Happy Holidays
from the Concord Pioneer
IT’S YOUR PAPER
Todos Santos celebration kicks off holiday season
www.concordpioneer.com
From the desk of...
December 15, 2017
MAYOR
Birsan’s journey to the mayor’s gavel
See Mayor, page 7
A wrap up of 2017 headline stories BEV BRITTON Concord Pioneer
EDI BIRSAN
When asked about my path to becoming mayor the night I was sworn in, I had to think that there was no path – there are many paths. Mine started with a background that burned into me a fundamental persistence and focus on goals with the full expectation of challenges: setbacks, rocky times and downright spasms of betrayalinduced depression and clawing back stubbornness. And then came puberty. More recently, I was fortunate to have the flexibility of being my own boss in a small business for the last 34 years. This allowed me the time and sometimes the money to get involved with community efforts. My ever-patient wife always supported my intensity
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Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT AMBER HOM AND HER STAFF PROVIDED HOT COCOA AND WARM SMILES at the Tree Lighting Dec. 2 in Todos Santos Plaza. This was the first year Hom did the cocoa table to raise money for Sweet Beginnings Family Resource Center which helps families keep their children out of the foster care system. Hom was deeply affected by the shooting at Olympic High School last month – one of the bullets came through her office wall. The Traditional Tree Lighting celebration kicked off with Santa’s arrival by fire engine, red lights flashing and sirens blaring. This year, the festivities were dedicated to the memory of Bruce Mertz who passed away in October. Known as Mr. Christmas, Mertz would spend all year designing and updating his do-it-yourself masterpieces in his garage, using everything from old PVC pipes to K-Mart frying pans to create reindeer that pranced, jingle bells that spun and a Santa that waved from the rooftop. Mertz’ family members were on hand to pull the switch to light up the city’s official tree.
Birsan takes the helm, faces challenging year TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
In a good humored exchange, newly elected Edi Birsan presented outgoing mayor Laura Hoffmeister with a pink version of his signature fedora
In a unanimous decision at its regular meeting on Dec. 2, the City Council elected Edi Birsan mayor and Carlyn Obringer vice-mayor. Birsan and Obringer will serve for one year. Earlier this year, the Council voted to change the term from two years to one. As outgoing mayor Laura Hoffmeister passed the gavel to her successor, Birsan presented her with a pink version of his signature fedora which she tipped to Birsan. It was a good-natured ribbing, in contrast to their sometimes contentious exchanges over procedural issues.
“I look forward to working with Edi in the coming year,” Hoffmeister told the Pioneer in an interview. “We all want the same thing for Concord, we just have different ways of getting there.” Birsan hopes his constituents will see him as more accessible in his new role. “I think some people will more readily approach the mayor than they would a council member,” he said. “I hope to reach more people as mayor.” The city will face several complex issues in the coming year, not the least of which is the looming possibility of litigation over minority representation in
Housing issues dominated headlines in 2017, as Concord officials struggled with how to deal with rising rents while also focusing on several developments. Major projects include the complicated reuse project at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station, the 375,000 sq. ft. Veranda shopping and entertainment complex at the former Chevron site and several downtown sites. Meanwhile, the Police Department zeroed in on stolen vehicles, burglaries from autos and crime around the downtown BART station. The homeless remained another area of concern, with Chief Guy Swanger saying that they play a large role in entry-level crimes. At the same time, he says the department continues to look for ways to connect the homeless to needed services. Here’s a look at the Pioneer’s top stories for 2017: JANUARY McGallian joins City Council. The City Council began 2017 with a heated debate about how to replace Councilman Tim Grayson, who was elected to the state Assembly. Councilman Edi Birsan’s favored selecting the next top voter getter, which was Harmesh Kumar. “It takes the backroom politics out of the selection and lets the people decide,” he said. However, the council opted to seek applications and then selected city treasurer Tim McGallian. “It’s an honor, but more than anything else it’s a
See Year-end, page 8
See New Mayor, page 3
Veranda opens with high end retail, restaurants and IMAX JOHN T. MILLER Correspondent
Shopping in Concord just went a bit more upscale as The Veranda, the highly anticipated new shopping center on Diamond Blvd., celebrated the grand opening at a ribbon cut-
Inside
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Community . . . . . . . . . . .2 From the desk of . . . . . .7 Schools . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Performing Arts . . . . . .18
ting last week. With fireworks and a VIP reception in the soon-to-be opened IMAX movie theater lobby, the opening represented the city’s drive to become a major shopping destination in the East Bay.Newly minted Concord mayor Edi Birsan was on hand to share in the excitement. He welcomed The Veranda to Concord noting that it “is moving Concord forward with innovative shopping and entertainment experiences.” The event was so significant to the city that Assemblyman Tim Graysonflew into Oakland an hour before the event. “I am excited about more top-notch retail,
dining and entertainment options to enjoy, while building up the local economy and providing more job opportunities” said the former mayor and council member, Eight retail outlets and several service companies, including the much anticipated 365 by Whole Foods Market, AAA, Cost Plus World Market, Lunchbox Wax, Sleep Number, TJ Maxx, Toys ’R Us/Babies ’R Us and Travis Credit Union participated in the grand opening last week. 365 by Whole Foods is the first lower-priced market of the upscale chain to open in the Bay Area. Taking its name
from its house brand, 365 Everyday products, approximately 25 percent of its products will be the lower priced variety. Peet's Coffee and Mod Pizza are now open, with more restaurants and bars set to open in the near future and throughout next year. The 375,000-square-foot center on the former Chevron campus has space for about 50 tenants. According to Veranda General Manager Ashton Simmons, they are in lease negotiations with at least one prospective tenant for every Bernardo Pictures available space. Assemblyman Tim Grayson, former Concord councilman and mayor, addressed an upbeat crowd at the opening of
See Veranda, page 3 Concord’s upscale Veranda Shopping Center.
COMMUNITY
Page 2
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
In Brief... Todos Santos brick deadline
Smart911
Smart911 is now available to all residents of Concord. Smart911 is a free service that allows individuals and families to sign up online to provide key information ahead of time to 9-1-1 dispatchers in the event of an emergency. Create your Safety Profile at www.smart911.com.
Contributed photo
Santa takes center stage at last year’s Marclair Christmas Eve street party.
Kathy Gleason wanted to give the kids in the Marclair neighborhood something to look forward to at the holidays, so she started a neighborhood
Concord, Stronger Together
Monument Impact celebrates 17 years of service with a fundraiser at Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd., Concord, Jan.11 from 5:30- 8 p.m. Inspirational community leaders will be honored. Tickets are $200. All proceeds from the event support Monument Impact’s programs. For sponsor and ticket info, go to www. monumentimpact.org or call Cindy Campos, 925.682.8248, ext. 2230.
The First Tee honors Silbermans, Mayor Laura Hoffmeister
Making the holidays bright in Marclair
See your name etched in Todos Santos Plaza on a custom-engraved placed near statue of founding father Don Salvio Pacheco. The statue is part of Concord’s 150th Anniversary celebration and will be unveiled July 4. Bricks cost $150. Order deadline is Dec. 31.
Christmas Eve gathering. The street party includes Santa hats, warm hat/gloves, pizza, hot chocolate and snowman cookies. Then Santa and
December 15, 2017
the Harley Elves arrive, courtesy of the Mt. Diablo Hogs. “A big treat for these kids/families is taking their picture with Santa and his special guests,” Gleason says. More than 100 children from newborns to teenagers receive gift cards. Each family also gets a warm, plush blanket. Gleason, who is the corporate and foundation relations manager for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, plans the party and gathers donations. “I am fortunate to have many friends who help with expenses and who volunteer to help at the party,” she notes.
First Tee of Contra Costa held its fourth annual Character Builder Awards ceremony last month at Oakhurst Country Club in Clayton and among the honorees were Concord residents Bruce and Nancy Silberman and Mayor Laura Hoffmeister. The First Tee is a national nonprofit youth organization that teaches life skills through the game of golf. The First Tee of Contra Costa is based in Concord and runs youth program at Diablo Creek Golf Course and golf courses To donate for the party, send throughout the county. checks to Kathy Gleason, 4459 The Character Builder Crestwood Circle, Concord CA Awards ceremony is a way to 94521. recognize outstanding junior participants and community leaders who embody one of the nine core values and nine healthy habits that form the core teachings of The First Tee. The Silbermans were recognized for demonstrating the core value of social. They became involved with The First Tee when Bruce Silberman started as an assistant coach at Boundary Oak before his wife joined him offering their help with First Tee special events. They received the Friends of The First Tee of Contra Costa award. Hoffmeister was thanked by The First Tee with the
Although on duty, Concord PD officers didn’t let that stop them from having a good time. The four officers joined the community for the Tree Lighting and Mayor’s Sing-Along in Todos Santos Plaza on Dec. 2. Festivities included Santa’s arrival by fire engine. warm cocoa and peppermint sticks, lots of Christmas songs and music and dance presentaTamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer tions by local choir groups, From left, Cpl. Josh Graham, Officer Jeff Sherwin, K9 Officer cheerleaders and the ConOllie Sansen and Sgt. Danielle Cruz. cord High Jazz Band.
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Community Award for hosting the Mayor’s Golf Tournament at Diablo Creek, which raises funds for the youth golf program, and “for all you do for the city of Concord.” A lifelong resident, Hoffmeister completed her fifth term as Concord mayor last week. ABC7 News anchor Dan Ashley was the master of ceremonies at the Character Builder Awards. Chairman of the Board for The First Tee of Contra Costa is former Ygnacio Valley High School football star Gordon Gravelle who went on to win two Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers. To learn more about The First Tee of Contra Costa, visit thefirstteecontracosta.org
Concord PD celebrates with community
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December 15, 2017
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
City honors historical society “Miracle Worker”
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
Chuck Gabrysiak was honored by the city council for his work on the restoration of the Galindo House and the Masonic Temple.
In one of her last mayoral acts before passing the gavel, Laura Hoffmeister honored a tireless volunteer who was responsible for the restoration of the historic Galindo house and the moving and renovation of the old Masonic Temple into the Concord Historical Society Museum and Event Center.
Chuck Gabrysiak, who was honored by the City for his 35 years of service in the city’s planning department when he in 2003, was honored again post-retirement for his work as project manager on the Galindo House and Masonic Temple projects. Along with the commemorating plaque, Gabrysiak took home a t-shirt
Most anticipated is the opening of the Veranda LUXE Cinema, an IMAX movie theater with 10 screens, in-theater dining, a full bar, cocktail lounge and electric recliners with push button service and food trays. The theater is scheduled to open this week and will feature the new Star Wars movie: “The Last Jedi.” Three large pavilions with patio seating and fire pits near the central fountain provide space for socializing and relaxation. The fountain will feature synchronized musical light shows. Coffee Shop, a local chain
with locations in Walnut Creek, Lafayette and Alamo, and Residual Sugar Wine Bar, which currently operates a shop in Walnut Creek will share one of the pavilions. On Saturdays during the holiday season, kids and grownups can meet Santa at the Santa Socials, ice skate in the seasonal rink and hear the carolers throughout the week. Representatives from both the Concord and Pleasant Hill city councils and Chambers of Commerce joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Veranda, from page 1
JOHN T. MILLER Correspondent
The Concord City Council heard a staff report recommending action on developing a campus site as part of the Base Reuse Area Plan at the regular meeting last week. The plan calls for setting aside approximately 120 acres for a site “capable of accommodating a variety of education, research and cultural uses such as a university or research and development center.” The staff report, prepared by assistant city manager Kathleen Trepa, notes that Contra Costa County, with more than a million people, has limited
New Mayor, from page 1
local government. Birsan has been an outspoken supporter of district elections and a citywide elected mayor. There is also much work to be done as the city transitions to legal cannabis sales. Birsan was elected to the City Council in 2012 and reelected in 2016. He has been an active community leader as a member of the ConcordDiablo Rotary, president of the Friends of the Library, and a volunteer for numerous nonprofit organizations. He was born and raised in New York City where he earned his B.A. degree with dual majors in History and Political Science from the City University of New York. He and his wife Carol came to Concord in 1983. They have raised two generations in their
home off Monument Blvd. Carlyn Obringer was elected to the City Council in 2016. She previously served as a member of the city's Design Review Board, chair of the Planning Commission, chair of Monument Impact, chair of the Contra Costa Commission on the Status of Women, and president of Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista. She has taken an active role in the search for a four-year college for the Concord Naval Weapons Station. In an email to the Pioneer after the meeting, Obringer writes “I hope that being identified as the vice mayor will, over the coming year, help me to be an even more persuasive advocate for the city as I work to attract good-paying employers to Concord.”
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access to higher education. The report recommended creating a blue ribbon committee with a broad crosssection of stakeholders, including representatives from education, workforce development and major industries, along with individuals experienced in capital campaigns and/or major campus developments. Staff recommended appointing no more than 11-13 people to keep the committee at a manageable size. Staff also suggested hiring a consultant to direct the research into this project. Some discussion centered on having a new library as part of the campus site. Guy Bjerke, director of Community Reuse Planning, pointed out that plans for a library would carry on, whether or not a college campus is built. Several members of the community spoke during the public comment period, praising the project. For the most part, they favored a Cal
State over adding a campus to the UC system. Councilman Ron Leone also favored the Cal State system. “I want it to be affordable. I am concerned about student loan debt for our young people.” With the knowledge that it may take years and possibly even decades for a campus to become a reality, Mayor Laura Hoffmeister said: “We don’t know what the educational models will be 10 years from now or what the issues will be.” Councilwoman Carlyn Obringer agreed. “We have an opportunity to think outside the box,” she said. “Will it be a traditional university or some kind of research collaborative? Perhaps it will be a hybrid.” The Local Resource Authority has earmarked about $100,000 for retaining a consultant and supporting a blue ribbon committee, but the report said actual costs may vary.
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for a “Project Manager, (because Miracle Worker is not an official job title). Gabrysiak, a Mt. Diablo High School alumni and a close friend of Concord’s founding family member, Ruth Galindo, researched all aspects of restoring the Galindo family home in 2012 before tackling the complex move and conversion of the Masonic Temple to the Historical Society Museum and Event Center. The first phase of the Event Center metamorphosis was complete this year and hosted its first official event when the Contra Costa Historical Society held its annual meeting there. John Kiebel, author of “Behind the Barbed Wire: The History of the Concord Naval Weapons Station,” was the keynote speaker.
City looks at blue ribbon panel for college plans
Page 3
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Assisting More Buyers & Sellers than Anyone Else* *Statistics based on Clayton/Concord and Contra Costa County Closed sales by volume (1/2014-12/31/2014). Data by Maxebrdi
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Ruth Bancroft leaves stunning garden legacy Page 4
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Brad Rovenpera
Ruth Bancroft spent every day in her gardens well into her nineties. She died Nov. 26 at 109.
Ruth Bancroft, founder of the world-renowned Ruth Bancroft Garden, died Nov. 26 at her home in Walnut Creek at the age of 109. Bancroft was a collector who created numerous gardens
around her home, the most notable becoming a public garden and plant nursery. She quietly continued to manage and work in her gardens until age 97. Raised in Berkeley, she
developed a love of plants that would last a lifetime. She studied architecture at UC Berkeley, but after the stock market crash she completed a home arts degree and became a high school teacher. She met Philip Bancroft Jr. on a blind date, and they married in 1939. She moved to the Bancroft family’s 400-acre pear and walnut farm in Walnut Creek. When her three children were young, she began collecting shells on family trips to Pescadero. She carefully documented each species with the date and location, then created striking displays to highlight the subtle differences between them. She donated a large part of her collection to the California Academy of Sciences. In the 1950s, Bancroft began amassing plants and cre-
ating the gardens that still exist around her home. Each garden was focused on a particular plant collection, and she spent countless hours recording the details of her gardens. In 1972, she began her final garden on the site of a former walnut orchard. Lester Hawkins, co-founder of Western Hills nursery in Occidental, designed a series of garden beds and paths for her to plant
December 15, 2017
using her extensive collection of potted succulents. “Ruth had a great eye for garden design, the art of arranging plants to create unique compositions,” said garden curator Brian Kemble. “But beyond this, she was awed by the plants themselves – thinking of each kind as a near-magical product of the creative expression of Mother Nature. There was a joy in the
way she related to plants which will always stay with me.” Bancroft was predeceased by her husband Philip, sister Doris Dillon, brother Robert Torsten Petersson and grandson Joseph Dickerson. She is survived by her children Peter Bancroft and wife Barbara, Nina Dickerson and husband John, Kathy Hidalgo and husband Loreto, and four grandchildren.
Manhattan has its charms, both old and new
Christopher Casey
A pond in Central Park reflects Manhattan’s skyscrapers and the colors of fall.
ROBERT CASEY PLACES TO GO
Ah, New York City. Central Park. Broadway. Great museums. Charming neighborhoods. And hideous traffic, befitting the city’s status as one of the world’s most visited destinations. After a long absence, I returned last month to visit my son, a recent UC Berkeley graduate doing post-doctoral studies at New York University. What I found was a city of contrasts: Many things had changed since the 9/11 attacks, but others were refreshingly familiar. Since my last visit, the new World Trade Center was completed and is a striking addition to the city’s famous skyline. In the shadow of the skyscraper sits the 9/11 museum and two massive square fountains, which were built in the footprints of the old twin towers. The day I visited, there were large crowds of somber visitors lined up for the museum. Others stood quietly at the twin fountains, which contain the names of the 2,996 victims who died Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists flew two passenger jets into the World Trade Center. The scene was evocative of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, with roses placed by many of the names inscribed in the marble panels. Next to the memorial is a
soaring white building, the Oculus, that houses a massive shopping mall as well as the closest subway stations to the 9/11 site. But there’s much more to New York City than the 9/11 memorial. No trip would be complete without a Broadway theater production. My son spotted tickets for “The Parisian Woman” with Uma Thurman at the Hudson Theatre. While we were able to score reasonably priced tickets, many New Yorkers advise heading to the TKTS booth under the red steps in Duffy Square at 47th Street and Broadway for deeply discounted same-day tickets. At still-glistening Times Square, the subway stop for Broadway theaters, is Gulliver’s Gate – a unique world of miniaturized cities around the world that was featured on “60 Minutes.” Another must-do is a walk through Central Park. The sites include Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon memorial, and locales for numerous films and TV shows, including “Ghostbusters” and “Friends.” New York’s famous Met and Guggenheim museums border Central Park on Museum Mile (5th Avenue). Anchoring the south end of the park is Wollman Rink. Now owned by Donald Trump, it was the site for the final scenes of the movie “Serendipity” with John Cusack. You can also visit the ice cream parlor and restaurant at 225 E. 60th St. Also new since my last visit was the High Line, a 1.45-mile elevated greenway created on a former New York Central Rail-
road spur on the west side with stunning views of the Hudson River. There was much more, but exhausted from the longweekend visit, I headed back to California with memories of the sights and sounds of Manhattan.
Casey is president of Fair Winds Cruises & Expeditions in Clayton. He can be reached at 925787-8252 or caseyrdc@gmail.com. Or visit fairwindscruises.com.
If You Go
If you think the Bay Area has bad traffic, New York City’s is worse. The famous subway has stations everywhere and is the best way to get around Manhattan. But when you don’t want to be dragging luggage up and down steep, narrow stairways, take one of the city’s ubiquitous yellow taxis. From John F. Kennedy International Airport, for example, the rate to anywhere on Manhattan is a flat $52 each way, plus a $4.50 surcharge 4-8 p.m. during the week and a 1520 percent tip. Some hotels offer even better rates to and from JFK, a trip that generally takes 1-1.5 hours. There are numerous online guides to New York City. I liked Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s list of 15 things to do. Check it out at cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-09-18/25things-you-should-do-innew-york-city.
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Ladybugs like aphids, but don’t count on them in your garden
We specialize in educating you to improve and maintain your wellness
STACI HOBBET
ON THE MOUNTAIN
A few years ago in late November, I was working in Mitchell Canyon when two young girls raced into the Visitor Center, breathless and so excited that they couldn’t stand still. In loud stereo, they told me that they’d seen “a gazillion ladybugs” on the trail. Their mothers were close on their heels, barely less excited. They showed me a cell phone video of a large rock along the Falls Trail completely thronged with glossy orange ladybugs. The annual fall convention had begun. California is home to at least 175 ladybug species, with 12 in the Bay Area. The bestknown and recognized in the state is the convergent ladybug, named for a pair of bright white lines behind the head that almost converge in a V. That’s what entomologists say, anyway. For more people, they’re more memorable due to their convergence in enormous bunches in our foothills every fall. The total number of beetles involved is less than a gazillion, but not by much. Entomologists aren’t sure why they aggregate. Warmth?
An autumn congregation of ladybugs in Deer Flat in Mt. Diablo State Park.
Mating? Protection from predators? Unlike most ladybugs, they winter in large groups. When the weather warms in spring, their favorite prey, aphids, begin to hatch and the ladybugs rise up in orange clouds on low-level breezes. They float to the Central Valley and the Sierra foothills, where they gorge for the summer – downing up to 50 aphids per beetle per day. Bright colors have deep meaning in nature. The ladybug’s vivid markings and brilliant hue warn predators that despite the nice crunch, it doesn’t taste all that good. Nevertheless, almost every kind of critter bigger than a ladybug will grab a ladybug as a snack occasionally. So the beetle has a further defense: It bleeds at the joints. That would certainly put me off. It’s called reflex bleeding, and lots of bugs do it. Ladybug blood contains alkaloids – nasty, bitter stuff. Imagine the dregs of too-strong coffee, or quinine
Scott Hein
without the tonic and gin. The packets of ladybugs sold at local nurseries and online are typically this native beetle. Sellers simply scoop them up when the insects congregate in the autumn, then charge you a lot for what would be a great form of natural aphid control – if only it worked. It’s a noble idea. Ladybugs are voracious aphid eaters, but washing your plants with plain water works far better. Ladybugs will die within hours after their capture if they’re not kept moist, and those that survive will fly away promptly if you release them during the day or if they don’t find enough aphids in your garden. Even if everything is ladybug-perfect, a packet will clean up one or two of your plants at best. Then the ladybugs will fly away home – or at least away from yours.
• We boast one of the most comprehensive supplement departments in Northern California. • Our vast bulk foods section includes over 700 items — nuts, grains, spices, herbs, and more.
Hobbet is a docent for the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association; mdia.org.
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December 15, 2017
Transfer of Naval Weapons Station land on target JOHN T. MILLER Correspondent
Plans continue to roll along for the conveyance of land from the Navy to the city of Concord as part of the Reuse Plan for the Naval Weapons Station. Guy Bjerke, director of Community Reuse Planning, presented project updates to
the City Council at its latest meeting. He said that the first transfer parcels to the Land Reuse Authority (LRA) and park district should take place in spring 2019. The transfers will include 1,200 acres for LRA and 2,200 acres for the East Bay Regional Park District. The Navy has finished its final Environmental Impact Statement and final Finding of
Suitability to Transfer, which determine its successful remediation of contaminated parcels. The Navy may consider turning over base management to the city and park district by leasing the remaining 400-acre parcel they are currently cleaning up. This past week, the LRA met with the Navy to go over the offer and work out some
cery store gift cards can be dropped off at the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Office, 1936 Carlotta Dr., Concord, or mailed or dropped off at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio St., Concord, 94519. Sponsor individual children who are homeless or in foster care. Personal wish lists are posted at https://goo.gl/Hj33Ex. Make a tax-deductible donation by check and deliver or send to Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio St., Concord, 94519. Donate new hoodies or sweatshirts for students. Drop off at Mt. Diablo Unified School District Office, 1936 Carlotta Dr., Concord or Willow Creek Education Center,1026 Mohr Lane, Concord. For online shopping, send orders to Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio St., Concord 94519.
Gift items will be accepted through Dec. 20, while the deadline for financial and gift card contributions is Dec. 22. Mt. Diablo HOPE is committed to addressing barriers to educational success for homeless students and foster youth. HOPE school social workers and other staff work with homeless families and foster youth caregivers to reduce stressors and connect families with needed resources. “Often teachers and secretaries are the first to communicate with children, and they might notice that children are crying or not clean or struggling in some way,” Wogan says. “Then the school social workers reach out to connect families with support and services.” Wogan says 338 students identified as homeless within MDUSD, which also has more than 130 foster youth. Donations of any amount are welcome year-round.
Schools bringing holiday cheer to homeless students
Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s Homeless Outreach Program for Education has launched a HOPE for the Holidays campaign. The group is seeking donations for holiday gifts for homeless children and foster youth. According to James Wogan, administrator of School Linked Services, the district launched the program a few years ago at the request of some parents and guardians who wanted to shop for individual children. “We’re so fortunate to have a generous community that is supporting homeless children,” he says. “Many families are working two or three jobs to make ends meet, or they’ve fallen on hard times.” Donors can help in the following ways: • Buy gift cards that enable parents and guardians to select their own items for the children. This is the group’s greatest need. Department store and gro-
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of the business terms of the agreement. The rest of the project update concerned developing the Specific Plan for the project, including the 18-acre BART parking lot and the 58-acre site of the former Coast Guard housing. Bjerke also spoke about Concord’s proposal for the Amazon HQ2 bid, a nationwide search for a second headquarters for the corporate giant that could create about 15,000 executive positions and 8 million sq. ft. of building space. “It’s a perfect fit for our area plan and for our project at the
CNWS,” said Bjerke. “The only problem was they only wanted one bid per metropolitan statistical area.” Bjerke told that council that instead of fighting with the other municipalities, Concord joined with San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont and Richmond to make a joint bid under the auspices of the Bay Area Council. “People have wondered if it’s worth the effort, and it is,” Bjerke said. “It’s a win-win situation.” He explained that if Concord gets the bid, it will attract 50,000 high-paying jobs. Even if
they don’t win, the effort has achieved national media attention. “Real estate and business entities have been made aware of the prospects of what may be available soon,” he noted. “The best thing about the document is the alpha order works in our favor,” Bjerke added. “You read about Concord first.” The City Council held a study session on transportation on Dec. 9 and plans a Community Advisory Committee meeting on infrastructure and utilities at 6 p.m. Dec. 19 in the Council Chambers.
JOHN T. MILLER Correspondent
administering 157 standardized field sobriety tests and arresting 42 people for DUI. A select few law enforcement officials will be sent to Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement and Drug Recognition Expert training. The grant will also assist in paying for four DUI checkpoints, 12 DUI Saturation Patrol operations, along with various amounts of Traffic Enforcement, Distracted Driving, Motorcycle Safety, DUI Warrant Service, Click-it-orTicket and Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety enforcement operations. “The main push of the grant is to reduce DUI and DUI-related collisions, particularly around holiday weekends,” said Elsberry. He is excited to work out details about a new program next year called Know Your Limit. The innovative program
sends police officers into Alcohol and Beverage Control licensed establishments to educate residents on the affects of alcohol, the potential for serious injury or death and the financial impact of a DUI arrest. Patrons are asked what they believe their blood-alcohol content to be and then are given a breath test. Outside, a police vehicle is half-wrapped as a taxi with the words “Choose Your Ride” on it. Participants receive a Know Your Limit sticker, educational materials and a $20 donated Uber card. According to the Office of Traffic Safety website, the program has “increased public awareness, strengthened community trust and respect for law enforcement, provided positive feedback from citizens, created discussion about the issues of DUI, and identified future needs or shifts in enforcement/education efforts.”
Grant helps Concord PD with DUI enforcement
The state Office of Traffic Safety awarded the Concord Police Department a grant as part of a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program. The grant, totaling $212,000, is for about 10 years – with steadily increasing funds. It will be used primarily for DUI enforcement, officer training and other safety issues such as distracted driving, and pedestrian, bicycle and motorcycle safety. “The city continues to experience a significant number of vehicle collisions, alcoholinvolved fatal and injury traffic collisions, and traffic collisions involving pedestrians,” said Prov. Sgt. Timothy Elsberry of Concord’s Traffic Division. For more information, contact The grant runs from Oct. 1, Wogan at 925-682-8000, ext. 2017, through Sept. 31, 2018. 3054, woganj@mdusd.org or by Last year’s grant resulted in the text at 925-250-5500. screening of 1,179 drivers,
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Back in 1926, the Lewis Ervin Lehmer family moved to Concord from Rutherford. There were six of them: Lewis and Essie and their four children, Lewis Ervin Lehmer Jr., Doris, Marion and Clyde. Essie, by the way, was the granddaughter of George Knight of the town of Knightsen. Lew, as friends and family called the elder Lehmer, was a railroad and telegrapher agent for the South Pacific Railroad. In 1927, he bought a third of an acre at the junction of Cowell and Monument/Galindo, where the police station now stands. Since the train only came in twice a week, he decided to build a two-pump gas station with a canopy and little house.
Photo courtesy of the Lehmer family
Ervin Lehmer Jr. stands in front of his father’s service station on Galindo St where the Concord Police Station now stands.
His eldest son, Ervin, worked alongside of him at Golden West Service Station while attending Mount Diablo High School. There, he met a classmate who rode the
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train from Walnut Creek to the only high school in the valley. He married Margaret Bradley in 1934. The station had grown into an auto sales/repair shop. In 1936, the Oldsmobile company asked Lew if he wanted to have an Olds franchise in Concord. Lew declined, but turned the offer over to his son. Ervin launched the franchise, and Lehmer’s Oldsmobile was born. Through hard work and a keen sense for business, it’s now a fifth-generation family business. Ervin and Margaret had two children. Carolyn was born in 1941 and Ervin in 1943. Carolyn, a strong, clever businesswoman, worked alongside her father. The 1959 graduate of Mount Diablo High School met Russ Anderson at Mel’s drive-in in Walnut Creek. They were married in 1963 and pro-
ceeded to have three children: Russell, Darren and Tammy. During this time, Carolyn was becoming more involved in the community and her Oldsmobile franchise. Her success can be seen today on the corner of Market Street and Willow Pass, where you will also find her three children and her grandson working at the well-respected Buick and GMC dealership. As you can tell by the accompanying picture, Ervin was proud of the little twopump station. And I’m sure he’d have been proud of the legacy that followed him. Carol Longshore has been a Concord resident since 1950. She is a community leader and current president of the Concord Historical Society. Send comments and suggestions for future topics to editor@concordpioneer.com.
F r om the desk o f . . . Holidays are all about thinking of others
GUY SWANGER
POLICE CHIEF
It was amazing to see the transformation of Todos Santos Plaza at Concord’s tree lighting on Dec. 2. The event was complete with horse carriages, Santa, singing groups, incredible weather and a new tree to light.
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I hung around downtown for a few hours and came back through the park several hours after the event ended. There were still families around the play structures, Peet’s was full of patrons and the restaurants were packed. As I scanned the park, the word fortunate came to mind. I felt so fortunate. The holidays have a way of reminding us of our lot in life and what is important. Most of us have a home, family, job and friends. And these parts of our lives come together during the holidays. Some of us go to great lengths to bring everybody together to share in our good times. Giving is more natural for us during this time
of year. Connecting with those who have had a positive impact on our lives is comforting. As you are shopping, online or in person, take some time to think about giving to organizations trying to give people a helping hand. The city of Concord has a tree for gifts for seniors in our community. It is always well-supported by our employees. And we recently celebrated Giving Tuesday, but I always thought it should have its own month. Pick up your cell phone and call that relative or friend you have wanted to contact for months, if not years. Or if you are of the generation that prefers Facetime, texting or other social media forms, go
for it. I student journalist recently asked me if I could describe what society would be like if crime was minimal, or almost non-existent. I danced around the answer, like I frequently do with difficult questions. After the interview ended, I knew what I wanted to say. That kind of society would require sacrifice from all of us. We would need to give more than we do right now – giving time, resources and commitment to something bigger than ourselves. Kind of like the holidays.
Guy Swanger is Concord’s Chief of Police. Send questions or comments to ContactCPD@cityofconcord.org.
With winter comes storm preparations In November, I participated in a press conference with Contra Costa County Public Works and Flood Control staff. We informed the community about current county projects, as well as sharing details on how people can protect their homes and property during the rainy season. Public Works crews are still managing repairs after torrential rains caused so much damage throughout the East Bay earlier this year. Last winter, large storms led to a landslide on Morgan Territory Road and the county ultimately closed the roadway. The county developed a temporary access, repaired the slide and reopened the roadway this past month. We encourage residents to prepare their properties by determining where they may have excess water and obtain sandbags, if needed. Clean gutters and ditches now to ensure
KAREN MITCHOFF
COUNTY
SUPERVISOR
water can flow with no obstructions. Also look at the drainage inlets in the roadway in front of your property. We ask that residents take a proactive approach in keeping the inlets open and flowing if it is safe. County staff will clean these, but we cannot be at every inlet during a storm. Please assist by cleaning off
Mayor, from page 1
in the things that I got involved with, whether it was businesstravel, hobbies or, more recently, politics once again. (The ’60s were another period of intense political focus for me as a teen.) Since I am a workaholic, community service rushed to fill the time when I shifted focus from the business in an attempt to simply life. One project after another came along and opportunities to not so much give back but to create what I did not feel I had
when I grew up in New York City. We moved around when I was a kid, living in 11 different neighborhoods in the first 18 years of my life. So I sought to fill that void by creating a community and being part of it. I had learned a great lesson as a youngster that when it comes to government, they are either listening to you or to someone else. When the weapons station redevelopment started 10 years ago, I began to attend those meetings and the City Council – where I
leaves and trash that block the flow of storm water entering the inlets. This is a great opportunity for residents to take advantage of holiday time off, with both kids and parents making storm preparation a fun family project. The county has six sandbag filling stations that are accessible to residents 24 hours a day/seven days a week. All cities also have sandbag locations. Locations for these sandbag stations can be found at www.cccounty.us/sandbags. You will need to bring a shovel, but bags and sand are free. You can find additional information at the Flood Control District’s website at www.contracosta.ca.gov/5586/ Flood-Control. There is a video that demonstrates how to properly fill a sandbag. One big mistake we see is people filling bags completely, thinking more is bet-
ter. It is best to fill sandbags a third full, which is about three shovels of sand. Information regarding winter preparedness, rain and stream gauges, and flood forecasting is also available on Flood Control’s website. Rainfall and stream flows information can be found at www.cccounty.us/rainmap and the award-winning Flood Forecasting Tool and video at www.cccounty.us/1578. Our crews can respond to emergencies day and night. If you have flooding concerns, see a downed tree blocking a road or another emergency, contact the maintenance division at 925313-7000.
Karen Mitchoff is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to karen.mitchoff@bos.cccounty.us
have had perfect attendance for the last 8 or 9 years. I spoke up on what I wanted, listened to what others wanted and explored the various sides to hone and adjust my desires and learn different ways to express myself. Finally, I found the limits of what I could influence from the podium of the public comment or my contacts with those in positions of power. I had to make that critical decision to be on the other side of the microphone. While anger and emotion at some local reverses helped to drive me, the overwhelming energy was a faith in doing what I felt was
right to make things better for all and bring to the fore a fundamental reliance on the interaction of as many as possible. I wanted to help build a community that is indivisible in its reliance on the common goodwill of all, regardless of the distractions of different paths, to the betterment of a real community. Many paths lead to a gavel, but that is simply part of a greater network of life’s roads that we all make for ourselves. Just remember to keep moving.
ages 6 and older. It’s free, but registration is required at 888-327-2757. Select option 2 and refer to course No. 18797. Sunol Wilderness is at the end of Geary Road. There’s a $5 per vehicle fee. This is a great time of year for hiking in our regional parks. One of the most secluded and beautiful regional parks is Round Valley Regional Preserve southwest of Brentwood. Once a gathering place for Native Americans, Round Valley has golden eagles, hawks, coyotes, tiger salamanders and other abundant wildlife in a grassy, oak-studded savannah covering hundreds of acres. Naturalist Kevin Dixon will lead a moderately strenuous hike there 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 16. No dogs allowed, because the preserve is habitat for the rare and endangered San Joaquin kit fox. Meet Dixon at the park’s staging area on Marsh Creek
Road between Deer Valley Road and Walnut Boulevard. For information, call 888-3272757, ext. 2750. Smaller animals will be the focus of another nature walk, 10 a.m.-noon Dec. 16 at Redwood Regional Park in Oakland. Naturalist Morgan Dill and interpretive student aide Bellal Naderi will lead the hunt for salamanders, ladybugs, rainbow trout and “creepy crawlers.” Meet them at the Canyon Meadows staging area. To get there, drive about 2 miles east on Redwood Road past the intersection with Skyline Boulevard. Turn left into the park and proceed to the end of the road. For information, call 510-544-3187. This is just a sample of activities planned in the regional parks. Find out more at www.ebparks.org.
Email questions and comments to EdiBirsan@gmail.com
Take to the trails for winter solstice The winter solstice on Dec. 21 marks the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere. It’s the shortest day and longest night of the year. Cultures throughout the world consider it an auspicious event. Not wishing to miss out, East Bay Regional Park District naturalists have planned several activities with a solstice theme. At Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley, naturalist “Trail Gail” Broesder will lead an “Almost Solstice Amble” 10 a.m.-noon Dec. 17. The group will stroll through the woods, visit a lake and pond, then return to the Environmental Education Center to burn a Yule log. From 2 to 3 p.m., interpretive student aide Brianna Contaxis-Tucker will help visitors make a sachet of aromatic bath salts using herbs from the center garden. For early risers, Broesder plans a “Meet the Solstice Sun Hike” 6:15-8:30 a.m.
NED MCKAY
PARK IT
Dec. 21. The group will ascend Wildcat Peak in hopes of greeting the sunrise. Bring your own coffee and flashlight. All three programs meet at the center at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive. Call 510-544-2233 for information. Naturalist Ashley Adams will lead a solstice-themed hike 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 17 at Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County. It’s an almost 5-mile trek to scenic Maguire Peaks, for
Ned McKay is Public InformationSupervisor for EBRPD. Email him at nedmackay@comcast.net
Page 7
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How Millennials fit into the housing market Q. I know Millennials are a different breed. What is your opinion of them in relation to the housings market? A. You might be surprised to know that Millennials aged 18 to 35 associate owning a home with the American dream more than any other generation. They are still eager to buy homes, despite the current market, economic setbacks and the housing crisis. They are having a tough time making it happen, but they are not giving up. I found some interesting statistics to share about when
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ANSWERS
Millennials believe they’ll buy a home: 9.2 percent say it will be in one year; 23.7 percent say 1-2 years; 33.3 percent say
3-5 years; 1.8 percent say never and 7.6 percent are not sure. Today, 34.7 percent of people under 35 own homes. That is down about 50 percent from the mid 2000s. Millennials are postponing buying a home for several reasons, including a lack of affordable housing. After the meltdown of the real estate market, many homeowners were under water – owing more than the house is worth. So they stopped moving. Ever-escalating credit standards are also blocking Millennials from home buying. About one in three of
them don’t meet the minimum credit standard of 620, likely because they are drowning in student loans. They have record level debt, with an average of $37,173 per student. Meanwhile, marriage and parenthood – the traditional drivers of home ownership – are being delayed. There are really no starter homes for first-time buyers. Sixty-nine percent of Millennials would rather wait to save up and buy a longer-term home, and 21 percent prefer to purchase a home now that will meet future needs.
Escalating rent is creating a down payment problem. High rent can make saving the recommended 20 percent down payment close to impossible in our area. Many Millennials believe they can’t afford to buy a home, but they are misinformed. More than 70 percent are unaware of low down payment programs of 3-5 percent. Veterans Administration loans are extremely attractive and can be zero down payment. For non-veterans, the most popular option for Millennials and other first-time buyers is a
groceries, water, supplies and kids. Volunteer veterans brought in golf carts and ferried neighbors across the slide for several hours every day. In June, Public Works and the property owners along privately-owned Leon Dr. reached an agreement which allowed a temporary access from Morgan Territory over a steep hill that connected to a fire trail terminating at the Marsh Creek Detention Facility on Marsh Creek Rd. Repairing the slide required constructing two
retaining walls, one on the uphill side and one on the downhill side of Morgan Territory, rebuilding the road bed and relocating the power poles and water main. Each wall is anchored by 30 piles drilled 60 feet into bedrock. Almost all of the $4 million cost to repair will be covered by FEMA and OES. An official ribbon cutting hosted by Supervisor Diane Burgis Dec 2 was attended by the county public works officials, the contractors and others involved in the massive rebuilding project.
Morgan Territory slide repair complete
Contributed photo
Morgan Territory Road residents celebrated the opening of their road at an unofficial ribbon cutting and neighborhood pot luck on Nov. 18. The residents were left without access for months after a major landslide closed the road in February. TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
A rebuilt Morgan Territory Rd. finally opened to through traffic on Nov. 18 after a huge landslide closed the road last February and residents celebrated with a pot-luck and unofficial ribbon cutting.
Last winter’s brutal rains caused many mudslides along Morgan Territory and Marsh Creek, frequently closing those roads for a few hours or a day. But the severest damage was caused when a stretch of the hill one mile south of Marsh Creek began to slide, taking out water and power and most of the road. The
Year-end, from page 1 responsibility,” McGallian told the Pioneer. The council later appointed Edith Patricia “Patti” Barsotti as city treasurer. A source of civic pride. The city marked the 50th anniversary of the Civic Center with a low-key celebration. Internationally acclaimed architect Ernest Kump designed the facility on Parkside Drive, which was named the Farrell A. Stewart Civic Center in 1994 after the retiring city manager. “Concord’s city leaders wanted to build a city hall as grand and bold as Concord’s bright future – a place for citizens to engage with city staff and participate in local government. They succeeded,” said City Councilwoman Carlyn Obringer.
FEBRUARY Surviving the storms. During the first two months of 2017, our area was buffeted by a nearly continuous series of storms. Concord Airport recorded rain on 11 of the first 17 day of February. As a result, the drought for the northern half of the state was downgraded from severe to either slight or drought-free. Concord escaped major damage and serious flooding, which Public Works maintenance director Justin Ezell said was due to housekeeping all year and a series of major projects dating back to the 1960s. Seems like old times: Laura Hoffmeister spoke to a packed crowd as the new mayor gave her sixth State of the City address. The hour-long report was entitled “The Three Ps: Planning for the Future, Real-
izing Possibilities and Fulfilling Our Potential.”
MARCH Neighborhood traffic controls. At the request of residents, the city made plans to reduce the number of non-resident vehicles traveling from Clayton Road through neighborhoods near Treat Boulevard during the weekday morning commute. New signs on Clayton Road prohibit turns into the area, and the city also shortened the time for turns at some lighted intersections. Fatal accident at military terminal. Anibal Parrado, an employee of Tech Systems Inc., died March 10 at the Pier 3 loading dock. One of the toughest things about the incident was the relationship between Parrado and the firefighters. “Mr. Parrado worked closely with several firefighters on vehicle maintenance, and there was a high degree of mutual respect between them,” said Alex Kaparros, chief of the Concord Federal Fire Department. Long redevelopment process continues. It was standing-room only at the first of three community workshops on the reuse plan for the Concord Naval Weapons Station. The key theme emerging was the integration of new development into the existing city. Progress on the project was made throughout 2017, with the city adding a U.S. Coast Guard property into the reuse plan and working on a bid to host Amazon’s second headquarters. But in November, chair Dan Helix resigned from
landslide slide was more than 400 ft. long and 40 ft. deep. More than 400 residents living south of the slide were stranded with no way in or out except over a one-lane, storm-damaged mountain road to Livermore. To cope, most residents parked one Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer vehicle on the north side of Two massive retaining walls stabilize the hillside on Morgan the slide and walked across Territory Rd. the slide zone, schlepping
the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). He said city staff had not provided the 13-member committee with enough time to fully review and understand the most recent plan, which the city sought initial approval for at a Nov. 7 meeting. “The city needs to curtail this sense of urgency,” Helix said. Guy Bjerke, director of Community Reuse Planning, emphasized that CAC will continue to receive presentations over the coming months.
APRIL Artistic endeavors. Members of the Concord Art Association gathered April 12 for a fundraiser to help bring a community art center and artist coop gallery to Concord. Evolving from a painting group, the art association has turned into a community asset – advocating and supporting arts throughout the community. As the group prepared for its spring show on April 29, members also looked forward to participating in the Art & Wine (and Beer) Walk on May 13. Meanwhile, the Concord Community of Artists touted May’s Flower Power show at the Concord Library. “I really get inspired by the group,” said glass artist Denise Hillman. “It’s all about the collaboration and the community.” Tackling rising rents. The Planning and Housing Division held a workshop April 19 about the proposed Residential Rent Review Program Ordinance and Fee Resolution. After approving the plan in May, the city created a Residential Rent Review Panel to address rent increases of more than 10 percent in a 12month period. The panel, which includes one tenant, one land-
lord and two neutral parties, will render non-binding decisions. The group had its first meeting last week.
MAY Gatherings at Todos Santos. Hundreds of residents marched from Meadow Homes Park to the downtown plaza as part of a May Day rally calling for sanctuary city status, rent stabilization and fair wages for the city’s immigrant population. “We contribute to this community and make this city better because we are here,” said Rhea Elina of the Raise the Roof Coalition. “We will fight to keep our families together.” The plaza was the site of another event on May 11, as several hundred residents celebrated the kickoff of the city’s 29th annual Music and Market summer concert series. The crowd memorialized Steve Sage, a rock and roll musician and Diablo Valley College teacher who died Jan. 19. From ‘13 Reasons’ to ‘15 Minutes.’ The Pioneer’s student correspondents tackled sensitive and timely topics for today’s teens. Alyssa Arino of Clayton Valley Charter High School analyzed the Netflix series “13 Reasons,” about teen suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, bullying and rape. “The fictitious world of Hannah Baker often goes hand in hand with the reality I have witnessed in my own school hallways – though never to the intensity played out in the show,” Alyssa wrote. Meanwhile, Aasim Yahya of Concord High School told his personal account of “Every 15 Minutes.” During the drunk driving prevention program,
Aasim was “killed” while on a run with a friend. “The most emotional part of the evening is hearing the chaplain explain how our parents reacted to our deaths,” Aasim shared.
JUNE End of an era. Father Richard Mangini Day retired after 21 years at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church. Mangini spent his early years living with his parents and siblings in downtown Concord, visiting his grandmother at the Mangini Ranch on the weekends. “I would say I had a very quintessential old town kind of growing up,” Mangini said. “Our roots are very deep here, and I feel very much at home.” The church’s new leader, Father Mat Vellankal, made headlines this fall when he launched a drive-through prayer service on weeknights. “At the end of the work or school day, people may be stressed out and/or face a crisis in their life,” Vellankal said. “We want them to share a short prayer of three minutes or less with the team before they continue home.” The downfall of longtime official. Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson resigned and pled no contest to charges that he illegally spent more than $66,000 in campaign contributions for personal use. Peterson was a longtime Concord City Council member and former mayor. “It’s unfortunate he made mistakes,” said current Mayor Laura Hoffmeister. “It’s disappointing to me personally and to the community.” Peterson was sentenced to 250 hours of community service and three years probation.
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loan. The down payment can be as little as 3.5 percent, with low closing costs and easier credit qualifying. The best place to start is with a good Realtor who can steer you in the right direction to get qualified and start your search. Even if you are computer savvy, don’t do it yourself. It costs a buyer nothing to work with a Realtor. Q. What is the real cost of home ownership? A. Anyone who has owned a home knows their expenses extend beyond insurance and a mortgage. I found some interesting statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau for median costs. Eighteen percent (the majority) of homeowners paid a 1129 percent down payment; 12.9 percent put down 6-10 percent; and 15.2 percent put down more than 20 percent. Ninety-five percent had one mortgage, and 5 percent had two mortgages. Of the nearly 40 percent who refinanced their loan, 71.2 percent refinanced for a lower interest rate. Monthly, homeowners paid a median $133 for fuel oil, $117 for electricity, $53 for piped gas and $46 for water. They paid a median $500 on routine maintenance, such as painting and fixing leaks, and a median $1,200 on home improvement – including aging in place, accessibility and energy-efficient upgrades. Just more than 3 percent completed at least one project to prepare their home for sale. These statistics are for the country. Here in the Bay Area, they are much higher. Send your question and look for your answer in a future column. Email Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates. Contact her at 672-8787 or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.
JULY Gaining momentum. The state Legislature approved $3.5 million in funding for Concord’s GoMentum Station, the largest secure autonomous vehicle test site in the country. “This allocation will help leverage private sector dollars and create partnerships to promote autonomous vehicle technologies resulting in smart jobs in Contra Costa and California,” said Randy Iwasaki, executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. CCTA is also partnering with the Netherlands to test autonomous vehicles at the 5,000-acre site on the former naval weapons station. And in the fall, the Toyota Research Institute signed an agreement to test at GoMentum. Making neighborhoods safer. Concord resident Doug Schuster helped enact the police department’s Neighborhood Patrol and led the group for its first 20 years. Schuster, who retired July 1 from the volunteer post, describes the patrol as “citizens helping citizens.” Volunteers in Police Services member Steve Glazier says residents often wave as he drives through neighborhoods. “What we do keeps an officer from having to do it,” said Glazier, who is now running the program with fellow volunteers Gary Freedman and Mel Lee. AUGUST Spanish-English immersion. A ribbon cutting launched the Holbrook Language Academy, Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s first bilingual school. “We hope to create a learning environment that is language-
See Year-end, page 9
December 15, 2017
B U SINESS
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Chamber works year-round to help businesses grow
MARILYN FOWLER
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Concord Chamber of Commerce has a great board of directors, staff and ambassadors who work all year long to help improve the local business climate through programs and activities. As we approach the end of each year, I like to look back and review our accomplishments. As we celebrated our 80th anniversary, chair Sharon Jenkins of John Muir Health challenged us to get more involved with education. “My ‘ask’ to all of you today is that you give back and partner with the chamber, the city of Concord and the school district,” she said. “This is an opportunity for you and your employees to engage with your community – our future workforce – and to get something in return.” The chamber continues to be involved in education programs. We held our annual Student Showcase at John Muir Health, Concord Campus, highlighting successful career pathway programs in local high schools. We hosted BEST Day, which allowed high school teachers to shadow businesses in the community. The chamber participated in the Innovation Fair, a program of Mt. Diablo High School, in which students develop a “virtual
Contributed photo
The Concord Chamber of Commerce members recently sorted food at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. They bagged over two tons of onions, sorted and bagged a bin of red peppers and transferred bread donations to Food Bank trays. This is just one of the ways that the Concord Chamber gives back to its community.
business” and showcase their work for the public. We helped set up advisory committees for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District by bringing in chamber members from various industries to advise career pathway teachers. We also gave six scholarships to students entering college. When the deadly fires hit the North Bay in October, the Concord Chamber and Visit Concord set up a donation center at the chamber office. We sent several trucks to the North Bay with clothing, blankets and pillows, along with filling Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano trucks with 19,000 pounds of donated food, diapers, wet wipes, toilet
Year-end, from page 8
rich and where students and families love to be a part of it,” principal Marga Marshall said of the school, where 197 students are learning in both English and Spanish. New life for Masonic Temple. The Concord Historical Society (CHS) has transformed the Masonic Temple into the Concord Museum and Event Center. After litigation to stop demolition, the city and CHS agreed in 2010 to transfer ownership to the society if the building was moved off the city/redevelopment property. The move to a parcel next to the Galindo Gardens occurred on April 23, 2013, the last day of the three-year period the city had allowed. Without the use of any public money, CHS fully renovated the 1928 Spanish Colonial Revival style building. This fall, the city began negotiating with AvalonBay Communities for development on the now-vacant downtown property.
SEPTEMBER Getting to the CORE of homeless issues. A new joint ConcordWalnut Creek program provides the police departments with another tool to help the homeless population. The Coordinated Outreach, Referral and Engagement (CORE) team offers outreach to the homeless population as well as responds to requests for aid from the two police departments. “We want to establish a rapport and get them to trust us – offer food, water, hygiene supplies,” said Jenny Robbins, Housing and Services administrator at Contra Costa County Homeless Programs. “It’s basically a precursor to folks coming into shelters.” Making business better. The Greater Concord Chamber of
Commerce celebrated its 80th anniversary, featuring memorabilia in the office lobby. In 1910, 60 businessmen gathered to form the chamber and subsequently held a banquet at the Mt. Diablo Hotel. The group was officially chartered in 1937. “The chamber is proud of its history and continues to support and represent the interests of businesses in the community,” president Marilyn Fowler wrote in her Pioneer column.
OCTOBER Time to play around. Residents gathered at ribbon cuttings for two new playgrounds in the Monument Area. The 4,900 sq. ft. playground at Meadow Homes includes play structures for tots and older kids. A new large playground designed for kids 2-5 joined an existing playground used by older kids at Ellis Park. The City Council approved $1 million for the improvements in 2015. A new shopping experience. The first businesses opened at the Veranda, a shopping and entertainment complex on Diamond Boulevard. The design
paper and more. It was great to see the community come together for such an important cause. Our second annual Business Insight Tour, a bus tour for local business leaders showcasing the many business districts in Concord, was another sellout. The tour highlighted the varied industries in Concord. We learned about new and emerging industries and future business growth for our city. We also got to see developments being built, such as the Veranda Shopping Center. In May, we collaborated with neighboring chambers and cities to host the Diablo Mayors’ Summit. It brought
together mayors from Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Martinez and Lafayette to discuss area-wide concerns and accomplishments. Throughout the year, we facilitated more than 27 ribbon cuttings to honor new businesses or business anniversaries. We hosted many events, including the mayor’s State of the City luncheon and the East Bay Senior Resource Expo, attended by hundreds of local residents and business owners. Our Women’s Networking Group and Concord Young Professionals Groups continued to flourish and bring in new members. We sponsored 10 Business After Hours Mixers, giving members a chance to visit these businesses around town. And we had First Friday morning coffee at Sam’s Club, a great way to start the day. We participated in Small Business Saturday and encouraged residents to remember to “shop small” this holiday season. These are just a few of the programs and projects we accomplished this year. We look forward to continuing our mission and to bring our members more programs in the future. We are your partner in business and want to help your business grow and be successful in 2018 and beyond.
Marilyn Fowler is the president/CEO of the Concord Chamber of Commerce. For more information on chamber programs, call 925-685-1181 or email mfowler@concordchamber.com.
Salvio Pacheco for Todos Santos Plaza. “I especially love to sculpt historical portraits with detailed period clothing, so having this opportunity to sculpt Don Salvio Pacheco is right in my wheelhouse,” Slater said. City Councilman Ron Leone, coNOVEMBER chair of the Sesquicentennial Pacheco standing tall. Napa Committee, says events sculptor Paula Slater is creat- throughout 2018 will mark ing a bronze statue of Don the city’s 150th birthday.
concept is called “placemaking” – offering more than a collection of stores but a true lifestyle experience. “It will create a desire that will make people want to keep coming back to the Veranda,” said general manager Ashton Simmons.
Glasbergen
Captain Grammar Pants
The words HOMOPHONE, HOMONYM, HOMOGRAPH, and HOMINEM can be hard to sort out. Homophone means “pronounced the same way but spelled differently,” as in to, too, and two. Homonyms and homographs are words spelled the same way but with different meanings (bark, left, wave, etc.); what separates the two words is that homographs are often pronounced differently (e.g., tear and tear). Hominem is attached to the word "ad," as in "ad hominem" (Latin, "to the person"). It means to focus on emotional content as opposed to logic or reason; it also means to associate something with a particular person. For example, this page was created ad hominem for language enthusiasts. Sean Williams is a professor of ethnomusicology at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. She is currently working on a Captain Grammar Pants book. Follow her regular postings on Facebook.
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December 15, 2017
26th straight NCS championship pits DLS vs. USA No. 1 JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Last year, De La Salle High went into the State CIF Open Division championship game as a decided underdog to Southern California powerhouse St. John Bosco and that projection was proven out when Bosco scored the most points ever given up by DLS to win the 2016 title. Now, the Spartans are basking in their 26th straight North Coast Section football title achieved over rival Pittsburg High 24-7 two weeks ago and their reward is an unprecedented 12th consecutive berth in the State Bowl championship. The only problem is that they will be facing the No. 1 team in America, undefeated Mater Dei of Santa Ana this Saturday evening at 8 o’clock in Hornet Stadium at Sac State. Led by junior quarterback JT Daniels and a slew of outstanding offensive stars MD won its first Southern Section title since 1999 over defending champion Bosco. This Monarch team has been called the greatest ever in
ISAIAH FOSKEY
Orange County and Southern California. Justin Alumbaugh and his DLS staff have had two weeks to put together a game plan and get key players healthy for their showdown to try and slow down the Monarchs. Mater Dei coach (and alumnus) Bruce Rollinson will be especially keen on winning a 16th straight game this season as he’s 0-4 against De La Salle after a series of celebrated North-South clashes during the Spartans’ 151-game winning streak. Two of the DLS wins were over Mater Dei teams led by future Heisman Trophy quarterback Matt Leinart. Mater Dei and De La Salle have one common 2017 opponent and the results don’t bode well for DLS. Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas had a 55-game winning streak and a couple National Championships in its trophy case when it visited Santa Ana Stadium in the second week of the season and Mater Dei ended that run with a 35-21 victory. Two weeks later Gorman hosted De La Salle and sprinted past the Spartans 347. De La Salle’s 26th consecutive NCS championship was as hard fought as any they’ve had since losing 35-27 to Pitt in the 1991 Section finals. Since that evening the Spartans have won 290 straight games against California teams north of Fresno. Pitt and DLS have met in the NCS playoffs 14 times since that famous game in 1991 with DLS winning each time by an average of over 35 points per game. The only NCS championship game for De La Salle since then that was decided by
Photo by Dennis Lee courtesy SportStars Magazine
All-EBAL receiver Jack Powers (10) has over half the pass receptions for the De La Salle offense, which is still primarily run-oriented. His only catch in the NCS semi-finals went for 46 years and a touchdown against Concord rival Clayton Valley Charter. Last Saturday DLS won its 26th consecutive NCS title over Pittsburg and is prepping for the Dec 16 State Bowl Game against America’s No. 1 ranked Mater Dei of Santa Ana.
less than 20 points until this year was in in 2005 when San Leandro lot 14-0 to the Spartans juggernaut. This year’s Section finale saw De La Salle play without star runningback Kairee Robinson, injured in practice leading up to the game, so junior standout Henry To’oto’o took over on offense as well as his usual standout performance at linebacker. He scored two touchdowns and sparked a
defense that got five sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery from the Pirates. The Spartans hope they are at full strength this Saturday after an injury-plagued season which has seen the team win 11 of 12 games but never really hit on all cylinders for a full 48 minutes like so many of their past teams. Junior quarterbacks Erich Storti and Andrew Jones will hope to lead a ball control offense
to keep the ball away from Daniels and his dangerous array of Monarch receivers. This will be the 12th consecutive State Bowl Game for DLS. They have won seven of the previous 11 and they don’t want to suffer a second successive loss in the big game. For Pittsburg this loss to DLS still came with a consolation prize. The Pirates earned a first-ever place in the NorCal Regional Bowl Game. Last
Saturday, Pitt defeated Granite Bay 37-14 after building a 170 halftime lead and punched its ticket to the State 1A championship against Narbonne of Harbor City. Narbonne and Pitt also share a single common opponent and both lost by large margins to Centennial of Corona. Narbonne defeated Clayton Valley Charter 28-14 in the State Bowl finals two year ago.
Carondelet volleyball team reaches NorCal championship game, local runners from four schools make State cross country meet JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Carondelet High’s volleyball team all advanced to the CIF Northern California Championships, finalizing a strong fall for Cougar teams after their golfers and water polo teams joined them in NorCal appearances. The Cougars were seeded sixth in the CIF Northern California Division IV tournament and the team responded by going all the way to the NorCal Regional championship game before losing to Presentation in three sets. During the CIF playoffs, Carondelet defeated Capital Christian (3-0), West Valley (31) and Colfax (3-0) to advance to the regional final. Carondelet earlier got to the NCS DII semi-finals after 3-1 set wins over Casa Grande of Petaluma and Washington of Fremont. Photo courtesy Carondelet High School Athletics They were eliminated by top Carondelet volleyball was seeded sixth in the CIF Northern California Division IV tournament and the team defied that placement by going all the way seed Bishop O’Dowd, which to the NorCal Regional championship game before losing to Presentation in three sets. The Cougars included, front row from left, Catherine Vaccaro, went on to win the Section Angela Atis, Catherine Helgeson, Helena Perez, Imani Vontoure; back row, Andrew Marchesano, Mike Hertel, Jessica Hodson, Lauren Sloan, Shelby championship. CROSS COUNTRY Runners from De La Salle, Carondelet, Concord and Clayton Valley Charter earned spots in the CIF State cross country championship meet in Fresno after strong performances at the NCS Meet of Champions. Dylan White, a CVCHS
Bryant, Kelly Ruff, Ava Mehrten, Mackensie Hastings, Jessica Trinh, Julia Haggerty, Jackie Brown and head coach Jerry Mix.
senior, was second at DAL and then took fifth at NCS DII to earn a third straight State Meet berth. He had a personal best on the Woodward Park course in Fresno by 10 seconds with a time of 15:55.3, taking 23rd runner out of 193 runners in Divi-
sion II. De La Salle junior Connor Livingston won the NCS Division II boys title, helping the Spartans to third place and a State Meet berth. In Fresno the Spartans team took 11th with EBAL rival Dublin second. Livingston led the way
18th individually with a time of 15:45.6, 10 seconds ahead of White among local runners. Carondelet senior Claire Schumann got her state Meet invite by finishing 12th at NCS. She finished in the top half of the DIII field of 210
runners at State to wrap up her prep cross country career. Concord High junior Rayna Stanziano was second at league, third at NCS and just missed a Top 10 State placement, taking 11th with a time of 18:42.2 in DIII, just off her personal best set in
2016. Stanziano finished one spot ahead of Jenna Miles of Campolindo, trading places from their NCS finishes. Miles led her Campolindo girls team to the DIII state championship while the Campo boys were fifth in team standings.
December 15, 2017
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com mates. It’s a role she’s had to grow into and deal with the responsibilities that come along with being one of the best players on the team.” The Cougar center from Concord has also exceled in the classroom and holds nine college scholarship offers. Bamberger has 11 months before she can make a written commitment to continue her basketball career. Bamberger played CYO basketball for St. Bonaventure and then St. Agnes, where she graduated from eighth grade before heading off to Carondelet. She was on the Cougars water polo team for two years, mainly because her former Dana Hills rec swim team coach was in charge of CHS polo. Now, she’s focusing on basketball. Away from high school she plays for the Cal Stars club team.
Athlete Spotlight
Ali Bamberger Grade: Junior School: Carondelet High Sports: Basketball
Bamberger is geared up for her most challenging season of basketball at Carondelet. The Cougars had four games lopped off their EBAL schedule and coach Elgin Leslie added nationally-ranked teams to challenge his defending North Coast Section Division I championship team. Bamberger welcomes the upgrade as she and her teammates want to show the top contenders in Northern California that they can match up with them. Bamberger and fellow juniors Erica Miller, Alex Brown, Emily Howie and Tatyana
Modawar are in their third year together on the Cougars varsity. Bamberger is a team captain this year and the 6-3 post player is looking to expand her game to include more outside shooting. Her dad, Eric Bamberger, was a star basketball player at Ygnacio Valley High who went on to play at Cal and St. Mary’s College. He’s been working with his daughter on her strength as well as interior play and shooting, including working on a three-point shot (“it’s coming along”). Coach Leslie says, “Ali is well liked and well respected by all her team-
The Concord Pioneer congratulates Ali and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care Optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.com
Page 11
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Olympic champion Missy Franklin on hand for Terrapins banquet after team wins Husky Invite
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JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
It’s been an exciting start to December for the Terrapins Swim Team. The Concordbased team traveled north to Washington Dec. 1-3 and came away with the combined team championship at the 69th annual Husky Invitational in Federal Way. Then last week the team held its annual Terrapin Awards Dinner with Olympic and World champion Missy Franklin as the guest of honor. Franklin was the star of the London Olympics where she won four gold medals and was voted 2012 World Swimmer of the Year. After the Olympics she was on the Cal Bears team for two years before turning professional. In recent years she suffered injuries that limited her swims at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she won a single gold medal on a USA relay. At the Terrapins Awards Dinner in Centre Concord she signed autographs for all the young swimmers eager to meet the American icon and took photos with each. She reports that she is back training in Berkeley and will get her Cal degree next fall. The Terrapins scored 1595 points to win the combined
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Missy Franklin was the guest of honor at the Terrapins Swim Team annual dinner last week at Centre Concord. The Olympic and World champion signed autographs on her Speedo photo card for each young swimmer and then had her pictured taken with them. She also posed for this photo with Terrapin swimmers from Concord. She is back in Berkeley training with her 2012 Olympic coach Teri McKeever of Cal and will get her UC degree next fall.
team score over collegiate teams University of Nevada Reno, University of San Diego and UCSB. TERA won the men’s division with 1099 points and the local women were third in their division scoring 486 points. The team had over 50 lifetime best swims led by 15-yearold Andrei Minakov and
Northgate senior Alexei Sancov, 18, of Concord. Minakov was men’s meet high-point winner with 144 and his teammate was runner-up with 124 points. Sancov, a 2016 Olympian for his native Moldova, broke two meet records with blistering swims in the 200 and 500 freestyle. He also set Pacific
Clayton Valley Jr. Eagles win Junior Pee Wee Turkey Bowl for 10-0 season
records in those events in addition to the 100 free. Minakov posted some of the fastest swims in the USA for 15-yearolds and also broke two new Pacific records. Robert Mitchell had best times in all five of his swims. Terrapin coaches said the Husky Invitational “was a breakthrough meet for many senior TERA swimmers with huge time drops.”
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Brent Bowen Photography photo courtesy CV Jr. Eagles
For the second year in a row Clayton Valley Jr. Eagles football claimed a Turkey Bowl championship. This month, the Junior Pee Wee team—the second youngest of five CVAA teams—completed an undefeated 10-0 season with an 8-7 win over the San Leandro Crusaders. The championship team is composed mainly of 9- and 10-yearolds with a few 11-year-olds who are allowed to play at a lower weight than the 9-10’s. The division weight range is 60-120 pounds. The Jr. Pee Wee team from CV outscored their opponents 269-80 for head coach Tony Brigance, who has coached in the organization for over 20 years. Last fall the CVAA Pee Wee squad won the championship in the East Bay Youth Football Conference, which is comprised of seven cities throughout the East Bay.
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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
December 15, 2017
JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Winter sports are well underway with non-league games and holiday tournaments filling the holiday period calendar before the Diablo and East Bay athletic leagues move into full gear as teams work towards North Coast Section berths. This Saturday, Northgate will host the 10th annual Bill Martell Invitational Wrestling Tournament, the annual fundraiser for the Broncos wrestling program. Besides the host school, De La Salle, Concord, Mt. Diablo and Clayton Valley Charter join 20 more participating teams from throughout the Bay Area competing in the tournament. Northgate won its firstever Section wrestling championship last winter taking the East Bay Division II dual meet title while neighboring De La Salle won its 10th DI dual championship in the past 11 years. The Broncos of coach Mike Wenzell have also taken two straight league championships. Bill Martell, a Walnut Creek resident, has been a major figure in wrestling circles for decades. He was head coach of the Cal wrestling team and was instrumental in hosting the Concord Cup wrestling tournament and bringing two United States
Greco Roman Wrestling Olympic Trials to Concord (1992 and 1996). He’s earned an assortment of accolades for his national and international wrestling endeavors but his stints coaching at Clayton Valley, Mt. Diablo, Concord, Northgate and Ygnacio Valley high schools as well as with the Concord Youth Center and Walnut Creek Wrestling Club mean as much to Martell as leading US Olympic and World Championship teams.
BOYS BASKETBALL The Clayton Valley Charter boys basketball team of coach Eric Bamberger went undefeated in DAL Valley Division last year and they started off this season with six straight victories. Last year’s DAL co-MVPs Nick Klarman and Garrett Pascoe have picked up where they left off. CVCHS holds wins over long-time league rivals College Park and Concord as well as San Leandro and Cornerstone Christian and the championships of the Warren Morse Memorial Tournament at Mt. Eden High. This week, CVCHS is in the Freedom Tournament in Oakley. Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley and Concord all got off to winless starts early this season. The Red Devils are in the Damian Lillard Classic in Oakland this week while Concord travels to the Don
S ports Shorts
Nelson Classic in Dublin before also taking part in the Chris Huber Invitational at Acalanes after Christmas. Northgate has started off fast but faces perennial basketball powers McClymonds and Pittsburg this week. De La Salle was upset by Fairfield in the opening game of its Vontoure Classic last week before rebounding to win the consolation title. The Spartans of second-year coach Justin Argenal will be in Palm Springs Dec. 27-30 for the MaxPreps Holiday Classic. GIRLS BASKETBALL Carondelet ran its EBAL unbeaten streak to 66 games last season and the Cougars have lost one league game since 2008-2009 with seven undefeated seasons in eight years. That was enough for the rest of the league and this year the Concord school will play a reduced league schedule, facing each of the other nine EBAL schools once each and earning an automatic bid to the North Coast Section playoffs. Coach Elgin Leslie’s team was moved up to NCS D-I last year and won its 12th Section championship since 2003, significantly the first in the top division. In place of four missing league games Carondelet has loaded up on top non-league opponents from throughout NorCal as well as playing in the Tarkan-
Jay Bedecarré photos
10th annual Bill Martell tournament part of busy pre-season for local high school wrestling, basketball and soccer teams
KELLEN DRESDOW CVCHS BOYS SOCCER
ter boys teams have begun their search for top league placings and hope that leads to high NCS seeds in February. The Spartans host the De La Salle Showcase this week with next-door neighbor Ygnacio Valley also taking part. It’s a busy week for DLS as they started EBAL play with a pair of games, making for four games in five days for coach Derricke Brown’s squad. YV has begun this season in strong fashion as they begin their second year in NCS Division II after winning the 2016 NCS DIII championship. Concord looks like it will BOYS SOCCER again battle Acalanes for the De La Salle, Ygnacio Val- DAL Valley Division champiley and Clayton Valley Char-
ian Classic in Las Vegas next week and in the top flight of the West Coast Jamboree after Christmas. Local Diablo Athletic League girls teams are off to slow starts with Mt. Diablo, Clayton Valley Charter and Northgate all looking to turning things around in the West Coast Jamboree before they get into DAL league play next month. Ygnacio Valley is hosting Burton of San Francisco this Saturday in the fifth annual Grind for Title IX Showcase. Concord has a very busy December schedule looking to build some momentum for league.
CLAYTON VALLEY HOLIDAY YOUTH BASEBALL CAMP DEC . 27-28 ACCEPTING REGISTRATION
Clayton Valley Charter High School baseball coaching staff and players are offering a Christmas (Dec. 27-28) holiday baseball camp. The camp for ages 6-14 focuses on the skills necessary to OFFEREING SPRING REGISTRATION DISCOUNT Receive a $20 early bird discount if you register before be a successful player including batting, fielding, pitching and Dec. 31 for 2018 Concord American Little League spring throwing. Sessions are held from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Clayton Valley Varsity Baseball Facility. Contact Eagles coach Casey Coakbaseball. Register online anytime at callbaseball.org. ley at uglyeaglebaseball@gmail.com with questions or to register. Continental Little League online registration underway Continental Little League baseball and softball for boys DE LA SALLE GRAD DYLAN WYNN WINS GREY CUP and girls ages 4-16 has opened online registration for the Former De La Salle football defensive standout Dylan 2018 season that runs from Feb. 1 - June 1. Cost ranges from Wynn was part of the 2017 Greg Cup champion Toronto $175 - $225, depending on the player’s age. Players must live Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. Wynn last played within league boundaries. Online registration and more inforfor DLS in 2010 on a national championship 14-0 squad mation is at continentalbaseball.com. before he headed off to Oregon State where he made second team all-Pac 12 as a senior.
CONCORD AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE
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LIZZIE ANNISON CVCHS GIRLS SOCCER
CLAYTON VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE TAKING PLAYER REGISTRATIONS ONLINE
Registration for Clayton Valley Little League is now open for the spring 2018 season. Baseball programs for players ages four to 15 and softball for girls six to 16 are both open for registration. Tryouts are in January. The CVLL program includes a Challenger Division for players with disabilities and special needs. Players must reside within the CVLL boundaries. Go to cvll.org for complete information and to register.
MAAEVA DWIGGINS CARONDELET BASKETBALL
onship as both teams are off to good starts.
GIRLS SOCCER Carondelet has lost heartbreakers in the past two NCS DI championship games and want to correct that trend this winter. They were undefeated in the Madera Showcase last weekend and begin league play this week. They begin the new year with four games at the National Elite Prep Showcase in Fort Worth, Texas before resuming EBAL play. Clayton Valley Charter has a new head coach in Aaron Pomeroy and his Eagles were undefeated in their first five games. Mt. Diablo also won five and drew one of its first seven games.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA THIS SUNDAY BENEFITING NORTHGATE ATHLETICS
The Northgate High School athletic department is hosting its annual Breakfast with Santa at Boundary Oak Golf Course this Sunday, Dec. 17. The event will include an allyou-can-eat breakfast, visit with Santa and hug one of Santa’s elves and take family or silly friends pictures with a beautiful winter holiday backdrop. The breakfast is from 9-11 a.m. Whole Foods is donating the food and there will be sports memorabilia raffled, including a signed Joe Montana jersey. Call 938-0900 or visit northgatebroncos.org for more info.
YGNACIO VALLEY HIGH ANNOUNCES 2018 HALL OF FAME CLASS
Ygnacio Valley High School will hold its sixth annual Hall of Fame induction dinner on May 19, 2018 to induct six athletes, one coach and one team. The inductees include the 1971 football team and swimming coach Gino Barsuglia. Athletes being honored are former NFL and Cal Bear player Dave Zawatson (Class of 1984, football), Gary Schneider (1970, football and track), Shanita Bryant Williams (2000, track, cross country and basketball), Rob Tomlinson (1986, football and baseball), Craig Johnson (1975, baseball) and Alan Bell (1968, swimming). For more information and to purchase dinner tickets visit yvathletichof.com.
FORMER DE LA SALLE GOALKEEPER JT MARCINKOWSKI SIGNS WITH EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes last week announced the sign-
MT. DIABLO HIGH HALL OF FAME CRAB FEED JAN. 20 ing of US U20 national team goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski to
The annual Mt. Diablo High School Hall of Fame crab feed is Saturday, Jan. 20, at Zio Fraedo’s in Pleasant Hill. At the crab feed Trippi Collaro will be inducted posthumously into the MDHS Hall of Fame with his family and friends attending. Tickets are available for the discount price of $55 until Dec. 31, before increasing to $60. For more information call Lou Adamo at 212-9332 or email louadamo@gmail.com.
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a homegrown player contract. He joins fellow former De La Salle High School player and current MLS leading career scorer Chris Wondolowski as an Earthquake. Marchinkowski is a product of San Jose’s youth academy. The 20-year-old will be returning to the Bay Area after his junior season at Georgetown. “JT has emerged as one of the brightest goalkeeper prospects in the nation,” said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli. “He established himself as a regular DIABLO FC OFFERING PLAYER EVALUATIONS with the US U-20s and we’re excited about his potential as a AFTER FALL LEAGUE professional. He is also further proof of the strides that our Diablo FC under 8 through U19 competitive teams (birth youth system has made and expect more Academy products years 1999-2011) hold ongoing player evaluations for new to follow in his footsteps.” prospective players after the conclusion of fall leagues. Visit diablofc.org to get more information on the club and signup NORTHGATE ATHLETICS HOSTS for the appropriate age group evaluation. ANNUAL CRAB FEED JAN. 20 The Northgate High School Athletic Boosters will host a DIABLO FC BENEFIT CRAB FEED crab feed, their largest annual fundraiser, at Centre Concord FEB. 2 AT CENTRE CONCORD on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 6 – 11 p.m. The evening includes The 15th annual Diablo FC benefit crab feed, raffle and auction, games and dancing in addition to dinner. Tickets are dance is set for Friday, Feb. 2, at Centre Concord. Tickets will be $70 per person until Dec. 14 and increase to $80 after then. on sale shortly for the event that benefits programs for the local Visit northgatebroncos.org for more information. competitive youth soccer club affiliated with the San Jose Earthquakes. Visit diablofc.org for more details and to get information on event sponsoring and purchasing crab feed tickets.
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR ALL OUT SPORTS LEAGUES WINTER, SPRING YOUTH, ADULT PROGRAMS
Youth basketball and volleyball leagues and adult softball league are scheduled by All Out Sports Leagues in Clayton. They are now taking winter and spring registration online. For complete information on All Out Sports leagues, clinics and other programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.
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The Concord Pioneer wants to publish your sports news
Please let us know about your sports news, special events, fund raisers, tryouts, signups and accomplishments. Youth leagues, clubs, schools and adult programs are all welcome to send us a rundown on what you’re doing. Include all the necessary details (too much information is better than too little!) and your contact information. It’s as simple as sending an email to sports@concordpioneer.com.
SCHOOLS
December 15, 2017
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 13
Wren Avenue arts magnet school hosts 1st show
Photos courtesy MDUSD
Teachers, parents, students and guests enjoyed the first Art Showcase at Wren Avenue Elementary last week that included stargazing with the Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society. School Principal Aline Lee (center), first-grade teacher Beth Bremer (left) and Wren Ave CARES program coordinator Ana Sanchez enjoy a selfie frame at the showcase. Bremer is one of the teacher liaisons for the Wren Ave. CARES program.
Part of the three-pronged elementary school magnet schools in Concord, Wren Avenue hosted its inaugural
Winter Art Showcase last week featuring student art from the kindergarten through fifth grade classes
combined with stargazing hosted by the Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society. Wren Avenue Elementary began this school year as Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s visual and performing arts magnet school, creating a collaborative community to provide an artistic avenue for students to fulfill high academic expectations in the arts, reading, English language development, math, science and technology. Wren Avenue is part of an elementary school magnet triangle in Concord with Holbrook (language academy) and Sun Terrace (STEM technology magnet) offering focused programs open to families throughout the District. Magnet schools offer students a unique opportunity for in-depth studies in a specific area of interest that is school-wide and integrated that provide increased parent choice, support neighborhood schools and focus on 21st century skills.
The first-ever Winter Art Showcase at Wren Avenue featured displays of student art including star-inspired art projects combined with stargazing with volunteers from the Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society who brought large telescopes and explained what stars and planets are visible and discussed constellations, black
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Sending a care package? Second grader Ciana Roque is the artist for the new Wren Avenue Elementary School mascot, Artie the Wren.
Technology dependency is damaging
Since the technology “craze” began a decade ago grabbing the newest models of cell phones, computers and tablets has become a worldwide obsession. And while these new advancements are quite exciting, they have also become addictive and have been negatively influencing the teen world. Technology may not be the wonderful piecesof-art society has dubbed them to be. Technology can be a great way to interact with other people. But often teens become addicted to their devices. We spend hours and hours on their cell phones checking our Instagram
P E TS
NATALIE PURSCHE
NORTHGATE
CORRESPONDENT
accounts, Snapchatting with friends and staying updated on the newest online trends. Social media can also become a teen coping mecha-
nism, continuously checking up on our social media accounts to make us feel accepted or validated. The constant input we receive on social media can even control our lives. When scrolling through Instagram, we constantly see pictures of happy people living the “perfect life;” or models with the “perfect body”. Even fellow peers comment about and share their daily lives with each other. It causes us to have unrealistic expectations of our lives, our bodies, our friendships and even our families. We spend hours and hours on social media, checking our Instagram accounts and trying
ARF stars Pinky and Anna say ‘Take me home for Christmas’
holes and other astronomy topics with parents, students and guests. A highlight of the evening was the unveiling by Principal Aline Lee of the new school mascot, Artie the Wren. Second grader Ciana Roque is the artist of Artie the Wren. She is a student in Bonnie Matousek’s class. JAY BEDECARRÉ MDUSD’s CARES proSCHOOL NEWS gram served refreshments. The program is constantly Last week, Sun Terrace reminding students to make also hosted its first Family healthier beverage choices Hour of Code Night sponthrough the Rethink Your sored, by the school’s PTA. Drink Campaign.
to persuade others into thinking that our lives are luxurious and interesting. But in reality, we are struggling through our math homework and catching up on the last episode of our favorite television show. Many of us become competitive as we try to project the idea that we live these unrealistic lives on social media. We make sure that we are having a great time in all of our pictures, and that we are always glowing with happiness. And really these unrealistic expectations ruin our reality. It’s okay to have a bad day. And it’s okay not to appear perfect all of the time. In reality, no one has a “perfect” life. Not Gigi Hadid, or Justin Bieber, or even Kim Kardashian. We shouldn’t let what we see on Instagram or Twitter make us feel unhappy with ourselves. There is no point in judging our lives based on what others’ lives look like. We are each of us dealing with our own problems and issues whether we choose to show that on social media or not. Teens need to step back from technology and take a look at the real world; to appreciate what is right in front of us. Life outside of cyber space is pretty amazing.
Natalie Pursche is a freshman at Northgate and a regular contributor to the Pioneer. Send comments to editor@concordpioneer.com.
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Hmong farmers add diversity to farmers markets Page 14
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
DEBRA MORRIS Pacific Coast Farmers Market
Since the influx of Southeast Asian immigrants to California in the 1970s, many have taken to farming – a familiar occupation in Vietnam, Laos and other Asian countries. They have introduced us to amazing and delicious Asian vegetables and herbs from their homelands. Many of these products were also grown by early 20th century Chinese and Japanese immigrants. The Hmong and Lao were among the immigrant groups that arrived here. These families left their homeland, where they had worked hard to sustain themselves as farmers, to start a new life. Settling in the
SUNNY SOLOMON
BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY
What fun to give Lenka Glassner’s “Czeching In, Adventures Beyond Prague” a whole-hearted thumbs up. I held off reviewing it until the December edition of the Pioneer so I could suggest it as a good read as well as a great gift. For those whose immi-
fertile soil. With more than 2,000 Southeast Asian farmers in California and more than 100 varieties of specialty vegetables and herbs, these small family farmers now bring a wide variety of produce to the farmers market. Chong Thao, one of the Concord Farmers Market’s managers, is Hmong. His family operates FT Fresh Produce at the market. Farming has been part of his family for generations, because growing your own food was the only way to feed your family. They grew rice, mustard greens, casContributed photo sava, sing qua, cabbages, bitter Stop by and say hello to Chong Thao and pick up some of melon, lemongrass, sugar cane their wonderful Asian specialty vegetables and greens. and many other necessities. With the war in Vietnam prolific growing regions of the that their Asian greens, vegetacausing disruption and fear, Central Valley, they discovered bles and herbs grew well in the
‘Czeching In’ a delightful mix of history, travel guide grant roots go back so many generations that we’ve lost that warm fuzzy feeling for the land of our forefathers and mothers, “Czeching In” offers the reader a chance to become part of Glassner’s family and join her on a trip to her past. She’s not just talking about visiting areas of Czechoslovakia that were part of her youth, while Russia still planted its communist footprint on Czech soil. The author, who immigrated to the United States in the late 1970, takes us back thou-
sands of years to when the Celts lived in what would become Czechoslovakia. She uncovers not just castles and forests of fairytale stature, but stories of wicked kings, marauding interlopers, bad clergy folk and the plague. All before the end of World War II, when the victors carved up middle Europe and handed the Czechs to Russia. Unlike previous visits to the Czech Republic to visit her parents and family, Glass- Clayton resident Lenka
See Books, page 15
Glassner pens a tale of her native Czechoslovakia
Rain comes in many shapes and sizes
The wet season has arrived in the Bay Area. One of the many challenges for weather forecasters is to predict the type and intensity of precipitation that accompanies our winter storms. Precipitation is defined as any form of water that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground. The falling water can either be in a liquid or solid (frozen) form. There are two types of liquid precipitation, drizzle and rain. Frozen types include snow, sleet, freezing rain and hail. Let’s take a closer look at the liquid forms, which comprise the bulk of the precipitation that falls in our area. Drizzle is made up of small water droplets, with diameters of less than two one-hundredths of an inch (0.02). Drizzle is a fairly uniform type of rainfall composed exclusively of small water droplets that are very close together.
WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS
Similar in size and shape to fog droplets, drizzle appears to float while following air currents. Unlike fog droplets, it falls to the ground. Quite often fog and drizzle occur together. Liquid droplets larger than 0.02 inches are classified as rain. Rain forms when small cloud droplets collide and stick together. Once the drops get large enough, gravity draws them down to the ground. The common perception of the shape of a raindrop is
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that of a teardrop with a wide, rounded bottom and pointed top. In fact, the shape is dependent on its size. It seldom, if ever, looks like a teardrop. Drizzle and small raindrops are round to slightly oblong. Larger raindrops are curved at the top and flattened at the bottom by the drag forces in the air. Their shape is often compared to that of a hamburger bun. Once a raindrop reaches about a quarter inch, it will begin to break apart because of air resistance. We’ve all driven through a rainstorm with droplet sizes that seem much larger than a quarter of an inch. This illusion occurs because the bun-shaped droplets are flattened as they hit the windshield. The terminal velocity, or fall speed, of raindrops also depends on size. Smaller drops fall at a rate of about 2 mph. Drops that grow to the quarter inch size fall at nearly
20 mph. Rainfall rates determine if the rain will soak into the soil or run off. According to the National Weather Service, light rain ranges from 0.01 to 0.1 inches per hour. Moderate rainfall is forecast if precipitation rates of 0.1-0.3 inches per hour are expected. Heavy rain is anything above 0.3 inches per hour. Long periods of heavy rain can cause flooding and erosion. This winter, Bay Area meteorologists will pay close attention to rainfall rates as the potential for mudslides is enhanced in areas affected by the recent wildfires. For the most part, everyone welcomes the wet winter season and raindrops of all sizes and shapes. With each storm, memories of the recent drought slowly melt away. Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist retired from PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com
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the family struggled to survive for many years and finally migrated to the United States in 1990. “It was hard work to find a job in a new land where we didn’t speak the language,” he noted. With little employment available, they decided to fall back on what they knew best: farming. They landed in Fresno, where the soil was good and the climate perfect for growing their products. Other Hmong immigrants had also settled there. The family gradually learned the language and found local sources for selling their unusual products. A neighboring farmer told them how the farmers market system helps small farmers sell directly to customers. They have been selling their produce at many farmers markets for 20 years. At first, demand for their products was small and the Thaos sold mostly to those ethnicities familiar with their products. As time went on and more farmers sold their greens and vegetables to a wider, appreciative audience, they increased their acreage. “The impact that farmers markets have had on my family and others in this immigrant community has been amazing,” Thao said. “We probably wouldn’t have survived in a new country without them.”
Peppery mustard greens are simple to prepare and offer great flavor. Try this easy recipe alongside some of your holiday favorites and we bet you’ll be back for a second helping. SAUTÉED MUSTARD GREENS ½ c. thinly sliced onions, red or yellow 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 T olive oil 1 lb. mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces 2-3 T chicken broth ¼ tsp. teaspoon dark sesame oil 1-1½ T rice wine vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, 5-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant. Add the mustard greens and broth; cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil and rice vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Be aware that the sesame oil is very strong, so don’t overuse it. This recipe can also be adjusted for a Southern profile by adding cooked bacon or ham, leaving out the rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.
Motorists can help make roads safer for bicyclists
LAURA NAKAMURA BIKE CONCORD
• Allow bicyclists to “take the lane.” Legally, bicyclists can ride in a full lane when no bike lane or shoulder exists. Bicyclists can also take the lane to avoid hazards like the door zone of a parked car, potholes and roadside debris. Taking the lane is a safety maneuver. • Move to the left and change lanes when sharing the road with slower vehicles. California law states that there be at least three feet between any vehicle overtaking and passing a bicycle. If you cannot pass safely, slow down until it’s possible. • Signal your intentions and make eye contact with the bicyclist, or pedestrian. Communication is key to sharing the road. • Yield to bicyclists at intersections, allowing them to get through the intersection. Avoid cutting across their paths, whether they are to your right (“right-hook”) or in oncoming traffic (“leftcross”). • The bike lane is for bikes. Unloading passengers there is dangerous for all involved. • Blind spots are not just behind you. A vehicle’s windshield pillar, a tree or light post can easily block your line of sight so that you miss seeing a pedestrian or bicyclist. • Practice “the Dutch reach” before exiting a car. Use your far hand to open the door and look over your shoulder to avoid “dooring” a bicyclist, which is terrifying and painful. • Lastly, go for a bike ride. Not only will you experience the road from the vantage point of a bicyclist, you will better understand what it means to safely share the road.
On my 16th birthday, Mom drove me to Martinez. Foiled by one-way streets, I failed my driving test. She promptly whisked me to the DMV in Walnut Creek, where I passed. Mom’s joy was not because I was the oldest of four, which would have been understandable. Her elation stemmed from the fact that the cake at my surprise party was decorated like a driver’s license with a photo of me in the lower lefthand corner. Since that day in 1980, I’ve taken pride in being a good driver. Nobody’s a better driver. My only ticket has been for speeding on a residential street in Concord. However, after 20 months of bike commuting, I can say I’m a much safer driver. And because the number of bicyclists on Concord streets is steadily increasing, safer drivers mean safer streets. Prompted by road congestion and a six-mile commute that was taking 45 minutes, I got out of my steel cage and tried biking to work. It’s been an eye-opening adventure. I never realized there were terms like “dooring,” “right-hook,” “left-cross,” “breezing,” “taking the lane” and the slogans “three feet please” and “the Dutch reach.” As a driver who also bikes, here is my advice to motorists: Nakamura is a volunteer with • Slow down and practice patience. Speed directly cor- Bike Concord. Contact her at laura@bikeconcord.org. responds to crash severity.
December 15, 2017
CALENDAR
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. JAN. 17 FOR THE JAN. 26 ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO newsandcalendar@concordpioneer.com
IN CONCORD
Tuesdays Farmers’ Market
Year round, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. pcfma.org.
Second Thursday of the Month Advance Health Care Directives
Legal clinic to prepare and notarize advance health care directives for seniors 60 and older in Contra Costa County. 9:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Concord Senior Center, 2727 Parkside Circle. Free. Call for appointment (925) 671-3320.
Dec. 19 Tree of Lights
Tree lighting for Clayton and Concord by Hospice East Bay. 5 – 7 p.m. John Muir Medical Center parking lot, East Street and Almond Avenue. Donations accepted. (925) 887-5678.
Dec. 17 “A Christmas Fantasia”
Presented by Diablo Symphony Orchestra. 3:30 p.m. Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, 1801 Lacassie Ave., Walnut Creek. $35. diablosymphony.org.
Page 15
Marvel’s ‘Thor’ handily defeats ‘Justice League’
Dec. 17 “Christmas Time is Here”
Journey around the world and learn some local holiday customs, too. 2 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $16$25. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. (925) 427-1611.
Dec. 19 “An Irish Christmas”
Take a journey through Christmas in Ireland. 7 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $25-$40. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. (925) 427-1611.
JEFF MELLINGER
SCREEN SHOTS
The poor DC Extended Universe (DCEU) just can’t Starting Jan. 11 catch a break. Presented by California Symphony. 4 and 8 p.m. Lesher Center Ham Radio Technician License Class Sure, “Wonder Woman” for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $42-$72. lesherartsLicense training starts. Held by Salvation Army and Mt. Diablo was fantastic, but it’s not the Amateur Radio Club. 7 p.m. Salvation Army, 3950 Clayton Road, center.org. (925) 943-7469. main part of their tent pole Concord. Registration and some fees required. mdarc.org/activiseries. Theoretically, the solo ties/education/Classes. Dec. 30 films get made because of “Big Fat Year End Kiss Off Comedy Show XXV” the successes of the major Presented by Worst of Durst. 8 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, ON AND AROUND THE MOUNTAIN films. Although they made 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $32. lesherartscenter.org. (925) Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve programs are available good money, audiences uni943-7469. for registration through ebparks.org. Parking fees may apply. For versally panned “Man of additional information, contact Black Diamond Visitor Center at Steel” and “Batman vs. Dec. 30 (510) 544-2750 or bdvisit@ebparks.org. Superman.” “Hamilton: An American Musical” After the unexpected triPresented by In the Light Voice Studio. 3 p.m. El Campanil TheDec. 16 atre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $13. elcampaniltheatre.com. umph of “Wonder Woman,” Around Round Valley (925) 757-9500. people were excited about Explore the park on a moderately strenuous hike. 9 a.m. – 2 Zach Snyder’s “Justice p.m. Meet at Round Valley Staging Area. Jan. 6 League.” Besides, by movie 4, “Winter Spectacular” Dec. 17 shouldn’t the DCEU be able Presented by En Pointe Dance Studio. 2 p.m. El Campanil TheChristmas Berry to figure out just how Marvel Look for holly and other wintry foliage on this short nature hike. atre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $10-$15. does it? elcampaniltheatre.com. (925) 757-9500. 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Meet at Black Diamond Mines. While “Justice League” showed a marked improveJan. 18 – 21 Dec. 23 ment, Taika Waititi’s “Thor: “Spontaneous Sitcom” Mushroom Foray Ragnarok” is the most fun Venture out to look for these marvelous fruiting bodies. 10 a.m. Presented by Synergy Theater. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 I’ve had in a theater in a long Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $20. lesherartscenter.org. (925) 943– 12 p.m. Meet at Black Diamond Mines. 7469. time. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) can do no Mount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with the exception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click Jan. 20 wrong. At least “Justice on Event Calendar for more information. “Foolish Mortals!” League” corrects some of An adventure of comedy by Moonie and Broon. 7:30 p.m. Lesher DCEU’s failings with actually Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $25. lesherDec. 29 funny jokes and a more lightartscenter.org. (925) 943-7469. Round the Mountain Hike hearted tone. It appears there Views in all directions. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Meet at Juniper Trailis light at the end of the tunJan. 20 – 21 head. nel after all. “Pastoral Beethoven” Ben Affleck gets a raw Presented by California Symphony. Lesher Center for the Arts, Jan. 21 deal as Batman, mostly 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $42-$72. lesherartscenter.org. Nature Presentation (925) 943-7469. because he’s constantly comMushrooms and fungi of Mount Diablo and the East Bay. 10 pared to Christian Bale. Bale’s a.m. – 2 p.m. Summit Museum. brooding, woebegone CHURCHES approach was refreshing after the Kilmer/Clooney debaDec. 15 – 16 cles. Live Drive-Thru Nativity It is, in turn, nice to see Celebrate the true reason for the season. 6 – 9 p.m. Bethel BapAffleck play Bruce Wayne as tist Church, 3578 Clayton Road, Concord. Free. a straight, billionaire lush. bethelbaptistca.org. “Justice League” gives Wayne a brief chance to reflect on FUNDRAISERS his humanity. He regrets livMushrooms and ing less of a human existence fungi of Mt Diablo 2nd and 4th Sundays than his alien counterpart, Pancake Breakfast Superman. It is a nice Veterans of Foreign Wars serve breakfast to the public: Eggs, moment, one of several pancakes, sausage, beverage. 8 – 11 a.m. VFW Post 1525, Photo Megan Madahar, MDIA which “Justice League” could 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord. $5, $3 children under 12. vfwhave explored further. post1525.org. Save Mount Diablo’s Discover Diablo is a free public hike series. Go to discover-diablo.eventbrite.com for more information.
Dec. 17 North Peak Ranch Property Hike
Beautiful, heavily-wooded property rising from Marsh Creek Road onto the slopes of North Peak. 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Meet at Peacock Creek Park’n Ride Lot. Reservations required.
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Thru Dec. 16 “An Appalachian Christmas”
A young boy learns the meaning of Christmas. B8 Theatre Company, 2292 Concord Blvd., Concord. $25. b8theatre.org. (925) 890-8877.
Thru Dec. 17 “A Christmas Carol”
Brimming with music and dance, love and laughter and scary ghosts. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $28-$50. centerrep.org.
Thru Dec. 17 “Calendar Girls”
Based on a true story. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $35-$45. thebrentwoodtheater.org.
Thru Dec. 17 “The Biggest Gift”
Original holiday tale presented by Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $14. lesherartscenter.org. (925) 943-7469.
Dec. 15 – 17 “The Nutcracker”
Presented by The Ballet Company of East County. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $16-$20. elcampaniltheatre.com. (925) 757-9500.
Dec. 16 “All Thru the Hale”
Celebrating the holidays Hawaiian style. 2 and 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $30. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. (925) 427-1611.
Dec. 23 “A Lemony Snicket Holiday”
AT THE LIBRARY
The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at ccclib.org or (925) 646-5455. Dec. 16: Biking After Dark, 3 p.m. Registration required. Dec. 18: Bike Theft Prevention, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18: Create a Holiday Card, 7 p.m. Dec. 19: “Frozen” Sing-A-Long, 3:30 p.m. Dec. 20: Arts and Crafts, 10 a.m. Dec. 20: Tween Giftables, 4 p.m. Registration required. Jan. 9: Concord Art Association Meeting and Demo, 1 p.m. Jan. 25: Tai Chi Zen, 7 p.m. Registration required.
The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at claytonlibrary.org or call (925) 673-0659. Dec. 18; Jan. 8, 22: Clayton Knits, 1:30 p.m. Jan. 8: Clayton Library Book Club, 7 p.m. Jan. 10: Eat Pizza. Write Letters. Spread Joy. 6 p.m. Jan. 18: Sock Puppets Craft, 4 p.m.
GOVERNMENT
1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Concord City Council
6:30 p.m., Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org.
1st and 3rd Wednesdays Concord Planning Commission
7 p.m. Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org.
Meeting dates and times for local clubs and organizations are listed at concordpioneer.com. Click on ‘Links’
This is, after all, an introduction movie. Thus, 30-40 minutes is spent establishing the three newcomers. Ray Fisher plays the stoic Cyborg, Jason Momoa is fun as the snarky Aquaman and Ezra Miller provides the comic relief as a bumbling Flash. For the third film in a row, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) steals the show. Yet it feels like the intros should have just been done in a made-forTV prequel. The characters simply do not have the builtin camaraderie of seemingly every MCU character pairing. The previous two Thor films were good but were forever destined to be seen as substandard compared with the Iron Man and Captain America franchises. The third installment’s snappy dialogue, exceptional effects (except for unforgivably awful shots of the Norwegian Sea) and surprisingly fine acting put the Thor franchise on equal footing. The Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett having too much fun) returns to take control of Asgard, and Thor (a never-better Chris Hemsworth) must work with allies both new and old to thwart her. With these tremendous stakes, one might expect a DCEU-level of dourness to reign supreme. However, Marvel has never allowed extreme conflict and comedy to be mutually exclusive. I found myself consistently chuckling at the jokes, which were sometimes during times of strife yet they worked. Another thing the DCEU would do well to learn from the MCU is to not take itself so seriously. I thought it would be tough to top “Captain America: Civil War” but “Thor: Ragnarok” is a cut above. A dozen movies in, and Marvel is still improving. We should give DCEU the benefit of the doubt that they will do the same. “Justice League” C+ “Thor: Ragnarok” AJeff Mellinger is a screen writer and film buff. He holds a BA in Film Studies and an MFA in film production. He lives in Concord. Email comments to editor@concordpioneer.com.
Books, from page 14
ner and her husband “were on a mission to explore the country” on this visit. What I found most appealing about “Czeching In” is Glassner’s almost intimate introduction of Czech history. She relates history through cultural roots that survived a range of characters and their politics, the comings and goings of those who ruled and then were dethroned or decapitated. The history is interspersed with family reunions in a landscape of aged cottages, pubs and forest retreats. From ancient beginnings, Glassner often fast-forwards to her youth under the yoke of communism. Activities that most of us take for granted were pie-in-the-sky wishes for teen citizens of Czechoslovakia before the fall of the Berlin Wall. “Czeching In” is no modern Baedeker guide for the world traveler. Aside from Prague, most of the cities visited were unknown to this reader. They not only will be remembered for their
detailed and often humorous descriptions but should be sought-after sites should readers choose to visit Eastern Europe in the near future. The second most appealing aspect of “Czeching In” is its ability to make us want to grab the nearest atlas and reacquaint ourselves with Eastern and Central Europe. Figure out which countries have had their borders moved and how very modern and important these boundaries are to us today. I left the history of Pilsner beer out of this review because it would take more words than I am allowed. To write about Czech food and drink would be a review of its own. Check out the author’s activities and sales information on Facebook at Egg Art by Lenka. Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to ‘talk books.’
Page 16
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
December 15, 2017
Tips for taking stress off your holiday to-do list KARA NAVOLIO Correspondent
As the holidays approach, many people look forward to spending time with their families. Others, however, begin to feel the stress as their list of responsibilities increases. Here are some ways to reduce stress so you can enjoy the holiday season. Planning. “Planning is essential – the earlier, the better,” says Margie Reyerson, an Orinda-based marriage and family therapist. Thinking ahead and making lists can reduce stress. By writing it all down, you can release some of the thoughts that keep you from relaxing and sleeping. Shop early and organize your gift list by store so you don’t
backtrack. Plan to shop right when the stores open, because crowds are smaller and parking is easier. Simplify. “It’s important to remember that the purpose of the holiday is the joy, the celebration and family time,” Reyerson says. Consider using beautiful paper products instead of china to simplify cleanup. Or maybe just use paper plates for dessert. Opt for fewer, but meaningful gifts. Set a tone of serenity. Reyerson suggests lighting candles all around your home and add calming music. If your family enjoys football, try to negotiate in advance which one game you will watch – modeling moderation and family time for the
children. Keep electronics and TV off during holiday meals. Get outside. If you are hosting, try to get in a walk or some exercise before guests arrive. Set the table in advance. Get the table ready two days early. This gives you time to make sure your infrequently used dishes and glassware are clean and eliminates another chore on the day of the event. Use simple table decorations like pine cones and branches arranged on a table runner, interspersed with votive candles. Let others prepare or bring food. Ask guests to bring a prepared dish. This keeps the kitchen free of too many people trying to use
limited space. Or consider purchasing part of the meal or even the entire dinner. But be sure to order ahead. Enlist help. Kids can set the table and wrap gifts. Family members can take shifts with cleanup. If it’s too hard for you to ask for help, get your spouse or a sibling to ask for you. “It’s important for men and boys to help,
too. Boys need to see men helping in the kitchen,” says Reyerson. Vent. If you need to vent your frustrations, find a trusted friend or family member and do it. “Get it off your chest; discharge it instead of keeping it in,” Reyerson urges. “You don’t want it to come out later in another form.”
Letter to the Editor A Christmas Story
2250B Commerce Ave., Concord, CA 94520 • 925-825-1954
concord@bricksandminifigs.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-7 • Sat. 10-6 • Sun Noon-5
Bricks and Minifigs Concord
As I sit comfortably in my warm and cozy room watching television I am bombarded with news reports of starving refugees landing in flimsy rubber boats on the Greek coast, people fleeing for their lives from Myanmar, naked and starving children around the world, their huge eyes staring at the camera and asking us, “Don’t you care?” A deep sadness overwhelms me. It is now 72 years ago in the winter of 1945 in Germany and I still remember… A long and brutal war is finally over. Seven months of “peace” have not brought much relief to my part of the
world. The Christmas Season has not been very joyful for the hungry and poorly clothed refugees standing in snow and sleet for hours to get a loaf of bread or bottle of milk. I was one of these people in one of those long, sober lines. It was Christmas Eve and it was very cold. We were not welcome in the town in which our family found itself, but it had always been our tradition to attend Christmas Eve church services. For refugees with very few possessions, our memories and traditions were about all we had that year with which to celebrate Christmas. On this evening the church doors were open to all and we went in..
Have a plan for dealing with conflict if it arises. “If you are concerned about divisive political opinions or a family member’s drinking issues, think of ways to change the subject and redirect the conversation. Remind your guests that we are all here to appreciate each other. Don’t give attention to bad behavior,” says Reyerson. You can also use place cards if you feel the need to keep certain family members separated. Remember to enjoy the day. Cherish the time with your family. Sit down and relax. It doesn’t send a good message to the children when they see mom stressed out or running around the entire day. See the day through the children’s eyes. Perfect gravy doesn’t matter – the relationships and the tone of the day do.
The church was full of people and candlelight. It had been a long time since I had felt so warm and safe. Singing wellknown carols and hearing the familiar Christmas Story made me forget, for a short while, the desperate situation we were in and my despair was replaced by a feeling of Hope and Joy. During this Christmas Season when our thoughts and minds are filled with “us,” let us take some time to think of “them,” the homeless, the hungry, the outcasts, the refugees. Let us see the need and help. It is not the time to build a wall around our hearts or around our country. It is time to open our hearts and minds and help. Grete Ringenberg Clayton Resident
Celebrate Christmas Eve at Concord United Methodist Church
Sunday, Dec. 24 10 a.m. Christmas Cantata in the Sanctuary 5 p.m. Family Service & Children’s Nativity 9 p.m. Traditional Candlelight & Communion
Best wishes for a joyful holiday season!
Leigh Klock, Realtor
www.concordumc.org
Senior Real Estate Specialist, Accredited Staging Professional
Leigh@LeighKlock.com
www.LeighKlockHomes.com
925.212.5593
1645 West Street, Concord (Corner of Clayton Way and West Street) For more information, call (925) 685-5260
CalBRE# 01874255
December 15, 2017
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Check warranty, support service before buying computer gifts
Page 17
Valid at Willow Pass Grocery Outlet only. One coupon per person. Not valid with any other offer. Coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. Expires 01/31/2018
New Year’s Eve WILL CLANEY
TECH TALK
Even if you’re in a hurry to buy that special holiday gift, it’s important to follow some guidelines when picking out computer technology gifts. The first thing to keep in mind is not to rush when picking out a computer or peripheral components. Because computers are so specialized these days, take your time and learn what is actually inside the box. You should also know who is behind the warranty. Find out if they are big or small and if they have a history of standing behind the things they sell. Consider that you spent two days setting up your computer, and the darn thing fails. It simply quits working. Now you must return the product. Do you ship it back to the
Toast the new year at our 1920s Prohibition-themed party with manufacturer or take it back to the store for a replacement? Shipping the components back to the maker can be challenging, especially with a Chinese manufacturer. They want it in the original box, plus they require a return item authorization (RMA) and you pay the freight to China. So the solution is to take it back to the store. This is the easiest way to get a replacement, but now you are stuck with starting over. It’s best to buy your computer or computer component from a store that supports the product. That means they have the technical know-how to spot setup errors, fix, replace or warranty it for you. It is worth the few extra dollars to get support. Be aware that most thirdparty computer warranties
you purchase with your computer are nearly worthless and won’t perform as the salesperson promised. This holiday season, purchase from a company or store that you can trust to directly support your computer. Ask the salesperson to introduce you to the person who handles such problems; it only takes a minute to determine the sincerity of the warranty. My best wishes to you and yours this season and happy New Year. Oh by the way, Santa says a set of Bose desktop speakers are the best toys the elves have ever made.
William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to willclaney@gmail.com.
and
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-The Elves 5433M Clayton Road, Clayton Station Center
ComputersUSA!
925-672-9989
shopcusa.com
2017 CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE St. Bonaventure Catholic Church
Christmas Eve Sunday, December 24
3 p.m.
5:30 p.m. 8 p.m. 10 p.m. 12 a.m.
Early Childhood Christmas Pageant & Mass Elementary Children’s Christmas Pageant & Mass Christmas Vigil Mass
Christmas Vigil Mass
Christmas Midnight Mass
5562 Clayton Rd. Concord
Christmas Day Monday, December 25
8 a.m. English 10 a.m. English 12:45 p.m. Spanish
www.stbonaventure.net 672-5800
El Molino Supermarket opens its doors to you, your family and friends. • Extensive variety of product • Great quality • Freshness • Awesome prices • Exceptional customer service El Molino Supermarket serves a wide variety of products (Mexican and Central American) in all of our departments:
• Grocery • Produce • Meat • Beer • Bakery And Delicious Mexican food in the Taqueria
Let us help you get ready for the Holidays
1500 Monument Blvd, Ste. F10, Concord (925) 687-9200
Page 18
T HE ARTS
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Christmas takes the stage in creative ways
SALLY HOGARTY
STAGE STRUCK ’Tis the time for lots of holiday shows, and Contra Costa certainly has its share of wonderful and unique entertainment options – beginning with Brentwood Community Theater’s “Calendar Girls.” Based on a true story, the play follows members of the stately Yorkshire County chapter of the Women’s Institute. Two members want a new idea to raise money for the local hospital after last year’s endeavor, featuring local bridges, only raised $98.35. The daring duo decide that a calendar featuring tasteful nude photographs of the middle-age members would do the trick. Needless to say, controversy and conflicts arise to make trouble for the members but lots of fun for the audience watching the comedy unfold. “Calendar Girls” runs Dec. 8-17 at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. Kal Berns directs. Call 925943-SHOW or go to www.lesherartscenter.org.
December 15, 2017
Contributed photo
Act quickly to see Tom Reilly and Terrance Smith in “A Civil War Christmas” by Paula Vogel, through Dec. 16 at Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette.
Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre also offers slightly different holiday entertainment with “A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration,” running through Dec. 16 at 3535 School St. Written by Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright Paula Vogel, the play takes place on a cold Christmas Eve in 1864 in Washington, D.C. The presi-
Contributed photo
Brentwood Community Theater’s “Calendar Girls” runs through Dec . 17 at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts
“A Scottish Celebration of the Solstice” 32nd Annual Christmas Revels Presents
Songs, dances, and magical tales in the holiday spirit
Scottish Rite Theater
1547 Lakeside Drive, Oakland Friday, Dec. 15 at 8 pm Saturday, Dec. 16, 1 and 5 pm Sunday, Dec. 17, 1 and 5 pm
Tickets $20-$65; under age 25 and groups of 10+ are $10-$45 Wheelchair accessible; ample parking nearby
(510) 381-1504 www.californiarevels.org
925.348.5609 Nick Eisenbart
Owner/Service Provider Concord resident
dent and Mrs. Lincoln are planning their gift-giving, while a Union blacksmith captures a young rebel soldier on the banks of the Potomac. Nearby, John Wilkes Booth hatches his assassination plot. At the same time, an enslaved woman and her daughter become separated on their journey to freedom. Hymns and carols of the period weave the stories together, along with messages of compassion, good will and wishes for peace. Call 925-2831557 or go to www.townhalltheatre.com. There’s still time to catch Diablo Actor Ensemble’s “An Appalachian Christmas,” running through Dec.16 at B8 Theatre, 2292 Concord Blvd., Concord. This original work by local director Scott Fryer takes place in the Appalachian
Mountains in 1938 as a young boy living with his two spinster aunts learns the true meaning of Christmas. The cast includes local favorites Ann Kendrick, Beth Chastain, Campbell Zeigler and Beth Bemis. For tickets, call 925-305-6171 or go to www.diabloactors.org. Not to be forgotten is Center Repertory’s much-anticipated annual production of “A Christmas Carol.” Running through Dec. 17, this gorgeous telling of the story of the miserable Scrooge, adorable Tiny Tim and those lovable ghosts brims with music and dance. Uber-talented performers bring this story to life every year, with sets and magic a delight to behold. Scott Denison directs, with fun choreography by Jennifer Perry.
For more information call 925-943-SHOW or go to www.lesherartscenter.org for tickets. Take a trip around the world, at least in song, as Pittsburg Community Theatre presents “Holiday Songs from Around the World” at 2 p.m. Dec. 17 at the beautiful California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. The show will take you on a journey of familiar and not so familiar holiday songs sung in native languages as Pittsburg’s diverse community shares a little piece of their heritages – from Mexico to the Philippines, from China to Ghana and across Europe before heading back to the good old USA. Sounds like a wonderful way to take a break from the often-hectic holiday schedule and celebrate the spirit of the season with family and friends. Call 925-427-1611 or go to www.pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. Prepare for lots of laughs and more than a few “ahs” as Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble presents “The Biggest Gift” at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center, 1601 Civic Dr., Dec. 14-17. It seems some nefarious character has stolen the children’s letters to Santa. No letters – no Christmas. But Tucker the elf and the toys set out to find the letters and save Christmas in this heart-warming original musical. Call 925-943-SHOW or go to www.lesherartscenter.org for more information and tickets. You can also take a trip to Oz this holiday with East Bay Children’s Theatre’s “Christmas in Oz.” This delightful new musical tells of a lonely
Dorothy. With the help of Mr. Tinker, she builds a magical wish machine and returns to the Emerald City in time for the holidays. Of course, not all goes well, thanks to a sassy sorceress who kidnaps Santa Claus. But have no fear: Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion take off to rescue Saint Nick and save Christmas for the entire world. This world premiere runs through Dec. 17 at Chanticleers Theatre, 3683 Quail Ave., Castro Valley. Call 510SEE-LIVE or go to www.ebctonline.org.
Samantha Fryer
Campbell Zeigler learns the true meaning of Christmas from his spinster aunts Ann Kendrick and Beth Chastain Diablo Actors Ensemble’s “An Appalacian Christmas” running this Saturday, Dec.16 in Concord.
Sally Hogarty is well known around the Bay Area as a newspaper columnist, theatre critic and working actress. She is also the editor of the Orinda News. Send comments to sallyhogarty@gmail.com
Style tips for dressing up the holidays A little black dress or black suit is always on par for the party scene, but holiday dressing doesn’t have to be so cut and dried. From velvet suits to silky slip dresses, here are some ideas for switching it up and looking festive this season. Gold rush: Metallics act as the ultimate neutral on the SUSAN SAPPINGTON holiday party circuit. Take the hue to new heights with a pair CLOTHESUP of silky, wide-leg gold pants styled with a sheer metallic burgundy skirt. Add an unexpected twist with a shade of blouse. Naughty or nice: Mix a deep blue or green lipstick. ’Tis the sequin: Skip the sheer metallic top with a deep full-on sequin dress and work festive beads into your look with one statement-making piece. Try a skirt or a beautiful pair of sequin pants. Tuxedo dressing: An offthe-shoulder tuxedo dress sets the bar high for your office holiday cocktail party. Men’s wear is the rage. All wrapped up: Go for
Serving all of Contra Costa County for 15 years Including Marsh Creek, Morgan Territory
green in a festive but sexy wrap dress that leaves way for some major accessorizing, such as a bold, chunky necklace. Little black dress: While you can never go wrong with a classic little black dress, give the staple wardrobe item a refresh with some feather or sheer detailing at the shoulders or hem. Santa baby: A deep red silk dress feels equal parts sexy and festive for any party this season. Take the look to the next level with a pair of matching lace-up heels. Winter florals: Take fall and winter’s floral trend into the holiday season with a fulllength frock that’s timeless and festive. Florals are a great pattern for that special holiday look. The velvet suit: Trade in your classic velvet jacket for a full suit done in all velvet. Take the look the festive route
by opting for a deep red or green. And, match your lipstick. All that glitters: From Christmas parties to New Year’s Eve, a full-on sequin dress instantly becomes the life of any party. Merlot merry: A shade of deep merlot feels festive without straying too far from your go-to black uniform. Leather and lace: Pair a lace blouse with a leather miniskirt for the ultimate naughty-meets-nice contrast. Deck the halls: When all else fails, go bold in sizzling red sequins. If you’re not on the level of rocking a fulllength gown, opt for a short cocktail version. Sappington is a personal stylist for men and women. If you need help with your style or gifts options for the men in your life, contact her at susan.sappington@jhilburnpartner.com.
Five Stars
on Yelp
Dressing up for holiday parties include metallic and sequined tops. Or take the pantsuit to a new level with red velvet. The tuxedo dress is a great riff on the “little black dress.”
December 15, 2017
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 19
Hike back through history at Black Diamond
The 60 miles of trails in the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve cross rolling foothill terrain covered with grassland.
KEVIN PARKER
HIT
THE
TRAIL
If you want to a hike close to home that will be a sure hit with the kids, look no further then Black Diamond Mines – just a 20-minute drive from Clayton. With a history rich in coal and sand mining, Black Diamond boasts more than 8,300 acres and 60+ miles of trails. There’s hiking, biking, a museum and mine tours, not to mention Rose Hill Cemetery and multiple visitor centers. So you can probably understand why one day is not enough to fully explore this park. Follow the paved road from the parking area onto Nortonville Trail. My kids preferred to run up a hardto-resist mountain of mining spoils and followed a trail that meandered into the trees, over a foot bridge and eventually intersected back to the main trail just below the beginning of Chaparral Loop Trail.
As my kids reminded me, “There are a lot of detours to cool things on this trail” and “a bunch of colors, rocks, trees and leaves.” These are definitely common themes in Black Diamond, which features dozens of side trails, secret sandstone formations and numerous caves. Chaparral Loop Trail begins as hard-packed sandstone with scattered boulders and ample footing as you pass through a mixture of evergreen forest and chaparral. Be sure to make a quick detour to the Stope, a large chamber blasted out by miners and, in modern times, nature’s playground for climbing and adventuring. Powder Magazine, a fort-like cave, is also worth a look. Continue on Chaparral Trail, which is reminiscent of a dry riverbed, up to the junction. Take a quick shade break at the wooden bench, then finish the final section of the trail as you hit the highest point of this hike – providing a great display of the geological history of this area and views of rocks bands cut through entire hillsides. The trail drops down into a canopy of Manzanitathatched brush and vegetation, where rocky trails turn to a moist and flowy hiker’s delight that is soft on the feet and easy to navigate. Twist, turn, jump and jive along the final stretch of trail and use the foot bridge to cross the
Photos Kevin Parker
creek (which was dry during my visit). At this point, the choice is yours. A left turn will put you onto Manhattan Canyon Trail, an excellent option if you like partial shade, portions of dense vegetation and a hillside exit. Or make a right turn and stay on Chaparral Loop Trail (my choice on this given day) and follow what I consider to be one of the best trails in this park. Arcing wooden steps, followed by a series of switchbacks and easy trail, cut through covered forests representing several species of trees introduced by early miners. My kids still had a bit of energy to burn and the hard rain hadn’t set in, so we picked up Lower Chaparral Loop Trail just above the visitor’s center. This allowed for another epic scramble up dry riverbed type conditions. We followed this trail up to the next junction and stopped for a snack, perched high on very large rock formations. Finally, we headed back to the trailhead by backtracking on Chaparral Loop Trail to our start point. This series of trails and associated loops represents just a small fraction of the many hiking opportunities to be found in Black Diamond, so get out there and explore.
Michael Nicosia, Managing Partner John & Sharon Ouimet • Don & Bea Ouimet
Contact Kevin Parker with comments or questions by email at LukeHollywood@gmail.com
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Arcing wooden steps and a series of switchbacks add interesting contrast to the Chaparral Loop Trail.
925.682.4242
Where: Nortonville Trail, Chaparral Loop Trail and Lower Chaparral Trail Distance: 3 miles Duration: 1.75 hours Level: Moderate Elevation Gain: 861 feet Getting there: Trailhead at end of Somersville Road in Antioch. Restrooms, maps and water. Fees apply when kiosk is open For more info: www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond
Helping you find the perfect place to call home for the holidays.
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Season’s Greetings for Peace and Happiness Now and in the New Year!
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Rula Masannat
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Broker Associate
Broker/Owner 925-766-6745 matt@mazzeirealty.net
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mazzeirealty.net Clayton residents since 1959
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SMD acquires historic Anderson Ranch
Page 20
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer
Save Mount Diablo has purchased the historic 95-acre Anderson Ranch in Morgan Territory for $800,000, ending any possibility of development on the land. The Ranch, at the north end of Morgan Territory Ridge east of Clayton, was approved for a 40-unit subdivision in 1971, but access and environmental issues have discouraged development. Development on the ridge would be costly. The property is located in an area of unusual geology with small volcanic domes and is habitat to several endangered species. Access to the property would require building a bridge across Marsh Creek. In 2004, the property was tentatively sold to a developer for $5.5 million, but the deal fell through when several
December 15, 2017
to $1.3 million in April 2017. Last winter, when Morgan Territory Road washed out, the county arranged with owners for a temporary access road across the property. SMD, fearing developer interest would pick up with the new visibility, stepped in and started negotiations. An independent appraisal set the value at $800,000 and SMD made an offer. The owners, anxious to finally sell, accepted the offer provided SMD could come up with all cash and close in 90 days. The sale closed Nov. 18. The Anderson Ranch is the latest acquisition in SMD’s program of piecing together parcels with segments of Marsh Creek—the second longest, Photo courtesy of Save Mount Diablo least disturbed creek in the county and The park-like 95-acre Anderson Ranch includes a large year-around one that is incredibly important to pond, habitat for several endangered species. wildlife around Diablo. Anderson species on the Endangered Species list market with the county extending the Ranch includes 2100 feet of Marsh were found on and near the property. subdivision approval every 10 years or Creek. The high point of the property is The property languished on the so. The asking price eventually dropped
890 feet, but the views suggest much higher elevations. Mount Diablo looms to the west past rolling grasslands and oak-covered woodlands. “It’s a remarkable plateau with incredible views, a park-like appearance and great natural values including a beautiful section of Marsh Creek,” said Meredith Hendricks, SMD Land Programs Director. According to Hendricks, there are no plans to open the land to public use. “We’re being visionary and taking a chance by stretching to protect an important property while it’s available.” In the coming months, SMD will be stepping up their fundraising efforts to replenish reserves depleted by the cash purchase of the Anderson Ranch. SMD is a non-profit land trust founded in 1971. For more information, to become a member or to donate go to the website: www.savemountdiablo.org
No dreary days when you plant for winter color
NICOLE HACKETT
GARDEN GIRL
Seasonal color spots are just as necessary during the winter months as in the spring and summer. Install cyclamen, pansies, snapdragons, alyssum and violas now to replace flowerless petunias, leggy impatiens and browning begonias. Folks crave a different palette this time of year. Rather than the oranges, russets and golds we desired in autumn, we now seek white, blues, reds, wine and rose.
Cyclamen is an old-fashioned family of flowering plants with interesting leaves. The foliage is shades of green, shaped like a spade with different sizes and leaf patterns. The flowers are uniquely shaped, with a handful of petals that shoot down toward the foliage. The flowers can be white, pink, red and shades of purple. Each petal is thick, making the color long-lasting. Cyclamen can be contained and grown in the home. It also makes excellent border installations. Cyclamen prefers morning or filtered sun, loose soil and a top layer of mulch. Install the plant high in the soil to encourage better drainage. Fertilize monthly November-April for better flower production. Pansies and violas are some
of my favorite winter color spots. Their happy flowers stand just above their pillow-like leaves and are wonderfully pleasing to the eye. Pansy flowers are sometimes referred to as faces. They are bigger than the violas, which are often called Johnny Jump Ups. Both pansies and violas are available in a plethora of colors, almost any solid or combination that you desire. Install these spots of color in garden beds, along walkways or in containers. With monthly fertilizing, they can bloom October-April Snapdragons are a color spot that I like to cram-plant. Usually found in six-pack containers, snapdragons are best installed with three or six plants in one hole for the maximum statement. Snapdragons can reach varied heights, so
read the labels. Some can grow to 30 inches tall, which looks amazing. Another good thing about snapdragons is that sometimes you can get a couple seasons out of them. With deadheading and monthly fertilizing, snapdragons should be productive from now through April. Alyssum is one of those plants that you either love or hate. Small clusters of white,
lavender, pink or salmon flowers stand just above tiny green leaves. This plant is considered a trailing plant and looks amazing in containers. This time of year, white alyssum sells best. The stark white looks like winter snow in hanging baskets and container combinations. The sweet, subtle fragrance is a bonus. It’s best during the brisk morning hours. Monthly fertilizing is best
with all flowering seasonal color spots. This time of year, fertilize with a water-soluble formula such as 3-20-20 or 10-52-8. The higher the second number in the formula, the more flowers you’ll encourage. Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. You can contact her with questions or comments by email at Gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com
Nancy E. Bennett 1245 Morning Glory, Concord
FOR
SALE
Lovely single-story gem is a 4 bed/2 bath 1709 sq. ft. Turtle Creek stunner home. Move in ready with beautiful open-concept kitchen with granite countertops and glass tile backsplash. Freshly painted inside and out with hardwood floors and cozy wood burning fireplace. Large master bedroom with newly updated en suite bath. Enjoy living in this sought after community with parks, a pond and tennis courts.
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Offered at $635,000
COMING SOON. Lafayette
6 bed/3.5 bath 3061 sq.ft. gorgeous Lafayette home with vaulted wood beam ceilings. Spacious bedrooms and large dining area.
Concord
5 bed/3 bath 2538 sq.ft. Charming Turtle Creek 2-story home. Freshly painted with new flooring and updated kitchen. Big backyard, large side yard and pool.
CEO, The Bennett Team #1 Agent in Concord
CalBRE #01399870
1022 Marie Ave, Martinez
SOL
D
Adorable single story 3 bed/2 bath 1576 sq. ft. Martinez cottage style home boasts style and charm.
Listed at $621,000.
Sold for $29K over asking
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Nancy’s Team is as good as it gets! I’ve been working with them for a while now and am continually impressed by the level of professionalism and knowledge they bring to the table. Being the #1 in Concord makes buying easy. People know her, so getting your offer accepted is easy. She and her team know Concord super well. All the ins and outs of the neighborhoods, and specifically, what to look for in different neighborhoods. – Robby R - Concord
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Nancy@BennettBetter.com
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