The Press 11.11.2022

BRENTWOOD Final reports from the Contra Costa County Clerk’s election website Wednes day show Patanisha Davis Pier son winning the Brentwood City Council District 2 race with nearly 37% of the vote, with Sinziana Todor following at 29%, Mark Duke at 21% and Brayden Haena at 13%. In the Brentwood Council District 4 race, Tony Oerlemans won at 54% with Hol ley Bishop-Lopez 28% and Jacob Singh at 18%, Bishop-Lopez said late Tuesday, “I am happy how the election went. District 4 was always going to be safe, because Tony and I have the same views. It was mainly who was going to win.”

She added “I respect Tony, and he does have interest in my concerns for water… I believe that people felt, when I did the freedom rally and spoke at school boards,

they had a voice through me.”

Oerlemans said Wednesday, “I’m a little nervous that I’ll be up to the job, but I’m extremely happy. I didn’t expect the margin of victory.”

The San Francisco police of

ficer repeated that “public safety is still my first top priority. We need to make sure all of these special downtown Brentwood events are safe for everyone.”

Final tallies in the Oakley City Council District 2 show

Shannon Shaw running away with 90% and write-in candidate

Council tackles climate change

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD The Brentwood City Council voted unanimously at its Nov. 8 meeting to move ahead with a study to build a “gar bage juicer” in Brentwood to com bat climate change.

The facility, formally known as a high diversion organics op erating facility, would bring Brentwood in compliance with Senate Bill 1383, according to the agenda packet for the meeting. SB 1383 was signed in 2016 by thenGov. Jerry Brown and mandates that cities reduce their methane emissions in an effort to help curb climate change. One of the bench marks established in the law is for cities to reduce organic solid waste disposal by 75% by 2025.

By Chris Campos Staff writer

“Organic matter in landfills degrades into methane gas, which traps heat in the atmosphere and is a significant contributor to climate change,” said Casey Wichert, the assistant director of Public Works, during his presentation to the council. “Technology exists today that can take that organic matter and convert it into renewable en ergy, fertilizer and other cuttingedge applications.”

SB 1383 defines organic mat ter primarily as the various wastes found in garbage, according to Wichert. Examples include food scraps, yard trimmings, paper and cardboard. This waste then ends up in landfills where it creates 20% of the state’s methane emissions.

Hugh Henderson leading at 57% and Rachelle “Shelly” Fitzgerald at 45%. The Oakley District 4 race has

MIKE’S ESTATE PLANNING MINUTE

By Michael J. Amthor, Esq.

At a minimum, it takes at least six months for a divorce to be completed. Divorces routinely last a year or longer. What do you do regarding your estate plan before, during and after divorce?

Before filing for divorce, you should always review your estate planning documents and review what happens to assets when you die. You should also review your power of attorney and health care directive. Now that you are contemplating divorce, do you still want your spouse managing your finances if you are unable? Do you want your spouse making health care decisions if you are unable to make your own decisions? In other words, do you really want your estranged spouse having the power to “pull the plug” or make other important health care decisions?

Filing for divorce does not prevent these documents from taking effect. They must be formally revoked and new documents prepared. Once a divorce case has been filed, your ability to change or revoke a trust is limited. Neither party is allowed to change beneficiaries on life insurance, retirement accounts or pensions

while the case is pending. If your will names your spouse as the beneficiary of your assets, upon death those assets go to the spouse you were in the process of divorcing. Similarly, if your spouse is named as beneficiary of your retirement account or life insurance, your estranged spouse (not your children) receives those funds if you die while your divorce is pending. Since this is something that cannot be changed once a case has been filed, it is important to make these changes prior to filing for divorce. Finally, once the divorce is final, you must revisit your estate plan and make a new plan. If your children are under 21, make sure their assets are held in trust. Otherwise, your ex spouse will have control over funds earmarked for your children. Can you trust your ex with assets you wanted to go to your children? If not, it is vitally important to see me and make sure your post-divorce estate plan is set up properly.

If you have questions on this or any other estate planning topic, call me at (925) 516-4888.

East County Family Law Group, 1181 Central Blvd., Ste A, Brentwood www.eastcountyfamilylaw.com – Advertisement

The Byron Delta Lions Club will once again honor veterans by laying remembrance wreaths on the graves of the country’s fallen heroes. The event is in association with Wreaths Across America.

Lions to honor veterans

By Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent

Veterans’ graves at Union Cemetery in Brentwood will once again have wreaths laid across them on Dec. 17.

The Byron Delta Lions Club is col laborating with the Daughters of the Ameri can Revolution to continue the tradition of Wreaths Across America Program on the graves at Arlington National Cemetery that spread across the country when a photo of the snow-dusted wreaths went viral in 2005. Now, East County residents can sponsor a wreath to be laid on a veterans’ headstone for $15.

“I think it’s important to recognize all of these wonderful veterans who sacrificed for all of us, for our country,” said Ann JordanTalley of the Lions Club. “It’s a way to honor those who have sacrificed.”

Veterans honored by the program need not have died in service to their country and can have belonged to any

branch of the military.

Jordan-Talley said the Lions Club wel comes help the day of the event

“We encourage the community to come out on Saturday, Dec. 17, and everyone will have the opportunity to take a wreath, and put it on a veteran’s headstone,” she said.

There are 660 veterans’ headstones in Union Cemetery, and Jordan-Talley hopes to find sponsors for each one. The club also part ners with local Scout troops, who will work in the days leading up to Dec. 17 to place a flag at each headstone, marking where the wreaths should be placed. The group has done this since 2019 and appreciates the community support that makes it possible each year.

The Lions Club members will be at Union Cemetery, 11545 Brentwood Blvd., Brentwood, on that day at 9 a.m. to lay wreaths. All are welcome to attend and help. For more information, or to sponsor a wreath, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ CA0639

Press file photo

Police

Oakley woman’s partial remains found last weekend

By Jake Menez Staff Writer

Oakley police have ended the search for Alexis Gabe after her partial remains were found on the evening of Thursday Nov. 3.

Oakley and Antioch police said at a press conference on Monday the remains were found on Nov. 3 in an area just off of Jackson Road in Plymouth, Calif. by a visit ing Alaska resident who was scanning with a metal detector, according to Oakley Police Chief Paul Beard. The scene was secured overnight by Amador County law enforce ment, who contacted Oakley and Antioch police, whose search for Gabe had included the area in which the remains were found.

The remains were taken to the Amador County Sheriff Department the following day, where a forensic odontologist com pared the teeth to existing dental records to confirm the remains were Gabe’s.

“Due to the fact that a forensic odontol ogist confirmed the partial remains via dental records, you can only imagine what we have recovered,” Detective Tyler Horn of Oakley Police said. “Out of respect to the Gabe fam ily, we do not want to get into the specifics of

what exact remains were recovered.”

Following the identification of the re mains, the investigation has been closed, ac cording to Horn. The criminal aspect of the investigation ended on June 1, when the per petrator, Gabe’s ex-boyfriend Marshall Cur tis Jones, was shot and killed in a confronta tion with police in Kent, Wash., Horn said.

Antioch Detective John Cox said at the press conference that Jones was believed to be the “sole perpetrator” of the murder, despite another arrest having been made during the investigation – that of Jones’ mother, Alicia Coleman Clark. Antioch police arrested her on May 19 for alleged “aiding and abetting,” according to a timeline of events put together by Cox in August. However, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office ultimately

declined to file charges against Clark.

County deputy district attorneys were “intimately involved” with the case, accord ing to Cox. After examining the gathered evi dence, they determined there was not enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any one other than Jones had committed a crime.

“Nothing that has happened in the past week is going to change any decisions that have been made by the [District Attorney’s] Office,” Beard reiterated later in the press con ference. “There will be no further traction.”

Following Cox’s comments, Beard com mended Gabe’s father, Gwyn, for his help in keeping the case in the public consciousness before Gwyn approached the lectern to speak.

“There are still so many questions un answered,” he said. “I’m not sure if there

will ever be closure for our family in terms of the loss of Alexis. Her heartless and pre meditated murder, the cold-blooded way her body was desecrated and the cowardly way her murderer chose to evade responsi bility for his wrongdoings.”

Gwyn also said that the family’s search efforts would continue until the rest of his daughter’s remains were found. To that end, he said, there are many volunteers who are willing to help in the search.

Police were not able to determine why Jones chose the Sierra Foothills to dispose of Gabe’s body, according to Horn.

“I don’t try to get into the mind of a killer,” he said regarding a potential motive for either the murder or why that location was chosen. “He did what he did for an un known reason.”

Beard then reiterated that he wanted to keep the conference about Gabe and in remembrance of her rather than her killer.

“I choose to remember Alexis as a very vital member of this community,” he said. “That’s where I’d really like to leave this.”

A candlelight vigil will be held for Gabe on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza in Oakley, according to Beard.. Gwyn had also previously announced on Nov. 4 that a Celebration of Life is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2023. That date was picked, Gwyn said, because “it is two days after the one-year anniversary of her disappearance.”

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

Following the discovery of the partial remains of Alexis Gabe, Oakley and Antioch Police Departments held a joint press conference at Oakley City Hall, Monday, Nov. 7.

Photo by Melissa van Ruiten

LMC offers new courses for adults

by Sean Tongson Correspondent

Los Medanos College is offering new courses for adults who are interested in seeking personal growth and enrichment. Named “Lifelong Learning Adult Lectures”, these “fee-based, not for credit” courses will be presented by Los Medanos Col lege professors, along with guests who are knowledgeable and passionate about the topics they are presenting.

“Lectures are delivered not only by our college profes sors, but also from people outside of the college and even outside of the community,” said David Wahl, Coordinator for Community & Contract Education. “Our lecturers are experts in their respective fields, are often published authors and polished public speakers.”

Seven courses will be offered in the coming weeks and months that include a wide array of topics such as art, lo cal history, contemporary issues, popular culture, food and wine, economics, natural sciences, social and political his tory, world cultures, and current events. The courses listed will be taught by local historian Carol Jensen at the LMC Brentwood Center, and take place from 1-3 p.m. at a cost of $19. The seven courses include:

• ”Maritime Contra Costa County” (Tuesday Nov. 15): According to the course description, this lecture will provide a “fresh perspective” on the intertwined histories of San Francisco and its “other coast”, using vintage photographs to detail the deep water ports of Contra Costa County and the immense wealth created from goods shipped around the world including agricultural, mineral, and manufactured goods, along with wines and grains, as well as the embarking of soldiers to World War II in the Pacific Ocean.

• ”Oakley Through Time” (Tuesday Dec. 13): This will discuss the settlement and development of the city of Oakley as a thriving California pioneer town along the Santa Fe rail road line, which led to land speculation, agricultural produc

tion, and immigration. According to the course description, this course will outline how immigration and subsequent settlement of Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian immigrants, 20th century wars, food production, and changing methods of transportation have led to the evolution and reshaping of the city of Oakley over the years.

• ”Local History as Experienced Through Real Photo Postcards” (Tuesday Jan. 17, 2023): This is a course that will teach students about their community while helping others to “capture the times” and show what life used to be like by remembering the area with the research of real photo post card history. From about 1890 to World War I, photogra phers would travel the country snapping shots of families, homes, and farmland. These photos were then printed on postcard stock, purchased in bulk, and later sent to families in Europe by those wishing to display their prosperity in the New World.

• ”The New Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Heritage Area” (Tuesday Feb. 21, 2023): In 2019, Congress recognized the California Delta, made up of 1,000 miles of waterways, as the most recent National Heritage Area in the United States. It joined 54 other Heritage Areas in 34 states, which also include the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and Ni agara Falls National Heritage Area. Over the years, however, the Delta has become a hot topic of discussion for its wild life-habitat restoration, water rights, and deteriorating levees.

–”Bethel Island and the Far East Islands” (Tuesday March 21, 2023): This course details the swamp land and overflowed lands of far eastern Contra Costa County at the

junction of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers (at “the heart of the California Delta”) and an area popularly known for water skiing, yacht clubs, levees, tules, and tract homes. Additionally, these far eastern islands were home to Native Americans and also known for its farming, as fruit and veg etables were grown in this region and packed, canned, and sent to feed Europeans and military troops during war.

• ”Immigrant Pioneer Contributions” (Tuesday April 18, 2023): This course details the arrival of foreign immi grants as Chinese, Filipinos, Iberians, Asian Indians, Dust Bowl refugees, and Mexicans all arrived in the 1830s and be came contracted into labor gangs for itinerant, seasonal farm work, with a stake and land purchase being the primary goal. Labor management would then become more formalized as the inception of California agriculture is discussed and be comes a commodity business. The course further discusses contributions of the pioneer laborer from the Chinese rail road worker to the end of the Bracero program.

• ”Ghost Stories From The San Joaquin Delta” (Tuesday May 16, 2023). This course will entail creation stories, local cultural myths, extraordinary deaths, and unsolved mysteries from the Delta heartland. Depicted in the course description as “stranger than fiction”, stories involving populist political wars, ritualistic murders, along with other, “hair-raising” sto ries including escaped anaconda snakes, missing wives, lone horsemen, train wrecks, fire, and wistful love will be revealed in this course.

The Lifelong Learning Adult Lectures are one of three divisions of the Community Education Program, along with Online Professional Enrichment and Corporate Training. According to Wahl, the first adult lectures were delivered in 2019 at the request of the residents of Trilogy in Brentwood. A group called TEACH (Together, Educating, Advocating, Coaching, Helping) then requested a series of lectures focus ing on history and politics.

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

I ndiana Bones has brought so much joy to his little family, he is the perfect poster mutt for why you should “adopt, don’t shop.”

Meet Bubbles and Kendall

Bonded Sisters. Bubbles (with the white face) is a super lovebug, gives kisses and is a lap cat. Kendall is a sweet Abyssinian mix and loves playing with her toy springs. For more information about these sisters, please contact her HALO foster at email girlgoyle7@gmail.com.

keep the grooming process simple and convenient, while making your pet look and feel great. Every pet in their care is treated with kindness, patience and respect

College district offers internet access discount for students

Community college students in Cali fornia can get a $30 monthly discount for internet access thanks to a federally-fund ed program.

The Contra Costa Community Col lege District is the first community col lege district to partner with the California Emerging Technology Fund and encour age their students to take advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program. This program can help reduce the expense of internet service or even make it free for qualifying families.

“Access to high-quality internet is a basic need for today’s college students,” said district Interim Chancellor Mojdeh Mehdizadeh. “Many of our students struggle to make ends meet, and our col leges are doing an amazing job of provid ing an array of basic needs programs that are helping them stay on their educational journey. This program of affordable or free high-quality internet access at home to support our students’ educational success is critical given the increasing demand of online or hybrid courses our

students want.”

According to a recent college dis trict analysis of students applying for an emergency support grant, more than 50 percent said they needed the grant to help pay for home internet service to complete their studies. The college district began promoting the connectivity program by contacting its students who are currently federal Pell Grant recipients because they most likely would qualify for this program as well.

The technology fund has estimated that almost 22,000 county households could qualify for this program, and only 16 percent of eligible households are en rolled. Qualifications for the assistance program include a household income of $55,000 or less, or if anyone in a house hold receives Lifeline, free or reduced school lunch assistance, CalFresh or SNAP, Medi-Cal or Supplemental Secu rity Income, Pell Grant, or WIC.

For more information or to apply, visit www.internetforallnow.org/applyto day, or call (844) 516-0994.

by Joan Grimes, Esq.

We get this question all the time. It is a great question, and yes, there are ways to terminate bypass trusts that are no longer necessary and are administratively burdensome.

Question 1: What is a bypass trust?

A bypass trust is an estate-planning tool that is used to create a separate irrevocable trust after the death of the first spouse. Some trusts provide that while the surviving spouse is entitled to unlimited income from the bypass trust assets, there are certain limits and restrictions placed on the surviving spouse with regard to the bypass trust principal. Prior to 2012, bypass trusts were commonly used to assist families in minimizing estate taxes. However, now that Congress has drastically increased the federal estate tax exemption, most families find that the bypass trust is no longer necessary for their family.

Question 2: I do not think my family needs a bypass trust. How can I get rid of it?

The easiest way to remove the bypass trust provision is by amending or restating the estate plan while both spouses are alive. If both spouses are living and have capacity, then this provision can be easily removed.

However, if one spouse has already passed or if the bypass trust was already established after the death of the first spouse, terminating the bypass trusts requires a couple more steps, including receiving court approval. To approve the termination of the bypass trust, the court requires unanimous consent from the surviving spouse and all bypass trust beneficiaries.

While terminating the bypass trust is more work after the death of the first spouse, it is

often beneficial for some families in which the surviving spouse would like unrestricted access to the bypass trust funds. Additionally, terminating the mandatory bypass trust also can help reduce administrative costs associated with the bypass trust and eliminate capital gain taxes that would be due after the death of the surviving spouse.

Some families may still wish to establish the bypass trust after the death of the first spouse because of their special family structure.  For example, bypass trusts are sometimes implemented in blended family situations in which each spouse has children from a prior marriage. There are also other reasons that some families may wish to keep their mandatory bypass trust that should be discussed with an attorney.

If you have an established bypass trust, and you would like to discuss whether you can or should terminate the bypass trust, schedule a 30-minute free consultation at our office. We are happy to review your trust and bypass trust. If you also think that a bypass trust might be beneficial for your family, we also assist families with establishing estate plans that include mandatory bypass trusts.

This article provides only general legal information, and not specific legal advice.  Information contained is not a substitute for a personal consultation with an attorney. LAW OFFICE OF JOAN M. GRIMES, PHONE (925) 939-1680, 1600 S. MAIN STREET, SUITE 100, WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596; 191 SAND CREEK ROAD, SUITE 220, BRENTWOOD, CA  94513, GRIMESEP.COM © 2021 Joan Grimes

I am a Vietnam Era veteran and served a six-year enlistment in the U.S. Air Force. I have also served as a Hospice East Bay Veteran Volunteer for the past three years.

For our Veteran patients (and their families), as the end of life approaches, military service for our country is one of their lives’ most memorable periods. The families of our Veteran patients are genuinely moved by the tributes paid to their service by Hospice East Bay. ~Don C.

Photo courtesy of Metro Creative

Contra Costa Community College District is the first community college district in the state to offer internet access to students at a discounted rate, thanks to the California Emerging Technology Fund.

Looking for more things to do?

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.

Events

Friday, Nov. 11

Veterans Day Dinner & Game Night

Immaculate Heart of Mary No. 7467 Knights of Columbus is hosting a Veterans Day Dinner & Game Night at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 18 Oak St. in Brentwood. Doors open at 5 p.m. for check-in, with games from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Dinner and participation in the games is $75. For details and ticket information, contact: richard_alward@sbcglobal.net.

Murder Mystery Dinner Show

St. Anne Council Knights of Columbus is hosting a Murder Mystery dinner show at the St. Anne Community Life Center in Byron. The event opens at 6:30 p.m., dinner is at 7:30 p.m., and the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $75, and proceeds support the Delta Christian Community Food Pantry, RotoCare clinics, Scouts and Eagle Scouts and complete Christmas meals for needy families. Guests are encouraged to dress in their best Roaring Twenties attire. For more information visit https://www.anne.church/

Veterans Day Ceremony – Oakley

The city of Oakley is holding a free Veterans Day ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon in Civic Center Plaza to honor those who have served.

Veterans Day Ceremony – Brentwood

The American Legion Roy Frerichs Post 202 is hosting a free Veterans Day Ceremony in Veterans Park at 3841 Balfour Road in Brentwood starting at 10:30 a.m. The event will feature guest speakers, a vocalist, tributes to veterans and a rifle salute.

Veterans Celebration and Parade

Delta Veterans Group is hosting its annual Antioch Veterans Day Celebration and Parade at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast, celebration at 9:30 and the parade begins at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial located at the Antioch Marina.

Veterans Day at Brentwood Golf Club

Brentwood Golf Club is honoring those who served by offering the first 50 veterans a free round of golf on Veterans Day, with play being

free for veterans after 1 p.m. The offer is avail able to all military, including active, inactive or those retired from service. There will also be free burgers and prizes. Participants must bring their credentials for approval when checking in at the pro shop. For more information and to register, call 925-516-3400.

Saturday, Nov. 12

Summerset II Holiday Boutique Bake Sale, and Quilt Show

Summerset II is hosting a holiday boutique from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Summerset Palms Clubhouse in Brentwood. The event is free and open to the public, and features a variety of holiday wares from 22 vendors. For more information, contact Mel at 925-306-2339.

Saturday, Nov. 26

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting

The City of Brentwood is hosting their annual Christmas tree lighting in City Park from 7-8 p.m.

The tree lighting will take place immediately after the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce Holiday Parade.

Brentwood Turkey Trot for Schools

The annual Brentwood Turkey Trot for Schools 5K will be at The Streets of Brentwood at 8 a.m. Start and finish lines are next to the AMC Theaters. Registration is $35 for either the virtual or in-person race, and money raised supports athletics programs of both the BUSD and LUHSD schools. For details, visit http://www.brentwood turkeytrot.org/

Saturday, Dec. 3

City of Oakley Tree Lighting

The City of Oakley is hosting its annual Christmas Tree Lighting starting at 4 p.m. in Civic Center Plaza, 3231 Main St. Civic Center Plaza will be adorned with lights and Christmas decorations. There will be free cookies and cocoa, arts and crafts, live entertainment and more. Santa Claus will also be making a special visit. The tree lighting will take place at 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call Alicia at (925) 625-7041 or email: oleary@ci.oakley.ca.us.

Sunday, Dec. 4

Christmas on the Farm

Look at the many local events on

www.thepress.net /calendar

The East Contra Costa Historical Society is hosting their annual free Christmas on the Farm event from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., featuring a day of Christmas activities, including storytelling, a historical trea sure hunt, cookie decorating and more. For more information, contact Mary Black at 925-206-5087.

Bethel Island Holiday Boutique

Bethel Island is hosting a Holiday Boutique at Scout Hall at 3090 Ranch Lane from 1-5 p.m. with a vari ety of vendors and free pictures with Santa Claus.

Saturday, Dec. 10

Annual Holiday Boutique

The Wi Cha Ka council #222 is hosting their annual Holiday Boutique from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Red Men Pocahontas Hall in Oakley on Main St. The event will feature wares from a variety of different sellers. There will also be a pancake breakfast with Santa from 10 a.m.-noon, a raffle and Yellow Ribbon fundraiser for the Veterans Hospital in Martinez. For more information, contact Alicia at 925-625-1102.

Ongoing Events

East County Rotary Club Meetings

Brentwood: The Brentwood Rotary Club meets weekly on Monday at noon at the Wedgewood Banquet Center at 100 Summerset Drive in Brentwood. For more information, visit https:// www.brentwoodrotary94513.com Oakley: The Oakley Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at Black Bear Diner, 3201 Main St. in Oakley. For more information, visit http://rotary clubofoakley.com Antioch: The Antioch Rotary Club meets weekly on Thursday at noon at Lone Tree Golf Course & Event Center, 4800 Golf Course Road in Antioch. For more information, visit http://www.antiochrotaryclub.com/. The Rotary Club of the Delta meets weekly on Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. at Denny’s, 4823 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. For more information, visit https://www. rotaryclubofthedelta.org/.

East County Lions Club Meetings

Brentwood: The Brentwood Lions Club meets the

first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Straw Hat Pizza on Lone Tree Way. For more information, visit: https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/ Oakley: The Oakley Lions Club meets the fourth Wednesdays of every month at 7 p.m. at the Oakley Senior Center, for more information, visit https://eclubhouse.org/sites/brentwoodca/ Antioch: The Antioch Lions Club meets every second and fourth Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Denny’s on Delta Fair Blvd. Discovery Bay: The Discovery Bay Lions Club meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Yacht Club. For more information, visit:https://discoverybaylions.com/ who-we-are/meetings/ Byron: The Byron Delta Lions Club meets every first Friday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anne’s Church for more informa tion https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/byron_delta/

Brentwood Community Chorus

The Brentwood Community Chorus meets every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Brentwood Community United Methodist Church (809 Second St.) in Brentwood to rehearse for their holiday concerts. All are welcome.

Oakley Senior Center

Food Distribution

The Oakley Senior Center gives out free food every Thursday from 1-2:30 p.m. Community members are asked to bring their own grocery bags.

ACA Women’s Group

The ACA Women’s Group meets every wednes day at 5 p.m. at 809 Second St. in Brentwood. For more information, contact Cici at 530-306-7034.

Nonprofit offers

Health Care Career Courses

The nonprofit Opportunity Junction is accepting applications for its Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at two locations including the Opportunity Junction Antioch office at 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. Classes began in September. The CNA program includes 12 weeks of training, life skills training, hands-on clinical experience, and job placement assistance. The first step in taking the course is to complete an application form online by visiting https://opportunityjunction. secure.force.com/apply/HCP

For more information, call 308-7444 or visit www.deerridgefamilydental.com

Chef Easton was all smiles as he cooked up a special Halloween treat to serve his family.

Discovery Bay holiday spirit on parade

By Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent

Discovery Bay is gearing up for its three annual holiday parades.

Discovery Bay’s Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 3, the Discovery Bay Yacht Club’s Lighted Boat Parade on Saturday, Dec. 10, and the Willow Lake Lighted Boat Parade on Saturday, Dec. 17, mean residents and visitors can celebrate Christmas on the Delta all month long.

To celebrate her parade’s 20th anniver sary, Dove and her team have pulled their three most popular themes from the last two decades and combined them into one: Pi rates versus Cowboys versus Aliens.

“There will be all kinds of toys rolling down the streets,” said Dove.

Dove began the parade when her son was born hearing-impaired so he would have a visual display for the holidays. The parade is now the largest event in town each year, with thousands lining the streets to watch

floats wind their way from the Discovery Bay Ma rina to the Discovery Bay Shopping Center, culmi nating with a tree lighting in front of the Communi ty Center across the street.

Last year, a new tree was purchased with $20,000 raised through local sponsorships and or nament sales.

Parade of Lights

The Parade of Lights will begin at the Discovery Bay Marina, 5901 Marina Road in Discovery Bay. It will roll down Marina Road to Willow Lake Road, then onto Riverlake and Sand Point roads, ending at the Discovery Bay Shopping Center. The parade is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and the tree lighting will start at about 7:45 p.m.

To register, or for more information, visit www.facebook.com/DBParadeoflights/

To purchase an ornament, visit www.discov erybaylions.com

Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade

The following weekend, the Yacht Club’s Lighted Boat Parade will wind through the bays of town and cheering viewers with the theme “Deck the Hulls.” Yacht Club Commodore Cheryl Flebut said the evening promises to be fun.

The Lighted Boat Parade is open to the public, and participating boats assemble on Kellogg creek just off the point of Newport Lane. The parade will begin at about 5 p.m. and cruise through every other bay, con cluding at the Discovery Bay Marina. The evening will culminate in the after-party for parade participants at the yacht club, with food, music, dancing and awards for each of the three boat size categories.

For those who want to view the parade but don’t live on the water, the boats can be seen from the Discovery Bay Marina as they come into the yacht club at the end of the parade route at about 8 p.m.

For more information, or to register, visit www.dbyc.wildapricot.org

Willow Lake Lighted Boat Parade

Wrapping up the parade season is the Willow Lake Lighted Boat Parade. This parade is for residents of Willow Lake only. There is no theme, allowing partici pants to express their holiday cheer in their own fashion.

Mexican Restaurant

La Fuente offers sensational Mexican food, featuring rich flavors that have taken generations to perfect. The restaurant’s ambiance makes you feel you’re in Mexico enjoying a meal with family and friends. Enjoy that meal with a full salad bar and, in the winter, a savory and comforting bowl of soup!

Press file photo

to our Donors

Brent Aasen

Don Aguillard

Jennifer Aldo

Diane Alexander

Laura Allison

Pauline Allred

Christine Andrews

Clayton Bagwell

Soheila Bana

Patricia Barron

Darien Beebee

Debbie Bell

Patricia Bell

Kevin Bernal

HuLynne Besharatpour

Kate Bjordahl

Bruce Blardony

Patricia Blumen*

Delta Breeze Lacrosse

Boone Michael Botelho

Julie Bretz

Marsha Brown

Rochelle Brucker

Deborah Buchta

Bob Butler

Aleta Cain

Sharon Campagna

Lily Campanile

Ginger Campbell

Karen Capra

Kitty Carton

Bethi Carver Gibb*

Debbie Gibbs

Mel Chaplin

Sandy Chen

Robin Choate

Janet Clarke

Colin Coffey

Betty Cole

Mina Combs*

Kimberly Cope

Janet Costa

Kevin Crachian Sr.

Paula Craig

Mike Crosby

Kandace Curl

Craig Daley

Cathy Daniel

Virginia Davi

Dominic DeBellis

Albert Del Grande

Ofelia Del Real

Estrella DeLaTorre

Heather DePiero

Maureen Dirk

Debra Doherty*

Alice Dolan

Monica Doran

Clancy Drake

Michael Echeverria

Jon & Julie Elam

Jim Elizondo

Audrey Ellis

Silvia Espinoza

D F

Cheryl Ferguson

Annette Fields

Timothy Finnigan

Edward Fitzpatrick

Ricardo Florendo

Sarah Foster

Gloria Foster*

Barbara Freitas

Jeffrey Gann

Marianne Gann

Jack Gaughan

Monte George*

Monique Gibbs

James Gleeson

Barbara Gonzales

Judi Graves Kelly Green Jo Gregg Julie Griffin

Rebecca Griffin

Robert Grijalva Jeni Groseclose

Cecilia Guerrero

Rinaldo Hamade*

Allen Hammond

William & Myra Harms

Gladiola Harrelson Hugh Henderson Joanne Hodge Rob Hogue Lynn Holland Tammy Homan

Robert & Marianne Hughlett

Maria Hull

Lora Jachimowicz

Onesia Jackson

Lauren & Chad Janusch

Udo Jaquet

Pamela Jarvie

Nigel Jesson*

Kirsten Jobb Norman Johns Stacy Jordan Cindy Kennon

David Kerley

Elaine Kilpatrick

Jess Kerlin*

Catherine Krakower

Shirley Krouse

Rose Marie Laguna

Erin Lamb* Ken Landoline

Larry Langbehn David Lanier

Kathleen LeDonne

Ron Lee

Madonna Leeper

Mark Lemyre

George Liao

Roger Lindsay

Connie Linscheid

Sam Lipetri

Cathy Little*

Nancy Long Carol Luke

Patricia Lyday

Cynthia MacDermott

Audrey Madsen

James Martin

Michele McCaffrey

Lynne McCall

Janet McCarthy

Shannon McClelland

Jay McLaughlin

Mike McLaughlin*

Jamie McManus

Michalene McPharlin

Peter Mendoza

Beth Miller-Rowe

Kryssie Mingst

Michelle Monsef

Alan Moore

Gina Moore

Patricia Moore*

Shani Moore*

Michael Moran

Tammie Mosley

Lyn Murphy Melba Murray

Gayle L Nammany

Julie Natali

Kris Newton

Nancy Nguyen Kelli Nunn

Diana Nunnenkamp

Jayne Oertwig Elise ONeil

David Osborn

Margot Parenti

Robert Parkinson

Jeanne Pavao

Nick Pearson

Chloe Peterson Gary Pollock

Jean Pridgen

Mardell Rangel

Kathi Reed

Mark Reitz

Gary Reynolds

Roy Richards

Carol Rioux

Linda Morse Robertson*

Norman & Rhoda Rossman

Judy Ryan

Theresa Samuel-Boko

Irene San Filipo

Larry Schaffer

Janet Scheuerman Robin Schmitt

Carol Scotton

Catherine Senior Shirley Sexton Maria Shields

Vicky Shoopman

Carole Silagi

Susan Silsdorf

Doug Smart Donald Smith*

Dennis Sowels

Birgit Stephens*

Michael Stoiber

Matt Stone

Tim Stroshane John Sutton John & Judith Sutton

Sue Swackhamer Mary Tappel

Lana Terry Dinah Thompson Tracie Thompson Kathren Thomson

Linda Thuman* Lynn Tiemeyer Amy Tilley Hector Torres Linda Tucker Jon Ulricksen Michael Urback Jim Valentine

Fred Valverde Christopher Vetterli Scott Vickers Jim Wadnizak Steve Walker Michele Walls Jay Warwood Marilyn Watts Bill Wells Laura West Theresa Wessler Keith Wheeler Brian Winters Scott Woodard Marie Woods

Cody, Chloe & Cali Wong

David Wyatt Leslie Wyatt

Guy Yocom Carolyn Young Joseph Young Larry Young Mary Young

Opini O n

EDITORIALS, LETTERS & COMMENTARY

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Letters to the editor

Celebrate veterans every day, not just on Nov. 11

Editor:

Veterans Day, recognized on Nov. 11, represents a time for Americans to come together to celebrate and commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of everyone who has served.

The holiday began in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as Armistice Day to memorialize the end of World War I and to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country’s service.

While most people recognize veterans on this day once per year, it is important to not overlook the role

that veterans play each day in America. Veterans’ service organizations, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, strive to highlight the importance of veterans all year long.

This Veterans Day, we encourage you to reflect on the important contributions that veterans make both in our nation and in our individual communities. Take a moment to thank a veteran for their service or contact your local VFW Post to see how you can make a positive difference in the lives of veterans and their families..

Martin Yingling State Commander Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of California

LETTERS POLICY

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

BIRTHS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES

Have you or someone you know reached a “milestone”? If so, we’d like to know about it! Email your information to editor@brentwoodpress.com.

Nancy Biglow McKinnon

May 11, 1935 – Oct. 3, 2022

Nancy passed away peacefully sur rounded by loved ones, on Oct. 3, 2022 in Brentwood, California. Born Nancy Elizabeth Biglow on May 11,1935 in Antioch, Califor nia to parents Harold Judson Biglow and Marion Lyle Saldz, she was the eldest of five children.

Nancy was a direct descendant of one of Antioch’s early pioneers, Adoniram Judson Biglow. She was a family history research enthusiast, and was extremely proud of her roots. When she was 16, her father died in a tragic accident. Her mother

Daniel Mark Strauch

Jan. 19, 1941 - Oct. 30, 2022

After a long strug gle with dementia, Dan Strauch, 81, passed away at home in Dis covery Bay surrounded by family.

Born in Jenkin town, Pa., Dan gradu ated from the Webb School in Tennessee, and studied econom ics at Wilkes College, then the University of Texas, before enlisting in the Army. He took a local discharge in Hawaii in 1965. Dan’s lifelong love of sailing began on a 35-foot trimaran that he and three friends sailed from Honolulu to Miami, via the Panama Canal, in 1966.

returned with her five children to live near her family in Brentwood.

Nancy, or ‘Nan”, became a second mother helping to care for her younger sib lings. She attended Liberty Union High School where she graduated in 1953.

Nancy was an avid reader. You could always find her with a book any time of the day or night. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nancy especially enjoyed working with the young people in the church. Teaching Sun day school, youth groups, and coordinating dances and plays, she was always involved.

Before retiring at age 72, Nancy was employed for many years with the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Department where she began as an eligibility worker, and finished her ca

In 1968, Dan married Dorothy Eck of Shavertown, Pa., and in 1969 they moved to the Bay Area. In 1978, they moved to Discov ery Bay, where they raised their daughters.

A consummate people person, Dan enjoyed his jobs in sales, but even moreso his active involvement with his community, serving on the Byron United School District board, in various capacities for the Byron United Methodist Church, and as a volun teer sailing instructor.

Dan is survived by wife Dorothy, daughters Gretchen Strauch of Seattle and Hilary McArthur (Jason) and two grandchildren, Kai and Aleah McArthur of Pacifica, Calif.; brother Charles Strauch of South Carolina, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Dan was predeceased by his parents,

reer as a Hearing Representative.

There, she met colleagues who would become her dearest lifelong friends. Nancy developed a passion for theater at an early age, always thrilled to get tickets to a new show or play, and so excited to share the ex perience with family or friends.

Over the years, she was involved in many community theater productions throughout the county. She enjoyed displaying her tal ents whether on stage, or backstage design ing and constructing costumes and sets.

She was a devoted mother, grandmoth er, and great-grandmother. She was gener ous, kind, patient, and always there to pro vide support to others. She was loved deeply, and will be missed immeasurably.

Nancy is preceded in death by her par ents Harold and Marian Biglow, her son,

Charles and Arvilla Strauch, and brother Harry (Carter) Strauch.

He’ll be remembered by his family for his wide-ranging enthusiasms — for back scratches, Fordhook lima beans, speeding to Brentwood Ace Hardware just before closing time, yelling “WHOOP! WHOOP!” when anyone got caught helping themselves to more dessert than he’d had, American musical theater, long-winded physics lessons and dinner-interrupting demonstrations, prizing and displaying bits of machinery as “Americana” that his family mistook for “junk,” a certain Wham! song, the Lock heed SR-71 Blackbird — which he never did receive as a birthday or Christmas pres ent despite perpetual requests, the mysti cal powers of gray tape, testing speed limit enforcement, decrying the horrors of smelt

Joseph “Jody” McKinnon Jr., and brothers Charles “Chuck” Biglow, and Harold “Bud” Judson Biglow II. She is survived by her daughter, Rosmairi “Rori” Polvorosa (Ralph Alvarado) of Crockett; grandsons Chris topher (Kerri) Polvorosa of Brentwood, Nicholas Polvorosa of Vacaville, and Tony (Sam) Alvarado (who she considered her bonus grandson) of Rodeo; great grandchil dren Cali, Nick Jr., Ryder, Ellis, Liam, Allie and Carson; sisters Mary H. Biglow Bonde of Mt. Aukum, and Janet D. (Mark) Biglow Splain of Walnut Creek, as well as many loved cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A private graveside service will be held at Oak View Memorial Cemetery in Antioch. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Masquers Playhouse, 105 Park Place, Richmond CA. 94801.

and Brussels sprouts, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress,” finding excuses to men tion his big sailing trip, mechanical pencils, constructing legendary and insanely com plex Halloween costumes for his wife and girls, unrecognizable avant-garde renditions of “Happy Birthday” (having come to terms with his utter inability to sing in tune), for his adored older brothers and every one of their kids, his good fortune at having met and married Dort, and, most especially, ev ery single aspect of parenting, at which he was very, very good.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m. at the Byron United Methodist Church. In lieu of flow ers, please consider a donation to Kaleido scope Cancer Connection (kaleidoscope hope.org) or to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Hometown SportS

Lions wrapping up different, but successful year

By Michael Dixon Correspondent

With the cross country season nearing its end, there are some similarities and differences for the runners on Liberty High School’s team when compared to last season.

While the Bay Valley Athletic League Champion ship meet looms on Wednesday, Nov. 9, the Lady Lions finished their regular season league schedule at 5-0 in dual meets against league opponents. Liberty’s girls have now won the BVAL title every year for the last decade, including a shared one in 2019.

When compared to both the girls team as well as last year’s boys, the boys team is smaller in both numbers and experience. Still, the Lions finished the regular sea son with a winning record of 3-2, falling only to Antioch and Heritage.

“So far, we’ve had a pretty good season,” said Max Ortega, one of the team’s coaches. “The team is smaller than last year, and younger, with more than half the team being underclassmen. Because of this, we’ve put more of an emphasis on the dual meets than the invitationals this season.”

Having a young, largely inexperienced team, coach es hope to see an improvement. That has happened for the Lions this year. Ortega said that at least half of the Liberty runners have posted personal bests at most meets this season.

The boys haven’t fielded a full team of runners at any invitational meet this year. The girls team finished 14th out of 36 teams at the P. Wilder XC Mariner Invi tational at Hayward High School That was also an ad vantage for the Lions, as it gave them a chance to run on the same trail that will host the North Coast Section Championship Meet will be on Saturday, Nov. 19.

On Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22, the Liber ty team was at the Mt. SAC Cross Country Invitational, held at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. The coaches were pleased with the showing of the runners.

“Our girls had a strong showing despite our No. 2 being unable to run due to injury,” Ortega said. “They were led by Rylee Guinn who placed 6th in the individu al sweepstakes race. Dylan Baptista -- our only boy who had previously run the course -- had about a 19-second

personal record.

“Moreover, we got to see how everyone would han dle the hillier courses going into the end of season com petition,” Ortega added.

The top girl runners have been seniors Guinn and Karyss Mendes, junior Sarah Redman, sophomore Kelsey Peltz and freshman Sam Gonzalez. On the boys side, the charge has been led by seniors Baptista and Oli ver Lyman, sophomore Zachary Nicholas and Oswaldo Fuentes and freshman Anthony Ramirez.

Ortega noted that both Guinn and Baptista have solid chances to qualify for the state meet at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday, Nov. 26. To do that, they’ll need to qualify as individuals at the NCS meet the week before. Both have made qualifying for state a goal.

As teams, both the boys and girls set broader hopes when the season started.

“The boys team’s goal is ‘be better’ -- they had a bit of trouble narrowing it down to something more specif ic,” Ortega said, laughing. “The girls team set a goal to

make a culture that fosters better relationships and better performances on the course.”

One of the changes that this season has brought is more of a return to normal than any of the previous two. The fall, 2020 season was actually held in spring, 2021, due to. The true 2021 season returned to the normal time on the calendar. Still, with COVID-19 looming, invita tionals and meets were always in jeopardy, particularly for individual runners.

Also, since the fall, 2021 season started so shortly after the previous school year’s season, the runners had virtually no offseason and a limited track-and-field sea son. While there are still challenges with scheduling some invitations, this season has offered a return to near nor malcy for the Lions and all of their opponents.

“We’ve had to venture to some new meets that we haven’t been to before,” Ortega said. “But for our seniors whose first season was before COVID, it feels like they’ve come full circle with things coming closer to that preCOVID normal.”

New sport gains popularity in high schools

By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent

Area high school students who don’t want to play traditional team sports might have another option – and elec tronic team.

Esports, short for electronic sports, is an organized version of multiplayer video games for those interested to com pete and possibly win prizes for being the best at their game. It ran just like a nor mal sports season with a regular season followed by playoffs.

All games are played online, includ ing matches, practices, and even coach ing sessions between players and coaches.

The league started during the 202021 school year, and has since seen at least 100 students try out. In the first year or

so, the esports club had 8-10 players. but it didn’t last after the fall semester of the 2019-’20 school year.

Numbers for Liberty this semester are smaller – they had enough for one Rock et league team (3 play ers) and one Madden team (1 player) – but next semester Liberty coach Kevin Boles said he expects that number to skyrocket since he already has kids lined up to play next semester.

Part of that in crease stems from the stay-at-home orders issued in California back in March of 2020 dur

ing the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 having been lift ed, coaches said.

Before then, competitive gaming was run more like a club in high schools with teams struggling to fill out starting spots let alone a complete roster with a starter team and backups. Now, it’s taken as serious ly as typical high school sports such as football and basketball as hun dreds of students have tried out every year to try and make their school’s esports teams, coaches said.

Heritage and Liberty are the local high schools that have been running es ports programs for a few years now, and

each started off as something small. But now, these local high schools are getting national fame for their high level play across multiple games such as Valorant and Madden.

The Heritage High esports teams are ranked high both on the state and national level as their League of Legends team is ranked top 16 in California and their Valorant team is ranked top 8 over all in the nation.

Their head coach, Maxwell Lim, is known for his high level play as well as he attended UCLA and competed in Su per Smash Bros. With his background, he has been able to bring on some UCLA esports coaches to help the Heritage Es ports players to learn and grow both as

The Lady Lions cross-country team finished their regular season league schedule at 5-0. They have now won the BVAL title every year for the last decade.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Baptista

individual players, but also as an overall unit. These coaches from UCLA would give the players tips on how they can work on their overall basic mechan ics but also run what they call team vod reviews, which is similar to study ing film in other sports like football. Lim said his program can compete at high levels across all their different games they play.

“We look to win nationals for Val orant this season, and we want to crack into the top 4, something we have yet to do. For Super Smash Bros we feel we can win a state title.”

Finishing in the top 4 would allow the Heritage Valorant team to be able to compete for the national title as only the top 4 qualify to have a chance at the number one spot in the nation. The team has just missed out on top 4 placements in multiple seasons now, reaching top 8 twice and a top 16 placement in a 3rd season.

The Liberty High School sports program made its debut in the 2021-22 school year, but they only competed in two games being Madden and Rocket League. They also got off to a hot start in their first year similar to Heritage and had a player win both state and nationals in the video game Madden 22.

“Winning the national title was big as our player went on to be recognized by the superintendent and school board, which was not only huge for him and Liberty, but the esports program overall

for our district,” Boles at Liberty said.

While Boles may not have the same background as Lim from Heritage, his lifelong connection with video games made him want to start this program.

Esports has begun to turn from something that was viewed as nerdy into something schools take as serious as football or basketball.

“I knew it would be taken more se riously this year when athletic clearance through the district was required,” he said. ”It just shows the district views this as a serious program.”

Even practice schedules and game schedules are similar to those of other sports. Heritage and Liberty both have practices, games, and on the side one-onone coaching every week.

Lim of Heritage added, “This year we’ve begun to follow through with a stricter punishment protocol if a player misses a practice without good reason.”

Just by looking around to the lo cal highschools anyone can see esports is becoming bigger everywhere, and with a generation that is more technologically sound than ever, Lim said, “Your kids are going to play video games anyways so might as well let them join these teams so they can socialize and learn about team play.”

Both programs are midway through their fall season with playoffs set to start in mid to late November, then followed up in the next semester with a spring season that will aim to start around late February or March.

HOW TO AVOID MAKING ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKES

By Todd W. Moeller, Moeller Estate Law

Do you want to avoid making critical estate planning mistakes? The following are examples that occur all too frequently:

1. Purchasing one-size-fits-all (e.g., canned)-estate planning documents online or through a trust mill. These are of little or no value. Real value is created through sound legal advice about the structure and essential provisions concerning estate planning documents.

2. Neglecting to fully fund your living trust. Far too often, this equates to probate.

3. Failing to file current beneficiary designations for life insurance and retirement plans and/or not designating alternate beneficiaries. If this occurs, probate is often the result.

4. Failing to regularly review your trust and seek sound legal advice. For example, I spoke with a gentleman who wanted to know how he could ensure that his son received his condo when he died. He said he and his wife had a trust, which passed everything to him when she

died. She died  more than 15 years ago. Turns out, he was incorrect. Their trust required the surviving spouse to set up an irrevocable trust funded with one-half of their estate when either of them died. He did not do so because he told me that he never reviewed their trust after it was in place nor did he contact his attorney after his wife passed away. As a result, he has limited expensive options to repair the damage.

If you or someone you know are facing difficult estate planning decisions, please contact my office and make an appointment to discuss effective estate planning strategies..

If you have questions concerning your existing estate plan or setting up an estate plan, please contact Todd W. Moeller at (925) 301-8840 or www.MoellerEstateLaw.com.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this advertisement is provided for general information only. Todd W. Moeller is licensed to practice law in the State of California only, and any information contained in this advertisement is based on general principles of California law. The information presented should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship

Heritage beats Liberty

The Heritage Varsity water polo teams each took home a win. The boys won against Freedom High School 15-4 in BVAL championship play on Oct. 29 while the girls team won against Liberty High School 8-4. The boys varsity team is coached by Patrick Aiello. The roster consists of: Braden Madden, Ryan Ackerman, Aidan Muse, Caleb Cayanan, Preston Swann, Willie Trapanese, Evan McCallum, Tony Trapanese, Aidan Duttera, Matthew Vo, Zach Lengyel, Travis Kralj, Ashton Culpepper, Dustin Blasquez, Stephen Pasamonte, Robert Mazza, Julian Rozo-Jimenez and Fellipe Dutra Vilacer. The girls varsity team is coached by Jeff Russ. The roster consists of: Juliette Fajeau, Aarlynn McDonald-Shargots, Natalie Buttitta, Sophia Eilersen, Jennalyn Meija, Jordyn Davies, Mikayla Drewry, Caitlynn Smith, Emma Cramer, Alissyia Petroni, Peri Lindeman, Amanda Muse, Sydney Flanery, Elly Longoria, Samantha Chao, Madeline Guo, C Smith, Sophia Cadero and Catlina DeArmorrortu.

Photo courtesy of Danielle Kralj

Liberty outlasts Heritage in Brentwood Bowl

By Juan Cebreiros Correspondent

Rivalry games in football produce some of the most thrilling games with the Nov. 4 matchup between the Liberty Li ons and Heritage Patriots living up to the status of a true rivalry game. The Patriots’ stadium was packed as they welcomed in the crosstown rival Lions in the final game of the regular season with the Li ons coming one play away from blowing a 17-point lead, but held on to beat the Patriots by a final score of 35-28. Devon Rivers made the Lions’ defense struggle throughout the entire game as he was able to break free for long runs seemingly at will. In the second half, he would step in at quarterback. The Lions’ defense made advancing the ball more difficult for Riv ers. When they thought he would pass, he would instead tuck and run and when they thought Rivers would run, he would pass more.

The game started with the Patriots relying heavily on Rivers as they slowly marched down the field converting on third and fourth downs. The Lions run defense seemed to be outmatched by the Patriots’ rushing attack as on the Patriots opening drive took more than eight minutes of the first quarter and ended with sophomore quarterback Austin Peters connecting with a receiver along the sideline for a long touchdown to put Heritage up 6-0 early. The point-after kick was missed.

Heritage head coach Dave Fogelstrom went into the game with the goal of the of fense being to mix up plays and take a lot of time off the clock.

“The opening drive we did exactly what we wanted to do; it was a textbook drive,” he said. “We worked on that all week, we knew we wanted to move the ball methodically down the field, mixing in the run with a few passes.”

However, the lead would not last long. On the ensuing kickoff, Lions’ return man Jamar Searcy went all the way for a touch down to give the Lions a 7-6 lead without their offense setting foot onto the field yet in the game.

Both defenses appeared to be caught off guard by the opposing offense as Heri tage marched down the field more quickly

on their second drive and scored after Pe ters threw a pass into the back corner of the end zone where his receiver caught the ball to give Heritage a 12-7 lead following a failed 2-point conversion.

Getting the ball for the first time with fewer than eight minutes to play in the first half, Lions quarterback Nate Bell led his team down the field to inside the five-yard line where he would run the ball in himself to give Liberty back the lead. When the Pa triots got the ball back, it seemed as if they would yet again respond with their own score to retake the lead.

At the Liberty 45 yard line, Peters threw a pass that would be intercepted by Lions defensive back Deuce Carr and returned to the Patriots’ 22 yard line. Liberty got the ball down to the two-yard line when they handed it off to running back Giancarlo Olveda for the short touchdown run as Liberty now took a 21-12 lead into halftime.

Liberty had an opportunity at the end of the half to expand upon this lead even further because they would receive the sec ond-half kickoff.

But the Patriots tried an onside kick to start the second half to try and swing the momentum into their favor. However, it was unsuccessful and the potent Lions offense got the ball back at midfield. Bell would not let this opportunity slip away as

he and receiver Ryan McKendry connect ed for a 22 yard touchdown pass to extend the Lions’ lead to 28-12.

On the Patriots’ next drive, Peters would throw an interception. That seemed to not only seal the team’s fate but his as well because he would not take another snap at quarterback for the rest of the game. On the first play of the Lions’ next drive, Rivers would intercept Bell and give Heritage a sign of life.

The two teams traded touchdowns on their next possessions, and Heritage was now in a 17-point hole going into the fourth quarter. The Lions’ defense appeared to get the stop they needed to put the game away, but a muffed punt by Liberty man aged to keep Heritage’s hopes alive. With Rivers now in at quarterback, the Patriots would capitalize on this as Liberty defend ers failed to sack him and he was able to keep the play alive long enough for him to find receiver Jesse Dawal in the end zone to cut the lead to 35-25.

What appeared to be a command ing 17-point lead going into the final 12 minutes of the game had dwindled to just seven points following a Patriots field goal as the Lions did not have an answer for Rivers.

On the following kickoff, the Patriots would recover an onside kick giving their

offense one last shot to tie the game with 2:30 left to go in the game and all momen tum in their favor. Rivers would get the of fense to the four-yard line with less than 30 seconds to play against a defense that had yet to stop him in the fourth quarter. The Patriots were unable to score the tying touchdown on their first two plays, leading to just four seconds on the clock a thirdand-goal from the 2 yard line.

The game would come down to this final play to decide if the teams would continue to play in overtime or if the Li ons would win. Rivers rolled left and fired a pass to the end zone, but his intended receiver had tripped and fallen. The ball fell harmlessly to the ground, the clock showed all zeros, and the Lions had nar rowly escaped with a victory on the Patri ots’ home turf.

With the loss, the Patriots’ season ends, dropping their last two games and failing to finish above .500 in league play for the second season in a row.

The Lions’ win keeps the Brentwood Bowl trophy at Liberty for the sixth year in a row now as they gear up to play a home league playoff game this weekend against Amador Valley at home.

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

DO YOU NEED A WILL?

Yes, if you want to name who will handle your financial affairs, waive the need for an expensive bond, and direct where your assets should be distributed.

Liberty High School continued their Brentwood Bowl winning streak, beating Heritage High School, 35-28, in the 2022 edition, Friday, Nov. 4.

Photo by Juan Cebreiros

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Adam Gerhart bringing in 10%.

Brentwood’s Measure Q passed 64% to 36%. Knightsen’s Measure R passed 60% to 40 % opposed.

Susan Wallace won a seat on the Lib

erty Union School District Board Area 3 with 58%; Sandy McCaslin won the Area 4 Board seat with 70% of the vote.

Ashley Porter led the race for the three open seats on the Discovery Bay Commu nity Services Board of Directors at 29%

item they could agree on was the need for more staff stud ies and reports. Karen Mitchoff, the chairwoman of the board, noted at one time, “We can dream, can’t we?”

The Coronavirus Relief Fund is earmarking $227,827,652 to the county. The federal American Res cue Plan Act Fund (ARPA) has allocated $224,058,903 to Contra Costa. And the Emergency Rental Assistance Program has earmarked $220,174,579 for emergency rental assistance housing needs.

Through Sept. 30, 2022, county departments have identified $343,051,683 in known ARPA allocations with 22 unique grant programs coming into the county, and $70,591,251 in one-time needs.

To date, Brentwood has been allocated $6,923,339 from the recovery funds. Oakley has been allocated $10,177,190.

Among the bigger proposed one-time expenditures is $15.2 million for flood control, $13.5 million for infra structure modernization, $12 million for a new Bay Point library, $10 million for election equipment, $6.5 million for electric vehicle charging stations and energy efficiency, and $4.1 million for unfunded airport projects.

As the county administrator, Monica Nino, re ported, the county is still waiting on word from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials who are determining how much the federal government will reimburse the county on COVID-19 relief claims. That answer is expected by the end of December. That amount has reached $74 million.

After the staff reports, the board voted to ask the staff to report back in 60 days once it is clear how much the total pot will remain.

In other actions this week, the board celebrated the upcoming Veterans Day with an ROTC flag troop from Heritage High School and a performance from the Ladies First Choir from Concord High School.

Lewis Brouchard, chief of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, also reported to the board on the progress of Measure X tax funding. The department

followed by Byron Gutow at 26.3% and J. Kevin Graves at 25.9%. The top three fin ishers will take seats on the board.

Milan “Pete” Petrovich won the By ron Bethany Irrigation District Board seat with 54%.

The county Clerk’s office reported 100% of precincts counted at 12:03 a.m. Wednesday.

For the latest results: https://results. enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Contra_ Costa/115758/web.307039/#/summary To comment, visit www.thepress.net

received $4.5 million for wildfire reduction, which led to two 14-person crews being recruited, hired, trained and made operational in May 2022.

Some $18.8 million went toward facilities and ap paratus. Under that allocation, Fire Station 94 was de molished in downtown Brentwood and design was begun on the replacement Fire Station 90 in Brentwood. Mea sure X funding also went to relocation of a fire crew to Antioch along with apparatus and equipment for $3 mil lion in total funds expended.

Brouchard noted that the new Brentwood station is not expected to be finished until late 2023. The supervi sors also heard funding updates to mental health expan sions and laboratory improvements at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center.

Measure X also allocates $600,000 for a boost in

Council

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combating illegal dumping. The allocation was matched by a state grant of $695,000. Supervisor John Gioia asked county staff to come up with a new method to quantify how effective the dumping cleanup has been in the past. “We need performance results,” he insisted.

Supervisor Diane Burgis also hailed the upcoming Holiday Food Fight Drive sponsored by the Food Bank of Solano and Contra Costa. Once again, in 2022 the two counties will compete to raise funds for the Food Bank. This friendly competition, spearheaded by individual coun ty departments, has raised nearly $2.6 million since 2003.

The county that raises the most money per employee will win the Big Apple trophy. During Tuesday’s meeting, Burgis proudly displayed the trophy that Contra Costa won last year.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

The Brentwood City Council’s vote enables the city to enter into an agreement with Anaergia Services LLC, a California-based company that specializes in convert ing organic waste into renewable energy. The agreement would allow the two parties to determine if the project would benefit the city, but does not commit Brentwood to building the facility if the project is not deemed to be feasible or costs too much, Wichert said. A feasibility study would take between 6 and 12 months, according to Shayne Petkiewicz of Anaergia Services.

“We want to do something about climate change,” Petkiewicz said. “We think that converting organics and creating our ‘garbage juice’ is a good way to do that.”

Anaergia’s facilities use a machine to mechani cally separate organic waste from other waste through high-pressure compression, Wichert said. The pressure squeezes out the organic matter, resulting in “garbage juice” also called the ‘wet fraction.’ The wet fraction is then processed and converted into renewable energy while the remaining dry fraction, now devoid of organic matter, is sent off to the landfill. The closest similar fa cility is in San Mateo County, according to Petkiewicz.

“While it’s great for the environment, I’m a little bit scared of how it’s going to impact the services that we provide or the rates that we might have to increase,” Councilmember Jovita Mendoza said following the pre sentation.

A funding source for the project has not been de termined, according to the agenda packet, but is pro jected to cost roughly $40 million. If determined to be a good fit, it could potentially be funded through grants, loans or bond funding. The city’s 10-year General Fund Fiscal Model, adopted as part of the Strategic Plan in February, includes an initiative for organic manage ment, according to the agenda packet. Funding options will be researched in greater detail as part of the feasibil ity study, according to Wichert.

Mayor Joel Bryant expressed interest in whether or not the facility could be opened up to serve other ju risdictions for a fee as a way to help recoup the costs. Wichert said that the feasibility study would also deter mine if that were possible or if the facility would logisti cally be able to service only Brentwood.

Ultimately, the council voted 4-0, with Vice May or Johnny Rodriguez absent, to move ahead with the agreement.

Other items approved at the meeting included an extension of the scope of the contract between the city and Terracare Associates to include restroom and trash receptacle maintenance at new locations such as Creek side Park as well as a study to reassess classification and compensation for city employees.

The full meeting can be viewed online at https://bit. ly/3thRoJ6

To comment, visit www.thepress.net

Image courtesy of Contra Costa County Fire Protection District

Connie and Kirk took The Press with them “to the ends of the earth” to Halifax, Nova Scotia to celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary.

Photo by Connie O’Neill