December 2019 Community Focus

COMMUNITY

FOCUS ourcommunityfocus.com

DECEMBER 2019

IN THIS ISSUE: • HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS • SEASON’S FUN AND GAMES • PH REC AND PARK’S HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

PLEASANT HILL • CONCORD • MARTINEZ • LAFAYETTE • WALNUT CREEK

SMALL TALK WITH TERI independent & locally owned

by Teri Norbye PUBLISHERS: Becky Coburn Jennifer Neys Elena Hutslar info@ourcommunityfocus.com ADVERTISING: Community Focus info@ourcommunityfocus.com COPY EDITOR: Alison Clary GRAPHIC DESIGN: Trish Heaney

SPORTS: Sport Story Submissions info@ourcommunityfocus.com CONTACT INFORMATION: Community Calendar calendar@ourcommunityfocus.com Content & General Inquiries: info@ourcommunityfocus.com SUBMISSION DEADLINES: All articles must be sumbmitted by the 15th of each month.

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MISSION STATEMENT The Community Focus is a free, independent, monthly publication dedicated to highlighting the vibrancy of the local businesses and residents while strengthening and building connections within our community.

COVER:

11

Historic Season of Sports

15 Where did Santa’s Reindeer Go?

25

Santa is Coming

13 14

to

MDUSD Outreach Program

24 Local Author The Dragon of God

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Holiday fun on the horse-drawn carriage at Light up the Night in downtown Pleasant Hill November 20.

Photo by: SusanWoodPhotography.com

2013

INSIDE

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6680 Alhambra Ave. Box #132 Martinez, CA 94553

925-335-6397

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2015

Best Insurance Agent

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Meet Julie Marietti. She lives in Martinez and has two daughters with her husband, Frank. Julie does business development for a small business in Pleasant Hill called Fresh Maintenance and Janitorial Services.

What are your Christmas traditions? I come from a traditional Mexican, Catholic family. We would stay up and make tamales, then go to midnight mass. We’d come home and the whole house would smell like tamales. Then we’d open up our presents before eating.

My husband is half Russian, so now we have Russian cuisine for Christmas.

More about Julie: 1. I was born in LA and have eight siblings. Thirty-five years ago, I made the decision to move here and don’t have any regrets because the quality of life here is better.

2. My parents are getting older. They’re 90 and live in LA, so I go down there a lot more now to visit them. I wish I could spend more time with them. That’s been challenging.

4. “Work hard, play harder” is my motto. I’m always busy, either doing fun things like bocce ball or Jazzercise or traveling to LA to see my family.

5. At this time of year, I’m very thankful for my family, friends, and faith.

Julie Says

Winter: A Time for Reflection…and Maybe a Nap

BY JULIE ROSS

The holidays are bittersweet. When I get ready to send out my holiday cards (yes, I still do that) my mind is filled with memories of each person on my list. I think of those who have passed away, others who have moved, and those I get to see often. I am grateful to have spent time with all of these fun and inspirational people, many of whom were met through volunteering.

I have written before in this column about the rewards of being a volunteer.

Not only do you gain knowledge and skills in areas that interest you, but you also get to know some pretty amazing people who share your enthusiasm for the work at hand.

For me, one such person is Diane Lang, a warm and creative woman I volunteered with for many years at what is now known as the Lindsay Wildlife Experience. Diane moved away a few months ago to Southern California -- not too far to get together once in a while, but I will miss the chance encoun-

ters with her and whatever creature she was handling at the moment. Fortunately, all of the wildlife educators at Lindsay can continue to share with teachers and kids the many games, poems, stories, and activities she created to help them join us in our amazement and delight in the natural world.

Diane has authored four children’s nature books*, which I have given as gifts to some of my favorite small people. She also wrote lyrics for several nature-themed winter carols meant to be sung to the tune of popular holiday songs. Here is one of her classics; please sing it out loudly this season.

Hibernate (sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells”) Lyrics by Diane Lang Hibernate, take a nap, All the winter long.

Find a cozy, hidden place, And you won’t go wrong.

For a bear, find a cave, It’s underground for you.

If you are a prairie dog, You’re safe and out of view.

The Christmas House

For those of us who have called Pleasant Hill home, we remember fondly Russell Robert’s Christmas House on Cortsen Drive. The big white shining arrow on the corner of Cortsen and Gregory was the first sign that the holidays were here. It was an annual pilgramage for many young families, having a picture with Santa, getting a cup of hot cocoa and donating a toy to someone in need. The house has been dark since 2008 when the Robert’s relocated. Luckily the memory still lives fondly with the kids who were lucky to grow up in this wonderful community.

Little Arctic frogs Case themselves in ice.

Awake, but under snow Are little voles and mice.

Bats hang in their caves, Slow their hearts and lungs ‘Til the springtime comes again, And they can have their young.

Ooohh Hibernate, go to sleep, Snakes, get in a ball.

Tortoise, dig your cozy den, While bees sleep, one and all.

Toads stay deep in the mud, Poorwills, under wing.

Nighty night & please sleep tight, We’ll see you in the spring.

There. Don’t you feel better thinking about all those cozy animals? I know I do.

(And don’t you feel like a long winter’s nap?

Me too.)

This holiday season let’s make time for reflection and, of course, extra sleep. And consider that thoughtful gift giving for the kids on your list can include books, games, crafts, and toys that instill a love of animals and appreciation for the world we share.

Happy Holidays!

*If you are interested, books by Diane Lang include Vulture Verses: Love Poems for the Unloved; Daytime, Nighttime, All Through the Year; Fur, Feather, Fin -- All of Us are Kin; and The Long and Short Tail of Colo and Ruff.

You can reach Julie at julieakross@comcast.net

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2 GIANT FREE INDOOR SHOWS

FREE Admission al

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• P.H. Community Center

Sat., Dec. 7 Pleasant Hill 10 am - 2 pm 320 Civic Dr. off Taylor Blvd.

Sun., Dec. 8 • Concord 11 am - 3 pm Centre Concord 5298 Clayton Rd.

by Clayton Valley Bowl

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Gifts Galore

Super Holiday Boutique

The holiday season’s largest shopping extravaganza in central Contra Costa is at the free, 10th annual Super Holiday Boutique, December 7 and 8, in Pleasant Hill and Concord. Shoppers will find a potpourri of gift items from over 100 vendors and will be able to get free photos with Santa Claus and Olaf.

These indoor holiday events allow shoppers to get special, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts and stocking stuffers for family, friends, and colleagues from a variety of arts and crafts vendors, homebased businesses, and commercial exhibitors. Toys, clothing for babies, kids and adults, jewelry, purses, cosmetics, candles, soaps, candy, fashion accessories, home goods, bath and body, kitchenware and cooking products, food and baked goods, and so much more will be available. There will be holiday decorations, ornaments, and books galore.

There are also self-help and home improvement exhibitors.

Shoppers have two opportunities to attend the free Super Holiday Boutiques: • S aturday, December 7, 10am – 2pm, at Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Dr., off Taylor Blvd., in Pleasant Hill.

• S unday, December 8, 11am – 3pm, at Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd., in Concord (one block off Ygnacio Valley Rd./Kirker Pass Rd, next to Clayton Valley Bowl).

• S anta Claus and Olaf from Frozen will be at the boutiques. Both Olaf and Santa will meet all attendees and pose for free photo opportunities.

• Free holiday arts and crafts activities allow kids to make keepsake presents for their family and friends while their parents are shopping.

• Each attendee will receive a free raffle ticket for prizes donated by boutique vendors.

• The donation of much-needed food to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano will earn the donor another raffle ticket for each can donated.

• The first 200 families through the door daily will receive a free holiday gift bag.

• Super Holiday Boutique is free to the public, with ample free parking around each venue.

Visit www.superholidayboutique. com for more information and to register for a free $2 Holiday Buck and free raffle ticket to be used at the boutiques.

Local Holiday Happenings Shadelands Handcrafted Holiday Sale This annual holiday event takes place December 6 – 8 at the Shadelands Art Center, 111 N. Wiget Lane. The sale brings together handmade ceramics, glass, jewelry, fiber arts, photography, prints, and much more, all by Community Arts teaching artists and students. The first 50 shoppers on each day will receive a free tote bag. Come to the opening reception on Friday, December 6, from 5pm-8pm, to kick off the Holiday Sale with an evening of drinks, appetizers, craft making, and entertainment. The Holiday Sale opens at 10am on Saturday and Sunday. Visit http://www.communityarts. org/ for more details.

Benicia Holiday Open House & Tree Lighting A cherished holiday tradition enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors on December 6. The holiday season kicks off with the Holiday Open House at 6pm.

Merchants keep their doors open until 9pm

serving seasonal refreshments. At approximately 6:30pm at the foot of First Street the public can view the lighting of the Christmas tree and enjoy Kris Kringle & The Mistletones. Wine and beer station at Benicia Main Street, 90 First Street. Holiday carolers dressed in period costume and other local musicians add to the festivities. www.beniciamainstreet.org Hidden Valley Elementary Holiday Craft Fair The free event takes place on December 7 and includes photos with Santa, kids crafts table, face painting, book fair, bake sale, & unique shopping from 30+ local crafters & vendors. A fun, festive, community event from 10am-3pm at 500 Glacier Dr., Martinez. www.facebook.com/HVEHolidayFair.

11th Annual Holiday Pageant and Toy Drive It’s time for the 11th Annual Martinez Music Mafia Holiday Pageant and Toy Drive on December 7, 7-10pm, and De-

cember 8, 4-7pm, at Armandos, 707 Marina Vista in Martinez. This year all tickets are being sold in advance and seating will be limited...but to accommodate demand for this popular event, we’re having two shows!

Admission for each show is still only $10 and a new unwrapped toy. In addition to new unwrapped toys for kids and teens we will also accept items for adults in the shelters teens and adults are often overlooked - gift cards (Target, Walmart, Visa or Master Card) and gas cards. Find tickets at Martinez Music Mafia on Facebook or search eventbrite. com. armandosmartinez.com.

Benicia Christmas Parade & Holiday Market In its 25th year, the Christmas Parade & Holiday Market takes over First Street with holiday cheer at 10am on December 14. The parade starts at First and D Streets and continues up First Street, ending at H Street. The parade features local marching bands, dancers, and Santa. The Holiday Market features handcrafted and gourmet gift

items. The Holiday Market hours are 10am to 3pm. Located on First Street between B and D Streets. www.BeniciaMainStreet.org Eat, Drink, & Be Merry: Holiday Craft Market On Saturday, December 21, from 12-8pm, Calicraft Brewing Company is holding its very own holiday craft fair to shout out the many local artists nearby and to help with your last minute holiday shopping. Inspired by European Christmas markets, Calicraft will have lots of different festivities to get you in the holiday sprit. Along with the craft vendors they will have 5+ food trucks, holiday activities, and of course beer. Interested in becoming a vendor at the event? Fill out this google form https:// forms.gle/wp1EGugZ6xZWLXbL6. Calicraft Brewing Company, 2700 Mitchell Dr, Walnut Creek..

Read the Pleasant Hill, Martinez and Walnut Creek City News pages in this issue for more information on their holiday events.

Holiday Boutique Saturday December 7, 2019

10 am – 4 pm RODGERS RANCH 315 CORTSEN RD. www.rodgersranch.org

Sunday, December 8th, 2019 Unique & Hand Made gifts

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 5

Mayor’s Message

The holidays are upon us and as we come to the close of 2019, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the successes and challenges of the year. It has been an exciting year for me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as your mayor.

I am grateful for the other councilmembers with whom I have had the privilege to serve.

I value their diversity of opinions and ideas and the way they all are engaged. Each one of them brings so much to the conversation as they strive to work in the best interests of Pleasant Hill. They each conduct themselves with respect and dignity towards each other even in the toughest of debates.

Besides having a good working relationship within the city council, our success really comes from our community and those who choose to get involved and be active participants. This year we initiated our General Plan Update. A key part of the update is our community engagement -- hearing from all of you the needs and desires of the community as we shape the future of Pleasant Hill for the next 20 years.

I am proud of how so many people have participated, whether in our online surveys and comments, the pop-ups at community events, or the 3-day workshop; so many people share a variety of ideas, issues, and

vision for Pleasant Hill. I hope that as we continue to plot the future you will stay engaged and share your visions and monitor our progress at pleasanthill2040.com.

All of our city commissions are volunteers from within the community who devote so much time in supporting our diverse population in unique and exciting ways. Our Education Commission is out in our schools and working with MDUSD to see that the needs and challenges of our students are being met. They have hosted events promoting career and educational opportunities. Our Commission on Aging focuses on our senior population by partnering with other organizations and the Senior Center to help meet the needs of our seniors. They have also hosted events that not only focus on our seniors and their needs but on family caregivers caring for family members in their own home. Our Traffic Safety Commission works directly with our Traffic and Engineering staff to hear and review complaints about traffic and evaluate changes in our traffic plan.

Over the last two years, they reviewed numerous plans regarding the Pleasant Hill Rd. improvement project before recommending options to city council. Our Civic Action Commission works year-round to

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Ken Carlson, Mayor of Pleasant Hill

help us improve our quality of life and sense of community by bringing us the Summer Concert Series and Community Service Day. Each year, the quality and number of participants grow and bring more of us together.

Of course, I cannot forget the city staff who works so hard to serve this community.

While many of them will say this is their job, almost every day I see so many of them going the extra mile to be successful in their work, devoted to making Pleasant Hill the best. This has been a challenging last few months. Immediately following the earthquakes they were out inspecting bridges

and roads for our safety. Before and during the PG&E power outages they were out working on traffic safety and other issues that might arise. I am proud and grateful to them all for their dedication and service.

I look forward to 2020 as we continue to move forward with our library project and other projects throughout the city. I want to wish everyone the most joyous of holiday seasons with family and friends. I would challenge everyone to find some way to be of service to those in need and continue to build and strengthen our community.

Public Meetings Civic Action Dec. 4 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Small Community Room, 6:30pm. Contact: 671-5229 City Council Dec. 2, 16 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Council Chambers, 7:00pm. Contact: 671-5229 Architectural Review Dec. 5, 19 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Large Community Room, 5:00pm. Contact: 671-5209 Planning Commission Dec. 10 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Council Chambers, 6:30pm. Contact: 671-5209 Commission on Aging Dec. 12 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Small Community Room, 5:00pm. Contact: 671-5229 Education Commission No Meeting Scheduled City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Large Community Room, 7pm. Contact: 671-5229 PH Rec & Park Board Meetings are typically held the 2nd & 4th Thursday each month at District Office, 147 Gregory Lane. Meeting dates and agendas are posted 72 hours prior to meeting. Refer to recent agenda for meeting dates.

District residents are encouraged to contact board members about current issues facing the district.

Chamber Calendar Dec. 5 - Chamber Business Mixer Hosted by Carlton Senior Living, 5-7pm, 175 Cleaveland Rd, Pleasant Hill Dec. 6 - Ambassador Meeting, 8:30-9:30am, Pleasant Hill City Hall Community Room Dec.10 - Chamber Morning Mixer Hosted by AAA, 8-9am, 2390 Monument Blvd, Suite A, Pleasant Hill Dec.11- 680 Networking Group, 8:30-10am, JFK University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room 12, Pleasant Hill Dec. 17 - Membership 101, 10am -12pm, 91 Gregory Lane, Suite 11, Pleasant Hill Dec.19 - Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, 8:30-10am, JFK University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room 112, Pleasant Hill Dec. 19 - Young Professionals Mixer, 5:30-7pm, TBD 12/20-1/19- Holiday Break, Chamber Office Closed

CITY NEWS

Pleasant Hill City News City Purchases Hookston Property

The former Pleasant Hill Redevelopment Agency (dissolved in 2012) owned an approximately 6,098 square foot triangular parcel of vacant land on Hookston Road and Contra Costa Boulevard. The Successor Agency listed the property for sale to comply with redevelopment dissolution law. Because the Successor Agency received limited offers due to the property’s irregular shape, the City of Pleasant Hill offered to purchase the property from the former agency for $5,000 to continue its maintenance. The Successor Agency Board and Countywide Oversight Board approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement to sell the property to the city in September 2019. At the November 4 city council meeting, council took final action on behalf of the city to purchase and accept the real property. The approval of the purchase of the Hookston Remnant Parcel will cost $5,000 in General Fund money. There are minimal costs associated with maintaining the property, as it has no impact on city staffing levels. Currently a vacant lot, it will be maintained as open space. There will be talks with city maintenance staff about how to spruce up the parcel, as there are currently utility cabinets with no landscaping on the site.

College Park HS Holiday Dickens Carolers

Let the College Park High School Carolers fill your holiday event with the magic of music! The College Park choir program’s Holiday Dickens Carolers will add just the right touch to your holiday party. Dressed in festive Victorian garb, these talented singers will delight your guests with a merry set of beloved carols and seasonal classics. Add some merriment to your holiday party and support music in the schools. Bookings fill up fast, so don’t delay! Email coordinator Stephanie Canulli at canullis@gmail.com for pricing information and availability.

before Mother’s Day each year. For more information about the club, call 925323-9314, email phgardenstudyclub@yahoo.com, or visit the club’s website at www.phgsc.com.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

Take a break from your holiday shopping and head over to the Friends Premium Book Sale on Saturday, December 14, from 10am to 2pm. This sale is held at the Pleasant Hill Library and offers a huge selection of high quality, individually priced premium books, CDs, DVDs and audio books, puzzles and board games, as well as like-new books for sale. We also have non-fiction categories, including biography, cooking, gardening, history, health, and travel. From 1 to 2pm, all items are 50 percent off.

Gingerbread City at the Library

At 6pm on Monday, December 9, participate in the Gingerbread City at the library. This annual event returns for one frosting-filled evening of creativity. Just drop in with the whole family, and we’ll have all the sweet things for you to make and take your own gingerbread house.

CCCLIB to Launch New Website

On November 19, the county library began a preview of a new website and catalog. The preview version allowed library users to explore the new website and use the new catalog to search and put materials on hold. The new website launches in December, features a sleek, modern design, simple navigation, and mobile responsiveness. The new user-friendly catalog makes it easier to search the library’s collections and give users the ability to create reading lists, rate books, and find reading recommendations from others. The library’s current website and catalog will remain active until December 16 and the new platform launches.

Upcoming CERT Classes

The next Pleasant Hill CERT class starts January 7. CERT classes are more popular than ever. In fact, the fall 2019 CERT class filled up and there is a healthy waiting list for priority registration for the January class. CERT classes teach everyday people how to prepare themselves, their home, and their loved ones and safely respond to the needs of neighbors and community in the wake of an emergency.

“Neighbors helping neighbors” is what CERT is all about. Join us and gain the confidence needed to respond safely and effectively for any emergency. To reserve a space in the January class, go to www.pleasanthillcert.com. For additional information, contact Jim Bonato at jbonato@aol.com or 925-938-5433.

Garden Club Free 6-Month Trial Membership

Would you like gardening tips or ideas from local and statewide garden speakers? How about making friends with other area gardeners or going on garden-related trips and tours? The Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club (PHGSC) provides these benefits and more, including an offer for a free 6-month membership to check out the organization. Effective December 1 to 31, anyone may become a PHGSC member from January through June 2020 by downloading an online application form, filling it out, and mailing it to the address at the bottom. The link is: http://phgsc.com/membership/MbrForm19-20.pdf.

The club has something for all gardeners, both novice and experienced. It meets at the Pleasant Hill Community Center from 7 to 9pm on the first Tuesday of every month except July. The garden club also holds a plant sale the Saturday

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Mayor’s Message

As I have mentioned in several of my columns, downtown Martinez is experiencing a renaissance, with new businesses opening up and others reinventing themselves with new owners. Jim Blair has sold Creek Monkey Tap House, and the new owners, Sal & Michelle Strong, have rebranded the restaurant to Firehouse Brew & Grill. The building has been steam-cleaned and painted, inside and out. The menu has expanded and they plan to utilize the back deck and patio for entertainment.

Roxx on Main also has new owners. Executive Chef Leslie Stiles is back in Martinez with her partner, Chef Tony Lauro, and has remodeled the restaurant and expanded the menu. The website states, “Combining an outstanding selection featuring the freshest, locally sourced,

organic, and sustainable ingredients, an ever changing selection of wines, plus the friendliness and comfort of a neighborhood restaurant.” They have also added a full bar, and there is live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Long-time chef and owner of Haute Stuff, Pat English, retired and sold the restaurant to long-time owner of All Occasions Catering and Chef Dave Krider. Dave has made some interior improvements to the building and menu.

Welcome to Martinez, Chef Dave!

There are still a few property owners that have not been actively marketing their buildings and filling empty spaces.

As a property owner myself, I know it is critical to find the right tenant to be successful and add something special to your asset, the community, and surrounding businesses. But there is a point when a

Rob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez

property is vacant for too long, and I believe the city needs to look at ways to give property owners incentives to fill those spaces.

In the meantime, Vice Mayor Noralea Gipner has organized local artists to paint many of the plywood covered doorways and windows with murals in an effort to mitigate the blight. Some may say this is putting lipstick on a pig, but I believe it is a good interim solution until we can get the property owners moving and the spaces filled.

Over the next year, the city will be concentrating on the future planning and development of the Martinez Waterfront.

This will include public meetings that will look at both the landside and the waterside of the area.

One exciting component is ferry service to San Francisco and other cities around the Bay. Representatives of the city have been attending meetings of the Water Emergency Transit Authority (WETA) and promoting water transit to Martinez.

In early November, the chair of the WETA Board, retired Vice Admiral Jody Breckenridge, toured the Martinez Waterfront with me and city staff to get a first-hand look at possible sites for a ferry landing. She was pleased with what she saw and urged the city to stay in front of the WETA Board and keep them updated as we move through the process of planning the future of the Martinez Waterfront. City staff and I will be attending the December 12 meeting of

Roxx on Main Executive Chef Leslie Stiles with her partner, Chef Tony Lauro.

the WETA Board.

And finally, it looks like professional baseball may be returning to Martinez for the 2020 season. Noralea and I have been meeting with representatives of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball and also the Pecos League, which has teams throughout the Southwest. The plan at this time is for the Pecos League to be the owner of the new Martinez team and play in the Pacific Association, not in with other Pecos League teams. The new team will be called the Martinez Mackerel. Check out their website at www.marrtinezmackerel. com. Negotiations have not been finalized as I write this, but they should be before the Christmas holidays.

Public Meetings

Senior Helpers 925-677-2150 www.seniorhelpers.com/ca/concord/careers

8 | DECEMBER 2019 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

City Council Meeting Dec. 4, 18 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 6-9pm. Contact: 372-3500 Zoning Administrator Meeting Dec. 4, 18 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 4-6pm. Contact: 372-3500 Design Review Meeting Dec. 11 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 4-6pm. Contact: 372-3500 Planning Commission Meeting Dec. 10, 24 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 7-11pm. Contact: 372-3500 For Confirmation Visit: www.cityofmartinez.org

CITY NEWS

Martinez City News

Utility Box Public Art Pilot Project

In October, the City of Martinez launched a Utility Box Public Art Pilot Project and invited artists to submit applications to participate in the program. Applicants who are selected to create the art will receive a $750 stipend per box set. The city may select a single artist for all four box sets or multiple artists. The beautification initiative is designed to add to the vibrancy of downtown, the Alhambra Avenue corridor, and the Virginia Hills neighborhoods. The artists identified for this pilot project will help transform dull and unsightly utility boxes, seven in total, throughout the community into attractive works of art that will enhance the beauty of the city’s streets and sidewalks for years to come. Artists will be selected in February 2020. In March or April 2020, the artists should complete the final designs and then the city will install them onto the utility boxes. The city asks art themes to embrace Martinez’s culture, history, flora, fauna, landscape, and/or natural geographic features.

head to Downtown Martinez for some holiday cheer! Main Street Martinez hosts the annual Santa Beer Crawl on the streets of Martinez, Saturday, December 14, from 1:30pm – 4:30pm. Come join the jolliest bunch of Santas this side of the Bay as they walk around the downtown corridor of Martinez, sampling craft breweries stationed inside participating businesses along Main Street. For ticket prices, visit https://downtownmartinez.org.

• • • • • •

plan includes: Trust agreement Pour over will Guardianship of minor children power of attorney for finance transfer of real property advanced HEALTH CARE directive

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Letters from Santa

Santa’s elves are ready to help send warm, friendly letters (with no special promises) to all Santa friends in the City of Martinez. The letter will include information about Rudolph, elves at the workshop, and a holiday activity. They will arrive approximately one week before Christmas. Letters are available for Spanish speaking children. Santa’s helpers appreciate the donation of a first class stamp per child. Mail or drop off stamps to the Recreation office, 525 Henrietta Street, second floor. Call (925) 372-3510 for more information. The last day to request a letter is Monday, December 14.

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Holiday Frolic Parade

This family friendly light parade begins on Friday, December 6, at 6:30pm at City Hall, 525 Henrietta St., and concludes at the corner of Ferry and Escobar. A free, lighted wand will be handed out to the first 500 children who register. To register for a wand visit, go to www.cityofmartinez.org or call the Recreation Office at (925) 372-3510.

Martinez Arts Holiday Events Holiday Boutique

The Martinez Arts Association hosts the 8th annual holiday boutique at the Old Train Depot in downtown Martinez. The boutique showcases 20 local artisans and craftspeople from December 4 through December 18. Visitors will find a wide range of unique handmade gifts and treats for family and friends of all ages. The boutique will be open from 11am to 3pm on Sundays and from 11am to 7pm on Tuesday through Saturday (closed Mondays). Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted. The old train depot is located downtown at the north end of Ferry Street by the train tracks. For more details about MAA, please visit www.martinezarts.org.

Main Street Arts - Christmas Show “Bring Beauty Into Your Life”

This year, Main Street Arts is filling the gallery with lots of goodies: wonderful paintings, jewelry, ceramics, and metal sculptures for your holiday gift giving. They are adding an additional display area filled with items you will love to give or even to treat yourself. They will also have the beloved small wall, a place where you can find small, reasonably priced paintings. We often forget how important art is in our lives, so their theme this season is “Bring Beauty Into Your Life.” The show runs through December 29. Main Street Arts is located at 613 Main Street in Martinez. https://www.mainstreetarts.net.

Santa Brew Crawl

Dust off your Santa suits and ugly Christmas sweaters because it’s time to OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 9

CITY NEWS

Mayor’s Message New Year’s Resolution: Get Connected and Informed in 2020

With 2019 coming to an end and 2020 just around the corner, now is the perfect opportunity to make sure you are connected and ready to get all of the news and updates from around Walnut Creek in the coming year.

Emergency Alerts

There’s no doubt that your personal safety and the safety of your family and property are among your most important concerns. Here are some useful emergency alert tools.

• Nixle: This free tool connects you with our police department alerts on evacuations, security threats, severe weather, road closures, and more. To sign up from your smartphone or tablet, text your zip code to 888777. To sign up from your computer, visit www.nixle.com.

• Nextdoor: Our police department and other departments post public safety no-

tices on Nextdoor. To sign up, visit www. nextdoor.com.

• County Community Warning System: Through this countywide tool, the sheriff’s department provides time sensitive, geographic based emergency messages. You have a variety of notification options (e.g., email, phone cell, text), and you can register more than one address – such as home and work locations. To register, visit www. cwsalerts.com. Note: Landline phones are automatically connected through the reverse 911 calling system.

• Cal Fire: Cal Fire’s online mapping tool is very useful in the event of a large-scale fire.

Visit www.fire.ca.gov/general/firemaps.

• PG&E: To receive advance alerts about power outages, including planned shutoffs during extreme fire conditions, visit www.pge.com and follow directions on the homepage.

• PulsePoint: This tool allows you to monitor, in real time, local fire department activ-

Walnut Creek City News Bierhaus Opens

Walnut Creek’s highly anticipated German inspired restaurant and beer hall officially opened on November 14 with a grand opening ceremony, ribbon-cutting, and community fundraising party. Bierhaus is located on 1360 Locust Street and has over 25 craft beers and ciders on tap. Beer lovers can also enjoy signature German bites, live entertainment, and more. Similar to their Oakland location, the menu features German-inspired fare and a wide selection of biers. There is indoor seating and outdoor, dog-friendly patio seating for lunch, dinner, and happy hour daily. Bierhaus took over the approximately 4,000 square-foot space formerly occupied by Lark Creek restaurant, which unexpectedly closed its doors in July 2017.

Hospice Tree Lighting

The Hospice Tree Lighting ceremony is 6pm on Wednesday, December 4, at the main entrance of John Muir Medical Center, on Ygnacio Valley Road. Dedicate a memorial light in honor of a lost or living loved one. With a donation of at least $30, the name of your honoree will be added to the book of names and read aloud during the ceremony. Proceeds benefit the important services and care offered by Hospice East Bay.

Santa to Visit the Lesher

Santa and Mrs. Claus visit the Lesher Center for the Arts from December 13-22.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to have a personal visit in Mrs. Claus’ kitchen and Santa’s workshop! You will leave with a family photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as memories that will last a lifetime. Call the ticket office at (925) 295-1400 to schedule your private visit.

10 | DECEMBER 2019 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Cindy Silva, Mayor of Walnut Creek

ity. When you sign up (www.pulsepoint. org), you can select the agencies you want to monitor, including the Contra Costa Fire Protection District, which serves Walnut Creek.

• Quake Feed: This is a simple-to-use tool that provides earthquake alerts. Visit www. quakefeed.net.

Emergency Preparedness

For emergency preparedness information, check out these two websites: • California Office of Emergency Services: This website (www.caloes.ca.gov/) has a range of useful information.

• Ready.Gov: This is the “mother ship” of emergency preparedness tools. The site focuses on how to stay informed and respond in an emergency, make a family emergency plan, build an emergency supply kit, and get involved in the community.

Check out www.ready.gov/.

Other Information and News If you want the latest news about Walnut

Creek, check out these options: • Nutshell newsletter online: The quarterly citywide newsletter is on the city website. From the homepage, search “Nutshell newsletter.”

• Email updates: To receive the city manager’s monthly email updates and other updates, visit www.walnut-creek.org and search for “Sign up for email updates.”

• Walnut Creek TV: Special programming and live broadcasts of meetings are available on Comcast channel 28 or channel 26 (Rossmoor), WAVE channel 29, and AT&T U-verse channel 99.

• YouTube: Walnut Creek’s YouTube channel offers the latest news and community information programming. Visit www. youtube.com and search “City of Walnut Creek.”

• Social media: You can follow the latest news from the city through Facebook (cityofwalnutcreek), Instagram (@walnutcreekgov), and Twitter (@walnutcreekgov).

Holiday Parade of Lights

The Broadway Plaza Holiday Parade of Lights returns on Thursday, December 5, from 5pm to 9pm.

Schedule of Events 5pm: Community musical performances in the Event Plaza near Macy’s 6pm: Retailer and sponsor open house throughout the plaza 6:30pm: Live performance by The Rockin’ Mistletones at Main Stage 7pm: Holiday Parade of Lights and arrival of Santa down Broadway Plaza Street.

Immediately following the parade, Santa will light Broadway Plaza’s magical Christmas tree. Once the tree is lit, entertainment and the open house will continue for guests to enjoy as they stroll, shop, and dance the night away.

Community Performances in the Event Plaza 5pm Northgate Choir; 5:25pm St. Mary’s Choir; 5:45pm Performing Academy; 6:15pm Devil Mountain Chorus

Photos with Santa Santa will be available for photos and visits at his holiday home, located in the lobby by True Food Kitchen.

Walnut Creek Holiday Stroll On Friday, December 6, head to Locust Street from 5pm-9pm for an evening of merriment featuring merchant open houses, extended shopping hours, sips and savors, caroling, live music, ugly sweater contest, Santa’s Workshop, tree decorating, plus carriage rides! Local merchants will offer discounts, specials and refreshments. Guests will have the opportunity to win a grand prize of products and services from Walnut Creek Downtown Businesses.

Santa is Coming

Contra Costa County Public Works’ Buchanan Field Airport in Concord will have a special visitor. At 10am on Saturday, December 7, Santa arrives at Buchanan Field for a very special visit. Santa’s greeting will happen behind the Crowne Plaza Hotel, located at 45 John Glenn Drive in Concord, and hotel parking will be validated for event participants.

Santa will hand out candy canes and give all the kids an opportunity to get their picture taken with him, free of charge.

In the event of rain, Santa will take pictures inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Santa and his helpers would appreciate it if everyone wanting a picture could bring a non-perishable food item or a monetary donation for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.

For more information on Santa’s visit, please visit the Buchanan Field Airport Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1041664162841504.

Holiday Clarinet Concert

Clarinet Fusion brings their resonating sound to life with a wide variety of music at their 6th annual concert at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center. “A Holiday Concert” is at 7pm on Friday, December 19.

Imagine the sound vibrations made by six different kinds of clarinets – from the smallest, high-pitched clarinet at 19 inches to the largest clarinet at 9 feet – melding together like a huge concert organ. Now imagine that sound emanating from ten very talented Bay Area clarinetists.

Performing with Clarinet Fusion is special guest Danny Bittker on the steel drums and low clarinets. Danny performs a beautiful rendition of “What A Wonderful World” on the steel drums. Also featured are Kathy Boster and Mark Horne playing a duet of “Bubble ‘N’ Squeak,” which features the tiny Eb clarinet and the big beast, a.k.a. the contrabass clarinet.

Filling out the program will be the usual mix of eclectic, toe-tapping music, including holiday, classical, Disney, waltz, Hanukah, jazz, boogie-woogie, and more! This is a favorite event for the community. Bring the whole family! Fun for all!

Sponsored by Pleasant Hill Rec & Park District. Tickets available at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center at 233 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill; online at www.pleasanthillrec.com/454/clarinetfusion; or by calling 925-798-8788. Adults $10 ($7 presale before 12/6). Students $5.

The Spirit of Giving

For the 27th straight year, a number of representatives from Contra Costa County nonprofit agencies were on hand for the annual Marsh Creek Detention Facility’s Holiday Toy Show. Representatives chose numerous newly handcrafted toys and bicycles refurbished by the facility’s inmates as gifts that will be given to children being served by these agencies.

“This outstanding event always officially kicks off the holidays for me,” said Sheriff Livingston. During his offer of gratitude to a number of attendees, he added a special message to address inmates who were also present at the event and had worked on the toys and bikes. “I want to thank you gentlemen and those before you that have been working diligently on this year-long program.”

Contra Costa County non-profit organizations were able to choose from more than 544 handcrafted toys and 90 bicycles refurbished by inmates from the facility that will be donated to children served by these organizations for the upcoming holidays. A dedicated group of Marsh Creek Detention Facility inmates have been working on this project for the past year, fixing up used bikes to look and ride like brand new and crafting colorful and beautiful wooden toys such as motorcycle rocking chairs, spinning carousels, cars, doll houses, baby cradles, toy tractors, train sets, and more. All of the toy makers and/or bike mechanics are students in the Contra Costa Adult School, an accredited school directed by the CCCOE, located within the jail facility.

The students have produced many great toys, using their hearts, minds, and hands to create tangible products,” says instructor John Putt. “Many inmates are very proud of their work and proud their products are going to under-served children.” After the toy project is completed, Putt said that he would be back teaching basic carpentry skills, along with more specific proficiencies such a framing and installing sheet rock. Of course, they will also make time to begin building toys and refurbishing used bikes for next year.

Contra Costa County non-profit organizations participating in this special event include: Bay Area Housing District, Bay Area Rescue Mission, Brighter Beginnings, Contra Costa County Independent Living Skills Program, El Cerrito Rotary, Friends of Oakley, Pittsburg Police Department, Shelter Inc., The Salvation Army-Antioch Corps, Shepherd’s Gate, La Casa, and VESTIA, Inc. OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 11

Estate Planning Who’s On Your Team?

BY JEFFREY HALL, CPA, JD Probate /Trust Attorney

Estate planning is not just about what happens to your stuff when you die but coordinating all aspects of your life so that 1) you can be taken care of during times when you are unable to care for yourself, and 2) your money and property are distributed to

the individuals you have selected upon your death in the way you want.

While you may visit an estate planning attorney to have legal documents prepared (e.g. will, revocable living trust, powers of attorney, and living will), you need a team made up of the right players.

Starting Lineup An estate planning attorney arranges your legal affairs so that trusted people are authorized to make decisions for you when

Happy Holidays Wishing you joy this holiday season

Our Community Focus

you are unable and your money and property are handled and distributed as you desire after your death.

A financial advisor understands your specific financial goals and investment objectives and crafts a financial plan to ensure you have sufficient cash to meet your needs and can live the lifestyle you want.

An insurance professional provides an analysis of your current and future insurance needs, which is critical for ensuring that funds are available to take care of all your beneficiaries, especially if you own your own business or have other large accounts or valuable pieces of property.

An accountant or CPA brings valuable tax planning strategies to the planning process. Although much of the focus in estate planning has historically been on estate taxes, a comprehensive plan must consider the impact of all taxes you and your beneficiaries may owe without too high of a tax cost.

A spiritual advisor can offer insight and provide guidance to help you express what matters most to you. They can help you share lessons, stories, and experiences along with moral, personal, and spiritual values with the next generation through your estate and financial plans so you can shape how you are remembered.

Who Needs This Type of Planning?

Employing a large number of advisors can seem like an overwhelming task and

only necessary for the very wealthy, but everyone can benefit from this comprehensive approach for the following reasons: • Your will or trust is old • Your existing trust is unfunded • You have minor children • You have a child with special needs • Your child is bad at handling money or susceptible to other legal claims • You have remarried and are now part of a blended family • You have gotten divorced or been widowed • You are unmarried but in a committed relationship • You are in a same-sex marriage • You own a large retirement account • You have charitable interests • You own your own business • Your children wear fur coats (you have pets) We Are Here to Help You Get Started

We are happy to work with any of your existing advisors or provide you with recommendations for advisors. Consult with your neighborhood Probate-Estate Planning Attorney, Jeffrey Hall. You may visit his website at www.HallLawGroup.com or call (925) 230-9002. We are a veteran owned, veteran friendly law firm.

Disclaimer: this article is not intended to be relied upon as legal advice nor the establishment of an attorney-client relationship.

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Medi-Cal Planning Trusts and Wills Trust Administration Trust Litigation Probate

www.HallLawGroup.com 925-230-9002 12 | DECEMBER 2019 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

SPORTS

League Champions

The Lady Falcons completed another successful season going 14-0 during the month of October and finishing with an overall record of 20-6.

The team went undefeated in league play and won its second consecutive League Championship Tournament defeating Concord in the semifinals and dominating Northgate in the championship game. The impressive 20-win season earned the Lady Falcons an 8th seed in the Open Division of the NCS playoffs.

This year’s team was once again led by senior team captains Sammi Monroe and Caragh Osborne. They combined for 160 goals, 54 assists, 106 steals and 124 ejections drawn this season. However, the team could not have been successful without incredible efforts by other players such as junior goalie Molly Ostrowski and junior attacker Kelsey Meyers. Molly’s skill and tenacity in the cage resulted in a career high 205 saves and she only allowed an average of 5 goals per game. Kelsey was relentless on both offense and defense. She had an incredible knack for scoring goals off of missed shots. Their off-season training paid huge dividends in their improvement this year. Sophomore Naomi Kardell led the team in sprints and assists while junior Lily Macdonald was a defensive force recording 30 steals for the season.

DAL All League Selections were awarded to: DAL MVP-Goalie: Molly Ostrowski • MVP: Sammi Monroe • First Team: Kelsey Meyers & Caragh Osborne • Second Team: Naomi Kardell • Honorable Mention: Bridget Webster

Historic Season for Tennis

The College Park Girls Tennis Team finished the season in historic fashion with close matches against Campolindo and Northgate and a big win over Las Lomas. The best win of the year came in the very last league match against the powerhouse Miramonte. The first ever win, 6-3 over Miramonte, sealed an historic victory for College Park.

“To watch the girls continue to improve through the season and have these great wins to solidify how far they came was great. So proud of these girls,” Jacquae Hilton, CP Girls Tennis coach.

History continued as the CP girls entered the end of season DAL tournament. Both Sophie DeGroot, for singles, and Anna Detre and Gabby Thomas, for doubles, advanced all the way to the finals taking down their opponents through the tough draws. Sophie lost a tough battle in the finals to finish an incredible 2nd in singles for the entire DAL! In an epic 3- hour doubles final showdown, Anna and Gabby battled their way for a gutsy win to beat a tough Acalanes team and to become the DAL Doubles Champions. A first in College Park history!

College Park Varsity Tennis Team

Second Place in NCS

Congratulations to the boys water polo team on their run to a second place finish in the Division 1 NCS Championship Series. They earned a first round bye then beat Foothill 13-10 and Amador Valley 15-13 to earn a spot in the finals against the #1 seed Acalanes.

After a tight first half, Acalanes opened up their lead in the second to eventually win 1610. Another great run by coach John DeLuca and the boys.

DAL All League Selections were awarded to: DAL MVP Will Ennis • First Team: Caden Carpenter, Mac Shaver • Second Team: Jeff Deboer, Tom Austin • Honorable Mention: Luc Lamoureux

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 13

SPORTS

CP Soars at NCS Cross Country Fastest Times in School History

BY COACH MIGUEL CASTRO

College Park’s boys and girls varsity cross country teams finished in 5th place at the NCS Championships on Saturday, November 23 at Hayward High School. The boys put forth a stronger team than last year’s state qualifying team, but Division II is arguably the most stacked Division in all of NCS. The boys nearly missed qualifying for State by 1 point. On the girls end, five of the top 7 teams in all of NCS were from Division II and the girls team time was the 7th fastest of all the teams in all divisions.

After a 3rd place finish at the DAL Championships and the individual win at the prestigious Mt. Sac Invitational, sophomore Isabella Alviz was ready to push the pace for a top five individual finish. Alviz went out with the leaders and held onto her 3rd place position for the entire 3 mile race.

Alviz posted the fastest 3 mile time in school history on the Hayward course ahead of school record holder and Hall of Famer, Lindsay Allen. Alviz’s time of 17:35.8 makes her the fastest sophomore in the North Coast Section and earned her First Team All NCS honors, along with an individual qualifying

spot at the CIF State Championships.

Fellow sophomore, Lindsey Reed, also continued her amazing season with an 11th place finish in an improvement by 1 minute 24 seconds from her time at NCS a year ago.

Reed’s finish in 18:18.8 earned her Honorable Mention NCS Honors and also qualified her for the CIF State Championships. Freshman Grace Reed was the third runner for the Falcons in 20th place in 18:41. Sophomore Marlo Taylor improved her time from a year ago by 2 minutes and 24 seconds and finished with a time of 19:16.44. Freshman Hailey Hallford was moved up into varsity around the middle of the season and on Saturday she stepped up for the team with a solid 19:25.3 for a 38th place finish. Hallford improved her 3 mile time in her first season by over 3 minutes. Sophomore Brooke Simpson also ended her season with a strong race and personal record by 1 minute 14 seconds.

Freshman Jessica Chisar worked hard all season to be a part of the varsity squad and finished with a personal record by 1 minute 34 seconds with a new time of 20:37.2.

The varsity boys were led by junior Sebastian Vaisset-Fauvel who ran the best race

of his career by 30 seconds this season and also posted the second fastest three mile time in school history with a time of 15:25.2.

The only other athlete to run faster than Vaisset-Fauvel was Jeff Bickert in 2009 when he ran 15:23 at the NCS Championships.

Vaisset-Fauvel’s 6th place finish secured him an individual qualifying spot at the State Championships and a 3rd Team All NCS honors. Hist time was the 7th fastest junior in all of NCS.

Senior Ethan Gaigalas was the second runner for the Falcons who, despite pushing through some injuries, was within a second of his best time for a 20th place finish in

15:53. Sophomore Lev Afonine improved his time on the course from a year ago by 12 seconds to finish in 25th. Star freshman, Alex Lamoureux, continued his stellar season with another outstanding performance.

Lamoureux posted the fastest time (16:07.9) posted by a College Park freshman in recent years, establishing himself as the number 6 fastest freshman in the entire North Coast Section.

The number five through seven runners for College Park included sophomore Diego Flores (64th 16:43), senior Kyle Pickle (69th 16:51), and junior Max Benabou (82nd 17:09).

LtoR Max Benabou, Kyle Pickle, Sebastian Vaisset-Fauvel, Ethan Gaiglias, Alex Lamoureux, AJ Stefanski, Diego Flores, and Coach Castro.

Not pictured Lev Afonine.

Successful Football Season

The 2019 College Park Varsity Football team enjoyed a very successful season. The team went 7-3 overall and finished 5-1 in league with the only loss to mighty Benicia who advanced to the 2nd round in NCS. Unfortunately, the Falcons were not chosen to represent the DAL in Division 2 of the NCS bracket which was a huge disappointment considering how much the team improved. A large number of Falcons were represented in the Diablo Athletic League All League Selections. Congratulations to all. Photos

by Christina Kozina.

First Team: OL Jackson Keck, OL Colton Bonnington, RB Jamaire Wayne, SS Andrew Hamant, WR Sean Kozina Second Team: OL Josh Riche, OL Mikey Gonzales, WR Frank Payne, DL Jordan DeAlba, LB TJ Dumlao, DB Jeremiah Jack Honorable Mention: QB: Dimond Loosli, DB Alex Gentry, LB/DL Donovan Lauer

LtoR Grace Reed, Marlo Taylor, Linsey Blackman, Hailey Hallford, Isabella Alviz, Lindsey Reed, Brook Simpson and Jessica Chisar.

CP College Commits

College Park senior Caragh Osborne has committed to playing Division 1 water polo in college next year. Caragh will be playing for Virginia Military Institute in the fall of 2020.

14 | DECEMBER 2019 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Congratulations to College Park senior Maddie Maile who has verbally committed to Oklahoma Christian University where she will be playing volleyball in the fall of 2020. Go Eagles!

SCHOOL NEWS

Valhalla at Mock City Council Meeting Third Graders Learn About City Government

On a crisp autumn morning in November, Pleasant Hill Councilmember Michael Harris hosted over 100 Third Graders from Valhalla Elementary School for a mock city council meeting at City Hall. Student Mayor Kylie Takita presided over the meeting and heard testimony on a number of issues critical to Valhalla third graders.

Councilmembers Nika Ranganian, Elizabeth Mitchell, Jordan Allen, and Victoria Mitchell joined Mayor Takita on the dais. The city council was assisted by City Manager Alaina Ayers, City Attorney Lucas Marturano-Reed, City Clerk Matteo Pamatian, Police Chief Tyler Bailey, Public Works Director Dominic Lavezzo, Finance Manager Ethan Kohler, and Public Information Officer Daniel Hom. The council considered agenda items and heard arguments for and against items from

other members of the third grade classes.

Ms. Kaput’s class discussed “Should Valhalla Elementary School paint the names of the states on the state tag map?” Speaking in favor was Atiana Alfonso Gavino. Speaking against was Mathias Bornman.

Mr. Murray’s class discussed “Should Valhalla Elementary School install taller fences around the playground?” Speaking in favor was Bronson Steward. Speaking against was Amelia Hoxha.

Ms. Snitselaar’s class discussed “Should Valhalla Elementary School serve organic foods, cooked on site, in reusable containers?” Speaking in favor was Ibuki Trickey. Speaking against was Gabriel Thomas.

Mr. Thomas’s class discussed “Should Valhalla Elementary School require uniforms?” Speaking in favor was Mad-

dox Krause. Speaking against was Julia Bedinger.

The city council voted in favor of painting state names on the tag map and serving organic foods but voted against taller fences and school uniforms.

Other members of the classes brought

up other important issues during public comment. The parents in the audience agreed that the city council, city staff, and all the presenters did a terrific job.

Councilmember Harris commented that he saw many future leaders in these third graders.

Principal’s Corner Almost Half-Way There JOSEPH G. ALVAREZ PRINCIPAL COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL

I cannot believe we are entering into December, which means the first half of our school year is nearing completion. During these first few months of school, there is much to celebrate! Our fall sports were all successful in showing both academic and athletic progress, and some students completed their best season yet. Our robotics team competed in a Sacramento competition and held its own! Our fantastic choir, once again, did an outstanding job performing the national anthem at the Warriors game, and our second to none band held their annual showcase in a pure form of excellence.

School safety continues to be a priority; we actively engage with our local police department and our school resource officer. Officer Bohtelo is fully involved in our school community and

is up-to-date on training. Please remind your student if they should hear or see any threat of any kind online or in person to let the school administration know immediately. Securing our campus and ensuring safety for all is a priority.

The Pleasant Hill 4th of July Commission has come through and provided us with a check for almost $3,000 that will go directly to our students via our classroom resources. Thank you to all of you in our fantastic community who chose to donate to CPHS.

The “Every 15 Minutes” program will occur again this year. It is a program about driving under the influence, and we are expanding this program to include distracted driving, which is a massive culprit in fatalities and accidents.

On December 11, we are hosting our LCAP series on vaping and what can be done about it. Please join me in our school library at 6pm to hear from experts. Students are welcome.

Falcon up!

MDUSD Outreach Program

MDUSD’s Homeless Outreach Program for Education (HOPE) program is committed to addressing barriers to educational success for homeless students and foster youth and ensuring the educational success of all students in the district. HOPE School Social Workers and other staff work with homeless families and foster youth caregivers to reduce stressors and connect families with needed resources, including housing resources, employment assistance, health care and health insurance, mental health care services, and other supports. Currently, there are 488 students (TK12th grade) identified as homeless within MDUSD, up from about 300 a year ago, and 107 foster youth.

You can help in the following ways: • Make a tax-deductible donation by sending a check to “Mt. Diablo HOPE,” 2730 Salvio St., Concord, 94519 • Make a tax-deductible donation by utilizing Venmo under “MDUSD HOPE.” • Buy gift cards in any amount with the amount written with a Sharpie so that the recipient knows how much they can spend. Department store and grocery store gift cards can be dropped off at the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Office, 1936 Carlotta Drive, Concord, CA, or mailed and dropped off at Mt. Diablo HOPE, 2730 Salvio St., Concord 94519. This is our greatest need.

Each donation directly benefits homeless students and foster youth. Donations of any amount are considered generous and are welcome year-round. For additional information, please contact MDUSD’s Student Services Department and School & Community Services program at 925.682.8000 extension X3054. For more information visit https://www.mdusd.org/hope.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 15

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Estate Planning Gift Giving and Receiving

BY DANIEL DuREE

Since it is December, I am going to revisit the (alleged) reason for the season. That’s right, everybody’s favorite topic: gift giving (and receiving). Although gift giving is less important in recent times than in years past (because of a larger estate tax exclusion), it can still be used as a tool in estate planning or as a tool to simply help other people.

The official estate and gift tax exemption for 2019 is $11.4 million per individual, up from $11.18 million in 2018.

That means an individual can leave $11.4 million to heirs and pay no federal

estate or gift tax, while a married couple will be able to shield $22.8 million. The annual gift exclusion amount remains the same at $15,000.

For the ultra rich, these numbers represent planning opportunities. For everybody else, they serve as a reminder: Even if you don’t have a taxable estate, you still need an estate plan.

Most of us will never need to worry about reaching that $11,000,000 plus estate bar, but politicians have been known to change their minds, and that number could very well come back down from the historically high level it is at today. For that reason, it is important to consider the types of gifts that are excluded from lifetime taxable gifts.

THE LAW OFFICE OF

The most well known exclusion is any gift to a qualified charity. A gift to a qualified charity is not taxable either while a person is living or as part of their estate if the gift is made at death through a will or a trust. Along similar public policy lines, there are also unlimited gift exclusions for any medical or educational costs paid directly by a donor.

By using an irrevocable trust, a person can also take advantage of these gift exclusions while still retaining control over the assets until a certain point in the future. By making gifts, we cannot only support causes or people in whom we believe; we can also lessen the chances of having to pay estate taxes one day. Please call my office for complimentary information about a

variety of estate planning strategies.

Best wishes for a lovely holiday season, and a happy new year!

Daniel L. DuRee is a third generation resident of Contra Costa County and a licensed attorney practicing in Walnut Creek. He can be reached at (925) 210-1400 or visit www.DuReeLaw. com.

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BY COLLEEN CALLAHAN

This is the craziest time of year for those working in employee benefits or in the Medicare market.

It is the time for annual renewal, time to review prescription drug plans, and time to learn about changes on the horizon for 2020. Mailboxes and inboxes are full of information, warnings, and solicitations. It is challenging to sift through the material and discover what is personally relevant and helpful.

For those of you on Medicare or about to be eligible, please take note of the following for 2020: • Part A Deductible is increasing from $1,364 to $1,408 for each benefit period.

• Part B Deductible is increasing from $185 to $198.

• Part B Premium standard rate of $135.50 is increasing to $144.60 or higher, depending on your income.

Additionally, in 2015, Congress passed and the president signed into law a measure that makes changes to

the sale of Medigap or Medicare Supplement Plans C, F and High Deductible F. The changes take place after January 1, 2020. The law is called the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). If you will be 65 before January 1, 2020, the changes do not affect you.

MACRA states that as of January 1, 2020, those who are “newly eligible” for Medicare cannot buy Plans C, F, or High Deductible F. The Medicare supplement with the highest-level benefit will be Plan G. It will have a Part B deductible of $198.00. Those that have Plan F continue to pay the premium and can keep it.

It would be considered false or misleading to suggest someone must make a change by telling them their Plan F or C is no longer available. Beware of false statements.

Please enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season. Feel free to call or email if you have questions.

Colleen Callahan, CLU, CASL, LUTCF. Colleen Callahan Insurance Services is located in Pleasant Hill. Contact her 925.363.5433 or ccallahan@ callahaninsurance.com.

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Stronger Than You Know The Holidays & Coping With Loss

BY DENA BETTI

For friends and loved ones coping with loss, the holidays can be anything but cheery. During the season of festive decorations, holiday parties, and family gatherings, some of us feel more alone than ever, and the holidays have a clever way of magnifying who is not there to enjoy them with us.

For many, there’s also a sense of guilt and shame that accompanies having an enjoyable experience during the holidays. “How can I enjoy myself when you’re not here?” we silently ask. And it was in the depths of those thoughts that I found an emotional juxtaposition on my first holiday without my daughter Jenna.

That first year, we had to push ourselves to decorate the house for the holidays. Jenna’s younger sisters expressed how difficult it was to decorate without her there to help, and I remember feeling that something I once loved doing now felt like a painful burden. It was the moment I opened the box of ornaments that I began to weep. To the backdrop of Frank Sinatra’s song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” I remember asking myself how I could ever be merry again.

Our three girls used to put the ornaments on the tree together. They loved going down memory lane as

many of the ornaments captured milestones and accomplishments of their childhood. “Look,” they would say and giggle and laugh. “I remember that.”

Joyous and full of cheer, they would adorn our tree every year. But now that was gone, or at least that’s the way it felt that first year. As I began to acknowledge to myself that nothing would be the same, an amazing thought washed over me.

“Girls, can you come here?” I said.

The girls walked over and looked at the box I had just opened. “It’s not going to be the same putting the ornaments on the tree without Jenna here,” my youngest daughter shared. “I know, and that’s why I called you over. I remember how much you enjoyed putting the ornaments on the tree together, and even though Jenna’s not here to put them on the tree with you, what do you think if we shifted things up a bit? We could do something special in honor of Jenna on the tree and we could put your ornaments up, too. Actually, we can do whatever you think is a good idea.

Would you like if we did something like that?” Instantly they embraced the idea, and we headed to the store. “We can decorate it in pink for Jenna. That’s her favorite color!” They echoed one another as we looked at all the store had to offer.

Now excited, our holiday decorating took on an entirely new feeling.

Jenna was no longer missing. She was

with us…just in a very different way.

She would be in the glitter of the hot pink ribbon that wrapped itself around the lush pine needles of our holiday tree. She would shine in the bubblegum pink ornaments that hung abundantly from its branches, and she would light up the room from the small twinkling white lights that thoughtfully graced its branches.

There’s a lot people don’t tell us about coping with loss during the holidays, but this one thing I hope you will remember. Our loved ones live inside of us, they are never truly gone, and we get to decide how we’ll take them along life’s journey with us. Happy Holidays!

Dena Betti is a graduate from the University of San Francisco, on the board of #hersmile Nonprofit and a certified life coach. For more information, email dena@strongerthanyouknow. com.

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Magnificent Madeira

PAIR UP

Overlooked But Worth Seeking Out

BY MARIA TERRY

December is a celebratory month full of parties, family traditions, and celebrations.

It’s the perfect time to open a special bottle of wine like Madeira, which is often overlooked but worth seeking out. It is one of the great wines of Portugal, made on a small, eponymous island south of Lisbon.

The wines are fortified with brandy before fermentation is complete, allowing them to range from slightly sweet to very sweet.

After fermentation is stopped, the wines are heated for three months to 20 years.

The best wines continue to age in barrels an additional three to 20 years more! As you can imagine, such a lengthy process results in an incredibly complex wine.

There are four styles of Madeira. Sercial and Verdelho, the two lighter styles, are less sweet and often served cool. Start your Madeira experience with a Verdelho Madeira paired with your favorite pâté.

Verdelho Madeira is a light amber color, has bright citrus fruit and spice aromatics, and has a classic nuttiness found in almost all Madeiras. It takes its name from the white Verdelho grape and is slightly fuller in body than the Sercial (which also takes its name from its own white grape). The weight of Verdelho is just right to comple-

ment the silky texture of the pâté, yet the acidity is there to handle the fat and even the acidic little cornichons pickles that are often served alongside.

For the main course, take it up a notch with a room temperature Bual Madeira paired with the following rich recipe of Roast Duck with Sweet Balsamic Glaze.

Bual Madeiras also are made from white grapes with the same name, have fruit aromas like red apple, and contain bitter notes of coffee and Brazil nuts. Bual is sweeter and has an even fuller body than Verdelho, perfect for the sweet crispy skin and fatty meat. Finish off your plate with duck fat roasted potatoes and root vegetables.

End your meal with a room temperature Malmsey Madeira, which is luscious, sweet, and a dessert all by itself. It is made from the Malvasia white grape and has dried fig and floral notes along with the expected bitter notes of black tea, soy, and molasses. The sweet nuttiness of the wine works with chocolate or nut desserts.

Alternatively, accentuate the sweetness of the wine by pairing it with a savory cheese such as Gorgonzola Dolce spread on Trader Joe’s Raisin Rosemary Crackers.

So, go on. Pair Up!

Maria Terry is a certified sommelier and wine educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. www.LaSommelierre.com.

Roast Duck with Sweet Balsamic Glaze INGREDIENTS One 6-pound whole Pekin duck (the most popular commercial duck breed in America) Salt 5 garlic cloves chopped 1 lemon, small or medium, chopped Glaze ½ cup balsamic vinegar 1 lemon, freshly squeezed juice ¼ cup honey DIRECTIONS

If you purchase a frozen duck, defrost it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Once defrosted, take the duck out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring it more or less to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350º.

Prepare the duck: Remove giblets from inside the duck. Rinse inside and outside of duck with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Set duck on working surface. Score duck’s skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over to ensure fat release, especially in very fatty parts.

You don’t need to poke the duck legs (where the skin is pretty thin) except for where the duck legs connect to the duck body. Season the duck very generously all over with salt (include inside cavity of the duck, outside skin, and legs). Place the duck breast side up.

Put 5 chopped garlic cloves and lemon slices inside the duck cavity. Fold the two flaps of skin inwards to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher’s twine.

Roasting (3 hours in 4 steps):

Place the bird breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack. (Roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck). Roast the duck, breast side up,

for 1 hour at 350º.

Flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 40 minutes, at 350º.

Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven. Carefully remove the duck to a platter (making sure the lemons and garlic from the cavity do not fall out; keep the skin on both ends of the duck folded), and carefully pour off all the duck fat and juices from the roasting pan into a large, heatproof bowl or container. You can use this fat to roast some potatoes and other root vegetables.

Flip the duck breast side up again on a rack in the roasting pan (the pan is now emptied of fatty juice). In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of balsamic vinegar with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon. Brush all of the duck with the balsamic mixture (especially the scored duck breast) and cook the duck breast side up for another 40 minutes at 350º, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture.

Now, in a separate small bowl, combine ¼ cup honey and 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar lemon mixture leftover from the previous step. Brush the breast side of the duck with this honeybalsamic mixture and roast for another 40 minutes, brushing the duck breast side every 10 minutes with honey-balsamic mixture.

After the duck is cooked, remove it from the oven. Let duck stand for 15 minutes. Carefully remove and discard lemon from the cavity. Cut into four quarters and serve!

OVERVIEW: Roast for a total of 3 hours at 350 F: 1 hour breast side up + 40 minutes breast side down + 40 minutes breast side up brushed with balsamiclemon mixture + 40 minutes breast side up brushed with the honey-balsamic mixture.

Yield: 4 Servings

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OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 21

IN THE MIX

In the Mix

A Visit from Music Past, Music Present and Music Future

BY PAUL COTRUVO

Not sure if it’s the time of year or a case of a bad tuna sandwich, but when I wrote this article, I was visited by three ghosts. Now I know what you are thinking: Paul needs to cut down on those whiskeys (could be true), but the messages from my spirit friends were all good. (Maybe it was the whiskey.)

First, I was visited by the Ghost of Music Past. This apparition took me on a journey through some of the 2019 highlights of the music scene in our area, from Alexa Heine’s amazing performance at the “Come Together� show in Pleasant Hill to Sunday Paper residency on the last Sundays of the week at Armando’s in Martinez. I hovered over the many festivals that took place in just about every city of Contra Costa: the Music and Market Series in Concord, Summer by the Lake in Pleasant Hill, and the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival, to name a few. These showcased some amazing talent and reiterated my love for the live music scene in our area.

Next I was visited by the Ghost of Music Present. I did not know what to expect but was filled with joy in an instant.

The spirit showed me what is happening at Armando’s in Martinez on the week-

end of December 7 and 8. It is the 11th Annual Holiday Pageant and Toy Drive.

This event has been so successful, it is now being held on two dates. This show truly captures the meaning of giving back. All musicians play for free in order to benefit such charities as Shelter Inc., Foster a Dream, and Loaves and Fishes. And who will be performing? There will be acts such as Midnight Flyer, Garageland Rodeo, Frankie G., Jeff Tamalier, Jim Funk, New Frantics, Big Jangle, Killbillies, and so many more. Each show will be different. My suggestion? Go to both. Tickets for the two shows are now on sale thru Eventbrite and sold in a limited number, so I strongly urge early purchase. Here are the links: • https://www.eventbrite.com/e/martinezmusic-mafia-holiday-pageant-toy-driveday-one-tickets-80192456797; • https://www.eventbrite.com/e/martinezmusic-mafia-holiday-pageant-toy-driveday-two-tickets-80802367055

After these two visits, I was happy and felt the spirits made their point regarding the joy of music here in Contra Costa. But just as I thought my experiences were over, I was visited by the Ghost of Music Yet to Come. What could top 2019? Well, let me tell you about two events that are coming up in 2020. If you don’t know by now, I started a Tom Petty Tribute Band about seven years ago called The Big

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29, 2020, at the El Campanil Theatre, in Antioch. The money raised at the benefit concert is used to help kids with music in the community. To date they have awarded over $27,000 in grants and scholarships. Kudos to the amazing Frankie G. for continuing to give back to his community. And the line-up? Eric Gales, who Joe Bonamassa claims is â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the best, if not the best guitar player in the world.â&#x20AC;?

Also on the bill is Alvon Johnson, another great guitar player, and Tia Carroll, an extraordinary singer who is one of the most sought out singers on the West Coast. For tickets, go to www.deltabluesfestival.net/ benefit-concert.html.

After these ghostly revelations, am I a changed man? Absolutely! So, go out there and support the amazing local music scene. And finally, I would just like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season. See you in 2020!

Quote of the month: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once again, we come to the holiday season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dave Barr

Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Picks December 1: Two of Us, Armandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 4pm December 12: The Dawdlers, Armandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm December 13: Stung, Danâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar, 1524 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, 10pm December 19: Sin Silver, Roccoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizzeria, 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, 8pm December 21: Buzztones, Roccoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizzeria. 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, 8pm December 21: Dr. D, WiseGirl, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9pm December 28: Divalicous, Danâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar, 1524 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, 10pm December 29: Sunday Paper, Armandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 4pm December 31: Big Jangle, Wise Girl, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9pm December 31: Tender Mercies, Armandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 9pm

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Jangle. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be happier with the success of this band but always had an urge to perform a Tom Petty album in its entirety. On January 25, 2020, this dream will come true, as the band will perform the Wildflowers album from start to finish.

This record just celebrated its 25-year anniversary and was going to be performed

by Tom Petty in 2020, but it never came to fruition due to his untimely death. We will be performing this at the very intimate Lafayette Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School St, Lafayette. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the townhalltheatre. com website. I highly recommend getting them ahead of time. And if you purchase tickets for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wildflower Circleâ&#x20AC;? (only 40 of these will be available), you will not only be able to see the show but get to pick your own seat, receive a Big Jangle T-Shirt, free cocktail, arrive early for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;mini concertâ&#x20AC;? exclusively for you, and enjoy a Q & A session with the band. This would make a great gift for any Tom Petty fan.

The other event my ghostly friend showed me is the 10th Annual Delta Blues Festival Benefit Concert on February

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Armandoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, www.armandosmartinez.com Back Forty: 100 Coggins Drive-Pleasant Hill, www. backforty.us WiseGirl: 1932 Oak Park Blvd. Pleasant Hill, www.wisegirlph.com Danâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar: 1524 Civic Drive Walnut Creek, www.dansbar.com Roxx on Main: 627 Main St. Martinez, www.roxxonmain.com Roccoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizzeria: 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road Walnut Creek, www.roccospizzeria.com Retro Junkie: 2112 N. Main Street Walnut Creek, www.retrojunkiebar.com Vinnies: 2045 Mt. Diablo Street-Concord, www.vinniesbar.com

FUN AND GAMES Saran Wrap Party Game The Saran Wrap ball game is a challenge in which you unwrap prizes from a large ball of plastic wrap. The layers are added in such a way that each treat is more exciting than the one that came before. The best is saved for last, and the center of the ball will hold the most exciting or expensive gift. The ball can hold just about any kind of goodie that appeals to you and your guests, from little inexpensive party favors to cash.

YOU’LL NEED

• Saran Wrap • Dice • Prizes Ideas: cash, gift cards, movie passes• Guests who are up for some rowdy fun

Gather with the family for treats and fun this holiday season

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls 6 candy canes, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup), divided.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened

36 Oreo cookies, finely crushed 4 pkg. (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Reserve 1 Tbsp. chopped candy. Mix remaining candy with cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended. Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.

Sprinkle with reserved candy Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. 48 servings

HOW TO MAKE A SARAN WRAP BALL

When wrapping your ball, start with the largest or most expensive gift first, like higher dollar gift cards or cash. Wrap the gift in a few layers of plastic wrap to get the ball started. If you’re using Press’n Seal wrap, keep the sticky layer next to the gift. Roll each section of the wrap in the opposite direction as the last to keep things interesting. As you wrap your ball, smooth it down to keep the layers close and to maintain the desired shape.

Once you’ve wrapped the main gift, start adding mid-range treats in the next several layers. These can be things like $1 bills, smaller gift cards, movie passes, etc. Save the least expensive gifts, like dollar bills or fun-sized candies, for the outside layers. You can be creative and make this Saran Wrap ball as big as you want!

HOW TO PLAY

• The first person with the ball starts unwrapping while the person on their right rolls a pair of dice, trying to roll doubles.

•O nce doubles are rolled, the ball is passed to the next player and the sequence begins again.

• The person with the ball does not stop unwrapping until the person to their right rolls doubles. This creates a wonderful suspense and urgency to the game!

• You get to keep whatever treasure falls out of the Saran Wrap along the way.

VARIATIONS TO THE GAME

• Try wearing winter gloves or mittens while unwrapping to make it that much more difficult!

• Use Press and Seal wrap to make it a tad more challenging!

• I f you have a large group, try using two large balls and start them on opposite ends of one another!

• Place a blindfold on the person who is unwrapping

Dark Chocolate-Pecan Toffee

1 c. unsalted butter, cut up, plus more for baking sheet 1 1/2 c. pecan halves, divided 3/4 c. granulated sugar 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 3.5-ounce dark chocolate bar, chopped 3/4 tsp. large flaked sea salt (such as Maldon)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a rimmed baking sheet. Spread pecan halves on a second rimmed baking sheet and toast just until fragrant, 7 to 8 minutes; cool.

Arrange 1 cup toasted pecans, flat side down, in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border along sides of baking sheet. Chop remaining 1/2 cup pecans; set aside.

Combine butter, sugars, salt, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 290°F, 18 to 20 minutes. Slowly pour hot caramel mixture over pecans, making sure to fully cover each nut and leaving the 2- to 3-inch border around baking sheet.

Sprinkle chocolate evenly over toffee; let sit until slightly melted. Spread chocolate, in an even layer, with a small rubber scraper or offset spatula. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and sea salt. Let stand 20 minutes, then refrigerate until cool and set, 40 to 45 minutes. Break into small pieces. 8-10 servings

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | DECEMBER 2019 | 23

From the Contra Costa County Historical Society

A History Note

Where Did Santa’s Reindeer Go?

BY MARJORIE NEWTON

Actually, they weren’t reindeer; they were tule elk. They did fly away, although helicopters were involved. The tule elk is native to California. Its numbers were reduced in the mid-1800s due to uncontrolled hunting and displacement by cattle. Their numbers dropped from 200,000 to as little as a dozen in the 1880s.

In 1874, a cattle rancher named Henry Miller discovered a small herd on his ranch near Bakersfield. Until this discovery, tule elk had been thought to be extinct. All of the estimated 5,700 Tule elk present in 22 herds across California as of 2016 evolved from this small remnant herd.

Tule elk were introduced into the Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS) in 1976. The Concord herd was used as a seed group to establish other herds around the state. The elk had free range of the weapons station, a heavily guarded, I’m not in trouble anymore!

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13,000-acre complex surrounded by high fences. The weapons station consisted of a cluster of command buildings and a warehouse on Port Chicago Highway, a port on Suisun Bay, but was mostly rolling grass hills.

By November of 1997, the herd had grown to about 70. It was predicted that there were too many for the station to sustain. One proposed solution was to allow hunters to kill 20 to 50 of the elk. This was met with great opposition. Between 1976 and 2006, about 1,300 elk were moved from CNWS to other herds across California. The weapons station’s herd became just one of 23 herds in California scattered from the Carrizo Plains near San Luis Obispo on the south to the Mendocino area on the north, the coast on the west, and the Owens Valley on the east.

The weapons station closed in 2005.

Faced with the prospect that the land

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would be developed into housing, State Fish and Game moved the elk. To do so, each elk was entangled in a net launched from a helicopter, fitted with a blindfold and hobbles, loaded onto a litter, and transported to a staging area. All of the elk received examinations and antibiotic injections from a veterinarian, and some of the cows destined for the San Luis refuge -- which has a relatively limited range -- were implanted with contraceptive devices to prevent them from reproducing. The blindfolds and hobbles were then removed, and the animals were loaded into livestock trailers and trucked to their new homes in Cache Creek in Lake County, Grizzly Island in Solano County, or the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge.

Point Reyes National Seashore

remains the only national park unit where tule elk can be found. The best chance of seeing them is in the Tule Elk Preserve at Tomales Point.

There is a herd near the Sunol Regional Wilderness that tends to stay away from the roads and trails. They have been seen off Mines Road, south of Livermore.

Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve is another place to see them, as is the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area in Solano County. They may not be Santa’s reindeer but they are California’s natives, alive and well.

“A History Note” is presented by the Contra Costa County History Center, 724 Escobar St., Martinez. Open hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays, from 9-4, and first and third Saturdays, from 10-2.

Check out www.cocohistory.org

Pleasant Hill Senior Activities Dec. 5 – Holiday Taste of the Vine 3-5pm. Cozy up with us for happy hour and heavy appetizers with our special signature holiday drink (wine & non-alcoholic available). Sip on your drink while listening to background music from the Classical Strings Project.

Tickets on sale now $18.

Dec. 12-19 - Dance Choreography 1:30-2:15pm. A fun new way to get moving! Learn simple yet famous choreography. Impress your family and friends. No experience required. “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt. 3 classes/ $47/$38 (District residents.)

Dec. 17 – Golden Follies Holiday Extravaganza 1:30pm. Kick up your holiday spirit with festive costumes, wonderful music and jaw dropping moves by the Golden Follies.

Tickets: $15/ $20 after 12/6 Dec. 18 - Holiday Bingo Bash 12-3:30pm.Free holiday dauber to the first 100 people, $100 bonus jackpots on 5 games plus raffles and giveaways throughout the day. Hot dog & potato soup lunch ticket must be purchased at bingo and before Dec. 18: $5 (presale only).

Dec. 19 – Holiday Clarinet Fusion Concert 7pm. Enjoy a festive holiday performance

by Pleasant Hill’s very own clarinet band, Clarinet Fusion. All ages welcome, so bring the whole family! Doors open at 6:45pm. Tickets: $7 presale, $10 after 12/6, $5 for students.

233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill 925-798-8788 Register for classes and events at www.pleasanthillrec.com

24 | DECEMBER 2019 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Read My Mind

©

The Dragon of God

BY MICHAEL G. HARRIS, OD

Since I started writing this book column many years ago, I’ve read hundreds of book by well-known authors and newcomers. Several local authors have asked me to read and review their self-published books. Unfortunately, I did not find any worthy of a recommendation.

Recently, I was asked to read and review a book by local author Roger Chapin, writing under the pseudonym of Earl Thor.

This is the first self-published book by a local author that I thought worthy of a book review, and I give it an extremely positive recommendation. The book, The Dragon of God, is a religious thriller much in the same vein as Dan Brown’s The da Vinci Code and Origin. This book is an exhilarating joyride, chock-full of little known facts about Christianity and history.

What does the supposedly accidental death of a climber in Yosemite have to do with the death of a preacher in Missouri? Is it possible that the same man is responsible for both of these deaths and several others?

What could possibly be his motivation for killing these people who seemingly have no connection to each other? Could the killer be a religious zealot on a mission to save Christianity? Could he be “the dragon of God?”

Religion professor Bill Miner and Victoria Johnson, the daughter of the first victim, try to determine why apparently unrelated people have been killed by the same man, the dragon of God. After several people report near-death experiences that may dispel fundamentalist Christian beliefs from the New Testament, their story draws widespread interest. In fact, it’s about to air on 60 Minutes. Shortly before the scheduled broadcast, “the individuals to be featured begin to meet very real deaths, one after another.” And their revelations could wreak havoc on the Christian church.

What makes this book especially interesting to local readers is its setting in the Bay Area. The heroine lives in Pleasant Hill and

regularly orders takeout from Ming’s Chinese Restaurant. The book is well written and the details are intriguing. It’s real food for thought, whether you’re a religious zealot, an evangelist, a true believer, an agnostic, or an atheist.

The characters are real and compelling. My only criticism is the ending. It’s a bit weak, and I found little evidence in the book to connect the villain with the victims.

Nonetheless, I am delighted to recommend this book to anyone who loves a really good page-turner.

As a special feature in this column, I also had the privilege of interviewing the author, Roger Chapin. I hope you enjoy.

The book takes place in many locations. Which of these have you been to and how did you learn about the others? I’ve lived in or visited all of the locations except Bridgeport and Buhl. For those places, I studied travel guides and Google maps.

Why did you center your book on the Bay Area and specifically Pleasant Hill? Is there something special about Pleasant Hill that makes it a good location for a novel? I live here and think it’s one of the best places to live in California. It’s a suburban home to many families and professionals— Tom Hanks lived here as a young boy—with fine schools, parks, and local government. I liked the idea of sprinkling in a few scenes that people would recognize.

Your book is full of wonderful details.

What other research did you do to glean this information? I knew this story would crumble if I didn’t get details correct in many complex subject areas, most importantly, the Bible, but also current research on neardeath experiences, police and FBI protocols, medical procedures, and aircraft operations.

That required five years of library research and personal conversations with people who had had near-death experiences, law enforcement experts, pilots, and physicians.

They reviewed every scene for accuracy.

I really enjoyed the book and found it suspenseful. However, in most thrillers there are clues that the clever reader can use to determine who the real villain is. In your book, I found no such clues and had a hard time understanding the true motive of the villain. Was this done on purpose or did I just miss the clues? Yes, it was done on purpose, and yes, you may have missed some of the clues.

If you had to write the book over again, what would you do differently? I loved the journey, so I don’t think I would do anything differently. I believe there is a seeker in all of us, and I’m fascinated by neardeath experiences because they suggest an answer to the most important question of our existence: What is the meaning of life?

Why are we here? What is our purpose? That inquiry made the ten years of research and writing worth every minute.

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Martinez Campbell Theater (Not) A Christmas Carol

Ring in the Yuletide spirit with (Not) A Christmas Carol, a modern adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic, on December 13 - 22, at the Martinez Campbell Theater.

Produced by the Onstage Repertory Theatre Company, the play is written and directed

by Kathryn G. McCarty, who sees (Not) A Christmas Carol as unlike most other theatrical adaptations of the holiday favorite. “I’ve integrated a lot of humor while modernizing the story. I wanted to create a comedy that was easily accessible to today’s audiences yet still held true to the story and meaning in Dickens’ work. I kept wondering, how would Dickens incorporate world events if he were writing his story in 2019?” The show first played at the Campbell in 2015 to full houses.

According to McCarty, in 1843, the year Dickens penned the classic, many holiday traditions were established. “In that same year, the Christmas card was invented and England’s royals introduced the Christmas tree to holiday events,” she said.

The show’s main character, Ebenezer Scrooge (John Blytt from Pleasant Hill), is the leader of the world’s first “Oil and Bank Consortium.” Hayley Keenan will play Jacob Marley, the first of the four apparitions. The cast also includes Siobhan O’Brien, Dodie Katague, Gaspar Bernal, and Sarah Piane.

“No other author has more of an influence than Charles Dickens on how we celebrate Christmas,” said McCarty. According to Onstage Theatre Associate Artistic Director Edwin Peabody, “Dickens used the holiday

Sarah Piane as the Ghost of Christmas Past in (Not) A Christmas Carol, by Kathryn G. McCarty. Photo by Moto Mush Photo

to examine society as a whole. The amazing thing is that we are still battling the issues of poverty and greed that Dickens wrote about nearly 200 years ago.”

McCarty’s most recent work was The Fitting Room for the Onstage at the Martinez Campbell Theatre and the New York OffBroadway production of her work The Ladies Quintet in June 2015. Other noted works include the script and lyrics to RIVETS!, which enjoyed several runs aboard the SS Red Oak Victory at the Rosie the Riveter National Park in Richmond. The prolific playwright has enjoyed dozens of productions of her plays throughout the Bay Area, Chicago, and Los Angeles. She is also a member of the Drama Department at Contra Costa College.

Celebrate the Season

Celebrate the holiday season with The Peter Pan Foundation’s original holiday show, Twas the Opening Night before Christmas, held the weekend of December 14-15 at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.

This season’s production includes a cast of more than 100 performers ages 8 to adult. Its original story and music tells the heartwarming story of love, hope and holiday cheer the whole family will enjoy!

Performances will be held at Diablo Valley College, 321 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant Hill on: Saturday, December 14 at 10am, 2pm and 7pm • Sunday, December 15 at 10am, 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are $25 for adults; $15 for youth, 18 and under.

Tickets are selling fast, so purchase yours today at: https://www.brownpapertickets. com/event/4421286.

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Onstage Artistic Director Helen Means, who has teamed with McCarty on a number of productions throughout the past two decades, added, “It is important to keep authors like Dickens in the public eye, and I’m glad to support a modern adaptation that will certainly speak to new generations with its timeliness and humor.” Means plays Dr. Belinda Cratchit, now administrator for a cryogenic facility.

(Not) A Christmas Carol runs December 13- 22 at the Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., in Martinez. Tickets at the door: adults - $22; students, seniors, and military - $19; and Thursdays - $15. Tickets may be reserved by calling (925) 350-9770 or visiting.campbelltheater.com.

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weekends december

december 5

december 8

december 14

Great Dickens Christmas Fair

Lantern Light Festival and Carnival

Winter’s Light Concert

Santa’s Beer Crawl

The event transforms over three acres of vintage exhibition halls into a recreation of Victorian London complete with pubs and theatres, music halls and shops. The Cow Palace|, 2600 Geneva Ave, Daly City. www.everfest.com/e/great-dickens-christmas-fairsan-francisco-ca#upcoming_festivals.

The Lantern Light Festival is a celebration of Chinese culture featuring massive handmade lanterns, inspiring performances, and children’s activities. ThursSundays, 5-10pm; Fri & Saturdays 5-11pm at Solano County Fairgrounds, 900 Fairgrounds Dr, Vallejo. https://clickntix.com/e/lantern-light-festival

Backed by live musicians, Diablo Women’s Chorale will present a program of jazzy, uplifting music to kick off the holiday season. Donate up to $10 to attend a wine and cheese tasting after the concert. 4-5:30pm, Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa, Lafayette. Diablowomenschorale.org

Come join the jolliest bunch of Santas this side of the Bay as they walk around the downtown corridor of Martinez, sampling craft breweries stationed inside some of the small businesses along Main Street, 1:30-4:30pm. $35 tickets available thru December 14, or $40 at the door (cash only.) Eventbrite.com/e/ santa-beer-crawl-tickets-79266970643.

december

december 7

january 11

Train of Lights

Holiday Boutique

Enjoy an hour-long round trip through Niles Canyon filled with refreshments, music, and cheer aboard antique coaches and open cars featuring holiday lights and decorations inside and out. Niles at 4:30pm & Sunol at 7:30pm every Wed., Fri., Sat. and Sun. during the holiday season. www.ncry. org/ride/train-of-lights/

Shop for distinctive, handmade gifts in a 19th century farmhouse, Pleasant Hill’s oldest residence, from 10am - 4pm, at Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center, 315 Cortsen Rd., Pleasant Hill. www.rodgersranch.org

The Life Story of Olympian Eddie Hart CCC Historical Society presents Olympian Eddie Hart at their annual meeting and holiday luncheon. Eddie tells his life story and achieving Olympic gold.

12-2:30pm, Alamo Women’s Club, 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo. $45 pp. Book sales and signing. RSVP required. Call 925-229-1042 www.cocohistory.org.

december 7

december 11

ongoing

Super Holiday Boutique

Magic Club

Volunteer with Seniors

Assembly #112 Magic Club meets the second Wednesday of each month at Denny’s Restaurant, 1313 Willow Pass Rd., Pleasant Hill. 6:307pm – Greet and Meet; 7-8:30pm – Workshop Time (learn new effects or Lecture Time), 8:30-10pm – Performance Time (bring a trick to perform). https://sam112.com

Spectrum Community Services is looking for individuals who would like to volunteer in senior centers all around the East Bay. Please call Spectrum Community Services at 510-8810300 ext. 242 or fill out an application at www.

Spectrumcs.org.

december 3

december 11

ongoing

Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club

Enlarged Prostate?

Volunteers for Senior Van Service

10th annual Super Holiday Boutique, Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Dr., 10am – 2pm. Special, one-of-a-kind holiday gifts. Free holiday arts & crafts activities and free Santa Claus and Olaf photo opportunity. Benefits Food Bank of Contra Costa. Free admission and parking. www.SuperHolidayBoutique.com.

Club meets Tuesday, 8pm. Free, all are welcome. Roger Chapin presents, “Slides of Club Members’ Gardens.” Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Dr., Pleasant Hill. www. phgsc.com

Join Parminder Sethi, MD, a board certified urologist with Pacific Urology, at an informative seminar where he will highlight newer approaches for treating enlarged prostate without medication or invasive surgery. 2-3pm, John Muir Health Rossmoor, 220 Rossmoor Parkway,WC. Reservations recommended, email sjung@dvohmg.com.

Pleasant Hill Senior Center Van Service is looking for a volunteer ride schedule dispatcher. Only one morning shift each week (9-11am). For more information, visit pleasanthillca.org/seniorvan or call 925-671-5288.

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