Small business advice offered – for free
By Connor Robles Correspondent
Three local business groups have joined forces to provide one-on-one advice and support to Brentwood small businesses – for free.
The new program of the East Bay Small Business Development Center, the Brentwood Economic Development Division, and the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce offers 30-minute advising sessions at the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce building at 35 Oak St. from noon to 4 p.m. every other Wednesday.
They began on Sept. 11 and runs through Dec. 11. There are no sessions on Nov. 27 with Thanksgiving being the next day, or on Dec. 25 because of Christmas.
the Chamber of Commerce not located in the city, may schedule a session. Anyone who schedules a session is entered into the SBDC database and made eligible for the center’s other programs.
small businesses can now get free support and advice from three local business groups.
According to Chamber president Karri Reiser, who invited the East Bay SBDC to hold the sessions, all Brentwood small businesses, as well as members of
‘We’re not doing our job the correct way’
By Jake Menez Staff Writer
Brentwood’s Planning Commission was divided during their Sept. 17 meeting. The topic was the design of two new houses on Kayla Place, a proposal the commissioners voted against 3-2, but the discussion expanded into one about the commission’s role and its approach to project proposals.
Reiser said in an interview that the sessions are similar to a job interview. The adviser asks questions to ascertain the entrepreneur’s needs and those of their business, and then discusses which form of assistance would be best for them. Each advising day is overseen by one of four advisers who specialize in one field but can provide advice on numerous subjects, including finance, marketing, and business planning. If the in-person adviser cannot provide advice on a subject, they will notify East Bay SBDC, which will connect business owners with another adviser who can answer their questions.
see Advice page 26
Got drugs you don’t want any more? Drop them off here
both be accepting expired and unwanted drugs for free, “no questions asked.” Officials ask the public to put all drugs in one container to make the drop-off easier and more efficient.
By Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
Local law enforcement agencies and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are co-hosting Prescription Drug Takeback events next month.
The proposed homes would have been on two adjacent irregularly-shaped vacant lots at 171
“It is our moral obligation – our official obligation – to enforce every aspect of the objective design standard,” Commissioner Rod Flohr explained. Flohr said that in his time on the dais, many of the Planning Commission’s decisions have been reviewed by the City Council when they have deviated from established standards. “We’re not doing our job the correct way if City Council has to come back and redo the job for us.”
On Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Brentwood Police Department and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff will
The event in Brentwood will be in front of the Brentwood Police Station at 9100 Brentwood Blvd., while sheriff’s deputies will accept prescriptions in the Sandy Cove Shopping Center on the corner of Highway 4 and Bixler Road.
“This is a way for people to turn things in safely, and it’s free,” Brentwood Officer Lindzie Laughridge said. “We host it right at the police station and
see Drugs page 26
Brentwood
C ommunity
New exercise equipment in use at
By Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
Brentwood residents now have more options for staying fit because of a recent initiative by the city.
Outdoor exercise equipment has been installed at three new parks and on one existing trail as part of the city’s efforts to increase community and neighborhood services.
Aaron Wanden, Brentwood’s Parks Maintenance Manager said adding outdoor enhancements like exercise equipment was a top priority in the city’s 2019 Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan because of feedback received through workshops and surveys of Brentwood residents. With this data in mind, city staff designed three parks to include exercise stations: Live Oak Park, Monte Rosa Park and Aspen Park.
Live Oak Park was built in 2021 with four exercise stations. Monte Rosa Park was built in 2022 and has six sta -
tions. Aspen Park, also build in 2022, has four stations. All three parks were constructed by developers and funded by the development fee impact program with no cost to the city.
Exercise equipment has been installed at some Brentwood parks and trails as part of a recent initiative to help residents stay or get fit.
Earlier this year, exercise equipment was added to Dakota Trail on the far east end of Sand Creek Road. The trail runs north to south on the eastern edge of incorporated Brentwood,
between Sunset Road and Oak Street. Wanden said the project cost $37,000 and came from the city’s trail enhancement plans to include health and safety improvements while promoting trail systems. Amenities include a general trail map at the trailhead, colored trail markers specific to Dakota Trail, and fitness equipment.
“The few comments we have received have been positive,” Wanden said. “The city will continue to look for opportunities to include the installation of exercise equipment in city parks and along city trails.
Installing fitness equipment in parks is not new for Brentwood. Apple Hill Park, built in 1996, and Spirit Park, build in 1998, both included exercise stations and are still popular spots for locals to use. For more information, visit www.brentwoodca.gov/government/ parks-recreation/parks-and-trails. To view a slideshow, visit www.thepress. net / multimedia / slideshows
Photo courtesy of Aaron Wanden
One mother’s mission for her late son
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
“I want to make childhood cancer as noticeable as breast cancer,” Denise Rundall said. “My son had cancer, and I felt that the reason breast cancer gets like 20 percent of the federal funding is because it’s everywhere.”
“It’s different when a child gets cancer than an adult because of the isolation,” the Brentwood woman explained. “For teenagers, they don’t get to go to football games, they don’t get to play school sports, so it’s just a lot. I want the main reason to do this is to truly bring awareness to childhood cancer.”
To create this awareness, Rundall, and her non-profit, Dillion’s Dream, has partnered with the local schools to host what they call Gold Games – days in each of the fall team’s schedules when the local school’s sports teams wear gold ribbons, patches, decals, or anything to commemorate and raise awareness for childhood cancer.
“We started a non-profit and we started just doing awareness,” she said. “Last year, one of the Freedom football players had an awareness sticker on his helmet and he said that his neighbor had leukemia, and I was like ‘what can I do to help bring awareness to this. So that’s where I came up with the idea to ask all of the schools to do something.”
Rundall said that although not every team through the schools has gotten back to her, that the teams that have responded wanted to help.
“They were excited to do something,” Rundall said. “The ones that I get to respond, they’re people that know
somebody that’s a child that has cancer or knows about childhood cancer and are really excited to help and do something. The people that don’t know about it, or have never experienced it, don’t seem to care.”
Rundall has her own experience from it. Her son, Dillon, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma at 16 and died at 19 after battling the cancer for three years.
“It pretty much came up during his teens,” she said, “He got cancer at 16 and was a month away from his 20th birthday when he passed away.”
Some of the schools joining Rundall’s cause are Liberty, who’s doing a gold theme month, Heritage, Freedom, Antioch, and Deer Valley are all doing gold theme
BRENTWOOD CITY COUNCIL 2024 CANDIDATES FORUM
Monday, October 14 Emil J. Geddes Theater @ Bristow Middle School 855 Minnesota Ave
The Press and the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce are hosting a live forum for Mayoral and City Council candidates
6:00 p.m. Doors open for meet - and - greet 6:30 p.m. Forum starts with all candidates
COME MEET THE CANDIDATES TO BE AN INFORMED VOTER.
Please submit questions to editor@brentwoodpress.com and put “Candidate forum” in the subject line by Oct 4th.
Livestreaming of forum on www.facebook.com/thepress.net
Venue sponsored by B.U.S.D
sports, and O’Hara Middle School is doing a gold theme month.
Coming up, most notably, the local football teams –Freedom, Heritage, and Liberty – will host their gold game on Sept. 27. Antioch and Deer Valley will host their gold games on Friday night, Sept. 20, according to Rundall.
She said she hopes to add in other districts farther west like Pittsburg and Mount Diablo next year.
For more information on Dillion’s Dream nonprofit, and upcoming events, Stroll for Gold Run / Walk on Sept. 28 at Contra Loma Regional Park and vendor craft fair on Nov. 19 in the Brentwood Community Center, go to https://dillonsdreams.org/.
Mayoral candidates
Gerald Johnson
Susannah Meyer
District 1 candidates
Faye Maloney
Anita Roberts
District 3 candidates
Jovita Mendoza
Brian Oftedal
The Freedom girls flag football team wears the gold eye tape in tribute to Childhood Cancer Awareness month.
Photo courtesy Denise Rundall
LMC wants everyone to come to its 50th birthday party at Pittsburg campus
Brentwood location
By Sarah Capperauld Correspondent
Los Medanos College is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and they want everyone to come to the party.
The event will take place only on the Pittsburgh campus because it is the oldest campus compared to the newest addition in Brentwood, according to Juliet Casey, head of marketing at LMC.
The college welcomes students and the community into the heart of the school at 2700 E. Leland Road. Throughout the semester, students can look forward to activities and games in which they can participate.
One of the bigger ones, such as a Homecoming dance on Oct. 4, is from 5 to 9 p.m. which will feature live DJ, karaoke, and dancing. There will also be a football game and festival starting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 5. The football game will be played in the LMC stadium and will be free for students and the faculty to attend.
government organization. The separate budget for the dance is $4,000, Casey said.
Casey said she is excited about Homecoming.
“This event is to open doors to the community and allow students to get to see a lot more than just classes and have a forever connection” Casey said. The overall event took about several months to plan starting as far back as the college’s spring semester.
“Our anniversary events represent how Los Medanos College as an institution has fostered a welcoming atmosphere of equity and access, and has become a
Law Office of Ruth N. Buzzard
source of community pride, vitality, and hope,” Casey said.
For student employee Kat Pangilinan the Homecoming is a Part 2 from 2021. “I just wanted to dress fancy and be with friends,” she said. “When COVID happened I didn’t get the chance to have Prom especially as I was waiting for Senior Prom.”
Her plan is to have a heavily Bridgerton-inspired dance with a competition between the clubs and organizations of LMC. “There will be a centerpieces competition to see which centerpieces their organizations will shine through.”
The Homecoming dance will also feature a free photo booth, and everyone is invited. The dance will take place on the second floor of the Student Union Building on campus.
Overall, the budget for the Homecoming game was $5,700, which was given from Los Medanos College Associated Students, the community college’s student
Officials said they are hoping it goes well with an expected crowd of about 500 to attend. Officials also hope that the Office of Student Life will do another one either next semester or next year.
Brentwood campus
The Rotary Club of Brentwood in partnership with the LMC Foundation will have an anniversary-themed event at the Brentwood campus from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. Digs-&-Rigs is primarily a Rotary Club of Brentwood fundraising event and LMC Foundation is among the beneficiaries. Digs n’ Rigs is a hands-on family event that provides children of all ages the chance to explore vehicles of all types. LMC also will offer older children exposure to educational opportunities including public service, emergency, utility, construction, landscaping, transportation, and delivery industries.
To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/ multimedia
Los Medanos College will host an event at its Pittsburg campus on Oct. 5.
Press file photo
CASEY
A Hancock retrospective after famous quintet loses member
Explorations in Jazz
Welcome back. With the death of Wayne Shorter recently, I thought it might be fitting to review an album by one of the only two remaining artists from Miles Davis’s last great quintet. Herbie Hancock is a legendary figure in jazz. He started his career with the recording of his blue note recording Takin’ Off (1962), which is a 16bar blues, and produced the hit song Watermelon Man, which went gold on the R&B charts. His other hits in the jazz genre are Cantaloupe Island, Maiden Voyage, Chamelemon, and the first jazz song to play on MTV Rockit.
Hancock is the second mostawarded jazz musician in music. He has won 14 Grammys (Quincy Jones has won 24) he is an NEA (National Endowment Of The Arts) jazz master, is the only jazz arist to win a Grammy for album of the year in 2007 for the Joni Mitchell tribute album River: The Joni Letters, as well as an Academy Award for best original score for the movie Round Midnight (1986). Iit is also important to note this was a movive about a jazz saxophone player, and the great jazz sax player Dexter Gordon was the lead, and was nominated for Best Leading Actor that year.
The above album was one of the original albums that ushered in the the jazz fusion era (the Miles Davis album Bitches Brew was the first) as you will read he took this musical form to another level.
It is not that Hancock doesn’t get the love and heaps of praise that he deserves, but his trilogy of albums he
Mwandishi/Herbie Hancock – Fender Rhodes piano, Mchezal/Buster Williams- bass, Jabali/ Billy Hartdrums, Mganga/ Eddie Henderson- trumpet, flugelhorn, Mwile/ Bennie Maupin- bass clarinet, alto flute, piccolo, Pepo Mtoto/ Julian Priester- tenor trombone, bass trombone
released for Warner Brother Records in the early 1970s definitely do not.
Mwandishi, The Crossing, and Sextant were released in 1971,1972, and 1973 and saw Hancock expand-
ing his sonic palate.
His intellectual jazz was starting to evolve into something funkier and more expansive. His work with Miles in in the late 1960s was hinting on what would come on albums like The Prisoner, and Fat Albert Rotunda. But with this album Mwandishi there was no predicting the dense arrangements and and electronic vibes.
If you listen to albums like Miles In The Sky, Files de Kilimanjaro, and In A Silent Way These recordings were his training ground for Mwandishi. Mwandishi is in the style of 1960s funk, hard bop , modal jazz, and cosmic jazz.
All the tunes on this album have cosmic type jazz feeling to them which leads you to want to understand how they can cross jazz boundaries and still be true to the original style of jazz even thought everything is electronic and not acoustic.
But the crown jewel of this album is the mystery and beauty of the track “You’ll Know When Get There is an almost orchestral feel permeates the track with Bennie Maupin giving the dense track a light touch with flute and piccolo. The grooving bass and ethereal electric piano give you the feeling of floating. These six musicians seemingly open our brains to allow us to expand our horizons here.
Despite the symphonic sound of this album at times, Hancock brings us into 1971 electric fusion jazz. So if you dare to, please check this album out and experience the best of jazz fusion.
So until next time remember:
The spirit of jazz is the spirit of openness
-Herbie Hancock
tEd turnEr
Thorpe Design, Inc. hosts second annual Health and Safety Fair to emphasize
By Daniel Gruen Correspondent
Thorpe Design, Inc., a fire sprinkler company in Brentwood, hosted their second-annual Health and Safety Fair on Sept. 12.
“We push it every single day that safety is our number one priority above all,” Corey Gray, President of Thorpe Design, said. Founded in 1986, Thorpe Design, at 410 Beatrice Court, has 200 employees, many of whom attended the safety fair.
This year’s theme was “Knock out accidents.” In addition to the safety lessons, the fair included a taco eating contest, and a raffle with various prizes.
“I definitely see a lot of people eyeing that 65-inch TV,” Gray said. “The exact reason that we do this is to make learning fun.”
Gray, president for the past three years, has been at Thorpe Design for 17 years, working his way up the ranks. “The core of our business is the employees, so we just want to make sure that everybody here understands and knows that we put them first above everything else.”
Ten “safety booths” were set up around the perimeter of the fair, each offering an interactive safety lesson, from ladder safety to CPR. Employees engaged in various demonstrations as visitors went booth to booth.
Diana Graham, a representative from the Red Cross, taught a lesson on CPR. “Today we’re teaching people how to do hands-only CPR, which is what you do if somebody falls in front of you to keep them viable.” Graham said.
Other vendors incorporated health and financial information were Kaiser and Mutual of Omaha/ DHW Insurance Brokers for health, and John Hancock/Edward Jones for financial information.
“Everybody just being able to go home every sin -
Another lesson was on ladder safety, demonstrated by Miguel Lopez from Hub Insurance. “Ladders are the number one cause of falls for construction,” Lopez explained.
gle day is a huge portion of the culture here,” Gray said. “Our employees are what drives our success, and without them we’re nothing. I believe that’s true for any business.”
To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress. net/multimedia – Advertorial
Thorpe Design, Inc held their second annual safety fair on Sept. 12. “We push it every single day that safety is our number one priority above all,” President Corey Gray said.
Photo by Daniel Gruen
El Campanil Theatre has new leader
The El Campanil Theatre has promoted Joshua Price to Executive Director. Since joining the team in March 2021 as Technical Director, Price was instrumental in navigating the theater through the pandemic and transitioning from virtual shows back to welcoming audiences at capacity, and also in helping to establish new processes and standards in the role of Event Operations Manager, the theatre said in a press release.
With a background in sound design for theatre and live events, Price brings technical expertise and creative passion to their new role, the release said.
“When I first came to El Campanil Theatre, I was inspired by the potential of our children’s theatre program and the charm of this 96-year-old gem in the heart of Rivertown,” he said. “We have an incredible opportunity to engage with our community in more meaningful ways, and I’m committed to making that happen.”
His plans include expanding educa-
tional programming for children and seniors, reintroducing film screenings, and reviving the El Campanil Theatre Academy to offer diverse classes and camps for children and teenagers, the release stated. These initiatives are part of a broader effort to make the theater a vibrant, inclusive space for local residents.
El Campanil Theatre has been a cultural landmark in downtown Antioch since 1928, hosting a range of performances, including theater, live music and dance. With a renewed focus on community-driven programming, the theater is poised to embark on a new chapter.
Theatre officials invite everyone to submit their ideas for future programming. To learn more, visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com or follow them on social media for updates on upcoming events and opportunities.
For more information and to buy tickets for upcoming shows, visit https:// www.elcampaniltheatre.com.
Photo courtesy of El Campanil Theatre
Joshua Price is the new executive director at the El Campanil Theatre in Antioch.
Ruff Day Rescue to host second annual Pawstoberfest fundraiser to benefit shelter dogs
By Nicole Becchina Staff Writer
Ruff Day Rescue will host its annual Pawstoberfest on October 5 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Veterans Park, 3841 Balfour Road, in Brentwood.
Ruff Day Rescue is a nonprofit organization whose focus is to save last-call dogs from being euthanized in shelters. The organization is led by Christina Johnson, Founder and CEO and her husband, Chris Johnson, co-founder and COO.
“We work to pull those dogs out of the shelters, we get them all of their medical care, we rehab them if they need it, put them into foster homes and then find their forever homes,” Christina said. “We also help with community programs so if there’s dogs that have been abandoned, we do everything we can to keep dogs out of the shelter system.”
Ruff Day Rescue is an entirely fosterbased program, which means they do not have a facility. The dogs who are rescued from shelters are placed straight into a foster home.
“We rely on foster homes for people to take in the animals and help us see what they’re like in a home environment and then find out which home might be the best fit for them,” Christina said. “We work with fosters every step of the way. We provide resources, training, and pay for medical and
vet care. Work to make sure dogs are visible, promote the dogs, and take the dogs to the adoption events.”
This is the second year the organization will host its annual fundraiser, Pawstoberfest.
“It is a huge event for the community to come together with their dogs and their families and just come together for a good cause,” Christina said.
At the event there will be more than 20 dogs and puppies available for adoption, onsite vaccinations and microchips provided by Lone Tree Animal Care for a donation, a dog parade costume contest for small dogs at 1:30 p.m. and large dogs at 2:30 p.m. with prizes, K9 demonstrations, food trucks, beer and cider from Four Legs Brewery and Brentwood Craft Beer and Cider, a wine garden, Live Music by Dawglips, raffles, and
These are two participants in last year’s Pawstober Parade participants.
25 artisan and pet vendors. The first 150 attendees to reserve a ticket to the free event through EventBrite will receive a free commemorative Pawstoberfest beer mug or wine glass. Tickets can be reserved through EventBright here, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ pawstoberfest-tickets-971739959377?aff=eb dssbcitybrowse .
All proceeds will go towards helping Ruff Day Rescue save more last-call dogs from being euthanized in shelters and helping with medical costs associated with all the dogs that are brought into the rescue.
The organization is looking for volunteers to help with the event. All volunteers will receive a T-shirt and lunch.
“We want to thank the community for their support over the last couple years and the amazing people that we’ve met along the
way,” Christina said. “We cannot continue to save the dogs that we save without support. I encourage people to reach out to us if they have questions about fostering or adopting or even need any support for their animals so we can help guide them in the right direction and keep dogs out of the shelter system. We want to be a resource to our community and we want to help keep our community strong and happy with their dogs.”
Ruff Day Rescue plans to start a foster training program as a way to encourage people to become foster parents. People will be invited to learn about what fostering looks like and see if fostering is right for their home.
“Everybody thinks that shelter dogs are broken and that is not the case,” Christina said. “In fact, most shelter dogs are more hungry for love and attention and they’re more grateful to the people who take them in than other dogs. If we could just get people to understand that when you’re offering to foster, you’re not only saving one life, but you’re saving multiple lives, because there is somebody out there who needs that dog as much as that dog needs them. We just need to place them together.”
A list of adoptable dogs can be found on Ruff Day Rescue’s website at www.ruffdayrescue.org. To become a vendor or a volunteer for Pawstoberfest, contact Chris Johnson at (408) 892-6869.
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
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, September 21
2024 PJTF 11th Annual Benefit Gala
The Patriots Jet Team Foundation’s 11th annual benefit gala from 5–10 p.m. at the Patriots Jet Team Center Byron Airport at 760 Osprey Court, Byron, features Champagne reception, dinner and live music. For details, call 925-338-7583 or visit https://www.pjtf.org/.
Pints for Pups Fundraiser for Canine Companions
Canine Companions of Brentwood presents the fundraiser from noon-4 p.m. with food, beer, pups, and games. They train assistance dogs and provide support to adults, children and veterans with disabilities free of charge. Enjoy some Ike’s and Four Legs beer to help support canine companions at Four Legs Brewing at 2010 Elkins Way, Suite 120, in Brentwood. The brewery is donating $1 for every beer sold during the event, and Ikes Grill is donating 10% of their sales during the event. For details, contact Sarah Pompa at (909) 556-5784 or sphilpta@gmail.com.
Shadow Lakes Bi-Annual Clean Up
Join your neighbors at 8-10:30 a.m. to make Shadow Lakes a cleaner place to live. Participants should meet at Willy’s Bagels parking lot,390 West Country Club Drive, Brentwood, to register. Supplies (gloves, trash bags, etc.) will be provided. Participants will also have the opportunity to win prizes at this free event.
2024 Heart of Oakley Festival
The 12th Heart of Oakley Festival will be from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in Civic Center Plaza and on Main Street from Vintage Parkway and Norcross, 3231 Main St. Heart of Oakley Festival is a free annual open-air market that brings local makers, families and residents together. There will be artisan makers, live music, beer, wine and more. For more information, visit http://www. HeartofOakleyFestival.com or call (925) 625-7041.
Thursday, September 26
Evening on the Lawn for Education
The annual TEACH fundraiser that features food,cash bar, silent auction and a raffle is for the Los Medanos College Foundation is from 5-8 p.m. at the Trilogy Event Center and Lawn. Presale tickets are $65. Checks payable to Trilogy Teach Club can be dropped off at the mailroom or mailed to Trilogy TEACH club at 1700 Trilogy Parkway, Brentwood, CA 94513.
2024 Antioch Business Expo & Job Fair
This event will be held from 4:30–7:30 p.m. at the Antioch Community Center at 4703 Lone Tree Way. The expo and fair will showcase more than 50 local businesses, organizations, non-profits, government entities and community business resources. The business expo will enable local businesses and organizations to introduce their products or services. This event is free and open to the public, and will include food, local wines and raffle drawings.
On the Horizon
Friday, September 27
Italian Catholic Federation 12th
Annual Festa d’Italia Car Show and Pasta Dinner
This event will be from 4-8 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Hall, 500 Fairview Avenue, Brentwood. Registration for the car show begins at 3 p.m. and is $35 and, one dinner is included. Additional dinners will be $15. The pasta dinner will begin at 5 p.m. and is $15 per person. Trophy awards will begin at 7 p.m. For more information or to register, call (925) 634-4154.
Saturday, September 28
Brentwood Rotary Club
Craft Brew Festival
The Brentwood Rotary Club’s third annual Brewfest brings the community together to enjoy a diverse selection of craft beers, music, and local food vendors. The festival at City Park from 1-5 p.m. is a fundraiser for the club, supporting its various charitable projects. Attendees can sample beers from breweries and participate in activities. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite for $60 https://bit.ly/3SZzXKz or at the event for $70.
Rhythms by the River Fall Festival and BBQ Cook-Off
This annual event will be held from 1-7 p.m. at Downtown Antioch’s Rivertown District at Willow Park Mercantile, 205 G St. There will be live music performed by Baycoin Beats, The Purple Ones, Lando Davidson and Blind to Reason. There will be a cornhole tournament, free kids zone, artisan vendors, local wine and beer, food vendors and barbecue. This is a free, family-friendly event with free parking. For more information visit http:// celebrateantioch.org/
Cornhole Tournament Registration: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/953788215227?aff=oddtdtcreator
Artisan Vendor Registration: https://form.jotform. com/240698342501152
BBQ Cook-Off Competitor Registration: https:// form.jotform.com/242044583173151
Emergency Preparedness Fair
Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this event will take place at 2350 Jeffery Way in Brentwood from 10 a.m.-noon. Topics will include fire safety and emergency planning, food and water storage, mental health resources and emotional resilience information, first aid, and emergency family planning advice. Members of the Brentwood Police Department will be in attendance. Friends from the community will receive a well-equipped 72-hour starter backpack for attending the event. For more information visit www.ready.gov.
Friday and Saturday, October 4-5
Friends of Oakley Library Book Sale
The Friends of the Oakley Library will be hosting a two-day book sale inside the City of Oakley’s council chambers at Oakley City Hall, 3231 Main St. from 5-9 p.m. There will be fiction for adults, teens, and children of all ages, children’s holiday books, and nonfiction books including cookbooks, books on crafting, parenting, history, and more. Prices are $1 for hardbacks and 50 cents for paperbacks.
Saturday, October 5
Pawstoberfest Party and Dog Parade
Ruff Day Rescue presents Pawstoberfest from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Veterans Park at 3841 Balfour Road in Brentwood. There will be a beer garden, artisan and pet booths, food trucks, onsite adoptions and microchipping/vaccination, kids area, canine demonstrations, dog parade costume contest (small dogs at 1:30; large dogs at 2:30). Live music by Dawglips from 1-5 p.m. For details, visit ruffdayrescue.org.
Los Medanos College 50th
Anniversary Party
LMC is kicking off its next 50 years with an anniversary party at 11 a.m. at 2700 E. Leland Road, Pittsburg. The celebration includes a party with music hosted by FM Radio 102 Jams DJ Chuy Gomez, food, giveaways and more, followed by the first-ever homecoming football game. The Mustangs play De Anza College Lions at 1 p.m. For additional information about LMC’s 50th anniversary and upcoming events, visit www. losmedanos.edu/50th. This event is free.
15th Annual Dutch Oven Cook-Off
The Dutch Oven Cook-Off will take place at Smith Family Farms, 4430 Sellar Avenue,
Look at the many local events on
Brentwood from noon-5 p.m. Food will be served at 1 p.m. There will be a $5 donation to sample food. All donations go to scholarship for 4H and FFA members. Everything from main dishes to desserts, all cooked in Dutch ovens, will be available. Beef and side dishes will be judged at 1 p.m. and desserts at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Lauralye Casipit at 925- 437-1725.
Tuesday, October 8
Shrek Night at the Delta Theatre Support Working Wonders, a nonprofit that serves adults with disabilities, and see the original Shrek movie at The Delta Theatre. Half of the proceeds will go to Working Wonders. The film will be played at 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at 641 First St., Brentwood. Tickets are $4 and can be purchased at https://865963.formovietickets.com/
Friday, October 11
Texas Hold ‘Em Inaugural Poker Tournament
The Rotary Club of Oakley will hold its Inaugural Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament from 6-10 p.m. at the Oakley Recreation Center, 1250 O’Hara Ave. Tickets are $75 and include a buffet dinner, one drink ticket and tournament play. The event includes a no-host bar and raffle.. Participants must be at least 21 to play. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner. Tournament starts at 7 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the new Oakley Library and Community Center project. For tickets and sponsorships, contact Mike Hale at 213-359-9799 or Michael.Hale@scouting. org. For more information visit https://www. eventbrite.com/e/oakley-rotary-inaugural-texashold-em-poker-tournament-fundraiser-tickets971173816027?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Saturday October 12
Brentwood Oktoberfest
The Downtown Brentwood Coalition’s annual Oktoberfest is from 1-7 p.m. in downtown Brentwood. General admission is free. VIP passes will also be available. This year’s event will feature The Sierra Nevada Biergarten with special guest Four Legs Brewing, the bands Alpine Sound and Adam Aldama and the Aces, Fun Zone including games, a train, Lockeford Sausage plus a variety of food from local vendors and downtown restaurants, Beer Stein games, a weiner dog costume parade, local wine from Contra Costa Wine Growers, and an Oktoberfest Market.
Trunk or Treat Open House
The event will be at the Farmer’s Daughter, 23151 Marsh Creek Rd in Brentwood from 4-6:30 p.m. There will be free candy, a raffle, a cake walk, and a food truck. All proceeds will go directly to the Bay Area Crisis Nursery. Entry is free.
Wednesday, October 16
Liberty Adult Education Fall Job/ Resource Fair
The event at 929 Second St., in Brentwood is from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The fair aims to showcase a wide range of local professional opportunities, spanning industries from manufacturing, healthcare, IT, finance and beyond. A dedicated space will be made available to conduct interviews upon request. For more information, contact decesaren@luhsd.net. Space is limited. RSVP by Sept. 16 here: https://forms.office. com/r/8G12SthRd1.
Saturday, October 19
Digs ‘n’ Rigs
This event is an opportunity from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. that provides children of all ages the chance to explore vehicles of all types in this handson event sponsored by The Rotary Club of Brentwood and Los Medanos College. LMC will offer older children exposure to educational opportunities including public service, emergency services, utility, construction, landscaping, transportation and delivery industries at the Los
Medanos College campus, 1351 Pioneer Square in Brentwood.
Wine in The Bay
This event will take place from 1-5 p.m. at Community Life Center, 2800 Camino Diablo Road in Byron. This is the 20th anniversary of Wine in the Bay. There will be local wine samples, local artisans, hors d’oeuvres, live and silent auction, cork draw and wine cooler draw. Tickets are $60. Proceeds will benefit various non-profits, including the Food Pantry, John Muir Mobile, Blook Bank, youth, and senior citizens. This event is for adults age 21 and older. For more information visit http://anne.church
VFW Casino Night
The event, hosted by American Legion Auxiliary, will take place from 6-10 p.m. at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building, 757 First Street in Brentwood. There will be casino games, appetizers, beer, wine, music, dancing and more. Tickets are $125. For tickets or for more information contact Dolores Long at (925) 584-6712.
Friday, October 25
Oakley Senior Citizens
Casino Day Bus Trip
Round-trip motorcoach transportation to Redhawk Casino is provided. Participants will meet at the Senior Center at 215 Second St. in Oakley and the bus will leave at 8 a.m. Reservations are $47 per person and must be paid by Monday, Oct. 21. To reserve a spot, call Joyce at 925- 626-7223 or Allan at 925-265-3417.
Saturday, October 26
Hometown Halloween: Monster Mash Bash
The event will be from 4-8 p.m. in Downtown Brentwood. It will take place on Oak Street, First Street, and Brentwood Boulevard, from Third Street to Diablo Way and Chestnut to Maple. Trick-or-Treating is free and there will be booths from local merchants. For more information visit http://brentwoodchamber.com
Sunday, October 27
Halloween Hoopla
The event will take place from 3-5 p.m. at Resurrection Ministries, 1275 Fairview Avenue in Brentwood. There will be trick or treating, candy, games, and piñatas. Guest are encouraged to come dressed up in costume. To help with the event, contact Kristenakocsis@gmail.com for more information.
Thursday, October 31
Halloween Parade
The Discovery Bay Chamber of Commerce will put on its Halloween Parade at 10 a.m. Students from Discovery Bay Elementary School will parade to the Riverlake Shopping Center. Treat bags will be provided to children to collect candy from businesses. To set up a table and provide candy for children, contact Cindy at (925) 513-4175.
Saturday, November 2
Holiday Boutique Charity Fundraiser
The event will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club, 5871 Marina Boulevard. There will be holiday gifts, decor, artisan vendors and treats. Lunch will be available for purchase from the Bay Grill. All proceeds will benefit Coyote Crossing and the Delta Food Bank. For more information, contact Cheryl Cados 408-768-7209.
November 30
42nd Annual Brentwood Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
Hosted by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Brentwood, this event will be from 5-7 p.m. in downtown Brentwood. The theme this year is “Let it Glow!”
PRESS MEDICAL & DENTAL
PROFESSIONALS OF EAST COUNTY
Local therapist emphasizes importance of mental wellness
SEAN TONGSON
An estimated 26 percent of Americans -- one in every four -- 18 years or older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year – up from one in five before 2022, according Johns Hopkins Medicine.
With this higher number, the Healthy Minds Counseling Center in Brentwood is dedicated to providing mental health counseling and psychiatry services. Led by owner and founder Kira Monterrey, the Healthy Minds Counseling Center’s mission is to empower each individual to overcome their challenges and embrace life’s potential, offering services ranging from individual therapy, mental health counseling, and marriage counseling, assisting individuals, couples, teens, families, and veterans.
“If people are not taking care of their mental health, it can affect their quality of life,” Monterrey said. “Sometimes, people have mental health challenges that can create barriers, such as relationships or being successful at work.”
see Wellness page 12
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
How to maintain orthodontic health
Achieving straighter teeth and an aligned bite requires a years-long commitment. Patients work with orthodontists, who are professionals in teeth and jaw alignment. Having malocclusion, otherwise known as crooked teeth, or a misaligned jaw is not just a matter of appearance. It can lead to dental issues like tooth decay, gum disease and
difficult or painful chewing, according to WebMD.
The overall goal of orthodontic treatment is to improve bite so that one can eat, chew and speak properly. There are several things people can do to help improve the outcome of orthodontic treatment and maintain good oral health throughout.
Brush and floss frequently
The American Dental Association recommends brushing teeth twice daily
with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes and to floss regularly as well. However, while wearing orthodontic braces or clear aligners, it’s likely you will have to brush and floss more frequently. Food can get stuck in the small spaces of the braces and bacteria can grow if not removed.
Avoid sticky situations
Avoid foods that are very sticky, such as caramel, gum, licorice, taffy, and jelly beans. They can get caught on braces and aligners and lead to a mess.
Stay away from hard treats
Biting on hard popcorn kernels, pretzels, pizza and bread crusts, hardshelled nuts, tortilla chips, and other foods can dislodge brackets and wires, necessitating repairs.
Invest in a water pick/flosser
Interdental cleaning is important. Specific tools can help to remove food particles from between and around orthodontic appliances, SmileBliss Orthodontics says.
Wear bands and appliances
When the orthodontist says to wear rubber bands, aligners and extra gear for a certain amount of time, it is key to do so. Following directions ensures that treatment will go according to plan and you won’t have to stay in treatment longer.
Wear retainers as instructed
Many people think that once braces or aligners are off it is time to rest on their laurels. However, if you don’t wear a retainer after braces are removed, your teeth may shift, potentially resulting in having to go through orthodontic treatment again in the future.
Consider a multipurpose mouthwash
Mouthwashes don’t just prevent bad breath. Multipurpose formulations may contain fluoride to help prevent plaque buildup and gingivitis and reduce tooth sensitivity.
For more orthodontic information call Alameda Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics at 510-521-5437 or www.APDSmile.com. – Courtesy of Metro Creative
While highlighting the importance of mental health and when one suffers from a mental disorder, Monterrey discussed its effects on the human body, potentially leading to digestive problems, muscle tension, muscle spasms, along with the increase in the amount of cortisol; a stress hormone that has an effect on every organ and tissue.
“Mental health state is very closely related to our nervous system,” Monterrey said.”So if someone is stressed or anxious, they could be depressed, chronically tired, fatigued, weak, tired, or have low motivation. “If negative emotions intensify, that could worsen pain, which could cause anxiety, sadness, and hopelessness.”
With every geographic area having different health needs, Monterrey says the team at The Healthy Minds Counseling Center has different people focusing on different specialties. Monterrey’s primary focus is on trauma-related disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, veterans, first responders, and chronic pain illnesses. Locally, Monterrey identifies the need for teen mental health, along with studying the mental health needs of the veterans population in East County.
“What we see living in a high-cost area is people who have to work really hard to make ends meet, parents that have to commute, and a lot of kids with expectations to perform well at school and get into a good college,” Monterrey said. “Those are the things that can impact
people in this area. Parents aren’t home due to commuting to work, and there are not a lot of resources.”
In addition to her commitments at The Healthy Minds Counseling Center, Monterrey, an Air Force veteran and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is also active in the community. She offers free self-esteem workshops for teenagers, volunteering at local veterans’ “Stand Down” events, and advocates for mental health and veterans’ services. Monterrey
offers these tips for mindfulness:
Importance of a healthy diet:
“It takes energy to manage your thoughts. Different foods can impact different parts for the brain. Are we getting enough energy to the brain? If you are not eating properly, you’re going to have a hard time managing your mood. Certain foods will make it more difficult to focus and concentrate.”
Getting
adequate sleep:
“Lack of sleep can make it very difficult to manage moods and emotions. It can magnify anxiety and depression, and can lead to a cycle of insomnia and nightmares. Even depressed people feel fatigued, but can suffer from insomnia.” Monterrey says sleep can vary, and while teens should be ideally getting 10 hours of sleep, and adults 8 hours, it also depends on the quality of sleep.
Mindful breathing:
Monterrey says when people become anxious, nervous, or have a panic attack,
breathing will become shallower, which could signal the nervous system to ramp up. Slow breathing brings it back down to baseline. “Take a breath in, look around the room and point out five things you can see, five things you hear, and five things you can feel.”
Check in with
oneself:
Monterrey also added that people’s minds may either be in the past or the future. When someone is ruminating about the past and a particular trauma, it could potentially lead to feelings of anger, sadness, or grief, while other times, people instead project their mindsets to the future, thinking about all the possible things that could go wrong. “Humans biologically are hard-wired with a negative bias,” Monterrey said. “Historically, this has shown that this has kept us safe. But we need to train our minds to be aware of that mindfulness. Be mindful of where our bodies are, and redirect our attention into the present moment.”
The Healthy Minds Counseling Center is at 191 Sand Creek Road, Suite 230 in Brentwood. For details, visit https:// healthymindscenter.com/ For a free phone consultation, call 925-663-8158 or email at info@healthymindscenter.com.
To view a video, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
By paying attention to your mind-body connection and achieving that connection, you can achieve the euphoria this woman is feeling.
MONTERREY
Bimal Patel, MD Medical Oncologist & Hematologist
Prasad Pillai, MD Medical Oncologist
Margaret Seaver, MD Medical
Wilson Tong, MD Medical Oncologist & Hematologist
Nicola Ally, MD Radiation Oncologist
Gautam Prasad, MD, PhD Radiation Oncologist
Jane Choi, MD Medical Oncologist & Hematologist
Carmen Lam, DO Breast Surgeon
New Beginnings Christian Center Sunday Worship Local Church into an online 24 Hours a Day, 7
NEW BEGINNINGS 1995 Legacy Church
New Beginnings Christian Center began as the first in person multi-racial Church in the cities of Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood, CA in 1995. The founding Pastor was Gregory N. Bell, who had previously served as an Associate Minister for various churches as well as Executive Director of Mario Murillo Ministries, a Televised Worldwide Evangelistic Ministry. In the 17 years that Bishop Bell led the Church at and under the direction of the Lord Jesus Christ the Church caused thousands of souls to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
Now, New Beginnings 1995 Legacy Church continues to Spread the Word of God, Win Souls and Bless the Saints of God with a Digital Church featuring Audio and Videos from the Worship Services of New Beginnings Christian Center.
While many churches had building funds that sometimes lasted years asking members to donate funds for the growth of the church, New Beginnings never had a building fund. Instead, Bishop Bell asked members to give to different capital campaigns to fund the growth of the Church.
Listed below are all of the members, individuals and other Church’s that donated to New Beginnings Christian Center to fund our expansion and growth when we were an in person Church. Thank you and may God to continue to bless all of you for your generosity.
Sheila Allata
Mother Mary Armstead
Cathy Ashford
Oscar Ashford
D&K Automotive
Tasha Johnson
Kathy Jones
Pastor Horacio & Florence
Jones
Deacon Kelvin & Kathy Jones
Shirley Jones
Patsy Barker
Willie Bell
Bishop Gregory Bell
Diba Bell
Arthur & Beatrice
Bell
Ben & Pam Jones
Kathy Frazier Jones
D.J. Joseph
Nick & Cheree Kis
Belinda McDaniel
Cory Bell
Charmaine Bennett
Daniel O. Bernstine
Ron & Judy Bowens
Pastor Tommie Bradford
Mr. & Mrs Little
Bobbie Luster-Wiley
Bishop Carleton & Laleta
Leonard
Pat Martin
Acie & Nieisha Mathews
Erin Bridges
Angela Butcher
His Presence
C.W.C
Gerald & Tique Caul
Charles & Jackie Calloway
Willa Gully McDowell
Ronald McDowell
Vernice McDowell
Ruby McDowell
Diba Cancryn
Dr. Kevin & Sylvia Carrington
Michael & Jennifer Case
Solid Rock Christian Center
Rick Chase
M.J. McDowell
Sheila McWilliams
Minister Ronald Mixon
Charles Morris
Mario & Mechelle Murillo
Abu Clark
Janael Cunningham
Calvin & Kathy Dangerfield
Dolores Davis
Judith Debow
Marcella Narclsse
Toni Neithardt
Peter & Amalchi Nwachukwu
Allen Temple Church Oakland
Connie Odom
Nilda Diaz
Andrea Drew
Miriam Drummond
Rev. Johnson Ejomah
Conrad Ellerby
Alicia Powell
Ronald & Catherine Oliver
Kenneth & Cynthia Perkins
Lynne Price
Joseph & Berdine Redd
Jessica Ellis
Lynesha Ellis
Alvin & Connie Payne & Family
Semaji Riley & Family
DeSena Family
Douglas & Sherley Reid
James & Deona Roberson
Elder Harmon & Theresa
Roberts
TiCarolyn Rucks
James & Candyce Smith
Veronica Redd & Family
Veronica Covin & Family
Gregory & Lorna Fisher
Rita Gaines
Mark & Karen Gaskin
Patrice Smith
Alan & Francine Hand
Alonzo & Vernita Talto
Janice Taylor
Henry & Birdie Taylor
Arthur & Geraldine Gee
Mother Patricia Gibson
Barbara Wright & Nailah
Gaston
Mark Gilbilia
Andrew & Eula Gordon
Alma Thompson
Deacon Henry & Tanya Taylor
Jimmy & Theresa Thomas
G&C Towing
Kalum & Trisa Turner
Kellie Gordon
Andrew L. & Deidre Gordon
Dr. LaJuan Hall
Hervera Hambrick
Andrea L. Harrell
Idella Tyson
Deacon Toney & Lesia Turner
Minister Stephanie Wakefield
Terrell & Laneita Ward
Marvin & Sederia Washington
Jackie Haywood
Tommie Hawkins-Richardson
Elder Charles & Jennie Harris
Tramiane Hawkins-Richardson
Diane Hendrix
Lakisha Washington
Linda Westbrook
Latanya White
Lee Williams Sr.
George & Ina Wong
Lewis Hines
Teresa Igbinadolor
Lewis & Regina Jackson
Janie Johnson
Barnette & Theresa Johnson
John Woreham
Barbra Wright
Minister Diana Young Home
Bishop Gregory N. Bell
James Smith in Posthumous & Candyce Smith
Acie Mathews
Hometown SportS
Heritage wants complete game on Homecoming
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
The Heritage High football team has bounced back strong after a, one-point loss in their season opener at home against Foothill two weeks ago. They came from behind against Granada in Week 2, then took charge at Dublin last week, even holding off a late fourth-quarter rally by the Gaels.
However, the one thing the Patriots have yet to do, and something that head coach Dave Fogelstrom is looking for from the team this week – a mistake-free game.
“We’re fighting two opponents,” Fogelstrom said. “We’re fighting our opponent, and we’re fighting ourselves in terms of penalties. Our goal right now is just to clean all of that up.”
Heritage racked up 150 yards in penalties in last week’s win, which is more yards than quarterback Phillip Babbitt threw for last week (140) and more yards than Heritage as a team ran for last week (131).
Despite the mistakes that stymied the team, Heritage still enters this week’s Homecoming matchup against Terra Linda (San Rafael) off back-to-back wins. “There’s two sides,” Fogelstrom explained. “Yeah, (the amount of penalties are) disappointing, but I guess the flip side of it is that we’re 2-1 and we have a massive amount of growth ahead of us.”
“At this point right now, we haven’t played a complete game yet, and I’m curious to see what we can do when we finally get it all together. (The team) is competitive.
They don’t give up and they fight to the very end. The sloppiness is what we have to clean up as coaches, but the upside is tremendous with these guys.”
Heritage did take steps forward last week, despite the penalties. The defense continued to show improvements from last year, grabbing five interceptions against Dublin highlighted by Aidan Donaville’s crucial pick-six in the fourth quarter that all but sealed the win. “Coach (Sam) Arnold, he’s got his black swarm group out there, and
they’re all over the field,” Fogelstrom said of his defense. “Offensively, if we can take care of the ball and not turn it over like we did against Granada, we’ll be successful.”
Offensively, Heritage’s running attack got back up to Fogelstrom’s par, rushing for more than 100 yards for the first time this season, highlighted by Mekhi Adanandus’s 115 yards.
“We were definitely more committed (to getting the running game back on track),” Adanandus said. “We just need to
come in more disciplined and work way harder this week.”
Since taking over the starting running back job last year, Adanandus has run for mor than 100 yards in six of his 11 career games as the starter, including last year’s playoff run. He has, however, scored a touchdown in each of Heritage’s three games this season.
“He’s stronger this year than he was last year and he’s been trying to find that stride,” Fogelstrom said of Adanandus. “He’s showing us that he can be the guy we thought he was.”
A win on Friday would also have Heritage do something they haven’t done in two years – win three non-conference games in a row. Heritage last had such a hot streak in 2022, opening the season 4-0 before losing at James Logan in the non-conference finale. Heritage is also looking for a win on Homecoming.
Last year, the team lost against James Logan on Homecoming night.
“Every school in America wants to win their Homecoming game,” Fogelstrom said. “To beat a quality team like Terra Linda on our Homecoming night, to get us to basically three wins in a row would be huge. We’re one point away from being undefeated right now.”
Adanandus is just as excited for such a big game Friday night as well.
“We get to play Homecoming on our home field, in front of everyone and we get to see the rally the day before,” Adanandus said. “I’m really excited, especially to be a starter. It’s too perfect.”
Lions prepare for Amador Valley amidst injuries
By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent
The Liberty Lions football team has started the 2024 season 2-1 through the first three weeks of the season. However with two non-league games remaining, injuries have begun to riddle the team.
The injuries come at an inopportune time for the Lions as they play two teams from last year’s North Coast Section Division 1 playoffs: Amador Valley this week in Pleasanton and Clayton Valley Charter the next at home.
With the team trying to rally around a “next man up” mentality, Lions head coach Mike Cable said the team is getting close to the point of running out of that next man.
“We’re pretty much at the bottom of the barrel as it is right now,” Cable said of the injuries Liberty is dealing with. “If things continue and we don’t get the players back that have been hurt, then we run out of players and then have to look underneath to see who can step up in those situations.”
During Tuesday’s practice, Cable said the team is “extremely thin” at the linebacker position. But it’s not just at linebacker. In the Lions’ 34-21 victory over Tracy last Friday, he said that the team lost several players on both sides of the ball to injury, adding on to the list of players that were already dealing with injuries and trying to work their way back.
“It’s just really rough right now. We have a lot of guys out,” Cable said. “We’re
Liberty Lions’ head coach
Mike Cable speaks to the offense about a mistake on the previous play.
trying to move guys from different positions to fill in as depth just in case something happens in the game.”
“We have a lot of guys that are nursing injuries this week that we’re hopeful can come out tomorrow and have a good practice, so it’s a ‘to be determined’ type of thing.”
Some players have had to play different positions.
“We had guys step in and struggle
a bit with assignments, and we’re facing the same, similar problems. We have to address those problems and come up with solutions,” Cable said. “We’re asking guys to play out of position and that’s not setting them up for success. If it was a scenario in which we had somebody that could compete to be here, then he’d already be here.”
With Liberty needing two wins to match Cable’s 4-1 preseason prediction, he said getting wins against Amador Valley and Clayton Valley Charter while not fully healthy would be crucial for the Lions as they continue to try and avenge their playoff absence last season.
“That’s the absolute goal, and it would be a testament to the kids being able to step in and be able to do the job against these good teams,” Cable said. “That speaks volumes to what kind of program this could be. That’s the hope and goal, and that’s what we’re trying to get after.”
This week’s opponent, the Dons (12) are coming off a 47-36 Week 3 loss to Downey High School.
Photo by Juan Cebreiros
Heritage running back Mekhi Adanandus runs with the ball during the Patriots’ practice on Tuesday.
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
How Freedom flag football
Falcons’ confidence continues to grow as BVAL play looms
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
The Freedom High girls flag football team has just one focus as the end of non-conference play nears and Bay Valley Athletic League play gets set to kick off in just over two weeks – keep winning.
Freedom remains the lone undefeated BVAL team through non-conference play after their 34-0 win over Concord Tuesday evening in Oakley.
“We’re very confident in ourselves,” Freedom senior Brooklyn Pierce said. “Especially with league coming up soon, we’re just gonna try to stay on track and keep winning.”
Freedom quarterbacks Delaney Zimmer and Katelyn Slagle combined for 186 yards through the air with Zimmer leading the way early with a pair of touchdown passes to Emma Reed and Abigail Flores.
Freedom’s defense kept the Falcons on track for their sixth win of the campaign, holding Concord to just one first down throughout the night, which didn’t come until four minutes left in the game.
“We’re playing pretty good right now,” Freedom head coach Kevin Hartwig said. “We got a lot of little
things that we have to clean up to get ready for league, and that was kind of our goal tonight. I think the girls did a great job of executing our game.”
Freedom’s 6-0 start has been highlighted by their defense. The Falcons have allowed more than one touchdown just once this season as Monte Vista scored twice on them in last weekend’s tournament at Heritage. Other than that, the Falcons have held opponents to no more than six points in three other wins and have shut out opponents twice, including Tuesday night.
Hartwig says that team defense has been the key to the Falcons success so far.
“We just don’t want to rely on one person,” he said. “I think that’s the key to any defense, whatever the sport you’re playing. And I think we’re doing a better job of being a team defense, where last year, looking back, was a bit more individual-ish. Now we understand the concepts and our defense is playing together real well.”
Pierce says that the girls recognizing their confidence and the level of competition amongst the other teams has played a role in the team’s early success.
Brooklyn Pierce of Freedom High chases down Concord’s quarterback in the Falcons’ game against the Bears on Tuesday night in Oakley.
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
“The confidence in all the girls last year was new to everyone,” said Pierce, a junior on Freedom’s inaugural team that went 5-8 last year. “Everyone was kind of getting a feel for it and the competitiveness out of every team. Our coaches have done a really good job giving us more information and teaching us more things as we go on. It’s just progress.”
Freedom has made one of the bigger jumps of the BVAL schools between the first year and this year. The Falcons struggled to find consistency last year, trading wins and losses throughout the first six games – although it’s worth noting that last year’s schedule was more of a jamboree type of setting with teams
playing up to two games a night back-toback compared to this year’s traditional, one game a night, set-up. After starting 3-3 last year, the Falcons lost five straight including back-to-back shutouts against Antioch and Heritage before ending the season with a pair of wins against Alhambra and Deer Valley.
“It’s just Year 2 of playing the game,” Hartwig explained. “Before there was so much unknown, even for us coaches too. I think, for us, we got solid returners and it’s just been execution and them understanding what they need to do to execute. Us coaches too, changing our schemes and little bit to kind of fit the game.”
At the moment, Freedom is just outside of the top-5 in the North Coast Sec-
“ That’s the fun part. It’s just getting the girls to build something and be prideful in something. ”
Keven Hartwig
tion, with only defending BVAL league champion Liberty (6-1) just ahead of them at second. Heritage (7-3) is 10th in the standings and Pittsburg (3-1) is 13th. Antioch and Deer Valley are unranked by MaxPreps. Concord was 26th in the North Coast Section standings entering Tuesday night.
“That’s the fun part,” Hartwig said. “It’s just getting the girls to build something and be prideful in something. The thing that we’ve kind of hung our hat on is making this flag football. (The girls) are flag football players. We’re excited because we want to build a program where we have flag football players, girls only playing flag football. It’s just exciting and fun.”
Pierce added: “It’s really a good feeling knowing that it’s so new and we’re pretty good up top. We have a good shot at NCS this year, but it’s a good feeling knowing that the work we’re putting in is getting paid off.”
To view a video and a slideshow, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia
Local man finds his place behind the lens
Former NFL player turns to filmmaking
By Jeff Weisinger Staff Writer
Reggie Bell once did a play in the eighth grade. It was part of his class curriculum and he originally didn’t have any interest in acting, but he enjoyed it. At the time however, he was also playing football, and with the movie High School Musical having just been released, he managed to find his place on stage.
“I didn’t have interest (in acting),” said Bell, a Brentwood resident. “I was just fortunate that I went to this school out in Manteca that was the first graduating class, brand new, and they were just doing different things like first semester theater.”
While he’s in the beginning of his filmmaking career, Bell has shot several weddings to build a portfolio and he also worked as a production assistant on several other projects to learn more about filmmaking, cinematography, and camera operating, but also recently shot a charity golf event with Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and his foundation, ‘Eat, Play, Learn.’
“I was glad to be a part of that, even on the production side and capturing the stories that continue to tell and show what they were doing at that event,” Bell said.
As Bell continues to build his filmmaking career, he still doesn’t stray too far from the gridiron. His younger sister, Liberty freshman Ailee Berry, plays on the flag football team. Bell was at the BVAL flag football jamboree late last month watching her play, camera in hand.
“I was there and she had a reverse,” Bell said. “It’s exciting. I know that because of what I did placed some confidence in her. It’s exciting to see her pushing herself in a different way, see her challenging herself and learning something new.”
“I’m gonna go film their games,” he added. “I definitely don’t want to be a distraction, but definitely next time I’m gonna bring my mic and it’ll be a full game. That’s the style of video I like to do, like a mini documentary type of thing. But I’m still truly finding my style right now, but shooting as much as I can, so I’m definitely gonna have some flag football stuff. Definitely excited about that.”
Bell’s original big break, however, came as he was already making his own path on the football field.
“Around that time, High School Musical (was just released) so I felt like Zac Efron with the theater and the basketball and being pulled both ways,” Bell said. “But I knew that this isn’t a movie, this isn’t Hollywood, this isn’t Disney, I gotta play football, so I let that go.”
Bell starred at Manteca High School before going on to play at the University of San Diego and then was
the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad in 2016.
Although Bell had a short career in the NFL, he understood the business side of the game and says that even
Above: Reggie Bell holds his camera while on the set of a recent project.
Left: Reggie Bell catches a pass while in training camp with the then-Washington Redskins in 2015. Photo courtesy Reggie Bell
as football season kicks off, he “doesn’t really miss it.”
“It’s just really high stress, high tension once you get to that top level,” he said. But the game was always an awesome game, the adversity that you learn to overcome, the character that you build through, everything with your teammates and your brothers, that’s what I miss.
“My situation, unfortunately, came down to politics. It wasn’t like I did anything wrong or bad, that’s just how it goes. You’ve got to be at the right place at the right time.”
After leaving the game Bell slowly worked his way into filmmaking, drawing back to the passion for theater that he grew back in the eighth grade. He also credited his path to the NFL as the confidence boost he has as he continues to grow as a filmmaker.
“It allows me to walk in confidence, walk with faith into my next endeavor,” he said. “Through accomplishing (making the NFL), I know I can walk with confidence that whatever I do fully with my whole heart, I know I can accomplish.”
To comment, visit www.thepress.net
signed as an undrafted free agent by the then-Washington Redskins of the NFL in 2015. He also was on
EDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY
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Editor’s note: As The Press receives political candidates’ press releases, we will run ONE per candidate as space permits leading up to Election Day, Nov. 6. The Press invites all candidates to submit a press release if they choose to editor@brentwoodpress.com. Running these releases is not an endorsement of any candidate.
Faye Maloney announces her campaign and website for Brentwood City Council District 1
Faye Maloney announced her campaign in the 2024 election on Sept. 15. With a commitment to support public safety, preserve the agriculture community, support local businesses and smart growth, Maloney aims to bring unity and a thriving culture to Brentwood.
Maloney’s experience in public safety, advocacy, and empowerment has prepared her to tackle the challenges and represent her
community. Maloney believes in the power of collaborative problem-solving and fostering positive relationships within her city and regionally.
To that end, Maloney’s candidacy has been endorsed by the Brentwood Police Officers Association, Councilman Tony Oerlemans, Chill Tea and Coffee, Serendipity Cellars.
Maloney’s campaign will
East Contra Costa Historical Society thanks supporters of annual barbecue fundraiser
Editor:
The East Contra Costa Historical Society held its 36th annual community barbecue on Sept. 8.
It serves as the major fund raiser in helping to complete our mission of preserving and protecting the rich history of all East County. As an allvolunteer, non-profit organization, any donations of food and drinks,
aim to engage with the community through outreach efforts and events, ensuring that the voices of the community are heard and represented. Faye Maloney invites all community members to join her in this exciting chapter.
For more information about the campaign and to get involved, please visit fayeforbrentwood.com or follow Faye Maloney on Facebook and/or Instagram.
Letter to the editor
raffle prizes and assistance that help to offset the costs of staging the event are gratefully welcomed.
The historical society wishes to thank the following for contributing to the successful event:
• The Brentwood Rotary Club, Brentwood Lions Club, Sons of the American Legion for help in preparations
• Ron and Shirley Nunn and the Rotary Club for generous monetary donations
• G&S Farms, Smith Family Farms, Ronald Nunn
Farms,Brentwood Fine Meat, CoCoCounty Wine, Oakley Grocery Outlet, Delta Pure Water and Brentwood Funeral Home for contributions toward the food and drinks; and to all of the raffle donors.
A special thanks to all of our members and non-members who volunteered many hours preparing for and during the barbecue on a hot summer day.
They say “it takes a village to raise a child” — the same applies for staging this event.
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Opinions expressed in these letters are not necessarily those 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.
The historical society serves all communities in East County (Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen and Oakley). We invite you to join our organization and become a part of “the Museum Where History Comes Alive” by calling Shirley McCall, membership chairperson at 925-634-4049 or by visiting our website at eastcontracountyhistory.org.
Mary Black President
East Contra Costa Historical Society
MALONEY
REGIONAL & LOCAL
News iN Brief
Antioch’s largest manufacturing plant to shut down
Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe joined Warehouse Union Local 6 and Machinists Local 1584 on Tuesday calling on the Koch Brothersowned Georgia Pacific plant to negotiate fair contracts with workers.
Georgia Pacific is Antioch’s largest manufacturing plant producing 13 different heavy industrial drywall products and a large part of Antioch’s economic industrial base. The company has more than 150 workers with most being from Antioch and Eastern Contra Costa County.
About 100 of those workers went on the picket line.
Newsom provides twomonth update on CHP’s East Bay surge operation
35 illegal guns off the streets — a 218% increase in seizures from the highest twomonth period since February. The CHP’s surge has led to 930 arrests, 1,809 stolen vehicles recovered, and 93 firearms seized since the beginning of its operation in February.
County Elections Division to highlight High School Voter Education Weeks and National Voter Registration Day
To submit a news item for this page, send it to editor@brentwoodpress.com
the Americas, Indigenous communities of Latin America and Africa, and beyond. The contributions of generations of Latinos have helped shape California’s society, economy, culture and values. The leadership, service, sacrifices and vision of Latinos continues to enrich all facets of American life.”
‘California is transforming our public education system by investing in universal transitional kindergarten and community schools, and by improving college access and affordability. We’re building more affordable housing, protecting workers, supporting small businesses and building new pathways for students and workers to succeed in whatever career they choose.”
Park Service through the National Maritime Heritage Grants Program for the stewardship and preservation of historical and archaeological resources associated with the maritime history of California, state officials said in a press release.
There is funding for one round of grants, with applications due by Wednesday, Nov. 12. Grants are available in two categories:
Preservation projects: $98,500 available, and subgrant award amounts may range from $10,000 to $50,000 (for total project costs of $20,000 to $100,000). An example of a previous grant awardee under this category is Central Coast Lightkeepers Association, which received $25,000 in 1998 to assist in the preservation of the Point Sur Lighthouse’s Lantern Room and Upper Galley.
Marking the halfway point of the California Highway Patrol’s four-month enforcement surge in Oakland, Gov. Newsom announced that in just two months, CHP officers have made 329 arrests, recovered 606 stolen vehicles, and seized 35 firearms. Newsom also announced in a press release that the installation of hightech Flock cameras on state highways in and around Oakland is now complete.
According to the California Department of Justice’s most recent verified data, unlike most cities in California, crime spiked considerably in Alameda County last year. Alameda County had the highest homicide, violent crime, and property crime rates of California’s 10 largest counties in 2023. And while new verified data will not be available until next year, local reporting indicates that crime appears to be going down.
In July, Newsom announced the state was ramping up efforts to crack down on crime in the East Bay by sending more CHP officers to Oakland, quadrupling the number of CHP officer shifts over a four-month period to help local agencies target organized crime, sideshows, carjacking, and other criminal activity seven days a week.
In just the two months since Newsom deployed additional officers to the area, the CHP has made 329 arrests and seized 606 stolen cars. CHP also removed
Teams of county elections staff are scheduled to visit over 20 locations during the last two weeks of September to bring information about registering to vote and voting on site to schools and organizations. Staff will bring a “pop-up” registration office to each location.
National Voter Registration Day 2024 was Sept. 17 and is the kickoff for California High School Voter Education Weeks that go through the end of September, the county said in a press release.
National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating democracy. First observed in 2012, it quickly gained momentum and is celebrated nationwide each year. More than 5 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday to date. California High School Voter Education Weeks provide an opportunity for high schools and their students to work with County Elections officials to promote civic education.
“My promise to Contra Costa County constituents as the Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters has always been to expand access to voting by ensuring that we pre-register young people and to reach all eligible voters across our county,” said Kristin B. Connelly.
Newsom celebrates Latino Heritage Month
Gov. Newsom has issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2024, as “Latino Heritage Month.”
His proclamation reads in part:
“California is home to more than 15 million Latinos who are foundational to our state’s identity, success and future. During Latino Heritage Month, we celebrate the central role of Latinos throughout every chapter of our history, and in our rich culture and prosperity as a state and nation.”
“Latinos are California’s largest ethnic group, with diverse roots throughout
We’re expanding access to health care, regardless of immigration status, working to lower the cost of lifesaving drugs, and supporting expanded behavioral health care, including veterans services. The state is working to improve food security and nutrition through universal school meals and its Farm to School program, and California is leading the global shift to our clean energy future – more clean air, less pollution.”
State offers $1.4 million in grants to enhance recreational boating safety education
California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways is accepting grant applications from organizations – local public agencies, nonprofits and colleges/ universities – that teach on-the-water boating safety education to the public.
A total of $1.4 million in Aquatic Center Education Program grants is available, and the deadline to apply is Friday, Oct. 25 at noon.
The grants are competitive and can be used to:
• Purchase boating equipment and supplies.
• Provide student scholarships for onthe-water boating courses.
• Offset costs for boating instructor training.
• Offset costs for boating safety-related events.
Interested applicants should first review the FAQs listed on Division of Boating and Waterway’s website to determine if they meet the grantee eligibility requirements. Grant applications must be submitted through the division’s online grant application system.
Office of Historic Preservation announces Maritime Heritage grants program
The California Office of Historic Preservation said nearly $330,000 is available through a new grant program for the preservation and interpretation of California’s irreplaceable maritime heritage. The office is accepting applications for the grants, which are funded by the National
Education projects: $224,415 available, with subgrant awards ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 (for total project costs of $10,000 to $80,000). Under this category, as an example, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum received $35,000 in 2015 for the development of the Spirit Dana Point Tall Ship Overnight Education Program.
The primary goal of this grant program is to assist with and promote the active preservation and use of California’s maritime heritage properties, according to the press release. The program will achieve this by supporting the preservation of resources related to California’s maritime heritage that are historically under-represented and/or are of statewide or national importance, and by providing increased opportunities for the public to visit and learn about historic properties related to maritime history.
State to protect digital likeness of performers
Gov. Newsom has signed two bills to require the consent of actors and performers to use their digital likeness, strengthening protections for workers.
Assembly Bill 2602 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) requires contracts to specify the use of artificial intelligence-generated digital replicas of a performer’s voice or likeness, and the performer must be professionally represented in negotiating the contract. This will help protect performers’ and actors’ careers, ensuring that artificial intelligence is not used to replicate their voice or likeness without permission.
This legislation will help ensure the responsible use of artificial intelligence and other digital media technologies in entertainment by giving workers more protections, the governor said in a press release.
“It is a momentous day for SAG-AFTRA members and everyone else because the A.I. protections we fought so hard for last year are now expanded upon by California law thanks to the legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom. They say ‘As California goes, so goes the nation!” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher.
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letter,phone call or court appearance will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For Legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/ selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association. Tiene 30 dias de calendario despué s de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citaciό n y Peticiό n para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120) ante la corte y efectuar la entrega legal de una copia al demandante. Una carta o llamada telefό nica o una audiencia de la corte no basta para protegerlo. Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar ό rdenes que afecten su matrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos. La corte tambié n le puede ordenar que pague manutenciό n, y honorarios y costos legales. Para asesoramiento legal, pό ngase en contacto de inmediato con un abogado. Puede obtener informaciό n para encontrar a un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte. ca.gov), en el sitio web de los Servicios Legales de California (www.lawhelpca .org) o ponié ndose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.
NOTICE: The restraining orders are on Page 2: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. AVISO - LAS Ó RDENES DE RESTRICCIΌN SE ENCUENTRAN EN LA PÁ GINA 2: Las ό rdenes de restricciό n estά n en vigencia en cuanto a ambos cό nyuges o miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la peticiό n, se emita un fallo o la corte dé otras ό rdenes. Cualquier agencia del orden pύ blico que haya recibido o visto una copia de estas ό rdenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de California. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all of part of the fee and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. EXENCIÓ N DE CUOTAS: Si no puere pagar la cuota de presentaciό n pida al secretario un formulario de exenciό n de cuotas. La corte puede ordenar que usted pague, ya sea en parte o por completo, las cuotas y costos de la corte previamente exentos a peticiό n de usted o de la otra parte. 1. The name and address of the court are: (El nombre y direcciό n de la corte son): Superior Court of California – County Contra Costa, 751 PINE STREET, MARTINEZ, CA 94553 2. The name, address, and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: (El nombre, direcciό n y nύ mero de telé fono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante si no tiene abogado, son): SHAOHUA HE 50 BAIRD CIRCLE BRENTWOOD, CA 94513 (510) 345-7932 Date (Fecha): June 14, 2024 Clerk, by: (Secretario,por) S.
Ahern, Deputy (Asistente) Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 93413 Publish Dates: September 20, 27, October 4, 11, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004213 The name of the business(es): Ma And Paw’s Spa Located at: 4525 La Casa Ct. In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Jazlynn Nia Chambers. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 07/16/2024. Signature of registrant: Jazlynn Chambers- Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 6, 2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/05/2029 Oakley Press No. 03-0477 93308 Publish dates: August 30, September 6,13, 20, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004213 The name of the business(es): Security Gate And Software Services Located at: 4525 La Casa Ct In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Jazlynn Nia Chambers. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 07/16/2024. Signature of registrant: Jazlynn Chambers. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 6, 2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/05/2029 Oakley Press No. 03-0477 93306 Publish dates: August 30, September 6,13,20, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004430 The name of the business(es): STORELOCAL STORAGE Located at: 4700 Main Street In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Oakley Self Storage Management, LLC. This business is conducted by: A Limited Partnership. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. Signature of registrant: Oakley Self Storage Management, LLC - General Partner - Arthur L. Lorenzini, Jr. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 16, 2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 8/15/2029 Oakley Press No. 03-0477 93367 Publish dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004666 The name of the business(es): Sentry Background Investigations Located at: 42 Sorrell Court In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Lissette G Souza. 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: Lissette Souza. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 28, 2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 8/27/2029 Oakley Press No. 03-0477 93419 Publish dates: September 20, 27, October 4, 11, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004860 The name of the business(es): HJR LANDSCAPING Located at: 4725 Bayside Way In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Maira 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: Maira Ramirez. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: September 6, 2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 9/5/2029 Oakley Press No. 030477 93373 Publish dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-004427 The name of the business(es): Bluefin Sushi Located at: 2083 Main St In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): H20 INVESTMENT, 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 N/A. Signature of registrant: Sungeun Jang- CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 16, 2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/15/2029 Oakley Press No. 03-0477 93309 Publish dates: August 30, September 6,13, 20, 2024.
NOTICE OF LIEN SALE
Live Oak Storage,1315 Main Street Oakley, CA 94561, has possessory lien on all of the goods stored in the prospective units below. #492 Dwayne Benedict, #897 Norma Morales, #985 Steven Grace, #1029 Alexis Equinoa, #3059 & #3060 Anthony Glenn, #2057 John Garcia & Rhonda Willers, #9015 David Gaines, #92 Cynthia Donnally, #725 Anthony Hanlin ,#812 Heidi Werner, #900 & #913 Cassie Cavanaugh, #923 & #925 Bruce Alcorn, #966 Gerardo Hernandez. The goods are described as furniture, tools and miscellaneous personal property items being sold pursuant to the assertion of the lien on October 3rd, 2024 at 10:30am. In order to collect the amounts due from you. The sale will take place at 1315 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561 County of Contra Costa state of California. This lien sale is pursuant to Chapter 10 Section 21700-21716 of the California Self Service Storage Facility Act. Auction is to be held by Jason Whitt ms#199016. Owner reserves the right to bid at the sale. Purchase must be in cash only paid at the time of the sale. Sale is subject to prior cancellation, in the event of settlement between owner and obligated party. Oakley Press No. 03-0477 93424 Publish Dates: September 20, 2024.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004418 The name of the business(es): Plum Home Located at: 13 Plum Tree Ln In: Pittsburg, CA 94565, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): D.S.D. Behavioral Health, 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 N/A.
Signature of registrant: Lalaine Slipher, Secretary. This statement was filed with
08/15/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires
the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on:
08/14/2029 Antioch Press No. 06-1617
Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004664 The name of the business(es): Antioch Liquor Beer Wine & Food Located at: 1108 Sycamore Dr In: Antioch, CA 94509, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Antioch Liquor Beer Wine & Food. 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: Rupinder Samra, Treasurer. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/28/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/27/2029
Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004438 The name of the business(es):
1. Delta Diablo Construction
2. Delta Diablo Handyman Service Located at: 2510 Pearlite Way In: Antioch, CA 94531, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Vincent Walter Herington. 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: Vincent Herington. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/19/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/18/2029 Antioch Press No. 06-1617
Publish Dates: August 30, September 6, 13, 20, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004457 The name of the business(es):
Not Too Shabby Located at: 1520 Discovery Bay Blvd, Suite 200 In: Discovery Bay CA 94505, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Francine Marie Fiebig. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 06/01/2024. Signature of registrant: Francine Fiebig, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/19/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/18/2024 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004319 The name of the business(es): Pence Ranch Located at: 3231 Delta Rd In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Tuppence Commercial Company 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: Judy L. Pence, Managing Member. This statement was filed with
the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/12/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/11/2029 Brentwood Press No. 021273
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004523 The name of the business(es): PORT OF SUBS
Located at: 4431 Balfour Road, Suite E In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Calpaninofoods, 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 N/A. Signature of registrant: Laura Schiff, Secretary. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/22/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/21/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273 Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. 2024-0004579 The name of the business(es): Dar Elegance USA Located at: 2157 Prato St In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Ibtissam Salem Hedada. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 04/01/2024. Signature of registrant: Ibtissam Salem Hedada. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/26/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/25/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 20, 27, October 4, 11, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT
File No. F-2024-0004885 The name of the business(es): Calpro Roofing Located at: 451 Payne Ave In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Hadley Eric Hoff. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/01/2014. Signature of registrant: Hadley Hoff . This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 09/09/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 09/08/2029
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 20, 27, October 4, 11, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004695 The name of the business(es): COLDSTONE CREAMERY Located at: 2710 Reddington WayIn: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): MADDORANI 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 N/A. Signature of registrant: Mansoor Shaikh, CEO. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: August 29, 2024 by Deputy
Clerk Expires 8/28/2029
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004520 The name of the business(es):
1. Discovery Bay BnB
2. Discovery Bay B&B
3. Bethel Island BnB
4. Bethel Island B&B Located at: 2176 Sand Point Rd In: Discovery Bay, CA 94505, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Juliette Miller Bradley. 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: Juliette Miller Bradley, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/22/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/21/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F2024-0004493 The name of the business(es): Wild Will Tattoo Located at: 921 Orchid Dr In: Brentwood, CA 94513, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): William G Simpson. 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: William Simpson, Owner. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/21/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/20/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004700 The name of the business(es): 1. Mind Merge 2. Mynd Merge Located at: 421 Lassen Drive In: Martinez, CA 94553, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): Matthew Michaelsen. This business is conducted by: An Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/01/2024. Signature of registrant: Matthew Michaelsen, Individual. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 08/29/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 08/28/2029 Brentwood Press No. 02-1273
Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS
NAME STATEMENT File No. F-2024-0004792 The name of the business(es): Spikenard Solutions, TLM Located at: 1174 Fetzer Ln In: Oakley, CA 94561, is hereby registered by the following owner(s): J. Scott McDonald. 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: J. Scott
McDonald, Individual . This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Contra Costa County on: 09/04/2024 by Deputy Clerk Expires 09/03/2029
Publish Dates: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2024
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF: NARESH KUMAR GALLA, deceased CASE NUMBER P24-01442 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of: NARESH KUMAR GALLA, deceased. A Petition for Probate has been filed by: ANURADHA CHALLA in the Superior Court of California, County of: CONTRA COSTA The Petition for Probate requests that: ANURADHA CHALLA be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: a. Date: OCTOBER 02 2024 Time: 9:00 A.M. Dept: 30. b. Address of court: 725 COURT STREET, MARTINEZ, CA 94553. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters a general personal representative as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept
Reiser said that the advising program was inspired by her own experiences starting a business 10 years ago. She said she was unsure of what to do, but followed her mother’s advice to go to the Antioch Chamber of Commerce.
“It just so happened that, on that day, there was a gentleman who was a volunteer at the office, who would do business coaching,” Reiser said. “I met with him and walked out of that meeting with a roadmap of what I needed to do to start a business. It was great!”
Even before becoming the president of the Brentwood Chamber last January, Reiser said that she wanted to provide new entrepreneurs with business coaching from qualified individuals, as she had received. She noticed that the East Bay SBDC was providing such coaching in other cities, such as Concord, and got the idea to invite them to set up a similar program in Brentwood.
According to Abraham Salinas, the senior analyst at the Brentwood Economic Development Division, money
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for the project came from the Brentwood Economic Development Grant Program, which is funded by business permit fees.
“Over a year ago, I met with Karri, and we were trying to figure out how the Economic Development Grant Program could be more effective,” Salinas recalled. “She and the Chamber came up with the idea of collaborating with the SBDC, providing in-person advising, so they included that as one of their proposals for the Economic Development Grant Program. It fits very well with the Program’s purpose, creating new businesses and jobs.”
With a funding plan laid out, Reiser moved forward with the SBDC partnership. On March 14, she contacted the executive director of the East Bay SDBC, Nancy Mangold, who brought her organization’s business assistance resources to the project.
According to Mangold, the East Bay SBDC is part of the Northern California Network of the national board of Small Business Development Centers, is funded by the federal Small Business Admin-
and 175 Kayla Place, according to the agenda packet. Due to the irregular shape of the lots, the applicant, Stephen Matthias, was requesting an exception to the standard that requires homes to have facade breaks on all four sides to provide what the standard calls “visual interest.” Matthias pointed out that the sides of the house facing the street do have facade breaks and that the sides of the house facing each other would not.
“I thought it should be approved,” Commissioner Gerald Johnson said during the discussion. “Just as a general comment, life is not black and white. And unfortunately, we can’t always fit everything into perfect deals.”
Johnson cautioned that strict adherence to the standards could cause “unintended consequences” down the road when looking at other projects, and said that he felt it was best to look at things consistently even if that led to exceptions to the standards in the future.
Flohr, on the other hand, cautioned that it was the exceptions that could lead to consequences down the road.
“If we make an exception to our objective designs, which are the only bulwark we have in court against many projects…they cease being objective,” he said, say-
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people drive through and at the end of the event, we turn things over to the DEA.”
Patches, and liquids in their original containers will be accepted, no needles. Vape pens or other e-cigarette devices can be accepted after their batteries are removed. Once received, items are packaged in cardboard boxes with plastic liners, delivered to the DEA, and incinerated in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.
“This is a nationwide event, hosted ev-
istration, and serves Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Mangold led the expansion of the chapter out of the older Alameda SBDC in 2022, after which the new center began offering one-on-one advising and business workshops in cities such as Concord and San Leandro.
“We’ve had quite a bit of success,” she said. “In 2024 alone, we helped [East Bay] businesses raise $62 million in funding, helped 47 businesses start out, helped create almost 500 new jobs, and helped businesses increase sales by $18 million. In total, we’ve served about 1,400 small businesses this year.”
The Brentwood City Council approved the advising program’s grant funding at their June 11 meeting, Reiser said. The Economic Development Grant Program provided half of the necessary funding, with the rest coming out of the Chamber budget; the Grant Program’s assistance allowed Reiser and Mangold to increase the frequency of advising days from once per month to twice per month. Reiser, Mangold, and Salinas held a final prepa-
ing that the city faces lawsuits every year. “If we do not maintain our object designs, we have nothing–we will have nothing to protect our city, and I don’t think that’s what anybody wants here.”
Vice Chairman David Sparling pointed out a recent similar project that was approved 4-0 by the Commission, with Johnson absent, despite that project having three exceptions of its own. That project was then approved 5-0 by the City Council with no changes to the exceptions granted by the planners.
ery spring and fall by the DEA,” Laughridge said. “It’s a safe way for people to turn in unused or unwanted prescriptions.”
DEA spokesperson Pete Vainauskas said takeback days began in 2010. While they have been a popular way for many people to safely rid themselves of unwanted medications, their popularity has declined slightly in recent years, but the DEA did not say by how much. Vainauskas said that’s likely due to more pharmacies and law enforcement agencies that accept unwanted medications year-round.
ration meeting on Aug. 8, and the City of Brentwood and the Chamber formally announced the program on Aug. 12.
The first coaching session was on Sept. 11, presided over by SBDC adviser Peter Lou, a banker with over 25 years of experience at banks such as Wells Fargo. Lou advised six business owners, with two more canceling at the last minute. The names of the businesses advised and the subjects they spoke on during their meetings are confidential, according to Reiser.
“I thought things went great,” Reiser said. “I talked to people after, and they said they came out with great advice, a good time, and someone to help them.”
The next sessions will be on Sept. 25, with social media marketer Karla Gregg replacing Lou as adviser. Mangold said that all September slots are filled, and that they have moved on to filling out October.
Appointments can be made on the SBDC Northern California Network’s website at https://www.eastbaysbdc.org/ in-person-advising-brentwood/. There is a waiting list for new appointments.
“If you never want to vote for an exception again, fine,” Johnson said after Sparling’s comment. “If it was black and white, you don’t need a Planning Commission…just put it in a computer and let it spit it out and we’re good. That’s all I have to say.”
“How many wrongs make a right?” Flohr asked Johnson. “There may have been some slip-ups along the way, but this is something that we can’t keep doing.”
Sparling said that it would be unfair to deny the application based on exceptions when the commission and council had just approved a different project with exceptions earlier in the summer.
“Unfortunately, this applicant is stuck in a philosophical discussion about what the Planning Commission wants to be,” he said.
Ultimately, the Planning Commission voted 3-2 not to approve the project, with Sparling and Johnson in the minority.
Other topics discussed at the meeting include:
• A 5-0 vote recommending that the City Council change the municipal code to increase the notification radius for public hearings from 300 feet to 1,000 feet.
The full meeting can be watched at https://bit. ly/3BiofEQ
“There are 17,000 registered pharmacies with collection sites where people can drop off medications, and local law enforcement agencies have their own Takeback sites,” he said. “With ours, people can turn in twice a year.”
Takeback events and pharmacy collection sites provide a safe, convenient way to dispose of unused or expired medications, preventing drug misuse and protecting the environment from improper disposal, officials said. Laughridge said many of East County’s seniors take ad-
vantage of Takeback events.
During the last DEA Takeback event in April, Brentwood police collected 268 pounds of unwanted prescriptions, while the sheriff’s event in Discovery Bay collected 94 pounds.
Oakley spokesperson Danielle Navarro said the Oakley Police will not participate in the takeback event next month, but did not say why.
For more information on registered takeback sites, visit www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day.
Business Profile
