May 2022. The 55,000 square-foot facility at 1351 Pioneer Square more than doubled the size of the old site near Brentwood Boulevard. The new center will accommodate up to 5,000 students. For the spring semester this year,
By Chris Campos Staff Writer
BRENTWOOD Rep. Mark DeSaulnier came bearing gifts on an educational tour to the Los Medanos College Brentwood campus on Monday, Feb. 13.
Your welcome is enhanced when you’re bringing along a $1 million federal grant.
DeSaulnier’s 10th Congressional District was expanded this year by redistricting to now include East Contra Costa County. The representative started his political career at the Concord City Council and continued to the county Board of Supervisors, the state Legislature and, finally, the U.S. House of Representatives.
Among other county projects
that drew $21.7 million of federal support in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 was $1 million for the Contra Costa Community College District for an open educational resources
project to reduce textbook expenses for students.
Interim President Pamela Ralston guided DeSaulnier through a tour of the $65 million Brentwood Center that opened in
see LMC page 18
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
BRENTWOOD Shortly before kickoff of Super Bowl LVII, and before homeowners fired up grills for their own traditional Super Bowl party, Brentwood had an early cook-out of its own.
The Brentwood Police Activities League annual BBQ King Cook-Off returned for its 22nd season on Sunday, Feb. 12 at Harvest Park Bowl in an effort to raise money for the Brentwood PAL. Teams from local restaurants and businesses came together and battled to see who has the best barbecue in the area, along with coming
together as a community.
“The competitors have been here for years,” Christina Ruff, the president of Brentwood PAL said. “They’re very vested in the event. They’re always here to support not only their own cause with barbecue, but to prove their point and win that trophy.”
“This is an opportunity for the community to get together and celebrate everything that makes Brentwood great,” Brentwood Mayor Joel Bryant added. “It’s great. It’s always nice to have something our families can be a part of and enjoy.”
Outside of the food on the
see Flavor page 18
By Chris Campos Staff WriterOAKLEY The City Council appointed two new Planning Commission members Tuesday night. Jeanne Krieg and Jimmy Ramirez will fill the seats left open by the November election of two former commissioners to the City Council, Shannon Shaw and Hugh Henderson.
Seven applicants were interviewed during the public meeting. Council members asked each applicant three questions about city development and policy. The other applicants included Adam Sterud, Garfield Samuels, Laura O Medina, Daniel O’Leary and Mary Zirkle. Micah Langley and William Seward withdrew before the meeting began.
Krieg recently retired from her position of chief executive officer for the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, also known as Tri Delta Transit. She worked for Tri Delta Transit for 32 years, 28 of them as the CEO. Krieg holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and an MBA from CSU Sacramento.
In his application, Ramirez reported that he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government from Georgetown University. He also touted his more than six years working at Google, his experience working with homeless youth and his studies at Landscape Architecture and Design at the College of Environmental Design at UC see Council page 18
Three Byron Union School District employees, each of whom won a California Classified School Employee of the Year award for 2022, were honored at the recent Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce State of the Town Gala.
Amber Rennert is a library technician at Discovery Bay Elementary, Sonia Cubic is an attendance clerk at Timber Point Elementary and Dani Cushman is a library media technician at Excelsior Middle School.
Amber Rennert, Discovery Bay Elementary
Rennert lives in Discovery Bay, is married to her husband Colby and they have three children. She has worked in the school district for five years and had previously been a campus supervisor.
“Amber is amazing as our school librarian,” Discovery Bay Elementary Principal Erika Parlog said. “She brings a joy to reading and a true love of books that is so infectious the students can’t help but to feel that way too. Ms. Amber is a big, bubbly personality on campus that our students naturally gravitate to and she works hard to connect with everyone. Amber is loved by all students and staff, and we are so fortunate to have her.”
Sonia Cubic, Timber Point Elementary
Cubic has lived in Discovery Bay for 10 years. She is married to her husband Eric, and they have two children. She has worked
for the district for 11 years and also works as an instructor for the “Academy” at Timber Point. She has had several other jobs within the district, including crossing guard and campus supervisor.
“Sonia is a delight to work with,” Timber Point Elementary Principal Susan Evans said. “She brings a warm smile to the office and a great sense of humor. Her caring nature helps her get along fabulously with the children.”
Dani Cushman, Excelsior Middle School Cushman is married to her husband Chris, has two children and lives in Discovery
Bay. She has worked for the school district for 15 years, currently as the Library Media Technician and a Campus Supervisor at Excelsior.
Cushman’s other jobs have included theater volunteer, math volunteer, reading aide and PTA member. She says the best part of her job is working with students, engaging them in reading and teaching fun lessons.
“Dani is an integral part of our campus helping to facilitate student learning or stepping in to help support our clerical staff, just to name a couple,” Principal Jamie Keith of Excelsior Middle School said. “Dani is a kind, caring individual whom students seek out for advice and support. She’s also a wonderful colleague and true representative of excellence in educational support.”
Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Kooy was assigned to Discovery Bay in January as one of its resident deputies. A seven-year veteran of the department, Kooy previously worked in the Martinez Detention Facility, and on patrol in the west side of the county. He said he’s happy to be working in his own area.
“I moved to the area about two years ago, and I just absolutely love living in the area; meeting a lot of people in the community and seeing how the community is,” Kooy said, adding the friendly atmosphere in Discovery Bay reminds him of his hometown, Tracy.
As a resident deputy, Kooy’s primary patrol area will be Discovery Bay. He said he hopes people who see him feel free to stop and get to know him.
“I’m not shy, I’m an open book,” he said. “So if anyone sees me driving around and wants to talk, they can flag me down. I love hearing from people in the community and learning about what issues they have and getting to know them better and how to help.”
Kooy said he knew law enforcement was the career for him after he participated in a ridealong with a Hayward police officer who used his position to help the citizens under his care.
reports with recommendations that will benefit county residents.
Submitted photo
He had been raised in a home where giving back was part of his upbringing, and he wanted to continue to help people.
“I like helping people,” said Kooy, 31. “I never had an idea of what I wanted to do until that ride-along, seeing how the officers helped some of the families in domestic instances or when someone was stealing and how the officers helped, and they would do things for people, sometimes it was something small like a bag of groceries, but it was cool to see them helping out.”
That experience stayed with Kooy, and he now helps the residents of Contra Costa County when he can. In his free time, Kooy said he enjoys traveling and spending time with his friends. Residents are likely to run into him working out or eating out.
“People might see me at the gym,” he said, adding he enjoys living a healthful lifestyle. “In the warm weather, you’ll see me running around Discovery Bay, and probably at the restaurants. I like to wind down with my friends, and try new restaurants and hang out at the local spots.”
Contra Costa County Superior Court is accepting applications for Civil Grand Jury service for the fiscal year 2023 – 2024. The grand jury will be composed of 19 members who will serve for one year, July through June, to monitor, review, and report on city and county governments as well as special districts and school districts, according to a county press release..
Application deadline is March 24. Potential grand jurors must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens, and a county resident for at least one year, the release stated.
About 75 applicants who reflect the demographic makeup of the county will be chosen to be interviewed by the Grand Jury Selection Committee composed of Superior Court judges. From that process, 30 will be chosen for a grand jury pool, from which 19 will be picked randomly on June 16. Orientation will be June 20-23 and June 26-29. when they will meet key members of local government and learn their functions. They organize into committees to investigate local government agencies, research topical materials, interview county executives and their staff, gather facts, and issue written
7-Year
Grand jurors receive a stipend for attending full committee meetings, and are reimbursed 62.5 cents per mile of allowable travel.
As a grand juror, you will:
• Develop solutions to problems
• Meet leading members of every level of the government and tour their facilities
• Observe government in action
• Experience a sense of making a contribution to the difficult task of governing
• Write about the facts, findings and recommendations developed as a result of research, investigations, and reports
Other issues to consider:
• Jurors receive a stipend for their service, plus mileage reimbursement, and a parking permit.
• Confidentiality is imperative and information cannot be discussed with anyone including family members.
• Investigations and in-house jury activities are also strictly confidential. Persons interested in applying may contact the Office of the Civil Grand Jury at 925- 608-2621. Applications are available online (www.co-courts.org/ grandjury) and at your local library.
As (4.283% APR*)
3.990% Rates As
BRENTWOOD While it may not be as enticing as wine, the city of Brentwood may soon be turning water into concrete after approving a new wastewater treatment process at the Feb. 14 City Council meeting.
The agenda item was approved unanimously and will allow the city to enter into an agreement with MISCOwater LLC, a wastewater treatment company, to bring a “biosolids dryer and pyrolysis system” to Brentwood to change the way wastewater is managed. Although the change may be too subtle for residents to notice, the new system will, in part, filter out potential pollutants such as microplastics.
“This is another legislative mandate without the funding to support it,” Councilmember Susannah Meyer lamented in response to the roughly $21 million approved at the meeting. The city’s need to change the way it approaches wastewater treatment is a result of Senate Bill 1383, which disallows the dumping of biosolids in landfills, according to Casey Wichert, wastewater expert with the Public Works department.
Funding for the project comes from the
Wastewater Development Impact Fee Fund, Wastewater Enterprise Fund, Wastewater Replacement Fund, and a State Revolving Fund Loan, according to the agenda packet.
Brentwood’s current process for wastewater treatment uses a belt filter press, Wichert explained during the presentation. The belt filter press turns “sludge” from a liquid to a solid that is then loaded into a truck and hauled to a landfill. Under SB 1383, Brentwood can no longer do this and needs a new disposal method.
The new method, a biosolids dryer and pyrolysis system, is designed to filter out
contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics, while evaporating the wastewater. Unique to this process is a byproduct known as biochar that – rather than needing disposal like the solids from the current method – can be sold as raw material, according to Wichert.
“One of the more exciting things about this process,” he said, “is we’ll be able to sell the biochar rather than paying someone to get rid of it.”
Biochar can be used as raw material in several ways – the most common being in concrete – but it can also be used as a pigment in paint and printer ink and filament used by 3D printers. Wichert described biochar as having the same consistency and scent as natural charcoal, pulling up a slide in his presentation that showed him holding a handful of it.
“That picture of the hands holding that made me very uncomfortable,” Mayor Joel Bryant joked, prompting Wichert to underscore the cleanliness of the byproduct despite being derived from wastewater.
Brentwood would not be directly responsible for the sale of the raw material and, as a result, the disposal would not cost the city anything. Instead, Bioforcetech, a San Francisco-based company and selfproclaimed pioneer of the pyrolysis system, would be in charge of the sale of the biochar, giving 10% of the revenue back to the city. As a result, the cost of removal would decrease. Brentwood spends roughly $600,000 annually in hauling and disposal fees, according to Wichert. With the new process, that cost would go away entirely, but the city would spend close to $350,000 in annual operating costs for the pyrolysis system, saving the city $250,000 each year.
Other topics addressed at the meeting included the adoption of an ordinance that changes the appointment process for arts commissioners as well as a future agenda item request for a potential youth center on Sand Creek Road.
The full meeting can be watched at https://bit.ly/3IqU3Zf
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2023-2024 School Year
KINDERGARTEN – Eligible child must be five years old on or before September 1, 2023
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN – Eligible child must be 5 years old between September 2, 2023 and April 2, 2024
TK/Kindergarten enrollment closes March 16, 2023 at 3pm and will reopen April 6, 2023 at 9am.
Information on how to start the enrollment process is located on the BUSD website: www.brentwood.k12.ca.us
Please email or call your resident school site https://www.brentwood.k12.ca.us/boundaries
Please be advised that because we are a growing community, enrollment is on a first come first serve basis. While we can assure placement within our school district, we cannot guarantee placement at your boundary school.
By Rene De Amaral Staff Writer
A local author duo is encouraging children to read by learning about the life cycle of the fly in their book, “The March of the Maggots.”
Sandra Castillo Alward and her granddaughter, Sofia Anderson, a student at Brentwood’s Bristow Middle School, set out to write a book that was approachable and engaging for kids. The book includes a list of sight words commonly used for children ages 5-9 or Pre K-Second grade and encourages them to look and pick out the words throughout the story.
Alward says that the origin of “The March of the Maggots”is based on true events, with the dog in the story also being based on Alward’s own dog Luna. Luna guides the reader through her discovery of maggots in her house, their disposal and then learning the stages of a maggot turning into a fly.
“The March of the Maggots” has also found a home at the Bristow Middle School library and was featured in their school newspaper. “My grandma brought the book to my school and my principal put it in the school newspaper,” Sofia said. “My teachers were saying, ‘Oh you published a book’ and some people were saying ‘Oh, I saw your book in the library.’”
The pair wanted to write a story that would keep readers engaged while also teaching them something. They said that a children’s book would appeal to a wider audience. “My desire was to write a book that would be engaging, long enough yet short enough that they could finish it, because if they finish that, they can maybe pick up another book,” Alward said.
Writing the book came from the desire for her and Sofia to to start and finish
a project together. Alward had already written a few pages when she and Sofia decided to work on the book together, but the rough draft stage also taught them patience with the process and each other, “Part of what I would recommend for anyone that wants to write a book, especially with the age gap, you have to understand if you are going to publish a book it’s not going to happen tomorrow,” Alward said, “So you have to be patient with the process, and you have to be patient with each other, as we both have ideas but knowing we have to come to a middle ground and write what’s best for our audience.”
Anderson also appreciates the book because it was a good learning experience on how to work with other people, and receiving positive and negative criticism. “We did a lot of drafts back and forth with the illustrators on what we wanted, and what we didn’t want,” she said. “We had to figure out things that kids would actually want to read and stuff that would catch their eye, not just the book, but on the cover too.”
While the book is a collaborative effort between Sofia and Sandra, family and friends contributed during the various rough draft phases, including Sofia’s father, who wrote the book’s jingle at the end. They also included reviews from local kids ages 6-13 in the first couple of pages because they wanted to receive honest feedback from those within and outside their audience.
The pair hope to write more books together soon, and do have some ideas in the works, but nothing concrete yet, “Hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to get to write another book. We’re very excited that this book has been well received and is liked,” Alward said. To comment, visit www.thepress.net
For tax preparation in Brentwood, you can count on Robert H. Jones, CPA, at Marsh Creek Capital Management Inc. He assists taxpayers and small businesses with taxes in Brentwood and the surrounding communities. Whether you are an individual or a local business, he has years of valuable experience handling income and estates tax matters. Contact Robert
Jones, CPA, tax filing specialist, for help with your taxes.
waiting to be matched with a Court Appointed
(CASA) of Contra Costa County Volunteer Advocate. CASA volunteers work one-on-one with children in the foster care system, building a relationship, connecting with other professionals in the youth’s life, and supporting and amplifying the child’s voice inside and outside the courtroom.
By sharing 15-20 hours a month, CASA volunteers provide hope, increased opportunity, and needed consistency in the life of a child.
CASA wants volunteers to make sure every child referred to its program receives a Volunteer Advocate. Volunteers can sign up to attend an upcoming online Informational Session where you can learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer. For more information, visit cccocasa.org or call 925-256-7284 ext. 7.
who love it!
Friday, Feb. 17
Be Exceptional Program’s Valentine’s Dance
Be Exceptional Programs is hosting a free dance for people ages 14 and up with exceptional needs from 6-9 p.m. at the Brentwood Senior Activity Center located at 193 Griffith Lane. The event will feature music, a Mexican food dinner and snacks for all attendees. To register, visit http://bit.ly/3jXXBsQ
Saturday, Feb. 18
American Legion Annual Crab Feed
Brentwood’s American Legion Post 202 is hosting their annual crab feed from 5-10 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St.. The event will also include a raffle. Tickets are $55, and can be purchased by contacting Phil at 925-516-2141.
Thursday, Feb. 23
Fundraiser to help the Elderly
Acts Senior Assistance is holding a fundraiser at Red Robin in Brentwood located at 2385 Sand Creek Road from 4-7 p.m. Twenty percent of sales will be donated back to Acts Senior Assistance, which assists with the cost of assisted living and in-home care for seniors. The fundraiser is also available for take-out orders. For more information visit https://bit.ly/3xhtfo2
Saturday, Feb. 25
Lions Club of Brentwood Crab Feed
The Lions Club of Brentwood is hosting an all-youcan-eat crab feed from 6-10 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. The event will benefit the Lions Center for the Visually Impaired, and features a raffle and table decorating contest. Tickets are $80, and can be purchased at https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/\
Liberty Lions 10th Annual Crab Feed
The Liberty Lions Band Boosters is hosting their 10th annual crab feed at the Brentwood Community Center on 35 Oak St., from 5:30-9:30 p.m. The event will also include auctions, prizes and cocktails. Tickets are $85, or $800 for a table of 10. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit http://bit.ly/3XyoTVa
Saturday, March 4
Trinkets & Treasure Flea Market
The Oakley Senior Center is hosting a Trinkets & Treasures Flea Market from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 215 Second St. They will also be hosting a silent auction at the event.
Saturday, March 11
Oakley Youth Employment Workshop and Job Fair
The Oakley Recreation Department is hosting an employment workshop and job fair geared towards local youth at the Oakley Recreation Center, located at 1250 O’Hara Ave. from 10 a.m.noon. The goal of the event is to provide local youth the opportunity to learn job-seeking skills and connect with employers. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3YrG22L
Thursday, March 16
To have your event appear in the newspaper, email your events to calendar@brentwoodpress.com one week prior to publication. To have your event online, post your event for free on The Press Community Calendar www.thepress.net/calendar.
East County Rotary Club Meetings
Brentwood: The Brentwood Rotary Club meets weekly on Monday at noon at the Wedgewood Banquet Center at 100 Summerset Drive in Brentwood. For more information, visit https:// www.brentwoodrotary94513.com Oakley: The Oakley Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at Black Bear Diner, 3201 Main St. in Oakley. For more information, visit http://rotaryclubofoakley.com Antioch: The Antioch Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at noon at Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center, 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch. For more information, visit http://www.antiochrotaryclub.com/. The Rotary Club of the Delta meets weekly on Wednesday at 7 a.m. at Denny’s, 4823 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. For more information, visit https://www.rotaryclubofthedelta.org/.
East County Lions Club Meetings
Brentwood: The Brentwood Lions Club meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Straw Hat Pizza on Lone Tree Way. For more information, visit: https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/ Oakley: The Oakley Lions Club meets the fourth Wednesdays of every month at 7 p.m. at the Oakley Senior Center, for more information, visit https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/ Antioch: The Antioch Lions Club meets every second and fourth Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Denny’s on Delta Fair Blvd. Discovery Bay: The Discovery Bay Lions Club meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club. For more information, visit:https:// discoverybaylions.com/who-we-are/meetings/ Byron: The Byron Delta Lions Club meets every first Friday of each month at 10 a.m. at St. Anne’s Church for more information https://e-clubhouse. org/sites/byron_delta/
Oakley Senior Center Food Distribution
The Oakley Senior Center at 215 2nd St, gives out free food every Thursday from 1-2:30 p.m. Residents are asked to bring their own grocery bags.
Brentwood Community Chorus Rehearsals
The Brentwood Community Chorus meets on Tuesdays from 7- 9 p.m. at Brentwood Community United Methodist Church on 809 Second St. It is open to all ages and abilities as they prepare for their spring season.
Delta Informal Gardeners
Monthly Meetings
Delta Informal Gardeners encourages local residents to join them at their local meeting at the Brentwood Community United Methodist Church at 809 2nd St. on the 4th Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m.
ACA Women’s Group
The ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) Women’s Group meets every Wednesday at 5 p.m. at 809 Second St. in Brentwood. For more information, contact Cici at 530-306-7034.
Nonprofit offers
Health Care Career Courses
drop by a meeting or contact the membership vice president at 925-341-9433. For more information on the club, visit www.discoverybaycorvetteclub.com
The California Striped Bass Association meets on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Sportsmen Yacht Club, 3301 Wilbur Ave., Antioch. For more information, call Moe Adams five days before meeting at 916-529-1192. For more information, visit www.csbadeltachapter.org
The Marine Corps League, Delta Diablo Detachment 1155, hosts its monthly meeting on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St., in Brentwood. The group is open to all active or retired U.S. Marines. Attendees are encouraged to bring a veteran friend, and spouses are always welcome. The meetings feature camaraderie, food, drink, conversation and updates on upcoming events. For more information, call 925-338-1775, email MCL1155@outlook.com or visit https://www. mcl1155.org/.
The nonprofit Opportunity Junction is accepting applications for its administrative careers training program. Classes are taught via Zoom. The intensive training is 12 weeks, followed by up to four months of paid internship. Participants will learn life and business skills, and can earn their Microsoft Office Skills certificate. For more information, visit https://www.opportunityjunction. org/program-application
A widow and widower grief support group from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church meets every Thursday from 5 to 6:15 p.m. at the church library at 500 Fairview Ave. in Brentwood. The group focuses on finding a new normal as attendees walk the grief trail with others experiencing the same loss. For more information, contact Mary Ann Smith at 925-240-1706 or Sandy Heinisch at 925-513-3412.
Al-Anon meetings, which offer a supportive place for friends and families of alcoholics, are held every Friday from 8 to 9:15 p.m. at the Brentwood United Methodist Church at 809 Second St. in Brentwood. There is no need to register. For details, call Trisha at 510-910-1389.
Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection’s Coffee with Carolyn is a cancer support group for women, hosted by Carolyn George and financially supported by The Kaleidoscope Cancer Connection of Byron. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. The location is at the Kaleidoscope Sacred Garden behind the Byron United Methodist Church (14671 Byron Highway in Byron). For more information, contact Carolyn George at 925-577-3325.
the
The El Campanil Theatre at 602 W. 2nd St. in Antioch is hosting a Pre-St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at 2 p.m. It features the Irish band Lions of the North. The event is $32 for adults, $29 for seniors, and $15 for youths. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://bit.ly/3Y57rrw.
Saturday, March 25 and
Sunday, March 26
Spring Craft Show & Yard Sale
The Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. is hosting a craft show and yard sale from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Craft vendors will be located indoors and yard sale participants will be in the courtyard. For more information and to become a vendor, email sandmcraftemporium@gmail.com.
The nonprofit Opportunity Junction is accepting applications for its Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at two locations including the Opportunity Junction Antioch office at 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. Classes began in September. The CNA program includes 12 weeks of training, life skills training, hands-on clinical experience, and job placement assistance. The first step in taking the course is to complete an application form online by visiting https://opportunityjunction. secure.force.com/apply/HCP
Discovery Bay Corvette Club Meetings
The nonprofit Discovery Bay Corvette Club meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, 5871 Marina Road, Bilge Room. The club is dedicated to the enjoyment of owning and driving America’s sports car. For more information,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hosting non-denominational community resource classes at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 2350 Jeffery Way in Brentwood. The free, 10-week courses will touch on personal finance, starting and growing your own business, emotional resilience, English as a second language, finding a better job and life skills. These are 10-week courses that meet once per week. To register or for more information, visit https://linktr.ee/antiochSR
The Oakley 4-H Club has monthly meetings the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. The club is open to boys and girls ages 5-19. For location information, email Amanda at oakley@ contracosta.org.
Editor:
West Coast natural gas prices have been rising this winter, and PG&E wants our customers to know their energy bills are likely to rise as a result. PG&E does not control the market prices we pay for natural gas, and we don’t mark up the cost of the energy we buy to serve our customers.
In late January, California average daily prices were five times higher than the U.S. benchmark and those in New York and Chicago.
Price increases are due largely to higher demand and tighter supplies, as customers use more natural gas for heating during cooler-than-normal temperatures, and as power plants use more natural gas to meet electricity demand.
PG&E customers have used more gas than the five-year average, with November usage 20% higher, December 10%, and January 10% higher. As a result, residential gas and electricity bills could be 32% higher on average from November 2022 to March 2023 compared to the
The Press invites your comments. Letters must be no longer than 325 words and include name, address and phone number for confirmation.
The Press reserves the right to edit submissions for length, clarity, potential libel and taste, or to not print letters we feel violate our standards of acceptance.
Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily the opinions of The Press, whose opinions are contained in clearly marked editorials.
Send correspondence to The Press, 248 Oak St., Brentwood, California, 94513; or email editor@ brentwoodpress.com.
same time last winter, with most of the increase for energy supply costs.
PG&E works to limit price impacts by purchasing the lowest-priced gas from three gas production basins, withdrawing gas from underground storage, and using financial hedging products to lock in lower prices.
We’re also working with regulators, policymakers and lawmakers to provide bill relief — including supporting the California Public Utilities Commission’s decision to distribute the annual April Climate Credit as soon as possible – a $91.17 credit for PG&E customers receiving gas and electricity. We also support the governor’s call for a federal investigation into high gas market prices.
For energy tips and resources, visit www.pge.com/winter.
Aaron Johnson PG&E Bay Area Regional Vice PresidentEditor:
I moved to Brentwood almost a decade ago. We love this city, how friendly, clean and the overall neighborly feeling. The Press, under Ruth (Roberts), mirrored this. The reporting was thorough, fair and very much in keeping with journalistic standards. I always learned a lot about important issues, people, organizations and events.
I appreciated this very much, as it
helped me learn about the good, the bad and the ugly in my new city.
I became involved in our schools as a volunteer, and applied to be a parent representative on the Measure B Oversight Committee.
Since Ruth has retired, there’s been a marked change in the tone of the articles and the headlines. The headlines have become very click-baity and the copy with a decidedly sensationalist tone. This is a very disappointing change.
I sincerely hope you reconsider this change. You do not need to compete with other publications that do not employ journalists and are anything but professional.
Saludos, M. Carolina Villaseca BrentwoodPublisher Greg Robinson Controller Sandie McNulty
Editor Chris Campos
Interim Production Manager Eric Kinnaird
Ad Services Manager Connie O’Neill
Founder & Publisher Emeritus Jimmy Chamoures
ext. 110
Delivery Questions 925-584-7773
Subscription Questions 925-634-1441
Editorial email editor@brentwoodpress.com
City of Brentwood City Manager and City Council
City Hall 150 City Park Way
Brentwood, CA 94513
Phone: 925-516-5440
www.brentwoodca.gov
City of Antioch
City Manager and City Council
City Hall
3rd and H streets
Antioch, CA 94509
Phone: 925-779-7000
www.ci.antioch.ca.us
City of Oakley
City Manager and City Council
City Hall 3231 Main St.
Oakley, CA 94561
Phone: 925-625-7000
www.ci.oakley.ca.us
Town of Discovery Bay
Town Manager and Community Services District
1800 Willow Lake Road
Discovery Bay, CA 94505
Phone: 925-634-1131
www.todb.ca.gov
County Supervisor, Dist. III
Diane Burgis
3361 Walnut Blvd., Suite 140
Brentwood, CA 94513
Phone: 925-252-4500
Fax: 925-240-7261
dist3@bos.cccounty.us
County Supervisor, Dist. V
Federal D. Glover
190 E 4th St.
Pittsburg, CA 94565
Phone: 925-608-4200
Fax: 925-427-8142
district5@bos.cccounty.us
State Sen. Steve Glazer
Seventh Senate District
Capitol Office:
State Capitol, Room 4082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-651-4007
District Office:
420 West Third St.
Antioch, CA 94509
Phone: 925-258-1176
Fax: 925-258-9982
Cell: 925-963-1611
http://sd07.senate.ca.gov
Assemblymember Jim Frazier
11th Assembly District
Capitol Office:
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249
Phone: 916-319-2011
District Office:
150 City Park Way
Brentwood, CA 94513
Phone: 925-513-0411
Fax: 925-513-3511
www.asmdc.org/members/a11
Gov. Gavin Newsom
State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160
www.gov.ca.gov
U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney
9th Congressional District
Washington, DC Office:
2265 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-1947
Fax: 202-225-4060
Antioch Office:
4703 Lone Tree Way
Antioch, CA 94531
Phone: 925-754-0716
Fax: 925-754-0728
www.mcnerney.house.gov
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla
Washington, DC Office: 408 Dirksen SOB
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3553
Fax: 202-224-2200
www.padilla.senate.gov
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Washington, DC Office: 331 Hart SOB
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3841
Fax: 202-228-3954
San Francisco Office:
One Post St., Room 2450
San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: 415-393-0707
Fax: 415-393-0710
www.feinstein.senate.gov
President Joe Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: 202-456-1111
Fax: 202-456-2461
Lt. Col. Morris of the Heritage High School Air Force JROTC program recently won the Heritage High School Teacher of the Year award.
Blake Hengel of Brentwood was recently named to the fall 2022 Dean’s List at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.
To be included on the Dean’s List, a student must complete 12 or more graded credits in a semester with a gradepoint average of 3.4 or better.
Sierra Hinds of Brentwood was recently named to the Dean’s List at George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. for the fall 2022 semester. Hinds is a senior majoring in engineering. Undergraduate students must earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average on 12 or more hours of graded work to make the Dean’s List.
Rogelio Juarez Rodriguez
July 17,1943-Jan. 20, 2023
Longtime Byron and Brentwood resident Rogelio Juarez Rodriguez passed away in an unfortunate automobile accident, on Jan. 20, 2023.
He was 79 years old. Rogelio was born in La Puerta de Jaripitiro, Michoacan, Mexico, on July 17,1943 to Heriberto Juarez Rosas y Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez Ochoa. Rogelio was a wonderful (Father, Grandpa, Uncle, Brother, and friend) who touched the lives of many people around him. He dedicated his life to his family and friends around him.
Everywhere he went, he would find and make new friends because of how pure, sincere, and humble of a person he was. If you knew him, you would immediately find a connection with him.
He is survived by his wife Maria Eva Hilda Garcia de Juarez, and four children: Maria Guadalupe Juarez of Byron, Jorge (Irene) Juarez of Brentwood, Heriberto (Valeria) Juarez and Lizbeth Juarez of Byron; 7 grandchildren: Rogelio, Elias, Feliza I. and
Jorge Juarez II, Heriberto, Briana, and Maria Jose Juarez and his siblings: Lidia Juarez of Gilroy and Alvaro Juarez of Los Banos. He is also survived by uncles, aunts, cousins, and many nieces and nephews from California, around the U.S.A., and Mexico.
The funeral services were held at Holy Cross Cemetery and Funeral Center 2200 E. 18th St., Antioch, CA 94509. We would like to thank everyone who supported our family during this very difficult time. Descanse en Paz!
Liberty High School’s boys basketball team survived a late rally from Heritage High and plenty of their own miscues in their NCS playoff opener, taking down the visiting Patriots 70-50 on Tuesday night.
While the score shows the Lions’ third blowout of their cross-town rival this season, this game was anything but, and that came to the disappointment of Lions head coach Jon Heinz.
“We got the big lead and we just really got lackadaisical,” Heinz said after the win. “We just started going through the motions.”
After a slow start, the Lions got hot quickly, going on a 10-1 run midway through a first quarter that was sparked by Liberty’s press forcing Heritage turnovers.
Heritage senior guard Devon Rivers hit a crucial layup in the final minute of the first quarter to stop the Lions’ then-12-1 run.
Liberty went up by as much as 23 in the final two minutes of the first half, but Heritage rallied back to pull within 16 at the break thanks to a crucial three-pointer by Lions senior guard Daniel Vigil with 2:40 left and a layup and a free throw by senior forward Jordan Ratchford with under a minute left to pull Heritage within 16. Rivers added another
three-pointer with 11 seconds left in the half.
“We were up by like 30, and then I blink my eyes and we were up by 15,” Lions’ Vigil said. “We just got sloppy at the end of the second. We kind of just got comfortable and we thought it was just going to be just another game against them.”
Vigil scored 10 of his co-game-high
17 points in that first half. His 17 points on the night tied teammate Ethan Wasem’s 17 points. Wasem played a crucial role for the Lions’ offense early, hitting a pair of big three-pointers as part of Liberty’s big opening quarter.
However, what looked to be a bigger blowout came to a halt as Liberty missed open shot after open shot and had several turnovers of their own. According to Heinz, the players complained about the ball being slippery since it was a new ball by the NCS and that may have led to the struggles with consistency throughout the night, although Heinz didn’t fully buy the excuses.
“You win by 20 points, but we had to miss at least 15 layups tonight,” Heinz said. “Like, we’re just missing point-blank, easy shots.
“(We) just didn’t focus more. We’ve got to buckle in and get smarter.”
Rivers and Ratchford tried to spark and lead the rally for the Pats throughout the night. Ratchford finished with a teamhigh 13 points while Rivers scored 10. They were the lone two in double-digits for Heritage.
With Heritage now in the rear-view mirror, the Lions are now looking towards their quarterfinal matchup at San Ramon’s California High Friday night. Cal High took down College Park 69-53 in their NCS first-round matchup Tuesday night.
According to Doria, the COVID-19 pandemic set them back on their growth trajectory, but they are steadily building back up.”We were very excited about the success of the club in the tournaments on January 7th and 8th. We sent five teams that went a combined 10-0. We were obviously quite excited about the success. However, our goal is to develop all of our athletes so wins and losses are less of a concern in some tournaments.”
By Sean Tongson CorrespondentAthena Ayers began her swimming career with the Brentwood SeaWolves at the ripe age of six. Five years later, Ayers joined Lamorinda Brentwood, a local water polo team formed in partnership with the SeaWolves.
Describing the switch as “new and exciting,” Ayers’ five-year journey has met with success for the Liberty High junior, the latest honor, being named to the 2022 All-BVAL girls water polo team and named the Bay Valley Most Valuable Player.
“The bond you get to form with your teammates and the aggression of the game makes it thrilling and exciting,” said Ayers, now 16. “There’s a lot of swim training involved, reviewing water polo drills and plays, and watching film. You have to have strong
legs, so the eggbeater and lunges are important to practice. You have to have quick decision making, and you constantly have to make choices during the game under pressure and with the clock running against you.”
Water polo players can attest to its grueling nature, infrequent rest, and need for endurance, describing it as “tremendously difficult” and a “full body workout.” Tactically similar to soccer, basketball, and hockey, water polo merges elements of those three sports, but is played in the water. Water polo players have to continually tread water, sprint back and forth, defend and guard constantly while making drives to the goal and escaping defenders.
“Athletes must be in extraordinary physical shape,” said Lamorinda Brentwood Program Director Jack Doria. “The biggest
physical challenge in water polo is that athletes must tread water and swim the entire time they are in the game, while being held, pulled, and boxed out with the body. Games consist of four quarters and teams compete to score goals.”
Lamorinda-Brentwood is a USA Water Polo program that began in 2008 under the Brentwood SeaWolves name. In spring of 2017, they partnered with Lamorinda Water Polo Club and formed LamorindaBrentwood. According to their website, Lamorinda-Brentwood is committed to growing the sport of water polo and creating an atmosphere for team and individual growth in sportsmanship, excellence in athletics, and personal integrity. Over the next three summers, the number of athletes tripled in their program from approximately 60 to nearly 200.
Additionally, Doria says that Lamorinda just finished another set of tournaments on the weekend of Jan. 21-22, sending seven teams that went a combined 5-9. The 16 and under (16u) and 18 and under (18u) boys and girls teams competed at the Frozen Cup, a prestigious tournament in Pleasanton and Concord, with the 16u girls winning on Saturday Feb. 4.
Additionally, the 12u (coed) and 14u (boys and girls) age groups competed in the Sacramento Invitational weekend tournament on Sunday Feb. 5, with the 12u coed team defeating Cal Republic Red 13-3. Doria said they have many athletes who play in more than one age group, so many times, athletes are playing against older competition.
“Not nearly the same in terms of win
see Water Polo page 12
Ayers, Ackerman win accolades for LamorindaBrentwood, Heritage, Liberty
Like a book you just can’t put down, the Bay Valley Athletic League boys soccer chase was packed with plot twists and high drama, almost to the final kick.
Pittsburg, Heritage, Liberty and Freedom each had six league wins heading into their final league games last week.
Who would wear the crown?
Ultimately, Pittsburg narrowly earned a second consecutive league championship by notching a crucial 0-0 draw with Heritage and staving off upset-minded Antioch 2-1, in their final two league games.
The Pirates (7-2-1 BVAL) pocketed the league’s automatic North Coast Section Division I playoff spot, and Liberty, Freedom and Heritage also gained at-large NCS spots in a strong showing for the BVAL. The Lions earned their first playoff berth since 2015, in Division 2, and Heritage and Freedom also made the Division I tournament.
Freedom finished the league season with four consecutive wins, outscoring the opposition 10-1. Senior Elias Castro scored his 15th goal of the season in a 2-0 triumph over Deer Valley, and sophomore Angel Valencia notched his seventh goal.
The Falcons and Pittsburg have been the league’s power players over the past six years, but the league standings tightened up considerably this season. Freedom’s rivalry with Liberty emerged over the last three years, because the Lions have become better under head coach Jesus Gomez, who played at Freedom under Falcons coach Sal Acevedo. The two men coach together in a club for the East County Revolution.
“He’s a great coach, and he’s picked up the (Lib-
erty) program and made our games much more competitive,” Acevedo said.
Gomez, in his fourth season at Liberty, saw his team sweep its final three league opponents by a combined 161, capped by a rousing 4-1 win over Heritage. Lions star striker Gavin Leypon notched a hat trick against the Patriots and entered the playoffs with a school-record 21 goals overall.
Gomez attributes the Lions’ emergence to an influx of “year-round” players in the program.
“I always like to say the coach has the responsibility, but ultimately it also kind of depends on the talent pool that you have on hand. I’ve been fortunate to have a great little talent pool the last couple of years,” Gomez said.
With a tough-to-crack defense, Heritage is also solid under new head coach Randy James, a former successful coach of the Patriots girls team.
Here’s a breakdown of the local teams: LIBERTY (7-3-0 BVAL):
The resilient Lions boast record-breaking striker Leypon, a senior who averaged over two goals a game. Leypon is being looked at by UC Davis. Liberty has had a knack for fast starts and then being rocked by injuries, which happened again this season. But the Lions were able to weather the storm due to improved depth. Key distributor Ernesto Estrada and standout Julian Larios are out with injuries. Gabriel Juarez, a senior #10, is another top player. The Lions earned a big win over Pittsburg, 2-1, to start the second half of the season, when Leypon and Ernesto Martinez scored. “That was a satisfaction win for the group knowing that even though
you’re missing some of the top guys, you can still get it done,” Gomez said. Liberty has a win over San Ramon Valley.
FREEDOM (7-3-0 BVAL):
Falcons coach Sal Acevedo, in his 12th season, is pleased with his team’s overall body of work, which included quality non-league wins over San Ramon Valley, Amador Valley, Logan and Dougherty Valley, and a draw with Monte Vista. The Falcons struggled a bit in the first round of league play, but rallied down the stretch with clutch wins over the Lions (2-1) and Pirates (1-0). Elias Castro scored the winner against Pittsburg, and Giovanni Lopez had the assist. Center back Gabriel Tapia played a huge role in the victory. “He has just been remarkable for us all season, and in this game he had some very key tackles and steals,” Acevedo said of Tapia. Mark Salgado, an outside back, was also stellar. The coach described the team as “very determined and has very clear goals. I think the strength of the team is the unity.”
The always competitive Patriots boast a stout defense led by junior Conrad Faulkner and senior Tristen Cazarez, along with senior keeper Matty Hourigan. Heritage had a memorable road win over Freedom, 3-2, in a back-and-forth battle decided on a clutch goal by Drew Cazarez midway through the second half. The Patriots helped their chances for an NCS berth by upending California 2-0 in non-league play on goals by Adrian Avalos and Kian Medeiros. The Patriots dropped a 4-1 decision to the Lions in their league finale and nabbed the 16th NCS seed.
and loss, but as an example, our 14 and under (14u) girls played in the 16 and under (16u) age group and went 1-1,” said Doria. “The number of athletes that play at any one time depends on the age group: 10u plays 5 versus 5, four field players and a goalie for each team, 12u plays 6 versus 6, 14u through 18u play 7 versus 7.”
When Ayers is not defending, sprinting, or attacking, she is also volunteering for the Splashball program every season, which is an introductory version of water polo from March 19 to May 21 with registration now open. Looking ahead, Ayers has expressed a desire to continue playing water polo in college, and is looking at different options.
“My goals are to work hard and train
daily,” added Ayers. “Hopefully I can make it into a Division 1 school to play water polo.”
Goalie Ryan Ackerman
Another local high school player has excelled in the sport. Goalie Ryan Ackerman, who has been with Lamorinda Brentwood for four and a half years, says he fell in love with the sport after joining in 2018.
Ackerman won junior varsity MVP last year and the most improved player for the Heritage High varsity this year for a team that has won two BVAL championships.
He said he enjoys the thrill of a close game in the fourth quarter, the drive to compete, and the friendships made. Similar to Ayers, Ackerman envisions playing water polo after high school, hoping to reach at least junior college with water polo.
“My older siblings signed up before me and my parents saw this as a great new sport for me to play and I fell in love with it,” says Ackerman, a sophomore at Heritage. “It is completely different than other sports. You can use size or athleticism to help a lot where water polo is just technique and strength. Water polo is like a mixture of rugby and soccer. For the normal field player, there are lots of swim, conditioning and working on ball handling drills. As a goalie, I work a lot on my leg strength really helping me get out of the water and my arm. “If you’re good at swimming, you’ll have a great head start with water polo.”
Registration is open for the Lamorinda Brentwood spring season. It begins on Sunday, Feb. 19 at Liberty High School. Practice will then alternate between Liberty and Heri-
tage high schools, and take place every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Summer season will begin on Sunday, May 21.
“I think it’s important to highlight the team as a whole,” added Doria. “We have athletes with many years of experience to some that are beginning this season. All work tremendously hard to improve and perfect their craft while developing team culture. We focus on positivity and fun while putting in maximum effort.”
More information on Lamorinda Brentwood, including registration information and schedules, can be found at the following link at https://www.brentwoodseawolves.com/contact-us-2
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A case of forgery/fraud was reported on Fieldstone Court. The reporting party was scammed out of $2,500 through Zelle and has the phone number and email of the reported scammer.
BRENTWOOD – Jan. 31, 12:32 p.m.
The following is a selection of recent law enforcement activity:
Jan. 28, 8:19 a.m. A suspicious person was reported at the 30 block on Cayuga Street.
Jan. 28, 8:57 a.m. An ordinance violation was reported at the 2100 block on Verona Avenue.
Jan. 28, 11:26 a.m. A public nuisance was reported at the AM/PM in Oakley.
Jan. 28, 12:29 p.m. A reckless driver was reported on E. Cypress Road/Emerson Ranch Way.
Jan. 28, 12:47 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported at the 10 block on Susie Court.
Jan. 28, 12:58 p.m. A reckless driver was reported on Main Street/Laurel Road.
Jan. 28, 1:24 p.m. An unwanted guest was reported at the AM/PM in Oakley.
Jan. 28, 2:41 p.m. A traffic hazard was reported on Empire Avenue/Laurel Road.
Jan. 28, 3:52 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 1800 block on Isleton Court.
Jan. 28, 4:24 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported at the 50 block on Prescott Circle.
Jan. 28, 4:52 p.m. A residential burglary was reported at the 1500 block on Coventry Drive.
Jan. 28, 5:36 p.m. A traffic hazard was reported on Sandmound Boulevard/Tule Tree Lane.
Jan. 28, 5:52 p.m. A fight was reported at the 2100 block on Truman Lane.
Jan. 28, 5:56 p.m. Property damage was reported at the McDonald’s in Oakley.
Jan. 28, 6:09 p.m. A reckless driver was reported on Main Street/Norcross Lane.
Jan. 28, 6:28 p.m. Property damage was reported on Wilbur Avenue/Bridgehead Road.
Jan. 28, 6:58 p.m. A commercial burglary was reported at Freedom High School.
Jan. 28, 7:34 p.m. A domestic violation was reported at the 1900 block on Cypress Court.
Jan. 28, 8:23 p.m. A civil disturbance was reported at the 100 block on La Vina Way.
Jan. 28, 9:16 p.m. A reckless driver was reported on Teakwood Drive/Edgewood Drive.
Jan. 28, 9:49 p.m. A DUI misdemeanor was reported on Main Street/Empire Avenue.
Jan. 29, 12:11 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 5000 block on Fernwood Circle.
Jan. 29, 1:10 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported on O’Hara Avenue/Chianti Way.
Jan. 29, 1:30 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 10 block on Gold Run Court.
Jan. 29, 2:56 a.m. A suspicious person was reported at the 4900 block on Gardenia Avenue.
Jan. 29, 5:46 a.m. A welfare check was conducted on W. Cypress Road/Lorenzetti Drive.
Jan. 29, 8:01 a.m. A case of petty theft from a vehicle was reported at the 100 block on Little Ranch Circle.
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BRENTWOOD Brentwood police are investigating an armed robbery on Monday at the 6900 block of Lone Tree Way.
According to the victim of the robbery, the three suspects entered the business, one with an AR-15 assault rifle, and stole items. All three sus-
Jan. 29, 10:40 a.m. A reckless driver was reported on Laurel Road/Empire Avenue.
Jan. 29, 1:22 p.m. A welfare check was conducted at the 1300 block on Walnut Meadows Drive.
Jan. 29, 2:15 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Vintage Parkway/Concannon Drive.
Jan. 29, 2:30 p.m. A fight was reported at the 4800 block on Trenton Street.
Jan. 29, 3:14 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 100 block on W. Bolton Road.
Jan. 29, 5:46 p.m. A misdemeanor hit and run was reported at the McDonald’s in Oakley.
Jan. 29, 8:44 p.m. A civil disturbance was reported on Brock Lane/Main Street.
Jan. 29, 8:54 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported at the 1300 block on Portsmouth Street.
Jan. 29, 10:29 p.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported at the 600 block on Marathon Drive.
Jan. 29, 11:15 p.m. A traffic stop was reported on Oakley Road/Empire Avenue.
Jan. 28, 8:46 a.m. Suspicious circumstances were reported on Eagle Rock Way. The front door at the location was shattered but the reporting party did not see anything suspicious.
Jan. 28, 9:05 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Lone Tree Way. The glass side door of the location was broken.
Jan. 28, 9:50 a.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported on Iron Club Drive. A gold Toyota was parked the wrong way.
Jan. 28, 10:22 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Sand Creek Road. The patio window of the location was shattered and cash registers were taken.
Jan. 28, 2:20 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported as $1,000 worth of items taken.
Jan. 28, 3:48 p.m. An accident with unknown injuries was reported on Balfour Road/Logan Way.
Jan. 28, 5:09 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported on Tintori Court.
pects left in a 2006-2010 model silver Dodge Charger. The Charger’s license plate is believed to be stolen and has since been removed from the vehicle, police said.
The victim was unharmed during the robbery and there were no additional victims, police said.
Police are looking for a black male adult, 5-foot-7, 200 pounds. He was wearing dark clothing and a ski mask
Jan. 29, 3:17 a.m. An accident with unknown injuries was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.
Jan. 29, 5:16 a.m. A residential burglary was reported on Shady Willow Lane. The reporting party’s garage was just broken into.
Jan. 29, 3:52 p.m. An accident with minor injuries was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.
Jan. 29, 8:10 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Sand Creek Road. The reporting party’s wallet was stolen out of her vehicle.
Jan. 30, 9:08 a.m. A petty theft was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.
Jan. 30, 9:45 a.m. A restraining order violation was reported on Jacaranda Street. The reporting party has a restraining order against their ex, but was being contacted via text.
Jan. 30, 9:54 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Lone Tree Way. The side glass door of the location was broken. One case of juice was taken.
Jan. 30, 12:41 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported on Brentwood Boulevard. A person broke into a yard and stole a vehicle.
Jan. 30, 3:15 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Village Drive.
Jan. 30, 3:51 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 30, 5:52 p.m. An armed robbery was reported on Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 30, 7:52 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. Someone stole 4 bags of prescription dog food and left on foot.
Jan. 30, 8:32 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported on Technology Court. A company vehicle was taken.
Jan. 31, 7:01 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 31, 7:57 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Sand Creek Road. Tools and a golf cart were taken. A golf cart was driven through the fence and a window was broken on a site work truck.
Jan. 31, 8:56 a.m. A vehicle burglary was reported on Cathedral Circle.
Jan. 31, 10:47 a.m. A case of forgery/fraud was reported on Birchwood Drive.
during the robbery. The two additional suspects were also black male adults with a thin build and wore dark clothing during the robbery.
Brentwood police ask anyone with information about the suspects or the vehicle, or if they are a victim or potential witness to call Detective Agostinho at 925-809-7870. Callers may remain anonymous.
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Jan. 31, 11:47 a.m. A strong-arm robbery was reported on Larkspur Lane/Oak Street.
Jan. 31, 12:32 p.m. A case of forgery/fraud was reported on Fieldstone Court. The reporting party was scammed out of $2,500 through Zelle and has the phone number and email of the reported scammer.
Jan. 31, 12:34 p.m. A missing adult was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.
Jan. 31, 1:05 p.m. A petty theft was reported on American Avenue.
Jan. 31, 3:32 p.m. An accident with no injuries was reported on Spruce Street/Shasta Daisy Drive.
Jan. 31, 5:47 p.m. A hit and run with no injuries was reported on Brentwood Boulevard/ Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 31, 8:46 p.m. A petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. A male suspect stole 10 pairs of Levi’s jeans and left on foot toward Home Depot.
Jan. 29, 12:46 p.m. A simple assault was reported at the 4500 block on Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 29, 2:01 p.m. A simple assault was reported at the 3300 block on Deer Valley Road.
Jan. 29, 2:39 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported at the 5800 block on Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 29, 3:21 p.m. A commercial burglary was reported at the 500 block on Sunset Drive.
Jan. 29, 4:36 p.m. A suspicious vehicle was reported at the 2900 block on Mayflower Drive.
Jan. 29, 4:48 p.m. A collision with unknown injuries was reported at the 4800 block on Golf Course Road.
Jan. 29, 7:40 p.m. A simple assault was reported at the 3900 block on Lone Tree Way.
Jan. 29, 8:31 p.m. A vehicle theft was reported at the 2600 block on Somersville Road.
Jan. 29, 9:35 p.m. A traffic stop was reported on W. 18th Street.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0000357 The name of the business(es): Reef Villa Located at: 2234 Reef Ct In: Discovery Bay, CA 94505, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Quoc Hung Pham. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/20/2023. Signature of registrant: Quoc Pham, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: January 20, 2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 01/19/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: February 3, 10, 17, 24, 2023
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F- 2022-0007057 The name of the business(es): Richmond Pallet Company Located at: 146 South 1st Street In: Richmond CA 94804, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Florencio Perez Jr. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 07/02/2010.
Signature of registrant: Florencio Perez Jr, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: December 27, 2022 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/26/2027 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: February 3, 10, 17, 24, 2023
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0000316 The name of the business(es):
1. True Rent Property Management
2. TRPM Located at: 1298 Blossom Cir In: Livermore, CA 94550, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Truitt Enterprises. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, State of Incorporation: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A.
Signature of registrant: Aaron A Truitt, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: January 19, 2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 01/18/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: February 3, 10, 17, 24, 2023
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2022-0006972 The name of the business(es): Tracerco US LLC
Located at: 5750 Imhoff, Suite F In: Concord, CA 94520, is hereby registered by the following owner: Paul Hewitt. This business is conducted by: A Limited Partnership: DE. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Paul Hewitt, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/21/2022 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/22/2027 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 27, February 3, 10, 17, 2023
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2022-0007141 The name of the business(es): HSH Development & Properties INC Located at: 4100 Alhambra Ave In: Martinez, CA 94553, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): HSH Development & Properties. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, State of Incorporation: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A.
Signature of registrant: Cristina Sandoval, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: December 30, 2022 by Deputy Clerk Expires December 29, 2027 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: February 10, 17, 24, March 3, 2023
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
PETITIONER OR ATTORNEY: Phillip Daniel Morillas SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA, 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 PETITION OF: Phillip Daniel Morillas, Phillip Daniel Morillas CASE NUMBER: N23-0131 TO ALL INTER-
ESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Phillip Daniel Morillas, Phillip Daniel Morillas filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name: a. Phillip Daniel Morillas to Proposed Name: a. Ryan Daniel Hurtado. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 04/17/2023 Time: 9:00 a.m. Dept.: 30 b. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Brentwood Press
Date: January 23 2023 Judge of the Superior Court Brentwood Press Brentwood Press 02-1273
filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: February 3, 2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 02/02/2028 Oakley Press No. 03-0477
Publish Dates: February 10, 17, 24, March 3, 2023
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-644-7905
*ANTIOCH PRESS* 06-1617
Publish Dates: February 3, 10, 17, 24, 2023
File No. F-2023-0000075
The name of the business(es): Deborah Anne Inc
Located at: 3025 Torre Ramel Lane In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Deborah Anne Inc. This business is conducted by: a Corporation, State of Incorporation.
The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on . Signature of registrant: Deborah Maisterrena, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 01/06/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 01/05/2028 Oakley Press No. 03-0477
Publish Dates: January 27, February 3, 10, 17, 2023
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: ROBERT EDWARD LIPTACK, deceased CASE NUMBER P22-01907
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: ROBERT EDWARD LIPTACK, deceased. A Petition for Probate has been filed by: DENNIS MCLAUGHLIN in the Superior Court of California, County of: CONTRA COSTA
The Petition for Probate requests that: DENNIS MCLAUGHLIN be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: KATHLEEN MARIE KELLEY, deceased CASE NUMBER P23-00140
Publish
Dates: February 10, 17, 24, March 3, 2023
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME
PETITIONER OR ATTORNEY: Susan Cho SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA, 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 PETITION
OF: Susan Cho, Susan Seogene Cho
CASE NUMBER: N23-0087 TO ALL
INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Susan Cho, Susan Seogene Cho filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present
Name: a. Susan Seogene Cho to Proposed Name: a. Susan Minhee Joo. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 04/10/2023 Time: 9:00 am Dept.: 30 b. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Brentwood Press
Date: January 18 2023 Judge of the Superior Court Brentwood Press Brentwood Press 02-1273
The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court
Date: MARCH 30 2023
a.
as follows:
Time: 9:00 AM Dept: DEPT 15. b. Address of court: 725 COURT STREET, MARTINEZ CA 94553
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters a general personal representa tive as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner:
Signature of registrant: Aaron Stewart, Treasurer. This statement was
Diana Lopez 1990 N. California Blvd. Suite 1020
To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: KATHLEEN MARIE KELLEY deceased. A Petition for Probate has been filed by: MATTHEW KELLEY in the Superior Court of California, County of: CONTRA COSTA The Petition for Probate requests that: MATTHEW KELLEY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: a.
Date: APRIL 27, 2023
Time: 9:00 AM Dept: 30. b. Address of court: 725 COURT STREET, ROOM 103, MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA 94553
If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either
(1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for
2,500 students will be enrolled in 63 courses. Course offerings include art, behavioral science, biology, child development, communication, drama, English, fire technology, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences and world languages, according to the college.
Addressing a group of college administrators, faculty and students at the gleaming new facility DeSaulnier quoted Ben Franklin by saying, “An investment in education pays the best interest.”
Professor Edward Haven, representing the LMC faculty, talked about the financial burden on students to simply purchase required textbooks, which can cost up to $600 a piece. The federal grant “will have a big payoff in student success.”
The congressman, a senior member of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, added, “We owe so much to the next generation following us.”
One of that generation, Jeffrey Bui, also expressed his thanks for the funding boost. “We’re not only students but also workers,” the president of the LMC Associated Students emphasized. Bui noted the stress on youths juggling education and raising the money to pay for it.
Earlier, interim Community College District Chancellor for the Mojdeh Mehdizadeh \welcomed the grant by saying, “On behalf of our Contra Costa Community College District, we want to thank both Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and Senator Alex Padilla for their support of our proposal to expand the number of courses we offer using Open Educational Resources.”
Mehdizadeh, who was invited to attend the recent State of Union address in Washington, D.C. as a guest of DeSaulnier, added, “We know that the cost of text-
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books and other classroom material are often higher than enrollment fees in our California community college system. By making these materials available in the public domain at no-cost, we are reducing the financial barrier of obtaining an affordable higher education for our students and learners across the globe.”
The other 14 Contra Costa projects included in the bill are:
• $3 million for the 100 38th Street Supportive and Family Affordable Apartments for Formerly Homeless, Veterans, and Large Families Project being undertaken by Eden Housing Inc.
• $500,000 for Choice in Aging, Pleasant Hill, for increasing access to and awareness of community-based alternatives to nursing homes
• $631,200 for the Citywide Traffic System Upgrade Phase 2 Project in Concord
• $3 million for the Concord-Port Chicago Building Restoration Project by
plate, the event serves as the first big fundraiser of the year for the Brentwood PAL. According to Ruff, the event raised $4,850. The money raised from ticket sales, team registration fees, and the 50/50 raffle goes towards the year’s upcoming after-school programs and, eventually, trips to sporting events as well.
“It’s a big event,” said Ray Chavarria of the Brentwood Bombers, a local cornhole club that competed in Sunday’s barbecue contest. “It goes to a good cause and Brentwood PAL has always been good to us. It’s just a pretty awesome thing.”
The contest was divided into five different parts: appetizer, chicken, ribs, chili, dessert, and then a separate award for best overall. Philip Salgado of P&R took home the awards for Best Ribs and Best Overall, Rio Good BBQ out of Rio Vista took home the award for Best Tri-Tip, while
Council from page 1
Berkeley. Ramirez graduated from Freedom High School.
Krieg and Ramirez will serve two-year terms. The Council indicated their intention to separately reappoint Commissioner Leonard Price to the open four-year position. Other current Planning Commission members include Oleksii Chuiko and Diego Verduzco.
In other actions Tuesday night, the Council:
• Approved creation and funding of a new Assistant City Manager position, which would serve as the city’s Public
East Bay Regional Park District
• $1 million for the Construction Trades Workforce Initiative’s construction apprenticeship program in the East Bay
• $600,000 for the Court-Appointed Special Advocates Program, Inc. of Contra Costa for mental health services and education programming for former foster youth
• $150,000 for the First 5 Contra Costa Children and Families Commission, for a childcare workforce compensation assessment to build a sustainable, well-compensated pipeline of childcare professionals
• $4,185,000 for the Lamorinda Smart Signal System Project
• $300,000 for the Office of Neighborhood Safety Community Violence Intervention Programs Project in Richmond
• $470,000 for Opportunity Junction’s Antioch medical assistant job training
Brentwood teams Stewart’s Kitchen took home Best Dessert, and Finger Lickin’ won Best Chicken, Best Chili, and Best Appetizer, sweeping three of the five categories.
“That was a complete surprise,” Salgado said after his win. “I did not expect that, didn’t expect to win the ribs. I was just hoping to place. It’s humbling for me. And, for us,my son was here to help.”
Salgado and his co-worker, Russell Clark, teamed up only six months ago for the competition.
“People kept telling me, ‘Russ, Russ, when are you going to enter your barbecue?’ Clark explained. “So finally this year, I pulled the trigger.”
The other big winner, Finger Lickin’ led by Brentwood native Justin Altman, who swept through three of the five categories on Sunday.
“I’ve been doing this since I was 14, won Best Chicken once, never won Best Appetizer or Best Chili though,” Alt-
Information Officer, which includes responsibility over Police Department related items, responsible for the city’s social media, assume the emergency management functions for the city, and special projects including the Library and assistance with Economic Development related tasks; The base salary for the position will begin at $192,522 annually. The assistant to the city manager position had been vacant since August of 2022. Staff have attempted to fill this position but have been unsuccessful in finding a candidate to fit the
program and supportive services
• $3.1 million for the School Street Safe Routes to School Project Improvements along School Street in Lafayette to create a safety buffer, enhance roadway crossing aspects.
• $1.18 million for the Strategies for Supporting Youth in the Community Project for the Contra Costa County Probation Department to help law enforcement minimize violence and reduce arrests of young adults
• $105,000 for White Pony Express to add three local schools in Pittsburg, Brentwood, and Martinez to its School Pantry Program to support the nutritional needs of low-income children in school
• $2.52 million for the Ygnacio Valley Road Fiber InfrastructureProject in Walnut Creek
To view a slideshow, visit www.thepress. net/multimedia/slideshows
man explained as he smiled looking at his new plaques. “I’m just excited to be here honestly. Every year I try to compete for the big trophy, so one of these years I hope to be able to get it. I love coming down here and cooking.”
Altman’s secret to his success is that he cooks everything over charcoal, which keeps the meat nice and tender.
Brentwood PAL also awarded Mike Rucker of Give Back Garage a $5,000 scholarship for his efforts and to help support the Give back Garage, a community garage that not only assists those who cannot afford any kind of car maintenance, but also provides an after-school program for kids interesting in working in a garage and working on cars.
“I was just hoping to get enough money to get the kids shirts for the PAL program, for the afterschool program,” Rucker said. “It’s pretty special.”
To view a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia/slideshows
various roles needed for the position. To better meet the needs of the growing city Staff determined that an Assistant City Manager position would benefit the City and the City Manager’s Office.
• Approved a shuffling of Planning Department positions to replace a Planning Technician position with an Assis-
tant Planner. The staff report indicated that savings made by the long term of the open positions covered the cost of the higher salaries of the reclassified openings.
For more information: https://www. ci.oakley.ca.us/
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