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Visit Your Hometown Website www.thepress.net
Vol. 9, No. 46 YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER November 18,
2011
FOR MOVIE TIMES
SEE PAGE 5A
Magneticpersonality
Brentwoods downtown makeover is complete, and businesses are
primed to attract serious traffic. Page 1B
Arts .....................................11ABusiness
............................... 8BCalendar
............................ 27BClassifieds
......................... 19BCop Logs ............................
26BEast County Life ................ 1BEntertainment
................. 12BFood ....................................
10BHealth & Beauty .............. 14BMilestones
........................ 16BOpinion
..............................18ASports
.................................19A
Bell Gametakes its toll
The Lions fell on the field of battle, but the annual Bell Game
festivities made for a memorable weekend. Page 24A
Carved in stone A new book chronicles the life of East Countys
storied coal mining community. Page 5A
Two East County churches are celebrating the anniversary of
their merger.
Joining forcesgo to news/WebExtras!
A fitness boot camp is offering free workouts that take off
holiday pounds.
Turkey retaliationgo to news/press releases
Antiochs Veterans Day parade showcased our nations heroes.
Proud processiongo to multimedia/videos
visit thepress.net like us on facebook follow us on twitterScan
QR code with your mobile device to access these websites.
Diehard weeds still flourish
Proliferation of the ergia densa weed has been signifi -cantly
reduced in the waters of Discovery Bay since the De-partment of
Boating and Wa-terways (DBW) began efforts to eradicate the Delta
pests late last spring. But in neighboring Bethel Island, where the
weeds continue to run amok, the situ-ation is less rosy.
Were feeling a little ne-glected out here, said Clark Fratus,
who owns property on Dutch Slough. And in the past six months its
only gotten worse. The vines grow up from the bottom, crawl up the
sides of the levies and wrap them-selves around the boat props. It
feels like a never-ending bat-tle.
Fratus is only one of an increasing number of frustrat-ed Bethel
Islanders struggling to keep the weeds which in-clude the egeria
densa, water hyacinths and other persistent plants at bay while
lobbying to grab the attention of anyone who will listen.
Last spring, Supervisor Mary Piepho held a town meet-ing on
Bethel Island in which Fratus said she contended that the
Department of Boating and Waterways would be tackling the weed
situation, but only in the most needy locations. Those locations,
according to Fratus, included only Discovery Bay.
When I asked Mrs. Piepho about Dutch Slough, said Fra-tus in an
e-mail to The Press, she said, Well, you should re-
Delta weeds such as these along a property owners dock on Dutch
Slough are taking over portions of Bethel Island. Residents are
lobbying to get the Department of Boating and Waterways and other
local agencies to help eradicate the weeds, as was the case in
Discovery Bay last spring.
Photo courtesy of Clark Fratus
see Weeds page 17A
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
ADA changes cause service-animal dispute
Service animals in public venues are common sights these days in
restaurants, movie theaters and sporting events. But when one
Brentwood resident recently brought her service dog to Heritage
High School, the ordinary took an extraordinary turn.
I was sitting in the stands near the football fi eld watching my
boys practice, said Jenny Kuban, who is hearing impaired. When I
was approached (by school staff) and told that there was a no-dog
policy on campus, I explained that my dog was a service animal. He
then asked me for her certifi cate and vest and I told him that I
was not required to have this.
The conversation continued to escalate, the police arrived,
district offi cials got involved and according to Kuban, she was
told to leave the premises despite her insistence that she was
legally in the right. ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) rules
had changed, she said, and service animals are no longer required
to wear identifying vests or be accompanied by certifi cations.
I explained that they needed to check the ADA and that what they
were doing was against the law and discriminatory, said Kuban.
It turns out she was right. In March of this year, the ADA
issued new regulations pertaining to service animals and their
owners rights.
The public may not require documentation, such as proof that the
animal has been certifi ed, trained or licensed as a service
animal, according to the ADA.
Coincidentally, said LUHSD Superintendent Eric Volta, the
district has recently been working on revisions to its own policies
as they apply to the ADA, and those changes were expected to be
presented to the board this week.
As for Kubans situation, Volta doesnt believe her rights were
violated. Obviously there was an exchange of words between the
district and Ms. Kuban, said Volta. But we dont believe she was
discriminated against because she and her service animal were
Brentwood resident Jenny Kuban, shown here with her service dog,
says her ADA rights were recently violated by local of cials who
were unaware of the new laws regarding service animals.
Photo courtesy of Jenny Kuban
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
see Service-animal page 17A
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2A | THEPRESS.NET NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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At one time or another weve all wondered: how would I react in
an emergency? Would I hold up under the pressure? Would I know what
to do? Would my efforts even make a differ-ence?
Vicki Sim-mons and Pat-rick James re-cently had the chance to
find out, and an Oakley teen-ager is alive as a result.
On Oct. 27, approximately 200 yards into a four-minute run,
James a P.E. teacher at OHara Park Middle School in Oakley was
watching his students when he noticed something strange.
I looked up and saw the class standing around in a circle
looking at something on the ground, said James. I didnt know if it
was an animal or what, so I jogged on out to the field.
What he saw was 13-year-old Igna-cio Pena lying motionless, face
down on the grass. As James knelt beside Ignacio, he realized the
boy wasnt
breathing, and immediately turned Ignacio onto his back. After
gently shaking him and repeatedly calling his name yet receiving no
response, James called 911. He then told one of his stu-dents to go
get Simmons, the schools other P.E. teacher and the rescue ef-
fort began.When I got out there I opened
Ignacios airway, and at that point he gasped, and then nothing,
said Sim-mons. So I began CPR, did four
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The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for
Citizen and Busi-ness of the Year awards.
Citizen of the Year nominees will be considered for services and
activities over the course of the last three or more years that
have helped make the city a better place in which to live. Nominees
must be from the Brentwood area, but neednt be a member of the
Cham-ber. The Citizen of the Year Award is now in its 39th
year.
Unfortunately, we are not always aware of those individuals or
what they have achieved, said Chamber President Joe Trebi-no. If
you know someone who should be honored, please fi ll out the
nomination form and return it to us by noon, Friday, Dec. 21.
Business of the Year nominations should be for Brentwood-based
companies that have helped make Brentwood a better place in which
to live and work. Nominated business-es must be at least three
years old, have been Chamber members for at least two years,
par-ticipated in civic activities and benefi ted the economic
health of the city. Business of the Year has been awarded since
2005.
All nominations must be submitted in writing. Offi cial forms
are available at the Chamber offi ce, 8440 Brentwood Blvd., Suite
C, or on the Chamber website, www.brentwoodchamber.com.
Nominate top citizen, business
Quick action saves Oakley teen
OHara Park teachers Vicki Simmons and Patrick James, far right,
receive plaques from Principal Roger MacDonald in recognition of
their recent ef-forts in administering CPR on a student who
collapsed on campus. Simmons and James were expected to be formally
honored Wednesday night by the Oakley School Board.
Photo by Ruth Roberts
by Ruth RobertsStaff Writer
see Action page 14A
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4A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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Street Feast marshals thankful army
After the success of the inaugural Street Feast last year, Ryan
Richardson is counting his blessings that so many are supporting
this years celebration.
Last year, we had this idea to have a big community Thanksgiving
here in Brentwood and people really em-braced it, said Richardson,
owner of Willys Bagels and Blends. I didnt have to go around asking
for help this year. People have been coming up to me asking how
they can help out. Especially the families who attended last year
they are so excited to share that community spirit with others in
need.
But Street Feast is more than a free Thanksgiving meal for those
in need. Its a community celebration, a chance to gather with
neighbors and give thanks. As the event is open to all, Richardson
stresses that anyone looking for a place to go on Thanksgiving is
welcome. If you burn the turkey, no problem. Come to Street Feast.
If your fl ight to visit family is cancelled and you didnt have a
backup plan, no problem. Come to Street Feast. If you dont have any
friends in the area, no problem. Come to Street Feast.
New this year is a pickup program to bring East County residents
out to Towne Center, the Safeway shop-ping center on Second Street,
if they have no other way of getting there.
We dont want to exclude anyone, Richardson said. Were going to
have several pickup locations, and well drive you out to the
celebration. Especially for our senior citizens who are alone this
season and dont have their own transportation, we want to make sure
they have the opportunity to share the holiday.
Street Feast, which is sponsored by Willys Bagels
and Blends in partnership with Cornerstone Fellowship and a
multitude of other local businesses, charities and community
groups, drew a crowd of more than 400 in its fi rst year, and
Richardson has set this years goal at 1,000 guests. The more the
merrier. Since Richardson hopes to bring in 120 turkeys for the
event, there will be plenty of
food to go around. Hes currently accepting donations at Willys
and is tracking the donations with Turkey Count 2011. Its only a
tally maintained on a chalkboard behind the counter of the Second
Street Willys location, but cus-
The Richardson family, owners of Willys Bagels and Blends in
Brentwood, has once again partnering with other local businesses,
community organizations and charities to host the community
Thanksgiving festival Street Feast.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Richardson
by Samie HartleyStaff Writer
see Feast page 9A
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NOVEMBER 18, 2011 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A
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New book about old cemeteryA book published this year by the
East Bay Regional Park
District documents the history of Rose Hill Cemetery, now a part
of Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. The book by
Supervising Naturalist Traci Parent is based on her 30 years of
research into the history of the people buried there.
From the 1860s to the turn of the 20th century, Black Dia-mond
was the site of Californias largest coal-producing region. Known as
the Mount Diablo Coal Field, the area once boasted the fi ve
thriving communities of Nortonville, Somersville, Stew-artville,
West Hartley and Judsonville.
Created in the early 1860s, Rose Hill served as a Protestant
burial ground for the coal fi eld families. Although more than 200
burials have been documented through research, its likely that more
internments exist. Once the site of neglect and vandalism, the
cemetery and many of its gravestones have been painstak-ingly
restored over recent decades by park district rangers.
The result of more than three decades of research through
newspaper accounts, obituaries and family histories, Rose Hill: A
Comprehensive History of a Pioneer Cemetery is the only
comprehensive account of the people interred in the cemetery.
Through the records brought together in the 1,000-plus-page
book, details come to light not only of the residents deaths, but
of their lives in the remote yet bustling coal mining communities.
Accounts of town concerts, weddings and celebrations paint a
picture of the lighter side of life in a time when horse-and-buggy
was the common mode of transportation, and modern sewage and
plumbing were not yet available in this rural community.
Daily life in the mining towns was fi lled with challenges and
hard work. The majority of the individuals interred in the
cem-etery are children who died from disease when epidemics swept
through the area.
Some of the more prevalent diseases to claim young lives were
diphtheria, scarlet fever and smallpox. Advertisements and
newspaper articles of the day reference cures many of dubious effi
cacy.
Other articles offer practical advice for limiting
contagion.
Mine explosions, other industrial mishaps and horse-riding
ac-cidents were the cause of many of the adults deaths.
Accompanied by more than 600 images, including diagrams,
photographs and contemporary newspaper accounts, the book gives the
reader a fascinating look into the history and life of the coal
towns of East Contra Costa County.
Rose Hill: A Comprehensive History of a Pioneer Cem-etery is
available at the Black Diamond Visitor Center for $65. Proceeds
from the sale of the book are used for the repair of gravestones in
Rose Hill Cemetery.
For more information about obtaining the book or visiting Black
Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, visit www.ebparks.org or call
888-327-2757.
A pair of visitors can be seen in this photo of the Rose Hill
Cemetery at Black Diamond Mines. Taken in 1939 by Zelma Myrick, the
photo looks east toward the Somersville town site.
Photo courtesy of Traci Parent
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6A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
22 000002010
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FREEThanksgiving Dinner!
All are welcome!Sponsored by
Golden Hills Community Church andAmerican Legion, Post #202
Thanksgiving Day, November 24Held 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
Freedom grad makes cash Deal
Most people never wear their high school cap and gown after
graduation, but 2011 Freedom High School graduate Ian Jones
recently slipped into his gown one last time and walked away with
$1,000.
Jones, along with his father, Donald, had no idea that when they
set out for Hol-lywood at 2:30 a.m. on July 13, Ian would return to
Oakley a Lets Make a Deal winner.
Ian, who dressed as a geeky grad with chunky black glasses, was
selected from the crowd by host Wayne Brady to play a game in which
he listened to Brady rock some rhymes before deciding to make the
deal or not. Based on Bradys lyrical clues, Ian guessed there was a
two-wheel mo-torized machine behind Door No. 1. But rather than
risk it all, Ian, without hesita-tion, took Bradys counter offer of
$1,000 cash. The curtain was pulled back to reveal a sparkling
Suzuki Boulevard S32 Cruiser motorcycle, valued at $5,099 but Ian
has no regrets.
The motorcycle was really cool, but I need the money, said the
Los Medanos College music student. Im in college, so some of the
money can go toward that, but I want to use most of it to put
toward a mu-sic studio.
An aspiring musician who dabbles in Christian-themed hip hop,
Ian said the
experience which included rapping with Brady on stage was pretty
amazing. So is the cap and gown his new lucky charm? I was dancing
the whole time, trying to pump up the crowds energy during
com-mercial breaks, and I was dancing so much that when Wayne
called me, I tripped a little and ripped the gown. But that didnt
mat-
ter. It seems like good things happen when I wear it.
Donald, dressed as proud grad dad, said it was fun to relive
Ians win when the episode aired on Nov. 3. He looks forward to
seeing his own appearance on the show, which airs on Nov. 22 though
hes sworn to secrecy about whether or not he won big
like his son.During their trip to Hollywood, Ian
and Donald sat in on two tapings of Lets Make a Deal, but the
dynamic duo hopes this is only the beginning of their TV career.
They plan to audition for The Amazing Race next year, and as soon
as Ian turns 21, he plans to audition for Big Brother.
He and I are drawn to these shows and would love the experience
and love to share the experience with others, Don-ald said. The
prizes are just icing on the cake.
Lets Make a Deal airs on CBS. Check local listings to see
Donalds appear-ance next Tuesday.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Oakley resident Ian Jones, above, holds up $1,000 cash after his
big win on Lets Make a Deal, hosted by Wayne Brady. Ians father
Donald, above right, who also attended the July 13 taping, will
appear on the Nov. 22 episode.
Photo courtesy of CBS
by Samie HartleyStaff Writer
Photo courtesy of Donald Jones
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NOVEMBER 18, 2011 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 7A
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Advertisement
CHECK YOUR MAIL...4.3 million people across the U.S. are
about to get an interesting piece of mail. This letter will
invite people who may have been victims of robo-signing to have
someone review their case to see if they qualify for a cash (or
other) settlement.
Robo-signing became a popular term last year when it came to
light that many loan servicers were using either digital or human
means to copy one persons signature on thousands and tens of
thousands of doc-uments. This kind of thing happens all the time in
the business world (like on a credit card offer you get in the
mail), but in this case, the signature was supposed to mean that
the signer had thoroughly reviewed all the mortgage and foreclosure
documents and certified them to be accurate and com-plete. There
were also issues with these sig-natures being notarized
improperly.
As part of a large court settlement in regards to this
robo-signing issue, 14 mortgage servicers have agreed to identify
customers who may have had robo-signing
occur on their files related to some kind of foreclosure
activity between Jan. 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010. These are the
people that will get one of these letters which gives them the
opportunity to have their files reviewed by an independent auditor.
For more information to see if your lender is one of the 14 and to
see if you may qualify for this, go to:
www.IndependentForeclosureReview.com, or call (888)
952-9105.
If you do qualify for some kind of settlement, thats all it will
be. They will not be reversing any foreclosures or getting you a
new loan mod or approving a short sale. This is strictly a
settlement process. I predict this will be just the first of many
of these kinds of settlements for various foreclosure
improprieties.
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:
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The Discovery Bay Corvette Club (DBCC), known for fast cars and
classic chassis, is also celebrated for its chari-table
contributions. And this season the club is leading the drive by
partnering with Operation Creekside in Brent-wood to brighten the
holiday for troops abroad.
Were all very excited about this, said Elaine Stark, Corvette
Club public relations coordinator. This is a group that has taken
all of our hearts. Were so happy to be involved.
From now through the holidays and possibly beyond, the DBCC will
collect items to be included in Creeksides care packages to the
troops. Over the past
two years, the nonprofi t, faith-based or-ganization has sent
thousands of boxes to troops stationed around the world.
Suggested donations for the pack-ages include non-perishable
food items such as popcorn, almonds and a troop favorite:
Pop-Tarts. Non-edibles are also welcome, including shampoo, soap,
baby wipes and hand sanitizer.
If anyone has something to do-nate, well gladly pick it up, said
Stark. Weve made it our mission to support the troops and were very
excited to help.
For additional information or ways to help, call Stark at
925-634-0503 or e-mail [email protected].
Troops drive Corvette Club holiday efforts
Its time to hang the twinkling lights and garland, install the
snowmen and create a spectacular winter wonderland. The Brentwood
Advisory Neighborhood Committee (BANC) is seeking homes within the
Brentwood city limits whose front yards capture the spirit of the
sea-son.
This special version of BANCs Home of the Month Program will
select one home as the 2011 winner, who will
receive a yard sign announcing their win-ning status, a gift
basket and a special parking pass at The Home Depot. If you know of
a home youd like to nominate for the Home of the Season Contest,
vis-it the citys website at www.ci.brentwood.ca.us and click on the
link for BANC.
Nominations will be taken until Dec. 14, and the winning home
announced on Dec. 19. For more information, call BANC at
925-516-5366.
Holiday decoration contest
-
8A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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More than 100 students from the Brentwood Union School Dis-trict
pitched in during the recent Kids Against Hunger packing event in
Brentwood. In total, 76,032 freeze-dried meals to be shipped to
Haiti and Kenya were packed up during the two-day event. Kids
Against Hunger is a nonpro t organization dedicated to providing
nutritious meals to malnourished children in developing
countries.
Doing their part
Photo courtesy of Rob Gwynne
Congressman Jerry McNerney re-cently announced the beginning of
the fi fth annual Holiday Cards for Our Troops program. Last year,
McNerneys offi ce collected more than 7,000 cards from the communi
ty i n s c r i b e d with person-al messages of gratitude to our
men and women in uniform at home and overseas.
Ive heard how much it means to our troops when they receive
notes and cards from home, wrote McNerney in a press release. Lets
take this time of year to make a difference for the men and women
who fi ght so bravely to protect us and our country.
The cards are organized into pack-ages for shipment overseas by
East Bay Blue Star Moms, Pleasanton Military Families, Packed with
Pride, and Sum-merset Veterans Club. Cards will also be sent to
veterans at Bay Area VA hos-
pitals, Camp Parks, Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington, D.C. and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda,
Md.
To participate in the program, make or purchase a holiday card
and write
a message of thanks inside to a service member and deliver
the
card to McNerneys offi ce in Stockton or Pleasanton by
Thursday, Dec. 15. Cards should remain unad-
dressed and enve-lopes un-
sealed.C a r d
guidelines: Make sure to sign your card. Use saluta-
tions such as Dear Service
Member. Cards addressed to spe-cifi c individuals cannot be
delivered through this program. Do not include inserts such as
pho-tographs.Mail your cards to either of McNer-
neys offi ces: 2222 Grand Canal Blvd., Suite 7, Stock-ton, CA
95207 5776 Stoneridge Mall Road, Suite 175, Pleasanton, CA
94588.For more information, visit www.mcner-ney.house.gov.
Holiday cards for troops
-
NOVEMBER 18, 2011 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 9A
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Trevors Weekly Mortgage MattersBy Trevor Frey
Something to be Th ankful For
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In the United States, for the holiday we know as Thanksgiving,
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a nation well produce 750 pounds of cran-berries, 1.9 billion
pounds of sweet potatoes, and 2.2 billion bushels all of which are
popular Thanksgiving side dishes in the calendar year 2011. How and
why do these numbers interact with my Mortgage Matters column you
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starters.
In the last few years this conversa-tion has been especially
grim, filled with negative facts about the real estate market or
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Founded in February 2011 and man-aged by the California Housing
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So, before grabbing a second serving of the 2.2 billion bushels
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with Uncle whats his name.
*Enjoy Thanksgiving and the time with your loved ones.
Regardless of your homes financial standing, your family will
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tomers come in regularly to see how the ef-fort is going. Every
$8 donation purchases a turkey. As of press time, Richardson
re-ported the Turkey Count at 81 only 39 gobblers to go.
In addition to the food, Street Feast offers activities and jump
houses for the kids, TVs for catching the big football games, live
music, a food pantry and a community closet for those in need of
food and warm clothes for the upcoming win-ter season. Donations
are being accepted at both Willys locations: on Second Street and
West Country Club Drive.
Volunteers are also needed for the event. While Richardson has
already as-sembled an army of helping hands, theres always room for
one more. Monetary donations and grocery gift cards are also being
accepted to ensure theres plenty of food.
Richardson hopes Street Feast will become a Brentwood tradition,
and based on the support he has received, it seems
likely that it will have staying power. My family has decided
that this is how were going to celebrate Thanksgiving from now on,
Richardson said.
We want to host an event for the community because they are the
ones that have kept us in business all these years and we want to
say thank you. We also know that a lot of people in the community
have big hearts and want to help, and they dont necessarily know
the best way to do that. With Street Feast, they have a way to
directly give back to the people in their community. Its a win-win
for everyone.
Street Feast will be held at Brent-wood Towne Center, 1185
Second St., from noon to 4 p.m. To make a donation or volunteer,
inquire at Willys, 390 West Country Club Drive and 1155 Second St.
For more information, call 925-634-2245 or 925-308-7534.
For information about Street Feast transportation, call Erin
York at 209-914-3729.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Feast from page 4A
Other community groups are rallying to provide Thanksgiving
dinners for the community. The following locations are hosting free
turkey dinners:Tuesday, Nov. 22
Word of Life Christian Fellowship Church, 4501 OHara Ave. in
Brentwood, 6 to 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 24Veterans Memorial Hall, 403 W.
Sixth St. in Antioch, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Bethel Island Scout
Hall, 3090 Ranch
Lane Road in Bethel Island, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Veterans Hall, 757 First St. in Brent-wood, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30
p.m.
Free turkey dinners
-
10A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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The Contra Costa County Historic Landmarks Advisory Committee,
under the auspices of the Contra Costa County Historical Society,
is updating its Historic Resource List (HRL). Students from the
Contra Costa Community College District campuses are encouraged to
apply to help.
Students with an interest in Califor-nia and local history will
fi nd this expe-rience rewarding. The internship consists of work
such as updating the HRL, vis-iting and photographing historical
sites, researching documents, and updating ownership and condition
reports. Histori-cal Society staff, under the guidance of academic
instructors, supervises all work. Potential academic credit, but no
com-pensation, is available at this time. Interns must provide
their own transportation.
Students interested in interning in East County (Brentwood,
Byron, Knight-sen, Oakley and Bethel Island) are invit-ed to e-mail
Carol Jensen at [email protected]. Those interested in
Mid County (Antioch, Pittsburg and Clayton) are invited to e-mail
Mellissa Ja-cobsen at [email protected].
For more information about the Historic Landmarks Committee,
visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/index.aspx?NID=539.
CCC history project seeks intern help
Wear my what to church?Resurrection Ministries Church
(REZ) in Brentwood recently held its third annual Servant Day
also known as Wear Your Grubs to Church Day in which members went
out into the local community and performed services such as
painting, window washing, yard work and cooking for families in
need.
Over 140 members participated this year, said Patti Ryland, one
of 17 Servant Day team leaders. The goal is to show Gods love for
all people and serve the community in which we live.
Several REZ members spent months organizing the event and
developing work orders to service needs in Brent-
wood, Oakley and Discovery Bay. Work orders included moving an
elderly cou-ple, handyman work and landscaping at schools affected
by budget cuts.
Following their day of service, the teams met back at the church
for din-ner to share stories. In these ongoing economic challenges,
families and the community at large still struggle to make ends
meet, said Ryland. Contributing in this small way can make a big
differ-ence for those who are in need.
One recipient of services was the Avalon Vineyards Group Home in
Oak-ley. The 5-acre facility is home for six developmentally
disabled young adults.
The facility was in desperate need of landscaping and other
external tender loving care, said Ryland.
I had an awesome team of 14, she added. Yes, we worked hard, but
the best part of the day was taking breaks with the residents. The
joy on their faces and in their voices was the most rewarding part
of the whole day. I cant wait to do this again next year. Precision
Landscaping and Ham-ilton Tree Service contributed resources, tools
and supplies to complete the job.
Resurrection Ministries is located at 1275 Fairview Ave. in
Brentwood. For more information, visit
www.resurrection-brentwood.org.
REZ volunteers and residents of Avalon Vineyards Group Home take
a breather following a day of hard work and fellowship.Photo
courtesy of Resurrection Ministries
-
NOVEMBER 18, 2011 ARTS THEPRESS.NET | 11A
B A R T
F R E E
FFOROR MOREMORE DETDETAILSAILS ABOUTABOUTTHISTHIS OFFEROFFER
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when you purchaseone 20-ride pass*. THATS A $32 VALUE! To purchase
your 2 for 1 tickets,download the 2 for 1 application form at
www.TriDeltaTransit.com/300 (or call usat 925-754-6622 and well
mail you one) then mail or fax it along with your pay-ment to Tri
Delta Transit. All information required is on the order form and
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processed.
HOW TO GET YOUR 20 FREE RIDES ON EXPRESS ROUTE 300
*Restrictions apply. Limited time and quantity offer. Limit one
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Less expensive than driving 30 departures every weekday No BART
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Barnes & Noble stores across the country invite customers to
give the gift of reading to children in need during the companys
annual Holiday Book Drive, held through Jan. 1, 2012. The Barnes
& Noble Holiday Book Drive provides an opportunity for
customers to donate books through locally designated non-profi t
organizations.
The drive benefi ts schools, libraries, literacy organizations,
family social ser-vice agencies and homeless centers. This year,
the Antioch Barnes & Noble, 5709 Lone Tree Way, will be
collecting books
for the Salvation Army.The Holiday Book Drive is one of
our most popular community partner-ships, said Sarah
DiFrancesco, Barnes & Nobles director of community relations.
Our booksellers and customers get to share the pure joy of giving a
book to a child in need. And because each Barnes & Noble store
chooses its local nonprofi t benefi ciary, the donations are very
per-sonal.
To fi nd out how to participate in the Holiday Book Drive, call
925-978-1031 or 925-978-1053.
Holiday Book Drive
The seventh annual Local Artist Collec-tion, which runs Dec. 3
through 21, showcas-es the paintings and photographs of 35 local
artists in a diverse, non-themed exhibit. An artist reception will
be held Dec. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. There is no charge for
admission.
Participating artists are Rosalinda Grejsen, Jill Ann Cooke,
Sherry Cum-mings, Paul Schorr, David E. Fraser, Sam Gill, Ken
Tomlin, Lisa Salazar, Julia Starr, Mauricio Ramirez, Mayette
Ignacio, San-dy Gangwer, Kathleen Henderson, Sue Clanton, Nordyn
Anderson, Julia Offord, Mark Jezierny, Sherry Morris, Kay Kirby,
Milian Correa, FROgard Butler, Mark
Pemberton, Elizabeth Westfall, Sheila Fisher, Fred Hoskins, Joel
Summerhill, Ramona Kennon-Frink, Sal Valencia, Michelle Ramirez,
Sandra Berkson, Lynn Peterson, Jeanne Wallen, Josie OMalley, Jo
Cotarelo and Gloria Cannon.
The Lynn House Gallery, located at 809 W. First St. in Antioch
(across from the Amtrak Train Station), is open Wednesdays and
Saturdays during exhib-its from 1 to 4 p.m. For more informa-tion,
visit www.art4antioch.org, call Di-ane Gibson-Gray at the Arts
& Cultural Foundation at 925-325-9897 or e-mail
[email protected].
Local artists show at Lynn House Gallery
-
12A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
Veterans Day blast from the past
About 200 people came together to honor our nations veterans
with a ce-remony that ended with a bang. Three bangs, to be
precise.
The shots rang out from a trio of Ci-vil War cannons provided by
American Civil War Association member Richard Lawrence and a cadre
of re-enactors. The explosions, reportedly heard as far away as
downtown Brentwood, punctuated the largest Veterans Day event yet
in Veterans Park.
Mayor Bob Taylor thanked the large crowd for braving a cold
drizzle and said they represented a cross-section of whats good
about America. He drew a round of applause by suggesting that
anyone not appreciating the freedom that veterans had provided were
free to leave. And theres a few of us out here that would be happy
to help you pack your bags, he added.
Those who stayed everyone heard a trio of veterans describe what
their ser-vice had meant to them. Coast Guard Commander Sean Kelly,
Sr. (of the VFW); Cmdr. Mike Clement (American Legion) and
Commandant Don Hester (Marine Corps League) offered their
perspectives.
Kelly said his own appreciation for Members of the American
Civil War Association red a trio of Civil War cannons to close the
Veterans Day observances in Brentwood.
Photo by Steve Todd
by Rick LemyreStaff Writer
see Veterans page 15A
-
14A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
LLIBERTY UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT ED FOUNDATION
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rounds, and when the paramedics ar-rived they said to continue
the CPR while they prepared to take him in the ambulance. He was
revived on the way to the hospital.
OHara Park Principal Roger Mac-Donald credits Simmons and James
quick reactions with saving Ignacios life.
When I got out there, Vicki was totally ready to get to work,
said Mac-Donald. It was a totally serene, quiet atmosphere. There
was no fear, it was just lets get it done. Everyone han-dled
themselves perfectly and profes-sionally.
Once the crisis had passed, the re-ality of the situation sunk
in. I didnt even really think about it or get emo-tional at the
time, said Simmons. But once it was over, I kind of lost it.
And while Simmons and James agree it was definitely not a
business-as-usual day on campus, they are reluc-tant to accept the
title of hero.
It was emotional; I was emotion-al, said James. But I just did
what the parents of Oakley expect me to do. We just did what we
needed to do.
Oakley Superintendent Rick Rog-ers sees it differently. Despite
being confronted with one of the most fright-ening experiences that
any school em-ployee could be faced with, said Rog-ers, their quick
response and decisive actions saved not only one of our stu-dents;
they saved a brother and a son.
We are so proud of them.By all accounts, Ignacio is a top
athlete with no previous health prob-lems. What caused him to
collapse re-mains a mystery. But at Press time, he was recovering
in the hospital, eating and drinking on his own and beginning to
communicate more readily with his doctors and family.
Although his prognosis remains guarded, Ignacios eldest sister,
Yanin Solis, said the family remains optimis-tic and hopeful. Hes
doing good; he is much better, she said. Hes talking a little bit
more and he looks good.
In the meantime, Ignacios five sib-lings are being cared for in
their Oak-ley home by an aunt, while his mother remains with him at
the hospital. The Oakley school community has come together to
establish an account in Ig-nacios name at the Bank of the West in
Oakley. A fundraiser for the family is also being planned. To
contribute, call OHara Park Middle School at 925-625-5060 or Bank
of the West at 925-625-2211.
Action from page 3A
It was emotional; I was emotional. But I just did what the
parents of Oakley expect me to do.
Vicki Simmons
-
NOVEMBER 18, 2011 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 15A
veterans came early in life, when he atten-ded a Veterans Day
Parade. I saw all the-se older guys in funny hats in the parade, he
said. Everybody clapped when they went by, so I knew they were
important men.
The event, a cooperative effort of American Legion Post 202,
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10789, Marine Corps League Detachment
1155 and the Brent-wood Parks and Recreation Department, also
featured members of the Mt. Diablo
High School Junior ROTC, who demons-trated their skill drilling
with rifl es.
Music was provided by the Heritage High School Wind Ensemble and
buglers. County Supervisor Mary Piepho, state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier
and City Council-man Steve Barr were also on hand.
Its getting bigger every year, and thats great, said Donna Park,
who atten-ded with her son Robbie, 4. I hope more people fi nd out
about it for next year. If they keep shooting off cannons like
that, they will.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Veterans from page 12A
Photo by Rick Lemyre
Mt. Diablo High School Junior ROTC ri e drill team members drew
raves for their performance.
Photo by Rick Lemyre
State Sen. Mark DeSaunlier, County Supervisor Mary Piepho and
her daughter, Mariah, and Brentwood City Councilman Steve Barr take
in the ceremonies Friday at Veterans Park.
-
16A | THEPRESS.NET COMMUNITY NOVEMBER 18, 2011
Thwarting holiday criminals
The busy holiday season is here, and with it come increased
opportunities for criminals. Like police everywhere, the Oakley
Police Department urges citizens to be cautious du-ring the holiday
shopping season. Amid the distractions and activity, its easy to
forget the basics of maintaining safety while shopping and at
home.
Opportunity is the criminals key to success. By staying alert
and following a few guidelines, your holiday season can remain
happy, safe and festive.
Slam shut the criminals window of op-portunity by being aware of
your surroundings and potential areas of danger. When storing
gifts, view them as cash because thats how a criminal sees them.
Theft around the holidays is preventable. Here are crime prevention
tips to keep you and your possessions safe:When Shopping Stay
alert, and be aware of your surroun-dings. Trust your instincts. If
you feel uncomforta-ble with a place or person, get away. Park in a
well-lit area. Always lock your vehicle. Minimize the number of
valuables left in your vehicle. Keep valuables, electronics and
gifts and other theft attractors out of sight. Protect your purse
or wallet and clear out unnecessary items. Dont carry large amounts
of cash or extra credit cards. Never leave your purse, wallet or
cell phone unattended in a public place. Shop with someone. There
is safety in num-bers. Discuss with your children what they should
do in the event you are separated. Get your keys out and ready when
you re-turn to your vehicle. Dont leave your vehicle unattended
with the motor running.At Home Install secondary locks on all doors
and windows and use them. Keep a master list of all credit cards
and other valuables somewhere secure at home. Place lights in dark
areas and entrances. Place gifts where they cant be seen from the
outside. Avoid opening the door to strangers. Investigate charities
before donating. Make online purchases only from trusted, secure
websites. When traveling, use timers for lights and ra-dios while
youre away. Ask a trusted friend, neighbor, or Neighborhood Watch
member to watch your home.After the holidays Pay close attention to
bills and report unauthorized charges. Photograph and record the
serial numbers of new items and add them to your inven-tory.
To report suspicious activity or get a question answered, call
Oakley Dispatch at 925-625-8060.
Rutilio (Rit) R. ZunigaOct. 5, 1924-Oct. 31, 2011
Discovery Bay resident Rutilio Zuniga passed away Monday, Oct.
31, 2011 at John Muir Hospital in Concord. He was born Oct. 5, 1924
in San Francisco, where his parents had emigrated from
Nicaragua.
Rutilio enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at the age of
16 and was a proud mem-ber of the 1st Marine Division. He landed
and saw action on Guadalcanal in World War II and served in Korea
under Lt. Gen. Lewis Chesty Puller in the Chosin Reservoir. Rutilio
remained in the Marine Corps Active Reserve, where he retired as a
lieutenant colonel after 30 years.
Rutilio was one of the original 25 police of-fi cers hired by
the city of Fremont and served the
city proudly for 26 years, retiring as a sergeant in 1985. An
active golfer and proud member of Castlewood Country Club for 50
years, he founded the FPD Charity Golf Tournament.
Rutilio is survived by his sons, Rhett and Rick, and daughter
Raquel. His energetic spirit will be missed deeply by family and
all the many friends he acquired over the years.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. in
Veterans Hall, 757 First St. in Brentwood.
In lieu of fl owers, please send donations to The Wounded Heroes
Fund. Checks should be made out to Delta Diablo Detachment 1155,
c/o Ed Sutton, 3905 Eagleridge Drive, Antioch, CA 94509-6909.
Please include Wounded Heroes Fund in the memo line.ZUNIGA
OBITUARY
-
18A | THEPRESS.NET NOVEMBER 18, 2011
OPINIONEDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY National
AwardWinning NewspapersHave you got something to say? Visit
www.thepress.net and let your thoughts be known.
Public input helped build City HallEditor:
I am responding to Pearl Strednis letter regarding our new City
Hall struc-ture.
It is important to honor each and every individuals right to
hold an opin-ion. But lets get the facts straight. Her statement
that Brentwood residents did not have an input on this huge project
is grossly in error of the truth.
I attended three town hall meetings in which many aspects of the
project were discussed and input given by the public. These
meetings were widely published and well attended. I know without a
single doubt that our ideas were incorporated into the overall
master plan because I see them in the soon-to-be fi nished
buildings and park.
She also misstates that the build-ings are too big and look out
of place with all the other surroundings. This is architecturally
and artistically erroneous. I was part of several public committees
that went to great lengths to incorpo-rate the surrounding
architecture, color schemes and overall town feeling into the new
buildings.
It is my opinion that these structures are successful in meeting
the goals set forth by Brentwood residents.
Greg RuizBrentwood
Livermore has moreEditor:
My wife and I drove through down-town Livermore yesterday and we
were amazed on how wonderful their old town was. Not only was it
beautiful; it was thriving. Our next thought was what a shame that
Brentwood didnt follow suit.
Years ago, I commented in a letter to the editor on how the City
of Brentwood should pattern their planning after Los Gatos in
designing a quaint downtown and now I am holding Livermore up as an
even better example. But oh no, instead, our city erects a huge Taj
Mahal
for themselves and removes the symbol of old-town living the
park with a gazebo.
Nice going, City Council; you missed a huge opportunity and you
should all be replaced at the next elec-tion.
Ron UlriciBrentwood
Homecoming heroesEditor:
On behalf of the 2011-12 Leader-ship class, I would like to
thank the following businesses and individuals for their continuous
support of the Liberty High School Leadership Class and the
traditions that make Brentwood what it is. Without such community
support, the tradition of excellence and community involvement, as
represented through the annual Homecoming Parade, could not
continue.
First, we would like to thank His & Hers Formal Wear,
located in Brent-wood, for providing the tuxedos that our
Homecoming Court princes wore during the rally, parade, game and
dance. His & Hers Formal Wear owner Annette Beck-strand has
been a supporter of Liberty endeavors since the opening of her
busi-ness, and we couldnt do it without her.
A new but important sponsor of this years Homecoming was
Elements Salon in Discovery Bay. The stylists at Ele-ments
generously donated their services to this years Homecoming Court
prin-cesses, providing hair and makeup for the rally and parade. We
hope to continue our relationship with Elements in the upcoming
years and thank it for all the beautiful work.
Throughout the school year, Delta Fence generously donates
fencing for dances, academy events, and most recently, Homecoming.
Delta Fence has provided fencing for the Liberty Home-coming fl oat
building, parade and dance for the last 10 years. The owners and
employees of Delta Fence exhibit the kind of giving back that makes
this com-munity great.
Special thanks go out to Brentwood Florists and Gifts, which
generously do-nated the fl owers for this years festivities. The
annual Revealing of the Red Rose
could not have occurred without its gener-ous donation. We are
grateful for the sup-port of Brentwood Florists and Gifts.
Without the assistance of the Brentwood Police Department, the
yearly Homecoming festivities would not be a possibility. Though
the depart-ment is busy with its own endeavors, the offi cers
generously take time out of their schedule to assist in the
preparation and execution of the annual parade.
In recent years, Diggers Diner has been a continual source of
support for Liberty Leadership. It has hosted the breakfasts for
the Homecoming Court as well as Mr. Liberty and Liberty Idol
contestants. This donation went above and beyond the expectation
and is very much appreciated.
Additionally, we would like to thank the following individuals
and businesses for the time and effort on our behalf: Bill Brandt
Ford for its donation of convert-ibles for the parade; Ronnie Boyce
and the LHS Maintenance Department for their tireless efforts on
behalf of Liberty; Wayne Reeves for procuring lights for fl oat
building; Manny Lopez, Jesse Orte-ga and Cindy Powell for serving
as fl oat judges; Curtis Cunningham for serving as our parade
announcer within Ohm-stead Field; and fi nally, to Ana Gutierrez
for serving as our mistress of ceremonies at the Homecoming
Parade.
Thanks to the following downtown Brentwood businesses that
allowed Lib-erty students to decorate the storefronts along the
parade route, spreading Liber-ty spirit throughout the city: Book
Bust-ers, Brentwood Emporium, Brentwood Press, Brentwood Taxes, Co.
Co. County Wine Company, Crme de la Gem, Delta Cinema, The Game,
His & Hers Formal Wear, Joses Barber Shop, Kendall Au-tomotive,
Little Miss Everything, Love for Learning, MJs downtown, Sunfl ower
Antiques, and WR Properties.
The Liberty Homecoming tradi-tion continues because of the
support of the Liberty Union High School District employees and
Board of Trustees, as well as the administration of Liberty High
School Pat Walsh, Sara Branstetter, Ilene Foster, Sandra Guardado
and Matt LaFleur.
I hope that the community of Brent-
wood enjoyed this years Homecoming festivities and will continue
to join us in the years to come. Homecoming is a tradition that
distinguishes Brentwood from its neighbors and reminds us all of
why we live here. Go, Lions!
Summer RodriguezDirector of Student Activities
Liberty High School
Caring for the CureEditor:
Discovery Bay Womens Golf Club recently hosted its 15th annual
Rally for the Cure golf tournament. The event attracted 136
players, and during a luncheon raffl e and silent auction they
raised $10,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Thanks go out to
all the ladies who played golf and the local Discov-ery Bay and
Brentwood businesses that sponsored golf holes or generously made
donations:
Discovery Bay Country Club; Service Painting; US Bank, Discovery
Bay Safeway; Home Care Inc.; La Playa Boutique and Tanning Salon;
Harvest Park Bowl; Dr. Michael Todorovic, DDS; Athenas Hair Studio;
Liberty Dental; Winslow Research Institute; Surdez Insurance
Service; Kaleidoscope; Lone Tree Golf and Event Center; Sue Emmett,
trainer; The Golf Club at Roddy Ranch; Brentwood Yoga Center;
Trader Joes; Discovery Bay Chiropractic and Sport Center; Glenn
Hoffman, State Farm; and Craig Willams.
Cathy Ambrose-FanceyRally Ambassador
Discovery Bay Womens Golf Club
Thanks for rescue supportEditor:
Thank you for the wonderful article regarding Nakoma (Buffalo
gets new home to roam).
We would like to personally thank the University of California
Davis Large Animal Services (Kris Flores, Dr. Lane and their
amazing crew), Lynette Belt, Craig Morrison, Cory Mullen and Shari
Roder for all their help.
Without the effort of everyone involved, we could never have
made this happen.
The Ward FamilyKnightsen
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NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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sports on twitter.
Heritage volleyball enjoys playoff success
It hasnt been easy, but the Heritage High girls volleyball team
has trudged along through the North Coast Section playoffs.
After the sixth-seeded Patriots dispatched the tournaments No.
11 seed, Castro Valley, Heritage advanced to upset No. 3 seed
Califor-nia on Saturday in four sets: 23-25, 26-24, 25-21,
25-18.
Senior setter Chelsey Hancock was cred-ited with 45 assists, 18
digs, three aces and fi ve blocks. Senior outside hitter Savannah
Shelton made 16 kills and eight digs. Sophomore out-side hitter
Colleen Hannigan also had a great night, coming up with 23 kills
and 10 digs.
Prior to that game, the Patriots clawed back to defeat Castro
Valley.
Heritage won 25-18 and 25-17 in the fi rst two games, then lost
games three and four by scores of 25-19. The Patriots edged out the
Tro-jans in the fi nal match 15-13. Hancock record-ed 25 assists,
13 digs and four blocks. Shelton contributed 13 kills, fi ve digs
and four blocks.
The Patriots hosted second-seeded San Ramon Valley on Wednesday.
For results, visit www.thepress.net.Other BVAL resultsFoothill 3,
Deer Valley 1
Deer Valley claimed a 25-19 victory in the
fi rst game of Saturdays second-round matchup against top-seeded
Foothill, but the No. 8 Wol-verines dropped the next three games
25-11, 25-12 and 25-22.
Senior outside hitter Marissa Malone had an outstanding night
for Deer Valley, notch-ing 14 kills and eight digs. Junior setter
Megan Santos made 29 assists and nine digs.
In the fi rst round, the Wolverines started tentatively against
No. 9 Irvington, but re-deemed themselves.
Deer Valley bounced back from a slow start to topple visiting
the Vikings in four games 20-25, 25-13, 25-16 and 25-12.
Malone notched 14 kills and 12 digs; ju-nior outside hitter
Chanelle Washington made fi ve kills and 12 digs; and Santos fi
nished with 28 assists. Head coach Lou Panzella was espe-cially
pleased with the all-around effort of se-nior outside hitter Rachel
Roskelley.Monte Vista 3, Liberty 0
Libertys season, in which it went 7-3 in league play, has come
to an end after a fi rst-round defeat at the hands of Monte Vista
in straight sets 25-16, 25-19, 25-21.
Senior Ana-Silvia Vega contributed 10 kills and 15 digs for the
Lions; junior outside hitter Taylor Scriven made 15 digs; and
fresh-man middle blocker Idara Akpakpa was cred-ited with fi ve
blocks.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Heritage Highs Nia Jogopulous, left, and Ali Stoltz reach to
block a shot from Castro Valleys Bianca Higuera during their
playoff match.
Photo by Kevin Bartram
by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer
Bell Trophy stays at Freedom for sixth straight year
It didnt take long for Freedom to re-establish its dominance in
what has been a one-sided rivalry with Liberty.
The Falcons scored twice in the fi rst fi ve minutes of
Thursdays game and nev-er looked back in a 34-10 victory over the
Lions in the 14th annual Bell Game. This is the sixth year in a row
that Freedom has earned the right to keep the Bell Trophy, and the
team is 10-4 when squaring off against Liberty.
We had our ups and downs, head coach Kevin Hartwig said, but at
the end of the day, we just sucked it up and made some big
plays.
Freedom advances to the North Coast Section playoffs on Friday
to host California. The Falcons are the eighth-seeded team in the
bracket; the Grizzlies are the ninth seed.
The regular season fi nale was not, however, without its
adversity for the Fal-cons (9-1, 4-1 Bay Valley Athletic League).
In the second quarter, junior quarterback Dante Mayes hurt his
right knee on a one-yard run and did not return.
Senior receiver Stephen Rodriguez, Freedoms quarterback in the
teams 2009 Bell Game victory, took over under center
after Mayes injury. Rodriguez had a rough second quarter, but
got into a groove in the second half, fi nishing 6-for-9 passing
for 89 yards and one interception.
We did it as a team effort, Rodri-guez said. We all rallied
around and kept
going.The Lions (3-7, 1-4 BVAL) did their
best to slow Freedoms momentum. Se-nior halfback Joseph Canady,
after a 57-yard fi rst quarter run, fi nished things off fi ve
plays later on a one-yard run to the
end zone. The Lions scored again right before halftime on a
35-yard fi eld goal by senior Kyle Rainsford, but by that point
Freedom had built a 24-10 lead.
I love our senior class, Liberty head coach Nate Smith said. I
feel like they worked really hard all year. Im really sad to see
them graduate and I wish we couldve ended on a higher note
tonight.Junior varsity
Touchdowns from Nick Garcia and Joe Johnson allowed Freedoms JV
team to hold on for a 23-16 victory over Lib-erty.
I feel good about the season, said Falcons head coach Don Birk.
They played really well all year long.
Liberty got solid efforts from Dan Williams and Ivan Oseguera,
each of whom scored a touchdown.
I think the kids learned a lot, Li-ons head coach Ramon Jackson
said of his teams season. They found out who they were.
Freedom ended its season 8-2; Lib-erty 2-7.Freshmen
Bell Games of the future might look more promising for Liberty,
as its fresh-man team claimed a 34-14 victory over Freedom.
For the full story, visit www.thepress.net.
A trio of Falcons tackle Liberty running back Caleb Moravec on
Thursday night. Freedoms defense performed well, allowing the Lions
to score just 10 points.
Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr.
by Justin LaffertyStaff Writer
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20A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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Panthers cant stop PiratesAntioch senior receiver Josh
Oseguera
caught nine passes for 173 yards, but the Panthers were unable
to stop a powerful Pittsburg offense on Friday night.
The Pirates claimed a fi fth straight victory in the 93rd annual
Big Little Game with a 38-20 win. Pittsburg also became Bay Valley
Athletic League champions for the second year in a row.
Pittsburg (7-3, 4-1 BVAL) senior quar-terback Malik Watson fi
nished 11-for-20 passing for 213 yards, two touchdowns and
an interception. Watsons primary target was senior Terrance
Barnes, who caught fi ve passes for 111 yards and one score. More
notably, Barnes claimed the Pirates single-season receiving record
on Friday.
The Panthers (6-4, 1-4 BVAL) will get one more shot at Pittsburg
on Saturday, as Antioch drew the No. 12 seed in the North Coast
Section playoffs and face the fi fth-seeded Pirates in
Pittsburg.
For the full story, visit www.thepress.net.
Antioch senior receiver Josh Oseguera tries to haul in a pass on
Friday night.
Photo by Kyndl Buzas
Heritage rallies past DV
The Deer Valley and Heritage foot-ball teams entered Thursdays
regular sea-son fi nale both at 4-5 (2-2 in Bay Valley Athletic
League play). They also entered assuming that nothing short of a
win
would qualify them for the North Coast Section playoffs.
The Patriots needed an onside kick, a last-minute touchdown and
a missed Wol-verine fi eld goal attempt, but the breaks fell their
way and Heritage escaped Deer
by Michael DixonCorrespondent
see Rallies page 26A
Heritage running back Devin Hope struggles for yardage against
Deer Valley. Hope scored the go-ahead touchdown for the
Patriots.
Photo by Luns Louie
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22A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS NOVEMBER 18, 2011
Three local athletes recently signed their letters of intent to
attend major Division I universities. Heritage swimmer Madison
Applegate, above, who nished fth in the 100-yard butter y event in
the 2011 North Coast Section Championship meet, has chosen to
attend UCLA. Applegate, seen here shaking hands with Principal
Larry Oshodi, signed the letter of intent to become a Bruin in a
ceremony with her relatives, friends, teammates and coaches. She
said she chose UCLA because shes always wanted to live in Southern
California. Freedom pitcher Joe Navil-hon, bottom right, seen here
with his mother and father, Sue and Larry, and Falcons head coach
Gary Alexander, will play for Cal State Fullerton. Navilhon, whose
father also pitched for the Titans, said hes excited to be-come
part of Fullertons storied baseball tradition. Navilhon held
batters to a .207 batting average in 2011 and racked up a team-high
31 strikeouts. Heritage softball pitcher Lisa Rodrigues, top right,
a rst-team all-league selection last year, signed her letter of
intent to attend the University of New Mexico. Rodrigues is
pictured at the celebration with father Dan, sister Stephanie and
mother Patty. Rodrigues said she chose to become a Lobo because it
felt like the best choice out of the schools she considered.
Athletes ink futures
Photo courtesy of Jamie Baron
Photo by Justin Lafferty
Photo by Justin Lafferty
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NOVEMBER 18, 2011 THEPRESS.NET | 23A
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Bell Games fun
Photo by Richard Wisdom
Liberty running back Caleb Moravec, above, stands up after being
an-nounced by head coach Nate Smith as a senior Lion during the
Bell Game Luncheon, an annual tradition for players from Liberty
and Free-dom put on by the Kiwanis Club of Brentwood. Above right,
Libertys Ben Burgess, who hasnt played in 13 years, brings down
Freedoms Chad Combs during the inaugural Alumni Bell Game. The
Lions claimed a 9-3 victory over the Freedom alumni in the game,
which raised funds for both schools athletic departments. Above far
right, participants of the second annual Bell Game Run take off
from the Liberty High School track. The event attracted 65
par-ticipants ages 10 to 67, who ran the four-mile course from
Liberty to Freedom. Fastest times were posted by Tommy Greenless,
who nished in less than 20 minutes, and Andrew Kadavy both from
Walnut Creek. Proceeds from the event bene ted both schools track
and eld programs.
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is not confined to the gridiron
Photo by Richard Wisdom Photo courtesy of Sarah Singrin
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26A | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS NOVEMBER 18, 2011
Valley with a 21-20 victory. A fourth-and-one two-yard touchdown
plow from junior halfback Devin Hope gave the Pa-triots the fi nal
lead with about 15 seconds left.
On that key play, Heritage senior quarterback Carson Cleverly
took the snap, turned around and faced multiple options for the
handoff. It was Hopes number that was called.
At fi rst, I didnt think it was coming to me, Hope said. But
when I saw (Clev-erly) turn around, I knew I was getting it. So I
got the ball, found a hole and ran
through it as fast as I could.The victory gave Heritage (5-5,
3-2
BVAL) a berth in the playoffs. The Patri-ots, a No. 11 seed,
travel to Danville to face sixth-seeded Monte Vista on
Saturday.
Deer Valley (4-6, 2-3 BVAL) scored on the fi rst play of the
fourth quarter off a three-yard run from junior back Davonte Boyd.
Sophomore quarterback Nsimba Webster scored on the Wolverines next
possession to open up a 20-9 lead.
A 14-yard touchdown run on a re-verse from Heritage senior
receiver Ke-jhan Clayton cut the lead to 20-15 with only fi ve
minutes to go. It was Claytons
second score of the night. Unable to stop the clock, Heritage
executed a sneak on-side kick as senior kicker Jordan Fovel fooled
the Wolverines and allowed Heri-tage to keep the ball.
Its how Ive always done it, Fovel said. Im more comfortable
pushing it right than going left across my body. Plus, we have
faster guys on that side.
A short kick, nice return and 15-yard facemask penalty put Deer
Valley in po-sition to attempt a fi eld goal from out-side 40
yards. But sophomore Christian Quintanillas boot was too low from
the beginning. When it fell short, Heritage
had beaten Deer Valley for the second consecutive season.
I think they got tired, Heritage head coach Jeff Haagenson said
of Deer Valleys defense. I dont want to say that they quit. I dont
think they did. But they got tired from the same plays going at
them. Our guys tightened up some shots. But we were running the
same plays.Junior varsity
Heritage took advantage of early mistakes to beat Deer Valley
14-6. The Patriots wrapped up their season at 8-2, while the
Wolverines fi nished 4-5-1.
To comment, visit www.thepress.net.
Rallies from page 20A
East County Lions tangle with AntiochThe East County Youth
Football Li-
ons Junior Midget season ended Saturday in Fairfi eld with an
exciting but heartbreak-ing 25-20 loss to Deer Valley in the fi rst
round of the playoffs.
The Lions responded to an opening score by Deer Valley.
Quarterback Dominic Mather threw completions of 32 yards to
re-ceiver Kyle Wise and 21 yards to tight end Isaac Freytes.
Nico Zanarini plunged into the end zone from two yards and
Mather kicked the conversion to give the Lions an 8-6 lead. Mather
hit receiver Jared Rodgers in stride for a 34-yard touchdown and
the Lions took a 14-6 lead into halftime. The Lions de-fense led by
Ivan Collaco, Emiliano Diaz and Anthony Gripe made a strong
show-ing against the pesky wing offense of Deer Valley.
Zanarini grinded out several tough yards, setting up a Mather
quarterback sneak to set up the Junior Midget Lions with a 20-19
lead into the fourth quarter. But Deer Val-ley scored with 12 ticks
left on the clock to end the Lions hopes of moving on.
The Lions, fi nishing the season with a 7-3 record, were in a
position to win all three of those losses at the end of those
games. The boys truly were an inspiration to their parents and
coaches and have built a solid foundation for the Midget team next
year.
After fi nishing the regular season un-
defeated, the East County Lions Pee Wee team started their
playoff run with a 32-0 thumping of a tough Antioch team. The
dominant rushing of Ronnie Rivers, Baylei Coston and DAnte Killian
led the Lions offense.
Rivers also connected with Abel Ordaz on a 32-yard touchdown
pass. Adri-
an Guitron booted all four of the Lions two-point kicks.
Defensively, the Lions broke Antiochs will with tremendous
pres-sure as they forced three turnovers. Devan Lance made a
leaping interception to stop one drive and Travis Baxter forced a
fumble that was recovered by Rivers and turned into a Lions TD.
The Lions linebacking corps of Cole Zanarini, Harlan Rashada,
Baxter, Ordaz and Coston made tackle after tackle as the Antioch
offense couldnt get anything going all day. The Lions now play in
the semifi nal game against a fast West County Spartans team. The
stakes: a bid to the Turkey Bowl.
The Jr. Pee Wees played their last football game this season, fi
nishing with a heartbreaking loss to the San Ramon T-Birds 27-16.
After holding the T-Birds to a one-touchdown lead in the fi rst
half, the Lions came back hard, pushing the score to 16-14 in their
favor. The boys fought with everything they had, but made a couple
of mistakes, which the T-Birds took advan-tage of and scored.
Contributed by Ingrid Gregerson
Two Delta Patriots teams from the West Division took home
conference titles this past week, both avenging reg-ular-season
losses to the Delta Valley Wolfpack.
The Starts West squad put the ham-mer down in a 14-0 victory and
Rookies West dominated with a 24-0 win.
The explosive Rookies West offense was led by quarterback Max
Lawrence, who scored one rushing touchdown and
threw a TD pass to Blaine Bumbaca. Running backs Josh Capps and
Anthony Kimmins each added second half rushing TDs. The defense
smothered the Wolf-pack, led by Bryan Gliedts tackling plus and two
interceptions by Jordan Crear.
The Starts and Rookies West head to the Super Bowl on Saturday
to face the Tracy Buccaneers for the league champi-onship.
Contributed by Eric Yunck
Pats prepare for Super Bowl Outside linebacker Bryan Gliedt
makes one of many key tackles to help the Delta Patriots Rookies
West defeat the Delta Valley Wolfpack and secure the conference
championship.Photo courtesy of DeAnne Gliedt
The Brentwood Oakley Youth Football League Jr. Pee Wee team
celebrates after claiming a huge victory in the recent Pen-insula
Pop Warner Jr. Pee Wee Championship. The Falcons toppled the Paci
ca Tigersharks 24-12. The Jr. Pee Wee squad is looking forward to
the Regional Championship this weekend.
BOYFL Falcons finish first
Photo courtesy of Amy Goldston
Photo courtesy of Ingrid Gregerson
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NOVEMBER 18, 2011 THEPRESS.NET | 27A
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2B | THEPRESS.NET EAST COUNTY LIFE NOVEMBER 18, 2011
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construction market. He also pointed out that since the project
began, Gov. Brown has radically changed how rede-velopment agencies
work in an effort to balance the state budget.
Had we not done this when we did, the money would be gone to the
state and we wouldnt be standing here right now, Eldredge said.
The project was the result of years of input from business
owners, resi-dents and city planners and consultants. It was needed
not only to replace aging utilities that could not support the
res-taurants and other businesses its hoped will soon fi ll the
remaining vacancies, but show current and potential occu-pants that
the city is serious about sup-porting them, Reed said. Its hoped
the work will inspire the private sector to make investments of its
own.
That message is one that Peter Charitou, owner of Sweeneys Grill
& Bar, echoed.
I think the downtown looks good. I like it, Charitou said. It
took a while to get it all done, but its nice. The cus-tomers seem
to like it. The city has done its part to improve the area; now it
is up to the businesses to do their part to bring people in.
One of the fi rst to take advantage of the new 20-foot-wide
sidewalks de-signed to accommodate outdoor dining, Charitou has
already begun capitalizing on the opportunity by placing a
half-dozen tables in a new patio dining area
along his Oak Street frontage. In the works are plans to remodel
the interior and the outdoor faade, and install new lighting and a
retractable awning in the back patio. He plans to make the
reno-vations early next year to be ready for spring, as most
customers wont be re-questing outdoor dining as the weather gets
colder and the rains arrive.
Toan Huynh, manager of the res-
taurant Pho Vietnam on First Street, also plans to take
advantage of expand-ed sidewalks to install outdoor dining, but
plans to wait until the spring, when customers will be more
inclined to use the outside eating option.
Our customers are looking forward to the coming changes, said
Huynh. They seem to like the new downtown especially now that all
the construction
is over. Now we just need to get more foot traffi c down here. I
really like what the city has done to the area, and I hope more
people will come to check it out.
Retailers who struggled through the construction are also hoping
to see foot traffi c return. Laura Dee, owner of the Catwalk
Boutique, said the sidewalks provide an opportunity to hold
side-walk sales once customers get used to the new layout.
Right now, my biggest concern is getting people to come back
downtown, she said. The construction chased cus-tomers away, and
the new parking situa-tion continues to deter customers.
Widening the sidewalks to make them dining- and
pedestrian-friendly resulted in the conversion of some di-agonal
parking to parallel. Reed said there were 170 parking stalls in the
downtown core prior to the project, and currently 120. The parallel
parking also required that some of the handicapped parking (which
requires wider stalls) be relocated to parking lots. There are fi
ve city-owned downtown parking lots, plus the recently opened civic
center parking structure that adds almost 300 stalls a block away
next to the nearly complete city hall.
Well see what happens in the spring when there are more events,
Dee said. Hopefully that will increase foot traffi c. I like the
look of the downtown. I think its great, but we need to get
peo-
Downtown from page 1B
Photo by Richard Wisdom
City Councilman Erick Stonebarger gets a closer look at the Art
Gonzales Memorial Fountain during last Thursdays grand opening
ceremony marking the completion of the downtown streetscape
project.
see Downtown page 7B
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NOVEMBER 18, 2011 EAST COUNTY LIFE THEPRESS.NET | 3B
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RETAIL & OFFICESPACE AVAILABLEChris Steele
925-519-0582Leasing - Sales - Consultant
www.CBCSteele.com
Coalition set torock downtown
Its been about a year, but the construction dust has cleared and
the Downtown Business Coalition is ready to start welcoming
customers to the sparkling new streetscape in Brent-woods
traditional downtown business
core.For so long theres been a lot of
commotion down here, a lot of stuff going on, so I think we need
to make an announcement that were open for busi-ness and that our
downtown is as beau-tiful as ever, said Diane OBrien, head
by Jennifer WadsworthCorrespondent
see Coalition page 7B
Steve and Sue Fox play the alpine horns during the Downtown
Brentwood Coali