OCT 24 Concord Pioneer 2014

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November 2014

925.672.0500

Taste test success for first Monument event

Concord green lights full-time DV victims’ advocate

TIM GRAYSON PEGGY SPEAR

MAYOR

Concord Pioneer

Sister City friendship even stronger after recent visit We recently concluded an inspirational four days of hosting a Sister City delegation of 50 visitors from Kitakami, Japan, commemorating a bond of friendship established 40 years ago. That bond was reinforced and cemented when Mayor Toshihiko Takahashi and I signed a mutual proclamation reaffirming out commitment to this affiliation, fostering mutual friendship, goodwill, and international understanding. (By the way, throughout this entire visit I was enormously grateful to our fantastic interpreter Naoko Inoguchi.)

I met the delegation when they first arrived and despite the language barrier, from that moment there was effective communication, friendly gazes, laughter and happy talk. I felt privileged to be the spokesperson for our city and to initiate a full schedule of activities.

These Sister City visits take place every five years with the two cities alternating in sending a delegation. This is organized by the Concord Ambassadors, a volunteer, non-profit group headed by former Concord Mayor Mike Pastrick, and assisted by a team of dedicated residents, especially our retiring city clerk, Mary Rae Lehman.

Upon arrival at the Concord City Hall the following morning the delegates were entertained by a student choir from the Calvary Christian School. Next, the City of Concord hosted a buffet luncheon. The delegation visited the John Muir National Historic Site and found many photo-ops

Photo credit: Jennifer Jay

SAPORE RISTORANTE OWNER MIGUEL ZARAGOZA GETS A THUMBS UP from Taste of Monument committee member George Fulmore. The food fair was the first event mounted by the Monument Business Network and featured restaurants and bakeries from along the Monument Corridor. The Network is currently planning a Monument Lights Holiday Stroll in December. More on page 4.

See Mayor, page 3

Our aRt, in the middle of the street PATRICIA ROMERO Concord Pioneer

Rochellez Photography

Some of the best things come in small sizes, and that’s true with aRt Cottage in downtown Concord. But don’t let its diminutive size fool you, aRt Cottage isn’t just an art gallery. aRt Cottage is also a working studio and arts learning center that wants to eventually become a community-based art space. FROgard Butler’s off-the- cuff description of the space as “a piece of Berkeley in Concord” is a considerably accurate description. And Butler would know, as aRt Cottage is her brainchild; a dream willed into existence. Located at 2238 Mount Diablo Street, aRt Cottage captures the eye as well as the imagination.

Butler is a small woman who, like the aRt Cottage itself, should not be judged by her size. Stylish without being stuffy, she is a welcoming presence whose laughter spills out freely and often. Her

TENACIOUS AND WITH PURPOSE, FROGARD BUTLER REALIZED HER DREAM for a space for art when she rescued a small orchard picker’s house in downtown Concord from foreclosure and opened the aRt Cottage in 2012.

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It’s a sobering statistic in Concord: Thirty-eight percent of all aggravated assault cases reported to the Concord Police Department involve domestic violence.

And it’s a statistic Concord police chief Guy Swanger wants to see decreased.

That’s why, with the support of the city council, the police department recently stretched a part-time domestic violence victims’ advocate employed by the police department into a full-time position, using General Fund money.

“This is a huge priority for us,” Swanger said.

It’s not the first time the department has had a full-time advocate, and in fact employed one as recently as 2008, as well as part-time and volunteer help.

“And during that time, domestic violence cases were decreasing,” Swanger said. But the recession hit, and the police department was forced to cut back the position.

In 2009, due to the economic crisis impacting the city’s budget, the police department was forced to eliminate both in-house full-time and part-time victim advocate positions. From 2009 through 2011, annual domestic violence-related assault reports surged from 426 to 684, a 60 percent increase.

But help came from a likely source, STAND! For Families Free of Violence, the local non-profit that aids victims and families of domestic violence. The organization chipped in enough money to keep a full-time advocacy position.

But three years ago, STAND!’s funding got hit hard, and the domestic violence advocate position was again dropped to part-time.

In the ensuing three years, Swanger and his staff have not liked what they have seen: the number of reported domestic violence cases has risen again.

One of the key reasons a full-time victim’s advocate is so important, Swanger says, is that there will be help for victims on the day — sometime within hours — following an incident, to help with any intervention families may need. That was not always possible with a part-time employee.

“When I worked in San Diego, we actually had a domestic violence victim’s advocate ride in patrol cars that responded to domestic violence calls,” Swanger said. “This helped the victims tremendously.”

The Domestic Violence victim advocate position will be relocated to the Family Justice Center site where it will contribute in-kind services as an FJC victim advocate, anchoring the city of Concord’s support services for victims of family violence. The contract classification will make the position flexible and complementary for FJC operations and management, as well as for the public who needs advocacy.

Page 2

EYE

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

ON

CONCORD

GEORGE FULMORE Correspondent

See Concord Votes, pg 7

BART to charge for parking

Study calls for better maintenance at Ellis Lake, Meadow Homes

How will Concord vote in November?

With only days before the Nov. 4 election, most Concord voters may have already voted: by mail. But that still leaves thousands who have yet to cast their votes.

How Concord voters will vote depends on the race involved.

For state-wide offices and for the Congressional seat formerly held by George Miller, the outcomes are very predictable.

Democratic candidates will win.

It’s all about the numbers. Registered-voter demographics of Concord voters are similar to those of the State of California, at large: Roughly 50 percent are Democrats; about 25 percent are Republicans; the rest are of another party or decline to state.

Because of this, Concord voters will vote overwhelmingly for Democrat Mark DeSaulnier for the 11th District House of Representatives seat in Washington, D.C., and for Democrats in the state-wide races, from Governor Jerry Brown on down.

Again, it’s just a numbers thing.

The same will be true for Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, a Democrat, who is running, essentially unopposed, as an incumbent for the 14th Assembly District.

And, for Contra Costa County Supervisor, incumbent Karen Mitchoff, also a Democrat, is running unopposed for this non-partisan office.

November 2014

Park and Ellis Lake Park.

Tanya Love, representing a parent advocacy group, said that after polling parents in the area, the things that they would like to see are: PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer

The city of Concord boasts one of the most extensive park systems in Contra Costa County, with playgrounds, ball fields, picnic areas, hiking trails, bocce courts and even a popular dog park.

But one area of the community is hoping to improve the quality and even size of its parks after conducting a survey and presenting it to the Concord City Council last week.

A collaboration of community organizations from the Monument area, including Mon-

ument Impact and First Five Contra Costa, unveiled the results of the year-long survey and found that many of the parents in the densely populated area used the seven nearby parks, but that there were definitely upgrades needed.

In addition, the survey indicated that there were discrepancies found within the area parks, in that the parks closer within the Monument Corridor were smaller than those outside the area, and needed the most upkeep.

“Unfortunately, these are the parks that get the most use,” said spokesman Corey Riley, referring to Meadow Homes

• Clean bathrooms that are open all day, with stalls roomy enough to accommodate strollers at both Meadow Homes and Ellis Lake parks; • Working drinking fountains; • Play structures at Meadow homes Park; • Bleachers around the sports fields at Meadow Homes • Consolidated play structures at Ellis Lake Park; • Shade areas or structures at Ellis Lake Park; • Grills and other picnic amenities at Ellis Lake Park; • Attractive barriers around the lake that improve safety.

“There are many positive things about all the parks we surveyed,” Ana Villalobos of Monument Impact told the council. “We feel with grants, we can fund the improvements needed to make all the parks useful and more attractive to families.”

Councilman Edi Birsan agrees with the recommendations. “We need to adjust the maintenance schedules to take into account not only impact of high density usage in smaller park areas but maintenance equity must be focused on an equity of results in service.

He says that it is “critical” that the city involve the community organizations in the development of programs and the prioritization of projects.

“Would anyone run a business and not listen to their customers organized spokespeople?”

Concord residents can now ‘Vote-N-Go’ Concord residents will find it a little easier to vote in the Nov. 4 election thanks to a drop-off box at the Concord Civic Center for vote-by-mail and absentee ballots as part of the new “Coco Vote-N-Go” program.

On Oct. 13, a secure, bright red steel drop-off box will be placed in the Wing A lobby at Civic Center, 1950 Parkside

Drive. Wing A is also where the Concord City Council and city clerk offices are located.

Voters will have access to the box during regular business hours – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. City staff members will have the popular “I Voted” stickers upon request for those who drop off their ballots. County elections officials will regularly pick up

collected ballots.

NEARBY

CITIES INCLUDED

In addition to Concord, the cities of Brentwood, Antioch, Pittsburg, San Ramon, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Richmond, San Pablo, Hercules and Pinole are participating in the new program offered by the Contra Costa

County Registrar of Voters Joe Canciamilla. Ballots may also be dropped off 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the County Elections Office in Martinez, located at 555 Escobar St., or at any polling place on Election Day. For more information about voting by mail, call 925-335-7800 or visit the County Elections website at www.cocovote.us.

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BART will soon charge a $1a-day fee to park at the Concord and North Concord/Martinez BART stations, where parking is currently free. The new fees begin Monday, Oct. 27 at the downtown Concord BART station, and Wednesday, Nov. 12 at the North Concord/Martinez station. Riders can pay for parking using the Clipper Card, or with cash or the regular blue BART card at an Add Fare machine at the station.

To use the Clipper Card for payment, riders must sign up in advance at www.BART.gov/parking to link their Clipper card to BART’s parking payment program. To get a Clipper Card, visit www.ClipperCard.com. Once a Clipper Card is issued, riders submit an application to link it to BART’s parking program (called EZ Rider), and will then receive a hang tag by mail to place in the car. The application process takes a few days, so riders are encouraged to sign up right away.

BART reports that revenue generated from the new parking fees will be placed in a special account to be used only for programs to improve station access, including shuttle and feeder service to stations, and station rehabilitation and modernization.

Parking fees will also be charged at some future date at the two remaining free stations in the BART system, the Coliseum/Oakland Airport station and the Hayward station, though no date has been announced.

For more information, call 510464-6000 or visit www.bart.gov.

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Sister City delegation visits Concord Two cities thousands of miles apart came together this month when a delegation from Concord’s Sister City, Kitaka-

mi, Japan, arrived to renew friendships, make new connections and enjoy a busy schedules of activities.

The highlight of the visit was the viewing of the 10,000 origami cranes Concord residents created to show solidari-

Photo courtesy city of Concord

Brendan Theaters VP Walter Eichinger, Concord Ambassadors President Mike Pastrick, Concord mayor Tim Grayson, Kitakami mayor Toshihiko Takahashi & wife Sachiko Takahashi.

Mayor, from page 1 next to the bronze statute of our famous environmentalist.

One of the highlights of the schedule was a visit to the Brendan Theater where the delegation was able to view, for the first time, a sculpture crafted from 10,000 handmade origami paper cranes that Concord residents folded as a gesture of humanitarian support for the victims of the tsunami which struck Japan in March, 2011. I

cannot think of a more heartwarming symbol of compassion and support, which took thousands of hours to complete and was a tangible expression of shared humanity I want to thank Walter Eichinger, general manager of the Brendan Theater, who not only opened his theater to the artwork unveiling, but hosted five different events in support of the Sister City program.

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Another interesting sidelight is that the delegation was joined

by Ron Leone, Jr., son of our Vice Mayor, Ron Leone. Ron, Jr. is currently an English language teacher in Kitakami and was able to use some of his Japanese language skills, much to the delight of his parents.

Mayor Takahashi presented the city with an ornate tea set contained in an artistically appointed lacquered box.

Japan has a proud tradition of taiko drumming. In light of this, we gave Mayor Takahashi a set of gift drums made by the

ty and support after the Kitakami region was hit hard in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

“The delegation was very impressed and moved by how many cranes there were and all of the people in our area who had helped make them in respect and honor of them,” said Concord City Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister.

“Symbols are a large part of the Japanese culture and represents a special wish to them of longevity and good fortune.”

The Sister City visit was also special for Vice Mayor Ron Leone, whose oldest son, Ron Jr., was part of the Japanese delegation. The younger Leone has been living in Kitakami teaching English. “ It was also great to renew relationships that I had made two years ago when I visited Kitakami as Mayor in 2012,” the vice-mayor said.

For more information on the Kitakami delegation visit, see the mayor’s column beginning on page 1.

Og-Lala Lakota Sioux nation, who continue the tradition of Native American music and drumming.

Richard Flittie, the drum maker and a former Concord resident was on hand to assist in making the special presentation.

A special honored guest was Masato Watanabe, the Consul General of Japan, who emphasized the importance of these hands-across-the-ocean relationships.

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Affordable Care Open Enrollment begins Nov. 15 GEORGE FULMORE Correspondent

Round two begins soon for the Affordable Care Act signups in California.

Open enrollment under the Covered California marketplace/exchange and its website – www.coveredca.com – begins Nov. 15, 2014. It continues through Feb. 15, 2015.

An estimated 12,000 Concord residents are still without health insurance coverage.

Five information and signup sessions have been scheduled at the Concord Library.

Each is on a Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The dates are Nov. 22, Dec. 13, Jan. 10, Jan. 24 and Feb.14.

In attendance at these sessions with be Enrollment Counselors and others who can help answer questions about the program and its benefits, and can begin the actual signup process.

Per Covered California, the first year of enrollments went extremely well, with the percentage of Californians without health insurance dropping from about 22 percent to 11 percent. That means that more than half of those in the state who did not have insurance prior to October 2013, or about 3.4 million of the roughly six million previously uninsured, gained insurance, as a result of the first open enrollment period under Covered California.

Approximately 90 percent

of those currently enrolled via the Covered California exchange are receiving federal subsidies to reduce their monthly insurance premiums.

Eligibility is based on one’s annual income and the size of one’s family.

For the 2014/2015 enrollments, the following limits apply: • Family of one: maximum of $45,960 per year • Family of two: maximum of $62,040 per year • Family of three: maximum of $78,120 per year • Family of four: maximum of $94,200 per year In addition, some enrollees can qualify for reduced co-payments and deductibles, in addition to subsidies to their insurance premiums.

Per Covered California, the 2014/2015 statewide campaign will be funded with $46 million in new advertising and $14.6 million in new community outreach grant funding. The goal is to enroll another 130,000 Californians via the state exchange and to retain as many as possible of those who have previously signed up for insurance via the state exchange.

For more information on Covered California, and to view the array of 2014/2015 insurance products offered, and to determine the subsidy amount for those who qualify, go to www.coveredca.com, or call 800-300-1506.

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

COMMUNITY

In Brief...

Baldwin Dog Park closed Until Dec. 2 The Baldwin Dog Park at 2700 Parkside Circle in Concord will be closed for renovation through Tuesday, Dec. 2. The project will improve the condition and durability of the natural grass turf in preparation for the winter season. Concord’s two dog parks are consistently the most visited amenities in the entire park system and provide the community with safe areas for dogs to exercise and socialize off-leash. Concord’s Newhall Park’s “Paw Patch” and Walnut Creek’s dog park are both scheduled to remain open during Baldwin’s annual maintenance period.For more information, contact the City’s Park Maintenance Division 925.671.3444.

Monument Business Network has eye on growth, image Nothing will change the direction of a neighborhood faster or more completely than the energy and motivation of the people who live and work there.

And the business owners that make up the Monument Business Network are nothing if not motivated.

Unsatisfied with what they say is a negative perception of

Tutors needed for Crisis Center The Monument Crisis Center, which provides food and other safety-net services at no cost to thousands of lowincome Contra Costa County households, has expanded its after-school tutoring program to more than 75 students.

The center has 32 volunteer tutors, most of who are in high school or college and needs more so that each student can develop a relationship with a particular tutor.

“A one-to-one relationship is especially important”, says Alice Rector, 69, a retired speech and language pathologist who volunteers to mentor the tutors. “The children see these tutors, who are doing well in school, playing sports, involved in their community, and they want to be like them,” Rector says. “It is very, very powerful.”

For more information, or to volunteer, contact Sandra Scherer at 925.825.7751

TOP: MONUMENT BUSINESS NETWORK MEMBERS WERE JOINED BY CONCORD’S MAYOR, TIM GRAYSON AND MARIA HENDERSON FROM SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER’S OFFICE FOR THE FIRST TASTE OF MONUMENT FOOD FESTIVAL. Back row: Nate Thomas, Fred Foerster; Middle row: Rolando Bernal, Oscar Salazar, Romina Gonzalez, Silvia Barajas, Maribel Delgado, Paula Fleeman, Henderson, Marty Carbajal, Eric Maldonado, Lisa Carbajal, Mike Babcock, Nicolas Barragan; Front row: Ronaldo Bernal, Mike Van Hofwegen, Kwang Yi, Grayson, Antonio Barragan Sr.; Top right, Monument Impact Intern, Sam Suri with Maribel Delgado, event chair and instrumental in the formation of the Monument Business Network.

Mt. Diablo Recycling Ice Bucket Challenge raises money and spirits for ALS The atmosphere was anything but chilly two Sundays ago as more than 450 people gathered at Mt. Diablo Recycling in Pittsburg for a fundraiser and what may be the biggest Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS research ever in honor of Mary Garaventa’s nephew Lou Ferrari, who was recently diagnosed with the disease.

Mary Garaventa and the

Continued next page

LEIGH KLOCK

Silvio and Mary Garaventa Family Foundation contributed $25,000 to the ALS Association to go toward researching a cure for this debilitating disease, and thousands of dollars more was raised in donations the day of the event.

The highlight of the day was the Ice Bucket Challenge itself, which hundreds of peo-

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ple participated in, including Chief Executive Officer of Mt. Diablo Recycling Joe Garaventa, Chief Operations Officer Clark Colvis, and his son, Dante Colvis. The challenge started off with hundreds of gallons of water being delivered from a huge backhoe — streamed live on the ALS Association website and on YouTube.

their neighborhood, 25 merchants have set out to change it.

Led by Maribel Delgado, owner of Mi Oficina Computer Cafe, Network members planned and mounted the first Taste of Monument event.

More than 500 visited the festively decorated parking lot next to Dolan’s Lumber to sample an array of international foods from 15 restaurants in the Monument Corridor; most of them family owned and operated.

The event had impressive community support, especially from The Creek church in Pleasant Hill, which provided dozens of volunteers.

Event sponsors included the Monument Impact Center, Carbajal Insurance, US Bank, Diablo Valley Bowl and Dolan’s Lumber and the city of Concord.

Next up: The Monument Lights Holiday Stroll in December.

Watch the Pioneer for date and details.

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 5

Concord City Clerk Mary Rae Lehman honored on retirement State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla and District Attorney Mark Peterson were back on familiar turf last week when they joined dozens of friends and supporters of Mary Rae Lehman to honor the retiring city clerk for 23 years of service to the city of Concord. All three were former Concord mayors.

As city clerk, Lehman was the city’s chief protocol officer, guiding elected officials through their official duties and keeping them from stepping on procedural landmines.

“She kept us on the straight and narrow,” said Guy Bjerke, also a former mayor and current-

ly on the Measure Q Oversight Committee. “And she told me I was her favorite,” a statement refuted in good humor by Peterson and current mayor Tim Grayson, who also claimed favored status with Lehman.

Other former mayors on hand with kudos for Lehman included Colleen Coll and Mike Pastrick.

Lehman was universally recognized for her loyalty, integrity and diplomacy.

“She was my best ally when I was on the other side of this dais,” said Councilman Edi Birsan.”

She’s a real champion of democracy…and she would remind me to brush my teeth whenever I put my foot in my mouth.”

Students’ art wows at Foundation party The Michelangelo D’Onofrio Arts Foundation held its annual fundraising party Sept.28 for the Foundation’s 2015 public school student art awards program.

The Foundation was founded in 2011 by Joan D’Onofrio when she observed art education in public schools begin to take a back seat to academics. Not only did funding cuts effect art class staffing and supplies, but no fuss was being made to single out

Fred Nelson, Concord resident, examines the art and makes a silent auction bid.

those students who were performing outstanding work and advances in digital art was going unrecognized. Who were the students excelling in art? And why were they not being lauded?

D’Onofrio took action. She started with one school using her own funds and let the art, ceramics and photography teachers select the students whose work merited awards at the school’s Annual Awards Ceremony. Each year more schools have been added to the program.

The party was held at the founder’s home and featured an art exhibit of student works from Concord, Northgate, College Park and Clayton Valley Charter high schools, and three middle schools: Diablo, Pine Hollow, and El Dorado.

Donations can be sent to MDAF 4425 Treat Blvd, Ste 188, Concord, CA 92521. The complete history of the Foundation can be viewed on their website: www.mdaf.net or email joandonofrio@aol.com for more info.

Lehman rose from mail delivery person starting in 1991 through the ranks to her current position as City Clerk and Administrative Services Coordinator.

From 1997 to 2002, she served as the executive secretary to the city council and the city manager.. In 2002, she was elected City Clerk

by Concord voters. In 2010, the city clerk became an appointed position. Lehman was instrumental in supporting the successful Sister City program with Kitakami, Japan, and a chief organizer of the July 4 celebration.

Mayor Tim Grayson proclaimed October 14 as “Mary Rae Lehman Day” in the City of Concord.

‘A Heart for Christmas’

Photo courtesy of City of Concord

CITY CLERK MARY RAE LEHMAN (center) receives a commendation from Assemblymember Susan Bonilla and Senator Mark DeSaulnier on her retirement from the City of Concord.

A day fit for a Pharaoh at Coptic festival A parking lot, tucked away under an unremarkable office building on Clayton Road was the surprising site of the St. Mary & St. Mina Coptic Orthodox Church’s 11th annual Pharaoh’s Festival this month.

Gyros, shish kabob, kadaif were just a few of the authentic Egyptian foods prepared by church members.

Those stopping by Amal Moussa’s table could walk away with their name printed in hieroglyphics on papyrus.

The church is actively working to build their new worship center on land they own near the BART station in Concord.

St. Mary and St. Mina Church is at 3500 Clayton Road.

Guests are welcome.

Samantha Lawson earns Girl Scout Gold Award Samantha Lawson, a CVCHS senior and the captain of the varsity cheerleading team, earned her Girl Scout Gold Award with a three-part project, “Live, Laugh, Love.”

In the “Live” segment, Samantha focused on healthy eating by coordinating a garden project at Crossroads High School where students grew their own food. She made a small recipe book to show the girls how to use the garden

In Brief...

crops in healthy dishes. The “Laugh” component emphasized fun in exercising. “Love” involved collecting stuffed animals for Children’s Hospital Walnut Creek Campus to give to patients having a difficult time.

Samantha started Girl Scouts as a Daisy in kindergarten. She is currently a member of Troop 30163. The Gold award is the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn.

One of the largest Christmas shows in the East Bay, needs help installing its 60,000 bulb musical light show. The multi-media Christmas light show is free to the public, with voluntary donation proceeds going to benefit charity. The show is mounted by 23-year-old Clayton resident Jeffrey Holmes with help and support from family, friends and volunteers. The final set up day is Sunday, Oct. 26 from noon-6 p.m. Food and training provided. Volunteers are also needed to help with greeting guests and parking on display days Wed.-Sun., Nov. 28-Dec. 28, 6-0 p.m. To volunteer, go to TinyUrl.com/H4CHelp.

Visit the website at aheartforchristmas.com for more information

Holiday packages needed for troops Contra Costa Blue Star Moms are seeking donations for holiday care packages to send to the troops deployed overseas. There is a long list of items needed on ccbluestarmoms.org.

Deliver to A-1 Self Storage, 5296 Concord Blvd.

by Nov. 15. Please, no leftover Halloween candy. Cards and cash donations are also welcome. All donations are tax deductible. For more information, go to www.ccbluestarmoms.org.

Senior Center Programs

SAMANTHA LAWSON

The Concord Senior Activity Center at First Presbyterian Church of Concord, 1965 Colfax St., has an activity program for active, older adults each Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A lowcost lunch is available. To volunteer or for more information, call 510.512.4032.

Precision Technologies (PT) a division of Benchmark Electronics, Inc.

is Hiring Precision Technologies North America has an extensive capability in mechanical manufacturing in Concord and Fremont.

PT‘s customers are leading Original Equipment Manufacturers who require exacting precision mechanical production capabilities.

Our product lines include the Semiconductor Production Equipment, Healthcare and Aerospace business sectors together with very close tolerance Instrumentation applications. Our capabilities include CNC machining, grinding, welding and complex electromechanical assembly produced in exacting clean room environments.

• CNC Lathe & Mille Machinists (2nd and weekend shift) • Facilities Maintenance Technician • Precision Inspector (contract)

• Quality Engineer

• Planner/Scheduler (Concord and Fremont - contract)

• Inventory Control Clerk (contract)

• Tool Crib Technician (Concord and Fremont)

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• CNC Programmer

• Sales and Service Engineer (Fremont)

• Quality Supervisor

www.Bench.com.

If you are interested in a career with a growing, fast-paced company, apply at We offer excellent salary & benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, STD, LTD, commuter benefits program, flexible spending, vacation, sick leave, holiday pay & 401K plan.

Applications accepted online and in person at 4021 Pike Lane, Concord

Page 6

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

From the desk of . . .

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CARLYN OBRINGER PLANNING COMMISSION After 10 long hours, Lupe deplanes in San Francisco. A bilingual friend, who holds both Peruvian and U.S. passports, has arranged a job opportunity for Lupe, who hopes to be able to send money home to her family, as a nanny. Imagine Lupe’s shock when the friend takes away her passport after they get through customs and tells her that she is going to be working — for free — around the clock, from now on. Lupe feels powerless as she speaks no English and is terrified that something will happen to her family back in Peru if she does not comply.

She has become a slave, another victim of the world’s fastest-growing criminal enterprise: human trafficking.

On Oct. 22, Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista

hosted a panel discussion to raise awareness around human trafficking — what it is, what it can look like in our community, and what is being done to stop it. Moderated by Assemblymember Susan Bonilla (DConcord), the panel featured Supervising Deputy District Attorney Bruce Flynn from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Sister Caritas Foster from the Holy Family Order, Cynthia Peterson from Community Violence Solutions and Alex Madsen from the Contra Costa County Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Initiative.

“It is critical that we combat human trafficking on a local level to ensure the safety of our communities and the protection of our most vulnerable and marginalized residents, many of whom are youth,” Bonilla said.

But what exactly is human trafficking? “Human trafficking is a crime against an individual, for the purpose of sex or labor, involving either force, fraud or coercion,” explains Madsen. “This is different

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eyes sparkle when she’s excited, and right now she’s very excited about the aRt Cottage project.

Butler, whose maiden name is Schmidt, emigrated with her family from Germany in the ‘50’s. She acquired her nickname, Fro, when a childhood friend in New Jersey could no longer stand kids calling her FROG-ard. Since the mispronunciation issue continued well into adulthood, Butler eventually took to spelling her name with the first three letters in caps, making the phonetic pronunciation obvious. “Frogard,” it turns out, is an old Northern European name which means “guardian of happiness.” It is as apt as the aRt Cottage moniker, with its emphasis on “our.”

It was not long after Butler began daydreaming about creating a communal art space that she drove past the small structure in downtown Concord, originally an orchard picker’s cottage. Her artist’s eye saw potential, and her heart fell in love with the wisteria that lines the front of the cottage. The cottage wasn’t for sale, but Butler began to gather information and plan her strategy anyway.

When it finally came on the market in 2009, she made a full price offer on the property, being sold as a short sale. The seller accepted her offer, but the bank turned it down. This could easily have been the end of the project and the cottage itself. Luckily for Concord, Butler is not easily deterred.

CHASING HER DREAM Butler doggedly pursued her heart’s desire and kept chasing her dream, even after the property went into foreclosure. Her tenacity was rewarded when she acquired the cottage in August, 2011, and she set about reclaiming the cottage’s original, rustic design. A divorcée with grown children, the independent Butler has done the majority of the restoration work on the cottage herself, enlisting occasional help from a volunteer, neighbor and other artists. aRt Cottage held its first show on Feb. 15, 2012. Since then, friends and fans of the Cottage have donated materials,

As 70 percent of victims are women and girls, human trafficking is of particular importance to Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista (SIDV), the local arm of a global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

Explains Vice President Karen Jameson, “Our hope, as a result of this panel discussion, is that our fellow citizens will understand that we have a huge responsibility to be on the lookout for our neighbor.

We can all help save lives by being diligent.”

Carlyn Obringer is a member of Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista and chairs the Concord Planning Commission. Professionally, she focuses on California education issues as an Education Policy Analyst. Contact her at carlyno@yahoo.com.

Obituary

John James Neary

aRt Cottage, from page 1 Everything from home repair & maintenance to construction

from human smuggling, which usually involves consent by the individual being smuggled and the crossing of a state or international border. An individual can be trafficked within her home, or two doors down the street. A border doesn’t need to be crossed.”

While many people think that human trafficking happens “somewhere else” like San Francisco or Southeast Asia, there are instances of human slavery occurring locally. For example, in Contra Costa County there were 32 cases of sex and labor trafficking, in 2013, with a prosecution rate by the District Attorney’s Office of 100 percent.

When asked where leads for these cases originate, Madsen says, “Most of the time, the first person to notice that something is not right is a concerned citizen like a next door neighbor, or a teacher.”

plants and stained glass. This collective effort could be seen as a first measure of success for the aRt Cottage on its way to becoming a highlight of the local art scene.

One of the most delightful aspects of aRt Cottage is the intimacy of its gallery space which allows the art to be very approachable. aRt Cottage is charming and relaxed, the kind of place one would like to brew a cup of tea and take time to commune with the art. Currently on exhibit is, “Art is What You Can Get Away With,” a show that includes pieces by local artists Cathy Riggs, Gwenn Spratt, Nancy Robinson and Pamela McCauley. Working in various media including oil, pastels, watercolors, collage and acrylics, the original works are as varied as the artists themselves and certain to find new fans.

PLAYFUL BEAUTY An award-winning artist in her own right, the modest Butler requires some coaxing before she will reveal her own pieces. Running the gamut from and painted pieces to ceramics, her art is as playful as it is beautiful. One piece that shows off both her talent and humor is a ceramic “self portrait” Butler playfully displays with sunglasses on. Its coolest feature is a slot that is not immediately visible, but allows the bust to double as her suggestion box.

Art classes for adults and children are arranged by appointment. “Celebrate!” featuring artists from the East Bay Artists Guild kicks off on Nov. 1 . The show includes jewelry, sculpture, photography and fine furniture. Edgy, funky, provocative and safe, aRt Cottage is a unique mix of the resourceful and the ingenious that will nurture local artists for years to come, which is good, because Butler really wants everyone to come out and play. aRt Cottage is at 2238 Mt. Diablo St., in downtown Concord.

The gallery is open Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sat. 1-5 p.m.

For more information, visit www.artcottage.info.

Nov. 7, 1947 – Oct. 4, 2014 J o h n Neary, who passed unexpectedly in his sleep Oct. 4 at his Tahoe City home, left large footprints among the students, athletes, teachers and administrators he worked with at Pleasant Hill, College Park and Clayton Valley high schools.

The 66year-old Neary spent much of his final years in education at Clayton Valley, where he was vice principal from 1989-91 and principal from 1998 until his retirement in 2005.

The Concord school issued a statement that read, in part, “Clayton Valley Charter High School family is saddened to have learned of the passing of former CVHS Principal John Neary. Mr. Neary had a distinguished career in education as a teacher, coach and administrator and he will be greatly missed.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones at this time of great loss.”

CVCHS Director of Administrative Services Neil McChesney added, “Mr. Neary holds a special place in my heart both in terms of his influence on my development as an educator and as a personal friend. He was principal during my senior year at CVHS (Class of 1989) and every student knew and loved him. He had this paternal presence on campus that was nurturing and pervasive.

“He also hired me as a firstyear teacher and conducted my first evaluation. His write-up and our subsequent conversations about what it meant to be a quality educator have stuck with me for the last 12 years.

Mostly I remember his kindness, compassion and his unwavering dedication to student advocacy.

He lived his life with love and will be remembered for it.”

Former CVHS teacher, coach and administrator Pat Middendorf had similar thoughts. “I considered it an honor to have been part of his team. He hired me at CV and two years later appointed me as the first female athletic director

of boys sports at CVHS and in the BVAL. “John was a man of many f i r s t s because he was fearless.

He would always do what was right no matter what the consequences were for him. The students adored him. He was a principal for all students, taking an interest in them whether they were the jocks, the nerds, the skaters or the arts kids. I will never forget that big laugh of his that echoed in the hallways at CV.” Justin Bedecarre (CVHS Class of 2003) added, “Mr. Neary always had our backs, gave students the benefit of the doubt. Not in the sense of being a pushover, but he made decisions, no matter how serious or seemingly inconsequential, in the best interest of us as individuals. He was wise and forgiving.

I owe much of my success today to Mr. Neary’s empathy, wisdom and compassion. He was a great man.”

Long-time CVHS English teacher Cate Sundling said, “John Neary was big-hearted, forthright and genuine. His motto was, ‘Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ He would drop everything to help a student, teacher or anyone who needed him.”

At the October CVCHS Governing Board meeting president Ted Meriam (CVHS Class of 2001) asked for a moment of silence. Meriam worked closely with Neary as a student when the school was getting its WASC accreditation renewed.

Neary was born in San Francisco and is survived by his wife of 47 years Patricia Helen Neary, who he met when they were 13years-olds walking to a pizza parlor in Millbrae. They have two children, Jason and Sean.

The family asked that donations in his name be made to the Boys and Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe or Truckee-Tahoe Humane Society.

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

From the desk of . . .

Volunteers in Policing make Concord a safer community GUY SWANGER

POLICE CHIEF I left off last month talking about getting involved in the local schools. There are so many examples of schools that maintain a vibrant volunteer base resulting in improved scores and attendance.

This same phenomenon appears in policing a community.

The Volunteer in Policing (VIP) program has been in place in Concord for more than two decades. There were a few senior citizens that were given an oppor-

tunity to work inside the police department to assist with various duties. Most of these original duties were administrative and/or clerical but they were essential. As time went on, and relationships were growing, more duties and responsibilities were thrust upon the VIPs. One of the more innovative changes, and at that time, controversial in some circles, were Neighborhood Patrol volunteers.

When I started in this profession in 1984, officers were given vacation house notices. Residents were letting us know that they would be on vacation and asked the beat officer to check on their home. The sad reality was that

these requests often fell to the bottom of the priority chart for lack of time. But VIPS made it a priority and took pride in this very important public safety activity.

And now the duties of the neighborhood patrol VIPS has increased to other functions, including traffic control, assisting investigations with case deliveries, and other tasks. The latest addition is our park steward program.

You will often see them on the weekends making sure our parks visitors are enjoying themselves and understand the park rules.

Since the 1990s, VIP duties have expanded based on the need of the police department and city

CC Transportation partners with MercedesBenz to test self-driving cars at CNWS Concord will soon be the site of some pretty cutting-edge auto testing..

Mercedes-Benz Research and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority have teamed up with the city of Concord and the US Navy to test self-driving cars on the pavedcity like roadways at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

The testing will include cutting edge transportation technology including traffic signals that ‘communicate’ with cars, and connected and autonomous driving vehicles.

“We can use the test site in Concord, to run simulation tests with self-driving vehicles in a secure way, including specific

hazardous situations”, explained Dr. Axel Gern, head of autonomous driving at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc. (MBRDNA). “Taken in conjunction with the results of our test drives on public roads, these tests will help us with the ongoing development of our autonomous cars.”

The focus of research nevertheless continues to lie on the tests undertaken in a real-life environment, he emphasized.

Since mid-September of this year Mercedes-Benz has held an official license from the State of California to test self-driving vehicles on public roads. The additional testing opportunities

Concord votes, from page 2 But then we get to the fivemember Concord City Council.

This is also a non-partisan race, where the winners earn four-year terms. Here, theoretically, three seats are open; however, all three incumbents are seeking re-election: Mayor Tim Grayson, current Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister, and current ViceMayor Ron Leone.

WILL INCUMBENTS PREVAIL? These three are endorsed by long-time Councilmember Dan Helix, Bonilla, and the powerful Concord Police Officers Association, among others.

But it may not be a slamdunk for all three. There are six other candidates. And there are some interesting dynamics that may decide the race.

Laura Hoffmeister would seem to be the most likely to win.

She is the only woman among the nine contenders, plus she has a great reputation for having the most institutional knowledge on the council. And she seems at the top of her game, even as she seeks her fifth four-year term on the council.

Then comes Mayor Tim

Grayson. A relatively new politico in Concord, Grayson joined the council in 2010, when he edged out challenger Edi Birsan to join Mark Peterson and Laura Hoffmeister as winners in the 2010 Concord City Council race.

Since then, he has ascended to the position of mayor, an office which has recently been lengthened to a two-year term.

Grayson has served one year as mayor. If re-elected, he will serve a second year as mayor, within his second four-year term on the council.

The third incumbent, and the one who would seem to have the most vulnerability, is former mayor and current Vice-Mayor Ron Leone. Leone loves his job on the Council, and he is perceived as a hard-worker. But he has some strikes against him. For one, he was not endorsed by the Contra Costa Times, which did endorse Grayson and Hoffmeister. The issue of entitlement benefits also haunts Leone, who received a $150,000 annuity after serving on the Mt. Diablo Health Care Board. The annuity was to cover future health care insurance for him and his wife. Oppo-

provided by the CNWS site will enable the company to expand significantly the scope of its research activities, said Gern..

When testing begins, it will be at one of the country’s few operational test bed sites that provides real-world infrastructure and equipment to facilitate the testing of new transportation technology in a controlled environment.

The public will not have access to the test site, and the self-driving cars will be restricted to the test bed site. With 2,100 acres of testing area and 19.6 miles of paved roadway, the CNWS is currently the largest secure test bed site in the United States.

nents say that money could have been returned to the public coffers.

It is newcomer Brent Trublood who got the endorsement of the Times for the third slot on the council. Trublood also was endorsed by the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County, which endorsed Laura Hoffmeister, as well. (The party chose only to endorse two.)

Trublood is also the choice of current Councilmember Edi Birsan, who, as a registered Democrat and a member of the Democratic Party County Central Committee, has backed the endorsement of that body for Trublood and Hoffmeister.

Trublood is a middle-school teacher who has been with the Mt. Diablo School District for 15 years. He has served as a member of the Restoration Advisory Board for the Naval Weapons Station.

IMPACT

OF MONEY AND MAILERS

But, before the others in the race are introduced, a brief look at some major dynamics that may actually determine the victors in this race. These include 1) the number and the sizes of the campaign signs that each candidate can put up around town,

operations. Some of the community based activities include the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), providing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) recommendations to businesses, homes, and schools, Concord Amateur Radio Emergency Services, and many others. The clerical duties have expanded to holding hearings on parking tickets, tows and operating our prized Community Court program.

Chaplain, cadets, front counter greeters, department photographers, and volunteers in the investigation bureau bring an entire new level of service to Concord.

I am often taken aback by the energy and skill set of the VIPs. Last year I asked the neighborhood patrol to assist with night patrols on the BART path due to the theft of copper wire affecting the lighting. They were out there that night and continued until the lighting was fixed. We recently asked this same patrol to assist with checking every street light due to an expiring warranty.

Done. And one of the more rewarding moments of this job is watching the group of special needs children and young adults restock the patrol cars every Monday. They have been doing this job for years and we cannot thank them enough.

Volunteers help inside the police department but their emphasis is always improving public safety. They, like the officers, ask the question, “How do we prevent the next crime?” I will discuss that next month.

Guy Swanger is Concord’s Chief of Police. Send questions or comments to ContactCPD@cityofconcord.org.

and 2) the number and quality of political mail pieces that each candidate can send to voters.

This stuff costs money. And the incumbents are simply the ones who will have the most money. Plus, the Concord Police Officers Association (POA) has its own money, and it will certainly send out mailers endorsing the three incumbents.

In this sense, it may be money and the POA endorsement that determine who wins the Concord City Council race.

Others running for the Concord City Council include City Planner Adam Foster, stay-athome-dad Patrick Hogoboom, educator/scientist Terry Kremin, psychologist and businessman Dr. Harmesh Kumar, retired coach Vernon Kurpieski, and Nicholas Lynch, who works in industrial packaging sales.

Kremin, Kumar and Kurpieski all ran for the Council in 2012.

Those Concord voters who have not yet voted may want to review the election pamphlet materials for more information on all nine candidates for the Concord City Council.

George Fulmore is a local political activist and a member of the newly formed Monument Democratic Club of Concord.

Page 7

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Services, Other ComputersUSA! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9989 Net Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-6029 Recycling Center & Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . .473-0180 Travel Travel to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .672-9840

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Partnering with a Purpose

November 2014

FORUM

Why a ‘Yes’ on Measure Q matters

As we continue our partnership with ARF, we now have a donation drop box for much needed supplies.

Needed: dry and wet dog and cat food, toys, washable cat beds & cardboard scratching pads.

Drop off your donations today!

Don’t forget to ‘like us’ on Facebook and check out our page for our pet-of-the week!

Call us at

GUY BJERKE Guest Voices

925.672.4100

This November Concord voters face a choice that is actually more important than who sits on the city council for the next four years. A decision to extend the existing half-cent sales tax by voting YES on Measure Q will protect core city services and our quality of life during this prolonged and uneven economic recovery.

5442 Ygnacio Valley Rd. #180 CLAYTON VALLEY CENTER (Next door to Jamba Juice) A member of

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Do campaign signs really point to victory?

EDI BIRSAN Guest Editorial

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It’s “Silly Sign Season” again, when political campaign signs seem to litter our town.

The sign rules are as follows: 1. Get permission of the land owner to put up a sign. This is usually not followed and you will see many empty lots dotted with signs. There is virtually no enforcement of this and no penalties. It is up to concerned residents to hunt down the owners and point out the violation and have the owners post a complaint with the city clerk.

2. Display ownership. All signs should indicate who paid for them and include an election registration number. This is also commonly not done and again there is no enforcement or penalties.

3. Limit size. The rules in Concord allow for the size to be 32 square feet, so the most common large sign is eight-by-fourfeet.

Here is the sad reality of political signs in a City Council race: The ones on street corners and lots are universally disliked; The sayings on them are nearly always ignored; “Signs do not vote” is a common saying by some analysts; Volunteers for a campaign are most annoyed by other people’s signs; For a section of the voting population the signs increase name recognition and in an election where you have to pick three people, the belief is that they work. This is the critical reason you see a flood of signs.

The signs that are set up at parking lots in shopping centers and on empty lots are normally done by paid crews. The crews are contracted by sign manufacturers and are reused by political consultants. They do not keep records of permission nor do they ask. The arms-length transaction from the politician to the consultant to the sign maker to the crew is a functional way that candidates try to avoid responsibility.

You cannot put signs on a public lamp post or city property (this does not apply to the lamp posts in shopping centers which is on private land). This includes the medians and rightof-ways.

The storeowner governs signs inside store windows, though what happens often is that many of them are set up with the permission of an employee and not the owner.

This has caused a problem with

outside signs famously at Bonfaire Market on Willow Pass where the owner and the cashier had different views of what could be allowed.

Attempts were made last year to change the sign rules in Concord to include the following: Reduce size to four-by-six or less (note that Walnut Creek and Clayton both have size limits smaller than the current one in Concord); Change the date of “open sign season” to Labor Day Weekend; Require advance permission to be on record with the Concord City Clerk for all signs on empty lots; Have a bond or deposit for compliance; Have a volunteer group check signs for compliance with permission; All these reforms were defeated basically on a 4-1 basis in the city council or shot down totally in subcommittee.

WHAT CAN THE PUBLIC DO? 1. When you see signs in a strip mall parking lot lamp post, go to a store and ask for the contact of the owner of the mall. Contact them and see if they gave permission. Do the same for signs on empty lots, though it’s harder to find the owner. When you get confirmation of a sign without permission make some noise and constantly follow up until the sign is removed. If you want to be proactive contact the land owners or the mall managers in advance and ask if there is permission and if you can assist in keeping the place clean of signs.

If you want to change the silly sign season, then you have to get involved. It is our city, our standards, and silence never made a difference to a politician.

Edi Birsan is a Concord City Councilman these views represent his own and not of the Council or the City staff of Concord.

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CHANGED FINANCIAL REALITIES When the first Measure Q was passed in 2010 the hope was five years of additional revenue would provide stop-gap funding for core city services until the local economy recovered from the Great Recession. Unfortunately the economic recovery is taking a lot longer than expected.

Within a year of the original Measure Q’s passage the State of California eliminated all Redevelopment Agencies, including Concord’s. This was an unforeseen multi-million dollar state takeaway of funding for our economic development efforts that put yet another hole in the city’s budget.

Since 2008 the city has been in cutting mode with staffing and program reductions of 25 percent. Many routine maintenance and community services were cut or deferred. The estimated costs to address needed repairs to roads, parks and public buildings that were postponed during the Great Recession is about $7.4 million per year.

TO CUT OR PROTECT CORE CITY SERVICES? The city’s current budget and 10 year financial forecast recognizes these changed financial realities since the passage of Measure Q. Both documents show that Measure Q dollars have been spent as intended – to protect core city services – but that the changed financial realities will require another $4 million dollars in permanent budget reductions if voters do not extend Measure Q this November.

The extension of the halfcent sales tax is a quality of life issue for Concord residents and business owners. Further cuts in city services affect everyone.

Letting our roads, parks and community facilities deteriorate will only make there repair more expensive in the future.

Extending Measure Q simply continues existing funding to maintain our priorities, including 911 emergency response, neighborhood police patrols, gang prevention programs, street repair efforts and youth and senior programs – without raising the tax you currently pay.

Even the Contra Costa Taxpayers’ Association has recommended a Yes vote on Measure Q because of the city’s history of fiscal responsibility and the provision that allows a unanimous city council vote to end the tax early should regular revenue sources provide sufficient funding for ongoing services.

No one likes paying taxes.

But at least this local tax is providing locally controlled funds for local projects and services, with money that cannot be taken by the state, and continues to require an independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee.

Please join me and other community leaders and business owners in protecting Concord’s future quality of life by voting YES on Measure Q this November.

Guy Bjerke is a former Mayor, City Council member and Planning Commissioner. He is currently the Chair of the Measure Q Citizens’ Oversight Committee.

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 9

BUSINESS TODOS SANTOS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

Chamber Spotlight on Ghost Golf

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

C ORRESPONDENTS : Cynthia Gregory, Patricia Romero, John Jackson

PIONEER INFO CONTACT US

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

MARILYN FOWLER

SPOTLIGHT

ON...

The Tower Grille, across from Todos Santos Plaza, is a local favorite for food, fun and friends.

H. Gordon Clarke, owner and operator, calls it a sports bar. But, in fact, it’s so much more.

With a central location right across from Todos Santos Plaza, a full bar, patio seating, great food and friendly staff, The Tower Grille is THE place to meet friends, watch your favorite sports team, take your family for lunch or dinner or enjoy bottomless Mimosas on Saturday mornings from 10-1.

The Tower Grille has every sports channel available with multiple TV screens visible from any seat, including the patio.

The Tower Grille has something for everyone from creative salads to big juicy burgers to the best meatballs in town. Local resident Cassandra Lonergan loves the Tower’s char broiled chicken sandwich. “When my friends ask where to go, the Tower Grille is always my first choice.”

Along with the Mimosas, the Tower Grille is famous for Gordon’s secret Bloody Mary recipe.

Gordon is always open to suggestions. While watching a Giants game recently, Adam Foster mentioned to Gordon that he loves sour beer. Sour beer was in stock by the next game.

After just three years in business, Gordon is already planning an expansion of both the Tower Grille’s outdoor seating and the menu.

Come in costume on Oct. 24 for the Tower Grille’s big Halloween Super Hero Costume Party.

Look for more events, the menu and catering information at www.towergrille.com The Tower Grille is at 1950 Grant Street, downtown Concord.

10th Annual TSBA Downtown Concord Halloween Merchant Trick or Treat

CONCORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Chamber of Commerce welcoming crew turned out in force to cut the ribbon on Ghost Golf’s new facility at 4383 Clayton Rd.

This month, the Concord Chamber was on hand to cut the ribbon at the new location of Ghost Golf on Clayton Road.

The newly expanded 6,500 square foot facility is a one-of-akind family-friendly indoor miniature golf course with fully themed special effects and ghoulish animatronics, all set in a creepy old graveyard.

The new facility also hosts Ultimate Ghostly Parties and features a Haunted Shooting Gallery.

Ghost Golf is the dream of its founder, creator and designer Daryn Coleman. In 2010, he and his wife Janice opened their original 9-hole indoor miniature golf course on Salvio Street.

Within three years, they had outgrown their space, and this year, they moved into the larger facility with an 18-hole course.

Daryn has created and built all of the animatronics as well as the mini-golf ball brush stop that makes Ghost Golf ADA compliant. Their course is one

of the first wheelchair accessible miniature golf courses around.

Located at 4383 Clayton Rdl., Ghost Golf is open seven days a week, subject to change.

For hours or more info, go www.ghostgolfconcord.com or call (925) 521-1913.

For more information on becoming a member of the Concord Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.concordchamber.com or call (925) 6851181.

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

The Clayton Pioneer and the Concord Pioneer are monthly publications delivered free to homes and businesses in 94517, 94518, 94519 and 94521. ZIP code 94520 is currently served by drop site distribution. The papers are published by Clayton Pioneer, Inc., Tamara and Robert Steiner, PO 1246, Clayton, CA 94517. The offices are located at 6200 Center St. Suite H, Clayton, CA 94517 LET US KNOW Weddings, anniversaries, births and deaths all weave together as part of the fabric of our community.

Please let us know of these important events. We ask only that the announcement be for a resident in our home delivery area. Submit on our website and be sure to attach a JPG photo that is at least 3 MB. Also on the website are forms for calendar items, events & press releases.

...more ribbon cuttings

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Both Pioneer newspapers welcome letters from our readers. As a general rule, letters should be 175

Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening at 1 Kick Up Martial Arts, 1200 Contra Costa Blvd., Ste. H, Concord, Owners are Michael & Aline Grazier.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe to either the Clayton Pioneer or the Concord Pioneer, call the office at (925) 672-0500.

Subscriptions are $35/year for each paper, $60/year for both.

FREE

Ad Rep Needed

The Concord Pioneer is seeking an ADVERTISING SALES REP. This is a great opportunity with a growing newspaper serving the largest city in Contra Costa County. Our ad rep will excel at business to business, relationship sales and be passionate about helping businesses grow.

Requires previous sales experience, preferably in media sales. Generous commissions.

Email brief of your qualifications to editor@concordpioneer.com.

Be a COMMUNITY AD REP for the Concord Pioneer.

Help our paper grow. Refer a business that advertises with us and we’ll pay you 10% commission on the sale. No restrictions. Refer your own business and get the commission. Call the office, (925) 672-0500 or email editor@concordpioneer.com

Serving Northern California for Over 30 Years

Residential & Commercial

24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

FREE ESTIMATES

For more information, go to concordtsba.org

Advertise in the Concord Pioneer.

It works. Call 925-672-0500

CIRCULATION as of Sept. 2014 The Concord Pioneer is delivered monthly to 30,000 homes and businesses Papers are delivered by carriers for ABC Direct around the last Friday of the month. To stop delivery for any reason, call the office at (925) 672-0500 .

If you are NOT receiving the Pioneer, please check the distribution map on the website. If you live in the shaded area and are not receiving the paper, please let us know. If you are not in the shaded area, please be patient. We will come to your neighborhood soon.

The Clayton Pioneer is delivered

by US Mail to 5,500 homes and businesses in 94517 around the second Friday of the month.

Ribbon Cutting & Remodel Celebrations at Regus Management Group, 1255 Treat Blvd., Ste. 300, Walnut Creek

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6" Sub when you buy a 6" Sub of equal or greater price & 21 oz. drink

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Bring the kids downtown on Oct. 31 from 3-5 p.m to Trick or Treat the merchants

words or less and submitted at least one week prior to publication date.

Letters concerning current issues will have priority. We may edit letters for length and clarity. All letters will be published at the editor’s discretion.

Please include name, address and daytime telephone number. We will not print anonymous letters. E-mail your letter to editor@concordpioneer.com.

Letters must be submitted via Email.

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Page 10

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

Beware of recapture tax when selling rental LYNNE FRENCH

REAL ANSWERS Q. I am going to sell a rental property that I have owned for more than 10 years.

I am finally in a position where it won’t be a short sale. I now have equity in the property. I am, however, selling it for more than $25,000 less than I paid for it. A friend said I should look into a 1031 exchange to avoid having to pay taxes. I don’t feel I will owe any taxes because I am selling at a loss. Is this correct?

A. Your friend has given you good advice. You should at least look into a 1031 exchange. You

also should consult with a tax professional with any investment purchase or sale. Many sellers assume that if you don’t make a profit you will have no taxes. This is far from the truth. Part of the reason people buy investment property is for the tax benefits while they own the property. One of these benefits is the ability to claim depreciation during ownership. This is a deduction on your income taxes. If you own the property long enough you can depreciate it all the way down to zero. When you sell the property you have to “recapture” the depreciation which actually means you must pay the money you deducted back. This can result in a sizable tax bill even when you are selling at a loss.

One way this can be dealt with is for you to do a 1031 exchange.

A 1031 exchange is a tool for investors to defer capital gains taxes on the exchange of “like

‘Smelly’ water being treated It’s Indian summer, when the trees are turning bright colors, Friday Night football lights up the night skies, and the bloom of algae is creating earthy, musty and sometimes unpleasant smells and tastes in our water.

Huh? According to the Contra Costa Water District, changes in the tastes in odor in tap water may be due to the decaying vegetation and algae bloom that regularly happens in the warn late summer /early fall months.

“It’s not uncommon to see the algae blooming in the canals and reservoirs,” says CCWD spokesperson Jennifer Allen.

“We often get calls from people who are especially sensitive to

taste and odor.”

She says CCWD is working to treat the algae, and in the past several weeks complaints from residents have decreased. During the height of the problem several weeks ago, CCWD adjusted the treatment process to control the taste and odor in the water.

Allen says that these tastes and odors are more noticeable in warm water than in cold, so one way of dealing with any musty or earthy taste or odor is to chill the water before drinking.

For more info on the Contra Costa Water District, go to ccwater.com

Upgrade to become a Speed Freak

WILL CLANEY TECH TALK How many cups of coffee does it take to boot your computer? Is your computer slow, so slow in fact you’ve nearly quit using it, so slow it drives you crazy while it tries to boot up or launch a program or two? You should quit living in the past and upgrade to the ultimate speed freak.

What am I talking about?

Well, did you know the slowest part of your computer is the hard drive? It is slow because it is mechanical. In the computer “Biz” a mechanical device is not as good as an electronic device.

Mechanical devices, like your hard drive, can only run at preset speeds. For example, your hard drive turns at between 4,000 and 7,000 revolutions per second.

Thousands of RPM may sound fast, until you compare to the speed of light. A solid state device runs at (near) light speed.

One might ask, “What difference does it make?” Well, for one thing programs can take minutes to load and that is lost time each day. That’s what happens when your computer boots up. It loads programs from the mechanical

hard drive then runs them. The loading part is the slowest part.

Running the program once it is loaded depends upon other features of your computer, like CPU and RAM. If you have a smartphone the boot time is fast, because it is all solid state, meaning everything is electronic and not mechanical and that translates to fast. So, if you want to go fast, boot fast and run fast, you need solid state.

SSD is the terminology for fast. Solid State Drives (SSD) are all electronic devices and they replace or run along with your existing mechanical hard drive to make data move faster and therefore, make your computer much more responsive and quick.

SSD is not expensive and a is worthy upgrade to most computers because boot times are reduced from minutes to seconds and running programs is faster, nearly instant. Prices range from under $100 for the basic models to more than $500 for extreme series. The one recommended most by local professionals run about $300 fully installed and set to go.

So, if you want to go crazy fast, boot up before the coffee is ready, or just start enjoying your desktop or laptop again, jump into new technology and add an SSD device to your computer and become the ultimate speed freak.

William Claney is a professional computer consultant and technical writer. Will is the CEO of ComputersUSA!. Send comments to Editor@ConcordPioneer.com

kind” property. This tax-savings strategy can help investors avoid a tax liability when they sell one investment property and buy another. When I say “like kind property,” you have a wide definition of what that can be. Basically it could mean other investment property. It could be a vacant lot, a house, apartment building or joining into various investment groups. It can’t be anything that you will live in yourself.

You can defer the payment of any gains until you stop exchanging and sell the last property in this chain. Some people even move into their rental property

for at least two years and then change their minds about wanting to live there and sell the property.

In that case they might still have to pay some recapture of depreciation but wouldn’t have to pay capital gains if there is a profit. Of course your particular case should be discussed with a tax professional.

Q. Now that the housing market seems to have rebounded somewhat in the last two years, what are some of the features that were forgone and are now coming back in demand?

A. During the downturn smaller homes were in demand much more than before this period. This trend seems to be turning around. The way this seems to be working is with the addition of “discretionary” rooms. People seemed to be able to do without these extra rooms so they could buy less square footage a couple of years ago. Most in-demand lately are outdoor living areas, mud rooms, home offices and inlaw suites. We are also seeing special hobby rooms for a variety of projects such as game rooms, craft rooms, gift wrapping rooms and of course “man caves,” either

in the house or in the garage or workshop areas.

Home owners are also placing high value on energy efficiency.

Homes with solar for electricity are very popular. Many people are putting solar in their current homes. Interest in all systems to lower utility bills is continuing to grow.

Send your question and look for your answer in a future column. Email Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates. Contact her at 672-878 7or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.

Blue Star Moms host Veterans’ Day race The Contra Costa blue Star Moms, Chapter 20, are gearing up for the inaugural Veterans’ Day 10K/5K Run/Walk on Nov. 8.

The race was created to raise awareness and show support for many local veterans and to raise money to provide support for active duty service personnel, promote patriotism, assist veterans’ organizations and assist in homeland volunteer efforts.

This 6.2 mile (10K) and 3.1 mile (5K) Run/Walk is an out and back course route that starts in

Hillcrest Park, heads out onto the Iron Horse Trail and then loops back into Hillcrest Park by the Korean War Memorial, ending in the park. There will be two aid stations on the 10K course (one on the 5K course) with water and electrolyte drinks.

All registered participants receive a long sleeve event T-shirt (shirts not guaranteed after Nov. 1) and a dog tag finishers’ medal.

There will be prizes awarded to the top three males and female finishers in both races, as well as

the top three male and female veterans and active service members in both races.

There will be post-race food and beverages provided by Costco, Grocery Outlet and Bill’s Ace Hardware. Free parking will be available at the park and nearby parking lots next to the park.

Look for the signs.

Register online at through Nov. 7 at noon. There is also late registration at Sports Basement during early packet pick up Nov. 7 from 4-7p.m. as well as race day

registration from 7 to 8 a.m.

To register go to www.raceroster.com/events/201 4/3617/ccbsm-veterans-day5k10k-walk-run. Veterans and active military receive $5 off the entry fee. Email fundraisers@ccbluestarmoms.org with branch, rank, and current status for discount code.

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Weak El Niño no drought buster WOODY WHITLATCH WEATHER WORDS Fall is just a few weeks old and everyone seems concerned about how much rainfall we will get during the upcoming winter season.

A bigger worry is whether we’ll get enough rain to put a serious dent in the ongoing California drought.

Many weather prognosticators have pinned hopes of a wet California winter season on a developing El Niño. This was especially true a few months ago when forecast models indicated that a moderate to strong event was brewing in the tropical Pacific.

Strong El Niño events correlate fairly well with wetter than

normal California winters, especially in the southern half of the state. Northern and Central California received abnormally high amounts of late winter and early spring rainfall in 1998, the most recent strong El Niño event.

Currently, most forecast models continue to predict El Niño development later this fall and continuing into early 2015.

Unfortunately, it is now expected to be a weak event, a classification that does not correlate well with above normal rainfall for most of our state.

The National Weather Service forecast guidance for the upcoming winter month months indicates there is a good chance of above normal rainfall in Southern California, roughly south of a line from Santa Barbara to the Nevada-Arizona border. For the remainder of the state models give equal chances for above or below normal winter rainfall.

At first glance, the forecast of

a weak El Niño conditions sounds like a gloom and doom scenario for winter rainfall prospects. However, there are some hopeful signs that the extremely dry conditions of the past few years will not be repeated this winter.

The major reason our winter water spigot has been turned off is the persistence of a strong area of high pressure that has been seemingly locked into place over the Eastern Pacific. This “ridiculously resilient ridge,” as some meteorologists have called it, has been very effective at blocking winter storm systems from entering California.

Whether the upcoming El Niño is weak or strong, it will have some effect on jet stream wind flow. The late summer and early fall surges of monsoon moisture into the southwestern U.S. indicate that the subtropical jet stream is strengthening. Hopefully this trend continues as the El

Niño develops and the southern jet directs bands of Pacific moisture toward our parched state this winter.

The recent rise of sea surface temperatures off the California coast is another sign that this winter may be wetter than recently experienced. Warmer coastal waters typically indicate a weakening of upwelling sea conditions, which may signal a weakening of the resilient ridge.

All things considered, I’m optimistic that we’ll get more rainfall this winter than we’ve had in a few years. Unfortunately, it will likely take several successive winters of normal or above-normal rainfall to put a damper on the drought.

Woody Whitlatch is a meteorologist retired from PG&E. Email your questions or comments to clayton_909@yahoo.com

‘Memory of Water’ is a haunting tale In drought-stricken California we are ultra-sensitive to the topic of water. It isn’t, therefore, a huge leap to fall headlong into Emmi Itärana’s debut novel, “Memory of Water” (Harper Voyager; June 2014). Set in a dystopian future Scandinavia Union where climate change is more than a theory, wars are waged over water, and the military literally controls the flow of who deserves water and who doesn’t, Itärana’s tale rings eerily true.

The empire of New Qian is a barren wasteland. It occupies what was once Norway, Sweden, Finland. The icecaps have melted, clean water is scarce, and poverty epidemic. Still, normal is a relative term.

An only child, Noria Kaitio studies to be an honored tea master, like her father. Imagine a culture where tea is held in the highest regard, where water is scarce, and hoarding fresh water is a punishable crime. Where does a tea master obtain water suitable for a sacred tea ceremony? Noria is just 17, but even she understands the

gravity of the secret her father reveals to her about his source of water.

Noria’s best friend is a clever girl named Sanja, who lives in a mean hut with her family and no reliable source of water. Together, the girls scavenge a local landfill for plastic that can be repurposed into something useful. The girls are close as cousins so when betrayal comes, Noria tries not to see it. She takes her strange world in stride. After all, she has nothing to compare it to.

When her father takes her to a hidden spring, revealing the source of the family water, Noria absorbs this dangerous secret, unsure what to do with it. After her mother flees to find work at a university far away, and soon after her father dies, Noria is utterly alone and the secret of water becomes her undoing.

“Water is the most versatile of all elements. So my father told me the day he took me to the place that didn’t exist. While he was wrong about many things, he was right about this, so I still believe.”

CYNTHIA GREGORY

FOR

THE

BOOKS

“Memory of Water” inhabits a strange world, where potable water is currency and carried around in recycled plastic “water skins.” People wear “insect hoods” to protect them from black fly infestations. Bathing is pure luxury. Gardens are a rare extravagance. This is a world of “burned-out grass and bare stone.”

As conditions grow worse in her village and communication with the outside world less predictable, Noira loses whatever privilege being tea master ever

held. Sanja’s baby sister becomes ill and needs not just medicine, but water. Noria gives Sanja precious water and then begins to barter water for things she needs and in no time her secret is common knowledge. When the military begins to execute citizens for “water crimes,” Noria starts to understand how precarious her situation is.

“Water is the most versatile of all elements. It isn’t afraid to burn in fire or fade into the sky, it doesn’t hesitate to shatter against sharp rocks in rainfall or drown into the dark shroud of the earth.

It exists beyond all beginnings and ends.”

“Memory of Water” is a sad and haunting story. And yet, there is a sweetness in Itärana’s narrative that draws the reader in and makes an unreal world seem nearly normal.

Cynthia Gregory writes book reviews, award-winning short stories and a blog. Visit her blog at PersephonesStepSisters.Wordpress.com or send email to her at cgregory111@gmail.com

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Take plenty of time to grieve the loss of a treasured pet

DEBBIE DEMELLO

PET PALS Given the intense bond that we share with our companion animals, it’s natural to feel devastated by feelings of grief and sadness when a pet dies. Unfortunately not everyone can understand the depth of feeling you had for your pet but you should never feel ashamed about grieving for your animal friend. There are healthy ways to cope with the loss and comfort yourself and others.

It helps to understand the grief after the loss of a pet. For many people a pet is not “ just a dog” or “just a cat.” Pets are beloved members of the family and when they die you feel a significant, even traumatic loss.

The level of grief depends on some factors such as the age of your pet and the circumstances of their death.

Because your pet was an everyday part of your life, even the most simple tasks can be heartbreaking. You might find yourself getting ready to feed your dog or cat or take your dog for a walk, only to remember he is gone. Chances are, you will come home sometime expecting your dog to greet you. Things

like little scratch marks on the floor can trigger emotions.

Items like leashes, toys and food bowls are obvious reminders.

However, getting rid of all the things that remind you of your pet may not be the answer.

You may wish to store the items away where you can look at them again later.

Doing something special to preserve the memory of your beloved companion can be comforting. Some pet owners decide to have a small memorial service after their pet dies. The important thing is to do something from your heart that will help you remember your pet and process your grief. If you were able to make arrangements before your pet died (as in the case of euthanasia) you might have gotten a chance to make a paw printout of clay or get a lock of hair. If you didn’t get a chance to do one of these things, consider a display of pictures, a collar or maybe a favorite toy. Some people plant a bush or tree and add a decorative memorial stone.

Often people express their emotions in a written tribute. A written tribute will help you express your emotions and give others a chance to see the love you have for your pet.

Talk to people about your feelings. Consider joining a pet loss support group in your area or even online.

The most important thing to remember is that grief takes time. You will always miss your companion but in time things will get better.

At first there will be more bad days than good. Your pet’s

memory may always be bittersweet for you.

Future pets cannot replace your lost companion but they might help fill a void.

As pet guardians we know that we are most likely to outlive

Page 11

Citizens for ‘No Kill’ Vigil

our pets. We are grateful for the time that we can share our lives with them.

Debbie DeMello is a dog trainer and owner of Who’s Training Who in Walnut Creek. Contact her at debdemello@aol.com

Victoria Sheridan

Pioneer Photo Album Felony Bull arrested for Halloween candy theft.

Over 100 one hundred supporters of a “no kill” policy for Contra Costa Animal Control gathered outside of the Martinez shelter on Oct 8. They were there for a candlelight vigil to remember and honor the 4,000 companion animals that are euthanized annually. Citizens for a No Kill Contra Costa County are calling for the adoption of strategies and programs proven to significantly reduce this number. For more information, please check out www.nokillcontracostacounty.org

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

SPORTS Sports leagues realignment shifts local schools Clayton Valley Charter sent to East County league JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

“Go West, young man” was a rallying cry for the settlement of the American West in the middle of the 19th century.

Starting with the 2016-17 seasons, a proposed realignment of high school sports leagues will prompt two charges: “Go West, young man and woman” for most local teams and “Go East” for Clayton Valley Charter.

Every four years the North Coast Section goes through a comprehensive evaluation to determine if the 170 high schools under its jurisdiction are properly aligned for league play.

The two-part criteria in setting up leagues (there are now 19 leagues in NCS) are “competitive equity and geographical proximity.”

The tentative realignment of the 29 Valley Conference schools beginning in fall 2016 would have Clayton Valley Charter leaving the Diablo Valley Athletic League and joining six East Contra Costa schools (see chart) in the Bay Valley Athletic League.

The remaining six DVAL schools (Ygnacio Valley, Concord, Mt. Diablo, College Park, Concord, Berean Christian) would join five Diablo Foothill Athletic League members (see chart) in a new 11-team “super league.”

In 2008 the historic DVAL was revived after a 20-year absence and included seven schools closely bunched in Concord, Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill. During these past six years records indicate that, in order, Northgate, College Park and Clayton Valley have won the most DVAL championships across the 24 varsity sports.

Clayton Valley Charter has had a very successful football team over the past three seasons, losing only two games outside the D-II NCS playoffs. The school’s new league assignment seems to have been tied to those results that made the Eagles the No. 1 school under discussion in the NCS Valley Conference realignment meetings and league proposals.

At one alignment meeting someone said, “Now we’ll talk about the elephant in the room, Clayton Valley.”

ALIGNMENT

PROCESS ONGOING

The 2016-2020 alignment process began last FebruaryMarch with proposals accepted

by NCS for changing the current league setup which was set in 2011 for fall 2012-spring 2016 seasons. The variations were whittled from nine to four to two.

Proposals included CVCHS, College Park and Northgate each in various configurations away from the DVAL schools. Clayton Valley was the only Valley Conference school proposed to go to five different leagues.

A three-league setup (from the current four) proposal was approved by a 17-12 vote of the schools last week.

Hearings on any appeals lodged by this November will be heard in early 2015 with the NCS Board of Managers voting final approval in April or May. BVAL commissioner Bud Beemer says his six schools are appealing the addition of CVCHS to its lineup. “The BVAL did vote against it as we felt that the proposal didn't meet the criteria stated for alignment,” Beemer explained.

Clayton Valley Charter currently has the smallest enrollment (1991 students)

See Leagues, page 15

Proposed Valley Conference High School Alignment 2016-2020 New Super League NCS Division School Acalanes Alhambra Berean Christian Campolindo College Park Concord Las Lomas Miramonte Mt. Diablo Northgate Ygnacio Valley

City Lafayette Martinez Walnut Creek Moraga Pleasant Hill Concord Walnut Creek Orinda Concord Walnut Creek Concord

Current League DFAL DFAL DVAL DFAL DVAL DVAL DFAL DFAL DVAL DVAL DVAL

Enrollment 2013-14 1320 1252 432 1260 1989 1567 1544 1127 1358 1691 1116

Varsity Sports 24 24 18 24 23 22 24 24 14 24 20

Baseball/ Football Basketball Softball III II III III II III/II V IV IV III II II II I I II II II III II II II II II III II III II II II III II III

BVAL NCS Division School Antioch Clayton Valley Charter Deer Valley Freedom Heritage Liberty Pittsburg

City Antioch Concord Antioch Oakley Brentwood Brentwood Pittsburg

Current League BVAL DVAL BVAL BVAL BVAL BVAL BVAL

Enrollment 2013-14 2160 1991 2947 2566 2439 2299 3036

Varsity Sports 22 24 22 22 22 22 20

Baseball/ Football Basketball Softball I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

EBAL NCS Division School Carondelet De La Salle

City Concord Concord

Current League EBAL EBAL

Enrollment 2013-14 802 1036

Varsity Sports 12 13

Baseball/ Football Basketball Softball – II II I I I

All other EBAL schools (Amador Valley, California, Dougherty Valley, Foothill, Monte Vista & San Ramon Valley) Division I except Dublin & Livermore D-II (all sports), Granada (mixed D-I & D-II).

DLS/Carondelet enrollment numbers doubled as single-gender schools.

Note: NCS enrollment breakdowns for Division placement vary per sport. Schools can petition to be placed in a higher division per sport.

Concord’s Andrie Hartanto wins SCCA nationals at Laguna Seca JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

Andrie Hartanto of Concord was the class of the Street Touring Under division at the recent SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Hartanto cruised to the STU title over Rylan Hazelton of Santa Cruz and Anthony Simmers of Boulder, Colo.

Photo courtesy Prima Racing

Andrie Hartanto (98) of Concord defends against Rylan Hazelton’s (49) attempted pass at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the Street Touring Under division at the recent SCCA National Championship Runoffs. Hartanto cruised to the STU title over Hazelton and the rest of the field.

Starting from the Tire Rack Pole, Hartanto held the STU lead through the first lap before a full-course caution was issued for an accident in the Touring 3 class, which was run in conjunction with STU. On the restart, Hazelton nearly took over the lead with a daring move in Turn 2, but it cost him dearly, as he fell back into the clutches of third-placed Carl Young.

The battle for second

enabled Hartanto to slowly pull away from the rest of the STU field. He cruised to the checkered flag untouched and crossed the finish line with a 5.373-second margin of victory, averaging 73.349 mph.

“It feels incredible,” Hartanto said. “I had high hopes. We did a lot of preparations and tried everything. The team really pulled through. We had a lot of accidents throughout the year

and they always pulled through.

The race itself was amazing.

“We were on the back step for the first two days chasing Rylan for the pole position. We had to ask our friends to come with alignment equipment on the second day to make sure we could catch him. We laid down a pretty good lap and got the pole and that set the tone. I’m really happy.”

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 13

High school fall sports leagues climax with NCS looming

Jason Rogers photo

Northgate sophomore quarterback Stephan Drugan (3) found himself 1-on-1 with defender NJ Foster (24) and, like the game itself, the Broncos QB wasn’t able to get away. Clayton Valley Charter setup the big DVAL showdown this Friday with Concord by winning its Homecoming Game over visiting Northgate 70-7 last week.

JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

Fall sports league play is wrapping up for girls tennis, volleyball and golf plus cross country and water polo this week and next as teams and athletes from the Diablo Valley Athletic League and other area schools search for strong results that will qualify them for North Coast Section competition which leads to NorCal and State finals in most sports.

And the marquee prep football season is in its final three weeks of play this weekend with the DVAL title most likely to be determined this Friday evening at Concord High when the Minutemen host their crosstown rivals, Clayton valley Charter, in a battle of unbeatens.

FOOTBALL The Concord-CVCHS game has not only league implications but a major seeding factor for the Division II playoffs starting in November. Coach Brian Hamilton’s Concord Minutemen won the 2010 NCS title and took second a year later. Tim Murphy took over the Clayton Valley Charter team in 2012, brought the school its first-ever NCS football title that fall, just missing a trip to the inaugural CIF State Bowl game.

This year, both Concord rivals are 7-0 overall and undefeated in two league games. Last year the schools, which are three miles apart, played a classic with Clayton Valley narrowly winning 49-48. In both 2012 and 2009 the teams met twice with the second game taking part in the NCS playoffs.

With the proposed realignment of leagues tentatively approved by the 29 schools of the NCS Valley Conference (see page 12) to begin in 2016 this might be the next-to-last game between the local rivals. Clayton Valley is proposed to be moved to the Bay Valley Athletic League in East Contra Costa which may end, for a time, the Claycord Cup rivalry.

Murphy has had the edge over Hamilton’s Minutemen the past two seasons but each of the three games has gotten progressively closer, topped by the barnburner last November.

The teams go about things in different ways offensively with Clayton Valley stressing a relentless running game featuring Miles Harrison who is nearing 1000 yards rushing while getting limited play in many games as the Eagles took big first-half leads.

Concord quarterback Mitch Daniels is pushing the 2000yard passing mark with 28 TD passes to date with over half the yardage and scoring passes taken by classmate Malik Blackburn. The third senior offensive threat, Mason Knight, carries the ball carrying load for the Minutemen.

Northgate under new coach Ben Ballard is looking to finish in the top three and faces a key game for that spot this Friday at Diablo Valley College against College Park. Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley are fighting uphill battles with smaller rosters against some of their traditional league foes. The Warriors visit the Red Devils this Friday in the third league game.

De La Salle (7-0) is again among the top 10 USA prep teams including their most recent game 51-7 over James Logan of Union City at the 49ers new Levi Stadium. The Spartans have three regular season games remaining against East Bay Athletic League opponents before starting NCS play looking for their 23rd consecutive Section title and another trip to the State Bowl Game.

The Spartans have weathered the toughest part of their schedule and will be given an automatic berth into the premier State Bowl game if they can run the table in the final three regular-season games and the Division I NCS playoffs.

This would most likely setup a rematch Dec. 20 against the topranked St. John Bosco. The SouCal team edged DLS 20-14 last year in the state season finale.

NCS play begins Nov. 14-15 weekend with the finals Dec. 56. Clayton Valley is currently ranked first or second in NorCal

Division II polls but must get through rival Concord this Friday to get an NCS top seed.

Last year the Eagles fell in the semi-finals to eventual D-II champ Miramonte 44-38.

CROSS COUNTRY DVAL had its third tri-meet this week with the DVAL championships next Wednesday 1 at

See Fall Sports, page 15

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Photo courtesy Carondelet High School

Carondelet High School’s varsity and JV cheer squads directed by head coach Mallorie Willms and her staff traveled at the end of September to the USA Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk competition. The varsity girls finished second while the JVs were first in their respective divisions, both earning a trip next March to the Nationals at Anaheim Convention Center. The 26 girls have two uniforms, one in their red and gold Carondelet colors when they cheer for Cougar volleyball in the fall and basketball in the winter and the other in green and silver De La Salle colors for the Spartans football and basketball teams.

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Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

Legislation attempts to tackle the football concussion issue JUSTIN WISE Special to the Pioneer

Northgate High School football players lingered outside the school weight room after wrapping up a one-hour training session before the start of this football season. After words from first-year head coach Ben Ballard, the players head to the locker room to suit up for a two-hour padded practice.

Practices in pads in the dog days of summer will cease to exist next year, after Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 2127, which prohibits middle and high schools from contact practices during the offseason. In addition, the law that goes into effect Jan. 1 will ban programs from holding more than two 90-

minute full contact practices a week during the regular season.

Sponsored by Assemblyman Ken Cooley, the bill is the first of its kind at the high school level in California, making us the 20th state to prohibit contact practices in the offseason. It comes from the notion that less contact will minimize the evident concussion risk for young athletes playing football.

Ballard says it accomplishes the goal in the most restrictive fashion. “We’re a society of extremes,” said Ballard. “Something happens and boom it gets blown out of proportion to now we’re to this point.”

It’s not shocking that extremes were gravitated towards though, considering the relationship that head injuries and foot-

ball present. Almost four million high school students nationwide suffer head injuries every year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Concord High’s head coach Brian Hamilton agrees with the idea surrounding the legislation.

“I think we needed some set of guidelines that we all need to be operating by,” said Hamilton.

Though echoing the sentiments of Ballard, Hamilton doesn’t see this as the conclusive answer towards better protecting high school players. “They modeled a lot of the law based off what they’re doing in college.

Collegiate athletes are not having to be taught the fundamentals,” Hamilton said. “I think it’s a case of applying standards to where they don’t necessarily fit.”

Derek Carr brings hope to downcast winless Raiders

TYLER LEHMAN SPORTS TALK The Oakland Raiders have had one ray of light in an otherwise bleak season and that has been the play of rookie quarterback Derek Carr.

Carr, the Raiders secondround draft pick this year, was excellent in his first season. Surprisingly, he set the NFL rookie record for most passing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first five games with eight. That’s more than Andrew Luck (7), Cam Newton (7) or Russell Wilson (5) had in their respective first five games as a starter.

Oakland hasn’t had a quarterback of Carr’s skill level in a long

time. The last time the Raiders had a quarterback to be this excited about was Rich Gannon a dozen years ago.

Granted, it is still early in the season and Carr has only started a handful of NFL games. Even with such a small sample size however one can still see there are many aspects of Carr’s game that have at least the potential for greatness.

Carr, like many successful quarterbacks in the league, has a quick release time on his throws.

He gets rid of the ball quickly and was sacked three times in his first 167 passes. By comparison, his brother David Carr, the No. 1 overall draft pick of the Houston Texans in 2002, was sacked 41 times in his first 167 passes. The elder Carr never really recovered to justify his draft status.

Credit also has to be given to the Raiders offensive line for protecting their young quarterback, as well as to offensive coordinator Greg Olson. Olson has been giving Carr easy three-step drop throws, slants and quickscreens to help his young quar-

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Along with a quick release time, Carr has shown the ability to throw the ball 20 yards down the field. His downfield accuracy is something that needs to be improved, but he has the arm strength to fit the ball in tight spaces downfield.

In week six against the Chargers, Carr hit wide receiver Andre Holmes for a 77-yard touchdown pass. Holmes caught the ball well downfield before blowing past the cornerback attempting to cover him.

Arm strength and a quick release time are something many quarterbacks can have, but something else Carr shows is that intangible characteristic of pure competitiveness. If you watch him closely after each TD pass Carr balls up his right fist and pumps it a few times, all the while screaming with an intense look on his face.

He is the embodiment of the Raider saying “Just win, baby.” It is refreshing to see a player who has so much fire and that innate instinct to do whatever it takes to win.

The Raiders need more players like Derek Carr, Too many veterans on the team have played without emotion or conviction.

Carr is bringing back some life to the Raider franchise. No matter who ends up being the head coach next season, at least Raider fans know they will have Carr as their starting QB. Tyler Lehman is a junior at San Francisco State University and a 2012 CVHS graduate. He is majoring in print/online journalism and wants to be a sports writer. Email your comments or questions to tyler@concordpioneer.com.

Jason Rogers photo

Helmet to helmet contact is a major concern of medical experts as they study the issue of concussions in football. Clayton Valley Charter lineman Harrison Boyle (far left) has his helmet fly off after making a hit against Mt. Diablo in a recent DVAL game at Gonsalves Stadium. Red Devils ball carrier Davail Jenkins (2) tries to outmaneuver CVCHS’s Ricky Helena (15). Diablo’s Erik Rubio (51) looks for a block on Jake Peralta (32).

High schools coaches often have freshmen who have never put on pads before so coaches face challenges in teaching that must be altered in regards to the new law. “The kids that come out that have never played, it’s going to be tough,” Ballard said.

Clayton Valley Charter’s Tim Murphy says, “I’m not a contact guy. We do minimal ‘live’ scrimmaging. Maybe 10-15 minutes a week.” He adds that his coaches teach tackling and blocking in progressive step by step moves.

He recalls his Ygnacio Valley High coaching days when future two-time Super Bowl champion Dave Tollefson was crying because “we aren’t hitting enough, coach.”

“The focus of the bill is actually to support football,” Assemblyman Cooley said. “To give parents in California an assurance that if your child wants to play football, there are reasonable rules that someone has put in place to keep kids safe and healthy.”

The ruling also trickles down to Clayton Valley Falcons, whose teams largely consist of middle school students. The program has already developed a system that includes all age levels learning the same approaches taught in high school.

That system is why athletic director Dave Cooney feels Falcons participation has increased in a time where youth football numbers around the nation have dropped. The CVAA Falcons partner with Heads Up Football (USA Football’s national initiative to help make football better and safer) and have a coach who specializes in player safety.

“I don’t think that practicing less is necessarily the answer,” Hamilton added.

In opposition to that line of thinking is Dr. Eric Freitag, who opened Sport Concussion Program in Walnut Creek in 2006.

Freitag compares it to a pitcher’s pitch count and that “if you keep hitting your head over and over again that it’s going to potentially

Sports Shorts CV NAMES FIRST HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Four inductees for the 2015 Clayton Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame have been announced. The 1977 girls volleyball team and its coach, Gary Gardner, are both being inducted. The 1967 wrestling team, which won 30 consecutive dual meets and the North Coast Section title and was North State runner-up, is also being feted.

The community/leadership honoree is Matt Mazzei, a CVHS alum who has been a major supporter of the baseball program.

The induction takes place next May 16 at Centre Concord.

MT. DIABLO HIGH SPORTS HALL OF FAME FETES NEW CLASS NOV. 1 The annual Mt. Diablo High School Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner is Saturday, Nov. 1, at Zio Fraedo’s Continental Restaurant in Pleasant Hill. The 2014 honorees are Carl Anaclerio, Dick Piedmonte, Jim Powel, Doug Schultz and George Souza. Dinner reservations are due by Oct. 24. For more info and to purchase tickets visit mdhsshf.org.

WINTER BASKETBALL, GIRL POWER REGISTRATION OPEN AT ALL OUT SPORTS Winter youth basketball programs at Clayton Gym including a camp Nov. 24-27 and league play are accepting applications now. Winter youth volleyball signups are coming soon. AOSL founder Casey Copeland is also offering a Girl Power workshop on Sunday, Dec. 7. For complete information on All Out Sports programs, visit alloutsportsleague.com.

NORTHGATE AQUATICS CENTER RAISING FUNDS FOR 2015 OPENING

First conceived in 1974, the long-awaited Northgate High School aquatics complex and

sports medicine center are now under construction. Primarily funded by MDUSD Measure C, the $8.1 million center is on schedule to be completed this winter. It will include a 40-meter x 25-yard, 16-lane pool with a dedicated sports medicine training facility and classroom. The Northgate Community Pride Foundation is currently raising the balance needed to complete the project in time for the spring swim season. To get more information and to donate visit northgatepride.org.

HALLOWEEN KICK OR TREAT THIS WEEKEND A large field of teams will be playing in the 16th annual Halloween Kick or Treat Classic hosted by Diablo FC this weekend, Oct. 25-26, in Concord.

Boys and girls under 9, 10 and 11 premier, gold, silver and bronze teams will be playing soccer for two days and also participating in the annual Halloween Costume Contest which brings out some very creative, humorous and scary looks. For more information visit diablofc.org.

FORMER CONCORD HIGH STAR LLOYD SHINING IN MINNESOTA Quarterback Ricky Lloyd, who led Concord High to the 2010 North Coast Section football championship, is enjoying his first year at Minnesota State after transferring from Southern Mississippi. Lloyd has quarterbacked the Mavericks to seven straight wins and the No. 2 Division II national ranking.

VINCE BUHAGIAR NAMED CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMI-FINALIST Clayton Valley High grad Vince Buhagiar, a graduate student and San Jose State linebacker, is no stranger to receiving awards and accolades. The exEagle is a three-time Academic All-Western Athletic Conference

do damage to your brain.

“I think it will make a difference because in football, especially from the stand point of dealing with these sub concussive blows, where it’s the blows that don’t necessarily cause concussions,” Freitag said. “But they certainly add up over time and can potentially leave your brain more susceptible to a full-blown concussion.”

A full-blown concussion is the common fear among parents and administrators and a reason why Cooley with help from the California Interscholastic Federation that regulates high school sports came to terms with this.

“I had a very famous American coach say to me, ‘coaches who can coach will coach,’” Cooley said. “Coaches are going to have plenty of room to coach under this bill.”

Justin Wise is a junior studying journalism at the University of Oregon. Jay Bedecarre also contributed to the story.

honoree, four-time SJSU Scholar-Athlete honoree and a freshman All-America. Most recently, Buhagiar was named a semifinalist for the 2014 Campbell Trophy, a prestigious honor awarded by the National Football Foundation recognizing individuals for academic success and outstanding football performance.

DIABLO FC BENEFIT POKER NIGHT NOV. 7 Local competitive soccer club Diablo FC is hosting its first Poker Night fundraiser on Friday, Nov. 7, at Centre Concord.

The $75 entry fee includes tri-tip and chicken dinner and $1000 in poker chips for the tournament.

There will be cash prizes for the first three places plus special ladies prizes. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. and gaming at 7 o’clock.

Visit diablofc.org for more details.

MT. DIABLO WORLD CUP UNDERWAY

The sixth annual Mt. Diablo World Cup tournament for under 10, 12 and 14 boys and girls MDSA divisions continues this Saturday, Oct. 25, and concludes Nov. 1-2. The Cup culminates the AYSO fall soccer season with berths in the Area 2C tournament in November at stake for the top finishers. For details on the World Cup visit mdsoccer.org.

PICKLEBALL IS COMING TO CONCORD Already very popular in Arizona and other parts of the country, pickleball is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, table tennis and badminton. It’s played with two to four players on a court about half the size of a tennis court with wooden paddles and a plastic whiffle ball. One of the fastest growing sports among adults of all ages, pickleball is especially popular with young adults and adults nearing or in their retirement years. To receive information on upcoming pickleball clinics and leagues in Concord visit teamsideline.com/concord or call 671-3423.

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 15

Diablo FC, MDSA girls soccer teams gain tournament success ‘on the road’

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DIABLO FC 99 BLUE captured the U15 girls title at the Dublin Fall Classic. After shutting out Walnut Creek Lightning, Dublin United Magic and San Ramon Azzurri, Diablo FC reached the finals. Starting a bit slowly, the local squad gave up its only goal of the weekend in the first minute but fought to even the score and then take the championship with a 3-1 win over Walnut Creek Galaxy. As the team has done all year, they dedicated this tournament to the memory of teammate Jenna Betti. Diablo FC 99 Blue includes, front row from left, Julia Perez, Katie Rangel; middle row, Marlo Allen, Marissa D’Atri, Jasmine Kellogg, Sydney King, Sarina Valerio, Brianna Simeone, Itsela Banuelos, Maryeli Padilla; back row, Lily Langes, Rebecca Lonergan, Alli Moody, Francesca Monti, Nicole Lanfranchi, Rebecca Phelan, Lauren Robinow, Xyaire Hartwell and coach Chelsea Stewart.

Fall Sports, from page 13 Hidden Valley in Pleasant Hill to qualify for NCS in November.

Northgate and College Park were both undefeated in girls matchups before their showdown this week while on the boys side Clayton Valley, CP and Northgate were each 3-1 heading into this week’s action.

Defending girls league champion Jamie Busby has picked right up this year with strong performances for the Falcons.

Among other top times are by Kelsey Blough and Megan Coyle (Northgate), Clayton Valley’s freshmen standouts Kelly Osterkamp and Olivia Villa and the Falcons’ Julia Park. Northgate was third in the recent Castro Valley Invitational.

Jorge Barnes-Velasquez won the league championship for Ygnacio Valley last year as a sophomore. Challenging him for top honors are Parker Burr (Concord), Tobin Bolter (Berean), David Phair (CP), Jake Egley and Laurence Seabrook (NG) and Sayed Opeyany and Michael Cox (CVC) .

The NCS finals are at Hayward High School Nov. 22, one week before Fresno hosts the state finals Nov. 29.

GIRLS TENNIS Northgate is again running through DVAL in an undefeated fashion. Dual matches conclude Thursday and the league meet is next week with finals Thursday before NCS team and individual championships in November.

The Northern California team championships are Nov. 21-22.

Northgate’s Kristina Lencesova and Anna Ostrovsky continue as top singles players.

WATER POLO DVAL matches for boys and girls finished up Wednesday before the DVAL tournament Oct. 29-Nov. 1 at College Park.

NCS tournaments for boys and girls run Nov. 5-15.

Northgate is again leading the way with College Park, CVCHS and Concord following in the boys and girls standings.

College Park girls were fourth and Carondelet fifth at the Pinole Valley Invitational.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Northgate is also undefeated in league play. College Park is second with Concord, Clayton Valley and Berean Christian competing for the other two DVAL playoff spots.

The final two rounds of dual matches are next week. The NCS championships run Nov. 11-21 followed by NorCals Nov. 25-29 and State finals Dec. 2-6.

GIRLS GOLF Northgate was a slight favorite over Clayton Valley in the team matchup while medalist honors at the league meet this week were expected to be contested between Dymphna Ueda (NG) and Rachel DeLong (CVC).

Ygnacio Valley hosted the DVAL Championship meet Tuesday at Diablo Creek in Concord. NCS Division I qualifying meet is next Monday at Lone Tree in Antioch with the NCS D-I finals at Tilden Park Nov. 3. The NorCal meet is Nov. 10 in Salinas and state finals in Rancho Cucamonga Nov. 18.

Concord High School reporter Parker Burr contributed to this story.

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MDSA ELITE HEAT GIRLS have put together a strong season.

After winning three consecutive bronze tournaments in August, the under 13 Heat raised their competition level in September in their first gold/silver tournament at the Palo Alto Tall Trees.

The Heat played four teams from the South Bay and ended up making it to the finals where they lost a heartbreaker on penalty kicks. The team includes, front row from left, Taylor Keys, Kenna Hornsby, Tavi Cabezas, Christina Muller, Rachel Burnett, Mady Hayworth; back row, Alana Young, Giselle Lange, coach Ryan Lange, Micaela Davis, Alaina Lindsey, coach Marvin Davis, Kailee Rice, Morgan Pacini, Reagan Bowerbank and Jewel Triggs. Not pictured, Annie Patterson.

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Leagues,from page 12 among the seven teams planned for the BVAL. CVCHS and the other six BVAL schools (all Division I sports) will have increased travel expenses for away games and competitions under this new alignment, as will all the teams in the new super league.

Clayton Valley sports range between D-I and D-II among its 24 varsity teams. The school submitted two proposals to NCS. In the first they placed themselves in the BVAL. The rest of the current DVAL schools seem satisfied being placed in the proposed new super league. Athletic directors Steve Chappell (Northgate), Lance Hurtado (College Park) and Brian Hamilton (Concord) each stated to The Pioneer that they are pleased with the super league.

SUPER LEAGUE SETUP The 11-team Super League has schools as large as College Park with 1989 students (201314 enrollment used for alignment purposes) to Ygnacio Valley and Miramonte with about 1100 students and Berean Christian with 432. The new league likely will place its schools into two divisions for each sport to allow for the most competitive league play. College Park is in Division I basketball and softball but the other 10 schools are in Division II or III in most sports while Berean Christian plays D-IV and D-V (the smallest current division).

DVAL Commissioner Craig Lee, also the Berean athletic director, says, “The super league idea has been floated around the DVAL for over one year. By having 10-12 teams in the league we can split into two completely different leagues by competitive equity by sport, so it gives all the schools some great flexibility.

“Administratively it is more work to get it set up and manage it, but ultimately it should benefit the students in the new league. The schools who are consistently good in some sports will play better competition day in and day out and those that struggle more in certain sports will play schools more similar to them day in and day out. In addition, those schools who field two-three levels of teams (varsity, JV, frosh) in certain sports will likely have more schools in their league who do the same, easing the scheduling and travel arrangement burdens.”

DE LA SALLE-CARONDELET STAY PUT

De La Salle and Carondelet moved to the East Bay Athletic League in 2008 and the Concord parochial schools are slated to remain there during the next quadrennial. The balance of the EBAL teams are located along the 680/580 corridor from Danville to Livermore. De La Salle football plays an independent schedule including a few non-league games each year against EBAL teams.

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Page 16

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

SCHOOLS Mt. Diablo High

Northgate New principal rides into Northgate EMILY WRIGHT Correspondent

He missed the first four weeks of school, but his absences don’t count against him. As new principal of Northgate High School, Michael McAlister’s first day was Sept. 25. He immediately got to work, meeting formally and informally with staff and students.

“What’s amazing to me is how well the school has been doing despite the fact that there has been some uncertainty and that speaks to an incredible staff and an incredible group of kids and parents that have been able to help the institution along even when challenges are arising,” McAlister said on his first day.

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District hired McAlister after a three-month search that started in July, after the resignation of former Principal John McMorris. Two other top administrators left during the summer as well.

But the challenges don’t

Emily Wright

Alberto Ruiz MDHS CORRESPONDENT

NORTHGATE PRINCIPAL, MICHAEL MCALISTER

seem to faze the new Top Bronco, as his experience has prepared him for all types of situations. McAlister was associate principal three years at Orinda’s Miramonte High School in the Acalanes High School Unified School District and this year had worked at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek as an associate principal, where he worked for six weeks before leaving for Northgate. McAlister taught U.S. Government and economics, psychology and leadership during his 16 years at Acalanes High School in

Campaign trail provides ‘real world’ insights

NORTHGATE CORRESPONDENT

Senior year in high school comes with a variety of experiences. One of them, which might surprise some people, involves volunteering for a political campaign.

All seniors at Northgate take a U.S. Government class during their first semester. One of the class requirements is to do volunteer work for a candidate who is running in the November election. It doesn’t matter which candidate, but one has to be found, and the assignment accomplished, before Nov. 4.

Some students have sought out candidates running for city council, and others have tried to volunteer for candidates who are attempting to serve in Sacramento.

One possible election job was to call homes during dinner hour to promote a candidate.

Another job mentioned passing out brochures to homeowners. I volunteered for someone who had students putting up flyers

Superintendent gets earful from MDHS students

around a neighborhood. At first, I was a little bit uneasy.

Although I was traveling with a friend, and fellow government student, we had never participated in an election before.

Would dogs bark at us? (Yes.) Would we run across opposing candidates? (No.) Mostly, all went well. After serving for the allotted time, I decided that being involved in the campaign had actually been an intriguing experience. As a kid, it seemed as if a candidate’s signs would appear over night; but now I realize the work that goes into creating a successful campaign, and I’m glad that students, soon to be adults, are given the opportunity to see how it works in the “real world.”

Emily Wright is a senior at Northgate High School. She is currently the news editor for the Northgate Sentinel newspaper and is in her second year of ROP Journalism II. Email comments or questions to emilywright@claytonpioneer.com

Lafayette, his alma mater, and at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette. He says that his teaching experiences will help him most in his new spot.

“As a teacher you are in the classroom; you see how learning happens. That’s all I’m really trying to facilitate. All I’m really trying to do is help teachers help you guys,” McAlister explained while talking with students his second day on campus. “That’s my job. Any really good principal that I’ve ever come across in my professional life has always been really effective at supporting the teachers as they support the kids.”

McAlister brings with him an eclectic resume that includes experience acting in New York, working as a stand-up comedian, and being a monk.

McAlister was a monk in Thailand at a forest monastery, a monk in Katmandu Nepal, and spent six months in silence in a Zen center in Marin County. He has written a book about the experience. McAlister surfs at Ocean Beach, Pacifica, and in Santa Cruz. He is also busy with his family, which includes two young daughters.

Speaking about Northgate High School, McAlister said “I’m excited to be here. There’s so much that we can capitalize on. It is an impressive place with an incredibly impressive student population. Great parent community, great staff, just all the way around we’ve got everything in place for really neat things to unfold.

“On a personal level I think that one of the most important things that we as a school can do is help students become good citizens, help them become good partners, help them become good parents even if they choose not to have kids.

This idea that we are more than just our GPAs, we are more than just our ACT and SAT scores and achievements in numerical form. We are people, we are humans and that is essentially the business we are in.”

In early October, Mount Diablo High School had the pleasure of having Dr. Nellie Meyer, superintendent of the Mount Diablo Unified School District, make a visit to our school. The purpose of this visit was to not only visit and see our school but also to sit down and have lunch with MDHS’s own leadership students to address our needs It is safe to say that most leadership students were quite nervous to meet the superintendent, but after only a few minutes after meeting her, we found that she was a very warm and courteous woman.

Being part of the student body

at MDHS, we felt that it was time to have our voices heard.

Of the more than 30 leadership students, almost all voiced their opinions.

The most common need we addressed was the need of a better school bussing system.

We explained that it’s horrendous that every day since the beginning of the school year a bus-load of students are always waiting nearly an hour after school because of the shortage of busses.

The other most prominent need was for a reinforced foreign language department.

Many expressed their concerns about the fact they’ve had a

ACME Academy provides handson learning Liane Cismowski MDHS PRINCIPAL

The Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing, and Engineering Academy — commonly called ACME — is the Mount Diablo High School’s October focus. ACME is a STEM-based academy based academy preparing students for college, career, and civic

parade of substitute teachers since the beginning of the year due to the vacancies in the foreign language department and that it is infringing on their ability to learn.

The superintendent assured us that the district has realized these problems, along with others, and they are working hard to address the needs of the MDHS student body. As leadership students and students of MDHS, we felt that the meeting went extremely well and the superintendent really listened intently to our various needs. We greatly appreciate and thank Dr. Meyer for here visit to our school and wait in anticipation for these problems to be resolved in the hopes that our needs as MDHS students are met.

Alberto Ruiz is a senior at Mt. Diablo High where he is student body secretary and a member of the Medical Biotechnology Academy. Send questions and comments to editor@concordpioneer.com.

integrated manufacturing teacher. Their combined leadership inspires their 16 teaching colleagues and their 350 students to achieve in both core academic subjects and their academy-specific electives. For example, already this year the ACME math and biology teachers have collaborated on a project that required students to use content learned in both classes to create a botany observation and reflection journal.

Our introduction to design teacher and an ACME English teacher will be collaborating to require students to produce an Inventor Research Project, following PLTW guidelines.

The principals of engineering teacher and the ACME social studies teacher will be directing the students in an environmental and social responsibility project that will result in presentations for the school community and beyond.

These are just a few of the many project-based learning opportunities offered in the ACME academy. For more information about ACME, to schedule an ACME visit, or to find out about how to enroll your child in this academy, please call Mount Diablo High School at 925.682.4030.

responsibility. For those of you unfamiliar with STEM, it means Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

ACME is unique because it combines core academic classes (English, math, and social sciences) with a 21st Century construction lab that allows students to enjoy hands-on rigorous manufacturing, design, architecture, and engineering classes.

Another important part of the ACME family is Project Lead The Way (PLTW, another acronym). It is the nation’s leading provider of STEM programs. Through worldclass curriculum, high-quality teacher professional development, and outstanding partnerships, PLTW is helping students develop the skills needed to succeed in the global economy.

The ACME academy is led by a dynamic duo: Danielle Send comments and questions to ediFoster, an ACME English teacher, and Marco Castro, an tor@concordpioneer.com ACME math and computer

Clayton Valley Charter awaits reauthorization vote JAY BEDECARRÉ Concord Pioneer

Community leaders and teachers worked diligently in 2011-12 to convert Clayton Valley High School to a charter school. That successful effort has led to this third school year under the Clayton Valley Charter banner and the school’s submission of its adjusted charter document seeking a five-year reauthorization.

The CVCHS governing board met Oct. 8 to get final public input and ratify the new charter, which Executive Director Dave Linzey submitted to CCCOE late that week. The county school board discussed

the reauthorization at their Oct. 15 meeting with 14 community members and parents speaking on behalf of the school’s renewal report.

The Contra Costa County Office of Education is scheduled for final charter consideration Nov. 5. The CCCOE board originally certified the charter school in March 2012 as it left the Mt. Diablo Unified School District after a contentious yearlong process. The original charter covered three school years.

An affirmative county vote next month will carry Clayton Valley Charter through the 2019-20 school year.

CVCHS touts its excellent test scores, maximum six-year

WASC accreditation and a waiting list of several hundred students each year as evidence of the charter school’s success since its beginning with the 2012-13 school year. CVCHS had the largest API test score gain (62 points) among all California large comprehensive high schools in the most recent state testing results.

In the midst of those accomplishments the school administration, board and teachers have endured a rocky 2014.

Charter leader and school administrator Pat Middendorf was fired near end of the last school year after a dispute with Linzey. This fall board president Tom Branich resigned while fel-

low board member Amber Lineweaver refused to resign after a rebuke by a majority of her fellow members.

Clayton Valley Education Association union president Kipp Penovich and a number of his teachers brought up several issues in the reworked charter at a series of public meetings since early September. Among the major complaints from Penovich and some community stakeholders are that the administration and board were not transparent during the reauthorization process with meetings called on short notice and the charter document of nearly 200 pages provided at the last minute, not allowing for suffi-

cient time to study, vet and discuss changes.

“What is needed is a document that all stakeholders approve of,” Penovich said. He also spoke in opposition to the final submitted charter document at the CCCOE meeting last week.

The school administration feels that the majority of the changes to the charter, which will govern CVCHS during a five-year period, deal with grammar changes.

Penovich was concerned that the wording concerning the two board positions specified for certified teachers says “may” rather than “shall” go to members of CVEA, which was in the

original document. There are 81 teachers at the school and only one doesn’t belong to CVEA. Majority board members felt that with the charter extending over five years it wasn’t prudent to specify CVEA membership as necessary for a teacher to be voted a board position. Since the school’s teachers vote for their two board members it is highly unlikely that a non-union member would be elected.

The CCCOE board meeting Nov. 5 is at 5 p.m. in the Ronald L. Stewart Center, 77 Santa Barbara Rd. in Pleasant Hill. The next CVCHS governing board meeting is Nov. 12 at the school.

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

CVCHS

Ygnacio Valley YV Band to March on New Orleans KAYLA SAMUELS Correspondent

The Ygnacio Valley Marching Band and Color Guard took highest honors with a first place win at the recent Walnut Festival Parade.

The Marching Band is only one of the performing arts courses students at YV can take. The department staff works more than full time so students can take choir, guitar, jazz band, orchestra, wind ensemble, dance and drama.

Beyond the classroom there are even more opportunities to participate in extra-curricular performing arts such as madrigals, marching band and the spring musical.

The Music Boosters are actively fundraising to earn enough money to send the marching band to New Orleans next February. On Nov. 14, there will be a rummage sale from 8 a.m.-noon and Comedy Show in the evening on the Ygnacio Valley High campus. To purchase tickets for the Comedy Show,

Stephen Brady

Robbie Parker

In less than two months, I’ll turn 18.

My next birthday means reaching the age of majority, and with newly inherited responsibility comes incredible privilege. I can enlist in the military, I can skydive with no one’s consent but my own, and I’ll be treated as a customer at tattoo parlors. Realistically, not one of these activities appeals to me , but it’s the principle behind the matter that means the most.

However, becoming a legal adult allows for far more significant privileges than simply buying

send an email request to ygnaciomusic@gmail.com.

Donations are also needed to help with expenses for the Senior Grad Night on June 8.

Email yvhsptsa@gmail.com to

YGNACIO VALLEY PRINCIPAL

challenging themselves with these rigorous IB courses. The types of research, writing, thinking and communicating of ideas that IB courses require reflects college-level expectations. IB not only helps students get into college but more importantly, prepares students to be successful in college once they are there.

The freshman class starting at YV in Fall 2015 will be the first grade level that will be able to take advantage of this opportunity to join the IB program.

find out how to help.

More than two-thirds of the students at YV are from lower income families and the school relies on community support for events.

There are also many Advanced Placement classes available at YV, another way for students to show universities that they are challenging themselves. Many students take advantage of nearly every AP course that YV offers, such as world history, U.S. history, government, psychology, calculus, statistics, English, and more.

Students can participate in AP coursework whether they are part of the Health or Education Academies at YV, or in the Puente program.

No matter what students choose to take part in, they are finding success in higher education. Last year, YV students were admitted into competitive universities such as UC Berkeley, UCLA, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UC Davis, Long Beach State, San Diego State, The Claremont Colleges and more.

David Linzey EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Pine Hollow PHMS leaders wear shirts of many colors

PINE HOLLOW CORRESPONDENT

Leadership is unmistakably a key aspect of life at Pine Hollow Middle School. At the home of the Mustangs, there is far more than a leadership class. Even in the physical education and music departments students have a chance to put their leadership skills to good use. There is no stifling the initiative that the students of Mustang country have!

Our leadership class is made up of students who apply to get in and have very strong leadership skills. They organize dances, read morning announcements, coordinate spirit weeks, run the schoolwide recycling program, and maintain good grades on top of it all. Leadership class is the heart of the school in many ways, and the pupils in it are role models to other students.

Pine Hollow’s student council consists of students who decide to run for office

and win the majority of the votes from a school election.

There are four main positions: secretary, treasurer, vice president and president. Each grade level also has representatives.

The council has similar responsibilities as leadership; many students are in both programs.

Another different form of leadership at Pine Hollow is music council. Music students can run for offices in their particular class and those who attain a position must withhold duties such as filing music, conducting warm-ups, and running council meetings.

One of the most notable leadership activities there is would be the shirt program in the P.E. department, which is unique to Pine Hollow. Normally a student receives a regular P.E. shirt, either red, blue or yellow, depending on grade level, but every so often some-

lotto tickets and staying out past curfew. At 18, Americans are permitted to vote in elections and on propositions that have a direct impact upon the state constitution. As odd as it sounds, my own peers could technically marry their “soul mate” (aka girlfriend of two weeks, a decision that I seriously discourage). All jokes aside, it is astonishing that acquaintances of mine could soon be firing rounds from an automatic weapon in the name of our country’s armed forces. With such freedom lying in reach, it’s no surprise that most of us are so

CVCHS ready for Great California Shakeout

Millions of people worldwide will practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” for the Great California Shakeout taking place in October. Clayton Valley Charter High School takes disaster preparedness seriously and our first priority is for the safety of our students.

While fire drills and earthquake drills can be viewed as routine and mundane, the recent earthquake, which took place in Napa and surrounding areas, hit

too close to home. Are we really ready for The Big One? To get ready, CVCHS will be preparing staff and students so they know what to do in difficult situations by practicing our “Drop, Cover and Hold On” drills, as outlined in our school safety and disaster plan. We encourage families to discuss earthquake safety measures in case we experience an earthquake while at home. Hopefully you will never be a victim of serious injury

Concord High

Send comments and questions to editor@concordpioneer.com Azeema Yahya

Rayna Stanziano

Becoming an adult doesn’t equal maturity

Teen Speak

College-level academics thriving at YV

Ygnacio Valley High School is excited to announce that we are submitting an application to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. IB aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

Universities value applicants who took advantage of the academic opportunities offered to them at their high school. Universities like to see students

Page 17

CHS students ‘scare away’ hunger

CONCORD HIGH CORRESPONDENT

one wants to excel. To earn the first shirt in the shirt program, a student has to turn in extra credit an keep consistent good grades. All throughout their middle school experience, “shirts” (as they are called) will find themselves to be depended upon and realize the need for substantial leadership skills. The shirts leading up to the last one, the black shirt, are orange, green, purple, blue, and white, in that order. Earning a black shirt is practically a right-of-passage from student to teacher. It is a high achievement to receive a black shirt, and, like leadership students and council members, those who become one are looked up to.

The students involved in these affairs set a wonderful example to everyone, and often influence others to become a part of school leadership programs themselves.

However, whether you are in one of these leadership programs or not, there are always opportunities in the classroom to reveal yourself as a strong leader. The drive Pine Hollow’s students have to make a difference, regardless of how small, is very touching and represents the Mustangs through and through.

Rayna Stanziano is in the eighth grade at Pine Hollow. She has a passion for writing and loves English and swimming. She lives in Concord. Send comments to editor@concordpioneer.com

As Halloween night approaches, Concord High School students are getting ready to go out and trick-or-treat not for candy, but for canned foods.

From 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, seven different groups from Concord High School — Leadership, Band, Choir, Softball, Baseball, Soccer, and Basketball — are going to be participating in the school’s fourth annual

“Scare Away Hunger.”

“Scare Away Hunger” is when all of these groups go out to a different part of Concord and go trick-or-treating for canned foods/non-perishable items/money, which is ALL donated to a local Food Bank.

The school partners with Tesoro Golden Eagle Refinery, which helps with volunteers, vehicles, and matches dollar-for-dollar all

eager to grow up.

I often joke around with older friends and ask, “So, how does it feel to be an adult now?” I typically receive reactions of disappointment in the lack of significant change. “I still feel like I’m 16,” they respond. How can young people, who had to ask for permission to use the restroom yesterday, be expected to make life-altering decisions today?

Later, however, I remind myself that age hardly qualifies maturity.

Though I may be an adult in the eyes of the law, I hardly consider myself one. My dad has addressed me as a man for the past few months, but I still feel like a kid sometimes. As with most things, adulthood is subjective. Although I will soon have all the privileges of an adult, it might be awhile before a take on the responsibility of one. In less than two months, I will turn 18; but I don’t mind being a kid while I still can.

Robbie Parker is a senior at CVCHS. Send your comments to editor@concordpioneer.com

or loss in an earthquake, but it never hurts to think through a home evacuation plan, or a reunification plan for where to meet your family and who to communicate with in such a disaster.

Having an escape route with proper tools in case doors and windows won’t open is important, along with a flashlight, bottled water (five-gallon containers), dried food, blankets stored for easy access, and perhaps a clothing kit with shoes, first aid kit, etc.

And it is even better to be prepared but never have to use those plans.

Let’s get ready to Shake, Drop, Cover and Hold On! For more information, visit www.earthquakecountry.info/downloads/ShakeOut_Recommended_Eart hquake_Safety_Actions.pdf.

funds collected.

For a lot of us, this is what we look forward to be doing on our Halloween night. As someone who did this last year, Karlee Kronquist believes, “This gives me a chance to give back to our community and have fun with my friends while doing it.”

Last year we collected our alltime record of more than 11,000 pounds of food and around $1,500. This year we are trying to surpass last year’s amount.

Most groups will be dropping off a bag on doorsteps with more information on it. Anyone whose house students don’t stop by at are more than welcome to donate on Halloween day between 6 and 8:30 p.m. at Concord High School, located at 4200 Concord Blvd.

Azeema Yahya is a senior and Codrum Major. She loves music and plans to attend UC Davis in the fall. Send comments to editor@concordpioneer.com.

CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL A Premier Charter School

Academics • Character • 21st Century Skills • Arts & Athletics

ntation Me e i r O t n e r a P e ting w e N Open enrollment is coming up, come get all the details!

Date: Tuesday, November 18 Time: 7:00pm Place: CVCHS Large Gym

1101 Alberta Way Concord

If you have a student that is interested in attending CVCHS next year, this meeting is for you and your student!

“Preparing all students to become first class citizens with a world class education”

For more info:

925-682-7474

•

www.claytonvalley.org

Page 18

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

CALENDAR PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR EVENTS BY 5 P.M. NOV. 12 FOR THE DEC. 12

IN CLAYTON Saturdays thru Oct. 25 Farmers’ Market Music: Oct. 25, Bill Lombardo. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Diablo Street between Main and Center streets, downtown Clayton. pcfma.com/clayton.

IN CONCORD Tuesdays Farmers’ Market Tuesdays year round. Music: Oct. 28, Fred McCarty. Nov. 4, Scott Pullman. Nov. 11, Suzanne Holland. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org.

Thru Oct. 26 Home and Garden Show Building, remodeling, redecorating information and savings. Fri. 12 – 6 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Concord Pavilion, 2000 Kirker Pass Road, Concord. $6 adult; free for children 12 and under. capitalshowcase.com.

Thru Oct. 31 Scarecrow Contest Visit downtown Concord and vote for your favorite scarecrow at participating businesses. Theme: Superhero. Sponsored by the Todos Santos Business Association. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org.

Oct. 26 Autumn at the Adobe Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, raffle, silent auction in historic setting at Don Salvio Pacheco Adobe. Hosted by the Concord Historical Society.

1 – 4 p.m. 1870 Adobe St., Concord. $30. Response required to Linda Chambers at 682-8720.

Oct. 31 Blood Drive

ISSUE. ITEMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL TO

ence serving in the Women Air Force Service Pilots. 1 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $3-$15. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

Nov. 11 Popovich Comedy Pet Variety Show Gregory Popovich and his furry cast of animals rescued from shelters all over the country entertain. 7 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $15-$25. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com.

427-1611.

Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day Commemoration Presented by the city of Walnut Creek with the Walnut Creek Concert Band performing. 11 a.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Ticket needed, but no fee. lesherartscenter.org. 9437469.

Visit the sites of the Mountain House Hotel and Green Ranch and hike through the burned area to view regeneration of flora and fauna. 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Meet at Sunset Picnic Area. Registration required: sweettrails00@gmail.com or mtdiablohiker@aol.com.

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT Thru Nov. 2 “Forever Plaid” Deliciously goofy revue of four singers miraculously revived for the posthumous chance to perform in the show that never was.

Brentwood Theater Company at Cue Live, 1835 Colfax St., Concord. thebrentwoodtheater.org. 513-3863.

Thru Nov. 9 “Wunderworld” The story of 80-year-old Alice in Wonderland drawn back down the rabbit hole. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $20-$33. centerrep.org.

Thru Nov. 22 “Deathtrap” A comedic thriller. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $33-$58. centerrep.org.

Oct. 25 Leo Vigil and Terrence Brewer Presented by Pittsburg Pops. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $15.50. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.

Oct. 25, 26 “Nunsense” A cabaret tribute. Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School St., Lafayette. $23-$25. townhalltheatre.com. 283-1557.

Nov. 2 Contra Costa Wind Symphony

Nov. 21 – 22 “Uncorked: The Christmas Ballet” Presented by Smuin Ballet. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $73. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

Nov. 21, 23 “The Elves and the Shoemaker” This upbeat, whimsical romp of a fantasy also holds a gentle message about the nature of kindness. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $8-$12. elcampaniltheatre.com.

Nov. 23 We are the Nation – A Salute to Veterans Presented by Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 2 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $10-$30. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

CHURCHES AND RELIGION

Classic rock and Texas blues. 5 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $10. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 4271611.

Nov. 11 Elizabeth Strohfus Elizabeth “Betty Wall” Strohfus talks about her World War II experi-

Oct. 25 Klezmer Accordion Music Performance Hear Jim Rebhan play the songs from “The Book Thief.” 2 p.m.

Oct. 26 Rosie the Riveters Meet five women who worked in shipyards in Richmond and Oakland during World War II. Hear about their struggles and experiences. 2 p.m.

Oct. 28 “Travels with Baby”

Oct. 30 Space and Astronaut Training

Nov. 7 Fellowship and Discussion

Chabot Space and Science Center present a program for children of all ages. 4 p.m.

Nov. 3 A Japanese American Child in World War II

Topic: Needs of the Age – The Evolution of the Human Society.

Speaker: Dr. Vahid Fozdar, associate professor of history at California State University East Bay. 7:30 p.m. Free. For directions, call 672-6686. Sponsored by the Baha’is of Clayton.

Eizo Kobayashi talks about his experiences as a young boy relocated to an internment camp with his family. 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 15 Holiday Boutique

Nov. 5 “Back to Greenville”

Community outreach to share holiday crafts, jewelry, baked goods and other handmade items. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. Free admission. For more information, contact Michele Miller at 672-0882.

Nov. 22 Holiday Craft Fair Handcrafted jewelry, knitted and crocheted gifts, baby blankets and sweater sets, holiday decorations, quilted items and holiday sweets.

9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, Senior Activity Center, Fellowship Hall, 1965 Colfax St., Concord. For more information, call (510) 512-4032.

SCHOOLS Nov. 1 Induction Dinner Mt. Diablo High School Sports Hall of Fame annual Induction Dinner.

6:30 p.m. Zio Fraedo’s, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. $50. mdhsshf.org.

Nov. 7 Common Core Forum The Concerned Parents and Educators of the East Bay discuss the challenges children face with Common Core Standards. Two members of the validation committee share their reasons for not signing off on the program and a lawyer discusses legal ramifications of opting out. 7 – 9 p.m. Main Sanctuary, Calvary Temple Church, 4725 Evora Road, Concord. Register to attend at tinyurl.com/ccconcordforum.

FUNDRAISERS 2nd and 4th Sundays Pancake Breakfast

Oct. 25 1950s Dinner Dance

Nov. 8 Vetjam 2014

The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at claytonlibrary.org or call 673-0659.

Classical and contemporary choral music. 6 p.m. Clayton Valley Presbyterian Church, 1578 Kirker Pass Road, Clayton. $10-$20.

672-4848.

Nov. 2 The Broadway Divas

Celebrating the best of country. 8 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com.

AT THE LIBRARY

Author Shelly Rivoli shares tips for traveling during the holidays with young children. 11 a.m.

Performs. 7:30 p.m. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $18-$25. lesherartscenter.org. 943-7469.

Nov. 7 Tom Drinnon

Clayton Valley Woman’s Club’s annual fundraiser. Wide assortment of handmade articles with an emphasis on Christmas; decorations and baked goods. Sat. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun. 1 - 4 p.m. Proceeds benefit the club’s local charities and scholarships. Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton. For more information, call 524-0641 or go to claytonvalleywomansclub.org.

Oct. 25 Chromatica

Veterans of Foreign Wars serve breakfast to the public: Eggs, pancakes, sausage, beverage. 8 – 11 a.m. VFW Post 1525, 2290 Willow Pass Road, Concord. $5, $3 children under 12. vfwpost1525.org.

A cabaret tribute. 3 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $25-$27. elcampaniltheatre.com.

5K/10K run/walk benefiting local Veterans programs supported by Contra Costa Blue Star Moms. Event sponsored by Concord Police Association. Veterans ceremony at 8:15 a.m. Race at 8:30 a.m.

Hillcrest Park, Olivera Road, Concord. To enter and for more information, go to ccbluestarmoms.org.

Nov. 22 – 23 Boutique and Bake Sale

Thru Nov. 15 “Bye Bye Birdie” A musical theatre classic; satire done with the fondest affection.

Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. $12-$44$54. ccmt.org.

Nov. 8 Veterans Day Run/Walk

Ryan Stout, featuring Dhaya Lakshminarayanan and hosted by Nicole Calasich. 8 p.m. California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. $17-$20. pittsburgcaliforniatheatre.com. 427-1611.

Oct. 31 Trick or Treat

Nov. 19 History Hike

Costume contest and raffle. Wear your funniest or spookiest costume.

Proceeds benefit local charities. 6 p.m. Concord Moose Family Center Lodge #567, 1805 Broadway St., Concord. $13. 798-0887.

Nov. 15 Comedy

Presented by Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. El Campanil Theatre, 602 W. Second St., Antioch. $7-$15. elcampaniltheatre.com.

Mount Diablo Interpretive Association programs listed are free with the exception of park entrance fee. Go to mdia.org and click on Events Calendar for more information.

Nov. 8 Halloween Dinner Dance

Silent auction, raffle, wine pull and early view of boutique Fri. 6 – 8 p.m. Boutique, food items and raffle Sat. 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sun. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Presented by Classy Crafters. All proceeds benefit St. Bonaventure Food Pantry. St. Bonaventure Hall, 5562 Clayton Road, Concord. 672-5800.

Season opener for Diablo Ballet. Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. $24-$44. diabloballet.org.

Nov. 22 We are the Nation – A Salute to Veterans

ON THE MOUNTAIN

Concord. Free admission. No strollers. For more information, call Lani Pryor 672-7097.

Nov. 14 – 16 Holiday Boutique and Country Kitchen

Nov. 14 – 15 “A Swingin’ Holiday”

Red Cross blood drive. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Montecito, 4756 Clayton Road, Concord. Call Michaela or Lisa at 575-9572.

Trick or treat around the plaza and see the Scarecrow Contest winner. Look for orange and black balloons in front of participating businesses. Ice cream treats at Umpqua Bank, 1900 Grant St., Concord. Event sponsored by the Todos Santos Business Association.

3 – 5 p.m. Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. cityofconcord.org.

newsandcalendar@concordpioneer.com

Dress in your best 1950s outfit. Music by Contra Band. Proceeds benefit local charities. 6:30 p.m. Concord Moose Family Center Lodge #567, 1805 Broadway St., Concord. $15. 798-0887.

Oct. 25 Music-A-Thon Clayton Valley Charter High School Instrumental Music Boosters fundraiser. Music and marching through Clayton. 9 a.m. Procession starts at Endeavor Hall and ends at The Grove, downtown Clayton.

Donate at claytonbands.org.

Nov. 7 - 8 Santa’s Smokestack Boutique Local crafters selling handmade items. Benefit for The Crossings Homeowners’ Association. Fri. 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Walnut Country Clubhouse (The Crossings), 4465 South Larwin Ave.,

Author Ron Cerruti shares his experiences working as a seasonal forester. “Back to Greenville” is a light-hearted and comical journey chronicling his love of the forest, its animals, and the humans who pass through it and is a beautifully written reminder of the fragility and value of America’s natural resources. Ron is a recently retired IRS engineering and valuation territory manager who lives in Clayton with his wife and children. 7 p.m.

Nov. 8, 15, 22, 29 International Picture Book Month Stories for ages preschool to 7. 11 a.m.

Nov. 12 “Authentic Happiness in Seven Emails” How to choose happiness. A simple approach to joy, satisfaction and a meaningful life. Presented by professor Javy W. Galindo. 7 p.m.

The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. Programs are free unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events at ccclib.org or 6465455.

Oct. 30 Vegetable Garden Master Gardener Terry Lippert presents, “What went wrong with your vegetable garden.” Problems, solutions. 7 p.m.

Nov. 6 “Authentic Happiness in Seven Emails” How to choose happiness. A simple approach to joy, satisfaction and a meaningful life. Presented by professor Javy W. Galindo.

6:30 p.m.

Nov. 8 Aztec Dancers Dancers in beautiful, authentic costumes perform ceremonial dances. Stay after for fun craft activity. 1 p.m.

GOVERNMENT 1st, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Concord City Council 6:30 p.m., Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org.

1st and 3rd Wednesdays Concord Planning Commission 7 p.m., Council Chamber, Concord Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. cityofconcord.org.

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

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 19

Merchants, residents pumped up for Willows center renovation

“Good nutrition brings good health, brings happiness.

Thank you, Doorstep Farmers.”

Clayton resident, Leo Schindler

A local service bringing organic, in-season produce straight from local farms to your doorstep.

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A MAJOR RENOVATION OF THE WILLOWS SHOPPING CENTER is nearing completion with new merchants already moving in. The finished mall will include more visibility for stores and better pedestrian access.

PEGGY SPEAR Concord Pioneer

It’s noon on a Saturday, and the Willows Shopping Center is packed. Drivers dart around construction zones, trying to find a coveted spot near the collection of Off the Grid Food trucks, close to the UFC Gym grand re-opening party, or just to shop at many of the popular businesses.

Nearby restaurants like Claim Jumper and Lazy Dog are already doing a brisk business, and a line of drivers still snakes through the drivethrough at Krispy Kreme to get their morning donut fix.

Just a few years ago, many Concord residents were ringing a death knell for the 37year-old shopping center, especially when the popular Willows Theater Company shut its doors. But owner Equity One is breathing new life into the plaza it bought in 2011 with a remodeling project that they — and Concord officials — hope will lure even more clients.

One of those, Ulta Beauty, has already moved in to a 10,000-square foot space between Old Navy and Pier 1 Imports. The high-end beauty and drug store carries hair, skin and bath products, per-

fume and beauty tools. It also has stores in Brentwood and Dublin, and another is scheduled to open in Pinole.

“It’s already been a huge benefit to the center,” says Jason Dunton, the general manager of the 6,000-member UFC Gym, of the renovations.

The popular gym was able to take over space vacated by the Willows Theater.

“With Ulta coming, it brings in the female demographic that we’d like to see at our gym. It’s businesses helping each other out,” Dunton says.

But the heart of the renovations consists of creating a pedestrian-friendly outdoor mall, says John Montagh, Concord’s Economic Development and Housing Manager.

“The idea is to create a kind of Main Street experience, connecting the eastern part of the center with the western side,” he says.

Equity One is also updating the storefront facades and putting in new sidewalks, The renovations will also offer up more visible listing space for Equity One. “It’s a major change, a major investment,” Montagh says.

He says there is “nothing like it” in the East Bay, retailwise. It won’t be a covered mall, like Sunvalley, or an

arranged “downtown,” like Pleasant Hill.

Montagh is quick to point out that those who “wrote off ” the Willows during the heart of the recession were underestimating the value of the existing stores, as well as its easy location off of Willow Pass Road on Diamond Blvd.

The big draw continues to be dining, with the addition of Lazy Dog creating a “word-ofmouth frenzy,” he says.

“They’re blowing the doors off.”

The center’s newfound popularity is also fed by Off the Grid, the eight or so food trucks that show up each Saturday afternoon offering an eclectic array of dishes, from garlic noodles to Korean BBQ sandwiches to bacon ice cream.

“We love Off the Grid,” says Concord resident Roya Rasmusson, who with her husband Jasper was eating outside near the trucks, listening to live music — a ukulele player performing Van Halen. “This is one of the reasons we’ll keep coming back to the Willows,” she says. “We’re originally from San Francisco, so we love the diversity the food trucks offer.”

UFC’s Dunton agrees that the food trucks bring a lot of people to the center, who in

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Page 20

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

No BS – brussels sprouts are good

LINDA WYNER

FOOD

FOR

THOUGHT

Appearing in farmers markets and grocery stores right about now are those cute little mini cabbage-like veggies, Brussels sprouts. A recent survey found Brussels sprouts to be the No. 1 most-hated veggie in America.

Such a pity if you’re among the haters, but a great opportunity for the rest of us to enjoy more of the sweet nuttiness well-prepared Brussels sprouts can offer.

Wild cabbages were domesticated in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran thousands of years ago.

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veggies in that the little tight cabbage-shaped heads grow on long, thick stalks) were reported in ancient Rome. Modern-day versions sprouted up in the 16th Century in — where else? — Belgium where its major city, Brussels, lent them their namesake.

The key to great-tasting Brussels sprouts is to start with fresh, firm heads (the smaller the better in my book) and whatever you do, don’t overcook them because that will release sulfur compounds that result in a distinctively unpleasant aroma.

Roasting, sautéing and braising are your best cooking methods but if you’ve never peeled away the leaves to make crispy baked Brussels sprouts chips, you’ve been missing out. Blanching Brussels sprouts for quickcooked recipes can help ensure a tender result, but don’t cook too long as this water method will dilute their flavor.

Because their flavor is both assertive and somewhat sweet, Brussels sprouts benefit from ingredients that add richness and/or acidity. Popular flavor partners are bacon, pancetta, sausage, toasted nuts of all kinds, and balsamic, sherry or malt vinegar or lemon juice. Butter, cream, oils (olive and nut oils in particular) and cheese will help round out the flavors.

One of my favorite dishes is to braise halved Brussels sprouts, first by browning in a little olive oil, then braising in about half a cup of water until the water is evaporated and veggies are tender. Then I transfer the Brussels sprouts to a serving dish and add one-fourth cup balsamic vinegar

to the pan and let it reduce by half, then melt in one or two tablespoons of butter to make a lovely sauce. Yum! Here’s another dish to try: CREAMY BRUSSELS SPROUTS 4 slices regular or peppered bacon 2 lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through stem end ¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth ½ tsp. kosher salt (or seasoned salt) ¼ tsp. black pepper ¾ cup whipping cream Cook bacon in a large (12inch) skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels and remove all but two tablespoons of the drippings from the skillet Add the Brussels sprouts to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add broth, salt, and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, then uncover and continue to cook until the liquid is nearly evaporated (about 2-4 minutes longer).

Add the cream and simmer a few minutes until thickened.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens Linda Wyner owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet cookware store and cooking school in Pleasanton. Send suggestions or questions to lwyner@pansonfire.com

November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Page 21

De-stress plants with fertilizer now NICOLE HACKETT

GARDEN GIRL Several common evergreen shrubs found in our Concord landscapes and gardens need to be fertilized now in preparation for their eventual spring flower displays.

Azaleas, camellias, loropetalum, helleborus and pieris all should be given fertilizer to promote healthy foliage and flower. If we fertilize now, plants have an opportunity to take the fertilizers up from their roots since the ground is still warm.

Fertilizer packages have a series of numbers on their

CAMELLIA labels. Each number represents a different benefit that the fertilizer can provide to the plant that it is given to. The first number in the series represents nitrogen.

This makes a plant grow taller and wider. The second number in the series is phosphorous.

Phosphorous represents the

plants roots and flowers. The third number on a fertilizer label represents the potassium. This part of the fertilizer helps a plant with its disease and pest tolerance.

Azaleas, camellias and pieris shrubs should be given doses of fertilizer with little to no nitro-

l i a r T e m u l F e Bik for unforgettable views

gen this time of the year. Look for fertilizer formulas that have a smaller first number compared to the second and third. Consider using a 0-10-10, 2-10-10, 320-20, or something close to these formulas. If nitrogen (a larger first number) is given now, it will encourage your shrubs to grow. The buds for spring blooms of all these plants are set in the summer.

Fertilizing now with the wrong product will encourage the shrub to grow and cover up spring’s flowers. It is also a good idea to give acid-loving shrubs a dose of chelated or granular iron at this time too. It will encourage green leaves.

Loropetalum shrubs are commonly called Fringe Flowers.

Over past decade loropetalum shrubs have become more common in our Concord gardens. They too

would love a dose of fertilizer while the soil is still warm. Fertilize loropetalum with a balanced fertilizer such as 16-16-16 or 5-5-5. The key for loropetalum is balance fertilizing. Loropetalum would also benefit from a dose of iron for its foliage.

Helleborus are being enjoyed in more dry-shade gardens than ever before. Their winter-spring flowers make them desirable.

Prune and fertilize them now for a spectacular flowering season. Remove older leaves and stems completely to make room for fresh foliage. Fertilize hellebores with a granular 8-4-4, or a water-soluble 15-6-3 now.

Evergreen vines also need a dose of fertilizer. Trailing white jasmine, bower vines, trumpet vines, yellow and pink jasmine, and happy wonderer should fertilized depending on their sea-

son of flowering. The happy wonderer, pink and yellow jasmine should be fertilized with a formula to focus on the flower, such as 0-10-10, 2-10-10 or 320-20. If using a water-soluble product, fertilize twice monthly.

The bower vines, trumpet vines and trailing white jasmine need to be fed to help their foliage along. Use a granular 8-4-4.

Depending on the leaf color of these vines, you may also need a dose or two of iron. Follow the directions on all your product labels.

Fertilizing your landscape plants now will help them heal themselves after such a stressful spring and summer.

SHARON ANDERSON

Nevada Wood and Lumber Company transporting its raw lumber via a wooden flume located 1,600 vertical feet above the shores of Lake Tahoe. The wooden flume has long since been disassembled and the path used for the wooden flume is now the setting for one of the best biking adventures in the nation.

This mountain bike ride is for at least strong beginners or better mainly due to elevation gain. Moderately difficult is the one-way, 1-mile ride at 7,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation with more than 1,000 feet of climbing in the first four miles and 4.5 miles of single track. There are a few spots that are a little scary for those adverse to heights, but you can always walk through

anything that you don’t feel comfortable with. The warning sign about landslides and steep drop-offs will certainly get your attention. And the single track will make you a single-track addict.

My favorite is a loop from Spooner Lake. The first 4.8 miles up North Canyon Rd. is climbing, meandering through pines, Aspen, and Willow trees, whose leaves in the fall are ablaze in yellow and orange. The climbing gets steeper until you top out on a saddle overlooking Marlette Lake, a 7,823-foot elevation. Follow the trail around the left side of the lake for some flat pedaling 1.5 miles to the dam. At the dam the serious fun

GET

UP

& GET OUT

Breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe, refreshing fall temperatures, Aspen trees in glorious color and incredible single-track mountain biking is what you will get when you ride the famous Flume Trail in Tahoe.

The flume trail was built in the late 1800s by the Sierra

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Onboard spending money may be used on a single voyage only, is not redeemable for cash and expires at the end of that voyage. * Fares apply to minimum lead-in categories on a space-available basis at time of booking. Fares for other categories, sailings and cruisetours may vary. Fares are per person, non-air, cruise- or cruisetour-only, based on double occupancy and apply to the first two guests in a stateroom. These fares do not apply to singles or third/fourth-berth guests. Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses of $175-$250 are additional and subject to change. This offer applies to new bookings only, is capacity controlled and may not be combinable with any other public or past guest discount. Offer is available to residents of the 50 United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Bermuda and the District of Columbia who are 21 years of age or older and receive this offer. Fares quoted in U.S. dollars. Please refer to princess.com for terms, conditions and definitions that apply to all bookings. ** Reduced deposit of $100 per person applies to all guests in a stateroom and is fully refundable.

Offer expires: November 20, 2014. Promo code: R33/RPA. Note: For assistance reserving a wheelchair-accessible stateroom, please contact customer service at 1-800-774-6237. © 2014 Princess Cruises. Ships of Bermudan and British registry.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. Contact her with questions or comments at Gardengirl@claytonpioneer.com

See Get Out, page 24

Page 22

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

PERFORMING ARTS Offering All-Season

Curtain rises on new theater column

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SALLY HOGARTY

STAGE STRUCK I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t obsessed by live theater. As a child, I would make up my own plays and force my family to watch in my makeshift theater. In high school, the theater nerds became my refuge.

I always knew that my profession would involve theater.

While I never made it “big” as a professional actress, I have managed to keep food on the table and my obsession intact.

Adding theater reviews/stories to my repertoire has allowed me to see fascinating performances and meet even more fascinating actors. Many of these I hope to share in this new column.

I recently attended the Clayton Theatre Company’s production of “A Trip Down Broadway,” which ran Oct. 8-18 at Endeavor Hall in Clayton. The community spirit and energy emanating from the stage as well as the audience reminded me why I love live theater so much.

Directed by Roxanne Pardi and assistant directed/choreographed by La Tonya Watts, this show radiated a passion and joy for performing that made it delightful to watch.

While the large cast had a wide range of abilities, its unbri-

dled enthusiasm had the audience moving in time to the eclectic mix of Broadway tunes wrapped around the loose story of Snow White searching for her prince. Look for the group’s new season starting in April 2015 with the charming comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace.” For more information, visit www.claytontheatrecompany.co m or call 925.222.9106.

Meanwhile, director Steven Kinsella brings the 1950s back in style with “Forever Plaid,” running Oct. 24 – Nov. 2 at Cue Live, 1835 Colfax Street, in Concord. If you like classic four-part harmonies, this show is for you.

Leaving reality far behind, the story follows four young singers who are killed in a car crash on the way to their first big gig.

Somehow they manage to come back to life long enough to perform one last time.

“The show is a bit of an audience participation show,” says Kinsella. “I don’t want to give too much away, but audience members will leave the theater humming all the way to the car and feel like they’ve known these characters all their lives.”

For tickets, call 925-516-5936 or go to www.thebrentwoodtheater.org.

Kenn Adams brings his special brand of adventure theater to Clayton on Oct. 26. “Adventure in Space” uses the audience to make the sound effects, become the scenery, invent plot twists and even take on some of the roles. According to Adams, his adventure theater is all about child-empowerment. “That’s why improvisation is the perfect way to tell the story,” he says.

“Because it validates every audi-

Chris Finetti, James Bradley, Doug Brown, Jeff Asbury in ‘Forever Plaid’ in Concord this weekend.

ence member’s creativity. Plus, it’s outrageously silly and fun.”

Adams’ “Adventure in Space” follows a hero (played by an audience member) who travels to a distant planet to help its inhabitants overthrow the wicked usurper and restore the rightful monarch to the throne. The

show takes place Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 5555 Clayton Rd., in Clayton. Visit www.BrownPaperTickets.com or call 925-6728717.

See Stage, page 23

Take a whimsical trip down the rabbit hole Sara Moore, a San Franciscobased clown, and her Thrillride Mechanics troupe star in “Wunderworld,” a stunning new reimagining of the “Alice in Wonderland” story, as part of Center REPertory Company’s Off Center Series. Told through music, dance and Moore’s “hyper-comical Theatre of Human Animation,” Wunderworld tells the story of an 80-year old Alice drawn back down the rabbit hole for yet another adventure.

The play stars Rory Davis,

Michael Patrick Gaffney, Natasha Kaluza, Moore and Dawn Meredith Smith. “Wunderworld” was created by Moore and directed by Andrew Jordan Nance.

Performances run through Nov. 9 at the Lesher Center, 1601 Civic drive, Walnut Creek.

For more info or tickets visit CenterREP.org or call 925-943-SHOW (7469). You can also visit the Lesher Center Ticket Office at 1601 Civic Drive or the Ticket Office outlets at Barnes & Noble in Walnut Creek and the Walnut Creek Library.

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November 2014

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

Twists abound in REP’s

‘Deathtrap’

Kid-friendly ‘Nutcracker’ coming to Lesher Center

Credit: mellopix.com

Bay Area favorites Lynda DiVito, Charles Shaw Robinson and Craig Marker in CenterREP’s ‘Deathtrap’ now at the Lesher.

Center REPertory Company presents “Deathtrap,” running Oct. 24 through Nov. 22.

In the tradition of Center REP’s “The Mousetrap” and “Sleuth,” this ingeniously constructed thriller packs gaspinducing surprises and spontaneous laughter into two hours of nerve-wracking adrenaline and tension-smashing hilarity.

Dealing with the devious machinations of a writer of thrillers whose recent offerings have been flops, and who is prepared to go to any lengths to improve his fortunes, “Deathtrap” provides twists and turns

and sudden shocks in such abundance that audiences will be held spellbound until the very last moment.

For tickets, visit CenterREP.org or call 925-943-SHOW (7469). You can also visit the Lesher Center Ticket Office at 1601 Civic Drive or the Ticket Office outlets at Barnes & Noble in Walnut Creek and the Walnut Creek Library.

Center REPertory Company, the resident professional theater company of the Lesher Center for the Arts (LCA), will be celebrating its 48th Subscription Season of theatrical productions during 2014/2015.

Page 23

Creepy, kooky and onstage The weird but loveable Addams family comes alive onstage just in time for Halloween at the Martinez Campbell Theater.

As the play begins, the family, led by the elegantly gaunt and seemingly undead Morticia and her ever-devoted husband Gomez, is in turmoil. Their daughter Wednesday, now 18, finds herself falling in love — a sensation that is unsettling for both her and her family of endearing misfits. When the teen invites her new boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, over with his “normal” family to get better acquainted with the Addams household, comic chaos (including everything from mixed-up potions to a scorching tango) ensues.

The family friendly musical runs through Nov. 2 on Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit Eventbrite.com, or call the Campbell Theater at 925-350-9770.

Returning for its 24th year, the family-friendly Contra Costa Ballet’s “Nutcracker” will be at the Lesher Thanksgiving weekend only.

Join Clara and her beloved nutcracker-turned-prince on a magical journey among giant mice and toy soldiers into the deliciously delightful Candy Kingdom. Contra Costa Ballet brings the nutcracker to life in this magnificent production filled with colorful costumes, whimsical sets and an array of talented, young dancers. This onehour performance is an elegant introduction to the holiday classic.

For performance times and tickets, call or visit the Lesher Center Box Office (925) 943-SHOW (7469).

‘We love you Conrad’

Contra Costa Musical Theatre wraps up their 2014 season with “Bye Bye, Birdie,” a musical satire based on the Elvis craze of the 1950s.

In this energetic performance, girls scream and faint at the very mention of the name “Conrad” until exasperated parents ask “What’s the Matter With Kids Today.”

The show plays weekends through Nov. 15 at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek.For tickets and performance times, go to the Lesher Ticket Office, 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, 925.943.7469, or buy online at www.lesherArtscenter.org.

Photo courtesy of CCMT

Nov. 2 is Diva Day at El Campanil “The Broadway Divas, Volume I,” is a fresh, fun retrospective of four of Broadway’s most celebrated, awarded, and honored leading ladies. This new musical revue featuring “Nunsense” Star Deborah Del Mastro, will be at Antioch’s El Campanil Theatre for one matinee performance on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m.

Celebrating the careers of Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Ethel Merman and Mary Martin, this cabaret tribute features songs from many of their classic shows including “Mame,” “Annie Get Your

Stage,

Gun,” ”South Pacific,” “Gypsy” and “Peter Pan.” The show is filled with stories, trivia and fun facts about each of these Broadway divas, and will get the audience humming, singing and clapping along. So, curtains up and light the lights, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”...as El Campanil Theatre tips its hat to “The Broadway Divas.”

DEBORAH DEL MASTRO

For ticket info, go to elcampaniltheatre.com, or call the box office 925.757.9500, 602 W. Second St., Antioch.

from page 22 CCMT will wrap up this season with Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man” set to open March 20. Auditions for kids, teens and adults are Nov. 9 and 10. To schedule audition go to www.ccmt.org.

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

Concord needs Experienced Leadership The Right Voice – The Right Choice

I am honored that I have been able to represent and serve you as your Council Member, and want to continue with the hard work that I have been doing.

• Maintaining essential services with balanced budgets, and strong reserves.

• Strategies to attract and retain business and jobs and improve our property values, continuing the Todos Santos park concerts.

Despite the tough economic times, new businesses are locating here and existing ones re-investing and expanding, and property values are increasing. But more needs to be done to continue to improve our community and quality of life with the economic recovery.

I ask for your continued support to

Keep Concord on Track.

ister e m f f o H a Laur

Page 24

Concord Pioneer • www.concordpioneer.com

November 2014

‘Green’ vinyl isn’t just a color

LARRY FLICK

UNDERFOOT A friend of mine, who might be described as an unusually dedicated tree-hugger, recently moved into a new home – that is, new to her. The house was mostly in good repair, except for the kitchen floor, which indisputably needed to be completely replaced, and soon. Knowing more or less what I did for a living, she asked my advice, but with one caveat. “Anything but vinyl,” she said, in that sometimes-charming way she has. “I

will never have a vinyl floor, period.”

“But vinyl floors and kitchens are practically made for each other,” I ventured. “Vinyl is resistant to moisture and humidity, it’s strong and durable, and it’s resilient – a good thing in a room where you are almost always on your feet. Plus it comes in a million colors and patterns.”

“What,” I continued, knowing what her answer would be, “do you have against vinyl?”

“It’s plastic. It’s made from petroleum. It’s just one more way we’re killing the earth.” And with that, she stepped into my trap.

It surprised her, and may well surprise you, to learn the following few facts about vinyl floor-covering.

Vinyl is indeed a plastic, and is made partly with non-renewable resources such as crude oil.

But unlike other plastics, these account for only 43 percent of

Get Out, from page 21 begins on 4.5 miles of singletrack. This section itself is narrow but mostly flat. Believe me, the vistas overlooking the water and mountains are spectacular and worth the nail-biting sections.

Out and back on this trail is about 20 miles if you turn around before descending on Tunnel Creek trail, which brings you out to Highway 28 where you will have to shuttle back to Spooner. The good news: it is all downhill from Marlette Lake.

Another option is to continue and take the Red House

Flume turnoff, enjoy the back flume section, climb Hobart Road and Sunflower Hill up and over to Marlette. It’s approximately 22 miles for the loop and for a strong rider.

If you didn’t bring your own mountain bike to Tahoe, Flume Trail Bikes offers rentals for this world-class ride. Located in Incline Village and at the end of the trail, Flume Trail Bikes rents high quality mountain bikes beginning at $35 per day; for $10 they can also shuttle you to Spooner Lake. Or you can rent good mountain bikes at the

vinyl’s composition – it’s 57 percent derived from common salt – and, also unlike other plastics, it can be recycled.

No hazardous materials are released into the environment as a byproduct of the manufacture of vinyl floor-covering. Waste products are either recycled at the point of manufacture or sent to a reclaimer for disposal.

(The heavy metal stabilizers and pigments once used were replaced years ago with more environmentally safe materials.)

So, compared to almost any other plastic you can think of, vinyl requires fewer natural resources to make, uses much lesser energy for manufacture, and releases lower emissions into the environment.

Plus it comes in a million colors and patterns – and yes, that includes green.

Larry Flick is president of the Floor Store. Email your questions or comments to larryf@floorstores.com.

shop at Spooner.

Spooner Lake is located near the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and State Route 28 at “Spooner Summit.” Spooner Lake is popular for picnicking, fishing, and viewing wildlife and wildflowers. It is very crowded peak season which is why now is a great time to ride it. Always bring plenty of water and a map.

You don’t want to end up on the Nevada side lost and far away from your car.

Sharon Anderson is a Clayton resident, hiker and mountain biker who lives for the outdoors. Send comments for Sharon to editor@ConcordPioneer.com

Judge Tue For US Congress A Vote to End Partisan Gridlock and Special Interest Power Dear My Concord Friends and Neighbors, November 4th, Election Day, is less than two weeks away. For the first time in 40 years we are going to have a new congressional representative. The choice we make on Election Day is extremely important.

Congressional incumbents seeking reelection win more than 90% of the time in spite of the fact that only 14% of our citizens approve of the job Congress is doing. This election we must choose the candidate who represents all of us and not the candidate who represents partisanship and Special Interests. Mark DeSaulnier has forgotten that he represents you and not Special Interest PACs. In 2002 Mark DeSaulnier championed unsustainable pension increases that hiked benefits for public safety workers by as much as 50 percent. Our County’s Treasurer warned Mark DeSaulnier that this was a financial time bomb. Mark DeSaulnier pressed forward and our County now owes more than $3.2 billion in unfunded long-term liabilities.

In 2009 and 2010 Mark DeSaulnier attempted to pass a bill that more than 135 cities, including Concord, opposed. His actions were called, “a glaring example of special-interest influence in Sacramento. It is a disservice to the public and an insult to local government and his constituents.” Contra Costa Times.

It is time to put an end to politics as usual. I am running to restore honest, dignity, and decorum to the halls of Congress. I am running to end partisan gridlock, promote independent thinking, and to get Congress working for us and not for lobbyists. I will be honored if you join me in our fight to clean up DC.

Tue Phan

Candidate for the US House of Representatives, District 11