JUN 24 Concord Pioneer 2016 by Pioneer Publishers

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East Bay Regional Parks Activity Guide Inside

CHS teens build Tiny House IT’S YOUR PAPER

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June 24, 2016

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TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer

LAurA HOFFMEISTEr

MAYOR

State budget proposal would silence the voice of residents

As I write this, there’s a serious governor’s proposal tucked into the state budget under consideration by the state Legislature. What is proposed is the elimination of local land use public hearing processes for multifamily housing, which is two or more housing units that

See Mayor, page 6

Torlakson, Grayson to square off in November PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer

In the waning days of the California primary election, many mailboxes looked like a cage match with the negative mailers directed at 14th Assembly District candidates Mae Torlakson and Tim Grayson. So it made some sense that the two would end up facing each other in the November general election for the seat vacated by Susan Bonilla. Torlakson edged out Grayson for the lead with 31.8 percent of the votes, or 21,069. Grayson had 30.1 percent of the votes with 19,979. Deborah Allen, the lone Republican in the race, came in a close third with 28.4 percent of the votes with 18,803, while Dr. Harmesh Kumar garnered 9.3 percent, or 6,171 votes. The vitriolic mailers directed at both of the leading candidates were put out by organizations fueled by Independent Expenditures, and neither can-

See Campaign, page 2

Inside

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Community . . . . . . . . . . .2 From the desk of . . . . . .6 School News . . . . . . . .19

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Performing Arts . . . . . .16

Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer

CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN TOM TROWBRIDGE’S WOODSHOP class spent the spring semester constructing a 135 square foot “tiny house.” The students were excited to unveil the project at a June 16 Open House for city dignitaries, Chamber of Commerce and parents and friends. Pictured from top: Teacher Tom Trowbridge, Patrick Handy and Marlon Doppe. Lower: Brianna Furtado, Curt Murphree, Travis Dunn, Kathleen Bautista Silva and Ian Ellingboe.

For students in Tom Trowbridge’s Concord High School woodshop and construction classes, DIY moved from reality TV to the classroom last semester when the teens completed construction of a 8’ x 20’ tiny house. Last week, Mayor Laura Hoffmeister, city council members and the Chamber of Commerce joined Trowbridge and the students at an Open House and dedication of the completed project. Trowbridge, who teaches woodshop and construction at Concord, thought for many years about taking on the tiny house as a class project, but it seemed there were always just too many unanswered questions. This year, he decided to go ahead anyway. “I didn’t have any more answers, but I figured we’d just figure it out as we went along.” The building began with a trailer and a set of plans donated by Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. Early classroom work included videos

See Tiny House, page 4

GoMentum site test drives the future TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer

The future is here. Or nearly. And it’s in an unlikely place. Out on the edge of Concord, the Concord Naval Weapons Station sits patiently waiting for the first shovel of dirt to signal the land’s rebirth as the clustered villages of the Reuse Project. But it doesn’t sit idle. The city of Concord has leased about half of the 5,000-acre mothballed base to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. CCTA has teamed with Honda, Acura and other automobile manufacturers in a unique partnership to create one of the largest autonomous vehicle (AV) and

connected vehicle (CV) test sites in the world. In early June, CCTA executive director Randy Iwasaki, Honda and other automakers invited the press to tour the GoMentum Station and watch the cars at work. The base makes perfect practice grounds, with its 20 miles of paved roads, potholes and decrepit infrastructure. Everything is there to test the intelligence and mettle of the self-driving cars. Several sensors on the cars allow them to “see” what is around and in front of them. A high-resolution GPS antenna makes for precise Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer mapping. On the roof, a lidar (a laser that works like radar) AUTOMAKERS LIKE HONDA AND ACURA SEE BIG BENEFITS to autonomous and connected vehidoes contour mapping that cles: safer roads, improved traffic flow and reduced fuel consumption. Honda and Acura are currently testing the vehicles at the GoMentum Station, a joint venture with Contra

See GoMentum, page 9 Costa Transportation Authority and the city of Concord.

July 4, an old fashioned, all day celebration CARLYN OBRINGER Special to the Pioneer

Concord residents are invited to celebrate Independence Day in downtown Concord, where there will be family-friendly events from dawn to dusk around Todos Santos Plaza and at Mt. Diablo High School. This daylong celebration will begin at 8 a.m. Monday,

July 4, with the 7th annual Stars and Stripes 5K in Todos Santos Plaza, sponsored by the Concord Police Association. The parade, celebrating its 25th anniversary, kicks off at 10 a.m. It starts near Mt. Diablo High School on Grant Street at Almond, continues down Grant to Willow Pass Road, loops around Todos Santos Plaza and finishes along Mt. Diablo Street.

Former mayor Colleen Coll founded the parade. “The members of the Concord Downtown Business Merchants Association were the organizers of the inaugural 4th of July parade,” Coll recalls. As an employee of Concord Commercial Bank and a City Council member, she was an active member of the association. “My boss at the bank was very civic minded and was

very proud of our bank’s involvement,” she notes. “Our goal was to honor our military. As business merchants, we proudly joined our nation’s sweeping patriotism of the accomplishments of our military’s achievements after Desert Storm.” Another goal was to

See July 4th, page 6

COMMUNITY

Page 2

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

June 24, 2016

Vet relives war era with historic flight

Local veteran Don Carlson took a short flight back in history recently when he sat at the controls of a B-17 bomber, identical to one he flew in WWII. Carlson was a guest of the Wings to Freedom Tour on a flight from Napa to Concord for its exposition at Buchanan Field in early June. He was just 20 when he served as the lead bombardier of the 15th Air Force stationed in Bari, Italy. “I kept asking myself: Did I really do this – zero in on critical targets such as oil refineries and railroad yards on 24 missions at high altitude?” Carlson wondered while on the recent flight. “Another thing I thought about was how lucky I was that none Sean Liming WWII veteran, Don Carlson, sits in the nose section of a B-17 bomber at the Wings to Freedom of the bursting antiaircraft gun shells hit me or our plane.” display at Buchanan Field earlier this month.

Campaign, from page 1

didate knew what was going into them, Grayson said. “These groups are separate from our campaigns,” he said. Indeed, if you ask each of the two leading candidates, each expressed nothing but good tidings for the other. “I have nothing but respect for Mae,” said Grayson, a Concord city council member and former mayor, who was mired in controversy in the election because of alleged illegal lobbying by Lennar Urban, the company selected as the Master Developer for the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Last summer companies associated with Lennar gave money to Grayson’s campaign, which he returned when he realized the source. And now it’s time to roll up

are. “I will look at issues in Rodeo and in Concord, all the different cities in the district, and try to help those people. My campaign is about making life easier for my constituents.” She says that despite the disparate communities she would serve, there are five main issues that resonate with voters: housing costs, transportation, education, economic growth and the environment — especially protecting the Delta waterways. She says she feels that her time in public office and her experience in education make her the strongest candidate for the position. “I identify with a lot of people in the district,” she says. She also says that she has an edge because she was endorsed by the Democratic Party. It’s public service that Grayson says sets him apart from his November opponent.

the shirt sleeves and do it all again as Grayson and Torlakson prepare for the November showdown. “We’ll hit the ground running,” says Torlakson, who admitted she was very happy with the results of the primary, despite the negativity of the IE ‘hit-pieces.” “I have to be sure to fight back,” she says. “But the truth will come out in the end.” Torlakson, who is serving her third elected term on the board of the Ambrose Recreation and Park District, which provides recreation services to 28,000 residents of Bay Point and the Oak Hills community of Pittsburg, says that she will focus on issues in all the communities covered by the 14th district — no matter what they

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“This was a lot of responsibility for a 20-year-old,” said Carlson’s friend, Rich Radigonda, a docent on the USS Hornet docked in Alameda. He arranged for Carlson’s flight with Wings of Freedom. When parked on the tarmac, with engines roaring, the B-17 seemed the same as in 1944-’45, Carlson noted. “I climbed through the plane ‘window’ midship using a step-ladder,” he said. “The walk forward toward the bombardier’s seat in the Plexiglass nose was a little challenging, as it wasn’t easy to maneuver around and/or under two or three structures.” Exiting the plane on the ladder wasn’t much easier. “It’s sort of an obstacle course if you’re not 19 or 20 years old,” he said. The B-17, B-25 and B-24 were the backbone of the American effort during the war “I have served as a council from 1942 to 1945. They were member, vice mayor and famous for their ability to susmayor,” he says. “I have served on many regional boards and commissions, so I have the government experience necessary to serve the people of the 14th District.” He says he believes the negMatthew Ware, a 13-yearative campaign mailers served to turn-off many voters to the old Concord student, has idea of “politics” in the elec- achieved nine years of perfect tion. “I think people are truly school attendance while interested in the issues, and how attending Monte Gardens Elementary and Sequoia Middle we stand on them.” Grayson says he is still put- School. Matthew, who will ting together his campaign enter Concord High School strategy for November, and was this fall, possesses an enthusinot yet ready to say what that astic attitude toward school will be. But like Torlakson, he and has attained a 4.0 GPA. In his leisure time, Matthew expects a “brutal” campaign, despite the respect the candi- enjoys being a Boy Scout, readdates hold for one another. And ing, hiking, camping and parmuch of that brutality will ticipating on a recreational come from circumstances they swim team. This summer, he looks forward to traveling to can’t control. Moab, Utah, for a 10-day

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 3

Lifelong friendship starts with Gold Medal wins TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer

Late summer 1960. Rome. Two young athletes competing in the Games of the XVII Olympiad would each win gold medals that year. Don Bragg, then 25, set a new world record in pole vault. Cassius Clay, who would later embrace Islam and change his name to Mohammed Ali, was not yet 18 when he stunned the world with a gold medal in light heavyweight boxing. The unlikely pair began a friendship that year that lasted more than five decades. While their careers would take widely different directions, their friendship was constant. Don Bragg, now 81, is retired and lives in Clayton with his wife, Theresa. After Ali’s death last week, the two sat down with us to share some very personal and special memories. In the late 1960s, the Brag-

gs had a summer camp in South Jersey for kids. Every year Ali would visit the camp for a few days and work with the kids. Don Bragg was always kidding him about “taking him out” in a fight. He prodded at him every year, until finally, Ali said “Okay” and they put on the gloves. “We danced around the ring for a few minutes, poking and swinging until I saw my chance,” Bragg recalled. “I delivered the punch I’d been practicing in my dreams for years.” “It landed,” Theresa Bragg laughed. “And it bloodied his nose.” “I scored a first,” Don said.” I was the only one to ever give The Champ a bloody nose.” Theresa sais they could never bridge Ali’s name change. “He was always CasCLAYTON RESIDENT DON BRAGG, a 1960 Olympian, struck up an unlikely friendship with Cassius Clay, and even bloodied sius to me,” she said. “I couldn’t call him Mohammed. The Champ’s nose in a friendly bout.

CCWD loosens up water restrictions PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer

While the Contra Costa Water District may not be saying the drought is over, they are loosening up conservation efforts, thanks to El Nino’s onslaught this past winter. Los Vaqueros Reservoir, which is used by CCWD, is filling up and replenishing the water supply that was used in the drought, said CCWD spokesperson Jennifer Allen. “Certainly the winter rains helped, but we never know what next year will bring,” she says.

But the winter’s rains were enough to have the district eliminate its “Mandatory Conservation Target,” which required residents to conserve a specific percentage of water compared to their 2013 use. It is also eliminating its “Drought Charge” on water bills after June 6. Gardeners and garden lovers will be happy to know that they are no longer required to limit outdoor watering to two days per week. Wasteful water uses, like creating excess runoff or watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., remain prohibited.

Other water use prohibitions — like washing cars without an off-valve — are still permanently prohibited. To enforce the prohibitions, CCWD is keeping in place the established fines. Customers violating water ruse prohibitions first receive a warning. A second violation may result in a $250 fine. A third violation may result in a $500 fine. Further violations may result in suspension of service. “Luckily, because of the drought, customers have learned to use water wisely,” says Allen. “Conservation

efforts that may have seemed hard at first have now become routine.” She also says that many residents have embraced technological advances — like low-flow toilets — so that conservation is “a way of life” for many residents. CCWD is still asking customers to monitor for leaks, irregular water landscaping, and to seek out other wateruse efficiencies on their website at www.ccwater.com/conserve. For questions, visit www.ccwater.com or call 925688-8044.

So, we just always called him ‘The Champ.’” It was during that same visit that Ali’s wife Belinda, who was expecting twins, went into early labor. Ali had no driver’s license. It had been revoked along with his boxing license when he refused to be inducted into the Army and go to Viet Nam. It was up to Theresa to get him to the hospital in Philadelphia, an hour and a half away. They set out in her brand new Pontiac station wagon and made great time until they hit the city traffic. “We were crawling and The Champ was frantic,” Theresa recalls. “He begged me to let him drive. He didn’t have a license, but he was insistent.” Ali took the wheel and promptly went up on the sidewalk where a motorcycle cop roared up beside them. When Theresa rolled down the window, Ali yelled at the cop “My wife is having a baby. I have to

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get to the hospital.” The surprised cop didn’t hesitate, Theresa said. “I got this, Champ,” he said and got on the radio. “The waters parted. We had an eight-cycle escort through the Philadelphia traffic. We made it to the hospital in time, but The Champ was a mess,” she said. “We sat in the waiting room, just the two of us, and he asked me to pray with him. I did and it was a very special, private moment that I will never forget. With both God and Allah working for us, Belinda delivered the girls and everyone was fine.” Four years ago, Theresa and Don attended The Champ’s 70th birthday party. The twins were there and Theresa was able to tell them the story of the day they were born. And how their father would always be, in their eyes, “The Champ.”

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New Oakmont looking for employees, tenants Page 4

Artists rendering courtesy of Oakmont of Concord

OAKMONT OF CONCORD, A NEW RETIREMENT COMMUNITY just off Willow Pass next to Waterworld is scheduled to open in September. The facility will have studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments and a state of the art memory-care unit. The facility is currently hiring.

apartment secured memory care section for those who require additional redirection, individualized engagement and care due to cognitive impairment. An expansive foyer with 30-

foot ceilings and a bistro with a large fireplace welcomes residents. A concierge will answer questions, provide information about the day’s activities and dining selections and assist residents

Two public forums to address housing crisis PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer

The housing situation in Concord is becoming so critical that leaders — from local government to the clergy — are finally strategizing on how to solve the problem. Two public workshops are planned in the next week. On Saturday, June 25, is “Raise the Roof,” a housing forum to be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, 5562 Clayton Rd. in Concord. Then on Monday, June 27, the City of Concord’s Housing and Economic Develop-

June 24, 2016

ment Committee will hold a public hearing on housing issues in Concord. It will be at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 1950 Parkside Rd., Concord. The latter meeting was a hard-fought victory for council member Edi Birsan, who spent several meetings trying to convince his colleagues that the rent issue was bad enough that it needed to be addressed by the city. He was joined by council member Ron Leone, but it wasn’t until council member Dan Helix agreed that the issue had got out of hand that the board voted unanimously to send

the issue to committee. Now, all council members are on board. “We believe the situation in local housing has risen to a critical level,” council member Tim Grayson said. “Housing affordability has become out of reach for many of the residents of Concord.” He said that the city has tried to ease some of the pain by making it easier for property owners to turn secondary units into rentable property. He said that it’s important that at the June 27 hearing,

See Housing, page 9

in making an appointment. Just past the grand staircase, a comfortable living room includes a fireplace, numerous seating areas and floor to ceiling windows to let in natural light.

The area also includes a library, where a chess or card game may be in progress in front of a third fireplace. Just down the wide hallway is the activities room, where a painting class, entertainer or a fun game of bingo can be found. Oakmont will offer residents excursions, including wine tasting, area casinos, sporting events and the Lesher Center for the Arts. The Wellness Center has a large gym with senior-friendly equipment, a massage room, a full-service beauty salon and an office for the concierge MD, who can see residents in the community. The Wellness Office will also be home to a mobile dentist and a mobile podiatrist. Oakmont specializes in managing diabetes. The four-point

program includes nursing care, diabetic-friendly cuisine, an exercise program and a diabetes support group. Just beyond the Wellness Center is the dining room, featuring an exhibition kitchen with wood-burning fireplace for hand-crafted pizzas, another fireplace and floor to ceiling glass doors to let in sunlight. Residents can also visit the outside terrace to enjoy al fresco dining. Each meal is cooked to order, not mass-produced. Residents can reserve a private guest suite for visitors. Guests may join residents in a private dining room, perfect for family reunions or holiday gettogethers. For more information, call 925798-4004.

Tiny House, from page 1

progress, “is learning that nothing happens without organization.” The community was on board with the project right from the concept, says Trowbridge. Most of the lumber for the rough framing was donated by Ashby Lumber of Concord. “West Coast Window and Doors really stepped up by not only providing windows for the project, but by ordering the sizes, quantities, color, and styles called for in the plans,” Trowbridge said. “We did not have to learn about sizing and ordering windows while also learning Photos from the CHS blogsite about change orders in the IN COMPLETING THE TINY HOUSE PROJECT, woodshop and confield.” struction students learn to read and interpret plans and Trowbridge plans to sell the apply classroom lessons to a real world jobsite finished house on the open market to finance next year’s project. and lectures on safety, tools said a lot of the pieces of the He expects the tiny house, which and how to measure. wood didn’t fit—proving the has a kitchen sink, bathroom Sophomore Kathleen old saw “measure twice and and sleeping loft, to net around Bautista, was surprised at the cut once.” $35,000 variety of skill levels of students Probably the most important starting the project. “Some of take-away from the project, says For more about the project, see the the kids didn’t know how to Marlon on the blog he and student’s blog at measure, so we spent time on Trowbridge kept of the project’s http://chstinyhouse.blogspot.com that,” she said. Kathleen worked on the framing, insulation and loft. The students have come a long way, says Trowbridge. Of the 25 in the woodshop and construction classes that worked on the tiny house, he estimates 10-12 of them plan careers in construction, from construction management to any number of the building trades. When they finish his classes, they are fully employable, he says. “These kids have actual onthe-job experience, not just classroom time.” Junior Marlon Doppe has already put his new skills to work. “I learned how to use new tools I hadn’t known about. Even around the house, I know how to do most projects.” The going wasn’t all easy. The students learned much from their mistakes. “We had trouble with the doors and we put the siding on backwards so we had to take it off and do it THE INTERIOR OF THE TINY HOUSE is equipped with storage, over,” Kathleen said. And, she bathroom, kitchen sink, sleepign loft and living area. Pictured, student Brianna Furtado with teacher Tom Trowbridge.

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Slated to open in September, Oakmont of Concord is currently taking reservations for apartment homes and potential residents are invited for tours. Oakmont, at 1401 Civic Court, also will hold a job fair on July 27 and intends to employ 70 local residents. They will be hiring care providers, housekeepers, dining services staff and medication technicians. The community features 54 assisted living apartments, ranging from studios to one- and two-bedrooms units. Each apartment includes either a full kitchen with stove top and convection microwave oven with granite counters, or a kitchenette with a refrigerator, microwave, sink and granite countertops. The accompanying Traditions neighborhood is a 26-

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

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June 24, 2016

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Page 5

Concord sees increased revenues in 2016-’17 budget PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer

They may not have been popping champagne and doing cartwheels, but the Concord City Council couldn’t help but be pleased to hear positive budget news for the city. In the first year of the city’s two-year budget cycle, budget officer Janell Hampton detailed the proposed expenses and revenues for fiscal year 2016-’17 at the June 14 City Council budget workshop. Thanks to a rosy economy this past year, revenues are up about $2.06 million in the $94,039,500 million city budget.

The bad news – or challenge, as Councilman Edi Birsan said – is looking at the 10year projected budget and seeing how the city can establish sustainability without relying on Measure Q funds. The halfcent sales tax sunsets in 2025. Measure Q provide strong assistance to the city, adding $7.5 million in revenue. Sales taxes are the biggest piece of the budget pie, contributing $32.4 million, while property taxes add $22.93 million. Franchise fees add $6.02 million, and charges for services add $7.78 million. The rest of the revenue is made up of business license fees, transient occupancy taxes and mis-

Even before she became a military mom, Loretta Masnada thought about honoring a Concord High student who died in Iraq. Now with her help, the Contra Costa Blue Star Moms plan to place granite memorials at local high schools to honor fallen warriors. All told, 16 soldiers, Marines and airmen from 11 local high schools died in combat in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Their names will be included on the memorials at Antioch, Berean Christian, Clayton Valley Charter, College Park, Concord, De la Salle, Las Lomas, Liberty, Mt. Diablo, Olympic and Ygnacio Valley high schools. “The Contra Costa Blue Star Moms are very proud to be able to bring this honor and remembrance to reality so that generations to come will know

of the sacrifices that were made here at home for their freedoms,” said Masnada, care package coordinator for the group. Masnada’s son, Sgt. Anthony Noble of the U.S. Marine Corps, deployed with L. Cpl. David R. Baker to Afghanistan in 2009. Baker, an Ohio resident, was killed there. “Tony dedicated a Lafayette cross to David,” Masnada said, referring to the memorial near the BART station. “When Tony later trained in Quantico, we visited Arlington and found David’s grave.” In 2004, Masnada read in the newspaper that Marine Cpl. Mick Bekowsky, a Concord High graduate, had died in Iraq. Masnada’s older son had already graduated from Concord High, and Tony was still a student there. “I felt that something should be done at Concord High to honor this

cellaneous items. “You can see how reliant the city is on property and sales taxes,” Hampton told the council. She credits robust car sales and more development as reasons why the city’s doing so well in that area. The city is also benefitting from the “triple-flip,” payback from the state for money it took from the city several years ago. Under the proposal, on the expense side, $52.4 million will be directed to the police force, mainly because it has the largest staff of any city department. Economic and community development will receive $7.8

million, public works will get $7.4 million, and parks and recreation will receive $5.3 million. Other expenses include those related to the city attorney’s office, human resources, the city manager’s department, the finance department and various non-departmental services. Hampton and finance director Karen Reid broke down the new revenue as: $1.3 million in sales tax, including $983,400 in sales tax (ongoing) and $316,000 in “triple-flip” payback (one-time); $393,000 in franchise fees (ongoing); and $367,000 in charges for services due to increases in planning fees and parks and

recreation fees (ongoing). With some of the extra funds, Hampton and Reid suggested the city spend money on staffing, including $317,100 for two full-time planning positions and $104,00 on temporary and seasonal staff in parks and recreation, due to the state-mandated increase in the minimum wage. These include lifeguards and swim instructors, something Hampton said helped improve the quality of life in the city – which is a priority for Concord. The planning staff needs the assistance because of a number of projects, including

the city’s bike and pedestrian plans, improvements around Todos Santos Plaza and the Park and Shop and the downtown specific plan. Councilman Dan Helix said he would like to see a new administrative position added to assist council members. “I don’t feel like I’m doing as good a job as I can,” he said. “The council members need the extra support.” Birsan asked the staff to find a way to fund cameras for police officers and perhaps reopen a police substation. The council will vote on the final 2016-’17 budget expenditures at the June 28 meeting.

Blue Star Moms aim to memorialize local grads who died in war

Photo courtesy of Loretta Masnada

TONY NOBLE OF CONCORD PAYS HIS RESPECT TO FELLOW MARINE DAVID R. BAKER at Arlington National Cemetery. Tony’s mother, Loretta Masnada, is a member of the local Blue Star Moms.

and they decided to honor all 16 warriors from the Blue Star Moms area. “We think a stone memorial will always be there to remind students and all others of those who made the supreme sacrifice,” Masnada said. Each memorial will cost about $5,000. The group opened a GoFundMe account, and anyone may donate with a credit card. See gofundme.com/23ta7d84. Checks made out to CCBSM may be mailed to P.O. Box 6379, Concord, CA 94524. Donors should note “high school memorials” in the memo field.

For more information, contact Loretta Masnada at loretta@ccbluestarmoms.org; 925686-3944, or Carol Prell at graduate,” Masnada recalled. Bekowsky’s mother, Joan, and something. She discussed it cprell@ccbluestarmoms.org; 925A few months ago, she met decided it was time to do with club president Carol Prell, 683-2433.

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

June 24, 2016

Downtown growth may slow traffic — and crime

Traffic is thick as I sit at a light on Willow Pass Road, trying to get to a staff meeting. My first thought was that a fire engine code threw off the timing of the lights. But no, this was just normal late afternoon traffic. As I move forward a few blocks at a time, I flashed back

to my days in a patrol car. For some reason, I could get to places faster when I was in a patrol car. My focus was always getting somewhere fast. The police were needed. There were problems to be solved, panic to be calmed, people to help. Now, I notice more things about the activity around me. People were playing kickball with their children in the park. Off the Grid was set up on the street and selling lots of food. They shut off a whole block of vehicle traffic. Maybe after the meeting, I could pick up dinner. I should text my wife to meet me at the park. As it happened, discussion at the meeting swirled around apartment complex development in the downtown area.

This is exciting news. New residents help the local economy. It means community members walking to restaurants, movies, shopping and just exercising. And just as important, more people out on foot is a great crime deterrent. But slower vehicle traffic also comes along with this added population in the downtown area. If you are used to driving through certain parts of Concord at a specific speed, that could change. More pedestrians may be crossing streets, riding bicycles and pushing strollers. And these new residents will have cars as well. As I leave the meeting, I drive back through downtown. I see the benefits of new downtown living and how it

Contra Costa County residents are fortunate to be surrounded by scenic landscape and miles of open space. These outdoor spaces provide charming backdrops to communities as well as opportunities for hiking, biking and nature walks. I believe it’s important that residents of District IV have access to family-friendly outdoor space, which is why I am supporting the effort to construct a trail near Marsh Creek. This multi-use trail would connect Clayton and Brentwood, a nearly 17-mile stretch. As a member of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, I often hear from constituents advocating for new bike routes and safer paths. The growth in the Bay Area has increased the

need for designated bike and walking paths across the region. Those who want to experience the beautiful scenery of Marsh Creek must use Marsh Creek Road, a major thoroughfare that can be dangerous for bike and foot traffic. This new trail would provide a safe and enjoyable alternative. It would serve as a transportation corridor and would support various forms of non-motorized travel, including pedestrian, equestrian and bicycle users. In crafting this proposal, it was important to me that the trail encourages and accommodates a multitude of user groups. I hope to one day see both serious cycling teams and families walking on the Marsh Creek Trail. Ideally, once the trail and

adjacent paths are completed, there will be a continuous nonmotorized trail from downtown Concord to Oakley. The project is in the early development stages. My colleague Mary Piepho and I are leading the effort and have directed county staff to proceed with planning and identifying potential funding sources. The creation of the trail would require partnerships with numerous agencies and stakeholders, including some private property owners. This project would be done in conjunction with the Marsh Creek restoration project, a funded project aimed at creating habitat and enhancing flood protection around Marsh Creek. The trail would be constructed

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complement the popular threeday “Singing Flag” celebration Calvary Temple Church launched in 1989. It featured a two-hour variety show each day that promoted patriotism, celebrated the Founding Fathers and honored the military. At the inaugural 4th of July parade in 1991, the captain of the Concord Naval Weapons Station served as grand marshal. All veterans’ organizations were invited to participate, a tradition that continues to this day. “I’ll never forget when the Vietnam veterans were announced,” Coll says. “Sever-

al onlookers ran up to them and thanked them for their service, to loud applause from the crowd.” In 2014, Calvary Temple Church announced that the “Singing Flag” would be ending so they could focus on providing services to the community through Convoy of Hope, an annual community event that provides free groceries, dental and eye exams, haircuts and activities for children. That’s when Todos Santos Business Association (TSBA) Arts Foundation chair and current city treasurer Tim McGallian launched a fundraising campaign to put on a 4th of

Mayor, from page 1

include 10 percent low and 5 percent very low income units. This issue will likely be taken up in the wee hours of the night, so that the state budget can be approved before midnight. The budget only requires a simple majority to be approved. This plan eliminates public notification for such projects. This would be where residents voice concern that can be addressed through a public process. Instead, city staff would approve these projects, eliminating public review, project-level environmental review and restricting design review. This includes exceptions to setbacks, lot coverage, heights, parking requirements, traffic and other potential impacts. Concord and other cities throughout the state firmly oppose this change. We believe it should not be part of the state budget proposal released

just 30 days ago. Over the years, we’ve had many dictates from the state – from mandated requirements with no funding to implement to the taking of local redevelopment funds to balance the state budget. Now, the state wants to take away local input and local land use control in multifamily projects. Eliminating public review of these major development projects goes against the principles of local democracy and public engagement. It is through community involvement at public hearings that proposed projects are adjusted to respond to the valid issues and concerns of residents. This results in a project that fits into the community and neighborhood, as well as properly addressing impacts to local schools and traffic. Beyond the city’s General Plan, we have design guidelines

CArLyN OBrINGEr

PLANNING COMMISSION

July festival and fireworks show downtown. “We couldn’t let the community down,” he says. “The city needed a partner to help provide Independence Day festivities, and the TSBA was the obvious choice.” Thus began a new Concord and zoning requirements to ensure the character of proposed multifamily is enhanced. The Planning Commission and Design Review Committee process guarantees that project are in compliance with safe vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian access, landscaping, etc. Allowing these developments with no public notification and input can create impacts or projects that do not fit in with our community. The governor’s proposal is disappointing. Prior lastminute budget proposals had unintended consequences, creating detrimental impacts such as Redevelopment Dissolution. This took local economic development programs and affordable housing backward by eliminating our ability to reinvest and enhance older areas. Usurping local land use authority by allowing multifamily housing by right undermines public input, environmental and design review. And what does the governor pro-

will help thwart crime. I also see vehicle traffic getting thicker at certain hours. There are routes you take today that could change in a few years. It may take you longer to get somewhere. That’s the good and the bad of growth. As I pull up to the famous white fence on Galindo, there are remnants of a previous traffic accident. Part of the fence is missing again. My traffic lieutenant later tells me the primary cause of the vast majority of accidents at Concord Boulevard and Galindo Street: speed. Guy Swanger is Concord’s Chief of Police. Send questions or comments to ContactCPD@cityofconcord.org.

KArEN MITCHOFF

COUNTY

SUPERVISOR

in a sensitive manner that reflects the scenic and natural resources of the area. I am confident that county residents will share in my enthusiasm for this project and the quality of life benefit it would provide for our region. For more information, sign up for my newsletter at www.cccounty.us/mitchoff.

Karen Mitchoff is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to karen.mitchoff@bos.cccounty.us

4th of July tradition. This year’s festival begins at 4 p.m. and will feature a kids’ carnival, food booths, vendor exhibits and live entertainment by Police cover band, Stung, on stage at Mt. Diablo High School. The day will conclude with a fireworks show at 9 p.m. For more information, to volunteer for the parade, festival or fireworks, or to sign up for the parade or 5K, visit www.concordjuly4th.com. Obringer is chair of the

Carlyn Obringer is a member of the City of Concord Planning Commission. Professionally, she focuses on California education issues as an Education Policy Analyst. Carlyn resides in Concord with her husband, Justin, and dog Crystal. Contact her by email at carlyno@yahoo.com.

pose for taking away residents’ voices? A one-time, $400 million statewide affordable housing fund, which won’t create more affordable housing in any substantial way. To balance the state budget, the governor is avoiding working with cities to achieve ongoing affordable housing funds taken when he eliminated redevelopment. I believe residents deserve a voice in shaping our community. I’ve let the governor’s office and our state representatives know that the city of Concord opposes this measure. Other mayors in the area and throughout the state, the League of Cities, labor, environmental, business and housing organizations have also voiced objections. I encourage you to contact your state representatives and let them know your thoughts, as the state Legislature continues to consider this matter. Contact the lmhoff@comcast.net

Mayor

June 24, 2016

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Grassfire threatenes Clayton homes adjacent to Mt. Diablo State Park A fast moving grass fire, whipped up by 25-30 mph winds, charred 50 acres in Mt. Diablo State Park last Monday, June 13. The fire started in a pond near the Mitchell Canyon staging area and quickly spread. The flames came perilously close to dozens of homes in the Clayton subdivision of Dana Hills, but were stopped short by a 30-foot fire break plowed just days before. A number of houses on Mt.

EDI BIRSAN PULSE OF

CONCORD

Hit pieces in campaigns have been exploding lately. Here are some examples: What’s in a name? In my 2010 and 2012 campaigns for the City Council, I am listed on the ballot as Ed Birsan. My middle name, Ersalesi, was left out. Ersalesi is derived from the Salesian Brotherhood of Italy but interpreted by some as Iranian. In order to help out her joint candidates in the 2012 election, a campaign manager went to a third party, the police union, and launched a hit piece that spent half a page saying I was lying about my name. It said the entire police department wanted you to know

Olivet Pl. would have been engulfed when winds kicked up an advanced burn area behind their homes had the fresh new fire break not been in place. According to Robert Marshall, public information officer for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District, the first alarm came in at 11:04 a.m. The first engines from Clayton’s Station 11 and Concord’s Station 22 were dispatched 2 minutes later. The fire started at the pond in the Mitchell Canyon area of

the park and quickly spread across bone-dry grass. Heavy gusts carried embers in all directions, sparking additional fires, said Marshall. Response was fast and furious, said Marshall, with 10 engines, bulldozers and aircraft coming from both CCCFPD and CalFire. Neighbors in Dana Hills bordering one of the fire outbreaks behind Mt. Olivet Pl. and Mt. Everest Ct. were quickly on the fire line with shovels and

hoses, battling thick smoke and threatening flames. A Mt. Everest Ct. resident who had moved into their home the day before were shocked with flames scorching their back fence. A neighbor came over to help quell the threat. The fire was fully contained in less than an hour. Mop up crews were on the scene all day. Cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to the media officer at CalFire in Morgan Hill.

To tell the truth: Political hit pieces aim to deceive about it. After all, if you are on the ballot as Ed Birsan and your full name is Edi Ersalesi Birsan, it must mean something evil. Meanwhile, the same consultant and police union had no problems with a Tim, Ron or Dan on the ballot with or without a middle name or even initial. In addition, using a 20-yearold business license from San Francisco and an old mail box drop in the Castro, I was basically asked if I was an Arab homosexual living in San Francisco. Neither of the two candidates knew about this hit piece, and that is certainly true with the current wave of hits from independent expenditure groups. However, it seems independent groups have no limits on how far they will go. Ethics. A political operative obtained a campaign contribution from a bidder on a government contract, but he did not tell the candidate the origin. When the candidate found out, he returned the money and checked

with the city attorney to see if there was a breach of the city contract. He is informed there was no violation. The matter is publicly acknowledged and the operative is chastised (later fired). This candidate handled the situation ethically. Then enter a second lawyer, who makes a report that disagrees with the first and say that there was a breach. The candidate, while disagreeing, recuses himself from a vote. Again, he made an ethical response. Yet the hit pieces accuse him of being unethical because someone else misbehaved. Twisting the words. I have a long-standing position of being an independent voice and not wanting staff or any group of bureaucrats to tell me what to do in major policy issues. If I want their opinion, I will ask for it. Otherwise just give me the facts, outline various options and let the council argue and decide. So hit pieces describe this as “suppressing the recom-

mendation.” Misdirection. Republican Assembly candidate Debora Allen was featured in a piece that initially looked like it was for her. It compared what could be taken as her positions to those of Mae Torlakson on some hot button issues. However, there was a footnote that said the positions were taken from the platform of the Republican Party. So while Allen espoused being prochoice, she was described as being in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. Though presented as a pro-Allen piece, it was actually being sent to independents and Democrats to help energize the opposition. There are many more cases of hit pieces gone wild. The thing to remember is that if we don’t let them sway us, they may just go away.

Send comments to EdiBirsan@gmail.com or 510-812-8180 or visit www.PulseOfConcord.com

With a pet by your side, you’ll never be lonely

CHrISTINE KOGuT

SAVVY SENIOR

Life can be dreadfully lonely when you suddenly find yourself on your own. After living happily for decades with a significant other, people can feel abandoned when the partner dies or the

relationship ends. The world they knew doesn’t exist any longer. For some, the mourning can seem to go on forever. But there are ways to make the transition from couple to single more bearable. Staying active and keeping busy may help you adjust to a loss. There are a plethora of pursuits, from finding a hobby to visiting family or friends. The Concord Senior Center and Concord Senior Citizens Club offer many classes, tours and functions. You may take a casino trip, enjoy a tour, shoot billiards, practice woodworking or play bingo, ping pong or cards. The center also has a

decent-sized library. However, there are only so many hours to fill with pursuits – trying to stave off what’s coming at day’s end. The rubber meets the road emotionally when the house is quiet and you’re lying in the dark with only your memories to keep you company. I have ruined a few feather pillows by hugging them for solace. Since I’m not ready to date, I decided to get a pet for company. Happiness truly is a warm puppy. And if I change my mind about dating, my philosophy will be: “Love me, love my pet.” I’m the type of person who loves feeling needed. Caring for a homeless animal is a wonderful

way to fulfill that desire. The benefits of being loved unconditionally, warts and all, far outweighs any concerns you might have about bringing a pet into your home. The Animal Rescue Foundation (925) 256-1273, the Contra Costa Humane Society, (925) 279-2247 and or PetSmart (925) 687-7199 all offer opportunities for adoption. Christine Kogut is a marketing director for the Concord Senior Citizens Club. She has lived in the area for 40 years and formerly worked for the Contra Costa Times. To find out more about the Concord Senior Center, call (925) 6713320 or see the city’s website at concord.ca.us

Concord Library’s free summer lunch program boosts nutrition for kids In an effort to prevent a nutrition gap, the Contra Costa County Library and the Mt. Diablo Unified School District have partnered to serve free summer meals at the Concord Library. The Lunch at the Library program is part of a statewide collaboration between the California Library Association (CLA) and the California Summer Meal Coalition. The goal is to keep kids healthy and engaged when school is out. After a successful launch last year, this is the second year for Lunch in the Library at the Concord Library. Kimberli Buckley, senior community library manager for the Concord Library, piloted the coun-

ty’s first Lunch at the Library program in Pittsburg in 2014. “I’ve seen the difference this program can make in children’s lives,” Buckley said. “I saw a child almost in tears, thanking the library staff for his summer lunch. It was a very touching moment and proves that the summer lunch program is an incredible way for the library to reach out to the children and teens in the community.” In many California communities, summer break can mean an end to learning or enrichment opportunities and limited access to healthy food – an issue with greatest impact on the state’s low-income children. California Food Policy Advocates reports

that in 2012, only 17 percent of children in California receiving a free/reduced-price lunch during the school year also participated in a summer meal program. Lunch in the library will be available 1-2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through July 15. The lunches are available to Mt. Diablo School District children up to age 18. No documentation or enrollment is required. The meals meet U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition guidelines. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation helps support the program. In addition to lunch, the Concord Library will offer free programs such as board games,

arts and crafts, musical performances, Lego play and movies. For specific information on programs, visit ccclib.org/locations/ and select the Concord Library. “Children find refuge in their libraries, particularly in the summertime,” said CLA president Deborah Doyle. “How fitting that they can find food for their bodies as well as their minds through this collaborative program.”

For more information about the Concord Library’s Lunch at the Library, call (925) 646-5455. For more information about the project, visit www.cla-net.org orwww.summermealcoalition.org.

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Oakmont of Concord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .521-8423 Services, Other

ComputersUSA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029

Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . .682-4518 Travel

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Obituary or Memoriam

$190 for 200 words; $50 for photo; 90 cents/word over 200. Example: A 350 word obituary with a photo is $385 ($200 basic plus $135 for 150 words extra and $50 for photo. Send text and photo to

editor@concordpioneer.com Or call (925) 672-0500

Page 8

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

B USINESS

June 24, 2016

Sunvalley food court, Blaze Pizza and Wild Wings new to Concord

MELISSA rEA

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE In May, Sunvalley Shopping Center opened its new 23,000 sq. ft. food court, featuring seven fast-casual fare dining establishments. Located on the lower level near JC Penney, the food court has seating for 525 customers. It offers a bright, contemporary design and includes charging spots for electronic devices. Blaze Pizza also opened in May at 1110 Concord Ave. This LeBron James-backed pizza chain has doubled its number of restaurants from 50

at the end of 2014 to 105 by the end of 2015, with more restaurants opening every month. It is now the fastestgrowing restaurant chain in the country. They offer a huge selection of signature pizzas, as well as build-your-own pizzas that cook in the blazing-hot oven for only 180 seconds. Glutenfree crust is available, and there are many choices of meats, veggies, cheeses and sauces. Another great addition to Concord is Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar at 2090 Diamond Blvd. It all started with one restaurant in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, and now there is a restaurant in every state and they are continuing to expand around the world. Buffalo Wild Wings is a great place to get together with friends, watch sports, drink beer and eat wings. Regus, with ready-to-go fully furnished office spaces, is also new to Concord. You can rent short-term or long-term office space, corporate offices and executive suites or use

meeting rooms as needed. of the cost of setting up your Regus has more than 3,000 own space. Regus is at 1320 locations in 900 cities in more Willow Pass Road, Suite 600. than 120 countries. Office space is available for a fraction Check the Concord Cham-

BLAZE PIZZA

ber of Commerce website at www.concordchamber.com or visit the Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the newest businesses coming to town.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL AND BAR

New tile store a family affair

SUN VALLEY’S NEW FOOD COURT

REGUS OFFICE SPACE

TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer

925-250-0334 FREE ESTIMATES

Owners Dustin & Kim Waraner Contractors Lic #879423 Arborist Lic WE-7372A

www.waranertreeexperts.com

From the family quarries in Italy to a sleek, modern tile store in Clayton, Sal Santangelo has a long history with marble and stone. At 12, he was working in the family quarries mining the rich, cream colored marble stones that would be crafted for homes all over Europe and the Middle East. In 1977, he brought his experience and skill to the Bay Area, and started a tile installation business. Over the years, it seemed a logical progression to the retail tile business was inevitable. “Our customers kept asking us for advice on where to buy their stone and tile,’ says Sal’s wife, Cori Santangelo. When they moved to Clayton two years ago, “it just seemed time.”

They found a good location in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center and started ordering inventory. Italian Heritage Tile and Stone opened last fall. Their showroom is beautiful. The walls and aisles are lined with enough gorgeous marble, tile and stone samples to satisfy every home decorating appetite. Daughter, Jacklyn Santangelo is the store’s full time manager. Raised in the business, this DVC student knows her stuff. From choosing the right product, finish and color to proper care and maintenance, she has you covered. And when you’ve made your selection, Sal and his crew will handle all details of the installation. Sal, Cori and Jacklyn live on Morgan Territory Rd. in Clayton with son Vincent, a Diablo View Middle School student. They moved in two years ago and have been working non-stop

DOGO KRAV MAGA SELF DEFENSE SCHOOL

Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer

ITALIAN HERITAGE TILE AND STONE’S onsite manager, Jacklyn Santangelo, with mom, Cori Santangelo. The new business is in the Clayton Valley Shopping Center.

on remodeling and landscaping projects. Italian Heritage Tile and Stone is in the Clayton Valley Center, 5420 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Concord, toward the back, next to OSH and Clayton Valley Frameworks.

Visit their website at www.italianstoneandmarble.com to view their gallery of projects and learn more about the family’s history. Or stop by the store to browse and give a welcome to the new local business. For hours, see ad this page.

Florida firm buys Olivera Crossing

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Clayton Valley Shopping Center • 5420 Ygnacio Valley Rd Suite #40, Concord next to OSH and FrameWorks • Locally Owned by Clayton Residents

The Sterling Organization of Palm Beach, Fla., has acquired Olivera Crossing shopping center in Concord for $11.987 million. The 47,571 sq. ft. center, anchored by a new Planet Fitness, is at the intersection of Port Chicago Highway and Olivera Road. Developed in 1960 and renovated in 2005, Olivera Crossing is currently 77 percent occupied. West Valley Properties was the previous owner. “We are pleased to be able to expand our growing California portfolio with the addition of Olivera Crossing. The property is a fundamentally sound retail real estate asset that serves a dynamic and growing Bay Area submarket,”

said Brian Kosoy, managing principal, president and CEO of Sterling Organization. “We believe Olivera Crossing represents a solid opportunity to add value through lease up, and our team intends to leverage off of the increased daily traffic to the center resulting from Planet Fitness’s recent occupancy.” Olivera Crossing is Sterling’s second acquisition in California in the last eight months. In September 2015, the firm purchased the grocery-anchored shopping center Oceanside Town & Country in San Diego County. The firm and its principals own almost 8 million sq. ft. of retail and other commercial real estate across the United States, exceeding $1 billion in value. The Sterling Organization is a vertically integrated private equity real estate firm that provides risk-adjusted returns to its partners, in both relative and absolute terms. The company’s national platform is focused on investing in value-add retail real estate assets and stabilized/core grocery-anchored shopping centers in major markets across the United States on behalf of Sterling’s principals in partnership with high-quality institutional investors.

June 24, 2016

LyNNE FrENCH

REAL ANSWERS

Q. As a homebuyer, what are some negotiating tips I should use? A. To enhance your negotiating position, learn the sellers’ motivation. Sellers who must move quickly due to a job transfer, divorce or contract on another home are more inclined to accept a lower price to speed the process along. Remember that the listing or asking price is what the seller would like to receive for the home. It is not necessarily what the seller will accept. It’s important to understand a home’s value. Before you make an offer, check recent sales and listing prices of comparable neighborhood homes and compare them to the asking price. Also find out if the seller is going to receive more offers than yours. In that case, you will have to figure out if you want to or are able

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Negotiation is key to a successful home purchase

to offer over the asking price. Try to find out how many offers are in the running. Remember that the terms you are offering could be as important as the offering price. Other tips are: Be flexible. Never say “take it or leave it” because that can sour negotiations and ruin the deal. Don’t show your hand or reveal your next step. Each time you increase your offering price, ask for something in return – such as repairs, appliances, even lawn furniture. If you plan to pay cash or have a tentative loan commitment rather than loan preapproval, use your strong financial position as a negotiating tool. And finally, don’t let emotions such as pride, fear, love and anger get in the way of negotiating the best deal. Leave irrational feelings at home. Q. What is something I might overlook when purchasing a home? A. Insurance is something you might not think of right away, so here are some tips

Housing, from page 4

“everyone can come to the table — renters, property owners and the general public” to educate people about many of the issues. “Property owners were hit hard by the recession, and now they see rent increases as a way to upgrade their property,” he said. “But we have to make sure those rent increases are done in a manageable way, and not all at once.”

George Fulmore, a community activist and member of the Monument Democrats who has spoken out regularly at council meetings on the subject of rent hikes and affordability, said there are several issues that aid renters in the Concord area. One is that the city has several subsidized developments by such organizations as Eden Housing. “It is important that these

GoMentum, from page 1

sees shapes in the area around it. The cameras can not only tell when something is “out there,” but precisely where it is. In the road demonstration, an Acura RLX and a pedestrian set up a typical street situation. As the car approached at about 25 mph, the pedestrian stepped out in front of it to cross the street. The Acura swerved around the pedestrian and then continued to the corner, stopping at the stop sign before making a right hand turn – all without the driver’s hands on the wheel or foot on the brake. As technology moves for-

ward, self-driving cars must be able to safely share the road with other vehicles and communicate with each other, says John Bozella, president and CEO of Global Automakers. “V-to-V communication is when vehicles speak or talk to each other continuously, 10 times a second,” Bozella said. “… It allows drivers to be warned, but it also allows vehicles to automatically avoid collisions.” According to Jim Keller, Honda’s chief research and development engineer, Honda plans to have vehicles on the highways, entering and exiting freeways and changing

for buying homeowner’s insurance. Since lenders as well as title/escrow companies require proof of homeowner insurance before closing, a wise home buyer will begin shopping for it as soon as the purchase offer is accepted. Before you contact an agent, know when the home was built, the square footage and the roof type. Find out the age of the plumbing and electrical, if possible, and be prepared to describe the home’s location. Most agents use a cost estimator to determine cost replacement estimates. Remember that you are buying insurance for the home only, and not for the land. Most policies today designate a percentage over the insured amount to cover replacement costs, which may increase over time due to inflation. Many companies recommend 125 percent replacement cost coverage. Some agents may recommend even a higher percentage for replacement coverage, but that is your decision once the particulars are explained to

you. You can save money by having a higher deductible on your policy. Most insurance companies will start offering discounts at a $500 deductible. The discount increases as the deductible goes up, although many mortgage companies will not allow you to exceed a $1,000 deductible. Check with your lender before deciding. Ask about discounts for which you may be eligible if you have an alarm that reports to a central system, for example, or if you are a senior citizen. A multi-policy discount may save you money if, for example, you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company. It is a good idea to review your policy with your agent every three years to be sure your coverage is still adequate.

complexes continue to add to our rental stability. The bad news is that few units open up in these complexes. They are full.” He also added that he knows of several renters who have had their Section 8 allowances raised to cover rent increases. “I'm told that Section 8 will go up to $1,700 for a two-bedroom unit,” he said. “This program adds stability for many.” He also said he believed that there should be a Rent Stabilization ordinance in the

city, and that it needs to include: • no more than one rent hike per year; • a maximum annual rent increase percentage per year; • an eviction control component; • a way of collecting rental data in The Monument; • a form for reporting unreasonable rent hikes; • an oversight entity in the City of Concord government for rent hikes and overall rental costs stability.

lanes with no driver control, within four years. “We are really on the cusp of a new realm of mobility.” The biggest challenge for the new “cooperative car society” is not technology, say the developers, but regulations — or the lack of them. California clearly sees the future, Bozella said. But nationally, the technology is moving faster than the government can write laws. Right now, the national scene is a patchwork with some states having some regulations, others none and many in conflict. Current California law requires a vehicle on the road to have a steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator and

Send your question and look for your answer in a future column. Email Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates. Contact her at 672-8787 or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.

operator. Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord) is sponsoring legislation to authorize CCTA to conduct low-speed testing of multi-passenger, shared autonomous vehicles not meeting current requirements in a privately owned business park or at the GoMentum Station. A Senate committee passed AB1592 last week. “I want to ensure that California maintains its status as the epicenter for innovation and investment and becomes the home to the next generation of safer, cleaner and more efficient transportation options,” Bonilla said. For more information on the testing station, go to www.gomentumstation.net.

Page 9

P.O. Box 1246 6200 Center Street, Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 TAMARA AND R OBERT S TEINER , Publishers TAMARA S TEINER , Editor P ETE C RUZ , Graphic Design B EV B RITTON , Copy Editor J AY B EDECARRÉ, Sports Editor PAMELA W IESENDANGER , Administration, Calendar Editor S TAFF W RITERS : Peggy Spear, Pamela Wiesendanger, Jay Bedecarré

C ORRESPONDENTS : Cynthia Gregory, Kara Navolio, John T. Miller

PIONEER INFO CONTACT US

Tel: (925) 672-0500 Fax: (925) 672-6580

Tamara Steiner editor@concordpioneer.com Send Ads to ads@concordpioneer.com Send Sports News to sports@concordpioneer.com Send School, Club and Calendar Items to

newsandcalendar@concordpioneer.com

The Clayton Pioneer and the Concord Pioneer are monthly publications delivered free to homes and businesses in 94517, 94518, 94519 and 94521. ZIP code 94520 is currently served by drop site distribution. The papers are published by Clayton Pioneer, Inc., Tamara and Robert Steiner, PO 1246, Clayton, CA 94517. The offices are located at 6200 Center St. Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517

LET US KNOW Weddings, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community. Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a resident in our home delivery area. Submit on our website and be sure to attach a JPG photo that is at least 3 MB. Also on the website are forms for calendar items, events & press releases.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Both Pioneer newspapers welcome letters from our readers.

As a general rule, letters should be 175 words or less and submitted at least one week prior to publication date. Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print anonymous letters. E-mail your letter to editor@concordpioneer.com. Letters must be submitted via E-mail. CIRCULATION The Concord Pioneer is delivered monthly to 30,000 homes and businesses in 94518, 94519 and 94521. Papers are delivered by carriers for ABC Direct around the last Friday of the month. To stop delivery for any reason, call the office at (925) 672-0500 . If you are NOT receiving the Pioneer, please check the distribution map on the website. If you live in the shaded area and are not receiving the paper, please let us know. If you are not in the shaded area, please be patient. We will come to your neighborhood soon. The Clayton Pioneer is delivered by US Mail to 5,500 homes and businesses in 94517 around the second Friday of the month.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe to either the Clayton Pioneer or the Concord Pioneer, call the office at (925) 672-0500. Subscriptions are $35/year for each paper, $60/year for both.

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SPORTS

Page 10

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

June 24, 2016

Athletes of the year, spring sports all-league teams saluted JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

Local schools honored their 2015-16 athletes of the year as the high school season drew to a close and the graduating seniors reflected on their high school careers and looked ahead to a new chapter of their life in college. The Diablo Valley and East Bay athletic leagues announced their spring sports all-league teams with all local athletes listed below.

BEREAn CHRIsTIAn Female Athlete of the Year: Emily Dutton was first team all-league in soccer. She was an NCS meet of Champions qualifier in the 4x100 relay as the Berean girls quartet broke the school record. She also graduated with honors and was one of the school yearbook editors. Male Athlete of the Year: Jack Chillemi was first team all-TCAL for the historic NCS finalist Eagles football team last fall. Also Chillemi was a DVAL champion who finished seventh at the NCS wrestling championships at 195 pounds.

Jay Bedecarré

KAYLIE COLLINS CARONDELET ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

CARonDELET senior Athlete of the Year: Kaylie Collins was selected East Bay girls soccer player of the year. The Cougars goalkeeper from Clayton, who is headed to USC this fall, had 10 clean sheets and 112 saves while her team went undefeated all the way to overtime of the NCS championship game before they were upset by East Bay Athletic League rival San Ramon Valley. student Athlete of the Year: Angela Bagasbas. This award is presented to the most outstanding athlete of the 2015-2016 school year. Bagasbas was a leader on and off the playing field, and her clear sense of purpose has helped to grow the program and the

sport itself. scholar Athlete of the Year: Madelyn Murphy set two individual and one relay record at this spring’s North Coast Section championship meet in Concord. She set Section marks in the 50- and 100meter freestyle and also was part of a record-breaking 200 free relay for the Cougars. She also won the 100 butterfly. As a freshman in 2013 was on the NCS 400 free relay record-setters and helped the Cougars win the 400FR all four years. The Cal-bound swimmer is gearing up for the US Olympic Trials beginning June 26.

was varsity swimming and water polo for four years each. He was two-time swim captain and 2015 MVP winning numerous all-league honors in both sports. Levy, who is headed to US Santa Barbara in the fall, is a CVCHS Top 10 alltime swimmer in six different events. Most improved water polo player as a freshman, sophomore and junior. First place in 50 freestyle this spring at DVALs. Scholar athlete all four years in both swimming and water polo, completing his high school career with a 4.33 GPA.

ConCoRD Female Athlete of the Year: Ally Roberts competed eight varsity seasons, earning “White” Block C. She played one year of water polo, three years of soccer and four years of swimming. She was allDVAL in water polo and socSOFIA CAMPOS, JORGE VELAZQUEZ AND ANDREW LEONARD cer this year. Jose Soltero, the YGNACIO VALLEY ATHLETES OF THE YEAR CHS soccer coach, said, “Ally exhibited a strong work ethic Male Athlete of the Year: Section playoffs, earning all- Male Athlete of the Year: that made her the successful and productive soccer player Patrick o’shea is a multi- league honors in both sports Ian Morford had quite the that earned her Offensive sport athlete who has compet- and being a leader on the court senior year, winning all-DVAL honors in football, wrestling MVP for this year's varsity soc- ed three basketball and two and field. and lacrosse. The linebacker cer team as well as all-league baseball seasons. Corey Battle, E LA sALLE D was a leader as the Broncos basketball coach said, “Pat honors. Ally was a joy to coach CLAIRE OLSON Athlete of the Year: went to the NCS football playfor three years and she will be averaged just under 10 points CVCHS FEMALE ATHLETE missed, especially her conta- and seven rebounds a game. Devin Asiasi. The Michigan- offs and then was a repeat OF THE YEAR gious and wonderful smile.” In He was our team captain and bound football standout DVAL wrestling champ. He swimming she finaled at best defender. He earned all- helped the Spartans to another went on the NCS wrestling CLAYTon VALLEY DVAL in both the 50 and 100 league honors and was voted State CIF football champi- tournament and finished secCHARTER Male Athlete of the Year: freestyle as well as anchoring the ‘Most Inspirational’ by his onship last December. The ond at 172 pounds before Anthony Vines accumulated both the 200 medley and free coaches.” He helped both his tight end and defensive end splitting four matches at State. squads get to the North Coast was first-team all-EBAL, all- In track and field--- while he nine varsity letters (2 water relays. East Bay and all-State while also played lacrosse--- he was polo, 3 soccer and 4 swimbeing one of the most sought- fourth in the shot put and sixth ming) during his time at after recruits in America. in the discus at league meet. CVCHS. He was all-Diablo Athlete of the Year: Valley Athletic League for four Jonathan Harvey. A State YGnACIo VALLEY years in swimming and second Female Athlete of the Meet finalist in the 110 high team all-league in water polo hurdles, Harvey compiled top Year: sophia Campos played last fall. He clocked Top 10 allNCS times in both the 110 and on 10 varsity teams while at time in four different swim300 hurdles this year. He won YVHS. She was on varsity socming events and was a threeleague and section titles in the cer four years and three each time Eagles varsity swimming 300 hurdles for two years and for cross country and lacrosse. captain. Also a water polo capwas NCS 110HH winner this Campos was first team alltain last fall. Had a 4.24 GPA year. He was also the second DVAL in soccer and lacrosse. while being involved in numerleading receiver for the State She capped all three seasons ous school, community and Champion football team while this year at the North Coast church activities. Section championships. Her scoring four touchdowns. Female Athlete of the soccer team this year and Year: Claire olson was twonoRTHGATE lacrosse team last year both time North Coast Section perEric Griffin Memorial won a NCS game, each a first former in cross country and Female Athlete of the Year: for Ygnacio Valley. She will was CVCHS team captain in Tatum Turetzky was co-MVP attend Fort Lewis College in cross country and track. She during the fall water polo sea- Durango, Colorado to major in won DVAL frosh/soph 1600 son for the Broncos and public health. meters as a freshman and was helped her team to the second Male co-Athlete of the second in frosh/soph cross round of the NCS tourna- Year: Andrew Leonard was country as a sophomore. In ment. Northgate was undefeat- tabbed as an athlete of the year addition to academics (4.26 ed DVAL champion in water for the second year. He played GPA) and athletics, Olson was polo and swimming. She was two years as YVHS varsity a member of Team Blue, regon the NG 400 free relay that quarterback and on varsity ularly organizing beach won the DVAL meet title as track plus three years on varsity cleanups throughout the Bay well as taking second in the basketball. He was first-team Area. 500 free and fifth in the 200 all-DVAL in all three sports Irvine scholar Award Photo courtesy Phil Walton/SportStars Magazine free. (Combination of athletics JONATHAN HARVEY Eric Griffin Memorial and academics): Ryan Levy See Athletes, page 13 DE LA SALLE CO-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

2 local teams earn soccer hardware at Davis World Cup

Photo courtesy Concord AySO

Photo courtesy MDSA

MDSA REBELS U10 GIRLS SOCCER TEAM just wrapped up a busy spring season with a second—place finish at the Davis World Cup. The girls earlier won Concord Cup XXIII, were second also at the Comstock Shoot-out in Carson City and the AySO Area Select Cup plus third in the San Jose President’s Cup. The rebels include, front row from left, Julia Pauline, Julia Lovelace, Emery Stephens, Layla Solis, Gabrielle Vela; back row, coach Matt Stephens, Natalya Modawar, Jessica Nielsen, Ellie Aragon, Anja Perreira, Jackie Contreras and coach Dylan Perreira.

CONCORD UNITED UNDER 16 BOYS played six games at the Davis World Cup on the Memorial Day Weekend without giving up a goal, culminating in a 1-0 victory over Millbrae in the championship match. Concord united also took first place in this season’s AySO Pacific Coast Soccer League which has teams from Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Peninsula. The champs include, front row from left, Miguel Martinez, Aaron usi, Marco Hidayat, Ami Melendres, Charlie Salazar; middle row, Adres Avila, Jason Morgan, Vincent Sanchez, Pedro Carillo, Ivan Campos; back row, coach Manny Ortega, Adrian Ortega, Juan Hernandez, Daniel Orea robles, Griffin Henley, Nick Armstrong, Delio romano, Manny Ortega, Mario Avila and assistant coach Mario Avila.

June 24, 2016

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com relay to first at DVAL and sixth at NCS while the young Northgate 400 free relay was second in league and ninth at Section. Litvinov then swam at the second CIF State meet in the medley and 400 free relays. “He did not let missing the top 40 cut in 50 and 100 free deter him from being an important relay member,” Bronco cocoach Jeff Mellinger said. Besides high school, Litvinov is a member of the renowned Terrapin Swim Team, so he’s no stranger to competition. The Concord resident also played for the NCS Division II champion Northgate water polo team last fall.

Athlete Spotlight

Alex Litvinov Grade: Sophomore School: Northgate Sports: Water Polo, Swimming

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi is credited with that simple statement. Northgate sophomore swimmer Alex Litvinov was excited by achieving North Coast Section qualifying times in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle races at the Diablo Valley Athletic League meet, taking fifth in the finals

of each event. Just days later he learned that although his times were under the NCS standards he wasn’t in the top 40 times for either event and thus he wouldn’t get a chance to compete individually at the Section meet. Instead of throwing in the towel the Bronco swimmer redoubled his efforts as a member of three Northgate relays at NCS. He anchored the 200 medley

The Concord Pioneer congratulates Alex and thanks Athlete spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.com Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@concordpioneer.com.

DVAL schools seeded into new Diablo Athletic League conferences JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

Practice for high school football begins Aug. 8 and the other fall sports kick off one week later so preparations for the new Diablo Athletic League are racing ahead while final administrative tasks for the soon-to-be defunct Diablo Valley and Diablo Foothill athletic leagues are being completed. During the past school year long-time Amador Valley High football coach Rick Sira has handled the melding of the 12 schools who were aligned into the new DAL super league through the quadrennial North Coast Section alignment process. He’s now turned over the process to recently appointed DAL commissioner Pat Lickiss, who served as DFAL commish for the past six years and Las Lomas High principal for 17 years. Lickiss is relishing his new assignment. The final NCS alignment for 2016-2020 placed the seven Diablo Valley Athletic League schools (Clayton Valley Charter, College Park, Concord, Ygnacio Valley, Northgate, Berean Christian and Mt. Diablo) with five Diablo Foothill teams (Acalanes of Lafayette, Alhambra of Martinez, Campolindo of Moraga, Las Lomas of Walnut Creek and Mira-

monte of Orinda). The first step in setting up the new league was splitting sports into two conferences to create the most competitively equitable playing opportunities for the schools. Except for boys and girls lacrosse each sport was split into two conferences—most with six schools in each—-that are designed to make for better competition for the member schools. The Valley Conference in each sport will have the highest performing schools from recent years as determined by a committee of two principals and two athletic directors during the past school year. The winner of each DAL conference will get automatic qualification to NCS play, regardless of what NCS division that team is placed in based on enrollment. In most sports the majority of the schools in the Valley Conference come from the DFAL. DVAL schools are the majority of the Valley flight in boys soccer, softball and wrestling. Boys volleyball and both basketball divisions are split evenly with three schools from each former league. Boys and girls lacrosse will have a single flight of eight or nine schools, respectively. The track and field conferences have yet to be determined. Northgate, Campolindo

and Las Lomas each have 20 teams in the Valley Conference among the 22 sports (excluding track and field). College Park (13) and CVCHS (eight) are placed in Valley Conference the next most times among DVAL schools. When the DAL football league season begins Oct. 7 after five weeks of non-league action, Concord and Clayton Valley Charter from the DVAL will be squaring off with Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas and Miramonte of the old DVAL. The competition should be fierce. Both Campo and CVCHS are coming off two straight State Bowl appearances (the Cougars won the 2014 state title), Concord has four NCS championship game appearances since 2010 and Las Lomas was a two-time NCS winner in 2003 and 2005. Campolindo has won three of the past five NCS Division III championships and has moved up to DII (along with Concord) this fall while Clayton Valley has three of the past four DII crowns and is now in DI. Acalanes, Las Lomas and Miramonte are in DIII. This fall the boys and girls water polo season has Alhambra, College Park, Concord, Ygnacio Valley and Clayton Valley also facing Hercules, Pinole Valley and St. Patrick-St.

Clayton Valley Charter off NCS probation North Coast Section commissioner Gil Lemmon informed Clayton Valley Charter High School officials last month that the school has completed its two-year NCS probation. The issue first arose in June 2014 when the football team held practices for the fall season before the 2013-14 NCS season had finished, causing the school to be placed on one year’s probation. Later that year the eligibility of six athletes who transferred to the school and joined the football team was challenged. Eventually three of the players were ruled ineligible including highly-touted lineman Kahlil McKenzie who transferred from De La Salle. NCS then imposed an additional year’s probation through the end of this 2015-16 school year. The school appointed new co-athletic directors early in 2015. In Lemmon’s letter ending the probation he said, in part, “The school hired co-athletic directors to better comply with the challenges of transfers and state mandated enrollment policies outlined for charter schools. The athletic administration met with the NCS Commissioner on multiple occasions to review eligibility rules and processes, as well as other NCS policies. There have been countless phones calls

and emails to and from the NCS Office to discuss eligibility situations. CVCHS co-athletic directors Tom Sparks and Eric Bamberger have done an excellent job.” The commissioner further noted numerous meetings and workshops attended by the school’s staff and coaches concerning transfer and eligibility policies. He added that during the probation period there was one violation about a freshman boys basketball player failing to file a transfer waiver. The team forfeited a game and was penalized games the following basketball season. Lemmon wrote, “No other violations occurred and great effort was made to follow all eligibility processes concerning waivers and reporting of pre-enrollment contact. “The school has worked very hard to adhere to all CIF and NCS policies. I thank Mr. [Executive Director Dave] Linzey and Mr. [Principal Jeff] Eben for their leadership. While compliance is a never ending process, based on the above I believe Clayton Valley Charter High School has met the conditions of probation established by the Section and commend the school on their efforts to comply with all CIF and NCS rules and regulations.” -Jay Bedecarré

Vincent in the Foothill Conference. The Miramonte girls played for the CIF Open Division basketball championship this past season and Northgate on the inaugural CIF boys swimming title in 2015. For more information on the DAL visit the league’s new website www.dalathletics.com.

FALL SPORTS Football – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, CVCHS, Concord, Las Lomas, Miramonte. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Christian, College Park, Mt. Diablo, Northgate, Ygnacio Valley. Boys & Girls Cross Country – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, College Park, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Christian, CVCHS, Concord, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley. Girls Tennis – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, CVCHS, College Park, Concord, Ygnacio Valley. Girls Golf – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Christian, CVCHS, Concord, College Park, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley. Girls & Boys Water Polo – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, College Park, CVCHS, Concord, Ygnacio Valley, Hercules, Pinole Valley, St. Patrick-St. Vincent. Girls Volleyball – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, College Park, Las Lomas, Miramonte,

See DVAL, page 12

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Northgate grad drafted by Cleveland Indians JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

When Ben Krauth was getting ready for eighth grade at Foothill Middle School he grew tired of spending most of the time on the bench in Continental Little League juniors so he took a year off from baseball, which he had played in the local youth program since he was seven-years-old. Instead he spent his summer playing a lot of golf. Following that year off Krauth played baseball for Northgate High, Connie Mack League Delta Indians, Diablo Valley College and the past two years for Kansas University. Nine years after his baseball hiatus he boarded a plane last Friday bound for Arizona to sign a professional baseball contract and begin his career in the Cleveland Indians organization. The Jayhawks lefthanded starting pitcher from Concord had caught the eye of major league scouts resulting in his selection in the 14th round (of 40) of the MLB draft earlier this month. His two years pitching for DVC proved very beneficial. Vikings head coach Steve Ward used to match wits with Kansas head coach Ritch Price when Price coached at DeAnza College. Ward recommended Krauth to Price, who offered him a scholarship. This past season the southpaw threw his way to All-Big 12 first team honors as the cornerstone of the Jayhawk pitching staff. In conference games Krauth started, KU posted a 5-3 record and he became just the sixth player since 1955 – first since 2012 – in Kansas history to strike out 100 or more batters in

a single season, finishing with the fifth-best total at 103 in 92 innings on the mound. Last fall “five or six MLB scouts interviewed” him about his post-college plans. During the spring season teams tend to leave college players alone to concentrate on baseball but the Indians sent a top official for an April interview “that went really well.” Again Ward played a part as he had connections with an Indian scout. Krauth graduated in May with a KU degree in communications a couple weeks before his senior season ended. Then he waited for the June 9-11 draft. “I have dreamed about this day ever since I picked up a baseball 16 years ago,” Krauth said. Krauth moved with his family to Concord when he was three. He was a two-time all-Diablo Valley Athletic League secondteam selection. As a senior he posted a 1.17 ERA for coach Tim Jochner. That year Herc Pardi was Clayton Valley head coach and vividly recalls his team’s battles with Northgate. “We beat Northgate two of three times in 2012. We opened NCS at home against Northgate. Ben went eight strong innings (4 Northgate errors)... we beat ‘em 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Ben was a crafty left hander, very durable.” Krauth says he now has four pitches and four speeds that he hopes will make him successful at the next level. His out pitch is a split finger changeup. He says he doesn’t light up the speed gun, topping out “once in a while at 90 mph.” He also throws a “12 to 6” curveball and this year developed a slider.

Photo courtesy Jeff Jacobsen, Kansas Athletics

NORTHGATE 2012 GRADUATE BEN KRAUTH capped his career with the Kansas Jayhawks by being drafted this month in the 14th round by the Cleveland Indians. The All-Big 12 first team southpaw was the cornerstone of the Jayhawk pitching staff this year. He became just the sixth player since 1955 – first since 2012 – in Kansas history to strike out 100 or more batters in a single season, finishing with the fifth-best total at 103.

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June 24, 2016

Raiders and 49ers look to continue Bay Area dominance

TYLER LEHMAN SPORTS TALK

What a time to be a Bay Area sports fan! The Golden State Warriors and San Jose Sharks made it to NBA and Stanley Cup Finals in their respective sports and the San Francisco Giants are leading the NL West. With so much success in other professional sports in the area, the Raiders and 49ers enter the summer looking to match the success of their peers. Raiders – This really feels like the year the Raiders finally return to the postseason. The Silver and Black added guard Kelechi Osemele, linebacker Bruce Irving, cornerback Sean Smith and safety Reggie Nelson via free agency. General manager Reggie

McKenzie was finally able to lure high-profile free agents to Oakland, in large part due to the already established core with Derek Carr, Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. McKenzie continued to add young talent through the NFL draft. With their firstround pick, the Raiders selected bone-crushing safety Karl Joseph. The self-proclaimed “hitman” out of West Virginia has received comparisons to Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas, due to his prowess in stopping the run and his ability to cover receivers as well as a slot corner. The Raiders also drafted heavily on the defensive line, adding Jihad Ward out of Illinois and Shilique Calhoun of Michigan State. Ward will most likely be utilized as a defensive tackle on passing downs, while Ward could be either a defensive end or a weakside linebacker. The Raiders are filled to the brim with talented football players. The last time someone could say that with a straight face was almost 14 years ago, but the Silver and Black are back, baby. 49ers – The 49ers had a

S ports Shorts

DE LA sALLE HIGH suMMER CAMPs oFFERED

De La Salle High School will host athletic camps in football, water polo, baseball, track and field, wrestling, volleyball, basketball, strength and conditioning, swimming, soccer and lacrosse. The camps are open to boys and girls in fourth through ninth grades. For complete information call (925) 288-8100 ext. 7090 or email summercamps@dlshs.org. Registration is open at dlshs.org (athletic tab).

rough season last year, to put it mildly. Chip Kelly is the new head coach. General manager Trent Baalke hired him hoping Kelly learned from his mistakes in Philadelphia. The 49ers might not be a playoff team this coming season, but there is a good amount of young talent on the roster. The strongest part of the 49ers right now is their front seven and that’s in large part thanks to their first-

round draft pick DeForest Buckner. As per usual with a Chip Kelly team, the 49ers selected an Oregon Duck, but make no mistake about it, Buckner is an absolute stud. The guy is a physical freak, standing at 6foot-7 and weighing 290 pounds. He can play a bit high at times due to his height, but if he gets coached to use his pad level to his advantage he could be a pro bowler in the

near future. Buckner will line up on the opposite side of college teammate and 2015 first-round pick Arik Armstead, who flashed a lot of potential last season. The 49ers will need to find an answer at quarterback though, before they can even think about competing in the NFC West. There is so much to be excited about as a Bay Area

sports fan and now it’s time for the Raiders and 49ers to step up to the plate and try to make it to a conference championship game.

Ygnacio Valley. Boys Golf – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, polindo, CVCHS, College Park, Alhambra, Berean Christian, Berean Christian, CVCHS, Con- Las Lomas, Northgate, Ygnacio CVCHS, College Park, Concord, cord, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley. Valley. Foothill: Acalanes, Alham- Ygnacio Valley. bra, Berean Christian, Concord, Boys Lacrosse – Acalanes, Miramonte, Mt. Diablo. WINTER SPORTS Alhambra, Campolindo, CVCHS, Wrestling – Valley: Alhambra, College Park, Las Lomas, MiraBoys & Girls Basketball – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, Col- CVCHS, College Park, Las Lomas, monte, Northgate. lege Park, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Acalanes, Girls Lacrosse – Acalanes, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Christian, Campolindo, Alhambra, Campolindo, CVCHS, Berean Christian, CVCHS, Con- Concord, Miramonte, Mt. Diablo, College Park, Las Lomas, Miracord, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley. Ygnacio Valley. monte, Northgate, Ygnacio ValGirls Soccer – Valley: ley. SPRING SPORTS Acalanes, Campolindo, CVCHS, Softball – Valley: Alhambra, Baseball – Valley: Acalanes, Berean Christian, CVCHS, ColConcord, Las Lomas, Miramonte. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Chris- Alhambra, Campolindo, CVCHS, lege Park, Concord, Northgate. tian, College Park, Mt. Diablo, College Park, Northgate. Foothill: Foothill: Acalanes, Campolindo, Berean Christian, Concord, Las Las Lomas, Miramonte, Mt. DiaNorthgate, Ygnacio Valley. Boys Soccer – Valley: Cam- Lomas, Miramonte, Mt. Diablo, blo, Ygnacio Valley.

Boys & Girls Swimming & Diving – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Christian, CVCHS, College Park, Concord, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley. Boys Tennis – Valley: Acalanes, Campolindo, College Park, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Alhambra, Berean Christian, CVCHS, Concord, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley. Boys Volleyball – Valley: Berean Christian, Campolindo, College Park, Las Lomas, Miramonte, Northgate. Foothill: Acalanes, Alhambra, CVCHS, Concord, Mt. Diablo, Ygnacio Valley.

DVAL, from page 11

21sT RED DEVILs GoLF CLAssIC TEEs oFF THIs FRIDAY

The Red Devil Golf Committee is holding its 21st annual Red Devils Golf Classic this Friday, June 24, at Diablo Creek Golf Course in Concord. Proceeds help athletic and academic programs at Mt. Diablo High School. Registration starts at 11 a.m. followed by lunch, golf, dinner and raffle/silent auction. For last-minute more information contact Lou Adamo (2129332) or Ralph Vallis (825-7593).

BEREAn CHRIsTIAn sCHEDuLEs suMMER CAMPs

Berean Christian High School is offering boys basketball, girls soccer and softball and FCA football camps featuring NFL JuLY InVITATIonAL sWIM MEETs and college players and coaches as instructors will be offered in AT WALnuT CounTRY, DAnA HILLs WARMuP June or July. Basketball, softball and football camps are open to CoMPETIToRs FoR 50TH CITY MEET third through ninth graders while the soccer camp is for all ages. The 22nd annual Devil Mountain Pentathlon on the July 9- Registration is taken online at bereaneagles.org under 10 weekend hosted by Dana Hills Swim Team in Clayton and the athletics/camps. 16th annual Crossings Challenge at Walnut Country in Concord on Saturday, July 23, help local swim teams gear up for the landFooTBALL oFFICIALs AssoCIATIon mark 50th Concord City Swimming Championships Aug. 5-7. sEEKInG nEW MEMBERs Many local teams tune up for the end-of-season meets by If you’ve ever thought you might want to learn more about taking part in the Devil Mountain Pentathlon. The unique for- football from the real inside the Contra Costa Football Officials mat has over 1000 boys and girls from six and under through 15- Association can teach you. CCFOA provides officials for local 18 age groups swimming five events each with their cumulative high school and youth games along the I-680 and Hwy. 4 corritime determining award winners in A and B divisions. For com- dors. They are looking for new members for the upcoming fall plete information visit danahillsotters.com. season. Training is provided with new member evening sessions The Crossings Challenge is the premier B swim meet in the starting in mid-June. There is an all-day clinic Aug. 14 in prepaarea and is designed to recognize the effort and achievements of ration for the new season. For more information visit ccfoa.com. swimmers who have not yet achieved A times. Six of the 10 participating teams are from the Concord/Clayton area: Vista DiaALL GIRLs BAsEBALL TEAMs FoRMInG In AREA blo, Ygnacio Wood, Bishop Estates, Springwood, Dana Hills and FoR nATIonAL TouRnAMEnT In sAn FRAnCIsCo host Walnut Country. Over 750 swimmers will be taking part. Baseball for All is an international organization promoting They can compete in up to three individual events and one relay. baseball for girls and its national tournament July 23-30 in San Francisco. Pat Noonan of Continental Little League is helping form East Bay teams in 8U and 10U. The teams will begin practicing after the Little League season ends. For more information contact Noonan patnoonan555@gmail.com or call (925) 7080761. Baseball for All is on the web at baseballforall.com.

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Tyler Lehman is a recent graduate of San Francisco State University and a 2012 CVHS graduate. He majored in print/online journalism and wants to be a sports writer. Email your comments or questions to tyler@concordpioneer.com.

ConCoRD AYso TAKInG FALL REGIsTRATIons

Concord AYSO is accepting registration for fall soccer league for boys and girls up to 18 years of age. Players can also register on line at concordayso.org. Fees are currently $140 and will increase to $160 after July 1. For more information email info@concordayso.org, call (925) 603-3861 or visit eayso.org for region 305 to register.

ConCoRD HIGH sCHooL HAs FALL CoACHInG PosITIons AVAILABLE

Concord High School is seeking girls JV volleyball and water polo coaches. All coaching positions come with a stipend. Coaching requirements include MDUSD fingerprint, current TB and First Aid/CPR, coaching principles course, concussion course and sudden cardiac arrest course. Interested coaches can send resume to CHS athletic director Megan Coddington at coddingtonm@mdusd.org.

ConCoRD CoBRAs FooTBALL PRACTICE BEGIns JuLY 11

Concord Cobras tackle football program is taking signups for its fall season online. The football program is open for youth five to 14 years of age. The first official day of practice is Monday, July 11. For more info email concordyouthfootball@yahoo.com or visit concordyouthfootball.com.

MDsA TAKInG WAITLIsT REGIsTRATIon THRouGH JuLY 31

Boys and girls 4-18 years of age wanting to play in Mt. Diablo Soccer Association fall league can register for the waitlist through the end of July. Fall league practice begins Aug. 1 when all registration closes. Families are requested to sign up for volunteer duties to help the organization offer its AYSO program. For complete information visit mdsoccer.org.

TAKInG WoRLD BY sToRM soCCER CLInIC sATuRDAY

Concord Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla will host her largest district event of the year this Saturday, June 25, at Arbolado Park in Walnut Creek from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. with the fifth annual Taking the World by Storm girls soccer clinic. Over 200 girls ages 816 of all skill levels will take the field in this year’s Storm clinic. Young girls will be involved in various skill building drills and scrimmages, coached by semi-professional women soccer players from the California Storm. The event will include a health presentation and workshop on sports-related injuries for parents. Last-minute registration is at tinyurl.com/2016STORM.

All skill levels are welcome to participate in the Diablo FC soccer camp July 18-21 at Tesoro Fields in Concord. Players will be grouped by age and skill levels to learn key fundamentals to being a successful soccer player. The camp will teach dribbling, passing, trapping, shooting, defending and give the players plenJR. EAGLEs FInAL DAY FoR REGuLAR sIGnuP PRICE ty of opportunities to practice what they learn in small-sided JunE 30 FoR YouTH FooTBALL, CHEER games. Diablo FC professional staff will be the instructors. To CVAA Jr. set June 30 as the final day to register at the regular register go to diablofc.org or email director of coaching Zach price for its fall football and cheer squads. There is a mandatory Sullivan at docdiablofc@gmail.com. parent and player day on July 16 and fall practice begins Aug. 1. MT. DIABLo HIGH sCHooL HAs VoLLEYBALL Visit their website cvaajreagles.com for more information and to register. CoACHInG PosITIon oPEn Athletic director Bryan Shaw has announced that Mt. Diablo ConCoRD RECREATIon HosTInG VARIETY High School has the head varsity coaching position open this fall oF suMMER sPoRTs CAMPs for its girls volleyball team. If you are interested in either openConcord Parks & Recreation Department is offering a wide ing contact Shaw by email shawbd@mdusd.org or phone (925) variety of youth sports camps, clinics and classes this summer 682-4030 ext. 87428. including Gymnastics + More, Kidz Love Soccer, Make Me A REGIsTRATIon oPEn FoR ALL ouT sPoRTs LEAGuEs Pro camps in cheerleading, flag football and basketball, Pee Wee Cheer, Skateboard Camp, many Skyhawk camps, Water Polo suMMER, FALL PRoGRAMs Summer and fall programs offered by All Out Sports Camp and World Cup Soccer. Concord Rec has on-going sports Leagues in Clayton are taking registrations. The summer pro- classes like swim lessons, junior tennis, Taekwondo (Little Draggrams include adult softball and volleyball leagues plus youth ons) and more. For more information on any of these youth basketball and football camps and youth leagues for volleyball sports programs, visit concordreg.org. and basketball. For complete information on All Out Sports ConCoRD PIonEER WAnTs To PuBLIsH programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.

sKIP IPsEn MEMoRIAL BoCCE TouRnAMEnT In CLAYTon JuLY 9-10

The inaugural CBCA Skip Ipsen Memorial Bocce Tournament is accepting applications for a 16-team modified Swiss format tournament in Clayton the July 9-10 weekend. Ipsen, the founder of Skipolini’s Pizza, passed away in March, less than two years after he helped dedicate the Ipsen Family Bocce Court in downtown Clayton adjacent to his first Skipolini’s restaurant. Visit www.claytonbocce.org for details on the tournament, which will award cash prizes to the top three teams.

YouR sPoRTs nEWs

Please let us know about your sports news, special events, fund raisers, tryouts, signups and accomplishments. Youth leagues, clubs, schools and adult programs are all welcome to send us a rundown on what you’re doing. Tell us about local athletes who are competing in college or elsewhere out of the area. Include all the necessary details (too much information is better than too little!) and your contact information. It’s as simple as sending an email to sports@concordpioneer.com.

DLS wraps up banner year with NCS baseball title June 24, 2016

JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

De La Salle High completed a sweep of the three major 2015-16 North Coast Section sports championships when the Spartans baseball team beat upstart Castro Valley in the section finals earlier this month on the same day as the state track and field meet in blazing hot Clovis rang to a close the California high school sports calendar. The Spartans were also NCS football and basketball champs, in addition to golf, track and field, volleyball and wrestling title winners. Baseball — De La Salle avenged a loss in last year’s NCS championship game to College Park 17-1 in this spring’s semi-finals and then the top-seeded Spartans defeated 14th rated Castro Valley 7-3 in the Division I finals to claim another Section title.

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It was the Spartans third baseball crown in five years and they’ve been in the NCS DI title game six years running. Northgate was seeded ninth but went all the way to the NCS Division II championship game before losing 4-2 to Livermore. Clayton Valley Charter was a seventh seed in their 18th straight NCS appearance but fell to Heritage in the DI quarterfinals. softball — Alhambra of Martinez won a third straight NCS championship and along the way the Martinez power eliminated DVAL co-champ Photo courtesy Dennis Lee/SportStars Magazine Concord in the quarterfinals Conner roberts wasn’t the winning pitcher but he started and Carondelet in the semis. the game as De La Salle High won the North Coast Section DVAL co-champ CVCHS baseball championship earlier this month over upstart CasEagles lost their NCS opener tro Valley 7-2 in the Section finale. Despite suffering from to Liberty. some wildness in the title game roberts was 10-0 this seaswimming & Diving — son with an ErA of 0.79 as the Spartans won their final 17 At the second CIF State games to complete a 25-3 season as the top ranked team Championships. DLS boys in the Bay Area and earning their third NCS crown in five were 14th, defending champiyears. roberts is committed to uC Santa Barbara in the fall on Northgate 38th and and the Gauchos qualified for the College World Series this CVCHS 49th. Clayton Valley’s month.

Athletes, from page 10

this year. He was the leagueleading scorer in basketball with a 20.1 ppg and won the league high jump title this spring. He plans on going to Diablo Valley College in the fall playing football and basketball while majoring in education. Male co-Athlete of the Year: Jorge Velazquez is the premier high school long distance runner in the area. He garnered five varsity letters in past two seasons (two each in cross country and soccer and one in track). He was DVAL MVP in both track and cross country in this 2015-16 school year. He won the DVAL cross country finals as a sophomore and senior. He was fourth at the NCS DIV cross country championships and qualified for the CIF State meet last fall. He was part of the Warriors DIII soccer champions, the first in the school’s history. He won the DVAL 1600 and 3200 meter races this spring and also was second in the 800. He will run cross country and track for American River College in the fall.

EBAL Boys De La Salle First Team — Forrest White, Jackson Gabler. Second Team — Daniel O’Connell, Ryan Iannaccone, Jake Simpson. Honorable Mention — Driscoll. DVAL Girls First Team— Danielle Arauzo, Rebecca Proctor, Carlie Polkington, Maddie Jochner, Piper Sterling, Bryn Mcgowan, Seraph Woodbury, Victoria Stahl, Delanie Gearing, Taylor Cossu, Emma Smethurst (NG), Taylor Fair, Melissa Schoell (Berean Christian). Second Team — Erica duLong, Julia Wickware, Gabby Mancini, Kaylie Walker (CVC), Tatum Turetzky (NG), Alyssa House, Audrey Aitelli, Kara Howard (BC). Honorable Mention — Jordan Balek, Kaley Ng, Anna Weines, Karlee Kronquist, Rayna Stanziano, Mickayla Sayre (Con), Camille Cline, Brooke Johnson, Melissa Cark, Alina Weigelt (CVC). EBAL Girls Carondelet First Team—Samantha Coloma, Madelyn Murphy, Malorie Han. Honorable Mention — Holly Williams.

BOYS GOLF DVAL First Team — Daniel Schaefer (CVC); Jacob Ricafrente, Steve Harvey (NG), John Scott Senz (Con), Woojin Gallo (BC). Second Team — Tyler Blazer, Larry Dombrowski (CVC), Grant LoCAL ALL-LEAGuE Sandburg (NG), Mike Cosmi ATHLETEs (Con), Ben Smith (BC). Honorable Mention — Marcellus Medrano SWIMMING & DIVING DVAL Boys First Team — Max (CVC), Josh Quiamboa (NG), Bottene, Cole Welsh, Andrew George Speris (Con), Otto SteinRodriguez, Alex Litvinov (North- dorf (YV), Grayson Pulver (BC). EBAL Boys De La Salle First gate), Nikolas Weigelt, Ryan Levy, Cal Brown, Anthony Vines (Clay- Team — Josh McCarthy, Ethan ton Valley Charter). Second Team Atherstone. — Chase Mitchell (CVC), Evan BOYS TENNIS Stanziano (Concord). Honorable DVAL First Team — Leonard Mention — Jerron Miller, Anthony Markiwiecz, Andrew Miller, Vizental, Shawn Broussard, Cameron Brandt (CVC), Connor Amadeo Ashe-Ramirez, Noah Seip (NG), Adonis Thomas (Ygna- Zakaria (NG), Matt Osterkamp, Dylan Kies (CVC). cio Valley). EBAL De La Salle First Team

(BC), Conner Burr, Lucien Gerhardt (Con). Honorable Mention — Christian Bulanadi, Justin TRACK & FIELD Lavezzoli (CVC), Sky Lopez (Con), DVAL Boys First Team — Kenji Kamiya, Evan Benson (BC). Brandon Abon, Jordan EBAL De La Salle MVP — BaiVelasquez, Aidan Jackman, ley Militar. First Team—Ryan 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay, Jake Byrne, Darius Monsarrat-Ford. King, Jack Fouts (CVC), Andres Second Team — Nick Adiao. Reynoso (Con), Edwin Flores Honorable Mention — Matt Voll(NG), Jorge Velazquez, Andrew man. Leonard (YV). Second Team— BASEBALL Tommy Kauffman, Dylan White (CVC), Eli Skinner (BC), Ryan DVAL MVP — Nicholas SimLaChance, Peter Michiels (NG), mons (NG). First Team—Brian Ian Ellingboe, 4x100 Relay (Con). Wright, Ian Villars, Ryne Mannie, Honorable Mention — Sayed Kevin Clancy (NG), Nick Nunez, Opeyany, Jason Rogers (CVC), Jesus Hernandez (Con), Casey Jesiel Guzman, Antonio Schwitters (BC), Manny Alcantar Rodriguez, Kionte Zerai (YV), (YV), Bill Ralston, James Biles, Anthony Dulay, Michael Wheeler, Jack Miller (CVC). Second Team 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay, Jack- — Daniel Glorioso, Will Batz, son Smith (NG), Mark Baros, Chris Gotz (BC), Chris Rogan, Davion Smith (Con). Anders Capener (NG), Ryan EBAL Boys De La Salle First Parisi, Patrick O’Shea, Johnathon Team—Obasi Dees, Harrison Stover (Con), Eli Zurita-Haber, Fisher, Isaias De Leon, Jonathan Alejandro Lopez (YV), Rob Towne, Harvey, 4x100 Relay. Doug Bermudez, Justin Roper DVAL Girls First Team — Jade (CVC). Honorable Mention — Davis, Bridget Hyland, Kiersten Dre Avizenis (BC), Andrew Fouts, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay Abbott, Milan Mijanovic, Kevin (CVC), Jessica Dong, Amy Chris- Snyder (CVC), Matt Tortolani, Jortensen (NG), Kaylee Chaffey (BC), dan Aguallo, Jacob Samuels (YV), April Frantz, Rayna Stanziano, Danny Bonano (NG), Aaron Byrd, Rylie Person (Con). Second Team Zach Corkran (Con), Kendrick — Jessica Johnson (CVC), Eliza Utt, Scott Lewis (BC). Cashman, Megan Chappell, EBAL De La Salle MVPs— 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay, Julia Conner Roberts, Conner RedHagedorn, Michelle Hahn (NG), mond. First Team— Nick Sparks, Adelle Meyer (Con). Honorable Joe Vranesh, Ryan Cole, Trace Mention — Kelly Osterkamp, Tammaro, Gabe Biosso. Second Claire Olson, Katie Rangel (CVC), Team — Armani Smith. HonorBecca Jones (BC), Ellora Easton, able Mention — Mason Behiel, Gabby Anderson, Asha Byrne- Cullen Kafka. Berry (NG), 4x100 Relay. SOFTBALL EBAL Girls Carondelet First DVAL MVPs — Morgyn Team — Katie Kern, Avery Avina, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay. Sec- Wynne, Juliana Pichardo (Con). ond Team— Julianna Ruotolo. First Team—Veronica Castaneda, Honorable Mention — Hanna Elvis Alvarado, Aleya Rath (Con), Alyse Butterfield (BC), Morgan Coloma. Batesole, Hannah Brajkovich BOYS VOLLEYBALL (NG), Tyce Miranda, Tammy DVAL MVP — Bailey Mundy Mason, Sophie Wheeler, Athena (BC). First Team—Matt Zamolo Franklin (CVC), Isela Garcia (YV), (BC), Anthony Tara (Con), Liam Melissa Odriscoll (Mt. Diablo). Totten, Frank Stringer, Zach Han- Second Team — Cami Cohen, son (CVC). Second Team—Joe Nikki Mason, Cheyenne Harman Nelson, Chris Neely (CVC), Lan- (CVC), Lucy Decker, Haley Randon Nortune, Duncan Morrison dall (NG), Taylar McCullough,

— Daniel Nomura. Honorable Mention — Bebarta, C. Trinkus.

Page 13

points were scored by their 200-meter freestyle relay of Anthony Vines, Niklas Weigelt, Ryan Levy and Cal Brown. Forest White was fourth in the 100 backstroke and fifth in 200 free to help the Spartans, who also were 12th in the 400 free relay. Carondelet’s third-place NCS finish featured recordbreaking performances from Madelyn Murphy in the 50 free and 100 butterfly and she helped the Cougars win the 200 and 400 free relays. Carondelet has won the 400 free relay seven consecutive years at NCS including Murphy’s freshman year when they set a national record. Carondelet owns nine of the 11 all-time NCS swimming records. Murphy was in final preparation for the US Olympic Trials and skipped the State Meet where she was defending 100 fly champion. The Olympic Trials begin Monday

in Omaha. Track & Field — Hurdler Jonathan Harvey of De La Salle was eighth in the 300 hurdles at the CIF State Meet. Harvey had swept both hurdles the NCS Tri-Valley meet and won the 300 at the NCS Meet of Championships, where Clayton Valley Charter’s Jordan Velasquez won the 100 meters to go with his league and Tri-Valley titles. DLS won the boys team titles at the NCS Tri-Valley and MOC meets with Clayton Valley second at Tri-Valley and seventh at MOC. Carondelet was second at Tri-Valley and fourth at MOC girls. Boys Golf — De La Salle repeated as NCS champions and took fifth at the Northern California championship with Josh McCarthy, Ethan Atherstone, Nick Orecchia, Travis Mitchell, Jack Gardner and Cade Mayer representing the Spartans.

Sadie Whatley (BC), Sarah Clifton, Julia Kiester (Con), Brianna Klopatek, Rebecca Dodenhoff (MD), Angela Garcia, Adriana Gonzalez (YV). Honorable Mention — Angela Garcia, Francisca Rodriguez (YV), Angelina Perez, Gabriella Tapia (MD), Kirsten Kennon, Lauren Simitz (NG), Maya Berry, McKenna Martin (CVC), Molly Kolander, Madison Kincaid (BC), Alaina Tonna, Fiona Walsh (Con). EBAL Carondelet First Team— Sierra Blair, Giovy Webb. Second Team — Keleva Salt, Sofia Earle. Honorable Mention — Emma McLaughlin.

Mention—Jack Morse, Cole Carbone (CVC), Will Bitner, Andrew Lentz (NG). EBAL Boys De La Salle First Team—Brook Rideau. Second Team—Ben Allen, Johnny Coletta. Honorable Mention—Sean Rigley, Michael Balousek, Connor Lencioni, Ross McDonald. DVAL Girls: First Team— Cameron Adams (NG), Sofia Campos (YV). Second Team— Josie McGregor (NG), Rylee Heinz (CVC), Marcia Seguras (YV). Honorable Mention — Koryna Boudinot, Ashley Shepard (NG); Sydney Wheeler, Marlinda Ramirez (CVC), Natalie Hastings (YV). EBAL Carondelet Girls First Team—Sophia Panella, Olivia Pereira. Second Team—Mia Maloney, Katie Kuptz. Honorable Mention—Lauren Zelnik.

LACROSSE DVAL Boys: First Team— Dakota Harman, Ryan Alimagno (CVC). Second Team—Torin Neal, James Essex (CVC), Ian Morford, James Madden (NG). Honorable

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

June 24, 2016

PETS

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Getting your dog to sit, stay and walk without pulling or lagging can be a challenge. Yet Zane Flynn of Concord can get 25 dogs to do it all – and at the same time. Flynn started his dog walking company, Z Animal Lovers, three years ago. His pack has grown to the maximum he can fit into his van per day. Passersby often stop, astonished, to see how he works with the dogs. Flynn is at the head of the pack with all 25 leashes in hand. Each dog knows his place as they journey on a 1½ hour hike each day. They watch him and follow his lead. Flynn starts his day at 8 a.m. and spends about two hours picking up his charges from homes in Walnut Creek, Concord, Clayton and Pleasant Hill. When he arrives at his walking spot, he methodically allows one dog at a time to exit the van. Each dog has learned to take his turn, and then Flynn tells him to sit while the rest exit. The obedience is remarkable. Flynn uses a calm and praising voice, with affection

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require a little extra urging on occasion, and he’ll call them by name, “Sit Lady, Sit Piper, Sit Max.” They obediently fall in line. Many of the dogs are home alone, so this is a chance for them to socialize as well as get exercise. “The mental exercise they get from following commands is just as important as the physical exercise we get,” explains Flynn. Jamie Bailey of Walnut

Creek has been using Flynn for three years to care for Murphy, MacKenzie and Sebastian. “When we are at work, we feel lucky to have our pets in the hands of Zane. He understands our dogs’ personalities and always has full control,” Bailey says. “The dogs love him. He is a real dog whisperer.” Flynn, a graduate of Santa Clara University, had a

Kitten season is here, and shelters are flooded with kittens. Cats are prolific. A female cat can become pregnant as early as 5 months old and can have more than one litter in a year. Each litter averages 4-6 kittens. That’s a lot of babies in one year. Although kittens are more desirable to potential adopters, most shelters don’t have the DEBBIE DEMELLO resources to care for very young PAUSE FOR PETS kittens. Neonate kittens, those who are 2-3 weeks old, must be bottle fed every few hours if they don’t have a mother. They must be placed with someone who is trained to care for & neonates. If the shelter can’t find adopters or fosters quickly, the kittens are often euthanized. Specializing in Large Kittens older than 3 weeks Hazardous Trees & still require extra care. Their Heritage Oak trees immune systems aren’t strong, Crane Service so they must be placed in a speTree & Stump Removal cial area of the shelter to protect Arborist Consulting them from disease and illness. Arborist Reports Every shelter needs help to save kittens. But if you find Pruning/Cabling neonate kittens, don’t immediFire Abatement ately scoop them up and take Custom Milled Lumber them to a shelter. That’s the Firewood

biggest mistake people make. Leave the kittens where they are and keep an eye on them to see if the mother is around. If you see her, it’s best to let her take care of her kittens until they are old enough to eat on their own. How long you should wait to intervene depends on the age of the kittens. If they are younger than 4 weeks old, only wait about six hours before you consider taking them to a shelter. If the kittens are older, wait a day before taking them. Another way to help kittens is to volunteer as a foster parent.

Rescue groups will provide everything you need, including food, beds and litter boxes. When the kittens are old enough, they will go to adoption events where potential families can meet them. Fostering is a rewarding experience. If your home is full, you can encourage friends and family members to foster or adopt. And always remember to spay or neuter your own pets.

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and eye contact for reinforcement. He does not use treats. It doesn’t take long for a new dog to learn the ways of the pack. Still, he only takes one new dog at a time so he can help it adjust. When the pack stops for the inevitable potty breaks, all dogs sit and stay and make constant eye contact with Flynn while he cleans up. He knows every dog’s unique personality. Some

See Dog Walker, page 15

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June 24, 2016

SUNNY SOLOMON

BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY

Ruta Sepetys' latest novel, “Salt to the Sea,”returns to the topic of World War II, but it is not about any famous battles or generals. It is about people: Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, Germans, Jews, and other Baltic nationals fleeing for their lives as a bent-on-revenge Soviet Army approaches from the east and a desperate noholds-barred German Army from the west. Sepetys writes of the sad and inevitable terror of those left to face either the victorious and bloodthirsty Soviets or the desperate German army now conscripting even children to fight to the bitter end. The refugees attempted to walk from whatever war-torn city or village they came from to the Baltic port of Gotenhaven, where they had been told that retrofitted German

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

‘Salt to the Sea’ shines light on lesser known tragedy

ships were waiting to transport to safety those fleeing, both wounded soldiers and refugees. They came by the thousands, hoping their papers, forged and real, would gain them access to what they believed was their only means of survival. This is the story of what happened aboard the Wilheim Gustloff. Sepetys is a master at drawing the reader into stories broad in their scope, but intimate in their telling by characters who move and are moved by the events within the tale. “Salt to the Sea” is fiction, brought to life through the characters of Joana, a young Lithuania woman now fleeing Germany, Florian, a German youth of mystery, Emilia, a Polish teenager, and Alfred, a young German soldier, a sociopath who mentally creates and lives in a world based on Mein Kampf. These characters are the only fiction in a true story about what happened to those thousands of men, women and children. “Salt to the Sea” is a cross-

over novel, a book to be appreciated by both youth and adults. Based on Sepetys' previous books, “Between Shades of Gray” and “Out of the Easy,” I turned off my phone, never went near my computer before finishing the book and gave up an entire day to read. I am still shaking my head. How could we not have heard of this tragic event before now? That the author could skillfully create so few characters to convincingly represent thousands is a stroke of genius, and

‘Apocalypse’ a worthy addition to X-men series

based on her Author’s Notes and Acknowledgments, Sepetys' research of these events is formidable. Now seventy-one years later, through global media news coverage, we see again thousands of men, women, and children, fleeing their wartorn homes for their lives, putting themselves in the hands of the makers of promises that cannot be kept. Sepetys’ novel gives us not a nudge, but a push to look into the faces of these modern day refugees, those who make it safely to foreign shores and those, who like so many aboard the Wilheim Gustloff, do not. Sepetys has given voice to those who voices are no longer heard and a hauntingly beautiful life to their stories. “Salt to the Sea” should find a wide and devoted readership. 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.’

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X-Men in training members Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) prepare to battle an ancient mutant and rescue their friends in Bryan Singer’s ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’

By the sixth X-men film, the formula is pretty much set: good mutants battle bad mutants. Guessing which bad mutants will switch sides ends up being the only mystery. This simple blueprint does not necessarily mean the films are poor. When done well, the X-men films are the best of the superhero bunch. They often seamlessly blend comic book action with tackling social issues. This is the rare series that wants to talk about something while simultaneously blowing things up. The director most synonymous with the films, Bryan Singer, returns to direct “Xmen: Apocalypse.” While it does not reinvent the genre, “Apocalypse” certainly provides an enjoying conclusion to the second trilogy of the Xmen series. The previous two X-men

films used the Cuban Missile Crisis and xenophobia as their respective backdrops. “Apocalypse” leaps forward to 1983, right in the middle of the Cold War. A 10,000-year-old being, En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac in a fearsome role), awakens and wants to cleanse the planet. He does not believe the people in charge have earned their position. To him, they are too weak to have so much power. Like an omnipotent mediator in the nuclear arms race, En Sabah Nur does not pick a side; he just levels the playing field by removing all the nukes from the equation. If only the real Cold War could have been solved so easily. While En Sabah Nur gathers his Four Horsemen (Storm, Angel, Psylocke and a recentlyturned-evil-again Magneto), Mystique reluctantly returns and recruits a handful of good

Dog walker, from page 14

successful career in finance but felt something was missing in his life. While playing golf one day, his life changed. He found a stray dog while searching for his lost golf ball. He named her Cali after the Calloway golf ball. Flynn took her home – and knew what he’d been missing. Not long after, while walking Cali on Ocean Beach in San Francisco with his fiancé Lisa McCormick, he met a professional dog walker with eight dogs. He realized he could make a living being around dogs all day.

mutants under the tutelage of Professor Xavier (James McAvoy). We get a modicum of backstory on some of our favorite mutants, like Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (a jovial Kodi SmitMcPhee), but we know most of them already so they don’t really need any introductions. The previous entry, 2014’s excellent “Days of Future Past,” provided a handful of mutants new to the film series – creating a lot of dread whenever they were endangered. With “Apocalypse” using so many familiar characters, we know that most of the mutants found in 2000’s “X-men” are in no danger. The action – specifically during a cameo appearance by a beloved mutant – is great, but the suspense is mostly absent. The film works despite sticking to the X-men formula. job as a server eight months ago to join the business. “Every day I get to spend time with dogs, out in nature, doing what I love,” Flynn adds. “That hollow feeling I had while working in finance is now filled.” When the walk is over, the dogs wait patiently to be called by name and loaded into the van. Once they are all returned to their homes, Flynn and McCormick go home with Cali and Pearl (one of Cali’s puppies), thankful for another day surrounded by dogs.

A year later, when Cali had an unplanned litter of puppies, he made the plunge – quitting his job and starting Z Animal Lovers. His business has grown so much that McCormick now works with him too. She takes a pack of small dogs, while Flynn takes the larger ones. They have a waiting list for the daily walks and also provide dog-sitting services. “Seeing the dogs evolve from shy or rambunctious to well-behaved and happy is the For more about Zane, go to best part of my job,” says McCormick, who gave up her www.zanimallover.com

Yet one thing that has become far too formulaic in the series is the reliance on the ambiguity of Magneto’s disposition. He is a tortured soul, and Michael Fassbender is excellent conveying his pain. However, too much of the film is spent with Mystique and Professor X trying to convince Magneto to spurn evil, just like in the last movie. Had Singer steered away from this plot device, the rest of “Apocalypse” feels fresh enough to stand fine on its own. Now we await the next film, which will surely explain why Magneto and Mystique turned bad prior to “X-men.” Sometimes, connecting the plot dots can be worth the effort. B

Jeff Mellinger is a screen writer and film buff. He holds a BA in Film Studies and an MFA in film production. He lives in Concord. Email comments to editor@claytonpioneer.com.

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Page 16

T H E ARTS

SALLY HOGARTY

STAGE STRUCK It’s time again for the annual Chevron Family Theatre Festival at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts. The 10th annual festival takes place July 16, with lots of free outdoor events and lowpriced indoor performances. The street in front of the Lesher Center hosts a day-long extravaganza of fun, arts and entertainment – complete with Disney princesses and other characters mingling with the crowd. Events include the magic of Alex Ramon, Fantasy Forum’s “Wizard of Oz,” the Pushcart Player’s “Peter and the Wolf,” Artrageous’ amazing team of artists painting at electric speed accompanied by vocals, creative choreography and high energy music and much more. For more information, go to www.lesherartscenter.org or call 925-943-SHOW.

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

June 24, 2016

Theater festival hits the street in Walnut Creek

Here’s a great opportunity to improve your performance skills and have a fun summer with Pittsburg Community Theatre (PCT) Summer Workshop Programs. Now in its third year, the workshops have expanded to include Improv for Actors (July 11Aug. 1) for ages 10-18 and Musical Theater Dance for children 6-12, with a more comprehensive workshop for teens/adults. Dance workshops take place on Aug. 20, with children in the morning and teens/adults in the afternoon. PCT will also bring back its popular Audition Workshops, where performers learn what to expect during an audition – including appropriate behavior/attire, song suggestions, short cold read session and basic dance moves. The workshop for ages 6-12 takes place July 23, with the teen/adult workshop on July 30 and Aug. 6. With your performing skills honed, you could audition for one of PCT’s shows this season or at least enjoy them from the audience. The schedule includes “Fiddler on the Roof ” (September), “Mister Roberts” (November), Home

for the Holiday’s (Dec. 17), “Blithe Spirit” (March) and “Hairspray” (May). All performances take place at the California Theatre in Pittsburg. For complete information on the workshops or the season, go to www.pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org/workshops.html or call 925-439-7529.

Clayton Theatre Company will hold a three-week camp for youngsters 6-16. The Summer Stage program focuses on musical theater in preparation for “A Trip Down Broadway, Jr.,” which culminates the camp. Performers will learn musical numbers from “Annie,” “Mary Poppins,” “School of Rock” and “Seussical the Musical,” to name a few. In addition, each performer will have a professional head shot taken and receive a sample resume. Camps run July 11-15, 1822 and 25-27 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. On July 28, the day runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., with the performance at 2 p.m. It all takes place at Endeavor Hall in Clayton. For more information, go to www.claytontheatrecompany.com or call 925222-9106.

Alessandra Mello

James Carpenter, Safiya Fredericks, Denmo Ibrahim, Anthony Fusco, Rami Margron, Lance Gardner and Stacy Ross appear in CalShakes streamlined and updated version of Shakespear’s comedy, “Much Ado About Nothing,” at the Bruns Amphitheater through June 19.

For some fun under the sun (or stars), try California Shakespeare Theatre’s “Fences.” August Wilson’s fierce drama about family, loyalty and forgiveness features Aldo Billingslea as the charismatic baseball player turned sanitation worker and Margo Hall as his wife. The show runs July 6-13 at the beautiful Bruns Amphitheatre in Orinda. Bring a picnic and enjoy the beautiful grounds or purchase

something yummy from cafe, which includes a full For more information, 510-548-9666 or go www.calshakes.org.

the bar. call to

powerhouse of energy “Rock of Ages.” It’s certainly an apt description of Chris D’Arienzo’s musical featuring classic rock songs from the 1980s, playing at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts through June 25. Superbly directed by Dyan McBride, this story of Sherrie (Elise Youssef), an actress wannabe who comes to Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, and rock star hopeful Drew (Nikita Burshteyn) is a delight from start to finish. Expect great vocals, stunning costumes, colorful characters, dazzling set and a fabulous rock band. If you love the music of Journey, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Pat Benatar and the like, this is the show for you. But, remember this is a rock musical. It’s loud and outrageous at times but thoroughly enjoyable. Call 925-943-SHOW or go to www.lesherartscenter.org for tickets.

There’s still time to catch the Orinda Starlight Village Players’ production of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Nile.” The company always starts its season with an Agatha Christie mystery, and this one is nicely done. Martinez’s Ken Sollazzo and Melanie Waters are excellent as the honeymoon couple stalked by the husband’s former girlfriend. Well-paced by director Suzan Lorraine, this production makes for a lovely evening under the stars at the Orinda Community Center Park Amphitheatre. Speaking of stars, the Starlight Players even have a high-powered telescope available for viewing not only the stars but also the planets during intermission. “Murder on Charlie Jarrett the Nile” plays 8:30 p.m. FriMelanie Waters as Kay Mostyn, Brook Robinson as the Sally Hogarty is well known days and Saturdays, 4 p.m. June ship’s steward and Ken Sollazzo as Simon Mostyn in Orinda Disney princesses, little girls and the Chevron Family The26 and 8 p.m. June 30. For tick- around the Bay Area as a newspaatre Festival bring fun for the whole family to Walnut Creek Starlight Village Players production of “Murder on the per columnist, theatre critic and ets, call 925-528-9225. Nile.” July 16. working actress. She is the editor of I had never heard the term the Orinda News. Send comments “rock/jukebox musical” until I to sallyhogarty@gmail.com attended Center Repertory’s

Diablo Ballet grant to help at-risk youth The California Arts Council will award $20,000 to Diablo Ballet as part of its JUMP StArts program. Diablo Ballet is one of 27 grantees statewide. The grants support arts education and artists-in-residence programs for at-risk youth within the juvenile justice system. Activities will take place in classroom, afterschool, social services or incar-

ceration settings throughout California. Projects are designed and developed by an arts organization and a juvenile justice/social services entity. Diablo Ballet will use the grant to support its PEEK Extension arts education to teenagers within the Contra Costa County juvenile justice system. In partnership with Mt. McKinley School at the John A. Davis Juvenile Hall

Focus is on musical theater in preparation for the summer musical — “A Trip Down Broadway, Jr.” Performers will learn musical numbers from: “Annie,” “Mary Poppins,” “School of Rock” and “Seussical the Musical” Theater Program is for Children ages 6 — 16

July 11-27, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. Final performance July 28, 2 p.m.

Musical theater training and preparation instructed by CTC’s Artistic Director La Tonya Watts and Managing Director Roxanne Pardi

www.ClaytonTheatreCompany.com

maximum-security detention facility, Diablo Ballet will increase the residency working sessions to 20 over eight months. Based on state Board of Education standards, the program allows the artistic director, the PEEK associate director and the professional dancers to guide 21 young women in using movement to express emotions and experiences. “I couldn’t be more thrilled that we have been awarded this grant for the second year in a row,” said Lauren Jonas,

Diablo Ballet’s artistic director and co-founder. “It has been a life-changing experience for Diablo Ballet and the 21 girls we worked with last year.” The project aims to track and reduce the recidivism rate over time. “At-risk students with access to high-quality arts engagement tend to have higher career goals, better workforce opportunities, better academic results and Photos courtesy www.mellophoto.com. increased civic engagement,” said Donn K. Harris, chair of Jacob Judd as the sound engineer, Will Springhorn Jr. as a famed rock club owner and Nikita Burshteyn as a rock star the California Arts Council. wannabe in Center Rep’s “Rock of Ages.”

June 24, 2016

CALENDAR Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. JULY 13 FOR THE JULY 22

IN CONCORD

Mondays Off the Grid Rotating lineup of food trucks. 5 – 9 p.m. 2151 Salvio Street. offthegridsf.com.

Tuesdays Farmers’ Market Tuesdays year round, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org. Tuesday Nights in July Blues Series Some of the best blues in the Bay Area. July 5, Annie Sampson; July 12, The Fargo Brothers; July 19, Willie G. 6:30 – 8 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Free. cityofconcord.org.

Thursdays Music and Market Thursday night live music and farmers’ market. Music: June 30, Kingsborough; July 7, Bay Bridge Beat; July 14, Hotel California; July 21, Dakila. Market 4 – 8 p.m.; music 6:30 – 8 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org. 3rd Sundays Antique Faire Antiques, collectibles, handmade arts and crafts. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Free admission. concordantiquefaire.com. On Sale Now Concerts The Concord Pavilion is located at 2000 Kirker Pass Road. livenation.com. Concert schedule for 2016: July 9, Bryan Adams, 8 p.m. July 12, Taste of Chaos, 6:30 p.m. July 28, Sublime, 6:35 p.m. July 30, New Edition, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13, Slipknot, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19, Disturbed, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27, Outcry Tour, 6 p.m. Aug. 28, Snoop Dogg, 7 p.m. Sept. 4, Hot Summer Night Feat, 4 p.m. Sept. 10, Fifth Harmony, 7 p.m. Sept. 18, Daryl Hall and John Oates, 7 p.m.

July 4 Celebration Pancake breakfast, Stars and Stripes 5K fun run/walk, parade, festival, fireworks. Events start at 7 a.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. $30 race; $5 breakfast. For more details, go to starsandstripesrun.com and concordjuly4th.com. July 5 Cool Concord Cars Annual car show on opening night of Tuesday Night Blues. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Free. cityofconcord.org.

IN CLAYTON

Saturdays, thru Sept. 24, except Sept. 3 Farmers’ Market 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Diablo Street between Main and Center streets, downtown Clayton. New location in Clayton in July to be announced. pcfma.org. July 2, 9, 16, 23 Saturday Concerts in the Grove July 2, Pride and Joy; July 9, Retromaniax; July 16, The Houserockers; July 23, Larry Lynch and the Mob. 6 – 8:30 p.m. Grove Park, downtown Clayton. Free. cityofclayton.org. July 6, 20 Wednesday Classic Car and Concerts in the Grove July 6, Mixed Nuts; July 20, Tone Pony. Car show, 6 – 8 p.m. Concert, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Grove Park, downtown Clayton. Free. cityofclayton.org.

July 4 Pancake Breakfast and Parade The day begins with the Clayton Valley/Concord Sunrise Rotary pancake breakfast at 7 a.m. at Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., followed by the parade down Main Street at 10 a.m. Breakfast: $7 adults; $5 kids. No registration for Kiddie Parade. Register for main parade at cityofclayton.org.

July 11 – 27 Summer Stage 2016 Clayton Theatre Company’s drama camp for children ages 6 – 16. Camp covers acting, singing and dancing and culminates in a performance of “A Trip Down Broadway, Jr.” 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. For fees and registration, go to claytontheatrecompany.com.

ON AND AROUND THE MOUNTAIN

Mount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with the exception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click on Event Calendar for more information. June 24, July 1 Common Poorwill Bird Walk Hike near upper portion of White Canyon listening for the common poorwill and local owls. 7 – 10:30 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. Reservations required: blkittiwake@yahoo.com.

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ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO

July 15 Night Hike Adventure Excursion looking for night time critters. 7 – 9:30 p.m. Meet at Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center.

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Thru June 25 “Rock of Ages” Musical featuring big bands, big egos and even bigger hair. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $37-$65. centerrep.org. 943-7469.

Thru July 2 Showcase Classical dance and music of South India presented by Kalanjali Dances of India. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Free. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469. June 24 – 26 “C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert” Presented by Fellowship for Performing Arts. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $34$94. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. June 25 Comedy Performed by Erik “Awesome” Alston. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $10-$15. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.

June 25 – 26 “On Broadway! Summer Showcase 2016” Pittsburg Performing Arts Academy’s annual recital. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $12. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611. June 26 “Reminisce” A Bharatanatyam dance concert presented by Nava Dance Theatre. 5:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $17.75. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469.

July 2 “Kalimba” Tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $15-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com. July 8 Young Actors Studio Showcase Presented by The Ballet School. 6:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $15. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

July 10 “Curtain Up” Presented by The Golden Follies. 2 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $12-$25. elcampaniltheatre.com. July 15 – 31 “Oliver!” Pathos, drama and outstanding musical numbers. Allan E. Jones Performing Arts Center, 850 Second St., Brentwood. $8-$25. thebrentwoodtheater.org. July 16 Chevron Family Theatre Festival A day of affordable, high-quality, family entertainment. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $5. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

July 17 Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Port Chicago explosion and celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service. 3:30 - 8 p.m. Future Visitor Center at Concord Naval Weapons Station. Shuttle from Pittsburg/Bay Point BART only. Free. Reservation required: portchicago72.eventbrite.com. 228-8860, ext. 6424.

newsandcalendar@concordpioneer.com

July 24, Aug. 6 Recital Belly dance certification performances by Salimpour School. 7:15 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $16.50. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469.

CHURCHES AND RELIGION

July 8, 15, 22, 29, Aug. 5 Moonlight Movies July 8, “Pan;” July 15, “Inside Out;” July 22, “Aladdin;” July 29, “Cinderella;” Aug. 5, “War Room.” Bring a lawn chair, blankets, invite friends and neighbors and join us at sunset for a surround sound spectacular evening. Activities begin at 7:30 p.m. Movies start at 8:45 p.m. Clayton Community Church, 6055 Main St. Free admission. claytoncc.com.

FUNDRAISERS

2nd and 4th Sundays Pancake Breakfast Veterans of Foreign Wars serve breakfast to the public: Eggs, pancakes, sausage, beverage. 8 – 11 a.m. VFW Post 1525, 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord. $5, $3 children under 12. vfwpost1525.org. June 27 Baking for a Cure Bake sale for Relay For Life Clayton. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Starbucks, Clayton Station. relayforlife.org/claytonca. July 16 Relay For Life Concord American Cancer Society fundraiser. Join a team or walk as an individual. Activities for participants and spectators. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Register at relayforlife.org/concordca.

AT THE LIBRARY

The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at ccclib.org or 646-5455. June 24, 28, 30; July 1, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15: Lunch at the Library, 1 p.m. June 27: LEGO in the Library, 7 p.m. July 7: Origami, 4 p.m. July 9: AARP Free Tax Assistance, 10 a.m. July 14: Introduction to 3D Printing, 6:30 p.m. July 19: Arts and Crafts, 4 p.m. July 22 - 24: Book Sale, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 1 – 3 p.m.

The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at claytonlibrary.org or call 673-0659. Thru July: Veterans’ Self-Portrait Display June 27, July 11: Clayton Knits, 1:30 p.m. June 27: Movie Night, 7 p.m. July 13: Watercolor Paint Along, 6:30 p.m. July 14: SAT Practice Test, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. July 20: Portrait Demo in Charcoal Pencil, 6:30 p.m.

GOVERNMENT

1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Concord City Council 6:30 p.m., Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays Concord Planning Commission 7 p.m. Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org.

Meeting dates and times for local clubs and organizations are listed at concordpioneer.com. Click on ‘Links’

July 19 Summer “Pops” Concert 2016 Presented by Walnut Creek Concert Band. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $17. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

July 22 Piano Duo Performed by Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $29. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

July 22 “That’s Amore! A Tribute to Dean Martin” Presented by Chris Gardner. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $35. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469. July 23 “A Salute to Lou Rawls” Nicholas Bearde in concert. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25. elcampaniltheatre.com. July 23 Leslie Odom, Jr. Odom’s Bay Area solo concert debut presented by Feinstein’s at the Nikko. 8 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $45$85. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

Doug Van Wyck

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6200 Center St. Ste. A Clayton, CA 94517

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Feeling free while riding as a family