From the Desk of

From the Desk of... With ever-changing situations, the key is to be prepared

September is national emergency preparedness month. With wildfires burning across the West and Hurricane Ida impacting millions of people in the South and East, weathering a natural disaster is top of mind for many of us.

On Sept. 2, the city hosted its annual emergency preparedness fair in Todos Santos Plaza. It featured members of our Police Department and Senior Citizens Club, as well as first responders and representatives from various partner agencies, including the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, American Medical Response, Contra Costa’s HAZMAT team, the American Red Cross, the Con-

SB9 deals a blow to local land use control

CARL “CW” WOLFE CLAYTON MAYOR

Senate Bill 9 (SB9), a housing bill that I discussed in my March and July 2021 Pioneer articles, has passed and awaits the governor’s signature.

Despite lobbying efforts, California legislators seem to think they know best when it comes to taking local control of cities. Minor compromises did not go far enough, and Clayton city officials remain opposed.

Our hope is that the governor vetoes this bill. He has until Oct. 10 to decide. You can read more on SB9 at www.leginfo.legislature.ca.go v, and you can make your voice heard by writing to the governor.

City Council members have preliminarily met with the consultant hired to begin the process of looking into Clayton’s upcoming Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Clayton must define zoning for a statemandated 570 additional housing units. This is going to be a most difficult task for our nearly built-out city.

Clayton has filed an appeal of these numbers, but appeals are rarely upheld. The City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint housing element workshop on Sept. 28. Future community engagement will be a part of our planning, and I urge you to get involved in the process.

Cal Cities has communicated a legislative effort to allow for the continuation of virtual council meetings during the pandemic. Our virtual meetings have been much better attended by the public than in-person meetings, and we are working on the technology to accommodate those wishing to attend virtually once we do return to Hoyer Hall.

The Contra Costa Mayors Conference has decided to continue meeting virtually throughout 2021. This means that Clayton will not host the November meeting at Oakhurst as originally scheduled but will host the first in-person meeting as soon as they resume.

Council members are meeting with various business owners in town to explore their needs regarding the American Rescue Plan funds distribution. The council recently prioritized helping Clayton businesses recoup some of their losses due to the pandemic.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to welcome our new community development director, Katherine Korshak, as well as our “new” finance director, Dana Ayers. Korshak comes to us from Kensington, with more than 10 years of experience, and Ayers was our interim finance director and has chosen to stay with us on a permanent basis. So happy to have these talented individuals on Team Clayton.

Please direct questions or comments to cw@claytonca.gov or 925-673-7324. cord Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Concord Listos program, the Concord Auxiliary Emergency Radio Services (CARES), the Contra Costa Crisis Center, Concord’s Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) and more.

These organizations shared valuable tips and offered safety demonstrations, allowing visitors to practice using a fire extinguisher, turning off gas flow at the source and performing CPR. Representatives from our local Home Depot were also there to showcase a variety of safety products, which they generously gave away to help people build their safety kits.

As you think about your own safety plans, keep these tips in mind:

Make a Plan: Talk to your family and friends about how

TIM MCGALLIAN CONCORD MAYOR

you will communicate before, during and after a disaster.

Build a Kit: Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly.

Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness: Know the risk of disasters in your area and learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards. Check your insurance coverage to make sure it is up-todate.

Teach Youth About Preparedness: Talk to your kids about preparing for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.

We are fortunate to have partner agencies like the American Red Cross and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, which are actively engaged in supporting the victims of California’s wildfires. Donations to these and so many other nonprofits are always welcome.

The Food Bank says that $25 provides a family of four a day’s worth of ready-to-eat food, snacks and water. The Red Cross says that in addition to monetary donations, they are in critical need of blood donors. They are also seeking volunteers.

When disaster strikes in Concord, we will certainly want our community members prepared to respond, which is why I highly encourage residents to participate in our CERT program. CERT educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact Contra Costa County and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and res-

See McGallian, page 9

Tiny homes could be part of a rapid response to homelessness

TIM GRAYSON 14TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

During my time in the Assembly, I have worked tirelessly to reform our housing policies to help communities build the housing that they want and need.

Everyone agrees that any solution to our housing crisis is going to involve increasing our housing supply, but it’s going to take some real time to both implement policies that can spur production and to start seeing shovels hit the ground on new development.

In the meantime, we need to address the immediate need of getting Californians off the streets and into homes. At the beginning of the month, I highlighted one possible solution to this problem by bringing a tiny home to the steps of our state capitol.

California’s homeless population increased by nearly 25 percent from 2018 to 2020, and we are at risk of seeing that statistic grow as more than 4 in 10 California households have unaffordable housing costs.

There is no one solution to our homelessness crisis, but I think tiny homes may be one leg of the stool. Tiny homes are scaled, self-contained homes that are rapidly deployable, meaning they can be quickly built and installed into our communities. The tiny home that I used for demonstration at the capitol, which was provided by Access Housing, was built and delivered in only 30 days. Imagine the difference that we could make in our communities by offering that kind of rapid response to families who have no place to call home.

These homes also come on wheels, so we would have the ability to put it on a property where people are unhoused and later move it when those individuals are able to find a more permanent place to live.

These houses can be used for more than transitional housing. I see them as a critical tool to use during our state’s response to wildfires. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has used tiny homes as temporary housing during emergency

When you work for Concord PD, every day is a new opportunity

Make a difference while earning a living. These words are not an empty promise, but an invite to anyone who wants to rise to the challenge and serve their community.

The Concord Police Department is looking for people who are passionate about serving their community.

I am often asked why anyone would want to be a police officer in the current environment. Well, let me tell you why.

Locally, the residents overwhelmingly support their police department and go out of their way daily to let us know. I personally appreciate all of you who have stopped me in coffee shops and restaurants and told me that my staff, your officers, are doing an outstanding job.

You also let me know when we fall short in our response. Frankly, I appreciate hearing all of it. To me it means you are engaged with your police department and care enough to reach out and give me feedback – whether positive or negative.

If you opt for a career in law enforcement, I promise that no two days will be alike – ever. Each day brings different challenges, whether you are in patrol or in investigations. You will be asked to think critically, react to stimuli around you, and make split second decisions based upon your training and experience.

You will not work banker’s hours, with weekends off. You’ll have to work nights at some point. You will interact with the entire cross section of the population, which means you will interact with some people who don’t like what law enforcement represents and some people who are afraid of you because of the uniform you wear. But that’s OK; we serve everyone.

You will just as likely interact with people who come to you for help and solutions to problems that they cannot fix themselves. You are a mobile problemsolver.

For those of us in the business, the satisfaction comes from solving other people’s problems in an equitable and kind fashion. That might mean taking a traffic report where you console the person who just totaled their only car. It might mean getting county services to a family or individual that has no idea there are agencies that support various social needs.

Of course, it also means you might make an arrest of someone terrorizing a shopping center or neighborhood. It could also mean you solve a burglary or robbery and bring resolution to crime victims.

There is no greater feeling than being able to help someone find solutions to seemingly intractable problems, or to help people when they are quite possibly having the worst day of their lives and you are there to help bring calmness to the storm.

If you want to do the same job every day, don’t go into law enforcement. However, if you want to be challenged mentally, physically and emotionally while serving the Concord community, then give our recruitment sergeant, Ollie Sansen, a call at 925-671-5000 or email him at Ollie.Sansen@cityofconcord.o rg.

MARK BUSTILLOS CHIEFOF POLICE CONCORD

response, and these units can be brought to wildfire-affected areas to serve both displaced families and firefighters on the front lines.

The tiny home that I brought to the capitol for demonstration was set up to house one family, but additional configurations would allow for up to five individuals to be privately housed.

See Grayson, page 9

We can all take simple steps to help conserve water

With a historic drought upon us and reservoirs reaching critically low capacity across the state, it is more important than ever to conserve water and find ways to reduce consumption.

California’s rainy season continues to arrive later and with less water each year, so it’s essential that we all work together to preserve our water resources for the dry months to come.

Conserving water starts at home. With a few simple changes around the house, you can reduce your consumption.

One tried and true strategy is to keep a bucket in the bathroom to capture water as your shower warms up and use it to water plants at your home. Another is to wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine until you have a full load. Washing your car at a carwash, where water is recycled, is a simple and easy way to conserve as well.

If you’re looking to take your water conservation to the next level, one of the best ways is to reorient the landscaping to be droughtresistant. The biggest culprits are lawns, with thirsty, non-native grass.

In my supervisorial district, the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) have been hard at work implementing programs and mobilizing resources for residents to help conserve water – specifically when it comes to the yard. Both water agencies have lawn-to-garden rebate programs, which will pay you by the square foot to replace grass with turf or more drought-resistant plants.

You can find more info at ebmud.com/water/conservation-and-rebates/ and ccwater.com/160/Lawn-to-Garden-Rebate.

The water districts offer professional expertise to help households conserve water as well. From the websites listed above, you can access experts with these agencies to help advise on ways you might be able to save water, improve your landscaping to be drought-resistant, or access other resources such as watersaving devices like flow meters, educational opportunities and other rebates for water conservation.

Californians are all too familiar with the realities of living in a dry environment, but since the last major drought in our state spanning 2011-’19, many more resources, rebates and opportunities are available to our community.

If you have more questions about water-saving techniques or need more information about these programs, contact EBMUD at 1-866403-2683 and CCWD at 925688-8000.

My office stands ready to assist as well in these efforts. You can reach us at 925-5217100.

Let’s all do our part to make sure that we preserve our precious and limited water resources.

KAREN MITCHOFF COUNTY SUPERVISOR

CAROL LONGSHORE YESTERYEAR

Many of you may know the offspring of the Italian friends who brought the game of bocce to Concord.

The first known documentation of bocce was in 5200 B.C., with an Egyptian tomb painting that depicted two boys playing.

The game spread throughout the Middle East and Asia. The Greeks eventually adopted it, and then passed it on to the Romans. While unifying and nationalizing Italy, Giuseppe Garibaldi popularized bocce as it is played today.

Bocce frequently lost and gained popularity throughout the ages. During a resurgence of popularity in 1896, the first bocce Olympiad was held in Athens. It went on to be an international sport.

The bocce balls were made near the cities of Torino, Italy, and stem from the House of Savoy dynasty (1003-1860). Before the 1850s, players used custommade wooden balls – sometimes fortified by using blacksmiths nails. The modern game uses composite or metal balls.

Lawn bowling, nine pins, skittles and pétanque are a few of the names this popular game has been called.

Bocce for the average player is simple. Two, four or eight players make a team. Each player gets two boccias (balls) to throw near the pallino – a small ball thrown to the middle of the court before the game.

In Concord, bocce began as a Sunday afternoon game between Italian friends and slowly grew to the city level with tournaments and leagues.

These Italian friends started playing in the ’30s and ended when BART took over Victor Lavagnino’s property in the early ’60s. They toasted their final game with their last glass of wine brought up from the cellar. Then with a tear in his eye, Lavagnino watched his house and court be torn down.

The city built two bocce courts and the leagues began, continuing to grow with gusto.

Photo courtesy Concord Historical Society First-generation Italians played bocce ball in the backyard of Victor Lavagnino, who made the court. From left, Pasqua Ziotitti, Jack Buscaglia, Agostino Ferrari, Emilio Coppola, Andrea Moresco, Giovanni Massoni, Victor Guerisoli and Lavagnino.

Carol Longshore has been a Concord resident since 1950. She is a community leader and past president of the Concord Historical Society. Send comments and suggestions for future topics to editor@pioneerpublishers.com.

Concord chamber supports local hiring

Real teamwork is when everyone feels they belong on the team

Whenever I smell fresh-cut grass, hear squeaky shoes on a gym floor or feel the burn of chlorine in my eyes, I am instantly transported to my youth – where I existed almost entirely on a field, in a gym or poolside.

I remember heart-racing moments, passionate coaches and teammates whom I loved, but mostly what I recall is this undeniable feeling that I belonged.

My experience in athletics was empowering, and it inspired me to become a coach like my mentors. For the last 25 years, I have worked with beginner athletes as young as 3, competitive and recreational youth teams, Special Olympics athletes and elite players at the collegiate level. This wide scope has deepened my connection and clarity around the purpose of youth sports.

As a coach and LGBTQI+ youth advocate, I celebrate the recent clarifications that public schools have an obligation under Title IX to provide safe and non-discriminatory environments to LGBTQI+ students. At the same time, I am concerned about the uprising of anti-trans sports legislation in response.

As I listen to the arguments being made about equity, safety and level playing fields for girls, I keep coming back to the same question: What is the purpose of youth sports?

1981: I am 6 and the pool is my safe place. One day, my sister’s coach tells me that if I swim the whole length of the pool without stopping, I could be on the team. I muster up all my courage, take a deep breath and jump in.

Studies continually show that there are multiple health and educational benefits associated with physical activity and playing sports. They include better sleep, improved mood, better concentration, higher GPAs, and reductions in depression and anxiety.

It is striking to then look at the Trevor Project National Survey, which clearly illustrates the mental health crisis and heightened risk of suicide for transgender youth. It is not a far leap to connect how participating in sports can be an intervention tool for all youth, especially those who identify as LGBTQI+. 1985: I am 10 and my dad just signed me up for the local basketball team. I am one of two girls playing on the fifth-grade boys’ team. My dad tells me to not hold back. He says that I am just as good as the boys, maybe better. Next year, there might be more girls who will play.

Sports are for all of us, but historically the world of athletics has excluded marginalized people. Whether we are women, folks of color, queer, nonbinary, trans or differently abled athletes, we are faced with the reality that we may be one of one on the team this year. 1992: I am a junior in high school and my softball team has qualified for the Michigan Class A state semifinals. I am on third base and the score is 0-0. The coach calls a clutch play. My teammate up to bat must contact the next pitch and lay it down on the ground because I am stealing home on the release. I have never been so scared and so sure at the same time. The last thing I remember is nodding at the batter, smiling at my coach and then the umpire yelling “SAFE!” as I slid into home. My team did not win the game that day, but we won that moment.

Millions of kids 6-17 participate annually in youth sports. Less than half will continue to play in high school, even fewer in college and less than 1 percent will play professionally. So, what is the purpose of youth sports? I believe it is the lessons we learn about who we are and the chance to grow into confident, trusting, collaborative and productive people who contribute to the world. 2021: I am coaching a Division 3 college volleyball team. When I ask the players what they love about volleyball, one athlete says: “It’s like I get to have another family who supports and believes in me.”

The NCAA’s transgender policy was established more than a decade ago and continues to be refined. While there is room for this policy to be even more expansive and less binary, it is an example of how sports organizations can be leaders in creating inclusive spaces for transgender people. This gives me hope that gender identity will one day cease to be a barrier for participation in sports and more youth will thrive.

In your conversations around transgender sports policies, I invite you to reevaluate how you define the purpose of youth sports and strive to create systems where all athletes experience belonging on the team.

LAURA CARTWRIGHT ALLTHE COLORS

Laura Cartwright is a Queer educator and oversses the training and currciulum at Rainbow Community Center. Contact Laura at laura@rainbowcc.org

McGallian, from page 8

cue, team organization and disaster medical operations. To learn more about how to get involved, please visit cityofconcord.org/CERT.

I would be remiss not to mention the recent situation in Afghanistan. With tens of thousands of Afghanis resettling in the United States, the humanitarian efforts to aid these families will extend for many months. Concord is a welcoming, inclusive and diverse city, and I know that we will continue to support all members of our community, including newcomers.

So much is happening in our world right now. Kids are returning to school, which is a great thing, but COVID rates are on the rise again. Wildfires are burning and hurricanes are wreaking havoc. The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has triggered global unrest and a humanitarian crisis.

Add these up and it amounts to a tremendous weight we are collectively carrying on our minds and in our hearts. We must continue to support each other in these challenging times.

The community’s ability to be resilient is incredible, and we will continue to work together to get ourselves and each other through these difficult times.

Grayson, from page 8

Over the course of the two days that the tiny home was displayed, I invited my legislative colleagues and the public to tour the unit and discover first-hand how innovative and adaptable a solution it can be. Nearly everybody who visited the tiny home said they were impressed by the speed of its construction and the comfort of its interior.

My hope is that I’ve inspired my colleagues to be part of this solution to bring immediate shelter and relief to Californians experiencing hardship and homelessness.

Last year, 70 percent of Californians experiencing homelessness were considered “unsheltered.” A problem of that magnitude demands a response of equal measure. You can count on me to continue to fight for new and immediate solutions to help individuals and families struggling in our communities.

To watch a virtual tour of the tiny home, please visit me on Facebook (@AsmGrayson). To learn more about my work on housing and homelessness issues, call my Concord district office.

MELISSA REA CHAMBEROF COMMERCE

Many businesses are currently hiring, but the pool of applicants is not applying as usual.

Throughout the pandemic, many people needed to seek new employment – whether it was a decided career change or an unfortunate layoff. There are many resources available for both job seekers and employers in our communities to help hire or even provide training to ensure the proper skills are met.

Chamber members can post open positions on the chamber’s website at www.concordchamber.com/j obs. The information will also be shared via the chamber’s various social media platforms. These are great ways for businesses to increase search engine optimization (SEO) and searchability.

In addition, the chamber recently created a Facebook group called “Greater Concord CA Job Listings” for businesses in the area to post and share their jobs.

The Workforce Development Board (WDB) of Contra Costa County is a great resource to solve workforce challenges by partnering with local education, economic development, labor and community organizations. The WDB offers a variety of services to help further your career, whether it be searching for a job, creating an attention-catching resume or brushing up on various skills. They also offer specialized training to help employees be placed into the trades and vocational jobs.

Express Employment Professionals, a chamber member, helps job seekers find a job that works with their skillset and experience and also gives employers assurance that employees will fit well with the business. Express Employment can assist with both full-time and temporary staffing, as well as human resources services and consulting. The Concord branch is locally owned, providing confidence the staffing agency is aware of the community needs and insights on who is in need while receiving personalized help.

Hiring a local workforce ensures we can create a “live, work, play” community, investing in our workforce, keeping dollars spent locally and driving economic vitality.

Melissa Rea is Director of Operations & Marketing for Concord Chamber of Commerce. For more information call 925685-1181, visit www.concordchamber.com or stop by the office at 2280 Diamond Blvd., Suite 200, in Concord.

STEPHEN GOURLAY SCIENCE BYTES

We all know that energy is a big deal. Life on Earth depends on various forms of energy to survive.

In every case, the sun is the primary source. There is direct benefit from the sun warming the Earth to make it habitable and other sources in the form of plants and animals. For example, burning wood effectively releases the solar energy stored by a tree, and we get energy by consuming both plants and animals.

Crude oil and natural gas are the result of dead sea animals (plankton) settling to the bottom of the ocean some hundreds of millions of years ago. Coal was formed by decaying plants in ancient swamps. Both types of fossil fuels were produced through geologic processes where the material was covered, heated and subjected to intense pressure in an oxygen-free environment over a very long time.

We can extract the stored solar energy via oxidation, i.e., burning, releasing the energy that binds the molecules together. I have been known to refer to fossil fuels as “dead dinosaurs,” but only as a joke. It’s not true.

Other forms of energy you might think of such as wind, hydro, wave, geothermal and solar cells are also examples of converted solar energy. But what about nuclear? Hang on.

All other forms of energy are transformations of solar energy. That begs the question: “Where does the sun’s energy come from?”

Nuclear fusion is a process where two light nuclei are combined to produce a heavier nucleus along with other subatomic particles such as protons, neutrons and energy. All the elements up to iron are created this way. All the elements heavier than iron require energy input.

If a star has sufficient mass (much greater than our sun), there is a point during its life cycle where the core collapses and it explodes in an event called a supernova – creating heavier elements that are scattered over the universe and eventually captured in dust clouds.

Under the influence of gravity, these clouds condensed to form new stars and planets, including our own. It’s the source of heavy elements used in fission reactors. Nuclear fission is where a heavy nucleus, uranium for instance, is broken apart into smaller nuclei, releasing the energy that bound them together. Just the opposite of fusion. In that sense, it is like burning fossil fuels but on the nuclear level. Nuclear fission also originates with stars or suns.

For decades, scientists have been trying to find ways to reproduce fusion reactions on Earth, but on a much smaller scale, of course. Mimicking the sun is no easy task. The sun is a plasma, a hot gas (27 million degrees in the core) made up of bare nuclei and electrons. Remember that nuclei are bound together via the strong nuclear force, and it has a very short range. But the two nuclei have a positive

It’s now time to take computing to the Max

WILL CLANEY TECH TALK

Computing technology is beginning to reach a point where silicon chips will no longer be able to shrink. That means they will reach their theoretical speed limits in the next few generations.

Faster computer speeds depend on shrinking the size of chips. So how do we shrink chips further and continue to develop faster chips?

In the chip business, speed and functionality depend on making shorter and smaller connections. These connections, or traces, are made from a process of lithography. Simplistically, design a chip, take a picture of it, shrink it, then superimpose it to silicon.

Computers go fast because they switch ones and zeros, known as binary, faster when their traces are smaller. But what happens when we reach a physical size limit?

Silicon can only shrink their trace so far, currently 5 nanometers. One nanometer is one billionth of a meter. For scale, a sheet of paper is 100,000 nanometers.

“A strand of human DNA is 2.5 nanometers in diameter on a comparative scale. If the diameter of a marble was one nanometer, then the diameter of the Earth would be about one meter,” according to Bing.

Current silicon technology is only capable of two states of matter, either positive or negative – thereby defining the condition known as binary. That is to say a slice of binary silicon is either on or off. Never both.

What if there were a way to introduce a third state of matter: on+off. This third state, called tertiary, extends the computing power exponentially, thus elevating the need to make things smaller. The thinking is to make the chips do more in the same space. Tertiary adds a third state of matter that translates to more power and speed for the next generation of computers.

This is “propeller-head” stuff, but fun to think about.

Say hello to Max Planck, the German theoretical physics who originated quantum theory (1918). Quantum computing is the next generation in the quest to increase the speed of a computer by adding more states or conditions other than just on or off. According to Bing, a quantum computer “makes use of the quantum states of subatomic particles to store information.”

That means the current physical limitations of silicon slices become moot. We move from the physical state of matter to the quantum state of qubits.

Qubits represent atoms, ions, photons or electrons and their respective control devices that are working together to act as computer memory and a processor. Because a quantum computer can contain these multiple states simultaneously, it has the potential to be millions of times more powerful than today’s most powerful supercomputers, reports the How Stuff Works website.

When you are ready for a quantum computer, call me. I have access to a desktop. Price of a SpinQ: $4,950.

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

See Science, page 15

SUNNY SOLOMON BOOKIN’ WITH SUNNY

Georghia Ellinas’ picture book retelling of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a one-of-a-kind recommendation.

The first thing to remember is that Shakespeare was a funny guy, and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of his funniest plays. Actually, it’s slapstick. And kids love slapstick.

Read to your children about the royal marriage between Queen Hippolyta and Duke Theseus that is soon to take place in Athens. However, it will not happen until a noblewoman, Hermia, marries Demetris, the man her father has chosen.

However, Hermia does not love Demetrius; she loves Lysander. Hermia’s best girlfriend, Helena, does love Demetrius, and she tells him that Hermia and Lysander are going to run off and get married. This is a good spot in the story to introduce the word “elope” to the children’s vocabulary.

The story is told by a sprite known as Puck, who lives in the enchanted forest of the Fairy Kingdom ruled by King Oberon and Queen Titania. Puck is a bit of a trickster and can become invisible so that all who live in or enter the enchanted forest cannot see him. Oberon and Titania are arguing because Titania will not give Oberon her adopted son (the only character whose name we don’t know).

Now comes the slapstick. Hermia and Lysander enter the enchanted forest, followed by Demetrius, who wants to win Hermia back and is upset that Helena is following him. Oberon, unhappy with Demetrius’ unkindness to Helena, instructs Puck to find a flower with magic dust and sprinkle it on Demetrius’ eyes when he’s asleep so that when he wakes and finds Helena next to him, he will fall in love with her.

It is now dark, and Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius. Making matters worse, after the magic has been sprinkled, Helena lies down with the elopers. Lysander wakes and sees Helena before Hermia, and the madness begins.

Puck continues to make a mess of things, and the chase is on – with all the wrong people swearing their love for all the wrong people. In the end, Puck brings the chaos to a happy conclusion and begs his audience their friendship despite his unintended mischief.

Picture book a great way to introduce kids to Shakespeare

Jane Ray’s illustrations add beauty and depth to Ellinas’ retelling of the story.

Here’s a final suggestion: Remind your children that the story was originally written as a play, and they might like to produce their own version with dolls, stuffed animals or other toys. If you are a teacher, it might be a fun chance to get your young students to produce their own version. I can imagine the fun they’d have chasing one another and all the other goofy behavior.

What a wonderful introduction to Shakespeare for youngsters to remember when “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be required reading in high school. It’s another reason to value picture books.

Sunny Solomon is a freelance writer and head of the Clayton Book Club. Visit her website at bookinwithsunny.com for her latest recommendations or just to ‘talk books.’

New versions of ‘Candyman,’ ‘Suicide Squad’ worth a peek

It often takes a fresh eye to take a fresh look at a film.

Newcomer Nia DaCosta reimagines the world of 1992’s “Candyman” through the social lens of 2021.

To summon the bee-ridden Candyman, it still only requires saying his name five times in front of a mirror. When I was a young lad, Tony Todd was so realistically terrifying as the original Candyman, I could not bear to watch it. Michael Hargrove comes close in 2021, but he does not have Todd’s menacing screen presence.

DaCosta’s “Candyman” takes it cues from the original; it took me about a third of the film to get up to speed. The shabby neighborhood of Cabrini Green has changed over the past 30 years. Young artists, like Anthony McCoy (Yahya AbdulMateen), have started moving into the newly gentrified community. Anthony lives with his art dealer girlfriend Brianna (Teyonah Parris).

While at dinner, Brianna’s brother tells a scary story that pretty much amounts to the plot of the first film. Looking for inspiration, Anthony goes in search of anything pertaining to Candyman. But he digs a little too deep, and his newest art is maybe a little too inspired by Candyman.

His obsession leads to Candyman re-entering the local consciousness, to understandably bad results.

DaCosta stuffs a few too many topical discussions into the film, leading to some being underexplored. Yet, it is refreshing to continue to see modern horror films like “Get Out” and “Candyman” be unafraid to tackle difficult subject matter while putting out some good scares at the same time. B

I didn’t see 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” which was a revolting, PG-13 dumpster fire. Luckily, zero knowledge of that film is required for viewing 2021’s triumphant “The Suicide Squad.”

Director James Gunn, of Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, knows how to write comedy that works for superhero movies. Even if the dialogue falls flat, you will not notice as you are likely to still be catching your breath from a previous fit of laughter.

Idris Elba is Bloodsport, leader of a “team” sent in to subdue a coup and secure dangerous technology. The team is made up of incarcerated villains whose heads will explode if they deviate from the mission. The plot is not important; we’re only watching to laugh and see each villain die in as gory a way as possible.

DC would be wise to steer from the dreariness of the “Justice League” films and focus more on the gleeful nature of “The Suicide Squad.” A-

LATESUMMER TV

“The Head.” (HBOMAX) Lost in the 2020 shuffle, this mini-series is worth seeking

JEFF MELLINGER SCREEN SHOTS

out. Murders during the sparse, dark months at an Antarctica research facility throw the returning expedition leader into a compelling mystery.

“The Serpent.” (Netflix): Confusing at first, this eightpart series weaves back and forth through time, but mostly only spans a few years. Covering the true story of serial murderer Charles Sobhraj and the Dutch diplomat obsessed with catching him, the show dances between at least five different countries. The 1970s have never looked as sleek.

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

Solheim, from page 1

kind of last minute, like getting a captain’s pick and all, but it was always on my mind the entire year and just before, too. Just actually being here and getting to experience all of this, all the fans, the crowds and just the atmosphere has been really incredible.”

This was Noh’s third taste of international competition and the first time her USA team lost. She was on winning 2017 Junior Solheim Cup and 2018 Junior Ryder Cup teams. It was soon after that Junior Ryder Cup win in France that she announced she would forego the UCLA golf scholarship and turn pro.

When Noh tied for 13th at this year’s final major, the AIG Women’s Championship in Scotland, she earned $85,328, bringing her official LPGA Tour earnings over the $1 million mark. Although Noh was a rookie last year, the LPGA ruled that because of the pandemic-shortened season the class of 2020 golfers would still be categorized as rookies this year.

Her summer results prompted USA Solheim Cup captain Pat Hurst to make Noh one of her three captain’s picks along with Brittany Altomare and Mina Harigae.

CAPTAINPICKS NOH

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but I’m very happy to have Brittany, Mina and Yealimi as my picks for Team USA,” said Hurst. “Mina and Yealimi have played so well over the last two years, and just because they’re Solheim Cup rookies on paper doesn’t mean they’re rookies inside the ropes. I have no doubt they’ll be great competitors at Inverness.”

Harigae and Noh rewarded their captain’s faith by winning a Sunday afternoon fourball match 3 and 1 over European opponents, Sophia Popov and Celine Boutier.

The front nine saw the U.S. Solheim rookie duo make the turn with a 3-up lead but the Europeans birdied three holes to tie the match and set up a shootout for the last five holes. Three more winning holes on birdies gave the Americans a victory.

On the final day when all 12 golfers from each team are paired in singles matches, Noh came out on fire against European stalwart Mel Reid, winning the first four holes for an early 4-up lead. Reid chipped away at the advantage, winning 5 and 6 to give Noh a 2-up lead that she carried through 13 holes.

The feisty Englishwoman did not go down without a fight. Wins for Reid at 15 and 17 gave Noh a tenuous 1-up lead going to 18. But with a pair of swapped bogeys on the final hole, Noh emerged the victor, finishing 2-1-0 in her Solheim Cup debut.

Noh’s first Solheim Cup competition was Saturday afternoon when she was paired with Altomare in fourball against major champion Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire, who turned out to be the star for the victorious European team.

Two consecutive birdies by Noh on Nos. 6 and 7 helped the Americans rally to go 1 up through the turn. Hall made a crucial birdie at 15 to regain the lead 1 up on the United States. The Europeans sealed the 1-up victory on No. 18 when Noh and Altomare failed to birdie.