Group advocates for safer Vasco Road
By Nicole Becchina Staff Writer
“It takes less than 30 seconds to change and alter lives forever. It’s 30 seconds that makes your life into a whole new world.”
This observation is from Tammy Zickuhr, president of Vasco Forever Helping Families, which was established to help bring awareness to the dangers of Vasco Road. The nonprofit, founded by current CEO Cynthia Loredo, advocates for more safety measures on Vasco and other area highways to prevent car crashes through advocacy, education and action.
In 2009, Zickuhr lost her 16 -year- old daughter after she was involved in a car
crash on Vasco Road.
The group plans to honor victims of car crashes on these East County roads by assisting them financially through fundraising. Officials of the non-profit say the money raised will provide assistance with things such as medical bills, hospital expenses, and funeral costs as they strive to ease the burden on families going through the aftermath of a
Cynthia Loredo (right) and Tammy Zickuhr discuss Vasco Forever Helping Families, which was established to help bring awareness to the dangers of Vasco Road.
tragic crash.
Loredo husband was the victim of a fatal car crash on Vasco Road in 2017.
“My goal is to bring awareness to Vasco Road, to bring awareness and safety measures, go talk to people, talk to schools, talk to kids, help the county and the cities put a cement barrier up on that road, just like they have on the Alameda County side,” Loredo
Metal sculpture may be scrapped over higher cost
By Jake Menez Staff Writer
The Brentwood City Council voted 5-0 at its Jan. 14 meeting to continue the discussion of an art installation to a later meeting after expressing their dissatisfaction with the cost of the potential piece.
“I don’t understand why we have to pay more if we already have a contract,” Councilmember Jovita Mendoza said. “It’s just beyond me right now.”
The installation in question,
“Radiant Convergence” by Maine artist Seth Emerson Palmiter of Motivated Metal, was originally commissioned by former mayor Bob Taylor during his term that ended in 2020 alongside another
sculpture, “Fields of Time.” Both were intended to be completed the same year but were delayed first by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and then by supply chain issues in
see Sculpture page 18
said. “If I can help one family with a medical bill, with a prescription, with anything, any little bit helps. That’s what I want. I wish there was something in place when I went through it. The bills don’t go away. They add up really fast.”
Zickuhr added: “Having the passion to speak about awareness is critical. It just brought us together so close that we want to be able to speak about awareness. It takes less than 30 seconds to change and alter lives forever. It’s 30 seconds that makes your life into a whole new world.”
Vasco Forever Helping Families will be holding a private fundraiser in February with delegates and first responders to give an introduction to the nonprofit and its mission. Beginning in March, the nonprofit will host a fundraiser dinner every other month to honor a victim of a car crash who will
Oakley City
Council approves police assistance for Antioch
– but only some
By Connor Robles Correspondent
The Oakley City Council at their Jan. 14 meeting agreed that the Oakley Police Department’s special services team could provide “intermittent and infrequent” aid to the understaffed Antioch Police Department, according to Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard.
The special services team would help deal with violent crime “hot spots” in Antioch, with deployment areas changing as needed, Beard said. The team will receive provisional schedules from Antioch police, and will be sent to
assist only if they are not occupied with other duties in Oakley, and only if the police chief believes that it is necessary and safe enough to send them. They will not be asked to handle routine calls, which Antioch police will still handle. For their help, Oakley police will receive $200 per person-hour of aid rendered, which covers officer salaries, vehicle wear and tear, and fuel costs, according to Beard.
In addition to the Oakley police, Pittsburg and Kensington’s police are also interested in assisting Antioch. Pittsburg’s City Council
see Approves
Press photo
Photo courtesy of City of Brentwood
Business Profile
Kalyani Arts gives kudos to young artists
By Connor Robles Correspondent
Brentwood art studio Kalyani Arts honored its students with small trophies, certificates of recognition, and a public showing of their creations at its annual Day & Arts Show, on Jan. 9 in the Brentwood Community Center.
The studio was selected by the Brentwood Arts Commission to hold a show, and their art will be available for viewing on the Community Center’s walls until February.
Kalyani Arts, founded by Kalyani Baggu one year ago after she moved to Brentwood from Fremont, offers art classes for all ages and skill levels, as well as day camps and parties, according to their website. In addition to art, the website says Kalyani Arts offers camps covering crafts, robotics, yoga, and dance.
The art and awards show also featured short speeches by high-profile guests, including Brentwood Mayor
Susannah Meyer and Baggu’s mentor Lefteris Eleftheriou, who also aided in handing out awards, and solo musical performances by several students. Baggu herself received an award from the Brentwood Arts Commission.
Loving Your Pets Like You Do Brentwood
When
“The event was a resounding success, with over 100 attendees coming together to celebrate art and creativity,” Baggu said. “Kalyani Arts takes great pride in uniting art enthusiasts and fostering a sense of community through shared passion and growth.”
The studio is at 1300 Central Blvd. D, Brentwood. For details, call (925) 3928672 or visit https://www.kalyaniarts.com/
To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia
Brentwood art studio Kalyani Arts honored its students at its annual Day & Arts Show on Jan. 9.
Photos by Connor Robles
East County’s Sunshine House Preschool is celebrating its 40th anniversary
Open house planned for Jan. 25 in Oakley
By Nicole Becchina Staff Writer
Sunshine House Preschool is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The preschool has six campuses in Contra Costa County, including three in Brentwood, one each in Oakley, Concord and Martinez.
The staff and teachers of Sunshine House celebrated the anniversary last weekend with a luncheon. They also threw a 40th birthday party at each of the campuses to celebrate with the children,
which included birthday party games, said Christy Sierra, an administrator at Sunshine House.
The preschool will also be celebrating in other ways leading up to their open house on Jan. 25 at the Oakley campus, 875 West Cypress Road, and the Concord campus, 3585 Port Chicago Highway, from 10 a.m.-noon.
“We’ll have some different promotional things going on for families,” Sierra said.
At the open house, guests will be able to tour the campus, enjoy a cooking project, create an art project, play in a bounce house and meet new friends, school officials said..
The staff will be available to answer questions.
“The school will be open for the children to play in as if they were coming to school that day,” Sierra said.
There will be open enrollment, free registration, and a raffle, as well.
Sierra said she is most excited about “the chance to connect with people and the community.”
“We’re really excited to do something on a weekend where people can bring in a
friend of theirs or a neighbor,” Sierra said. She has worked at Sunshine House for 32 years and describes it as a “perfect match” for her.
“I had no idea that this was my pathway,” Sierra said. “I think I knew within my first year that this is where I was destined to be. I saw myself here for many years to come and it’s worked out that way.”
She said one of the best parts about Sunshine House is the level of care and thought that goes into everything they do. She would describe it as “exceptional.” She mentioned that one thing they receive positive feedback on is the teachers.
“We’re always evolving and looking to continue to provide the best for people,“ Sierra said. “The parents choose Sunshine House because of the teachers. They love the teachers because it’s an extension of their family. It’s just a feeling. Thats why we want people to come to our open house so they can feel that for themselves.”
Sunshine House Preschool enrolls children ages 2 to the beginning of kindergarten, and has one after school program. For more information on Sunshine House, visit www.sunshinehouseca.com.
To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia
‘People are important... politics change with the wind’
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of conversations with local mayors and former mayors as city councils change over in the new year. It has been edited for length and clarity.
A conversation with former Brentwood mayor Joel Bryant
How long have you and your family lived in Brentwood?
I’m a transplant. We moved here in 2001. We moved from Los Angeles. I was working for a church down there. I was also helping with a mission, the apostolic Lighthouse mission. Missions, you know, we work with the homeless, predominantly people that have drug addiction issues, mental health issues, alcohol addiction issues, family issues, and I did that for quite a few years.
I am also in the music industry. Have been for many years.
I also worked for a venture capital company while I was down there, and that ended in the 2000 dot com bubble burst, that whole industry came crashing down, and we had an opportunity, at the same time, to come to Brentwood and serve in this congregation here.
When did you first decide to run for city council?
Well, in 2009 there were two empty seats on city council. And I have been working as a chaplain with the police department here since 2005 and because of that, I’ve met a lot of people in situations that I was able to be of some kind of service or help to them. And so when those two seats were open, I had some people that I very much admired in town and respect highly, who are business owners and that work in our agricultural areas, and they asked if I had ever thought about running for city council
As a kid, I had the benefit of being raised in an unusual home for the time. My father was Cherokee. My mother was white. Her family are Jewish. I was raised in Oklahoma in a ranching community, and so that was quite a combination. Both of my parents were very interested and very aware of things that were going on in the world for different reasons. And so when I was growing up, we always had very interesting conversations in our home about how the country got here, the benefits of being in this nation and how to improve it. And how, in addition to improving the country, how can we affect our world, where we are, our community, our society.
So when I had an opportunity to run for City Council here, there were a lot of things that were really, really important to
me. Politics isn’t one of them. People are important to me. Politics change with the wind, but I wanted this community.
Brentwood is an amazing place to raise a family–the community here, just the diversity of it, and the amazing individuals and people that we have here. If you sit down and talk with anyone in this community, you’re going to walk away going, ‘I’m amazed at who I just talked to, and the depth of who they are.’
So I ran for City Council in 2010, I won, and that was one of the greatest decisions of my life. The best things that have happened, and sometimes one of the more difficult.
When did you run for mayor?
In November 2019 I was elected mayor. And clearly we inherited [the pandemic
in] 2020. Everything I believe about the city of Brentwood and the people of the community of Brentwood was confirmed over and over. Then we have people in our community that stepped up when it was truly people who were being pressured to let people suffer by themselves alone. Our residents stepped up and said, ‘not here you’re not. We’re here for you.’
We’ve got great service organizations. We have a family that stepped up and started a non-profit called Brentwood Strong that embraced anyone in any capacity with any need, and the whole community rallied behind them and stood up. And one of the beautiful things about the city of Brentwood is we are predominantly small business-owned and -supported, and I don’t know that we would have been able to survive anywhere nearly as well as we did economically, but also societally, if we hadn’t had such amazing business owners and volunteers in our community. They stepped up.
Pandemic-related changes aside, you’ve been on the City Council for 14 years. In what ways, what other major ways did you see the city change during that time?
Well, it’s grown a lot, consistently. When we moved here in 2001 I think there were about 23,000 people here, and now they’re somewhere in the neighborhood of 65,000 to 66,000 people that live here.
The diversity of culture has signifisee Bryant page 17
FORMER MAYOR BRYANT
MIKE’S ESTATE PLANNING MINUTE
By Michael J. Amthor, Esq.
Can you give away money or property without paying a gift tax? The answer is (wait for it). . . maybe.
I have many clients who ask about gifting a home or cash to their child now rather than on death. They want to help that child now, especially given the high price of real estate in California.
The concepts of gift tax and estate tax come into play here. California does not have a gift tax. The feds do. The tax is levied on the giver and not the recipient.
Unless the gift amount (or value of property) is more than $12.92 million for an individual, no taxes will be due.
This amount can change and has been increasing for many years. This amount is determined by adding up all gifts during your lifetime and the value of your estate at death.
There is also the annual gift tax exemption that allows a married couple to give up to $34,000 ($17,000 each) per year. The exclusion is per recipient. Thus, if you give to a married couple, you can give $68,000 tax free and the amount does not count towards
the lifetime exclusion. Who keeps track of gifts that count against the lifetime exclusion amount? You do. You are required to submit a gift tax return for all gifts that exceed the annual exclusion. This return allows the IRS to keep track.
If an individual gives away $10 million during their lifetime, and when that person dies also has an estate worth $5 million, (for a total of $15 million), estate taxes will be due on the amount that exceeds $12.92 million.
As you can see, even though you may not owe a gift tax at the time you gift your home, a tax may still be payable depending on the amount given during your lifetime.
This stuff can be confusing. Best advice is to speak with an estate plan attorney like me and a tax expert prior to gifting to avoid unwanted surprises for yourself and those you leave behind when you pass away.
If you have questions on this or any other estate planning topic, call me at (925) 516-4888. East County Family Law Group, 1181 Central Blvd., Suite A, Brentwood. www.eastcountyfamilylaw.com – Advertorial
A fun family BBQ Brentwood Police Activities League to host 24th annual BBQ King Cook-off
By Sean Tongson Correspondent
The Brentwood Police Activities League will host their annual BBQ King Cook-off and fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 2 from 10 a.m -3 p.m. at the Bowlero bowling alley in Brentwood at 5000 Balfour Road.
The cook-off continues an annual tradition with the Brentwood Police Activities League (PAL), which has run for 24 consecutive years.
“Feb. 2 will be a fun day for our community,” said BBQ King Cook-off organizer Darin Hassig. “All proceeds go to support our community programs for our disadvantaged youth in Brentwood.”
They include programs for different schools, specifically for sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students, aimed at helping youth for such things as the Liberty High School prom, bowling, music, automotive training, events, and mentorships.
The event was moved up to Feb. 2 because in previous years, it was held on Super Bowl Sunday. Hassig attributes one of the reasons to moving up the event was due to potentially missing the Super Bowl if the San Francisco 49ers were playing in the big game, which they are not this season. The 49ers had been contenders in the previous few years.
“It was moved due to it being an empty weekend of sports, aside from the Pro Bowl, and for the public to come,” Hassig said. “It also provided more opportunities for the competition and more barbecue teams to compete.”
Tickets are $50 per person -- including three tastings of tri-tip, chicken, or ribs --- and
will feature side dishes including salad, bread, potato salad, and baked beans. Food will be served from 1-3 p.m. The cook-off will also feature live music from the local Funk Shui Band from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m..
Casey Rush, Vice President of Hotline Construction and winner of the cook-off last year, highlighted what the event meant to him.
“The competition is real out there, and to win, it is huge,” said Rush, who is competing again this year. “We all put a lot time and effort into this event for a great cause. We all want to win, but we even more so want to provide a fun family experience for the community.”
Hassig said the inspiration of doing the cook-off started when then-police chief Larry Shaw, then-Brentwood mayor Mike McPoland, and Jim Wangeman, then-owner of Harvest Park Bowl, started a casual conversation bragging about barbecue skills. Since then, it has blossomed into an annual event that has helped to connect the community, assisting its youth, and helping to improve the community’s relationship with police.
“It truly is an amazing feeling to participate in this long standing tradition,” Rush said. “It’s a great community event to be a part of.”
For more information, including buying tickets, call Hassig at 925-642-2399 or email darinhassig@gmail.com. Further information about the event is at https://brentwoodpal.com/.
To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia
Two Antioch men arrested in stolen property case after high-speed chase on Highway 4
Two Antioch men were arrested on Jan. 10 for suspected possession of stolen property, conspiracy and evading arrest after a high-speed vehicle pursuit on westbound Highway 4 that ended in Hercules.
The pursuit ultimately ended in the 1900 block of Railroad Avenue when the driver, identified as Kalil Houston, 20, from Antioch who left the vehicle. The passenger, identified as Isaiah Mitchell, 21, also from Antioch, remained in the vehicle and was taken into custody immediately. Officers later caught Houston as he was trying to flee the area and took him into custody, according to an Oakley police press release.
On Jan. 10 at 9:44 p.m., Officer F. Williams was on patrol on Main Street near Bridgehead Road when Williams saw a gray Honda Accord with a license plate reported as lost or stolen. Williams also was told that the same Honda with the same license plate had been used during a robbery in Dublin.
Williams was joined by Officer R. Hernandez and they attempted to stop the Honda, but it fled at a high rate of speed onto westbound Highway 4. Williams and Hernandez pursued the vehicle, and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff helicopter was in the area within a few minutes.
The suspect continued to flee travelling westbound on Highway 4 reaching high speeds at times for several minutes until they reached Hercules.
During this pursuit, a black Ford Mustang started pacing officers, even at the high speeds, turned its lights off, and tried to block police. The driver of the black Mustang intentionally interfered with officers, the release stated. Police are trying to identify the driver of the Mustang.
In the end of the pursuit, both men
in the Honda were arrested.
Officers found several stolen license plates and both Houston and Mitchell with blank key fobs. Fired shell casings could also be seen inside the vehicle. The Honda was towed to be examined for evidence.
Houston and Mitchell were booked into jail for suspected possession of stolen property, conspiracy and felony evading arrest.
Antioch man arrested after allegedly brandishing a firearm at Brentwood Safeway
An Antioch man was arrested on Friday, Jan. 10 after police say he brandished a firearm on an alleged victim at the Brentwood Safeway.
At about 8:30 p.m, Brentwood officers were called to the Safeway on Second Street for a report of a suspect brandishing a firearm. The alleged victim said the suspect had brandished a firearm and threatened the alleged victim, according to a Brentwood police press release.
When officers arrived, they saw that the suspect was still there and Giovanny Gomez, 28, of Antioch for suspected assault with a firearm, criminal threats and other related charges. A loaded firearm was also found inside the vehicle Gomez was driving.
He was transported to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking.
Brentwood police to hold town hall meeting on retail theft and Proposition 36
The Brentwood Police Dept. is holding a town hall meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30 on organized retail theft and Proposition 36. The meeting is from 6-7:30 at Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St.
The meeting will focus on how to prevent organized retail theft and provide insights into local trends and prevention efforts, according to a press re -
lease.
Proposition 36, which allows felony charges (instead of misdemeanors) and increases the length of sentences for certain drug and theft crimes, wil be studied along with understanding its impact and implications.
Pet adoptions at CCAS still free with shelter at capacity
Pet adoptions at Contra Costa Animal Services are still free to facilitate the process for potential adopters.
To this end, hours at the shelter were extended recently to Sunday from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. at 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez are for adoptions only. No other services are available on the extended day, a resent press release said.
“Adoptions are free, but a $25 licensing fee may apply,” the agency said in the press release. All pets are microchipped, spay/neutered, and vaccinated before going home.
View all available pets at www.contracosta.ca.gov/2424/Available-Animals
For details about the dog foster program, visit www.contracosta. ca.gov/7846/Dog-Foster-Program
For details about the cat/kitten foster program, visit www.contracosta. ca.gov/7848/CatKitten-Foster-Program
County supervisors to honor MLK on Jan. 21 at annual event
The county Board of Supervisors is honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 47th Annual Commemoration Event on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 11 a.m. in the Board of
Supervisors Chambers 1025 Escobar St., in Martinez.
“No work is insignificant, and we are fortunate to honor a humanitarian and two student humanitarians of the Year, who bring to life Dr. King’s vision through their service to our community,” said Board chairman Supervisor Candace Andersen in a press release.
The theme of the event is “Celebrating Our Shared Humanity.” The celebration will feature keynote speaker Mitchell Hopson, a strategic financial and business operations professional who servies on various volunteer boards and organizations.
The Board will honor Adult Humanitarian of the Year, Rodney “Alamo” Brown, and Student Humanitarians of the Year, Soha and Imran Sohail Guller, from San Ramon Valley High School in Danville. Their leadership, advocacy, and community service have improved the lives of Contra Costa County residents and reflect the spirit of Dr. King’s work and achievements, the release said.
The program also will include performances by Dougherty Valley High School Choir, Stephen Sharpe the poet laureate for the City of Richmond, and an Invocation given by Rev. Dr. Carole McKindley-Alvarez.
The public can also watch the ceremony at http://www.contracosta. ca.gov/6086 or www.contracostatv.org. The celebration will also be broadcast live on Contra Costa Television (CCTV) channels, Comcast Cable 27, ATT/UVerse 99, and Astound 32 and 1027.
To learn more about the ceremony and past ceremonies, visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/5307.
For print, email your events to calendar@brentwoodpress.com one week prior to publication. For online, post your events for free on The Press Community Calendar www.thepress.net/calendar.
This Week’s Events
Saturday, January 18
Oakley Royals 12U Cooperstown
Crab Feed Fundraiser
The Oakley Royals 12U baseball team is heading to Cooperstown in July 2025, and they are holding their first annual crab feed fundraiser at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St. Doors open at 5 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m.
There will also be a raffle and door prizes. Tickets are $75 per person for crab, pasta, salad, bread, and beer and wine. For more information, contact Britney Sandoval at 925-628-3364 or britneymsandoval@gmail.com
Tuesday, January 21
Oakley Senior Center Bus Trip
Going to Hard Rock Casino
Roundtrip motorcoach transportation to the Hard Rock Casino, with water and snacks will be provided, and participants will play Bingo and 50/50 raffles on the bus en route to the casino. Tickets are $37 and include driver’s tip. Each person will receive a bonus of $25 case onto their players card, and Bingo players will receive an extra $10 bonus. Attendees must pay in advance to reserve a seat by Jan. 20. The bus will leave Oakley Senior Center around 8 a.m. and participants will spend five hours at the Hard Rock Casino to gamble and eat. The bus is expected to arrive home around 5:30 p.m. For details, call Allan at the Oakley Senior Center at 925-262-7223 or 925-265-3417.
On the Horizon
Saturday, January 25
Sunshine House Preschool
Open House-Oakley Campus
Explore Sunshine House Preschool’s school environment and expansive yard. Enjoy a fun cooking project, bounce in the inflatable, and make new friends. Meet the teachers, ask questions, and take advantage of free registration. Check out the Oakely Campus at 875 West Cypress Road in Oakley, from 10 a.m.-noon.
Brentwood Dolphin Swim Club –Crab Feast Fundraiser
The Brentwood Dolphin Swim Club hosts their second annual Crab and Tri-Tip Dinner Fundraiser from 5-9 p.m. at the Knightsen Elementary School gymnasium, 1923 Delta Road in Knighsen. The Crab Feast fundraiser dinner supporting their 2025 swim season includes fresh crab, tri-tip, salad, bread, pasta, dessert, soda, and water. Tickets are $85 per person and can be purchased at bit.ly/4j0cMuX.
Discovery Bay State of the Town Gala
This year’s Gala will be a Kentucky Derby theme -Talk Derby to Me. Guests are encouraged to dress up like they are going to the Derby. There will be music, dinner, horse races, and a live and silent auction from 5:30-10:30 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Golf and Country Club, 1475 Clubhouse Drive in Discovery Bay. Tickets are $145 each or table of 8 for $1,095. Tickets and dinner details are at www. discoverybaychamber.org.
Saturday, February 1
Vendor and and Craft Fair
A free vendor and craft fair are from 10 a.m-3 p.m. at Redmen & Pocahontas Hall, 1403 Main St. in Oakley. The fair is hosted by Wi Cha Ka Council, and there will be a raffle fundraiser for the VA Hospital in Martinez. Support local crafters, small businesses and independent sellers. The event will take place rain or shine.
Downtown Brentwood Coalition’s Crab Feed
This fundraiser will be at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. with cocktails
at 5 p.m. and dinner of crab, Caesar salad, cheesy bread, pasta bolognese and chocolate decadence at 6 p.m. It’s a fundraiser to assist in the Downtown Brentwood Coalition’s “efforts to enhance the economic growth and vitality of downtown Brentwood.” Tickets are $85 per person, which includes two drink tickets. For details, visit http://tinyurl.com/dbccrabfeed
Sunday, February 2
Brentwood PAL King of the Grill
25th Anniversary
The barbecue competition will be from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Bowlero, 5000 Balfour Road in Brentwood. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $50, includes 3 taste of chicken ribs or tri tip, plus salad, a roll and potato salad. Live music by Funk Shui.
Saturday, February 8
Third Annual Sweetheart Run/Walk Presented by the Rotary Club of Brentwood
The 5K route starts at 9 a.m., rain or shine, from Veterans Park, 3841 Balfour Road in Brentwood. To register or for details, visit www. RunBrentwood.com. Registration is $39.50 for adults and $28.45 for kids 10 to 18 years old. Packet pick-up location to be announced.
Food Distribution at Golden Hills Community Church
Golden Hills Community Church at 2401 Shady Willow Lane in Brentwood is hosting a food distribution from 12:30-2:30 p.m. that is open to anyone while supplies last. More food distributions are scheduled for the following Saturdays: Feb. 8, April 12, June 14, Aug. 9, Oct. 11 and Dec. 13.
Lions Club Crab Feed in Brentwood
The crab feed will take place at VFW 10789, 757 First St. in Brentwood. There will be cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m., which includes allyou-can-eat crab, salad, pasta, and bread. There will be a raffle and table decorating contest. The table decorating contest begins at 11 a.m. Tickets are $80 per person. Only 300 tickets will be sold. No tickets will be sold at the door. The event will benefit the Lions Center for the Visually Impaired. For details, visit http:// www.lcobw.com
Thursday, February 13
Soroptimist International of the Delta
‘Share the Love of Bunco’ Fundraiser
Soroptimist International of the Delta will hold its annual Share the Love Bunco fundraiser at the Brentwood Senior Center, 193 Griffith Lane. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and Bunco starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35, and include Bunco and dinner catered by Sticky Chicken. Funds raised are used for educational scholarships for local girls and women. Tickets are available from any Soroptimist member or at Gursky Ranch. There will be cash prizes, raffle baskets, and door prizes. Donate a pair of new women’s socks to receive an extra door prize ticket. More information is available at SIoftheDelta.com, or contact Laurie at Lnardinelli@gmail.com, or 925-420-5367.
Friday, February 14
Sixth Annual Knights of Columbus
Crab Feed
This event is a fundraiser at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. for local organizations and student scholarships. It features salad, pasta, bread and dessert, a raffle and door prizes. Tickets are $70 each. For details or to buy tickets, call Chris at 925-642-8782 or John at 925-698-6362.
Friday, February 21
Brentwood FFA Boosters
Surf and Turf Dinner
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. at Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, 1201 W. 10th St. in Antioch, and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with dessert
Look at the many local events on
and auction to follow. Tickets are $65 per person and will be available to purchase through a Brentwood FFA student. The meal will include New York steak, prawns, baked potato, salad and bread. There will be a DJ and a no-host wine and beer bar. Purchase of large table groups is available. For more information about buying tickets, contact johnstons@luhsd.net.
Saturday, February 22
Liberty Lions Band Boosters 12th Annual Crab Feed
Liberty Lions Band Boosters and the City of Brentwood will host their 12th Annual Crab Feed at the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St. Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m. Dinner and a no-host bar begin at 6:30 p.m. Early bird tickets are $70 per person or $750 for a table of 10, plus two bottles of wine. For details, visit https://www.successfund.com/qw493
Rock and Roll for Wishes –
An Elderly Wish Foundation Benefit
Dress to impress in your ‘50s best. Doors open at 5 p.m. at Lone Tree Golf & Event Center, 4800 Golf Club Road in Antioch. Tickets are $80 per person. Reserve seats by Feb. 10. For more information, visit www.elderlywish.org.
American Legion Annual Crab Feed
The American Legion Post 202 is having its annual crab feed at 5 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First St. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner starts at 6. Dinner includes crab, pasta, salad and bread. Tickets are $75 per person and are non-refundable. To purchase tickets call Phil at 925-516-2141 or Mike at 925-787-8087.
Friday, February 28
IHMC CYO Crab Feed
This fundraiser for the CYO team is at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building at 757 First St. with doors opening at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7. The event includes no-host bar, raffle tickets, music and door prizes. Tickets are $65. For details or to buy tickets, call Shana Ortega at 510-5590655 or Jasmine Pacheco at 925-2121-9222.
Saturday, March 8
The Network of Care’s 19th Annual Crab Feed
The crab feed will take place at Grand Shepherd’s Parish Hall, 3200 Harbor St. in Pittsburg. All proceeds benefit The Network of Care, feeding families of children in hospitals. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 7. Attendees must contact Janet Frazier in advance to RSVP and for seating arrangements by calling 925-584-4086 or emailing janetfraz123@gmail.com. Tickets can be purchased on EventBrite here, https://bit.ly/4gLKAKV. Attendees should bring their Eventbrite ticket with them for admission.
Ongoing Events
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:// brentwoodrotaryclub.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 https://www.facebook.com/antiochrotaryclub/. The Rotary Club of the Delta meets weekly on Wednesdays 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 the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St. in Brentwood. 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://eclubhouse.org/sites/byron_delta/.
Oakley Senior Center Food Distribution
The Oakley Senior Center at 215 Second St. gives out free food every Thursday from 1-2:30 p.m. Residents are asked to bring their own grocery bags. It also hosts a flea market, vendor fair, which includes trinkets, arts and crafts, collectibles and antiques, happens the first Saturday of every month from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Table space is $10 or 3 for $25. For details, call Jim Fridas at 925-813-1007 or the senior center at 925-626-7223.
Hope House Food Distribution
The distributions are on Monday and Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-noon at 218 Pine St. in Brentwood.
IHMC Food Distribution
On the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, the Contra Costa County Food Bank distributes fruits and vegetables from the parking lot at 500 Fairview Ave. from noon-1 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul also distributes food from the church hall every Friday from 9 a.m.-noon.
Soroptimists
Soroptimists is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. We meet the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St. Marine Corps League, Delta Diablo Detachment 1155, monthly meeting
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/.
Delta Informal Gardeners
The group meets the fourth Monday of most months at the Brentwood Community Methodist Church at 809 Second St. at 7:30 p.m. For details, contact Roger Marman at 562-4218036 or ramarman@gmail.com.
Widow and Widower Grief Support Group
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.
Winners of the Delta Council PTA Reflections art contest are announced
Delta Council of PTA’s announced the winners of the regional PTA Reflections art contest on Monday, Jan. 13. Winners moved on to the countywide competition and will have their artwork on display at the Contra Costa County Office of Education on March 20.
This year’s theme was “Accepting Imperfection.”
Students submitted entries at their schools in the fall. Winners at the school level moved on to this level of competition. Delta Council received 18 entries this year, from four schools, with the program offered to over 2,000 students.
The 13 first-place winners are:
• Primary Dance: Liam Romero, Timber Point
I Feel Better When I’m Dancing
• Intermediate Dance: Bayleigh Price, Timber Point
I Can Love Me Better
• Primary Film: Connor Boyd, Timber Point Chief – The Horse
• Intermediate Film: Presley Smith, Timber Point
Try Your Best Nothings Perfect
• Primary Literature: Kalia Gregorios, Mary Casey Black That’s Who I Am
• Intermediate Literature: Roy Trimua, Timber Point
Not All Are Perfect
• Middle School Literature: Kiana Trimua, Excelsior The Imperfect Music
• Primary Photography: Murphy Boyd, Timber Point The Dukie Man
• Intermediate Photography: Gabe Bielejeski, Timber Point My Pumpkin
• Primary Visual Arts: Blake Gault, Timber Point Happy Flower
• Intermediate Visual Arts: Jenan Hassan, Timber Point Looking Into Yourself
• Middle School Visual Arts: Kiana Trimua, Excelsior Accepting Imperfection
• Accessible Visual Arts: Abigale Hubbartt, Timber Point Family
Eagle Scout project benefits Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building
The Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building recently received an improvement thanks to the dedication and hard work of Eagle Scout candidate Austin Kralj, along with nine fellow scouts and Scout Masters from Troop 90.
Under the mentorship of Adult Leader Johnny George, Austin took on the project of building a halfhigh fence and gate to enclose the side patio area, enhancing its functionality and aesthetic appeal, a press release stated.
This project not only represents a contribution to the community but also highlights the values of leadership, teamwork, and service that the Eagle Scout rank embodies.
Austin began with a vision to improve the Veterans Memorial Building’s patio area, a popular space for gatherings, ceremonies, and events. The project involved meticulous planning, coordination, and hard work, requiring substantial materials and labor.
Thanks to donations from local businesses, Austin and his team had the resources they needed to bring this project to life. Key contributions included:
• Big B Lumber: A donation of all the wood required for the project.
• Lowes, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware: Supplies and materials that were essential for construction.
• Brentwood Decorative Rock: Support for finishing touches to the patio area.
In addition to these donations, Austin spearheaded a community-wide recycling drive, raising more than $400. Residents from Brentwood and Antioch pitched in, demonstrating the collective goodwill of our community in supporting local youth and veterans alike.
The group demonstrated its teamwork and determination, carefully constructing a sturdy, visually appealing fence and gate that now encloses the side patio area.
This enhancement not only improves the building’s
Second- and third-place finishers:
• Fiona O’Leary – Mary Casey Black – I Accept Imperfection (second place, Intermediate Literature)
• Soraya Ang – Mary Casey Black – A Girl with a Butterfly (second place, Primary Visual Arts)
• Marcelo Pastor Zanella – Mary Casey Black –Imperfectly Drawing My Dreams (second place, Intermediate Visual Arts)
• Maliya Bryant – Lone Tree – Pretty Garden (third place, Primary Visual Arts)
• Olivia DeMay – Lone Tree – Excitedly Calm (third place, Intermediate Visual Arts)
functionality but also provides a more welcoming and secure environment for events hosted by veterans, families, and community groups.
The Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building is grateful for this contribution, which will serve the community for years to come. We are proud to have been part of Austin’s Eagle Scout journey.
Liberty Union Rugby Club is rebuilding
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
Brittany Widas stepped onto the grass at Balfour Park, just across Heritage High School in Brentwood on a recent cold Monday night and started getting everything together for that night’s training session. She stood next to a pile of tackling pads, taking roll of who was at training for the night.
Liberty Union Rugby Club is about a week away from kicking off their 2025 campaign when the boys team travels to Orinda to take on Lamorinda on Jan. 25, and two weeks away when the girls team takes on Carondelet in Walnut Creek on Feb. 7 to start their season.
Widas, the former girls team coach who’s now in an advisor and administration role with the club, misses her time on the sidelines for the club.
“I didn’t think I would miss the girls,” she said about transitioning into the new role. “I do miss the kids’ energy. You don’t always get to see the impact you make. I’m hoping that when the season comes and I’m traveling with the girls to away games, that I kind of feel that connection (again).”
Entering the 2025 season, Liberty Union finds themselves in a rebuilding year. The girls have 15 players on the roster, most
of whom are new, while the boys team has just four returners out of its 27-player lineup.
“I think this year we have a handful of roughly 23 players that have never played rugby before,” Liberty Union boys head coach Rob Eidson said. “So just getting them up to speed (has been the biggest difference this year) and having the guys that have played before almost become like player coaches that help out some of the guys that need more help.
“When you have a lot of new players coming in, it’s good to have the returning players get those leadership experiences to demonstrate, teach, and coach themselves.”
The boys team’s rebuild comes just two
Liberty Union Rugby club players pass the ball while warming up during the team’s training session Monday night at Balfour Park.
years after the team won the D1 Bowl, the club’s first trophy on the boys’ side. The girls’ last trophy came in 2018.
“That was a great experience,” said Evan Connolly, a senior from Freedom on the boys team. “I’m still friends with all of those guys, and that team was the best it’s ever been, not just with how skilled we were, but just the brotherhood and the bond.”
The boys play full 15-man rugby, while the girls play in a 10’s hybrid – an in-between of seven’s and full-15-woman rugby.
“Ten’s is a mix of 7’s and 15’s,” Widas explained of the hybrid division. “It’s roundrobin style with 10-minute halves, but has 10 players on the field. After COVID, a lot of
the team were unable to field a full 15-player squad, so we created this in between.”
The influx of new players is nothing new for the high school based club.
Unlike other rugby clubs that have youth feeder programs, Liberty Union relies on interest from athletes amongst the three main high schools – Liberty, Freedom and Heritage – along with interest from those at the two alternative schools – Independence and La Paloma.
The one thing that Liberty Union has going for it is that players tend to stay and gain experience as they go.
“It’s a very welcoming sport,” said Brooke Lind, a senior from Liberty on the girls team. “I came in as a freshman, not knowing anything about this sport and they taught me all of the basics.
“It’s brought many opportunities and made the transition from middle school out of COVID into high school so much easier for me.”
Liberty Union’s boys team makes their home debut on Feb. 22 at Liberty High School at 11 a.m., while the girls 10’s team host a home series at Liberty against Redding, Elk Grove, and Danville on March 1, starting at 10 a.m.
To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia
Heritage in ‘playoff mode’ as season winds down
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
Heritage came through with a statement win at Pittsburg Tuesday night, taking down the Pirates 72-35 in a game where just about everything seemed to click.
The Patriots’ statement out of that game and with nine games left in the regular season is simple: it’s playoffs or bust for the nine-time defending Bay Valley Athletic League champions.
“From now on, every game is a playoff game,” Heritage head coach Mark Hurtado said. “These teams are all going to be gunning for us.”
Sophomore Nella Toeaina scored a game-high 15 points including going 4-for5 from beyond the arc, and senior Kennedy Kell added in 12 points -- all three-pointers.
Pittsburg’s Jurnee Cox scored a teamhigh 14 points.
Tuesday’s win at Pittsburg was Heritage’s 18th-straight win against the Pirates. Pittsburg last defeated Heritage 52-33 in Brentwood on Jan. 27, 2015, according to MaxPreps.
Heritage has rebounded quickly from their 72-20 loss at Acalanes on Jan. 8.
“We came back from San Diego, went 3-1 (in tournament play) and we had a good time down there,” Hurtado explained. “Then we ran into a buzzsaw with Acalanes. But
I’ve liked how we’ve responded since then.”
With Freedom off this week and Antioch in non-conference play against Berkeley, Tuesday night’s win propels the Patriots back into second place in the Bay Valley Athletic League standings as of late Tuesday night at 9-8 overall and 2-1 in league play. They are right behind the first-place Falcons who are 13-6 overall and 4-0 in the BVAL.
“(The win) definitely meant a lot for us,” Heritage junior Lily Wilright said. “(Tuesday night), our team and our energy, just the win altogether, felt so surreal, so wonderful, and it was just a great game overall for us.”
Heritage’s Payton Ladrido shoots a three pointer against Pittsburg in the Patriots’ game at Pittsburg Tuesday night.
“(Hurtado) says that these games prepare us for the playoffs. It’s going to be a lot more competition, its going to be harder and more challenging for us. It’s like practice for us, trying to get ready for the playoffs.”
Heritage took off strongly from the opening tipoff Tuesday night, calming down the usually raucous Pittsburg crowd by halftime and silencing them in the third quarter.
The Patriots opened the game on a 5-1 run following a layup-and-one by Wilright and a layup by Payton Ladrido. The Pirates came back with two free throws and a quick layup by Cox to tie the game at 5-5 with 5:43 left in the first quarter.
Then it was all Heritage. The Patriots fired back with a 10-0 run in the next twoand-a-half minutes to take a 15-5 lead before a layup by Jayana Bell ended the Patriots’ run with just under three minutes to go.
Heritage never gave up the lead the rest of the way. Even as the Pirates opened the second quarter on a 7-2 run to pull back within four points at 19-15, Heritage slammed their foot on the gas pedal and sped away as quickly as possible. Toeaina’s threepointer from the top of the key sparked Heritage’s 13-0 run to take a 32-15 lead with 2:37 left in the first half.
After Pittsburg’s rally attempt to open the quarter, Heritage outscored the Pirates 15-6 to close out the second quarter. They built on that by opening the second half on a 16-0 run, going up by as much as 50-23 with just under three minutes to go. Toeaina made three of her four three-pointers in that third quarter to spark the Patriots’ big run. Heritage outscored Pittsburg 20-5 in the third quarter.
“That third quarter was just for us to shut them out,” Wilright said. “Our shots going in, and our threes, it was really nice.” Heritage can pull themselves away from the middle of the BVAL pack with a win over Antioch (6-9. 2-1 BVAL) at home Friday at 6:30 p.m.
To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
Heritage boys basketball shows progress through process despite team’s
By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent
Through the first 17 games, Heritage’s boys basketball team sits below .500 at 8-9, but the team has made noticeable improvements from last season.
Heritage was just 5-12 at this point last year with nine double-digit defeats. This year so far, they’ve been competitive in every game but two. The Patriots have also come close in taking down top-100 ranked teams in the state such as Campolindo and California, falling to the Cougars 63-53 on Dec. 13, and losing at California 67-61 on Jan. 4 despite leading after the first quarter of that game.
A consistent scoring option for the Patriots this season has been junior guard Brady Lockrem. He’s averaging just over 12 points per game and has had consistent performances all season, including a 19-point outing on Dec. 17 that helped fend off a Freedom comeback. He scored a season-high 29 points in the Patriots win against Arcata on Dec. 30, his second game scoring 20 or more points this season. He scored 21 points in the team’s loss against Archie Williams on Dec. 26.
Senior Nate Grube has also been
just as critical to Heritage’s success with his versatility. Head coach Jeff Carter has used Grube in different positions whether it’s having him in his backcourt, or slotting him in down low at power forward, allowing for him to send out differ-
ent line-up combinations.
The move has helped Grube’s productivity as well. He’s reached doubledigit scoring in four of the last five games, including a season-high 17 points against Arcata, 16 points against California, and
12 points against Foothill. He had 12 in Tuesday night’s loss against Pittsburg.
Despite the team’s improved competitiveness, Heritage has lost three of their last four games, all by six points or fewer. Some of the Patriots’ losses over the short stretch include a six-point loss to California, a top-50 team in the state, a one-point loss to Foothill,and a threepoint loss to Pittsburg Tuesday night. Heritage’s loss to the Pirates was their first league loss of the season.
With eight games left this season, seven against Bay Valley Athletic League opponents, Heritage has an opportunity to finish above .500 for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign.
Heritage missed the playoffs last year, but also haven’t won a playoff game since the 2019-20 season when they defeated Clayton Valley Charter in the opening round of the NCS Division I playoffs.
Heritage travels to Antioch to take on the Panthers Friday night at Dallas Ranch Middle School with a tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. On Monday, Heritage hosts Cornerstone Christian in the Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational Tournament with tip-off for that game scheduled at 7:30 p.m.
Heritage’s Nate Grube drives past a Pittsburg defender in the Patriots game against the Pirates Tuesday night in Brentwood.
Photo by Juan Cebreiros
Los Angeles County wildfires have local implications
A week into the new year, wildfires erupted in the Los Angeles area. But their effects reached the Bay Area.
In the Los Angele area everything from homes, businesses, museums, and religious landmarks have been destroyed, according to media reports. Dozens of residents have lost their lives, and hundreds of thousands have had their livelihoods taken away overnight. Although the Bay Area is hours away from Los Angeles, there are several ways to support Los Angeles County residents.
NBC Bay Area highlights We Love LA, an initiative that makes care packages for those affected by the wildfires.
Additional resources include the League of California’s Community Foundations, which are accepting donations.
Looking at the bigger picture, the fires in Los Angeles County have significant implications locally. Just last year in June of 2024, the Empire grassfire burned 250 acres in the hills near Brentwood, and in 2023, the Balfour fire behind Heritage High School and nearby farms burned about 75 acres. In the last two years, there were also fires in Concord, Pittsburg, and Byron, according to CalFire.
Locally, the number of wildfires each year has grown exponentially. National Public Radio cited that 2024 saw 30,000 more acres
burnt in California than the previous year. Brentwood Aid for LA, founded by two students at Heritage High School, is creating centralized donation drop-off places throughout Brentwood to accept donations and support for wildfire victims. Their goal is to get drop-offs at local high schools and the Brentwood library. They partner with the Martinez Lodge 41, an organization that supports cities throughout California, including a chapter in Southern California where they are actively delivering aid.
Although Brentwood stations are still being developed, donations are accepted at 700 Masonic St. in Martinez. For details,
visit their Instagram accounts @martinezlodge41 and @brentwoodaid4la.
CalFire advises everyone to follow a three-step plan to prepare for wildfires.
• create a wildfire plan with family members that includes evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and safety procedures.
• prepare your household by teaching children safety procedures and making sure there is a practiced routine for keeping everyone safe and secured in case of an emergency.
• pack a “Go Bag” with essentials such as water, food, medication, and important documents.
Rachel Lei
Heritage High School, Junior
EDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY
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Preserving the past, enriching the future
East Contra Costa Historical Society starts 2025 membership drive
East Contra Costa County is a special place — a community built on a foundation of rich heritage, resilience, and connection. Yet, as we move forward in our current chapter of history, it is more important than ever to honor and preserve the stories of the past.
Guest comment
The East Contra Costa Historical Society (ECCHS) has been a steadfast guardian of the shared history of Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, and Oakley. Now, it invites you to become part of its mission by joining the first membership drive running from Jan. 20 to Feb. 25.
Nestled in the heart of East Contra Costa, the ECCHS is a gem that connects residents to the roots of their community. Perhaps you’ve marveled at the displays during Local History Days, where 1,600
‘Seeing Federal always makes me feel like I’m home’
Editor:
I have been blessed to have retired Supervisor Federal Glover popping in and out throughout my life since we were in the third grade together.
We went to Marina Primary School, and he also lived two blocks from my house which I had to walk past every day to school and St. Peter Martyr Church where I regularly attended was on the corner from Federal’s house.
I can still see the same little boy smile he always had every time I saw him then as when I see Federal now. His smile somehow
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third graders and 500 parents step into the shoes of early pioneers each year. Maybe your family has delighted in the warmth of Christmas on the Farm, an event that drew around 1,000 attendees last year. Or maybe you’ve attended the annual Sunday barbecue, mingling with friends while soaking up local history.
Despite these cherished experiences, membership has remained modest. With a population of more than 125,000 across Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, and neighboring communities, the ECCHS has just 250 members.
Imagine the possibilities if even a fraction of those who have enjoyed these events became members — the stories that could be preserved, programs that could be created, and a legacy that could be ensured.
Membership to the ECCHS is more than just a donation; it’s an investment in your community and its future. Here’s what your support enables:
• Preserving Local History: Help protect artifacts, photographs, and stories that define East Contra Costa.
• Exclusive Member Benefits: Enjoy access to Members’ Dinners featuring engaging
speakers, the triannual Los Meganos newsletter, and Members’ Night at the museum with special exhibits.
• Community Expansion: In 2025, ECCHS will launch an ambitious 10-year plan to double its the expanse of its grounds, adding exhibits on the railroad, volunteer fire departments, Native American life, the Delta’s impact on our region, and more.
Your membership supports beloved annual events and exciting new initiatives. Imagine strolling through the museum during “Sundays at the Museum,” participating in a “Cruisin’ through History” car show, or exploring expanded exhibits that celebrate the diverse threads of our region’s story.
“The time has come to step it up,” ECCHS President Mary Black said. “We currently receive funding through memberships, donations, and fundraising. No city, county, or state agency supports us monetarily. Every bit of growth and preservation happens because of our members and volunteers.”
East Contra Costa’s history is alive because of the community’s love and pride.
Letter to the editor
made you feel good, it was real. Federal gave that same smile to everyone during our school years, Federal respected everyone and never saw people of being any color, everyone was the same there was no poor, no rich, no special, no unfortunate.
In grade school, Federal was always in the top five students for academics. In junior high and high school, he was always on the Dean’s list and honor roll.
Federal was a member of every student body board in our class, and, yes, he was our Senior Class president. Federal had time for every student, and everyone felt comfortable talking to him about anything. He was very involved. I remember Federal dating Sheila Thompson during our class years. Everyone
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thought they were the perfect couple. Sheila was a very sweet person; I would say she was special, an angel sent here from above. When I found out Sheila had passed and Federal was raising her two daughters as his own, I knew that was meant to be.
I have volunteered with Federal for many years at the Pittsburg Seafood Festival, and I also would go to his Supervisor office and took advantage of the free notary service he offered. I also attended a one-day free grant writing course sponsored by his office. Sometimes I would just drop by to say ‘hi.’
Of course, I have run into Federal at other times; at Parkside Market when I was buying Italian sausage and at events sponsored by the Friends of Isola, a Sicilian
The museum’s volunteers hear it all the time, “We love the museum!” Yet, this passion hasn’t always translated into memberships. Now is the time to change that. Let 2025 be the year that you not only visit but join. Let it be the year that you help boost ECCHS’ continued ability to thrive and tell the stories that have shaped our community.
Membership is open to individuals, families, and businesses. Whether you’ve experienced the joy of local history firsthand or simply want to ensure its preservation for future generations, your support makes all the difference.
Becoming a member is easy. Visit the ECCHS website at https:// eastcontracostahistory org/ for more details. Don’t wait — spots fill quickly for exclusive events, and your membership guarantees your place in this vital community effort.
Let’s work together to preserve East Contra Costa’s past while enriching its future. Join the East Contra Costa Historical Society today and become part of the story.
Melissa van Ruiten ECCHS member
Club honoring the Sicilian Heritage of Pittsburg’s Past. I have seen him at Contra Costa County Supervisors board meetings and events. Seeing Federal always makes me feel like I’m home.
I was unaware of Federal’s retirement until I read it in county Supervisor Diane Burgis’ newsletter. Since then, I have felt compelled to write something for him because I truly believe people should know the true, kind, colorblind man Federal Glover really is. I have the utmost respect for him, I always have and always will. God bless you, Federal Glover, and your wonderful family.
Paula Wherity Byron MAC Board Member
Cop logs
A restraining/court order violation was reported on Mildred Court. The reporting party has a restraining order against their sister, who is 97. An adult was arrested.
The following is a selection of recent law enforcement activity:
BRENTWOOD
December 27, 7:58 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Sand Creek Road. There was damage to a back gate that appeared to be an attempted forced entry.
December 27, 8:11 a.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Amber Lane. Two pairs of shoes were taken from in front of an apartment. The shoes were worth about $390.
December 27, 9:17 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on First Street.
December 27, 10:12 a.m. A commercial burglary was reported on First Street. A broken window was reported.
December 27, 1:11 p.m. A suspicious person was reported on Sand Creek Road. An adult was arrested.
December 27, 2:50 p.m. A case of forgery/ fraud was reported on Pelican Street. A check was washed.
December 27, 5:06 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Dawnview Drive. A package was taken from the reporting party’s porch.
December 27, 8:42 p.m. A case of petty
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December 28, 7:37 p.m. www.facebook.com/thepress.net
theft was reported on Sand Creek Road. An electric bike was stolen. The reporting party left it locked on the bike rack for about 2 hours.
December 28, 12:18 a.m. A case of vehicle theft was reported on Sand Creek Road. The vehicle was a silver 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The theft occurred within the last two hours.
December 28, 1:20 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported on Sand Creek Road.
Two females grabbed and ran with $40,000.
December 28, 1:40 p.m. A juvenile complaint was reported on City Park Way. Juveniles on bikes took the fire extinguisher from the first-floor entrance.
December 28, 5:25 p.m. Property was found at Sycamore Court and Sycamore Avenue.
December 28, 5:41 p.m. A suspicious person was reported on Sand Creek Road.
Four males were taking items.
December 28, 5:51 p.m. A vehicle burglary was reported on Marina Way. The reporting party’s vehicle was broken into and their work phone was stolen.
December 28, 5:55 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Lone Tree Way. Tools were taken.
December 28, 7:00 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Lone Tree Way. The reporting party’s tires were slashed.
December 28, 7:04 p.m. Property was found on Shiles Loop. The reporting party believes she found a small bag of methamphetamine when she was collecting her mail.
December 28, 7:37 p.m. A restraining/ court order violation was reported on Mildred Court. The reporting party has a restraining order against their sister, who is 97. An adult was arrested.
December 28, 9:17 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Second Street. A male transient with a buzz cut was painting the gazebo and concrete. An adult was arrested.
December 28, 9:48 p.m. A case of miscellaneous outside assist was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.
Nutmeg and Curalalia
Bonded Sisters, Short Hair, DOB 2-19-2024 Nutmeg (left) and Curalalia are sweet, active kitties. Nutmeg is an absolute cuddle bug, while Curalalia enjoys joining her for long naps. These girls have been fostered alongside a Labrador retriever and other cats/kittens. To meet Nutmeg and Curalalia, contact their foster at anangelrn@aol.com.
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This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Maria Jose Garcia Martinez, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/24/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/23/2029 Antioch Press No. 06-1617
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File No. F-2025-0000042 The name of the business(es):
1. Ethereal Skin Lounge
2. Ethereal SKN Located at: 5065 DEER VALLEY RD, SUITE 226 In: Antioch, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Alize Marie Roanhorse Taylor. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Alize Roanhorse Taylor, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 01/06/2025 by Deputy Clerk Expires 01/05/2030 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006532 The name of the business(es): Justin’s Sales & Consulting Located at: 2907 Bluebell Circle In: Antioch, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Justin Santiago. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 1/1/2024. Signature of registrant: Justin Santiago, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/11/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/10/2029 Antioch Press No. 06-1617
Publish Dates: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006064 The name of the business(es): B-Me Today Located at: 4692 Braemar Street In: Antioch, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): LANCASTER LINC. 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 11/1/2024. Signature of registrant: Jaynette Lancaster, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 11/15/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 11/14/2029 Antioch Press No. 06-1617
Publish Dates: January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006382 The name of the business(es): Rigo’s Gardening Service Located at: 2625 Sage Ct. In: Antioch, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Rigoberto Lopez Ramirez. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Rigoberto Lopez, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/04/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/03/2029 Antioch Press No. 06-1617
Publish Dates: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 2025
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0006042 The name of the business(es): DRAIN RAIN Located at: 367 Mildred Ave In: Pittsburg, CA 94565, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Cruzito Enterprises LLC. This business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company,State of Organization: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 11/14/2024. Signature of registrant: Vicente Abraham Cruz Cruz, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 11/14/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 11/13/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish Dates: December 27, 2024, January 3, 10, 17, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0006465 The name of the business(es): Diablo Pacific Property Group Located at: 1547 Palos Verdes Mall, Walnut Creek, Suite 227 In: Walnut Creek, CA 94597, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Diablol Pacific, Inc. 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 09/20/2019. Signature of registrant: Lauren Dent, Manager. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/09/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/08/2029
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006370 The name of the business(es): PVOLVE WALNUT CREEK Located at: 1845 Ygnacio Valley Road In: Walnut Creek, CA 94598, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): VRISI VENTURES, LLC. This business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company, State of Organization: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Venetia Vonich, Managing Member. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/03/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/02/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0006803 The name of the business(es): Linton Taxes Located at: 164 Lombardy Lane In: Orinda, CA 94563, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Renee Wanda Linton. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Renee Linton, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/30/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/29/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2025-0000032 The name of the business(es):
1. Show Ready Photo 2. Show Ready Event Photography 3. Swaddle
Event Photo School Located at: 3327 Beechwood Dr In: Lafayette, CA 94549, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Show Ready Photo LLC. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, State of Organization: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed
above on 1/1/2025. Signature of registrant: Irja Tannlund, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 01/06/2025 by Deputy Clerk Expires 01/05/2030 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0006763 The name of the business(es): Wild Olive Located at: 74 Kings Oak Place In: Walnut Creek, CA 94597, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Cornerstone Creative LLC. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, State of Organization: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Alison Stripling, Chief Executive Officer. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/27/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/26/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006775 The name of the business(es): 1. Light Made Designs 2. Creationary Located at: 933 Suntan Ln In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Mark Garetz. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Mark Garetz, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/30/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/29/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006408 The name of the business(es): Customized By V Located at: 555 Discovery Bay Blvd In: Discovery Bay, CA 94505, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Venus Masson. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Venus Masson, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/04/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/03/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: January 3, 10, 17, 24, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006573 The name of the business(es): 123 CROWN MUSIC Located at: 956 Country Glen Ln In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Christopher John Luby-Kennedy. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2021. Signature of registrant: Christopher Luby-Kennedy, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/13/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/12/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: December 27, 2024, January 3, 10, 17, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006706 The name of the business(es): Dorty & Associates
Located at: 2835 Hawthorn Ct. In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by
the following owner(s): Monte Daughhetee. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Monte Daughhetee, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/20/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/19/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: December 27, 2024, January 3, 10, 17, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2025-0000030 The name of the business(es): Two Fast Transportation LLC Located at: 23 Da Vinci Court In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Two Fast Transportation LLC. This business is conducted by: A Limited Liability Company, State of Organization: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 1/1/2025. Signature of registrant: Ahmad Fardous Hoseny, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: January 6, 2025 by Deputy Clerk Expires 1/5/2030 Oakley Press No. 03-0477
Publish Dates: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0006824 The name of the business(es): Personal Fuel Nutrition Located at: 1235 Sierra Trail Rd In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Megan McUmber Glick. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/01/2024. Signature of registrant: Megan Glick. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 12/31/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 12/30/2029
Publish Dates: January 10, 17, 24, 31, 2025
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cantly changed. I’m very thankful for that. I’m happy for it, because the more you spend time with people who are different from the circle you have always spent your time with, the more you realize the beauty and the strength of the different cultures and individuals and ways that they think. People really think differently from different cultures because of necessity, you know, and I’ve had the opportunity to be in different cultures around the world. Every culture I’ve ever been in, any nation I’ve ever been in, what everyone wants, it’s universal: They want to be loved. They want to love and they want those for the people they love. They want them to have happiness and peace and success universally.
So if every human I’ve ever met wants those three things, create an environment that we can all work toward and it lifts us up and it doesn’t divide us. That is the direction I see Brentwood heading, and I love it.
There’s not a single council person that I’ve ever met that doesn’t want the city of Brentwood to always have a small hometown feel.
None of us like impacted traffic, not at all. We all live here. We don’t get any exceptions. We don’t get to drive on the sidewalks to avoid American Avenue. We all are stuck in the same traffic. So when we make decisions, we’re making decisions that are going to impact us all equally. So not one of us wants a project or a development to come into town that negatively impacts our community.
[Approving the Bridlegate Project] was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to make. It’s something that we’re going to have to live with, quite literally. But at the same time, I would still make that same decision again, knowing the reality of what the facts are. And we don’t get to make up the facts.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
We have consolidated with ConFire, and we immediately doubled our fire protection and then tripled it, and they’re going to continue to do that.
And another thing that really was important to me was our own police dispatch. I often spend a lot of time riding with our police officers as a chaplain, and there were times in the past, before we had our own dispatch, that we would be
on a call or an officer would pull over a vehicle for whatever reason and try to call dispatch in Antioch at the time. Their dispatchers are amazing, but there’s only so many answers they can give you when you’ve got a flood of calls coming in and so our officers would sometimes wait for more than a minute or two to get a response on the radio from dispatch. That is so dangerous. So we were able to get our own police dispatch, and it cut our response times down significantly, but it also elevated our customer service as a police department tremendously.
A habitat conservancy. I was the chair of that a few times. The city of Brentwood is a member of the habitat conservancy. I was able to help save 175,000 acres of land in Contra Costa County. It will never be built on. It will always be open space. That’s something that was important to me. In Brentwood, I was able to help protect 750 acres of farmland perpetually. It will never be built on. It will always be farmland because of agricultural mitigation funds.
Costco. So the first week I got on council, I started calling Costco and Sam’s Club. Because one of the first council meetings that I was at, Walmart was wanting to put a Super Walmart here and the community spoke loud and clear. Under no circumstance do we want a Super Walmart, and that was the only thing that they were willing to build. So I started calling about a Sam’s Club or a Costco, and at the time, neither one of them were interested in coming out here.
Mayor Taylor, at the time, continued to call. I continued to call. I got a phone call at five o’clock in the morning the next day from the head of Costco, saying, ‘Do you want Costco in Brentwood?’ And I said, Yes, yes, yes, yes, we do. Let me make some phone calls. And I got in touch with our staff, and staff was able to work through it with the council. And now it is anticipated that a little over a million dollars a year will be coming into the general fund from Costco.
Every single dollar that is spent in a local store stays in the local economy. The more we do that, the better our families are going to be, the better our city is going to be as far as tax revenue to be able to maintain our roads, our infrastructure, all the stuff that we need. It’s something that just benefits everybody. We need to shop locally as often as we can. And you
would be astonished at the willingness of a local business to go above and beyond, to accommodate your needs, to get your business.
The library. I was on the very first library committee and the entire time we had such an amazing person that worked on the library committee for the city. Her name was Gail Leach. She was just an amazing, amazing person. What advice would you have for incoming mayor Susannah Meyer?
She has a lot of experience already on council, and she is such a caring person. I will tell you this, and anyone on council will very much agree.
I think I would tell her, continue to care about people more than politics, which she always has, always will. She’s going to have situations that are going to be very uncomfortable for her. She has always responded with grace and professionalism, and she will always do so there’s no doubt in my mind. I guess my main advice to her is just continue being who you are and when people say very hurtful things, just understand that people that are hurting say hurtful things and don’t take it personally. Try to be part of the solution. That seems to be the only thing that really works.
What’s next for Joel Bryant, regular resident?
I’m going to continue to be a chaplain with the police department. I am going to be volunteering a lot more. That’s what I love more than everything else. I love to join with a group of volunteers to make a positive difference in a community, in peo-
ple’s lives. And so I’m going to continue to do that.
I still am a part of a couple of nonprofits that work with some different countries, orphanages. I’m working with a couple orphanages right now. I’ll be traveling quite a bit out of the country now, because I have been limited with international travel because of being on council.
As a pilot, I have opportunities to go to other countries and be a part of a crew that takes medical supplies out into villages. I am looking forward to doing that and spending more time with my family. Anything else you want to tell people?
It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to serve this community on the City Council. Brentwood is full of the finest people I’ve ever been around, and I have made many lifelong friends because of it and I’m just thankful for the opportunity. It was fantastic almost all the time.
MEYER
benefit from the funds raised at the event. Attendees can learn about the nominee and hear their story, among other topics. These events are open to the public.
“We want it to be where we show people that we love and we care for them,” Zickuhr said. “That’s our biggest goal.”
The victims must apply for support, and a nominee will be chosen the month prior to each upcoming fundraising dinner and be announced on the foundation’s website, www. vascofhf.org
“Our board will look over applications and we will come to an agreement as a board,” Zickuhr said.
Officials say they will need enough information from the victims to know what happened without violating HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws. The first nominee has already been chosen for the March fundraiser dinner, which will take place on March 6 at Smith’s Landing, 1 Marina Plaza in Antioch. Her name is Kennedy Havlik. She was involved in a car crash on Vasco Road last year when she was 18.
Tickets for the dinner will be $75 per person and will be available in mid February. Details such as time and location will be announced.
Vasco Forever Helping Families started in November 2024.
“Ironically, I applied for the nonprofit and on the anniversary of my husband’s death I got the email from the state of California on Nov. 6. That was the day of his crash, and that’s the day I got the email that it was approved,” Loredo said.
Vasco Forever Helping Families is just getting started
Sculpture
from page 1
2022, according to city staff at the time. Neither sculpture has been completed.
The agenda item brought before the council at the Jan. 14 meeting was a request from the artist to increase the funds allotted for the project by $5,000 while also amending the scope of the contract. According to the staff report, the request for more money is tied to a projected increased cost due to landscaping needed to prepare the project site for the installation. “Radiant Convergence” is to be displayed on Sand Creek Road in a median near the Highway 4 bypass.
The change in the scope of the contract would require that the project be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2025, according to the staff report, while also making installation of the
Approves from page 1
and is looking forward to helping families heal.
“She is going to be the next Erin Brockovich,” Zickuhr said of Loredo. “She is going to make sure she knows the families to the point where she has that deep, intimate relationship with them because that is the most important thing.”
County Supervisor Diane Burgis’s office weighed in on trying to help keep Vasco and other nearby county roads safe for drivers.
“Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy, and I am committed to continuing to improve safety on Vasco Road and our other county-maintained roads,” a statement from Burgis’s office said. “At the same time, each of us as drivers needs to do our part. Every time you get behind the wheel, it’s your responsibility to drive safely, avoid distractions, and make sure everyone on the road makes it home.” She did not
sculpture the responsibility of the city rather than of the artist. According to Recreation Manager Thien Nguyen, city staff would not do the installation themselves and would put the project out for bid, with preliminary estimates for the installation around $50,000.
“The staff report made it seem like $5,000. Technically we’re raising the cost of this project by $55,000,” Councilmember Tony Oerlemans said. “It seems like a pretty big raise in price just because time has passed.”
The initial cost of the project when it was approved in 2020, according to staff reports, was roughly $175,000, including installation. The money comes from the city’s Public Art Acquisition Fund. The fund “consists of development fees collected for the acquisition and construction of Public Art and can only
three years ago.
has already signed off on aid, while Kensington’s is likely to sign off on it soon, Beard said.
Typically, Antioch would reach out to larger agencies such as the Office of the Contra Costa Sheriff or the California Highway Patrol for assistance. But according to Beard, the Sheriff’s Office has not participated in this kind of program, and the CHP is already occupied helping Oakland’s police.
Despite the risks of sending Oakley’s officers into another city’s high-crime areas, Beard said that assisting Antioch with its crime problem will prevent spillover into Oakley.
“I feel that the corrosion of values that has occurred in Antioch, that we have all seen…it does tend to leak out beyond its borders, and by that we can be negatively impacted,” Beard said. “To underscore that, just this past weekend, two of my officers were involved in a vehicle pursuit involving two Antioch residents; those two residents were in a stolen vehicle, they were most likely involved in a robbery, and there were spent bullet casings in that vehicle.”
In response to concerns from Councilmember Anissa Williams and a speaker from the audience about a potential lack of resources in Oakley if officers are sent to help Antioch, Beard said that Oakley did have enough personnel to cover all of its responsibilities in contrast to the situation
elaborate on what those improvements would be.
The county Public Works Department has a project in its Design/Construction Division to improve safety along the stretch of Vasco Road from Walnut Boulevard to Camino Diablo and a bit farther south, according to an email from the Public Works Dept. The project will install median rumble strips, channelizers, and striping to match the existing safety improvements on other sections of Vasco Road. The traffic signals at the intersections of Walnut Boulevard and Camino Diablo will be upgraded with new system hardware and upgrades to the signals with things such as reflective back plates to make the signal heads more visible. Signal poles will also be relocated to better accommodate truck turning movements. This project is expected to begin construction this summer and is funded by a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant to perform this work.
“We are also in the process of hiring a consultant to review all of Vasco Road and recommend low-cost improvements that we could implement if we can identify the funding,” the email added, with this study paid for by a grant we received from the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program.
Public Works continues to seek funding for the Vasco Safety Improvements Project – Phase 2 that would continue the work we did to install a concrete median barrier along Vasco Road south of Camino Diablo. The total project cost is over $30 million, and has a $15 million-$20 million shortfall. There is no timeline for this work due to the lack of funding.
For more information on Vasco Forever Helping Families, visit www.vascofhf.org
To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia
be used for public art projects,” according to the city’s website. According to the staff report, the Public Art Spaces Project is included in the City’s Capital Improvement Program and the total budget is $786,383.
Councilmember Faye Maloney asked City Attorney Kate Wisinski “what it would look like” if the city attempted to hold the artist to the original contract, but Wisinski said she did not have all the information in front of her to make that prediction. Mayor Susannah Meyer suggested subtracting the cost of installation from the amount being paid to the artist or having city staff do the installation rather than hiring an outside contractor. But the topic required more information than was available.
Assistant City Manager Darin Gale
“Three years ago, when I became your chief, this is not something that would have been entertained; I was in a position of actually needing help myself,” he remembered. “Now that we have hired 17 officers over the past three years, I have been able to open up elements such as the special services team, I have a fully staffed traffic unit, I’m about to go live with a second SRO [school resource officer], so to answer that question of ‘Do we have the staffing to do this on an infrequent and intermittent basis’...once or twice every few months, I believe I do have the staff to do this.”
Councilmember George Fuller also expressed concern for the extra hours that the chief and his lieutenants would need to log if the aid program went ahead, but Beard assured him that he and his staff could easily keep track of the extra hours.
With their concerns answered, the council voted unanimously to approve the measure.
In other council news:
Luis Flores, Liz Elias, and Bud Chaddock, affiliated with the Sierra Club’s Delta group, spoke to the council about the environmental crisis occurring in Marsh Creek, which runs through Oakley. The creek is a scenic and important natural area, but has severe problems with littering and salmon poaching, according to the speakers. Chaddock said
apologized to the council on behalf of city staff for bringing such a costly item before them, noting that the city could choose to scrap the project altogether and pursue a different art project. But they would be out “a significant amount of money” that had already been paid to the artist.
Members of the public also expressed dissatisfaction with the increased cost of the project and were not in favor of moving forward with more funding.
Ultimately, the council opted to resume the discussion later after city staff has had time to reach back out to the artist and research installation costs and other requested information.
The full meeting can be watched at https://bit ly/3WmkGVQ
that, out of the 150 salmon he counted in the creek, none were able to spawn in 2024. The speakers recommended greater cooperation between local, state, and national wildlife agencies, community trash cleanups, and a ban on fishing in the creek from Oct. 15 to Jan. 15 to allow the salmon population to reproduce.
Residents in the area of the planned Cedarwood Estates housing development, including Robert and Julie Fierros, spoke out against the increase in the planned number of lots in the development, from 34 to 35 in the original 2007 plan to 60 in the current plan. They stated that there would be no benefit to the community from a higher lot density, which would cause a trend of higher-density developments, and that there is a market for developments with fewer, larger lots. Residents in the area of the planned Cedarwood Estates housing development, including Robert and Julie Fierros, spoke out against the increase in the planned number of lots in the development, from 34 to 35 in the original 2007 plan to 60 in the current plan. They stated that there would be no benefit to the community from a higher lot density, which would cause a trend of higher-density developments, and that there is a market for developments with fewer, larger lots. The speakers also cited the potential for greater traffic congestion as another reason for their opposition to the current plan
An intersection on Vasco Road.
Photo courtesy of www.vascofhf.com
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