November 2017 Community Focus

COMMUNITY

FOCUS

NOVEMBER 2017 Reaching Over 50,000 Homes & Businesses

ourcommunityfocus.com

IN THIS ISSUE: • VETERANS DAY • RAISING GUIDE DOGS • FALL DECORATING

PLEASANT HILL • CONCORD • MARTINEZ • LAFAYETTE • WALNUT CREEK

Julie Says

53 Colonists and 90 Wampanoag Can’t Be Wrong

BY JULIE ROSS

143 people started something big back in 1621.

Then: The founders of the Plymouth Colony held a threeday feast to celebrate their first harvest in the New World. On the menu: swan, duck, turkey, and goose, hunted by the colonists. Attending Wampanoag contributed deer, shellfish, and lobster.

Rounding out the menu: corn and pumpkin (not pie).

Now: The feasting tradition has continued, with family and friends gathering together for a big dinner to celebrate and give thanks for their good fortune. On the menu: turkey (more than 80% of Americans have turkey on Thanksgiving), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams, stuffing, gravy, corn, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, with

favorite special dishes inserted here and there.

The feast in 1621 spawned other present-day traditions that would have been simply unimaginable 396 years ago. Consider the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and its giant helium balloons featuring characters from Hello Kitty to Angry Birds to Thomas the Tank Engine. Blowing up the 15 large balloons takes 300,000 cubic feet of helium, the approximate volume of three and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools. The North Pole float is the final one in the parade and officially kicks off the holiday shopping season, with Santa arriving to the screams and appeals of children.

Black Friday, when more than 200 million Americans spend billions of dollars at retail establishments over the course of the weekend, seems to weasel its way in earlier and earlier every year.

independent & locally owned

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

SPORTS: Sport Story Submissions info@ourcommunityfocus.com

INSIDE

6

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.

ONLINE: www.ourcommunityfocus.com

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:

Tis the season, to be thankful.

Central County Homes

23 25

to

Great British Whodunits

32

A Fall Spin on DIY

16

Maybe we can try to keep that spirit of thanksgiving alive. And, if you are the cook this year, note that your guest list is probably quite a bit shorter than the 143 that attended the first Thanksgiving. Plus, there really is no need to serve swan. Two things to be thankful for already!

You can reach Julie at julieakross@ comcast.net

SMALL TALK WITH TERI

by Teri Norbye

Meet Phil Strait, who has lived in Alameda for 16 years with his wife, Rockwoman, and their three children: James (16), Anthony (13), and Aidan (4). Phil owns the Morello Tire Service and Repair shop in Pleasant Hill and says, “I plan on being here another 20 years.” For fun the family likes to go camping, and they also like going on weekend staycations. “My 4-year old son, Aidan, likes to go on ‘holidays’ because he watches a British show called Peppa Pig. He likes to travel, go to hotels, and be pampered.”

How’d you get into the auto repair business? We had Volkswagens when we were young kids, and we spent more time working on them than driving them.

What’s your dream car to own? What I own now, a Chevy pick-up.

What are the easiest and hardest car(s) to work on? Hondas are the easiest; Mercedes and BMWs are the hardest.

If you could go back in time, what would you tell yourself? Go back to college, major in automotive engineering, and work on race cars.

Favorite spot(s) in the Bay Area to hang out? Pacifica or Half Moon Bay, on the beach. I love the water, the sound of the waves, and bonfires.

School Information

29

2015

Butternut Squash & Herb Pasta

..............................................

6680 Alhambra Ave. Box #132 Martinez, CA 94553

925-335-6397

..............................................

2 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

And if you miss out on the Black Friday deals, no worries, because Cyber Monday is just a few ticks of the clock away.

The first Thanksgiving seems so peaceful by comparison: balloon-free, Santa Claus-free, shopping-free. The 53 colonists and 90 Wampanoag had a great idea: a harvest feast with abundant food, friends, and gratitude.

Mark Ellinwood, Owner

ANTS • SPIDERS • MICE • RATS • FLEAS • 1 TIME SPRAY OK

Serving Veterans Innovative Solutions Needed

BY SUPERVISOR KAREN MITCHOFF, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, DISTRICT IV

It is no surprise that we live in an era that calls for innovative solutions to address a multitude of global and regional challenges we all face together. After recently witnessing the heroic acts of first responders in the tragic North Bay fires, let’s remember the men and women who have actively fought for the freedom of our country. This year, the Board of Supervisors will hold our annual Veterans Day ceremony on November 7 with the theme of honoring service organizations for veterans. The ceremony begins at 11am at 651 Pine Street in Martinez.

With scarce resources in an ever-changing economy, we need more innovative leveraging of programs and partnerships to serve those who have dedicated their lives to serving us. In Contra Costa County, our Veterans Service Office (VSO) has operated with this framework to offer innovative services, including a monthly program

called “Veteran’s Voices,” a collaboration with Contra Costa Television to produce a monthly platform that addresses different topics, including Veterans Treatment Court, caffeine usage in the veteran community, and women veterans sharing their stories. A CalVet grant supplies most of the funding to the program, which began in July of 2014.

This is a first-of-its-kind program directed towards informing and assisting the veteran community and is an example of creative leveraging of partnerships.

The County’s VSO is comprised of an experienced team of Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs) that are trained and accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Our VSRs support for veterans includes assistance with veteran claims and partnering with service organizations such as AMVETS, American Legion, Disabled Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The most common veteran benefit is health care, but there are several other benefits that the Veterans Service Office assists with, including education benefits, vocational benefits, home loan benefits, and burial benefits, among others.

Veterans Day Observances Pleasant Hill – Pleasant Hill – Meet at the Pleasant Hill Park on November 11, at 11am, to celebrate veterans with family and fun. All the event details are located on the display ad below.

Martinez – 2017 Veterans Day Program will be held Saturday, November 11. The Ceremonies will begin at 10am at the Alhambra Cemetery with a benediction, placing of the wreath, and posting of the colors by the Sea Cadets. Ceremonies will resume at the Ignacio Plaza, 525 Henrietta Street, Martinez. at 11am. The program at the monument includes a welcome message from Martinez Veterans Commission Chair Shane Bower, introductions by Commissioner Mike Menesini and a Remembrance from Commissioner Richard Philbrook. Mayor Rob Schroder will speak and a Veterans Day message will be given by Captain Jeffrey A. Miller. A patriotic musical medley will be performed by Gail Haefke and the Martinez Community Choir. The ceremonies will conclude with the 21-gun salute by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars and Taps by Jennifer Oertel, after the ceremony, brunch will be served at the Veterans Memorial Building, 930 Court Street. The community is invited to attend.

Walnut Creek – Mayor Rich Carlston will lead the Walnut Creek Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, November 11, at 11am, at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Hofmann Theatre, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. The ceremony will include a musical concert of patriotic songs, including a salute to all the branches of the armed forces by the Walnut Creek Concert Band. The keynote speaker is Mike Conklin, chairman and CEO of the Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation. The father of three Army Rangers, Conklin was inspired to reach out to severely injured veterans after one of his sons was wounded in Iraq in 2003. Impressed by the level of care his son received in military hospitals and deeply concerned over the plight of wounded warriors without families or community networks, Conklin founded the nonprofit Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to assist severely wounded post-9/11 veterans transition into civilian life while they attend college or vocational school.

VALOR Center for Veterans

The VALOR Center at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill has been established to support veteran students through a grant from the Department of Education. The space is designed for students to relax and socialize with other veterans and gain assistance as they transition from military to civilian life. The VALOR Center offers workshops, resources, counseling referrals, peer mentoring, and academic tutoring as enhancements to their educational experience. Jared Anderson, the veteran coordinator, provides counsel on many military-related issues, including VA benefits, scholastic assistance, and community resource referral.

On Friday, November 3, the VALOR Center will host its annual veteran’s summit, “Front Line to Home Front” from 9am-1pm at the JFKU Pleasant Hill campus. This free half-day workshop is designed to provide resources to service members, their families and the community at large. What are the human costs of war, and what further battles await soldiers returning to the home front? Come hear Major (ret.) Joshua Mantz’s first-hand account of his near-death experience and the decade of difficult recovery that followed. Whether you are seeking insight into your own trauma or a greater understanding of the issues facing military veterans, Mantz’s tale is sure to have a profound and lasting impact. The half-day session will feature the presentation by Mantz, author of the book The Beauty of a Darker Soul: Overcoming Trauma Through the Power of Human Connection, followed by a panel discussion with JFK University trauma experts and an audience Q&A period. The session will also include a demonstration mindfulness exercise and a light lunch.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 3

Estate Planning

The Gift of Hope

BY DANIEL DuREE

You may be familiar with using a durable power of attorney for incapacity planning as part of your estate plan, however, what if you have a family member who has an estate plan in place but is starting to lose capacity due to dementia, Alzheimer’s, or simply old age? With some basic steps, you can smoothly transfer management of financial, personal, and healthcare decisions without going through the painful process of declaring someone incapacitated.

Transitioning Management of a Trust

Generally, a person will serve as trustee of a trust until passing away or being declared incompetent by two separate doctors. Only at that time will the successor trustee take control and start managing the trust property. However, management can be more easily transferred by amending the trust and making the first successor trustee a co-trustee. This way, the original trust creator can still help manage the property alongside the co-trustee and eventually leave the cotrustee to do most of the management. Another benefit to this is that the original trust creator need not be declared incompetent and will remain a co-trustee until death. This simplifies tax preparation as well because a separate tax return must be filed when the creator of the trust is no longer a trustee or co-trustee.

Transitioning Management of Financial, Personal, and Healthcare Decisions

BY RACHEL BRAVER, FOOD BANK OF CONTRA COSTA AND SOLANO

Real people need real help during the holidays. Last year, Liz was struggling to make ends meet for her family after a difficult divorce drained her savings and an injury prevented her from working. Despair turned to hope when she learned of a holiday food basket distribution at a partner agency of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.

Liz and her children were grateful for all the food they received, including a turkey, canned veggies, and baking items.

We need your help to meet our 3 million dollar goal to help more neighbors like Liz. Your support allows us to continue to provide food for daily needs as well as make special holiday meals a reality for an additional 30,000 households.

Here are some ways you can make a difference:

Incapacity Planning for Family Member Various Ways to Make a Difference

Similar to the trust management succession above, most Durable Powers of Attorney and Advance Healthcare directives do not take effect until a person is deemed incapacitated by two doctors. However, if a family member is slowly losing capacity but is presently still competent, an immediate durable power of attorney and/or advance healthcare directive may be created to transition decision making to another person. With an immediate durable power of attorney, for example, the creator can still write checks, file taxes, etc., but their agent can also do these things on their behalf. So, instead of management going from only the principal having authority to only the agent having authority, there is a smooth transition where both parties have legal authority to manage the principal’s finances.

If the deteriorating capacity of a loved one is addressed early enough, you can transition management smoothly without having to resort to declaring the person incapacitated or going through the painful conservatorship process.

As always, please consult with a licensed attorney before you make any decisions regarding incapacity planning. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give my office a call. I am happy to assist you in any way possible.

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.

SPONSORED CONTENT

THE LAW OFFICE OF

DANIEL L. DUREE Estate Planning Attorney

925.210.1400 1535 North Main Street, Suite 240 • Walnut Creek

Please call today for a complimentary consultation at my office or in your home.

www.DuReeLaw.com

TRUSTS • WILLS • PROBATE 4 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

1. DONATE at foodbankccs.org/holidays and then share with your friends and family on social media and email.

With every $1 donated, we can provide two nutritious meals.

2. HOLD A FOOD DRIVE. Make a food drive part of your holiday celebrations at work, school, or your place of worship by requesting food collection boxes or a barrel. Learn more at foodbankccs.org/fooddrive.

3. HOST A “BUY A BAG” FUNDRAISER. Get colorful grocery bag cutouts from the food bank and set a dollar amount for each one. After making a donation, donors write their name on a bag to be displayed on a wall, window, counter, or even a tree! Learn more at foodbankccs. org/buyabag.

When you give to the food bank, know that it’s not only nourishment you provide this holiday season – you give the gift of HOPE.

nual n a h

10t

Light up the night !

—photo by Schofield Images

Join the Festivities this Holiday season in Downtown Pleasant Hill...and Light up the night!

Wednesday November 29 5:00–8:00pm Free horse drawn carriage rides around City Hall Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire on Crescent Drive FREE hot chocolate, coffee and cookies Music, Studio A Dancers, and caroling Holiday tree lighting at 6:00pm Free pictures with Santa

Located at Crescent Drive at Contra Costa Boulevard Complete entertainment schedule at www.pleasanthillca.org/lutn.

For more details call 671-5229 or email mnelis@pleasanthillca.org.

Brought to you by Downtown Pleasant Hill, City of Pleasant Hill, and the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce.

City of Pleasant Hill

DO IT YOURSELF

A Spin on DIY

Grateful for Fall and All that it Brings

BY REBECCA SEIDENSPINNER

I’m officially ready for the month of November. I love the crisp cool air as the weather starts to change. When I get dressed in the morning, I try to balance layers of clothes and top my outfit off with a cozy plaid scarf.

I like to cook hearty soups filled with root vegetables and homemade bread on Sundays. The days slow down with the change into fall, and it’s just what we need to refuel our souls. Here is a list of the top five things I will be doing this November. Join in the fall fun!

1. Make Pumpkin Volcanoes Cover a table with newspaper and scoop out leftover Halloween mini pumpkins. Give your kids some baking soda, vinegar and red food coloring. This messy science project will keep them entertained for

hours or until the baking soda runs out.

Don’t forget your safety goggles.

2. Make a Pinecone Bird Feeder I collected five big sugar pinecones on a recent trip to the mountians. I let the kids use paintbrushes to spread peanut butter all over the pinecones and then dip them in bird seed. Using string, we hung them by a window to watch as birds flew over to taste the sticky treat.

3. Take a Nature Walk Exploring and collecting small treasures from outdoors is fun and they can be used as decorations for a fall table scape. My favorites are pinecones of all sizes, tiny acorns, eucalyptus leaves, and sticks.

Spray paint a stick gold and put it in a vase and call it a gratitude tree. Have family members share things they are thankful for by writing them down on construction paper shaped leaves and hanging them on the gratitude tree.

4. Bake a Homemade Pie If you’re

EXPIRES 11/30/17

6 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

not a good baker (like myself), try these adorable mini Mason jar lid apple pies.

Directions: Roll out pre-made piecrust and use Mason jar lids to cut circles out of the dough. Put a dough circle inside each lid. To make the apple pie filling, peel and chop up five apples into small pieces.

Add a sprinkle of cinnamon and a splash of apple juice. Add two tablespoons of brown sugar and one tablespoon white sugar. Stir well. Add a scoop of apple filling to each lid. Add another dough circle to the top. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to make it fancy. Bake for twenty minutes at 350 degrees or until the top of the mini pies are golden brown. Serve with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

5. Make an All-scented Stove Simmer Fill a small pot with water. Add

your leftover apple peels from your mini Mason jar apple pies, a few orange peels, a cup of fresh cranberries, and two cinnamon sticks. Simmer on the stove.

The smell is delicious! You could also bring this as a hostess gift to any of your fall festivities. Put two small cuties, two cinnamon sticks and a cup of cranberries in a Mason jar. Attach instructions along with the recipe for the stove simmer on a piece of paper and tie it to the lid.

I have so many things to be thankful for and not just during the month of November. The definition of gratitude is the feeling you get from being grateful.

Sipping hot apple cider in an oversized sweater with my family close by gives me the feeling of fall, and for that I am grateful.

The Community Credit Union of Martinez and Pacheco Come and check our loan rates for refinance or new purchases.

925-228-4545 • www.swsfcu.org

HALLOWEEN WINNERS Shell Western States FCU • 1700 Pacheco Blvd, Martinez

COSTUME PHOTO CONTEST

Best Overall:

Madelyn as a Praying Mantis

SCARIEST:

CUTEST:

MAX AS SCREAM

LIAM AS GARBAGE MAN

Funniest:

MOST ORIGINAL

Chase as Ghostbuster and Clara as Slime

CHLOE AS SUSHI

RUNNER UPS:

FUNNIEST: BREANNA AS A PUMPKIN

CUTEST: VIVIAN AS WONDERBREAD

thank you to our prize sponsors: SM

Halloween Outlet 2665 Pleasant Hill Rd, PH (925) 433-0447 halloweenoutletsuperstore.com

Martin Family Orthodontic 401 Gregory Lane, Ste. 126, PH (925) 676-8485 drjennifermartin.com

Diablo Trophy 1922 Contra Costa Blvd, PH (925) 680-0155 www.diablotrophy.com

Surfside Dental 675 Contra Costa Blvd., PH 925-350-8475 surfsidekidsdental.com

VIEW PHOTO GALLERY AT OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

CITY NEWS

Mayor’s Message A Month in the Life of the Mayor

I’m often asked, “What does the mayor of Pleasant Hill do?” To help answer this question, this column will review “a month in the life of the mayor.” To begin with, I attend a lot of meetings with residents, city staff, and community leaders: breakfast meetings, lunch meetings, dinner meetings, and just about any time of day meetings. I average about three meetings per day, and there are some days where I’ve had eight different meetings.

I also attend and speak at a lot of community events and fundraisers.

There seems to be at least two or three local, regional, or statewide events every week. Some weeks I’m at meetings, ribbon cuttings, grand openings, school, or community events every day of the week.

The monthly meetings of the Contra Costa County Mayors’ Conference and the East Bay Division of the League of California Cities gave me an opportunity to network with other elected officials and hear speakers on timely topics that affect our city. The League of California Cities Annual Conference provided an opportunity to learn more about topics such as autonomous vehicles, public safety policy, new libraries, and cannabis regulations.

I also attended the fabulous Tinkers and Thinkers Fair, put on by Pleasant Hill Library and the Pleasant Hill Rec & Park District. Along with children of all ages, I was fascinated by the robotics and other hands-on activities available for young inventors. The following week, I delivered Meals on Wheels to homebound seniors as part of an ongoing project of the Pleasant Hill Rotary Club.

I chaired two monthly city council meetings. We discussed various issues, including citywide design guidelines and the selection of the new library architect. Perhaps the most interesting item discussed involved new cannabis regulations. With the passage of Proposition 64, cannabis sales are now legal in California, but each

city can decide whether or not it will allow commercial cultivation, medical marijuana retailers, adult use sales, and deliveries.

After hearing from members of the public on both sides of this issue and having a lively discussion among my colleagues, we decided to prohibit commercial cultivation and place a moratorium on cannabis sales.

The council had a joint meeting with the directors of the Mount Diablo Unified School Board District, where we got an update on what’s happening in our local schools. I’m delighted that we now have an ongoing and productive relationship with the District. I participated in the 13th Annual Pleasant Hill Community Service Day, which I started when I was mayor in 2005. Hundreds of volunteers worked on 24 community improvement projects throughout our city. The day was a huge success.

Attended Various Community Events

There was a fundraising auction for New Day for Children, an organization that helps the victims of human trafficking restart their lives; several Chamber of Commerce meetings; a workshop on implicit bias and procedural justice; and board meetings of the YMCA and Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education. I joined my fellow councilmembers at a fundraiser for new playground equipment at Pleasant Oaks Park.

I spoke at the Fall Prevention Pancake Fundraiser, sponsored by Meals on Wheels and Senior Outreach Services. I joined in the fun of the pancake-flipping contest, which I lost to much younger contestants.

The participants then started a new tradition – pancake flipping at the mayor. It was great fun. I also spoke at the 4th anniversary celebration for White Pony Express, an organization located in Pleasant Hill that provides food and clothing to those in need in Contra Costa County. I was a speaker at the ribbon cutting of the new National University campus in Pleasant Hill. They joined forces with John F. Ken-

8 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Michael G. Harris, OD, Mayor of Pleasant Hill

nedy University in providing educational opportunities for recent grads and others training for new careers.

The Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce’s annual Art, Wine and Music Festival was another opportunity to help our community and meet our residents. I welcomed hundreds of folks at the annual Step Up for Down Syndrome fundraiser and walk. I also greeted the participants at the Family Caregivers Workshop, sponsored by our Commission on Aging. I’ve left out numerous meetings with residents and the hours I spend answering emails and reading material in preparation for

meetings. Next month, I will be hosting third graders at our annual Mock City Council meeting and welcoming residents to the Hospice Tree of Light ceremony and the city’s annual Light Up The Night program.

Yes, it’s been a busy month as mayor, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.

Fortunately, I was still able to spend quality time with my family and friends, work out at the Y, write my monthly mayor’s column and book review, and work as professor emeritus at UC Berkeley. My sincere thanks for allowing me to serve our city. I’m a lucky guy!

Public Meetings City Council Nov. 6, 20 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Council Chambers, 7:30pm. Contact: 671-5229 Civic Action Commission Nov. 1 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Small Community Room, 6:30pm. Contact: 671-5229 Architectural Review Commission Nov. 2, 16 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Large Community Room, 5pm. Contact: 671-5229 Planning Commission Nov. 14, 28 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Council Chambers, 6:30pm. Contact: 671-5209 Commission on Aging Nov. 9 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Small Community Room, 5pm. Contact: 671-5229 Education Commission Nov. 22 City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Large Community Room, 7pm. Contact: 671-5229 For Confirmation Visit: www.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us

Chamber Calendar

11/3 - PH Chamber Ambassador Meeting 8:30-9:30am, City Hall Community Room, 100 Gregory Ln., PH 11/09 - Business Expo 2017 with Concord Chamber and the Hispanic Chamber 4-7pm, Concord Clarion Hotel, 1050 Burnett Ave, Concord 11/16 - PH Chamber Board Meeting 8–9:30am, PH Community Center, McHale Room, 320 Civic Dr., PH 11/16 - Hospice East Bay Tree of Lights Ceremony 6:30-7:30pm, Gregory Lane near Cleaveland Road, 147 Gregory Ln., PH 11/27 - Government Affair Committee 4:30-6pm, Back Forty Texas BBQ, 100 Coggins Dr., PH 11/29 - Light Up the Night 5-8pm, Downtown Pleasant Hill 680 Business Networking - 2nd & 4th Wednesdays & Thursdays, 8:30-10am, JFK University, 100 Ellinwood Way, PH OFF THE GRID Food Trucks – Wednesdays, 5-9pm, Trelany Rd., PH

CITY NEWS

Pleasant Hill City News Light up the Night in Downtown Pleasant Hill

The annual Light Up the Night on Crescent Drive in Downtown Pleasant Hill is on Wednesday, November 29, from 5pm to 8pm. Join Santa and others in lighting up Downtown Pleasant Hill for the holiday season with a holiday crafts fair, carriage rides, caroling and Studio A dancers on the plaza stage, free hot chocolate & cookies, merchant giveaways, and lots more fun for all the family.

Pleasant Hill Housing Update

At the October 2 city council meeting, council received a housing update from City Planner Greg Fuz. The update reflected the city’s building permit activity with regard to housing. According to Fuz, “The City of Pleasant Hill has a certified housing element, and we are in year two of an eight-year cycle. It calls for accommodating 448 units of the city’s regional fair share of housing. Of the 448 units, in the first two years of our housing element cycle, we have constructed and or approved approximately 161 residential units, which is 36% of the city’s fair share of housing during the first two years. There are various other projects under preliminary discussion that could add substantially to those numbers. In general we think we are in very good shape in terms of our progress toward meeting our housing element goals.”

The city has had success in creating both market rate and affordable housing stock. In 2006, the Bay Area Council produced a “report card” for Bay Area jurisdictions and their efforts to produce their fair share of affordable housing. In that report, the City of Pleasant Hill received an “A” for its efforts to produce affordable housing.

The city’s most recent housing element update occurred in 2015. At that time, the regional planning agency (Association of Bay Area Governments) identified each city’s and county’s regional share of housing that would be needed during the current planning cycle (2015 through 2023). The City of Pleasant Hill’s regional fair share of housing was identified to be 448 housing units of various income levels.

Since adoption of the 2015 housing element, 30 residential units have been constructed, with an additional 110 units approved but not yet built. Between now and the end of 2018, it is possible that the city will have approved at least an additional 25 residential units based on pending projects such as as 17 single-family homes in the Reliez Terraces subdivision (former Molino property) and other small residential subdivisions. Other “preliminary” residential projects include the Wells Fargo office site on Cleaveland Road and the remaining property owned by Contra Costa County (near the library) on Oak Park Blvd., which could also substantially add to the city’s housing stock. Thus, with six years left in this planning cycle, the city appears to be ahead of schedule in meeting its overall regional fair share of housing.

City Council Joint Meeting

Pleasant Hill City Council held a joint meeting on October 2 with the Mt. Diablo School District. Discussion items included an update on the Pleasant Hill Education Commission, Pleasant Hill Library Project, and College Park Career Pathways.

Superintendent Dr. Nellie Meyer also presented some academic information to the council. According to Superintendent Meyer, “We have now exceeded the new and more challenging state standards three years in a row and continue to have the growth, but we are really seeing the progress in literacy and reading and still need to see that same progress in mathematics. That is something we are looking at as a district focus.” Dr. Meyer also mentioned that College Park High School has been awarded the Silver Award again this year from U.S. News and World Report.

This award comes when a school has increased the number of Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings and has an increase in the number of students who have

passed that AP test with a 3 (out of 5) or above. Dr. Meyer also reported that College Park High School’s attendance is now at 2044 students.

Pleasant Hill Reads

To celebrate Pleasant Hill Reads, free giveaway copies of The First Rule of Punk,

by Celia C. Perez, were available at the Pleasant Hill Library during the month of October. The story revolves around twelve-year-old María Luisa O’Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú), who reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang by violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school’s most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.

On October 30, students met the author on Skype during a special Q&A. Participants also celebrated the story with crafts and music. The aim of Pleasant Hill Reads is to bring the community together to read and explore one great book that can be enjoyed by children, teens, and adults. Copies of The First Rule of Punk were provided free to 5th grade students in Pleasant Hill schools through the generous sponsorship of Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library, Pleasant Hill Community Foundation, Foundation for Pleasant Hill Education, Pleasant Hill Education Commission, and the Pleasant Hill Rotary Club.

PHPD Helps Emergency Operations

The Pleasant Hill Police Department is providing mutual aid assistance to help support emergency operations for the California Wine Country fires. If you are interested in helping with relief efforts to support the victims of the wildfires, you can donate or sign-up to volunteer with the Red Cross. Although the Red Cross released a statement saying it had met its immediate need for volunteers, the organization asked interested parties to sign up online for updates at www.redcross.org/index. jsp, as more people may be needed.

Thanksgiving

A VERY

TO ONE AND ALL

Over 650 homes sold in Pleasant Hill Choose the Flaskerud Team— Don, Norma and Erik—as YOUR Realtor!

1

Call Pleasant Hillʼs #

Realtor for ALL your Real Estate needs

Don, Norma, and Erik’s listings...

2029 Westover Dr, Pleasant Hill – $775,000 1183 Krona Ln, Concord – $715,000 1711 Teakwood Dr, Martinez – $599,000 (pending) 2817 Rockridge Dr, Pleasant Hill – $960,000 (pending)

Don & Norma Flaskerud Erik Flaskerud

RE/MAX Today 367 Civic Drive #7 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Visit them at www.PleasantHillRealEstate.com or email DonaldFlaskerud@Remax.net NormaFlaskerud@Remax.net or EFlaskerud@Remax.net

925-338-2980 CalBRE #s — Don: 00971602, Norma: 00867031, Erik: 01891688 OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 9

CITY NEWS

Mayor’s Message Pro Baseball Coming to Martinez

I met with Kevin and his marketing manager, Chris, for lunch a few days later. The meeting lasted for hours as we went over the expansion plans of the Pacific Association of Baseball, team operations, sponsorships, advertising, concessions, community involvement, and team ownership. When the meeting was over, I was assigned the task of developing a list of community members

It has been almost a year since I received an email with the subject line “Baseball in Martinez” from Kevin Reilly, owner of the Vallejo Admirals professional baseball team. Kevin introduced himself and asked if I was interested in meeting to discuss bringing professional baseball to Martinez. After missing the opportunity to bring a team to Martinez in 2015, I was excited at this second opportunity.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY ®

NOV 25

SAVE THE DATE #SHOPSMALL SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY

Pleasant Hill

1671 Contra Costa Blvd.

Pleasant Hill, CA 925-676-3660 8am -9pm Every Day!

SAVE 40-70%* ON GROCERIES GOBBLE UP THE SAVINGS.

3

$

*Compared to traditional grocery stores.

OFF $

$25 minimum purchase

(excludes alcohol, dairy & gift cards)

Valid at Pleasant Hill Grocery Outlet only. One coupon per person. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 11/30/2017.

5

OFF

$50 minimum purchase

(excludes alcohol, dairy & gift cards)

Valid at Pleasant Hill Grocery Outlet

only. One coupon per person. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 11/30/2017.

We’re the Olsons, independent owner-operators of your Pleasant Hill neighborhood market. If you need anything, have any questions, or just want to say hi, we’re here to help.

We guarantee your 100% satisfaction.

- Jason and Kathy 10 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Rob Schroder, Mayor of Martinez

to move the effort forward. The first person I called was the executive director of Main Street Martinez, Leanne Peterson.

Since that time, we were able to secure a team owner willing to invest substantial assets into developing and operating a Martinez baseball team.

With full support from the city council, city staff worked for months identifying opportunities and challenges, estimating additional maintenance costs and costs for additional field improvements not already included in the planned waterfront park project. On October 4, the city council unanimously approved a Letter of Intent that allocates up to $400,000 in additional capital improvements to field three and commits the team owners to pay the balance of the franchise fee to the Pacific Association of Baseball. Over the next eight months, the owners will build their baseball team and the city will oversee capital improvements, coordinate field scheduling, and work on new park maintenance operations. Opening day will be June 1, 2018.

Pavement Rehabilitation

The annual pavement rehabilitation projects are happening all over the city.

Most notably is the full dig out and repaving of Center Avenue over Highway 4 and Morello Avenue under Highway 4. Those intersections handle thousands of vehicles every day and were

long overdue for upgrades. Our paving contractor is currently working in many residential neighborhoods throughout the city. City crews are doing smaller repairs that include Morello Heights, St. Mary’s, Pine Meadows, Meadowvale, Snow, Wanda Way, Pine and Degnan Drive. Once Measure D and SB1 Funds are programmed, many more paving projects will move forward.

Marina and Ferry

We finally received our final permit to dredge the marina, and the contractor starts operations immediately. Over 32,000 cubic yards of siltation will be removed from the marina, opening up the mouth of the marina and clearing the throughway, guest dock, and A and B docks. This will also allow the long anticipated private ferry service to use the marina as a landing site.

New Business Downtown

Downtown continues to become more vibrant as more retrofitted buildings are completed and new tenants move in. The former Alley Cats/Leo Marchi building has been sold and has been under reconstruction for about a month. The owner is a Martinez resident who will open Troy Greek Cuisine. Del Cielo Brewery is taking shape with the recent delivery and installation of stainless steel tanks and other equipment.

I look forward to the grand opening of these new additions to downtown.

Public Meetings City Council Meeting Nov. 1, 15 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 6-9pm. Contact: 372-3500 Zoning Administrator Meeting Nov. 1, 15 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 4-6pm. Contact: 372-3500 Design Review Meeting Nov. 8, 22 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 4-6pm. Contact: 372-3500 Planning Commission Meeting Nov. 14, 28 City Hall, 525 Henrietta Street, 7-11pm. Contact: 372-3500 For Confirmation Visit: www.cityofmartinez.org

CITY NEWS

Martinez City News Alhambra Homecoming’s New Date

Alhambra High School’s Homecoming, originally planned for October 13, has been rescheduled due to the recent poor air quality conditions. The homecoming rally, parade, game, and dance are rescheduled for November 3 and 4.

Information on the MUSD Facebook page states, “For the well-being of our AHS students, as well as the many K-8 students who participate along with members of Past homecoming parade down Main Street. the community, young and old, we are moving these events back. Please keep an eye on your email messages for any further updates.”

Seal Economic Development Coordinator

Zach Seal joined the City of Martinez on October 10 as the new economic development coordinator. Mr. Seal is a key member of the city’s newly created economic development team. He brings over sixteen years of experience in economic development, city planning, and transportation. He conceived of and launched the popular free Broadway Shuttle in downtown Oakland. His duties include assisting the city in achieving the city council’s economic development goals and implementing strategies to retain and attract businesses.

Veterans Day Ceremony

The Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11 will take place beginning at 10am at the Alhambra Cemetery, located on Carquinez Scenic Drive. A ceremony by the Veterans Commission will begin at 11am at Ignacio Plaza, 524 Henrietta Street. The public is invited to attend.

Beaver Moon Cemetery Tour

On Friday, November 3, from 6:30 – 7:45pm, a tour guide will introduce you to families with names you know and some you don’t. You’ll learn more about local war heroes, personalities, politicians, and a most creative caretaker. Tours are designed to enlighten, not frighten. Wear sturdy comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Evenings can be cool. Sorry, no children please! The Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery, established in 1851, has a rich history and stunning views of the Carquinez Strait. To register, go to www.cityofmartinez.org and click on the “How Do I” drop down menu. Scroll down to “Register for... Recreation Class.”

Holiday Ice Opens

DC Solar Downtown Holiday Ice opens on Saturday, November 18. This seasonal outdoor ice rink is located at the corner of Marina Vista Avenue and Ferry Street in Downtown Martinez. The 50’x80’ rink features a skating school, birthday parties, and more and will be open 7 days a week. Hours vary and weather permitting. Call (925) 228-3577 for more information or visit https://downtownholidayice.com.

TLC for Kids Sports

TLC for Kids Sports and the City of Martinez are partnering on a special volunteer day on Saturday, November 4, 7:30am to 2:30pm, at Hidden Lakes Park. This project will provide much needed renovations to the ball fields and surrounding areas to make them safer and more playable for our youth. Volunteer activities include painting, rolling out sod, spreading infield mix, weeding, performing light landscape improvements, and completing a general cleanup of the park. Coffee, donuts, and water will be provided in the morning, and a barbeque lunch will be provided at noon. This project offers an opportunity to leverage Measure H funds to renovate two key fields used primarily by Martinez Youth Little League.

Hidden Lakes Park, at Morello Avenue and Chilpancingo Parkway, has two ball fields. The larger upper field accommodates girls softball and older youth baseball, and the smaller field is used by younger players. RSVPs are requested to help ensure an accurate headcount for volunteer T-shirts, giveaways, and lunch.

Please contact Ryan Crawford at Ryan.Crawford@entercom.com. TLC Sports is a community outreach effort aimed at improving kids’ sports fields throughout the Bay Area.

SERVING

Brunch, Lunch and Dinner

Changes to County Administration Building

In February 2017, city council received a presentation on the proposed new Contra Costa County Administration Building from Chief Assistant County Administrator Eric Angstadt. That presentation included an overview of preliminary plans for the building, including its location, conceptual design, and parking. The development program presented to city council in February called for an 82,000 square foot building with a 4-story profile along Marina Vista and a 2-1/2 story profile along Escobar. The plans have been revised to reduce the building size to 71,000 square feet. The building height and exterior design concept will not change, but the footprint of the building will be somewhat smaller. The reduction in the building size will mean that more of the building site will be landscaped.

The county also indicates that roughly nine parking spaces will be provided on the site, immediately adjacent to the proposed building.

Winner Seafood Restaurant Finalist Best Restaurant

Join us for our Early Bird Specials

HAPPY HOUR

Monday - Thursday – 3-6pm & Friday – 3-5pm 1922 Oak Park Blvd, Pleasant Hill • 925-566-8971

Wencesrestaurant.com

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 11

CITY NEWS

Mayor’s Message

November is a month to stop and contemplate the many things for which we are thankful and for the many acts of kindness and services performed.

This is also a time to provide services to families and communities that have been so drastically affected by last month’s Northern California fires. While the fires have subsided, the needs of our neighbors remain. Please remember to continue addressing these needs.

During the firestorms of October, the City of Walnut Creek provided significant assistance. Ten employees of the City were assigned to go to affected areas and provide critical services in the area of public safety (police officers and building departments) and communications. During that crisis, we know many of our residents, businesses and faith

communities contributed substantial financial support, service, and supplies to affected areas. We thank you for all you have done!

We are proud of all that was done during the time of crisis but need to remember that continued support is necessary during the time of recovery.

As communities and families attempt to recover from their respective disasters, we at the City will continue to provide critical assistance to our sister cities and communities. We anticipate a continuing need for support from our building department as these cities and communities struggle with the difficulty and volume of reviewing and approving plans for rebuilding. And there will be a continuing need for financial support and services from our wonderful com-

LOCAL BUSINESS SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2001

MEDICARE

SUPPLEMENTAL PLANS Open Enrollment Period OCTOBER 15th to DECEMBER 7th

LEARN ABOUT OPTIONS CALL TODAY 925-209-8221 (TTY 711) By calling the number listed above, your call will be directed to a licensed sales agent

Ruth Smith, Broker, AHIP, PHR-CA Champion Benefits Ins. Services, Inc. www.champbenefits.com ....…senior health plans CA Corporate License # 0G26004 12 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Rich Carlston, Mayor of Walnut Creek

munity as recovery efforts continue.

November is also the month when we remember and recognize the service and sacrifice provided by our veterans.

The City of Walnut Creek will do so on November 11 with a Veterans Day program. The program will take place in the Lesher Center for the Arts beginning at 11am. Please join us for this very special program and help us honor our many veterans.

As your schedules allow, consider enjoying the Walnut Creek Ice Rink

(which opens on November 10), our many wonderful restaurants, shopping opportunities, and parks and open spaces.

Again, our thoughts and hearts go out to those who have suffered tragedy because of the terrible firestorm. Our great thanks and appreciation go out to those extraordinary fire fighters, first responders, and leaders whose sacrifice and extraordinary efforts were so critical.

Public Meetings City Council Meeting Nov. 7, 17 Council Chambers, 1666 North Main Street, 6pm. Contact: 943-5819 Nov. 14 Special Meeting 9am Nov. 14 Special Meeting 6am Nov. 21 Regular Meeting Cancelled Design Review Meeting Nov. 1,15, 7pm Council Chambers, 1666 North Main Street, 7pm. Contact: 943-5819 Planning Commission Meeting Nov. 9 Council Chambers, 1666 North Main Street, 7pm. Contact: 943-5819 Arts Commission Meeting No Meeting in November Council Chambers, 1666 North Main Street, 6pm. Contact: 943-5819 For Confirmation Visit: www.walnut-creek.org

Celebrate your Birthday and Special Occasions with us!

FEATURING:

• Enjoy Outdoor Patio Dining • Live Music Saturday Evenings • Groups from 5 -100 • FREE PARKING

HOURS:

SUN - THURS 11am-3pm - 4:30-9:30pm FRI - SAT 11am-3:pm, 4:30-10pm

925-930-8088 FREE DELIVERY

www.peonygardendelivery.com 1448 S. Main Street, Walnut Creek

www.peonygardenrestaurant.com

CITY NEWS

Walnut Creek City News Update on Downtown Plaza

At the October 3 city council meeting, Walnut Creek Downtown updated the council on the new landscape plan for the mini plaza project at Cypress Street and Main Street. Last February, city council allocated a total of $847,500 to fund the project.

Design plans have recently been updated and Architect and Design Review Commissioner Chair Joseph Gorny spoke to the council about the current design.

“We really wanted to push the design concept a bit more than maybe what Walnut Creek is used to seeing, but we think it’s appropriate in this location. We want to have some places for families to be able to stop and rest and make sure the design had a series of smaller spaces as opposed to one large space,” he said. The design concept will keep the existing trees to keep the shade and canopy; however, the existing concrete planters will be removed. There will be opportunities for both temporary and permanent public art. Other enhancements may include bike parking, turf areas and rubberized climbing structures for kids, and wooden bench areas.

“The key is for the project to continue to evolve; we are really trying to get this art use in there and to get a flexibility of the uses, with music and games,” added Gorny.

Concept designs will be shared with neighboring businesses and property owners, and community outreach is forthcoming. Construction is expected to begin after the holidays, with a phased in approach to mitigate impacts to existing businesses and pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Project completion is estimated to be in spring 2018.

City Park Renovations

military ID required), available from 11am to 8pm (guarantees two hours of skating).

Hockey classes are new this year for children aged 7-12 on Sundays at 8am.

You can learn basic skills, edge work, and more in a 6-week mini-series. Classes begin on November 26 and no equipment is needed. Skating Academy begins November 18 on Saturdays or Sundays for children aged 5-11 and adults. Visit walnutcreekonice.com for information on pricing, skate times, and class registration.

One Warm Coat

Walnut Creek on Ice is working with One Warm Coat to collect clean, gently used warm coats and dollars to support the coat drive program, beginning November 22. Simply drop off extra coats and Walnut Creek on Ice takes care of the rest. All donated coats will be given to a local agency for distribution to local children and adults in need. Look for the collection barrels at the rink entrance.

25th Annual Turkey Trot The 25th Annual Turkey Trot will be here before you know it and registration is open. This family fun event, brought to you by Forma Gym, is a great way to start your Thanksgiving holiday and show support for your schools. There are several races to choose from, including Kids Fun Runs, 10K Run and 5K Run or Walk, and festival areas with a costume contest.

The race takes place at 8am on Thanksgiving Morning, Thursday, November 23, at Civic Park in Walnut Creek.

Last year, the Turkey Trot raised over $15,000 for PEAK Education Foundation schools (Northgate, Foothill, Valle Verde, Bancroft and Walnut Acres), and the hope is to raise even more by having lots of students and parents participate. For more information, visit http://formaturkeytrot.com.

Three city parks are currently under various stages of renovations: Lar Rieu Park

Lar Rieu Park renovations began the first two weeks of October and should be completed in early November. A portion of the park will be fenced off for safety reasons. Walking trails will be graded and covered with gravel so they are accessible year-round, the irrigation system will be improved, and holes for an orchard will be dug to make way for planting of trees. In addition, a concrete pad for the CERT storage container will be constructed, and a fence at the top of the property will be removed. Parking lot and entryway improvements will be made in the spring.

All Abilities Playground

The synthetic turf mounds at Heather Farm Park’s All Abilities Playground are getting a makeover. Due to the mounds’ popularity as a cardboard sledding site for youngsters, the turf is wearing out and needs to be replaced.

Larkey Park Irrigation System

Work to replace the irrigation system from the Larkey Park playground to the parking lot began in October and will take 4-6 weeks. The parking lot and picnic areas will be impacted while the project is under way.

Holiday Tea Tickets

Tickets for the Walnut Creek Historical Society’s Annual Holiday Tea & Faire at the historic Shadelands Ranch are on sale. Phone reservations only. Call 925-9357871 to reserve your tickets. The Holiday Tea runs November 25 through December 10, with daily seatings at 11am and 1:30pm. Tickets are $35 per person. New this year is a champagne tea on Saturday, December 2, at 3:30pm. Tickets for the champagne tea are $45.

Walnut Creek on Ice

Celebrating its 12th season, Walnut Creek on Ice at Civic Park officially opens on November 10 and will recognize all veterans throughout the East Bay by encouraging them to skate with a loved one. The veteran’s package is $15 (veteran + one,

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 13

From Puppyhood to Graduation The Rewarding and Challenging Work of Raising Guide Dogs

BY SABRINA MARSHALL

There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your hard work pay off.

That feeling hasn’t changed for Karen Damianakes and her 18-year-old son, Joey, who raise guide dogs for the blind. From puppyhood to guide dog graduation, the Damianakes, as well as the dogs, put in a lot of work to get across that stage.

Working through the organization Guide Dogs for the Blind, Karen got started raising puppies through her sister-in-law, the leader of their chapter.

The organization has groups across the United States and Canada that provide all services free of charge — including any vet visits, special training, and “Puppy Packs” upon starting. All funding comes from volunteers and donations, making their impact on the blind/lowvision community even more amazing.

At first, Karen wasn’t sure it was the right fit for her. “For me, giving them up (after training) is the hardest.” But one day she felt ready and started with a yellow lab named Nordic. Even after a career change due to elbow dysplasia, Nordic continues serving Karen as another pet for the family. After raising Nordic, Joey and Karen took on coraising another puppy, Pacifica, a black lab.

Pacifica brought all kinds of challenges for the Damianakes but in the best way. She was the first dog-intraining to be allowed onto College Park High School’s campus, shadowing Joey in order to expose her to more public settings. After Amanda Bielskis, who also raises guide dog puppies, brought up the idea of letting service dogs train at the school to no avail, the Damianakes got involved, with the two families helping one another plead their case. “We had all the paperwork,“ said Karen. “The two of us worked together with Joey through the district. We went to district meetings, made calls, sent emails (‘lots of emails,’ interjected Joey), LOTS of emails, and paperwork.” Finally,

Karen, Pete, and Joey Damianakes with Heinz and Pacifica at Pacifica’s graduation.

Puppy-in-training Heinz.

Joey Damianakes and Pacifica at graduation.

after 10 months of work, Pacifica and Joey were permitted on the campus as a “pilot project.” After the time in high school and with Joey and Karen’s continued training, Pacifica graduated as a breeder this year and was matched with a family. It was hard at first to let her go, but Karen knew how hard Guide Dogs works to match the personalities of the dogs with people. “They take weeks if not months to find the dog the

perfect person to match up with. They called me about Pacifica and asked if I felt the family she is with now would be a good match for her,“ said Karen.

Taking into account all of Pacifica’s experiences, she was matched with a loving custodial family. The Damianakes still keep in contact with Pacifica’s new family and even got to visit her recently.

With Pacifica paving the way for more guide dogs, Joey followed his

mother into raising his own puppy, Heinz, a golden retriever lab cross.

Since training at College Park had worked out so well with Pacifica, not only is Heinz attending the current school year with Joey in addition to his other training, but Maddie and Olivia Bielskis are allowed to bring their dog-in-training, Harvard, as well. (Coincidently, Harvard is Heinz’s brother.) “People know not to pet them now,” said Joey. “They know not to distract them or throw food at them.

They know the dogs are working.”

It was not a surprise to anyone in the family that Joey wanted his own puppy. “I’ve always been interested in animals; that’s what I want to get into.

I’m going to go to school [to major] in animal sciences, zoology, anything that has to do with animals,” said Joey.

“So, this was kind of an opportunity to work with them beforehand.” Even if he steps away from raising guide dogs while at school, he definitely sees it as something he’ll return to later, his mother remarked.

Regardless of the obstacles one has to overcome to accommodate raising a guide dog, Karen and Joey both agree it’s one of the most rewarding things they’ve done. At Pacifica’s graduation, they met with a visually impaired girl who would be matched with a guide dog. “She said she couldn’t be more thankful to not be using her cane anymore,” said Joey. “They get to do everything that they couldn’t do before.” Karen added, “And they have a partner with them, so they feel safer.”

Joey concluded it best: “They get to make a best friend.”

In the end, the minor challenges Karen and Joey Damianakes face raising a pup are paralleled with an intense amount of pride, admiration, and love. With Joey’s continued interest in animals and Karen’s devotion, it’s clear a lot more successful guide dogs will come out of their care and be put into loving homes.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 15

CENTRAL COUNTY HOMES

SPECIAL SECTION NOVEMBER 2017 DELIVERED TO 80,000 HOMES & BUSINESSES

PLEASANT HILL • WALNUT CREEK • MARTINEZ • LAFAYETTE • CONCORD • CLAYTON A monthly publication of Community Focus, the Concord Pioneer and Clayton Pioneer

Martinez Open Space

Citizen-Sponsored Initiative Submitted to City for Certification

BY TIM PLATT

The citizen-sponsored initiative that gives Martinez voters the right to approve city council decisions for converting Martinez open space and park land achieved a major step toward becoming law. The Martinez Open Space and Park Protection Initiative was submitted on September 21 to the City of Martinez for certification. The initiative increases protections for all Martinez open space and parks by requiring Martinez voter approval for city council votes to

353 Blue Oak Lane, Clayton Stunning Home! 3373 sq. ft, beautifully decorated and remodeled 5 bedroom 3 bath with bedroom suite on the first floor. Gleaming hardwood floors, custom built incabinets, granite slab counters, sparkling pebble-surface pool & spa. Only $998,000

convert these lands to more intensive development.

Over 5500 petition signatures were collected, and 4713 were submitted for verification. If at least 2413 are verified, the city council will certify the Initiative and can (1) order a public election on the initiative or (2) immediately make the initiative into law, saving the cost of an election and making the open space/park protections effective without delay.

“Giving us all a voice in the future of our open space and parks is what this initiative is about. That makes sense, because open space and parks affect everyone’s quality of life,“ states Kay Cox, speaking for Thousand Friends of Martinez. (Thousand Friends and the Sierra Club have endorsed the Initiative.)

“The next phase may put the initiative before the voters in 2018.”

For further information on the initiative, go www.martinezopenspace.org or Facebook page Martinez Open Space.

Lic.0506034

4400 Kearsarge Court, Concord Located in the popular and in-demand Limeridge community with outstanding Walnut Creek schools.

Remodeled throughout. 4 bedrooms/2.5 baths, 2157 sq.ft with custom tile floors, new plush carpets, granite slab counters, plantation shutters, 50 yr comp. roof +++. $785,000

Derek Knapp Ext. 210 Commercial & Personal Lines

VISIT US FOR ALL OF YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS! HOME • AUTO • BUSINESS WORKERS’S COMPENSATION • BUSINESS AUTO

Lori Knapp Ext.211 Personal Lines

PHONE 925-827-0510 • FAX 925-827-0643 www.insuranceagent2000.com 3585 Clayton Rd. Concord, CA 94519

Laurie Limrite Ext. 213 Commercial Lines 16 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

CENTRAL COUNTY HOMES

Estate Planning

Why You Should Use a Lawyer for Medi-Cal Planning

BY JEFFREY HALL, CPA, JD

Many seniors and their families don’t use a lawyer to plan for long-term care or Medi-Cal because they’re afraid of the cost. But an attorney can help you save money in the long run as well as make sure you are getting the best care for your loved one. Instead of taking steps based on what you’ve heard from others, doing nothing, or enlisting a non-lawyer referred by a nursing home, you can hire an elder law attorney.

Here are a few reasons why you should at least consider this option:

NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST When nursing homes refer the families of residents to non-lawyers to assist in preparing the Medi-Cal application, the preparer has dual loyalties, both to the facility that provides the referrals and to the client applying for benefits. To the extent everyone wants the Medi-Cal application to be successful, there’s no conflict of interest. But it’s in the nursing home’s interest to have the resident pay “privately” for as long as possible before going on Medi-Cal, and it’s in the nursing home resident’s interest to protect assets for the resident’s care or for the resident’s spouse or family. An attorney hired to assist with Medi-Cal planning and the application has a duty of loyalty only to the client and will do his or her best to achieve the client’s goals.

SAVING MONEY Nursing homes can cost as much as $15,000 a month in many counties here in California, so it is unusual for legal fees to equal the cost of even one month in the facility. It is not difficult to save this much in long-term care and probate costs. And most attorneys will consult with new clients at little or no cost to determine what might be achieved before the client pays a larger fee.

DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE Professionals who work in any field on a daily basis over many years develop both the depth and breadth of experience and expertise to advise clients on how they might achieve their goals, whether those are maintaining independence and dignity, preserving funds for children and grandchildren, or staying home rather than moving to assisted living or a nursing home. Less experienced advisers, however well intentioned, can’t know what they don’t know.

MALPRACTICE INSURANCE While we should expect every professional we work with to provide outstanding service and representation, sometimes things don’t work out. Fortunately, there is a remedy if an attorney makes a mistake because almost all attorneys carry malpractice insurance. This is probably not the case with other advisers in the Medi-Cal arena.

PEACE OF MIND While it’s possible that an elder law attorney you consult with will advise you that there is not much you can do to preserve assets or achieve Medi-Cal eligibility more quickly in your situation, the consultation will provide peace of mind that you have not missed an important opportunity. In addition, if obstacles arise during the process, the attorney will be there to work with you to find the optimal solution.

Medi-Cal rules provide multiple opportunities for nursing home residents to preserve assets for themselves, their spouses, and children and grandchildren, especially those with special needs. There are more opportunities for those who plan ahead, but even at the last minute there are almost always still steps available to preserve some assets. It’s always worth checking out whether these are steps you would like to take.

For more information regarding long-term care and Medi-Cal recovery, visit www.HallLawGroup.com or call attorney Jeffrey Hall for a free, 15-minute consultation at 925-230-9002. Our office is “Veteran Owned and Veteran Friendly.”

For the Home You’ve Always Wanted...Call Us Today

SAMUELS

CONSTRUCTION • Kitchens • Bath Remodeling • Tile • Cultured Marble • Granite • Additions • Windows • Doors • Concrete • Foundations • Driveways • Patios • Fences

samcon60@gmail.com • 925.260.4448 MEMBER

313 Gloria Drive, Pleasant Hill

General Contractor Lic#652185

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 17

CENTRAL COUNTY HOMES

Fall Decorating

Pumpkins, Much More than Just to Carve

Halloween might be over, but it’s still fall and pumpkins make great additions to your home, garden, and holiday decorations.

Turn a Pumpkin into a Planter

The planter will last for several weeks, and then you can plant it directly in your garden to decompose. Cut off the top 1/3 of the pumpkin and scoop out the pulp inside. Use a knife to cut a drainage hole in the bottom. Place a coffee filter at the bottom over the drainage hole to keep soil mix from leaking out the hole. Fill the pumpkin halfway with container mix. Place your plants in the mix and pack more mix around the plants, getting rid of any air pockets. Leave about two inches of space at the top of the pumpkin so soil doesn’t spill out when you water. As your pumpkin begins to deteriorate, you can take your plants out and place them in another container or in a planting bed and add your pumpkin to the compost pile.

Create a Pumpkin Birdfeeder Materials: • Small to medium sized pumpkin, up to 10 pounds • Small sticks • Twine or rope • Birdseed

Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds, leaving a hollow inside with a 1/2-inch thick shell wall. Insert two sticks across the open pumpkin to create perches for the birds.

Knot two lengths of rope together at the center and tack the knot to the bottom of the pumpkin feeder. Hang the other ends of the rope in your

Leigh Klock, Realtor

chosen feeder location and fill with birdseed.

Save Them for Your Thanksgiving Table

No need to spend extra money on table decorations — plan to keep a pumpkin or two, and you’ll be all set. Use Pinterest for ideas and inspiration.

Your pumpkins will make it to Thanksgiving as long as you choose wisely.

An uncarved, healthy pumpkin “can last 8 to 12 weeks,” Cornell University horticulturalist Steve Reiners told NPR. Compost Your Pumpkin

At the very least, your leftover pumpkin can help you grow an incredible garden next year. Cut it into smaller pieces and toss it in the compost pile, then mix it into your soil next spring.

Source: www.thepennyhoarder.com I’m not in trouble anymore!

I called Hire My Husband to take care of our “Honey Do List”!

Hire My Husband

Angie’s List Super Service Award Winner 5 Years in a Row! Community Focus Readers’ Local Favorite 2014 & 2015

• Interior Painting

Senior Real Estate Specialist Accredited Staging Professional

• Quality Home Repair Projects

Leigh@LeighKlock.com

373 Blue Oak Lane, Clayton

Coming Soon

• Handyman Services Contractor Lic. # 943231

www.HireMyHusband.com

925-969-0133

CAL BRE # is 01746457

This Stunning Eagle Peak home in the Oakhurst Country Club development offers 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths with 2,981 square feet of living space. Enjoy the Chef's kitchen with island, granite counter tops, and open floor plan. The generous master bedroom boasts a fireplace and luxurious spa inspired en suite. Relax and entertain in the lush backyard with views of the Carquinez Strait.

Call for Pricing CalBRE# 01874255

www.LeighKlockHomes.com 18 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

925.212.5593

Deborah Zacharatos-Reeg Broker Associate

Serving Communities with Excellence … Always!

Proudly Serving the East Bay: Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda Counties

(925) 250-5856 Direct Deb@DeborahZReeg.com www.DeborahZReeg.com KELLER WILLIAMS EAST BAY • 100 PRINGLE AVE., SUITE 100 • WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596

CENTRAL COUNTY HOMES

Succulents

Five Gift Ideas for the Holidays

It’s happened yet again - we blinked and the dog days of summer passed us by. With October now in the past, it seems like we are all on a crash course to Christmas. Before you know it you’ll be searching for the perfect gifts for those on your holiday list. Fortunately, The nursery at the Ruth Bancroft Garden features succulents and drought tolerant plants and is equipped with all you need to spread cheer. Succulents are versatile and hardy and can be used as stand-alone gifts or integrated into a bigger project. Below are 5 ideas for turning succulents into the perfect gift:

1) Succulent wreaths are fun and fairly simple to make. You can use cuttings or plants that have roots to create your own fun design.

2) Instead of filling a Christmas tin with cookies, fill it with dirt and plants!

Don’t forget to poke a few small holes in the bottom of the tin to allow for proper drainage.

3) A box of chocolates is nice, but they quickly disappear and add calories to a season that’s already saturated with sweets. Put a spin on this classic gift by giving a box of succulent “candy.”

4) Is someone on your list an antique junkie? Most vintage finds can be converted into fun and quirky container pots and filled with succulents.

5) And there’s the classic gift of a succulent planted in a nice pot. This gift is great for those on your list who love plants but may not have the outdoor space to feature plants in the ground. If they do have the space,

SUCCULENTS MAKE GREAT GIFTS!

Enjoy 10% off one regular priced plant at the nursery; members receive 15% off.

One use per customer. Can’t be combined with other offers. Excludes dirt, dish gardens, and consignment items.

Exp. 12/15/17

The Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek

JOHN

www.ruthbancroftgarden.org

GARDEN & NURSERY

they can transplant it later on when the time is right.

Now that we’ve got your creative juices flowing, stop in to the nursery for even more gift ideas. Along with succulents, we also have a variety of fun garden gifts available for purchase. We’re open Tuesday – Sunday, from 10 am - 4 pm.

The Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery is located at 1552 Bancroft Rd. in Walnut Creek.

What is Your Home Worth?

When it‛s time to move, give me a call for an “in-depth” market analysis

Come Home to Martinez!

A Great Place to Live!

Bonded • License # 775382

THE PAINTER

With 27 Years in the Business, Leave the Painting to Me!

FRESHEN UP FOR HOLIDAY GUESTS

Winter Interior Special • $200 off a Complete Interior Paint Job Deck the Walls! Call Now for a Quote.

John McDonald. • 925-676-0792 johnmcd58@yahoo.com

Maureen Ingalls BROKER ASSOCIATE

(925) 370-1680 CalBRE: Maureen #00894262

RE/Max #01491373

VISIT: WWW.MartinezHomes.com OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 19

DUDUM REAL ESTATE GROUP ANGIE CLAY

ANGIE CULUM

925.207.9366

925.209.5999

CALBRE 01361143

CALBRE 00851239

CATHY BAIGENT

JANET POWELL

925.383.2734

925.876.2399

CALBRE 00820617

CALBRE 01973545

JENNIFER WATKINS

JENNIFER ZAK

925.348.8802

415.505.1290

CALBRE 02017103

CALBRE 02007463

JOHN FONDNAZIO

JULIE DEL SANTO

925.817.9053

925.818.5500

CALBRE 01938194

CALBRE 01290985

10 FIFI COURT, WALNUT CREEK

1704-1706 TERRACE ROAD, WALNUT CREEK

4 BED, 2.5 BATH, 2,330 SQ. FT., 15,682 SF LOT SIZE LAURIE HIGGINS 925.876.7968

4 BED, 3 BATH, 2,464 SF, 7,500 SF LOT PETER PAREDERO

220 NETHERBY PLACE, WALNUT CREEK

1580 BRENTWOOD COURT, WALNUT CREEK

$969,000

4 BED, 2.5 BATH, 2,282 SF, 7,936 SF LOT CATHY BAIGENT 925.383.2734

3 BED, 3 BATH, 2,318 SF, 7,920 LOT TERESA ZOCCHI TEAM

5615 FRANK PLACE, CLAYTON

649 WAVERLY ROAD, MARTINEZ

$830,000

CLAYTON – 4 BED, 2.5 BATH, 1,880 SQ FT, LARGE LOT TERRYLYNN FISHER 925.876.0966

4 BED, 2 BATH, 1,937 SF, 7,490 SF LOT PETER PAREDERO

208 HAZEL DRIVE, PLEASANT HILL

190 HIGH STREET, PACHECO

$675,000

3 BED, 2 BATH, 1,330 SF, 6,512 SF LOT PETER PAREDERO

Distinctive Properties CALBRE #01882902

$1,240,000

WWW.DUDUM.COM

925.787.8746

$1,200,000

925.787.8746 $860,000

925.360.8662 $735,000

925.787.8746 $599,900

4 BED, 2 BATH, 1,152 SF, 10,200 SF LOT PETER PAREDERO 925.787.8746

FOUR LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU...

ELEVATING THE ART OF REAL ESTATE...

123 BELVEDERE COURT, WALNUT CREEK

1,010,000

2345 PARISH DRIVE, WALNUT CREEK

$978,000

4 BED, 3 BATH, 2,453 SQ. FT., 10,500 SF LOT TERESA ZOCCHI TEAM 925.360.8662

3 BED, 2.5 BATH, 1,427 SF, 2 CAR GARAGE LINDSEY SINDAYEN / HURLBUT TEAM 925.464.6280

4457 SNOWCLOUD COURT, CONCORD

1825 YOLANDA CIRCLE, CLAYTON

4 BED, 3 BATH, 2,479 SF, 8,400 SF LOT ANGIE CLAY TEAM 1930 BURNSIDE COURT, CONCORD

$899,000

925.207.9366 $699,000

$755,000

SILVER CREEK II – 5 BED, 3 BATH, 2,443 SQ FT – VIEWS! TERRYLYNN FISHER 925.876.0966 1612 YEOMAN DRIVE, CONCORD

CALL AGENT FOR PRICE

KIRKWOOD – 4 BED, 2 BATH, 1,920 SQ FT TERRYLYNN FISHER 925.876.0966

4 BED, 2 BATH,1,717 SF, 8,500 SF LOT VERONICA HIDALGO

1849 5TH STREET, CONCORD

2650 JONES ROAD, UNIT 7, WALNUT CREEK

2 BED, 2 BATH, 1,356 SF, 5,250 SF LOT MARTY HENDREN

BRENTWOOD

$490,000

925.786.3398

2 BED, 1 BATH, 953 SF LINDSEY SINDAYEN / HURLBUT TEAM

LAFAYETTE

925.381.9585 $420,000

925.464.6280

DANVILLE

LAURIE HIGGINS

LINDSEY SINDAYEN

925.876.7968

925.464.6280

MARTY HENDREN

MARY NOEL

925.786.3398

925.890.0753

PETER PAREDERO

TERESA ZOCCHI

925.787.8746

925.360.8862

TERRYLYNN FISHER

VERONICA HIDALGO

925.876.0966

925.381.9585

CALBRE 01322819

CALBRE 01166864

CALBRE 01351308

CALBRE 00615420

CALBRE 01895540

CALBRE 00959722

CALBRE 01907345

CALBRE 01468657

WALNUT CREEK

CENTRAL COUNTY HOMES

September Home Statistics CLAYTON

Source: www.ccartoday.com

CONCORD

Homes New Listings Pending Sales Closed Sales Days on Market Until Sale Average Sales Price Inventory of Homes for Sale

2016 2017 16 14 10 12 8 12 34 19 695,125 820,895 26 14

LAFAYETTE

Homes New Listings Pending Sales Closed Sales Days on Market Until Sale Average Sales Price Inventory of Homes for Sale

2016 2017 127 117 107 113 112 89 22 23 589,407 625,097 146 97

MARTINEZ

Homes New Listings Pending Sales Closed Sales Days on Market Until Sale Average Sales Price Inventory of Homes for Sale

2016 2017 37 26 24 27 26 16 35 17 1,526,570 1,708,594 44 36

PLEASANT HILL Homes New Listings Pending Sales Closed Sales Days on Market Until Sale Average Sales Price Inventory of Homes for Sale

2016 2017 26 34 27 25 28 29 18 28 724,804 747,215 19 24

BY BRYCE

3 BD, 2 BA, 1,588 SF 1923 Spanish Mediterranean near sought after Trestle Glen neighborhood.

Sold for $1,230,000... $245,000 over asking!

2016 2017 55 52 37 48 39 34 28 33 561,413 662,535 86 53

WALNUT CREEK

RECENT ACTIVITY SOLD 799 MANDANA BLVD., OAKLAND

Homes New Listings Pending Sales Closed Sales Days on Market Until Sale Average Sales Price Inventory of Homes for Sale

E M O H E! R R U E O H Y

Interested in buying or selling? In this competitive real estate market, put my decade of local experience to work for you. Contact me today to achieve the results you want, expect and deserve.

Homes New Listings Pending Sales Closed Sales Days on Market Until Sale Average Sales Price Inventory of Homes for Sale

2016 2017 60 64 49 50 55 47 20 22 1,081,449 1,166,341 62 47

2611 Morgan Terr. Rd., Clayton Morgan Territory Unobstructed views of Mount Diablo Price reduced from this 4 BR, 3 BA $1,149,000 country home set on 1.32 acres in rural Morgan Territory. Completely remodeled throughout. 3,300 sq. ft with bonus room , gourmet kitchen with Wolf stove, griddle and grill and sub-zero refrigerator and wine fridge. Sparkling pool, basketball sports court and room for horses with direct access to Mt. Diablo State Park. City water.

Virtual tour and pictures at www.2611MorganTerritoryRd.com

Bryce Schumacher, RealtorÂŽ 925.457.4096 bryce.schumacher@pacunion.com www.bryceschumacher.com Lic. 01379459

22 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Kelly McDougall CalBRE 01156462

(925) 787-0448 KMcDougall@windermere.com

SCHOOL NEWS

Raising Resilient Girls

Talk Solutions For Schools Kicks off Speaker Series at PHMS

BY ALISON CLARY

Dan Roll and his wife, Julie, co-founded Talk Solutions For Schools, a consulting company that offers on and off-site training to students, parents, teachers, and administrators to facilitate a safe and positive school climate. Talk Solutions collaborates with schools like Pleasant Hill Middle School to provide programs that address conflict management in a safe and supportive environment and believes

every young person should feel respected and connected at school so they can be successful in their academic, social, and emotional development. Roll explains he “uses restorative practices to help students deal with difficult situations using thoughtful problem solving, assertive communication, and conflict resolution skills.” This is done with an emphasis on empathy, kindness, and cultural understanding.

Shell/MEF Run Success

The 15th Annual Shell/MEF 5K/10K Run for Education on October 1 brought in $75,000 for the Martinez Education Foundation (MEF) and drew a record number of participants. On a beautiful fall morning, 848 people either ran or walked the 5K-route through downtown Martinez or ran the 10K route that went up to the hills on Carquinez Scenic Drive. Loren Baker of Martinez came in first in the men’s 10K category, and Dara Flowers of Martinez came in first in the women’s category. John Hill of Pleasant Hill, a Shell Martinez Refinery senior engineer, won the men’s 5K competition, and Lisa Allan from Martinez won the women’s event.

More than 250 people volunteered to make the event a success, including dozens of students from Martinez Junior High School, Alhambra High School, DVC, Martinez area CERT volunteers, and many Shell refinery employees. The Alhambra High marching band performed in the downtown plaza before the race started. Twenty-eight corporate sponsors donated to this year’s event. Shell Martinez Refinery General Manager Tom Rizzo called the Run for Education a gratifying event. Thank you to all runners, walkers, volunteers, and sponsors for making this a huge success.

Roll’s goal is “to provide opportunities for young people to be in mentoring and leadership positions on campus so that older students are the ones communicating, modeling and teaching younger students what the academic and behavioral expectations are.” Programs include after-school peer-tutoring programs, a student voice video series on creating a positive school climate, and a student run program that recognizes behaviors that support the school’s motto: “Be Kind. Be Helpful. Work Hard.”

Roll believes it is important not to belittle the difficulties girls have in school as being merely “girl drama.” He says he has seen the “rise in the number and severity of conflicts that girls are dealing with in middle school and how they are made worse by electronic communication and social media. For every one conflict involving boys, there are ten amongst girls. I think the answer to this problem is to create situations where students have the opportunity to practice one on one, face to face conversations in situations where they get upset with something that someone else has said or done and can communicate how they are feeling and what they would like to have happen going forward in a way where there is a good chance the other person involved can hear them and be responsive.”

Resolving conflicts privately rather than on social networks can be a crucial factor in keeping students from feeling embattled or judged publicly by peers. He

wants parents to know “how important it is to advise their kids to take the conversation offline when an interaction isn’t going well on social media or text messaging.

Having a one on one discussion (preferably in person) is almost always going to be the best way to turn it around.”

Talk Solutions For Schools kicks off their 2017-2018 speaker series with Simone Marean, co-founder and executive director of Girls Leadership (www.girlsleadership.org). Along with co-founder Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out, the famous book on relational aggression, Girls Leadership provides programs and parent education that empower young women to “exercise the power of their voice.” Marean will speak at PHMS on November 8 on “Raising Resilient Girls,” a popular parent education lecture that provides practical, actionable advice that can be used at home to support girls from pre-school through high school. This 60-minute presentation is at 7pm in the multi-use room at Pleasant Hill Middle School and will have a 30-minute question and answer period.

Roll also highly recommends checking out an online book club founded by Marean that provides free toolkits and book recommendations for girls in 2nd through 8th grade: girlsleadership.org/ bookclub.

For more information on Talk Solutions For Schools and its speaker series, contact Dan Roll at Dan@TalkSolutions. org.

CANDY BUY BACK FOR TROOPS

Friday Nov. 3 , 3-5pm - $1 for every 5 lbs of candy

Proceeds go to Blue Star Moms

JENNIFER L. MARTIN, D.D.S. Specialist in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

401 GREGORY LANE, SUITE 126 PLEASANT HILL, CA 94523 925.676.8485 FAX 925.676.0288 www.drjennifermartin.com OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 23

SCHOOL NEWS

Theater and Events

College Park High School Presents A Totally Radical Midsummer Night’s Dream

This cheeky take on a Shakespeare favorite moves the Bard’s mischievous fairies out of the enchanted forest and into the dance club. With a soundtrack highlighting some of the best-loved ‘80s tunes and costumes inspired by icons such as Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Prince, this quintessential play about love and marriage will have you laughing out loud. The talented cast features Nick Oldenbourg as a David Bowie-like Oberon, Maddy Novelozo as a Pat Benatar-inspired Titania, and Nick Bassett as a Brat Pack-type Theseus. Performances are on November 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9 at 7pm in the College Park MU. Tickets available at the door and at brownpapertickets.com. General admission $15; senior/child $10; and CPHS student/staff $5.

Las Lomas Presents A Piece of My Heart

Las Lomas High School Drama will present Shirley Lauro’s A Piece of My Heart, a play that shines light on the women who served in the Vietnam War. Based on the true stories depicted in Keith Walker’s book of the same name, the play spans 20 years and follows six military and civilian women who served in Vietnam. Show times will be at 7pm November 9-11 & 15-17.

Sequoia Elementary School Fall Boutique

Sequoia Elementary is hosting a Fall Boutique on Thursday, November 2, from 3pm to 6:30pm. There will be local crafters and multiple businesses to help with your holiday shopping and entertaining, 277 Boyd Road, Pleasant Hill.

PLHMS, teaming with #Middle_Strong and Talk Solutions

Aquatics Center

Named After Alumna Natalie Coughlin

Carondelet High School proudly announces the naming of its state-ofthe-art aquatics center for three-time swimming Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin Hall, who graduated from the school in 2000. The Natalie Coughlin Aquatics Center is a featured part of the school’s brand new, six-acre, Walnut Creek-based Carondelet Athletics Complex, expected to open in early 2018.

“Natalie is an inspiration to countless young women around the globe and a role model to our students, past and present,” said Carondelet President Bonnie Cotter. “Natalie is more than a world-class swimmer and athlete – she personifies values that go beyond sports. We are so proud to be able to honor her and recognize her accomplishments as an athlete and a humanitarian.”

Coughlin, who has earned 12 Olympic medals in her career, will be featured prominently at the new athletics complex. While a student at Carondelet, between 1996 and 2000, Coughlin

became the first swimmer to qualify for the Summer National Meet in all 14 events. She also broke two individual national high school records and continued to set records while attending the University of California, Berkeley.

Coughlin went on to be the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympiad. She earned 12 Olympic medals in her career.

Located just two-and-a-half miles from Carondelet’s main campus in Concord, the new 6,000-square foot center will feature a 10-lane competition pool and diving well, synthetic turf fields for soccer, lacrosse and softball, and six tennis courts.

2017-2018 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY DiSTRiCT TeACheRS Of The YeAR

is honored to have Simone Marean’s “Raising Resilient Girls” as this year’s first presentation in our 2017/2018 Speaker Series.

Parents and educators are invited: Date: Location:

Wednesday, November 8, 2017 7:00 pm Pleasant Hill Middle School MU (60 min presentation followed by a 30 min Q & A.) Simone Marean, Founder and Executive Director of Girls Leadership, will present her acclaimed parent education talk “Raising Resilient Girls”. Simone’s talk will focus on practical, actionable advice that you can use at home to help support the young girl or girls in your life. The presentation covers the development of girl dynamics from pre-school through high school.

Pleasant Hill Middle School’s Talk Solutions Speaker Series features dynamic speakers who are nationally recognized for their expertise in specific areas of parenting, education, and/or health. Each year, we will strive to present a balanced series that addresses a wide array of issues confronting parents and educators.

Talk Solutions Speaker Series provides an excellent opportunity for districtand site-level leadership teams to attend sessions, and return to their respective workplaces to engage in professional dialogue around the topics and themes presented.

For questions, please contact Dan@TalkSolutions.org.

24 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

(Back Row l-r): Michael Haase-Whitaker (Pittsburg), Marissa Ware (San Ramon Valley), Jacey Renfroe (Antioch), Kelly Giotta (San Ramon Valley), China Harvey (Acalanes), David Taylor (John Swett), Trina Bradshaw (Liberty), Erica Hornnes (Byron), Tiffany Chieudjui (West Contra Costa), Shawna Borba (Brentwood), Paula Gonzalez (Knightsen), Paula Raj (West Contra Costa). (Front Row l-r): Rhuepell Stroud (CCCOE), Amanda Lorie (Moraga), Margaret Honey (Mt. Diablo), Kari Stewart (Walnut Creek), County Superintendent Karen Sakata, Julie Quinn (Martinez), Susan Boudreau (Orinda), John Freytag (Community Colleges), Linda Mara, (Lafayette), Paige Colburn (Oakley) Tom Trowbridge (Mt. Diablo). Photo by Tom Burke.

SPeCiAL ThANKS TO OUR TiTLe SPONSOR

SCHOOL NEWS

CPHS Principal

AHS Principal

JOSEPH G. ALVAREZ PRINCIPAL, COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL

I know you join me in sending our deepest condolences to all those affected by the fires in Napa and Sonoma counties. It seems we all know someone or have friends or family who were affected by the fires in some way. I have many friends and family who were impacted. Please keep these communities in your hearts and wish them a positive rebuilding future.

Speaking of rebuilding, I would like to invite you all to come see the fantastic re-imagining and re-vitalization of the College Park High School garden. This incredible effort was spearheaded by Victoria Naulleau and hard-working crew of about 25 parents, students and community members. On September 23, they came and pulled weeds, dug in new plants, added a layer of top soil and mulch, and brought the garden back to glory. Thank you to all who volunteered and showed their Falcon pride.

The work updating our school action plan is winding up. The School Site Council (SSC) has been instrumental. Our plan and goals closely mirror the MDUSD LCAP goals, which are:

• Students will receive a high quality education in a safe and welcoming environment with equitable high expectations, access to technology, and instruction in the California State Standards that prepare them for college and/or career.

• High quality, culturally proficient, and responsive staff will provide engaging instruction that is respectful to all students’ backgrounds to ensure they are college and/or career ready.

• Parents, family and community will be informed, engaged and empowered as partners with Mt. Diablo Unified to support student learning.

The action plan will help define what success looks like in each of these areas. We have incorporated much of

TOM DOPPE, PRINCIPAL, ALHAMBRA HIGH SCHOOL

As you likely know, Alhambra High School was closed on October 13 and 14 due to the air quality, and homecoming festivities had to be postponed. Our community has been very understanding and supportive of this necessary decision, but it is understood that this caused some disappointment and challenges. While the school was closed for two days, I was so proud of the way students made use of the time. Alhambra has always had a strong culture and history of community service, and this was demonstrated again last week. Instead of seeing the school closures as days off, various groups of students gave of their time to prepare meals and provide support to fire victims and first responders. Even

Updating the Action Plan

what you indicated through our climate and end of the year surveys as a “need.” It will also detail the goals and actions we put into place in follow-up to our analysis of the data from the recent California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) results. We continue to show great success and progress on these assessments but will be tailoring some services and supports to better assist some of our sub-groups in meeting and exceeding the standards. Please look for the action plan, which will be completed soon and posted on our school website. I want to be transparent on our CPHS goals and how we plan to achieve success for ALL our students.

As we wind down our first quarter of the 2017-18 school year, I’d like to say thank you to our families and community for their faith and commitment to College Park High School, our students, and our staff. We have the BEST student body!

Moving forward, I’ll be working closely with the community to help ensure that all students have the best four-year high school experience possible, both inside and outside of the classroom. A strong partnership between our school and our families is essential to this vision. Our students have the greatest chance of reaching their potential and becoming positive, contributing members of the community when we partner together.

AHS Rises to the Challenge

now our leadership class and clubs continue to show compassion during this tragedy through various means such as collecting clothes for donation.

Please come out to celebrate our school and these great students during our new homecoming date! The homecoming rally, parade, and football game is now Friday, November 3. Let’s hope for a nice fall day. I hope all in the community are able to come out and join in on the fun!

The week of October 30 will be busy for us as we also have our fall play. This year, the production is The Laramie Project. Performances will be Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm along with a Saturday matinee (time TBD).

Tickets will be available on campus or online. So, make it an Alhambra week and catch this great show as well as the homecoming festivities.

As always, thank you for your support. tdoppe@martinez.k12.ca.us

College Park garden.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 25

ATHLETE SPORTS

OF THE MONTH

SPONSORED BY: MATT

RINN AGENCY

Running Club Moms Run This Town

BY KALENE GOMEZ

If you walk on a local trail on any given morning, chances are you’ll see a Moms RUN This Town (MRTT) member run by. The MRTT Pleasant Hill / Walnut Creek chapter was started in June 2016 by chapter leader Shannel Glaspy and already has around 300 members. Members range in running ability from walkers and beginning runners to sprinters and century (100 mile) runners. There are planned group runs almost every morning, sometimes up to four group runs a day. One of the group’s favorite activities is the virtual relay. Women set a weekly mile goal and are placed on virtual teams. The teams record their miles for the week

and track their progress to a destination such as down the Pacific Coast Highway, encouraging each other as they go.

The national MRTT organization started with a stay-at-home mom in Georgia seven years ago and has since spread throughout the states. Helping running moms through online support and local chapters, this organization is a great way to get healthy and active.

Non-moms are welcome too and can take part in She RUNS This Town (SRTT.)

For questions or membership in the local chapter, send requests to Moms RUN This Town (Pleasant Hill / Walnut Creek) Facebook page or email mrttphwc@gmail.com.

CHARLIE BRIGHT

Senior Charlie Bright plays outside linebacker for the varsity football team at College Park High School. Charlie had a great October despite the passing of his grandmother on the day of the Northgate showdown. Amazingly, Charlie played in this game and had three sacks and ten tackles. He had strong games against Ygnacio Valley and Berean as well. Submitted by Ryan McClure, College Park Sports Leadership. Photo by Ashton Lommel.

Panther Elite Tryouts Voted Best Insurance Agent: 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016/2017

Matthew Rinn, Agent Insurance Lic#: OF99232 matt@myagentmatt.net www.myagentmatt.net Bus: 925.671-0222

State Farm Life Insurance Company Bloomington, IL 26 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Pleasant Hill Baseball Association will be holding open tryouts for 10U (depending on interest), 12U, and 14U for the 2018 season for the Pleasant Hill Panthers Elite Teams, a premier travel softball program. Tryouts are at 2pm on Saturday, November 4, and 2pm on Saturday, November 11, at the Pleasant Hill Middle School fields, located directly behind the school (near the tennis courts).

If your daughter would like to play travel softball rather than rec, she should try out for the Panthers. The teams will compete at a high level (USSSA, USA, and PGF) and is one of the most reasonably priced travel programs in the Bay Area. For those chosen, practices will start sometime in January or early February and run into August. Players who make their high school team will receive a discounted rate. All participants need to register online at http://phba.org. No payment is required at this time, and you will not be charged any tryout fees.

SPORTS

Rushing Dogs

Donovan Rubin, a junior Bulldog, scored 3 rushing touchdowns against Ygnacio Valley High School at Alhambra’s home conference game October 6. Rubin scored early with a 30-yard touchdown and followed it up with another, this time 67 yards with 5 minutes left in the 1st quarter. Senior Daniel Boyd rushed for a 43-yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter, bringing AHS’s score to 21. Rubin was back at it in the 4th quarter, rushing for an 80-yard TD. Junior Alejandro Martinez kicked for 4 successful PATs.

Senz Wins Tournament

John Scott Senz of Pleasant Hill won the 2017 Special Olympics of Northern California Regional Golf Tournament. The 18-hole individual competition was held at the Empire Ranch Golf Club in Folsom on September 17. Senz is a member of the Contra Costa Aces.

CS Cake Ad February 2015.pdf

1

1/26/15

Senz (left) is pictured with Tournament Director Steve Ramirez.

2:50 PM

Bulldog Donovan Rubin scores big for Alhambra. Photo by Greg Jungferman.

Tourney Champs

The College Park Girls JV Volleyball team captured the championship at the East County Invitational Tournament at Antioch High School on Saturday, October 7. Way to go, Lady Falcons!

-2017 2016

Top row (LtoR): Maci Babb, Alyssa Martinez, Payton Schloss, Emma Mendoza, Coach Annie Klotz, Lucy Dajani, Trevor Stewart, Bella Lera, Holly Jordan. Bottom row (LtoR): Kendyl Leimpeter, Grace Shughrou, Tessa Gillman. Not pictured: Isabella Silva.

Submitted by Julie Dajani.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 27

PLEASANT HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

I t ’ s Yo u r B u s i n e s s Welcome New Members

EXHIBITOR AND SPONSORSHIP APPLICATION

BUSINESS EXPO 2017 Thursday, November 9, 2017 • 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Clarion Hotel Concord, 1050 Burnett Ave, Concord, CA 94520

Network • Make Business Contacts Promote Local Businesses • Showcase your Company

FREE ADMISSION TO THE PUBLIC Register now to reserve your spot or visit www.PleasantHillChamber.com to sign up online.

Chamber Member Booth Space — $175 Non-Profit Booth Space — $125 Non Chamber Member Booth Space — $375

DMR Electric

Mike Eckelkamp

(888) 982-7739

Flagstar Bank

Cathy Gromacki

(925) 212-5563

E-mail _____________________________________________________________________

Concord CenterCal, LLC

Ashton Simmons

(925) 323-1116

City __________________________________________ Zip__________________________

Crookston Harrell Design

Jennifer Crookston

(925) 482-6505

Meals on Wheels & Senior Outreach Services

Susannah Meyer

(925) 937-8311

Crea�ve Play Center

Kris Abraham

(925) 974-6820

The Big Jangle

Paul Cotruvo

(925) 890-1875

Kids Kastle Infant & Toddler Academy

Michelle Services

(925) 360-0274

Organization ________________________________________________________________

Contact Person/Phone Number __________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________

Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, 91 Gregory Lane, Suite 11, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Phone (925) 687-0700 email: chamberinfo@pleasanthillchamber.com www.pleasanthillchamber.com

nual h an

10t

Light up the night !

—photo by Schofield Images

Pleasant Hill Tree Thursday, November 16, 6:30 pm Gregory Lane, near Cleaveland Hospice East Bay is proud to be celebra�ng our 40th year as a pioneer hospice serving our community. We have come a long way over the past 40 years and have cared for more than 28,000 pa�ents and their families during that �me. Our Tree of Lights ceremonies have provided a way for families and friends to honor their loved ones. People who a�end a ceremony find solace in the symbolism of an illuminated light as the names of their loved ones are read. These ceremonies help us raise the funds necessary to provide our high level of care to everyone who needs it.

I wish to par�cularly thank the many community groups that make these events very special and unique. We hope that you will have the opportunity to a�end the Pleasant Hill tree ligh�ng and gather with others to remember or honor a special person.

Join the Festivities this Holiday season in Downtown Pleasant Hill... and Light up the night!

Capital Pacific Home Loans

Dylan Dempster

(925) 979-5050

Simply Organized Sarah (SOS)

Sarah Tetlow

(925) 808-9995

Herman Miles

Barbara Klous

(925) 324-8255

Contra Costa Humane Society

Cheryl Nickerson

(925) 279-2247

Kaiser Permanente

Ronald We�er

(925) 295-4555

S.F Bay Area Rapid Transit

Karen Bas�ng

(510) 464-6428

iCracked

D McKinney

(925) 231-8563

Caliber Home Loans

Chris Roberts

(925) 357-6954

Wednesday November 29 5:00–8:00pm

A Word from the President & CEO

Free horse drawn carriage rides around City Hall Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire on Crescent Drive

Hope you had a chance to attend our Art, Wine and Music Festival last month. Over 15,000 people enjoyed visiting with businesses, artists, tasting wine and beer, and listening to great music. Make sure to mark October 6-7, 2018 on your calendar for next year’s Festival.

FREE hot chocolate, coffee and cookies Music, Studio A Dancers, and caroling Holiday tree lighting at 6:00pm Free pictures with Santa

Steve Van Dorn President & CEO Located at Crescent Drive at Contra Costa Boulevard Complete entertainment schedule at www.pleasanthillca.org/lutn.

For more details call 671-5229 or email mnelis@pleasanthillca.org.

Brought to you by Downtown Pleasant Hill, City of Pleasant Hill, and the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce.

City of Pleasant Hill

We have some great community events and opportunities to network and grow your business this month. We are also making plans for next year and would love to hear your ideas on any new programs the Chamber should offer in the coming year. From all of us here at the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, we would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

91 Gregory Lane, Ste. 11 • Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 687-0700 • www.pleasanthillchamber.com

Read My Mind

©

Great British Whodunits

BY MICHAEL G. HARRIS, OD

If you’re like me, you’re a big fan of British whodunits.

These are classic murder mysteries where the reader must also play detective and doesn’t learn who the killer is until the very end of the book. A good British whodunit also includes a clever detective or narrator. Think of Agatha Christie and Murder on the Orient Express or The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders certainly fits the bill. It even features a classic detective named Atticus Pund, who will remind you of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. And, as a bonus, you actually get two mysteries in one.

Horowitz wanted Magpie Murders to be more than “just a murder mystery story.” He wanted it to be a “a treatise on the whole genre of murder mystery writing: how the writers come up with the ideas; how these books are formed. (He) didn’t just want people to have the fun and the pleasure of ‘Oh, it was the doctor’ ... on the final page. (He) wanted there to be something a little bit more.” And that’s what he’s done with this mystery within a mystery.

The book’s narrator, Susan Ryeland, is the editor for a highly successful fictional crime novelist named Alan Conway. His latest manuscript, also titled Magpie Murders, seems like his previous successful thrillers. It’s 1955 and the housekeeper at Pye House, a mansion in a charming English village, has suffered what appears to be an accidental death. The “plot thickens” when the owner of Pye House is murdered two weeks later and detective Atticus Pund is called on to investigate his murder. Are these two deaths related?

Now the book takes another twist.

Ryeland discovers that Conway’s book is missing several chapters and doesn’t reveal who the murderer was. To complicate things further, Ryeland’s boss has discovered a suicide note supposedly

written by Conway before his death.

But why would Conway kill himself?

Could the missing chapters be a clue to Conway’s death? What’s in those missing pages and why would someone try to hide them? Is Ryeland’s life now in danger? You will have to wait to the end of this book to learn the truth, but it’s worth it.

Author Ruth Ware really caught my attention with her bestseller The Woman in Cabin 10, one of the best thrillers I’ve read in years. So, I was anxious to read her latest novel, The Lying Game, when it came out this summer. It’s the story of four old school friends who practice “the lying game” once too often. “The rules are simple: 1. Tell a lie. 2. Stick to your story. 3.

And never, ever get caught…” Isa, Fatima, Thea, and Kate become best friends at boarding school where they start playing the lying game, and each tries to outdo the others with the most outrageous lies.

Some 15 years later, Kate, who still lives at the Old Mill near the boarding school, sends the other three an urgent text they hoped they would never get: “I need you.”

With that, the three rush to meet Kate only to be drawn into an old mystery and a new one.

The story, narrated by Isa, centers on the discovery of an old bone and the apparent suicide of Kate’s father, an art instructor at the boarding school. The mystery intensifies and takes numerous twists and turns as the friends try to unravel the truth behind the suicide note.

The other characters in the story only add to the mystery of what happened. This is a real “page turner” that would have made Agatha Christie proud.

Soroptimist International

Soroptimist International of Martinez will hold its 3rd Annual Bingo Bash on Saturday, November 4, at the IBEW Union 302 Hall, 1875 Arnold Drive, Martinez. Doors open at 6:30pm. Come join in for lots of fun. Get your tickets early. Tickets are $30 and include all games and blackout. $50 cash prizes for each of the nine games. The blackout prize (game 10) is $100. Prize for ticket stub drawing is $500 (need not be present to win). There are wonderful raffle items for bingo. Snacks and dobbers provided. Complimentary coffee and cookies are available at the break and water, soda, wine will be available for purchase.

Call June Rogers at 925-228-2302 for tickets or use PayPal at www.soroptimistmartinez. org.

Proceeds from bingo go to scholarships for local women and girls to help with education costs and life improvement. Funds also go to support Mountain View House, a transition housing facility in Martinez for women and their families. SI Martinez is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit.

Soroptimist International is a global volunteer organization focused on improving the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. For more information, call Judy Moon at 925-229-1413 or visit www.soroptimistmartinez.org or Facebook.

Soroptimist members Bert Vigil and Bev Gomer

Experienced Estate Planning Attorney

JEFFREY HALL, MBA, CPA, Esq.

The Law Office of Jeffrey Hall, Inc., is an estate planning law office serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties in a wide range of estate planning matters, including:

Probate Trusts and Estates Trust Administration Trust Litigation Conservatorships

www.HallLawGroup.com 925-230-9002 OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 29

#HERSMILE Annual Gala

On November 11, the #HERSMILE Nonprofit, in partnership with the Betti family, hosts its 3rd Annual Twilight Gala Italiano. Fourteen-year-old Jenna Betti was struck and killed by a BNSF train on March 2, 2014. The #HERSMILE Nonprofit was started in honor of all the love and support that was given to the Betti family after the tragic passing of their daughter. To date they have helped more than 60 families who have experienced a tragic loss of a dependent child or the loss of a parent with dependent children. In 2017, they announced a collaboration with the Martinez Unified School District that aims to bring middle school and high school students the Power of the Smile: Resiliency in Youth Program. This program was created to plant the seeds of resiliency in our children so they will have the tools to cope with life’s curve balls. It is #HERSMILE Nonprofit’s goal to show that it is possible to have a joyful life despite one’s circumstances.

In a letter inviting local family, friends, and community members to the November 11 event, Dena Betti writes, “This very special event is in honor of Jenna Betti’s 18th birthday. We invite you to join us in celebrating the gift of love we share with our children and one another during this elegant, high-energy evening. It’s our mission to bring hope, strength, and inspiration to families that have been thrust into the unthinkable loss of a dependent child or a young family who has had to cope with the untimely passing of a parent.”

To purchase a ticket, donate, and/or sponsor the event, go to www.Auctria.com/ Auction/HersmileGala2017.

The Twilight Gala Italiano is being held at The Pleasant Hill Senior Center at 633 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill. The event is from 6pm to 12am in the Chateau Room.

For additional information, contact Dena Betti at ExecutiveDirector@hersmile.org or (925) 408-3683. communityfocus-ecomulch-ad-2014-8.pdf 1 8/29/14 12:46 PM

10 CELEBRATING

YEARS

Local Organic Mulch, Soil and Compost

IN FOCUS

Let’s Talk About Breath, Baby

BY HAZEL PANALIGAN, R.D.H.

For many people, halitosis and bad breath can be quite embarrassing to bring up, yet the struggle is real. What are the causes of bad breath? Let’s discuss a few.

Most people have encountered bad breath after consuming food with onions and garlic or after waking up in the morning. In this situation, popping breath mints or using mouthwash alone is not enough. Plaque, which is food debris that stays on the teeth and the white coating on your tongue, harbors millions of sugar-loving bacteria that release acidic, foul-smelling gas. Keep their numbers low by practicing good oral hygiene. Regular flossing, effective brushing of teeth, and cleaning the tongue with a tongue scraper help keep this type of bad breath at bay.

Decaying teeth, gingivitis and periodontitis are dental-related diseases that are the leading causes of chronic bad breath. Calcified build-up on teeth or tartar, located underneath the gums, are areas where pathogenic bacteria also live and multiply, causing damage to the bone that surrounds the teeth. They also lead to bleeding gums and teeth mobility and can affect overall health. For situations like these, it is best to get a consultation with your dentist to determine the level of your oral health and what treatment is suitable to address the gum disease. It is important to have regular dental evaluations and cleanings to keep the gum disease under control.

Other causes of halitosis are smoking and dry mouth resulting from medication side effects. Systemic conditions such as diabetes or sinus, gastric, kidney and liver problems also have an effect on oral health. Make sure to see your physician regularly and keep the conditions under control as well.

We at Parkway Smiles Dental encourage everybody to aim for a healthier life through a healthier and pleasant smelling smile!

PARKWAY SMILES DENTAL • 1029 Arnold Dr. Suite 9 • Martinez, Ca, 94553 O: (925) 229 - 8890 F: (925) 229 - 8889 • parkwaysmilesdental.com

We design landscape products that are environmentally preferable and ecologically friendly.

C

• Colored Mulch • Natural Mulch • Organic Soil • Compost products

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Pictured from (LtoR): Hazel Panaligan, R.D.H., Janet Concepcion-Manalo D.D.S., Jennifer Guzman, R.D.A., and Michelle Castillo, Treatment Coordinator.

Thank you for voting us your local favorite, 3 years in a row!

CMY

K

5010 Pacheco Blvd., Martinez (925) 228-1673 MyEcoMulch.com Like us on Facebook!

30 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Creating confident, healthy smiles.

General and Family Dentistry JANET CONCEPCION-MANALO, D.D.S. We welcome new patients!

In-Network with most PPO plans . Specials available for non-insured patients

1029 Arnold Drive, Ste. 9 Martinez, CA 94553

(between Walmart & Home Depot)

www.parkwaysmilesdental.com

(925) 229 - 8890

IN THE MIX

Music’s Best Kept Secret Interview with Bruce Campbell

BY PAUL COTRUVO

It seems that every community has a best-kept secret. In our area of the music world, there are a few best-kept secret musicians, and I am about to expose one of them. Meet Bruce Campbell. I first met Bruce years ago when he was part of a local Martinez “Americana” group, The Hopeful Romantics. I instantly loved the band and was impressed with Bruce’s songwriting and musicianship. Not too long after, I saw Bruce in the bluegrass band Blue Moon Brothers. Then, I saw him in another bluegrass band, Alhambra Valley Band. I figured I got to get to know this guy -- a great bass player with great vocals who shares my passion for music.

Not long after I saw him in these projects, Bruce became a member of the legendary local band Garageland Rodeo, but in this band, he was ripping amazing leads and playing rock and roll. Completely blown away! Bruce is truly a virtuoso.

And, on top of all that, he’s a great human being, SF Giants fan, and into home brew.

I am letting the cat out of the bag -- Bruce Campbell rocks! A few weeks ago we met in an undisclosed location, due to his attorney’s request, and he graciously gave me a little interview. Let’s meet Bruce Campbell.

PC: How old were you when you first played music, and what instrument did you learn on?

BC: I first played music in elementary school - the compulsory “flutaphone”

recorder monstrosity. All I learned was I love playing in front of people.

PC: Who are some of your influences?

BC: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Deep Purple, and Rolling Stones.

PC: When did you start writing your own material and what inspires you?

BC: I wrote my first song the day I got my first guitar, when I was 10. At first, it was just a way of playing a song when I didn’t know any songs. Later, it became more a form of self-expression as song ideas popped into my head, either while awake or sometimes in a dream. I never really had a gift for playing stuff just like the originals.

PC: What is your take on the local music scene here in Contra Costa?

BC: My impression is it is incredibly rich in talent, but that’s not based on any wide-ranging knowledge on my part. I hope other communities have a comparable depth and breadth, but I know CoCo County has a wealth of musicians at all levels, from rank beginners to earnest intermediates thru “gifted amateurs” (my spot, I think) on into true professionals.

It’s all around us! We are also fortunate to have places to play and a lot of people who like to listen to local music. And that includes me. If I’m not gigging, I usually like to catch someone else playing somewhere.

PC: What have been some of your musical career highlights so far?

BC: I had a whale of a time playing in the Alhambra Valley Band in bluegrass gigs all over the West in the early 2000s -- got

my taste of being the “band from out of town” at festivals and got to measure our prowess against some of the best. Locally and lately, I have been amazingly blessed to play with or even be in a band with almost every artist I’ve admired. How cool is that?

PC: If you were a song, what song would you be and why?

BC: I guess it’d be Steve Miller’s “The Joker.” Oddly, I’ve never covered it, but it’s about a character I can really relate to. It has all the qualities I aspire to.

PC: Thanks Bruce!

It’s been a hard few weeks after learning of the passing of Tom Petty, one of my rock and roll heroes, so I thought it would be appropriate to have an evening dedicated to his music. On December 1, in Pleasant Hill, there will be a night filled with his songs. “A Tribute to Tom Petty” will be held at 233 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill and feature Tom Petty tribute bands The Big Jangle and The Refugees and some very special guests. You will not want to miss this show. Look for details soon on Pleasant Hill Rec and Park’s web-

site, www.pleasanthillrec.com “Oh my my, Oh hell yes!”

And last but not least, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! As for me?

Time to get out my elastic waistband pants!

Quote of the Month: It’s over before you know it, it all goes by so fast.

The bad nights take forever and the good nights don’t ever seem to last.

Tom Petty

Now More Than a Newspaper, a Community Hub!

COMMUNITY FOCUS ONLINE

Click on our online calendar to see local events happening in our community, and you can add your own event for free!

BE • Local event listings from our calendar • Special offers from local businesses SCRI !

B U • Insights from our community and much more …

S OW N

www.ourcommunityfocus.com

Honest & Reliable CALL US FOR ALL OF YOUR HEATING & COOLING NEEDS.

Paul’s Picks

November 4: Delta Wires, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm November 10: Cut Loose, WiseGirl, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9pm November 11: Garageland Rodeo, Roxx on Main, 627 Main St., Martinez, 7pm November 22: The Big Jangle, WiseGirl, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9pm November 24: Dr. D, WiseGirl, 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill, 9pm November 24: Cheeseballs, Dan’s Bar, 1524 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, 10pm November 25: Mighty Mike Schermer, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 8pm November 26: Sunday Paper, Armando’s, 707 Marina Vista, Martinez, 4pm November 30: Sin Silver, Rocco’s Pizzeria, 2909 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek, 8pm

Bruce Campbell

• ALL MAKES & MODELS • ALWAYS PROMPT & RELIABLE

Please Contact Mike Hammer • Owner & Operator

SALES • INSTALL • SERVICE FREE ESTIMATES ON ALL EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION Providing Superior Services throughout the East Bay for over 20 years

877- 586-8302 925-229-2779 www.HammersHeatingandAC.com Lic.# 672344 OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 31

IN THE GARDEN

Growing a Garden All Year Long Conditions are Ripe for Winter Gardens

BY LESLEY STILES

The combination of shortened days coupled with cooler evenings creates the perfect environment for superb winter gardening, whether consumed by mouths, eyes, or the olfactory system. Perhaps the gardening-at-home bug eludes you? No fears – farmers’ markets are pretty much year-round in these parts, allowing you to partake of the best produce our local seasons have to offer at any time, so long as the farm has not burned down! A bad fire year for California for sure, with few untouched by loss, including our favorite wineries and farms. Prayers go out to all.

Greens are coming into their own this month along with pomegranates, persimmons, and winter squash. Kale can be had year-round, but in warmer months leaves are not quite as lushly thick with flavor and nutrition. Come cooler weather, leaves plump up and run sugars through muscle-bound veins so much you can smell the life of the plant. In the past several years, many different varieties of kale have popped up but none more lovely in stature and flavor than the purplish red kales, which sport snowflake cut-outs and varying shades of life-giving hues that run through their leaves. Colored by anthocyanins, the pigment mineral found in red wines, purple cauliflower

(or just about any other scarlet hued fruit or vegetable) is not only pretty but also power packed with anti-oxidant nutrition.

Amazing chopped up and sautéed with garlic and olive oil, kale makes the best taste popping last addition to virtually any soup, sauce, stew or sauté you may be preparing. Try a couple handfuls in every protein shake you make along with cocoa powder and super soft and ripe Hachiya persimmons, adding just a touch of pumpkin pie spice for a luscious start to any winter day. Purchase stunning bunches and place in vases of water, treating eyes to a sweet gaze before satisfying the tongue.

Persephone is said to have been held prisoner for six months of the year by her husband, Hades, because he tricked her into eating six pomegranate seeds while she was his prisoner. This so devastated her mother, Demeter, that she no longer blessed the earth with fertility for those six months. This is one ancient explanation for the seasons I always talk about, but whatever the cause, when pomegranates come around, they are a delight to behold.

Representing romance and mysticism can’t hurt either.

If the long process of cleaning stops you from partaking in the pomegranate, cut off the top, score the sides, and immerse in water to dislodge the arils. They will sink and the inedible pith

EL TAPATIO authentic mexican restaurant

JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR! MONDAY - FRIDAY 3 PM TO 6 PM SPECIALS ON HOUSE MARGARITAS & DRAFT BEERS FREE CHIPS AND SALSA TACO TUESDAY SERVED ALL DAY

SUNDAY BRUNCH SERVED 10 AM - 2 PM

Open 7 Days: Mon - Sat 11AM - 9 PM • Sundays 10AM - 8PM

40 Golf Club RD., Pleasant Hill 925.676.2420 • WWW.ELTAPS.COM 32 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

will float. Use these sweet tart seeds to liven up a salad with Fuyu persimmon slices while dousing all in orange vinaigrette. Eat the seed along with the juice; this is where all the fiber is stored.

Pomegranates are packed full of vitamin C and are an amazing source of antioxidants. You can get fresh-pressed pomegranate juice all winter at most farmers’ markets. This nutrient-filled ruby nectar is a great sauce medium.

Reduce two cups pomegranate juice with two cups stock. Take down by half and add a few tablespoons of honey, a handful of toasted walnuts, and a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Toss grilled chicken breast or, better yet, grilled eggplant to achieve romance and health in your life. Shake fresh-pressed pomegranate juice with a dash of soda water, a tablespoon of simple syrup, and a nice jigger of good vodka. Strain into an iced martini glass and garnish liberally with fresh arils and a wedge of lime to create the perfect holiday cocktail, literally guaranteeing passage at all the best parties of the season.

Lesley Stiles is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, sustainable caterer and school garden educator.

Contact Lesley at lesleystiles@comcast. net, www.lesleystiles.blogspot.com and visit her new website: www.lesleystilesfoods.com.

Butternut Squash and Herb Pasta This is a really quick and yummy pasta that can also be made with quinoa, rice, faro, or any other grain that you love. Feel free to add as many veggies as you like!

INGREDIENTS 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed 2 teaspoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic Salt and pepper 1 pound regular or gluten free pasta (Ancient Grains makes a great one) 1 onion, chopped 2 teaspoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped Handful fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, oregano, basil ½ to ¾ cup vegetable or chicken stock 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS Toss squash with olive oil, salt, and garlic and roast in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. Cook pasta in salted boiling water to al dente. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, add onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes.

Toss cooked pasta, squash, and stock in and mix until heated through. Add herbs and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese.

Yield: 4 servings

..........................................................

PAIR UP

The Five Flavors Savory Thanksgiving

BY MARIA TERRY

There are five flavors that human beings can taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Most people immediately understand the first four, but umami is a bit

Classic Bread Dressing

INGREDIENTS ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter plus more for baking dish 1 pound good-quality day-old white bread, torn into 1” pieces (about 10 cups) 2½ cups chopped yellow onions 1½ cups ¼” slices celery ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided 2 large eggs DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 250°F. Butter a 13x9x2” baking dish and set aside. Scatter bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake, stirring occasionally, until dried out, about 1 hour. Let cool; transfer to a very large bowl.

Meanwhile, melt 3/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and celery. Stir often until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add to bowl with bread; stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in 1¼ cups broth and toss gently. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk 1¼ cups broth and eggs in a small bowl. Add to bread mixture; fold gently until thoroughly combined. Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instantread thermometer inserted into the center of dressing registers 160°F, about 40 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made one day ahead. Uncover; let cool. Cover; chill.

Bake dressing, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 40-45 minutes longer (if chilled, add 10-15 minutes).

Yield: 8-10 servings

..........................................................

more challenging. Here is an easy way to understand it: umami is “savory,” like the savory flavor of classic Thanksgiving stuffing. Stuffing is what inspired me to write about umami in this Thanksgiving-themed article. So, in honor of umami flavor, here are some recipes that work right into your Thanksgiving dinner plan.

Olives are brimming with umami flavor. They are more than just salty, they are “meaty.” To bring out their umami goodness, try the recipe below.

This combination of floral lemon zest, earthy coriander and herbal bay leaf wakes-up your taste buds. Of course, it takes a special wine to stand-up to these pungent flavors. That wine is an Amontillado Sherry. Sherry is not expensive and can be found in just about any store that sells wine. It is light, dry, and a perfect appetizer wine because it goes with a host of flavors. You will love its nutty, slightly salty quality.

Indian Pudding

INGREDIENTS 5½ cups whole milk 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons dark molasses 2 tablespoons ground ginger 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon ½ cup of raisins (opt.) ¼ cup unsalted butter ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Vanilla ice cream DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 13x9x2” glass baking dish. Combine first 6 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens but can still be poured, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Stir in raisins if using.

Transfer pudding mixture to prepared baking dish. Bake pudding until golden brown and center no longer moves when pan is shaken, 1½ to 2 hours. Cool 10 minutes. Scoop pudding into bowls. Top with ice cream.

Yield: 8 servings

..........................................................

If you hadn’t already guessed, the customary umami dish to go with your roast turkey is a Classic Bread Dressing.

Dressing is simply stuffing that is baked outside the bird. I choose it because it reduces the potential for crosscontamination from the bird. The eggs in this recipe result in an incredibly moist, quiche-like texture. The umami flavor comes primarily from onions and chicken broth, but sage also adds to it.

Marinated Olives INGREDIENTS 1-pound assorted olives, unpitted (Lucques, Nicoise and Castelvetrano make a great combo) Zest of one lemon 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds 1/3 cups extra virgin olive oil 3 dried bay leaves DIRECTIONS Combine and drain your olives in whatever proportion you like. Place lemon zest in a small pan or pot, and as you add the coriander, slightly crush them with your fingers. Cover with the 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil and heat on medium-low heat until it starts to simmer. Remove pan from heat. Pour the oil over the olives and mix together. Let the flavors infuse for at least an hour at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to up to a month.

Yield One Pound

..........................................................

As for the wine, I love Pinot Noir with roast turkey and dressing. Pinot is lower in tannins than most red wines and has both earthy flavors as well as delicate fruit flavors. The earthy flavors echo the herbs, and lower tannins result in a softer wine to complement the tender meat.

Why not try something different this year and make a traditional Indian Pudding to end your meal? It gets its umami flavor from the rich caramelized flavor of savory molasses. Furthermore, its classic pumpkin pie spices keep you from missing the ubiquitous pie. Additionally, since it has a lovely texture and is not too sweet, it goes well with wine – pumpkin pie does not go with wine; it is too sweet and too soft. My choice for this dessert: a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc. In general, Sauvignon Blanc has excellent acidity to offset the sugar and results in a delicious late harvest wine.

Late harvest Sauvignon Blanc grapes have intense flavors of ripe pineapple and apricot. Slightly spicy and quite sweet, this wine will not be overpowered by the spice in the pudding and has enough sweetness to stand-up to the sugar.

So, go on. Pair Up!

Maria Terry is a Certified Sommelier and Wine Educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. www.LaSommelierre.com.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 33

SENIORS

Are Your Benefits Enough?

Martinez Senior Activities Nov. 3 - Annual Bazaar 9am-2pm. There will be a white elephant exchange, jewelry, bake sale, craft sale and more. Lunch will be served from 11:30am-1pm and will consist of pasta, salad, and garlic bread. Lunch is $6.

Nov. 12 - Pancake Breakfast 8-11am. The Martinez Senior Center Club puts on a pancake breakfast the 2nd Sunday of every month. This breakfast is open to the community and includes eggs (made to order), sausage, pancakes, orange juice and coffee. The delicious breakfast is $4.00 for adults and $2.50 for children under 10.

Nov. 17 - Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon 12-2pm. Cocktail social hour at 11:30am. Catering by Cynthia will be providing a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal serving turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and more. $15 members/ $20 non-members. For tickets call 925-370-8770.

Pinochle Mondays 8:30-11:30am, Wednesdays 12:30-3:30pm, and Thursdays 8:30-11:30am.

818 Green Street, Martinez 925-370-8770

Pleasant Hill Senior Activities Nov. 3 - Friday Flik, The Book of Henry (PG-13) 2017, 1pm in the Chateau Room.

Sponsored by Take One Video Rentals in Pleasant Hill.

Nov. 5 - Pancake Breakfast 8:30-10:30am. All ages welcome! Enjoy a stack of pancakes, eggs, sausage and orange juice and coffee. Adults (11+): $5, children (5-10): $3, 4 & under: free!

Nov. 9 - Care Management Series 2-3:30pm. Each 2nd Thursday, a variety of topics are discussed to help seniors and families gracefully navigate the aging process. The Go Program: Transportation, Flexibility & Reliability is presented by Visiting Angels. The series is free but space is limited. Call 798-8788 to reserve your spot. Sponsored by Carlton Senior Living.

Nov. 18 - Holiday Boutique and Craft Fair 9am-3pm. Free admission. Over 45 local vendors. All ages welcome. PH Senior Center.

233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill 925-798-8788

efits to begin could be 90 days, and that means the check will not arrive for 120 days -- a long time to wait for a paycheck.

Frequently a business owner does not realize the policy does not cover all of their earnings. If you are an owner or a highly compensated employee, take a careful look at the benefits. You might be surprised by the gaps. There is a solution.

One can layer an individual disability plan on top of employer coverage. The individual policy requires the applicant to qualify with good health and proven financial need.

If you have a business partner, does your agreement mention what happens in the event of death or disability? Make sure the issue is clearly addressed and the proper amount of insurance is in place. Take the time to do this; it will help your family.

Feel free to call me with questions. I can help.

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

SPONSORED CONTENT

Sons and Daughters of Italy

SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER

WEEKLY UPDATES www.ourcommunityfocus.com

Best Mechanic

34 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

BY COLLEEN CALLAHAN

With the high cost of housing in our community, many more people live paycheck to paycheck and often have little savings. What happens if someone becomes too sick or hurt to work? What happens when the paycheck ends? In the past year, we have faced this issue with several clients as the result of tragic, unexpected health changes.

Ask if your employer offers a longterm disability plan. Make sure you understand the benefit and check to see if you can purchase additional protection, either through the employer or with the help of an independent agent.

In many cases, employer sponsored benefits are simply not substantial enough. Most employer plans will replace 60% of income, bonuses, commissions, and incentive payments, which are normally excluded. If the employer pays the premium, the benefit is taxable, which reduces the value of your benefit.

Additionally, the waiting period for ben-

The Sons and Daughters of Italy Diablo Valley Lodge #2167 will be holding a Polenta Dinner on Saturday, November 11. The event will be at the Martinez Yacht Club, 111 Tarentino Drive, Martinez, at the marina.

Enjoy a lovely dinner prepared by Catering by Cynthia. The buffet menu includes: creamy polenta, grilled Italian sausages, meatballs with marinara sauce, Caesar salad, green beans with toasted hazelnuts and crumbled blue cheese with mustard vinaigrette, garlic bread, trio of mini desserts (key lime tarts, pineapple upside down cakes, chocolate truffles), iced tea, lemon water, coffee, and hot tea.

The event starts with socializing at 5pm, dinner at 6pm, and music and dancing to ‘50s nostalgic music from 7 – 10pm with Martinez entertainer and dejay Eddie Togonon. Reservations are required and seating is limited. Payment in advance is required.

The price is $25 per person.

For reservations, contact Anne Mobley at 925-788-8824 or whiterabbit531@sbcglobal.net by November 4.

ARCHITECTURAL MOULDINGS

Our Concord Location has Moved isit v e m o C r new ou room! show

MOVING & STORAGE, INC. Our priorities are clear… We are dedicated to quality service and customer satisfaction!

Excellent - Experienced - Efficient Residential & Office Experts Family Owned and Operated Since 1975 Relocation and Storage Services 1 Month FREE storage at our new facility Call today for instant price quote or set up a free estimate for a guaranteed price!

800-232-9977

925.798.7525 themouldingcompany.com

5117 COMMERCIAL CIRCLE, CONCORD, CA 94520

Moving You On To Better Things

Hospice Tree of Lights

Brighten the Sky by Honoring the Life of Someone you Love

The Hospice Tree of Lights ceremonies have provided a way for families and friends to honor their loved ones. People who attend a ceremony find solace in the symbolism of an illuminated light as the names of their loved ones are read. These ceremonies help raise the funds necessary to provide care to everyone who needs it.

By dedicating a memorial light for a minimum of $30 or becoming a tree donor, you can memorialize a loved one who has passed or honor someone who is

living while directly supporting Hospice of the East Bay.

Lights dedicated by gifts of at least $30 will provide the option to memorialize/honor loved ones in the book of names and have their name(s) read at the tree lighting ceremony of choice.

Please purchase your Memorial Light at least 7 days in advance of the event you wish to attend to ensure your loved one’s name is read. Puchase online at https:// hospicee.ejoinme.org. To ensure that

more of your gift goes towards patients and programs, Hospice will not be mailing acknowledgments via the post office. The

notification you receive as an email will serve as your receipt and acknowledgement.

2017 Tree of Lights Schedule Martinez Tree Saturday, November 4, 5pm, Morello Avenue, north of Arnold Drive

Pleasant Hill Tree Thursday, November 16, 6:30pm, Gregory Lane, near Cleaveland

Walnut Creek Tree Wednesday, December 6, 6pm, John Muir Medical Center, Main Entrance, Ygnacio Valley Road

Concord & Clayton Tree Tuesday, December 19, 5pm, John Muir Medical Center Parking Lot, East Street & Almond Avenue, Concord Pleasant Hill Hospice Tree of Lights. Photo by SusanWoodPhotography.com.

Diablo Valley Oncology and Hematology Medical Group is pleased to announce our new associate

Yelena Krupitskaya, MD Dr. Krupitskaya is board certified in Medical Oncology and Hematology and has extensive experience treating all types of cancers and blood disorders.

• Board Certiied • Stanford Trained • 8+ Years Experience • John Muir Affiliated • Accepts Most Insurances

36 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

She will be practicing in Concord, p Brentwood and Pleasant Hill. She speaks English, Russian and Spanish.

For appointments, please call 925-677-5041

National Caregivers Month

NITY FO MU C M

US

CO

BY LORI PYEGEORGE, RN

In November we recognize family caregivers across the country and honor their dedication and compassion. This includes family caretakers who care for loved ones with a chronic condition, disability, disease, or old age. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP data from 2016, approximately 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child throughout the year.

They give their time and energy to food preparation, housekeeping, transportation, and medical care.

Many of these caregivers have no medical training, and surveys from Gallup-Healthways found that caregivers spend around 13 hours per month researching care services and diseases/ conditions and coordinating medical appointments.

As an oncology nurse, I have had the privilege of getting to know many patients and their caregivers. Caring for a person with cancer is an extraordinarily difficult job, as treatments, side effects, and symptoms change over time.

In cancer care, there is also an emotional and psychosocial journey that caretakers experience with our patients.

One thing I have consistently noticed is that “self-care” is often put on the backburner for caretakers. I encourage individuals who are caregivers to find ways to refill their emotional and physi-

COMMUNITY SPONSOR

cal cup. Here are a few suggestions:

Exercise Regularly Staying active helps keep your mind and body in top shape and is a huge stress reliever.

Schedule Time Away Make a date with yourself to do something you enjoy.

Journaling Take a few minutes every day to write down your thoughts and feelings.

Join a Support Group Caregiver Action Network is a foundation that has a multitude of resources available.

Many oncology nurses have worked in the field for more than 20 years and often form a special bond with patients and families. Treating the same patient daily or weekly for months or even years, nurses and patients build relationships and genuinely care about each other. It is for this reason that our practice will be hosting an event to celebrate the lives of patients who have recently passed away. It will be an opportunity for staff and family members of patients to come together to remember those we love. Our event will be called “An Evening of Memories,” where we will share memories in a celebratory and dignified manner.

Lori Pyegeorge, RN, is the nursing supervisor at Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology Medical Group in Pleasant Hill. 925-677-5041. She has been an oncology nurse for over 25 years and considers it an honor and privilege to care for cancer patients.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Choice in Aging

The Thomas J. Long Foundation recently awarded Choice in Aging a $500,000 grant to support its vision of creating an Aging in Place campus in Pleasant Hill. This capacity-building grant will support new staff positions that are key to the success of the project as well as infrastructure improvements to position Choice in Aging for success as it enters an ambitious period of growth.

The Thomas J. Long Foundation has an interest in supporting programs for seniors that enable healthy aging in a supportive community. Senior Program Officer Nancy Shillis said, “Choice in Aging is one of a handful of anchor institutions providing high quality services to seniors in Contra Costa County. The Foundation is proud to be a partner in its important work.”

To learn more about Choice in Aging’s groundbreaking programs, visit http:// www.choiceinaging.org or contact info@choiceinaging.org.

PLAN INCLUDES:

TRUST AGREEMENT POUR OVER WILL GUARDIANSHIP TRANSFER OF REAL PROPERTY HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE

LAW OFFICES OF

LAUREN SMYKOWSKI

1255 treat blvd. ste 300 walnut creek, ca 94597

www.smykowskilaw.com

PROUDLY SUPPORTED

BY THESE COMMUNITY SPONSORS Businesses Invested in the Community

THANKS TO OUR CUSTOMERS FOR VOTING US #1!

Don and Norma Flaskerud Broker/Owners Flaskerud Team

Rinn a Community Sponsor.

Learn about the benefits ofMatt becoming Contact us at info@ourcommunityfocus.com

2013 • 2014 • 2015 2016 / 2017 OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 37

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Buck Shot & Any Reason

Local Qualit y You Can Trust!

Pleasant Hill

Fun "LIVE" Music from the 50’s thru 80’s For Any Occasion

COLLISION

Collision Repair & Painting • Frame Straightening Insurance Claims • Glass • Customs

Special Shows for Assisted Living, Convalescent Homes & Hospitals

www.PleasantHillCollision.com • email phcollision@aol.com 925-939-1160 • 1581 Oak Park Boulevard • Pleasant Hill

Contact Buck• 925-787-6149 www.buckshotozoneband.com

budget

handyman service

HARDWOOD • CARPET • VINYL LAMINATE • TILE & STONE

Specialized in Home & Commercial Repair RELIABLE & AFFORDABLE • Contractors License #777628 • EPA Certified Renovator www.budgethandymanservices.com Phone: 925.689.1339 • Mobile: 925.577.3025 Robert Angelsberg

NEED

CUSTOMERS? Central County

HOMES

Pacific Coast Carpet

1081 Detroit Ave., Concord, CA 94518

For Central Contra Costa Homeowners & House Hunters

If you can walk on it, you’ll find it at Pacific Coast Carpet.

Phone: 925.609.2150 www.pacificcoastcarpet.com PLEASANT HILL • WALNUT CREEK • MARTINEZ • LAFAYETTE • CONCORD • CLAYTON

For the Home You’ve Always Wanted...Call Us Today

SAMUELS CONSTRUCTION

• Kitchens • Bath Remodeling • Tile • Cultured Marble • Granite • Additions • Windows • Doors • Concrete • Foundations • Driveways • Patios • Fences General Contractor Lic#652185

samcon60@gmail.com • 925.260.4448 313 Gloria Drive, Pleasant Hill

ADVERTISERS

El Tapatio Flaskerud - RE/MAX Accord Grocery Outlet Hagin’s Automotive Hammer’s Heating and A/C Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital Hire My Husband Home Detailers Housekeeping Irvin Deutscher Family YMCA Jack’s Restaurant & Bar Jennifer L. Martin D.D.S. Joe Dajani Real Estate Group

Agent 2000, Derek Knapp Bryce Shumacher, Realtor Champion Benefits City of Pleasant Hill Cold Stone Creamery Colleen Callahan Insurance Services Deborah Zacharatos-Reeg Real Estate Diablo Valley Oncology Dudum Real Estate Group Ecomulch Ellinwood Exterminators

A monthy resource publication of Community Focus and Concord Pioneer & Clayton Pioneer

Get your business in Central County Homes, a guide for Homeowners and House Hunters.

REACH 200,000 CUSTOMERS!

John the Painter Law Offices of Daniel L. DuRee Law Office of Jeffrey Hall, Inc. Law Offices of Lauren Smykowski Main Street Martinez Martinez Auto Body Matt Rinn – State Farm Insurance Maureen Ingalls - RE/MAX Accord MaxSold Oasis Veterinary Hospital Parkway Smiles Dental Peony Garden

Home Detailers Housekeeping Let the work speak for itself!

Deep Cleaning - Everytime • Dust Door Frames / Baseboards • Clean Fireplace • Complete Dusting Rotate Couch & Chair Cushions • Move Furniture • Hardwood Floors • Vacuum Furniture (Spot) Wash Walls • Oil Wood (Kitchen Cabinets, Baseboards, etc.)

CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE - 925-689-9823 38 | NOVEMBER 2017 | OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM

Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Pleasant Hill Rec & Park Ruth Bancroft Garden Samuels Construction Senior Helpers Susan Wood Photography The Moulding Company Waters Moving and Storage Wence’s Restaurant WiseGirl Ristorante Italiano & Cocktails

CLEANING SPECIAL

$50 OFF On First Detailed Cleaning For New Clients Only SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! BONDED

EXPIRES 11/30/17

MAKE SOME PLANS

november

november 4

november 11

november 23

Hunger Study Volunteers Needed

NCFC Resource Parent Workshop

“Hail to our Veterans”

25th Annual Turkey Trot

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is looking for volunteers to interview clients for a hunger study to help improve programs and services, raise awareness, and advocate for public policy change. Visit foodbankccs.org/ hungerstudyvolunteer for more information.

The Northern California Family Center provides traditional long-term placement in resource (foster) homes supported by professional staff.

Become a certified resource parent through our 1-day workshop, 8:30am-7pm. Training is free.

Pre-register at (925) 370-1990. www.ncfc.us

now - february

november 4

november 12

december 1 & 3

Blue Devils Special Needs Group

Unforgettable In Every Way!

Little Gems of Martinez

Carols and Lullabies

Open to special needs participants of all abilities (ages 12+). No experience required. No fees to join or participate. Mondays, 7-9pm, thru Feb. 5. bluedevils.org/programs/specialneeds-guard/

One show only - 8pm. Starring George Cole with the George Cole Trio’s homage to jazz great Nat King Cole. Lesher Center for the Performing Arts, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. To order tickets call 925.943.SHOW (7469) or visit www.lesherartscenter.org.

Tom Zamaria will show pictures of old Martinez from the files of the Martinez Museum.

1pm at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 900 Ward Street. Light refreshments will be served.

Concert by Diablo Choral Artists features Christmas in the Southwest and a carol singalong. 12/1, 8pm, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, PH, and 12/3, 4pm, Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, WC, www.dcachorus. org.

now - november 11

november 14

december 2

Onstage Repertory Theatre

Diffusing Hatred Training

Hidden Valley Elementary Craft Fair

GREETINGS! by Tom Dudzick at Campbell Theatre, 636 Ward St., Martinez. Tickets: general admission $18; seniors $16; 18U $12; and Thurs. $12. Shows on Th., Fri. & Sat. @ 8pm; Sun. @ 2:30pm. Onstagetheatre.org.

Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County teaches nonviolent communication skills, creative resistance and other tools for responding to uneasy situations and hate speeches. 7pm at Congregation B’nai Shalom, 74 Eckley Lane, WC

Photos with Santa, 30+ crafters & vendors, delicious baked goods, kids craft area, & plenty of holiday cheer! 10am – 3pm, 500 Glacier Dr., Martinez.

Join Concord Historical Society for a fabulous evening of food, fellowship and fun at the third annual dinner-auction. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd, 5-9pm. Catering by Englund’s Café. Tickets: $60. www.concordhistorical.org

Kids Fun Runs, 10K run and 5K run or walk, and festival with costume contest presented

by Forma Gym. Funds raised go to local schools. 8am at Civic Park, 1375 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek.

november 2

november 4

november 14

december 2

Sequoia Elementary Holiday Boutique

$5 Bag of Books Sale

Rummage Sale & Thanksgiving Luncheon

Holiday Boutique

Local crafters and multiple businesses will help with your holiday shopping and entertaining from 3-6:30pm, 277 Boyd Rd., Pleasant Hill.

Friends of the Martinez Library invite the public to choose from thousands of gently used books and fill a grocery sack for $5.

All proceeds fund library programs. 11am – 4pm, Martinez Library (lower level), 740 Court Street.

november 3

november 7

december 3

Rodgers Ranch Celebrates

Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club

Diffusing Hatred Training

Rodgers Ranch celebrates 150 years with music, champagne, cake, and appetizers at 5pm at Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center, 315 Cortsen Rd., Pleasant Hill, www.RodgersRanch.org.

Monthly meeting with guest speaker Susie Vanderlip discussing monarch butterflies, 7pm. Guests are always welcome and free.

PH Community Center, 320 Civic Dr., PH. (925) 323-9314 or www.phgsc.com.

Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County teaches nonviolent communication skills, creative resistance, and other tools for responding to uneasy situations and hate speeches. 12:30pm, Community of Christ, 786 2nd Ave., WC.

Saint Mary’s College Soda Center, 11am-3pm. Preview items Monday, 11/13, 4pm-7pm. Luncheon is $35 per person. Make checks payable to SMC Guild, c/o Dolores McGonigle, 828 Crossbrook Ct., Moraga, CA 94556. 925-376-4339. Proceeds fund scholarships for St. Mary’s students seeking financial aid.

Unique and hand-made gifts at Rodgers Ranch Heritage Center, 10am-4pm, at 315 Cortsen Rd, Pleasant Hill, www.RodgersRanch.org.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | NOVEMBER 2017 | 39