Festive lights, music and great food kick off the holiday season
The whole community is brimming with holiday cheer this season, with three local events bringing festive spirit to families and friends of all ages. Mark your calendars for a weekend filled with lights, music, and seasonal treats as the cities of Pleasant Hill, Concord, and Clayton each host their annual celebrations.
Pleasant Hill’s Light Up the Night Festival – Sat., Nov. 23, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Kicking off the holiday fun, Pleasant Hill’s cherished “Light Up the Night” event will take over Downtown Pleasant Hill. This festival promises a magical evening for the whole family. As Crescent Drive fills with music, dance, and laughter, guests can hop on the Holiday Express Train or enjoy performances on two stages. Free hot chocolate, crafts, and goodie bags round out this festive start to the
See Holiday, page 3
In Concord Benavente ousts Birsan, Obringer cruises to an easy win; a jubilant Enea leads the pack in Clayton
PEGGY SPEAR Correspondent
The city of Concord will lose longtime Councilmember Edi Birsan, currently mayor, as challenger Pablo Benavente surged ahead in the vote count released Nov. 8.
In unofficial results, Benavente held a slim percentage point lead over Birsan, 35.5% to Birsan’s 34.5%, or 3,274 to 3,185 in District 4. But a dejected Birsan said the lead was projected to grow.
Birsan, who said he “did the math” in his head, had expected Benavente to pull away once all the votes had been tallied, despite an earlier
lead on the morning after the election. Although all the precincts had weighed in, there are still votes delivered on Election Day that had yet to be counted.
“Although votes are still being counted, the trend seems to be moving in my favor,” a cautiously optimistic Benavente told the Pioneer. “This represents a victory for all of us who believe in building a more inclusive, equitable and vibrant Concord.”
Also in Concord, Carlyn Obringer easily handled challenger Eric Antonik, 75% to 24.3%, or 6,734 to 2,164 in District 2.
Birsan said he would not
demand a recount, saying he was “very hurt and disgusted” by what he claimed was an ugly race and election. The local Democratic Party did not endorse him, despite his 12 years on the Concord council.
“I’m just mad,” he said.
The other District 4 challengers were Myles Burks, with 19.25% percent of the vote, or 1,775, and Matthew Dasnher, with 10.7% of the votes, or 985.
In Clayton, Mayor Jim Diaz appears to have narrowly escaped elimination with 23.7% of the votes, or 3,097 over fourth-place challenger
homes, services for Concord’s unhoused
unit complete with
workers and showers opens its doors in a few weeks to help house the city’s unhoused, no one will be more excited than Kelly Fossan-McKinley of GROW Concord.
The group was one of six local organizations to whom the City Council awarded a total of $5 million in onetime, non-recurring funding, after a unanimous vote to support the recommendations of Councilmembers Dominic Aliano and Laura Nakamura. The two made up an ad hoc committee to review grant proposals.
Additionally, they will deliver field-based services to people in their current sheltering locations, addressing essential needs such as medical care, substance abuse treatment, food, hygiene and workforce development. The goal is to support individuals by successfully exiting homelessness and achieving permanent housing.
REALIZING A VISION GROW Concord received the biggest chunk of the grant, $1,705,000 for a Mobile Resource Unit.
“This grant will enable us to go to locations near where the unhoused are with social workers, medical providers, veterans services, showers and other items that will help people make the next step,” says Fossan-McKinley, a Clayton resident.
The unit will start at a church on Willow Pass and add another every three
See Election, page 5 See Homeless, page 5
Local collaboration essential in City’s fair housing efforts
CONCORD – This year, the city has been actively involved in a state-mandated process to address housing needs in high-resource neighborhoods. We are in the middle of a housing crisis, so it’s crucial to take the steps necessary to accommodate more housing that is affordable. It is particularly important
to me that there be robust community engagement in this process. Community input is central to this effort, which centers on rezoning commercial and residential sites to add or increase the allowable capacity for higherdensity housing. When we are in a crisis, collaboration to work out balanced solutions reflects our concern for our neighbors, present and future.
UNDERSTANDING AFFORDABILITY
The term “affordable” doesn’t necessarily imply lowincome housing, though it may include such options. Instead, it broadly refers to making apartments, townhomes or condos available at rates more accessible than the predominantly larger singlefamily homes in the more affluent areas of Concord.
Hundreds of community members, including business
owners, patrons, tenants and homeowners, have gathered at Centre Concord and online through a series of meetings that began last April to discuss concerns and hopes for this fair housing initiative. Some residents are opposed to allowing multi-family housing that may be more affordable in their neighborhoods, while others recognize the need for equitable housing.
A robust sharing of perspectives is crucial to the process. A touching moment came recently when sisters Addison, 11, and Savannah, 9, expressed their worry about losing their beloved gym in the warehouses behind Trader Joe’s. They emphasized the community value of these spaces.
It’s important to note that rezoning alone will not eliminate any existing commercial uses or force any businesses to close or relocate. The deci-
sion about how to best use rezoned property lies entirely in the hands of the property owners. They are stakeholders in this process as well.
CLARIFYING CONCORD’S ROLE
Concord’s 2023-2031
Housing Element, certified in October 2023, outlines strategies we developed locally to meet housing needs in alignment with state law. Part of this plan includes rezoning roughly 20 acres to increase high-density housing capacity in resource-rich areas. This is in compliance with the state mandate known as Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH).
Due to the eight-year time horizon of the Housing Element, we can only include areas where housing can be developed in that timeframe.
Pete Cruz
Todos Santos Plaza in Concord will once again light up when the community gathers for the annual Tree Lighting and Mayor’s Sing Along, Fri., Dec 6 at 5:30. Photo is from 2022.
Laura Nakamura
As part of the community input on housing in Concord, Addison and Savannah Heffran expressed concern about losing their gym space. The girls are part of the aerial skills performance team with Delta Athletics.
Clayton City councilmember Holly Tillman spent election night at a watch party with her husband Matt and daughters Jada and Jordan, who were flown in from college to surprise Tillman.
PEGGY SPEAR Correspondent
LAURA NAKAMURA Concord City Councilmember
WALNUT CREEK – The world of firefighters is increasingly demanding as they shoulder ever more responsibilities in the field, leaving emotional and psychological scars.
It’s a far cry from the days when it was matter of getting on the truck and heading out to fight fires.
But a pair of peer support dogs named Mara and Gabby may make the way forward a little less daunting for first responders at Contra Costa Fire Protection District’s Station 12. They are the newest editions to an array of canines helping the staff deal with the uncertainties encountered on the front lines.
“Our peer support canine teams provide a unique and effective form of therapy that helps our firefighters cope with the challenges they face by reducing stress, improving morale and fostering a sense of camaraderie within our organization,” said Battalion Chief Bob Atlas, noting that firefighters are expected to tackle more complicated issues than in the past.
The two dogs joined Baxter, trained for fire investigation, and Bonus, assigned to the Search and Rescue Task Force, for a swearing-in and paw printing ceremony at Station 12 on Nov. 4.
HELPING FIREFIGHTERS , ANDVICTIMS
Deputy Fire Chief Brian Helmick, whose role includes overseeing the district’s Health and Wellness Initiatives, said plans have been in development since 2022 after observing dogs’ positive impact in other districts and various health and wellness programs.
One key objective of ConFire’s program has been to enhance mental and emotional support for emergency responders through the inclusion of comfort dogs.
The district has committed $10,000 annually to cover the dogs’ care, training and operational costs. They aren’t currently pursuing any grants for this initiative, although there may be opportunities to seek additional funding as the program evolves.
“While the primary focus of the comfort dogs is to support emergency responders, they can
also offer comfort to victims affected by incidents such as fires,” said Helmick. “The presence of these dogs aims to create a calming environment, helping responders and those impacted process their experiences more effectively.”
The plan is to incorporate three comfort dogs into the program initially.
“The long-term vision includes the possibility of expanding the program based on feedback and the evolving demands of our emergency services,” Helmick said.
FORMING A DEEP BOND
Fire Chief Lewis Broschard lauded the firefighters for their commitment and dedication to take on these additional unique roles. But officials were quick to note to those in attendance: “They don’t get to pick the dogs – the dogs choose them.”
Engineer Samson Wong previously enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Marine Corps Reserves for 8½ years. He was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and joined ConFire in 2011. It was a year and day in the making before he
David Scholz
ConFire’s canine crew, from left, Firefighter Hunter Doliber and Gabby, Engineer Samson Wong and Mara, Engineer Tony Vasta and Bonus, and Capt. Ryan Graham and Baxter.
from page 1
Concord’s Tree Lighting & Mayor’s Sing-Along – Fri., Dec. 6, 5:30-8 p.m.
Todos Santos Plaza will come alive as Concord’s Tree Lighting & Mayor’s Sing-Along rings in the holiday spirit. This free event, a favorite for many families, features a spectacular tree-lighting ceremony, live holiday music, horse-drawn carriage rides, and even real reindeer. The entertainment lineup includes Concord High School Jazz Band and Orchestra, The Honeytones Barbershop Group, Queen of All Saints Children’s Choir, Westwood Elementary Children’s Choir, D’ann’s Academy of Dance, and The 925 Band. Shop at Santa’s Village, sip on hot chocolate, and get photos with Santa himself. For those unable to attend in person, the event will be live-streamed on Concord’s cable and YouTube channels, with the tree lighting set for 7:30 p.m.
Clayton’s Holidays in the Grove –Sat., Dec. 7, 5 p.m.
Rounding out the weekend is Clayton’s “Holidays in the Grove” in Downtown Clayton. This cozy community event starts with a special performance by the CVCHS Marching Band and Color Guard, followed by a selection of holiday songs performed by Mt. Diablo Elementary’s 2nd graders. Santa and Mrs. Claus will make their grand entrance at the main gazebo, counting down the annual tree lighting with excited children and families. Afterward, the Clayton Community Church will treat guests to hot cider and donut holes, while Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available for photos. The Clayton Business and Community Association, alongside the Clayton Police Department and Toys for Tots, will be collecting new, unwrapped toys, giving everyone a chance to spread holiday kindness.
This festive trio of events offers something for everyone, so bring your loved ones, grab a cup of cocoa, and join in the holiday joy.
Canine,
from page 2
and Mara, a 2½-year-old Golden/Labrador Retriever mix, joined forces. Wong sees the fire district program as an extension of what is happening in the military and other arenas to recognize “a glaring need” for issues related to mental health.
Gabby’s handler, Firefighter Hunter Doliber, joined ConFire in 2022 after a seven-year stint in the U.S. Marine Corps. He expressed being honored to have the opportunity to serve alongside the 2-year-old Newfoundland/Golden Retriever Mix to help his fellow firefighters as they tackle new challenges taking over the profession.
The peer support canine teams complement the certified arson accelerant team of Baxter, a Labrador Retriever, and his handler, Capt. Ryan Graham, who began his career in law enforcement before ConFire in 2016; and Bonus, a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever, and Engineer Tony Vasta, a member of ConFire since 2016.
Downtown Pleasant Hill will celebrate its annual “”Light up the Night” holiday kickoff Nov. 23 with music, dance and performances on two stages.
AJ Chippero photo
The community tree at the Clayton Gazebo.
•Wide
•Vast
•Locally
multi-faceted facility serving as home for the Contra Costa County Airport Division’s administrative offices and the JSX Terminal has come in for a long overdue landing.
The approximately 18,000 sq. ft. building, at 181 John Glenn Drive, includes two aircraft rescue and firefighting bays for the existing equipment, Airports Division administrative offices and a terminal area for passenger processing for the reginal airline.
The $15.6 million project started in June 2021. Prior to moving into the new facility, the Airport Division leased space from one of the on-airport businesses for many years.
Supervisor Ken Carlson recalled going to Buchanan Airport in the 1950s when his father was taking flying lessons. Looking at the latest improvements marked by the day’s ribbon cutting, Carlson saw them as “symbolic of our commitment” to the future of the airport.
Carlson represents the Board of Supervisors on the
Airport Committee along with Supervisor Diane Burgis, who echoed that sentiment. She cited the various entities that have forged local relationships through the airport, such as the University of Alaska.
The Concord airport is a part of the wider engine for economic development, early technology and job creation in the Northern California megaregion where Contra Costa County is at the heart, she added.
Karen Mitchoff calls the new airport administrative offices and JSX Terminal a happy “cap” to the projects she worked on during her years not only as a county supervisor but as chief of staff to two former supervisors.
As with any government project, she noted, their progress was dependent on grant dollars and other local funding sources, so it took time to achieve goals.
“This building is a culmination of hard work, gathering enough funding and good old blood, sweat and tears. … But we now have a building worthy of being a first-class terminal with room for growth,” said Mitchoff.
The timing for the new terminal comes as Buchanan, like most airports, is finally seeing a rebound from COVID, said Kelly Kalfsbeek, community and media relations coordinator for Contra Costa County Public Works.
Passengers processed for 2023 reached 16,630 in 2023. Through August of this year, that figure was 7,811, well below a total of 11,426 passenger enplanements at the same time last year. In stark contrast to the pleasant aesthetics of the current facility, Mitchoff recalled the old, run-down administrative building that was not at all welcoming in 1987. By the mid-1990s, a more professional and better suited environment for airport employees had taken shape on the west side of the airport.
Mitchoff views the return to the east side as the more natural location. Now that the county shares the building with JSX, which looks like a real airline terminal, “Contra Costa County citizens can rightly be proud of Buchanan Field Airport as a major player in the Northern California mega region,” she said.
David Scholz
The approximately 18,000 sq. ft. building, at 181 John Glenn Drive, includes administrative offices and a terminal area for passenger processing for the reginal airline.
DAVID SCHOLZ Correspondent
MARY JO ROSSI POWER PLAY
I know we’re all sick of hearing about political polling. But I thought it would be mildly interesting to dissect what a poll is, what it does and what it doesn’t do. And why the national polls, especially in the blue wall states, were dead wrong this election season.
A poll is a “snapshot” of what a demographic sampling of voters thinks about an issue, a candidate or proposition at a given moment in time. The “samples” are derived from a data company and consist of a sampling of kinds of voters that are “likely” to vote in a given election.
For example, one sampling
Wondering how the pollsters got it so wrong?
may be 50 Republican women ages 60-64 who are homeowners, likely voters and live in a particular region. One voter from this group is called or emailed with questions from a specific poll.
A poll to be valid within a margin of error, needs a sampling of at least 400, possibly 1,000, likely voters. Polling is not cheap – anywhere from $40,000 to $65,000 per poll.
When all the demographically grouped voters have provided their responses to the question, the information is tallied and put in percentages in what we call the poll’s “toplines.” The toplines give an “overall” look at where that district, county, state or the nation stands on the candidates or issues.
But the devil is always in the details.
What comes next is what we call the “crosstabs”, which is a multi-paged compilation of what voters think by party, age, ethnicity, geographic area,
Election, from page 1
Maria Shulman, who held 21.6% of the votes, or 3,084, This allowed Diaz, who also served as mayor this term, to retain his council seat.
A jubilant Richard Enea led the pack of four with 3,544 votes, or 27%. He was followed by incumbent Holly Tillman with 3,367 votes, or 25.7%.
“I am just very thankful for the faith the people of Clayton have in me,” Enea said. “We had similar issues in Crescent City, and I intend to make the level-headed decisions the people of Clayton deserve.”
He says that finance, public safety and landscaping will be his top three priorities.
He is no stranger to the dais, having served two terms as a councilmember in Crescent City, where he lived sandwiched between his stints in Clayton.
In Pleasant Hill’s first election with council districts, Marshall Lewis held a razor-thin lead in preliminary results over
Belle La in District 1, 1,077 to 1,069.
In District 5, Amanda Szakats increased her lead with 54.3% of the votes, or 1,806, over Oliver Greenwood, who has 1,518 votes, or 45.7%.
LEGISLATIVEAND
CONGRESSIONALRACES
It didn’t surprise many when Congressman Mark DeSaulnier won the District 10 seat easily against Republican challenger Katherine Piccinini, 66.6% to 33.4%. In the District 9 California State Senate race, former Concord Mayor and Assemblyman Tim Grayson moved up the ladder, in a closer than expected race, defeating fellow Democrat Marisol Rubio 54.5% to 45.5%.
Taking Grayson’s State Assembly seat will be Democrat Annemarie Avila Farias, who defeated Republican challenger Sonia Ledo 64% to 36% in a highly blue district.
Homeless, from page 1
months – until there are three per week operating in Concord within six months.
“I couldn’t be happier to see this crazy vision of mine come together,” FossanMcKinley says.
Deanne Pearn, CEO of Hope Solutions, feels the same way about an old motel in Concord that will offer a dozen rooms to the city’s unhoused, complete with services to help the residents.
With an award of $760,000, the motel is Pearn’s project. She says these “wraparound” services are essential for helping unhoused individuals get on their feet again wherever they end up.
Hope Solutions’ share will go mainly toward renovations of the motel. It will also offer permanent supportive servic-
by issue and so on. This is the real “meat” of a poll and what strategists use to target specific voters in campaigns.
Now, let me tell you why I think our traditional system of polling is faltering and why it’s in need of reform.
First, voters (like some politicians) lie, especially in polls. For many reasons, not everyone wants to divulge who they REALLY are voting for or what they think about an issue.
On the national scene, the universes designated as “likely voters” for polling were statistically off this election. The women we thought would come out for Kamala Harris,
not all of them did. The men who were infrequent voters and put Donald Trump into his second Presidency, were undertested in blue wall state polling. The testing of support from Latinos for a Trump win was also statistically off base.
In short, we need to better understand WHO to test in future polls and not rely on old methods of discerning likely voters.
This election season, we learned another thing about our old polling assumptions. We need to stop grouping voters by party and assuming that all party members have similar beliefs. For example, liberal
Democrats and moderate Democrats may not share similar viewpoints on candidates or issues. After all, it was the Democrats in the blue wall states who put President Elect Trump over the top.
In California, the truth is, we have no idea WHO the No Party Preference (NPP) voters really are – even though they are the largest segment of voters in our state.
Are they Democrats who have abandoned their party, Republicans who aren’t in line with the MAGA movement, or are they simply voters who forgot to check a party box and were given the NPP designation by default? Or a com-
bination of all of the above? Our polling doesn’t dive deep into any of these questions. While not all of us are happy about the outcome of the November 5th election, there is one thing I know for sure. We need to pick ourselves up by the boot straps and LEARN from this year’s foibles. Polling is one area I will be looking to rethink.
Mary Jo Rossi is a local political strategist managing state/local campaigns for over 40 years and is owner of Rossi Communications in Concord.
Glazier secures funding to boost ADUs in Concord and Clayton
A $2.5 million pilot program could benefit Clayton and Concord residents who want to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), but first, Clayton needs to get state approval of its Housing Element.
Clayton’s plan to address the housing needs of all economic segments of the community is still undergoing state review. Mayor Jim Diaz said the city has contracted with Daniel Hortert, who is negotiating with the state as the city’s interim Community Development director.
“Over the past two to three years, the Housing Element has been bouncing back and forth between the state and Clayton,” Diaz told the Pio-
KEVIN CABRAL CHAMBEROF COMMERCE
By the time you read this, the election will be over. Our president will have been decided, propositions voted on, and local councilmembers elected to represent us. No matter the outcomes of our votes, for most of us, life will continue much as it always has. Whether that’s a good thing or not, it’s reality.
“Housing First.”
es, funded additionally by federal grants.
The other recipients were Caminar Rapid Rehousing with a $1,580,000 slice, Mobile Resource Unit with $1,705,000, NAMI Contra Costa’s Mobile Resource Unit with $200,000, the Northern California Family Center/ Scattered Site Interim Housing with $25,000 and Veterans Accession House/Scattered Site Interim Housing at $730,000.
“I’m thrilled with the grant support for the housing,” Pearn said. “We’ve been working with the motel owners for over a year, and they want the same thing we do: To assist the chronically unhoused people of Concord.”
Pearn says the group adheres to the motto
“Once people have a roof over their heads, they can start putting their lives together.”
BOOSTING MENTALHEALTH, QUALITY OF LIFE
Caminar is based in the South Bay but has satellite offices throughout the Bay Area, including Concord. The group will leverage their grant with landlords to help pay for housing for the area’s unhoused. They too adhere to the “Housing First” model, says LaTanya Johnson, director of the Concord efforts.
“The wrap-around services will certainly help our clients,” she said. That will include case management, help with employment and finding permanent housing if needed.
Mark Cloutier, CEO of Caminar, says the organization is geared toward better
neer. “Whatever deficiencies the state identifies, they have been working with the city’s Community Development staff to shore that up. We believe that with Hortert’s firm and their expertise, they will have a better chance of winning approval.”
Once the document has met state requirements, it will go back to the City Council for review. Then Clayton would be eligible to apply for a piece of the ADU Accelerator Program, which aims to facilitate construction of 350 ADUs in the East Bay.
“It is no secret the state of California is facing a shortage of available and affordable housing, and no one knows this better than our local cities and towns,” said State Sen. Steve Glazer, who worked to obtain the funding. “I have
been a staunch supporter of cities seeking new and unique ways to spur the production of housing while blending new developments within the fabric of their communities.”
Part of the program would provide cities with up to $50,000 to create preapproved, permit-ready ADU plans. Clayton and Concord already have such plans in place, but the money could be used to modify or update existing permit-ready ADU plans or to create additional permitready ADU plans.
“We will be applying for Concord’s share for the rebate program and to update our pre-approved plans to the new building codes,” said Jennifer Ortega, Concord’s Community Relations manager.
Another portion of the money would go directly to
residents who meet lowincome requirements, with rebates ranging from $2,500 to $15,000 per ADU. The California Department of Housing and Community Development will administer the program, with the town of Danville acting as the fiscal agent. The funding is available to all 15 cities in Glazer’s district. In addition to Concord, the cities of Walnut Creek, Orinda, Danville, Antioch and Oakley have submitted applications.
“I’m hoping that cities in my district can show what can be achieved when cities work together with the state on an incentivized program aimed at producing more affordable housing,” Glazer said.
Shop local and especially support our small businesses
We still must go to work, make dinner, take out the trash, mow lawns, drop off kids, coach sports, pay bills, handle car repairs and find some time to sleep. It’s all part of life, and I, for one, am grateful to be here – especially in Concord. At the Chamber of Commerce, we’re thrilled to see large turnouts from the business community at our networking events. We’ve been hosting many ribbon-cuttings and mixers at fantastic local spots like Gratitude Coffee, Urban Air, the Stretch Zone, Roadside 22, the Concord Hilton, Luna, Unbroken Body Chiropractic, Flying Color
mental health for their clients and understanding issues that will enhance their quality of life.
“That obviously starts with permanent housing,” he said.
“We are even exploring shared housing experiences, where a homeowner with extra rooms in their house may rent them out to our unsheltered clients.”
SEVENKEYSTRATEGIES
Although the grants will be available this month, it took a few months to get here. In September, the city issued a request for proposals from organizations specializing in homeless response services. Seventeen organizations submitted proposals, and on Sept. 20, the ad hoc committee conducted public interviews with each applicant.
The committee then developed funding recommenda-
Comics and the Concord Plaza Hotel. These are all great businesses that contribute to our vibrant community.
As we approach Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30, it’s the perfect time to embrace our local business community. The city of Concord, in collaboration with the chamber, has increased funding to $20,000 for the Shop Concord-Yiftee Program, aimed at providing bonus savings for customers and bolstering local businesses during the holiday season. For more information on how to take advantage of this program, visit www.concordfirst.com.
For businesses and organizations interested in learning more about the Concord Chamber of Commerce, visit www.concordchamber.com. Let’s continue to strengthen our community together.
Contact the chamber in person at 2280 Diamond Blvd. Suite 200, Concord, or call 925-685-1181. Learn more about what the chamber offers businesses, our events and how we can work together at concordchamber.com.
As you enjoy what our local businesses have to offer, I encourage you to show kindness to those serving you and to prioritize shopping within our Concord zip code whenever possible.
tions based on key attributes, including community benefits, goals and objectives, partnership and funding sources, and organizational capacity.
Concord’s Homeless Strategic Plan was developed over 11 months with significant community participation.
It consists of seven core strategies:
1. Creating a Mobile Resource Unit.
2. Investing in rapid rehousing.
3. Development of scattered site interim housing.
4. Development of scattered site tiny homes.
5. Development of centralized tiny homes.
6. Securing interim motel housing.
7. Securing permanent supportive motel housing.
“I’m looking forward to changing some lives,” FossanMcKinley says.
All strategies prioritize the immediate needs of those living unsheltered by focusing on connection to services and expanding housing options with support services. Additionally, the City Council approved a $126,500 agreement with Homebase for grant monitoring and reporting services. This will enable the city to closely track the progress of each program and gather data to measure and report on the achievement, outcomes and goals of each organization. By evaluating the effectiveness of the programs and the investments made, city leaders say Concord will be better positioned to promote future initiatives and provide valuable insights that could benefit other agencies or similar programs both at home and elsewhere.
Harmesh Kumar and incumbent Concord Councilmember Carlyn Obringer check the early results at a watch party on election night. Obringer took an early lead and held it.
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Heroes Among Us
KEERTHI ERANIYAN Student Intern
While many spend the holidays gathered with friends and family, former Concord resident Diane Covington devotes her time to a different kind of celebration. Covington recently moved to Benicia.
She brings joy to more than 540 seniors in lowincome nursing homes by packing and delivering gift goodie bags – making the season a bit brighter for those who need it most.
Covington hosts the annual Adopt a Grandparent program, inviting community members to “adopt” senior nursing home residents by donating $30 and participate in caroling for seniors during
people who maybe aren’t remembered,” Covington said. “It just brings joy to watch their faces light up when you hand them a gift and they’re grateful. I think that’s what this world needs. I find that often the seniors get forgotten, and it’s something that just brings us joy to do it.”
LOOKINGFORTHELONELY
Every dollar donated goes to making new and quality gift packages.
“We don’t make any money on this – we intentionally take every dollar that’s brought in and we roll it into more gifts,” said Covington, a Mary Kay sales director by day.
“So if I make two or three bucks on each gift, I take that two or three bucks and just roll it more into the next gift. It’s not about profits, it’s about making a difference.”
The program is aimed toward seniors living in lowincome care facilities. As of now, the program serves seniors in five facilities in Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Concord and Antioch.
“I reached out to a woman who was a social worker, and I said, ‘Of all the places in Contra Costa County, can you tell me which places are the most needy?’ ” Covington said. “I’d rather have them go to the people that are probably not going to get anything else for the holidays.”
eight bears right by the side of his bed, and he’s always excited when we come,” Covington said. “He’ll be like, ‘You’re back. Did you bring me another bear?’ Because they’re just so hungry for love, affection, attention.”
Each gift package includes small but meaningful items that can help seniors feel loved.
low-income
Center in Pleasant Hill.
“We would bring a gift to all the residents, and we would go caroling up and down the halls and all that,” Covington said.
the holiday season. Each donation sponsors a senior and funds a gift package containing lip balm, hand cream, socks and a teddy bear.
“The program has been a great way to just remember
She chose these particular nursing facilities because many residents there rarely receive visitors, gifts or holiday cheer.
“There was a gentleman at the Alhambra (nursing home) in Martinez who has seven or
“The lotions are meant to have the caregivers give the gift of touch. People in the convalescent home get a gift of touch, from somebody rubbing the hand cream on their hands, somebody rubbing the foot cream on their foot,” noted Francene Anderson, Covington’s colleague and an Adopt a Grandparent volunteer. “That’s a tremendous gift.”
HELP FROM HER MARY KAY FAMILY
Covington started her project due to a colleague whose relative was living in a
“Well, within a year or two, some of the other Mary Kay people across the country came up with an idea to do something like sponsoring a grandparent, or adopt a grandparent.”
Covington had been working with Mary Kay consultants and employees from all over the country to launch her program. She said the spirit of the company and its employees helps her grow this initiative.
“I’m not an employee of Mary Kay, I’m just an independent contractor, but we’ve got our local group, and we’ve had other Mary Kay local people all help me,”
See Heroes, page 7
The holiday season can be a difficult time for those who have lost a loved one. We understand that amidst the busyness, taking a quiet moment to remember can bring much-needed comfort. To honor this, we warmly invite you, your family, and friends to join us for an evening of remembrance. Together, we’ll light luminary bags in tribute to loved ones, creating a peaceful illumination throughout the park. We’ll provide luminary bags and candles for a lighting ceremony, and on-site assistance. Enjoy warm drinks and refreshments as we gather in memory.
For those who would like to personalize their luminary bags, pickups are available at our office daily from 8 am to 5 pm starting on Wednesday, December 4th.
PLEASE CONTACT US AT: FD 875 / COA 673
We hope this evening brings a moment of solace during the holiday season, offering a chance to slow down, connect, and honor cherished memories. Please join us for this meaningful night of remembrance. Warm regards,
PLEASE CONTACT US AT: (925) 935-3311 | www.oakmontmortuary.com 2099 Reliez Valley Rd, Lafayette, CA 94549 www.facebook.com/oakmontmemorialpark FD 875 / COA 673
nursing hoRosewood Care
Contributed photo
Adopt a Grandparent volunteers deliver hundreds of teddy bears and gift bags to senior nursing home residents.
Diane Covington’s Adopt a Grandparent program was inspired by a colleague’s lonely relative living in a nursing home.
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CIRCULATION
The Pioneer is delivered monthly by the third Friday to 38,500 single-family homes and businesses in 94518, 94519 and 94521. Papers to Clayton are delivered by US mail. Concord zip codes are delivered by commercial carriers for ABC Direct. To stop delivery for any reason, call the office at (925) 672-0500 . Effective with the June 5, 2020 issue, delivery to homes will rotate between zones. Residents in our delivery area (check website for map),will receive free delivery EVERY OTHER MONTH.
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CHRISTINE LUCAS TRIO SKIN CARE
Long before "clean beauty" entered the spotlight, Trio Skincare was setting the standard for ingredient awareness, proudly offering paraben-free, dye-free, and fragrance-free skincare when few questioned what was lurking in their self-care products. As one of the first skincare clinics in the East Bay to embrace such rigorous ingredient standards, our company is proud to be at the forefront of educating consumers on the importance of safe, clean, and effective skincare ingredients.
In recent years, concerns have been raised over ingredients in personal care products that may interfere with normal hormone function. This category of substances is broadly called endocrine dis-
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HORMONE HAVOC: SKINCARE INGREDIENTS TO AVOID
ruptors as they can affect estrogen, testosterone, thyroid and other hormonal pathways in the body and are linked to certain cancers, particularly breast cancer. Common endocrine disrupting chemicals found in skincare formulations include sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and UV filters (benzophenones). And the list keeps growing as more research emerges. We know it can feel intimidating looking at the ingredients list on the back of all your skincare and cosmetic products but equipped with the knowledge of what to look for, you can eliminate harmful products by familiarizing yourself with these easily avoidable ingredients.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a detergent and surfactant commonly used in many personal care products, including shampoos, body washes, face cleansers, and toothpaste. It works by creating a foamy lather and removing oils and debris from surfaces, which is why it’s so popular in products meant to cleanse. SLS is harsh, stripping away natural
oils and disrupting the skin’s barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, redness, and, for sensitive skin types, potentially more serious reactions like eczema and dermatitis flareups. In shampoos, SLS strips the scalp of its natural oils, leading to dryness, itchiness, and irritation. Over time, it weakens hair, making it more prone to damage.
Parabens are widely used as preservatives in cosmetics and skincare products. They prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold, extending product shelf life. Common types of parabens to avoid include methylparaben, ethyl paraben, propylparaben, and butylparaben. To avoid phthalates, avoid products with “fragrance” or “parfum,” as these terms often conceal phthalates as part of proprietary scent formulations. Another endocrine disruptor is Benzophenones, a class of chemicals commonly used in sunblock and other personal care products to protect against ultraviolet (UV) light. These “benzone” chemicals penetrate the skin and accu-
mulate in the body, linking them to hormonal imbalances. As skincare professionals we only recommend physical mineral-based sunscreens that use zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide for safe broad-spectrum UV protection.
We live in a world where we are exposed to forces outside our control, but knowledge is power.
Acknowledging these toxins do exist will help in creating a more toxic-free lifestyle with long term health in mind. If you would like to learn more, we invite you to schedule a consultation to take a deeper look at your everyday makeup and skincare products. We can help you make the switch to nontoxic alternatives— every choice will make a difference.
For more information about Trio Skincare’s antiaging/acne management clinic in Concord, visit www.trioskincare.com or call 925-609-8746.
GIVE THE GIFT OF PEACE THROUGH CEMETERY AND FUNERAL PLANS
As the holiday season approaches, we often reflect on how to make life easier and more meaningful for those we love. One of the most impactful gifts you can give this season is the peace of mind that comes with preplanning cemetery and funeral arrangements.
It may not be a conventional holiday topic, but preparing for these inevitable life events is a compassionate, thoughtful act that can lift a future burden from your loved ones, sparing them challenging decisions in an already emotional time.
Preplanning allows individuals to make clear choices
about how they wish to be remembered and ensures that their wishes will be honored. This can be especially com-
Heroes, from page 6
Covington said. “So it’s not just me doing it by myself, but there’s about a dozen consultants that will go into the community and ask their friends and family if they would like to purchase a gift for a senior.”
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Adopt a Grandparent has also garnered support from local organizations such as the Kiwanis Club of Concord, which donates 100 teddy bears.
The 2024 Adopt a Grandparent program will occur the week before Christmas.
“Everybody’s super busy, but we do it all in one day. It’s
a very long day. We start singing and handing out gifts at 9:30 in the morning, and you never want to say no to somebody when they ask if they can talk with us,” Covington said. “We’re there sometimes until 6 o’clock or 5 o’clock at night. But it’s a very, very rewarding day.”
A BOOSTFORBREAST CANCER PATIENTS
Covington has expanded her project to making gift packages year-round for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
“About a year or two ago,
Housing, from page 1
Naval Weapons Station, which hasn’t yet been transferred to the city, and some other sites where the development horizon extends past that timeframe.
Rezoning will expand housing options in wellresourced areas, aligning with our commitment to AFFH.
Access to these neighborhoods has been linked to better education, health and job outcomes, which is why this effort is vital for fostering long-term community strength.
At its heart, this is about ensuring our neighbors have the same opportunities we
want for our own families –access to good schools, amenities, healthcare, jobs and open spaces to enjoy.
WHERE WEGO FROMHERE
The next project phases will include traffic, school, and environmental impact studies, with ongoing community workshops and council sessions. We will identify target sites to study soon, but the site study process will take a number of months. That phase won’t conclude until the middle of next year. We will not make any rezoning decisions until those studies are complete.
forting for families, knowing that every detail has been thoughtfully considered ahead of time.
By making these choices now, you also ease the financial pressure for your loved ones, providing them with the space to focus on healing and celebrating life. Countless families have expressed both emotional and financial relief knowing that arrangements were planned years, sometimes even decades, in advance.
During the holidays, we’re reminded of the importance of family, traditions and legacies. Preplanning is a beautiful way to safeguard those
we started doing chemo care packages because I lost my sister to breast cancer 14 years ago, and we put together over $9,000 worth of chemo care packages and delivered them to John Muir at their new Oncology Center in Walnut Creek,” Covington said.
“For about two months, every time somebody came in for a chemo treatment, they would give them one of these bags that has three different products and a personalized note of encouragement.”
While the breast cancer patient project is relatively new, it’s making an impact within the community.
“Diane is wonderful in
I am fully committed to a transparent process that ensures residents’ voices help shape these next steps.
Doing nothing isn’t an option; ignoring state law risks consequences for Concord.
Instead, we can take this opportunity to work together to strengthen our community. To me, this means working to build a consensus on how to add capacity for housing that is affordable in key parts of Concord.
As a member of the City Council, I place a priority on
values, leaving a lasting, loving gift for future generations. This season, consider giving the gift of peace and reassurance through thoughtful preplanning. It’s a gesture that will resonate far beyond the holidays, offering comfort and clarity for those who mean the most.
Preplanning is as essential as preparing for any major life event. Call Oakmont Memorial Park and Mortuary at 925-935-3311 to schedule a free consultation and receive a complimentary planning guide.
terms of taking a project and making it bigger and better,” Anderson said. “We started at the very beginning together. She really took hold and made it what it is now – just a very large project.”
Covington has given about 300 gift packages to breast cancer patients and plans to expand to more oncology centers to brighten patients’ days.
“If you can make enough people smile and love, you always can get what you want when you put others first,” Covington said.
Keerghi Eraniyan is a student intern with the Pioneer. Send comments and questions to Editor@pioneerpublishers.com
addressing the needs of Concord residents who are most impacted by this housing crisis. I invite all Concord residents and stakeholders to join in this process. For more information, visit www.cityofconcord.org/AFFH or www.cityofconcord.org/AFFHFAQ.
Laura Nakamura represents District 5 on the Concord City Council. Her views expressed here are not official positions from the city or the City Council. Contact her at Laura.Nakamura@cityofconcord.org.
EDUARDO CERVANTES OAKMONT MEMORIAL PARK
From the desk of...
Birsan offers his wish list for city of Concord
3. Change the agenda rules to allow two councilmembers to put something on the agenda. (As mayor, I did a workaround by acting as an automatic third if any two want something regardless of my position.)
4. Eliminate the Youth and Education standing committee and replace it with Art/Culture/History.
interactions rather than by direction of staff or council. It’s a Brown Act problem, but there has to be a workaround or maybe a direct change.
Economics
1. Affordable housing with a focus on low-level density.
2. Making a tiny town.
3. Revitalization of current housing with funds for rehab.
expand it to include city services or social services.
11. Get base development started on the preservation side, such as the creek riparian corridor. Plant trees where we can.
Social
As this is my last column as mayor, I will go over things that I had on my to-do list. None are done. And I can assure you that there is not room in this column for all the things I am trying to do.
Political goals
1. Directly elected mayor.
2. Add a district, so there are six districts and a mayor. This would allow for at 20,000 population there to be a district from north of Todos Santos and allow for a central district.
There are a number of ways to tell the turning of the seasons here in California. We know we are heading into the holiday season, because the morning air has more of a chill, the hills start getting greener, and we have replaced the Halloween decorations with more colorful and festive décor.
For me, another telltale sign that the holiday season is upon us is the annual Light Up the Night Holiday Festival.
5. Make all standing committees have an open agenda for discussion at least every three months.
6. Take on the Brown Act so we can have a discussion at City Council on future agenda items.
7. Do a survey of residents more frequently and maybe include more political decisions, such as directly elected mayor.
8. Make the standing committees and commissions capable of initiating public
4. Helping first-time home buyers.
5. Bring live theater downtown.
6. Fully connect traffic lights with modern cars so you are not at a red light in the middle of the night on an empty road. We should have a pilot program soon.
9. Eliminate illegal food trucks. (They are principally hurting our Latino restaurants.)
10. Reopen the Monument Police Substation and maybe
1. More unity, role modeling that “anyone can represent everyone.” I detest ID politics. We can celebrate and share the diversity of our community without making it divisive.
2. Follow through on the Homeless Strategic Plan.
3. One or two more soccer fields, maybe at the college campus.
4. Climate actions such as more 100% green commercial and residential places.
5. Placing at least 10 historic markers around the city to highlight the neighborhoods and city at large.
6. Have a diverse cultural
Light Up the Night brings holiday charm to Pleasant Hill
This fun, family-oriented event has been a highlight in Pleasant Hill for years. For 2024, the event is set for 4:307:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23.
Partnering with Downtown Pleasant Hill, we are pleased to offer a great evening full of music, dance, free hot chocolate, crafts, goodie bags and more. Bring the family down to take a ride on the Holiday Express Train, as it goes up and down Crescent Drive. Or enjoy a variety of performers, with two stages at the event.
The main stage, on the north end of Crescent, will have performances by local dance groups, including miniMODE, Teatr Skazka, Ballet Folklorico and the Studio A Dancers.
The Kids Stage, located on the south end of Crescent, will feature Unique Derique, Harmony Monsters, magician Brian Scott and storyteller Kirk Waller.
Enjoy free hot chocolate and other goodies while visiting the many booths lining the street. Hosted by the city’s commissions and local service organizations, the booths will give kids the opportunity to do crafts, play games or even write a letter to Santa.
Speaking of which, don’t forget to join me and Santa in the plaza near Jack’s at 5:30 p.m. as we bring the magic of the season to life during the annual lighting of the Christmas tree. Santa will stay to chat and pose for pictures.
Be sure to stick around ’til
Help our unhoused at Thanksgiving and all year
November marks not only Thanksgiving, but also Homelessness Awareness Month.
As we gather around our tables to give thanks, let’s also acknowledge that many in our community continue to face challenges – and for them, this season can be particularly hard.
From my experience as a former police officer, I’ve come to understand that homelessness is a complex issue with no single cause. It stems from a variety of factors, such as unemployment, mental health struggles, addiction and the financial strain of trying to make ends meet. Each situation requires a personalized and holistic response.
Homelessness affects a range of individuals, encompassing different ethnicities, ages and family backgrounds. In 2023, homeless services were provided to 9,632 households in Contra Costa County, marking a 28% increase since 2019. These households accessed services through nonprofits, shelters, city resources and county programs. Contra Costa Health’s Health, Housing and Homeless Services (H3) is the lead administrative agency for the
Contra Costa County Continuum of Care (CoC), as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The CoC works with many service providers and is guided by the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, a governing body that the Board of Supervisors appoints. The CoC currently coordinates more than 100 programs and received $42 million in funding. Given the variety of these programs, it can be overwhelming to navigate all the available options. However, the CoC has streamlined access to services in three simple ways:
Option 1: Text “HOPE” to 20121 for 24/7 free, confidential help from the Contra Costa Crisis Center, or visit 211cc.org for resources.
Option 2: Visit the Central County Care Center at Trinity Center, 1888 Trinity Ave., Walnut Creek, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday for meals, hygiene, mail services and case management.
Option 3: Call 211 to connect with the Coordinated Outreach Referral Engagement (CORE) program for shelter, transportation and other homeless services. Through any of the entry
points, unhoused individuals can interact with multiple types of services depending on their needs, including prevention and diversion programs, crisis response programs and permanent housing solutions.
Support can be directed to housing solutions. First, engagement with the CoC can take place through the Council on Homelessness, which offers opportunities for community engagement via public meetings. Many partners come together to report on their activities, apply for funds and develop services to meet new needs.
In my role with the Board of Supervisors, specific funding has been allocated to support programs for the unhoused and to increase our supply of affordable housing. Many of the decisions are based on recommendations from the Council on Homelessness.
Volunteering is another way to offer support. An annual opportunity is to help H3’s Point-in-Time Count, which census the unhoused population. This information is crucial for funding.
The CoC is also full of volunteer opportunities and other ways to support their
center where all can share their backgrounds.
7. Extend the city’s youth intern program.
8. Follow through on the $4 million grant proposal for a library upgrade that Sens. Padilla and Butler supported in March but got shot down in the Senate floor allocations.
9. Renaming some of the offensive streets, like Kirker Pass.
10. Expansion of school-
city interactions by more visits to and from schools. I had a good response with private schools but only one public school. The above are my views as outgoing mayor and are not official city projects. There is much more to dream about and hope for or work against. Want to talk about it over coffee? Contact me at EdiBirsan@gmail.com.
Clayton takes steps toward adopting city flag
the end, as we have something brand new this year. We plan to conclude this year’s Holiday Festival by really lighting up the night with a performance by the Sacred Fire Dancers. At 7:10 p.m., they will take over Crescent Drive to put on an amazing show.
Help us get the holiday season off to an amazing start by joining us on Nov. 23 as we Light Up the Night.
Let me finish by saying that in this season of thanks, I am grateful for my family, friends and the wonderful residents of Pleasant Hill. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Contact Matt Rinn at Mrinn@plesanthillca.org.
Here are some recent highlights for the city of Clayton:
Oct. 1. The City Council proclaimed Nov. 6, 2024, as National Shelter in Place Education Day. The council also received a presentation from our Code Enforcement Unit as that team is stepping up activities to address issues throughout Clayton.
Further, the council obtained input on the process of creating a city flag from Ted Kaye, secretary of the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA) and author of “The Guidebook on Flag Design.”
work. You can find the complete listing of community partners at www.cchealth.org/servicesand-programs/homeless-services/continuum-ofcare/funding/partnersfunders.
Finally, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to give back to those in need. Supporting the unhoused community, whether through volunteering, engagement with the CoC or learning about available services, is a meaningful way to make a difference this season. For more information on getting involved with the CoC and homeless services across the county, please visit www.cchealth.org/servicesand-programs/homelessservices.
Ken Carlson is Contra Costa County District IV supervisor. Email questions or comments to SupervisorCarlson@bos.cccounty.us or call his office at 925-655-2350.
The city flag process could be one that involves the City Council and representative Clayton citizens. This effort could not only produce a city flag, but the beginnings of a unifying event for Clayton. The next steps will be agenized for a future City Council meeting.
Oct. 15. The City Council recognized public school students for exemplifying the “Do The Right Thing” character trait of “responsibility.” Well done to the Mt. Diablo Elementary and middle school students.
In addition, the City Council thanked Acting Postmaster Jim Mahan for his leadership in improving property maintenance, updating and building enhancement to our postal building.
The council appointed Amit Prayag to the Contra Costa Library Commission.
And, we designated Councilmember Holly Tillman as our representative and voting delegate to the 2024 League of California Cities Annual Conference in Long Beach, Oct. 16-18.
The city of Clayton is a member of the League of California Cities, participating through the East Bay division. The annual conference offers excellent opportunities for educational and networking benefits, including analysis of potential laws and regulations under consideration in Sacramento. Further, members can discuss key issues with representatives from throughout California.
Two notable actions from the 2024 conference: the election of league President Lynne Kennedy, a Rancho Cucamonga Councilmember; and first Vice President Gabe Quinto, Councilmember El Cerrito.
Finally, the Clayton City Council adjourned the meeting in honor of three community members who recently passed away: Bette Boatmun died on Sept. 20. She was a community leader and member of the Contra Costa Water District board for more than 45 years. Kellie Howard died on Oct. 5. She and her husband Allen were residents of Clayton for more than 15 years. Debra Gonsalves died on Oct. 4. Born in Pittsburg, she was a lifelong resident of Contra Costa County. She was a wife, mother, grandmother and, along with her husband Steve, a graduate of Clayton Valley High School. The Gonsalves were major supporters of their high school and the greater community.
As your mayor, I will continue to work hard to maintain Clayton’s small-town charm and character while running an open and transparent local government.
You can reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns at 925-673-7316 or JimD@claytonca.gov.
Share the Spirit of the Season with your personal message on one of our beautiful holiday ornaments in the Dec. 13 Pioneer Order online at
KEN CARLSON COUNTY SUPERVISOR
JIM DIAZ CLAYTON MAYOR
EDI BIRSAN CONCORD MAYOR
MATT RINN PLEASANT HILL MAYOR
Mt. Diablo celebrates 1st league championship since 1972 as football playoffs begin this weekend for five local teams
A long-time observer of local high school sports as an athlete and then Hall of Fame coach, Lou Adamo remembers his freshman year at Mt. Diablo High watching varsity football players celebrate their Diablo Valley Athletic League championship by jumping into the school’s swimming pool following the last home game.
That was in the fall of 1963 when a British rock band, The Beatles, were yet to be getting much exposure in America. It is also the last time Red Devils football won an outright league football championship.
Now, second-year coach
Fetuao Mua’s squad enters the 2024 North Coast Section Division V playoffs as Diablo Athletic League Mountain Division champions after outscoring its three league opponents 161-19.
The 1963 title wasn’t unusual for Concord’s oldest school coached by Hart Fairclough which also won DVAL football titles in 1958-59-60 and a co-championship in 1962 in the pre-high school playoffs era. The swimming pool experience Adamo observed was a tradition at Diablo.
La Salle seeking its 32nd consecutive Section title. In addition, three girls flag football teams are in the first-ever NCS playoffs for their second-year sport.
FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Open/Division I: De La Salle is top seed and hosts 8th seed San Marin-Novato Friday at Owen Owens Field.
Clayton Valley Charter is 7th seed and faces No. 2 Pittsburg at Pirate Stadium Friday.
ish 7-3 overall and DAL Valley champions.
Last Friday they finished the regular-season defeating Mt. Diablo 63-26 in a game matching the DAL’s Mountain and Valley division champions.
The last time MDHS tasted any football championship was the 1972 season when the Red Devils and Antioch shared the DVAL title, just as they did 10 years earlier. Since then, Mt. Diablo only had an undefeated 4-0 record in the spring 2021 Covid season when they could claim an unofficial DAL crown.
The Red Devils are one of five local teams entering NCS football play this weekend including Concord power De
Division III: Northgate is No. 3 and hosts sixth seed San Leandro in Walnut Creek Friday.
Division IV: No. 7 College Park visits second seed American Canyon Friday.
Division V: Mt. Diablo is seeded seventh and travels to Richmond to face No. 2 Salesian College Prep Saturday afternoon at 1 o’clock.
FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
No. 5 College Park takes on 12th seed Freedom-Oakley Tuesday at Thompson Field in Alameda.
13th seed Clayton Valley Charter faces No. 4 Alameda Tuesday also at Thompson Field.
No. 7 Las Lomas meets crosstown rival Northgate, No. 10, at California High in San Ramon on Tuesday.
NORTHGATEON A ROLL
Northgate started the 2023 football season with seven straight defeats before winning its last three games. This season, Coach Ben Ballard’s team was 1-3 before rolling through their last six opponents to fin-
That victory will long be remembered in the Ballard household. Senior Blayne Ballard caught three touchdown passes, which wasn’t that unusual as he has 16 scoring receptions. But the coach’s son also had a pick six interception for a TD and a strip and score on defense. To top it off, he converted seven of eight extra point kicks and threw a twopoint conversion pass to outscore Mt. Diablo by himself.
The Broncos host San Leandro Friday to open the DIII playoffs.
DE LA SALLE POSTS 10-0 RECORD
De La Salle ran through 10 opponents undefeated and figures to make that 11 this Friday when they host San Marin, which finished fifth in the Redwood Empire League. The Novato school was slated to be the top seed in NCS Division II until El Cerrito was disqualified from the playoffs and thus was moved up to Open/Division I and a meeting with top seed DLS.
Coach Justin Alumbaugh’s team took care of Concord rivals Clayton Valley Charter 49-3 in their regular-season finale. Senior quarterback Toa Faavae made history in the game by crossing the 2000yard mark rushing, the first Spartan quarterback to achieve that distinction. He is part of the De La Salle 4x100 State
Meet track relay team in the spring.
NorCal prep football fans are already looking ahead a week when Pitt and DLS are expected to meet once again in an NCS championship game. In 1991 the Pirates were the last team to defeat the Spartans for the Section title and the long-time rivals have been on a collision course to meet again since the beginning of the season as each posted weekly lopsided wins with high-powered offenses.
The only loss between the two powers was Pitt’s early season defeat to USA Top 10 team Saint John Bosco in Southern California.
Ygnacio Valley broke its state longest losing streak in the second game of the season and were 4-2 heading into the last month of games. Then the remarkable Wolves hit a wall and were outscored 192-12 in their final four games to fall
out of playoff contention.
College Park was winless after six games but the Falcons won three of their final four games and were a surprise pick for the Division IV field as the seventh seed.
FLAG FOOTBALL HISTORY
Flag football was recognized one year ago as an official sport in the state. There were no official playoffs after the highly-successful 2023 season but four East Bay leagues got together and hosted a Tournament of Champions where Clayton Valley Charter emerged as the Division II champs in overtime.
This year, College Park and Northgate posted 8-2 records to share the DAL championship. CVCHS was third at 55 and also made the historic playoff field.
Clayton Valley Charter (64) - 8/30 Spanish SpringsSparks, NV L 0-17, 9/6 at College Park W 55-7, 9/13 at San Ramon Valley L 15-31, 9/20 Northgate W 34-17, 9/27 at Liberty-Brentwood W 21-17, 10/11 at Las Lomas W 29-22, 10/18 Acalanes L 27-28, 10/25 Campolindo W 20-12, 11/1 at Miramonte W 35-0, 11/8 De La Salle L 3-49. College Park (3-7) – 8/30 San Marin-Novato L 20-52, 9/6 Clayton Valley Charter L 7-55, 9/13 Salesian College Preparatory Pride-Richmond L 21-26, 9/20 at Acalanes L 37-41, 9/27 at Las Lomas L 21-44, 10/4 at Miramonte L 37-41, 10/18 Alhambra W 34-7, 10/25 at Northgate L 12-36, 11/1 Benicia W 44-7, 11/8 Concord W 42-7. Concord (6-4) - 8/30 Newark Memorial-Newark L 1528, 9/6 Alameda L 14-48, 9/13 at San Lorenzo W 37-7, 9/21 at Archie Williams-San Anselmo W 45-14, 9/27 at Mt. Eden-Hay-
Pete Cruz
Mt. Diablo ended the regular season on the short end of a game between the Diablo Athletic League Mountain and Valley division champions. Northgate defeated the Red Devils 63-26 in Walnut Creek. Both teams are in the North Coast Section playoffs this weekend. Red Devils sophomore quarterback Michael Vasquez (5) rolled out towards his visitors sideline looking for a receiver against Northgate.
Athlete Spotlight
Lauren Barberio
School: Clayton Valley Charter High
Grade: Senior Sports: Sideline Cheer & Stunt
Sideline cheerleader and stunt back spot Barberio knows a thing or two about hard work. The Clayton Valley Charter varsity cheerleader has been cheering for nine years, but not without challenges. Barberio broke her left arm in the fifth grade while practicing tumbling, which turned into a long journey back to cheer after she discovered that she had a non-cancerous bone tumor in that arm. This tumor caused her to break her left arm in the same spot four times over the span of five years. It finally healed after three surgeries, two of which were unsuccessful.
Despite the setbacks, Barberio put in the extra work, and it paid off as she achieved success in her sport, earning a varsity spot for CVCHS’s sideline cheer for the past two years and the stunt team as a sophomore and junior. She was also awarded most improved for both sideline and stunt and received all-DAL honorable mention for stunt last year.
Her coach Nichole Schumann reflects on coaching Barberio, “Lauren is the catalyst of a hard worker. She is never late for practice and always attends any additional open gym that is available. When she has her mind on something, she will accomplish it. Lauren is the epitome of a dedicated athlete.” Not only does she cheer for her school, but she is also in her second year on the East Bay
Club Stunt team and has coached CVAA youth cheer on their sideline and competition teams for the past three years.
Off the mat, Barberio maintains a 4.4 GPA and she is a member of the Medical Academy at Clayton Valley Charter, California Scholarship Federation and Senior Women. She is also the secretary of the Health Occupations Students of America club and was chosen to participate in a six-week volunteer opportunity at John Muir Medical Center last summer. Barberio plans to attend a university in Florida to major in anthropology in hopes of becoming a forensic anthropologist.
CVCHS student journalist Corinne Jeandheur wrote this Spotlight.
The Pioneer congratulates Lauren and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for over three decades at Family Vision Care Optometry.
Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement, or a great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.
De La Salle, Carondelet score upsets to reach NCS water polo championship games
JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
De La Salle and Carondelet have enjoyed strong NCS water polo performances in the last few years with three Section titles between them since 2021 but rarely have the two Concord parochial schools pulled off upsets on the same day like last Saturday.
Each was meeting a higher seed in the NCS Open Division semi-finals and both came away with victories to reach this Saturday’s Section championship games.
The Cougars defeated three-time defending champions Miramonte 5-4 while De La Salle rose up as the fourth seed to topple No. 1 boys team Campolindo 8-7.
For the fourth successive year the boys finale will pit Miramonte against DLS. The Spartans won the 2021 and ‘22 finals before the Orinda school turned the tables last fall. The two rivals split a pair of September games this season with DLS winning the first matchup 12-7 before Miramonte won a rematch two weeks later 13-12 in Concord.
In the girls finale, Campolindo is the No. 1 seed and will have to hold off Carondelet, third seeded, to claim the Cougars first Section title since 2014. Carondelet won the 2021 Division II championship and has been in the Open division ever since. The teams split two matches this fall.
College Park boys are second seeded in Division II and
the Falcons have won their first two games over Newark Memorial and Las Lomas to reach the semifinals against third seed Tamalpais. Terra Linda eliminated the Northgate boys in the first round.
Northgate girls won their opening game before being eliminated by second seed Tamalpais in the quarterfinals of D-I playoffs. Clayton Valley Charter was in D-II but lost a 9-7 game to San Marin-Novato.
Girls Volleyball - College Park in Division II was the only local volleyball team to win a match at NCS. Carondelet (Open), Clayton Valley Charter (D-II) and Northgate (D-I) all lost first-round matches while the Falcons
upset Covenant of the Sacred Heart before falling to another San Francisco school, University, in the quarterfinals.
Cross Country – De La Salle senior Trey Caldwell led the Spartans to the East Bay Athletic League championship last Saturday in Newhall Park, Concord winning the varsity race by over 13 seconds. College Park junior Jack Rattary was second at the Diablo Athletic Lague finals as his Falcons took second to perennial champions Campolindo.
The North Coast Section meet is Nov. 23 in Hayward followed a week later by the State Meet Nov. 30 at Woodward Park in Fresno. Caldwell is the defending NCS D-2 champion.
Winter sports underway, going full gear right through the holiday season
JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
High school basketball, soccer and wrestling teams are in full practice mode with winter sports non-league action getting underway next weekend and the Diablo Athletic League basketball and soccer schedules beginning next month.
Local teams had a lot of near misses in last season’s post-season play and will be hoping to turn around some of those results when the winter season concludes in February and March.
Basketball – Ygnacio Valley boys had an outstanding 202324 season that ended with a pair of tough losses. The Wolves reached the championship game of NCS D-IV but fell to top seed Justin-Siena of Napa, denying the Concord school its first section hoops title since 1988. At NorCal, Ygnacio Valley won its first two D-III games before falling to eventual State runnerup Santa Cruz in the semi-finals.
De La Salle was a bridesmaid for the third successive year in the NCS Open Division falling to Salesian of Richmond in a battle of old Catholic Athletic League rivals. Salesian went on to the State Open title game.
Clayton Valley Charter boys won the DAL basketball playoffs in a dramatic 62-61 win over regular-season champs Ygnacio
Valley, but the Ugly Eagles then lost three of their final four games in post-season play.
On the girls side, among the four championship game losses for local basketball teams at NCS and NorCal, none was more heartbreaking than Carondelet’s one-point loss to Bishop O’Dowd in the Northern California Division I championship game. O’Dowd put in an offensive rebound with three seconds left for the winning margin in a 47-46 game.
The two East Bay Catholic schools also met in the thirdplace game in NCS Open Division, and the Dragons won that game as well.
Northgate girls fell to No. 1 seed Redwood-Larkspur 50-41 in the D-II NCS finals. As the sixth seed the Broncos were the lowest seed to reach any of the NCS girls championship games. They toppled the second and third seeds enroute to the finals. That earned them a spot in the NorCal D-III playoffs.
Mt. Diablo girls basketball has had a renaissance over the past three seasons, racking up 66 wins in that time and three successive trips to the NCS semifinals and then onto NorCal for the first three times ever for Concord’s oldest high school. In their Section semi-final against No. 2 seed San Domenico, the Red Devils jumped out to a big early lead, but the San Anselmo
school rallied and finished off MD in the fourth quarter.
DAL basketball begins Dec. 19. All local schools are shooting for berths in the North Coast Section playoffs beginning Feb. 18.
Soccer – Clayton Valley boys scored an historic win over DLS in the NCS quarter-finals last season before the Ugly Eagles lost in the semis.
Carondelet lost in overtime of the girls Section championship match, denying the Cougars a third successive NCS title and fourth in five years.
DAL Valley teams are the first in the area to begin league games on Dec. 10.
NCS soccer playoffs start Feb. 19.
Wrestling – Last winter De La Salle once again reigned over the mat as the Spartans won their ninth straight Section team championship weeks after also taking their ninth consecutive NCS dual team title. Five Spartans qualified for the State Meet.
College Park qualified for the Division I dual tournament last year and lost in the semi-finals to De La Salle and also fell short to Liberty in the consolation finals.
The dual team competition is Feb. 8 when the first winter Section titles will be handed out.
Clayton Valley Charter junior Abbi Cooper (110) won her third straight NCS title and was joined by Northgate freshman
Symone Newell (155) at the top of the Section podium. Cooper took seventh at State while Newell did her one better in sixth.
NCS championships are Feb. 21-22, a week before the State Meet in Bakersfield.
Carondelet sophomore Lily Peng medalist at NCS golf championships
JAY BEDECARRÉ The Pioneer
Carondelet sophomore Lily Peng is the latest Cougar golfer to shine after winning the North Coast Section Division I individual championship this month at Paradise Valley Golf Course in Fairfield with a round of 68.
Peng led her Carondelet team to third place at NCS and to a berth at the Northern California Championships this Tuesday at Berkeley Country Club.
The 15-year-old was East Bay Athletic League MVP as a freshman and was low scorer at this year’s league championships to nail down a firstteam all-EBAL berth. The Cougars were second in team league meet scoring.
Peng’s home course is Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville. Her dad encouraged her to play when she was five and by the time she was seven she was taking part in small
Bay Area tournaments like U.S. Kids Golf. She also swam for the county recreation champion Crow Canyon Sea Lions until she was 10.
The San Ramon resident decided to attend Carondelet “because of the great athletic and academic program.”
Carondelet has a strong golf program in the section’s best league which includes Dougherty Valley, now twotime defending NCS champions. Since 2004, five different EBAL girls teams have contributed to the league’s 16 titles in the past 20 NCS tournaments.
In golf and tennis circles in particular, high school competition takes a back seat to the junior circuit and Peng is no different than other top amateurs. She won her first American Junior Golf Association tournament last October in Florida at the Billy Horschel Junior Championship presented by Zurich where she had 11
birdies in the three rounds. This year she has five Top 5 finishes including tying for fifth at the California Amateur in a field of women golfers of all ages and ninth at the U.S. Junior Championships the week before.
In current AJGA rankings she is 24th and 16th among American golfers with all but three girls ahead of her graduating from high school before her in 2025 and 2026. Peng’s exploits remind observers of Concord’s Yealimi Noh who was a standout at Carondelet as a freshman and sophomore in the 2015 and 2016 fall golf seasons. Noh helped the Cougars to the NCS championship as a freshman and second place in Northern California. Her sophomore year Noh was medalist at NCS and NorCal.
Following her sophomore year, Noh was home schooled to more readily concentrate on golf. She is now in her fifth year on the LPGA tour and the 23-year-old had a resurgent late season run that included top 17 finishes in six of her last seven tournaments, which included 16 of 26 rounds in the 60s. Noh has $2.2 million in tour earnings to date. Peng has not met Noh but “I enjoy watching her on the LPGA.” The young golfer must picture herself on that tour someday like her fellow Cougar.
LILY PENG
When my children were growing up, we often frequented all you can eat restaurants.
The kids could find pizza, macaroni and cheese along with their other favorites. My wife and I navigated through the salad bar, eventually settling on fried chicken and a few items from the buffet.
Our go-to place was JJ North’s on Diamond Boulevard. They had a kid-friendly selection of desserts.
The price for feeding the entire family was about $35, even if my children had to skip a couple of birthdays to fit our limited budget.
Today, Golden Corral has replaced JJ North’s and Hometown Buffet. On a recent visit, I found the culinary experience was actually better than previous times.
The main difference is that the Concord restaurant is now offering some healthier options.
Options aplenty for the all you can eat crowd
segments are normally avail-
able on weekends. The fried shrimp was OK, even though encased in thick breading. There were also clams, crayfish and whole fish.
Because of the large numbers of diners served, they replenish the buffet often. Throw in a salad bar with fresh fruit and a dessert section featuring soft-serve ice cream, no one goes home hungry.
hamachi. Fried bananas and sesame balls for dessert are not to be missed. Everything except beverages is included for a reasonable price.
Also of decent quality is the Gen Korean BBQ on Willow Pass, where Sizzler was once located. Patrons can choose raw meat, shrimp and vegetables. Customers then grill them in a cast-iron skillet provided to each table.
fare, the best value is arguably the lunch buffet at Swagat in Concord. Chef Kumar’s large selection of curries, saffron rice, butter chicken and other Indian dishes provides a gourmet delight.
“We have sugar-free alternatives, especially with our desserts,” according to general manager Tony Monterrosas, a 17-year veteran of the chain. “The salad bar is improved with low-calorie dressings, more fresh vegetables and less use of mayonnaise.”
Golden Corral also offers a quality breakfast menu each day, including an omelet bar. They must be doing something right, as they serve almost 6,000 meals per week. The other reasonably priced buffet is China Wall located at Park & Shop in Concord. Depending on the time of year, they offer more than 100 menu options. Most
Football, from page 9
A long-time observer of local high school sports as an athlete and then Hall of Fame coach, Lou Adamo remembers his freshman year at Mt. Diablo High watching varsity football players celebrate their Diablo Valley Athletic League championship by jumping into the school’s swimming pool following the last home game.
That was in the fall of 1963 when a British rock band, The Beatles, were yet to be getting much exposure in America. It is also the last time Red Devils football won an outright league football championship.
Now, second-year coach
Fetuao Mua’s squad enters the 2024 North Coast Section Division V playoffs as Diablo Athletic League Mountain Division champions after outscoring its three league opponents 161-19.
The 1963 title wasn’t unusual for Concord’s oldest school coached by Hart Fairclough which also won DVAL football titles in 1958-59-60 and a co-championship in 1962 in the pre-high school playoffs era. The swimming pool experience Adamo observed was a tradition at Diablo.
The last time MDHS tasted any football championship was the 1972 season when the Red Devils and Antioch shared the
DVAL title, just as they did 10 years earlier. Since then, Mt. Diablo only had an undefeated 4-0 record in the spring 2021 Covid season when they could claim an unofficial DAL crown.
The Red Devils are one of five local teams entering NCS football play this weekend including Concord power De La Salle seeking its 32nd consecutive Section title. In addition, three girls flag football teams are in the first-ever NCS playoffs for their second-year sport.
FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Open/Division I: De La Salle is top seed and hosts 8th seed San Marin-Novato Friday at Owen Owens Field.
Clayton Valley Charter is 7th seed and faces No. 2 Pittsburg at Pirate Stadium Friday.
Division III: Northgate is No. 3 and hosts sixth seed San Leandro in Walnut Creek Friday.
Division IV: No. 7 College Park visits second seed American Canyon Friday.
Division V: Mt. Diablo is seeded seventh and travels to Richmond to face No. 2 Salesian College Prep Saturday afternoon at 1 o’clock.
of them are Cantonese selections, including beef in oyster sauce, orange chicken, BBQ pork and chow mein.
Despite being made in large quantities, these dishes have quality comparable to most Chinese restaurants in the area.
Once seated, I always venture to the sushi bar. I filled my plate with California rolls, spicy tuna, seaweed salad and other assorted rolls.
These “gas station sushi” items were satisfying, but obviously not on par with what might be found at local Japanese restaurants such as Kobe Japan, Tachi and Kansai.
I then attacked the seafood section. Blue crab
FLAG FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
No. 5 College Park takes on 12th seed Freedom-Oakley Tuesday at Thompson Field in Alameda.
13th seed Clayton Valley Charter faces No. 4 Alameda Tuesday also at Thompson Field.
No. 7 Las Lomas meets crosstown rival Northgate, No. 10, at California High in San Ramon on Tuesday.
NORTHGATEON A ROLL
Northgate started the 2023 football season with seven straight defeats before winning its last three games. This season, Coach Ben Ballard’s team was 1-3 before rolling through their last six opponents to finish 7-3 overall and DAL Valley champions.
Last Friday they finished the regular-season defeating Mt. Diablo 63-26 in a game matching the DAL’s Mountain and Valley division champions.
That victory will long be remembered in the Ballard household. Senior Blayne Ballard caught three touchdown passes, which wasn’t that unusual as he has 16 scoring receptions. But the coach’s son also had a pick six interception for a TD and a strip and score on defense. To top it off, he converted seven of eight extra point kicks and threw a twopoint conversion pass to outscore Mt. Diablo by himself.
China Wall’s extensive menu and reasonable pricing makes it a popular destination for seniors, especially those who can afford only one meal a day.
Another Asian favorite is Fuji Buffet off Diamond Boulevard in Concord. They offer premade and custom sushi items utilizing high-quality fish. Menu selections include tempura, soft shell crab, fried oysters and grilled
The hot pot experience at Shabuya offers a similar format with Japanese flair. Diners can dip seafood, vegetables and choice beef cuts in tasty sauces.
Located in Concord’s
Veranda, this is a great place for a romantic meal. Shabuya is almost always busy, with a large following from the Generation X crowd.
There are many other unlimited portion restaurants in the area. For mid-priced
Brasas do Brazil located in Park & Shop is a pricier choice, with an excellent buffet and assorted steak selections brought to your table. Their high-quality cuisine is ideally suited for special occasions. If one is a vegetarian or less hungry, you can skip the meat course for a reduced price. All you can eat is more than just an empty promise in Concord.
Rich Eber is a local journalist and long time resident of Concord. He covers topics from politics to gourmet food. Contact him at richeber9@gmail.com.
Maybe the holiday season is the right time to sell your home
While it’s true that spring and summer are traditionally seen as peak selling seasons, the holiday months bring unique advantages that are worth considering, especially in our local market.
Serious buyers/fewer “looky-loos.” During the holiday season, potential buyers are often highly motivated. Many are driven by year-end financial deadlines, upcoming relocations or a desire to secure a new home before the new year. With fewer casual browsers, each showing is more likely to bring genuine interest – giving sellers an opportunity to negotiate more favorable terms.
Less competition. Spring is typically flooded with new listings, creating a competitive market for sellers. With many homeowners choosing to hold off during the holidays, your home will face less competition. In our area, where the demand remains steady even in winter, this decrease in
available homes can make your property stand out, potentially leading to quicker sales and possibly multiple offers.
Festive appeal. Homes often feel warmer and more inviting during the holiday season. Thoughtful decorations, cozy lighting and festive touches can create an emotional appeal that might just resonate with buyers. A home that feels “lived in” and ready for celebration can leave a lasting impression, which may even influence buying decisions.
Beneficial market conditions. Our local market has shown resilience and demand even during traditionally slower months. With interest rates stabilizing and buyers eager to lock in rates ahead of potential changes, this could be a particularly smart time to list. Many buyers are looking to close before the new year for tax benefits and financial planning, giving sellers an added
advantage in negotiations.
Of course, selling during the holidays isn’t without its challenges. It can be disruptive to holiday plans and family gatherings, and the potential for showings during these busy months can add stress. However, working closely with a real estate agent can help you manage showings in a way that allows you to enjoy the season while still capitalizing on a strong market.
The holidays may indeed be a hidden gem of a selling season. With the unique advantages our current local market provides, the benefits of listing during this period may outweigh the challenges. For those considering a move, now could be an unexpectedly rewarding time to make the leap.
Jennifer Stojanovich is an owner/broker with Better Homes Real Estate. Send questions and comments to jennifer@bhrbroker.com
Richard Eber Golden Corral GM Tony Monterrosas carves ham slices at the Golden Corral buffet.
RICHARD EBER TASTE & TELL
Many homeowners feel that the winter months are not the ideal time to sell their property.
JENNIFER STOJANOVICH CLOSE TO HOME
Ah, blue – the color of the sky, the ocean, the eyes of a Siamese cat. Not to mention the name of phenomenal works by Joni Mitchell and Miles Davis.
It is also the name of places associated with longevity and superior health. “Blue Zones,” where 10 times the expected number of residents consistently live past 100, sparked a great deal of interest when they first surfaced in 2004. The five original rarified areas are: Loma Linda, Calif.; Nicoya, Costa
Focusing on attributes of the Blue Zone lifestyle
Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; and Okinawa, Japan. Researchers studied the habits of people in these regions and identified common themes. “There are nine common denominators. I call them the Power Nine,” said Dan Buettner, a pioneering longevity expert and bestselling author of “Blue Zones.”
1. Eat a whole-food, plantbased diet.
2. Maintain a sense of purpose and meaning. “People with a sense of purpose live about eight years longer,” Buettner observed.
3. Participate in daily rituals to unwind and reduce stress.
4. Practice moderation with alcohol consumption. According to Buettner, many residents of Blue Zones consume alcohol, but “most of the time, it’s homemade wine.” 5. Use unconscious strategies to keep from overeating.
Blue Zone residents tend to eat with family and friends and stop when mostly, but not completely full.
6. Prioritize family. People in Blue Zones tend not to embrace the insular, nuclear family structure popular in most of the United States. “If you keep your aging parent nearby as opposed to putting them in a retirement home, it conveys somewhere between two and six extra years of life expectancy,” Buettner reported.
7. Invest in relationships. “Married people live longer than non-married people,” explained Buettner.
8. Belong to a faith. According to Buettner: “People who go to church, temple or a mosque live somewhere between four and 14 years longer than people who have no religion.”
9. Invest in social circles. Friendships are pivotal to Blue
Zone residents, who tend to forge and maintain meaningful social circles.
While there is little to argue in the above list, there is some question around the legitimacy of Blue Zones. Dr. Saul Justin Newman, a senior research fellow at the Center for Longitudinal Studies at University College London, believes that poor record keeping in the early 20th century mixed with pension fraud makes it nearly impossible to accurately determine the age at which many of the oldest people died.
Newman’s team sifted through databases of centenarians and supercentenarians from the United States, France, England, Italy and Japan and identified “hot spots” in those countries where many of them lived. These hot spots don’t completely coincide with Blue Zones, but they noted some overlap.
Newman’s research led him to a rather cynical view: “Every indication was that these high densities of supercentenarians were just down to poverty and fraud.”
Buettner and his team counter that the Blue Zones have undergone a rigorous vetting process.
Controversy aside, all can agree that living in a supportive community with manageable stress and access to decent food can both improve and extend life. The question I have for my fellow residents of Central County is: Where can I get some of that homemade wine?
Please send comments to newwavenightingale@gmail.com.
Caring for your pet’s teeth may require anesthesia
Inspect fire extinguishers and replace Change batteries in smok /ccarbon m
if needed. onoxide detectors.
Seal cracks around doors and windows.
Clean your gutters. Ensure that water runoff from downspouts are directed away from your house.
Trim any tree limbs that are dangerously close to power lines or the roof of your house.
Look up chimney for blockages; check that damper is operating properly.
Inspect roof and eaves.
Check bird and rodent screen vents to prevent any unwanted guests from taking up residence.
Replace the filter in your furnace an /oorarrange routine maintenance.
Prune plants and trees.
Now is an ideal time to fertilize and reseed your lawn. Although grass appears to stop growing in the autumn, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter
It is easy to take our pets’ dental health for granted. When dogs and cats are young, we don’t see buildup of plaque and its eventual end-product of tartar (calculus), which is basically calcified bacteria on their teeth. Since your pet isn’t regularly brushing its teeth like we do, of course, there is no way to prevent this from occurring over time. Way back when your pet was a baby, you might have been instructed to get them used to allowing you to brush their teeth. But then, it was important that you actually brushed those teeth regularly, whether with a soft children’s toothbrush or a pet toothbrush (like a finger puppet with a brush at the end). You can also purchase dental wipes that help remove plaque before it solidifies as calculus on their teeth. Another concern is retained deciduous canine teeth in puppies, which can prevent adult canine teeth from coming in at the correct angle. In this scenario, the adult canine (fang) tooth doesn’t push the baby canine tooth out of the way to cause it to fall out naturally, so
they look a little like a baby shark with two “rows” of canine teeth. I recommend removing these cute, very sharp baby canines so the adult canine tooth can come in and land in the right place. Fractured teeth are another problem in veterinary dental health. Dogs, in particular, love to chew, and oftentimes they chew hard substances like bone, antler and other hard toys. Fractured teeth can lead to tooth root abscesses and exposed nerve roots, both of which can be quite painful and unhealthy for your pet. Swelling under one
eye is often an indicator of a tooth root abscess in a molar or premolar. Sometimes it is hard to pinpoint periodontal (dental) disease as a cause of your pet’s discomfort. You might notice bad breath or see them chewing on one side of their mouth if they have a sore tooth. You could even see a little blood on food and toys or in their water bowl. Changes in appetite and weight can also be an indicator. An awake oral exam may not clearly show your veterinarian the problem, so your vet must sometimes back into the suspicion of periodontal pain and disease after ruling out other issues. Periodontal disease can even lead to health problems with the heart, kidneys and other organs, especially as our pets age. Not surprisingly, there comes a time in most dogs’ and cats’ lives that they will require a periodontal cleaning with anesthesia. Generally, our pets will not safely allow an awake exam and cleaning that gets under the gum tissue. Under anesthesia,
See Pets, page 13
Concord area residents and friends are invited to TrreVVista in Concord t fee-saving techniques w certified CPR trainer, Ron Vaanderheiden. J foor t complimen y class, and empoweryourselfwith th knowledge needed to possibly sav fee. Refreshments l be served. ith he e
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NATHALIE MONTIJO NEW WAVE NIGHTINGALE
MICKI MCCABE , DVM BEING PET SMART
Kudos to Onstage Repertory Theatre and director Dianna Schepers for attempting the impossible with their fun production of “Clue” at the Campbell Theater.
The show calls for a replica of Boddy Manor, with its many rooms necessitating a series of doors and reversible walls on the Campbell’s small stage. Thanks to the talents of a dedicated cast and crew, however, Onstage has proved that the impossible is sometimes a real possibility.
Based on the Hasbro board game, the show has all the familiar characters: Mr. Boddy (Patrick Atkinson), Mrs. Peacock (Gwendolyn Sampson Brown), Cook (Ginger Burnett), Professor Plum (Bill Dietz), Mr. Green (John Holst), Mrs. White (Helen Kim), Wadsworth (Phillip Leyva), the maid Yvette (Atessa McAleenan-Morrell), Miss Scarlet (Shelly McDowell, who also did the choreography) and Col. Mustard (Brian Moore). And what would a murder mystery be without the police (Craig Anderson, Atkinson, Burnett) and a singing telegram girl (Sami Maher)?
Dishong's
Zola Dishong’s introduction to ballet wasn’t love at first sight.
Growing up in Fresno, she was more interested in the fun and lively forms of the dance rather than the refined precision of ballet. Yet, destiny had other plans.
At just 14, Dishong won one of the earliest Ford Foundation scholarships for dancers, an achievement that would forever change the course of her life.
This scholarship took her to the San Francisco Ballet School, marking her entry into a world she had never fully embraced. However, as soon as Dishong stepped into the school, her perspective shifted. The moment she saw the grace and sophistication of the dancers around her, she was mesmerized.
Ballet, once just another form of dance, quickly became a passion. Surrounded by accomplished and elegant dancers, she became captivated
Jana McDowell designed the gorgeous costumes, with Schepers and Diane McRice devising the extremely versatile set and Dave Pursley creating the many lighting effects. “Clue” continues through Nov. 17 at 636 Ward St., Martinez. Following “Clue,” improv takes over the Campbell Theater.
Improv Playhouse of San Francisco performs “Naked Stage” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23. The series of stories takes place on a single set with the improvisers playing one character each. All the actors must produce an entertaining story with only a bare stage, a simple suggestion from the audience and each other.
Then at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 1, Improv Partners in Crime continues its serial production of two crime fighters. The ongoing story follows the exploits of two partners who rely on audience suggestions to help create
their evolving characters.
For tickets to any of these shows, call 925-350-9770 or go to www.campbelltheater.com.
Steve Kinsella brings back his popular “Christmas at the Biltmore” for Thanksgiving weekend, 7 p.m. Nov. 29-30 and 6 p.m. Dec. 1.
Set at a fictional upstate New York hotel, guests arrive carrying baggage much heavier than their actual suitcases –which they unpack during the course of the play. Add the spirited hotel staff, a wacky radio announcer and a Scroogelike character, and you have a recipe for a poignant and hopeful start to the holiday season.
Performances take place at Black Diamond Middle School Theater, 4730 Sterling Hill Dr., Antioch. For tickets, go to https://brentwoodteentheater.c om.
Smuin Ballet hopes to spread holiday cheer with “The Christmas Ballet,” Nov. 23-24 at
Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr.
The festive performance is a holiday tradition for many dance lovers. This year features a return to Michael Smuin’s original pieces, plus a few new surprises from artistic director
Amy Seiwert – including Seiwert’s world premiere classical ballet.
Act I concentrates on elegant classical ballet set to beloved carols, followed by joyful contemporary numbers set to pop favorites in Act II.
You can also catch Center Rep’s “Dragon Lady” at the Lesher Center through Nov. 24. The acclaimed solo musical adventure features Sara Porkalob in a tour-de-force act of honoring her grandmother’s life and legacy. Porkalob embodies countless colorful characters from her grandmother’s sensational history – from a Manila nightclub teeming with gangsters and lovers to a Washington state trailer park where the bonds of family are forged.
For tickets to “Dragon Lady” and “Smuin Ballet,” call 925-943-7469 or go to www.lesherartscenter.org.
There are still a few performances left of Ghostlight
Theatre Ensemble’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” which runs through Nov. 17. The show takes place at 140 Birch St., Brentwood. For tickets, go to https://ghostlightte.org/arseni c-and-old-lace.
Clayton Theatre Company will audition for Michael Frayn’s hilarious comedy “Noises Off” 4-6 p.m. Dec. 8 and 7-9 p.m. Dec. 10 at Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. No appointment is necessary. Bring a headshot and resume and prepare a twominute monologue. You may also be asked to do a cold read from the script. Go to www.claytontheatrecompany.c om and click on the “More” tab.
Pittsburg Theatre Company is auditioning for a mysterious musical. They aren’t divulging the name yet. Maybe you can find out at auditions Dec. 8-10, with the production scheduled for May 2025.
“We can’t tell you the name of the musical, but we know it comes straight from the Windy City, so you’ll not want to miss out,” said the company’s website. For audition information, go to https://pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org.
Sally Hogarty is well known around the Bay Area as a newspaper columnist, theatre critic and working actress. She is the editor of the Orinda News. Send comments to sallyhogarty@gmail.com
ballet journey takes her from Fresno to the stage
by the artform she had previously overlooked.
Harold Christensen, one of the founding figures of San Francisco Ballet, awarded the scholarship that opened these doors for Dishong. He took a particular interest in Dishong’s development, mentoring her closely and offering her guidance during her early career.
“He really liked me,” she recalls. “He mentored me, protected me and pushed me on.”
Though her ballet training at the time was limited, Dishong
found herself on a two-month, one-night-stand tour across the United States with the San Francisco Ballet company at age 16. Reflecting on this experience, she admits it was a daunting, yet transformative time for someone so young and inexperienced.
“It was a very interesting experience for a 16-year-old that was pretty green,” she notes, describing how this exposure to the fast-paced lifestyle of professional ballet changed her.
While she was certainly falling in love with the art of ballet itself, it was the lifestyle of the dancers that truly captivated her.
Dishong was entranced by the intelligence, artistry and purpose of the people she met in the ballet world. The contrast between her hometown and this glamorous, cultured environment had a profound impact on her.
“It was a very glamorous situation compared to what I had
come from,” says Dishong, now a Concord resident. “I knew that was my lifestyle.”
The year 1962 brought another extraordinary experience for Dishong. She had joined the San Francisco Ballet School in 1960, and just two years later, the legendary Rudolf Nureyev defected from the Soviet Union. His first company performance in the United States was with San Francisco Ballet, and Dishong had the chance to tour with him and renowned ballerina Margot Fonteyn of the Royal Ballet.
“Well, that was pretty darn glamorous,” she says of the experience, remembering the energy and excitement of touring with two of the greatest figures in ballet. This unique opportunity solidified her passion for the world of dance, cementing her place in its storied history.
After spending her early career at San Francisco Ballet, Dishong took a challenging turn when she and her husband, along with their 2-yearold son Charlie, moved to New York. Her husband had an unfortunate injury that left their family facing tough financial times.
In order to support her family, Dishong signed a contract with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Balancing the demands of raising a child and working proved difficult and, eventually, she decided to
return to San Francisco, where her passion for ballet had begun.
She was hired as a teacher at San Francisco Ballet, a role she held for 13 years. It was during this time that Dishong connected with her love for teaching and mentoring young dancers. When her husband at that time left San Francisco Ballet, the two embarked on a new chapter together and bought the Contra Costa Ballet Centre in Walnut Creek.
For 37 years, Contra Costa Ballet has been a pillar of the community, nurturing talent and producing memorable performances, including the first hour-
Pets, from page 12
without anesthesia. Under anesthesia, your veterinarian can also take dental radiographs (X-rays) and perform safe and comfortable cleaning and probing around all your pet’s teeth. For more advanced dental work, boardcertified veterinary dentists have
a higher expertise for root canals, pulpotomies and other procedures that might help in more severe situations. Anesthesia is its own issue, especially as our pets age and have other illnesses that might make anesthesia riskier than in a young, otherwise healthy animal. Anesthesia requires monitoring by a skilled staff, and your veterinary office should be well trained in this area.
the
the
long production of “The Nut-
which they
and December for
the
Arts in Walnut Creek. Zola and Richard continue to run the academy, though thoughts of retiring are on the horizon. While they have yet to make any final decisions, their contributions to the ballet world, especially in Walnut Creek, remain a lasting legacy.
Bottom line, dental disease is easy to overlook and taking care of your pet’s teeth should not take a back seat in their overall care. Your pet will thank you for it. Check with your veterinarian or research online at places like www.avma.org/resourcestools/pet-owners/petcare/petdental-care.
Micki McCabe, DVM, DACVIM, FAAVA, is a longtime Clayton resident. Email questions and comments to drmccabevet@gmail.com
cracker,”
have performed annually in November
34 years at
Lesher Center for the
After attending
San Francisco Ballet School at a young age, Zola Dishong later turned to operating
Contra Costa Ballet Centre in Walnut Creek.
Photo by Chris Hardy
Brennan Wall dons “the world’s longest feather boa” for “Santa Baby” in “The Christmas Ballet” at the Lesher Center Nov. 23-24.
Photo by Sara Leyva Mindful Photography
Brian Moore, left, is Col. Mustard, with Phillip Leyva, John Holst, Gwendolyn Sampson Brown, Bill Dietz, Shelly McDowell and Helen Kim in the outrageous comedy “Clue” currently at the Campbell Theater in Martinez.
SALLY HOGARTY STAGE STRUCK
ARTFUL INSIGHTS
Some recent music releases from our own backyard
The Beat of Diablo – both this column and the radio show on KVHS – aims to spotlight the current local music scene. But “local” can be subjective.
Normally, I showcase what’s new around the Greater Bay Area, often featuring bands and artists residing in Oakland, Berkeley and occasionally San Francisco. In this month’s column, I’d like to bring some attention to recent releases from musicians living right here in Concord and Clayton.
First up, the hip-hop album “objects in the mirror” from Ay Gabe. The debut release from the Concord songwriter dropped this summer and is filled with introspective songs exploring metaphysics and personal growth. Super smooth beats with jazzy keyboard loops and angelic vocal harmonies set the table for Ay Gabe! to demonstrate his impressive skills as a lyricist and rapper. Recommended track: “tend to be.”
Also released this summer was the EP “Fast Love Songs” from Concord artist Matt Xavier. Known locally for his passionate vocal delivery and
What fun to recommend the latest Louise Erdrich novel, “The Mighty Red.” And I say “fun” because before I even opened the book, I could hear the lyrics of the song “Red River Valley.” Erdrich’s Red River is that of North Dakota, and
soulful keyboard chops, Xavier leans into both skill sets across the four-song EP reminiscent of mid-’90s era pop R&B, incorporating elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk and lo-fi chill beats. Recommended track: “Geenie’s Song.”
playing tightly and tastefully to properly honor these classic country ballads. Recommended track: “I Fall to Pieces.”
Staying in the country world, John Paul Hodge recently released two singles. With some old-timey country elements, “Call’m Cowboy” is an ode to the Concord singersongwriter’s late father Frank Hodge, who passed earlier this summer.
“Mind Your Matters” is a contemporary song that reminds us to keep in perspective what’s really important. He discourages conflict from discord, singing “The Moon should never battle the Sun.”
with how our tax dollars are spent and who’s not paying their fair share. It seems appropriate that of the five singles the band has released in 2024, these two dropped just a handful of weeks ahead of Election Day.
For a more comprehensive list of recent local music releases, along with links to places online to stream or purchase these tunes, visit ConcordRockCity.com.
OTHER LOCALMUSICNEWS
the Octopus from Concord, as well as a bunch of recent jazz tunes from all around the Greater Bay Area. Episode 166 will air at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 on 90.5
Next, “Patsy on the Porch,” the new Patsy Cline tribute from Clayton’s double-platinum singer songwriter Nathalie Archangel. The album showcases the voice of the Nineteen Hand Horse singer across 10 Cline classics, including “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “Crazy.”
its direction is north (one of the 22 north-flowing rivers in the United States). The origins of the song do not refer to Texas cowboys or the south-flowing Red River.
“The Mighty Red” is set in the plentiful sugar beet fields of North Dakota, where the river and its flow has everything to do with farmers’ lives. The names of the main characters are almost secondary to how they fall in and out of love; how they thrill and disappoint their families; how they dream of planting their beets with government help; how one family insists on
Archangel’s backing band is on point throughout the record,
The eccentric Concord rock group East Bay Soup Kitchen has also been releasing singles throughout the year, most recently dropping “Anxiety” and “Death and Taxes.” The former is a playful song that alternates from a snake-charmingly sinister groove to an upbeat fist-pumping rock jam, while bemoaning the relentless hold anxiety can sometimes have on us. The latter is a fun pirate-like boogie that gripes on various injustices associated
An all-ages music venue is set to open in Walnut Creek. Up the Creek Records and Skate Shop recently relocated to Mt. Diablo Street, with plans to build a performance stage and concert area to routinely offer all-ages shows. They hope to exclusively feature local, original music acts, with concerts wrapping up by 9 p.m. Additional info at UpTheCreekRecords.com.
On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, don’t forget to tune into 90.5 KVHS for the annual jazz episode of the Beat of Diablo. This year’s show will include a mini-spotlight on I am
returning to more ancient ways of farming; and their loyalty to a rural community and its dependence on an agricultural industry that precariously continues to sustain it.
Erdrich shines in “The Mighty Red.” No movie stars, millionaires or business entrepreneurs, only real people who are trying their best, and sometimes their worst, to get ahead and make sense of their lives. As always, the roots of many of Erdrich’s characters are Native American.
What makes this story special is the breadth of sub-
jects covered. Her attention to beet farming and its history as it relates to the planting of crops and the weather that can define the success or failure of what is planted is handled without preachiness while passing on valuable information.
“The Mighty Red” is a youthful novel in the sense it deals with teenage sons and daughters and their mothers and fathers. It is a rural community that has its favorites and not so favorites. It is a story of young love, too young to succeed, and older love finding its way.
There are secrets that
need to be revealed, along with forgiveness. The misbehavior in the story is not limited to the young. An errant husband creates criminal slapstick. It is a betrayal not only of his wife and daughter, but members of the community who then are in disbelief that the wife is not involved.
Erdrich has written a story with humor, history, mystery, dramatic action and, above all, compassion and hope. The ending is wonderful. The best part is that it occurs gradually. There is no flourish of wrapping things up with a big bow.
These may not be the folks living next door to you, but they are a people about which a reader can care deeply.
Now, going back to the song and history of “Red River Valley,” unless I miss my guess, Erdrich knew the original meaning of this song before she ever wrote “On a mild summer night in the Red River Valley of North Dakota...”
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.’
“objects in the mirror” is the new hip-hop album from Concord’s Ay Gabe!
DAVE HUGHES THE BEAT OF DIABLO
SUNNY SOLOMON BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY