are considered among
the nations best.
On May 30, at the North Coast Sec-tion Meet of Champions, East
County athletes competed for the right to partici-pate in this
weekends track and fi eld state championships, hosted by Buchanan
High School in Clovis.
For Freedom High School senior Ai-mee Rodgers, a chance to go to
state has been four years in the making. Rodgers had qualifi ed for
the Meet of Champions every year of her high school career in both
of her events the 100- and 300-meter hurdles but had come up just
short in previous seasons.
All of that made last Saturday espe-cially sweet, as Rodgers fi
nished second in the 100-meter hurdles and third in the 300-meter
hurdles to qualify for both events. She continued a string of
consistent runs in the 100 hurdles, clocking a time of 14.86 in the
fi nals to follow her heat-winning time
of 14.87 in the trials. She then ran a per-sonal-best time of
44.57 in the 300.
Ive been pretty consistent in the 100s recently, so hopefully it
shows Im ready to make a big improvement at state, said Rodgers,
referring to her goal of beating her personal-best time of 14.58 in
her up-coming fi nal opportunity. In the 300s, I hadnt really been
pushed for a long time, so I knew I could run faster than I had
been once I got some good competition.
Rodgers was not the only East County athlete to qualify in
multiple events, as Deer Valley, Heritage, Liberty and Freedom all
boasted other state qualifi ers. Freedom also qualifi ed freshman
hurdler Kenny Walker, who advanced to the state meet in his fi rst
attempt. Rodgers and Walker are the fourth and fi fth athletes from
Freedom to make it to the state meet, and the fi rst since
2006.
Deer Valley displayed its usual prowess in the sprinting and
jumping events, win-ning both girls relays at the MOC, includ-ing a
stirring come-from-behind victory over St. Marys in the 4x100-meter
relay.
The Wolverines enter the state meet ranked in the top 10 in both
events. Junior Chizoba Okodogbe will also be entering the state
meet with individual goals, hoping to earn a medal in the 400
meters, an event
she dominated in Saturdays fi nal, winning by nearly three
seconds.
The Deer Valley boys also qualifi ed for the 4x100-meter relay,
running a season-best time of 42.00, featuring East Countys only
four-event qualifi er: Sean Combs. Combs fi nished fourth in the
long jump, third in the 100-meter dash, and third in the 200-meter
dash.
Also advancing for the Wolverines was state leader Hammed
Suleman, who easily won the triple jump at Berkeleys Edwards
Stadium, and has aspirations of hitting a 52-foot jump in
Clovis.
Other advancers from the Bay Valley Athletic League included the
4x400-meter relay team from Heritage which became the second relay
squad in as many years to qualify for the Patriots and Wyatt
Lan-drum of Liberty, who ran a personal-best time of 9:10.90 to fi
nish third in the 3,200 meters. It was Landrums second straight
year to qualify in that event.
The trials for the track and fi eld state championships begin
today, June 5, and are hosted for the fi rst time by Buchanan High
School. They are followed by the fi nals on Saturday.
2B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JUNE 5, 2009
Mon.-Fri. 7am-7pm Sat. 9-5 ALTERATIONS LEATHERS DRAPERIES
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Track stars lace em up for state meet
Freedoms Kenny Walker displays the hurdle form that is taking
him to the state champi-onships.
Photo by Spencer Allen
by Nate SmithCorrespondent
-
JUNE 5, 2009 SPORTS THEPRESS.NET | 3B
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Heritage senior Jordan Knox signs a Letter of Intent to the
Academy of Arts University for a full-ride basketball scholar-ship
as Heritage head coach Pat Cruickshank, assistant coach Rich
Castellanos and Jordans proud parents, Frank and Lisa, look on.
Opportunity Knox
Photo by Stacey Chance
-
4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JUNE 5, 2009
Best of Brentwood AttorneyRetired Superior Court Judge
JOHN M. ALLEN
1210 Central Blvd, Suite 115, Brentwood (925) 240-2700
JOHN M. ALLENATTORNEY AT LAW
Serving East Contra Costa County
Personal Injury Business Litigation Real Estate
Construction Wills & Trusts Mediation/Arbitration
Probate Litigation DUI
The Heritage JV baseball squad recently accomplished the nearly
impossible, going undefeated in a 24-game seas