JUN 16 The Pioneer 2023

Feel the beat – and the heat –with Concord’s summer of fun

Clayton BBQ fest cancellation fuels flames of city split

With summer finally here, I’m looking forward to the variety of activities coming up in Concord.

On June 1, Music & Market returned to Todos Santos Plaza, also known as “Concord’s outdoor living room.” From pop and rock to country and Latin beats, the musical lineup includes something for everyone on Thursday evenings through September. Find the schedule at cityofconcord.org/downtownevents.

This summer series is a favorite community tradition that begins at 4 p.m., with the farmers market offering farm-

See Summer, page 5

Citing state rules, Pleasant Hill Council includes unpopular site in housing plan

Editor’s Note: This is a condensed version of an article by Craig Lazzeretti that originally appeared on Martinez News and Views.

Over community objections, the City Council approved an amended Housing Element that will guide housing development in the city until 2031.

The vote allows for 298 low-income units on the Paso Nogal and Morello Terraces privately owned hillside sites, land that both council members and residents said was inappropriate for building homes.

This was the council’s second look at the state-mandated Housing Element after the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) rejected the city’s first proposed housing plan. With the council chamber packed, overflow

seating was set up in adjacent, community rooms for the public to watch the May 18 meeting on video monitors while others watched on Zoom from home.

Even before public comment began, Mayor Tim Flaherty explained to the crowd that state mandates, and HCD’s rejection of the city’s initial proposal, left city leaders with no choice but to open the parcels to housing.

SEEKINGOUTSIDEHELP

Still, residents pleaded with the city to negotiate with state leaders, something that is not allowed under California law.

Residents also asked Flaherty to seek help from state Assemblymember Tim Grayson. Flaherty said Grayson’s office had previously explained that Grayson had no legislative leverage over HCD on the matter.

One long-time resident called the sites “not suitable” for building. Residents also urged city leaders to consider using the closed JC Penney home store and the Diablo Valley College overflow parking lot as housing sites. Flaherty said that HCD had already declared them insufficient to meet the requirements of the Housing Element.

DELAY NOT AN OPTION

Many asked city leaders to wait before voting on the Housing Element, despite already missing a state deadline. Pleasant Hill is also facing lawsuits from housing non-profits for its failure to build affordable housing. More than 300 people live on the streets in the city, and there is a waiting list for

affordable housing.

Before the council vote, Flaherty blamed the state for forcing the city to hit a moving target for providing adequate and affordable housing.

“When it comes to housing, we’re all victims of the policies of the past, and we have a very active state Legislature that is mandating one thing after another,’’ he said.

“There are so many things we had to consider in this Hous-

ing Element that have never been considered before. This is all new. ... We don’t have discretion; we don’t have the ability to go back and negotiate.”

Many at the meeting said they were blindsided by the designation of Paso Nogal/Morello Terraces for high-density housing on what they called “short notice.” But Flaherty said further delays could put the city at risk for

fines or other penalties.

“I realize that you guys are in a tough spot,” said resident Richard Roberts. “What I come away with as I listen to staff, as I listen to your consultants is it’s the letter not the intent of the law. The intent is to provide housing for people; the intent is to integrate with an existing society – and we don’t do that.”

Independence Day The Clayton Way

Clayton’s traditional 4th of July parade kicks off at 10 a.m. with. kids on bikes and scooters, in wagons and on dad’s shoulders along with the family dog all decked out in red, white and blue. Following the kids, the VFW Post 1525 will present the colors, Mechele Fong will sing the National Anthem, and the main parade will begin. There’s still time to participate. Sign up on the city’s website, Claytonca.gov before June 29.

The day starts early with the Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast at 7 a.m. at Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St. Clayton. Adults $10, children under 10 $7.

As the BBQ & Brews Festival went up in flames last month, it disappointed more than barbecue lovers. It unleashed a meaty issue that has divided the City Council and possibly puts other city events in the firing line.

August’s BBQ & Brews Festival, sponsored by the Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA), was suddenly and unceremoniously canceled when organizers decided new as-yet-to-bedetermined city fees made it too difficult to assure the CBCA that it would make enough money to pencil out. It’s a fairly new event for the organization and profit margins are still thin.

There has been “uncertainty” since March, when the city dissolved the master event agreement with the CBCA that reduced some costs of using city services and locations for the event, said Steve Biggs, chair of the CBCA’s Barbecue Committee and a pit master himself.

“We didn’t know what expenses were going to be, and there was a chance we could lose money for the organization,” Biggs said from a barbecue event at which he was competing in Norco. Calif.

“It’s sad,” he added. “It’s a good event for the public, local businesses as well as the CBCA.”

LOOKING TOWARD 2024 EVENT – BUT WITH ADDEDFEES

Council member and former Mayor Peter Cloven agreed that it was a loss to the community. “As both a Claytonian and a council member, I am saddened by the decision, but I understand it,” he said. “So much effort was put into adding Clayton’s BBQ event to the Kansas City Barbecue Society’s (KCBS) calendar. I hope momentum is not lost on future.”

Biggs said he is convinced that the event will come back next year stronger than ever.

“We were the only KCBS event in the Bay Area,” he said. “We want to be able to plan an event that will benefit not only the barbecue community, but the people of Clayton.”

He says the committee is already looking at July 2024 for the next barbecue competition.

Still, the organizers of the BBQ and Brews Festival, as well as those of Oktoberfest and the Art & Wine Festival, have to start doing some new math because of a revised master fee schedule, introduced at a city council meeting last week. Although it is not yet official, there are such aspects as upping the price of renting Endeavor Hall, a community gathering spot, as well as fees as high as $20,000 for renting out The Grove Park for an event.

Although the three major CBCA-sponsored events don’t use The Grove, it must be fenced off because of rules set down by the state Alcohol Beverage Control. That results

See BBQ, page 5

Tamara Steiner

The second of Concord’s summer Music and Market concert series featured Bay Area party band, Fast Times playing classic rock from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Crowd favorite “Sweet Caroline “ brought this fan to his feet as the audience sang along with every verse. The concerts are Thursdays at 6:30 pm through Sept. 28. Farmers Market opens at 4.

PEGGY SPEAR The Pioneer

LAURA HOFFMEISTER CONCORD MAYOR

I recently have had the pleasure of working with several families who had lived in their homes for more than 30 years. Some were original homeowners. The thought of selling a long-time home can be daunting. but it doesn’t have to be. Finding an experienced Realtor is key to easing the complexity of a big move.

Here are three tips that homeowners should consider before selling: Start early. The most common question I get from clients is, “How can I deal with all the stuff that has accumulated over the years?” My advice is to start with one room at a time and categorize and organize. You can hire others to do much of the physical work. Realtors have great resources for packers, organizers and haulers. It’s helpful to understand that you can’t “take it all,” which can get you into the right mindset when figuring out what to take, give to a family member, donate or have hauled away. Talk to a CPA. There may

be tax consequences of a sale for people who have owned their homes for a long period of time. Realtors cannot give tax advice, so I always recommend my clients talk to their CPA so they understand any potential tax liability before selling.

California’s Prop. 19. On Nov. 3, 2020, California voters approved Prop. 19, allowing eligible homeowners to transfer the taxable value of their existing primary residence to a replacement primary residence. The new law gives homeowners more options for moving to a different home for their retirement years. I always recommend homeowners contact the property tax department to

have any questions answered so there is no confusion on what the criteria is for transfer of their existing property tax base when purchasing a new home. You can reach the state tax department at 1-916-274-3350 and www.boe.ca.gov/prop19. For most homeowners, leaving their long-time home is very emotional. I always remind them that their homes, once filled with love and laughter, will now welcome new families who will continue that legacy.

Jennifer Stojanovich is an owner/broker with Better Homes Real Estate. Please send your questions and comments to jennifer@bhrbroker.com

Clayton really knows how to throw a party and proved it with the second annual Clayton Pride Parade, June 4.

With 51 entries, downtown was ablaze with color— all the colors of the rainbow.

Grand Marshall, County Supervisor Ken Carlson accompanied by his husband Jeremy, served as Grand Marshall and Clayton Business and Community Association president CW Wolfe announced.

Clayton first recognized Pride month three years ago when the small town was the next to last city in the county to raise the Pride flag.

Following the parade the Clayton Pride organization honored Clayton Councilwoman Holly Tillman as Ally of the Year. Tillman has been an outspoken advocate for inclusion and diversity in a town that has often resisted change.

JENNIFER STOJANOVICH CLOSE TO HOME

Holly Tillman flanked by daughters Jordan and Jada.

Grand Marshall, Ken Carlson (right) with husband Jeremy.

Clayton’s new city manager hits the ground running

Bret Prebula, 40, comes to Clayton with a sound background in management and finance from the city of Benicia, where he was most recently assistant city manager. He is a confident, accomplished senior executive with both the hard and soft skills to lead a city out of chaos.

He had a pretty good idea of what was in store for him when he accepted the job as Clayton’s seventh city manager since Gary Napper retired in 2019 after 18 years. Since then, the city has gone through six city managers, five finance directors and at least that many planning directors.

“With this kind of inconsistent leadership, it’s lucky the organization didn’t seize up completely,” Prebula said.

“Could you imagine if a $6

million company had seven CEOs and five finance directors in four years? They’d go bankrupt,” he said. And that’s what has happened in Clayton.

“Structurally from an operating standpoint and culturally from a community engagement standpoint, we went bankrupt,” he added. “It’s no one’s fault that is here on staff. They are doing a yeoman’s job – way too much for too little. It’s just not sustainable long-term.”

Relief for his stressed-out staff is on the way with the addition of an executive assistant and a finance director Prebula has worked with previously.

LOOKINGFORCOMMON

GROUND

But the rest is not so easy. A bitterly divided community, a City Council at war with the Clayton Business & Community Association (CBCA), prehistoric

technology, a citizenry with high service level expectations and a budget that won’t balance make every day a four-Alka Seltzer day.

In tackling the budget woes, his plan is to slow down, temper any more immediate reductions and identify the inefficiencies. Instead of asking the council to dig deeper and cut more, he wants to use some of the city’s healthy reserves to close the gap and give the staff breathing room to see what and where changes are needed.

“Cutting more right now is like blindly swinging the machete,” he said.

Turning to the thornier issues of healing a divided community, Prebula wants the council and community working with “a sense of collegiality and grace.”

“We have to find a semblance of commonality,” he said. “That’s where we’re stuck –

everyone has to be right. If nothing happens, it means we’re moving backward.”

He sees Clayton as a community caught between the past and the future.

“It’s going to take a lot of conversations to identify the kind of community Clayton wants to be,” he said.

Will it mean a tax increase in the future? Probably, he said, but

only after “we know what we are willing to pay ourselves to maintain this quality of life.”

TECHNOLOGYAND GREENUPGRADES

As he grapples with these issues, Prebula turns an optimistic eye toward the future.

“There are some exciting things happening in the next few months.”

He’s looking at new technology systems, a facelift for the city’s website and getting city functions online. “The cost of technology is so cheap relative to the payoff,” he said.

The city has applied for a 1% federal loan to finance a contract with Climatec for efficiency upgrades to the city’s infrastructure. All five city councilmembers support the $2 million plan, which will include more solar panels, smarter water use in parks and open spaces and a crit-

ically needed electric vehicle charging station at the library.

Prebula also wants to see a rebirth of community policing and some succession planning in the Police Department, as well as more compensation. Clayton is the lowest paying department in the county – 30%-50% below median.

Prebula is a Bay Area native raised in Vallejo, where he attended St. Patrick-Saint Vincent Catholic High School and holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

He currently lives in Benicia with his wife Jaclyn and daughter, Emersen, 10, both competition equestriennes.

Join the new city manager for coffee June 28, 8:30 a.m. at Sip’n Sweet, 6200 Center St., Clayton. Send questions and comments to Bretp@claytonca.gov.

The city’s first Juneteenth celebration, “Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles and triumphs of AfricanAmericans throughout history, and an opportunity to showcase the Black community’s resilience and determination in our continued fight for freedom.

Juneteenth holds immense importance in American history, commemorating the day when the last remaining enslaved African-Americans in the United States were informed that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Concord’s Juneteenth

event will be 1-4 p.m. June 25 in Todos Santos Plaza.

For me, Juneteenth is not just a day of celebration, but a moment to reflect on the progress we have made and the work that still lies ahead. It is an

opportunity for younger generations to connect with their heritage and understand the sacrifices made by their ancestors.

As a mother, I long for a community where my son, Eli, can attend local events and engage in the rich history of his culture with other children.

While the Concord City Council has made strides toward acknowledging the city’s diversity, I firmly believe that we need more Black cultural events in our community. Inclusivity is vital, and I call upon council members to invest in celebrations that honor the contributions and achievements of Black Americans. It is through these events that we can showcase the diverse experiences and cultural richness

of our community, fostering unity and understanding.

Concord Communities Alliance (CAA) is working tirelessly to organize a Juneteenth celebration that embodies the spirit of inclusivity and appreciation for the Black community.

As a co-convener at CCA, I know it’s critical that we build community by creating events where families like mine can gather, share stories and honor our heritage. While organizing this event, I have had the opportunity to meet several Black business owners and members of Black faith organizations that I may not have had the chance to encounter in my day-to-day activities.

As Juneteenth draws near, let

us remember the importance of cultural acknowledgment, accessible celebrations and the ongoing need for Black family cultural events in Concord. Together, through collective efforts, we can create a future where everyone feels connected to their heritage, celebrates diversity and fosters an inclusive community

for future generations.

Hope to see you June 25 at the Plaza. Come out and learn how I grew up celebrating Juneteenth.

The Pleasant Hill Diversity Commission will also host a Juneteenth Celebration 4:307:30 p.m. June 18 on the lawn at Pleasant Hill City Hall.

TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer

BRET PREBULA

To thwart scammers, seniors must be their own ‘gatekeepers’

Editor’s Note: This is a version of an article that originally appeared in the Rossmoor News.. Reprint with permission.

SCHOLZ Correspondent

Shirley Lin knows too well the hardship caused by scammers and those pushing fraudulent schemes that prey on seniors. And the Rossmoor resident’s advice is simple: To avoid being a victim, be proactive.

Her thoughts were spot on to the guidance offered by attorney Emily Milstein, representing Contra Costa Senior Legal Services, who recently talked to Rossmoor residents about identity theft and scams that target seniors. The Federal Trade Commission reports that consumers lost more than $3 billion to fraud in 2022, double the 2021 amount.

When confronted with an inquiry that seems suspicious, whether in person, email, over the phone or through the mail, Milstein says the key is to slow down.

“If you think something’s not right, you don’t have to engage with them. Hang up,” she said. “You don’t have to be polite with them.”

“You are your own gatekeeper to either take action or be victimized,” Lin noted.

Milstein specializes in preventing and pursuing elder abuse and elder financial abuse cases. She began her presentation by spotlighting the most common scams, such as romance, tech support, fake refunds and mortgage-relief schemes. Seniors are drawn in and become victims of perpetrators who may or may not be known, or who even may be impersonating somebody else.

Making matters worse, many victims never report that they have fallen prey to unscrupulous individuals or organizations. Many seniors are embarrassed, Milstein said. “They don’t want to tell their family, because they are worried they will take away their independence.”

She emphasized that is the furthest thing from the truth. A person need not be afraid to report crimes and seek help.

Fraud victims can report scams to organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission at www.identitytheft.gov, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at www.consumerfinance.gov.

Residents also can share information directly to local enforcement or their own financial institutions.

Suggestions for protecting personal information include updating the software on personal devices and apps and reviewing one’s credit report at least once a year to ensure that it doesn’t include accounts that the person did not open. (Order a free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com.)

Loneliness plays a part in leading a person to engage with those who have the worst intentions. Milstein suggested reaching out to Covia Well Connected at 1-925-956-7400 for groups and classes on a range of topics, or the Friendship Line that provides emotional support for those 60 and older at 1-800-971-0016.

One resident’s warning to her peers underscored the day’s overriding message to be wary of potential scammers before money is lost: “They are trying to get you upset so you are not using your brain.”

For a variety of resources related to needs of senior citizens, visit Contra Costa Senior Legal Services at www.ccsls.org and click on Resources under the menu bars at the top of the page. Then scroll down to the section titled Consumer Protection for items related to fraud, scams and identify theft.

Dad-daughter gardeners like to keep things fresh

David Loza and his daughter Alina have spent the last four years growing their garden. It’s one of the 9-yearold’s favorite things to do with her dad.

They have a year-round garden, with crops such as kale, peppers, beets, carrots and squash. Alina especially likes eating blueberries, pole beans, Romaine lettuce and fruit fresh off the trees. She also enjoys harvesting the potatoes because she gets to use her hands to find them in the dirt.

Not only do they provide a great amount of food for their family, but they have grown enough to donate to the food bank at times.

David Loza rocks a Dad Shirt while in the garden with daughter Alina. (Right) Alina Loza shows off a 4-pound cabbage they harvested from their Clayton garden.

Neighbors have nicknamed their home “The Garden House.”

The pair recently harvested a 4-pound cabbage and have

an even larger one on the way. They sautéed it with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to make a delicious side and used the rest to make sauerkraut.

Photo by Dan Rosenstrauch/Rossmoor News

Emily Milstein of Contra Costa Senior Legal Services offers seniors for avoiding scams.

Concord prepares new restrictions on tobacco sales

NORM HALQUIST Correspondent

The City Council is expected to adopt an amended tobacco retailer licensing ordinance, adding restrictions intended to reduce tobacco smoking among the city’s younger residents.

Council members approved proposed amendments to the ordinance on May 16 session.

If finalized at the June 13 meeting (after press time), the changes would:

•Prohibit sales of flavored tobacco products.

•Bar the sale of any tobacco vaporizer or e-cigarettes.

•Eliminate use of coupons

and discounts for tobacco products.

•Set minimum prices and packaging sizes for tobacco items.

•Exempt premium cigars from the restrictions.

•Permit the city’s two hookah lounges to continue operating.

The ordinance would go into effect 30 days after approval. After the effective date, there would be a 90-day delay before city code enforcement officials would begin onsite inspections. Enforcement would take the form of citations for violations, with the dollar value of the fines increasing each time.

If a retailer has repeated failures to comply, the store would face loss of its tobacco sales license – effectively closing down its tobacco operation.

In presenting proposed changes to the council on May 16, Assistant City Manager Justin Ezell said that 87 tobacco retailers in the city would be affected. There are 45 large and small markets, 31 gas stations, nine smoke shops and two hookah lounges selling tobacco in Concord.

Proponents of increasing restrictions advised the council that the existing state statute prohibiting sales to minors was not working. Package sizing and minimum

pricing restrictions are intended to limit sales by making it difficult for a typical cash-strapped minor to pay for the products.

The Oo Lounge and Sheesh Lounge will be allowed to continue to sell flavored tobacco products on their agecontrolled premises but will no longer be allowed to sell products for customers to take with them. The recommended exception was based on hookah being a long-established cultural practice in various ethnic communities.

A minimum price of $5 is proposed for individual “premium” cigars. Council members noted that minors do not typically purchase these prod-

Unified Sports Special Olympics is a special event for athletes, volunteers

Schools throughout Contra Costa County gathered at Acalanes High School in Lafayette on a Spring Friday to celebrate the 55th annual Unified Sports Special Olympics.

This event is organized for young student-athletes who participate in life skills or learning skills classes. Teenage student volunteers from 14 high schools in the county came together to guide the children through events such as javelin and softball throw, 50-meter and 100-meter dashes, long jump and wheelchair races.

Local high schools taking part included Clayton Valley Charter, College Park, Ygnacio Valley and Northgate. The variety of events at Special Olympics allows athletes to choose which they enjoy the most and excel in.

Acalanes High School was originally chosen as the Special Olympics host in 2013 by the Contra Costa County Schools Partnership Program due to its strong leadership program, special education support and enthusiasm towards hosting. The leadership class at Acalanes was the main group who helped this event come to life, as well as hundreds of student and parent volun-

teers from other high schools.

I joined my fellow track and field teammates from CVCHS when we were given the opportunity to volunteer by partnering up with a kindergarten student from Silverwood Elementary in Concord.

I was drawn to volunteer for Special Olympics because my late great-uncle was an avid participant, performing in all of the

Summer, from page 1

fresh produce, snacks, hot meals and more. The concerts run 6:30-8 p.m., and the park provides plenty of space for picnics, lawn chairs and dancing – or you can dine at nearby local restaurants.

Also returning on select Thurdays is Maker’s Boulevard, a community-driven market featuring local artisans and small businesses selling handmade items including jewelry, clothing, home décor and other unique items.

In July, we’ll offer more music when the Tuesday Night Blues series returns July 11, 18 and 25. Come out to hear the cool stylings of Frankie G and the Conviction, Annie Sampson and Jr. DeVille Blues Band.

Our free concerts are made possible by many generous community sponsors. If you can’t make it down to the Plaza, you can always catch our concerts live on Concord TV (Comcast channel 28, Astound/Wave channel 29 or 1026, AT&T U-verse channel 99) and on demand through our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@CityofConcord.

It wouldn’t be summer without the city’s annual Independence Day festivities. The Todos Santos Business Association Arts Foundation is sponsoring a day full of activities in downtown Concord. The day will start with an 8 a.m. 5K fun run and pancake breakfast by Diablo

BBQ, from page 1

in festival sponsors having to pay for its rental.

Police and sanitary services also have risen under the new schedule.

QUESTIONSABOUT THE MAYOR’S MOTIVES

Despite Biggs’ optimism, he and others have been quite vocal on social media about the barbecue festival’s cancellation, blaming it on Mayor Jeff Wan and two other members of the council who vote along with Wan on most, if not all, issues – Jim Diaz and Kim Trupiano.

Many residents have claimed that Wan wants to dissolve the CBCA, while others believe he has a personal vendetta against some mem-

bers who did not support him and his slate of candidates during the 2016 and 2022 elections.

Those are incendiary comments as hot as barbecue coals. Wan has stated publicly that he supports the CBCA. However, despite multiple efforts, he did not reply to inquiries for this article.

CBCA PRESIDENT HOPES TO MAINTAINRELATIONSHIP WITHCITY

CBCA leadership seems determined to have a strong relationship with the city.

CBCA President Cw Wolfe said that he, CBCA members, donors and volunteers are “understandably disappointed

events and cheering for his friends. Special Olympics allowed my uncle to express himself athletically, as it continues to do for many young children.

SDC kindergarten teacher Kristy Smith, along with Special Education assistant teacher Tiffany Habermeyer, kindergarten teacher Natalie Gold and many other teachers and parent volunteers, led their Silverwood Skyhawks during the event.

They organized bus transportation, snacks, toys and games for the children, and paired each kindergartner with a fifth grade buddy as well as a high school buddy. The bonds formed between the kindergartners and their buddies was incredibly special.

The organization that goes into this event every year is highly praised, especially by the athletes’ friends and family. From communicating with schools’ teachers and administrators to spreading awareness of the event, to making posters and gathering equipment, Acalanes High truly goes above and beyond. This celebratory, joyful event is one many young athletes look forward to every year.

Katherine Pugh recently graduated from Clayton Valley Charter High School. She has been a student correspondent for The Pioneer the past two years. Katherine will be attending Clemson University in South Carolina this fall.

Rotary Club, followed by a 10 a.m. parade; this year’s theme is “Celebrating our Strong Foundations.” At 4 p.m. at Mt. Diablo High School, there will be live music, a kids’ carnival and food vendors. The celebration will be capped off by a 9 p.m. fireworks show that can be viewed at the high school.

The parade and event committee is looking for volunteers to help out that day. Information and parade sign up at www.concordjuly4th.com.

For still more live music concerts, check out the lineup offered at the Concord Pavilion: soul, jazz, R&B, hip hop, rock, metal, pop and more. It’s a beautiful venue, especially on warm summer evenings. If you haven’t visited yet, I suggest you put that on your bucket list.

that its newest festival/fundraiser, the CBCA Clayton BBQ & Brews Festival, will not take place in 2023.” Yet, he said he is hopeful that they will be able to proceed with the 2024 event.

He also said that despite the dissolution of the fee schedule, CBCA is working with the city to keep Oktoberfest and the Art & Wine Festival on track.

Still, Wolfe said the fee agreement between his organization and the city was dissolved prematurely and without data.

“I am optimistic that the CBCA and the city will work toward the best outcome for the both of us,” Wolfe said. “The CBCA has always paid every bill presented to us by the city of Clayton and we will

ucts. Cigarillos, smaller cigars used by minors, would be limited to packs of 10 with a minimum price of $10, and with no flavored tobacco being permitted. According to City Clerk Joelle Fockler, 30 speakers appeared in person or by Zoom on May 16. Multiple tobacco retailers stated that the proposed restrictions on local sellers should be deferred to permit the state restrictions to take full effect. They also said that restrictions on legitimate sellers would push buyers into the black market and that under-

age people had ready access to tobacco products already through Internet and social media sources.

Staff presented the council with a proposed enforcement schedule of 12 retail visits each quarter, a total of 48 per year. Council members pushed for an every outlet, every year schedule but deferred acting on that after being advised that this could not be accomplished within the existing city budget. However, Vice Mayor Edi Birsan later reported that yearly inspections will be part of the plan.

‘Slide’ into library branches for summer reading program, activities

DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent

Many parents dread the onset of the “summer slide” –the frittering away of academic headway as students morph into couch potatoes or become zombies tethered to cell phones and computer screens.

To help area youth skirt the slide, the Contra Costa County Library has a summer reading program titled “Find Your Voice” that runs through Aug. 5 and offers prizes for participants. Complementing it is a host of online activities to stimulate a variety of skills and interests, plus unique events at specific library branches.

“Not only have there been studies to prove that the ‘summer slide’ is real and that summer reading programs help slow or avoid that slide, but I see the anecdotal evidence on a daily basis while working at the library,” said Geneva Moss, community library manager for the Clayton Community Library. “The summer reading program we offer rewards a variety of literacy-related experiences to encourage continuous learning during the summer.”

•Create a self-portrait. Artists can bring in their artwork to a participating library to be displayed.

•Make a straw pan flute or shoe-box lute.

•Write a haiku.

SPECIALLUNCHSESSIONS

IN CONCORD

Area libraries also are offering programs tailored to meet the needs of their local communities.

The Concord Library combines its in-house activities with a lunch. Following lunch on Thursday, June 22, youngsters can join in the “Writing a Book with Makenzie” workshop from 1:15 to 2 p.m.

In 2019, The Pioneer featured budding author Makenzie Lee-Foster on the front page in an article about her self-published picture book, “Kickin’ It with Kenzie: What’s Meant for Me Will Be!”

The Concord branch will serve lunch for children under 18 from noon to 1 p.m. every Wednesday and Thursday during June. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District provides the lunches, funded jointly by the Friends of the Concord Library and the state of California.

It wouldn’t be summer without the opportunity to cool off on a hot day. Concord Community Park (3501 Cowell Road) is open for recreational swimming 1-4 p.m. MondayFriday and 1-5 p.m. weekends. Meadow Homes spray park (1351 Detroit Ave.) is now open daily noon-6 p.m. Kids of all ages will enjoy splashing around in the colorful playground.

For a bigger splash, Hurricane Harbor water park is off Willow Pass Road (1950 Waterworld Parkway). Visit www.sixflags.com/hurricaneha rborconcord for details.

Enjoy all this summer has to offer.

Direct your questions and comments to the mayor at 925-6713158 or Laura.Hoffmeister@cityofconcord.org.

continue to do so.

“Our events are fundraisers that directly benefit the Clayton community, our schools, organizations, charities and businesses,” he continued. “We have pledged $175,000 to be donated back to the Clayton community in 2023 and have donated over $1,200,000 back to our community in just the past 10 years alone, including nearly $300,000 in scholarships. The CBCA will work in good faith with the city to ensure our mutual best interests and an ongoing, respectful and healthy relationship.”

IS CLAYTONREFLECTING NATIONALPOLITICS?

Cloven is also taking a conciliatory tone about the new fee schedule.

“Mayor Wan did not create

Moss noted that her staff may see a child who is not necessarily enthused about reading enter the branch, look at a poster about the summer reading program and then get excited to participate to earn a prize (i.e., free books, stickers, etc.) and be entered into a drawing for something bigger (i.e., a Lego movie kit).

Students can register online at www.ccclib.org/summer and click on “Beanstack” to track participation. Youngsters can also print out a reading passport at home or pick one up at the local library. Everyone who completes the summer reading activity wins prizes, including a free book. They are in turn entered into a drawing for a chance to win more amazing prizes.

Here are examples of some of the summer reading activities:

the new fee schedule, an outside consultant did. I have numerous questions on how the numbers were derived,” he said. “Clayton is not analogous to other cities where the ‘comps’ may have come from. Clayton is not Walnut Creek, and the CBCA is not a ‘traditional’ Chamber of Commerce. The conversation will continue and hopefully reasonable decisions with quality collaboration will prevail.”

When asked if there is a divide in the city, Cloven called it a “loaded question,” equating it to the current political divide in America.

“While this began simply as neighbors disagreeing on direction, it has morphed into a meaner and a more bitter tone, cut along party lines. Social media has a lot to do

The Pleasant Hill Library will offer a writing activity in July where youngers ages 12 to 18 can join local poet and English teacher Krissy Kludt. It’s catered to individuals who like to express themselves in words, desire the space to write and share their work with other teen writers or maybe simply want to find their own voice. The threesession writing camp is 10:30 a.m.-noon July 3-7, made possible by support from the Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library.

Clayton youth will be able to explore what it means to find their voices with Lisa Taft’s craft/workshop 2-3 p.m. June 21. After discussing some ways to discover their voices, participants will make sock puppets and have the chance to share their voices with the group.

with this proliferation, as some residents posing as illegitimate political action committees during elections,” he said.

“We all can agree that we value public safety, community events, idyllic parks and trails, and great schools, yet identity politics is preventing good collaborative conversation to benefit the whole of Clayton,” Cloven said. “I believe that as demographics change, and with hard work, we can achieve a goal of really listening to one another, trying to understand everyone’s views, with an eye toward a bright future for Clayton. Afterall, this is where we want to raise our children and retire. I look forward to the day when we play bocce, hike our trails, and enjoy our community along with our friends and neighbors, regardless of political party.”

Clayton Valley Charter High School senior Katherine Pugh enjoyed her time with Special Olympians in Lafayette.

KATHERINE PUGH Special to the Pioneer

Graduations end unique high school journey for Class of 2023

Over the past few weeks over 2950 local students from the Class of 2023 collected a diploma for completing their high school requirements but it was not a “typical” journey for this group that entered high school in the fall of 2019 never

imagining what the next two years would bring them.

The Class of 2023 got quite a jolt when the latter half of their freshman year was interrupted in March by the COVID19 pandemic, which led to over a year of remote learning for most students and may have had a lasting impact on their educational journey.

As they now look towards college, the military, trade school, a gap year or getting a job while they begin the next phase of their life, there are memories of the good times and the challenges they faced over the past four years.

Jackie Tamayo excitedly moved across the street from El Dorado Middle School to Concord High “expecting nothing but the best” from her new high school experience. “Once COVID-19 hit it was a turning point for all of us,” she told The

Pioneer soon after her graduation.

“All the events, sports, activities shut down. I’m in the marching band and we planned a trip to Orlando, Florida that was canceled due to the pandemic.”

Tamayo knows many classmates who failed classes and got unforeseen illnesses while being cooped up at home with remote learning. Her sophomore year was also spent nearly entirely learning remotely.

In the past two years as a member of the band she finally made two “amazing” trips to perform on Main Street in Disneyland. She also resumed her soccer career at school and for her Diablo Valley Wolves club team.

Even that experience had a low point when she tore her ACL and MCL last November right at the start of her senior season. “I forced my physical therapy grind in order to get back for Senior Night with my teammates,” Tamayo says. Thankfully, her club soccer experience landed her a Division

I scholarship to Chicago State university where she starts July 26.

The four-year class president at Concord so enjoyed playing clarinet with the school bands and getting on the soccer field her last two years.

For Sam Robinow, coming

“COVID for me disconnected me from the other students. At least I had three siblings at home studying too.”

His sophomore year eventually entailed a hybrid schedule with him at school wearing a mask on Thursday and Fridays. “We went to class, did our homework and went home.” He

public charter high school.

College Park had the largest senior class in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District with 435.

Concord 285 CHS seniors walked for their diplomas at the Concord Pavilion.

Contra Costa School of Performing Arts The public charter school’s graduating class was 28.

De La Salle The Concord all-boys parochial school had 247 graduates walk at its campus ceremony on Owen Owens Field.

MDUSD Bridge Program is for individuals aged 18-22 years with disabilities who have finished high school. The program supports the 27 student grads’ transition to adult living.

Computer Problems

from Saint Francis School in Concord to Clayton Valley Charter he looked forward to making new friends as few of his eighthgrade classmates were at the charter school.

played basketball his first two years but “did not find my friend group” until he was a junior. “I finally started interacting with my classmates. Senior year was the best with all the senior activities.”

He is going to Diablo Valley College this fall to start a pathway towards a nursing career.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES BY SCHOOL

Carondelet 191 young women graduated at the end of May at the Concord Pavilion.

Clayton Valley Charter The area’s largest graduating class— 545—comes from CVCHS, which reported a 98% graduation rate for its senior class at the

MDUSD Adult Education honored its 27 high school grads.

Mt. Diablo New principal Dr. Markell McCain reports the area’s oldest high school had 325 graduating seniors.

Northgate 361 seniors earned their NHS diplomas.

Small Continuation High Schools in MDUSD had a total of 116 graduates from Crossroads Glenbrook Horizon and Prospect high schools. Olympic had 124 graduates in its Class of 2023. Ygnacio Valley awarded diplomas to 242 YVHS graduates.

With summer heading our way, the weather may decide to finally get with the program and bring the heat. Although it’s been a minute, the East Bay is known for its pockets of scorching dry heat to rival Tucson in spring.

The heat leads to thirst and the need to remain vigilantly hydrated. When it comes to hydration, I place people into two broad camps: obsessive and incidental.

Obsessive types often carry oversized water bottles and apply great diligence to drinking, tracking and refilling. They are the long-distance runners of the hydration world. Incidental types are more akin to sprinters. They tend to hydrate in bursts but less frequently. This group also relies less on plain water as the primary source, with much hydration coming from other liquids.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to hydrate – except for absolute extremes leading to dangerous imbalances of elec-

trolytes. Thirst is a marvelously efficient system for keeping us out of the danger zone but may not always keep us at peak hydration.

This brings us to the question: How much is enough? While simple enough to ask, there isn’t an easy answer. Studies over the years have yielded various recommendations, but most experts agree that each individual’s needs depend upon overall health, activity level and climate.

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine states that an adequate intake of fluid is 3.7 liters (124 ounces) daily for men and 2.7 liters (92 ounces) for women. These figures include not just water but all drinks and food, which accounts for an average of 20% of fluid consumption.

The conventional wisdom around water drinking remains aiming for 8 glasses (64 ounces) per day. While significantly shy of the U.S. National Academies’

recommendation, it is an acceptable minimum intake for most people. Obsessive types often have bottles that accommodate twice that and the commitment and discipline to down it. Incidental types may refill their coffee or tea cups several times before changing beverages. For most people, the combination of thirst and discipline equals adequate hydration.

Extra hydration is important before exercise and in hot, humid weather. While water is the best form of hydration, any water-based beverage will do the job. It is, of course, best to limit drinks containing sugar or artificial sweeteners.

As a proud incidental type, I drink a lot of iced tea and carbonated water. (Yes, I live on the wild side.) These easily meet my hydration needs under normal circumstances but may earn me some “side eye” from obsessive type family members.

Many foods also promote hydration, such as watermelon

NATHALIE MONTIJO NEW WAVE NIGHTINGALE

and spinach which are high in water content.

To objectively check in on positive hydration status, take stock of your thirst level (low to none) and the color of your urine (pale yellow, not concentrated).

Never drink water past the point of reason with the idea of preventing dehydration as this can overtax the kidneys and cause hyponatremia, a lifethreatening condition. Aside from that, hydration is good, clean fun no matter which type of hydrator you may be.

Happy summer and as they say in the Old Country, Slainte!

Please send comments and question to Nathalie by email to newwavenightingale@gmail.com.

Jamai Williams and Kaniya Blocker, Olympic High

Northgate High graduation ceremony at the Concord Pavilion made one grad smile.

When in doubt, hit the spout – within reason

Ygnacio Valley High School graduates made personal fashion statements to go with their traditional cap and gown in the Class of 2023 ceremony at the Concord Pavilion.

Clayton Valley Charter grads awaiting their diplomas.

Tori Umana Almaraz, MDHS Valedictorian

Photo courtesy Carondelet High School

A quintet of Carondelet High School seniors celebrate their graduation with the Class of 2023 at the Concord Pavilion as they complete their four years at the all-girls Catholic school in Concord.

Horizons Center for Independent Study and Prospect Continuation High School Class of 2023 graduates. Kaley Thurman, College Park High.

Obituary

P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite F, Clayton, CA 94517

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JoAnn Adami

Aug. 25, 1951– May 31, 2023

Concord resident JoAnn Adami was an inspirational wife, mother and sister. As a wife, JoAnn stood alongside her husband Paul for 51 years. The two went to the same high school and had some of the same friends. They knew of each other but didn’t really get to know each other until after Paul returned from Vietnam. They married on Dec. 18, 1971, in the chapel at the Presidio. Fifty years later they renewed their vows in the same spot where they married, surrounded by their loving family.

JoAnn had four children and 10 grandchildren: Nicole (Jonathon Hackett, Tyler and Lance), Celeste (Scott Schmadeke, Mackanzie and

PETS

Hannah), Troy (Becky, Madelynn, Olivia and Charlette), and Melissa (Erik Benson, Blake, Athena and Aria).

JoAnn was mostly a homemaker while the children were young, occasionally cleaning houses to help make ends meet. Her house was filled with smells of home-cooked meals, music played from the stereo while the cleaning was done, and singing could always be heard. Daily phone conversations with family on the other side of the bridge, weekly drives to visit grandparents and monthly shopping trips to the commissary were routine.

JoAnn was the constant room mother for all her children and the team mom for a

decade of soccer. She would sew Halloween costumes and formals for proms and homecomings. JoAnn was a gentle, selfless, committed mother.

JoAnn loved to vacation. Early vacations were mostly camping trips with the family to the Russian River, but as the family matured, JoAnn and Paul’s vacations evolved. Once they got the taste for cruising, they couldn’t be stopped. One cruise led to another and they eventually nearly cruised the world together. Other travels included an African safari, China, Guam, Japan and Russia.

JoAnn was one of five children, and the only sister in her family. She was born Aug. 25, 1951, in San Francisco,

and died May 31, 2023. JoAnn had great relationships with all her brothers, three of whom preceded her in death. This group of siblings knew how to have fun and they enjoyed every holiday and celebration together dancing, laughing and singing.

JoAnn’s family did not get enough time with her. Her illness came suddenly, and her passing is shocking. Her family and friends will have a celebration of JoAnn’s life before summer ends.

Adopt a new best friend at ARF

Your new best friend may be waiting for you. Could it be Duke?

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ARF adoption fees: $250 for an adult dog, $350 for a puppy under 6 months, $125 for a special-needs dog, $175 for a special-needs puppy under 6 months, and $125 for a senior dog 7 years and older.

View available dogs and cats online or visit us in-person during open hours: Wed.-Sun., 12-6 pm, with

early-bird sign-in available Wed.-Fri. beginning at 9 a.m. Our team is excited to guide you in choosing a pet, share information about their history and behavior while at ARF, and provide helpful resources. This process can take time — please allow 6090 minutes for in-person appointments.

Visit ARF online at https://arflife.org/

CPO Mag continued, “Cybercriminals can use AI to automate aspects of their attacks, enabling them to launch attacks more quickly, at a greater scale and a lower cost. They may also be able to pinpoint their targets more precisely.” Bad news for users stuck with “definition file” based antivirus products.

point of rapid self-improvement that threatens our ability to control them and poses great potential risk to humanity.”

Stanley Kubrick’s spacecraft Discovery One, in “2001: A Space Odyssey” (circa 1968), expresses a vision of the future for Artificial Intelligence (AI).

It is a chilling reminder of how fast technology is moving. Take the HAL 9000* computer, fast-forward just two decades, and we have his vision coming to life before our eyes.

AI is a computer that can emulate human thought and reasoning through the magic of algorithms that help it “think.” Along with some frightening aspects of AI, there are some counter measures one can employ.

AI is a program that is already causing the way we use our computers, tablets and smartphones to change. The most concerning to me is how it will affect computer hacks and malicious viruses. According to Bing ChatGPT (an AI source), “Attacks executed with AI tend to be more successful, perhaps because the technology makes it easier to develop malware with the ability to evade even sophisticated threat detection.” In addition, “an adversarial AI/ML attack can fool your computer’s anti-virus software into allowing malware to run.”

According to CPO Magazine, “AI can learn on its own and use that knowledge to complete tasks autonomously … they apply (knowledge) to cyber attacks and other security threats.”

“Traditional security techniques use signatures or indicators of compromise to identify threats. This technique might work well for previously encountered threats, but they are not effective for threats that have not been discovered yet,” writes IEEE Computer Society.

Remember HAL? Look how far we have come – from fiction and fantasy to reality in the blink of an eye. What will the next 20, or even 10 years bring? According to Scientific American, “Artificial intelligence algorithms will soon reach a

AI computers are already writing code for the next generation of AI, and humans cannot understand – and cannot decode – the programs. Have we already lost the leadership of the world? Will it lead to a “Skynet”** moment, like in the “Terminator” movie? Well, maybe not.

Martial arts teach us that the best defense is a good offence, and this can be applied to fighting AI with AI. Standard antivirus is doomed to die given the AI threat; therefore, one must turn to AI to fight AI.

Mountain View based SentinelOne is taking a leadership role for embracing AI in its antivirus defenses. There are others but not at the quality and accuracy level these engineers have achieved. It has the ability

to think and outsmart traditional viruses, detect and eliminate AI attacks and learn about new threats on the fly. All the connected computers collaborate to defend your digital world.

ComputersUSA is one of the leading sources for distribution of SentinelOne in the Bay Area. CUSA manages the updates, monitoring and mitigating threats for you. Find out more at 925-672-9989.

Trivia:

*What letters follow H A L?

**Cyberdyne Systems created Skynet for SAC-NORAD in the movie “Terminator.”

William Claney is an independent tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to willclaney@gmail.com.

We’ve come a long way from HAL –where will AI take us next?

DUKE

The city of Clayton’s fiscal year-end is at the end of June, which means right now is when the City Council discusses and adopts the budget for next year.

The latest FY24 budget draft the council reviewed reflected a surplus in the General Fund of approximately $7,000, which included a $125,000 transfer from the

Clayton council moving forward with budget talks

Pension Rate Stabilization fund. Pension expenses have increased significantly this year, and this fund was established for this purpose.

Largely, the draft budget holds the line as the city has a number of complexities primarily around vacant and new staff, and it will take time to work through onboarding before we can determine a realistic steady state baseline. Establishing a baseline is critical before making any significant changes to structure or operations.

Several of the specific funds reflect a deficit as well. Streetlights, Stormwater, Landscape Maintenance (LMD), The Grove and the Geologic Hazard Abatement District (GHAD) all reflect

deficits to some degree. For some of these (Streetlights, Stormwater), we will be repurposing gas tax revenues to cover eligible costs within these funds. For others (LMD, GHAD), we will be rebuilding the budget with the available funds as a constraint so we can assess what that level of service delivery will entail.

While the current General Fund budget for FY24 reflects a modest surplus of $7,000, a few items will add context to this figure. It does not include any impact of current contract negotiations with the city’s Miscellaneous employee group. Any increase in compensation will have an unfavorable impact on the General Fund. It also includes $40,000 of one-time spend related to technology

Contra Costa County strives to support LGBTQIA+ community

Pride Month is not just declared locally, but nationally.

In June 1969, protesters convened for six days in New York after police raided a gay bar known as the Stonewall Inn. This protest became known as the Stonewall Uprising. The following year, the first Pride marches began to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.

For me, Pride is personal. I have worked as a public servant for the last 35 years. When I started my career as a Concord police officer in 1988, there was not a lot of support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

After I came out in 2002, I started to advocate for my rights and the rights of others.

As the first openly gay member of the Pleasant Hill City Council, I established June as Pride Month within the city. I also authored the Inclusive City Resolution, which promotes the protection of human rights, social justice,

equality, diversity and social well-being.

Six months ago, I was sworn in as the first openly gay Contra Costa County supervisor. As I stood in the board chambers with my husband Jeremy by my side, I reflected on my great appreciation for those who came before me.

While the fight for our rights continues, I want to share with you a few of the programs that the county provides to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Contra Costa County Library does not have a policy for banning books of any kind and has the LGBT+ DeLoach and Troy Trust Special Collection. This collection includes books for all ages that relate to gender identity and sexual orientation. While the collection is kept at the El Cerrito Library, these books can be placed on hold and picked up from your local library.

In addition, the county libraries are handing out col-

oring books and rainbow buttons as well as hosting more than 20 events and activities to raise awareness around Pride throughout June. For the remaining events, please check out https://ccclib.org/diversity/.

Contra Costa Health (CCH) has a Pride Initiative, with the mission to integrate practices and policies that foster a safe and inclusive environment, equal access, and quality health care along with awareness, acceptance, and respect for lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, and nonbinary employees and the people they serve.

CCH provides monthly outpatient clinics for transgender and non-binary patients. This is a welcoming environment for transgender and non-binary people to receive culturally competent medical care. CCH also provides an HIV/AIDS & STD program, with the goals to reduce transmission, provide services and treatment, and raise awareness

projects that have not yet been identified and, therefore, will have a favorable impact to the General Fund once carved out. It includes additional fee revenue of $36,000 for user-generated charges, but it does not include any fees that may be earned for special events held in the city. Any fees earned from special events will have a favorable impact to the General Fund.

When the council approved the current year FY23 budget, it was done so with an approximate $127,000 deficit. Based on current projections, we will end FY23 with an operating surplus of approximately $408,000 – representing a favorable swing of $535,000. This is due to a combination of greater than

expected revenues, staff vacancies and other savings.

Much of the discussion leading up to the current budget being adopted was around structural deficits, with negative projections for every year available going forward. Some have utilized this negative outlook as a way to support a narrative that taxes need to be increased. As we can see with the current fiscal year, this significant deficit did

not materialize for a variety of reasons – calling into question prior predictions.

The council and city staff continue to assess where we may make strategic investments to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs and ensure that we are using the taxpayer dollar as effectively as possible.

Send comments and questions for the mayor to jeff.wan@clayton.ci.gov

May, June and July are red, white and blue months for Pleasant Hill mayor

The month of May closed with a Memorial Day ceremony in front of the Soldiers Monument in downtown Pleasant Hill honoring and paying tribute to the members of our armed services. We will also be celebrating Father’s Day on June 18. These two days have me reflecting on my father, John Ward Flaherty.

of HIV and STDs. I am lucky to live in a community where I can be my authentic self, and everyone deserves that right. If you or someone in your community wants to become an ally and show your support by getting involved, I encourage you to become civically engaged. You can start with organizations such as PTAs, community groups, local commissions, etc. Let’s clear the way for the next generation of leaders.

Ken Carlson is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to Carlson at SupervisorCarlson@bos.cccounty.us or call his office at 925-655-2350.

My dad enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp on Nov. 25, 1942, just two weeks shy of his 19th birthday. He attended tank school and was assigned to the Marines 4th Division, 4th Tank Battalion Company A. He rose to the rank of sergeant. In July 1943, my father headed for the Pacific Theatre and saw combat in Guadalcanal, Saipan and the infamous battle of Iwo Jima. As a result of his heroism rescuing fellow Marines from burning and disabled tanks on Iwo Jima, he received the Bronze Star.

My father rarely spoke of his wartime experiences, but his military training proved useful in taming his brood of seven children and developing his commanding presence as an assistant chief in the San Francisco Fire Department. My father died nearly 16 years ago at the age of 83, but his voice –encouraging, critical or praising, as the occasion warrants –echoes in my head every day.

June 14’s Flag Day gave us the opportunity to dress the front porch with the flag and bunting. And you can leave it up through the July 4 festivities.

I look forward to the pomp of the city’s Fourth of July. Nothing encapsulates the small town feel of Pleasant Hill better. The day begins with an early morning 5K run, followed by our cherished parade. Get out early and save your space for prime parade viewing.

The celebration continues with a party in Pleasant Hill Park, where you will find food, kid’s activities and more. You might want to nap a bit

See Flaherty, page 11

Hold the phone – here’s an update from Clayton chief

I’ve been back with the Clayton Police Department for a little more than six months now, and I’m pretty well settled in. I want to thank the community for welcoming me back, and I wanted to share some of the things that we have accomplished so far.

In December, we converted one of our existing officer positions to that of a sergeant. This provided us with

more supervisory coverage. Torrey Jarvis was promoted to sergeant, and she is doing well in that role.

We also converted a patrol officer position to that of a traffic officer. Officer Mitch Stroski is our new traffic officer, and he is training to ride a police motorcycle that we recently purchased.

For the first time in almost 20 years, the City Hall building has video surveil-

lance cameras again. This will provide security on the perimeter of the building.

In the next month or two, the payphone that has been in front of City Hall for years will be replaced with a phone that dials directly to police dispatch. With cell phones in almost everyone’s possession these days, payphones have become a thing of the past. If our building is closed and you need police assistance,

you can pick up that phone and it will automatically call dispatch.

We added signs on Four Oaks Lane prohibiting Uturns during certain hours when school is in session. These signs needed to be in place for 30 days before they could be enforced, so they will be in effect when school resumes in the fall.

July 4 is just around the corner. With it comes fire-

works and, unfortunately, fires. Fireworks are illegal in Contra Costa County. For the safety of all, please leave fireworks to the professionals. That is all for now. I look forward to seeing you all out and about in our great little community.

Send questions and comments to the chief at richard.mceachin@clayton.ci.gov

Grayson to host Walk & Talk at Round Valley Preserve

I hope that you will be able to join me and the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) for a Walk & Talk on Saturday, June 24.

I have partnered with EBRPD many times in the past to host this event, which creates an opportunity for friends and neighbors to join with me in discussing legislative issues and the work I’ve done in Sacramento to protect the environment while enjoying one of our great local parks.

EBRPD and I have hosted exceptional Walk & Talks at Carquinez Overlook Loop Trail in Crockett and Bay Point’s Regional Shoreline Park. We even explored Thurgood Marshall Regional Park in

Concord ahead of its public opening. This month, we will be visiting Round Valley Regional Preserve in Brentwood. Open since 1998, the preserve is an expansive 1,979

acres. According to EBRPD naturalists, this land was once home to California Native Americans and likely served as an area where members of East Bay and San Joaquin Valley tribal groups could meet to trade and socialize. The land is now home to many native and non-native wildflowers, the California ground squirrel, Audubon’s cottontail, the endangered San Joaquin kit fox and even nesting golden eagles.

One of the highlights of these Walk & Talk events is always the insights into the park’s history and local flora and fauna that EBRPD’s naturalist shares throughout our walk. During our walking loop of the park, there will be an opportunity to talk

together about matters important to you and our community as well as work that I’ve helped accomplish in Sacramento to protect our environment.

It is imperative that we protect our planet and our local parks and waterways. Last year I was proud to co-author SB 54 (Allen), the strongest plastics reduction law in the country.

This bill placed responsibility for recycling costs on the producers, rather than the local communities who pay for waste management recycling. It also includes a 25% reduction in single-use plastics and calls for plastics producers to collectively dedicate $500 million per year for the next decade to fund monitoring and mitigation of

plastics pollution, primarily in disadvantaged, low-income and rural communities.

I’ve also been a strong supporter of reducing the risks of catastrophic wildfires and bolstering our forest health. I recently supported increasing civil penalties for refineries discharging toxic air contaminants.

I hope you’ll be able to join me for this great event. Be sure to wear walking shoes and sunscreen, bring water and please leave your pets at home. We will begin walking at 9:30 a.m. and say our goodbyes about 11:30 a.m.

For additional details about the event, or information on the park and where to find parking, please call my Con-

cord District Office at 925521-1511 or EBRPD Public Affairs at 510-544-2200.

Walk & Talk with Assemblymember

Tim Grayson

When: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, June

RICHARD MCEACHIN CHIEFOF POLICE CLAYTON

TIM GRAYSON 15TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

JEFF WAN CLAYTON MAYOR

TIM FLAHERTY PLEASANT HILL MAYOR

KEN CARLSON COUNTY SUPERVISOR

In the ’70s and ’80s in San Francisco, it wasn’t called Pride. It was the San Francisco Gay Liberation or Gay

Flaherty,

and rest up for the fireworks that night at College Park. More food, fun and music precede the pyrotechnics.

Visit www.phjuly4.com for full details on the day’s events and how to participate.

Don’t forget Pleasant Hill hosts free Sunset by the Lake Concerts every other Sunday this summer, featuring the best bands in the area.

Here is the schedule for the remaining concerts:

June 25, Hey Hey Mama.

July 9, Tom Rigney & Flambeau.

July 23, Jinx Jones & the Kingtones.

Aug. 6, The Groove Doctors.

Pride is about acceptance and solidarity

Freedom Day. Then came the International Lesbian and Gay Freedom Day Parade. There were riots, police and protestors. It became the San Francisco LGBT Pride celebration in 1995, and it’s been Pride ever since.

I’ve caught wind of objection from acquaintances and in the media. “Why do you get a month to celebrate your-

selves? I want a straight pride.” Or, “I feel marginalized as a cisgendered straight person. We are the normal ones; we should get a month to party.”

I bet you can feel the hostility in those statements. I suspect a whole bunch of you can go back in time to when you came out to yourselves or risked coming out to someone trusted.

Some of you quaked in fear for someone who came out to you.

WHATIS PRIDE MONTH REALLY?

the same rights granted automatically to heterosexual cisgendered people. Maybe you’ve heard “you have the same rights.”

Let me remind those who have said that:

I don’t know a single kid who has fled their home in fear of harm or fear of their life because they came out as straight.

I don’t know a single kid who got bullied and beaten up at school because they came out as straight.

riage certificate would not be valid in the United States. Remember, marriage equality was state by state until 2015.

I don’t know a single person who has been denied medical treatment or housing because they were straight or cisgender.

ensure

well

Sitting

while

Aug. 20, Native Elements.

Sept. 3. The Big Jangle (the mayor’s favorite). Community Service Day is coming up Sept. 23, and the city is seeking projects for this annual event. Residents can fill out the project form on the city’s website at www.pleasanthillca.org/csd.

Happy Father’s Day to all our Pleasant Hill dads and congrats to all our Pleasant Hill grads. I hope you all have a safe and sane, red, white and blue celebration this year.

Email questions and comments for Mayor Flaherty to tflaherty@pleasanthillca.org

We are proud of who we are. We claim who we are. In the face on ongoing and increasing threats to our community, we stand to demand

I don’t know any adults who got fired because they came out as straight or cisgender.

I don’t know of any heterosexual people who had to go to Canada to get married, understanding that that mar-

I recall the 1978 Gay Freedom Day. My parents watch a news clip with utter disgust. I already knew that I wasn’t straight or cisgendered. I also knew if I came out, I’d be dead. I listened to my dad talk about the “homos and pervs” – the same rhetoric we hear today. I was at that march.

I was afraid with good reason. I was outed. I left home to avoid physical assault. I lived in a garage with no electricity or water.

The same year, two gay friends were arrested in Baldwin Park for holding hands; they were beaten and thrown in jail. That is why we march. We come together and celebrate who we are so that we are visible, so those of us who fear hatred can gain strength in solidarity. We are not mistakes, but people – and we deserve the same rights. When we say we need laws to grant us the same rights as others, it is not “extra” or “privilege” … it’s because we do not have those rights. Happy Pride. Be brave and beautiful.

Kadeth Pozzesi, LMFT/Clinical RCC, is an elder trans person who walks between worlds, sorcerer, artist, musician, warrior poet.

Learning how to address others with proper pronouns

age, culture and tradition. Learning a new skill or way of doing things requires patience and an openness to learn.

Five Stars on Yelp “I needed someone last minute to help care for my cat and water my plants while I was away for a week. Alex responded quickly and professionally. I would 100% recommend and will be contacting her again in the future.”

Karen C. Pleasant Hill

Alex Buzdea, 510-566-0285 alexspetsittingclub@gmail.com

Q. I find myself fumbling the words so as not to sound invasive or awkward when identifying another person’s pronouns or gender. How can I do this without making someone uncomfortable or feel like they have to stop their life to educate or correct me? –Brenda, 58, Walnut Creek

A. Brenda, as easy as it sounds to use correct pronouns or acknowledge an individual gender, it may be difficult for some based on

If you have never had to worry about someone getting your gender or pronouns correct, asking can feel invasive. However, for others, asking may be a welcomed and expected question. Here are a few ways you can engage with a person when you are unsure of their pronouns or gender: Use they/them/theirs. Using these pronouns sends a respectful signal that you are unsure about what the person wants. They may use their correct pronoun to answer your question, or they may say nothing at all as they are content with those pronouns. While this method does work, it places you in two conversa-

tions: the one you are openly having and the one you are silently having.

Use their name. Use their name until you learn their pronouns. This method takes a bit of practice and requires focus. We naturally shift out of names when we become more comfortable in our environment or conversation. We tend to associate words with gender, so it may be difficult not to slip up and use “her/him, she/he” pronouns when speaking, or you may substitute they or them. If they have given you their pronouns, this could be misinterpreted as you misgendering them.

Ask. To you, it sounds like prying. However, asking is the most straightforward way to say, “I care and respect how you identify.”

The landscape of how we connect, acknowledge and build with each other has never been cut and dry. We have all learned and adapted to how to occupy our own space and take part in others. Brenda, you may sometimes feel uncomfortable and awkward, but growth requires us to be uncomfortable at times. A closing note: It is acceptable to ask how you can respect another’s identity, but it is not their responsibility to answer a “why” that might follow.

Be well; you are worthy.

Dominique King is a wife, mother, lifestyle blogger and avid long-distance runner. Email questions and comments to her at leaninwiththekings@gmail.com.

If you are considering senior living for yourself or someone you love, please join us for a special taste of TreVista, featuring fabulous selections from our signature summer menu for you to savor. This complimentary preview will be hosted at TreVista in Concord.

BLACK BERRIE BALSAMIC CANDIED WALNUT SALAD CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES

“Mario” Adamache

Would you like Brussels sprouts fries with that?

There isn’t a restaurant that a healthy person can’t enjoy. Even many fast-food restaurants offer healthy menu items, such as salads or baked potatoes.

Before I go out to eat, I look up the restaurant’s menu online. You can also call ahead and ask the manager whether the restaurant offers steamed veggies and if you can get fish or chicken just broiled or grilled, without sauces. Chain restaurants must post the ingredients for every dish, including the sauces. Watch out for seed oils that don’t break down in your body.

If fish is on the menu, ask for it grilled rather than fried. When something is listed as fried, you want to know if it’s pan fried or deep fried. If a restaurant deep fries your Brussels sprouts, you might as well order French fries. Any-

CINDY GERSHEN FARM TO TASTE

thing that is deep fried will come laden with saturated fats, which raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol.

Sometimes the restaurant staff will tell you the food item is popped in the deep fryer for “just a minute.” Even for a moment, it’s unhealthy. Typically, the oils in those deep fryers aren’t changed often enough, so you’re

ingesting the fats that have gathered there for days and possibly weeks. For 40 years, I’ve gone without a deep fryer in my restaurant.

If you order a salad, get one without cheese, croutons or dried fruit. Ask them to leave off anything that is not a fresh vegetable. I don’t let them drench it, either. It’s not the big salad that’s going to get you — it’s the big ladle of dressing. I put measured amounts of olive oil and vinegar, and maybe lemon, on my salad.

Some restaurants make it easy. A shoutout to Urban Plates, a responsible chain with three locations in the East Bay and 14 in the Los Angeles area. I like to go to the one in Pleasant Hill. First of all, the food is good. Secondly, the Urban Plates website has a “Nutrition and Allergens” spreadsheet with

16 nutritional measurements for entrees and side dishes, including breakdowns for kids’ meals. They make it easy for you to plan ahead for a sensible meal.

Here’s a healthy option to make next time you want to eat at home.

SPINACH-CHEESE EGG BITES

Makes 5 servings

15 oz. brown rice, cooked*

1 lb. frozen spinach, thawed overnight and drained well

5 eggs, whipped

5 oz. ricotta cheese

4 oz. cheese (Jack, cheddar, feta)

½ oz. minced garlic

2 T flaxseed meal

2 T fresh dill, chopped, or

1 T dry dill

2 tsp. salt

About 15 cherry tomatoes,

Spinach-cheese egg bites have a little of everything we need for fueling up and starting the day right.

sliced in thirds lengthwise

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients except tomatoes. Fill 15 silicone muffin cups with batter.

Top each with 2-3 cherry tomato slices. Bake for 25 minutes.

*You can substitute cooked faro, quinoa or potato for the rice.

Cindy Gershen is a culinary teacher and the chef-owner for 40 years of Sunrise Bistro and Catering in Walnut Creek. For more information, visit cindygershen.com.

Stone fruit has arrived at the farmers market

cots, pluots and apriums. Here a look at the varieties: Peaches and nectarines.

There’s no better reminder that summer is here than to see juicy California stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, plums and apricots appear at the farmers market.

California is the largest producer of stone fruit in the United States. In fact, California produces more than 90% of the nectarines and plums and about 60% of the peaches.

Stone fruit gets its name from the large seed – or “stone” – inside and includes peaches, nectarines, plums, apri-

Freestone peaches and nectarines have flesh that slips easily away from the pit; clingstone fruits do not. Most peach varieties are freestone and are available April through October. Some nectarines are freestone and some are clingstone. Freestone nectarines are available in June and July. Most plum varieties are clingstone.

Plums. There are two types of plums: European and Japanese. Most plums produced in California are Japanese plums, with a distinctive round shape and dark color. European plums are more elongated and have a mottled appearance with purple and green skin tones.

Pluots and apriums. Introduced in 1989, pluots and apriums are unique crosses of

Apriums are about 60-70% apricot and 30% plum while pluots are about 60% plum and 40% apricot. Both have higher sugar levels than the standard varieties which makes them utterly irresistible.

plums and apricots. Pluots are smooth-skinned, like plums, while apriums are slightly fuzzy, like apricots. They have unique flavors and higher sugar levels than the standard varieties. The new fruits are complex hybrids created by making several generations of crosses and selecting desirable traits, such as high sugar content.

Apricots. A native of China, the apricot has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. The first recorded commercial production of apricots in America was in 1792, south of San Francisco. A relative of the peach, the apricot is smaller and has a smooth, oval pit that falls out easily when the fruit is halved.

Look for fruit that is soft,

gives to gentle palm pressure and has a sweet aroma. The best indicator of high-quality fruit is the color.

Ripen firm peaches, plums or nectarines in a paper bag, folding the top over loosely and keeping it at room temperature for 1-3 days. Check the fruit daily. Never place firm or unripe fruit in the refrigerator as it may inhibit the ripening process and can cause the fruit to become dry and mealy – and lose flavor.

You’ll find fabulous stone fruit in varieties you don’t see at your local grocery store from farmers like Diaz Farms in Gilroy, J&J Ramos Farm out of Hughson and Cipponeri Farms from Turlock.

PEACH SALSA

2 lbs. peaches, pitted and diced

1 sweet pepper, diced 1 large tomato, diced 1 lime, quartered

Salt

Half a medium red onion, diced 2-3 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped

Wash all produce (and your hands). Remove pits and dice the peaches. Dice sweet pepper. Using a serrated knife, dice the tomatoes. Put ingredients into a bowl. Add the juice of ¼ lime, salt, 1-2 T red onion and 1-2 tsp. cilantro. Stir and taste. Adjust flavor by adding more lime, salt, onion or cilantro as desired.

If you like it spicy, use a jalapeno instead of sweet pepper in whatever quantity you enjoy.

Cindy Gershen

DEBRA MORRIS FARMERS MARKET

SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

Spartans defeat baseball rival Ugly Eagles en route to NCS, NorCal titles and 30-game playoff winning streak

JAY

Just as they did for most of this spring season, De La Salle and Clayton Valley Charter proved to be the best two baseball teams in North Coast Section by reaching the NCS Division I championship game. And as the Spartans have done

for the past six playoff seasons, they won the Concord schools showdown en route to a Section and then a dramatic Northern California championship to run their post-season winning streak to 30.

The year’s storybook ending of the final game will be long remembered when Da La Salle scored six runs in the sev-

St. Bonaventure CYO track honors stalwart graduating members

enth inning to overcome top seed Valley Christian and earn their second successive NorCal title, even topping a spectacular semi-final.

Clayton Valley Charter and De La Salle floated at or near the top of the Bay Area high school baseball rankings all season before proving their value in the post season.

In the section playoffs De La Salle won its first two games in lopsided fashion 15-4 over Castro Valley and 9-2 over Liberty. Then they jumped all over rejuvenated Pittsburg for 10-1 and 12-2 leads before the Pirates scored seven unanswered runs in the final three innings to give the Spartans a scare before succumbing 12-9 in the NCS semifinals.

The Ugly Eagles won their NCS opener 9-2 over Diablo Athletic League rival College Park but then had to score a tie-breaking run in the fifth inning to edge James Logan of Union City 4-3. The semi-final was more routine for CVCHS as they defeated San Ramon Valley 10-1, setting up the allConcord finals.

second to Valley Christian of San Jose and Clayton Valley Charter eighth in a tough Division I bracket.

Griffith single. Both team’s starting pitchers were 10-0 entering the game.

Photo courtesy St. Bonaventute CYO

Long-time coach Joe Sullivan congratulated two members of the Saint Bonaventure CYO track and field team after their final meet. Ian Baskerville and Madison Sardelich each competed for the team since second grade and this spring were named athletes of the year. Before concluding their final season and heading off to Northgate High School, Baskerville took fifth in the 1600-meter run at the Oakland Diocese meet while Sardelich was fourth in the 200 meters and sixth in the 400 as well as competing for two St. Bonnies relays that placed in the top three.

De La Salle jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the finals by the top of the second inning and the Ugly Eagles never got too close the rest of the way in a 73 DLS victory. The two teams met early in the pre-season with the Spartans winning by a similar 8-3 score.

Both teams moved on to the Northern California playoffs with De La Salle seeded

The Ugly Eagles trip to NorCals was brief as Valley Christian defeated the Concord school 7-3 after grabbing an early 5-0 lead. Clayton Valley ended the year with a 22-7 record and a Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division title.

De La Salle blanked Buchanan of Clovis 6-0 in its opener before edging No. 3 seed Franklin of Elk Grove 65 in nine innings on a Tanner

That set up 1 vs 2 for the championship. Valley Christian looked like they were going to prove their seeding correct as they took an 8-4 lead after five innings and still held an 8-5 advantage going to the seventh and last inning.

That’s when De La Salle exploded for six runs, the final four on a two-out grand slam by junior Hank Tripaldi, who struggled through the end of the season after his mom

Resort feel in a country setting

passed from breast cancer April 25. The slam gave the Spartans an 11-8 lead and they held on with five pitchers sharing in the mound duties during the championship game. De La Salle has now won 30 post-season baseball games since dropping the NCS title game in 2015 to College Park 5-2 as they emulate the post season heroics of Spartan football, wrestling and other Spartan teams of the past and present.

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Photo courtesy De La Salle Athletics

De La Salle High baseball is making an historical record of its own with 30 consecutive

post-season victories

including

back-to-back North

Coast Section and Northern California championships. The NorCal title came in storybook fashion with a two-out last inning grand slam proving the winning margin. The Spartans haven’t lost in the post season since the finals of the 2015 NCS playoffs.

De La Salle’s section titles continue to pile up this spring

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

De La Salle has a wellearned reputation for athletic team success that goes much deeper than just the Spartans legendary football program which has spawned a movie and books around its historic 151-game national record winning streak.

This school year may be the topper for the parochial boys school in Concord however as this spring they claimed six North Coast Section boys team championships taking first place at Section in swimming, track and field, baseball, lacrosse, golf and volleyball.

Earlier this school year Spartans teams won NCS football, water polo and wrestling championships and were second in basketball.

As each sport is its own

De La Salle’s NCS volleyball championship came the hard way in a five set thriller with neighbor and rival Northgate. The NCS Division II volleyball title game went back and fourth until they got to the fifth and final set, which DLS edged 17-15.

entity, the sheer quantity of De La Salle NCS banners that will go up on the walls of the

Concord school’s gym don’t diminish which each team accomplished on its own.

Athlete Spotlight Leniyah Fulsom

Grade: Senior Schools: Ygnacio Valley High Sport: Basketball, Track, Cross Country

During her years at Ygnacio Valley Fulsom excelled running cross country and track, but it was on the basketball court where she made her biggest mark. This past season she led her handful of Wolves teammates to the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs where she ended her career with a 47-point game in a losing effort at No. 4 seed Del Norte, 367 miles north of the Concord school. In that final game she amassed a triple double with 12 rebounds and 10 steals to go with her scoring that included 19 of 25 shooting from two-point range.

Her high school and club coach Rae Jackson Jr., founder of Bay Area Magic basketball, says, “Leniyah is deceptively good. You look at her size and height (5’ 6”) and you look past her. After the game, many coaches have said ‘we underestimated her.’ She leads with her defensive dominance and speed to take over a game.” Fulsom had her share of ups and downs during her high school basketball journey. As a freshman Ygnacio Valley went undefeated to win the Diablo Athletic League Valley Division title and reach the NCS playoffs. The following year, in the midst of the COVID-19 disruption of high school sports, she tore her ACL at the start of the season and her team was winless. Jackson says, “She recovered and rejoined the team her junior year. This season her senior leadership kicked in to make a league title run and NCS.” For this she earned honorable mention all-Bay Area honors. Among her accomplishments this year was a quadruple double in a win over Franklin of Stockton. She was 12th in the

nation in steals and was co-MVP in the DAL among her post-season laurels.

The senior says, “Outside of YV basketball I play for Bay Area Magic where I was able to learn life skills that will help me on and off the court and learn how not to just be a true point guard but a complete basketball player. Outside of sports I am a very shy person. I dislike failure because I am a perfectionist. I aim to be the best at anything I do. I have learned through sports that dedication, commitment, hard work and time management are necessary for growth and success. Knowing that, I no longer aim for perfection, instead I aim for progress because I now trust and understand the process. So, I take this approach with me everywhere I go.” Fulsom wants to play basketball and study law in college where she’ll continue to “enjoy doing hair, working out, drawing, math and having good sports related conversations.”

The Pioneer congratulates Leniyah and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry. 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@pioneerpublishers.com.

Among the championships the baseball team won it second successive Northen California title in the second year of that playoff’s existence. Spartan baseball has now won 30 consecutive post season games.

The DLS golf team also repeated this year as CIF State, NorCal and NCS champions back-to-back.

Joshua Kim was second and Jack Jerge tied for fourth at State for DLS.

Although the baseball team’s heroics in the NorCal tournament are hard to beat. The Spartans championship NCS Division II volleyball game with rival Northgate is pretty hard to top.

The teams traded sets back and fourth until they got to the fifth and final set, which DLS edged 17-15.

Northgate went into the NCS tournament as the No. 3 seed and De La Salle was No. 4

In the semis Northgate beat No. 2 Tamalpais three sets to one and DLS dispatched top seeded Campolindo by the same 3-1 scoreline.

De La Salle and Northgate were both placed in division III at NorCals. The Broncos lost to second seed Whitney 3-2 in the opening round. The Spartans were seeded fifth and beat No. 4 Antelope 3-1 before losing top seed and eventual champion Carlmont by the same score.

In the championship game Carlmont defeated Berean Christian 3-2.

In track and field it was

In track and field it was De La Salle’s Athlete of the Year, Chukwunonso Udeh, who shone brightest at North Coast Sections Meet of Champions to lead his team to a huge victory margin.

the school’s Athlete of the Year, Chukwunonso Udeh, who shone brightest at North Coast and the State CIF Meet.

Udeh won the high jump, 110 hurdles and the long jump at the NCS Meet of Champions to lead his team to a resounding victory. He was a key part in the runnerup 4x100 relay as well.

A week later at the State Meet he won the long jump with a leap of 23-9-3/4 and took home three more medals with fifth-place finishes in the high jump, hurdles and 4x100 relay.

At the state meet College Park’s Alex Lamoureux was

fourth in the 1600, Clayton Valley Charter’s Santia Ali was eighth in the triple jump and the Ugly Eagles boys 4x800 relay was seventh.

Please let our advertisers know you saw them in The Pioneer. It helps.

Photos courtesy De La Salle Athletics

The De La Salle golf team repeated this spring as CIF State, NorCal and NCS champions in back-to-back seasons and in resounding fashion winning those titles by 10, 13 and 14 strokes respectively.

New, old blood on high school football coaching sidelines this fall as three local schools retool staff

Concord’s oldest two high schools have hired new head football coaches while its most famous football program is bringing back an old (in terms of tenure at least) coach to help its program this coming season.

Clayton Valley Charter announced that Nick Tisa is the new head coach after Tim Murphy stepped down last month following an impressive 11-year run in charge of the Ugly Eagles. For the past few years Tisa served as cohead coach before removing the “co” from his title a few weeks after Murphy’s announcement.

At Mt. Diablo, Fetuao Mua is the new football coach, succeeding Donald James who left the school after running the Red Devils program for five seasons, including the unbeaten 202021 season that resulted in the

school’s first football championship in decades.

And at perennial power De La Salle, Justin Alumbaugh announced that longtime assistant coach Terry Eidson is returning to the staff serving as special teams and safeties coach, part of the responsibilities he held under friend and head coach Bob Ladouceur. Coach Lad retired after the 2012 season with Alumbaugh taking the reigns as he heads into his 11th season in charge this fall.

Eidson stayed on the staff through the 2019 season and has been helping on game nights while also teaching at the Concord school. Alumbaugh explains that with the Concord resident having his teaching responsibilities lessened he has more time to devote to the Spartans football team. He was defensive coordinator and special teams coach for many years under Ladouceur.

Alumbaugh made some staff changes after his threeyear defensive coordinator Nate Kenion asked to leave the staff to pursue collegiate coaching opportunities. Alumbaugh will assume Kenion’s role on the defense and he tabbed fellow DLS alumnus Kevin Fordon to take over play-calling duties, which Alumbaugh has done the past 10 years.

T ISATAKING OVER SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM

Tisa has been with the

East Bay Gymnast wins national titles

CVCHS football team since 2018 and became co-head coach after Murphy first announced his retirement in 2019. Murphy was talked into staying on board for three more seasons before finally fully stepping away this spring.

Tisa has 17 years of coaching and teaching experience. He served as co-head coach, Tisa has served as the co-head coach alongside Murphy for the past four years concentrating on the defensive side of the ball with Murphy handling the offense. He was part of the staff which won the 2019 California State Division 2AA championship with the defense leading the way in the state title game.

Discussing his opportunity to lead the Ugly Eagle program, Tisa stated, “I’m coming into this job with great enthusiasm and gratitude for the chance to lead the CVCHS football program. I have learned so much from my time as co-head coach alongside Tim Murphy, and I’m thrilled to be part of the Clayton Valley community and its successful winning program.”

Before joining CVCHS, Tisa served as the head coach at Dougherty Valley High in San Ramon, where he further developed his coaching skills. There, he credits Principal Dave Kravitz, a former head coach at San Ramon Valley, and Jason Krolikowski, former head coach for Lowell High, for providing him with

keen insights to the game. Tisa also gained experience as a varsity assistant coach at California High in San Ramon, working alongside renowned mentor Tony Sanchez, former Bishop Gorman and University of Nevada Las Vegas coach. Tisa compliments Sanchez for sharing his coaching knowl-

edge and player development skills.

R ED D EVILS GET NEW LEADER

Mt. Diablo High alumnus Mua is working as supervisor on the Concord campus and has been able to become familiar with his returning players over the past several months.

The 2005 MDHS grad went on to play football at Diablo Valley College and then Division II Tusculum College in Tennessee. He stayed on at his college for one year as a student assistant. He also coached linemen at Mt. Diablo the year after his high school graduation.

In recent years Mua has been coaching with the Concord Cobras youth football program which has given him a glimpse of young players in the area.

Mua says he expects to have a solid roster come fall with a couple transfers and incoming freshmen bolster-

ing his group of returning players. His football coaching resume describes him as “a driven football coach who understands and embeds the values of both winning and receiving a good education. My goal is to allow players to utilize football as a tool to reach the collegiate level. I emphasize camaraderie and building a tight knit relationship amongst players that lasts a lifetime.”

Clayton Business and Community Association inducted to Clayton Valley High Athletic Hall of Fame

Sports Shorts

RED DEVIL GOLF CLASSICSET FOR JUNE 23

CONCORD COBRAS YOUTHFOOTBALL PRACTICEUNDERWAY

Concord’s East Bay Gymnastics program contingent returned from the USA Gymnastics Developmental Program National Championships last month in Oklahoma City with a number of medals, including gold from Mika Webster-Longin as Level 10 Senior B national all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise champion.

Besides Webster-Longin, an incoming senior at St. Mary’s High School who has verbally committed to UCLA, East Bay Gymnastics had other high finishers at meets this spring.

Concord’s 12-year-old

Aaliyah Campos, an incoming sixth grader, continued her quest for a national team spot by winning uneven bars bronze in the Level 10 Jr. A Nationals.

Roz Smithwick of Clayton, a senior this fall at Carondelet High School, was a bronze medalist in the vault at the

Level 9 Western Nationals in Boise, Idaho. East Bay teammate London Moldre was national silver medalist in balance Beam and floor exercise and all-around bronze medalist.

Nia Kim took silver in the floor exercise at the Boise meet.

Head competitive team coach Lisa Terry was pleased with the performance of her gymnasts at the two prestigious meets. The team trains in a Concord building that has a rich history dating back to the 1970s when Mas Watanabe opened the center. Olympian and USA Gymnastics Hall of Famer Tracee Talavera trained there for Golden Gate Gymnastics and coach Mike Lynch.

East Bay Gymnastics has become a top Bay Area club while developing gymnasts who have earned college scholarships while competing on the national level. “We are definitely proud of our accomplishments,” Terry says.

The Red Devil Golf Committee announced it is holding its annual fund-raising tournament next Friday, June 23, at Diablo Creek Golf Course in Concord. Registration starts at 11 a.m., followed by lunch, golf, dinner and raffle/silent auction. Proceeds help academic and athletic programs at Mt. Diablo High School. Interested participants should contact Lou Adamo by phone (925) 212-9332 or email louadamo@gmail.com or Rudy Perez (925) 408-6790 or Rudyperezrdc@gmail.com.

HIGHLY-RANKED TERRAPINS SWIM TEAM

OFFERING SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR BEGINNINGSWIMTEAMMEMBERS

Terrapins Swim Club was recently named the fifth best age group swimming program by the American Swimming Coaches Association. The local USA Swimming team has summer Orange programs for beginner swimmers six years and older who have completed advance swim lessons and are interested in learning about the swim team experience. The Orange program for swimmers 6-11 runs to July 25 at 9:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Swimming must be able to swim the 25-yeard freestyle or backstroke to take part in the program. For more info and to register for Terrapins summer Orange program visit terrapinswim.com.

CVCHS FOOTBALL CAMP JUNE 26-27

Clayton Valley Charter summer football camp is on Monday and Tuesday, June 26-27 for incoming first through eighth graders at the Concord school. The camp sessions from 4:30-7 p.m. are designed to teach the fundamentals of football to young prospective football players. Camp participants will be taught offensive and defensive techniques utilized at Clayton Valley High. Current Clayton Valley players and coaching staff members will tutor campers. SPARQ (Speed-Power-Agility-ReactionQuickness) training will also be conducted to help arm athletes with the tools they need to become a complete athlete. Each camp participant will receive a camp t-shirt. For more information email head coach Nick Tisa at nick.tisa@claytonvalley.org.

Concord Cobras youth football program is taking signups for this fall’s tackle football and cheerleading season. To register for fall league, which is open to boys and girls 6-14 years for cheer and football, contact coach Ali at 925-864-1847, email Concordyouthfootball@yahoo.com or visit the Concord Cobras Facebook page Concord Youth Football.

GOLF TOURNAMENT

2ND ANNUAL BLUE DEVILS

JUNE 22 IN

CONCORD

The second annual Blue Devils Golf Tournament hosted by the Blue Devils Alumni Association is next Thursday, June 22, at Diablo Creek Golf Course. Proceeds benefit Blue Devils B and C Corps. Golfer registration deadline is June 7. The 20-time World Champion Blue Devils are preparing for their 2023 performance season and welcomes individuals and companies interested in supporting the local performing arts organization with a world-wide reputation. For complete information visit bluedevils.org.

BIGMEETS LOOMINGFOR

LOCALRECREATIONSWIMSEASON

The summer recreation swim season has started and the big meets are coming fast and furious leading up to the annual County Meet:

June 24-25 Devil Mountain Pentathlon, Dana Hills, Clayton

July 14-15 Crossing Challenge, Concord

July 15-16 Woodlands Invitational, Walnut Creek

July 21-23 56th Concord City Swimming Championships, Northgate High, Walnut Creek

July 30

Last Chance Meet, Acalanes High, Lafayette

Aug. 5-6 62nd Contra Costa County Swimming Championships, Acalanes High, Lafayette

Do you have an item for Sports Shorts? Send details by email to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.

JAY BEDECARRÉ

The Pioneer

JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer

FETUAO MUA

NICK TISA

Photo courtesy TriStar Pictures

Actor Michael Chiklis (right) portrayed Terry Eidson in the motion picture “When The Game Stands Tall” about the legendary De La Salle High football program. Eidson coached football at the school from 1982 to 2019 before stepping away the last three years. He’s returning to the sidelines this fall as special teams coordinator for the Spartans.

Photo courtesy East Bay Gymnastics East Bay Gymnastics teammates Nia Kim (left) and Roz Smithwick of Clayton celebrated their medals at the USA Gymnastics Level 9 Western Nationals last month in Boise, Idaho. Smithwick, who will be a senior at Carondelet High this fall, took third in the vault while Kim was second in the floor exercise.

Photo courtesy Clayton Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame The Clayton Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame’s seventh induction ceremony last month included special recognition for community support to the Clayton Business and Community Association. CBCA president Cw Wolfe (second from left) accepted on behalf of the non-profit organization. Matt Tillman, long-time Clayton Valley teacher, coach, athletic director and administrator Pat Middendorf and Jane Mele joined Wolfe to celebrate the group’s installation alongside standout athletes, coaches and teams from the school’s athletic history.

THE ARTS

Actors dance and sing their way through ‘The Heights’

Lots of stimulating dance moves and vibrant rhythms transform the Lesher theater into New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood as Center Rep presents “In the Heights.”

Nicholas C. Avila directs an energetic, pulsating production with a wealth of talent led by Michel Alejandro Castillo as Usnavi, owner of the local bodega. A sort of hip hop narrator, Castillo creates a memorable character with his voice, moves and comedic timing.

Laura LeBron, as his love interest Vanessa, commands attention as she flawlessly performs one dance routine after another.

Then there is the incredible voice of Cristina Hernandez as Nina, the pride of the neighborhood who made it into Stanford University. Hernandez can belt out a tune with ease and then pull the softest, most heart wrenching notes out of ballad. She is well-matched by the considerable acting chops and vocal ability of Dave J. Abrams, as her love interest Benny.

Natalie Amaya and Noel Anthony bring their many talents to the role of Nina’s parents, with Alex Alvarez provid-

ing a nice comedic touch as the Piragua Guy.

Kudos to Avila for adding to the diversity of the characters by partnering Ashley Cowl, who plays the owner of the beauty salon, and Deanalis Arocho Resto, one of her hairdressers, as a couple. With June being Gay Pride Month, this addition is especially timely as the ensemble pulls out flags for one dance number with Resto displaying a rainbow flag.

Choreographer Sara Tem-

pleton creates the energetic dance moves as Nicolas Perez molds the strong vocals as music director. While the ninepiece ensemble made the theater pulsate with the sensuous rhythms, unfortunately, they overpowered the singers at times.

“In The Heights” runs through June 24 at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. Call 925943-7469 or go to www.lesherartscenter.org for tickets.

Another winner is Town Hall’s moving production of Lynn Nottage’s coming-of-age story “Crumbs from the Table of Joy.”

Set in the 1950s, this early work by the Pulitzer Prize winning author follows 17-year-old Ernestine as her African-American family relocates from Pensacola to Brooklyn. As Ernestine and her 15-year-old sister Ermina adjust to life without their mother, who recently died, their father Godfrey does his best to provide for the girls while finding new meaning in religion.

Adding humor to the mix is

POOL, DARTS, LIVE MUSIC and GOOD FOOD

Mon - Sat 11 am to 1:30 am

Sun 10 am to 1:30am (during football season)

June/July/Aug. Line-Up

Fri - June 16 . . .WOMP - A Night of

Techno and Dance Music

Sat - June 17 . . .Tiger Shade, E-Regulars & Winter in Peru

Fri - June 23 . . .R50 - a Tribute to RUSH

Sat - June 24 . . .Metallachi, Blind

Illusion, & Points North

Fri - June 30 . . .Midnight Flyer -

Tribute to the Eagles

Sat - July 1 . . . .Babylon A.D. & Purifiedment Funkensurance

Fri - July 7 . . . . .Aaron Pearson Band

Sat - July 8 . . . .Raggaeton DJ, Open Dancing

Regular Weekly Schedule

Sunday - Corn Toss Open Tournament 1:30 p.m. ($10 to play).

Indie Rock Bands at 7pm (no cover)

Monday - Open Mic Night hosted by Joey Nunez and Vince Lay (no cover)

Sign-up by 8:30

Tuesday - Country Line Dancing with DJ Delta Dave (no cover) 8pm

Wednesday - Karaoke With DJ SolRok (no cover) 8pm start time

Fri - July 14 . . . .TBA - Check Website for updates

Sat - July 15 . . .Lommori's Birthday Bash with 7 bands

Fri - July 21 . . . .Moonshine Bandits

Sat - July 22 . . .Great Space Coaster & Elmwoods

Fri - July 28 . . . .Crayzed & Just Project

Sat - July 29 . . .The Beat of Diablo

Presents: M jones & the Melee, Orbit 17 and Moraga Volcanics

Fri - Aug 4 . . . . .Fuzzbolt

Sat - Aug 5 . . . .Maroon Vibes, Phantom Power & Crayzed

Thursday - Salsa & Bachata Dance lessons from 7-9 p.m. with instructor Lorans Latin Dance Academy from 9 p.m. on is open dancing with Latin DJ Tonee Salsa/Bachata/Merengue/ Reggaeton ($10 cover after 9pm)

Saturday - Aces Cracked Poker League (free to play) 1pm

Downtown Concord, 2045 Mt. Diablo St. between Salvio and Pacheco Ample free parking is available in the Salvio Street garage.

925-685-9515

www.vinniesbar.com

his hard-partying, Communistleaning sister-in-law who introduces the teens to a more sophisticated lifestyle. Godfrey’s unexpected marriage to a white woman adds further angst to the household as they deal with the racism of the time.

Director Tanika Baptiste brings out the warmth and humor of the piece with her excellent cast: Sundiata Ayinde, Asia Jackson, Amara Kali, Keith White and Emily Keyishian.

“Crumbs from the Table of Joy” runs through June 24. For tickets, call 925-283-6673 or go to www.townhalltheatre.com.

Walnut Creek celebrates Latin American arts and cul-

ture with a week-long Fiesta Cultural at the Lesher Center, 1601 Civic Dr., June 20 – 25. Individual performers, including legendary jazz musician Arturo Sandoval plus a Street Fair are on tap.

For more information, go to www.lesherartscenter.org.

Festival Opera has started selling tickets to its muchanticipated opera “Carmen.”

Directed by Michael Mohammed, the updated story of the strong-willed Carmen runs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18 and 2 p.m. Aug. 20 at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. Call 925943-7469 or go to www.lesherartscenter.org.

Artist’s work is a journal of his life journey

Warren Dreher’s canvases are filled with familiar and captivating East Bay scenes, but his artwork has unique light to it.

“My work is about time and space and where I happened to be at that moment,” says Dreher, whose art documents his journey as an artist and the ever-changing landscape.

A longtime Concord resident, Dreher is lecturer, curator, teacher, singer and prolific artist. He grew up in Providence, R.I., in a working-class family. His art exploration began in high school, influenced by his high school art teacher, who took the class on field trips to the art museum at the Rhode Island School of Design. He also discovered the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Telling his parents he was going to a movie, he would take the train to Boston and look at the paintings of masters such as van Gogh, Degas, Seurat and Sisley. Some favorites were the Monet paintings in the rotunda, where Dreher would sit mesmerized for hours, trying to figure out how Monet captured the light.

“Kids in inner-city neighborhoods don’t get exposed to that stuff. I had to expose myself,” says Dreher.

After high school, he applied to the Rhode Island School of Design. This was in the 1960s, and Dreher thought it would be really cool to go to school there, have a beard and grow his hair out. He was accepted and graduated with a BFA. Dreher majored in sculpture but started to paint after graduation.

While Dreher was doing graduate work at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Mass., visiting lecturer and New York abstract expressionist Jack Tworkov encouraged him to continue to paint.

Edward Hopper is another of Dreher’s heroes. Thus, many of Dreher’s first works are urban architectural landscapes. He paints rooftop views from apartment windows, interesting house fronts and building architecture.

Invited by friends who had moved to California, he got a job in San Francisco. Taking BART to work every day, he

used a small Leica camera as his sketchbook. He painted BART stations, the Orinda Theatre, San Francisco buildings and other subjects he could view from the train.

Dreher says he sees potential paintings all around his East Bay, once creating nearly 20 architectural landscapes based on buildings he discovered at Saint Mary’s College. “Concord has tons of visual material, particularly some of the ’50s architecture,” he notes. His locations and subject matter moved from urban architecture to painting outdoors on rural landscapes after he met Pam Glover, a plein-air artist who introduced him to the beauty of Martinez.

Some recent changes in his life have ignited that artwork for him. After surgery for cataracts, a lifelong deficit in his depth perception improved. Now he looks at cloud formations in a new way. Hills take on a whole new perspective.

“I’ve never seen like this, and it just gets better,” he says.

Dreher also recently moved into a new work studio next to the Epperson Gallery in Crockett, finding it an inspiring place to work. He has completed about 32 paintings in the past 10 months, and he feels he is just getting started.

“Every one of the thousands of paintings over the last 60 years has contributed to the paintings I am creating now,” Dreher says almost in amazement.

He is proud of his latest works, which you can see at a show with fellow artist Loralee Chapleau that opened June 15 at Gallery 621, 920 First St., Suite 203, Benicia.

For more about Dreher and his artwork, visit warrendreher.com or contact him at dreher.art@gmail.com.

John Nakanishi is an acrylic painter and a ceramic artist. Email comments and suggestions for future columns to phjona@gmail.com.

Sally Hogarty is well known around the Bay Area as a newspaper columnist, theatre critic and working actress. She is the editor of the Orinda News. Send comments to sallyhogarty@gmail.com

Warren Dreher displays new paintings for an exhibit this month at Gallery 621 in Benicia.

Jay Yamada

Keith White as Godrey and Amara Kali as Lily in Town Hall’s “Crumbs from the Table of Joy.”

Photo by Ben Krantz

Cast members perform one of the many captivating dance numbers in Center Repertory’s production of “In the Heights,” through June 24 in Walnut Creek.

SALLY HOGARTY STAGE

JOHN NAKANISHI ARTSIN MOTION

DAVE HUGHES THE BEAT OF DIABLO

I’m using my column this month as a platform for a few folx in the music community who identify as LGBTQIA to voice how their sexual orientation and/or gender identity plays a role in their artistry.

“At this point in my life, the two are definitely interwoven, but it took time to get there,” shares Concord songwriter Rachael Kayte.

Not realizing that she was gay at a younger age, Kayte notes that she didn’t have to struggle through a closeted adolescence. Discovering this important part of her identity

Hearing the Rainbow – local artists reflect on LGBTQIA and their music

later in life has enriched her artistry, allowing her to express herself more fully.

“After I came out, I was way more willing to share my music openly. I feel like it was a big shift for me in my songwriting when I started using female pronouns as my object of affection. I’ve always been a performer, but I’ve never been willing to play my original work until the last couple of years since coming out. Being able to explore who I am as a whole person –instead of just the pieces of whomever I’m expected to be – really shaped my songwriting and the sound of my music, which changed dramatically after I came out,” she says. “My willingness, openness and authenticity definitely shine more now in my art.”

Songwriter AK Jameson of the Concord band Right Prop-

er sees her sexual identity and her artistic output as less intertwined, citing the importance of allowing the listener to make their own connections to her work on their

terms. “Love, loss and heartache are all universal emotions,” offers Jameson. “They are not more or less important because of someone’s sexual identity. While my sexual identity (bisexual, if anyone cares) influences my artistry, it is not explicitly expressed in my songs. I believe in the power of surprise and leaving interpretation up to the listener, much like George Michael’s ‘Jesus to a Child’ and my own song ‘Delusional,’ which is about falling in love with a drag queen.”

For other folx, queerness is more front and center in their artistry and output. Take, for example, Pretty Frankenstein, an East Bay goth/alt-rock band whose catalog includes the songs “Pronouns” and “Gay Pirate Sex.”

Band leader Grey Starr, a

Reader can draw parallels from ‘Splendid

If you’ve not read Eric Larson before this, “The Splendid and The Vile” is a fine place to start.

Larson’s book about Churchill standing up to Hitler and Nazi Germany’s determination to wipe Britain off the face of the earth is an inside-out telling. This story comes from diaries, journals, military memos, manufacturing statistics and personal memories. These are the voices of those who were there: Winston, his wife, his daughters, his military leaders, the firemen dowsing incendiary bomb fires, RAF pilots, factory workers and those who ran the factories, shopkeepers, grocers, air raid wardens, the most ordinary citizens.

Larson’s narrative includes similar personal papers from

the German players so confounded by Churchill and Britain’s stubborn will to survive. The wealthy and their families were not always safe while

staying at palatial estates away from London. Even within London, one neighborhood could be bombed while another part of the city was left intact –where parties, love affairs, fine dining continued. The book shows the devastating randomness of the bombings throughout Great Britain with fresh eyes and a clarity that historical statistics lack.

Churchill was at his best at bringing courage to those hit hardest. His love for his countrymen was contagious. His complexity, as seen from those who kept diaries and letters, was fun to read because no matter how surprisingly outrageous and comical his behavior, from his daily baths to his at-home attire, we never lose sight of how he loved the people he led.

Everyone in Larson’s story is not noble, or honest or truthful, but they are brave, committed, inventive and oh, so very human. Why it took the United States so long to support Great Britain is another story entirely. This is the tale of Churchill, his family and his countrymen.

Reading of Churchill’s endless efforts to solicit U.S. support before Lend Lease or Pearl Harbor is heartbreaking and makes this story strangely compelling, relevant even 80 years later. Churchill is not a new character to me, nor is the Blitz, but there was something about “The Splendid and The Vile” that once I began reading, I could not put it down. Then one night, when watching the news, I heard it, the request for aid, not from Churchill on

trans woman, uses her music as commentary on the state of the world. “The rest of the band is queer as well – Paulina, our guitarist, and Marina, our bassist – so it’s almost impossible not to mention it or have it be the premise of many of our songs,” Starr notes. “I’ve been pansexual since I was a teenager in the early 2000s, and even then, it wasn’t as accepted (as it is today). I dealt with a lot of hate for dating people of the same gender identity. Coming out as trans two years ago came with overcoming some intense trauma and realities about myself, but I’m so grateful. As a musician, I’m so happy to be able to speak to other trans POC like me and provide both representation and comfort in our shared stories.”

Follow Rachael Kayte,

Contact Dave

Vile’ to today’s world

knees. We see film footage of its destroyed schools, hospitals, apartment buildings and neighborhoods. More film captures the people so devastated back on their streets, putting out fires, sweeping up glass, helping one another. We see their courage, their determination to survive.

behalf of his countrymen and women, but from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on behalf of his beloved Ukrainians.

Every day for more than a year, we have watched Russia attempt to bring Ukraine to its

I think they must draw from the confidence and forbearance of Zelenskyy, just as the British citizens did from Churchill. All of which makes Erick Larson’s “The Splendid and The Vile” such a good book to read right now. Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to ‘talk books.’

Right Proper and Pretty Frankenstein on social media to learn how you can support them and discover when and where to catch them live. Links to their Instagram accounts can be found by clicking “Artists” at TheBeatofDiablo.com.

Hughes at MrDaveHughes@gmail.com.

Vincent Maddox Grey Starr is in the band Pretty Frankenstein, whose members are all LGBTQIA.

Nicole Roberts

Rachael Kayte now uses female pronouns in her love songs.

SUNNY SOLOMON BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY

From BBQ to crepes, food trucks are a driving force

CoCo Farms, a Concord cannabis retailer, sponsors a food truck each Friday between 3 and 7 p.m. On this day, owner/chef Jenn Jimenez from La Fritanguera is serving a plate of her delicious saffron chicken resting upon a large mound of black bean dirty rice.

CoCo Farms offers a discount coupon with each purchase for clients to enjoy a hearty meal. Such gourmet fare is a far cry from days gone by – when the basic food groups for marijuana smokers were peanut butter, potato chips and Oreos.

In the last decade, food trucks have found their way to businesses, crafts fairs, farmers markets, outdoor music concerts and assorted special events. They move around from community to community to avoid interfering with the regular trade of local restaurants.

In Concord, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and various locales this summer, food lovers can find many of their favorite dishes – from tacos to

funnel cakes. Most of the providers come from nearby restaurants and caterers. All must comply with county health regulations.

Visitors to Concord’s free concert series at Todos Santos Park can sample from a wide array of food trucks each Thursday evening until the end of September, A good place to start is barbecue from The Oasis residing at 3420 Stanwell Dr. for 20 years. Chef/owner Mike Parham serves a variety of charcoal-cooked delights, including ribs, chicken and his

signature smoked turkey legs. His menu, which features Southern-style peach cobbler, rivals anything served at local eateries.

For even more outdoor cooking choices, Concordbased Chilly Willy’s BBQ offers brisket, ball tip and mac and cheese.

For more exotic dishes, Biryani Rice, based at 1044 Shary Circle in Concord, serves up gourmet Pakistani/Indian cuisine. The spicy chicken tikka masala and curry dishes are a welcome addition to the Todos Santos concert scene. I especially enjoyed the biryani rice, which compares well with what is served at nearby Naan n Curry and The Himalayan.

For more traditional Mediterranean cuisine, California Culinary Academy graduate Chef Daniel Gomez from Suisun operates Taste of Tuscany mobile pizzeria. An oven fueled by almond, oak and walnut branches enhances the unique taste of his finished product. With high-quality cheeses and meats, the

results are far superior to anything I have had at local franchise places.

Gomez says his two most popular pizzas are the Margherita and meat lovers. I look forward to trying additional selections at future concerts.

When it comes to fulfilling my sweet tooth cravings, a favorite comes dispatched from La Crepe A Moi Restaurant in Berkeley. They feature a Farmers Crepe,

preparing the thin, 16-inch pancake onsite. It consists of a layer of Nutella covered with a large portion of fresh sliced strawberries and bananas. It’s all folded together, with fresh whipped cream served on top. This makes a meal in itself.

La Crepe A Moi also has La Parisienne (ham and cheese) and vegetarian crepes along with several concoctions not often associated with fairstyle dining.

Any article about food trucks would be remiss without mentioning junk food. The churro stand always has a crowd waiting in line to purchase this Mexican delicacy. There is also Holey Donuts from Brentwood, which make this gourmet treat onsite. If all fails, addictive kettle corn will solve most munchy concerns.

It is relatively easy to find mobile dining every day of the week. One popular destination is Off the Grid food trucks in downtown Pleasant Hill from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays from now until almost Halloween. Families can enjoy music in a festive environment, with high quality-affordable selections including draft beers

The thought of partaking in lobster rolls once again makes me grateful food trucks bring so much diversity into our lives.

Rich Eber is a local journalist and long time resident of Concord. He covers topics from politics to gourmet food. Contact him at rjerje@pacbell.net

Herb gardening is both beautiful and rewarding.

Plant-lovers delight in how easy it is to grow the herbs that they love to use while cooking. It is great to be able to walk outside and snip some leaves from the sage or a sprig of rosemary and incorporate

them into favorite dishes.

Herbs are attractive garden installations, as well as providing pollinators for other plantings. They can be grown in garden beds, borders or containers. Many have interesting looking foliage, and some have pretty flowers.

The idea of growing your own herbs has surged over the past years. The palates of these herb growers have matured, too. Yesterday’s herb gardens featured basil, parsley and rosemary. Although those old favorites still rule the herb bed, today’s herb growers are

expanding to include flavored mints, more basil varieties, colorful oregano, fruit- and citrus-infused thyme, fancy leafed and flavored sages and lemon verbenas.

Herb gardens should be planted in mostly sun. Plants need to be installed using a rich soil conditioner, preferably one that looks more like potting soil and less like bark. Fertilize herbs with an organic or natural fertilizer.

Once established, most herbs are water-wise, requiring very little to thrive. Basil, cilantro and parsley plants are

an exception; they need more water and tolerate less sun.

Flavored mints are all the rage: Mojito, apple, basil, chocolate and pear are among the most popular. Mint is nice incorporated in salads or infused in water. Mint can grow out of hand in a garden bed, so install in a container for control.

Oregano is a large family of herbs containing members just planted for cooking and some pretty enough to be planted just to admire.

Oregano can become bossy in a garden bed, so give it some room.

Greek and Italian oregano are two fabulous choices for those who desire fresh oregano for cooking. Oregano Aureum Gold has bold yellow leaves that look fabulous in the garden. Kent Beauty is one to plant just for its looks. It has pinkish-purple flowers that weep over the sides of containers and hanging baskets. Once it is blooming in your landscape, you’ll be asked repeatedly to identify it.

Thyme is another huge selection of herbs with a flavor to please everyone. You can find lemon, lime and orange thymes, as well as coconut and oregano. All thymes are edible; however, some don’t have a flavorful essence that will transfer to the food you’re creating. When in doubt, pinch the leaves and smell your fingers to discover the flavor profile.

Sage is such a large family

that columns could be written on this group alone. Cooking sage has that deep, hardy fragrance and reminds me of sausage. It’s a great evergreen shrub in the landscape, with large gray leaves and blue summer flowers.

If you are craving a different look in the landscape or container, look for tri-color sage. This selection has a leaf with a combination of pink, cream and green colors.

Pineapple Sage is also a joy to grow. Its leaves smell like

pineapple when crushed, and it can be used for baking, or flavored waters and teas. If you don’t wish to use the Pineapple Sage for cooking, you can just enjoy watching the hummingbirds as they drink its sweet nectar from the salmon-colored summer flowers.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. You can contact her with questions or comments by email at gardengirl94517@yahoo.com

Richard Eber

Daniel Gomez brings his gourmet wood-fired pizzas to the Thursday concerts at Todos Santos Plaza.