IT’S YOUR PAPER
2015 wild Major new shopping center for planned for former Chevron site year Concord
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From the desk of...
January 29, 2016
925.672.0500
PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer
LAuRA HOFFMEISTER
MAYOR
Public Works staff: El Niño heroes
Finally the long talked about El Niño winter rains have arrived, with 11 storms so far this month with number 12 on its way. The good news is that these storms had breaks in between them, allowing for infilRendering courtesy of Architects Orange tration into the ground, to tidy up after each one as needed, and PLANS ARE PROGRESSING FOR A LARGE SHOPPING CENTER ON THE 30-ACRE former Chevron site on Diamond Blvd., which will include 350,000 square feet of retail space. The upscale project will feature specialty shops, highto prepare for the next one. The City of Concord makes end restaurants, a dinner-theater and unique landscape features designed to draw crowds. it a priority to be prepared, both for drainage and safe passage Pending an Environmental Willows Shopping Center. kids’ area, and restaurants with JOHN T. MILLER along our roads. Now that the Impact Report and approval Fred Bruning, CEO of patio seating. Lifescape is Correspondent rains are here I wanted to share from the City of Concord’s CenterCal, said, “We hope to responsible for the gardens at some items our Public Works A dynamic new shopping Design Review Board and Plan- bring new elements to the mar- the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas center is in the works for Con- ning Commission, the 30-acre ketplace, along with creating an in addition to many other outSee Mayor, page 6 cord, with 350,000 square feet project is slated to get underway amazing space for people to standing projects worldwide. “We want to create a sense of retail space proposed at the sometime next fall, with a tenta- gather.” At the heart of the complex of place that will be received site of the old Chevron head- tive opening by the summer or fall of 2017. will be a village area created by well by the community,” Brunquarters on Diamond Blvd. CenterCal Properties, based Lifescape International, a ing said. “We hope to give peoThe Veranda will feature landscape ple reasons to come here other unique specialty shops, gour- in El Segundo, is reported to world-renowned met chef-inspired restaurants, a have paid approximately $42 design company. This will than shop.” Bruning added that dinner-theater and destination- million for the property located include a central green area See Chevron, page 4 at 2001 Diamond Blvd, near the where concerts can be held, a style landscape features.
Artist Mario Scharmer heals through aRt KARA NAVOLIO Concord Pioneer
Joy oozes out of Mario Scharmer and it touches everyone he meets. It’s what inspires his art too. “My mission is to share my joy and love with the world, to heal the world with my art,” he says. The fact that Scharmer is painting, showing his work and selling paintings is no small miracle. It was 14 years ago that Scharmer, after a night of partying at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, was in a tragic car accident that left him in a coma for 21 days and with Traumatic Brain Injury. He was not expected to
See Artist, page 3
Photo courtesy of Christine Scharmer
A TRAGIC ACCIDENT 14 YEARS ago left Mario Scharmer with severe brain damage. Through therapy, Scharmer discovered a talent for art. His paintings are on exhibit at the aRt Cottage in Concord through Jan. 30. He is shown here with his art teacher, David Brooks.
It’s full STEAM ahead for Digital Safari seniors at Innovation Fair TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer
It was their grandmothers who sparked the idea for this year’s winning team at Mt. Diablo High School’s annual Digital Safari Innovation Fair. Sharing the stage with four other young entrepreneurial team finalists seeking “investor capital” were seniors Elena Cullen, Angelica Mancol, Leticia Rodriguez and Sepi Tuavo, whose product Rememory netted a $1000 scholarship for the team. When they were researching projects, the young women knew they wanted a cutting edge product that would address a pressing social need. Elena and Angelica both had grandmothers suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Although they considered inventing an inhaler to control diabetes or a GPS product for tracking children that would be invisible to kidnappers, they settled on Rememory, a device that could redirect brain waves in patients suffering from memory loss. “We stuck with our idea because you don’t really see anyone trying to help the elderly like this,” Elena explained. Fifteen teams competed for the top spots. All 15 projects drew on science, technology,
Tamara Steiner
FAMILY EXPERIENCE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE PROVIDED THE INSPIRATION FOR REMEMORY, the winning product at the annual MDHS Digital Safari Academy Innovation Fair. Mt. Diablo High seniors, Elena Cullen, Angelica Mancol, Leticia Rodriguez and Sepi Tuavao will share a $1,000 scholarship.
engineering, arts and math (STEAM) skills gained during their three years in the Digital Safari Academy. In the semester-long project, young entrepreneurs worked to identify and research a cutting edge product or service and write a business plan including financial projections and a competitive analysis. The teams then pitched their proposals to some 500 “investors”
at the January 13 Innovation Fair in the newly renovated Centre Concord. The five teams raising the most “capital” were then called forward in a showdown before a panel of judges who fired off questions “Shark Tank”-style, showing no mercy in expecting each team to defend their proposals. The next two top finalists after Rememory were
2727 Parkside Circle Phone: 925-671-3320 opt. 1
THE MASTER DEVELOPER SAGA Last spring, the Concord City Council whittled down Master Developer candidates for the 2,300 acres in the first phase of the development of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. In September, the city was prepared to make a selection between Catellus Development Corp. and Lennar Urban. But a last-minute letter from Catellus, accusing Lennar of unfair lobbying, put a hold on the selection. At the heart of the matter was allegations that representative of Lennar had contributed to the Assembly campaign of then-Mayor Tim Grayson, and Grayson had spent time with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown — who had lobbied for Lennar in the past. Grayson’s campaign returned the money, and said he had met with Brown only to talk about his Assembly race. City Attorney Mark Coon and other staff members were charged with investigating the accusations, and then the unimaginable happened —
EcoShower, a product that See 2015 Review, pg 22 recycles shower water in homes, and Secure Vision, a head mounted camera for the visualInside ly impaired that scans the surrounding area and sends signals Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . .14 to the wearer. “Students need more proj- Community . . . . . . . . . . .2 ects like this,” says DSA From the desk of . . . . . .6 teacher Katalina Gallo, who School News . . . . . . . .12 graduated from the DSA nine years ago before attending UC Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
See Safari, page 9
Health Expo Age Strong Live Long Fri., Feb. 26, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
2015 was a coming-of-age year for Concord, as major strides were made to enrich its vitality. A new plan for downtown was solidified, new businesses and restaurants continued to flock to the city, and local residents young and old continued to shine a light on Contra Costa’s largest city. A new mayor, Laura Hoffmeister, was selected to lead for the next two years, while the community said goodbye to a former mayor and community stalwart, Bill Shinn. A new Family Justice Center opened and thrived, while the police department made strides to combat a rise in crime. And the city and its residents weathered a historic drought. But by far the issue that captured the attention of city officials and residents alike was the development of the Concord Naval Weapons Station, and the soap opera-like events that surrounded the selection of a Master Developer. Here, in no particular order, is a review of some of the top stories impacting Concord in 2015.
Performing Arts . . . . . .15 FREE Tote Bag – first 500 attendees
Speakers, presentations, health screenings, entertainment, raffle prizes & over 40 vendors
www.cityofconcord.org/healthfair
COMMUNITY
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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
In Brief... English Tutors Needed
Help local adults read, write and speak English. Diablo Valley Literacy Council teaches volunteers how to be a tutor. English need not be your first language. No teaching experience required. Workshops are Sat., Feb. 27 and Sat., Mar. 5 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 4000 Clayton Road, Concord. Nominal fee to cover the training and materials. Volunteers must attend both workshops. Time commitment is typically one or two hours per week. For more information, go to dvlc.tripod.com. To register, call (925) 685-3881 or email to dvlc4esl@gmail.com.
Travis Credit Union exec weds in India ceremony
Foster kids get a holiday ride
EBRPD job fairs
East Bay Regional Park District is hosting two youth job fairs for applicants ages 15 through 24. Job opportunities include academic interns, field interns, interpretive student aides, lifeguards and student laborers. Fairs are 9-noon, Jan. 30 at the Big Break Visitor Center in Oakley and 9noon, Feb. 6 at the Trudeau Training Center in Oakland. Admission is free. Go to ebparks.org/features/Youth _Job_Fairs_2016 for more information.
CONTRA COSTA KOPS FOR KIDS AND THE CONCORD MT. DIABLO TRAIL RIDE ASSOCIATION held a holiday party for 16 youth from Youth Homes, Inc. that featured rides on horses, a barbecue, gifts, and a disc jockey. The horses included Pistol, Lil’ Joe, Lefty and Cowboy.
Eric Maldonado and Claudia Barua exchanged wedding vows on December 5 in Darjeeling, India. Claudia is the eldest daughter of the Rev. Claude Barua and the late Indira Barua. The Rev. Barua is pastor of Citizen Police a large congregation in DarjeeAcademy starts ling which operates a school, Mar. 3 orphanage and senior home. Concord PD Citizens Claudia is the school direcAcademy provides commutor and sits on the church edunity members with an inside cation board. She serves as the look at local law enforcement. Assistant Secretary of the State The 10-week session Education Association of begins Mar. 3. Classes North Bengal and holds a law meet Thursdays, 6:30 degree from Pune University 9:30 p.m. at the Concord in India. Police Headquarters. For Eric is the son of Evelio admission requirements Maldonado and Carmen MalContinued next page donado of San Francisco. He
attended Archbishop Riordan High in San Francisco, San Francisco City College and holds an Associate of Arts in Business Administration from Heald College. Eric is employed by Travis Credit Union as the Community and Government Relations Officer for Contra Costa County. He has one daughter, Hope Kioko, 11. The couple first met in Dubai, UAE. They courted long distance for a year and on Easter Sunday, 2014, Eric proposed at the Ali Beach Resort in Dubai. They honeymooned in Paris before returning to the United States. They live in Concord.
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Contra Costa Kops for Kids in December held a holiday party for 16 foster youth and their counselors from Youth Homes, Inc. at the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association in Clayton. The holiday party, which featured rides on horses led by their owners, also included a barbecue, gifts and a DJ. Sunvalley Mall in Concord also donated $50 gift cards for each youth, and Target and Contra Costa Kops for Kids also provided $25 Target gift cards. “The event was a massively big hit,” said Ronnie Mabou, Weekend Supervisor for Youth Homes. Youth Homes, Inc. has residential facilities dedicated to helping foster youth recover from trauma. Mabou said many of the youth often use their gift cards to purchase holiday gifts for
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Andrea Caton and Sylvia Hagle-Spilman from the U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation helped with the holiday party, as well as Caton’s daughter, Kayla. Several of the girls from Youth Homes were “floored” by the opportunity to interact with two female FBI employees, said Mabou. “We have a focus on education and vocation, and we like for the youth to be thinking about what they can do or become,” Mabou said. “Our girls were very impressed with being able to talk with two females from the FBI.”
Roundhill Country Club! Exceptional & Exquisite Single Level Custom Estate of Highest Quality Craftsman Style Construction & Design built in 2004! 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, approx. 4501sf! Separate Cabana with additional full bath. Resort style .57 acre lot backs to golf course with pool, spa, sport court, outdoor kitchen & 3-tier pond. Sensational gourmet kitchen. Wine cellar. Lavish master suite! $2,950,000
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Concord Market Update
siblings or other family members. “It was super generous,” Ronnie Mabou said. “These kids felt so good about being able to purchase gifts for family members.” Mabou said the youth were not expecting to have access to the horses, and the time with the horses was beneficial for all the youth but extremely impactful for a few of their traumatized youth who are particularly fond of animals. “They are still talking about it,” she said. “We wanted this to be an opportunity for youth to see us (law enforcement officials) in a different capacity,” said Neil Stratton, retired Captain from the Walnut Creek Police Department and Board Member at Contra Costa Kops for Kids. Along with Stratton,
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Desirable Dana Hills Single Story Rancher! On a large corner lot. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, approx. 1740sf & 2 car garage! Updated bathrooms. Walk to community pool, playground & green belt.
BED/BATH SALE DATE ADDRESS
2200 Calgary Lane. . . . . . . . $420,000 . . . . .1134 . . . . . .3/2 . . . . . .12/29/15 1491 Saint James Pkwy. . . . $395,000 . . . . .1574 . . . . . .3/2.5 . . . .12/24/15 2512 Montgomery Ave . . . . . 416,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4/2 . . . . . .12/22/15 3130 Hacienda Dr . . . . . . . . $490,000 . . . . .1310 . . . . . .4/2 . . . . . . .1/13/16 4403 Blueberry Ct . . . . . . . . $655,000 . . . . .1917 . . . . . .4/2 . . . . . . .1/07/16 866 Malibu Dr. . . . . . . . . . . . $440,000 . . . . .1036 . . . . . .3/2 . . . . . .12/31/16 3155 Meadowbrook Dr. . . . . $455,000 . . . . .1108 . . . . . .3/2 . . . . . .12/18/15
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January 29, 2016
Kiwanis Club honors Corp. Jason Smith
The Kiwanis Club of Concord is honoring Concord Police Corporal Jason Smith as the Officer of the Year. Corp. Smith was among several other officers who were just as deserving for their hard work and dedication to the CPD and the community, Kiwanis representatives said. Corp. Smith joined the CPD in 1999 and has worked several assignments, including patrol, School Resource Officer, Patrol Corporal, and now as a CIT Corporal. Corp. Smith has also worked with residents with mental health issues and the homeless, especially those with families and children. He has demonstrated a foundation of professionalism that has developed networks with outside resource organizations that are invaluable, the Kiwanis said.
Corp. Smith will be honored at a luncheon at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Concord at noon on Friday, Jan. 29. For more information on the luncheon, contact Rocci Barsotti at 925-285-2225 or roccibarsotti@yahoo.com.
Local boy makes good
Steve Voorhies grew up taking swim lessons in Concord city pools and playing in after school recreation programs. After graduating from Ygnacio Valley High he volunteered and then worked at Camp Concord during his college years. After 18 years with the City of Concord, primarily in the recreation department, he has been selected to replace
retiring Joan Carrico as the city Parks and Recreation Director. Voorhies will oversee all recreation programs including Diablo Creek Golf Course, adult sports leagues, Centre Concord, Willow Pass Community Center, Concord Senior Center, classes for preschoolers through seniors, Camp Concord and two city pools.
Photo courtesy City of Concord
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 3
Artist, from page 1
make a meaningful recovery. He was declared to be in a persistent vegetative state after the accident when he was 18 years old. His mom, Christine Scharmer, would not accept the prognosis. She enlisted an army of volunteers to sit with Scharmer in one-hour increments for five hours per day and offer an array of therapies including sensory stimulation, range of motion, massage, and other forms of healing throughout his rehabilitation. It has taken years of dedication and hard work along with the medical care, but Scharmer now lives in his own apartment (with caregivers), walks, eats, talks, paints (all with some assistance) and has a fulfilling life. “Life for me is a collection of experiences,” says Christine Scharmer in her memoir “Raising Mario Twice,” “some of them are fun, some horrific, but even during the most challenging events you can experience a miracle and a little bit of joy.” THERAPY TURNS INTO PASSION Scharmer’s painting practice began as art therapy in June of 2011. A fellow church member, artist David Brooks, approached Christine about teaching Scharmer to paint. Brooks soon found that Scharmer did not have the motor skills to handle a paint brush, so he devised a method of filling recycled Gatorade bottles with recycled house paint and making a hole in the lid. Mario can grasp the bottle and squeeze the paint out. The “canvases” are also made of recycled material. Some are canvases found at thrift stores; others are plywood, old cabinet doors or flooring material. Kaubi Clauch of Flooring America and Verna Hutsell of Kelly-Moore (both of Walnut Creek) often donate materials. The two have been meeting every Tuesday to create art for four-and-a-half years now. After
about a year of experimentation, Brooks discovered that Scharmer was creating some very impressive abstract paintings. The vibrant colors Scharmer chooses and the drip painting style are somewhat reminiscent of 20th Century abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock, who is an inspiration to Scharmer.
had many emergency visits to the hospital, deals with limited vision, has seizures and occasional angry outbursts, and requires 24/7 caregiving. He has difficulty remembering the past, and lives each day in the moment. When asked which is his favorite painting, he smiles and says, “the one I’m working on right now.” But Scharmer is now able to think about the future too. He hopes to get married some day and wants to be
MARIO SCHARMER
Scharmer sold his first paintings to the Vallejo Kaiser Rehabilitation Center in 2011. Two canvases hang there as an inspiration to other patients and as a reminder of what is possible even after traumatic brain injury. Since then Scharmer has sold over 100 paintings and received the Arts Recognition Award by the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County “Mario has a good and busy life,” says his mom, “he loves to meet new people and enjoys hugging people.” It takes them at least an hour after their church service is over to get Scharmer to leave because of all the people he wants to greet and talk with. One pastor told her that “Mario is the heart and soul of our community.” ‘NORMAL,’ BUT NOT EASY Although Scharmer has had the opportunity to kayak, swim, practice yoga, go camping, and other “normal” activities, it is not an easy life. Scharmer has
able to walk independently and improve his speech. As Brooks says, “Mario is not just an inspiration to disabled people; he is an inspiration to everyone. He is the incarnation of love and joy. People are changed by him.” When Scharmer finishes a painting he signs “MARIO” in black marker and kisses it “to send his love into it.” To find out more about Scharmer’s art and future shows or how to donate materials, visit Raising Mario Twice on Facebook or you can contact Christine Scharmer by email at raisingmariotwice@comcast.net.
A collection of Scharmer’s work is on display through Jan. 30 at aRT Cottage in Concord, 2238 Mt. Diablo St. All proceeds that Scharmer earns from selling his work go into a trust to help pay for his care and medical equipment. Scharmer and his mother have also participated in many “Every 15 Minutes” events to talk about the perils of drunk driving.
In Brief...
and an application, go to cityofconcord.org/citizenacademy or Concord PD, 1350 Galindo St. Send completed applications to: Margaret Romiti, Concord Police Department, 1350 Galindo St., Concord CA 94520. For more information, call (925) 671-3184.
Health workshops for seniors
The Concord Senior Center and the Partners In Care Foundation are cosponsoring the Stanford Self-Management Workshop for people with chronic health problems. The workshop runs for twoand-a-half hours, once a week Feb. 18-Mar. 24, at the Concord Senior Center. Register online at www.concordreg.org/Activities/Activities.ASP. For more information, contact the Concord Senior Center at (925) 671-3220.
Galindo House admission begins Feb. 1
As of Feb. 1, admission to the Galindo Home Museum & Gardens 1721 Amador Ave. in downtown Concord will be $3 with free admission for children under 12. For more info, visit Concord Historical Society on Facebook.
Valentine No-Dance
The Concord Historical Society invites you to their annual non-event Valentine's No-Dance with no music, no dancing and no dance floor. The No-Dance is a fundraiser for the Concord Historical Society. The suggested donation for the non-event is $30. All proceeds will go toward renovating the Concord Museum and Event Center (CMEC) on Clayton Road. Make checks payable to Concord Historical Society, P.O. Box 404. Concord, CA 94522
We wish you a wonderful 2016 filled with Peace, Love and Prosperity.
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Carriage Square — Fantastic updated 4/2 rancher on large flat lot —coming on Valentine's Day! Gorgeous custom kitchen, gleaming wood & tile floors and “serious” green features like solar power, instant hot water heater, dual pane windows/slider and more. Beautiful xeriscape front & back plus basketball pad & hot tub in tranquil back yard. Inge Yarborough, (925) 766-6896 www.IngeYarborough.withwre.com Cal BRE# 01309306
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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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‘Curmudgeon Club’ tackles local issues Page 4
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
January 29, 2016
PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer
Clustered closely around a table in the middle of Concord’s Berkshire Books, City Councilman Edi Birsan was waxing poetic about the athleticism of Steph Curry. He had just attended his first NBA game the night before, and couldn’t get over the experience. His audience was made up of a collection of local activists, business people and interested residents of Concord and Clayton, who meet weekly to discuss local issues, whether it is sports, local and regional politics, sewers, the homeless, the police budget or whose turn it was to bring the bagels. Birsan dubbed this weekly salon The Curmudgeon Club soon after he joined nearly eight years ago, but the group has been meeting since 2000. It was the brainchild of local activists, the now-deceased Marcus O’Connell, public health expert Joe Partansky, and Berkshire Books owner Lynn Kuehl. There is perhaps a misnomer in the group’s title: the word “curmudgeon” is loosely defined as a cranky, ill-tempered older man, cantankerous and niggardly. This group is more of a local think-tank, a place where folks — it is open to any and all residents of Clayton and Con-
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
MEMBERS OF THE SATURDAY MORNING ‘CURMUDGEON CLUB’ (from left) Cassie Gonzales, Martin Andrews, George Fulmore, Edi Birsan, Lynn Kuehl and Joe Partansky prepare to discuss the local issues of the day at their weekly salon.
cord — can come to discuss issues affecting their daily lives. It is bipartisan, but tends to lean towards a more liberal bent, Kuehl says. And it is open to women as well, as one of its more regular members is city council candidate and Monument Corridor activist Cassie Gonzales. Still, the liberalism doesn’t scare away conservatives like Richard Eber. “As the resident conservative, this club is a great source of information…and it gives me the opportunity to argue against liberal policies,” he laughs.
Everyone attending on a recent Saturday morning has their “pet projects” or interests, but they don’t necessarily talk about them. Partansky, an American Disabilities Act expert, is concerned about local bedbugs and ADA compliance at local and county parks; George Fulmore is an activist for local parks, especially Meadow Homes. And Birsan himself is lobbying support for his directly elected mayor petition. But while those issues are discussed, so are many others. Thoughts about homelessness, police response issues, public
toilets on Clayton Road next to Keller House, charter schools, fundraising and the spikes on the new fence at Todos Santos Plaza all flowed as smoothly as the coffee Kuehl provided. “We are pleasant, but we can get cranky with each other,” Birsan says, defending his group’s name. “I like this group because I can listen, add to the conversation, and get feedback on issues that I’m concerned about from a variety of sources,” says Concord’s Bob Brock. Nicknamed “Clayton Road Bob,” the former deputy sheriff now makes it a
sort of “ministry” to help out the homeless in the area, especially around Clayton Road. “I’ve lived here for 30 years, and I get a place to vent my issues, and learn about solutions,” he says. Kuehl agrees, as he has used the connections he’s made through the Curmudgeon Club — namely Birsan and fellow councilman Ron Leone — to help understand business alarm issues. “The Concord Police can be forgiving the first few times they are called for false alarms, but if there are more than three in six months, they may start
This FREE, one-hour doctor presentation on what you can do to reestablish normal blood glucose levels NATURALLY, will be hosted at the Harvest House Health Food Store, Saturday afternoon @ 1 p.m.
Saturday Feb. 6, 1 p.m. Harvest House Health Food Store
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925-407-0888
You must reserve a seat to attend
charging a fine,” he says. “The problem is, as a business owner, I don’t know what is a false alarm and what is truly a burglary.” That comment segued into a discussion about local crime, which then led to a lengthy discussion on homelessness. All agreed that the work of Brock, as well as the Concord Police, have helped over the past few years, as more destitute people have been directed to agencies that can help them. Which led to a discussion of public restrooms at Todos Santos Plaza. Some folks around the table said they felt residents would feel they would attract a “bad element” and the homeless. “Well I rather they use a bathroom than do it in the street,” Birsan says, to the agreement of everyone around the table. Such is the nature of the Curmudgeon Club — sometimes controversial, sometimes testy, often humorous, and never boring. The Curmudgeon Club meets at 9 a.m. every Saturday at Berkshire Books, 3480 Clayton Rd. For more info, call the store at 925-685-9999.
Veranda, from page 1
this would also help surrounding businesses by encouraging people to come out who might otherwise use the Internet. Rob Budetti, a general architect and partner with Architects Orange in Southern California who helped develop the concept for The Veranda, says, “CenterCal does world class projects all over the country.” Most recently Architects Orange worked with CenterCal to complete a multi-million dollar upgrade to The Cerritos Center shopping mall near Los Angeles. CenterCal Properties filed for a preliminary application with the City of Concord to develop The Veranda in early November. Currently, they are waiting on an EIR in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act before proceeding. The Bay Area consulting firm LSA Associates will conduct the EIR at a cost of nearly $200,000, which will be reimbursed by CenterCal. At a recent meeting between CentralCal and the City of Concord’s Design Review Board, both sides were optimistic and believed they were on the right track to getting the project started. Senior Planner for the City of Concord Frank Abejo said that the DRB came back with many recommendations, including a round-about for the main entry for easier vehicle access, enhanced pedestrian walkways and better accommodations for bike use. The DRB also praised the Santa Barbara mission-style architecture, but felt that the side facing the freeway could be better enhanced. Abejo characterized the meeting as successful for both the city and applicant, and indicated that CentralCal was willing and eager to get back to the board. After that, the EIR and Planning Commission will be the next steps. Bruning commented that he anticipates the EIR should go smoothly, since the property is already covered in parking lots and buildings, so there would be no issues over losing open space. The project will call for a complete teardown of the fourstory Chevron buildings before installing surface area parking and mostly one-story retail outlets. Rather than a multiplex theater, the movie house will feature a smaller venue that will serve dinner. “We hope to bring new elements and shops to the market and differentiate it from other malls, turning it into a sales destination for the East Bay,” Bruning said.
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 5
Barone removed Catellus nod to avoid controversy PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer
It’s been nearly four months since the selection of a Master Developer for the coveted Concord Naval Weapons Station land was put on hold, but a new report due out this week or next may start things up with roar. Independent counsel Michael Jenkins is set to release findings based on alleged wrongdoing by one of the two finalists for the Master Developer job, Lennar Urban. The investigation was triggered by a letter from the other finalist, Catellus, late last summer, who alleged Lennar used unfair lobbying methods with the Concord
City Council, specifically donating money from some of its other businesses to former Mayor Tim Grayson’s campaign for State Assembly. Grayson returned the money, and has said that a meeting with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown — who lobbied strongly for Lennar in the past — was just about campaign strategy. The decision was delayed even more by the tragic suicide of Concord City Attorney Mark Coon, who was involved in investigating Catellus’ charges against the city and Lennar. One factor that has been brought up by Catellus and more recently on local blogs was that City Manager Valerie
Barone asked that the staff ’s recommendation of Catellus be removed from the final report to the council just days before the selection — an unusual procedure for the city. Barone defends that action. “I directed Mike Wright [the then-Reuse Authority Director] to strengthen the discussion of the differences between the two term sheets within the body of the report and to remove the recommendation for Catellus he had included in his draft of the report,” she told the Pioneer. “It is not uncommon for reports on controversial and/or highly visible projects to go through multiple reviews and multiple revisions, which is what
occurred on this project.” She said she did not believe there was a right or wrong decision for council to make because both firms have the financial strength and capabilities to “achieve the City’s vision as spelled out in the adopted General Plan for the area. There were clear differences in approaches and deal structure between the two firms and staff used the report to draw attention to those differences, so that the public and the council could evaluate the two term sheets and draw their own conclusions on which firm they believed would be the best choice for Concord.” She said she believed that in the highly-charged environment that surrounds the
venue hosted 18 concerts with 162,514 tickets sold. The reduced ticket sales dropped the $3 per ticket bonus by $77,367. Pavilion general manager Aaron Hawkins gave his annual season report to the Concord City Council on Jan. 12. For several seasons Pavilion bookings had been stumbling along with a dozen or fewer concerts each year until Mayor Dan Helix—-who was actively involved when the Pavilion was constructed and then opened in 1975—led a search for a new contract with a concert promoter. Live Nation stepped up for a new 10-year contract. The
company has booked the venue since Live Nation predecessor Bill Graham Presents contracted with the city in 1985. Live Nation took over full operation of the venue on Kirker Pass Rd. in 2000. Hawkins reported that the spring and fall Contra Costa Home and Garden Shows, a California Symphony performance and movie showing of “The Wizard of Oz” and local high school graduations also were held at the Pavilion last year. He’s hoping the newlyformed Concord Pavilion Community Outreach Committee which held its first three meetings in the past
year will help bring more community events to the venue. For this year’s schedule an April 29 Luke Bryan concert is already sold out and both Janet Jackson (May 19) and Bryan Adams (July 9) are also on sale. Helix told Hawkins, “I would be remiss if I didn’t say ‘thank you’ from the City of Concord. It’s now the Concord Pavilion and it’s making a profit. You have been a great, great neighbor. We really appreciate what you’re doing, keep it up next year.” His fellow council members echoed those sentiments at the meeting.
Attendance dips 16 percent in second season for ‘new’ Concord Pavilion JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
The second year for the refurbished and renamed Concord Pavilion saw its 40th anniversary concert season attendance drop slightly with 16 Live National events selling 136,725 tickets, which still earned the city a bonus of $110,175. This amount is in addition to the annual $800,000 guarantee paid to the city by the world’s largest international promotion company. In 2014’s first season under the new arrangement with Live Nation saw the facility returned to its original name of the Concord Pavilion. The
CNWS project that a staff recommendation would have distracted from a full and open discussion of the pros and cons of each firm and each term sheet. “I attempted to avoid that unnecessary and
unproductive controversy by providing a comprehensive staff report that detailed the pros and cons of each firm … without a recommendation on which firm the council should select.”
‘American Pickers’ to film in California
‘AMERICAN PICKERS’ MIKE WOLFE AND FRANK FRITZ
“American Pickers,” a documentary series that explores antique picking on History, is coming to California in early March. This television show follows two of the most skilled pickers in the business, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, as they embark on an epic road trip across the U.S. in search of America’s most valuable antiques. Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle America, restore forgotten relics to their former glory and learn a thing or two about American history along the way. “American Pickers” is looking for interesting characters with interesting and unique items in private collections.
Some of what they look for are vintage bicycles, toys, unusual radios, movie memorabilia, advertising, military items, folk art, vintage musical equipment, vintage automotive items, early firefighting equipment, vintage clothing and pre-1950s western gear. To have Mike and Frank look at a large collection or refer someone to them, email name, number, address and description of the collection and photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (855) 653-7878. “American Pickers” is produced by Cineflix Productions for History. New episodes air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on History.
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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
January 29, 2016
Human trafficking is a local problem
CARLYN OBRINGER
PLANNING COMMISSION
After struggling to make ends meet, Tristan was excited to learn about a call center position, based in the U.S., from a job placement agency in his small hometown in the Philippines. The company would be sponsoring his temporary visa, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to relocate and earn a higher wage to support his family. Imagine Tristan’s shock when his new boss tells him that there are daily sales quotas and that those who do not meet them will be forced to work longer hours and won’t be permitted to eat. Tristan doesn’t want to return to his home country yet he can’t stay in the U.S. legally unless this employer continues to sponsor his visa. He has become a slave, another victim of the world’s fastestgrowing criminal enterprise: human trafficking. On Jan. 27, Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista hosted a panel discussion to raise awareness around human trafficking — what it is, what it can look like in our
community, and what is being done to stop it. Moderated by former Contra Costa Times Political Editor Lisa Vorderbrueggen, the panel featured District Attorney of Alameda County Nancy O’Malley, Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Bill Murphy, and Ava Ahearn, Victim Advocate from the Office of the Contra Costa District Attorney. “We need a meaningful and substantive dialogue among law enforcement, public welfare, juvenile justice, and other leaders to chart a course for how California’s public systems should best handle and care for victims of human trafficking and abuse,” said O’Malley. “By coming together, working collaboratively, and providing a comprehensive response, we will save lives.” But what exactly is human trafficking? According to the January 2016 Contra Costa Zero Tolerance for Human Trafficking Coalition report, “Human Trafficking: A Local Problem,” “Human Trafficking is a form of modern-day enslavement spread throughout the United States and world. It is also one of the world’s most profitable criminal enterprises as victims are exploited to provide labor or commercial sexual services through force, fraud or coer-
cion at a huge profit to the traffickers.” Victims of trafficking come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and can be any age or gender. Human slaves can be found working in many different industries including, but not limited to, child care, housekeeping services, nail salons and prostitution. While many people think that human trafficking happens “somewhere else,” like Oakland or Eastern Europe, there are instances of human slavery occurring locally. For example, in August 2015, Contra Costa District Attorney investigators helped uncover a far-reaching human trafficking operation, stretching from San Ramon to the East Coast, which involved multiple trafficking victims and generated tens of thousands of dollars a week for the traffickers. According to the U.S. State Department, 80 percent of the 600,000 to 800,000 people trafficked across international borders every year are female. All of the human trafficking cases reported in Contra Costa County in 2014 involved female victims. For this reason, human trafficking is of particular importance to Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista, the local arm of a global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs
District has high expectations for student success under ESSA Mt. Diablo Unified School District is welcoming our new year with enthusiasm. Our students have been the recipients of a multitude of honors and are approaching the halfway mark of the school year. Northgate won the North Coast Section title in boys’ water polo in November; Mt. Diablo High teacher, Cindy Gershen, received honors from the Concord Community Youth Center for helping them with their after school youth program; and our award winning arts programs across the district have completed their holiday season with a series of top notch plays and performances. Along with other districts across the nation, we will be implementing the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In December, the President signed this bipartisan legislation which changed the guidelines we formerly had with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The new act has some strong
DR. NELLIE MEYER
MDUSD
SUPERINTENDENT
philosophical differences from the previous NCLB act. It is designed to maintain the monitoring of student progress but it no longer imposes federal sanctions including closing schools, changing leadership and transferring students out of low performing schools. Under the ESSA, states have a large amount of flexibility in a wide range of areas, with Dr. Nellie Meyer is Superintendent the U.S. Department of Eduof Schools for MDUSD. Email cation seeing its role in questions or comments to accountability scaled back meyern@mdusd.org considerably.
Mayor, from page 1
staff does to ensure proper movement of storm water: They inspected and cleaned all public creeks, drainage channels and V-ditches, removing a variety of debris that causes blockages such as dirt by ground squirrels and gophers, overgrowth from trees and shrubs, and litter; storm water catch basins were inspected and cleaned; roadside ditches along public roadways where there is no curb or gutter were also cleaned. Public Works also put into service a new “leaf machine,” a giant vacuum used to remove the heavy amount of leaves that clog storm drains inlets, helping to prevent flooding. Public Works also under-
As we continue to work on student achievement, we are focusing on skills that will increase student learning. In our elementary school sites, our schools have focused on literacy and writing strategies. At the middle level, we are focusing on student engagement strategies including hands on learning and technology. Our high school office is continuing to work closely with our sites to increase pathways toward graduation for students. Some students may want to participate in an engineering academy while others may lean more towards the arts. Our high schools have had strong programs in each area and have created an environment which recognizes students’ unique talents and works to prepare them for the future possibilities.
takes many items to assist the community including obtaining 10,000 sandbags that are made available free to the public. The City has a free, 24-hour sandbagging station for Concord residents at the Corporation Yard, which is located at 1455 Gasoline Alley. To make sand more accessible, two new additional sand-only locations were established: Lime Ridge off Treat Blvd. and Hillcrest Park off Grant Street. Our citizen emergency response volunteers (CERT) made sandbags for the public at the City’s corporation yard. A new interactive “sand bag station” map was created on the City’s webpage: www.cityofconcord.org/ sandbags. Public Works staff meets
with private property owners throughout the year to offer guidance and advice regarding private creek maintenance. During a heavy storm or flood, Public Works assists with securing life and property by barricading off areas, placing sandbags in priority areas and using specialized equipment to remove debris in roads and creeks. They monitor hotspots where localized flooding has previously occurred, clears blocked waterways and storm drain lines and stages sandbags at known flood areas. They also build and load sandbags for seniors or persons with disabilities, remove fallen trees and limbs and monitor tide levels, as waterways cannot drain as quickly during a high tide. They communicate and coordinate with the City’s Emergency
leading to social and economic empowerment. SIDV hosts a panel discussion each January, which is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, to shine light on this important issue. President Karen Jameson explains: “Our hope, as a
result of this panel discussion, is that our fellow citizens will understand that we have a huge responsibility to be on the lookout for our neighbor. We can all help save lives by being diligent.”
Carlyn Obringer is a member of the City of Concord Planning Commission. Professionally, she focuses on California education issues as an Education Policy Analyst. Carlyn resides in Concord with her husband, Justin, and dog Crystal. Contact her by email at carlyno@yahoo.com.
Drop in 2015 burglaries due to increased citizen awareness
GuY SWANGER
POLICE CHIEF
I wrote an article last January for the Pioneer about a new program we were starting for burglary victims. Our code enforcement staff and volunteers would be holding classes titled, “Crime Prevention through Environmental Design,” open to all residents and business owners in Concord. The genesis for this new program was a suggestion made by our City Council to conduct a safety follow up with our burglary victims, to help reduce our recidivism rate. These classes focus on making our properties less appealing to thieves. Residents learn about lighting, landscaping ideas, and numerous other security options
that are beneficial to the community members. They have become so popular that the classes are now being held at Centre Concord. And the majority of the attendees are not theft victims but people interested in making their property safer. Several hundred people have attended these classes in 2015. Police chiefs try not to attribute rise and decrease in crime to one program or another. There are often too many variables to point to one change that impacts crime. That said, we will sometimes point to a new law or court decision that makes providing public safety more challenging. Proposition 47, which reduced penalties for some types of crime, is the one that has a lot of criminal justice leaders shaking their heads and asking “what we were thinking writing let alone passing that law?” But, in light of the success of our crime prevention classes, I may have to rethink my reluctance to attribute cause and effect due to a specific crime prevention program. In 2014, Concord experienced 832 burglaries. For the
prior ten years, the average number of burglaries per year in Concord was 888 cases with the high of 1114 cases in 2005 of 1114 cases to the low in 2008 of 802 cases. What about 2015? We have recorded 548 cases through November. That is a 25 percent reduction from the same time period for last year. Amazing. I searched Uniform Crime Reporting statistics all the way back to 1985. There were 1428 burglary cases in 1985 (so much for the good old days). The closest year to the low numbers we are experiencing this year was in 2000. There were 695 burglary cases that year. I have to believe the empowerment of the community members to tighten their security at their residence is playing a role in these low numbers. We will know for sure next year, as the training is gaining more momentum. Congratulations Concord. Let’s beat the 2015 numbers!
Guy Swanger is Concord’s Chief of Police. Send questions or comments to ContactCPD@cityofconcord.org.
‘Water Fix’ definitely not a fix Those of us fighting what some refer to as the “water wars” were stunned last week when the Governor announced that his administration was moving forward to plan for the tunnels (which he refers to “WaterFix” – which it definitely is not!) even though the environmental documents have not been completed. The Delta County Supervisors were meeting to discuss how best to work with the administration on effective water policy when the announcement was made. To say we were shocked, especially since I was at the meeting the previous day where the Governor provided an update on his water policy and nothing was mentioned, describes how those of us working to protect the Delta continue to be ignored and our concerns brushed off as just being about “no” and not willing to work
Operation Center and assist with resetting signal lights after power outages. Creeks and streams that are located on private property are the responsibility of the property owner to clean and maintain; the City does not perform any cleaning or maintenance of private creeks. City and state laws require property owners with a creek on their property to maintain the creek, abutting vegetation and removing any trash so that there are no obstructions in order to allow the free passage of water. Public Works is available to assist you with any questions regarding private creek maintenance, or if you see an issue on public property that needs attention. Call 925-671-3448. Contact the mayor at lmhoff@comcast.net.
KAREN MITCHOFF
COUNTY
SUPERVISOR
oversight before environmental reviews are completed, is a breach of good faith in reaching a water solution for all Californians.” The DCC has advocated for protecting the interests of the Delta and California’s water supply and produced a set of approaches that will achieve balance for the economic and environmental health of the Delta while also improving water supply stability. Those solutions include: • Improving the ability to move water around as needed with cost-effective water system operation improvements. • Increasing storage capacity. • Reinforcing our levee system. • Increasing opportunities for local storage, increased conservation plans, water reuse and recycling and desalination. • Restoring the Delta’s health so that it can continue its role as an economic, agricultural, recreational and environmental engine for the region and state. The DCC was formed to better represent the nearly 4 million people throughout the Delta region and works collaboratively to give one voice to the Delta and engage in efforts to achieve three goals: improve the Delta ecosystem, provide a more reliable water supply for the State, and protect and enhance Delta communities. I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that all of our interests are protected in the Delta. Believe me, the water wars are far from over!
towards a solution. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is the press release we wrote on the spot in order to share our outrage over the Governor’s action. Design and Construction Agreement Supervisors decry lack of transparency ion governor’s tunnel plan In response to an announcement yesterday by the California Department of Water Resources regarding a tentative agreement to begin construction of Governor Brown’s tunnel plan through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the Delta Counties Coalition (DCC) issued the following statement: “With no notice or collaboration despite numerous opportunities, including a public meeting we attended yesterday with Governor Brown and Resources Secretary Laird, the region most affected by this plan for taking additional water from the Delta, was never consulted or even made aware of this outrageous plan to begin construction before a mandatory environmental review is completed,” said Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli, chair of the DCC. Karen Mitchoff is Contra Costa “To green light a construc- County District IV supervisor. Email tion authority, which will poten- questions or comments to tially have veto power over State karen.mitchoff@bos.cccounty.us
How ‘Dark Side’ politics work January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
In this political year, you will hear a lot about “The Dark Side” — on both local and national stages. The essence of Dark Side politics is the following aspects: money, selection, detection and execution. Here’s how it works:
MONEY Feeding money into a campaign becomes easier and easier as a group combines multiple companies, large connections and family tradition to multiply out the donors. I recall from another state’s jurisdiction where it was common practice for everyone in a law firm to donate to the designated candidate of the firm. In an odd counter intuitive manner, the lower the campaign limit, the more powerful the money interest of the organized Dark Side becomes because they have more shadow companies, more connections and disciplined practice in having a group donate “as usual,” where as the outside candidate may have a single wealthy relative/friend to donate but not the expertise at shaking the rules. In a not-so-distant jurisdiction campaign where the limit was under $300 for a single donor, I recall a politician laughing that he made one visit to a “stakeholder” and received 50 checks from different divisions of a conglomerate and 30 different individuals, all legal.
EDI BIRSAN PULSE OF
CONCORD
SELECTION People often think that it is the role of the political parties to recruit candidates. That is not the real case in local politics where there is so called “nonpartisanship.” More typically the candidates may go to a political party for endorsement but the party does not groom local candidates. In fact, long-term interests in government contracts, regulations and opportunities create in many locations a determined awareness of the local political game and these interests start picking individuals to represent their special interest. They encourage and place them in positions to grow from, be it from a Chamber of Commerce or even low-level appointed positions. The long-term aspect provides both insight and experi-
ence that can span generations within a business that no political party central committee could ever match. Long-term planning over four-to-10 years is common with the so called “stakeholders” while the local political apparatus can barely see past the next election or the fight over the by-laws and other minutia that sidetracks from fundamentals of power politics. Plus, since local political clubs and parties have no money (they actually drain money from local candidates to help state-wide races) they become less capable of selection and training and provide less of support for a local candidate. At the same time, the targeting of possible opponents takes place where the “keep-away” or outright attack method is used through the influence of previously placed friendly or chosen benefactors.
Once this has been detected, another sector of the Dark Side Alliance is given the information and launches the attack, hoping to help the weakest of the Dark Side slate of characters, while keeping their own candidates in the shadow of “plausible deniability” or sometimes real ignorance. After all, the Dark Side candidates are not chosen for the hands-on control of their own campaigns.
EXECUTION The attacks come from a secondary source that is allied with the Dark Side and whom the same political operative (or their direct associate) runs, and ideally one with a high regard in the community, be it an organization associated with health, safety or education. With the current development from Citizen’s United and the explosive growth of what is called “Independent Expenditures” of political action committees and groups, the whole scope of the operation comes to bear. The functioning of the range of activities both overt, covert and subtle is an amazing study in itself that again leads me to remind folks that “politics is the most expensive form of entertainment our tax dollars are forced to buy.”
DETECTION The Dark Side has a multiphase reach and a system where there is typically a single political consultant that is assigned to its candidates and to the various allied organizations, be it unions, business associations or political parties. Then, as a campaign goes on, a non-candidate sector is tasked with polling where the candidates stand, and the identification of the type of Send comments to EdiBirattacks that can be directed at san@gmail.com or 510-812-8180 the opponent(s). or visit www.PulseOfConcord.com
Court rules against Middendorf, CVCHS settles more legal challenges JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
As Clayton Valley Charter High School looks ahead to its first graduation ceremony for seniors who have gone through all four years as a charter later this year, the school settled several key legal settlements this month. At the school’s January Governing Board meeting it was announced that the suit between former administrator and charter drive leader Pat Middendorf had been settled in favor of the school. She agreed to drop the lawsuit and ask the court to rule in favor of CVCHS, withdraw a separate Department of Fair Employment and Housing complaint, pay the charter $50,000 for attorney fees and court costs, and drop the opportunity to bring forward any other lawsuit. CVCHS agreed not to sue Middendorf and her attorney for malicious prosecution. The same evening as the CVCHS governing board meeting, the Contra Costa County Board of Education heard from county administrators as they had closed their investigation of complaints made by stakeholders about CVCHS. Middendorf, a long-time teacher at the school, was copetitioner when a group of teachers and civic leaders led a drive to convert Clayton Valley High to a charter. Ironically the charter was approved by the county four years and one day before the January board meeting. Middendorf led the search that resulted in hiring David Linzey as executive director, she was appointed to a key adminis-
trative position and in August 2012 the first CVCHS classes began. The relationship between Middendorf and Linzey fractured in early 2014 and Middendorf was terminated that May, sparking a 20-month saga involving Middendorf, Linzey and his administration, teachers, community members and the board with heated charges and counter charges traded at board meetings and on the Internet. A year ago Middendorf sued the school for defamation of character after she earlier filed a harassment compliant with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The charter filed an AntiSLAPP motion against Middendorf, claiming she was a “public person” and thus the bar for her to prove defamation or malice is very high. Judge George Spanos requested each side to present their opinion of that claim. Middendorf says her attorney submitted a 50-page report that was dwarfed by tens of thousands of pages of documents from the charter’s attorneys. Judge Spanos ruled against Middendorf on every issue. “Although my lawyer wanted to proceed and prove the judge’s ruling wrong at trial I realized any final resolution was at least two years away,” she said. She decided settling the suit was the best course of action. “It was apparent that whether I won or lost in court it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Now retired, Middendorf says she wants to “move on” with her life and community efforts such as Relay for Life. She is also dealing with family
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health issues including caring for her elderly parents in Minnesota. In announcing the settlement agreement at the board meeting, chairperson Ted Meriam thanked his fellow board members “for their commitment during this arduous period in our school’s history. It’s our job to remain independent and listen to all voices of our school community.” Linzey says he is looking ahead to the annual Feb. 1 lottery where 900 applicants for fall admittance are whittled down to the 550 or so who can be accepted and to the first state testing in three years this April. He also is anticipating contract negotiations with the teachers union and concluding this school year for the charter’s founding graduating class.
COUNTY CLAIMS CLOSED The school was quick to point out that the CCCOE didn’t find a single issue raised in complaints to the county that was proven. After receiving a slew of complaints about CVCHS a year ago the County hired law firm Dannis Woliver Kelley to investigate. Their August advisory report — at a cost of $200,000 to the county — listed 39 critical issues, and although the report didn’t verify any claims, they found many they termed “not false.” The school disputed all the claims and met with county superintendent Karen Sakata and associate administrator Bill Clark to review each matter. Long-time county board member Pamela Mirabella also visited the campus and met with CVCHS board members.
Linzey says the school directly responded to six issues by revising or clarifying issues in the student handbook and board policies. The report by CCCOE staff to the county board in January “concludes the review” and expressed its appreciation for “CVCHS’s willingness to collaboratively address these issues for the benefit of its students and stakeholders.” The only major remaining matter for the charter is its ongoing dispute with Mt. Diablo Unified School District over the pro rata share of facility costs (“rent”) to utilize the buildings, grounds and furnishings on the CVCHS site in Concord. The two sides entered into mediation last fall and came out with a settlement that the district board subsequently did not accept. The suit filed last April by the district is thus continuing.
ARBOUR CLAIM SETTLED This month it was also announced that former CVCHS speech pathology instructor Laurie Arbour’s unfair labor practices claim to the Public Employment Relations Board was dismissed and the school paid Arbour $5,000. Last year a similar claim made by former teacher Tori Campbell was settled without any financial payment. The school says both matters concluded as “no fault” with no findings by PERB. Arbour, another leader of the charter movement who is now at Northgate High, says, “I feel that the agreement reached on Jan. 8 is a win for free speech and the rights of teachers. It was never about money and this money will be given to charity.”
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J.A. Ronco Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .872-3049
Tipperary Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216-2679 Dining and Entertainment
Clayton Club Saloon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673-0440
Oakhurst Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9737 Events
Chronic Care Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .407-0888
Concord Senior Center – Health Expo . .671-3320, opt. 1 Financial, Insurance and Legal Services
DuRee, Daniel – The Law Office of . . . . . . . . . .210-1400 Littorno, Richard – The Law Office of . . . . . . . .432-4211 Van Wyck, Doug – State Farm Insurance . . . . .672-2300 Flowers
A Floral Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .705-3088 Funerals
Ouimet Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .682-4242 Health and Wellness
Komor, Peter – DDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-5055 Home and Garden
Diablo Lawnscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .381-3757
Nichols Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9955
Silvia’s Housecleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350-9179
Skim ‘n’ Dip – Pool Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .348-5609 The Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-6243
The Royal Rooster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-2025
Waraner Bros. Tree Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .831-2323 Waraner Tree Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250-0334 Mailing Services
The UPS Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .689-6245 Pet Services
Pittsburg Pet Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .432-7387 Photography
Rochellez Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .510-677-4170 Real Estate and Mortgage Services
Bennett, Nancy – Keller Williams . . . . . . . . . . .606-8400
Clayton Fair Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-0324
French, Lynne – Windermere Real Estate . . . .672-8787 Hayes, Diane and Bill – Better Homes Realty . .890-4701
Howard, Don – Better Homes Realty . . . . . . . .408-3184 Laurence, Pete – RE/MAX Realty . . . . . . . . . . .890-6004 Lopez, Stephanie – Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . .305-9099
Mazzei, Matt – Mazzei Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . .693-0757 O’Brien, Michael – O’Brien Real Estate . . . . . .680-5478 Stojanovich, Jennifer – Better Homes Realty . .567-6170
Vujnovich, George - Better Homes Realty . . . .672-4433 Recreation and Fitness
Camp Concord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .671-2267 Earthquake Arabians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301-7496 Services, Other
ComputersUSA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029
Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . .682-4518 Wally’s Rental Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .685-1030 Travel
Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840
Clayton Fair Properties For Lease
Concord – Commercial Offices, 1722 sq. ft., 1674 sq. ft. and 572 sq. ft., bright and light. Excellent location. Ample parking. Contact Maureen (925)
685-0324
Obituary or Memoriam
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Concord commits to study greener energy Page 8
PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer
The Concord City Council this month joined a growing number of county cities looking at the possibility of bringing renewable energy options to their residents. By allocating a $25,000 contribution for Community Choice Energy, the City is committing to a technical study that will enable a local agency to buy electricity in bulk, build renewable energy generation facilities and set up energy efficiency programs on behalf of public facilities, residents and businesses. If enacted, CCE becomes the electricity provider for the city, working with PG&E to
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
distribute power through its grid. But the CCE program is dedicated to renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. Concord’s action follows that of other county cities like Oakley, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek and Moraga. The idea of using renewable energy options to the city was greeted with enthusiasm by the council members, who voted unanimously to grant the funds for the study. “I am in full support of this,” said council member Tim Grayson. His colleague on the council Edi Birsan agreed. “I have advocated for 100 acres of a ‘solar farm,’… so I see moving ahead with this is mandatory.”
‘Senior Moments’ are part of growing up
CHRISTINE KOGuT
SAVVY SENIOR
I often hear my contemporaries puzzle about where their glasses are (usually on the tops of their heads) or where they put the book they were reading or, even worse, what book were they reading. Is memory loss really a foregone conclusion as we age? An interesting theory I heard not too long ago (and remembered) was “the older you are the more information you have stored in your brain, therefore, it takes longer to ferret out the answer you’re seeking.” As satisfying as it is to think I have so much stored facts and figures in my noggin’ that it takes me longer than younger people to come up with the answer I desire, I just don’t buy it. This hypothesis might ring true if all human beings had been acquiring the same amount of knowledge at any given stage of life but we seem to be experiencing forgetfulness at different ages and at varying rates. The Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Columbia University has found that RbAp48, a protein in the hypocampus, decreases as we age, therefore contributing significantly to “senior moments.” Dr. Scott Small reports the finding should allay fears that normal mild cogni-
tive impairment, or forgetfulness, may be a precursor to dementia but not to Alzheimer’s Disease, which is caused by the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. If you have difficulty recalling the whereabouts of your glasses or book, that’s pretty common. But if you become fuzzy about where you live, then you need some help. The Concord Senior Citizens Center offers Memory Screening on the fourth Monday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. with the exception of May. An Alzheimer’s Support Group meets the fourth Wednesday of the month from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. Call the center at 925-671-3320 for more information. Hopefully feeding our brains with the nutrients they need, like any other organ in the body, might stave off absentmindedness. Spinach, eggs, lean beef, walnuts, Yerba Mate tea, lentils, beets, oats, sardines, and flax are all touted as idea-inspiring brain foods. Be forewarned concerning all the hype about the new “miracle” brain pill, CogniQ, the one Stephen Hawking and Anderson Cooper are allegedly promoting. After considerable research, an Internet reporter, Ron Olsen, has deduced the whole thing is a scam. Enter “brain pill - Stephen Hawking” in your Internet browser to read his report.
Christine Kogut is a marketing director for the Concord Senior Citizens Club. She has lived in the area for 40 years and formerly worked for the Contra Costa Times. To find out more about the Concord Senior Center, call (925) 6713320 or see the city’s website at concord.ca.us
FOOD MATTERS
It’s the time of the year again for New Year’s Resolutions, as many people commit to eating better, exercising at home or joining a gym. For some people, however, that doesn’t work anymore. They have crossed the line and its more than just eating too much and not getting enough exercise — they have become food addicts.
several residents who spoke in favor of the move. “It is germane to participation [for Concord],” said resident Diane Sprouse, “that the city find long-term revenue sources. This program offers ‘green job’ generation, and reinvests in the community. It’s a win for the city in economic development.” Resident Nancy Pratt agreed. “Contra Costa is a great place to do a CCE. We can buy energy more locally… and we’re a perfect location to benefit with CCE, because we have lots of sun, wind, an underemployed personnel base,” she said. “We can turn our brown fields into wind and
solar farms.” If the technical study proves that CCE is a good option for Concord and the county, there are three avenues they can take. They can join the Marin agency, which the City of Richmond has already done, join with the county of Alameda, or create a Countywide agency of its own. Currently all nine Bay Area counties have at least investigated the possibility of joining CCE. Marin and Sonoma counties have already joined CCE and are operational, Crapo said, while unincorporated Napa County and Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito and Benicia have hopped on
board the Marin agency. San Francisco will soon be launching its own CCE, while Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties are still developing their own CCEs. Contra Costa is currently in the process of investigating its cities’ needs — hence the technical study — while Solano County will be the next to review it. The $25,000 cost was based on the population of Concord. Smaller cities, such as Pleasant Hill and Danville, committed $15,000, while Walnut Creek committed $20,000. The results of the technical study will be available later this spring, Crapo said.
defeating last year’s worst neighbor, Justin Beiber, who ranked third this year (18 percent). Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, finished fourth with 11 percent of votes. Thirty-four percent of surveyed adults said they would not want to live next to any of the celebrities listed in the poll.
United States. The thing that was shocking to me is that California has the highest number of homicides in the country. There were 1697 homicides with a potential value drop of $17,472 on average. Estimated total market loss was $566,664,412. Second was New Jersey, then New York. Not only are people creeped out by the thought that someone has been killed, a murder creates a perception that the area is generally less safe and has a higher crime rate.
Would you live near Donald Trump? Q. Which celebrities would people most like to live next door to? A. Zillow did their annual survey this year asking U.S. adults with whom they would or wouldn’t want to share a fence. Taylor Swift was the top choice for a celebrity neighbor in 2016, earning 12 percent of the surveyed adults’ votes, up from her third place finish last year. She was especially favorable among millennials, receiving 17 percent of their vote. Actress Jennifer Lawrence and comedian Amy Schumer rounded out the top three positions, earning 11 percent and 9 percent of votes, respectively. All three women were equally as popular among male and female voters . Outspoken Republican
candidate Donald Trump tops this year’s list for worst neighbor. Trump earned 24 percent of total votes for worst neighbor, but was especially disliked by females (27 percent) and millennials (33 percent) polled. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West came in second with 22 percent of the votes narrowly
Q. Though we live in a pretty low crime area, I’m just curious how much a murder in the area affects home prices. A. Homicides wipe a whopping $2.3 billion off the U.S. property market every year. Finder.com has calculated the impact of murders on property prices across the
The rainy season is here. There’s no guilt in being a fairweather bicyclist. But if you want to keep riding during this time of year, here are some tips to stay safe and comfortable even in a heavy downpour. Safety comes first. It’s important to use your lights when driving a car in the rain; this is even more important when bicycling. A bicycle should always have at least one bright, easily visible red light in the back and one white light in the front. More than one of each is better. Blinkers for the spokes of your wheels, available at bike shops, will make sure drivers can see you from the side. Keep your lights charged or carry a set of spare batteries at all times. Reflective Velcro bands are sold at most bike shops. I
highly recommend putting one of these on each wrist when riding in darkness or rain. They help drivers see your hand signals when you are changing lanes or turning; this is part of the crucial communication that keeps us all safe on the road. Pay especially close attention to the surface ahead of you when riding in rain. A bump or crack that could be a hazard when unexpected can be easily negotiated when you see it ahead of time. A very bright headlight that attaches to your helmet helps a lot with this, as you can scan the road ahead. Avoid any spot where the road surface is covered, for instance puddles or piles of leaves. One specific hazard to watch for is the yellow bumpy tiles on sidewalk ramps. These are called “truncated domes”,
and they are notoriously slippery for bicycle tires when wet. If you need to ride over one for any reason, go slowly and watch your balance. As for comfort, a rain jacket, rain pants and boots or galoshes will keep your clothes and shoes dry. Outdoor gear stores such as REI or Sports Basement carry many good choices. One perhaps surprisingly important feature to look for in a rain jacket is armpit vents. Rainproof garments tend to trap heat, and under the arms is a spot where a lot of body heat can be vented without exposing your clothes to rain. You might think staying warm is a concern when bicycling in the rain, but in Contra Costa weather it is often the opposite. Besides your clothes, you’ll also want to keep dry any pos-
make money by making people sick. Because sugar causes diseases unrelated to their calories and unrelated to the attendant weight gain, it’s an independent primary-risk factor.” And sugar is everywhere. Approximately 80 percent of the 600,000 packaged foods you can buy in the U.S. have added sweeteners. The problem isn’t a knowledge deficit. There isn’t a fat person on Earth who doesn’t know vegetables are good for you. “Education has not solved any substance abuse. This is a substance of abuse. So you need two things: you need personal intervention and you need societal intervention.” Taking on the Sugar-Free
Challenge will be your own personal intervention, and provide much of the support sugar addicts need. For more from the Institution for Responsible Nutrition, visit the website www.responsiblefoods.org.
into nutrition, so I had all the tools to be a successful healthy man, but that was not my story. For years I would lie to my family, friends and employers about stealing and or eating food. I was a food addict, and I found myself in my late 20s almost 300 pounds with diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure. I didn’t realize that my insane relationship around food was because I was a food addict. I am 33 years old now and through the program of FA, I have been granted the gift of choice. I never have to eat addictively again. After getting abstinent in FA for only two months all of my health issues were under control. I have lost 120 pounds and have kept it off for
LYNNE FRENCH
REAL ANSWERS
Gear up for wet weather
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 672-878 7or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.
KENJI YAMADA
BIKE CONCORD
sessions you may be carrying. A waterproof cover that fits over your backpack or purse can be found at many of the same stores that carry rain garments. Or you may wish to use a pannier (the type of bag that clips onto your bike’s luggage rack) with good waterproofing. With a little practice, all of this becomes second nature!
Kenji Yamada is the Lead Advocacy Organizer for Bike Concord. Send questions and comments to kenji@bikeconcord.org.
12-step program helps food addicts when dieting doesn’t
If you have a problem with sugar, weight and health, I have come across two ways to help you identify and get the support you need:
CINDY GERSHEN
CCE has already established an agency in Marin County, and Contra Costa has the option to join up with them, said Shawn Marshall of LEAN Energy US, one of the spokespersons for CCE. She and Deputy Director Jason Crapo of the Department of Conservation and Development made the presentation to the council that highlighted the advantages of CCE — the most important being an overall savings in the community’s electric bills, and a choice for electricity delivery where none exists. The fact that CCE allows a switch to cleaner power was greeted with enthusiasm by
January 29, 2016
SUGAR-FREE CHALLENGE Sugar is a drug. It’s a highly addictive and dangerous substance. Don’t think so? Then try going seven days without it. According to Dr. Robert Lustig’s book, “Fat Chance: The Hidden Truth About Sugar, Obesity and Disease,” sugar is not only a dangerous drug, but also the primary cause of the diabetes and metabolic health crisis afflicting America. And he has a plan to deal with sugar. Dr Lustig says, “The food industry cannot be allowed to
FOOD ADDICTS IN RECOVERY Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, or FA, is another great way to help get food addiction under control. I interviewed a member; his story is inspiring . If I didn’t see the pictures of him before I would not have thought he was ever overweight. Here’s what one FA member has to say: “I grew up in a supportive middle class family who ate extremely healthy. My mom was
three years.” I asked him why this time it’s different. “FA has been the answer for me. Having both support and structure in my life is the key, I am grateful for that today,” he said. If you think you have a problem with food, visit the website www.foodaddicts.org. There is help out there and it’s free. Cindy Gershen is Chef/Founding Owner of Sunrise Bistro & Catering in Walnut Creek, Mount Diablo High School Sustainable Hospitality Pathway teacher, founding board member of the Wellness City Challenge and co-author of “The Fat Chance Cookbook.” Contact her gershenc@mdusd.org
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Meteorology is a hot career choice In a few months students finishing high school or junior college will have important decisions to make regarding what field of study to pursue and what university to attend. For some, a career path in meteorology could prove to be both challenging and rewarding. Meteorology is the science of the atmosphere. It takes its name from the Greek word “meteoron,” meaning events in the sky. The ancient Greeks understood that weather affected farmers and sailors. We now know that many aspects of our environment and society are greatly affected by both short term and long term changes in the weather. The education process for potential meteorologists has traditionally included course work in physics, chemistry and mathematics. Knowledge of statistics has become increasingly more important as observational databases have grown. In recent years strong computer-related skills, like programming and data base management, have become a necessity in the meteorology profession. Complex dynamic weather forecast models have been used to predicting day-today weather patterns for decades. Advanced computer skills are not only needed for future model development, but
B USINESS
WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS
also for graphical presentation of modeled and observed data. With the recent emphasis on climate change, global climate models have been developed to estimate temperature, rainfall and sea level rise out to the end of the century. Programming challenges in the near future include statistical and dynamic downscaling of global model output to local levels. No matter what career path a student chooses, the potential job market should be a consideration. The National Weather Service uses degreed meteorologists to provide local weather forecasts to the public. Government and university research programs are also a leading source of careers in meteorology. There are job opportunities in the private sector. For example, meteorological consulting
firms provide forecast services for railroad and trucking companies as well as sporting events. Meteorologists also consult to commodities traders concerned about the effects of weather on crop production and prices. The aviation, shipping and utility industries often have inhouse meteorological staffs. Airlines and ocean shipping companies use weather forecasts to safely and economically route airplanes and cargo vessels. Utilities use temperature forecasts to estimate electric and gas demand, and to predict storm-related outages. Another interesting branch of meteorology is known as forensic meteorology. These professionals provide expert witness by reconstructing weather conditions occurring at the time of a weather event that has resulted in court proceedings. Some examples include weather-related auto accidents, train derailments and wildfires. Students with math, physics and computer science backgrounds may want to take a look at the field of atmospheric science. Several California universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in meteorology including San Jose State, San Francisco State, UCLA and UC Davis. For more information on careers
Working with our schools is good business
MARILYN FOWLER
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Concord Chamber of Commerce has a long-term partnership with education in our community. We have always believed that investing in the future leaders of our community begins with investing in their education today. The chamber promotes and facilitates the involvement of business in schools, works to increase educator and student awareness of the business environment and helps to prepare today’s students to become the future leaders of tomorrow. One of our programs is BEST Day (Business and Educators Shadowing for Tomorrow). This program, established in 1997, is an annual half-day event that provides an opportunity for teachers to job-shadow in the business community and later share their experiences at a formal luncheon. Teachers go to a place of business, spend three
hours observing specific careers, touring facilities and asking questions of employees. After participating in BEST Day, educators have an increased knowledge of industry, careers, hiring trends and skills needed in the 21st century workplace. This experience brings real world relevance to the classroom in the subjects directly related to a teacher’s area of expertise. This year’s BEST Day, managed by our Business Education Committee, will be on March 11 and is being sponsored by John Muir Health Concord Campus. The Concord Chamber also participates in the Mt. Diablo High School Innovation Fair each year. This incredible program is a semester-long project for seniors in the Digital Safari Academy at the campus. The students form virtual companies and then spend a semester developing their innovative “beyond the edge” products, developing their business and marketing plans and preparing to make their pitch for funding before a panel of real business leaders and investors. The culmination of the
in meteorology check out the American Meteorology Society’s web site at www.ametsoc.or g/careercenter/ index.html.
Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist retired from PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com
Page 9
P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers TAMARA S TEINER , Editor P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design P EGGY S PEAR , Copy Editor J AY B EDECARRÉ, Sports Editor PAMELA W IESENDANGER , Administration, Calendar Editor S TAFF W RITERS : Peggy Spear, Pamela Wiesendanger, Jay Bedecarré
Safari,
C ORRESPONDENTS : Cynthia Gregory, Patricia Romero, Kara
Berkeley where she majored in art history. Mt. Diablo is an “academy” school. All students must be enrolled in one of the smaller learning communities where the comprehensive multi-subject curriculum focuses on a particular industry. Students enter Digital Safari Academy as sophomores. Their senior projects integrate coursework over three years in English, economics and multi-media communications. In preparing their business plans, the teams work with a mentor from the business community to refine their ideas. Over 90 percent of the students in the DSA are considered socially, economically or academically “at risk.” Many are English learners. “This night sets kids up to succeed,” says Gallo. “Because we challenge them in such an endurance-driven project, students are capable of feeling a level of success they haven’t before.” The Innovation Fair is sponsored by the non-profit Praxis in Action and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. Local philanthropist Pat Campbell contributed the scholarship money.
Tamara Steiner editor@concordpioneer.com Send Ads to ads@concordpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@concordpioneer.com Send School, Club and Calendar Items to
from page 1
Navolio, John Jackson, John T. Miller
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The Clayton Pioneer and the Concord Pioneer are monthly publications delivered free to homes and businesses in 94517, 94518, 94519 and 94521. ZIP code 94520 is currently served by drop site distribution. The papers are published by Clayton Pioneer, Inc., Tamara and Robert Steiner, PO 1246, Clayton, CA 94517. The offices are located at 6200 Center St. Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517
LET US KNOW Weddings, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a resident in our home delivery area. Submit on our website and be sure to attach a JPG photo that is at least 3 MB. Also on the website are forms for calendar items, events & press releases.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Both Pioneer newspapers welcome letters from our readers.
As a general rule, letters should be 175 words or less and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print anonymous letters. E-mail your letter to editor@concordpioneer.com. Letters must be submitted via E-mail. CIRCULATION The Concord Pioneer is delivered monthly to 30,000 homes and businesses in 94518, 94519 and 94521. Papers are delivered by carriers for ABC Direct around the last Friday of the month. To stop delivery for any reason, call the office at (925) 672-0500 . If you are NOT receiving the Pioneer, please check the distribution map on the website. If you live in the shaded area and are not receiving the paper, please let us know. If you are not in the shaded area, please be patient. We will come to your neighborhood soon. The Clayton Pioneer is delivered by US Mail to 5,500 homes and businesses in 94517 around the second Friday of the month. SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe to either the Clayton Pioneer or the Concord Pioneer, call the office at (925) 672-0500. Subscriptions are $35/year for each paper, $60/year for both.
project is the Innovation Fair, which takes place at Centre Concord with student booths set up around the room, giving attendees a chance to “invest” in the student companies. I have mentored students for the past three years, and continue to be amazed at the quality of work these high school seniors produce. For the past four years, the Concord Chamber has its January evening mixer at the Innovation Fair, which brings over 35 business leaders to the event. This is truly a great business/education partnership. And finally, the Concord Chamber is excited to announce our fifth year of a scholarship award program for high school seniors in the greater Concord area who will be entering college this year. Up to six $500 scholarships will be available. Applications are available on the chamber website at www.concordchamber.com or can be picked up in our office at 2280 Diamond Blvd., Suite 200, Concord. For more information on becoming a member of the Concord Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.concordchamber.com or call (925) 685-1181.
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Blue Devils trumpet changes at the top
Page 10
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Dave Gibbs was a member of the Concord Blue Devils when they won their first four world championships between 1976 and 1980, capping his performing career as the drum major. Since 1991 he has spent 24 years running the worldrenowned drum and bugle corps. It was announced this month that Gibbs is leaving his post to take on a new role with the Blue Devils and Justin Heimbecker will be the new CEO. “Looking forward, it is critical that we have the best leadership team possible,” said Rosa Lee Harden, president of the BDPA Board of Directors. “To that end, Dave will continue as
Senior Executive Advisor to BDPA, working directly with Justin and the board. These changes will allow Dave to focus on exciting new projects, as well as manage System Blue as the brand’s President and Board Chair.” In announcing his decision to transition into a new role, Gibbs said, “As we continue to grow and thrive, I feel that the time is right for us to add to our leadership team in a significant way. After a three-year process, the Blue Devils family will welcome Justin as the new CEO of BD Performing Arts at the end of February to lead the organization the next 25 years.” Heimbecker says, “I’m thrilled and honored for the opportunity to join the BDPA family. Since its inception, the
Blue Devils organization has been at the forefront of the drum corps activity, both on and off the field. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the entire organization.” Heimbecker has spent his life on the East Coast, most recently as director of USBands which boasts a membership of 700 participating high school marching bands. He’s been a music educator, event producer and manager of world class drum and bugle corps. “Justin comes to us with a deep history of entrepreneurial experience in the performing arts,” Gibbs said, “and it is our belief that he is exactly the right person to lead our organization into the future.” The Blue Devils are the gold standard of Drum and Bugle corps. They won their 17th world championship last summer. The A and B Corps annually tour the country from California to the Drum Corps International championships. Gibbs is only the third BD director following his mentors Jerry Seawright and Mike Moxley. The Blue Devils have made their mark in the drum and bugle corps world with shows “that are not in the main-
January 29, 2016
Photo by Ruth Braden courtesy Blue Devils
DAVE GIBBS (CENTER) PERFORMED IN THE BLUE DEVILS FROM 1974-77 before becoming drum major and then joined A Corps and Winter Guard staffs when he aged out. Over the next 10 years he was a part of the visual staff as an instructor and visual designer. In 1991, he became the third director of the world-renowned Blue Devils and is now finishing up 25 years in charge. He was a member of the Corps when they won their first DCI world championship and has been involved as that total ballooned up to No. 17 last August. He will be assuming a different role with the transition to new CEO Justin Heimbecker starting at the end of February.
stream.” Gibbs said. “We always want to be entertaining and intriguing.” This philosophy has paid off with at least three world championships in each decade since the 1970s. “My philosophy always has
been to be a caretaker of this amazing organization,” he said. “My goal is to provide the performing members a life-changing experience that will make them be successful and responsible in their life after
they leave the group. My priority has been the staff, volunteers and all involved in the organization. These people are the organization’s most important assets. I am very proud of what we have accomplished
Rains refresh the romance in newts
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MIKE MARCHIANO
MOUNTAIN MIKE
After the long arid summer continued into an even dryer autumn. the early winter rains finally arrived. This much needed respite is bringing life to many of nature’s creatures. The parched soil soaks up the water, bringing moisture to dormant seeds and dried out roots. Animals that had crawled into deep burrows, ground fissures and rock crevices to enter aestivation during the arid seasons slowly awaken as their bodies absorb the life-giving liquid. As the rain saturates the ground and local creeks and ponds begin to fill and flow, one of our local salamanders, the California Newt (Taricha Torosa) is on the move. These harmless tailed amphibians are responding to a biological
imperative to return as adults to the water were they were born to mate and propagate their species. Males are the first to lumber out of there burrows on wet stormy nights. Through woods and fields they reach the creeks and ponds of their birth. The male’s skin transforms, becoming smooth and his tail enlarges and flattens out for better locomotion in the water. The males then patrol the water ways awaiting the arrival of females. As the females enter the water a group of males will follow each trying to grab and hold on to her. After a period of holding or “amplexus,” mating is completed and the female will lay a jelly-coated group of eggs attached to a plant near the waters edge. Within four weeks tiny quarter-inch larva hatch and the fight for survival begins. The adult newts will then return to their terrestrial homes until next year. The mating season last six to ten weeks and occurs from late December through February. The small larvas grow and metamorphose into adults in late September and October. California newts may possibly live up to 20 years and
3rd Annual
reach maturity at three years old. Like most of our local amphibians, (frogs, toads and salamanders), newts feed on insects, spiders, snails, worms and sow bugs. The past three years in Contra Costa County has been very hard for the local newt population. Because of the drought many ponds and steams did not fill up with water. Those that did get some water ended up not retaining it long enough for the newts to grow through the larval stage. This shortage of rain the last few years has also had an even great effect on the endangered California Tiger
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salamander, a rarely seen local resident that has an even shorter mating season but whose larva can take up to two years to mature. As the name implies this is a beautiful black- and yellow-striped salamander that can reach up to eight inches long. Hopefully with the promise of rain this month and next. our local salamanders can emerge from their homes on those stormy nights and once again march to the rainfilled breeding grounds to propagate future generations.
Mike Marchiano is a naturalist with the Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association. Contact him at mmarchiano@gmail.com
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
P ETS
Fearful felines don’t have to face frights
happiness, silly playfulness, indifference and much more. That sensitivity can also trigger fearful behavior, which can be perfectly normal. Cats often feel insecure or frightened in a new environment, and will sometimes hide for a day or two when first brought home. Even a ELENA BICKER stressful experience, such as a to the vet or introducing PAUSE FOR PETS trip a new family member to the household, can send Fluffy Cats are beautifully sensi- under the bed for a few days. tive animals and display a full Fearful behavior can be range of emotions, including caused by a variety of situa-
tions, such as strangers, children, other animals or frightening noises. When a cat feels threatened, they usually respond in three ways: fight, flee or freeze. They also might present other behaviors, like hiding, loss of control of their bladder and/or bowels, and aggression (such as spitting, hissing, growling, swatting, biting or scratching). If your cat is showing aggressive or threatening behavior to another person or animal, immediately seek advice from an animal behav-
Dexter and Miss Moneypenny are this month’s ARF stars
DEXTER
One-year-old Dexter is a TRAINER’S DREAM. He is very smart, handsome and will be enthusiastic throughout your training sessions. He has the potential to be a great agility dog, running partner or trail buddy. His ability to learn quickly will win you over! Dexter has a positive history with other dogs. We recommend Dexter take a Basic Manners class where he can learn polite ways of seeking creature comforts in life. He currently weighs 51 pounds. The adoption fee for adult dogs is $250 and includes a discount on fees for an
MISS MONEYPENNY
ARF U Manners class. Ten-month-old Miss Moneypenny is gorgeous girl with a sweet outgoing personality. She adores being petted or settling in a lap and she also loves having her pretty fur brushed. When she’s not being petted, she likes to bat around her kitty toys. She is suitable for a first time cat guardian. The adoption fee for adult cats is $75. Meet your forever friend at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek, during adoption hours: Noon to 6 pm
ior specialist, and confine her to a safe area of the house, supervised by a responsible person and keeping all interactions to a minimum. When we see our feline friends in distress, it’s normal to want to comfort them, but doing so might not always be what they need at the time. Do not punish your cat for fearful behavior, as it will only confuse her and cause her to become more fearful, and don’t force her to confront the object or situation that is triggering her, such as having a person she fears hold her. These strategies will only cause her fearful behavior to continue. Instead, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a thorough physical exam to rule out any medical causes for Fluffy’s behavior. Cats have great “poker faces” and don’t always act sick, even when they are. If she is healthy, but still hiding, do not force her out. Make sure she has easy access to food, water and her litter box, and change all items daily to keep track if Fluffy has been eating or drinking. Keep her contact with the fear stimulus to a minimum, and make the effort to keep her routine as regular as possible to increase her confidence. If you’d like to attempt to desensitize her to the fear stimulus, first determine what distance Fluffy can be from the stimulus without responding fearfully. Introduce the fear stimulus at this distance while feeding lots of tasty treats and heaping on praise. Keep the treats and praise going as you slowly bring the stimulus closer. If Fluffy exhibits fearful behavior at any time in this process, start over from the beginning and go even slower, keeping sessions short.
Wednesday & Thursday, Noon to 7 pm Friday, and Noon to 6 pm Saturday & Sunday. The primary caretaker must be present to adopt. ARF also encourages kids 16 and younger and canine family members (dog adoptions only) to be present during the adoption process. Would you like to be part of the heroic team that saves the lives of rescued dogs and cats? Can you share your talents to connect people and animals? ARF volunteers are Elena Bicker is the Executive Director making a difference. For more infor- of Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Founmation see our website, dation. She can be reached at (925) 256www.arflife.org, or call (925) 256- 1ARF (1273) 1ARF.
Has anyone seen this Yorkie-poo?
Pretty, a 12 lb Yorkshire Terrier/Poodle mix went missing from her Clayton home on Atcheson Stage Dr. on Jan. 10 and her owners are pretty sure she may be holed up with a local family.“Pretty is a homebody,” says owner Jill Enders. “She doesn’t even like to go outside on a leash.” Pretty’s family was in Ohio and Pretty was staying with family friends on Via Ensenada Ct. in Concord. On her early morning walk, something frightened the little dog and she ran from her caretakers. Neighbors unsuccessfully tried to catch her. In the following days, she was periodically sighted in the area. Owners posted
sightings. She was last seen on Via Ensenada Ct. in Concord on Jan. 12. Pretty stands 12” tall at the shoulder. She is white and red with wavy hair cut short. The family is offering a $500 reward for her return, no questions asked. “Take the reward with our blessing,” says Ender. “We understand how someone could fall in love with her, but Pretty is family and we want her home.” If you have seen Pretty or just want to help in the search, call (925) 639-3431 or surrender to the Martinez Animal Shelter. For more information, see Pretty’s Facebook page, Prettycomehome.
Page 11
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SCHOOLS Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Ygnacio Valley High Lauren Curtis
YGNACIO VALLEY CORRESPONDENT
‘Candlelight’ performance highlights year’s end
The Ygnacio Valley High School Performing Arts Department finished of 2015 with another fabulous “Carols by Candlelight” production. “Carols by Candlelight” has been an annual tradition at YVHS for over 51 years. It is always an entertaining evening and a great way to appreciate the work of the Warriors, a talent-rich school with wonderful traditions in performance. On Dec. 14 and 15, the Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, beginning and advanced Guitar and Dance 3 all performed for a full house. The show opened with the Concert Choir surrounding the audience dressed in traditional concert robes, carrying candles in a darkened multi-use room, and singing Christmas carols. The night con-
Efa Huckabye
YGNACIO VALLEY PRINCIPAL
tinued as senior Jacob Jones and sophomore Erica Stevenson performed solos of popular Christmas songs. Beginning and Advanced guitar played for the crowd and Dance 3 performed their student-choreographed interpretation of the well-known holiday movie “Home Alone.” The Madrigal Singers sang unique holiday hits with a few props and some entertaining dancing, with cross-curricular delights including a trumpet solo by one of the singers. The evening ended with the traditional singing of “Silent Night” by the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. The performers were again dressed in concert robes and holding candles as they surrounded the audience on the stage and on the
Northgate High Mick Ucciferri
NORTHGATE CORRESPONDENT
YGNACIO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL MADRIGALS
venue floor. It is a beloved and beautiful tradition at YVHS to have attending performing arts alumni join the students in the singing of this song, and alums did not disappoint as they came to the show in great numbers and offered up their voices to the cause. Delighting in the performance were vocal music director Geoff Carter, in his 29th year at YVHS, and his alum Kelly Cooper, in her 15th year at the helm of the dance program. “We are always reminded what a special place YVHS is on this night, when our students
come back to be a part of it year after year. I truly love this place,” Mr. Carter said. Be sure to watch the marquee in front of the school for upcoming events from the students in the Performing Arts department.
formed at Oak Grove Middle School, Pleasant Hill Middle, Sequoia Middle and Woodside Elementary. There were performances by the Jazz Ensemble, Choir, Madrigals and the Mad Men. And of course no tour is complete without Dance 3. It’s such a great tradition to inspire younger students to stay active in the arts. We are lucky to be invited to so many schools every year. most recognized accomplishThe #ICANHELP program ments, where 11th graders built and their amazing speakers pretheir ideal high school from the ground up, such as the bell schedule, offered class/programs, and even building a miniature prototype of their school. This year they presented their projects to a panel of community members such as MDUSD School Board President Cheryl Hansen, Heather Fontanilla of MDUSD’s Career Pathways, ROP Principal Lindi Huntsman, DVC Career Pathways Manager Todd Farr , Associate Director of CSU East Bay Tommy Vo CVCHS Ilana Samuels, and our own CORRESPONDENT YVHS staff. Under the direction of While electing the first U.S. Geoff Carter, Kelly Cooper and Zach Pattison, our Performing female president would be a Arts Department took their historic milestone, many show on the road. They per- female voters are turning to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as opposed to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. At Clayton Valley Charter, many female students see Sanders as the more consistent and progressive candidate. “He aligns closer to my beliefs,” says senior Emily Payne. “I think he’s been more consistent over his career. I
sented to our students on Jan. 25, 2016. The #ICANHELP crewmembers facilitate a collaborative presentation with our students, teaching them “how to deal with conflict, harassment, and negativity online, and teach them to stand up for each other” (#ICANHELP). We are excited to be a part of this joint effort in fostering positive support for our students and community.
Academies continue to shine at YVHS
I am very proud of our students, staff, and community for their collective work in finishing the fall semester strong. I want to congratulate both of our outstanding academies for their consistent efforts in building our future health and education professionals. Our Health Academy has been nominated by the California Department of Education (CDE) for recognition as a California Partnership Academies (CPA) Distinguished California Partnership Academy. This is the first time in the 30-year history of CPA that this honor has been bestowed, and only outstanding CPAs are being considered for this designation. The Education Academy has been doing amazing work for over a decade. The “Build A School” project is one of their
Lauren Curtis is a junior at YVHS, where she is involved in ASB Leadership as the Nighttime Activities Commissioner. She is a flutist in the award-winning Golden Warrior Marching Band, and an active member in the performing arts. Send comments to editor@ concordpioneer.com
Send comments and questions to editor@concordpioneer.com
Students and teachers benefit from YEP
One opportunity I have been able to be a part of in my time at Northgate is the Youth Educator Program (YEP). This is a program in which juniors and seniors from Northgate to go into the eighth grade classrooms at Foothill Middle School and teach those students about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. This will be my second year as a Youth Educator, and as the first day in the classroom draws nearer, I find myself nervous and anxious to be able to teach these kids such valuable lessons. These students have already been subject to programs such as PEP, Smart Start or Dare in elementary school. In each one, they’ve had to listen to parents or police officers talk about different drugs and why not to use them. However, now the older students are the teachers. As 16-18 year-olds, we have found that middle school students are more willing to listen to us, since we are closer in age and have received recent first-hand experience from these dangers in high school. We also get to offer advice on high
school itself, since these kids will be freshmen in a matter of months. Youth Educators have to undergo a six-week training so that we are able to accurately explain the dangers of use to the students. We have learned about subjects ranging from marijuana to prescription medication to even hardcore drugs like cocaine. As Youth Educators, we have pledged not to use any of these substances while in the program, which helps the credibility of the program. After this training, we start entering classrooms once a week for six weeks to teach. I’ve found this program to be one of the most beneficial experiences of my high school career. Not only have I learned about the dangers facing drugs and alcohol so that I can live a healthy lifestyle, but I have also been able to become a better educator and public speaker. Such a program builds confidence and responsibility, both of which is essential for a successful high school student. Mick Ucciferri is a senior at Northgate High School. Send questions and comments to editor@concordpioneer.com
Clayton Valley Charter High Female students are ‘feelin’ the Bern’
YVHS Math class wins Interact Club Winter Clothing Drive
YV math teacher Jasmine Mumford and eight students were the school’s top winter clothing and blanket donator in YV Interact Club’s Third Annual Winter Clothing Drive Contest. At upper right is Chanseuse Twagirimana, Interact secretary. Ygnacio Valley students from Jasmine Mumford’s math class earned a well-deserved pat on the back when they came in first in the Interact Club’s Winter Clothing Drive over winter break. On receiving the news, Mumford exclaimed, with an energetic two-handed fist pump, “Yes! “Mumford’s students were rewarded with a pizza party from Interact and the Rotary Club of Concord Students donated more than 27 huge overly stuffed bags of all types and sizes of winter wear and blankets to participating organizations.
January 29, 2016
Jeff Eben CVCHS PRINCIPAL
believe he’ll maintain that liberalism and consistency in office.” “For the years Bernie’s been in office, not only has he stuck to what he believes in, he also hasn’t changed his mind politically,” says senior Fatima Opeyany, a member of the Feminist Club at Clayton Valley. “Just because Hillary’s a female, it doesn’t mean you should vote for her solely on that.” Students’ attitude toward
Top three resolutions for Ugly Eagles
There are many reasons why I was drawn to working in schools — with students being at the top of the list. Another key motivation is that each year has its own energy and identity. It starts fresh, allowing us to focus on yearly goals and then take a step away in the summer to re-evaluate our progress. In fact, the holiday break
provides another opportunity to catch our breath as we prepare for the second-semester push. So, I have always bought into the idea of New Year’s resolutions in my life and my work as a way to stay focused both personally and professionally. As 2016 gets rolling, here are my Top Three resolutions for the Clayton Valley Charter
Tommy Vo
SENIOR AND FUTURE VOTER NASTASSIA COLEMAN reps the shirt of her candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
the Democratic race is a reflection of recent polling data. In a recent USA Today//Rock the High School Ugly Eagles: First, I resolve to lead the effort to continue making “Celebrating All Wins” a cultural norm. We want our students and school to be successful. We want high test scores, high graduation rates and high college admissions for our students and alumni. We want school to be fun and want our activities to be firstclass. The bottom line is we want our students to expect success from the minute they walk on campus to the day they earn their diplomas. We want high expectations to be a habit and we must celebrate success on a daily basis to make it happen. Second, I resolve to help our staff continue to be a welltrained, team-centered, group of professionals who are proud to
Vote poll, Sanders won the young female vote (ages 18-34) by a margin of 50 percent to 31 percent over Clinton. Young voters tend to question Clinton’s record of lack of authenticity and inconsistency, while praising Sanders for his more progressive platform. “Bernie is the better candidate for supporting women,” says Feminist Club president, Ana Camaddo. “If you’re going to vote for someone, it should be based on policy, not gender.” Camaddo did, however, argue for more female representation in politics overall. With the primary election process arriving soon, the young female vote will certainly be a crucial factor in determining the Democratic nominee. Send comments and questions to editor@concordpioneer.com
wear the CVCHS colors. As we go through the rest of this year, my first at the helm, I want to build relationships and support our collective growth so that we are a prideful bunch able to serve every need. And finally, and selfishly, I want to have a rockin’ graduation for the Class of 2016. First, they are our inaugural group to have the charter experience for all four years. They are the group that set the bar for all future classes, and they are my first seniors at CVCHS. They are inspiring to our CVCHS school community and they deserve to go out in style. Happy New Year from our school family to yours. Send comments and questions to editor@concordpioneer.com
Mt. Diablo High January 29, 2016
Liane Cismowski MDHS PRINCIPAL
Holiday party surprises freshmen
The Mount Diablo High School Link Crew celebrated a Holiday Wonderland with our ninth graders in the small gym on Dec. 17 . Our fifty-three Link Crew students treated all of our freshmen to a delightful holiday surprise. The guests were invited to Build an Edible Snowman, Pin the Nose on the Reindeer, Decorate an Ornament, Make an edible Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, have their picture taken in a Holiday Photo
Booth, and to munch homemade gingerbread cookies and sip hot chocolate while listening to songs of the season. The students were all enthusiastic and everyone had a great time. Link Crew students learned about all aspects of planning a large student event. They were divided into committees with each group taking responsibility for one of the activities. Prior to the event they did hours of extra-curricular fundraising for
Concord High Aasim Yahya
CONCORD HIGH CORRESPONDENT
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
CHS OneActs take center stage
As the first semester of school comes to an end, Concord High School’s drama program transitions into full gear with their annual One Act plays. One Act plays are short plays
all written, directed and performed by CHS students. Students have the opportunity to create their own plays or recycle a play from previous years. They also have the chance to cast their
CARONDELET
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all of the materials required for the Holiday Wonderland event. The Link Crew teachers, Ms. Lyon and Ms. Wimer, guide the students but give them latitude to make substantive program decisions and to experience the joy of success as well as the frustration of failure. Magda Jimenez, one of the Link Crew own actors and control virtually every component of the One Act. Concord’s One Act plays are a great way for new actors to find their way into the drama program. Anybody on campus can audition for a role in one of the six One Acts. Among this year’s One Acts are: “Spotlight” and “Frankie Moon Gets the Girl.” “Spotlight” is a play about students who are preparing for a One Act. It details everything that goes into the preparation for the big performance. “Frankie Moon Gets the Girl” is “written” by the audience. In every scene the audience gets to vote on a component for the next scene. Howev-
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members said, “At first, I was worried the students would think, ‘This is so silly, this is so lame.’ But seeing how they were acting made me have fun. My freshmen friends complimented the design and all of the activities. I really would do it again!”
Send comments and questions to editor@concordpioneer.com
er, the ending will always be the same. “Our program accepts everybody from any group on campus because we believe every person has a different creative mind,” says CHS drama member Jonathan Bayle. “We always promote helping fellow actors on how to improve their skills in order to make the performance enjoyable for the audience.” Come support our program at 7 p.m. on Feb. 18, 20, 25, 26, and 27 in the CHS Drama room. Aasim Yahya is a sophomore and student body vice president. He has a passion for basketball and plays on the school team. Send comments to editor@concordpioneer.com
Carondelet High School to acquire Club Sport Valley Vista for new athletic facilities JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Carondelet High School has signed a purchase agreement to acquire ClubSport Valley Vista from Leisure Sports, Inc. in an effort to support the Catholic girl’s school’s students, twothirds of whom participate on one or more of the Concord
school’s athletic teams. “We are incredibly excited to have taken this step in pursuing the highest priority of our campus master plan,” said Carondelet President Bonnie Cotter. “This property will enable us to provide our young women and our school with high-quality outdoor athletic fields and enable us to expand our programming,
Anniversary book celebrates 50 years JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
To celebrate its 50th year, Carondelet High School has published a book commemorating its history and the religious and lay women and men who founded the school and have kept it thriving in Concord since 1965. Written by Sister Eleanor Eagan, CSJ, “Valiant Women” shares the history of Carondelet’s founding and captures stories of sisterhood, faith and community. The book uses nearly 300 photos and prose to highlight the teachers, administrators and students who have made Carondelet a vibrant learning environment. “This book has been a labor of love for our dear Sister Eleanor, who has been part of the Carondelet community for 34 years,” said Carondelet President Bonnie Cotter. “We are so proud to share our rich history with the greater community and relive some of the poignant moments that shaped the school’s identity.” “Valiant Women” sells for $15 and can be purchased online at www.carondelet.net/valiantwomen. To support Carondelet
students, $5 from every purchase will go toward the newly-created Sister Eleanor Scholarship Fund. Sister Eleanor has served at Carondelet for 34 years, ministering to Carondelet students and their families as a religious studies and English teacher, admissions director, alumnae director, Carondeletter editor and historian. Originally from New York, Sister Eleanor is a graduate of the Academy of St. Joseph in Brentwood, New York, earned her undergraduate degree from Mount St. Mary’s College and a Master’s degree in English and American Literature from Stanford. She has been a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet for 65 years.
community outreach and summer offerings.” Recognizing that the 43-yearold club is used by many active members and neighbors, Carondelet officials say they are looking forward “to developing relationships with the community to explore ways the facility can continue to serve as a resource during the transition of ownership, site improvement and renovation, and long-term in ways compatible with school use.” The purchased was announced by the school Dec. 21 but the transaction is not yet completed. Until it is the school is not announcing any financial terms. Working with Walnut Creek To maximize the property for a variety of its athletic teams, Carondelet plans to seek approval from the city of Walnut Creek to create a state-of-the-art sports complex by replacing some of the older tennis courts with a soccer/lacrosse field and a softball field. Carondelet officials have met with city staff “to better understand the appropriate process and timeframe for the approvals we’ll need to make changes to the facility,” according to Jennifer Ortega, the school’s director of communications. Carondelet’s campus is situated on one of the smallest parcels of land of any top-quality high school in the Bay Area. It has no outdoor athletic fields or facilities on its campus. The school is about 2.6 miles from Valley Vista. Already home to the Carondelet and De La Salle tennis teams, ClubSport Valley Vista is situated on 6.5 acres at the base of Mt. Diablo on the east side of Walnut Creek, just a couple blocks from Boundary Oak Golf Course owned by the city of Walnut Creek. It has 19 tennis courts, a seven-lane swimming pool and a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse, which includes an
exercise facility. When it was first reported last September that ClubSport Valley Vista was closing at the end of January to eventually be replaced by a residential home development there was a large public outcry. Tennis players (from competitive juniors through senior citizens), the Valley Vista Barracudas recreation swim team which calls the Valley Vista pool home for training and meets plus others who have used the facility over the past four decades expressed opposition to the plan. It was stated that ClubSport has about 700 active members, over half of them tennis players. “We are delighted to have Carondelet take ownership of the Valley Vista property. It was important to Leisure Sports to have the right buyer. Carondelet has been a valuable long-term partner in the local community. This acquisition will enhance the overall educational and development experience for the students while at the same time providing recreational partnering opportunities with the community,” said Leisure Sports, Inc. Chief Financial Officer Patrick O’Brien. Carondelet and Leisure Sports are currently in the process of due diligence and expect the deal to close soon. Carondelet will fund the purchase through its 50th Anniversary campaign. Carondelet has been seeking additional land for its athletic teams for over a year as this was identified as a critical need and, therefore, became a top priority in the school’s strategic plan. “A new outdoor sports complex would provide our students with a real ‘home field advantage’ – a place to build camaraderie and the sense of community and sisterhood, which should be an integral part of the Carondelet experience for all our students,” said Cotter.
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CALENDAR Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. FEB. 17 FOR THE FEB. 26 Mondays Off the Grid
IN CONCORD
Rotating lineup of eight food trucks; live music from local musicians. Food trucks 5 – 9 p.m.; music 6 – 8 p.m. Grant Street between Salvio Street and Willow Pass Road, Concord. offthegridsf.com.
Tuesdays Farmers’ Market
Tuesdays year round. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org.
On Sale Now Concerts
The Concord Pavilion is located at 2000 Kirker Pass Road, Concord. theconcordpavilion.com. Concert schedule for 2016: Apr. 29, Luke Bryan, 7 p.m. May 19, Janet Jackson, 8 p.m. July 9, Bryan Adams, 8 p.m.
IN CLAYTON
Feb. 12 Mementos of the Civil War Years
Opening event for new display of artifacts from 1861 to 1865 from the collections of Ellis Byrd and others. 5 – 7 p.m. Clayton Museum, 6101 Main St., Clayton. Free. 672-0240.
Feb. 14 Camellia Tea
Clayton Historical Society’s annual Camellia Tea and Open House. Camellia display and refreshments. Children welcome with adults. 1 – 4 p.m. Clayton Museum, 6101 Main Street. Free. 672-0240.
ON AND AROUND THE MOUNTAIN
Mount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with the exception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click on Event Calendar for more information.
Feb. 5 Diablo Falls Hike
Hike to Diablo Falls and return to lower Donner Canyon. 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Trailhead.
Feb. 14 Mushrooms, Fungi and Lichens
See the fascinating colors and shapes of some local fungi. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Summit Museum.
Feb. 14 Romancing the Waterfalls Hike
Romantic and strenuous hike from Mount Diablo’s Summit, down along Falls Trail and back up the mountain. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Meet at Lower Summit Parking Lot. Reservations required.
Feb. 19 Black Point Hike
Hike up White Canyon to summit of Black Point. 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Trailhead.
Feb. 21 Eagle Peak Hike
Climb past Mitchell Rock via Twin Peaks to Eagle Peak. 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Trailhead.
Feb. 26 Moses Rock Hike
Explore the western slope of the mountain. 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Meet at Diablo Ranch Trailhead.
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Jan. 29 “The Cabaret Series”
Performed by Ballet Flamenco. 8:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $35. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO
Feb. 5 “Hot August Night: A Neil Diamond Tribute”
Performed by Diablo Ballet. Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. $24-$44. diabloballet.org.
Performed by Diablo Wind Symphony. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 5 – 6 “Precision and Balance” Feb. 6 “Remember When?”
Kool tunes by Kit and the Kats. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Feb. 6 “Sinatra Sings the Big Bands”
Feb. 9 – 11 “My Block”
A new, breakthrough, hip hop musical by Pittsburg native Federico Bartolo III. Presented by Los Medanos College. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $10-$15. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.
Feb. 12, 14 “Love is All We Need”
Mazella and special guests perform some of the greatest love songs ever written. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $20-$35. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.
Feb. 12 – 14 “Ruddygore”
Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic masterpiece performed by Lamplighters. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $49-$54. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 12 – Mar. 6 “Pageant”
Who will win the title of Miss Glamouresse? Performed by OMG, I Love That Show! Productions. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $39. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 13 Comedy
Scott Capurro performs. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $20-$35. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.
Feb. 13 “From Motown, with Love”
Classic Motown love songs. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Feb. 13 Szymanowski Quartet
Jan. 31 Winter Concert
Presented by Young People’s Symphony Orchestra. 3 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $17.75. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
CHURCHES AND RELIGION
Feb. 15 Love Your Muslim Neighbors
Feb. 20 Villa Trio
Performing chamber music. 7:30 p.m. Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. $15. cvpresby.org. 672-4848.
FUNDRAISERS
2nd and 4th Sundays Pancake Breakfast
Veterans of Foreign Wars serve breakfast to the public: Eggs, pancakes, sausage, beverage. 8 – 11 a.m. VFW Post 1525, 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord. $5, $3 children under 12. vfwpost1525.org.
Now Thru May 6 Rummage Sale Donations
Boy Scout Troop 370 is accepting donations of household items, collectibles, books, music items and clothing for upcoming rummage sale. For more information, contact Marina Ware at 234-3470 or marinaware@msn.com. Rummage sale is May 7, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at The Salvation Army, 3950 Clayton Road, Concord. Proceeds benefit Troop 370.
Jan. 30 Stars to the Rescue XXV
Featuring Erich Church. Proceeds allow the Animal Rescue Foundation to save dogs and cats that have run out of time at public shelters. 7 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $50-$250. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469.
Feb. 13 Valentine’s Dinner/Dance
Music by The Killbillies. Proceeds benefit charities supported by Concord Moose Lodge. 6:30 p.m. #567 Family Center, 1805 Broadway St., Concord. $15. 798-0887.
Presented by Chamber Music San Francisco. 2:30 p.m. Lesher Feb. 20 Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $51. lesher- “Soul Nite Out” Featuring Larry Dunn and benefiting Child Abuse Prevention artscenter.org. 943-7469. Council of Contra Costa County. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $35-$135. lesherartsFeb. 18 – Mar. 12 center.org. 943-7469.
“Hair”
Musical about Vietnam-era youths creating their own rite of passage through the confusion around them. Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St., San Francisco. victoriatheatre.org.
Feb. 19 – 20 “Guys and Dolls JR.”
Oddball romantic comedy presented by SingOut! Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. $20. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 19, 21 “The Emperor’s New Clothes”
Performed by El Campanil’s Children’s Theatre. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $8-$12. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Feb. 20 Family Concert
Diablo Symphony concert featuring The Fratello Marionettes and instrument petting zoo. Concert 2 p.m.; zoo 2:45 p.m. Concord High School, 4200 Concord Blvd., Concord. Free. diablosymphony.org.
Feb. 20 – 21 Camp and School Fair
Presented by Diablo Symphony Orchestra. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $33. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Presented by Music Repertoire. 3:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Feb. 28 Concert
Panel conversation about how to support Muslims in our comPresented by West Coast Performing Arts Presenters. 7:30 p.m. munity against Islamophobia and racism. Open to the public. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $45. 7:30 p.m. Meet in the church at St. Bonaventure’s, 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. Free. For more information, contact Eileen lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Limberg at 672-5800, ext. 2217.
Jan. 29 – Feb. 27 “Born Yesterday”
Jan. 31 Voice Recital
Feb. 28 “Broadway at the Movies”
Performed by Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10$30. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Jan. 29 – Feb. 14 “You Can’t Take It with You”
Deliriously witty screwball comedy. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $33-$53. centerrep.org. 9437469.
newsandcalendar@concordpioneer.com
Presented by West Coast Performing Arts Presenters. 8 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $45. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.
Booths for camps, schools, sports; activities and exhibitions. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Free. Feb. 20 at San Ramon Valley High School, 501 Danville Blvd., Danville. www.trivalleycampfair.com. Feb. 21 at Acalanes High School, 1200 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette. www.contracostacampfair.com.
A comedy that is fun for the whole family. Onstage Theatre at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. $10-$17. onstagetheatre.homestead.com. 518-3277.
January 29, 2016
Feb. 21 Ravel’s “Mother Goose”
Feb. 27 “Broadway at the Movies”
Performed by Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $7-$15. elcampaniltheatre.com.
Feb. 27 “Come Together: The Beatles Concert Experience”
Feb. 27 Sadie Hawkins Dinner Dance
Dance to The Spare Change Band. Proceeds benefit charities supported by Concord Moose Lodge. 6:30 p.m. #567 Family Center, 1805 Broadway St., Concord. $13. 798-0887.
Mar. 12 Athletic Boosters Banquet
Dinner, auction, raffle. All proceeds benefit Ygnacio Valley High School sports teams. Adults only. 6:30 p.m. St. John Vianney Church, 1650 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. $35 by Feb. 19; $40 after. Go to yvhs.mdusd.org and click on Athletic Boosters.
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 646-5455. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb.
1: Art of Chinese Painting, 7 p.m. 4: Origami in the Library, 4 p.m. 8: STEAM Projects, 7 p.m. Registration required. 9: Crafty Tuesday, 4 p.m. Registration required. 22: Movie Monday, 7 p.m.
The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at claytonlibrary.org or call 673-0659. Feb. 1 – 29: Winter Reading Program, kindergarten thru third grade Feb. 8, 22: Clayton Knits, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 8: Clayton Library Book Club, 7 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 ParkPresented by West Coast Performing Arts Presenters. 7:30 p.m. side Dr. cityofconcord.org. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $45. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. Meeting dates and times for local clubs and or-
ganizations are listed at concordpioneer.com. Click on ‘Links’
T H E ARTS
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 15
Annual Shellie Awards honors local stars
Denison, the Shellies honor individuals and companies for outThe cast of ‘A Trip Down Broadway’ standing contributions to the were first up on the program at the arts. Twenty awards were given 37th Shellie Awards, Jan. 16 out this year with local companies winning their fair share. “I was so thrilled to be nomSALLY HOGARTY inated for Outstanding ChoreSTAGE STRUCK ography given all the other talented choreographers in this A glitzy extravaganza capti- area, and then to win! I was elatvated those in the performing ed and so happy for Clayton arts community on Jan. 16 as the Theatre Company,” says artistic 37th Annual Shellie Awards took director LaTonya Watts, who over Walnut Creek’s Lesher Cen- won for “A Trip Down Broadter for the Arts. With spotlights way,” a show she and Roxanne highlighting the event, local Pardi wrote. Watts tied for the artists left their jeans at home choreography award with Jenand entered the gala awards cer- nifer Perry, who choreographed emony costumed in gorgeous Contra Costa Musical Theatre’s gowns, tuxedos and other cre- “The Music Man.” Watts adds, “It’s a joy to share this award ative wear. The brain-child of Scott with Jennifer. I have always admired her work, and I hope and families, Solo Opera pres- each other.” we get to work together one ents “The Computer Kid’s While I couldn’t agree more day.” Magic Night” March 4 and 5 at with Panuska, what I find truly In addition to Watts, Sunny the Lesher Center in Walnut amazing about this opera is that Shergill of Pittsburg Communi- Creek. Joann E. Feldman wrote it 30 ty Theatre took home a Shellie The story tells of a little boy years ago. “The Computer Kid’s for Outstanding Lighting who spends all his time playing Magic Night” plays at 7:30 p.m. Design for “Greater Tuna” computer games while neglect- March 4 and at 2 p.m. March 5. while Brentwood Community ing his studies and other activi- Tickets are $25-$35. Call 925Theatre’s Doug Brown won ties. When he accidentally types 943-SHOW or go to Outstanding Scenic Design for magic words into the computer www.lesherartscenter.org for “Hello Dolly!” Not to be out- and several characters pop out, a tickets. done, Onstage Theatre’s Jennifer fun-filled ride ensues. During the Sally Hogarty is well known Brown Peabody won one of the course of the one-hour comic around the Bay Area as a newspaevening’s top awards – Out- opera, they convince Mickey to per columnist, theatre critic and standing Actress for her per- use the computer and his time working actress. She is the editor of formance in “Mama Won’t Fly.” more wisely. the Orinda News. Send comments CASS PANUSKA Adding to the evening’s “Playing the parents in this to sallyhogarty@gmail.com excitement, the building was show is a natural fit for us,” says Tamara Steiner evacuated when the fire alarms Torlef Borsting, who along with CLAYTON THEATRE COMPANY’S LATONYA WATTS (left) took went off. Fortunately for those his wife Cass Panuska, is a prohome the Shellie for choreography for ‘A Trip Down Broad- in sleeveless attire, it wasn’t rain- fessional opera singer. The way,’ directed by Roxanne Pardi (right) at the 37th Annual ing at the time and the all-clear Pleasant Hill residents have a 3Piedmont Oakland Repertory Theatre presents Shellie Awards on Jan. 16. sounded within10 minutes. For a year-old son and an 8-week-old complete listing of award win- baby boy. “Performing these ners, go to www.lesherartscen- roles combines our daily parentter.org. ing routine with our discipline as Not one to rest on her lau- artists,” he adds. The vampire myth with a new twist. rels, Onstage Theatre’s artistic An original musical by John McMullen, “Working together allows us director Helen Means opens one to practice more at home with Tal Ariel, and Elizabeth Jane Dunne. of my favorite comedies “You the children,” says Panuska. Directed by John McMullen. Can’t Take It With You” on Jan. “Families are encouraged to see 29 at the Martinez Campbell this opera because of its refreshFridays, Saturdays Sundays. All performances at 7:30 pm. Theater, 636 Ward Street. If ing take on the role that technolTickets $19-29. you’ve never met the eccentric ogy plays in our everyday lives. Sycamore family, here is your We must remember to put down www.PiedmontOaklandRep.org chance. Their charming antics our devices and really spend or call Brown Paper Tickets 800-838-3006. will have you laughing until you time looking at and listening to Pacific Boychoir Academy 215 Ridgeway Ave Oakland, just off Piedmont Ave. cry as they explore the meaning of love and family. Call 925-518Serving Northern California for Over 30 Years 3277 for tickets. & RANDY NOTT AND KATHRYN MCCARTY star in Onstage Continuing its mission of Theatre’s crazy comedy, ‘You Can’t Take It With You,’ at presenting opera for children the Campbell Theatre in Martinez Jan. 29-Feb. 27. Specializing in Large Hazardous Trees & Heritage Oak trees Crane Service Tree & Stump Removal Arborist Consulting Arborist Reports 24 HOUR FREE EMERGENCY Pruning/Cabling OMG, I Love That Show! but by being one. 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Diablo Ballet begins 2016 with George Balanchine’s ‘Apollo’
Diablo Ballet presents the second program of their 22nd season by celebrating the power of dance with “Precision and Balance,” Feb. 5 and 6 at the Del Valle Theatre in Walnut Creek. Diablo Ballet will open the performance with the full production of George Balanchine’s masterpiece, “Apollo,” staged by Christopher Stowell, former San Francisco Ballet principal dancer who performed in almost every Balanchine production presented there during his sixteen-year tenure. Balanchine was only 24 years old when he create
“Apollo” and regarded it as his artistic coming of age. The ballet premiered in 1928 at the Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt in Paris. The February program also features My Way, choreographed by Tina Kay Bohnstedt and made famous by Frank Sinatra. First performed in 2011, My Way is a duet for two men, showcasing their virtuosity and will be performed to live music.
For performance times and ticket information, call 925-943-SHOW (7469) or visit www.lesherartscenter.org or www.diabloballet.org.
Photo by: Bérenger Zyla
Precision and Balance – George Balanchine’s Apollo Dancers: Rosselyn Ramirez, Raymond Tilton
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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
January 29, 2016
Teams in home stretch to earn NCS berths JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
the past six seasons the two schools have been in first and second and probably will make that six of seven when league play ends next month. A pair of sophomores, Emily Kaleal (CVC) and Jasmine Safarians (CP), have been putting in goals at a fast pace for the league leaders. DVAL boys and girls matches continue through Feb. 11 with NCS playoffs Feb. 1727.
The final season of Diablo Valley Athletic League winter sports is well underway with soccer, basketball and wrestling teams seeking top finishes in league that will hopefully lead them into postseason action in North Coast Section and beyond. And in this final season of the DVAL before all the teams move into the new Diablo Athletic League in the fall some upstart teams are looking to shakeup the recent status quo.
GIRLS BASKETBALL Clayton Valley and Northgate have won all seven DVAL girls basketball titles since the league was realigned in 2008-9 school year to setup the current configuration of schools. The Broncos won three of the first four league championships while the Eagles have captured four of the last five crowns. During the time the DVAL titlist was undefeated five times. This season’s race reaches the halfway mark this week. Surprising Concord High is leading the pack through five rounds with a 5-0 record. The Minutemen of Terrance O’Kelley haven’t finished in the top four of the league since they last reached the NCS playoffs in 2010. This far into the season Concord is the only DVAL team—boys or girls—with an overall winning record. Concord girls were energized by winning the West Coast Jamboree Quartz Division title over the holiday break. Carondelet lost a heartbreaker to Brea Olinda in the Diamond Division championship game of the Jamboree. Northgate is second and CVCHS third as the first half
Photo courtesy Concord High School
CONCORD HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL has been like the rest of the DVAL schools who have always looked up at Clayton Valley Charter or Northgate as the league champion in the past seven years. This season the Minutemen are looking to change that. They won West Coast Jamboree Quartz Division last month with Alyssa Pluth, Francheska Calagui and Ciara O’Kelley earning all-tournament honors and Jessica Solis named MVP. The celebrating Jamboree champs included, front from left, Calagui, Pluth, Jontara West-Blackburn; back row, O’Kelley, Teresa Nyugen, Mikaela Bautista, Diamond Williams, Sheridan Todd, Gaby Lomeli and Solis.
of the round-robin schedule and teams tangle to get one of the four spots in the league playoffs Feb. 18-20. Only Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley appear to have little chance of reaching the final four. DVAL regular-season games continue through Feb. 16 with NCS playoffs Feb. 23Mar. 5. The Northern Califor-
Ipsen begins drive to Rio after winning his 13th and 14th national diving championships JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Kristian Ipsen, fresh off finishing his Stanford studies and looking ahead to this summer’s Rio Olympics, won his 13th and 14th national diving titles just before Christmas in Indianapolis and now he’s got a full slate of international meets ahead as he seeks to reach his second Olympic Games representing the USA. The De La Salle grad from Clayton has been invited to participate in the FINA/NVC Diving World Series, a fourmeet, invitation-only circuit in March and April for the top finishers from the 2015 FINA World Championships. Before that Ipsen will join American teammates for the FINA Diving World Cup in Rio Feb. 1924 as divers get a look at the Olympic venue and seek to secure places for their countries in each Olympic event. Ipsen took gold in the men’s three-meter individual and synchronized (with partner Sam Dorman) events at the USA Diving Winter National Championships. He said after the meet, “I’m really happy with how this entire week has gone. This [2016] is a big year and this is the start of that year. “I broke my hand at the
beginning of October and I was really nervous because I wasn’t sure how this week was going to go or if I was even going to be able to dive. I’ve been around for a really long time though and I feel like my experience has kind of taken over. I’m feeling really confident with these competitions,” added Ipsen, who won bronze with Troy Dumais in synchronized three-meter at the 2012 Olympic Games. Joining Ipsen in the World Series are David Boudia, Amy Cozad, Dorman and Steele Johnson. Each had top-seven showings at last year’s World Championships to receive invitations to compete at the four World Series meets this spring in Beijing, Dubai, Canada and Russia. Johnson and Ipsen each will compete in two events at the World Cup in Rio. Ipsen is set to compete individually and with Dorman in synchronized 3-meter. That duo finished seventh in synchronized threemeter at the World Championships to earn their World Series berth in that event. The World Cup is the final opportunity for countries to qualify for the Olympic Games in diving. Diving at the Rio Games is Aug. 7-20. The US Olympic Diving Trials are June 18-26 in Indianapolis.
nia playoffs run Mar. 9-19 and the State finals are Mar. 24-26 in Sacramento. Clayton Valley has been in the NorCal girls playoffs four of the five years.
BOYS BASKETBALL College Park has had a fantastic run on the basketball court with four straight DVAL titles (and five in six years) that included going all the way to State Division II championship game in 2013. The Falcons have started off this league season no differently with five straight wins. Concord and Clayton Valley Charter have remained close on their heels. The Minutemen dropped a
two-point game in Pleasant Hill to College Park in their first league meeting. Coach Corey Battle says his team is led by senior captains Dru Solis and Pat O’Shea who are both four-year varsity lettermen. He says, Solis has been the heartbeat to this team from day one since I got here. His hard work and effort has led to three triple doubles this season. Returning first-team allDVAL player TJ Quezon has been a consistent scorer from three-point range. Sophomore guard Garrett Pascoe was honorable mention all-DVAL as a freshman and has stepped up his game this
winter for CVCHS. His sister Hailey won back-to-back DVAL girls basketball MVP awards. The top four boys teams will be in the DVAL playoffs Feb. 18-20 and it should be a battle to the finish for placings and thus seedings in the fourteam playoffs. GIRLS SOCCER College Park has won outright or shared four straight league crowns and is in a twoteam fight with Clayton Valley Charter for this year’s championship. The teams have yet to lose after a scoreless draw in their first meeting. In five of
BOYS SOCCER Ygnacio Valley and Clayton Valley Charter have taken a first-place tie into the second half of the DVAL schedule. The Eagles defeated the warriors 2-0 in their firstround meeting, the first loss in league play by YV since 2012-13 season. Last year’s league champs College Park are currently fourth with Concord nipping on the heels of the co-leaders. The Falcons offense is again led by returning DVAL offensive MVP junior Justin Bedig while sophomore Jesus Martinez has injected goalscoring into the CVCHS offense. Coach Guillermo Jara has his Clayton Valley side back in title contention for the first time since the Eagles won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 and then a second-place finish in 2012 when they went all the way to the NCS Division I semifinals. WRESTLING College Park is a perennial wrestling power but the Falcons lost a dual meet to Northgate giving the Falcons an edge winning the regular-season title following the final round of matches Feb. 3. Clayton Valley hosts the DVAL Championships on Wednesday, Feb. 17. The NCS dual team meet is at Liberty High School in Brentwood on Saturday, Feb. 13. The NCS championships are in Union City at James Logan High Feb. 26-27, a week before the State Meet in Bakersfield Mar. 4-5.
Concord lad chasing Jeff Gordon dreams JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Ayers Elementary School fifth grader Joey Ancona has been racing cars for over half his life and he began 2016 in impressive fashion by winning the Donnie Ray Crawford Hard Charger award at the 31st annual Tulsa Shootout in Oklahoma earlier this month in his micro sprint car. The 11-year-old from Concord began racing quarter midgets at five and since then has set numerous track records around California and won an unprecedented seven national championships in every class by age eight. When he was nine he jumped up to micro sprint cars and continued his winning ways. Racing is a family affair for the Ancona family as mom Shari, dad Joe, big sister Ava and crew member Jeff Tucker are part of Team Ancona as they visit tracks almost every weekend during the March to November season. This year will be no different as the young racer plans on racing at all four major Northern California tracks: Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia, Lemoore Raceway, Delta Speedway in Stock-
Photo courtesy Brian Lugo @ BLP
TEAM ANCONA CELEBRATES ANOTHER WIN FOR 11-YEAR-OLD JOEY ANCONA OF CONCORD. The Concord family travels around the state and beyond as Joey Ancona races his No. 88 micro sprint car. Celebrating are, from left, dad Joe Ancona, mom Shari Ancona, sister Ava Ancona, Ritchie Fenton, Joey Ancona, trophy girl Lauren Westra and crew member Jeff Tucker.
ton and Dixon Speedway. The team’s plans also include a return trip to Tulsa for the biggest micro sprint car race of the year where there are over 1,200 entries. Piloting his No. 88 car Ancona has racked up a slew of accomplishments in the past two years, including Rook-
ie of the Year and track championship in Stockton, Dixon Speedway Lonnie Kaiser Memorial championship and the Plaza Park Raceway Turkey Bowl title. He won a dozen micro midget feature races and had 33 top five placings. Many of his exploits are memorialized on his own
YouTube page as the family is always looking for sponsors to help defray the costs of the car and travel. One day Joey Ancona might be mentioned in the same sentence as another Bay Area youngster who started racing quarter midgets at fiveyears-old: Jeff Gordon.
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com mier League. His club team won the November Nights Elite College Showcase in Carlsbad on the Thanksgiving weekend in Southern California right before the start of this high school season. Diaz has been playing soccer since he was six and racked up all-DVAL honors in his first two years at Ygnacio Valley. Off the soccer field he volunteers through his LDS church doing home visits and is a member of Heath Occupation Students of America and competed at HOSA State Leadership conference last April earning third place overall. After high school, Diaz wants to attend college and pursue a career in the health field.
Athlete Spotlight
Jose “Pepe” Diaz Sanchez
Grade: Junior School: Ygnacio Valley High Sport: Soccer
Pepe Diaz is on the Ygnacio Valley High varsity soccer team for the third year and the junior hopes to help the Warriors to their eighth straight North Coast Section berth and also get them back to the top of the Diablo Valley Athletic League. The Warriors of coach Cesar Chavez had won three consecutive league titles before coming up a little short last year to College Park in
spite of not losing a single league game. A team captain, Diaz plays as a defensive midfielder for YVHS. Coach Chavez says, “He’s a great leader who plays for the team and doesn’t care about personal statistics. He plays a big part in the success of YV soccer.” He also is a member of Diablo FC 98 competitive team (ranked in the top 30 in America) playing in the National Pre-
The Concord Pioneer congratulates Jose 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 Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@concordpioneer.com.
Page 17
Ex-major leaguer Clyde Mashore dies JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
Concord native Clyde Mashore, who went from a school Hall of Fame career at Clayton Valley High School to a five-year major league baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos, died last Saturday in Brentwood. He was 70 Mashore graduated from Clayton Valley in 1964 and made is major league debut July 11, 1969, for the Reds. He finished his final season with the Expos in 1973. He was a member of the inaugural CVHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. His son Damon Mashore followed his dad to MLB with the Oakland A’s. Younger brother Justin
CLYDE MASHORE
Mashore played many years in professional baseball without making it to MLB as a player but is now the assistant hitting coach for the Texas Rangers. Both sons are also members of the CVHS Hall of Fame.
DLS begins and ends football season as No. 1 in America JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer
California’s high school football season came to an end in Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium last month as De La Salle climbed to the top of the state’s prep football mountain for the seventh time in the 10 years of the renewed California bowl games. In the same venue earlier that day Clayton
Photo courtesy Phillip Walton/ SportStars Magazine
Third-year head coach Justin Alumbaugh (right) and quality control coach Joe Aliotti celebrate De La Salle’s seventh state championship following the 28-21 win at Sacramento State Hornet Stadium over the nation’s No. 1 ranked team Centennial of Corona. The Spartans began the season ranked No1 in America and following the state championship game they were back in that perch of the MaxPreps national poll.
Valley Charter came up a little short in the State CIF Bowl game for the second successive year. The Eagles lost to Narbonne of Harbor City 28-14 in the new Division I-A finals while De La Salle captured the Open Division title with a 2821 victory over Centennial of Corona in a rematch of last year’s finale. De La Salle began the 2015 season as No. 1 in the country. An undefeated 14-0 record from the 2014 season and a senior-dominated roster made coach Justin Alumbaugh’s Spartans the team to beat. DLS then lost its opening game 2621 in Texas with a mistakeladen performance that left the players and coaches disappointed in their performance. That was the last time the Spartans came up short as they rolled off 14 consecutive wins behind a stifling defense. The defense faced what some considered an impossible challenge in the State Bowl game as Centennial came into the clash as the top-ranked team in America and averaging 56.5 points a game. A year earlier in the championship game DLS outscored Centennial 63-42, the most points ever allowed by De La Salle. This time DLS had to come from behind twice as Centennial took 14-7 and 21-14 leads before a pair of big offensive plays gave the Spartans touchdowns and then turned the game over to the defense leading 28-21. Five times during
Jason Rogers
JAKE PERALTA (32) WAS A DEFENSIVE STANDOUT for the Clayton Valley Charter football team the past two seasons including winning league Defensive MVP honors this year. Due to a slew of injuries at the quarterback position by the time of the State Bowl game against Narbonne he was also playing QB for the Eagles, who came up short in the state finals for the second year in a row.
the game De La Salle stopped the powerhouse Centennial offense on downs. Defensive coordinator Terry Eidson had apologized to Alumbaugh after last year’s defensive effort in the state title game. After this championship game in December Eidson told the team they were one of the greatest defenses ever at the school. The state title win moved De La Salle back to No.1 in the final national MaxPreps Freeman rankings. Showing the level of competition, Centen-
Clayton Valley Charter on National TV in September
Clayton Valley Charter will be playing in the Honor Bowl Sept. 3 against Helix High of La Mesa. The high school football game may be televised nationally on Fox Sports, CVCHS coach Tim Murphy announced. The game in Mission Viejo will precede the final game of the day featuring IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) against Centennial of Corona which has lost to De La Salle the last two years in the State championship game. Southern Section champion Helix lost the 1-AA Southern California title game last December to undefeated Mission Viejo which went on to win the state championship. CVCHS played in the Honor Bowl two years ago in Sacramento defeating Carson of Nevada. The Ugly Eagles were originally announced to be playing Don Bosco Prep but the costs of transcontinental travel was too prohibitive for the New Jersey team.
nial was second in the final rankings. Alumbaugh and Centennial coach Matt Logan were two of six finalists for the AllAmerican Bowl National Coach of the Year Award. Alumbaugh took over for the legendary Bob Ladouceur as DLS coach for the 2013 season. His three seasons have yielded a 41-2 record with the only other loss 20-14 to St. John Bosco, led by quarterback Josh Rosen (now a star at UCLA), in the 2013 state championship De La Salle has now defeated Centennial four of the five times they have meet since 2006 in the state championship game. Overall, DLS
FORMER SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS COACH JIM HARBAUGH has been making quite a name for himself recruiting high school athletes to the University of Michigan. Last week he was at De La Salle High School to visit with 5 Star recruits Boss Tagaloa and Devin Asiasi. He sat in Tagaloa’s World Religions class taught by Dr. Marcy Fox. The coach told Fox he was “fascinated with the lesson” while the teacher, who is on the faculty of Carondelet, says she thought he was the De La Salle football coach. Not be outdone, National Champion offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin of Alabama was on the DLS campus that same day to meet the two uncommitted recruits who are expected to announce their college choices Feb. 3 live in the school gym on ESPN’s National Letter of Intent day coverage.
UGLY EAGLES NO. 2 IN STATE
Clayton Valley Charter has experienced unprecedented success over the past four years under head coach Tim Murphy and his high-powered winggun offense. This year looked to be more of the same with seniors running back Ray Jackson and quarterback Luis Ramos leading the team through the regular season to an 8-1 record only losing 27-26 to defending state champion Folsom in its opener. The Eagles won their fourth straight Diablo Valley
STATE BOWL REPEAT That put the Concord school back in the state limelight against Southern California powerhouse Narbonne. By then, backup quarterback Zia Rahmany was also injured and unavailable. Up stepped Peralta who didn’t have a single rushing attempt all year until the playoffs. Murphy put him in the shotgun and Peralta carried 27 times for 123 yards against Narbonne while Jackson gained 139 from scrimmage. Clayton Valley dominated possession but gave up three quick Narbonne touchdown drives and eventually fell a win shot of a first-ever state title. “I couldn’t be more proud of our seniors. This class is the first to go through out program for four years. The seniors were good representatives of our program, gave great
See Football, page 18
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has won seven of their 10 State Bowl outings.
Athletic League title and seemed primed to win its third North Coast Section crown in four years. Then injuries began to take their toll. All-league QB Ramos was injured in the NCS opener and never played again. Jackson was dinged up twice in the second half of the season and saw his per carry average dip as he continued to play hurt through the playoffs. Despite the injuries on offense the Eagles junior-laden defense, led by league defensive MVP Jake Peralta, proved vital as the team won the NCS title in a thrilling 23-22 victory over rival Concord and then took its second straight Northern California Bowl game championship 21-3 over Oak Grove of San Jose.
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January 29, 2016
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TYLER LEHMAN SPORTS TALK
The Raiders finished the 2015 season 7-9. It was another year of missing the playoffs, but a young core of players drafted the past two years brings promise for the future. Gabe Jackson, T.J. Carrie, Mario Edwards Jr., Clive Walford and a trio of Pro Bowlers Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack are all impact players that have been drafted in 2014 or 2015. The Raiders hold the 14th overall pick in the 2016 draft and general manager Reggie McKenzie will be looking to hit the jackpot again, just like he’s done in his previous two drafts. The Raiders desperately need secondary help and depth on both the offensive and defensive lines. A couple of players that seem logical for the Raiders to go after with their first-round pick are defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche and corner-
back Mackensie Alexander. Nkemdiche has plenty of red flags coming out of Ole Miss. He was suspended from the Sugar Bowl after being charged with marijuana possession in Atlanta. In a bizarre series of events, Nkemdiche jumped out of a broken 15-foot window and was later charged by police. While Nkemdiche may come across as a loose cannon, his talent is undeniable. He has incredible athleticism for a man his size at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds. His burst off the line allows him to shut down run plays in an instant and his athleticism makes him a dangerous pass rusher as well. Nkemdiche doesn’t fit the mold of high-character guys the Raiders have been drafting in recent years, but his talent might be too much for the Raiders to pass up. Pairing Nkemdiche with Mack, Edwards Jr. and Aldon
Football, from page 17
effort and also kept up their grades in the classroom,” Murphy said. Senior safety Nathaniel Ewing discussed how his team overcame setbacks. “I’m proud we made it that far with all the adversity and how tough we
Sports Shorts
LOCAL PLAYERS MAKE ALL-NCS WATER POLO TEAMS
Coaches from throughout the North Coast Section annually select all-NCS teams from their tournament and have announced their 2015 teams. Boys Division II champions Northgate were honored with senior Ivan Korolev named MVP. Local players: Boys-DI 1st team Jake Simpson (De La Salle) Sr; 2nd team Scott Meylan (Clayton Valley Charter) Sr; honorable mention Ben Robinow (Clayton Valley Charter) Jr. DII MVP Korolev; 1st team Decklan Cashman (Northgate) Jr., Alex Johnson (Concord) Sr., Korolev; 2nd team Ryan Henderson (Northgate) So., Tanner Armas (Northgate) Fr. GIRLS-DI 3rd team Bailey Reading (Clayton Valley Charter) Jr.; DII 1st team Tatum Turetzky (Northgate) Sr.; 2nd team Allison Carr (Carondelet) Jr., Karlee Kronquist (Concord) Jr.; 3rd team Ali Bamberger (Carondelet) Fr., Marisa DeMeo (Northgate) Sr., Zoe Ramia (Northgate) Sr.
DIABLO FC U8-U14 COMPETITIVE SOCCER TRYOUTS UNDERWAY
Diablo FC tryouts for the 2016 season for under 8 through under 14 boys and girls competitive teams are underway at Clayton Valley Charter High School and Diablo Valley College. There is no charge to try out and players can register today at diablofc.org. For more information on the club, tryouts and late player evaluations contact director of coaching Zach Sullivan at zachsullivan@gmail.com.
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Smith could culminate in the best defensive front seven in the NFL. If the Raiders shy away from Nkemdiche, there is a very high probability they will draft a cornerback. The emergence of David Amerson was a godsend for the Raiders, but overall the team’s secondary needs major improvement. Outside of Amerson and Carrie, the Raiders don’t have any other reliable players in the secondary following the retirement of Charles Woodson. Alexander out of Clemson would be a great pick for the Raiders. Jalen Ramsey and Vernon Hargreaves III are two other corners the Raiders would love to draft, but it doesn’t seem likely that either of them will still available when the Raiders pick. Alexander is arguably the best cover corner in the draft. He doesn’t stand out on the stat
SPRING PROGRAMS AT ALL OUT SPORTS LEAGUES TAKING REGISTRATION
Spring programs in Clayton offered by All Out Sports Leagues includes Spring Break Basketball Camp Mar. 28-31 for boys and girls in first through 10th grades, Blaze travel spring baseball tryouts for 13-14U team and youth spring basketball league beginning in March through May 21. For complete information on All Out Sports programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.
MDSA SPRING SOCCER GEARING UP
Mt. Diablo Soccer Association will have its spring season from Mar. 19-May 21. U5-U14 boys and girls teams will be assembled next month and play on Saturdays. The U16/U19 co-ed division is on a Sunday afternoon schedule. Visit mdsoccer.org for more information. Guaranteed placement registration ends Monday.
CONCORD CUP XXIII COMING MAY 14-15
The area’s largest annual youth soccer tournament, Concord Cup, returns for its 23rd season at a variety of local parks. Boys and girls club and recreation teams from under 10 through U19 are eligible to participate. Visit concordcup.com for complete information and to register a team or referee to participate.
DIABLO FC U15-U19 PREMIER TEAMS HOLDING FREE OPEN TRAINING FEB. 28 AT CVCHS
The area’s competitive soccer club, Diablo FC, will hold opening training at Clayton Valley Charter High School on Sunday, Feb. 28, for its U15-U19 teams. All players are invited to attend the free session. Diablo FC Premier teams compete in the National Premier League of US Club Soccer and participates at several college showcase tournaments each year. Tryouts for all U15-U19 teams will be held in May. For more information on the club, premier teams and tryouts contact director of coaching Zach Sullivan at zachsullivan@gmail.com.
YGNACIO VALLEY HIGH HOSTING ALL-COMERS TRACK & FIELD MEET MAR. 5
Ygnacio Valley High is hosting its annual all-comers track and field meet on Saturday, Mar. 5, from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on the all-weather track at the Concord school. There will be eight individual events (shot put, high jump, long jump and 100-200400-800-1600 meter runs) and two relays for boys and girls from preschool through high school and senior classifications.
sheet but the guy can blanket wide receivers. He’d fit perfectly in the Raiders defensive system. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. likes to utilize a lot of man-to-man coverage, something Alexander excels at. The Raiders are a team on the rise, and in large part it’s due to their terrific drafting. The 2016 draft in Chicago on April 28-30 offers a chance for another stellar crop pf rookies. Both Nkemdiche and Alexander have the type of talent needed to get the Raiders back into the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Tyler Lehman is a senior at San Francisco State University and a 2012 CVHS graduate. He is majoring in print/online journalism and wants to be a sports writer. Email your comments or questions to tyler@concordpioneer.com.
continued to provide leadership, the coach explained. “Resilient” is the word Murphy used to describe the 2015 season. In four years Murphy’s teams have won league every season, taken three NCS and two NorCal bowl championships and compiled a 51-7 record.
played throughout the season. It was a good way to go out,” he concluded. By the end of the year 15 of the 22 starters were juniors but the seniors (those still starting, injured seniors and players who CVCHS student correspondent had been replaced as starters) Tommy Vo contributed to the story.
YVHS is using the meet as a team fund raiser for a finish line timing system. Contact coach George Francis at coachfrancisyvhs@hotmail.com for details.
CVCHS BASEBALL’S 4TH HOT STOVE DINNER FEB. 12 IN WALNUT CREEK
New Texas Rangers hitting coach Justin Mashore, a Clayton Valley High School Hall of Fame member, will be the guest speaker at the fourth annual CVCHS Hot Stove Dinner on Friday, Feb. 12. Eagles baseball coach Casey Coakley says the evening’s festivities will whet the appetite of baseball fans, Clayton Valley alumni and current CVCHS families in the cold winter months before spring training starts again. Door prizes, raffles and the steak and chicken dinner benefit CVCHS Baseball and its scholarship fund. The event is from 6-9 p.m. at Shadelands Civic Arts Center, 111 N. Wiget Ln. at Ygnacio Valley Rd. in Walnut Creek. For more information and to buy tickets at $50 each call Maria Bekakis (925-285-6016) or email coach Coakley at uglyeaglebaseball@gmail.com.
ST. BONAVENTURE CYO TRACK STARTS FEB. 1
St. Bonaventure CYO spring track and field is open to boys and girls in second through eighth grades. Practices beginning Feb. 1 are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5-6:15 p.m. at Newhall Park. Saturday meets begin Mar. 5 and the season runs through May 7 culminating with the Oakland Diocese championships. For more info call (925) 969-0207, email coach Matt Tillman at matttillman@gmail.com or go to stbonaventurecyo.com.
CLAYTON VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE TAKING WAITLIST PLAYERS
Tryouts for Clayton Valley Little League have wrapped up. Registration is for the spring 2016 baseball program for players ages four to 14 and softball for girls four to 14 is only being taken for waitlist status. The CVLL program includes a Challenger Division for players with physical and mental special needs. Players must reside within the CVLL boundaries. Go to cvll.org for complete information and to register.
DIABLO FC BENEFIT CRAB FEED FEB. 5 AT CENTRE CONCORD
The 13th annual Diablo FC benefit crab feed and raffle is set for next Friday, Feb. 5, at Centre Concord. Tickets are now on sale for the event that benefits programs for the local competitive youth soccer club affiliated with the San Jose Earthquakes. This year’s Super Raffle includes a super Disneyland Family Vacation including airfare, hotel and park tickets. Visit diablofc.org for more details and to purchase crab feed and super raffle tickets.
CONCORD ADULT SOFTBALL AND PICKLEBALL TEAM REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Adults looking for exercise in a fun environment should consider signing up for one of Concord’s adult sports leagues – softball or pickleball. The city offers one of the largest adult softball leagues in the Bay Area for all skill levels. Registration packets are available for the 12-game summer season that runs from April through midAugust. One of the nation’s fastest growing sports is pickleball. The game combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong. Played on a badminton-sized court with a lower net, large wooden or composite paddles are used with a plastic whiffle ball. The sport is easy to learn and suited for all athletic abilities. There are drop-in hours at Willow Pass Tennis Courts six days a week. Introductory and intermediate morning and evening pickleball classes begin in April. For more information on all Concord Rec adult sports programs, call (925) 671-3423. For all Concord Parks & Recreation classes now taking registration, visit concordreg.org.
CONCORD AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE LATE REGISTRATION
Concord American Little League is open to boys and girls from 4-14 within the league boundaries. Tryouts are concluding but interested players can register at callbaseball.org if there are any openings.
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Feral pigs make a mess of the mountain
After the recent rains, the tracks of feral pigs seem to be everywhere in Mount Diablo State Park. If you’ve spent much time hiking the trails in the last weeks, you may have come upon areas that looked freshly furrowed, as if someone had broken the soil for a new garden. But most likely, you were seeing the work of hungry pigs in the act of rooting for food, any food. They’re not supposed to be here, and while there are other plants and animals living in the park that are also nonnatives, feral pigs may be the most destructive of all. Feral pigs in California are a hybrid between European wild boars released by game hunters in the 1920s and domestic pigs
that made their way into the wild since the mid-1800s. Since then, they’ve bulldozed their way into 49 of California’s 58 counties. They’re a problem as well across the U.S., with voracious, wellestablished populations in 36 states. Their style is all-you-can-eat, which is the reason they do so much damage. They aren’t picky. They’ll eat invertebrates, acorns, grasses, flowers, bulbs, berries, reptiles, birds, eggs and animal carcasses. In fact, says Michael Marchiano, a Bay Area naturalist who has spent most of his life studying the flora and fauna around Mt. Diablo, “They would eat you too if you fell down unconscious.” Pigs compete directly with many of our native species, which are dependent on the same food sources pigs seek, and biologists think they may be one of the main reasons that our state bird, the California quail, is struggling to maintain a grip. Quail are ground dwellers; they nest on the ground and spend most of their lives there — and pigs like quail eggs.
Worse news: feral pigs seem to be on the increase everywhere. Mount Diablo State Park has a fluctuating population that isn’t easy to estimate, but what statistics we have look ominous. In recent years, trappers caught about 120 pigs per year, an average of 10 per month. Last year the average was 40 pigs per month. The trend might not continue, but what’s to stop it? Feral pigs are smart, cunning, fast and wary. They’ve learned to avoid people, so are active mostly in the hours we’re not. They get wise quickly to traps and decline to enter them, even if they’re baited with delicious pig snacks such as corn soaked in sour milk. You can help by learning to recognize fresh pig damage and reporting it promptly to park rangers, who rely in part on anecdotal information to place traps more effectively. The emphasis is on “fresh.” If the evidence is more is than about three days old, it’s too late: feral pigs are always on the move and spend only a couple of days in any one location. When you see
Tom Dury’s debut novel, “The End of Vandalism” (Grove Press; Reprint edition; June, 2006) is a quiet book about ordinary people living in rural Minnesota. Not much happens in Grouse County, and that’s kind of reassuring in a time of climate change and presidential elections. Originally published in
1994, “The End of Vandalism” was compared to the works of William Faulkner and Sherwood Anderson. At the heart of this fine novel is love, a love triangle actually, between Grouse County sheriff Dan Norman, his sweet and somewhat remote wife Louise, and her former husband, Tiny Darling. Beautifully written and
artfully crafted, Dury’s novel lures the reader into a sense of sublime normalcy. Dan Norman is a good man, an upright citizen. He manages the criminal element of Grouse County, which isn’t much. He mainly performs worthy acts and discourages the criminal element from disturbing the pervading good-
STACI HOBBET
ON THE MOUNTAIN
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WILY AND DESTRUCTIVE, FERAL PIGS QUICKLY GET WISE TO TRAPPING METHODS. They damage the ecosystem by digging up fragile meadows and competing with native species for the same food sources. Report sightings or damage to park officials.
a disturbed area, look closely at the tracks. Look for sharp edges and fresh roots in the upturned soil. If you see wilted roots, don’t bother: the evidence is past its expiration date. If you see new plant growth in the rototilled soil, keep walking. But keep your eyes open. The easiest time to spot pig sign is just after a rain. Softer soil allows them to root more easily for grubs, bulbs
and anything else nutritious they can find on top of or just under the soil. If you feel sure you’ve spotted fresh evidence of wild pigs in the park, such as tracks, scat or damage, take photos with something for scale — a coin, a key, a pen — note exactly where you are as well as the date and time, and get the info to the rangers. You can call either the
Junction Ranger Station at 925837-6129 or the Summit Visitor Center at 925-837-6119 to make your report, or you can post a private message to the rangers on the Mount Diablo State Park Facebook website. Include photos if at all possible.
Staci Hobbet is a docent with the Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association. Email her at anastasiahobbet @gmail.com
There’s nothing ordinary about ‘Vandalism’
Smith gives heady portrayal of NFL’s concussion problem
JEFF MELLINGER
SCREEN SHOTS
Dr. Bennet Omalu theorized that over the course of a long career, an NFL center will undergo over 70,000 subconcussive hits to the head. It is these blows, Omalu says, that will lead almost 30 percent of NFL players to encounter Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) or other early-onset, dementialike conditions. In another career-defining role, Will Smith plays Omalu in Peter Landesman’s new movie, “Concussion.” Smith inhabits the role with the passion and fire one would expect from a trailblazing doctor like Omalu. By 2015, most people have heard about the recent discoveries of the dangers in football. However, Landesman, who also wrote the script, hooks us by telling the story from Omalu’s side of things. In only his second directing job, Landesman has delivered a movie that deserves our attention. Over the last couple of decades, the sport of football has undergone a big transformation. The overwhelming majority of changes have to do with when, where and how you can tackle a player. At first, the NFL wanted nothing more than to brush Omalu’s CTE findings under the rug. Star players sidelined meant less people watching, and that’s bad for business. Even-
WILL SMITH portrays a doctor raising concerns about sports injuries in “Concussion” (Sony Pictures Entertainment).
tually, the NFL finally realized they had to make some modifications to their rules. The catalyst for the changes can be traced back to Omalu’s findings. As a coroner, he spends far more than the typical amount of time with his autopsies. He talks to the dead, asking them to help solve why they died. His attention to detail is immaculate. When examining the body of Mike Webster, beloved former Pittsburgh Steeler, Omalu realizes there is no reason someone so young should die in such a fashion. Smith brings an understated naiveté to Omalu. As a highly educated Nigerian immigrant, Omalu is ignorant of American football. Watching practices and video highlights, he quickly learns that repeated blows to the head are the norm and something must be done. It is fascinating to watch him do his job. However, the glimpses into his private life, while at times poignant, nevertheless seem to unnecessarily pause the real story. Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays Prema, an immigrant whom Omalu allows to stay at his home. Their friendship even-
tually turns into a relationship. Omalu’s marriage, budding fatherhood, and desire to live the American dream add depth to the character. His life story could have been a movie on its own. Yet, as someone who went to “Concussion” to see the dramatization of science vs. the NFL, the scenes of Omalu’s personal life couldn’t end quickly enough. More meaty aspects to the movie are given short shrift. As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Luke Wilson is given very little to do. In brief roles, the actors playing the former NFL players are gripping in displaying the turmoil experienced by these men suffering from CTE. Anyone who follows the NFL and is curious how the concussion saga unfolded will get a fascinating story with a great job done by Smith. Those who want to remain in the dark on the subject and continue to pay no mind at the devastating effects of football hits had best stay away. B Jeff 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 questions or comments to Editor@ConcordPioneer.com.
ness of his town. Most times, he just does what needs to be done. “One fall they held the blood drive in the fire barn at Grafton. Sheriff Dan Norman was there mainly as a gesture of good will, but one of the nurses didn’t make it, so Dan agreed to place the gauze in the crook of everyone’s arm. “And I thank you,” he would say.” The lyric quality of Dury’s prose is at once calm and compelling, so that both large and small moments are given equal weight. On the day she marries Dan, Louise is at her mother Mary’s house, preparing for the ceremony. “She brushed out her hair and put on her dress. It was yellow with white flowers and a low back. She tied a rose-colored ribbon in her hair, spread her arms, and turned toward the mirror. Her hair was long and brown, and the ribbon made it look coppery.” After she and Dan marry, Louise moves a small trailer onto the farm where they live. She fixes up the trailer as a
CYNTHIA GREGORY
FOR
THE
BOOKS
place for Dan to retreat to when he wants privacy, but instead, she keeps it for herself. She sleeps in the trailer at night and during the day they live as any married couple, sharing meals, making love, discussing current events. Louise suffers an abbreviated pregnancy, after which, she temporarily unravels. She travels with Mary to visit Mary’s sister and her husband, Carol and Kenneth Kennedy, who run a campground on Seldom Lake, in Minnesota. Mother and daughter intend to stay just two weeks, but they lengthen their stay to four. At the end of
a month, Mary returns to Grafton, while Louise stays on at the lake and delivers newspapers. Eventually Louise’s heart heals for the loss of her stillborn daughter, and she returns to her husband. He is glad to have her back. “Dan liked the colors of her hair and skin, the long smooth arc of her back, the sound of her breath. He thought that he would never know anyone like her... wrapped in each other’s arms and seeming to summon everything that had happened to them, good and bad. Their lives rushed in at them, and this is what they were holding on against.” In the end, “The End of Vandalism” isn’t about vandalism at all. It’s about the gift we give to the people we love, everyday. And there’s nothing ordinary about it. Cynthia Gregory is a North Bay nonprofit leader, writer of short fiction, and author of a blog. Email comments and questions to Editor@ConcordPioneer.com
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Benign enlargement of prostate (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that affects American men. It has been estimated that 70 % of all men have enlarged prostate by the age of 60. By age of 80, 90% of men are affected. In other words, every man will have BPH if he lives long enough! Symptoms of BPH can be divided into two categories, obstructive and irritative voiding symptoms. Obstructive urinary symptoms consist of difficulty to initiate the urinary stream, intermittent and slow stream, and post void drib-
bling. Irritative voiding symptoms include sensation of not being able to empty, urinary frequency, urgency, urgent incontinence, burning upon urination and urge to get up at night to urinate. There are many treatment options for BPH. When the symptoms are mild, watchful waiting is often recommended. When the symptoms become moderate or severe, they can be treated with medication, minimally invasive office procedures or surgeries. There is a new procedure called UroLift System which was approved by the FDA within the last year. The UroLift System is a minimally invasive procedure to treat the BPH. It consists of a delivery device and tiny permanent implants which, once deployed in the prostatic urethra, can lift and hold the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way, alleviating compression on the urethra. No cutting, heating, or ablating tissue is involved in the UroLift procedure, making it a unique treatment that does not remove prostate tissue and does not negatively impact a
man’s sexual function. The Urolift is done in an office setting under local anesthesia. It takes 20-30 minutes to perform. Patients can expect symptoms to improve within the first week, and continue improving up to 3 months. Patients may have some mild pelvic discomfort, small amount of blood in the urine and mild urgency and burning upon urination after the procedure. Patients can return to pre-procedural activity level within a week. UroLift System has been evaluated and used extensively in Europe, Australia, and Canada within the last 5-6 years. It has been proven as an effective way of managing BPH. It is an excellent option for patients with BPH looking for an alternative to drug therapy or more invasive surgery.
Dr. Zheng is a board certified urologist with Pacific Urology and sees patients at offices in Concord, Walnut Creek and Brentwood. For more information call 925-9377740 or visit www.pacificurology.com
Page 20
How to stay off the new year’s ‘naughty’ list
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Towards the end of every year, trend watchers in the world of interior design begin to share their outlook on the new year ahead — what’s new and totally hot in the way of furnishings and design styles and what items and styles have been banished, thrown into the interior design abyss of bad and outdated taste. It’s the one time of year that instead of reading the typical glowing reviews about design techniques or mouthwatering descriptions of new furnishings, the online blogs, design magazines and the home section of many newspapers revert to a little trash talking. I guess everyone is entitled to their option. So, how do you ensure that your design project doesn’t land on the “not hot” list? We’ve all had the urge at one time or another to forget our typical design intuition and just give in to something wild and crazy. Maybe the urge is to go with a paint color that typically you would run from. Or maybe you were out and about shopping, and for some reason that lime green shag area rug spoke sweet nothings to you… and then ended up in your living room…under your floral print chairs. The best way to steer clear of the “not hot” list is to do your research. For example, maybe you have an idea for your living room fireplace wall: cabinetry,
January 29, 2016
and architects have taken some design liberty in pushing the envelope, and where others have created the same lovely living spaces, but have used materials that will last the test of time and wear and tear. And how do you identify classic and timeless designs? For me, this means neutral and historical colors for walls and floors. Or I like functional kitchen and bathroom layouts, using building materials that have clean lines and a subtle sparkle. Fabrics for window treatments and furniture that almost have a “blue jean” effect can go with just about anything — for when you do want to have a little fun with trendy accessories, including a lime green shag rug. There’s nothing wrong with trying something new when it comes to design. Design, after all, is about creativity, inspiration and a personal touch, but there is something to be said about spending your budget, and your time, on something that you know deep down is a temporary piece, and not a forever piece. Paint and decoraDON’T BE AFRAID OF COLOR . A pop of chartreuse adds tive furnishings are easy drama to the neutral gray walls in this classic, but enough to change from time to trendy, living room time, but significant projects require much thought and lighting, masonry or trim work. ly say, “just do it”? No. It’s planning. You have an inspiration photo time for homework. It’s time to that you pulled from a maga- identify the classic and timeless zine 10 years ago when you trends on your own. Pull up Jennifer Leischer is the owner of first bought your house, and whatever online design source J. Designs Interior Design based in now have the time and budget speaks to you and click Clayton. Contact her with questo move forward. Do you just through the pages looking for tions, comments and suggestions at hand your contractor the rum- examples of your living space. jenna@j-designs.com. pled magazine page and polite- Look to see where designers
Dress like you mean it SUSAN SAPPINGTON
CLOTHES UP
There is a reason we’ve all heard the saying “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” Like it or not, appearances matter and the way you present yourself can help you get noticed. Time and again my clients have thanked me for assisting them in putting together wardrobes that have helped them feel confident enough to ace their presentations, win their negotiations and close their big transactions. I can help you, too. Just follow these three tips: 1. Dress as if every day is an important day Have you ever wondered why attorneys and bankers wear suits to the office? It’s because, on a moment’s notice, they can be called upon to head to court to argue a client’s case or meet with a prospective or important client. They know how they look can make a huge impact on how they are perceived. Even if suits are not the norm in your workplace, I suggest you always be prepared with a “suited” look because you never know. Let me give you an example. It’s “dress down” Friday and you have no meetings on your calendar. You’re smart enough to know not to wear ripped, faded, or tight jeans to the office, so you decided to wear a great pair of jeans and a cotton blend blouse. There you sit, comfortably working away, when your boss asks you to lunch. You’re no slouch; you’ve brought along your navy stretch jacket that goes with everything. In one instant you
LIKE IT OR NOT, WHAT YOU WEAR IN THE WORKPLACE sends a message about who you are. A polished, pulled-together look says you know the ropes. You are a pro.
can look prepared. 2. Shoes and fingernails Have you been told that the first things people notice are your shoes and your fingernails? It is not necessary to spend hours getting perfect manicures. Be sure you keep your nails trimmed and filed and, if polished, free of any chips. If you have weak or brittle nails apply hand lotion before bed every night to strengthen them. You will realize that you will notice when shoes are scuffed and dull and when fingernails are ragged and nubby. Make sure your shoes are polished, in good shape, and free of any damage. Make sure that they coordinate with your outfit. Shoes do not have to be boring; in fact, a fun animalprint pump can actually serve as a neutral, creative look to the right outfit. 3. Invest in alterations No one has a “perfect” figure, yet you can still look perfect in your clothes. Invest in your future by finding a good tailor to make any necessary alterations to your wardrobe. You do not want to ruin your look by letting your pants drag on the ground because they are
too long or look like you are wearing someone else’s jacket because the sleeves are too long. The majority of my clothing is altered as I have to increase the size of my jackets to fit my upper body. This results in my having to have them taken in to fit my lower body. Having my jackets fit perfectly for my figure is the best investment. If you need a recommendation for a wonderful tailor, contact me directly. I have been using the same person for over 10 years and would never take my clothes to anyone else. One of the added benefits of dressing for the job you want is that you will feel professional and confident every day, not just on the days you have important meetings or presentations. Please join us for the ETCETERA Spring Show Feb. 2–Feb. 11 in Clayton. Contact me for your personal one-on-one appointment
Susan Sappington is the Area Development Manager and Wardrobe Consultant for ETCETERA Clothing of New York. Send comments to susan@etcstyles.com.
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Page 21
The Presbyterian Church’s storied history
The First Presbyterian Church has had many faces since its beginning in Concord in l882. With land donated by Sam Bacon on Galindo Street, the church was organized and built in a record six months for only $1,250. In 1904, because of the rapidly growing business area, they were forced to sell, buying property on the corner of Colfax and Salvio, right next to the family home of Dave Brubeck, the famous jazz musician. A little church with Sunday School rooms and a kitchen was soon added for only $5,000. Tragedy struck in l914 when fire demolished the church; however, it was rebuilt and dedicated in 1916 for $7,100. That is the first picture of the church you see here. Through the ‘30s and ‘40s, Concord felt the boom from the depression and opening of the Caldecott Tunnel and
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January is a busy month in the landscape. There is a lot to do; pruning, fertilizing, dividing, spraying, and installing. If you start now, perhaps you can have your garden to-do list finished by Valentine’s Day. Light pruning and shapely pruning should be done on
The second picture above is the church as it stands today. It’s true “boom time” was 1948, when the attending crowds overflowed the pews, and the church was able to take on yet another new look. Architect Don Powers Smith designed an award-winning sanctuary with low walls and a pointed roof. The Smithsonian Institute designated it as an outstanding example of regional architecture. Alfred “Bud” Hansen was the builder. The church had an awesome stain glass window that was completed and dedicated in l987. One of the more interesting parts of the church’s history was when the adjacent property was bought by the Enean Theatre, then called the CONCORD’S FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON THE CORNER OF COLFAX AND SALVIO was built in Showcase Theatre, which in 1904. It was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1916. The church has had a few iterations those days was called the since then. The most distinguishing feature is the stained glass window installed in 1987. “Pussycat theater” and membership grew to 185 by given to the church in l941 and Brubeck property and con- showed pornographic films. 1940. A beautiful Wurlitzer in l943 the mortgage was paid structed the Claude A Lock- The community and the pipe organ with chimes was off. They then purchased the wood Memorial Youth Center. church were outraged. By law,
No winter break for gardeners deciduous trees and shrubs during the winter months, not hard pruning. Deciduous shrubs and trees have memory of the size that they were in the fall. If you butcher them while they’re dormant, the new growth surges with nowhere to go. This is where you get the spindly and thin “spider legs” stems. Approach crape myrtles, smoke bushes, Japanese maples and fruit trees this time of year with an easy hand. Deadhead crape myrtle’s dried seed heads and remove crossing branches. If the plant’s
height needs to be controlled, prune to a “v” in the branch, rather than cutting through a limb wherever you choose. Treat smoke bushes and Japanese maples the same way. Deciduous fruit trees are the apricot, pear, nectarine, cherry, plum, peach and persimmon. They too should be lightly pruned and have their crossing limbs removed. Save the hard cutting on deciduous fruit trees until after harvest. Fertilizing in the winter is important for many common landscape plants. Camellias, azaleas, rhododendron and cit-
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rus all should be given does of 0-10-10 fertilizer. Considering that we have been enjoying regular rain, we have the luxury of using a granular product. Use a hand cultivator to pull back any mulch beneath the plant, apply the desired amount of 0-10-10, lightly work into soil, and recover with mulch. If you are noticing any yellowing of foliage, now would be an excellent time to apply an iron supplement. You can safely apply both products at the same time. Some folks may still need to divide some of their land-
scape’s clumping plant material. If your agapanthus, daylilies, society garlic, kniphofia or iris are growing too wide, dig up the clump, break into sections and replant. You can transplant portions to other spots, or give to friends. Spray fruit trees to help prevent fungus and fight scale. During the dormant season is when we spray mostly stone fruit. Copper fungicides are very effective products to control many of the most popular
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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.
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the contract couldn’t be broken and the only thing the church could do was to buy the property. In 1981 the church finally bought the property, but could not kick out their unwanted neighbors until the lease was up in 1984. After that renovation began and with the help of the congregation and many volunteer hours, a new community center was built.
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2015 Year in Review, from page 1 Page 22
Coon committed suicide in early October. The shocking event stunned the city, and led to more unanswered questions. Was the council being pressured to select Lennar? Another issue that Catellus wanted investigated was why their recommendation of Catellus was pulled from the staff report at the last minute — an unusual procedure for the city. The original report recommended Catellus as the preferred Master developer. The city then hired retired San Pablo city attorney Brian Libow to hire an independent investigator to look into Catellus’ allegations. The report is due at the end of this month. Then the Master Developer decision can begin, and Concord will wait until the Navy finishes transferring the property to the City.
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
grants see red, believing it was cord residents was a perceived and Connected Vehicles too much money to be directed uptick in gang activity, but (CVs). Testing began in 2015. AVs are self-driving cars to one organization. Swanger, Grayson and Councilman Edi Birsan all said that while CVs are guided by GPS CRIME STORY was largely a case of gangs and also self-driving. Heads turned following an from outlying areas like East Programmed with crash unusual public smack-down by and West County converging avoidance systems, AVs are then-Mayor Tim Grayson at a on Concord, smack in the safer than human driven cars, June City Council meeting, heart of the county and easily said Keith Leonard, director calling out his colleague and accessible by freeways and the U.S. Department of Transfriend, Concord Police Chief BART. portation Intelligent TransGuy Swanger, on a surge of portation Systems. crime in the city in the last few BILL SHINN DIES Bill Shinn, a former mayor BROWN IS THE NEW GREEN years that had been reported A historic drought caused and pillar of the Concord on a local website. The angry mayor wondered community and Diablo Valley, Concord residents to drastiwhy he had to read about it in passed away suddenly Oct, 16. cally cut back on water use after the Contra Costa Water the media rather than from the He was 74. Shinn moved to Concord District sent a strong mespolice department itself. Grayson publically apologized with his family in l957. He sage to its users: if you water for his outburst at the following attended Mt. Diablo High your yard more than twice a week’s council meeting, but the School where graduated in week, beginning in June, you incident — and the published 1959 and was inducted into the could face a deluge of fines It was just one of its new reports — shed light on a dis- MDHS Sports Hall of Fame in turbing trend: Some crime rates 2006. He went on graduate conservation efforts that tarfrom Diablo Valley College, get a 25 percent reduction in in the city were on the rise. California State College at water consumption for some Sacramento, Golden Gate Uni- 250,000 customers in Conversity and the FBI National cord, Clayton and surroundAcademy. He served in the U.S. ing communities, as well as an additional 250,000 customers Navy. Shinn’s career in public who it sells water to. For the past year, CCWD service began with the Contra Costa County Sheriff ’s office has asked its customers to volwhere he served for 29 years, untarily reduce their water managing the county detention usage by 15 percent. They system and security for the responded by conserving more than 20 percent. Superior Court judges. The reduction is in He served as the chair of the Concord Human Relations response to Gov. Jerry Brown’s Commission. Shinn was espe- declaration of a drought emercially proud of that appoint- gency in the state, something ment since Concord was one water districts — and they Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer of the few cities that had such hope, their users — are taking Guy Bjerke, CNWS Director of Communications seriously. a commission. CITY HIRES EX-MAYOR Since 2011, vehicle thefts BJERKE TO OVERSEE CNWS have increased. Total crime, The City of Concord hired which includes all violent former Mayor Guy Bjerke as crime and all property crime, the new Director of Commuwent from 4,223 in 2011 to nity Reuse Planning — a sort 5,664 in 2014, (increased by of Naval Weapons Station 1,441. development czar — replacing “The chief said he was Mike White, who has retired going to reinstitute the gang earlier in 2015. task force,” Birsan says. “But it Bjerke says that he hopes looks like most of the gang that within the decade his job crime in Concord is the result of coordinating with the Navy, of gangs from outside the city Concord Village apartments to be largest in Concord the myriad state agencies and — from East County and West other organizations involved in County — retaliating here, and the massive land transfer and NEW APARTMENTS TO BART UPS AND DOWNS Concord gets caught in the development will be over, and ANCHOR DOWNTOWN BART is making plans to building up the former base middle.” Plans are underway for a redesign the downtown sta“It’s not like we have ‘West tion to create a strong link huge new apartment complex will be “just like any other city Side Story’ playing out in the between the busy transit hub just east of Todos Santos Plaza project.” streets of Concord,” Birsan and the heart of downtown — the largest in the city — that Wright said he will continue says. as an independent consultant will jumpstart Concord’s downConcord. But crime is going down, for the next several months, The plans feature the town development and bring a providing technical and strate- Chief Swanger told the Pio- redesign of the northern new generation of residents to gic advice to make for a neer last August. One of the plaza area, an enclosed bike the bustling heart of the city. main reasons is educating the parking facility and upgrades smooth transition. The new Concord Village public about how his police to modernize the entire sta- will be located on a 2.3-acre lot tion. The project is funded bordered by Salvio Street, Wilthrough Measure J, the Con- low Pass Road, East Street and Port Chicago Highway. The tra Costa transit tax. Some of the redesign ele- five-story, 231-unit complex ments include: Straightening proposes contemporary archiand enlarging the plaza lead- tecture, high-end amenities and ing from Grant Street to the wraps the residential units entrance of the station and around six floors of parking. It installing new lighting and will boast a mix of studios, benches, and installing new one-bedroom, two-bedroom signage pointing the way and “creative studio” units — downtown, as well as addi- micro units measuring 400 tional lighting along the way. square feet — with about The development of a 3,000 square feet of amenity Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer secure bike parking facility space, including a mail center, may become a prototype for bike shop and fitness studio Police Chief Guy Swanger at the grand opening of the other stations in the system. for tenants. Family Justice Center in April. It is also within a short hike With space for 126 bikes, the force addresses crime. FAMILY JUSTICE parking will have key card of the downtown BART station, “We’re trying to raise access and surveillance cam- which is in line with the city’s CENTER OPENS awareness on how we cover eras. As of April 1, 2015 the downtown plans for residential crime, and why it’s happening,” newly-opened Contra Costa Still, all these cosmetic and mixed-use development. Family Justice Center at Todos he says, in part addressing changes didn’t help the fact Santos Plaza had eight clients; recent criticism of increasing that trains were removed dur- PG&E MOVES TO CONCORD PG&E cut the ribbon to a on Dec. 1, 2015, it had 516, crimes in Concord, especially ing the morning rush hours, 212 of whom are from Con- in burglaries and auto thefts. leaving disgruntled passen- new $40 million, 38,000 cord. There are 14 on-site “There is crime, and there is gers either squished or travel- square-foot electronic distribu“partner” organizations, and disorderly conduct, such as ing to the Pleasant Hill Sta- tion center on Detroit Ave. in an additional 17 off-site part- speeding, homelessness activi- tion — where the trains Concord. The center is the secners in law enforcement, legal ties, and mischief in parks. turned around back to Oak- ond of three that will manage and control the 140,000 miles aid, education, social services, How we deal with those is very land and San Francisco. of electricity lines that deliver peer and professional counsel- different.” While “hard crimes” like power to its 16 million cusing, and job training. CONCORD GATHERS GOMENTUM tomers. In addition to the many robberies jumped from 77 in The Concord Naval The center uses state-of-the services offered by the center, 2014 to 91 in 2015, he says he it introduced the Wings pro- is heartened by more recent Weapons Station land is art technology that will give grams, which teaches financial numbers on other fronts: July speeding to the top of the operators an “unprecedented literacy and helps clients pre- 2015 statistics show a drop in nation in vehicular technolo- visibility” of the grid, said pare to take off on new lives. burglaries from 77 a year ago gy as a testing center for self- Geisha Williams, the newly driving cars and Connected appointed president of PG&E While the FJC seems to be to just 40 this year. The same drop can be seen Vehicles. Electric Operations. The new helping — if not saving — The Contra Costa Trans- centers replace the outdated lives, it had a bit of a rocky in larceny, which dropped from start. A grant from the Con- 335 in July 2014 to 240 last portation Authority (CCTA) control centers built in the 1980s and the City of Concord said where Williams said “operators cord Pleasant Hill Health Care month. Car break-ins have also that the currently undevel- relied on paper maps, push pins Commission to help the FJC operate in the green made dropped, from 143 a year ago oped land will be the location and magic markers” to manage of a GoMentum test site for maintenance, outages and emermany members of the com- to 103 in July 2015. Another concern for Con- Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) gencies. mission that bestows those
January 29, 2016
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
Special Olympics Law Enforcement torch stops in Concord
SPECIAL TORCH STOPS IN CONCORD Just a week before more than 7,000 athletes and international superstar musicians and athletes gathered in the Los Angeles Coliseum last summer for the Opening Ceremonies of the Special Olympics World Games, the Law Enforcement Torch Run came through Concord and stopped at Todos Santos Plaza for a brief ceremony as it entered its final leg towards Southern California. Six Special Olympians from Northern California represented the United States in the World Games, competing in track and field, golf and aquatics.
Alert, a self-protection mobile app that uses GPS to alert the closest police station if the user is under personal threat. Education Echo rounded out the top three.
CVCHS GOES TO WAR, MAKES CHANGES Even as its student achieved almost unparalleled success in the classroom, performing art stages and on athletic fields, the leaders of Clayton Valley Charter High School waged a war with each other that actually landed on the desk of County District Attorney Mark Peterson. The Stakeholders for Transparency group — led by many of the charter school’s original supporters, accused Executive David Linzey of wrongdoing. A report from the DA’s office showed that it “found insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing to warrant criminal prosecution or additional investigation.” The DA’s office referred the matter to the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Meanwhile, changes were made at the top of the school hierarchy as Jeff Eben took over as the first fully-dedicated principal of CVCHS. Board members decided that Linzey’s dual role as executive director and principal would be split.
BLUE DEVILS BEDEVIL COMPETITION Concord’s Blue Devils did something they’ve never done before in their illustrious history at the Drum Corp International World Class finals in Indianapolis this year: The renowned drum and bugle corps won their 17th World Championship but did it in unprecedented, come-frombehind fashion. The Blue Devils placed fourth in the preliminary round of the World Class three-day finals. The next day they moved up to second and then in Saturday evening’s finals at Lucas Oil Stadium before a record crowd of 22,085 the Blue Devils overMDHS DISHES OUT came Carolina Crown and the NUTRITION ADVICE IN D.C. Cindy Gershen, Culinary 10 other finalists to take home Arts instructor at Mt. Diablo the championship. High School, believes so strongly that food and nutrition is priA WAR ON ‘ALCOPOPS’ Using a small but spunky mary to education, not periphercollection of volunteers — al, that she and 13 students travincluding high school kids — eled to Washington D.C. to the Monument Corridor Anti- spread the word. Drug and Alcohol Coalition The group visited with targeted so-called “alcopops,” members of Congress, represweet flavored malt alcoholic sentatives at the USDA, and beverages that are gaining pop- shared their innovative curricuularity among teen drinkers lum “Pathways to Healthy Livbecause of the taste, cost and ing” with Ballou High School, packaging that resembles its one of the high schools in the non-alcoholic cousins, Red District of Columbia with the Bull, Monster and other popu- highest enrollment. lar energy drinks. “Alcopops, such as Four OFFICERS TRAVEL TO NEW YORK FOR FUNERALS Loco, are very dangerous not Concord Detective Krista only because of the alcohol content, as one can has the Sansen learned Christmas equivalent of about five beers,” morning that she had been says task force coordinator chosen to attend the funerals Ricardo Simental, “but because of Brooklyn Police Officers the makers are specifically tar- Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu. geting a younger demographic. She and one other member of We commonly refer to the CPD Honor Guard attendalcopops as the ‘Gateway ed Officer Ramos’ funeral on Dec. 27. A few days later, on Alcohol’ for youth.” His coalition is looking to Jan. 4, she was one of six CPD make Concord an alcopop-free Honor Guards at Officer Liu’s funeral, as well as seven other zone. Concord police officers. She was lucky enough to be DIGITAL SAFARI FINDS SUCCESS joined at Officer Liu’s funeral Education Echo — special by her husband, Concord education software designed Police Officer Ollie Sansen. by four Mt. Diablo High “This was an amazing and School students — may one humbling experience and it day be played with by millions made me extremely proud to of kids. It was one of 20 multi- be part of the thin blue line,” media projects presented at the Det. Sansen said. fair by Digital Safari Academy CURTAINS RISE ON NEW seniors tasked with finding CHARTER SCHOOL “Beyond the Edge” solutions The Contra Costa County to pressing environmental or Board of Education last spring social issues. In the semester-long proj- narrowly approved a five-year ect, young entrepreneurs charter for a Performing Arts worked in teams to identify Charter School led by Neil and research a cutting edge McChesney, a Clayton Valley product or service and write a High School alum and one of business plan including finan- the leaders in that charter cial projections and a competi- movement five years ago. The school is scheduled to tive analysis. The teams then pitched their proposals to open in August of 2016, and some 300 “investors” at the McChesney envisions the School of Performing Arts to Jan. 16 Innovation Fair. First place went to the eventually have 700 students in Neurofit team for a drone grades sixth through 12, but technology that could help anticipates about 100 students Parkinson’s patients. Coming each in grades six, nine and 10 in a close second was Quick in the first school year.
January 29, 2016
Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
Microsoft pulls plug on Internet Explorer
WILL CLANEY TECH TALK
On Jan. 12, 2016, Microsoft effectively discontinued Internet Explorer, announcing the end of support for the popular Internet browser immediately. Concurrently Microsoft announced an exit to Windows 7, 8.0 and 8.1 over the next few months. This is the end of legacy support for anything not Windows 10, Internet Explorer 11 or Edge. This announcement is years ahead of the original planned phase-out, according to Fox News. Microsoft has stated it will no longer support Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 and 10 due to security concerns. Users must immediately upgrade to
Internet Explorer 11 or risk catastrophic failure of their computer. It reminds me of the Jim Morrison song, “This is the end, beautiful friend, this is the end, my only friend, the end…” This announcement was unexpected and out of character for Microsoft. In the past they have extended support for a number of applications and operating systems. Not this time, however. According to Microsoft, security is the issue. For years Microsoft has been fighting a losing battle against cyber threats, malware, adware, spyware, ransomware and all sorts of violations of security protocols associated with the older versions of Internet Explorer. By killing older versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft wipes out one of the largest security threats around programs like Flash. Flash is an Adobe program that allows videos to be played over the Internet. Many of these videos contain malware and as you watch, you get infected. Adobe, among others, has a number of security issues that
never get fixed. You have probably seen an Adobe Update notification pop up from some websites. These Adobe updates are phony and allow cyber-thieves access to your computer. This is the reason, in previous articles, I have admonished you to stick with Microsoft supported products as third party software alterations do not keep pace with changes. In an effort to make the user experience better and more secure Microsoft has opted to drop support for Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 and 10. It is now time to update your browser to Internet Explorer 11 or the new Microsoft Edge browser. If you have Windows 10 operating system, then you are already updated; you don’t need to be concerned with this. Speaking of end of life systems, Intel’s sixth generation (current generation) i3, i5 and i7 CPU’s will henceforth be compatible only with Windows 10 and simply won’t boot to Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. Be especially careful when purchasing a new computer that it has
Windows 10 preinstalled. Older versions of the operating system, Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, will not be supported on the newest CPU. That means if you want to run Windows 7 you need to stick with older CPU’s fourth generation or lower. If you have apps that only work under Windows 7 your days are numbered, seek the advice of your local computer expert for details. In conclusion, the computing environment is changing rapidly and older versions of Internet Explorer and other browsers are no longer supported and won’t receive updates and security patches. No further updates mean, of course, more exposure to virus-like attacks and other issues that cannot be fixed. Older versions of Windows like Windows 7, 8.0 and 8.1 are being discontinued and thrown on the scrap heap of yesterday’s technology.
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William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions to Will@ClaytonPioneer.com
Captain Grammar Pants
Today I present the difference between an EM DASH and an EN DASH. Their names derive from the fact that an em dash is the length of the letter m (—) , and an en (–) dash is... you know. Here’s the concept: an em dash is what you use for an aside—like this one—that adds information. It’s a long dash; your computer will create an em dash in Word if you type in two hyphens. An en dash is to express a range, like “bake the cookies for 5–10 minutes.” Note that most grammarians ask you not to put a space on either side of either dash. These dashes differ from hyphens because hyphens neither set off an aside nor express a range. Now dash away, all! 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.
The Happiest Place on Dirt
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Rula Masannat Sales Agent
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Coming soon: ground hog day
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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com
LINDA WYNER
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Have you ever looked at a word for such a long time that you never see its actual construction? That’s the case this month. Due to the Puxatawny Phil tradition, I’ve only known groundhogs as snow-averse rodents. This year, however, it occurred to me for the first time that the term is made up of two words that I love from a culinary perspective: ground and hog. Minced, chopped and ground pork is delicious in so many dishes. The pig dates back some 40 million years to wild pig-like animals that roamed the forests and swamps of Europe and Asia. About 7,000 years ago, pigs were domesticated in
Asia and the practice spread to Europe some 3500 years later. Pigs aren’t native to the Americas — they arrived with the European explorers of the 15th through 17th centuries. Europeans weren’t very good about husbanding their pig herds and many escaped into the wild to become feral razorbacks. Roaming herds of pigs ravaged grain fields and on Manhattan Island, a long wall was constructed along one edge of the colony to control them… an area now known as Wall Street. Pork sustained most 17th through early 20th century farmers by supplying salt pork and bacon plus “barreled” pork and ham. Commercial production for cityfolk was centered in slaughterhouses in Cincinnati, an area that soon became known as “Porkopolis.” I like to transform ground pork into sausages, both bulk and in casings. I make breakfast sausage, Italian sausage and incorporate it plain into
For Italian sausage sliders, combine the sausage with ¼ cup panko and an egg. Form into 2inch meatballs and slightly flatten. Sauté in a skillet for 2 minutes per side, then add one jar of your favorite marinara sauce, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Serve on small rolls — Kings Hawaiian rolls work well. GINGERED PORK LETTUCE WRAPS Quick Pickled Veggies (mix the following and set aside) ½ cup white vinegar ¼ cup sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 2 carrots, julienned ½ medium onion, shaved ½ Daikon radish or red radishes, minced Filling (sauté the pork with following ingredients until no pink remains): 1 lb. ground pork 1 Tbsp. minced ginger 1 garlic clove, minced 2 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 Tbsp. mirin 1 tsp. fish sauce ¼ tsp. white pepper
HOMEMADE ITALIAN SAUSAGE
½ tsp. dried crushed several Asian dishes. Here are two recipes, one that will make oregano 1 tsp. salt a great appetizer for the Super 1 tsp. black pepper Bowl and other with a nod to ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or the upcoming Lunar New to taste Year. 1 Tbsp. freshly minced ItalHOMEMADE ITALIAN ian parsley SAUSAGE 1 Tbsp. dry red wine 1 lb. ground pork Combine all ingredients 3 garlic cloves, minced and well without overworking the crushed into a paste meat into a paste. Refrigerate ½ tsp. paprika the sausage 30 minutes to ½ tsp. fennel seeds overnight, then use as desired.
Welcome Buddha’s Hand into your home and kitchen DEBRA MORRIS Pacific Coast Farmers Market
Buddha’s Hand, or citron, is supposed to be one of the most ancient citrus known to man, originating in India thousands of years ago. It has the color of a lemon but has a lumpy texture with a thick rind. It has protrusions that look like fingers, thus the name “Buddha’s Hand.” The golden fruit is especially popular at
New Year’s, for it is believed to bestow good fortune on a household. This fruit is used mostly for ornamentation in the winter months because it has little or no flesh (pulp) and no seeds. It is cultivated for its fragrant rind, which is used to flavor dishes, is candied or turned into marmalade. The citron has been used in China and Japan for scenting rooms and clothing and has been used as
Zest: Zest the peel and use an ornament in religious ceremonies since it is regarded as a in desserts or infuse alcohol like vodka. symbol of happiness. Marinades: Chop rind and USES FOR CITRON whatever pulp is inside into Fragrance: Break off the marinades for fish or chicken. “fingers” and place with other We suggest just enjoying its potpourri ingredients, such as unique shape and lovely fresh nutmeg and cinnamon. fragrance in a bowl on the Marmalade: Mix with other kitchen counter. citrus to make a marmalade jam. The Concord Farmers Market is in Candied: Cook down with Todos Santos Plaza Tuesdays & sugars and spices. Thursdays.
Nancy E. Bennett Area Mortgage Interest Rates Fall Amid Economic Turmoil
By the end of last week, with world financial markets quavering and Wall Street chalking up the worst start for any year ever, you’d think that the area’s real estate outlook would be as worrisome as the rest of the economy’s. Not necessarily. For sure, there was enough to worry about. If world trade levels continue to unravel, it’s hard to see how the U.S. economy doesn’t head south—and that’s usually bad news for anyone trying to sell anything. For local home owners planning to add their properties to this spring’s listings, seeing the stock market inaugurate the year with a full-blown correction would normally be unnerving. Yet there were outside factors that worked to counteract such a reaction—and they had not been widely anticipated. By last Friday, Mortgage News Daily’s Matthew Graham was writing about how investors were fleeing riskier assets “seeking safer haven” in the bonds that back mortgages. The result was one that affected local mortgage interest rates—one of the key drivers of affordability for area home buyers. “Mortgage rates surged lower,” Graham noted, “at the quickest pace of the year.” Ever since the Fed’s decision to tiptoe into the first interest rate increase in many years, nearly everyone had predicted a slow rise in area mortgage interest rates—one likely to continue throughout the rest of 2016. Instead, by the end of the week, commentators were reporting mortgage rates approaching 7-month lows! It really was a head-spinner! Lest we fall into the trap of thinking we can predict what lies ahead, remember that things could change quickly in markets like this. However, for the moment, mortgage interest rates are one strong factor that makes buying or selling a more doable prospect than would have seemed to be the case just a month ago— as well as a great reason to stop putting off that call to a realtor to find out how this may impact your future home sale or purchase. Until next time….Nancy
January 29, 2016
Take a Bibb lettuce leaf and spoon on some of the pork filling and top with some of the pickled vegetables and garnish with chopped green onions, jalapeño pepper, red bell pepper, and/or peanuts and drizzle on some hoisin sauce. Linda Wyner owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet cookware store and cooking school in Pleasanton. Send suggestions or questions to lwyner@pansonfire.com
Garden,
from page 21
fruit tree problems such as peach leaf curl and blight. Broad spectrum herbicides can also be applied during the dormant season. Those that grow apples and suffer from coddling moth worms have to wait until your trees flower to spray. There are more plants that can be installed this time of year then can’t. Avoid installing tropical selections, vines and most citrus until the fear of frost has past; other than that, you can plant away. Take advantage of the free water falling from the sky, and get planting. If you were considering changing out your lawn to water-wise plant material, winter is a great time to get the project going. 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 sells more than 8 times as many homes as the average realtor, call today to learn how.
735 Court Lane, Concord
For lease $3750 or for Sale for $810k - Updated 4 bedroom, 3 bath, two story, 2,742 square foot home in lovely neighborhood. Grand 2-story entry way with staircase, skylight, architectural features, dramatic chandelier. 2-story living room with hardwood floors, vaulted ceiling, and huge bay windows with fabulous light. Separate formal dining room with hardwood floors and beautiful chandelier. Kitchen with marble countertops and bamboo flooring. Extra storage, large laundry room, and 3-car garage!
Coming Soon!
Clearbrook Drive, Concord - Beautiful Mediterranean Tri-Level! 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 1676 sq ft, nicely updated home with many upgraded finishes. Lovely pool with tropical backyard oasis! Lafayette - 4 beds, 2.5 baths, 2465 sq ft rancher with pool on large, private and secluded lot.
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SOLD $702,500 - $17,500 over asking
1902 Queens Rd, Concord - 3 beds, 2 baths, 1150 sq ft on larger lot, convenient location close to freeway and shops Turtle Creek, Concord avail late February - 4 Beds, 2 baths two story home
Rentals
Berkeley near Tilden Park! 4 beds, 3 baths, 1806 sq ft Avail Feb 1. $4600/mo
Concord - 2 beds, 1.5 bath condo
Martinez avail in February - 2 beds, 1.5 bath condo
1046 Kaski Ln., Concord SOLD $580,000
111 Woodsworth Ln., Pleasant Hill Pending with multiple offers
We helped over 90 families buy and sell homes again in 2015. How can we help you and your family today?
Nancy E. Bennett, The Bennett Team #1 Realtor in Concord #1 Team, Keller Williams East Bay Agent Leadership Council, Mentor, Faculty Member and Community Sponsor CalBRE #01399870
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