The Press 09.15.2023

City Council delays drilling ban decision

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

The Brentwood City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 12 to postpone a decision on an oil and gas drilling ban until the Oct. 10 meeting after a recent California Supreme Court ruling that could have an impact on the potential ban.

“Staff is requesting additional time with counsel to determine the implications of that court case on our proposed ordinances,” Director of Community Development Alexis Morris said. “We are wrapping that up but we

would appreciate a little additional time in order to complete that analysis.”

The California Supreme Court ruling, Chevron U.S.A. Inc., et. al. v. the County of Monterey, overturned a local ordinance in Monterey that had attempted to “ban the drilling of new oil and gas wells throughout the County’s unincorporated areas,” according to the text of the ruling. The intent of the ordinance in Monterey County was similar to the intent of the ordinance the city of Brentwood has been working on since March 2022, the text stated.

Although the councilmembers did not discuss the topic before agreeing to pick it back up on Oct. 10, residents – many of them high school students –voiced their concerns regarding drilling in the city of Brentwood.

“Ultimately, I hope you guys stay on course for this issue,” Brentwood high schooler Alison Chiu told the council. “I’ve tracked the issues of oil and gas for many years and, to this day, it is still a very important issue that impacts many of your constituents.”

Other local voices were in agreement.

A different approach to learning at Freedom High

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

Every seventh week of the quarter, Freedom High School in Oakley takes a different approach to students learning and teachers teaching their subjects. They call it ‘Differentiation Week’.

This special week is something that’s close to Freedom High School principal Steve Amaro. And as someone who’s worked at Freedom for just about the lifespan of the school so far, he couldn’t wait to see it implemented on campus.

“It’s not a matter of doing more work,” Amaro said. “It’s a matter of refining what we do and trying to answer all the questions.”

Different approaches to vari-

ous subjects taught on campus are involved, such as students in an AP Calculus class grading their own tests and working with each other to see how they each got to

Honoring 9-11 victims

Students from Heritage High School’s Young Americans for Freedom club took part in the 9-11 Never Forget Project. The students placed 2,977 flags to represent the civilian and first responder casualties that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. Club chairman and founder Travis Kralj said the goal of the event was to help Americans never forget that horrific day.

To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia

New Oakley Chamber has ‘ambitious vision’

By Melissa van Ruiten Staff Writer

The third time’s the charm for the Oakley Chamber of Commerce. Originally incorporated from 1947 to 1974, the Chamber saw a reemergence in 1985, but had to cease operations in May of 2020 due to flagging membership and difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

businesses.

“We really like to create in Oakley a place where businesses on the Delta can thrive, businesses of all sizes, and really expand our community as a whole,” Chuiko said.

the right or wrong answer, or students comparing historical icons to modern-day pop culture icons

see Freedom page 18

Oleksii Chuiko is aiming to breathe new life into the reestablished Chamber. Chuiko is the president of the group, and he describes the vision as “pretty ambitious, but actually really simple.” His goal is to move away from the typical bimonthly “mixers” and focus on the value the Chamber can bring to Oakley’s over 900 registered

Chuiko describes the Chamber’s vision as agile, dynamic, and focused on bringing its members value. That value starts with the tiered membership plans that are being offered. For home-based businesses and nonprofits, the membership option is $10 per month. There is also an option for retirees, volunteers, or anybody else who is interested in supporting the city’s economic growth.

One of the other “valuedriven” benefits will be the op-

see Chamber page 18

Freedom history teacher Sheila Angelo works with her students during Freedom’s Differentiation Week.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Photo by Melissa van Ruiten

Chabad’s High holiday services Sept. 15-25 open to all

Chabad’s Open Door Policy Welcomes Everyone In anticipation of the upcoming Jewish New Year (Sept. 1525), Chabad of the Delta has announced its High Holiday Services schedule.

They will be “warm, friendly, traditional, and open to all,” says Chabad’s Executive Director Rabbi Peretz Goldshmid. All are welcome to Services at Chabad, free of charge, regardless of background or affiliation.

Membership is not required to join, and there are no prerequisites. All prayers will combine the original Hebrew and translated English.

In addition, a special children’s program will accompany the adult Services. “Our tradition teaches that at the New Year, the Doors of Heaven are open; G-d accepts all prayers, from anyone,” explains the Rabbi. “The least we can do is open our doors as well, to the entire community.”

For more information about High Holiday Services, or about Chabad, visit www.JewishDelta.com or call 925-420-4999.

Coastal Cleanup Month maximizes efforts to protect waterways and coastlines

Caltrans, through its Stormwater Campaign “Let’s Change This to That,” is partnering with the California Coastal Commission for the second year in a row to advocate for cleaner coastlines and pollutant-free water during September’s Coastal Cleanup Month. Numerous cleanup activities will take place statewide throughout the month with a goal of preserving the natural splendor of California’s coastline and ensuring that both inland and coastal area residents understand their impact on community waterways, such as lakes, rivers, creeks, and the ocean.

The California Coastal Commission in partnership with Caltrans and other community-based organizations are holding the 39th annual Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 15, 16, and 23, by hosting hundreds of local events statewide.

Coastal Cleanup Day is California’s largest annual volunteer event; an opportunity for people across the state to clean our creeks, rivers, lakes, coast, and shorelines of all kinds, to help restore our environment, organizers say. Virtually every body of water in California ultimately flows to

the ocean, and that water can carry a lot of trash. That’s why Coastal Cleanup Day takes place throughout the state – no matter where you’re cleaning, you are helping to protect our coast and ocean.

“No matter where you live, work or play in California, you can make an impact on improving water quality and maintaining waterways,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “By volunteering at local cleanup events this month, diligently maintaining vehicles or simply disposing of all waste big and small, your actions can help keep our water pollutant-free. Together, we can make a real difference in our communities.”

To find an East County location for the cleanup day, visit Coastalcleanupday.org and to learn more tips to prevent stormwater pollution, visit CleanWaterCA.com. Among the local locations are:

• Antioch City Marina - Kayak Clean Up, Sept. 15 from 8-10:30 a.m. 5 Marina Plaza, Antioch. To register or for details, contact Julie Haas-Wajdowicz at jhaas-wajdowicz@antiochca.gov or call 925-779-7097.

Bring Kayaks, canoes, and other small water craft. Bring skimmer nets or other cleaning tools. Limited amount of kayaks available to rent for $10. Check in at 8 a.m. on the water from 8:30-10:30 a.m.. Limited amount of kayaks available to rent for $10. Pre-registration required for all attending.

• Upper Sand Creek Basin, on Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring Refillable water bottle and sturdy shoes. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ccrcdcoastal-cleanup-month-2023-tickets692809932157?aff=oddtdtcreator.

• Antioch Water Park at 4701 Lone Tree Way from 9 a.m. to noon, Sept. 23. It may be a little windy, so bring a jacket, reusable water bottle, and work gloves. For details, visit https://www.antiochca.gov/coastal-cleanup/.

Brentwood to provide space for remote workers

The City of Brentwood launched the Brentwood Tech MeetUp at the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St., starting Wednesday, Sept. 13 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It will be available Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The city’s Economic Development team seeks to provide an alternative workspace for the hundreds of hybrid and remote technology workers residing in the city.

The Tech MeetUp will offer free Wi-Fi connection and free coffee, refreshments and snacks, according to Ricardo Noguera, Economic Development Manager. To learn more, visit, Brentwoodca. gov/tech-meetup or contact Noguera at RNoguera@brentwoodca.gov or 925516-5118.

Veterans get a ‘hand up’ with services, camaraderie at Stand Down on the Delta

By Hemananthani Sivanandam Correspondent

Every other year, Stand Down on the Delta provides veterans with support services like medical, dental, and mental health care, housing and job placement opportunities. Yet, for many, it’s also a cherished gathering to rekindle the bonds of brotherhood and camaraderie during their time in service to the nation.

Last week, hundreds of veterans participated in the four-day “hand up” event, which began on Sept 8, organized by the Delta Veterans Group at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch where they received the support needed; giving them a ‘hand up.”

The event provided them with a safe and supportive environment, especially for homeless veterans to access services and resources that can help them improve their lives.

Elaine Sumler, 70, who was in the United States Air Force as an airman first class in 1974, attended for the first time, and said she enjoyed meeting fellow servicemembers.

“I enjoyed being here, just walking and talking to everyone, meeting a lot of people from the Bay Area where I am,” said Sumler, who left the Air Force in 1978 after having twins.

Her friend, Willie Harris Sr., 69, came to get dentures but mostly enjoyed the camaraderie with fellow veterans.

“I really enjoyed it, and I will be coming back for more (of these events) …once you get out of the service, you get disengaged with fellow veterans, and being with civilians, it takes away from the camaraderie we had serving our country,” said Harris who was also in the Air Force in North

Dakota for six years.

Monique Tran, who volunteered for the first time as a tent leader to help veterans get the right resources, hoped that more servicemembers could benefit from the services provided. Apart from medical, dental, and mental health services, there were also equine therapy, haircuts, reiki healing, and optical services.

Tran, an Army medic for 16 years, said she was happy to see her fellow soldiers. “Not only do they benefit by getting their needs taken care of, but it’s a simple camaraderie of being around your troops,” she said. “It’s about being around soldiers who understand you, without having to interpret (things) in layman’s terms. They already know, it’s a brother and sisterhood.”

J.R. Wilson, a former military serviceman, founder, and president of the Delta Veterans Group, said the Stand Down on the Delta, was first held in 2015 and it has grown ever since. This year, about 230 veterans from the Bay Area were picked up and

housed at the Contra Costa County event fairgrounds and received the services they needed.

“They come in, we love and accept them, we give them services…they get dental, medical, vision, clothing, and job opportunities…all the services that they would possibly need,” Wilson said. “We are taking these men and women and give all the services that we can to get them a permanent platform so then they can leap off and serve their country or their community.”

The group works with over 70 organizations to provide care for those who seek

help. According to Wilson, the event has assisted more than 1,800 veterans, served 25,000 meals, and passed out 1,700 pairs of boots and clothing since it started in 2015.

The group’s vice president, Pat Jeremy, a former master chief machinist in the U.S. Navy for 26 years, said there are several organizations such as the Lions Club International, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., and the Antioch Rotary Club, among others who provide hot meals for the veterans at the event.

There was also a shopping area where attendees could shop for socks, undergarments, boots, blankets, and clothes donated or surplus items from the military.

“We like to say that they can shop for what they need, we are giving them a hand up, not a handout,” said Jeremy.

Pittsburg Mayor Shanelle Scales-Preston, who attended the event on Sunday, said such gatherings are important to the community.

“I think it’s such a wonderful event for our veterans, it’s a huge deal to the community that our veterans have a place where they can get dental, and healthcare services” and meet with different Department of Veterans Affairs officials for their benefits all in one place. “It’s a one-stop shop,” she said.

To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia

3 5t h

West Delta Chapter ’s

When:

October 14, 2023

Ages: 4-15 Time: 9:00 am - Noon

Must bring own fishing rod

Must register by 10:45 am

CHILDREN

Free Bait

Free Lunch and Drink Kids

Where: Waldie Plaza, Downtown Antioch *Kids

Free Derby Entry

Adults Lunch and Drink $5

Hundreds of veterans participated in the “hand up” event last weekend, organized by the Delta Veterans Group at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch, where they received all sorts of services.

Photo by Hemananthani Sivanandam

A teen was airlifted to a local trauma center after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a fence on Gateway Road in Bethel Island, Saturday, Sept. 9. The accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Teen hospitalized after crash and ejection from car

By Melissa van Ruiten Staff Writer

A 17 year-old boy was hospitalized with serious injuries after driving his car off the road and crashing into a fence along Gateway Road on Bethel Island, Saturday, Sept. 9.

Shortly after 8 a.m., Contra Costa Fire Protection District (Con Fire) received a call of a vehicle off the roadway, with a victim potentially ejected from the car, according to Con Fire Captain Jonathan Sagli.

Emergency crews found the driver out of the vehicle and suffering from serious trauma. Crews stabilized the teen before he was airlifted to a local trauma center for further treatment, according to Sagli.

of the WEEK

The driver was traveling westbound on Gateway Road when his tires hit a patch of gravel on the side of the roadway, according to Chris Sullivan, an eyewitness. The driver then lost control and tried to overcorrect his actions, before crossing the eastbound lane of traffic and crashing into the fence, Sullivan said. The official cause of the accident is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

There were no other human passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash. However, the driver’s dog was also ejected from the vehicle. The dog was not hurt, and was recovered by the driver’s family, according to officials.

The driver’s identity was not released because he is a minor.

To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia

Brentwood Orthodontics

Photo by Melissa van Ruiten

Brentwood women seek living organ donors

By Melissa van Ruiten Staff Writer

If you’re younger than 60 and generally healthy, you can help save a life, according to a flier distributed recently by Perry Chicaine, husband of Andrea Leandro.

Leandro is living with polycystic kidney disease and searching for a donor. Chicaine attended La Gran Fiesta on Saturday, Sept. 9 to raise awareness about being a living organ donor. They were able to speak with a lot of people and handed out a couple hundred fliers, according to Chicaine. The event organizers also invited Chicaine and his daughter onstage to make an announcement about their plight.

“From my perspective, the hard thing is reaching people, finding the right person who’s willing to donate.” Chicaine said. “It’s really important that we get the word out.”

“All in all, it was a very successful event for outreach,” said Chicaine.

Leandro is beginning her sixth year on the transplant list. She has type O blood, the most prevalent. This also means it can take up to 10 years to receive a kidney from a deceased donor, according to Leandro. Because of this, finding a living donor plays a huge role in speeding up the process. Leandro’s kidneys are functioning at 10% of normal, which leaves her having to manage three hours of dialysis treatments, three times a week, the minimum, Leandro said.

“The good thing about being a potential donor is, everything is paid for by the recipient’s insurance,” said Leandro. “Nothing comes out of pocket for the donors. Even donors who are working and take time off, then that’s covered by the state disability act.”

But Leandro isn’t the only Brentwood resident searching for a living organ donor.

On Tuesday, Sept. 19, a Helping One Woman dinner will be held at the Brentwood Community Center from 6-8 p.m. for Nina Fosse to raise money to cover her and her potential donor’s nonmedical expenses. Fosse needs a liver transplant, and the donor needs to be someone she knows or has met.

Fosse was initially diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in 2015. PSC

is a chronic liver disease in which the bile ducts inside and outside the liver become inflamed and scarred, and eventually narrowed or blocked. When this happens, bile builds up in the liver and causes further liver damage, according to the National Institutes of Health. PSC is also incurable. Fosse’s case has progressed into cirrhosis.

“Some people progress very quickly,” Fosse said. “Some people with my disease don’t progress their whole life of having it, so there’s no real time frame. What happens is, if the disease progresses far enough, it will then lead to some people developing cirrhosis, because it scarred too much. That leads to end stage liver failure, and that ends with needing a transplant.”

Fosse has been doing her best to keep life as normal and positive as possible for her husband and two sons, while dealing with flare ups– jaundice, blockages and infections, and extreme fatigue and commuting to Stanford Medical Center for testing, evaluations, and procedures. While she was placed on the transplant list two years ago, she’s been actively searching for a living donor for the last four years. Statistically, it can take up to 10 potential donors before finding a match, according to Fosse. Since Fosse’s blood type is B negative, her living donor can be someone with either B or O blood types, positive or negative.

“The invisible symptoms can be extremely difficult at times, but I am a fighter, and I will continue to keep fighting,” Fosse said.

This June, doctors found a concerning spot on her liver. After further testing, she

was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer. HCC is one of the most serious cancers in adults, according to John Hopkins Medicine. Last week, doctors informed her that a second spot had been found. Some of the typical treatments for HCC aren’t available to Fosse due to the preexisting disease, mak-

ing a liver transplant her biggest hope for a cure. Doctors said that she will now need a transplant as soon as possible.

There are more than 100,000 United States citizens waiting on a potentially lifesaving organ transplant, with a new name added to the transplant list every 10 minutes, according to organdonor.gov.

Organs and tissues can be donated after death, but in certain circumstances, you can also be a living donor. Living donors can donate one of their kidneys, or a portion of their lung, liver, pancreas or intestine.

In addition to La Gran Fiesta, Chicaine will also be hosting an all-day event on Oct. 23 at Diamond Hills Sports Club and Spa at 1510 Neroly Road, Oakley to continue to raise awareness about living organ donation. For more information, Chicaine can be reached at (925) 390-2035.

To follow Fosse’s journey and/or purchase tickets to the Helping One Woman dinner, visit the linktree that was set up by her friends, https://linktr.ee/bravelikeninapsc.

FOSSE

LEANDRO

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

Friday, September 15

Cache Creek Casino Bus Trip

The Oakley Senior Center at 215 Second St., is hosting a fundraising casino bus trip to Cache Creek Casino in Brooks. The cost is $42, and includes bingo, snacks, water and a 50/50 raffle. The bus will leave the Oakley Senior Center at 8 a.m. and return at 5 p.m. For more information on the trip, call the senior center at 925-626-7223.

Rosh Hashanah Community Dinner

Traditional Rosh Hashanah foods (Round Challahs, Brisket, Matzah Ball Soup, Apples & Honey) will be served as Chabad of the Delta welcomes in the New Year, and celebrate the special moment of Rosh Hashanah at Chabad of the Delta at 7 p.m. at 400 Guthrie Lane in Brentwood. Tickets are $12$180. For details, visit jewishdelta.com/RHDinner

Sept. 15, Sept. 16

39th annual Coastal Cleanup Day

The California Coastal Commission in partnership with Caltrans and other community-based organizations are holding the 39th annual Coastal Cleanup Day on Friday, Sept.15 and 23, by hosting hundreds of local events statewide. The location on Sept. 15 is at:

• Antioch City Marina - Kayak Clean Up, from 8-10:30 a.m. at 5 Marina Plaza, Antioch. To register or for details, contact Julie Haas-Wajdowicz jhaaswajdowicz@antiochca.gov or call 925-779-7097. Bring Kayaks, canoes, and other small water craft. Bring skimmer nets or other cleaning tools.

Limited amount of kayaks available to rent for $10. Check in at 8 a.m. on the water from 8:30-10:30 a.m.. Limited amount of kayaks available to rent for $10. Pre-registration required for all attending. The local location on Sept. 16 is at:

• Upper Sand Creek Basin - 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a refillable water bottle and sturdy shoes. For details, visit https://www.ccrcd.org/events. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ ccrcd-coastal-cleanup-month-2023-tickets692809932157?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thursday, September 21

Songs at Streets

Fall into the beat with Songs at Streets every Thursday evening beginning Sept. 21 through Oct. 19 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. for a free outdoor concert from local artists at The Streets of Brentwood. This free event happens every Thursday through Oct. 19. The schedule is: Sept. 21 – The Edwins Brothers R&B Smooth Jazz; Sept. 28 - Orquesta Borinquen Latin/Salsa; Oct. 5 – Project 4 Funk R&B, Rock and Roll; Oct. 12 – 925 Band and the Wise Girls Dance Band hits from the ‘70s to current; Oct. 19 - JD & Company Dance, Rock, Funk. For details, visit https://shopstreetsofbrentwood. com/events/646-songs-at-streets

On the Horizon

Friday, September 22

IHM Car Show and dinner in Brentwood

A car and bike show from 2–7 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 500 Fairview Ave. in Brentwood. Tickets are $35. To

register your car or bike, call 925-392-8820 For other details, call the church at 925-634-4154.

Saturday, Sept. 23

Second annual Brentwood Craft Brew Fest

The second annual Brentwood Craft Brew Fest is at City Park at 790 2nd St. from 1–5 p.m. Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the gate. More than 40 brews will be available to taste and five food trucks will be on hand with live music from Dawglips and the 925 band. The fundraiser is hosted by The Rotary Club of Brentwood. For ticket information, visit bit.ly/3sqfHrh.

Heart of Oakley

From 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza at 3231 Main St. from Vintage Parkway and Norcross, this 11th free event is an annual open air market that brings local makers, families, and local residents. For details, visit http://www. HeartofOakleyFestival.com.

39th annual Coastal Cleanup Day

The California Coastal Commission in partnership with Caltrans and other community-based organizations are holding the 39th annual Coastal Cleanup Day by hosting hundreds of local events statewide.

Coastal Cleanup Day is California’s largest annual volunteer event; an opportunity for people across the state to clean creeks, rivers, lakes, coast, and shorelines of all kinds, to help restore the environment, organizers say. Virtually every body of water in California ultimately flows to the ocean, and that water can carry a lot of trash. That’s why Coastal Cleanup Day takes place throughout the state – no matter where you’re cleaning, you are helping to protect the coast and ocean.

The local location on this day is at: –Antioch Water Park at 4701 Lone Tree Way from 9 a.m. to noon. It may be a little windy, please bring a jacket, reusable water bottle, and work gloves. For details, visit https://www.antiochca. gov/coastal-cleanup/.

Stroll for Gold Fun Run and Walk –Dillon’s Dream

The second annual 5K and 10K Stroll for Gold Fun Run and Walk is to raise awareness of childhood cancer. Starts at 9 a.m. at Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch. Registration is $40. For details, visit http://dillonsdreams.simpletix.com.

Friday, Sept. 29

Pillars of Hope 2nd Annual Golf Tournament

A day of golf, fun, and food at Lone Tree Golf and Event Center at 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch to help end human trafficking. Registration is $150 per golfer. Registration and putting competition start at 10:30 a.m. A

shotgun start is at 1 p.m. with a buffet dinner at 6 p.m. Deadline to register is Sept. 15. For details, call Cathy Seleska at 925-628-1226 or visit https://pillarsofhope.us/pillars-of-hope-events/

Saturday, Sept. 30

1966 Liberty High School Class Reunion

The Class of 1966, although it’s not a milestone year (55+2), decided that its wants to reconnect every year. This reunion, an informal gathering at the Wild Idol at 3918 Main St. in Byron at 5 p.m., is open to ALL Liberty classes. There are no official invitations, and no money will be collected. For more information, email Libertybrentwood66@gmail.com.

Saturday, October 7

Wine in the Bay at St. Anne in Byron

The 19th annual Wine in the Bay wine tasting will be at the Community Life Center, 2800 Camino Diablo Road, in Byron from 1-5 p.m. Thirteen wineries, two breweries, local artisans, appetizers and desserts, as well as silent and live auctions will be featured. Tickets priced at $60 are available at www.anne.church. Must be 21 or older. Beneficiaries of the fundraiser include: Delta Christian Community Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul; college scholarships, back-to-school supplies, American Red Cross blood drives, The Giving Wreath (provides Christmas dinner and gift card to purchase gifts for needy, caring Hands, and CYO basketball teams. For details, email lucyp44@gmail.com or call 925-437-9675.

Walk

to help prevent suicide

Volunteers from Contra Costa County are joining the thousands of people who are gathering in cities and towns across the United States to promote suicide prevention awareness and resources. The Oakley Out of the Darkness Community Walk, hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Greater San Francisco Bay Area Chapter will be at 8 a.m. at Civic Center Park in Oakley. This gathering will support AFSP’s education, research, and survivor support programs. In addition to raising awareness and funds to fight suicide. More information can be found at afsp.org/oakley.

Bethel Island Health and Safety Fair

A health and safety fair is scheduled for Bethel Island from 10 a.m-1 p.m. at Scout Hall and Community Park, 3090 Ranch Lane. Information and services from more than 30 vendors, agencies and service providers will be available for everyone, including health screenings, information and referrals, veterans services, mental health services, safety information, social and senior services, and recreation. Refreshments will be available, and there will be a free raffle. For details, call Mark Whitlock at 925-351-3759.

EDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY

O pini O n

Meals on Wheels Diablo Region seeks volunteers

Editor:

I am writing to bring attention to the need for volunteers in Contra Costa County to help with food deliveries and other services for seniors. Meals on Wheels Diablo Region is dedicated

BrentwOOd press

Publisher & Editor Greg Robinson

Controller Sandie McNulty

Production Manager Eric Kinnaird

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Advertising 925-634-1441, ext. 115

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Letters to the editor

to enhancing the lives of older adults in Contra Costa County by providing coordinated care that enables them to live independently and with dignity.

The organization seeks volunteers to help deliver meals and provide supportive services that keep seniors safe and independent at home with dignity. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult

LETTERS POLICY

The Press invites your comments. Letters must be no longer than 325 words and include name, address and phone number for confirmation.

The Press reserves the right to edit submissions for length, clarity, potential libel and taste, or to not print letters we feel violate our standards of acceptance.

Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily the opinions of The Press, whose opinions are contained in clearly marked editorials.

Send correspondence to The Press, 248 Oak St., Brentwood, California, 94513; or email editor@ brentwoodpress.com.

for many seniors to access food and other essential services, and the need only has continued to grow.

By volunteering with Meals on Wheels Diablo Region, you can make a real difference in the lives of these vulnerable people. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to homebound seniors, provide friendly visits, and help with

Delta Dog Camp

get bored – just tired. Rain or shine, the pups play all day!

other services.

Volunteer opportunities are listed here: www.mowdiabloregion.org/get-involved/ We would appreciate any support from the community to join our team, spread the word, and help us raise awareness about the urgency of this need.

Zoe Broussard Contra Costa County

For more information, email contacthalo@ yahoo.com or visit www.eccchalo.org.

Meet Tallulah

Tallulah is a sweet calico kitten who is playful and enjoys being held and loved. An adult family would be best. Please contact anangelrn@aol.com to meet Tallulah.

Retired Marine continues to give back

By Sean Tongson Correspondent

Stockton resident and retired Marine Michael L. Emerson’s mission has always been to give back and serve his country and community.

After 10 years of the U.S. Marine Corps military service along with 35 years of community volunteer work, his volunteer philosophy is, “I believe to be a good citizen, you need to give back to your community and country for the common good.”

This mindset prompted Emerson to join friend and fellow Marine Richard Campos to go to Ukraine on a humanitarian aid mission in June, which would be his first visit there.

“I was invited to a Medal of Honor event at a local government office,” said Emerson. “While I was there, there was another Marine, a former Vietnam veteran, and how he was going to go to Ukraine. I asked him if I could join him, and he agreed. I’m retired, so l just kind of followed Richard. And it was a great experience. I just wanted to help, and I

am very proud of the Ukrainian people for standing up to the Russians.”

Flying out of Sacramento, Emerson and Campos carried six canvas bags full of aid items, then flew to Warsaw, Poland after stops in Los Angeles and Heathrow Airport in London, England. From there, they drove to Lodz, Poland, where a charity volunteer organization called “EZER KENEGDO,” then made an eight-hour drive over the Polish-Ukrainian border to the city of Chervonohrad, Ukraine, which Emerson and Campos made their base of operations. Emerson says the travel, which consisted of 30 hours back and forth from Sacramento to Ukraine and vice versa, was the toughest part of the job.

“We paid our own way; the travel

STAY IN THE GAME

expenses, hotels, food, and the equipment we brought to Ukraine was mostly bought by us out of pocket,” said Emerson. “You’re in a little tiny vehicle with all of your stuff. Not only are you volunteering your time, but I am paying for everything—food, hotel, car—so it can be a financial burden. It is a lot of time getting there and getting back.”

While in Ukraine, Emerson and Campos brought along with them items such as food, battle tourniquets, burn cream, and more than 600 pairs of bombas socks. While there, they bought and donated more food, cash, cleaning supplies, and medical equipment. They also visited refugee hospitals, military hospitals, burn unit hospitals, children daycare centers, military bases, and military units, meeting up with hundreds of Ukrainians, which include war widows, orphans, refugees, military disabled veterans, government officials, the Ukrainian media, and soldiers of the Ukrainian military.

Although they were visiting a warravaged country and at times heard sirens and observed drones and missiles, Emerson says they were never in any real danger. They stayed away from the combat to ensure their safety.

“We worked with a church group, and more specifically, Dr. Olya, who was our amazing guide and translator,” said Emerson. “We went to several other local cities and also a major city called L’viv. We also met with Widows of Dead and Missing Ukrainian Heroes at a newly formed “Warriors Veterans Organization” set up for Ukrainian veterans and their families. We and the people of Ukraine deeply thank all of our donors with all of our hearts.”

Emerson’s mission to serve and give to his country and community goes back decades. At the age of 19, citing a love for his country and influenced by many of his family members who were in the military, Emerson enlisted in the Marines on April 26, 1982 to be an Infantryman. At that time, Emerson said he didn’t think he was on a path that was going to make him happy.

“I didn’t have enough money to go to college,” said Emerson. “I wanted to serve my country. Most of my family were in the Army, but I had a great uncle that fought in World War II as a Marine. I had an uncle who was a fighter pilot in France in World War II. A lot of my grandpar-

How you can help Ukrainian refugees

Area residents can make donations of money or supplies to these accredited charities:

Red Cross https://bit.ly/3LJkQl9

Save the Children

https://www.savethechildren.org/ Project Hope https://www.projecthope.org/

Global Giving https://bit.ly/3sR21FR

UNICEF

https://bit.ly/45Q0o9W

International Medical Corps https://bit.ly/4685LB5

Americares https://bit.ly/3ZhnK5R

International Medical Corps (based in California) https://bit.ly/3rgpIXC

Catholic Relief Services https://bit.ly/46bwLzB

ents and uncles joined. On my mom’s side, there were musketeers and generals. I like the reputation as the greatest fighting force in history. I didn’t want to be a cook or a clerk. If I was going to be in the Marines, I wanted to be highly trained on how to survive.”

Emerson says as a result of their visit to Ukraine, he and Campos now have direct contacts with Ukrainian veterans hospitals, refugee hospitals, orphanages, and widows and families of dead and missing Ukrainian soldiers, a Warriors Veterans Organization, the Ukrainian Military, along with a church group that provides support to them all.

Looking ahead, Emerson says while he may go back to Ukraine and is looking forward to going to other parts of the world where help is needed, including South America next month, visiting multiple countries, and going to Iraq in 2024 to help refugees there.

“I felt a lot of love,” said Emerson on his experience. “They go out of their way to go up to us and shake our hands and be forever grateful. I’ve been all over the world and visited 111 countries. Most countries hate us, because they don’t like our philosophy of freedom. But the Ukrainians love America. It is nice to go to a place where you are loved and appreciated. I was very happy and pleased to help any way I could.”

EMERSON

LUHSD high schools to restrict student attendance at football games

again

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

The Liberty Union High School District announced new policies last Wednesday, Sept. 6, regarding student attendance at the local football games.

According to an email sent to families of students from Heritage High School by athletic director Nate Smith, the LUHSD has once again restricted student attendance at the games to only the host and the opponent, that started Friday, Sept. 8. Paying parents of players are still allowed to attend games.

“I want to make all of you aware of some new policies within our school district, and other schools in our league, which could potentially impact plans to attend local sporting events,” Smith said in the email.

“Both Freedom and Liberty have now implemented policies for their football games which will restrict student attendance to only the host school and their opponent. For example, this Friday at Liberty, only Liberty and Will C. Wood students will be admitted to the game; this Friday at Freedom, only Freedom and Vanden students will be admitted to the game. Similar policies have already

been in place at Antioch and Deer Valley. These policies are ongoing for the remainder of this season and until noted otherwise.”

In the email sent from Liberty, they say that tickets have to be bought online

via GoFan, and that minors are not allowed from non-participating schools without a paying adult. There will be a list of Liberty students on a non-participation list that will not be allowed to enter as well and student IDs will be checked

upon entry to the games.

Smith’s email to the families of Heritage did not say whether last week’s incident in which former teacher Carlos Hurtado ran onto the track and eventually getting arrested during the football game played any role in the new restrictions.

According to LUHSD Superintendent Eric Volta, the schools are having issues with non-students going to games with no interest in the game itself, he said in an email to The Press.

“This has nothing to do with what happened at Heritage,” Volta said. “Freedom and Liberty personnel had some interactions with non-students last week that made them revert back to last year’s rules.”

Liberty also sent a similar email out to their families that detailed their attendance rules, again bringing back the same restrictions that they had last year.

“They want to provide the best atmosphere for their families and their guest schools to enjoy what is happening on the field by all of our student participants,” Volta told The Press.

The other schools in the Bay Valley Athletic League have similar attendance policies.

The Liberty Union High School District will restrict attendance at sporting events. Superintendent Eric Volta said the change is unrelated to the Sept. 1 arrest of a former teacher at a Heritage football game.

Photo courtesy of Heritage High School

Hometown SportS

BVAL girls flag football makes history in Brentwood as all six teams play in one night

Atmosphere

By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer

Monday Night Lights has arrived in Brentwood with the Bay Valley Athletic League’s varsity girls flag football’s opening night.

“It was a great experience because this is something that’s just never happened before,” Heritage junior flag quarterback Amaya Gilmore said after her four-touchdown performance against Liberty in Heritage’s 25-6 win to cap the night. “It’s such a good experience for people to be a part of the very first game ever.”

“This is awesome,” said Liberty Union High School Superintendent Eric Volta, who took in the game day from the sidelines. “A new sport, people having fun competing. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”

The first BVAL girl’s flag football gameday featured three games on for the Week 1 schedule, the standard of the schedule going forward, with all six BVAL

teams playing one game each. As the 10game season goes on, teams will have double-headers as two schools host each game day with a bye week in early October.

The energy from the crowd was electric, especially when the host Patriots started their game against Liberty.

“The girls played well,” Heritage junior quarterback Phillip Babbitt said. Babbitt and other members of both the Heritage and Liberty varsity football teams were in attendance as well with a packed student section for the girls flag football debut of the Brentwood Bowl. “They played

aggressively and it was really good. (The win) was really cool because we haven’t beaten (Liberty) in a hot minute, so hopefully we’ll do that this year.”

“This is home,” Heritage coach Jason Jeffrey said after the win. “This is our house, and we take care of it. This community, the school I teach here, this is amazing. We had support from all levels, which is the culture we’re trying to build here.”

The games were quick and went smoothly. Each game had two 20-minute halves with a five- minute halftime and a running clock until the final two minutes of each half. Each team had four downs to get a first down at the blue cones that were spaced out every 20 yards from each goal line. Scoring teams had a chance at a one-point point-after attempt five yards out or could have gone for two from 10. Almost every team that scored Monday night went for one.

Each game lasted just under an hour with the following game starting just minutes after the previous one ended.

While the rules were roughly set in place, everyone, coaches and referees included, admitted that they were still learning and getting used to rules that are evolving as they go.

“It’s going to be like trial and error

see Flag Football page 11

Patriots in search of offense in 5-set loss to Lions

By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent

The Liberty Lions girls volleyball team defeated the Heritage Patriots at home in a thrilling five- set series 3-2 with set scores of 25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-23 and 15-11 on Sept. 12.

The Lions trailed the series 2-1 in Set 4 when they scored four straight points to come back and win Set 4 to force a tiebreaking Set 5.

“We got out of our heads, we all just came together as a team, and we were all just really fighting for it,” said Lions outside hitter Brooklyn Gamez on the team’s ability to rebound and win the series.

For the Patriots, they had several chances to secure a victory but were unable to come up with scores when they needed them most. Numerous times in the final two sets, offensive opportunities to put points on the board came up empty with spikes and tips that went into the net.

“I think it’s a misconnection between our setters and hitters,” said Heritage Patriots girls volleyball head coach Janet Hannigan. “I changed my lineup the last four sets and the passing got better, but I don’t think the setting hitting connection got better.”

The Patriots’ offense has struggled all season, and Hannigan said that even though it was a closer series, she didn’t see much of an improvement in her team’s offense against the Lions.

Despite the offensive inconsistencies, the Patriots won Sets 2 and 3 to take a series lead over the Lions. Liberty’s resilience emphasized by their coach, Ana Hofferber, was a big part to them winning the last two sets, she said.

“We’ve been working all season on coming together as a team to be resilient, and I think they finally did that to get past their mental block,” said Hofferber.

Heritage’s record drops to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in league play. However, even with the loss to Liberty, Hannigan re-

“We have to improve the offense,” Heritage Patriots girls volleyball head coach Janet Hannigan said following the team’s loss to Liberty on Sept. 12.

mains confident the Patriots can still contend for the Bay Valley Athletic League girls volleyball championship this season.

“We have to improve the offense,” said Hannigan.

This was Liberty’s first league match, and they sit atop the BVAL standings with a 1-0 record in league and 6-2 record on the season.

“We’re just going to continue to work hard and be ready to play them again in our rematch and hopefully come home with a league champion title,” said Hofferber.

The Bay Valley Athletic League kicked off its girls flag football in style under the Monday night lights as all six BVAL teams took to the field for their first girls flag football games at Heritage High School.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

‘electric’ at Heritage High field

Photo by Juan Cebreiros

Cable confident in Liberty High Football’s future despite special teams problems

By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent

“I’m pretty confident that we can go toe to toe with anybody that we play,” Liberty High head football coach Mike Cable said following Tuesday’s practice as the team gears up for their Homecoming game this Friday night against the Fremont Ti-

Flag Football

gers.

The Lions are coming off a blowout victory over the Will C. Wood Wildcats running back Jaxon Bell rushed for 266 yards and six touchdowns to be named the NorCal Offensive Player of the Week.

Cable continues to reiterate that he has full confidence in this team to be able to contend with Pittsburg High School for

the Bay Valley Athletic League championship and win playoff games.

“We have a belief of where we’re gonna be and what we need to do to accomplish that. We’ve shown that every game, even in the first half of the Los Gatos game,” Cable said.

Preparations for this week’s match against Fremont have been difficult for the

Lions due to a lack of film to study to get ready for the Tigers, coaches said.

Last week, Fremont played El Cerrito High School when the game was stopped two minutes before halftime because injuries made it difficult for the Tigers to field a team.

see Liberty page 12

from page 10

through this whole thing,” Pittsburg coach Victor Galli said. “We’re gonna get it perfect when it’s all said and done.”

“The first game, again, we didn’t know what to expect,” Liberty coach Matt Malzahn said. “A lot of it was with the rules. We’re trying to get the rules, the size of the field was changed from 80 yards to 60 yards and the first down was 20, now it’s 15 or 20. Everything’s changed, and I know the refs are learning it too. We’re trying to help our girls as well so we’re trying to communicate with the rest. I just love the energy and our girls are resilient and they’re gonna fight back.”

The action on the field saw the same level of competition that you’d expect from a varsity sport. Even though flag football doesn’t have the same amount of physicality as its regular counterpart, ball carriers were trying to run over defenders and defenders got physical with the receivers, especially in the Heritage versus Liberty game.

“The girls are competing,” Volta said.

The game day opened with a tightly contested matchup between Pittsburg and Antioch in the girls flag version of “The Big Little Game.”

The Pirates won 12-6 after Pittsburg’s Alani Lopez hit Ali Tautolo for a go-ahead 15-yard touchdown pass with 1:17 left in the game.

“It was actually a lot of fun,” Galli said after the win.

“We really didn’t know what to expect. The excitement was great. Playing against one of our cross-town rivals in Antioch, it was a really good game.”

Freedom followed that matchup with a 40-0 shutout of Deer Valley, which saw Falcons senior flag quarterback Lauren Denny toss five touchdown passes in the win including a 40-yard deep ball to junior Emma Reed to end the half.

“We played well,” said Freedom coach Kevin Hartwig, another former varsity coach to make his return to the sidelines. “The defense played great tonight. We just got lucky tonight and all the girls executed everything.”

Liberty and Pittsburg both host the Week 2 matchups as the doubleheaders begin. Liberty will host and will welcome both Antioch and Deer Valley back to Brentwood, while Pittsburg will also host in Week 2, welcoming Heritage and Freedom with the first game of the night starting at 6 p.m.

The final week of the regular season ends at Liberty on Oct. 30 with rematches of the Week 1 matchups.

To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress. net/multimedia

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Deer Valley sophomore Isabella Lacy looks to pass in the Lady Wolverines game against Freedom.

“We don’t know exactly what to prepare for with that though we just have to be ready to adapt,” said Cable.

Special teams has continued to be a weak spot for the Lions, and Cable said he hopes this week can be a turning point for that unit. Last week, the Lions failed three point-after touchdown attempts and turned the ball over on downs after a bad snap on a punt.

“We invest time, but it’s difficult. We’re doing our best to fix those things; we definitely have to stop the bleeding,” Cable said.

Quarterback Sage Robertson has been battling a left hand injury since the Sept. 1 game against Los Gatos. Last

week, he wore a brace to start the game but took it off after finding it difficult to field snaps. However late in the third quarter, he reinjured the hand and came out of the game. Cable doesn’t anticipate Robertson wearing a brace this week and believes he is good to go for Friday night’s game.

“He’s doing well, better than last week,” Cable said. “He’s been making throws, doing well. We have full confidence in his ability going into this game.”

This Friday’s match against the Fremont Tigers has a later kickoff time at 7:15 due to the pre-game Homecoming festivities at Liberty High as the Lions look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Photo by Juan Cebreiros

Cop logs

A physical fight was reported at Mojave Drive and Red Rock Road. Two or three suspects were seen ‘jumping’ the victim.

Brentwood − August 27, 10:07 p.m.

The following is a selection of recent law enforecement activity:

OAKLEY

August 27, 12:49 a.m. A residential burglary was reported on the 2200 block of El Lago Drive.

August 27, 05:17 a.m. A case of vehicle theft was reported on the 4000 block of Wilbur Avenue.

August 27, 6:06 p.m. A non-criminal death was reported on the 90 block of Ottawa Street.

August 27, 6:33 p.m. A domestic disturbance was reported on Shady Oak Drive and Serenity Lane.

August 27, 11:25 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported on the 100 block of Little Ranch Circle.

August 28, 12:27 a.m. A case of tampering with a vehicle was reported on the 80 block of Carol Lane.

August 28, 6:18 a.m. A misdemeanor hit and run was reported on Bridgehead Road and Wilbur Avenue.

August 28, 7:52 a.m. An accident with property damage was reported on West Cypress Road and O’Hara Avenue.

August 28, 9:31 a.m. A case of vandalism was reported on the 2500 block of Main Street.

August 28, 2:00 p.m. A verbal dispute was reported on the 30 block of Rustic Court.

August 28, 2:59 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported on the 200 block of East Cypress Road.

August 28, 4:14 p.m. A dispute with a neighbor was reported on the 2000 block of Chicory Drove.

August 28, 8:26 p.m. An accident with property damage was reported on East Cypress Road and Machado Lane.

August 29, 6:01 a.m. An accident with property damage was reported on the 1000 block of Clear Lake Drive.

August 29, 8:23 a.m. A case of unauthorized possession of a firearm was reported on the 5400 block of Main Street.

August 29, 11:17 a.m. Someone brandishing a weapon was reported on the 1100 block of Lake Park Drive.

August 29, 12:21 p.m. A case of grand theft from a vehicle was reported on Isleton Court.

August 29, 12:43 p.m. A case of grand theft of auto parts was reported on the 1200 block of Walnut Meadows Drive.

August 29, 1:18 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported at Diamond Hills Sports Club.

August 29, 2:36 p.m. A case of grand theft of auto parts was reported on the 1700 block of Chianti Way.

August 29, 2:54 p.m. A case of elder abuse was reported on the 1600 block of Edgewood Drive.

August 29, 4:38 p.m. A case of counterfeit was reported on the 2000 block of Main Street.

Man arrested in Brentwood for probation violation, gun charges

By Melissa van Ruiten Staff Writer

Zyon Richardson of San Francisco was arrested on Thursday, Aug. 31, for violating his probation terms, being a felon in possession of a firearm, the aforementioned warrant, and many other gun-related charges, according to a Brentwood police press release.

While on patrol in the area of Sand Creek Road and Sand Drift Drive, a Brentwood Police officer stopped a vehicle that was being driven without license plates. The driver,

August 29, 8:55 p.m. A case of vandalism was reported on Laurel Road and O’Hara Avenue.

August 30, 3:44 a.m. A case of vehicle theft was reported on the 2100 block of Chicory Drive.

August 30, 8:50 a.m. A case of vehicle theft was reported on the 2000 block of Truman Lane.

August 30, 9:53 a.m. A suspicious circumstance of a sexual nature was reported on the 10 block of Pinenut Court.

August 30, 12:03 p.m. A robbery was reported on 3rd Street and Acme Street.

August 30, 12:18 p.m. A case of petty theft was reported on the 1500 block of Quail Valley Run.

August 30, 1:34 p.m. An accident with property damage was reported at the Oakley Police Department.

August 30, 3:19 p.m. An accident with property damage was reported at Freedom High School.

August 30, 9:01 p.m. A strong arm robbery was reported on the 5500 block of Bridgehead Road.

August 31, 03:59 a.m. An unwanted guest was reported at the AM/PM on Main Street and Wilbur Avenue.

August 31, 11:16 a.m. A domestic disturbance was reported on the 200 block of Hearthstone Circle.

August 31, 6:40 p.m. A case of petty theft from a vehicle was reported on the 400 block of Mockingbird Lane.

September 1, 08:05 a.m. A case of petty theft was reported at the Best Western.

September 1, 11:34 a.m. A case of checks written with insufficient funds was report-

Richardson, 20, was on formal felony probation out of Sonoma County on gun charges, also had a warrant out for his arrest, according to the release.

When the officer searched Richardson’s vehicle, they found an unregistered, loaded gun beneath the seat of his car, shown in body camera footage.

At that point, Richardson was arrested and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility, and his vehicle was towed from the scene.

To watch the body camera footage, visit bit.ly/48aQT6V. To comment, visit www.thepress.net

ed on the 10 block of Tipton Court.

September 1, 5:03 p.m. A case of felony driving under the influence was reported at Raley’s.

September 1, 7:15 p.m. A warrant arrest was made on East Cypress Road and Main Street.

September 1, 10:07 p.m. An accident with property damage was reported on the 500 block of 4th Street.

September 2, 5:46 a.m. An ordinance violation was reported at Nest Drive and Adora Lane.

September 2, 6:23 a.m. A case of vehicle theft was reported on the 4300 block of Gold Run Drive.

September 2, 11:13 a.m. A case of fraud under false pretenses was reported on the 1000 block of Morning Glory Way.

September 2, 8:08 p.m. A loud party was reported on Connie Lane and Dennis Court.

BRENTWOOD

August 27, 9:19 a.m. A case of commercial burglary was reported on Smith Road. The reporting party saw the suspect on a security camera.

August 27, 10:16 a.m. A restraining order violation was reported on Wildflower Loop. The reporting party said the suspect made a non-specific threat.

August 27, 10:07 p.m. A physical fight was reported at Mojave Drive and Red Rock Road. Two or three suspects were seen ‘jumping’ the victim.

August 28, 1:15 p.m. A suspicious circumstance was reported on Brentwood Boule-

vard. The reporting party said she wanted to report a drug dealer.

August 28, 3:16 p.m. A case of a person brandishing a weapon was reported on East Country Club Drive. The reporting party said her son was riding his bike when the suspect pulled a knife on him. The reporting party confronted the suspect, and the suspect took off, leaving all his belongings behind.

August 28, 4:21 p.m. A case of identity theft was reported. The reporting party said that an unknown person withdrew $16,700 in cash from an unknown Bank of America. A similar incident was reported approximately two months ago.

August 28, 5:02 p.m. A suspicious circumstance was reported on American Avenue. The reporting party said their child had heard a rumor that there would be an incident at the student’s school the following day.

August 28, 5:20 p.m. An accident with major injuries was reported on Brentwood Boulevard and Applewood Common. Two vehicles were T-boned.

August 28, 6:01 p.m. A case of harassment was reported on Rosegate Avenue. The reporting party said that the suspect was driving a silver Porsche Cayenne back and forth and honking the horn to harass the reporting party.

August 29, 7:33 a.m. A case of petty theft was reported on Brentwood Boulevard. The suspect stole several bottles of alcohol the night before.

August 29, 8:21 a.m. A case of commercial burglary was reported at the fields on Sunset Road. The concession stand was burgled overnight.

August 29, 12:02 p.m. An accident with unknown injuries was reported on Farmington Drive.

August 29, 1:31 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported on Second Street. Two suspects took two grocery carts full of food and loaded it into a beige Chevrolet Impala.

August 29, 3:37 p.m. A case of vehicle theft was reported on Brentwood Boulevard.

August 29, 4:32 p.m. A restraining order violation was reported on Village Drive. The reporting party said that the suspect called them twice from jail.

August 29, 4:46 p.m. A case of grand theft was reported on Lone Tree Way.

August 29, 7:16 p.m. A case of suspicious persons was reported on Lone Tree Way. The reporting party said that three people were in the Sephora section of the store, taking “tons of makeup.”

August 29,10:09 p.m. A commercial burglary was reported on Lone Tree Way. The door of the business was shattered, but it was unknown when the incident happened.

August 29, 11:58 p.m. A suspicious circumstance was reported on Alpine Court. Suspect was getting out of their car and checking door handles on other vehicles.

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

ARALIN Located at: 5425 MAZANT LOOP In: ANTIOCH, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): MARIA NICOLA ROCES MAGAT. 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 NICOLA MAGAT, INDIVIDUAL. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/17/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/16/2028 Antioch Press No. 06-1617

Publish Dates: September 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. F-2023-0003874 The name of the business(es): Value Inspired Pest Management Located at: 112 Daphne Ct In: Antioch, CA 94509, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Value Inspired Pest Management. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, State of Incorporation: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A.

Signature of registrant: Nyziq Smith, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: July 25, 2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 07/24/2028 Antioch Press No. 06-1617

Publish Dates: September 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. F-2023-0004276 The name of the business(es): LCG Memories Located at: 211 Shoreline Ct In: Richmond, CA 94804, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Lata Colborn Gleich. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on . Signature of registrant: Lata Colborn Gleich, individual - sole proprietor. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/15/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/14/2028 Antioch Press No. 06-1617

Publish Dates: September 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. F-2023-0004425 The name of the business(es): Brentwood Mobile RV Repair Located at: 7960 Brentwood Blvd, Suite E In: Brentwood, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): RV & Yacht Repair, INC. This business is conducted by: a Corporation, State of Incorporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2023.

Signature of registrant: Michael Meloni, Ceo. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/24/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/23/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. F-2023-0004534 The name of the business(es): Detailed Pest Control Inc Located at: 1140 Saranap Ave In: Walnut Creek, CA 94596, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Detailed Pest Control Inc. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, State of Incorporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A.

Signature of registrant: Darren Sant, CEO, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/29/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/28/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004627 The name of the

Rd In: Concord, CA 94519, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): RV & Yacht Repair, INC. This business is conducted by: a Corporation, State of Incorporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2023. Signature of registrant: Michael Meloni, Ceo. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/31/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/30/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004036 The name of the business(es): Metal Maniac Prints Located at: 628 Greystone Dr In: Antioch, CA -4509, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): David Earley. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/02/2023.

Signature of registrant: David Earley, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/02/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/01/2028 Brentwood Press No. 021273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT

File No. F-2023-0004640 The name of the business(es): SONS FURNITURE AND RESTORATION Located at: 1371 Berry Ln. In: Brentwood,CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Kenneth Anthony Brossard Jr.. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on . Signature of registrant: Kenneth Anthony Brossard Jr., Owner / Operator. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 09/01/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 09/01/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004629 The name of the business(es): Ysela’s Esthetics Located at: 675 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Suite B101 In: Walnut Creek, CA 94596, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Ysela Oralia Howland. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on . Signature of registrant: Ysela Oralia Howland, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/31/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/30/2028

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004632 The name of the business(es):

1. Lone Tree Gas & Food

2. Sinclair Lone Tree Gas & Food Located at: 3720 Lone Tree Way In: Antioch, CA 94509, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Shiv Divankni Ventures and Investments 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 08/25/2017. Signature of registrant: Asha Jain, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/31/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/30/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2023-0004630 The name of the business: La Orinda Care Home Lo-

cated at: 2180 La Orinda PL In: Concord, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): A MAX ELDER CARE LLC. This business is conducted by: a Limited Liability Company, State of Organization: 8/4/2023. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/04/2023. Signature of registrant: Asha Jain, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/31/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/30/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004628 The name of the business(es): Contra Costa Mobile RV Repair Located at: 384 1st Street In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): RV & Yacht Repair, INC. This business is conducted by: a Corporation, State of Incorporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 01/01/2023. Signature of registrant: Michael Meloni, Ceo. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/31/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/30/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004295 The name of the business(es): Alamo Lighting Located at: 3240 Monument Way Ste A In: Concord CA 94518, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Alamo Lighting & Electric Corporation. This business is conducted by: A Corporation, State of Incorporation: CA. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Kelly Houck, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/16/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/15/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: August 25, September 1, 8, 15, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004236 The name of the business(es): id8 Real Estate Located at: 2511 Troon Dr In: Brentwood, Ca 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Eric Karwowski. This business is conducted by: a Corporation, State of Incorporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/01/2023. Signature of registrant: Yes, Yes. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/11/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/10/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS

NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004218 The name of the business(es): True Investments Located at: 1673 Harmony st In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Kevin. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Signature of registrant: Kevin Jerome Parker Jr, President. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/10/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/09/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023

FICTITIOUS

In: Brentwood, Ca 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Christian Richardson. This business is conducted by: an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Signature of registrant: CHRISTIAN RICHARDSON-INDIVIDUAL, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/29/2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/28/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273

Publish Dates: September 15, 22, 29, October 6, 2023

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2023-0004299

The name of the business(es): COAT LAUNDRY Located at: 6660 Lone Tree Way, Suite 4-409 In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): EJIKEME UCHE. 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: EJIKEME UCHE, INDIVIDUAL. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 16, 2023 by Deputy Clerk Expires 8/15/2028 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish dates: August 25, September 1, 8, 15, 2023.

Publish Dates: August 25, September 1, 8, 15, 2023

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME

PETITIONER OR ATTORNEY: Kathleen Diane Ponsiglione SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA, 725 Court Street Martinez, CA 94553 PETITION OF: Kathleen Diane Ponsiglione, Cathlena Kay Dominguez

CASE NUMBER: N23-1639 TO ALL

INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. Petitioner Kathleen Diane Ponsiglione, Cathlena Kay Dominguez filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name: a. Cathlena Kay Dominguez b. AKA Kathleen Diane Ponsiglione to Proposed Name: a. Kathleen Diane Ponsiglione. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING a. Date: 11/15/2023 Time:

9:00 a.m. Dept.: 30 b. The address of the court is same as noted above. 3. a. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Brentwood Press

Date:

For second-generation framer Chris Ramos, it’s all in the family. CR Framing serves local artists and residents at wholesale prices, with excellent quality and quick turnaround. They offer an array of services, including custom framing, shipping, shrink wrapping, matting, and framing. The business is located at 700 Harvest Park Drive, Unit I, in Brentwood, and hours are 10

to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10

to 3

on Saturdays. For more information, call 925-634-7742 email crframing@aol.com or visit crframing.webs.com.

Delays from page 1

“This public hearing is important to the safety of all Brentwood citizens,” high school senior Nina Damiano said. “It is urgent that we continue on the path that we’re already on to keep Brentwood a healthy and safe place for all its residents.”

The City Council had originally enacted an interim ordinance in the spring of 2022 while continuing to research and prepare “a long-term, forward-looking ordinance that will target 3,200 feet of sensitive receptor areas, and permanently ban oil and gas drilling within city limits, if appropriate,” according to the agenda packet for the Sept. 12 meeting. A sensitive receptor area is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as an area whose occu-

Freedom from page 1

in a history class.

pants are more susceptible to harm from pollutants, such as hospitals and schools.

The interim ordinance was extended for 10 months in May of 2022 and again on March 28, 2023 while the city continued to research more “ironclad” options. According to the agenda packet, the City Council was prepared to discuss more stringent ordinances for oil and gas drilling as part of the Aug. 8 meeting, but the state Supreme Court ruling on Aug. 3 caused plans to change.

“Staff and special counsel have been studying the issues related to preparing the ban and preparing the ordinances,” City Attorney Damien Brower said in March. “Specifically two ordinances. The first being a permanent ban on new oil and gas

In an English class, students compared Shakespearean lines from Macbeth to the lyrics in the rock band Kansas’s classic song “Carry On Wayward Son.” And it even reached as far as the physical education classes, where they were learning about rugby, a sport that’s growing nationally, but still pretty foreign to American kids.

“Differentiation is a matter of analyzing content, product and process, and finding ways that students can connect with each of those to find academic success,” Amaro explained. “We have students in some subpopulations that are really struggling to make academic progress. I want all of our educators to see that if we find ways to make differentiation real for our students, if they can find pathways to where they can connect, that will lead them to academic success.”

Towards the end of the week,the students fill out a survey detailing the good and bad parts about the week so the faculty at Freedom can adjust for the next quarter.

While test scores and grade point averages do matter, at least on paper, Amaro says that the best results really come from when the students say that they “learned something today.”

“What defines success is when a student comes to me and says, ‘I learned something today,’” Amaro said.

The change in direction of sorts has had mixed reactions from the students on campus as well.

“It’s not too bad,” said Freedom sophomore Riley Parker about her history class. “It’s kind of affected my grades, and being in leadership too has made my grades go down a bit, but it’s okay. The work is a little bit harder and

drilling in the city and the second being updating our current regulations. That ordinance would only go into effect if the permanent ban was successfully challenged, so you’d still have regulations in place if the permanent ban went away for whatever reason.”

The new ordinances that is scheduled to be discussed on Oct. 10 are expected to have factored in potential legal challenges presented by the Supreme Court ruling, according to the agenda packet.

Other topics discussed at the meeting included:

• A 4-1 approval of an amendment to City Manager Tim Ogden’s contract that granted Ogden a 5% raise from $273,565 to $287,243, including benefits, retroactive

students.

to July 1. Councilmember Jovita Mendoza cast the dissenting vote.

• Discussion of changes to the parking garage on City Park Way for convenience and safety. Proposed changes to be voted on later include a display at the entrance indicating the number of vacant stalls as well as a gate arm that could be lowered to bar vehicles from entering the garage during posted closed hours.

• Unanimous approval of a paved outdoor equipment storage and maintenance yard associated with the Brentwood Golf Club at 100 Summerset Drive. The item had previously also been approved by the Planning Commission.

The full meeting can be found at https://bit.ly/48rTl9t

“A lot of times we get tests back and then we look at it and go ‘ok, great. I got my score and I move on,’ she said. “But for my kids, they have a huge AP test in May, so it’s their way of reviewing and making sure that they understand where they went wrong so that they don’t do it again in May when they take their big test.”

Rayburn added that she has used this differentiation strategy before through her seven years of teaching, but that this is her first year with supportive differentiation and she’s doing it in all of her classes.

“I’ve found that it’s a huge success for my kids because it forces them to go back to content that, in their head, they could be done with and forget about,” she added. “Then they’re talking to each other and they’re getting ideas from each other, not just from me, the teacher, which is really nice for them to have that communication.”

I’m not really understanding it as well.”

Two other seniors at Freedom, Audrey Dunn and Sabrina Ibarra, like the change of pace and teaching strategy in the classroom. Their English class is connecting lines from Macbeth to Kansas’s song “Carry On Wayward Son.”

“I feel like by having two different pieces to connect with each other, it allows you to make many connections within the piece and understand it,” Ibarra said.

It adds a dimension to what you’re learning so you can really understand it more,” Dunn added.

The teachers at Freedom have also really taken to differentiation week as well.

Sierra Rayburn, an AP Calculus teacher, says that the change in technique has been helpful for her, let alone her

Amaro’s first year as the principal at Freedom has seen plenty of firsts, including differentiation week. His early tenure as principal has seen him promote a bigger sense of transparency and a more-than-usual sense of presence on campus, and he says that the support he gets from the Freedom community allows for the school to do things like differentiation week.

“Relational leadership is everything, right?” Amaro said. “If you create relationships with parents, students, teachers, they are more likely to try things. I can’t thank them enough because you can’t do it alone, and I really feel that the camaraderie that we have on this campus is all for student success.”

To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia

portunity to take part in a business “pulse check.” The Chamber will set up quarterly, 1-on-1 meetings with business owners to help them with any challenges they’re facing, celebrate their successes, and discuss their future opportunities, Chuiko said. “Every success that Oakley can nurture and build here will ultimately reflect on the whole Delta.”

Chuiko said the relaunched Chamber will be working with Oakley’s economic development team to prevent competition between them and to offer support that complements the “pro-business” initiatives the city already offers. Economic development is one of Oakley’s highest priorities, he said, and the city’s program exists to promote new opportunities for growth and development in the community, while maintaining the small-town character that residents enjoy, according to the presentation Chuiko made at the Oakley City Council meeting on Sept. 12.

“The biggest benefit to the City of

Oakley will be the opportunity for businesses to take advantage of networking, programs, and services being offered by a Chamber that has been absent for years,” said Oakley City Manager Josh McMurray.

Harumi Murata, an economic development analyst with the city, describes the business community as already being tight-knit. She says she’s excited to share resources with the Chamber.

“The connection, the network, and the fostering relationships, that’s the key.” Murata said. “That’s the part we’re definitely looking forward to.”

The revitalized Chamber won’t be focusing only on large, established brickand-mortar businesses, Chuiko said. They’ll also be offering opportunities for

start-ups, home-based businesses, and nonprofits. Over half of Oakley’s registered businesses are home-based, and the city has 182 registered non-profits, according to Chuiko’s presentation.

“To be the destination, you have to stand out,” said Chuiko. “And to stand out, you have to break the mold.”

The Oakley Chamber of Commerce will be holding a kick-off event on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. at Oakley City Hall in the council chambers. Officials said business owners are encouraged to attend and share their vision for the new endeavor.

Local historian and author Carol Jensen is the secretary and treasurer of the new Oakley Chamber. She worked behind-the-scenes work to get the group

re-incorporated and ready to go. Jensen, who described Oakley as the gateway to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area, is looking forward to the Chamber being a hub of information about the history, agriculture, and tourism opportunities the Delta offers.

“Chambers of Commerce have been the vehicle for promotion and support of local businesses ever since the movement started at the early part of last century,” Jensen said.

To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia

Correction: In the story headlined “Brentwood residents reject Bridle Gate” in the Sept. 8 edition, “In 2021…” was not included after the word ‘denied’ at the beginning of the story, basing the introduction to a previous Press story.

Freedom physical education teacher Andrew Cotter introduces his P.E. class to the sport of rugby.

Photo by Jeff Weisinger

Chamber from page 1

The city of Antioch issued a proclamation on Aug. 22 in honor of Dr. Carol Weyland Conner, the founder of White Pony Express. She died on April 22, 2023. Over the last 10 years, White Pony Express has delivered millions of pounds of fresh food to Antioch residents.

Conner, 80, was spiritual director of Sufism Reoriented, founder of White Pony Express and Following Francis.

Conner was a psychologist, teacher, and the murshida, or spiritual director, of Sufism Reoriented (sufismreoriented.org) an American spiritual school founded in 1952 by Meher Baba that honors all spiritual traditions and the essential unity of all life. In recent years, Conner won national prominence and numerous civic awards for the volunteer service programs she founded, Following Francis and White Pony Express, which seek to help the impoverished.

“There is a simple solution that can end the problems of hunger and marginalization for good—a new paradigm: voluntary shared abundance,” she explained in a talk to Women Forward International in 2021. “In this model of life, responsibility for helping the family of man is assumed by everyone, or in the phrase the White Pony Express often uses, ‘All of us taking care of all of us.’ The idea of ‘shared abundance’ has caught on like wildfire and the program has never stopped growing.”

The daughter of Rudolph Harry Weyland, a musician and educator, and LaJune Arletta Wendt Weyland, an elementary school teacher, Conner studied English literature at the University of California in Berkeley, French literature at the Sorbonne in Paris, and medieval studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The sudden grave mental illness of her older brother caused her to switch her field to psychology in the hope that she could aid him and others so afflicted. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., in 1976. After teaching for several years at the George Washington University School of Medicine, Conner went into private practice as a therapist, practicing for 25 years in Walnut Creek when she was also a volunteer counselor with Mother Te-

resa’s Missionaries of Charity in San Francisco.

Conner learned of Meher Baba and Sufism Reoriented in the mid-1970s, joining Sufism Reoriented in 1979. In 2001, her predecessor, Dr. James MacKie, appointed her as the murshida, or spiritual director of the group, a position she held for nearly 22 years until she died.

An important part of her work has been to develop new models of community service, particularly in Contra Costa County, Washington, D.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C., where Conner maintained homes. Programs she started on a small scale with volunteers from Sufism Reoriented have been enthusiastically embraced.

In Contra Costa County, she formed White Pony Express in 2013, to gather surplus fresh food from markets and restaurants and deliver it to service agencies that feed the hungry in the county. White Pony Express is now one of California’s largest food rescue programs and distributes new clothing and other goods to the underserved.

In 2018, Conner arranged for White Pony Express to gather and transport food, clothing and envelopes of cash on a regular basis to the survivors of the devastating Camp Fire in Butte County for many months. This involved 182 volunteers making over 90 trips, each round trip of eight hours, to the disaster area, delivering over 58,000 pounds of food and more than 1,800 articles of clothing to displaced people. For this work, she was given

the prestigious Andrus Award for community service by California AARP in 2019. More recently, owing directly to Conner’s concern for the people of Ukraine, White Pony Express began gathering and shipping emergency supplies of non-perishable food, clothing, and medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees in Europe.

Conner also founded Following Francis in 2011, inspired by the values of Francis of Assisi and his ideal of universal brotherhood. Following Francis volunteers staged musical dramas on the life and universal message of Francis, colorful Umbrian-style outdoor “faires” and other activities for nearly 15,000 children, first in Bay Area cities and eventually in Washington, D.C., New York City and Baltimore. Conner conceived these programs with the aim of nurturing feelings of kindness, courage, and self-worth in children through loving experiences that would nourish their hearts.

In Washington, D.C., Following Francis volunteers serve the local community by beautifying historic Meridian Hill Park in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, hanging flower baskets mounted on park lamp posts and picking up trash daily. Volunteers also distribute over six tons of fresh groceries weekly and 40,000 diapers monthly to underserved D.C.-area families. The non-

profit organization has also provided nearly $100,000 in donated shelf-stable food, medical and school supplies, diapers and infant supplies, and hygiene bags for Ukraine relief.

In Myrtle Beach, Conner’s Following Francis program has organized weekly summer beach outings for children in underserved areas of the city, as well as field trips to area attractions and a five-day excursion to Washington, D.C. The program distributes food, clothing, bicycles and beds to these families. Following Francis has also worked with local public schools in the Los Angeles area to provide immediately needed groceries, meals, and clothing.

Conner has been honored with the Jefferson Award from San Francisco TV station KPIX, the “Threads of Hope” Award from Diablo Magazine, she was named a Hometown Hero by the Contra Costa Times, and on April 8, 2023, two weeks before she died, she was given the Soroptimist Ruby Award for Women Helping Women.

“We have reached a point in universal history where mankind, as a whole, can begin to realize the fundamental truth that we all share one life,” she said. “Human brotherhood is not something to aspire to – it is the central fact of our existence. In this beautiful world we share, love knows all, does all, and is the most powerful force in the universe.”

Business Profile

Paul Turner, local owner of Handyman Paul, has been a handyman since 2001 and has owned Handyman Paul since 2009. Turner and his small but dedicated and talented staff serve all of Contra Costa County. They specialize in windows, siding, decks, acoustical ceiling removal, all flooring and tile, concrete and landscaping. Turner thrives on working with his hands, and says that he enjoys working with the public, completing challenging projects and earning the homeowner’s appreciation for a job well done.