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Blue Devils, from page 1 To add to its list of 2023 achievements, the Blue Devils won the corps’ first Best Color Guard Performance since 2015, while also taking home caption awards for General Effect and Visual Performance. Seidling says, “It was a really fun year. We had an outstanding
group of returning members and an excellent pool of new members.” About 80% of the eligible members from 2022 returned and 72 of this year’s corps have now aged out. Over 500 “ambitious, dedicated and talented” young people auditioned for this year’s A
Corps which ended up with a record 185 members. Of that total, 100 were from California (evenly split between North and South), plus from Japan, England, Holland and 26 other states. Snare drummer Riley Giadone, a Clayton Valley Charter High School grad, was the only local member of the A Corps, although 30 members were from the greater East Bay.
Seller impersonation fraud gains ground in real estate being caught. Due to the types of property being targeted, it can take months or years for the actual property owner to discover the fraud. Property monitoring services offered by county recorder’s offices are helpful, especially if the fraud is discovered prior to the transfer of money. To pull off these schemes, JENNIFER STOJANOVICH criminals search public to identify real estate CLOSE TO HOME records that is free of mortgage or other liens and to identify the Sophisticated fraudsters property owners. Properties have been impersonating often include vacant lots or property owners to illegally rentals. sell commercial or residential Posing as the property property. owner, the fraudster contacts My representative at a real estate agent to list the Chicago Title Co. sent out property for sale below marinformation about this, and I ket value to generate immedithought it was important to ate interest. As offers come in, share. they then show a preference These criminals use the for a cash buyer. They quickly real property owner’s Social accept an offer and then Security and driver’s license refuse to sign closing docunumbers in the transaction, as ments in person, instead using well as legitimate notary crea remote notary signing. dentials that may be applied The criminal or a co-conwithout the notary’s knowlspirator impersonates the edge. They prefer using email notary and provides falsified and text messages to commu- documents to the title companicate, allowing them to mask ny or closing attorney. The themselves and commit title company or closing attorcrimes from anywhere without ney unwittingly transfers closEach Office Is Independently Owned & Operated.
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ing proceeds to the criminal. All communication is electronic, not in person. The scheme is often discovered when recording the transfer of documents with the relevant county. These crimes have particularly affected the elderly and foreign real estate property owners as there are no means to notify the legitimate owners automatically. The burden of verification is on the real estate and title companies. To prevent this type of fraud, buyers should: • Conduct open-source research for the identity and a recent photo of the purported seller. • Request an in-person or virtual meeting to see government-issued identification. • Be alert when a seller accepts an offer below market value in exchange for receiving the payment in cash and closing quickly. Use trusted title companies and attorneys for the exchange of closing documents and funds. Jennifer Stojanovich is an owner/broker with Better Homes Real Estate. Send questions and comments to jennifer@bhrbroker.com
Japanese American Club Summer Festival returns JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
Diablo Japanese American Club’s Summer Festival returned after a three-year hiatus bringing classical Japanese dance, Ikenobo (flower arrangements) and traditional food to Concord on the last weekend of July. Attendees came from all over the Bay Area to the Japanese American Religious & Cultural Center on Treat Blvd. for the event. The lines at every food booth demonstrated the pent up demand for the festival’s return. Brian Fujinaga “Since the pandemic, I Bon Odori instructors Kalene Leong, Carolyn Fujinaga, think a lot of people have real- Mdm. Michisuya Hanayagi, Nerisa Yokoyama, and Alice ly missed the festival,’’ said Horio in traditional Japanese yukata. Karen Sakata, president of the Diablo Japanese American swords). Obon, a Japanese tra- chicken and beef teriyaki, sushi dition honoring ancestors and and sake. Club. Around 400 families who In addition to flowers and people who have died, was celbelong to the nearly 100-yeardance, displays included callig- ebrated as well. Visitors enjoyed tasty treats old club organized and staffed raphy, Taiko (Japanese drums), Judo and Kendo (Japanese such as tempura, udon, gyoza, the event.
Classical Hindu dance at Pleasant Hill Library DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent
Young performers brought the classical dance known as Bharata Natyam to the Pleasant Hill Library on Aug. 8, illustrating the expression of Hindu religious themes and devotions. Seven students, ages 9-13, represented the Dublin-based Kalaikoil Dance & Arts of India. They performed a variety of routines in bare feet, keeping with the tradition of Hindu temples. The classical dance, characteristic of Southeast India, is compared to Western ballet for its strong, structured steps. Placement of the hands tells the story through conventional gesture language, while the face expresses the mood. School leaders hope the
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The dancers’ hand gestures bring additional meaning to the Bharata Natyam performance at the Pleasant Hill Library.
large crowd gained a greater back to ancient principles. appreciation of the Hindu classical art form, whose terFor more information, visit minology and techniques date www.kalaikoil.com.
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Broker
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PRICE
SF
BED/BATH
DATE
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CLAYTON
PRICE
SF
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BED/BATH
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